Floristic records from the Balearic Islands (XVII)

Abstract not availabl

Prevalence of bla TEM-220 gene in Penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains carrying Toronto/Rio plasmid in Argentina, 2002 – 2011

BACKGROUND: Penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorroheae (PPNG) was first isolated in 1976. PPNG strains carrying bla(TEM-1) and bla(TEM-135) gene have been described in different countries. Recently, a novel bla(TEM-220) allele was detected in PPNG isolates carrying Toronto/Rio plasmid. The prevalence and characteristics of TEM-220 strains worldwide are unknown, and therefore, it needs to be studied. The purpose of this study was to detect bla(TEM-220) gene in PPNG strains possessing Toronto/Rio plasmid over a period of ten years in Argentina, and to evaluate the proportion of isolates producing non-TEM-220 containing the T539C substitution in the bla(TEM) allele. METHODS: One hundred and fifty one PPNG isolates carrying Toronto/Rio plasmid were studied between 2002 and 2011. A mismatch amplification mutation assay (MAMA) PCR was used to identify the T539C substitution in the bla(TEM) allele and a MAMA-PCR protocol was developed to detect the G547A substitution in the bla(TEM-220). The reference agar dilution method of the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) was used for susceptibility testing to five β-lactams antibiotics, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline and azithromycin. In all TEM-220-producing isolates, the whole bla(TEM) gene was sequenced and the isolates were typed using N. gonorroheae multiantigen sequence typing (NG-MAST). RESULTS: MAMA PCR successfully identified the G547A substitution in the bla(TEM-220) allele. The proportion of isolates that possessed the bla(TEM-220) allele was 2.6 %, and 93.2 % MAMA TEM-220 PCR-negative isolates showed the T539C substitution in the bla(TEM) gene. No differences in the susceptibility to five beta-lactam antibiotics tested were observed in PPNG isolates TEM-220-producing and PPNG isolates carrying the T539C substitution in the bla(TEM) gene. All TEM-220 isolates were indistinguishable by NG-MAST. CONCLUSION: This is the first study which shows the prevalence of bla(TEM-220) in N. gonorrhoeae isolates carrying Toronto/Rio plasmid in Argentina. Although the bla(TEM-220) allele does not appear to be associated with an extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) phenotype of resistance, a single nucleotide polymorphism added to the bla(TEM-220) or bla(TEM) containing the T539C substitution could lead to the emergence of ESBL. Thus, it is imperative to investigate in surveillance programs, not only the plasmid type in PPNG isolates and the bla(TEM) allele associated, but phenotypical characteristics and geographical distribution of isolates

Floristic records from Balearic Islands (XIII)

Abstract not availabl

Using genetically engineered mice to probe the role of bioactive lipids in prostate carcinogenesis

ReportProstate cancer (CaP) is the second most common cause of cancer death in North American men. CaP is characterized by stages that include aggressive forms that disseminate to other tissues. Tumors release factors that attract and activate cells of the immune system including macrophages. Exposure of macrophages to inflammatory stimuli results in the transcriptional activation of an anti-inflammatory phospholipase A2, platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) that inactivates PAF and other bioactive phospholipids. PAF-AH expression is dramatically increased in CaP compared to normal prostate tissues. During the tenure of this Award we used in vivo and in vitro methodologies to investigate whether PAF and PAF-AH participate in the pathogenesis of CaP. We generated PAF-AH-deficient mice in a model of PCa (the TRAMP model) that recapitulates many aspects of human CaP. We established that deficiency of PAF-AH in mice decreases survival and increases disease severity. Secondly, we established that CaP cells respond to stimulation with PAF by increasing calcium transients, activating MAP kinases, and increasing cellular proliferation. These results identified a key role for PAF and PAF-AH in the pathogenesis of CaP and provide us with a framework on which we will build the next research phase which includes targeting this pathway to develop novel strategies to treat human CaP

El desarrollo paisajístico-recreacional de los nuevos emprendimientos habitacionales

Mi actividad profesional ha sido fundamentalmente en el área privada. Cuando escuché a los profesionales que me han precedido en este encuentro padecer las situaciones en la relación con el Estado, siento por un lado que “debería trabajar también en eso para hacer algo más por nuestra comunidad” o la contraparte “qué suerte tengo en no meterme en estas cosas”. Esas son las dos sensaciones ambiguas que a uno le provoca. Pero, tal vez un poco por tradición familiar, siempre nos hemos dedicado a lo que es el área privada. En ella, me ha tocado en suerte hacer algunos diseños de emprendimientos urbanísticos, siempre referidos al área paisajística. De manera que eso es sobre lo que voy a hablar ahora

Mouse Plasminogen Has Oxidized Phosphatidylcholine Adducts That Are Not Metabolized by Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 under Basal Conditions

We previously showed that plasminogen (Plg) isolated from the plasma of normal human subjects contains 1–2 moles of oxidized phosphatidylcholine (oxPtdPC) adducts/mole of protein. Moreover, we suggested that these species are generated at the hepatic site and speculated that they may play a role in the reported cardiovascular pathogenicity of Plg. We aimed to determine whether mouse Plg also harbors linked oxPtdPCs and whether these molecules are metabolized by lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2/PAF acetylhydrolase (Lp-PLA2/PAF-AH), an enzyme specific for hydrolysis of oxPtdPCs. We determined the total concentration of Plg in plasma samples from control (WT) and Lp-PLA2-deficient (KO) mice, we isolated Plg, and assessed its content of oxPtdPCs by immunoblot analyses. We also evaluated whether human recombinant Lp-PLA2 metabolized Plg-linked oxPtdPCs in vivo and in vitro. WT and KO mice expressed comparable levels (14.4–15.8 mg/dL) of plasma Plg, as determined by ELISA. We observed no differences in the content of oxPtdPC in Plg isolated from the two mouse strains and in parallel no changes in oxPtdPC content in mouse Plg following incubation with pure recombinant Lp-PLA2. Plg from mouse plasma contains oxPtdPC adducts that are not affected by the action of Lp-PLA2, suggesting that linkage to Plg protects oxPtdPCs from metabolism during their transport in the plasma. This modification may have important physio-pathological implications related to the function of Plg, oxPtdPCs, or both

Designing a broad-spectrum integrative approach for cancer prevention and treatment

Targeted therapies and the consequent adoption of "personalized" oncology have achieved notablesuccesses in some cancers; however, significant problems remain with this approach. Many targetedtherapies are highly toxic, costs are extremely high, and most patients experience relapse after a fewdisease-free months. Relapses arise from genetic heterogeneity in tumors, which harbor therapy-resistantimmortalized cells that have adopted alternate and compensatory pathways (i.e., pathways that are notreliant upon the same mechanisms as those which have been targeted). To address these limitations, aninternational task force of 180 scientists was assembled to explore the concept of a low-toxicity "broad-spectrum" therapeutic approach that could simultaneously target many key pathways and mechanisms. Using cancer hallmark phenotypes and the tumor microenvironment to account for the various aspectsof relevant cancer biology, interdisciplinary teams reviewed each hallmark area and nominated a widerange of high-priority targets (74 in total) that could be modified to improve patient outcomes. For thesetargets, corresponding low-toxicity therapeutic approaches were then suggested, many of which werephytochemicals. Proposed actions on each target and all of the approaches were further reviewed forknown effects on other hallmark areas and the tumor microenvironment. Potential contrary or procar-cinogenic effects were found for 3.9% of the relationships between targets and hallmarks, and mixedevidence of complementary and contrary relationships was found for 7.1%. Approximately 67% of therelationships revealed potentially complementary effects, and the remainder had no known relationship. Among the approaches, 1.1% had contrary, 2.8% had mixed and 62.1% had complementary relationships. These results suggest that a broad-spectrum approach should be feasible from a safety standpoint. Thisnovel approach has potential to be relatively inexpensive, it should help us address stages and types ofcancer that lack conventional treatment, and it may reduce relapse risks. A proposed agenda for futureresearch is offered

Resisting Sparrow's Sexy Reductio : Selection Principles and the Social Good

http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/15265161.2010.482642Published versio