Modified lipids from Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes down-regulate the pro-inflammatory response and increase the expression of alternative activation markers in macrophages.

Herein, we analyzed the in vitro effect induced by total lipid extracts from Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes of RA and K98 strains, which were obtained after overnight incubation (RAinc and K98inc) to mimic phospholipid hydrolytic processes that occurred adjacent to degenerating amastigote nests in tissues of Chagas disease patients. We demonstrated that RAinc and K98inc might possess bioactive lipid molecules with anti-inflammatory bias since they inactivated the NF-κB pathway, in contrast to intact lipids. Moreover, different M1/M2 macrophage phenotype markers of polarization were analyzed by RT-qPCR which evidenced that RAinc and K98inc promoted an increased expression of the M2 markers Arginase-1, IL-10, FIZZ and YM-1, and a decreased expression of iNOS and proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α.

Assessment of the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of EORTC QLQ-MY20 and evaluation of health-related quality of Life outcomes in patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma in the real-world setting in Spain: results from the CharisMMa study.

We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Multiple Myeloma (MM) specific quality-of-life (QoL) questionnaire module (QLQ-MY20) in relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) patients. This was an observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study using EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-MY20 in RRMM patients (ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT03188536).

Role of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant for relapsed/refractory aggressive B-cell lymphomas in the CART era.

Anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CART) has rapidly been adopted as the standard third-line therapy to treat aggressive B-cell lymphomas (ABCL) after failure of second-line therapy despite the lack of direct comparisons with allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT)-based strategies. Using the Grupo Español de Trasplante y Terapia Celular (GETH-TC) registry, we selected patients with the following characteristics: CART or alloHCT performed between 2016 and 2021; ≥18 years old; ABCL diagnosis; ≥2 lines of therapy; and either anti-CD19 CART or alloHCT as therapy at relapse. The analysis included a total of 316 (CART = 215, alloHCT = 101) patients.

Real-time, in situ measurement of HO generated during in situ combustion tests using 1f-normalized wavelength modulation spectroscopy with second harmonic detection.

The development and deployment of a real-time, in situ, non-invasive sensor to monitor the concentration of during in situ combustion (ISC) experiments with a heavy-crude oil is described. A real-time sensor to monitor the gas-phase products from ISC can support the study of the kinetics of the complex chemical reactive system in ISC. The mole fraction of was measured using tunable diode laser (TDL) absorption spectroscopy coupled with 1-normalized wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) and 2 detection.

Laboratory Hyperspectral Image Acquisition System Setup and Validation.

Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) techniques have demonstrated potential to provide useful information in a broad set of applications in different domains, from precision agriculture to environmental science. A first step in the preparation of the algorithms to be employed outdoors starts at a laboratory level, capturing a high amount of samples to be analysed and processed in order to extract the necessary information about the spectral characteristics of the studied samples in the most precise way. In this article, a custom-made scanning system for hyperspectral image acquisition is described.

Healthiness and disease in Marmato gold mines during the 19th century: Between the smallpox plague and the War of a Thousand Days.

Mining has had a great influence on human societies permeating the riches of the soil and culture in equal proportion. This has led to profound changes in the individuals dedicated to this work and the locations where it takes place. In this historical review, we describe the socio-cultural and health characteristics, as well as the diseases associated with gold mining in Marmato (Caldas) during the 19th century.

New precontoured long locking plate for proximal metadiaphyseal fractures of the humerus: a cadaveric study for its use with the minimally invasive technique.

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify nerves at risk when using a minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis precontoured long proximal humerus locking plate and to evaluate the risk of injury to deltoid insertion and brachialis muscle.

Methods: Ten cadaveric upper limb specimens were used. A transdeltoid anterolateral approach was performed proximally and a second anterior approach was performed distally.

A Multispectral Camera Development: From the Prototype Assembly until Its Use in a UAV System.

Multispectral imaging (MI) techniques are being used very often to identify different properties of nature in several domains, going from precision agriculture to environmental studies, not to mention quality inspection of pharmaceutical production, art restoration, biochemistry, forensic sciences or geology, just to name some. Different implementations are commercially available from the industry and yet there is quite an interest from the scientific community to spread its use to the majority of society by means of cost effectiveness and ease of use for solutions. These devices make the most sense when combined with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), going a step further and alleviating repetitive routines which could be strenuous if traditional methods were adopted.

Spinal cord compression by multiple cysticercosis.

Background: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common parasitic infection involving the central nervous system in endemic areas. Notably, spinal involvement occurs in only 0.7%-3% of patients.

The relationship between chemokines CCL2, CCL3, and CCL4 with the tumor microenvironment and tumor-associated macrophage markers in colorectal cancer.

A complex network of chemokines can influence cancer progression with the recruitment and activation of hematopoietic cells, including macrophages to the supporting tumor stroma promoting carcinogenesis and metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between tissue and plasma chemokine levels involved in macrophage recruitment with tumor-associated macrophage profile markers and clinicopathological features such as tumor-node-metastases stage, desmoplasia, tumor necrosis factor-α, and vascular endothelial growth factor plasma content. Plasma and tumor/healthy mucosa were obtained from Chilean patients undergoing colon cancer surgery.

Development of a tunable diode laser sensor for CO concentration analysis at laboratory-scale conditions for in situ combustion tests of heavy crude oils.

A tunable diode laser-based sensor is reported to monitor carbon monoxide (CO) concentration under conditions similar to those of laboratory-scale tests used to characterize the behavior of heavy crude oil during in situ combustion (ISC). The sensor uses a DFB diode laser operating over the spectral range of the rotational transition R(11) of the first overtone, wherein simulations of spectral absorption bands for CO, CO, and HO showed minimal spectral interference. The absorption spectra were calculated using the HiTran 2008 database at temperatures varying between 150°C and 800°C, pressures from 1 to 5 atm, and the typical concentration of major species in ISC characterization experiments.

Pediatric Frontalis Suspension With Braided Polyester: A Comparison of Two Techniques.

Purpose: To demonstrate the benefits of using braided polyester in the management of severe or recurrent ptosis in children and young adults and to compare the efficacy of two surgical techniques.

Methods: Retrospective, non-randomized record review of 30 patients (43 eyelid procedures) affected by congenital or acquired severe ptosis who underwent frontalis suspension with braided polyester from 2008 to 2016. Two surgical techniques were compared: the base-down triangle and the Fox pentagon, both of which were performed using a closed technique.

[Assessment of moral competence of physicians].

Background: Moral competence (MC) in physicians is fundamental, given the increasing complexity of medicine. The "Moral Competence Test" (MCT © Lind) evaluates this feature and its indicator is the C Index (CI).

Aim: To explore moral competence and its associated factors among physicians working in Chile.

A clumpy and anisotropic galaxy halo at redshift 1 from gravitational-arc tomography.

Every star-forming galaxy has a halo of metal-enriched gas that extends out to at least 100 kiloparsecs, as revealed by the absorption lines that this gas imprints on the spectra of background quasars. However, quasars are sparse and typically probe only one narrow beam of emission through the intervening galaxy. Close quasar pairs and gravitationally lensed quasars have been used to circumvent this inherently one-dimensional technique, but these objects are rare and the structure of the circumgalactic medium remains poorly constrained.

Mapping wildfire vulnerability in Mediterranean Europe. Testing a stepwise approach for operational purposes.

Vulnerability assessment is a vital component of wildfire management. This research focused on the development of a framework to measure and map vulnerability levels in several areas within Mediterranean Europe, where wildfires are a major concern. The framework followed a stepwise approach to evaluate its main components, expressed by exposure, sensitivity and coping capacity.

Validity of a PCR assay in CSF for the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis.

Objective: To prospectively evaluate the validity of a PCR assay in CSF for the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis (NC).

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, prospective case-control study, recruiting participants from 5 hospitals in Cuenca, Ecuador, from January 2015 to February 2016. Cases fulfilled validated diagnostic criteria for NC.

Laser ablation-laser induced breakdown spectroscopy for the measurement of total elemental concentration in soils.

The performances of traditional laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser ablation-LIBS (LA-LIBS) were compared by quantifying the total elemental concentration of potassium in highly heterogeneous solid samples, namely soils. Calibration curves for a set of fifteen samples with a wide range of potassium concentrations were generated. The LA-LIBS approach produced a superior linear response different than the traditional LIBS scheme.

Recommendations for the treatment of invasive fungal infection caused by filamentous fungi in the hematological patient.

Antifungal treatment in the hematological patient has reached a high complexity with the advent of new antifungals and diagnostic tests, which have resulted in different therapeutic strategies. The use of the most appropriate treatment in each case is essential in infections with such a high mortality. The availability of recommendations as those here reported based on the best evidence and developed by a large panel of 48 specialists aimed to answer when is indicated to treat and which agents should be used, considering different aspects of the patient (risk of fungal infection, clinical manifestations, galactomanann test, chest CT scan and previous prophylaxis) may help clinicians to improve the results.

Does plant diversity benefit agroecosystems? A synthetic review.

Predictive theory on how plant diversity promotes herbivore suppression through movement patterns, host associations, and predation promises a potential alternative to pesticide-intensive monoculture crop production. We used meta-analysis on 552 experiments in 45 articles published over the last 10 years to test if plant diversification schemes reduce herbivores and/or increase the natural enemies of herbivores as predicted by associational resistance hypotheses, the enemies hypothesis, and attraction and repellency model applications in agriculture. We found extensive support for these models with intercropping schemes, inclusion of flowering plants, and use of plants that repel herbivores or attract them away from the crop.

Multiportal endoscopic approaches to the central skull base: a cadaveric study.

Background: There has been marked evolution in techniques in skull base surgery including the development of minimally invasive endoscopic supraorbital, transnasal, and more recently, transorbital approaches. These have been typically described as isolated, rather than concerted approaches. It is possible that rather than using these approaches alone, they could be combined with transnasal approaches to provide improved manipulation angles, shorter working distances, and optimal visualization of the pathology.