Clearing the air: Assessing healthcare professionals' awareness of air pollution's health consequences.

Air pollution (AP) significantly jeopardises health, with the Royal College of Physicians accepting the adverse effects of AP are not being sufficiently communicated to patients by healthcare professionals (HCP). To explore HCPs' understanding and attitudes toward AP and its health impacts, we conducted a service evaluation survey in a group of hospital doctors. A questionnaire comprising 20 questions about AP and its health associations was completed by 133 hospital doctors working at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK. While 65% (n = 86) of respondents strongly agreed that AP is relevant to health, 79% (n = 105) felt insufficiently trained on AP and its health associations. The survey shows that HCPs' knowledge of AP and its connection to poor health is a major barrier in discussions with patients. Further research is needed to understand whether these views are nationally shared among HCPs and to explore the most effective strategies for enhancing AP awareness.

Integrative taxonomy reveals first record of Loxoscelesrufescens (Dufour, 1820) (Araneae, Sicariidae) in the Philippines.

Background: The spider family Sicariidae Keyserling, 1880 represented by the synanthropic Mediterranean recluse spider, Loxoscelesrufescens (Dufour, 1820), is reported in the Philippines for the first time, based on morphological and molecular data. The introduced spider was observed in a small cave (Kamantigue Cave) in Lobo, Batangas Province. Considering the medical importance of this spider, the proximity of its habitat to human habitation and tourist sites poses a potential public health concern. New information: This study reports on the first record of the family Sicariidae in the Philippines and the fourth recorded occurrence of L.rufescens in Southeast Asia.

Prescriptive behavior of non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants in patients affected by atrial fibrillation in general practice.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia worldwide and in recent years the pharmacological approach has been strongly implemented; in Italy, the prescription of the non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOAC) was also extended to General Practitioners (GPs) since 2020. The aim of the present study was to investigate the GPs prescribing behaviour of NOACs. An observational study was performed by using the computerized medical record of 14 GPs in Sicily: patients affected by AF were selected and stratified according to the prescribed antithrombotic drugs. Patients were considered inadequately managed if antithrombotic treatment was not adherent to recent ESC guidelines. A total of 467 (2.7 %) patients were affected by AF, 276 (59.1 %) were treated with an oral anticoagulant (OAC) regardless the high stroke risk (OR 1.64; 95 %CI 0.74-3.62; p = 0.226). The NOAC users were 236 patients as follow: Rivaroxaban 33.5 %, Apixaban 33,1 %, Dabigatran 17,4 %, Edoxaban 16.1 %. In 7 patients an inappropriate NOAC treatment was observed. Among Vitamin-K antagonist users, 25.0 % were considered inappropriate. Patients not treated with OAC were 191, of them 81.7 % were at high stroke risk and did not receive any OAC despite the indication to treat. In addition, the probability to be not properly managed significantly increased in older and in patients with atherosclerosis. Conversely, patients with at least one reported cardiology counselling significantly reduced the likelihood to be not properly managed (OR 0.38, 95 %CI 0.25-0.58; p 0.01). Our results suggest the need to optimize the management of real-life AF patients by improving prescribing adherence to ESC guidelines.

Stable-bond polymeric reversed-phase/weak anion-exchange mixed-mode stationary phases obtained by simultaneous functionalization and crosslinking of a poly(3-mercaptopropyl)methylsiloxane-film on vinyl silica via thiol-ene double click reaction.

A polymeric reversed-phase/weak anion exchange (Poly-RP/WAX) mixed-mode stationary phase has been prepared by coating of a poly(3-mercaptopropyl)methylsiloxane film on vinyl-modified silica (100 Å, 5 µm) and simultaneous in situ functionalization with N-(10-undecenoyl)-3-aminoquinuclidine as well as crosslinking to the vinyl silica surface by solventless thiol-ene double click reaction. Such bonding chemistry showed greatly enhanced stability compared to brush-type analogs with bifunctional siloxane bonding to silica. Solid-state 29Si-CP/MAS NMR confirmed the immobilization of the siloxane layer. pH-Dependent ζ-potential determinations revealed a high anion-exchange capacity over the entire pH range with a maximum around pH 5. Oxidation of residual thiols yielded a zwitterionic Poly-RP/WAX/SCX mixed-mode phase with sulfonic acid endcapping and shifted the still net positive surface charge to lower ζ-potentials. It allowed a faster elution of strongly retained anionic species in particular of multiply negatively charged analytes such as oligonucleotides. Chromatographic tests under RPLC and HILIC elution mode with various test substances documented the multimodal utility and complementarity in retention profiles compared to RP, HILIC and commercial mixed-mode phases.

The effect of gingival aging in diabetic and non-diabetic status: an experimental study.

Major gingival-periodontal changes according to age have been observed in both diabetic and non-diabetic rats. Male Wistar rats weighing 200-220 g were divided into two groups: 1) Nondiabetic (ND) and 2) Diabetic (D) by receiving an intraperitoneal (ip) dose of streptozotocin (STZ) (50 mg /kg). Animals from both groups (ND and D) were euthanized at 4, 8, 12, 17 y 25 weeks after treatment with saline solution or STZ. Glycemia values in ND rats were 5 to 6 mmol/L, while in D, glycemia increased progressively between weeks 4 and 25, with values ranging from 18. 3±2. 1 to 39. 3±2. 7 mmol/L. Oxidative stress differed significantly in gums of ND and D rats. ND: lipid peroxidation: Malondialdehyde (MDA): 8. 52±1. 2 to 15. 5±2(nmol/mgP); superoxide dismutase (SOD): 37. 1±4. 2 to 21. 2±1. 3 (U/100mgP); D: MDA 13. 1±1. 6 to 22. 9±2. 7 (nmol/L); superoxide dismutase (SOD): 17. 7±0. 8 to 9. ±0. 2 (U/100mgP). Vascular permeability (VP) and gingival edema (E) showed significant changes between ND and D rats from 4 to 25 weeks. ND: PV: 10±0. 2 to 16. 1±1. 3 (EB ug/g dry t); E: 0. 9±0. 1 to 4. 1±1. 3 ml; D: PV: 12±1. 2 to 24. 4±1. 6 (EB ug/g dry t); E: 2. 2±0. 2 to 8. 4±1. 3 ml. Aging produced progressive natural changes in oxidative stress, VP and gingival E. In diabetic animals, changes in oxidative stress, VP and gingival E were observed early and were progressively more significant than for ND. According to these results, non-diabetic gingival modifications develop naturally with age, while in aging associated to diabetic disease, hyperglycemia increases progressively and early.

Se han observados importantes cambios gingivo-periodontales en función de la edad tanto en ratas no diabéticas como en ratas diabéticas. Ratas machos Wistar de 200-220 g de peso corporal fueron separadas en dos grupos: 1) No diabéticas(ND) ; 2) Diabéticas (D), por haber recibido una dosis intraperitoneal (ip) de estreptozotocina (STZ) (50 mg íkg). Ambos grupos de ratas (ND y D) fueron sacrificados a las 4, 8, 12, 17 y 25 semanas de edad después del tratamiento con solución salina o con STZ. En ratas ND las los valores de glucemia fueron de 5 a 6 mmol/L, en tanto que en las D las glucemias se observaron progresivamente aumentadas entre las 4 y las 25 semanas con valores entre 18. 3±2. 1 a 39. 3±2. 7 mmol/L. El estrés oxidativo mostró diferencias significativas entre las encías de animales ND respecto a los D; ND: peroxidacion lipidica: Malondihaldeido (MDA): 8. 52±1. 2 a 15. 5±2(nmol/mgP);superoxido dismutasa (SOD):37. 1±4. 2 a 21. 2±1. 3 (U/100mgP); D : MDA 13. 1±1. 6 a 22. 9±2. 7 (nmol/L); Superoxidodismutasa :SOD 17. 7±0. 8 a 9. ±0. 2 (U/100mgP). La permeabilidad vascular(PV) y el edema(E) gingival mostraron cambios significativos entre las 4 y las 25 semanas de edad entre los animales ND respecto a los D : ND : PV: 10±0. 2 a 16. 1±1. 3 (EB ug/g t seco); E :0. 9±0. 1 a 4. 1±1. 3 ml; D: PV :12±1. 2 a 24. 4±1. 6 (EB ug/g t seco); E 2. 2_/- 0. 2 a 8. 4± 1. 3 ml. El envejecimiento produjo cambios progresivos naturales en el estrés oxidativo, PV y Egingival. En tanto que en el estado diabético los cambios del estrés oxidativo, PV y E gingival se observan temprano y fueron progresivamente más significativos comparados con los ND. De acuerdo a estos resultados las modificaciones gingivales no diabéticas se desarrollan naturalmente en función de la edad, en cambio en la senectud asociada con enfermedad diabética la hiperglucemia aumenta progresiva y tempranamente.

N-Propyl-N'-2-pyridylurea-modified silica as mixed-mode stationary phase with moderate weak anion exchange capacity and pH-dependent surface charge reversal.

Herein, we present a novel silica-based stationary phase modified with N-propyl-N'-2-pyridylurea selector. Due to the weakly basic properties of the pyridine selector and the presence of residual silanols after selector immobilization, a zwitterionic surface with a pI observed at approximately pH 5.5 was measured by electrophoretic light scattering in pH-dependent ζ-potential determinations. The capability of the new N-propyl-N'-2-pyridylurea-modified silica to serve as mixed-mode stationary phase was investigated. For this purpose, it was characterized under RP and HILIC conditions using test mixtures. Subsequent classification of this stationary phase in comparison to in-house and commercial benchmarks was carried by principal component analysis of resultant retention factors from chromatographic tests. The results show a relatively unique mixed-mode character amongst the tested stationary phases. The chromatographic retention characteristics of acidic compounds matched well the ζ-potential determinations. The application of anion-exchange at low pH values (e.g. pH 5) and ion exclusion chromatography at pH 7 for the separation of uridine 5'-mono-, di- and triphosphate demonstrated a pH-dependent umpolung of the stationary phase surface. The combination of these separation principles in a pH gradient from 5 to 7 gave rise to weak anion-exchange selectivity with a charge-inducted elution due to repulsive interactions at higher pH and resulted in a significant faster separation with improved peak shape under mild elution conditions.

Oxidative stress in the optic nerve and cortical visual area of steptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats: Blockade with a selective bradykinin B1 receptor antagonist.

The role of bradykinin B1 receptors on the oxidative stress as measured by the levels of Na+/K+ ATPase activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) in male Wistar rat optic nerve and visual cortex area 1 and 4weeks after STZ treatment was studied. Rats were divided into 4 groups (n=6-7): 1. Controls (non-diabetics); 2. Diabetics (65mg/kg streptozotocin, STZ); 3. Diabetics injected with B1 antagonist R-954 (2mg/Kg) during the last 3days of a one week period; 4. Diabetics injected with B1 antagonist R-954 (2mg/Kg) during the last 3days of a 4week period. The results showed that plasma glucose levels increased by up to 4 fold in diabetic rats 1 or 4weeks following the STZ treatment. R-954 treatment did significantly decrease blood glucose levels. Levels of MDA was increased in the plasma of the 1 and 4week diabetic animals whereas the GSH levels were decreased. Both markers returned to normal following R-954 treatment. Na+/K+ ATPase activity significantly decreased in the optic nerve and visual cortex of diabetic rats at 1 and 4weeks but returned to normal following R-954 treatment. MDA levels increased markedly at 1 and 4weeks compared with control levels in the optic nerve but slightly in the visual cortex and returned to control levels in both tissues following R-954 treatment. GSH levels decreased in both tissues at 1 and 4weeks compared with control levels. Following administration of the selective BKB1R antagonist R-954, the levels of GSH returned to normal in both tissues of the 1 and 4week diabetic animals. These results showed that the inducible BKB1 receptors are associated with the oxidative stress in the optic nerve and cortical visual area of diabetic rats and suggested that BKB1-R antagonist R-954 could have a beneficial role in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy.

Hallucinations Associated with Topiramate Therapy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Topiramate is a medication that is approved as both monotherapy and adjunctive treatment of seizure disorder in adults and adolescents. It is also approved for migraine prophylaxis. It has been associated with many side effects, including weight loss and the development of renal stones. It has also been associated with various central nervous system side effects such as dizziness, nervousness, parasthesias, and fatigue. Less commonly, it has been associated with the development of psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations. OBJECTIVE: To describe the relationship between the administration of topiramate and the development of hallucinations in this patient. METHODS: We will now present the case of a 32-year-old man who developed auditory hallucinations after initiating a relatively low dose of topiramate (25mg twice daily) for the treatment of chronic pain. We will review the prior cases of topiramate induced hallucinations, and discuss how these cases compare to the case we have described. We will review the treatment of these hallucinations. RESULTS: In this case, there was a close temporal relationship between the initiation of topiramate and the onset of auditory hallucinations. CONCLUSION: This case supports the previous reports describing the association between the use of topiramate and the developmenrt of hallucinations. Although the average daily topiramate dose associated with the development of hallucinations in previously reported cases was 150 mg in women and 181 mg in men, hallucinations can occur at lower doses (as low as 50 mg daily) as well.

Detecting taxonomic and phylogenetic signals in equid cheek teeth: towards new palaeontological and archaeological proxies.

The Plio-Pleistocene evolution of Equus and the subsequent domestication of horses and donkeys remains poorly understood, due to the lack of phenotypic markers capable of tracing this evolutionary process in the palaeontological/archaeological record. Using images from 345 specimens, encompassing 15 extant taxa of equids, we quantified the occlusal enamel folding pattern in four mandibular cheek teeth with a single geometric morphometric protocol. We initially investigated the protocol accuracy by assigning each tooth to its correct anatomical position and taxonomic group. We then contrasted the phylogenetic signal present in each tooth shape with an exome-wide phylogeny from 10 extant equine species. We estimated the strength of the phylogenetic signal using a Brownian motion model of evolution with multivariate K statistic, and mapped the dental shape along the molecular phylogeny using an approach based on squared-change parsimony. We found clear evidence for the relevance of dental phenotypes to accurately discriminate all modern members of the genus Equus and capture their phylogenetic relationships. These results are valuable for both palaeontologists and zooarchaeologists exploring the spatial and temporal dynamics of the evolutionary history of the horse family, up to the latest domestication trajectories of horses and donkeys.

Surface-anchored counterions on weak chiral anion-exchangers accelerate separations and improve their compatibility for mass-spectrometry-hyphenation.

In the present work we propose new variants of chiral stationary phases (CSP) with tert-butylcarbamoylquinine (tBuCQN) as chiral selector molecule. Four tBuCQN-CSPs with distinct bonding chemistries are compared in terms of their pH-dependent surface charge by ζ-potential determinations, by achiral and chiral liquid chromatographic tests and LC-ESI-MS hyphenation. In one embodiment tBuCQN was immobilized on 3-mercaptopropylmethylsilyl-modified silica by thiol-ene click reaction (brush type CSP with selector coverage of 0.38mmol/g). In another embodiment, poly-(3-mercaptopropyl)-methylsiloxane was coated onto vinylized silica particles in presence of tBuCQN and radical initiator. The tBuCQN selector was then immobilized onto the polysiloxane film which in turn was crosslinked to the vinyl-surface in a simultaneous double click reaction leading to a CSP with enhanced stability due to multiple linkages (0.29mmol/g tBuCQN). Aliquots of each of the two CSPs were further modified by oxidation of free residual thiol groups to sulfonic acid functionalities to obtain strongly acidic endcapping groups which act as immobilized counterions of the chiral WAX CSPs (0.2mmol/g sulfonic acid co-ligands for brush type CSP). This caused secondary repulsive interactions, hence balanced interactions of the target analytes (chiral acids) at the WAX site and decreased non-specific interactions. Furthermore, this rendered possible the use of milder elution conditions, i.e. lower ionic strength, for acidic compounds. Separation performance was maintained and slightly improved, respectively, when using polar organic or reversed-phase type elution mode in chiral separations which were significantly accelerated (isoeluotropic conditions could be achieved with ca. factor 40 lower counterion concentration in the mobile phase). Thus, LC-ESI-MS enantiomer separations could be readily performed at very low ionic strength conditions (10mM acetate) which is favorable due to less ion suppression. In addition to this the newly developed stationary phases showed complementary retention profiles in RP- and HILIC-mode which make these type of stationary phases also promising tools for achiral applications in pharmaceutical analysis, especially as orthogonal separation principle e.g. in 2D-LC and impurity profiling.

A genomewide catalogue of single nucleotide polymorphisms in white-beaked and Atlantic white-sided dolphins.

The field of population genetics is rapidly moving into population genomics as the quantity of data generated by high-throughput sequencing platforms increases. In this study, we used restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (RADSeq) to recover genomewide genotypes from 70 white-beaked (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) and 43 Atlantic white-sided dolphins (L. acutus) gathered throughout their north-east Atlantic distribution range. Both species are at a high risk of being negatively affected by climate change. Here, we provide a resource of 38,240 RAD-tags and 52,981 nuclear SNPs shared between both species. We have estimated overall higher levels of nucleotide diversity in white-sided (π = 0.0492 ± 0.0006%) than in white-beaked dolphins (π = 0.0300 ± 0.0004%). White-sided dolphins sampled in the Faroe Islands, belonging to two pods (N = 7 and N = 11), showed similar levels of diversity (π = 0.0317 ± 0.0007% and 0.0267 ± 0.0006%, respectively) compared to unrelated individuals of the same species sampled elsewhere (e.g. π = 0.0285 ± 0.0007% for 11 Scottish individuals). No evidence of higher levels of kinship within pods can be derived from our analyses. When identifying the most likely number of genetic clusters among our sample set, we obtained an estimate of two to four clusters, corresponding to both species and possibly, two further clusters within each species. A higher diversity and lower population structuring was encountered in white-sided dolphins from the north-east Atlantic, in line with their preference for pelagic waters, as opposed to white-beaked dolphins that have a more patchy distribution, mainly across continental shelves.

La mejora continua: objetivo determinante para alcanzar laexcelencia en instituciones de educación superior / The continuous improvement: decisive objective to reach the excellence in higher education institutions

La teoría que se aporte al proceso de mejora en las instituciones docentes es un imperativo para la nueva y futura universidad. Este artículo aborda cómo la calidad, la evaluación, la acreditación y la gestión se integran para alcanzar la mejora continua en la educaciónsuperior y se contextualizan en las universidades cubanas. Los autores expresan concepciones acerca del progreso de estos centros educativos y argumentan cómo se concibe el perfeccionamiento continuo en el marco de la gestión estratégica; profundizan en los principios, las acciones de avance y los tipos de mejora; además exponen y ejemplificanlos procedimientos metodológicos propuestos para la conformación de un plan que dé respuesta a las insuficiencias de la autoevaluación para una institución a partir de laexperiencia en la Universidad de Ciencias Pedagógicas Félix Varela Morales e introducido en la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Villa Clara(AU)

Surface charge fine tuning of reversed-phase/weak anion-exchange type mixed-mode stationary phases for milder elution conditions.

A series of new mixed-mode reversed-phase/weak anion-exchange (RP/WAX) phases have been synthesized by immobilization of N-undecenyl-3-α-aminotropane onto thiol-modified silica gel by thiol-ene click chemistry and subsequent introduction of acidic thiol-endcapping functionalities of different type and surface densities. Click chemistry allowed to adjust a controlled surface concentration of the RP/WAX ligand in such a way that a sufficient quantity of residual thiols remained unmodified which have been capped by thiol click with either 3-butenoic acid or allylsulfonic acid as co-ligands. In another embodiment, performic acid oxidation of N-undecenyl-3-α-aminotropane-derivatized thiol-modified silica gave a RP/WAX phase with high density of sulfonic acid end-capping groups. ζ-Potential determinations confirmed the fine-tuned pI of these mixed-mode stationary phases which was shifted from 9.5 to 8.2, 7.8, and 6.5 with 3-butenoic acid and allylsulfonic acid end-capping as well as performic acid oxidation. For acidic solutes, the co-ionic endcapping leads to strongly reduced retention times and clearly allowed elution of these analytes under lower ionic strength thus milder elution conditions. In spite of the acidic endcapping, the new mixed-mode phases maintained their hydrophobic and anion-exchange selectivity as well as their multimodal nature featuring RP and HILIC elution domains at acetonitrile percentages below and above 50%, respectively. Column classification by principal component analysis of an extended retention map in comparison to a set of polar commercial and in-house synthesized stationary phases confirmed complementarity of the new mixed-mode phases with respect to HILIC, polar RP, amino and commercial mixed-mode phases.

Evaluación del Programa nacional de erradicación del mosquito Aedes aegypti. Santa Clara, 2014 / Evaluation of the National Aedes aegypti Eradication Program in Santa Clara, 2014

En el año 2014, en la provincia Villa Clara se informaron 6 347 casos confirmados de dengue; al cierre del 2013, se notificaron 4 497 focos, y el municipio de Santa Clara fue el más afectado con 3 734, cifra superior a la del año 2012, con un índice de infestación de 0,33. Por tal motivo, se realizó una Investigación en Sistemas y Servicios de Salud, mediante una evaluación táctica del cumplimiento de indicadores del Programa Nacional de Erradicación del Mosquito Aedes aegypti en el municipio de Santa Clara durante el año 2014. Para el estudio, se tuvieron en cuenta las seis áreas de salud, 1 186 médicos, 896 enfermeras, 393 trabajadores de la campaña y 93 199 viviendas a inspeccionar. La evaluación final del programa fue de no satisfactorio, pues solo alcanzó el 26,4 por ciento de cumplimiento, y el estándar establecido es de un 90 por ciento(AU)

Direct observation of nanometer-scale pores of melittin in supported lipid monolayers.

Melittin is the most studied membrane-active peptide and archetype within a large and diverse group of pore formers. However, the molecular characteristics of melittin pores remain largely unknown. Herein, we show by atomic force microscopy (AFM) that lipid monolayers in the presence of melittin are decorated with numerous regularly shaped circular pores that can be distinguished from nonspecific monolayer defects. The specificity of these pores is reinforced through a statistical evaluation of depressions found in Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers in the presence and absence of melittin, which eventually allows characterization of the melittin-induced pores at a quantitative low-resolution level. We observed that the large majority of pores exhibit near-circular symmetry and a Gaussian distribution in size, with a mean diameter of ∼8.7 nm. A distinctive feature is a ring of material found around the pores, made by, on average, three positive peaks, with a height over the level of the lipidic background of ∼0.23 nm. This protruding rim is most likely due to the presence of melittin near the pore border. Although the current resolution of the AFM images in the {x, y} plane does not allow distinction of the specific organization of the peptide molecules, these results provide an unprecedented view of melittin pores formed in lipidic interfaces and open new perspectives for future structural investigations of these and other pore-forming peptides and proteins using supported monolayers.

Cotinina urinaria en embarazadas expuestas al humo ambiental del tabaco que concurren a controles prenatales en la ciudad de Gualeguaychú / Urinary cotinine values and exposure to environmental snuff in pregnant women who attend prenatal examinations in the city of Gualeguaychú

El tabaco es uno de los factores de riesgo prevenibles más importante de las enfermedades crónicas no trasmisibles (ECNT). Los efectos de fumar no están limitados a los fumadores activos, involucran además a los individuos que sufren los efectos de los tóxicos del humo del tabaco ambiental (HTA): los fumadores pasivos. Las mujeres embarazadas fumadoras activas o expuestas al HTA son una población muy sensible a los efectos tóxicos del tabaco, ya que los mismos repercuten también sobre el feto en formación. La cotinina es en la actualidad el marcador biológico más adecuado para medir exposición al HTA tanto activa como pasiva. Objetivo: determinar el nivel de cotinina en mujeres embarazadas que manifestaron ser fumadoras pasivas, relacionando los valores obtenidos con los días de exposición manifestados. Materiales y métodos: se trabajó con 443 embarazadas que concurrieron a centros de salud públicos y a un centro privado de Gualeguaychú para su control prenatal, solicitándoles a las que manifestaron estar expuestas al HTA una muestra de orina para el dosaje de cotinina. Se aplicó un diseño de tipo no experimental, retrospectivo y de corte transversal. El dosaje de cotinina se realizó en orina, empleando una metodología quimioluminiscente. Previamente se obtuvo un valor referencial de cotinina urinaria inferior a los 15,2 ng/ml para el 98 % de sujetos no fumadores no expuestos al HTA. Resultados: los análisis de los niveles de cotinina en las embarazadas fumadoras pasivas revelaron que, el 82 % en los centros públicos y el 42 % en el centro privado, presentaron un nivel de cotinina superior a 15,2 ng/ml. Teniendo en cuenta los días de exposición, el registro promedio de cotinina para las que manifestaron estar expuestas los últimos siete días fue de 52,3 ng/ml en el sector público y 64,1 ng/ml en el privado. Discusión y conclusiones: la medición de cotinina resulta de utilidad para tener datos fidedignos de la exposición pasiva al HTA. En los centros públicos el 82 % de las embarazadas que manifestaron estar expuestas tenían valores de cotinina urinaria que coincidían con lo expresado, mientras que en el centro privado el 42 % de las que manifestaron la misma situación presentaba valores del indicador que denotaban exposición al tabaco. Se observó un aumento progresivo del promedio del indicador biológico de acuerdo a los días de exposición en ambos sectores, superando los 50ng/ml cuando la exposición declarada fue durante los últimos 7 días, lo que es indicativo de una exposición al HTA severa. El interés y preocupación manifestados por las embarazadas que participaron en este estudio indica que la implementación de este tipo de diagnóstico puede contribuir a las campañas de prevención contra el consumo de tabaco y promover el derecho de quienes no fuman a vivir en ambientes saludables libres de los compuestos tóxicos del mismo.

Tobacco is one of the preventable risk factors, which is most important in the chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The effects of smoking are not limited to active smokers; it also involves individuals who suffer the effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS): passive smokers. Pregnant women who are active smokers or exposed to ETS are a very sensitive population to the toxic effects of snuff, since they also affect the developing fetus. Cotinine is currently the most suitable biomarker for measuring ETS exposure both active and passive. Objective: To determine the level of cotinine in pregnant women who reported being passive smokers, relating the values obtained with the indicated days of exposure. Materials and methods: We worked with 443 pregnant women attending public health centers and a private centre in Gualeguaychú for prenatal care, asking to be exposed to ETS showed a urine sample for cotinine dosage. We performed a non-experimental, retrospective and cross-sectional design. The dosage of cotinine in urine was performed using a chemiluminescent method. Previously we obtained a reference value of urinary cotinine less than 15,2ng/ml for 98% of non smokers unexposed to ETS. Results: The analysis of cotinine levels in passive smoking pregnant women show tHTA in public centers, 82% has a cotinine level greater than 15,2ng/embaml, whereas in the private centre, 42% have the same range values. Considering the days of exposure, the average cotinine log for those who said were exposed for the past seven days, was 52.32 ng/ml in the public sector and 64.17 ng/ml in the private one. Discussion and conclusion: The measurement of cotinine is useful to have reliable data from passive exposure to ETS. In public centers, 82% of pregnant women who said were exposed had urinary cotinine levels consistent with the statement, while in the private centre the 42% who said had the same situation had indicator values denoting exposure to snuff. There was a progressive increase in average biological indicator according to the days of exposure in both sectors, exceeding 50ng/ml when the declared exposure was during the last 7 days, which is indicative of a severe ETS exposure. The interest and concern expressed by the pregnant women who participated in this study indicates HTA the implementation of this kind of diagnosis may contribute to prevention campaigns against snuff consumption and promote the right of nonsmokers to live in healthy environments free of the toxic compounds thereof.

Haemorrhagic cystitis in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT): a prospective observational study of incidence and management in HSCT centres within the GITMO network (Gruppo Italiano Trapianto Midollo Osseo).

UNLABELLED: Haemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a recognised complication in patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). This study evaluates the incidence and severity of HC in patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT during hospitalisation and within the first 100 days following transplant, looking at the use of prophylaxis, management of HC, outcomes at 100 days post transplant, and to identify any correlations between development of HC and the different conditioning regimens for transplant or HC prevention methods used. RESULTS: Four hundred and fifty patients (412 adult and 38 paediatric) were enrolled in this prospective, multicentre, and observational study. HC was observed in 55 patients (12.2%) of which 8/38 were paediatric (21% of total paediatric sample) and 47/412 adults (11.4% of total adult sample). HC was observed primarily in the non-related HSCT group (45/55; 81.8%, p= 0.001) compared to sibling and myeloablative transplant protocols (48/55; 87.3%; p= 0.008) and with respect to reduced intensity conditioning regimens (7/55;12.7%). In 33 patients with HC (60%), BK virus was isolated in urine samples, a potential co-factor in the pathogenesis of HC. The median day of HC presentation was 23 days post HSCT infusion, with a mean duration of 20 days. The most frequent therapeutic treatments were placement of a bladder catheter (31/55; 56%) and continuous bladder irrigation (40/55; 73%). The range of variables in terms of conditioning regimens and so on, makes analysis difficult. CONCLUSIONS: This multi-centre national study reported similar incidence rates of HC to those in the literature. Evidence-based guidelines for prophylaxis and management are required in transplant centres. Further research is required to look at both prophylactic and therapeutic interventions, which also consider toxicity of newer conditioning regimens.

Shotgun microbial profiling of fossil remains.

Millions to billions of DNA sequences can now be generated from ancient skeletal remains thanks to the massive throughput of next-generation sequencing platforms. Except in cases of exceptional endogenous DNA preservation, most of the sequences isolated from fossil material do not originate from the specimen of interest, but instead reflect environmental organisms that colonized the specimen after death. Here, we characterize the microbial diversity recovered from seven c. 200- to 13 000-year-old horse bones collected from northern Siberia. We use a robust, taxonomy-based assignment approach to identify the microorganisms present in ancient DNA extracts and quantify their relative abundance. Our results suggest that molecular preservation niches exist within ancient samples that can potentially be used to characterize the environments from which the remains are recovered. In addition, microbial community profiling of the seven specimens revealed site-specific environmental signatures. These microbial communities appear to comprise mainly organisms that colonized the fossils recently. Our approach significantly extends the amount of useful data that can be recovered from ancient specimens using a shotgun sequencing approach. In future, it may be possible to correlate, for example, the accumulation of postmortem DNA damage with the presence and/or abundance of particular microbes.