We speculate that exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (HUC-MSCs) will accumulate within tumors and have the potential for both tumor location or drug delivery. Methods : To determine proof of concept, HUC-MSC exosomes were labeled with an MRI contrast agent, gadolinium, or a near infrared dye. Exosome accumulation within ectopic osteosarcoma tumor-bearing mice was determined by 14.1 T MRI or bioimaging over 24-48 h after injection. In vitro studies examine the accumulation and physiological effect of exosomes on human and mouse osteosarcoma cell lines by MTT assay, confocal microscopy, and flow cytometry. Results : Systemic HUC-MSC exosomes accumulated continuously in tumor over a 24-48 h post-injection period. In contrast, synthetic lipid nanoparticles accumulate in tumor only for the first 3 h post-injection. Conclusion : These results suggest that HUC-MSCs exosomes accumulate within human or mouse osteosarcoma cells in vitro and in vivo over a 24 to 48 h after infusion.

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The human body is subjected to constant microbial exposure from both a resident microbiome as well as the surrounding environment. Staying healthy in a world filled with "dangers" as such necessitates gene-encoded tools to enable an immediate and effective immunological shield. Antimicrobial host defense peptides are imperative to an apt innate immune response in which they serve both regulatory as well as executorial roles to eliminate infectious pathogens, control inflammation, and support healing of injured tissue. Cathelicidin peptides were originally isolated from bone marrow and neutrophils, although their pattern of expression is now known to span a broader spectrum. The clinical importance of an effective host defense peptide repertoire is best illustrated by data from patient groups with a deficient expression pattern and increased disease susceptibility, as well as experimental work with relevant animal models. This review paper is focused on the human cathelicidin LL37 and its clinical implications in infectious disease.

<p>Los hongos endófitos son organismos inherentes a las plantas que establecen una asociación específica con su hospedero para mutuo beneficio. Existen sinnúmero de especies vegetales de importancia económica que interactúan con especies de hongos endófitos. La planta provee al hongo alimento, hospedaje y protección; por su parte, aunque no hay certeza sobre los mecanismos de acción, los endófitos confieren gran potencial adaptativo a las especies vegetales hospederas frente a condiciones adversas que generen estrés, ya sean de tipo abiótico (salinidad, acidez) o biótico (ataque de plagas). Esta simbiosis otorga mayor habilidad competitiva a las plantas y permite una plena expresión de su potencial genético traducido en altas tasas de germinación, mejor densidad, más biomasa en los tejidos y mayor producción de semilla. Se reporta la detección, aislamiento y transformación del hongo filamentoso endófito <em>Acremonium implicatum </em>aislado de la accesión Ciat 6780 del pasto <em>Brachiaria brizantha </em>en el laboratorio del Programa de Patología de Forrajes del Ciat. El trabajo abre amplias posibilidades para el estudio de la interacción planta-endófito y permite explorar su potencial como un sistema alternativo de expresión de genes que confieran resistencia a plagas y enfermedades sin recurrir al uso de plantas transgénicas. En los hospederos, los endófitos transgénicos pueden ser usados como vehículo para la producción y entrega de productos generados a partir de genes de interés agronómico, cumpliendo funciones protectoras y proporcionando otras ventajas que se vean reflejadas en una mayor productividad de la planta.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Endophyte fungi: adaptative advantages within plants</strong></p><p>Endophytic fungi often develop a systemic and mutually beneficial association with their hosts. A wide range of economically important plants have been reported to harbor endophytes. In these symbiotic mutualisms, both host and symbiont gain benefits from the association. The fungus obtains nutrients form its host and in return it provides protection from abiotic (environmental stresses) and biotic stresses (pest and insect attacks) to its host plant. Endophytes have been shown to confer enhanced fitness to their hosts such as enhanced tillering, drought tolerance, root growth, overall enhanced plant growth. This work describes the detection, isolation and genetic transformation of an endophytic fungus, Acremonium implicatum, from Brachiaria brizantha accession CIAT 6780. The results open possibilities for exploiting the qualities of an introduced gene as a reporter and study the interactions between A. implicatum and its host Brachiaria. Furthermore, it also provides options to use a transformed A. implicatum as a vehicle for production and delivery of gene products of agronomic interest into the host plant in order to enhance protective benefits and other traits of agronomic importance that will contribute to improved plant productivity. Key words: genetic transformation, gene reporter, green fluorescent protein (GFP), plant-endophyte interaction.</p>

With the aim to reduce accident rates and assist in pedestrian traffic, in the city of Barranquilla (Colombia), electronic devices for speed control (speed cameras) have been installed on roads of high vehicular flow with difficulty in pedestrian transit. Traffic Calming Measures are described in the literature as a set of measures to regulate traffic on roads, ensure mobility, and reduce accidents. This article focuses its study on the impact of Traffic Calming Measures through electronic devices on urban or inner cities roads (capacity and operating speed on them). This study centers in the evaluation of the operational impact of speed cameras and the data of vehicular speed and flow collected through them in four main roads of the city, with the purpose of estimating models that establish relationships of speed-flow, and analyzing the impact of these Traffic Calming Measures on the vehicular capacity of urban roads. In the estimation of road capacity, a Greenshields model was applied, with which via speed-density and flow-density relationships, we aim to determine how operational transit is affected by the use of speed cameras. Conclusions show that operational transit is affected by diminishing road capacity between 7 to 41 percent and these Traffic Calming measures are ineffective to ease pedestrian traffic as is expected.