Human papillomavirus type 16 variants in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive carcinoma in San Luis Potosí City, Mexico

"Background In San Luis Potosí City cervical infection by human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) associated to dysplastic lesions is more prevalent in younger women. In this work HPV16 subtypes and variants associated to low-grade intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), high-grade intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) and invasive cervical cancer (ICC) of 38 women residing in San Luis Potosí City were identified by comparing their E6 open reading frame sequences. Results Three European (E) variants (E-P, n = 27; E-T350G, n = 7; E-C188G, n = 2) and one AA-a variant (n = 2) were identified among the 38 HPV16 sequences analyzed. E-P variant sequences contained 23 single nucleotide changes, two of which (A334G, A404T) had not been described before and allowed the phylogenetic separation from the other variants. E-P A334G sequences were the most prevalent (22 cases, 57.9%), followed by the E-P Ref prototype (8 cases, 21.1%) and E-P A404T (1 case, 2.6%) sequences. The HSIL + ICC fraction was 0.21 for the E-P A334G variants and 0.00 for the E-P Ref variants. Conclusion We conclude that in the women included in this study the HPV16 E subtype is 19 times more frequent than the AA subtype; that the circulating E variants are E-P (71.1%) > E-T350G (18.4%) > E-C188G (5.3%); that 71.0% of the E-P sequences carry the A334G single nucleotide change and appear to correspond to a HPV16 variant characteristic of San Luis Potosi City more oncogenic than the E-P Ref prototype.

Diseño y construcción de una fuente de tensión y corriente para sintetizar alúmina porosa nanoestructurada

In this work is exposed the design, calibration and use of a voltage and current source for the synthesis of nanostructured porous Al2O3 (NPA) films. The operation of the source is regulated by an ATMEGA 328 microcontroller on an ARDUINO NANO [1] development board by pulse width modulation (PWM) with 8 bit precision, in a range of voltages from 0 - 40V and currents from 1- 5.6 mA, with uncertainties in the measurements of 5%. The instrument calibration curves are shown, where we evidenced the linearity of the response and a good agreement was achieved between the values commanded at the source with the direct measurements of the bench multimeter for the working ranges. This source was used for the synthesis of 4 APN samples under different conditions looking for a thickness in the order of 1300 nm. Reflectance spectra were obtained using an Ocean Optics USB-4000 spectrometer, and analyzed using a transfer matrix model that takes into account porosity, thickness, roughness, and trace concentrations of Fe2O3 and CuO.[2] We found that APN film thicknesses cannot be explained by anodizing times and currents alone. The role of porosity in the formation of APN films suggests that it is a subject of further attention.En este trabajo presentamos el diseño, calibración y uso de una fuente de tensión y corriente para la síntesis de películas de Al2O3 porosa nanoestructurada (APN). El funcionamiento de la fuente se logra mediante en un microcontrolador ATMEGA 328 en una placa de desarrollo ARDUINO NANO [1] por modulación de ancho de pulso (PWM) con precisión de 8 bits, en un rango de tensiones de 0 - 40V y corrientes de 1 - 5 .6 mA, con incertezas en las mediciones de 5%. Se muestran las curvas de calibraciones del instrumento, donde evidenciamos la linealidad de la respuesta y se logró un buen acuerdo de los valores comandados en la fuente con las medidas directas de multímetro de banco para los rangos de trabajo. Utilizamos esta fuente para la síntesis de 4 muestras de APN bajo diferentes condiciones buscando un espesor del orden de los 1300 nm. Se obtuvieron los espectros de reflectancia mediante un espectrómetro Ocean Optics USB-4000, y se analizaron empleando un modelo de matriz de transferencia que tiene en cuenta la porosidad, espesor, rugosidad, y las concentraciones por vestigios de Fe2O3 y CuO l [2]. Encontramos que los espesores de las películas de APN no pueden explicarse solamente con los tiempos y corrientes de anodizado. El rol de la porosidad en la formación de las películas de APN sugiere ser un tema de mayor atención

Evaluation of milk production by cows on a diet supplemented with nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica) during the dry season

Evaluation was made of a bovine milk production system using a total of 11 cows in two groups: G1, which was fed a conventional type diet according to the season of the year –(a) grazing and concentrates during the rainy season, (b) corn stover and concentrates during the dry season; G2- which was fed as in G1 during the rainy season and with the addition of a supplement of cactus pear or nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica) at the rate of 1.77 kg of dry matter (14.88 kg of fresh material) daily. Milk production (MP) was measured at 15-d intervals and the resulting data were analyzed using mixed model with repeated measures and minimum least square means methodology. MP was affected by group (P < 0.03) and the interaction of stage of lactation by treatment (P <0.001), but not by lactation number. Mean daily production of the cows G2 and G1 was 8.53 and 7.44 kg of milk, respectively. Use of nopal as a dietary supplement for milk-producing bovines is a viable alternative in rural areas of the country that enables increased production during time of scarcity of quality forage

Global, regional, and national burden of chronic kidney disease, 1990–2017 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Health system planning requires careful assessment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) epidemiology, but data for morbidity and mortality of this disease are scarce or non-existent in many countries. We estimated the global, regional, and national burden of CKD, as well as the burden of cardiovascular disease and gout attributable to impaired kidney function, for the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017. We use the term CKD to refer to the morbidity and mortality that can be directly attributed to all stages of CKD, and we use the term impaired kidney function to refer to the additional risk of CKD from cardiovascular disease and gout. Methods The main data sources we used were published literature, vital registration systems, end-stage kidney disease registries, and household surveys. Estimates of CKD burden were produced using a Cause of Death Ensemble model and a Bayesian meta-regression analytical tool, and included incidence, prevalence, years lived with disability, mortality, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). A comparative risk assessment approach was used to estimate the proportion of cardiovascular diseases and gout burden attributable to impaired kidney function. Findings Globally, in 2017, 1·2 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 1·2 to 1·3) people died from CKD. The global all-age mortality rate from CKD increased 41·5% (95% UI 35·2 to 46·5) between 1990 and 2017, although there was no significant change in the age-standardised mortality rate (2·8%, −1·5 to 6·3). In 2017, 697·5 million (95% UI 649·2 to 752·0) cases of all-stage CKD were recorded, for a global prevalence of 9·1% (8·5 to 9·8). The global all-age prevalence of CKD increased 29·3% (95% UI 26·4 to 32·6) since 1990, whereas the age-standardised prevalence remained stable (1·2%, −1·1 to 3·5). CKD resulted in 35·8 million (95% UI 33·7 to 38·0) DALYs in 2017, with diabetic nephropathy accounting for almost a third of DALYs. Most of the burden of CKD was concentrated in the three lowest quintiles of Socio-demographic Index (SDI). In several regions, particularly Oceania, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America, the burden of CKD was much higher than expected for the level of development, whereas the disease burden in western, eastern, and central sub-Saharan Africa, east Asia, south Asia, central and eastern Europe, Australasia, and western Europe was lower than expected. 1·4 million (95% UI 1·2 to 1·6) cardiovascular disease-related deaths and 25·3 million (22·2 to 28·9) cardiovascular disease DALYs were attributable to impaired kidney function. Interpretation Kidney disease has a major effect on global health, both as a direct cause of global morbidity and mortality and as an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. CKD is largely preventable and treatable and deserves greater attention in global health policy decision making, particularly in locations with low and middle SDI

A Cost-Effective ELP-Intein Coupling System for Recombinant Protein Purification from Plant Production Platform

BACKGROUND: Plant bioreactor offers an efficient and economical system for large-scale production of recombinant proteins. However, high cost and difficulty in scaling-up of downstream purification of the target protein, particularly the common involvement of affinity chromatography and protease in the purification process, has hampered its industrial scale application, therefore a cost-effective and easily scale-up purification method is highly desirable for further development of plant bioreactor. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To tackle this problem, we investigated the ELP-intein coupling system for purification of recombinant proteins expressed in transgenic plants using a plant lectin (PAL) with anti-tumor bioactivity as example target protein and rice seeds as production platform. Results showed that ELP-intein-PAL (EiP) fusion protein formed novel irregular ER-derived protein bodies in endosperm cells by retention of endogenous prolamins. The fusion protein was partially self-cleaved in vivo, but only self-cleaved PAL protein was detected in total seed protein sample and deposited in protein storage vacuoles (PSV). The in vivo uncleaved EiP protein was accumulated up to 2-4.2% of the total seed protein. The target PAL protein could be purified by the ELP-intein system efficiently without using complicated instruments and expensive chemicals, and the yield of pure PAL protein by the current method was up to 1.1 mg/g total seed protein. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This study successfully demonstrated the purification of an example recombinant protein from rice seeds by the ELP-intein system. The whole purification procedure can be easily scaled up for industrial production, providing the first evidence on applying the ELP-intein coupling system to achieve cost-effective purification of recombinant proteins expressed in plant bioreactors and its possible application in industry

Raicilla clúster de turismo

Es importante mencionar que este proyecto corresponde al seguimiento de los ciclos anteriores, Primavera y Verano 2022. Enunciando el plan de continuidad que se tuvo, se avanzó con la creación de un taller de capacitación para la profesionalización de las experiencias, llevando a la existencia la estructura y contenido que se presentará con el objetivo de que durante la siguiente etapa (Primavera 2023) se pueda llevar a cabo. Durante el actual semestre, se realizaron diversos productos, levantamientos de información y entregas que derivaron en la creación del “Taller de Profesionalización de Experiencias Turísticas para la Ruta de la Raicilla.” Los objetivos de este producto son crear interés entre los raicilleros y taberneros a través de la información y el conocimiento del potencial turístico que tiene la raicilla no solo como un objeto de evento, sino como un producto turístico. Además, se crearon productos para redes sociales que sirvieran como guía para aquellas tabernas que busquen impulsar sus marcas y productos a través de campañas de comunicación en estos medios, el objetivo de estos productos fue unificar la manera en que las marcas de raicilla se comunican con sus potenciales clientes y el público interesado.ITESO, A.C

Spare PRELI Gene Loci: Failsafe Chromosome Insurance?

LEA (late embryogenesis abundant) proteins encode conserved N-terminal mitochondrial signal domains and C-terminal (A/TAEKAK) motif repeats, long-presumed to confer cell resistance to stress and death cues. This prompted the hypothesis that LEA proteins are central to mitochondria mechanisms that connect bioenergetics with cell responses to stress and death signaling. In support of this hypothesis, recent studies have demonstrated that mammalian LEA protein PRELI can act as a biochemical hub, which upholds mitochondria energy metabolism, while concomitantly promoting B cell resistance to stress and induced death. Hence, it is important to define in vivo the physiological relevance of PRELI expression.Given the ubiquitous PRELI expression during mouse development, embryo lethality could be anticipated. Thus, conditional gene targeting was engineered by insertion of flanking loxP (flox)/Cre recognition sites on PRELI chromosome 13 (Chr 13) locus to abort its expression in a tissue-specific manner. After obtaining mouse lines with homozygous PRELI floxed alleles (PRELI(f/f)), the animals were crossed with CD19-driven Cre-recombinase transgenic mice to investigate whether PRELI inactivation could affect B-lymphocyte physiology and survival. Mice with homozygous B cell-specific PRELI deletion (CD19-Cre/Chr13 PRELI(-/-)) bred normally and did not show any signs of morbidity. Histopathology and flow cytometry analyses revealed that cell lineage identity, morphology, and viability were indistinguishable between wild type CD19-Cre/Chr13 PRELI(+/+) and CD19-Cre/Chr13 PRELI(-/-) deficient mice. Furthermore, B cell PRELI gene expression seemed unaffected by Chr13 PRELI gene targeting. However, identification of additional PRELI loci in mouse Chr1 and Chr5 provided an explanation for the paradox between LEA-dependent cytoprotection and the seemingly futile consequences of Chr 13 PRELI gene inactivation. Importantly, PRELI expression from spare gene loci appeared ample to surmount Chr 13 PRELI gene deficiency.These findings suggest that PRELI is a vital LEA B cell protein with failsafe genetics