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Evaluation is a crucial part of the teaching and learning process in any higher education institution and one that has gone through a deep change. This has been particularly true since the Bologna Declaration (http://www.ehea.info/page-ministerial-conference-bologna-1999, 1999) ushered in the European higher education area, with the subsequent major rise in the employment of continuous assessment methods focused on student participation. This article analyses the impact on academic performance of e-continuous assessment based on e-tests on a virtual platform as a previous step towards the substitution of the traditional evaluation system, based on a final exam, with a continuous evaluation system, prescribed as an alternative preferred by the regulations of multiple Spanish universities. Microeconometric models have been applied to a database of 250 first-year students on the Business Administration and Management course at the University of Seville (Spain). Our findings show that e-tests could prevent the risk of students dropping out and could also provide a credible predictor of students' academic marks in the theoretical contents of the subject, but not in those of a practical or applied nature. Based on the results of this evaluation, an e-continuous assessment has been developed in the subject, which has become the majority option for students, with 90% participation, while also increasing pass rates. Moreover, the positive effect of a computing environment does not appear to be limited to the classroom, but also extends to students' home environments. This teaching experience shows that the swift feedback that e-tools provides, especially in especially in environments of large class size such as in the class evaluated, could support instructors' personal tutoring of students' progress and promote a greater implementation of e-continuous assessment in Spanish higher education.

Background: Cognitive alterations have been reported in early stages of psychosis including people with First Episode Psychosis (FEP), Clinical High-Risk Mental State (CHR), and Psychotic-Like Experience (PLE). This study aimed to compare the cognitive function in early stages of psychosis using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a low-cost and brief assessment tool of cognitive functions. Methods: A total of 154 individuals, including 35 with FEP, 38 CHR, 44 PLE, and 37 healthy controls (HC), were evaluated with the MoCA in Santiago, Chile. We calculated the mean total score of the MoCA and the standard deviation of the mean. Groups were assessed for a trend to lower scores in a pre-determined sequence (HC > PLE > CHR > FEP) using the Jonckheere-Terpstra test (TJT). Results: The mean total MoCA scores were 24.8 ± 3.3 in FEP, 26.4 ± 2.4 in CHR, 26.4 ± 2.3 in PLE, and 27.2 ± 1.8 in HC. The analyses revealed a significant trend (p PLE > CHR > FEP. The mean total scores of all groups were above the cut-off for cognitive impairment (22 points). Conclusions: The MoCA describes lower scores in cognition across early stages of psychosis and may be a useful low-cost assessment instrument in early intervention centers of poorly resourced settings.

Abstract Background In myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS), the 20q deletion [del(20q)] is a recurrent chromosomal abnormality that it has a high co‐occurrence with U2AF1 mutations. Nevertheless, the prognostic impact of U2AF1 in these MDS patients is uncertain and the possible clinical and/or prognostic differences between the mutation type and the mutational burden are also unknown. Methods Our study analyzes different molecular variables in 100 MDS patients with isolated del(20q). Results & Conclusions We describe the high incidence and negative prognostic impact of U2AF1 mutations and other alterations such as in ASXL1 gene to identify prognostic markers that would benefit patients to receive earlier treatment.

This work aimed to show which treatments showed efficacy against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); therefore, the results of 37 clinical trials started in 2020 and completed in 2021 are reviewed and discussed here. These were selected from databases, excluding vaccines, computational studies, in silico, in vitro, and those with hyperimmune sera from recovered patients. We found 34 drugs, one vitamin, and one herbal remedy with pharmacological activity against symptomatic COVID-19. They reduced mortality, disease progression, or recovery time. For each treatment, the identifier and type of trial, the severity of the disease, the sponsor, the country where the trial was conducted, and the trial results are presented. The drugs were classified according to their mechanism of action. Several drugs that reduced mortality also reduced inflammation in the most severe cases. These include some that are not considered anti-inflammatory, such as Aviptadil, pyridostigmine bromide, anakinra, imatinib, baricitinib, and bevacizumab, as well as the combination of ivermectin, aspirin, dexamethasone, and enoxaparin. Nigella sativa seeds with honey have also been reported to have therapeutic activity. On the other hand, tofacitinib, novaferon with ritonavir, and lopinavir were also effective, as well as in combination with antiviral therapies such as danoprevir with ritonavir. The natural products colchicine and Vitamin D3 were only effective in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, as was hydroxychloroquine. Drug repositioning has been the main tool in the search for effective therapies by expanding the pharmacological options available to patients.

Abstract Chronic endemic regional hydroarsenicism (CERHA) is a global issue that affects over 200 million people exposed to arsenic (As) in drinking water. This includes 1.75 million individuals residing in La Comarca Lagunera, a region in north-central Mexico. Arsenic levels in this region typically exceeds the WHO guideline of 10 µg L−1. Biochemical alterations related to the human As metabolism may increase the risk of overweight and obesity (O&O), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and hypertension (AHT). In our study, we investigated the role of As in drinking water as a risk factor for these metabolic diseases. We focused on populations with historically moderate (San Pedro) and low (Lerdo) drinking water As levels and people with no historical evidence of As water contamination. The exposure assessment to As was based on measurements of the drinking water (medians 67.2, 21.0, 4.3 µg L−1) and urinary As concentrations in women (9.4, 5.3, 0.8 µg L−1) and men (18.1, 4.8, 1.0 µg L−1). A significant correlation between As in drinking water and urine evidenced the As exposure in the population (R2 = 0.72). Adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals evidenced higher chances of being diagnosed with T2D (1.7, 1.2–2.0) and AHT (1.8, 1.7–1.9) in individuals living in San Pedro than those in Lerdo. Still, there was no significant association with obesity. Individuals living in CERHA towns were found to have a higher risk of obesity (1.3–1.9), T2D (1.5 to 3.3), and AHT (1.4 to 2.4) compared to those residing in non-CERHA towns. Finally, obesity is more probable in women [inverse of OR and 95%CI 0.4 (0.2–0.7)] compared to men, while men is more likely to be diagnosed with T2D [OR = 2.0 (1.4–2.3)] and AHT [OR = 2.0 (1.5–2.3)] than women, independently of the municipality.

Changing climate and land-use practices have the potential to bring previously isolated populations of pest insects into new sympatry. This heightens the need to better understand how differing patterns of host-plant association, and unique endosymbionts, serve to promote genetic isolation or integration. We addressed these factors in populations of potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc), a generalist herbivore that vectors a bacterial pathogen (Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum, causal pathogen of zebra chip disease) of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Genome-wide SNP data revealed two major genetic clusters-psyllids collected from potato crops were genetically similar to psyllids found on a common weed, Lycium spp., but dissimilar from those found on another common non-crop host, Solanum dulcamara L. Most psyllids found on Lycium spp. and potato represented a single mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) haplotype that has been suggested to not be native to the region, and whose arrival may have been concurrent with zebra chip disease first emerging. The putatively introduced COI haplotype usually co-occurred with endosymbiotic Wolbachia, while the putatively resident COI haplotype generally did not. Genetic intermediates between the two genetic populations of insects were rare, consistent with recent sympatry or reproductive isolation, although admixture patterns of apparent hybrids were consistent with introgression of genes from introduced into resident populations. Our results suggest that both host-plant associations and endosymbionts are shaping the population genetic structure of sympatric psyllid populations associated with different non-crop hosts. It is of future interest to explicitly examine vectorial capacity of the two populations and their potential hybrids, as population structure and hybridization might alter regional vector capacity and disease outbreaks.

Achieving a local understanding of fire regimes requires high-resolution, systematic and dynamic databases. High-quality information can help to transform evidence into decision-making in the context of rapidly changing landscapes, particularly considering that geographical and temporal patterns of fire regimes and their trends vary locally over time. Global fire scar products at low spatial resolutions are available, but high-resolution wildfire data, especially for developing countries, are still lacking. Taking advantage of the Google Earth Engine (GEE) big-data analysis platform, we developed a flexible workflow to reconstruct individual burned areas and derive fire severity estimates for all reported fires. We tested our approach for historical wildfires in Chile. The result is the Landscape Fire Scars Database, a detailed and dynamic database that reconstructs 8153 fires scars, representing 66.6 % of the country's officially recorded fires between 1985 and 2018. For each fire event, the database contains the following information: (i) the Landsat mosaic of pre- and post-fire images; (ii) the fire scar in binary format; (iii) the remotely sensed estimated fire indexes (the normalized burned ratio, NBR, and the relative delta normalized burn ratio, RdNBR); and two vector files indicating (iv) the fire scar perimeter and (v) the fire scar severity reclassification, respectively. The Landscape Fire Scars Database for Chile and GEE script (JavaScript) are publicly available. The framework developed for the database can be applied anywhere in the world, with the only requirement being its adaptation to local factors such as data availability, fire regimes, land cover or land cover dynamics, vegetation recovery, and cloud cover. The Landscape Fire Scars Database for Chile is publicly available in https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.941127 (Miranda et al., 2022).

Abstract Background The incidence of tuberculosis is increasing especially in endemic countries. Spinal tuberculosis represents nearly the 50% of reported cases of skeletal tuberculosis. This is the youngest case of spinal tubercular disease that has been reported. The objective of this report is to describe a spinal tuberculosis case in an infant in thoracic spine, in order to show the importance of early diagnosis in this population, to limit the progression of this highly destructive disease and reduce the severe sequelae that this disease is associated. Case presentation An 11-month-old infant previously healthy born in the northeast Mexico. Physical examination revealed a mass lesion in the dorsal region, fixed to deep planes, indurated. Neurological examination found Frankel C paraparesis showing muscle strength 2/5 on the Lovett scale in both lower extremities, anal reflex present, and preserved sensitivity. In the magnetic resonance of the spine, hyperintensities in the vertebral bodies of D6-D9 were observed in the T2 with destruction of the D7 and D8 bodies. A thoracotomy was performed with total mass resection with corpectomy of vertebrae D7 and D8, medullary decompression, and placement of fibula allograft between vertebrae D6 and D9. In the histopathological sample, a chronic granulomatous inflammatory process associated with acid-fast bacilli was observed, in addition to presenting a positive result in quantitative real-time PCR GeneXpert MTB/RIF sensitive to rifampicin. Twelve months later, he presented 5/5 muscular strength, without alterations in sensitivity, in addition to presenting ambulation onset at 18 months of age. Conclusion The spinal tuberculosis is a disease that occurs in endemic countries. A prompt diagnosis is necessary to limit the progression of a highly destructive disease. In addition, the fact of presenting at an early age produces hard making decisions for the adequate treatment of the disease and reduces the adverse effects of these procedures.

Abstract Neutral evolution is a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology but teaching this and other non-adaptive concepts is especially challenging. Here we present Genie, a browser-based educational tool that demonstrates population-genetic concepts such as genetic drift, population isolation, gene flow, and genetic mutation. Because it does not need to be downloaded and installed, Genie can scale to large groups of students and is useful for both in-person and online instruction. Genie was used to teach genetic drift to Evolution students at Arizona State University during Spring 2016 and Spring 2017. The effectiveness of Genie to teach key genetic drift concepts and misconceptions was assessed with the Genetic Drift Inventory developed by Price et al. (CBE Life Sci Educ 13(1):65–75, 2014). Overall, Genie performed comparably to that of traditional static methods across all evaluated classes. We have empirically demonstrated that Genie can be successfully integrated with traditional instruction to reduce misconceptions about genetic drift.

Background: Ehrlichia chaffeensis is responsible for most cases of human ehrlichiosis, an acute febrile tick-borne disease. This clinical entity is more commonly reported in adults from the United States. Therefore, it is of special interest to characterize this disease in children, given that very few cases in children have been reported outside of this country. Case report: We describe the case of a 15-year-old female from northeastern Mexico with a five-day history of myalgias, arthralgias, fever, abdominal pain, rash, and somnolence. The possibility of tick-borne disease was suspected considering that she lived with three tick-infested dogs that had recently died and a neighbor with similar symptoms who deteriorated rapidly and died a week earlier. Ehrlichia spp. was detected in blood samples by polymerase chain reaction. The patient completed a sevenday course of doxycycline and was discharged with complete resolution of symptoms. Conclusions: This case is the first report of ehrlichiosis in a pediatric patient in Mexico, illustrating the importance of considering tick-borne diseases as a differential diagnosis in patients with rash, fever, and altered level of consciousness. This initial clinical presentation may be indistinct from other conditions such as dengue, meningococcemia, and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), among others.

This study summarises six years of spatio-temporal patterns of the discarded demersal community fauna recorded by onboard scientific observer program for both artisanal and industrial crustacean fisheries between 2014 and 2019, from mesophotic to aphotic depths (96 to 650 m) along the southern Humboldt Current System (28-38°S). In this period, one cold and two warm climatic events were observed during the austral summer 2014, 2015-2016 (ENSO Godzilla), and 2016-2017 (coastal ENSO), respectively. Satellite information showed that Chlorophyll-a concentration varied seasonally and latitudinally, associated with upwelling centres, while equatorial wind stress decreased southward of 36°S. Discards were composed of 108 species, dominated by finfish and molluscs. The Chilean hake Merluccius gayi was dominant and ubiquitous (occurrence, 95% of 9104 hauls), being the most vulnerable species of the bycatch. Three assemblages were identified: assemblage 1 (~200 m deep), dominated by flounders Hippoglossina macrops and lemon crabs Platymera gaudichaudii, assemblage 2 (~260 m deep), dominated by squat lobsters Pleuroncodes monodon and Cervimunida johni and assemblage 3 (~320 m depth), dominated by grenadiers Coelorinchus aconcagua and cardinalfish Epigonus crassicaudus. These assemblages were segregated by depth, and varied by year, and geographic zone. The latter represented changes in the width of the continental shelf, increasing southward of 36°S. Alpha-diversity indexes (richness, Shannon, Simpson, and Pielou) also varied with depth and latitude, with higher diversity in deeper continental waters (>300 m), between 2018-2019. Finally, at a spatial scale of tens of kilometres, and a monthly basis, interannual variations of biodiversity occurred in the demersal community. Surface sea temperature, chlorophyll-a, or wind stress did not correlate with discarded demersal fauna diversity of the crustacean fishery operating along central Chile.

Quantum spin Hall insulators (QSHIs) based on HgTe and three-layer InAs/GaSb quantum wells (QWs) have comparable bulk band gaps of about 10–18 meV. The former, however, features a band gap vanishing with temperature, while the gap in InAs/GaSb QSHIs is rather temperature independent. Here, we report on the realization of a large inverted band gap in strained three-layer InAs/GaInSb QWs. By temperature-dependent magnetotransport measurements of gated Hall bar devices, we extract a gap as high as 45 meV. By combining local and nonlocal measurements, we detect edge conductivity at temperatures up to 40 K, possibly of topological origin, with equilibrium lengths of a few micrometers. Our results pave the way for the manipulation of topological edge states at high temperatures in QW heterostructures.

Inflammation is a central pathogenic feature of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in COVID-19. Previous pathologies such as diabetes, autoimmune or cardiovascular diseases become risk factors for the severe hyperinflammatory syndrome. A common feature among these risk factors is the subclinical presence of cellular stress, a finding that has gained attention after the discovery that BiP (GRP78), a master regulator of stress, participates in the SARS-CoV-2 recognition. Here, we show that BiP serum levels are higher in COVID-19 patients who present certain risk factors. Moreover, early during the infection, BiP levels predict severe pneumonia, supporting the use of BiP as a prognosis biomarker. Using a mouse model of pulmonary inflammation, we observed increased levels of cell surface BiP (cs-BiP) in leukocytes during inflammation. This corresponds with a higher number of neutrophiles, which show naturally high levels of cs-BiP, whereas alveolar macrophages show a higher than usual exposure of BiP in their cell surface. The modulation of cellular stress with the use of a clinically approved drug, 4-PBA, resulted in the amelioration of the lung hyperinflammatory response, supporting the anti-stress therapy as a valid therapeutic strategy for patients developing ARDS. Finally, we identified stress-modulated proteins that shed light into the mechanism underlying the cellular stress-inflammation network in lungs.

Herbivores often move among spatially interspersed host plants, tracking high-quality resources through space and time. This dispersal is of particular interest for vectors of plant pathogens. Existing molecular tools to track such movement have yielded important insights, but often provide insufficient genetic resolution to infer spread at finer spatiotemporal scales. Here, we explore the use of Nextera-tagmented reductively-amplified DNA (NextRAD) sequencing to infer movement of a highly-mobile winged insect, the potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli), among host plants. The psyllid vectors the pathogen that causes zebra chip disease in potato (Solanum tuberosum), but understanding and managing the spread of this pathogen is limited by uncertainty about the insect's host plant(s) outside of the growing season. We identified 1,978 polymorphic loci among psyllids separated spatiotemporally on potato or in patches of bittersweet nightshade (S. dulcumara), a weedy plant proposed to be the source of potato-colonizing psyllids. A subset of the psyllids on potato exhibited genetic similarity to insects on nightshade, consistent with regular movement between these two host plants. However, a second subset of potato-collected psyllids was genetically distinct from those collected on bittersweet nightshade; this suggests that a currently unrecognized source, i.e., other nightshade patches or a third host-plant species, could be contributing to psyllid populations in potato. Oftentimes, dispersal of vectors of pathogens must be tracked at a fine scale in order to understand, predict, and manage disease spread. We demonstrate that emerging sequencing technologies that detect genome-wide SNPs of a vector can be used to infer such localized movement.

Abstract Changing climate and land‐use practices have the potential to bring previously isolated populations of pest insects into new sympatry. This heightens the need to better understand how differing patterns of host–plant association, and unique endosymbionts, serve to promote genetic isolation or integration. We addressed these factors in populations of potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc), a generalist herbivore that vectors a bacterial pathogen (Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum, causal pathogen of zebra chip disease) of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Genome‐wide SNP data revealed two major genetic clusters—psyllids collected from potato crops were genetically similar to psyllids found on a common weed, Lycium spp., but dissimilar from those found on another common non‐crop host, Solanum dulcamara L. Most psyllids found on Lycium spp. and potato represented a single mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) haplotype that has been suggested to not be native to the region, and whose arrival may have been concurrent with zebra chip disease first emerging. The putatively introduced COI haplotype usually co‐occurred with endosymbiotic Wolbachia, while the putatively resident COI haplotype generally did not. Genetic intermediates between the two genetic populations of insects were rare, consistent with recent sympatry or reproductive isolation, although admixture patterns of apparent hybrids were consistent with introgression of genes from introduced into resident populations. Our results suggest that both host–plant associations and endosymbionts are shaping the population genetic structure of sympatric psyllid populations associated with different non‐crop hosts. It is of future interest to explicitly examine vectorial capacity of the two populations and their potential hybrids, as population structure and hybridization might alter regional vector capacity and disease outbreaks.

Abstract Background Pathogens with a global distribution face diverse biotic and abiotic conditions across populations. Moreover, the ecological and evolutionary history of each population is unique. Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-dwelling bacterium infecting multiple plant hosts, often with detrimental effects. As a group, X. fastidiosa is divided into distinct subspecies with allopatric historical distributions and patterns of multiple introductions from numerous source populations. The capacity of X. fastidiosa to successfully colonize and cause disease in naïve plant hosts varies among subspecies, and potentially, among populations. Within Central America (i.e. Costa Rica) two X. fastidiosa subspecies coexist: the native subsp. fastidiosa and the introduced subsp. pauca. Using whole genome sequences, the patterns of gene gain/loss, genomic introgression, and genetic diversity were characterized within Costa Rica and contrasted to other X. fastidiosa populations. Results Within Costa Rica, accessory and core genome analyses showed a highly malleable genome with numerous intra- and inter-subspecific gain/loss events. Likewise, variable levels of inter-subspecific introgression were found within and between both coexisting subspecies; nonetheless, the direction of donor/recipient subspecies to the recombinant segments varied. Some strains appeared to recombine more frequently than others; however, no group of genes or gene functions were overrepresented within recombinant segments. Finally, the patterns of genetic diversity of subsp. fastidiosa in Costa Rica were consistent with those of other native populations (i.e. subsp. pauca in Brazil). Conclusions Overall, this study shows the importance of characterizing local evolutionary and ecological history in the context of world-wide pathogen distribution.

Although bacterial host colonization is a dynamic process that requires population growth, studies often focus on comparing bacterial populations at a given time point. However, this may not reflect the dynamics of the colonization process. Time-course assays provide important insights into the dynamics of host colonization but are laborious and may still lack resolution for immediate processes affecting populations. An alternative way to address this issue, using widely accessible tools (such as quantitative PCR [qPCR]), is to take advantage of the relationship between bacterial chromosomal replication and cell division to determine population growth status at the sampling time. Conceptually, the ratio between the number of copies at the origin of replication and that at the terminus of replication should be correlated with the measured bacterial growth rate. This peak-to-trough ratio (PTR) to estimate instantaneous population growth status was tested with the slow-growing plant-pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. We found no correlation between PTR and the measured growth rate when using genome-level data but overall sequencing depth of coverage trends matched theoretical expectations. On the other hand, the population growth status of X. fastidiosa was predicted by PTR when using qPCR data, which was improved by the pretreatment of cells with a photoreactive DNA-binding dye. Our results suggest that PTR could be used to determine X. fastidiosa growth status both in planta and in insect vectors. We expect PTR will perform better with fast-growing bacterial pathogens, potentially becoming a powerful tool for easily and quickly assessing population growth status.

El presente trabajo muestra el resultado de nuestras investigaciones de la educación superior en Yucatán en el siglo xix. En primer lugar, se hace un balance en el que se argumenta que una de las características de la historiografía de la educación superior en Yucatán es su marcada idea positivista y su preocupación por encontrar los orígenes y continuidad de las instituciones coloniales y decimonónicas, lo que ha fungido como un obstáculo para renovar los estudios. Proponemos que una salida a este laberinto es explorar nuevas líneas de investigación que nos muestren una historia sociocultural de la educación superior, con la que podremos trascender a estudiar a los actores sociales de esta institución. Dicho esfuerzo nos obliga a incorporar una diversidad de fuentes, sobre todo, las producidas cotidianamente por estas instituciones.

The development of new tuberculosis vaccines remains a global priority, and recombinant vaccines are a frequently investigated option. These vaccines follow a molecular strategy that may enhance protective efficacy. However, their functional differences, particularly with respect to glycosylation, remain unknown. Recent studies have shown that glycosylation plays a key role in the host-pathogen interactions during immune recognition. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in the glycosylation profiles of two recombinant strains of Mycobacterium microti, overexpressing Ag85B (Rv1886c) and PstS-1 (Rv0934) antigens of M. tuberculosis. For each strain, the glycosylation profile was determined by Western blotting with lectins. The results showed the presence of mannosylated proteins and evidence of linked sialic acid proteins. Interestingly, different proteome and glycoproteome profiles were observed between the two recombinant strains and the wild-type strain. We have shown here that the construction of the recombinant strains of M. microti has altered the proteome and glycosylation profiles of these strains, leading us to ask what impact these changes might have on the immune response.

Abstract Background Pichia pastoris (syn. Komagataella phaffii) is one of the most highly utilized eukaryotic expression systems for the production of heterologous glycoproteins, being able to perform both N- and O-mannosylation. In this study, we present the expression in P. pastoris of an O-mannosylated recombinant version of the 38 kDa glycolipoprotein PstS-1 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), that is similar in primary structure to the native secreted protein. Results The recombinant PstS-1 (rPstS-1) was produced without the native lipidation signal. Glycoprotein expression was under the control of the methanol-inducible promoter pAOX1, with secretion being directed by the α-mating factor secretion signal. Production of rPstS-1 was carried out in baffled shake flasks (BSFs) and controlled bioreactors. A production up to ~ 46 mg/L of the recombinant protein was achieved in both the BSFs and the bioreactors. The recombinant protein was recovered from the supernatant and purified in three steps, achieving a preparation with 98% electrophoretic purity. The primary and secondary structures of the recombinant protein were characterized, as well as its O-mannosylation pattern. Furthermore, a cross-reactivity analysis using serum antibodies from patients with active tuberculosis demonstrated recognition of the recombinant glycoprotein, indirectly indicating the similarity between the recombinant PstS-1 and the native protein from Mtb. Conclusions rPstS-1 (98.9% sequence identity, O-mannosylated, and without tags) was produced and secreted by P. pastoris, demonstrating that this yeast is a useful cell factory that could also be used to produce other glycosylated Mtb antigens. The rPstS-1 could be used as a tool for studying the role of this molecule during Mtb infection, and to develop and improve vaccines or kits based on the recombinant protein for serodiagnosis.

This editorial summarises the organisation, activities, and scientific content of the 6th European Student Council Symposium (ESCS) organised by the International Society for Computational Biology Student Council (ISCB-SC). The event was held on September 6, 2020, as a satellite event preceding the ISCB’s 19th European Conference in Computational Biology. Both events were first planned to be held in-person in Sitges, Spain, but moved virtually as a strategy to face the SARS-CoV2 sanitary crisis. This completely unforeseen situation has posed several challenges that have been successfully addressed thanks to the robust ISCB Student Council community structure and the strong commitment of the organisers. Despite all the obstacles and challenges, we have found that virtuality has several advantages that can continue to be kept to improve in-person meetings in the future and make conferences more inclusive allowing a larger audience to participate.

AbstractNucleotide composition (GC content) varies across bacteria species, genome regions, and specific genes. In Xylella fastidiosaX. fastidiosafastidiosaNpaucaNmultiplexNvsvsvsX. fastidiosapauca

The discovery of penicillin entailed a decisive breakthrough in medicine. No other medical advance has ever had the same impact in the clinical practise. The fungus Penicillium chrysogenum (reclassified as P. rubens) has been used for industrial production of penicillin ever since the forties of the past century; industrial biotechnology developed hand in hand with it, and currently P. chrysogenum is a thoroughly studied model for secondary metabolite production and regulation. In addition to its role as penicillin producer, recent synthetic biology advances have put P. chrysogenum on the path to become a cell factory for the production of metabolites with biotechnological interest. In this review, we tell the history of P. chrysogenum, from the discovery of penicillin and the first isolation of strains with high production capacity to the most recent research advances with the fungus. We will describe how classical strain improvement programs achieved the goal of increasing production and how the development of different molecular tools allowed further improvements. The discovery of the penicillin gene cluster, the origin of the penicillin genes, the regulation of penicillin production, and a compilation of other P. chrysogenum secondary metabolites will also be covered and updated in this work.

Resumen: Introducción: La esclerosis múltiple (EM) es una enfermedad inflamatoria autoinmune del sistema nervioso central. Se caracteriza por la desmielinización del nervio, pudiendo alterar la transmisión nerviosa y conducir a síntomas como fatiga, debilidad muscular y deterioro de la función motora. En España existen 47.000 personas afectadas de EM. El entrenamiento vibratorio puede ser una opción complementaria eficaz al ejercicio tradicional para el tratamiento de la EM. El objetivo fue determinar la efectividad de los programas de entrenamiento vibratorio en los sujetos con EM. Desarrollo: Cinco bases de datos electrónicas (PubMed, SPORTDiscus, SciELO, Lilacs, IBECS e ISI Web of Knowledge) fueron consultadas para la búsqueda bibliográfica en agosto del 2015. Un conjunto de términos de búsqueda identificaron estudios que relacionaban el entrenamiento vibratorio y la EM. Se incluyeron ensayos clínicos controlados y aleatorizados que aplicaron un programa de entrenamiento vibratorio dirigido a pacientes con EM. Setenta y un artículos fueron obtenidos tras la búsqueda. Finalmente, se incluyeron 9 de ellos tras descartar los estudios duplicados y aquellos que no fueron relevantes sobre base de los criterios de selección. Se encontraron varios resultados entre los estudios. Conclusiones: Algunos estudios hallaron mejoras en la fuerza muscular, la capacidad funcional, la coordinación, la resistencia, el equilibrio y algunas áreas del MSSS-88. Sin embargo, detectamos algunas limitaciones entre los estudios y son todavía pocas las publicaciones realizadas hasta la fecha sobre entrenamiento vibratorio y EM para certificar la efectividad de dicho entrenamiento en esta patología. Abstract: Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. MS is characterised by nerve demyelination that can alter nerve transmission and lead to such symptoms as fatigue, muscle weakness, and impaired motor function. There are 47 000 people with MS in Spain. Vibration training can be an effective and complementary alternative to traditional exercise to treat patients with MS. The aim of this study was to analyse the effectiveness of vibration training programmes in patients with MS. Development: We searched 5 electronic databases (PubMed, SPORTDiscus, SciELO, Lilacs, IBECS, and ISI Web of Knowledge) in August 2015. By using a set of keywords, we found studies linking vibration training and MS and included randomised controlled trials that applied vibration training to patients with MS. Our search yielded 71 studies. Only 9 of them were included after removing duplicate studies and those which were not relevant according to our selection criteria. These studies obtained different outcomes. Conclusions: Some studies found improvements in muscle strength, functional capacity, coordination, resistance, balance, and some areas of MSSS-88. However, we identified limitations in some of these studies and there are still few publications on vibration training and multiple sclerosis to ensure training effectiveness. Palabras clave: Equilibrio, Fatiga, Fuerza, Mielina, Resistencia, Vibración, Keywords: Balance, Fatigue, Strength, Myelin, Resistance, Vibration

We describe a seiche process based on current, temperature, and sea-level data obtained from the Reloncaví fjord (41.6° S, 72.5° W) in southern Chile. We combined 4 months of acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) data with sea-level, temperature, and wind time series to analyze the dynamics of low-frequency (periods > 1 day) internal oscillations in the fjord. Additionally, seasonal conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) data from 19 along-fjord stations were used to characterize the seasonality of the density field. The density profiles were used to estimate the internal long-wave phase speed (c) using two approximations: (1) a simple reduced gravity model (RGM) and (2) a continuously stratified model (CSM). No major seasonal changes in c were observed using either approximation (e.g., the CSM yielded 0.73 c −1 for mode 1). The natural internal periods (TN) were estimated using Merian's formula for a simple fjord-like basin and the above phase speeds. Estimated values of TN varied between 2.9 and 3.5 days and were highly consistent with spectral peaks observed in the along-fjord currents and temperature time series. We conclude that these oscillations were forced by the wind stress, despite the moderate wind energy. Wind conditions at the end of winter gave us an excellent opportunity to explore the damping process. The observed damping time (Td) was relatively long (Td = 9.1 days).

Autophagy is a major cellular recycling process that delivers cellular material and entire organelles to lysosomes for degradation, in a selective or non-selective manner. This process is essential for the maintenance of cellular energy levels, components, and metabolites, as well as the elimination of cellular molecular damage, thereby playing an important role in numerous cellular activities. An important function of autophagy is to enable survival under starvation conditions and other stresses. The majority of factors implicated in aging are modifiable through the process of autophagy, including the accumulation of oxidative damage and loss of proteostasis, genomic instability and epigenetic alteration. These primary causes of damage could lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, deregulation of nutrient sensing pathways and cellular senescence, finally causing a variety of aging phenotypes. Remarkably, advances in the biology of aging have revealed that aging is a malleable process: a mild decrease in signaling through nutrient-sensing pathways can improve health and extend lifespan in all model organisms tested. Consequently, autophagy is implicated in both aging and age-related disease. Enhancement of the autophagy process is a common characteristic of all principal, evolutionary conserved anti-aging interventions, including dietary restriction, as well as inhibition of target of rapamycin (TOR) and insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS). As an emerging and critical process in aging, this review will highlight how autophagy can be modulated for health improvement.

Seasonal data on temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO) and chlorophyll, combined with meteorological and river discharge time series, were used to describe the oceanographic conditions of the Reloncaví fjord (41°35′ S, 72°20′ W). The winds in the fjord valley mainly blow down-fjord during the winter, reinforcing the upper layer outflow, whereas the winds blow predominantly up-fjord during the spring and summer, contrary to the upper layer outflow. The fjord, with a deep sill at the mouth, was well stratified year-round and featured a thin surface layer of brackish water with mean salinities between 10.4 ± 1.4 (spring) and 13.2 ± 2.5 (autumn). The depth of the upper layer changed slightly among the different studied seasons but remained at 4.5 m near the mouth. This upper layer presented a mean outflow (Q1) of 3185 ± 223 m3 s−1, which implies a flushing time of 3 days for this layer. The vertical salt flux was ∼ 37 tons of salt per second, similar to the horizontal salt flux observed in the upper layer. These estimates will contribute to better management of the aquaculture in this region.

Este artículo presenta una investigación realizada al interior de las aulas virtuales, cuya finalidad fue evaluar las competencias que implementa el tutor al desarrollar su curso en línea, forma parte de una investigación mayor de la cual se derivan los instrumentos de evaluación de las competencias docentes, se evaluaron 7 universidades virtuales con la misma rúbrica considerando como factor de inclusión la interacción activa del docente con el alumno, se utilizaron 2 plataformas Blackboard y Moodle. La presente es una investigación exploratoria, descriptiva, cualitativa basada en la comunicación entre profesor y alumnos en los diferentes espacios del curso. Los resultados permitieron validar y evaluar las competencias empleadas por el docente virtual. Se constituye un medio de verificación de las competencias necesarias para el docente en línea.

Herbivores often move among spatially interspersed host plants, tracking high-quality resources through space and time. This dispersal is of particular interest for vectors of plant pathogens. Existing molecular tools to track such movement have yielded important insights, but often provide insufficient genetic resolution to infer spread at finer spatiotemporal scales. Here, we explore the use of Nextera-tagmented reductively-amplified DNA (NextRAD) sequencing to infer movement of a highly-mobile winged insect, the potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli), among host plants. The psyllid vectors the pathogen that causes zebra chip disease in potato (Solanum tuberosum), but understanding and managing the spread of this pathogen is limited by uncertainty about the insect's host plant(s) outside of the growing season. We identified 1,978 polymorphic loci among psyllids separated spatiotemporally on potato or in patches of bittersweet nightshade (S. dulcumara), a weedy plant proposed to be the source of potato-colonizing psyllids. A subset of the psyllids on potato exhibited genetic similarity to insects on nightshade, consistent with regular movement between these two host plants. However, a second subset of potato-collected psyllids was genetically distinct from those collected on bittersweet nightshade; this suggests that a currently unrecognized source, i.e., other nightshade patches or a third host-plant species, could be contributing to psyllid populations in potato. Oftentimes, dispersal of vectors of pathogens must be tracked at a fine scale in order to understand, predict, and manage disease spread. We demonstrate that emerging sequencing technologies that detect genome-wide SNPs of a vector can be used to infer such localized movement.