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Introduction: The transition to college life can impact the mental health of students. There are mental health care strategies that promote connection with the body's internal signals, which can help to improve mental well-being, manage emotions, and reduce the risk of suicide in university students. Aim: This study aimed to examine the association between interoceptive body awareness variables and suicidal orientation in a sample of 169 undergraduate students in Colombia. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 with Colombian students as the participants. Results: The findings revealed a significant and moderately negative correlation between the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA) total score and the Inventory of Suicide Orientation (ISO-30) total score (r = −0.54, p < 0.001). Confidence and self-regulation were identified as the most influential factors in the relationship between MAIA and ISO-30. Significant correlations were observed (p < 0.001), indicating moderate correlation values ranging from −0.43 to −0.57. Discussion: Our findings support the existence of a negative correlation between interoceptive body awareness and suicidal orientation. Further research is needed to better understand this relationship and to develop specific interventions based on body awareness to prevent suicide orientation. Conclusion: There are practical implications associated with recognizing the importance of body awareness in relation to decreasing suicidal orientation, and multidisciplinary teams addressing mental health can incorporate this knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Two clotting serine proteinases, named Cdc SI and Cdc SII, were isolated and characterized for the first time from Colombian Crotalus durissus cumanensis snake venom. The enzymes were purified using two chromatographic steps: molecular exclusion on Sephacryl S-200 and RP-HPLC on C8 Column. The molecular masses of the proteins, determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, were 28,561.4 and 28,799.2 Da for Cdc SI and Cdc SII, respectively. The aim of the present study was to evaluate enzymatic, coagulant and toxic properties of the two enzymes. The serine proteinases hydrolyzed specific chromogenic substrate (BaPNA) and exhibited a Michaelis–Menten behavior. Cdc SI had V max of 0.038 ± 0.003 nmol/min and K M of 0.034 ± 0.017 mM, while Cdc SII displayed values of V max of 0.267 ± 0.011 nmol/min and K M of 0.145 ± 0.023 mM. N-terminal sequences were VIGGDEXNIN and VIGGDICNINEHNFLVALYE for Cdc SI and Cdc SII, respectively. Molecular masses, N-terminal sequences, inhibition assays, and enzymatic profile suggest that Cdc SI and Cdc SII belong to the family of snake venom thrombin-like enzymes. These serine proteinases differed in their clotting activity on human plasma, showing a minimum coagulant dose of 25 μg and 0.571 μg for Cdc SI and Cdc SII, respectively. Enzymes also showed coagulant activity on bovine fibrinogen and degraded chain α of this protein. Toxins lack hemorrhagic and myotoxic activities, but are capable to induce defibrin(ogen)ation, moderate edema, and an increase in vascular permeability. These serine proteinases may contribute indirectly to the local hemorrhage induced by metalloproteinases, by causing blood clotting disturbances, and might also contribute to cardiovascular alterations characteristic of patients envenomed by C. d. cumanensis in Colombia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Venoms of the redtail coral snake Micrurus mipartitus from Colombia and Costa Rica were analyzed by “venomics”, a proteomic strategy to determine their composition. Proteins were separated by RP-HPLC, followed by SDS-PAGE, in-gel tryptic digestion, identification by MALDI or ESI tandem mass spectrometry, and assignment to known protein families by similarity. These analyses were complemented with a characterization of venom activities in vitro and in vivo. Proteins belonging to seven families were found in Colombian M. mipartitus venom, including abundant three-finger toxins (3FTx; ~60% of total proteins) and phospholipases A2 (PLA2; ~30%), with the remaining ~10% distributed among l-amino acid oxidase, P-III metalloproteinase, Kunitz-type inhibitor, serine proteinase, and C-type lectin-like families. The venoms of two M. mipartitus specimens from Costa Rica, also referred to as M. multifasciatus in some taxonomic classifications, were also analyzed. Both samples were highly similar to each other, and partially resembled the chromatographic and identity profiles of M. mipartitus from Colombia, although presenting a markedly higher proportion of 3FTxs (~83.0%) in relation to PLA2s (~8.2%), and a small amount of acetylcholinesterase, not detected in the venom from Colombia. An equine antivenom against the Central American coral snake, M. nigrocinctus, did not recognize venom components of M. mipartitus from Colombia or Costa Rica by enzyme-immunoassay. Four major components of Colombian M. mipartitus venom were isolated and partially characterized. Venomics of Micrurus species may provide a valuable platform for the rational design of immunizing cocktails to obtain polyspecific antivenoms for this highly diverse group of American elapids. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: It is estimated that 2 000 snakebites occur in Panama every year, 70 % of which are inflicted by Bothrops asper. Objective: To determine the biochemical and toxicologic effects and to assess the immunochemical characteristics of a reference pool of B. asper venom representative of Panama. Methods: The reference venom was prepared as a homogeneous mixture of the venoms obtained from 78 adult snakes collected in four geographic areas of Panama. Enzymatic and toxicological activities were assessed. The electrophoretic pattern was studied by SDS-PAGE. Immunoreactivity of various antivenoms was analyzed by Western blot. Results: B. asper reference venom has lethal, hemorrhagic, myotoxic, edema-forming, coagulant, defibrinating, proteinase and phospholipase A2 activities. SDS-PAGE showed the presence of protein bands with molecular weights ranging from 8 to 70 kDa, with the presence of predominant bands at ≈ 15 kDa and ≈ 30 to 66 kDa, which likely correspond to phospholipases A2 and metalloproteinases, respectively. Immunoblotting showed a high degree of recognition by various antivenoms, especially by antivenoms from Colombia and Costa Rica. Conclusions: Following recommendations by the World Health Organization, this reference venom of B. asper of Panama will become a useful tool for the preclinical evaluation of antivenoms distributed in this country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bothrops ayerbei, a pitviper inhabiting the Patía River's basin (Valle Alto del Río Patía) in the Southwestern Department of Cauca, Colombia, was considered as a variant form of Bothrops asper prior to being proposed as a new species in 2010, on the basis of subtle morphological differences. This study reports the proteomic and functional profiling of B. ayerbei venom. Its most striking feature is an almost complete absence (0.7%) of phospholipases A2 (PLA2), which is in contrast to the high proportion of these enzymes (25.3%) in the venom of B. asper from Cauca, as well as in other species of Bothrops. The predominant proteins in B. ayerbei venom are metalloproteinases (53.7%), in agreement with its higher hemorrhagic and lethal activities compared to B. asper venom. Moreover, the negligible content of PLA2s in B. ayerbei venom correlates with its weaker myotoxic effect, in contrast to B. asper venom, here shown to contain abundant Asp49- and Lys49-type PLA2s responsible for its strong myotoxic activity. Other components identified in B. ayerbei venom include bradykinin-potentiating-like peptides and proteins belonging to the C-type lectin/lectin-like, serine proteinase, l-amino acid oxidase, disintegrin, cysteine-rich secretory protein, nerve growth factor, and phosphodiesterase families. The venom composition of B. ayerbei resembles that of neonate specimens of B. asper, which shows a predominance of metalloproteinases, with only low amounts of PLA2s. Therefore, the present findings suggest that the expression of venom proteins in B. ayerbei, in contrast to B. asper, might retain a marked ‘paedomorphic’ condition. Altogether, the proteomic and toxicological characterization of the venom of B. ayerbei here reported argues in favor of its taxonomical separation from B. asper in Cauca, Colombia. Biological significance: B. ayerbei, a pitviper found in Cauca, Colombia, had been considered as a variant form of B. asper, but was recently described as a new species on the basis of subtle morphological differences. Our study provides the first detailed proteomic and functional analysis of the venom of B. ayerbei, revealing striking interspecific variation from B. asper, thus arguing in favor of their taxonomical separation. In addition, the observed composition of the venom of B. ayerbei correlates well with its functional and toxicological properties, helping to predict the main clinical manifestations in envenomings by this species, which inflicts a considerable number of snakebites in the Southwestern regions of Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The efficacy and safety of two polyvalent horse-derived antivenoms in Bothrops asper envenomings were tested in a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial performed in Colombia. Both antivenoms were manufactured from the same pool of hyperimmune plasma. Antivenom A was made of F(ab′)2 fragments, generated by pepsin digestion and caprylic acid precipitation, whereas antivenom B consisted of whole IgG molecules produced by caprylic acid precipitation followed by ion-exchange chromatography. Besides the different nature of the active substance, antivenom B had higher protein concentration, slightly higher turbidity and aggregate content. No significant differences were observed in the efficacy of antivenoms. Both halted local and systemic bleeding (P = 0.40) within 6–12 h of treatment in 100% of the cases, and restored blood coagulation (P = 0.87) within 6–24 h in 84.7% of patients, and within 48 h in all of them, in agreement with restoration of plasma fibrinogen concentration. Venom concentrations in serum dropped significantly (P < 0.001), to very low levels, 1 h after antivenom infusion. Nevertheless, eight patients (11.1%), four for each antivenom, presented recurrence of venom antigenaemia at different times, from 6 to 96 h, with clinical significance (recurrent coagulopathy) only in one group B patient (2.9%). Serum creatine kinase (CK) activity was increased, as a consequence of local myonecrosis. There was no significant difference (P = 0.51) in the incidence of early adverse reactions to antivenom administration (28.9% for patients of group A and 20.6% for patients of group B), most of the reactions being mild, mainly cutaneous. The most frequent complications were cellulitis (16.7%), abscess formation (5.6%), acute renal failure (8.3%), and compartmental syndrome (5.6%). In conclusion, IgG and F(ab′)2 antivenoms, prepared by caprylic acid fractionation, presented similar efficacy and safety profiles for the treatment of B. asper envenomings in Colombia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The venom proteomes of Bothrops atrox from Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Perú were characterized using venomic and antivenomic strategies. Our results evidence the existence of two geographically differentiated venom phenotypes. The venom from Colombia comprises at least 26 different proteins belonging to 9 different groups of toxins. PI-metalloproteinases and K49-PLA(2) molecules represent the most abundant toxins. On the other hand, the venoms from Brazilian, Ecuadorian, and Peruvian B. atrox contain predominantly PIII-metalloproteinases. These toxin profiles correlate with the venom phenotypes of adult and juvenile B. asper from Costa Rica, respectively, suggesting that paedomorphism represented a selective trend during the trans-Amazonian southward expansion of B. atrox through the Andean Corridor. The high degree of crossreactivity of a Costa Rican polyvalent (Bothrops asper, Lachesis stenophrys, Crotalus simus) antivenom against B. atrox venoms further evidenced the close evolutionary kinship between B. asper and B. atrox. This antivenom was more efficient immunodepleting proteins from the venoms of B. atrox from Brazil, Ecuador, and Perú than from Colombia. Such behaviour may be rationalized taking into account the lower content of poorly immunogenic toxins, such as PLA(2) molecules and PI-SVMPs in the paedomorphic venoms. The immunological profile of the Costa Rican antivenom strongly suggests the possibility of using this antivenom for the management of snakebites by B. atrox in Colombia and the Amazon regions of Ecuador, Perú and Brazil.

The presence of human heterophilic antibodies against horse immunoglobulins (HHA-HI) was determined by ELISA in sera from healthy volunteers and from patients who received equine antivenom for therapy of snake bite envenoming. These patients were selected from two independent clinical studies: one in Colombia in which patients received antivenom constituted by whole IgG (n=25); and the other in Brazil where an antivenom constituted by F(ab')(2) fragments was administered (n=31). Results show that healthy volunteers have antibodies, mainly of the IgG class, able to react with whole equine IgG. Additionally, patients have IgG antibodies that react both with whole equine IgG and F(ab')(2) fragments. In both clinical studies, no significant differences were observed in the HHA-HI titres between the patients who presented early adverse (anaphylactoid) reactions and those who did not develop them. In addition, no variation in titre was observed in samples collected before and after antivenom administration. These results do not support the hypothesis that the incidence of early adverse reactions to antivenom administration correlates with the titre of HHA-HI in the serum of patients. Nevertheless, participation of these antibodies as part of a multifactorial pathogenic mechanism associated with these reactions cannot be ruled out.