A population-based study of preeclampsia and eclampsia in Ecuador: ethnic, geographical and altitudes differences.

Background: In Ecuador eclampsia and preeclampsia were identified as the third cause of maternal death. Like other Latin-American countries, Ecuador has human settlements living from 0 to more than 4000 m of altitude and comprising a wide ethnic-diversity across all these altitude changes. These characteristics offer the possibility to study a wide variety of possible risk factors for preeclampsia and eclampsia.

A Multi-Objective Approach for Drug Repurposing in Preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder that occurs during pregnancy. It is a complex disease with unknown pathogenesis and the leading cause of fetal and maternal mortality during pregnancy. Using all drugs currently under clinical trial for preeclampsia, we extracted all their possible targets from the DrugBank and ChEMBL databases and labeled them as "targets".

Consensus strategy in genes prioritization and combined bioinformatics analysis for preeclampsia pathogenesis.

Background: Preeclampsia is a multifactorial disease with unknown pathogenesis. Even when recent studies explored this disease using several bioinformatics tools, the main objective was not directed to pathogenesis. Additionally, consensus prioritization was proved to be highly efficient in the recognition of genes-disease association.

Breast cancer risk associated with gene expression and genotype polymorphisms of the folate-metabolizing MTHFR gene: a case-control study in a high altitude Ecuadorian mestizo population.

Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women in 2014. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methionine synthase (MTR), and MTR reductase (MTRR) are enzymes that play an important role in folate metabolism. The single nucleotide polymorphisms, MTHFR C677T, A1298C, MTR A2756G, and MTRR A66G, alter plasmatic folate and homocysteine concentrations, causing problems during the repairment, synthesis, and methylation of the genetic material.

Spontaneous splenic rupture and Anisakis appendicitis presenting as abdominal pain: a case report.

Introduction: Anisakidosis, human infection with nematodes of the family Anisakidae, is caused most commonly by Anisakis simplex. Acquired by the consumption of raw or undercooked marine fish or squid, anisakidosis occurs where such dietary customs are practiced, including Japan, the coastal regions of Europe and the United States. Rupture of the spleen is a relatively common complication of trauma and many systemic disorders affecting the reticuloendothelial system, including infections and neoplasias.

Genotoxicity studies performed in the ecuadorian population.

Genotoxicity studies in Ecuador have been carried out during the past two decades. The focuses of the research were mainly the area of environmental issues, where the populations have been accidentally exposed to contaminants and the area of occupational exposure of individuals at the workplace. This paper includes studies carried out in the population of the Amazon region, a zone known for its rich biodiversity as well as for the ecological damage caused by oil spills and chemical sprayings whose consequences continue to be controversial.

Baseline determination in social, health, and genetic areas in communities affected by glyphosate aerial spraying on the northeastern Ecuadorian border.

The northeastern Ecuadorian border has undergone aerial spraying with an herbicide mix that contains surfactants and adjuvants, executed by the Colombian Government. The purpose of this study was to diagnose social, health, and genetic aspects of the people affected by glyphosate. For this objective to be achieved, 144 people were interviewed, and 521 medical diagnoses and 182 peripheral blood samples were obtained.

Relationship of an hRAD54 gene polymorphism (2290 C/T) in an Ecuadorian population with chronic myelogenous leukemia.

The hRAD54 gene is a key member of the RAD52 epistasis group involved in repair of double-strand breaks (DSB) by homologous recombination (HR). Thus, alterations of the normal function of these genes could generate genetic instability, shifting the normal process of the cell cycle, leading the cells to develop into cancer. In this work we analyzed exon 18 of the hRAD54 gene, which has been previously reported by our group to carry a silent polymorphism, 2290 C/T (Ala730Ala), associated to meningiomas.

Genetic polymorphisms in apolipoprotein E and glutathione peroxidase 1 genes in the Ecuadorian population affected with Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: The main objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of apolipoprotein E (Apo E) and glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) polymorphisms and their influence on the development of Alzheimer disease (AD) in the Ecuadorian population.

Methods: The authors performed an analytic transversal case-control study. The study group (n = 39) consisted of patients with AD and dementia.

Frequency of polymorphisms pro198leu in GPX-1 gene and ile58thr in MnSOD gene in the altitude Ecuadorian population with bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer represents 8% of all malignancies diagnosed in men and 3% in women. The risk factors for developing bladder cancer, including the incidence rate, morbidity, and mortality, vary according to the ethnic group, exposition rate at work, age, gender, and tobacco consumption. Moreover, there is a risk of developing this carcinoma due to dietary conditions, demonstrating that certain enzymes neutralize oxidative compound derivative of carcinogens, which if not degraded, accumulate in the body and destroy epithelial cells of the bladder, causing an increase in the risk of developing this disease.

Monitoring of DNA damage in individuals exposed to petroleum hydrocarbons in Ecuador.

Currently, it is known that several chemical agents used or generated by the oil industry are classified as mutagens and/or carcinogens. Among these we have gasoline, diesel, butane gas, styrene, benzene, chloroform, and others. Studies have verified that these chemicals have effects in fertility (abortions, sterility); produce various upheavals, such as dizziness, nausea, muscular pain; and produce chromosomal damage at the DNA level, which in the long or medium run, can develop into cancer and leukemia.

Genetics and congenital malformations: interpretations, attitudes and practices in suburban communities and the shamans of ecuador.

Objectives: The purpose of the present article was to evaluate how shamans and the suburban communities of Quito interpret the terminology used in genetics.

Methods: One hundred people living in 5 suburban districts of Quito were surveyed as well as 19 shamans of the Salasaca community.

Results: The results show that members of both groups are little informed about genetics.

Chromosome and DNA damage analysis in individuals occupationally exposed to pesticides with relation to genetic polymorphism for CYP 1A1 gene in Ecuador.

DNA damage was measured by using the alkaline comet assay and the chromosomal aberration (CA) test using peripheral blood samples from 45 pesticide sprayers from Cayambe, Ecuador. From a total of approximately 200 nuclei scored for each donor with the comet assay, a highly significant increase in DNA migration was observed when compared with a similar unexposed control population. Additionally, in the CA test, the exposed individuals were found to be significantly different when compared to the control population.

Cytogenetic monitoring in a population occupationally exposed to pesticides in Ecuador.

We analyzed the incidence of structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations (CAs) in workers of a plantation of flowers located in Quito, Ecuador, in South America. This study included 41 individuals occupationally exposed to 27 pesticides, some of which are restricted in many countries and are classified as extremely toxic by the World Health Organization; among these are aldicarb and fenamiphos. The same number of individuals of the same age, sex, and geographic area were selected as controls.

Should gaps be included in chromosomal aberration analysis? Evidence based on the comet assay.

This study evaluated DNA damage in human lymphocytes due to occupational exposure to low levels of ionizing radiation using two assays: the comet assay and chromosomal aberration (CA) analysis including and excluding gaps. The results obtained reveal a higher correlation between both methods when chromatid and chromosome gaps were included in the correlation analysis (r=0.78 versus r=0.