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Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) is the most common sight-threatening complication of type 2 diabetes. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is the most useful imaging technique to diagnose, follow up, and evaluate treatments for DME. However, OCT exam and devices are expensive and unavailable in all clinics in low- and middle-income countries. Our primary goal was therefore to develop an alternative method to OCT for DME diagnosis by introducing spectral information derived from spontaneous electroretinogram (ERG) signals as a single input or combined with fundus that is much more widespread. Baseline ERGs were recorded in 233 patients and transformed into scalograms and spectrograms via Wavelet and Fourier transforms, respectively. Using transfer learning, distinct Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) were trained as classifiers for DME using OCT, scalogram, spectrogram, and eye fundus images. Input data were randomly split into training and test sets with a proportion of 80 %-20 %, respectively. The top performers for each input type were selected, OpticNet-71 for OCT, DenseNet-201 for eye fundus, and non-evoked ERG-derived scalograms, to generate a combined model by assigning different weights for each of the selected models. Model validation was performed using a dataset alien to the training phase of the models. None of the models powered by mock ERG-derived input performed well. In contrast, hybrid models showed better results, in particular, the model powered by eye fundus combined with mock ERG-derived information with a 91 % AUC and 86 % F1-score, and the model powered by OCT and mock ERG-derived scalogram images with a 93 % AUC and 89 % F1-score. These data show that the spontaneous ERG-derived input adds predictive value to the fundus- and OCT-based models to diagnose DME, except for the sensitivity of the OCT model which remains the same. The inclusion of mock ERG signals, which have recently been shown to take only 5 min to record in daylight conditions, therefore represents a potential improvement over existing OCT-based models, as well as a reliable and cost-effective alternative when combined with the fundus, especially in underserved areas, to predict DME.

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Los carotenoides son pigmentos isoprenoides, que están presentes de manera natural y en altas concentraciones en la mayoría de alimentos vegetales, por ejemplo, aguacate (palta), papaya, tomate y zanahoria, pero también se encuentran como aditivos y colorantes en diversos productos cárnicos, aceites vegetales, salsas, aderezos, harinas, entre otros. En los últimos años, varios grupos de investigación han descrito que los carotenoides de la dieta participan en varios procesos fisiopatológicos, incluyendo, la respuesta inmune de tipo alérgico. Las tasas de prevalencia para este tipo de enfermedades se han incrementado de manera alarmante durante las últimas cinco décadas en todo el mundo, y varios factores e hipótesis se han planteado tratando de explicar este fenómeno. Uno de ellos es la hipótesis de la dieta, la cual plantea que la composición de varios micro- y macronutrientes de la alimentación, así como los cambios en los patrones dietarios, serían los responsables de dicho fenómeno. En adición, evidencia epidemiológica y experimental señala que los carotenoides de la dieta participan en la regulación de la inflamación alérgica y, por ello, se postulan como coadyuvantes en la terapia de estos padecimientos. En el presente manuscrito se revisará el estado del arte en relación con los efectos de los carotenoides de la dieta sobre el estado inflamatorio alérgico.(AU)

The carotenoids are isoprenoids pigments, which are naturally present in high concentrations and in most vegetables foods e.g., avocado, papaya, tomato and carrot, but also as additives and dyes found in various meat products, vegetable oils, sauces, dressings, flour, among others. In recent years, several research groups have reported that dietary carotenoids participate in many pathophysiological processes, including the allergic immune response. The prevalence rates for these diseases have increased alarmingly over the past five decades in the world and a number of factors and assumptions have been proposed trying to explain this phenomenon, one of them is the hypothesis of the diet, which has arisen that the composition of several micro and macronutrients of foods, as well as changes in the dietary patterns would be responsible for thisphenomenon.In addition, epidemiological and experimental evidence indicates that dietary carotenoids are involved in the regulation of allergic inflammation and thus postulated as adjuvants in the therapy of these diseases. In this manuscript, we will review the state of art in relation to the effects of dietary carotenoids on the allergic inflammatory state.(AU)

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GPIIb/IIIa, the human platelet glycoprotein complex, is the autoantigen most commonly recognized by autoantibodies in autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura (AITP). Two murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), namely Y2/51 and 5B12, directed against gpIIIa and gpIIb/IIIa, respectively, and rabbit anti-human platelet polyclonal antibodies have been used to select AITP-related epitopes from a phage display peptide library expressing random dodecapeptides in the pIII coat protein of M13 phage. The selected phage clones were tested by ELISA for binding to rabbit anti-human platelet antibodies as well as to sera from AITP patients. Seven clones reacted strongly with rabbit anti-human platelet antibodies, and four clones reacted with sera from AITP patients. Some homology between peptide inserts sequences of selected clones and human platelet gpIIIa and gpIb were found.

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