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Objective To compare body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (PBF), and fat mass index (FMI) and to investigate the accuracy of FMI as a convenient tool for assessing obesity. Design Anthropometric measurements and bioelectrical impedance analyses were performed on 538 Mexican Americans (373 women and 165 men). Correlations between BMI and PBF and between FMI and PBF were investigated. The percentage of persons misclassified as obese using different classifications was calculated. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to generate predictive models of FMI for males and females separately. Results BMI and PBF were correlated in men (rho = 0.877; p < 0.0001) and women (rho = 0.966; p < 0.0001); however, 20% and 67.2% of the men and 9.2% and 84.2% of women, classified as normal weight and overweight by BMI, respectively, were diagnosed as obese by PBF. FMI and PBF were also correlated in men (rho = 0.975; p < 0.0001) and women (rho = 0.992; p < 0.0001). Four percent of the men classified as normal weight and 65.5% classified as overweight by BMI were obese by FMI, while 71.3% of women classified as overweight by BMI were obese by FMI. Misclassification of obesity between FMI and PBF categories was observed in 5.4% of men and 7.8% and women. Conclusions The discrepancy observed between BMI and PBF reflects a limitation of BMI. Conversely, FMI accurately assessed obesity in our study of Mexican Americans, but further studies are necessary to confirm our findings in different ethnic groups.

Macrophages (Mφ) and dendritic cells are the major target cell populations of the obligate intracellular parasite Leishmania. Inhibition of host cell apoptosis is a strategy employed by multiple pathogens to ensure their survival in the infected cell. Leishmania promastigotes have been shown to protect Mφ, neutrophils, and dendritic cells from both natural and induced apoptosis. Nevertheless, the effect of the infection with Leishmania amastigotes in the apoptosis of these cell populations has not been established, which results are very important since amastigotes persist in cells for many days and are responsible for sustaining infection in the host. As shown in this study, apoptosis of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDC) induced by treatment with camptothecin was downregulated by infection with L. mexicana amastigotes from 42.48 to 36.92% as detected by Annexin-V binding to phosphatidylserine. Also, the infection of moDC with L. mexicana amastigotes diminished the fragmentation of DNA as detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated fluorescein-dUTP nick end labeling assay, and changes in cell morphology were analyzed by electron microscopy. The observed antiapoptotic effect was found to be associated with an 80% reduction in the presence of active caspase-3 in infected moDC. The capacity of L. mexicana amastigotes to delay apoptosis induction in the infected moDC may have implications for Leishmania pathogenesis by favoring the invasion of its host and the persistence of the parasite in the infected cells.

Leishmania mexicana causes localized and diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis. Patients with localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) develop a benign disease, whereas patients with diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) suffer from a progressive disease associated with anergy of the cellular response towards Leishmania antigens. We evaluated the production of the interleukins (IL) IL-12, IL-15, IL-18 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and the expression of the costimulatory molecules CD40, B7-1 and B7-2 in monocytes from LCL and DCL patients, stimulated in vitro with Leishmania mexicana lipophosphoglycan (LPG) for 18 h. LCL monocytes significantly increased TNF-alpha, IL-15 and IL-18 production, and this increase was associated with reduced amounts of IL-12. DCL monocytes produced no IL-15 or IL-18 and showed a decreasing tendency of TNF-alpha and IL-12 production as the severity of the disease increased. No difference was observed in the expression of CD40 and B7-1 between both groups of patients, yet B7-2 expression was significantly augmented in DCL patients. It remains to be established if this elevated B7-2 expression in DCL patients is cause or consequence of the Th2-type immune response that characterizes these patients. These data suggest that the diminished ability of the monocytes from DCL patients to produce cell-activating innate proinflammatory cytokines when stimulated with LPG is a possible cause for disease progression.

A través de este trabajo se pretende identificar aspectos de la institucionalización del compromiso ambiental en un grupo de universidades colombianas a partir de cinco ámbitos establecidos: gobierno, docencia, investigación, extensión y gestión. Para esto se aplicó una encuesta de 25 preguntas, planteadas a partir del proyecto RISU: “Definición de indicadores para la evaluación de las políticas de sustentabilidad en universidades latinoamericanas”. El análisis, de carácter estadístico descriptivo, se elaboró con base en una escala entre 1 y 25 puntos, con cinco intervalos de igual magnitud para medir y clasificar el nivel de compromiso ambiental de las universidades. La encuesta fue respondida por 36 universidades del país. El nivel promedio hallado del compromiso de las IES colombianas es alto, con un valor de 18 puntos. Los ámbitos en los que el compromiso es más alto, son los de investigación y docencia, con un mismo valor promedio de 4,0 entre 5,0 posibles. Les siguen en su orden los de extensión (3,6), gestión (3,5) y gobierno (3,3).

Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) disease has been described as one of the possible causes of lumbosacral (LS) region pain in dogs. However, published information is currently lacking for the computed tomographic (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of canine SIJ disease. The objectives of this retrospective, observational study were to describe and quantify CT and MRI SIJ findings in a sample of large breed dogs and test associations between the numbers of SIJ findings and other variables. Data archives for a veterinary teaching hospital were searched for large breed dogs (≥ 22.7 kg) that had CT or MRI scans of the LS and pelvic regions in 2015–2019. Dogs with a history of acute trauma or scans with incomplete SIJs were excluded. A veterinary student recorded medical record findings. A veterinary radiologist and graduate student recorded CT and MRI findings based on previously published criteria in dogs and humans. Fifty‐three dogs were sampled (20 CT, 33 MRI). Categories of findings with the highest prevalence were subchondral erosion (100% CT, 100% MRI) and subchondral sclerosis (95% CT, 97% MRI). The total numbers of SIJ findings per dog were not associated with dog age, sex, weight, or concurrent findings in the LS or pelvic regions. The total number of MRI SIJ findings per dog differed between German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers (P = 0.0237) as well as between Labrador Retrievers and other breeds (P = 0.0414). These results indicated that CT and MRI findings reported in humans with SIJ disease are common in large breed dogs.

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Este artículo presenta el nivel de institucionalización del compromiso con la sustentabilidad de las universidades colombianas. El estudio aborda cinco ámbitos institucionales: gobierno y participación; docencia y formación ambiental; investigación ambiental; extensión o proyección social ambiental; y gestión y ordenamiento ambiental. Se realizó mediante la aplicación de una encuesta a 60 instituciones de educación superior de Colombia. Para el análisis se utilizaron los indicadores de la estadística descriptiva, cuyos resultados muestran que las universidades colombianas han avanzado en el compromiso con la sustentabilidad, pero aún se encuentran en un nivel bajo de la escala utilizada en la investigación. Solo el ámbito de docencia y formación ambiental se encuentra en un rango medio.