Connexin26 is regulated in rat urothelium by the scaffold protein IB1/JIP-1.

Proper function of the wall of bladder requires gap junctional communication for coordinating the responses of smooth muscle (SMC) and urothelial cells exposed to urine pressure. In the rat bladder, Cx43 is expressed by SMC and urothelial cells, whereas Cx26 expression is restricted to the epithelium. We used a model of bladder outlet obstruction, in which a ligature is placed around the urethra to increase voiding pressure. Increased fluid pressure was associated with increased Cx43 and Cx26 mRNA expression and with the activation of a signaling cascade including the transcription factor c-Jun, which is a component of the AP-1 complex. The signaling pathway of the c-Jun NH2 terminal kinase (JNK) requires the presence of the scaffold protein Islet-Brain1/c-Jun amino-terminal kinase Interacting Protein-1 (IB1/JIP-1). Under stress conditions resulting from urine retention, we have found a reduced content of IB1/JIP-1 in urothelial cells, which in turn induced a drastic increase of JNK and AP-1 binding activities. The stress-induced activation of JNK was prevented by overexpressing IB1/JIP-1, using a viral gene transfer approach, a condition which also resulted in a decrease in Cx26 mRNA. The data show that: 1) mechanical stress of urothelial cells activates in vivo JNK, as a consequence of a regulated expression of IB1/JIP-1 and 2) that urothelial Cx26 may be directly regulated by the AP-1 complex.

Histoire de la guerre d'Italie. Série 2 / par M. l'abbé Mullois,...

Collection : Bibliothèque de tout le monde

Histoire de la guerre d'Italie. Série 1 / par M. l'abbé Mullois,...

Collection : Bibliothèque de tout le monde

Cost-effective utilization of a private facility to perform outpatient surgery in public hospital waiting list patients.

Background: Public hospitals' long waiting lists make outpatient surgery in private facilities very attractive provided a standardized protocol is applied. The aim of this study was to assess this kind of innovative collaboration in abdominal surgery from a clinical and economical perspective. Methods: All consecutive patients operated on in an outpatient basis in a private facility by a public hospital abdominal surgeon and an assistant over a 5-year period (2004-2009) were included. Clinical assessment was carried out from patients' charts and satisfaction questionnaire, and economic assessment from the comparison between the surgeons' charges paid by the private facility and the surgeons' hospital salaries during the days devoted to surgery at the private facility. Results: Over the 5 years, 602 operative procedures were carried out during 190 operative days. All patients could be discharged the same day and only 1% of minor complications occurred. The patients' satisfaction was 98%. The balance between the surgeons' charges paid by the private facility and their hospital salary costs was positive by 25.8% for the senior surgeon and 12.6% for the assistant or, on average, 21.9% for both. Conclusion: Collaboration between an overloaded university hospital surgery department and a private surgical facility was successful, effective, safe, and cost-effective. It could be extended to other surgical specialities. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel

Condición reproductiva de la merluza peruana en el verano 2004: Crucero BIC Olaya 0401-02

El crucero se realizó del 14 enero al 7 febrero 2004, entre 3°30’ y 8°S. Se efectuaron 57 operaciones positivas de arrastres de fondo; se estudiaron ejemplares adultos de merluza desde los 20 cm LT. Los núcleos más importantes de actividad reproductiva (AR) correspondieron a la sub-área A (3°30’S a 4°S). Se presentan los resultados de distribución espacial de cardúmenes activos, así como la actividad reproductiva por tallas, grado latitudinal y estrato de profundidad. Se calculó la fecundidad parcial (62.878) y fecundidad relativa (237). Se discute los valores hallados del potencial reproductivo y las fluctuaciones del estado de madurez gonadal en el momento de la evaluación.

La utilización del guano de las islas en la fermentación alcohólica

Aborda sobre la utilización del guano de isla en la levadura utilizada para fermentar el alcohol. Se ha descubierto que el guano tiene componentes de hidratos de carbono que contribuyen al desarrollo o función de fermento y que el cultivo sea el más adecuado.

Distância entre terraços usando o comprimento crítico de rampa em dois preparos conservacionistas de solo

Nos preparos conservacionistas de solo, os resíduos e a rugosidade diminuem o escoamento superficial e permitem aumentar a distância entre os terraços, em relação aos preparos convencionais, apesar do aumento da consolidação da superfície que ocorre especialmente na semeadura direta. Os terraços devem ter uma distância tal que o escoamento superficial não ocasione a remoção do resíduo e o aumento da erosão ou que o volume de água que escoa entre um terraço e outro seja armazenado ou drenado pelo canal. Utilizando chuva simulada e fluxos extras de água no período de 1992 a 1994, na Estação Experimental Agronômica da UFRGS, em Eldorado do Sul (RS), determinaram-se distâncias entre terraços para os tratamentos sem preparo do solo e escarificação, na presença dos resíduos culturais de milho, trigo e trigo + milho, em Podzólico Vermelho-Amarelo com 0,066 m m-1 de declividade, com base nos critérios da falha do resíduo cultural e na capacidade de armazenamento de água no canal. Pelo critério da capacidade de armazenamento de água no canal, a menor distância entre terraços (27 a 43 m) ocorreu no tratamento escarificação com o resíduo de milho, enquanto a maior (44 a 60 m) foi no sem preparo com resíduo de milho. Pelo critério da falha do resíduo cultural, no entanto, a menor distância (106 a 130 m) verificou-se no tratamento sem preparo com resíduo de trigo e a maior (328 a 483 m) no tratamento sem preparo com resíduo de milho.

Fatal metformin overdose: case report and postmortem biochemistry contribution.

Metformin is an oral antihyperglycemic agent used in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lactic acidosis from metformin overdose is a rare complication of metformin therapy and occurs infrequently with therapeutic use. Fatal cases, both accidental and intentional, are extremely rare in clinical practice. Metformin is eliminated by the kidneys, and impaired renal function can result in an increased plasma concentration of the drug. In this report, we describe an autopsy case involving a 70-year-old woman suffering from diabetes mellitus and impaired renal function who received metformin treatment. Metformin concentrations in the peripheral blood collected during hospitalization and femoral blood collected during autopsy were 42 and 47.3 µg/ml, respectively. Lactic acidosis (29.10 mmol/l) was objectified during hospitalization. Furthermore, postmortem biochemistry allowed ketoacidosis to be diagnosed (blood β-hydroxybutyrate, 10,500 µmol/l). Death was attributed to lactic acidosis due to metformin intoxication. Increased plasma concentrations of the drug were attributed to severely impaired renal function. The case emphasizes the usefulness of performing exhaustive toxicology and postmortem biochemistry towards the more complete understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms that may be involved in the death process.

Consuetudini e privilegi della città di Messina, sulla fede di un codice del XV secolo posseduto dalla Biblioteca comunale di Palermo, pubblicati da R. Starrabba

[Coutume. Messine. 1901]

Simultaneous identification of multiple mammalian species from mixed forensic samples based on mtDNA control region length polymorphism

Molecular species identification in mixed or contaminated biological material has always been problematic. We developed a simple and accurate method for mammal DNA identification in mixtures, based on interspecific mitochondrial DNA control region length polymorphism. Contrary to other published methods dealing with species mixtures, our protocol requires a single universal primer pair and amplification step, and is not based on a pre-defined panel of species. This protocol has been routinely employed by our laboratory for species identification in dozens of human and animal forensic caseworks. Six representative forensic caseworks involving the specific identification of mixed animal samples are reported in this paper, in order to demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of the method.