Vertebral pain in helicopter pilots

Pathological forms of spinal pain engendered by piloting helicopters were clinically studied. Lumbalgia and pathology of the dorsal and cervical spine are discussed along with their clinical and radiological signs and origins

Comentaris a les llistes d'aus capturades a Mallorca de B. Nadal, període 1970-1982

Comentaris a les llistes d’Aus capturades a Mallorca, període 1970- 1982. El present article és un recull de comentaris i observacions sobre les espècies més interessants que s’anomenen al treball d’en Bartomeu Nadal. Es fa una comparació dels estatus actuals de les espècies de les llistes amb la quantitat d’exemplars capturats i les dates de captura. Per algunes espècies es suggereix un canvi de l’estatus actual.Commentaries on the lists of Birds captured in Mallorca by B. Nadal, during the periods 1970-1982. This article is the recollection of commentaries and observations on the most interesting species mentioned in Tomeu Nadal’s work.We compare the current status of the species on his lists with the quantity and dates of the birds captured. For some of the species a change of status is suggested

Local RNA Structural Changes Induced by Crystallization are Revealed by SHAPE

We present a simple approach to locate sites that undergo conformational changes upon crystallization by comparative structural mapping of the same RNA in three different environments. As a proof of principle, we probed the readily crystallized P4–P6ΔC209 domain from the Tetrahymena thermophila group I intron in a native solution, in a solution mimicking the crystallization drop, and in crystals. We chose the selective 2′-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE) chemistry, which monitors the flexibility and the conformation of each nucleotide. First, SHAPE successfully revealed the structural changes that occur during the crystallization process. Specifically, 64% of the nucleotides implicated in packing contacts and present in the portion of the molecule analyzed were identified. Second, reactivity differences for some of these nucleotides were already observed in the crystallization solution, suggesting that the crystallization buffer locked down a particular structure that was favorable to crystal formation. Third, the probing of a known structure extends our understanding of the structural basis for the SHAPE reaction by suggesting that reactivity is enhanced by a C2′-endo sugar pucker. Furthermore, by identifying local conformational changes of the RNA that take place during crystallization, SHAPE could be combined with the in vitro selection of stable mutants to rationalize the design of RNA candidates for crystallization

Evolution of protamine genes and changes in sperm head phenotype in rodents

Little is known about the genetic basis of evolutionary changes in sperm phenotype. Postcopulatory sexual selection is associated with differences in protamine gene sequences and promoters and is a powerful force acting on sperm form and function, although links between protamine evolution and sperm phenotype are scarce. Protamines are involved in sperm chromatin condensation, and protamine deficiency negatively affects sperm morphology and male fertility, thus suggesting that they are important for sperm design and function. We examined changes in protamine genes and sperm phenotype in rodents to understand the role of sexual selection on protamine evolution and sperm design. We performed a genotype-phenotype association study using root-to-tip dN/dS (nonsynonymous/ synonymous substitutions rate ratio) to account for evolutionary rates and phylogenetic generalized least squares analyses to compare genetic and morphometric data. Evolutionary rates of protamine 1 and the protamine 2 domain cleaved off during chromatin condensation correlated with head size and elongation. Protamine 1 exhibited restricted positive selection on some functional sites, which seemed sufficient to preserve its role in head design. The cleaved-protamine 2, whose relaxation is halted by sexual selection, seems to ensure small, elongated heads that would make sperm more competitive. No association existed between mature-protamine 2 and head phenotype, suggesting little involvement during chromatin condensation and a likely role maintaining the condensed state. Our results suggest that evolutionary changes in protamines could be related to complex developmental modifications in the sperm head. This represents an important step toward understanding the role of changes in gene coding sequences in the divergence of germ cell phenotype. © 2014 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.Peer Reviewe

Toward Predicting Self-Splicing and Protein-Facilitated Splicing of Group I Introns

In the current era of massive discoveries of noncoding RNAs within genomes, being able to infer a function from a nucleotide sequence is of paramount interest. Although studies of individual group I introns have identified self-splicing and nonself-splicing examples, there is no overall understanding of the prevalence of self-splicing or the factors that determine it among the \u3e2300 group I introns sequenced to date. Here, the self-splicing activities of 12 group I introns from various organisms were assayed under six reaction conditions that had been shown previously to promote RNA catalysis for different RNAs. Besides revealing that assessing self-splicing under only one condition can be misleading, this survey emphasizes that in vitro self-splicing efficiency is correlated with the GC content of the intron (\u3e35% GC was generally conductive to self-splicing), and with the ability of the introns to form particular tertiary interactions. Addition of the Neurospora crassa CYT-18 protein activated splicing of two nonself-splicing introns, but inhibited the second step of self-splicing for two others. Together, correlations between sequence, predicted structure and splicing begin to establish rules that should facilitate our ability to predict the self-splicing activity of any group I intron from its sequence

Coevolution of positively selected IZUMO1 and CD9 in rodents: Evidence of interaction between gamete fusion proteins?

Proteins involved in sexual reproduction are known to evolve rapidly, often as the result of positive Darwinian selection, although the selective forces driving such adaptive changes are poorly understood. A process of coevolution between proteins in male and female gametes may promote rapid divergence of fertilization proteins. In the mouse, only two proteins have been shown so far to be essential for sperm-egg fusion, IZUMO1 in the sperm cell and CD9 in the egg. The role of these proteins has not been fully elucidated, and it has been suggested that they may act as fusogens, interacting in trans with proteins on the other cell, or regulators of fusogens through cis interactions. Here we analyze the evolution of IZUMO1 and CD9 in a group of rodent species. To assess possible protein interactions between IZUMO1 and CD9, we examined potential coevolution based on analyses of correlated evolutionary rates. We found evidence that both proteins evolve adaptively, with a more intense signal of positive selection in IZUMO1. In addition, our findings suggest that these proteins may have some form of interaction, although they have not been regarded as fusogens interacting directly with each other. The adaptive divergence of IZUMO1 and CD9 could influence reproductive compatibility, and, thus, these proteins may participate in the establishment of specific sperm-egg recognition systems. Further studies are required to uncover the role of IZUMO1 and CD9 during gamete fusion in order to understand the molecular basis of their coevolution, as other selective forces could also lead to general signatures of coevolution. © 2014 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.Peer Reviewe

An Approach to the Industrial Organization Engineering Background in Spain

[EN] In this article we review the historic background of Spanish Industrial Engineering and briefly compare it with its equivalents in the USA and other countries, indicating similarities and differences. We present the actions taken in Spain that have consolidated Organizational Engineering. First, we describe the early history in the older Schools of Industrial Engineering. We follow reporting the new Industrial Organization speciality in the Degree in Industrial Engineering and the Second Cycle of Industrial Organization Engineering that extends until the end of the last century. We present the actual academic organization to adapt to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) along with the impact that its adaptation has had on the new Degrees, Master Degrees and Postgraduate Courses. Finally, a short section deals with the Organizational Engineering Development Association (ADINGOR), given its importance for the visibility and consolidation of Spanish Organizational Engineering in Spain and elsewhere.Companys Pascual, R.; Lario Esteban, FC.; Vicens Salort, E.; Poler, R.; Ortiz Bas, Á. (2017). An Approach to the Industrial Organization Engineering Background in Spain. Lecture Notes in Management and Industrial Engineering. 11-23. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-55889-9_2S1123ADINGOR. (2008). Documento de Requisitos para la verificación del título de “Grado en Ingeniería de Organización Industrial”. Boletín de la Asociación para el Desarrollo de la Ingeniería de Organización.ANECA. (2006). Libro Blanco. Título de Grado en Ing: de Organización Industrial.Companys, R. (2001). La Organización Industrial en la ETSII. Sevilla: Congreso de Ingeniería de Organización.Fons Boronat, J. M. (2001). La Ingeniería de Organización: Una visión desde la Administració de Empresas. Sevilla: Congreso de Ingeniería de Organización.Mula, J., Díaz Madroñero, M., & Poler, R. (2012). Configuración del Grado en Ingeniería de Organización Industrial en las universidades españolas. Dirección y Organización, 47, 5–20