CDKN1B/p27 regulates autophagy via the control of Ragulator and MTOR activity in amino acid-deprived cells

The tumor suppressor CDKN1B/p27Kip1 binds to and inhibits cyclin-CDK complexes in the nucleus, inducing cell cycle arrest. However, when in the cytoplasm, CDKN1B may promote tumorigenesis. Notably, cytoplasmic CDKN1B was reported to promote macroautophagy/autophagy in response to nutrient shortage by a previously unknown mechanism. In our recent work, we found that during prolonged amino acid starvation, CDKN1B promotes autophagy via an MTORC1-dependent pathway. A fraction of CDKN1B translocates to lysosomes, where it interacts with the Ragulator subunit LAMTOR1, preventing Ragulator assembly, which is required for MTORC1 activation in response to amino acids. Therefore, CDKN1B represses MTORC1 activity, leading to nuclear translocation of the transcription factor TFEB and activation of lysosomal function, enhancing starvation-induced autophagy flux and apoptosis. In contrast, cells lacking CDKN1B survive starvation despite reduced autophagy, due to elevated MTORC1 activation. These findings reveal that, by directly repressing MTORC1 activity, CDKN1B couples the cell cycle and cell growth machineries during metabolic stress

Genotype by environment interaction for grain yield in spring barley using additive main effects and multiplicative interaction model

Monoculture and use of disease resistant varieties on large scale usually leads to selection of new pathogen races able to overcome the resistance. The use of variety mixtures can significantly improve the control of the disease and provides stable yield among different environments. The objective of this study was to assess genotype by environment interaction for grain yield in spring barley genotypes grown in two places different in terms of soil and meteorological conditions by the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction model. The study comprised 25 spring barley genotypes (five cultivars: Basza, Blask, Skarb, Rubinek and Antek, and 20, two- and three-component mixtures), analyzed in eight environments (compilations of two locations and four years) through field trials arranged in a randomized complete block design, with three replicates. Grain yield of the tested genotypes varied from 32.88 to 74.31 dt/ha throughout the eight environments, with an average of 54.69 dt/ha. In the variance analysis, 68.80% of the total grain yield variation was explained by environment, 6.20% by differences between genotypes, and 7.76% by genotype by environment interaction. Grain yield is highly influenced by environmental factors

Electrocardiography and echocardiography in athletic heart imagining

The aim of the study was evaluation of electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters in athletes. „Athletic heart” characteristics were compared with fit persons’ heart. 96 athletes participated in the study. Sportsmen were divided into: static (S), dynamic (D) and composite (SD) exercise groups and Polish (I), European (II), World (III) champions. 30 students from Sport Academy formed the control group (K). Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic examination were performed in everyone. As regards the type of exercise, the end-systolic left ventricular (LV) dimension was smaller in S in comparison with D and SD (28.9 vs 32.2 and 32.68 mm; P<0.05). LV mass was bigger in D in comparison with K (273.2 vs 218.6 g; P<0.05). Medium Pulmonary Artery Pressure (MPAP) in S and SD was lower in respect to D and K (11.75; 11.08 vs 15.52; 17.43 mm Hg; P<0.05). We observed lower heart rate in D, SD in comparison with K (58.64; 60.54 vs 68.8; P<0.05), bigger R wave amplitude in V5 (RV5) (21.65; 23.5 vs 15.03 mm; P<0.05) and V6 (RV6) (23.5 vs 15.3 mm; P<0.05) in group S in respect to K. LV mass was bigger in III than in K (261.3 vs 218.6 g; P<0.05). MPAP was lower in I and II in comparison with K (11.42; 13.13 vs 17.43 mmHg; P<0.05). HR was lower in categories I, II than in K (61.32; 60.13 vs 68.8; P<0.05), RV5 was bigger in I in comparison with K (19.5 vs 15.03 mm; P<0.05). The electrocardiography and echocardiography proves to find some significant differences between athletic and fit persons’ heart especially as concerns MPAP, RV5, RV6 values

Temporal and spatiotemporal autocorrelation of daily concentrations of Alnus, Betula, and Corylus pollen in Poland

The aim of the study was to determine the characteristics of temporal and space–time autocorrelation of pollen counts of Alnus, Betula, and Corylus in the air of eight cities in Poland. Daily average pollen concentrations were monitored over 8 years (2001–2005 and 2009–2011) using Hirst-designed volumetric spore traps. The spatial and temporal coherence of data was investigated using the autocorrelation and cross-correlation functions. The calculation and mathematical modelling of 61 correlograms were performed for up to 25 days back. The study revealed an association between temporal variations in Alnus, Betula, and Corylus pollen counts in Poland and three main groups of factors such as: (1) air mass exchange after the passage of a single weather front (30–40 % of pollen count variation); (2) long-lasting factors (50–60 %); and (3) random factors, including diurnal variations and measurements errors (10 %). These results can help to improve the quality of forecasting models

PAISAJE DE Gran Canaria [Material gráfico]

Copia digital. Madrid : Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte. Subdirección General de Coordinación Bibliotecaria, 201

Fusing Landsat and SAR Data for Mapping Tropical Deforestation through Machine Learning Classification and the PVts-β Non-Seasonal Detection Approach

Altres ajuts: The work of Yonatan Tarazona Coronel has been partially funded by American Program in GIS and Remote Sensing and National Program of Scholarships and Educational Credit (PRONABEC-Peru) through RJ: Nº 4276-2018-MINEDU/VMGI-PRONABEC-OBE and RJ: Nº 942-2019-MINEDU/VMGI-PRONABEC-OBE.This article focuses on mapping tropical deforestation using time series and machine learning algorithms. Before detecting changes in the time series, we reduced seasonality using Photosynthetic Vegetation (PV) index fractions obtained from Landsat images. Single and multi-temporal filters were used to reduce speckle noise from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images (i.e., ALOS PALSAR and Sentinel-1B) before fusing them with optical images through Principal Component Analysis (PCA). We detected only one change in the two PV series using a non-seasonal detection approach, as well as in the fused images through five machine learning algorithms that were calibrated with Cross-Validation (CV) and Monte Carlo Cross-Validation (MCCV). In total, four categories were obtained: forest, cropland, bare soil, and water. We then compared the change map obtained with time series and that obtained with the classification algorithms with the best calibration performance, revealing an overall accuracy of 92.91% and 91.82%, respectively. For statistical comparisons, we used deforestation reference data. Finally, we conclude with some discussions and reflections on the advantages and disadvantages of the detections made with time series and machine learning algorithms, as well as the contribution of SAR images to the classifications, among other aspects

Targeted chromatin conformation analysis identifies novel distal neural enhancers of ZEB2 in pluripotent stem cell differentiation

The transcription factor zinc finger E-box binding protein 2 (ZEB2) controls embryonic and adult cell fate decisions and cellular maturation in many stem/progenitor cell types. Defects in these processes in specific cell types underlie several aspects of Mowat-Wilson syndrome (MOWS), which is caused by ZEB2 haplo-insufficiency. Human ZEB2, like mouse Zeb2, is located on chromosome 2 downstream of a ±3.5 Mb-long gene-desert, lacking any protein-coding gene. Using temporal targeted chromatin capture (T2C), we show major chromatin structural changes based on mapping in-cis proximities between the ZEB2 promoter and this gene desert during neural differentiation of human-induced pluripotent stem cells, including at early neuroprogenitor cell (NPC)/rosette state, where ZEB2 mRNA levels increase significantly. Combining T2C with histone-3 acetylation mapping, we identified three novel candidate enhancers about 500 kb upstream of the ZEB2 transcription start site. Functional luciferase-based assays in heterologous cells and NPCs reveal co-operation between these three enhancers. This study is the first to document in-cis Regulatory Elements located in ZEB2's gene desert. The results further show the usability of T2C for future studies of ZEB2 REs in differentiation and maturation of multiple cell types and the molecular characterization of newly identified MOWS patients that lack mutations in ZEB2 protein-coding exons

Air temperature changes in Toruń (central Poland) from 1871 to 2010

The article presents a detailed analysis of changes in air temperature in Toruń in the period 1871–2010 on the basis of homogenised monthly, seasonal and annual air temperature series which have been newly constructed (i.e. extended by the 50 years of 1871–1920). Over the 140-year study period, a sizeable and statistically significant increase of 0.1 °C per decade was found in the air temperature in Toruń. The greatest increases occurred for spring and winter, at 0.12 and 0.11 °C, respectively. A lesser warming, meanwhile, was recorded for autumn (0.10 °C/10 years), and particularly for summer (0.07 °C/10 years). The air temperature trends are statistically significant for all seasons. Air temperature differences between the monthly averages of three analysed subperiods (1871–1900, 1901–1950 and 1951–2010) and averages for the entire period under review rarely exceeded ± 0.5 °C. In all of these periods, the highest average air temperatures occurred in July and the lowest in January. The period of 1981–2010 had the highest frequency of occurrence of very and extremely warm seasons and years. Meanwhile, the highest frequency of very and extremely cool seasons and years was recorded in the 1940s and in the nineteenth century. In the period of 1871–2010, winters shortened markedly (by 7%) and summers lengthened by 3.8%. All of the presented aspects of air temperature in Toruń, which is representative of the climate of central Poland, are in close agreement with the findings of analogous studies of the same for other areas of Poland and Central Europe

Airborne Alternaria and Cladosporium Fungal Spores in Europe: Forecasting Possibilities and Relationships with Meteorological Parameters

Airborne fungal spores are prevalent components of bioaerosols with a large impact on ecology, economy and health. Their major socioeconomic effects could be reduced by accurate and timely prediction of airborne spore concentrations. The main aim of this study was to create and evaluate models of Alternaria and Cladosporium spore concentrations based on data on a continental scale. Additional goals included assessment of the level of generalization of the models in space and description of the main meteorological factors influencing fungal spore concentrations. Aerobiological monitoring was carried out at 18 sites in six countries across Europe over 3 to 21 years depending on site. Quantile random forest modelling was used to predict spore concentrations values. Generalization of the Alternaria and Cladosporium models was tested using (i) one model for all the sites, (ii) models for groups of sites, and (iii) models for individual sites. The study revealed the possibility of reliable prediction of fungal spore levels using gridded meteorological data. The classification models also showed the capacity for providing larger scale predictions of fungal spore concentrations. Regression models were distinctly less accurate than classification models due to several factors, including measurement errors and distinct day-to-day changes of concentrations. Temperature and vapour pressure proved to be the most important variables in the regression and classification models of Alternaria and Cladosporium spore concentrations. Accurate and operational daily-scale predictive models of bioaerosol abundances contribute to the assessment and evaluation of relevant exposure and consequently more timely and efficient management of phytopathogenic and of human allergic diseases

Airborne Alternaria and Cladosporium Fungal Spores in Europe: Forecasting Possibilities and Relationships with Meteorological Parameters

Airborne fungal spores are prevalent components of bioaerosols with a large impact on ecology, economy and health. Their major socioeconomic effects could be reduced by accurate and timely prediction of airborne spore concentrations. The main aim of this study was to create and evaluate models of Alternaria and Cladosporium spore concentrations based on data on a continental scale. Additional goals included assessment of the level of generalization of the models in space and description of the main meteorological factors influencing fungal spore concentrations. Aerobiological monitoring was carried out at 18 sites in six countries across Europe over 3 to 21 years depending on site. Quantile random forest modelling was used to predict spore concentrations values. Generalization of the Alternaria and Cladosporium models was tested using (i) one model for all the sites, (ii) models for groups of sites, and (iii) models for individual sites. The study revealed the possibility of reliable prediction of fungal spore levels using gridded meteorological data. The classification models also showed the capacity for providing larger scale predictions of fungal spore concentrations. Regression models were distinctly less accurate than classification models due to several factors, including measurement errors and distinct day-to-day changes of concentrations. Temperature and vapour pressure proved to be the most important variables in the regression and classification models of Alternaria and Cladosporium spore concentrations. Accurate and operational daily-scale predictive models of bioaerosol abundances contribute to the assessment and evaluation of relevant exposure and consequently more timely and efficient management of phytopathogenic and of human allergic diseases