Search

Resumen Introduccion El nevo de Ota y el nevo de Ito son melanocitosis dermicas hiperpigmentarias que surgen como consecuencia de alteraciones o fallas en la migracion de los melanocitos desde la cresta neural hacia la epidermis, tienen una etiopatogenia poco conocida y pueden ser congenitas o adquiridas. Caso clinico Se trata de un paciente con diagnostico simultaneo de nevo de Ota y nevo de Ito desde el nacimiento que acude al Servicio de Neurocirugia del hospital Carlos Andrade Marin de la ciudad de Quito y consulta por presentar cefalea subita de gran intensidad asociada a hemiparesia braquiocrural izquierda. Evolucion Por medio de examenes complementarios es diagnosticado de dos lesiones ocupantes intracraneales extraaxiales, una parasagital frontoparietal derecha y otra localizada en polo temporal derecho. Se planifico una reseccion quirurgica de la lesion parasagital cuyo diagnostico histopatologico fue melanocitosis meningea. La lesion de polo temporal fue derivada para tratamiento con Gamma Knife®. Conclusion Los tumores melanociticos primarios son extremadamente raros, existe evidencia de su asociacion con las melanocitosis dermicas y en especial con el nevo de Ota. El caso presentado describe la coexistencia de dos melanocitosis dermicas poco frecuentes (nevo de Ota - nevo de Ito) y un tumor melanocitico primario en el mismo paciente, un caso muy fuera de lo comun.

Background/purpose: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the most common in the world and is associated with various gastrointestinal pathologies, including chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers, and gastric cancer. The prevalence is associated with socioeconomic conditions, with this infection being more common in developing countries than in developed countries. The presence and permanence of H. pylori in the oral cavity has been reported, but its role is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of H. pylori in dental plaque of patients with periodontitis. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out and Periodontal Screening and Recording (PSR) index was determined. 38 dental plaque samples were taken and total DNA was extracted and qPCR was performed. Results: 60.5% of the samples (n = 23) were positive for the presence of H. pylori by the amplification of the 16S rRNA and vacA genes. In addition, cagA gene was detected in 21.7% (n = 5) of H. pylori-positive. A significant relationship between periodontal status and H. pylori oral infection was found (P ≤ 0.05); patients with initial and moderate periodontitis were the most affected with 39.1% and 30.4%, respectively. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the prevalence of H. pylori in the oral cavity could be related to the progression of periodontal disease. Therefore, oral hygiene and treatment for the elimination of oral H. pylori could stop the progression of periodontal disease. Keywords: Helicobacter pylori, cagA, vacA, Oral cavity

Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease, a devastating parasitic disease endemic to Central and South America, Mexico, and the USA. We characterized the genetic diversity of Trypanosoma cruzi circulating in five triatomine species (Triatoma gerstaeckeri, T. lecticularia, T.indictiva, T. sanguisuga and T. recurva) collected in Texas and Southern Arizona using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) with four single-copy loci (cytochrome oxidase subunit II- NADH dehydrogensase subunit 1 region (COII-ND1), mismatch-repair class 2 (MSH2), dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS) and a nuclear gene with ID TcCLB.506529.310). All T. cruzi variants fall in two main genetic lineages: 75% of the samples corresponded to T. cruzi Discrete Typing Unit (DTU) I (TcI), and 25% to a North American specific lineage previously labelled TcIV-USA. Phylogenetic and sequence divergence analyses of our new data plus all previously published sequence data from those four loci collected in the USA, show that TcIV-USA is significantly different from any other previously defined T. cruzi DTUs. The significant level of genetic divergence between TcIV-USA and other T. cruzi DTUs should lead to an increased focus on understanding the epidemiological importance of this DTU, as well as its geographical range and pathogenicity in humans and domestic animals. Our findings further corroborate the fact that there is a high genetic diversity of the parasite in North America and emphasize the need for appropriate surveillance and vector control programs for Chagas disease in southern USA and Mexico.

Este artículo contiene 10 páginas, 2 tablas, 6 figuras., While undeniably successful in protecting nearshore marine ecosystems from overfishing, conventional marine reserves often impinge on the livelihoods of dependent coastal communities. Community co-managed areas may guarantee considerably more equity, but it is unclear if they can be as effective as conventional reserves in conserving critical trophic functions. We evaluated the effectiveness of different management regimes in the Gulf of California on fish biomass and echinoderm assemblages as proxies of key ecosystem processes on rocky shores. We compared multiple sites in a mixed (multi-use areas with regulated extraction) and core (no-extraction) federally-managed areas, a military MPA (where strict patrolling ensures no extraction), a co-managed reserve where government and communities are equally responsible, and unrestricted-access areas (non MPA). Fish biomass was higher in the military reserve and the community co-managed area reserve; echinoderm numbers were very low at these locations suggesting that they were strongly controlled by top-down processes. In contrast, federally-controlled reserves were virtually no different from unrestricted-access areas in numbers or composition of fish and echinoderms. Although federal managed reserves are the most common management regime across the Gulf, our data shows that they are highly ineffective in protecting ecosystem function. The relative effectiveness of co-managed reserves in this region suggests that fishers are more willing to comply when they have a stake in decision-making. Coastal conservation can benefit greatly by drawing from a wider suite of management options that engage local communities as key participants in the managing marine diversity and critical ecosystem functions., This work was supported by the 900-801 CIBNOR mobility grant to L.H.S. This study was part of the Reef Fauna Project of the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, funded by the Walton Family Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the WWF, the International Community Foundation, and the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. The Spanish National Research Council supported R. A.'s visitorship (Memorandum of understanding between CEAB (CSIC)-IMEDEA (CSIC)-NCF). K.U. is a recipient of doctoral grants and fellowships from the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología of Mexico (CONACYT 36745312610557); Escuela de Ciencia Biológicas of the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica; Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología, and the Consejo Nacional para Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas of Costa Rica.

Background and aims Several studies propose that (−)-epicatechin, a flavonol present in high concentration in the cocoa, has cardioprotective effects. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of (−)-epicatechin on the development of dilated cardiomyopathy in a δ sarcoglycan null mouse model. Methods and results δ Sarcoglycan null mice were treated for 15 days with (−)-epicatechin. Histological and morphometric analysis of the hearts treated mutant mice showed significant reduction of the vasoconstrictions in the coronary arteries as well as fewer areas with fibrosis and a reduction in the loss of the ventricular wall. On the contrary, it was observed a thickening of this region. By Western blot analysis, it was shown, and increment in the phosphorylation level of eNOS and PI3K/AKT/mTOR/p70S6K proteins in the heart of the (−)-epicatechin treated animals. On the other hand, we observed a significantly decreased level of the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) heart failure markers. Conclusion All the results indicate that (−)-epicatechin has the potential to prevent the development of dilated cardiomyopathy of genetic origin and encourages the use of this flavonol as a pharmacological therapy for dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure diseases.

Nowadays the recovery of low-molecular soluble aromatic hydrocarbons (HCs) released into natural bodies of water continues to be a challenging task. These contaminants bring sever consequences to the environment and to the human health. Biosorption on macroalgae (Ma) biomass seem to be a potential alternative due to low costs and high availability, but the low strength and density are important drawbacks to handle, start up and operate continuous biosorption units. In this study, chitosan (Ch) and pectin (Pe) were employed as precursors to synthesize a new Ma−Ch−Pe composite with regard to enhance the stability and applicability of macroalgae biomass towards the removal of soluble HCs pollutants. The biocomposite synthesis was based on a factorial design and a posterior response surface methodology. The optimized biocomposite (75.4%, 19.8 and 4.8% for macroalgae biomass, chitosan and pectin, respectively), was characterized and evaluated under different ionic strengths, pH values and organic load to determine their potential as biosorbents and to elucidate the adsorption mechanisms involved. Removal capacities were 58.68, 16.64 and 6.13 mg g−1 for benzene, toluene and naphthalene, respectively. The adsorption capacity was slightly influenced by the pH (3–9), and diminished with ionic strength values up to I > 0.6 M. The presence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) enhanced the removal of HCs by providing hydrophobic sites to the biosorbents. Moreover, the biosorption data was well-described by Sips adsorption isotherm, and the pseudo-second order equation represented the best fitting model for the biosorption kinetics. The biosorption mechanisms included hydrophobic effect by the algae fraction and London forces between the HC and the diverse of functional groups present offered by the precursors.

The use of phase-changing materials (PCM) in residential envelopes is an emerging technology that promises significant cooling and heating energy savings. Such energy savings are expected due to PCM's inherent energy storage capability, realized as physical transformation processes, during hot–cold weather transitions. However, this technology has limited market penetration due to a lack of demonstrated economic advantages for constructing and retrofitting buildings. This paper addresses the techno-economic viability of implementing PCM in an average residential dwelling in Alice Springs, Australia. The life-cycle cost analysis is performed by modeling the transient characteristics of the PCM envelope component through a proxy heat-pump with tuned Coefficient of Performance (COP) and seasonal efficiency to match the experimental annual heating–cooling characteristics. Three instances were considered, namely: (a) basic PCM implementation; (b) PCM implementation with capital expenditure (CAPEX) subsidies from a government program (Grant); and (c) use of a novel and less expensive (low-cost) encapsulated PCM technology to address the hurdle of the typically significant CAPEX associated with conventional PCM in the Australian market. Results demonstrated that PCM is a promising technology with potential energy savings in hot-arid climates. However, it requires subsidies of nearly 50% of the CAPEX or the implementation of the novel low-cost technology to become financially attractive. The present case study shows both alternatives' profitability, with the former resulting in a 1.2 benefit-cost (BC) ratio and equity payback (EP) of 9.3 years. The latter shows a BC ratio of 1.7 and an EP period of 8.3 years.

Amphibians are declining globally, and the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes the disease chytridiomycosis, has been the culprit in many of these declines. In the Mediterranean region of Baja California, Mexico—a biodiversity hotspot—native amphibians are also in decline, and Bd is present. To determine which factors best predict Bd infection prevalence and intensity in Baja California anurans, we conducted Bd sampling at three disparate sites at varying elevations. We observed an overall Bd prevalence of 68%, and found that species was an important predictor of pathogen prevalence and burden (load) both across and within sites. Pathogen prevalence and load increased positively with elevation. The highest Bd load we detected was 139,188 zoospore equivalents (ZE) in a western toad ( Anaxyrus boreas )—more than 10 times the pathogen burden at which chytridiomycosis is lethal in some species. We observed high Bd prevalence (84 – 99%) and Bd loads (> 44,000 ZE) in the California red-legged frog ( Rana draytonii)—a cause for concern in this threatened anuran, especially at La Grulla—the highest elevation (2050m) site for this species across its range. We sampled museum specimens to determine how long Bd has been present in the region, and detected the pathogen as early as 1932. Contemporary Bd prevalence and load in Baja California are considerably higher than would be expected given similar habitats and the same community composition as in southern California, USA. We therefore highlight the importance of historical context and comparative analyses in examining contemporary Bd dynamics, as well as adhering to strict biosecurity measures when implementing reintroductions and translocations.

The fabrication of energy storage devices and their components via 3D printing involves unquestionable benefits in this field compared to traditional manufacturing processes such as doctor blading or die pressing, providing wide versatility for the development of electrodes with high surface area or the production of devices with geometries that fit specific product designs and maximize the amount of active material within the systems. Among these technologies, fused filament fabrication (FFF) represents a promising and low-cost method to fabricate lithium-ion batteries with tailored geometries. However, the high amount of polymer often included in the electrodes produced via FFF involves important capacity limitations for their use as functional electrodes. In this work, we report for the first time the fabrication of full ceramic LTO anode and LCO cathode electrodes via FFF 3D printing of composite filaments and further sintering, including a thorough study of the micro and macrostructure, phase stability, electrical conductivity, and electrochemical performance of the printed electrodes. With this strategy, 3D printed LTO and LCO electrodes were produced exhibiting similar electrical conductivity values to those of uniaxially pressed ceramic pellets and displayed 168 and 129 mAh g−1, i.e., 96% and 94% of their theoretical capacities, respectively (considering the conventional insertion/deinsertion of 3 Li+ for LTO and 0.5 Li+ for LCO).

Links between resistin, insulin resistance (IR), and resistin-stimulated cytokine signaling remain unknown in Mexican-Americans. A Mexican-American cohort was examined to determine (1) relationships between circulating resistin and IR, (2) resistin's associations with cytokines and demographic and anthropometric variables, and (3) similar measurements with other adipokines.For cross sectional analyses, 953 adults (367 males and 586 females) in the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort (CCHC) were stratified into three groups: normal glucose tolerance, prediabetes, and diabetes mellitus. Differences in resistin and other adipokine levels were examined using linear regression via unadjusted model (Model 1), model adjusted for cytokines (Model 2), and model further adjusted for demographic and anthropometric variables (Model 3).HOMA-IR increased with worsening glucose tolerance (p 0.0001). In all models, resistin significantly decreased as glucose tolerance deteriorated. Model 3 resistin was positively associated with IL-1β (p = 0.0252) and IL-8 (p 0.0001), inversely associated with TNF-α (p = 0.0352), but nonsignificantly associated with IL-6 (p = 0.8671). Model 3 leptin was significantly lower in diabetes mellitus compared to other groups (p 0.005) and positively associated with female sex (p 0.0001), age (p = 0.024), and BMI (p 0.0001), without significant cytokine associations. Adiponectin displayed no significant associations with glucose tolerance, but was significantly associated with sex, BMI, and lipids (Model 3).Resistin unexpectedly decreased as IR increased while supporting evidence of a resistin-stimulated cytokine pathway in this Mexican-American cohort. Leptin fell with elevated IR after adjusting for cytokines, demographic and anthropometric variables. Adiponectin nonsignificantly decreased as IR increased while showing significant associations with sex, BMI, and lipids.

Este artículo contiene 11 páginas, 7 figuras, 2 tablas., The present study analyses the coverage of epibiont Distaplia cf. stylifera (Ascidiacea: Holozoidae) and five environmental variables (Sal, SST, DO, sea surface Chl-a concentration and pH) as potential factors to explain a mass mortality event in a restored population of the pen shell Atrina maura (Bivalvia: Pinnidae) in a subtropical bay of the Gulf of California, Mexico. Annual autumn surveys in 2015, 2016 and 2017 (Nov–Dec) and an additional summer survey in 2016 (Jun) showed that the tunicate was first observed at low densities in a few sampling sites during 2015 and rapidly expanded along the pen shell banks in 2016. Tunicate manual removal was carried out in two small areas during Sep-Nov 2016 and Jan–Mar 2017. The mass mortalities of A. maura detected in 2016 and 2017 resulted in a high economic loss for regional fishers. A Generalised additive model (GAM) indicated that the substrate provided by A. maura was the only significant factor associated to the rapid expansion (measured as the proportion of coverage) of D. cf. stylifera. Paradoxically, the recovery success in the A. maura population increased substrate availability for the tunicate epibiont, facilitating an abrupt and fast colonisation process on the pen shell banks, resulting in A. maura mass mortality events in 2016 and 2017. Our model predicts that D. cf. stylifera coverage effects begin to occur when the density of A. maura is > 47 inds./250 m2. A second GAM demonstrated that the main driver of A. maura mortality was ascidian coverage, and salinity, SST and DO were secondary driver factors. We concluded that the density of dead A. maura increases when the coverage of D. cf. stylifera is >8%, salinity >37.3 PSU, SST 5.06 mg O2/L. Early harvesting of A. maura to decrease substrate availability at the first signs of D. cf. stylifera population growth can avoid significant economic losses in the future., This work was supported by CONACyT 421011/263861 PhD scholarship to BBMD. JGG is an EDI-IPN, COFAA-IPN and JGG, CS and EFBP are SNI fellows

Objectives To determine genetic diversity by comparing the whole genome sequences of cattle and human Mycobacterium bovis isolates from Baja California. Methods A whole genome sequencing strategy was used to obtain the molecular fingerprints of 172 isolates of M. bovis obtained from Baja California, Mexico; 155 isolates were from cattle and 17 isolates were from humans. Spoligotypes were characterized in silico and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) differences between the isolates were evaluated. Results A total of 12 M. bovis spoligotype patterns were identified in cattle and humans. Two predominant spoligotypes patterns were seen in both cattle and humans: SB0145 and SB1040. The SB0145 spoligotype represented 59% of cattle isolates ( n =91) and 65% of human isolates ( n =11), while the SB1040 spoligotype represented 30% of cattle isolates ( n =47) and 30% of human isolates ( n =5). When evaluating SNP differences, the human isolates were intimately intertwined with the cattle isolates. Conclusions All isolates from humans had spoligotype patterns that matched those observed in the cattle isolates, and all human isolates shared common ancestors with cattle in Baja California based on SNP analysis. This suggests that most human tuberculosis caused by M. bovis in Baja California is derived from M. bovis circulating in Baja California cattle. These results reinforce the importance of bovine tuberculosis surveillance and control in this region.

Release of low−molecular aromatic hydrocarbons (HC) into natural waters brings severe consequences to our environment. Unfortunately very limited information is available regarding the treatment of these pollutants. This work evaluated the use of brown, green and red macroalgae biomass as biosorbents of benzene and toluene, two of the most soluble HC. Raw seaweed biomasses were completely characterized, then evaluated under different temperatures and ionic strengths to assess their potential as biosorbents and to elucidate the biosorption mechanisms involved. Brown macroalgae registered the highest removal capacities for benzene and toluene (112 and 28 mg·g−1, respectively), and these were not affected at ionic strength

Conventional soil surveys remain as a major source of information about soils and their properties, but are no longer suited for new demands requiring finer soil data. Spatial disaggregation has been proposed as a way to enrich the resolution of such inventories, in order to better fit the needs for each application. In general, this involves the allocation of individual soil types or their properties within map units based on rules developed from contextual information stored in digital soil geographical databases. However, many countries do not have such soil data infrastructures, thus requiring another strategy for spatially distinguishing individual soils within the polygons of conventional soil maps. Focusing this reality, we developed a disaggregation exercise in a study area located in the wine production zone Serra Gaucha, Northeast of State Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. We proposed a knowledge-based approach to go around the scarcity of descriptive information, using a heuristic selection of typical sites for each map unit component, based on the survey report and on field observations. A subset of these typical locations was then employed to build a decision tree and to predict individual soil types in the whole study area, using a set of 21 environmental covariates. The spatial detail in predicted maps was considerably improved in relation to the original, while number, proportions and extents of predicted soil types per map unit agreed with the correspondent in the survey report at rates above 70%. Total extent of each soil type was close to the computed from the original, and results have revealed probable inconsistencies in informed proportions of two similar soils. In comparison to a set of 233 independent pedons, the predicted soil types matched that of the validation points better than each component of the original map units. Furthermore, when applying a framework for assessing soil suitability for viticulture, the predicted maps appeared much more coherent with current land use than when using the original polygons. We concluded that the proposed method is a promising option for disaggregating conventional soil maps with poor descriptive data, and that estimates made by experienced soil surveyors could easily fill in contextual information gaps.

It is well-established that (1) there is a large genetic component to mental health, and (2) higher schooling attainment is associated with better mental health. Given these two observations, we test the hypothesis that schooling may attenuate the genetic predisposition to poor mental health. Specifically, we estimate associations between a polygenic score (PGS) for depressive symptoms, schooling attainment and gene-environment (GxE) interactions with mental health (depressive symptoms and depression), in two distinct United States datasets at different adult ages- 29 years old in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) and 54 years old in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS).OLS results indicate that the association of the PGS with mental health is similar in Add Health and the WLS, but the association of schooling attainment is much larger in Add Health than in the WLS. There is some suggestive evidence that the association of the PGS with mental health is lower for more-schooled older individuals in the WLS, but there is no evidence of any significant GxE associations in Add Health.Quantile regression estimates also show that in the WLS the GxE associations are statistically significant only in the upper parts of the conditional depressive symptoms score distribution. We assess the robustness of the OLS results to omitted variable bias by using the siblings samples in both datasets to estimate sibling fixed-effect regressions. The sibling fixed-effect results must be qualified, in part due to low statistical power. However, the sibling fixed-effect estimates show that college education is associated with fewer depressive symptoms in both datasets.

We examine the relationship between BMI and mental health for young adults and elderly individuals using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and the Health & Retirement Study. While OLS estimates show that BMI is significantly associated with worse mental health in both young adulthood and old age, they are likely to be confounded by (i) unobserved factors that affect both BMI and mental health and (ii) reverse causality. To tackle confounding, we take two complementary approaches. First, we use a polygenic score for BMI as an IV and adjust for polygenic scores for other factors that may invalidate this IV. The IV estimates indicate that there is no statistically significant relationship between BMI and mental health for young adults, whereas there is a positive and statistically significant relationship for the elderly. Moreover, we show that IV estimates likely have to be interpreted as identifying a weighted average of effects of BMI on mental health mostly for individuals on the upper quantiles of the BMI distribution. Given potential remaining concerns about the validity of the IV, our second approach is to consider it an “imperfect” IV and estimate an upper bound on the average treatment effect for the corresponding population following Nevo & Rosen (2012). The estimated upper bounds reinforce the conclusions from the IV estimates: they show little evidence of a detrimental effect of BMI on mental health for young adults while being consistent with an economically meaningful effect for elderly individuals. Lastly, we explore some of the potential channels through which BMI may affect mental health for the elderly.

We provide new evidence on the effect of adolescent health behaviors/outcomes (obesity, depression, smoking, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)) on schooling attainment using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. We take two different approaches to deal with omitted variable bias and reverse causality. Our first approach attends to the issue of reverse causality by using health polygenic scores (PGSs) as proxies for actual adolescent health. Second, we estimate the effect of adolescent health using sibling fixed-effects models that control for unmeasured genetic and family factors shared by siblings. We use the PGSs as additional controls in the sibling fixed-effects models to reduce concerns about residual confounding from sibling-specific genetic differences. We find consistent evidence across both approaches that being genetically predisposed to smoking and smoking regularly in adolescence reduces schooling attainment. We find mixed evidence for ADHD. Our estimates suggest that having a high genetic risk for ADHD reduces grades of schooling, but we do not find any statistically significant negative effects of ADHD on grades of schooling. Finally, results from both approaches show no consistent evidence for a detrimental effect of obesity or depression on schooling attainment.

This study aimed to investigate the adsorption performance of a macroalgae-based biocomposite as a biosorbent of water-soluble hydrocarbons (WSH) like BTEXN (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and naphthalene) on packed bed columns. The effects of the inlet flow rate (0.3–1.1 mL/min), using naphthalene as a model, were analyzed and the operation parameters are described. The registered breakthrough volume increased from 12 to 52 mL at an EBCT of 4 and 20 min, respectively. The breakthrough curves profiles of the competitive biosorption of BTEXN were modeled by five well-accepted dynamic adsorption models known as Thomas, Clark, Dose-Response, BDST, and Yoon-Nelson. The biocomposite swelling degree and the external mass transfer limitations are the main factors influencing the adsorption process at different inlet fluxes, a result that was corroborated by the linearized Yoon-Nelson model. In the case of multicomponent systems, the hydrocarbon hydrophobicity determined the composite selectivity (N > X > E > T > B), with breakthrough volume values from 7.51 to 14.33 mL for natural water, and from 12.14 to 28.66 mL for deionized water. Finally, the evaluated biocomposite showed to be adequate for the continuous biosorption of water-soluble hydrocarbons.

Anchialine ecosystems are one of the least studied in the world since they are very difficult to access, their bibliography is scant and widely scattered, and studies rarely specify actual locations. Mexico is one of the richest countries for these ecosystems, as it has a huge number of cenotes (sinkholes) just in the Yucatan Peninsula. Here we present a thorough checklist of all the species occurring at El Aerolito cave system, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, which has been identified as one of the richest and most biodiverse of the world. Indeed, it holds 100 species (53 as new records), classified within 10 phyla, from which Porifera, Echinodermata and Annelida are the richest groups in contrast with the rest of the subaquatic caves in the world where the dominant phylum is Arthropoda. An exhaustive review of all anchialine Mexican fauna is presented as context, which includes records dating as far back to 1938, half of them just from the last decade. Total records add up to 335, including 47 common names and uncertain records, classified into 171 operational taxonomic units, 108 identified to species level, 33 of which are endemic to cave environments (stygobite), while another 30 species are presumed stygobites. Half of the Mexican anchialine cave systems have records for only one to three species, five have more than 10 records, while only three anchialine cave systems include representatives of more than two phyla. Unfortunately, and despite the scarce information, 12 of the species enlisted are already cataloged in some extinction category by the current national regulation (NOM-059) or on the Red List of the IUCN. Nine of them are in the highest categories of concern, calling for further understanding about these ecosystems in order to develop effective regulations and concurrent management programs for their protection.

A comparative analysis of the response of agave bagasse (AGB) to pretreatment by ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX™), autohydrolysis (AH) and ionic liquid (IL) was performed using 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, wet chemistry, enzymatic saccharification and mass balances. It has been found that AFEX pretreatment preserved all carbohydrates in the biomass, whereas AH removed 62.4% of xylan and IL extracted 25% of lignin into wash streams. Syringyl and guaiacyl lignin ratio of untreated AGB was 4.3, whereas for the pretreated biomass the ratios were 4.2, 5.0 and 4.7 for AFEX, AH and IL, respectively. Using NMR spectra, the intensity of β-aryl ether units in aliphatic, anomeric, and aromatic regions decreased in all three pretreated samples when compared to untreated biomass. Yields of glucose plus xylose in the major hydrolysate stream were 42.5, 39.7 and 26.9kg per 100kg of untreated AGB for AFEX, IL and AH, respectively.

Defective epithelial chloride secretion occurs in humans with cystic fibrosis (CF), a genetic defect due to loss of function of CFTR, a cAMP-activated chloride channel. In the airways, absence of an active CFTR causes a severe lung disease. In mice, genetic ablation of CFTR function does not result in similar lung pathology. This may be due to the expression of an alternative chloride channel which is activated by calcium. The most probable protein performing this function is TMEM16A, a calcium-activated chloride channel (CaCC). Our aim was to assess the relative contribution of CFTR and TMEM16A to chloride secretion in adult mouse trachea. For this purpose we tested pharmacological inhibitors of chloride channels in normal and CF mice. The amplitude of the cAMP-activated current was similar in both types of animals and was not affected by a selective CFTR inhibitor. In contrast, a CaCC inhibitor (CaCCinh-A01) strongly blocked the cAMP-activated current as well as the calcium-activated chloride secretion triggered by apical UTP. Although control experiments revealed that CaCCinh-A01 also shows inhibitory activity on CFTR, our results indicate that transepithelial chloride secretion in adult mouse trachea is independent of CFTR and that another channel, possibly TMEM16A, performs both cAMP- and calcium-activated chloride transport. The prevalent function of a non-CFTR channel may explain the absence of a defect in chloride transport in CF mice.

Aim: To determine the long-term efficacy of Katona therapy and early rehabilitation of infants with moderate-to-severe perinatal brain damage (PBD). Methods: Thirty-two participants were recruited (7-to-16 years) and divided into 3 groups: one Healthy group (n = 11), one group with PBD treated with Katona methodology from 2 months of corrected age, and with long-term follow-up (n = 12), and one group with PBD but without treatment in the first year of life due to late diagnosis of PBD (n = 9). Neuropediatric evaluations, motor evoked potentials (MEPs) and magnetic resonance images (MRI) were made. The PBD groups were matched by severity and topography of lesion. Results: The patients treated with Katona had better motor performance when compared to patients without early treatment (Gross Motor Function Classification System levels; 75% of Katona group were classified in levels I and II and 78% of patients without early treatment were classified in levels III and IV). Furthermore, independent k-means cluster analyses of MRI, MEPs, and neuropediatric evaluations data were performed. Katona and non-treated early groups were classified in the same MRI cluster which is the expected for patient's population with PBD. However, in MEPs and neuropediatric evaluations clustering, the 67% of Katona group were assigning into Healthy group showing the impact of Katona therapy over the patients treated with it. These results highlight the Katona therapy benefits in early rehabilitation of infants with moderate-to-severe PBD. Conclusions: Katona therapy and early rehabilitation have an important therapeutic effect in infants with moderate-to-severe PBD by decreasing the severity of motor disability in later stages of life., 33 pages, 5 figures, 5 tables

The antidepressant-like activity of crude ethanolic extracts (CEE) from four Peruvian Hypericum species (Hypericum andinum, Hypericum brevistylum, Hypericum silenoides and Hypericum laricifolium) was assessed using the forced swimming test (FST) in mice. Different doses of all CEE shortened the immobility time of mice in experimental groups, indicating that these extracts possessed a potential antidepressant-like activity. Phytochemical analyses revealed that the CEE were rich in flavonoids, principally hyperoside, and to a lesser extent, dimeric acylphloroglucinol derivatives. The phytochemical composition of Hypericum species with reported antidepressant-like activity in the FST is briefly summarized, and the importance of flavonoids with reference to the activity highlighted.

Unknown

The dystrophin-associated protein complex (DAPC) is a multimeric complex that links the extracellular matrix to the actin cytoskeleton, and in some cases dystrophin can be substituted by its autosomal homologue utrophin to form the utrophin-associated protein complex (UAPC). Both complexes maintain the stability of plasma membrane during contraction process and play an important role in transmembrane signaling. Mutations in members of the DAPC are associated with muscular dystrophy and dilated cardiomyopathy. In a previous study with human umbilical cord vessels, we observed that utrophin colocalize with caveolin-1 (Cav-1) which proposed the presence of UAPC in the plasma membrane of vascular smooth muscle (VSM). In the current study, we demonstrated by immunofluorescence analysis, co-immunoprecipitation assays, and subcellular fractionation by sucrose gradients, the existence of an UAPC in lipid raft domains of human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells (HUASMC). This complex is constituted by utrophin, β-DG, ε-SG, α-smooth muscle actin, Cav-1, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and cavin-1. It was also observed the presence of dystrophin, utrophin Dp71, β-SG, δ-SG, δ-SG3 and sarcospan in non-lipid raft fractions. Furthermore, the knockdown of α/β-DG was associated with the decrease in both the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) and the presence of the phosphorylated (active) form of eNOS; and with a reduction in the downstream activation of some cGMP signaling transduction pathway components. Together these results show the presence of an UAPC complex in HUASMC that may participate in the activity regulation of eNOS and in the vascular function.

La2−xSrxCoTiO6 (0.6 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) compound series is prepared by Sr-substitution in the A-site of the perovskite by a modified Pechini procedure under air. Charge compensation as Sr2+ content increase occurs by Co2+ oxidation to Co3+. Reduced samples are obtained by further treatment under 5%H2/Ar and characterized by Neutron Powder Diffraction. Upon redution, Co3+ to Co2+ reduction and oxygen vacancies creation are detected. Dependence of total conductivity with temperature and pO2 exhibits a typical p-type semiconducting behaviour. Results show that the higher the Sr content, the higher holes (Co3+) concentration and consequently, La2−xSrxCoTiO6 (x = 1.0) shows the highest conductivity (13.23 S/cm at 1073 K in air). The negligible reactivity with YSZ, used as the electrolyte, of symmetrical cells under oxidant conditions and the moderate thermal expansion found by XRD point to their possible use as SOFC cathodes. Thus, La1.2Sr0.8CoTiO6-based cathodes display polarization resistance of 0.9 Ω cm2 at 1073 K in oxygen, only slightly above than the current state-of-the-art.

H 2 V 3 O 8 nanobelts have been successfully synthesised from commercial V 2 O 5 powder through a fast and environmental friendly microwave-hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and ICP spectroscopy were used to characterise the morphology and structure–microstructure details. Nanobelts about 100 nm wide and several micrometres long are easily prepared in no more than 2 h. The electrochemical study reveals the reversible insertion of ca. 4 Li per formula unit (400 mAh g −1 ), through several pseudo- plateaus in the 3.75–1.5 V vs Li + /Li voltage range showing the interest of this material produced by a “green” route as an electrode for lithium rechargeable batteries. After the first cycle a significant capacity loss is observed, though a high capacity, ca. 300 mAh g −1 , remains upon cycling. Furthermore, the similarity of discharge and charge curves, pointing to the absence of hydrogen displacement during lithium insertion in H 2 V 3 O 8 , shows that not all protonated systems must be discarded as prospective electrode materials. On the other hand, further reduction down to 1 V is possible to insert up to 5 Li per formula unit (480 mAh g −1 ). Interestingly it corresponds to full reduction of vanadium to V 3+ as it is also confirmed by EELS experiments. However, the full reduction to V 3+ is associated with a fast decay of the extra capacity developed at low voltage with increasing current rate. Then for practical use we may consider only the capacity obtained down to 1.5 V.

Substitution of La3+ by Sr2+ in the perovskite La2CoTiO6 yields materials of the La2−xSrxCoTiO6 series. The dominant charge-compensating mechanism is oxidation of Co2+ if they are prepared at air. The as prepared oxides can be reduced inducing a large amount of oxygen vacancies while keeping the perovskite structure. The electrical behaviour of the La2−xSrxCoTiO6 series is dominated by p-type electronic conduction in a wide pO2 range through non-adiabatic hopping of small-polarons. The electrical conductivity increases with x, except for the x = 0.5 material which shows an unexpectedly low conductivity due to microstructural and short-range ordering effects. The highest conductivity material, La1.60Sr0.40CoTiO6, is selected to study the electrochemical properties of the series. This compound is chemically compatible with YSZ up to 1373 K, in both oxidizing and reducing atmospheres. The preliminary evaluation of the electrode performance reveals that La1.60Sr0.40CoTiO6-based electrodes exhibit polarization resistances of typically 0.8 Ω cm2 at 1073 K in oxygen, which are close to the values obtained for LSM-based cathodes. Thus, the electrochemical behaviour of this oxide as cathode is particularly encouraging since the electrode microstructure is not optimized; it is expected that an improved microstructure will perform at least similarly to the state-of-art in SOFCs materials.

This study aims to analyze and understand the benefits that acquiring raw materials through the application of reverse logistics can generate, especially in developing countries. An empirical study has been carried out in the handmade sector of five municipalities in the state of Merida, Venezuela, into the contingency factors of reverse logistics (information and communication systems, total ownership costs and life cycle of products), as well as the effect of uncertainty. A case study methodology was used to test the effect of the independent variables on the “raw materials purchasing” variable, and involved the technique of stepwise multiple regression. The results reveal that the preference for purchasing raw materials through reverse logistics is mainly determined by the “uncertainty” variable, contingency factors of “information and communication systems” and the “life cycle of products”. According to the results, firms in the handmade sector should implement an information system and be in constant communication with their customers, who play a dual role as buyers of their products and as input suppliers, therefore, greater contact can help reduce uncertainty. Handmade sector workers make products with a long average life cycle and, therefore, with greater chances of being reused, restored, repaired and to finally be subjected to recycling. National and local authorities should encourage the application of reverse logistics in other productive sectors, such as manufacturing, agriculture, services, as it can reduce the problem of acquisition of production inputs and mitigate environmental damage caused by the production of raw materials.

The long-term stability of PtCoRu/C to methanol crossover has been evaluated in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) configuration. The DMFC has been subjected to continuous operation under potential step cycles. The degradation of the DMFC with PtCoRu/C has been followed by comparison of the power density curves recorded after 0, 60 and 312 h of continuous operation, and compared to that recorded for a DMFC with Pt/C. Electrochemical Impedance Spectra (EIS) were recorded directly from the DMFCs and used to identify the main degradation phenomena responsible for the loss of performance of the used fuel cell. AC impedance spectra show that the resistance of the anode reaction increases while resistance associated to the cathode reaction decreases after the long-term stability tests; however, the analysis of the power density curves unequivocally show that the performance of the DMFCs goes down during the stability tests. This apparent contradiction can be explained by taking into account the changes between the fresh and used PtCoRu/C observed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. During the potential step cycles Ru dissolves form PtCoRu/C leading to Pt-enriched catalysts which are more active for the oxygen reduction reaction (lower resistance) but less tolerant to methanol (lower power density).

Materials of the series La2−xSrxNiTiO6−δ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) have been characterized by both structural and electrochemical methods in order to assess their possible use as electrodes for SOFCs. Neutron and X-ray powder diffraction experiments have shown that they are stable under both oxidizing and reducing conditions while chemically compatible with YSZ at SOFC operating temperatures. Moreover, the thermal expansion has been determined to be isotropic with αL = 10.0(3) × 10−6 K−1. This value is similar to that found for other perovskite materials used in SOFCs. However, polarization resistances reveal modest values of electrochemical response under oxygen (1.5 Ω cm2 at 900 °C) and are quite poor in 5%H2/N2 mixtures (15 Ω cm2) at the same temperature. Nevertheless, microstructure has not been optimized fully enough to discard the material as a potential SOFC cathode.

Background & Aims The fluid secretion model predicts that intestinal obstruction disorders can be alleviated by promoting epithelial Cl − secretion. The adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-activated anion channel CFTR mediates Cl − -dependent fluid secretion in the intestine. Although the role of the ClC-2 channel has not been determined in the intestine, this voltage-gated Cl − channel might compensate for the secretory defects observed in patients with cystic fibrosis and other chronic constipation disorders. We investigated whether mice that lack ClC-2 channels ( Clcn2 −/− ) have defects in intestinal ion transport. Methods Immunolocalization and immunoblot analyses were used to determine the cellular localization and the amount of ClC-2 expressed in mouse early distal colon (EDC) and late distal colon (LDC). Colon sheets from wild-type and Clcn2 −/− littermates were mounted in Ussing chambers to determine transepithelial bioelectrical parameters and Na + , K + , and Cl − fluxes. Results Expression of ClC-2 was higher in the basolateral membrane of surface cells in the EDC compared with the LDC, with little expression in crypts. Neither cAMP nor Ca 2+ -induced secretion of Cl − was affected in the EDC or LDC of Clcn2 −/− mice, whereas the amiloride-sensitive short-circuit current was increased approximately 3-fold in Clcn2 −/− EDC compared with control littermates. Conversely, electroneutral Na + , K + , and Cl − absorption was dramatically reduced in colons of Clcn2 −/− mice. Conclusions Basolateral ClC-2 channels are required for colonic electroneutral absorption of NaCl and KCl. The increase in the amiloride-sensitive short-circuit current in Clcn2 −/− mice revealed a compensatory mechanism that is activated in the colons of mice that lack the ClC-2 channel.

Berberis boliviana Lechler is a member of the Berberidaceae family that has a small edible red-purple berry. The plant is native to the Peruvian Andes and contains high amounts of anthocyanin pigments. The monomeric anthocyanin content, determined by a pH-differential method, was 7/100 g of seedless berries. Pigments were characterised by HPLC coupled to a photodiode array (PDA) and mass spectrophotometer (MS) detectors. Five aglycones and ten anthocyanins were found and identified as petunidin-3-glucoside (24.4%), delphinidin-3-glucoside (24.1%), malvidin-3-glucoside (22.1%), cyanidin-3-glucoside (10.2%), petunidin-3-rutinoside (7.15%), malvidin-3-rutinoside (4.9%), cyanidin-3-rutinoside (3.8%), delphinidin-3-rutinoside (2.6%), peonidin-3-glucoside (1.1%), and peonidin-3-rutinoside (0.9%). The brine shrimp lethality test (BST) with Artemia salina Leach showed a median lethal concentration (MLC) of 247 μg/ml of B. boliviana L. pigments, suggesting that they should be considered for further pharmacological studies.

Summary An accurate method to determine contact angles (CA) of soils as a measure of water repellency is still missing. In the present research, we evaluated and compared different methods to determine the CA of dry soil samples. Experiments were made by using a set of porous materials (silt, sand and glass beads) with different levels of water repellency. The CAs were measured with the Capillary Rise Method (θCRM; liquid penetration into a 3-d system), the Wilhelmy plate method (θWPM; measurement of capillary forces acting on a plane sample) and the Sessile Drop Method (θSDM; optical CA analysis of drop contour on a plane sample). Results were compared with the CAs calculated from capillary rise in long vertical columns ( θ E CR ), where liquid profiles of the final capillary rise of water and ethanol, respectively, were used to derive the contact angle under the assumed equilibrium conditions. The results showed the overestimation of the CA by using the well established bi-liquid CRM technique for porous materials, in particular for material with a low degree of water repellency (CA θ E WPM ), as well as the Sessile Drop CA, θSDM, were close to the ones of θ E CR . We concluded that θ E WPM and θSDM are apparent CA, but nevertheless able to predict the impact of wettability on the final capillary rise which is affected by pore topology as well as by wettability.