Analysis of Genetic Variation in CD40 and CD40L: Relationship with mRNA Relative Expression and Soluble Proteins in Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) can be triggered by the presence of inflammatory factors which promote the activation of immune cells by costimulatory molecules such as CD40 and its ligand CD40L. Environmental and genetic factors are involved in the etiology of the ACS. The aim of this study was to explore the gene and protein expression associated with CD40 and CD40L genetic variants in ACS patients from the western Mexican population. A total of 620 individuals from western Mexico were recruited: 320 ACS patients and 300 individuals without a history of ischemic cardiopathy were evaluated. The genotype was determined using TaqMan SNP genotyping assays. CD40 and CD40L expressions at the mRNA level were quantified using TaqMan Gene Expression Assays. Soluble protein isoforms were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We did not find evidence of association between CD40 (rs1883832, rs4810485, and rs11086998) and CD40L (rs3092952 and rs3092920) genetic variants and susceptibility to ACS, although rs1883832 and rs4810485 were significantly associated with high sCD40 plasma levels. Plasma levels of sCD40L can be affected by gender and the clinical spectrum of acute coronary syndrome. Our results do not suggest a functional role of CD40 and CD40L genetic variants in ACS. However, they could reflect the inflammatory process and platelet activation in ACS patients, even when they are under pharmacological therapy. Due to the important roles of the CD40-CD40L system in the pathogenesis of ACS, longitudinal studies are required to determine if soluble levels of CD40 and CD40L could be clinically useful markers of a recurrent cardiovascular event after an ACS.

Evaluation of the impact of live pig trade network, vaccination coverage and socio-economic factors in the classical swine fever eradication program in Peru.

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a viral infectious disease of swine with significant economic impact in the affected countries due to the limitation of trade, culling of infected animals and production losses. In Latin America, CSF is endemic in several countries including Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil and Peru. Since 2010, the National Veterinary Services of Peru have been working to better control and eradicate the disease with an intensive vaccination program. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the vaccination program and determine which factors are still contributing to the persistence of the disease in certain regions of Peru. We integrated the data from the vaccination campaign, the live pig movement network and other socioeconomic indicators into a multilevel logistic regression model to evaluate their association with CSF occurrence at district level. The results revealed that high vaccination coverage significantly reduces the risk of CSF occurrence (OR = 0.07), supporting the effectiveness of the vaccination program. Districts belonging to large and medium pig trade network communities (as identified with walktrap algorithm) had higher probability to CSF occurrence (OR = 2.83 and OR = 5.83, respectively). The human development index (HDI) and the presence of a slaughterhouse in the district was also significantly associated with an increased likelihood of CSF occurrence (OR = 1.52 and OR = 3.25, respectively). Districts receiving a high proportion of the movements from districts that were infected in the previous year were also at higher risk of CSF occurrence (OR = 3.30). These results should be useful to guide the prioritization of vaccination strategies and may help to design other intervention strategies (e.g., target education, movement restrictions, etc.) in high-risk areas to more rapidly advance in the eradication of CSF in Peru.

Hipocrecimiento. Consideraciones generales / Hypogrowth. General considerations

El crecimiento es un indicador fundamental del estado de salud del niño. Muchas patologías que ocurren durante la infancia pueden incidir en el mismo y afectar a la talla final de forma evidente. La evolución y seguimiento periódico de la talla y el peso es un control obligado por los pediatras, debiéndose detectar alteraciones tempranas que puedan corresponder a patologías responsables y posibilitar un correcto diagnóstico y tratamiento precoz. El tiempo del crecimiento en la vida de una persona no es largo, y de ello se deriva la importancia de un seguimiento cuidadoso del mismo. En este trabajo se revisarán los factores que interaccionan en el crecimiento, la metodología a seguir en la consulta de atención primaria para establecer un diagnóstico y el seguimiento ante la talla baja. Se incluye la clasificación del hipocrecimiento que permite diferenciar la talla baja denominada idiopática de la patológica (AU)

[Hypogrowth. General considerations]. / Hipocrecimiento. Consideraciones generales.

Growth is a basic indicator of the state of health of a child. Many pathologies that occur during childhood can have an incidence and affect final height in an evident way. The evolution and periodic follow up in the examination of the health of height and weight is a compulsory control for paediatricians, who must detect early alterations that might correspond to responsible pathologies and make possible a correct diagnosis and treatment as early as possible. The time of growth in the life of a person is not long, and the importance of a careful follow up derives from this. In this paper we review the factors that interact in growth, the methodology to follow in primary health consultation in order to establish a diagnosis, and the follow up when dealing with a low height. We include the classification of growth retardation that makes it possible to differentiate the low height denominated idiopathic from the pathological.

Collection of semen and artificial insemination of alpacas.

Semen collection and artificial insemination have not yet been fully developed in the alpaca. Thus, we collected semen from 7 males using a modified artificial vagina placed inside a dummy. Forty adult female alpacas, previously induced to ovulate with hCG, were artificially inseminated with fresh undiluted semen by laparoscopy or by cervix. The Chisquare test was used to determine differences in the fertility rate of the 2 insemination methods. The mean duration of copulation, semen volume, sperm concentration and the percentages of live spermatozoa and normal spermatozoa were 21.6 min, 1.9 ml. 147,500/mm(3), 69.6% and 75.9%, respectively. There were 6.7% abnormal heads, 12.3% abnormal tails and 3.8% cytoplasmic droplets. The consistency of semen was viscous and formed a coagulum. The pH was 7.2, and the semen was milky white in color. The duration of copulation was comparable to natural copulation, and semen characteristics reflected those of the natural ejaculate. The percentage of pregnancy was 68%, with no differences due to method of semen deposition (laparoscopy, 67%; cervix, 73%).

[Myocardial infarction in relation to perinatal hypoxia]. / Infarto de miocardio en relación con hipoxia perinatal.

Six newborn infants with myocardial infarction are presented. All of them had a history of perinatal hypoxemia and their natal weights were below 2,500 g. All infants developed cardiogenic "shock" during and required assisted ventilation. Autopsy confirmed the diagnosis in five of the six infants. Other autopsy findings were intracranial bleeding (three cases) and pulmonary atelectasis (two cases). Authors review pathophysiology of this clinical picture and point out its possible influence in the origin of neonatal shock.