Behavior and Use of Quaternary Ammonium-Based Disinfectants in Biosafety Protocols Against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Race 1 and Tropical Race 4.

The banana is one of Colombia's main export products. However, production is seriously affected by Fusarium wilt of banana, which is the most destructive disease caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4). Currently, management strategies focus on containment and biosecurity protocols to prevent its spread to territories that are free of this disease. This study aimed to evaluate nine quaternary ammonium-based disinfectants (i.e., quaternary ammonium compounds [QACs]) in vitro in Colombia on reproductive (microconidia and macroconidia) and resistance structures (chlamydospores) of Foc race 1 (R1) and tropical race 4 (TR4), with and without soil, to determine the influence of organic matter and soil texture on the action of QACs. A method for inhibiting the action of QACs was standardized and evaluated at 1,200 ppm with a contact time of ≤30 s while evaluating the soil-inoculum and soil-disinfectant interactions. In the soil-inoculum interaction, the efficacy of QACs was 100% in the reproductive and resistance structures of Foc R1 and TR4 without soil. However, in the soil-disinfectant interaction, only QAC4 controlled the pathogen at 100%. The presence of organic matter influenced the biocidal action of the QACs, and fine textures had a greater reducing effect on the concentration. The soil decreased the efficacy of the QACs and, therefore, must be removed from contaminated boots before treatments are applied.

Genetic diversity and natural selection of Plasmodium vivax reticulocyte invasion genes in Ecuador.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of the diversity of invasion ligands in malaria parasites in endemic regions is essential to understand how natural selection influences genetic diversity of these ligands and their feasibility as possible targets for future vaccine development. In this study the diversity of four genes for merozoite invasion ligands was studied in Ecuadorian isolates of Plasmodium vivax. METHODS: Eighty-eight samples from P. vivax infected individuals from the Coast and Amazon region of Ecuador were obtained between 2012 and 2015. The merozoite invasion genes pvmsp-1-19, pvdbpII, pvrbp1a-2 and pvama1 were amplified, sequenced, and compared to the Sal-1 strain. Polymorphisms were mapped and genetic relationships between haplotypes were determined. RESULTS: Only one nonsynonymous polymorphism was detected in pvmsp-1-19, while 44 nonsynonymous polymorphisms were detected in pvdbpII, 56 in pvrbp1a-2 and 33 in pvama1. While haplotypes appeared to be more related within each area of study and there was less relationship between parasites of the coastal and Amazon regions of the country, diversification processes were observed in the two Amazon regions. The highest haplotypic diversity for most genes occurred in the East Amazon of the country. The high diversity observed in Ecuadorian samples is closer to Brazilian and Venezuelan isolates, but lower than reported in other endemic regions. In addition, departure from neutrality was observed in Ecuadorian pvama1. Polymorphisms for pvdbpII and pvama1 were associated to B-cell epitopes. CONCLUSIONS: pvdbpII and pvama1 genetic diversity found in Ecuadorian P. vivax was very similar to that encountered in other malaria endemic countries with varying transmission levels and segregated by geographic region. The highest diversity of P. vivax invasion genes in Ecuador was found in the Amazonian region. Although selection appeared to have small effect on pvdbpII and pvrbp1a-2, pvama1 was influenced by significant balancing selection.

Microbiologically influenced corrosion on naval carbon steel inside the hull of tugboats: a case study of prevention and control.

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) has a significant cost to many industries, including naval engineering. In this case-of-study, three tugboats developed pitting corrosion in the carbon steel of the inner hulls. Grade A naval steel was used for the hull sheets but the inner side (corroded) showed only two protective layers of paint. The maintenance employed seawater, which ended up in the bilge and made MIC possible. Bilge's waters were submitted to physicochemical, biological and molecular tests. DNA analyses confirmed the presence of Pseudomonas spp. and Desulfovibrio spp. in water samples and, consequently, a MIC mechanism was proposed to explain the corrosion process. In addition, a biocide treatment was evaluated and a new maintenance protocol was recommended. This work highlights the importance of the engineering design to prevent MIC in marine transports and provides some guidelines to treat it.

Comorbidities & burden of disease in atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis is associated with an increased frequency of other atopic & allergic manifestations, including asthma in 10% to 30% of cases depending on age, allergic rhinitis, food allergies, eosinophilic diseases, and allergic conjunctivitis. The comorbidities outside the atopic march are overall less frequent than in psoriasis. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to demonstrate the intense, broad burden of this disease, comorbidities and its multidimensional involvement as a complex, heterogeneous disease. METHODS: Methods: The present narrative review summarizes the findings from the world's largest epidemiological studies and smaller, AD-specific studies on the comorbidities and burdens of this disease. RESULTS: Results: The risk of asthma, specifically, and other atopic manifestations and skin infections, generally, is clearly increased among patients with AD. Of the other skin diseases, there is an undeniable risk of alopecia areata, vitiligo, and contact eczema and a lower risk of developing other autoimmune diseases. While comorbidities exist, their frequency seems to be modified by lifestyle, particularly by smoking. There is a link with overweight, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, especially in severe AD. This is also the case for cardiovascular diseases; however, with OR/HRs below 1.5. There is no link to type II diabetes but, rather, to type I in children. In all other areas, the data are often inconsistent, and any increase in risk is low. Eye diseases seem to be the only exception. AD also has psychiatric consequences, including attention-hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, depression, and sometimes suicidality, especially when severe. CONCLUSIONS: Conclusions: The recently published work largely confirms our existing understanding of AD.

The Differential Vertical Distribution of the Airborne Biological Particles Reveals an Atmospheric Reservoir of Microbial Pathogens and Aeroallergens.

The most abundant biological particles present in the air are bacteria, fungal propagules and pollen grains. Many of them are proved allergens or even responsible for airborne infectious diseases, which supports the increase of studies in recent years on their composition, diversity, and factors involved in their variability. However, most studies in urban areas are conducted close to ground level and a factor such as height is rarely taken into account. Thus, the information about how the composition of biological particles changes with this variable is scarce. Here, we examined the differential distribution of bacteria, fungi, and plants at four altitudes (up to ∼ 250 m) in a metropolitan area using high-throughput DNA sequencing. Most taxa were present at all levels (common taxa). However, a transitional layer between 80 and 150 m seemed to affect the scattering of these bioaerosols. Taxa not present at all altitudes (non-common) showed an upward tendency of diversity for bacteria and plants with height, while the opposite trend was observed for fungi. Certain patterns were observed for fungi and specific plant genera, while bacterial taxa showed a more arbitrary distribution and no patterns were found. We detected a wide variety of aeroallergens and potential pathogens at all heights, which summed a substantial portion of the total abundance for fungi and plants. We also identified potential connections between the biological particles based on their abundances across the vertical section.

Artemisia pollen is the main vector for airborne endotoxin.

BACKGROUND: Endotoxin (LPS) released from gram-negative bacteria causes strong immunologic and inflammatory effects and, when airborne, can contribute to respiratory conditions, such as allergic asthma. OBJECTIVES: We sought to identify the source of airborne endotoxin and the effect of this endotoxin on allergic sensitization. METHODS: We determined LPS levels in outdoor air on a daily basis for 4 consecutive years in Munich (Germany) and Davos (Switzerland). Air was sampled as particulate matter (PM) greater than 10 µm (PM > 10) and PM between 2.5 and 10 µm. LPS levels were determined by using the recombinant Factor C assay. RESULTS: More than 60% of the annual endotoxin exposure was detected in the PM > 10 fraction, showing that bacteria do not aerosolize as independent units or aggregates but adhered to large particles. In Munich 70% of annual exposure was detected between June 12th and August 28th. Multivariate modeling showed that endotoxin levels could be explained by phenological parameters (ie, plant growth). Indeed, days with high airborne endotoxin levels correlated well with the amount of Artemisia pollen in the air. Pollen collected from plants across Europe (100 locations) showed that the highest levels of endotoxin were detected on Artemisia vulgaris (mugwort) pollen, with little on other pollen. Microbiome analysis showed that LPS concentrations on mugwort pollen were related to the presence of Pseudomonas species and Pantoea species communities. In a mouse model of allergic disease, the presence of LPS on mugwort pollen was needed for allergic sensitization. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of airborne endotoxin stems from bacteria dispersed with pollen of only one plant: mugwort. This LPS was essential for inducing inflammation of the lung and allergic sensitization.

Preventing legionellosis outbreaks by a quick detection of airborne Legionella pneumophila.

Legionellosis is a severe pneumonic infection caused by inhaling bacteria of the genus Legionella. Most cases reported in the USA and Europe are associated with the species Legionella pneumophila. This Gram-negative bacterium can survive within a wide spectrum of temperatures, and be transmitted via aerosols from multiple aquatic sources: fountains, thermal spas and other water systems. Although the PCR is one of the most popular methods to verify its presence in environmental or clinical samples, the direct application of this technique to ambient air samples is unusual because of the scarce material in the specimens. Here, we have developed a two-PCR assay, carried out over the V3 and V5 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene, to detect specifically the pathogenic bacteria Legionella pneumophila in outdoor air samples with low concentration of DNA. The application of this protocol does not require culture and retrieves quick results to activate the corresponding public alerts to prevent legionellosis outbreaks.

Characterization of Soybean yellow shoot virus, a New Member of the Family Potyviridae Infecting Soybean Plants in Brazil.

A new virus species, belonging to the family Potyviridae and capable of infecting most of the soybean cultivars grown in Brazil, was collected in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and named Soybean yellow shoot virus (SoyYSV). In this study, the complete 9,052-nucleotide genome of SoyYSV was determined and the structural, biological, and molecular properties of the virus were investigated. The SoyYSV genome encoded a single polyprotein that could be subsequently cleaved, generating 11 proteins. The SoyYSV genome shared 49% nucleotide and 36% amino acid sequence identity with Blackberry virus Y. However, the P1 protein of SoyYSV was much smaller and lacked the ALK1 domain characteristic of the genus Brambyvirus. Electron microscopy revealed flexuous filamentous virus particles, 760 to 780 nm in length, and cytoplasmic inclusions typical of those found in plant cells infected with Potyviridae species. In addition to soybean, SoyYSV infected species in the Amaranthaceae, Caricaceae, Fabaceae, and Solanaceae families. Among the most common potyviruses present in Brazil, only SoyYSV induced local necrotic lesions in Carica papaya L. SoyYSV was transmissible by Myzus persicae and Aphis gossypii but lacked the HC-Pro domain required for aphid transmission in other potyviruses. No seed transmission in soybean was observed.

Comprehensive analysis of different adhesives in aerobiological sampling using optical microscopy and high-throughput DNA sequencing.

The standardization and unification of the procedures to analyze and quantify the airborne pollen concentrations are very important topics. In this work, the effectiveness of the two most used adhesives in aerobiological sampling, silicone prepared with cyclohexane solvent (Silicone) and petroleum jelly (Vaseline), was compared under outdoor conditions. This comparison was carried out using the traditional method based on the identification and quantification by optical microscopy (OM) of the airborne pollen and the novel methodology by high-throughput sequencing analysis (HTS). Globally, the results from both methods of analysis (OM and HTS) showed a good agreement between the two adhesives tested regarding the abundance of the main pollen types present in the samples: Cupressaceae, Olea, Poaceae, Platanus, Quercus. We concluded that the results from both adhesives are comparable data. Furthermore, the comparisons between methodologies, OM vs. HTS, showed that both techniques can accurately identify the most abundant pollen types in the atmosphere for the studied periods, with a good agreement of their relative abundances especially when the airborne pollen diversity is low but showing some divergences as the number of pollen types increases.

Validation of the Hirst-Type Spore Trap for Simultaneous Monitoring of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Biodiversities in Urban Air Samples by Next-Generation Sequencing.

Pollen, fungi, and bacteria are the main microscopic biological entities present in outdoor air, causing allergy symptoms and disease transmission and having a significant role in atmosphere dynamics. Despite their relevance, a method for monitoring simultaneously these biological particles in metropolitan environments has not yet been developed. Here, we assessed the use of the Hirst-type spore trap to characterize the global airborne biota by high-throughput DNA sequencing, selecting regions of the 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer for the taxonomic assignment. We showed that aerobiological communities are well represented by this approach. The operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of two traps working synchronically compiled >87% of the total relative abundance for bacterial diversity collected in each sampler, >89% for fungi, and >97% for pollen. We found a good correspondence between traditional characterization by microscopy and genetic identification, obtaining more-accurate taxonomic assignments and detecting a greater diversity using the latter. We also demonstrated that DNA sequencing accurately detects differences in biodiversity between samples. We concluded that high-throughput DNA sequencing applied to aerobiological samples obtained with Hirst spore traps provides reliable results and can be easily implemented for monitoring prokaryotic and eukaryotic entities present in the air of urban areas.IMPORTANCE Detection, monitoring, and characterization of the wide diversity of biological entities present in the air are difficult tasks that require time and expertise in different disciplines. We have evaluated the use of the Hirst spore trap (an instrument broadly employed in aerobiological studies) to detect and identify these organisms by DNA-based analyses. Our results showed a consistent collection of DNA and a good concordance with traditional methods for identification, suggesting that these devices can be used as a tool for continuous monitoring of the airborne biodiversity, improving taxonomic resolution and characterization together. They are also suitable for acquiring novel DNA amplicon-based information in order to gain a better understanding of the biological particles present in a scarcely known environment such as the air.

Microcystin influence on soil-plant microbiota: Unraveling microbiota modulations and assembly processes in the rhizosphere of Vicia faba.

Microcystins (MCs) are frequently detected in cyanobacterial bloom-impacted waterbodies and introduced into agroecosystems via irrigation water. They are widely known as phytotoxic cyanotoxins, which impair the growth and physiological functions of crop plants. However, their impact on the plant-associated microbiota is scarcely tackled and poorly understood. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of MCs on microbiota-inhabiting bulk soil (BS), root adhering soil (RAS), and root tissue (RT) of Vicia faba when exposed to 100 µg L-1 MCs in a greenhouse pot experiment. Under MC exposure, the structure, co-occurrence network, and assembly processes of the bacterial microbiota were modulated with the greatest impact on RT-inhabiting bacteria, followed by BS and, to a lesser extent, RAS. The analyses revealed a significant decrease in the abundances of several Actinobacteriota-related taxa within the RT microbiota, including the most abundant and known genus of Streptomyces. Furthermore, MCs significantly increased the abundance of methylotrophic bacteria (Methylobacillus, Methylotenera) and other Proteobacteria-affiliated genera (e.g., Paucibacter), which are supposed to degrade MCs. The co-occurrence network of the bacterial community in the presence of MCs was less complex than the control network. In MC-exposed RT, the turnover in community composition was more strongly driven by deterministic processes, as proven by the beta-nearest taxon index. Whereas in MC-treated BS and RAS, both deterministic and stochastic processes can influence community assembly to some extent, with a relative dominance of deterministic processes. Altogether, these results suggest that MCs may reshape the structure of the microbiota in the soil-plant system by reducing bacterial taxa with potential phytobeneficial traits and increasing other taxa with the potential capacity to degrade MCs.

Analysis of chemical changes and microstructure characterization during deformation in ferritic stainless steel.

Uni- and biaxial tension deformation tests, with different degrees of deformation, have been done on AISI 430 (EN 1.4016) ferritic stainless steel samples, which had both different chemical compositions and had undergone different annealing treatments. The initial and deformed materials were characterized by using electron backscatter diffraction and backscatter electron imaging in a scanning electron microscope together with electron probe microanalysis. The correlation observed among the chemical compositions, annealing treatment, and strain level obtained after deformation is discussed.

A new species of Pseudoleptochelia Lang, 1973 (Crustacea: Peracarida: Tanaidacea: Leptocheliidae) from the Northwest Atlantic with observations on the status of the genus.

Pseudoleptocheliajuliae n. sp. is described from Puerto Rican waters in depths from 1 to 28 m. The new species and P. fairgo from western Australia are the only members of the genus as defined in this revision that have a distinct process on the posterior margin of the cheliped carpus. The male of P. juliae is distinguished from that of P. fairgo by this process being sub-acute and having a distinctly narrower propodus. Lang's generic diagnosis for the female of Pseudoleptochelia is incorrect, which has led to confusion. Based in examination of Mediterranean specimens attributed to the type species P. anomala (Sars), Pseudoleptochelia is rediagnosed to contain seven species; P. anomala; P. fairgo; . juliae; P. magna; P. mortenseni; P. occiporta; and P. straddi., The genus is reviewed and discussed and the taxonomic status for the remaining nine species previously assigned to the genus is re-evaluated. Pseudoleptochelia shares similarities with the more recently described Pacific genera Konarus and Parakonarus and to a lesser extent to the highly derived genus Makraleptochelia.

Ogleus pilarae, a new genus and species of leptocheliid tanaidacean (Crustacea: Peracarida: Tanaidomorpha) from the tropical Northwest Atlantic with observations on the genus Pseudonototanais Lang, 1973.

Ogleus pilarae n. gen., n. sp. (Leptocheliidae) is described from specimens collected at a depth of 28 m off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. Morphologically the new genus appears to have its closest affinities with the type species of Heterotanais and those of the two subgenera belonging to Pseudonototanais sensu Gutu. Ogleus is distinguished from these and other leptocheliids by a combination of characters including a male antennule having three unfused peduncular articles, five aesthetasc-bearing flagellar articles with the first being greatly reduced and bearing a single cluster of aesthetascs, the shape of the male cheliped, and uropods of both sexes having an elongate endopod with five articles or incipient articles, the distalmost being distinctly longer than the first. The genus Pseudonototanais is rediagnosed to contain P. werthi, P. modestus (female holotype), and with reservations P. bransfieldensis. The Pseudonototanais subgenus Makassaritanais is elevated to full generic rank to contain M. angustus and M. bamberi. The male originally attributed to P. (M.) modestus, does not appear to be a leptocheliid since it has a short uropodal endopod appearing to have just two articles. The taxonomic status of some of the other taxa previously assigned to Pseudonototanais sensu lato or that are superficially similar to it is discussed. Overall, based on the females, the genera Ogleus and Makassaritanais may be more closely allied with genus Leptochelia Dana, 1849 than to Pseudonototanais and Heterotanais. A key to the male leptocheliid taxa having truncated or superficially subchelate-appearing chelae is presented.

Fission yeast receptor of activated C kinase (RACK1) ortholog Cpc2 regulates mitotic commitment through Wee1 kinase.

In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Wee1-dependent inhibitory phosphorylation of the highly conserved Cdc2/Cdk1 kinase determines the mitotic onset when cells have reached a defined size. The receptor of activated C kinase (RACK1) is a scaffolding protein strongly conserved among eukaryotes which binds to other proteins to regulate multiple processes in mammalian cells, including the modulation of cell cycle progression during G(1)/S transition. We have recently described that Cpc2, the fission yeast ortholog to RACK1, controls from the ribosome the activation of MAPK cascades and the cellular defense against oxidative stress by positively regulating the translation of specific genes whose products participate in the above processes. Intriguingly, mutants lacking Cpc2 display an increased cell size at division, suggesting the existence of a specific cell cycle defect at the G(2)/M transition. In this work we show that protein levels of Wee1 mitotic inhibitor are increased in cells devoid of Cpc2, whereas the levels of Cdr2, a Wee1 inhibitor, are down-regulated in the above mutant. On the contrary, the kinetics of G(1)/S transition was virtually identical both in control and Cpc2-less strains. Thus, our results suggest that in fission yeast Cpc2/RACK1 positively regulates from the ribosome the mitotic onset by modulating both the protein levels and the activity of Wee1. This novel mechanism of translational control of cell cycle progression might be conserved in higher eukaryotes.

Seasonal changes dominate long-term variability of the urban air microbiome across space and time.

Compared to soil or aquatic ecosystems, the atmosphere is still an underexplored environment for microbial diversity. In this study, we surveyed the composition, variability and sources of microbes (bacteria and fungi) in the near surface atmosphere of a highly populated area, spanning ~ 4,000 Km2 around the city center of Madrid (Spain), in different seasonal periods along two years. We found a core of abundant bacterial genera robust across space and time, most of soil origin, while fungi were more sensitive to environmental conditions. Microbial communities showed clear seasonal patterns driven by variability of environmental factors, mainly temperature and accumulated rain, while local sources played a minor role. We also identified taxa in both groups characteristic of seasonal periods, but not of specific sampling sites or plant coverage. The present study suggests that the near surface atmosphere of urban environments contains an ecosystem stable across relatively large spatial and temporal scales, with a rather homogenous composition, modulated by climatic variations. As such, it contributes to our understanding of the long-term changes associated to the human exposome in the air of highly populated areas.

Assessment and statistical modelling of airborne microorganisms in Madrid.

The limited evidence available suggests that the interaction between chemical pollutants and biological particles may intensify respiratory diseases caused by air pollution in urban areas. Unlike air pollutants, which are routinely measured, records of biotic component are scarce. While pollen concentrations are daily surveyed in most cities, data related to airborne bacteria or fungi are not usually available. This work presents the first effort to understand atmospheric pollution integrating both biotic and abiotic agents, trying to identify relationships among the Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Ascomycota phyla with palynological, meteorological and air quality variables using all biological historical records available in the Madrid Greater Region. The tools employed involve statistical hypothesis contrast tests such as Kruskal-Wallis and machine learning algorithms. A cluster analysis was performed to analyse which abiotic variables were able to separate the biotic variables into groups. Significant relationships were found for temperature and relative humidity. In addition, the relative abundance of the biological phyla studied was affected by PM10 and O3 ambient concentration. Preliminary Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) to predict the biotic relative abundances based on these atmospheric variables were developed. The results (r = 0.70) were acceptable taking into account the scarcity of the available data. These models can be used as an indication of the biotic composition when no measurements are available. They are also a good starting point to continue working in the development of more accurate models and to investigate causal relationships.

Carinacuma umesi, a new genus and species of bodotriid cumacean (Crustacea: Malacostraca: Peracarida) from shallow waters of the Maryland Coastal Bays, Mid-Atlantic region, USA.

Carinacuma, a new bodotriid cumacean genus, is diagnosed to receive Spilocuma watlingi Omholt & Heard as its type species and C. umesi sp. nov., described from shallow waters (0.8 to 2.8 m) on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America. Carinacuma gen. nov. has its closest affinities to the North American genera Spilocuma and Mancocuma, but can be distinguished from them and the other genera within the subfamily Vaunthompsoniinae by a combination of characters, including the presence of a dorsal carina or keel on pereonite 3 of the female, morphology of the antenna, absence of pleopods in the male, and the setation and segmentation of the uropods. Carinacuma umesi sp. nov., can be differentiated from its northern Gulf of Mexico cognate, C. watlingi comb. nov. by several characters, including: (1) maxilliped 3 carpus of female with inner margin bearing four to five simple setae, (2) uropod peduncle of female with inner margin bearing one sub-distal micro-serrate seta with single sub-terminal medial setule, (3) male antennule peduncle articles 1-2 sub-equal length, and (4) male antennule accessory flagellum slightly longer than basal article of main flagellum. A key to the five known males lacking pleopods within Vaunthompsoniinae is provided.

Stress-activated protein kinase-mediated down-regulation of the cell integrity pathway mitogen-activated protein kinase Pmk1p by protein phosphatases.

Fission yeast mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) Pmk1p is involved in morphogenesis, cytokinesis, and ion homeostasis as part of the cell integrity pathway, and it becomes activated under multiple stresses, including hyper- or hypotonic conditions, glucose deprivation, cell wall-damaging compounds, and oxidative stress. The only protein phosphatase known to dephosphorylate and inactivate Pmk1p is Pmp1p. We show here that the stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) pathway and its main effector, Sty1p MAPK, are essential for proper deactivation of Pmk1p under hypertonic stress in a process regulated by Atf1p transcription factor. We demonstrate that tyrosine phosphatases Pyp1p and Pyp2p, and serine/threonine phosphatase Ptc1p, that negatively regulate Sty1p activity and whose expression is dependent on Sty1p-Atf1p function, are involved in Pmk1p dephosphorylation under osmostress. Pyp1p and Ptc1p, in addition to Pmp1p, also control the basal level of MAPK Pmk1p activity in growing cells and associate with, and dephosphorylate Pmk1p both in vitro and in vivo. Our results with Ptc1p provide the first biochemical evidence for a PP2C-type phosphatase acting on more than one MAPK in yeast cells. Importantly, the SAPK-dependent down-regulation of Pmk1p through Pyp1p, Pyp2p, and Ptc1p was not complete, and Pyp1p and Ptc1p phosphatases are able to negatively regulate MAPK Pmk1p activity by an alternative regulatory mechanism. Our data also indicate that Pmk1p phosphorylation oscillates as a function of the cell cycle, peaking at cell separation during cytokinesis, and that Pmp1p phosphatase plays a main role in regulating this process.

[Lung cancer diagnosed by transesophageal ecoendoscopy and fine needle aspiration biopsy]. / Cáncer de pulmón diagnosticado mediante ecoendoscopía transesofágica y biopsia por punción con aguja fina.

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Pulmonary nodules located in the vicinity of the mediastinum, retrocardiac, near the aorta or pulmonary vessels, and in front of the spine, may be difficult to access through a percutaneous or bronchoscopic approach. Fine needle aspiration/biopsy guided by transesophageal echoendoscopy (EUS-FNA/FNB) is a minimally invasive method with low morbidity that could allow access to lesions in these places. We present the case of a patient with a solitary pulmonary nodule, in which the diagnosis of lung cancer was obtained by EUS-FNA/FNB.

El cáncer de pulmón es la principal causa de muerte por cáncer en todo el mundo. Los nódulos pulmonares ubicados en proximidad al mediastino, retrocardíacos, cercanos a grandes vasos o por delante de la columna vertebral pueden resultar de difícil acceso por vía percutánea o broncoscópica. La punción aspiración/biopsia con aguja fina guiada por ecoendoscopía transesofágica (EUS-FNA/FNB) es un método mini invasivo con baja morbilidad que permitiría acceder a estas localizaciones. Presentamos el caso de un paciente con nódulo pulmonar solitario, en el que se obtuvo el diagnóstico de cáncer de pulmón mediante EUS-FNA/FNB.