Climate variability analysis is crucial for understanding current patterns and predicting future climate behavior. This knowledge is essential for decision-making about mitigation and reduction activities to combat climate change from those activities that may cause abrupt changes in climate dynamics. The present study analyzed climate variability in the Magdalena department, Colombia, over a 22-year period.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune neurological disease characterized by the recurrent appearance of demyelinating lesions and progressive disability. Currently, there are multiple disease-modifying treatments, however, there is a significant need to develop new therapeutic targets, especially for the progressive forms of the disease. This review article provides an overview of the most recent studies aimed at understanding the inflammatory processes that are activated in response to the accumulation of kynurenine pathway (KP) metabolites, which exacerbate an imbalance between immune system cells (e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEpidemiological studies and meta-analyses have shown a strong association between high seroprevalence of () and schizophrenia. Schizophrenic patients showed higher levels of anti-Toxoplasma immunoglobulins M and G (IgM and IgG) when compared to healthy controls. Previously, in a rat model, we demonstrated that the progeny of mothers immunized with lysates before gestation had behavioral and social impairments during adulthood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202419110-00033/figure1/v/2024-03-08T184507Z/r/image-tiff Dysregulation of G9a, a histone-lysine N-methyltransferase, has been observed in Alzheimer's disease and has been correlated with increased levels of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. Likewise, microRNAs are involved in many biological processes and diseases playing a key role in pathogenesis, especially in multifactorial diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGlioblastoma (GB) is the most aggressive and common type of cancer within the central nervous system (CNS). Despite the vast knowledge of its physiopathology and histology, its etiology at the molecular level has not been completely understood. Thus, attaining a cure has not been possible yet and it remains one of the deadliest types of cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMagnetic bismuth ferrite (BiFO) microparticles were employed for the first time for the removal of polystyrene (PS) nano/microplastics from the drinking water. BiFO is formed by porous agglomerates with sizes of 5-11 μm, while the PS nano/microparticles have sizes in the range of 70-11000 nm. X-ray diffraction studies demonstrated that the BiFO microparticles are composed of BiFeO/BiFeO (the content of BiFeO is ≈ 8.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWolves have been the archetype of wildlife persecution by humans for centuries all over the world, and still are heavily persecuted in some regions. Facultative diurnal/nocturnal wild mammals are known to become more nocturnal when persecuted. Conversely, little is known regarding the possibility of wolves becoming more diurnal if not persecuted.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSET is a multifunctional histone-binding oncoprotein that regulates transcription by an unclear mechanism. Here we show that SET enhances estrogen-dependent transcription. SET knockdown abrogates transcription of estrogen-responsive genes and their enhancer RNAs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProstate specific antigen (PSA) is a serine protease used for the screening of prostate cancer. The total portion of PSA (tPSA) can be found in its free form (fPSA), or bound to other proteins forming a stable complex. A heterogeneous sandwich-type UltraMicro Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (UMELISA) has been developed for the measurement of tPSA and fPSA in human serum samples.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe determination of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) in biological fluids is of great interest in the early pregnancy diagnostics, the evaluation of pregnancy disorders, as a tumor marker, as a screening procedure for anti-doping control, and many other purposes. A simple sandwich-type UltraMicro Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (UMELISA) has been developed for the measurement of HCG in serum and urine samples. Strips coated with a high affinity MAb directed against HCG are used as solid phase, to ensure the specificity of the assay.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
March 2021
New strategies for cancer immunotherapy are needed since most solid tumors do not respond to current approaches. Here we used epithelial cell adhesion molecule EpCAM (a tumor-associated antigen highly expressed on common epithelial cancers and their tumor-initiating cells) aptamer-linked small-interfering RNA chimeras (AsiCs) to knock down genes selectively in EpCAM tumors with the goal of making cancers more visible to the immune system. Knockdown of genes that function in multiple steps of cancer immunity was evaluated in aggressive triple-negative and HER2 orthotopic, metastatic, and genetically engineered mouse breast cancer models.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe presence of mycotoxin-producing fungi in food production environments is a cause of concern since they can contaminate food products, synthesizing toxic compounds in later steps. To avoid this, an effective hygiene and sanitation process of the environment and equipment should be adopted, using sanitizing agents with adequate antifungal efficacy. This work evaluated the effectiveness of different chemical sanitizers: benzalkonium chloride (0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To investigate the effect of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program on complications and length of stay (LOS) after radical cystectomy (RC) and to assess if the number and type of components of ERAS play a key role on the decrease of surgical morbidity.
Materials And Methods: We analyzed the data of 277 patients prospectively recruited in 11 hospitals undergoing RC initially managed according to local practice (Group I) and later within an ERAS program (Group II). Two main outcomes were defined: 90-day complications rate and LOS.
ATRX alterations occur at high frequency in neuroblastoma of adolescents and young adults. Particularly intriguing are the large N-terminal deletions of ATRX (Alpha Thalassemia/Mental Retardation, X-linked) that generate in-frame fusion (IFF) proteins devoid of key chromatin interaction domains, while retaining the SWI/SNF-like helicase region. We demonstrate that ATRX IFF proteins are redistributed from H3K9me3-enriched chromatin to promoters of active genes and identify REST as an ATRX IFF target whose activation promotes silencing of neuronal differentiation genes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFmRNA modifications play important roles in regulating gene expression. One of the most abundant mRNA modifications is N6,2-O-dimethyladenosine (m6Am). Here, we demonstrate that m6Am is an evolutionarily conserved mRNA modification mediated by the Phosphorylated CTD Interacting Factor 1 (PCIF1), which catalyzes m6A methylation on 2-O-methylated adenine located at the 5' ends of mRNAs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis work aimed to elaborate sourdough panettones with Lactobacillus fermentum (LF) and Wickerhamomyces anomallus (WA) evaluating their microbiological stability, physical and chemical characteristics as well as the impact of these microorganisms on sensory aspects and consumer acceptance. For characterization, panettones were elaborated by long fermentation, using two selected microorganisms, LF and WA in different proportions; and control panettones were formulated using commercial yeast with and without preservative. For sensory analyses, LF, WA, LF/WA (1:1), control with calcium propionate and commercial panettones were compared.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF53BP1 is a chromatin-associated protein that regulates the DNA damage response. In this study, we identify the TPX2/Aurora A heterodimer, nominally considered a mitotic kinase complex, as a novel binding partner of 53BP1. We find that TPX2/Aurora A plays a previously unrecognized role in DNA damage repair and replication fork stability by counteracting 53BP1 function.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aimed to determine the level of adequacy of bakeries to the requirements of good manufacturing practices (GMP) and the fungal contamination of the environmental air of these places, verifying the existence of a correlation between both. The checklist present in Ordinance No 78/2009 of good practices based on the current legislation was used to evaluate GMP adequacy and the contamination of environmental air was determined through the air sampling method. After the application of the checklist, it was observed that 75% (n = 15) of the bakeries evaluated were classified into group 2 (good) and 25% (n = 5) as group 3 (regular).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSmoke generator sanitizers are easy to handle and can access to hard-to-reach places. They are a promising alternative for controlling food and air borne fungi, which are known to cause losses in the bakery, meat, and dairy industries. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of a smoke generator sanitizer based on orthophenylphenol against ten fungal species relevant to food spoilage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBromodomain and extraterminal domain inhibitors (BETi) represent promising therapeutic agents for metastatic melanoma, yet their mechanism of action remains unclear. Here we interrogated the transcriptional effects of BETi and identified AMIGO2, a transmembrane molecule, as a BET target gene essential for melanoma cell survival. AMIGO2 is upregulated in melanoma cells and tissues compared to human melanocytes and nevi, and AMIGO2 silencing in melanoma cells induces G1/S arrest followed by apoptosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: More than 50% of patients with Crohn's disease require intestinal resection at least once. Postoperative recurrence (POR) is almost uniform if prophylactic treatment is not started early. Endoscopic monitoring is generally advised.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecent genome sequencing efforts in a variety of cancers have revealed mutations and/or structural alterations in and , which together encode a complex that deposits histone variant H3.3 into repetitive heterochromatin. These regions include retrotransposons, pericentric heterochromatin, and telomeres, the latter of which show deregulation in /-mutant tumors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFrontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a scarring alopecia whose incidence is increasing significantly in our country. It is characterized by loss of frontotemporal hairline that mostly affects postmenopausal women, with a negative impact on quality of life. It is associated with early menopause in 14% of cases and hypothyroidism in 15%.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF