SARS-CoV2/COVID-19 Infection in Transplant Recipients and in Patients on the Organ Transplant Waiting List in Colombia.

To assess our determination to continue transplant activity in Colombia during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, this study seeks to describe the risk of infection and mortality of transplanted patients vs those on the waiting list. Therefore, a descriptive study of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2)/COVID-19 infection in transplant recipients and patients on the waiting list was conducted. The data sources were the information systems of the Instituto Nacional de Salud of Colombia: National Donation and Transplant Information System, the National Public Health Surveillance System, and the National COVID-19 Data Repository. Characteristics of the patients who tested positive were analyzed, and the mortality rate was determined. An Real Time-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 was performed in 7% of the transplant recipients included in this study, and 14.8% of those recipients tested positive. Among patients on the waiting list, 15.2% were tested, and 16.7% showed positive results. Overall, 1% (84/8108) of the transplant recipients and 2.5% (74/2926) of patients on the waiting list were infected with SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. There were no differences in mortality between these groups (P = .8748). In conclusion, with the data obtained so far, the hospital availability, and the adoption of safety protocols in the institutions, our findings can support the continuity of the transplant activities in this country.

Activos antioxidantes en la formulación de productos cosméticos antienvejecimiento / Antioxidant actives in the formulation of anti-aging cosmetic products

Objetivos: El conocimiento acerca de los mecanismos subyacentes al envejecimiento de la piel es, en la actualidad, una estrategia clave en la prevención de sus manifestaciones cutáneas. A través del estudio de la principal vía responsable de la senescencia celular, el estrés oxidativo, se revisan activos cosméticos capaces de neutralizar su efecto y la relevancia del mismo. Métodos: Se utilizó la base de datos PubMed para la revisión de artículos científicos, así como diversos textos de Cosmética y Dermofarmacia. Resultados: En el transcurso del envejecimiento cutáneo se solapan dos procesos, uno intrínseco, con alteración del propio sistema redox antioxidante, y otro extrínseco derivado de factores externos, en concreto la radiación solar. El resultado es un grave daño celular a través de especies reactivas de oxígeno y otros mecanismos de oxidación. La revisión de activos cosméticos antioxidantes revela la eficacia de dichas sustancias en el curso de la senescencia celular, gracias a su capacidad de neutralizar los productos dañinos que son generados. Destaca la acción conjunta de ácido ascórbico y vitamina E. Otros, como los derivados del retinol, carotenoides, vitamina B3 y flavonoides han demostrado tener un efecto beneficioso. Conclusiones: En el objetivo de tratar y prevenir el envejecimiento cutáneo es esencial la aplicación de activos antioxidantes. La importancia de su inclusión en productos cosméticos antienvejecimiento o anti-age, en la actualidad, ha alcanzado su auge con el planteamiento de aprovechar su acción antioxidante para reducir al mínimo el efecto del estrés oxidativo y retrasar la muerte celular que se oculta tras el proceso de envejecimiento de la piel

Objectives: Knowledge about skin aging underlying process, nowadays, is the key strategy in prevention of its main cutaneous expression. Through the study of the major mechanism responsible of cellular senescence, oxidative stress, it is reviewed the relevance of various cosmetic actives with the potential to neutralise the oxidative damaging effect. Methods: To carry out the review of related scientific articles we used the databases PubMed, as well as various texts about Cosmetic and Dermopharmacy. Results: During the course of skin aging two mechanisms overlap, an intrinsic process with disorder of the natural anti-oxidative redox system, and an extrinsic process resulting of external factors, specifically solar radiation. A serious cellular damage is the result of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other oxidative mechanisms. The review of several antioxidant cosmetic actives reveals the efficacy of these substances in the cellular senescence development, because of its action neutralizing harmful products generated. Therefore, combination of ascorbic acid and vitamin E stands out. Others, as retinoids, carotenoids, vitamin B3 or flavonoids have beneficial effects demonstrated. Conclusions: In order to treat and prevent effectively skin aging, we conclude it results essential the use of antioxidant actives. The relevance of including them in anti-aging cosmetic products has reach a new height, approaching their antioxidant property to reduce to a minimum stress oxidative effect and slow down cellular death disguised by skin aging

Evaluation of bush and vine black beans for physical, chemical and nutritional characteristics.

The present study was undertaken to learn if there are physical, chemical and nutritional differences between vine and bush type of beans. Four samples of black color beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) of the vine type, and four of the bush type were collected from farmers in the same growing area. The samples were analyzed for some physical properties including, 100 seed weight, size distribution percent seed coat, water absorption, cooking time, and of solids on cooking waters. Vine type beans had larger 100-seed weights, larger sized beans, thicker seed coats, and lower of solids in the cooking water than bush type beans. Rate of water absorption was different. The chemical characterization included proximate analysis and fiber fractionation. Vine type beans had, on the average, less ether extract and protein than bush type. No differences were found in fiber fractions, although there was a higher variability in the vine types. Protein quality and protein digestibility when fed as the single protein source, were similar on the average, with more variability in the vine types. Both types, efficiently supplemented maize proteins and the protein digestibility was higher than when fed alone. In general there were no large differences, except in some physical measurements, between vine and bush type beans, with the former showing greater nutritional variability which could be useful in selection programs, if such variability is confirmed.

Transient intestinal colonization by multiple phenotypes of Aeromonas species during the first week of life.

The intestinal colonization rate of Aeromonas spp. was determined for 52 cesarean-born Peruvian neonates. Rectal swabs were obtained daily from newborns during their postdelivery hospitalization (mean = 5.5 days), and the gross appearances of their feces (blind determinations) were recorded. Aeromonas spp. were recovered from rectal swabs of 12 of 52 (23.1%) infants during their first week of life; the isolates were obtained from 5 of 9 (55.6%) infants with at least one stool with a watery consistency and from 7 of 43 (16.3%) neonates with no watery stools (P = 0.022). None of the infected infants became clinically ill. No other commonly recognized enteropathogens were detected in watery stools. An environmental survey indicated that hospital water was the probable source of infection. These and other data indicated that Aeromonas colonization occurs transiently at a very early age in Peruvian neonates and that in some instances, initial infection may be followed several days later by one or more watery stools of normal volume.