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Many microorganisms produce and excrete acetoin (3-hydroxy-2-butanone) when growing in environments that contain glucose or other fermentable carbon sources. This excreted compound can then be assimilated by other bacterial species such as pseudomonads. This work shows that acetoin is not a preferred carbon source of Pseudomonas putida, and that the induction of genes required for its assimilation is down-modulated by different, independent, global regulatory systems when succinate, glucose or components of the LB medium are also present. The expression of the acetoin degradation genes was found to rely on the RpoN alternative sigma factor and to be modulated by the Crc/Hfq, Cyo and PTS

Maps produced during the saga of European ‘discovery’ were shown to erase local forms of spatial knowledge of colonised populations to serve domination interests. This paper explores the continuation of this colonial erasing logic in local planning practices in Jamundí, a municipality where Black peasants’ traditional farms persist in a sugarcane dominated landscape. We first compare official maps from the current Land Use Plan of Jamundí with social cartography produced by afro-descendant community councils to analyse the maps’ selections, omissions and additions. Through community map drawings and collective discussions during carto graphy workshops, interviews and tours of the territory, we then reconstruct a Black geography that is concealed in official maps. Our analysis shows that official maps naturalise a scale in which only plantations are formally represented, rendering invisible small scale traditional agricultural systems and Black ecologies, favouring the expansion of uses and activities detrimental to Black territorial projects in Jamundí. We argue that afro-descendant living spaces and experiences are visually omitted from spatial representation in the physical planning maps through institutionalised processes. We conclude that decolonising local planning is crucial for the recogni tion and securing of afro-descendant customary land and territorial rights in Colombia as well as for regional sustainability.

Insertion sequences (ISs) are mobile genetic elements that only carry the information required for their own transposition. Pseudomonas putida KT2440, a model bacterium, has seven copies of an IS called ISPpu9 inserted into repetitive extragenic palindromic sequences. This work shows that the gene for ISPpu9 transposase, tnp, is regulated by two small RNAs (sRNAs) named Asr9 and Ssr9, which are encoded upstream and downstream of tnp, respectively. The tnp mRNA has a long 5′-untranslated region (5′-UTR) that can fold into a secondary structure that likely includes the ribosome-binding site (RBS). Mutations weakening this structure increased tnp mRNA translation. Asr9, an antisense sRNA complementary to the 5′-UTR, was shown to be very stable. Eliminating Asr9 considerably reduced tnp mRNA translation, suggesting that it helps to unfold this secondary structure, exposing the RBS. Ectopic overproduction of Asr9 increased the transposition frequency of a new ISPpu9 entering the cell by conjugation, suggesting improved tnp expression. Ssr9 has significant complementarity to Asr9 and annealed to it in vitro forming an RNA duplex; this would sequester it and possibly facilitate its degradation. Thus, the antisense Asr9 sRNA likely facilitates tnp expression, improving transposition, while Ssr9 might counteract Asr9, keeping tnp expression low.

INTRODUÇÃO: A deficiência seletiva de IgA (DSIgA) é definida por níveis séricos de IgA abaixo de 7 mg/dL e níveis normais ou aumentados de IgG e IgM, após os 4 anos de idade. Um pequeno grupo de pacientes com DSIgA evolui para Imunodeficiência Comum Variável (ICV) que é definida por níveis séricos baixos de IgG, IgA e/ou IgM, após os 4 anos de idade, podendo ter alterações linfocitárias. As células B CD27+ de memória podem estar diminuídas em pacientes com ICV e DSIgA. Análises dos pacientes que evoluíram de DSIgA para ICV sugerem que alguns dados clínicos possam ser considerados fatores de risco para essa evolução como: alta prevalência de infecções, autoimunidade, presença dos haplótipos do MHC descritos em ambas doenças, histórico familiar e deficiência associada de subclasses de IgG. As manifestações clínicas de ambas doenças estão relacionadas a um estado pró-oxidativo. Mecanismos envolvidos tanto na geração de estresse oxidativo quanto em sua regulação podem ter grande importância no prognóstico de pacientes com erros inatos da imunidade. A família das enzimas paraoxonases (PON) tem papel nestes mecanismos e por isso estudamos o polimorfismo L55M da Paraoxonase 1 para avaliar sua possível influência na evolução da DSIgA para ICV. OBJETIVO: Avaliar parâmetros laboratoriais e clínicos em pacientes com DSIgA em busca de marcadores prognósticos de progressão para ICV. MÉTODOS: Foram selecionados 34 pacientes diagnosticados com DSIgA e 14 pacientes que evoluíram de DSIgA para ICV. Os pacientes foram avaliados quanto ao histórico familiar de imunodeficiências primárias e de consanguinidade, ocorrência de infecções recorrentes, alergias, presença de doenças autoimunes e neoplasias; também foram avaliadas as populações linfocitárias, as subpopulações de células B e a genotipagem do polimorfismo L55M do gene PON1. RESULTADOS: O grupo que evoluiu para ICV (grupo ICV) apresentou frequências maiores de diarreia nãoinfecciosa, neoplasias e esplenomegalia que o grupo DSIgA. Não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos na análise dos genótipos do polimorfismo L55M. O grupo ICV apresentou diminuição significativa de populações linfocitárias (CD3, CD4, CD19, NK) quando comparado ao grupo DSIgA. Não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos em relação a história familiar. Os pacientes DSIgA apresentaram maior porcentagem de linfócitos B CD27+IgD+IgM+ do que o grupo controle. CONCLUSÃO: São sugestivos de evolução de DSIgA para ICV os seguintes fatores: presença de diarreia não-infecciosa, neoplasias, esplenomegalia, diminuição de populações linfocitárias (CD19 e CD4) e aumento de células B de memória sem troca de classe INTRODUCTION: Selective IgA deficiency (SIgAD) is defined by serum IgA levels below 7 mg/dL and normal or increased levels of IgG and IgM after 4 years of age. A small group of patients with SIgAD progresses to Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID), which is defined by low serum levels of IgG, IgA and/or IgM, after 4 years of age, and may have lymphocytic alterations. Memory CD27+ B cells may be decreased in patients with CVID and SIgAD. Analysis of patients who progressed from SIgAD to CVID suggest that some clinical data may be considered risk factors for this evolution, such as: high prevalence of infections, autoimmunity, presence of the MHC haplotypes described in both diseases, family history of prymary immunodeficiencies and associated deficiency of IgG subclasses. The clinical manifestations of both diseases are related to a pro-oxidative state. Mechanisms involved in both the generation of oxidative stress and its regulation may be of great importance in the prognosis of patients with inborn errors of immunity. The family of paraoxonase enzymes (PON) plays a role in these mechanisms and therefore we studied the L55M polymorphism of Paraoxonase 1 to assess its possible influence on the evolution of SIgAD to CVID. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate laboratory and clinical parameters in patients with SIgAD in search of prognostic markers of progression to CVID. METHODS: 34 patients diagnosed with SIgAD and 14 patients who progressed from SIgAD to CVID were selected. Patients were evaluated for family history of primary immunodeficiencies and consanguinity, occurrence of recurrent infections, allergies, presence of autoimmune diseases and cancer; lymphocyte populations, subpopulations of B cells and genotyping of the L55M polymorphism of the PON1 gene were also evaluated. RESULTS: The group that evolved into CVID (CVID group) had higher frequencies of non-infectious diarrhea, cancer and splenomegaly than the SIgAD group. There was no significant difference between the groups on the L55M polymorphism genotypes analysis. The CVID group showed a significant decrease in lymphocyte populations (CD3, CD4, CD19, NK) when compared to SIgAD. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding family history of immunodeficiencies. SIgAD patients had a higher percentage of CD27+IgD+IgM+ B lymphocytes than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The following factors suggest the evolution of SIgAD to CVID: presence of non-infectious diarrhea, neoplasms, splenomegaly and decrease in lymphocyte populations (CD19, CD4) and the increase of B memory cell without class switch

The article will establish relationships between conceptualizations of «cuerpo-territorio» (body-territory) and the sustainability of life, based on the approaches developed from the practices of mobilized women’s collectives in Abya Yala. We argue that these notions are key to the conformation of ecofeminist horizons in the region, linking feminist economics and environmental justice. We rely on elaborations produced by situated political subjects, taking as a perspective the dialogues between academics and activists.

The question of how to generate development while preserving the environment is central to the history of the Brazilian Amazon. Many decades of top-down state interventions conceived and executed under a developmentalist framework have resulted in a socioenvironmental crisis. In response, the Sustainable Oil Palm Production Program (SPOPP) was launched in 2010. It promised to break with developmentalist visions and articulate environmental and sustainability concerns. This paper uses assemblage thinking to examine how these contrasting, often impossible-to-balance, views manifest within SPOPP implementation. We describe how non-human actors (trees, diseases, previous policies and agroecological zoning technologies) interact with human actors. However, powerful actors, in the state and beyond, continue to garner support for their developmentalist interests and thwart or depoliticize environmental and social concerns, thus limiting change.

Purpose In recent years, “servitization” has been studied extensively; however, as studies of the impact of servitization on firm performance offer mixed results, the conditions under which the relationship between servitization and performance becomes more significant are contested in the literature. These mixed results have led to the term “service paradox.” The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This study investigates servitization in the assembly industry based on a multi-country survey covering 539 industry plants in 22 countries. Findings The study contributes to the research on servitization by adding a contextual perspective to this relationship, taking into account level of development of the country in which a firm is located. Besides confirming the correlation between the servitization and performance, our study unveils a counter-intuitive result: a medium level of development of the country in which a firm is based corresponds to a stronger relationship between servitization and firm performance, whereas higher levels of development seem to diminish the increase in performance. Social implications This study balances out the focus in servitization on advanced economies and help to unveil its benefits in developing countries. Fostering servitization in developing economies can lead to social impact resulting from job shifts from manufacturing to service and the correlated implications for workers’ training and higher motivation experienced in service-based jobs. Originality/value Our study unpacks the “service paradox” and indicates that industry plants in developing countries can still harness the benefits of being first-movers, whereas, in developed countries, servitization may have become an order qualifier rather than a factor of differentiation.

In the sustainable development era, massive land-use for electricity production represents a crucial challenge for environmental and social systems. Available information about the use of land in this sector is limited, for that reason in this paper we include the power density methodology to evaluate land-use in Colombia to produce electricity. The power density metric depicts the relation between energy produced and area used in this process, considering extraction-conversion-storage. The analysis between power electricity generation and land-use is made for the Colombian electric system, finding that there is no direct relationship between the area occupied by a generation plant and the electricity produced, since the evidence does not show that at larger areas greater power is obtained. Hydropower plants have large spectrum values of power densities, depending on the dam construction purpose (river-flow control). Fossil-fired power plants require less land for its production even including the fuel extraction area. Photovoltaic and wind-power plants in this comparison have the lowest power density values, accordingly, they require far larger areas and represent a risk for sustainability in this perspective.

Metabolically versatile bacteria use catabolite repression control to select their preferred carbon sources, thus optimizing carbon metabolism. In pseudomonads, this occurs through the combined action of the proteins Hfq and Crc, which form stable tripartite complexes at target mRNAs, inhibiting their translation. The activity of Hfq/Crc is antagonised by small RNAs of the CrcZ family, the amounts of which vary according to carbon availability. The present work examines the role of Pseudomonas putida Hfq protein under conditions of low-level catabolite repression, in which Crc protein would have a minor role since it is sequestered by CrcZ/CrcY. The results suggest that, under these conditions, Hfq remains operative and plays an important role in iron homeostasis. In this scenario, Crc appears to participate indirectly by helping CrcZ/CrcY to control the amount of free Hfq in the cell. Iron homeostasis in pseudomonads relies on regulatory elements such as the Fur protein, the PrrF1-F2 sRNAs, and several extracytoplasmic sigma factors. Our results show that the absence of Hfq is paralleled by a reduction in PrrF1-F2 small RNAs. Hfq thus provides a regulatory link between iron and carbon metabolism, coordinating the iron supply to meet the needs of the enzymes operational under particular nutritional regimes.

Alcanivorax borkumensis, a marine bacterium highly specialized in degrading linear and branched alkanes, plays a key ecological role in the removal of marine oil spills. It contains several alternative enzyme systems for terminal hydroxylation of alkanes, including three P450 cytochromes (P450-1, P450-2 and P450-3). The present work shows cytochrome P450-1 to be expressed from the promoter of the upstream gene fdx. Promoter Pfdx was more active when C8 -C18 n-alkanes or pristane were assimilated than when pyruvate was available. The product of ABO_0199 (named CypR) was identified as a transcriptional activator of Pfdx . The inactivation of cypR impaired growth on tetradecane, showing the importance of the fdx-P450-1 and/or cypR genes. P450-2 expression was low-level and constitutive under all conditions tested, while that of P450-3 from promoter P450-3 was much higher when cells assimilated pristane than when n-alkanes or pyruvate were available. However, the inactivation of P450-3 had no visible impact on pristane assimilation. Cyo terminal oxidase, a component of the electron transport chain, was found to stimulate promoter PP450-3 activity, but it did not affect promoters Pfdx or PP450-2 . A. borkumensis, therefore, appears to carefully coordinate the expression of its multiple hydrocarbon degradation genes using both specific and global regulatory systems.