Multiproxy investigation of the last 2,000 years BP marine paleoenvironmental record along the western Spitsbergen margin

A reconstruction of the last 2,000 years BP of environmental and oceanographic changes on the western margin of Spitsbergen was performed using a multidisciplinary approach including the fossil assemblages of diatoms, planktic and benthic foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils and the use of geochemistry (X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction). We identified two warm periods (2,000–1,600 years BP and 1,300–700 years BP) that were associated with the Roman Warm Period and the Medieval Warm Period that alternate with colder oceanic conditions and sea ice coverage occurred during the Dark Ages (1,600–1,300 years BP) and the beginning of the Little Ice Age. During the Medieval Warm Period the occurrence of ice-rafted debris and Aulocoseira spp., a specific diatom genus commonly associated with continental freshwater, suggests significant runoff of meltwaters from local glaciers

Whole genome SNP-associated signatures of local adaptation in honeybees of the Iberian Peninsula

The availability of powerful high-throughput genomic tools, combined with genome scans, has helped identifying genes and genetic changes responsible for environmental adaptation in many organisms, including the honeybee. Here, we resequenced 87 whole genomes of the honeybee native to Iberia and used conceptually different selection methods (Samβada, LFMM, PCAdapt, iHs) together with in sillico protein modelling to search for selection footprints along environmental gradients. We found 670 outlier SNPs, most of which associated with precipitation, longitude and latitude. Over 88.7% SNPs laid outside exons and there was a significant enrichment in regions adjacent to exons and UTRs. Enrichment was also detected in exonic regions. Furthermore, in silico protein modelling suggests that several non-synonymous SNPs are likely direct targets of selection, as they lead to amino acid replacements in functionally important sites of proteins. We identified genomic signatures of local adaptation in 140 genes, many of which are putatively implicated in fitness-related functions such as reproduction, immunity, olfaction, lipid biosynthesis and circadian clock. Our genome scan suggests that local adaptation in the Iberian honeybee involves variations in regions that might alter patterns of gene expression and in protein-coding genes, which are promising candidates to underpin adaptive change in the honeybee.John C. Patton, Phillip San Miguel, Paul Parker, Rick Westerman, University of Purdue, resequenced the 87 whole genomes of IHBs. Jose Rufino provided computational resources at IPB. Analyses were performed using the computational resources at the Uppsala Multidisciplinary Center for Advanced Computational Science (UPPMAX), Uppsala University. DH was supported by a PhD scholarship (SFRH/BD/84195/2012) from the Portuguese Science Foundation (FCT). MAP is a member of and receives support from the COST Action FA1307 (SUPER-B). This work was supported by FCT through the programs COMPETE/QREN/EU (PTDC/BIA-BEC/099640/2008) and the 2013-2014 BiodivERsA/FACCE-JPI (joint call for research proposals, with the national funders FCT, Portugal, CNRS, France, and MEC, Spain) to MAP

<it>Rhodococcus erythropolis</it> ATCC 25544 as a suitable source of cholesterol oxidase: cell-linked and extracellular enzyme synthesis, purification and concentration

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The suitability of the strain <it>Rhodococcus erythropolis</it> ATCC 25544 grown in a two-liter fermentor as a source of cholesterol oxidase has been investigated. The strain produces both cell-linked and extracellular cholesterol oxidase in a high amount, that can be extracted, purified and concentrated by using the detergent Triton X-114.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A spray-dry method of preparation of the enzyme inducer cholesterol in Tween 20 was found to be superior in both convenience and enzyme synthesis yield to one of heat-mixing. Both were similar as far as biomass yield is concerned. Cell-linked cholesterol oxidase was extracted with Triton X-114, and this detergent was also used for purification and concentration, following temperature-induced detergent phase separation. Triton X-114 was utilized to purify and to concentrate the cell-linked and the extracellular enzyme. Cholesterol oxidase was found mainly in the resulting detergent-rich phase. When Triton X-114 concentration was set to 6% w/v the extracellular, but not the cell-extracted enzyme, underwent a 3.4-fold activation after the phase separation process. This result is interpreted in the light of interconvertible forms of the enzyme that do not seem to be in equilibrium. Fermentation yielded 360 U/ml (672 U/ml after activation), 36% of which was extracellular (65% after activation). The Triton X-114 phase separation step yielded 11.6-fold purification and 20.3-fold concentration.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results of this work may make attractive and cost-effective the implementation of this bacterial strain and this detergent in a purification-based industrial production scheme of commercial cholesterol oxidase.</p

Condiciones para el acceso universal a la salud en América Latina: derechos sociales, protección social y restricciones financieras y políticas Conditions for universal access to health in Latin America: social rights, social protection and financial and political constraints

Tras una sucinta problematización de la equidad en salud, sus determinantes sociales y sectoriales, se analizan aspectos macroeconómicos del comportamiento reciente del gasto en salud en la región. Dadas las importantes tensiones contemporáneas respecto de los derechos y la definición de prestaciones de salud, se tratan tres experiencias emblemáticas, de sistemas de salud muy diversos: Chile, Colombia y México. Ellas abarcan distintos aspectos: la garantía de las prestaciones, la reducción de formas de racionamiento implícitas y/o de barreras de entrada, o bien aspectos de calidad.<br>After a brief review of the concept of health equity and its social and sectoral determinants, some macroeconomic aspects of health expenditure in Latin America are considered. Given the significant contemporary tensions with regard to social rights and the definition of health benefits, three emblematic experiences are analyzed in very different health systems, namely those of Chile, Colombia and Mexico. They cover different aspects, such as the guarantee of health benefits, the reduction of forms of implicit rationing and/or barriers to admission, and also aspects related to the quality of services

Paleoenviromental changes during the last 2 ka BP in the Eastern Side of Fram Strait.

Polar regions regulate the climate through the heat exchange between ocean and atmosphere, the sea ice formation or melting, and bottom water formation. Lately, the scientific community has been focusing on the study of the last 2000 years. This interval gives information about climate natural variability versus change induced by human activity. Moreover, the studies of environmental changes recorded in this period offer the possibility to understand how our climate may evolve in the near future. This study is focused on the last 2 ka BP and has the aim to understand the paleoenvironmental variations in the eastern side of Fram Strait, through multidisciplinary micropaleontological and sedimentological analyses, focussing on the diatom assemblages. Two long Calypso cores GS191-01 PC (19.68 m) and GS191-02 PC (17.37 m) were collected on the Bellsund and Isfjorden Drift, during the expedition of RV G.O. Sars (5th–15th June 2014), in the framework of the project Eurofleets-2 PREPARED. Here we present the study of the first 80 cm for core GS191-01PC and the first 18 cm for core GS191-02 PC corresponding to the last 2 ka years BP. The investigated sedimentary sequence is dominated by muddy, bioturbated sediments with very rare/sparse IRD (Ice Rafted Debris). The Diatom assemblage was analysed every 2-cm, corresponding to a resolution of 30 years for GS191-01PC and at every 1-cm in core GS191-02PC, corresponding to a resolution of 126 year. On the basis of the age model proposed by Caricchi et al. (2019), the multi-proxy analyses on the diatoms and foraminifera assemblages, and sedimentological data, allowed us to distinguish in the record four different climatic periods indicated as Units. Unit A (2000 - 1500 cal yr BP) is the older, and indicates relatively warm conditions, suggesting the influence of warm water with a cooling period between between 1800 to 1700 cal yr BP, characterized by increased sea ice coverage and the presence of cold water masses. In unit B (1500 - 1300 cal yr BP) is period of cooler conditions compared with the previous one, and it is characterized by the presence of extended sea ice and a minor inflow of the warm water. Unit C (1300- 700 cal yr BP) records a warming surface water with presence of freshwater of continentally origin. Unit C ends with the worsening of climatic conditions characterized by a progressive cooling. Unit D (700 cal yr BP to recent) represents a cooling period characterized by extended sea ice coverage and an increased distribution of cold-water taxa