Determinación de la capacidad de regulación hídrica de un Typic Hapludands mediante las curvas de retención de humedad y la modelación de sus propiedades hidrofísicas.

(Eng) In the watershed Centella , located in the upper river basin of the Dagua - Valle del Cauca, in nine farms with association coffee - banana, coffee - guamo, cane panelera and pastures, the water regulation capacity of the soil was studied by means of humidity retention curves obtained in the laboratory and by modeling its hydrophysical properties in Hydrus 2D. Properties such as texture, bulk density, porosity, organic matter, hydraulic conductivity, infiltration and humidity were determined. Subsequently, moisture retention curves were simulated using the hydraulic models of Van Genuchten, Brooks and Corey, Van Genuchten modified and Kosugi, evaluating the average errors and the dispersion of the data. Agreed to the results it is possible to point out that the soil under study has a high capacity for moisture retention ( > 18%), consequence of the high content of clays ( > 41%) and organic matter ( > 5%), characteristics of the Andisols of the Valle del Cauca. Finally, the best fitting model was compared statistically with the data of the curves obtained in the laboratory, finding that Van Genuchten and Van Genuchten models modified, are the most appropriate for obtaining the retention curves from the hydrophysical properties since they presented a lower mean error (ME) with a value not higher than -0.11 cm 3 / cm 3 and a value of the square root of the mean square error (RMSE) less than 0.11 cm 3 / cm 3 .(Spa) En la microcuenca Centella, ubicada en la cuenca alta del río Dagua - Valle del Cauca, en nueve fincas con asociación café – pláta - no, café - guamo, caña panelera y pastos, se estudió la capacidad de regulación hídrica del suelo mediante curvas de retención de humedad obtenidas en laboratorio y por modelación de sus propiedades hidrofísicas, en Hydrus 2D. Se determin ó textura, densidad aparente, porosidad, materia orgánica, conductividad hidr áulica, infiltración y humedad del suelo . Posteriormente, se simularon las curvas de retención de humedad mediante los modelos hidráulicos de Van Genuchten, Brooks y Corey, Van Genuchten modificado y Kosugi, evaluando los errores medios y la dispersión de los datos. De acuerdo a los resultados es posible señalar que el suelo en estudio tiene una alta capacidad de retención de humedad ( > 18 % ), debido a los altos contenidos de arcilla ( > 41 %) y materia or - gánica ( > 5%) , característico de los Andisoles presentes en el Valle del Cauca. Finalmente, se comparó estadísticamente el modelo de mejor ajuste con los datos de las curvas obtenidas en laboratorio, encontrando que los modelos Van Genuchten y Van Genuchten modificado, son los más apropiados para la obtención de las curvas de retención a partir de propiedades hidrofísicas dado que pre - sentaron un menor error medio (ME) con un valor no superior a -0.11 cm 3 /cm 3 y un valor de la raíz cuadrada del error cuadrático medio (RMSE) menor de 0.11 cm 3 /cm 3

Genetic diversity detection of the domestic horse (Equus caballus) by genes associated with coat color

ABSTRACT Objective. To assess the population structure and genetic diversity in populations of domestic horse (Equus caballus) in the municipality Cienaga de Oro-Córdoba (Colombia). Materials and methods. Random sampling were conducted between August and October 2013, in adult animals on farms seven districts, which was carried out phenotypic characterization of each animal, based on autosomal markers encoding morphological Extension (E) , Agouti (A), Cream (C), White (W), Gray (G), Tobiano (TO), Overo (O) and Roan (RN). Population genetic parameters: allele frequency, genetic diversity, gene flow, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and genetic distance were calculated through the program POPGENE 1.31; the genetic structure was assessed using the program FSTAT v. 2.9.3.2. Results. 341 individuals were analyzed in the seven populations studied, where the Extension gene Was the MOST faq frequently as the Overo and Tobiano genes showed the lowest values. Insignificant values of genetic variability and population recorded a global level, likewise, low genetic differentiation among populations, accompanied by a high gene flow was obtained; an excess of heterozygotes at population and global level was observed; to this is added the presence of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in all populations relative to the markers studied and low genetic distance values were reported. Conclusions. The populations are highly genetically related, a situation that may result from the existing geographical proximity between them, favoring genetic exchange and the establishment of a metapopulation

A Prolyl-Isomerase Mediates Dopamine-Dependent Plasticity and Cocaine Motor Sensitization

SummarySynaptic plasticity induced by cocaine and other drugs underlies addiction. Here we elucidate molecular events at synapses that cause this plasticity and the resulting behavioral response to cocaine in mice. In response to D1-dopamine-receptor signaling that is induced by drug administration, the glutamate-receptor protein metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) is phosphorylated by microtubule-associated protein kinase (MAPK), which we show potentiates Pin1-mediated prolyl-isomerization of mGluR5 in instances where the product of an activity-dependent gene, Homer1a, is present to enable Pin1-mGluR5 interaction. These biochemical events potentiate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-mediated currents that underlie synaptic plasticity and cocaine-evoked motor sensitization as tested in mice with relevant mutations. The findings elucidate how a coincidence of signals from the nucleus and the synapse can render mGluR5 accessible to activation with consequences for drug-induced dopamine responses and point to depotentiation at corticostriatal synapses as a possible therapeutic target for treating addiction

DOCK8 deficiency impairs CD8 T cell survival and function in humans and mice

In humans, DOCK8 immunodeficiency syndrome is characterized by severe cutaneous viral infections. Thus, CD8 T cell function may be compromised in the absence of DOCK8. In this study, by analyzing mutant mice and humans, we demonstrate a critical, intrinsic role for DOCK8 in peripheral CD8 T cell survival and function. DOCK8 mutation selectively diminished the abundance of circulating naive CD8 T cells in both species, and in DOCK8-deficient humans, most CD8 T cells displayed an exhausted CD45RA+CCR7? phenotype. Analyses in mice revealed the CD8 T cell abnormalities to be cell autonomous and primarily postthymic. DOCK8 mutant naive CD8 T cells had a shorter lifespan and, upon encounter with antigen on dendritic cells, exhibited poor LFA-1 synaptic polarization and a delay in the first cell division. Although DOCK8 mutant T cells underwent near-normal primary clonal expansion after primary infection with recombinant influenza virus in vivo, they showed greatly reduced memory cell persistence and recall. These findings highlight a key role for DOCK8 in the survival and function of human and mouse CD8 T cells

DOCK8 deficiency impairs CD8 T cell survival and function in humans and mice

As shown by analysis of mice and humans bearing DOCK8-inactivating mutations, DOCK8 plays a cell-autonomous role in survival of naive CD8 T cells, LFA-1 polarization toward the immune synapse, and CD8 T cell memory and recall responses following viral infection

Intra- and extracellular β-amyloid overexpression via adeno-associated virus-mediated gene transfer impairs memory and synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder, is currently conceptualized as a disease of synaptic failure. Synaptic impairments are robust within the AD brain and better correlate with dementia severity when compared with other pathological features of the disease. Nevertheless, the series of events that promote synaptic failure still remain under debate, as potential triggers such as β-amyloid (Aβ) can vary in size, configuration and cellular location, challenging data interpretation in causation studies. Here we present data obtained using adeno-associated viral (AAV) constructs that drive the expression of oligomeric Aβ either intra or extracellularly. We observed that expression of Aβ in both cellular compartments affect learning and memory, reduce the number of synapses and the expression of synaptic-related proteins, and disrupt chemical long-term potentiation (cLTP). Together, these findings indicate that during the progression AD the early accumulation of Aβ inside neurons is sufficient to promote morphological and functional cellular toxicity, a phenomenon that can be exacerbated by the buildup of Aβ in the brain parenchyma. Moreover, our AAV constructs represent a valuable tool in the investigation of the pathological properties of Aβ oligomers both in vivo and in vitro

Adenovirus-5-Vectored P. falciparum Vaccine Expressing CSP and AMA1. Part B: Safety, Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy of the CSP Component

Background: A protective malaria vaccine will likely need to elicit both cell-mediated and antibody responses. As adenovirus vaccine vectors induce both these responses in humans, a Phase 1/2a clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of an adenovirus serotype 5-vectored malaria vaccine against sporozoite challenge.\ud \ud Methodology/Principal Findings: NMRC-MV-Ad-PfC is an adenovirus vector encoding the Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 circumsporozoite protein (CSP). It is one component of a two-component vaccine NMRC-M3V-Ad-PfCA consisting of one adenovector encoding CSP and one encoding apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1) that was evaluated for safety and immunogenicity in an earlier study (see companion paper, Sedegah et al). Fourteen Ad5 seropositive or negative adults received two doses of NMRC-MV-Ad-PfC sixteen weeks apart, at 1x1010 particle units per dose. The vaccine was safe and well tolerated. All volunteers developed positive ELISpot responses by 28 days after the first immunization (geometric mean 272 spot forming cells/million[sfc/m]) that declined during the following 16 weeks and increased after the second dose to levels that in most cases were less than the initial peak (geometric mean 119 sfc/m). CD8+ predominated over CD4+ responses, as in the first clinical trial. Antibody responses were poor and like ELISpot responses increased after the second immunization but did not exceed the initial peak. Pre-existing neutralizing antibodies (NAb) to Ad5 did not affect the immunogenicity of the first dose, but the fold increase in NAb induced by the first dose was significantly associated with poorer antibody responses after the second dose, while ELISpot responses remained unaffected. When challenged by the bite of P. falciparum-infected mosquitoes, two of 11 volunteers showed a delay in the time to patency compared to infectivity controls, but no volunteers were sterilely protected.\ud \ud Significance: The NMRC-MV-Ad-PfC vaccine expressing CSP was safe and well tolerated given as two doses, but did not provide sterile protection