Network analysis of plasmidomes: the Azospirillum brasilense Sp245 case

Azospirillum brasilense is a nitrogen-fixing bacterium living in association with plant roots. The genome of the strain Sp245, isolated in Brazil from wheat roots, consists of one chromosome and six plasmids. In this work, the A. brasilense Sp245 plasmids were analyzed in order to shed some light on the evolutionary pathways they followed over time. To this purpose, a similarity network approach was applied in order to identify the evolutionary relationships among all the A. brasilense plasmids encoded proteins; in this context a computational pipeline specifically devoted to the analysis and the visualization of the network-like evolutionary relationships among different plasmids molecules was developed. This information was supplemented with a detailed (in silico) functional characterization of both the connected (i.e., sharing homology with other sequences in the dataset) and the unconnected (i.e., not sharing homology) components of the network. Furthermore, the most likely source organism for each of the genes encoded by A. brasilense plasmids was checked, allowing the identification of possible trends of gene loss/gain in this microorganism. Data obtained provided a detailed description of the evolutionary landscape of the plasmids of A. brasilense Sp245, suggesting some of the molecular mechanisms responsible for the present-day structure of these molecules

Epidemiology of hydatidosis in the province of Sassari, Italy

Cystic echinococcosis is endemic in certain parts of the world, including Sardinia, Italy. It was performed a study in the province of Sassari in order to evaluate the incidence of the infection in man and the effects of control programs since 1964 to 2002. Data obtained by surgical records, hospital discharge forms, radiological and pathological files were collected using a case report form. During the years 1964- 2002, 2702 new cases were identified (average annual incidence: 17 per 100,000) and 1981 (73.3%) were submitted to surgical treatment. In 57.3% municipalities no cases were observed during the years 1998- 2002. Males are more affected (56.2%), mostly farmers-shepherdess (68.6 per 100,000) and pensioners (59.6 per 100,000). Control measures led to a significant decline in the incidence rate of hydatidosis during the period 1964-2002, dropping by 27.6 per 100,000. The mean age of surgical patients increased during the years of surveillance, such as the surgical liver/lung ratio as a consequence of a cohort effect. The durability of control programs is the corner stone for obtaining a significant decrease of this infection

Pedagogia social e o conceito de inacabamento em Paulo Freire (p.63-78)

Resumo A pedagogia social é uma pedagogia voltada para a libertação da pessoa concre ta, inserida na história. Privilegia a valonzação da comunicação e do diálogo, a confiança na capacidade do ser humano em refazer-se e refazer a história. Nessa perspectiva, a influência de Paulo Freire no âmbito da educação popular, social e comunitária é reconhecida em todo o mundo e está presente nas políticas públicas de cultura e de saúde, por meio de planos nacionais instituídos em todo o territÓrio nacional, mas, curiosamente, não na educação, seu campo de ação e reflexão, no qual a incorporação de seu vasto cabedal ainda é resultante de experiências pontuais e isoladas. De sua relação com a pedagogia popular, Roberto da Silva, professor da Universidade de São Paulo, lembra que, no Brasil, pedagogia social e educação popular não apenas se confundem, mas têm, em Paulo Freire, um de seus pioneiros, ainda que ele não tenha escrito sobre o tema. No presente artigo, pretende-se aproximar o conceito de pedagogia social, desde o horizonte em que ela nasce em meio a revolução industrial alemã, ao conceito de inacabamento, proposto por Paulo Freire e que converge para a valorização e a defesa da pessoa contra toda forma de opressão, autoritarismo ou alienação. Palavras-chave: Pedagogia social. Educação popular. Diálogo. Social pedagogy and the concept of incompleteness in Paulo Freire Abstract The Social Pedagogy is a pedagogy focused on the liberation of the concrete person, inserted in history; privileges the value of communication and dialogue; confidence in the human being's ability to redo him/herself and redo history. In this perspective, the influence of Paulo Freire in the field of Popular, Social and Community Education is recognized throughout the world, being present in the public policies of Culture and Health, through national plans es tablished all over the national territory. Curiously, such influence is not present in Education, Freire's field of action and reflection, in which the incorporation of his vast knowledge is still the result of specific and isolated experiences. Roberto da Silva, Professor at the University of São Paulo, points out that in Brazil, "Social Pedagogy and Popular Education are not only interlinked, but Paulo Freire IS one of his pioneers, although Paulo Freire did not write about the subject." In the present article, we intend to approach the concept of Social Pedagogy, from the horizon in which it arlses during the German industrial revolution, to the concept of 'inacabamento', proposed by Paulo Freire and that converges for the valorization and the defense of the person against all forms of oppression, authoritarianism or alienation. Keywords: Social pedagogy. Popular education. Dialog Pedagogía social y el concepto de inacabamiento en Paulo Freire Resumen La Pedagogía Social es una pedagogía orientada hacia la liberación de la persona concreta, Inserta en Ia historia; privilegia Ia valorizaciÓn de Ia comunicaciÓn y del diálogo; la confianza en la capacidad del ser humano en rehacer y rehacer la historia. En esta perspectiva, la influencia de Paulo Frelre en el ámbito de la Educación Popular, Social y Comunitaria es reconocida en todo el mundo, y está presente en las políticas públicas de Cultura y de Salud, a través de planes nacionales instituidos en todo el territorio nacional, curiosamente, no en Ia Educación, su campo de acciÓn y reflexiÓn, donde la incorporac1Ón de su vasto cabellón Sigue siendo resultado de experiencias puntuales y aisladas. De su relaciÓn con la Pedagogía popular, Roberto da Silva, profesor de la Universidad de São Paulo, recuerda que, en Brasil, ' 'Pedagogia Social y Educación Popular no Sólo se confunden, perotiene en Paulo Freire uno de sus pioneros," aunque Paulo Freire no haya escrlto sobre el tema. "En el presente artículo, pretendemos aproximar el concepto de Pedagogía Social, desde el horizonte en que nace en medio de la revoluciÓn industrial alemana, al concepto de inacabamiento propuesto por Paulo Freire y que converge para la valorizaciÓn y la defensa de la persona contra toda forma de opresiÓn, autoritarismo o alienaciÓn. Palabras clave: Pedagogía social. Educación popular. Dialogo

Origin, duplication and reshuffling of plasmid genes: Insights from Burkholderia vietnamiensis G4 genome.

Using a computational pipeline based on similarity networks reconstruction we analysed the 1133 genes of the Burkholderia vietnamiensis ( Bv) G4 five plasmids, showing that gene and operon duplication played an important role in shaping the plasmid architecture. Several single/multiple duplications occurring at intra- and/or interplasmids level involving 253 paralogous genes (stand-alone, clustered or operons) were detected. An extensive gene/operon exchange between plasmids and chromosomes was also disclosed. The larger the plasmid, the higher the number and size of paralogous fragments. Many paralogs encoded mobile genetic elements and duplicated very recently, suggesting that the rearrangement of the Bv plastic genome is ongoing. Concerning the "molecular habitat" and the "taxonomical status" (the Preferential Organismal Sharing) of Bv plasmid genes, most of them have been exchanged with other plasmids of bacteria belonging (or phylogenetically very close) to Burkholderia, suggesting that taxonomical proximity of bacterial strains is a crucial issue in plasmid-mediated gene exchange. © 2014 Elsevier Inc

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of new 1-R-3-(2-Piridyl)-4-nitroso-5 carboxiethyl-1H-Pyrazoles

SYNTHESIS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF NEW 1-R-3-(2-PIRIDYL)- 4-NITROSO- 5-CARBOXIETHYL-1H-PYRAZOLES. Stefania Aielloa , Carmelo Massimo Maidab, Fabio Venturellab, Diego Planetac Marco Giammancod, M.Milicib a Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Palermo bDipartimento di Scienze per la Promozione della Salute G. D’ Alessandro, Università degli Studi di Palermo cDipartimento dei Sistemi Agro-Abientali,Università degli Studi di Palermo d Dipartimednto di Studi Giuridici, Economici, Biomedici e Psicosociopedagogici delle Scienze Motorie e Sportive, Università degli Studi di Palermo Corresponding author: Stefania Aiello, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy; tel:+39.091 23896802; email: [email protected] In recent years, epidemiological studies confirm the significant impact on human health by infections caused by pathogenic fungi. In fact, although the Candida genus is commensal and a constituent of the normal gut flora, it is responsible for opportunistic infections and can become pathogenic secondary to predisposing factors related to the host, like a comprimised immune system (AIDS, anti-cancer therapy, transplants), excessive prophylaxis with antimicrobial agents, and use of invasive catheters. Large-scale surveillance for fungal infections has demonstrated an increasing incidence of drug-resistant fungal pathogens. As a matter of fact, a significant number of fungi species (especially Candida glabrata and Candida krusei) exhibited primary resistance to Fluconazole or were less susceptible to Amphotericin B. Furthermore, as a consequence of the toxicity of the currently used polyene antifungal drugs, which leads to interrupt the therapy, and the emergence of Candida species resistance to azole-based agents, there is an urgent need for developing alternative drug therapies. In our previous study we have disclosed the synthesis and antifungal activity of a series of 4-nitrosopyrazoles that mainly displayed in vitro potent antifungal activity at no cytotoxic concentrations and that some of these compounds were 4 times more potent than Amphotericine B and Fluconazole respectively against Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida Krusei [1-4] As part of our Structure Activity Relationships studies, we were interested in learning the influence of the steric and electronic effects of the substituent in position 5 of the 4-nitrosopyrazoles which had already showed powerful antimycotic activity. Therefore, we synthetized title compounds and evaluated their antimycotic activity (fig1). NNNCOOC2H5ONR R: a=H, b= CH3, c=C2H5 Fig 1. Synthetized compounds The 5-carboxiethylester group has made the antimycotic actity dramatically decay, confirming the necessity, for a good antimicotic activity, of derivatives in which the position 5 is free or substituted with little groups as a methyl shown the best antifungal activity. [1] E. Aiello, S. Aiello, F. Mingoia, A. Bacchi, G. Pelizzi, C. Musiu, M. G. Setzu, A. Pani, P. La Colla and M. E. Marongiu. Synthesis and Antimicrobial activity of New 3-(1-R -3-methyl-4-nitroso-1H-5-pyrazolyl)-5-methylisoxazole derivatives, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 2000, 8, 2719-2728 [2] Stefania Aiello; Enrico Aiello, Marica Orioli, Marina Carini, 3-(1-R-3-methyl-4-nitroso-1H-5-pyrazolyl)-5-methylisoxazoles: a new class of antifungal compounds. In vitro metabolism by rat liver:LC and LC-MS studies. Convegno Nazionale, Sorrento 18-22 Settembre 2002. [3] S. Aiello, E. Aiello and M. Milici: “Synthesis and Antifungal Activity of new 3(5)-methyl-5(3)-(2-thiophenyl) and -(2-quinolyl)-1H-1-R-4-nitrosopyrazoles.Part V”. Polish-Austrian-German-Hungarian-Italian Joint Meeting on Medicinal Chemistry, Krakow, October 15-18, 2003 [4] Stefania Aiello, Antonio Macchiarulo, Maria Milici and Enrico Aiello, Sintesi e studi QSAR di nuovi derivati 3(5)-(2-X)-1R-1H-4-nitrosopirazoli: una classe di composti con potente attività antifungina in vitro. Parte VI XVII Convegno Nazionale della Divisione di Chimica Farmaceutica della SCI, Pisa 6-10 settembre 2004

EGFR CELL EXPRESSION IN BLADDER WASHINGS AS A RISK MARKER TOOL IN NON MUSCLE-INVASIVE BLADDER CANCER. PRELIMINARY EXPERIENCE

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Up to day, EGFR expression has been determined mainly in tissue specimens of muscleinvasive bladder cancer and its overexpression has been associated with worse prognosis and shorter survival. Urothelial EGFR status after NMIBC transurethral resection (TUR) could indicate the risk of recurrence and progression. We investigated the feasibility of EGFR measurement in bladder washings of patients undergoing intravesical adjuvant therapy for NMIBC and its usefulness in identifying risk subgroups. METHODS: Our prospective study included patients after TUR of NMIBC and healthy controls. A cellular pellet was obtained from bladder washing, and RNA extraction performed by miRNeasy Mini Kit (Qiagen). Good quality of RNA was checked. The cDNA obtained from RNA was used to perform a gene expression analysis by a Real Time PCR, according to the method of the comparative quantification (DDCt) with an endogenous control (Cyclophilin). Every reaction was set in triplicate as a guarantee of quality. Patients were grouped for EAU risk class and maintained in follow-up. The EGFR expressions were statistically analyzed according to EAU risk groups and to patients0 outcome. EGFR gene expression values were expressed in FOLDs of change compared to healthy controls (EGFR¼1). RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients and 21 healthy age-matched controls were entered. An adequate cellular pellet was obtained in 50 patients (86.2%) showing a median EGFR expression of 2.0 folds (IQR 0.6-4.3, p¼0.0004). After TUR and adjuvant intravesical therapy, 22 (55%) out of 40 high-risk patients, showed EGFR decrease to 1.3 folds (IQR 0.9-1.5), while 18 (45%) showed elevated EGFR, median 4.7 (IQR 4.1-11.6). At 25 months median follow-up (IQR 19.0-34.8), 20 (40%) patients recurred and 6 (12%) progressed. Among patients with or without EGFR gene increase, 9 (22.5%) and 5 (12.5%) recurred and 5 (12.5%) and 1 (2.5%) progressed, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In our experience EGFR expression measurement was feasible in more than 85% of patients and resulted related to EAU risk classes for recurrence and progression, showing different behavior during intravesical therapy. It was possible to identify a subgroup of high risk patients overexpressing EGFR in spite of intravesical adjuvant therapy. EGFR evaluation in bladder washing could represent a repeatable and useful tool to identify a subgroup of patients at risk for progression unresponsive to intravesical adjuvant therapy and candidate to early radical cystectom

Exploring the HME and HAE1 efflux systems in the genus Burkholderia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The genus <it>Burkholderia </it>includes a variety of species with opportunistic human pathogenic strains, whose increasing global resistance to antibiotics has become a public health problem. In this context a major role could be played by multidrug efflux pumps belonging to Resistance Nodulation Cell-Division (RND) family, which allow bacterial cells to extrude a wide range of different substrates, including antibiotics. This study aims to i) identify <it>rnd </it>genes in the 21 available completely sequenced <it>Burkholderia </it>genomes, ii) analyze their phylogenetic distribution, iii) define the putative function(s) that RND proteins perform within the <it>Burkholderia </it>genus and iv) try tracing the evolutionary history of some of these genes in <it>Burkholderia</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>BLAST analysis of the 21 <it>Burkholderia </it>sequenced genomes, using experimentally characterized <it>ceoB </it>sequence (one of the RND family counterpart in the genus <it>Burkholderia</it>) as probe, allowed the assembly of a dataset comprising 254 putative RND proteins. An extensive phylogenetic analysis revealed the occurrence of several independent events of gene loss and duplication across the different lineages of the genus <it>Burkholderia</it>, leading to notable differences in the number of paralogs between different genomes. A putative substrate [antibiotics (HAE1 proteins)/heavy-metal (HME proteins)] was also assigned to the majority of these proteins. No correlation was found between the ecological niche and the lifestyle of <it>Burkholderia </it>strains and the number/type of efflux pumps they possessed, while a relation can be found with genome size and taxonomy. Remarkably, we observed that only HAE1 proteins are mainly responsible for the different number of proteins observed in strains of the same species. Data concerning both the distribution and the phylogenetic analysis of the HAE1 and HME in the <it>Burkholderia </it>genus allowed depicting a likely evolutionary model accounting for the evolution and spreading of HME and HAE1 systems in the <it>Burkholderia </it>genus.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A complete knowledge of the presence and distribution of RND proteins in <it>Burkholderia </it>species was obtained and an evolutionary model was depicted. Data presented in this work may serve as a basis for future experimental tests, focused especially on HAE1 proteins, aimed at the identification of novel targets in antimicrobial therapy against <it>Burkholderia </it>species.</p

A rare urinary JC virus reactivation after long-term therapy with rituximab

Abstract The possible role of JC virus in determining urinary tract involvement has only recently been recognized. The case of a man with laboratory-confirmed JC virus replication in the urine after a maintenance schedule of rituximab administered for a lymphoproliferative disorder is reported herein. The patient developed severe renal and urinary tract impairment, characterized by the onset of nephropathy, bilateral ureteral strictures, and a serious reduction in vesical compliance, ultimately requiring an ileal neobladder configuration. The renal and urinary tract involvement was finally attributed to JC virus reactivation. This observation suggests that renal and urinary tract diseases related to JC virus might be associated with long-term rituximab treatment