The 3¿UTR of the West Nile Virus genomic RNA is a potential antiviral target site

The protein coding-information only represents a small portion of the genetic load of a living organism. It is well established that essential information codes functional RNAs, called non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which play key roles in the essential biological processes of the cell life. Many mRNAs also act as truly ncRNAs besides being translated into proteins. Therefore, the repertoire of potential drug targets to fight diseases goes beyond proteins. Viral RNA genomes encode all the information for completion of the infectious cycle. They are multifunctional molecules, which act as replication templates and mRNAs. Further, defined structural domains in viral RNA genomes play key functions for the completion of the viral cycle and the regulation of the essential processes; these domains have also been involved in virulence. The West Nile Virus (WNV) genome consists in a single stranded RNA molecule, which contains a single ORF flanked by untranslated regions (UTRs). The 3¿UTR is required for efficient translation, but the mechanisms involved in this regulation are still obscure. In this work, we show evidences that the WNV-3¿UTR specifically recruits the 40S ribosomal subunit. We have localized two potential binding sites of the 40S. Binding of the 40S induced conformational changes in highly conserved structural domains within the WNV-3¿UTR. Functional assays support the hypothesis that recruitment of the 40S particle by the 3¿UTR is required for an efficient translation. Interfering with the 40S recruitment, by targeting the WNV-3¿UTR binding sites, constitutes a potential antiviral strategy by the development of new therapeutic compounds

Loss of function of Arabidopsis microRNA-machinery genes impairs fertility, and has effects on homologous recombination and meiotic chromatin dynamics

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ~22-nt single-stranded noncoding RNAs with regulatory roles in a wide range of cellular functions by repressing eukaryotic gene expression at a post-transcriptional level. Here, we analyzed the effects on meiosis and fertility of hypomorphic or null alleles of the HYL1, HEN1, DCL1, HST and AGO1 genes, which encode miRNA-machinery components in Arabidopsis. Reduced pollen and megaspore mother cell number and fertility were shown by the mutants analyzed. These mutants also exhibited a relaxed chromatin conformation in male meiocytes at the first meiotic division, and increased chiasma frequency, which is likely to be due to increased levels of mRNAs from key genes involved in homologous recombination. The hen1-13 mutant was found to be hypersensitive to gamma irradiation, which mainly causes double-strand breaks susceptible to be repaired by homologous recombination. Our findings uncover a role for miRNA-machinery components in Arabidopsis meiosis, as well as in the repression of key genes required for homologous recombination. These genes seem to be indirect miRNA targets

The Interplay between Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Phases of PdAu Catalysts for the Oxidation of Alcohols

The relationship between the homogeneous and heterogeneous phases of a catalyst is widely neglected in part due to the inherent differences between the experimental and theoretical techniques employed to study them. It is well-known that, under reaction conditions, many homogeneous catalysts deactivate and generate black metals (i.e., nanoparticles). Simultaneously, heterogeneous catalysts tend to suffer of leaching processes under harsh conditions, which produce the formation of species in the homogeneous phase (i.e., volatile or organometallic species). To unravel the links between these two types of catalytic species, we have taken PdAu catalysts in the oxidation of crotyl alcohol to crotonaldehyde and investigated the reaction process for both homogeneous and heterogeneous phases. We show that the process is possible in both phases and, essentially, contains the same elementary steps. The results indicate that the homogeneous catalyst is slightly more active; however, the enhanced stability of the heterogeneous phase provides a better performance under relevant reaction conditions. Both catalytic systems are connected through two simple steps that can be computed: oxidative leaching and deposition. The oxidative leaching of the PdAu nanoparticles in the presence of dioxygen can produce Pd(II) monomeric species able to catalyze the alcohol oxidation in homogeneous conditions. After the reaction the reduced Pd(0) homogeneous catalyst is reabsorbed onto the PdAu nanoparticles, preventing the aggregation process. The present work shows that the full homogeneous/heterogeneous catalytic cycle can be analyzed in a holistic manner with computational techniques

La Equidad De Género En Los Agronegocios: Sector Comercio De Insumos Agropecuarios Y Servicios Veterinarios Del Cantón Machala

One of the most important global challenges is the eradication of gender inequality, an indicator that is constantly evaluated, and for which the countries of the world have developed public policies aimed at increasing the levels of equity in the population. The present investigation was carried out in the city of Machala, and for which it was proposed as an objective to establish the participation of women and men in agribusiness in the trade sector of agricultural inputs and veterinary services and their characteristics and as hypotheses that in the agribusiness in the sector of agricultural inputs and veterinary services, there is a great gender inequity, which is sought to scale; for its realization was taken the information of the national cadastre of agribusiness registered in Agrocalidad in the sector of agricultural inputs and veterinary services, which are a total of 75, of these, 35 were surveyed to determine the degree of equity and participation of the woman; the variables analyzed were the university academic degree of the local owners, the age and the reason to undertake. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test and using the statistical program SPSS 20. The results obtained demonstrate the low participation of women in this economic sector of the city of Machala

Turning Garlic into a Modern Crop: State of the Art and Perspectives

Garlic is cultivated worldwide for the value of its bulbs, but its cultivation is challenged by the infertility of commercial cultivars and the accumulation of pathogens over time, which occurs as a consequence of vegetative (clonal) propagation. In this review, we summarize the state of the art of garlic genetics and genomics, highlighting recent developments that will lead to its development as a modern crop, including the restoration of sexual reproduction in some garlic strains. The set of tools available to the breeder currently includes a chromosome-scale assembly of the garlic genome and multiple transcriptome assemblies that are furthering our understanding of the molecular processes underlying important traits like the infertility, the induction of flowering and bulbing, the organoleptic properties and resistance to various pathogens

A multifunctional Dysprosium-carboxylato 2D metallorganic framework

We report the microwave assisted synthesis of a bidimensional (2D) MOF of formula [Dy(MeCOO)(PhCOO)2 ]n (1) and its magnetically diluted analogue [La0.9 Dy0.1 (MeCOO)(PhCOO)2 ] (1 d). 1 is a 2D material with single-ion-magnet (SIM) behaviour and 1 d is a multifunctional, magnetic and luminescent 2D material. 1 can be exfoliated into stable nanosheets by sonication

E-Social Work "Rompamos barreras, la ansiedad sí se supera"

Este Trabajo Fin de Grado presenta un proyecto de intervención social, a partir del diseño de una Página Web con el objetivo de informar, orientar y apoyar a todas aquellas personas que se ven afectadas negativamente por la patología de la ansiedad, habida cuenta de las posibilidades que las TIC ofrecen como herramienta para la intervención social. Este proyecto afronta dicha problemática desde una perspectiva social, habida cuenta las causas y consecuencias sociales que de ello se derivan y desde las funciones que al Trabajo Social le competen. De esta manera, se pretende ofrecer un recurso que permita comprender y visibilizar esta patología y que pueda fomentar el bienestar de la persona que la padece, así como de su entorno

E-Social Work “Rompamos barreras, la ansiedad SÍ se supera”

Este Trabajo Fin de Grado presenta un proyecto de intervención social, a partir del diseño de una Página Web con el objetivo de informar, orientar y apoyar a todas aquellas personas que se ven afectadas negativamente por la patología de la ansiedad, habida cuenta de las posibilidades que las TIC ofrecen como herramienta para la intervención social. Este proyecto afronta dicha problemática desde una perspectiva social, habida cuenta las causas y consecuencias sociales que de ello se derivan y desde las funciones que al Trabajo Social le competen. De esta manera, se pretende ofrecer un recurso que permita comprender y visibilizar esta patología y que pueda fomentar el bienestar de la persona que la padece, así como de su entorno

Prótesis unicompartimental de rodilla. Resultados clínico-radiográficos y análisis de la supervivencia del implante

Objetivo: Evaluar los resultados clínicos y radiográficos en pacientes sometidos a artroplastia unicompartimental de rodilla, así como la tasa de complicaciones y la supervivencia del implante. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de 68 pacientes consecutivos (70 rodillas) sometidos a artroplastia unicompartimental de rodilla entre 2013 y 2020, con un seguimiento medio de 57.7 meses (rango 24-105) y una media de la edad de 61 años (rango 34-79). El 46,5% eran hombres. El índice de masa corporal medio era de 29,9 (rango 20-39). El diagnóstico más frecuente fue la artrosis del compartimento femorotibial medial con un varo <7°. Los resultados se evaluaron con la escala analógica visual para dolor y el Knee Society Score (KSS). Se evaluó la incidencia de complicaciones y la tasa de supervivencia del implante. Resultados: La disminución media en la escala analógica visual para dolor fue de 4,4 ± 1,9. Las puntuaciones medias posoperatorias en las escalas funcional y clínica del KSS fueron de 77,4 ± 13,7 y 70,2 ± 17,7, respectivamente. La tasa de complicaciones posquirúrgicas fue del 7% (5 casos). La tasa de reintervención quirúrgica fue del 15,5% (11 pacientes): nueve casos por persistencia del dolor, uno por rigidez articular y otro por aflojamiento aséptico. Conclusiones: La artroplastia unicompartimental de rodilla es una opción terapéutica eficaz para pacientes con gonartrosis unicompartimental de rodilla; se logran buenos resultados clínicos con una aceptable tasa de complicaciones; sin embargo, la tasa de revisión del implante es considerable. Nivel de Evidencia: I