First report of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida bracarensis</Emphasis> in Mexico: hydrolytic enzymes and antifungal susceptibility pattern

Candida bracarensis is an emerging cryptic species within the Candida glabrata clade. To date, little is known about its epidemiology, virulence, and antifungal susceptibility. This study documents the occurrence of C. bracarensis for the first time in Mexico and focuses on its in vitro production of hydrolytic enzymes, as well as antifungal susceptibility to echinocandins. This strain was isolated from a vaginal swab of a female with vulvovaginal candidosis; exhibited a very strong activity of aspartyl proteinase, phospholipase, and hemolysin; and was susceptible to caspofungin, anidulafungin, and micafungin (MIC?=?0.031 μg/mL). Data obtained could contribute to the knowledge of the epidemiology and virulence attributes of this yeast as a fungal opportunistic human pathogen.     

Selenium Compounds Prevent Amyloid β-Peptide Neurotoxicity in Rat Primary Hippocampal Neurons

Neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) include amyloid plaque formation, neurofibrillary tangles, neuronal and synaptic loss. This study aims to identify the neuroprotective effects of the selenium compounds on the neurotoxicity of amyloid β(1–42) in primary cultures of murine hippocampal neurons. Samples were subjected to immunocytochemistry and western blotting techniques to determine the role of treatments on neuronal viability and synaptic protein SNAP-25. We observed a reduced cell viability amyloid β-peptide (1–42)-induced. When cells were co-treated with amyloid β-peptide (1–42) and selenium compounds, we verified a strong increase in relative cell viability and in the level of synaptic marker synaptosomal-associated protein SNAP-25 induced by selenium compounds.     

Breast cancer in the previously augmented breast

Breast cancer in a previously augmented breast raises questions regarding cancer detection and staging, surgical and adjuvant treatment options, reconstructive outcomes, management of the contralateral breast, and continued breast cancer surveillance. This article explores the oncologic and reconstructive issues relevant to women desiring cosmetic breast implants and women with breast cancer who have undergone prior cosmetic breast augmentation.     

The UCSC Known Genes

The University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) Known Genes dataset is constructed by a fully automated process, based on protein data from Swiss-Prot/TrEMBL (UniProt) and the associated mRNA data from Genbank. The detailed steps of this process are described. Extensive cross-references from this dataset to other genomic and proteomic data were constructed. For each known gene, a details page is provided containing rich information about the gene, together with extensive links to other relevant genomic, proteomic and pathway data. As of July 2005, the UCSC Known Genes are available for human, mouse and rat genomes. The Known Genes serves as a foundation to support several key programs: the Genome Browser, Proteome Browser, Gene Sorter and Table Browser offered at the UCSC website. All the associated data files and program source code are also available. They can be accessed at http://genome.ucsc.edu. The genomic coverage of UCSC Known Genes, RefSeq, Ensembl Genes, H-Invitational and CCDS is analyzed. Although UCSC Known Genes offers the highest genomic and CDS coverage among major human and mouse gene sets, more detailed analysis suggests all of them could be further improved.     

Electrical fusion of cells and nucleiin vitro: A preliminary note

The electrical fusion of male skin fibroblasts of the Indian muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak)in vitro is described. Fusion of cell nuclei in the resulting multinucleated giant cells was observed after application of up to ten additional DC pulses. Electrical fusion of bovine erythrocytes and alveolar macrophages is also described. Cell fusion can be obtained without the use of protease pretreatment, but the yield of fused cells is about 20 times lower than with prior use of proteases.     

Adults' responses to infants varying in perceived cuteness

The effects of perceived cuteness of infant photographs on the behaviour of young adults was investigated. Looking, facial muscle activity, and skin conductance were measured during individual presentations of the photographs, whereas only looking was measured during paired presentations. Both measures of looking time were significantly affected by the perceived cuteness of infant photographs, with infants ranked as most cute looked at longest and those ranked least cute looked at for the shortest length of time. Increased facial muscle activity previously associated with pleasant or happy facial expressions was associated with presentations of infant photographs but was not related to perceived cuteness. A second experiment indicated that increased facial muscle activity was specific to infant photographs. Adult responses to infant physical appearance appear to be regulated by two mechanisms: an initial positive response to “babyishness”, reflected by increased facial zygomaticus muscle activity, and an individual cognitive preference response to “cuteness”, reflected by differential looking times.     

Cr Localization and Speciation in Roots of Chromate Fed Helianthus annuus L. Seedlings Using Synchrotron Techniques

In order to gain knowledge on the potential use of Helianthus annuus L. for the remediation of Cr(VI) polluted waters, hydroponics experiments were set up to determine Cr uptake and tolerance in different Cr(VI)-sulfate conditions, and Cr biotransformations. Results indicated that Cr(VI) promoted seed germination, and plant tolerance was higher at younger plant stages. Cr uptake was dependent on sulfate concentrations. The highest Cr levels in roots and shoots (13,700 and 2,500 mg kg^–1dry weight (DW), respectively) were obtained in 1 mM sulfate. The lowest Cr uptake in roots (10,600 mg kg^–1DW) was observed in seedlings treated with no sulfate. In shoots, Cr concentration was of 1,500 mg kg^–1DW for the 1 mM sulfate treatment, indicating a different level of interaction between chromate and sulfate in both tissues. For the first time, using micro X-ray florescence (μXRF), we demonstrated Cr reaches the root stele and is located in the walls of xylem vessels. Bulk and micro X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (μXANES) results showed that Cr in the roots is mostly in the form of Cr(III) phosphate (80%), with the remainder complexed to organic acids. Our results suggest this plant species may serve for Cr(VI) rhizofiltration purposes.     

Diagenetic alterations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Meriones</Emphasis> incisors (Rodentia) of El Harhoura 2 cave,Morocco (late Pleistocene–middle Holocene)

Fossil teeth are used for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. Among the criteria used, the geochemical composition is favoured, because it is said that the enamel is exempt from diagenetic changes. The combined microstructural and chemical analyses of rodent incisors from the cave of El Hahroura 2 (Morocco, Middle Palaeolithic–Neolithic) using scanning electron microscopy, an electron microprobe and FTIR spectroscopy show that all teeth were preserved in apatite. Nevertheless, the microstructure of both dentine and enamel is altered, as well as their chemical composition. Teeth excavated from the upper layers are already diagenetically modified despite being from the Neolithic. Teeth from three older stratigraphic layers are also altered but with a different pattern. Up to now, a direct correlation of the morphological and structural/compositional preservation has not been possible, showing that to use only one criterion to infer the quality of the preservation is not sufficient. Moreover, palaeoecological or palaeoenvironmental reconstructions based on geochemical data without control of the dental microstructure may be biased.