In vitro cultured progenitors and precursors of cardiac cell lineages from human normal and post-ischemic hearts.

The demonstration of the presence of dividing primitive cells in damaged hearts has sparked increased interest about myocardium regenerative processes. We examined the rate and the differentiation of in vitro cultured resident cardiac primitive cells obtained from pathological and normal human hearts in order to evaluate the activation of progenitors and precursors of cardiac cell lineages in post-ischemic human hearts. The precursors and progenitors of cardiomyocyte, smooth muscle and endothelial lineage were identified by immunocytochemistry and the expression of characteristic markers was studied by western blot and RT-PCR.The amount of proteins characteristic for cardiac cells (alpha-SA and MHC, VEGFR-2 and FVIII, SMA for the precursors of cardiomyocytes, endothelial and smooth muscle cells, respectively) inclines toward an increase in both alpha-SA and MHC. The increased levels of FVIII and VEGFR2 are statistically significant, suggesting an important re-activation of neoangiogenesis. At the same time, the augmented expression of mRNA for Nkx 2.5, the trascriptional factor for cardiomyocyte differentiation, confirms the persistence of differentiative processes in terminally injured hearts. Our study would appear to confirm the activation of human heart regeneration potential in pathological conditions and the ability of its primitive cells to maintain their proliferative capability in vitro. The cardiac cell isolation method we used could be useful in the future for studying modifications to the microenvironment that positively influence cardiac primitive cell differentiation or inhibit, or retard, the pathological remodeling and functional degradation of the heart

Decorin transfection induces proteomic and phenotypic modulation in breast cancer cells 8701-BC

Decorin is a prototype member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan family widely distributed in the extracellular matrices of many connective tissues, where it has been shown to play multiple important roles in the matrix assembly process, as well as in some cellular activities. A major interest for decorin function concerns its role in tumorigenesis, as growth-inhibitor of different neoplastic cells, and potential antimetastatic agent. The aim of our research was to investigate wide-ranged effects of transgenic decorin on breast cancer cells. To this purpose we utilized the well-characterized 8701-BC cell line, isolated from a ductal infiltrating carcinoma of the breast, and two derived decorin-transfected clones, respectively, synthesizing full decorin proteoglycan or its protein core. The responses to the ectopic decorin production were examined by studying morphological changes, cell proliferation rates, and proteome modulation. The results revealed new important antioncogenic potentialities, likely exerted by decorin through a variety of distinct biochemical pathways. Major effects included the downregulation of several potential breast cancer biomarkers, the reduction of membrane ruffling, and the increase of cell-cell adhesiveness. These results disclose original aspects related to the reversion of malignant traits of a prototype of breast cancer cells induced by decorin. They also raise additional interest for the postulated clinical application of decori

Clones de batata de sanidad controlada producidos en el Instituto de Patología Vegetal-CIAP-INTA Córdoba

La calidad del material de plantación es uno de los aspectos más importantes para asegurar el éxito de un cultivo de batata. Está dada por dos factores fundamentales: la variedad y la sanidad. La tendencia mundial es el empleo de cultivares precoces de alta productividad, tanto los de pulpa amarilla o anaranjada, ricos en β-carotenos, como los de pulpa morada, con alto contenido de antocianinas que, además, deben estar libres de virus, pues estos patógenos son la principal limitante de la producción cuanti y cualitativamente. Frente a la creciente demanda de material de propagación, el Instituto de Patología Vegetal dependiente del Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (IPAVE-CIAP-INTA) cuenta, al presente, con una colección de genotipos requeridos en las diversas provincias productoras, que fueron «saneados» de virus y de otros patógenos sistémicos a través del cultivo in vitro de meristemas con termoterapia previa, y que recuperaron su pureza varietal. Los mismos son mantenidos por micropropagación in vitro y macropropagación en invernaderos y jaulón antiáfidos. Todos los años se inicia un nuevo ciclo de regeneraciónin vitro, con el fin de disminuir la probabilidad de ocurrencia de variación somaclonal. Actualmente, la institución ofrece a los agricultores y a la agroindustria propágulos de sanidad controlada de los cultivares Arapey INIA, Beauregard, Covington, GEM, Jewel, Morada INTA, Mechada, Boni INTA, Okinawa, Colorado INTA, Sombrerito, Pionera, Bonita, Paraguaya y Famaillá 6, para su distribución en las regiones productoras argentinas, además de tres clones promisorios aún no descriptos, de interés local

Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Assessment of Brain Development in Normal Fetuses and Ventriculomegaly

Diffusion neuro-MRI has benefited significantly from sophisticated pre-processing procedures aimed at improving image quality and diagnostic. In this work, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was used with artifact correction and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was quantified to investigate fetal brain development. The DWI protocol was designed in order to limit the acquisition time and to estimate ADC without perfusion bias. The ADC in normal fetal brains was compared to cases with isolated ventriculomegaly (VM), a common fetal disease whose DWI studies are still scarce. DWI was performed in 58 singleton fetuses (Gestational age (GA) range: 19–38w) at 1.5T. In 31 cases, VM was diagnosed on ultrasound. DW-Spin Echo EPI with b-values = 50, 200, 700 s/mm2 along three orthogonal axes was used. All images were corrected for noise, Gibbs-ringing, and motion artifacts. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was calculated and the ADC was measured with a linear least-squared algorithm. A multi-way ANOVA was used to evaluate differences in ADC between normal and VM cases and between second and third trimester in different brain regions. Correlation between ADC and GA was assessed with linear and quadratic regression analysis. Noise and artifact correction considerably increased SNR and the goodness-of-fit. ADC measurements were significantly different between second and third trimester in centrum semiovale, frontal white matter, thalamus, cerebellum and pons of both normal and VM brains (p ≤ 0.03). ADC values were significantly different between normal and VM in centrum semiovale and frontal white matter (p ≤ 0.02). ADC values in centrum semiovale, thalamus, cerebellum and pons linearly decreased with GA both in normal and VM brains, while a quadratic relation with GA was found in basal ganglia and occipital white matter of normal brains and in frontal white matter of VM (p ≤ 0.02). ADC values in all fetal brain regions were lower than those reported in literature where DWI with b = 0 was performed. Conversely, they were in agreement with the results of other authors who measured perfusion and diffusion contributions separately. By optimizing our DWI protocol we achieved an unbiased quantification of brain ADC in reasonable scan time. Our findings suggested that ADC can be a useful biomarker of brain abnormalities associated with VM

Apparent diffusion coefficient assessment of brain development in normal fetuses and ventriculomegaly

Diffusion neuro-MRI has benefited significantly from sophisticated pre-processing procedures aimed at improving image quality and diagnostic. In this work, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was used with artifact correction and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was quantified to investigate fetal brain development. The DWI protocol was designed in order to limit the acquisition time and to estimate ADC without perfusion bias. The ADC in normal fetal brains was compared to cases with isolated ventriculomegaly (VM), a common fetal disease whose DWI studies are still scarce. DWI was performed in 58 singleton fetuses (Gestational age (GA) range: 19–38w) at 1.5T. In 31 cases, VM was diagnosed on ultrasound. DW-Spin Echo EPI with b-values = 50, 200, 700 s/mm2 along three orthogonal axes was used. All images were corrected for noise, Gibbs-ringing, and motion artifacts. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was calculated and the ADC was measured with a linear least-squared algorithm. A multi-way ANOVA was used to evaluate differences in ADC between normal and VM cases and between second and third trimester in different brain regions. Correlation between ADC and GA was assessed with linear and quadratic regression analysis. Noise and artifact correction considerably increased SNR and the goodness-of-fit. ADC measurements were significantly different between second and third trimester in centrum semiovale, frontal white matter, thalamus, cerebellum and pons of both normal and VM brains (p ≤ 0.03). ADC values were significantly different between normal and VM in centrum semiovale and frontal white matter (p ≤ 0.02). ADC values in centrum semiovale, thalamus, cerebellum and pons linearly decreased with GA both in normal and VM brains, while a quadratic relation with GA was found in basal ganglia and occipital white matter of normal brains and in frontal white matter of VM (p ≤ 0.02). ADC values in all fetal brain regions were lower than those reported in literature where DWI with b = 0 was performed. Conversely, they were in agreement with the results of other authors who measured perfusion and diffusion contributions separately. By optimizing our DWI protocol we achieved an unbiased quantification of brain ADC in reasonable scan time. Our findings suggested that ADC can be a useful biomarker of brain abnormalities associated with VM

Observation of an Excited Bc+ State

Using pp collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 8.5 fb-1 recorded by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of s=7, 8, and 13 TeV, the observation of an excited Bc+ state in the Bc+π+π- invariant-mass spectrum is reported. The observed peak has a mass of 6841.2±0.6(stat)±0.1(syst)±0.8(Bc+) MeV/c2, where the last uncertainty is due to the limited knowledge of the Bc+ mass. It is consistent with expectations of the Bc∗(2S31)+ state reconstructed without the low-energy photon from the Bc∗(1S31)+→Bc+γ decay following Bc∗(2S31)+→Bc∗(1S31)+π+π-. A second state is seen with a global (local) statistical significance of 2.2σ (3.2σ) and a mass of 6872.1±1.3(stat)±0.1(syst)±0.8(Bc+) MeV/c2, and is consistent with the Bc(2S10)+ state. These mass measurements are the most precise to date

Estudios relativos a la importancia económica de las virosis en el cultivo de batata de Colonia Molina, Mendoza

Globalmente, la superficie plantada con batata experimentó significativa reducción, hecho también notable en el país, la principal causa de este fenómeno son las virosis que ocasionan daños en todas las regiones de cultivo y cuyos agentes causales, en la mayoría de los casos son desconocidos, al igual que sus aspectos epidemiológicos y daños en los rendimientos. Para determinar la importancia económica de las patologías virales de batata en la pcia. de Mendoza se colectaron un total de 26 plantas sintomáticas y 20 asintomáticas de batata en cuatro lotes de Colonia Molina (Dpto. Guaymallén). Se midieron caracteres componentes de rendimiento in situ: número de guías principales (NG), peso fresco aéreo (PFA), número total de raíces (NTR), número total de raíces comerciales (NRC) (100g o más), peso fresco de raíces totales (PRT) y comerciales (PRC). Se realizó una ANAVA con los datos de los componentes de rendimiento, para los cuales existieron diferencias significativas (p<0,05) entre la condición sintomática y asintomática. Los porcentajes de disminución de rendimiento fueron de 88%, 84%, 76%, 75%, 50% y 33% para las variables PRC, PTR, PFA, NRC, NTR, y NG respectivamente.Se calculó el porcentaje de daño potencial de los componentes de rendimiento en plantas sintomáticas con respecto a plantas sanas. Exhibe un 88% de daño, para la variable PRC y 85% para PTR, principales componentes de rendimiento en batata. La variable NG es la que menor porcentaje de daño exhibió (33%)

Características tecnológicas de almidones de dos variedades de batatas (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam) infectadas con «encrespamiento amarillo»

El cultivo de batata se ve limitado por virosis y un complejo de siete virus, «encrespamiento amarillo» (EA), de alta incidencia en Argentina, provoca significativas disminuciones de rendimiento y calidad. En un ensayo experimental, con variedades Arapey INIA y Beauregard (sanas y enfermas con EA), se estimaron componentes de rendimiento (principalmente peso: PRC y número: NRC de raíces comerciales), rendimiento y característicastecnológicas de almidón como gelatinización y retrogradación (calorimetría diferencial de barrido) y viscosidad aparente de las pastas (analizador de viscosidad). Se analizó el comportamiento reológico de los geles de almidón, mediante resistencia a la compresión con analizador de textura, y se determinó distribución de tamaño de partícula. NRC y PRC fueron significativamente menores en plantas enfermas respecto a sanas (mermas de 81% para NRC en ambas variedades y 87% y 85,5% para PRC, en Beauregard y Arapey, respectivamente). EA no afectó al rendimiento de almidón, sin diferencias entre raíces sanas y enfermas de ambas variedades, aunque Arapey (9,00-10,05%) superó a Beauregard (6,23-8,06%). La entalpía de gelatinización del almidón resultó significativamente mayor en plantas enfermas de Beauregard que en sanas, sin diferencias en la temperatura de inicio de gelatinización entre ambos tratamientos, contrariamente a lo que sucedió en Arapey. El pico de viscosidad y la viscosidad final de los almidones fueron similares en plantas sanas y enfermas de ambas variedades, igual que la resistencia a la compresión de geles elaborados con almidones provenientes de plantas sanas y enfermas de ambos genotipos. Todas las muestras tuvieron una sola población de tamaño de partícula de almidón (rango: 5 -25 μm con pico cercano a 15 μm). En definitiva, EA no afectó la calidad tecnológica del almidón. Sin embargo, la disminución significativa de producción de raíces comerciales en plantas enfermas conllevó relevante reducción de la cantidad total de almidón por planta

Influencia de Cassava common mosaic virus (CSCMV) en la producción de raíces de plantas de Manihot esculenta

La mandioca, uno de los principales cultivos para consumo humano y animal, posee gran importancia económica-social en muchos países. Su multiplicación comercial es agámica, por lo que una de sus limitantes es la diseminación de patógenos sistémicos, principalmente virus, a través del material de propagación.En Latinoamérica, el CsCMV es uno de los más distribuidos y, en la región productora (nordeste argentino), se registraron incidencias crecientes durante los años 2014 a 2016, asociadas con síntomas graves de mosaico de hojas, provocando el Mosaico común de la mandioca. El objetivo fue evaluar el efecto de la infección con CsCMV sobre componentes del rendimiento de plantas de mandioca. Para ello, se utilizaron 30 estacas que provenían de plantas de un ciclo, regeneradas in vitro a partir de cultivo de meristemas caulinares de plantas con CsCMV del cultivarCM3306-4 y de plantas sanas que oficiaron de control. El ensayo se instaló con un diseño completamente aleatorizado, en mulching plástico y riego por goteo, en el Campo Experimental del Instituto Universitario de la Universidad Nacional de Formosa.La cosecha se realizó manualmente luego de ocho meses desde plantación (2018). El análisis estadístico fue realizado mediante comparación de medias aritméticas por T-Test (P < 0,05), con el programa InfoStat. Existieron diferencias significativas entre componentes de rendimiento, excepto para altura de planta. El daño potencial fue: 44% (peso total de raíces); 38% (peso fresco aéreo); 28% y 43% (número de ramas totales y ramas útiles, respectivamente); 28% (número de raíces totales); 21% y 10% (longitud y diámetro promedio de raíces por planta). Estos resultadosremarcan la importancia del virus en cultivos de mandioca del NEA y la necesidad de erradicar la enfermedad de los lotes de cultivo