Global diversity and distribution of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs in the tropical and subtropical oceans

The aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic (AAP) bacteria are common in most marine environments but their global diversity and biogeography remain poorly characterized. Here, we analyzed AAP communities across 113 globally-distributed surface ocean stations sampled during the Malaspina Expedition in the tropical and subtropical ocean. By means of amplicon sequencing of the pufM gene, a genetic marker for this functional group, we show that AAP communities along the surface ocean were mainly composed of members of the Halieaceae (Gammaproteobacteria), which were adapted to a large range of environmental conditions, and of different clades of the Alphaproteobacteria, which seemed to dominate under particular circumstances, such as in the oligotrophic gyres. AAP taxa were spatially structured within each of the studied oceans, with communities from adjacent stations sharing more taxonomic similarities. AAP communities were composed of a large pool of rare members and several habitat specialists. When compared to the surface ocean prokaryotic and picoeukaryotic communities, it appears that AAP communities display an idiosyncratic global biogeographical pattern, dominated by selection processes and less influenced by dispersal limitation. Our study contributes to the understanding of how AAP communities are distributed in the horizontal dimension and the mechanisms underlying their distribution across the global surface ocean.Versión del edito

Estudio comparativo del fraccionamiento de los carbohidratos de la miel mediante tratamiento con carbón activo y levaduras para la detección de adulteraciones

Recientemente se ha descrito la utilidad de los anhídridos de difructosa (DFAs) como buenos marcadores para la detección de adulteraciones de miel con jarabes de alto contenido en fructosa (HFCS) y de azúcar invertido (IS). Sin embargo, para la detección de estos compuestos es necesario realizar un fraccionamiento previo de los carbohidratos de estas muestras, dado que la alta concentración de monosacáridos (glucosa y fructosa) presentes en la miel dificulta el análisis de los compuestos minoritarios. Por tanto, el objetivo de este trabajo se basó en la comparación de un tratamiento con levaduras propuesto con anterioridad y un fraccionamiento con carbónactivo para eliminar la fracción de monosacáridos,concentrando así los compuestos minoritarios de la miely en concreto los DFAs presentes en muestras adulteradas.Se llevó a cabo la optimización de dichos métodos para conseguir el mayor enriquecimiento en DFAs comprobándose que ambos son útiles para la detección de adulteraciones de miel de hasta un 5% de HFCS e IS

Effect of thermosonication on the bioaccessibility of antioxidant compounds and the microbiological, physicochemical, and nutritional quality of an anthocyanin-enriched tomato juice

The aim of this study was to assess the potential of thermosonication as a strategy to obtain safe and high-quality tomato juice enriched in anthocyanins, formulated using strawberry processing co-products. Incorporation of strawberry press cake into the tomato juice resulted in higher polyphenolic and anthocyanin content and increased antioxidant capacity. Thermosonication for 5 min at 60 °C at either 35 or 130 kHz resulted in higher microbial inactivation when compared to thermal pasteurisation at 80 °C for 1 min. In addition, thermosonication allowed increased retention of colour attributes as well as polyphenol, lycopene, anthocyanin, and antioxidant capacity retention when compared to thermal treatment. For example, the total anthocyanin content decreased from 1.08 ± 0.04 mg/100 mL before processing to 0.92 ± 0.01 mg/100 mL after thermal pasteurisation but the difference was not significant when compared with the thermosonicated juice (1.06 ± 0.03 mg/100 mL). Although bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds after a simulated gastrointestinal digestion was lower in processed juices, thermosonicated samples showed a higher bioaccessibility when compared to the thermally treated ones.This work was supported by the CERCA Programme of Generalitat de Catalunya. T. Lafarga is in receipt of Juan de la Cierva contract awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness (FJCI-2016-29541). I. Aguiló-Aguayo thanks the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness and the European Social Fund for the Postdoctoral Senior Grant Ramon y Cajal (RYC-2016-19949)

Las escuelas de pastores: iniciativas innovadoras para la potenciación del sector ovino, el ejemplo del País Vasco y Cataluña

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Chimeric NANOG repressors inhibit glioblastoma growth in vivo in a context-dependent manner

Targeting stemness promises new therapeutic strategies against highly invasive tumors. While a number of approaches are being tested, inhibiting the core transcription regulatory network of cancer stem cells is an attractive yet challenging possibility. Here we have aimed to provide the proof of principle for a strategy, previously used in developmental studies, to directly repress the targets of a salient stemness and pluripotency factor: NANOG. In doing so we expected to inhibit the expression of so far unknown mediators of pro-tumorigenic NANOG function. We chose NANOG since previous work showed the essential requirement for NANOG activity for human glioblastoma (GBM) growth in orthotopic xenografts, and it is apparently absent from many adult human tissues thus likely minimizing unwanted effects on normal cells. NANOG repressor chimeras, which we name NANEPs, bear the DNA-binding specificity of NANOG through its homeodomain (HD), and this is linked to transposable human repressor domains. We show that in vitro and in vivo, NANEP5, our most active NANEP with a HES1 repressor domain, mimics knock-down (kd) of NANOG function in GBM cells. Competition orthotopic xenografts also reveal the effectiveness of NANEP5 in a brain tumor context, as well as the specificity of NANEP activity through the abrogation of its function via the introduction of specific mutations in the HD. The transcriptomes of cells expressing NANEP5 reveal multiple potential mediators of pro-tumorigenic NANEP/NANOG action including intercellular signaling components. The present results encourage further studies on the regulation of context-dependent NANEP abundance and function, and the development of NANEP-based anti-cancer therapies.This work was supported by a James McDonnell Brain Cancer Award, Fondation Eclosion funds and by the Département d’Instruction Publique de Genève to ARA. C.M. and M.K. were fellows of the ITN-EU networks CAPPELLA and HEALING, respectively

Review of Spanish Discard information of megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) in ICES Sub-areas VI , VII and Div. VIIIabd

Trawlers Spanish discards obtained on board commercial vessels in Sub-areas VI and VII in 1988, 1989, 1994, 1999-200-2004 are present to: 1. Validate the discard estimation of megrim onboard comparing length distribution of retained fish on board with landed fishes. 2. Compare estimation megrim discarded following two methodologies: primary sampling unit as hauls or as fishing trips. Examine possible modification on discards estimations in years where results obtained by different methods were relevant. 3. Analyse possible differences in discard patter along the sampled perio

Software Process Dynamics: Modeling, Simulation and Improvement

The aim of this chapter is to introduce the reader to the dynamics of the software process, the ways to represent and formalize it, and how it can be integrated with other techniques to facilitate, among other things, process improvement. In order to achieve this goal, different approaches of software process modeling and simulation will be introduced, analyzing their pros and cons. Then, continuous modeling will be used as the modeling approach to build software process models that work in the qualitative and quantitative fields, assessing the decision-making process and the software process improvement arena. The integration of this approach with current process assessment models (such as CMM), static and algorithmic models (such as traditional models used in the estimation process) and the design of a metrics collection program which is triggered by the actual process of model building will also be described in the chapter.Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología (CICYT) TIN2004-06689-C03-0

Methionine adenosyltransferase S-nitrosylation is regulated by the basic and acidic amino acids surrounding the target thiol

S-Adenosylmethionine serves as the methyl donor for many biological methylation reactions and provides the propylamine group for the synthesis of polyamines. S-Adenosylmethionine is synthesized from methionine and ATP by the enzyme methionine adenosyltransferase. The cellular factors regulating S-adenosylmethionine synthesis have not been well defined. Here we show that in rat hepatocytes S-nitrosoglutathione monoethyl ester, a cell-permeable nitric oxide donor, markedly reduces cellular S-adenosylmethionine content via inactivation of methionine adenosyltransferase by S-nitrosylation. Removal of the nitric oxide donor from the incubation medium leads to the denitrosylation and reactivation of methionine adenosyltransferase and to the rapid recovery of cellular S-adenosylmethionine levels. Nitric oxide inactivates methionine adenosyltransferase via S-nitrosylation of cysteine 121. Replacement of the acidic (aspartate 355) or basic (arginine 357 and arginine 363) amino acids located in the vicinity of cysteine 121 by serine leads to a marked reduction in the ability of nitric oxide to S-nitrosylate and inactivate hepatic methionine adenosyltransferase. These results indicate that protein S-nitrosylation is regulated by the basic and acidic amino acids surrounding the target cysteine

Minería y metalurgia durante la I Edad del Hierro. Procesos de cambio en el sur de Cataluña

El objetivo de este artículo es ofrecer un breve resumen de la investigación acerca de la minería y la metalurgia en la 1ª Edad del Hierro del sur de Catalunya, basado en el reciente trabajo de campo y los estudios analíticos en tres áreas: el valle bajo del río Siurana, la Terra Alta-Algars-Matarranya y el curso bajo del Sénia.Se discuten los diferentes procesos de cambio social.The aim of this paper is to present a summary of research concerning mining and metallurgy in the Early Iron Age of southern Catalonia, on the basis of recent fieldwork and analytical studies in three areas: the lower valley of the River Siurana; La Terra Alta-Algars-Matarranya; and the lower course of the River Sénia. Different processes of social change are discussed.Plan Nacional de I+D+I 2004-2007 proyectos ref. HUM 2004-04861-C02 y C03), y HUM2004-03121/HIS