Beta-actin is required for proper mouse neural crest ontogeny

The mouse genome consists of six functional actin genes of which the expression patterns are temporally and spatially regulated during development and in the adult organism. Deletion of beta-actin in mouse is lethal during embryonic development, although there is compensatory expression of other actin isoforms. This suggests different isoform specific functions and, more in particular, an important function for beta-actin during early mammalian development. We here report a role for beta-actin during neural crest ontogeny. Although beta-actin null neural crest cells show expression of neural crest markers, less cells delaminate and their migration arrests shortly after. These phenotypes were associated with elevated apoptosis levels in neural crest cells, whereas proliferation levels were unchanged. Specifically the pre-migratory neural crest cells displayed higher levels of apoptosis, suggesting increased apoptosis in the neural tube accounts for the decreased amount of migrating neural crest cells seen in the beta-actin null embryos. These cells additionally displayed a lack of membrane bound N-cadherin and dramatic decrease in cadherin-11 expression which was more pronounced in the pre-migratory neural crest population, potentially indicating linkage between the cadherin-11 expression and apoptosis. By inhibiting ROCK ex vivo, the knockout neural crest cells regained migratory capacity and cadherin-11 expression was upregulated. We conclude that the presence of beta-actin is vital for survival, specifically of pre-migratory neural crest cells, their proper emigration from the neural tube and their subsequent migration. Furthermore, the absence of beta-actin affects cadherin-11 and N-cadherin function, which could partly be alleviated by ROCK inhibition, situating the Rho-ROCK signaling in a feedback loop with cadherin-11

EL USO DEL PROCESAMIENTO DE IMÁGENES LOGARÍTMICAS APLICADO AL ANÁLISIS DEL MAPA DE ANOMALÍA GRAVITATORIA DE BOUGUER (ÁREA DE TANGER–TETUAN, MARRUECOS)

Image processing is a powerful tool for the enhancement of edges in images used in the interpretation of geophysical potential field data. Arial and terrestrial gravimetric surveys were carried out in the region of Tangier-Tetuan. From the observed and measured data of gravity Bouguer gravity anomalies map was prepared. This paper reports the results and interpretations of the transformed maps of Bouguer gravity anomaly of the Tangier-Tetuan area using the logarithmic image processing. Filtering analysis based on classical image process was applied. Operator image process like the logarithmic operator and the associated gamma correction tool are used. This paper also present the results obtained from this image processing analysis of the enhancement edges of the Bouguer gravity anomaly map of the Tangier-Tetuan zone.El procesamiento de imágenes es una herramienta poderosa para mejorar los bordes en imágenes utilizadas en la interpretación del potencial geológico de campos. Mediciones gravimétricas aéreas y terrestres se realizaron en la región de Tánger-Tetuán. A partir de los datos observados y medidos de la anomalía gravitatoria de Bouguer, un mapa fue creado. Este trabajo reporta los resultados y las interpretaciones de los mapas transformados de anomalía gravitatoria de Bouguer en la zona de Tánger- Tetuán utilizando el procesamiento de imágenes logarítmica. Se aplicó el análisis de filtrado basado en procesamiento de la imagen clásica. Así mismo, se utilizan operadores del procesamiento de imágenes como el operador logarítmico y la herramienta de corrección de gamma. Este artículo también presenta los resultados obtenidos del análisis del procesamiento de imágenes para mejor la detección de bordes en el mapa de anomalía gravitatoria de Bouguer de la zona de Tánger - Tetuán

Application du filtrage spatial à l’analyse des contours des zones anomales de « dérangements » des séries phosphatées de Sidi Chennane, Maroc

Space filtering applied to the analysis of anomalous zones edges of phosphate "disturbances" of Sidi Chennane, MoroccoIn the Oulad Abdoun phosphate basin, discontinuities called commonly "disturbances" affect completely and/or partially the usual succession of the phosphatic series. Generally very hard and detectable only at the boring, these "disturbances" disturb considerably the kinematic chains of exploitation. Calculations of the reserves are distorted. The resistivity of the "disturbances" lies between 200 and 1000 Ω.m. In this specific context, a geophysical survey by geoelectric prospection had been carried out. Covering a panel of 50 Ha, this study controls had allowed to map and delimit on the surface the anomalic zones corresponding to the "disturbances". Measurements of apparent resistivity had been acquired with a Syscal2 resistivity meter of Brgm-Instruments. We propose in this present study the contribution of spatial analysis for a better interpretation of the Sidi Chennane phosphate "disturbances” map. Operators in the spatial domain like enhancement edge and laplacian high-pass filter are applied to the phosphate anomalous zones.

EL USO DEL PROCESAMIENTO DE IMÁGENES LOGARÍTMICAS APLICADO AL ANÁLISIS DEL MAPA DE ANOMALÍA GRAVITATORIA DE BOUGUER (ÁREA DE TANGER–TETUAN, MARRUECOS)

Image processing is a powerful tool for the enhancement of edges in images used in the interpretation of geophysical potential field data. Arial and terrestrial gravimetric surveys were carried out in the region of Tangier-Tetuan. From the observed and measured data of gravity Bouguer gravity anomalies map was prepared. This paper reports the results and interpretations of the transformed maps of Bouguer gravity anomaly of the Tangier-Tetuan area using the logarithmic image processing. Filtering analysis based on classical image process was applied. Operator image process like the logarithmic operator and the associated gamma correction tool are used. This paper also present the results obtained from this image processing analysis of the enhancement edges of the Bouguer gravity anomaly map of the Tangier-Tetuan zone.El procesamiento de imágenes es una herramienta poderosa para mejorar los bordes en imágenes utilizadas en la interpretación del potencial geológico de campos. Mediciones gravimétricas aéreas y terrestres se realizaron en la región de Tánger-Tetuán. A partir de los datos observados y medidos de la anomalía gravitatoria de Bouguer, un mapa fue creado. Este trabajo reporta los resultados y las interpretaciones de los mapas transformados de anomalía gravitatoria de Bouguer en la zona de Tánger- Tetuán utilizando el procesamiento de imágenes logarítmica. Se aplicó el análisis de filtrado basado en procesamiento de la imagen clásica. Así mismo, se utilizan operadores del procesamiento de imágenes como el operador logarítmico y la herramienta de corrección de gamma. Este artículo también presenta los resultados obtenidos del análisis del procesamiento de imágenes para mejor la detección de bordes en el mapa de anomalía gravitatoria de Bouguer de la zona de Tánger - Tetuán

Efficient DNA isolation from moroccan arar tree [Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) Masters] leaves and optimization of the rapd-pcr molecular technique

Efficient DNA isolation from Moroccan Arar tree [Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) Masters] leaves and optimization of the RAPD-PCR molecular technique. Molecular genetic analysis of Arar tree [Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) Masters] is often limited by the availability of fresh tissue and an efficient and reliable protocol for high quality genomic DNA extraction. In this study, two DNA extraction protocols were specifically developed for extracting high quality genomic DNA from Arar tree leaves: modified QIAgen DNA Kit and protocol developed by Ouenzar et al. (1998). DNA yield and purity were monitored by gel electrophoresis and by determining absorbance at UV (A260/A280 and A260/A230). Both ratios were between 1.7 and 2.0, indicating that the presence of contaminating metabolites was minimal. The DNA yield obtained ranged between 20 to 40 μg/g of plant materiel. The Ouenzar and collaborators protocol gave higher yield but was more time consuming compared to QIAgen Kit. However, both techniques gave DNA of good quality that is amenable to RAPD-PCR reactions. Additionally, restriction digestion and PCR analyses of the obtained DNA showed its compatibility with downstream applications. Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA profiling from the isolated DNA was optimized to produce scorable and clear amplicons. The presented protocols allow easy and high quality DNA isolation for genetic diversity studies within Arar tree

Metabolomics in Phenylketonuria disease: A systematic review

Treballs Finals de Grau de Nutrició Humana i Dietètica, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Campus de l'Alimentació de Torribera, Universitat de Barcelona. Curs: 2020-2021. Tutor: Rafael Llorach[eng] Phenylketonuria is an inherited disorder with an important need to be diagnosed at early ages. Metabolomics could be an excellent tool to improve the actual techniques used to detect this disease by identifying biomarkers. The aim of this review is to provide a summary of the last advances achieved through metabolomics on the identification of phenylketonuria biomarkers. A systematic search was conducted using PubMed and Web of Science through February-March 2021. Studies were included only if metabolomics were applied and metabolomics technics were used to detect the biomarkers on human samples. At the end, ten publications were included in this review and 34 metabolites were identified to be related to phenylketonuria. Several metabolites were identified repeatedly and classified as differential metabolites of phenylketonuria, including phenylalanine, phenylpyruvic acid, arginine, tyrosine, carnitine, asymmetric dimethylarginine and docosahexaenoic acid. The pathway analysis showed a major implication of amino acids metabolism in phenylketonuria. In this systematic review, published metabolic studies on phenylketonuria biomarkers were summarized. Moreover, metabolic disorders in PKU patients were identified. More metabolomic studies are needed to better understand all metabolic changes of phenylketonuria and to identify more significant differential metabolites to improve the diagnosis.[spa] La fenilcetonuria es una trastorno hereditario que es necesario diagnosticar correctamente durante los primeros años de vida. La metabolómica podría ser una buena herramienta para mejorar las técnicas usadas actualmente para detectar esta enfermedad identificando biomarcadores en muestras biológicas. El objetivo de esta revisión sistemática es proporcionar un resumen de los últimos avances conseguidos mediante la metabolomica en la identificación de biomarcadores de la fenilcetonuria. Se realizó una búsqueda sistemática de artículos publicados en bases de datos como PubMed y Web of Science hasta el mes de marzo del 2021. Los estudios se incluyeron solo si aplicaban técnicas utilizadas con la metabolómica para detectar biomarcadores en muestras humanas. Resultaron incluidas diez publicaciones en esta revisión y se identificaron 34 metabolitos relacionados con la fenilcetonuria. Varios metabolitos fueron identificados por diferentes estudios y se clasificaron como diferenciales com es la fenilalanina, el ácido fenilpirúvico, la arginina, la tirosina, la carnitina, la dimetilarginina asimétrica y el ácido docosahexaenoico. Mediante el Pathway Analysis se observó una mayor implicación del metabolismo de los amino ácidos en la fenilcetonuria. En esta revisión se resumieron los estudios metabolómicos publicados sobre biomarcadores de la fenilcetonuria. Además, se identificaron desregulaciones metabólicas que suceden en pacientes con fenilcetonuria. Se necesitan más estudios metabolómicos para comprender mejor todos los cambios metabólicos de la fenilcetonuria e identificar metabolitos diferenciales más significativos para mejorar el diagnóstico y el tratamiento nutricional