Prevalence of upper respiratory diseases and associated factors in Colombian Creole horses / Prevalência de doenças do trato respiratório superior e fatores associados em Cavalos Crioulos colombianos

To determine the prevalence of diseases of the upper respiratory tract and associated factors in the Colombian Creole Horse Valley Aburrá in 2015, a random sampling of 15 farms in southern Aburrá Valley under different management conditions was performed. A total of 105 CCC underwent general clinical examination, respiratory endoscopic evaluation and a detailed inspection of housing conditions and management. A low prevalence of upper respiratory tract diseases was observed, including Pharyngeal Lymphoid Hyperplasia 38.1%, Recurrent Laryngeal Neurophaty 12.38%, Dorsal Displacement of the Soft Palate 7.62%, and presence of tracheal secretions not associated with a specific pathology. A bivariate analysis showed association between tracheal secretions and frequency of training per week (OR = 9.86), duration of the training sessions (OR = 5.55) and inadequate ventilation of the stable (OR = 10.52). Association between HLR and inadequately ventilated barns was also observed (OR = 14.9). Logistic regression showed association between tracheal secretions and inadequate ventilation (OR = 7.18). We conclude that inadequate ventilation was the most important factor for the incidence of upper respiratory tract diseases in horses at the southern area of the Aburrá Valley.(AU)

O presente trabalho objetivou determinar a prevalência das doenças do trato respiratório superior e fatores associados no cavalo Crioulo colombiano do Vale de Aburrá, em 2015. Uma amostra aleatória de 15 fazendas no sul do Vale de Aburrá, sob diferentes condições de manutenção, foi realizada. Cento e cinco CCC foram submetidos a exame clínico geral, à avaliação endoscópica respiratória e a uma inspeção detalhada das condições habitacionais. Observou-se uma baixa prevalência de doenças do trato respiratório superior, incluindo hiperplasia faríngea linfoide 38.1%, neuropatia laríngea recorrente 12.38%, deslocamento dorsal do palato mole 7.62% e presença de secreção traqueal não associada a uma patologia específica. A análise bivariada mostrou associação entre secreção traqueal e frequência de treinamento por semana (OR = 9.86), duração das sessões de treinamento (OR = 5.55) e ventilação inadequada do estábulo (OR = 10.52). Associação entre HLR e boxes inadequadamente ventilados também foi observada (OR = 14.9). A regressão logística mostrou associação entre secreção traqueal e ventilação inadequada (OR = 7.18). Conclui-se que a ventilação inadequada foi o fator mais importante para a incidência de doenças do trato respiratório superior em cavalos na zona sul do Vale do Aburrá.(AU)

Solar optics-based active panel for solar energy storage and disinfection of greywater.

Smart city and innovative building strategies are becoming increasingly more necessary because advancing a sustainable building system is regarded as a promising solution to overcome the depleting water and energy. However, current sustainable building systems mainly focus on energy saving and miss a holistic integration of water regeneration and energy generation. Here, we present a theoretical study of a solar optics-based active panel (SOAP) that enables both solar energy storage and photothermal disinfection of greywater simultaneously. Solar collector efficiency of energy storage and disinfection rate of greywater have been investigated. Due to the light focusing by microlens, the solar collector efficiency is enhanced from 25% to 65%, compared to that without the microlens. The simulation of greywater sterilization shows that 100% disinfection can be accomplished by our SOAP for different types of bacteria including Escherichia coli. Numerical simulation reveals that our SOAP as a lab-on-a-wall system can resolve the water and energy problem in future sustainable building systems.

Inhibition of Hsp90 function by ansamycins causes downregulation of cdc2 and cdc25c and G(2)/M arrest in glioblastoma cell lines.

Ansamycins exert their effects by binding heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and targeting important signalling molecules for degradation via the proteasome pathway. We wanted to study the effect of geldanamycin (GA) and its derivative 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) on glioblastoma cell lines. We show that these cells are growth inhibited by ansamycins by being arrested in G(2)/M and, subsequently, cells undergo apoptosis. The protein levels of cell division cycle 2 (cdc2) kinase and cell division cycle 25c (cdc25c) were downregulated upon GA and 17-AAG treatment and cdc2 kinase activity was inhibited. However, other proteins involved in the G(2)/M checkpoint were not affected. The cdc2 and cdc25c mRNA levels did not show significant differences upon ansamycin treatment, but the stability of cdc2 protein was reduced. The association of cdc2 and cdc25c with p50(cdc37), an Hsp90 co-chaperone, decreased, but the interaction of cdc2 and cdc25c with the Hsp70 co-chaperone increased after ansamycin treatment. Proteasome inhibitors were able to rescue the cdc2 downregulation, but not the cdc25c reduction. However, calpain inhibitors were able to rescue the cdc25c downregulation, suggesting that cdc25c is proteolysed by calpains in the presence of ansamycins, and not by the proteasome. We conclude that ansamycins downregulate cdc2 and cdc25c by two different mechanisms.

Estudio cinético de la fotodegradación del ión p-hidroxibencenodiazonio en medio polar / Kinetic study of the photodegradation of p-hydroxybenzenediazonium ion in polar media

Se ha realizado un estudio sobre la fotodescomposición del ión p-hidroxibencenodiazonio (PDQ) basado en los datos espectrofotométricos y cromatográfi cos obtenidos con disoluciones de PDQ expuestas a irradiación UV (254 nm) en medio de acetonitrilo y agua. Los resultados de HPLC y HPLC-masa (HPLC/MS) indican que el 4-acetamidofenol es el principal producto que se forma tras la irradiación de PDQ en acetonitrilo. Esto se explica como consecuencia de la formación inicial del catión arilo, que posteriormente participa en una reacción de Ritter. El análisis cinético de los datos espectrofotométricos revela que la fotodegradación de PDQ es más rápida en acetonitrilo (constante de velocidad observada, kobs, = 0,1442 s-1) que en acetonitrilo acidifi cado (kobs = 0,009 s-1), lo que indica una mayor fotoestabilidad de la especie protonada derivada de PDQ. La constante de segundo orden (0,062 M s-1) encontrada para la fotodescomposición de PDQ en tampón fosfato (pH 7) se justifi ca por el establecimiento de un equilibrio entre las especies protonada y no protonada procedentes de la disociación ácida de PDQ

A study on the photodecomposition of p-hydroxybenzenediazonium ion (PDQ) has been made using chromatographic and spectrophotometric data obtained from UV-irradiated (254 nm) PDQ solutions in acetonitrile and aqueous media. The HPLC and HPLC-mass results indicate that 4-acetamidophenol is the main product formed after the irradiation of PDQ in acetonitrile. This is explained as a consequence of the initial formation of the aryl cation which is later involved in a Ritter’s reaction. A kinetic analysis of the spectrophotometric data reveals that PDQ photodegradation is faster in acetonitrile (observed rate constant (kobs) = 0.1442 s-1) than in acidifi ed acetonitrile (kobs = 0.009 s-1) indicating a higher photostability of the protonated species derived from PDQ. The second order constant (0.062 M s-1) found for the PDQ photodecomposition in phosphate buffer (pH 7) is explained in term of the equilibrium between protonated and non-protonated species coming from the acid dissociation of PDQ

Oxidative effects induced by dediazoniation of the p-hydroxybenzenediazonium ion in a neutral aqueous medium.

The toxicity of arenediazonium ions is believed to result from the appearance of very reactive compounds during the dediazoniation process. In the case of the p-hydroxybenzenediazonium ion (PDQ), radical species generated during dediazoniation could potentially initiate lipid peroxidation. The data obtained in spectrophotometric experiments suggest that an interaction between PDQ and linoleic acid (LA) gives rise to the characteristic absorption of oxidized products deriving from LA, both in the presence and absence of a mixed micellar medium containing the surfactant Tween 20 (Tw20). Spectroscopic evidence also clearly points to the interference of these processes in the dediazoniation of PDQ. Analysis by reverse-phase, high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) confirms that the decomposition of PDQ in a mixed micellar medium induces the peroxidation of both LA and methyl linoleate (MEL), thus causing the appearance of peaks characteristic of dienic conjugated hydroperoxides. The same products are observed after interaction between LA and the water-soluble 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane), a frequently used initiator of lipid peroxidation. The proportion of isomers produced during the peroxidation process agrees well with that reported for reactions mediated by free radicals. A further chromatographic analysis of the decomposition of PDQ in the presence of 2-methylcyclohexa-2,5-diene-1-carboxylic acid (CHD) shows that phenol and quinone are the main products of the reaction. These results are discussed on the understanding that aryl and peroxyl radicals abstract a hydrogen atom from CHD, in accordance with our general scheme for PDQ dediazoniation described in a previous publication.

[Acute infantile bilateral thalamic necrosis]. / Necrosis talámica bilateral aguda infantil.

INTRODUCTION: Acute necrotizing encephalitis is a clinical entity recently described in previously healthy Japanese children. Following a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection of a viral nature, these patients present a sudden deterioration in the level of consciousness. Since neuroimaging shows a bilateral thalamic disorder in all cases, the name infantile bilateral thalamic necrosis has been put forward to refer to this affection. CASE REPORT: We report the case of an 11 month old Spanish patient who was brought into the hospital with disconnection from the surroundings and hypertonia in the upper extremities, within the context of a febrile gastrointestinal picture. Blood sample analysis revealed haemoconcentration and metabolic acidosis, although it did not suggest an infection. The computerised tomography scan of the brain showed a striking hypodensity of both thalami. The initial hypertonia was followed by a generalised hypotonia, accompanied by haemodynamic and respiratory deterioration. The patient died 40 hours after admission. CONCLUSIONS: Acute necrotizing encephalitis was initially described in Japanese children but in recent years isolated cases have also been reported in the Western world. In the case of the patient we have described, one of the most outstanding points is that evolution was unfavourable in spite of mechanical ventilation and the use of inotropic drugs, together with the clinical state of brain death that occurred on the second day after admission. Since neuroimaging showed a selective disorder of the thalami in all cases, and the fact it is an entity that affects small children, it seems more appropriate to use the term acute infantile thalamic necrosis

Trichostatin A effects in different drug-resistant tumor cell lines

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Evaluation of an immunocapture-agglutination test (Brucellacapt) for serodiagnosis of human brucellosis.

We evaluated the validity and the usefulness of a new test for the diagnosis of human brucellosis based on an immunocapture-agglutination technique. A total of 315 sera from 82 patients with a diagnosis of brucellosis, 157 sera from patients in whom brucellosis was suspected but not confirmed, and 412 sera from people living in rural areas with endemic brucellosis were studied. The seroagglutination test (SAT), Coombs anti-Brucella test, and Brucellacapt test were evaluated. All the initial sera from the 82 patients proved to be positive in Brucellacapt and Coombs tests, while only 75 (91.4%) were positive in the SAT. If a >/=1/160 diagnostic threshold titer was defined for the Brucellacapt test, Coombs test, and SAT, the sensitivities were 95.1, 91.5, and 65.8%, respectively. Taking the same diagnostic threshold titer for the 157 sera from the unconfirmed but suspected patients, the specificities of the Brucellacapt, Coombs, and SAT were 81.5, 96.2, and 100%, respectively; for the 412 control sera, the specificities were 99.0, 99.8, and 100%. The diagnostic efficiency (area below the receiver operating characteristic curve) of Brucellacapt was 0.987852 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.95109 to 0.99286), very similar to the diagnostic efficiency of the Coombs test (0.97611; 95% CI, 0.94781 to 0.99146) and higher than that of SAT (0.91013; 95% CI, 0.86649 to 0.94317). The results of the Brucellacapt test were compared with those of the Coombs test (correlation coefficient, 0.956; P = 0.000) and SAT (correlation coefficient, 0.866; P = 0.000). The study shows very good correlation between the Brucellacapt and Coombs tests, with a high concordance between titers obtained in the two tests. Nevertheless, lower correlation and concordance were found between the Brucellacapt and Coombs tests when the results for titers of >/=1/160 were compared (0.692; P = 0.000). In acute brucellosis, the Brucellacapt and Coombs tests render positive titers of >/=1/160. When the titers are lower, they increase significantly in the following 30 days, despite the evolution of SAT titers. In contrast, Brucellacapt and Coombs titers are always high (>/=1/640) in brucellosis with long evolution, whether SAT titers are higher or lower than 1/160.

[Variants of hepatitis C virus in different risk groups. Comparative study of a method for genotyping and another for serotyping]. / Variantes del virus de la hepatitis C en diferentes grupos de riesgo. Estudio comparativo de un método de genotipificación y otro de serotipificación.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to know the prevalence of the different variants of HCV in the Health Care area of Monforte de Lemos (Lugo, Spain) and its distribution according to risk factors and to compare the results obtained with one genotyping and one serotyping technique. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty-four patients with hepatitis C were studied, 25 of whom were IVDA, 14 had received blood transfusions, 4 hemodialysis and the risk factor was unknown in 41. The antibodies against HCV were studied by second generation EIA and confirmed by an immunoblot technique. Serotyping was carried out by an ELISA test. Genotyping was undertaken with a reverse hybridation test of the amplification obtained by polymerase chain reaction prior to reverse transcription (RT-PCR). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The genotypes most frequently observed were 1b (47.6%), 1a (20.2%) and 3 (14.3%). In the IVDA patients the genotypes 1a (40%) and 3 (24%) predominated. The 1b genotype was the most prevalent in the patients of unknown risk (68.3%) and patients with a history of blood transfusion (50%). The prevalence of the different serotypes was similar to that of the corresponding genotypes, with nearly 100% agreement. The number of untypable cases was greater in the serotyping technique (20.2%) than in the genotyping (2.4%). A greater number of mixed infections was detected with serotyping (7 cases, 8.3%) than with genotyping (1 case, 1.2%). Lesser sensitivity of the serotyping test was observed in the patients lacking anti-NS4 antibodies.

Relation of hepatitis C virus genotypes to risk factors and hepatic disease in Spanish patients.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in Spain and their distribution by risk factors. METHODS: The study covered 216 patients with hepatitis C. Of these, 63 were intravenous drug users (IVDU), 44 had received transfusions, and 30 were hemodialyzed, and in 79 the risk factors were unknown. Antibodies against HCV were detected by second-generation enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and confirmed by immunoblot. HCV RNA presence was investigated by reverse transcription---polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and a reverse hybridization test of the amplifications was used for the genotyping. RESULTS: The most frequently encountered genotypes were 1b (48.1%), 1a (21.3%) and 3a (11.1%). HCV genotypes 1a (42.8%) and 3a (20.6%) were the most prevalent genotypes in IVDU patients, while 1b was the most frequent in patients with unknown risk factors (62.0%), transfused patients (68.1%) and hemodialyzed patients (50.0%). Mixed infections were detected in nine cases (4.1%); three appeared in IVDU patients (4.7% of the total IVDUs), two in transfused patients (4.5%) and four (50%) in patients with unknown risk factors. No statistically significant differences were found in average ages of the IVDU patients with different genotypes. Non-IVDU patients having genotype 3a presented the lowest average age of all. No significant statistical differences were observed in alanine aminotransferase levels among patient groups with different genotypes (p>0.05 in all cases). Subtype 1b was present in six of the seven cases of cirrhosis (85.7%) and in nine of the 18 cases of active chronic hepatitis (50.0%).

Calcification of soft tissue employed in the construction of heart valve prostheses: study of different chemical treatments.

Biological heart prostheses present medium and long-term problems, owing to progressive deterioration and calcification of the tissue. To study the latter problem, we compared the effectiveness of anticalcification treatments in calf pericardium samples implanted into female Wistar rats after the following procedures: group I, control group (glutaraldehyde 0.2%); group II, proteoglycans group, group III, control group (glutaraldehyde 0.625%); groups IV and V, subjected to lipid removal with chloroform/methanol and SDS; group VI, pericardial tissue treated with 0.1 M AI3+ for 24 h; and group VII, chemical treatment with 0.1 M La3+ for 24 h. Positive results were obtained with lipid removal and chemical treatment with AI3+. The selective extraction of proteoglycans resulted in considerable accumulation of calcium salts in the tissue.

Hyperammonemia causes altered protein phosphorylation in astrocytes.

Treatment of primary astrocyte cultures with ammonium chloride for one day prior to phosphoprotein labeling resulted in a reduction in phosphate incorporation in a 66-kDa protein. Increasing ammonium chloride concentrations (2, 5, and 10 mM) led to greater reductions in phosphate incorporation in this band. The specificity of the effect was indicated by the lack of change in phosphate incorporation in 7 other protein bands. These results indicate that protein phosphorylation can be affected by pathophysiological concentrations of ammonia and suggest that altered protein phosphorylation may be related to the pathogenesis of disorders such as hepatic encephalopathy and Reye's syndrome where ammonia has been implicated as an important etiological factor.