MS-based analytical methodologies to characterize genetically modified crops

The development of genetically modified crops has had a great impact on the agriculture and food industries. However, the development of any genetically modified organism (GMO) requires the application of analytical procedures to confirm the equivalence of the GMO compared to its isogenic non-transgenic counterpart. Moreover, the use of GMOs in foods and agriculture faces numerous criticisms from consumers and ecological organizations that have led some countries to regulate their production, growth, and commercialization. These regulations have brought about the need of new and more powerful analytical methods to face the complexity of this topic. In this regard, MS-based technologies are increasingly used for GMOs analysis to provide very useful information on GMO composition (e.g., metabolites, proteins). This review focuses on the MS-based analytical methodologies used to characterize genetically modified crops (also called transgenic crops). First, an overview on genetically modified crops development is provided, together with the main difficulties of their analysis. Next, the different MS-based analytical approaches applied to characterize GM crops are critically discussed, and include "-omics" approaches and target-based approaches. These methodologies allow the study of intended and unintended effects that result from the genetic transformation. This information is considered to be essential to corroborate (or not) the equivalence of the GM crop with its isogenic non-transgenic counterpart.

Intraarterial autologous implantation of adult stem cells for patients with Parkinson disease

PURPOSE

To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of intraarterial autologous implantation of adult stem cells for Parkinson disease (PD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From June 2006 to August 2008, 36 men and 14 women (mean age, 62.5 years +/- 10.4; range, 38-81 y) with PD (mean duration, 9.3 years; range, 1-28 y) underwent autologous implantation of stem cells with superselective arterial catheterization. Patients were evaluated with clinical and neurologic examinations; internationally recognized scales for the evaluation of PD, disability, activities of daily living, depression, and quality of life (QOL); as well as videos, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and MR spectroscopy. Stem cells were implanted in the posterior region of the circle of Willis. Patients were evaluated according to clinical measures. Comparison was made versus data collected from all scales before treatment, as well as videos and spectroscopy in eight patients.

RESULTS

In a mean follow-up of 7.4 months +/- 4.5 (range, 1-18 months), patients showed a median improvement of 51.1% and quartile deviation (QD) of 24.8% on the Unified PD Rating Scale. They showed significant improvement in disability, activities of daily living, depression, and QOL (P < .5). No complications were observed. In eight patients, follow-up MR spectroscopy revealed mean improvements in n-acetylaspartate/creatine ratio from 1.805 to 2.07 (12.8%) and from 1.25 to 1.88 (43.56%) in right and left basal ganglia, respectively, versus preprocedural values (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of PD with intraarterial autologous implantation of adult stem cells is feasible and safe and results in improved severity of disease and QOL.

Many-ion Dynamics: The Common View of CM and MC

For solution of the problem of conductivity relaxation and diffusion of ions in ionic conductors with high density of ions, it is essential not to neglect treatment of the effects of many-ion dynamics. This view is shared by the Coupling Model (CM) and the MIGRATION CONCEPT (MC), although the treatment, emphasis and some predictions of the two models are different. Notwithstanding, a basic element is common to both models, namely the primitive relaxation, which performs two important functions. It terminates the caged ion dynamics at short times and initiates the many-ion dynamics at longer times. We demonstrate by experiments and molecular dynamics simulations the existence of the primitive relaxation, and the two functions it performs. The relation of the primitive relaxation time to the conductivity relaxation time predicted by the CM is shown to hold in all cases considered.

[Femoral venous catheterization. Does it really need to be avoided?]

The guidelines to prevent central venous catheter related bloodstream infections (CVCBSI) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of 2002, Sociedad Española de Medicina Intensiva, Crítica y Unidades Coronarias/ Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica (SEMICYUC/SEIMC) of 2004, and the recently published guidelines of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America/Infectious Diseases Society of America (SHEA(IDSA) of 2008 have recommended using the subclavian vein and avoiding the use of the femoral vein. They also recommend considering the use of antiseptic- or antimicrobial-impregnated CVCs for hospital units or groups of patients with a high incidence of CVCBSI. When implementing these guidelines, two questions could be asked: 1) Could the abuse of the subclavian vein and avoiding the use of the femoral vein imply a decrease in the incidence of CVCBSI, but an increase in the rate of mechanical complications as pneumothorax and/or hemothorax? 2) Couldn't antimicrobial-impregnated CVCs be used to prevent CVCBSI when the femoral venous access is used?

Comparison of Dynamics of Ions in Ionically Conducting Materials and Dynamics of Glass-Forming Substances: Remarkable Similarities

We consider many of the fundamental dynamic properties of ionically conducting glasses, crystals and melts and show there are analogues in the dynamic properties of glass-forming substances. These similarities suggest the dynamics of these two classes of complex systems are governed by the same physics. We also show within each class, the evolution of dynamics from short time to long times are principally governed by the stretch exponent of the Kohlrasuch function, which determines either the primary relaxation of glass-formers or the conductivity relaxation of ionic conductors.

[Mental health and psychiatry: role and issues of the Geneva mental health associations' network]

The psychosocial Geneva-based associations provide ongoing support to people suffering from mental disorders and their families. This network gives psychological care and works towards social inclusion. This approach is an alternative as well as a complement to medical care. The services offered by the associations are varied: mutual self-help, providing a place to live and a space dedicated to specific activities, family support, counselling, therapy, etc. They have two central issues: improving quality of life and promoting the rights of patients. Collaboratively, they are in constant dialogue with the psychiatric institutions in the canton, leading to joint activities and furthering the thinking on patient health and rehabilitation.

Advances in Nutrigenomics research: novel and future analytical approaches to investigate the biological activity of natural compounds and food functions

In recent years, nutrition research has moved from classical epidemiology and physiology to molecular biology and genetics. Following this trend, Nutrigenomics has emerged as a novel and multidisciplinary research field in nutritional science that aims to elucidate how diet can influence human health. It is already well known that bioactive food compounds can interact with genes affecting transcription factors, protein expression and metabolite production. The study of these complex interactions requires the development of advanced analytical approaches combined with bioinformatics. Thus, to carry out these studies Transcriptomics, Proteomics and Metabolomics approaches are employed together with an adequate integration of the information that they provide. In this article, an overview of the current methodologies and a thorough revision of the advances in analytical technologies and their possibilities for future developments and applications in the field of Nutrigenomics is provided.

[Guidelines for the treatment on infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus]

Infections due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have undergone important changes in the last five years that have influenced the choice of therapy: i) increase of their frequency in hospital-associated settings and, more recently, in community settings; ii) better knowledge of clinical implications of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of vancomycin; iii) improvement of current standard methods for rapid detection of MRSA in clinical samples; iv) clear evidence that vancomycin is losing efficacy against MRSA with MIC > 1 microg/mL; and v) appearance of new antibiotics suitable for use in these infections (linezolid, daptomycin, tigecyclin). Under this situation guidelines for the treatment of common infections caused by MRSA appear to be necessary to improve the efficacy and reduce the mortality.

Fungal colonization and/or infection in non-neutropenic critically ill patients: results of the EPCAN observational study

The purpose of this paper is to determine the incidence of fungal colonization and infection in non-neutropenic critically ill patients and to identify factors favoring infection by Candida spp. A total of 1,655 consecutive patients (>18 years of age) admitted for > or = 7 days to 73 medical-surgical Spanish intensive care units (ICUs) participated in an observational prospective cohort study. Surveillance samples were obtained once a week. One or more fungi were isolated in different samples in 59.2% of patients, 94.2% of which were Candida spp. There were 864 (52.2%) patients with Candida spp. colonization and 92 (5.5%) with proven Candida infection. In the logistic regression analysis risk factors independently associated with Candida spp. infection were sepsis (odds ratio [OR] = 8.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.07-13.6), multifocal colonization (OR = 3.49, 95% CI 1.74-7.00), surgery (OR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.27-3.30), and the use of total parenteral nutrition (OR = 4.37, 95% CI 2.16-8.33). Patients with Candida spp. infection showed significantly higher in-hospital and intra-ICU mortality rates than those colonized or non-colonized non-infected (P < 0.001). Fungal colonization, mainly due to Candida spp., was documented in nearly 60% of non-neutropenic critically ill patients admitted to the ICU for more than 7 days. Proven candidal infection was diagnosed in 5.5% of cases. Risk factors independently associated with Candida spp. infection were sepsis, multifocal colonization, surgery, and the use of total parenteral nutrition.

Comparative metabolomic study of transgenic versus conventional soybean using capillary electrophoresis-time-of-flight mass spectrometry

In this work, capillary electrophoresis-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CE-TOF-MS) is proposed to identify and quantify the main metabolites found in transgenic soybean and its corresponding non-transgenic parental line both grown under identical conditions. The procedure includes optimization of metabolites extraction, separation by CE, on-line electrospray-TOF-MS analysis and data evaluation. A large number of extraction procedures and background electrolytes are tested in order to obtain a highly reproducible and sensitive analytical methodology. Using this approach, a large number of metabolites were tentatively identified based on the high mass accuracy provided by TOF-MS analyzer, together with the isotopic pattern and expected electrophoretic mobility of these compounds. In general, the same metabolites and in similar amounts were found in the conventional and transgenic variety. However, significant differences were also observed in some specific cases when the conventional variety was compared with its corresponding transgenic line. The selection of these metabolites as possible biomarkers of transgenic soybean is discussed, although a larger number of samples need to be analyzed in order to validate this point. It is concluded that metabolomic procedures based on CE-MS can open new perspectives in the study of transgenic foods in order to corroborate (or not) the equivalence with their conventional counterparts.

Efficient nutrient removal from swine manure in a tubular biofilm photo-bioreactor using algae-bacteria consortia

Concentrated animals feeding operations (CAFOs) often pose a negative environmental impact due to the uncontrolled spreading of manure into soils that ends up in the release of organic matter and nutrients into water bodies. Conventional aerobic methods treating CAFOs wastewater require intensive oxygenation, which significantly increases the operational costs. The alternative proposed in this research is the application of micro-algae based systems by taking advantage of the cost-effective in situ oxygenation via photosynthesis. A 4.9 L enclosed tubular biofilm photo-bioreactor was inoculated with an algal-bacterial consortium formed by the micro-algae Chlorella sorokiniana and a mixed bacterial culture from an activated sludge process. C. sorokiniana delivers the O(2) necessary to accomplish both organic matter and ammonium oxidation. The reactor was fed with diluted swine wastewater containing 180, 15 and 2,000 mg/L of NH(4) (+)-N, soluble P and total COD, respectively. The photo-bioreactor exhibited good and sustained nutrient removal efficiencies (up to 99% and 86% for NH(4) (+) and PO(4) (3-), respectively) while total COD was removed up to 75% when the biofilm was properly established. Liquid superficial velocities up to 0.4 m/s (achieved by culture broth recirculation) hindered the formation of a stable biofilm, while operation at velocities lower than 0.1 m/s supported stable process performance. The high shear stress imposed by the centrifugal recirculation pump disintegrated the large aggregates detached from the biofilm, which resulted in a poor settling performance and therefore poor COD removal efficiencies. Enclosed biofilm photo-bioreactors therefore offer a potentially more economical alternative to conventional tertiary treatments process.

Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of Me-UCH9, a dual cyclooxygenase-2/5-lipoxygenase inhibitor

Recently, we reported the dual inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) activity by some phenylsulphonyl urenyl chalcone derivatives. 2,4-dichloro-4'N[N'(4''methylphenylsulphonyl)urenyl] chalcone (Me-UCH9), was selected in the present study to determine its potential anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect after oral administration in several animal models related to the activation of COX-2 and 5-LO pathways. In the zymosan stimulated mouse air pouch model, Me-UCH9, reduced in a dose-dependent manner leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) levels in pouch exudates obtained at 4 h, as well as prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) generated through COX-2 activation at 24 h. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and myeloperoxidase activity were also strongly inhibited in this model. Me-UCH9 significantly reduced granuloma size and vascular index determined in the murine air pouch granuloma model of angiogenesis. In the carrageenan-induced paw edema, this compound inhibited inflammatory response and pain, as well as PGE(2) and LTB(4) content in paw edematous fluid. Analgesic properties were corroborated in the murine phenyl-p-benzoquinone-induced writhing test. Finally, Me-UCH9 exerted anti-inflammatory effects in the chronic model of rat adjuvant-induced arthritis, both inhibiting paw swelling and reducing PGE(2) content. Our findings confirm that Me-UCH9 can modulate inflammatory and nociceptive responses in relation to the dual inhibition of COX-2 and 5-LO activities presented by this compound.

[Giant solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura]

Primitive neoplasms of the pleura are uncommon. Solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura (SFTP) is a benign variety of primitive pleural tumor, which is usually asymptomatic and discovered as an incidental finding. However, these tumors can sometimes become locally aggressive and can even be life-threatening. The treatment of choice is surgical resection. We report a case of SFTP in a 78-year-old woman with no relevant history, who presented with marked respiratory insufficiency and who required extended posterolateral thoracotomy to achieve complete resection of an SFTP weighing 2 kg.

Phenylsulphonyl urenyl chalcone derivatives as dual inhibitors of cyclo-oxygenase-2 and 5-lipoxygenase

Two series of phenylsulphonyl urenyl chalcone derivatives (UCH) with various patterns of substitution were tested for their effects on nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) overproduction in RAW 264.7 macrophages. None of the tested compounds reduced NO production more than 50% at 10 microM but most of them inhibited the generation of PGE2 with IC50 values under the micromolar range. Me-UCH 1, Me-UCH 5, Me-UCH 9, Cl-UCH 1, and Cl-UCH 9 were selected to evaluate their influence on human leukocyte functions and eicosanoids generation. These derivatives selectively inhibited cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity in human monocytes being Me-UCH 5 the most potent (IC50 0.06 microM). Selected compounds also reduced leukotriene B4 synthesis in human neutrophils by a direct inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) activity, with IC50 values from 0.5 to 0.8 microM. In addition, lysosomal enzyme secretion, such as elastase or myeloperoxidase as well as superoxide generation in human neutrophils were also reduced in a similar range. Our findings indicate that UCH derivatives exert a dual inhibitory effect on COX-2/5-LO activity. The profile and potency of these compounds may have relevance for the modulation of the inflammatory and nociceptive responses with reduction of undesirable side-effects associated with NSAIDs.