Citizen science and social innovation as citizen empowerment tools to address urban health challenges: The case of the urban health citizen laboratory in Barcelona, Spain.

Urban health faces significant challenges due to the rapid growth of cities and the concentration of population in urban settings that have a strong impact on people's health. The approach to characterize and address these challenges requires increased societal involvement and interdisciplinary solutions to ensure their effectiveness and democratic nature. With this purpose, it is necessary to explore methodologies for citizen participation that foster a critical understanding of the environment and promote their active role in generating scientific knowledge and change. This article describes the creation of a collaborative space for experimentation and learning that, through the intersection of citizen science and social innovation, aims to engage citizens in the research and diagnosis of their local environment, as well as in the design and implementation of local solutions, while raising awareness about the main challenges to urban health. Through a collaborative and participatory framework, the community identified relevant challenges to urban health they wanted to investigate, co-designed and developed the methodology for data collection and analysis, and ultimately, they devised, designed, and implemented innovative solutions based on the scientific evidence obtained. The framework and results of this project hold potential interest for the scientific community, facilities, institutions, and society by offering an innovative and participatory approach to addressing the present and future urban health challenges.

Adapting Schools to Climate Change with Green, Blue, and Grey Measures in Barcelona: Study Protocol of a Mixed-Method Evaluation.

Under the framework of the Urban Innovative Actions program of the European Commission, in 2020, 11 primary schools in Barcelona were transformed into climate shelters by implementing green, blue, and grey measures. Schoolyards were also opened to the local community to be used during non-school periods. Here we present the study protocol of a mixed-method approach to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions in terms of improving environmental quality and health for users. We evaluated school level through the following: (1) quantitative pre-post quasi-experimental study, and (2) qualitative evaluation. The quantitative study included measures of (a) environmental variables (collected via low-cost and non-low-cost sensors), (b) students' health and well-being (collected via health questionnaires, attention levels test, and systematic observations), and (c) teachers' health and well-being (collected via thermal comfort measurements and health questionnaires). The qualitative methods evaluated the perceptions about the effects of the interventions among students (using Photovoice) and teachers (through focus groups). The impact of the interventions was assessed at community level during summer non-school periods through a spontaneous ethnographic approach. Data collection started in August 2019 and ended in July 2022. The evaluation provides the opportunity to identify those solutions that worked and those that need to be improved for future experiences, as well as improve the evaluation methodology and replication for these kinds of interventions.

Microbial contamination in grocery stores from Portugal and Spain - The neglected indoor environment to be tackled in the scope of the One Health approach.

Microbial contamination in grocery shops (GS) should be evaluated since food commodities are commonly handled by workers and customers increasing the risk of food contamination and disease transmission. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial contamination in Portuguese and Spanish GS with a multi-approach protocol using passive (electrostatic dust cloths and surface swabs) sampling methods. The molecular detection of Aspergillus sections, mycotoxin analysis, screening of azole resistance as well as cytotoxicity measurement were conducted to better estimate the potential health risks of exposure and to identify possible relations between the risk factors studied. Fruits/vegetables sampling location was the one identified has being the most contaminated (bacteria and fungi) area in GS from both countries. Aspergillus section Fumigati and Fusarium species were observed in samples from Portuguese groceries with reduced susceptibilities to azoles commonly used in the clinical treatment of fungal infections. Fumonisin B2 was detected in Portuguese GS possible unveiling this emergent threat concerning occupational exposure and food safety. Overall, the results obtained raise concerns regarding human health and food safety and must be surveilled applying a One Health approach.

Phytotherapeutic alternatives for neurodegenerative dementias: Scientific review, discussion and therapeutic proposal.

The incidence and prevalence of age-related neurodegenerative dementias have been increasing. There is no curative therapy and conventional drug treatment can cause problems for patients. Medicinal plants traditionally used for problems associated with ageing are emerging as a therapeutic resource. The main aim is to give a proposal for use and future research based on scientific knowledge and tradition. A literature search was conducted in several searchable databases. The keywords used were related to neurodegenerative dementias, ageing and medicinal plants. Boolean operators and filters were used to focus the search. As a result, there is current clinical and preclinical scientific information on 49 species used in traditional medicine for ageing-related problems, including neurodegenerative dementias. There are preclinical and clinical scientific evidences on their properties against protein aggregates in the central nervous system and their effects on neuroinflammation, apoptosis dysregulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, gabaergic, glutamatergic and dopaminergic systems alterations, monoamine oxidase alterations, serotonin depletion and oestrogenic protection. In conclusion, the potential therapeutic effect of the different medicinal plants depends on the type of neurodegenerative dementia and its stage of development, but more clinical and preclinical research is needed to find better, safer and more effective treatments.

A history of the MetaSUB consortium: Tracking urban microbes around the globe.

The MetaSUB Consortium, founded in 2015, is a global consortium with an interdisciplinary team of clinicians, scientists, bioinformaticians, engineers, and designers, with members from more than 100 countries across the globe. This network has continually collected samples from urban and rural sites including subways and transit systems, sewage systems, hospitals, and other environmental sampling. These collections have been ongoing since 2015 and have continued when possible, even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The consortium has optimized their workflow for the collection, isolation, and sequencing of DNA and RNA collected from these various sites and processing them for metagenomics analysis, including the identification of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Here, the Consortium describes its foundations, and its ongoing work to expand on this network and to focus its scope on the mapping, annotation, and prediction of emerging pathogens, mapping microbial evolution and antibiotic resistance, and the discovery of novel organisms and biosynthetic gene clusters.

Medicinal Plants for Insomnia Related to Anxiety: An Updated Review.

Sleep disorders are common among the general population and can generate health problems such as insomnia and anxiety. In addition to standard drugs and psychological interventions, there are different complementary plant-based therapies used to treat insomnia and anxiety. This review aimed to find and examine the most recent research on the use of herbal medicines for treating anxiety and insomnia as compiled from clinical trials, as well as to assess the safety and efficacy of these medicines and to elucidate their possible mechanisms of action. The process entailed a search of PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library databases from 2010 to 2020. The search terms included "sleep disorder", "insomnia", "sedative", "hypnotic", "anxiety", "anxiolytic", and "clinical trial", combined with the search terms "herbs" and "medicinal plants", in addition to individual herbal medicines by both their common and scientific names. This updated review, which focuses mainly on clinical trials, includes research on 23 medicinal plants and their combinations. Essential oils and their associations have also been reviewed. The efficacy of medicinal plants depends on treatment duration, types of study subjects, administration route, and treatment method. More clinical trials with an adequate, standardized design are necessary, as are more preclinical studies to continue studying the mechanisms of action. As a result of our work, we can conclude that the 3 plants with the most potential are valerian, passionflower, and ashwagandha, with the combination of valerian with hops and passionflower giving the best results in the clinical tests.

On the interpretation of the atmospheric mechanism transporting the environmental trigger of Kawasaki Disease.

Recent advances on the environmental determinants of Kawasaki Disease have pointed to the important role of the atmospheric transport of a still unknown agent potentially triggering the disease. The hypothesis arose from an innovative methodology combining expertise in climate dynamics, the analysis of ocean and atmosphere data, the use of dispersion models and the search for biological agents in air samples. The approach offered a new perspective to reveal the identity of the potential trigger, but at the same time, it increased the level of complexity, which could potentially lead to the misinterpretation of the mechanisms. Some years after it was originally formulated, we here provide a brief clarification on the approach and limits of the methodology in order to prevent an eventual misuse of our research ideas and theory, so that further research can better focus on the knowledge gaps that still remain open.

Genotyping approach for non-invasive foetal RHD detection in an admixed population.

BACKGROUND: Non-invasive foetal RHD genotyping can predict haemolytic disease of the foetus and the newborn in pregnancies with anti-D alloantibodies and also avoid antenatal anti-D prophylaxis in pregnant women carrying an RHD negative foetus. Considering that the Argentine genetic background is the result of generations of intermixing between several ethnic groups, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of a non-invasive foetal RHD determination strategy to guide targeted antenatal RhD immunoprophylaxis. This algorithm is based on the analysis of four regions of the RHD gene in cell-free foetal DNA in maternal plasma and maternal and paternal RHD genotyping. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DNA from 298 serologically D negative pregnant women between 19-28 weeks gestation were RHD genotyped. Foetal RHD status was determined by real-time PCR in 296 maternal plasma samples. In particular cases, RHDΨ and RHD-CE-Ds alleles were investigated in paternal DNA. Umbilical cord blood was collected at birth, and serological and molecular studies were performed. RESULTS: Of the 298 maternal samples, 288 were D-/RHD- and 10 D-/RHD+ (2 RHD*DAR; 5 RHD-CE-Ds; 3 RHDΨ). Plasma from RHD*DAR carriers was not analysed. Real-time PCR showed 210 RHD+ and 78 RHD- foetuses and 8 inconclusive results. In this latter group, paternal molecular studies were useful to report a RHD negative status in 5 foetuses while only 3 remained inconclusive. All the results, except one false positive due to a silent allele (RHD[581insG]), agreed with the neonatal typing performed in cord blood. DISCUSSION: The protocol used for non-invasive prenatal RHD genotyping proved to be suitable to determine foetal RHD status in our admixed population. The knowledge of the genetic background of the population under study and maternal and paternal molecular analysis can reduce the number of inconclusive results when investigating foetal RHD status.

Revisiting the role of environmental and climate factors on the epidemiology of Kawasaki disease.

Can environmental factors, such as air-transported preformed toxins, be of key relevance to the health outcomes of poorly understood human ailments (e.g., rheumatic diseases such as vasculitides, some inflammatory diseases, or even severe childhood acquired heart diseases)? Can the physical, chemical, or biological features of air masses be linked to the emergence of diseases such as Kawasaki disease (KD), Henoch-Schönlein purpura, Takayasu's aortitis, and ANCA-associated vasculitis? These diseases surprisingly share some common epidemiological features. For example, they tend to appear as clusters of cases grouped geographically and temporarily progress in nonrandom sequences that repeat every year in a similar way. They also show concurrent trend changes within regions in countries and among different world regions. In this paper, we revisit transdisciplinary research on the role of environmental and climate factors in the epidemiology of KD as a paradigmatic example of this group of diseases. Early-warning systems based on environmental alerts, if successful, could be implemented as a way to better inform patients who are predisposed to, or at risk for, developing KD. Further research on the etiology of KD could facilitate the development of vaccines and specific medical therapies.

Natural history of hepatitis C virus infection in a cohort of asymptomatic post-transfused subjects.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND & AIMS. Studies about the natural history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection report variable progression to cirrhosis depending on study design. Retrospective cross-sectional liver clinic studies overestimate the rate of fibrosis progression due to inclusion of patients with more severe disease leaving mild and asymptomatic patients underrepresented. We evaluated fibrosis progression in a group of "healthy" asymptomatic subjects, attending to a voluntary campaign for the detection of HCV infection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A detection campaign was launched on subjects transfused before 1993. Of 1699 volunteers, 61(3.6%) had HCV infection. A liver biopsy was performed in 40 (65%). Assessed risk factors for liver fibrosis were: sex, body mass index, alcohol consumption (> 20 g/d - > 40g/d ), genotype, HLA-DRB1 alleles, present age, age at infection and duration of infection. RESULTS: 25 (62.5%) were women with a median age of 52.5 years. The median duration of infection was 21.5 years with a median age at infection of 27 years. As regards fibrosis, 25 (62.5%) had a Low Stage (F0-F1), 8 patients, 20%, had severe fibrosis, one patient (2.5%) had cirrhosis. Alcohol consumption was the only risk factor associated with fibrosis progression. CONCLUSIONS: The low progression to cirrhosis may be explained by the clinical characteristics of our population: asymptomatic middle-aged "healthy" subjects infected at young age. The progression to severe fibrosis was noticeable; hence a longer follow-up might demonstrate changes in this outcome. Significant alcohol consumption clearly worsens the natural history of HCV infection; this is no so evident for occasional or mild alcohol consumers.

Analysis of fluoroquinolones in animal feeds by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

An analytical method for the analysis of six fluoroquinolones (FQs) in animal feeds was developed. The sample treatment consists of a simple and rapid extraction of the analytes by manual shaking with an acetonitrile-water mixture containing hydrochloric acid without further sample cleanup. Matrix effects were minimized by diluting the extract with water. Determination was carried out by liquid chromatography using fluorimetric detection. The method was validated in-house in four different feed matrices (poultry, cow, pig, and lamb feed). Mean recoveries ranging from 80 to 105%, with relative standard deviations below 12%, were achieved from spiked animal feed samples on the 0.2-2.0 µg/g level. No relevant differences were observed between the studied feeds, this ensuring that the method was reliable for a wide variety of feed matrices. Decision limit and detection capability values are below 0.08 and 0.13 mg/kg, respectively, for most FQs. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of the analytical method developed for a routine use to control the illegal use of these substances in feeding stuffs.

HLA-DRB1 as a risk or resistance factor in Autoimmune Hepatitis

Although the pathogenesis of Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH) is unknown, the susceptibility is determined in part by genes linked to the region of HLA class II. The study included 47unrelated individuals with the diagnostic of type 1 AIH. A control group (n = 81) of healthy individuals was included. The alleles were tested for HLA class II genotyping using polymerase chain reaction and sequence-specific primers technique (PCR-SSP). Among patients with AIH alleles occurring at higher frequencies were DRB1*04, DRB1*03, DRB1*01, DRB1*07and DRB1*13. With reference to controls the following alleles were the most prevalentDRB1*07, DRB1*11, DRB1*08, DRB1*13 and DRB1*01. In comparison with the control group, AIH patients revealed a greater occurrence of the DRB1*03 and DRB1*04. These alleles can be considered as predisposing factors for the development of AIH. By contrast, DRB1*08 andDRB1*11 alleles were less frequent among patients and hence could be involved in disease resistance (AU)

Aunque la patogenia de la Hepatitis Autoinmune (AIH) es desconocida, la susceptibilidad está determinada en parte por genes HLA de Clase II. En el estudio participaron 47 individuos no relacionados con diagnóstico de AIH tipo 1. Se incluyó un grupo de control (n = 81) de individuos sanos. Los alelos HLA de clase II fueron tipificados mediante la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa y la técnica de cebadores de secuencia específica (PCR-SSP). En los pacientes con AIH, los alelos con mayores frecuencias fueron: DRB1*04, DRB1*03, DRB1*01, DRB1*07 yDRB1*13. En los controles los alelos más prevalentes fueron: DRB1*07, DRB1*11, DRB1*08, DRB1*13 y DRB1*01. En comparación con el grupo control, los pacientes con AIH mostraron una mayor incidencia de: DRB1*03 y DRB1*04, que pueden ser considerados como factores predisponentes. En cambio, los alelos DRB1*08 y DRB1*11 de menor frecuencia, estarían relacionados con la resistencia a esta enfermedad (AU)

Analysis of sulfonamides in animal feeds by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

Two analytical methodologies for the simultaneous analysis of eight sulfonamide antibiotics in animal feeds were developed. Analytes were extracted in a simple and rapid procedure by manual shaking with an ethyl acetate/ultrapure water mixture (99:1, v/v) without further sample cleanup. Mean recoveries ranging from 72.7% to 99.4% with relative standard deviations below 9% were achieved from spiked animal feed samples. Determination was carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography using fluorometric detection with precolumn derivatization. The separation of the derivatized compounds was performed using two different chromatographic columns: a conventional C(18) column and a recently available core-shell particle Kinetex C(18) column. Both methods were validated in-house in six different feed matrices, and the two approaches were compared. The experiments showed that the method using the Kinetex column was superior with regard to speed of analysis and precision, both under repeatability and intermediate reproducibility conditions. The limits of detection and quantification were also greatly improved, below 0.10 and 0.34 µg/g, respectively. Finally, this novel approach was successfully applied to the analysis of real feed samples.

Modifications of band 3 and oxidation level of membrane proteins in senescent erythrocytes.

OBJECTIVES: To study membrane proteins modifications in Senescent Red Blood Cells (SeRBC). DESIGN ANDMETHODS: SeRBC were obtained on Percoll gradients. Membrane proteins were analyzed by SDS-PAGE, band 3 by immunoblotting, and protein oxidation by measuring the carbonyl groups. RESULTS: Densitometric analysis showed no change in SeRBC while an increase in band 3 and its degradation products was found. An increase of protein oxidation level was found in SeRBC. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide further experimental evidence about protein modifications occurring during the RBC lifespan.

Alelos HLA-DRB1 en pacientes infectados con patógenos intracelulares en Rosario, Santa Fe / HLA-DRB1 alleles in patients infected with intracellular pathogens in Rosario, Santa Fe

En el desarrollo de la respuesta inmune a patógenos intracelulares participa el elevado polimorfismo de las moléculas HLA de clase II. El objetivo de este trabajo fue establecer la participación de los alelos HLA-DRB1 en personas con infección con Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) o con Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae). Se estudiaron 252 individuos de la ciudad de Rosario, divididos en: 86 personas seropositivas para T cruzi (sin compromiso cardiológico de relevancia), 85 pacientes con diagnóstico de Lepra y 81 individuos controles, sin evidencia de patologías. El ADN genómico fue extraído de sangre periférica utilizando el método de salting out y empleado como templado para amplificar por PCR el segundo exón polimórfico de HLA-DRB1. Los alelos fueron tipificados mediante la técnica de PCR­-SSOP. La comparación de frecuencias mostró prevalencia de los alelos DRB1 *0409 y DRB1 *1503 en los individuos seropositivos para T. cruzi con respecto al grupo control. Por otra parte, el análisis estadístico indicó una disminución significativa del alelo DRB1 *1103 en pacientes con esta tripanosomiasis. Al examinar las frecuencias observamos en el grupo de pacientes con Lepra un aumento significativo de los alelos DRB1 *1401 y DRB1 *1406. Además observamos que las proporciones de los alelos DRB1 *0808 y DRB1 *1103 en los enfermos son significativamente inferiores con respecto al grupo control. Los alelos HLA DRB1 podrían actuar solos o en combinación con otros genes para conferir susceptibilidad o resistencia a estas infecciones en la población de Rosario, Argentina.

In the development of the immune response to intracellular pathogens implicated the high polymorphism of HLA class II molecules. The aim of this study was to establish the involvement of the HLA-DRB1 alleles in infected subjects with T. cruzi or leprosy patients in Rosario, Argentina. We studied 252 individuals who divided into: 86 positive people for T. cruzi without cardiac damage, 85 patients diagnosed with leprosy and controls 81 individuals without evidence of disease. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood using the standard salting out method and used as a template to amplify by the PCR the polymorphic second exon of the HLA­-DRB1. PCR products were hybridized separately with sequence-specifics oligonucleotides (SSOP). Statistical analysis indicated that of increased frequencies of DRB1 *0409, and DRB1 *1503 in individuals with Chagas' disease. DRB1 *1103 allele was prevalence in the group control and could be associated with resistance to the presence of trypanosomiasis. DRB1 *1401 and DRB1 *1406 alleles were significantly more prevalent in leprosy patients, whereas a decreased frequency of DRB1 *0808 and DRB1 *1103 alleles was found, by comparison with the group control. The HLA-DRB1 alleles could act alone or in combination with other genes to confer differential susceptibility and also protection to these diseases in Rosario, Argentina.

Estudio de las variantes alélicas del gen FUT2 en una población de Rosario, Santa Fe / Allele of FUT2 gen variables in a population of Rosario, Argentina

El estado secretor de un individuo está determinado por el gen Secretor (FUT2), responsable de la presencia de antígenos ABH en las secreciones del organismo. El polimorfismo del gen FUT2 muestra una gran variabilidad dependiente del tipo de población. Alrededor del 20% de los individuos caucásicos son no­secretores y presentan la mutación G428A. El objetivo de este trabajo fue estudiar las variables alélicas del gen FUT2 en una población de Rosario. Se trabajó con muestras de sangre periférica de dadores voluntarios (n=1728). Se determinó el estado secretor en plasma y saliva y el fenotipo Lewis. El ADN genómico fue extraído por la técnica de salting-out modificada y fue analizado por ASA-PCR con cebadores específicos para el alelo G428A y para el alelo wild type del gen FUT2. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron que el 77% de los individuos investigados fueron secretores y presentaron el fenotipo Lewis Le(a-b+). El polimorfismo G428A estuvo presente en homocigosis en un 7.5%, valor menor al reportado en la bibliografía para la población caucásica. El análisis molecular del gen FUT2 confirmaría la diversidad genética de la población investigada y podría ser utilizada como un marcador poblacional.

The secretor status is determinate by the secretor gene (FUT2) responsible of the ABH antigens expression in human secretions. About 20% of Caucasian individuals are non-secretors. The aim of this study was to study the allelic varieties of the FUT2 gene by a PCR reaction. We worked with peripheral blood samples of volunteers (n= 1728). We determinated the secretor status in plasma and saliva. The genomic DNA was extracted by an enzymatic digestion method and was analyzed by ASA-PCR with specific primers for the G428A allele and for the wild type allele of the FUT2 gene. The results obtained by serologic and molecular methods showed that the 77% of the investigate individuals were secretors. The G428A polymorphism had present in a 7.5%. The allelic varieties of the other non-secretor individuals different to the G428A might to correspond to other mutations. The molecular analysis of the FUT2 gene confirms the genetic diversity of the investigated population.

Effects of aging on antioxidant response and phagocytosis in senescent erythrocytes.

Red blood cell (RBC) aging is a complex process affected by immunological and biochemical parameters. In this work we studied the antioxidant response in RBC of different ages. We also investigated their interaction with peripheral blood monocytes. Anticoagulated blood samples from 19 O RhD+ volunteers' donors were processed. Young (Y) RBC and Senescent (Se) RBC were obtained by self-formed gradients of Percoll. The fractionation of the erythrocytes suspensions was demonstrated by statistically significant density-related changes in hematological determinations. Activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), of soluble NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase (b5Rs) and membrane-bound b5R (b5Rm) were determined spectrophotometrically. The interaction between monocytes and different RBC suspensions was evaluated by the erythrophagocytosis assay. The G6PD and b5Rm activities in SeRBC were significantly lower than that observed in YRBC. No differences were found in the b5Rs of both groups. We observed an increased rate of erythrophagocytosis the SeRBC compared to YRBC. The decline in the activities of G6PD and b5Rm would indicate a decrease in the antioxidant response associated to RBC aging. These findings would signify that the oxidative changes of membrane occurring during the life span of the RBC might be relevant in the process of removal of SeRBC from the circulation.

Distribution of HLA-DRB1 alleles in Argentinean patients with Chagas' disease cardiomyopathy.

Chronic Chagas' disease occurs in a variable number of infected individuals and mainly manifests as an inflammatory cardiomyopathy that may lead to a fatal course. The factors underlying the establishment of chronic myocardial lesions are not fully understood. The study included 71 unrelated individuals serologically positive for T. cruzi. A group of 81 no related healthy individuals with neither symptoms nor previous diagnosis of Chagas' disease was studied as control group. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood using the standard salting out method and used as a template to amplify by the PCR the polymorphic second exon of the HLA-DRB1. PCR products were hybridized separately with sequence-specifics oligonucleotides (SSOP). DRB1*0409 and DRB1*1503 alleles were significantly more prevalent in seropositives (pC = 0.002, OR: 26.17 and 24.87 respectively). The prevalence of DRB1*1103 allele was statistically significant in the group control and could be associated with resistance Chagas' disease (pC = 0.026, OR: 0.19). Increased significance frequency of DRB1*1503 allele was found among cardiomyopathy patients suggesting that this antigen might be related with the genetic susceptibility to cardiac damage in these patients (pC = 0.014, OR: 9.22).

Analysis of the FUT2 gene and Secretor status in patients with oral lesions

Los mecanismos de la expresión aberrante de los antígenos de grupo sanguíneo no son claros en todos los casos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue investigar los antígenos de grupo sanguíneos Lewis y el estado secretor utilizando métodos bioquímicos y de biología molecular de pacientes con lesiones orales. Estudiamos 148 sujetos, la mitad de los cuales sufrían de lesiones orales (benignas, pre-cancerosas y cancerosas), mientras que la otra mitad fue el grupo control. Se investigó los fenotipos Lewis en muestras de sangre fresca a través de técnicas de hemaglutinación y el carácter secretor delos (..) (AU)

The mechanisms of aberrant expression of blood-group antigens are not clear in all cases. The aim of this work was to investigate Lewis blood type antigens and secretor status using biochemical and molecular biological methods in patients with oral lesions. We studied 148 subjects, half of whom suffered from oral lesions (..) (AU)

Duffy genotyping facilitates transfusion therapy.

The Duffy (FY) blood group system is clinically significant in transfusion medicine because FY antibodies are involved in hemolytic transfusion reactions and hemolytic disease of the newborn. The Fy(a) and Fy(b) antigens are encoded by the FY*A and FY*B alleles which are responsible for the Fy(a+b+), Fy(a+b-) and Fy(a-b+) phenotypes. The Fy(a-b-) phenotype is found in individuals homozygous for a silent FY*B allele, named FY*B ( ES ), which is caused by a mutation in the promoter region of FY*B that result in the loss of FY expression in the erythroid linage. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of FY DNA typing as a tool in transfusion compatibility testing. We studied 275 white blood donors from the city of Rosario by serological method and allele specific PCRs. We found that the 106 serologically Fy(a+b+) samples all genotyped as FY*A/FY*B (100%). Among the 94 Fy(a+b-) samples, 81 (86.2%) were FY*A/FY*A and 13 (13.8%) were FY*A/FY*B ( ES ) . Of the 75 Fy(a-b+) 67 (89.3%) were FY*B/FY*B and 8 (10.7%) were FY*B/FY*B ( ES ). No Fy(a-b-) samples were encountered. The frequencies of the FY*A, FY*B and FY*B ( ES ) alleles clearly revealed that the genetic pool analyzed is comprised of Caucasian and non-Caucasian alleles. These results showed that there is an important proportion of patients phenotyped as Fy(b-) that can be exposed to Fy(b+) blood units with no risk of alloimmunization when they carry the FY*A/FY*B ( ES ) genotype. Thus, FY genotyping allow increasing the pool of compatible units facilitating transfusion therapy and benefiting patients that require chronic transfusions.