Selection of internal control genes for quantitative real-time RT-PCR studies during tomato development process

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The elucidation of gene expression patterns leads to a better understanding of biological processes. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR has become the standard method for in-depth studies of gene expression. A biologically meaningful reporting of target mRNA quantities requires accurate and reliable normalization in order to identify real gene-specific variation. The purpose of normalization is to control several variables such as different amounts and quality of starting material, variable enzymatic efficiencies of retrotranscription from RNA to cDNA, or differences between tissues or cells in overall transcriptional activity. The validity of a housekeeping gene as endogenous control relies on the stability of its expression level across the sample panel being analysed. In the present report we describe the first systematic evaluation of potential internal controls during tomato development process to identify which are the most reliable for transcript quantification by real-time RT-PCR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study, we assess the expression stability of 7 traditional and 4 novel housekeeping genes in a set of 27 samples representing different tissues and organs of tomato plants at different developmental stages. First, we designed, tested and optimized amplification primers for real-time RT-PCR. Then, expression data from each candidate gene were evaluated with three complementary approaches based on different statistical procedures. Our analysis suggests that SGN-U314153 (<it>CAC</it>), SGN-U321250 (<it>TIP41</it>), SGN-U346908 ("<it>Expressed</it>") and SGN-U316474 (<it>SAND</it>) genes provide superior transcript normalization in tomato development studies. We recommend different combinations of these exceptionally stable housekeeping genes for suited normalization of different developmental series, including the complete tomato development process.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This work constitutes the first effort for the selection of optimal endogenous controls for quantitative real-time RT-PCR studies of gene expression during tomato development process. From our study a tool-kit of control genes emerges that outperform the traditional genes in terms of expression stability.</p

Sample treatments prior to capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry

Sample preparation is a crucial part of chemical analysis and in most cases can become the bottleneck of the whole analytical process. Its adequacy is a key factor in determining the success of the analysis and, therefore, careful selection and optimization of the parameters controlling sample treatment should be carried out. This work revises the different strategies that have been developed for sample preparation prior to capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS). Namely, the present work presents an exhaustive and critical revision of the different samples treatments used together with on-line CE-MS including works published from January 2000 to July 2006Authors are grateful to the AGL2005-05320-C02-01 Project (Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia) and the ALIBIRD-S-505/AGR-0153 Project (CAM) for financial support of this work.Peer reviewe

Economy and Environmental Problems in the Mexican Coastal States

A canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) for environmental and economic variables was performed for 17 Mexican coastal states. The ordination method allowed us to identify three groups, namely hydroelectric energy generation (I), pollution (II) and harbours (III), which were associated to different human activities. Furthermore, CCA is efficient to help us generate hypotheses for future research. It is therefore advised that CCA should be used for routine analyses into economics.Coastal States of Mexico, Canonical Correspondence Analysis, Diversity Index, Economic Development, Environmental Variables.

El grupo chileno Mandrágora y la 'facción surrealista' de Gaceta de Arte: un estudio comparativo

Abordar la trayectoria de los que consideramos que son los dos grupos surrealistas consolidados en el ámbito de la lengua castellana más sólidos surgidos a lo largo de la década del treinta, la "facción surrealista" articulada en torno a la revista Gaceta de Arte y el grupo Mandrágora. Centramos nuestro interés, por una parte, en la actividad surrealista desplegada en Chile por el grupo Mandrágora entre 1938, año de fundación del grupo, y 1948, año en que sus miembros fundamentales (Enrique Gómez-Correa, Braulio Arenas, Teófilo Cid y Jorge Cáceres) organizan la última actividad surrealista de carácter colectivo, la 8ª Exposición Internacional del Surrealismo, celebrada en la capital chilena. Y, por otra, en la actividad surrealista desarrollada en Canarias, concretamente en Tenerife, por los autores que conforman la denominada por Domingo Pérez Minik la "facción surrealista" (Agustín Espinosa, Emeterio Gutiérrez Albelo, Domingo López Torres, Pedro García Cabrera y, hacia el final, José María de la Rosa), articulados en torno a la revista Gaceta de Arte, abierta de forma amplia a la modernidad. Tras estudiar por separado ambas trayectorias, procedemos a tratar de iluminarlas mutuamente, examinando las conexiones existentes entre canarios y chilenos, entre sus actividades y publicaciones, tanto de carácter colectivo como individual. Pretendemos, pues, señalar las diferencias y, sobre todo, las cercanías y similitudes que los relacionan o emparientan. Ambos, canarios y chilenos, asimilan a conciencia los principios surrealistas, se adhieren con entusiasmo al movimiento y participan del entramado de relaciones del surrealismo internacional. Unos y otros comparten inquietudes, pasiones, deseos, preocupaciones y obsesiones. De hecho, en cierto sentido, los chilenos de Mandrágora pueden ser considerados los continuadores en un emplazamiento diferente del ámbito hispánico de la aventura surrealista iniciada por los canarios a principios de los años 30

La Molinería en La Orotava: Propuesta para la Salvaguardia y el Desarrollo del Oficio del Molinero

Máster Universitario en Uso y Gestión del Patrimonio Cultural Por la Ul

Altas capacidades e cognição social

High abilities, multidimensionally configured, beyond a high IQ, are the result of both an early maturational and psychosocial developmental process. Therefore, a field of study of special interest is social cognition, a field that encompasses the mental processes that perceive, capture and interpret social information from the environment. The present study seeks to determine the differences between highly able students and their normatively intelligent peers. With this in mind, a purposive sample of 146 Secondary School students was obtained. A cross-sectional design with survey methodology was used. The results support the hypotheses put forward. However, the relevance of these differential aspects between high ability students and their peers is discussed.Las altas capacidades, multidimensionalmente configuradas, más allá de un CI elevado, son resultado tanto de un proceso de desarrollo madurativo como psicosocial precoz. Por consiguiente, un campo de estudio de especial interés es la cognición social, un campo que engloba a los procesos mentales que perciben, captan e interpretan la información social del entorno. El presente estudio busca determinar las diferencias existentes entre el alumnado con altas capacidades comparándolo con sus pares de inteligencia normativa. Atendiendo a ello, se realizó un muestreo intencional en adolescentes, obteniendo una muestra de 146 estudiantes de Enseñanza Secundaria Se utilizó un diseño transversal con metodología de encuesta. Los resultados avalan las hipótesis planteadas. No obstante, se debate la relevancia de estos aspectos diferenciales entre el alumnado de altas capacidades y sus pares.Altas capacidades, configuradas multidimensionalmente, além de um alto QI, são o resultado tanto de um processo precoce de maturação quanto de um processo de desenvolvimento psicossocial. Portanto, um campo de estudo de especial interesse é a cognição social, um campo que engloba os processos mentais que percebem, capturam e interpretam as informações sociais do meio ambiente. O presente estudo procura determinar as diferenças entre estudantes altamente capacitados e seus pares normativamente inteligentes. Com isto em mente, foi obtida uma amostra proposital de 146 alunos do Ensino Médio. Foi utilizado um projeto transversal com metodologia de pesquisa. Os resultados apóiam as hipóteses apresentadas. Entretanto, a relevância desses aspectos diferenciais entre os estudantes de alta capacidade e seus pares é discutida

Uso de menadiona para aumentar la tolerancia al estrés salino de las plantas

Uso de menadiona para aumentar la tolerancia al estrés salino de las plantas. Esta invención está relacionada con el uso de composiciones que contienen menadiona (Vitamina K3 o Provitamina K) y/o algunos de sus derivados hidrosolubles para la mejora de la tolerancia al estrés salino de las plantas afectadas. El tratamiento se lleva a cabo mediante la aplicación de las soluciones que contengan los citados compuestos por cualquier vía que ponga en contacto las composiciones de la invención con cualquier parte de la planta y/o semillas.Peer reviewedB1 Patente con informe sobre el estado de la ténic

Influence of preparation procedures on the phenolic content, antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of green and black teas

The influence of common tea preparation procedures (temperature, infusion time, consumption time interval and tea bag/loose-leaf) and the type of water used, on the total phenolic content (TPC), the radical scavenging activity and the alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity were assessed. Higher TPC and antioxidant activity were obtained when using lower mineralized waters. Tea bags also evidenced higher antioxidant activity than loose-leaf samples. Under the same conditions (90 degrees C and five minutes of infusion time) green tea contains almost twice the quantity of polyphenols and the free radical scavenging ability of black tea. In the alpha-glucosidase assay all infusions were active (97-100 %). Furthermore, HPLC allowed to identify some of the polyphenols present in both teas and to monitor their composition change with time. After twenty-four hours, the antioxidant activity was maintained without significant changes, but a small decrease in enzyme inhibition was observed, although this activity was still very high.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sobre el papel de la prensa en las sociedades democráticas: Walter Lippmann, Libertad y prensa. Rodrigo Fidel Rodríguez Borges, Walter Lippmann, Libertad y prensa, Tecnos, Madrid, 2011.

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Canary Islands Public Opinion faced with Immigration. A decade of poll opinions in the South Border of EU

El propósito de este artículo es ofrecer un panorama de la evolución de la percepción de la inmigración entre los canarios, tomando como referencia los sondeos de opinión realizados hasta la fecha. En primer lugar, se recapitulan las dificultades generales de naturaleza conceptual y metodológica que complican la detección de las actitudes xenófobas y racistas. En segundo lugar, se analizan los elementos sociopolíticos y mediáticos que están influyendo en las opiniones de los canarios sobre la inmigración. Se repasa también el historial de encuestas que se han ocupado de la inmigración en Canarias, señalando algunas limitaciones e insuficiencias y, finalmente, se muestra la evolución de los indicadores más relevantes.The purpose of this article is to offer an outlook on the evolution of the image of the immigrants among the population of the Canary Islands in relation to the opinion polls carried out up to now. Firstly, we recapitulate general conceptual and methodological difficulties that complicate the detection of racist and xenophobic attitudes. Secondly, we analyze the sociopolitical and media elements that are having an influence on the opinions about immigration. We also review the record of opinion polls that have dealt with the immigration in the Canary Islands, pointing out some limitations and deficiencies. Finally, we show the evolution of the most relevant markers. The conclusions point at two directions: on the one hand, we observe a clear deficit in the demoscopic research on immigration in the Canary Islands; on the other hand, some markers show the appearance of rejection attitudes among the population of the islands