Differential expression of dnaA and dosR genes among members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex under oxic and hypoxic conditions

Major differences regarding the pathology and host immune response of the Beijing and Canettii genotypes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been reported; however, studies on the genetic expression of these genotypes during in vitro dormancy are scarce. This study examined the expression of five cell-cycle-related genes and two dormancy-related genes in M. canettii, M. tuberculosis H37Rv, and M. tuberculosis Beijing during the Wayne model of dormancy. The results showed that under hypoxic conditions the three tuberculosis genotypes were able to transcribe genes involved in DNA replication and cellular division. In addition, dosR was found to be up-regulated in M. tuberculosis Beijing during the exponential growth phase but down-regulated under hypoxic conditions. In this genotype, the replication-related gene dnaA was also strongly down-regulated. These latter two findings suggest that, compared to M. tuberculosis H37Rv and M. canettii, the Beijing genotype has a lower capacity to synthesize dosR, hspX, and dnaA mRNAs during in vitro dormancy. [Int Microbiol 2010;13(1):9-13

Prevalent pathologies affecting the health of truck drivers belonging to a Chilean company

Originales[ES] Introducción: Los camioneros de la empresa “Nortev Spa” se exponen diariamente a situaciones de alto riesgo, debido a que se encuentran manejando, corren el riesgo de afectar su salud, ya que pueden verse involucrados en accidentes de tránsito, poniendo en riesgo sus vidas y las de otras personas en la carretera generando lesiones y/o la muerte de ellas. Indirectamente su salud se ve afectada de otras maneras. Objetivo: Determinar patologías prevalentes que afectan la salud de camioneros pertenecientes a una empresa chilena. Método: estudio descriptivo de corte transversal, con muestra de 29 camioneros. Para la recogida de datos se aplicó la encuesta que tiene por nombre “Patologías prevalentes que afectan el desempeño laboral de los transportistas”, validada en Argentina 2016. Resultados: Entre los resultados se destaca que el 48,3% (14 trabajadores) de los camioneros sufren de dolor de espalda, seguido de estrés con un 34,5% (10 trabajadores) siendo más frecuente en hombres 96,6% (28 trabajadores). Conclusiones: Se puede concluir que debido a las extensas jornadas de trabajo la salud de la mayoría de los camioneros se ve afectada de manera directa, presentando molestias musculoesqueléticas lo que podría estar relacionado con la edad y los hábitos de vida que tienen. [EN] Introduction: The truckers of the company “Nortev Spa” are exposed daily to high-risk situations, because they are driving, they run the risk of affecting their health, since they may be involved in traffic accidents, putting their lives and lives at risk. of other people on the road causing injury and/or death to them. Indirectly your health is affected in other ways. Objective: To determine prevalent pathologies affecting the health of truck drivers belonging to a Chilean company. Method: descriptive cross-sectional study, with a sample of 29 truck drivers. For data collection, the survey called “Prevalent pathologies that affect the work performance of carriers” was applied, validated in Argentina 2016. Results: Among the results, it is highlighted that 48.3% (14 workers) of the truck drivers suffer from back pain, fol-lowed by stress with 34.5% (10 workers) being more frequent in men 96.6% (28 wokers). Conclusions: It can be concluded that due to the long working hours, the health of most truckers is directly affected, presenting musculoskeletal discomfort, which could be related to their age and lifestyle habitsN

Alteración estructural del colorante azul de metileno con compuestos orgánicos

Las diversas estructuras que presentan la mayoría de los colorantes sintéticos les confiere una gran estabilidad. La presencia de grupos cromóforos es la consecuencia de la generación de un determinado color, así como la existencia de grupos auxocromos que determinan la intensidad del color. (F. Klages, 1968) el presente trabajo tiene como objetivo el uso de compuestos orgánicos, tipo α-diiminas, con la finalidad de provocar una alteración estructural del colorante azul de metileno; proponiendo dicha modificación como clave para la pérdida o cambio de algunas propiedades físicas o químicas de este colorante; ocasionando con esto una variación en su estabilidad. La reacción entre las α diiminas sintetizadas y el colorante azul de metileno fue evaluada por espectroscopia UV-visible, observando disminuciones significativas en la absorbancia.The various structures which have the most synthetic dyes present them great stability. The presence of chromophore groups is due to the generation of a certain color, and the existence of auxochrome groups determining color intensity. This work aims to use α diimine, organic compounds, such in order to cause a structural alteration of methylene blue dye; proposing this amendment as the key to the loss or change of some physical or chemical properties of this dye; with this causing a variation in its stability. The reaction between the α-diimine synthesized and methylene blue dye was evaluated at different times by UV- visible spectroscopy, observing significant decreases in absorbance

Síntesis de Iminas

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo la síntesis de iminas en microondas a partir de 4-aminobifenil con cinamaldehído y 4-aminobifenil con p-dimetilbenzaldehído, las reacciones fueron monitoreadas por cromatografía en capa fina, finalmente fueron purificadas y caracterizadas por espectroscopia de rutina.This paper aims at the synthesis of imines in microwave from 4-aminobiphenyl with cinnamaldehyde and 4-aminobiphenyl with p-dimethylbenzaldehyde, the reactions were monitored by thin layer chromatography, finally purified and characterized by spectroscopy routine

Mathematical model for the bulk polymerization of styrene using the symmetrical cyclic trifunctional initiator diethyl ketone triperoxide. I. Chemical initiation by sequential decomposition

In this study, we experimentally and theoretically investigated the use of the symmetrical cyclic trifunctional initiator diethyl ketone triperoxide (DEKTP) in the bulk polymerization of styrene. The experimental study consisted of a series of isothermal batch polymerizations at different temperatures (120 and 130 ºC) with different initiator concentrations (0.005, 0.01, and 0.02 mol/L). A mathematical model was developed to predict the evolution of the reacting chemical species and the produced molecular weight distributions. The kinetic model included chemical and thermal initiation, propagation, transfer to the monomer, termination by combination, and reinitiation reactions. The simulation results predict the concentration of diradicals, monoradicals, and polymeric chains, characterized by the number of undecomposed peroxide groups. The experimental results showed that at reaction temperatures of 120–130 ºC, initiation by DEKTP produced an increase in the polymerization rates (Rp’s) and average molecular weights, depending on the initiator concentration, due to sequential decomposition. The mathematical model was adjusted and validated with the experimental data. The theoretical predictions were in very good agreement with the experimental results. Also, an optimum initiator concentration was observed that achieved high Rp’s and high molecular weights simultaneously. For polymerization temperatures of 120–130 ºC, the optimum concentration was 0.01 mol/L.Fil: Berkenwald, Emilio. Instituto Tecnologico de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Spies, Cecilia Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico Para la Industria Química (i); ArgentinaFil: Cortés, Jorge Cerna. Centro de Investigaciones En Química Aplicada; MéxicoFil: Morales, Graciela. Centro de Investigaciones En Química Aplicada; MéxicoFil: Estenoz, Diana Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico Para la Industria Química (i); Argentin

<i>Streptomyces</i> spp. Biofilmed Solid Inoculant Improves Microbial Survival and Plant-Growth Efficiency of <i>Triticum aestivum</i>

Streptomyces species have been successfully used in diverse biotechnological processes; however, little is known about actinobacterial biofilm formation and its use as a biofilmed inoculant. The present study assessed and compared the ability of some plant growth-promoting actinobacterial strains to form biofilms on a carrier to improve microbial survival and colonize the rhizosphere and roots of Triticum aestivum, resulting in positive interactions and benefits to the plant. Forty-one actinobacterial isolates from Persea americana organic rhizosphere farms were tested on plant growth and biofilm-forming capacities, showing their potential use as bio-fertilizers in agriculture. Three Streptomyces strains were selected and tested for biofilm formation and plant growth-promoting (PGP) features. Biofilms were induced on the perlite carrier and used to inoculate seven treatments with T. aestivum in pot essays, resulting in a >200% increase in root weight and a >400% increase in total biomass. Endophytic colonization was achieved in all the treatments. Microbial survival ranged between 108 and 109 CFU/g after 12 weeks of treatment, indicating actinobacterial permanence on the carrier. Successful consortia formation was observed for mixed-strain treatments, suggesting long-term plant recolonization

MicroRNAs in Cervical Cancer: Evidences for a miRNA Profile Deregulated by HPV and Its Impact on Radio-Resistance

Cervical carcinoma (CC) is one of the most common cancers and a leading cause of mortality in women worldwide. Epidemiologic and experimental data have clearly demonstrated a causal role of high-risk Human Papillomavirus (HR-HPV) types in CC initiation and progression, affecting the cellular processes by targeting and inactivating p53 and pRB host proteins. HR-HPV E5, E6 and E7 oncoproteins have the ability to deregulate several cellular processes, mostly apoptosis, cell cycle control, migration, immune evasion, and induction of genetic instability, which promote the accumulation of mutations and aneuploidy. In this scenario, genomic profiles have shown that aberrant expression of cellular oncogenic and tumor suppressive miRNAs have an important role in CC carcinogenesis. It has been stated that HPV infection and E6/E7 expression are essential but not sufficient to lead to CC development; hence other genetic and epigenetic factors have to be involved in this complex disease. Recent evidence suggests an important level of interaction among E6/E7 viral proteins and cellular miRNA, and other noncoding RNAs. The aim of the current review is to analyze recent data that mainly describe the interaction between HR-HPV established infections and specific cellular miRNAs; moreover, to understand how those interactions could affect radio-therapeutic response in tumor cells

Phenotypic and Genotypic Drug Resistance of <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> Strains Isolated from HIV-Infected Patients from a Third-Level Public Hospital in Mexico

Background: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is associated with higher mortality rates in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In Mexico, the number of deaths due to TB among the HIV-positive population has tripled in recent years. Methods: Ninety-three Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated from the same number of HIV-infected patients treated in a public hospital in Mexico City were studied to determine the drug resistance to first- and second-line anti-TB drugs and to identify the mutations associated with the resistance. Results: Of the 93 patients, 82.7% were new TB cases, 86% were male, and 73% had extrapulmonary TB. Most patients (94%) with a CD4 T-lymphocyte count 3 were associated with extrapulmonary TB (p 350 cells/mm3 were associated with pulmonary TB (p = 0.0011). Eighty-two strains were pan-susceptible, four mono-resistant, four poly-resistant, two multidrug-resistant, and one was extensively drug-resistant. In the rifampicin-resistant strains, rpoB S531L was the mutation most frequently identified, whereas the inhA C15T and katG S315T1 mutations were present in isoniazid-resistant strains. The extensively drug-resistant strain also contained the mutation gyrA D94A. Conclusions: These data highlight the need to promptly diagnose the drug resistance of M. tuberculosis among all HIV-infected patients by systematically offering access to first- and second-line drug susceptibility testing and to tailor the treatment regimen based on the resistance patterns to reduce the number of deaths in HIV-infected patients

Genetic Diversity of <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> Strains Isolated from HIV-Infected Patients in Mexico

There has been very limited investigation regarding the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTb) strains isolated from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients in Mexico. In this study, we isolated 93 MTb strains from pulmonary and extrapulmonary samples of HIV-infected patients treated in a public hospital in Mexico City to evaluate the genetic diversity using spoligotyping and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable-number tandem-repeat (MIRU-VNTR) typing (based on 24 loci). The cohort comprised 80 male and 13 female individuals. There was a positive correlation between a high HIV viral load (>100,000 copies) and extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) (r = 0.306, p = 0.008). Lineage 4 was the most frequent lineage (79 strains). In this lineage, we found the H clade (n = 24), including the Haarlem, H3, and H1 families; the T clade (n = 22), including T1 and T2; the X clade (n = 15), including X1 and X3; the LAM clade (n = 14), including LAM1, LAM2, LAM3, LAM6, and LAM9; the S clade (n = 2); Uganda (n = 1); and Ghana (n = 1). We also found 12 strains in the EAI clade belonging to lineage 1, including the EAI2-Manila and EAI5 families. Interestingly, we identified one strain belonging to the Beijing family, which is part of lineage 2. One strain could not be identified. This study reports high genetic diversity among MTb strains, highlighting the need for a molecular epidemiological surveillance system that can help to monitor the spread of these strains, leading to more appropriate measures for TB control in HIV-infected patients