Non Insulin Dependent Diabetes in Sand Rat (Psammomys obesus) and Production of Collagen in Cultured Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells. Influence of Insulin

In this report, we have shown that the standard laboratory diet administered to Psammomys obesus (sand rat) from Beni Abbes in Algeria, induced a non-insulin dependant diabetes, characterised by increase of body weight (p<0.001) as well as hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolemia. In cultured aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) of sand rats, type I and type III collagen biosynthesis and insulin effects, at low dose, on these parameters were investigated. In all experimental conditions of cultured SMC study, The α chains of type I collagen were analysed by immunoblotting in media and cells

A Field Guide to Pandemic, Epidemic and Sporadic Clones of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

In recent years, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have become a truly global challenge. In addition to the long-known healthcare-associated clones, novel strains have also emerged outside of the hospital settings, in the community as well as in livestock. The emergence and spread of virulent clones expressing Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is an additional cause for concern. In order to provide an overview of pandemic, epidemic and sporadic strains, more than 3,000 clinical and veterinary isolates of MRSA mainly from Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Malta, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Australia, Trinidad & Tobago as well as some reference strains from the United States have been genotyped by DNA microarray analysis. This technique allowed the assignment of the MRSA isolates to 34 distinct lineages which can be clearly defined based on non-mobile genes. The results were in accordance with data from multilocus sequence typing. More than 100 different strains were distinguished based on affiliation to these lineages, SCCmec type and the presence or absence of PVL. These strains are described here mainly with regard to clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance- and virulence-associated markers, but also in relation to epidemiology and geographic distribution. The findings of the study show a high level of biodiversity among MRSA, especially among strains harbouring SCCmec IV and V elements. The data also indicate a high rate of genetic recombination in MRSA involving SCC elements, bacteriophages or other mobile genetic elements and large-scale chromosomal replacements

A Field Guide to Pandemic, Epidemic and Sporadic Clones of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

In recent years, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have become a truly global challenge. In addition to the long-known healthcare-associated clones, novel strains have also emerged outside of the hospital settings, in the community as well as in livestock. The emergence and spread of virulent clones expressing Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is an additional cause for concern. In order to provide an overview of pandemic, epidemic and sporadic strains, more than 3,000 clinical and veterinary isolates of MRSA mainly from Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Malta, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Australia, Trinidad & Tobago as well as some reference strains from the United States have been genotyped by DNA microarray analysis. This technique allowed the assignment of the MRSA isolates to 34 distinct lineages which can be clearly defined based on non-mobile genes. The results were in accordance with data from multilocus sequence typing. More than 100 different strains were distinguished based on affiliation to these lineages, SCCmec type and the presence or absence of PVL. These strains are described here mainly with regard to clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance- and virulence-associated markers, but also in relation to epidemiology and geographic distribution. The findings of the study show a high level of biodiversity among MRSA, especially among strains harbouring SCCmec IV and V elements. The data also indicate a high rate of genetic recombination in MRSA involving SCC elements, bacteriophages or other mobile genetic elements and large-scale chromosomal replacements

Features Clustering Around Latent Variables for High Dimensional Data

Clustering of variables is the task of grouping similar variables into different groups. It may be useful in several situations such as dimensionality reduction, feature selection, and detect redundancies. In the present study, we combine two methods of features clustering the clustering of variables around latent variables (CLV) algorithm and the k-means based co-clustering algorithm (kCC). Indeed, classical CLV cannot be applied to high dimensional data because this approach becomes tedious when the number of features increases

Effect of High Glucose Concentration on Collagen Synthesis and Cholesterol Level in the Phenotypic Modulation of Aortic Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells of Sand Rat ( Psammomys obesus

To simulate diabetic conditions, the effects of high glucose concentration on collagen synthesis and cholesterol level in cultured aortic smooth muscle cells of Psammomys were investigated. For collagen biosynthesis, smooth muscle cells (SMCs) were incubated in synthetic proliferative phase and in postconfluent phase with (3)H-proline. Cellular cholesterol was determined by enzymatic method. Under high glucose concentration, the results showed morphological modifications characterized by morphometric cellular, nuclear, and nucleolar changes. In biochemical studies, the authors observed an increase of free and esterified cellular cholesterol as well as of total proteins, collagen biosynthesis, and α1 (I+III) and α2 (I) chains of collagen contained in the SMCs and in the extracellular matrix. These results showed the sensitivity of Psammomys aortic SMCs to high glucose concentration and would constitute an interesting cellular model to study atherosclerosis pathogeny in experimental diabetes