Capillaria plica como agente etiológico de hematuria en un perro

Se describen los hallazgos clínicos y hematológicos, diagnóstico y tratamiento de un caso de hematuria y disuria provocado por Capíllaria plica en un perro macho de un año y medio.Clinical picture, haematologic features, diagnostic techniques and treatment protocols are discussed regarding a male dog one year and a half old with hematuria caused by Capillaria plica

Developing documents for practical sessions in Zoology

La implantación del sistema unificado de créditos (E.C.T.S.) implica nuevos planteamientos por parte del profesorado al elaborar la programación teórico-práctica de las diferentes asignaturas. Con la elaboración de los protocolos prácticos de zoología pretendemos alcanzar los objetivos siguientes: 1. Proveer a los alumnos de material didáctico básico y complementario a la información impartida en las sesiones prácticas. 2. Proporcionar una perspectiva amplia de diferentes aspectos prácticos de la zoología. 3. Familiarizar a los alumnos con las fuentes (complementarias) de información y los procedimientos de acceso a diferentes tipos de material biológico. 4. Favorecer el trabajo personal y de grupo, enfatizando diferentes aspectos biológicos necesarios para la asimilación de los contenidos prácticos de la asignatura. 5. Facilitar la preparación de las pruebas prácticas que los alumnos han de realizar. En el curso académico 2003/2004 nos fue concedido un primer proyecto docente que nos permitió preparar contenidos correspondientes a la práctica “Introducción a las técnicas de campo y de laboratorio en Zoología”. A partir de esta primera experiencia hemos desarrollado varios proyectos docentes que nos han permitido preparar materiales y contenidos prácticos de los principales taxones de animales invertebrados: Poríferos y Cnidarios. Platelmintos, Nematodos y Anélidos. Artrópodos. Moluscos. Equinodermos. La preparación de estos contenidos nos ha obligado a realizar desplazamientos así como a solicitar colaboraciones de diversas instituciones, por ejemplo, al Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales de Madrid. Los protocolos están diseñados de forma que fomentan la labor individual y auto-formativa del alumnado, así como el estudio en grupo. Todo está encaminado hacia una completa preparación y correcta adecuación al nuevo sistema educativo. Las presentaciones multimedia están a disposición del alumnado gracias a las posibilidades que ofrece la web de la Universidad de Córdoba.The implementation of the unified credit system (ECTS) involves new approaches by teachers in the development of both theoretical and practical curricula of different subjects. With the development of practical zoology documents we aim to achieve the following objectives: 1. To provide the students with basic educational materials, and complementary information to the practical sessions. 2. To provide a broad overview of different practical aspects of zoology. 3. To familiarize students with additional sources of information and procedures for access to different types of biological material. 4. To encourage personal and group work, emphasizing different biological aspects, which are necessary for the understanding of the practical contents of the subjects. 5. To assist in the preparation of exams that students must perform. In the academic course 2003/2004 we were awarded with a first educational project that allowed us to prepare content for the practice "Introduction to field and lab techniques in Zoology". From this first experience we have developed several educational projects that have allowed us to prepare materials and practical content of the main taxa of invertebrates: Sponges and Cnidarians. Flatworms, Nematodes and Annelids. Arthropods. Molluscs. Echinoderms. The preparation of these materials has lead us to make trips and to request contributions from various institutions, for example, the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales in Madrid. The protocols are designed in ways that encourage individual work and selftraining of students, and study groups. Everything is aimed to the complete preparation and fair adaptation to the new educational system. Multimedia presentations are available to students thanks to the possibilities offered by the website of the University of Cordoba

Morpholigical study of honey bees on the Canary Islands (Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, Gomera)

A morphological study was made of worker bees from 49 hives located at four island from the Canary archipelago. The study analysed 18 morphological characters and we have found that the bees from Gran Canaria and Tenerife belong to the same groupe, the animals from Gomera constitute a group near the afore mentioned, and the bees from La Palma form an independent group. Also, we have compared the data with data to come from hives placed in the south of the Iberian peninsula and in the north of Africa. We have found that the bees from Africa form an independent group, and the bees from the Iberian peninsula are included in the La Palma group.Se ha llevado a cabo un estudio morfológico de las abejas obreras procedentes de 49 colmenas situadas en cuatro islas del Archipiélago Canario. Se han analizado 18 características morfológicas, encontrando que las abejas procedentes de Gran Canaria y Tenerife pertenecen al mismo grupo; los animales de Gomera constituyen un grupo cercano al anterior y las abejas de La Palma forman un grupo independiente. También hemos comparado los datos obtenidos, con los procedentes de colmenas situadas en el sur de la península Ibérica y en el norte de África. Encontramos que las abejas del norte de África constituyen un grupo independiente y que los animales del sur de la península se incluyen en el grupo de las abejas de La Palma

Caracterizacion ultra-estructural de metacercarias de Diplostomum sp en Orestias luteus del Lago Titicaca, Perú

The objective of the present work was the ultra-structural characterization of metacercariae of Diplostomum sp in Orestias luteus from Lake Titicaca, Puno, Peru. 35 fish collected through non-probabilistic sampling were anesthetized with tricaine monosulfonate (Tricaine-s®) and necropsied to determine the number of Diplostomum sp present per fish. The extracted parasites were fixed and preserved for study by scanning electron microscope. The frequency of parasitosis was 48.6% (IC 95%: 32.0-65.1) with a mean parasitic intensity of infection of 3.53 (low). The metacercaria of Diplostomum sp are lingui form in shape with papillae unevenly distributed on the surface of the body, have a posterior border with a slight conical prominence, and an extreme anterior circle where the oral suction cup is located. There is also an ellipsoidal acetabulum located in the anterior and ventral third of the posterior segment of the body; behind that is the ovoid-shaped tri bocytic organ. The morpho anatomic characteristics of the parasite under study coincide with Diplostomum mordax. The prevalence of Diplostomum sp in Lake Titicaca is high compared to previous years. However, the average intensity is low; suggesting that, for the moment, Diplostomum sp is not a threat to the health of O. luteus.El objetivo del presente trabajo fue la caracterización ultraestructural de metacercarias de Diplostomum sp en Orestias luteus del lago Titicaca, Puno, Perú. Se recolectaron 35 peces mediante muestreo no probabilístico los cuales fueron anestesiados con tricaina mono sulfonato (Tricaine-s®) y se les realizó necropsia para determinar el número de Diplostomum sp presente por pez. Los parásitos extraídos se fijaron y conservaron para su estudio mediante microscopía electrónica de barrido. La frecuencia de parasitosis fue de 48,6% (IC95%: 32,0-65,1) con una intensidad de infección parasitaria media de 3,53 (baja). La metacercaria de Diplostomum sp son de forma linguiforme con papilas distribuidas de manera desigual en la superficie del cuerpo, tienen un borde posterior con una ligera prominencia cónica y un círculo anterior extremo donde se ubica la ventosa oral. También hay un acetábulo elipsoidal ubicado en el tercio anterior y ventral del segmento posterior del cuerpo; detrás de eso está el órgano tribocítico de forma ovoide. Las características morfo-anatómicas del parásito en estudio coinciden con Diplostomum mordax. La prevalencia de Diplostomum sp en el lago Titicaca es alto en comparación con años anteriores. Sin embargo, la intensidad media es baja; sugiriendo que, por el momento, Diplostomum sp. no es una amenaza para la salud de O. luteus

Cell therapy for factor V deficiency: an approach based on human decidua mesenchymal stem cells

Deficiency of factor V is a congenital autosomal recessive coagulopathy associated with mutations in the F5 gene that results in mild-to-severe bleeding episodes. Factor V is a component of the prothrombinase complex responsible for accelerating conversion of prothrombin to thrombin. At the present time there are no therapeutic factor V concentrates available. This study was designed to lay the preliminary foundations for future cell-based therapy for patients with severe factor V deficiency. The study showed that hepatospheres, which produce coagulation factors VIII, IX, and V, synthetize and store intracellular glycogen and express albumin levels up to 8 times higher than those of undifferentiated cells. Factor IX and factor V gene expression increased significantly in hepatospheres as compared to undifferentiated cells, whereas factor VIII gene expression remained constant. The factor V protein was detected in the hepatospheres´ secretome. Considering the enormous potential of mesenchymal stem cells as therapeutic agents, this study proposes a highly reproducible method to induce differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells from human placenta to factor V-producing hepatospheres. This strategy constitutes a preliminary step towards a curative treatment of factor V deficiency through advanced therapies such as cell therapy

Normal Proliferation and Tumorigenesis but Impaired Pancreatic Function in Mice Lacking the Cell Cycle Regulator Sei1

Sei1 is a positive regulator of proliferation that promotes the assembly of Cdk4-cyclin D complexes and enhances the transcriptional activity of E2f1. The potential oncogenic role of Sei1 is further suggested by its overexpression in various types of human cancers. To study the role of Sei1, we have generated a mouse line deficient for this gene. Sei1-null fibroblasts did not show abnormalities regarding proliferation or susceptibility to neoplastic transformation, nor did we observe defects on Cdk4 complexes or E2f activity. Sei1-null mice were viable, did not present overt pathologies, had a normal lifespan, and had a normal susceptibility to spontaneous and chemically-induced cancer. Pancreatic insulin-producing cells are known to be particularly sensitive to Cdk4-cyclin D and E2f activities, and we have observed that Sei1 is highly expressed in pancreatic islets compared to other tissues. Interestingly, Sei1-null mice present lower number of islets, decreased β-cell area, impaired insulin secretion, and glucose intolerance. These defects were associated to nuclear accumulation of the cell-cycle inhibitors p21Cip1 and p27Kip1 in islet cells. We conclude that Sei1 plays an important role in pancreatic β-cells, which supports a functional link between Sei1 and the core cell cycle regulators specifically in the context of the pancreas

Awareness of Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Tests and Use of Genetic Tests Among Puerto Rican Adults, 2009

Introduction: Genetic testing remains low among racial/ethnic minority populations in the United States. We aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of awareness of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests and the prevalence of genetic test use in a population-based sample of adults in Puerto Rico. Methods: We analyzed data from adults aged 18 years or older who completed information on genetic test awareness (n = 611; 96% of study population) from the Health Information National Trends Survey conducted in Puerto Rico in 2009. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated by using logistic regression models to identify factors associated with awareness of DTC genetic tests. Results: The majority of respondents (56%) were aware of direct-to-consumer genetic tests, and approximately 4% had ever undergone any genetic test. Respondents who had never been married were less likely to be aware of DTC tests, as were current smokers. Respondents who ever sought cancer information were more likely to be aware of these tests. Conclusion: We provide the first published data on the awareness of DTC genetic tests and on use of genetic testing in Puerto Rico. Forty-four percent of our sample of Puerto Rican adults were unaware of direct-to-consumer genetic tests. Given the lack of clear benefits of DTC genetic tests to the general population, educational interventions should be developed to increase awareness and specific knowledge regarding the appropriate use of DTC genetic tests among people who are already aware of their existence

Increased p53 gene dosage reduces neointimal thickening induced by mechanical injury but has no effect on native atherosclerosis

This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Cardiovascular Research following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Cardiovasc Res. 75 (4):803-12. is available online at: http://cardiovascres.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/75/4/803OBJECTIVE: The tumor suppressor p53 regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis, two key processes in the pathogenesis of occlusive vascular disease. Here, we examined the consequences of heightening p53 function on neointimal lesion formation in the setting of atherosclerosis and mechanical injury. METHODS: (1) Immunohistopathological characterization of neointimal lesions in atherosclerosis-prone apolipoprotein E-null mice with normal p53 gene dosage (apoEKO) and carrying a p53 transgene (Super-p53/apoE-KO); (2) molecular studies in macrophages and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) obtained from these mice. RESULTS: The p53 transgene conferred p53 gain-of-function in cultured cells and mice. In vitro, survival of irradiated Super-p53 macrophages and femoral SMCs was reduced, but only Super-p53 SMCs exhibited attenuated proliferation. In vivo, whereas the size of spontaneously formed and diet-induced aortic atheromas was undistinguishable in apoE-KO and Super-p53/apoE-KO mice, the latter exhibited attenuated neointimal thickening in mechanically-injured femoral artery. In both models, neither apoptosis nor cell proliferation were affected by additional p53 gene dosage when examined in established neointimal lesions. However, at 2 days after mechanical injury when neointimal lesions were not formed yet, cell proliferation was significantly attenuated within medial SMCs of Super-p53/apoEKO mice. CONCLUSION: Heightening p53 function has differential effects on in vitro proliferation of macrophages (unaffected) versus SMCs (reduced), and on native atherosclerosis (unaffected) versus mechanically-induced neointimal thickening (reduced) in apoE-KO mice. The protective effect of p53 in mechanically-injured femoral artery coincided with limited medial SMC proliferation at early time points preceding neointima formation, but neither medial nor neointimal cell proliferation was affected in vessels with established occlusive lesions. These findings corroborate p53 gain-of-function as a promising therapeutic strategy to limit post-angioplasty restenosis but not native atherosclerosis.Work financed by grants from Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo/Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, RECAVA), from the Regional Government of Valencia (GV04B-288) and from Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia and the European Regional Development Fund (SAF2004-03057). S.M.S.-G. and J.M.G received salary support from Instituto de Salud Carlos III, and J.J.F. from CSIC-I3P predoctoral fellowship program cosponsored by the European Social Fund.Peer reviewe

Senescence in premalignant tumours

Oncogene-induced senescence is a cellular response that may be crucial for protection against cancer development1,2, but its investigation has so far been restricted to cultured cells that have been manipulated to overexpress an oncogene. Here we analyse tumours initiated by an endogenous oncogene, ras, and show that senescent cells exist in premalignant tumours but not in malignant ones. Senescence is therefore a defining feature of premalignant tumours that could prove valuable in the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer