Hallazgos radiológicos de la enfermedad pulmonar en pacientes Colombianos con esclerodermia

La esclerosis sistémica (ES) es una enfermedad autoinmune multisistémica que afecta principalmente la piel, los pulmones, el tracto gastrointestinal, el corazón y los riñones. La enfermedad pulmonar, presente en casi el 100% de los casos, es el factor con mayor influencia en la mortalidad. El propósito de este estudio es realizar un análisis detallado de la enfermedad pulmonar por tomografía computarizada de alta resolución(TCAR) en pacientes Colombianos con ES, para lo cual se realizó un estudio de prevalencia analítica en 44 pacientes con ES valorados en el Hospital Universitario Mayor Méderi en los últimos 7 años. Los resultados mostraron características demográficas y clínicas similares a las previamente descritas. La prevalencia de enfermedad pulmonar intersticial fue alta, y los hallazgos de fibrosis pulmonar como vidrio esmerilado y panal de abejas se asociaron con la presencia del autoanticuerpo antiSCL70. La medida del diámetro esofágico por TCAR fue mayor en los pacientes con disfagia, antiSCL 70 y linfopenia, los cuales son marcadores de mal pronóstico.

Paseando entre jardines.

Se trata de dar a conocer la exposición `jardines impresionistas´ fruto de la alianza entre el Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza y la Fundación Caja Madrid. Con esta exposición se muestra la evolución histórico-artística de la pintura de jardines desde el Romanticismo hasta las primeras vanguardias del siglo XX. El entusiasmo por la creación, el cultivo y la representación del tema del jardín dentro de la pintura impresionista se gestó ya en la Francia de mediados del siglo XIX gracias a la pasión por el cultivo de las flores. Junto a los jardines privados, los impresionistas integraron en sus obras los parques públicos que surgieron en el París de Napoleón III. Por otro lado, Pisarro, Cézanne, Gauguin, Guillaumin y Van Gogh utilizaron el tema del jardín productivo en sus inicios postimpresionistas. El tema del jardín se expandió por Europa y Estados Unidos en pintores como Klimt, Liebermann, Prendergast y Chase, entre otros.

El proceso de alfabetización en Alcantarilla : en el tránsito del antiguo régimen al liberalismo (1761-1860).

Intentar conocer si se producen avances, estancamientos o retrocesos en la alfabetización, en esta localidad del término murciano, durante el periodo de 1761-1860, cien años en los que se condensan el esplendor de la segundamitad del siglo XVIII y el periodo de crisis económico-político-social que sirve de pórtico al liberalismo. Historia de la Educación: procesos de alfabetización. Investigación histórica, que conlleva: A) Enumeración del problema-objetivo de la investigación. B) Recaudación de materiales informativos. C) Crítica de los datos acumulados. D) Formulación de la hipótesis para explicar los distintos hechos o circunstancias. E) Interpretacion de los descubrimientos y nueva información. Con este caso en concreto la investigación se ha centrado en 'sucedaneos' para aportar los datos. Estos han sido los documentos notariales y más estrictamente los testamentos. Fuentes eclesiásticas: A) Archivos parroquiales: 1. Libros de bautismo, matrimonio y defunción. 2. Libros de mayordomía y cofradía. Fuentes seglares: A) Municipales. B) Fiscales. C) Indiciales. D) Notariales. E) Testamentos y afines. F) Ventas - arrendamientos. G) Diversos. Análisis cualitativo basado en las tablas de frecuencias absolutas y relativas. La primera mitad del siglo XIX supuso un estancamiento en la alfabetización motivado por: A) Constante aumento de la población. B) Mantenimiento del número de escuelas de primeras letras durante todo el periodo 1761-1860. Labor alfabetizadora positiva por parte de los maestros, la alfabetización crece excepto en el nivel 1 (mano guiada). La inquietud por alfabetizar estuvo en el ánimo y espíritu de las fuerzas vivas de la localidad. Como dato y prueba tenemos que la 'comisión local de institución pública' contrata por 1800 reales de vellón anuales, una escuela de adultos independientemente de las dos normales (una de niños y otra de niñas).

Selection of candidate coding DNA barcoding regions for use on land plants

An in silico screen of 41 of the 81 coding regions of the Nicotiana plastid genome generated a shortlist of 12 candidates as DNA barcoding loci for land plants. These loci were evaluated for amplification and sequence variation against a reference set of 98 land plant taxa. The deployment of multiple primers and a modified multiplexed tandem polymerase chain reaction yielded 85–94% amplification across taxa, and mean sequence differences between sister taxa of 6.1 from 156 bases of accD to 22 from 493 bases of matK. We conclude that loci should be combined for effective diagnosis, and recommend further investigation of the following six loci: matK, rpoB, rpoC1, ndhJ, ycf5 and accD.

Land plants and DNA barcodes: short-term and long-term goals

Land plants have had the reputation of being problematic for DNA barcoding for two general reasons: (i) the standard DNA regions used in algae, animals and fungi have exceedingly low levels of variability and (ii) the typically used land plant plastid phylogenetic markers (e.g. rbcL, trnL-F, etc.) appear to have too little variation. However, no one has assessed how well current phylogenetic resources might work in the context of identification (versus phylogeny reconstruction). In this paper, we make such an assessment, particularly with two of the markers commonly sequenced in land plant phylogenetic studies, plastid rbcL and internal transcribed spacers of the large subunits of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS), and find that both of these DNA regions perform well even though the data currently available in GenBank/EBI were not produced to be used as barcodes and BLAST searches are not an ideal tool for this purpose. These results bode well for the use of even more variable regions of plastid DNA (such as, for example, psbA-trnH) as barcodes, once they have been widely sequenced. In the short term, efforts to bring land plant barcoding up to the standards being used now in other organisms should make swift progress. There are two categories of DNA barcode users, scientists in fields other than taxonomy and taxonomists. For the former, the use of mitochondrial and plastid DNA, the two most easily assessed genomes, is at least in the short term a useful tool that permits them to get on with their studies, which depend on knowing roughly which species or species groups they are dealing with, but these same DNA regions have important drawbacks for use in taxonomic studies (i.e. studies designed to elucidate species limits). For these purposes, DNA markers from uniparentally (usually maternally) inherited genomes can only provide half of the story required to improve taxonomic standards being used in DNA barcoding. In the long term, we will need to develop more sophisticated barcoding tools, which would be multiple, low-copy nuclear markers with sufficient genetic variability and PCR-reliability; these would permit the detection of hybrids and permit researchers to identify the 'genetic gaps' that are useful in assessing species limits.

Salmon consumption during pregnancy alters fatty acid composition and secretory IgA concentration in human breast milk

Fish oil supplementation during pregnancy alters breast milk composition, but there is little information about the impact of oily fish consumption. We determined whether increased salmon consumption during pregnancy alters breast milk fatty acid composition and immune factors. Women (n = 123) who rarely ate oily fish were randomly assigned to consume their habitual diet or to consume 2 portions of farmed salmon per week from 20 wk of pregnancy until delivery. The salmon provided 3.45 g long-chain (LC) (n-3) PUFA/wk. Breast milk fatty acid composition and immune factors [soluble CD14, transforming growth factor-b (TGFb)1, TGFb2, and secretory IgA] were analyzed at 1, 5, 14, and 28 d postpartum (PP). Breast milk from the salmon group had higher proportions of EPA (80%), docosapentaenoic acid (30%), and DHA (90%) on d 5 PP compared with controls (P < 0.01). The LC (n-6) PUFA:LC (n-3) PUFA ratio was lower for the salmon group on all days of PP sampling (P < 0.004), although individual (n-6) PUFA proportions, including arachidonic acid, did not differ. All breast milk immune factors decreased between d 1 and 28 PP (P < 0.001). Breast milk secretory IgA (sIgA) was lower in the salmon group (d 1–28 PP; P = 0.006). Salmon consumption during pregnancy, at the current recommended intakes, increases the LC (n-3) PUFA concentration of breast milk in early lactation, thus improving the supply of these important fatty acids to the breast-fed neonate. The consequence of the lower breast milk concentration of sIgA in the salmon group is not clear.

Preparation and ring-opening reactions of N-diphenylphosphinyl vinyl aziridines

Predominantly (E)-N-diphenylphosphinyl vinyl aziridines are prepared by a reaction of N-diphenylphosphinyl imines with α-bromoallyllithium in the presence of freshly fused ZnCl2. These aziridines undergo a ring-opening reaction with a variety of carbon and heteronucleophiles, in good yield, and generally with good regioselectivity.

Convergent evolution of floral signals underlies the success of Neotropical orchids

The great majority of plant species in the tropics require animals to achieve pollination, but the exact role of floral signals in attraction of animal pollinators is often debated. Many plants provide a floral reward to attract a guild of pollinators, and it has been proposed that floral signals of non-rewarding species may converge on those of rewarding species to exploit the relationship of the latter with their pollinators. In the orchid family (Orchidaceae), pollination is almost universally animal-mediated, but a third of species provide no floral reward, which suggests that deceptive pollination mechanisms are prevalent. Here, we examine floral colour and shape convergence in Neotropical plant communities, focusing on certain food-deceptive Oncidiinae orchids (e.g. Trichocentrum ascendens and Oncidium nebulosum) and rewarding species of Malpighiaceae. We show that the species from these two distantly related families are often more similar in floral colour and shape than expected by chance and propose that a system of multifarious floral mimicry—a form of Batesian mimicry that involves multiple models and is more complex than a simple one model–one mimic system—operates in these orchids. The same mimetic pollination system has evolved at least 14 times within the species-rich Oncidiinae throughout the Neotropics. These results help explain the extraordinary diversification of Neotropical orchids and highlight the complexity of plant–animal interactions.

Cytogenetic characterization of Metynnis maculatus (Teleostei; Characiformes): the description in Serrasalminae of a small B chromosome bearing inactive NOR-like sequences

Mitotic chromosomes of Metynnis maculatus (KNER 1860) (Teleostei, Characiformes), a fish species that occurs in the Amazon and Parana-Paraguay river basins, were analyzed for the first time by Giemsa and Ag-NOR staining, C-banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with 18S and 5S rDNA sequences. The basic chromosome number of the species is 2n=62 (32M+22SM+4ST+4A) and, in addition to the 62 regular chromosomes, one small acrocentric supernumerary B chromosome was found in part of the specimens analyzed. Four active NORs were present, and constitutive heterochromatin blocks were found in the pericentromeric region of several chromosomes. A heterochromatic block was also present in the interstitial portion of the submetacentric NOR-bearing pair and the B chromosome was entirely heterochromatic. FISH using an 18S rDNA probe confirmed the results obtained with AgNO(3) staining, and an additional signal was also present on the B chromosomes. 5S rDNA sequences mapped only to the largest acrocentric pair. This is the first description of supernumerary B chromosomes in Serrasalminae, and this karyotype characterization may be useful in further studies about chromosome evolution in this fish group.

Five vicarious genera from Gondwana: the Velloziaceae as shown by molecules and morphology

Background and Aims The amount of data collected previously for Velloziaceae neither clarified relationships within the family nor helped determine an appropriate classification, which has led to huge discordance among treatment by different authors. To achieve an acceptable phylogenetic result and understand the evolution and roles of characters in supporting groups, a total evidence analysis was developed which included approx. 20 % of the species and all recognized genera and sections of Velloziaceae, plus outgroups representatives of related families within Pandanales. Methods Analyses were undertaken with 48 species of Velloziaceae, representing all ten genera, with DNA sequences from the atpB-rbcL spacer, trnL-trnF spacer, trnL intron, trnH-psbA spacer, ITS ribosomal DNA spacers and morphology. Key Results Four groups consistently emerge from the analyses. Persistent leaves, two phloem strands, stem cortex divided in three regions and violet tepals support Acanthochlamys as sister to Velloziaceae s. s., which are supported mainly by leaves with marginal bundles, transfusion tracheids and inflorescence without axis. Within Velloziaceae s. s., an African Xerophyta + Talbotia clade is uniquely supported by basal loculicidal capsules; an American clade, Barbacenia s. l. + Barbaceniopsis + Nanuza + Vellozia, is supported by only homoplastic characters. Barbacenia s. l. (Aylthonia + Barbacenia + Burlemarxia + Pleurostima) is supported by a double sheath in leaf vascular bundles and a corona; Barbaceniopsis + Nanuza + Vellozia is not supported by an unambiguous character, but Barbaceniopsis is supported by five characters, including diclinous flowers, Nanuza + Vellozia is supported mainly by horizontal stigma lobes and stem inner cortex cells with secondary walls, and Vellozia alone is supported mainly by pollen in tetrads. Conclusions The results imply recognition of five genera (Acanthochlamys (Xerophyta (Barbacenia (Barbaceniopsis, Vellozia)))), solving the long-standing controversies among recent classifications of the family. They also suggest a Gondwanan origin for Velloziaceae, with a vicariant pattern of distribution.

The magnetized steel and scintillator calorimeters of the MINOS experiment

The Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search (MINOS) experiment uses an accelerator-produced neutrino beam to perform precision measurements of the neutrino oscillation parameters in the ""atmospheric neutrino"" sector associated with muon neutrino disappearance. This long-baseline experiment measures neutrino interactions in Fermilab`s NuMI neutrino beam with a near detector at Fermilab and again 735 km downstream with a far detector in the Soudan Underground Laboratory in northern Minnesota. The two detectors are magnetized steel-scintillator tracking calorimeters. They are designed to be as similar as possible in order to ensure that differences in detector response have minimal impact on the comparisons of event rates, energy spectra and topologies that are essential to MINOS measurements of oscillation parameters. The design, construction, calibration and performance of the far and near detectors are described in this paper. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physical environment modulates the behavioral responses induced by chemical stimulation of dorsal periaqueductal gray in mice

In order to investigate the relationship between behaviors elicited by chemical stimulation of the dorsal periaqueductal gray (dorsal PAG) and spontaneous defensive behaviors to a predator, the excitatory amino acid D,L-homocysteic acid (5 nmol in 0.1 mu l), was infused into the dorsal PAG and behavioral responses of mice were evaluated in two different situations, a rectangular novel chamber or the Mouse Defense Test Battery (MDTB) apparatus. During a 1-min period following drug infusion, more jumps were made in the chamber than in the MDTB runway but running time and distance traveled were significantly higher in the runway. Animals were subsequently tested using the standard MDTB procedure (anti-predator avoidance, chase and defensive threat/attack). No drug effects on these measures were significant. In a further test in the MDTB apparatus, the pathway of the mouse during peak locomotion response was blocked 3 times by the predator stimulus (anesthetized rat) to determine if the mouse would avoid contact. Ninety percent of D,L-homocysteic treated animals made direct contact with the stimulus (rat), indicating that D,L-homocysteic-induced running is not guided by relevant (here, threat) stimuli. These results indicate that running as opposed to jumping is the primary response in mice injected with D,L-homocysteic into the dorsal PAG when the environment enables flight. However, the lack of responsivity to the predator during peak locomotion suggests that D,L-homocysteic-stimulation into the dorsal PAG does not induce normal antipredator flight. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Regulation of angiotensin type 2 receptor in bovine granulosa cells

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)