Immune Monitoring of Paediatric Patients Infected with Rickettsia rickettsii, Ehrlichia canis and Coinfected.

In 2021, 273 Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases were reported nationwide in Mexico. In Chihuahua City, fourteen samples were obtained from children suspected of rickettsial infection. The analysis of samples (January to December 2021) showed prevalence rates of 28.5%, 43%, and 28.5% for Rickettsia rickettsii, Ehrlichia canis, and both pathogens in coinfection, respectively. The analysis of clinical haematological and biochemistry analytes showed alterations; 100% of the children had elevated liver enzymes and coagulation times, 64% showed leukocytosis due to neutrophilia, 55% had thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia, and hypoalbuminemia, and 45% showed normocytic normochromic anaemia. Statistically significant differences were observed in the expression of the chemokines IL-8, RANTES, CXCL9/MIG, and CXCL10/IP-10 across the coinfected and control groups, and the difference in IP-10 expression was significant for patients infected by R. rickettsii compared to the control group. Additionally, significant differences were observed for expression levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-17, IFNγ, and TNFα among the R. rickettsii-positive group compared to the control group. On the other hand, the coinfected group exhibited modified levels of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 compared with the control group. Finally, significant differences were observed for CD8+ T lymphocyte subpopulations between individuals positive for R. rickettsii and those positive for E. canis.

Structure and Conformation of Novel BODIPY Ugi Adducts.

Two novel BODIPY-Ugi (boron dipyrromethene) adducts exhibit peculiar room temperature (T=20 °C) H-1 NMR spectra in that several protons located at the aromatic aniline-type ring are lost in the baseline. This observation revealed the existence of a dynamic conformational process where rotation around the C-N bond is hindered. Variable-temperature H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopic analysis confirmed this conclusion; that is, low-temperature spectra show distinct signals for all four aromatic protons below coalescence, whereas average signals are recorded above coalescence (T=+120 °C). Particularly interesting was the rather large difference in chemical shifts for the ortho protons below coalescence, Δδ=1.45 ppm, which was explained based on DFT computational analysis. Indeed, the calculated lowest-energy gas-phase conformation of the BODIPY Ugi adducts locates one half of the aniline-type ring in the shielding anisotropic cone of the bridge phenyl ring in the BODIPY segment. This is in contrast to the solid-state conformation established by X-ray diffraction analysis that shows a nearly parallel arrangement of the aromatic rings, probably induced by crystal packing forces.

Modelo explicativo y predittivo de la ideación suicida en una muestra de bachilleres mexicanos / Explicative and predictive model of suicide ideation in a sample of mexican high school students

Resumen La presente investigación se planteó como objetivo principal elaborar un modelo explicativo y predictivo de ideación suicida en estudiantes de un bachillerato mexicano. Los participantes del estudio fueron estudiantes de tres carreras técnicas de una institución de educación pública del estado de Jalisco, México. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 911 alumnos, seleccionados a través de un muestreo no probabilístico. Las variables exógenas que se contemplaron fueron el sexo, el apoyo social percibido, el ajuste y la victimización escolar, la conducta alimentaria de riesgo, la insatisfacción con la imagen corporal y la depresión. El instrumento para medir la ideación suicida fue la escala de ideación suicida desarrollada por Beck, Kovacs y Weissman, la cual mide las diversas características y la frecuencia de pensamientos y actitudes referentes a la intencionalidad de cometer suicidio. Mediante un análisis de regresión lineal múltiple se construyó un modelo explicativo y predictivo de ideación suicida que incluyó las variables de depresión, apoyo familiar y problemas de ajuste a la escuela. A partir de los hallazgos se sugiere desarrollar estrategias de intervención en el contexto escolar y familiar que se enfoquen, de manera primordial, a las variables que predicen un aumento significativo de la ideación suicida.

Abstract The objective of this research was to develop an explicative and predictive model of suicidal ideation in Mexican high school students. The study participants were students of three technical careers from a public education institution in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. The sample consisted of 911 students, selected through non-probabilistic sampling. The exogenous variables were sex, social support, adjustment and school victimization, risky eating behavior, dissatisfaction with body image and depression. The instrument for measuring suicidal ideation was the "Suicidal Ideation Scale" developed by Beck, Kovacs and Weissman which measures the characteristics and frequency of thoughts and attitudes about the intentionality of committing suicide. An explicative and predictive model of suicidal ideation was constructed that included the variables of depression, family support and adjustment problems to the school through a Multiple Linear Regression analysis. Based on the findings, it is suggested to develop intervention strategies within the school and family context focused on the variables that predict a significant increase in suicidal ideation.

Synthesis, Photophysical Study, and Biological Application Analysis of Complex Borondipyrromethene Dyes.

A series of complex boronic acids were prepared through multicomponent reactions (MCRs). Both Passerini and Ugi MCRs were carried out in which one component was an arylboronic acid. The resulting highly functionalized boronic acids participated efficiently in the Liebeskind-Srogl cross-coupling reaction with meso-methylthioBODIPY derivatives to yield complex borondipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes in good yields. The joined spectroscopic and computational study points out the deep impact of the arylated chromophoric position on the photophysical signatures. Thus, unconstrained aryls grafted at the meso position did not sway the spectral band positions but switched on new nonradiative relaxation channels, whereas additional arylation at the opposite α-pyrrolic position softened such fluorescence quenching and shifted the emission to the red-edge of the visible spectrum. The conducted biological analysis revealed that peripheral blood mononuclear cells incubated with these new compounds showed reduced cytotoxicity and retained their normal activities. Additionally, the dyes remained stable inside the cells after 24 h of incubation. These results demonstrated that these novel fluorescent probes based on BODIPY can be applied for cell imaging and analysis, expanding their applications.