Unbiased Approach for Virus Detection in Skin Lesions

To assess presence of virus DNA in skin lesions, swab samples from 82 squamous cell carcinomas of the skin (SCCs), 60 actinic keratoses (AKs), paraffin-embedded biopsies from 28 SCCs and 72 kerathoacanthomas (KAs) and fresh-frozen biopsies from 92 KAs, 85 SCCs and 92 AKs were analyzed by high throughput sequencing (HTS) using 454 or Ion Torrent technology. We found total of 4,284 viral reads, out of which 4,168 were Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-related, belonging to 15 known (HPV8, HPV12, HPV20, HPV36, HPV38, HPV45, HPV57, HPV59, HPV104, HPV105, HPV107, HPV109, HPV124, HPV138, HPV147), four previously described putative (HPV 915 F 06 007 FD1, FA73, FA101, SE42) and two putatively new HPV types (SE46, SE47). SE42 was cloned, sequenced, designated as HPV155 and found to have 76% similarity to the most closely related known HPV type. In conclusion, an unbiased approach for viral DNA detection in skin tumors has found that, although some new putative HPVs were found, known HPV types constituted most of the viral DNA.     

Evolutionarily conserved requirement of Cdx for post-occipital tissue emergence

Mouse Cdx genes are involved in axial patterning and partial Cdx mutants exhibit posterior embryonic defects. We found that mouse embryos in which all three Cdx genes are inactivated fail to generate any axial tissue beyond the cephalic and occipital primordia. Anterior axial tissues are laid down and well patterned in Cdx null embryos, and a 3' Hox gene is initially transcribed and expressed in the hindbrain normally. Axial elongation stops abruptly at the post-occipital level in the absence of Cdx, as the posterior growth zone loses its progenitor activity. Exogenous Fgf8 rescues the posterior truncation of Cdx mutants, and the spectrum of defects of Cdx null embryos matches that resulting from loss of posterior Fgfr1 signaling. Our data argue for a main function of Cdx in enforcing trunk emergence beyond the Cdx-independent cephalo-occipital region, and for a downstream role of Fgfr1 signaling in this function. Cdx requirement for the post-head section of the axis is ancestral as it takes place in arthropods as well.     

Baja ingesta de yodo durante la gestación: Relación con el desarrollo placentario y el perímetro cefálico del recién nacido

IntroductionIodine is considered to be an essential micronutrient in pregnant women. Iodine placental transport to the embryo-fetus is essential for hormone synthesis and is crucial for nervous system development. However, the relationship between iodine intake and placental weight and its potential implications for the newborn have not been studied.Material and methodsIodine intake was analyzed in 77 pregnant women based on urinary iodine excretion (UIE) levels, measured using Pinós modified method (normal value, ≥ 150 μg/L). Placental weight was measured (PW: normal, ≥500 g). In the newborn, weight, height, and head perimeter (HP) were also measured. Placental index (PI: placental weight/newborn weight) was calculated, and was considered normal if ≥0.15.ResultsUIE was normal in 50 pregnant women (mean ± SD, 279 μg/L ± 70.22 μg/L) and decreased in 27 (94 μg/L ± 31.49 μg/L). Newborns of mothers with low UIE had a similar weight (3357 g ± 416.30 g; n: 27) to those of mothers with normal UIE (3489 g ± 560.59 g; n: 50). Forty-four percent of mothers with low UIE had PW <500 g, and statistically lower HPs were found in newborns of mothers with low PW (PW³500 g: 36.05 cm ± 0.55 cm, n: 54; PW <500 g: 33.93 cm ± 15 cm, n:23, p < 0.019). Similar results were found with PI, but they did not reach statistical significance (0,17 ± 0,04; p = 0.066). No differences were seen in all other parameters.ConclusionThe study suggests the existence of a relationship between PW and HP. This finding may be related to iodine intake during pregnancy.     

Going with the grain: Fiber,cognition, and the microbiota-gut-brain-axis

Healthy dietary intake has been acknowledged for decades as one of the main contributors to health. More recently, the field of nutritional psychiatry has progressed our understanding regarding the importance of nutrition in supporting mental health and cognitive function. Thereby, individual nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols, have been recognized to be key drivers in this relationship. With the progress in appreciating the influence of dietary fiber on health, increasingly research is focusing on deciphering its role in brain processes. However, while the importance of dietary fiber in gastrointestinal and metabolic health is well established, leading to the development of associated health claims, the evidence is not conclusive enough to support similar claims regarding cognitive function. Albeit the increasing knowledge of the impact of dietary fiber on mental health, only a few human studies have begun to shed light onto the underexplored connection between dietary fiber and cognition. Moreover, the microbiota-gut-brain axis has emerged as a key conduit for the effects of nutrition on the brain, especially fibers, that are acted on by specific bacteria to produce a variety of health-promoting metabolites. These metabolites (including short chain fatty acids) as well as the vagus nerve, the immune system, gut hormones, or the kynurenine pathway have been proposed as underlying mechanisms of the microbiota-brain crosstalk. In this minireview, we summarize the evidence available from human studies on the association between dietary fiber intake and cognitive function. We provide an overview of potential underlying mechanisms and discuss remaining questions that need to be answered in future studies. While this field is moving at a fast pace and holds promise for future important discoveries, especially data from human cohorts are required to further our understanding and drive the development of public health recommendations regarding dietary fiber in brain health.     

Radiotherapy setup displacements in breast cancer patients: 3D surface imaging experience

Aim

In this study, we intend to compare two different setup procedures for female breast cancer patients.

Redox-sensitive loops D and E regulate NADP(H) binding in domain III and domain I-domain III interactions in proton-translocating Escherichia coli transhydrogenase.

Membrane-bound transhydrogenases are conformationally driven proton-pumps which couple an inward proton translocation to the reversible reduction of NADP+ by NADH (forward reaction). This reaction is stimulated by an electrochemical proton gradient, Delta p, presumably through an increased release of NADPH. The enzymes have three domains: domain II spans the membrane, while domain I and III are hydrophilic and contain the binding sites for NAD(H) and NADP(H), respectively. Separately expressed domain I and III together catalyze a very slow forward reaction due to tightly bound NADP(H) in domain III. With the aim of examining the mechanistic role(s) of loop D and E in domain III and intact cysteine-free Escherichia coli transhydrogenase by cysteine mutagenesis, the conserved residues beta A398, beta S404, beta I406, beta G408, beta M409 and beta V411 in loop D, and residue beta Y431 in loop E were selected. In addition, the previously made mutants betaD392C and betaT393C in loop D, and beta G430C and beta A432C in loop E, were included. All loop D and E mutants, especially beta I406C and beta G430C, showed increased ratios between the rates of the forward and reverse reactions, thus approaching that of the wild-type enzyme. Determination of values indicated that the former increase was due to a strongly increased dissociation of NADPH caused by an altered conformation of loops D and E. In contrast, the cysteine-free G430C mutant of the intact enzyme showed the same inhibition of both forward and reverse rates. Most domain III mutants also showed a decreased affinity for domain I. The results support an important and regulatory role of loops D and E in the binding of NADP(H) as well as in the interaction between domain I and domain III.