Prolamin content and grain weight in RNAi silenced wheat lines under different conditions of temperature and nitrogen availability

Temperature and nitrogen (N) availability are two important environmental factors that may produce important changes in grain composition during grain filling of bread wheat. In this study, four wheat lines with the down-regulation of gliadins by means of RNA interference (RNAi) have been characterized to determine the effect of thermal stress and N availability on grain weight and quality; with focus on gliadin and glutenin protein fractions. Grain weight was reduced with heat stress (HS) in all RNAi lines, whereas gliadin content was increased in the wild-types. With respect to gliadin content, RNAi lines responded to HS and N availability differently from their respective wild-types, except for ω-gliadin content, indicating a very clear stability of silencing under different environmental conditions. In a context of increased temperature and HS events, and in environments with different N availability, the RNAi lines with down-regulated gliadins seem well suited for the production of wheat grain with low gliadin content.The Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Project AGL2016-80566-P) and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) supported this research

Ozone in Spain's National Parks and Protected Forests

In general, it is difficult to measure air pollutant concentrations in remote areas, as they are mostly national parks and protected areas. Passive samplers provide an accurate and inexpensive method for measuring cumulative exposures of different air pollutants. They have been used to collect ozone data in both laboratory and field at different geographical scales. The objective of the present study is to fill the knowledge gap regarding air quality in remote areas of Spain, such as national parks and protected areas. Because there were no systematic data sets on the main air pollutants that could affect these areas, an air quality measurement network was established between 2001 and 2004 on 19 locations inside Spanish national parks and protected areas. The data collected suggest that ozone levels in mountainous areas are high enough to affect sensitive vegetation. Most of the locations registered moderate-to-high ozone levels, with important interannual variability. Altitudinal ozone gradients were observed in most of the parks with complex topography due to the establishment of local circulations that incorporate polluted air masses from polluted airsheds or even long-range transport (i.e., Canary Islands). Different latitude-dependent, yearly cycles were also observed, showing two, one, or no clear peaks depending on the region. These findings extend to the most southerly locations, except in the Canary Islands, where pollution transported from other regions in the upper transport layers probably led to the high concentrations observed

Primer hallazgo de Micromamíferos de edad Turoliense en la cuenca de Madrid

La Mesa de Ocaña, situada en la parte más meridional de la Cuenca de Madrid, está constituida por una sucesión Neógena dentro de la que se reconocen las Unidades Inferior, Intermedia y Superior del Mioceno de esta cuenca. La Unidad Superior en este área está formada por depósitos detríticos que gradan lateralmente y verticalmente a depósitos carbonáticos de carácter palustre y/o lacustre somero. En estos niveles se ha reconocido la presencia de una importante acumulación de restos de micromamíferos (Yacimiento de Canteras de Iberia) que ha suministrado abundantes restos correspondientes a las órdenes Rodentia, Lagomorpha e Insectivora. La asociación faunística obtenida es característica del Turoliense Superior (unidad MN 13) y, desde el punto de vista paleocológico, sugiere condiciones climáticas relativamente cálidas y áridas. El yacimiento de Canteras de Iberia constituye el primer yacimiento de edad Turoliense encontrado dentro del registro sedimentario Neógeno de la Cuenca de Madrid permitiendo precisar la edad de la Unidad Superior del Mioceno en esta cuenca.The Neogene succession cropping out in Mesa de Ocaña (southern Madrid Basin) contains a variety of deposits that belong to the so-called Miocene Lower, Intermediate and Upper Units. In this area, the Miocene Upper Unit is formed of terrigenous deposits that grade both laterally and in vertical to palustrine and/or shallow lacustrine carbonate facies. Intercalated with the latter deposits, a large accumulation of fossil micromammal remains has been recognized (Canteras de Iberia mammal site). This site has yielded a fossil mammal association of late Turolian age (MN 13 unit) indicative of relatively warm and arid paleoclimatic conditions. The Canteras de Iberia mammal site constitutes the first occurrence of fossil mammals of Turolian age within the Neogene sedimentary record of the Madrid Basin. This occurrence allows to precise the chronostratigraphy of the Miocene Upper Unit of the basin.Peer reviewe

Environmental practices in firms located in underpopulated rural areas in Spain: The case of the province of Teruel

This study aims to develop a better understanding of what drives small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to engage in environmental practices in isolated rural areas. Despite a growing literature on environmental behavior in different contexts, the green activities of SMEs in rural areas remains underexposed. This neglect is remarkable, and deserves attention given the serious depopulation problems they have to face, and the economic and social challenges that lie ahead. Using unique data from 141 SMEs in one of the most sparsely populated regions in the European Union, we study the influence of territorial relations on firms’ environmental conduct. Our results suggest that different territorial factors have some impact on the adoption of environmental practices. We report evidence indicative of the role of these factors in shaping environmental decisions. Finally, we offer suggestions for future research that could further develop our understanding of environmental management decisions in rural and underpopulated areas

CaH Rydberg Series, Oscillator Strengths and Photoionization Cross Sections from Molecular Quantum Defect and Dyson Orbital Theories

Producción CientíficaIn this work, electron-propagator methods are applied to the calculation of the ionization potential and vertical excitation energies for several Rydberg series of the CaH molecule. The present calculations cover more highly excited states than those previously reported. In particular, excitation energies for ns (n>5), np (n>5), nd (n>4) and nf Rydberg states are given. Oscillator strengths for electronic transitions involving Rydberg states of CaH, as well as photoionization cross sections for Rydberg channels, also have been determined by using the Molecular Quantum Defect Orbital approach. Good agreement has been found with the scarce comparative data that are available for oscillator strengths. To our knowledge, predictions of photoionization cross sections from the outermost orbital of CaH are made here for the first time. A Cooper minimum and mixed atomic orbital character in some of the Dyson orbitals are among the novel features of these present calculationsJunta de Castilla y León (programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación – Ref. VA330U13

Excitation energies, photoionization cross sections, and asymmetry parameters of the methyl and silyl radicals

Producción CientíficaVertical excitation energies of the methyl and silyl radicals were inferred from ab initio electron propagator calculations on the electron affinities of CH3 + and SiH3 +. Photoionization cross sections and angular distribution of photoelectrons for the outermost orbitals of both CH3 and SiH3 radicals have been obtained with the Molecular Quantum Defect Orbital method. The individual ionization cross sections corresponding to the Rydberg channels to which the excitation of the ground state’s outermost electron gives rise are reported. Despite the relevance of methyl radical in atmospheric chemistry and combustion processes, only data for the photon energy range of 10–11 eV seem to be available. Good agreement has been found with experiment for photoionization cross section of this radical. To our knowledge, predictions of the above mentioned photoionization parameters on silyl radical are made here for the first time, and we are not aware of any reported experimental measurements. An analysis of our results reveals the presence of a Cooper minimum in the photoionization of the silyl radical. The adequacy of the two theoretical procedures employed in the present work is discussed.Junta de Castilla y León (programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación – Ref. VA330U13

Combined flow cytometry and high-throughput image analysis for the study of essential genes in Caenorhabditis elegans

Background: Advances in automated image-based microscopy platforms coupled with high-throughput liquid workflows have facilitated the design of large-scale screens utilising multicellular model organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans to identify genetic interactions, therapeutic drugs or disease modifiers. However, the analysis of essential genes has lagged behind because lethal or sterile mutations pose a bottleneck for high-throughput approaches, and a systematic way to analyse genetic interactions of essential genes in multicellular organisms has been lacking. Results: In C. elegans, non-conditional lethal mutations can be maintained in heterozygosity using chromosome balancers, commonly expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the pharynx. However, gene expression or function is typically monitored by the use of fluorescent reporters marked with the same fluorophore, presenting a challenge to sort worm populations of interest, particularly at early larval stages. Here, we develop a sorting strategy capable of selecting homozygous mutants carrying a GFP stress reporter from GFP-balanced animals at the second larval stage. Because sorting is not completely error-free, we develop an automated high-throughput image analysis protocol that identifies and discards animals carrying the chromosome balancer. We demonstrate the experimental usefulness of combining sorting of homozygous lethal mutants and automated image analysis in a functional genomic RNA interference (RNAi) screen for genes that genetically interact with mitochondrial prohibitin (PHB). Lack of PHB results in embryonic lethality, while homozygous PHB deletion mutants develop into sterile adults due to maternal contribution and strongly induce the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR mt ). In a chromosome-wide RNAi screen for C. elegans genes having human orthologues, we uncover both known and new PHB genetic interactors affecting the UPR mt and growth. Conclusions: The method presented here allows the study of balanced lethal mutations in a high-throughput manner. It can be easily adapted depending on the user's requirements and should serve as a useful resource for the C. elegans community for probing new biological aspects of essential nematode genes as well as the generation of more comprehensive genetic networks.European Research Council ERC-2011-StG-281691Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad BFU2012–3550

Iguanodóntidos (REPTILIA, ORNITHOPODA) del yacimiento del Cretácico inferior de San Cristóbal (Gañve, Teruel)

El nuevo yacimiento de Dinosaurios de San Cristóbal (Galve, provincia de Teruel, España) considerado provisionalmente como de edad Barremiense-Aptiense, ha proporcionado diversos restos entre los que se consideran más significativos los siguientes: un fragmento de dentario atribuido a Iguanodon bernissartensis y diversas piezas (un fragmento de neurocráneo, un fragmento de dentario y un atlas) identificadas como Iguanodon cf. mantelli