P38 alpha mitogen-activated protein kinase sensitizes cells to apoptosis induced by different stimuli.

p38 alpha mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase is a broadly expressed signaling molecule that participates in the regulation of cellular responses to stress as well as in the control of proliferation and survival of many cell types. We have used cell lines derived from p38 alpha knockout mice to study the role of this signaling pathway in the regulation of apoptosis. Here, we show that cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts lacking p38 alpha are more resistant to apoptosis induced by different stimuli.

[Cytokines value as a sepsis and mortality predictor in elderly patients with fever].

Background And Objective: Proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha) are excellent predictive factors of tissue damage, inflammation and infection. However, there is not sufficient data about their usefulness in elderly patients with acute septic pathology. Our objective was to identify the cytokines related to bacteremia and those that predicted a bad prognosis in elderly patients.

Long-term treatment with insulin induces apoptosis in brown adipocytes: role of oxidative stress.

Trying to define the precise role played by insulin regulating the survival of brown adipocytes, we have used rat fetal brown adipocytes maintained in primary culture. The effect of insulin on apoptosis and the mechanisms involved were assessed. Different from the known effects of insulin as a survival factor, we have found that long-term treatment (72 h) with insulin induces apoptosis in rat fetal brown adipocytes.

Independent association of fibrinogen with carotid intima-media thickness in asymptomatic subjects.

Background: Fibrinogen has been found to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to its variability in plasma. However, whether the relation between fibrinogen and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is independent of those factors has not been established.

[In vitro activity of fluconazole, voriconazole and posaconazole against Candida spp].

Voriconazole and posaconazole are two new triazoles with broad-spectrum antifungal activity. The in vitro activity of these agents was compared with that of fluconazole against 113 clinical isolates of Candida spp. exhibiting a wide range of MICs for fluconazole (< or =0.

Molecular mechanisms of insulin resistance in IRS-2-deficient hepatocytes.

To assess the role of insulin receptor (IR) substrate (IRS)-2 in insulin action and resistance in the liver, immortalized neonatal hepatocyte cell lines have been generated from IRS-2(-/-), IRS-2(+/-), and wild-type mice. These cells maintained the expression of the differentiated liver markers albumin and carbamoyl phosphate synthetase, as well as bear a high number of IRs. The lack of IRS-2 did not result in enhanced IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation or IRS-1-associated phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase activity on insulin stimulation.

Differentiation of toxigenic Staphylococcus aureus in staphylococcal isolates from prepared and frozen foods by combined arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction and DNA probe.

In prepared and frozen flamenquín and hake fish fingers Staphylococcus aureus as sanitary hazards have been detected. In the present work, a combined method that includes an arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR) and a mixed DNA probe hybridisation designed for the enterotoxigenic genes sea, seb, sec, and sed will be assayed to differentiate enterotoxigenic S. aureus from other staphylococcal species isolated during the processing of prepared and frozen foods.

Long-term results after cardiac surgery in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1).

Objectives: Assessment of long-term results of immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1)-infected patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of profile and outcomes of 31 HIV-1-infected patients (35 operations, 1985-2002).

Results: Twenty-seven males and four females (mean age 34.

Surveillance of in vivo resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to antimalarial drugs from 1992 to 1999 in Malabo (Equatorial Guinea).

From 1992-1999, we have assessed the therapeutic efficacy of three malaria treatment regimens (chloroquine 25 mg/kg over three days, pyrimethamine/sulfadoxine 1.25/25 mg/kg in one dose, and quinine 25-30 mg/kg daily in three oral doses over a four-, five-, or seven-day period) in 1,189 children under age 10 at Malabo Regional Hospital in Equatorial Guinea. Of those children, 958 were followed up clinically and parasitologically for 14 days.

Comparison of results obtained by testing with three different agar media and by the NCCLS M27-A method for in vitro testing of fluconazole against Candida spp.

Fluconazole susceptibilities of 150 Candida isolates were determined by a 25- micro g fluconazole disk diffusion agar test and compared with the microdilution NCCLS M27-A method. The agar test used three different media and was read at 24 and 48 h. When only the susceptible and nonsusceptible categories were used, disk diffusion with Müeller-Hinton agar supplemented with 2% glucose and 0.

Quality of life for oncology patients during the terminal period. Validation of the HRCA-QL index.

Aim: The evolution of performance status, disability, and quality of life (QL) according to the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for Aged QL (HRCA-QL) index for cancer patients through their terminal period is described. The assessment of HRCA-QL validity and reliability is also described.

Design: A total of 200 cancer patients were followed up from the onset of their "terminal phase" until they died.

Essential role of protein kinase C zeta in the impairment of insulin-induced glucose transport in IRS-2-deficient brown adipocytes.

Insulin receptor substrate-2-deficient (IRS-2(-/-)) mice develop type 2 diabetes. We have investigated the molecular mechanisms by which IRS-2(-/-) immortalized brown adipocytes showed an impaired response to insulin in inducing GLUT4 translocation and glucose uptake. IRS-2-associated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) activity was blunted in IRS-2(-/-) cells, total PI 3-kinase activity being reduced by 30%.

Molecular diagnosis of infective endocarditis by PCR amplification and direct sequencing of DNA from valve tissue.

We used broad-range eubacterial PCR amplification followed by direct sequencing to identify microbial pathogens in heart valve material from 29 patients with histologically confirmed infective endocarditis and 23 patients free of infective endocarditis. Microorganisms cultured by conventional techniques matched those identified by PCR in 21 cases. PCR alone identified the causative agent in three cases (Streptococcus bovis, Staphylococcus cohnii, and Coxiella burnetii), allowing better patient management.

Stabilization of human pancreatic ribonuclease through mutation at its N-terminal edge.

Enzyme stability can be an important parameter in the design of recombinant toxins because unstable proteins are often degraded before they can reach their cellular target. There is great interest in the design of human pancreatic ribonuclease variants that could be cytotoxic against tumoral cells. To this end, some residues in the protein need to be substituted, but this may result in a loss of stability.

Essential role of insulin-like growth factor I receptor in insulin-induced fetal brown adipocyte differentiation.

To define the specific role of IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) in adipogenic and thermogenic differentiation of brown adipocytes during late fetal life, we have established immortalized brown adipocyte cell lines from fetuses of IGF-IR-deficient mice (IGF-IR(-/-)) as well as from wild-type mice (IGF-IR(+/+)). IGF-IR(-/-) cells showed an increased insulin sensitivity regarding insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) tyrosine phosphorylation despite a substantial reduction in IRS-1 protein content. Furthermore, insulin-induced total and IRS-1-associated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activities were augmented in IGF-IR-deficient cells compared with wild-type cells.

Insulin-induced up-regulated uncoupling protein-1 expression is mediated by insulin receptor substrate 1 through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway in fetal brown adipocytes.

To investigate the role of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and its downstream signaling in insulin-induced thermogenic differentiation of brown adipocytes, we have reconstituted IRS-1-deficient fetal brown adipocytes (IRS-1(-/-)) with wild-type IRS-1 (IRS-1(wt)). The lack of IRS-1 resulted in the inability of insulin to induce IRS-1-associated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) activity and Akt phosphorylation in IRS-1(-/-) brown adipocytes. In addition, these cells showed an impairment in activating alpha-Akt, beta-Akt, and gamma-Akt isoforms upon insulin stimulation.

The epithelial mesenchymal transition confers resistance to the apoptotic effects of transforming growth factor Beta in fetal rat hepatocytes.

Fetal rat hepatocytes treated with transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) die by apoptosis. However, a subpopulation of them survives and undergoes an epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). This transition also occurs upon incubation with fetal bovine serum.

Mutations in the factor V, prothrombin and MTHFR genes are not risk factors for recurrent fetal loss.

Objective: Recurrent fetal loss, defined as the occurrence of three or more consecutive spontaneous abortions regardless of previous live birth, is a condition that affects about 2% of all reproductive-aged women. The role of gene mutations in recurrent pregnancy loss is not fully understood. The present research examined the relationship between factor V Leiden, factor V HR2, prothrombin G20210A and MTHFR and recurrent fetal loss in a case-control study.

Microwave single walled carbon nanotubes purification.

A new single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) purification procedure has been developed; it consists in a combination of air treatment and acid microwave digestion leading to a high purity SWCNTs material; the procedure reaches high metal removal percentages and the operation time is drastically reduced compared to conventional acid reflux treatments.

Purification and characterization of an extracellular protease from Penicillium chrysogenum Pg222 active against meat proteins.

An extracellular protease from Penicillium chrysogenum (Pg222) isolated from dry-cured ham has been purified. The purification procedure involved several steps: ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography, filtration, and separation by high-performance liquid chromatography. Based on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis and gel filtration, the purified fraction showed a molecular mass of about 35 kDa.

Ocular wave-front aberration statistics in a normal young population.

Monochromatic ocular aberrations in 108 eyes of a normal young population (n=59) were studied. The wave-front aberration were obtained under natural conditions using a near-infrared Shack-Hartmann wave-front sensor. For this population and a 5 mm pupil, more than 99% of the root-mean square wave-front error is contained in the first four orders of a Zernike expansion and about 91% corresponds only to the second order.

Atypical beta-adrenergic effects on insulin signaling and action in beta(3)-adrenoceptor-deficient brown adipocytes.

Cross talk between adrenergic and insulin signaling systems may represent a fundamental molecular basis of insulin resistance. We have characterized a newly established beta(3)-adrenoceptor-deficient (beta(3)-KO) brown adipocyte cell line and have used it to selectively investigate the potential role of novel-state and typical beta-adrenoceptors (beta-AR) on insulin signaling and action. The novel-state beta(1)-AR agonist CGP-12177 strongly induced uncoupling protein-1 in beta(3)-KO brown adipocytes as opposed to the beta(3)-selective agonist CL-316,243.

Molecular cloning of verrucosidin-producing Penicillium polonicum genes by differential screening to obtain a DNA probe.

A differential molecular screening procedure was developed to obtain DNA clones enriched for verrucosidin-related genes that could be used as DNA probes to detect verrucosidin-producing Penicillium polonicum. Permissive and nonpermissive conditions for verrucosidin production were selected to obtain differentiated poly (A)+ RNA for the cloning strategy. P.

Insulin restores differentiation of Ras-transformed C2C12 myoblasts by inducing NF-kappaB through an AKT/P70S6K/p38-MAPK pathway.

v-H-ras transformed C2C12 (C2Ras) myoblasts, overexpressing p21-Ras protein in the Ras-GTP active form, showed a differentiation-defective phenotype when cultured in low serum as compared with C2C12 myoblasts. Accordingly, the purpose of the present study was to delineate the signaling pathways that restore C2Ras myoblasts differentiation. Inhibition of p42/p44-MAPK with the chemical inhibitor PD98059, and activation of AKT/P70S6K and p38-MAPK with insulin, produced growth arrest (precluding the expression of PCNA, cyclin-D1 and retinoblastoma at the hyperphosphorylated state and inducing the expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p21(Cip)) and myogenesis (multinucleated myotubes formation and induction of creatine kinase, caveolin-3 and alpha-actin).