Generative Adversarial Network Performance in Low-Dimensional Settings.

A generative adversarial network (GAN) is an artifcial neural network with a distinctive training architecture, designed to create examples that faithfully reproduce a target distribution. GANs have recently had particular success in applications involving high-dimensional distributions in areas such as image processing. Little work has been reported for low dimensions, where properties of GANs may be better identifed and understood.

Usefulness of rapid urease test samples for molecular analysis of clarithromycin resistance in Helicobacter pylori.

Helicobacter pylori is a gastric pathogen that is widely recognized as a causative agent of gastric disease. Its eradication is variable, mainly due to increased resistance to clarithromycin. Our objective was: to evaluate (i) if the biopsy specimen used for the rapid urease test is a useful sample to detect resistance to clarithromycin by PCR-RFLP and (ii) the distribution of A2142G and A2143G point mutations in the 23S rRNA gene, in relation to virulence factors in our region.

The expression profile of Claudin family members in the developing mouse lung and expression alterations resulting from exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS).

Claudins are tight junctional proteins implicated in cell polarity and epithelial barrier maintenance. Claudin misregulation adversely impacts developmental aspects of cell differentiation and proliferation. The current research evaluated transcriptional expression for Claudins 1-11 and 18 in the developing murine lung at embryonic days (E) 14.

Cigarette smoke and decreased oxygen tension inhibit pulmonary claudin-6 expression.

Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a condition involving perturbed barrier integrity coincident with both emphysema and inflammation of the airways, and smoking is considered a major risk factor. Claudins (Cldns) stabilize barriers and contribute to tight junctions by preventing paracellular transport of extracellular fluid constituents.

Methods: To determine Cldn6 was differentially influenced by tobacco smoke, Cldn6 was evaluated in cells and tissues by q-PCR, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry following exposure.

Conditional pulmonary over-expression of Claudin 6 during embryogenesis delays lung morphogenesis.

Claudin 6 (Cldn6) is a tetraspanin protein expressed by barrier epithelial cells. In order to assess the effects of persistent tight junctions involving Cldn6 during lung development, a doxycycline (dox)-inducible conditional transgenic mouse was generated that up-regulates Cldn6 in the distal lung. Pups had unlimited access to dox from conception until sacrifice date at embryonic day (E) 18.

Identification of gene signatures regulated by carvedilol in mouse heart.

Chronic treatment with the β-blocker carvedilol has been shown to reduce established maladaptive left ventricle (LV) hypertrophy and to improve LV function in experimental heart failure. However, the detailed mechanisms by which carvedilol improves LV failure are incompletely understood. We previously showed that carvedilol is a β-arrestin-biased β1-adrenergic receptor ligand, which activates cellular pathways in the heart independent of G protein-mediated second messenger signaling.

Conditionally induced RAGE expression by proximal airway epithelial cells in transgenic mice causes lung inflammation.

Background: Receptors for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) are multiligand cell-surface receptors expressed abundantly by distal pulmonary epithelium. Our lab has discovered RAGE-mediated effects in the orchestration of lung inflammation induced by tobacco smoke and environmental pollutants; however, the specific contribution of RAGE to the progression of proximal airway inflammation is still inadequately characterized.

Methods And Results: We generated a Tet-inducible transgenic mouse that conditionally overexpressed RAGE using the club cell (Clara) secretory protein (CCSP) promoter expressed by club (Clara) cells localized to the proximal airway.

Antenatal exposure of maternal secondhand smoke (SHS) increases fetal lung expression of RAGE and induces RAGE-mediated pulmonary inflammation.

Background: Receptors for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) are immunoglobulin-like pattern recognition receptors abundantly localized to lung epithelium. Our research demonstrated that primary tobacco smoke exposure increases RAGE expression and that RAGE partly mediates pro-inflammatory signaling during exposure. However, the degree to which RAGE influences developing lungs when gestating mice are exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) has not been determined to date.

Microsatellite primer development for post oak, Quercus stellata (Fagaceae).

Premise Of The Study: The American Cross Timbers forest ecosystem runs from southeastern Kansas to Central Texas and is primarily composed of post oak (Quercus stellata). This old-growth forest currently occupies only about 2% of its ancestral range. To facilitate genetic research on this species, we developed microsatellite primers specific to post oak from reduced genomic libraries.

Developmental lung expression and transcriptional regulation of claudin-6 by TTF-1, Gata-6, and FoxA2.

Background: Claudins are transmembrane proteins expressed in tight junctions that prevent paracellular transport of extracellular fluid and a variety of other substances. However, the expression profile of Claudin-6 (Cldn6) in the developing lung has not been characterized.

Methods And Results: Cldn6 expression was determined during important periods of lung organogenesis by microarray analysis, qPCR and immunofluorescence.

[Esophageal papilloma: case report, molecular identification of human papillomavirus and literature review].

sophageal squamous papilloma is an uncommon, usually asymptomatic, benign tumor of the squamous epithelium consisting of a raised, sessile, small and round (smooth or rough) lesion. The prevalence is between 0.01 and 0.

[Molecular detection and genotypification of Helicobacter pylori in gastric biopsies from symptomatic adult patients in Santa Fe, Argentina].

Our goals were: a) to detect Helicobacter pylori in gastric biopsies of symptomatic adults by PCR, b) to detect the presence of the cagA gene as well as of the allelic variants of the vacA gene, and c) to correlate genotypes with the endoscopic diagnoses. H. pylori was detected in 81 % (39/48) of patients by nested PCR for hsp60.

[Gastrointestinal Kaposi's sarcoma associated to AIDS. Case report].

In this paper, we describe a particular clinical case of gastrointestinal Kaposi's sarcoma associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in a 51-year-old female patient who survived 6 years without anti-retroviral treatment after the diagnosis of HIV infection. The patient was admitted to our hospital with fever, skin lesions in both upper limbs and thighs (one day of evolution) and dry cough (about a month of evolution). She was admitted to the General Internal Medicine Service for control, diagnosis and treatment.

[Digestive tract cancer: after ten years in Santa Fe].

In our earlier paper we found that esophageal cancer was the most frequent localization among all the digestive tract cancers. Furthermore, in four departments belonging to our province we also observed a colon-esophagus relationship of virtually 1 to 1. In this study we aimed to: 1) estimate the prevalence of esophagus and stomach tumors: a) in the Endoscopy Department, b) in all the hospital, comparing it with colon cancer and, c) as causes of death in our region of influence, in relation to all the neoplastic pathologies.

[Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori anti-CagA antibodies and its relationship with epidemiologic factors in Santa Fe].

The early detection of anti-CagA antibodies in young adults would be of a great clinical impact in the prevention of gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to assess IgG and anti-CagA antibodies seroprevalence against Helicobacter pylori in our region using a non invasive technique, easy to perform an evaluating its relationship with different epidemiological risk factors. Four hundred and thirty-five volunteers with a mean age of forty years old from different health centers were included in this study.