Alkamides Activate Jasmonic Acid Biosynthesis and Signaling Pathways and Confer Resistance to Botrytis cinerea in Arabidopsis thaliana

Alkamides are fatty acid amides of wide distribution in plants, structurally related to N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones (AHLs) from Gram-negative bacteria and to N- acylethanolamines (NAEs) from plants and mammals. Global analysis of gene expression changes in Arabidopsis thaliana in response to N-isobutyl decanamide, the most highly active alkamide identified to date, revealed an overrepresentation of defense-responsive transcriptional networks. In particular, genes encoding enzymes for jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis increased their expression, which occurred in parallel with JA, nitric oxide (NO) and H2O2 accumulation. The activity of the alkamide to confer resistance against the necrotizing fungus Botrytis cinerea was tested by inoculating Arabidopsis detached leaves with conidiospores and evaluating disease symptoms and fungal proliferation. N-isobutyl decanamide application significantly reduced necrosis caused by the pathogen and inhibited fungal proliferation. Arabidopsis mutants jar1 and coi1 altered in JA signaling and a MAP kinase mutant (mpk6), unlike salicylic acid- (SA) related mutant eds16/sid2-1, were unable to defend from fungal attack even when N-isobutyl decanamide was supplied, indicating that alkamides could modulate some necrotrophic-associated defense responses through JA-dependent and MPK6-regulated signaling pathways. Our results suggest a role of alkamides in plant immunity induction

Significantly enhancement of sunlight photocatalytic performance of ZnO by doping with transition metal oxides

In this study we report, the synthesis of ZnO and its doping with Transition Metal Oxides -TMO-, such as Cr2O3, MnO2, FeO, CoO, NiO, Cu2O and CuO. Various characterization techniques were employed to investigate the structural properties. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) data and Rietveld refinement confirmed the presence of TMO phases and that the ZnO structure was not affected by the doping with TMO which was corroborated using transmission Electron microscopy (TEM). Surface areas were low due to blockage of adsorption sites by particle aggregation. TMO doping concentration in the range of 3.7–5.1% was important to calculate the catalytic activity. The UV–Visible spectra showed the variation in the band gap of TMO/ZnO ranging from 3.45 to 2.46 eV. The surface catalyzed decomposition of H2O2 was used as the model reaction to examine the photocatalytic activity following the oxygen production and the systems were compared to bulk ZnO and commercial TiO2-degussa (Aeroxyde-P25). The results indicate that the introduction of TMO species increase significantly the photocatalytic activity. The sunlight photocatalytic performance in ZnO-doped was greater than bulk-ZnO and in the case of MnO2, CoO, Cu2O and CuO surpasses TiO2 (P25-Degussa). This report opens up a new pathway to the design of high-performance materials used in photocatalytic degradation under visible light irradiation

Genomic analysis of a novel pathogenic variant in the gene LMNA associated with cardiac laminopathies found in Ecuadorian siblings: A case report

IntroductionCardiac laminopathies are caused by mutations in the LMNA gene and include a wide range of clinical manifestations involving electrical and mechanical changes in cardiomyocytes. In Ecuador, cardiovascular diseases were the primary cause of death in 2019, accounting for 26.5% of total deaths. Cardiac laminopathy-associated mutations involve genes coding for structural proteins with functions related to heart development and physiology.Family descriptionTwo Ecuadorian siblings, self-identified as mestizos, were diagnosed with cardiac laminopathies and suffered embolic strokes. Moreover, by performing Next-Generation Sequencing, a pathogenic variant (NM_170707.3:c.1526del) was found in the gene LMNA.Discussion and conclusionCurrently, genetic tests are an essential step for disease genetic counseling, including cardiovascular disease diagnosis. Identification of a genetic cause that may explain the risk of cardiac laminopathies in a family can help the post-test counseling and recommendations from the cardiologist. In the present report, a pathogenic variant ((NM_170707.3:c.1526del) has been identified in two Ecuadorian siblings with cardiac laminopathies. The LMNA gene codes for A-type laminar proteins that are associated with gene transcription regulation. Mutations in the LMNA gene cause laminopathies, disorders with diverse phenotypic manifestations. Moreover, understanding the molecular biology of the disease-causing mutations is essential in deciding the correct type of treatment

Nitrogen and Phosphorous Retention in Tropical Eutrophic Reservoirs with Water Level Fluctuations: A Case Study Using Mass Balances on a Long-Term Series

Nitrogen and phosphorous loading drives eutrophication of aquatic systems. Lakes and reservoirs are often effective N and P sinks, but the variability of their biogeochemical dynamics is still poorly documented, particularly in tropical systems. To contribute to the extending of information on tropical reservoirs and to increase the insight on the factors affecting N and P cycling in aquatic ecosystems, we here report on a long-term N and P mass balance (2003–2018) in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, which showed that this tropical eutrophic reservoir lake acts as a net sink of N (−41.7 g N m y) and P (−2.7 g P m y), mainly occurring through net sedimentation, equivalent to 181% and 68% of their respective loading (23.0 g N m y and 4.2 g P m y). The N mass balance also showed that the Valle de Bravo reservoir has a high net N atmospheric influx (31.6 g N m y), which was 1.3 times the external load and likely dominated by N fixation. P flux was driven mainly by external load, while in the case of N, net fixation also contributed. During a period of high water level fluctuations, the net N atmospheric flux decreased by 50% compared to high level years. Our results outlining water regulation can be used as a useful management tool of water bodies, by decreasing anoxic conditions and net atmospheric fluxes, either through decreasing nitrogen fixation and/or promoting denitrification and other microbial processes that alleviate the N load. These findings also sustain the usefulness of long-term mass balances to assess biogeochemical dynamics and its variability.This research was funded by UNAM, PAPIIT-IN207702 and CONACYT-SEMARNAT, C01-1125 projects to M.M-

Vertical Boundary Mixing Events during Stratification Govern Heat and Nutrient Dynamics in a Windy Tropical Reservoir Lake with Important Water-Level Fluctuations: A Long-Term (2001–2021) Study

hysical processes play important roles in controlling eutrophication and oligotrophication. In stratified lakes, internal waves can cause vertical transport of heat and nutrients without breaking the stratification, through boundary mixing events. Such is the case in tropical Valle de Bravo (VB) reservoir lake, where strong diurnal winds drive internal waves, boundary mixing, and hypolimnetic warming during stratification periods. We monitored VB during 21 years (2001–2021) when important water-level fluctuations occurred, affecting mixing and nutrient flux. Stability also varied as a function of water level. Hypolimnetic warming (0.009–0.028 °C day−1) occurred in all the stratifications monitored. We analyzed temperature distributions and modeled the hypolimnion heat budget to assess vertical mixing between layers (0.639–3.515 × 10−6 m3 day−1), vertical diffusivity coefficient KZ (2.5 × 10−6–13.6 × 10−6 m2 s−1), and vertical nutrient transport to the epilimnion. Nutrient flux from the metalimnion to the epilimnion ranged 0.42–5.99 mg P m−2day−1 for soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and 5.8–101.7 mg N m−2day−1 for dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN). Vertical mixing and the associated nutrient fluxes increase evidently as the water level decreases 8 m below capacity, and they can increase up to fivefold if the water level drops over 12 m. The observed changes related to water level affect nutrient recycling, ecosystemic metabolic balance, and planktonic composition of VB.This research was funded by UNAM (PAPIIT-IN207702 and PAPIIT-IN111321) and by CONACYT-SEMARNAT (C01-1125) projects to M.M.-I.Peer reviewe

Raicilla clúster de turismo

Es importante mencionar que este proyecto corresponde al seguimiento de los ciclos anteriores, Primavera y Verano 2022. Enunciando el plan de continuidad que se tuvo, se avanzó con la creación de un taller de capacitación para la profesionalización de las experiencias, llevando a la existencia la estructura y contenido que se presentará con el objetivo de que durante la siguiente etapa (Primavera 2023) se pueda llevar a cabo. Durante el actual semestre, se realizaron diversos productos, levantamientos de información y entregas que derivaron en la creación del “Taller de Profesionalización de Experiencias Turísticas para la Ruta de la Raicilla.” Los objetivos de este producto son crear interés entre los raicilleros y taberneros a través de la información y el conocimiento del potencial turístico que tiene la raicilla no solo como un objeto de evento, sino como un producto turístico. Además, se crearon productos para redes sociales que sirvieran como guía para aquellas tabernas que busquen impulsar sus marcas y productos a través de campañas de comunicación en estos medios, el objetivo de estos productos fue unificar la manera en que las marcas de raicilla se comunican con sus potenciales clientes y el público interesado.ITESO, A.C

Epidemiological trends of HIV/HCV coinfection in Spain, 2015-2019

Altres ajuts: Spanish AIDS Research Network; European Funding for Regional Development (FEDER).Objectives: We assessed the prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies and active HCV infection (HCV-RNA-positive) in people living with HIV (PLWH) in Spain in 2019 and compared the results with those of four similar studies performed during 2015-2018. Methods: The study was performed in 41 centres. Sample size was estimated for an accuracy of 1%. Patients were selected by random sampling with proportional allocation. Results: The reference population comprised 41 973 PLWH, and the sample size was 1325. HCV serostatus was known in 1316 PLWH (99.3%), of whom 376 (28.6%) were HCV antibody (Ab)-positive (78.7% were prior injection drug users); 29 were HCV-RNA-positive (2.2%). Of the 29 HCV-RNA-positive PLWH, infection was chronic in 24, it was acute/recent in one, and it was of unknown duration in four. Cirrhosis was present in 71 (5.4%) PLWH overall, three (10.3%) HCV-RNA-positive patients and 68 (23.4%) of those who cleared HCV after anti-HCV therapy (p = 0.04). The prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies decreased steadily from 37.7% in 2015 to 28.6% in 2019 (p < 0.001); the prevalence of active HCV infection decreased from 22.1% in 2015 to 2.2% in 2019 (p < 0.001). Uptake of anti-HCV treatment increased from 53.9% in 2015 to 95.0% in 2019 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: In Spain, the prevalence of active HCV infection among PLWH at the end of 2019 was 2.2%, i.e. 90.0% lower than in 2015. Increased exposure to DAAs was probably the main reason for this sharp reduction. Despite the high coverage of treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents, HCV-related cirrhosis remains significant in this population