Production and Analysis of Transgenic White Clover (\u3cem\u3eTrifolium Repens\u3c/em\u3e) Plants Over-Expressing Organic Acid Biosynthetic Genes

Aluminium (Al) toxicity is a major environmental limitation for plant production in acid soils, which represent more than one third of the world’s agricultural land. Al-induced secretion in roots of organic acids (OA), such as malate and citrate, chelates the toxic Al cation excluding it from the root. This mechanism of Al-tolerance appears also to be associated with enhanced P-use efficiency. The development of transgenic plants for enhanced synthesis and secretion of OA from roots is a promising approach to confer Al-tolerance and enhanced P-acquisition efficiency. In order to understand the association between OA biosynthesis and secretion from roots in white clover (Trifolium repens L.), the physiological consequences of over-expressing 3 key white clover OA biosynthetic genes, individually and in combination, were assessed in transgenic plants

Discovery, Isolation and Characterisation of Promoters in White Clover (\u3cem\u3eTrifolium Repens\u3c/em\u3e)

The availability of a suite of promoters with a range of spatial, temporal and inducible expression patterns is of significant importance to control targeted expression of genes for molecular breeding in forage species. A range of resources and tools have been developed for promoter isolation and characterisation in white clover (Trifolium repens L.), including a comprehensive BAC library and a 15K unigene microarray

COVID-19 and Sick Leave: An Analysis of the Ibermutua Cohort of Over 1,651,305 Spanish Workers in the First Trimester of 2020

Objectives: The worldwide SARS-COV2 pandemic has impacted the health of workers and companies. The aim is to quantify it according to sick leave. Methods: Using ICD-9 codes, we analyzed Ibermutua records of all sick leaves during the first trimester of 2020, compared to during the same months of 2017, 2018, and 2019. We stratified the analysis by causes, patient sex, activity sectors, and regional data. All sick leaves were adjusted by the number of Ibermutua-affiliated persons in each period. Results: In March 2020, there was an unprecedented (116%) increase in total sick leaves, mainly due to infectious and respiratory diseases. Men and women were equally affected. All activity sectors were impacted, with the highest increase (457%) observed among health-related workers, especially due to contagious disease. The incidences of sick leaves were heterogeneous among different regions. Cost-analysis of sick leaves during the first trimester of 2020 compared with in previous years showed 40.3% increment (mean 2,813 vs. 2,005 euro per 100 affiliated workers). Conclusions: The SARS-COV2 pandemic is having a huge impact on workers' health, as shown by data regarding sick leaves in March 2020. This is associated with greater economic burden for companies, both due to the cost associated with sick leaves and the losses in productivity due to confinement

The Arabidopsis NOT4A E3 ligase promotes PGR3 expression and regulates chloroplast translation

Chloroplast function requires the coordinated action of nuclear- and chloroplast-derived proteins, including several hundred nuclear-encoded pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins that regulate plastid mRNA metabolism. Despite their large number and importance, regulatory mechanisms controlling PPR expression are poorly understood. Here we show that the Arabidopsis NOT4A ubiquitin-ligase positively regulates the expression of PROTON GRADIENT REGULATION 3 (PGR3), a PPR protein required for translating several thylakoid-localised photosynthetic components and ribosome subunits within chloroplasts. Loss of NOT4A function leads to a strong depletion of cytochrome b6f and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (NDH) complexes, as well as plastid 30 S ribosomes, which reduces mRNA translation and photosynthetic capacity, causing pale-yellow and slow-growth phenotypes. Quantitative transcriptome and proteome analysis of the not4a mutant reveal it lacks PGR3 expression, and that its molecular defects resemble those of a pgr3 mutant. Furthermore, we show that normal plastid function is restored to not4a through transgenic PGR3 expression. Our work identifies NOT4A as crucial for ensuring robust photosynthetic function during development and stress-response, through promoting PGR3 production and chloroplast translatio

Occupation-Related Differences in the Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome

OBJECTIVE—To investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the Spanish working population and determine how the prevalence varies according to occupation and sex

The Arabidopsis NOT4A E3 ligase promotes PGR3 expression and regulates chloroplast translation

Chloroplast function requires the coordinated action of nuclear- and chloroplast-derived proteins, including several hundred nuclear-encoded pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins that regulate plastid mRNA metabolism. Despite their large number and importance, regulatory mechanisms controlling PPR expression are poorly understood. Here we show that the Arabidopsis NOT4A ubiquitin-ligase positively regulates the expression of PROTON GRADIENT REGULATION 3 (PGR3), a PPR protein required for translating several thylakoid-localised photosynthetic components and ribosome subunits within chloroplasts. Loss of NOT4A function leads to a strong depletion of cytochrome b6f and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (NDH) complexes, as well as plastid 30 S ribosomes, which reduces mRNA translation and photosynthetic capacity, causing pale-yellow and slow-growth phenotypes. Quantitative transcriptome and proteome analysis of the not4a mutant reveal it lacks PGR3 expression, and that its molecular defects resemble those of a pgr3 mutant. Furthermore, we show that normal plastid function is restored to not4a through transgenic PGR3 expression. Our work identifies NOT4A as crucial for ensuring robust photosynthetic function during development and stress-response, through promoting PGR3 production and chloroplast translation.</p

Características clínicas y sociolaborales de pacientes psiquiátricos al término de la incapacidad temporal por contingencia común

Introducción: La patología psiquiátrica es la principal causa de pérdida de calidad de vida y presenta unos altísimos costes, personales y económicos. Pese a ello, existen pocos datos sobre las características de los pacientes psiquiátricos con incapacidad laboral y sus características clínicas. Por ello nos proponemos describir estas características en los pacientes con más de 12 meses de incapacidad temporal e investigar factores que puedan estar ligados a cronicidad o disfunción. Material y métodos: Sobre el total de pacientes derivados por el INSS para evaluación psiquiátrica, se excluyeron aquellos que no se encontraran en Incapacidad Temporal o que llevaran menos de 12 meses, conformando una muestra de 97 pacientes. Se registraron las principales características sociolaborales y clínicas, diagnóstico según criterios DSM-IV-TR, se aplicaron escalas de funcionalidad e intensidad sintomatológica como EEAG, MADRS y WHODAS O. Resultados: La distribución por sexos fue homogénea, con una edad media de 47 años, vive en pareja el 51,5%, normalmente refieren una vivencia de apoyo social moderado y 1/3 no ha superado estudios primarios. El 78,4% presenta antecedentes físicos importantes, fuma 50,5%, 59% tiene antecedentes familiares psiquiátricos, que tienden a asociarse a baja funcionalidad y tratamientos más prolongados. La concordancia diagnóstica es del 71,1%, los trastornos afectivos son el grupo diagnóstico más frecuente. El trastorno adaptativo es el diagnóstico más frecuente en el grupo al que no se le encuentra limitación funcional y se asocia a menos tiempo en tratamiento y a menos intensidad sintomatológica. Las escalas utilizadas correlacionan entre sí, distinguiendo EEAG y WHODAS O a los trastornos adaptativos y a los cuadros no incapacitados, mientras que MADRS señala a los trastornos afectivos. Tras la evaluación, al 46,39% no se le propone incapacidad, al 11,34% se le solicita prórroga, al 29,90% incapacidad permanente para su trabajo, y al 12,37% incapacidad permanente para cualquier trabajo. Los pacientes a los que se les recomendó incapacidad permanente presentaban asociación a bajo apoyo social, tiempo prolongado en seguimiento psiquiátrico, antecedentes familiares psiquiátricos y diagnóstico distinto a trastorno adaptativo. Conclusiones: La evaluación funcional de pacientes psiquiátricos tras 12 meses de incapacidad temporal detecta ausencia de incapacidad en el 46,39%, generalmente ligado al trastorno adaptativo. Las escalas psicométricas son capaces de señalar discapacidad. Se han detectado marcadores de gravedad y disfunción como son la vivencia de apoyo social, la ausencia de pareja, el tiempo en seguimiento psiquiátrico, los antecedentes familiares psiquiátricos y las escalas psicométricas. Existe una alta comorbilidad física y un tabaquismo preocupante en los pacientes psiquiátricos. Son necesarios estudios similares que puedan confirmar o perfilar los datos aquí presentados

Características clínicas y sociolaborales de pacientes psiquiátricos al término de la incapacidad temporal por contingencia común

Artículo original[ES] Introducción: La patología psiquiátrica es la principal causa de pérdida de calidad de vida y presenta unos altísimos costes, personales y económicos. Pese a ello, existen pocos datos sobre las características de los pacientes psiquiátricos con incapacidad laboral y sus características clínicas. Por ello nos proponemos describir estas características en los pacientes con más de 12 meses de incapacidad temporal e investigar factores que puedan estar ligados a cronicidad o disfunción. Material y métodos: Sobre el total de pacientes derivados por el INSS para evaluación psiquiátrica, se excluyeron aquellos que no se encontraran en Incapacidad Temporal o que llevaran menos de 12 meses, conformando una muestra de 97 pacientes. Se registraron las principales características sociolaborales y clínicas, diagnóstico según criterios DSM-IV-TR, se aplicaron escalas de funcionalidad e intensidad sintomatológica como EEAG, MADRS y WHODAS . O a los trastornos adaptativos y a los cuadros no incapacitados, mientras que MADRS señala a los trastornos afectivos. Tras la evaluación, al 46,39% no se le propone incapacidad, al 11,34% se le solicita prórroga, al 29,90% incapacidad permanente para su trabajo, y al 12,37% incapacidad permanente para cualquier trabajo. Los pacientes a los que se les recomendó incapacidad permanente presentaban asociación a bajo apoyo social, tiempo prolongado en seguimiento psiquiátrico, antecedentes familiares psiquiátricos y diagnóstico distinto a trastorno adaptativo. [EN] Objective: Psychiatric Pathology is a major problem because it is the main cause of loss of quality of life while it generates large individual, social and economic costs. Despite the mentioned above, few data are available on the clinical features of psychiatric work disabled patients. We aim to describe the mentioned features in patients with temporary disability for more than 12 months and to investigate the factors associated with chronicity or disability. Methods: A total of 97 patients with temporary disability for more than 12 months were selected from all of the patients referred to our office by the INSS for psychiatric evaluation. Main clinical, social and labour features were recorded in addition to the diagnosis, according to DSM-IV-TR criteria. Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and Symptom Intensity scales (MADRS and WHODAS O) were used. Results: Our sample had a balanced sex ratio and an average age of 47 years. Patients usually described an experience of moderate social support and 51.5% of them were living as a couple. A third of the patients had primary education at most. A noteworthy physical illness background was found in 78.4% of them, 50.5%had smoking habits and 59% had family history of psychiatric disorders. All of these conditions tend to be associated with low functionality and longer treatments. We have found a 71.1% diagnostic agreement and the most frequent diagnosis-related group were affective disorders. In the group of patients without functional limitation, adjustment disorder was the most frequent diagnosis. It was associated to shorter treatments and lower levels of Symptom Intensity. The scales that we used correlated with each other. GAF and WHODAS O distinguish adjustment disorders in non-disabled patients while MADRS points out affective disorders. Decisions made after assessment were: no disability in 46.39% of the patients, grant an extension of paid sick leave days in 11.34%, permanent occupational disability to work in their previous job in 29.90% and permanent occupational disability to work in any job in 12.37%. Patients with permanent occupational disability were associated with low social support, prolonged psychiatric follow-up, family history of psychiatric disorders and diagnosis other than adjustment disorder.Conclusions: The functional assessment of psychiatric patients after a 12-month period of temporary disability showed no disability in 46.39% of the patients and it is usually bound to adjustment disorder. Psychometric scales may mark occupational disability. Markers of severity and dysfunction have been identified like social support experience, absence of a partner, psychiatric follow-up span, family history of psychiatric disorders and psychometric scales. Physical comorbidity is highly frequent and smoking habits are disturbing among psychiatric patients. Similar studies are needed to confirm our results and increase knowledge on this subject.N