The pleiotropic transcriptional regulator NlpR contributes to the modulation of nitrogen metabolism, lipogenesis and triacylglycerol accumulation in oleaginous rhodococci

The regulatory mechanisms involved in lipogenesis and triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation are largely unknown in oleaginous rhodococci. In this study a regulatory protein (here called NlpR: Nitrogen lipid Regulator), which contributes to the modulation of nitrogen metabolism, lipogenesis and triacylglycerol accumulation in oleaginous rhodococci was identified. Under nitrogen deprivation conditions, in which TAG accumulation is stimulated, the nlpR gene was significantly upregulated, whereas a significant decrease of its expression and TAG accumulation occurred when cerulenin was added. The nlpR disruption negatively affected the nitrate/nitrite reduction as well as lipid biosynthesis under nitrogen-limiting conditions. In contrast, its overexpression increased TAG production during cultivation of cells in nitrogen-rich media. A putative ‘NlpR-binding motif’ upstream of several genes related to nitrogen and lipid metabolisms was found. The nlpR disruption in RHA1 strain led to a reduced transcription of genes involved in nitrate/nitrite assimilation, as well as in fatty acid and TAG biosynthesis. Purified NlpR was able to bind to narK, nirD, fasI, plsC and atf3 promoter regions. It was suggested that NlpR acts as a pleiotropic transcriptional regulator by activating of nitrate/nitrite assimilation genes and others genes involved in fatty acid and TAG biosynthesis, in response to nitrogen deprivation.Fil: Hernández, Martín Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "san Juan Bosco". Instituto de Biociencias de la Patagonia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Biociencias de la Patagonia; ArgentinaFil: Lara, María Julia. 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: Gago, Gabriela Marisa. 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: Gramajo, Hugo Cesar. 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: Alvarez, Hector Manuel. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "san Juan Bosco". Instituto de Biociencias de la Patagonia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Biociencias de la Patagonia; Argentin

Design and validation of an observational instrument to assess the technical execution in top-rope climbing

The aim of this study was to design and validate an observational instrument to assess the technical execution in top-rope climbing. This observational instrument allows researchers to assess the progression of climbers in relation to the achievement of key aspects of climbing movements. Firstly, a review of the specialized literature was performed to establish a set of criteria for observation. Secondly, content validation was carried out through the agreement and consensus method among ten expert judges at the qualitative level (degree of understanding, appropriateness of wording, relevance of questions, etc.), and quantitative level (global assessment on a scale from 0 to 10). Thirdly, this instrument was applied to a sample of seven climbers on an indoor climbing wall. Reliability was calculated through the application of the test-retest method. The results indicated that the instrument has optimal levels of reliability and validity for evaluating the technical execution of beginning climbers. The instrument can be considered as a useful tool which could be applied by instructors and teachers for discriminating the learning stage in beginning climbers

El juego como recurso didáctico para la enseñanza de contenidos culturales en la clase de FLE

Máster Univ. en Formación del Profes. en E.S.O., Bachillerato, F.P. y E.Ii

Diseño, construcción y evaluación de colectores solares modulares para piscinas

En este trabajo se propone un sistema de colección solar sin cubierta transparente para el calentamiento de agua, con la particularidad de que se integra al paisaje y al espacio de la pileta. A su vez, se da cuenta del diseño, construcción y monitoreo de un prototipo de este sistema constituido por baldosas cementicias equipadas con cañerías interiores para la circulación de agua. Estas baldosas pueden ser instaladas en los bordes de la pileta cumpliendo la doble función de borde y colector solar, sin agregar elementos disonantes al paisaje. El análisis de los resultados da cuenta de que una instalación de estas características, con un área de colección similar al espejo de agua de una pileta situada en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, permite extender el período de uso de la misma alrededor de un mes antes del inicio y un mes después de la finalización de la temporada veraniega.This paper proposes an unglazed solar water heating system with the particularity that is integrated into the landscape and the area of the pool. In addition, we present the design, construction and monitoring of a prototype of this system that consists of cementitious tiles equipped with inner pipes for water circulation. These tiles can be installed on the edges of the pool fulfilling the dual function of solar collector and pool edge, without adding discordant elements into the landscape. The analysis of the results shows that this kind of system, with a collecting area similar to the swimming pool area and located in the city of Buenos Aires, extends the period of use of the swimming pool about a month before the beginning and a month after the end of the summer season.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Diseño, construcción y evaluación de colectores solares modulares para piscinas

En este trabajo se propone un sistema de colección solar sin cubierta transparente para el calentamiento de agua, con la particularidad de que se integra al paisaje y al espacio de la pileta. A su vez, se da cuenta del diseño, construcción y monitoreo de un prototipo de este sistema constituido por baldosas cementicias equipadas con cañerías interiores para la circulación de agua. Estas baldosas pueden ser instaladas en los bordes de la pileta cumpliendo la doble función de borde y colector solar, sin agregar elementos disonantes al paisaje. El análisis de los resultados da cuenta de que una instalación de estas características, con un área de colección similar al espejo de agua de una pileta situada en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, permite extender el período de uso de la misma alrededor de un mes antes del inicio y un mes después de la finalización de la temporada veraniega.This paper proposes an unglazed solar water heating system with the particularity that is integrated into the landscape and the area of the pool. In addition, we present the design, construction and monitoring of a prototype of this system that consists of cementitious tiles equipped with inner pipes for water circulation. These tiles can be installed on the edges of the pool fulfilling the dual function of solar collector and pool edge, without adding discordant elements into the landscape. The analysis of the results shows that this kind of system, with a collecting area similar to the swimming pool area and located in the city of Buenos Aires, extends the period of use of the swimming pool about a month before the beginning and a month after the end of the summer season.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Influence of the level of connectivity on the members of the Octahedron and X-Octahedron families of tensegrities

Tensegrity structures based on topological patterns have been developed greatly in recent years. Tensegrities obtained from the same pattern are said to belong to a family. Two examples of tensegrity families are the Octahedron and the X-Octahedron, whose members are composed of rhombic and X-rhombic cells, respectively, which are collected in three groups. The general connectivity pattern of both families consists of three levels of connectivity. This work analyzes the influence of the reduction of the level of connectivity on the members of both families. The connection graphs corresponding to different levels of connectivity are defined based on the new concept of “twin tensegrities”. Analytical computations have been performed to determine the force:length ratios that satisfy equilibrium, stability, and super-stability conditions. In addition, the mathematical sequence that follows the ratio between the force:length ratio of struts and cables of the X-Octahedron family that leads to a super-stable equilibrium configuration is presented. The new tensegrities obtained in this work also belong to the Octahedron and X-Octahedron families and could have promising engineering applications such as modular constructions.Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBU

The video game as an information literacy tool for university students

Video games are useful learning tools in different fields. This work seeks to evaluate, through a self-developed video game, their usefulness as a learning tool for the information literacy of undergraduate students. The videogame “The last exam” was developed after the analysis of 1,639 user queries registered over 2 years at the Complutense University Library, and aims to answer queries common to other university libraries. To evaluate its impact, a single-group pilot experiment was carried out with 14 undergraduate students using a pre-test/post-test validated by experts. The results show significant improvements in the students’ information skills, as well as positive evaluations of the exercise. We conclude that the incorporation of video games as a complement to the content of library training programs can be beneficial, especially as an introduction or for reinforcement or evaluation

Mechanical characterization and elastic stiffness degradation of unstabilized rammed earth

Rammed earth is attracting renewed interest due to its sustainability. In this work, a mechanical characterization of unstabilized rammed earth is presented. Compressive strength, Young’s modulus, and Poisson’s ratio were determined, with the first of these being the most representative mechanical property of rammed earth. Stress – strain curves were obtained from uniaxial compression tests. Creep is of great importance in the long-term assessment of historical buildings and in the design of new ones. Samples of rammed earth were subjected to a constant load for 15 days to study their creep behavior. In order to simulate the long-term behavior of the material, different rheological models were fitted to the experimental results. The instantaneous deformation of rammed earth samples caused by a sudden additional load (maintaining a previous service load level) was also studied. This is the first time that this phenomenon, called elastic stiffness degradation, has been studied for rammed earth material

Glucose regulation in type 1 diabetic patients by a multi-doses regimen

"In this paper several multi-doses control regimens are suggested for type 1 diabetic patients. The suggested regimes are proposed based on different insulin formulations. The insulin doses are assumed to be infused by a subcutaneous injection in a three daily regimen prior to each meal. Mixing two types of insulin: rapid or short, and intermediate or long action, the basal and postprandial insulin productions of the pancreas are reproduced. The performance in the glucose regulation is evaluated during a 10-day trial by open-loop and closed-loop simulation with a compartmental model.

The Z-octahedron family: a new tensegrity family

The present paper work was sent to Engineering Structures on 23 April 2020 (it is currently under review).A new family of tensegrity structures is presented: the Z-octahedron family. A tensegrity family is a group of tensegrity structures that share a common connectivity pattern. The members of the Z-octahedron family have been obtained replacing the elementary rhombic cells of the members of the octahedron family with elementary Z-shaped cells. In addition, a higher number of possible force density or force:length ratio values have been considered. The values of the force:length ratio of the members of the family that lead to super-stable tensegrity forms have been computed analytically. Two members of the family have been obtained: the Z-expanded octahedron and the Z-double-expanded octahedron. Finally it has been proved that the Z-double-expanded octahedron obtained here from topological rules can also be defined from a truncated cube based on purely geometrical intuition