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Objective: This study is an open clinical trial. The aim of this study was to show the changes that occur in the viscoelastic properties of the plantar fascia (twenty healthy volunteers) measured by SEL and the changes in the plantar fascia temperature measured by thermography after the application of a 448 kHz capacitive resistive monopolar radiofrequency (CRMR) in active healthy subjects immediately after treatment and at the 1-week follow-up.Methods: Furthermore, to analyze if an intervention with 448 kHz CRMR in the plantar fascia of the dominant lower limb produces a thermal response in the plantar fascia of the non-dominant lower limb. The final objective was to analyze the level of association between the viscoelastic properties of the PF and the temperature before and after the intervention with 448 kHz CRMR.Results: Our results showed that a temperature change, which was measured by thermography, occurred in the plantar fascia after a single intervention (T0-T1) and at the 1-week follow up (T1-T2).Conclusion: However, no changes were found in the viscoelastic properties of the plantar fascia after the intervention or at the 1-week follow up. This is the first study to investigate changes in both plantar fascia viscoelastic properties and in plantar fascia temperature after a radiofrequency intervention.

High-intensity ultrasound systems for medical therapy must be carefully designed, implemented, and applied to avoid tissue damage or injury considering stimulation and relaxation time, frequency, and intensity of ultrasound. Based on these concerns and considering a test three-layer animal tissue consisting of skin, muscle, and bone, we determined the frequency and intensity at which ultrasound effectively stimulates the test animal tissues. In addition, from these ultrasound frequencies and intensities, and taking care the critical temperature recommended to preserve the integrity of the human tissue and avoid any tissue injury, we determine the stimulation and relaxation times. For this purpose, we performed a multiphysics simulation that describes the spatial and temporal dynamics of the thermoacoustic effect of ultrasound applied to test animal tissues. To practically demonstrate this ultrasound behavior, we perform an experimental setup based on an electronic HITU device designed and implemented to freely adjust the ultrasound intensity and frequency, as well as the stimulation time of the test animal tissues. Finally, we conclude that, depending on the test tissue, an ultrasound therapy system should allow the selection of the intensity and frequency of applied ultrasound, as well as the stimulation time to avoid tissue injury, which can be considered by health ministries around the world.

Background:Women’s football has been booming for a few years now, which has led to an increase in the expectation of the players’ performance, leading to a more detailed study of women’s physiology in the field of sports.Objectives:To analyze the scientific evidence on the influence of menstruation on the performance of female footballers, as well as to analyze the methodological quality of the studies included in this review.Materials and methods:The possible hormonal effects of the menstrual cycle phases on the performance of female footballers were analyzed. The databases used to conduct the searches were Pubmed, Scopus, Virtual Health Library, Web of Science, EBSCO and the Cochrane Library. All included studies met the inclusion criteria. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used. This systematic review protocol was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO: CRD42023390652).Results:A total of nine clinical trials were included in this review. A low quality of evidence was observed in the studies. Not all the results support the idea that the menstrual cycle phases can alter the performance of female footballers.Conclusion:This systematic review shows that there is a great deal of controversy about the influence of the menstrual cycle phases on the performance of female footballers. Studies are focused on solely biological factors and gender is normally no part of those studies. Further research with larger samples, and taking not only biological but also sociological factors, are necessary to determine the effects of menstruation on the performance of female footballers.

Abstract The concept of “one-airway-one-disease”, coined over 20 years ago, may be an over-simplification of the links between allergic diseases. Genomic studies suggest that rhinitis alone and rhinitis with asthma are operated by distinct pathways. In this MeDALL (Mechanisms of the Development of Allergy) study, we leveraged the information of the human interactome to distinguish the molecular mechanisms associated with two phenotypes of allergic rhinitis: rhinitis alone and rhinitis in multimorbidity with asthma. We observed significant differences in the topology of the interactomes and in the pathways associated to each phenotype. In rhinitis alone, identified pathways included cell cycle, cytokine signalling, developmental biology, immune system, metabolism of proteins and signal transduction. In rhinitis and asthma multimorbidity, most pathways were related to signal transduction. The remaining few were related to cytokine signalling, immune system or developmental biology. Toll-like receptors and IL-17-mediated signalling were identified in rhinitis alone, while IL-33 was identified in rhinitis in multimorbidity. On the other hand, few pathways were associated with both phenotypes, most being associated with signal transduction pathways including estrogen-stimulated signalling. The only immune system pathway was FceRI-mediated MAPK activation. In conclusion, our findings suggest that rhinitis alone and rhinitis and asthma multimorbidity should be considered as two distinct diseases.

Abstract Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are chronic inflammatory intestinal diseases with perplexing heterogeneity in disease manifestation and response to treatment. While the molecular basis for this heterogeneity remains uncharacterized, single-cell technologies allow us to explore the transcriptional states within tissues at an unprecedented resolution which could further understanding of these complex diseases. Here, we apply single-cell RNA-sequencing to human inflamed intestine and show that the largest differences among patients are present within the myeloid compartment including macrophages and neutrophils. Using spatial transcriptomics in human tissue at single-cell resolution (CosMx Spatial Molecular Imaging) we spatially localize each of the macrophage and neutrophil subsets identified by single-cell RNA-sequencing and unravel further macrophage diversity based on their tissue localization. Finally, single-cell RNA-sequencing combined with single-cell spatial analysis reveals a strong communication network involving macrophages and inflammatory fibroblasts. Our data sheds light on the cellular complexity of these diseases and points towards the myeloid and stromal compartments as important cellular subsets for understanding patient-to-patient heterogeneity.

Summary: The mechanism by which morphogenetic signals engage the regulatory networks responsible for early embryonic tissue patterning is incompletely understood. Here, we developed a minimal gene regulatory network (GRN) model of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) lineage commitment and embedded it into “cellular” agents that respond to a dynamic morphogenetic signaling microenvironment. Simulations demonstrated that GRN wiring had significant non-intuitive effects on tissue pattern order, composition, and dynamics. Experimental perturbation of GRN connectivities supported model predictions and demonstrated the role of OCT4 as a master regulator of peri-gastrulation fates. Our so-called GARMEN strategy provides a multiscale computational platform to understand how single-cell-based regulatory interactions scale to tissue domains. This foundation provides new opportunities to simulate the impact of network motifs on normal and aberrant tissue development.

Se evaluó el efecto de 11 programas de aplicación de fungicidas (PAF) con diferentes modos de acción junto a un testigo en intervalos de aplicación de 15 a 18 días, en dos épocas de siembra (S): temprana (S1) y tardía (S2) en las Colonias Naranjito e Yguazú, Paraguay, sobre la severidad de la roya asiática (RAS), la eficacia de control (EC) y el rendimiento de granos. Se utilizó el diseño en bloques completos al azar con arreglo factorial 2×12 con tres repeticiones. Se realizó un análisis de varianza y la prueba de Tukey al 5%. La interacción PAF×S influyó sobre la severidad en Naranjito. Sin embargo, solo los efectos simples de S y los PAF influyeron el rendimiento en Naranjito. De la misma forma los efectos simples de S y PAF fueron significativos sobre la severidad de RAS en Yguazú, pero solo S influyó en el rendimiento. La severidad fue mayor en S2 en ambas localidades. Los PAF redujeron la severidad entre 4 y 22% en S1 y 8 y 17% en S2 en Naranjito y entre 1 y 17% en la S1 y entre 21 y 28% en la S2 en Yguazú. La EC fue menor en S2. Se encontraron PAF con baja EC (

Introducción: La universidad actual, con compromiso social, tiene la obligación de direccionar su labor formativa, sujetos con un razonamiento que les permita desenvolverse y enfrentar con objetividad distintos escenarios en su contexto; por ello, el objetivo del presente trabajo es analizar el nivel de pensamiento crítico, desde la perspectiva de las dimensiones sustantiva y dialógicas, en estudiantes de licenciatura de una universidad pública mexicana. Metodología: Investigación con enfoque cuantitativo-descriptivo con una muestra de 378 estudiantes, se hace la recolección y análisis de datos con la aplicación del Cuestionario de Pensamiento Crítico (CPC 2), valorando cada una de sus dimensiones. Resultados y discusión: Los resultados determinan un test con alta confiabilidad (a = 0.94); asimismo, destacan diferencias en el valor medio en cada dimensión entre los alumnos en correspondencia con el semestre en curso y su programa educativo. Se identifica en estudiantes de semestres iniciales y de algunas carreras, falencias en las dimensiones dialógicas y sustantivas leer, en donde estas disminuyen en la medida que van cursando semestres avanzados. Conclusión: Es evidente que la universidad debe considerar el desarrollo de habilidades específicas asociadas al desarrollo del pensamiento crítico en los estudiantes, indispensable para enfrentar y resolver las problemáticas de un mundo cambiante y globalizado.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to perform a histological and biochemical evaluation of the influence of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) on muscle regeneration process after a surgically induced grade II muscle laceration. A randomized, single blind, controlled experimental research was conducted including twenty-one adult healthy sheep, randomly divided in three groups (n = 7). A grade II surgical section was performed in the biceps femoris muscle of both hindlimbs. After two days (basal time), intralesional infiltration of autologous PRGF or Saline solution was randomly administered in both hindlimbs. Treatment was repeated once a week. Animal groups were euthanized at 1 (T1), 2 (T2) or 4 (T4) weeks. Histological assessment showed that PRGF intralesional injection induced a significant decrease of inflammatory cells density, significant higher centrally nucleated fibers percentage and significantly smaller fibrotic areas compared to Saline-treated muscles at T1, T2 and T4. Also, lower vascular density, with lower capillaries cross-sectional area, in PRGF group compared to Saline was observed. Biochemical analysis revealed a significant higher expression level of MYOD1, MYF5 and MYOG genes in PRGF groups at T1 compared to Saline treated muscles. At ultrastructural level, PRGF groups presented scarce edema and loss of connective tissue structure, as well as higher mitochondrial density adequately associated to the sarcomere unit in contrast to the Saline group. In conclusion, histological, biochemical, and ultrastructural results showed that PRGF treatment improved muscle regeneration process leading to more mature histological aspect in newly formed muscle tissue after a surgically induced grade II muscle injury.

ABSTRACT We characterized five carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) isolates from two health care institutions in Lima, Peru. The isolates were identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 3), Citrobacter portucalensis (n = 1), and Escherichia coli (n = 1). All were identified as blaOXA-48-like gene carriers using conventional PCR. Whole-genome sequencing found the presence of the blaOXA-181 gene as the only carbapenemase gene in all isolates. Genes associated with resistance to aminoglycosides, quinolones, amphenicols, fosfomycins, macrolides, tetracyclines, sulfonamides, and trimethoprim were also found. The plasmid incompatibility group IncX3 was identified in all genomes in a truncated Tn6361 transposon flanked by ΔIS26 insertion sequences. The qnrS1 gene was also found downstream of blaOXA-181, conferring fluoroquinolone resistance to all isolates. CPE isolates harboring blaOXA-like genes are an increasing public health problem in health care settings worldwide. The IncX3 plasmid is involved in the worldwide dissemination of blaOXA-181, and its presence in these CPE isolates suggests the wide dissemination of blaOXA-181 in Peru. IMPORTANCE Reports of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) isolates are increasing worldwide. Accurate detection of the β-lactamase OXA-181 (a variant of OXA-48) is important to initiate therapy and preventive measures in the clinic. OXA-181 has been described in CPE isolates in many countries, often associated with nosocomial outbreaks. However, the circulation of this carbapenemase has yet to be reported in Peru. Here, we report the detection of five multidrug-resistant CPE clinical isolates harboring blaOXA-181 in the IncX3-type plasmid, a potential driver of dissemination in Peru.

Fly ashes from the fluidized bed boiler were used to obtain zeolites by the alkaline fusion process, followed by a hydrothermal procedure. The melting was carried out with 98 % granulated NaOH, mixed with ashes in mass ratios 1.2/1, 1.4/1 and 1.6/1 and using three melting temperatures, 450 °C, 550 °C and 650 °C. For the crystallization of the zeolites, the hydrothermal procedure at 90 °C was used. The crystalline phases of the zeolitic materials were quantified by XRD analysis. The morphology of the crystals was identified by SEM. The FTIR spectra revealed that the transformation of sodalite mineral to zeolite A and zeolite X increased with the NaOH/CVT ratio and the temperature.

Adhesive capsulitis, characterized by progressive fibrosis, causes a gradual, painful loss of both active and passive articular motion, leading to the final contracture of the joint capsule. The condition commonly referred to as “frozen ankle” (FA), which Goldman was the first to use, relates to the ankle joint and is challenging to both diagnose and treat. Data acquired from people who suffer from this type of damage in other joints such as the shoulder, hip, and wrist also exists. Despite the fact that a well-defined model for the medical management of FA does not exist, a wide spectrum of local treatments, both surgical and non-surgical, exist. This review gives an overview of the current scientific position of the frozen ankle in terms of evolutionary factors, etiology, the different mechanisms of action involved, current treatment options, and other possible interventions based on recent discoveries of pathophysiological mechanisms. The application of extracorporeal shockwave therapy, stretching exercises, and corticosteroid injections combined with physical therapy modalities that enhance pain management, range of motion, and functional capacity is highly advisable for the treatment of adhesive capsulitis, commonly known as “frozen joints”. Furthermore, the addition of interventions both impacting and analyzing chronic hypoxia, low-grade inflammation, and sedentary life is proposed.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the changes in the elasticity and temperature of the patellar tendon produced by the application of a radiofrequency at 448 kHz (CRMR) just after and 7 days after the intervention. An open controlled clinical trial was used with participants being recruited from a private clinic. The experimental group (n = 22) received a 448 kHz CRMR treatment while the control group (n = 22) did not receive any type of intervention. Quantitative ultrasound strain elastography (SEL) and thermography were used to collect data from 4 different areas of the patellar tendon. These areas were measured at the start (T0), just after (T1), and seven days after (T2) the intervention. There were thermal changes immediately after the intervention (p < 0.001). In addition, when the measurements were collected just after the intervention and seven days after they were analyzed, significant changes (p < 0.001) in temperature were observed in the tendons of both groups. Finally, a low but significant association (r = 0.434, p < 0.04) was observed between the elastic properties of the tendon at its insertion in the patella and thermal changes just after the 448 kHz intervention.

Purpose. This study was aimed at verifying both the intraobserver and interobserver reliability of measuring plantar fascia stiffness for a given image in healthy active adults. Methodology. This study is reported following the Guidelines of Reporting Reliability and Agreement Studies. A total of 20 plantar fascia from healthy volunteers were analyzed. The thickness of the plantar fascia was measured vertically from the anterior edge of the inferior calcaneal border to the inferior border of the plantar fascia and the ultrasound elastography measurement was taken at the calcaneal insertion of the plantar fascia with the region of interest one centimeter away from the insertion. Results. The ultrasound strain elastography measurements: the right intraobserver 1 showed an ICC value of 0.9 and the left intraobserver 1 showed an ICC value of 0.78, while the right intraobserver 2 showed an ICC value of 0.91 and the left intraobserver 2 showed an ICC value of 0.83. Interobserver measurements showed excellent reliability with a right ICC value of 0.8 and a left ICC value of 0.9 for the plantar fascia thickness measurements. Discussion. The results of this study showed a strong correlation between left and right plantar fascia thickness. The intraobserver reliability was excellent for both plantar fascia ultrasound strain elastography and thickness measurements, with interobserver measurements showing excellent reliability.

Short open reading frames (smORFs) of less than 100 codons exist in the thousands in metazoan genomes, mostly with yet unknown functions. Here the authors show how a smORF conserved from flies to vertebrates produces a secreted peptide that enhances the diffusion of the cell signalling protein Wingless.

Brain dynamics show a rich spatiotemporal behavior whose stability is neither ordered nor chaotic, indicating that neural networks operate at intermediate stability regimes including critical dynamics represented by a negative power-law distribution of avalanche sizes with exponent α=−1.5. However, it is unknown which stability regimen allows global and local information transmission with reduced metabolic costs, which are measured in terms of synaptic potentials and action potentials. In this work, using a hierarchical neuron model with rich-club organization, we measure the average number of action potentials required to activate n different neurons (avalanche size). Besides, we develop a mathematical formula to represent the metabolic synaptic potential cost. We develop simulations variating the synaptic amplitude, synaptic time course (ms), and hub excitatory/inhibitory ratio. We compare different dynamic regimes in terms of avalanche sizes vs. metabolic cost. We also implement the dynamic model in a Drosophila and Erdos–Renyi networks to computer dynamics and metabolic costs. The results show that the synaptic amplitude and time course play a key role in information propagation. They can drive the system from subcritical to supercritical regimes. The later result promotes the coexistence of critical regimes with a wide range of excitation/inhibition hub ratios. Moreover, subcritical or silent regimes minimize metabolic cost for local avalanche sizes, whereas critical and intermediate stability regimes show the best compromise between information propagation and reduced metabolic consumption, also minimizing metabolic cost for a wide range of avalanche sizes.

El municipio de Tlalnepantla ha transitado de una estructura económica basada en la agricultura de autoconsumo y la actividad forestal hacia la producción, en grandes extensiones, de nopal verdura para consumo nacional e internacional. Con ello ha modificado su sector económico primario y ha propiciado una nueva organización de su territorio en torno a esta actividad. El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar el proceso de organización territorial de la cadena productiva del nopal verdura que se cultiva en este municipio y sus principales implicaciones tanto en su territorio como en los productores involucrados. Para ello, el trabajo se apoyó en un reconocimiento de los factores físicos e históricos que han impulsado el desarrollo de esta actividad y, posteriormente, se recopiló información directa en campo a través de las experiencias de diferentes tipos de productores, la cual se complementó con datos recopilados de fuentes de información estadística y hemerográfica, a fin de analizar y sintetizar cartográficamente la organización territorial actual de la producción de nopal verdura en el municipio de Tlalnepantla. Los resultados de la investigación revelaron que la organización territorial de esta actividad destaca por ser manejada en parte por los productores locales, lo que sumado a su cercanía a la capital del país, ha beneficiado sus condiciones productivas y comerciales, pero al mismo tiempo, ha derivado en la marginación de otro sector de productores de nopal como resultado de factores políticos y de la competencia directa en el mercado nacional.

Euphorbia nutans Lag. it is a herbaceous plant found in the Mixteca Poblana, Mexico. It is considered a weed, it is not cultivated and its medicinal use to treat gastric problems and heal wounds is ignored. This situation can cause your loss of the region. In addition, it presents difficulties to in vitro establish from plant tissues and seeds. Therefore, the objective of this work was to determine the effect of silver nitrate (AgNO3) on the in vitro germination of E. nutans seeds in combination with factors such as the position of the seeds in the culture medium, lighting conditions and the use of growth regulators. The MS culture medium was used to compare three seed positions, lighting conditions: (16/8 h) and darkness, and 1.0 mg l-1 of BA, AG3 and AIA. The results showed that the germination of the seeds is partially favored depending on the growth regulator or lighting. However, in all cases, germination was higher with AgNO3, with 100% of seeds germinated from the first week of culture. The seedlings reached the height of the container in three weeks of culture with a significant difference with the treatments without AgNO3. Silver nitrate plays an essential role in the in vitro germination of E. nutans seeds and in the growth of the seedlings obtained. This is the first work on the in vitro management of E. nutans.

Abstract Background Crohn’s disease (CD) is a multifactorial disease characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation. The increased visceral adiposity near the affected intestinal area, of which mesenteric adipose tissue (MAT) is the main component, is a feature of CD. Both protective and pathological roles have been attributed to this disease-associated tissue in CD. To understand the contribution of MAT to CD pathophysiology, a molecular and cellular signature of disease-associated MAT in CD patients was provided. Methods We performed an observational study with whole transcriptional analysis by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of MAT and ileal mucosa from CD patients with active disease and controls. qPCR and immunohistology were performed for validation analysis. Results RNA-seq identified 17 significantly regulated genes (|FC| > 1.5; FDR 1.5, nominal p ≤ 0.05) yielded a larger list of 651 genes in CD-MAT compared to controls. CD ileum showed the significant regulation compared to control ileum of 849 genes (|FC| > 1.5; FDR 1.5, nominal p ≤ 0.05). Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed the significant regulation of pathways related to T- and B cell functionality in the MAT of CD patients. Despite the differences between the MAT and ileal signatures of CD patients, we identified a subset of 204 genes significantly modulated in both tissues compared to controls. This common signature included genes related to the plasma cell signature. Genes such as S100A8, S100A9 (calprotectin) and IL1B, which are associated with acute inflammatory response, were exclusively regulated in the ileal mucosa of CD disease. In contrast, some genes encoding for lymphocyte receptors such as MS4A1, CD3D and CD79A were exclusively regulated in CD-MAT, exhibiting a different pattern of immune cell activation compared to the ileal mucosa in CD patients. qPCR and immunohistology confirmed the presence of large infiltrates of CD3+ CD20+ lymphocytes and CD138+ plasma cells in CD-MAT. Conclusion Our data strongly supports the role of CD-associated MAT as a site for T-, B- and plasma cell activation, and suggests that it could also act as a reservoir of memory immune responses.

Cities occupy a relatively small percentage of the Earth’s surface. However, they influence the entire biosphere, affect biodiversity and environmental conditions, which end up affecting human health and well-being. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the level of contamination by heavy metals in urban environments, as well as the possible ecological and human health risks. In this study, the urban dust of six Mexican cities was analyzed and it was found that all studied cities were contaminated, except for Mérida, when soil world background value was used as reference. In contrast, Mérida and Morelia were the most contaminated when a local background was used (decile 1). The concentrations in the cities for the metals Cu, Pb and Zn, decreased in the order CDMX > San Luis Potosí > Toluca > Morelia-Ensenada > Mérida. In the particular case of Cu and Pb, SLP accompanied CDMX as the most polluted city. For Mn and Fe concentrations, the order was CDMX > Toluca > Ensenada > SLP > Morelia-Mérida. No potential ecological risk was found due to contamination by Cu, Pb, and Zn, in the urban dust of the studied cities. However, the higher metal contribution to the potential ecological risk in all the cities was from Pb; and it represented a moderate ecological risk of more than 25% on CDMX, SLP, and Toluca sites. Pb can also be a potential risk for children’s health. In addition, chronic exposure to Fe and Mn could trigger many ailments. In the future, it is important to identify the main sources of Pb in cities and seek mitigation strategies to reduce the possible adverse effects that this metal may be causing.

The main goal of this study is to analyze photobiomodulation therapy’s effectiveness on improving sports practice. Secondarily, the included studies were methodologically analyzed to verify their quality. A review and appraisal of literature found in Web of Science, ProQuest and Scopus databases was carried out. To evaluate the risk of bias of the included studies. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale and PEDro Internal Validity Scale (IVS) checklists were used. The included randomized clinical trials were in English, conducted on humans and published since 2016. A total of 15 randomized clinical trials were included, 4 of which found an improvement in oxygen volume after an aerobic stress test, while 2 showed no change. Muscle damage decreased in five studies, however, in two of them muscle damage did not change. Blood lactate concentration decreased in two of the studies, while in three of them there was no difference. Muscle soreness was lower in three studies, however, in four of the articles no change was demonstrated. All selected studies were of good methodological quality. On the IVS, six RCTs had a high internal quality and nine of them moderate. Photobiomodulation therapy has a positive effect on sports performance. Scientific studies on the subject are limited and more research in this line is needed.

The aim of the present study was to determine the level of association of the spatio-temporal gait parameters in subjects with and without plantar fasciopathy. The second objective was to analyze whether differences in spatio-temporal parameters between both groups exist. Seventy-four subjects divided in two groups participated in the study, one presenting subjects with plantar fasciopathy for more than three months (n = 31), and the other group comprising subjects without plantar fasciopathy (n = 43). The spatio-temporal parameters were measured using Optogait. Decreased step length (p < 0.001), increased contact phase (p < 0.001), increased double support (p < 0.001), increased load response (p < 0.001), increased pre-swing (p < 0.001), increased gait cycle (p = 0.002), decreased stride (p < 0.001), decreased speed (p < 0.001), decreased cadence (p < 0.001), decreased phase flatfoot (p = 0.001), and increased propulsion (p < 0.001) in subjects with PF showed statistically significant differences when compared with the control group.. Furthermore, the level of association between the spatio-temporal parameters was different when comparing the groups. These findings may help when assessing potential plantar fascia injuries, and they may serve as a tool that helps with clinical decision-making, or as a clinical measurement in a treatment and follow-up program.

Abstract Background Increasing numbers of aging individuals with chronic co-morbidities travel to regions where falciparum malaria is endemic. Non-communicable diseases are now leading risk factors for death in such countries. Thus, the influence of chronic diseases on the outcome of falciparum malaria is an issue of major importance. Aim of the present study was to assess whether non-communicable diseases increase the risk for severe imported falciparum malaria. Methods A retrospective observational study of all adult cases with imported falciparum malaria hospitalized between 2001 and 2015 in the tertiary care Charité University Hospital, Berlin, was performed. Results A total of 536 adult patients (median age 37 years; 31.3% female) were enrolled. Of these, 329 (61.4%) originated from endemic countries, 207 patients (38.6%) from non-endemic regions. Criteria for severe malaria were fulfilled in 68 (12.7%) cases. With older age, lack of previous malaria episodes, being a tourist, and delayed presentation, well-characterized risk factors were associated with severe malaria in univariate analysis. After adjustment for these potential confounders hypertension (adjusted odds ratio aOR, 3.06 95% confidence interval, CI 1.34–7.02), cardiovascular diseases (aOR, 8.20 95% CI 2.30–29.22), and dyslipidaemia (aOR, 6.08 95% CI 1.13–32.88) were individual diseases associated with severe disease in multivariable logistic regression. Hypertension proved an independent risk factor among individuals of endemic (aOR, 4.83, 95% CI 1.44–16.22) as well as of non-endemic origin (aOR, 3.60 95% CI 1.05–12.35). Conclusions In imported falciparum malaria hypertension and its related diseases are risk factors for severe disease.

La investigación se centra en el lenguaje de programación utilizado en Code.org para el desarrollo del razonamiento lógico matemático en los niños de nivel medio de educación básica en el Ecuador, el cual se considera como el más idóneo para que los niños trabajen en la programación informática, ya que cuenta con una interfaz gráfica amigable y se programa sobre objetos, todo lo cual ayuda además a mejorar su desempeño en otras áreas. La vinculación de los conceptos Code.org, del lenguaje de programación y de la lógica matemática constituye la guía primordial de la investigación que, en definitiva, tiene como finalidad comprobar, en el contexto ecuatoriano, si la programación ejerce o no alguna influencia sobre la capacidad lógica matemática del niño, y, de ejercerla, de qué forma lo hace, cuál es su metodología y cuáles son los fundamentos pedagógicos en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. Los resultados finales reflejaron que la enseñanza del lenguaje de programación en Code.org estimula la capacidad lógico-matemática de los estudiantes, tanto de manera general como en cada uno de los indicadores estudiados.

This paper explores the narrative and visual resourcesused in Colombian comics, from 1992 to the presentday, in order to describe dystopian representations of Bogotá city. Dystopia is generally understood as a negative view 28La Bogotá distópica: los cómics sobre una ciudad en caosSergio Roncallo-Dow - Daniel Aguilar-Rodríguezy Enrique Uribe-Jongbloedfor humanity either of a possible future or an alternative present. These fictions are classified here as dystopias about a technologi-cal failure, dystopias about a symbolic/physical coercion, apocalyp-tic dystopias about zombies/infected individuals and apocalyptic dystopias about supernatural/non-human events. For this research study, printed publications available since 1992 (130 items) were collected. Out of these fictions, those that were set in or made re-ference to the city of Bogotá were selected. Of the 45 comics that met this criterion, 28 were identified and analyzed that contained a dystopian setting. One of the major findings was that violence and conflict, both symbolic and physical, are constant in the diffe-rent dystopic settings identified in the study sample, which reflects and projects the historical violence experienced in Colombia.

Extra-terrestrial beings always have the potential to alter ‘the world as we know it.’ Whenever they appear in film or television, there is a debate about the possibility that we have, as human beings, to communicate with them. Linguistics and semiotics become keyelements in our attempt to bridge the cultural gap. Be it through mathematics, music or technological gadgets, these films only mimic the uncertainty that arises from all types of intercultural contact. The fear is always the misinterpretation that can turn a ‘We come in peace’ into a fully-fledged war. This article starts from a general review of 138 films from the decade 2007-2017 to recognize the main points present in their narrative, which shows that hostile conflict remains the main theme. Then it provides an interpretive analysis of the films to describe the type of communication fears that exist in contemporary films, taking a special look at Avatar (Cameron, 2009), Arrival (Villeneuve, 2016) and District 9 (Blomkamp, 2009) as the main representations of our current understanding of communication difficulties. The humanization of extra-terrestrial beings to establish communication with them becomes an inverse representation of the dehumanization of the other, the enemy, as depicted by certain sectors of society and a few recently elected governments, with whom it is difficult to establish mechanisms of communication and dialogue.

Air pollution has been associated with adverse health effects across the life-course. Although underlying mechanisms are unclear, several studies suggested pollutant-induced changes in transcriptomic profiles. In this meta-analysis of transcriptome-wide association studies of 656 children and adolescents from three European cohorts participating in the MeDALL Consortium, we found two differentially expressed transcript clusters (FDR p

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic respiratory disease associated with high morbidity and mortality. Although many patients recover, long-term sequelae after infection have become increasingly recognized and concerning. Among other sequelae, the available data indicate that many patients who recover from COVID-19 could develop fibrotic abnormalities over time. To understand the basic pathophysiology underlying the development of long-term pulmonary fibrosis in COVID-19, as well as the higher mortality rates in patients with pre-existing lung diseases, we compared the transcriptomic fingerprints among patients with COVID-19, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using interactomic analysis. Patients who died of COVID-19 shared some of the molecular biological processes triggered in patients with IPF, such as those related to immune response, airway remodeling, and wound healing, which could explain the radiological images seen in some patients after discharge. However, other aspects of this transcriptomic profile did not resemble the profile associated with irreversible fibrotic processes in IPF. Our mathematical approach instead showed that the molecular processes that were altered in COVID-19 patients more closely resembled those observed in COPD. These data indicate that patients with COPD, who have overcome COVID-19, might experience a faster decline in lung function that will undoubtedly affect global health.

Este ensayo busca evidenciar la relevancia que ha tenido la cultura pop en la amplia obra y fabulosa vida de Sergio Roncallo-Dow. Esta travesía nos lleva a vincular conceptos como el de habitar, el dasein y el mit-dasein de Heidegger, con el sensorium de Walter Benjamin, a través de la máxima de Marshall McLuhan, el medio es el mensaje. Se presentan tres campos de la vida y obra de Sergio que se entrelazan para dar cuenta de su aproximación al apotegma mcluhaniano. Este camino aborda la televisión en Colombia en la década de los ochenta, la escena de la música rock de la cual Sergio fue parte y su relación con los videojuegos y YouTube. Esta exploración nos permite ver algunas de sus sondas principales, su crítica a los modelos binarios y a la separación de la cultura popular y de élite, la centralidad de la imbricación entre técnica y cultura, y su propuesta de la comprensión de nuestra hibridación latinoamericana como nuestro punto de partida para entender-nos en la comunicación. Para citar este ensayo / to reference this essay / para citar este ensaio Uribe-Jongbloed, E., Aguilar-Rodríguez, D. y Espinosa-Medina, H. D. (2020). La cultura pop en el pensamiento de Sergio Roncallo-Dow: el sur es el mensaje. Palabra Clave, 23(supl.), e23s2. https://doi.org/10.5294/pacla.2020.23.s.2

Tendon injuries are the most frequent musculoskeletal problems, constituting 30–50% of all sport-related lesions. Efficient handling of early stage tendon injury and healing can accelerate tendon repair as well as improve the quality of newly formed tendons. Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) is an autologous biological therapy that has been proposed to treat tendon injuries. To elucidate the effect of this treatment on the early stage of tendon healing, 14 sheep were used to perform the present study. The right Achilles tendon was surgically severed and repaired with sutures. Seven animals were treated with PRGF and the other seven with saline solution after surgical tendon reconstruction. Tendons were ultrasound-guide infiltrated 1 week after the induced injury. Two weeks later, the sheep were euthanized and histochemical and immunohistochemical analyses were performed. The tendons with PRGF showed reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells compared to those treated with saline solution. Analysis of the blood vessels, morphometric data of fibroblast nuclei, and collagen fibres in the extracellular matrix did not show statistical differences between groups. These findings suggest the important role that PRGF therapy plays in the modulation of inflammatory response in Achilles tendon injuries, leading to acceleration of the tendon healing process, shortening the convalescence period.