Study of metals in leached soils of a municipal dumpsite in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico: preliminary results

The Zapote dumpsite measures 420000 m 2 and is 28 years old; an estimated 2.5 millions tons of waste have accumulated on the site (household waste, clinical waste, commercial waste). The thickness of the waste is 3 to 9 meters. Since operations began, no control regulations have existed on the residues received. The Zapote dumpsite is located within a salt-marsh between a system of channels and river lagoons of brackish water, located in a tropical sedimentary environment in the urban zone of Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Recently, the Zapote has been closed and work is presently underway in its rehabilitation since a geo-environmental perspective. The present investigation integrates information of preliminary results of metals (Pb, Ni, Cd, Cu, Mg, Fe and Al) contained in sediments that underlie the Zapote dumpsite. In laboratory research the metals of the sediment were correlated with the metals contained in samples of leachate from the Zapote dumpsite. The concentration of metals Pb, Ni, Cd, Cu, Mg, Fe and Al were analyzed in samples of sediments that underlie the body of the dumpsite in layers of 10 cm, reaching a depth of 1.5 m under the interface waste-soil. The results denote high concentrations of metals in layers that are in contact with waste that decreased until reaching 60 to 80 cm of depth. The proportions of the concentrations of metals studied in the soil are comparable with that leached, until layers of 60 to 80 cm of depth are reached, and are then lost in the deepest layers. The high plastic characteristics of clay layers have stood in the way of metallic contaminants in sub layers of the Zapote dumpsite. The results were correlated with metal concentrations of natural and anthropogenic sediments of the region

A DNA Microarray-Based Assay to Detect Dual Infection with Two Dengue Virus Serotypes

Here; we have described and tested a microarray based-method for the screening of dengue virus (DENV) serotypes. This DNA microarray assay is specific and sensitive and can detect dual infections with two dengue virus serotypes and single-serotype infections. Other methodologies may underestimate samples containing more than one serotype. This technology can be used to discriminate between the four DENV serotypes. Single-stranded DNA targets were covalently attached to glass slides and hybridised with specific labelled probes. DENV isolates and dengue samples were used to evaluate microarray performance. Our results demonstrate that the probes hybridized specifically to DENV serotypes; with no detection of unspecific signals. This finding provides evidence that specific probes can effectively identify single and double infections in DENV samples

The deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap: a review

Breast cancer is recognized worldwide as a major health problem among women due to its high incidence and high mortality and morbidity rates. Breast reconstruction is an approach of great value for those patients who underwent mastectomy, impacting their quality of life and psychological stress. The deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap was described as the preferred graft for breast reconstruction with an autologous flap by surgeons because it represented a decrease in complications for the time and obtained better results. DIEP flap reconstruction requires microsurgical skills as well as continuous monitoring of the patient to identify and resolve possible associated complications.

Modelling of spectral properties and population kinetics studies of inertial fusión and laboratory astrophysical plasmas

Fundamental research and modelling in plasma atomic physics continue to be essential for providing basic understanding of many different topics relevant to high-energy-density plasmas. The Atomic Physics Group at the Institute of Nuclear Fusion has accumulated experience over the years in developing a collection of computational models and tools for determining the atomic energy structure, ionization balance and radiative properties of, mainly, inertial fusion and laser-produced plasmas in a variety of conditions. In this work, we discuss some of the latest advances and results of our research, with emphasis on inertial fusion and laboratory-astrophysical applications

Boolean network model predicts cell cycle sequence of fission yeast

A Boolean network model of the cell-cycle regulatory network of fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces Pombe) is constructed solely on the basis of the known biochemical interaction topology. Simulating the model in the computer, faithfully reproduces the known sequence of regulatory activity patterns along the cell cycle of the living cell. Contrary to existing differential equation models, no parameters enter the model except the structure of the regulatory circuitry. The dynamical properties of the model indicate that the biological dynamical sequence is robustly implemented in the regulatory network, with the biological stationary state G1 corresponding to the dominant attractor in state space, and with the biological regulatory sequence being a strongly attractive trajectory. Comparing the fission yeast cell-cycle model to a similar model of the corresponding network in S. cerevisiae, a remarkable difference in circuitry, as well as dynamics is observed. While the latter operates in a strongly damped mode, driven by external excitation, the S. pombe network represents an auto-excited system with external damping.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

Effective Synthesis Procedure Based on Microwave Heating of the PdCo Aerogel Electrocatalyst for Its Use in Microfluidic Devices

Unsupported PdCo aerogels were successfully synthesized by means of microwave heating. The use of this heating methodology provides some advantages compared to conventional heating in terms of saving synthesis time and improved physicochemical properties (i.e., greater surface area and mesoporosity). The combination of palladium with cobalt reduces the dependence of the noble metal and increases the electrocatalytic performance in the ethanol oxidation reaction due to a higher percentage of Pd0 in the PdCo aerogel, confirmed using the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique. For the application in energy conversion electrochemical systems, the catalytic activity of aerogels was evaluated in a microfluidic fuel cell that uses ethanol as fuel, where the PdCo aerogel synthesized by microwave heating exhibited great performance with 330 mA cm-2 current density, tripling the value of the palladium-based aerogel.The authors thank Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias y Tecnologías (CONAHCYT) for funding through the Ciencia de Frontera 2020-845132.Peer reviewe

Boolean network simulations for life scientists

Modern life sciences research increasingly relies on computational solutions, from large scale data analyses to theoretical modeling. Within the theoretical models Boolean networks occupy an increasing role as they are eminently suited at mapping biological observations and hypotheses into a mathematical formalism. The conceptual underpinnings of Boolean modeling are very accessible even without a background in quantitative sciences, yet it allows life scientists to describe and explore a wide range of surprisingly complex phenomena. In this paper we provide a clear overview of the concepts used in Boolean simulations, present a software library that can perform these simulations based on simple text inputs and give three case studies. The large scale simulations in these case studies demonstrate the Boolean paradigms and their applicability as well as the advanced features and complex use cases that our software package allows. Our software is distributed via a liberal Open Source license and is freely accessible fro

Specialization Can Drive the Evolution of Modularity

Organismal development and many cell biological processes are organized in a modular fashion, where regulatory molecules form groups with many interactions within a group and few interactions between groups. Thus, the activity of elements within a module depends little on elements outside of it. Modularity facilitates the production of heritable variation and of evolutionary innovations. There is no consensus on how modularity might evolve, especially for modules in development. We show that modularity can increase in gene regulatory networks as a byproduct of specialization in gene activity. Such specialization occurs after gene regulatory networks are selected to produce new gene activity patterns that appear in a specific body structure or under a specific environmental condition. Modules that arise after specialization in gene activity comprise genes that show concerted changes in gene activities. This and other observations suggest that modularity evolves because it decreases interference between different groups of genes. Our work can explain the appearance and maintenance of modularity through a mechanism that is not contingent on environmental change. We also show how modularity can facilitate co-option, the utilization of existing gene activity to build new gene activity patterns, a frequent feature of evolutionary innovations