On the value of early marine weather observations: The Malaspina expedition (1789–94)

Great advances in meteorological science were made in the late eighteenth century. In particular, meteorological instruments were carried on ships and the first systematic meteorological readings over the oceans were made. One of these collections of instrumental meteorological readings was carried out by the Malaspina expedition (1789–94), organized by the Spanish Crown to study its vast possessions around the world. We have recovered meteorological variables such as air temperature (maximum and minimum), atmospheric pressure (maximum and minimum), wind (intensity and direction), and appearance (state of the sky) from the documentation generated by the explorers during the journey. In total, nearly 13, 000 instrumental data have been digitized and rescued from this maritime expedition. The comparison of daily temperature and pressure observations with reanalysis and weather stations data shows a good overall agreement. Moreover, apparent discrepancies during several anchored periods have allowed for testing the consistency and quality of these early instrumental marine weather readings

The meteorological observations of Bento

Abstract Bento Sanches Dorta was an astronomer and geographer in the Portuguese colony of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil from 1781 to 1788. He recorded daily readings of meteorological and geomagnetic variables during that period. This dataset provides, to the best of our knowledge, the earliest known continuous 8-year-long instrumental meteorological observations for any South American site. His data show that the winters in this period were relatively cool, and that 1785 was the rainiest and hottest year, and 1787 the driest and coolest. The records display a distinct seasonal cycle and a variability that are comparable with the modern data

Nivel de estudios y experiencia de las árbitras y árbitras asistentes de fútbol en España: Primera División Femenin

El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar las características sociodemográficas de las árbitras y árbitras asistentes pertenecientes a la primera división de fútbol femenino en España. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 45 mujeres de nacionalidad española (28.11±4.24 años) y fue dividida en árbitras (n=17) y árbitras asistentes (n=28). Se utilizó un cuestionario ad hoc que contenía 8 ítems y analizaban variables sociales, deportivas y de rendimiento. La muestra se caracteriza por alcanzar una mayor formación universitaria (52.94% en árbitras y 42.86% en árbitras asistentes) y de máster (41.18% y 35.71% respectivamente) frente a Formación Profesional (5.88% en árbitras y 14.29% en árbitras asistentes). Estas, además, mostraron una media de 12.35±6.35 años en el arbitraje de fútbol, mientras que las árbitras asistentes evidenciaron una media de 8.82±4.15 años. En relación a las sesiones de entrenamientos, las árbitras evidenciaron 4-5 sesiones de entrenamiento, mientras que las árbitras asistentes acumularon un total de 4 sesiones a la semana. Las árbitras que participaron en partidos internacionales mostraron una media de 13.77±0.61 años en el arbitraje, mientras que las que no participaron en partidos internacionales tuvieron una media de 8.69±4.12 años. Las árbitras y árbitras asistentes mostraron altos niveles de formación académica universitaria y evidenciaron una corta experiencia en Primera División en Fútbol Femenina. Los resultados muestran la importancia de la experiencia en el desempeño arbitral para alcanzar el máximo nivel en el arbitraje femenino. The objective of this research was to analyze the sociodemographic characteristics of the referees and assistant referees belonging to the first division of women''s football in Spain. The sample consisted of 45 women of Spanish nationality (28.11 +/- 4.24 years) and was divided into referees (n=17) and assistant referees (n=28). An ad hoc questionnaire containing 8 items was used and analyzed social, sports and performance variables. The sample is characterized by reaching higher university training (52.94% in female referees and 42.86% in assistant referees) and master''s degree (41.18% and 35.71% respectively) compared to professional training (5.88% in female referees and 14.29% in assistant referees). They also showed a mean of 12.35 +/- 6.35 years in soccer refereeing, while the assistant referees showed a mean of 8.82 +/- 4.15 years. In relation to the training sessions, the referees showed 4-5 training sessions, while the assistant referees accumulated a total of 4 sessions per week. The female referees who participated in international matches showed a mean of 13.77 +/- 0.61 years in arbitration, while those who did not participate in international matches had an average of 8.69 +/- 4.12 years. The referees and assistant referees showed high levels of university academic training, evidenced a short experience in the First Division in Women''s Soccer. The results show the importance of experience in refereeing performance to reach the highest level in female refereeing

Repression of Flowering by the miR172 Target SMZ

The flowering repressors SMZ and FLM, members of the AP-2 and MADS domain transcription factor families, unexpectedly work together to regulate flowering time via their effects on expression of the FT gene

Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 Controls the Embryo-to-Seedling Phase Transition

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is a key regulator of epigenetic states catalyzing histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), a repressive chromatin mark. PRC2 composition is conserved from humans to plants, but the function of PRC2 during the early stage of plant life is unclear beyond the fact that it is required for the development of endosperm, a nutritive tissue that supports embryo growth. Circumventing the requirement of PRC2 in endosperm allowed us to generate viable homozygous null mutants for FERTILIZATION INDEPENDENT ENDOSPERM (FIE), which is the single Arabidopsis homolog of Extra Sex Combs, an indispensable component of Drosophila and mammalian PRC2. Here we show that H3K27me3 deposition is abolished genome-wide in fie mutants demonstrating the essential function of PRC2 in placing this mark in plants as in animals. In contrast to animals, we find that PRC2 function is not required for initial body plan formation in Arabidopsis. Rather, our results show that fie mutant seeds exhibit enhanced dormancy and germination defects, indicating a deficiency in terminating the embryonic phase. After germination, fie mutant seedlings switch to generative development that is not sustained, giving rise to neoplastic, callus-like structures. Further genome-wide studies showed that only a fraction of PRC2 targets are transcriptionally activated in fie seedlings and that this activation is accompanied in only a few cases with deposition of H3K4me3, a mark associated with gene activity and considered to act antagonistically to H3K27me3. Up-regulated PRC2 target genes were found to act at different hierarchical levels from transcriptional master regulators to a wide range of downstream targets. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that PRC2-mediated regulation represents a robust system controlling developmental phase transitions, not only from vegetative phase to flowering but also especially from embryonic phase to the seedling stage

Control of flowering time and spike development in cereals: the earliness per se Eps-1 region in wheat, rice, and Brachypodium

The earliness per se gene Eps-Am1 from diploid wheat Triticum monococcum affects heading time, spike development, and spikelet number. In this study, the Eps1 orthologous regions from rice, Aegilops tauschii, and Brachypodium distachyon were compared as part of current efforts to clone this gene. A single Brachypodium BAC clone spanned the Eps-Am1 region, but a gap was detected in the A. tauschii physical map. Sequencing of the Brachypodium and A. tauschii BAC clones revealed three genes shared by the three species, which showed higher identity between wheat and Brachypodium than between them and rice. However, most of the structural changes were detected in the wheat lineage. These included an inversion encompassing the wg241-VatpC region and the presence of six unique genes. In contrast, only one unique gene (and one pseudogene) was found in Brachypodium and none in rice. Three genes were present in both Brachypodium and wheat but were absent in rice. Two of these genes, Mot1 and FtsH4, were completely linked to the earliness per se phenotype in the T. monococcum high-density genetic map and are candidates for Eps-Am1. Both genes were expressed in apices and developing spikes, as expected for Eps-Am1 candidates. The predicted MOT1 protein showed amino acid differences between the parental T. monococcum lines, but its effect is difficult to predict. Future steps to clone the Eps-Am1 gene include the generation of mot1 and ftsh4 mutants and the completion of the T. monococcum physical map to test for the presence of additional candidate genes

The arabidopsis DNA polymerase δ has a role in the deposition of transcriptionally active epigenetic marks, development and flowering

DNA replication is a key process in living organisms. DNA polymerase α (Polα) initiates strand synthesis, which is performed by Polε and Polδ in leading and lagging strands, respectively. Whereas loss of DNA polymerase activity is incompatible with life, viable mutants of Polα and Polε were isolated, allowing the identification of their functions beyond DNA replication. In contrast, no viable mutants in the Polδ polymerase-domain were reported in multicellular organisms. Here we identify such a mutant which is also thermosensitive. Mutant plants were unable to complete development at 28°C, looked normal at 18°C, but displayed increased expression of DNA replication-stress marker genes, homologous recombination and lysine 4 histone 3 trimethylation at the SEPALLATA3 (SEP3) locus at 24°C, which correlated with ectopic expression of SEP3. Surprisingly, high expression of SEP3 in vascular tissue promoted FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) expression, forming a positive feedback loop with SEP3 and leading to early flowering and curly leaves phenotypes. These results strongly suggest that the DNA polymerase δ is required for the proper establishment of transcriptionally active epigenetic marks and that its failure might affect development by affecting the epigenetic control of master genes.Fil: Iglesias, Francisco Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Fundación Instituto Leloir; ArgentinaFil: Bruera, Natalia Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Fundación Instituto Leloir; ArgentinaFil: Dergan Dylon, Leonardo Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Fundación Instituto Leloir; ArgentinaFil: Marino, Cristina Ester. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Fundación Instituto Leloir; ArgentinaFil: Lorenzi, Hernán. J. Craig Venter Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Mateos, Julieta Lisa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Fundación Instituto Leloir; Argentina. Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research; AlemaniaFil: Turck, Franziska. Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research; AlemaniaFil: Coupland, George. Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research; AlemaniaFil: Cerdan, Pablo Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Fundación Instituto Leloir; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Departamento de Ciencias Exactas; Argentin

Canthaxanthin, a Red-Hot Carotenoid: Applications, Synthesis, and Biosynthetic Evolution

Carotenoids are a class of pigments with a biological role in light capture and antioxidant activities. High value ketocarotenoids, such as astaxanthin and canthaxanthin, are highly appealing for applications in human nutraceutical, cosmetic, and animal feed industries due to their color- and health-related properties. In this review, recent advances in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology towards the production of ketocarotenoids, in particular the red-orange canthaxanthin, are highlighted. Also reviewed and discussed are the properties of canthaxanthin, its natural producers, and various strategies for its chemical synthesis. We review the de novo synthesis of canthaxanthin and the functional β-carotene ketolase enzyme across organisms, supported by a protein-sequence-based phylogenetic analysis. Various possible modifications of the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway and the present sustainable cost-effective alternative platforms for ketocarotenoids biosynthesis are also discussed

Spanish eyewitness accounts of the great space weather event of 1859

Exceptional geomagnetic storms were observed in late August and early September 1859. Auroras were observed around the world, and telegraph wires were damaged. Until now, there has been no evidence published of auroral observations in Spain during this famous space weather event. This paper presents Spanish observations that show the aspect of this great aurora from Spain, and the concurrent effects on European telegraph wires. We also computed the variation of the geomagnetic declination in Spain during recent centuries to put these records into context