La literatura extranjera de creación en Nueva Estafeta: un medio de entrada en la España de la primera democracia

Se recogen aquí los textos de creación lírica, narrativa y dramática, provenientes de literaturas en lengua no española, que se publicaron en la revista La Estafeta Literaria a lo largo de siete etapas (1944-2001) de su trayectoria. En 1978 comienza su sexta época, bajo la dirección de Luis Rosales; cambia entonces de nombre e introduce interesantes transformaciones en su contenido. Pasa a llamarse Nueva Estafeta y, entre otras innovaciones, dota de un mayor protagonismo a los textos de creación extranjera, con lo que se convierte en un importante medio de recepción de las letras universales en España. Pretendemos mostrar ese cambio sin entrar en análisis formales o conceptuales de los textos. This article gathers all the prose, poetry and drama texts by non-Spanish authors published in the literary magazine La Estafeta Literaria throughout seven periods running from 1944 to 2001. teh sixth period begins in 1978, under Luis Rosales as editor. The magazine is then renamed Nueva Estafeta and incorporates significant changes to its contents, especially the more prominente role given to non-Spanish authors. The magazine becames so an excellent means of assessing the impacto f universal literary in Spain. This work aims at document these changes, letting aside a formal analysis of the articles. Rurther on this topic should come

Effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and UC-C irradiation on postharvest quality of red raspberries

Red raspberries (Rubus idaeus L.) are highly appreciated by consumers. However, their postharvest shelf life scarcely exceeds 5 d under the refrigeration temperatures usually applied during commercialization, due to their high susceptibility to dehydration, softening and rot incidence. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the ability of UV-C radiation (UV1: 2 kJ m-2 and UV2: 4 kJ m-2 ), passive modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) with transmission rates (TR) for O2 and CO2 of 1805 mL d-1 and 1570 mL d-1 (MAP1), and 902 mL d-1 and 785 mL d-1 (MAP2), respectively, and the combination of both technologies to prolong raspberries’ shelf life at 6¿ C. Their influence on respiration, physicochemical parameters, and microbiological and nutritional quality was assessed during 12 d of storage. The combination of 4 kJ m-2 UV-C radiation and a packaging film with O2 and CO2 transmission rates of 902 mL d-1 and 785 mL d-1, respectively, produced a synergistic effect against rot development, delaying senescence of the fruit. The UV2MAP2 and MAP2 samples only showed 1.66% rot incidence after 8 d of storage. The UV2MAP2 samples also had higher bioactive content (1.76 g kg-1 of gallic acid equivalents (GAE), 1.08 g kg-1 of catechin equivalents (CE) and 0.32 g kg-1 of cyanidin 3-O-glucoside equivalents (CGE)) than the control samples at the end of their shelf life. Moreover, the mass loss was minimal (0.56%), and fruit color and firmness were maintained during shelf life. However, the rest of the batches were not suitable for commercialization after 4 d due to excessive mold development. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Kinetic and functional properties of human mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase

The cytosolic form of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK1) plays a regulatory role in gluconeogenesis and glyceroneogenesis. The role of the mitochondrial isoform (PCK2) remains unclear. We report the partial purification and kinetic and functional characterization of human PCK2. Kinetic properties of the enzyme are very similar to those of the cytosolic enzyme. PCK2 has an absolute requirement for Mn2+ ions for activity; Mg2+ ions reduce the Km for Mn2+ by about 60 fold. Its specificity constant is 100 fold larger for oxaloacetate than for phosphoenolpyruvate suggesting that oxaloacetate phosphorylation is the favored reaction in vivo. The enzyme possesses weak pyruvate kinase-like activity (kcat=2.7 s-1). When overexpressed in HEK293T cells it enhances strongly glucose and lipid production showing that it can play, as the cytosolic isoenzyme, an active role in glyceroneogenesis and gluconeogenesis

Analysis of Circular Economy Research and Innovation (R&I) intensity for critical products in the supply chains of strategic technologies.

To develop renewable energy, digital, space and defence technologies, the European Union (EU) needs access to critical raw materials of which a large share is currently imported from third countries. To mitigate the risk of supply disruptions, the Critical Raw Materials Act proposes to diversify sources of imports, while increasing domestic extraction, processing, and recycling. The circular economy is therefore positioned as a key element of the EU strategy to deploy strategic technologies for navigating the sustainability transition in a complex geopolitical landscape. In line with this position, the present study analyses the intensity of circular economy research and innovation (R&I) in the supply chains of strategic technologies. The focus is placed on four critical products containing raw materials having high supply risks: lithium-ion battery cells; neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets; photovoltaic cells; hydrogen electrolysers and fuel-cells. The R&I analysis is based on the identification of scientific articles, patents, and innovation projects on the subject, with a global scope, in the period between 2014 and 2022. The analysis is enriched by connecting to parallel work on the subject, conducted by Joint Research Centre (JRC) as well as academic institutions, industry, and policy stakeholders. This is functional to provide insight into: where circularity efforts R&I have been placed in terms of different products and supply chains; which countries are undertaking these efforts; how the EU is positioned and how much funding was deployed so far; what are the current gaps and trends going forward. Main insights include the following: 1) circularity R&I for critical products is not balanced, with a prominent focus placed on Li-ion cells on a global level 2) the EU has followed this trend in terms of number of innovation projects and public spending; 3) Next to EU efforts, China and the USA focus intensely on circular economy R&I as well. This study contributes with evidence to advance scientific research and policymaking on the role of a circular economy to achieve open strategic autonomy and climate neutrality in the EU

Genetic structure and population dynamics of autochthonous and modern porcine breeds. Analysis of the IGF2 and MC4R genes that determine carcass characteristics

To know the genetic situation of the Pampa Rocha, Celta, Bizaro Portuguese, Duroc, Iberian Extremeno and Iberian Andalusian porcine populations. their genetic structure and population dynamics were studied on the IGF2 and MC4R genes, which determine meat characteristics and quality. The degree of genetic variability (He = 0.2511 in Pampa Rocha; 0.0278 in Celta; 0, 1453 in Bizaro Portuguese; 0.3719 in Duroc; 0.0764 in Iberian Extremeno and 0.0384 in Iberian Andalusian). genetic distance, and the presence or absence of consanguinity were studied. The Fis values were positive for the Duroc population (0.00426) indicating a very low inbreeding, the rest of the populations did not present consanguinity. Significant deviations (P <= 0.05) in the Hardy-Weinberg (HW) equilibrium were obtained for the IGF2 locus in Celta, Iberian Extreme no, and Iberian Andalusian populations with the G allele fixed, while the Bizaro Portuguese. Pampa Rocha, and Duroc populations presented polymorphism, the G allelic frequency was much higher than A allele, except in the Duroc breed (0.15). These findings could help breeders to increase the presence of the A allele for the improvement of muscle mass and reduction in the back-fat thickness in this breed. All the studied populations presented polymorphism for the MC4R locus with different frequencies for each allele. Furthermore, these results could allow developing strategies against anthropogenic activities that hinder the conservation of the biodiversity of these porcine breeds

The combined positive impact of Lean methodology and Ventana Symphony autostainer on histology lab workflow

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Histologic samples all funnel through the H&E microtomy staining area. Here manual processes intersect with semi-automated processes creating a bottleneck. We compare alternate work processes in anatomic pathology primarily in the H&E staining work cell.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We established a baseline measure of H&E process impact on personnel, information management and sample flow from historical workload and production data and direct observation. We compared this to performance after implementing initial Lean process modifications, including workstation reorganization, equipment relocation and workflow levelling, and the Ventana Symphony stainer to assess the impact on productivity in the H&E staining work cell.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Average time from gross station to assembled case decreased by 2.9 hours (12%). Total process turnaround time (TAT) exclusive of processor schedule changes decreased 48 minutes/case (4%). Mean quarterly productivity increased 8.5% with the new methods. Process redesign reduced the number of manual steps from 219 to 182, a 17% reduction. Specimen travel distance was reduced from 773 ft/case to 395 ft/case (49%) overall, and from 92 to 53 ft/case in the H&E cell (42% improvement).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Implementation of Lean methods in the H&E work cell of histology can result in improved productivity, improved through-put and case availability parameters including TAT.</p

Characterization of a Novel Conformational GII.4 Norovirus Epitope: Implications for Norovirus-Host Interactions

Human noroviruses (NoVs) are the main etiological agents of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. While NoVs are highly diverse (more than 30 genotypes have been detected in humans), during the last 40 years most outbreaks and epidemics have been caused by GII.4 genotype strains, raising questions about their persistence in the population. Among other potential explanations, immune evasion is considered to be a main driver of their success. In order to study antibody recognition and evasion in detail, we analyzed a conformational epitope recognized by a monoclonal antibody (3C3G3) by phage display, site-directed mutagenesis, and surface plasmon resonance. Our results show that the predicted epitope is composed of 11 amino acids within the P domain: P245, E247, I389, Q390, R397, R435, G443, Y444, P445, N446, and D448. Only two of them, R397 and D448, differ from the homologous variant (GII.4 Den-Haag_2006b) and from a previous variant (GII.4 VA387_1996) that is not recognized by the antibody. A double mutant derived from the VA387_1996 variant containing both changes, Q396R and N447D, is recognized by the 3C3G3 monoclonal antibody, confirming the participation of the two sites in the epitope recognized by the antibody. Furthermore, a single change, Q396R, is able to modify the histo-blood group antigen (HBGA) recognition pattern. These results provide evidence that the epitope recognized by the 3C3G3 antibody is involved in the virus-host interactions, both at the immunological and at the receptor levels. IMPORTANCE Human noroviruses are the main cause of viral diarrhea worldwide in people of all ages. Noroviruses can infect individuals who had been previously exposed to the same or different norovirus genotypes. Norovirus genotype GII.4 has been reported to be most prevalent during the last 40 years. In the present study, we describe a novel viral epitope identified by a monoclonal antibody and located within the highly diverse P domain of the capsid protein. The evolution of this epitope along with sequential GII.4 variants has allowed noroviruses to evade previously elicited antibodies, thus explaining how the GII.4 genotype can persist over long periods, reinfecting the population. Our results also show that the epitope participates in the recognition of host receptors that have evolved over time, as well

Genetic and Biochemical Analysis of the Azotobacter vinelandii Molybdenum Storage Protein

The N2 fixing bacterium Azotobacter vinelandii carries a molybdenum storage protein, referred to as MoSto, able to bind 25-fold more Mo than needed for maximum activity of its Mo nitrogenase. Here we have investigated a plausible role of MoSto as obligate intermediate in the pathway that provides Mo for the biosynthesis of nitrogenase iron–molybdenum cofactor (FeMo-co). The in vitro FeMo-co synthesis and insertion assay demonstrated that purified MoSto functions as Mo donor and that direct interaction with FeMo-co biosynthetic proteins stimulated Mo donation. The phenotype of an A. vinelandii strain lacking the MoSto subunit genes (ΔmosAB) was analyzed. Consistent with its role as storage protein, the ΔmosAB strain showed severe impairment to accumulate intracellular Mo and lower resilience than wild type to Mo starvation as demonstrated by decreased in vivo nitrogenase activity and competitive growth index. In addition, it was more sensitive than the wild type to diazotrophic growth inhibition by W. The ΔmosAB strain was found to readily derepress vnfDGK upon Mo step down, in contrast to the wild type that derepressed Vnf proteins only after prolonged Mo starvation. The ΔmosAB mutation was then introduced in a strain lacking V and Fe-only nitrogenase structural genes (Δvnf Δanf) to investigate possible compensations from these alternative systems. When grown in Mo-depleted medium, the ΔmosAB and mosAB+ strains showed low but similar nitrogenase activities regardless of the presence of Vnf proteins. This study highlights the selective advantage that MoSto confers to A. vinelandii in situations of metal limitation as those found in many soil ecosystems. Such a favorable trait should be included in the gene complement of future nitrogen fixing plants

Efecto de la inclinación de la espaldera en la eficiencia del consumo de agua en la vid

En viñedos en espaldera y con orientación de las filas norte-sur se puede modificar la pauta diaria de radiación interceptada por las cepas inclinando la espaldera con respecto a la vertical y reducir así la radiación interceptada durante las primeras horas de la tarde (cuando la demanda evaporativa es mayor) e incrementar así la eficiencia en el uso del agua. En este trabajo se trató de corroborar dicha hipótesis comparando el consumo de agua y la respuesta agronómica de plantas de vid cv. Bobal plantada en maceta con espaldera vertical (Control) o inclinadas hacia el oeste. Se llevaron a cabo medidas de crecimiento vegetativo (madera de poda), producción y calidad de uva. Los resultados muestran que la espaldera inclinada al oeste presentó un consumo de agua ligeramente inferior al control durante la tarde, aunque por las mañanas la pauta era inversa. A nivel diario no se encontraron diferencias en el consumo de agua entre ambas disposiciones de la cubierta vegetal. En cuanto a la calidad de la uva, el efecto de la inclinación de la espaldera fue diferente en los dos años de estudio y por lo tanto no pueden derivarse conclusiones sólidas al respecto. En resumen, la espaldera con inclinación hacia el oeste no permite reducir el consumo de agua de la vid. Se requieren más años de estudio para dilucidar la conveniencia agronómica de la inclinación de la espaldera hacia el oeste en viñedos con orientación de las filas norte-sur