Classe de Ciências

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Science and the challenges of our time : a reflection on the future role of scientific research

Science has developed as a particularly extensive and intense intellectual activity since the end of the nineteenth century. Its results, and those from a complex set of technologies, are shaping the lives of our citizens and influencing some of the global parameters of our planet. In this context, science professionals formulate their objectives in terms of the problems faced by their disciplines as a result of internal dynamics as well as the demands made by society. For scientists, reflecting on these different perspectives to define research activities is a necessity. Thus, they should also participate in reflecting on the issues that are considered important for the future of our society

La biotecnología como ejemplo

La biotecnología ha sido, en los últimos veinte años, objeto de atención preferente en el diseño de las políticas científicas europeas. En España, arropada por el buen nivel de la biología y las ciencias de la vida en general, también ha ocupado un lugar preeminente aunque, a juicio del autor, los esfuerzos llevados a cabo en este período distan de ser los óptimos. = In the last twenty years, biotechnology has received paramount attention in the design of European scientific policies. Spain¿s position in biology and life sciences is considered good, and thus biotechnology has held a preeminent position despite, in the opinion of the author, the effort put forth have been less than optimal

Qüestions ètiques plantejades per la modificació genètica de les plantes

La modificació genètica de plantes ha estat una tecnologia desenvolupada des de 1983. Ha obert possibilitats per a una nova aproximació per a la millora de les plantes en les quals basem la nostra agricultura, però també és una polèmica complexa, sobretot a Europa. La polèmica té moltes facetes. Quan es planteja la qüestió en termes dels conflictes de valors que apareixen es poden examinar quins estan en joc. Hi ha posicions que plantegen la impossibilitat de la modificació genètica en termes de dignitat de les plantes o de la sacralitat dels genomes. Si no acceptem aquestes posicions podem considerar que cal assegurar l'accés de les poblacions a una alimentació suficient, segura i saludable, i també que les pràctiques que es desenvolupin no comprometin l'accés a uns productes de l'agricultura a les generacions futures. Les decisions semblen, per tant, difícilment generalitzables i cal, com s'ha fet arreu, analitzar cas per cas les modificacions que es presenten en termes de beneficis i riscos que presenten. I cal tractar que les regulacions que es dictin o les regles de propietat intel·lectual no acabin donant lloc a posicions monopolístiques que poden impedir que els productes derivats de les noves tecnologies arribin a la majoria de qui més els necessita.Genetic modification of plants is a technology that has been developed since 1983. It has opened a new possibility for plant breeding but also a complex debate, particularly in Europe. The debate has different aspects. When the conflict is examined in terms of value conflicts it is possible to examine which ones enter into play. There are positions that propose the impossibility of genetic modification in terms of the dignity of plants of the sacrality of genomes. If we do not accept these positions we must consider that we must assure the secure access of human populations to safe and healthy food and also that the practices that are being developed do not compromise the access to food for future generations. The decisions appear difficult to be generalized and we should, as it has been done, consider case-by-case the modifications that can be proposed in terms of the risks and benefits that they may present. And we should try that the regulations that are approved and the rules of intellectual property do not favour monopolies that might interfere with the access to the products derived from these new technologies to the people who need them the most

Variability among Cucurbitaceae species (melon, cucumber and watermelon) in a genomic region containing a cluster of NBS-LRR genes

Background: Cucurbitaceae species contain a significantly lower number of genes coding for proteins with similarity to plant resistance genes belonging to the NBS-LRR family than other plant species of similar genome size. A large proportion of these genes are organized in clusters that appear to be hotspots of variability. The genomes of the Cucurbitaceae species measured until now are intermediate in size (between 350 and 450 Mb) and they apparently have not undergone any genome duplications beside those at the origin of eudicots. The cluster containing the largest number of NBS-LRR genes has previously been analyzed in melon and related species and showed a high degree of interspecific and intraspecific variability. It was of interest to study whether similar behavior occurred in other cluster of the same family of genes. - Results: the cluster of NBS-LRR genes located in melon chromosome 9 was analyzed and compared with the syntenic regions in other cucurbit genomes. This is the second cluster in number within this species and it contains nine sequences with a NBS-LRR annotation including two genes, Fom1 and Prv, providing resistance against Fusarium and Ppapaya ring-spot virus (PRSV). The variability within the melon species appears to consist essentially of single nucleotide polymorphisms. Clusters of similar genes are present in the syntenic regions of the two species of Cucurbitaceae that were sequenced, cucumber and watermelon. Most of the genes in the syntenic clusters can be aligned between species and a hypothesis of generation of the cluster is proposed. The number of genes in the watermelon cluster is similar to that in melon while a higher number of genes (12) is present in cucumber, a species with a smaller genome than melon. After comparing genome resequencing data of 115 cucumber varieties, deletion of a group of genes is observed in a group of varieties of Indian origin. - Conclusions: clusters of genes coding for NBS-LRR proteins in cucurbits appear to have specific variability in different regions of the genome and between different species. This observation is in favour of considering that the adaptation of plant species to changing environments is based upon the variability that may occur at any location in the genome and that has been produced by specific mechanisms of sequence variation acting on plant genomes. This information could be useful both to understand the evolution of species and for plant breeding

Les Noves tecnologies i l'agricultura. Impacte a Catalunya

L'agricultura ha estat sempre una activitat innovadora per la necessitat de fer servir les millors tecnologies agronòmiques i els millors materials agrícoles per tenir un bon producte i un bon rendiment. Ha estat també una activitat oberta a l'entorn històric. En l'entorn globalitzat actual disposem també d'unes tecnologies noves que tenen un gran impacte sobre les varietats i les tècniques de conreu que es fan servir. Al mateix temps, sobretot a Europa, es busca la manera que el producte tingui el valor afegit més gran possible i per tant es desenvolupen diverses formes de producció que incorporen criteris geogràfics o de tradició, entre d'altres. En un país com el nostre cal trobar la manera que es faci possible la coexistència entre els diferents tipus d'agricultura que permetin respondre als reptes complexos que la nostra societat té davant seu.Agriculture has always been an innovative activity owing to the need to use the best agronomic technologies and the best agricultural materials to obtain good products and good yields. It has also been an activity open to its historic environment. In today’s globalized environment, we also have new technologies that have a great impact on the varieties we use and on cultivation techniques. At the same time, especially in Europe, people are looking for ways to give products the greatest added value so they are seeking to develop different production methods that include geographic or tradition-based criteria, among others. In a country like Catalonia, we must find ways to allow the coexistence of different types of agriculture responding to the complex challenges that our society is facing.La agricultura ha sido siempre una actividad innovadora por la necesidad de usar las mejores tecnologías agronómicas y los mejores materialesagrícolas para tener un buen producto y un buen rendimiento. Ha sido también una actividad abierta al entorno histórico. En el actual entorno globalizado disponemos también de unas tecnologías nuevas que tienen un gran impacto sobre las variedades y las técnicas de cultivo que se usan. Al mismo tiempo, sobre todo en Europa, se busca la manera de que el producto tenga el mayor valor añadido posible y por lo tanto se desarrollan formas diversas de producción que incorporan criterios geográficos o de tradición, entre otros. En un país como el nuestro hay que encontrar la manera de que se haga posible la coexistencia entre los diferentes tipos de agricultura que permitan responder a los retos complejos que nuestra sociedad tiene ante sí