Genome-wide analysis of differential transcriptional and epigenetic variability across human immune cell types

Abstract Background A healthy immune system requires immune cells that adapt rapidly to environmental challenges. This phenotypic plasticity can be mediated by transcriptional and epigenetic variability. Results We apply a novel analytical approach to measure and compare transcriptional and epigenetic variability genome-wide across CD14+CD16− monocytes, CD66b+CD16+ neutrophils, and CD4+CD45RA+ naïve T cells from the same 125 healthy individuals. We discover substantially increased variability in neutrophils compared to monocytes and T cells. In neutrophils, genes with hypervariable expression are found to be implicated in key immune pathways and are associated with cellular properties and environmental exposure. We also observe increased sex-specific gene expression differences in neutrophils. Neutrophil-specific DNA methylation hypervariable sites are enriched at dynamic chromatin regions and active enhancers. Conclusions Our data highlight the importance of transcriptional and epigenetic variability for the key role of neutrophils as the first responders to inflammatory stimuli. We provide a resource to enable further functional studies into the plasticity of immune cells, which can be accessed from: http://blueprint-dev.bioinfo.cnio.es/WP10/hypervariability

A review of silvopastoral systems in native forests of Nothofagus antarctica in southern Patagonia, Argentina

Silvopastoral systems in Nothofagus antarctica (ñire) forest have become an economical, ecological and productive alternative in Patagonia. Southern Patagonia’s experience over the past 12 years with silvopastoral systems is reviewed. The productivity and nutritive value (crude protein content and dry matter digestibility) of the understorey grassland were dependent on the interaction of environmental (mainly soil water availability and light intensity) and management factors under the trees and in turn determined animal performance. A method developed for carrying capacity estimation at the paddock level was based on the potential aboveground net primary production, and values ranged from 85 to 2200 kg DM ha−1 year−1. Planned thinning in secondary forest stands provides wood production and also improves the undestorey DM production by increasing incoming radiation. Within a management plan, a stand’s water stress conditions as well as the use of Reineke’s stand density index are proposed to assist in determining thinning intensities. Livestock production is the main annual income of silvopastoral systems where cattle and mixed livestock production (cattle + sheep) is the main activity. Animal performance at the whole farm scale is presented by comparing traditional extensive grazing management with an adaptive silvopastoral management that included strategic separation in homogeneous areas (grass steppe, forest and riparian meadows), stocking rate adjustment to grassland net primary production and the protection of regeneration from herbivores browsing. Data from litter decomposition, nutrient cycling and carbon storage studies also are presented. Finally, aspects related to the criteria and indicators to assess ñire forest’s sustainability under silvopastoral use along with biodiversity conservation issues are presented.Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Sur; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica Río Gallegos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Bahamonde, Héctor Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Sur; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica Río Gallegos; ArgentinaFil: Lencinas, María Vanessa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Gargaglione, Veronica Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Sur; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica Río Gallegos; ArgentinaFil: Soler Esteban, Rosina Matilde. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Ormaechea, Sebastián Gabriel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Sur; ArgentinaFil: Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentin

Bibliometric analysis to identify an emerging research area: Public Relations Intelligence—a challenge to strengthen technological observatories in the network society

Nowadays within the global economy, organizations of all kinds require strategic information to ensure that their decision making is competitive in uncertain complex environments. This is a key factor for knowledge-intensive companies insofar as this has an impact on their capacity to anticipate, influence and collaborate. Specialized literature is beginning to connect two disciplines such as strategic intelligence and public relations from an enterprise management approach, proposing concepts such as “Public Relations Intelligence”. This paper aims to explore their research areas using bibliometric analysis to uncover how those disciplines evolve in order to propose future research fronts relating to technological observatories. Firstly, a systematic review was carried out to identify and systematize available scientific information between 2006 and 2016 in publications with international impact from common topics. Secondly, it employed bibliometric analysis based on patterns of co-citation and the co-occurrence of keywords to focus on assessing impact and maturity. The main findings suggest that there is an already potential emerging research field between strategic intelligence and public relations which is highlighting common topics such as strategy, issue management, reputation and the American countries-territories being the dominant literature. This work provides evidence to claim a need to foster the conditions for consolidation of this field as a topic of research and it might well be a valuable opportunity to enhance technological observatories in the networked society