'An investigation into the occurrence and removal of pharmaceuticals in Colombian wastewater'.

In this work, the presence of 20 pharmaceuticals in wastewater from Colombia is investigated. Several widely consumed compounds have been detected in wastewater samples from different origins and geographical areas in Colombia. The studied pharmaceuticals included antibiotics, analgesics and anti-inflammatories, cholesterol lowering statin drugs, lipid regulators, and anti-depressants. The investigated samples were urban wastewater collected during one whole week before (influent) and after treatment (effluent) in the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of Bogotá and Medellin. Raw wastewater from the Hospital of Tumaco and from the city of Florencia were also collected. Analyses performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) revealed that most of the target analytes were present in all the wastewater samples. The highest concentrations (up to 50 µg/L) corresponded to acetaminophen, but several antibiotics, such as azithromycin, ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin, and antihypertensive drugs, such as losartan and valsartan, were commonly present in influent wastewater (IWW) at levels above 1 µg/L. Moreover, the treatment applied in WWTPs seemed to not efficiently remove the compounds under study, because most pharmaceuticals were also present in effluent wastewater (EWW) at concentrations close to those of the IWW. Special emphasis was made in this work on the quality of data reported, performing a detailed study of quality control (QC) samples. The analytical approach used -direct injection of 5-fold diluted samples without any additional treatment - is simpler and faster than the commonly applied solid phase extraction (SPE). The use of 12 isotope-labelled internal standards ensured the satisfactory correction of matrix effects for the corresponding analytes. For the remaining 8 compounds, no drastic matrix effects were observed, and only four compounds (cloxacillin, doxycycline, losartan, tetracycline) presented QC recoveries near or slightly below 60%, revealing ionization suppression, particularly in the IWW. Data on the occurrence of pharmaceuticals reported in this paper are the basis for current studies that aim to develop efficient systems for the degradation/removal of these compounds from the aquatic environment.

Thermal adaptation strategies of the extremophile bacterium Thermus filiformis based on multi-omics analysis.

Thermus filiformis is an aerobic thermophilic bacterium isolated from a hot spring in New Zealand. The experimental study of the mechanisms of thermal adaptation is important to unveil response strategies of the microorganism to stress. In this study, the main pathways involved on T. filiformis thermoadaptation, as well as, thermozymes with potential biotechnological applications were revealed based on omics approaches. The strategy adopted in this study disclosed that pathways related to the carbohydrate metabolism were affected in response to thermoadaptation. High temperatures triggered oxidative stress, leading to repression of genes involved in glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. During heat stress, the glucose metabolism occurred predominantly via the pentose phosphate pathway instead of the glycolysis pathway. Other processes, such as protein degradation, stringent response, and duplication of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, were also related to T. filiformis thermoadaptation. The heat-shock response influenced the carotenoid profile of T. filiformis, favoring the synthesis of thermozeaxanthins and thermobiszeaxanthins, which are related to membrane stabilization at high temperatures. Furthermore, antioxidant enzymes correlated with free radical scavenging, including superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase, and metabolites, such as oxaloacetate and α-ketoglutarate, were accumulated at 77 °C.

Bone density, microarchitecture, and material strength in chronic kidney disease patients at the time of kidney transplantation.

Bone health is assessed by bone mineral density (BMD). Other techniques such as trabecular bone score and microindentation could improve the risk of fracture's estimation. Our chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients presented worse bone health (density, microarchitecture, mechanical properties) than controls. More than BMD should be done to evaluate patients at risk of fracture. INTRODUCTION: BMD measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is used to assess bone health in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Recently, trabecular bone score (TBS) and microindentation that can measure microarchitectural and mechanical properties of bone have demonstrated better correlation with fractures than DXA in different populations. We aimed to characterize bone health (BMD, TBS, and strength) and calcium/phosphate metabolism in a cohort of 53 ESRD patients undergoing kidney transplantation (KT) and 94 controls with normal renal function. METHODS: Laboratory workout, lumbar spine/hip BMD measurements (using DXA), lumbar spine TBS, and bone strength were carried out. The latter was assessed with an impact microindentation device, standardized as percentage of a reference value, and expressed as bone material strength index (BMSi) units. Multivariable linear regression was used to study differences between cases and controls adjusted by age, gender, and body mass index. RESULTS: Among cases, serum calcium was 9.6 ± 0.7 mg/dl, phosphorus 4.4 ± 1.2 mg/dl, and intact parathyroid hormone 214 pg/ml [102-390]. Fourteen patients (26.4%) had prevalent asymptomatic fractures in spinal X-ray. BMD was significantly lower among ESRD patients compared to controls: lumbar 0.966 ± 0.15 vs 0.982 ± 0.15 (adjusted p = 0.037), total hip 0.852 ± 0.15 vs 0.902 ± 0.13 (adjusted p < 0.001), and femoral neck 0.733 ± 0.15 vs 0.775 ± 0.12 (adjusted p < 0.001), as were TBS (1.20 [1.11-1.30] vs 1.31 [1.19-1.43] (adjusted p < 0.001)) and BMSi (79 [71.8-84.2] vs 82. [77.5-88.9] (adjusted p = 0.005)). CONCLUSIONS: ESRD patients undergoing transplant surgery have damaged bone health parameters (density, microarchitecture, and mechanical properties) despite acceptably controlled hyperparathyroidism. Detecting these abnormalities may assist in identifying patients at high risk of post-transplantation fractures.

Cirugía de catarata y Chikunguña: ¿Se puede operar un paciente con infección activa? Reporte de dos casos / Cataract surgery and Chikunguya: Can you operate a patient with active infection? Report of two cases

La fiebre por Chikunguña es una enfermedad reemergente, causante de una alta morbilidad y generadora de alarmas en salud pública. En su última epidemia en Colombia en el año 2015 se reportaron 358.974 casos, siendo su mayoría confirmados con descarte epidemiológico. A nivel ocular se describen la uveitis anterior y la retinitis. Su curso es benigno y su manejo sintomático. Se presentan 2 casos confirmados de Chikunguña llevados sin complicaciones a cirugía de catarata en fases de convalecencia de la enfermedad, sin hallazgos positivos iniciales al examen oftalmológico y tampoco se hicieron evidentes a los 5 meses post operatorios. El presente reporte es una primera aproximación a los procedimientos quirúrgicos asociados a esta enfermedad ya que se desconocen consecuencias o complicaciones de realizar intervenciones invasivas en pacientes con el diagnóstico de Chikunguña.

Chikungunya fever is a reemerging disease, which causes high morbidity and generates alarms in public health. In its last epidemic in Colombia in the year 2015, 358.974 cases were reported, mostly being confirmed by epidemiological discard. Anterior uveitis and retinitis are described as the main ophthalmologic manifestations. Its course is benign and its management symptomatic. Two confirmed cases of Chikungunya are presented, undergoing uncomplicated cataract surgery in convalescent phase of the disease, without initial positive ophthalmological findings or during the next 5 post-operative months. Th is report is a first approximation to surgical procedures associated with this disease given that consequences or complications of performing invasive procedures in patients with the diagnosis of Chikungunya are unknown.

Aislamiento e identificación de microorganismos entéricosen muestras ambientales y cloacales en Crocodylus intermedius y testudines de la estación de biología tropical Roberto Francoen, Villavicencio, Colombia / Isolation and identification of enteric microorganisms in environmental and cloacae samples of Crocodylus intermedius and testudines in the estacion de biologia tropical Roberto Franco, Villavicencio, Colombia

Los microorganismos entéricos han sido frecuentemente reportados como patógenos en mamíferos, aves, peces, reptiles y humanos, a pesar de hacer parte de su flora normal intestinal. La Estación de Biología Tropical Roberto Franco (EBTRF), lidera el programa de recuperación del Caimán Llanero (Crocodylus intermedius), que se encuentra en inminente peligro de extinción; adicionalmente cuenta con una colección viva de Testudines que comprende más de 20 especies. Con el fin de determinar la presencia de potenciales enteropatógenos en el hábitat de los ejemplares, se obtuvieron 129 muestras ambientales y cloacales de las especies allí encontradas; se utilizó el medio de cultivo CHROMagar OrientaciónBD® para realizar los aislamientos y la identificación microbiológica. Los resultados muestran una mayor presentación de flora gram negativa predominando microorganismos de los géneros Escherichia coli (28%), Klebsiella sp (26%), Salmonella sp. (6%), Proteus sp (3%) y Citrobacter sp. (1%) Sin embargo, microorganismos del género Enterococcus sp. (gram positivo), fueron hallados en un mayor porcentaje (31%) en todas las muestras sin importar el origen de las mismas. Conscientes del riesgo que implica el aislamiento de microorganismos entéricos que pueden presentar un carácter zoonótico, se dio inicio a la implementación de un manual de bioseguridad para la Estación con el fin disminuir el riesgo para la población humana y animal.

Enteric microorganisms has been reported as pathogens for mammals, birds, fishes, reptiles and humans, in spite of being part of the normal intestinal flora. The Estación de Biología Tropical Roberto Franco (EBTRF), leads the program of recovery of the Caiman Llanero which is in imminent extinction danger and also it has an alive collection of Testudines with more than 20 species. With the purpose of evidencing the presence of potential enteropathogens in the habitat of the animals, we collected 129 environmental and cloacae samples from the animals of the Station and we proceeded to use CHROMagar OrientationBD® to isolate and identify enteric microorganisms. The results show a higher prevalence of Gram Negative Flora with predominance of Escherichia coli (28%), Klebsiella sp (26%), Salmonella sp (6%), Proteus sp (3%), and Citrobacter sp (1%). In spite Enterococcus sp. (Gram Positive) was present in a bigger percentage (31%) in all the samples without be important the origin of themselves. Aware of the risk for zoonotic microorganisms we beginning to the implementation of a biosecurity manual for the Station and this way to reduce all risk for the animal and human population.

Transcription factors regulating leaf senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Senescence is a highly regulated process, eventually leading to cell and tissue disintegration: a physiological process associated with nutrient (e.g. nitrogen) redistribution from leaves to reproductive organs. Senescence is not observed in young leaves, indicating that repressors efficiently act to suppress cell degradation during early leaf development and/or that senescence activators are switched on when a leaf ages. Thus, massive regulatory network re-wiring likely constitutes an important component of the pre-senescence process. Transcription factors (TFs) have been shown to be central elements of such regulatory networks. Here, we used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis to study the expression of 1880 TF genes during pre-senescence and early-senescence stages of leaf development, using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model. We show that the expression of 185 TF genes changes when leaves develop from half to fully expanded leaves and finally enter partial senescence. Our analysis identified 41 TF genes that were gradually up-regulated as leaves progressed through these developmental stages. We also identified 144 TF genes that were down-regulated during senescence. A considerable number of the senescence-regulated TF genes were found to respond to abiotic stress, and salt stress appeared to be the major factor controlling their expression. Our data indicate a peculiar fine-tuning of developmental shifts during late-leaf development that is controlled by TFs.