Paralithocins, Antimicrobial Peptides with Unusual Disulfide Connectivity from the Red King Crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus.

As part of an ongoing exploration of marine invertebrates as a source of new antimicrobial peptides, hemocyte extracts from the red king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus, were studied. Three cationic cysteine (Cys)-rich peptides, named paralithocins 1-3, were isolated by bioassay-guided purification, and their amino acid sequences determined by Edman degradation and expressed sequences tag analysis. Disulfide bond mapping was performed by high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. The peptides (38-51 amino acids in length) share a unique Cys motif composed of eight Cys, forming four disulfide bridges with a bond connectivity of (Cys relative position) Cys1-Cys8, Cys2-Cys6, Cys3-Cys5, and Cys4-Cys7, a disulfide arrangement that has not been previously reported among antimicrobial peptides. Thus, paralithocins 1-3 may be assigned to a previously unknown family of antimicrobial peptides within the group of Cys-rich antimicrobial peptides. Although none of the isolated peptides displayed antimicrobial activity against the target strains Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or Staphylococcus aureus, they inhibited the growth of several marine bacterial strains with minimal inhibitory concentrations in the 12.5-100 µM range. These findings corroborate the hypothesis that marine organisms are a valuable source for discovering bioactive peptides with new structural motifs.

La nanotecnología. Propuesta de exámenes médicos especializados y prevención de riesgos en trabajadores expuestos a nanopartículas / Nanotechnology. A proposal for specialized medical examinations and risk prevention in workers exposed to nanoparticles

La nanotecnología tiene cada vez más aplicaciones en la vida diaria en el planeta; igualmente, hay presencia de nanopartículas tanto de origen natural como las generadas por el hombre involuntaria o voluntariamente, y son ya conocidos los efectos negativos de los fullerenos, nanocristales, nanohilos y otras estructuras de grosor nanométrico. Hay que tener en cuenta las toxicidades y efectos sobre la salud de estas sustancias, tanto por su tamaño como por el metal que generalmente les da origen, así como el ingreso, metabolismo, excreción y efectividad de los controles. Este artículo tiene el propósito de proponer los exámenes médicos especializados para los trabajadores expuestos a estas nanopartículas, así como algunas medidas de control de los riesgos de exposición en la producción y/o utilización de estas sustancias. Se hicieron revisiones de las normas ISO vigentes, así como las vías de ingreso de las nanopartículas al organismo humano y las posibles afectaciones a la salud de los trabajadores, y teniendo en cuenta la experiencia en salud y seguridad de los autores se redacta un protocolo de exámenes médicos a los trabajadores en nanotecnología, que será validado con los expuestos en los centros de investigación que la emplean en Cuba y otros países(AU)

Un problema de salud ocupacional aún no resuelto, en particular en el tercer mundo: el mercurio como contaminante del ambiente laboral / An occupational health problem still not solved, particularly in the Third World: mercury as a pollutant of the work environment

Se ofrece una visión breve pero actualizada sobre el tema del mercurio y sus compuestos, su presencia real en los ambientes de trabajo y los posibles efectos tóxicos que inducen a enfermedades profesionales entre los trabajadores expuestos. Se reseñan en síntesis los aspectos más relevantes de este grupo de sustancias en cuanto a su empleo actual en la industria y el desarrollo tecnológico, económico y social, y su alta toxicidad relativa al exponerse los trabajadores en sus ambientes laborales respectivos. Se concluye que es totalmente posible y factible, aún para países poco desarrollados, elaborar y ejecutar políticas públicas con el fin de ir reduciendo paulatinamente, si no eliminando totalmente, el empleo del mercurio y sus compuestos. Las principales condiciones para lograrlo son voluntad política, conocimiento suficiente, racionalidad y planificación eficiente(AU)

A brief but updated view on the issue of mercury and its compounds, their actual presence in the work environment and potential toxic effects that lead to occupational diseases among workers exposed is provided. The most relevant aspects of this group of substances in their current use in the industry and the technological, economic and social development, and their high toxicity on the exposure conditions in their respective work environments are outlined in brief . We conclude that it is entirely possible and feasible , even for poorly developed countries, developing and implementing public policies in order to be gradually reduced , if not completely eliminating , the use of mercury and its compounds. The main conditions for achieving this are political will , sufficient knowledge, rationality and efficient planning(AU)

Mujer trabajadora y exposición a mercurio en las clínicas estomatológicas de la ciudad de La Habana / Female workers and mercurial exposure in the stomatological clinics of Havana City

Se realizó un estudio observacional de tipo descriptivo de corte transversal a 891 mujeres expuestas a vapores de mercurio procedentes de las 73 clínicas estomatológicas de la ciudad de La Habana, con el objetivo de valorar el grado de afectación a la salud de estas trabajadoras y su incidencia en la estabilidad laboral. Se les aplicó una encuesta individual que recogía las variables indicadas para este tipo de estudio, y se revisaron los expedientes laborales para recoger la morbilidad presentada por estas trabajadoras. De acuerdo a la sintomatología referida, la más señalada antes de la exposición fue la del sistema nervioso, y después de la misma, respectivamente, con un tiempo de exposición mayor de 5 años y en el grupo de las edades comprendidas entre 20 y 49 años. Los abortos espontáneos, partos con complicación, hijos nacidos muertos y malformados fueron eventos más presentados en las féminas con más de 6 años de exposición al mercurio. Los índices de morbilidad, frecuencia y días perdidos alcanzaron valores de 51,4; 101,7 y 2 412,5; respectivamente(AU)

An observational descriptive cross-sectional study of 891 women exposed to mercury vapors from the 73 dental clinics in the city of Havana was realized, with the aim of assessing the degree of damage to the health of these workers and their impact on job stability. Were given a single survey that included the variables listed for this type of study, and employment records were reviewed to collect morbidity by these workers. According to the aforementioned symptoms, the most marked before the exhibition was the nervous system, and thereafter, respectively, with a longer exposure time of 5 years and in the group of those aged between 20 and 49 years. Spontaneous abortions, deliveries with complications, stillbirths and malformed events were more females presented with over 6 years of exposure to mercury. Morbidity, frequency and days lost reached values of 51.4, 101.7 and 2 412.5, respectively(AU)

Carcinoma de piel y factores ocupacionales de riesgo / Skin carcinoma and occupational risk factors

Objetivo: identificar la contribución relativa de diferentes factores de riesgo ocupacionales asociados a la ocurrencia de cáncer de piel en las provincias de Ciudad de La Habana y La Habana , Cuba, en el período 2006-2007. Material y método: se diseñó un estudio de casos y controles de base hospitalaria, en que se incluyeron 112 casos de cáncer de piel no melanoma y 448 testigos, siguiendo los criterios de inclusión-exclusión prefijados. Se consideró la totalidad de los pacientes diagnosticados de carcinoma de células basales y de células escamosas por estudio histológico de biopsia de piel o exéresis quirúrgica. Como factores de riesgo con posible asociación a la enfermedad, se estudiaron la exposición solar, a radiaciones ionizantes y no ionizantes y a un conjunto amplio de sustancias químicas y biológicas potencialmente cancerígenas. Resultados: en el estudio se corroboró que son múltiples los factores que explican la ocurrencia del cáncer de piel, fundamentalmente como efecto del sol, las radiaciones no ionizantes y el calor, en combinación con factores químicos. Conclusiones: la exposición combinada previa con diferentes duraciones e intensidades a factores del ambiente ocupacional, incrementa la probabilidad de la ocurrencia del carcinoma de piel, especialmente la luz solar, el calor, las radiaciones no ionizantes (incluidos los campos electromagnéticos) y factores químicos tales como el petróleo y sus derivados, el paraquat y el diclorofenildicloroetano(AU)

Objective: To identify the relative contribution of different occupational risk factors associated with the occurrence of skin cancer in the provinces of Havana City and Havana , Cuba , in 2006-2007. Material and methods: It was designed a case-control study of hospital base that included 112 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer and 448 witnesses, following the inclusion-exclusion criteria preset. We considered the totality of patients diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell histological study of skin biopsy or surgical excision. Risk factors with possible association with the disease were studied, such as sun exposure, ionizing and non-ionizing radiations and a wide range of chemical and biological substances potentially carcinogenic. Results: The study confirmed that there are multiple factors that explain the occurrence of skin cancer, mainly as an effect of the sun, non-ionizing radiation and heat, combined with chemical factors. Conclusions: Prior combined exposure with different durations and intensities of the workplace environment factors increases the likelihood of the occurrence of skin carcinoma, especially sunlight, heat, non-ionizing radiation (including electromagnetic fields) and chemical factors such as oil and its derivatives, paraquat and dichlorofenildichloroethane(AU)

Evaluación de la exposición ocupacional a polvo de antracita / Assessment of the occupational exposure to anthracite dust

Se realizó un estudio de corte transversal de tipo analítico en el ambiente laboral de la fábrica de producción de antracita, procedente de los residuales de las plantas de extracción de níquel de la región oriental de Cuba, con el objetivo de caracterizar la contaminación de los puestos de trabajo y, de acuerdo a sus resultados, tomar las medidas pertinentes para su reducción. Se monitoreó la totalidad de los trabajadores expuestos en las producciones de antracita insuflada y para ajuste durante 4 días consecutivos, determinando la concentración de polvo total y su fracción respirable. Se presentó más sobrexposición en la producción de antracita insuflada que en la de insuflada y ajuste, alcanzando valores de hasta 4 veces el límite promedio admisible. En ambas producciones el nivel de fracción respirable estuvo similar. Se emitieron recomendaciones para reducir la fuente generadora del contaminante(AU)

A cross-sectional study of analytical type was realized in the work environment of the factory of anthracite production , proceeding from the extraction nickel plants of the eastern region of Cuba , with the aim of characterizing the contamination of jobs and, according to their findings, take appropriate measures for its reduction. There were monitored all exposed workers in the production of anthracite insufflated and for adjustment, during 4 consecutive days, determining the concentration of total dust and its respirable fraction. An overexposure was detected in the production of insufflated anthracite in relation to the production of anthracite for adjustment, reaching values of up to 4 times the average permissible limit. In both productions the level of respirable fraction was similar. Recommendations were issued to reduce the generating source of the contaminan(AU)

Study about upper limb on highly repetitive work in maquila operations.

Industrial work is a very active sector in the economy of countries; an important part of people's work is done using the upper extremities. The purpose of this project is to characterize the effect of upper extremity work, analyze its relationship with the hand strength and the presence of fatigue and develop a model with the ability to estimate recovery times for the shoulder using variables different from the biomechanical variables.

Proposal for an integrative methodology to development the ergonomic program.

This paper collects the experience for both, academic and professional practice, and deal with the stages and level of involvement from different elements in the organization. The work is focused in some kind of concentric cycles, the very outside circle is formed by those that interact with ergonomic process in a year period, and the inner cycles are those that acts in a daily or weekly intervention. The success of the program still depending on the good will of the managers, but any action directed on benefit of the people at work, enable the moral as well as indicators for health and safety.

How to provide care for patients suffering from terminal non-oncological diseases: barriers to a palliative care approach.

Despite the seemingly evident pertinence of palliative care for patients suffering from non-oncological long-term life-threatening diseases, everyday clinical practice is far from that assumption. This study aims to explore palliative care service provision for these patients in Spain. Patients, family caregivers and healthcare professionals were interviewed, individually or in a group, aiming at identifying barriers in the provision of care and strategies to overcome them. Ritchie and Spencer's framework was used for data analysis. The barriers identified were as follows: lack of clarity about prognosis, the hegemony of the curative approach, avoiding words and the desire to cheat death. Provision of palliative care services for these patients should be guided by the characteristic trajectory of each type of disease. Even if healthcare systems were capable of providing specialized palliative care services to this large group of patients, other barriers should not be overlooked. It would then seem appropriate to provide therapeutic and palliative care simultaneously, thus facilitating adaptation processes for both patients and relatives.

A web service for enabling medical image retrieval integrated into a social medical image sharing platform.

Content-based visual image access is in the process from a research domain towards real applications. So far, most image retrieval applications have been in one specialized domain such as lung CTs as diagnosis aid or for classification of general images based on anatomic region, modality, and view. This article describes the use of a content-based image retrieval system in connection with the medical image sharing platform MEDTING, so a data set with a very large variety. Similarity retrieval is possible for all cases of the social image sharing platform, so cases can be linked by either visual similarity or similarity in keywords. The visual retrieval search is based on the GIFT (GNU Image Finding Tool). The technology for updating the index with new images added by users employs RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds. The ARC (Advanced Resource Connector) middleware is used for the implementation of a web service for similarity retrieval, simplifying the integration of this service. Novelty of this article is the application/integration and image updating strategy. Retrieval methods themselves employ existing techniques that are all open source and can easily be reproduced.

Non-specific activation of antiviral immunity and induction of RNA interference may engage the same pathway in the Pacific white leg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei.

Many questions remain unanswered regarding RNAi-based mechanisms and dsRNA-induced antiviral immune responses in penaeid shrimp. In this study, we report the characterization in the white leg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei of RNAi pathway associated proteins Lv-Ago 1 and Lv-Ago 2, two members of the Argonaute family of proteins, as well as Lv-sid 1, the first shrimp homologue of Sid-1, a membrane channel-forming protein implicated in the cellular import of dsRNA. To decipher their functional implication in RNAi-related phenomena, we monitored their relative expression following stimulation by specific and non-specific RNA duplexes of diverse length. The findings show that the length of small RNA duplexes plays a critical role in the activation of both RNAi-related and innate antiviral responses. They also suggest that these two mechanisms of antiviral response may activate the same pathway, requiring Lv-Sid 1 and Lv-Ago 2 induction.

Lack of evidence for Litopenaeus vannamei Toll receptor (lToll) involvement in activation of sequence-independent antiviral immunity in shrimp.

Injection of non-specific dsRNA initiates a broad-spectrum innate antiviral immune response in the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, however, the receptor involved in recognition of this by-product of viral infections remains unknown. In vertebrates, dsRNA sensing is mediated by a class of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and results in activation of the interferon system. Because a TLR (lToll) was recently characterized in L. vannamei, we investigated its potential role in dsRNA recognition. We showed that injection of non-specific RNA duplexes did not modify lToll gene expression. A reverse genetic approach was therefore implemented to study its role in vivo. Silencing of lToll did not impair the ability of non-specific dsRNA to trigger protection from white spot syndrome virus and did not increase the shrimp susceptibility to viral infection, when compared to controls. In contrast, gene-specific dsRNA injected to specifically silence lToll expression activated an antiviral response. These data strongly suggest that shrimp lToll plays no role in dsRNA-induced antiviral immunity.

Contributions of functional genomics and proteomics to the study of immune responses in the Pacific white leg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei.

The need for better control of infectious diseases in shrimp aquaculture and the ecological importance of crustacea in marine ecosystems have prompted interest in the study of crustacean immune systems, particularly those of shrimp. As shrimp and other crustacea are poorly understood from the immunological point of view, functional genomic and proteomic approaches have been applied as a means of quickly obtaining molecular information regarding immune responses in these organisms. In this article, a series of results derived from transcriptomic and proteomic studies in shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) are discussed. Expressed Sequence Tag analysis, differential expression cloning through Suppression Subtractive Hybridization, expression profiling using microarrays, and proteomic studies using mass spectrometry, have provided a wealth of useful data and opportunities for new avenues of research. Examples of new research directions arising from these studies in shrimp include the molecular diversity of antimicrobial effectors, the role of double stranded RNA as an inducer of antiviral immunity, and the possible overlap between antibacterial and antiviral responses in the shrimp.

The role of crustins in Litopenaeus vannamei in response to infection with shrimp pathogens: An in vivo approach.

Crustin antimicrobial peptides, identified in crustaceans, are hypothesized to have both antimicrobial and protease inhibitor activity based on their primary structure and in vitro assays. In this study, a reverse genetic approach was utilized to test the hypothesis that crustins are antimicrobial in vivo in response to bacterial and fungal challenge. Injection of double-stranded RNA specific to a 120-bp region of LvABP1, one of the most prominent crustin isoforms, yielded a significant reduction in the expression of both crustin mRNA and protein within the hemocytes. To test the role of crustins in the shrimp immune response, RNAi was first used to suppress crustin expression and animals were subsequently injected with low pathogenic doses of either Vibrio penaeicida or Fusarium oxysporum. A significant increase in mortality in crustin-depleted animals was observed in animals infected with V. penaeicida as compared to controls, whereas no significant change in shrimp mortality was observed following infection with F. oxysporum.

El halotano como contaminante del aire en el ambiente de trabajo / Halothane as a pollutant in the occupational environment

El halotano es un agente anestésico inhalatorio volátil empleado en algunos procedimientos quirúrgicos. En este trabajo nos propusimos compilar información a partir de la literatura existente relacionada con el personal expuesto, efectos sobre la salud, métodos de muestreo y análisis, así como estudios realizados en este campo. Esta revisión muestra que la presencia de concentraciones elevadas en los puestos de trabajo puede ocasionar daños a la salud de los trabajadores expuestos, por lo que es necesario establecer una metodología adecuada de evaluación y control a este contaminante dentro del sistema de vigilancia(AU)

Halothane is an inhaling volatile anesthetic used in some surgical procedures. In this work it was our purpose to compile information through the existent literature related to exposed personnel, effects to health, and methods of sampling and analysis, as well as studies done in this field. This review shows that the presence of high concentrations in working places can cause damage to the health of the exposed workers, so it is necessary to establish an adequate method of evaluation and control of this contaminant within the vigilance system(AU)

Concentraciones de plomo en sangre total en la población comunitaria adulta de la ciudad de Pinar del Río / Lead in blood concentrations in the adult communitarian population of Pinar del Río City

Introducción: La concentración de plomo en sangre total es un biomarcador indirecto reconocido de exposición ambiental a plomo y sus compuestos y se emplea con éxito como instrumento indicativo en su evaluación y control en poblaciones comunitarias supuestamente en riesgo. Objetivo: Estimar las concentraciones de plomo en sangre en la población adulta de la ciudad de Pinar del Río, su distribución y determinantes principales. Método: La muestra estuvo compuesta por 202 personas sanas en edad laboral de las cuatro áreas de salud de la ciudad de Pinar del Río y sin exposición conocida a plomo y(o) sus compuestos. La muestra, tomada de los que concurrían al banco de sangre provincial de la ciudad, se estratificó uniformemente según sexo, hábito de fumar o no y área de residencia y trabajo. Las muestras de sangre endovenosa se tomaron en horas de la mañana y sus concentraciones de plomo se determinaron por espectrofotometría de absorción atómica con llama de aire-acetileno y extracción con isobutilmetilcetona y pirrolidinditiocarbamato de amonio. Resultados: La concentración media (aritmética) de plomo en sangre en la población fue de 4,74 µg.dL-1 y el percentil 95 de 10,09 µg.dL-1. Las concentraciones en hombres fueron significativamente más altas que en mujeres y en fumadores que en no fumadores, pero no difirieron en cuanto al área de residencia y trabajo. La distribución general de frecuencias de los valores reportados no difirió significativamente de la gaussiana. Conclusiones: Los niveles encontrados de plomo en sangre en la población general de la ciudad son comparables, y en muchos casos hasta inferiores, a los de otros estudios en ciudades importantes de países desarrollados y en desarrollo, incluido uno reciente realizado en la ciudad de La Habana. Los valores hallados no son indicativos de que el plomo pueda constituir, al menos en el presente, un problema comunitario medio ambiental y de salud de la población general de la ciudad de Pinar del Río(AU)

Introduction: Lead in blood concentration is a recognized and suitable biomarker of environmental lead exposure, and successfully used as a indicative instrument for its evaluation and control in general populations. Objective: To determine the blood lead concentrations in the adult population of Pinar del Río City, their distribution and main determinants. Method: A sample of 202 healthy subjects was selected from the current assistants to the provincial blood bank of the city. Sample was stratified evenly according to sex, habit of smoking or not and residence and work area. Endovenous blood specimens were taken in the morning and analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry with flame of air-acetylene and extraction with methylisobuthylketone and ammonium pirrolidindithiocarbamate. Results: The average (arithmetic) concentration of lead in blood in the population was 4,74 µg .dL-1, and the 95th percentile 10,09 µg.dL-1. The concentrations were higher in males than in females and also higher in smokers than in non-smokers, but there was not difference by areas. The frequency distribution of the general reported values didn't differ significantly of the gaussiane one. Conclusions: The blood lead levels in blood in the general population of Pinar del Río City were comparable - lower in some cases - to those of other studies in important cities of develop and developing countries, including those of a recent research carried out in Havana City. The found values are not indicative that lead can constitute, at least presently, a communitarian environmental and/or health problem in the general population of the city(AU)

Anti-lipopolysaccharide factor in Litopenaeus vannamei (LvALF): a broad spectrum antimicrobial peptide essential for shrimp immunity against bacterial and fungal infection.

Antimicrobial peptides are an essential component of the innate immune system of most organisms. Expressed sequence tag analysis from various shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) tissues revealed transcripts corresponding to two distinct sequences (LvALF1 and LvALF2) with strong sequence similarity to anti-lipopolysaccharide factor (ALF), an antimicrobial peptide originally isolated from the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus. Full-length clones contained a 528bp transcript with a predicted open reading frame coding for 120 amino acids in LvALF1, and a 623bp transcript with a predicted open reading frame coding for 93 amino acids in LvALF2. A reverse genetic approach was implemented to study the in vivo role of LvALF1 in protecting shrimp from bacterial, fungal and viral infections. Injection of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) corresponding to the LvALF1 message resulted in a significant reduction of LvALF1 mRNA transcript abundance as determined by qPCR. Following knockdown, shrimp were challenged with low pathogenic doses of Vibrio penaeicida, Fusarium oxysporum or white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and the resulting mortality curves were compared with controls. A significant increase of mortality in the LvALF1 knockdown shrimp was observed in the V. penaeicida and F. oxysporum infections when compared to controls, showing that this gene has a role in protecting shrimp from both bacterial and fungal infections. In contrast, LvALF1 dsRNA activated the sequence-independent innate anti-viral immune response giving increased protection from WSSV infection.

Differential expression of immune-related genes and transposable elements in black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) exposed to a range of environmental stressors.

The health of aquatic species is dependent on interactions between the environment, pathogens and the host. Under intensive shrimp aquaculture, environmental conditions can degrade, causing significant stress to the cultured organisms. To investigate the effect of environmental stress on shrimp hemocyte gene expression profiles, we applied suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) in juvenile Penaeus monodon exposed to hyperthermal, hypoxic or hyposmotic conditions. Random sequencing of 258 clones from the SSH revealed 176 distinct sequences of which 58 shared high similarity to sequences in the public databases. The three most common groups of identifiable unique sequences in the SSH libraries were the POL region of non-LTR retrotransposons (31%), genes with immune or potential immune functions (30%), and genes involved in protein synthesis and processing (18%). Stress-regulated differential expression was further verified by quantitative qRT-PCR, with seven out of eight randomly selected genes showing qRT-PCR profiles that conformed to the patterns predicted by SSH. Hence this work provides a list of genes which appear to be up- or down-regulated in response to stress, providing a basis for studying the genetic response of shrimp to environmental stress.