Insights into ligand binding by a viral tumor necrosis factor (TNF) decoy receptor yield a selective soluble human type 2 TNF receptor

Etanercept is a soluble form of the tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) that inhibits pathological tumor necrosis factor (TNF) responses in rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. However, besides TNF, etanercept also blocks lymphotoxin- (LT), which has no clear therapeutic value and might aggravate some of the adverse effects associated with etanercept. Poxviruses encode soluble TNFR2 homologs, termed viral TNF decoy receptors (vTNFRs), that display unique specificity properties. For instance, cytokine response modifier D (CrmD) inhibits mouse and human TNF and mouse LT, but it is inactive against human LT. Here, we analyzed the molecular basis of these immunomodulatory activities in the ectromelia virus– encoded CrmD. We found that the overall molecular mechanism to bind TNF and LT from mouse and human origin is fairly conserved in CrmD and dominated by a groove under its 50s loop. However, other ligand-specific binding determinants optimize CrmD for the inhibition of mouse ligands, especially mouse TNF. Moreover, we show that the inability of CrmD to inhibit human LT is caused by a Glu-Phe-Glu motif in its 90s loop. Importantly, transfer of this motif to etanercept diminished its anti-LT activity in >60-fold while weakening its TNF-inhibitory capacity in 3-fold. This new etanercept variant could potentially be used in the clinic as a safer alternative to conventional etanercept. This work is the most detailed study of the vTNFR–ligand interactions to date and illustrates that a better knowledge of vTNFRs can provide valuable information to improve current anti-TNF therapies.Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness Grants SAF2012-38957 and SAF2015-67485-R and the European Union (European Regional Development Fun

NTMC2T5.1 is involved in chloroplast clustering around nucleus in Nicotiana benthamiana.

Plants have developed mechanisms to protect themselves from pathogens and resist their attacks. Among these, clustering of chloroplasts around the nuclear envelope is a phenomenon that has been proposed as a general response to the perception of pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria [1]. Additionally, it has been hypothesized that chloroplast clustering could serve as an efficient way of transferring signals —such as lipids and reactive oxygen species— between these two organelles in order to induce changes in the expression of pathogen defence-related genes. Synaptotagmin-like mitochondrial-lipid-binding (SMP) domain proteins are evolutionarily conserved in eukaryotes and participate in the formation of membrane contact sites between organelles. In particular, their SMP domains allow the lipid transport between the membranes of different organelles [2]. Our group is focus on studying NTMC2T5 proteins, a group of SMP proteins, with two homologs in Arabidopsis thaliana. By transiently overexpressing AtNTMC2T5.1 and some truncated versions in Nicotiana benthamiana leaf cells, and using confocal microscopy, we have determined the subcellular localization of the encoded protein. This protein is anchored to the chloroplast outer envelope and interacts with the membranes of other organelles, like the ER and the nuclear envelope membrane [3]. Additionally, we have detected that overexpression of NTMC2T5 proteins causes a significant chloroplast clustering around nucleus, that it was not observed when overexpressing other proteins. Thus, we have estimated the contribution of its functional domains in the clustering. Our results suggest that the C-terminal hydrophobic region (HR) of AtNTMC2T5.1 is essential for this process. Moreover, our Arabidopsis ntmc2t5.1/t5.2 knock down plants showed slower growth when treated with flagelin22 and reduced chloroplast clustering when treated with H2O2.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Una experiencia para tomar conciencia del feminismo a través del carácter formativo y funcional de la aritmética

Este trabajo forma parte del proyecto “Desarrollando competencias profesionales docentes mediante el estudio de mujeres científicas a través del aula invertida” (PIE17-026) financiado por la Universidad de Málaga en la convocatoria de 2017-2019 y de la “Red interdisciplinar con enfoque feminista en la formación del profesorado”Se muestra una experiencia docente con futuro profesorado de Educación Primaria en la que se ha usado no solo un enfoque instrumental sino también formativo y funcional, centrado en la igualdad de género, para trabajar la aritmética. El objetivo es tomar conciencia de la importancia de desarrollar este triple carácter desde la educación matemática.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Influencia de los servicios turísticos en el nivel de satisfacción de los turistas que visitan el sector hotelero de lujo, Valle del Colca, 2020

El presente trabajo de investigación para alcanzar el Título Profesional de Licenciadas en Turismo y Hotelería tiene como propósito determinar la Influencia de los Servicios Turísticos en el Nivel de Satisfacción de los Turistas que visitan el Sector Hotelero de Lujo del Valle del Colca. Tomó como punto de partida lo expuesto por PROMPERU (2014, p. 25) a través del Boletín denominado Turismo de Lujo, donde señala que, la cadena de servicios de lujo en el país se encuentra liderada por los hoteles; razón que despertó interés en las investigadoras y motivó a realizar este trabajo. En el diseño de la investigación, el nivel se caracteriza por ser relacional ya que busca demostrar la relación que existe entre las dos variables de este estudio; además es de tipo pura ya que busca aportar información relevante en este campo. Contempla como objetivos específicos: describir los servicios turísticos ofertados por parte del sector hotelero de lujo, respecto a la calidad en la prestación del servicio y analizar su importancia en el nivel de satisfacción de los turistas. Ha tomado en consideración dos variables: los servicios turísticos que otorgan los establecimientos de hospedaje, teniendo en cuenta aspectos como: prestación del servicio, talento humano, instalaciones, equipamiento, accesibilidad y transporte; en relación al nivel de satisfacción determinado por la herramienta de medición y evaluación SERVQUAL respecto a las expectativas del cliente frente a la percepción generada; a través de cinco dimensiones que miden la calidad del servicio como se detallan a continuación: elementos tangibles, fiabilidad, capacidad de respuesta, seguridad y empatía valorados en un cuestionario de veintidós preguntas, el cual, fue aplicado a una muestra de 358 huéspedes que visitaron los hoteles de categoría de lujo en el Valle del Colca como son: Belmond Las Casitas, Aranwa Pueblito Encantado y Colca Lodge Spa & Hot Springs durante los meses de temporada alta en este destino turístico es decir en julio, agosto, septiembre y octubre del año 2019. Por lo anteriormente expuesto se concluyó que, existe una influencia positiva respecto a calidad de los servicios turísticos otorgados en los tres establecimientos demostrando un resultado semejante y la importancia que ha revelado en el nivel de satisfacción de los visitantes. Del mismo modo se formuló algunas recomendaciones para mantener y elevar la calidad fomentando así, la competitividad en este sector.Tesi

Sistema de cobro de agua potable de la comunidad El Socorro utilizando el framework Asp.net MVC

El presente proyecto tuvo como objetivo disminuir el tiempo de cálculo del valor a cancelar y el número de errores en la toma de la lectura de los medidores en el proceso de cobro de agua de la Comunidad El Socorro. El proyecto se desarrolló utilizando el framework ASP.NET MVC para separar los datos de la interfaz de usuario y la lógica de negocio facilitando de esta manera el mantenimiento y la escalabilidad del sistema, además se utilizó la metodología ágil SCRUM, la implantación de la base de datos fue realizada en SQL Server 2012. Las técnicas que fueron usadas son: el método de observación de vuelta a cero o de regreso a cero el cual permitió obtener el tiempo empleado en la realización del cálculo del valor a cancelar siendo este aproximadamente de 77,75 segundos, para determinar la ocurrencia de los errores en la toma de lectura se realizó la entrevista a los directivos de la junta detectando así errores como: lecturas ilegibles, medidores sin lecturas e información incorrecta de la lectura; mediante la técnica de la observación se determinó una ocurrencia del 74.05% de errores. Mediante el uso de la opción “Herramientas para desarrolladores” del navegador Google Chrome se ha determinado que el tiempo en el cálculo del valor a cancelar utilizando la aplicación web es de 0,76 segundos notando así la disminución del tiempo empleado para dicha tarea, por medio de la aplicación móvil se ha determinado que la disminución de errores es del 92.31%. Por lo que se concluye que la utilización del sistema disminuyó el número de errores y tiempo en un 95.67% frente al método tradicional (sin el uso del sistema) por lo cual es recomendable su utilización.The objective of this project was reduce the calculation time of the value to be canceled in the number of errors in the interpretation of the meters in the water collection process of the community El Socorro. The project was developed using the ASP.NET MVC framework to separate the data from the user interface and the business logic, thus facilitating the maintenance and stability of the system, in addition to using the agile SCRUM methodology, the implementation of the base of data was performed in SQL Server 2012. The techniques applied were: the observation method back to zero or back to zero which allowed to obtain the time spent in the calculation of the value to cancel being approximately 77 , 75 seconds, to determine the occurrence of the errors in the interpretation, the interview was made to the directors of the board detecting errors such as: illegible interpretation, meters without interpretation and incorrect information of the interpretation; using the observation technique, 74.05% error occurrence was determined. Applied "Developer tools" option in the Google Chrome browser it has been determined that the time in the calculation of the value to be canceled using the web application is 0.76 seconds, thus noting the decrease in the time spent for this task, Average of the mobile application has been determined that the decrease of errors is 92.31%. It is concluded that the use of the system decrease the error and time in 95.67% face of the traditional method (without the use of the system), which its use is recommended

NTMC2T5: a newly identified lipid transfer proteins at ER-chloroplast contact sites involved in development and stress response.

In plants, fatty acid synthesis takes place at chloroplasts, and they are assembled into glycerolipids and sphingolipids at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Then, the newly ER synthetized lipids are sent back to the chloroplast to form part of their membranes. Since, no vesicular transport has been described between these two organelles, lipid transport might be mediated by lipid transport proteins (LTP) via a non-vesicular pathway.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Thermal history of the Northwestern Argentina, Central Andean Basin, based on first-ever reported graptolite reflectance data

The thermal maturity from the Early Paleozoic strata in Northwestern Argentina was studied using reflected light microscopy and Rock-Eval analyses. The graptolites were collected from the Acoite and Lipeón formations, at the Los Colorados section, Cordillera Oriental, and the Huaytiquina, and Muñayoc sections, Puna highland, corresponding to the “Coquena” Formation and the Cochinoca-Escaya Magmatic-Sedimentary Complex. Rock-Eval parameters were unreliable due to the low TOC, S1, and S2 values. The Cordillera Oriental region sediments have low maturity based on low reflectance (%GRo= 0.63%–1.11%) and anisotropy of graptolites. In contrast, the higher graptolite reflectance of samples from the Muñayoc and Huaytiquina sections (%GRo= 5.57%–6.62%), in the Puna region, indicates considerably higher maturity. This could result from the combination of hydrothermal fluids with a temperature range from 336 °C to 358 °C, associated volcanism, and deformation related to tectonics events, which produced a higher geothermal gradient in the Puna. The Los Colorados section's thermal maturity modeling shows a better fit considering erosion episodes at the Late Paleozoic and Early Cenozoic. However, more studies about geothermal parameters and stratigraphy are necessary to corroborate these preliminary models and propose new approaches for the Puna region.Fil: Herrera Sánchez, Nexxys Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; ArgentinaFil: Toro, Blanca Azucena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; ArgentinaFil: Ruiz Monroy, Ricardo. German Research Centre For Geosciences; AlemaniaFil: Gentzis, Thomas. Core Laboratories; Estados UnidosFil: Ocubalidet, Seare. Core Laboratories; Estados UnidosFil: Carvajal Ortiz, Humberto. Core Laboratories; Estados Unido

Video clips to reduce sexist attitudes and justification towards gender violence

Attitudes towards gender roles are the first barrier to achieving the reduction of this type of intolerance, especially among young people who are at a developmental stage that is very susceptible to the assimilation of inappropriate behaviors and to have mistaken beliefs in this regard. Health communication emerges as a tool to take into consideration among the different ways of social intervention available in this field. This research assessed the sexist attitudes and beliefs of 502 college students of whom 169 participated in an activity based on the viewing of 4 video clips related to gender violence. The results showed a statistically significant reduction in the scores of most items, especially among young women. At the same time, a relationship was found between the attitudes and other elements such as the evaluation of the video clips or the identification with the main character. It is concluded that the communicative strategy used is effective and that this contributes to the development of media literacy regarding gender topics.Las actitudes hacia el rol de género son la primera barrera para la reducción de este tipo de intolerancia, especialmente en los jóvenes, los cuales se encuentran en una fase evolutiva sensible a la integración de conductas y creencias erróneas en este ámbito. La comunicación en salud se presenta como una herramienta a tener en cuenta dentro de las diversas intervenciones que se dan en este campo. Esta investigación evaluó las actitudes y creencias machistas a 502 universitarios, de los cuales 169 participaron en una actividad basada en la exposición de 4 videoclips relacionados con la violencia de género. Los resultados mostraron una reducción estadísticamente significativa en la puntuación de la mayoría de los ítems, especialmente en las jóvenes. A su vez, se encontró relación entre las actitudes y diversos factores como la valoración de los videoclips o la identificación con la protagonista. Se concluye que la estrategia comunicativa empleada es efectiva y que esta puede fomentar el desarrollo de la alfabetización mediática en torno a temas de género

Anion–Cation Recognition Pattern, Thermal Stability and DFT-Calculations in the Crystal Structure of H2dap[Cd(HEDTA)(H2O)] Salt (H2dap = H2(N3,N7)-2,6-Diaminopurinium Cation)

We thank the Centre de Tecnologies de la Informació (CTI), Universitat de les Illes Balears for computational facilities. We also thank all projects for financial support.The proton transfer between equimolar amounts of [Cd(H2EDTA)(H2O)] and 2,6-diaminopurine (Hdap) yielded crystals of the out-of-sphere metal complex H2(N3,N7)dap [Cd(HEDTA)(H2O)]·H2O (1) that was studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, FT-IR spectroscopy, density functional theory (DFT) and quantum theory of “atoms-in-molecules” (QTAIM) methods. The crystal was mainly dominated by H-bonds, favored by the observed tautomer of the 2,6-diaminopurinium(1+) cation. Each chelate anion was H-bonded to three neighboring cations; two of them were also connected by a symmetry-related anti-parallel π,π-staking interaction. Our results are in clear contrast with that previously reported for H2(N1,N9)ade [Cu(HEDTA) (H2O)]·2H2O (EGOWIG in Cambridge Structural Database (CSD), Hade = adenine), in which H-bonds and π,π-stacking played relevant roles in the anion–cation interaction and the recognition between two pairs of ions, respectively. Factors contributing in such remarkable differences are discussed on the basis of the additional presence of the exocyclic 2-amino group in 2,6-diaminopurinium(1+) ion.This research was funded by the Excellence Network ‘Metal Ions in Biological Systems’ MetalBio CTQ2017-90802-REDT, the Research group FQM-283 (Junta de Andalucía) and MICIU/AEI of Spain (project CTQ2017-85821-R FEDER funds)

SMP-CONTAINING PROTEINS AT MEMBRANE CONTACT SITES: SUBCELLULAR LOCALIZATION AND CHARACTERIZATION.

Membrane contact sites (MCS) are microdomains where two membranes of two different organelles are in close apposition, but they do not fuse. MCS are essential for non-vesicular transport of lipids. This lipid transport is mediated by several families of proteins which all of them contain a lipid transport domain, as the synaptotagmin-like mitochondrial lipid-binding (SMP) domain. The most studied SMP protein is Arabidopsis SYT1 which is known to be involved in tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses. Later studies in other SMP proteins of the same family have shown that SYT1 and homologous such as SYT3 or SYT5 gave similar results. However, little information is available about the role other SMP proteins in plants. We have studied the occurrence of additional SMP proteins in A. thaliana and S. lycopersicum. In order to identify these proteins, SMP sequences from human and yeast were used to identify their remote orthologues in A. thaliana and S. lycopersicum, allowing the identification of several putative encoding SMP domains. We have found that some of the identified proteins are exclusive of plants as they do not have direct orthologs in yeast nor human. Transient expression in N. benthamiana leaves followed by confocal microscopy was used to study the subcellular localization of these proteins. Our results show that some of these proteins are localized at ER-Golgi contact sites and two other proteins at ER-Chloroplast sites. Finally, to determine whether these proteins are involved in abiotic stress tolerance, we have analysed the root growth and seed germination rates of Arabidopsis mutants for these genes under different conditions. Some of these mutants have shown different germination rates in media supplemented with NaCl and different rates of expanded cotyledons in media supplemented with ABA. These results suggest that some these proteins may be implicated in abiotic stress signalling through an ABA-dependent pathway.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. This work is supported by grants from: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (grant PGC2018-098789-B-I00), UMA-FEDER (grant UMA18-FEDERJA-154) and Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (BIO2017-82609-R)