Genomic and proteomic evidences unravel the UV-resistome of the poly-extremophile Acinetobacter sp. Ver3

Ultraviolet radiation can damage biomolecules, with detrimental or even lethal effects for life. Even though lower wavelengths are filtered by the ozone layer, a significant amount of harmful UV-B and UV-A radiation reach Earth?s surface, particularly in high altitude environments. High-Altitude Andean Lakes (HAAL) are a group of disperse shallow lakes and salterns, located at the Dry Central Andes region in South America at altitudes above 3,000 m. As it is considered one of the highest UV-exposed environments, HAAL microbes constitute model systems to study UV-resistance mechanisms in environmental bacteria at various complexity levels. Herein, we present the genome sequence of Acinetobacter sp. Ver3, a gammaproteobacterium isolated from Lake Verde (4,400 m), together with further experimental evidence supporting the phenomenological observations regarding this bacterium ability to cope with increased UV-induced DNA damage. Comparison with the genomes of other Acinetobacter strains highlighted a number of unique genes, such as a novel cryptochrome. An ?UV-resistome? was defined, encompassing mainly, genes related to UV-damage repair on DNA and genes conferring an enhanced capacity for scavenging the reactive molecular species responsible for oxidative damage. In accordance, proteomic profiling of UV-exposed cells identified up-regulated proteins such as a specific cytoplasmic catalase, a putative regulator, and proteins associated to amino acid and protein synthesis. Down-regulated proteins were related to several energy-generating pathways such as glycolysis, beta-oxidation of fatty acids and electronic respiratory chain. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on a genome from a polyextremophilic Acinetobacter strain.Fil: Kurth, Daniel German. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiologicos; ArgentinaFil: Belfiore, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiologicos; ArgentinaFil: Gorriti, Marta Fabiana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiologicos; ArgentinaFil: Cortez, Nestor Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Farias, Maria Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiologicos; ArgentinaFil: Albarracín, Virginia Helena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiologicos; Argentin

GIS-based methodology for mapping and modeling microbialite deposits in high mountain lakes and wetlands of Central Andes (Catamarca, Northwestern Argentina)

Modern microbialites in Argentina's Puna (Central Andes) are considered a reliable tool for understanding the evolution of early life on our planet and developing strategies for detecting life on Mars. The morphological, structural and geochemical variations in these deposits, together with their distribution and architecture, are some of the most important parameters for understanding and characterising them. However, the lack of appropriate cartography and/or the high price to access it, added to the complex geological and geomorphological context in this region, complicate a traditional mapping on a good scale of detail. This paper presents a GIS-based methodology for a detailed mapping and architectural modeling of Las Quínoas microbialitic deposit (Holocene). To meet this objective, the geoprocessing of the information obtained from drone surveys, fieldwork and laboratory work, is carried out using ArcGIS software. The result is a high-resolution reconstruction of the deposit architecture, together with several thematic maps that represent the variation of the morphological, structural and geochemical characteristics of the oncoids (microbialites) with respect to depth and their position in the water body. From an integral point of view, this work provides a new methodological approach for microbialites mapping and improves the survey strategies in Central Andes

Discapacidad y salud sexual y reproductiva: sensibilización y capacitación a equipos de salud en Uruguay

En el marco del proyecto «El derecho a la igualdad y no discriminación de las personas con discapacidad», coordinado por distintos organismos internacionales se desarrolló un proceso de sensibilización y capacitación sobre discapacidad y salud sexual y reproductiva (SSR) a equipos técnicos, gestores y personal administrativo de los prestadores públicos y privados de salud de Uruguay. El equipo encargado de la intervención, integrado por personas con y sin discapacidad, está conformado por profesionales del área de la salud y una integrante de una organización de la sociedad civil. El cronograma de trabajo incluyó cuatro talleres en distintas ciudades del país. Se abordaron, a través de exposiciones conceptuales, viñetas clínicas e instancias plenarias de discusión, los contenidos: a) perspectiva de derechos humanos como marco de acción, b) la discapacidad desde la Clasificación Internacional del Funcionamiento, de la Discapacidad y la Salud (CIF), c) conceptualización básica de SSR, d) marco normativo uruguayo, d) interseccionalidad, e) herramientas para la acción en relación con la SSR de las personas en situación de discapacidad en el marco del Sistema Nacional Integrado de Salud en Uruguay. De lo surgido en los talleres se resaltan las siguientes dimensiones: (i) existe escasa información por parte de todos los actores sobre aspectos legislativos en materia de discapacidad y la posibilidad de ajustes razonables y diseño universal, (ii) las dificultades encontradas se vinculan a dos grandes aspectos: a que las personas en situación de discapacidad no consultan sobre su SSR y, a que las barreras comunicacionales, actitudinales y edilicias para el acceso al servicio son determinantes para garantizar una atención de SSR para esta población, (iii) las diferentes interacciones y responsabilidades que tienen los actores de un centro de salud dificultan la consideración de prioridades a la hora de garantizar el acceso de las personas en situación de discapacidad

Prokaryotic diversity and biogeochemical characteristics of benthic microbial ecosystems at La Brava, a hypersaline lake at Salar de Atacama, Chile

Benthic microbial ecosystems of Laguna La Brava, Salar de Atacama, a high altitude hypersaline lake, were characterized in terms of bacterial and archaeal diversity, biogeochem-istry, (including O2 and sulfide depth profiles and mineralogy), and physicochemical characteristics. La Brava is one of several lakes in the Salar de Atacama where microbial communities are growing in extreme conditions, including high salinity, high solar insolation, and high levels of metals such as lithium, arsenic, magnesium, and calcium. Evaporation creates hypersaline conditions in these lakes and mineral precipitation is a characteristic geomicrobiological feature of these benthic ecosystems. In this study, the La Brava non-lithifying microbial mats, microbialites, and rhizome-associated concretions were compared to each other and their diversity was related to their environmental conditions. All the ecosystems revealed an unusual community where Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Acetothermia, Firmicutes and Planctomycetes were the most abundant groups, and cyanobacteria, typically an important primary producer in microbial mats, were relatively insignificant or absent. This suggests that other microorganisms, and possibly novel pathways unique to this system, are responsible for carbon fixation. Depth profiles of O2 and sulfide showed active production and respiration. The mineralogy composition was calcium carbonate (as aragonite) and increased from mats to microbialites and rhizome-associated concretions. Halite was also present. Further analyses were performed on representative microbial mats and microbialites by layer. Different taxonomic compositions were observed in the upper layers, with Archaea dominating the non-lithifying mat, and Planctomycetes the microbialite. The bottom layers were similar, with Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota and Planctomycetes as dominant phyla. Sequences related to Cyanobacteria were very scarce. These systems may contain previously uncharacterized community metabolisms, some of which may be contributing to net mineral precipitation. Further work on these sites might reveal novel organisms and metabolisms of biotechnological interest.Centro de Investigaciones Geológica

Relación entre Funciones Ejecutivas Frías, Cálidas e Inteligencia

Los constructos inteligencia y funciones ejecutivas (FE) han sido considerados y estudiados como procesos semejantes, diferentes y/o relacionados. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue relacionar las funciones ejecutivas (frías y cálidas) con la inteligencia premórbida. La muestra estuvo conformada por 120 participantes sin lesión (50% sexo femenino y 50% sexo masculino). La edad fue de M= 45.13 DS= 18.88 y nivel de instrucción (años) M= 13.11 DS= 4.81. Los criterios de exclusión a la muestra fueron poseer patología neurológica o psiquiátrica, o enfermedad médica que curse con afectación cognitiva o historia de consumo de sustancias. Los instrumentos utilizados son el Test de Acentuación de Palabras (TAP) que evalúa inteligencia premórbida y la batería ejecutiva Behavioural Assessment of Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS) compuesta por 6 subtests y el cuestionario autoaplicado y disejecutivo (DEX), que miden FE frías y cálidas. Se realizaron análisis descriptivos y de correlación. Las FE frías obtuvieron una M= 16.40 (DS= 4.02); el CI ejecutivo con una M=92.04 (DS=18.57). Los puntajes de las FE cálidas arrojaron una M= 22.25 (DS= 10.10). La inteligencia premórbida mostró una M= 35.95 (DS= 10.47). Las FE frías correlacionaron positivamente con la inteligencia premórbida (r= .465, p< .001; r= .499 p<.001). Las FE cálidas no correlacionaron con la inteligencia premórbida (r=-.169, p> .066). Las FE frías y la inteligencia premórbida correlacionaron positivamente con el nivel de instrucción. Las FE frías no correlacionaron con el nivel de instrucción. Discusión: las funciones ejecutivas frías, la inteligencia premórbida y el nivel de instrucción están relacionadas positivamente. Las funciones ejecutivas cálidas no presentaron relación con las pruebas tradicionales de inteligencia. Se discuten los constructos analizado

Prokaryotic diversity and biogeochemical characteristics of benthic microbial ecosystems at La Brava, a hypersaline lake at Salar de Atacama, Chile

Benthic microbial ecosystems of Laguna La Brava, Salar de Atacama, a high altitude hypersaline lake, were characterized in terms of bacterial and archaeal diversity, biogeochem-istry, (including O2 and sulfide depth profiles and mineralogy), and physicochemical characteristics. La Brava is one of several lakes in the Salar de Atacama where microbial communities are growing in extreme conditions, including high salinity, high solar insolation, and high levels of metals such as lithium, arsenic, magnesium, and calcium. Evaporation creates hypersaline conditions in these lakes and mineral precipitation is a characteristic geomicrobiological feature of these benthic ecosystems. In this study, the La Brava non-lithifying microbial mats, microbialites, and rhizome-associated concretions were compared to each other and their diversity was related to their environmental conditions. All the ecosystems revealed an unusual community where Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Acetothermia, Firmicutes and Planctomycetes were the most abundant groups, and cyanobacteria, typically an important primary producer in microbial mats, were relatively insignificant or absent. This suggests that other microorganisms, and possibly novel pathways unique to this system, are responsible for carbon fixation. Depth profiles of O2 and sulfide showed active production and respiration. The mineralogy composition was calcium carbonate (as aragonite) and increased from mats to microbialites and rhizome-associated concretions. Halite was also present. Further analyses were performed on representative microbial mats and microbialites by layer. Different taxonomic compositions were observed in the upper layers, with Archaea dominating the non-lithifying mat, and Planctomycetes the microbialite. The bottom layers were similar, with Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota and Planctomycetes as dominant phyla. Sequences related to Cyanobacteria were very scarce. These systems may contain previously uncharacterized community metabolisms, some of which may be contributing to net mineral precipitation. Further work on these sites might reveal novel organisms and metabolisms of biotechnological interest.Centro de Investigaciones Geológica

Abordaje metodológico en salud sexual y reproductiva en situaciones de discapacidad con equipos de salud en Uruguay

Farías, M. C. (2021). Abordaje metodológico en salud sexual y reproductiva en situaciones de discapacidad con equipos de salud en Uruguay. Revista Española de Discapacidad, 9(1), pp. 261-271

Genomic comparison between members of the Salinibacteraceae family, and description of a new species of Salinibacter (Salinibacter altiplanensis sp. nov.) isolated from high altitude hypersaline environments of the Argentinian Altiplano

The application of tandem MALDI-TOF MS screening with 16S rRNA gene sequencing of selected isolates has been demonstrated to be an excellent approach for retrieving novelty from large-scale culturing. The application of such methodologies in different hypersaline samples allowed the isolation of the culture-recalcitrant Salinibacter ruber second phylotype (EHB-2) for the first time, as well as a new species recently isolated from the Argentinian Altiplano hypersaline lakes. In this study, the genome sequences of the different species of the phylum Rhodothermaeota were compared and the genetic repertoire along the evolutionary gradient was analyzed together with each intraspecific variability. Altogether, the results indicated an open pan-genome for the family Salinibacteraceae, as well as the codification of relevant traits such as diverse rhodopsin genes, CRISPR-Cas systems and spacers, and one T6SS secretion system that could give ecological advantages to an EHB-2 isolate. For the new Salinibacter species, we propose the name Salinibacter altiplanensis sp. nov. (the designated type strain is AN15T = CECT 9105T = IBRC-M 11031T).This study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy projects CGL2012-39627-C03-03 and CLG2015-66686-C3-1-P (to RRM), CLG2015-66686-C3-3-P (to JA), which were also both supported with European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) funds. RA was financed by the Max Planck Society. KTK’s research was supported, in part, by the U.S. National Science Foundation (Award No. 1241046). TVP acknowledges a pre-doctoral fellowship (Nr BES-2013-064420) from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of the Spanish Government. The authors also acknowledge the economic support and unconditional scientific interest of Lipotrue SL and Deep Blue Sea SL

Miradas desde la historia social y la historia intelectual: América Latina en sus culturas: de los procesos independistas a la globalización

Fil: Benito Moya, Silvano G. A. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades; Argentina.Fil: Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades; Argentina