Genetic Engineering of Lesquerella with Increased Ricinoleic Acid Content in Seed Oil

Seeds of castor (Ricinus communis) are enriched in oil with high levels of the industrially valuable fatty acid ricinoleic acid (18:1OH), but production of this plant is limited because of the cooccurrence of the ricin toxin in its seeds. Lesquerella (Physaria fendleri) is being developed as an alternative industrial oilseed because its seeds accumulate lesquerolic acid (20:1OH), an elongated form of 18:1OH in seed oil which lacks toxins. Synthesis of 20:1OH is through elongation of 18:1OH by a lesquerella elongase, PfKCS18. Oleic acid (18:1) is the substrate for 18:1OH synthesis, but it is also used by fatty acid desaturase 2 (FAD2) and FAD3 to sequentially produce linoleic and linolenic acids. To develop lesquerella that produces 18:1OH-rich seed oils such as castor, RNA interference sequences targeting KCS18, FAD2 and FAD3 were introduced to lesquerella to suppress the elongation and desaturation steps. Seeds from transgenic lines had increased 18:1OH to 1.1–26.6% compared with that of 0.4–0.6% in wild-type (WT) seeds. Multiple lines had reduced 18:1OH levels in the T2 generation, including a top line with 18:1OH reduced from 26.7% to 19%. Transgenic lines also accumulated more 18:1 than that of WT, indicating that 18:1 is not efficiently used for 18:1OH synthesis and accumulation. Factors limiting 18:1OH accumulation and new targets for further increasing 18:1OH production are discussed. Our results provide insights into complex mechanisms of oil biosynthesis in lesquerella and show the biotechnological potential to tailor lesquerella seeds to produce castor-like industrial oil functionality

Adaptive refinement and selection process through defect localization for reconstructing an inhomogeneous refraction index

We consider the iterative reconstruction of both the internal geometry and the values of an inhomogeneous acoustic refraction index through a piecewise constant approximation. In this context, we propose two enhancements intended to reduce the number of parameters to reconstruct, while preserving accuracy. This is achieved through the use of geometrical informations obtained from a previously developed defect localization method. The first enhancement consists in a preliminary selection of relevant parameters, while the second one is an adaptive refinement to enhance precision with a low number of parameters. Each of them is numerically illustrated

Oxygen adsorption on Au clusters and a rough Au(111) surface: The role of surface flatness, electron confinement, excess electrons, and band gap

It has been shown recently that while bulk gold is chemically inert, small Au clusters are catalytically active. The reasons for this activity and its dramatic dependence on cluster size are not understood. We use density functional theory to study O2 binding to Au clusters and to a Au(111) surface modified by adsorption of Au clusters on it. We find that O2 does not bind to a flat face of a planar Au cluster, even though it binds well to its edge. Moreover, O2 binds to Au clusters deposited on a Au(111) surface, even though it does not bind to Au(111). This indicates that a band gap is not an essential factor in binding O2, but surface roughness is. Adding electrons to the surface of a Au(111) slab, on which one has deposited a Au cluster, increases the binding energy of O2. However, adding electrons to a flat Ausurface has no effect on O2binding energy. These observations have a simple explanation: in clusters and in the rough surface, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) is localized and its charge density sticks out in the vacuum. This facilitates charge transfer into the π* orbital of O2, which induces the molecule to bind to gold. A flat face of a cluster or a flat bulk surface tends to delocalize the HOMO, diminishing the ability of the surface to bind O2. The same statements are true for the LUMO orbital, which is occupied by the additional electron given to the system to charge the system negatively

Una Revisión Sistemática en los Marcos de Trabajo de Desarrollo Software en las MiPyMEs Productoras de Software

Resumen: Una revisión sistemática es considerada como un método o protocolo que permite sintetizar investigaciones científicas de diversas áreas, la Ingeniería de Software no es la excepción. En este artículo se presenta este protocolo aplicado en la búsqueda de publicaciones relacionadas con las adaptaciones a los marcos de trabajo de desarrollo de software llevadas a cabo en MiPyMEs desarrolladoras de software, en el período comprendido de 1995 al 2013, centrándose en tendencias, países y sectores que publican; así como en los modelos, metodologías, estándares, procesos técnicos, procesos de implementación y procesos de reúso del software. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que los países con mayor número de publicaciones sobre el tópico seleccionado son Estados Unidos y Reino Unido, que en su conjunto suman 21%; y que otros países suman el 79% restante. Se observa que el sector con mayor número de publicaciones es el sector educativo con 76%, seguido por los centros de investigación con 18% y el sector privado con el 6%. El modelo de procesos y la metodología más utilizados son CMMi con 33% e IDEAL con 22%, respectivamente. Los estándares más utilizados, con el 18% cada uno, son el ISO/IEC 15504 y CORBA; y los procesos del ciclo de vida del software mayormente abordados son: análisis de requisitos del sistema con un 33% y construcción con un 29%. Palabras Clave: MiPyME, revisión sistemática, modelos, metodologías, estándares de desarrollo de software, procesos técnicos, procesos de implementación, procesos de reúso del software

Determining the shape of defects in non-absorbing inhomogeneous media from far-field measurements

International audienceWe consider non-absorbing inhomogeneous media represented by some refraction index. We have developed a method to reconstruct, from far-field measurements, the shape of the areas where the actual index differs from a reference index. Following the principle of the Factorization Method, we present a fast reconstruction algorithm relying on far field measurements and near field values, easily computed from the reference index. Our reconstruction result is illustrated by several numerical test cases

Polygenic Parkinson's Disease Genetic Risk Score as Risk Modifier of Parkinsonism in Gaucher Disease

Background: Biallelic pathogenic variants in GBA1 are the cause of Gaucher disease (GD) type 1 (GD1), a lysosomal storage disorder resulting from deficient glucocerebrosidase. Heterozygous GBA1 variants are also a common genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD). GD manifests with considerable clinical heterogeneity and is also associated with an increased risk for PD. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the contribution of PD risk variants to risk for PD in patients with GD1. Methods: We studied 225 patients with GD1, including 199 without PD and 26 with PD. All cases were genotyped, and the genetic data were imputed using common pipelines. Results: On average, patients with GD1 with PD have a significantly higher PD genetic risk score than those without PD (P = 0.021). Conclusions: Our results indicate that variants included in the PD genetic risk score were more frequent in patients with GD1 who developed PD, suggesting that common risk variants may affect underlying biological pathways. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA

Clasificación Internacional del Funcionamiento de la discapacidad y de la salud (CIF): algunas experiencias de su aplicación y usos en américa latina

Este artículo tiene corno objetivo dar a conocer cómo la implemen- tación de la Clasificación Interna- cional de Defic iencias, Discapa- cidades y Minusvalías CIDDM-2 o Clasificación Internacional de Funcionamiento (CIF) está siendo implementada en la América Lat ina . Por medio de descripciones breves de cómo los países de la región (Argentina. Chile. Hon- duras, Méx ico, Panamá) adoptan esa clasificación, podernos aprender más sobre cómo las personas con discapacidad pueden ser beneficiadas en su capacidad de acceso a servicis de salud y rehabilitación

Controlling Activity and Selectivity Using Water in the Au-Catalysed Preferential Oxidation of CO in H\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e

Industrial hydrogen production through methane steam reforming exceeds 50 million tons annually and accounts for 2–5% of global energy consumption. The hydrogen product, even after processing by the water–gas shift, still typically contains ∼1% CO, which must be removed for many applications. Methanation (CO + 3H2 → CH4 + H2O) is an effective solution to this problem, but consumes 5–15% of the generated hydrogen. The preferential oxidation (PROX) of CO with O2 in hydrogen represents a more-efficient solution. Supported gold nanoparticles, with their high CO-oxidation activity and notoriously low hydrogenation activity, have long been examined as PROX catalysts, but have shown disappointingly low activity and selectivity. Here we show that, under the proper conditions, a commercial Au/Al2O3 catalyst can remove CO to below 10 ppm and still maintain an O2-to-CO2 selectivity of 80–90%. The key to maximizing the catalyst activity and selectivity is to carefully control the feed-flow rate and maintain one to two monolayers of water (a key CO-oxidation co-catalyst) on the catalyst surface

Dispersion of contaminants in water courses: Studies in Chumbao river, Perú

Se estudia el modo de dispersión de un dado contaminante vertido en un curso de agua mediante un método experimental consistente en el uso de un “marcador” o sustancia “traza”. Se aplica en un tramo de 100 metros del río Chumbao en la Provincia de Andahuaylas, Perú. En la práctica, el marcador utilizado es una solución de sal común (cloruro de sodio) vertido mediante un tubo de dos pulgadas, recolectando las muestras tramo abajo cada 30 segundos. Analizando la conductividad eléctrica de las muestras se estima la concentración de marcador en cada punto de recolección, y con ello los posibles valores de los parámetros de dispersión de un eventual contaminante sobre el río. Se comprueba que un modelo simple de dispersión gaussiana representa de un modo suficientemente preciso las condiciones observadas.The dispersion of a given contaminant poured in a water course is studied through an experimental method consistent in the use of a “marker” or “trace” substance. It is applied in a 100 m section of Chumbao River in Andahuaylas Province, Perú. In practice, the used tracer is a common salt (sodium chloride) solution poured through a two-inch tube, collecting samples at the end of the section at a rate of 30 seconds. The concentration of tracer at each collection point is estimated by analyzing the electric conductivity of the samples, and from them the possible values of the dispersion parameters of an eventual contaminant on the river. It is verified that a simple Gaussian dispersion model is precise enough to represent the observed conditions.Fil: Quispe Prado, Wilber. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Departamento de Investigación Institucional; Argentina. Universidad Nacional José María Arguedas; PerúFil: Herrera, Luis Alberto. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Departamento de Investigación Institucional; ArgentinaFil: Sichez Muñoz, J.. Universidad Nacional José María Arguedas; PerúFil: Parodi, Miguel Ángel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Departamento de Investigación Institucional; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura; ArgentinaFil: Matar, Maricel Alicia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Departamento de Investigación Institucional; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura; ArgentinaFil: Gómez Insausti, Javier. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Departamento de Investigación Institucional; ArgentinaFil: Calcagno, Grisel. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Departamento de Investigación Institucional; ArgentinaFil: Barrea, Leonardo Damián. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Departamento de Investigación Institucional; ArgentinaFil: Mechni, Mirta. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Departamento de Investigación Institucional; ArgentinaFil: Luccini, Eduardo Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Provincia de Córdoba. Ministerio de Ciencia y Técnica. Centro de Excelencia en Productos y Procesos de Córdoba; Argentina. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Departamento de Investigación Institucional; Argentin