Valor nutricional de los ácidos grasos de los peces de agua dulce neotropicales Prochilodus magdalenae, Pseudoplatystoma magdaleniatum y Ageneiosus pardalis

This study aimed to determine the nutritional value of the fatty acids in the freshwater fish Prochilodus magdalenae, Pseudoplatystoma magdaleniatum and Ageneiosus pardalis during dry and wet Neotropical seasons with the view to generate useful information for nutrition and sustainable commercial exploitation. The analysis of fatty acids was performed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and the nutritional value was calculated using five estimators: n-6/n-3 ratio, unsaturation index (UI), atherogenicity index (AI), thrombogenicity index (TI) and ratio of hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic (h/H) fatty acids. A different number of fatty acids (P. magdaleniatum = 50, P. magdalenae = 41, and A. pardalis = 32) was identified for each species and the average abundance percentages were different in the two seasons (p < 0.05). Prochilodus magdalenae and P. magdaleniatum showed healthy n-6/n-3 ratios (1.04 and 2.72) in the different seasons. Although the three species showed low values of UI (0.37–0.63), the remaining nutritional indexes were within the healthy range (AI: 0.04–0.70, TI: 0.66–1.07, h/H: 0.80 – 24.40). Multivariate analysis showed similar healthy nutritional values for the species, with exception of P. magdaleniatum.En este estudio se determinó el valor nutricional de ácidos grasos presentes en las especies P. magdaleniatum, P. magdalenae y A. pardalis en los periodos lluvioso y seco, con el fin de generar información útil para una nutrición saludable y una explotación comercial sostenible. El análisis de los ácidos grasos se realizó por CG-EM y el valor nutricional se estimó mediante relación n-6/n-3, índices de insaturación (II), aterogenicidad (IA), trombogenicidad (IT) y relación de ácidos grasos hipocolesterolémicos/hipercolesterolémicos (h/H). Se identificaron números diferentes de ácidos grasos en cada especie (P. magdaleniatum = 50, P. magdalenae = 41 and A. pardalis = 32) y las medias de los porcentajes mayoritarios fueron diferentes en los dos periodos (p < 0,05). Las especies P. magdalenae y P. magdaleniatum mostraron relaciones n-6/n-3 saludables (1,04 y 2,72) en periodos diferentes. Aunque las tres especies mostraron valores II bajos (0,37-0,63), los demás índices IA (0,04-0,70), TI (0,66-1,07) y h/H (0,80 – 24,40) están dentro del rango saludable. El análisis multivariante mostró valores nutricionales similares en dos especies excepto P. magdaleniatum

Paleontología y ambientes del Triásico Medio en el sector noroccidental de la cordillera ibérica (provs. de Soria y Guadalajara, España)

El Triásico Medio del sector noroccidental de la Cordillera Ibérica está compuesto por dos formaciones carbonáticas, que se corresponden con la unidad carbonática superior del Muschelkalk, y que hacia el NW pasan lateralmente a una formación terrígena. El registro fósil se encuentra en ambos tipos de formaciones. Tanto el estudio tafonómico como sedimentológico, permiten inferir la presencia de elementos acumulados que podrían corresponder a asociaciones autóctonas, compuestas en su mayoría por bivalvos infaunales de medios marinos someros y sometidos a fuerte influencia de terrígenos. Se caracterizan en la zona tres asociaciones faunísticas: 1. Asociación CostatoriaLyriomyophoria, que aparece tanto en la formación carbonática inferior como en la formación terrígena equivalente; 2. Asociación «Fauna de Terue!», que aparece en la formación carbonática superior, y 3. Asociación Lingula-Pseudocorbula, que aparece también en la formación carbonática superior, pero en niveles más altos. La «Fauna de Terue!» es característica de la Formación «Dolomías, Margas y Calizas de Royuela», y está bien representada en toda la Cordillera Ibérica. La presencia de la misma en nuestra zona constituye el registro más noroccidental de esta asociación en la misma. Por tanto, significa la penetración más occidental en la península de las faunas endémicas del «Dominio Sefardí» durante el Ladiniense.The Triassic of the NW Iberian Ranges consists of two carbonatic formations equivalent to the Upper Carbonatic Formation of the Muschelkalk Facies and pass laterally into siliciciastic deposits to the NW. Fossillocalities have been found in both formations. Taphonomic and sedimentologic studies allow for the interpretation as autochthonous associations of the infaunal Bivalves of shallow water marine environments with siliciciastic input. Three faunal associations have been distinguished: 1. Costatoria-Lyriomyophoria association, found in the lower carbonatic formation and the equivalent siliciciastic formation; 2. «Teruel Fauna» association, found in the upper carbonatic formation; 3. Lingula-Pseudocorbula association, found near the top of the upper carbonatic Formation. The «Teruel Fauna» is well represented in the Iberian Ranges, and always occur in the «Royuela Marls and Limestones» Formation, and our fossil localities are its most Northwestern record in the Iberian Ranges up to now, thus extending the presence of the endemic «Sephardic Faunas» during the [email protected]

A bacterial acetyltransferase targets the protein kinase ZIP1, a positive regulator of plant immunity

Pseudomonas syringae is a model bacterial pathogen that penetrates the leaf to reach the plant apoplast, where it replicates causing disease. In order to do that, the pathogen must interfere and suppress a two-tiered plant defense response: PTI (PAMP-Triggered Immunity, or basal resistance) and ETI (Effector-Triggered Immunity). P. syringae uses a type III secretion system to directly deliver effector proteins inside the plant cell cytosol, many of which are known to suppress PTI, some of which are known to trigger ETI, and a handful of which are known to suppress ETI. Bacterial infection can also trigger a systemic plant defense response that protects the plant against additional pathogen attacks known as SAR (Systemic Acquired Resistance). We are particularly interested in the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in effector-mediated defense evasion by P. syringae, in particular those involved in the suppression of ETI and SAR, and/or mediation of hormone signaling. Here we present data describing effector-mediated interference with plant immunity, by means of acetylation of a key positive regulator of local and systemic responses. Our work identifies a novel plant target for effector function, and characterizes its function. This work illustrates how analyzing the means by which a given effector interferes with its target can provide novel information regarding eukaryotic molecular mechanisms.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. MINECO BIO2015-64391R y FEDE

The AMIGA sample of isolated galaxies. IV. A catalogue of neighbours around isolated galaxies

Studies of the effects of environment on galaxy properties and evolution require well defined control samples. Such isolated galaxy samples have up to now been small or poorly defined. The AMIGA project (Analysis of the interstellar Medium of Isolated GAlaxies) represents an attempt to define a statistically useful sample of the most isolated galaxies in the local (z < 0.05) Universe. A suitable large sample for the AMIGA project already exists, the Catalogue of Isolated Galaxies (CIG, Karachentseva 1973; 1050 galaxies), and we use this sample as a starting point to refine and perform a better quantification of its isolation properties. Digitised POSS-I E images were analysed out to a minimum projected radius R > 0.5 Mpc around 950 CIG galaxies (those within Vr = 1500 km s-1 were excluded). We identified all galaxy candidates in each field brighter than B = 17.5 with a high degree of confidence using the LMORPHO software. We generated a catalogue of approximately 54 000 potential neighbours (redshifts exist for 30% of this sample). Six hundred sixty-six galaxies pass and two hundred eighty-four fail the original CIG isolation criterion. The available redshift data confirm that our catalogue involves a largely background population rather than physically associated neighbours. We find that the exclusion of neighbours within a factor of four in size around each CIG galaxy, employed in the original isolation criterion, corresponds to Delta Vr ~ 18000 km s-1 indicating that it was a conservative limit. Galaxies in the CIG have been found to show different degrees of isolation. We conclude that a quantitative measure of this is mandatory. It will be the subject of future work based on the catalogue of neighbours obtained here.Comment: Accepted by A&A, 10 pages, 8 figures, 4 table

The bacterial effector HopZ1a acetylates ZIP1 kinase to suppress Arabidopsis defence responses

During the plant-pathogen interaction, disease or resistance are determined in the plant by a series of molecular events. The plant detects Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs), such as flagellin, triggering a defence response called PTI (PAMP-Triggered Immunity). Bacterial pathogens can in turn suppress such defence response through the translocation into the plant cell cytosol of virulence proteins, called effectors, via a Type Three Secretion System (T3SS). In resistant plants, intracellular receptors known as R proteins recognize these effectors, triggering a second line of defence, more specific and intense, called ETI (Effector-Triggered Immunity), which usually leads to programmed cell death known as HR (Hypersensitive Response). Pseudomonas syringae is a phytopathogenic bacterium whose virulence depends on a T3SS and its effector repertoire. Some strains include HopZ1a, an unusual effector which is able to suppress in Arabidopsis both local (PTI and ETI), and systemic (SAR, for Systemic Acquired Resistance) defences, by means of its acetyltransferase activity. In resistant Arabidopsis plants, HopZ1a acetylates the ZED1 pseudokinase, which is proposed to function as a decoy mimicking HopZ1a target in the plant: ZED1 modification activates an R-protein (ZAR1) to trigger HopZ1a-dependent ETI. None of the Arabidopsis proteins proposed to date as HopZ1a targets is a kinase, nor fully explains the effector´s defence suppression abilities. In this work we identify an Arabidopsis kinase that functions as a positive regulator of PTI, ETI and SAR, which interacts with HopZ1a and is acetylated by this effector in lysine residues essential for its kinase activity. Further, HopZ1a can specifically suppress the defence phenotypes resulting from ZIP1 expression in Arabidopsis. We propose that ZIP1 acetylation by HopZ1a interferes with its kinase activity, and consequently with positive defence signalling.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Adaptive clinical trials incorporating treatment selection and evaluation: methodology and application in progressive multiple sclerosis

In progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) irreversible disability often takes many years to accumulate as a result prolonged trials are required to assess the benefits of therapies. There is a need to understand the relationship between short-term outcome measures such as MRI endpoints and long-term clinical outcomes in progression to determine the evolution of the disease early on. Thus, the common phase I-II-III paradigm for clinical trial design with separate trials for each phase may not be appropriate

Diversity of plant growth-promoting bacteria associated with sugarcane

The sugarcane (Saccharum spp) presents economic importance, mainly for tropical regions, being an important Brazilian commodity. However, this crop is strongly dependent on fertilizers, mainly nitrogen (N). This study assessed the plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) associated with sugarcane that could be used as a potential inoculant to the crop. We evaluated the genetic diversity of PGPB in the plant tissue of sugarcane varieties (RB 867515, RB 1011, and RB 92579). The primer BOX-A1R was used to differentiate the similar isolated and further sequencing 16S rRNA ribosomal gene. The 16S rRNA gene showed the presence of seven different genera distributed into four groups, the genus Bacillus, followed by Paenibacillus (20%), Burkholderia (14%), Herbaspirillum (6%), Pseudomonas (6%), Methylobacterium (6%), and Brevibacillus (3%). The molecular characterization of endophytic isolates from sugarcane revealed a diversity of bacteria colonizing this plant, with a possible biotechnological potential to be used as inoculant and biofertilizers

Concurrence of fatigue and potentiation after a sustained maximal voluntary contraction

El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar la concurrencia e interacción existente entre diferentes factores que afectan al rendimiento, tales como son la fatiga central, la fatiga periférica y la potenciación post-activación (PPA) tras la realización de una contracción máxima voluntaria (CMV) sostenida hasta la pérdida del 50% en los valores de fuerza iniciales. Con el objetivo de valorar los efectos de la fatiga central, fatiga periférica y la PPA se utilizó la técnica de interpolación de descargas. Los resultados han revelado pérdidas en los valores de durante aproximadamente 3´30´´ y que la fatiga dependió tanto de factores centrales como periféricos. También se produjo una inhibición de la PPA tras la realización de la CMV sostenida, durante un breve periodo de tiempo (entre 30´´ y 1´30´´). Además, se observó la coexistencia de los distintos fenómenos estudiados, que sin embargo, demostraron tener una curva de recuperación temporal diferenteThe aim of the present study was to analyze the concurrence and interaction between different factors affecting the performance, such as central fatigue, peripheral fatigue and post-activation potentiation (PAP) after the performance of a maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) sustained until the loss of the 50% of the initial torque value. In order to assess the effects of central fatigue, peripheral fatigue and the PAP on the performance of the MVC, the twitch interpolation technique was used. Our findings revealed a loss of the force capability during at least 3'30'' and that the recorded fatigue had central and peripheral contributions. Moreover, it has been observed an inhibition of the PAP after the completion of the sustained MVC during a brief interval (between 30´´ and 1´30´´). Furthermore, it has been observed the coexistence of the different studied phenomena, however, they showed different time course of the recover

El Instituto Torroja a lo largo de su historia y la investigación en materiales vítreos y cerámicos

Publicado en: Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Cerámica y Vidrio, 44(2): 131-134 (2005).[ES] El Instituto de Ciencias de la Construcción Eduardo Torroja (IETcc) desde su fundación no sólo ha realizado a lo largo de su ya larga historia investigaciones y valiosas aportaciones científicas y técnicas en el campo de los materiales cerámicos y vidrios, sino que además fue uno de los principales fundadores de la actual Sociedad Española de Cerámica y Vidrio (SECV) con la destacada participación de D. Francisco Arredondo y Verdú. En los últimos once años esta línea de investigación se ha visto reforzada con la creación del Grupo y Laboratorio de Materiales Vítreos y Cerámicos, por lo que se realiza una revisión de la relación de este centro con este tipo de materiales, recordándose los investigadores y publicaciones que más destacaron en este campo. Se realiza finalmente un análisis de la situación actual y de las perspectivas de I+D+i en este tipo de materiales de construcción, haciendo especial énfasis en sus aplicaciones en fachadas ventiladas y del factor dinamizador de la investigación científica que implicará el reto tecnológico de la aplicación de plaquetas cerámicas en este tipo de fachadas.[EN] Ever since its inception and throughout its history, the Eduardo Torroja Institute for Construction Science of the CSIC (IETcc, CSIC) has conducted research in and made valuable scientific and technical contributions to the area of ceramic and glassy materials, and played a key role in the founding of the present Spanish Ceramic and Glass Society (SECV), under the leadership of Francisco Arredondo y Verdú. The creation in recent years of the Glassy and Ceramic Materials Group and Laboratory has reinforced this line of research. The present paper reviews the effort deployed by the Institute in connection with this type of materials, with a tribute to some of the most prominent publications in the field and their authors. Finally, it has been carried out a discussion of the nowadays situation and future prospects onf R+D+I in this type of construction materials, giving emphasis into the uses in vent façades, as well as the dynamic factor over the scientific research implied from the technological challenge of ceramic tiles in this constructive systems.Peer reviewe

Electronic word-of-mouth communities from the perspective of social network analysis

This paper is focused on the identification of influencers that can have an important impact over the decision-making of other users. For this purpose, a popular electronic word-of-mouth community like Ciao.com has been modelled as a social network. Using social network analysis techniques, the existence of influencers is justified by the power law distribution of user participation, and then they are identified using their topological features within the social network. The obtained results reveal that influencers are not determined by the number of performed reviews, but by the variety or scope of their performed reviews and their central position in the consumer network. The main contribution of this research is the identification of influencers based on the participation features of community users. As a difference to other studies, results are not based on surveys or opinions, but on the trace users leave when they post opinions, comments or scoresJunta de Andalucia. Consejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Empleo P12-SEJ-328Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad ECO2013-43856-