Genomic characteristics and comparative genomics analyses of non-rhizobial endophytic bacteria isolated from legumes.

In addition to typical nitrogen-fixing endosymbionts, legumes harbour other endophytic bacteria within their tissues that may also contribute to plant growth and health (Hardoim et al. 2015). Our previous works revealed that endophytic bacteria isolated from legumes not only have plant growth-promoting traits but are also well adapted to common constraints present in soils of the Mediterranean region (Brígido et al. 2019ab). In this work, we intend to further characterize these endophytic bacteria through genomic and comparative genomic analyses to potentiate their applications in agriculture, providing opportunities for sustainable plant health and food security. Twelve endophytic bacterial isolates were selected based on their potential for plant growth promotion and/or biocontrol of phytopathogens. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the isolates were assigned to the genera Pseudomonas, Kosakonia, Stenotrophomonas, Serratia, Bacillus and Agrobacterium. Nevertheless, in silico DNA-DNA hybridization analyses revealed that 3 strains represent novel species distinct from their closest relatives. Their genome sizes ranged from 4.4 M to 7.1 M with a GC content varying from 35.41 to 66.4%. Orthologous gene clusters analysis revealed 9346 clusters and 345 single-copy gene clusters, albeit only 499 gene clusters (comprising 6110 proteins) were shared among all strains. Whole genome sequence analysis revealed genes potentially associated with attachment and plant colonization, growth promotion and stress protection as well as antifungal activity. In detail, sets of genes for twitching motility, chemotaxis, flagella biosynthesis, and ability to form biofilms (which are related with host plant colonization) were found in their genomes. Presence of genes associated to nitrogen fixation, auxin biosynthesis, siderophore production or phosphorous assimilation reveals their potential as plant growth promoters. Furthermore, genes required for biosynthesis of pyoluteorin, 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol and pyrrolnitrin underline bacterial biocontrol potential against phytopathogens. Genes related to the production of different molecules and enzymes mediating stress tolerance suggest their ability to rapidly adapt to stressful conditions. Overall, our data provide a better understanding of these endophytic bacteria abilities and further comparative genomic analysis provided insight into the genomic basis of their endophytic lifestyle, plant growth promotion and antifungal activity

Towards conductive textiles: coating polymeric fibres with graphene

This is the final version of the article. Available from Springer Nature via the DOI in this record.Conducting fibres are essential to the development of e-textiles. We demonstrate a method to make common insulating textile fibres conductive, by coating them with graphene. The resulting fibres display sheet resistance values as low as 600 Ωsq−1, demonstrating that the high conductivity of graphene is not lost when transferred to textile fibres. An extensive microscopic study of the surface of graphene-coated fibres is presented. We show that this method can be employed to textile fibres of different materials, sizes and shapes, and to different types of graphene. These graphene-based conductive fibres can be used as a platform to build integrated electronic devices directly in textiles.The authors would like to thank Dr Yat-Tarng (Tommy) Shyng for the non-contact scanning measurements and would like to acknowledge financial support from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC grants EP/J000396/1, EP/K017160, EP/K010050/1, EP/G036101/1, EP/M002438/1, EP/M001024/1), the Royal Society Travel Exchange Grants 2012 and 2013, the European Commission FP7-ICT-2013-613024-GRASP and H2020-MSCA-IF-2015-704963, and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), co-financed by FEDER (PT2020 Partnership Agreement), under contracts PTDC/QEQ-SUP/1413/2012, RECI/CTM-CER/0336/2012, IF/01088/2014, BI/UI89/2015, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007679 (UID/CTM/50011/2013) and COMPETE:FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027465

Condición física de niños futbolistas en función de la posición de juego

The practice of football, requires the execution of demanding movements of high energy demand, being the position in the field of play one of the factors that influences the physiological requirements of these athletes, so the objective of this study is to assess the Physical condition of children footballers depending on the playing position. The present is a cross-sectional correlational study; A sample of 240 children belonging to the soccer schools of Neiva, which have a minimum age of 7 years and a maximum of 17 with an average of 13 years, were available for its realization. For the measurement of aerobic power the Course Navette test was taken, the anaerobic power the RAST test, for the power of the lower limbs the horizontal jump test and for flexibility the Flexitest. As a result, statistically significant differences were found between the game position and fatigue index, maximum power and horizontal jump p <0.001, so it is concluded that the aerobic and anaerobic power varies depending on the position. La práctica del fútbol, requiere de la ejecución de movimientos exigentes de alta demanda energética, siendo la posición en el terreno de juego uno de los factores que influye en los requerimientos fisiológicos de estos deportistas, por lo que el objetivo del estudio es valorar la condición física de niños futbolistas en función de la posición de juego. El estudio es de tipo correlacional, transversal; para su realización se contó con una muestra de 240 niños pertenecientes a las escuelas de fútbol de Neiva-Huila Colombia, los cuales presentan una edad mínima de 7 años y máxima de 17 con una media de 13 años. Para la medición de la potencia aeróbica se tomó el test Course Navette, la potencia anaeróbica el test de RAST, para la potencia de miembros inferiores el test de salto horizontal y para la flexibilidad el Flexitest. Como resultado se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre la posición de juego y el índice de fatiga, potencia máxima y salto horizontal p<0,001, por lo que se concluye que la potencia aeróbica y anaeróbica varía en función de la posición

Nonthermal Emission from Star-Forming Galaxies

The detections of high-energy gamma-ray emission from the nearby starburst galaxies M82 & NGC253, and other local group galaxies, broaden our knowledge of star-driven nonthermal processes and phenomena in non-AGN star-forming galaxies. We review basic aspects of the related processes and their modeling in starburst galaxies. Since these processes involve both energetic electrons and protons accelerated by SN shocks, their respective radiative yields can be used to explore the SN-particle-radiation connection. Specifically, the relation between SN activity, energetic particles, and their radiative yields, is assessed through respective measures of the particle energy density in several star-forming galaxies. The deduced energy densities range from O(0.1) eV/cm^3 in very quiet environments to O(100) eV/cm^3 in regions with very high star-formation rates.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures, to be published in Astrophysics and Space Science Proceeding

Perspectives of staff nurses of the reasons for and the nature of patient-initiated call lights: an exploratory survey study in four USA hospitals

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Little research has been done on patient call light use and staff response time, which were found to be associated with inpatient falls and satisfaction. Nurses' perspectives may moderate or mediate the aforementioned relationships. This exploratory study intended to understand staff's perspectives about call lights, staff responsiveness, and the reasons for and the nature of call light use. It also explored differences among hospitals and identified significant predictors of the nature of call light use.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This cross-sectional, multihospital survey study was conducted from September 2008 to January 2009 in four hospitals located in the Midwestern region of the United States. A brief survey was used. All 2309 licensed and unlicensed nursing staff members who provide direct patient care in 27 adult care units were invited to participate. A total of 808 completed surveys were retrieved for an overall response rate of 35%. The SPSS 16.0 Window version was used. Descriptive and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The primary reasons for patient-initiated calls were for toileting assistance, pain medication, and intravenous problems. Toileting assistance was the leading reason. Each staff responded to 6 to 7 calls per hour and a call was answered within 4 minutes (estimated). 49% of staff perceived that patient-initiated calls mattered to patient safety. 77% agreed that that these calls were meaningful. 52% thought that these calls required the attention of nursing staff. 53% thought that answering calls prevented them from doing the critical aspects of their role. Staff's perceptions about the nature of calls varied across hospitals. Junior staff tended to overlook the importance of answering calls. A nurse participant tended to perceive calls as more likely requiring nursing staff's attention than a nurse aide participant.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>If answering calls was a high priority among nursing tasks, staff would perceive calls as being important, requiring nursing staff's attention, and being meaningful. Therefore, answering calls should not be perceived as preventing staff from doing the critical aspects of their role. Additional efforts are necessary to reach the ideal or even a reasonable level of patient safety-first practice in current hospital environments.</p

Diets containing sea cucumber (Isostichopus badionotus) meals are hypocholesterolemic in young rats

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The Neuro-Subject: A Living Entity with Learnability

In the context of an academic subject, students and teachers acquire knowledge and experience, but we must ensure that this experience will be shared and managed. In this way, the learning, acquired in the subject, remains in the subject. A proven way to manage the experience, which has been validated in previous works, is based on considering two dimensions: the conversion of individual knowledge into organizational and the use of a knowledge management system that allows classifying, organizing and finding knowledge based on ontologies and inferences between them. The primary objective of this research work is to join the two dimensions and apply an active method to manage the experience acquired by the teaching staff and students. The combination of the models RT-CICLO, as an active method, and ACCI 3.0 to transform individual and organizational knowledge can be applied so that organizational knowledge and learning are produced in a subject. In this work we have identified the actions in which the students create knowledge, as well as the type of knowledge that is created in each case. Organizational knowledge can be generated from each action, which can also be used to promote individual student learning. In the experience also have been acquired a high perception of usefulness on the part of students with regard to all types of organizational knowledge created

Stress-induced decreases in local cerebral glucose utilization in specific regions of the mouse brain

BACKGROUND: Restraint stress in rodents has been reported to activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis and to increase c-fos expression in regions that express components of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system. We have previously reported that acute central administration of CRF increased a measure of relative local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU), a measure of neuronal activity in specific brain regions, and activated the HPA axis in mice. It was hypothesized that the involvement of the CRF system in the stress response would lead to similar changes in relative LCGU after restraint stress. In the present studies the effect of restraint stress on relative LCGU and on the HPA axis in C57BL/6N mice were examined. FINDINGS: Restraint stress activated the HPA axis in a restraint-duration dependent manner, but in contrast to the reported effects of CRF, significantly decreased relative LCGU in frontal cortical, thalamic, hippocampal and temporal dissected regions. These findings support evidence that stressors enforcing limited physical activity reduce relative LCGU, in contrast to high activity stressors such as swim stress. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the present studies do not support the hypothesis that stress-induced changes in relative LCGU are largely mediated by the CRF system. Further studies will help to delineate the role of the CRF system in the early phases of the relative LCGU response to stress and investigate the role of other neurotransmitter systems in this response

Planetary Dynamics and Habitable Planet Formation In Binary Star Systems

Whether binaries can harbor potentially habitable planets depends on several factors including the physical properties and the orbital characteristics of the binary system. While the former determines the location of the habitable zone (HZ), the latter affects the dynamics of the material from which terrestrial planets are formed (i.e., planetesimals and planetary embryos), and drives the final architecture of the planets assembly. In order for a habitable planet to form in a binary star system, these two factors have to work in harmony. That is, the orbital dynamics of the two stars and their interactions with the planet-forming material have to allow terrestrial planet formation in the habitable zone, and ensure that the orbit of a potentially habitable planet will be stable for long times. We have organized this chapter with the same order in mind. We begin by presenting a general discussion on the motion of planets in binary stars and their stability. We then discuss the stability of terrestrial planets, and the formation of potentially habitable planets in a binary-planetary system.Comment: 56 pages, 29 figures, chapter to appear in the book: Planets in Binary Star Systems (Ed. N. Haghighipour, Springer publishing company