Generation of a human iPS cell line from a patient with retinitis pigmentosa due to EYS mutation

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited retinal degenerative disease. Mutations in EYS have been associated with autosomal recessive RP. The human iPS cell line, CABi002-A, derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a patient carrying a heterozygous double mutation in EYS gene was generated by non-integrative reprogramming technology, using hOCT3/4, hSOX2, hc-MYC and hKLF4 reprogramming factors. Pluripotency and differentiation capacity were assessed by immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR. This iPSC line can be further differentiated towards the affected cells to understand the pathophysiology of the disease and test new therapeutic strategies.Cellex FoundationFundación Progreso y Salu

Gut bacteria responding to dietary change encode sialidases that exhibit preference for red meat-associated carbohydrates.

Dietary habits have been associated with alterations of the human gut resident microorganisms contributing to obesity, diabetes and cancer1. In Western diets, red meat is a frequently eaten food2, but long-term consumption has been associated with increased risk of disease3,4. Red meat is enriched in N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) that cannot be synthesized by humans5. However, consumption can cause Neu5Gc incorporation into cell surface glycans6, especially in carcinomas4,7. As a consequence, an inflammatory response is triggered when Neu5Gc-containing glycans encounter circulating anti-Neu5Gc antibodies8,9. Although bacteria can use free sialic acids as a nutrient source10-12, it is currently unknown if gut microorganisms contribute to releasing Neu5Gc from food. We found that a Neu5Gc-rich diet induces changes in the gut microbiota, with Bacteroidales and Clostridiales responding the most. Genome assembling of mouse and human shotgun metagenomic sequencing identified bacterial sialidases with previously unobserved substrate preference for Neu5Gc-containing glycans. X-ray crystallography revealed key amino acids potentially contributing to substrate preference. Additionally, we verified that mouse and human sialidases were able to release Neu5Gc from red meat. The release of Neu5Gc from red meat using bacterial sialidases could reduce the risk of inflammatory diseases associated with red meat consumption, including colorectal cancer4 and atherosclerosis13

Cellular and Humoral Mechanisms Involved in the Control of Tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection is a major international public health problem. One-third of the world's population is thought to have latent tuberculosis, a condition where individuals are infected by the intracellular bacteria without active disease but are at risk for reactivation, if their immune system fails. Here, we discuss the role of nonspecific inflammatory responses mediated by cytokines and chemokines induced by interaction of innate receptors expressed in macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs). We also review current information regarding the importance of several cytokines including IL-17/IL-23 in the development of protective cellular and antibody-mediated protective responses against Mtb and their influence in containment of the infection. Finally, in this paper, emphasis is placed on the mechanisms of failure of Mtb control, including the immune dysregulation induced by the treatment with biological drugs in different autoimmune diseases. Further functional studies, focused on the mechanisms involved in the early host-Mtb interactions and the interplay between host innate and acquired immunity against Mtb, may be helpful to improve the understanding of protective responses in the lung and in the development of novel therapeutic and prophylactic tools in TB

Bis(tetra­methyl­ammonium) tetra­chlorido­zincate(II), phase VI

Phase VI of bis­(tetra­methyl­ammonium) tetra­chloro­zincate(II), (C4H12N)2[ZnCl4], contains three formula units per asymmetric unit. Several short C—H⋯Cl contacts [2.70 (3) and 2.72 (4) Å] are observed, but they are believed to participate only in van der Waals inter­actions. The crystal studied exhibited inversion twinning

Sclerophyllous Forest Tree Growth Under the Influence of a Historic Megadrought in the Mediterranean Ecoregion of Chile

The Mediterranean-type Ecosystems of Central Chile is one of the most threatened regions in South America by global change, particularly evidenced by the historical megadrought that has occurred in central Chile since 2010. The sclerophyllous forest stands out, whose history and relationship with drought conditions has been little studied. Cryptocarya alba and Beilschmiedia miersii (Lauraceae), two large endemic trees, represent an opportunity to analyze the incidence of intense droughts in the growth of sclerophyllous forests by analyzing their tree rings. Here, we considered > 400 trees from nineteen populations of C. alba and B. miersii growing across a latitudinal gradient (32°–35° S). To study the influence of local and large-scale climatic variability on tree growth, we first grouped the sites by species and explored the relationships between tree-growth patterns of C. alba and B. miersii with temperature, precipitation, and climate water deficit (CWD). Second, we performed Principal Component Analysis to detect common modes of variability and to explore relationships between growth patterns and their relationship to Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), ENSO and SAM indices. We detected a breaking point as of 2002 at regional level, where a persistent and pronounced decrease in tree growth occurred, mainly influenced by the increase in CWD and the decrease in winter-spring rainfall. In addition, a positive (negative) relationship was showed between PC1 growth-PDSI and PC1 growth-ENSO (growth-SAM), that is, growth increases (decreases) in the same direction as PDSI and ENSO (SAM). Despite the fact that sclerophyllous populations are highly resistant to drought events, we suggest that the sclerophyllous populations studied here experienced a generalized growth decline, and possibly the natural dynamics of their forests have been altered, mainly due to the accumulating effects of the unprecedented drought since 2010.Fil: Venegas Gonzalez, Alejandro. Universidad de O’higgins; Chile. Universidad Mayor; ChileFil: Muñoz, Ariel A.. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Carpintero Gibson, S.. Universidad Mayor.; ChileFil: Schneider, I.. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Gipolou Zuñiga, T.. Universidad Austral de Chile; ChileFil: Aguilera Betti, I.. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Roig Junent, Fidel Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentin

Prototipo de mini estación meteorológica automática inalámbrica

Se diseñó e implementó un prototipo de una mini estación meteorológica automática que es un sistema electrónico modular, transportable, de bajo costo y de fácil instalación que permite monitorear variables atmosféricas. Es un sistema con comunicación unidireccional por radiofrecuencia (RF) y que permite incorporar nuevos sensores. De las pruebas realizadas se evidenció que el sistema implementado puede medir las variables atmosféricas con una exactitud conforme a la de los sensores inteligentes utilizados. Está formado por dos módulos independientes, basados en la plataforma de hardware libre Arduino, que se comunican entre sí­ por radiofrecuencia hasta 40 m en lí­nea de vista con una alimentación de 5 V. El primer módulo posee sensores inteligentes, un Arduino UNO y un transmisor de RF para enviar los datos de las variables atmosféricas al módulo receptor. El segundo módulo consta de un receptor de RF y un Arduino UNO que enví­a la información a un computador el cual la visualiza y almacena utilizando una herramienta virtual desarrollada en LABVIEW. Con la información obtenida se generan bases de datos que contribuyan a desarrollar modelos matemáticos para predecir comportamientos climáticos