Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis-Key Players in the Lung Aging Process.

Currently, the global lifespan has increased, resulting in a higher proportion of the population over 65 years. Changes that occur in the lung during aging increase the risk of developing acute and chronic lung diseases, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and lung cancer. During normal tissue homeostasis, cell proliferation and apoptosis create a dynamic balance that constitutes the physiological cell turnover.

Identification of the Remains of an Adult Using DNA from Their Deciduous Teeth as a Reference Sample.

In many forensic cases, the identification of human remains is performed by comparing their genetic profile with profiles from reference samples of relatives, usually the parents. Here, we report, for the first time, the identification of the remains of an adult using DNA from the person's deciduous teeth as a reference sample. Fragments of a skeletonized and burned body were found, and a short tandem repeat (STR) profile was obtained.

Back to the Basics: Usefulness of Naturally Aged Mouse Models and Immunohistochemical and Quantitative Morphologic Methods in Studying Mechanisms of Lung Aging and Associated Diseases.

Aging-related molecular and cellular alterations in the lung contribute to an increased susceptibility of the elderly to devastating diseases. Although the study of the aging process in the lung may benefit from the use of genetically modified mouse models and omics techniques, these approaches are still not available to most researchers and produce complex results. In this article, we review works that used naturally aged mouse models, together with immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative morphologic (QM) methods in the study of the mechanisms of the aging process in the lung and its most commonly associated disorders: cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and infectious diseases.

Nestin-Expressing Cells in the Lung: The Bad and the Good Parts.

Nestin is a member of the intermediate filament family, which is expressed in a variety of stem or progenitor cells as well as in several types of malignancies. Nestin might be involved in tissue homeostasis or repair, but its expression has also been associated with processes that lead to a poor prognosis in various types of cancer. In this article, we review the literature related to the effect of nestin expression in the lung.

The Convoluted Tubules of the Nephron Must Be Considered Elliptical, and Not Circular, in Stereological Studies of the Kidney.

Introduction: The diameter and area of the proximal convoluted tubule (PCT) and the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) are of the main parameters analyzed in stereological studies of the kidney. However, there is no consensus about if the PCT and DCT should be considered circular or elliptical in shape.

Objective: To analyze if there are significant differences in the diameter and area of the PCT and DCT, depending on whether they are considered circular or elliptical.

Toxicity and Anticancer Potential of : A Review.

genus consists of shrubs and small trees. Four toxic compounds have been isolated from plants, which were typified as dimeric anthracenones and named T496, T514, T516, and T544. Moreover, several related compounds have been isolated and characterized.

Peroxisomicine A1, a potential antineoplastic agent, causes micropexophagy in addition to macropexophagy.

Peroxisomicine A1 (PA1) is a potential antineoplastic agent with high and selective toxicity toward peroxisomes of tumor cells. Pexophagy is a selective autophagy process that degrades damaged peroxisomes; this process has been studied mainly in methylotrophic yeasts. There are two main modes of pexophagy in yeast: macropexophagy and micropexophagy.

Morphometric analysis of the non-epithelial areas of mouse bronchioles through the normal aging process.

Aging is associated with changes in the structure and function of the lung that may increase susceptibility to chronic lung diseases. The aim of this study was the morphometric assessment of the non-epithelial areas of the bronchioles of mouse through the normal aging process. Lungs from CD1 mice at the age of 2, 6, 12, 18, or 24 months were fixed in neutral-buffered formalin and paraffin-embedded.

C3435T polymorphism in the gene and breast cancer risk in northeastern Mexico.

The multidrug resistance gene 1 () encodes a membrane-bound phosphoglycoprotein (P-gp). It functions as a transmembrane efflux pump for various structurally unrelated carcinogens and toxins. Polymorphism C3435T of has been investigated for its association with breast cancer in different populations.

Analysis of Cell Turnover in the Bronchiolar Epithelium Through the Normal Aging Process.

Purpose: Aging is associated with changes in the lung that leads to a decrease in its function. Alterations in structure and function in the small airways are well recognized in chronic lung diseases. The aim of this study was the assessment of cell turnover in the bronchiolar epithelium of mouse through the normal aging process.

Relevance of sampling and DNA extraction techniques for the analysis of salivary evidence from bite marks: a case report.

Bite mark evidence has been repeatedly found in criminal cases. Physical comparison of a bite mark to the teeth of available suspects may not always be possible. Experimental studies have shown that the analysis of DNA present in the saliva recovered from bite marks might help in the identification of individuals.

Detection of a novel stem cell probably involved in normal turnover of the lung airway epithelium.

Regeneration of the lung airway epithelium after injury has been extensively studied. In contrast, analysis of its turnover in healthy adulthood has received little attention. In the classical view, this epithelium is maintained in the steady-state by the infrequent proliferation of basal or Clara cells.

Polymorphisms in GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1, and GSTM3 genes and breast cancer risk in northeastern Mexico.

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are a family of phase II metabolizing enzymes involved in carcinogen detoxification and the metabolism of various bioactive compounds. Several genes that code for these enzymes are polymorphic in an ethnicity-dependent manner, with particular genotypes previously associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequencies of polymorphisms in the genes GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1, and GSTM3 and to investigate whether an association exists between these genes and breast cancer risk in subjects from northeastern Mexico.

p53 E3 ubiquitin protein ligase homolog regulates p53 in vivo in the adult mouse eye lens.

Purpose: p53 is a transcription factor that plays an important role in preventing cancer development. p53 participates in relevant aspects of cell biology, including apoptosis and cell cycle control and must be strictly regulated to maintain normal tissue homeostasis. p53 E3 ubiquitin protein ligase homolog (Mdm2) is an important negative regulator of p53.

Evidence of chondrocyte turnover in lung cartilage, with the probable participation of nestin-positive cells.

Healthy adult cartilage is thought to have little or no capacity to renewal, and cell turnover has not been reported in lung cartilage. We report that chondrocyte turnover occurs in lung cartilage, found in an unrelated study. Lung specimens from CD1 mice of 2, 6, 12, 18 or 24 months were fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin and paraffin-embedded.

Identification of human remains by DNA analysis of the gastrointestinal contents of fly larvae.

Dipterous fly larvae (maggots) are frequently collected from a corpse during a criminal investigation. Previous studies showed that DNA analysis of the gastrointestinal contents of maggots might be used to reveal the identity of a victim. However, this approach has not been used to date in legal investigations, and thus its practical usefulness is unknown.

Multinucleation of spermatozoa and spermatids in infertile men chronically exposed to carbofuran.

Objective: To report the findings encountered in semen samples coming from two infertile men chronically exposed to carbofuran.

Methods: Semen samples were collected and analyzed as recommended by the World Health Organization. A morphological analysis was carried out by light microscopy.

Ultrastructural findings in semen samples of infertile men infected with Chlamydia trachomatis and mycoplasmas.

The aim of this study was to describe the ultrastructural features observed in semen samples of men with infertility and subfertility of unknown cause infected with Chlamydia trachomatis and mycoplasmas. The findings observed by ultrastructure included destruction or persistence of bacteria in leukocytes, phagocytosis of spermatozoa by leukocytes, and structural damage of spermatozoa.

Ultrastructure of the seminiferous epithelium of ethyl methanesulphonate-treated mouse.

Ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS) is a mutagenic alkylating agent that induces marked elevations of sperm abnormalities in mice. In this paper, we report the ultrastructural findings on the morphology of the seminiferous epithelium of mice resulting from EMS administration. Eight- to twelve-weeks-old male mice were injected intraperitoneally with EMS at 200 mg kg(-1) body weight daily for five consecutive days.

International NeuroAIDS: prospects of HIV-1 associated neurological complications.

Neurological complications associated with HIV-1/AIDS are being recognized with a high frequency that parallels the increased number of AIDS cases. The early infiltration by HIV-1 into the nervous system can cause primary and/or secondary neurological complications. The most common neurocognitive disorder is AIDS Dementia Complex (ADC).

Molecular sexing of monomorphic endangered Ara birds.

Survival of most endangered birds may depend on breeding programs where sex identification plays an important role. Molecular sexing has shown to be a rapid and safe procedure. In this work we established sex identification of monomorphic endangered Ara birds using a chromosome W-linked DNA marker, the Chromo-helicase-DNA-Binding 1 (CHD) gene.

Critical appraisal of the estimation of body composition via two-, three-, and four-compartment models.

Withers RT, Laforgia J, Heymsfield SB. 1999. Critical appraisal of the estimation of body composition via two-, three-, and four-compartment models.

Vitamin D receptor polymorphisms and bone mineral density in Mexican women without osteoporosis.

Polymorphisms corresponding to Apa I, Bsm I, and Taq I restriction endonucleases at the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene and bone mineral density (BMD) at lumbar spine (L2-L4) and proximal femur (neck, Ward's triangle and trochanteric region) sites were examined in a sample of 98 Mexican women (age 55 +/- 10 years). None of the subjects were pregnant or nursing and none had a previous diagnosis of osteoporosis. Polymorphisms were assessed by the restriction fragment length polymorphism - polymerase chain reaction (RFLP-PCR) technique.