Contaminación bacteriana de Productos Cárnicos Ovinos Comercializados en la Meseta Central de México

El estudio se realizó para evaluar la contaminación microbiológica de las canales de ovino comercializadas en el Altiplano Central Mexicano, durante el período Primavera - Verano 2012. Se recolectaron muestras en tres expendios mayoristas de las canales de ovino antes de la refrigeración, las manos de los trabajadores, y los cuchillos, utilizando la técnica de hisopo húmedo. Las muestras se analizaron para Cuenta Total de Aerobios Viables (TAVC), Cuenta Coliformes Totales (CCT) y Cuenta Coliformes Fecales (FCC), los conteos se determinaron por el método de recuento estándar en placa. Las medias de TAVC de las canales de ovino, las manos del personal, y los cuchillos fueron de 0,99 ± 0,81, 0,78 ± 0,53y 1,84 ± 0,28 log10UFC / mL, respectivamente; no se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas (P <0,05). La media de TCC para las canales fue de 0,74 ± 0,56 log10 UFC / mL y 0,36 ± 0,48 log10UFC/mL para cuchillos, no se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas (P <0,05). No se detectaron FCC en las canales de ovino, el personal y los cuchillos. Los resultados indicaron buenas condiciones higiénicas y de manipulación durante los canales de comercialización

Cardiotrophin-1 defends the liver against ischemia-reperfusion injury and mediates the protective effect of ischemic preconditioning

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) liver injury occurs when blood flow is restored after prolonged ischemia. A short interruption of blood flow (ischemic preconditioning [IP]) induces tolerance to subsequent prolonged ischemia through ill-defined mechanisms. Cardiotrophin (CT)-1, a cytokine of the interleukin-6 family, exerts hepatoprotective effects and activates key survival pathways like JAK/STAT3. Here we show that administration of CT-1 to rats or mice protects against I/R liver injury and that CT-1-deficient mice are exceedingly sensitive to this type of damage. IP markedly reduced transaminase levels and abrogated caspase-3 and c-Jun-NH2-terminal kinase activation after I/R in normal mice but not in CT-1-null mice. Moreover, the protective effect afforded by IP was reduced by previous administration of neutralizing anti-CT-1 antibody. Prominent STAT3 phosphorylation in liver tissue was observed after IP plus I/R in normal mice but not in CT-1-null mice. Oxidative stress, a process involved in IP-induced hepatoprotection, was found to stimulate CT-1 release from isolated hepatocytes. Interestingly, brief ischemia followed by short reperfusion caused mild serum transaminase elevation and strong STAT3 activation in normal and IL-6-deficient mice, but failed to activate STAT3 and provoked marked hypertransaminasemia in CT-1-null animals. In conclusion, CT-1 is an essential endogenous defense of the liver against I/R and is a key mediator of the protective effect induced by IP

Overcoming class II-linked non-responsiveness to hepatitis B vaccine

This work shows that class II-linked humoral lack of response to an antigen can be overcome by joint immunization with the antigen and a T-helper cell determinant (TDh) well recognized by class II molecules of a non-responder individual. Thus, SJL/J mice (H-2s), which are non-responders to the S region of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg), were rendered responders by joint immunization with a recombinant surface antigen, only composed of the S region, and a short synthetic TDh peptide well recognized by the H-2s restriction. By contrast, when this peptide is not recognized as TDh, as in B10M mice (H-2f restricted and also non-responders to the S region), no humoral response could be induced against the S region. These results have important implications for therapy and vaccination against hepatitis B virus as well as in enhancing the immunogenicity of other antigens

Epigenetic mechanisms in gastric cancer: potential new therapeutic opportunities

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the deadliest malignancies worldwide. Complex disease heterogeneity, late diagnosis, and suboptimal therapies result in the poor prognosis of patients. Besides genetic alterations and environmental factors, it has been demonstrated that alterations of the epigenetic machinery guide cancer onset and progression, representing a hallmark of gastric malignancies. Moreover, epigenetic mechanisms undergo an intricate crosstalk, and distinct epigenomic profiles can be shaped under different microenvironmental contexts. In this scenario, targeting epigenetic mechanisms could be an interesting therapeutic strategy to overcome gastric cancer heterogeneity, and the efforts conducted to date are delivering promising results. In this review, we summarize the key epigenetic events involved in gastric cancer development. We conclude with a discussion of new promising epigenetic strategies for gastric cancer treatment

Low surface expression of B7-1 (CD80) is an immunoescape mechanism of colon carcinoma

Artificially enforced expression of CD80 (B7-1) and CD86 (B7-2) on tumor cells renders them more immunogenic by triggering the CD28 receptor on T cells. The enigma is that such B7s interact with much higher affinity with CTLA-4 (CD152), an inhibitory receptor expressed by activated T cells. We show that unmutated CD80 is spontaneously expressed at low levels by mouse colon carcinoma cell lines and other transplantable tumor cell lines of various tissue origins. Silencing of CD80 by interfering RNA led to loss of tumorigenicity of CT26 colon carcinoma in immunocompetent mice, but not in immunodeficient Rag-/- mice. CT26 tumor cells bind CTLA-4Ig, but much more faintly with a similar CD28Ig chimeric protein, thus providing an explanation for the dominant inhibitory effects on tumor immunity displayed by CD80 at that expression level. Interestingly, CD80-negative tumor cell lines such as MC38 colon carcinoma and B16 melanoma express CD80 at dim levels during in vivo growth in syngeneic mice. Therefore, low CD80 surface expression seems to give an advantage to cancer cells against the immune system. Our findings are similar with the inhibitory role described for the dim CD80 expression on immature dendritic cells, providing an explanation for the low levels of CD80 expression described in various human malignancies

Evidence of a landlocked reproducing population of the marine pejerrey Odontesthes argentinensis (Actinopterygii; Atherinopsidae)

In South America, the order Atheriniformes includes the monophyletic genus Odontesthes with 20 species that inhabit freshwater, estuarine and coastal environments. Pejerrey Odontesthes argentinensis is widely distributed in coastal and estuarine areas of the Atlantic Ocean and is known to foray into estuaries of river systems, particularly in conditions of elevated salinity. However, to our knowledge, a landlocked self‐sustaining population has never been recorded. In this study, we examined the pejerrey population of Salada de Pedro Luro Lake (south‐east of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina) to clarify its taxonomic identity. An integrative taxonomic analysis based on traditional meristic, landmark‐based morphometrics and genetic techniques suggests that the Salada de Pedro Luro pejerrey population represents a novel case of physiological and morphological adaptation of a marine pejerrey species to a landlocked environment and emphasises the environmental plasticity of this group of fishesFil: Colautti, Dario César. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Miranda, Leandro Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús). Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús); ArgentinaFil: González Castro, M.. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Villanova, Vanina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Strüssmann, Carlos A.. Tokyo University Of Marine Science And Technology; JapónFil: Mancini, Miguel Alberto. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto; ArgentinaFil: Maiztegui, Tomás. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Berasain, Gustavo. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Asuntos Agrarios; ArgentinaFil: Hattori, Ricardo Shohei. Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology; JapónFil: Grosman, Manuel Fabián. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Sanzano, Pablo Miguel. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Lozano, I.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Llamazares Vegh, Sabina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Salinas, V.. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto; ArgentinaFil: Del Ponti, O.. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Fresno, P.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús). Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús); ArgentinaFil: Minotti, Priscilla Gail. Universidad Nacional de San Martín; ArgentinaFil: Yamamoto, Y.. Tokyo University Of Marine Science And Technology; JapónFil: Baigún, C.. Universidad Nacional de San Martín; Argentin

The diagnostic value of liver biopsy

BACKGROUND: Since the introduction of molecular diagnostic tools such as markers for hepatitis C and different autoimmune diseases, liver biopsy is thought to be useful mainly for staging but not for diagnostic purposes. The aim was to review the liver biopsies for 5 years after introduction of testing for hepatitis C, in order to evaluate what diagnostic insights – if any – remain after serologic testing. METHODS: Retrospective review of all liver biopsies performed between 1.1.1995 and 31.12.1999 at an academic outpatient hepatology department. The diagnoses suspected in the biopsy note were compared with the final diagnosis arrived at during a joint meeting with the responsible clinicians and a hepatopathologist. RESULTS: In 365 patients, 411 diagnoses were carried out before biopsy. 84.4 % were confirmed by biopsy but in 8.8 %, 6.8 % and 10.5 % the diagnosis was specified, changed or a diagnosis added, respectively. Additional diagnoses of clinical relevance were unrecognized biliary obstruction and additional alcoholic liver disease in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Liver biopsy led to change in management for 12.1 % of patients. CONCLUSION: Even in the era of advanced virological, immunological and molecular genetic testing, liver biopsy remains a useful diagnostic tool. The yield is particularly high in marker negative patients but also in patients with a clear-cut prebiopsy diagnosis, liver biopsy can lead to changes in patient management

Epigenetic mechanisms and metabolic reprogramming in fibrogenesis: dual targeting of G9a and DNMT1 for the inhibition of liver fibrosis

OBJECTIVE: Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts is central to fibrogenesis. Epigenetic mechanisms, including histone and DNA methylation, play a key role in this process. Concerted action between histone and DNA-mehyltransferases like G9a and DNMT1 is a common theme in gene expression regulation. We aimed to study the efficacy of CM272, a first-in-class dual and reversible G9a/DNMT1 inhibitor, in halting fibrogenesis. DESIGN: G9a and DNMT1 were analysed in cirrhotic human livers, mouse models of liver fibrosis and cultured mouse HSC. G9a and DNMT1 expression was knocked down or inhibited with CM272 in human HSC (hHSC), and transcriptomic responses to transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1) were examined. Glycolytic metabolism and mitochondrial function were analysed with Seahorse-XF technology. Gene expression regulation was analysed by chromatin immunoprecipitation and methylation-specific PCR. Antifibrogenic activity and safety of CM272 were studied in mouse chronic CCl4 administration and bile duct ligation (BDL), and in human precision-cut liver slices (PCLSs) in a new bioreactor technology. RESULTS: G9a and DNMT1 were detected in stromal cells in areas of active fibrosis in human and mouse livers. G9a and DNMT1 expression was induced during mouse HSC activation, and TGFβ1 triggered their chromatin recruitment in hHSC. G9a/DNMT1 knockdown and CM272 inhibited TGFβ1 fibrogenic responses in hHSC. TGFβ1-mediated profibrogenic metabolic reprogramming was abrogated by CM272, which restored gluconeogenic gene expression and mitochondrial function through on-target epigenetic effects. CM272 inhibited fibrogenesis in mice and PCLSs without toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Dual G9a/DNMT1 inhibition by compounds like CM272 may be a novel therapeutic strategy for treating liver fibrosis

Forests as Commons – Changing Traditions and Governance in Europe

Commons are complex institutions and exist across the world in a wide range of situations regarding locally developed governance and management systems of many different natural resources. For many people commons remain associated with Hardin’s theory concerning the “Tragedy of the Commons” (1968), in which he assumed that local users of a natural resource are unable to formulate governance and management structures concerning their own choices that took into account the long-term sustainability of the resource itself. As a result, Hardin articulated that the tragedy was that the resource would inevitably become degraded in such situations and that the solution was private or public ownership. However, across Europe many forests have for a very long period of time successfully been managed as commons, just as they have in many other parts of the world. This chapter has three main aims: It will provide an introduction to the various types of commons before going on to link the issue of commons to the traditional forest landscapes of Europe, and it will look at how the role of forests and forest landscapes has changed and how it may change further in the future