Mfd Protects Against Oxidative Stress in Bacillus Subtilis Independently of its Canonical Function in DNA Repair

Background: Previous reports showed that mutagenesis in nutrient-limiting conditions is dependent on Mfd in Bacillus subtilis. Mfd initiates one type of transcription-coupled repair (TCR); this type of repair is known to target bulky lesions, like those associated with UV exposure. Interestingly, the roles of Mfd in repair of oxidative-promoted DNA damage and regulation of transcription differ. Here, we used a genetic approach to test whether Mfd protected B. subtilis from exposure to two different oxidants. Results: Wild-type cells survived tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) exposure significantly better than Mfd-deficient cells. This protective effect was independent of UvrA, a component of the canonical TCR/nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway. Further, our results suggest that Mfd and MutY, a DNA glycosylase that processes 8-oxoG DNA mismatches, work together to protect cells from lesions generated by oxidative damage. We also tested the role of Mfd in mutagenesis in starved cells exposed to t-BHP. In conditions of oxidative stress, Mfd and MutY may work together in the formation of mutations. Unexpectedly, Mfd increased survival when cells were exposed to the protein oxidant diamide. Under this type of oxidative stress, cells survival was not affected by MutY or UvrA. Conclusions: These results are significant because they show that Mfd mediates error-prone repair of DNA and protects cells against oxidation of proteins by affecting gene expression; Mfd deficiency resulted in increased gene expression of the OhrR repressor which controls the cellular response to organic peroxide exposure. These observations point to Mfd functioning beyond a DNA repair factor in cells experiencing oxidative stress

Applying a Bayesian model incorporating discards in the assessment of four-spot megrim (Lepidorhombus boscii) Southern stock

Since 2003 when the DCF started at European level by countries, discards data are available for many stocks. Four-spot megrim is traditionally assessed with XSA (extended survivor analysis) which does not include discards. For this species, discards in number are very important, being around the 60% of total catch. A Bayesian model incorporating discards was realized for the hake stock in ICES Divisions VIIIc and IXa by Fernández et al. (2010). This model was also designed to produce a complete time-series of discard estimates. Final run of the model is compared with results from XSA performed in the working group of 2010, showing that mayor differences are in the fishing mortality for younger ages, being higher incorporating discards data

Stock assessment incorporating discards estimates in some years and implications for prediction of future stock trajectories

A Bayesian age-structured stock assessment model is developed that takes into account the information available about discards and is able to handle gaps in the time series of discards estimates. The model incorporates a term reflecting mortality due to discarding and appropriate assumptions about how this mortality may change over time are made. The result is a stock assessment that takes due account of the available information on discards while, at the same time, producing a complete time series of discards estimates. The method is applied to the hake stock in ICES divisions VIIIc and IXa, which experiences very high discarding on the younger ages. The stock is fished by Spain and Portugal and for each country there are only discards estimates for recent years. Furthermore, the years for which Portuguese estimates are available are only a subset of the years with Spanish estimates. Two runs of the model are performed, one assuming zero discards and another one incorporating discards. Assessment results and 1 projections of future stock trajectories are compared and discussed and implications for management commented on

Evaluation of Self-Etching Adhesive and Er:YAG Laser Conditioning on the Shear Bond Strength of Orthodontic Brackets

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the shear bond strength, the adhesive remnant index scores, and etch surface of teeth prepared for orthodontic bracket bonding with self-etching primer and Er:YAG laser conditioning. One hundred and twenty bovine incisors were randomly divided into four groups. In Group I (Control), the teeth were conditioned with 35% phosphoric acid for 15 seconds. In Group II the teeth were conditioned with Transbond Plus SEP (5 sec); III and IV were irradiated with the Er:YAG 150 mJ (11.0 J/cm2), 150 mJ (19.1 J/cm2), respectively, at 7–12 Hz with water spray. After surface preparation, upper central incisor stainless steel brackets were bonded with Transbond Plus Color Change Adhesive. The teeth were stored in water at 37°C for 24 hours and shear bond strengths were measured, and adhesive remnant index (ARI) was determined. The conditioned surface was observed under a scanning electron microscope. One-way ANOVA and chi-square test were used. Group I showed the significantly highest values of bond strength with a mean value of 8.2 megapascals (MPa). The lesser amount of adhesive remnant was found in Group III. The results of this study suggest that Er:YAG laser irradiation could not be an option for enamel conditioning

Validez concurrente de la versión mexicana de las escalas de Apoyo Social Percibido de la Familia y los Amigos (PSS-Fa y PSS-Fr)

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo probar las cualidades psicométricas de las escalas PSS-Fa y PSS-Fr (Procidano & Heller, 1983), obteniendo su validez concurrente. El estudio se llevó a cabo en estudiantes mexicanos de nivel universitario con edades entre 18 a 31 años. Se calcularon las correlaciones de las escalas de interés con otras variables teóricamente vinculadas al Apoyo Social Percibido como son el Estrés Percibido (PSS), Optimismo (LOT-R O), Pesimismo (LOT-R P), Estilos de Apego (RQ), Satisfacción en la Vida (SWLS), Número de la red de Apoyo y Satisfacción con la red de apoyo (SSQ6-N y SSQ6-S), Afecto Positivo y Negativo (PANAS-AP y AN), y Deseabilidad Social como variable de control (MC-SDS). También se realizaron comparaciones entre los extremos alto y bajo en apoyo social, encontrándose diferencias significativas en algunas de las variables criterio. Se concluye que las escalas cuentan con evidencia empírica de su adecuada validez convergente y divergente y su poder discriminante para poder el medir apoyo social percibido

Estudio traslacional para el manejo de la obesidad utilizando el Programa de Prevención de Diabetes “Grupo de Equilibrio de Estilo de Vida” en clínicas de primer nivel y hospitales públicos de México: protocolo de estudio

Introduction: Obesity is the main modifiable risk factor for the development of chronic diseases in Mexico. Several randomized controlled trials have shown that intensive lifestyle programs are efficacious for the management of obesity. These programs include frequent sessions (14 or more contacts in the first 6 months) focused on diet and physical activity and use a behavior change protocol. However, most Mexican primary care clinics and public hospitals apply traditional treatments for obesity management with limited results on weight loss. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) “Group Lifestyle Balance” for weight loss among adults with overweight and obesity from baseline to 6 months and from baseline to 12 months in primary care clinics and public hospitals from Sonora, Mexico.Material and Methods: This is a translational, multi-center, non-controlled, 6 and 12-month follow-up clinical study with a pre-test and post-test design. Healthcare providers from two primary care clinics, two hospitals and one university clinic will be trained with the DPP protocol to implement on their patients with overweight and obesity. Body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, depression, quality of life and stress scales will be measured in participants receiving the program at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Biochemical parameters will be measured at baseline and 12 months. The primary outcome is the change in body weight at 6 and 12 months.Discussion: This study will provide scientific evidence of the effectiveness of the DPP protocol as a model for obesity management in real world clinical practice among the adult Mexican population.Introducción: La obesidad es el principal factor de riesgo para el desarrollo de enfermedades crónicas en México. Varios ensayos clínicos controlados han mostrado que los programas intensivos de cambio de estilo de vida son eficaces para el manejo de obesidad. Estos programas incluyen sesiones frecuentes (14 o más los primeros 6 meses), centradas en hacer mejoras en la dieta y actividad física utilizando un protocolo de cambio de comportamiento. Sin embargo, la mayoría de clínicas de primer nivel y los hospitales públicos aplican tratamientos tradicionales para el manejo de obesidad que tienen resultados limitados. El propósito del estudio es evaluar la efectividad del Programa de Prevención de Diabetes “Grupo de Equilibrio de Estilo de Vida” sobre la pérdida de peso en adultos con sobrepeso y obesidad del inicio a 6 meses y del inicio a 12 meses del seguimiento en clínicas de primer nivel y hospitales públicos de Sonora, México.Material y Métodos: Este es un estudio clínico multicéntrico traslacional, no controlado con diseño pre y post-prueba a 6 y 12 meses. Los proveedores de salud de dos clínicas de primer nivel, dos hospitales públicos y una clínica universitaria serán entrenados con el protocolo del Programa de Prevención de Diabetes, para implementarlo en sus pacientes adultos con sobrepeso y obesidad. Se medirá el peso corporal, índice de masa corporal, circunferencia de cintura, presión sistólica y diastólica, así como escalas de depresión, calidad de vida y estrés, al inicio, 6 y 12 meses. Los parámetros bioquímicos se medirán al inicio y a los 12 meses. La variable de desenlace primaria será el cambio de peso a 6 y 12 meses.Discusión: Este estudio proveerá evidencia científica de la efectividad del protocolo del Programa de Prevención de Diabetes como un modelo para el manejo de obesidad en adultos mexicanos en condiciones de la práctica clínica del mundo real

Fisheries and Prestige. Review and update of studies on the effects of the Prestige oil spill

The Prestige oil tanker sank in November 2002 and leaked around 60 000 mt. of heavy oil (type M-100) into the sea. Immediately after the accident, closed areas were established. Among the fleets affected by the closures were four of the most important in ICES Division VIIIc and Sub-division IXa North (bottom trawl, pair trawl, purse seine targeting sardine and hand line targeting mackerel) as they exploit considerable resources, some outside biological safety limits. A fall in effort was observed in all of them, mainly in the first quarter and in sub-divisions VIIIc West and IXa North, although it failed to lead to a very large reduction in the total annual effort of each of the fleets, with the exception of hand line. Pair trawlers can make two types of fishing trip, but differences in specific composition among the three years analysed were not found in either of them. In the case of trawl, five kinds of fishing trips were identified, and changes were only found in the type that targets Norway lobster, hake, megrim and monk (HMMN), with a fall in the presence of Norway lobster

Effectiveness of Fingolimod versus Natalizumab as Second-Line Therapy for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis in Spain: Second-Line GATE Study

Background: There is a lack of head-to-head studies comparing the efficacy of fingolimod (FIN) and natalizumab (NTZ) as second-line therapy for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Methods: Multicenter, observational study, in which, information of 388 patients randomly selected and treated with FIN or NTZ in routine clinical practice was retrospectively collected with the main objective of comparing the annualized relapse rate (ARR) over the first year, after FIN or NTZ treatment initiation. Results: Mean ARR during the first year of treatment was 0.28 in FIN group and 0.12 in NTZ group (p = 0.0064); nevertheless, the difference between groups lost statistical significance when the propensity score analysis was performed. Time to disability -progression was similar in both treatment groups (12.3 +/- 6.7 months in FIN, and 12.8 +/- 0.1 months in NTZ; p = 0.4654). Treatment persistence after the first year of treatment was higher in patients treated with FIN (95%) than in those treated with NTZ (84%; p = 0.0014). Conclusions: After 12 months of treatment, both FIN and NTZ reduced the ARR, but ARR percent reduction was significantly higher with NTZ. Treatment persistence was higher in patients receiving FIN

Imagen corporal en adolescentes chihuahuenses

El objetivo de esta investigación consistió en determinar las diferencias y similitudes entre alumnos y alumnas mexicanos de secundaria en cuanto a la percepción sobre su imagen corporal actual, ideal, social e inconformidad corporal. Método: la muestra total fue de 478 sujetos; 240 mujeres y 238 hombres, con una edad media de 12.95 ± 0.95 y 12.83 ± 1.03 años respectivamente. El abordaje adoptado en la investigación se enmarcó dentro de un enfoque cuantitativo con un diseño descriptivo tipo encuesta. Todos los participantes contestaron la Escala Informatizada para la Estimación del Contorno de la Figura adaptada e informatizada por Gastélum y Blanco (2006). Resultados: los resultados del análisis multivariante de varianza, seguido por los análisis de varianza univariados, muestran que las mujeres son quienes eligen modelos más delgados para su figura ideal, además de mostrar mayor inconformidad corporal. Futuras investigaciones deberían replicar estos hallazgos en muestras más amplias

Targeted Drug-Resistance Testing Strategy for Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Detection, Lima, Peru, 2005–2008

Running head: Targeted Drug-Resistance Testing Strategy for MDR T