Maize chlorotic mottle virus exhibits low divergence between differentiated regional sub-populations.

Maize chlorotic mottle virus has been rapidly spreading around the globe over the past decade. The interactions of maize chlorotic mottle virus with Potyviridae viruses causes an aggressive synergistic viral condition - maize lethal necrosis, which can cause total yield loss. Maize production in sub-Saharan Africa, where it is the most important cereal, is threatened by the arrival of maize lethal necrosis. We obtained maize chlorotic mottle virus genome sequences from across East Africa and for the first time from Ecuador and Hawaii, and constructed a phylogeny which highlights the similarity of Chinese to African isolates, and Ecuadorian to Hawaiian isolates. We used a measure of clustering, the adjusted Rand index, to extract region-specific SNPs and coding variation that can be used for diagnostics. The population genetics analysis we performed shows that the majority of sequence diversity is partitioned between populations, with diversity extremely low within China and East Africa

Resistance associated mutations to protease inhibitors on HIV-2 infected patients in Portugal

Abstract in proceedings of the Fourth International Congress of CiiEM: Health, Well-Being and Ageing in the 21st Century, held at Egas Moniz’ University Campus in Monte de Caparica, Almada, from 3–5 June 2019.This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

In-situ pulsed laser induced growth of CdS nanoparticles on ZnO nanorods surfaces

Herein we present a process for the in-situ growth of CdS nanoparticles using a pulsed laser irradiation. A Nd-YAG laser was applied to ZnO nanorods previously submerged in an aqueous precursor solution containing cadmium chloride and thiourea. For optimum values of the laser fluence, around 40 mJ/cm2 it was possible to fabricate a highly homogeneous film of CdS nanoparticles covering the ZnO nanorods surface. Cathodoluminescence measurements of the ZnO/CdS structure show the quenching of the ZnO yellow and green luminescence, indicating the ZnO surface defects passivation by CdS nanostructures. Although lasers have been already used for inducing growth in solution, this work presents new evidence of in-situ growth on the surface of nanostructured materials. The laser based technique presented is simple, easy to implement, scalable and it could be applied in the fabrication of nanostructured solar cells and other devices

Severe Neurological Abnormalities in a Young Boy with Impaired Thyroid Hormone Sensitivity Due to a Novel Mutation in the MCT8 Gene

Monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) is an active and specific thyroid hormone transporter into neurons. MCT8 mutations cause an X-linked condition known as Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome and are characterized by impaired psychomotor development and typical abnormal thyroid function. We describe a 10-year-old boy with severe cognitive disability, axial hypotonia, spastic quadriplegia and sporadic dyskinetic episodes. He initially presented with thyroid dysfunction (high FT3, low rT3, low FT4 and normal TSH) and generalized retardation of the cerebral and cerebellar myelination in brain magnetic resonance imaging. The clinical and laboratory findings led to sequencing of the SLC16A2/MCT8 gene, which identified a novel missense mutation in exon 5. The study of peripheral markers of thyroid function suggests a paradoxical state of thyrotoxicosis in some peripheral tissues. Our patient had a typical clinical presentation at birth but because of the rarity of his disease his diagnosis was not made until the age of 7. The delay can also be explained by the omission of the free T3 assay in the first thyroid evaluation performed. This case therefore highlights the possible benefit of including the T3 assay in the study of patients with severe psychomotor disability of unknown etiology, thus eliminating extra costs for unnecessary complementary diagnostic tests.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Process simulation and techno-economic assessment for direct production of advanced bioethanol using a genetically modified Synechocystis sp.

ABSTRACT: A techno-economic assessment for the direct production of ethanol using a genetically-modified microalgae has been studied. It was considered two main scenarios for process modelling: i) bioenergy-driven microalgae plant, i.e., focused on the production of fuel-grade ethanol and biogas for CHP and, ii) biorefinery-driven microalgae plant, focused on the recovery of added-value bioproducts (zeaxanthin and phycocyanin) along with ethanol and CHP production. These main scenarios and several variants were modelled and optimized for a small-scale demo plant of 1000 Lethanol/day and extrapolated for larger production capacities. Results showed that despite the innovative approach of direct production of ethanol by microalgae, the bioenergy-driven scenario is non-feasible under the studied conditions. Conversely, ethanol production becomes economically feasible as co-product in the biorefinery-driven scenario although having payback periods>10 years. Furthermore, if only bio-based products are produced the NPV and the payback are even more positive, 104.8 M€ and ca. 5 years, respectively.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evidencias do cambio climático na hidrografía e a dinámica das rías e da plataforma galega

16 páginas, 9 figuras, 3 tablas[EN] This study is focused on multidecadal-scale variations of the hydrographic and hydrodynamic features of Rías and shelf waters off Galicia. Water masses take, through their thermohaline characteristics, a footprint of the climatic variability, mainly caused by changes either in the hydrological budget (precipitation, evaporation, runoff), in heat exchange and wind stress. In this study we focus in the evidences of change in the surface and sub-surface water mass characteristics. Regarding surface water masses, a significant warming during the last 45 years has been noticed, at a rate of 0.17 ºC/ decade. This warming was especially intense from the 1970’s, 0.27 ºC/decade. The tendency is opposite in subsurface waters, but it only takes into account data from the last 15 years. Regarding hydrodynamics, because of its strong influence in the renewal time of the Rías and consequently in their living resources, a study of decadal changes in the estuarine circulation of the Rías de Vigo and Arousa has been made. Results showed a progressive decay in the estuarine circulation, which causes an increase of renewal times. On the other hand, indirect evidence of a possible deceleration of the winter Iberian Poleward Current (IPC) are reported. This slow down is partially caused by a decrease in the meridional (N-S) temperature gradient off the Iberian coast. Nevertheless, the fall of the meridional gradient is not clear because it has been inferred from surface waters. On the contrary, IPC seems to be intensified by the increasing southerly autumn winds, although it appears weakened by the decreasing southerly winter winds. Thus, the overall effect of the CIP is still uncertain. Finally, a study of sea level and wave changes on the Galician coast has been made. An increase of (2-2.5 cm/ decade) in the sea level as well as a decrease in the wave height (3 cm/decade) has been reported, but in this last topic results are not significant[GA] Este estudo centrarase en determinar as variacións que ocorren a escalas multidecadais nas características hidrográficas e hidrodinámicas das augas das rías e da plataforma fronte a Galicia. As masas de auga reciben a través das súas características termohalinas unha pegada das alteracións climáticas, principalmente a causa de cambios no balance hidrolóxico (precipitación, evaporación, achegas continentais), do intercambio de calor e da acción do vento. Neste estudo analizaremos as evidencias de cambio nas características das masas de auga superficiais e subsuperficiais. Nas primeiras detectouse quentamento de xeito significativo nos últimos 45 anos a unha taxa media de 0,17 ºC por década, especialmente intenso desde hai 30 anos, 0,27 ºC por década. Nas augas subsuperficiais a tendencia é a inversa, aínda que só se conta con datos dos últimos 15 anos. En canto á hidrodinámica, e pola súa forte implicación nos tempos de renovación da ría e, polo tanto, nos recursos mariños que viven nela, fíxose un estudo sobre os cambios na circulación estuárica das rías de Vigo e Arousa nas últimas décadas. Os resultados amosan un descenso paulatino a longa escala temporal da circulación que causa un aumento dos tempos de renovación. Por outra banda, achéganse evidencias indirectas dunha posible ralentización da corrente invernal cara ao Polo (CIP) causada por un descenso no gradiente meridional (N-S) de temperatura fronte ás costas ibéricas. Non obstante, o descenso do gradiente meridional non está claro, pois induciuse só a partir de datos superficiais. Ademais, a propia CIP amosa estar intensificada pola maior intensidade dos ventos sur no outono e debilitada polo descenso dos ventos do sur no inverno, polo que o efecto global na CIP é aínda incerto. Por último, faise un estudo dos cambios do nivel do mar e da ondada nas costas galegas que amosa un aumento daquel (2-2,5 cm/década) e un descenso desta (3 cm/década), aínda que no caso da ondada os resultados non son concluíntesPeer reviewe

Changes in compliance with school-based physical activity recommendations in Spanish youth: The UP&DOWN longitudinal study

The study aimed (a) to examine changes in physical activity (PA) during the whole day, school hours, recess, and physical education classes (PEC) during a 2-year period in primary and secondary students; (b) to identify changes in the proportion of compliance with specific PA recommendations for these periods; and (c) to examine whether PA levels at baseline are associated with PA levels 2 years later. Eight hundred and fourteen (51.8% boys) children and 658 (50.1% boys) adolescents from 41 Spanish schools participated in the study. Hip-worn accelerometers were used to assess PA during different time periods. Light PA (LPA) declined during the whole day, school hours, recess (all P < 0.001, except child girls for recess), and PEC (all, P < 0.05) in children and adolescents. Moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) during the whole day and recess declined in child boys (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively) and adolescent boys (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). MVPA during PEC declined in adolescent boys (P < 0.001) and adolescent girls (all P < 0.05). The proportion of compliance with the specific PA recommendations for these periods declined (P < 0.05), except for PEC in adolescent girls. PA during the whole day at baseline was moderately associated with PA during the whole day years later (ICCs = 0.210-0.544, with one exception), but this association was lower for the school-based PA. In conclusion, time spent in MVPA and LPA during the whole day and recess declined over time in child and adolescent boys and during PEC in adolescents. These findings highlight the need to promote PA interventions in these settings

The Suitability for Organic Cattle Beef Production of Mixed Farming Systems in the Highlands of North East Portugal

The EC Reg. 1804/99 takes account of animal production in organic farming. However, these specifications may limit implementation and expansion of organic animal production, due to environmental and system constraints. Mixed farming, as defined by Spedding (1988) and Grigg (1996), is commonly practiced in the NE highlands of Portugal. Two farms were studied in this region in order to evaluate their suitability for organic cattle beef production, taking account of the technical specifications of the EC regulation

Cross-sectional and prospective associations of sleep, sedentary and active behaviors with mental health in older people: a compositional data analysis from the Seniors-ENRICA-2 study

Abstract Background Most studies on the effects of sleep, sedentary behavior (SB), and physical activity (PA) on mental health did not account for the intrinsically compositional nature of the time spent in several behaviors. Thus, we examined the cross-sectional and prospective associations of device-measured compositional time in sleep, SB, light PA (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) with depression symptoms, loneliness, happiness, and global mental health in older people (≥ 65 years). Methods Data were taken from the Seniors-ENRICA-2 study, with assessments in 2015–2017 (wave 0) and 2018–2019 (wave 1). Time spent in sleep, SB, LPA and MVPA was assessed by wrist-worn accelerometers. Depression symptoms, loneliness, happiness, and global mental health were self-reported using validated questionnaires. Analyses were performed using a compositional data analysis (CoDA) paradigm and adjusted for potential confounders. Results In cross-sectional analyses at wave 0 (n = 2489), time-use composition as a whole was associated with depression and happiness (all p < 0.01). The time spent in MVPA relative to other behaviors was beneficially associated with depression (γ = -0.397, p < 0.001), loneliness (γ = -0.124, p = 0.017) and happiness (γ = 0.243, p < 0.001). Hypothetically, replacing 30-min of Sleep, SB or LPA with MVPA was beneficially cross-sectionally related with depression (effect size [ES] ranged -0.326 to -0.246), loneliness (ES ranged -0.118 to -0.073), and happiness (ES ranged 0.152 to 0.172). In prospective analyses (n = 1679), MVPA relative to other behaviors at baseline, was associated with favorable changes in global mental health (γ = 0.892, p = 0.049). We observed a beneficial prospective effect on global mental health when 30-min of sleep (ES = 0.521), SB (ES = 0.479) or LPA (ES = 0.755) were theoretically replaced for MVPA. Conclusions MVPA was cross-sectionally related with reduced depression symptoms and loneliness and elevated level of happiness, and prospectively related with enhanced global mental health. Compositional isotemporal analyses showed that hypothetically replacing sleep, SB or LPA with MVPA could result in modest but significantly improvements on mental health indicators. Our findings add evidence to the emerging body of research on 24-h time-use and health using CoDA and suggest an integrated role of daily behaviors on mental health in older people