Índices de selección para la mejora genética de vacas Siboney de Cuba

Se utilizaron los datos fenotípicos y genealógicos de vacas Siboney de Cuba (5/8 Hostein 3/8 Cebú) con partos de los años 1984 al 2016. El objetivo del estudio fue estimar los parámetros y valores genéticos (VG) de rasgos de producción, reproducción y longevidad, y construir índices de selección (IS) mediante el análisis de componentes principales (CP). Se estimaron los VG de 6 425 vacas para la producción de leche acumulada hasta los 305 días (VGL305), duración de la lactancia (VGDL), edad al primer parto (VGEp1), intervalo parto gestación (VGIPG), leche acumulada por vida (VGLTV) y vida productiva (VGVP). Las h2 para L305, DL, EP1, IPG, LTV y VP fueron de 0.16±0.01, 0.04±0.01, 0.04±0.01, 0.44±0.02, 0.05±0.01 y 0.01±0.01, respectivamente. La correlación genética entre L305 y DL fue de 0.36, entre EP1, IPG y LTV de 0.36, -0.42 y -0.36, y de VP con los otros rasgos fueron bajas (-0.24 a 0.11). El 70.8 % de la varianza total de los VG fue explicada por los CP1-3, siendo el CP1 el de mayor aporte (32.4 %). Los CP permitieron seleccionar por los CP1 y CP2, en lugar de seis VG. Se concluye que en el Siboney de Cuba es posible construir IS basados en los CP. La selección para VGL305 y VGDL podría realizarse mediante el índice PC1, otro IS (PC2) consideraría los VGIPG, VGEP1 y VGLTV; mientras que la VP podría mejorarse independientemente de los otros rasgos utilizando su VG.

Caracterización genética del pavo domestico de traspatio mexicano

El pavo de traspatio mexicano es una raza autóctona en peligro de extinción, ya que en la actualidad se ha perdido la costumbre de conservar los recursos genéticos autóctonos de cada población, procurando el cruzamiento con animales de líneas comerciales para la producción de carne de pavo, dañando y perdiendo el acervo genético de los pavos autóctonos de México. El objetivo del presente trabajo es realizar la caracterización genética del pavo de traspatio mexicano mediante el uso de microsatélites y estudiar la posible estructura genética de esta población. Se analiza un panel de 38 microsatélites en 51 muestras de pavo de traspatio, tomadas de diferentes zonas de la ciudad de Veracruz, México. Se han evaluado los principales parámetros de diversidad genética: heterocigosidad esperada y observada, número de alelos, estadísticos F y Análisis Factorial de Correspondencia mediante el programa informático GENETIX. Se calculan las distancias genéticas entre individuos (DSA) con las que se ha construido un dendrograma utilizando el programa POPULATIONS. El árbol se visualiza con el programa TREEVIEW. Se estudia la estructura genética con el programa STRUCTURE. Todos los microsatélites utilizados han resultado polimórficos, encontrándose un mínimo de 2 alelos en el microsatélite MNT 264 y un máximo de 14 alelos en los marcadores MNT274 y RHT024, con un número medio de alelos de 6.79. Los valores medios de HE y HO son 0.619 y 0.620 respectivamente. Los estadísticos F muestran los siguientes valores en el total de la muestra: FIS 0.128 (P

Chronic kidney disease progression in patients with resistant hypertension subject to 2 therapeutic strategies: Intensification with loop diuretics vs aldosterone antagonists

INTRODUCTION

Actualy, there are few data about glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) drop in patients with resistant hypertension and how diferent therapies can modify chronic kidney disease progression (CKD).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate CKD progression in patients with resistant hypertension undergoing 2diferent therapies: treatment with spironolactone or furosemide.

METHODS

We included 30 patients (21M, 9W) with a mean age of 66.3±9.1 years, eGFR 55.8±16.5ml/min/1.73 m², SBP 162.8±8.2 and DBP 90.2±6.2mmHg: 15 patients received spironolactone and 15 furosemide and we followed up them a median of 32 months (28-41).

RESULTS

The mean annual eGFR decrease was -2.8±5.4ml/min/1.73 m². In spironolactone group was -2.1±4.8ml/min/1.73 m² and in furosemide group was -3.2±5.6ml/min/1.73 m², P<0.01. In patients received spironolactone, SBP decreased 23±9mmHg and in furosemide group decreased 16±3mmHg, P<.01. DBP decreased 10±8mmHg and 6±2mmHg, respectively (P<.01). Treatment with spironolactone reduced albuminuria from a serum albumin/creatine ratio of 210 (121-385) mg/g to 65 (45-120) mg/g at the end of follow-up, P<.01. There were no significant changes in the albumin/creatinine ratio in the furosemide group. The slower drop in kidney function was associated with lower SBP (P=.04), higher GFR (P=.01), lower albuminuria (P=.01), not diabetes mellitus (P=.01) and treatment with spironolactone (P=.02). Treatment with spironolactone (OR 2.13, IC 1.89-2.29) and lower albuminuria (OR 0.98, CI 0.97-0.99) maintain their independent predictive power in a multivariate model.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with spironolactone is more effective reducing BP and albuminuria in patients with resistant hypertension compared with furosemide and it is associated with a slower progression of CKD in the long term follow up.

Spoilage yeasts: What are the sources of contamination of foods and beverages?

Foods and beverages are nutrient-rich ecosystems in which most microorganisms are able to grow. Moreover, several factors, such as physicochemical characteristics, storage temperature, culinary practices, and application of technologies for storage, also define the microbial population of foods and beverages. The yeast population has been well-characterised in fresh and processed fruit and vegetables, dairy products, dry-cured meat products, and beverages, among others. Some species are agents of alteration in different foods and beverages. Since the most comprehensive studies of spoilage yeasts have been performed in the winemaking process, hence, these studies form the thread of the discussion in this review. The natural yeast populations in raw ingredients and environmental contamination in the manufacturing facilities are the main modes by which food contamination occurs. After contamination, yeasts play a significant role in food and beverage spoilage, particularly in the alteration of fermented foods. Several mechanisms contribute to spoilage by yeasts, such as the production of lytic enzymes (lipases, proteases, and cellulases) and gas, utilisation of organic acids, discolouration, and off-flavours. This review addresses the role of yeasts in foods and beverages degradation by considering the modes of contamination and colonisation by yeasts, the yeast population diversity, mechanisms involved, and the analytical techniques for their identification, primarily molecular methods.

Alternative RNA splicing of leucocyte tissue transglutaminase in coeliac disease

Tissue transglutaminase is a ubiquitous and multifunctional protein that contributes to several processes such as apoptosis/survival, efferocytosis, inflammation and tissue repairing under physiological and pathological conditions. Several activities can be associated with well-established functional domains; in addition, four RNA alternative splice variants have been described, characterized by sequence divergences and residues deletion at the C-terminal domains. Tissue transglutaminase is recognized as the central player in the physiopathology of coeliac disease (CD) mainly through calcium-dependent enzymatic activities. It can be hypothesized that differential regulation of tissue transglutaminase splice variants expression in persons with CD contributes to pathology by altering the protein functionality. We characterized the expression pattern of RNA alternative splice variants by RT-PCR in peripheral cells from patients with CD under free gluten diet adhesion; we considered inflammatory parameters and specific antibodies as markers of the stage of disease. We found significant higher expression of both the full length and the shortest C-truncated splice variants in leucocytes from patients with CD in comparison with healthy individuals. As tissue transglutaminase expression and canonical enzymatic activity are linked to inflammation, we studied the RNA expression of inflammatory cytokines in peripheral leucocytes of persons with CD in relation with splice variants expression; interestingly, we found that recently diagnosed patients showed significant correlation between both the full length and the shortest alternative spliced variants with IL-1 expression. Our results points that regulation of alternative splicing of tissue transglutaminase could account for the complex physiopathology of CD.

Ex vivo trypanocidal activity of 1-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)thiosemicarbazide against Trypanosoma equiperdum

Trypanosoma equiperdum is the causative agent of dourine, a venereal disease in horses and donkeys. This parasite has a widely distribution, is found in Africa, Asia, Southern and Eastern Europe, Russia, Mexico and Venezuela. The T. equiperdum is morphologically indistinguishable to other Trypanozoon species, however differs from other mammalian trypanosomes due to the fact that it is primarily a tissue parasite, generating cutaneous plaques, swelling of genitalia and neurological signs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the trypanocidal effectiveness of a set of derivatives of thiosemicarbazones on a T. equiperdum ex vivo culture. All compounds appeared to have trypanocidal activity, however one of them shown better solubility and a dose-dependent effect. The median inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) was 1.2μM. The selected compound exhibits a greater inhibitory activity than diminazene aceturate, a common drug for animal trypanosomosis treatment.

[Strategies to optimize the use of antibiotics in hospitals]

The inadequate use of antibiotics is a clinical reality we are faced with day by day. The great peculiarity of this group of drugs is the influence they have not only on the patients and at the time of their use, but also of future infections and the general population, by favoring alterations in the resistance patterns of the bacterial microflora that colonize people. It is our obligation as experts in infectious diseases to work on improving the use of antimicrobials.

Early-onset neonatal sepsis is associated with a high heart rate during automatically selected stationary periods

AIM

This study examined the heart rate variability characteristics associated with early-onset neonatal sepsis in a prospective, observational controlled study.

METHODS

Eligible patients were full-term neonates hospitalised with clinical signs that suggested early-onset sepsis and a C-reactive protein of >10 mg/L. Sepsis was considered proven in cases of symptomatic septicaemia, meningitis, pneumonia or enterocolitis. Heart rate variability parameters (n = 16) were assessed from five-, 15- and 30-minute stationary sequences automatically selected from electrocardiographic recordings performed at admission and compared with a control group using the U-test with post hoc Benjamini-Yekutieli correction. Stationary sequences corresponded to the periods with the lowest changes of heart rate variability over time.

RESULTS

A total of 40 full-term infants were enrolled, including 14 with proven sepsis. The mean duration of the cardiac cycle length was lower in the proven sepsis group than in the control group (n = 11), without other significant changes in heart rate variability parameters. These durations, measured in five-minute stationary periods, were 406 (367-433) ms in proven sepsis group versus 507 (463-522) ms in the control group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Early-onset neonatal sepsis was associated with a high mean heart rate measured during automatically selected stationary periods.