Percolation-based precursors of transitions in extended systems

Abrupt transitions are ubiquitous in the dynamics of complex systems. Finding precursors, i.e. early indicators of their arrival, is fundamental in many areas of science ranging from electrical engineering to climate. However, obtaining warnings of an approaching transition well in advance remains an elusive task. Here we show that a functional network, constructed from spatial correlations of the system’s time series, experiences a percolation transition way before the actual system reaches a bifurcation point due to the collective phenomena leading to the global change. Concepts from percolation theory are then used to introduce early warning precursors that anticipate the system’s tipping point. We illustrate the generality and versatility of our percolation-based framework with model systems experiencing different types of bifurcations and with Sea Surface Temperature time series associated to El Niño phenomenon.V.R.-M. was supported by the European Commission Marie-Curie ITN program (FP7-320 PEOPLE-2011-ITN) through the LINC project (Grant no. 289447). We also acknowledge support from FEDER and Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) through the project INTENSE@COSYP (FIS2012-30634) and from the European Commission through project LASAGNE (FP7-ICT- 318132). J.J.R. acknowledges funding from the Ramón y Cajal program of MINECO.EUR 1,165 APC fee funded by the EC FP7 Post-Grant Open Access PilotPeer reviewe

Reforma curricular de la Carrera de Ingeniería Agronómica del Núcleo Monagas de la Universidad de Oriente | Curricular reform of the major in Agricultural Engineering of Núcleo Monagas of The Universidad de Oriente

La Escuela de Ingeniería Agronómica de la Universidad de Oriente viene sufriendo desde hace varios años lasconsecuencias de las erradas políticas que en la actividad agrícola han implementado los gobiernos de turno en el país,influyendo notablemente sobre la cantidad de estudiantes que anualmente ingresan y egresan de la carrera, que ha afectadola relación ingreso – egreso, la calidad de la enseñanza que están recibiendo y aun más, la capacidad de los egresados enservir como agentes de cambio en el mejoramiento de la calidad de vida de los productores y su capacidad de colaborar enla transformación agrícola que hoy se necesita para incorporarse a un mundo globalizado y por ende más competitivo. Paralograr estos objetivos se debe trabajar en el desarrollo de tecnologías que permitan utilizar racionalmente los recursos conque cuentan los agricultores, con la implementación de nuevas y por que no, técnicas tradicionales, que han entrado endesuso por esa tendencia extraña que se tiene de tratar de aplicar lo foráneo, dejando de lado aquellas cosas autóctonas y quepueden, con ciertas modificaciones, ser de gran utilidad en el desarrollo agrícola que necesita la sociedad. Para enfrentarestos nuevos y poco conocidos desafíos, es absolutamente indispensable adaptar la capacidad de los profesionales del agro,de manera que reciban una formación muy diferente a la que actualmente se les ofrece; solo así estarán en condiciones deconciliar las cada vez mayores necesidades de los agricultores con las cada vez menores posibilidades de los gobiernos desatisfacerlas. El presente trabajo tienen por objetivo hacer una propuesta, basada en la experiencia de la realidad actual y enla información suministrada por profesores, estudiantes, egresados y empleadores sobre lo que debe ser la Carrera deIngeniería Agronómica de la Universidad de Oriente en los próximos años, una Carrera comprometida con el desarrolloarmónico y sustentable de la agricultura de la región.Palabras Clave: Carrera de Ingeniería Agronómica, Reforma CurricularABSTRACTThe Escuela of Ingeniería Agronómica of the Universidad de Oriente comes suffering for several years the consequences ofthe political mistakes that have been implemented in the agricultural activity by the different governments in the country,influencing notably on the quantity of students that annually enter and graduate of the major that has affected therelationship entrance-exit, the teaching quality which are receiving and the ability of the graduate students in serving asexchange agents in the improvement of the life quality of the farmers and its capacity as collaborating in the agriculturaltransformation which is needed today to incorporate to a global world and in consequence more competitive. To achievethese objectives it must work in the development of technologies which allow to use the resources rationally with which thefarmers count, with the implementation of new techniques and also, traditional ones that have entered in disuse for thestrange tendency that which people has of trying to apply the abroad technology, leaving aside those autochthonoustechniques that can, with certain modifications, to be of great utility in the agricultural development that the society needs.To face these new and not very well-known challenges, it is absolutely indispensable to adapt the capacity of the agricultureprofessionals, so that they receive a formation very different to the one that at the moment are offered; only in this way, theywill be under conditions of reconciling the big necessities of the farmers with the less chances of the governments to satisfythem. The objective of the present work was to make a proposal, based on the experience of the current reality and in theinformation given by teachers, students, graduate students and employers on what should be the Major in AgriculturalEngineering of the Universidad de Oriente in next years, a committed major with the harmonic and sustainable developmentof the agriculture of the region.Key words: Major in Agronomic Engineering, Curricular Refor

Lipid yields from oleaginous yeasts isolated from the north Peruvian Andes by culture media non-limiting nitrogen

Oleochemicals can be obtained from oily yeasts due to their ability to produce a high lipid content. This research aimed to isolate them from the North Peruvian Andes with a lipid content greater than 20%. They were identified by sequencing internal transcribed spacer regions ITS of conserved ribosomal DNA (rDNA), evaluate their growth kinetics, biomass and lipid yields, using culture media with C/N 100:1+xylose (MS-1-7) and 2:1+glucose (MS-2-7). Growth kinetics up to the maximum stationary phase was evaluated using the parameterized Gompertz type II model. Rhodotorula glutinis, R. mucilaginosa, and R. kratochvilovae were selected. The C/N ratio in the culture medium influenced growth kinetics, biomass and lipids yields. With MS-1-7, a high specific growth rate (?max) was obtained, reaching the stationary phase between 6 to 9 h and the highest lipid accumulation between 23.1% and 31.5%. With the MS-2-7 medium, maximum biomass value obtained in the stationary phase between 37 and 51 h, which generated the highest biomass yields at the end of the entire process and lipid yield of 4.65, 5.59, and 8.80 g L-1 in the strains mentioned. There is potential to obtain high lipid yields using a culture media non-limiting nitrogen, examining not only the C/N ratio. But also, the quantities, nature of the components, and type of oleaginous yeasts taking care to avoid a high carbon concentration to prevent the Cabtree effect

Procedimiento para la detección, identificación y tipado de Haemophilus parasuis (Sistema DITPAR).

Se refiere un procedimiento de análisis molecular, por PCR-RFLP, que permite la detección, identificación y tipificación de Haemophilus parasuis, un microorganismo de interés en patología porcina, a partir de muestras clínicas y/o de aislamientos obtenidos en el laboratorio. El método se fundamenta en las peculiaridades de los genes tbp en esta bacteria cuando se compara con otras próximas, como Actinobacillus suis y Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. El procedimiento discrimina H. parasuis de A. pleuropneumoniae; de igual modo también diferencia otros miembros, no patógenos, de la familia Pasteurellaceae, presentes en el aparato respiratorio del cerdo, como A. minor, A. porcinus y A. indolicus. El producto de la amplificación por PCR, sometido a restricción con distintas nucleasas (AvaI, TaqI y RsaI) permite clasificar los serotipos de H. parasuis en un total de 28 tipos genéticos diferentes, lo que representa una alternativa de mucho interés al sistema tradicional de tipificación serológica.Solicitud: 200100946 (19.04.2001)Nº Pub. de Solicitud: ES2205967A1 (01.05.2004)Nº de Patente: ES2205967B1 (16.07.2005

Influence of grain processing in regard to serum metabolites and enzymes for finishing bull calves

This study compared two grain processing methods that are widely used for beef cattle, grinding and steam pelleting, with respect to serum metabolic parameters: glucose, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), serum urea nitrogen (SUN), total serum protein (TSP), albumin, L-lactate, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and amylase. Ten Belgian Blue bull calves were allotted randomly to each of two experimental groups: PF, fed pelleted concentrate, and GF, fed ground concentrate. During the 77-day study most parameters underwent significant variation in time, increasing only numerically serum values of total protein, albumin, AST and amylase, while serum glucose, NEFA and GGT decreased numerically. Statistically significant differences were found only between groups PF and GF for creatinine (higher in group PF, in relation with its greater average body weight) and urea nitrogen, which for unknown causes fluctuated in opposite directions in the two groups throughout most of the study and attributable to changes in ruminal protein digestion. Neither serum glucose nor L-lactate were affected by treatment of grainsSupported by the Xunta de Galicia (Spain), Grant XUGA 2002/CG320S

Perception of and adaptability to the effects of climate change in a rural community of the State of Mexico

Objective: To analyze the population’s perception of recent changes in climate patterns and the actions they have taken to adapt to these changes in the El Saltillo community, Municipality of Jilotepec.Design/methodology/approach: A survey was carried out between September and October 2022, answered online. Social networking and WhatsApp groups were used to disseminate the invitation to participate in the Survey; 96 responses were received, of which 30 were answered on site together with the respondent. Aspects such as socioeconomic data, conceptualization and perception of climate change and adaptability actions were measured.Results: All the survey respondents mentioned that they perceive strong changes in droughts and frosts inthe last 10-15 years. Of them, 96% stated that they had heard the term climate change in different media; however, it is not a concept that is used to explain the changes that take place in the community. As a result of these changes, the population has chosen to build or enlarge rainwater container mounds for agricultural and livestock use, improve the physical condition of the stables, and begin to use precocious corn seed or more adapted varieties of improved corn.Limitations on study/implications: The application of surveys online is a feasible and economical option that implies the need to implement data validation, control and verification mechanisms, as well as sampling  of the results.Findings/conclusions: Adaptation strategies to climate change were identified, showing that they are not spontaneous actions and that they have emerged empirically through daily contact with the phenomenon

Aquaporin-11 Contributes to TGF-β1-Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Human Visceral Adipocytes: Role in Obesity-Associated Inflammation

Aquaporin-11 (AQP11) is expressed in human adipocytes, but its functional role remains unknown. Since AQP11 is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident protein that transports water, glycerol, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), we hypothesized that this superaquaporin is involved in ER stress induced by lipotoxicity and inflammation in human obesity. AQP11 expression was assessed in 67 paired visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue samples obtained from patients with morbid obesity and normal-weight individuals. We found that obesity and obesity-associated type 2 diabetes increased (p < 0.05) AQP11 mRNA and protein in visceral adipose tissue, but not subcutaneous fat. Accordingly, AQP11 mRNA was upregulated (p < 0.05) during adipocyte differentiation and lipolysis, two biological processes altered in the obese state. Subcellular fractionation and confocal microscopy studies confirmed its presence in the ER plasma membrane of visceral adipocytes. Proinflammatory factors TNF-α, and particularly TGF-β1, downregulated (p < 0.05) AQP11 mRNA and protein expression and reinforced its subcellular distribution surrounding lipid droplets. Importantly, the AQP11 gene knockdown increased (p < 0.05) basal and TGF-β1-induced expression of the ER markers ATF4 and CHOP. Together, the downregulation of AQP11 aggravates TGF-β1-induced ER stress in visceral adipocytes. Owing to its “peroxiporin” properties, AQP11 overexpression in visceral fat might constitute a compensatory mechanism to alleviate ER stress in obesity

Prueba de límite para n-hexano residual en policosanol por Espacio de Cabeza Estático -Cromatografía de Gases

Como parte del proceso de obtención de un ingrediente activo, se deben tratar de eliminar en la mayor medida posible los disolventes empleados, pues sus restos constituyen impurezas potencialmente tóxicas. Por este motivo, los organismos reguladores de la Industria Farmacéutica tienen definidos los contenidos máximos permisibles para los disolventes residuales de los ingredientes activos utilizados en la producción de medicamentos, entre los cuales el n-hexano, empleado en la obtención del policosanol, presenta un límite de 290 ppm.