On the applicability of the Tubulin-Based Polymorphism (TBP) genotyping method: a comprehensive guide illustrated through the application on different genetic resources in the legume family

Background Plant discrimination is of relevance for taxonomic, evolutionary, breeding and nutritional studies. To this purpose, evidence is reported to demonstrate TBP (Tubulin-Based-Polymorphism) as a DNA-based method suitable for assessing plant diversity. Results Exploiting one of the most valuable features of TBP, that is the convenient and immediate application of the assay to groups of individuals that may belong to different taxa, we show that the TBP method can successfully discriminate different agricultural species and their crop wild relatives within the Papilionoideae subfamily. Detection of intraspecific variability is demonstrated by the genotyping of 27 different accessions of Phaseolus vulgaris. Conclusions These data illustrate TBP as a useful and versatile tool for plant genotyping. Since its potential has not yet been fully appreciated by the scientific community, we carefully report all the experimental details of a successful TBP protocol, while describing different applications, so that the method can be replicated in other laboratories

Current perspectives

The increasing knowledge of the mechanisms involved in metabolism is shifting the paradigms by which the pathophysiology of many pulmonary diseases is understood. Metabolic dysfunction is recognized in obesity-associated asthma, but other metabolic conditions have been shown to be independently related to asthma. Novel insights have also recently been brought by metabolomics in this filed. The purpose of this review is to discuss current perspectives regarding metabolic dysfunction in asthma, from obesity-related asthma to other metabolic conditions and the role of current pharmacological therapeutic strategies and lifestyle interventions. Obesity is a well-recognized risk factor for asthma across the lifespan, which is generally associated with poorer response to current available treatments, rendering a more severe, refractory disease status. Besides the epidemiological and clinical link, untargeted metabolomics studies have recently supported the obesity-associated asthma phenotype at the molecular level. Not only obesity-related, but also other aspects of metabolic dysregulation can be independently linked to asthma. These include hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia and hypertension, which need to be taken into account, even in the non-obese patient. Untargeted metabolomics studies have further highlighted several other metabolic pathways that can be altered in asthma, namely regarding oxidative stress and systemic inflammation, and also suggesting the importance of microbiota in asthma pathogenesis. Considering the reduced response to corticosteroids, other pharmacologic treatments have been shown to be effective regardless of body mass index. Non-pharmacologic treatments (namely weight reduction and dietary changes) may bring substantial benefit to the asthmatic patient. Taken together, this evidence points towards the need to improve our knowledge in this filed and, in particular, to address the influence of environmental factors in metabolic dysfunction and asthma development. Personalized medicine is definitely needed to optimize treatment, including a holistic view of the asthmatic patient in order to set accurate pharmacologic therapy together with dietary, physical exercise and lifestyle interventions.publishersversionpublishe

Trabajo, migraciones y riesgo hídrico : Semejanzas y diferencias en los modos de pensar, sentir y actuar en contextos de pobreza urbana

La presente ponencia pretende adentrarse en el conocimiento de las trayectorias de vulnerabilidad que se despliegan en ámbitos de la vida cotidiana de sujetos que tienen restringido el acceso a sus derechos y limitadas sus posibilidades. A sabiendas que se trata de situaciones caracterizadas por su heterogeneidad y multidimensionalidad, intentaremos igualmente introducirnos, en los modos en que los sujetos piensan, sienten y actúan sus condiciones de vida, desde una mirada centrada en identificar rupturas y continuidades en los procesos de configuración territoriales. El presente estudio compara dos barrios de la ciudad de Santa Fe, indagando la situación de hogares con larga trayectoria de vida en la pobreza, los que han registrado un empeoramiento en sus condiciones de vida, vinculado a las consecuencias producidas por las políticas socioeconómicas de las últimas décadas. Es el resultado de dos proyectos de investigación y extensión de cátedra, (Año 2007, 2008, 2009). Siendo el primero de carácter sociodemográfico, nos habilitó un basamento cuantitativo, para luego diagramar una proyección de corte cualitativo, cuya riqueza es valorada en términos de percepciones, creencias y representaciones de los sujetos – objetos de la presente investigación. Las fuentes de datos utilizadas (encuestas, registro etnográfico, entrevistas e historias de vida), fueron interpretados desde el corpus teórico seleccionado por el equipo de investigación desde diferentes enfoques epistémicos.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

A strategy to control industrial plants in the spirit of Industry 4.0 tested on a fluidic system

<w:PermStart w:id="667698911" w:edGrp="everyone"/>The goal of the paper is to propose a strategy of automating the control of wide spectrum industrial processes plants in the spirit of Industry 4.0. The strategy is based on the creation of a virtual simulator of the operation of the plants involved in the process. Through the digitization of the operational data sheets of the various components, the simulator is able to provide the reference values of the process control parameters to be compared with their actual values, in order to decide the direct inspection and/or the operational intervention on critical components before a possible failure. As example, a simple fluidic thrust plant has been considered, which a mathematical model (simulator) for its optimal operating conditions has been formulated for, by using the digitalized real operational data sheets of its components. The simple thrust system considered consists of a centrifugal pump driven by a three-phase electric motor, an inverter to regulate the rotation of the motor and a proportional valve that simulates the external load acting on the pump.As results, the operational data sheets and principal characteristics of the pump have been reproduced by means of the simulator here developed, showing a very good agreement.</p

Molecular Fingerprint and Developmental Regulation of the Tegmental GABAergic and Glutamatergic Neurons Derived from the Anterior Hindbrain

Tegmental nuclei in the ventral midbrain and anterior hindbrain control motivated behavior, mood, memory, and movement. These nuclei contain inhibitory GABAergic and excitatory glutamatergic neurons, whose molecular diversity and development remain largely unraveled. Many tegmental neurons originate in the embryonic ventral rhombomere 1 (r1), where GABAergic fate is regulated by the transcription factor (TF) Tal1. We used single-cell mRNA sequencing of the mouse ventral r1 to characterize the Tal1-dependent and independent neuronal precursors. We describe gene expression dynamics during bifurcation of the GABAergic and glutamatergic lineages and show how active Notch signaling promotes GABAergic fate selection in postmitotic precursors. We identify GABAergic precursor subtypes that give rise to distinct tegmental nuclei and demonstrate that Sox14 and Zfpm2, two TFs downstream of Tal1, are necessary for the differentiation of specific tegmental GABAergic neurons. Our results provide a framework for understanding the development of cellular diversity in the tegmental nuclei.Peer reviewe

Design of a non-invasive sensing system for diagnosing gastric disorders

Gastric disorders are widely spread among the population of any age. At the moment, the diagnosis is made by using invasive systems that cause several side effects. The present manuscript proposes an innovative non-invasive sensing system for diagnosing gastric dysfunctions. The Electro-GastroGraphy (EGG) technique is used to record myoelectrical signals of stomach activities. Although EGG technique is well known for a long time, several issues concerning the signal processing and the definition of suitable diagnostic criteria are still unresolved. So, EGG is to this day a trial practice. The authors want to overcome the current limitations of the technique and improve its relevance. To this purpose, a smart EGG sensing system has been designed to non-invasively diagnose gastric disorders. In detail, the system records the gastric slow waves by means of skin surface electrodes placed in the epigastric area. Cutaneous myoelectrical signals are so acquired from the body surface in proximity of stomach. Electro-gastrographic record is then processed. According to the diagnostic model designed from the authors, the system estimates specific diagnostic parameters in time and frequency domains. It uses Discrete Wavelet Transform to obtain power spectral density diagrams. The frequency and power of the EGG waveform and the dominant frequency components are so analyzed. The defined diagnostic parameters are put in comparison with the reference values of a normal EGG in order to estimate the presence of gastric pathologies by the analysis of arrhythmias (tachygastria, bradygastria and irregular rhythm). The paper aims to describe the design of the system and of the arrhythmias detection algorithm. Prototype development and experimental data will be presented in future works. Preliminary results show an interesting relevance of the suggested technique so that it can be considered as a promising non-invasive tool for diagnosing gastrointestinal motility disorders

Smoking Patterns and Receipt of Cessation Services Among Pregnant Women in Argentina and Uruguay

Introduction: The 5A’s (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange) strategy, a best-practice approach for cessation counseling, has been widely implemented in high-income countries for pregnant women; however, no studies have evaluated implementation in middle-income countries. The study objectives were to assess smoking patterns and receipt of 5A’s among pregnant women in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Montevideo, Uruguay. Methods: Data were collected through administered questionnaires to women at delivery hospitalizations during October 2011–May 2012. Eligible women attended one of 12 maternity hospitals or 21 associated prenatal care clinics. The questionnaire included demographic data, tobacco use/cessation behaviors, and receipt of the 5A’s. Self-reported cessation was verified with saliva cotinine. Results: Overall, of 3400 pregnant women, 32.8% smoked at the beginning of pregnancy; 11.9% quit upon learning they were pregnant or later during pregnancy, and 20.9% smoked throughout pregnancy. Smoking prevalence varied by country with 16.1% and 26.7% who smoked throughout pregnancy in Argentina and Uruguay, respectively. Among pregnant smokers in Argentina, 23.8% reported that a provider asked them about smoking at more than one prenatal care visit; 18.5% were advised to quit; 5.3% were assessed for readiness to quit, 4.7% were provided assistance, and 0.7% reported follow-up was arranged. In Uruguay, those percentages were 36.3%, 27.9%, 5.4%, 5.6%, and 0.2%, respectively. Conclusions: Approximately, one in six pregnant women smoked throughout pregnancy in Buenos Aires and one in four in Montevideo. However, a low percentage of smokers received any cessation assistance in both countries. Healthcare providers are not fully implementing the recommended 5A’s intervention to help pregnant women quit smoking.Fil: Berrueta, Amanda Mabel. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Morello, Paola. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; ArgentinaFil: Alemán, Alicia. Unidad de Investigación Clínica y Epidemiológica Montevideo; UruguayFil: Tong, Van T.. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Estados UnidosFil: Johnson, Carolyn. Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Dietz, Patricia M.. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Estados UnidosFil: Farr, Sherry L.. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Estados UnidosFil: Mazzoni, Agustina. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; ArgentinaFil: Colomar, Mercedes. Unidad de Investigación Clínica y Epidemiológica Montevideo; UruguayFil: Ciganda, Alvaro. Unidad de Investigación Clínica y Epidemiológica Montevideo; UruguayFil: Llambi, Laura. Unidad de Investigación Clínica y Epidemiológica Montevideo; UruguayFil: Becú, Ana. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; ArgentinaFil: Gibbons, Luz. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; ArgentinaFil: Smith, Ruben A.. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Estados UnidosFil: Buekens, Pierre. Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Belizan, Jose. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Althabe, Fernando. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Reporting to parents on children’s exposures to asthma triggers in low-income and public housing, an interview-based case study of ethics, environmental literacy, individual action, and public health benefits

Background Emerging evidence about the effects of endocrine disruptors on asthma symptoms suggests new opportunities to reduce asthma by changing personal environments. Right-to-know ethics supports returning personal results for these chemicals to participants, so they can make decisions to reduce exposures. Yet researchers and institutional review boards have been reluctant to approve results reports in low-income communities, which are disproportionately affected by asthma. Concerns include limited literacy, lack of resources to reduce exposures, co-occurring stressors, and lack of models for effective reporting. To better understand the ethical and public health implications of returning personal results in low-income communities, we investigated parents’ experiences of learning their children’s environmental chemical and biomonitoring results in the Green Housing Study of asthma. Methods The Green Housing Study measured indoor chemical exposures, allergens, and children’s asthma symptoms in “green”-renovated public housing and control sites in metro-Boston and Cincinnati in 2011–2013. We developed reports for parents of children in the study, including results for their child and community. We observed community meetings where results were reported, and metro-Boston residents participated in semi-structured interviews in 2015 about their report-back experience. Interviews were systematically coded and analyzed. Results Report-back was positively received, contributed to greater understanding, built trust between researchers and participants, and facilitated action to improve health. Sampling visits and community meetings also contributed to creating a positive study experience for participants. Participants were able to make changes in their homes, such as altering product use and habits that may reduce asthma symptoms, though some faced roadblocks from family members. Participants also gained access to medical resources, though some felt that clinicians were not responsive. Participants wanted larger scale change from government or industry and wanted researchers to leverage study results to achieve change. Conclusions Report-back on environmental chemical exposures in low-income communities can enhance research benefits by engaging residents with personally relevant information that informs and motivates actions to reduce exposure to asthma triggers. Ethical practices in research should support deliberative report-back in vulnerable communities