Medea in Latin Literature: Victim or Assassin?

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Languages and Literature of Bard College

Importância do tratamento precoce em infecção odontogênica: relato de casos / Importance of early treatment in infection dentistry: case reports

Infecções odontogênicas são condições potencialmente fatais quando não tratadas de forma precoce devido a sua rápida disseminação por espaços faciais profundos e seu alto potencial de obstrução de vias aéreas. Ocorre, com frequência, em pessoas com pobre higiene oral, ou que iniciaram tratamento e não deram continuidade, ou ainda por iatrogenias, criando assim um ambiente para proliferação bacteriana. Pacientes que apresentam infecções de origem odontogênica apresentam sinais como dor, aumento de volume e trismo, em casos mais graves podem apresentar disfagia, disfonia e dispneia. O tratamento primário é garantir vias aéreas pérvias e controle do estado hemodinâmico do paciente, na maioria dos casos, isso é obtido com drenagem cirúrgica e antibioticoterapia, e remoção da causa. O objetivo deste trabalho é relatar 02 casos de infecções odontogênicas graves e discutir o manejo rápido instituído

In tobacco BY-2 cells xyloglucan oligosaccharides alter the expression of genes involved in cell wall metabolism, signalling, stress responses, cell division and transcriptional control

Xyloglucan oligosaccharides (XGOs) are breakdown products of XGs, the most abundant hemicelluloses of the primary cell walls of non-Poalean species. Treatment of cell cultures or whole plants with XGOs results in accelerated cell elongation and cell division, changes in primary root growth, and a stimulation of defence responses. They may therefore act as signalling molecules regulating plant growth and development. Previous work suggests an interaction with auxins and effects on cell wall loosening, however their mode of action is not fully understood. The effect of an XGO extract from tamarind (Tamarindus indica) on global gene expression was therefore investigated in tobacco BY-2 cells using microarrays. Over 500 genes were differentially regulated with similar numbers and functional classes of genes up- and down-regulated, indicating a complex interaction with the cellular machinery. Up-regulation of a putative XG endotransglycosylase/hydrolase-related (XTH) gene supports the mechanism of XGO action through cell wall loosening. Differential expression of defence-related genes supports a role for XGOs as elicitors. Changes in the expression of genes related to mitotic control and differentiation also support previous work showing that XGOs are mitotic inducers. XGOs also affected expression of several receptor-like kinase genes and transcription factors. Hence, XGOs have significant effects on expression of genes related to cell wall metabolism, signalling, stress responses, cell division and transcriptional control

Epidemiología molecular de aislamientos de Acinetobacter Baumannii en la ciudad de Guayaquil

Objetivo: describir brote causado por acinetobacter baumannii recuperado en dos centros asistenciales de la ciudad de Guayaquil, mediante técnicas de epidemiología molecular. Materiales y métodos: treinta y tres aislamientos de A. baumannii fueron recuperados de dos centros médicos de la ciudad de Guayaquil, Ecuador, entre noviembre de 2012 y octubre de 2013. Los aislamientos fueron identificados mediante MALDI-TOF y por la presencia de blaOXA-51. El análisis epidemiológico se realizó mediante PCR. Resultados: 33 aislamientos fueron sensibles solo a colistina. En 29 se detectó OXA-24/40. La secuenciación del ADN identificó a blaOXA-24/40 como blaOXA-72. Todos presentaron el mismo patrón de PCR. Conclusión: se presenta el primer brote de blaOXA-72 en aislados de A. baumannii en América del sur. Este es el primer estudio llevado a cabo en la República de Ecuador

Anemia of Inflammation Is Related to Cognitive Impairment among Children in Leyte, The Philippines

Past studies have demonstrated that iron deficiency anemia is related to deficits in cognitive fucntioning in children, and treating iron deficiency anemia with iron supplementation can improve cognition. Anemia of inflammation is another type of anemia caused by many diseases of lesser-developed countries including bacterial and parasitic infections. Anemia of inflammation is characterized by disordered iron metabolism, such that iron is sequestered in storage forms, preventing its use from tissues that require it. We hypothesized that decreased iron delivery to the brain in the context of anemia of inflammation might lead to decreased cognitive performance. This study found that children with anemia of inflammation had decreased cognitive performance in specific domains, compared to subjects with no anemia. True total body iron deficiency anemia was related to lower performance in the same domains. The only treatment option for anemia of inflammation is treatment of the underlying disease. Iron supplementation will not prevent cognitive deficits in children with anemia of inflammation. Interventions aimed towards maximizing the cognitive development of children in lesser-developed countries will need to focus on the prevention and treatment of bacterial and parasitic infections

The structure of Jann_2411 (DUF1470) from Jannaschia sp. at 1.45 Å resolution reveals a new fold (the ABATE domain) and suggests its possible role as a transcription regulator

The crystal structure of the first representative of the Pfam PF07336 (DUF1470) family reveals a two-domain organization that contains a new fold, termed the ABATE domain, at the N-terminus and a treble-clef zinc finger that is likely to bind DNA at the C-terminus

Structures of the first representatives of Pfam family PF06684 (DUF1185) reveal a novel variant of the Bacillus chorismate mutase fold and suggest a role in amino-acid metabolism

Structures of the first representatives of PF06684 (DUF1185) reveal a Bacillus chorismate mutase-like fold with a potential role in amino-acid synthesis

Obeticholic acid for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: interim analysis from a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial

Background Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common type of chronic liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis. Obeticholic acid, a farnesoid X receptor agonist, has been shown to improve the histological features of NASH. Here we report results from a planned interim analysis of an ongoing, phase 3 study of obeticholic acid for NASH. Methods In this multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, adult patients with definite NASH,non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) activity score of at least 4, and fibrosis stages F2–F3, or F1 with at least oneaccompanying comorbidity, were randomly assigned using an interactive web response system in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive oral placebo, obeticholic acid 10 mg, or obeticholic acid 25 mg daily. Patients were excluded if cirrhosis, other chronic liver disease, elevated alcohol consumption, or confounding conditions were present. The primary endpointsfor the month-18 interim analysis were fibrosis improvement (≥1 stage) with no worsening of NASH, or NASH resolution with no worsening of fibrosis, with the study considered successful if either primary endpoint was met. Primary analyses were done by intention to treat, in patients with fibrosis stage F2–F3 who received at least one dose of treatment and reached, or would have reached, the month 18 visit by the prespecified interim analysis cutoff date. The study also evaluated other histological and biochemical markers of NASH and fibrosis, and safety. This study is ongoing, and registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02548351, and EudraCT, 20150-025601-6. Findings Between Dec 9, 2015, and Oct 26, 2018, 1968 patients with stage F1–F3 fibrosis were enrolled and received at least one dose of study treatment; 931 patients with stage F2–F3 fibrosis were included in the primary analysis (311 in the placebo group, 312 in the obeticholic acid 10 mg group, and 308 in the obeticholic acid 25 mg group). The fibrosis improvement endpoint was achieved by 37 (12%) patients in the placebo group, 55 (18%) in the obeticholic acid 10 mg group (p=0·045), and 71 (23%) in the obeticholic acid 25 mg group (p=0·0002). The NASH resolution endpoint was not met (25 [8%] patients in the placebo group, 35 [11%] in the obeticholic acid 10 mg group [p=0·18], and 36 [12%] in the obeticholic acid 25 mg group [p=0·13]). In the safety population (1968 patients with fibrosis stages F1–F3), the most common adverse event was pruritus (123 [19%] in the placebo group, 183 [28%] in the obeticholic acid 10 mg group, and 336 [51%] in the obeticholic acid 25 mg group); incidence was generally mild to moderate in severity. The overall safety profile was similar to that in previous studies, and incidence of serious adverse events was similar across treatment groups (75 [11%] patients in the placebo group, 72 [11%] in the obeticholic acid 10 mg group, and 93 [14%] in the obeticholic acid 25 mg group). Interpretation Obeticholic acid 25 mg significantly improved fibrosis and key components of NASH disease activity among patients with NASH. The results from this planned interim analysis show clinically significant histological improvement that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit. This study is ongoing to assess clinical outcomes