The terms genome engineering, genome editing, and gene editing, refer to modifications (insertions, deletions, substitutions) in the genome of a living organism. The most widely used approach to ...genome editing nowadays is based on Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats and associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9). In prokaryotes, CRISPR-Cas9 is an adaptive immune system that naturally protects cells from DNA virus infections. CRISPR-Cas9 has been modified to create a versatile genome editing technology that has a wide diversity of applications in medicine, agriculture, and basic studies of gene functions. CRISPR-Cas9 has been used in a growing number of monocot and dicot plant species to enhance yield, quality, and nutritional value, to introduce or enhance tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, among other applications. Although biosafety concerns remain, genome editing is a promising technology with potential to contribute to food production for the benefit of the growing human population. Here, we review the principles, current advances and applications of CRISPR-Cas9-based gene editing in crop improvement. We also address biosafety concerns and show that humans have been exposed to Cas9 protein homologues long before the use of CRISPR-Cas9 in genome editing.
In Castile, during the Early Modern period, nun musicians constituted
a large part of the contingent of professional musicians providing their services
in the urban and rural space. Nun musicians ...became expert in different musical
styles and genres, adapting the repertoire to the occasion (Divine Office, festivities,
leisure) the space (church, home, entrance, parlatory) and the instruments at their
disposition. Although the activity of these female performers and composers is well
documented through archival documentation and literary references, their names
are mostly absent from the history of music. In this study, we examine the education
of nun musicians, their duties as performers, composers and teachers as well
as their consideration and influence on relevant sixteenth-century music treatises.
Finally, we analyse the phenomenon of nuns’ disembodiment through contemporary
chronicles and literary manifestations, such as the «Vidas de monjas» genre,
together with Miguel de Cervantes’s sonnet dedicated to the renowned nun singer,
Alfonsa González de Salazar, included in Miguel Toledano’s book Minerva sacra
Las monjas músicas han formado parte del contingente de músicos
profesionales, procurando sus servicios tanto en el espacio rural como en el espacio
urbano. La abundante documentación archivística, así como referencias literarias,
sobre la actividad musical en conventos y monasterios femeninos de Castilla,
permite hacer un seguimiento de las prácticas de las monjas músicas desde los
inicios de la Edad Moderna. Sin embargo, sus nombres no forman parte de la historia
de la música, confinadas así no solo en la clausura física sino también en
el anonimato intelectual. Las monjas músicas evolucionaban naturalmente entre
diversos géneros y estilos musicales adaptando el repertorio a la ocasión, según
el fin (oficio divino, recreo, festividades), el espacio (iglesia, interior del cenobio,
portería, locutorio), e instrumentos disponibles. En este estudio, realizamos una
introducción a los espacios sonoros del monasterio, sus respectivos repertorios,
intérpretes e instrumentos. Examinamos la formación de las monjas músicas, sus
deberes como intérpretes, compositoras y educadoras, así como su consideración
e influencia en algunos de los tratados musicales más relevantes del siglo XVI. Por
último, discutimos el fenómeno de descorporeización de las monjas músicas a través
de las crónicas y literatura contemporáneas, con ejemplos del género «Vidas de
monjas», además del soneto que Miguel de Cervantes dedicara a la monja cantora
Alfonsa González de Salazar, incluido en el libro de Miguel Toledano Minerva sacra
Acute respiratory infections trigger an inflammatory immune response with the goal of pathogen clearance; however, overexuberant inflammation causes tissue damage and impairs pulmonary function. ...CD4+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) interact with cells of both the innate and the adaptive immune system to limit acute pulmonary inflammation and promote its resolution. Tregs also provide tissue protection and coordinate lung tissue repair, facilitating a return to homeostatic pulmonary function. Here, we review Treg-mediated modulation of the host response to respiratory pathogens, focusing on mechanisms underlying how Tregs promote resolution of inflammation and repair of acute lung injury. We also discuss potential strategies to harness and optimize Tregs as a cellular therapy for patients with severe acute respiratory infection and discuss open questions in the field.
Abstract
Background
The incidence of herpes zoster is up to 9 times higher in immunosuppressed solid organ transplant recipients than in the general population. We investigated the immunogenicity and ...safety of an adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) in renal transplant (RT) recipients ≥18 years of age receiving daily immunosuppressive therapy.
Methods
In this phase 3, randomized (1:1), observer-blind, multicenter trial, RT recipients were enrolled and received 2 doses of RZV or placebo 1–2 months (M) apart 4–18M posttransplant. Anti–glycoprotein E (gE) antibody concentrations, gE-specific CD4 T-cell frequencies, and vaccine response rates were assessed at 1M post–dose 1, and 1M and 12M post–dose 2. Solicited and unsolicited adverse events (AEs) were recorded for 7 and 30 days after each dose, respectively. Solicited general symptoms and unsolicited AEs were also collected 7 days before first vaccination. Serious AEs (including biopsy-proven allograft rejections) and potential immune-mediated diseases (pIMDs) were recorded up to 12M post–dose 2.
Results
Two hundred sixty-four participants (RZV: 132; placebo: 132) were enrolled between March 2014 and April 2017. gE-specific humoral and cell-mediated immune responses were higher in RZV than placebo recipients across postvaccination time points and persisted above prevaccination baseline 12M post–dose 2. Local AEs were reported more frequently by RZV than placebo recipients. Overall occurrences of renal function changes, rejections, unsolicited AEs, serious AEs, and pIMDs were similar between groups.
Conclusions
RZV was immunogenic in chronically immunosuppressed RT recipients. Immunogenicity persisted through 12M postvaccination. No safety concerns arose.
Clinical Trials Registration
NCT02058589.
The adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine was immunogenic in renal transplant recipients receiving daily immunosuppressive treatment. Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses persisted through 1 year postvaccination. Vaccination had no impact on renal function or rejection rate. No safety concerns arose.
Neosporosis is the major cause of abortion and reproductive failures in cattle, leading to significant economic losses. In this study, we evaluated the impact of
Neospora caninum
infection on ...oxidative stress (OS) markers and local cytokine mRNA expression at the placenta, as well as its effect on the progesterone (P
4
) serum levels and systemic cytokine profile in a pregnant mouse model. Infected pregnant mice (NC-1 group) showed increased percentages of fetal losses and IFN-γ serum levels, decreased serum progesterone, increased placental mRNA expression levels of both Th1-type (IFN-γ and TNF-α) and Th2-type (IL-4) cytokines, and inhibited expression of TGF-β1 (Treg) compare to control dams (CONTROL group). In addition, lipid peroxidation and ROS were increased, whereas the antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities were modified in the placentae of infected mice compared to control mice. These findings demonstrate that multiple factors, including placental OS, are involved in fetal losses associated with
N. caninum
infection in mice, thus OS contribution to the placental physiopathology of neosporosis in other hosts must not be ruled out.
Social exclusion represents a major challenge to policies advocating sustainable development in the Global South. Although this is a problem not prioritized in the realms of innovation policy focused ...on economic growth and competitiveness, it is now widely accepted that innovation may contribute significantly to the well-being of the social excluded. However, it is debated whether the innovation system approach is capable of informing transformational innovation policies aiming at overcoming social exclusion and other global challenges. This paper argues that the system innovation approach is adequate for facing this endeavour and identifies key constituent elements of innovation systems which are necessary for inclusion to emerge from the system dynamics. We illustrate the elements of this system configuration drawing upon the case of the appropriation of biorational approaches in pest management and precision agriculture techniques by a group of peasants in a rural village in Colombia. The proposal considers new elements that configure inclusive innovation systems in an agent-based, bottom-up perspective, such as new agents, capabilities, directionalities, and the integration of traditional knowledge with scientific and technology knowledge, elements that enable a new system function. In terms of policy implications, some reflections are made on favouring the sustainability paradigm and promoting inclusive learning processes.
•Explains the configuration of Inclusive innovation systems (IIS)•Introduces six capabilities for inclusion, these join to innovation capabilities•Discusses the interaction between conventional agents and excluded agents in IIS•Extend the function of conventional innovation systems (CIS) to reduce exclusion•Argues the need to include traditional knowledge for IIS emergence
One of the main products of pyrolysis is char. For the better performance and improvement of its physicochemical properties, it is necessary to make temperature changes. In this study, different ...temperatures have been tested for the pyrolysis of rice husk, and the biochar obtained from the process went through an evaluation to test its yield in the removal of emerging compounds such as azithromycin (AZT) and erythromycin (ERY). For this, pyrolysis of rice husk has been carried out at temperatures of 450, 500, 550, and 600 °C, and the biochars have been characterized by ultimate analysis and proximate analysis, as well as specific surface area tests. Then, different adsorption tests have been carried out with a 200 mg L–1 drug (AZT and ERY) solution prepared in the laboratory. All biochars have been found to present removal percentages higher than 95%. Therefore, obtaining biochar from rice husk at any temperature and using it in the removal of high-molecular-weight compounds are quite suitable.
Biochar has unique properties such as its porous structure, specific surface area, and stable chemical properties. The rice husk is characterized by its high content of silica, and that during the ...pyrolysis process it generates a considerable amount of biochar that can be used in different processes. The aim of this work is to evaluate several biochars from the pyrolysis process in the reactivity of lime pastes. For this, biochar has been obtained at four different temperatures (450, 500, 550 and 600 °C), and they have been characterized by XRF, XRD, ICP-EOS, and particle size distribution, to determine their phases and their chemical composition. Biochar has been replaced in lime pastes in different proportions (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30%), and exposed to different curing times (1, 3, 7, 14, 28, 56, 90 and 180 days). It has been found that all the replacements show reactivity within the lime pastes and that the percentage of 25% in all the biochar tested could be an adequate replacement.
Rice husk; Pyrolysis; Biochar; Reactivity; Lime pastes.
Fascioliasis is a zoonotic trematode infection that is endemic in the highlands of Peru. Chronic fascioliasis can be asymptomatic and remain undiagnosed for years. Chronic malnutrition in children, ...as manifested by stunting, leads to delayed cognitive development and lost productivity. We hypothesized that fascioliasis is among the factors associated with stunting in children from endemic areas. We conducted a cross-sectional study among children attending pre-school and school in 26 communities in the Anta province in the Cusco region of Peru. We conducted interviews to collect information on demographic, socioeconomic, and medical history. Blood was collected and tested for complete cell count and FAS2 ELISA for Fasciola antibodies. Three stool samples per participant were tested for parasites by Kato-Katz and Lumbreras rapid sedimentation methods. Chronic fascioliasis was determined by the presence of ova in stool. Children's height, weight, and age were recorded and used to calculate height for age Z scores (HAZ). Three thousand children participated in the study. Nine percent (264) of children had at least one positive test for Fasciola infection, 6% (164) had chronic fascioliasis, and 3% (102) had only positive antibody tests. The median HAZ was -1.41 (IQR: -2.03 to -0.81) and was similar in males and females. Twenty six percent (776) of children had stunting with HAZ < -2. Children with chronic fascioliasis had a lower median HAZ than children without Fasciola (-1.54 vs. -1.4, p = 0.014). History of treatment for malnutrition, history of treatment for anemia, having other helminths in stool, lower socioeconomic score, living at a higher elevation, and fewer years of schooling of both parents were associated with a lower HAZ score. In a multiple regression analysis, older age and a lower socioeconomic score were associated with a lower HAZ score. While fascioliasis and other helminths were associated with lower HAZ, they were not independent of the socioeconomic score.
The lung hosts multiple populations of macrophages and dendritic cells, which play a crucial role in lung pathology. The accurate identification and enumeration of these subsets are essential for ...understanding their role in lung pathology. Flow cytometry is a mainstream tool for studying the immune system. However, a systematic flow cytometric approach to identify subsets of macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) accurately and consistently in the normal mouse lung has not been described. Here we developed a panel of surface markers and an analysis strategy that accurately identify all known populations of macrophages and DCs, and their precursors in the lung during steady-state conditions and bleomycin-induced injury. Using this panel, we assessed the polarization of lung macrophages during the course of bleomycin-induced lung injury. Alveolar macrophages expressed markers of alternatively activated macrophages during both acute and fibrotic phases of bleomycin-induced lung injury, whereas markers of classically activated macrophages were expressed only during the acute phase. Taken together, these data suggest that this flow cytometric panel is very helpful in identifying macrophage and DC populations and their state of activation in normal, injured, and fibrotic lungs.
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