The anthropocene and the capitalization of the environment

Treball Final de Grau en Finances i Comptabilitat. Codi: FC1049. Curs: 2017/2018Throughout this paper we try to identify in time, the beginning of Anthropocene by establishing direct links with the current economic system, capitalism. As well as the consequences of overproduction and overexploitation of natural resources, which are currently seriously deteriorated. On the other hand, actions that could improve the current situation and diminish the footprint of man are presented, which has led to identify this new era. Finally, we will try to identify certain financial factors and we will proceed to compare them with environmentally responsible actions or not, as well as the empirical results of this comparison and the conclusions of the set of information that has been intended to cover throughout these pages

Organisational learning capability, product innovation performance and export intensity

The hypothesis that managerial characteristics which facilitate the organisational learning process can provide firms with a basis for competitive advantage has received a great deal of attention. While there is evidence that organisational learning affects export intensity, we argue that intermediate variables, such as innovation, should be used in order to evaluate its impact in organisations. This study shows that firms with a higher organisational learning capability tend to be more innovative, and for this reason, they are more likely to export a higher share of their production. From a longitudinal perspective, we use structural equation modeling on a database from Italian and Spanish ceramic tile producers, worldwide leaders in terms of technology. The database combines primary and secondary data. The results support our theoretical conjectures. Findings improve our understanding of the antecedents of export intensity and are related to previous research

Identification of N-terminal protein acetylation and arginine methylation of the voltage-gated sodium channel in end-stage heart failure human heart

The α subunit of the cardiac voltage-gated sodium channel, Naᵥ1.5, provides the rapid sodium inward current that initiates cardiomyocyte action potentials. Here, we analyzed for the first time the post-translational modifications of Naᵥ1.5 purified from end-stage heart failure human cardiac tissue. We identified R526 methylation as the major post-translational modification of any Naᵥ1.5 arginine or lysine residue. Unexpectedly, we found that the N terminus of Naᵥ1.5 was: 1) devoid of the initiation methionine, and 2) acetylated at the resulting initial alanine residue. This is the first evidence for N-terminal acetylation in any member of the voltage-gated ion channel superfamily. Our results open the door to explore Naᵥ1.5 N-terminal acetylation and arginine methylation levels as drivers or markers of end-stage heart failure

Experts react: 2014 Bulgarian parliamentary elections

Bulgaria held parliamentary elections on 5 October following the resignation of the country’s government in July. We asked six experts in Bulgarian politics for their reactions to the result, which saw former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov’s Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) emerge with the largest share of seats in parliament. Dimitar Bechev: “Who’s the winner then? Arguably, the smaller parties“ Aneta Spendzharova: “The new government will need a thick skin to solve the country’s latest predicaments – and, perhaps, a hint of magic” Boyko Vassilev: “Bulgarian media have a problem – public awareness on this issue is crucial” James Dawson: “GERB finds itself in a very strong position internationally” Cristina Chiva: “Given the options, the real question is whether GERB can afford to keep the Movement for Rights and Freedoms out of government“ Dragomir Stoyanov: “The elections show the increasing alienation of citizens from the democratic political process

Identification of a tachykinin-related peptide with orexigenic properties in the German cockroach

A number of evidences suggest that tachykinin-related peptides (TRPs) of insects can stimulate food consumption after being released from the midgut to the hemolymph. The idea of the present work has been to test this hypothesis in the anautogenous cockroach Blattella germanica. First, we have identified the peptide LemTRP-1 (APSGFLGVR-NH2) from brain extracts, by means of an ELISA developed with a polyclonal antibody against this peptide. ELISA studies have also shown that, whereas brain LemTRP-1 levels were fairly constant, midgut levels increase to a maximum on day 3 after adult emergence, falling thereafter until the end of the gonadotrophic cycle. Interestingly, maximum values of food consumption are concomitant with the decrease of LemTRP-1 immunoreactivity in the midgut. Furthermore, starvation decreases LemTRP-1 immunoreactivity in midgut, whereas in the hemolymph it increases. Finally, injection of synthetic LemTRP-1 to adult females significantly stimulates food consumption. The whole observations suggest that LemTRP-1 is released from the midgut to the hemolymph when sustained food consumption is required to maintain vitellogenesis at the highest levels, and that LemTRP-1 in the hemolymph stimulates food consumption in these days. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology (projects AGL2002-01169 and AGL2005-00773 (X.B.) and BFU2006-01090 (J.L.M.)) and the Generalitat de Catalunya (2005 SGR 00053) are gratefully acknowledged.Peer Reviewe

Proteomic study of the membrane components of signalling cascades of Botrytis cinerea controlled by phosphorylation

Protein phosphorylation and membrane proteins play an important role in the infection of plants by phytopathogenic fungi, given their involvement in signal transduction cascades. Botrytis cinerea is a well-studied necrotrophic fungus taken as a model organism in fungal plant pathology, given its broad host range and adverse economic impact. To elucidate relevant events during infection, several proteomics analyses have been performed in B. cinerea, but they cover only 10% of the total proteins predicted in the genome database of this fungus. To increase coverage, we analysed by LC-MS/MS the first-reported overlapped proteome in phytopathogenic fungi, the “phosphomembranome” of B. cinerea, combining the two most important signal transduction subproteomes. Of the 1112 membrane-associated phosphoproteins identified, 64 and 243 were classified as exclusively identified or overexpressed under glucose and deproteinized tomato cell wall conditions, respectively. Seven proteins were found under both conditions, but these presented a specific phosphorylation pattern, so they were considered as exclusively identified or overexpressed proteins. From bioinformatics analysis, those differences in the membrane-associated phosphoproteins composition were associated with various processes, including pyruvate metabolism, unfolded protein response, oxidative stress response, autophagy and cell death. Our results suggest these proteins play a significant role in the B. cinerea pathogenic cycl

Why Being Physically Active or Inactive Affects Older Women’s Physical Role?

Special thanks to all the women who participated in this study and the Sport Area of Málaga Provincial Government, Diputación de Málaga (Spain). The results of this study derive from the doctoral thesis of Pedro Jesús Ruiz- Montero with older adults from Málaga province.Active aging is aimed at promoting quality of life in older adults. Nevertheless, the relationship between physical role and the practice of physical activity (PA) can be influenced by bodily pain feeling and by a low level of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Passive and active strategies are susceptible to being modified and constitute an important psychological predictor of adaptation to pain. This cross-sectional study (1) analyzed the differences between inactive/active older adult women in terms of clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, pain coping strategies, and HRQoL; (2) studied the associations between pain coping strategies, the dimensions of the HRQoL questionnaire, and physical role; and (3) determined if passive strategies, bodily pain, physical function, and general health were significant mediators in the link between being inactive/active and physical role. Methods. Participants of the present cross-sectional study completed measures of clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, HRQoL using the Short-Form Health Survey-36, and active and passive strategies using the Vanderbilt Pain Management Inventory (VPMI). Results. A total of 157 inactive (69:9 ± 7:1 years) and 183 active (68:8 ± 5:3 years) women from rural areas were included in the study. Both groups significantly differed in the majority of the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics measured, pain coping strategies, and HRQoL. Bodily pain, physical function, and general health predicted physical role. Moreover, passive strategies, bodily pain, physical function, and general health mediated the link between inactive/active participants and physical role. Conclusions. Being physically active or inactive contributes to a better understanding of the link between PA, pain coping strategies, and physical role in older women

Una mirada comunitaria en la escuela: el diagnóstico del barrio como motor de arranque para proyectos de Aprendizaje-Servicio

El Aprendizaje-Servicio (ApS) constituye una experiencia apropiada para consolidar una mirada socio-comunitaria de la educación, ya que propicia la participación activa, reflexiva y crítica de todas las personas implicadas. Este artículo muestra la fase de diagnóstico de un barrio donde se aplica un programa de ApS, y las aportaciones que suponen en un programa concreto. A nivel metodológico, se justifica y argumenta  la necesidad de establecer un diagnóstico del contexto, describiendo enfoque, proceso y criterios empleados. Como resultado, se describen los instrumentos que facilitan la recogida de información de cada colectivos. En conclusión, el artículo hace evidente la necesidad de implementar, siempre que se aspire a aplicar proyectos de ApS de calidad, una fase de diagnóstico bien diseñada y ajustada a las circunstancias de cada contexto. El ApS constituye una experiencia idónea para una mirada comunitaria, ya que propicia la participación activa, reflexiva y crítica de todas las personas implicadas, pero una propuesta trasformadora que implique la actuación de las familias y la comunidad tiene que ir precedida por un diagnóstico del contexto donde se desenvuelve, un análisis que haga posible dinamizar este trabajo conjunto. Será necesario diseñar instrumentos que faciliten la recogida de información de los distintos colectivos, para identificar los puntos fuertes y débiles e implementar proyectos de calidad, adecuados a las circunstancias del contexto. Este es el objetivo principal de este trabajo, aportar los instrumentos que facilitan un diagnóstico del barrio donde se aplica un programa de Aprendizaje-Servicio y las aportaciones que suponen en un programa concreto

A phylogenetic and proteomic reconstruction of eukaryotic chromatin evolution

Histones and associated chromatin proteins have essential functions in eukaryotic genome organization and regulation. Despite this fundamental role in eukaryotic cell biology, we lack a phylogenetically comprehensive understanding of chromatin evolution. Here, we combine comparative proteomics and genomics analysis of chromatin in eukaryotes and archaea. Proteomics uncovers the existence of histone post-translational modifications in archaea. However, archaeal histone modifications are scarce, in contrast with the highly conserved and abundant marks we identify across eukaryotes. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that chromatin-associated catalytic functions (for example, methyltransferases) have pre-eukaryotic origins, whereas histone mark readers and chaperones are eukaryotic innovations. We show that further chromatin evolution is characterized by expansion of readers, including capture by transposable elements and viruses. Overall, our study infers detailed evolutionary history of eukaryotic chromatin: from its archaeal roots, through the emergence of nucleosome-based regulation in the eukaryotic ancestor, to the diversification of chromatin regulators and their hijacking by genomic parasites.Research in the A.S.-P. group was supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (grant agreement no. 851647) and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PGC2018-098210-A-I00). We also acknowledge support of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation to the EMBL partnership, the Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa and the CERCA Programme (Generalitat de Catalunya). C.N. is supported by an FPI PhD fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MEIC). X.G.-B. is supported by a Juan de la Cierva fellowship (FJC2018-036282-I) from MEIC. I.R.-T. was supported by a European Research Council (grant no. 616960). B.F.L. was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC; RGPIN-2017-05411) and by the ‘Fonds de Recherche Nature et Technologie’, Quebec. P.L.-G. and D.M. were supported by a Moore and Simons foundations grant (GBMF9739) and by European Research Council advanced grants (322669, 787904). Research in the C.S. group was supported by the ERC through project TACKLE (advanced grant no. 695192)

(1)H-NMR-based metabolomic analysis of the effect of moderate wine consumption on subjects with cardiovascular risk factors

Moderate wine consumption is associated with health-promoting activities. An H-NMR-based metabolomic approach was used to identify urinary metabolomic differences of moderate wine intake in the setting of a prospective, randomized, crossover, and controlled trial. Sixty-one male volunteers with high cardiovascular risk factors followed three dietary interventions (28 days): dealcoholized red wine (RWD) (272mL/day, polyphenol control), alcoholized red wine (RWA) (272mL/day) and gin (GIN) (100mL/day, alcohol control). After each period, 24-h urine samples were collected and analyzed by (1) H-NMR. According to the results of a one-way ANOVA, significant markers were grouped in four categories: alcohol-related markers (ethanol); gin-related markers; wine-related markers; and gut microbiota markers (hippurate and 4-hydroxphenylacetic acid). Wine metabolites were classified into two groups; first, metabolites of food metabolome: tartrate (RWA and RWD), ethanol, and mannitol (RWA); and second, biomarkers that relates to endogenous modifications after wine consumption, comprising branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolite (3-methyl-oxovalerate). Additionally, a possible interaction between alcohol and gut-related biomarkers has been identified. To our knowledge, this is the first time that this approach has been applied in a nutritional intervention with red wine. The results show the capacity of this approach to obtain a comprehensive metabolome picture including food metabolome and endogenous biomarkers of moderate wine intake