Título del artículo:

Rainwater volume at the Alberto Santos Buitrago school in El Socorro, Colombia

This study calculated the volume of capturable rainwater over a three-month period at the Alberto Santos Buitrago school in the municipality of El Socorro, Colombia. Rainwater is frequently an under-developed natural resource, due to the minimal investment by public entities, and to the lack of awareness and education of the local inhabitants in this regard. Due to the significant climatic changes occurring across Colombia, however, new interest has arisen in utilizing this resource. The Universidad de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia, and the Universidad Libre in El Socorro, Colombia, have joined forces to promote projects focused upon the use of these resources to ameliorate the condition of vulnerable green areas, which tend to deteriorate during dry summer months, as occurred during this study, due to local geographic conditions and the impacted population; in these case young, low-income students of this rural municipality. Such a water storage and distribution system could also serve a valuable role in the school\'s sanitary facilities, and for cleaning public areas, with a total of 35.01 m3 of rainwater collected on school roofs. Nevertheless, upon the delivery of the results of the current study, a significant lack of interest was evident on the part of the directors of public institutions in implementing this type of sanitary system. It is thus necessary for the community itself to commit to incentivizing and promoting the implementation and improvement of these new mechanisms.

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Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Título del artículo:

Effect of expanded polystyrene waste in the creation of waterproofing paint

The production, use, and poor management of polymers, and especially of expanded polystyrene, have resulted in various environmental challenges, such as large-scale waste generation, accumulation of toxic substances, and the pollution of natural resources, chiefly of water and soil. Consequently, nations around the world are investing considerable research effort into developing waste treatment and reduction solutions. Some areas have even enacted bans against the use of the material, however, in the Colombian case, it continues to be highly represented in the industry, and given the low cost of this packaging, little effort has been made to find a replacement. Expanded polystyrene is a thermoplastic polymer with low weight, low thermal conductivity, low cost, and low water absorption; factors which have made it a less attractive target for recycling. It has, however, excellent resistance to mechanical compression, which makes it viable for study in other applications such as those considered in the present study, offering advantages in terms of environmental protection without the need to completely eliminate the use of the material. The present study analyses the effects of integrating waste expanded polystyrene into the process of creating waterproofing paint. The research is divided into three major phases: the first focusing on the determination of the paint\'s technical requirements using previous research and by means of initial testing; the second, on elimination tests to validate the properties of various samples before preparing the final paint mixture; and finally, a third phase of final tests required for a waterproof paint. The final formula is applied to common materials in the construction sector, such as wood, metal, glass, and concrete, to validate each of the required properties. Among the main results, technical viability was identified in the second sample, which demonstrated the best results at a ratio of 1: 2.5: 2.5 of waste expanded polystyrene, D-limonene and methyl acetate, respectively.

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Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Título del artículo:

Influence of mechanical milling on the hydrogen absorption properties of TiCrV - Based alloys

The hydrogen economy is a concept focused on this element as a carrier of clean and cheap energy, one of the keys is the storage of this gas safely. In this sense, TiCrV-based alloys have great capacity to store hydrogen. In the present working studied the influence of the process of mechanical milling of high energy in the storage capacity of hydrogen of TiCr1.1 V0.9 alloy. The alloy was synthesized by arc fusion and manually crushed. The effects of mechanical milling were studied for periods of time of 1 hour and 3 hours at 300 revolutions per minute with a weight/weight ratio of the sample 10: 1. The x-ray diffraction analyzes revealed solid phase formation of body center cubic phase, characteristic of TiCrV base alloys, and formation of TiCr1.8H5.3 hydrides and TiH2 hydrides with orthorhombic structure and body center cubic, respectively. The hydrogen storage capacity of the TiCr1.1 V0.9 alloy decreased with the increase in grinding time. The reasons for the drop in hydrogen storage capacity are mainly two: contamination of the surface of the alloy powder and changes in the microstructure generated by the plastic deformation in the grinding process. However, an increase in absorption kinetics was observed at longer milling times because the surface area increases since the crystallite size decreases. This phenomenon can be explained by the catalytic effect produced by the decrease in the particle size of the samples. The differential scanning calorimetry analysis was able to determine that the TiCr1.8H5.3 hydride stored a greater amount of hydrogen and has a lower desorption temperature compared to the TiH2 hydride.

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Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Título del artículo:

Metal hydrides with body-centered cubic structure: Advantages and challenges

Metal hydrides are considered an easy and safe way to store hydrogen. Storage is one of the keys to the large-scale implementation of the so-called hydrogen economy, which will undoubtedly revolutionize the new vision of sustainable development towards a more environmentally friendly world. This paper presents a general review of some alloys based on TiCrV and TiCrVZr showing their advantages and challenges that must be developed for their implementation. The capacity of absorption and desorption as a function of time is shown using a Sieverts type device, the structure is studied by means of X-ray diffraction as well as its morphology by means of scanning electron microscopy. This paper shows the advantages and disadvantages of alloy synthesis methods based on transition metals, it is observed that hydrogen capacity increases in the process of fusion synthesis and decreases in the process by mechanical grinding, however the capacity desorption is not optimal at room temperature.

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Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Título del artículo:

Performance, chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil of Ruta chalepensis and Origanum vulgare

The antibacterial effectiveness of Origanum vulgare and Ruta chalepensis essential oils cultivated in three municipalities of Norte de Santander, Colombia, on gram positive and gram-negative bacteria was determined in vitro. The oil extraction process was carried out at zoey perfumery company by the steam dragging method from 5 kg of vegetable material, the oil yield obtained compared with the vegetable material collected was calculated using mathematical formulas and its chemical composition was determined by mass spectrometry since is an analytical technique with great potential that allows to elucidate the structure and chemical properties of molecules. For the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration of the extracted oils, the mother solution of 2.5 g/mL was prepared and from this solution, the different dilutions at concentrations from 1000 mg/mL up to 15.62 mg/mL were made. A suspension equal to tube 0.5 of the McFarland scale of each of the microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853) was then prepared with sterile saline solution and inoculated in microplates with volumes of diluted solution, soy tripticasa broth and dimethyl sulfoxide, was then incubated at 37 °C for 18 hours and proceeded to inoculate in Müeller-Hinton agar to verify its minimum bactericidal concentration. The results show that the yield of Origanum vulgare essential oil was 0.8% and for Ruta chalepensis 0.1%. The chemical analysis of the oils revealed the major components of Origanum vulgare such as β-mircene 1.6%, ∝-terpinene 15.7%, 1.8-cineol 3.8%, yterpineno 2.6%, terpine-4-ol 1.1%, timol methyl ether 17.4%, timol 30.6%, carvacrol 8.1%, trans-β-caryophyllene 6.3%, ∝-humulene 1%, cariophylene oxide 3.1% and Ruta chalepensis as nonanone 37.1%, undecanone 39.4%, nonanyl acetate 2.2%, decanone 2.8%. The results obtained show that essential oil of Ruta chalepensis at concentration of 500 mg/mL stop growth of Escherichia coli and seudomonas aeruginosa and at a concentration of 1000 mg/mL stop growth of S. aureus while the essential oil of Origanum vulgare was the most effective for the inhibition of all the microorganisms evaluated, requiring a concentration of 15.62 mg/mL for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a concentration of 125 mg/mL was necessary. It is concluded that according to the chemical composition, materials of vegetable origin such as Ruta chalepensis and Origanum vulgare essential oils can be taken for the elaboration of products with potential in artisanal cosmetics and even in pharmaceutical products.

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Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Título del artículo:

Physicochemical study of used frying oil as feedstock for the production of biodiesel

A diagnosis was made of the availability and quality of the used frying oil of the establishments dedicated to chicken fry in the city of San José de Cúcuta, to evaluate its technical feasibility as a feedstock in the biodiesel production. A survey was applied to 21 restaurants, evidencing that they reuse the oil less times when having a high monthly consumption (i.e. more than 80 liters, contrary to those consuming less than 60 liters, which reuse the oil more than 3 times. As a final disposition, 86% of establishments sell the used frying oil at $750/liter and 14% deliver it to be used by external persons. The physicochemical properties of used frying oil were analyzed as: fatty acid profile, density, moisture content, refractive index, acidity index, peroxide index and saponification index. The used frying oil presented high content of oleic acid (42.45%) and palmitic acid (33.52%), converting it into a potential feedstock by presenting fatty acids characteristics from palm oil, which is the main source for the production of biodiesel in Colombia. To improve the organoleptic characteristics of the used frying oil (dark colour, strong odour, emulsions), it was subjected to heating and filtering to remove the particles that affect the yield of biodiesel production.

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Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Título del artículo:

Bioconversion of post-culture wastewater from farm fisheries for the production of high-value algal biomass

Post-consumption water from inland fisheries possesses a tremendous environmental impact on aquatic ecosystems due to their high load of nutrients such as Nitrates, Phosphates, Urea and organic load. Due to the high cost of current water treatment systems, most of the waters from inland fisheries are discharged without any treatment, thus generating a significant environmental impact in rivers of different localities. Cyanobacteria are a group of photosynthetic microorganisms that can grow in different environments including wastewater. Among the most industrially exploited cyanobacteria, Spirulina (Arthrospira) maxima is the most relevant microorganism, due to its capacity to produce large quantities of protein and colourants (especially phycocyanins) for the food and feed industry. The objective of this project is to determine the maximum production capacity of Spirulina in post-consumption waters of fish farming as a system for the treatment of this type of water through the biological capture of the various nutrients and the production of biomass of industrial interest. S. maxima was produced on 3 different media (wastewater + Zarouk, wastewater + K2HPO4, NaNO3, NaHCO3 and wastewater without any modification) for 30 days. Results shown that S. maxima can effectively grow on wastewater supplemented with NaNO3 (2.5 g/L), NaHCO3 (16.8 g/L) and K2HPO4 (0.5 g/L) to obtain up to 1.18 g/L of total biomass and 0.23 g/L of phycocianins. The scaling of culture at 10 L showed a minimal reduction on final biomass and phycocyanin (1.05 and 0.21 g/L respectively), this result indicates that the production of biomass and phycobiliproteins from S. maxima in wastewater from inland fisheries can be a possible candidate for the simplification of biomass and high-value metabolites process production.

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Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Título del artículo:

Educational contextualization: Memories, oral narratives and subjectivities at the border

The present study conducted in the educational context at the Colombo-Venezuelan border approaches the issue of migrant children vulnerability, the coexistence relationship among equals and the teacher\'s pedagogical intervention in the re-signification processes of identity in the self (sameness) and the other (otherness) recognition. This research objective was to characterize the social environment and then determine the citizen actions and attitudes evidenced in the school context and to establish a coexistence protocol. In this study, in which 220 elementary school students between 10 and 12 years old from two institutions at the border region participated deepens in the diagnosis, recognition and development of a classroom work methodology. The methodological approach is qualitative and work in four phases 1) documentary: Analysis of student population to the competent agencies in the region, boards of education and government institutions, among others, 2) field research: identifying the actors, conduct the interviews and apply the instrument for occupational self-evaluation 3) analysis of the findings and interpretation results from the categories carried out with the theory founded. 4) scientific contribution creation. Their oral narratives result mainly indicate that there is a vulnerable student population coming from dysfunctional homes that somehow have to live through the border conflicts; families that are exposed to daily violence in their neighborhoods due to the smuggling of products, many children work as \"smugglers\": they buy and resell family basket basic and scarce products. The staying of migrant children is fluctuating during the school period.

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Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Título del artículo:

A theranostic PSMA ligand for PET imaging and retargeting of T cells expressing the universal chimeric antigen receptor UniCAR

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have shown impressive therapeutic potential. Due to the lack of direct control mechanisms, therapy-related adverse reactions including cytokine release- and tumor lysis syndrome can even become life-threatening. In case of target antigen expression on non-malignant cells, CAR T cells can also attack healthy tissues. To overcome such side effects, we have established a modular CAR platform termed UniCAR: UniCAR T cells per se are inert as they recognize a peptide epitope (UniCAR epitope) that is not accessible on the surface of living cells. Bifunctional adapter molecules termed target modules (TM) can cross-link UniCAR T cells with target cells. In the absence of TMs, UniCAR T cells automatically turn off. Until now, all UniCAR TMs were constructed by fusion of the UniCAR epitope to an antibody domain. To open up the wide field of low-molecular-weight compounds for retargeting of UniCAR T cells to tumor cells, and to follow in parallel the progress of UniCAR T cell therapy by PET imaging we challenged the idea to convert a PET tracer into a UniCAR-TM. For proof of concept, we selected the clinically used PET tracer PSMA-11, which binds to the prostate-specific membrane antigen overexpressed in prostate carcinoma. Here we show that fusion of the UniCAR epitope to PSMA-11 results in a low-molecular-weight theranostic compound that can be used for both retargeting of UniCAR T cells to tumor cells, and for non-invasive PET imaging and thus represents a member of a novel class of theranostics.

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OncoImmunology

Título del artículo:

Childhood obesity: Aetiology, comorbidities, and treatment

Obesity is currently considered a global epidemic, and its implications in mortality and morbidity in a paediatric patient and in adulthood are increasingly important. The objective of this article is to review in detail the definition of obesity according to age group, and, in turn, the epidemiology of this entity worldwide and in South America. Available evidence about pathophysiology and, additionally, associated comorbidities are reported in some of the most important and clinically relevant body systems. The recommendations on pharmacological and nonpharmacological management through changes in lifestyle and relevant aspects of bariatric surgery in the paediatric population are also described.

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Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews

Título del artículo:

A community-based comprehensive intervention to reduce cardiovascular risk in hypertension (HOPE 4): a cluster-randomised controlled trial

Background: Hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease globally. Despite proven benefits, hypertension control is poor. We hypothesised that a comprehensive approach to lowering blood pressure and other risk factors, informed by detailed analysis of local barriers, would be superior to usual care in individuals with poorly controlled or newly diagnosed hypertension. We tested whether a model of care involving non-physician health workers (NPHWs), primary care physicians, family, and the provision of effective medications, could substantially reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Methods: HOPE 4 was an open, community-based, cluster-randomised controlled trial involving 1371 individuals with new or poorly controlled hypertension from 30 communities (defined as townships) in Colombia and Malaysia. 16 communities were randomly assigned to control (usual care, n=727), and 14 (n=644) to the intervention. After community screening, the intervention included treatment of cardiovascular disease risk factors by NPHWs using tablet computer-based simplified management algorithms and counselling programmes; free antihypertensive and statin medications recommended by NPHWs but supervised by physicians; and support from a family member or friend (treatment supporter) to improve adherence to medications and healthy behaviours. The primary outcome was the change in Framingham Risk Score 10-year cardiovascular disease risk estimate at 12 months between intervention and control participants. The HOPE 4 trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01826019. Findings: All communities completed 12-month follow-up (data on 97% of living participants, n=1299). The reduction in Framingham Risk Score for 10-year cardiovascular disease risk was −6·40% (95% CI 8·00 to −4·80) in the control group and −11·17% (−12·88 to −9·47) in the intervention group, with a difference of change of −4·78% (95% CI −7·11 to −2·44, p<0·0001). There was an absolute 11·45 mm Hg (95% CI −14·94 to −7·97) greater reduction in systolic blood pressure, and a 0·41 mmol/L (95% CI −0·60 to −0·23) reduction in LDL with the intervention group (both p<0·0001). Change in blood pressure control status (<140 mm Hg) was 69% in the intervention group versus 30% in the control group (p<0·0001). There were no safety concerns with the intervention. Interpretation: A comprehensive model of care led by NPHWs, involving primary care physicians and family that was informed by local context, substantially improved blood pressure control and cardiovascular disease risk. This strategy is effective, pragmatic, and has the potential to substantially reduce cardiovascular disease compared with current strategies that are typically physician based. Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research; Grand Challenges Canada; Ontario SPOR Support Unit and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care; Boehringer Ingelheim; Department of Management of Non-Communicable Diseases, WHO; and Population Health Research Institute. Video Abstract:

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The Lancet

Título del artículo:

Isometric posterior chain peak force recovery response following match-play in elite youth soccer players: Associations with relative posterior chain strength

The purpose of this study was to determine changes in two tests of lower limb isometric posterior chain force (IPC-F) following 90 min of match-play in elite youth soccer players and the interaction between relative strength and recovery profile. 14 players (age: 16 ± 2 years) performed 3 × 3 second IPC-F tests unilaterally at 30◦ and 90◦ of knee and hip flexion pre-and post-match, +24 h, +48 h, and +72 h post-match. Peak force was recorded for both limbs, combined and expressed relative to bodyweight (N/kg). A two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was performed to determine differences in force output between joint angles, time intervals and subjects. As there was no interaction between angle and time (p = 0.260), we report the change between timepoints as mean ∆ in 90◦ + 30◦ IPC-F. Relative to pre-match IPC-F, there were significant decreases post (∆ = −18%; p > 0.001) and at +24 h (∆ = −8%; p = 0.040), no significant difference at +48 h (∆ = 0%; p = 0.992) and a significant increase at +72 h (∆ = +12%; p = 0.005). There was a large inter-individual variability in recovery profile at both angles and substantial differences between post-match deficits at 90◦ (−10.8%) compared to 30◦ (−20.7%). Higher pre-match IPC-F was correlated with the magnitude of IPC-F deficits at both angles and all time points (r = 0.56 to 0.70, p = < 0.01) except for post-match 90◦ . Regular IPC-F monitoring to determine the magnitude of match-induced fatigue and track recovery may help inform decision-making regarding modifications to individual players training load, particularly as there is a large inter-individual variability in response to competition. Further research is warranted to better understand and address the finding that stronger players showed larger force deficits and slower recovery following match-play.

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Sports

Título del artículo:

Developing a teacher training curriculum including computational thinking skills: Early advances on a study focused on Colombia

During training at the Complementary Formation Program (CFP), Colombian primary school teachers do not acquire Computational Thinking (CT) skills, which are considered fundamental for the knowledge economies of the 21st century. In this paper, we describe the early stages of a project aiming to reform the CFP curriculum, such that CT skills becomes an integral part. As a first step, we carried-out four introductory workshops with 64 first-and third-semester CFP students and then surveyed them to gather their perceptions on CT. The results show that the students have a limited understanding of CT and its associated skills, but they recognize their importance. Moreover, they agree that primary school should be the starting point to develop them. The project will continue gathering information from current CFP teachers, current primary school teachers, and university professors who are experts in curriculum development, to develop the curricular proposal.

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Proceedings - 14th Latin American Conference on Learning Technologies, LACLO 2019

Título del artículo:

Physical preparation and return to sport of the football player with a tibia-fibula fracture: Applying the control-chaos continuum\'

Contact in elite football can result in severe injury such as traumatic fracture. Limited information exists regarding the rehabilitation and return to sport (RTS) of these injuries especially in elite football. We outline the RTS of an elite English Premier League footballer following a tibia-fibula fracture including gym-based physical preparation and the use of control-chaos continuum\' as a framework for on-pitch sport-specific conditioning, development of technical skills while returning the player to pre-injury chronic running loads considering the qualitative nature of movement in competition. Strength and power diagnostics were used to back up clinical reasoning and decision-making throughout rehabilitation and the RTS process. The player returned to full team training after 7.5 months, completed 90 min match-play after 9 months and remains injury-free 11 months post-RTS.

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BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine

Título del artículo:

Effect of a very-low-calorie ketogenic diet on circulating myokine levels compared with the effect of bariatric surgery or a low-calorie diet in patients with obesity

The preservation of muscle mass and muscle function after weight loss therapy is currently a considerable challenge in the fight against obesity. Muscle mass secretes proteins called myokines that have relevant functions in the regulation of metabolism and health. This study was aimed to evaluate whether a very low-calorie ketogenic (VLCK) diet may modulate myokine levels, in addition to changes in body composition, compared to a standard, balanced low-calorie (LC) diet or bariatric surgery in patients with obesity. Body composition, ketosis, insulin sensitivity and myokines were evaluated in 79 patients with overweight/obesity after a therapy to lose weight with a VLCK diet, a LC diet or bariatric surgery. The follow-up was 6 months. The weight loss therapies induced changes in myokine levels in association with changes in body composition and biochemical parameters. The effects on circulating myokine levels compared to those at baseline were stronger after the VLCK diet than LC diet or bariatric surgery. Differences reached statistical significance for IL-8, MMP2 and irisin. In conclusion, nutritional interventions or bariatric surgery to lose weight induces changes in circulating myokine levels, being this effect potentially most notable after following a VLCK diet.

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Nutrients

Título del artículo:

Styles of reasoning according to the taxonomy structure of observed learning outcome of John Biggs in the students of geometry of the specialty of mathematics

The objective of this investigation was to determine the styles of reasoning according to the taxonomy structured of observed learning objectives of John Biggs in the students of geometry of the specialty of mathematics of the \"Universidad Pedagógica Experimental Libertador\", Venezuela. The stated problem is that teachers of mathematics must know the problems of teaching mathematics; besides, they should know how their students learn, since according to the reasoning styles of John Biggs, one can determine how and with what depth a person learns. The methodology is quantitative, not experimental, and descriptive at the field level, where specialized literature was reviewed, and the results obtained from the application of the test with the super-item, as a data collection instrument, were analyzed by objectives based on the construction of the database in statistical package for the social sciences, the statistical analysis and the detailed interpretation of the procedure performed for each item, which allowed the analysis and interpretation of the results. These results reach the uni-structural level catalogued by Biggs as inferior or superficial. Therefore, recommendations are offered to improve the learning level of the students in question.

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Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Título del artículo:

Spatial epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Colombia: Socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with a growing epidemic

Background: Despite the identification of some environmental factors linked to the cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) epidemic, little is known about the impact of environmental disturbances caused by human activities. We assessed the association between socioeconomic and demographic factors with the spatial structure of the CL epidemic in Colombia. Methods: Using data from more than 65 000 CL cases collected across the entire country from publicly available sources, we conducted a spatial clustering analysis to identify high burden areas (clusters) of CL. Associations between CL clusters and socioeconomic variables were investigated. Results: We identified seven statistically significant clusters of CL located across all Colombian biomes. Deforestation and livestock were statistically significantly associated with the spatial clustering of CL. Urbanization, time spent traveling to main cities and water bodies were other factors linked with the clustering of CL. Conclusions: This study found that human activities such as deforestation linked to agriculture, livestock production and mining activities are key drivers of the spatial distribution of the CL epidemic. The intensity of these human activities, which are projected to increase because of social and economic transformations in progress in Colombia, will potentially exacerbate the already growing CL epidemic in the country.

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Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Título del artículo:

Dose-Optimization of Respiratory-Gated Auricular Vagal Afferent Nerve Stimulation (RAVANS) for Blood Pressure Modulation in Hypertensive Patients

The objective of this study was to determine the optimal frequency of respiratory-gated auricular vagal afferent nerve stimulation (RAVANS) for the modulation of blood pressure in hypertensive patients.Twelve hypertensive subjects (52.5±6.0 years, 8 females) underwent five randomized stimulation sessions, during which they received exhalatory-gated stimulation at frequencies of 2, 10, 25, and 100 Hz or sham stimulation. A continuous blood pressure signal was collected during a 30-minute stimulation period and a 10-minute recovery period using a Finometer device (Finapress Medical System, the Netherlands). LabChart (ADInstruments, Colorado Springs, CO, USA) was used to process and compute blood pressure responses.A significantly greater reduction of systolic blood pressure values during stimulation was observed in the 100 Hz session compared to sham (p=0.02). In addition, significant reductions in diastolic blood pressure (p=0.04) and mean arterial pressure (p=0.04) values were observed during RAVANS stimulation compared to baseline during the 100 Hz session. Evaluation of other stimulation frequencies did not reveal significant results.RAVANS exhibits a frequency-dependent effect on the modulation of arterial blood pressure levels of hypertensive subjects.

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Computing in Cardiology

Título del artículo:

Comparative Study of the Antennal Phenotype in Species of the Belminus (Hemiptera: Triatominae) Genus Using Optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy

The genus Belminus Stål, 1859 is distinguished by markedly entomophagous species. This genus is a poorly studied group of the Triatominae (Jeannel, 1919), which includes hematophagous species that are vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas, 1909), the etiological agent of Chagas disease. This study reports for the first time the description of the antennal sensilla of Belminus corredori (Galvão & Angulo, 2003), Belminus herreri (Lent & Wygodzinsky, 1979), and Belminus ferroae (Sandoval, Pabón, Jurberg & Galvão, 2007) nymphs and adults throughout scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy. Nine morphological types of sensilla were identified in the three species, including bristles I and II, trichobothria, tapered hairs, thin-walled trichoid, thick-walled trichoid, basiconic, campaniform, and coeloconica sensilla. The analysis of the most abundant types of sensilla and their distribution in nymphs and adults shows similarities with the antennal phenotypes described in other Triatominae. Quantitative differences showed the important phenotypic plasticity of this morphological trait in the genus and allowed for the separation of the species in both sexes. These differences were associated with sexual dimorphism and wing condition (macropterous and brachypterous). The role of the antennal phenotype in sexual behavior, its usefulness as a taxonomic tool, and its relationship with the dispersal capacity of these species are discussed.

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Journal of Medical Entomology

Título del artículo:

The Three Nociceptive Responses of the Orbicularis Oculi Reflex in Alzheimer’s Disease: State of the Evidence and Meta-analysis

There is an emerging belief that electrically elicited blink reflexes (BR) may distinguish Alzheimer’s disease (AD) from other disorders characterized by memory dysfunction. To qualitatively and quantitatively distinguish the effects that electrical stimulation has over the blink reflex (eBR) recorded from patients with AD and healthy controls (HCs), we did a systematic review of the literature, and conducted a meta-analysis. Following our selected criteria, 94 AD patients and 97 HCs were identified from articles published in English between 1950 and 2017. Although the 3 responses (R1, R2 and R3) of the eBR were studied in a number of patients, only the R2 response was quantified in all studies. Thresholds and stimulation intensities parameters were found to be used in a miscellaneous form, and the majority of times, such parameters deviated from validated guidelines. The stimulation frequencies used to elicit the BR responses ranged between 0.14 and 0.2 Hz. These frequencies favored HCs compared with AD patients (odds ratio = 1.08; 95% CI = 0.30-1.85), I2 = 0% [P =.99]; Q = 271.89 [df = 7, P <.000]). Egger’s regression test suggested publication bias (intercept = 32.38; 95% CI = −8.98 to −3.2; P =.001). Our results unveiled key shortcomings in the data reported; such shortcomings need to be corrected in future AD research looking for obtaining more reliable and reproducible eBR studies; otherwise, interventions may be misleading.

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Clinical EEG and Neuroscience

Título del artículo:

Fixed-dose combination antihypertensive medications

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The Lancet

Título del artículo:

Stable prevalence of chronic back disorders across gender, age, residence, and physical activity in Canadian adults from 2007 to 2014

Background: Chronic back disorders (CBD) are a global health problem and the leading cause of years lived with disability. The present study aims to examine overall and specific trends in CBD in the Canadian population aged 18 to 65 years. Methods: Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), a cross-sectional study, from 2007 to 2014 (8 cycles) were used to calculate CBD prevalence across gender, age, geographical area (urban/rural and ten provinces and northern territories), and physical activity levels. CBD was defined in the CCHS as having back problems, excluding fibromyalgia and arthritis, which have lasted or are expected to last six months or more and that have been diagnosed by a health professional. Prevalence of CBD using survey weights and associated 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated yearly using balanced repeated replications technique. Trend tests were calculated using joinpoint regressions; ArcGIS software was used for mapping. Results: Age-standardized CBD prevalence in 2007 and 2014 were 18.9% (95% CI = 18.4;19.5) and 17.8% (95% CI = 17.2,18.4), respectively. CBD prevalence was consistently higher in women, older age groups, rural dwellers, and people classified as inactive. Crude and age-standardized CBD prevalence decreased faster in people classified as physically active compared to those who were inactive (p < 0.006). Although CBD slightly decreased over time, no statistically significant trends were found overall or by gender, area of residence, province or level of physical activity. The prevalence of CBD remained consistently high in the province of Nova Scotia, and consistently low in the province of Quebec over the eight CCHS cycles. Conclusion: Despite prevention efforts, such as the Canadian back pain mass media campaign, CBD prevalence has remained stable between 2007 and 2014. Tailored prevention and management of CBD should consider gender, age, and geographical differences. Further longitudinal studies could elucidate the temporal relationship between potentially modifiable risk factors such as physical activity and CBD.

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BMC Public Health

Título del artículo:

Seroprevalence and molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii among donors in a blood bank in Cúcuta, Colombia Introduction: Toxoplasma gondii infection

Introduction: Toxoplasma gondii infection manifests differently in humans according to their immunity ranging from asymptomatic profiles to severe disease. There are multiple transmission mechanisms including blood transfusions, but little is known about the frequency of T. gondii infection in Colombia’s blood banks. Objective: To determine the prevalence of T. gondii infection in blood donors of a blood bank in the city of Cúcuta by serological and molecular diagnostic techniques. Materials and methods: We identified IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii by immunoassay in serum from 348 donors. The frequency of T. gondii DNA was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in whole blood from seropositive donors and relevant variables were analyzed based on the information obtained from surveys during blood donor selection. Results: Out of the 348 enrolled donors, 134 (38.5%) showed IgG antibodies against T. gondii; two of them (0.6%) had both IgG and IgM, and in two of them (1.5%), parasite DNA was detected in blood samples. A bivariate analysis indicated an association between seropositivity to T. gondii and being over 26 years of age (p=0.020). Conclusions: The prevalence of T. gondii infection found in the blood donors of this study suggests a significant exposure to the infectious agent that becomes relevant when parasitemia is detected.

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Biomedica : revista del Instituto Nacional de Salud

Título del artículo:

Antifungal activity and killing kinetics of anidulafungin, caspofungin and amphotericin B against Candida auris

Background: Candida auris is an emerging MDR pathogen. It shows reduced susceptibility to azole drugs and, in some strains, high amphotericin B MICs have been described. For these reasons, echinocandins were proposed as first-line treatment for C. auris infections. However, information on how echinocandins and amphotericin B act against this species is lacking. Objectives: Our aim was to establish the killing kinetics of anidulafungin, caspofungin and amphotericin B against C. auris by time–kill methodology and to determine if these antifungals behave as fungicidal or fungistatic agents against this species. Methods: The susceptibility of 50 C. auris strains was studied. Nine strains were selected (based on echinocandin MICs) to be further studied. Minimal fungicidal concentrations, in vitro dose–response and time–kill patterns were determined. Results: Echinocandins showed lower MIC values than amphotericin B (geometric mean of 0.12 and 0.94 mg/L, respectively). Anidulafungin and caspofungin showed no fungicidal activity at any concentration (maximum log decreases in cfu/mL between 1.34 and 2.22). On the other hand, amphotericin B showed fungicidal activity, but at high concentrations (≥2.00 mg/L). In addition, the tested polyene was faster than echinocandins at killing 50% of the initial inoculum (0.92 versus .8.00 h, respectively). Conclusions: Amphotericin B was the only agent regarded as fungicidal against C. auris. Moreover, C. auris should be considered tolerant to caspofungin and anidulafungin considering that their MFC:MIC ratios were mostly ≥32 and that after 6 h of incubation the starting inoculum was not reduced in .90%.

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Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

Título del artículo:

Aqueductal Cerebrospinal Fluid Stroke Volume Flow in a Rodent Model of Chronic Communicating Hydrocephalus: Establishing a Homogeneous Study Population for Cerebrospinal Fluid Dynamics Exploration

Background: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a cause of dementia that can be reversed when treated timely with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion. Understanding CSF dynamics throughout the development of hydrocephalus is crucial to identify prognostic markers to estimate benefit/risk to shunts. Objective: To explore the cerebral aqueduct CSF flow dynamics with phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a novel rodent model of adult chronic communicating hydrocephalus. Methods: Kaolin was injected into the subarachnoid space at the convexities in Sprague-Dawley adult rats. 11.7-T Bruker MRI was used to acquire T2-weighted images for anatomic identification and phase-contrast MRI at the cerebral aqueduct. Aqueductal stroke volume (ASV) results were compared with the ventricular volume (VV) at 15, 60, 90, and 120 days. Results: Significant ventricular enlargement was found in kaolin-injected animals at all times (P < 0.001). ASV differed between cases and controls/shams at every time point (P = 0.004, 0.001, 0.001, and <0.001 at 15, 60, 90, and 120 days, respectively). After correlation between the ASV and the VV, there was a significant correlation at 15 (P = 0.015), 60 (P = 0.001), 90 (P < 0.001), and 120 days. Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between the VV expansion and the aqueductal CSF stroke between 15 and 60 days. Conclusions: An initial active phase of rapid ventricular enlargement shows a strong correlation between the expansion of the VV and the increment in the ASV during the first 60 days, followed by a second phase with less ventricular enlargement and heterogeneous behavior in the ASV. Further correlation with complementary data from intracranial pressure and histologic/microstructural brain parenchyma assessments are needed to better understand the ASV variations after 60 days.

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World Neurosurgery