Tissue effect on RNA:DNA ratios of marine fish larvae

In some routine studies of larval condition based on RNA:DNA ratios, heads and/or guts are removed for further age and feeding analysis. Also, during capture larvae are often found with their eyes missing. In this work we analysed tissues effects (muscle, head, eye, gut and the whole larvae) on RNA:DNA ratios from different species (Sardina pilchardus, Engraulis encrasicolus, Atherina presbyter and Paralichthys orbignyanus) in different developmental stages and from different locations. For all species and development phases, it was shown that RNA :DNA ratios in the head were significantly lower than in muscle or gut. The comparison of RNA :DNA ratios of head with or without eyes did not show significant differences. In a comparison of results from muscle from two tail sections, RNA :DNA ratios were higher for the anterior section in Sardina pilchardus and Engraulis encrasicolus larvae. Caution is needed when RNA :DNA ratios are compared with other studies employing different dissection protocols. For the species studied we propose conversion factors to be applied to RNA:DNA ratio data when different body sections are analysed. We discuss the most appropriate tissues for assessing nutritional condition in fish larvae, based on trends in concentrations of nucleic acids and ratios during starvation experiments

Radio-frequency performance comparison of several H-plane rectangular waveguide filters loaded with circular dielectric posts

This paper is a postprint of a paper submitted to and accepted for publication in IET Microwaves Antennas and Propagation and is subject to Institution of Engineering and Technology Copyright. The copy of record is available at IET Digital LibraryThe study presents a radio-frequency performance comparison between several H-plane geometry filters based on rectangular waveguide technology. The basic all-metal filter of resonant cavities is compared with filters loaded with circular dielectric resonators, either in propagative or evanescent mode. The use of these resonators is claimed to reduce the length of the filter, increase the rejection band until the first spurious frequency and to improve the voltage magnification factor (VMF), at the cost of increasing the losses. Therefore, in order to properly assess and quantify the possible advantages of these filters, an accurate analysis of six of them has been developed. All the filters have been designed to have the same electrical response, and the length, losses, rejection band, VMF, and fabrication cost for all the filters are compared.Our acknowledgement to the Val Space Consortium for its contribution - Laboratories co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund - A way of making Europe.Bachiller Martin, MC.; Esteban González, H.; Diaz, F.; Morro, JV.; Boria Esbert, VE. (2016). Radio-frequency performance comparison of several H-plane rectangular waveguide filters loaded with circular dielectric posts. IET Microwaves Antennas and Propagation. 10(5):536-545. doi:10.1049/iet-map.2014.0738S53654510

The nuclear receptor LXRα controls the functional specialization of splenic macrophages.

Macrophages are professional phagocytic cells that orchestrate innate immune responses and have considerable phenotypic diversity at different anatomical locations. However, the mechanisms that control the heterogeneity of tissue macrophages are not well characterized. Here we found that the nuclear receptor LXRα was essential for the differentiation of macrophages in the marginal zone (MZ) of the spleen. LXR-deficient mice were defective in the generation of MZ and metallophilic macrophages, which resulted in abnormal responses to blood-borne antigens. Myeloid-specific expression of LXRα or adoptive transfer of wild-type monocytes restored the MZ microenvironment in LXRα-deficient mice. Our results demonstrate that signaling via LXRα in myeloid cells is crucial for the generation of splenic MZ macrophages and identify an unprecedented role for a nuclear receptor in the generation of specialized macrophage subsets

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Dental Professionals’ Infection Risk Perception: An International Survey

A global survey among dentists was used to identify the various impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on this professional group. Special attention was given to perception and assessment of infection risk. From May to August 2020, the questionnaire was delivered in 36 countries by respective research groups and was completed by 52,491 dental professionals. The survey was designed as a cross-sectional survey based on a previously standardized questionnaire. This study focuses on the part of the questionnaire that deals with the perception of the infection risk of COVID-19 by dentists and their patients. A logistic regression model was used, which consisted of four Likert items as response options and the additional self-reported routine or emergency treatment as the dependent variable. Analysis by continent found that European and Asian dentists were particularly likely to be infected at work (OR = 1.45 95%CI = 1.02/1.84 and OR = 2.68, 95%CI = 1.45/3.22, respectively), while it was likely that Australian dentists did not feel particularly at risk due to low infection rates. Three quarters of Americans treated only emergencies during this survey period, while Europeans (64.71%) and Asians (66.67%) provided mostly routine care. This could affect the Europeans’ confidence that they would not be able to protect themselves from infections in the long-term. The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on dental professionals’ infection risk perception is determined by the geographical origin of dentists. This study shows that, especially in high-incidence countries, infection risk perception was higher when dentists tried to provide routine dental procedures to their patients. Dental professionals can offer themselves and their patients good protection by maintaining high standards of hygiene. However, their concerns should be taken seriously and the dental professionals’ group that is of great importance for oral health care and prevention, should not be neglected in the future, even in the event of emerging pandemics

Herramientas informáticas para el estudio de los recursos genéticos

En el CNRG además de la conservación de los recursos genéticos, se realizan estudios de nivel informático que incluye la descripción y modelación de la distribución geográfica de las especies conservadas, así como el análisis del genoma y diversidad. A través de herramientas informáticas, es posible determinar el contenido genómico y como este cambia o responde a diversas condiciones ambientales. Por otro lado, con el apoyo de la modelación espacial y los sistemas de información geográfica se ha realizado la planeación y evaluación en las colectas, para determinar la distribución actual y potencial de las especies conservadas. Además, sirven para conocer las condiciones ambientales del suelo, clima y relieve, en las que dichas colectas se desarrollan. El continúo avance y desarrollo de tecnologías informáticas ha permitido realizar estudios cada vez más complejos. La ciencia de datos (data science), ha permitido el modelado y caracterización de los recursos genéticos. Así la bioinformática y los sistemas de información geográfica, son herramientas que contribuyen al conocimiento y conservación de la biodiversidad

A program for optical observations of advanced LIGO early triggers in the southern hemisphere

In this poster we present a plan to follow-up optically early triggers from the Advanced LIGO gravitational wave detectors, which will start operating in scientific mode in the northern summer of 2015

Cord blood cardiovascular biomarkers in left-sided congenital heart disease.

Fetal echocardiography has limited prognostic ability in the evaluation of left-sided congenital heart defects (left heart defects). Cord blood cardiovascular biomarkers could improve the prognostic evaluation of left heart defects. A multicenter prospective cohort (2013-2019) including fetuses with left heart defects (aortic coarctation, aortic stenosis, hypoplastic left heart, and multilevel obstruction (complex left heart defects) subdivided according to their outcome (favorable vs. poor), and control fetuses were evaluated in the third trimester of pregnancy at three referral centers in Spain. Poor outcome was defined as univentricular palliation, heart transplant, or death. Cord blood concentrations of N-terminal precursor of B-type natriuretic peptide, Troponin I, transforming growth factor β, placental growth factor, and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 were determined. A total of 45 fetuses with left heart defects (29 favorable and 16 poor outcomes) and 35 normal fetuses were included, with a median follow-up of 3.1 years (interquartile range 1.4-3.9). Left heart defects with favorable outcome showed markedly increased cord blood transforming growth factor β (normal heart median 15.5 ng/mL (6.8-21.4) vs. favorable outcome 51.7 ng/mL (13.8-73.9) vs. poor outcome 25.1 ng/mL (6.9-39.0), p = 0.001) and decreased placental growth factor concentrations (normal heart 17.9 pg/mL (13.8-23.9) vs. favorable outcome 12.8 pg/mL (11.7-13.6) vs. poor outcome 11.0 pg/mL (8.8-15.4), p < 0.001). Poor outcome left heart defects had higher N-terminal precursor of B-type natriuretic peptide (normal heart 508.0 pg/mL (287.5-776.3) vs. favorable outcome 617.0 pg/mL (389.8-1087.8) vs. poor outcome 1450.0 pg/mL (919.0-1645.0), p = 0.001) and drastically reduced soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 concentrations (normal heart 1929.7 pg/mL (1364.3-2715.8) vs. favorable outcome (1848.3 pg/mL (646.9-2313.6) vs. poor outcome 259.0 pg/mL (182.0-606.0), p < 0.001). Results showed that fetuses with left heart defects present a distinct cord blood biomarker profile according to their outcome

pTINCR microprotein promotes epithelial differentiation and suppresses tumor growth through CDC42 SUMOylation and activation

Cancer; Mechanisms of diseaseCàncer; Mecanismes de la malaltiaCáncer; Mecanismos de la enfermedadThe human transcriptome contains thousands of small open reading frames (sORFs) that encode microproteins whose functions remain largely unexplored. Here, we show that TINCR lncRNA encodes pTINCR, an evolutionary conserved ubiquitin-like protein (UBL) expressed in many epithelia and upregulated upon differentiation and under cellular stress. By gain- and loss-of-function studies, we demonstrate that pTINCR is a key inducer of epithelial differentiation in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, low expression of TINCR associates with worse prognosis in several epithelial cancers, and pTINCR overexpression reduces malignancy in patient-derived xenografts. At the molecular level, pTINCR binds to SUMO through its SUMO interacting motif (SIM) and to CDC42, a Rho-GTPase critical for actin cytoskeleton remodeling and epithelial differentiation. Moreover, pTINCR increases CDC42 SUMOylation and promotes its activation, triggering a pro-differentiation cascade. Our findings suggest that the microproteome is a source of new regulators of cell identity relevant for cancer.Work in the Abad lab is supported by VHIO, Fero Foundation, La Caixa Foundation, Asociación Española Contra el Cancer (AECC), La Mutua Foundation and by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (SAF2015-69413-R; RTI2018-102046-B-I00). M.A. was recipient of a Ramón y Cajal contract from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (RYC-2013-14747). O.B. is recipient of a FPI-AGAUR fellowship from Generalitat de Catalunya. We also acknowledge funding from grant PGC2018-094091-B-I00 from the Spanish Government