De Novo Transcriptome of Mammillaria bombycina (Cactaceae) under In Vitro Conditions and Identification of Glyoxalase Genes.

Mammillaria bombycina is a cactus distributed in the central region of Mexico. Cactaceae have the particularity of surviving drought and high temperatures, which is why in vitro propagation studies have been carried out successfully to preserve this species and use it as a study model in cacti. In this contribution, a de novo transcriptome of M. bombycina was produced under in vitro conditions for the identification and expression of genes related to abiotic stress. Samples were sequenced using an Illumina platform, averaging 24 million clean readings. From assembly and annotation, 84,975 transcripts were generated, 55% of which were unigenes. Among these, the presence of 13 isoforms of genes belonging to glyoxalase I, II and III were identified. An analysis of the qRT-PCR expression of these genes was performed under in vitro and ex vitro conditions and dehydration at 6 and 24 h. The highest expression was observed under greenhouse conditions and dehydration at 24 h, according to the control. The de novo assembly of the M. bombycina transcriptome remains a study model for future work in cacti.

Puesta al día: síndrome de apnea obstructiva del sueño y abordaje ortopédico en niños / Update: obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and orthopedic approach in children

El síndrome de apnea obstructiva del sueño es un desorden respiratorio que afecta fundamentalmente a la calidad de éste y constituye una patología frecuente en la edad infantil. En la región orofacial existen multitud de factores de riesgo asociados a esta enfermedad, pasando desapercibidos en muchos casos e influyendo negativamente en la resolución de la enfermedad. En esta revisión bibliográfica, abordaremos los principales problemas que presentan estos pacientes y su tratamiento desde un punto de vista ortopédico

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is a respiratory disorder that essentially affects the sleep quality and constitutes a frequent pathology in childhood. In the orofacial region exists lots of risk factors associated to this disease, going unnoticed in many cases and negatively influencing in the disease resolution. In this bibliographic review, we present the principal problems that present this patients and its trea

Do not do in COPD: consensus statement on overuse.

Background: To identify practices that do not add value, cause harm, or subject patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to a level of risk that outweighs possible benefits (overuse). Methods: A qualitative approach was applied. First, a multidisciplinary group of healthcare professionals used the Metaplan technique to draft and rank a list of overused procedures as well as self-care practices in patients with stable and exacerbated COPD. Second, in successive consensus-building rounds, description files were created for each "do not do" (DND) recommendation, consisting of a definition, description, quality of supporting evidence for the recommendation, and the indicator used to measure the degree of overuse. The consensus group comprised 6 pulmonologists, 2 general practitioners, 1 nurse, and 1 physiotherapist. Results: In total, 16 DND recommendations were made for patients with COPD: 6 for stable COPD, 6 for exacerbated COPD, and 4 concerning self-care. Conclusion: Overuse poses a risk for patients and jeopardizes care quality. These 16 DND recommendations for COPD will lower care risks and improve disease management, facilitate communication between physicians and patients, and bolster patient ability to provide self-care.

Complex flow dynamics around 3D microbot prototypes.

A new experimental setup for the study of the complex flow dynamics around 3D microbot prototypes in a straight microchannel has been developed and assessed. The ultimate aim of this work is focused on the analysis of the morphology of different microbot prototypes to get a better insight into their efficiency when they swim through the main conduits of the human circulatory system. The setup consists of a fused silica straight microchannel with a 3D microbot prototype fastened in the center of the channel cross-section by an extremely thin support. Four different prototypes were considered: a cube, a sphere and two ellipsoids with aspect ratios of 1 : 2 and 1 : 4, respectively. Flow visualization and micro-particle image velocimetry (µPIV) measurements were performed using Newtonian and viscoelastic blood analogue fluids. An efficiency parameter, ℑ, to discriminate the prototypes in terms of flow disturbance has been proposed.

Sequential spontaneous resolution of acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis.

PURPOSE: Acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis (ASPPC) is a distinctive manifestation of ocular syphilis characterized by the development of a placoid macular deposit in the outer retina. Fundus autofluorescence descriptions suggest it may result from subretinal deposition of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-photoreceptor complex material and incomplete phagocytosis of outer segments. A 14-day therapy with systemic penicillin is essential for prompt control of the infection and to limit substantial retinal damage and irreversible visual loss. We report on the spontaneous sequential resolution of ASPPC in a patient with HIV coinfection. METHODS: Descriptive case report. RESULTS: A 55-year-old man presented with profound decrease in vision in his left eye secondary to ASPPC. Nine days later, ASPPC resolved, and a similar process developed in the right eye. Four years earlier, HIV infection had been diagnosed, and the patient was maintained on antiretroviral therapy with good immune recovery (CD4+ T-cell count 204 cells/µL). Spontaneous resolution ensued in the right eye and vision was restored. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular immune privilege probably contributed to the spontaneous resolution of ASPPC in this patient, who experienced immune recovery following antiretroviral therapy. The RPE immunologic characteristics likely contained the infectious/inflammatory infiltrate in this patient and prevented extension to inner retina and optic disc. Despite the uniqueness of the present case and the spontaneous resolution and excellent visual outcome, it remains essential to promptly manage patients with ocular syphilis because of the possible sight-threatening complications and to prevent potentially fatal disease.

Purple-pigmented violacein-producing Duganella spp. inhabit the rhizosphere of wild and cultivated olives in southern Spain.

Bacteria have evolved mechanisms that allow them to grow and survive in highly competitive environments like soil and the rhizosphere. Using classical microbiological, physiological, and genetic analyses, we isolated and identified for the first time Duganella spp. associated with the rhizosphere of woody plants in Mediterranean environments that are able to produce violacein, a blue-purple secondary metabolite of considerable biotechnological interest. Based on physiological and biochemical characterization and phylogenetic analysis of different genes including 16S rRNA, gyrB, and vioA (implicated in the synthesis of violacein), the seven Duganella spp. strains isolated and studied were differentiated according to their host of origin (wild versus cultivated olives) and potentially might belong to new species. All the Duganella spp. strains produced violacein in vitro, with natural production levels significantly higher than that previously reported for other violacein-producing bacteria without optimizing growing conditions. The important biological, medical, and industrial applications of violacein make these bacteria good candidates for their biotechnological exploitation because low violacein yields are considered as one of the main limitations of using wild-type strains for extensive exploitation and pigment production. Independent of violacein production, purple-pigmented strains from olives showed proteolytic and lipolytic activities and a weak siderophore production. No in vitro inhibitory activity was demonstrated for bacteria or crude violacein filtrates against plant-pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria and fungi, but they did inhibit Gram-positive bacteria.