mRNA-Seq Analysis of the Pseudoperonospora cubensis Transcriptome During Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Infection

Pseudoperonospora cubensis, an oomycete, is the causal agent of cucurbit downy mildew, and is responsible for significant losses on cucurbit crops worldwide. While other oomycete plant pathogens have been extensively studied at the molecular level, Ps. cubensis and the molecular basis of its interaction with cucurbit hosts has not been well examined. Here, we present the first large-scale global gene expression analysis of Ps. cubensis infection of a susceptible Cucumis sativus cultivar, ‘Vlaspik’, and identification of genes with putative roles in infection, growth, and pathogenicity. Using high throughput whole transcriptome sequencing, we captured differential expression of 2383 Ps. cubensis genes in sporangia and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 days post-inoculation (dpi). Additionally, comparison of Ps. cubensis expression profiles with expression profiles from an infection time course of the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans on Solanum tuberosum revealed similarities in expression patterns of 1,576–6,806 orthologous genes suggesting a substantial degree of overlap in molecular events in virulence between the biotrophic Ps. cubensis and the hemi-biotrophic P. infestans. Co-expression analyses identified distinct modules of Ps. cubensis genes that were representative of early, intermediate, and late infection stages. Collectively, these expression data have advanced our understanding of key molecular and genetic events in the virulence of Ps. cubensis and thus, provides a foundation for identifying mechanism(s) by which to engineer or effect resistance in the host

Programa de investigación en química teórica y quimiometría

IP 1101-05-129-8

A deeper analysis in thyroid research: A meta-epidemiological study of the American Thyroid Association clinical guidelines.

BackgroundThe American Thyroid Association (ATA) uses the GRADE or the American College of Physicians (ACP) system to develop recommendations. Recommendations based on low-quality evidence should spur for the conduction of clinical studies, if feasible. The extent to which recommendations by the ATA based on low-quality of evidence are being actively researched remains unknown.MethodsClinical guidelines produced by the ATA using the GRADE or the ACP system to classify evidence were deemed eligible. Reviewers, in duplicate and independently, extracted therapeutic recommendations based on low-quality evidence, whereas recommendations with higher quality of evidence, aimed at diagnosis, or best practice statements were excluded. Eligible recommendations based on low-quality evidence were deconstructed to their components using the PICO format. We then searched on clinicaltrials.gov to identify ongoing research. Trials were deemed eligible if they addressed the PICO question with at least one of the intended outcomes.ResultsA total of 543 recommendations were retrieved, of which 305 (56%) were based on low-quality of evidence and only 90 were deemed eligible. Of these, we found that 33 (37%) recommendations were actively being researched in 53 clinical trials. Most of the trials were randomized and funded by non-profit organizations. Many clinical trials studied thyroid nodules and differentiated thyroid cancer (26/53; 49%), whereas few studied were aimed at anaplastic thyroid cancer (2/53; 4%).ConclusionOne out of three of gaps in evidence, identified as low quality during the development of ATA guidelines, are currently actively researched. This finding calls for the need to develop a better research infrastructure and funding to support thyroid research

Ocular Histopathologic Features of Congenital Zika Syndrome

Congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) is known to be associated with severe malformations in newborns. Although microcephaly is the hallmark of this disease, the ocular findings are important given the severe visual impairment that has been observed in these patients. Regardless of the increased number of CZS cases reported, to date, no studies have described the ocular histopathologic findings of this entity. To evaluate the presence of Zika virus (ZIKV) antigens and describe the associated ocular histopathologic features of 4 cases of CZS. In this observational case series performed from June 19, 2015, through April 30, 2017, ocular tissue samples from 4 deceased fetuses with a diagnosis of CZS from the National Institute of Health in Colombia were sent to the Florida Lions Ocular Pathology Laboratory for evaluation. The microscopic features of each specimen were described, and immunostaining was performed using a ZIKV NS2B protein antibody. Ocular tissue samples from the 4 deceased fetuses (2 female, 2 male) ranging from 21.5 to 29 weeks' gestation with a diagnosis of CZS were studied. The 4 eyes manifested with pupillary membranes, immature anterior chamber angles, loss of pigment and thinning of the retinal pigment epithelium, choroidal thinning, undifferentiated nuclear layers of the retina, and a perivascular inflammatory infiltrate within the choroid. The optic nerve, present in 2 of the eyes, demonstrated atrophy. Expression of ZIKV antigen was present in the iris in cases 1, 3, and 4; the neural retina and choroid in case 1; and in the optic nerve in case 4. Loss of retinal pigment epithelium, the presence of a thin choroid, a perivascular choroidal inflammatory infiltrate, and atrophic changes within the optic nerve were consistently present. These findings may be attributed to ZIKV infection and warrant further study

Long-term outcomes of Guillain-Barré syndrome possibly associated with Zika virus infection.

BackgroundThis prospective cohort investigation analyzed the long-term functional and neurologic outcomes of patients with Zika virus-associated Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in Barranquilla, Colombia.MethodsThirty-four Zika virus-associated GBS cases were assessed a median of 17 months following acute GBS illness. We assessed demographics, results of Overall Disability Sum Scores (ODSS), Hughes Disability Score (HDS), Zung Depression Scale (ZDS), and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) questionnaires; and compared outcomes indices with a normative sample of neighborhood-selected control subjects in Barranquilla without GBS.ResultsMedian age at time of acute neurologic onset was 49 years (range, 10-80); 17 (50%) were male. No deaths occurred. At long-term follow-up, 25 (73%) patients had a HDS 0-1, indicating complete / near complete recovery. Among the group, HDS (mean 1.4, range 0-4), ODSS (mean 1.9, range 0-9) and ZDS score (mean 34.4, range 20-56) indicated mild / moderate ongoing disability. Adjusting for age and sex, Zika virus-associated GBS cases were similar to a population comparison group (n = 368) in Barranquilla without GBS in terms of prevalence of physical or mental health complaints, though GBS patients were more likely to have an ODSS of ≥ 1 (OR 8.8, 95% CI 3.2-24.5) and to suffer from moderate / moderate-severe depression (OR 3.89, 95% CI 1.23-11.17) than the comparison group.ConclusionsLong-term outcomes of Zika virus-associated GBS are consistent with those associated with other antecedent antigenic stimuli in terms of mortality and ongoing long-term morbidity, as published in the literature. Persons with Zika virus-associated GBS more frequently reported disability and depression after approximately one year compared with those without GBS

Colombia diversidad biótica XIX : Selvas transicionales de Cumaribo (Vichada – Colombia)

ilustraciones, fotografías, mapasEl presente volumen documenta la caracterización biofísica de las selvas transicionales de Cumaribo realizada por investigadores del Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Conservación del Instituto de Ciencias Naturales de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia (Rangel-Ch. et al., en este volumen), como resultado del convenio de cooperación suscrito con Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia, para la generación de información base para los procesos de declaratoria de nuevas áreas. En particular, los resultados de la caracterización biofísica indicaron que el territorio de las selvas transicionales de Cumaribo presenta una alta importancia ecológica con muestras de ecosistemas que se encuentran con una baja o nula representatividad en el SINAP. Estos ecosistemas tienen altos valores de biodiversidad y mantienen las condiciones ideales para la conservación de especies de flora y fauna, donde sobresalen grupos de mamíferos, reptiles, aves, anfibios, mariposas y crustáceos. Varias de las especies registradas en el área se encuentran bajo categorías de amenaza según la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN), o se encuentran en los apéndices I y II de la Convención sobre el Comercio Interna- cional de Especies Amenazadas de Fauna y Flora Silvestres (CITES). Así mismo, a partir de los resultados obtenidos se pudieron identificar nuevos registros de flora y fauna para la región. (texto tomado de la fuente)GEOLOGÍA Y GEOMORFOLOGÍA EN EL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / Geology and geomorphology in the territory of the transitional jungle of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia) -CARACTERIZACIÓN CLIMÁTICA DEL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / Climatic characterization of the territory of the transitional jungle of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia) -- LA VEGETACIÓN EN EL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA): COMPOSICIÓN FLORÍSTICA Y PRINCIPALES ASPECTOS ESTRUCTURALES / The vegetation in the territory of the transitional jungle of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia): floristic composition and main structural aspects -- RIQUEZA Y DIVERSIDAD DE LAS PLANTAS CON FLORES EN EL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / Richness and diversity patterns of flowering plants in the territory of the transitional jungle of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia) -- SUELOS EN EL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA): ASPECTOS FÍSICOS Y QUÍMICOS CON BASE EN REVISIÓN BIBLIOGRÁFICA / Soils in the territory of the transitional jungle of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia): Physical and chemical aspects based on bibliographic review -- CARACTERIZACIÓN BIOCLIMÁTICA EN EL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / Bioclimatic characterization in the territory of transitional jungle of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia) -- FLORA Y VEGETACIÓN ACUÁTICA EN EL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / Flowering plants and aquatic vegetation in the territory of transitional jungles of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia) -- USOS POTENCIALES Y CATEGORÍAS DE RIESGO DE LAS PLANTAS CON FLORES EN EL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / Potential uses and categories of risk of the flowering plants in the territory of the transitional jungle of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia) -- CRUSTÁCEOS-DECÁPODOS EN EL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / Crustaceans-decapods in the territory of the transitional jungle of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia) -- DIVERSIDAD DE MARIPOSAS (LEPIDOPTERA: PAPILIONIDAE-HESPERIOIDAE) EN EL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / Diversity of butterflies (lepidoptera: papilionidae-hesperiidae) in the territory of the transitional jungle of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia) -- RIQUEZA Y DIVERSIDAD DE LA COMUNIDAD DE AVES EN EL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / Richness and diversity of bird community in the territory of the transitional jungles of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia) Elkin Rodríguez-Ortiz -- LOMBRICES DEL SUELO EN EL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / Earthworms in the territory of the transitional jungle of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia) -- ANFIBIOS Y REPTILES EN EL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) Amphibians and reptiles in the territory of the transitional jungle of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia) -- MAMÍFEROS EN EL TERRITORIO SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / Mammals in the territory of the transitional jungle of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia) -- CARACTERIZACIÓN DE LA COMUNIDAD ÍCTICA EN EL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / Characterization of the ictical community in the territory of the transitional jungles of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia) -- LA CARTOGRAFÍA DE LA VEGETACIÓN, LOS ECOSISTEMAS Y LAS AMENAZAS EN EL TERRITORIO DE LAS SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / The cartography of vegetation, ecosystems and Threats in the transitional jungles of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia) -- SERVICIOS ECOSISTÉMICOS EN EL TERRITORIO SELVAS TRANSICIONALES DE CUMARIBO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / Ecosystem services in the transitional jungle territory of Cumaribo, Vichada (Colombia)primera edició