Herbivory on Temperate Rainforest Seedlings in Sun and Shade: Resistance, Tolerance and Habitat Distribution

Differential herbivory and/or differential plant resistance or tolerance in sun and shade environments may influence plant distribution along the light gradient. Embothrium coccineum is one of the few light-demanding tree species in the temperate rainforest of southern South America, and seedlings are frequently attacked by insects and snails. Herbivory may contribute to the exclusion of E. coccineum from the shade if 1) herbivory pressure is greater in the shade, which in turn can result from shade plants being less resistant or from habitat preferences of herbivores, and/or 2) consequences of damage are more detrimental in the shade, i.e., shade plants are less tolerant. We tested this in a field study with naturally established seedlings in treefall gaps (sun) and forest understory (shade) in a temperate rainforest of southern Chile. Seedlings growing in the sun sustained nearly 40% more herbivore damage and displayed half of the specific leaf area than those growing in the shade. A palatability test showed that a generalist snail consumed ten times more leaf area when fed on shade leaves compared to sun leaves, i.e., plant resistance was greater in sun-grown seedlings. Herbivore abundance (total biomass) was two-fold greater in treefall gaps compared to the forest understory. Undamaged seedlings survived better and showed a slightly higher growth rate in the sun. Whereas simulated herbivory in the shade decreased seedling survival and growth by 34% and 19%, respectively, damaged and undamaged seedlings showed similar survival and growth in the sun. Leaf tissue lost to herbivores in the shade appears to be too expensive to replace under the limiting light conditions of forest understory. Following evaluations of herbivore abundance and plant resistance and tolerance in contrasting light environments, we have shown how herbivory on a light-demanding tree species may contribute to its exclusion from shade sites. Thus, in the shaded forest understory, where the seedlings of some tree species are close to their physiological tolerance limit, herbivory could play an important role in plant establishment

Parallel functional differentiation of an invasive annual plant on two continents.

Rapid local adaptation frequently occurs during the spread of invading species. It remains unclear, however, how consistent, and therefore potentially predictable, such patterns of local adaptation are. One approach to this question is to measure patterns of local differentiation in functional traits and plasticity levels in invasive species in multiple regions. Finding consistent patterns of local differentiation in replicate regions suggests that these patterns are adaptive. Further, this outcome indicates that the invading species likely responds predictably to selection along environmental gradients, even though standing genetic variation is likely to have been reduced during introduction. We studied local differentiation in the invasive annual plant Erodium cicutarium in two invaded regions, California and Chile. We collected seeds from across strong gradients in precipitation and temperature in Mediterranean-climate parts of the two regions (10 populations per region). We grew seeds from maternal families from these populations through two generations and exposed the second generation to contrasting levels of water and nutrient availability. We measured growth, flowering time and leaf functional traits across these treatments to obtain trait means and plasticity measures. We found strong differentiation among populations in all traits. Plants from drier environments flowered earlier, were less plastic in flowering time and reached greater size in all treatments. Correlations among traits within regions suggested a coordinated evolutionary response along environmental gradients associated with growing season length. There was little divergence in traits and trait intercorrelations between regions, but strongly parallel divergence in traits within regions. Similar, statistically consistent patterns of local trait differentiation across two regions suggest that local adaptation to environmental gradients has aided the spread of this invasive species, and that the formation of ecotypes in newly invaded environments has been relatively consistent and predictable

Highly concentrated bitumen emulsions. A state of the art, review of experimental results

Les emulsions concentrades o altament concentrades de betum són un camp molt poc estudiat avui en dia. El treball és un estat de l'art de tots els papers que hi ha sobre aquest tema desde el mètode tradicional fins el HIPR (High Internal Phase Ratio)

Maternal supraphysiological hypercholesterolemia associates with endothelial dysfunction of the placental microvasculature

Maternal physiological or supraphysiological hypercholesterolemia (MPH, MSPH) occurs during pregnancy. MSPH is associated with foetal endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. However, the potential effects of MSPH on placental microvasculature are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether MSPH alters endothelial function in the placental microvasculature both ex vivo in venules and arterioles from the placental villi and in vitro in primary cultures of placental microvascular endothelial cells (hPMEC). Total cholesterol < 280 mg/dL indicated MPH, and total cholesterol ≥280 mg/dL indicated MSPH. The maximal relaxation to histamine, calcitonin gene-related peptide and adenosine was reduced in MSPH venule and arteriole rings. In hPMEC from MSPH placentas, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and L-arginine transport were reduced without changes in arginase activity or the protein levels of endothelial NOS (eNOS), human cationic amino acid 1 (hCAT-1), hCAT-2A/B or arginase II compared with hPMEC from MPH placentas. In addition, it was shown that adenosine acts as a vasodilator of the placental microvasculature and that NOS is active in hPMEC. We conclude that MSPH alters placental microvascular endothelial function via a NOS/L-arginine imbalance. This work also reinforces the concept that placental endothelial cells from the macro- and microvasculature respond differentially to the same pathological condition.FONDECYT 1150344, 115037

Cross Talk between Adipose Tissue and Placenta in Obese and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Pregnancies via Exosomes

Obesity is an important public health issue worldwide, where it is commonly associated with the development of metabolic disorders, especially insulin resistance (IR). Maternal obesity is associated with an increased risk of pregnancy complications, especially gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Metabolism is a vital process for energy production and the maintenance of essential cellular functions. Excess energy storage is predominantly regulated by the adipose tissue. Primarily made up of adipocytes, adipose tissue acts as the body’s major energy reservoir. The role of adipose tissue, however, is not restricted to a “bag of fat.” The adipose tissue is an endocrine organ, secreting various adipokines, enzymes, growth factors, and hormones that take part in glucose and lipid metabolism. In obesity, the greater portion of the adipose tissue comprises fat, and there is increased pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, macrophage infiltration, and reduced insulin sensitivity. Obesity contributes to systemic IR and its associated metabolic complications. Similar to adipose tissue, the placenta is also an endocrine organ. During pregnancy, the placenta secretes various molecules to maintain pregnancy physiology. In addition, the placenta plays an important role in metabolism and exchange of nutrients between mother and fetus. Inflammation at the placenta may contribute to the severity of maternal IR and her likelihood of developing GDM and may also mediate the adverse consequences of obesity and GDM on the fetus. Interestingly, studies on maternal insulin sensitivity and secretion of placental hormones have not shown a positive correlation between these phenomena. Recently, a great interest in the field of extracellular vesicles (EVs) has been observed in the literature. EVs are produced by a wide range of cells and are present in all biological fluids. EVs are involved in cell-to-cell communication. Recent evidence points to an association between adipose tissue-derived EVs and metabolic syndrome in obesity. In this review, we will discuss the changes in human placenta and adipose tissue in GDM and obesity and summarize the findings regarding the role of adipose tissue and placenta-derived EVs, with an emphasis on exosomes in obesity, and the contribution of obesity to the development of GDM

EL HINDUISMO: CONSIDERACIONES HISTóRICAS Y CONCEPTUALES

¿Qué es el Hinduismo? ¿Qué signifca ser hindú? ¿Existe realmente el Hinduismo o es una «invención» orientalista para referirnos a una extrema y compleja diversidad de creencias y prácticas que realiza la gran mayoría de los habitantes del subcontinente indio? ¿Cuáles son sus principales características y elementos que lo componen? ¿Cuáles son sus raíces históricas? Variadas y necesarias preguntas para entender y tratar de definirun concepto muy utilizado, pero pocas veces bien explicado y categorizado. He ahí las bases de este trabajo

Aplicación de la Norma UNE 206011 de AENOR, para la generación del Año Solar Representativo, en un emplazamiento en la región de Antofagasta, Chile.

El interés, cada vez mayor, por el aprovechamiento de la radiación solar ha motivado tanto a los gobiernos, en los sectores ligados al medio ambiente y la energía, como a la comunidad científica, a investigar esta fuente prácticamente inagotable de energía y a desarrollar tecnologías para su uso, cada vez más eficientes. De la mano de la eficiencia viene el interés por determinar las cantidades disponibles del recurso solar en puntos específicos del planeta. Esto ha forzado la evolución de los clásicos TMY hacia metodologías mejor adaptadas a los requerimientos de los grandes proyectos termosolares. Es así, como la Asociación Española de Normalización (AENOR) ha visto esta necesidad y la ha transformado en la Norma UNE 206011, que tiene como objetivo final, estandarizar una metodología para generar un Año Solar Representativo (ASR) en un emplazamiento específico.Universidad de Sevilla. Máster Universitario en Sistemas de Energía Térmic

Estudio de factibilidad técnica y económica para la venta e implementación de paredes 3D

Tesis (Ingeniero Industrial)En el transcurso de los últimos años, las experiencias individuales que marcan la diferencia entre los usuarios han ido tomando fuerzas, sobre toda aquellas que hacen relación con la generación de estatus. En este sentido, la decoración de interiores ha sido un fenómeno en expansión, debido a que las preocupaciones respecto a la forma en que se construyen nuevos ambientes se vinculan directamente a cómo una persona va desenvolviendo su personalidad. Es así como se puede precisar que Chile ha tenido un avance en torno a esta materia, pero aún falta un desarrollo importante para considerarse como referente en esta disciplina. Por las razones expuestas anteriormente, se cree que este proyecto tendrá una buena acogida no solo en la clientela, sino que también en el mundo del diseño de interiores y la construcción en general, debido a que estos paneles 3D abrirán un sinfín de posibilidades a la hora de personalizar un espacio de manera asequible. Como todo emprendimiento, en el camino se pueden presentar diversas amenazas o debilidades que puedan poner en duda la factibilidad del proyecto, pero éstas deben ser consideradas como oportunidades que permitan definir y diferenciar aún más el negocio. Por esta razón, es de suma importancia contar con un correcto asesoramiento en todas las aristas que considere el negocio para así poder resguardarse de cualquier problema que pudiese surgir

Exosomes derived from monocytes and from endothelial cells mediate monocyte and endothelial cell activation under high d-glucose conditions

Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMT2) is characterized by hyperglycemia and associated with low grade inflammation affecting both endothelial cells and monocytes. Exosomes are nanovesicles, allow communication between endothelial cells and monocytes and have been associated with diabetic complications. In this study we evaluated whether high glucose can activate monocytes and endothelial cells and whether exosomes play a role in this activation. Moreover, we studied whether endothelial cells and monocytes communicate with each other via exosomes under high and basal glncubation. In the first experiment, monomac 6 cells (MM6) were exposed to high glucose (HG; 25 mmol/L) or to exosomes from MM6 exposed to HG (exoMM6-HG) or basal glucose (5.5 mmol/L) (exoMM6-BG). In the second experiment, MM6 were exposed to exosomes from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and HUVECs to exosomes from MM6. In the third experiment, MM6 and HUVECs were exposed to a mixture of exosomes from MM6 and HUVECs (exoMix). Cell activation was evaluated by measuring the protein surface expression of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) by flow cytometry. HG increased ICAM-1 expression in MM6 and monocytic exosomes from HG or BG shown similar effect in HG and BG MM6 cells. Exosomes from HUVECs increased ICAM-1 expression in MM6 cells, incubated under HG or BG, while also exosomes from MM6 increased ICAM-1 expression in HUVECs incubated under HG or BG. The combination of exosomes from both cell types (exoMixHG or exoMixBG) also increased ICAM-1 expression in both type cells in most conditions. However, the exoMixBG reversed the effect of HG in both MM6 and HUVECs. Our results show that HG activated monocytes and endothelial cells and that exosomes play a role in this HG-induced cell ICAM-1 expression. We hypothesize that during DMT2, exosomes may act as a communication mechanism between monocytes and endothelial cells, inducing and maintaining activating of both cell types in the presence of high glucose

Nível de especialização de professores de educação física e estratégias metodológicas utilizadas em escolas de região de BioBio,Chile.

Orientador: Edison DuarteTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação FísicaResumo: A inclusão de pessoas com deficiência no contexto escolar deve criar condições para que todos possam otimizar seus níveis de desenvolvimento para satisfazer suas necessidades para uma educação de qualidade. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi identificar o nível de especialização dos professores de Educação Física na região de Biobio/Chile e conhecer as estratégias e/ou adaptações metodológicas utilizadas em sala de aula para enfrentar os processos de inclusão de alunos com deficiência. Para isso, realizou-se uma pesquisa (entrevista?) com (inserir o número de professores aquí) professores de Educação Física em 112 estabelecimentos de ensino na região. Os principais resultados confirmam que apenas 12,5% dos professores têm experiência na área de Atividade Física Adaptada, sendo a maioria, nos níveis de ensino pré-escolar e estabelecimentos de ensino privados subsidiados pelo ensino básico. Observou-se que, os métodos de ensino mais utilizados são: o método misturado com 37,8%, o método global com 31,5%, o método analítico com 29,4%, e 1,3% correpondente ao método não especificado. No domínio do ensino técnico, 55,5% dos entrevistados referiram-se à técnica de instrução direta e 44,5% para a técnica de inquérito. Os estilos de ensino mais comumente utilizadas foram as atribuições de comando e tarefas diretos, representando entre eles 37,9% do total. As Deficiências com maiores dificuldades de aprendizagem foram deficiências múltiplas e intelectual. A pesquisa mostra claramente a enorme necessidade de especialização dos professores em cursos de pós-graduaçãoAbstract: La inclusión de personas con discapacidad en el contexto escolar, debe crear las condiciones necesarias para que todos alcancen su mayor grado de desarrollo satisfaciendo sus necesidades hacia una educación de calidad. El objetivo de esta investigación fue identificar el nivel de especialización de los profesores de Educación Física de la región del Biobío-Chile y conocer las estrategias y/o adaptaciones metodológicas utilizadas en sus clases, para enfrentar los procesos de inclusión de los escolares con discapacidades. Para ello, se diseñó y aplicó una encuesta a profesores de Educación Física de 112 establecimientos educacionales de la región. Los principales resultados confirman que sólo el 12.5% de los profesores, poseen especialización en el ámbito de la actividad física adaptada. La mayor cantidad de alumnos se encuentra en los niveles de enseñanza pre-básica y enseñanza básica de establecimientos educacionales particulares-subvencionados. Los métodos de enseñanza más utilizados son el método mixto con un 37.8%, el método global con un 31.5%, el método analítico con el 29.4%, y finalmente otro método no especificado que obtuvo un 1.3%. Respecto a la técnica de enseñanza, el 55.5% de las respuestas pertenecen a la técnica de instrucción directa y el 44.5% a la técnica de indagación. Los estilos de enseñanza más utilizados fueron el mando directo y asignación de tareas, representando entre ambos un 37.9 % del total. Las discapacidades con mayores dificultades de aprendizaje fueron el multideficit y la discapacidad intelectual. La investigación deja en evidencia la enorme necesidad de especialización de los profesores en cursos de postgraduaciónDoutoradoAtividade Fisica AdaptadaDoutor em Educação Físic