IL-1R and inflammasomes mediate early pulmonary protective mechanisms in respiratory brucella abortus infection

Brucella spp. infection is frequently acquired through contaminated aerosols. The role of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) in the early pulmonary response to respiratory Brucella infection is unknown. As shown here, IL-1β levels in lung homogenates and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of mice intratracheally inoculated with B. abortus were increased at 3 and 7 days p.i. At 7 days p.i., pulmonary CFU numbers were higher in IL-1 receptor (IL-1R) knockout (KO) mice than in wild type (WT) mice. At different times p.i. CFU in lungs and BALF were higher in mice lacking some inflammasome components (caspase-1, AIM2, NLRP3) than in WT mice. At 2 days p.i. pulmonary levels of IL-1b and CXCL1 (neutrophils chemoattractant) were lower in caspase-1/11 KO mice. At day 3 p.i., neutrophils counts in BALF were lower in caspase-1/11 KO mice than in WT mice. During in vitro infections, IL-1β secretion was lower in alveolar macrophages from caspase-1/11, NLRP3 or AIM2 KO mice than in WT controls. Similarly, IL-1β production by B. abortus-infected alveolar epithelial cells was reduced by pretreatment with a specific caspase-1 inhibitor. This study shows that IL-1R, probably through IL-1β action, and the NLRP3 and AIM2 inflammasomes are involved in pulmonary innate immune protective mechanisms against respiratory B. abortus infection.Fil: Hielpos, María Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez, Andrea Giselle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; ArgentinaFil: Falivene, Juliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; ArgentinaFil: Alonso Paiva, Iván Mathias. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; ArgentinaFil: Muñoz González, Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; ArgentinaFil: Ferrero, Mariana Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; ArgentinaFil: Campos, Priscila C.. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Vieira, Angelica T.. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Oliveira, Sergio Costa. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Baldi, Pablo Cesar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; Argentin

Cervical cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV), and HPV vaccination: Exploring gendered perspectives, knowledge, attitudes, and cultural taboos among Mexican American adults

Background: Gendered perspectives may be particularly important in shaping norms and values around HPV and HPV vaccination, as previous research suggests that sexuality taboos (e.g. promiscuity) may contribute to low perceived risk among adolescent and young adult Hispanic females. However, research to date focuses primarily on Hispanic mothers, adolescent females, and women of HPV vaccine-eligible age. Hispanic father\u27s perspectives are relatively unknown despite father\u27s important role in shaping norms for their female children. Objective: To close this gap, this study examines gendered perspectives in knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes about HPV and HPV vaccination from Hispanic parents (mothers and fathers), women of vaccine-eligible age (18-26 years old), and women eligible for Pap Test screening (\u3e26 years old) living in two counties along the Texas-Mexico border. Design: We conducted eight focus groups. Research staff transcribed audio recordings verbatim and uploaded them into Atlas(ti) 5.0 for analysis. The research team analyzed the data for content, meaning, patterns and themes using the constant comparison approach. Results: Perspectives were highly gendered. Women\u27s (all groups combined) beliefs focused on misconceptions around how the HPV virus is contracted (e.g. toilet surfaces). Women also linked HPV-related sexual risk to adultery and indiscretion of male partners. Fathers (men) were more likely to link risk to female promiscuity. Fathers also worried that HPV vaccination might increase promiscuity. All groups believe that HPV vaccination is a way to protect Hispanic females in the face of beliefs around sexual behavior and risk of contracting HPV. Conclusion: Results suggest gendered differences in risk beliefs concerning HPV among Hispanics living along the Texas-Mexico border. Researchers can use these findings to address barriers to HPV vaccination, as well as to create culturally appropriate prevention messages that may help reduce disparities in HPV among Hispanic women

Vitamin C partially attenuates male reproductive deficits in hyperglycemic rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hyperglycemia can impair the male reproductive system in experimental animals and in men during reproductive age. Studies have shown that vitamin C has some good effects on male reproductive system, and therefore vitamin C treatment could attenuate the dysfunctions in this system caused by hyperglycemia. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate whether vitamin C treatment could attenuate reproductive dysfunctions in hyperglycemic male rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Adult male rats were divided into 3 groups: a normoglycemic (n = 10) and two hyperglycemic (that received a single dose of streptozotocin - 40 mg/kg BW). The two last groups (n = 10 per group) were divided into: hyperglycemic control (Hy) and hyperglycemic + 150 mg of vitamin C (HyC), by gavage during 30 consecutive days. The normoglycemic and hyperglycemic control groups received the vehicle (water). The first day after the treatment, the rats were anesthetized and killed to evaluate oxidative stress biomarkers (TBARS, SOD, GSHt and GSH-Px) in the erythrocytes, body and reproductive organ weights, sperm parameters, plasma hormone levels (FSH, LH and testosterone), testicular and epididymal histo-morphometry and histopathology.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Compared with the normoglycemic animals, hyperglycemic control rats showed reduced weight of the body and reproductive organ but testis weight was maintained. It was also observed reduction of testosterone and LH levels, seminiferous tubular diameter, sperm motility and sperm counts in the epididymis. In addition, there was an increase in morphological abnormalities on spermatozoa as well as in oxidative stress level. Vitamin C reduced the oxidative stress level, diminished the number of abnormal sperm, and increased testosterone and LH levels and seminiferous tubular diameter but did not show improvement of sperm motility in relation to the hyperglycemic control group. Hyperglycemia caused a rearrangement in the epididymal tissue components (stroma, ephitelium and lumen) as demonstrated by the stereological analysis results. However, this alteration was partially prevented by vitamin C treatment.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We conclude that vitamin C partially attenuated some male reproductive system dysfunctions in hyperglycemic rats.</p

Spontaneous R-Parity violation bounds

We investigate bounds from tree-level and one-loop processes in generic supersymmetric models with spontaneous R-parity breaking in the superpotential. We analyse the bounds from a general point of view. The bounds are applicable both for all models with spontaneous R-parity violation and for explicit bilinear R-parity violation based on general lepton-chargino and neutrino-neutralino mixings. We find constraints from semileptonic B, D and K decays, leptonic decays of the mu and tau, electric dipole moments, as well as bounds for the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon.Comment: 22 page

Modified iterative versus Laplacian Landau gauge in compact U(1) theory

Compact U(1) theory in 4 dimensions is used to compare the modified iterative and the Laplacian fixing to lattice Landau gauge in a controlled setting, since in the Coulomb phase the lattice theory must reproduce the perturbative prediction. It turns out that on either side of the phase transition clear differences show up and in the Coulomb phase the ability to remove double Dirac sheets proves vital on a small lattice.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures containing 23 graphs, v2: 2 figures removed, 2 references adde

p21(Cip1) plays a critical role in the physiological adaptation to fasting through activation of PPARα.

Fasting is a physiological stress that elicits well-known metabolic adaptations, however, little is known about the role of stress-responsive tumor suppressors in fasting. Here, we have examined the expression of several tumor suppressors upon fasting in mice. Interestingly, p21 mRNA is uniquely induced in all the tissues tested, particularly in liver and muscle (>10 fold), and this upregulation is independent of p53. Remarkably, in contrast to wild-type mice, p21-null mice become severely morbid after prolonged fasting. The defective adaptation to fasting of p21-null mice is associated to elevated energy expenditure, accelerated depletion of fat stores, and premature activation of protein catabolism in the muscle. Analysis of the liver transcriptome and cell-based assays revealed that the absence of p21 partially impairs the transcriptional program of PPARα, a key regulator of fasting metabolism. Finally, treatment of p21-null mice with a PPARα agonist substantially protects them from their accelerated loss of fat upon fasting. We conclude that p21 plays a relevant role in fasting adaptation through the positive regulation of PPARα

Molecular studies of the brazilian infectious bronchitis virus isolates.

Avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) isolates have been widely characterized by reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing. In present study, these techniques were applied to three viral genomic regions comprising the complete and/or a partial S1 segment, S2 and nucleocapsid genes. DNA sequences from viral isolates obtained from 1972 to 1989 and from 2006 to 2008 were compared. High similarity (>90%) was observed among some of the genomic segments, including S1 hypervariable region, which could suggest a common origin or ancestry. DNA sequences from S2 and N protein genes obtained from different infected tissues of the same flock were analyzed, and a clear segregation between respiratory and intestinal tract was observed. Therefore, these data suggest cocirculation of more than one viral strain in the same flock. 57.1% of DNA sequences from the S1 complete segment samples, 53.3% from the S2 fragment and 62.5% from the partial N gene were found to be different from analyzed sequences from reference strains leading to the conclusion that parte of viral isolates included in this study may be considered region specific. Considering the simultaneous analysis of the three genes, a large IBV genetic profile was observed in both old and recent isolates groups. However, most prominent diversity between viral isolates was obtained in the period from 1972 and 1989, showing the presence of a large number of variants in the state of Minas Gerais before the official approval of vaccination (1980)

The tomato mutant ars1 (altered response to salt stress 1) identifies an R1-type MYB transcription factor involved in stomatal closure under salt acclimation

[EN] A screening under salt stress conditions of a T-DNA mutant collection of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) led to the identification of the altered response to salt stress 1 (ars1) mutant, which showed a salt-sensitive phenotype. Genetic analysis of the ars1 mutation revealed that a single T-DNA insertion in the ARS1 gene was responsible of the mutant phenotype. ARS1 coded for an R1-MYB type transcription factor and its expression was induced by salinity in leaves. The mutant reduced fruit yield under salt acclimation while in the absence of stress the disruption of ARS1 did not affect this agronomic trait. The stomatal behaviour of ars1 mutant leaves induced higher Na+ accumulation via the transpiration stream, as the decreases of stomatal conductance and transpiration rate induced by salt stress were markedly lower in the mutant plants. Moreover, the mutation affected stomatal closure in a response mediated by abscisic acid (ABA). The characterization of tomato transgenic lines silencing and overexpressing ARS1 corroborates the role of the gene in regulating the water loss via transpiration under salinity. Together, our results show that ARS1 tomato gene contributes to reduce transpirational water loss under salt stress. Finally, this gene could be interesting for tomato molecular breeding, because its manipulation could lead to improved stress tolerance without yield penalty under optimal culture conditions.This work was funded by a research project (AGL2012-40150-C01/C02/C03) from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO). This work was also supported by grant RYC2010-06369 (Ramon y Cajal Programme) from the MINECO to NF-G and grant E-30-2011-0443170 (JAE-Doc Programme) from the Spanish Council of Scientific Research (CSIC) to IE and BP. The authors have no conflict of interests to declareCampos, JF.; Cara, B.; Perez-Martin, F.; Pineda Chaza, BJ.; Egea, I.; Flores, FB.; Fernandez-Garcia, N.... (2016). The tomato mutant ars1 (altered response to salt stress 1) identifies an R1-type MYB transcription factor involved in stomatal closure under salt acclimation. Plant Biotechnology Journal. 14(6):1345-1356. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.124981345135614

Searching for Invisibly Decaying Higgs Bosons at LEP II

We study the potential of LEP II to unravel the existence of invisibly decaying Higgs bosons, predicted in a wide class of models. We perform a model independent analysis, focusing our attention to the final state topologies exhibiting $b \bar{b}$ or $\ell^+ \ell^-$ ($\ell=\mu$ or $e$) pairs and missing energy. We carefully evaluate the signals and backgrounds, choosing appropriate cuts to enhance the discovery limits. Our results demonstrate that LEP II is capable of discovering such a Higgs boson for a wide range of masses and couplings.Comment: 22 pages, latex, uses epsfig.sty, 5 figure