Descritpion of a double mutant strain of Drosophila melanogaster useful for genetic laboratory courses.

Many years ago, individuals showing drastically reduced eyes arose in our laboratory e (ebony) strain (Bridges and Morgan, 1923). We selected those flies presenting both traits and constituted a new double mutant strain e su (e, ebony; su, 'sense ulls', eyes drastically reduced). Both mutations were linked and located in the chromosome III. We used this strain in linkage analyses with our undergraduate students. [...

A hands-on genetics teaching approach at university level.

Teaching general Genetics is a cornerstone of a large number of university degrees. Being a scientific topic, laboratory classes are an essential element in student-centered learning. Here, we present our experience in implementing new material for teaching hands-on genetics, a subject of interest for other academic professionals in the field of Genetics. Our students carry out a genetic analysis of the su (sense ulls) mutation of Drosophila melanogaster, which produces a drastic eye reduction. The complete strain description can be found in Mestres et al. (2016a). The aim of the course is to give students the appropriate genetics tools to answer the three following questions: 1) Is the su mutation dominant or recessive? 2) In which chromosome is su located? 3) Can we identify in which gene the su mutation is

Aislamientos nativos de Trichoderma harzianum inducen resistencia a Zymoseptoria tritici en plantas de trigo

Trichoderma harzianum inducting resistance to Zymoseptoria tritici. Septoria tritici blotch is endemic in the wheat growing cultivated areas of Argentina, which impacts in the crop yield. One management strategy is to use biocontrol agents. The objective of this work was to determine the effectiveness of Trichoderma spp. isolated from soils of different growing regions, as antagonist and characterize the T. harzianum effect throughout the proteolytic activity of the serine protease in the wheat plant. To determine the antagonistic capacities of Trichoderma spp. against Zimoseptoria tritici, wheat plants were grown from seeds coated with each of the ninety isolated Trichoderma. Antagonism was assessed 21 days after inoculation by the capacity of each Trichoderma spp. isolate to restrict the progress of the disease. To measure the increasing proteolytic activity, ten isolated T. harzianum characterized by their inhibitory effect over the pathogen, were chosen. Four isolates of the antagonist (strain 2 and 8, from Los Hornos and 129 and 141 from Manfredi localities) simultaneously decreased the pycnidial coverage percentage with a noted increasing of the serine-protease activity in the susceptible wheat cultivar. This behavior is associated to a biochemical mechanism of defense with an early systemic effect.La Septoriosis del trigo es endémica en las regiones productoras de Argentina, impactando en su rendimiento. Una alternativa de manejo, es el uso de agentes de biocontrol. Se propuso: determinar la efectividad de los aislamientos de Trichoderma obtenidos a partir de suelos de diferentes localidades de la región triguera argentina, sobre el control de la enfermedad y caracterizar la actividad de la serín proteasa (con capacidad antifúngica) del fluido intercelular de trigo generada por los mejores aislamientos. Para determinar la capacidad biocontroladora de los 90 aislamientos de Trichoderma, se sembraron semillas recubiertas con cada uno de los antagonistas y posteriormente las plántulas se inocularon con Zymoseptoria tritici. Se evaluó la capacidad de cada aislamiento del biocontrolador para restringir el progreso de la septoriosis 21 días después de la inoculación. A las plantas tratadas con las 10 mejores cepas de T. harzianum, se les midió el incremento de la actividad proteolítica. Cuatro de los aislamientos (2 y 8, de Los Hornos y 129 y 141 de Manfredi) disminuyeron el porcentaje de cobertura picnidial y se destacaron por el aumento de la actividad proteolítica en un cultivar susceptible. Éste comportamiento se asocia a un mecanismo bioquímico de defensa con un efecto sistémico temprano.Fil: Stocco, Marina Celeste. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Centro En Investigación de Fitopatología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Mansilla, Andrea Yamila. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Mónaco, Cecilia I.. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Centro En Investigación de Fitopatología; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Segarra, Carmen Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Lampugnani, Gladys. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales; ArgentinaFil: Abramoff, Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales; ArgentinaFil: Marchetti, Maria Fernanda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Kripelz, Natalia. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Centro En Investigación de Fitopatología; ArgentinaFil: Cordo, Cristina C.. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Centro En Investigación de Fitopatología; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Consolo, Verónica Fabiana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones En Biodiversidad y Biotecnología; Argentin

The European Renal Association - European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) Registry Annual Report 2016 : a summary

Background. This article summarizes the ERA-EDTA Registry's 2016 Annual Report, by describing the epidemiology of renal replacement therapy (RRT) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in 2016 within 36 countries. Methods. In 2017 and 2018, the ERA-EDTA Registry received data on patients undergoing RRT for ESRD in 2016 from 52 national or regional renal registries. In all, 32 registries provided individual patient data and 20 provided aggregated data. The incidence and prevalence of RRT and the survival probabilities of these patients were determined. Results. In 2016, the incidence of RRT for ESRD was 121 per million population (pmp), ranging from 29 pmp in Ukraine to 251 pmp in Greece. Almost two-thirds of patients were men, over half were aged >= 65 years and almost a quarter had diabetes mellitus as their primary renal diagnosis. Treatment modality at the start of RRT was haemodialysis for 84% of patients. On 31 December 2016, the prevalence of RRT was 823 pmp, ranging from 188 pmp in Ukraine to 1906 pmp in Portugal. In 2016, the transplant rate was 32 pmp, varying from 3 pmp in Ukraine to 94 pmp in the Spanish region of Catalonia. For patients commencing RRT during 2007-11, the 5-year unadjusted patient survival probability on all RRT modalities combined was 50.5%. For 2016, the incidence and prevalence of RRT were higher among men (187 and 1381 pmp) than women (101 and 827 pmp), and men had a higher rate of kidney transplantation (59 pmp) compared with women (33 pmp). For patients starting dialysis and for patients receiving a kidney transplant during 2007-11, the adjusted patient survival probabilities appeared to be higher for women than for men.Peer reviewe

Usefulness of bone turnover markers as predictors of mortality risk, disease progression and skeletal-related events appearance in patients with prostate cancer with bone metastases following treatment with zoledronic acid: TUGAMO study

Owing to the limited validity of clinical data on the treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) and bone metastases, biochemical markers are a promising tool for predicting survival, disease progression and skeletal-related events (SREs) in these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive capacity of biochemical markers of bone turnover for mortality risk, disease progression and SREs in patients with PCa and bone metastases undergoing treatment with zoledronic acid (ZA). Methods: This was an observational, prospective and multicenter study in which ninety-eight patients were included. Patients were treated with ZA (4mg every 4 weeks for 18 months). Data were collected at baseline and 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months after the beginning of treatment. Serum levels of bone alkaline phosphtase (BALP), aminoterminal propeptide of procollagen type I (P1NP) and beta-isomer of carboxiterminal telopeptide of collagen I (b-CTX) were analysed at all points in the study. Data on disease progression, SREs development and survival were recorded. Results: Cox regression models with clinical data and bone markers showed that the levels of the three markers studied were predictive of survival time, with b-CTX being especially powerful, in which a lack of normalisation in visit 1 (3 months after the beginning of treatment) showed a 6.3-times more risk for death than in normalised patients. Levels of these markers were also predictive for SREs, although in this case BALP and P1NP proved to be better predictors. We did not find any relationship between bone markers and disease progression. Conclusion: In patients with PCa and bone metastases treated with ZA, b-CTX and P1NP can be considered suitable predictors for mortality risk, while BALP and P1NP are appropriate for SREs. The levels of these biomarkers 3 months after the beginning of treatment are especially importantThis study was supported by Novartis Oncology Spai

Zika virus infection in pregnancy: a protocol for the joint analysis of the prospective cohort studies of the ZIKAlliance, ZikaPLAN and ZIKAction consortia

INTRODUCTION: Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in pregnancy has been associated with microcephaly and severe neurological damage to the fetus. Our aim is to document the risks of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes and the prevalence of laboratory markers of congenital infection in deliveries to women experiencing ZIKV infection during pregnancy, using data from European Commission-funded prospective cohort studies in 20 centres in 11 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will carry out a centre-by-centre analysis of the risks of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, comparing women with confirmed and suspected ZIKV infection in pregnancy to those with no evidence of infection in pregnancy. We will document the proportion of deliveries in which laboratory markers of congenital infection were present. Finally, we will investigate the associations of trimester of maternal infection in pregnancy, presence or absence of maternal symptoms of acute ZIKV infection and previous flavivirus infections with adverse outcomes and with markers of congenital infection. Centre-specific estimates will be pooled using a two-stage approach. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was obtained at each centre. Findings will be presented at international conferences and published in peer-reviewed open access journals and discussed with local public health officials and representatives of the national Ministries of Health, Pan American Health Organization and WHO involved with ZIKV prevention and control activities

Memòria final del projecte: Disseny de noves pràctiques d’Anàlisi Genètica. Integració entre treball experimental de laboratori i bioinformàtic.

Projecte: 2015PID-UB/010Les pràctiques de l’assignatura Genètica: Anàlisi genètica, comunes als grau de Biologia, Bioquímica, Biotecnologia i Ciències biomèdiques, necessitaven una millora substancial. S’havien posat en marxa quan van començar a impartir-se els nous graus en la nostra universitat, i era evident pel col·lectiu de professors de la matèria que calia actualitzar-les i millorar-les. El nostre objectiu principal era posar a punt noves pràctiques que permetessin als alumnes ser competents en l’àmbit de l’anàlisi genètica i d’integrar els experiments al laboratori amb la recerca d’informació a les bases de dades informàtiques especialitzades. Aquest perfil doble, laboratori i informàtica, és molt valorat actualment en el mercat laboral. En la realització del projecte hem posat a punt tres pràctiques noves i una d’elles l’hem introduït en el curs lectiu 15-16. El salt de qualitat docent ha estat important i reconegut tant en la nostra auto-avaluació com a equip de professor com pels estudiants. En aquest darrer cas hem avaluat el seu nivell de satisfacció amb enquestes i entrevistes. La pràctica nova ha funcionat molt bé, però cal millorar la integració de calendari entre sessions de laboratori i orinador, així com amb les classes de teoria. Hem fet difusió de la nostra experiència docent (congrés EDULEARN16) i pensem també compartir-la amb d’altres docents universitaris, nacionals i estrangers, mitjançant noves publicacions.Subcomissió de Millora i Innovació Docent de la CACG, el Vicerectorat de Política Docent i el PMID. Universitat de Barcelon

Memòria final del projecte: Disseny de noves pràctiques d’Anàlisi Genètica. Integració entre treball experimental de laboratori i bioinformàtic.

Projecte: 2015PID-UB/010Les pràctiques de l’assignatura Genètica: Anàlisi genètica, comunes als grau de Biologia, Bioquímica, Biotecnologia i Ciències biomèdiques, necessitaven una millora substancial. S’havien posat en marxa quan van començar a impartir-se els nous graus en la nostra universitat, i era evident pel col·lectiu de professors de la matèria que calia actualitzar-les i millorar-les. El nostre objectiu principal era posar a punt noves pràctiques que permetessin als alumnes ser competents en l’àmbit de l’anàlisi genètica i d’integrar els experiments al laboratori amb la recerca d’informació a les bases de dades informàtiques especialitzades. Aquest perfil doble, laboratori i informàtica, és molt valorat actualment en el mercat laboral. En la realització del projecte hem posat a punt tres pràctiques noves i una d’elles l’hem introduït en el curs lectiu 15-16. El salt de qualitat docent ha estat important i reconegut tant en la nostra auto-avaluació com a equip de professor com pels estudiants. En aquest darrer cas hem avaluat el seu nivell de satisfacció amb enquestes i entrevistes. La pràctica nova ha funcionat molt bé, però cal millorar la integració de calendari entre sessions de laboratori i orinador, així com amb les classes de teoria. Hem fet difusió de la nostra experiència docent (congrés EDULEARN16) i pensem també compartir-la amb d’altres docents universitaris, nacionals i estrangers, mitjançant noves publicacions.Subcomissió de Millora i Innovació Docent de la CACG, el Vicerectorat de Política Docent i el PMID. Universitat de Barcelon

Trichoderma spp. as elicitors of wheat plant defense responses against Septoria tritici

Leaf blotch of wheat is a widespread and highly active disease that affects wheat production. In addition to the use of chemicals and proper cultivation methods, microbial antagonists are used to control plant pathogens. Trichoderma spp. stimulate a systemic induced response in plants. Therefore, the efficacy of Trichoderma spp. against wheat leaf blotch was evaluated under greenhouse conditions. The susceptible plants were sprayed with Septoria tritici conidiospores. In order to select an efficient method of pretreatment with Trichoderma spp., leaf spraying and seed coating with 14 isolates were tested in 2003 and 2004. The extent of leaf necrosis area and pycnidial coverage was estimated. Antagonism was assessed by the capacity of each Trichoderma spp. isolate to restrict the progress of leaf blotch, 21 days after inoculation. Of the two methods, seed coating was more efficacious against leaf blotch than leaf spraying. Amongst the 14 isolates tested, the isolate prepared from T. harzianum (Th5) produced the highest level of protection. None of the treatments caused changes in plant stem diameter or dry weight. Trichoderma spp. did not get into leaves while S. tritici was present, even in asymptomatic leaf extracts. In addition, the leaf apoplast antifungal proteolytic activity was measured in plants 7, 15, and 22 days after sowing. This antifungal action decreased in plants only inoculated with S. tritici, but increased in those grown from seeds coated with the T. harzianum (Th5) isolate. This increase conferred resistance to the susceptible wheat cultivar. The endogenous germin-like protease inhibitor coordinated the proteolytic action. These results suggest that T. harzianum stimulates a biochemical systemic induced response against leaf blotch