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Due to their location in tropical latitudes, mangrove forests are susceptible to the impact of hurricanes and can be vastly damaged by their high-speed winds. Given the logistic difficulties regarding field surveys in mangroves, remote sensing approaches have been considered a reliable alternative. We quantified trends in damage and early signs of canopy recovery in a fringe Rhizophora mangle area of Marismas Nacionales, Mexico, following the landfall of Hurricane Willa in October 2018. We monitored (2016-2021) broad canopy defoliation using 21 vegetation indices (VI) from the Google Earth Engine tool (GEE). We also mapped a detailed canopy fragmentation and developed digital surface models (DSM) during five study periods (2018-2021) with a consumer-grade unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over an area of 100 ha. Based on optical data from the GEE time series, results indicated an abrupt decline in the overall mangrove canopy. The VARI index was the most reliable VI for the mangrove canopy classification from a standard RGB sensor. The impact of the hurricane caused an overall canopy defoliation of 79%. The series of UAV orthomosaics indicate a gradual recovery in the mangrove canopy, while the linear model predicts at least 8.5 years to reach pre-impact mangrove cover conditions. However, the sequence of DSM estimates that the vertical canopy configuration will require a longer time to achieve its original structure.

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A whole-exome capture and next-generation sequencing was applied to an 11 y/o patient with a clinical history of congenital hypotonia, generalized motor and cognitive neurodevelopmental delay, and severe cognitive deficit, and without any identifiable Syndromic pattern, and to her parents, we disclosed a de novo heterozygous pathogenic mutation, c.697_699del p.Phe233del (rs786204835)(ACMG classification PS2, PM1, PM2, PP5), harbored in the PURA gene (MIM*600473) (5q31.3), associated with Autosomal Dominant Mental Retardation 31 (MIM # 616158). We used the significant improvement in the accuracy of protein structure prediction recently implemented in AlphaFold that incorporates novel neural network architectures and training procedures based on the evolutionary, physical, and geometric constraints of protein structures. The wild-type (WT) sequence and the mutated sequence, missing the Phe233, were reconstructed. The predicted local Distance Difference Test (lDDT) for the PURAwt and the PURA-Phe233del showed that the occurrence of the Phe233del affects between 220-320 amino acids. The distortion in the PURA structural conformation in the ~5 Å surrounding area after the p.Phe233del produces a conspicuous disruption of the repeat III, where the DNA and RNA helix unwinding capability occurs. PURA Protein-DNA docking corroborated these results in an in silico analysis that showed a loss of the contact of the PURA-Phe233del III repeat domain model with the DNA. Together, (i) the energetic and stereochemical, (ii) the hydropathic indexes and polarity surfaces, and (iii) the hybrid Quantum Mechanics-Molecular Mechanics (QM-MM) analyses of the PURA molecular models demarcate, at the atomic resolution, the specific surrounding region affected by these mutations and pave the way for future cell-based functional analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a de novo mutation underpinning a PURA syndrome in a Latin American patient and highlights the importance of predicting the molecular effects in protein structure using artificial intelligence algorithms and molecular and atomic resolution stereochemical analyses.

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Latinx transmasculine men (LTM) can be at a particularly high risk for cervical cancer as they lie at the intersection of two health disparity populations (gender and ethnic minorities). Previous research using self-report measures has documented how negative interactions with providers are a key barrier for cervical cancer screening among LTM. However, no research to date has examined, via direct observation, cervical cancer preventive behaviors in clinical interactions with LTM. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine cervical cancer preventive behaviors in clinical interactions between medical students and an LTM. The team implemented standardized patient simulations (simulations of clinical interactions with actors portraying the role of a patient), self-report measures, and observational techniques. A total of 37 medical students participated in the study. The results were mixed with some key behaviors neglected (i.e., asking if the patient preferred to collect the HPV test sample by himself), while others were enacted (i.e., checking family history of cervical cancer). Further research is needed to better understand behaviors in clinical interactions with LTM as well as how to improve them.

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Objetivo. Caracterizar flavonoides presentes en el extracto y subextracto metanólico de las hojas de Apium graveolens var. Rapaceum, DC. "Apio-nabo". Materiales y métodos. Se elaboró un extracto y subextracto metanólico de las hojas Apium graveolens var. Rapaceum, DC. "Apio-nabo". Se determinó la solubilidad del extracto metanólico en solventes de polaridad creciente. Se detectaron los componentes químicos del extracto y subextracto metanólico mediante un tamizaje fitoquímico empleando gelatina, tricloruro férrico, reactivo de Shinoda, reactivo de Dragendorff y reactivo de Ninhidrina, entre otros. Se ejecutó cromatografía en capa fina y mediante espectroscopia UV/Vis se propuso estructuras químicas para los metabolitos tipo flavonoides presentes en el extracto y subextracto metanólico de hojas de Apium graveolens var. Rapaceum, DC. "Apio-nabo". Resultados. El extracto metanólico de hojas de Apium graveolens var. Rapaceum, DC fue soluble en solventes polares. Los metabolitos secundarios encontrados son compuestos fenólicos tipo flavonoides, taninos y alcaloides en el extracto y subextracto metanólico. Se propuso tres estructuras químicas de flavonoides a través del análisis de los espectros UV/Vis, y mediante comparación con lo publicado por TJ Mabry y Olga Lock. Conclusión. Se caracterizó la posible estructura química de tres metabolitos secundarios tipo flavona encontrados en el subextracto metanólico de hojas de Apium graveolens var. Rapaceum, DC.

Objective. To characterize flavonoids present in the methanol extract and subextract of the leaves of Apium graveolens var. Rapaceum, DC. "Celery-turnip". Materials and methods. An methanolic extract and subextract of Apium graveolens var. Rapaceum, DC. "Celery-turnip" was prepared. The solubility of the methanolic extract in solvents of increasing polarity was determined. The chemical components of the methanolic extract and subextract were detected by means of a phytochemical screening using gelatin, ferric trichloride, Shinoda reagent, Dragendorff reagent and Ninhydrin reagent, among others. Thin layer chromatography was carried out and by means of UV / Vis spectroscopy chemical structures were proposed for the flavonoid metabolites present in the methanolic extract and subextract of Apium graveolens var. Rapaceum, DC. "Celery-turnip". Results. It was determined that the methanolic extract of the leaves of Apium graveolens var. Rapaceum, DC. is soluble in polar solvents. The metabolites, the phenolic compounds, the flavonoids, the tannins and the alkaloids in the extract and methanol subextract. Flavonoid chemical structures are proposed through the analysis of the UV / Vis spectra, and it has been published with TJ Mabry and Olga Lock. Conclusion. The possible chemical structure of three secondary flavone metabolites found in methanolic subextract of leaves of Apium graveolens var. Rapaceum, DC.

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Abstract Lynch syndrome is the most common cause of inherited colorectal cancer, totaling 5 to 8% of all the cases with high susceptibility to this type of cancer and extracolonic cancer. It is related to germinal mutations taking place at mismatch repair genes. The diagnosis of Lynch syndrome is essential for both monitoring patients with this disease and detecting asymptomatic carriers, in order to establish appropriate clinical monitoring, preventive management and genetic counseling. Although clinical criteria have been standardized by implementing Amsterdam I and II, as well as Bethesda guidelines, the detection rate of mutations in these genes only varies between 20% and 60%. The objective of this research was to review the state of the art regarding molecular diagnosis of Lynch syndrome; thus, a review of the literature published from 1995 to 2015 in PubMed database was performed by using the criteria "lynch syndrome molecular screening". 19 articles were selected and reviewed, and the relevant bibliography related to such articles was also reviewed. This paper presents different approaches proposed by several researchers on molecular algorithms to improve the efficiency of Lynch syndrome diagnosis.

Resumen El síndrome de Lynch es la causa más frecuente de cáncer colorectal (CCR) hereditario y representa el 5-8% de los casos con alta susceptibilidad a CCR y cánceres extracolónicos. Este síndrome se relaciona con mutaciones germinales en genes de reparación de malos apareamientos (MMR); su diagnóstico es fundamental, tanto para el seguimiento de los afectados como para la detección de portadores asintomáticos, y tiene el propósito de instaurar un adecuado seguimiento, un manejo preventivo y un asesoramiento genético. Si bien los criterios clínicos han sido estandarizados con la implementación de las guías de Amsterdam I y II y Bethesda, la tasa de detección de mutaciones en estos genes solo varía entre 20% y 60%. El objetivo de esta investigación fue revisar el estado del arte con relación al diagnóstico molecular del síndrome de Lynch, para lo cual se realizó una revisión de la literatura publicada entre 1995 y 2015 en la base de datos PubMed usando como criterio de revisión: "Lynch syndrome molecular screening". Se escogieron y revisaron 19 artículos y además se revisó y escogió la bibliografía pertinente de los artículos. Se presentan propuestas de varios autores sobre los algoritmos moleculares para mejorar la eficiencia del diagnóstico del síndrome de Lynch.