Isomorphism between Non-Riemannian gravity and Einstein-Proca-Weyl theories extended to a class of Scalar gravity theories

We extend the recently proved relation between certain models of Non-Riemannian gravitation and Einstein- Proca-Weyl theories to a class of Scalar gravity theories. This is used to present a Black-Hole Dilaton solution with non-Riemannian connection.Comment: 13 pages, tex file, accepted in Class. Quant. Gra

High Resolution Helium Ion Scanning Microscopy of the Rat Kidney

Helium ion scanning microscopy is a novel imaging technology with the potential to provide sub-nanometer resolution images of uncoated biological tissues. So far, however, it has been used mainly in materials science applications. Here, we took advantage of helium ion microscopy to explore the epithelium of the rat kidney with unsurpassed image quality and detail. In addition, we evaluated different tissue preparation methods for their ability to preserve tissue architecture. We found that high contrast, high resolution imaging of the renal tubule surface is possible with a relatively simple processing procedure that consists of transcardial perfusion with aldehyde fixatives, vibratome tissue sectioning, tissue dehydration with graded methanol solutions and careful critical point drying. Coupled with the helium ion system, fine details such as membrane texture and membranous nanoprojections on the glomerular podocytes were visualized, and pores within the filtration slit diaphragm could be seen in much greater detail than in previous scanning EM studies. In the collecting duct, the extensive and striking apical microplicae of the intercalated cells were imaged without the shrunken or distorted appearance that is typical with conventional sample processing and scanning electron microscopy. Membrane depressions visible on principal cells suggest possible endo- or exocytotic events, and central cilia on these cells were imaged with remarkable preservation and clarity. We also demonstrate the use of colloidal gold probes for highlighting specific cell-surface proteins and find that 15 nm gold labels are practical and easily distinguishable, indicating that external labels of various sizes can be used to detect multiple targets in the same tissue. We conclude that this technology represents a technical breakthrough in imaging the topographical ultrastructure of animal tissues. Its use in future studies should allow the study of fine cellular details and provide significant advances in our understanding of cell surface structures and membrane organization

Cambios morfométricos de lagunas aluviales del río Paraná y su incidencia en la diversidad íctica

Para comprender cuáles son las características ambientales que inciden en las comunidades acuáticas de una laguna, es necesario poseer conocimientos referidos a sus formas y dimensiones, ya que su morfometría interviene sobre variables relacionadas con la erosión, sedimentación, carga de nutrientes y características físico-químicas, entre otras. Sin embargo, la renovación del agua de las lagunas del valle aluvial se encuentra íntimamente ligada a los pulsos de inundación de este último, entendiéndose que es tanimportante la altura del nivel de agua, como su duración en el tiempo. Diferentes nivelestopográficos de la llanura aluvial, pueden generar distintas respuestas en las lagunas, al margen de encontrarse próximas entre ellas. En tal sentido, el objetivo de este trabajo fue aplicar modelos de anegamiento en la llanura aluvial del río Paraná, a fin de establecer las diferencias topográficas entre las lagunas Galloso y Melilla, para explicar sus respuestas frente a los pulsos de inundación y por consiguiente sus diferencias morfométricas y biológicas. Para ello se utilizó la herramienta Increase level water del software Global Mapper 15.1, teniendo como base un modelo de elevación digital generado a partir de una imagen SRTM de 30 m. Los resultados demostraron que la laguna Galloso se encuentra 2 m por debajo de la laguna Melilla, quedando más expuesta a los pulsos de inundación del río Paraná. Dicha situación se ve reflejada en sus variaciones morfométricas entre los años estudiados, en donde la laguna Galloso ha aumentado 19 veces su superficie mientras que la laguna Melilla se mantuvo estable. En conclusión, esta diferencia topográfica y la mayor conectividad con el río Paraná, sería el principal motivo por el cual la primera posee 80 especies de peces, mientras que lasegunda solo 49 especies

Mapping sub-micon ice grains on Rhea

Rhea is the second largest icy satellite of Saturn and it is mainly composed of water ice. Its surface is characterized by a leading hemisphere slightly brighter than the trailing side, a common characteristic across Saturn' mid-sized satellites. The leading/trailing asymmetry arises because of two different surface alteration processes: (i) the bombardment of charged particles from the interplanetary medium and driven by Saturn's magnetosphere which darkens the trailing side' surface, and (ii) the impact of E-ring water ice particles on the satellites' leading side. Both mechanisms have the further effect to form or implant sub-micron ice particles on the surface. We present here a preliminary work devoted to map for the first time the abundance of sub-micron ice grains across Rhea' surface. We pursue this goal by analyzing Cassini/VIMS data in the infrared sepctral range (0.8-5.1 μm), where the most diagnostic indicators for such particles occur: (i) asymmetry and (ii) minimum of the 2-μm absorption band in water ice; (iii) decrease in the ratio between the band depths at 1.50 and 2.02 μm; (iv) decrease in the strength of the reflectance maximum at 2.6 μm; (v) suppression of the Fresnel's reflection peak at 3.1 μm; and (vi) decrease of the 5-µm reflectance compared to that at 3.6 μm. Maps are created by dividing Rhea' surface into a 1°x1° grid and then averaging the spectral indicators' values inside each angular bin. This work will be completed by mapping the variation of water ice absorption bands' depth at 1.25, 1.52 and 2.02 μm, and by comparing the result with ISS maps in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared ranges

Análisis de la diversidad de peces en ambientes asociados al río Paraná en el área de la represa de Yacyretá

El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la diversidad de la ictiofauna en el valle aluvial del río Paraná, entre las localidades de Ituzaingó y Puerto Abra, zona de influencia de la represa de Yacyretá (Argentina). Los datos incluyen el período 2004-2015. Las campañas se realizaron cada tres meses (cuatro por año), abarcando así todas las estaciones. Los peces fueron colectados empleando un equipo de pesca eléctrica. Se eligieron cuatro zonas de muestreos representativas del gradiente longitudinal del río. La diversidad alfa fue medida a través de los índices de Shannon-Wiener, el índice de diversidad verdadera de Jost, el índice de diversidad de Simpson y el índice de dominancia de Simpson, mientras que la diversidad beta se evaluó con el índice de Whittaker y el coeficiente de Jaccard. Además se realizó un análisis de correlación entre los valores de diversidad y la distancia de las zonas con respecto a la represa. Se identificaron 173 especies de peces distribuidas en 11 órdenes y 32 familias. La riqueza estimada para este tramo del río fue de 200 especies. La diversidad específica de las diferentes zonas, sus curvas de rango abundancia y las curvas de acumulación de especies tendieron a disminuir aguas abajo de la represa. Los índices de diversidad alfa utilizados arrojaron los valores más altos en la zona de Itá Ibaté, de posición intermedia a la represa. La diversidad beta fue moderada y similar entre ambientes. Los resultados sugieren diferencias en la estructura de la comunidad de peces en los ambientes del valle aluvial estudiado, que responden a cambios ambientales relacionados con el gradiente longitudinal desde Ituzaingó como punto más cercano a la represa, hasta Puerto Abra como punto más distante

Structural insights into the DNA recognition mechanism by the bacterial transcription factor PdxR

Specificity in protein-DNA recognition arises from the synergy of several factors that stem from the structural and chemical signatures encoded within the targeted DNA molecule. Here, we deciphered the nature of the interactions driving DNA recognition and binding by the bacterial transcription factor PdxR, a member of the MocR family responsible for the regulation of pyridoxal 5 & PRIME;-phosphate (PLP) biosynthesis. Single particle cryo-EM performed on the PLP-PdxR bound to its target DNA enabled the isolation of three conformers of the complex, which may be considered as snapshots of the binding process. Moreover, the resolution of an apo-PdxR crystallographic structure provided a detailed description of the transition of the effector domain to the holo-PdxR form triggered by the binding of the PLP effector molecule. Binding analyses of mutated DNA sequences using both wild type and PdxR variants revealed a central role of electrostatic interactions and of the intrinsic asymmetric bending of the DNA in allosterically guiding the holo-PdxR-DNA recognition process, from the first encounter through the fully bound state. Our results detail the structure and dynamics of the PdxR-DNA complex, clarifying the mechanism governing the DNA-binding mode of the holo-PdxR and the regulation features of the MocR family of transcription factors

Salerno's model of DNA reanalysed: could solitons have biological significance?

We investigate the sequence-dependent behaviour of localised excitations in a toy, nonlinear model of DNA base-pair opening originally proposed by Salerno. Specifically we ask whether ``breather'' solitons could play a role in the facilitated location of promoters by RNA polymerase. In an effective potential formalism, we find excellent correlation between potential minima and {\em Escherichia coli} promoter recognition sites in the T7 bacteriophage genome. Evidence for a similar relationship between phage promoters and downstream coding regions is found and alternative reasons for links between AT richness and transcriptionally-significant sites are discussed. Consideration of the soliton energy of translocation provides a novel dynamical picture of sliding: steep potential gradients correspond to deterministic motion, while ``flat'' regions, corresponding to homogeneous AT or GC content, are governed by random, thermal motion. Finally we demonstrate an interesting equivalence between planar, breather solitons and the helical motion of a sliding protein ``particle'' about a bent DNA axis.Comment: Latex file 20 pages, 5 figures. Manuscript of paper to appear in J. Biol. Phys., accepted 02/09/0

Recovery of NIS expression in thyroid cancer cells by overexpression of Pax8 gene

BACKGROUND: Recovery of iodide uptake in thyroid cancer cells by means of obtaining the functional expression of the sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) represents an innovative strategy for the treatment of poorly differentiated thyroid cancer. However, the NIS gene expression alone is not always sufficient to restore radioiodine concentration ability in these tumour cells. METHODS: In this study, the anaplastic thyroid carcinoma ARO cells were stably transfected with a Pax8 gene expression vector. A quantitative RT-PCR was performed to assess the thyroid specific gene expression in selected clones. The presence of NIS protein was detected by Western blot and localized by immunofluorescence. A iodide uptake assay was also performed to verify the functional effect of NIS induction and differentiation switch. RESULTS: The clones overexpressing Pax8 showed the re-activation of several thyroid specific genes including NIS, Pendrin, Thyroglobulin, TPO and TTF1. In ARO-Pax8 clones NIS protein was also localized both in cell cytoplasm and membrane. Thus, the ability to uptake the radioiodine was partially restored, associated to a high rate of efflux. In addition, ARO cells expressing Pax8 presented a lower rate of cell growth. CONCLUSION: These finding demonstrate that induction of Pax8 expression may determine a re-differentiation of thyroid cancer cells, including a partial recovery of iodide uptake, fundamental requisite for a radioiodine-based therapeutic approach for thyroid tumours