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El presente artículo investiga el papel fundamental del el artivismo digital feminista mediante el análisis detallado del caso de estudio de Tres Vueltas Rebelde y sus 75 publicaciones en Instagram durante el año 2023. Enfocándose en la existencia de un yo colectivo feminista y en la incidencia del contenido promocional dentro de su obra. A través de un enfoque cualitativo exhaustivo, se exponen los discursos y las estrategias de comunicación empleadas por la artivista valenciana para promover la conciencia feminista en el ciberespacio. Los resultados revelan la construcción activa de identidades colectivas en este entorno, subrayando la esencia del contenido promocional dentro de la lógica del sistema capitalista. Este estudio se enmarca en ampliar la comprensión del artivismo digital como un pilar esencial dentro del movimiento feminista contemporáneo, resaltando su impacto cultural y su capacidad transformadora en la lucha feminista.

We analyzed here how formin-like 1 β (FMNL1β), an actin cytoskeleton-regulatory protein, regulates microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) and multivesicular bodies (MVB) polarization and exosome secretion at an immune synapse (IS) model in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. IS formation was associated with transient recruitment of FMNL1β to the IS, which was independent of protein kinase C δ (PKCδ). Simultaneous RNA interference of all FMNL1 isoforms prevented MTOC/MVB polarization and exosome secretion, which were restored by FMNL1βWT expression. However, expression of the non-phosphorylatable mutant FMNL1βS1086A did not restore neither MTOC/MVB polarization nor exosome secretion to control levels, supporting the crucial role of S1086 phosphorylation in MTOC/MVB polarization and exosome secretion. In contrast, the phosphomimetic mutant, FMNL1βS1086D, restored MTOC/MVB polarization and exosome secretion. Conversely, FMNL1βS1086D mutant did not recover the deficient MTOC/MVB polarization occurring in PKCδ-interfered clones, indicating that S1086 FMNL1β phosphorylation alone is not sufficient for MTOC/MVB polarization and exosome secretion. FMNL1 interference inhibited the depletion of F-actin at the central region of the immune synapse (cIS), which is necessary for MTOC/MVB polarization. FMNL1βWT and FMNL1βS1086D, but not FMNL1βS1086A expression, restored F-actin depletion at the cIS. Thus, actin cytoskeleton reorganization at the IS underlies the effects of all these FMNL1β variants on polarized secretory traffic. FMNL1 was found in the IS made by primary T lymphocytes, both in T cell receptor (TCR) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-evoked synapses. Taken together, these results point out a crucial role of S1086 phosphorylation in FMNL1β activation, leading to cortical actin reorganization and subsequent control of MTOC/MVB polarization and exosome secretion.

Adoptive T cellular immunotherapies have emerged as relevant approaches for treating cancer patients who have relapsed or become refractory (R/R) to traditional cancer treatments. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has improved survival in various hematological malignancies. However, significant limitations still impede the widespread adoption of these therapies in most cancers. To advance in this field, six research groups have created the “NEXT Generation CART MAD Consortium” (NEXT CART) in Madrid’s Community, which aims to develop novel cell-based immunotherapies for R/R and poor prognosis cancers. At NEXT CART, various basic and translational research groups and hospitals in Madrid concur to share and synergize their basic expertise in immunotherapy, gene therapy, and immunological synapse, and clinical expertise in pediatric and adult oncology. NEXT CART goal is to develop new cell engineering approaches and treatments for R/R adult and pediatric neoplasms to evaluate in multicenter clinical trials. Here, we discuss the current limitations of T cell-based therapies and introduce our perspective on future developments. Advancement opportunities include developing allogeneic products, optimizing CAR signaling domains, combining cellular immunotherapies, multi-targeting strategies, and improving tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs)/T cell receptor (TCR) therapy. Furthermore, basic studies aim to identify novel tumor targets, tumor molecules in the tumor microenvironment that impact CAR efficacy, and strategies to enhance the efficiency of the immunological synapse between immune and tumor cells. Our perspective of current cellular immunotherapy underscores the potential of these treatments while acknowledging the existing hurdles that demand innovative solutions to develop their potential for cancer treatment fully.

IntroductionRefractory/relapsed pediatric acute leukemia are still clinically challenging and new therapeutic strategies are needed. Interactions between Natural Killer Group 2D (NKG2D) receptor, expressed in cytotoxic immune cells, and its ligands (NKG2DL), which are upregulated in leukemic blasts, are important for anti-leukemia immunosurveillance. Nevertheless, leukemia cells may develop immunoescape strategies as NKG2DL shedding and/or downregulation.MethodsIn this report, we analyzed the anti-leukemia activity of NKG2D chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) redirected memory (CD45RA-) T cells in vitro and in a murine model of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). We also explored in vitro how soluble NKG2DL (sNKG2DL) affected NKG2D-CAR T cells’ cytotoxicity and the impact of NKG2D-CAR T cells on Jurkat cells gene expression and in vivo functionality.ResultsIn vitro, we found NKG2D-CAR T cells targeted leukemia cells and showed resistance to the immunosuppressive effects exerted by sNKG2DL. In vivo, NKG2D-CAR T cells controlled T cell leukemia burden and increased survival of the treated mice but failed to cure the animals. After CAR T cell treatment, Jurkat cells upregulated genes related to proliferation, survival and stemness, and in vivo, they exhibited functional properties of leukemia initiating cells.DiscussionThe data here presented suggest, that, in combination with other therapeutic approaches, NKG2D-CAR T cells could be a novel treatment for pediatric T-ALL.

BackgroundImmunocompromised patients are susceptible to high-risk opportunistic infections and malignant diseases. Most antiviral and antifungal drugs are quite toxic, relatively ineffective, and induce resistance in the long term. The transfer of pathogen-specific Cytotoxic T-Lymphocytes has shown a minimal toxicity profile and effectiveness in treating Cytomegalovirus, Adenovirus, Epstein - Barr virus, BK Virus and Aspergillus infections, but this therapy have the main limitations of regulatory issues, high cost, and absence of public cell banks. However, CD45RA– cells containing pathogen-specific memory T-cells involve a less complex manufacturing and regulatory process and are cheaper, feasible, safe, and potentially effective.MethodsWe present preliminary data from six immunocompromised patients: four who had severe infectious diseases and two who had EBV lymphoproliferative disease. All of them underwent multiple safe familial CD45RA– T-cell infusions as adoptive passive cell therapy, containing Cytomegalovirus, Epstein - Barr virus, BK virus, and Aspergillus-specific memory T-cells. We also present the method for selecting the best donors for CD45RA– cells in each case and the procedure to isolate and store these cells.ResultsThe infusions were safe, there was no case of graft-versus host disease, and they showed a clear clinical benefit. The patients treated for BK virus nephritis, Cytomegalovirus encephalitis, Cytomegalovirus reactivation, and disseminated invasive aspergillosis experienced pathogen clearance, complete resolution of symptoms in 4-6 weeks and a lymphocyte increase in 3 of 4 cases after 3–4 months. Donor T cell transient microchimerism was detected in one patient. The two patients treated for EBV lymphoproliferative disease underwent chemotherapy and several infusions of CD45RA– memory T-cells containing EBV cytotoxic lymphocytes. Donor T-cell microchimerism was observed in both patients. The viremia cleared in one of the patients, and in the other, despite the viremia not clearing, hepatic lymphoproliferative disease remained stable and was ultimately cured with EBV-specific Cytotoxic T-Lymphocytes.ConclusionThe use of familial CD45RA– T-cells containing specific Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes is a feasible, safe and potential effective approach for treating severe pathogen infections in immunocompromised patients through a third party donor. Furthermore, this approach might be of universal use with fewer institutional and regulatory barriers.

IntroductionNatural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes from the innate immune system part of the first defense barrier against infected and transformed cells, representing 5%-15% of peripheral blood lymphocytes. The cytotoxic capacity of NK cells is controlled by a balance between inhibitory and activating NK receptors expressed on their surface, which recognize and interact with the ligands on stressed cells. The cytokines involved in NK cell activation, proliferation, survival, and cytotoxicity are signaled mainly through the Janus kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins (JAK/STAT) pathway. NK cells are also activated in response to pathogens through Toll-like receptors (TLRs) expressed on their surface. Ruxolitinib is a specific JAK1/2 inhibitor approved for treating myelofibrosis and for steroid-refractory acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (SR-GvHD).MethodsPurified NK cells from healthy donors were stimulated with two TOLL-like receptor ligands, LPS and CpG, in the presence of different concentrations of Ruxolitinib.ResultsThis study showed the effects of ruxolitinib on TLR4 and TLR9 ligand-activated NK cells from healthy donors. Ruxolitinib did not completely inhibit STAT3 phosphorylation and had a moderate effect on NK cell cytokine activation via the TLR pathway. Only the highest doses of ruxolitinib led to a decrease in the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α, interferon-γ, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β. The cytotoxic capacity of stimulated NK cells versus K562, SEM, and MV-4-11 cell lines was reduced by increasing doses of ruxolitinib, but it was not completely abolished and we observed no major changes in degranulation capacity. Phenotypic changes were observed in activated NK cells in the presence of ruxolitinib. In a small cohort of pediatric patients treated with ruxolitinib for SR-GvHD, we observed no decrease in NK cell counts; however, further prospective studies with larger cohorts are necessary to confirm this finding.DiscussionIn summary, our results showed that the functional capabilities and phenotype of NK cells activated through TLR4/9 agonists were not completely abolished by the inhibition of the JAK-STAT pathway by ruxolitinib.

Desert truffle crop is a pioneer in southeastern Spain, a region where native edible hypogeous fungi are adapted to the semiarid areas with low annual rainfall. Terfezia claveryi Chatin was the first species of desert truffle to be cultivated, and has been increasing in recent years as an alternative rainfed crop in the Iberian Peninsula. However, its behaviour in the field has yet not been investigated. For this purpose, specific primers were designed for the soil DNA quantification of both T. claveryi and Terfezia crassiverrucosa and a real-time qPCR protocol was developed, using the ITS rDNA region as a target. Moreover, a young desert truffle orchard was sampled for environmental validation. The results showed the highest efficiency for the TerclaF3/TerclaR1 primers pair, 89%, and the minimal fungal biomass that could be reliable detected was set at 4.23 µg mycelium/g soil. The spatial distribution of fungal biomass was heterogeneous, and there was not a direct relationship between the quantity of winter soil mycelium and the location/productivity of desert truffles. This protocol could be applied to tracking these species in soil and understand their mycelial dynamics in plantations and wild areas.

Antibiotic misuse is a public health problem due to the appearance of resistant strains in almost all human pathogens, making infectious diseases more difficult to treat. The search for solutions requires the development of new antimicrobials as well as novel strategies, including increasing social awareness of the problem. The Small World Initiative (SWI) and the Tiny Earth (TE) network are citizen science programs pursuing the discovery of new antibiotics from soil samples and the promotion of scientific culture. Both programs aim to bring scientific culture and microbiological research closer to pre-university students through a crowdsourcing strategy and a Service Learning (SL) educational approach, with a 2-fold objective: to encourage students to pursue careers in science and to involve them in the discovery of soil microorganisms producing new antimicrobials. SWI and TE projects were put into practice in Spain under the common name MicroMundo. MicroMundo@Valencia was implemented at the Universitat de València (UV) during the academic years 2017–2018 and 2018–2019. It trained 140 university students to disseminate this initiative into 23 high/secondary schools, and one primary school, involving about 900 people (teachers and students) as researchers. A total of 7,002 bacterial isolates were obtained from 366 soil samples and tested for antibiosis at UV and high/secondary school centers. About 1 or 7% of them produced inhibition halos for the Escherichia coli or Bacillus cereus target strains, respectively. Geolocation of sampling sites by an application developed ad hoc and Kriging analysis also allowed detection of soil foci of antibiotic-producing bacteria. Evaluation of the project by university, high/secondary, and primary school students revealed their strong positive perception and their increased interest in science, as a consequence of acquiring new scientific and pedagogical concepts and skills that they were able to pass on to other classmates, younger students, or relatives. To further expand the dissemination of the project in the Valencian Community, diverse extramural activities deemed to include a gender perspective and aimed at different age groups, were also carried out, obtaining very satisfactory results, increasing sensitivity and awareness to the global antibiotic crisis.

A cold-rolled Ti-V high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel was isothermally annealed at 650 °C and 700 °C for different times. A unique combination of techniques including visible light microscopy (VLM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), matrix dissolution, small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and hardness measurement has been employed to investigate the evolution of microstructure, hardness and precipitate composition, size and volume fraction. Results show that recrystallization is completed after annealing 8 h at 650 °C and 30 min at 700 °C. Three types of precipitates were identified: large Ti(C,N), medium-size (Ti,V)(C,N) and small (Ti,V)C. The Ti/(Ti+V) atomic ratio in the (Ti,V)C precipitates decreases with increasing radius in the 1–15 nm range, which can be explained by the initial nucleation of a TiC-rich core. The average size of the (Ti,V)C precipitates increases, whereas the number density decreases during annealing. The volume fractions of the three types of precipitates were separately determined by the matrix dissolution method. The volume fractions of (Ti,V)C precipitates obtained by matrix dissolution are comparable even slightly more accurate than those obtained by SANS. The hardness first increases and then decreases when annealing at both temperatures, which can be correlated well with the observed microstructural and precipitate evolution.

The initial formation of athermal martensite was proven to accelerate the subsequent bainite formation kinetics during isothermal holdings below the martensite-start temperature (Ms). The presence of prior athermal martensite (PAM) within the phase mixture is expected to modify the overall mechanical response of these newly-designed multiphase steels. Differences stem not only from the balance of product phases, but also from the effect of tempering of the PAM with variations in the applied holding time. This work investigates the effect of tempering time on the mechanical behaviour of the PAM and, as consequence, on the overall mechanical response of these microstructures. Results show that, for short holding times (several minutes), PAM yields similar to as-quenched martensite while, for longer holding times, its yielding behaviour becomes comparable to the one exhibited by typical tempered martensite. Furthermore, the use of Kocks-Mecking curves for the analysis of the mechanical performance confirms the bainitic character of the product phase isothermally formed below Ms. Tailoring the bainitic-martensitic microstructure with variations of the holding time below Ms enables to obtain advanced multiphase steels with comparable mechanical properties to those exhibited by conventional bainitic steels, but in shorter processing times due to the acceleration of bainite formation. Keywords: Multiphase steels, Microstructure-properties, Prior athermal martensite, Tempering, Bainite formation, Yielding behaviour

Nowadays, many cities have problems with traffic congestion at certain peak hours, which produces more pollution, noise and stress for citizens. Neural networks (NN) and machine-learning (ML) approaches are increasingly used to solve real-world problems, overcoming analytical and statistical methods, due to their ability to deal with dynamic behavior over time and with a large number of parameters in massive data. In this paper, machine-learning (ML) and deep-learning (DL) algorithms are proposed for predicting traffic flow at an intersection, thus laying the groundwork for adaptive traffic control, either by remote control of traffic lights or by applying an algorithm that adjusts the timing according to the predicted flow. Therefore, this work only focuses on traffic flow prediction. Two public datasets are used to train, validate and test the proposed ML and DL models. The first one contains the number of vehicles sampled every five minutes at six intersections for 56 days using different sensors. For this research, four of the six intersections are used to train the ML and DL models. The Multilayer Perceptron Neural Network (MLP-NN) obtained better results (R-Squared and EV score of 0.93) and took less training time, followed closely by Gradient Boosting then Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), with good metrics results but the longer training time, and finally Random Forest, Linear Regression and Stochastic Gradient. All ML and DL algorithms scored good performance metrics, indicating that they are feasible for implementation on smart traffic light controllers.

Desert truffles are edible hypogeous (forming fruit bodies below ground) fungi that grow in semi-arid and arid areas. They are highly valued for both their culinary and medicinal properties in the Mediterranean basin, the Middle East and the Gulf areas. Desert truffles form mycorrhizae mostly with plants belonging to the Cistaceae family, mainly with Helianthemum species. These truffles are still, usually, collected from the wild, but loss of habitats due to urbanization, desertification, intensive agriculture and global warming, along with an urgent need to develop new crops adapted to arid conditions, are currently hastening efforts towards their domestication. Here, we sum up the successful research leading to cultivation of this crop, based on plots that were established in sandy to silt soils with high pH values and low mineral contents. We report suitable methods for production of mycorrhized seedlings and preferred planting methods. We found that under natural conditions yields are affected by water availability, so irrigation regimes to ensure good yields were sought. Although good yields were indeed obtained in some years, fluctuations in yields over the years were significant; the reasons for this are not entirely clear and are currently under study. This crop is particularly well suited to relatively marginal conditions but prospects for establishment of desert truffles as a niche crop for arid and semi-arid areas depend on further improvements in yields.

Terfezia claveryi Chatin is a mycorrhizal fungus that forms ectendomycorrhizal associations with plants of Helianthemum genus. Its appreciated edibility and drought resistance make this fungus a potential alternative crop in arid and semiarid areas of the Mediterranean region. In order to increase the knowledge about the biology of this fungus in terms of mycorrhiza formation and response to drought stress, a catalase from T. claveryi (TcCAT-1) has been purified to apparent homogeneity and biochemically characterized; in addition, the expression pattern of this enzyme during different stages of T. claveryi biological cycle and under drought stress conditions are reported. The results obtained, together with the phylogenetic analysis and homology modeling, indicate that TcCAT-1 is a homotetramer large subunit size monofunctional-heme catalase belonging to Clade 2. The highest expression of this enzyme occurs in mature mycorrhiza, revealing a possible role in mycorrhiza colonization, but it is not upregulated under drought stress. However, the H2O2 content of mycorrhizal plants submitted to drought stress is lower than in well watered treatments, suggesting that mycorrhization improves the plant's oxidative stress response, although not via TcCAT-1 upregulation.

Despite of the integrity of their RNA, some desert truffles present a non-canonical profile of rRNA where 3.3 kb is absent, 1.8 kb is clear and a band of 1.6 kb is observed. A similar rRNA profile was identified in organisms belonging to different life kingdoms, with the exception of the Kingdom Fungi, as a result of a split LSU rRNA called hidden gap. rRNA profiles of desert truffles were analyzed to verify the presence of the non-canonical profile. The RNA of desert truffles and yeast were blotted and hybridized with probes complementary to LSU extremes. RACE of LSU rRNA was carried out to determine the LSU rRNA breakage point. LSU rRNA of desert truffles presents a post-transcriptional cleavage of five nucleotides that generates a hidden gap located in domain D7. LSU splits into two molecules of 1.6 and 1.8 kb. Similar to other organisms, a UAAU tract, downstream of the breakage point, was identified. Phylogenetic comparison suggests that during fungi evolution mutations were introduced in the hypervariable D7 domain, resulting in a sequence that is specifically post-transcriptionally cleaved in some desert truffles.

En Costa Rica el suministro de agua para la población rural esta dado mayoritariamente por las Asociaciones Administradoras de los Acueductos y Alcantarillado (ASADAS). Con el levantamiento espacial de las nacientes mediante un Sistema de Información Geográfica (GPS), además de realizar cálculos para determinar pérdida de bosque y suelo mediante las fórmulas Puyravaud (2003) y Ecuación Universal de Pérdida de Suelo Revisada (RUSLE), durante el periodo 1997 al 2012. Este proceso realizado en un radio de 200 metros a la redonda de la naciente. Con estos procesos se determina la cobertura boscosa y la erosión en la superficie que rodea la naciente. En la naciente denominada Caimitos y San Francisco, para el año 1997 la cobertura en los 200 metros a la redonda, era un superficie deforestada, contando con 12.3 hectáreas, lo cual se mantuvo en la misma condición para el año 2012, esta condición genera pérdidas de suelo importante para la naciente calculadas en 12.28 toneladas por hectárea por año, esto se clasifica como una erosión ligera, sin embargo hay nacientes que muestran erosión moderada, severa y muy severa. La determinación de pérdida de bosque y erosión, junto con la elaboración de mapas y los de Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG), permiten establecer el comportamiento del bosque y la erosión, mediante modelados espaciales.

We have performed the isolation, functional characterization, and expression analysis of aquaporins in roots and leaves of Helianthemum almeriense, in order to evaluate their roles in tolerance to water deficit. Five cDNAs, named HaPIP1;1, HaPIP1;2, HaPIP2;1, HaPIP2;2, and HaTIP1;1, were isolated from H. almeriense. A phylogenetic analysis of deduced proteins confirmed that they belong to the water channel proteins family. The HaPIP1;1, HaPIP2;1, and HaTIP1;1 genes encode functional water channel proteins, as indicated by expression assays in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, showing divergent roles in the transport of water, CO2, and NH3. The expression patterns of the genes isolated from H. almeriense and of a previously described gene from Terfezia claveryi (TcAQP1) were analyzed in mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal plants cultivated under well-watered or drought-stress conditions. Some of the studied aquaporins were subjected to fine-tuned expression only under drought-stress conditions. A beneficial effect on plant physiological parameters was observed in mycorrhizal plants with respect to nonmycorrhizal ones. Moreover, stress induced a change in the mycorrhizal type formed, which was more intracellular under drought stress. The combination of a high intracellular colonization, together with the fine-tuned expression of aquaporins could result in a morphophysiological adaptation of this symbiosis to drought conditions.

Los procesos productivos no son totalmente eficientes, lo cual contribuye a la generación de residuos. En Costa Rica, son las municipalidades las responsables del manejo integral de los residuos sólidos. Es por eso que la problemática de esta investigación se centra en el manejo de tales desechos, que se ha convertido en uno de los principales problemas ambientales que enfrentan los municipios del país. Es necesario hacerle frente desde la perspectiva del desarrollo sostenible, para lo cual se requiere una nueva visión y sensibilización de los gobiernos locales y de los habitantes ante esta problemática. Un ejemplo de cómo encarar la problemática ambiental es la labor que están desarrollando los municipios de Jiménez y Oreamuno. Estas dos instituciones han trabajado en aspectos de educación ambiental, desarrollo y sostenibilidad y han logrado resultados favorables en el tratamiento y disposición adecuada de los residuos sólidos. El municipio de Oreamuno cuenta con un plan de manejo integral de residuos sólidos, tanto orgánicos como inorgánicos. También tiene un centro de acopio y se está trabajando en la implementación de biorreactores que permitirán la producción de bioabonos, captación de gas metano, remoción de metales en los lixiviados, así como la recuperación, comercialización y transformación de los residuos reciclables y reutilizables. Por su parte, el municipio de Jiménez realiza un manejo adecuado de los residuos; los desechos inorgánicos reciclables son aprovechados por medio del centro de acopio del cantón y los residuos orgánicos son transformados en abono orgánico, el cual se utiliza en las fincas de la localidad. El objetivo de este artículo es analizar estos planteamientos, así como su relación con el desarrollo y la sostenibilidad.Currently, the production processes are not efficient, which contributes to the generation of waste. In Costa Rica the municipalities are responsible for the integrated management of solid waste. That is why this research focuses on issues of waste management which has become a major environmental problem. So, it is necessary to confront these issues from the perspective of sustainable development, requiring a new vision and awareness of people regarding the environment and the problem of solid waste. An example of dealing with environmental problems is the work that is being developed in the towns of Jiménez and Oreamuno. These municipalities have worked on environmental education, development and sustainability, and the results have been favorable for treatment and proper disposal of solid waste. In Oreamuno, there is a management plan for organic and inorganic solid waste. There is a storage center and the town is expected to implement in the future bioreactors that enable the production of biofertilizers, methane gas collection, removal of metals in the leachate, and the recovery, processing and marketing of recyclable and reusable waste. Meanwhile, the town of Jiménez has a waste management system, recyclable inorganic wastes are utilized in the collection center and organic waste is transformed into organic fertilizer, which is used on farms in the locality. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyze these approaches and their relationship to development and sustainability.

Terfezia claveryi is a hypogeous mycorrhizal fungus belonging to the so-called “desert truffles,” with a good record as an edible fungus and of considerable economic importance. T. claveryi improves the tolerance to water stress of the host plant Helianthemum almeriense, for which, in field conditions, symbiosis with T. claveryi is valuable for its survival. We have characterized cDNAs from T. claveryi and identified a sequence related to the aquaporin gene family. The full-length sequence was obtained by rapid amplification of cDNA ends and was named TcAQP1. This aquaporin gene encoded a functional water-channel protein, as demonstrated by heterologous expression assays in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The mycorrhizal fungal aquaporin increased both water and CO2 conductivity in the heterologous expression system. The expression patterns of the TcAQP1 gene in mycelium, under different water potentials, and in mycorrhizal plants are discussed. The high levels of water conductivity of TcAQP1 could be related to the adaptation of this mycorrhizal fungus to semiarid areas. The CO2 permeability of TcAQP1 could be involved in the regulation of T. claveryi growth during presymbiotic phases, making it a good candidate to be considered a novel molecular signaling channel in mycorrhizal fungi.

El triunfo de Vicente Fox en las elecciones permite hablar en México de "evolución y no de transición democrática". Da cuenta de otras fuerzas políticas que han actuado, comenta la histórica jornada de julio que configuró el mejor escenario para México y determina la tarea del nuevo Presidente

Este análisis tuvo como objetivo determinar la vulnerabilidad de las nacientes y las respectivas zonas de amortiguamiento de 24 sistemas de acueductos rurales de la zona Huetar Norte, específicamente en San Carlos, Costa Rica. Se trabajó con una muestra estadística de organizaciones que suministran el agua de consumo a las comunidades. Estos sistemas son desarrollados y operados por las Asociaciones Administradoras de Acueductos Rurales (ASADAS). La propuesta evalúa cualitativamente los componentes de varios sistemas de acueductos rurales, los cuales están conformados por nacientes, tanques de almacenamiento y la red de distribución. Para determinar la evaluación de vulnerabilidad se realizó una encuesta entre los miembros de las ASADAS y se tomó en cuenta el estado de la infraestructura de los acueductos. También se realizaron muestreos de agua para determinar las variables de tipo físicoquímico y biológico. El análisis contempló las variables que representan vulnerabilidades para el sistema. Entre las variables creadas por el ser humano se encuentran las relacionadas con el crecimiento agrícola, ganadero y urbano, que afectan de forma directa o indirecta los sistemas e incluso son una amenaza para su buen funcionamiento y permanencia en el tiempo. Otras variables analizadas son las generadas por la misma naturaleza, tal es el caso de sismos, terremotos, vulcanismo, inundaciones y deslizamientos. Otro de los aspectos analizados fue la educación y la gestión ambiental dentro de las mismas ASADAS. El análisis permitió determinar cualitativamente la vulnerabilidad que representan los fenómenos creados por el ser humano y la naturaleza para los sistemas de acueductos rurales; además, se determinó la ausencia de programas educativos y de gestión ambiental por parte de las ASADAS.

En Costa Rica, prácticamente todos los servicios de agua potable y saneamiento son brindados por el Estado por medio del AyA (Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados), las municipalidades y las Asociaciones de Agua Potable (ASADAS) a quienes el AyA les delega la administración de los sistemas, aunque continúan propiedad de ese instituto. Dicha iniciativa contribuye, desde diferentes aéreas del saber, con el desarrollo y el mejoramiento de la calidad de vida de los habitantes de la región Huetar Norte de Costa Rica, por medio del incremento de la competitividad mediante de la gestión ambiental en los recursos hídricos que son administrados por las ASADAS. Este modelo de gestión ambiental intenta brindar un abordaje integral al manejo del recurso hídrico prestado por las ASADAS por medio de la educación y capacitación con respecto a la prevención del riesgo y la vulnerabilidad, el análisis químico y microbiológico, la implementación tecnológica y el manejo de corredores biológicos.

Durante la última década las redes inalámbricas de sensores (WSN) para la protección del medio ambiente surgen como área de investigación y desarrollo gracias a los avances en la microelectrónica, la ingeniería de computadoras y las ciencias de los materiales. Aspectos relevantes que han determinado el interés en esta área de investigación son, entre otros, la capacidad de mitigar el impacto al ambiente por consecuencia de actividades productivas, especialmente agrícolas, mediante la monitorización y control de variables de entrada para dicho proceso. Este artículo trata sobre la metodología con la cual se aborda el diseño, la optimización y la puesta en marcha de una infraestructura electrónica que funcione como herramienta para la adquisición de datos y tratamiento de información para la generación de modelos descriptivos que permitan atacar aquellos fenómenos que tienen mayor incidencia en la degradación de los recursos naturales que rodean las zonas geográficas productivas. El resultado obtenido mediante la investigación llevada a cabo fue el diseño de un nodo para red inalámbrica de sensores especializados en adquisición y procesamiento de datos, así como la selección de la arquitectura de red y las tecnologías de comunicación con las que se planea implementar la conexión de los nodos con un sistema central de adquisición y almacenamiento de la información (sumidero). El artículo concluye con la justificación del diseño de la red, cuya topología jerárquica se adapta a las necesidades de cobertura geográfica, costo de la infraestructura y capacidad de escalamiento de la red inalámbrica de sensores.

En Costa Rica, prácticamente todos losservicios de agua potable y saneamientoson brindados por el Estado por mediodel AyA (Instituto Costarricense deAcueductos y Alcantarillados), lasmunicipalidades y las Asociaciones deAgua Potable (ASADAS) a quienes elAyA les delega la administración de lossistemas, aunque continúan propiedad deese instituto.Dicha iniciativa contribuye,desde diferentes aéreas del saber, conel desarrollo y el mejoramiento de lacalidad de vida de los habitantes de laregión Huetar Norte de Costa Rica, pormedio del incremento de la competitividadmediante de la gestión ambiental en losrecursos hídricos que son administradospor las ASADAS.Este modelo de gestiónambiental intenta brindar un abordajeintegral al manejo del recurso hídricoprestado por las ASADAS por medio de laeducación y capacitación con respecto a laprevención del riesgo y la vulnerabilidad,el análisis químico y microbiológico, laimplementación tecnológica y el manejode corredores biológicos.

Se ha construido en Alicante, en pleno centro de la ciudad, el Edificio San Cristóbal considerado como uno de los más singulares de Europa. Entre sus características más destacadas podemos señalar, además de la fachada - única- de aluminio lacado al fuego, el hecho de tener una cimentación muy profunda revestida por cientos de toneladas de hormigón debido a las condiciones geológicas del suelo. Posee cuatro plantas de aparcamiento, planta baja, cuatro plantas de oficinas y cuatro viviendas. La construcción de este edificio, cuya duración ha sido de dos años, ha supuesto un avance y un decisivo aporte a la arquitectura mundial.