169 research outputs found
La Economía Política del Proceso Presupuestario: El caso peruano
Este estudio presenta el caso del Perú. El documento brinda una descripción de los actores principales involucrados en el proceso presupuestario y de sus interacciones. Describe los principales determinantes políticos y económicos del desempeño fiscal y considera el impacto de los arreglos políticos e institucionales que gobiernan el funcionamiento del proceso presupuestario en sus diferentes etapas.
First record of Leishmaniasis in wild Jaguars (Panthera onca) from Mexico
Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease and parasitic zoonosis that occurs worldwide (i.e., Latin America, Africa and Eurasian countries; Desjeux 2005, Dahroug et al. 2010, 2011, Otranto et al. 2013). It is caused by parasitic kinetoplastids of the Leishmania genus transmitted by arthropod vectors (i.e. sandflies such as Lutzomyia spp.) and presents a great diversity of clinical profiles, depending on the affected areas (Otranto et al. 2013). This disease mainly affects humans and wild carnivoran species, mostly canids, with dogs as major reservoir hosts (Deane & Deane 1954, Silva et al. 2000, Figueiredo et al. 2008, Dantas-Torres et al. 2012). Even though domestic and wild felids are unusual reservoirs, and rarely develop the disease, several studies suggest that these species may play an important role in the epidemiology of the disease (Poli et al. 2002, Maia et al. 2008, Nasereddin et al. 2008, Dantas-Torres et al. 2012). Here we report the first record of a clinical manifestation of Leishmaniasis disease in a wild Jaguar (Panthera onca) in Quintana Roo, Mexico.Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease and parasitic zoonosis that occurs worldwide (i.e., Latin America, Africa and Eurasian countries; Desjeux 2005, Dahroug et al. 2010, 2011, Otranto et al. 2013). It is caused by parasitic kinetoplastids of the Leishmania genus transmitted by arthropod vectors (i.e. sandflies such as Lutzomyia spp.) and presents a great diversity of clinical profiles, depending on the affected areas (Otranto et al. 2013). This disease mainly affects humans and wild carnivoran species, mostly canids, with dogs as major reservoir hosts (Deane & Deane 1954, Silva et al. 2000, Figueiredo et al. 2008, Dantas-Torres et al. 2012). Even though domestic and wild felids are unusual reservoirs, and rarely develop the disease, several studies suggest that these species may play an important role in the epidemiology of the disease (Poli et al. 2002, Maia et al. 2008, Nasereddin et al. 2008, Dantas-Torres et al. 2012). Here we report the first record of a clinical manifestation of Leishmaniasis disease in a wild Jaguar (Panthera onca) in Quintana Roo, Mexico
Phage-inducible chromosomal islands promote genetic variability by blocking phage reproduction and protecting transductants from phage lysis
Funding: This work was supported by the following grants awarded to JPR: MR/M003876/1, MR/S00940X/1 and MR/V000772/1 from the Medical Research Council (MRC, UK; https://mrc.ukri.org); BB/N002873/1, BB/S003835/1 and BB/V002376/1 from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC, UK; https://bbsrc.ukri.org); 201531/Z/16/Z from the Wellcome Trust (https://wellcome.org).Phage-inducible chromosomal islands (PICIs) are a widespread family of highly mobile genetic elements that disseminate virulence and toxin genes among bacterial populations. Since their life cycle involves induction by helper phages, they are important players in phage evolution and ecology. PICIs can interfere with the lifecycle of their helper phages at different stages resulting frequently in reduced phage production after infection of a PICI-containing strain. Since phage defense systems have been recently shown to be beneficial for the acquisition of exogenous DNA via horizontal gene transfer, we hypothesized that PICIs could provide a similar benefit to their hosts and tested the impact of PICIs in recipient strains on host cell viability, phage propagation and transfer of genetic material. Here we report an important role for PICIs in bacterial evolution by promoting the survival of phage-mediated transductants of chromosomal or plasmid DNA. The presence of PICIs generates favorable conditions for population diversification and the inheritance of genetic material being transferred, such as antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. Our results show that by interfering with phage reproduction, PICIs can protect the bacterial population from phage attack, increasing the overall survival of the bacterial population as well as the transduced cells. Moreover, our results also demonstrate that PICIs reduce the frequency of lysogenization after temperate phage infection, creating a more genetically diverse bacterial population with increased bet-hedging opportunities to adapt to new niches. In summary, our results identify a new role for the PICIs and highlight them as important drivers of bacterial evolution.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe
Study of CdS/CdS Nanoparticles Thin Films Deposited by Soft Chemistry for Optoelectronic Applications
Chalcogenides semiconductors are currently being studied as active layers in the development
of electronic devices in the field of applied technology. In the present paper, cadmium sulfide
(CdS) thin films containing nanoparticles of the same material as the active layer were produced
and analyzed for their application in fabricating optoelectronic devices. CdS thin films and CdS
nanoparticles were obtained via soft chemistry at low temperatures. The CdS thin film was deposited
via chemical bath deposition (CBD); the CdS nanoparticles were synthesized via the precipitation
method. The construction of a homojunction was completed by incorporating CdS nanoparticles on
CdS thin films deposited via CBD. CdS nanoparticles were deposited using the spin coating technique,
and the effect of thermal annealing on the deposited films was investigated. In the modified thin films
with nanoparticles, a transmittance of about 70% and a band gap between 2.12 eV and 2.35 eV were
obtained. The two characteristic phonons of the CdS were observed via Raman spectroscopy, and the
CdS thin films/CdS nanoparticles showed a hexagonal and cubic crystalline structure with average
crystallite size of 21.3–28.4 nm, where hexagonal is the most stable for optoelectronic applications,
with roughness less than 5 nm, indicating that CdS is relatively smooth, uniform and highly compact.
In addition, the characteristic curves of current-voltage for as-deposited and annealed thin films
showed that the metal-CdS with the CdS nanoparticle interface exhibits ohmic behavior.This work was partial financial support from CONACyT through the grants Problemas
Nacionales 3529-2016 and Ciencia Básica 2013-IOO17-22111.SEP-CONACYT I0017-221117, Becas
Nacionales, 818352 and Government of the State of Chihuahua through the Secretariat of Innovation
and Economic Development, through the Institute of Innovation and Competitiveness
High expression of prolactin receptor is associated with cell survival in cervical cancer cells
Background: The altered expression of prolactin (PRL) and its receptor (PRLR) has been implicated in breast and other types of cancer. There are few studies that have focused on the analysis of PRL/PRLR in cervical cancer where the development of neoplastic lesions is influenced by the variation of the hormonal status. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of PRL/PRLR and the effect of PRL treatment on cell proliferation and apoptosis in cervical cancer cell lines. Results:High expression of multiple PRLR forms and PRLvariants of 60-80 kDa were observed in cervical cancer cell lines compared with non-tumorigenic keratinocytes evaluated by Western blot, immunofluorecence and real time PCR. Treatment with PRL (200 ng/ml) increased cell proliferation in HeLa cells determined by the MTT assay at day 3 and after 1 day a protective effect against etoposide induced apoptosis in HeLa, SiHa and C-33A cervical cancer cell lines analyzed by the TUNEL assay. Conclusions: Our data suggests that PRL/PRLR signaling could act as an important survival factor for cervical cancer. The use of an effective PRL antagonist may provide a better therapeutic intervention in cervical cancer. � 2013 Lopez-Pulido et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd
A Genetic Programming infrastructure profiting from public computation resources
In this article an experience of the utilization of PRC (Public Resource Computation) in
research projects that needs large quantities of CPU time is presented. We have developed
a distributed architecture based on middleware BOINC and LilGP Genetic Programming
tool. In order to run LilGP applications under BOINC platforms, some core LilGP functions
has been adapted to BOINC requirements. We have used a classic GP problem known
as the artificial ANT in Santa Fe Trail. Some computers from a classroom were used acting
as clients, proving that they can be used for scientific computation in conjunction with their
primary uses
Evaluación de la remoción de arsénico en agua superficial utilizando filtros domiciliarios
El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar filtros domiciliarios para remover arsénico presente en agua proveniente del río Sama. El sistema estuvo compuesto de un filtro tradicional de arena y un filtro con el material adsorbente de hierro cerovalente estabilizado en quitosano. La evaluación del sistema fue por un período de 12 semanas en 18 puntos de uso; las primeras ocho semanas se determinó la concentración de arsénico del agua filtrada empleando tiras reactivas, y las cuatro últimas fueron a través de espectrometría de absorción atómica (EAA-FIAS). Durante las primeras ocho semanas se redujo la concentración de arsénico en el rango de 0,005 y 0,025 mg/L, y durante las cuatro últimas en el rango de 0,001 y 0,052 mg/L, a partir de una concentración promedio de 0,51 mg/L. Se demostró que el sistema de filtración es eficiente para remover arsénico a condiciones naturales
Development and sedative effect of a new formulation of midazolam in chocolate bars
The aim of this work was to assess the stability and sedative effect of midazolam in chocolate bars. The stability of 5 g chocolate bars containing 6 mg midazolam hydrochloride was evaluated at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C), at 4 and 40 °C, by HPLC. Drug plasma levels were measured and the sedative effect was confirmed in six healthy volunteers according to the Ramsay’s scale. Data regarding chocolate bar administration were compared to those from the apple juice solution. Pharmacokinetic data were processed using the WinNonLin 5.2 software. Midazolam in chocolate bars remained stable for 14 days at room temperature and exposed to light; for 90 days at 4 and 40 °C protected from light, and showed a longer shelf life, better flavour and appearance, inducing the same sedative effect as the apple juice preparation. Raspberry flavour masked midazolam unpleasing taste most favourably.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire
Utjecaj trajanja in vitro sazrijevanja i inkubacije s aktivirajućim čimbenikom na kapacitet izlijeganja goveđih partenota - kratko priopćenje
The period of both in vitro maturation (IVM) and incubation with oocyte activators affects the blastocyst yield following parthenogenetic activation (PA). Nevertheless, it is still unknown how these conditions impact the expansion and hatching rates of bovine parthenogenetic blastocysts. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of the duration of IVM and exposure to the activating agent, 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP), on a number of developmental parameters in bovine parthenotes, including: Cleavage, blastocyst formation, expansion, and hatching. Slaughterhouse oocytes were subjected to different periods of IVM. Subsequently, eggs were first parthenogenetically activated for five minutes with ionomycin and then incubated for distinct lengths of time with a second activator, 6-DMAP. The treatments were: a) Control: 22 h IVM/4 h 6-DMAP; b) 22 h IVM/5 h 6-DMAP; c) 24 h IVM/4 h 6-DMAP; and d) 24 h IVM/5 h 6-DMAP. Developmental stages were evaluated at day 4 and day 8 of in vitro culture (IVC). No differences were detected in most developmental parameters. However, the duration of IVM and incubation with 6-DMAP significantly affected (P<0.05) hatching capacity considering the number of blastocysts (Hatch./Blast.). Also, this same variable was higher (P<0.05) in group b) 22 h IVM/5 h 6-DMAP (45.89 ± 12.59%), as compared to c) 24 h IVM/4 h 6-DMAP (6.67 ± 6.67%). In conclusion, the length of IVM and incubation with 6-DMAP influenced parthenogenetic development, where 22 h IVM/5 h 6-DMAP was the condition producing the highest Hatch./Blast. rate in bovine parthenotes.Vrijeme in vitro sazrijevanja (IVM) i vrijeme inkubacije s aktivatorima oocista utječu na stvaranje blastocista nakon partenogenetske aktivacije (PA). Ipak, još uvijek se ne zna kako navedeno utječe na ekspanziju i stopu izlijeganja goveđih partenogenetskih blastocista. Cilj rada bio je istražiti utjecaj trajanja IVM i izloženosti aktivirajućem čimbeniku 6-dimethylaminopurinu (6-DMAP) na više razvojnih parametara u goveđih partenota, uključujući diobu, formiranje blastociste, ekspanziju i izlijeganje. Oocite prikupljene u klaonicama bile su podvrgnute različitom trajanju IVM. Nakon toga jajašca su prvo partenogenetski aktivirana s ionomicinom kroz 5 minuta i nakon toga inkubirana tijekom određenih vremenskih razdoblja sa drugim aktivatorom, 6-DMAP. Protokoli po istraženim skupinama bili su sljedeći: a) kontrolna skupina 22 h IVM/4 h 6-DMAP, b) skupina 22 h IVM/5 h 6-DMAP, c) skupina 24 h IVM/4 h 6-DMAP i d) skupina 24 h IVM/5 h 6-DMAP. Razvojni stadiji in vitro kulture (IVC) procijenjivani su 4. i 8. dan. Za većinu razvojnih parametara nisu utvrđene razlike između istraženih skupina. Ipak, trajanja IVM i inkubacije sa 6-DMAP znakovito su utjecali (P<0,05) na kapacitet izlijeganja kad se u obzir uzme broj blastocista (izlijeganja/ blasociste). Također, isti pokazatelji bili su viši (P<0,05) u skupini b) 22 h IVM/5 h 6-DMAP (45,89 ± 12,59 %) u odnosu na skupinu c) 24 h IVM/4 h 6-DMAP (6,67 ± 6,67 %). Zaključno, trajanje IVM i inkubacije sa 6-DMAP utjecali su na partenogenetski razvoj, pri čemu je 22 h IVM/5 h 6-DMAP kombinacija koja u goveđih partenota proizvodi najvišu stopu za pokazetelj izlijeganje/blasociste
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