Anotación del genoma humano y de ratón

Trabajo fin de máster en Bioinformática y Biología ComputacionalA pesar de que han pasado más de diez años de la publicación de la secuencia del genoma humano, sigue sin esclarecerse un número final de genes codificantes. Para el estudio y comprensión de la biología humana es fundamental estar en posesión de un catálogo de los genes codificantes contenidos en el genoma humano que sea preciso y que no contenga entradas de dudosa evidencia experimental, que sirva como base a la hora de hacer estudios biomédicos de gran escala. La combinación de diversos métodos computacionales de predicción de genes con la revisión exhaustiva de los grupos de anotadores manuales, nos ha acercado a una versión final del catálogo de genes humanos codificantes. Sin embargo, hay un porcentaje de genes anotados como codificantes provenientes de predicciones automáticas cuyo potencial codificante es dudoso. En este proyecto se ha desarrollado un pipeline automático que hace uso de 15 características provenientes de distintas bases de datos como GENCODE, Ensembl y UniProt, las anotaciones de estructura y función disponibles en la base de datos de splicing alternativo de APPRIS y la conservación entre especies medida por PhyloCSF y Compara. Del total de 20,292 genes codificantes provenientes de GENCODE, se han encontrado 2,467 genes que tienen al menos una de estas características que los convierte en potencialmente no codificantes. 66 de estos genes ya han sido eliminados por el equipo de anotación manual de HAVANA y alrededor de 30 han quedado para discusiónDespite its importance, the catalogue of human coding genes is not yet complete. In order to better understand the human genome sequence, it is crucial to avoid dubious protein coding entries within the genome annotation. The combination of both different gene prediction computational methods and rigorous manual annotation has brought us considerably closer to a final catalogue of human coding genes. Nevertheless, there is a number of protein-coding annotated genes, those with the most conflicting evidence, which coding potential is still to be discussed. Here we show that 12% of the coding genes in the Ensembl91/GENCODEv27 annotation of the reference catalogue have at least one potential non-coding feature. This result comes from the analysis of the data obtained from different annotation databases, such as GENCODE, Ensembl and UniProt, structure and function information available at the APPRIS webserver and interspecies conservation analysed by PhyloCSF and Compara Out of the 2,467 potential non-coding genes identified, manual annotators from the HAVANA team have already removed 71 and 28 have been left for discussio

On the effect of EU trade preferences evidence for monthly exports of fruit and vegetables from Morocco

This paper analyzes the effect of monthly trade preferences granted to Morocco by the EU in fruit and vegetables. We apply a gravity framework that takes into account the potential endogeneity of preferences in the estimation, as factors like the historical relationships can be behind both trade preferences and trade flows. Overall, our results show that preferences determine positively the trade flows from Morocco to the EU, being the preferential entry price more effective than the ad valorem reduction in tariffs. Interestingly, our results find sectoral differences, as the reduced entry price is still export-restrictive for vegetables. Finally, we find that the fostering effect of trade preferences differs by EU destination country. Hence, our results have policy implications both in future revisions of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreements and in the deepening of the trade liberalization policy undertaken by Morocco.Dans ce travail, nous allons analyser l'effet des préférences commerciales mensuelles accordées au Maroc par l'UE dans le secteur des fruits et légumes. Nous allons appliquer un modèle de gravité qui intègre l'endogénéité potentielle des préférences dans l'estimation, car des facteurs comme les relations historiques peuvent être à l’origine aussi bien des préférences commerciales que des flux commerciaux. Dans l'ensemble, nos résultats indiquent que le système des préférences détermine positivement les flux commerciaux du Maroc vers l'UE dans la mesure où le prix d'entrée préférentiel est plus efficace que la réduction tarifaire ad valorem. Il est à noter qu’il existe des différences sectorielles étant donné que le prix d'entrée réduit est toujours restrictif pour l’exportation des légumes. En plus,l'effet positif des préférences commerciales diffère selon le pays européen de destination. En conclusion, nous estimons que nos résultats ont des implications politiques en vue des futures révisions des accords euro-méditerranéens et du renforcement de la politique de libéralisation du commerce entreprise par le Maroc.The authors wish to thank the participants in the Seminar “Building sustainable agriculture for food security in the Euro-Mediterranean area: Challenges and Policy Options”,in the XIV Congress of the European Association of Agricultural Economists, and in the X Congress of the Asociación Española de Economía Agraria for their valuable comments on previous versions of this paper. B. Heid, M. L. Martí and C. Paciello made helpful comments on earlier versions, and an anonymous referee gave valuable insights about the policy implications. V. Martinez-Gomez is grateful for the support received from Generalitat Valenciana (GV/2015/073) and L. Márquez-Ramos gratefully acknowledges the support of Universitat Jaume I and Generalitat Valenciana (P1-1B2013-06; PROMETEOII/ 2014/053)

Resistència bacteriana : un problema mòbil

En els últims anys, la resistència dels bacteris als antibiòtics s'està convertint en un greu problema clínic. Per complicar més les coses, els gens que fan als bacteris resistents als antimicrobians solen estar situats en elements genètics mòbils, la qual cosa incrementa la seva difusió. Aquest article parla de la investigació duta a terme sobre dos d'aquests gens.En los últimos años, la resistencia de las bacterias a los antibióticos se está convirtiendo en un grave problema clínico. Para complicar más las cosas, los genes que vuelven a las bacterias resistentes a los antimicrobianos suelen estar situados en elementos genéticos móviles, lo cual incrementa su difusión. Este artículo habla de la investigación llevada a cabo acerca de dos de estos genes

Efectos de las preferencias comerciales en frutas y hortalizas otorgadas a Marruecos por la UE: ¿crean o desvían comercio?

En este trabajo analizamos el efecto que ejercen las preferencias comerciales garantizadas a marruecos para cuatro frutas y hortalizas (tomate, pepino, naranja y mandarina) en las exportaciones mensuales a distintos países de la unión Europea. Aplicamos una ecuación de gravedad que controla la endogeneidad potencial de las preferencias. Se introducen asimismo variables detalladas para representar los distintos tipos de preferencia con variabilidad sectorial y mensual, tanto en precio de entrada como en aranceles, considerando también las limitaciones cuantitativas. Los resultados de nuestras estimaciones indican que las preferencias comerciales incrementan las exportaciones desde marruecos (evidencia a favor de creación de comercio), y que la reducción en el arancel ad valorem conduce a menores exportaciones del resto del mundo a la unión Europea (evidencia a favor de desviación de comercio). Estos resultados podrían tener implicaciones políticas, con vistas a eventuales revisiones del Acuerdo de Asociación. También se hace una contribución metodológica al estudiar si las preferencias comerciales otorgadas a marruecos desvían comercio. En concreto, la variable dependiente de la ecuación de gravedad son las exportaciones del resto del mundo a la uE para cada uno de los productos específicos, mientras que las variables explicativas consideran las preferencias otorgadas a marruecos en estos productos.This paper analyzes the effect of trade preferences granted to morocco by the European union on monthly exports of four fruits and vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, oranges and mandarines. We rely on a gravity framework and we take into account the potential endogeneity of trade preferences. We consider sectoral and monthly variability of the reduced entry price and the preferential tariffs. Quantitative limits for these preferences are also accounted for. our results show that trade preferences are significant in determining positively the trade flows from morocco to the Eu (empirical evidence in line of trade creation); and that preferential tariffs decrease exports from the rest of the world to the European union (empirical evidence in line of trade diversion). These results could have implications in negotiations for eventual revisions of the Euro-mediterranean Agreements. This paper also makes a methodological contribution when studying whether trade preferences divert trade. Specifically, we take into account the exports of the rest of the world of specific products to the Eu as the dependent variable in the gravity equation, while preferences granted to morocco in these products are included in the right-hand-side of the equation

Cooperative learning on the promotion of oral production

Un mundo competitivo como el de hoy, exige tener unas bases firmes y claras en el idioma Inglés ya que este se ha convertido en una lengua franca que permite a los hablantes comunicarse con otras nacionalidades. Por esta razón es necesario articular en las aulas de clase métodos contemporáneos como trabajo cooperativo que ayude a los estudiantes a hablar inglés. Este proyecto de clase analizó el impacto del trabajo cooperativo, implementando dos métodos: el sabio y resolver problemas en grado primero en la escuela Jorge Eliecer Gaitán, con el fin de ayudar a los estudiantes a desarrollar la parte hablada del inglés. Los resultados evidenciados en la escuela mostraron que los niños y niñas de grado primero tienen dificultades trabajando en grupos y necesitan la presencia del profesor para mantener la disciplina y el uso del inglés.A competitive world as today`s demands good English speaking skills since English has become a lingua franca that facilitates communication among speakers from all over the world. That’s why, it is necessary to articulate in the classroom contemporary approaches like cooperative work to help learners to speak in English. This classroom project analyzed the impact of cooperative work through the implementation of two methods such as: circle the sage and problem solving tasks in first graders at the Jorge Eliecer Gaitan School in order to help them to develop oral English skills. The results showed that at the school first graders had difficulties working in groups and needed the presence of the teacher to maintain discipline and the use of the target language. Also, in order to get learners engaged, the material needed to be creative and meaningful. Modeling constituted the utmost pattern in this project since students could speak. When the educator modeled the language, learners were expected to produce it, and this was evidenced in the fact that students were able to say a few things in English properly

Análisis del segmento de turismo familiar y detección de oportunidades de innovación para las empresas y destinos turísticos de la Comunitat Valenciana

[ES] El turismo familiar es un tipo de turismo en el cual el alojamiento, las comidas, las actividades de ocio y los precios están especialmente adaptados para satisfacer las necesidades y comodidad de las familias con niños. Es por ello que, el turismo familiar requiere de una adaptación de los servicios a las necesidades de las familias en cuanto a alojamiento, restauración, oferta complementaria, accesibilidad de los recursos, oferta de ocio variada para todos, etc. Se predice que los viajes familiares crecerán a un ritmo más rápido que todas las demás formas de viajes de placer, en parte porque representa una manera de reunir a la familia y que los miembros de la familia pasen tiempo juntos, lejos de las exigencias del trabajo (Schänzel et al., 2012). El sector turístico debe considerar el turismo familiar como una oportunidad de crecimiento. Las empresas y los destinos necesitan conocer en profundidad este segmento para satisfacer las necesidades de todo tipo de familias, entendiendo el turismo familiar como aquel tipo de turismo en el que el eje principal son los niños que viajan con adultos y cuyo nexo de unión es un lazo sentimental y en el que tienen cabida todas los tipos de familias: tradicionales, numerosas, ampliadas, monoparentales, homoparentales, Pank (profesional aunt no kids), ya que el perfil de las familias ha evolucionado en los últimos años conformado por cambios en la demografía y estructuras sociales. El presente trabajo analiza las pautas de consumo de las familias españolas con el objetivo de entender las motivaciones, necesidades e intereses a la hora de planificar y realizar sus viajes vacacionales y analiza los factores que son determinantes para el éxito de un producto turístico dirigido a familias. Este análisis pretende ofrecer a las empresas la información necesaria para detectar oportunidades de innovación, así como oportunidades de mejora en los aspectos del servicio más valorados por los propios usuarios. De este modo, la toma de dicisiones estratégicas y la apuesta por realizar nuevas inversiónes será de máxima eficiencia en términos de valor percibido.[EN] According to the European Commission, family tourism is a type of tourism in which accommodation, meals, leisure activities and prices are specially adapted to meet the needs and comfort of families with children. For this reason, family tourism requires an adaptation of services to the needs of the families in terms of accommodation, catering, complementary offer, accessibility of resources, a varied selection of leisure options for all, etc. Family travel is predicted to grow at a faster rate than all other forms of leisure travel, partly because it represents a way to reunite the family and for family members to spend time with each other, away from the demands of work (Schänzel et al., 2012) The tourism sector should consider family tourism as an opportunity for growth. Companies and destinations need to know this segment in depth to meet the needs of all types of families, understanding family tourism as the type of tourism in which the main focus is children traveling with adults and whose connection is a sentimental relationship and in which all types of families have a place: pagina traditional, numerous, extended, single-parent, homoparentales, Pank (professional aunt no kids), since the profile of families has evolved in recent years shaped by changes in demography and social structures. This paper analyzes the consumption patterns of Spanish families with the aim of understanding the motivations, needs and interests when planning and conducting their holiday trips. The present study also analyzes the factors that are critical for the success of a tourism product aimed at families. This analysis aims to offer companies the necessary information to detect innovation opportunities, as well as opportunities for improving the aspects of the service most valued by the users. In this way, making strategic decisions and committing to make new investments will be of maximum efficiency in terms of perceived value.Martínez Gómez, L. (2021). Análisis del segmento de turismo familiar y detección de oportunidades de innovación para las empresas y destinos turísticos de la Comunitat Valenciana. Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/172530TFG

Mechanically fractionated flour isolated from green plantains (M. cavendishii var. nanica) as a tool to increase the dietary fiber and phytochemical bioactivity of layer and sponge cakes

This article describes the effect of mechanically fractionated flours from green bananas on the nutritional, physical and sensory attributes of two types of cakes (sponge and layer). A plausible 30% replacement of banana flour in the formulation of layer cakes is demonstrated, finding only a small decline in the sensory perception. On the contrary, sponge cakes were noticeable worsened with the use of banana flours (lower specific volume, worse sensory attributes and higher hardness), which was minimized when using fine flour. Both layer and sponge cakes exhibited an enhancement of the resistant starch and dietary fiber content with the replacement of green banana flour (up to a five-fold improvement in RS performance). Moreover, sponge cakes yielded more polyphenols and antioxidant capacity with banana flours, especially with the coarse fraction. Therefore, results showed that a mechanical fractionation allowed a feasible nutritional enhancement of cakes with the use of banana flours

Hydrothermal reduction of CO2 captured as NaHCO3 into formate with metal reductants and catalysts

Producción CientíficaThe hydrothermal reduction of CO2 captured in aqueous solutions using metal reductants is a promising novel approach that achieves high yields of conversion and high selectivity, but it presents the limitation of the high temperatures needed for the reaction to take place. In this work, experiments combining several reductant metals (Zn, Al and Fe), catalysts (Pd/C, Ni, Cu, Fe2O3 and Fe3O4) and temperatures (200, 250 and 300 ºC) were performed to optimize the process at milder temperatures. Using Al as reductant and Pd/C as catalyst, yields as high as 38 % were obtained at 200ºC, compared with the highest yield (57 %) observed at 250 ºC. Thus a significant temperature reduction can be achieved using a suitable combination of reductant and catalyst. Using this reaction system, Pd/C as catalyst and Al as reductant, an extensive set of experiments at different times and temperatures were performed in order to determine the kinetics of the process and correlate them to a mathematical model of the process. The model correctly reproduces the experimental data with average errors lower than 5.9 %. These results demonstrate the feasibility of lower the operating temperature while maintaining the performance, when using an adequate combination of catalyst and reductant.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (project RTI2018-097456-B-I00)Junta de Castilla y Leon - FEDER (program CLU-2019-04

Influence of the addition of extruded flours on rice bread quality

Producción CientíficaThe extrusion may improve coeliac bread quality by modifying the functional properties of flour. This study investigates the influence of the substitution of 10% of rice flour by extruded rice flours (three intensities of treatment and two particle sizes) on the characteristics of gluten-free bread (specific volume and texture) at constant consistency. The microstructure and rheology of the doughs obtained and their behaviour during fermentation have also been analysed. The extruded flours increase dough consistency, and the effect is more noticeable with increasing intensities of treatment. The use of extruded flours requires the addition of a larger volume of water to obtain a constant consistency. The addition of extruded flour decreases dough development, producing a lower specific volume and greater bread hardness. This effect is minimized by increasing the particle size. The staling of bread from 24 to 72 hours is less noticeable with a larger particle size. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This study evidences that the use of extruded flours in rice bread making allows increasing dough hydration and therefore the bread yield while decreasing bread staling. However, the correct selection of extrusion treatment and flour particle size is essential to achieve appropriate results, being preferable the use of coarse flours with more intense extrusion treatment

Banana starch and molecular shear fragmentation dramatically increase structurally driven slowly digestible starch in fully gelatinized bread crumb

The role of native (NB) and extruded (EB) banana starch, and a 1:1 native:extruded banana starch composite (MB), in slowing down the starch digestibility of bread crumb and crust was investigated. During extrusion, the molecular weight of banana starch was reduced from 2.75x108 to 4.48x106 g/mol (HPSEC-MALS-RI). Results showed a slowly digestible starch (SDS) increase from 1.09 % (control) to 4.2, 6.6, and 7.76 % in NB, MB and EB crumbs (fully gelatinized), respectively. DSC data attributed this occurrence to the formation of supramolecular structures upon storage involving amylopectin branches (especially those from fragmented amylopectin in EB). The hedonic sensory test showed no differences in overall liking between MB, EB and control, validating feasibility of including banana in the formulation. For the first time, this study shows a molecular size reduction as a strategy to manufacture selected starches that result in highly gelatinized baked products rich in structurally driven SDS.European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Project AGL2014-52928-C2