All-Order Full-Coulomb Quantum Spectral Line-Shape Calculations.

Understanding how atoms interact with hot dense matter is essential for astrophysical and laboratory plasmas. Interactions in high-density plasmas broaden spectral lines, providing a rare window into interactions that govern, for example, radiation transport in stars. However, up to now, spectral line-shape theories employed at least one of three common approximations: second-order Taylor treatment of broadening operator, dipole-only interactions between atom and plasma, and classical treatment of perturbing electrons. In this Letter, we remove all three approximations simultaneously for the first time and test the importance for two applications: neutral hydrogen and highly ionized magnesium and oxygen. We found 15%-50% change in the spectral line widths, which are sufficient to impact applications including white-dwarf mass determination, stellar-opacity research, and laboratory plasma diagnostics.

Solid-Density Ion Temperature from Redshifted and Double-Peaked Stark Line Shapes.

Heß spectral line shapes are important for diagnosing temperature and density in many dense plasmas. This work presents Heß line shapes measured with high spectral resolution from solid-density plasmas with minimized gradients. The line shapes show hallmark features of Stark broadening, including quantifiable redshifts and double-peaked structure with a significant dip between the peaks; these features are compared to models through a Markov chain Monte Carlo framework. Line shape theory using the dipole approximation can fit the width and peak separation of measured line shapes, but it cannot resolve an ambiguity between electron density n_{e} and ion temperature T_{i}, since both parameters influence the strength of quasistatic ion microfields. Here a line shape model employing a full Coulomb interaction for the electron broadening computes self-consistent line widths and redshifts through the monopole term; redshifts have different dependence on plasma parameters and thus resolve the n_{e}-T_{i} ambiguity. The measured line shapes indicate densities that are 80-100% of solid, identifying a regime of highly ionized but well-tamped plasma. This analysis also provides the first strong evidence that dense ions and electrons are not in thermal equilibrium, despite equilibration times much shorter than the duration of x-ray emission; cooler ions may arise from nonclassical thermalization rates or anomalous energy transport. The experimental platform and diagnostic technique constitute a promising new approach for studying ion-electron equilibration in dense plasmas.

Assessment of children in the autistic spectrum disorder that carry the Thr92Ala-DIO2 polymorphism.

INTRODUCTION: A polymorphism in the type 2 deiodinase (Thr92Ala-DIO2) gene has been associated with behavioral and cognitive dysfunction as well as neurodegeneration and oxidative stress in the central nervous system. OBJECTIVE: To test whether the minor allele (Ala92) frequency (MAF) is increased in children in the autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and whether carriers of the minor allele exhibit more severe symptoms and/or worse adaptive behavior. STUDY DESIGN: ASD children were evaluated at baseline and yearly throughout the study by psychologists using the following tools: autism behavior checklist, Vineland Adaptative Behaviour Scales II, non-verbal intelligence test SON-R 21/2-7, SON-R 6-40, Weschler scale for intelligence, and autism treatment evaluation checklist. SETTINGS: Academic outpatient mental health facility in Sao Paulo, Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: ASD boys and girls younger than 18 years of age. 132 consecutive ASD children, mostly boys (~ 80%); ~ 50% was classified as verbal. Exclusion criteria were coexistence of sensory and/or physical impairment, or any associated genetic syndromes. RESULTS: Median follow-up was for an uninterrupted period of 937 days (139-1375 days), which did not vary significantly among the genotypes. The MAF was 47% in ASD patients vs. 51% in a local reference population with similar ethnic background; the clinical severity and progression were not affected by the minor allele. Carriers of the minor allele exhibited higher adaptive behavior in the domains "daily living skills" and "communication", which correlated positively with the dose of the minor allele. CONCLUSION: The MAF is not different in ASD children, but carriers of the Thr92Ala-DIO2 polymorphism exhibited higher adaptive behavior.

Effect of Electron Capture on Spectral Line Broadening in Hot Dense Plasmas.

Accurate calculation of spectral line broadening is important for many hot, dense plasma applications. However, calculated line widths have significantly underestimated measured widths for Δn=0 lines of Li-like ions, which is known as the isolated-line problem. In this Letter, scrutinization of the line-width derivation reveals that the commonly used expression neglects a potentially important contribution from electron-capture. Line-width calculations including this process are performed with two independent codes, both of which removed the discrepancies at temperatures below 10 eV. The revised calculations also suggest the remaining discrepancy scales more strongly with electron temperature than the atomic number as was previously suggested.

Computing the Fukui Function in Solid-State Chemistry: Application to Alkaline Earth Oxides Bulk and Surfaces.

Fukui functions (FFs) are chemical descriptors that are useful to explain the reactivity of systems toward electron transfer. Whereas they have been widely employed for molecules, their application to extended systems is scarce. One of the reasons for the limited development of such analysis in solids is the improper evaluation of FFs in the usual computational approaches based on density functional theory and periodic boundary conditions. In this work we compare the available approaches and propose a new method based on the interpolation of partially charged systems that mitigates some of the problems encountered. We discuss the reactivity of alkaline earth oxides (MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO) in terms of the FF analysis, providing a robust way to account for the higher reactivity of surface oxygen sites compared with bulk sites.

Induced pluripotent stem cells for cartilage repair: current status and future perspectives.

The establishment of cartilage regenerative medicine is an important clinical issue, but the search for cell sources able to restore cartilage integrity proves to be challenging. Human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are prone to form epiphyseal or hypertrophic cartilage and have an age-related limited proliferation. On the other hand, it is difficult to obtain functional chondrocytes from human embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Moreover, the ethical issues associated with human ESCs are an additional disadvantage of using such cells. Since their discovery in 2006, induced pluripotent stems cells (iPSCs) have opened many gateways to regenerative medicine research, especially in cartilage tissue engineering therapies. iPSCs have the capacity to overcome limitations associated with current cell sources since large numbers of autologous cells can be derived from small starting populations. Moreover, problems associated with epiphyseal or hypertrophic-cartilage formation can be overcome using iPSCs. iPSCs emerge as a promising cell source for treating cartilage defects and have the potential to be used in the clinical field. For this purpose, robust protocols to induce chondrogenesis, both in vitro an in vivo, are required. This review summarises the recent progress in iPSC technology and its applications for cartilage repair.

Effect of feed intake level and dietary protein content on the body temperature of pigs housed under thermo neutral conditions.

Feed intake and diet composition appear to affect the body temperature of pigs. Two trials were conducted to analyse the effect of feed intake level and dietary protein content on the intestinal temperature (IT) of pigs housed under thermo neutral conditions. Ten pigs (64.1 ± 1.3 kg initial body weight) fitted with an ileal cannula were used. A thermometer set to register the IT at 5-min intervals was implanted into the ileum through the cannula. In both trials, the ambient temperature ranged from 19.1 to 21.6°C and the pigs were fed at 07:00 and 19:00 hr (same amount each time). In trial 1, the pigs were fed daily 1.2 or 1.8 kg of a wheat-soybean meal diet. The IT followed a similar pattern along a 24-hr period regardless the feed intake level. The IT rapidly increased up to 0.61 and 0.74°C after the morning meal and up to 0.53 and 0.47°C after the evening meal in pigs fed 1.2 and 1.8 kg/d respectively. The postprandial IT was higher in pigs fed 1.8 kg after each meal (p < .05). In trial 2, pigs were fed daily 1.8 kg of a low (11%) or a high (22%) crude protein diet. The IT followed a similar pattern along the 24-hr period regardless the dietary protein level. The postprandial IT did not differ between pigs fed the low protein or the high protein (p > .10). The IT rapidly increased up to 0.66 and 0.62°C after the morning meal in pigs fed the high- and low-protein diet (p < .05), but there was no change after the evening meal (p > .10). In conclusion, the feed intake level affected the IT of pigs housed under TN conditions, but the dietary protein content had no effect.

Long-term effects of hydrogen sulfide on the anabolic-catabolic balance of articular cartilage in vitro.

Healthy cartilage maintenance relies on an equilibrium among the anabolic and catabolic processes in chondrocytes. With the onset of osteoarthritis (OA), increased interleukin (IL)-1ß levels induce an inhibition of the synthesis of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, as well as an increase in proteases. This eventually leads to a predominance of the catabolic phenotype and the progressive loss of articular cartilage. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a small gaseous molecule recognized as the third endogenous gasotransmitter. When administered exogenously, it has shown anti-inflammatory and anti-catabolic properties in several in vitro and in vivo models. Here, OA cartilage disks were co-cultured in vitro with IL-1ß (5 ng/ml) and NaSH or GYY4137 (200 or 1000 µM) for 21 days. The ability of these two H2S-producing compounds to avoid long term extracellular matrix (ECM) destruction was evaluated. We used a glycosaminoglycan (GAG) quantification kit histology and immunohistochemistry (IHC) to evaluate matrix proteins degradation and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) abundance. Through the GAGs quantification assay, safranin O (S-O) and toluidine blue (TB) stains, and keratan/chondroitin sulfate (KS/ChS) IHCs it was shown that co-stimulation with H2S-forming reagents effectively avoided GAGs destruction. Both Masson's trichrome (MT) stain and collagen (col) type II IHC, as well as aggrecan (agg) IHC demonstrated that not only were these proteins protected but even promoted, their abundance being higher than in the basal condition. Further, stains also demonstrated that positivity in the inter-territorial and intra-cellular for the different matrix components were rescued, suggesting that NaSH and GYY4137 might also have pro-anabolic effects. In addition, a clear protective effect against the increased MMPs levels was seen, since increased MMP3 and 13 levels were subsequently reduced with the co-stimulation with sulfide compounds. In general, GYY4137 was more effective than NaSH, and increasing the dose improved the results. This study demonstrates that H2S anti-catabolic effects, which had been previously proven in short-term (24-48 h) in vitro cellular models, are maintained over time directly in OA cartilage tissue.

Integrin α4-positive human trophoblast progenitors: functional characterization and transcriptional regulation.

STUDY QUESTION: What are the functional characteristics and transcriptional regulators of human trophoblast progenitor cells (TBPCs)? SUMMARY ANSWER: TBPC lines established from the human smooth chorion by cell sorting for integrin α4 expressed markers of stemness and trophoblast (TB) stage-specific antigens, invaded Matrigel substrates and contributed to the cytotrophoblasts (CTBs) layer of smooth chorion explants with high-mobility group protein HMGI-C (HMGA2) and transcription factor GATA-4 (GATA4) controlling their progenitor state and TB identity. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Previously, we reported the derivation of TBPC lines by trypsinization of colonies that formed in cultures of chorionic mesenchyme cells that were treated with an activin nodal inhibitor. Microarray analyses showed that, among integrins, α4 was most highly expressed, and identified HMGA2 and GATA4 as potential transcriptional regulators. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: The aim of this study was to streamline TBPC derivation across gestation. High-cell surface expression of integrin α4 enabled the use of a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) approach for TBPC isolation from the human smooth chorion (n = 6 lines). To confirm their TBPC identity, we profiled their expression of stemness and TB markers, and growth factor receptors. At a functional level, we assayed their invasive capacity (n = 3) and tropism for the CTB layer of the smooth chorion (n = 3). At a molecular level, we studied the roles of HMGA2 and GATA4. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTINGS, METHODS: Cells were enzymatically disassociated from the human smooth chorion across gestation. FACS was used to isolate the integrin α4-positive population. In total, we established six TBPC lines, two per trimester. Their identity was determined by immunolocalization of a suite of antigens. Function was assessed via Matrigel invasion and co-culture with explants of the human smooth chorion. An siRNA approach was used to down-regulate HMGA2 and GATA4 expression and the results were confirmed by immunoblotting and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analyses. The endpoints analyzed included proliferation, as determined by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrDU) incorporation, and the expression of stage-specific antigens and hormones, as determined by qRT-PCR and immunostaining approaches. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: As with the original cell lines, the progenitors expressed a combination of human embryonic stem cell and TB markers. Upon differentiation, they primarily formed CTBs, which were capable of Matrigel invasion. Co-culture of the cells with smooth chorion explants enabled their migration through the mesenchyme after which they intercalated within the chorionic CTB layer. Down-regulation of HMGA2 showed that this DNA-binding protein governed their self-renewal. Both HMGA2 and GATA4 had pleitropic effects on the cells' progenitor state and TB identity. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: This study supported our hypothesis that TBPCs from the chorionic mesenchyme can contribute to the subpopulation of CTBs that reside in the smooth chorion. In the absence of in vivo data, which is difficult to obtain in humans, the results have the limitations common to all in vitro studies. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The accepted view is that progenitors reside among the villous CTB subpopulation. Here, we show that TBPCs also reside in the mesenchymal layer of the smooth chorion throughout gestation. We theorize that they can contribute to the CTB layer in this region. This phenomenon may be particularly important in pathological situations when CTBs of the smooth chorion might provide a functional reserve for CTBs of the placenta proper. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS: Research reported in this publication was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health under award P50HD055764. O.G., N.L., K.O., A.P., T.G.-G., M.K., A.B., M.G. have nothing to disclose. S.J.F. received licensing fees and royalties from SeraCare Life Sciences for trisomic TBPC lines that were derived according to the methods described in this manuscript. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Conceptual basis for an integrated system for the management of a protected area. Examples from its application in a mediterranean area.

Improving the efficiency of management in protected areas is imperative in a generalized context of limited conservation budgets. However, this is overlooked due to flaws in problem definition, general disregard for cost information, and a lack of suitable tools for measuring costs and management quality. This study describes an innovative methodological framework, implemented in the web application SIGEIN, focused on maximizing the quality of management against its costs, establishing an explicit justification for any decision. The tool integrates, with this aim, a procedure for prioritizing management objects according to a conservation value, modified by a functional criterion; a project management module; and a module for management of continuous assessment. This appraisal associates the relevance of the conservation targets, the efficacy of the methods employed, both resource and personnel investments, and the resulting costs. Preliminary results of a prototypical SIGEIN application on the Site of Community Importance Chafarinas Islands are included.

'One Health' investigation: outbreak of human Salmonella Braenderup infections traced to a mail-order hatchery - United States, 2012-2013.

Human salmonellosis linked to contact with live poultry is an increasing public health concern. In 2012, eight unrelated outbreaks of human salmonellosis linked to live poultry contact resulted in 517 illnesses. In July 2012, PulseNet, a national molecular surveillance network, reported a multistate cluster of a rare strain of Salmonella Braenderup infections which we investigated. We defined a case as infection with the outbreak strain, determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, with illness onset from 25 July 2012-27 February 2013. Ill persons and mail-order hatchery (MOH) owners were interviewed using standardized questionnaires. Traceback and environmental investigations were conducted. We identified 48 cases in 24 states. Twenty-six (81%) of 32 ill persons reported live poultry contact in the week before illness; case-patients named 12 different MOHs from eight states. The investigation identified hatchery D as the ultimate poultry source. Sampling at hatchery D yielded the outbreak strain. Hatchery D improved sanitation procedures and pest control; subsequent sampling failed to yield Salmonella. This outbreak highlights the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and the environment and the importance of industry knowledge and involvement in solving complex outbreaks. Preventing these infections requires a 'One Health' approach that leverages expertise in human, animal, and environmental health.

Changes in ventral respiratory column GABAaR ε- and δ-subunits during hibernation mediate resistance to depression by EtOH and pentobarbital.

During hibernation in the 13-lined ground squirrel, Ictidomys tridecemlineatus, the cerebral cortex is electrically silent, yet the brainstem continues to regulate cardiorespiratory function. Previous work showed that neurons in slices through the medullary ventral respiratory column (VRC) but not the cortex are insensitive to high doses of pentobarbital during hibernation, leading to the hypothesis that GABA(A) receptors (GABA(A)R) in the VRC undergo a seasonal modification in subunit composition. To test whether alteration of GABA(A)R subunits are responsible for hibernation-associated pentobarbital insensitivity, we examined an array of subunits using RT-PCR and Western blots and identified changes in ε- and δ-subunits in the medulla but not the cortex. Using immunohistochemistry, we confirmed that during hibernation, the expression of ε-subunit-containing GABA(A)Rs nearly doubles in the VRC. We also identified a population of δ-subunit-containing GABA(A)Rs adjacent to the VRC that were differentially expressed during hibernation. As δ-subunit-containing GABA(A)Rs are particularly sensitive to ethanol (EtOH), multichannel electrodes were inserted in slices of medulla and cortex from hibernating squirrels and EtOH was applied. EtOH, which normally inhibits neuronal activity, excited VRC but not cortical neurons during hibernation. This excitation was prevented by bicuculline pretreatment, indicating the involvement of GABA(A)Rs. We propose that neuronal activity in the VRC during hibernation is unaffected by pentobarbital due to upregulation of ε-subunit-containing GABA(A)Rs on VRC neurons. Synaptic input from adjacent inhibitory interneurons that express δ-subunit-containing GABA(A)Rs is responsible for the excitatory effects of EtOH on VRC neurons during hibernation.

Proteomics of embryonic implantation.

Implantation is a complex process involving an intricate cascade of molecular interactions between the implanting blastocyst and the receptive endometrium. The molecular basis of endometrial receptivity and the mechanisms by which the blastocyst first adheres to the luminal epithelium and then penetrates into the stroma are only just beginning to be resolved. Advances in "omics" technologies, particularly proteomics and metabolomics, are set to have a major impact on the development of this field. In the wake of this information, novel targets for contraceptive intervention may become apparent.

[The effects of pharmacological treatment with stimulants on circadian activity patterns in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder]. / Efectos del tratamiento farmacológico estimulante sobre los patrones de actividad circadiana en niños con trastorno por déficit de atención/hiperactividad.

INTRODUCTION: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders in childhood. The nuclear symptoms of ADHD are treated with stimulant medication such as methylphenidate; however, there's a lot of controversy regarding its side effects. AIMS: To analyse the activity patterns in children with ADHD during a period of 24 hours for seven days, before and after taking pharmacological treatment with stimulants (methylphenidate) and observe the differences between the different presentations of ADHD (inattentive and combined subtype). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 30 children and adolescents (newly diagnosed with ADHD according to DSM-IV). Analyses were carried out through actigraphy, an instrument that allows us to monitor body movements by analysing movement patterns and differences between sleep and wakefulness. RESULTS: There were significant differences before and after treatment showing higher activity levels in patients with ADHD before treatment, and a decrease in this situation after taking pharmacological treatment. There are also differences between inattentive and combined subtype, showing the last group, higher activity levels. CONCLUSIONS: The level of activation presented by ADHD subjects is higher before taking stimulant treatment, influencing circadian patterns, sleep and quality of life. Pharmacological treatments help to decrease the level of activation.

TITLE: Efectos del tratamiento farmacológico estimulante sobre los patrones de actividad circadiana en niños con trastorno por déficit de atención/hiperactividad.Introducción. El trastorno por déficit de atención/hiperactividad (TDAH) es uno de los trastornos mentales más comunes en la infancia. Los síntomas nucleares del TDAH se tratan con estimulantes como el metilfenidato; aun así, existe mucha controversia respecto a sus efectos secundarios. Objetivos. Analizar los patrones de actividad en niños con TDAH durante un período de 24 horas durante siete días, antes y después de tomar tratamiento farmacológico estimulante (metilfenidato), y observar si existen diferencias entre las diferentes presentaciones del trastorno (subtipo inatento y combinado). Pacientes y métodos. Un total de 30 niños y adolescentes (recién diagnosticados de TDAH según los criterios diagnósticos del DSM-IV) fueron evaluados a través de un actígrafo, un instrumento que permite monitorizar los movimientos corporales analizando los patrones de movimiento y las diferencias entre sueño y vigilia. Resultados. Existen diferencias significativas antes y después de realizar el tratamiento, con niveles de actividad más altos en los pacientes con TDAH antes de empezar el tratamiento y un decrecimiento de esta actividad tras el tratamiento farmacológico. También existen diferencias entre los subtipos inatento y combinado, y el último grupo muestra un nivel de actividad mayor. Conclusiones. El nivel de activación que presentan los sujetos con TDAH es mayor antes de tomar tratamiento, e influye en los patrones circadianos, el sueño y la calidad de vida. El tratamiento farmacológico ayuda a disminuir el nivel de activación.

SEOM clinical guideline on hereditary colorectal cancer (2019).

In the last 2 decades, clinical genetics on hereditary colorectal syndromes has shifted from just a molecular characterization of the different syndromes to the estimation of the individual risk of cancer and appropriate risk reduction strategies. In the last years, new specific therapies for some subgroups of patients have emerged as very effective alternatives. At the same time, germline multigene panel testing by next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has become the new gold standard for molecular genetics.

Usefulness of a circumferential wound retractor in emergency colorectal surgery as a preventive measure for surgical site infection. Alexis O-Ring® and emergency surgery. / Utilidad del separador circunferencial para herida en cirugía colorrectal de urgencia como medida preventiva para infección del sitio quirúrgico. El Alexis O-Ring® y la cirugía de urgencia.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: More than 20% of healthcare-associated infections correspond to those at surgical sites, and there is a higher incidence of infections in colorectal surgery due to the associated bacterial load. Surgical wound protectors are designed to prevent contamination and mechanical trauma. Our aim was to demonstrate the usefulness of a circumferential wound retractor/protector for the prevention of surgical site infections (SSIs) in emergency colorectal surgery. METHODS: Forty-one patients that underwent emergency open surgery at a tertiary care hospital were randomized into 2 groups: 20 cases without the retractor (group A) and 21 cases with the retractor (group B). Subjects were assigned to a group in a 1:1 randomization allocation ratio. The chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were employed for the quantitative variables, and the statistical analysis was performed using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software for Mac, version 16.0 (IBM SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: The SSI rate was 17%. Six group A patients developed SSI versus one group B patient. The use of a circumferential wound retractor/protector was statistically significant for the prevention of surgical wound infections, with a P=.031 and an OR of 8.5. In addition, preoperative blood glucose levels below 200mg/dl provided a 3.2-times higher protective effect, compared with glucose levels above 200mg/dl. CONCLUSIONS: In the present prospective randomized pilot study, the use of the circumferential wound retractor/protector significantly decreased the likelihood of SSI in emergency colorectal surgery.

Generation and characterization of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from hand osteoarthritis patient-derived fibroblasts.

Knowledge and research results about hand osteoarthritis (hOA) are limited due to the lack of samples and animal models of the disease. Here, we report the generation of two induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-lines from patients with radiographic hOA. Furthermore, we wondered whether these iPSC-lines carried single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within genes that have been associated with hOA. Finally, we performed chondrogenic differentiation of the iPSCs in order to prove their usefulness as cellular models of the disease. We performed a non-integrative reprogramming of dermal fibroblasts obtained from two patients with radiographic rhizarthrosis and non-erosive hOA by introducing the transcriptional factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc using Sendai virus. After reprogramming, embryonic stem cell-like colonies emerged in culture, which fulfilled all the criteria to be considered iPSCs. Both iPSC-lines carried variants associated with hOA in the four studied genes and showed differences in their chondrogenic capacity when compared with a healthy control iPSC-line. To our knowledge this is the first time that the generation of iPSC-lines from patients with rhizarthrosis and non-erosive hOA is reported. The obtained iPSC-lines might enable us to model the disease in vitro, and to deeper study both the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying hOA.

Detection of Wolbachia bacteria in multiple organs and feces of the triatomine insect Rhodnius pallescens (Hemiptera, Reduviidae).

At least two types of Wolbachia bacteria were detected in wild and insectarium-raised Rhodnius pallescens, a natural vector of Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli. Wolbachia was detected in all the organs and tissues studied and in the feces, and this provided a methodological advantage for determining the presence of this endosymbiont in this host, obviating the need to kill the specimens. The occurrence of trypanosomatids in wild individuals was also studied.

Proteomic analysis of the human receptive versus non-receptive endometrium using differential in-gel electrophoresis and MALDI-MS unveils stathmin 1 and annexin A2 as differentially regulated.

BACKGROUND: The transcriptome of the endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle has been described in recent years. However, the proteomic of the window of implantation remains unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the proteome of the human endometrium in the pre-receptive phase versus the receptive phase by identifying and quantifying the proteins differentially expressed using differential in-gel electrophoresis (DIGE) and mass spectometry (MS). METHODS: Endometrial biopsies were collected at days 2 (pre-receptive) and 7 (receptive) after the urinary luteal hormone surge in the same menstrual cycle from eight fertile women (corresponding to days 16 and 21 of the menstrual cycle). Proteins were extracted and labeled with CyDye DIGE fluorofores and separated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: Image analysis using the DeCyder software followed by protein identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-MS and database searching revealed 32 differentially expressed proteins, although only annexin A2 and stathmin 1 were consistently regulated in the two experiments performed. Validation and localization of annexin A2 and stathmin 1 were performed by western blot and immunohistochemistry. Annexin A2 and stathmin 1 were investigated using an endometrial refractoriness model. The results highlight the key potential of these proteins as possible targets for human endometrial receptivity and interception. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the human endometrium has a differential proteomic repertoire during the window of implantation. Consequently, we identified annexin A2 and stathmin 1 as differentially expressed molecules in the receptive endometrium.

Filopodial calcium transients promote substrate-dependent growth cone turning.

Filopodia that extend from neuronal growth cones sample the environment for extracellular guidance cues, but the signals they transmit to growth cones are unknown. Filopodia were observed generating localized transient elevations of intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) that propagate back to the growth cone and stimulate global Ca2+ elevations. The frequency of filopodial Ca2+ transients was substrate-dependent and may be due in part to influx of Ca2+ through channels activated by integrin receptors. These transients slowed neurite outgrowth by reducing filopodial motility and promoted turning when stimulated differentially within filopodia on one side of the growth cone. These rapid signals appear to serve both as autonomous regulators of filopodial movement and as frequency-coded signals integrated within the growth cone and could be a common signaling process for many motile cells.