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High-temperature technologies like solid oxide cells (SOC) have been employed to provide power-to-fuel and vice versa for energy conversion and storage. These technologies are a work in progress due to durability and compatibility issues between components at high temperatures. For this reason, the pursuit of optimal physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of SOC materials at lower temperatures has become more diligent. Finding suitable air electrodes has become one of the more notable obstacles to complete implementation in the industry. One of the most recent alternatives is the use of lanthanide nickelates with the Ruddlesden-Popper (RP), Lnn+1NinO3n±1 (Ln = La, Nd or Pr), and perovskite, LnNiO3-δ, structures. These materials present fast ionic and electronic transport, as well as flexible oxygen stoichiometry that makes them compelling for this purpose. As part of an ongoing study on alternative air electrode advanced materials, this review is focused on documenting the relevant findings of RP nickelates over the years, especially focusing on the current status in research and development while comparing the electrochemical performance of nickelate air electrodes., This research has received funding from PID2019–107106RB-C32 (MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE) and T02-20R (DGA) grants, and the Institute for Training and Development of Human Resources and Panamanian National Secretary of Science and Technology (IFARHU-SENACYT) for Miguel Morales-Zapata's PhD. scholarship. This research was also supported by MCIN with funding from NextGenerationEU (PRTR-C17.I1) within the Planes Complementarios con CCAA (Area of Green Hydrogen and Energy) and it has been carried out in the CSIC Interdisciplinary Thematic Platform (PTI+) Transición Energética Sostenible+ (PTI-TRANSENER+).

In this study, novel experimental total electron detachment cross sections for O2− collisions with benzene molecules are reported for the impact energy range (10–1000 eV), as measured with a transmission beam apparatus. By analysing the positively charged species produced during the collision events, relative total ionisation cross sections were derived in the incident energy range of 160–900 eV. Relative partial ionisation cross sections for fragments with m/z ≤ 78 u were also given in this energy range. We also confirmed that heavier compounds (m/z > 78 u) formed for impact energies between 550 and 800 eV. In order to further our knowledge about the collision dynamics governing the fragmentation of such heavier molecular compounds, we performed molecular dynamics calculations within the framework of the Density Functional Theory (DFT). These results demonstrated that the fragmentation of these heavier compounds strongly supports the experimental evidence of m/z = 39–42, 50, 60 (u) cations formation, which contributed to the broad local maximum in the total ionisation observed from 550 to 800 eV. This work reveals the reactivity induced by molecular anions colliding with hydrocarbons at high energies, processes that can take place in the interstellar medium under various local conditions., This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN; MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033), grants number PID2019-104727RB-C21 and PID2019-110091GB-I00, the ’María de Maeztu’ (CEX2018-000805-M) Program for Centres of Excellence in R&D and CSIC (Project LINKA20085). This article is based upon work from COST action CA18212—Molecular Dynamics in the GAS phase (MD-GAS), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). CG acknowledges funding from the IFHARU-SENACYT Program of Panamá through the Grant No. 270-2018-364. SK acknowledges the Portuguese National Funding Agency FCT through the Grant PD/BD/142831/2018 and ERASMUS+ 29191(533)107/2019/SMT together with PLV the Research Grants CEFITEC (UIDB/00068/2020) and PTDC/FIS-AQM/31281/2017. This work was also supported by the Radiation Biology and Biophysics Doctoral Training Programme (RaBBiT; Grant PD/00193/2012) and UCIBIO (Grant UIDB/04378/2020)., With funding from the Spanish government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2018-000805-M).

9 pags., 6 figs., Superoxide anions colliding with benzene molecules at impact energies from 200 to 900 eV are reported for the first time to form massive complexes. With the aid of quantum chemistry calculations, we propose a mechanism in which a sudden double ionization of benzene and the subsequent electrostatic attraction between the dication and the anion form a stable covalently bonded CHO molecule, that evolves towards the formation of benzene-diol conformers. These findings lend support to a model presenting a new high energy anion-driven chemistry as an alternative way to form complex molecules., IFHARU-SENACYT Panamá,270–2018-364, Portuguese National Funding Agency FCT,PD/BD/142831/2018, PTDC/FIS-AQM/31281/2017, PTDC/FIS-AQM/31281/2017, Maria de Maeztu Program for Centers of Excellence in R&D,CEX2018-000805-M,Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, PID2019-110091 GB-I00, PID2019-104727RB-C21, CEFITEC Portugal, UIDB/00068/2020,UIDB/00068/2020,UIDB/00068/2020.

This research presents for the first time a comprehensive study of charcoal directly related to the multiple burials interred in Tomb 2 of El Caño (Coclé province, Panama). This funerary context, which dates to between AD 880 to AD 1020, contained three different burial levels accompanied by substantial ceramic offerings and rich mortuary assemblages. The challenge of taxonomically identifying charcoal from tropical areas was addressed by combining standard procedures in tandem with chemical analysis (Py-GC-MS) of archaeological charcoal and fresh wood from the reference collection. Nine charcoal types were identified at the genus level: Avicennia spp., Rhizophora spp., Handranthus/Tabebuia, cf. Copaifera spp., Inga spp., Guettarda spp., Roupala spp., Allophylus spp. and cf. Ryania spp. Charcoal of cf. Copaifera spp., Roupala spp., Guettarda spp., and probably Handroanthus/Tabebuia might be related to their use as firewood for producing smoke. The presence of Copaifera and Roupala indicates the selection of odorous woods for burning in the sahumerios. Diverse habitats, such as coastal mangroves, riverine and dry forests, were exploited to obtain wood, highlighting the complex management of wild plant resources developed by the hierarchical societies of the Isthmo-Colombian area., This research has been funded by Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (SENACYT) (Contrato de Mérito n°80-2014-4-col12-005 signed between Julia Mayo and SENACYT). María Martín-Seijo was funded by a postdoctoral grant Plan I2C mod. B with the project ‘MATERIAL-Materiality and Material Culture: Wood and Other Plant-based Materials in Archaeological Contexts’.

8 pags., 5 figs., 2 tabs., Absolute total electron detachment cross for O2- collisions with O2 are reported for impact energies ranging from 10 to 1600 eV as measured with a transmission-beam experimental apparatus. The primary anionic beam projectile is produced in a hollow cathode discharge-induced plasma, and the collisions with the neutral molecular target occur in a gas cell at a well-known constant pressure. The accurate determination of the gas pressure (within 8%) in the scattering chamber allowed us to clarify the important discrepancies (by about a factor 4) prevailing between previous total electron detachment cross-section measurements. Additional local maxima in the cross-section values, not previously observed, have been detected around 50 and 150 eV., This study is partially supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (Project PID2019-104727RBC21) and CSIC (Project LINKA20085). CG acknowledges funding from the IFHARU-SENACYT Program of Panamá through the Grant No. 270-2018-364. SK acknowledges the Portuguese National Funding Agency FCT through the Grant PD/BD/142831/2018 and together with PLV the Research Grants CEFITEC (UIDB/00068/2020) and PTDC/FIS-AQM/31281/2017. This work was also supported by the Radiation Biology and Biophysics Doctoral Training Programme (RaBBiT; Grant PD/00193/2012) and UCIBIO (Grant UIDB/04378/2020).

Glass-ceramic and biphasic calcium phosphate materials with 3D architectures to be used as scaffolds for endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) were synthesized by freezing and lyophilising ceramic suspensions. The microstructures obtained by FESEM showed the presence of open and 3D interconnected porous structures, which are known to promote cell growth and proliferation. Immunohistochemical staining showed that ESCs spread out and ingressed into the Glass-ceramic scaffold. On average, 2952 cells were found per mm and the depth of cellular infiltration into the scaffold was 66.4 µm. Embryo development occurred on top of cell-cultured scaffold, which suggests that it is not embryotoxic. Taking all of this into account, we can state that the Glass-ceramic scaffold provides a promising tool to develop an in vitro endometrial 3D model., Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness- MINECO project- AGL2016-78597. AM was supported by Secretaría Nacional de Educación Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación- Ecuador - II Fase 2013.

8 páginas, 4 figuras, 1 tabla. Información suplementaria accesible en: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-59373-w, It is relevant to evaluate MDR-tuberculosis in prisons and its impact on the global epidemiology of this disease. However, systematic molecular epidemiology programs in prisons are lacking. A health-screening program performed on arrival for inmates transferred from Peruvian prisons to Spain led to the diagnosis of five MDR-TB cases from one of the biggest prisons in Latin America. They grouped into two MIRU-VNTR-clusters (Callao-1 and Callao-2), suggesting a reservoir of two prevalent MDR strains. A high-rate of overexposure was deduced because one of the five cases was coinfected by a pansusceptible strain. Callao-1 strain was also identified in 2018 in a community case in Spain who had been in the same Peruvian prison in 2002-5. A strain-specific-PCR tailored from WGS data was implemented in Peru, allowing the confirmation that these strains were currently responsible for the majority of the MDR cases in that prison, including a new mixed infection., This work was supported by ERANet-LAC [ELAC2015/T08–0664, E035-ERANet-LAC/J110-2016/FONDECYT, PER-2012-ELAC2015/T08-0664] and Instituto de Salud Carlos III [AC16/00057, FIS15/01554, FIS13/01207] and cofunded by European Regional Development Funds from the European Commission: “A way of making Europe”. FA holds a grant from IFARHUSENACYT [270-2016-293].

This research aimed to determine the origin of organic residues from funerary contexts in the El Caño settlement (Gran Coclé area, Panamá, Central America) by means of multiple molecular probing techniques (GC-MS of organic solvent extracts and pyrolysis-GC-MS, THM-GC-MS and FTIR of solid samples). The samples include particles of precious resin figurines, fillings of golden objects, tomb sediments, plant exudates from extant plants (reference collection) and other reference materials (amber). The labdane diterpene fingerprints (eperuic, iso-ozic, copalic and kolavenic acids and derivatives) of the resin figurines, a resinous bead and several other samples, suggest that they were composed primarily of Hymenaea resin. Besides traditional interpretation approaches (visual comparison of chromatograms and relative proportions data), we used a novel OpenChrom® application that resolves complex pyrolysis chromatograms by screening data from archaeological samples for marker products defined on the basis of a reference collection (ChromIdent). ChromIdent confirmed the Hymenaea origin of many samples and also Burseraceae resin was identified in some samples, which is present as a minor ingredient in resin figurines (indicative of mixing practices) and as the dominant resin in tomb sediment that had been in contact with the corpses (indicating balsaming practices). The degree of polymerization of the Hymenaea resin was higher than for extant resin but diagenetic alteration (especially condensation of cyclic moieties) was much smaller than for amber, implying that the manufacturers used resin (or copal), not amber. These results were confirmed by FTIR, which allowed identification of non-fossil Hymenaea resin as the main constituent of one of the resin figurines. Several golden object infillings contained wax derivatives, probably beeswax, accompanied by various types of plant resin, which may well indicate the use of meliponines' cerumen for manufacturing (lost-wax casting). The findings highlight the potential of complementary molecular techniques to resolve questions on materials and manufacturing of archaeological artefacts, and the need for cross-comparison of molecular and ethnographic information in the study of archaeobotanical remains and the processes involved in their management., This project was supported by the National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation of Panama (SENACYT) (Nº80-2014-4-COL12-005). María Martín-Seijo was funded by a Post-Doc Grant Plan I2C of the Xunta de Galicia (“MATERIAL-Materiality and Material Culture: Wood and Other Plant-based Materials in Archaeological Contexts”).

For a significant number of people with visual impairments, public transport plays an important role in productivity, community participation, and independence, since it may be the only feasible mobility option to participate in their education, work, medical care, food, and to attend many other places in their community. To use the public bus system safely, effectively, and autonomously, these people need to collect information about their physical environment and visible information at stops and terminals, such as timetables, routes, etc. Unfortunately, most people who are blind or visually impaired experience difficulties in getting on the right bus or getting off at the right destination. These situations usually force them to depend on other people that assist them in activities close to their homes, or settle for simpler jobs, or simply stay at home. Therefore, our efforts should aim to develop a system where technology is used to empower people with visual disabilities, allowing them to navigate autonomously in the public transport system. This paper presents a system based on radio frequency (RF) communication proposed within the framework of the MOVIDIS (Mobility for Visually Disabled People) research project (funded by the National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation-SENACYT, under Grants No. 109-2015-4-FID14-073 and No. 99-2018-4-FID17-031), which provides an alternative to assist people with visual disabilities with their mobility in the public transport system. The various modules of this system communicate with each other by means of radio frequency and allow users to interact with buses and their respective stops. The first experimental results show that RF communication represents a viable option to help people with visual disabilities in public transport services., This work was developed within the framework of the MOVIDIS project, funded by the Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation) (SENACYT) of Panama under Grants No. 109-2015-4-FID14-073 and No. 99-2018-4-FID17-031. Y.S. acknowledges support from the Sistema Nacional de Investigación (National System of Researchers) (SNI) of Panama for providing partial financing for the publication of this manuscript through Grant No. 200-2017. H. Montes also thanks SNI of Panama for the support to their members and the Centre for Automation and Robotics CSIC-UPM of Spain for its support in researcher projects.

Diphenyl-based bis(2-iminoimidazolidines) are promising antiprotozoal agents that are curative in mouse models of stage 1 trypanosomiasis but devoid of activity in the late-stage disease, possibly due to poor brain penetration caused by their dicationic nature. We present here a strategy consisting in reducing the pKa of the basic 2-iminoimidazolidine groups though the introduction of chlorophenyl, fluorophenyl and pyridyl ring in the structure of the trypanocidal lead 4-(imidazolidin-2-ylideneamino)-N-(4-(imidazolidin-2-ylideneamino)phenyl)benzamide (1). The new compounds showed reduced pKa values (in the range 1-3 pKa units) for the imidazolidine group linked to the substituted phenyl ring. In vitro activities (EC50) against wild type and resistant strains of T. b. brucei (s427 and B48, respectively) were in the submicromolar range with four compounds being more active and selective than 1 (SI > 340). In particular, the two most potent compounds (3b and 5a) acted approximately 6-times faster than 1 to kill trypanosomes in vitro. No cross-resistance with the diamidine and melaminophenyl class of trypanocides was observed indicating that these compounds represent interesting leads for further in vivo studies., This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (Grant SAF2009-10399) to CD and a studentship from the Tertiary Education TRUST Fund, Abuja, Nigeria to GUE. CRM was the recipient from a PhD fellowship of the Government of Panama (SENACYT grant BIDP-2008-030). JNM was supported by a “Presidente de la República” scholarship from PRONABEC (Peru). We thank Dr N. Jagerovic and Dr P. Goya for logistical collaboration

[Purpose]: Polyphenol metabolites are key mediators of the biological activities of polyphenols. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of a high-fat high-sucrose (HFHS) diet on the metabolism of proanthocyanidins from grape seed extract (GSE). [Methods]: Adult female Wistar–Kyoto rats were fed a standard (STD) or HFHS diet supplemented or not with GSE for 16 weeks. PA metabolites were determined by targeted HPLC–MS/MS analysis. [Results]: A lower concentration of total microbial-derived PA metabolites was present in urine and the aqueous fraction of faeces in the HFHS + GSE group than in the STD + GSE group. In contrast, a tendency towards the formation of conjugated (epi)catechin metabolites in the HFHS + GSE group was observed. [Conclusions]: These results show that a HFHS diet significantly modifies PA metabolism, probably via: (1) a shift in microbial communities not counteracted by the polyphenols themselves; and (2) an up-regulation of hepatic enzymes., This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Grants: AGL2009-12374-C03-01, -02 and -03; and AGL2013-49079-C2-1, 2 and -R, and through a doctoral fellowship to L.M.). The Panamanian Government (SENACYT/IFARHU) awarded a graduate fellowship to E.M.-T. The ISCIII is acknowledged for a “Sara Borrell” postdoctoral contract to J.P.-J. (CD09/00068).

[EN]: The species of Ormyridae that emerged of 15 from 65 gall morphotypes of Cynipidae in trees of the genus Quercus reported for Panama were studied. Specimens were collected from January 2008 to December 2010 in the cloud forests of the Cordillera Central of Panama. Three species of Ormyrus; O. hegeli, O. unifasciatipennis and O. venustus were identified parasitizing the gall inducers and inquiline species of the studied galls, with O. venustus being the most abundant species. This is the first report of O. hegeli from the Neotropics, a species which was previously recorded only from North America. The results extend the known distribution of this family of parasitoid wasps, and confirm the assumption that the lack of records of some groups of arthropods in Panamanian tropical forests is due to the lack of sampling rather than their absence., [ES]: Se estudiaron las especies de la familia Ormyridae emergidas de 15 de los 65 morfotipos de agallas inducidas por especies de la familia Cynipidae en árboles del género Quercus conocidas para Panamá. Las recolectas se realizaron entre enero de 2008 a diciembre de 2010 en los bosques nubosos de la Cordillera Central de Panamá. Se identificaron tres especies del género Ormyrus (Chalcidoidea: Ormyridae), O. hegeli,O. unifasciatipennis y O. venustus, parasitoides de las especies inductoras e inquilinas de las agallas hospedadoras. La especie más abundante fue O. venustus y, por primera vez, se reporta para el Neotrópico O. hegeli, que sólo había sido citada para Norteamérica. Los resultados amplían los registros de distribución de esta familia de avispas parasitoides y confirman la presunción de que la carencia de datos de algunos grupos de artrópodos en los bosques tropicales se debe más a la falta de muestreo y no a la ausencia de ellos en estas áreas., Enrique Medianero es miembro del Sistema Nacional de Investigación de Panamá y fue financiado con fondos de gobierno de Panamá a través de la Universidad de Panamá y la Secretaria Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SENACYT) bajo el proyecto No. 52-2016-4-ITE1505

[EN]: Three new species of Neuroterus Hartig, 1840 (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini) are described from Panama and Costa Rica: Neuroterus elvisi sp. n., Neuroterus pulchrigalla sp. n., and Neuroterus glandiphilus sp. n. The new species are the first of the genus Neuroterus recorded from Central America and the Neotropical region. The new species induce galls on Quercus bumelioides Liebm. (Fagaceae, sect. Quercus, White Oaks). Additional evidence of the presence of other unidentified species of Neuroterus in the sampled area is presented. Diagnostic morphological characters, gall descriptions, distributions, host plant and other biological data of the new species are given and discussed, [ES]: Se describen tres nuevas especies del género Neuroterus Hartig, 1840 (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini) de Panamá y Costa Rica: Neuroterus elvisi sp. n., Neuroterus pulchrigalla sp. n. y Neuroterus glandiphilus sp. n.. Las nuevas especies representan el primer registro del género Neuroterus para América Central y la región neotropical. Se presenta también evidencia adicional de la presencia de otras especies de Neuroterus no identificadas. Las nuevas especies inducen agallas en Quercus bumelioides Liebm. (Fagaceae, sect. Quercus , robles blancos). Se aportan caracteres diagnósticos, descripciones de las agallas, datos de su distribución, de las plantas hospedadoras y otros datos de biología de las nuevas especies., E. M. was funded by the Sistema Nacional de Investigación of the SENACYT in Panama, the University of Panama and research project 52-2016-4-ITE1505. JLNA was supported in part by research projects CGL2010-15786/BOS and MINECO/FEDER, UE) CGL2015-66571-P.

We report the synthesis and structure of a molecular {Gd7} cage of the formula (iPr2NH2)6[Gd7(μ3-OH)3(CO3)6(O2CtBu)12] which has crystallographic C3h symmetry. Low temperature specific heat and adiabatic demagnetization experiments (the latter achieving temperatures below 100 mK), lead to the observation of the effects of both intramolecular dipolar interactions and geometric spin frustration. The dipolar interaction leads to a massive rearrangement of energy levels such that specific heat and entropy below 2 K are strongly modified while magnetic susceptibility and magnetization above 2 K are not affected. The consequences of these phenomena for low temperature magnetocaloric applications are discussed., EMP thanks the Panamanian agency SENACYT-IFARHU. KZ thanks the KRG-Scholarship program in “Human Capacity Development (HCDP)”. JS thanks the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG SCHN 615/20-1) for continuous support. Supercomputing time at the LRZ Garching is gratefully acknowledged. GL and ME thank Spanish MINECO (MAT2015-68204-R). We also thank EPSRC (UK) for funding an X-ray diffractometer (grant number EP/K039547/1).

et al., Keplerates are molecules that contain metal polyhedra that describe both Platonic and Archimedean solids; new copper keplerates are reported, with physical studies indicating that even where very high molecular symmetry is found, the low-temperature physics does not necessarily reflect this symmetry. New copper keplerates are reported, with physical studies indicating that even where very high molecular symmetry is found, the low-temperature physics does not necessarily reflect this symmetry., This work was supported by the EPSRC (UK), including the National EPR Facility, the National Crystallographic Service and for funding an X-ray diffractometer (grant number EP/K039547/1). EMP thanks the Panamanian agency SENACYT-IFARHU for funding. ME acknowledges financial support from MINECO through grant MAT2012-38318-C03-01. REPW thanks the Royal Society for a Wolfson Merit Award.JS thanks the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SCHN/615-15)for continuous support. CH and JS thank for support through an exchange program between Germany and Bulgaria (DAAD PPP Bulgarien 57085392 &DNTS/Germany/01/2). Supercomputing time at the LRZ Garching is gratefully acknowledged. HN acknowledges financial support through a ICC-IMR project.

8 pages, 3 figures, It has been suggested that food components such as ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) and (poly)phenols counteract diet-induced metabolic alterations by common or complementary mechanisms. To examine the effects of a combination of ω-3 PUFAs and (poly)phenols on such alterations, adult Wistar-Kyoto rats were fed an obesogenic high-fat high-sucrose diet supplemented, or not, for 24 weeks with: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)/docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) 1 : 1 (16.6 g kg(-1) feed); proanthocyanidin-rich grape seed extract (GSE, 0.8 g kg(-1) feed); or EPA/DHA 1 : 1 + GSE. Body weight, feed intake, and plasma glucose were evaluated every 6 weeks, while adipose tissue weight, insulin, glucagon, ghrelin, leptin, adiponectin, cholesterol, and triglycerides were evaluated at the end of the experiment. ω-3 PUFAs reduced plasma leptin and cholesterol levels, but did not modify diet-induced perigonadal fat or plasma insulin levels; while GSE increased plasma triglyceride levels. The combined action of ω-3 PUFAs and the proanthocyanidins reduced plasma insulin and leptin, as well as partially prevented perigonadal fat accumulation. While separate supplementation with ω-3 PUFAs or grape proanthocyanidins may not counteract all the key metabolic changes induced by a high-energy-dense diet, the combination of both supplements reverts altered insulin, leptin and triglyceride levels to normal., This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (through grants AGL2009-12374-C03-01, -02 and -03; and AGL2013-49079-C2-1,2-R). The Panamanian Government (SENACYT/IFRHU) and Spanish Research Council (CSIC) awarded graduate fellowships to E. M.-T. and G. D., respectively. The ISCIII is acknowledged for a “Sara Borrell” postdoctoral contract to J. P.-J. (CD09/00068).

© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. In this work the authors address the problem of robustness of the classic PI controller implemented in a Hydraulic Servo-Actuator (HSA), by presenting a strategy based on the definition of a linear model of the system and the identification of its parameters for different working points. The variation of these parameters is considered as a measure of parametric uncertainty of the linear model. These uncertainties along with the definition of a nominal plant are used to analyze the robustness of the system implementing the Small Gain Theorem. Theoretical and experimental results show that a PI controller can provide robustness to the HSA., MAEC-AECID grant programs; Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología de Panamá Becas de Excelencia grant programs. The authors would like to thank the financial support of the Spanish Government through the CICYT Project Ref. DPI2009-08778 and also to Comunidad de Madrid who supports the project ROBOCITY2030-II Ref. P2009/DPI-1559.

Bisimidazoline arylamides and related compounds are high affinity DNA minor groove binders with a preference for AT over GC-rich DNA. However, further selectivity towards different classes of AT-sites (e.g., CGAATTCG, CATATATAT) is not always observed with these series. In this work, we wanted to understand the effect of imidazoline ring N-substitution on binding to DNA AT-sites. The structure¿affinity relationships of a series of structurally related bisimidazoline compounds were studied by UV titrations and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments using fish sperm DNA and different hairpin oligonucleotides. We found that in this series, the presence of N1¿OH groups enhances the binding affinity to dsDNA CGAATTCG oligonucleotide, resulting in a higher selectivity for dsDNA containing AATT over (AT)4 sequences. The docking models showed that the N-hydroxy derivatives bind in a more planar conformation to the CGAATTCG DNA sequence, display more favorable van der Waals interactions, and show additional H-bonds with the bases and the sugar-phosphate backbone., C. R. was a recipient of a PhD fellowship from the govern- ment of Panama (SENACYT grant BIDP-2008-030). The assis- tance of Silvia Soto Alvarez with the SPR experiments and Eden Gebreselassie with the UV experiments is gratefully acknowledged. We thank Dr. N. Jagerovic, Dr. P. Goya, and Dr. Alkorta for logistical collaboration. We acknowledge sup- port of the publication fee by the CSIC Open Access Publica- tion Support Initiative through its Unit of Information Resources for Research (URICI)

Fungi occupy an important ecological niche in the marine environment, and marine fungi possess an immense biotechnological potential. This study documents the fungal diversity associated with 39 species of sponges and determines their potential to produce secondary metabolites capable of interacting with mammalian G-protein-coupled receptors involved in blood pressure regulation. Total genomic DNA was extracted from 563 representative fungal strains obtained from marine sponges collected by SCUBA from the Caribbean and the Pacific regions of Panama. A total of 194 operational taxonomic units were found with 58 % represented by singletons based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and partial large subunit (LSU) rDNA regions. Marine sponges were highly dominated by Ascomycota fungi (95.6 %) and represented by two major classes, Sordariomycetes and Dothideomycetes. Rarefaction curves showed no saturation, indicating that further efforts are needed to reveal the entire diversity at this site. Several unique clades were found during phylogenetic analysis with the highest diversity of unique clades in the order Pleosporales. From the 65 cultures tested to determine their in vitro effect on angiotensin and endothelin receptors, the extracts of Fusarium sp. and Phoma sp. blocked the activation of these receptors by more than 50 % of the control and seven others inhibited between 30 and 45 %. Our results indicate that marine sponges from Panama are a “hot spot” of fungal diversity as well as a rich resource for capturing, cataloguing, and assessing the pharmacological potential of substances present in previously undiscovered fungi associated with marine sponges., The authors thank the National Secretariat of Science and Technology of the Republic of Panama for financial support by grants of international collaboration number COL08-014 and COL10-070 and by a partnership program between the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (The Hague, Netherlands) and the International Foundation for Science (Stockholm, Sweden).

Tesis Doctoral presentada por Saúl Alejandro Ardines González en el Instituto Universitario de Estudios de la Ciencia y la Tecnología de la Universidad de Salamanca para optar al grado de Doctor en Estudios Sociales de la Ciencia y la Tecnología., La República de Panamá ha sido tradicionalmente un país que ha importado la mayoría de los productos y bienes de equipo para su uso y consumo. En los últimos años, debido a su distinguida posición geográfica, el país se está convirtiendo en un centro internacional de servicios portuarios, logísticos y comerciales, lo cual puede representar una oportunidad para evolucionar hacia una economía más avanzada, en la que el conocimiento y la innovación desempeñen un papel activo. En este contexto, el objetivo general de investigación es analizar el papel de la Universidad de Panamá (UP) en el Sistema Panameño de Innovación, y en especial sus relaciones con los distintos actores en este escenario, así como sus características, las motivaciones y los obstáculos que las dificultan. Para ello, se han estudiado los atributos y las relaciones de 48 unidades de investigación de la citada universidad a partir de encuestas y entrevistas realizadas a sus responsables. Además, se obtuvo información de los principales agentes con los que colaboran esas unidades (empresas privadas, otras organizaciones de investigación, entidades públicas y otras entidades) que fueron referenciadas por las unidades de investigación de la UP, también mediante encuestas y entrevistas. Los atributos analizados fueron las características generales, la colaboración, los objetivos y motivaciones, los resultados y la valoración del proceso de colaboración. Para el análisis de las relaciones también se han utilizado algunas técnicas procedentes del campo del análisis de redes sociales por su idoneidad para mostrar la intensidad y diversidad de las citadas relaciones. Las unidades de investigación de la UP fueron creadas por iniciativa de los propios docentes, no como consecuencia de una política institucional, y desarrollan su actividad científica en el ámbito de las ciencias experimentales y de la vida (62%) y en el de las ciencias sociales (20%), lo cual determina en gran medida que sus colaboraciones se lleven a cabo mayoritariamente con otras organizaciones de investigación y con entidades públicas y en mucho menor grado con empresas y, cuando se llevan a cabo con éstas, son de bajo nivel de implicación y contenido científico (extensión, difusión, consultoría); el principal resultado de las colaboraciones es la obtención de fondos adicionales y mejorar la imagen y prestigio de la entidad. En términos generales, para todos los actores entrevistados en la investigación el grado de satisfacción conseguido en las actividades de investigación y desarrollo realizadas en colaboración se ha valorado como bastante o muy alto. Los entrevistados de la UP han puesto de manifiesto que los principales obstáculos para las relaciones son la falta de fondos para financiarlas y la falta de un contexto legal y administrativo que facilite las relaciones, mientras que para las entidades no académicas los mayores obstáculos son la falta de información sobre la oferta de conocimientos y capacidades de la universidad y el desinterés de los profesores por emprender colaboraciones. El estudio permitió igualmente la detección de redes que, han sido constituidas de diferente modo, pero siempre atendiendo a las necesidades de cada uno de los actores. Es preciso aclarar que las densidades de las relaciones y las demás mediciones son valores bajos que no garantizan la operatividad eficiente y eficaz de las redes encontradas. Sin embargo, se pudo extraer información valiosísima aportada a este estudio. Los resultados de la tesis ofrecen un diagnóstico bastante profundo sobre las relaciones de la UP con otros actores del Sistema de Innovación Panameño, que pueden ser de utilidad para el diseño de políticas científicas y de innovación, tanto de ámbito nacional como institucional, en un contexto global en el que las instituciones que generan conocimiento están llamadas a desempeñar un papel muy activo en el desarrollo económico y social de los países., Esta investigación fue financiada por la Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SENACYT).

4 pags, 3 figs, 1 tab, An uncharacterized protein from Arabidopsis thaliana consisting of a single C2 domain (At3g17980) was cloned into the pETM11 vector and expressed in Escherichia coli, allowing purification to homogeneity in a single chromatographic step. Good-quality diffracting crystals were obtained using vapour-diffusion techniques. The crystals diffracted to 2.2 Å resolution and belonged to space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 35.3, b = 88.9, c = 110.6 Å. A promising molecular-replacement solution has been found using the structure of the C2 domain of Munc13-C2b (PDB entry 3kwt) as the search model. © 2011 International Union of Crystallography. All rights reserved., his work was funded by grants BFU2008-00368/BMC, BFU2011-25384 and CSD2006-00015 (Factoría de Cristalización) of the Spanish ‘Plan Nacional’ (MICINN) to AA. MD was supported by fellowship SENACYT-IFARHU of Panama–‘Programa de Investigadores’.

Special Issue: Insect Evolution Below the Species Level., 1. The diversity of insects in tropical forests remains poorly known, in particular regarding the critical feeding associations of herbivores, which are thought to drive species richness in these ecosystems. 2. Host records remain elusive and traditionally require labour-intensive feeding trials. A recent approach analyses plant DNA ingested by herbivorous insects; direct PCR amplification from DNA extracts from weevils (Curculionoidea) using chloroplast (trnL intron) primers was successful in 41 of 115 cases, resulting in 40 different sequences. 3. The resulting trnL intron sequences were identified against public databases to various hierarchical levels based on their position in phylogenetic trees and shown to be members of 26 plant families from different major groups of angiosperms. 4. Among the trnL intron sequences, seven pairs or triplets of close relatives (0-2 bp difference) were found which may represent intraspecific variation in the respective host plants. 5. Molecular clock calibrations of mitochondrial cox1 sequences of weevils established great distances of lineages obtained (all splits estimated >20 Mya). Distant taxa were found to feed on the same or similar hosts in some cases, showing low evolutionary conservation of host associations among deeper levels. 6. The technique provides a new means of studying species diversity and plant-herbivore interactions in tropical forests, and removes the constraints of the need for actual observations of feeding in ecological and evolutionary studies. © 2010 The Royal Entomological Society., This work has been supported by the studentships from SENACYT-Panama, CONACYT-Mexico (196749) and the European Union-Alban (E05D058103PA) to S. P. N. J. J. R. received support from the SYNTHESYS grant (GB-TAF-4394) of the European Community Research Infrastructure and J.G-Z. from the Spanish “Fundación BBVA” (project >IN2-BST-Nicaragua).

The retinoblastoma protein Rb is a tumor suppressor involved in cell cycle control, differentiation, and inhibition of oncogenic transformation. Besides these roles, additional functions in the control of immune response have been suggested. In the present study we investigated the consequences of loss of Rb in viral infection. Here we show that virus replication is increased by the absence of Rb, and that Rb is required for the activation of the NF-kB pathway in response to virus infection. These results reveal a novel role for tumor suppressor Rb in viral infection surveillance and further extend the concept of a link between tumor suppressors and antiviral activity, M.E. is funded by BIO2005-06264 and Fundación Botín. A.V. and C.R. are funded by SAF-06868 and BFU2005-00599, respectively, Fundación Mutua Madrileña, and CCG08-CSIC/SAL-3441 (CR). M.A.G. is supported by the CSIC I3P Program and J. G-S. is supported by the IFARHU-SENACYT Program from Panama. M.C. is supported by Fundación Botín and Juan de la Cierva Program. L.M-V. is supported by Comunidad de Madrid. P.G. is supported by the JAE-CSIC predoctoral Program. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.