Overexpression of the third H-NS paralogue H-NS2 compensates fitness loss in hns mutants of the enteroaggregative Escherichia coli strain 042

Members of the H-NS protein family play a role both in the chromosome architecture and in the regulation of gene expression in bacteria. The genomes of the enterobacteria encode an H-NS paralogue, the StpA protein. StpA displays specific regulatory properties and provides a molecular backup for H-NS. Some enterobacteria also encode third H-NS paralogues. This is the case of the enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) strain 042, which encodes the hns, stpA and hns2 genes. We provide in this paper novel information about the role of the H-NS2 protein in strain 042. A C > T transition in the hns2 promoter leading to increased H-NS2 expression is readily selected in hns mutants. Increased H-NS2 expression partially compensates for H-NS loss. H-NS2 levels are critical for the strain 042 fitness. Under some circumstances, high H-NS2 expression levels dictated by the mutant hns2 promoter can be deleterious. The selection of T > C revertants or of clones harboring insertional inactivations of the hns2 gene can then occur. Temperature also plays a relevant role in the H-NS2 regulatory activity. At 37 °C, H-NS2 targets a subset of the H-NS repressed genes contributing to their silencing. When temperature drops to 25 °C, the repressory ability of H-NS2 is significantly reduced. At low temperature, H-NS plays the main repressory role

Determination of dust aerosol particle size at Gale Crater using REMS UVS and Mastcam measurements

We calculate the seasonal and interannual variation in dust aerosol particle size above Gale Crater during the first 1413 Martian solar days (sols = 24.6 h) of the Mars Science Laboratory mission. Measurements of UV radiation made by the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station in combination with atmospheric opacities retrieved from the Mastcam instrument are used for the calculations. Our results indicate that the dust effective radius varies significantly with season, ranging from ~0.6 μm during the low opacity season (Ls = 60°â 140°) to ~2 μm during the high opacity season (Ls = 180°â 360°). Our results suggest that Gale Crater is affected by dust events of high aerosol content originated at various distances from it. Our results improve the accuracy of estimations of ultraviolet radiation fluxes at the Martian surface. Moreover, our results have important implications because the lifetime of suspended dust and its ability to nucleate clouds are affected by particle size.Plain Language SummaryThe Martian atmosphere transports large amounts of dust, which interacts strongly with solar and infrared radiation. The large spatial and temporal variability in atmospheric dust load creates complex feedbacks connecting dust lifting with the evolving atmospheric circulations. The size of suspended aerosols affects the surface and atmospheric heating rates, influencing the Martian climate. In this work, we have calculated the dust aerosol particle size above Gale Crater during the first 1413 sols of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission using measurements of UV radiation made for the first time from the surface of Mars. Our results indicate that the dust effective radius varies significantly with season, ranging from ~0.6 μm during the clear season to ~2 μm during the dusty season. Our results suggest that Gale Crater is affected by dust events of high aerosol content originated at various distances from it. Our results are important because the lifetime of suspended dust and its ability to nucleate clouds are affected by the particle size.Key PointsWe have developed a novel methodology to retrieve dust aerosol particle size at Gale Crater using Mars Science Laboratory dataThe retrieved dust effective radii range from 0.6 μm during the clear aphelion season to 2 μm during the dusty perihelion seasonOur results improve the estimation of ultraviolet radiation fluxes at the Martian surfacePeer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137189/1/grl55782-sup-0001-2017GL072589-SI.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137189/2/grl55782_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137189/3/grl55782.pd

The concept of death in children aged from 9 to 11 years: Evidences through inductive and deductive analysis of drawings

The objective of the research was to analyze children’s conceptualization of death through drawings, using a mixed approach, which combines deductive and inductive qualitative analysis. The sample consisted of 99 children aged 9–11 years, who were asked to elaborate a drawing about their idea of death and to explain it to the researchers. Drawings were coded basing on Tamm and Granqvist’s model (deductive analysis) and codes and categories were created and modified (inductive analysis). Three main categories were identified in the analysis and four sub-categories were modified and/or created: causes of death, good death, anxiety-fear and symbolization

Caracterización de la grasa intramuscular del toro de lidia sacrificado en primavera

En este trabajo se han estudiado las características de la grasa intramuscular de 32 toros de Lidia sacrificados en los festejos taurinos de la Feria de Abril de Sevilla de 2006. Los animales fueron criados de acuerdo al sistema tradicional en la dehesa andaluza donde dispusieron de hierba fresca de primavera y de alimento concentrado en los meses previos a su suerte. El perfil lipídico de este depósito graso se corresponde con el de los bovinos adultos, caracterizado por su elevado contenido en ácidos grasos saturados y monoinsaturados fundamentalmente. El sistema de producción de estos animales, basado en el aprovechamiento de hierba en campo y suplementación con alimento concentrado, así como la edad de sacrificio de los animales (cuatro años cumplidos) garantizan una adecuada relación de ácidos grasos n-6/n-3 y de determinados ácidos grasos (CLA) considerados beneficiosos para la salud humana

Programa de Conservación del Merino Negro: Caracterización de la aptitud productiva y valoración genética para caracteres de crecimiento

A pesar de que el merino negro como miembro del tronco merino nativo español, ha sufrido la mayoría de los vaivenes del merino blanco, no ha existido paralelismo en la evolución de los censos de ambas poblaciones a lo largo de la historia, principalmente debido al color de su fibra. En la actualidad está considerada una raza en peligro de extinción. Dentro de las actuaciones llevadas a cabo por la Asociación Nacional de Criadores para su conservación in situ, y en el ámbito del proyecto de investigación lNIA (RZ- 2004-00024), se ha realizado el control productivo de 170 corderos hijos de 5 moruecos pertenecientes al Censyra de Extremadura (Badajoz) que fueron sometidos a prueba de descendencia. Se realizaron 4 pesadas por cordero desde el nacimiento hasta el sacrificio (edad media 75 días). La ganancia media diaria osciló en el caso de los machos entre los 0,223 Kg. (ganancia en el primer mes de vida) hasta los 0,265 Kg. (en la última fase del cebo) y los 0,195 Kg. a 0,221 Kg. en los mismos periodos para las hembras. Esto determinó que los pesos medios obtenidos fueron en todos los casos estadísticamente menores a los del merino blanco que se controla dentro del Esquema de Selección de la raza (alrededor de 1 Kg. de media a los 30 días de edad, y 2 kgs. al final del cebo). Esto justifica en parte la situación en la que se encuentra actualmente esta raza. No obstante consideramos que las diferencias detectadas son más bien un reflejo de la diferente historia selectiva de ambas razas en la última década. Finalmente se ha realizado la primera valoración genética de esta raza empleando la metodología BLUP modelo animal para caracteres de crecimiento utilizando para ello los mismos parámetros y modelo que el merino blanco, contando en la actualidad con el valor genético de 898 animales para 4 caracteres de crecimiento (gmd hasta los 30 días y de 30 a los 75 dias, peso a los 3O y 75 días), y la calificación morfológica

Efecto del destete sobre el perfil de ácidos grasos de corderos de raza merina

Con la finalidad de estudiar el efecto de la prolongación del aporte de leche materna a los corderos de la raza Merina Española sobre las características de la grasa intramuscular y subcutánea, se han empleado 16 corderos machos de raza Merina Española distribuidos en dos lotes: corderos no destetados y que han permanecido con la madre hasta el día de su sacrificio y corderos destetados con 12 kg de peso vivo y que desde ese momento han ingerido únicamente alimento concentrado. El perfil lipídico de la grasa intramuscular y subcutánea se determinó por cromatografía gaseosa. Los corderos que fueron destetados con 12 kg de peso vivo y que fueron alimentados con alimento concentrado hasta el día de su sacrificio presentaron mejor conformación que los corderos que fueron alimentados con leche materna y alimento concentrado hasta el día de su sacrificio. Los corderos que recibieron leche materna hasta el día de su sacrificio presentaron mayor contenido de ácidos grasos deseables para la salud humana (9cis-11trans CLA y serie n-3)

Content analysis of the effects of palliative care learning on the perception by nursing students of dying and dignified death

Background: Providing care for dying people and the death of patients are stressing situations faced by nursing students during their clinical practice. Learning about palliative care improves the management of emotions and the ability to cope when caring for patients in end-of-life processes. However, there is little knowledge on the effect of this learning on the students' perceptions of their own death. Objectives: To determine the effect of a palliative care course on the thoughts of nursing students about their own death. Design: A qualitative, descriptive, and comparative study was conducted based on content analysis, administering an open-ended questionnaire on dying and death at the start and end of a palliative care course. Participants: The study included 85 volunteers studying Palliative Care in the second year of their Nursing Degree at the University of Granada (Spain). Results: Students described their perceptions in more detail after the course, with more numerous code citations, and their post-course responses evidenced a reduction in anxiety about their own death and an increased recognition of the need to respect the decisions of patients for a dignified death. Conclusions: Palliative care learning modifies the perception by nursing students of their own death and their understanding of a dignified death, which may enhance the care they deliver to patients at the end of life