Chloroplast damage induced by the inhibition of fatty acid synthesis triggers autophagy in chlamydomonas

Fatty acids are synthesized in the stroma of plant and algal chloroplasts by the fatty acid synthase complex. Newly synthesized fatty acids are then used to generate plastidial lipids that are essential for chloroplast structure and function. Here, we show that inhibition of fatty acid synthesis in the model alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii activates autophagy, a highly conserved catabolic process by which cells degrade intracellular material under adverse conditions to maintain cell homeostasis. Treatment of Chlamydomonas cells with cerulenin, a specific fatty acid synthase inhibitor, stimulated lipidation of the autophagosome protein ATG8 and enhanced autophagic flux. We found that inhibition of fatty acid synthesis decreased monogalactosyldiacylglycerol abundance, increased lutein content, down-regulated photosynthesis, and increased the production of reactive oxygen species. Electron microscopy revealed a high degree of thylakoid membrane stacking in cerulenin-treated cells. Moreover, global transcriptomic analysis of these cells showed an up-regulation of genes encoding chloroplast proteins involved in protein folding and oxidative stress and the induction of major catabolic processes, including autophagy and proteasome pathways. Thus, our results uncovered a link between lipid metabolism, chloroplast integrity, and autophagy through a mechanism that involves the activation of a chloroplast quality control system.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad BFU2015-68216-PJunta de Andalucía CVI-7336, BIO2015-74432-JI

Improving scope sensitivity in contingent valuation: joint and separate evaluation of health states

We present data of a contingent valuation survey, testing the effect of evaluation mode on the monetary valuation of preventing road accidents. Half of the interviewees was asked to state their willingness to pay (WTP) to reduce the risk of having only 1 type of injury (separate evaluation, SE), and the other half of the sample was asked to state their WTP for 4 types of injuries evaluated simultaneously (joint evaluation, JE). In the SE group, we observed lack of sensitivity to scope while in the JE group WTP increased with the severity of the injury prevented. However, WTP values in this group were subject to context effects. Our results suggest that the traditional explanation of the disparity between SE and JE, namely, the so-called “evaluability,” does not apply here. The paper presents new explanations based on the role of preference imprecision

Análisis de la captación y aprovechamiento del agua lluvia para utilización en el campus de la Universidad Católica de Colombia (Bogotá), de acuerdo a las características de sus sedes

Trabajo de InvestigaciónEl trabajo de investigación presenta un análisis de la captación para el aprovechamiento de aguas pluviales. Debido a la alta precipitación que se genera en el país durante las temporadas de lluvias especialmente en la ciudad de Bogotá D.C. Se realizó un estudio de los criterios de selección para el campus de la Universidad Católica de Colombia. Este tiene como objetivo la elección de la sede óptima para implementar un sistema de captación y posterior aprovechamiento. Esta idea surge por la necesidad de re utilización por parte de la comunidad académica.INTRODUCCIÓN 1. ANTECEDENTES Y JUSTIFICACIÓN 2. PLANTEAMIENTO Y FORMULACIÓN DEL PROBLEMA 3. OBJETIVOS 4. DELIMITACIÓN 5. METODOLOGÍA 6. MARCO TEÓRICO 7. CRITERIOS DE SELECCIÓN PARA LAS CUBIERTAS 8. MATERIALES PARA CUBIERTAS 9. ANÁLISIS DE LA PRECIPITACIÓN 10. RECOLECCIÓN DE DATOS 11. SELECCIÓN DE SEDE PARA APROVECHAMIENTO 12. PROPUESTA DEL APROVECHAMIENTO 13. CONCLUSIONES Y RECOMENDACIONES 14. BIBLIOGRAFÍAPregradoIngeniero Civi

Climatic analysis linked to land vegetation cover of Mexico by applying multivariate statistical and clustering analysis

"Se delimitan las regiones climáticas de México mediante el análisis jerárquico de agrupamiento. Los datos utilizados fueron medias mensuales de temperatura máxima y mínima y la precipitación mensual acumulada, obtenidas de estaciones climáticas en México para el periodo 1961-2004. Este método de agrupamiento asigna cada variable de precipitación y temperatura a grupos con base en características estadísticas similares. Se realizó un análisis de componentes principales para obtener una matriz estandarizada que se utilizó en el agrupamiento. Aplicando dos criterios de agrupamiento (K-means y Ward) fue posible definir estadísticamente los grupos de estaciones que delimitan regiones de clima similar. Además, la metodología empleada describe la distribución de la vegetación dominante para cada región climática. Este análisis puede contribuir a la generación de nuevos escenarios climáticos, donde puede incluirse la dinámica de la cobertura vegetal como bioindicador del clima.""The climate regions of Mexico are delimitated using hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). The data used consists of monthly means of maximum and minimum temperatures and monthly-accumulated precipitation. The dataset was obtained from heterogeneously distributed climatic stations in Mexico for the period from 1961 to 2004. This cluster method assigns precipitation and temperature variables to groups of clusters based on similar statistical characteristics. We carried out a principal components analysis to obtain a standardized reduced matrix to be used in HCA. By applying two clustering criteria (K-means and Ward´s method) it was possible to define statistically groups of stations that delimit regions of similar climate. In addition, the applied methodology describes the dominant vegetation distribution for each climate region. This analysis may contribute to the generation of new climate scenarios, where the dynamics of land vegetation cover could be included as a biomarker of climate.

Estudio científico del Mihrab de la antigua mezquita de Almería

En este trabajo se realiza un estudio de los distintos materiales empleados en la construcción, tanto originales como añadidos, las distintas intervenciones rea lizadas en el Mihrab de la antigua Mezquita de Almería. El estudio de las mues tras ha permitido determinar la naturaleza de cada una de ellas, así como la exis tencia de gran cantidad de sales (clomros y sulfatos en su mayoría). Asimismo, se ha obtenido información sobre su micromorfología. porosidad, mayor o me nor grado de cristalinidad y estado de alteración. Finalmente se ha comprobado la aplicación, en época reciente, de consolidantes que han sido responsables del desprendimiento superficial

Autophagic flux is required for the synthesis of triacylglycerols and ribosomal protein turnover in Chlamydomonas

Autophagy is an intracellular catabolic process that allows cells to recycle unneeded or damaged material to maintain cellular homeostasis. This highly dynamic process is characterized by the formation of double-membrane vesicles called autophagosomes, which engulf and deliver the cargo to the vacuole. Flow of material through the autophagy pathway and its degradation in the vacuole is known as autophagic flux, and reflects the autophagic degradation activity. A number of assays have been developed to determine autophagic flux in yeasts, mammals, and plants, but it has not been examined yet in algae. Here we analyzed autophagic flux in the model green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. By monitoring specific autophagy markers such as ATG8 lipidation and using immunofluorescence and electron microscopy techniques, we show that concanamycin A, a vacuolar ATPase inhibitor, blocks autophagic flux in Chlamydomonas. Our results revealed that vacuolar lytic function is needed for the synthesis of triacylglycerols and the formation of lipid bodies in nitrogen- or phosphate-starved cells. Moreover, we found that concanamycin A treatment prevented the degradation of ribosomal proteins RPS6 and RPL37 under nitrogen or phosphate deprivation. These results indicate that autophagy might play an important role in the regulation of lipid metabolism and the recycling of ribosomal proteins under nutrient limitation in ChlamydomonasEspaña, MINECO BFU2015-68216-PEspaña, Junta de Andalucía CVI-7336 (to JLC), BIO2015-74432-JIN (to MEPP

Estudio científico de los libros de coro de la abadía del sacromonte de Granada

El objetivo de esta comunicación es dar a conocer el estudio científico que se está realizando sobre el más de medio centenar de los Libros de Coro reali zados en pergamino, expresamente para esta institución, entre los ss. XVII al XX que se encuentran en la Abadía del Sacromonte en Granada. Se efectúa una pe queña introducción histórica de lo que es la Abadía y su localización. A conti nuación .se describen los libros estudiados (tipologías y características generales) y sobre todo de las miniaturas con las que están decorados algunos de ellos

Representational task formats and problem solving strategies in kinematics and work

Previous studies have reported that students employed different problem solving approaches when presented with the same task structured with different representations. In this study, we explored and compared students’ strategies as they attempted tasks from two topical areas, kinematics and work. Our participants were 19 engineering students taking a calculus-based physics course. The tasks were presented in linguistic, graphical, and symbolic forms and requested either a qualitative solution or a value. The analysis was both qualitative and quantitative in nature focusing principally on the characteristics of the strategies employed as well as the underlying reasoning for their applications. A comparison was also made for the same student’s approach with the same kind of representation across the two topics. Additionally, the participants’ overall strategies across the different tasks, in each topic, were considered. On the whole, we found that the students prefer manipulating equations irrespective of the representational format of the task. They rarely recognized the applicability of a ‘‘qualitative’’ approach to solve the problem although they were aware of the concepts involved. Even when the students included visual representations in their solutions, they seldom used these representations in conjunction with the mathematical part of the problem. Additionally, the students were not consistent in their approach for interpreting and solving problems with the same kind of representation across the two topical areas. The representational format, level of prior knowledge, and familiarity with a topic appeared to influence their strategies, their written responses, and their ability to recognize qualitative ways to attempt a problem. The nature of the solution does not seem to impact the strategies employed to handle the problem

In vitro activities of ketolide HMR 3647, macrolides, and clindamycin against coryneform bacteria

The in vitro activity of ketolide HMR 3647 against coryneform bacteria isolated from clinical samples was evaluated. Except against Corynebacterium jeikeium and C. urealyticum, HMR 3647 showed high activity against Corynebacterium spp., being more active than 14- and 16-membered macrolides, azithromycin, or clindamycin. HMR 3647 also had high in vitro activity against Brevibacterium spp. and Listeria monocytogenes

La valoración monetaria de los costes humanos de la siniestralidad vial en España

ResumenLos análisis coste-beneficio en el ámbito de la seguridad vial han de computar la totalidad de los costes, y dentro de ellos ocupan un lugar clave los costes humanos. En esta nota se da cuenta de dos estudios promovidos por la Dirección General de Tráfico orientados a la obtención de valores oficiales para España de los costes asociados a las víctimas mortales y no mortales de los accidentes de tráfico. Mediante la combinación del enfoque de la valoración contingente con la técnica de la lotería estándar (modificada), y con muestras amplias (n1=2020, n2=2000) representativas de la población española, se estimó en 1,4 millones de euros el valor monetario de prevenir un fallecido por accidente de tráfico. Para las lesiones graves y leves, los valores estimados fueron de 219.000 y 6100 euros, respectivamente. Las cifras obtenidas tienen un orden de magnitud similar al de los países de nuestro entorno.AbstractCost-benefit analyses in the field of road safety compute human costs as a key component of total costs. The present article presents two studies promoted by the Directorate-General for Traffic aimed at obtaining official values for the costs associated with fatal and non-fatal traffic injuries in Spain. We combined the contingent valuation approach and the (modified) standard gamble technique in two surveys administered to large representative samples (n1=2,020, n2=2,000) of the Spanish population. The monetary value of preventing a fatality was estimated to be 1.4 million euros. Values of 219,000 and 6,100 euros were obtained for minor and severe non-fatal injuries, respectively. These figures are comparable to those observed in neighboring countries