Search

Three-dimensional (3D) engineered cardiovascular tissues have shown great promise to replace damaged structures. Specifically, tissue engineering vascular grafts (TEVG) have the potential to replace biological and synthetic grafts. We aimed to design an in-vitro patient-specific patch based on a hybrid 3D print combined with vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) differentiation. Based on the medical images of a 2 months-old girl with aortic arch hypoplasia and using computational modelling, we evaluated the most hemodynamically efficient aortic patch surgical repair. Using the designed 3D patch geometry, the scaffold was printed using a hybrid fused deposition modelling (FDM) and electrospinning techniques. The scaffold was seeded with multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) for later maturation to derived VSMC (dVSMC). The graft showed adequate resistance to physiological aortic pressure (burst pressure 101 ?± ?15 ?mmHg) and a porosity gradient ranging from 80 to 10 ?µm allowing cells to infiltrate through the entire thickness of the patch. The bio-scaffolds showed good cell viability at days 4 and 12 and adequate functional vasoactive response to endothelin-1. In summary, we have shown that our method of generating patient-specific patch shows adequate hemodynamic profile, mechanical properties, dVSMC infiltration, viability and functionality. This innovative 3D biotechnology has the potential for broad application in regenerative medicine and potentially in heart disease prevention.

El síndrome de Tolosa Hunt es un cuadro inflamatorio del seno cavernoso, idiopático y caracterizado por uno o más episodios de dolor orbital unilateral asociado o seguido de paresia oculomotora (afección del III, IV y VI nervio craneal) y en ocasiones con compromiso de la rama maxilar del nervio trigémino. Nosotros presentamos un hombre de 27 años con episodios de oftalmoparesia dolorosa derecha concomitantes a cuadros de rinosinusitis agudas. Su estudio fue negativo y en una de sus recurrencias se encontró en la RM de alta resolución de senos cavernosos, compromiso inflamatorio con captación de gadolinio de los nervios III, IV, V2 y VI derechos. Dado los hallazgos, se planteó el diagnóstico de STH exacerbado por la rinosinusitis e inició tratamiento corticoidal prolongado.

Lutzomyia longipalpis, es el principal vector de leishmaniasis visceral en el Neotropico y su identificación taxonómica es relevante en el contexto de la epidemiología y control de la enfermedad. La evidencia de un complejo de especies morfológicamente indistinguibles y la similitud morfológica de las hembras con otras especies del subgénero Lutzomyia y con la serie longipalpis, dificultan la identificación taxonómica cuando no se dispone de machos. En el presente estudio usamos la secuencia propuesta a nivel mundial como código de barras genético para diferenciar especies animales, para caracterizar especímenes pertenecientes a L. longipalpis de tres localidades de Colombia y evaluar su utilidad para separarlos de especies cercanas como L. gomezi, L. cruciata y L. bifoliata. El fragmento amplificado y secuenciado exhibió una longitud de 548 pb encontrándose 26 haplotipos para 33 individuos de L. longipalpis, un haplotipo para L. gomezi, un haplotipo para L. cruciata y dos haplotipos para L. bifoliata. Las distancias genéticas (K2P) entre haplotipos de L. longipalpis (0,05-0,07) y las agrupaciones en un dendrograma de NJ, separaron adecuadamente los individuos de L. longipalpis de los individuos de especies cercanas. Los individuos de L. longipalpis se separaron en dos grupos, uno que relaciona los haplotipos de Neiva y El Callejón, y otro para Girón. Las distancias genéticas entre los dos grupos de L. longipalpis fueron superiores a las registradas a nivel intraespecífico para especies previamente estudiadas con base en la secuencia código de barras como L. trinidadensis (0,042) y L. panamensis (0,02).

Lucilia eximia (Diptera: Calliphoridae) es una especie de importancia forense debido a su asociación con cuerpos en descomposición en Antioquia y otras regiones de Colombia. La implementación de metodologías que permitan la identificación rápida y acertada de esta especie es de gran importancia en entomología forense. En la actualidad las secuencias de ADN mitocondrial son consideradas una herramienta complementaria a la taxonomía clásica y son utilizadas en la tipificación de especies morfológicamente similares o indistinguibles como en el caso de las moscas de importancia forense. En el presente trabajo se estudio la variabilidad de la región mitocondrial (Cyt b-RNAt-Ser-ND1) en un fragmento de 480 pb amplificada por PCR y cuyo ADN fue obtenido de larvas de tercer estadio de L. eximia provenientes de Medellín y dos zonas aledañas. Las diferencias en las secuencias en términos de nucleótidos y distancias genéticas permitieron separar los individuos de la especie de interés de otras especies cercanas. Así mismo, al realizar un análisis de NJ (K2P), se observó una agrupación de los haplotipos relacionada con la procedencia geográfica de los individuos.

Estados inmaduros de la mariposa Mechanitis polymnia (Lepidoptera: Ithomiinae) fueron recolectados sobre Solanum jamaicense en seis localidades de las cordilleras central y occidental de los Andes colombianos de los departamentos de Antioquia y Caldas. Observaciones de los hábitos de postura de las hembras fueron realizadas en campo. Se hacen anotaciones sobre morfología, desarrollo, comportamiento de los estados inmaduros y se describe el ciclo de vida bajo condiciones de laboratorio.

Objective: to analyze avoidable mortality between 1998 and 2007 in the border states of Northern Mexico to evaluate, indirectly, the quality of the region's health care services. Methodology: the information on mortality provided by the National Health Information System (SINAIS) was analyzed. The unit of analysis was the basic cause of death. The cause was coded in accordance with the ICD-10.Avoidable mortality was classified according to Gomez’s death causes catalog. Likewise, an exploratory analysis was conducted which focused on the relationship between avoidable mortality and eligibility and the socioeconomic level of the municipalities in which the deaths took place. Results:The global rate of avoidable mortality was of 350.2 deaths per 1000 inhabitants in the region. the rates of avoidable mortality by early diagnosis and medical treatment, violence, and HIV/AIDS were 223, 60 and 5 per 1000 inhabitants respectively. These causes of avoidable mortality showed variations between states in terms of magnitude, eligibility and socio-demographic characteristics. Discussion and conclusions: The population living in the states located in the northern border of Mexico have a very intense epidemiological and sociodemographical dynamics. The results of this study suggest that the Mexican health system is being overcome by the high frequency of non-communicable diseases in this region. In social terms, Mexico has structural conditions that facilitate the development of illegal drugs traffic through the Northern states of Mexico. This could be related to the frequency of violent avoidable deaths and, in a subsidiary manner, in HIV/AIDS deaths.

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) was electrophoretically deposited on 316L stainless steel in order to promote a bioactive surface. The effect of dispersing media (water and acetone), applied voltage and the deposition time on the deposit weight and microstructure of the coatings was evaluated. The deposition time was varied in the range of 1 to 900 s for water suspensions and 0.5 to 180 s for acetone suspensions. Suspensions were prepared by using HAP powder with an average particle size of 1.5 μm at a concentration of 1 % by weight. The deposition was performed under a direct current (DC) field of 400 to 1000 V for acetone suspensions and 5 to 50 V for water suspensions. The coatings were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. The amount of hydroxyapatite on the surface of the metallic substrate was evaluated by determining the difference in weight of the samples, before and after the electrophoretic process. The stabilization of HAP particles in water was achieved using 1 % by weight of Dispex N40TM and 0.001M KCl. Under this condition the zeta potential of HAP in water suspension was –28 mV. Non additive was required in acetone suspensions. Dense, homogeneous and crack-free coatings of sub-micron particles (0.63 mg/cm2) were obtained by applying 5 V during 60 s in water suspensions. Above a DC field of 5 V the hydrolysis of water seriously difficulties the coatings formation. Homogeneous and crack-free coatings of sub-micron particles (1.45 mg/cm2) were also obtained in acetone suspensions applying 400 to 1000 V during 5 s. Lower voltages were not used with acetone suspensions due to its high resistivity.

Se realizaron ensayos de laboratorio para determinar la patogenicidad de Paecilomyces lilacinus y Metarhizium anisopliae, sobre las termitas Microcerotermes sp. Las termitas se colectaron en plantaciones de Eucalipto de la reforestadora San Sebastián de Buenavista, Magdalena (Colombia) y se mantuvieron en oscuridad a una temperatura promedio de 25ºC y humedad relativa de 59,5%. Los bioensayos consistieron en colocar en contacto las termitas obreros con lonas 100% algodón, impreg- nadas con los hongos a concentraciones de 1x101, 1x103, 3x105, 1x107, 3x108 conidios/ml. Para evaluar el efecto del hongo se utilizó la metodología del agar-arena. El análisis estadístico mostró que no hubo diferencias significativas entre los efectos originados por P. lilacinus y los testigos (X2 = 3,32, P = 0,51). Pero se presentaron diferencias significativas entre la mortalidad de las termitas con las diferentes con- centraciones siendo 3x108 conidios/ml la que causó los porcentajes más altos de mortalidad (X2 = 81,3, P

Flotation tests of synthetic mixtures of celestite (SrSO 4 ) and calcite (CaCO 3 ) minerals using sodium dodecyl sulfonate as collector were carried out using a factorial experimental design 2 3 . The independent experimental variables included celestite grade in the feed (50% and 90% SrSO 4 ), conditioning pH (6.5 and 9) and sodium silicate depressant concentration (10 −5 and 10 −3 M). All experiments were performed at a constant collector concentration (10 −4 M) and conditioning time of 15 min. The response variables were recovery and grade of SrSO 4 in the concentrate. The factors that had the greatest effect on the grade and recovery of celestite were the celestite grade in the feed (L) and the depressant concentration (C); also the combination of these factors significantly affected the response variables. The highest celestite yield (96% recovery, 98% grade) was obtained when a 90% of celestite grade in the feed was used.

This paper presents results of column flotation of silica sand ( d 80 =190 μm ) that show typical column heights may adversely affect the performance of the flotation, when relatively dense flotation slurries of floatable mineral are processed. For slurry densities above 20% of solids (w/w), floated under typical conditions ( J g =1.46 cm / s , J t =1 cm / s , J ww =0.16 cm / s , h f =0.3 m ), the bubble–particle aggregate reaches density values close to one losing their buoyancy. Under these conditions, mineralized bubbles accumulate, coalesce (losing a fraction of the particles that transport) and may even be carried out to the tailings discharge, affecting both the recovery and the processing capacity of the column. By reducing the height of the collection zone of the column (hc) this abnormal operation may be substantially mitigated. In this work, recovery increased from 55% to 78% by decreasing hc from 4 to 1.5 m when processing a pulp with 30% of floatable minerals. The paper also discusses the effect of column height upon other important variables.

Specimens of Mechanitis menapis menapis (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Ithomiinae) were collected from three localities in the Colombian Andes. Eggs and larvae found on the host plant were collected and studied under laboratory conditions. The plant on which the immatures were found was identified as Solanum hirtum, which represents a new host plant record for Mechanitis menapis in Colombia. The observations presented contribute to an understanding of the host plants of Neotropical diurnal butterflies, and specifically the Ithomiinae, for Colombia.

Anti-GQ1b syndrome includes Miller Fisher Syndrome (MFS), Guillain Barré Syndrome (GBS), Bicker staff`s brain stem encephalitis (BBE) and Acute Ophtamoplegia (AO). We report four patients aged 16 to 76 years, with anti-GQ1b syndrome. All presented with MFS, one of them evolved to GBS pharyngeal-cervical-brachial variant and other to GBS with BBE. All had a previous history of diarrhea or upper respiratory tract infection. All had positive anti-GQ1b serum antibodies. Both brain magnetic resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid analysis were normal. Electrophysiology studies were compatible with a demyelinating disease. Two patients needed airway protection with an orotracheal tube and developed dysautonomia. All four patients were treated with immunomodulation. On the sixth month follow-up, patients had only minimal alterations in the neurological examination.

Sipunculida collected in July-August 2010 from the Wagner and Consag Basins in the northern Gulf of California were analysed. This is a region in the northern Gulf of California approximately 700 km2 in area, 59-217 m in depth, and with intense gas hydrothermal activity. Salinity, temperature, pH, and sediment type were also measured. Sipunculids were collected at 25 stations (five families, eight genera and eight species). Where no sipunculans were found (11 stations), more intense gas seepage and very low pH (6.06 to 6.48) prevailed. Densities were generally low in the study area (1 to 8 ind. 0.1 m-2), except at station W-2 (10 ind. 0.1 m-2), due to the abundance of Onchnesoma steenstrupii steenstrupii. The species with the highest frequencies were Golfingiidae sp. (15 ind. 0.1 m-2) and O. steenstrupii steenstrupii (33 ind. 0.1 m-2). The spatial density and frequency fluctuations of the Sipunculida species in the study area seemed to be related to sediment type, pH, depth, and temperature. Golfingiidae sp., Phascolion sp. and Apionsoma (Apionsona) sp. are new records for the area, while distribution is extended towards north up to the Wagner and Consag Basins while Aspidosiphon (Akrikos) albus and Onchnesoma steenstrupii steenstrupii are new for the Eastern Pacific.

Modern adult learning theory characterizes self-directed learning as most effective. While studying the effectiveness of an endoscopic sinus surgery simulator (ES3) as a training tool and acknowledging that its successful integration into a training program is dependent on its acceptance and self-driven use by trainees, we sought to determine our study subjects' attitudes toward the simulator.Twenty-six medical students were enrolled and trained in our ES3 study. Each student was asked to complete a 28-item questionnaire on completion of training. This questionnaire contained 10-point Likert scale instruments, yes/no questions, and one open-ended question.All but four subjects responded to the questionnaire; 90.9% of the respondents rated the training benefit derived from the simulator's novice mode as 6 or greater on a 10-point scale; the mean was 7.82 (+/- 2.22). The training benefit of the intermediate mode also was scored highly, with a mean score in the 7-9 range for all but one component-heart rate response to actions performed. Trainees appreciated the simulator's ability to help them adapt to a three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional display. They also noted its strengths in elucidating intranasal anatomy.Medical students who enrolled in our study, as a group,felt that the ES3 provided them with significant training benefits. Although subjective, these attitudes, coupled with objective data indicating that there is a measurable benefit from use of the ES3, will ensure itsfull acceptance and use in otolaryngology training programs.

En Colombia la microscopía electrónica de huevos de phlebotomineos para determinación de especies es nueya. Debido a la diven¡idad de especies e importancia médica del grupo verrucarum se estudiaron cuatro de estas especies: Lutzomyia youngi, Lutzomyia. evansi, Lutzomyia columbiana y Lutzomyia longiflocosa. El modelo de superficie del huevo es poligonal. Lutzomyia youngi y Lutzomyia columbiana exhibieron un modelo pentagonal o hexagonal, Lutzomyia evansi polígonos elongados y Lutzomyia lóng¡flocosa un modelo poligonal frecuentemente rectangular. La microscopía electrónica de huevos es confiable para identificar especies del grupo verrucarum

Pattern recognition methods for classification are leveraged in the field of computational anatomy and neuroimaging showing high reliability and applicability. Body-brain human functions related to the motor-strength features can be discovered by data integration and analysis of 3D brain images, phenotype and behavioural information. This work is focused on the study of feature-based interplay of 3D brain structures with motor-strength information. In particular, this research introduces an ensemble of supervised machine learning approaches for a binary motor-strength classification (strong vs weak) based on 3D brain anatomical features. The proposed approach has been evaluated on 1113 case studies by obtaining well-defined features and reaching the average accuracy of 72% on the test set.