Publications by authors named "Maria I Diaz"

Background: Studies analyzing non-antibiotic alternatives in kidney transplant UTI's are lacking. d-Mannose, a simple sugar, inhibits bacterial attachment to the urothelium, as does Proanthocyanidins; both could act as a synergic strategy preventing UTI; nonetheless their efficacy and safety have not been evaluated in kidney transplant population yet.

Methods: This is a pilot prospective, double-blind randomized trial.

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Caveolin-1 (CAV1), is a broadly expressed, membrane-associated scaffolding protein that acts both, as a tumor suppressor and a promoter of metastasis, depending on the type of cancer and stage. CAV1 is downregulated in human tumors, tumor cell lines and oncogene-transformed cells. The tumor suppressor activity of CAV1 is generally associated with its presence at the plasma membrane, where it participates, together with cavins, in the formation of caveolae and also has been suggested to interact with and inhibit a wide variety of proteins through interactions mediated by the scaffolding domain.

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We evaluated the effects of projected, near future ocean acidification (OA) and extreme events of temperature (warming or cooling) on the thermal tolerance of Concholepas concholepas, a coastal benthic keystone species. Three separate trials of an experiment were conducted by exposing juvenile C. concholepas for 1 month to one of two contrasting pCO levels (~500 and ~1200 μatm).

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Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) is an increasing global problem that, despite being widely recognized in terrestrial systems, has been studied much less in marine habitats. In this study we investigated the effect of ALAN on behavioral and physiological traits of Concholepas concholepas, an important keystone species of the south-eastern Pacific coast. We used juveniles collected in intertidal habitats that had not previously been exposed to ALAN.

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Ferritins are ubiquitous proteins with a pivotal role in iron storage and homeostasis, and in host defense responses during infection by pathogens in several organisms, including mollusks. In this study, we characterized two ferritin homologues in the red abalone Haliotis rufescens, a species of economic importance for Chile, USA and Mexico. Two ferritin subunits (Hrfer1 and Hrfer2) were cloned.

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The HLH-2004 criteria are used to diagnose hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), yet concern exists for their misapplication, resulting in suboptimal treatment of some patients. We sought to define the genomic spectrum and associated outcomes of a diverse cohort of children who met the HLH-2004 criteria. Genetic testing was performed clinically or through research-based whole-exome sequencing.

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Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is a scaffolding protein that plays a dual role in cancer. In advanced stages of this disease, CAV1 expression in tumor cells is associated with enhanced metastatic potential, while, at earlier stages, CAV1 functions as a tumor suppressor. We recently implicated CAV1 phosphorylation on tyrosine 14 (Y14) in CAV1-enhanced cell migration.

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Article Synopsis
  • Ferritin plays a key role in iron regulation for molluscs, and researchers studied two ferritin homologues (Apfer1 and Apfer2) in the economically important scallop Argopecten purpuratus.
  • The study involved cloning both genes, revealing that Apfer1 corresponds to a new ferritin subunit while Apfer2 matches a previously identified sequence.
  • The expression of Apfer1 was significantly higher during larval development, in faster-growing scallops, and after bacterial exposure, indicating its potential role in iron storage, development, and immune response.
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A considerable body of evidence exists implicating high levels of free saturated fatty acids in beta pancreatic cell death, although the molecular mechanisms and the signaling pathways involved have not been clearly defined. The membrane protein caveolin-1 has long been implicated in cell death, either by sensitizing to or directly inducing apoptosis and it is normally expressed in beta cells. Here, we tested whether the presence of caveolin-1 modulates free fatty acid-induced beta cell death by reexpressing this protein in MIN6 murine beta cells lacking caveolin-1.

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Background: We assessed the efficacy of customized foot orthotic therapy by comparing reulceration rates, minor amputation rates, and work and daily living activities before and after therapy. Peak plantar pressures and peak plantar impulses were compared with the patients not wearing and wearing their prescribed footwear.

Methods: One hundred seventeen patients with diabetes were prescribed therapeutic insoles and footwear based on the results of a detailed biomechanical study and were followed for 2 years.

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Caveolin-1 is known to promote cell migration, and increased caveolin-1 expression is associated with tumor progression and metastasis. In fibroblasts, caveolin-1 polarization and phosphorylation of tyrosine-14 are essential to promote migration. However, the role of caveolin-1 in migration of metastatic cells remains poorly defined.

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Aim: To evaluate how widely Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) HopE and HopV porins are expressed among Chilean isolates and how seroprevalent they are among infected patients in Chile.

Methods: H.

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Helicobacter pylori infection is highly prevalent in Chile (73%). Usually a minority of infected patients develops complications such as ulcers and gastric cancer that have been associated with the presence of virulence factors (cagA, vacA) and host T helper response (Th1/Th2). Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between strain virulence and host immune response, using a multiple regression approach for the development of a model based on data collected from H.

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