Comparison of theoretical heat transfer model with results from experimental monitoring installed in a refurbishment with ventilated facade

One of the main points to consider when a building is renovated is the improvement of its energy efficiency, minimizing the heat loss through the enclosures and its heating consumption. Under this scope idea a ventilated facade was designed and incorporated in an educational building located in the city of Burgos (Spain). The main objective of this document is a comparison between the theoretical model of heat transfer across the building envelope separating the environment and the interior space, and the heat intake through a linear regression model with installed experimental monitoring. For this it has been necessary to carry out an exhaustive study of the thermal transmission of each one of the materials that make up the thermal envelope of the building, as well as the linear thermal bridges that can be produced before and after the renovation. In addition, thanks to the monitoring installed in the demonstrator building, the interior and exterior temperatures and the heat consumption of each of the radiators is known. In this way expected and real energy savings have been compared

Susceptibility of pepper weevil (anthonomus eugenii cano) (coleoptera: curculionidae) to seven insecticides in rural areas of Baja California Sur, México

The susceptibility of the pepper weevil (Anthonomus eugenii), collected from Baja California Sur, Mexico, to seven insecticides was determined. Acontact, residual exposition method was used to obtain the lethal concentrations fifty (LC50) and the diagnostic concentration (LC95) of organophosphates (OF), carbamates (CA), pyrethroids (PIR), and organochlorine (OC) insecticides used to control pepper weevils from two agricultural areas (Los Planes and Todos Santos) in Southern Baja California Peninsula, as well as on a pepper weevil population not exposed to insecticides (PWIF) for two years. The highest LC50’s were obtained for methomyl (CA) and oxamyl (CA), followed by methamidophos (OF), endosulfan (OC), cyfluthrin (PIR) and azinphos-methyl (OF). The lowest LC50’s were observed for carbaryl (CA). The field population from Todos Santos showed lower susceptibility than the population from Los Planes to insecticides as methomyl, oxamyl, and carbaryl, while with methamidophos, azinphos-methyl, and cyfluthrin, the LC50 showed higher values. The PWIF population presented the lowest LC50 values of all three populations tested. However, in most cases, the difference was not significant in relation to the two field populations, thus the PWIF population needs to be kept free of insecticides for longer periods to establish a susceptibility baseline for Anthonomus eugenii

The cyanobacterial ribosomal-associated protein LrtA from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is an oligomeric protein in solution with chameleonic sequence properties

The LrtA protein of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 intervenes in cyanobacterial post-stress survival and in stabilizing 70S ribosomal particles. It belongs to the hibernating promoting factor (HPF) family of proteins, involved in protein synthesis. In this work, we studied the conformational preferences and stability of isolated LrtA in solution. At physiological conditions, as shown by hydrodynamic techniques, LrtA was involved in a self-association equilibrium. As indicated by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence, the protein acquired a folded, native-like conformation between pH 6.0 and 9.0. However, that conformation was not very stable, as suggested by thermal and chemical denaturations followed by CD and fluorescence. Theoretical studies of its highly-charged sequence suggest that LrtA had a Janus sequence, with a context-dependent fold. Our modelling and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations indicate that the protein adopted the same fold observed in other members of the HPF family ( - - - - - ) at its N-terminal region (residues 1–100), whereas the C terminus (residues 100–197) appeared disordered and collapsed, supporting the overall percentage of overall secondary structure obtained by CD deconvolution. Then, LrtA has a chameleonic sequence and it is the first member of the HPF family involved in a self-association equilibrium, when isolated in solution.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CTQ2015-64445-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad BIO2016-78020-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad FIS2014-52212-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad BIO2016-75634-PFundación Séneca 19353/PI/1

Differential expression of circulating miRNAs as a novel tool to assess BAG3-associated familial dilated cardiomyopathy.

A new familial dilated cardiomyopathy (FDCM) was found related to mutations in BAG3 gene. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent new targets of FDCM, although no studies have assessed clinical association between Bcl2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3)-related DCM and miRNAs. Here, we studied whether a clinical association between BAG3-related FDCM and circulating miRNAs may have diagnostic and prognostic value in a small cohort of familial related individuals carrying a BAG3 mutation (BAG3+) and/or diagnosed of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (DCM+). The analysis of 1759 circulating miRNAs showed significant differences between BAG3+ and BAG3- individuals for miRNAs mir-3191-3p, 6769b-3p, 1249-ep, 154-5p, 6855-5p, and 182-5p, while comparisons between BAG3+/DCM+ versus BAG3+/DCM- were restricted to miRNAs mir-154-5p, 6885-5p, and 182-5p, showing significant correlation with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, A wave, left atrium length, and left atrium area. Additionally, when stratified by gender and age, miRNAs were statistically correlated with critical parameters, including left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) and ventricular diameter, in women and young men. Likewise, 56% of BAG3+/DCM+, significantly co-expressed mir-154-5p and mir-182-5p, and a slight 4% did not express such combination, suggesting that co-expression of mir-154-5p and mir-182-5p may potentially show diagnostic value. Further studies will require long-term follow-up, and validation in larger populations.post-print729 K

Flavonoid and Capsaicinoid Contents and Consumption of Mexican Chili Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Landraces

There is insufficient evidence to identify the precise health effects of chili pepper consumption. However, there is evidence of their topical use as an analgesic to decrease pain from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, neuralgias, neuropathic diabetes, neuronal dysfunctions and inflammation, among others. In this work, the diversity and variety of consumed forms of chilis in Mexico, flavonoid and capsaicinoid content in fruits, and their potential health uses are documented, based on various research results and bibliographic information. In Mexico, more than 150 landraces of wild and cultivated origins are consumed and preserved and are distributed throughout the country; the greatest diversity is concentrated in the central and south-southeastern regions. Consumption per capita in urban households is from 8 to 9 kg, and in rural communities, it varies from 14 to 17 kg. Chili peppers contain up to 23 flavonoids and 20 capsaicinoids, differing among landraces because of crop management, maturation of fruits, postharvest management and ecological-environmental influences. Flavonoids and capsaicinoids confer antioxidant, anticarcinogenic properties on the fruit and have lipolytic and preventative effects on chronic degenerative diseases. However, in vitro and in vivo experimental trials of capsaicinoids and flavonoids with beneficial effects must be conducted with regard to human health

A 17-residue sequence from the matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) hemopexin domain binds α4β1 integrin and inhibits MMP-9-induced functions in chronic lymphocytic leukemia B cells

13 páginas, 7 figuras, 2 tablas -- PAGS nros. 27601-27613We previously showed that pro-matrix metalloproteinase-9 (proMMP-9) binds to B chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) cells and contributes to B-CLL progression by regulating cell migration and survival. Induction of cell survival involves a non-proteolytic mechanism and the proMMP-9 hemopexin domain (PEX9). To help design specific inhibitors of proMMP-9-cell binding, we have now characterized B-CLL cell interaction with the isolated PEX9. B-CLL cells bound soluble and immobilized GST-PEX9, but not GST, and binding was mediated by α4β1 integrin. The ability to recognize PEX9 was observed in all 20 primary samples studied irrespective of their clinical stage or prognostic marker phenotype. By preparing truncated forms of GST-PEX9 containing structural blades B1B2 or B3B4, we have identified B3B4 as the primary α4β1 integrin-interacting region within PEX9. Overlapping synthetic peptides spanning B3B4 were then tested in functional assays. Peptide P3 (FPGVPLDTHDVFQYREKAYFC), a sequence present in B4 or smaller versions of this sequence (peptides P3a/P3b), inhibited B-CLL cell adhesion to GST-PEX9 or proMMP-9, with IC50 values of 138 and 279 μm, respectively. Mutating the two aspartate residues to alanine rendered the peptides inactive. An anti-P3 antibody also inhibited adhesion to GST-PEX9 and proMMP-9. GST-PEX9, GST-B3B4, and P3/P3a/P3b peptides inhibited B-CLL cell transendothelial migration, whereas the mutated peptide did not. B-CLL cell incubation with GST-PEX9 induced intracellular survival signals, namely Lyn phosphorylation and Mcl-1 up-regulation, and this was also prevented by the P3 peptides. The P3 sequence may, therefore, constitute an excellent target to prevent proMMP-9 contribution to B-CLL pathogenesisThis work was supported by Grants SAF2009–07035 and RTICC RD06/0020/0011 (to A. G.-P.) and RTICC RD06/0020/0080 (to M. J. T.) from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain, and by a grant from the Fundación Puerta de Hierro (to J. A. G. M.)Peer reviewe

Fourier transform mid infrared spectroscopy applications for monitoring the structural plasticity of plant cell walls

[EN] Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy has been extensively used as a potent, fast and non-destructive procedure for analyzing cell wall architectures, with the capacity to provide abundant information about their polymers, functional groups, and in muro entanglement. In conjunction with multivariate analyses, this method has proved to be a valuable tool for tracking alterations in cell walls. The present review examines recent progress in the use of FT-MIR spectroscopy to monitor cell wall changes occurring in muro as a result of various factors, such as growth and development processes, genetic modifications, exposition or habituation to cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors and responses to other abiotic or biotic stresses, as well as its biotechnological applicationsSIThe authors thank Antonio Encina, Penélope García-Angulo, and María de Castro for their helpful scientific discussion, and to Denise Phelps for the English revision of the manuscrip

Effect of VDR gene polymorphisms on osteocalcin secretion in calcitriol-stimulated human osteoblasts

Effect of VDR gene polymorphisms on osteocalcin secretion in calcitriol-stimulated human osteoblasts.BackgroundThe impact of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms in bone metabolism remains controversial. Some authors have found a beneficial effect of some VDR gene polymorphisms, while others found no differences, or even a lower bone mass in subjects with the same type of polymorphisms. The aim of this study was to assess if the VDR gene polymorphisms could have an effect on the calcitriol-stimulated osteocalcin in human osteoblasts.MethodsOsteoblasts were obtained from human femoral necks replaced because of osteoarthritis. Bones were cut into pieces of 1 to 2mm and placed in a nylon mesh. After the migration of osteoblasts, the pieces were collected and cultured with different concentrations of calcitriol (10−8, 10−9, and 10−10 mol/L). After 48 hours of incubation with calcitriol, the osteocalcin secreted into the medium (corrected by either total proteins or total DNA content) was measured. The DNA was extracted from the osteoblasts, amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and analyzed for target sequences sites of the BsmI, ApaI, TaqI, and FokI restriction enzymes.ResultsThe response observed in osteocalcin secretion in the bb or TT genotypes doubled the response observed in the BB or tt genotypes (calcitriol 10−8 and 10−9 mol/L). A slight trend was also observed with the aa genotype. Men showed higher levels of osteocalcin secretion than women. Age did not show any influence in osteocalcin secretion.ConclusionVDR alleles and gender demonstrated an effect on the osteocalcin secretion. BB or tt genotypes, and also the “A” allele, showed the lowest calcitriol-stimulated osteocalcin secretion