Molecular and biochemical characterization of extracellular tannin acyl hydrolase activity from a Mexican isolate of Aspergillus niger

"Microbial tannase, a hydrolysable tannin-degrading enzyme, is extensively used in manufacture of instant tea, beer, wine, and gallic acid. Aspergillus niger strain, obtained from a Mexican tannery wastewaters rich in gallic acid [Quebracho Phenolics-rich Tannery Wastewaters, (QPTW)], displayed a good growth and tannase activity in a minimal medium added with 1% (w/v) QPTW (Kr= 0.451 mm.h-1). Using PCR and RACE 3´ and 5´methodologies, a complete cDNA of a tannase was cloned from this isolate.Nucleotide sequence of complete cDNA was of 4690 bp with a complete ORF of 1833 bp encoding 611 amino acids. Transcriptionalinduction was observed in mineral medium added with carbon sources as tannic acid alone (1 and 10 g/l), as well as mix of glucose(1 and 10 g/l) and tannic acid (1 g/l) in the media. However, neither glucose (1 and 10 g/l) and sucrose (1 and 10 g/l) nor (+)-catechin(1 and 10 g/l) as sole carbon sources displayed gene induction in in vitro assays. A. niger-GTO is a new strain with interesting characteristics for industrial tannase production purposes.

ESP, EORTC, and EURACAN Expert Opinion:practical recommendations for the pathological diagnosis and clinical management of intermediate melanocytic tumors and rare related melanoma variants

The recent WHO classification of skin tumors has underscored the importance of acknowledging intermediate grade melanocytic proliferations. A multistep acquisition of oncogenic events drives the progressive transformation of nevi into melanomas. The various pathways described are modulated by the initial oncogenic drivers that define the common, blue, and Spitz nevi groups. Intermediate lesions are most often the result of a clonal evolution within such nevi. Based on this established classification, we have suggested for each pathway a practical diagnostic approach, benefiting from the recently developed molecular tools, both in the setting of general pathology labs and expert centers. Moreover, recommendations regarding the re-excision and clinical follow-up are given to support decision-making in multidisciplinary tumor boards

HLA-C genotype and TCR vβ expression analysis in Mexican patients with Psoriasis

"Genetic background and T-cell expansion have been associated as the most important factors for psoriasis susceptibility in the Caucasian population. This study was performed to identify the T cell receptor Vβ repertoire and HLA-Cw genotype in two Mexican groups with severe chronic plaque-type psoriasis. HLA-C typing was performed to detect the allele pattern associated with the disease by sequence-specific primer-polymerase chain reaction. In parallel, RT-PCR and Western blot were used for the identification of the TCR Vβ repertoire. We found a wide variety of HLA-C alleles displayed with a preference to HLA-Cw *07 as the most representative allele in the group of patients. TCR Vβ-2 and Vβ-7 clone-type frequencies were statistically significant (p of 0.0280) when compared to other TCR Vβ expressed in the two groups. We found notable differences both in the HLA-C genotype and TCR Vβ repertoire in the groups of patients studied. Since Mexican individuals are genetically different from the Caucasian population, we suggest that due to these differences the susceptibility to disease and activation of T-cells for a proper immune response may be affected.

Mapping Cosmic Dawn and Reionization: Challenges and Synergies

Cosmic dawn and the Epoch of Reionization (EoR) are among the least explored observational eras in cosmology: a time at which the first galaxies and supermassive black holes formed and reionized the cold, neutral Universe of the post-recombination era. With current instruments, only a handful of the brightest galaxies and quasars from that time are detectable as individual objects, due to their extreme distances. Fortunately, a multitude of multi-wavelength intensity mapping measurements, ranging from the redshifted 21 cm background in the radio to the unresolved X-ray background, contain a plethora of synergistic information about this elusive era. The coming decade will likely see direct detections of inhomogenous reionization with CMB and 21 cm observations, and a slew of other probes covering overlapping areas and complementary physical processes will provide crucial additional information and cross-validation. To maximize scientific discovery and return on investment, coordinated survey planning and joint data analysis should be a high priority, closely coupled to computational models and theoretical predictions.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, submitted to the Astro2020 Decadal Survey Science White Paper cal

Assessment of the efficacy of antimalarial drugs recommended by the National Malaria Control Programme in Madagascar: Up-dated baseline data from randomized and multi-site clinical trials

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In order to improve the monitoring of the antimalarial drug resistance in Madagascar, a new national network based on eight sentinel sites was set up. In 2006/2007, a multi-site randomized clinical trial was designed to assess the therapeutic efficacy of chloroquine (CQ), sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), amodiaquine (AQ) and artesunate plus amodiaquine combination (ASAQ), the antimalarial therapies recommended by the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Children between six months and 15 years of age, with uncomplicated falciparum malaria, were enrolled. Primary endpoints were the day-14 and day-28 risks of parasitological failure, either unadjusted or adjusted by genotyping. Risks of clinical and parasitological treatment failure after adjustment by genotyping were estimated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Secondary outcomes included fever clearance, parasite clearance, change in haemoglobin levels between Day 0 and the last day of follow-up, and the incidence of adverse events.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 1,347 of 1,434 patients (93.9%) completed treatment and follow-up to day 28. All treatment regimens, except for the chloroquine (CQ) treatment group, resulted in clinical cure rates above 97.6% by day-14 and 96.7% by day-28 (adjusted by genotyping). Parasite and fever clearance was more rapid with artesunate plus amodiaquine, but the extent of haematological recovery on day-28 did not differ significantly between the four groups. No severe side-effects were observed during the follow-up period.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings (i) constitute an up-dated baseline data on the efficacy of antimalarial drugs recommended by the NMCP, (ii) show that antimalarial drug resistance remains low in Madagascar, except for CQ, compared to the bordering countries in the Indian Ocean region such as the Comoros Archipelago and (iii) support the current policy of ASAQ as the first-line treatment in uncomplicated falciparum malaria.</p

Fichte and Hegel on recognition and slavery

In the first section of this essay I show how Hegel’s account of the struggle for recognition can be explained in terms of the role that Fichte accords to recognition in his deduction of the concept of right and, in particular, in terms of a problem to which this deduction gives rise. In the second section, I show how Hegel seeks to resolve this problem by means of his account of the struggle for recognition. Finally, in the third section, I show how Fichte’s and Hegel’s claims concerning the necessity of mutual recognition do not prevent them from regarding slavery as justified in certain circumstances, or at least as being as much the fault of the person enslaved as the person who has enslaved him or her, despite the fact that slavery represents one of the clearest possible examples of a situation in which mutual recognition is absent. One may therefore question the extent to which they regard mutual recognition as an absolutely fundamental norm of social relations. There is the difference, however, that Hegel’s position appears to be that mutual recognition becomes such a norm in the course of history, whereas Fichte implies that the absence of mutual recognition may be justified simply whenever an individual has failed to raise him-or herself to the level of a being whose attitude towards him-or herself as demonstrated through his or her actions is proof of a status that demands recognition from others