Redox proteins of hydroxylating bacterial dioxygenases establish a regulatory cascade that prevents gratuitous induction of tetralin biodegradation genes

Bacterial dioxygenase systems are multicomponent enzymes that catalyze the initial degradation of many environmentally hazardous compounds. In Sphingopyxis granuli strain TFA tetralin dioxygenase hydroxylates tetralin, an organic contaminant. It consists of a ferredoxin reductase (ThnA4), a ferredoxin (ThnA3) and a oxygenase (ThnA1/ThnA2), forming a NAD(P)H-ThnA4-ThnA3-ThnA1/ThnA2 electron transport chain. ThnA3 has also a regulatory function since it prevents expression of tetralin degradation genes (thn) in the presence of non-metabolizable substrates of the catabolic pathway. This role is of physiological relevance since avoids gratuitous and wasteful production of catabolic enzymes. Our hypothesis for thn regulation implies that ThnA3 exerts its action by diverting electrons towards the regulator ThnY, an iron-sulfur flavoprotein that together with the transcriptional activator ThnR is necessary for thn gene expression. Here we analyze electron transfer among ThnA4, ThnA3 and ThnY by using stopped-flow spectrophotometry and determination of midpoint reduction potentials. Our results indicate that when accumulated in its reduced form ThnA3 is able to fully reduce ThnY. In addition, we have reproduced in vitro the regulatory circuit in the proposed physiological direction, NAD(P)H-ThnA4-ThnA3-ThnY. ThnA3 represents an unprecedented way of communication between a catabolic pathway and its regulatory system to prevent gratuitous induction

Evaluación de las propiedades físico-mecánicas de morteros de albañilería producidos en base de cemento y cal con áridos reciclados mixtos

This study investigated the physical-mechanical effects of cement-lime mortars containing recycled aggregate of construction and demolition waste (CDW). The natural aggregate (NA) was replaced by volume at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% by mixed recycled aggregate (MRA) obtained from the CDW crushing. Five types of mortars were prepared with a volumetric ratio of 1:1:6 (cement, lime and aggregate) and water/binder ratio based on the fixed consistency of 260 mm. The effects of MRA on fresh and hardened mortars’ properties were analyzed. The results were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA. MRA incorporation improved most of the physical-mechanical properties of mortars tested, except for hardened bulk density, water absorption and porosity. In the long-run, mechanical strengths significantly increased in all compositions, especially those with higher percentages of MRA. The results obtained showed that the use of MRA in masonry mortars is an alternative to reduce the generation of waste and consumption of natural resources.Este estudio investigó los efectos físico-mecánicos de los morteros de cemento y cal con áridos reciclados de residuos de construcción y demolición (RCD). El árido natural (AN) se reemplazó en volumen al 25%, 50%, 75% y 100% por el árido reciclado mixto (ARM) obtenido de la trituración de RCD. Se prepararon cinco tipos de morteros con una relación volumétrica de 1: 1: 6 (cemento, cal y áridos) y una relación de agua / aglomerante en función de la consistencia fija de 260 mm. Se analizaron los efectos del ARM en las propiedades de los morteros frescos y endurecidos. Los resultados se analizaron utilizando un ANOVA-simple. La incorporación de ARM mejoró la mayoría de las propiedades físico-mecánicas de los morteros, excepto la densidad aparente endurecida, la absorción de agua y la porosidad. A largo plazo, las resistencias mecánicas aumentaron significativamente en todas las composiciones, especialmente en aquellas con porcentajes más altos de ARM. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron que el uso de ARM en morteros de albañilería es una alternativa para reducir la generación de residuos y el consumo de recursos naturales

Regularidad superficial y adherencia en vías ciclistas - recomendaciones de diseño disponibles

This paper presents an overview of different national and international regulations and recommendations about pavement design in cycle lanes and analyzes the specifications for surface roughness and slip/skid resistance that each offers. After a comparative study, it highlights the lack of specific design criteria and the need to unify the standard test methods and limit values of acceptance and / or rejection to ensure the safety and comfort of the new constructed sections, thus promoting cycling mobility in cities.Este trabajo presenta una revisión de diferentes normativas y recomendaciones nacionales e internacionales de diseño de pavimentos de vías ciclistas y analiza las especificaciones en cuanto a regularidad superficial y resistencia al deslizamiento/ derrape contempladas en las mismas. Tras un estudio comparativo, se pone de manifiesto la carencia de criterios específicos de diseño y la necesidad de unificar métodos de ensayo normalizados y valores límites de aceptación y/o rechazo que garanticen la seguridad y comodidad de los nuevos tramos construidos, favoreciendo así la movilidad ciclista en las ciudades

A proposal for the maximum use of recycled concrete sand in masonry mortar design

Natural sand mining from rivers and seashores is causing serious environmental problems in many parts of the world, whereas the fine fraction from recycling concrete waste is underutilized as a construction material. The aim of this paper is to determine the maximum replacement level of natural sand by recycled sand in the manufacturing of masonry mortar (M-10). For this purpose, five replacement levels were tested: 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% by volume. The mixes were made using cement CEM II/BL 32.5 N in a volumetric proportion of cement-to-aggregate of 1:5. A commercial admixture was used at a constant content. The amount of water was variable to achieve a consistency of 175±10 mm. The short- and long-term mortar properties were evaluated. The data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA. In conclusion, a maximum percentage of 50% recycled concrete sand can be used in an indoor environment.<br><br>La extracción de arena natural de ríos y costas está provocando graves problemas ambientales en muchas partes del mundo, mientras que la fracción fina de los áridos reciclados de residuos de hormigón está infrautilizada como material de construcción. El objetivo de este artículo es determinar el máximo porcentaje de sustitución de arena natural por arena reciclada en la fabricación de morteros M-10. Cinco niveles de sustitución en volumen fueron ensayados: 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% y 100%. Las mezclas fueron hechas con cemento CEM II/BL 32,5 N en una relación volumétrica cemento-árido de 1:5. Se utilizó un aditivo comercial a dosis constante. El agua se ajustó experimentalmente para conseguir una consistencia de 175±10 mm. Se evaluaron las propiedades de los morteros a corto y largo plazo. Los datos se analizaron mediante una ANOVA-simple. En conclusión, un porcentaje máximo del 50% de arena reciclada de hormigón puede usarse en interiores

Evolution of the gulf of Cadiz margin and southwest Portugal contourite depositional system : Tectonic, sedimentary and paleoceanographic implications from IODP expedition 339

Acknowledgments This research used samples and data collected through the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). The research was partially supported through the CTM 2008-06399-C04/MAR, CTM 2012-39599-C03, CGL2011-26493, CTM2012-38248, SA263U14, IGCP-619, INQUA 1204 and FWF P25831-N29 Projects. Some data were collected with 94-1090-C03-03 (FADO) and MAR-98-0209 (TASYO) Projects. Research was conducted in the framework of the Continental Margins Research Group of the Royal Holloway University of London, People and the Program (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Program FP7/2007-2013/ under REA Grant Agreement No. 290201 MEDGATE’. We are very grateful to REPSeOL, TGS–NOPEC, and the CSIC-Institut Jaume Almera (http://geodb.ictja.csic.es) for allowing us to use an unpublished seismic data from the Gulf of Cadiz. We thank J. Aguire (UGR, Spain) for comments and suggestions concerning the Pliocene and Quaternary outcrops, B. van den Berg (USAL) for organizing a thought-provoking field-trip to Cadiz, Spain in November, 2014, M. Ángel Caja, L. García Diego, and J. Tritlla (REPSOL) for provenance and diagenetic analysis of early Pliocene sandstones and debrites, and L.J. Lourens (Utrecht University) for providing us the eccentricity and 200-Kys glacio-eustatic sea-level curves included in the Figure 16. Both Prof. D.A.V. Stow (Heriot-Watt Univ., UK) and F.J. Hernández-Molina (RHUL, UK), as the main co-proponents of the IODP Proposal 644 and the co-chiefs of the IODP Exp. 339, thanks to IODP, Exp. IODP 339 Scientists; JR crew and technicians, as well as all people, institutions and companies involved in making IODP a success since 2003. Finally, we also thank the editor, Gert J. De Lange and the reviewers T. Mulder (Bourdeaux Univ.); D. Van Rooij (Ghent Univ) and J. Duarte (Monash Univ.) for their very positive and helpful feedback and discussions in publishing this research.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

CDK targets Sae2 to control DNA-end resection and homologous recombination

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are repaired by two principal mechanisms: non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR)1. HR is the most accurate DSB repair mechanism but is generally restricted to the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle, when DNA has been replicated and a sister chromatid is available as a repair template2-5. By contrast, NHEJ operates throughout the cell cycle but assumes most importance in G1 (refs 4​, ​6). The choice between repair pathways is governed by cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs)2,3,5,7, with a major site of control being at the level of DSB resection, an event that is necessary for HR but not NHEJ, and which takes place most effectively in S and G2 (refs 2​, ​5). Here we establish that cell-cycle control of DSB resection in Saccharomyces cerevisiae results from the phosphorylation by CDK of an evolutionarily conserved motif in the Sae2 protein. We show that mutating Ser 267 of Sae2 to a non-phosphorylatable residue causes phenotypes comparable to those of a sae2Δ null mutant, including hypersensitivity to camptothecin, defective sporulation, reduced hairpin-induced recombination, severely impaired DNA-end processing and faulty assembly and disassembly of HR factors. Furthermore, a Sae2 mutation that mimics constitutive Ser 267 phosphorylation complements these phenotypes and overcomes the necessity of CDK activity for DSB resection. The Sae2 mutations also cause cell-cycle-stage specific hypersensitivity to DNA damage and affect the balance between HR and NHEJ. These findings therefore provide a mechanistic basis for cell-cycle control of DSB repair and highlight the importance of regulating DSB resection

Seminal magnetic fields from Inflato-electromagnetic Inflation

We extend some previous attempts to explain the origin and evolution of primordial magnetic fields during inflation induced from a 5D vacuum. We show that the usual quantum fluctuations of a generalized 5D electromagnetic field cannot provide us with the desired magnetic seeds. We show that special fields without propagation on the extra non-compact dimension are needed to arrive to appreciable magnetic strengths. We also identify a new magnetic tensor field $B_{ij}$ in this kind of extra dimensional theories. Our results are in very good agreement with observational requirements, in particular from TeV Blazars and CMB radiation limits we obtain that primordial cosmological magnetic fields should be close scale invariance.Comment: Improved version. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1007.3891 by other author

Disease Progression and Serological Assay Performance in Heritage Breed Pigs following Brucella suis Experimental Challenge as a Model for Naturally Infected Feral Swine

Invasive feral swine (Sus scrofa) are one of the most important wildlife species for disease surveillance in the United States, serving as a reservoir for various diseases of concern for the health of humans and domestic animals. Brucella suis, the causative agent of swine brucellosis, is one such pathogen carried and transmitted by feral swine. Serology assays are the preferred field diagnostic for B. suis infection, as whole blood can be readily collected and antibodies are highly stable. However, serological assays frequently have lower sensitivity and specificity, and few studies have validated serological assays for B. suis in feral swine. We conducted an experimental infection of Ossabaw Island Hogs (a breed re-domesticated from feral animals) as a disease-free proxy for feral swine to (1) improve understanding of bacterial dissemination and antibody response following B. suis infection and (2) evaluate potential changes in the performance of serological diagnostic assays over the course of infection. Animals were inoculated with B. suis and serially euthanized across a 16-week period, with samples collected at the time of euthanasia. The 8% card agglutination test performed best, whereas the fluorescence polarization assay demonstrated no capacity to differentiate true positive from true negative animals. Froma disease surveillance perspective, using the 8%card agglutination test in parallel with either the buffered acidified plate antigen test or the Brucella abortus/suis complement fixation test provided the best performance with the highest probability of a positive assay result. Application of these combinations of diagnostic assays for B. suis surveillance among feral swine would improve understanding of spillover risks at the national level

Optimum Saving and Growth: Harrod on Dynamic Welfare Economics

In the 1960s and 1970s Harrod shifted the emphasis of his research in economic dynamics from the study of business cycles (instability principle) to the investigation of the growth process. As part of that, he restated his concept of the natural growth rate as an optimum welfare rate. The present paper examines Harrod's dynamic welfare economics, built around his concept of optimum saving developed as a reaction to Ramsey's approach to capital accumulation. It is shown that, according to Harrod, the saving rate does not affect the long-run growth rate of per capita income, which is determined by technical progress. Moreover, the economy will grow at the natural (full employment) rate only if economic policy is able to bring saving to its "optimum" level in macroeconomic equilibrium. Harrod's interest in optimal growth was motivated by his double concern with growth policy in mature economies and economic development in poor countries