Genetic Variants of k-Casein and β-Lactoglobulin Genes and Their Association with Protein and Milk Components of Holstein Friesian Cows at Small Farmers in Lembang, West Java

Genetic variants of CSN3 and LGB genes and their effects on protein and milk components were studied in Holstein Friesian at small dairy farmers in Lembang District, West Java, Indonesia.  Allelic variants were identified by PCR-RFLP technique using restriction enzymes of Pst I for the CSN3 gene and Hae III for the LGB gene.  The CSN3 gene was dominated by AB genotype.   Milk protein was not affected by genotypes of the two genes.  Only fat content was significantly affected (P <0.05) by the CSN3 gene with AB cows having the highest fat to AA and BB cows (3.76% vs. 3.26% and 3.34%). Keywords: CSN3 gene; LGB gene; milk protein; and milk component

Abordaje educomunicativo del cambio climático en el contexto de la formación escolar ecuatoriana

El binomio educación-comunicación incide en la transformación personal y social del individuo en un contexto heterogéneo y diverso. Consecuentemente la escuela debe garantizar la asimilación del conocimiento y la valoración de la cultura ambiental; además de una formación integral. Desde esta perspectiva, los medios de comunicación tendrían que ser baluartes en este proceso. Con esta visión, a partir del 2012, el Estado ecuatoriano estableció la relación: programas televisivos educativos y currículo escolar, dándose así una incipiente proyección educomunicativa. De ahí que, el objetivo general del presente artículo es identificar el abordaje educomunicativo del cambio climático en el marco de la formación escolar ecuatoriana y el programa Educa, televisión para aprender. Para ello, se ha seguido una metodología cualitativa fundamentada en el análisis bibliográfico, referido a diversas conceptualizaciones acerca de qué es, qué pretende la Educomunicación y cómo los principios que la rigen se manifiestan en los capítulos seleccionados de la serie Ladrón de cerebros. Asimismo se analizó en los documentos rectores: Actualización y Fortalecimiento de la Educación General Básica 2010 y Currículo 2016 vigente cómo se enfoca la temática del cambio climático. Además de aplicaron encuestas y entrevistas, desde las dimensiones: comunicativa y educativa. El resultado fue que la dimensión más atendida es la comunicacional. En tanto que, la dimensión educativa requiere impulsarse desde el aula con un mejor aprovechamiento del programa Educa, televisión para aprender. Finalmente se concluye que el abordaje educomunicativo del cambio climático es inconsistente

Test Kit untuk Analisis Sianida dalam Ketela Pohon Berdasarkan Pembentukan Hidrindantin

Cyanide is a highly toxic substance, which causes high number of poisoning by cyanide in a variety of foodstuffs; therefore the availability of test kits as fast and easy tool for analyzing cyanide is extremely demanded. The proposed cyanide test kit is developed based on the reaction of cyanide and nynhidrine to form a blue hydrindantin under strong basic solution. Cyanide test kit was optimized toward the λ maximum, pH, stability time of complex and concentration of nynhidrine. Optimization of maximum λ was done by measuring absorbance using visible spectrophotometer at range λ 560-620 nm. Optimization of pH was done by conditioning hydrindantine complex using NaOH solution to obtain pH of 9-14. Optimization of stability time of complex was done by monitoring complex under time range 0-120 minutes. The optimization of ninhydrin concentration was performed by varying the concentration of ninhydrin in range 0.5 to 3.5%. The results showed that the optimum conditions were: λ 590 nm, pH 12, the stability time of complex of 30 minutes, and concentration of ninhydrin of 1%. Test kit can determine cyanide at the range 1-10 ppm. test kit has been validated and applied for measuring cyanide in cassava with reliable results

Profiles of miRNAs in serum in severe acute drug induced liver injury and their prognostic significance

Background & AimsDrug induced liver injury (DILI) is challenging because of the lack of biomarkers to predict mortality. Our aim was to describe miRNA changes in sera of subjects with acute idiosyncratic DILI and determine if levels of miRNAs were associated with 6 month mortality.MethodsClinical data and sera were collected from subjects enrolled in the Drug Induced Liver Injury Network prospective study. miRNAs were isolated from serum obtained from 78 subjects within 2 weeks of acute DILI and followed up for 6 months or longer. miRNAs were compared to 40 normal controls and 6 month survivors vs non‐survivors.ResultsThe mean age of the DILI cohort was 48 years, and 55% were female. Eleven (14.1%) subjects died, 10 within 6 months of DILI onset, 5 (45%) liver related. Lower levels of miRNAs‐122, ‐4463 and ‐4270 were associated with death within 6 months (P<.05). None of the subjects with miRNA‐122 greater than the median value died within 6 months for a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 57%. In subjects with a serum albumin <2.8 g/dL and miR‐122<7.89 RFU the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for death within 6 months were 100%, 57%, 38% and 100% respectively.ConclusionsSerum miRNA‐122 combined with albumin accurately identified subjects who died within 6 months of drug induced liver injury. If confirmed prospectively, miRNA‐122 and albumin may be useful in identifying patients at high risk for mortality or liver transplantation.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136681/1/liv13312_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136681/2/liv13312.pd

Signal Transduction Pathways in the Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels

The mechanisms of allosteric action within pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) remain to be determined. Using crystallography, site-directed mutagenesis, and two-electrode voltage clamp measurements, we identified two functionally relevant sites in the extracellular (EC) domain of the bacterial pLGIC from Gloeobacter violaceus (GLIC). One site is at the C-loop region, where the NQN mutation (D91N, E177Q, and D178N) eliminated inter-subunit salt bridges in the open-channel GLIC structure and thereby shifted the channel activation to a higher agonist concentration. The other site is below the C-loop, where binding of the anesthetic ketamine inhibited GLIC currents in a concentration dependent manner. To understand how a perturbation signal in the EC domain, either resulting from the NQN mutation or ketamine binding, is transduced to the channel gate, we have used the Perturbation-based Markovian Transmission (PMT) model to determine dynamic responses of the GLIC channel and signaling pathways upon initial perturbations in the EC domain of GLIC. Despite the existence of many possible routes for the initial perturbation signal to reach the channel gate, the PMT model in combination with Yen's algorithm revealed that perturbation signals with the highest probability flow travel either via the β1-β2 loop or through pre-TM1. The β1-β2 loop occurs in either intra- or inter-subunit pathways, while pre-TM1 occurs exclusively in inter-subunit pathways. Residues involved in both types of pathways are well supported by previous experimental data on nAChR. The direct coupling between pre-TM1 and TM2 of the adjacent subunit adds new insight into the allosteric signaling mechanism in pLGICs. © 2013 Mowrey et al

Valoración del diseño curricular del programa del internado profesionalizante Assessment of the Curricular Design for the Internship Program

Se realizó una valoración del diseño curricular del Programa del Internado profesionalizante que se imparte en el 6to año de la Carrera de Medicina en el cual se analizó el objeto de estudio de dicho programa, así como los objetivos, contenidos, métodos de enseñanza, medios de enseñanza, formas de organizar esta enseñanza y el sistema de evaluación de dicho programa. En nuestro análisis pudimos concluir que con el Diseño de Internado Profesionalizante el plan de estudios gana en pertinencia al desarrollar el último año a tiempo completo en los escenarios reales en que el egresado habrá de desempeñarse como médico General Integral Básico, permitiéndole un mayor vínculo con la práctica profesional, independencia en la actuación, responsabilidad con el trabajo y una estrecha relación con la comunidad. Todo esto se ha traducido en mejores resultados en el Examen Estatal y la opinión muy satisfactoria que sobre ellos han vertido las comunidades en las cuales han prestado sus servicios. No debemos dejar de mencionar, además, la meritoria labor que estos estudiantes han desarrollado en las funciones docentes como tutores de alumnos de años inferiores. Palabras clave: Estudiantes de Medicina, Curriculum, Evaluación Educacional. ABSTRACT An assessment of the curricular design for the Internship Program taught in the 6th academic year of medical major was carried out with the purpose of analyzing the object of study , objectives, contents, teaching methods, teaching aids, organization of learning and system of evaluation. The analysis showed that with the Internship Program the syllabus gained pertinence inserting those medical students enroll in 6th (last) academic year in professional practice, having independence in their performance, achieving responsibility towards work and a close relationship with the community. The fulfillment of these activities allow better results in the State Examination, and the communities where they carry out the Internship Program express a satisfactory opinion. It is worth to mention the task these students performed in the teaching process as tutors of medical students in lower academic courses. Key words: Medical Students, Curricular Design, Educational Evaluation

Survey of selected pathogens in free-ranging pinnipeds in Uruguay

Marine mammals, regarded as sentinels of aquatic ecosystem health, are exposed to different pathogens and parasites under natural conditions. We surveyed live South American fur seals Arctocephalus australis and South American sea lions Otaria flavescens in Uruguay for Leptospira spp., canine distemper virus (CDV), Mycobacterium spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Neospora caninum. Samples were collected from 2007 to 2013. The seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. was 37.6% positive, 50.9% negative, and 11.5% suspect for A. australis (n = 61) while for O. flavescens (n = 12) it was 67% positive, 25% negative, and 8% suspect. CDV RNA was not detected in any of the analyzed samples. Most animals tested seropositive to tuberculosis antigens by WiZo ELISA (A. australis: 29/30; O. flavescens: 20/20); reactivity varied with a novel ELISA test (antigens MPB70, MPB83, ESAT6 and MPB59). Seroprevalence against N. caninum and T. gondii was 6.7 and 13.3% positive for O. flavescens and 0 and 2.2% positive for A. australis respectively. To evaluate possible sources of infection for pinnipeds, wild rats Rattus rattus and semi-feral cats Felis catus were also tested for Leptospira spp. and T. gondii respectively. Water samples tested for Leptospira revealed saprofitic L. bioflexa. Pathogenic Leptospira were detected in the kidneys of 2 rats, and cats tested positive for T. gondii (100%). These results represent a substantial contribution to the study of the health status of wild pinnipeds in Uruguay.CSIC (Council for Scientific Research) of the Universidad de la Republica.Peer reviewe

Absence of Ca2+-Induced Mitochondrial Permeability Transition but Presence of Bongkrekate-Sensitive Nucleotide Exchange in C. crangon and P. serratus

Mitochondria from the embryos of brine shrimp (Artemia franciscana) do not undergo Ca2+-induced permeability transition in the presence of a profound Ca2+ uptake capacity. Furthermore, this crustacean is the only organism known to exhibit bongkrekate-insensitive mitochondrial adenine nucleotide exchange, prompting the conjecture that refractoriness to bongkrekate and absence of Ca2+-induced permeability transition are somehow related phenomena. Here we report that mitochondria isolated from two other crustaceans, brown shrimp (Crangon crangon) and common prawn (Palaemon serratus) exhibited bongkrekate-sensitive mitochondrial adenine nucleotide transport, but lacked a Ca2+-induced permeability transition. Ca2+ uptake capacity was robust in the absence of adenine nucleotides in both crustaceans, unaffected by either bongkrekate or cyclosporin A. Transmission electron microscopy images of Ca2+-loaded mitochondria showed needle-like formations of electron-dense material strikingly similar to those observed in mitochondria from the hepatopancreas of blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) and the embryos of Artemia franciscana. Alignment analysis of the partial coding sequences of the adenine nucleotide translocase (ANT) expressed in Crangon crangon and Palaemon serratus versus the complete sequence expressed in Artemia franciscana reappraised the possibility of the 208-214 amino acid region for conferring sensitivity to bongkrekate. However, our findings suggest that the ability to undergo Ca2+-induced mitochondrial permeability transition and the sensitivity of adenine nucleotide translocase to bongkrekate are not necessarily related phenomena