Interspecific Proteomic Comparisons Reveal Ash Phloem Genes Potentially Involved in Constitutive Resistance to the Emerald Ash Borer

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is an invasive wood-boring beetle that has killed millions of ash trees since its accidental introduction to North America. All North American ash species (Fraxinus spp.) that emerald ash borer has encountered so far are susceptible, while an Asian species, Manchurian ash (F. mandshurica), which shares an evolutionary history with emerald ash borer, is resistant. Phylogenetic evidence places North American black ash (F. nigra) and Manchurian ash in the same clade and section, yet black ash is highly susceptible to the emerald ash borer. This contrast provides an opportunity to compare the genetic traits of the two species and identify those with a potential role in defense/resistance. We used Difference Gel Electrophoresis (DIGE) to compare the phloem proteomes of resistant Manchurian to susceptible black, green, and white ash. Differentially expressed proteins associated with the resistant Manchurian ash when compared to the susceptible ash species were identified using nano-LC-MS/MS and putative identities assigned. Proteomic differences were strongly associated with the phylogenetic relationships among the four species. Proteins identified in Manchurian ash potentially associated with its resistance to emerald ash borer include a PR-10 protein, an aspartic protease, a phenylcoumaran benzylic ether reductase (PCBER), and a thylakoid-bound ascorbate peroxidase. Discovery of resistance-related proteins in Asian species will inform approaches in which resistance genes can be introgressed into North American ash species. The generation of resistant North American ash genotypes can be used in forest ecosystem restoration and urban plantings following the wake of the emerald ash borer invasion

Regulation of Rac1 activation by the low density lipoprotein receptor–related protein

The low density lipoprotein receptor–related protein (LRP-1) binds and mediates the endocytosis of multiple ligands, transports the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) and other membrane proteins into endosomes, and binds intracellular adaptor proteins involved in cell signaling. In this paper, we show that in murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and L929 cells, LRP-1 functions as a major regulator of Rac1 activation, and that this activity depends on uPAR. LRP-1–deficient MEFs demonstrated increased Rac1 activation compared with LRP-1–expressing MEFs, and this property was reversed by expressing the VLDL receptor, a member of the same gene family as LRP-1, with overlapping ligand-binding specificity. Neutralizing the activity of LRP-1 with receptor-associated protein (RAP) increased Rac1 activation and cell migration in MEFs and L929 cells. The same parameters were unaffected by RAP in uPAR MEFs, prepared from uPAR gene knockout embryos, and in uPAR-deficient LM-TK cells. Untreated uPAR MEFs demonstrated substantially increased Rac1 activation compared with uPAR MEFs. In addition to Rac1, LRP-1 suppressed activation of extracellular signal– regulated kinase (ERK) in MEFs; however, it was Rac1 (and not ERK) that was responsible for the effects of LRP-1 on MEF migration. Thus, LRP-1 regulates two signaling proteins in the same cell (Rac1 and ERK), both of which may impact on cell migration. In uPAR-negative cells, LRP-1 neutralization does not affect Rac1 activation, and other mechanisms by which LRP-1 may regulate cell migration are not unmasked

Las consecuencias del estigma en familiares de pacientes: un estudio en establecimientos, servicios y programas de salud mental

La Colonia Nacional Montes de Oca es una institución neuropsiquiátrica dependiente del Ministerio de Salud de la Nación en la que se ha desarrollado un programa que comprende la externación y alojamiento de pacientes en Centros de Atención, como hogares y residencias comunitarias. Tales instituciones promueven la convivencia de un pequeño número de pacientes, brindan asistencia integral a cargo de un equipo interdisciplinario de salud y aseguran los servicios de apoyo necesarios para la rehabilitación e integración social. Los objetivos de la investigación fueron: a) caracterizar los procesos de externación asistida destinados a pacientes institucionalizados bajo modalidad de internación crónica; b) indagar diferenciass en la calidad de vida de los usuarios de dispositivos residenciales comunitarios respecto de pacientes alojados en servicios de internación crónica; c) evaluar el prejuicio hacia pacientes atendidos bajo las distintas modalidades asistenciales. El diseño metodológico, transversal y descriptivo, comprendió el empleo de instrumentos de relevamiento adaptados (instrumento GENCAT para evaluación de la calidad de vida) y elaborados por el equipo técnico (guías de relevamiento). Abarcaron a todos los centros residenciales de base comunitaria, según las siguientes variables: a) perfil de usuarios; b) cobertura de Atención; c) modalidad de tratamiento; d) utilización de servicios sociales y sanitarios; e) egresos y retornos a la Institución; e) principales barreras u obstáculos identificados. Se efectuó seguidamente la evaluación de pacientes atendidos en tales dispositivos de base comunitaria y su comparación con aquellos que continuaron recibiendo atención en servicios de internación crónica. Para tal fin, se especificaron las variables de corte para el análisis de los resultados, los cuales arrojaron las siguientes conclusiones: los dispositivos comunitarios exhiben indicadores favorables de gestión administrativa que se expresan en una reducción de los costos por paciente y un menor ausentismo registrado del personal asistencial; se observan mejor desempeño de los indicadores vinculados a la percepción de una mejor calidad de vida en los pacientes tratados bajo la modalidad de externación asistida en dispositivos residenciales comunitarios; las actitudes y conductas discriminatorias hacia los pacientes se incrementan en quienes acreditan más tiempo de internación en la Colonia y expresan mayores niveles de discapacidad funcional.Colonia Montes de Oca National is a neuropsychiatric establishment controlled by the Ministry of Health of the Nation in which it has been developed a program that includes the going out of the main institution and the accommodation of this patients in care centers such as homes and community residences. Such institutions promote the coexistence of a small number of patients, provide complete assistance by an interdisciplinary team of health and assure the necessary support services for rehabilitation and social integration. The objectives of the research were: a) To characterize the process of going out of the institution applied to chronic patients; b) To investigate the differences in quality of life between patients of residential communities and chronic patients; c) To evaluate the prejudice toward patients treated under both modalities. The research design, transversal and descriptive, was carried out by instruments of survey like GENCAT (evaluates the quality of life) and created by the technical team. This was applied to all the residential communities, characterized by the following variables: a) Users profile; b) Care Coverage; c) Outpatient or inpatient modality; d) Use of social and health services; e) Exits and returns to the institution; e) Main obstacles identified. Then, the patients that are in this community centers were evaluated comparing them with the ones who continued like chronic patients. For this purpose, they settled the cut variables for the results analysis, which threw the following conclusions: a) The community devices show a favorable indications of administrative management which are expressed in the reduction of cost per patient and a minor absenteeism registered of the assistance staff; b) A better performance of the indicators linked to the perception of a higher quality of life in patients treated under the modalityof outside-institution in residential communities; c) The attitudes and discriminatory behaviours towards patients increases in people that have more time in the institution and they have higherlevels of functional disability