Draft Genome Sequences of 13 Vibrio cholerae Strains from the Rio Grande Delta

Vibrio cholerae is the etiologic agent of cholera, an acute and often fatal diarrheal disease that affects millions globally. We report the draft genome sequences of 13 non-O1/O139 V. cholerae strains isolated from the Rio Grande Delta in Texas. These genomes will aid future analyses of environmental serovars

PLANEACIÓN DIDÁCTICA GENERAL DE LA ASIGNATURA: CULTURA AMBIENTAL Y DESARROLLO SUSTENTABLE

GUÍA DIDÁCTICA / PLANEACIÓN DIDÁCTICA (NMS

Association Study of Candidate Gene Polymorphisms and Obesity in a Young Mexican-American Population from South Texas

Background and Aims Obesity is increasingly a health problem and a risk factor for diabetes in young Mexican-American populations. Genetic association studies in older, mostly non-Hispanic populations have reported that polymorphisms in the candidate genes HSD11B1, CRP, ADIPOQ, PPARG, ANKK1, ABCC8 and SERPINF1 are associated with obesity or diabetes. We analyzed the polymorphisms rs846910, rs1205, rs1501299, rs1801282, rs1800497, rs757110 and rs1136287in these candidate genes, for association with obesity and metabolic traits in a young Mexican-American population from south Texas. Methods Genotyping of the seven common SNPs were performed by allelic discrimination assays in 448 unrelated Mexican Americans (median age = 16 years) from south Texas. χ2 tests and regression analyses using additive models were used for genetic association analyses adjusting for covariates; p values were corrected for multiple testing by permutation analyses. Results rs1800497 (ANKK1) shows association with waist circumference (p = 0.009) and retains the association (p = 0.03) after permutation testing. Analysis of metabolic quantitative traits shows that rs846910 (HSD11B1) was associated with HOMA-IR (p = 0.04) and triglycerides (p = 0.03), and rs1205 (CRP) with HOMA-IR (p = 0.03) and fasting glucose levels (p = 0.007). However, the quantitative traits associations are not maintained after permutation analysis. None of the other SNPs in this study showed associations with obesity or metabolic traits in this young Mexican-American population. Conclusions We report a potential association between rs1800497 (linked to changes in brain dopamine receptor levels) and central obesity in a young Mexican-American population

Amyloid β peptides modify the expression of antioxidant repair enzymes and a potassium channel in the septohippocampal system

Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative brain disorder characterized by extracellular accumulations of amyloid β (Aβ) peptides, intracellular accumulation of abnormal proteins, and early loss of basal forebrain neurons. Recent studies have indicated that the conformation of Aβ is crucial for neuronal toxicity, with intermediate misfolded forms such as oligomers being more toxic than the final fibrillar forms. Our previous work shows that Aβ blocks the potassium (K(+)) currents IM and IA in septal neurons, increasing firing rates, diminishing rhythmicity and firing coherence. Evidence also suggests that oxidative stress (OS) plays a role in AD pathogenesis. Thus we wished to determine the effect of oligomeric and fibrillar forms of Aβ₁₋₄₂ on septohippocampal damage, oxidative damage, and dysfunction in AD. Oligomeric and fibrillar forms of Aβ₁₋₄₂ were injected into the CA1 region of the hippocampus in live rats. The rats were sacrificed 24 hours and 1 month after Aβ or sham injection to additionally evaluate the temporal effects. The expression levels of the K(+) voltage-gated channel, KQT-like subfamily, member 2 (KCNQ₂) and the OS-related genes superoxide dismutase 1, 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase, and monamine oxidase A, were analyzed in the hippocampus, medial, and lateral septum. Our results show that both forms of Aβ exhibit time-dependent differential modulation of OS and K(+) channel genes in the analyzed regions. Importantly, we demonstrate that Aβ injected into the hippocampus triggered changes in gene expression in anatomical regions distant from the injection site. Thus the Aβ effect was transmitted to anatomically separate sites, because of the functional coupling of the brain structures

The Effectiveness of Fiscal Policy in Mexico

Using a VAR model with quarterly information for the 1980 to 2008 period, this paper studies the dynamic effects of fiscal policy on Gross Domestic Product in the Mexican economy. We find evidence of non–Keynesian effects of government expenditure on GDP in the short run. Also, we find evidence that government revenue has a significant impact on GDP only in the fourth quarter

The Effectiveness of Fiscal Policy in Mexico

Using a VAR model with quarterly information for the 1980 to 2008 period, this paper studies the dynamic effects of fiscal policy on Gross Domestic Product in the Mexican economy. We find evidence of non–Keynesian effects of government expenditure on GDP in the short run. Also, we find evidence that government revenue has a significant impact on GDP only in the fourth quarter

Draft Genome Sequences of 13 Vibrio cholerae Strains from the Rio Grande Delta

Vibrio cholerae is the etiologic agent of cholera, an acute and often fatal diarrheal disease that affects millions globally. We report the draft genome sequences of 13 non-O1/O139 V. cholerae strains isolated from the Rio Grande Delta in Texas. These genomes will aid future analyses of environmental serovars

Cognitive Performance and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder

Background: The frequency of cognitive impairment (CI) reported in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is highly variable, and its relationship with demographic and clinical characteristics is poorly understood. We aimed to describe the cognitive profile of NMOSD patients, and to analyse the cognitive differences according to their serostatus; furthermore, we aimed to assess the relationship between cognition, demographic and clinical characteristics, and other aspects linked to health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods: This cross-sectional study included 41 patients (median age, 44 years; 85% women) from 13 Spanish centres. Demographic and clinical characteristics were collected along with a cognitive z-score (Rao's Battery) and HRQoL patient-centred measures, and their relationship was explored using linear regression. We used the Akaike information criterion to model which characteristics were associated with cognition. Results: Fourteen patients (34%) had CI, and the most affected cognitive domain was visual memory. Cognition was similar in AQP4-IgG-positive and -negative patients. Gender, mood, fatigue, satisfaction with life, and perception of stigma were associated with cognitive performance (adjusted R-2 = 0.396, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The results highlight the presence of CI and its impact on HRQoL in NMOSD patients. Cognitive and psychological assessments may be crucial to achieve a holistic approach in patient care

Nuevos enfoques moleculares en la regulación de la adipogénesis. El papel de la Conexina 43

La prevalencia de la obesidad a nivel mundial se ha incrementador&aacute;pidamente durante los &uacute;ltimos a&ntilde;os debido principalmentea los cambios en el estilo de vida de la poblaci&oacute;ncon un aumento significativo en el consumo de energ&iacute;a y disminuci&oacute;nde los niveles de actividad f&iacute;sica. Es por esto quela comunidad cient&iacute;fica est&aacute; interesada en comprender deforma m&aacute;s profunda los mecanismos que regulan la fisiopatolog&iacute;ade la obesidad. Dentro de los diferentes blancos deestudio se encuentra la adipog&eacute;nesis, cuyo entendimiento esfundamental para comprender el desarrollo de la obesidad ylas patolog&iacute;as asociadas a esta. Recientemente ha surgidoimportantes evidencias que involucran a la prote&iacute;na de canalesde &ldquo;Gap Junction&rdquo; conexina 43 (Cx43) en la regulaci&oacute;nde los procesos relacionados con adipog&eacute;nesis, cuyo papeles b&aacute;sicamente anti-adipog&eacute;nico, sin embargo, nuevas funcionesde Cx43 en la regulaci&oacute;n de la formaci&oacute;n del tejidoadiposo siguen descubri&eacute;ndose

Constitutive Type VI Secretion System Expression Gives Vibrio cholerae Intra- and Interspecific Competitive Advantages

The type VI secretion system (T6SS) mediates protein translocation across the cell membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, including Vibrio cholerae – the causative agent of cholera. All V. cholerae strains examined to date harbor gene clusters encoding a T6SS. Structural similarity and sequence homology between components of the T6SS and the T4 bacteriophage cell-puncturing device suggest that the T6SS functions as a contractile molecular syringe to inject effector molecules into prokaryotic and eukaryotic target cells. Regulation of the T6SS is critical. A subset of V. cholerae strains, including the clinical O37 serogroup strain V52, express T6SS constitutively. In contrast, pandemic strains impose tight control that can be genetically disrupted: mutations in the quorum sensing gene luxO and the newly described regulator gene tsrA lead to constitutive T6SS expression in the El Tor strain C6706. In this report, we examined environmental V. cholerae isolates from the Rio Grande with regard to T6SS regulation. Rough V. cholerae lacking O-antigen carried a nonsense mutation in the gene encoding the global T6SS regulator VasH and did not display virulent behavior towards Escherichia coli and other environmental bacteria. In contrast, smooth V. cholerae strains engaged constitutively in type VI-mediated secretion and displayed virulence towards prokaryotes (E. coli and other environmental bacteria) and a eukaryote (the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum). Furthermore, smooth V. cholerae strains were able to outcompete each other in a T6SS-dependent manner. The work presented here suggests that constitutive T6SS expression provides V. cholerae with an advantage in intraspecific and interspecific competition.Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Operating Grant MOP-84473)Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions, Endowment Fund)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (grant MD001091-01)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (grant GM068855-02)Olegario V. Rana FellowshipAlberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions Graduate Studentships