Germinación en el laboratorio de varias especies arbustivas mediterráneas : efecto de la temperatura

Después de la aplicación de los tratamientos de temperatura (control, 75°C 1 hora y 120°C 5 minutos), la germinación en el laboratorio de las semillas de las especies estudiadas ha sido diferente en cada una de ellas. Los tratamientos de temperatura han producido una estimulación significativa de la germinación sólo en Phyllirea latifolia, un arbusto rebrotador, y en Cistus salviifolius, una especie tipicamente germinadora y más raramente rebrotadora. En esta última especie, sin embargo, el tratamiento a 120°C durante 5 min. tuvo un efecto letal. Rosmarinus officinalis, una especie típicamente germinadora, también vio inhibida su germinación por las temperaturas rnás altas. Pistacia lentiscus, una especie rebrotadora, es sensible incluso al tratamiento de temperatura más bajo. Chamaerops humilis, una palmera rebrotadora, presenta niveles considerables (>50%) de germinación en todos los tratamientos, sin que haya diferencias significativas entre ellos. Clematis vitalba, una liana rebrotadora, no germinó después de los tratamientos de temperatura rnás alta, y presentó niveles bajos de germinación en los otros dos tratamientos. La aplicación de carbón de Quercus coocifera no produjo efectos significatives en la germinación de ninguna de las cuatro especies (C. humilis, P. latifolia, P. entiscus y R. officinalis) en las que se aplicó este tratamiento.Germination after the application of heat treatments (control, 75°C 1 hour, 120°C 5 minutes) has been different in each studied species. The germination of the seeds was increased by temperature treatments only in Phyllirea latifolia, a sprouter large shrub, and Cistus salviifolius, a seeder, rarely resprouter, small shrub. In this later species, temperature of 120° C (5 min.), however, produced a complete lethal effect. Rosmarinus oficinalis, a seeder no resprouter species, also showed a complete mortality after the application of the higher temperatures. The germination of Pistacia lentiscus seeds, a resprouter shrub, was completely depleted by both temperature treatments. Chamaerops humilis, a resprouter palm, showed high percentages of germination (>50%) in all three treatments. Clematis vitalba, a resprouter vine, did not germinate after the application of higher temperature treatments, but germination was also low in both control and low temperature treatment. Application of Quercus coccifera charred wood did not show significant effects on the germination of the species in which this treatment was applied (C. humilis, P. latifolia, P. lentiscus and R. officinalis)

Análisis de imágenes multiespectrales aerotransportadas para estimar variables estructurales de bosques mediterráneos de Quercus Ilex L

Se tomaron imágenes multiespectrales de bosques de Quercus ilex L. de la comarca del Alt Empordà (noreste de la península Ibérica) mediante el sensor aerotransportado CASI (Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager). Posteriormente, se ajustaron modelos lineales por regresión entre valores de cobertura arbórea, biomasa de madera y diámetro medio, provenientes de medidas de campo, y valores de reflectancia ofrecidos por trece canales del sensor y por dos indices de vegetación. En ninguno de los modelos se llegó a un nivel de ajuste estadísticamente significativa (p < 0.05). Después de hacer un repaso de los posibles factores causantes de estos resultados, parece necesario profundizar en temas como la corrección radiométrica, los efectos de la heterogeneidad estructural del bosque y el muestreo de campo.Multispectral images were taken from Quercus ilex L. forests located in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula by means of the Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager (CASI). Linear regression models were made between three field measured variables (tree coverage, wood biomass and tree mean diameter) and reflectance values given by 13 bands and two vegetation indices. None of the built models achieved statistical significance (p < 0.05). After checking for factors responsible for these low fittings, it seems necessary to deeply analyze issues such as the radiometric correction, effects of forest structural heterogeneity and field sampling

Characterization of the amyloid bacterial inclusion bodies of the HET-s fungal prion

The formation of amyloid aggregates is related to the onset of a number of human diseases. Recent studies provide compelling evidence for the existence of related fibrillar structures in bacterial inclusion bodies (IBs). Bacteria might thus provide a biologically relevant and tuneable system to study amyloid aggregation and how to interfere with it. Particularly suited for such studies are protein models for which structural information is available in both IBs and amyloid states. The only high-resolution structure of an infectious amyloid state reported to date is that of the HET-s prion forming domain (PFD). Importantly, recent solid-state NMR data indicates that the structure of HET-s PFD in IBs closely resembles that of the infectious fibrils. Here we present an exhaustive conformational characterization of HET-s IBs in order to establish the aggregation of this prion in bacteria as a consistent cellular model in which the effect of autologous or heterologous protein quality machineries and/or anti-aggregational and anti-prionic drugs can be further studied

Yeast prions form infectious amyloid inclusion bodies in bacteria

Background: Prions were first identified as infectious proteins associated with fatal brain diseases in mammals. However, fungal prions behave as epigenetic regulators that can alter a range of cellular processes. These proteins propagate as self-perpetuating amyloid aggregates being an example of structural inheritance. The best-characterized examples are the Sup35 and Ure2 yeast proteins, corresponding to [PSI+] and [URE3] phenotypes, respectively. Results: Here we show that both the prion domain of Sup35 (Sup35-NM) and the Ure2 protein (Ure2p) form inclusion bodies (IBs) displaying amyloid-like properties when expressed in bacteria. These intracellular aggregates template the conformational change and promote the aggregation of homologous, but not heterologous, soluble prionogenic molecules. Moreover, in the case of Sup35-NM, purified IBs are able to induce different [PSI+] phenotypes in yeast, indicating that at least a fraction of the protein embedded in these deposits adopts an infectious prion fold. Conclusions: An important feature of prion inheritance is the existence of strains, which are phenotypic variants encoded by different conformations of the same polypeptide. We show here that the proportion of infected yeast cells displaying strong and weak [PSI+] phenotypes depends on the conditions under which the prionogenic aggregates are formed in E. coli, suggesting that bacterial systems might become useful tools to generate prion strain diversity

Characterization of the amyloid bacterial inclusion bodies of the HET-s fungal prion

The formation of amyloid aggregates is related to the onset of a number of human diseases. Recent studies provide compelling evidence for the existence of related fibrillar structures in bacterial inclusion bodies (IBs). Bacteria might thus provide a biologically relevant and tuneable system to study amyloid aggregation and how to interfere with it. Particularly suited for such studies are protein models for which structural information is available in both IBs and amyloid states. The only high-resolution structure of an infectious amyloid state reported to date is that of the HET-s prion forming domain (PFD). Importantly, recent solid-state NMR data indicates that the structure of HET-s PFD in IBs closely resembles that of the infectious fibrils. Here we present an exhaustive conformational characterization of HET-s IBs in order to establish the aggregation of this prion in bacteria as a consistent cellular model in which the effect of autologous or heterologous protein quality machineries and/or anti-aggregational and anti-prionic drugs can be further studied

Assessment of respiratory flow cycle morphology in patients with chronic heart failure

Breathing pattern as periodic breathing (PB) in chronic heart failure (CHF) is associated with poor prognosis and high mortality risk. This work investigates the significance of a number of time domain parameters for characterizing respiratory flow cycle morphology in patients with CHF. Thus, our primary goal is to detect PB pattern and identify patients at higher risk. In addition, differences in respiratory flow cycle morphology between CHF patients (with and without PB) and healthy subjects are studied. Differences between these parameters are assessed by investigating the following three classification issues: CHF patients with PB versus with non-periodic breathing (nPB), CHF patients (both PB and nPB) versus healthy subjects, and nPB patients versus healthy subjects. Twenty-six CHF patients (8/18 with PB/nPB) and 35 healthy subjects are studied. The results show that the maximal expiratory flow interval is shorter and with lower dispersion in CHF patients than in healthy subjects. The flow slopes are much steeper in CHF patients, especially for PB. Both inspiration and expiration durations are reduced in CHF patients, mostly for PB. Using the classification and regression tree technique, the most discriminant parameters are selected. For signals shorter than 1 min, the time domain parameters produce better results than the spectral parameters, with accuracies for each classification of 82/78, 89/85, and 91/89 %, respectively. It is concluded that morphologic analysis in the time domain is useful, especially when short signals are analyzed.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Yeast prions form infectious amyloid inclusion bodies in bacteria

Background Prions were first identified as infectious proteins associated with fatal brain diseases in mammals. However, fungal prions behave as epigenetic regulators that can alter a range of cellular processes. These proteins propagate as self-perpetuating amyloid aggregates being an example of structural inheritance. The best-characterized examples are the Sup35 and Ure2 yeast proteins, corresponding to [PSI+] and [URE3] phenotypes, respectively. Results Here we show that both the prion domain of Sup35 (Sup35-NM) and the Ure2 protein (Ure2p) form inclusion bodies (IBs) displaying amyloid-like properties when expressed in bacteria. These intracellular aggregates template the conformational change and promote the aggregation of homologous, but not heterologous, soluble prionogenic molecules. Moreover, in the case of Sup35-NM, purified IBs are able to induce different [PSI+] phenotypes in yeast, indicating that at least a fraction of the protein embedded in these deposits adopts an infectious prion fold. Conclusions An important feature of prion inheritance is the existence of strains, which are phenotypic variants encoded by different conformations of the same polypeptide. We show here that the proportion of infected yeast cells displaying strong and weak [PSI+] phenotypes depends on the conditions under which the prionogenic aggregates are formed in E. coli, suggesting that bacterial systems might become useful tools to generate prion strain diversity

Effectiveness of a multiple intervention strategy for the control of the tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) in Spain

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of four complementary and combined strategies to minimize the presence of the invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus, firmly established in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain. A quasi-experimental design including six neighbourhoods was performed in 2008-2009. The abundance of mosquitoes was monitored through ovitraps. The multiple intervention strategy consisted of four actions: source reduction; larvicide treatments (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis and diflubenzuron); adulticide treatments (alfacipermetrin); and cleaning up uncontrolled landfills. The results showed the number of eggs significantly reduced in the areas with intervention. In 2008, the accumulate median of eggs was 175 and 272 in the intervention and control areas, respectively. In 2009, these medians were 884 and 1668 eggs. In total, 3104 households were visited and 683 people were interviewed. During inspections inside the houses, the cooperation of citizens in 2009 was 16% higher than that in 2008 (95% CI 13-19%). These findings suggest that the strategy was effective in reducing the number of eggs. Citizen cooperation, an essential factor for success, was observed through a high level of collaboration by the home owners, who allowed entry into their private dwellings. This study could be a model for controlling the populations of Ae. albopictus in the Mediterranean region. © 2011 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.Peer Reviewe

Using bacterial inclusion bodies to screen for amyloid aggregation inhibitors

Background: The amyloid-β peptide (Aβ42) is the main component of the inter-neuronal amyloid plaques characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The mechanism by which Aβ42 and other amyloid peptides assemble into insoluble neurotoxic deposits is still not completely understood and multiple factors have been reported to trigger their formation. In particular, the presence of endogenous metal ions has been linked to the pathogenesis of AD and other neurodegenerative disorders. Results: Here we describe a rapid and high-throughput screening method to identify molecules able to modulate amyloid aggregation. The approach exploits the inclusion bodies (IBs) formed by Aβ42 when expressed in bacteria. We have shown previously that these aggregates retain amyloid structural and functional properties. In the present work, we demonstrate that their in vitro refolding is selectively sensitive to the presence of aggregation-promoting metal ions, allowing the detection of inhibitors of metal-promoted amyloid aggregation with potential therapeutic interest. Conclusions: Because IBs can be produced at high levels and easily purified, the method overcomes one of the main limitations in screens to detect amyloid modulators: the use of expensive and usually highly insoluble synthetic peptides

Using bacterial inclusion bodies to screen for amyloid aggregation inhibitors

Background: The amyloid-β peptide (Aβ42) is the main component of the inter-neuronal amyloid plaques characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The mechanism by which Aβ42 and other amyloid peptides assemble into insoluble neurotoxic deposits is still not completely understood and multiple factors have been reported to trigger their formation. In particular, the presence of endogenous metal ions has been linked to the pathogenesis of AD and other neurodegenerative disorders. Results: Here we describe a rapid and high-throughput screening method to identify molecules able to modulate amyloid aggregation. The approach exploits the inclusion bodies (IBs) formed by Aβ42 when expressed in bacteria. We have shown previously that these aggregates retain amyloid structural and functional properties. In the present work, we demonstrate that their in vitro refolding is selectively sensitive to the presence of aggregation-promoting metal ions, allowing the detection of inhibitors of metal-promoted amyloid aggregation with potential therapeutic interest. Conclusions: Because IBs can be produced at high levels and easily purified, the method overcomes one of the main limitations in screens to detect amyloid modulators: the use of expensive and usually highly insoluble synthetic peptides