Protective Yeasts Control V. anguillarum Pathogenicity and Modulate the Innate Immune Response of Challenged Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Larvae

Indexación: Web of ScienceWe investigated mechanisms involved in the protection of zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae by two probiotic candidate yeasts, Debaryornyces hansenii 97 (Dh97) and Yarrowia Iypolitica 242 (YI242), against a Vibrio anguillarum challenge. We determined the effect of different yeast concentrations (10(4)-10(7) CFU/mL) to: (i) protect larvae from the challenge, (ii) reduce the in vivo pathogen concentration and (iii) modulate the innate immune response of the host. To evaluate the role of zebrafish microbiota in protection, the experiments were performed in conventionally raised and germ free larvae. In vitro co-aggregation assays were performed to determine a direct yeast-pathogen interaction. Results showed that both yeasts significantly increased the survival rate of conventionally raised larvae challenged with V. anguillarum. The concentration of yeasts in larvae tended to increase with yeast inoculum, which was more pronounced for Dh97. Better protection was observed with Dh97 at a concentration of 106 CFU/mL compared to 104 CFU/mL. In germ-free conditions V anguillarum reached higher concentrations in larvae and provoked significantly more mortality than in conventional conditions, revealing the protective role of the host microbiota. Interestingly, yeasts were equally (Dh97) or more effective (YI242) in protecting germ-free than conventionally-raised larvae, showing that protection can be exerted only by yeasts and is not necessarily related to modulation of the host microbiota. Although none of the yeasts co aggregated with V anguillarum, they were able to reduce its proliferation in conventionally raised larvae, reduce initial pathogen concentration in germ-free larvae and prevent the upregulation of key components of the inflammatory/anti-inflammatory response (il1b, tnfa, c3, mpx, and il10, respectively). These results show that protection by yeasts of zebrafish larvae challenged with V anguillarum relates to an in vivo anti-pathogen effect, the modulation of the innate immune system, and suggests that yeasts avoid the host-pathogen interaction through mechanisms independent of co-aggregation. This study shows, for the first time, the protective role of zebrafish microbiota against V. anguillarum infection, and reveals mechanisms involved in protection by two non-Saccharomyces yeasts against this pathogen.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fcimb.2016.00127/ful

Inventari espeleològic dels termes d'Andratx i Estellencs

[cat] En aquest treball es presenta la primera part d'una actualització de les cavitats en els termes municipals del sud-oest de l’illa de Mallorca. Hem catalogat 76 cavitats en el terme d'Andratx, 8 a Sa Dragonera i 25 en el terme d'Estellencs.[eng] This note is the first part of the cavities up-dating task in the Southwestern area of the Mallorca island. Seventy-six cavities in Andratx municipality, eight in Sa Dragonera island and twenty-five in Estellencs municipality have been catalogued

Properties and Nutrient Status of Degraded Soils in Luzon, Philippines

A prerequisite to soil management, particularly in degraded soils, is a good knowledge of the characteristics and fertility status of degraded soil, which is fundamental to planning suitable soil management strategies for crop production purposes. The aim of this study was to determine the physico-chemical and mineralogical properties and fertility constraints of degraded soils in Luzon, Philippines. Ten surface soil samples were collected from 10 degraded soils representing the dominant soil series in Luzon Island. These soils were analyzed for physical, chemical and mineralogical properties. Results revealed that all soils have high clay content (except Bantay soil), which impedes cultivation. All soils were acidic, have a very low organic matter (OM), total N, available P, and low to moderately low exchangeable cations. X-ray diffraction reveals the dominance of halloysite/kaolinite, quartz and hematite in all soils. Results further revealed that all soils have fertility constraints, particularly acidic soils, low OM, low total N, and low available P. All soils contain sufficient exchangeable Ca, but low to high exchangeable K, particularly in soils of Annam, Bolinao, Bantay and Cervantes. Together, these results suggest that all soils possess physical and chemical constraints to crop production and the occurrence of constraints varies with soil type, location in the landscape, slope and parent material. The recognition of these fertility constraints is essential for the long-term planning of soil management strategies essential to sustainable utilization of these degraded soils

ELABORATING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS WITH EXPERTS USING A MULTICRITERIA EVALUATION TOOL. THE CASE OF SOIL BORNE DISEASE CONTROL IN MARKETGARDENING CROPPING SYSTEMS

International audienceMarket-gardening cropping systems in protected cultivation are very sensitive to soil-borne pests and diseases. Their productivity used to rely on pesticides, but alternative systems have now to be found for environmental, societal and health reasons. Many cultural techniques are known to provide some control of soilborne diseases, but are only partially efficient. The aim of the project is to design alternative systems with professionals, by improving the efficiency of the present techniques and/or imagining more innovative systems. The research project takes place in two steps. The first one consists in building a tool to assess the resistance or resilience of a given cropping system to soil-borne pests; the second one consists in using the tool with professionals in order to build alternative cropping and farming systems in cooperation. The model built for evaluation is a qualitative multicriteria tool. As scientific knowledge is not available for each technique or combination of techniques, empirical knowledge collected from growers and technical advisers is used to fill the gaps. The model is already built for root-knot nematodes and under construction for the other fungi. The second step will consist in using the tool with technical advisers and growers to redesign cropping systems and select the promising ones that should be put into trial in R&D stations. Co-building farming systems with stakeholders appears as an absolute necessity, to imagine solutions both efficient and acceptable for growers. The presentation will enable to discuss how combining expert and scientific knowledge may not only fill the knowledge gap, but also enable to build innovative solutions thanks to the diversity of experts' standpoints

Testing for alpha-1 antitrypsin in COPD in outpatient respiratory clinics in Spain: A multilevel, cross-sectional analysis of the EPOCONSUL study

Background Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is the most common hereditary disorder in adults, but is under-recognized. In Spain, the number of patients diagnosed with AATD is much lower than expected according to epidemiologic studies. The objectives of this study were to assess the frequency and determinants of testing serum α1-antitrypsin (AAT) levels in COPD patients, and to describe factors associated with testing. Methods EPOCONSUL is a cross-sectional clinical audit, recruiting consecutive COPD cases over one year. The study evaluated serum AAT level determination in COPD patients and associations between individual, disease-related, and hospital characteristics. Results A total of 4,405 clinical records for COPD patients from 57 Spanish hospitals were evaluated. Only 995 (22.5%) patients had serum AAT tested on some occasion. A number of patient characteristics (being male [OR 0.5, p < 0.001], ≤55 years old [OR 2.38, p<0.001], BMI≤21 kg/m2 [OR 1.71, p<0.001], FEV1(%)<50% [OR 1.35, p<0.001], chronic bronchitis [OR 0.79, p < 0.001], Charlson index ≥ 3 [OR 0.66, p < 0.001], or history or symptoms of asthma [OR 1.32, p<0.001]), and management at a specialized COPD outpatient clinic [OR 2.73,p<0.001] were identified as factors independently associated with ever testing COPD patients for AATD. Overall, 114 COPD patients (11.5% of those tested) had AATD. Of them, 26 (22.8%) patients had severe deficiency. Patients with AATD were younger, with a low pack-year index, and were more likely to have emphysema (p<0.05). Conclusion Testing of AAT blood levels in COPD patients treated at outpatient respiratory clinics in Spain is infrequent. However, when tested, AATD (based on the serum AAT levels ≤100 mg/dL) is detected in one in five COPD patients. Efforts to optimize AATD case detection in COPD are needed.SEPA

Uniform Ru nanoparticles on N-doped graphene for selective hydrogenation of fatty acids to alcohols

[EN] Ruthenium nanoparticles (Ru NPs) supported on reduced-graphene oxide doped with N (NH2-rGO) was synthesized and used for the selective hydrogenation of fatty acids to alcohols, being the hydrogenation of palmitic acid selected as model. Ru was stabilized forming uniform nanometer size particles on N-doped graphene (Ru/NH2-rGO). The resultant catalyst was very selective for the carbonyl reduction giving 93% of the aliphatic alcohol at 99% conversion. The Ru/NH2-rGO catalysts was more active and selective than the corresponding Ru on non-doped graphene (Ru/rGO) or Ru on carbon (Ru/C). Mechanistic studies points to a dual mechanism for H-2 dissociation, i.e. homolytic and heterolytic cleavage exists on the Ru/NH2-rGO, while only the homolytic H-2 dissociation occurs on Ru/rGO. This heterolytic splitting, which activates the carbonyl groups and facilitates the hydrogenation of aliphatic acids, is due to the presence of basic centres next to the Ru atoms. The presence of N atoms also increases the stability of the catalyst, allowing a reuse up to four times. (C) 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.The authors thank Institute de Tecnologia Quimica (ITQ), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) and Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (UPV) for the facilities and Severo Ochoa excellence programme, "Juan de la Cierva" programme and Primeros Proyectos de Investigacion (PAID-06-18) for financial support. We gratefully acknowledge Prof. A. Corma for his invaluable contribution to this research. We also thank the Electron Microscopy Service of the UPV for TEM facilities, Jose A. Vidal-Moya (ITQ CSIC-UPV) for NMR measurements and J. Gaona and C. Morales for their assistance in catalytic reactions.Martínez-Prieto, LM.; Puche Panadero, M.; Cerezo-Navarrete, C.; Chaudret, B. (2019). Uniform Ru nanoparticles on N-doped graphene for selective hydrogenation of fatty acids to alcohols. Journal of Catalysis. 377:429-437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcat.2019.07.040S42943737

Primary pleural liposarcoma, pleomorphic variant

Primary pleural liposarcoma (PPL) is a rare tumor derived from primitive mesenchymal tissue. We report a case of a 49-year-old female patient complaining of thoracic pain and dyspnea for 3 months. The chest X-ray showed a left basal opacity of lobulated contours and the thoracic computer tomography (CT) scan revealed a left pleural collection/mass, of 18 HU density and passive pulmonary atelectasis. The patient was taken to surgery and the cytologic examination of the gelatinous mass found in the procedure confirmed the diagnosis of a pleomorphic variant of pleural liposarcoma. We emphasise in the importance of careful inspection of the origin of the tumor in the diagnostic images to allow accurate diagnosis. © Pioneer Bioscience Publishing Company

The Luminous Type Ic SN 1992ar at z=0.145

We present spectroscopic and photometric observations of SN1992ar, the more distant SN in the Calan/Tololo Survey. We compare its spectrum with those of nearby Type Ia and Ic SNe and conclude that the latter type is a better match to SN 1992ar. Using K-corrections based on the spectra of well observed Type Ic and Ia SNe we compute different possible rest frame light curves of SN 1992ar and compare them with those of representative SNe of each type observed in the nearby universe. From the photometry and the spectra, we are able to conclude that SN 1992ar cannot be matched by any known example of a Type Ia SN. Even though the data set collected is fairly complete (one spectrum and 10 photometric points), it is not possible to decide whether SN 1992ar was a fast Type Ic SN, like SN 1994I, or a slow one, like SN 1983V. The absolute V magnitudes at maximum implied by each of these possibilities are -19.2 and -20.2, respectively. The latter would make SN 1992ar one of the brightest SNe on record. SN 1992ar, hence, illustrates the problem of contamination faced by the high z Type Ia SNe samples whose luminosity distances are used to determine the cosmological parameters of the Universe. We present observational criteria to distinguish the two SN types when the SiII 6355 line is redshifted out of the sensitivity range of typical CCD detectors, and discuss the effect that these luminous Type Ic SNe would have on the measured cosmological parameters, if not removed from the High-z Type Ia SN samples.Comment: 40 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journa

Nexus between nature-based solutions, ecosystem services and urban challenges

Nature-based Solutions (NBS) are increasingly promoted to support sustainable and resilient urban planning. However, design and planning urban NBS targeted at the needs of the local context require knowledge about the causal relationships between NBS, ecosystem services (ES) and urban challenges (UC) This paper aims at contributing to this knowledge, by systematically identifying nexuses (i.e. qualitative links) between UC, ES and NBS, and describing plausible causal relationships. A conceptual UC-ES-NBS criteria framework was built, and used to guide a two-step systematic literature review on current UC and on the supply of ES by urban NBS. This was followed by a non-systematic literature review, which complemented the previous one by unveiling knowledge gaps on the biophysical and social processes and attributes on which specific ES classes depend. The non-systematic review was also used to identify additional NBS. The UC review identified 18 UC and 58 sub-challenges, and illustrated which UC were more studied, according to the type of literature and environmental and socio-economic attributes of urban contexts. The ES review led to the development of an urban NBS classification, and supported the identification of UC-ES and ES-NBS nexuses, which were analysed and classified into four groups of causal relationship. For the nexuses identified as direct plausible causal relationship, the main processes and attributes on which the supply of specific ES depend were pointed out. Relationships between UC, ES, NBS, processes, and attributes were represented in the form of network diagrams. Our results can be used to support urban policies aimed at mainstreaming NBS and as a basis to further understand UC-ES-NBS relationships

Quantum coherent control of highly multipartite continuous-variable entangled states by tailoring parametric interactions

The generation of continuous-variable multipartite entangled states is important for several protocols of quantum information processing and communication, such as one-way quantum computation or controlled dense coding. In this article we theoretically show that multimode optical parametric oscillators can produce a great variety of such states by an appropriate control of the parametric interaction, what we accomplish by tailoring either the spatio-temporal shape of the pump, or the geometry of the nonlinear medium. Specific examples involving currently available optical parametric oscillators are given, hence showing that our ideas are within reach of present technology.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure