Madam or Mr. President? Chile's Michelle Bachelet, Press Coverage and Public Perceptions

Latin American Studie

Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin induces blood brain barrier permeability via caveolae-dependent transcytosis and requires expression of MAL.

Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin (ETX) is responsible for causing the economically devastating disease, enterotoxaemia, in livestock. It is well accepted that ETX causes blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability, however the mechanisms involved in this process are not well understood. Using in vivo and in vitro methods, we determined that ETX causes BBB permeability in mice by increasing caveolae-dependent transcytosis in brain endothelial cells. When mice are intravenously injected with ETX, robust ETX binding is observed in the microvasculature of the central nervous system (CNS) with limited to no binding observed in the vasculature of peripheral organs, indicating that ETX specifically targets CNS endothelial cells. ETX binding to CNS microvasculature is dependent on MAL expression, as ETX binding to CNS microvasculature of MAL-deficient mice was not detected. ETX treatment also induces extravasation of molecular tracers including 376Da fluorescein salt, 60kDA serum albumin, 70kDa dextran, and 155kDA IgG. Importantly, ETX-induced BBB permeability requires expression of both MAL and caveolin-1, as mice deficient in MAL or caveolin-1 did not exhibit ETX-induced BBB permeability. Examination of primary murine brain endothelial cells revealed an increase in caveolae in ETX-treated cells, resulting in dynamin and lipid raft-dependent vacuolation without cell death. ETX-treatment also results in a rapid loss of EEA1 positive early endosomes and accumulation of large, RAB7-positive late endosomes and multivesicular bodies. Based on these results, we hypothesize that ETX binds to MAL on the apical surface of brain endothelial cells, causing recruitment of caveolin-1, triggering caveolae formation and internalization. Internalized caveolae fuse with early endosomes which traffic to late endosomes and multivesicular bodies. We believe that these multivesicular bodies fuse basally, releasing their contents into the brain parenchyma

Detection of satellite remnants in the Galactic Halo with Gaia III. Detection limits for Ultra Faint Dwarf Galaxies

We present a method to identify Ultra Faint Dwarf Galaxy (UFDG) candidates in the halo of the Milky Way using the future Gaia catalogue and we explore its detection limits and completeness. The method is based on the Wavelet Transform and searches for over-densities in the combined space of sky coordinates and proper motions, using kinematics in the search for the first time. We test the method with a Gaia mock catalogue that has the Gaia Universe Model Snapshot (GUMS) as a background, and use a library of around 30 000 UFDGs simulated as Plummer spheres with a single stellar population. For the UFDGs we use a wide range of structural and orbital parameters that go beyond the range spanned by real systems, where some UFDGs may remain undetected. We characterize the detection limits as function of the number of observable stars by Gaia in the UFDGs with respect to that of the background and their apparent sizes in the sky and proper motion planes. We find that the addition of proper motions in the search improves considerably the detections compared to a photometric survey at the same magnitude limit. Our experiments suggest that Gaia will be able to detect UFDGs that are similar to some of the known UFDGs even if the limit of Gaia is around 2 magnitudes brighter than that of SDSS, with the advantage of having a full-sky catalogue. We also see that Gaia could even find some UFDGs that have lower surface brightness than the SDSS limit.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) dynamics evidence immunomodulation during ISAV-Infected Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Despite evidence for participation in the host response to infection, the roles of many long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) remain unknown. Therefore, the aims of this study were to identify lncRNAs in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and evaluate their transcriptomic regulation during ISA virus (ISAV) infection, an Orthomyxoviridae virus associated with high mortalities in salmonid aquaculture. Using next-generation sequencing, whole-transcriptome analysis of theSalmo salarresponse to ISAV infection was performed, identifying 5,636 putative lncRNAs with a mean length of 695 base pairs. The transcriptional modulation evidenced a similar number of differentially expressed lncRNAs in the gills (3,294), head-kidney (3,275), and liver (3,325) over the course of the infection. Moreover, analysis of a subset of these lncRNAs showed the following: (i) Most were similarly regulated in response to ISA virus infection; (ii) The transcript subsets were uniquely modulated in each tissue (gills, liver, and head-kidney); and (iii) A subset of lncRNAs were upregulated for each tissue and time analysed, indicating potential markers for ISAV infection. These findings represent the first discovery of widespread differential expression of lncRNAs in response to virus infection in non-model species, suggesting that lncRNAs could be involved in regulating the host response during ISAV infection

Roles of Semaphorins in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Semaphorins are secreted and transmembrane proteins that bind plexin/neuropilin or integrin receptors, providing paracrine axonal guidance signals and ultimately leading to a functional and developed neuronal network. Following semaphorin’s initial discovery, their relevance in the central nervous system (CNS) soon intrigued researchers about the possible links between semaphorins, their receptors and signaling mechanisms and different neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we explore the current knowledge of semaphorin’s function and signaling in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), and Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). We focus on the effects of the most known semaphorin subclasses 3A and 4D, yet extending our discussion to other semaphorins that have been found involved in specific neuropathologies and the potential effect of semaphorins modulating the immune system in disorders with inflammatory components. Molecular, cellular, and genetic evidences are reviewed, highlighting the relevance of semaphorins on each disease etiology, pathophysiology, and progression. The newly discovered semaphorin functions in neurological disorders even suggest alternative therapies that may be highly valuable in diseases that have no current cure

Proyecto herramienta de gestión y administración de clientes de ADT Chile

33 p.El proyecto se enmarca en la necesidad de la empresa ADT Chile de contar con una herramienta que permita gestionar de manera centralizada los nuevos clientes, provenientes de distintos canales de comunicación, permitiendo con esto una mayor rapidez en la gestión de los ejecutivos de venta, mejorando la contabilidad hacia el cliente y ademas desde el punto de vista del negocio mejorar la distribución de recursos en publicidad. Se creo una herramienta web la cual logra canalizar los distintos puntos de captación de cliente, principalmente mediante publicidad web, esta herramienta fue creada en el lenguaje ASP.NET para el front de la herramienta y en el lenguaje C Sharp para la programación lógica del negocio. Bajo la metodología ágil Scrum se administro el proyecto y los recursos para crear la herramienta, permitiendo un trabajo colaborativo con el cliente, tiempos menores de desarrollo y disminución de los errores asociados al proceso. La herramienta entregada permite actualmente unifi car en una sola base de datos a los clientes provenientes de los distintos canales de publicidad provistos para la obtención de nuevos prospecto o clientes, con esto el área de marketing tiene datos contables y concretos sobre los cuales tomar decisiones de negocio, necesarios para la inversión en publicidad e incentivos a ejecutivos en épocas de campañas de captación de clientes

Interval scheduling maximizing minimum coverage

Peer reviewe

Partnerships between private landowners and conservationists to protect one of the most evolutionarily distinct amphibians

Wildlife conservation on private land is an important and growing approach to protecting biodiversity and can help contribute to the Global Biodiversity Framework’s 30 by 30 target. In 2018, a Chilean non-profit conservation organisation launched a pioneering land conservation programme aiming to build long-term partnerships with private landowners to protect critical habitat for threatened amphibians in Chilean Patagonia. Here, we describe a new locality record of the microendemic and Endangered Barrio’s frog (Insuetophrynus acarpicus) found at a site that joined this programme in 2020. The Barrio’s frog is ranked No. 10 in the list of evolutionary distinct, globally endangered amphibians. Unfortunately, as evidenced by our systematic literature search, most aspects of the species’ natural history and ecology remain unknown, limiting our ability to provide actionable science to inform its conservation. The newly described Barrio’s frog population represents the eighth known locality of this species and one of only three occurring within a protected area. Habitat quality assessments indicated optimal conditions for most of the measured habitat parameters in the high-gradient stream where the species was found. This case study highlights that long-term partnerships between private landowners and conservationists can be used as an effective tool to protect the habitat of highly threatened amphibians

Analyzing hippocampal synaptic damage and glial response in a mouse model of tauopathy

Tau pathology is highly related to synaptic and neuronal loss, leading to cognitive decline and dementia in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other tauopathies. Tau transgenic mice are widely used to investigate the specific contribution of this protein to AD since they reproduce the synaptic and cognitive dysfunction in parallel to an age-dependent accumulation of hyperphosphorylated forms of tau (phospho-tau). The aim of this study was to investigate the progression of tau aggregation and analyze its relationship with microglial activation and synaptic damage within the hippocampus of a transgenic tau model. 2, 6, 9, 12 and 18 month-old THY-Tau22 transgenic and WT mice were analyzed. Tau pathology was assessed by western blotting and immunohistochemistry (AT8, AT100). Confocal microscopy was used to study microglial/phospho-tau relationship, and Thioflavin-S staining to evidence fibrillar aggregates. Levels of general (Synaptophysin) and subtype-specific (ChAT, VGAT, VGLUT-1) synaptic proteins were determined by WB and immunohistochemistry. Inflammatory markers were assessed by quantitative PCR (CD45, CD68, TREM2), immunohistochemistry (Iba-1) and image analysis. Tau pathology was detectable in the hippocampus from 2 months of age and increased progressively during aging. Presynaptic protein levels were significantly decreased from 9-12 months compared to age-matched WT mice. Even though some inflammatory markers were slightly increased in the hippocampus, microglial reactivity was found to be generally attenuated and some cells even exhibited reduction in their prolongations and a clear degenerative phenotype at advanced ages similar to that seen in the hippocampus of AD patients. Finally, this model could be a relevant tool to further understand the specific role of tau in both microglial response and synaptic pathology in AD.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech