A potential role for RNA interference in controlling the activity of the human LINE-1 retrotransposon

Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINE-1 or L1) comprise 17% of the human genome, although only 80–100 L1s are considered retrotransposition-competent (RC-L1). Despite their small number, RC-L1s are still potential hazards to genome integrity through insertional mutagenesis, unequal recombination and chromosome rearrangements. In this study, we provide several lines of evidence that the LINE-1 retrotransposon is susceptible to RNA interference (RNAi). First, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) generated in vitro from an L1 template is converted into functional short interfering RNA (siRNA) by DICER, the RNase III enzyme that initiates RNAi in human cells. Second, pooled siRNA from in vitro cleavage of L1 dsRNA, as well as synthetic L1 siRNA, targeting the 5′-UTR leads to sequence-specific mRNA degradation of an L1 fusion transcript. Finally, both synthetic and pooled siRNA suppressed retrotransposition from a highly active RC-L1 clone in cell culture assay. Our report is the first to demonstrate that a human transposable element is subjected to RNAi

A generalized design methodology for the output feedback regulation of a special type of systems with bounded inputs

"In this work, a generalized design scheme for the output feedback regulation of a special type of systems with bounded inputs is proposed. It gives rise to a simple dynamic controller that guarantees the regulation objective avoiding input saturation, for any initial condition within a specific set that may comprehend the whole state space and that does not require any additional system data (apart from the output variable). Several processes, like double?pipe heat exchangers, bioreactors, and binary distillation columns, are shown to be part of the type of systems that may be regulated through the developed methodology. The efficiency of the proposed scheme is corroborated through experimental and simulation results.

Obtainment of bactericidal inkjet inks based on Ag-nanocomposites

In this study, ceramic inks were formulated that are able to develop bactericidal properties and are appropriate for application by inkjet printing. These inks contain silver nanocomposites and are applied on to unfired glazed ceramic bodies, yielding single-fired tiles. Silver nanocomposites were obtained from different precursors, which were made to react in order to obtain more stable structures that, in addition to incorporating bactericidal components, were able to reduce their reactivity and dissolution in the glassy matrix during the ceramic tile firing stage, avoiding the ensuing loss of properties. The study also examined how the nature of the base glaze affected the reactivity of the resulting nanocomposites. The base glaze that enabled the bactericidal compounds to remain at the ceramic tile surface was selected as the optimum base glaze for the study

Propuesta de agrupamiento y clasificación de competencias

En la era de la sociedad del conocimiento, la educación se ubica como un elementoclave del sistema productivo. Este modelo requiere sinergia y articulación entre laadquisición del conocimiento y el practicum laboral entendido como el espacio de socializacióne iniciación profesional. Además, plantea como un componente central que,en su período de formación, el estudiante adquiera competencias que lo posicionencomo idóneo para la resolución autónoma de situaciones problemáticas con las que seenfrentará en su ejercicio profesional.En ese sentido, la información disponible da cuenta de numerosos estudios en el campode las competencias, pero existe una vacancia en la búsqueda de un agrupamiento y posterior clasificación que sirva como estructura organizativa de planes de estudiosde educación basada en competencias. El presente artículo propone establecer, conbase en las fuentes consultadas, un modelo de clasificación de competencias comoherramental para planificaciones educativas

Activity of grindelanes against important maize pest Spodoptera frugiperda and their selectivity of action on non-target environmental bacteria

In the search for new plant-derived products with antifeedant and insecticidal potential against economically important insects, 11 grindelanes (two as natural acids and nine as methylated derivatives) purified from the foliar tissue of Grindelia chiloensis (Cornel.) Cabrera (Asteraceae) were evaluated against the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Larvae of this moth are considered to be the main pest of maize that causes severe losses on local agricultural production. Remarkable alterations in feeding behavior, larval weight, larval and pupal stage lengths, and adult fertility, as well as malformations and mortality in specimens during their life cycle were noticed in the feeding preference tests and no-choice diet assays. Antifeedant indexes (AI%) calculated in food preference bioassays reached up to 79% for the lipophilic grindelane 3b, the most potent antifeedant agent. Grindelane 7b showed a better insecticidal activity (median lethal dose, LD50 = 26.49 µg g−1) and 8b was potentially neurotoxic due to acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Ultrastructure of the middle portion of the digestive tract of larvae fed with small amounts of natural grindelane 9a supplemented to the diet revealed cell damage, and thickening of the peritrophic membrane and a striking number of mitochondria, as evident signs of defense against toxic substances ingested by the larvae. Besides, this study demonstrated that these effective insecticides did not have inhibitory effects on beneficial plant and soil bacteria which would allow ecological pest management.Fil: Mesurado, María de Los Angeles. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Chalup, Adriana Elizabeth. Fundación Miguel Lillo. Dirección de Zoología. Instituto de Entomología; ArgentinaFil: Ortiz, Javier Esteban. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan; ArgentinaFil: Zaragoza Puchol, José Daniel. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan; ArgentinaFil: Feresin, Gabriela Egly. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan; ArgentinaFil: Bardon, Alicia del Valle. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química Orgánica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cartagena, Elena. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Biotecnología Farmacéutica y Alimentaria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biotecnología Farmacéutica y Alimentaria; Argentin

Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular modeling studies of substitutedN-benzyl-2-phenylethanamines as cholinesterase inhibitors

In this work, we report the synthesis of a series of derivatives of N-benzyl-2-phenylethanamine which is the framework of norbelladine, the natural common precursor of the Amaryllidaceae alkaloids. These compounds were assessed in the inhibition of both AChE and BChE which are the enzymes responsible for the breakdown of acetylcholine and hence they constitute targets in the palliative treatment of Alzheimer's disease. In particular, brominated derivatives exhibited the lowest IC50 values against AChE. Interestingly, the presence of iodine in one of the aromatic rings highly increased the inhibition of BChE compared to its analogues, with an IC50 value similar to that of galantamine, which is the reference compound currently used in the treatment of AD. A possible mechanism of action for these compounds was determined by molecular modeling studies using combined techniques of docking and molecular dynamics simulations.Fil: Carmona Viglianco, Maria Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnología Química. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnología Química; ArgentinaFil: Zaragoza Puchol, José Daniel. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan; ArgentinaFil: Parravicini, Oscar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Garro, Adriana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Enriz, Ricardo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Feresin, Gabriela Egly. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan; ArgentinaFil: Kurina Sanz, Marcela Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnología Química. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnología Química; ArgentinaFil: Orden, Alejandro Agustin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnología Química. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnología Química; Argentin

Implicaciones del uso de clorhidrato de clenbuterol en la producción pecuaria

El objetivo del presente trabajo es resaltar la importancia y el riesgo que tiene en salud pública el consumir productos contaminados con clorhidrato de clenbuterol (CCL). En los sistemas de producción animal actuales se hace uso una gran cantidad de sustancias que son adicionadas o incluidas dentro de la alimentación de diferentes especies productivas con el interés de mejorar los parámetros productivos reproductivos, descuidando el aspecto de inocuidad. El CCL es un aditivo sintético perteneciente a una clase de medicamentos análogos fisiológicamente a la adrenalina. Químicamente se describe como polvo blanco, anhidro, muy soluble en agua y altamente estable a temperatura ambiente. En el humano se utiliza como un medicamento broncodilatador para el tratamiento del asma y en físico culturismo es utilizado por el efecto anabólico que provoca. Es un compuesto utilizado en forma clandestina en animales de ceba destinados para el consumo humano, sin respetar el periodo de retiro antes del sacrificio. El efecto de la administración oral en el ganado, cerdos, ovinos y aves modifica e incrementa el crecimiento por aumento de la masa muscular y disminución de la acumulación de grasa; puede provocar un depósito en diferentes órganos, principalmente en hígado; esta acumulación puede provocar intoxicación en las personas que consuman dicho tejido, los signos clínicos reportados, son: taquicardia, temblor y dolor muscular, mareos, cefalea, incremento en la presión sanguínea, enfermedades tiroideas, alergias, y provocar la muerte por falla cardiaca. Por las repercusiones y problemas en salud pública que produce el CCL se deben mantener programas de vigilancia epidemiológica para el control y erradicación del uso de esta sustancia en la producción animal

Comparison of the renal effects of bisphenol A in mice with and without experimental diabetes. Role of sexual dimorphism.

Bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical -xenoestrogen- used in the production of the plastic lining of food and beverage containers, is present in the urine of almost the entire population. Recent studies have shown that BPA exposure is associated with podocytopathy, increased urinary albumin excretion (UAE), and hypertension. Since these changes are characteristic of early diabetic nephropathy (DN), we explored the renal effects of BPA and diabetes including the potential role of sexual dimorphism. Male and female mice were included in the following animals' groups: control mice (C), mice treated with 21.2 mg/kg of BPA in the drinking water (BPA), diabetic mice induced by streptozotocin (D), and D mice treated with BPA (D + BPA). Male mice form the D + BPA group died by the tenth week of the study due probably to hydro-electrolytic disturbances. Although BPA treated mice did not show an increase in serum creatinine, as observed in D and D + BPA groups, they displayed similar alteration to those of the D group, including increased in kidney damage biomarkers NGAL and KIM-1, UAE, hypertension, podocytopenia, apoptosis, collapsed glomeruli, as well as TGF-β, CHOP and PCNA upregulation. UAE, collapsed glomeruli, PCNA staining, TGF-β, NGAL and animal survival, significantly impaired in D + BPA animals. Moreover, UAE, collapsed glomeruli and animal survival also displayed a sexual dimorphism pattern. In conclusion, oral administration of BPA is capable of promoting in the kidney alterations that resemble early DN. Further translational studies are needed to clarify the potential role of BPA in renal diseases, particularly in diabetic patients.pre-print3531 K

Diversity of HLA Class I and Class II blocks and conserved extended haplotypes in Lacandon Mayans.

Here we studied HLA blocks and haplotypes in a group of 218 Lacandon Maya Native American using a high-resolution next generation sequencing (NGS) method. We assessed the genetic diversity of HLA class I and class II in this population, and determined the most probable ancestry of Lacandon Maya HLA class I and class II haplotypes. Importantly, this Native American group showed a high degree of both HLA homozygosity and linkage disequilibrium across the HLA region and also lower class II HLA allelic diversity than most previously reported populations (including other Native American groups). Distinctive alleles present in the Lacandon population include HLA-A*24:14 and HLA-B*40:08. Furthermore, in Lacandons we observed a high frequency of haplotypes containing the allele HLA-DRB1*04:11, a relatively frequent allele in comparison with other neighboring indigenous groups. The specific demographic history of the Lacandon population including inbreeding, as well as pathogen selection, may have elevated the frequencies of a small number of HLA class II alleles and DNA blocks. To assess the possible role of different selective pressures in determining Native American HLA diversity, we evaluated the relationship between genetic diversity at HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-DRB1 and pathogen richness for a global dataset and for Native American populations alone. In keeping with previous studies of such relationships we included distance from Africa as a covariate. After correction for multiple comparisons we did not find any significant relationship between pathogen diversity and HLA genetic diversity (as measured by polymorphism information content) in either our global dataset or the Native American subset of the dataset. We found the expected negative relationship between genetic diversity and distance from Africa in the global dataset, but no relationship between HLA genetic diversity and distance from Africa when Native American populations were considered alone

Estadístiques de mortalitat a Catalunya i lʼEstat espanyol: impacte del canvi de documents i circuits per comunicar les defuncions

Causes de mort; Defuncions; Recollida de dadesCauses of death; Deaths; Data CollectionCausas de muerte; Defunciones; Recogida de datosLa implementació, lʼany 2009, del nou certificat mèdic de defunció/butlleta estadística ha tingut impacte en diversos aspectes de la recollida de la informació de les defuncions. L'objectiu del canvi de documents i de circuits de comunicació de les defuncions té per objectiu el control de lʼexhaustivitat de les defuncions registrades.In 2009 it was implemented the new death medical certificate/statistical bulletin which had an impact on the collecting information on deaths in various aspects. The purpose of changing documents and communication circuits of deaths seeks for control over exhaustiveness of deaths recorded.La implementación el año 2009 del nuevo certificado médico de defunción/boletín estadístico ha tenido impacto en diversos aspectos de la recogida de información de las defunciones. El objetivo del cambio de documentos y de circuitos de comunicación de las defunciones tiene por objetivo el control de la exhaustivitat de las defunciones registradas