Comparative pan-genome analysis of Piscirickettsia salmonis reveals genomic divergences within genogroups

Indexación: Scopus.Piscirickettsia salmonis is the etiological agent of salmonid rickettsial septicemia, a disease that seriously affects the salmonid industry. Despite efforts to genomically characterize P. salmonis, functional information on the life cycle, pathogenesis mechanisms, diagnosis, treatment, and control of this fish pathogen remain lacking. To address this knowledge gap, the present study conducted an in silico pan-genome analysis of 19 P. salmonis strains from distinct geographic locations and genogroups. Results revealed an expected open pan-genome of 3,463 genes and a core-genome of 1,732 genes. Two marked genogroups were identified, as confirmed by phylogenetic and phylogenomic relationships to the LF-89 and EM-90 reference strains, as well as by assessments of genomic structures. Different structural configurations were found for the six identified copies of the ribosomal operon in the P. salmonis genome, indicating translocation throughout the genetic material. Chromosomal divergences in genomic localization and quantity of genetic cassettes were also found for the Dot/Icm type IVB secretion system. To determine divergences between core-genomes, additional pan-genome descriptions were compiled for the so-termed LF and EM genogroups. Open pan-genomes composed of 2,924 and 2,778 genes and core-genomes composed of 2,170 and 2,228 genes were respectively found for the LF and EM genogroups. The core-genomes were functionally annotated using the Gene Ontology, KEGG, and Virulence Factor databases, revealing the presence of several shared groups of genes related to basic function of intracellular survival and bacterial pathogenesis. Additionally, the specific pan-genomes for the LF and EM genogroups were defined, resulting in the identification of 148 and 273 exclusive proteins, respectively. Notably, specific virulence factors linked to adherence, colonization, invasion factors, and endotoxins were established. The obtained data suggest that these genes could be directly associated with inter-genogroup differences in pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions, information that could be useful in designing novel strategies for diagnosing and controlling P. salmonis infection. © 2017 Nourdin-Galindo, Sánchez, Molina, Espinoza-Rojas, Oliver, Ruiz, Vargas-Chacoff, Cárcamo, Figueroa, Mancilla, Maracaja-Coutinho and Yañez.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2017.00459/ful

Scanner image methodology (SIM) to measure dimensions of leaves for agronomical applications

A scanner image methodology was used to determine plant dimensions, such as leaf area, length and width. The values obtained using SIM were compared with those recorded by the LI-COR leaf area meter. Bias, linearity, reproducibility and repeatability (R&R) were evaluated for SIM. Different groups of leaves were scanned and measured. R&R studies showed that, the lowest SIM’s resolution was nineteen categories. SIM’s R&R ANOVA showed the method’s measurement error was not significant. In the image processing method, the color image was converted to gray scale over the green band and it was segmented using Otsu methodology. The noise produced was cleaned with a median filter. The leaf image was rotated to align the longest parallel line to y-axis or x-axis using central moments. From the centroid using directional erosions the leaf width and length were obtained and recorded.Key words: Leaf area, width, length, digital image analysis, segmentation

Sistema embebido de procesamiento de vídeo para la realización de prácticas docentes

El Congreso TAEE'06, organizado por la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid,tuvo lugar entre el 12 de julio y el 15 de julio de 2006La realización, fomento y búsqueda de temas transversales en el proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje, de manera que los contenidos curriculares se impregnen de ellos, es determinante para conseguir una docencia de calidad. Sin embargo, la estructura departamental universitaria no fomenta precisamente esta transversalidad. En un esfuerzo por mejorar las prácticas realizadas por Departamentos adscritos a la Escuela Superior de Ingenieros de Sevilla, se plantea el desarrollo de un entorno práctico para alumnos de la misma titulación y en asignaturas relacionadas con el diseño y desarrollo de sensores inteligentes y sistemas microprocesadores actuales y con los sistemas de percepción, visión y procesamiento de imágenes

The evolution of H{\sc ii} galaxies: Testing the bursting scenario through the use of self-consistent models

We have computed a series of realistic and self-consistent models of the emitted spectra of H{\sc ii} galaxies. Our models combine different codes of chemical evolution, evolutionary population synthesis and photoionization. The emitted spectrum of H{\sc ii} galaxies is reproduced by means of the photoionization code CLOUDY, using as ionizing spectrum the spectral energy distribution of the modelled H{\sc ii} galaxy, which in turn is calculated according to a Star Formation History (SFH) and a metallicity evolution given by a chemical evolution model that follows the abundances of 15 different elements. The contribution of emission lines to the broad-band colours is explicitly taken into account. The results of our code are compared with photometric and spectroscopic data of H{\sc ii} galaxies. Our technique reproduces observed diagnostic diagrams, abundances, equivalent width-colour and equivalent width-metallicity relations for local H{\sc ii} galaxies.Comment: 13 figures and 2 tables, accepted for publication in MNRAS Main Journa

COLEGIO INDÍGENA PUAKALI: UNA APROXIMACIÓN A LA ETNOEDUCACIÓN

El objetivo de este proyecto es crear espacios adecuados para el funcionamiento de un colegio internado indígena de formación etno-educativa, los cuales deben evocar los diversos significados que ellos atribuyen a los espacios basados en la cosmovisión y cosmogonía de la etnia que estructuran la organización de las comunidades y las personas dentro de su mundo que es la selva, un universo con leyes y patrones de vida propios. Se replanteó el programa arquitectónico de un colegio, con programa normal del ministerio de educación, para adaptarlo a unas condiciones especiales de la comunidad. Las relaciones espaciales del mismo se formaron con base a la estructura social tradicional indígena, los espacios interiores se caracterizaron por la exaltación a la trascendencia de las actividades que se realizan en cada uno como nuevos espacios sagrados para la aprehensión de conocimientos, son reinterpretaciones de la maloca que, además, funcionan bio-climáticamente según cada actividad, ubicación y hora del día. Los habitáculos para el descanso se pensaron para ser una mimesis con el entorno de bosque y que, además, este mismo fuera la estructura principal de estos que se organizan también a partir de patrones sociales de jerarquía manejados en la comunidad y que son la estructura de su sostenibilidad política y social. La implantación del proyecto se conceptualizó a través de la teoría fractal estructurada por los conceptos culturales tradicionales, antes mencionados, que junto con la lectura de entorno permitió un emplazamiento que se adaptara a todas las condiciones del lugar y las necesidades del proyecto y la comunidad.ABSTRACTThe objective of this project is to create spaces suitable for the operation of a college internship training indigenous ethnic education, which should evoke different meanings they attach to sites based on the worldview and cosmogony of ethnicity that structure the organization of communities and individuals within their world that is the jungle, a universe with laws and standards of living. It is rethinking the architectural program of a school, with normal programme of the ministry of education to suit special conditions of the community; spatial relationships were formed with the same social structure based on traditional indigenous interior spaces were marked by exaltation to the significance of the activities in each new spaces as sacred tothe apprehension of knowledge, are reinterpretations of the maloca also operate according bioclimatic each activity, location and time of day, carriers for the rest were thought to mimesis to be a forest environment and also the same outside the main structure of these also being organized from patterns of social hierarchy handled in this community and the structure is its political and social sustainability. The implementation of the project was conceptualized through the fractal theory structured by traditional cultural concepts above that along with the reading environment allowed a site to be adapted to all site conditions and needs of the project and the community

rpoB Gene mutations in rifampin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis identified by polymerase chain reaction single-stranded conformational polymorphism.

The use of polymerase chain reaction-single-stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) to study rpoB gene mutations in rifampin-resistant (RIFr) Mycobacterium tuberculosis has yielded contradictory results. To determine the sensitivity of this method, we analyzed 35 RIFr strains and 11 rifampin-susceptible (RIFs) strains, using the DNA sequencing of the core region of rpoB for comparison. Of the RIFr, 24 had a PCR-SSCP pattern identical to that of H37Rv; the other 11 had four different patterns. The 11 RIFs had PCR-SSCP patterns identical to that of H37Rv. The sensitivity of the assay was 31.4%; its specificity was 100%. We observed a strong correlation between the degree of resistance and the type of mutation