A fluorescence-activatable reporter of flavivirus NS2B–NS3 protease activity enables live imaging of infection in single cells and viral plaques

The genus Flavivirus in the family Flaviviridae comprises many medically important viruses, such as dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus (ZIKV), and yellow fever virus. The quest for thera- peutic targets to combat flavivirus infections requires a better understanding of the kinetics of virus–host interactions during infections with native viral strains. However, this is precluded by limitations of current cell-based systems for monitoring flavivi- rus infection in living cells. In the present study, we report the construction of fluorescence-activatable sensors to detect the activities of flavivirus NS2B–NS3 serine proteases in living cells. The system consists of GFP-based reporters that become fluo- rescent upon cleavage by recombinant DENV-2/ZIKV proteases in vitro. A version of this sensor containing the flavivirus inter- nal NS3 cleavage site linker reported the highest fluorescence activation in stably transduced mammalian cells upon DENV-2/ ZIKV infection. Moreover, the onset of fluorescence correlated with viral protease activity. A far-red version of this flavivirus sensor had the best signal-to-noise ratio in a fluorescent Dulbec- co’s plaque assay, leading to the construction of a multireporter platform combining the flavivirus sensor with reporter dyes for detection of chromatin condensation and cell death, enabling studies of viral plaque formation with single-cell resolution. Finally, the application of this platform enabled the study of cell-population kinetics of infection and cell death by DENV-2, ZIKV, and yellow fever virus. We anticipate that future studies of viral infection kinetics with this reporter system will enable basic investigations of virus–host interactions and facilitate future applications in antiviral drug research to manage flavivi- rus infections.International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Grant CRP/CRI18-02.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales (CIET)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Salud::Facultad de Microbiologí

Método objetivo para analizar dos modelos de la línea de tres puntos en Minibasket

The aim of this manuscript was to show the methodology used to design a category system that allows analyzing the game in mini-basketball, to compare two shapes of the three-point line. Six experts and 123 girls from 12 teams participated. The methodology used to design the category system was qualitative and followed four stages: a) to identify a criteria list, b) to delimit and to define each criteria and its categories, c) to improve the category system y d) to analyse its validity and reliability. The category system was exhaustive and mutually exclusive, it had content validity and it made possible the reliability of the observation.El objetivo de este trabajo fue presentar el procedimiento seguido para la elaboración de un sistema de categorías que permitiera analizar las acciones de juego con dos modelos diferentes de la línea de tres puntos en minibasket. Participaron seis expertos y 123 niñas de 12 equipos. La metodología seguida para diseñar el sistema de categorías fue cualitativa y siguió cuatro etapas: a) identificación de una lista de criterios, b) delimitación y definición operacional de cada criterio y de sus categorías, c) perfeccionamiento del sistema de categorías y d) análisis de su validez y fiabilidad. El sistema de categorías final fue exhaustivo y mutuamente excluyente, tuvo validez de contenido y posibilitó la fiabilidad de la observación

Effects of Resistance Circuit-Based Training on Body Composition, Strength and Cardiorespiratory Fitness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

We assessed the effects of resistance circuit-based training (CT) on strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and body composition. A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted in three databases, ending on March, 2020. Meta-analysis and subgroup analysis were used to analyze the effects of pre–post-intervention CT and differences from control groups (CG). Of the 830 studies found, 45 were included in the meta-analysis (58 experimental groups (n = 897) and 34 CG (n = 474)). The CT interventions led to increases in muscle mass (1.9%; p < 0.001) and decreases in fat mass (4.3%; p < 0.001). With regard to cardiorespiratory fitness, CT had a favorable effect on VO2max (6.3%; p < 0.001), maximum aerobic speed or power (0.3%; p = 0.04), and aerobic performance (2.6%; p = 0.006) after training. Concerning strength outcome, the CT increased the strength of the upper and lower extremities. Only the magnitude of strength performance appears to be influenced by the training (number of sessions and frequency) and the training status. Moreover, low and moderate intensities and short rest time between exercise increase the magnitude of change in fat mass loss. Therefore, CT has been shown to be an effective method for improving body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and strength of the lower and upper limbs

Good character at college: the combined role of second-order character strength factors and phronesis motivation in undergraduate academic outcomes

A renewed interest in the study of character and virtue has recently emerged in the fields of Education and Psychology. The latest research has confirmed the association between virtuous consistent behaviours and academic positive outcomes. However, the motivational dimension of character (the intentions underlying the patterns of observed behaviours) has received little attention. This research aims to extend the knowledge on this topic by examining the predictive relationships between the behavioural and motivational dimensions of character, with reference to academic engagement, career self-doubt and performance of Spanish university students. A total of 183 under- graduates aged 18–30 (142 of whom were women) from the north of Spain completed specific parts of self-report questionnaires, including the Values in Action VIA-72, a Spanish translated and validated version of the Moral Self-Relevance Measure MSR, and the Utrecht Work Engagement Student Scale UWES-S9. The collected data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling. The behavioural dimension of character (character strength factors of caring, self-control and inquisitiveness) showed positive associations with academic engagement and performance. The motivational dimension of character (phronesis motivation), was negatively related to career self-doubt. For the first time, the present study has provided support for the contribution of both dimensions of character to undergraduate academic outcomes

Glomerulonefritis proliferativa extracapilar pauciinmune, una manifestación paraneoplásica inusual asociada a linfoma B del manto

The relationship between neoplasia and secondary renal involvement is increasing. Membranous glomerulonephritis is the main cause of nephrotic syndrome, associated with solid tumors, and less frequently hematologic neoplasia. Hodgkin’s lymphoma is the hematologic neoplasia most closely associated with minimal change disease. However, there are case reports that describe a relationship with non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas and leukemias. The usual clinical manifestation is the nephrotic syndrome,which may precede for several months or coexist with the diagnosis of lymphoma. Its pathophysiology is not very clear. It is suggested that it is related to T lymphocyte dysfunction. In addition, there are reports of thrombotic microangiopathy, related to the use of biological therapy and antineoplastic agents.Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis is a clinical syndrome associated with glomerular extracapillary proliferation, usually related to vasculitis associated with ANCA and vasculitis mediated by immunocomplexes. Neoplasias are also related to a large number of vasculopathies. Glomerulonephritis with extracapillary proliferation are much more common in malignant solid tumors. In addition, associations with myelodysplastic syndrome, chronic lymphocytic leukemia and Hodgking lymphoma have been reported. The association between Mantle Cell B lymphomas and glomerulonephritis with extracapillary proliferation is unusual. The following is a case of a patient diagnosed with Mantle Cell B lymphoma who has a rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis secondary to extracapillary, necrotizing and pauci-immune proliferative lesions.La relación entre neoplasia y compromiso renal secundario es creciente. La glomerulonefritis membranosa es la principal causa de síndrome nefrótico asociado a tumores sólidos y con menos frecuencia a neoplasia hematológica. El linfoma Hodgkin es la neoplasia hematológica que más se relaciona con enfermedad de cambios mínimos. Sin embargo, hay reportes de casos que describen una relación con linfomas no Hodgkin y leucemias. La manifestación clínica usual es el síndrome nefrótico; el cual puede preceder por varios meses o coexistir con el diagnóstico de linfoma. La fisiopatogénesis no está muy clara. Se sugiere que está relacionada con una disfunción del linfocito T. Adicionalmente, hay reportes de microangiopatía trombótica relacionada con el uso de terapia biológica y antineoplásicos.La glomerulonefritis rápidamente progresiva, es un síndrome clínico asociado a proliferación extracapilar glomerular; usualmente relacionado con vasculitis asociadas a ANCAS y vasculitis mediadas por inmunocomplejos. Las neoplasias también están relacionadas con un amplio número de vasculopatías. Las glomerulonefritis con proliferación extracapilar son mucho más frecuentes en tumores sólidos malignos.Además, se han descrito asociaciones con síndrome mielodisplásico, leucemia linfocítica crónica y linfoma Hodgkin. La asociación entre linfomas B del manto y glomerulonefritis con proliferación extracapilar, esinusual.A continuación, se describe un caso de un paciente con diagnóstico de linfoma B del manto que cursa con una glomerulonefritis rápidamente progresiva secundaria a lesiones proliferativas extracapilares, necrosantes y pauciinmunitaria

Herbivore defence compounds occur in pollen and reduce bumblebee colony fitness

Herbivory defence chemicals in plants can affect higher trophic levels such as predators and parasitoids, but the impact on pollinators has been overlooked. We show that defensive plant chemicals can damage pollinator fitness when expressed in pollen. Crop lupins (Lupinus species from Europe and South America) accumulate toxic quinolizidine alkaloids in vegetative tissues, conferring resistance to herbivorous pests such as aphids. We identified the alkaloid lupanine and its derivatives in lupin pollen, and then provided this compound at ecologically-relevant concentrations to queenless microcolonies of bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) in their pollen to determine how foraging on these crops may impact bee colony health and fitness. Fewer males were produced by microcolonies provided with lupanine-treated pollen and they were significantly smaller than controls. This impact on males was not linked to preference as workers willingly fed lupanine-treated pollen to larvae, even though it was deleterious to colony health. Agricultural systems comprising large monocultures of crops bred for herbivore resistance can expose generalist pollinators to deleterious levels of plant compounds, and the broader environmental impacts of crop resistance must thus be considered

Calcium Looping with Enhanced Sorbent Performance: Experimental Testing in A Large Pilot Plant

AbstractPostcombustion CO2 capture by Calcium Looping (CaL) has been successfully carried out for more than 700 hours in a 1.7 MWth continuous pilot facility in La Pereda (Spain). The pilot is equipped with two interconnected circulating fluidized bed reactors: a CO2 carbonator, where CaCO3 is formed when CO2 is captured from a combustion flue gas in contact with fine particles of CaO, and an oxy-fired calciner, where a highly concentrated stream of CO2 is generated by decomposing the CaCO3 formed in the carbonator. CaL is a technology that has the potential to achieve a substantial reduction in the cost of CO2 capture because of the capability to recover waste heat and generate more power from the additional fuel fired in the calciner. However, one of the weaknesses of CaL systems is the rapid deactivation of the sorbent. The EU “ReCaL” project (http://recal-project.eu/) aims to develop a robust and simple reactivation process to stabilize sorbent activity in CaL systems, based on the thermodynamic and kinetic ability of the sorbent to increase its CaCO3 conversion under enhanced carbonation conditions. This paper presents a first attempt to demonstrate the concept at the scale of the La Pereda 1.7 MWth pilot plant. It describes the redesign and retrofitting exercise conducted in the pilot and discusses the initial experimental results achieved when one of the loop seals is used as “recarbonator” reactor (putting a small flow of pure CO2 in contact with partially carbonated particles arriving from the carbonator). The findings of this study suggest that recarbonation could be responsible for about 100% increase in the average CO2 carrying capacity of the material used in the CO2 capture step taking place in the carbonator. This could allow CaL systems to operate with very low limestone make-up flow requirements, making this emerging capture technology more competitive

Flascback

Quiroga Valcarce, LM.; Pena Dany Arias, JJ. (1991). Flascback. Vértigo. Revista de cine. (1):4-8. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/42905.Importación Masiva48