Immune System Disorders: Hypersensitivity and Autoimmunity

The immune response is known as a physiological mechanism to protect the body, providing defense to different systems that compose it and allowing its proper functioning. The ability to keep the organism free from foreign agents depends on the mechanisms of natural resistance or innate immunity, as well as the resistance that can develop over time through adaptive immunity. However, when these defense mechanisms fail, it can trigger injuries and diseases in the tissues, such as hypersensitivity, which is characterized as an excessive and undesirable reaction, produced by the immune system; as well as autoimmunity, which refers to the failure of the mechanisms of immunological tolerance, causing the reaction of the immune system against the body itself

Purificación de curcumina por cromatografía en columna. Propuesta para la enseñanza experimental en química orgánica

Este trabajo describe una propuesta para el mejoramiento de la enseñanza experimental en un laboratorio de química orgánica para la carrera de ingeniería química que se imparte en la FES-Cuautitlán UNAM, por medio de la purificación de curcumina utilizando cromatografía en columna. Los resultados muestran que el protocolo presentado es una excelente alternativa que permite mejorar la enseñanza experimental de la química orgánica a través de un experimento sencillo y con el cual se puede demostrar un principio teórico aplicando diferentes técnicas previamente aprendidas.This paper describes a proposal for the improvement of experimental teaching in an organic chemistry laboratory for the chemical engineering career that is taught at FES-Cuautitlán UNAM, through the purification of curcumin using column chromatography. The results show that the presented protocol is an excellent alternative that allows to improve the experimental teaching of organic chemistry through a simple experiment and with which a theoretical principle can be demonstrated applying different previously learned techniques

Pollen collection and honey bee forager distribution in cantaloupe

Honey bee (Apis mellifera, L.) pollen collection and forager distribution were examined during the 2002 summer in a cantaloupe (Cucumis melo, L., Cruiser cv ) field with plastic mulch and drip irrigated. The experimental site was located near the INIFAP Campo Experimental La Laguna, Matamoros, Coahuila within La Laguna region, Mexico. Two trials were conducted in the same location, but were separated by a 800 m wide pecan orchard. Both cantaloupe trials were planted the same date. Trial 1. Nine honey-bee hives were placed in a three hectare field at the start of bloom. Each hive was fitted with a modified-Ontario pollen trap. The pollen was collected one day a week from each colony every hour beginning from 8:30 hr to 14:30 hr during the first four blooming weeks of the crop. Trial 2. Three weeks after the start of bloom, in a ten-ha field 30 honey bee colonies were located. In four randomlyselected rows of 105 m long, 10 m transects at 25, 50, 75 and 100 m distances from the apiary were marked. The foraging bees were counted simultaneously at the transects every half hour from 7:30 hr until 20:30 hr at the same pollen collection-day during the third week of cantaloupe bloom. Pollen collection was higher early in the morning (22.6 g per colony), dropping to medium amount from 9:30 hr (13.7 g), 10:30 hr (12.5 g) to 11:30 hr (9.5 g) and remaining low from 12:30 through the afternoon (less than 2.6 g per colony; p< 0.05). The distribution pattern showed that bees were in the cantaloupe after 8:00 hr, reaching a maximum between 10:30 hr and 14:30 hr when the bees began to decrease, until foraging flights ceased completely at about 20:30 hr. No statistical differences were found in the number of foraging bees among the evaluated distances from the apiary.Durante el verano del 2002 la colecta de polen y la distribución de las abejas (Apis mellifera L.) pecoreadoras fueron estudiadas en el cultivo de melón (Cucumis melo L., cv Cruiser ) bajo condiciones de riego por goteo y acolchado plástico. El lote experimental estuvo localizado cerca del Campo Experimental La Laguna del INIFAP, en el municipio de Matamoros, Coahuila, México. Dos experimentos se realizaron en el mismo predio, en lotes separados 800 m por una huerta de nogal. Ambas superficies de melón fueron sembradas en la misma fecha. Experimento N° 1. Al inicio de la floración se colocaron nueve colmenas en tres hectáreas de cultivo. Cada colmena contó con una trampa de polen tipo Ontario modificada. El polen se colectó cada hora de cada colmena un día por semana de las 8:30 hr a las 14:30 hr durante las cuatro primeras semanas de floración del cultivo. Experimento N° 2. Tres semanas después del inicio de la floración se colocaron 30 colmenas en un campo de melón de diez hectáreas. En cuatro surcos de 105 m de longitud se marcaron transectos de diez metros a 25, 50, 75 y 100 metros de distancia del apiario. Las abejas pecoreadoras fueron contadas simultáneamente en cada transecto cada media hora de las 7:30 hr hasta las 20:30 horas, el mismo día en que fue colectado el polen de la tercera semana de floración. La colecta de polen fue mayor temprano por la mañana (22.6 g por colmena), disminuyendo a una cantidad media de las 9:30 hr (13.7 g), 10:30 hr (12.5 g) a las 11:30 hr (9.5 g) y permaneciendo baja desde las 12:30 hasta el mediodía (menos de 2.6 g por colmena; p<0.05). El patrón de distribución mostró que las abejas se presentaron en el cultivo de melón después de las 8:00 hr y alcanzaron su máximo entre las 10:30 hr y las 14:30 hr cuando las abejas iniciaron su disminución hasta el cese de los vuelos a las 20:30 hr. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en el número de abejas pecoreadoras a las diferentes distancias del apiario que fueron evaluadas

Especies de plantas visitadas por abejas pecoreadoras durante la inducción de polinización en melón.

The purpose of the research was to determine, by identifying pollen in corbicular pellets, the different plant species visited by honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) during cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L.) induced pollination. This work was carried out in La Laguna region, located in the states of Coahuila and Durango, Mexico in the spring of 2003. During the first 31 days of cantaloupe bloom, 18 honey bee colonies were placed in a six ha field, nine of which had a bottom pollen trap. Trapped pollen was collected twice per a week weighed and frozen. Through the year, anthers of wild and cultivated flowering plant species around the cantaloupe field and in La Laguna were collected, acetolyzed and preserved for pollen identified. Corbicular pollen from the 5th, 9th, 12th, 20th, 24th and 31st sample dates after start of staminate bloom was processed, identified and counted by microscopy. Pollen size was calculated with the formula: volume V=?a2b where a is the major axe and b the minor axis and multiplied by the number of pollen grains to get the total volume. Cantaloupe pollen made up 8.7 %, 9.8%, 17.6 %, 9.3 %, 28.1% and 83.5% of that collected (number of pollen grains) on respectively for the sample dates. The percentage of volume basis pollen for cantaloupe was: 51.6%, 85.0%, 66.6 %, 84.4 %, 68.9% and 95.0% respectively. It is concluded that the cantaloupe was the main species visited as a plant pollen source for pollinating honeybees and that the plants present in the sample like mesquite (Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) DC.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), creosote bush (Larrea tridentata (DC) Cov.), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), London rocket (Sysimbrium irio L.) and sorghum (Sorghum vulgare L.) were species visited as supplementary pollen sources.El objetivo de la investigación fue determinar, a través de la identificación del polen corbicular, las diferentes especies de plantas que son visitadas por las abejas (Apis mellifera L.) durante la polinización inducida del melón (Cucumis melo L.). El trabajo se llevó a cabo en La Laguna ocalizada en los estados de Coahuila y Durango, México en la primavera del 2003. Durante los primeros 31 días de la floración del melón, un campo de seis hectáreas fue polinizada por 18 colmenas, nueve de las cuales tenía una trampa para captura de polen. El polen fue colectado dos veces por semana, pesado y congelado. Durante el año se colectaron anteras de plantas silvestres y cultivadas en floración alrededor del cultivo y en la región para preservarlas e identificar su polen usando la técnica de acetolisis. El polen corbicular, muestreado los días 5°, 9°, 12°, 20°, 24° y 31° contados a partir del inicio de la aparición de las flores estaminadas, fue procesado y contado en el microscopio óptico. El tamaño del polen fue calculado mediante la fórmula: volumen V=?a2b donde a es el eje mayor y b el eje menor y multiplicado por el número de granos de polen se obtuvo el volumen total. El polen de melón fue el 8.7 %, 9.8%, 17.6 %, 9.3 %, 28.1% y 83.5% del colectado (en base al número de granos) respectivamente en las fechas de muestreo. El porcentaje del polen de melón en base al volumen fue: 51.6%, 85.0%, 66.6 %, 84.4 %, 68.9% y 95.0% respectivamente. Se concluye que el melón fue la principal planta visitada por las abejas como fuente de polen y que las especies de plantas con mayor número de granos de polen presentes en las muestras como mezquite (Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) DC.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), gobernadora (Larrea tridentata (DC) Cov.), pepino (Cucumis sativus L.), mostacilla (Sysimbrium irio L.) y sorgo (Sorghum vulgare L.) fueron especies visitadas como fuentes suplementarias de polen

Peripheral Inflammation Enhances Microglia Response and Nigral Dopaminergic Cell Death in an in vivo MPTP Model of Parkinson’s Disease

The impact of systemic inflammation in nigral dopaminergic cell loss remains unclear. Here, we have investigated the role of peripheral inflammation induced by systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration in the MPTP-based model of Parkinson’s disease. Brain inflammation, microglia and astroglia activation, disruption of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and integrity of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system were evaluated in response to i.p. injection of LPS, MPTP or the combination of both. Our results showed that combinative treatment exacerbates microglia activation and enhances (i) the appearance of galectin-3-positive microglia, recently identified as microglial disease-associated phenotypic marker, (ii) the up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, (iii) the occurrence of A1 neurotoxic astrocytes, (iv) the breakdown of the BBB, and (v) the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Microglia activation was triggered earlier than other degenerative events, suggesting that over-activation of microglia (including different polarization states) may induce dopaminergic neuron loss by itself, initiating the endless cycle of inflammation/degeneration. Our study revitalizes the importance of peripheral inflammation as a potential risk factor for Parkinson’s disease and raises the possibility of using new anti-inflammatory therapies to improve the course of neurodegenerative diseases, including those directly aimed at modulating the deleterious activity of disease-associated microglia.España MINECO y FEDER SAF2015-64171-

Evaluation of metabolism and biosignaling in the angiogenic microenvironment as potential targets for therapeutic intervention

The "re-discovery" of Warburg effect at the turn of the present millennium has been a key determinant of the current renewed interest on cancer metabolism. In fact, metabolic reprogramming has been identified as one of the hallmarks of cancer. However, cancers grow in tight contact with non-tumoral accompanying cells and the surrounding extracellular matrix, as underlined by the concept of tumor microenvironment. Endothelial cells are key components of this tumor microenvironment, since they are requested for angiogenesis, another hallmark of cancer. In this complex system, rewiring of metabolism and signaling pathway in cancer, endothelial and other accompanying cell emerges as new potential targets for therapeutic intervention. In this communication, we will present the drug discovery and characterization approach of our group and our more recent results in this field, including new modeling with an evolutionary and ecological point of view.[Our experimental work is supported by grants BIO2014-56092-R (MINECO and FEDER) and P12-CTS-1507 (Andalusian Government and FEDER) and funds from group BIO-267 (Andalusian Government). The "CIBER de Enfermedades Raras" is an initiative from the ISCIII (Spain)]. This communication has the support of a travel grant "Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech"

First fossil record (Middle Miocene) of the viper shark Trigonognathus Mochizuki and Ohe, 1990, in the Mediterranean realm

The genus Trigonognathus Mochizuki and Ohe, 1990, is a monospecific taxon of `lantern sharks¿ (i.e., family Etmopteridae), a group of small-sized bioluminescent deep-sea chondrichthyans, ranging in mature male specimens between 42¿47 cm total length, and at least 52 cm for females (Ebert et al., 2021). This shark inhabits the upper continental slopes as well as the uppermost slope of seamounts, often at the bottom, at depths ranging between 250¿1000 m, but has been caught at 150 m and 270 m in deep open waters (Mochizuki and Ohe, 1990; Compagno et al., 2005; Ebert et al., 2021). Only two species have been described thus far, the extant species Trigonognathus kabeyai Mochizuki and Ohe, 1990, and the extinct ¿Trigonognathus virginiae from the middle Eocene of France (Cappetta and Adnet, 2001). Trigonognathus kabeyai exhibits a combination of morphological characteristics that are unique among Squaliformes, like a highly protrudable jaw articulation (Shirai and Okamura, 1992; Straube et al., 2010), and a lack of dignathic heterodonty. Additionally, the tearing-type dentition, and strong monognathic heterodonty with hypertrophied anterior teeth, differentiate it from the genus Squalus and Cirrigaleus (with cutting-type dentition), and Centroscyllium and Aculeola (with no monognathic heterodonty and clutching-type dentition) (Cappetta and Adnet, 2001). The geographic distribution of T. kabeyai is restricted to the Pacific Ocean, in the Wakayama and Tokushima coasts of Japan (Mochizuki and Ohe, 1990; Shirai and Okamura, 1992; Ebert et al., 2021), Taiwan (Ebert et al., 2013), and in the north-west of Hawaii (Wetherbee and Kajiura, 2000). However, the fossil record of the genus Trigonognathus indicates a broader geographic distribution in the past (Aguilera and Rodriguez de Aguilera, 2001; Cappetta and Adnet, 2001; Carrillo-Briceño et al., 2015). These findings include ¿T. virginiae from the middle Eocene of Landes (eastern Atlantic), southwestern France (Cappetta and Adnet, 2001), and two isolated teeth assigned to Trigonognathus sp. and Trigonognathus aff. kabeyai from the Upper Miocene of Panama (Carrillo-Briceño et al., 2015) and the Upper Miocene¿Lower Pliocene of Venezuela (Caribbean Sea) (Aguilera and Rodriguez de Aguilera, 2001), respectively. Given the apparent rarity of this elusive taxon, any new finding, especially in the fossil record, is of note and increases our knowledge of this genus. Herein we describe a Middle Miocene locality with the first known record of Trigonognathus in the Mediterranean realm (south-eastern Spain), which offers new insight into the paleoenvironmental and paleobiogeographic history of this shark. In addition, with the objective of providing new information about possible diagnostic characteristics of the genus, the first description of its internal tooth histology is provided

Adecuación efectiva de las condiciones de accesibilidad en edificios existentes a través del ajuste razonable

El ejercicio efectivo de los derechos de las personas en situación de discapacidad está condicionado por el grado de accesibilidad de los entornos, procesos, bienes, productos y servicios, entendidos éstos en su sentido más amplio. Las exigencias técnicas de accesibilidad de los edificios y establecimientos se recogen en el ordenamiento jurídico estatal, autonómico y en su caso local. A nivel estatal, las condiciones básicas de accesibilidad se establecen en los documentos básicos de Seguridad de Utilización y Accesibilidad (DB SUA) y de Seguridad en caso de Incendio (DB SI) del Código Técnico de la Edificación (CTE). Por otro lado, los criterios de flexibilidad para la adecuación efectiva de los edificios y establecimientos existentes a las condiciones básicas de accesibilidad y no discriminación de las personas con discapacidad se contemplan en el Documento de Apoyo al Documento Básico DB-SUA/2. La institución del ajuste razonable para facilitar la accesibilidad y garantizar a las personas con discapacidad el goce o ejercicio, en igualdad de condiciones con las demás, de todos los derechos, lleva consigo su propio límite, ya que no todos los ajustes resultan obligados, sólo procede imponer aquellos que sean razonables, no representando una carga desproporcionada. Debido a la aplicación de criterios discordantes por parte de algunos técnicos de administraciones públicas tanto autonómicas como locales, con la presente comunicación se pretende realizar un análisis de la evolución legislativa del concepto de ajuste razonable y la problemática de su aplicación directa, aportando directrices técnicas y jurídicas para la aplicación efectiva de la normativa relativa a la adecuación de las condiciones básicas de accesibilidad en edificios y establecimientos existentes. Para alcanzar el objetivo general propuesto, el marco metodológico se desarrolla en dos fases, en la primera se utiliza un método descriptivo, a partir de una revisión bibliográfica y reglamentaria, y una segunda fase donde se aplica un método explicativo, aportando criterios de intervención para la mejora y adecuación efectiva de las condiciones básicas de accesibilidad y no discriminación de las personas con discapacidad, tanto en edificios de vivienda como en pequeños establecimientos

TAXONOMÍA Y REGISTROS DE CHRYSOPIDAE (INSECTA: NEUROPTERA) EN EL ESTADO DE MORELOS, MÉXICO

A total of 21 species of Chrysopidae occurring in the State of Morelos are presented, these are included in nine genera in the subfamily Chrysopinae. A key is given for the genera as well as keys to species in each genus and diagnosis and distribution data for each species. The identified species were as follows: Ceraeochrysa cincta (Schneider), Ceraeochrysa cubana (Hagen), Ceraeochrysa everes (Banks), Ceraeochrysa sanchezi (Navás), Ceraeochrysa valida (Banks), Chrysopa sp., Chrysoperla comanche (Banks), Chrysoperla exotera (Navás), Chrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister), Eremochrysa hageni Banks, Leucochrysa maculata Navás, Leucochrysa pretiosa Banks, Leucochrysa texana Adams, Meleoma antennensis Tauber, Meleoma colhuaca Banks, Meleoma mexicana Banks, Meleoma pipai Tauber, Meleoma tezcucana (Banks), Plesiochrysa brasiliensis (Schneider), Plesiochrysa elongata (Navás) y Yumachrysa apache (Banks); 15 species are new records for Morelos, one of which (P. elongata) is a new record for Mexico. Ceraeochrysa and Meleoma were the genera with the largest number of species although Ceraeochrysa was the genus with the largest number of individuals. The most important species as far as their abundance in descending order were: Ceraeochrysa cincta, C. valida, C. cubana, Leucochrysa texana y Chrysoperla comanche.Se presentan 21 especies de Chrysopidae que ocurren en el Estado de Morelos, agrupadas en ocho géneros de la subfamilia Chrysopinae. Se proporciona una clave para los géneros y claves para las especies de cada género, diagnosis y datos de distribución de cada especie, así como imágenes que ilustran las claves. Las especies identificadas fueron: Ceraeochrysa cincta (Schneider), Ceraeochrysa cubana (Hagen), Ceraeochrysa everes (Banks), Ceraeochrysa sanchezi (Navás), Ceraeochrysa valida (Banks), Chrysopa sp., Chrysoperla comanche (Banks), Chrysoperla exotera (Navás), Chrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister), Eremochrysa hageni Banks, Leucochrysa maculata Navás, Leucochrysa pretiosa Banks, Leucochrysa texana Adams, Meleoma antennensis Tauber, Meleoma colhuaca Banks, Meleoma mexicana Banks, Meleoma pipai Tauber, Meleoma tezcucana (Banks), Plesiochrysa brasiliensis (Schneider), Plesiochrysa elongata (Navás) y Yumachrysa apache (Banks); 15 especies son nuevos registros para Morelos, una de las cuales (P. elongata) representa un nuevo registro para México. Ceraeochrysa y Meleoma fueron los géneros con mayor número de especies, aunque Ceraeochrysa fue el género con el mayor número de individuos. Las especies más importantes por su abundancia en orden descendente fueron: Ceraeochrysa cincta, C. valida, C. cubana, Leucochrysa texana y Chrysoperla comanche

Relevance of chronic stress and the two faces of microglia in Parkinson’s disease

This review is aimed to highlight the importance of stress and glucocorticoids (GCs) in modulating the inflammatory response of brain microglia and hence its potential involvement in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The role of inflammation in PD has been reviewed extensively in the literature and it is supposed to play a key role in the course of the disease. Historically, GCs have been strongly associated as anti-inflammatory hormones. However, accumulating evidence from the peripheral and central nervous system have clearly revealed that, under specific conditions, GCs may promote brain inflammation including pro-inflammatory activation of microglia. We have summarized relevant data linking PD, neuroinflamamation and chronic stress. The timing and duration of stress response may be critical for delineating an immune response in the brain thus probably explain the dual role of GCs and/or chronic stress in different animal models of P