Invernadero adosado: tecnología solar para acondicionamiento térmico de viviendas y obtención de hortalizas y forrajes en comunidades de bajos recursos

Se presenta el estudio realizado respecto de la incorporación de tecnología solar (invernaderos adosados) con el fin de mejorar la calidad de vida de la población carenciada de la periferia de las ciudades; a través de alimentación equilibrada, mejores condiciones térmicas, y también mejorando su capacidad económica. Se ha pensado en la posibilidad de construir invernaderos adosados a las viviendas para cultivo de especies vegetales, hortalizas, aromáticas para infusiones y eventualmente forraje para animales de granja. Para evaluar el comportamiento de la propuesta, se ha construido un invernadero contiguo al dormitorio de una vivienda en el Barrio "Pappa", Mendoza, Argentina. La temperatura promedio del local estudiado sin la incorporación del invernadero en los días medidos es de 14.6ºC, con el aporte del invernadero adosado el promedio se eleva a 18.3ºC. También se puede observar que las temperaturas más bajas dentro del invernadero están alrededor de 10°C; en promedio 5°C superiores a las del exterior, protegiendo las plantas en crecimiento. Es un ejemplo de las posibilidades que tiene esta tecnología de ser utilizada para su transferencia y de ser adoptada por la gente. Además, sirve de base para otras comunidades de la región que se encuentran en una situación similar y que necesitan una pronta respuesta en este aspecto, contribuyendo además a la generación de una conciencia social ambiental.It is introduced the study of the inclusion of solar technology (through added solar greenhouses) with the objective of improving the quality of life of the precarious population that lives in the periphery of cities, through an equilibrated nourishment, better thermal conditions, and also improving their economical capability. It’s thought about the possibility of building solar greenhouses added to houses for purposes of house heating and growing of vegetables, aromatic herbs for infusions and eventually fodder for farm animals. To evaluate the performance of the proposal, a greenhouse was built contiguous to a bedroom of a house at “Barrio Pappa”, Mendoza, Argentina. The average temperature of the studied room, without the inclusion of the greenhouse is 14.6ºC, with the contribution of the greenhouse the average raises to 18.3º; with the consequent improvement of the living conditions of the inhabitants. It also can be observed that the lowest temperatures inside the greenhouse are of about 10°C; these are in average 5°C higher than the exterior temperatures, protecting the growing plants from freezing. It’s an example of the possibilities that this sustainable technology has for been transfered, used and adopted by people. Moreover, it is useful as a base example for other communities of the region that are in similar situations and where a fast and apropiate answer in this aspect is needed, also contribuiting to the generation of an environmental social conscience.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Invernadero adosado: tecnología solar para acondicionamiento térmico de viviendas y obtención de hortalizas y forrajes en comunidades de bajos recursos

Se presenta el estudio realizado respecto de la incorporación de tecnología solar (invernaderos adosados) con el fin de mejorar la calidad de vida de la población carenciada de la periferia de las ciudades; a través de alimentación equilibrada, mejores condiciones térmicas, y también mejorando su capacidad económica. Se ha pensado en la posibilidad de construir invernaderos adosados a las viviendas para cultivo de especies vegetales, hortalizas, aromáticas para infusiones y eventualmente forraje para animales de granja. Para evaluar el comportamiento de la propuesta, se ha construido un invernadero contiguo al dormitorio de una vivienda en el Barrio "Pappa", Mendoza, Argentina. La temperatura promedio del local estudiado sin la incorporación del invernadero en los días medidos es de 14.6ºC, con el aporte del invernadero adosado el promedio se eleva a 18.3ºC. También se puede observar que las temperaturas más bajas dentro del invernadero están alrededor de 10°C; en promedio 5°C superiores a las del exterior, protegiendo las plantas en crecimiento. Es un ejemplo de las posibilidades que tiene esta tecnología de ser utilizada para su transferencia y de ser adoptada por la gente. Además, sirve de base para otras comunidades de la región que se encuentran en una situación similar y que necesitan una pronta respuesta en este aspecto, contribuyendo además a la generación de una conciencia social ambiental.It is introduced the study of the inclusion of solar technology (through added solar greenhouses) with the objective of improving the quality of life of the precarious population that lives in the periphery of cities, through an equilibrated nourishment, better thermal conditions, and also improving their economical capability. It’s thought about the possibility of building solar greenhouses added to houses for purposes of house heating and growing of vegetables, aromatic herbs for infusions and eventually fodder for farm animals. To evaluate the performance of the proposal, a greenhouse was built contiguous to a bedroom of a house at “Barrio Pappa”, Mendoza, Argentina. The average temperature of the studied room, without the inclusion of the greenhouse is 14.6ºC, with the contribution of the greenhouse the average raises to 18.3º; with the consequent improvement of the living conditions of the inhabitants. It also can be observed that the lowest temperatures inside the greenhouse are of about 10°C; these are in average 5°C higher than the exterior temperatures, protecting the growing plants from freezing. It’s an example of the possibilities that this sustainable technology has for been transfered, used and adopted by people. Moreover, it is useful as a base example for other communities of the region that are in similar situations and where a fast and apropiate answer in this aspect is needed, also contribuiting to the generation of an environmental social conscience.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Invernadero adosado: tecnología solar para acondicionamiento térmico de viviendas y obtención de hortalizas y forrajes en comunidades de bajos recursos

Se presenta el estudio realizado respecto de la incorporación de tecnología solar (invernaderos adosados) con el fin de mejorar la calidad de vida de la población carenciada de la periferia de las ciudades; a través de alimentación equilibrada, mejores condiciones térmicas, y también mejorando su capacidad económica. Se ha pensado en la posibilidad de construir invernaderos adosados a las viviendas para cultivo de especies vegetales, hortalizas, aromáticas para infusiones y eventualmente forraje para animales de granja. Para evaluar el comportamiento de la propuesta, se ha construido un invernadero contiguo al dormitorio de una vivienda en el Barrio "Pappa", Mendoza, Argentina. La temperatura promedio del local estudiado sin la incorporación del invernadero en los días medidos es de 14.6ºC, con el aporte del invernadero adosado el promedio se eleva a 18.3ºC. También se puede observar que las temperaturas más bajas dentro del invernadero están alrededor de 10°C; en promedio 5°C superiores a las del exterior, protegiendo las plantas en crecimiento. Es un ejemplo de las posibilidades que tiene esta tecnología de ser utilizada para su transferencia y de ser adoptada por la gente. Además, sirve de base para otras comunidades de la región que se encuentran en una situación similar y que necesitan una pronta respuesta en este aspecto, contribuyendo además a la generación de una conciencia social ambiental.It is introduced the study of the inclusion of solar technology (through added solar greenhouses) with the objective of improving the quality of life of the precarious population that lives in the periphery of cities, through an equilibrated nourishment, better thermal conditions, and also improving their economical capability. It’s thought about the possibility of building solar greenhouses added to houses for purposes of house heating and growing of vegetables, aromatic herbs for infusions and eventually fodder for farm animals. To evaluate the performance of the proposal, a greenhouse was built contiguous to a bedroom of a house at “Barrio Pappa”, Mendoza, Argentina. The average temperature of the studied room, without the inclusion of the greenhouse is 14.6ºC, with the contribution of the greenhouse the average raises to 18.3º; with the consequent improvement of the living conditions of the inhabitants. It also can be observed that the lowest temperatures inside the greenhouse are of about 10°C; these are in average 5°C higher than the exterior temperatures, protecting the growing plants from freezing. It’s an example of the possibilities that this sustainable technology has for been transfered, used and adopted by people. Moreover, it is useful as a base example for other communities of the region that are in similar situations and where a fast and apropiate answer in this aspect is needed, also contribuiting to the generation of an environmental social conscience.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Association between AXL, Hippo transducers and survival outcomes in male breast cancer

Male breast cancer (MBC) is an uncommon malignancy. We have previously reported that the expression of the Hippo transducers TAZ/YAP and their target CTGF was associated with inferior survival in MBC patients. Preclinical evidence demonstrated that Axl is a transcriptional target of TAZ/YAP. Thus, we herein assessed AXL expression to further investigate the significance of active TAZ/YAP-driven transcription in MBC. For this study, 255 MBC samples represented in tissue microarrays were screened for AXL expression, and 116 patients were included. The association between categorical variables was verified by the Pearson’s Chi-squared test of independence (2-tailed) or the Fisher Exact test. The relationship between continuous variables was tested with the Pearson's correlation coefficient. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for estimating survival curves, which were compared by log-rank test. Factors potentially impacting 10-year and overall survival were verified in Cox proportional regression models. AXL was positively associated with the TAZ/CTGF and YAP/CTGF phenotypes (p=0.001 and p=0.002, respectively). Patients with TAZ/CTGF/AXL- or YAP/CTGF/AXL-expressing tumors had inferior survival compared with non-triple-positive patients (log rank p=0.042 and p=0.048, respectively). The variables TAZ/CTGF/AXL and YAP/CTGF/AXL were adverse factors for 10-year survival in the multivariate Cox models (HR 2.31, 95%CI:1.02-5.22, p=0.045, and HR 2.27, 95%CI:1.00-5.13, p=0.050). Nearly comparable results were obtained from multivariate analyses of overall survival. The expression pattern of AXL corroborates the idea of the detrimental role of TAZ/YAP activation in MBC. Overall, Hippo-linked biomarkers deserve increased attention in this rare disease

Increased Asymmetric and Multi-Daughter Cell Division in Mechanically Confined Microenvironments

As the microenvironment of a cell changes, associated mechanical cues may lead to changes in biochemical signaling and inherently mechanical processes such as mitosis. Here we explore the effects of confined mechanical environments on cellular responses during mitosis. Previously, effects of mechanical confinement have been difficult to optically observe in three-dimensional and in vivo systems. To address this challenge, we present a novel microfluidic perfusion culture system that allows controllable variation in the level of confinement in a single axis allowing observation of cell growth and division at the single-cell level. The device is capable of creating precise confinement conditions in the vertical direction varying from high (3 µm) to low (7 µm) confinement while also varying the substrate stiffness (E = 130 kPa and 1 MPa). The Human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) model with a known 3N+ karyotype was used for this study. For this cell line, we observe that mechanically confined cell cycles resulted in stressed cell divisions: (i) delayed mitosis, (ii) multi- daughter mitosis events (from 3 up to 5 daughter cells), (iii) unevenly sized daughter cells, and (iv) induction of cell death. In the highest confined conditions, the frequency of divisions producing more than two progeny was increased an astounding 50-fold from unconfined environments, representing about one half of all successful mitotic events. Notably, the majority of daughter cells resulting from multipolar divisions were viable after cytokinesis and, perhaps suggesting another regulatory checkpoint in the cell cycle, were in some cases observed to re-fuse with neighboring cells post-cytokinesis. The higher instances of abnormal mitosis that we report in confined mechanically stiff spaces, may lead to increased rates of abnormal, viable, cells in the population. This work provides support to a hypothesis that environmental mechanical cues influences structural mechanisms of mitosis such as geometric orientation of the mitotic plane or planes

Single-Cell Analysis of Ploidy and Centrosomes Underscores the Peculiarity of Normal Hepatocytes

Polyploidization is the most well recognized feature of the liver. Yet, a quantitative and behavioral analysis of centrosomes and DNA content in normal hepatocytes has been limited by the technical challenges of methods available. By using a novel approach employing FISH for chromosomes 18, X and Y we provide, for the first time, a detailed analysis of DNA copies during physiological development in the liver at single cell level. We demonstrate that aneuploidy and unbalanced DNA content in binucleated hepatocytes are common features in normal adult liver. Despite the common belief that hepatocytes contain 1, 2 or no more than 4 centrosomes, our double staining for centrosome associated proteins reveals extranumerary centrosomes in a high percentage of cells as early as 15 days of age. We show that in murine liver the period between 15 days and 1.5 months marks the transition from a prevalence of mononucleated cells to up to 75% of binucleated cells. Our data demonstrate that this timing correlates with a switch in centrosomes number. At 15 days the expected 1 or 2 centrosomes converge with several hepatocytes that contain 3 centrosomes; at 1.5 months the percentage of cells with 3 centrosomes decreases concomitantly with the increase of cells with more than 4 centrosomes. Our analysis shows that the extranumerary centrosomes emerge in concomitance with the process of binucleation and polyploidization and maintain α-tubulin nucleation activity. Finally, by integrating interphase FISH and immunofluorescent approaches, we detected an imbalance between centrosome number and DNA content in liver cells that deviates from the equilibrium expected in normal cells. We speculate that these unique features are relevant to the peculiar biological function of liver cells which are continuously challenged by stress, a condition that could predispose to genomic instability

Src activation by Chk1 promotes actin patch formation and prevents chromatin bridge breakage in cytokinesis

In cytokinesis with chromatin bridges, cells delay abscission and retain actin patches at the intercellular canal to prevent chromosome breakage. In this study, we show that inhibition of Src, a protein-tyrosine kinase that regulates actin dynamics, or Chk1 kinase correlates with chromatin breakage and impaired formation of actin patches but not with abscission in the presence of chromatin bridges. Chk1 is required for optimal localization and complete activation of Src. Furthermore, Chk1 phosphorylates human Src at serine 51, and phosphorylated Src localizes to actin patches, the cell membrane, or the nucleus. Nonphosphorylatable mutation of S51 to alanine reduces Src catalytic activity and impairs formation of actin patches, whereas expression of a phosphomimicking Src-S51D protein rescues actin patches and prevents chromatin breakage in Chk1-deficient cells. We propose that Chk1 phosphorylates Src-S51 to fully induce Src kinase activity and that phosphorylated Src promotes formation of actin patches and stabilizes chromatin bridges. These results identify proteins that regulate formation of actin patches in cytokinesis

In Vitro and In Vivo Human Herpesvirus 8 Infection of Placenta

Herpesvirus infection of placenta may be harmful in pregnancy leading to disorders in fetal growth, premature delivery, miscarriage, or major congenital abnormalities. Although a correlation between human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection and abortion or low birth weight in children has been suggested, and rare cases of in utero or perinatal HHV-8 transmission have been documented, no direct evidence of HHV-8 infection of placenta has yet been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo susceptibility of placental cells to HHV-8 infection. Short-term infection assays were performed on placental chorionic villi isolated from term placentae. Qualitative and quantitative HHV-8 detection were performed by PCR and real-time PCR, and HHV-8 proteins were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Term placenta samples from HHV-8-seropositive women were analyzed for the presence of HHV-8 DNA and antigens. In vitro infected histocultures showed increasing amounts of HHV-8 DNA in tissues and supernatants; cyto- and syncitiotrophoblasts, as well as endothelial cells, expressed latent and lytic viral antigens. Increased apoptotic phenomena were visualized by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine nick end-labeling method in infected histocultures. Ex vivo, HHV-8 DNA and a latent viral antigen were detected in placenta samples from HHV-8-seropositive women. These findings demonstrate that HHV-8, like other human herpesviruses, may infect placental cells in vitro and in vivo, thus providing evidence that this phenomenon might influence vertical transmission and pregnancy outcome in HHV-8-infected women

A new measure for functional similarity of gene products based on Gene Ontology

BACKGROUND: Gene Ontology (GO) is a standard vocabulary of functional terms and allows for coherent annotation of gene products. These annotations provide a basis for new methods that compare gene products regarding their molecular function and biological role. RESULTS: We present a new method for comparing sets of GO terms and for assessing the functional similarity of gene products. The method relies on two semantic similarity measures; sim(Rel )and funSim. One measure (sim(Rel)) is applied in the comparison of the biological processes found in different groups of organisms. The other measure (funSim) is used to find functionally related gene products within the same or between different genomes. Results indicate that the method, in addition to being in good agreement with established sequence similarity approaches, also provides a means for the identification of functionally related proteins independent of evolutionary relationships. The method is also applied to estimating functional similarity between all proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and to visualizing the molecular function space of yeast in a map of the functional space. A similar approach is used to visualize the functional relationships between protein families. CONCLUSION: The approach enables the comparison of the underlying molecular biology of different taxonomic groups and provides a new comparative genomics tool identifying functionally related gene products independent of homology. The proposed map of the functional space provides a new global view on the functional relationships between gene products or protein families

HIV-1 Tat Promotes Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) vIL-6-Induced Angiogenesis and Tumorigenesis by Regulating PI3K/PTEN/AKT/GSK-3β Signaling Pathway

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is etiologically associated with KS, the most common AIDS-related malignancy. KS is characterized by vast angiogenesis and hyperproliferative spindle cells. We have previously reported that HIV-1 Tat can trigger KSHV reactivation and accelerate Kaposin A-induced tumorigenesis. Here, we explored Tat promotion of KSHV vIL-6-induced angiogenesis and tumorigenesis. Tat promotes vIL-6-induced cell proliferation, cellular transformation, vascular tube formation and VEGF production in culture. Tat enhances vIL-6-induced angiogenesis and tumorigenesis of fibroblasts and human endothelial cells in a chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model. In an allograft model, Tat promotes vIL-6-induced tumorigenesis and expression of CD31, CD34, SMA, VEGF, b-FGF, and cyclin D1. Mechanistic studies indicated Tat activates PI3K and AKT, and inactivates PTEN and GSK-3β in vIL-6 expressing cells. LY294002, a specific inhibitor of PI3K, effectively impaired Tat's promotion of vIL-6-induced tumorigenesis. Together, these results provide the first evidence that Tat might contribute to KS pathogenesis by synergizing with vIL-6, and identify PI3K/AKT pathway as a potential therapeutic target in AIDS-related KS patients. © 2013 Zhou et al