Proteome of Agave angustifolia Haw.: Uncovering metabolic alterations, over-accumulation of amino acids, and compensatory pathways in chloroplast-deficient albino plantlets.

Amino acids (AA) are essential molecules for plant physiology, acting as precursor molecules for proteins and other organic compounds. Chloroplasts play a vital role in AA metabolism, yet little is known about the impact on AA metabolism of albino plants' lack of chloroplasts. In this study, we conducted a quantitative proteome analysis on albino and variegated somaclonal variants of Agave angustifolia Haw. to investigate metabolic alterations in chloroplast-deficient plants, with a focus on AA metabolic pathways. We identified 82 enzymes involved in AA metabolism, with 32 showing differential accumulation between the somaclonal variants. AaCM, AaALS, AaBCAT, AaIPMS1, AaSHMT, AaAST, AaCGS, and AaMS enzymes were particularly relevant in chloroplast-deficient Agave plantlets. Both variegated and albino phenotypes exhibited excessive synthesis of AA typically associated with chloroplasts (aromatic AAs, BCAAs, Asp, Lys, Pro and Met). Consistent trends were observed for AaBCAT and AaCM at mRNA and protein levels in albino plantlets. These findings highlight the critical activation and reprogramming of AA metabolic pathways in plants lacking chloroplasts. This study contributes to unraveling the intricate relationship between AA metabolism and chloroplast absence, offering insights into survival mechanisms of albino plants.

Emerging alternatives against Clostridioides difficile infection.

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a significant worry within healthcare institutions and the community. It is one of the leading agents causing severe diarrhea worldwide. Effective management is critical since the morbidity and mortality attributed to CDI have increased exponentially over the past 20 years. Currently, antibiotics are the standard treatment for primary C. difficile infection, but at the same time, they are associated with disease relapse and increased drug resistance. CDI's high recurrence rates, spore generation, and antimicrobial resistance are currently significant challenges that urge the development of new options to combat this infection. This review describes up-and-coming alternatives and how they can mitigate the challenges associated with CDI. Here we have discussed the advantages and challenges of current and experimental alternatives against CDI.

Chloroplastic pentatricopeptide repeat proteins (PPR) in albino plantlets of Agave angustifolia Haw. reveal unexpected behavior.

BACKGROUND: Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins play an essential role in the post-transcriptional regulation of genes in plastid genomes. Although important advances have been made in understanding the functions of these genes, there is little information available on chloroplastic PPR genes in non-model plants and less in plants without chloroplasts. In the present study, a comprehensive and multifactorial bioinformatic strategy was applied to search for putative PPR genes in the foliar and meristematic tissues of green and albino plantlets of the non-model plant Agave angustifolia Haw. RESULTS: A total of 1581 PPR transcripts were identified, of which 282 were chloroplastic. Leaf tissue in the albino plantlets showed the highest levels of expression of chloroplastic PPRs. The search for hypothetical targets of 12 PPR sequences in the chloroplast genes of A. angustifolia revealed their action on transcripts related to ribosomes and translation, photosystems, ATP synthase, plastid-encoded RNA polymerase and RuBisCO. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the expression of PPR genes depends on the state of cell differentiation and plastid development. In the case of the albino leaf tissue, which lacks functional chloroplasts, it is possible that anterograde and retrograde signaling networks are severely compromised, leading to a compensatory anterograde response characterized by an increase in the expression of PPR genes.

Lysine crotonylation: A challenging new player in the epigenetic regulation of plants.

Lysine crotonylation (Kcr) is a newly discovered post-translational modification, which is structurally and functionally different from the widely studied lysine acetylation. Kcr is found on histones and non-histone proteins, participating in many biological processes through the regulation of chromatin remodeling, metabolism, cell cycle and cellular organization. Among plants, Kcr in histones is not found in the same lysine residues but increases gene expression when it is co-localized with lysine acetylation. Kcr in non-histone proteins is mainly found in the chloroplast, which provides new insight into photosynthesis. In this review, we discuss recent findings on plant Kcr in histone and non-histone proteins, highlighting its biological implications. These findings not only point to new functions for Kcr, but also reveal the mechanisms by which crotonylation regulates cellular processes in plants and may even change the general direction of epigenome and plant regulation.

The Role of Pathogenic E. coli in Fresh Vegetables: Behavior, Contamination Factors, and Preventive Measures.

Many raw vegetables, such as tomato, chili, onion, lettuce, arugula, spinach, and cilantro, are incorporated into fresh dishes including ready-to-eat salads and sauces. The consumption of these foods confers a high nutritional value to the human diet. However, the number of foodborne outbreaks associated with fresh produce has been increasing, with Escherichia coli being the most common pathogen associated with them. In humans, pathogenic E. coli strains cause diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, and other indications. Vegetables can be contaminated with E. coli at any point from pre- to postharvest. This bacterium is able to survive in many environmental conditions due to a variety of mechanisms, such as adhesion to surfaces and internalization in fresh products, thereby limiting the usefulness of conventional processing and chemical sanitizing methods used by the food industry. The aim of this review is to provide a general description of the behavior and importance of pathogenic E. coli in ready-to-eat vegetable dishes. This information can contribute to the development of effective control measures for enhancing food safety.

[Neuropsychological profiles in anorexia and bulimia nervosa]. / Perfiles neuropsicologicos en anorexia y bulimia nerviosa.

INTRODUCTION: Eating disorders are severe mental disorders that appear in different diagnostic forms, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. In recent years, a number of studies have highlighted the involvement of neuropsychological processes in anorexia and bulimia nervosa. AIM: To review the evidence on the deficits in the executive functions, attentional biases and central coherence in anorexia and bulimia nervosa in relation to a neuropsychological risk profile, a different neuropsychological profile associated with the aforementioned eating pathologies and the role of variables (body mass index, age, anxiety, impulsiveness, alexithymia, mood, body image) in the presence of neuropsychological deficits. DEVELOPMENT: We reviewed the empirical studies conducted in the last seven years found in the Medline and PsycINFO databases for English, and Dialnet and Psicodoc for Spanish. Twenty-eight articles were selected as suitable for the purposes of this study. The documents were chosen on the basis of a set of pre-established criteria. CONCLUSIONS: According to the evidence available, there seems to be a risk profile characterised by cognitive rigidity and weak central coherence. The results appear to be more consistent as regards the risk profile in anorexia nervosa. Furthermore, in both anorexia and bulimia nervosa there are attentional biases related to the recognition of emotions and social aspects, and the alexithymia trait is a modulating variable in this difficulty.

TITLE: Perfiles neuropsicologicos en anorexia y bulimia nerviosa.Introduccion. Los trastornos de la alimentacion son trastornos mentales graves que se manifiestan de diferentes formas diagnosticas, como la anorexia nerviosa y la bulimia nerviosa. En los ultimos años, diversos estudios han enfatizado la participacion de procesos neuropsicologicos en la anorexia y la bulimia nerviosas. Objetivo. Revisar las evidencias sobre los deficits en funciones ejecutivas, sesgos atencionales y coherencia central en la anorexia y la bulimia nerviosas en relacion con un perfil neuropsicologico de riesgo, un perfil neuropsicologico diferente asociado a las mencionadas patologias alimentarias y el papel de variables (indice de masa corporal, edad, ansiedad, impulsividad, alexitimia, estado de animo, imagen corporal) en la presencia de deficits neuropsicologicos. Desarrollo. Revision de los estudios empiricos de los ultimos siete años encontrados en las bases de datos Medline y PsycINFO para ingles, y Dialnet y Psicodoc para castellano. Se han seleccionado 28 articulos para el objetivo propuesto. La eleccion de los documentos se realizo conforme a unos criterios preestablecidos. Conclusiones. Segun las evidencias disponibles, parece existir un perfil de riesgo caracterizado por rigidez cognitiva y coherencia central debil. Los resultados parecen mas consistentes en relacion con el perfil de riesgo en la anorexia nerviosa. Ademas, tanto en la anorexia como en la bulimia nerviosa existen sesgos atencionales relacionados con el reconocimiento de emociones y aspectos sociales, y el rasgo de alexitimia es una variable moduladora en dicha dificultad.

Primary closure of laparotomies with high risk of incisional hernia using prosthetic material: analysis of usefulness.

Incisional hernia continues to be a serious postoperative complication in abdominal surgery. We present a prospective randomised study to evaluate the usefulness of placement of a supra-aponeurotic polypropylene mesh in the primary closure of laparotomies with a high risk of incisional hernia. Closure of a vertical laparotomy in 100 patients was accomplished with continuous suture using non-reabsorbable material, with placement of a polypropylene mesh on the aponeurotic surface in 50 patients. Three years after surgery, five patients in the group without the mesh had suffered incisional hernia. No incisional hernia was detected in the group in which closure was made using the mesh (P=0.02). Use of prosthetic material (polypropylene mesh) in the primary closure of laparotomies with a high risk of incisional hernia is useful for reduction of the rate of incisional hernias.

Recidiva de un linfoma no hodgkiniano en un reservorio venoso central tipo port-a-cath / Relapse of a non-Hodgkin lymphoma in a central vein reservoir port-a-cath type

No disponible

Tratamiento laparoscópico de la hernia de spiegel / Laparoscopic treatment of Spigelian hernias

Las hernias de Spiegel continúan atrayendo el interés de los cirujanos a pesar de ser poco frecuentes. Sin embargo, al menos en nuestro medio, no se ha prestado suficiente atención a las posibilidades de su abordaje laparoscópico. Presentamos los casos de tres pacientes con hernia de Spiegel tratados con éxito mediante la colocación on lay de una placa de PTFE por laparoscopia. Uno de ellos se intervino de urgencia (AU)

Echinococcus granulosus down regulates the hepatic expression of inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF alpha in BALB/c mice.

Hydatid disease is caused by the metacestode of Echinococcus granulosus. Different experimental models have been used to understand hydatid disease. In current studies BALB/c mice were used to evaluate the hepatic response of IL-6 and TNF alpha triggered by Echinococcus granulosus. BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally infected with protoscoleces from E. granulosus; hydatid cysts appeared on the liver eight weeks after inoculation. The RNA extracted from hepatic sections was used for RT-PCR amplification with primers for IL-6, TNF alpha, IL-10, TGF beta and G3PDH. In situ cytokine expression was assessed by FISH. Complete parasite cysts on the liver surface were observed 16 weeks after infection; controls were negative. The expression of IL-6 and TNF alpha was normal at baseline and declined progressively eight weeks after infection; in some animals such expression was abrogated 16 weeks after infection. On the other hand IL-10 and TGF beta were increased progressively. Controls expressed the cytokines normally. Present results suggest that E. granulosus induces a local immunosupression probably mediated by IL-10 and TGF beta; therefore it seems possible that such a mechanism would assist the parasite in escaping the harmful host cell-mediated response.

Genetic mapping of 66 new microsatellite (SSR) loci in bread wheat.

In hexaploid bread wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell), ten members of the IWMMN ( International Wheat Microsatellites Mapping Network) collaborated in extending the microsatellite (SSR = simple sequence repeat) genetic map. Among a much larger number of microsatellite primer pairs developed as a part of the WMC ( Wheat Microsatellite Consortium), 58 out of 176 primer pairs tested were found to be polymorphic between the parents of the ITMI ( International Triticeae Mapping Initiative) mapping population W7984 x Opata 85 (ITMI pop). This population was used earlier for the construction of RFLP ( Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) maps in bread wheat (ITMI map). Using the ITMI pop and a framework map (having 266 anchor markers) prepared for this purpose, a total of 66 microsatellite loci were mapped, which were distributed on 20 of the 21 chromosomes (no marker on chromosome 6D). These 66 mapped microsatellite (SSR) loci add to the existing 384 microsatellite loci earlier mapped in bread wheat.

Ultrastructural studies of Sarcocystis cruzi (Hasselmann, 1926) Wenyon, 1926 infection in cattle (Bos taurus): Philippine cases.

This paper documents the first report of Sarcocysti s cruzi infection in domesticated cattle (Bos taurus) in the Philippines. Fusiform-shaped microscopic sarcocysts (183-578 microns long and 20-98 microns wide) with distinct septae were found in the skeletal, striated and heart muscle. The sarcocyst wall or parasitophorous vacuolar membrane, 1.37-2.75 microns thick consisted of closely-packed villar protrusions 80-400 nm in dm. Middle and distal segments of VP were bent approximately 90 degrees parallel to the cyst wall surface. The villar core lacked microtubules, and at some points, the distal ends of the VP collectively formed conical tufts. Primary cyst wall had numerous 70-100 nm bubble-like undulations, and the ground substance was 0.25-0.5 micron in thickness. The ultrastructure of S. cruzi cyst wall typifies the Type 7 sarcocyst wall, and bears close similarities with the Philippine and the Vietnam strain of bubaline Sarcocystis levinei.

Persistencia de síntomas en el postoperatorio de la colecistectomía laparoscópica por colelitiasis sintomática / Persistence of symptoms in the postoperative period after laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic cholelithiasis

Introducción. En la colelitiasis sintomática, el objetivo de la colecistectomía laparoscópica es aliviar su sintomatología. No obstante, un tercio de los pacientes continuarán con síntomas al año de la intervención. Presentamos un estudio prospectivo para determinar qué síntomas preoperatorios son predictivos de un mal resultado postoperatorio. Pacientes y método. Un total de 300 pacientes diagnosticados de colelitiasis han contestado, preoperatoriamente y al año de la operación, a un cuestionario donde estaban reflejados los síntomas atribuidos a la colelitiasis. Resultados. El 26 por ciento de los enfermos continuaban con sintomatología al año de la intervención. La pirosis, el dolor constante de localización imprecisa en hemiabdomen superior, la distensión abdominal pospandrial y las regurgitaciones fueron síntomas dispépticos con un valor estadístico significativo de mal resultado operatorio. Conclusión. La indicación para la realización de una colecistectomía laparoscópica continúa sin estar bien definida. Los enfermos con predominio preoperatorio de síntomas dispépticos, especialmente la pirosis, son predictivos de un mal resultado postoperatorio (AU)

Sarcocystis miescheriana infection in domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) in the Philippines.

Sarcocystis miescheriana sarcocysts were identified in skeletal muscles of 9 (27%) of 33 swine slaughtered for human consumption. Sarcocysts were 144-180 microm x 20-38 microm in size. Ultrastructurally, the cyst wall resembled the type 10 sarcocyst wall. The villar protrusions (VP) were 3-4.5 microm long and 0.6-1.2 microm wide and had prominent longitudinally arranged microtubules extending from the VP tips to the granular layer (=ground substance). The parasitophorous vacuolar membrane with its underlying electron-dense layer (EDL) measured 25 nm in thickness. The base of the VP exhibited minute (0.42-0.87 microm) bulblike inpocketings. Each VP had 80-90 microtubules situated underneath the EDL. The granular layer was 0.5-1.2 microm thick, and contained hairlike microtubules continuous with those of the VP core. This is the first report of S. miescheriana in Philippine domestic pigs Sus scrofa.

The value of CT diagnosis of hernia recurrence after prosthetic repair of ventral incisional hernias.

Herein we present a prospective study made to compare the diagnostic value of a physical examination and a CT scan in the detection of a hernia relapse after carrying out of a intraperitoneal hernioplasty using a non-resorbable mesh. Fifty patients operated on for intraperitoneal hernioplasty with ePTFE mesh and postoperative symptomatology were assessed within a year of the operation via a physical exploration and CT. Each of the patients was subjected to an exploratory laparoscopy for the purpose of confirming the diagnosis. The data were analysed statistically using a chi-square test, sensitivity, specificity, confidence limits, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. The hernia relapse was correctly diagnosed in 98% of cases by CT and in 88% of cases in the physical examination. The sensitivity was 1 in the CT examination and 0.75 in the physical examination, and the specificity results were 0.97 and 0.90, respectively. The positive predictive value in the CT exam was 0.88, whereas in the physical examination it was 0.60. The negative predictive values were 1 and 0.95, respectively. The differences between the values of both methods held a statistical meaning (chi-square test; p < 0.05). The postoperative assessment by CT of symptomatic patients who have been operated on for an intraperitoneal hernioplasty with unabsorbable mesh facilitates carrying out a correct diagnosis in the detection or exclusion of hernial relapse.

Linfangioma quístico de mama / Cystic lymphangioma of the breast

El linfangioma quístico de mama es un tumor benigno infrecuente del sistema linfático, del que únicamente han sido descritos 6 casos en la literatura médica mundial. Presentamos un caso diagnosticado preoperatoriamente por métodos radiológicos, y confirmado histológicamente (AU)

Las interleucinas 6, 8 y 10 en la fase inicial de la pancreatitis aguda. Su utilidad pronóstica / Interleukins 6, 8 and 10 in the initial phase of acute pancreatitis. Their prognostic utility

Introducción. La pancreatitis aguda es una grave enfermedad que precisa para la instauración de un tratamiento acorde con la gravedad, de un diagnóstico evolutivo precoz. El objetivo de nuestro estudio ha sido determinar los valores de interleucina 6, 8 y 10 en la fase inicial de la enfermedad. Pacientes y método. Hemos realizado un estudio prospectivo de 29 pacientes agrupados en pancreatitis leve, de mediana gravedad o grave. Las determinaciones de interleucinas en sangre venosa se realizaron en los primeros 5 días de evolución, y la cuantificación se efectuó con técnicas de enzimoinmunoanálisis. Resultados. En la pancreatitis grave existió una elevación de las tres interleucinas, con un pico máximo a las 36 h del inicio de la enfermedad. Desde el segundo día, el descenso de valores fue continuado. A partir del tercer día, las interleucinas 8 y 10 se normalizaron, persistiendo las diferencias estadísticamente significativas en los valores de la interleucina 6. Conclusiones. La interleucina 6 es el marcador que con mayor fiabilidad nos permitirá predecir, desde el día de admisión del paciente, la evolución pronóstica de la pancreatitis (AU)