Delay of germination-1 (DOG1): a key to understanding seed dormancy

[Abstract] DELAY OF GERMINATION-1 (DOG1), is a master regulator of primary dormancy (PD) that acts in concert with ABA to delay germination. The ABA and DOG1 signaling pathways converge since DOG1 requires protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) to control PD. DOG1 enhances ABA signaling through its binding to PP2C ABA HYPERSENSITIVE GERMINATION (AHG1/AHG3). DOG1 suppresses the AHG1 action to enhance ABA sensitivity and impose PD. To carry out this suppression, the formation of DOG1-heme complex is essential. The binding of DOG1-AHG1 to DOG1-Heme is an independent processes but essential for DOG1 function. The quantity of active DOG1 in mature and viable seeds is correlated with the extent of PD. Thus, dog1 mutant seeds, which have scarce endogenous ABA and high gibberellin (GAs) content, exhibit a non-dormancy phenotype. Despite being studied extensively in recent years, little is known about the molecular mechanism underlying the transcriptional regulation of DOG1. However, it is well-known that the physiological function of DOG1 is tightly regulated by a complex array of transformations that include alternative splicing, alternative polyadenylation, histone modifications, and a cis-acting antisense non-coding transcript (asDOG1). The DOG1 becomes modified (i.e., inactivated) during seed after-ripening (AR), and its levels in viable seeds do not correlate with germination potential. Interestingly, it was recently found that the transcription factor (TF) bZIP67 binds to the DOG1 promoter. This is required to activate DOG1 expression leading to enhanced seed dormancy. On the other hand, seed development under low-temperature conditions triggers DOG1 expression by increasing the expression and abundance of bZIP67. Together, current data indicate that DOG1 function is not strictly limited to PD process, but that it is also required for other facets of seed maturation, in part by also interfering with the ethylene signaling components. Otherwise, since DOG1 also affects other processes such us flowering and drought tolerance, the approaches to understanding its mechanism of action and control are, at this time, still inconclusive

Disponibilidade e fracionamento do Cu, Pb e Zn num solo ácido da Galiza (NW Espanha) corrigido com um composto de resíduos sólidos urbanos

The potential availability and chemical fractionation of trace elements in soil after compost addition was studied in a laboratory incubation. An acid agricultural soil, developed on biotitic schists, was amended with two rates of a municipal solid waste compost (3% and 6% weight) or lime (2.5 g CaCO3 kg-1, calculated to raise soil pH to values close to those of the compost-amended soil), and incubated in the laboratory for five months. Compost addition increased the availability of Cu, Pb and Zn (measured in DTPA extract) with respect to the control, whereas lime reduced it. Compost amendment increased soil total Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations, and their chemical distribution, assessed by means of the BCR (Bureau Communautaire de Référence) fractionation scheme, was different for each element. Compost addition increased Pb in the reducible (iron oxide-bound) fraction, Cu in the organic and iron oxide fractions, and Zn in the soluble and reducible fractions. Lime did not change the fractionation or total concentrations of the metals analysed. The most problematic element in the compost-amended soil from an environmental point of view is Zn, because it was found in highly mobile forms, while for Cu and Pb this risk is lowSe estudió la disponibilidad potencial y el fraccionamiento químico de metales traza en el suelo tras la adición de compost en un experimento de laboratorio. Un suelo agrícola ácido, desarrollado sobre esquistos biotíticos, fue enmendado con dos dosis de un compost de residuos sólidos urbanos (3% y 6% en peso) e incubado en laboratorio durante cinco meses. Con fines comparativos, también se estudió el suelo enmendado con una dosis de cal (2,5 g CaCO3 kg-1) calculada para llevar el pH a valores próximos a los del suelo enmendado con compost. La enmienda con compost aumentó la disponibilidad de Cu, Pb y Zn con respecto al suelo sin enmendar, mientras que la cal tuvo el efecto contrario. El compost también incrementó las concentraciones totales de Cu, Pb y Zn, modificando su fraccionamiento químico, mientras que la cal no tuvo efecto en este sentido. La adición de compost aumentó la concentración de Pb en la fracción reducible (unido a óxidos), la de Cu en las fracciones oxidable (unido a materia orgánica) y reducible, y la de Zn en las fracciones soluble y reducible. El elemento más problemático en el suelo enmendado con compost es el Zn, al estar presente en formas de alta movilidad, en contraste con lo que sucede en el caso de Cu y PbEstudámos num ensaio laboratorial a disponibilidade potencial e o fracionamento químico de elementos metálicos vestigiais no solo após a adição de um material compostado. Usou-se um solo agrícola ácido, desenvolvido em xistos de biotite, ao qual se adicionaram duas doses de um composto de resíduos sólidos urbanos (3% e 6% em peso) e que foi incubado no laboratório duranteum período de cinco meses. Para comparação, o solo foi igualmente tratado com uma dose de calcário (2,5 g CaCO3 kg-1). A adição de composto aumentou a disponibilidade de Cu, Pb e Zn do solo testemunha, enquanto que o calcário teve o efeito oposto. O composto aumentou também as concentrações totais de Cu, Pb e Zn, modificando o seu fracionamento químico, enquanto que o calcário não produziu qualquer efeito. O composto aumentou a concentração de Pb na fracção redutível do solo, o Cu nas frações oxidáveis e redutíveis, e o Zn nas fracções solúveis e redutíveis. O elemento mais problemático no solo tratado com o composto foi o Zn, por estar presente sob formas de alta mobilidade, em contraste com o que aconteceu no caso de Cu e PbS

Mutual interaction between arsenic and biofilm in a mining impacted river

Gold mining activities in fluvial systems may cause arsenic (As) pollution, as is the case at the Anllóns River (Galicia, NW Spain), where high concentrations of arsenate (AsV) in surface sediments (up to 270 mg kg−1) were found. A 51 day-long biofilm-translocation experiment was performed in this river, moving some biofilm-colonized substrata from upstream (less As-polluted) to downstream the mine area (more As-polluted site), to explore the effect of As on benthic biofilms, as well as their role on As retention and speciation in the water-sediment interface. Eutrophic conditions (range: 0.07–0.38 mg L−1 total phosphorus, TP) were detected in water in both sites, while sediments were not considered P-polluted (below 600 mg kg−1). Dimethylarsenate (DMAV) was found intracellularly and in the river water, suggesting a detoxification process by biofilms. Since most As in sediments and water was AsV, the high amount of arsenite (AsIII) detected extracellularly may also confirm AsV reduction by biofilms. Furthermore, translocated biofilms accumulated more As and showed higher potential toxicity (higher As/P ratio). In concordance, their growth was reduced to half that observed in those non-translocated, became less nutritive (less nitrogen content), and with higher bacterial and dead diatom densities. Besides the high As exposure, other environmental conditions such as the higher riparian cover at the more As-polluted site could contribute to those effects. Our study provides new arguments to understand the contribution of microorganisms to the As biogeochemistry in freshwater environmentsThis work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Project Ref. CGL2010-22059, CGL2013-46003-P and CGL2013-43822-R), the University of Girona (Project Ref. SING12/09 and MPCUdG2016/120) and the Government of Catalonia (Project Ref. 2014 SGR 484). Laura Barral Fraga benefited from a doctoral fellowship from the University of Girona (BR 2013/06) and a mobility grant from the Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA, at Bordeaux, France)S

Impacto de Sistemas de Gestión de Calidad en centros educativos de Galicia

Programa Oficial de Doutoramento en Equidade e Innovación en Educación .5016V01[Resumen] Esta investigación se encuadra en la línea de investigación de asesoramiento y orientación como apoyo para la calidad y equidad en educación. El trabajo que a continuación se desarrolla pretende dar a conocer cuáles son las dimensiones consideradas de calidad en un sistema de gestión escolar. A través de diez capítulos se busca dar respuesta al objetivo central: conocer el impacto de los Sistemas de Gestión de Calidad (SGC) en los centros educativos. Para llegar a esa valoración realizamos un profundo estudio que arranca desde el concepto de calidad, modelos y sistemas de gestión, el impacto de los mismos, para dar paso a la fundamentación metodológica, los análisis psicométricos, la extracción de resultados, análisis, reflexión y discusión para emitir las conclusiones. Las instituciones educativas, seleccionadas para el estudio, cumplen una serie de requisitos necesarios para trasladar conocimientos y experiencias fundadas, es decir, evidencias empíricas que garanticen la veracidad del estudio. Pretendemos contribuir a mejorar la calidad educativa analizando el impacto de los SGC detectado en los centros educativos de la comunidad de Galicia. El estudio se circunscribe a los centros de la Comunidad Autónoma de Galicia, tanto de la red pública como concertada y privada, no universitarios, que implantaron políticas de calidad.[Abstract] This research project is framed in the research line of advice and guidance as a support for the quality and equity of education. The work that is developed below seeks to highlight which the dimensions considered of quality in a school management system are. Through ten chapters it seeks to respond to the central objective of this research, get to know the impact of the QMS in schools. To reach this knowledge we carry out an in-depth study that starts from the concept of quality, models and management system; their impact, to make way for the methodological foundation, the psychometric analyses, the extraction of results, analysis, reflection and discussion to issue conclusions. The educational institutions selected for the study meet a series of requirements, necessary to transfer knowledge and based experiences, that is, the empirical evidence that guarantees the veracity of the study. We intend to contribute to improve the quality of education by analyzing the impact of QMS detected in schools of the community of Galicia. The study is confined to the centers of the Autonomous Community of Galicia, both public and concerted and private network, non-university, which implanted quality policies.[Resumo] O proxecto de investigación encádrase na liña de investigación de asesoramento e orientación como apoio para a calidade e equidade en educación. O traballo que a continuación se desenvolve pretende dar a coñecer cales son as dimensións consideradas de calidade no sistema de xestión escolar. Ao longo de dez capítulos búscase dar resposta ao obxectivo central desta investigación, coñecer o impacto dos SGC nos centros educativos. Para chegar a ese coñecemento, realizamos un profundo estudo que arranca desde o concepto de calidade, modelos e sistemas de xestión; impacto dos mesmos, para dar paso a fundamentación metodolóxica, as análises psicométricas, a extracción de resultados, análise, reflexión e discusión para emitir as conclusións. As institucións educativas, seleccionadas para o estudo, compren unha serie de requisitos necesarios para trasladar coñecementos e experiencias fundadas, e dicir, evidencias empíricas que garanten a veracidade do estudo. Pretendemos contribuír a mellorar a calidade educativa analizando o impacto dos SGC detectado nos centros educativos da comunidade de Galicia. O estudo circunscribe a centros da Comunidade Autónoma de Galicia, tanto da rede pública como concertada e privada, non universitario, que implantaron políticas de calidade

Avaluació de coneixements i actituds cap a les addiccions en metges

S'estima que fins a una cinquena part de l'assistència en els serveis d'urgències està relacionada amb el consum de tòxics, però en ocasions aquest és infradiagnosticat. Un estudi ha avaluat una mostra de metges residents d'un hospital general per identificar els factors pels quals no es detecten aquestes situacions. Dels resultats es desprèn la importància d'una bona formació en addiccions i d'implementar millores per prevenir prejudicis i fomentar millors actituds enfront dels pacients drogodependents.Se estima que hasta una quinta parte de la asistencia en los servicios de urgencias está relacionada con el consumo de tóxicos, pero en ocasiones éste es infradiagnosticado. Un estudio ha evaluado una muestra de médicos residentes de un hospital general para identificar los factores por los cuales no se detectan estas situaciones. De los resultados se desprende la importancia de una buena formación en adicciones y de implementar mejoras para prevenir prejuicios y fomentar mejores actitudes frente a los pacientes drogodependientes

Utilization of Composts for Adsorption of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solutions: Kinetics and Equilibrium Studies

Utilization of composts as low-cost adsorbents is an important application in the field of environmental remediation, but these materials have not yet been extensively used for dye removal. In this work, we have studied the characteristics of adsorption of methylene blue onto two composts (a municipal solid waste compost and a pine bark compost). Kinetics and equilibrium batch experiments testing the influence of adsorbent particle size, solution pH and ionic strength were performed. Both composts have a high adsorption capacity for methylene blue, similar to other low-cost adsorbents. Kinetics of adsorption followed a pseudo-first-order model, with maximum adsorption reached after a contact time of two hours. Equilibrium adsorption followed a Langmuir model in general. Reduction of particle size only increased adsorption slightly for composted pine bark. Increase in ionic strength had no effect on adsorption by municipal solid waste compost, but increased adsorption by composted pine bark. Modification of pH between 5 and 7 did not influence adsorption in any case. Overall, the results suggest that electrostatic interaction between the cationic dye and the anionic functional groups in the composts is not the only mechanism involved in adsorption. In conclusion, the use of composts for dye removal is a likely application, in particular for those composts presenting limitations for agricultural useThis research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO), through a Ramón y Cajal fellowship, grant number RYC-2016-19286S

Heavy Metal Uptake of Lettuce and Ryegrass from Urban Waste Composts

Interest in using urban waste composts as amendments in urban agriculture is growing nowadays. However, concerns about the potential transference of pollutants present in urban waste to the food chain are very relevant when they are recycled for food or animal feed production. Thus, for the safe use of urban waste composts, it has to be assured that no risk of metal transference to plants from compost exists. In this work, the transference of heavy metals from urban waste composts to plants has been studied in an experiment with lettuce and Italian ryegrass, grown in substrates based on five metal-rich composts and a manure vermicompost (included for comparison). A two-month pot experiment was performed under controlled light and temperature conditions, and plant growth and uptake of Cu, Pb, Cd and Zn were analyzed. For both species, the concentration of metals in plant tissue followed the sequence Zn > Cu >> Pb ≈ Cd, the same as the metal concentrations in four out of the five composts. Plant concentrations of Zn, Cu and Cd increased with their concentrations in compost, whereas this relation was not observed for Pb. The ratio between element concentration in plant and compost were much higher for Zn, Cd and Cu than for Pb, showing the lower bioavailability of Pb with respect to other metalsThis research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO), through a “Ramón y Cajal” fellowship, grant number RYC-2016-19286S

Potentially Toxic Trace Elements in the Urban Soils of Santiago de Compostela (Northwestern Spain)

With the objective of increasing information inorganic pollutants in urban soils in Spain, we studied the presence of Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cr, and As in 55 soils in the city of Santiago de Compostela (northwestern Spain). The soils were developed over diverse parent materials (granites, gneiss, schists, and amphibolites) and present different land uses, urban grasslands, urban forests, urban allotment gardens, and peri-urban agricultural soils. Total trace element concentrations, analyzed by XRF of ground samples, were correlated to physicochemical properties of the soils, and the influence of land use, lithology, and location on the degree of pollution was explored. In most soils, trace element concentrations followed the sequence Zn (55–484 mg kg−1) > Pb (20–566 mg kg−1) > Cr (17–277 mg kg−1) > Cu (17–188 mg kg−1) > As (13–205 mg kg−1) > Ni (11–91 mg kg−1). The concentrations were overall higher than regional backgrounds, but not high enough to class the soils as contaminated according to the Spanish regulation. Accordingly, the geoaccumulation index values indicate that most soils present low to moderate pollution levels. Among the elements studied, Cu, Pb, and Zn were correlated between them, with their highest concentrations happening in soils of the green areas in the city center; Cr and Ni concentrations were related to lithology of the parent material, with the highest concentrations in soils developed over amphibolite; finally, As concentrations are higher in two precise points without a clear connection to a known source of pollutionThe authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the City Hall of Santiago de Compostela for the sampling for this study. Paradelo thanks the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) for his Ramón y Cajal fellowship (RYC-2016-19286)S

Tratamiento concomitante de litio y metadona en un paciente bipolar : a propósito de un caso

La patología dual requiere aproximaciones terapéuticas complejas para adecuar el tratamiento a la doble naturaleza del problema. Es importante conocer los efectos e interacciones medicamentosas que puedan acontecer para evaluar la sintomatología que refiere el paciente. Dados los escasos datos sobre los efectos del tratamiento con litio y metadona, el objetivo de la exposición de este caso clínico es explicar las interacciones producidas entre metadona y carbonato de litio, en una paciente tratada con ambos fármacos, afecta de pluripatología médica y con dependencia de opiáceos y trastorno bipolar. Se exponen los diferentes efectos adversos más frecuentes de cada fármaco. Se describe de forma retrospectiva y prospectiva el manejo del tratamiento y las interacciones entre estos dos fármacos mediante la revisión de la historia clínica de la paciente y se detalla la correspondencia temporal entre las dosis de cada uno de ellos y la evolución. Tras un año de seguimiento, la paciente no ha sufrido interacciones en el tratamiento concomitante de litio y metadona. El tratamiento en pacientes bipolares duales es complejo y debe ser realizado por equipos expertosDual diagnosis requires complex therapeutic approaches to adapt treatment to the dual nature of the problem. It is important to understand the drug effects and the drug interactions that may be observed during the integral treatment of these pathologies. Given the scarcity of data on the effects of lithium and methadone treatment, the aim of this clinical case report is to explain the interactions produced between methadone and lithium carbonate, in a female patient with medical multi-pathology, opioid-dependent and with comorbid bipolar disorder, who was treated with both drugs. The most common adverse effects for each drug are described. Drug interactions and temporal correspondence of the two drugs, as well as their dosages, are described through review of the retrospective chart and prospective follow-up of the patient. After oneyear of follow-up the patient had experienced no interactions in the concomitant lithium and methadone treatment. It should be noted that treatment of bipolar patients with dual diagnosis is complex, and should only be carried out by expert

Arsenic Transfer from As-Rich Sediments to River Water in the Presence of Biofilms

The influence of epipsammic biofilms on As release from river sediments was evaluated in a microcosm experiment where biofilms were grown on sediments containing 106 mg kg−1 As, collected in the Anllóns River, and compared with control systems without biofilms. The As transfer to the water column was low (<0.11% of total As in the sediment) and was further reduced by 64% in the presence of biofilms. was the predominant species in the overlying water in both systems. concentration was higher (up to 12% of total dissolved As) in the control systems than in the systems with biofilms, where this species was almost absent. This fact is of toxicological relevance due to the usually higher mobility and toxicity of the reduced species. Control systems exhibited higher As mobility in water, in sulphate solution, and in weak acid medium and higher bioavailability in diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT) devices. Arsenic retained by the biofilm was equally distributed between extracellular and intracellular compartments. Inside the cells, significant concentrations of , monomethylarsonic acid (), and dimethylarsinic acid () were detected, suggesting that active methylation (detoxification) processes are occurring in the intracellular compartmentThe authors wish to thank the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO-FEDER) for financial support (Projects Ref. CGL2010-22059 and CGL2013-46003-P). Diego Martiñá Prieto wishes to acknowledge the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for his FPI Fellowship (BES-2011-044514)S