Caja de herramientas: Intervención en Salud Mental y Apoyo Psicosocial (SMAPS) a flujos mixtos migratorios

Dado el incremento de los flujos mixtos migratorios al país, y su indudable impacto en la salud mental de las personas, familias y comunidades involucradas, con consecuencias emocionales y de adaptación, es importante brindar una adecuada atención en Salud Mental y Apoyo Psicosocial (SMAPS).

Isolation of a widespread giant virus implicated in cryptophyte bloom collapse.

Photosynthetic cryptophytes are ubiquitous protists that are major participants in the freshwater phytoplankton bloom at the onset of spring. Mortality due to change in environmental conditions and grazing have been recognized as key factors contributing to bloom collapse. In contrast, the role of viral outbreaks as factors terminating phytoplankton blooms remains unknown from freshwaters. Here, we isolated and characterized a cryptophyte virus contributing to the annual collapse of a natural cryptophyte spring bloom population. This viral isolate is also representative for a clade of abundant giant viruses (phylum Nucleocytoviricota) found in freshwaters all over the world.

Current and Expected Trends for the Marine Chitin/Chitosan and Collagen Value Chains.

Chitin/chitosan and collagen are two of the most important bioactive compounds, with applications in the pharmaceutical, veterinary, nutraceutical, cosmetic, biomaterials, and other industries. When extracted from non-edible parts of fish and shellfish, by-catches, and invasive species, their use contributes to a more sustainable and circular economy. The present article reviews the scientific knowledge and publication trends along the marine chitin/chitosan and collagen value chains and assesses how researchers, industry players, and end-users can bridge the gap between scientific understanding and industrial applications. Overall, research on chitin/chitosan remains focused on the compound itself rather than its market applications. Still, chitin/chitosan use is expected to increase in food and biomedical applications, while that of collagen is expected to increase in biomedical, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and nutritional applications. Sustainable practices, such as the reuse of waste materials, contribute to strengthen both value chains; the identified weaknesses include the lack of studies considering market trends, social sustainability, and profitability, as well as insufficient examination of intellectual property rights. Government regulations, market demand, consumer preferences, technological advancements, environmental challenges, and legal frameworks play significant roles in shaping both value chains. Addressing these factors is crucial for seizing opportunities, fostering sustainability, complying with regulations, and maintaining competitiveness in these constantly evolving value chains.

Proteomics to Identify New Blood Biomarkers for Diagnosing Patients With Acute Stroke.

Background Blood biomarkers are a potential tool for early stroke diagnosis. We aimed to perform a pilot and exploratory study on untargeted blood biomarkers in patients with suspected stroke by using mass spectrometry analysis. Methods and Results This was a prospective observational study of consecutive patients with suspected stroke admitted within 6 hours of last being seen well. Blood samples were collected at admission. Patients were divided into 3 groups: ischemic stroke (IS), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and stroke mimics. Quantitative analysis from mass spectrometry data was performed using a supervised approach. Biomarker-based prediction models were developed to differentiate IS from ICH and ICH+stroke mimics. Models were built aiming to minimize misidentification of patients with ICH as having IS. We included 90 patients, one-third within each subgroup. The median age was 71 years (interquartile range, 57-81 years), and 49 participants (54.4%) were women. In quantitative analysis, C3 (complement component 3), ICAM-2 (intercellular adhesion molecule 2), PLGLA (plasminogen like A), STXBP5 (syntaxin-binding protein 5), and IGHV3-64 (immunoglobulin heavy variable 3-64) were the 5 most significantly dysregulated proteins for both comparisons. Biomarker-based models showed 88% sensitivity and 89% negative predictive value for differentiating IS from ICH, and 75% sensitivity and 95% negative predictive value for differentiating IS from ICH+stroke mimics. ICAM-2, STXBP5, PLGLA, C3, and IGHV3-64 displayed the highest importance score in our models, being the most informative for identifying patients with stroke. Conclusions In this proof-of-concept and exploratory study, our biomarker-based prediction models, including ICAM-2, STXBP5, PLGLA, C3, and IGHV3-64, showed 75% to 88% sensitivity for identifying patients with IS, while aiming to minimize misclassification of ICH. Although our methodology provided an internal validation, these results still need validation in other cohorts and with different measurement techniques.

Carboxyhemoglobin (COHb): Unavoidable Bystander or Protective Player?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a cytoprotective endogenous gas that is ubiquitously produced by the stress response enzyme heme-oxygenase. Being a gas, CO rapidly diffuses through tissues and binds to hemoglobin (Hb) increasing carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels. COHb can be formed in erythrocytes or in plasma from cell-free Hb. Herein, it is discussed as to whether endogenous COHb is an innocuous and inevitable metabolic waste product or not, and it is hypothesized that COHb has a biological role. In the present review, literature data are presented to support this hypothesis based on two main premises: (i) there is no direct correlation between COHb levels and CO toxicity, and (ii) COHb seems to have a direct cytoprotective and antioxidant role in erythrocytes and in hemorrhagic models in vivo. Moreover, CO is also an antioxidant by generating COHb, which protects against the pro-oxidant damaging effects of cell-free Hb. Up to now, COHb has been considered as a sink for both exogenous and endogenous CO generated during CO intoxication or heme metabolism, respectively. Hallmarking COHb as an important molecule with a biological (and eventually beneficial) role is a turning point in CO biology research, namely in CO intoxication and CO cytoprotection.

Development of a Rapid and Non-Destructive Method for the Detection of Water Addition in Octopus Species (Octopus vulgaris and Eledone cirrhosa) Using Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR).

Consumer expectations regarding the quality of octopus are often frustrated and dissatisfaction is frequent, namely due to the excessive reduction in weight after cooking. Therefore, a rapid and non-destructive method based in time domain reflectometry (TDR) was developed for the control of water added to octopus (Octopus vulgaris and Eledone cirrhosa). O. vulgaris had significant higher values of moisture content, moisture/protein ratio, and cooking loss than E. cirrhosa. Immersion in freshwater increased the weight of O. vulgaris in ca. 32% after 32 h, and of E. cirrhosa in ca. 21% after 36 h, and cooking losses increased about 13.9% and 26.1%, respectively. The results reveal how consumers can be misled by abusive water addition. Changes in electrical conductivity and TDR curves were linked with the increasing incorporation of water and dilution effect of salts from octopus muscle. TDR technology and linear discriminant analysis were combined to detect added water in octopus. The classification model developed was cross-validated and 98.6% of samples were correctly classified. The method can be used to proof the authenticity of octopus (O. vulgaris and E. cirrhosa) or to detect fraudulent practices regarding added water.

Crosstalk between cilia and autophagy: implication for human diseases.

Macroautophagy/autophagy is a self-degradative process necessary for cells to maintain their energy balance during development and in response to nutrient deprivation. Autophagic processes are tightly regulated and have been found to be dysfunctional in several pathologies. Increasing experimental evidence points to the existence of an interplay between autophagy and cilia. Cilia are microtubule-based organelles protruding from the cell surface of mammalian cells that perform a variety of motile and sensory functions and, when dysfunctional, result in disorders known as ciliopathies. Indeed, selective autophagic degradation of ciliary proteins has been shown to control ciliogenesis and, conversely, cilia have been reported to control autophagy. Moreover, a growing number of players such as lysosomal and mitochondrial proteins are emerging as actors of the cilia-autophagy interplay. However, some of the published data on the cilia-autophagy axis are contradictory and indicate that we are just starting to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this review, the current knowledge about this axis and challenges are discussed, as well as the implication for ciliopathies and autophagy-associated disorders.

Carbon Monoxide Stimulates Both Mitophagy And Mitochondrial Biogenesis to Mediate Protection Against Oxidative Stress in Astrocytes.

Astrocytes are key glial cells for the metabolic and functional support of the brain. Mitochondrial quality control (MQC), in particular the balance between mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis, is a major event for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an endogenous gasotransmitter that inhibits cell death and inflammation by targeting mitochondria. It is well established that CO promotes cytoprotection by increasing mitochondrial population and metabolism (oxidative phosphorylation). Thus, it is hypothesized that CO-induced cytoprotection may also be mediated by the balance between mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis. Herein, the carbon monoxide releasing molecule-A1 (CORM-A1) was used in primary cultures of astrocytes to assess CO role on mitochondrial turnover. PINK1/Parkin-dependent mitophagy was stimulated by CORM-A1 following 1 h of treatment. While at 24 h after treatment, CORM-A1 increased mitochondrial population, which may indicate mitochondrial biogenesis. In fact, mitochondrial biogenesis was confirmed by the enhancement of PGC-1α expression that upregulates several mitochondrial transcription factors. Furthermore, inhibition of mitophagy by knocking down PINK1 expression reverted CO-induced mitochondrial biogenesis, indicating that mitochondrial turnover is dependent on modulation of mitophagy. Finally, CORM-A1 prevented astrocytic cell death induced by oxidative stress in a mitophagy-dependent manner. In fact, whenever PINK1 was knocked down, CORM-A1-induced cytoprotection was lost. In summary, CORM-A1 stimulates mitochondrial turnover, which in turn prevents astrocytic cell death. CO cytoprotection depends on increasing mitochondrial population and on eliminating dysfunctional mitochondria.

Species-specific effects and the ecological role of programmed cell death in the microalgae Ankistrodesmus (Sphaeropleales, Selenastraceae).

Reports of programmed cell death (PCD) in phytoplankton raise questions about the ecological evolutionary role of cell death in these organisms. We induced PCD by nitrogen deprivation and unregulated cell death (non-PCD) in one strain of the green microalga Ankistrodesmus densus and investigated the effects of the cell death supernatants on phylogenetically related co-occurring organisms using growth rates and maximum biomass as proxies of fitness. PCD-released materials from A. densus CCMA-UFSCar-3 significantly increased growth rates of two conspecific strains compared to healthy culture (HC) supernatants and improved the maximum biomass of all A. densus strains compared to related species. Although growth rates of non-A. densus with PCD supernatants were not statistically different from HC treatment, biomass gain was significantly reduced. Thus, the organic substances released by PCD, possibly nitrogenous compounds, could promote conspecific growth. These results support the argument that PCD may differentiate species or subtypes and increases inclusive fitness in this model unicellular chlorophyte. Further research, however, is needed to identify the responsible molecules and how they interact with cells to provide the PCD benefits.

A georeferenced rRNA amplicon database of aquatic microbiomes from South America.

The biogeography of bacterial communities is a key topic in Microbial Ecology. Regarding continental water, most studies are carried out in the northern hemisphere, leaving a gap on microorganism's diversity patterns on a global scale. South America harbours approximately one third of the world's total freshwater resources, and is one of these understudied regions. To fill this gap, we compiled 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data of microbial communities across South America continental water ecosystems, presenting the first database µSudAqua[db]. The database contains over 866 georeferenced samples from 9 different ecoregions with contextual environmental information. For its integration and validation we constructed a curated database (µSudAqua[db.sp]) using samples sequenced by Illumina MiSeq platform with commonly used prokaryote universal primers. This comprised ~60% of the total georeferenced samples of the µSudAqua[db]. This compilation was carried out in the scope of the µSudAqua collaborative network and represents one of the most complete databases of continental water microbial communities from South America.

Regional factors as major drivers for microbial community turnover in tropical cascading reservoirs.

The turnover of microbial communities across space is dictated by local and regional factors. Locally, selection shapes community assembly through biological interactions between organisms and the environment, while regional factors influence microbial dispersion patterns. Methods used to disentangle the effects of local and regional factors typically do not aim to identify ecological processes underlying the turnover. In this paper, we identified and quantified these processes for three operational microbial subcommunities (cyanobacteria, particle-attached, and free-living bacteria) from a tropical cascade of freshwater reservoirs with decreasing productivity, over two markedly different dry and rainy seasons. We hypothesized that during the dry season communities would mainly be controlled by selection shaped by the higher environmental heterogeneity that results from low hydrological flow and connectivity between reservoirs. We expected highly similar communities shaped by dispersal and a more homogenized environment during the rainy season, enhanced by increased flow rates. Even if metacommunities were largely controlled by regional events in both periods, the selection had more influence on free-living communities during the dry period, possibly related to elevated dissolved organic carbon concentration, while drift as a purely stochastic factor, had more influence on cyanobacterial communities. Each subcommunity had distinct patterns of turnover along the cascade related to diversity (Cyanobacteria), lifestyle and size (Free-living), and spatial dynamics (particle-attached).

When to test for COVID-19 using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the time in days between symptom onset and first positive real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) result for COVID-19. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted in the MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, and Scopus databases using the following descriptors: "COVID-19", "SARS-CoV-2", "coronavirus", "RT-PCR", "real time PCR", and "diagnosis". RESULTS: The included studies were conducted in 31 different countries and reported on a total of 6831 patients. The median age of the participants was 49.95 years. The three most common symptoms were fever, cough, and dyspnea, which affected 4012 (58.68%), 3192 (46.69%), and 2009 patients (29.38%), respectively. Among the 90 included studies, 13 were prospective cohorts, 15 were retrospective cohorts, 36 were case reports, 20 were case series, and six were cross-sectional studies. The overall mean time between symptom onset and positive test result was 6.72 days. Fourteen articles were analyzed separately for the temporal profile of RT-PCR test results; the best performance was on days 22-24, when 98% of test results were positive. CONCLUSION: These findings corroborate the RT-PCR COVID-19 testing practices of some health units. In addition, the most frequently described symptoms of these patients can be considered the initial symptoms of infection and used in decision-making about RT-PCR testing.

Pilot study in human healthy volunteers on the mechanisms underlying remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) - Targeting circulating immune cells and immune-related proteins.

Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) is a novel promising therapy for treatment of neurological diseases, including ischemic stroke. RIC consists of short cycles of ischemia in a distant non-vital organ that may protect other organs against ischemia. Extensive experimental data and some few clinical trials support the neuroprotective role of RIC in ischemic stroke. Nevertheless, the circulating factors involved in this inter-organ communication and neuroprotection are not clarified. This pilot study in humans characterized the innate and adaptive circulating immune cell populations following RIC. This analysis has a particular focus at 24 h after RIC to avoid circadian influence. In silico functional analysis of mass spectrometry data identified 15 immune-related proteins. Our results reveal an immune response following RIC.

Quantitation of Water Addition in Octopus Using Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR): Development of a Rapid and Non-Destructive Food Analysis Method.

A rapid and non-destructive method based in time domain reflectometry analysis (TDR), which detects and quantifies the water content in the muscle, was developed for the control of abusive water addition to octopus. Common octopus samples were immersed in freshwater for different periods (0.5−32 h) to give a wide range of moisture contents, representing different commercial conditions. Control and water-added octopus were analyzed with a TDR sensor, and data correlated with moisture content were used for calibration and method validation. A maximum limit of moisture content of 85.2 g/100 g in octopus is proposed for conformity assessment, unless the label indicates that water (>5%) was added. Calibration results showed that TDR analysis can discriminate control and water-added octopus, especially for octopus immersed for longer periods (32 h). In addition, moisture content can be quantified in octopus using only TDR analysis (between 80 and 90 g/100 g; RMSE = 1.1%). TDR data and correlation with moisture content show that this non-destructive methodology can be used by the industry and quality control inspections for assessment of octopus quality and to verify compliance with legislation, promoting fair trade practices, and further contributing to a sustainable use of resources.

Colorimetry as a tool for description of some wood species marketed as "tauari" in Brazilian Amazon.

The aim of this study was to verify the potential of the colorimetric technique in the identification of some species marketed as "tauari" in the Brazilian Amazon. CIE L* a* b* parameters were applied to determine the colour of 35 wood samples from the main wood poles of the State of Para, Brazil, and the scientific collections of the Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi (Walter A. Egler Collection) and Embrapa Amazônia Oriental. From each sample, data were obtained in the three wood surfaces: transversal, longitudinal tangential and longitudinal radial. The coordinate b*, which showed the yellow pigment, exerted greater weight in the color characterization of the 35 samples marketed as tauari, being more evident in the tangential and radial sections. In PCA, MGW wood samples showed considerably distinct color patterns in relation to PA and IAN samples, and the h and L* parameters provided better informations for distinguishing species from sample sources. The colorimetric technique can be used as an auxiliary tool in the identification of wood. However, the simultaneous use of colorimetry with the anatomical description of wood is suggested, given the complexity of the species-level separation in "tauari" group.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and associated factors according to sex: A population-based survey in Salvador, Brazil.

Vaccination is a major strategy to prevent the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, information about factors associated with men and women intention to be vaccinated are scarce. To determine COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and identify factors associated vaccine hesitancy according to sex, we performed a cross-sectional population-based random survey in Salvador, Brazil between Nov/2020-Jan/2021. Participants were interviewed to obtain data on intention to receive and pay for a COVID-19 vaccine, as well as on demographics, comorbidities, influenza vaccination history, previous diagnosis of COVID-19, and exposures and perception of COVID-19 risk. Among 2,521 participants, 2,053 (81.4%) reported willingness to use a COVID-19 vaccine and 468 (18.6%) hesitated to take it. Among those intending to get vaccinated, 1,400 (68.2%) would pay for the vaccine if necessary. Sex-stratified multivariable analysis found that men who were working and who had comorbidities were less likely to hesitate about using the vaccine. Among women, higher educational level and high perception of COVID-19 risk were associated with less vaccine hesitancy. In both groups, reporting influenza vaccination in 2020 reduced the chance of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. COVID-19 vaccine campaigns targeting to reduce vaccine hesitancy are urgently needed. These campaigns should consider gender differences in order to be successful.

Remote but not Distant: a Review on Experimental Models and Clinical Trials in Remote Ischemic Conditioning as Potential Therapy in Ischemic Stroke.

Stroke is one of the main causes of neurological disability worldwide and the second cause of death in people over 65 years old, resulting in great economic and social burden. Ischemic stroke accounts for 85% of total cases, and the approved therapies are based on re-establishment of blood flow, and do not directly target brain parenchyma. Thus, novel therapies are urgently needed. In this review, limb remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) is revised and discussed as a potential therapy against ischemic stroke. The review targets both (i) fundamental research based on experimental models and (ii) clinical research based on clinical trials and human interventional studies with healthy volunteers. Moreover, it also presents two approaches concerning RIC mechanisms in stroke: (i) description of the underlying cerebral cellular and molecular mechanisms triggered by limb RIC that promote neuroprotection against stroke induced damage and (ii) the identification of signaling factors involved in inter-organ communication following RIC procedure. Limb to brain remote signaling can occur via circulating biochemical factors, immune cells, and/or stimulation of autonomic nervous system. In this review, these three hypotheses are explored in both humans and experimental models. Finally, the challenges involved in translating experimentally generated scientific knowledge to a clinical setting are also discussed.

Microglia at the Centre of Brain Research: Accomplishments and Challenges for the Future.

Microglia are the immune guardians of the central nervous system (CNS), with critical functions in development, maintenance of homeostatic tissue balance, injury and repair. For a long time considered a forgotten 'third element' with basic phagocytic functions, a recent surge in interest, accompanied by technological progress, has demonstrated that these distinct myeloid cells have a wide-ranging importance for brain function. This review reports microglial origins, development, and function in the healthy brain. Moreover, it also targets microglia dysfunction and how it contributes to the progression of several neurological disorders, focusing on particular molecular mechanisms and whether these may present themselves as opportunities for novel, microglia-targeted therapeutic approaches, an ever-enticing prospect. Finally, as it has been recently celebrated 100 years of microglia research, the review highlights key landmarks from the past century and looked into the future. Many challenging problems have arisen, thus it points out some of the most pressing questions and experimental challenges for the ensuing century.

Carbon Monoxide Modulation of Microglia-Neuron Communication: Anti-Neuroinflammatory and Neurotrophic Role.

Microglia, the 'resident immunocompetent cells' of the central nervous system (CNS), are key players in innate immunity, synaptic refinement and homeostasis. Dysfunctional microglia contribute heavily to creating a toxic inflammatory milieu, a driving factor in the pathophysiology of several CNS disorders. Therefore, strategies to modulate the microglial function are required to tackle exacerbated tissue inflammation. Carbon monoxide (CO), an endogenous gaseous molecule produced by the degradation of haem, has anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and pro-homeostatic and cytoprotective roles, among others. ALF-826A, a novel molybdenum-based CO-releasing molecule, was used for the assessment of neuron-microglia remote communication. Primary cultures of rat microglia and neurons, or the BV-2 microglial and CAD neuronal murine cell lines, were used to study the microglia-neuron interaction. An approach based on microglial-derived conditioned media in neuronal culture was applied. Medium derived from CO-treated microglia provided indirect neuroprotection against inflammation by limiting the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of reactivity markers (CD11b), the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the secretion of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, nitrites). This consequently prevented neuronal cell death and maintained neuronal morphology. In contrast, in the absence of inflammatory stimulus, conditioned media from CO-treated microglia improved neuronal morphological complexity, which is an indirect manner of assessing neuronal function. Likewise, the microglial medium also prevented neuronal cell death induced by pro-oxidant tert-Butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP). ALF-826 treatment reinforced microglia secretion of Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and adenosine, mediators that may protect against t-BHP stress in this remote communication model. Chemical inhibition of the adenosine receptors A2A and A1 reverted the CO-derived neuroprotective effect, further highlighting a role for CO in regulating neuron-microglia communication via purinergic signalling. Our findings indicate that CO has a modulatory role on microglia-to-neuron communication, promoting neuroprotection in a non-cell autonomous manner. CO enhances the microglial release of neurotrophic factors and blocks exacerbated microglial inflammation. CO improvement of microglial neurotrophism under non-inflammatory conditions is here described for the first time.