Occurrence of Aliarcobacter spp. in fresh and pre-cut vegetables of common use in San José, Costa Rica.

Aliarcobacter is a Gram-negative rod that can cause disease in both animals and humans. Several studies have evidenced its presence in a wide variety of foods. Given that the number of foodborne illness outbreaks linked to the consumption of vegetables has increased worldwide and that there is a lack of information about the occurrence of Aliarcobacter spp. in these, the aim of this study was to evaluate its presence and the occurrence of virulence factors in both fresh and ready-to-eat vegetable samples. 180 vegetable samples from Costa Rica were analyzed for the presence of Aliarcobacter spp., including 90 pre-cut vegetable packages and 90 fresh vegetables. Two (2.2%) of the isolates from pre-cut vegetables and 19 (21.1%) of the isolates obtained from fresh vegetables were confirmed as Aliarcobacter spp. One of the isolates from the pre-cut vegetable samples was identified as A. butzleri. For the fresh vegetables, 11 isolates were identified as A. skirrowii, one as A. butzleri, and the 7 remaining isolates could not be identified at a species level. There is an 87.5% positivity for hecA and 93.8% for pldA, virulence genes in strains isolated from fresh produce, contrasting with an absolute absence from pre-cut vegetable-isolated strains. These results evidence the presence of Aliarcobacter on fresh and pre-cut vegetables from Costa Rica and the potential hazard it might represent for public health.

Migración en Chile e inclusión educativa: un estudio documental (1980-2021) / Migration in Chile and educational inclusion: A document study (1980-2021)

(analítico) El artículo de investigación tiene por objetivo develar el tipo de enfoque de inclusión educativa que subyace en las leyes, políticas y orientaciones publicadas en Chile entre 1980 y 2021, cuando estas se refieren a estudiantes migrantes. El estudio cualitativo desarrolla un diseño documental que analiza 22 documentos accesados desde la web de los Ministerios del Interior y Seguridad Pública y de Educación. Los resultados dan cuenta de la inespecificidad con la realidad escolar migrante, especialmente en el cuerpo legal, donde se evidencia solo enfoque educativo tendiente a la integración y de interculturalidad funcional. En algunas orientaciones, que intentan promover la valoración de la diversidad cultural, se avanza hacia una interculturalidad crítica. En conclusión, esta divergencia e inespecificidad dejan en un interrogante la inclusión educativa del alumnado migrante en Chile.

(analytical) This research article aims to identify the type of approach to educational inclusion evident in the laws, policies and guidelines published in Chile between 1980 and 2021 that refer to migrant students. The qualitative study uses a documentation design that analyses 22 documents retrieved from the websites of the Ministries of the Interior and Public Security and Education. The results highlight the lack of specificity with the reality of migrants in schools, particularly in legislation, where there is only evidence of an educational approach that is aimed at integration and functional interculturality. There is a move towards critical interculturality in some guidelines that attempt to promote and value cultural diversity. This divergence and lack of specificity leave a question mark over the educational inclusion of migrant students in Chile.

(analítico) Este estudo examina o conhecimento sobre as propriedades formais e a função referencial de O artigo de pesquisa visa desvendar o tipo de abordagem da inclusão educacional que está subjacente às leis, políticas e diretrizes publicadas no Chile entre 1980 e 2021, quando se referem a estudantes migrantes. O estudo qualitativo desenvolve um projeto documental que analisa 22 documentos acessados dos sites dos Ministérios do Interior e da Segurança Pública e Educação. Os resultados mostram a falta de especificidade com a realidade das escolas de migrantes, especialmente no corpo jurídico, onde há apenas evidências de uma abordagem educacional voltada para a integração e a interculturalidade funcional. Em algumas diretrizes, que tentam promover a valorização da diversidade cultural, há um movimento em direção à interculturalidade crítica. Em conclusão, esta divergência e falta de especificidade deixam um ponto de interrogação sobre a inclusão educacional de alunos migrantes no Chile.

Impact of Body Composition and Sarcopenia on Mortality in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have alterations in body composition, such as low cell integrity, body cell mass, and disturbances in water distribution evidenced by higher impedance ratio (IR), low phase angle (PhA), as well as low strength, low muscle mass, and sarcopenia. Body composition alterations are associated with adverse outcomes. However, according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2), the impact of these alterations on mortality in COPD patients is not well-established. Our aims were to evaluate whether low strength, low muscle mass, and sarcopenia impacted mortality in COPD patients. METHODS: A prospective cohort study performance was conducted with COPD patients. Patients with cancer, and asthma were excluded. Body composition was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Low strength and muscle mass, and sarcopenia were defined according to EWGSOP2. RESULTS: 240 patients were evaluated, of whom 32% had sarcopenia. The mean age was 72.32 ± 8.24 years. The factors associated with lower risk of mortality were handgrip strength (HR:0.91, CI 95%; 0.85 to 0.96, p = 0.002), PhA (HR:0.59, CI 95%; 0.37 to 0.94, p = 0.026) and exercise tolerance (HR:0.99, CI 95%; 0.992 to 0.999, p = 0.021), while PhA below the 50th percentile (HR:3.47, CI 95%; 1.45 to 8.29, p = 0.005), low muscle strength (HR:3.49, CI 95%; 1.41 to 8.64, p = 0.007) and sarcopenia (HR:2.10, CI 95%; 1.02 to 4.33, p = 0.022) were associated with a higher risk of mortality. CONCLUSION: Low PhA, low muscle strength, and sarcopenia are independently associated with poor prognosis in COPD patients.

Body composition and risk factors associated with sarcopenia in post-COVID patients after moderate or severe COVID-19 infections.

BACKGROUND: Post-COVID-19 syndrome is characterized by diverse symptoms and abnormalities that persist beyond 12 weeks from the onset of acute COVID-19. Severity disease has been associated with more musculoskeletal alterations such as muscle weakness, dyspnea, and distance walking. The aim was to evaluate the impact of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) on body composition and investigate risk factors associated with sarcopenia in post-COVID-19 patients three months after moderate or severe COVID-19 infections. METHODS: Cross-sectional study. 530 patients with PCR-confirmed diagnoses of moderate to severe COVID-19, > 18 years old, oxygen saturation ≤ 93%, PaO2/FiO2 ratio < 300, who required hospitalization and were discharged were included. We excluded those who died before the follow-up visit, declined to participate, or could not be contacted. RESULTS: The mean age was 53.79 ± 12.90 years. IMV subjects had lower phase angle and handgrip strength and higher impedance index, frequency of low muscle mass, and low muscle strength than those without IMV. The risk factors of sarcopenia were > 60 years of age, diabetes, obesity, IMV, and prolonged hospital stay. The multivariate model showed that age > 60 years (OR: 4.91, 95% CI: 2.26-10.63), obesity (OR: 3.73, 95% CI: 1.21-11.54), and interaction between prolonged length of hospital stay and IMV (OR: 2.92; 95% CI: 1.21-7.02) were related to a higher risk of sarcopenia. CONCLUSION: Obesity and the interaction between prolonged length of hospital stay and IMV are associated with a higher risk of sarcopenia at 3 months after severe or moderate COVID-19 infection.

Incidence, characteristics and clinical profile of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in patients with pre-existing primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in Spain.

Infections are one of the well-known precipitating factors for relapses in patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can sometimes lead to or be associated with thrombocytopenia due to an increase in peripheral platelet destruction from inflammatory hyperactivation. Currently, we do not know if SARS-CoV-2 infection modifies the natural evolution of chronic or persistent ITP or if previous immunosuppression of patients with ITP influences the incidence and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in this group. The present study was an observational, multicentre, national series of 32 adult patients with pre-existing ITP and subsequent SARS-CoV-2 infection, collected by the Spanish ITP Group [Grupo Español de Trombocitopenia Inmune (GEPTI)].

Body composition changes assessment by bioelectrical impedance vectorial analysis in right heart failure and left heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Heart Failure (HF) patients developed changes in body composition as overhydration, muscle-skeletal wear and cardiac cachexia (CC). The possible factors involved in the development of CC in Right Heart Failure (RHF) patients are venous congestion, nutrient malabsorption. However, in HF, the overhydration obscure the loss of fat-free mass and difficult the body composition assessment. Bioelectrical impedance vectorial analysis (BIVA) is a method validated and used for hydration status and body composition assessment in HF. The aim of this study was to investigate the body compositions changes assessment by BIVA in the subjects with and without RHF and evaluate the risk factors for devolvement CC in HF subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective cohort study. Subjects with confirmed diagnoses of HF, >18 years old without CC according to BIVA criteria were included. Subjects with congenital heart disease, cancer, HIV, and end-stage renal disease were excluded. Body composition was an assessment by BIVA. 288 HF patients were evaluated. RHF subjects had an impedance vector reduction (9.26 dR/H and -1.92 dXc/H, T2=14.9, D = 0.45, p<0.001), while subjects without RHF no-showed statistically significant changes (7.57 dR/H and 0.72 dXc/H, T2=3, D = 0.17, p = 0.200). The risks factors to development CC were age, RHF, phase angle < 5°, total body water were risks factors while handgrip strength was a protector factor. CONCLUSIONS: RHF has greater disturbances in body composition and is a risk factor to development CC.

A functional transcriptomic analysis in the relict marsupial Dromiciops gliroides reveals adaptive regulation of protective functions during hibernation.

The small South American marsupial, Dromiciops gliroides, known as the missing link between the American and the Australian marsupials, is one of the few South American mammals known to hibernate. Expressing both daily torpor and seasonal hibernation, this species may provide crucial information about the mechanisms and the evolutionary origins of marsupial hibernation. Here, we compared torpid and active individuals, applying high-throughput sequencing technologies (RNA-seq) to profile gene expression in three D. gliroides tissues and determine whether hibernation induces tissue-specific differential gene expression. We found 566 transcripts that were significantly up-regulated during hibernation (369 in brain, 147 in liver and 50 in skeletal muscle) and 339 that were down-regulated (225 in brain, 79 in liver and 35 in muscle). The proteins encoded by these differentially expressed genes orchestrate multiple metabolic changes during hibernation, such as inhibition of angiogenesis, prevention of muscle disuse atrophy, fuel switch from carbohydrate to lipid metabolism, protection against reactive oxygen species and repair of damaged DNA. According to the global enrichment analysis, brain cells seem to differentially regulate a complex array of biological functions (e.g., cold sensitivity, circadian perception, stress response), whereas liver and muscle cells prioritize fuel switch and heat production for rewarming. Interestingly, transcripts of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), a potent antioxidant, were significantly over-expressed during torpor in all three tissues. These results suggest that marsupial hibernation is a controlled process where selected metabolic pathways show adaptive modulation that can help to maintain homeostasis and enhance cytoprotection in the hypometabolic state.

Inactivation of tumor suppressor gene pten in early and advanced gallbladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: PTEN is a tumor suppressor gene that regulates the PTEN/PI3k/AKT/mTOR pathway, which is frequently altered in human cancers including gallbladder cancer (GBC). To determine the frequency of PTEN expression in GBC and to establish its relation to clinical and morphological parameters and survival in GBC. METHODS: The immunohistochemical expression of PTEN was studied in 108 GBC. All the cases included areas of non-tumor mucosa adjacent to the tumor. RESULTS: The group was comprised of 108 patients, 91 women (84.3%) and 17 men (15.7%) with an average age of 65.2 years (SD ± 12.3 years). Thirty-five cases (33%) were early carcinomas (EC) and the remaining 73 (67%) were advanced cases (AC). All the internal controls were positive (moderate or intense in 96.3%). Only in three AC (4.1%) was there a complete absence of PTEN immunohistochemical expression. There were no significant differences in relation between PTEN expression and tumor infiltration or degree of differentiation. The three patients with PTEN inactivation died before 10 months; however, the other patients with AC had a survival of 53% at 10 months. DISCUSSION: Loss of PTEN expression was observed in 4.1% of the advanced GBC. All the patients with this alteration died before 10 months. PTEN inactivation could be a rare event, but with a poor prognosis in advanced GBC.

Problemáticas en salud mental y prácticas de atención de adolescentes de un municipio de Querétaro, México / Mental health problems and adolescent healthcare practices in a town located in Querétaro, México

Este trabajo se enmarca en un estudio cuyo propósito fue abordar la Accesibilidad a la Atención en Salud en Adolescentes en San Juan del Río (SJR), Querétaro. Objetivos: describir y analizar las problemáticas de salud mental de los adolescentes de SJR, Querétaro, desde su propia perspectiva, así como la forma en la que buscan dar solución a las mismas. Metodología: Se aplicó una encuesta a una muestra de 345 adolescentes de 12 a 19 años de zonas urbanas y rurales de SJR, 24 entrevistas semidirigidas a adolescentes y un mapeo de servicios. Resultados: En SJR no existen programas de salud mental para adolescentes. En los servicios de salud general realizan este tipo de valoraciones y los adolescentes asisten enviados por las escuelas o sus padres. El 44% de los encuestados asistió alguna vez a un psicólogo, en general, por problemáticas familiares. El 62% identifica que sentirse triste, ansioso, nervioso, estresado o tener pensamientos negativos durante varios días está relacionado con la salud, y el 89% mencionó haberse sentido así al menos una vez en los últimos 6 meses. El 80% buscan actividades con amigos o platicar con sus padres, amigos o maestros cuando tienen malestares de este tipo. Los adolescentes en general consideran que no hay posibilidad de recibir atención psicológica en los servicios públicos. Refieren que las principales problemáticas de los adolescentes son: cutting, problemas emocionales y consumo de drogas. Conclusiones: Si bien los adolescentes muestran recursos para resolver sus problemáticas en salud mental, existe una necesidad de ampliar la oferta para garantizar el acceso a la atención en servicios públicos y disminuir la inequidad.

This paper is based on the framework of a study that aimed at approaching Accessibility to Adolescent Healthcare in San Juan del Río (SJR), Querétaro. Objectives: To describe and analyze mental health problems in adolescents in SJR, Querétaro, from their own perspective, as well as the way in which they try to solve these problems. Methodology: A survey was applied to a sample of 345 adolescents aged 12 to 19 from both urban and rural areas in SJR, 24 semi-directed interviews to adolescents were carried out as well as a service mapping. Results: In SJR there are no mental health programs for adolescents. In general healthcare units this kind of assessments are performed and adolescents are referred by their schools or parents. 44% of the adolescents surveyed had received psychological treatment sometime in their lives, in general, because of family issues. 62% identified that feelings of sadness, anxiety, nervousness, stress or negative feelings for several days are related to health, and 89% mentioned feeling this way at least once in the last 6 months. 80% looked for activities with friends or talked to their parents, friends or teachers when they had such feelings. In general, adolescents consider that there are no possibilities for obtaining psychological care in public healthcare services. They refer that the main problems they have are: cutting, emotional problems, and drug use. Conclusions: Although adolescents show resources to solve their mental health problems, there is a need to increase the offer to ensure access to healthcare in public services and thus reduce inequity.

Influence of the insecticide pyriproxyfen on the flight muscle differentiation of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae).

The Brazilian africanized Apis mellifera is currently considered as one of the most important pollinators threatened by the use of insecticides due to its frequent exposition to their toxic action while foraging in the crops it pollinated. Among the insecticides, the most used in the control of insect pragues has as active agent the pyriproxyfen, analogous to the juvenile hormone (JH). Unfortunately the insecticides used in agriculture affect not only the target insects but also beneficial nontarget ones as bees compromising therefore, the growth rate of their colonies at the boundaries of crop fields. Workers that forage for provisions in contaminated areas can introduce contaminated pollen or/and nectar inside the beehives. As analogous to JH the insecticide pyriproxyfen acts in the bee's larval growth and differentiation during pupation or metamorphosis timing. The flighty muscle is not present in the larvae wingless organisms, but differentiates during pupation/metamorphosis. This work aimed to investigate the effect of pyriproxyfen insecticide on differentiation of such musculature in workers of Brazilian africanized honey bees fed with artificial diet containing the pesticide. The results show that the bees fed with contaminated diet, independent of the insecticide concentration used, show a delay in flight muscle differentiation when compared to the control.

Differential flight muscle development in workers, queens and males of the eusocial bees, Apis mellifera and Scaptotrigona postica.

The flight capability of the adult eusocial bees, Apis mellifera L. and Scaptotrigona postica Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae), is intrinsically linked to their colonial functions, such as the nuptial flight for mating in the case of queens and males, and the exploration of new habitats for nesting and food sources in the case of workers. Flight is achieved by the contraction of indirect flight muscles that produce changes in thoracic volume and, therefore, wing movement. The purpose of this work is to examine possible differences in muscle development that may be associated with the flying activity of individuals in a given life stage considering the behavioral and physiological differences among the stages and between the two species studied. Measurements of the muscle fibers obtained from light microscopy preparations of muscle were submitted to statistical analysis in order to detect the differences at a given time, or throughout the life of the individual. The results show that muscle morphology is similar in both species, but in A. mellifera the muscle fibers are thicker and more numerous than in S. postica. Differences in the fiber thickness according to life stage in all classes of individuals of both species were detected. These results are discussed in relation to the need for flying in each life stage.

Morphology and ultrastructure of the male accessory glands of Achroia grisella (Fabricius)(Lepidoptera, Pyralidae)

The adult male reproductive system of Achroia grisella consists of paired testes in a common oval sheath, paired deferent ducts, accessory glands, seminal vesicles and a single ejaculatory duct. In this work, we used light and transmission electron microscopy to study the morphology of the male reproductive accessory glands of A. grisellla. The accessory gland consisted of glandular cells with a well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, although no secretion was seen in the cells. Histochemical analysis showed that the accessory gland secretion consisted of glycoproteins. The variable morphological appearance of the secretion (globular, amorphous and fibrillar) present in the gland lumen and its staining properties, which changed along the gland tract, suggested that the secretion underwent some form of processing that was possibly associated with its maturation before release from the gland. We suggest that the accessory gland secretion may have a role in the maintenance of spermatozoa and/or in plug formation, as already reported for other lepidopteran species.