Headache and Other Factors Modifying Cerebrospinal Fluid Opening Pressure in Pediatric Patients.

Cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure values are associated with various neurologic diseases; however, numerous factors can modify this measurement. This study aims to describe factors related to modifications in opening pressure measurements in pediatric patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of lumbar punctures in pediatric patients conducted by the neuropediatrics group with institutional standardization. Bivariate and linear regression analyses were performed to determine the association between opening pressure and variables included in the study. Results: 544 events, median age 107 months, median opening pressure 19.7 cm H2O. Bivariate analysis found no association with medication use; anesthetics that increased opening pressure were remifentanil (P = .02) and propofol (P = .05), along with a positive linear correlation between opening pressure and age (P < .0001). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that age, BMI, male gender, and remifentanil use were associated with an increase in opening pressure, whereas corticosteroid withdrawal was associated with a reduction in opening pressure. There is an interaction between age and headache, with an association with increased opening pressure up to around 140 months. Conclusion: This study identifies factors associated with changes in opening pressure, crucial for estimating normal opening pressure values in children. Headaches, anesthetic use, and corticosteroid withdrawal are confirmed as significant factors.

The millipede genus Iulidesmus Silvestri, 1895 in Colombia (Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae, Catharosomatini).

The paradoxosomatid genus Iulidesmus Silvestri, 1895 in the fauna of Colombia is shown to presently contain nine species. Three of them are still obscure, two of which could be revised based on type (I. alacer (Attems, 1944)) or new material (Orthomorpha proxima Silvestri, 1898), one is a nomen dubium (Strongylosoma glabrum Peters, 1864), while further six are described as new here: Iulidesmus garciae n. sp., I. minerus n. sp., I. florezi n. sp., I. sabaneta n. sp., I. icni n. sp., and I. jeekeli n. sp. A key to all six new species of the genus and their distribution map are provided.

High-sensitivity troponin in the prognosis of patients hospitalized in intensive care for COVID-19: a Latin American longitudinal cohort study. / Troponina de alta sensibilidade no prognóstico de pacientes internados em terapia intensiva por COVID-19: um estudo de coorte longitudinal latino-americano.

OBJECTIVE: The current study assessed the prevalence of troponin elevation and its capacity to predict 60day mortality in COVID-19 patients in intensive care. METHODS: A longitudinal prospective single-center study was performed on a cohort of patients in intensive care due to a COVID-19 diagnosis confirmed using real-time test polymerase chain reaction from May to December 2020. A Receiver Operating Characteristic curve was constructed to predict death according to troponin level by calculating the area under the curve and its confidence intervals. A Cox proportional hazards model was generated to report the hazard ratios with confidence intervals of 95% and the p value for its association with 60day mortality. RESULTS: A total of 296 patients were included with a 51% 60-day mortality rate. Troponin was positive in 39.9% (29.6% versus 49.7% in survivors and non-survivors, respectively). An area under the curve of 0.65 was found (95%CI: 0.59 - 0.71) to predict mortality. The Cox univariate model demonstrated a hazard ratio of 1.94 (95%CI: 1.41 - 2.67) and p < 0.001, but this relationship did not remain in the multivariate model, in which the hazard ratio was 1.387 (95%CI: 0.21 - 1.56) and the p value was 0.12. CONCLUSION: Troponin elevation is frequently found in patients in intensive care for COVID-19. Although its levels are higher in patients who die, no relationship was found in a multivariate model, which indicates that troponin should not be used as an only prognostic marker for mortality in this population.

OBJETIVO: O presente estudo avaliou a prevalência da elevação da troponina e sua capacidade de prever a mortalidade em 60 dias em pacientes com COVID-19 internados em unidade de terapia intensiva. METÓDOS: Um estudo longitudinal prospectivo e unicêntrico foi realizado em uma coorte de pacientes em terapia intensiva devido a diagnóstico de COVID-19 confirmado, usando teste de reação em cadeia da polimerase em tempo real de maio a dezembro de 2020. Uma curva Característica de Operação do Receptor foi construída para predizer o óbito de acordo com o nível de troponina, calculando a área sob a curva e seus intervalos de confiança. Um modelo de risco proporcional de Cox foi gerado para relatar as razões de risco com intervalo de confiança de 95% e o valor de p para sua associação com mortalidade em 60 dias. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos 296 pacientes com taxa de mortalidade em 60 dias de 51%. A troponina foi positiva em 39,9% (29,6% versus 49,7% em sobreviventes e não sobreviventes, respectivamente). Foi encontrada área sob a curva de 0,65 (IC95% 0,59 - 0,71) para prever a mortalidade. O modelo univariado de Cox demonstrou razão de risco de 1,94 (IC95% 1,41 - 2,67) e p < 0,001, mas essa relação não se manteve no modelo de análise multivariado, no qual a razão de risco foi de 1,387 (IC95% 0,21 - 1,56) e o valor de p foi de 0,12. CONCLUSÃO: A elevação da troponina é frequentemente encontrada em pacientes em terapia intensiva para COVID-19. Embora seus níveis sejam maiores em pacientes que vão a óbito, nenhuma relação foi encontrada em um modelo de análise multivariado, o que indica que a troponina não deve ser utilizada como único marcador prognóstico de mortalidade nessa população.

Troponina de alta sensibilidade no prognóstico de pacientes internados em terapia intensiva por COVID-19: um estudo de coorte longitudinal latino-americano / High-sensitivity troponin in the prognosis of patients hospitalized in intensive care for COVID-19: a Latin American longitudinal cohort study

RESUMO Objetivo: O presente estudo avaliou a prevalência da elevação da troponina e sua capacidade de prever a mortalidade em 60 dias em pacientes com COVID-19 internados em unidade de terapia intensiva. Metódos: Um estudo longitudinal prospectivo e unicêntrico foi realizado em uma coorte de pacientes em terapia intensiva devido a diagnóstico de COVID-19 confirmado, usando teste de reação em cadeia da polimerase em tempo real de maio a dezembro de 2020. Uma curva Característica de Operação do Receptor foi construída para predizer o óbito de acordo com o nível de troponina, calculando a área sob a curva e seus intervalos de confiança. Um modelo de risco proporcional de Cox foi gerado para relatar as razões de risco com intervalo de confiança de 95% e o valor de p para sua associação com mortalidade em 60 dias. Resultados: Foram incluídos 296 pacientes com taxa de mortalidade em 60 dias de 51%. A troponina foi positiva em 39,9% (29,6% versus 49,7% em sobreviventes e não sobreviventes, respectivamente). Foi encontrada área sob a curva de 0,65 (IC95% 0,59 - 0,71) para prever a mortalidade. O modelo univariado de Cox demonstrou razão de risco de 1,94 (IC95% 1,41 - 2,67) e p < 0,001, mas essa relação não se manteve no modelo de análise multivariado, no qual a razão de risco foi de 1,387 (IC95% 0,21 - 1,56) e o valor de p foi de 0,12. Conclusão: A elevação da troponina é frequentemente encontrada em pacientes em terapia intensiva para COVID-19. Embora seus níveis sejam maiores em pacientes que vão a óbito, nenhuma relação foi encontrada em um modelo de análise multivariado, o que indica que a troponina não deve ser utilizada como único marcador prognóstico de mortalidade nessa população.

ABSTRACT Objective: The current study assessed the prevalence of troponin elevation and its capacity to predict 60day mortality in COVID-19 patients in intensive care. Methods: A longitudinal prospective single-center study was performed on a cohort of patients in intensive care due to a COVID-19 diagnosis confirmed using real-time test polymerase chain reaction from May to December 2020. A Receiver Operating Characteristic curve was constructed to predict death according to troponin level by calculating the area under the curve and its confidence intervals. A Cox proportional hazards model was generated to report the hazard ratios with confidence intervals of 95% and the p value for its association with 60day mortality. Results: A total of 296 patients were included with a 51% 60-day mortality rate. Troponin was positive in 39.9% (29.6% versus 49.7% in survivors and non-survivors, respectively). An area under the curve of 0.65 was found (95%CI: 0.59 - 0.71) to predict mortality. The Cox univariate model demonstrated a hazard ratio of 1.94 (95%CI: 1.41 - 2.67) and p < 0.001, but this relationship did not remain in the multivariate model, in which the hazard ratio was 1.387 (95%CI: 0.21 - 1.56) and the p value was 0.12. Conclusion: Troponin elevation is frequently found in patients in intensive care for COVID-19. Although its levels are higher in patients who die, no relationship was found in a multivariate model, which indicates that troponin should not be used as an only prognostic marker for mortality in this population.

Degradation of high concentrations of azithromycin when present in a high organic content wastewater by using a continuously fed laboratory-scale UASB bioreactor.

As the presence of emergent contaminants in wastewater, such as antibiotics, has become a threat for public health, the evaluation of strategies to treat them has been gaining importance. A critical example of this situation can be found in wastewaters coming from the pharmaceutical industry, where high concentrations of antibiotics are sometimes accompanied by high organic contents. Even the agroindustry can be affected by a similar problem when cattle infections are treated with antibiotics and part of the antibiotic-contaminated milk has to be wasted. With these situations in mind, in the present study we evaluated a progressive acclimation strategy for a granular sludge in a UASB reactor treating a high organic-content synthetic wastewater contaminated with azithromycin. In parallel, we tested a previously reported low-cost method for azithromycin determination by spectrophotometry, obtaining results comparable with liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Although azithromycin has been reported as recalcitrant and resistant to biological degradation, the antibiotic was removed with efficiencies over 50% for wastewater with 10 mg L-1 of azithromycin and a COD of more than 4000 mgO2 L-1. Furthermore, efficiencies over 40% were achieved for wastewater with higher azithromycin concentrations (80 mg L-1) and a COD of 20,000 mgO2 L-1. A careful acclimation strategy permitted the partial removal of azithromycin from wastewater when treating concentrations comparable and higher than what would be expected for domestic and hospital wastewaters, even when its chemical oxygen demand is considerably higher than the average maximum of around 1000 mgO2 L-1.

Frequency of genotypic markers for genetic disorders, colour, polledness, and major genes in Blanco Orejinegro cattle.

The purpose of this work was to establish DNA marker frequencies for genetic disorders, colour, horned/polled trait, and major genes of importance for productive and reproductive traits in Blanco Orejinegro (BON) cattle. The Blanco Orejinegro breed is a Colombian creole breed characterized by a white hair coat on black skin with black ears, black hair on the middle part of the legs, and absence of horns. We genotyped 420 animals of Colombia, 70 with the GGP-Bovine 150 K chip and 350 with the GGP-Bovine 50 K chip. The markers were associated with 50 genetic diseases, 52 major gene variants related to productive traits, and 12 variants related to coat coloration, presence of horns, and adaptation, selected from the information contained in the chips. Genotype frequencies were estimated using the R statistical program. Genetic disorder annotations were derived using the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals tool (OMIA) and the average inbreeding coefficient (F) (n = 7799) using the MTDFNRM program. Carriers were found for 16 of the genetic disorders evaluated but with low frequencies (0.24 to 2.46%); no homozygous animals were found for the disorders. Carriers were associated with disorders such as bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency (BLAD), deficiency of uridine monophosphate synthase (DUMPS), syndactyly, and epidermolysis bullosa (EB). The F was 4.41%. Concerning the genes associated with colour (TYR, MC1R, and PMEL), alleles related to black pigmentation, the absence of horns (polledness), and slick coat (an adaptive trait) were highly frequent (> 81.90%). Markers associated with milk production and quality, yellow fat, and fertility showed variable frequencies, indicating selection potential. Allele frequency of genetic disorders in BON cattle was low, suggesting few genetic disorder problems, with syndactyly being the most frequent condition. The markers associated with colour and polledness were almost fixed, with a frequency at or near 100%. Production and reproduction markers showed variability for selection.

Diversity analysis, runs of homozygosity and genomic inbreeding reveal recent selection in Blanco Orejinegro cattle.

Blanco Orejinegro (BON) cattle have 500 years of adaptation to the Colombian tropic, but little is known about their genetic history. Our aim was to estimate levels of linkage disequilibrium (LD), effective population size (Ne), genomic inbreeding for runs of homozygosity (FROH ), genomic relation matrix (FGRM ), excess of homozygotes (FHOM ) and pedigree information (FPEDCOMP ) and to characterize the runs of homozygosity (ROH), searching for selection signatures. A total of 419 BON animals were genotyped, 70 with a 150K chip and 349 with a 50K chip. Next, an imputation to 50K was performed, and, after editing, databases of 40K were obtained. The PLINK v1.90 and R programs were used to estimate LD, ROH, FROH and FHOM . The SNeP v1.1 program was used to obtain Ne, and PreGSf90 was used to elaborate the scaled G matrix. The MTDFNRM program was used to estimate FPEDCOMP . The LD mean as r2 at 1 Mb was 0.21 (r2  > 0.30 at a distance of 96.72kb), and Ne was 123 ± 1. A total of 7,652 homozygous segments were obtained, with a mean of 18.35 ± 0.55 ROH/animal. Most of the genome was covered by long ROHs (ROH>8 Mb  = 4.86%), indicating significant recent inbreeding. The average inbreeding coefficient for FPEDCOM , FGRM , FHOM and FROH was 4.41%, 4.18%, 5.58% and 6.78%, respectively. The highest correlation was observed between FHOM and FROH (0.95). ROH hotspots/islands were defined using the extreme values of a box plot that was generated, and correspond to QTLs related to milk yield (55.11%), external appearance (13.47%), production (13.30%), reproduction (8.15%), health (5.24%) and meat carcass (4.74%).

The Search of a Malaria Vaccine: The Time for Modified Immuno-Potentiating Probes.

Malaria is a deadly disease that takes the lives of more than 420,000 people a year and is responsible for more than 229 million clinical cases globally. In 2019, 95% of malaria morbidity occurred in African countries. The development of a highly protective vaccine is an urgent task that remains to be solved. Many vaccine candidates have been developed, from the use of the entire attenuated and irradiated pre-erythrocytic parasite forms (or recombinantly expressed antigens thereof) to synthetic candidates formulated in a variety of adjuvants and delivery systems, however these have unfortunately proven a limited efficacy. At present, some vaccine candidates are finishing safety and protective efficacy trials, such as the PfSPZ and the RTS,S/AS01 which are being introduced in Africa. We propose a strategy for introducing non-natural elements into target antigens representing key epitopes of Plasmodium spp. Accordingly, chemical strategies and knowledge of host immunity to Plasmodium spp. have served as the basis. Evidence is obtained after being tested in experimental rodent models for malaria infection and recognized for human sera from malaria-endemic regions. This encourages us to propose such an immune-potentiating strategy to be further considered in the search for new vaccine candidates.

Novel external-loop-airlift milliliter scale bioreactors for cell growth studies: Low cost design, CFD analysis and experimental characterization.

Many researchers have limited access to fully equipped laboratory-scale batch bioreactors and chemostats due to their relatively high cost. This becomes particularly prohibitive when multiple replicas of the same experiment are required, but not enough bioreactors are available to operate simultaneously. Additionally, experiments using shaken flasks are common but show significant limitations in terms of maintaining homogeneous conditions in liquid cultures or installing instrumentation for monitoring. Here, we proposed to tackle this significant hurdle by providing a route to make available the manufacture of low-cost, milliliter-scale bioreactors. This approach seems plausible for enabling proof-of-concept experiments before moving to a larger scale without significant investments. The conceptually designed systems were based on external-loop bioreactors due to their flexibility, simplicity, and ease of assembling and testing. Designs were initially evaluated in silico with the aid of COMSOL Multiphysics. The successfully evaluated systems were then constructed via additive manufacturing and assembled for hydrodynamics testing via tracer methods. This was enabled by a newly home-made optical absorbance sensor (OAS) for in-line and real-time measurements. Both the in silico and experimental results indicated close to ideal mixing conditions and low shear stress. Cell growth curves were prepared by culturing Escherichia coli and following its cell density in real-time. Our cell growth rate and maximum cell density were similar to those previously obtained in closely related systems. Therefore, the proposed bioreactors are an affordable alternative for batch and continuous cell growth studies rapidly and inexpensively.

Lipoma gigante de colon transverso, causa de dolor abdominal crónico. Presentación de caso / Giant Transverse Colon Lipoma, A Cause of Chronic Abdominal Pain. A Case Report

Los lipomas son tumores benignos derivados de adipocitos maduros, ubicados con mayor frecuencia en el colon. Los pacientes generalmente son asintomáticos, por lo que en su mayoría se diagnostican de maneraa incidental; sin embargo, en muy pocas ocasiones pueden generar síntomas por complicaciones, como hemorragia digestiva por ulceración, obstrucción intestinal o dolor crónico. Este artículo tiene como objetivo informar el caso de una paciente de 60 años de edad, con dolor abdominal crónico, quien recibió manejo médico con antiespasmódicos. Ante la falta de mejoría, se le realizó tomografía axial computarizada (TAC) de abdomen, como parte de los estudios diagnósticos, en la que se evidenció un lipoma gigante de colon transverso, al cual se le atribuyó el dolor. Por ello, es importante considerar las lesiones tumorales benignas no epiteliales del colon como causas de dolor abdominal y por tal motivo una evaluación cuidadosa del tracto gastrointestinal en los estudios de imagen, por parte del médico radiólogo.

Lipomas are benign tumors derived from mature adipocytes, most frequently located in the colon. Patients are generally asymptomatic, so they are mostly diagnosed incidentally; however, in very few occasions they can generate symptoms due to complications, such as digestive hemorrhage due to ulceration, intestinal obstruction or chronic pain. This article aims to report the case of a 60-year-old patient with chronic abdominal pain, who received medical management with antispasmodics. without achieving improvement of the condition, Due to the lack of improvement, an abdominal computed tomography was performed as part of the diagnostic studies, where the presence of a giant transverse colon lipoma was evidenced, to which the etiology of the pain was attributed. For this reason, it is important to consider benign non-epithelial colon tumor lesions as causes of abdominal pain and therefore a careful evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract in imaging studies by the radiologist.

Key within-membrane residues and precursor dosage impact the allotopic expression of yeast subunit II of cytochrome c oxidase.

Experimentally relocating mitochondrial genes to the nucleus for functional expression (allotopic expression) is a challenging process. The high hydrophobicity of mitochondria-encoded proteins seems to be one of the main factors preventing this allotopic expression. We focused on subunit II of cytochrome c oxidase (Cox2) to study which modifications may enable or improve its allotopic expression in yeast. Cox2 can be imported from the cytosol into mitochondria in the presence of the W56R substitution, which decreases the protein hydrophobicity and allows partial respiratory rescue of a cox2-null strain. We show that the inclusion of a positive charge is more favorable than substitutions that only decrease the hydrophobicity. We also searched for other determinants enabling allotopic expression in yeast by examining the COX2 gene in organisms where it was transferred to the nucleus during evolution. We found that naturally occurring variations at within-membrane residues in the legume Glycine max Cox2 could enable yeast COX2 allotopic expression. We also evidence that directing high doses of allotopically synthesized Cox2 to mitochondria seems to be counterproductive because the subunit aggregates at the mitochondrial surface. Our findings are relevant to the design of allotopic expression strategies and contribute to the understanding of gene retention in organellar genomes.

Emotion Regulation and Attitudes Toward Conflict in Colombia: Effects of Reappraisal Training on Negative Emotions and Support for Conciliatory and Aggressive Statements.

Control of negative emotions (e.g., anger and fear) by political cues perpetuate intractable conflict by mobilizing public support for aggressive actions. Halperin et al. (2013) found that reappraisal - an adaptive form of emotion regulation - decreased negative emotions triggered by anger-inducing information related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and increased support for conciliatory statements. We tested these effects in the context of the conflict between the Colombian government and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP). Reappraisal training reduced negative emotions produced by a presentation that illustrated FARC's violent actions, and increased support for conciliatory statements (with overall moderate effect magnitudes). We also found that negative emotions mediated the effects of reappraisal on the support for aggressive and conciliatory statements. These findings indicate a high degree of generality of the phenomena, especially considering the differences between the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Colombian conflict. Our findings also show promise for replicating these effects on other types of intergroup conflicts and guiding effective public policy.

Phytochemical Profiling of Coryphantha macromeris (Cactaceae) Growing in Greenhouse Conditions Using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography⁻Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Chromatographic separation combined with mass spectrometry is a powerful tool for the characterization of plant metabolites because of its high sensitivity and selectivity. In this work, the phytochemical profile of aerial and radicular parts of Coryphantha macromeris (Engelm.) Britton & Rose growing under greenhouse conditions was qualitatively investigated for the first time by means of modern ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography⁻tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-PDA-HESI-Orbitrap-MS/MS). The UHPLC-PDA-HESI-Orbitrap-MS/MS analysis indicated a high complexity in phenolic metabolites. In our investigation, 69 compounds were detected and 60 of them were identified. Among detected compounds, several phenolic acids, phenolic glycosides, and organic acids were found. Within this diversity, 26 metabolites were exclusively detected in the aerial part, and 19 in the roots. Twenty-four metabolites occurred in both plant parts. According to the relative abundance of peaks in the chromatogram, ferulic and piscidic acids and their derivatives may correspond to one of the main phenolic compounds of C. macromeris. Our results contribute to the phytochemical knowledge regarding C. macromeris and its potential applications in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Besides, some metabolites and their fragmentation patterns are reported here for the first time for cacti species.

Prevalencia de algunas enfermedades infecciosas en bovinos de resguardos indígenas del cauca, colombia, 2017 / Prevalence of some infectious diseases in cattle of the indigenous resguards in cauca, colombia 2017

RESUMEN La zona del Cauca posee resguardos indígenas que han presentado diferentes problemáticas asociadas a la lucha armada en Colombia, lo que ha limitado que las entidades puedan realizar programas de control de enfermedades bovinas. Por lo anterior, el objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar la prevalencia de algunas enfermedades infecciosas, de carácter reproductivo, en el ganado bovino, de tres resguardos indígenas del Cauca, 2017. Se recolectaron muestras sanguíneas de 30 vacas, para determinar la prevalencia de Neospora caninum, Brucella abortus, diarrea viral bovina (DVB), rinotraqueitis infecciosa bovina (IBR) y Leptospira sp. serovares Hardjo prajitno, bovis y Pomona. Las pruebas, se realizaron por ELISA, rosa de bengala y microaglutinación. Mediante el software R, se efectuó un análisis descriptivo y se determinaron las prevalencias para cada enfermedad, se estimaron las co-infecciones y se realizó un modelo de regresión logística, para determinar el efecto del hato, resguardo, componente racial, grupo etario, número de animales y tamaño del hato, sobre la positividad a las enfermedades. Se encontró una prevalencia del 36%, para N. caninum; 60%, DVB; 30%, IBR; 0%, B. abortus; Leptospira spp. serovares Harjo prajitno, 26%; Hardjo bovis, 12% y Pomona, 10%. De acuerdo con el análisis de riesgo, la seropositividad para DVB e IBR estuvo asociada con el resguardo donde habitaban los animales, en este caso, Tacueyó tuvo más riesgo y estuvo directamente relacionado con el área de los hatos; entre mayor área más animales fueron positivos. En general, se encontró que la situación de la zona es similar a la de otros lugares de Colombia.

ABSTRACT The Cauca region in Colombia has indigenous reservations that have presented different problems associated with the armed conflict, which has limited the entities to carry out bovine disease control programs. Therefore, the aim of this work was to determine the prevalence of some infectious diseases of reproductive traits in cattle of three indigenous resguards in Cauca, 2017. Blood samples of 30 cows were collected to determine the prevalence of Neospora caninum, Brucella abortus, bovine viral diarrhea (BVD), Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) and Leptospira sp. serovars Hardjo prajitno, bovis and Pomona. The tests were performed by ELISA, rose bengal and microscopic agglutination. Using R software, a descriptive analysis was carried out and the frequencies for each disease were estimated. In addition, coinfections between diseases were estimated and a logistic regression model was performed to determine the effect of the herd, reservation, racial component, age group, number of animals and size of the farm on the disease positivity. The prevalence was N. caninum 36%, BVD 60%, IBR 30%, B. abortus 0%, Leptospira spp. serovars Hardjo prajitno 26%, Hardjo bovis 12%, y Pomona 10%. According to the risk analysis, the seropositivity for BVD and IBR were associated with the place where the animals lived, in this case Tacueyó, but this was directly related to the size of the herds, since the greater, the area more animals were positive. In general, it was found that the situation in the region is similar to that of other sites in Colombia.

Identifying signatures of recent selection in Holstein cattle in the Tropic / Identificación de señales de selección reciente en ganado Holstein en el trópico / Identificação de sinais de seleção recente no gado Holandês no trópico

Abstract Background: Holstein cattle have undergone strong selection processes in the world. These selection signatures can be recognized and utilized to identify regions of the genome that are important for milk yield. Objective: To identify recent selection signatures in Holstein from the Province of Antioquia (Colombia), using the integrated haplotype score (iHS) methodology. Methods: Blood or semen was extracted from 150 animals with a commercial kit. The animals were genotyped with the BovineLD chip (6909 SNPs). The editing process was carried out while preserving the loci whose minor allele frequency (MAF) was greater than 0.05. In addition, genotypes with Mendelian errors were discarded using R and PLINK v1.07 software programs. Furthermore, the extended haplotype homozygosity (EHH), iHS and the p-value were determined with the "rehh" package of R language. Results: The minor allele frequencies showed a tendency toward intermediate frequency alleles. In total, 144 focal markers were significant (p<0.001) for selection signatures. Some chromosomes showed a greater number of signatures than others. Many of the variants were found inside genes, although they were in intronic regions. Some important regions were associated with genes TRAPPC12, PANK3, ZNF16, OPLA and DPYSL4, which are related with cellular transport, excretion or metabolism. Conclusion: Identifying signatures of selection using the iHS method made it possible to determine some important regions for selection in Holstein cattle in the high tropics, some of which had been previously reported to be associated with quantitative traits loci (QTLs).

Resumen Antecedentes: El ganado Holstein ha sido sometido a procesos fuertes de selección en el mundo. Estas señales de selección pueden ser reconocidas y utilizadas para identificar regiones del genoma importantes para la producción de leche. Objetivo: Identificar señales de selección recientes en ganado Holstein de la Provincia de Antioquia (Colombia), mediante la metodología de puntaje haplotípico integrado (iHS). Métodos: A 150 animales se les extrajo DNA de sangre o semen mediante un kit comercial y posteriormente se genotiparon los animales con el chip BovineLD (6909 SNPs). Se realizó edición conservando los loci con frecuencia del alelo menor (MAF) superior a 0,05. Además, se descartaron los genotipos con errores mendelianos, usando el software R y PLINK v1.07. La determinación de la homocigosidad haplotípica extendida (EHH), iHS y el valor p se realizó utilizando el paquete "rehh" de R. Resultados: Las frecuencias del alelo menor mostraron una tendencia hacia alelos de frecuencias intermedias. En total, 144 marcadores focales fueron significativos (p<0,001) para las señales de selección. Algunos cromosomas presentaron mayor número de señales de selección que otros. Muchas de las variantes focales se encontraron al interior de genes, aunque comúnmente en regiones intrónicas. Algunas de las regiones importantes estuvieron asociadas con genes como TRAPPC12, PANK3, ZNF16, OPLA y DPYSL4 que en general se encuentran asociados con funciones relacionadas con el transporte, excreción o metabolismo celular. Conclusión: La identificación de señales de selección usando el método iHS permitió determinar algunas regiones importantes para la selección en ganado Holstein del trópico alto, algunas de las cuales han sido previamente reportadas por su asociación a loci de características cuantitativas (QTLs).

Resumo Antecedentes: O gado holandês tem sido objeto de processos de seleção fortes no mundo. Estes sinais de seleção podem ser reconhecidos e utilizados para identificar regiões do genoma importantes para a produção de leite. Objetivo: Identificar sinais de seleção recente em gado Holandês de la Província de Antioquia (Colômbia), através da metodologia de pontuação haplotípica integrada (iHS). Métodos: Foram usados 150 animais para a extração de DNA a partir de sangre ou sêmen usando kit comercial, os animais foram posteriormente genotipados com o chip BovineLD (6909 SNPs). A edição foi feita mantendo os loci com frequência do alelo menor (MAF) de 0,05; além disso, genótipos com erros mendelianos foram descartados usando o programa R e PLINK v1.07. A determinação da homozigosidade haplotípica estendida (EHH), iHS e valor p foi realizada utilizando o pacote estatístico R "reeh". Resultados: As frequências do alelo menor mostraram uma tendência inclinada a frequências intermédias. No total, 144 marcadores focais foram significativos (p<0,001) para os sinais de seleção. Alguns cromossomos apresentaram mais numero de sinais de seleção que outros. Muitas dos variantes focais foram encontradas dentro dos genes, embora comumente em regiões intrônicas. Algumas das regiões importantes foram associadas com genes como TRAPPC12, PANK3, ZNF16, OPLA e DPYSL4 que geralmente estão associadas a funções relacionadas com o transporte, a excreção ou metabolismo celular. Conclusão: A identificação de sinais de seleção usando o método iHS permitiu determinar algumas regiões importantes para a seleção no gado holandês do tropico alto, algumas destas regiões foram previamente relatados por sua associação com loci de características quantitativas (QTLs).

Priority technologies and innovations in the fishing agribusiness by the year 2032. Foresight study through the Delphi method / Tecnologías prioritarias e innovaciones del sector pesquero para el año 2032. Estudo de prospectiva por el método Delphi / Tecnologias prioritárias e inovações no setor pesqueiro para o ano 2032. Estudo de prospectiva através do método Delphi

Abstract Introduction. This paper is presented in the framework of the project "Alternatives for the use of by-products derived from fishing agribusiness", Universidad del Cauca, through the research group: Harvesting of Byproducts and Agro-industrial Residues, ASUBAGROIN, which aims at the development and implementation of technologies and innovations for the use of by-products generated by the fishery activity, in order to improve research and innovation capacities in that specific subsector. Objective. The purpose of this paper is to prioritize innovations in fish by-products by consulting experts to identify innovation, technology and knowledge management activities for the institutions involved in the sector. Materials and methods. The methodology consisted in the application of the Delphi method through a structured and anonymous survey with national and international experts on topics related to the fish farming industry, using a questionnaire of 143 items divided in five groups, in order to choose priority topics. Results. The questionnaires were filled out by 37 experts from Colombia, Brazil, the United States, Mexico and Uruguay; a total of 54 priority themes were obtained, corresponding to 38 % of the topics presented. Among the topics of greatest consensus and mode are the formulation of concentrated foods, partial substitution of fishmeal, extrusion of concentrated foods, Omega-3 rich oil, probiotics, bioaccumulation, microalgae of fish processing wastewater, technological appropriation, technological evaluation, measurement of intellectual capital, innovation processes, and technological strategies. Conclusions. One of the main contributions of the study is the benefit for current players in the fish innovation system and new ones, such as technology development centers and new ventures, since they will have a route map of innovations on which to focus their investments and project initiatives.

Resumen Introducción. Este artículo se presenta en el marco del proyecto "Alternativas para el uso de subproductos derivados de la agroindustria piscícola", Universidad del Cauca, a través del grupo de investigación "Aprovechamiento de Subproductos, Residuos y Desechos Agroindustriales", ASUBAGROIN, relacionado con la aplicación de tecnologías e innovaciones para el uso de los subproductos generados por la actividad piscícola, con el fin de mejorar las capacidades de investigación e innovación en ese subsector específico. Objetivo. El propósito de este artículo es priorizar innovaciones en subproductos piscícolas a través de consulta a expertos, así como actividades de gestión de innovación, tecnología y conocimiento para las instituciones pertenecientes al sector. Materiales y métodos. La metodología utilizada consiste en la aplicación del método Delphi, a través de consulta anónima y estructurada a expertos nacionales e internacionales en temas relacionados con la industria piscícola, con un cuestionario de 143 ítems en 5 grupos, para elegir los temas prioritarios. Resultados. Los cuestionarios fueron diligenciados por 37 expertos de Colombia, Brasil, Estados Unidos, México y Uruguay; un total de 54 temas prioritarios fueron obtenidos correspondiente al 38 % de los temas presentados. Entre los temas de mayor consenso y moda están la formulación de alimentos concentrados, sustitución parcial de harina de pescado, extrusión de alimentos concentrados, aceite rico en Omega-3, probióticos, bioacumulación, microalgas de aguas residuales de procesamiento de pescado, apropiación tecnológica, evaluación tecnológica, medición de capital intelectual, proceso de innovación y estrategias tecnológicas. Conclusiones. Uno de las principales contribuciones del estudio está relacionada con los actuales actores del sistema de innovación piscícola y de los nuevos, tales como centros de desarrollo tecnológico y nuevos emprendimientos, ya que ellos tendrán un mapa de ruta de innovaciones sobre las cuales enfocar sus inversiones e iniciativas de proyectos.

Resumo Introdução. Este artigo se apresenta no marco do projeto "Alternativas para o uso de subprodutos derivados da agroindustria piscícola", Universidad del Cauca, através do grupo de investigação "Aproveitamento de Subprodutos, Resíduos e lixo Agroindustriais", ASUBAGROIN, relacionado com a aplicação de tecnologias e inovações para o uso dos subprodutos gerados pela atividade piscícola, com o fim de melhorar as capacidades de investigação e inovação nesse subsetor específico. Objetivo. O propósito deste artigo é priorizar inovações em subprodutos piscícolas através de consulta a especialistas, assim como atividades de gestão de inovação, tecnologia e conhecimento para as instituições pertencentes ao setor. Materiais e métodos. A metodologia utilizada consiste na aplicação do método Delphi, através de consulta anónima e estruturada a especialistas nacionais e internacionais em assuntos relacionados com a indústria piscícola, com um questionário de 143 itens em 5 grupos, para eleger os assuntos prioritários. Resultados. Os questionários foram diligenciados por 37 especialistas da Colómbia, Brasil, Estados Unidos, México e Uruguai; um total de 54 assuntos prioritários foram obtidos correspondente a 38 % dos assuntos apresentados. Entre os assuntos de maior consenso e moda estão a formulação de alimentos concentrados, substituição parcial de farinha de peixe, extrusão de alimentos concentrados, aceite rico em Omega-3, probióticos, bio-acumulação, microalgas de águas residuais de processamento de peixe, apropriação tecnológica, avaliação tecnológica, medição de capital intelectual, processo de inovação e estratégias tecnológicas. Conclusões. Um das principais contribuições do estudo está relacionada com os atuais atores do sistema de inovação piscícola e dos novos, tais como centros de desenvolvimento tecnológico e novos empreendimentos, já que eles terão um mapa de rota de inovações sobre as quais enfocar seus investimentos e iniciativas de projetos.

Rapid restoration of methanogenesis in an acidified UASB reactor treating 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP).

Anaerobic bioreactors are often used for removal of xenobiotic and highly toxic pollutants from wastewater. Most of the time, the pollutant is so toxic that the stability of the reactor becomes compromised. It is well known that methanogens are one of the most sensitive organisms in the anaerobic consortia and hence the stability of the reactors is highly dependant on methanogenesis. Unfortunately few studies have focused on recovering the methanogenic activity once it has been inhibited by highly toxic pollutants. Here we establish a quick recovery strategy for neutralization of an acidified UASB reactor after failure by intoxication with an excess of TCP in the influent. Once the reactor returned to pH values compatible with methanogenesis, biogas production was re-started after one day and the system was re-acclimated to TCP. Successful removal of TCP from synthetic wastewater was shown for concentrations up to 70mg/L after restoration.

Efectos cardiovasculares de un protocolo de reacondicionamiento físico en pacientes críticos de tres centros asistenciales en Bogotá, Colombia / Cardiovascular effects as a result of a physical conditioning protocol on a critical care in- patient, at three medical centers in Bogotá - Colombia

El síndrome de desacondicionamiento físico es una complicación frecuente en los pacientes con reposo prolongado; su principal característica es la atrofia muscular que afecta principalmente las fibras musculares tipo II y se asocia a un daño de la placa neuromuscular. Esto conlleva a múltiples alteraciones metabólicas y sistémicas, como la dificultad para abandonar la ventilación mecánica, la fatiga, el retorno tardío a las actividades de la vida cotidiana y períodos de rehabilitación prolongados. El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo describir los cambios cardiovasculares en pacientes hospitalizados en unidades de cuidado intensivo, al aplicar un protocolo de actividad física dirigida como parte de la rehabilitación. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo tipo serie de casos que se realizó en tres unidades de cuidado intensivo de tipo polivalente durante un año con una muestra de 23 pacientes que tuvieron una estancia superior a 72 horas y que como parte del manejo recibieron ventilación mecánica. Se evaluaron como parámetros cardiovasculares la presión arterial y la frecuencia cardíaca antes, durante y después de cada una de las cargas aplicadas, las cuales fueron ajustadas por un especialista en medicina de la actividad física y del deporte de acuerdo a la evolución clínica y posteriormente registradas en una escala del uno al treinta y dos. Se analizaron los datos de las variables cardiovasculares por medio de estadísticas no paramétricas sin encontrar diferencias significativas concluyendo que en pacientes críticos, la utilización de cargas orientadas por parte del especialista idóneo, no tiene efecto cardiovascular considerable y puede mantenerse como parte de los protocolos de rehabilitación. MÉD.UIS. 2016;29(2):161-73.

The deconditioning syndrome is a frequent complication among prolonged hospital in-staying patients. It is composed by muscle atrophy which mainly affects type II fibers and it is associated with a neuromuscular junction damage. All this leads to many metabolic and systemic alterations, standing out mechanic ventilation weaning difficulty, fatigue, late return to daily activities and prolonged rehabilitation periods. The purpose was to describe the cardiovascular changes in Intensive Care Unit patients, once a guided physical activity protocol took place as part of the rehabilitation. It is a one year series of cases - descriptive study that took place in three polyvalent type - Intensive Care Units, with a sample of above 72 hours in-stay 23 patients which were having mechanical ventilation support simultaneously. As cardiovascular parameters where checked blood pressure and heart rate at three different times: before, during and after each one of the physical activity loads which were adjusted by a physical and sports medicine physician according to the clinical progress and registered according a 1 to 32 load scale. Cardiovascular data was analyzed with non-parametrical statistics. No significant differences were found; concluding that among in-stay critical care patients, idoneus specialist guided physical activity loads, have no considerable cardiovascular effect and can be kept as a part of a rehabilitation protocol. MÉD.UIS. 2016;29(2):161-73.

A study of the dry forest communities in the Dominican Republic.

This paper is a floristic and phytosociological study of the dry forest communities of the Dominican Republic. A total of 69 relevés in dry forest biotopes were carried out. The samples were subsequently subjected to Detrended Correspondence Analysis for the determination and study of possible groupings. The study does not cover tree formations growing on serpentines, nor the so-called semideciduous forests, peculiar to areas with higher rainfall. A total of nine phytocoenoses were identified. The most significant results led to the description of six new phytosociological associations: Simaroubetum berteroani (thorny dry forest on coastal dunes), Phyllostylo rhamnoidis-Prosopidetum juliflorae (southern Dominican disturbed dry forest), Consoleo moniliformis-Camerarietum linearifoliae (dry forest on hard limestones), Lemaireocereo hystricis-Prosopidetum juliflorae (northern Dominican disturbed dry forest), Lycio americani-Prosopidetum juliflorae (disturbed dry forest on saline soils) and Guettardo ellipticae-Guapiretum discoloris (dry forest on flat-topped hillocks in Montecristi). This is an important step forward in the phytosociological and floristic studies of the Caribbean territories.

Estimation of genotype-by-environment interaction for milk traits based on foreign sires used in Colombia / Estimación de la interacción genotipo-ambiente para características de producción lechera en toros extranjeros utilizados en Colombia / Estimativa da interação genótipo-ambiente para características de produção leiteira em touros estrangeiros utilizados na Colômbia

Background: genotype-by-environment interactions play an important role in genetic improvement programs because they can change the performance of a breeding individual according to the environment where it is evaluated. Objective: to determine the genotype-by-environment interactions for some important traits in dairy farming among countries supplying bovine genetics and assessments conducted in Antioquia, Colombia. Methods: the study was conducted in 135 Holstein herds located in Antioquia. Daughters of 180 sires were evaluated for milk yield and 186 for fat and protein percentages, and somatic cell score. The genotype-by-environment interaction was addressed using Spearman's and Pearson's correlation tests between estimated breeding values in Colombia and those estimated in the sire's countries of origin. Subsequently, the magnitude of the interaction was determined using the regression coefficient between estimated breeding values in Colombia and the foreign estimate for each trait. Results: correlations between estimated breeding values calculated in Colombia and abroad were low, with the highest correlation (0.11) for protein content and the smallest one -(0.06) for milk yield per lactation. The results show a change in the ranking of sires based on their estimated breeding value, depending on whether foreign or domestic breeding values were applied, which indicates a high genotype-by-environment interaction. The results show a regression coefficient between foreign and domestic estimated breeding values of -0.286 L/lactation, with 0.23%, 0.002%, and -0.003 scores for protein percentage, fat, and somatic cell score, respectively. All regression coefficients except that for milk yield were statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: this study demonstrates a high genotype-by-environment interaction between sires evaluated in Antioquia and abroad, underscoring the need to strengthen the estimation of breeding values adjusted to Antioquia's environment.

Antecedentes: la interacción genotipo-ambiente juega un papel importante en los programas de mejoramiento genético, ya que dicha interacción cambia el desempeño de un reproductor de acuerdo al ambiente donde es evaluado. Objetivo: determinar la interacción genotipo-ambiente para algunas características de importancia en producción de leche entre los países proveedores de genética bovina y las evaluaciones en Antioquia, Colombia. Métodos: la investigación se realizó en 135 hatos Holstein de Antioquia con información productiva para estimar los valores genéticos. Se evaluaron hijas de 180 toros para producción de leche y 186 para porcentaje de grasa, proteína y puntaje de células somáticas. La interacción genotipo-ambiente fue abordada usando la correlación de Sperman y de Pearson entre los valores genéticos estimados en Colombia contra los foráneos. Se determinó la magnitud de la interacción mediante el coeficiente de regresión para cada característica. Resultados: las correlaciones obtenidas entre los valores genéticos de Colombia y los foráneos fueron bajas, siendo la mayor correlación 0,11 para el caso de porcentaje de proteína y la menor de -0,06 para producción de leche por lactancia. Los resultados obtenidos muestran un cambio en el ranking de los toros con base en su valor genético de acuerdo a si se usan los valores genéticos foráneos o los nacionales, lo que evidencia una alta interacción genotipo-ambiente. Los resultados indicaron un coeficiente de regresión entre valores de cría foráneos y nacionales de -0,286 L/lactancia, 0,23%, 0,002% y -0,003 puntos para producción de leche, porcentaje de proteína, grasa y puntaje de células somáticas, respectivamente. Todos los estimados excepto el coeficiente para producción de leche fueron estadísticamente significativos (p<0,05). Conclusión: esta investigación demuestra la alta interacción genotipo-ambiente presente entre los toros evaluados en Antioquia y los foráneos, lo que hace evidente la necesidad de fortalecer la estimación de valores genéticos en las condiciones de Antioquia.

Antecedentes: a interação genótipo-ambiente desempenha um papel importante nos programas de melhoramento genético, isto devido a que esta interação altera o desempenho de um touro de acordo com o ambiente onde ele é avaliado. Objetivo: determinar a interação genótipo-ambiente para algumas características de importância na produção de leite entre os países que fornecem avaliações genéticas bovinas em Antioquia, Colômbia. Métodos: o estudo foi realizado em 135 rebanhos de gado holandês em Antioquia com informações produtivas para estimar os valores genéticos. As filhas de 180 touros foram avaliadas quanto à produção de leite e 186 para a percentagem de gordura, proteína e a contagem de células somáticas. A interação genótipo-ambiente foi abordada utilizando as correlações de Spearman e Pearson entre os valores genéticos estimados na Colômbia comparado com os valores estimados no estrangeiro. Determinou-se o grau de interação com o coeficiente de regressão para cada característica. Resultados: as correlações entre os valores genéticos obtidos na Colômbia e os obtidos no país de origem do touro foram baixas, a maior correlação foi 0,11 para o caso da porcentagem de proteína e menos de -0,06 para a produção de leite por lactação. Os resultados permitem observar uma mudança no ranking dos touros com base no seu valor genético, se usado de acordo com os valores genéticos estrangeiros ou nacionais, o que demonstra uma alta interação genótipo-ambiente. Os resultados indicaram coeficientes de regressão entre os valores genéticos dos touros no seu pais de origem e as avaliações desses touros em Antioquia de -0,286 L/lactação, 0,23%, 0,002% e -0,003 para a porcentagem de proteína, gordura e contagem de células somáticas, respectivamente. Todos, exceto as estimativas dos coeficientes de produção de leite foram estatisticamente significativas (p<0,05). Conclusão: esta pesquisa demonstra a alta interação genótipo-ambiente que fica entre os touros avaliados em Antioquia cuja genética é estrangeira, o que torna evidente a necessidade de reforçar a estimativa de valores genéticos nas condições ambientais de Antioquia.