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1.
Neurobiol Dis ; 198: 106540, 2024 Aug.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38806131

RESUMEN

Vaccinia-related kinase 1 (VRK1) is a gene which has been implicated in the pathological process of a broad range of neurodevelopmental disorders as well as neuropathies, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Here we report a family presenting ALS in an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance, segregating with a homozygous missense mutation located in VRK1 gene (p.R321C; Arg321Cys). Proteomic analyses from iPSC-derived motor neurons identified 720 proteins eligible for subsequent investigation, and our exploration of protein profiles revealed significant enrichments in pathways such as mTOR signaling, E2F, MYC targets, DNA repair response, cell proliferation and energetic metabolism. Functional studies further validated such alterations, showing that affected motor neurons presented decreased levels of global protein output, ER stress and downregulation of mTOR signaling. Mitochondrial alterations also pointed to decreased reserve capacity and increased non-mitochondrial oxygen consumption. Taken together, our results present the main pathological alterations associated with VRK1 mutation in ALS.


Asunto(s)
Esclerosis Amiotrófica Lateral , Células Madre Pluripotentes Inducidas , Mitocondrias , Neuronas Motoras , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinasas , Humanos , Esclerosis Amiotrófica Lateral/genética , Esclerosis Amiotrófica Lateral/metabolismo , Esclerosis Amiotrófica Lateral/patología , Células Madre Pluripotentes Inducidas/metabolismo , Neuronas Motoras/metabolismo , Neuronas Motoras/patología , Mitocondrias/metabolismo , Mitocondrias/genética , Mitocondrias/patología , Masculino , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinasas/genética , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinasas/metabolismo , Femenino , Péptidos y Proteínas de Señalización Intracelular/genética , Péptidos y Proteínas de Señalización Intracelular/metabolismo , Proteostasis/genética , Persona de Mediana Edad , Mutación Missense , Adulto
2.
Reprod Domest Anim ; 59(7): e14660, 2024 Jul.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38962998

RESUMEN

The objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the effects of supplementation of Nellore (Bos indicus) cows with ß-carotene + vitamins A + D3 + E + biotin on body condition score (BCS), oestrus, pregnancy, and foetal morphometry. Lactating cows (n = 497) from two herds were balanced for BCS and calving period [early calving (EC); late calving (LC)] and were assigned randomly to: Control (n = 251)-supplementation with a mineral supplement; and SUP (n = 246)-supplementation with the mineral supplement fed to control + ß-carotene (150 mg/day) + vitamin A (40,000 IU/day) + vitamin D3 (5000 IU/day) + vitamin E (300 mg/day) + biotin (20 mg/day). Cows were supplemented from Days -30 to 30 (Day 0 = timed artificial insemination; TAI). Pregnancy was diagnosed 30 days after TAI and foetal crown-rump distance and thoracic diameter were measured at 30 and 77 days of gestation. Cows in the SUP treatment were more likely to have BCS ≥3.0 on Day 0 (63.0 ± 3.1 vs. 60.2 ± 3.1; p < .01) and were more likely to gain BCS from Days -30 to 30 (57.7 ± 3.3 vs. 44.1 ± 3.3%; p < .01). Fewer LC cows in the SUP treatment were detected in oestrus at the time of the first TAI (Control: LC: 75.4 ± 4.4 vs. SUP: LC: 64.0 ± 5.2 vs. Control: EC: 65.3 ± 4.0 vs. SUP: EC: 71.8 ± 3.7; p = .04). There was a tendency for the SUP treatment to increase pregnancy to the first TAI (64.2 ± 3.0 vs. 56.6 ± 3.1%; p = .08). A greater percentage of SUP cows was detected in oestrus at the time of the second TAI (70.1 ± 5.0 vs. 52.3 ± 4.8%; p = .01). The SUP treatment increased pregnancy to the second TAI among LC cows (SUP: LC: 75.9 ± 8.0% vs. Control: LC: 50.0 ± 8.3% vs. Control: EC: 52.0 ± 5.9% vs. SUP: EC: 41.4 ± 6.5%; p = .02). The SUP treatment increased foetal size (crown-rump; p = .04 and thoracic diameter; p < .01) at 30 days of gestation and, despite decreasing crow-rump length at 77 days after the first TAI among EC cows (p < .01), it increased the thoracic diameter at 77 days after the first TAI independent of calving season. Our results support that pregnancy establishment and foetal growth can be improved when grazing Nellore cows are supplemented with ß-carotene and vitamins A + D3 + E + biotin.


Asunto(s)
Biotina , Suplementos Dietéticos , Estro , Vitamina A , Vitamina E , beta Caroteno , Animales , Bovinos , Femenino , Embarazo , Vitamina A/administración & dosificación , Vitamina A/farmacología , beta Caroteno/administración & dosificación , beta Caroteno/farmacología , Vitamina E/administración & dosificación , Vitamina E/farmacología , Estro/efectos de los fármacos , Biotina/administración & dosificación , Biotina/farmacología , Colecalciferol/farmacología , Colecalciferol/administración & dosificación , Folículo Ovárico/efectos de los fármacos , Dieta/veterinaria , Vitaminas/administración & dosificación , Vitaminas/farmacología , Alimentación Animal , Lactancia , Feto/efectos de los fármacos
3.
J Assist Reprod Genet ; 40(4): 765-778, 2023 Apr.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36856967

RESUMEN

PROPOSE: We here present a female case with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) and infertility. In this report, we also present the evaluation of the patient family, including her twin sister, also with PCD and infertility. METHODS: Confirmation of the PCD clinical diagnosis was performed through assessment of cilia motility, by high-speed video microscopy (HSVM), axoneme ultrastructure, by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and genetic characterization, by whole-exome sequence (WES). Gene expression studies used qPCR for mRNA expression and immunofluorescence to determine cell protein localization. RESULTS: We identified a homozygous nonsense variant in the DRC1 gene (NM 145038.5:c.352C>T (p.Gln118Ter)) in the female patient with PCD and infertility that fit the model of autosomal recessive genetic transmission. This variant eventually results in a dyskinetic ciliary beat with a lower frequency and a partial lack of both dynein arms as revealed by TEM analysis. Moreover, this variant implies a decrease in the expression of DRC1 mRNA and protein. Additionally, expression analysis suggested that DRC1 may interact with other DRC elements. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the DRC1 null variant leads to PCD associated with infertility, likely caused by defects in axoneme from Fallopian tube cilia. Overall, our outcomes contribute to a better understanding of the genetic factors involved in the pathophysiology of PCD and infertility, and they highlight the interaction of different genes in the patient phenotype, which should be investigated further because it may explain the high heterogeneity observed in PCD patients.


Asunto(s)
Infertilidad Femenina , Síndrome de Kartagener , Humanos , Femenino , Síndrome de Kartagener/genética , Infertilidad Femenina/genética , Infertilidad Femenina/metabolismo , Proteínas/genética , Cilios/genética , Microscopía Electrónica de Transmisión , Mutación , Proteínas Asociadas a Microtúbulos/genética
4.
J Environ Manage ; 334: 117490, 2023 May 15.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36801686

RESUMEN

The utilization of non-aerated microalgae-bacterial consortia for phototrophic biological nutrient removal (photo-BNR) has emerged as an alternative to conventional wastewater treatment. Photo-BNR systems are operated under transient illumination, with alternating dark-anaerobic, light-aerobic and dark-anoxic conditions. A deep understanding of the impact of operational parameters on the microbial consortium and respective nutrient removal efficiency in photo-BNR systems is required. The present study evaluates, for the first time, the long-term operation (260 days) of a photo-BNR system, fed with a COD:N:P mass ratio of 7.5:1:1, to understand its operational limitations. In particular, different CO2 concentrations in the feed (between 22 and 60 mg C/L of Na2CO3) and variations of light exposure (from 2.75 h to 5.25 h per 8 h cycle) were studied to determine their impact on key parameters, like oxygen production and availability of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), on the performance of anoxic denitrification by polyphosphate accumulating organisms. Results indicate that oxygen production was more dependent on the light availability than on the CO2 concentration. Also, under operational conditions with a COD:Na2CO3 ratio of 8.3 mg COD/mg C and an average light availability of 5.4 ± 1.3 W h/g TSS, no internal PHA limitation was observed, and 95 ± 7%, 92 ± 5% and 86 ± 5% of removal efficiency could be achieved for phosphorus, ammonia and total nitrogen, respectively. 81 ± 1.7% of the ammonia was assimilated into the microbial biomass and 19 ± 1.7% was nitrified, showing that biomass assimilation was the main N removal mechanism taking place in the bioreactor. Overall, the photo-BNR system presented a good settling capacity (SVI ∼60 mL/g TSS) and was able to remove 38 ± 3.3 mg P/L and 33 ± 1.7 mg N/L, highlighting its potential for achieving wastewater treatment without the need of aeration.


Asunto(s)
Amoníaco , Dióxido de Carbono , Aguas Residuales , Nutrientes , Oxígeno , Reactores Biológicos , Fósforo , Nitrógeno , Eliminación de Residuos Líquidos/métodos , Aguas del Alcantarillado , Desnitrificación
5.
Psychol Health Med ; 27(4): 746-760, 2022 04.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33295792

RESUMEN

Individuals who experience stress can engage in health-risk behaviours that may decrease work performance. The aim of this study was to determine perceived stress levels in Brazilian workers and verify whether perceived stress was associated with health-risk behaviours. Stress levels of 1,270 workers (1,019 men, 251 women) were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale. The health-risk behaviours investigated were low intake of vegetables and fruits, daily smoking, high-risk alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and the presence of obesity. The Student's t-test or one-way analysis of variance was used to assess differences in stress levels. Ordinal regression was used to determine the association between the degrees of stress and health-risk behaviours. Women had higher perceived stress levels than men. In addition, perceived stress levels were higher in those who had low socioeconomic status, were unmarried, had a negative perception of their health, were smokers, or had obesity. Smoking and the presence of two or more health-risk behaviours were associated with 1.84 (95% CI: 1.24-2.73) times and 1.49 (95% CI: 1.18-1.89) times higher odds of experiencing higher degrees of stress, respectively. In women, such an association was observed with the presence of obesity (odds ratio: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.01-3.98).


Asunto(s)
Consumo de Bebidas Alcohólicas , Fumar , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Asunción de Riesgos , Fumar/epidemiología , Estrés Psicológico/epidemiología
6.
J Dairy Sci ; 104(1): 179-197, 2021 Jan.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33131813

RESUMEN

Cheeses are able to serve as suitable matrices for supplying probiotics to consumers, enabling appropriate conditions for bacteria to survive gastric transit and reach the gut, where they are assumed to promote beneficial processes. The present study aimed to evaluate the microbiological, immunological, and histological changes in the gut of Salmonella Enteritidis-challenged rats fed goat cheese supplemented with the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus EM1107. Thirty male albino Wistar rats were randomly distributed into 5 experimental groups with 6 animals each: negative (NC) and positive (PtC) control groups, control goat cheese (CCh), goat cheese added with L. rhamnosus EM1107 (LrCh), and L. rhamnosus EM1107 only (EM1107). All animals, except NC group were challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis (109 cfu in 1 mL of saline through oral gavage). Microbial composition was assessed with high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing by means of Illumina MiSeq (Illumina, San Diego, CA). Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) from the animal cecum tissue was determined by real-time PCR and interleukins (TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-10, and IFN-γ) by means of ELISA. Myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde levels were determined biochemically. The administration of the L. rhamnosus EM1107 probiotic strain, either as a pure culture or added to a cheese matrix, was able to reduce Salmonella colonization in the intestinal lumen and lessen tissue damage compared with rats from PtC group. In addition, the use of cheese for the probiotic strain delivery (LrCh) was associated with a marked shift in the gut microbiota composition toward the increase of beneficial organisms such as Blautia and Lactobacillus and a reduction in NF-κB expression. These findings support our hypothesis that cheeses might be explored as functional matrices for the efficacious delivery of probiotic strains to consumers.


Asunto(s)
Queso/microbiología , Cabras , Intestinos/inmunología , Intestinos/microbiología , Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus/metabolismo , Probióticos , Salmonella enteritidis/inmunología , Animales , Ciego/metabolismo , Ciego/microbiología , Microbioma Gastrointestinal , Masculino , ARN Ribosómico 16S , Ratas , Ratas Wistar
7.
Eur J Neurol ; 27(8): 1356-1363, 2020 08.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32248603

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Neurology is rapidly evolving as a result of continuous diagnostic and therapeutic progress, which influences the daily work of neurologists. Therefore, updating residency training programmes is crucial for the future of neurology. Several countries are currently discussing and/or modifying the structure of their neurology residency training programme. A detailed and up-to-date overview of the available European residency training programmes will aid this process. METHODS: A questionnaire addressing numerous aspects of residency training programmes in neurology was distributed among 38 national representatives of the Resident and Research Fellow Section of the European Academy of Neurology. RESULTS: We obtained data from 32 European countries (response rate 84%). The median (range) duration of the residency training programmes was 60 (12-72) months. In the majority of countries, rotations to other medical disciplines were mandatory, mostly psychiatry (69%), internal medicine (66%) and neurosurgery (59%). However, the choice of medical fields and the duration of rotations varied substantially between countries. In 50% of countries, there were formal regulations regarding training in evidence-based medicine, teaching skills and/or leadership qualities. In many countries (75%), residents had to take an examination. CONCLUSIONS: We found substantial variation among European countries in the duration of residency training programmes, and especially in the choice of obligatory rotations to external medical disciplines. Despite a presumably similar spectrum of patients, neurology residency training programmes across Europe are not harmonized. The structure of the programme should be determined by its relevance for neurologists today and in the future.


Asunto(s)
Internado y Residencia , Neurología , Europa (Continente) , Humanos , Neurólogos , Neurología/educación , Encuestas y Cuestionarios
8.
Neuroimage ; 199: 289-303, 2019 10 01.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31141736

RESUMEN

Inhomogeneous Magnetization Transfer (ihMT) is a development from the MT MRI technique. IhMT can be considered as a dipolar order relaxation time (T1D) weighted imaging modality whose signal has shown an enhanced selectivity for myelin-rich structures. However, a formal validation of the ihMT sensitivity relative to a gold standard myelin density measurement has not yet been reported. To address this need, we compared ihMT MRI with green fluorescence protein (GFP) microscopy, in a study performed on genetically-modified plp-GFP mice, considered as a reference technique for myelin-content assessment. Various ihMT protocols consisting of variable T1D-filtering and radiofrequency power temporal distributions, were used for comparison with fluorescence microscopy. Strong and significant linear relationships (r2 (0.87-0.96), p < 0.0001) were found between GFP and ihMT ratio signals across brain regions for all tested protocol variants. Conventional MT ratios showed weaker correlations (r2 (0.24-0.78), p ≤ 0.02) and a much larger signal fraction unrelated to myelin, hence corresponding to a much lower specificity for myelin. T1D-filtering reduced the ihMT signal fraction not attributed to myelin by almost twofold relative to zero filtering suggesting that at least half of the unrelated signal has a substantially shorter T1D than myelin. Overall, these results strongly support the sensitivity of ihMT to myelin content.


Asunto(s)
Sustancia Gris/diagnóstico por imagen , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética/normas , Microscopía Fluorescente/normas , Vaina de Mielina , Sustancia Blanca/diagnóstico por imagen , Animales , Interpretación Estadística de Datos , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética/métodos , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Sensibilidad y Especificidad
9.
Rev Neurol (Paris) ; 175(6): 367-376, 2019 Jun.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30922589

RESUMEN

Several studies have demonstrated that stroke subjects present impairment of functions related to decision-making and timing, involving the information processing in the neural circuits of the cerebellum in association with the prefrontal cortex. This review is aimed to identify the gaps, and demonstrate a better understanding of decision-making and timing functions in the patients with stroke. Electronic literature database was searched and the findings of relevant studies were used to explore the mechanisms of decision-making and timing in patients with stroke, as well as the circuit connections in timing mediated by prefrontal cortex and cerebellum. A literature review was conducted with 65 studies that synthesized findings on decision-making and time perception in individuals with stroke. Types of neurobiological modalities in this study included: Relationships among decision-making, time perception, related cognitive aspects (such as discrimination tasks, verbal estimation, bisection tasks, time production and motor reproduction), and motor control. We demonstrate that the timing processes are important for the performance in cognitive tasks and that the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex are involved in decision-making and time perception. In the context, the decision-making is impaired in stroke patients has a great impact on executive functions, and this seems to be important in determining neurobiological aspects relevant to the time interval interpretation.


Asunto(s)
Conducta/fisiología , Trastornos del Conocimiento/etiología , Toma de Decisiones/fisiología , Vías Nerviosas/fisiología , Accidente Cerebrovascular/complicaciones , Percepción del Tiempo/fisiología , Cerebelo/patología , Cerebelo/fisiología , Cognición/fisiología , Trastornos del Conocimiento/fisiopatología , Trastornos del Conocimiento/psicología , Humanos , Corteza Prefrontal/patología , Corteza Prefrontal/fisiología , Accidente Cerebrovascular/fisiopatología , Accidente Cerebrovascular/psicología
10.
J Helminthol ; 94: e50, 2019 Apr 11.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30973122

RESUMEN

New therapeutic approaches are necessary to control strongyloidiasis due to the side effects of, and resistance to, currently available drugs thiabendazole, albendazole, and ivermectin. This study examined the anthelmintic properties of extracts and isolated compounds from Siparuna guianensis against Strongyloides venezuelensis eggs and larvae, using the egg hatching test (EHT) and larval motility test (LMT). Albendazole (0.025 mg/ml) and ivermectin (0.316 mg/ml) were used as the positive controls for the EHT and LMT assays, respectively. Strongyloides venezuelensis eggs or larvae (±50 specimens) were treated with ethanol extract (0.05-1.0 mg/ml), ethyl acetate and aqueous fractions (0.05-0.8 mg/ml), essential oil (0.2-1.0 mg/ml) and α-bisabolol (0.2-1.0 mg/ml) from S. guianensis, and analysed by optical microscopy after 48 h (EHT), or after 24, 48 and 72 h (LMT). All the tested compounds exhibited ovicidal activity equivalent to the positive control and changed the morphology of the eggs. The S. guianensis ethanol extract and aqueous fraction were as effective as the positive control. Phytochemical analysis of the ethanol extract and fractions revealed the presence of phenolic compounds, tannins and flavonoids. Therefore, S. guianensis is effective against S. venezuelensis eggs and larvae in vitro, and can be considered as a potential alternative treatment for strongyloidiasis.


Asunto(s)
Antihelmínticos/farmacología , Aceites Volátiles/farmacología , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Strongyloides/efectos de los fármacos , Tracheophyta/química , Animales , Antihelmínticos/química , Larva/efectos de los fármacos , Sesquiterpenos Monocíclicos/química , Sesquiterpenos Monocíclicos/farmacología , Aceites Volátiles/química , Óvulo/efectos de los fármacos , Extractos Vegetales/química
11.
Occup Med (Lond) ; 68(6): 364-369, 2018 Aug 11.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29939307

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: The promotion and maintenance of workers' mental health is an increasingly important issue, both for employers and society. Previous research has shown that job characteristics (i.e. demands, control and support) are significantly associated with employees' mental well-being. However, changes in work characteristics have given rise to the emergence of new job demands, leading to work-family life conflict. AIMS: To investigate the association between work-family life conflict and employee mental well-being. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with two samples: one sample comprising clothes store sales employees and the other comprising call centre operators. Logistic regression models were used to examine the effects of work-family life conflict on employee well-being. RESULTS: After controlling for job demands, job control, supervisory support and co-workers support, work-family life conflict was associated with employee mental well-being. CONCLUSIONS: Work-family life conflict is an important factor to explain employee well-being and productivity and should be addressed as well as work factors.


Asunto(s)
Trastornos Mentales/etiología , Equilibrio entre Vida Personal y Laboral/métodos , Carga de Trabajo/psicología , Adulto , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Humanos , Satisfacción en el Trabajo , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Trastornos Mentales/epidemiología , Trastornos Mentales/psicología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Equilibrio entre Vida Personal y Laboral/tendencias , Carga de Trabajo/normas
13.
Trop Anim Health Prod ; 49(5): 983-988, 2017 Jun.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28386840

RESUMEN

A grazing trial was carried out to evaluate the inclusion of three feed additives in supplements (crude protein, CP 230 g/kg dry matter, DM) on the performance, voluntary intake, and digestibility of beef heifers grazing Brachiaria decumbens (CP 81 and neutral detergent fiber, NDF 615 g/kg DM). Thirty-five Nellore heifers (21 months of age and 383 ± 6.29 kg of body weight, BW) were used in a completely randomized design. The treatments were as follows: no supplement (control); supplement fed at 1 kg/animal/day without additives (S); supplement with monensin (S + M); supplement with yeast culture (S + YC); and supplement with enzyme complex (S + EC). All of the supplemented heifers had greater (P < 0.1) average daily gain (∼0.186 kg/day) compared to the control treatment (0.014 kg/day). Average daily gain and final BW were similar (P > 0.1) among supplemented heifers. Monensin inclusion in the supplement decreased (P < 0.1) forage DM (expressed as g/kg BW) and NDF intake (expressed as kg/day and as g/kg BW). All of the feed additive inclusions decreased (P < 0.1) NDF digestibility. In conclusion, the heifers' performance was improved by concentrate supplementation. However, the inclusion of additives did not enhance this effect.


Asunto(s)
Bovinos/fisiología , Digestión/efectos de los fármacos , Monensina/metabolismo , Levadura Seca/metabolismo , Alimentación Animal/análisis , Fenómenos Fisiológicos Nutricionales de los Animales , Animales , Brachiaria , Bovinos/crecimiento & desarrollo , Dieta/veterinaria , Fibras de la Dieta/metabolismo , Femenino , Herbivoria , Monensina/administración & dosificación , Nitrógeno/metabolismo , Distribución Aleatoria , Levadura Seca/administración & dosificación
14.
Rep Prog Phys ; 79(8): 084507, 2016 08.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27427401

RESUMEN

We review the recent developments in the field of cuprate superconductors with special focus on the recently observed charge order in the underdoped compounds. We introduce new theoretical developments following the study of the antiferromagnetic quantum critical point in two dimensions, in which preemptive orders in both charge and superconducting (SC) sectors emerge, that are in turn related by an SU(2) symmetry. We consider the implications of this proliferation of orders in the underdoped region, and provide a study of the type of fluctuations which characterize the SU(2) symmetry. We identify an intermediate energy scale where the SC fluctuations are dominant and argue that they are unstable towards the formation of a resonant excitonic state at the pseudogap temperature T (*). We discuss the implications of this scenario for a few key experiments.

15.
Genet Mol Res ; 15(3)2016 Sep 09.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27706711

RESUMEN

Short tandem repeats (STRs) are commonly used as genetic markers. The detection and analysis of STRs can be used to gather information on polymorphisms of interest to forensic geneticists. Denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) is an affordable method for the detection of minor sequence changes in DNA, while capillary electrophoresis (CE) is the gold standard for genotyping analysis. This appears to be the first study to directly compare data obtained using the two electrophoretic techniques. We analyzed genomic DNA from 209 individuals to compare genotyping results from seven Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) STR markers obtained by both techniques. The automated electrophoresis was carried out using a MegaBACETM 1000 DNA analysis system. Full concordance was found in 1297 of 1308 STR allele calls. Kappa and McNemar-Bowker tests indicated that there were no statistically significant differences between the results from the two methods. There was no statistically significant difference in precision between denaturing PAGE followed by silver nitrate staining, despite a longer protocol, compared with CE when applied to population studies. STR allele frequency data from non-automated genotyping techniques seem to be just as reliable as from automated genotyping methods.


Asunto(s)
Electroforesis Capilar/métodos , Técnicas de Genotipaje/métodos , Repeticiones de Microsatélite , Alelos , Automatización , Marcadores Genéticos , Genoma , Humanos , Sensibilidad y Especificidad
16.
Genet Mol Res ; 15(2)2016 May 09.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27173348

RESUMEN

Dengue virus (DENV) and its four serotypes (DENV1-4) belong to the Flavivirus genus of the Flaviviridae family. DENV infection is a life-threatening disease, which results in up to 20,000 deaths each year. Viruses have been shown to encode trans-regulatory small RNAs, or microRNAs (miRNAs), which bind to messenger RNA and negatively regulate host or viral gene expression. During DENV infections, miRNAs interact with proteins in the RNAi pathway, and are processed by ribonucleases such as Dicer and Drosha. This study aims to investigate Drosha, DGCR8, and Dicer expression levels in human A-549 cells following DENV4 infection. DENV4 infected A-549 cells were collected daily for 5 days, and RNA was extracted to quantify viral load. Gene expression of Drosha, Dicer, and DGCR8 was determined using quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). We found that DENV4 infection exhibited the highest viral load 3 days post-infection. Dicer, Drosha, and DGCR8 showed reduced expression following DENV4 infection as compared with negative controls. In addition, we hypothesize that reduced expression of DGCR8 may not only be related to miRNA biogenesis, but also other small RNAs. This study may change our understanding regarding the relationship between host cells and the dengue virus.


Asunto(s)
ARN Helicasas DEAD-box/biosíntesis , Virus del Dengue/genética , Virus del Dengue/patogenicidad , Dengue/metabolismo , ARN Mensajero/biosíntesis , Proteínas de Unión al ARN/biosíntesis , Ribonucleasa III/biosíntesis , Células A549 , ARN Helicasas DEAD-box/genética , ARN Helicasas DEAD-box/metabolismo , Dengue/genética , Dengue/virología , Regulación hacia Abajo , Regulación de la Expresión Génica , Humanos , MicroARNs/genética , MicroARNs/metabolismo , Interferencia de ARN , ARN Mensajero/genética , Proteínas de Unión al ARN/genética , Proteínas de Unión al ARN/metabolismo , Ribonucleasa III/genética , Ribonucleasa III/metabolismo , Carga Viral
17.
J Helminthol ; 90(1): 48-53, 2016 Jan.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25348888

RESUMEN

Anisakid nematodes are parasites with an indirect life cycle, involving many hosts, including cetaceans that act as definitive hosts. Identification at species level is crucial for a better understanding of the epidemiology and ecology of these parasites, but an accurate diagnosis based only on morphology is difficult. In Brazil, genetic characterization of anisakids is still rare, with Anisakis typica and A. physeteris being the only two species identified by genetic markers until now. The definitive hosts of A. nascettii are Mesoplodon grayi, M. bowdoini, M. layardii and M. mirus. Geographical locations of A. nascettii include the coasts of New Zealand, South Africa and Europe. In this study, a nematode was collected from a Gervais' beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus, stranded in Ceará State, north-east Brazil. Genetic analysis based on 18S rDNA, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and mtDNA cox2 gene revealed 100% identity with Anisakis sp. U94365, 99% with Anisakis sp. (MP-2005 EU718477 A. nascettii) and 99% with A. nascettii DQ116431, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses of ITS and cox2 sequences using both neighbour-joining and maximum-likelihood methods provided strong support for a clade with only A. nascettii specimens. This study demonstrated for the first time the identification of A. nascettii in the Brazilian Atlantic Coast, revealing a wider geographical distribution of this parasite worldwide and extending the range of its definitive hosts to a new Mesoplodon species, M. europaeus, the Gervais' beaked whale.


Asunto(s)
Anisakiasis/veterinaria , Anisakis/aislamiento & purificación , Ballenas/parasitología , Animales , Anisakiasis/parasitología , Anisakis/clasificación , Anisakis/genética , Brasil , ADN de Helmintos/genética , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Filogenia
18.
J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact ; 15(2): 137-44, 2015 Jun.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26032205

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of whole-body vibration on physiologic and functional measurements in children with cerebral palsy. DESIGN AND METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, EMBASE, Scielo, CINAHL (from the earliest date available to November 2014) for randomized controlled trials, that aimed to investigate the effects of whole-body vibration versus exercise and/or versus control on physiologic and functional measurements in children with cerebral palsy. Two reviewers independently selected the studies. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: Six studies with 176 patients comparing whole-body vibration to exercise and/or control were included. Whole-body vibration resulted in improvement in: gait speed WMDs (0.13 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.20); gross motor function dimension E WMDs (2.97 95% CI: 0.07 to 5.86) and femur bone density (1.32 95% CI: 0.28 to 2.36). The meta-analysis also showed a nonsignificant difference in muscle strength and gross motor function dimension D for participants in the whole-body vibration compared with control group. No serious adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Whole-body vibration may improve gait speed and standing function in children with cerebral palsy and could be considered for inclusion in rehabilitation programs.


Asunto(s)
Parálisis Cerebral/fisiopatología , Parálisis Cerebral/terapia , Limitación de la Movilidad , Equilibrio Postural , Vibración/uso terapéutico , Adolescente , Niño , Terapia por Ejercicio , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Modalidades de Fisioterapia
19.
Genet Mol Res ; 14(4): 15301-11, 2015 Nov 30.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26634494

RESUMEN

Each year, approximately 170 million metric tons of chemical fertilizer are consumed by global agriculture. Furthermore, some chemical fertilizers contain toxic by-products and their long-term use may contaminate groundwater, lakes, and rivers. The use of plant growth-promoting bacteria may be a cost-effective strategy for partially replacing conventional chemical fertilizers, and may become an integrated plant nutrient solution for sustainable crop production. The main direct bacteria-activated mechanisms of plant growth promotion are based on improvement of nutrient acquisition, siderophore biosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, and hormonal stimulation. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify bacteria with growth-promoting activities from sugarcane. We extracted the bacterial isolate SCB4789F-1 from sugarcane leaves and characterized it with regard to its profile of growth-promoting activities, including its ability to colonize Arabidopsis thaliana. Based on its biochemical characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence analysis, this isolate was identified as Pantoea ananatis. The bacteria were efficient at phosphate and zinc solubilization, and production of siderophores and indole-3-acetic acid in vitro. The isolate was characterized by Gram staining, resistance to antibiotics, and use of carbon sources. This is the first report on zinc solubilization in vitro by this bacterium, and on plant growth promotion following its inoculation into A. thaliana. The beneficial effects to plants of this bacterium justify future analysis of inoculation of economically relevant crops.


Asunto(s)
Pantoea/aislamiento & purificación , Reguladores del Crecimiento de las Plantas/aislamiento & purificación , Saccharum/crecimiento & desarrollo , Saccharum/microbiología , Productos Agrícolas/crecimiento & desarrollo , Productos Agrícolas/microbiología , Ácidos Indolacéticos/metabolismo , Fijación del Nitrógeno/fisiología , Pantoea/genética , Fosfatos/metabolismo , Reguladores del Crecimiento de las Plantas/genética , Hojas de la Planta/metabolismo , Hojas de la Planta/microbiología , ARN Ribosómico 16S/genética , Saccharum/metabolismo , Sideróforos/metabolismo , Zinc/metabolismo
20.
J Appl Microbiol ; 117(2): 554-63, 2014 Aug.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24797347

RESUMEN

AIM: To evaluate the use of organic acids (OAs) and competitive exclusion (CE) product administered continuously in the feed and transiently in drinking water on the control of Salmonella enterica subspecie enterica serotype Enteritidis (SE) prior to slaughter. METHODS AND RESULTS: The influence of treatments were evaluated on pH, population of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae, concentration of volatile fatty acids and SE colonization in the crop and caecum. The birds were challenged with SE 24 h before being slaughtered, and then, the caeca and crop were removed and subjected to SE counts. Continuous administration of OAs reduced the population of bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family in both crop and caecum, positively influenced the butyric acid concentration and reduced SE colonization in the caecum. The diet supplemented with CE product positively influenced the quantity of LAB in the crop and caecum, elevated the butyric acid concentration and reduced both Enterobacteriaceae quantity and SE colonization in the caecum. There was no effect from administering the treatments via drinking water on the variables measured. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous supplementation in feed with OAs and CE product reduced SE colonization of the caeca. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Supplementation of OAs and CE product in diet to turkeys can reduce the SE load, potentially leading to a lower contamination risk of meat during slaughter.


Asunto(s)
Enfermedades de las Aves de Corral/prevención & control , Salmonelosis Animal/prevención & control , Salmonella enteritidis , Pavos/microbiología , Alimentación Animal , Animales , Bacterias/aislamiento & purificación , Ácido Butírico/análisis , Ácidos Carboxílicos/administración & dosificación , Ciego/química , Ciego/microbiología , Buche de las Aves/química , Buche de las Aves/microbiología , Dieta , Enterobacteriaceae/aislamiento & purificación , Ácidos Grasos/administración & dosificación , Ácidos Grasos Volátiles/análisis , Concentración de Iones de Hidrógeno , Salmonella enteritidis/aislamiento & purificación
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