Prospectus for Future Research: Temperature Effects on Green Macroalgae

Research on temperature change has received attention from scientists. Not only has temperature change attracted scientists who study the Earth’s weather and climate, but also those who study plants and animals on land and in oceans. The research being conducted looks at how these temperature changes affect the anatomy and physiology of organisms, but other research also studies how terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems have changed and the types of responses that have occurred as a result. For many years, research in terrestrial ecosystems has dominated research in aquatic ecosystems. Limited research has been conducted in aquatic ecosystems involving green macroalgae, which are primary producers and an essential part of these ecosystems. Within the last fifteen years, research regarding the effects of temperature change on green macroalgae has shown that temperature affects photosynthesis and biochemistry. Overall, photosynthesis is almost completely inhibited after sufficient exposure due to damage in Photosystem II. There is also a substantial change in the production of chemical molecules known as reactive oxygen species that caused physical damage to the algal cells as well as a change in structure for proteins that is essential for function. I reviewed the literature within the past fifteen years, regarding the effects of temperature on a variety of green macroalgae species. The results indicated that after sufficient exposure, the photosynthetic rate of macroalgae is reduced significantly and that the change in chemistry lead to alterations in the physiology of green macroalgae. In this thesis, I propose two possible directions for algae research that involves genetic sequencing of a model species to identify a possible temperature tolerance gene, as well as the potential use of green macroalgae in photobioreactors as a source of renewable energy

The neighbor-locating-chromatic number of pseudotrees

Ak-coloringof a graphGis a partition of the vertices ofGintokindependent sets,which are calledcolors. Ak-coloring isneighbor-locatingif any two vertices belongingto the same color can be distinguished from each other by the colors of their respectiveneighbors. Theneighbor-locating chromatic number¿NL(G) is the minimum cardinalityof a neighbor-locating coloring ofG.In this paper, we determine the neighbor-locating chromatic number of paths, cycles,fans and wheels. Moreover, a procedure to construct a neighbor-locating coloring ofminimum cardinality for these families of graphs is given. We also obtain tight upperbounds on the order of trees and unicyclic graphs in terms of the neighbor-locatingchromatic number. Further partial results for trees are also established.Preprin

A common mechanism of defective channel trafficking underlying DFNA2 hearing loss result in different cell surface expression levels of KCNQ4 mutants

KCNQ4 mutations underlie DFNA2, a subtype of autosomal dominant hearing loss. We had previously identified the pore-region p.G296S mutation that impaired channel activity in two manners: it greatly reduced surface expression and abolished channel function. Moreover, G296S mutant exerted a strong dominant-negative effect on potassium currents by reducing the channel expression at the cell surface representing the first study to identify a trafficking-dependent dominant mechanism for the loss of KCNQ4 channel function in DFNA2. Here, we have investigated the pathogenic mechanism associated with all the described KCNQ4 mutations (F182L, W242X, E260K, D262V, L274H, W276S, L281S, G285C, G285S and G321S) that are located in different domains of the channel protein. F182L mutant showed a wild type-like cell-surface distribution in transiently transfected NIH3T3 fibroblasts and the recorded currents in Xenopus oocytes resembled those of the wild-type. The remaining KCNQ4 mutants abolished potassium currents, but displayed distinct levels of defective cell-surface expression in NIH3T3 as quantified by flow citometry. Co-localization studies revealed these mutants were retained in the ER, unless W242X, which showed a clear co-localization with Golgi apparatus. Interestingly, this mutation results in a truncated KCNQ4 protein at the S5 transmembrane domain, before the pore region, that escapes the protein quality control in the ER but does not reach the cell surface at normal levels. Currently we are investigating the trafficking behaviour and electrophysiological properties of several KCNQ4 truncated proteins artificially generated in order to identify specific motifs involved in channel retention/exportation. Altogether, our results indicate that a defect in KCNQ4 trafficking is the common mechanism underlying DFNA

The effects of wildfire frequency on post-fire soil surface water dynamics

Increasing wildfire frequency in the Mediterranean Basin could affect future plant-soil–water-dynamics. The capacity of soils to retain water is a key parameter affecting plant post-fire regeneration. Yet, few research has looked at how different soil properties related to water retention is affected by increasing wildfire frequency. This study aimed at understanding the relationship between wildfire frequency, soil–water-related properties and the dynamics of surface water in soils. To this, after a 2012-summer wildfire in Portugal, three sets of three replicate maritime pine stands with contrasted wildfire frequency were selected (0 vs. 1 vs. 4 fires since 1975). At each of the nine study sites, three re-sprouter shrubs and neighbouring bare soil were chosen (54 microsites). There, soil cover, soil–water retention curves and surface (0–5 cm) soil–water-related properties (texture, bulk density, organic matter content, soil moisture, soil surface water repellency) were monitored for one year. Furthermore, records of post-fire soil moisture dynamics were analysed continuously using 72 probes installed at 2.5 and 7.5 cm depth. The hillslopes affected by 1 fire showed higher plant recovery than the 4 fires hillslopes. During the dry season, the threshold for water stress was reached 17 days sooner in the 4 fires hillslopes, and also 10 days sooner on bare microsites. Periods of plant water stress were longer and bare soil patches size bigger. The increase in wildfire frequency promoted high soil organic matter contents but less available water content, stressing the importance of soil organic matter quality characterization in water-related properties.Open access funding provided by FCT|FCCN (b-on). This work was funded and performed within the scope of the CASCADE-PROJECT (Catastrophic shifts in drylands: how can we prevent ecosystem degradation? Grant agreement: 28306), funded by the European Commission (FP7-ENV.2011.2.1.4-2-Behaviour o ecosystems, thresholds and tipping points). We acknowledge financial support to CESAM by FCT/MCTES thought national funds (UIDP/50017/2020+UIDB/50017/2020+LA/P/0094/2020). We also acknowledge financial support the University of Aveiro through the assistant research contract of Oscar González-Pelayo (CDL-CTTRI-97-ARH/2018 (REF. 190-97-ARH/2018), and to the MED & CHANGE-University of Évora through the auxiliary research contract (Ref. UIDB/05183/2020). Thanks are also due to FCT for the research contract of Sérgio Prats (CDL-CTTRI-88-ARH/2018 REF.-138-88-ARH/2018) and auxiliary research contract (CEECIND/01473/2020), and Maruxa Malvar (SFRH/BPD/97977/2013), and the IF research grant of Jacob Keizer (IF/01465/2015) funded by national funds (OE), through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT/MCTES)

EFECTO DEL MÉTODO DEL DIBUJO SOBRE LAS FUNCIONES VISUOESPACIALES DE PREESCOLARES

El dibujo es considerado como una actividad que requiere del procesamiento de información viso-espacial compleja, se espera que un método formativo del dibujo favorezca la formación de esa habilidad. Para medir el efecto del método formativo del dibujo se utilizó un paradigma de procesamiento jerárquico de figuras viso-espaciales en las condiciones global y local (referencia). Los participantes del estudio fueron niños preescolares de 5.9 a 6.9 años de edad subdivididos en grupo control y grupo experimental. El método del dibujo fue aplicado en el grupo experimental durante un ciclo escolar 4 días a la semana durante 1 hora como actividad grupal en sus salones escolares. En ambos grupos se midieron los tiempos de reacción y la precisión ante las diferentes combinaciones posibles entre condiciones local y global y estímulos coherentes e incoherentes en el inicio y fin del ciclo escolar. Se encontraron diferencias cuantitativas y cualitativas entre el grupo experimental y el grupo control en la evaluación posterior a la aplicación del método del dibujo. Estas diferencias sugieren una mejor formación de las habilidades viso-espaciales para el grupo experimental.  Drawing is considered as an activity that requires the processing of complex visuospatial information, it is expected that a formative method of drawing favors the formation of that ability. To measure the effect of the formative method of drawing, a hierarchical processing paradigm of viso-spatial figures was used in global and local conditions (reference). The study participants were pre-school children aged 5.9 to 6.9 years old subdivided into control group and experimental group. The drawing method was applied in the experimental group during a school year 4 days a week for 1 hour as a group activity in their classrooms. In both groups, reaction times and precision were measured against the different possible combinations between local and global conditions and coherent and inconsistent stimuli at the beginning and end of the school year. Quantitative and qualitative differences were found between the experimental group and the control group in the evaluation after the application of the drawing method. These differences suggest a better formation of viso-spatial skills for the experimental group.  Article visualizations

Biochar impacts on runoff and soil erosion by water: a systematic global scale meta-analysis

Biochar application to soil has the potential to affect soil and vegetation properties that are key for the processes of runoff and soil erosion. However, both field and pot experiments show a vast range of effects, from strong reductions to strong increases in runoff and/or soil erosion. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify and interpret the impacts of biochar on runoff and soil erosion through the first systematic meta-analysis on this topic. The developed dataset consists of 184 pairwise observations for runoff and soil erosion from 30 independent studies but 8 of which just focused on soil erosion. Overall, biochar application to soil significantly reduced runoff by 25 % and erosion by 16 %. Mitigation of soil erosion in the tropics was approximately three times stronger (30 %) than at temperate latitudes (9 %); erosion reduction in the subtropical zone was 14 %, but not significantly different from either the tropical or temperate zones. Fewer reported field observations for runoff resulted in larger confidence intervals and only the temperate latitudes showed a significant effect (i.e. a 28 % reduction). At topsoil gravimetric biochar concentrations between 0.6 % and 2.5 %, significant reductions occurred in soil erosion, with no effect at lower and higher concentrations. Biochar experiments that included a vegetation cover reduced soil erosion more than twice as much as bare soil experiments, i.e. 27 % vs 12 %, respectively. This suggests that soil infiltration, canopy interception, and soil cohesion mechanisms may have synergistic effects. Soil amended with biochar pyrolyzed at >500 °C was associated with roughly double the erosion reduction than soil amended with biochar produced at 300–500 °C, which potentially could be related to the enhancement of hydrophobicity in the latter case. Our results demonstrate substantial potential for biochar to improve ecosystem services that are affected by increased infiltration and reduced erosion, while mechanistic understanding needs to be improved

Hernia de Amyand. Presentación de Caso.

ResumenSe presenta el caso de un paciente masculino de 68 años, con historia personal de asma bronquial e hipertrofia prostática benigna, quien fue referido al Hospital Clínico- Quirúrgico “General Freyre de Andrade”, con el diagnóstico de hernia inguinal derecha.Fue llevado a sala de operaciones y durante la cirugía se encontró   una hernia inguinal derecha indirecta, que contenía el apéndice cecal, deslizado dentro del saco herniario, condición que se conoce con el nombre de hernia de Amyand.Palabras claves . Apéndice cecal; Apendicitis; Hernia inguinal; Hernia de Amyand. SummaryWe presented the case of a 68 years old male, with personal history of Asthma and Prostatic benign hyperplasia. He was referred to the “General Freyre de Andrade” Surgical- Clinical Hospital with a diagnosis of right inguinal hernia. He was brought to the operating room where a direct inguinal hernia on the right side containing the cecal appendix, unaltered within the hernia sac was observed. This condition is known as Amyand hernia.Key words: Inguinal hernia. Amyand´s hernia. Appendicitis.

Vacuolating cytotoxin and variants in Atg16L1 that disrupt autophagy promote Helicobacter pylori infection in humans

Peer reviewedPreprin

The 2HWC HAWC Observatory Gamma Ray Catalog

We present the first catalog of TeV gamma-ray sources realized with the recently completed High Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC). It is the most sensitive wide field-of-view TeV telescope currently in operation, with a 1-year survey sensitivity of ~5-10% of the flux of the Crab Nebula. With an instantaneous field of view >1.5 sr and >90% duty cycle, it continuously surveys and monitors the sky for gamma ray energies between hundreds GeV and tens of TeV. HAWC is located in Mexico at a latitude of 19 degree North and was completed in March 2015. Here, we present the 2HWC catalog, which is the result of the first source search realized with the complete HAWC detector. Realized with 507 days of data and represents the most sensitive TeV survey to date for such a large fraction of the sky. A total of 39 sources were detected, with an expected contamination of 0.5 due to background fluctuation. Out of these sources, 16 are more than one degree away from any previously reported TeV source. The source list, including the position measurement, spectrum measurement, and uncertainties, is reported. Seven of the detected sources may be associated with pulsar wind nebulae, two with supernova remnants, two with blazars, and the remaining 23 have no firm identification yet.Comment: Submitted 2017/02/09 to the Astrophysical Journa