Transcription factor FOXP2 is a flow-induced regulator of collecting lymphatic vessels.

The lymphatic system is composed of a hierarchical network of fluid absorbing lymphatic capillaries and transporting collecting vessels. Despite distinct functions and morphologies, molecular mechanisms that regulate the identity of the different vessel types are poorly understood. Through transcriptional analysis of murine dermal lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), we identified Foxp2, a member of the FOXP family of transcription factors implicated in speech development, as a collecting vessel signature gene. FOXP2 expression was induced after initiation of lymph flow in vivo and upon shear stress on primary LECs in vitro. Loss of FOXC2, the major flow-responsive transcriptional regulator of lymphatic valve formation, abolished FOXP2 induction in vitro and in vivo. Genetic deletion of Foxp2 in mice using the endothelial-specific Tie2-Cre or the tamoxifen-inducible LEC-specific Prox1-CreER <sup>T2</sup> line resulted in enlarged collecting vessels and defective valves characterized by loss of NFATc1 activity. Our results identify FOXP2 as a new flow-induced transcriptional regulator of collecting lymphatic vessel morphogenesis and highlight the existence of unique transcription factor codes in the establishment of vessel-type-specific endothelial cell identities

Uso de la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa para caracterizar aislamientos nativos de Bacillus thurigiensis.

En este estudio se estandarizó una metodología para la caracterización molecular de cepas nativas de Bacillus thurigiensis, la cual se basó en la aplificación de los genes cry mediante la Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa (PCR). Se utilizarón 4 mezclas de oligonucleótidos: 2 generales (I y II), los cuales reconocen genes de las familias cry1, cry2, cry3, cry4 y cryIa, y 2 específicos (A y B), que identifican los genes de la familia cry1 (cry1Aa, cry1Ab, cryAc, cry1Ba, cry1Ca y cry1Da). La calidad y concentración del ADN bacteriano influyó sobre la especificidad y concentración de los productos obtenidos mediante la amplificación de los genes cry. La calidad del ADN purificado através del método rápido reportado por M. He et al. (Nucleic Ac. Res: 18:1660, 1990) permitió una amplificación eficiente. Para realizar la PCR en condicones óptimas, se utilizó una mezcla de reacción con un volumen final de 20 uL, la cual contenia 0,4 uM de cada oligonucleótido, 1X PCR buffer (50 mM KCL, 10mM Tris-HCL, pH 8,3 y 3,0 mM MgCl2), 200 uM de cada dNTP y 1U de Taq-ADN-polimerasa, ademas de 10-100 300-500 ng de ADN bacterial para las mezclas de los oligonucleotidos Generales y Específicos, respectivamente. El programa de amplificación incluyó 30 ciclos de desnaturalización a 94 grados centígrados, hibridación a 53 grados centígrados y síntesis a 72 grados centígrados durante 20 segundos cada uno. La metodología estandarizada se puede utilizar rutinariamente para amplificar los genes cry procedentes de aislamientos nativos de B. thurigiensis, lo cual permite clasificarlos y seleccionarlos de una manera rápida y precisa de acuerdo con su actividad biológica y potencial biotecnológico, adicionalmente, como paso previo de los ensayos de toxicidad contra diversas especies de insectos plaga de interés agrícol

Risk factors associated with drug use before imprisonment in Peru

Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia del consumo de drogas previo al ingreso penitenciario e identificar los factores de riesgo sociodemográficos y familiares asociados, según el sexo, en penitenciarías del Perú. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un análisis secundario de los datos del Primer Censo Nacional Penitenciario 2016, que empleó un cuestionario de 173 preguntas que fue aplicado a toda la población carcelaria del Perú. Se describieron los tipos de drogas consumidas antes del ingreso según las características de la población penitenciaria, y se utilizaron modelos lineales generalizados para calcular razones de prevalencia con intervalos de confianza al 95% para identificar los posibles factores asociados al consumo de drogas. Resultados: De 76.180 presidiarios, 71.184 (93,4%) respondieron la encuesta (hombres 67.071; 94,2%). La prevalencia global de consumo de drogas previo a la reclusión fue del 24,4% (25,3% en hombres y 9,1% en mujeres), mayor en el grupo de 18 a 29 años (36,3% en hombres y 14,9% en mujeres). Las drogas de mayor consumo fueron la marihuana (58,2%), la pasta básica/cocaína o crack (40,3%), y los inhalantes (1%). Los factores más fuertemente asociados al consumo fueron haber tenido en la niñez un miembro del núcleo familiar que consumiera drogas (59,8%), historia de reclusión anterior (59,1%), desempleo (48,4%), relaciones en el colegio con compañeros que tuvieron problemas con la ley (46,9%), antecedentes de un familiar con ingreso a una penitenciaría (38,4%) e historia de fuga o huida de casa (35,9%). Conclusiones: En Perú, el consumo de drogas es más alto en población penitenciaria que en población general, y existen diferencias según sexo en la prevalencia de consumo de drogas y sus factores asociados antes del ingreso a un centro penitenciario. Se encontró que eventos sucedidos en la niñez, como maltrato, o tener un miembro de la familia encarcelado o consumidor de drogas, o haber consumido alcohol previamente, son factores asociados al consumo de drogas en la población penitenciaria. Algunos de estos factores de riesgo son modificables, por lo cual es importante que se tomen en cuenta en el diseño de políticas sociales y sanitarias enfocadas en subpoblaciones específicas para prevenir el consumo de drogas y la comisión de delitos.Q3Artículo original11-20Objective: To assess the prevalence of drug abuse before prison admission and to identify associated sociodemographic and family history risk factors, according to gender, in prisons of Peru. Materials and methods: A secondary analysis was carried out with data from the First National Prisoner Census 2016, using a questionnaire of 173 items that was applied to the whole prison population of Peru. The types of drugs used before admission were analyzed according to characteristics of the penitentiary population, and generalized linear models were used to calculate prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals to identify possible factors associated with drug use. Results: Out of a population of 76,180 prisoners, 71,184 (93.4%) answered the survey (men 67,071, 94.2%). The overall prevalence of drug consumption before admission was 24.4% (25.3 % in men and 9.1% in women), the highest prevalence in the 18-29 age group (36.3% in men and 14.9% in women). The most commonly used drugs were marijuana (58.2%), coca paste/cocaine or crack (40.3%) and inhalants (1%). The factors most strongly associated with consumption were having a family member who consumed drugs (59.8%), history of previous imprisonment (59.1%), unemployment (48.4%), relationships at school with classmates who had problems with the law (46.9%), background of a family member who attended a penitentiary (38.4%), and history of running away from home before age 15 (35.9%). Conclusions: In Peru, drug use is higher in the prison population than in the general population, and there are differences according to sex in the prevalence of drug use and associated factors prior to admission to a prison. The study demonstrated that childhood events, such as child abuse, having a family member imprisoned, having a family member who used drugs, or who previously abused alcohol, are factors associated with drug use in the penitentiary population. Some of these risk factors are modifiable, so it is important to consider these in the design of social and health policies focused on specific subpopulations to prevent drug use and crime

Occurrence of Squash yellow mild mottle virus and Pepper golden mosaic virus in Potential New Hosts in Costa Rica

Leaf samples of Solanum lycopersicum, Capsicum annuum, Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita pepo, Sechium edule and Erythrina spp. were collected. All samples were positive for begomoviruses using polymerase chain reaction and degenerate primers. A sequence of ~1,100 bp was obtained from the genomic component DNA-A of 14 samples. In addition, one sequence of ~580 bp corresponding to the coat protein (AV1) was obtained from a chayote (S. edule) leaf sample. The presence of Squash yellow mild mottle virus (SYMMoV) and Pepper golden mosaic virus (PepGMV) were confirmed. The host range reported for SYMMoV includes species of the Cucurbitaceae, Caricaceae and Fabaceae families. This report extends the host range of SYMMoV to include the Solanaceae family, and extends the host range of PepGMV to include C. moschata, C. pepo and the Fabaceae Erythrina spp. This is the first report of a begomovirus (PepGMV) infecting chayote in the Western Hemisphere.Consejo Nacional para Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas/[]/CONICIT/Costa RicaMinisterio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Telecomunicaciones/[]/MICITT/Costa RicaFondo Especial de Educación Superior/[]/FEES/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[]/UCR/Costa RicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Biología Celular y Molecular (CIBCM)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Ciencias Agroalimentarias::Facultad de Ciencias Agroalimentarias::Escuela de AgronomíaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Ciencias Básicas::Facultad de Ciencias::Escuela de Biologí

New FOCUS results on charm mixing and CP violation

We present a summary of recent results on CP violation and mixing in the charm quark sector based on a high statistics sample collected by photoproduction experiment FOCUS (E831 at Fermilab). We have measured the difference in lifetimes for the $D^0$ decays: $D^0 \to K^-\pi^+$ and $D^0 \to K^-K^+$. This translates into a measurement of the $y_{CP}$ mixing parameter in the \d0d0 system, under the assumptions that $K^-K^+$ is an equal mixture of CP odd and CP even eigenstates, and CP violation is negligible in the neutral charm meson system. We verified the latter assumption by searching for a CP violating asymmetry in the Cabibbo suppressed decay modes $D^+ \to K^-K^+\pi^+$, $D^0 \to K^-K^+$ and $D^0 \to \pi^-\pi^+$. We show preliminary results on a measurement of the branching ratio $\Gamma(D^{*+}\to \pi^+ (K^+\pi^-))/\Gamma(D^{*+}\to \pi^+ (K^-\pi^+))$.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, requires espcrc2.sty. Presented by S.Bianco at CPConf2000, September 2000, Ferrara (Italy). In this revision, fixed several stylistic flaws, add two significant references, fixed a typo in Tab.

EVALUACIÓN DEL EFECTO DE CADMIO SOBRE LA GERMINACIÓN Y ELONGACIÓN RADICAL DE SEMILLAS BACTERIZADAS DE AXONOPUS AFFINIS Y FESTUCA RUBRA

There has been reported different indexto biomonitoring the phytotoxic effects ofmetals in plants; one of them is based on the germination and plant lets growth, eventhough the root promotion is a major marker which measures the beneficial effect ofplant growth promoting rhizobacteria. Thepresent study analyzed the bacterizationeffect on germination and root elongationof Axonopus affinis (Chase) and Festucarubra L., as protection and promotingplant growth mechanisms at the expositionto a heavy metal. The seeds bacterizationwith the rhizobacteria Pseudomonas sp.Sp7D of both species, showed its promoting potential in the germination and theplantlets grown as its protecting potentialin cadmium presence for both species;even that A. affinis (Chase) showed too ahormetic response with cadmium and thetolerance to it.Se han reportado diferentes índices parabiomonitorear los efectos de fitotoxicidad demetales en plantas y uno de esos indicadoresestá basado en la germinación y desarrollode las plántulas; así mismo, la promoción delas raíces es uno de los principales marcadores con los que se mide el efecto benéfico delas rizobacterias promotoras del crecimientovegetal. El presente estudio analizó el efectode la bacterización sobre la germinación yelongación radical de Axonopus affinis (Chase) y Festuca rubra L., como mecanismosde protección y promoción del crecimientoante la exposición a un metal pesado.La bacterización de las semillas con la rizobacteria Pseudomonas sp. Sp7D en ambasespecies reflejó tanto su potencial promotordel crecimiento en la germinación y el crecimiento de las plántulas, donde éstos fueronmayores para Festuca rubra; como su potencial protector ante la presencia de cadmio(Cd) para ambas especies; no obstante queAxonopus affinis (Chase) mostró tambiénuna respuesta hormética ante la presenciadel metal y la tolerancia a éste

Latin American consumption of major food groups: Results from the ELANS study

Background The Latin American (LA) region is still facing an ongoing epidemiological transition and shows a complex public health scenario regarding non-communicable diseases (NCDs). A healthy diet and consumption of specific food groups may decrease the risk of NCDs, however there is a lack of dietary intake data in LA countries. Objective Provide updated data on the dietary intake of key science-based selected food groups related to NCDs risk in LA countries. Design ELANS (Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health) is a multicenter cross-sectional study assessing food consumption from an urban sample between15 to 65 years old from 8 LA countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela). Two 24-HR were obtained from 9, 218 individuals. The daily intake of 10 food groups related to NCDs risk (fruits; vegetables; legumes/beans; nuts and seeds; whole grains products; fish and seafood; yogurt; red meat; processed meats; sugar-sweetened beverages (ready-to-drink and homemade)) were assessed and compared to global recommendations. Results Only 7.2% of the overall sample reached WHO's recommendation for fruits and vegetables consumption (400 grams per day). Regarding the dietary patterns related to a reduced risk of NCDs, among the overall sample legumes and fruits were the food groups with closer intake to the recommendation, although much lower than expected (13.1% and 11.5%, respectively). Less than 3.5% of the sample met the optimal consumption level of vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish and yogurt. Largest country-dependent differences in average daily consumption were found for legumes, nuts, fish, and yogurt. Mean consumption of SSB showed large differences between countries. Conclusion Diet intake quality is deficient for nutrient-dense food groups, suggesting a higher risk for NCDs in the urban LA region in upcoming decades. These data provide relevant and up-to-date information to take urgent public health actions to improve consumption of critically foods in order to prevent NCDs. Copyright