Evaluation of tungsten as a hydrogen permeation barrier in reduced activation steel F82H for nuclear fusion applications

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Antifungal activity of Euphorbia species against moulds responsible of cereal ear rots

This work aimed to identify secondary metabolites from aerial parts of Euphorbia species functional for control of toxigenic Fusarium species responsible of cereal grain rots. Methods and Results: Aerial parts of Euphorbia serpens, Euphorbia schickendantzii and Euphorbia collina were sequentially extracted with hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol. The extracts were tested against strains of Fusarium verticillioides and Fusarium graminearum by microdilution tests. The hexane extract of E. collina provided the lowest IC50s on both fungal species. Further fractionation showed that cycloartenol (CA) and 24-methylenecycloartanol are associated to the moderate inhibitory effect of the hexane extract on fungal growth.Sublethal concentrations of CA and 24MCA blocked deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisins production.CA and 24MCA co-applied with potassium sorbate, a food preservative used for Fusarium control, synergized the growth inhibition of fungi. The mixtures reduced mycotoxins accumulation when applied at sublethal concentrations. Conclusions: CA and 24MCA inhibited both fungal growth and mycotoxins production. This fact is an advantage respect to potassium sorbate which increased the mycotoxins accumulation at sublethal concentrations. Significance and Impact of the Study: CA and 24MCA synergized potassium sorbate and their mixtures offer a lower mycotoxigenic risk than potassium sorbate for control of the Fusarium species.Fil: Jiménez, Cristina Marisol. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, Hebe Lina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de ciencias veterinarias; Argentina. Departamento de Epizootiologia y Salud Publica ; Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias ; Universidad Nacional de la Pampa;Fil: Ballari, María Sol. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Química Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Química Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Labadié, Guillermo R.. Universidad Nacional de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Catalan, Cesar Atilio Nazareno. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Toso, Ricardo Enrique. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Sampietro, Diego Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; Argentin

Dynamic Virtual Network Reconfiguration Over SDN Orchestrated Multitechnology Optical Transport Domains

Network virtualization is an emerging technique that enables multiple tenants to share an underlying physical infrastructure, isolating the traffic running over different virtual infrastructures/tenants. This technique aims to improve network utilization, while reducing the complexities in terms of network management for operators. Applied to this context, software defined networking (SDN) paradigm can ease network configurations by enabling network programmability and automation, which reduces the amount of operations required from both service and infrastructure providers. SDN techniques are decreasing vendor lock-in issues due to specific configuration methods or protocols. Application-based Network Operations (ABNO) is a toolbox of key network functional components with the goal of offering application-driven network management. Service provisioning using ABNO may involve direct configuration of data plane elements or delegate it to several control plane modules. We validate the applicability of ABNO to multi-tenant virtual networks in multi-technology optical domains based on two scenarios, in which multiple control plane instances are orchestrated by the architecture. Congestion Detection and Failure Recovery, are chosen to demonstrate fast recalculation and reconfiguration, while hiding the configurations in the physical layer from the upper layer.Grant numbers : supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through the project FARO (TEC2012-38119)

The type VI secretion system of Xanthomonas phaseoli pv. manihotis is involved in virulence and in vitro motility.

BACKGROUND: The type VI protein secretion system (T6SS) is important in diverse cellular processes in Gram-negative bacteria, including interactions with other bacteria and with eukaryotic hosts. In this study we analyze the evolution of the T6SS in the genus Xanthomonas and evaluate its importance of the T6SS for virulence and in vitro motility in Xanthomonas phaseoli pv. manihotis (Xpm), the causal agent of bacterial blight in cassava (Manihot esculenta). We delineate the organization of the T6SS gene clusters in Xanthomonas and then characterize proteins of this secretion system in Xpm strain CIO151. RESULTS: We describe the presence of three different clusters in the genus Xanthomonas that vary in their organization and degree of synteny between species. Using a gene knockout strategy, we also found that vgrG and hcp are required for maximal aggressiveness of Xpm on cassava plants while clpV is important for both motility and maximal aggressiveness. CONCLUSION: We characterized the T6SS in 15 different strains in Xanthomonas and our phylogenetic analyses suggest that the T6SS might have been acquired by a very ancient event of horizontal gene transfer and maintained through evolution, hinting at their importance for the adaptation of Xanthomonas to their hosts. Finally, we demonstrated that the T6SS of Xpm is functional, and significantly contributes to virulence and motility. This is the first experimental study that demonstrates the role of the T6SS in the Xpm-cassava interaction and the T6SS organization in the genus Xanthomonas

STUDY ON NUTRITIONAL AND ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF THE SEAWEEDS OF NORTHERN SAMAR, PHILIPINES

The purpose of the study: In this work, the nutritional and elemental analysis of seaweeds in Northern Samar is analyzed. Methodology: The seaweeds of Northern Samar are collected from the intertidal zone, and it was brought back to the College of Science for taxonomic identity.   The nutritional and elemental content of the seaweeds were determined. Main findings: Based on the results obtained a total of 39 species belonging to eighteen (18) families of seaweeds were recorded from different coastal towns in Northern Samar, Philippines.  The results revealed that for seaweeds with the economic value the nutritional and elemental content is comparable to the unknown seaweeds with no economic value.     Implications: The results of the bioavailability of nutrients of this study might be the basis that unknown seaweeds with no economic value can be used directly in the diet and promote health advantage. Originality/Novelty of study: The seaweeds of Northern Samar are not properly documented in comparison with other marine flora.  The results demonstrated that some species of seaweeds collected in Northern Samar with no economic value could also accumulate non-essential elements.  Further studies would surely be a great contribution to our local food and pharmaceutical industries.&nbsp

The European Eel NCCβ Gene Encodes a Thiazide-Resistant Na-Cl Cotransporter

The thiazide-sensitive Na-Cl cotransporter (NCC) is the major pathway for salt reabsorption in the mammalian distal convoluted tubule. NCC plays a key role in the regulation of blood pressure. Its inhibition with thiazides constitutes the primary baseline therapy for arterial hypertension. However, the thiazide-binding site in NCC is unknown. Mammals have only one gene encoding for NCC. The eel, however, contains a duplicate gene. NCCα is an ortholog of mammalian NCC and is expressed in the kidney. NCCβ is present in the apical membrane of the rectum. Here we cloned and functionally characterized NCCβ from the European eel. The cRNA encodes a 1043-amino acid membrane protein that, when expressed in Xenopus oocytes, functions as an Na-Cl cotransporter with two major characteristics, making it different from other known NCCs. First, eel NCCβ is resistant to thiazides. Single-point mutagenesis supports that the absence of thiazide inhibition is, at least in part, due to the substitution of a conserved serine for a cysteine at position 379. Second, NCCβ is not activated by low-chloride hypotonic stress, although the unique Ste20-related proline alanine-rich kinase (SPAK) binding site in the amino-terminal domain is conserved. Thus, NCCβ exhibits significant functional differences from NCCs that could be helpful in defining several aspects of the structure-function relationship of this important cotransporter

Polyfunctional T cell responses in children in early stages of chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection contrast with monofunctional responses of long-term infected adults

Background: Adults with chronic Trypanosoma cruzi exhibit a poorly functional T cell compartment, characterized by monofunctional (IFN-γ-only secreting) parasite-specific T cells and increased levels of terminally differentiated T cells. It is possible that persistent infection and/or sustained exposure to parasites antigens may lead to a progressive loss of function of the immune T cells. Methodology/Principal Findings: To test this hypothesis, the quality and magnitude of T. cruzi-specific T cell responses were evaluated in T. cruzi-infected children and compared with long-term T. cruzi-infected adults with no evidence of heart failure. The phenotype of CD4+ T cells was also assessed in T. cruzi-infected children and uninfected controls. Simultaneous secretion of IFN-γ and IL-2 measured by ELISPOT assays in response to T. cruzi antigens was prevalent among T. cruzi-infected children. Flow cytometric analysis of co-expression profiles of CD4+ T cells with the ability to produce IFN-γ, TNF-α, or to express the co-stimulatory molecule CD154 in response to T. cruzi showed polyfunctional T cell responses in most T. cruzi-infected children. Monofunctional T cell responses and an absence of CD4+TNF-α+-secreting T cells were observed in T. cruzi-infected adults. A relatively high degree of activation and differentiation of CD4+ T cells was evident in T. cruzi-infected children. Conclusions/Significance: Our observations are compatible with our initial hypothesis that persistent T. cruzi infection promotes eventual exhaustion of immune system, which might contribute to disease progression in long-term infected subjects.Fil: Albareda, María Cecilia. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: de Rissio, Ana María. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; ArgentinaFil: Tomas, Gonzalo. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; ArgentinaFil: Serjan, Alicia. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, María Gabriela. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Viotti, Rodolfo Jorge. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Fichera, Laura Edith. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Esteva, Mónica Inés. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; ArgentinaFil: Potente, Daniel Fernando. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Armenti, Alejandro. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Tarleton, Rick L.. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Laucella, Susana Adriana. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin