Coupling constants and unification

The first part of this work gives a general background for the ideas involved in the research presented in this thesis. Coupling constants, Renor-malisation Group Equation, Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) and Super symmetry (SUSY) are briefly introduced. Following this, we analyse the unification parameters M(_GUT) and l/α(_GUT) as functions of the number of fermion families (F) and Higgs boson multiplets (S). Analytical and numerical solutions to the leading and next-to-leading order evolution equation for the couplings a, are obtained. This is done in the context of the Standard Model embedded in SU(5), SUSY SU(5) and L-R SO(IO). In all these GUTs, the first order analytical approach proves itself a useful probe to examine the structure of M(_GUT) and l/α(_GUT) in terms of the variables F and S. General trends remain the same after including second order corrections to the evolution equations. Recent precision data for the coupling constants allow more definitive conclusions to be reached. We find that restrictions on the unification parameters constrain F and S in such a way that SU(5) is ruled out by constraints on 5 (in agreement with previous results), F is severely limited in SUSY SU(5) and, unlike SUSY SU(5), an acceptable unification scenario can still be obtained when Higgs bosons are ignored in L-R SO(IO). The structures of the latter two GUTs are found to be very different although some features are common to both

Analysis of the molecular machinery implicated in multicellularity in bacillus cereus

Introduction: Bacillus cereus is a Gram-positive bacterium usually implicated in food poisoning outbreaks and human infections that sometimes result fatal. These events are closely related to the assembly of a biofilm that serves as a reservoir of cells, a nest for sporulation and protection from environmental stresses, host defenses or chemotherapy. Objectives: To perform a comprehensive comparative study of biofilm and planktonic cells to: i) delineate the molecular machinery implicated in the different steps of the biofilm life cycle, and ii) define new genes dedicated to biofilm formation. Materials & methods: Bacteria were grown under biofilm inducing conditions. Biofilm cells were separated from planktonic cells at different times and their whole mRNA was isolated, sequenced and analyzed. Results: Our results reveal a high number of genes associated to biofilm, many of them with unknown function, but highly conserved in others bacterial species. Besides, we found global changes in cell wall synthesis, metabolism and interspecies interaction molecules. ​ Conclusions: The interaction of B. cereus with other bacteria is conditioned by secondary metabolites, which are apparently overexpressed in biofilm. On the other hand, toxins are mainly expressed in planktonic cells, which are more oriented to interact with its hosts. These results reveal the defense and attacking positions of B. cereus in biofilm vs planktonic states.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

The active human immunodeficiency virus reservoir during antiretroviral therapy: emerging players in viral persistence

Marcadors cel·lulars; Virus de la immunodeficiència humana; Persistència viralMarcadores celulares; Virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana; Persistencia viralCell markers; Human immunodeficiency virus; Viral persistencePurpose of review To discuss the role of CD4+ T cells with active Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), meaning infected cells with transcriptional and/or translational viral activity during antiretroviral therapy (ART), focusing on new technologies for its detection, potential cell markers for its characterization, and evidences on the contribution of the active HIV reservoir to long-term viral persistence. Recent findings HIV-infected cells expressing viral ribonucleic acid are systematically detected in subjects on long-term ART. In recent years, powerful new tools have provided significant insights into the nature, quantification, and identification of cells with active HIV, including the identification of new cell markers, and the presence of viral activity in specific cell populations located in different cellular and anatomical compartments. Moreover, studies on viral sequence integrity have identified cell clones with intact viral genomes and active viral transcription that could potentially persist for years. Together, new investigations support the notion that the active reservoir could represent a relevant fraction of long-term infected cells, and therefore, the study of its cell sources and mechanisms of maintenance could represent a significant advance in our understanding of viral persistence and the development of new curative strategies. Summary The presence of HIV-infected cells with viral expression during ART has been traditionally overlooked for years. Based on recent investigations, this active viral reservoir could play an important role in HIV persistence.This work was supported by the Spanish Secretariat of Science and Innovation and FEDER funds (grants SAF2015-67334-R and RTI2018-101082-B-I00 [MINECO/FEDER]), and the Fundació La Marató TV3 (grant 201805-10FMTV3). M.J.B. is supported by the Miguel Servet program funded by the Spanish Health Institute Carlos III (CP17/00179). A.A.-G. is supported by the Spanish Secretariat of Science and Innovation Ph.D. fellowship (BES-2016-076382). The funders had no role in the decision to publish or the preparation of the manuscript

A short version of the amyloid-like protein TasA fibrillates and supports biofilm formation in Bacillus cereus

The formation of bacterial biofilms is a doable thanks to the assembly of an extracellular matrix that provides to the entire community with i) an outstanding architectonic structure and ii) protection to the cells from external aggressions. In Bacillus subtilis, a structural element dedicated to the formation of the extracellular matrix is the amyloid-like protein TasA. To form fibers, TasA needs the participation of the protein TapA. Indeed, a tapA mutant resembles phenotypically to a tasA mutant, which is wrinkle-less pellicles or colonies with no distinguishable morphological features. tasA is widely spread within the Bacillus genus, but tapA is absent in the heterogeneous group of Bacillus cereus which includes environmental and pathogenic members; some of them are responsible for important food intoxication outbreaks. Then, we asked whether TasA would still retain functionality in biofilm formation in B. cereus. Comparative genomic analysis showed a region in B. cereus containing two orthologous of tasA, tasA and calY, and the orthologous of sipW, that encodes a signal peptidase. Our mutagenic studies revealed that the entire region was relevant for biofilm formation, and electron microscopy proved the major propensity of TasA than CalY to form fibers in the cell surfaces. These findings also indicated that in B. cereus as opposed to B. subtilis, an accessory TapA protein is not necessary for the fibrillation of TasA. Indeed, the heterologous expression of this region of B. cereus restored the capacity of a B. subtilis tasA operon mutant or a single tasA mutant to form pellicles. These pellicles stained with the amyloid dye Congo Red and the cells were decorated with fibers, both findings suggestive of an amyloid-like nature of the B. cereus TasA. Intriguingly, in a B. subtilis tapA mutant, only the entire region of B. cereus fully rescued pellicle formation, fibrillation or Congo Red staining, to a lesser extent did sipw-tasA, and no restoration was observed with sipW-calY. These observations led us to speculate that TapA might cross seed the fibrillation of TasA or CalY in B. subtilis. In summary, TasA is relevant for biofilm formation in these two bacterial species, which appears to be governed by its polymerizing nature. The fact that we count with two bacterial species containing versions of TasA with subtle differences will be of great value in our studies of the mechanistic of polymerization of these bacterial amyloid-like fibers and their contribution to the assembly of the extracellular matrix.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

El tratamiento contable del Factoring en las NIIF/NIC

El factoring se podría definir como un conjunto de servicios financieros y administrativos, que presta la sociedad de factoring a su cliente, que se amparará en la utilización de un contrato de cesión de créditos como cauce jurídico apropiado. Este servicio se ha ido implantando en España hasta alcanzar una cifra de cesiones nuevas de 55.514 millones de euros en el ejercicio 2005. Entre los aspectos más positivos que perciben los clientes que utilizan el factoring, se encuentra la posibilidad de dar de baja del balance los créditos cedidos. El presente artícu-lo versará sobre los criterios contables que se deben cumplir para que esto ocurra. Para ello se estudiará la normativa contable vigente, para, a continuación, pasar a estudiar con detalle los criterios de las NIIF/NIC. Cabe señalar que este último punto es muy importante por cuanto el borrador del Nuevo Plan General de Contabilidad solo tiene unos párrafos sobre la baja de activos, no trata específicamente el factoring, por lo que para interpretar y profundizar en este tema se debe acudir a las NIIF/NIC

Implementación de un comercio electrónico para el seguro vida ley en una empresa de seguros en la ciudad de Lima – 2021

El presente trabajo de suficiencia profesional tiene como objetivo estudiar el proyecto denominado “PER-2020-NP PRY e Commerce Vida Ley” de la empresa de seguros y reaseguros Mapfre Perú para desarrollar e implementar un comercio electrónico, en adelante e- commerce, que permita incrementar las ventas del Seguro de Vida Ley. El proyecto se realizó cumpliendo la metodología MumOne de Mapfre Perú, aplicada en la gestión del proyecto y el desarrollo de software. El proyecto logró construir una solución e-commerce que brinda la mejor experiencia para el cliente y automatiza los procesos involucrados, permitiendo mediante un nuevo canal digital de venta que la empresa incremente su rentabilidad y mejore su posicionamiento en el mercado de seguros en Lima-Perú.The objective of this professional sufficiency work is to study the project called "PER-2020-NP PRY eCommerce Vida Ley" of the insurance andreinsurance company Mapfre Peru to develop and implement an electronic commerce, e-commerce, to increase the sales of the Vida Ley Insurance. The project was carried out following MumOne methodologyof Mapfre Peru, applied in project management and software development. The project managed to build an e-commerce solution that provides the best customer experience and automates the processes involved, allowing the company to increase its profitability and improve its positioning in the insurance market in Lima -Peru through a new digital sales channel.Campus Lima Centr

Interacción del patógeno humano Bacillus cereus con plantas de interés agronómico

Uno de los grandes retos de la industria agroalimentaria es reducir los continuos casos de intoxicaciones alimentarias causadas por el consumo de frutas y verduras contaminadas con patógenos de humanos, y las consecuentes pérdidas económicas. Bacillus cereus es una bacteria patógena de humanos responsable de intoxicaciones alimentarias que en ocasiones pueden ser letales. El ciclo de vida de esta bacteria se caracteriza por la formación de biopelículas y la esporulación. Las biopelículas son comunidades de bacterias difíciles de erradicar, y para su formación las bacterias ensamblan una matriz extracelular formada principalmente por exopolisacáridos y proteínas. En este trabajo, nos planteamos estudiar las bases moleculares que dirigen la formación de biopelículas en B. cereus, y su posible implicación en la interacción con diferentes plantas hortofrutícolas. Para ello, nos hemos centrado en el análisis de los componentes estructurales de la matriz extracelular, y más concretamente en posibles adhesinas de naturaleza proteica. B. cereus tiene dos ortólogos del gen tasa de B. subtilis que codifica para una proteína que polimeriza en la forma de fibras amiloides y es indispensable para la formación de las biopelículas. Mediante estudios de expresión heteróloga demostramos que el alelo de tasA de B. cereus rescata la formación de biopelículas de una cepa de B. subtilis que carece de su propio tasA. De la misma forma, un mutante de B. cereus en este alelo presenta un fenotipo defectuoso en la formación de biopelículas tanto in vitro como en la interacción con plantas. Finalmente estudios bioquímicos y morfológicos preliminares de esta proteína apuntan a su naturaleza tipo amiloide como su ortólogo de B. subtilis.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Adhesin proteins in biofilms of the food-borne pathogen Bacillus cereus

One of the greatest challenges of the food industry is to reduce food poisoning caused by food-borne pathogenic bacteria. Bacillus cereus is one the recurrent bacterial pathogens responsible of many outbreaks. Biofilm formation and sporulation are thought as the most important reservoirs of B. cereus. Biofilms are bacterial communities difficult to eradicate from biotic and abiotic surfaces. They are usually composed of exopolysaccharides and proteins. In our study, we are interested in the characterization of the molecular bases leading to biofilm formation in B. cereus during the interaction with plants. To start this analysis we have focused on the structural components of the extracellular matrix of these biofilms. Using as a model the well-studied B. subtilis, we show in this work the presence in B. cereus of an orthologous of tasA. TasA forms amyloid-like fibers in the extracellular matrix of B. subtilis. We demonstrate that the heterologous expression of this allele in a B. subtilis strain lacking the entire tasA operon and unable to form biofilm, restores the assembly of biofilm formation. Biochemical and morphological studies of this protein let us think on a possible amyloid-like nature of this protein, which could be involved in cell-cell interaction and biofilm formation as it does in B. subtilisUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Una región genómica implicada en la formación de fibras tipo amiloide en biofilms de Bacillus cereus

Bacillus cereus es una bacteria patógena responsable de numerosos brotes de intoxicación alimentaria. Las esporas y el biofilm son considerados los reservorios más importantes de B. cereus que se pueden encontrar en frutas y verduras frescas contaminadas. Los biofilms son comunidades bacterianas difíciles de erradicar de superficies bióticas y abióticas debido a una matriz extracelular estable que recubre y protege a las células bacterianas. Estas matrices extracelulares suelen estar formadas de exopolisacáridos, proteínas, ADN extracelular, y otros componentes minoritarios. Estudios de biofilms en Bacillus subtilis, especie filogenéticamente relacionada con B. cereus, han demostrado la existencia de fibras tipo amiloide en su matriz extracelular, y su relevancia en el desarrollo de biofilms. El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido investigar la existencia de este tipo de proteínas en B. cereus y su implicación en la formación de biofilms. El análisis comparativo de los genomas de B. subtilis y B. cereus nos permitió identificar una región genómica que contiene dos loci que codifican ortólogos de la proteína tipo amiloide TasA y un ortólogo de la correspondiente peptidasa señal SipW, responsable del correcto procesamiento de TasA previo a su secreción. La mutación de esta región genómica condujo a la incapacidad de B. cereus de formar biofilms, un fenotipo compartido por mutantes en el gen sipW. Los mutantes en tasA o calY no perdieron completamente la capacidad de formación de biofilms, aunque desarrollaron fenotipos diferenciados entre sí. El estudio con microscopía electrónica reveló que TasA, y en menor medida CalY, polimerizan en forma de fibras largas y abundantes en la superficie de las células. La expresión heteróloga de estos loci en una cepa de B. subtilis que carece de los factores necesarios para el ensamblaje de fibras de tipo amiloide de TasA reveló: (i) la implicación de esta región genómica B. cereus en la formación de películas en la interfase aire-líquido y (ii) la capacidad intrínseca de TasA para formar fibras similares a las fibras formadas por su ortólogo en B. subtilis. Los resultados obtenidos en este estudio indican: (i) La implicación de la región genómica que contiene los genes sipW, tasA y calY en la formación de biofilms de B. cereus en superficies abióticas, (ii) las propiedades adhesivas de TasA y CalY, y (iii) la potencial naturaleza amiloide de la proteína TasA de B. cereus como su ortólogo en B. subtilis. Este trabajo ha sido financiado con una ayuda del Plan Nacional de I+D+i del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (AGL2012-31968), cofinanciado con fondos FEDER (UE)Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Monitoring of a virtual infrastructure testbed

This paper presents a SNMP-based Monitoring Agents for Multi-Constrain Resource Scheduling in Grids (SBLOMARS) as an effective solution for resource usage monitoring in virtual network environments. SBLOMARS is different to current large-scale distributed monitoring systems in three essential aspects: Firstly, it reaches a high level of generality by the integration of the SNMP protocol and thus, facilitates to handle heterogeneous operating platforms. Secondly, it is able to self-configure the polling periods of the resources to be monitored depending of network context and finally, it makes use of dynamic software structures to interface with third parties, allowing to be deployed in a wide range of devices, from simple mobile access devices to robust multiprocessor systems or clusters with even multiple hard disks and storage partitions. SBLOMARS has been deployed in EmanicsLab, a virtual laboratory constituted by fourteen nodes distributed in seven European Universities. Although the research is not yet concluded, available results confirm its suitability to deal with the challenges of monitoring virtual networks.Postprint (published version