The epiphytic transcriptome of Podoshaera fusca, the causal agent of cucurbit powdery mildew

3rd International Powdery Mildew Workshop, Copenhagen, Denmar

Evaluación de la capacidad nematicida de los agentes de biocontrol UMAF6614 y UMAF6639

Los nematodos fitoparásitos son uno de los grupos de patógenos de cultivos más destructivos causando graves pérdidas anuales a nivel mundial. La mayoría de los nematodos fitoparásitos se localizan en el suelo siendo patógenos de la raíz, lo que implica una gran dificultad en cuanto a su control y erradicación. Hoy en día, la aplicación de agentes químicos sigue siendo el método más común para la gestión y control de estos patógenos. Sin embargo, debido a la crecientes preocupaciones sobre los problemas de seguridad del medio ambiente y salud pública, muchos nematicidas químicos con alto grado de toxicidad se han retirado o se ha restringido su uso. Por tanto, urge desarrollar alternativas ecológicas para el control de estos patógenos. El empleo de bacterias beneficiosas para combatir plagas o enfermedades de plantas ha cobrado gran importancia en las últimas décadas. Entre las diferentes especies microbianas estudiadas, los miembros del género Bacillus se han demostrado eficaces para su uso como agentes de control biológico. En un estudios previos, se demostró que las cepas de Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, UMAF6614 y UMAF6639, son excelentes candidatas como agentes de biocontrol contra enfermedades fúngicas y bacterianas de las cucurbitáceas. Tras realizar los ensayos de mortalidad se ha visto que estas cepas tienen actividad nematicida pero se desconoce cuáles son los factores que median esta actividad y el modo de acción de dichos factores. Por tanto, en este trabajo se integran técnicas de química analítica y aproximaciones genómicas para identificar los compuestos responsables de dicha actividad y regiones en el genoma que codifiquen compuestos con actividad nematicida

Aplicación de la dinamometría isocinética para establecer perfiles de riesgo de lesión isquiosural en futbolistas profesionales. [The use of isokinetic dynamometry to establish risk profiles of hamstring injury in professional football players].

<p align="justify">Las lesiones en la musculatura isquiosural son frecuentes en el fútbol profesional y han sido relacionadas con el desequilibrio entre la fuerza de los flexores y extensores de rodilla. El objetivo de nuestro estudio fue comprobar si la ratio de fuerza máxima excéntrica de flexores/concéntrica de extensores (ratio Flexexc30/Extcon240) y el ángulo de rodilla donde la musculatura isquiosural alcanza su máximo momento de fuerza, son variables útiles para establecer perfiles de riesgo de lesión isquiosural en futbolistas profesionales. Veinte jugadores de un equipo de la Segunda División de la Liga de Fútbol Profesional realizaron bilateralmente un test isocinético de flexión excéntrica de rodilla a 30º/s y extensión concéntrica de rodilla a 240º/s durante la pretemporada. Tras calcular la ratio Flexexc30/Extcon240 y el ángulo de máximo momento de fuerza, se registraron las lesiones sufridas por los jugadores a lo largo de la temporada. Los resultados mostraron que dos de los cinco jugadores lesionados presentaron ratios Flexexc30/Extcon240 menores de 0.89, valor que ha sido utilizado previamente para determinar el desequilibrio entre la musculatura flexora y extensora de rodilla y el riesgo de lesión (Croisier, Ganteaume, Binet, Genty, y Ferret, 2008). Además, otros dos de los jugadores lesionados obtuvieron ratios entre 0.93 y 1.00. Por otro lado, no se encontraron diferencias en el ángulo de máximo momento de fuerza entre jugadores lesionados y no lesionados. Estos resultados indican que la ratio Flexexc30/Extcon240 puede ser un índice útil para determinar el riesgo de lesión isquiosural en futbolistas profesionales.</p>Abstract<p align="justify">Hamstring injuries are common in professional football and have been related to the imbalance between knee flexor and extensor strength. The aim of our study was to establish whether the flexor eccentric/extensor concentric strength ratio (Flexexc30/Extcon240 ratio) and the knee angle where the peak torque of the hamstring musculature was found, are useful variables to establish risk profiles for hamstring injury in professional football players. Twenty players of a Second Division team of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional bilaterally performed an isokinetic test of eccentric knee flexion at 30º/s and concentric knee extension at 240º/s during the pre-season. The Flexexc30/Extcon240 ratio and the knee angle of peak torque were calculated, and the players’ injuries were registered throughout the season. The results showed that two of the five injured players had Flexexc30/Extcon240 ratios lower than 0.89, value that has been previously used to determine the imbalance between knee flexor and extensor strength and the risk of injury (Croisier, Ganteaume, Binet, Genty, and Ferret, 2008). In addition, another two injured players obtained ratios between 0.93 and 1.00. On the other hand, no differences in the knee angle of peak torque between injured and non-injured players were found. These results indicate that the Flexexc30/Extcon240 ratio may be a useful index to determine the risk of hamstring injury in professional football players.</p>http://dx.doi.org/10.5232/ricyde2013.0340

The influence of a badminton competition with two matches in a day on muscle damage and physical performance in elite junior badminton players

To investigate the effects of a badminton competition with 2 matches in a day on hip strength and range of motion (ROM) and exercise-induced muscle damage in elite junior badminton players. Twenty players (age: 17±0.8 years; body mass: 62.9±6.5 kg, height: 173.8±8.9 cm) participated in this study. Passive hip internal (IR) and external rotation (ER), abduction (ABD) and adduction (ADD) hip ROM, isometric hip ADD and ABD muscle strength, countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) height and blood creatine kinase concentration (CK) were measured before and after a badminton competition during an international tournament. Blood samples were collected 24 h after the end of the last match. Compared to baseline values, hip IR and ER ROM were significantly decreased at post-competition in the dominant (IR=-9.0%; p=0.007 and ER=-15.2%; p=0.002) and non-dominant limbs (IR=-9.08%; p=0.004 and ER=-19.4%; p<0.001). In contrast, hip ADD (13.5%; p<0.001) and ABD (14.6%; p<0.001) strength increased significantly after the competition in the dominant limb and ABD strength increased significantly in the non-dominant limb (9.2%; p=0.001). From baseline values, CK increased after the competition (430.1%) and values remained elevated over baseline values 24 h later (160.4%). Although hip muscle strength increased, a badminton competition with two consecutive matches reduced hip ROM and increased blood CK concentration. This study suggests the necessity of investigating recovery strategies after a badminton competition to return hip ROM to basal values before the next day of the competition.Funding received from Badminton World Federation (BWF), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

Brain Network Allostasis after Chronic Alcohol Drinking Is Characterized by Functional Dedifferentiation and Narrowing

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) causes complex alterations in the brain that are poorly understood. The heterogeneity of drinking patterns and the high incidence of comorbid factors compromise mechanistic investigations in AUD patients. Here we used male Marchigian Sardinian alcohol-preferring (msP) rats, a well established animal model of chronic alcohol drinking, and a combination of longitudinal resting-state fMRI and manganese-enhanced MRI to provide objective measurements of brain connectivity and activity, respectively. We found that 1 month of chronic alcohol drinking changed the correlation between resting-state networks. The change was not homogeneous, resulting in the reorganization of pairwise interactions and a shift in the equilibrium of functional connections. We identified two fundamentally different forms of network reorganization. First is functional dedifferentiation, which is defined as a regional increase in neuronal activity and overall correlation, with a concomitant decrease in preferential connectivity between specific networks. Through this mechanism, occipital cortical areas lost their specific interaction with sensory-insular cortex, striatal, and sensorimotor networks. Second is functional narrowing, which is defined as an increase in neuronal activity and preferential connectivity between specific brain networks. Functional narrowing strengthened the interaction between striatal and prefrontocortical networks, involving the anterior insular, cingulate, orbitofrontal, prelimbic, and infralimbic cortices. Importantly, these two types of alterations persisted after alcohol discontinuation, suggesting that dedifferentiation and functional narrowing rendered persistent network states. Our results support the idea that chronic alcohol drinking, albeit at moderate intoxicating levels, induces an allostatic change in the brain functional connectivity that propagates into early abstinence.Peer reviewe

The epiphytic transcriptome of Podosphaera fusca and its predicted secretome

Comunicación presentada en formato panel en la sesión "Large-scale (omics) approaches"The cucurbit powdery mildew fungus Podosphaera fusca, is a major limiting factor for cucurbit production worldwide. Despite its agronomic and economic importance, very little is known about fundamental aspects of P. fusca biology such as obligate biotrophy and pathogenesis. In order to design novel and more durable control strategies, genomic information of P. fusca is needed. In this work we aimed to analyse the epiphytic transcriptome of P. fusca as starting point. Total RNA was isolated from mycelia and conidia, and the corresponding cDNA library was sequenced using a 454 GS FLX platform. Annotation data was acquired for 62.6% of the assembled sequences, identifying 9,713 putative genes with different orthologues. In the transcript data set, the most represented protein functions were those involved in gene expression, protein metabolism, regulation of biological process and organelle organization. Our analysis also confirmed the existence of “missing ascomycete core genes” (MACGs) found in other powdery mildew species. After analysis of the pool of fungal secreted proteins, 118 putative secreted proteins were identified, including 35 “candidate secreted effector proteins” (CSEPs) specific for P. fusca. In order to validate the in silico assembly, the expression profile of some CSEPs was analysed, which was consequent with a canonical effector expression pattern, with a maximum of expression at the beginning of the infection process 24-48 h after inoculation. Our data open the genomics era of this very important cucurbit pathogen.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Plan Nacional Plan I+D+I del antiguo Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (AGL2010-21848-CO2-01), cofinanciado con fondos FEDER (UE)

GNSS Solar Astronomy in real-time during more than one solar cycle

This work presents a summary of the continuous non-stop (hereinafter 24/7) real-time measurement and warning system for EUV solar activity, which is based on worldwide multifrequency Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) observations. The system relies on continuous tracking of the intensity of expected global patterns in the Earth’s ionosphere’s free electron distribution, which are associated with solar flares. The paper includes a discussion on the foundations of GNSS Solar Astronomy, along with details on its real-time implementation that began in 2011. Furthermore, a summary of the corresponding validation is provided, comparing it to external and direct solar EUV flux measurements obtained from SOHO-SEM. Finally, there will be a brief mention of the ongoing efforts to extend this technique to detect huge extra-solar sources

Towards a Rapid Screening of Liver Grafts at the Operating Room Using Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy

The estimation of steatosis in a liver graft is mandatory prior to liver transplantation, as the risk of graft failure increases with the level of infiltrated fat. However, the assessment of liver steatosis before transplantation is typically based on a qualitative or semiquantitative characterization by visual inspection and palpation and histological analysis. Thus, there is an unmet need for transplantation surgeons to have access to a diagnostic tool enabling an in situ fast classification of grafts prior to extraction. In this study, we have assessed an attenuated total reflection−Fourier transform infrared (ATR−FTIR) spectroscopic method compatible with the requirements of an operation room for the evaluation of the lipid content in human livers. A set of human liver biopsies obtained from organs intended for transplantation were analyzed by expert pathologists, ATR−FTIR spectroscopy, lipid biochemical analysis, and UPLC−ESI(+/−)TOFMS for lipidomic profiling. Comparative analysis of multisource data showed strong correlations between ATR−FTIR, clinical, and lipidomic information. Results show that ATR−FTIR captures a global picture of the lipid composition of the liver, along with information for the quantification of the triradylglycerol content in liver biopsies. Although the methodology performance needs to be further validated, results support the applicability of ATR−FTIR for the in situ determination of the grade of liver steatosis at the operation room as a fast, quantitative method, as an alternative to the qualitative and subjective pathological examination

Metabolomic Diversity of Human Milk Cells over the Course of Lactation - A Preliminary Study

Human milk (HM) is a complex biofluid containing a wide cell variety including epithelial cells and leukocytes. However, the cellular compositions and their phenotypic properties over the course of lactation are poorly understood. The aim of this preliminary study was to characterize the cellular metabolome of HM over the course of lactation. Cells were isolated via centrifugation and the cellular fraction was characterized via cytomorphology and immunocytochemical staining. Cell metabolites were extracted and analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QqTOF-MS) in the positive and negative electrospray ionization modes. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed a high variability of the number of detected cells with relative median abundances of 98% of glandular epithelial cells, 1% of leukocytes, and 1% of keratinocytes. Significant correlations between the milk postnatal age with percentage of epithelial cells and leukocytes, and with total cell count were observed. Results from the Hierarchical Cluster Analysis of immunocytochemical profiles were very similar to those observed in the analysis of the metabolomic profiles. In addition, metabolic pathway analysis showed alterations in seven metabolic pathways correlating with postnatal age. This work paves the way for future investigations on changes in the metabolomic fraction of the cellular compartment of HM

Pediatric Parapneumonic Empyema, Spain

Increased incidence is principally due to highly invasive nonvaccine serotypes of pneumococci, especially serotype 1