Aplicación forense de tecnología radiográfica dental portátil en Argentina: estado actual y perspectivas futuras / Forensic application of portable dental radiographic technology in Argentina: current status and future prospects

Objetivos: Mensurar los niveles de radiación de fuga y dispersión emanada a través de los blindajes y estructuras plomadas del tubo de rayos X de la unidad dental portátil NOMAD, controlando la retrodispersión con el uso del escudo protector de acrílico plomado adaptado en el extremo final del tubo localizador plomado. Se midieron las tasas de exposición dispersadas mediante un detector tipo Geiger-Müller y una cámara de ionización con respuesta en el rango de energías aportadas en diagnóstico por imágenes para la medición de la exposición directa y determinación posterior de las dosis. Se utilizó un fantomas diseñado para diagnóstico odontológico, sopesando la radiación en diferentes angulaciones de operación del equipo NOMAD, simulando los gestos posturales de odontólogos, radiólogos y sujetos a identificar. Se controlaron las tasas de exposición para determinar los valores de las dosis aportadas en las zonas significativas corporales más radiosensibles del operador del equipo. Se obtuvo como resultado que la retrodispersión en el cristalino del ojo del operador fue significativamente menor cuando el fantomas estaba acostado, mientras que a nivel de gónadas resultó más baja con el cuerpo sentado. La tasa de dosis máxima de radiación dispersa que impactó en los operadores fue de 350.8 micro Sieverts por hora (uSv/h) en la zona de gónadas, por cada radiografía tomada sin el uso del delantal de goma plomada, reduciéndose a 4.38 micro Sieverts por hora (uSv/h) al utilizarlo (AU)

Identification of the minimal sequence required for vascular-specific activity of Tomato mottle Taino virus Replication-associated protein promoter in transgenic plants.

A 597 nt fragment from Tomato mottle Taino virus (ToMoTV) DNA-A, with 459 nt located upstream of the Replication-associated protein translation start codon, was tested for promoter activity in solanaceous plants. The promoter activity of this fragment (pRep(459::Rep)) was demonstrated when it was introduced upstream the uidA reporter gene into tobacco, potato and tomato plants by genetic transformation. It became active in 7-day-old transgenic tobacco seedlings as revealed by a vascular-specific pattern of gene expression which was maintained during the continued growth of the plant. Transformed potato and tomato plants also showed a vascular-specific pattern of expression. In comparative assays, pRep(459::Rep) showed an expression activity 10-40-fold less than the 35S promoter from Cauliflower mosaic virus. To delimit the minimal cis-acting elements necessary for vascular specificity of this promoter, a set of PCR deletion mutants of pRep(459::Rep) (pRep(459), pRep(324), pRep(203), pRep(145), pRep(132) and pRep(115)), were generated and used to transform tobacco plants. Transgenic tobacco plants belonging to all the pRep versions were blue stained in the vascular system except those from the pRep(115) version. The results described in this report demonstrate that the minimal sequences necessary for the pRep promoter activity are confined in a segment of 132 nts (located between the nts 2454 and 2585 of the ToMoTV DNA A) and that this promoter harbors those elements sufficient for vascular-specific expression.

Macroptilium yellow mosaic virus, a New Begomovirus Infecting Macroptilium lathyroides in Cuba.

Macroptilium lathyroides (L) is a weed that is widely distributed in Cuba. Frequently, leaves show bright yellow mosaic symptoms, which suggest the incidence of a viral disease. Since begomovirus occurrence in Macroptilium lathyroides has been previously reported in other islands of the Caribbean (1,3), symptomatic plants from three distant places in Cuba (Havana, Villa Clara, and Camaguey), were collected and tested for the presence of begomoviruses. Plant DNA extracts were analyzed by Southern blot hybridization and polymerase chain reaction with two sets of degenerate primers (2). The presence of a bipartite begomovirus was evident through strong hybridization signals obtained with the DNA-A and DNA-B of Taino tomato mottle virus as probes at low stringency. Furthermore, 1.4-kb and 1.2-kb PCR amplified fragments were obtained with DNA-A degenerate primers, PAL1v1978-PAR1c715 and PAL1c1960-PAR1v722, respectively. Both PCR fragments from the samples from the three locations were cloned, and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the 1.4-kb fragments were performed using PstI, EcoRI, HincII, XbaI and BglII. Restriction fragment patterns were the same for the three clones. The DNA-A sequence (GenBank Accession No. AJ344452) of the isolate from Villa Clara was compared with sequences available for other geminiviruses using CLUSTAL program. For the coat protein (CP) gene, the comparisons had the highest percentage of identity with various strains of Bean golden yellow mosaic virus (BGYMV, GenBank Accession Nos. AF173555, M91604, and L01635) (85 to 87% and 93 to 94%, nucleotide and amino acid sequences, respectively). For Rep gene (1,044 nt), the best percentages of identities were with BGYMV (81 to 82% and 80 to 82% nucleotide and amino acid sequences, respectively), Tomato leaf crumple virus (GenBank Accession No. AF101476) (78 and 81%, nucleotide and amino acid sequences, respectively), and Sida golden mosaic virus from Florida (GenBank Accession No. AF049336) (78 and 79%, nucleotide and amino acid sequences, respectively). Finally, the comparative analysis of the intergenic region (i.e. the common region plus the CP gene promoter) had the highest identity with BGYMV (56 to 55%) and Tomato severe rugose virus (GenBank Accession No. AY029750) (49%). Interestingly, this virus has in this region the three G-box elements that are characteristic of BGYMV but it differs in the Rep protein-binding iterative motif that is GGTGA instead of GGAGA, for BGYMV. These data indicate that this virus is a new begomovirus and the name of Macroptilium yellow mosaic virus (MaYMV) is proposed. References: (1) A. M. Idris et al. Plant Dis. 83:1071, 1999. (2) M. R. Rojas et al. Plant Dis. 77:340, 1993. (3) M. E. Roye et al. Plant Dis. 81:1251, 1997.

Molecular Characterization of Tobacco leaf rugose virus, a New Begomovirus Infecting Tobacco in Cuba.

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is the main raw material for the cigar industry and one of the most important crops in Cuba comprising 49,654 ha. During the past 20 years, foliar rugosity and stunting symptoms have been observed in several tobacco producing areas. These symptoms were correlated with the presence of typical geminivirus nuclear inclusions and the transmission of the causal agent by whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci Genn) (1). To identify the suspect geminivirus, diseased leaf samples were collected in Havana province in 2000 and 2001. Sap extracts or leaf pieces were used to inoculate healthy tomato and tobacco plants by mechanical and graft inoculation procedures. Characteristic symptoms were reproduced in tobacco plants only by grafting (8 to 10 plants). DNA extracts from symptomatic plants were analyzed by Southern blot and polymerase chain reaction. The presence of a bipartite begomovirus was supported by the observation of hybridization signals (1.6 kb to 3 kb) at low stringency to probes derived from DNA-A and DNA-B of Taino tomato mottle virus. Furthermore, typical begomovirus amplicons of approximately 1.4 kb and 1.2 kb were amplified using the primer sets PAL1v1978-PAR1c715 and PAL1c1960-PAR1v722 (2), respectively. Amplicons were cloned, and their nucleotide sequences (nt) obtained from two clones each. Sequence for component A was assembled, and some fragments were compared with those for other begomoviruses using CLUSTAL W. For the CP gene (756 nt) (GenBank Accession No. AJ488768), the comparison revealed the highest percentages of nt identity with Sida golden mosaic virus from Florida (SiGMV-F, GenBank Accession No. AF049336) (86%), Tomato mottle virus (GenBank Accession No. L14460) (83.5%), and the yellow vein strain of Sida golden mosaic virus from Honduras (GenBank Accession No. Y11099) (83.3%). In addition, the percentages of nt identity obtained using the core region (a 540-nt fragment located between positions 147 and 687) of the CP gene from the tobacco virus were calculated. The best scores were as follows: SiGMV-F, 87.8%; Jatropha mosaic virus (JMV) from Puerto Rico (GenBank Accession No. AF058025), 86.9%; and Tomato rugose mosaic virus (GenBank Accession No. AF291705), 86.3%. Finally, comparisons of the common region (CR, 144 nt) revealed the highest values with JMV from Jamaica (JMV-JM) DNA-A and DNA-B (GenBank Accession Nos. AF324410 and AF324411; 89% and 91.1%, respectively). Interestingly, the CR analysis revealed the presence of the Ori-associated iterative motif GGGGT, which is the same in the CR of JMV-JM. Although the data suggest that the tobacco begomovirus is related to the JMV-JM isolate, it is a new species, and the name of Tobacco leaf rugose virus (TbLRV) is proposed. References: (1) S. Quintero and J. Santiesteban, Agrotec. Cuba 11(1), 1979. (2) M. R. Rojas et al. Plant Dis. 77:340, 1993.

Molecular analysis of HLA class I alleles in the Mexican Seri Indians: implications for their origin.

The molecular analysis of HLA class I loci has demonstrated that, although, the genetic profile is restricted in Amerindians, several micropolymorphisms may be important in conferring a biological advantage. We analyzed the HLA-A and B genetic profile of Seris, a Mexican Indian tribe living in northwestern Mexico in the state of Sonora. There are presently only 619 individuals. Our study included 100 Seris belonging to nine families. HLA-A and -B loci typing was performed by polymerase chain reaction using an amplification refractory mutation system (PCR-ARMS) on a select group of samples; all of them were typed by polymerase chain reaction using sequence-specific oliogonuoleotide probes (PCR-SSOP) at a low-intermediate resolution level. The correlation between the techniques was 100%. Only five HLA-A alleles and seven HLA-B alleles were found. A*0201, A*68, A*31, A*24, B*3501, B*40, B*51, B*3512 and B*15 were present in over 5% of the individuals. B*27052 was detected in 2%. B27 is absent in any other Mexican Indian groups previously studied. The presence of B27 may be the result of a founder effect due to different waves of southward migrations. The B-locus is more diverse and the prevalent haplotypes were: A*0201-B*3501, A*0201-B*40, A*0201-B*3512, A*31-B*51, A*68-B*3501 and A*68-B*40. This genetic profile is different from the pattern of other Mexicans. The phylogenetic tree suggests that Seris are more closely related to the Warao Indians from Venezuela, who live in a similar ecosystem, and to some groups of Argentina, than they are to the Mexican Lacandones who live in the jungle. These data emphasize the relevance of the interaction between genes and environment.

Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone stimulates sodium excretion in the salt gland of the duck.

Salt glands of ducks were induced to secrete sodium through the ingestion of salt water. In salt-adapted animals the administration of melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) produced a rise in the sodium excreted by the salt gland, an effect which was not mimicked by adrenocorticotropin. Studies in vitro using incubations of gland slices and radioactive sodium ion showed that MSH increased sodium efflux, indicating that it acted directly upon the gland. We have previously observed that MSH has no effect on the pigmentary system of the duck. It is proposed that in the evolutionary process this hormone has acquired new target tissues in these birds.

Petiveria alleaceae L. (anamú). Study of the hypoglycemic effect.

The combined phytochemical and pharmaceutical study of Petiveria alleaceae L. (anamú) has shown the existence in the leaves and stems of the plant of a possible hypoglycemic active principle. Extracts from leaves and stem powder were found to produce a decrease of blood sugar concentration of more than 60% one hour after oral administration in male Balb/C mice weighing 20 g fasted for 48 hours.

Lisis de Eubacterias por Eubacterias aisladas del suelo. / Lysis of Eubacteria by Eubacteria isolated from soil

Se describe la identificacion y espectro de actividad litica de 103 cepas eubacterianas aisladas de diferentes suelos. Los microorganismos aislados se identificaron como pertenecientes a los generos Bacillus Pseudomonas y Achromobacter. Las cepas del genero Bacillus presentaron un mayor espectro de actividad litica siendo algunas de las identificadas com B. cereus las unicas que fueron activas sobre todas las bacterias ensayadas