Sarcopenic obesity in fatty liver

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steato hepatitis have an increasing prevalence among liver diseases. Overweight and obesity are frequently associated conditions in patients with fatty liver. Skeletal muscle mass depletion may also coexist with chronic liver disease even in obese patients. This review will focus on the relationship between sarcopenic obesity and fatty liver

Natural history of patients with non cirrhotic portal hypertension: Comparison with patients with compensated cirrhosis

Background. The knowledge of natural history of patients with portal hypertension (PH) not due to cirrhosis is less well known than that of cirrhotic patients. Aim. To describe the clinical presentation and the outcomes of 89 patients with non-cirrhotic PH (25 with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension, INCPH, and 64 with chronic portal vein thrombosis, PVT) in comparison with 77 patients with Child A cirrhosis. Methods. The patients were submitted to a standardized clinical, laboratory, ultrasonographic and endoscopic follow-up. Variceal progression, incidence of variceal bleeding, portal vein thrombosis, ascites and survival were recorded. Results. At presentation, the prevalence of varices, variceal bleeding and ascites was similar in the 3 groups. During follow-up, the rate of progression to varices at risk of bleeding (p<0.0001) and the incidence of first variceal bleeding (p=0.02) were significantly higher in non-cirrhotic then in cirrhotic patients. A PVT developed in 32% of INCPH patients and in 18% of cirrhotics (p=0.02). Conclusions. In the patients with non–cirrhotic PH variceal progression is more rapid and bleeding more frequent than in cirrhotics. Patients with INCPH are particularly prompt to develop PVT. This observational study suggests that the management of patients with non-cirrhotic PH should take into consideration the natural history of portal hypertension in these patients and cannot be simply derived by the observation of cirrhotic patients

Comparative genomic analysis of native pseudomonas syringae plasmids belonging to the ppt23 a family reveals their role in p. Syringae epiphytic and pathogenic lifestyles

Backgrounds The pPT23A family of plasmids (PFPs) appears to be indigenous to the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae and these plasmids are widely distributed and widely transferred among pathovars of P. syringae and related species. PFPs are sources of accessory genes for their hosts that can include genes important for virulence and epiphytic colonization of plant leaf surfaces. Objectives Further understanding of the evolution of the pPT23A plasmid family and the role of these plasmids in P. syringae biology and pathogenesis, requires the determination and analysis of additional complete, closed plasmid genome sequences. Therefore, our main objective was to obtain complete genome sequences of PFPs from three different P. syringae pathovars and perform a comprehensive comparative genomic analysis. Methods In this work plasmid DNA isolation, purification by CsCl-EtBr gradients, and sequencing using 454 platform, were carried out to obtain the complete sequence of P. syringae plasmids. Different bioinformatic tools were used to analyze the plasmid synteny, to identify virulence genes (i.e. type 3 effectors) and to unravel the evolutionary history of PFPs. Conclusions Our sequence analysis revealed that PFPs from P. syringae encode suites of accessory genes that are selected at different levels (universal, interpathovar and intrapathovar). The conservation of type IVSS encoding conjugation functions also contributes to the distribution of these plasmids within P. syringae populations. Thus, this study contributes to unravel the genetic bases of the role of PFPs in different P. syringae lifestyles. This work was supported by grants Proyecto de Excelencia, Junta de Andalucía (P07-AGR-02471; P12-AGR-1473) and by Michigan State University AgBioResearch.This work was supported by grants Proyecto de Excelencia, Junta de Andalucía (P07-AGR-02471; P12-AGR-1473) and by Michigan State University AgBioResearch; Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Construcción de una colección de cepas de Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae asociadas a mango para su uso en estudios comparativos

La necrosis apical es una enfermedad que afecta a las principales áreas de cultivo de mango de clima mediterráneo, y cuyo agente causal es Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss). Se han descrito diferentes genes implicados en el desarrollo de los síntomas de la enfermedad, así como en aumentar el fitness epifítico de la bacteria; como la producción de mangotoxina, o la resistencia al cobre respectivamente. En estudios previos mediante análisis filogenéticos, se han agrupado todas las cepas de Pss aisladas de mango y productoras de mangotoxina en el filotipo I. El objetivo de este trabajo es aislar cepas de Pss de árboles de mango de las distintas zonas de estudio (España, Portugal, Italia, Israel y Australia), para así poder abordar un análisis comparativo de las cepas de Pss aisladas antes del año 2000 y disponibles en nuestro laboratorio, con los nuevos aislamientos (2016-2017). Tras proceder a la identificación de las cepas, se caracterizarán las mismas mediante diferentes pruebas fenotípicas y genotípicas (producción de mangotoxina, resistencia al cobre, detección de genes específicos por PCR, etc).Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

PPARG: Gene Expression Regulation and Next-Generation Sequencing for Unsolved Issues

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is one of the most extensively studied ligand-inducible transcription factors (TFs), able to modulate its transcriptional activity through conformational changes. It is of particular interest because of its pleiotropic functions: it plays a crucial role in the expression of key genes involved in adipogenesis, lipid and glucid metabolism, atherosclerosis, inflammation, and cancer. Its protein isoforms, the wide number of PPARγ target genes, ligands, and coregulators contribute to determine the complexity of its function. In addition, the presence of genetic variants is likely to affect expression levels of target genes although the impact of PPARG gene variations on the expression of target genes is not fully understood. The introduction of massively parallel sequencing platforms—in the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) era—has revolutionized the way of investigating the genetic causes of inherited diseases. In this context, DNA-Seq for identifying—within both coding and regulatory regions of PPARG gene—novel nucleotide variations and haplotypes associated to human diseases, ChIP-Seq for defining a PPARγ binding map, and RNA-Seq for unraveling the wide and intricate gene pathways regulated by PPARG, represent incredible steps toward the understanding of PPARγ in health and disease

A novel gene cluster involved in high tolerance to copper compounds has been detected in Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae

Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss), is the most polyphagous bacterium of the P. syringae complex, based on its wide host range, that severely affects woody and herbaceous plants. Pss has been described as the causal agent of bacterial apical necrosis (BAN) on mango crops, an important threat that drastically reduces the mango fruit yield in the Mediterranean region. Copper compounds have traditionally been used as standard bactericides to manage woody plant diseases, being the spraying of copper compound known as Bordeaux mixture (BM), the conventional treatment for controlling BAN disease. The extensive use of copper compounds can lead to many problems, and among them, the emergence of copper-resistant strains is one of the most serious. Pss strains isolated from mango trees harbour at least, two different genetic structures (copABCD and copABCD modified) encoded by plasmids that are involved in copper detoxification. Determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration of copper, together with a phylogenetic distribution analysis performed in a collection of Pss strains isolated from mango trees revealed a phylogenetic group of Pss strongly associated with high levels of copper resistance. Genome mining and functional characterization of one Pss strain present in this group have uncovered a novel gene cluster of chromosomal location that could be playing a major role in high levels of copper resistance during the epiphytic survival of Pss on mango tree surfaces.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Análisis comparativo de dos colecciones de pseudo monas syringae pv. syringae asociadas a mango

Pseudomonas syringae es una bacteria ubicua a nivel ambiental. Presenta una taxonomía compleja en la que se han descrito más de 60 patovares que causan enfermedad en muchas especies de plantas diferentes. Entre los patovares más importantes se encuentra el pv. syringae debido a su amplio rango de hospedador, y al arsenal de mecanismos de virulencia que posee. A principios de los años 90, se describió a Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss) como el agente causal de la necrosis apical del mango (NAM). Pss aisladas de mango muestran características importantes para su biología, tanto en sus mecanismos de virulencia como para el fitness epifítico. En este trabajo, se plantea conocer en profundidad cómo han evolucionado las poblaciones de Pss a lo largo del tiempo sobre el mangoUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Este trabajo ha sido financiado por ayuda de la Consejería de Economía, Innovación y Ciencia, Junta de Andalucía (Pl2-AGR-1473), cofinanciados con fondos FEDER (UE

Insecticidal features displayed by the beneficial rhizobacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis PCL1606

The biocontrol rhizobacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis is one of the bacterial species of the P. fuorescens group where insecticide ft genes have been found. Fit toxin, supported with other antimicrobial compounds, gives the bacterial the ability to repel and to fght against eukaryotic organisms, such as nematodes and insect larvae, thus protecting the plant host and itself. Pseudomonas chlororaphis PCL1606 is an antagonistic rhizobacterium isolated from avocado roots and show efcient biocontrol against fungal soil-borne disease. The main antimicrobial compound produced by P. chlororaphis PCL606 is 2-hexyl-5-propyl resorcinol (HPR), which plays a crucial role in efective biocontrol against fungal pathogens. Further analysis of the P. chlororaphis PCL1606 genome showed the presence of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), pyrrolnitrin (PRN), and homologous ft genes. To test the insecticidal activity and to determine the bases for such activity, single and double mutants on the biosynthetic genes of these four compounds were tested in a Galleria mellonella larval model using inoculation by injection. The results revealed that Fit toxin and HPR in combination are involved in the insecticide phenotype of P. chlororaphis PCL1606, and additional compounds such as HCN and PRN could be considered supporting compoundsOpen Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBUA. This work was supported by the research project AGL2017-83368-CO2-1-R of Ministerio de Ciencias y Tecnología, and the project UMA-FEDERJA-046 of Junta de Andalucía

A study on the stability of carbon nanoforms–polyimidazolium network hybrids in the conversion of co2 into cyclic carbonates:Increase in catalytic activity after reuse

Three different carbon nanoforms (CNFs), single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs, MWCNTs) and carbon nanohorns (CNHs), have been used as supports for the direct polymerization of variable amounts of a bis-vinylimidazolium salt. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed that all CNFs act as templates on the growth of the polymeric network, which perfectly covers the nanocarbons forming a cylindrical (SWCNTs, MWCNTs) or spherical (CNHs) coating. The stability of these hybrid materials was investigated in the conversion of CO(2) into cyclic carbonate under high temperature and CO(2) pressure. Compared with the homopolymerized monomer, nanotube-based materials display an improved catalytic activity. Beside the low catalytic loading (0.05–0.09 mol%) and the absence of Lewis acid co-catalysts, all the materials showed high TON values (up to 1154 for epichlorohydrin with SW-1:2). Interestingly, despite the loss of part of the polymeric coating for crumbling or peeling, the activity increases upon recycling of the materials, and this behaviour was ascribed to their change in morphology, which led to materials with higher surface areas and with more accessible catalytic sites. Transmission electron microscopy analysis, along with different experiments, have been carried out in order to elucidate these findings

Type D personality in never-depressed patients and the development of major and minor depression after acute coronary syndrome

Background Type D personality (TDP) has been proposed as a risk factor for the development of depressive symptoms after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, contrasting findings emerged about its predicting power on the onset of depression, since an overlap between TDP and depressive symptoms has been proposed. The present study was aimed to verify whether TDP predicts the development of a depressive disorder in the 6 months after the discharge from hospital. Methods Two hundred fifty consecutive patients were recruited, at the Coronary Intensive Care Unit at the University Hospital of Parma, who were both presenting their first ACS and had no history of depression. The presence and the severity of major (MD) and minor (md) depression were evaluated with the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) respectively. Type D Personality was assessed with the DS14, both at baseline and at 1, 2, 4 and 6 month follow ups. Results Out of 250 subjects (81.2% males), MD was diagnosed in 12 patients (4.8%) and md in 18 patients (7.2%). At baseline risk factors for a post-ACS depressive disorder were HADS depression scores, whereas TDP, or its subscales, did not showed any effect. Limitation The small amount of patients with incidence of depression, due to highly selective inclusion criteria, tempers the reliability of our results. Conclusion Our data suggests that TDP does not predict the development of depressive disorders in never-depressed patients at their first ACS, when the baseline depression severity was controlled. © 2013 Elsevier B.V