Dialysis-Reversible Complete Heart Block Without Severe Metabolic Derangements.

We present the case of an elderly female who presented to the emergency department with dizziness. She was found to have an acute chronic kidney injury complicated by a complete heart block (CHB). She received a transvenous pacemaker and was taken for hemodialysis (HD) with complete resolution of her heart block.

Analysing the Cyanobacterial PipX Interaction Network Using NanoBiT Complementation in PCC7942.

The conserved cyanobacterial protein PipX is part of a complex interaction network with regulators involved in essential processes that include metabolic homeostasis and ribosome assembly. Because PipX interactions depend on the relative levels of their different partners and of the effector molecules binding to them, in vivo studies are required to understand the physiological significance and contribution of environmental factors to the regulation of PipX complexes. Here, we have used the NanoBiT complementation system to analyse the regulation of complex formation in PCC 7942 between PipX and each of its two best-characterized partners, PII and NtcA.

The Signal Transduction Protein PII Controls the Levels of the Cyanobacterial Protein PipX.

Cyanobacteria, microorganisms performing oxygenic photosynthesis, must adapt their metabolic processes to environmental challenges such as day and night changes. PipX, a unique regulatory protein from cyanobacteria, provides a mechanistic link between the signalling protein PII, a widely conserved (in bacteria and plants) transducer of carbon/nitrogen/energy richness, and the transcriptional regulator NtcA, which controls a large regulon involved in nitrogen assimilation. PipX is also involved in translational regulation through interaction with the ribosome-assembly GTPase EngA.

The ribosome assembly GTPase EngA is involved in redox signaling in cyanobacteria.

Photosynthetic organisms must cope with environmental challenges, like those imposed by the succession of days and nights or by sudden changes in light intensities, that trigger global changes in gene expression and metabolism. The photosynthesis machinery is particularly susceptible to environmental changes and adaptation to them often involves redox-sensing proteins that are the targets of reactive oxygen species generated by photosynthesis activity. Here we show that EngA, an essential GTPase and ribosome-assembly protein involved in ribosome biogenesis in bacteria and chloroplasts, also plays a role in acclimatization to environmentally relevant stress in PCC7942 and that PipX, a promiscuous regulatory protein that binds to EngA, appears to fine-tune EngA activity.

Pleiotropic effects of PipX, PipY, or RelQ overexpression on growth, cell size, photosynthesis, and polyphosphate accumulation in the cyanobacterium PCC7942.

The cyanobacterial protein PipY belongs to the Pyridoxal-phosphate (PLP)-binding proteins (PLPBP/COG0325) family of pyridoxal-phosphate-binding proteins, which are represented in all three domains of life. These proteins share a high degree of sequence conservation, appear to have purely regulatory functions, and are involved in the homeostasis of vitamin B vitamers and amino/keto acids. Intriguingly, the genomic context of the gene in cyanobacteria connects PipY with PipX, a protein involved in signaling the intracellular energy status and carbon-to-nitrogen balance.

MRSA in the bursa: an unusual complication of MRSA bacteremia causing bilateral acromioclavicular septic arthritis.

Bacteraemia is known to cause serious complications including metastatic infections such as infective endocarditis, vertebral osteomyelitis, iliopsosas abscesses and septic arthritis. Bilateral septic arthritis, however, is a rare medical emergency with limited previous reports. species are the most common organisms identified as a result of suspected haematogenous spread from bacteraemia, direct inoculation or translocation from adjacent tissues.

The Conserved Family of the Pyridoxal Phosphate-Binding Protein (PLPBP) and Its Cyanobacterial Paradigm PipY.

The PLPBP family of pyridoxal phosphate-binding proteins has a high degree of sequence conservation and is represented in all three domains of life. PLPBP members, of which a few representatives have been studied in different contexts, are single-domain proteins with no known enzymatic activity that exhibit the fold type III of PLP-holoenzymes, consisting in an α/β barrel (TIM-barrel), where the PLP cofactor is solvent-exposed. Despite the constant presence of cofactor PLP (a key catalytic element in PLP enzymes), PLPBP family members appear to have purely regulatory functions affecting the homeostasis of vitamin B vitamers and amino/keto acids.

Regulatory Connections Between the Cyanobacterial Factor PipX and the Ribosome Assembly GTPase EngA.

Cyanobacteria, phototrophic organisms performing oxygenic photosynthesis, must adapt their metabolic processes to important environmental challenges, like those imposed by the succession of days and nights. Not surprisingly, certain regulatory proteins are found exclusively in this phylum. One of these unique proteins, PipX, provides a mechanistic link between signals of carbon/nitrogen and of energy, transduced by the signaling protein PII, and the control of gene expression by the global nitrogen regulator NtcA.

Hand surgeons and amyloidosis specialists warning: transthyretin-associated amyloidosis with bifid median nerve as a cause of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. A case report and literature review.

Introduction: Approximately 75% of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) are diagnosed as idiopathic. Despite this, the presence of an underlying cause such as an anatomical variant or a systemic disease must always be suspected, especially in cases of bilateral presentation without an obvious cause, recurrence or complications. The anatomical variant known as the bifid median nerve (BMN) is a very rare abnormality that can occasionally lead to CTS.

The default cyanobacterial linked genome: an interactive platform based on cyanobacterial linkage networks to assist functional genomics.

A database of cyanobacterial linked genomes that can be accessed through an interactive platform (https://dfgm.ua.es/genetica/investigacion/cyanobacterial_genetics/Resources.

Usefulness of Lung Ultrasound in Neonatal Congenital Heart Disease (LUSNEHDI): Lung Ultrasound to Assess Pulmonary Overflow in Neonatal Congenital Heart Disease.

This study aimed to explore the pattern of lung ultrasound (LUS) in newborns with congenital heart disease (CHD) and to investigate the accuracy of LUS assessing pulmonary overflow (PO) during the first days of life. Lung ultrasound was performed in 51 newborns during the first days of life, and newborns were classified in two groups depending on the predisposition to develop POas evaluated by the abundance of B-lines. The results were compared to the physical examination (PE), chest X-ray, and echocardiography.

[Surveillance of antituberculosis-drug resistance in Cuba, 2010-2011].

Introduction: Antituberculosis-drug resistance surveillance is very important to identify multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of resistance in M. tuberculosis strains isolated between 2010 and 2011, and to demonstrate the laboratory performance in the external quality control of drug susceptibility testing.

[Surveillance of resistance to antitubercular drugs in Cuba, 2000-2009].

Objective: Determine the prevalence of resistance to antitubercular drugs in Cuba in the 2000-2009 decade.

Methods: A prospective longitudinal study was conducted. The sample group consisted of 2,285 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates obtained from throughout the country in the period from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2009.

[Antimicrobial susceptibility and genetic bases for resistance of infection-causing Enterococcus strains in Cuba].

Objective: To identify infection-causing Enterococcus species in Cuban hospitals and determine their susceptibility to antimicrobial drugs, as well as their resistance mechanisms.

Methods: A total of 687 Enterococcus isolates from 30 Cuban hospitals in nine provinces of the country were studied over the period 2000-2009. The species were identified using both the conventional method and the automatic API(®) system.

Pressurised hot water extraction followed by headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of N-nitrosamines in sewage sludge.

A method for the quantitative determination of the nine EPA N-nitrosamines in sewage sludge was developed by using pressurised hot water extraction (PHWE) followed by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography coupled to chemical ionization ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (GC-CI-MS-MS). The pressurised hot water extraction was optimized using a central composite design with regard to operational parameters such as temperature, extraction time and pH of water as extracting solvent. The optimum conditions were: water at pH 7.

Low prevalence of Helicobacter pylori among symptomatic children from a hospital in Havana, Cuba.

The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and to introduce a new algorithm to improve its diagnosis in Cuban symptomatic children. One hundred and thirty-three consecutive children with upper gastrointestinal symptoms were studied. Patients were endoscoped and antral biopsies were obtained for rapid urease test (RUT), culture and histology.

Automated on-fiber derivatization with headspace SPME-GC-MS-MS for the determination of primary amines in sewage sludge using pressurized hot water extraction.

An automated, environmentally friendly, simple, selective, and sensitive method was developed for the determination of ten primary aliphatic amines in sewage sludge at μg/kg dry weight (d.w.).

Fully automated determination of N-nitrosamines in environmental waters by headspace solid-phase microextraction followed by GC-MS-MS.

A fully automated method for determining nine Environmental Protection Agency N-nitrosamines in several types of environmental waters at ng/L levels is presented. The method is based on a headspace solid-phase microextraction followed by GC-MS-MS using chemical ionization. Three different fibers (carboxen/PDMS, divinylbenzene/carboxen/PDMS, and PEG) were tested.

Pressurised hot water extraction followed by simultaneous derivatization and headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of aliphatic primary amines in sewage sludge.

In this paper we describe an environmentally friendly and sensitive method for the determination of ten primary amines in sewage sludge. The method is based on pressurised hot water extraction (PHWE) followed by simultaneous derivatization with pentafluorobenzaldehyde (PFBAY) and headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and subsequent gas-chromatography ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry (GC-IT-MS-MS) analysis. The influence of the main factors on the PHWE of sludge was optimized by a central composite design.

Phenotypic and genetic characterization of antimicrobial profiles of Helicobacter pylori strains in Cuba.

The study evaluated the antibiotic resistance patterns of Helicobacter pylori strains against metronidazole and clarithromycin in a hospital in Havana, Cuba. Eighty-five percent, 22.5%, and 10% of 40 H.

Automated determination of aliphatic primary amines in wastewater by simultaneous derivatization and headspace solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

This paper presents a fully automated method for determining ten primary amines in wastewater at ng/L levels. The method is based on simultaneous derivatization with pentafluorobenzaldehyde (PFBAY) and headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) followed by gas chromatography coupled to ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (GC-IT-MS-MS). The influence of main factors on the efficiency of derivatization and of HS-SPME is described in detail and optimized by a central composite design.

Comparison of the removal of phthalates and other organic pollutants from industrial wastewaters in membrane bioreactor and conventional activated sludge treatment plants.

In recent years greater attention has been paid to the presence of pollutants in wastewater treatment plants, mainly because of strict environmental regulations and the possibility of reusing treated water in industrial processes. Since some organic pollutant compounds are not sufficiently removed in conventional activated sludge treatment (CAST) plants, new treatment processes have been developed, such as membrane bioreactors (MBRs). In this study a submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR) was used to treat mixed industrial wastewaters in parallel with a CAST plant.

First report on fatal myocarditis associated with adenovirus infection in Cuba.

Myocarditis is caused frequently by viral infections of the myocardium. In the past, enteroviruses (EV) were considered the most common cause of myocarditis in all age groups. Other viruses that cause myocarditis are adenovirus and influenza viruses.