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Background. Colonoscopy is a resource used for the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of benign and malignant colorectal pathologies. The incidence of perforation is 0.03%–0.65% in diagnostic colonoscopy; however, the incidence can be up to 10 times higher in therapeutic interventions, such as polypectomies, increasing the risk of complications up to 0.07–2.1%. Materials and methods. Case report of a 71-year-old female who presents a rare complication due to a perforation in the sigmoid which developed pneumoperitoneum, pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and massive subcutaneous emphysema as a complication of a diagnostic colonoscopy where a biopsy of a friable lesion was performed. Results. A 71-year-old female that went to the emergency room due to acute generalized abdominal colic spasm pain with a duration of 7 hours, associated with significant abdominal distension, malaise, diaphoresis, progressive dyspnea, and massive subcutaneous emphysema that developed after performing panendoscopy and colonoscopy for diverticulosis follow-up. An abdominal CT scan with double contrast was performed, reporting suggestive data of hollow viscus perforation, pneumoperitoneum, pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and massive subcutaneous emphysema in the thorax, neck, and skull base. She underwent an exploratory laparotomy finding a perforation in the sigmoid for which sigmoidectomy was performed, and for the pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum, endopleural tubes were placed in both hemithoraxes. The massive subcutaneous emphysema subsided with observation and oxygen. Conclusion. A rare complication of the use of colonoscopy as a diagnostic and therapeutic method is presented. The purpose of presenting this case is for the doctor who performs these interventions to suspect this complication in a timely manner, not delaying the diagnosis and carrying out an urgent therapeutic approach as in this case with exploratory laparotomy, finding the perforation site and carrying out the corresponding surgical management. We demonstrated that massive subcutaneous emphysema can be managed with observation if there is no other alarm data evident that required another surgical approach.

Several studies have reported the successful use of bio-orthogonal catalyst nanoparticles (NPs) for cancer therapy. However, the delivery of the catalysts to the target tissues in vivo remains an unsolved challenge. The combination of catalytic NPs with extracellular vesicles (EVs) has been proposed as a promising approach to improve the delivery of therapeutic nanomaterials to the desired organs. In this study, we have developed a nanoscale bio-hybrid vector using a CO-mediated reduction at low temperature to generate ultrathin catalytic Pd nanosheets (PdNSs) as catalysts directly inside cancer-derived EVs. We have also compared their biodistribution with that of PEGylated PdNSs delivered by the EPR effect. Our results indicate that the accumulation of PdNSs in the tumour tissue was significantly higher when they were administered within the EVs compared to the PEGylated PdNSs. Conversely, the amount of Pd found in non-target organs (i.e., liver) was lowered. Once the Pd-based catalytic EVs were accumulated in the tumours, they enabled the activation of a paclitaxel prodrug demonstrating their ability to carry out bio-orthogonal uncaging chemistries in vivo for cancer therapy.

During the 2021 La Palma strombolian and fissure eruption, two faults were identified that controlled the spatial distribution of earthquake hypocenters and effusive eruptive vents. One of these faults has a NW-SE trend (Tazacorte Fault: TZF) and the other one shows an ENE-WSW trend (Mazo Fault: MZF). Previous works on fault structural analysis in La Palma indicated that the eruption zone was compatible with an extensional tectonic strain ellipsoid which activated normal-strike-slip directional faults at the confluence of TZF and MZF. These fractures were activated during the 2021 Tajogaite eruption, determining the NW-SE and WSW-ENE spatial distribution of vents. Both faults were mapped in real time during the volcanic eruption from fieldwork and remote sensing imagery (aerial drone images). We have collected more than 300 fracture data associated with the effusive vents and post-eruption seismic creep. Since the affected area was densely inhabited, most of these fractures affect houses and infrastructures. Some of the houses affected by the TZF were damaged 9 months after the eruption, although they were not damaged during the eruption. Surprisingly, these houses already had repairs made to the same fractures since 1980, giving information of previous fault creep movement. During the 2021 Tajogaite eruption, shallow seismicity was spatially related to both faults, suggesting a seismic behavior instead of the precedent creep movement. However, the lack of seismicity after the eruption indicates that the faults went back to creep aseismic behavior, similarly to 1980. The mapping and monitoring of these faults (TZF and MZF) is relevant bearing in mind that they have been active since 1980 and the post-eruptive phase of the 2021 volcanic eruption, which has to be included in the land use planning in areas affected by the volcanic eruption and creep movement. Furthermore, both faults could act as seismogenic sources triggering volcanic earthquakes with potential high macroseismic intensities and mass movements. The data presented here show the importance of having this type of study before the onset of the eruption, thus allowing a better interpretation of seismic data during volcanic unrest.

Gut lymphocytes and the microbiota establish a reciprocal relationship that impacts the host immune response. Class I-restricted T cell-associated molecule (CRTAM) is a cell adhesion molecule expressed by intraepithelial T cells and is required for their retention in the gut. In this study, we show that CRTAM expression affects gut microbiota composition under homeostatic conditions. Moreover, Crtam-/- mice infected with the intestinal pathogen Salmonella exhibit reduced Th17 responses, lower levels of inflammation, and reduced Salmonella burden, which is accompanied by expansion of other microbial taxa. Thus, CRTAM enhances susceptibility to Salmonella, likely by promoting the inflammatory response that promotes the pathogen's growth. We also found that the gut microbiota from wild-type mice, but not from Crtam-/- mice, induces CRTAM expression and Th17 responses in ex-germ-free mice during Salmonella infection. Our study demonstrates a reciprocal relationship between CRTAM expression and the gut microbiota, which ultimately impacts the host response to enteric pathogens.

CCL28 is a mucosal chemokine that has been involved in various responses, including IgA production. We have analyzed its production in human tissues using a comprehensive microarray database. Its highest expression is in the salivary gland, indicating that it is an important component of saliva. It is also expressed in the trachea, bronchus, and in the mammary gland upon onset of lactation. We have also characterized a Ccl28-/- mouse that exhibits very low IgA levels in milk, and the IgA levels in feces are also reduced. These observations confirm a role for the CCL28/CCR10 chemokine axis in the recruitment of IgA plasmablasts to the lactating mammary gland. CCL28 is also expressed in the vomeronasal organ. We also detected olfactory defects (anosmia) in a Ccl28-/- mouse suggesting that CCL28 is involved in the function/development of olfaction. Importantly, Ccl28-/- mice are highly susceptible to Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in an acute model of infection, indicating that CCL28 plays a major role in innate immunity against Salmonella in the gut. Finally, microbiome studies revealed modest differences in the gut microbiota between Ccl28-/- mice and their cohoused wild-type littermates. The latter observation suggests that under homeostatic conditions, CCL28 plays a limited role in shaping the gut microbiome.

Emerging scientific studies have supported the hypothesis that exposure to environmental chemicals increases the incidence of diverse human metabolic disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the association between fluoride exposure and metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence in people from the Central Region of Mexico. This research included 575 adult individuals. Urinary fluoride concentrations were determined using a potentiometric method. Anthropometric measurements and blood pressure were also acquired. Serum fasting glucose and lipid levels were quantified. For the MetS screening, we used the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria. The mean urinary fluoride levels were 3.50 ± 2.50 mg/L. The prevalence of MetS was approximately 27 and 25% according to NCEP ATP III and IDF criteria, respectively. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed significant associations (p < 0.05) between urinary fluoride concentrations and MetS occurrence using NCEP ATP III criteria (OR = 1.60; 95% CI 1.05–2.10) and IDF criteria (OR = 1.35; 95% CI 0.95–1.45). These findings emphasize the need to discover the underlying mechanisms that fluoride exposure has on MetS pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]