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A major challenge for conservation assessments is to identify priority areas that incorporate biological patterns and processes. Because large-scale processes are mostly oriented along environmental gradients, we propose to accommodate them by designing regional-scale corridors to capture these gradients. Based on systematic conservation planning principles such as representation and persistence, we identified large tracts of untransformed land (i.e., conservation corridors) for conservation that would achieve biodiversity targets for pattern and process in the Subtropical Thicket Biome of South Africa. We combined least-cost path analysis with a target-driven algorithm to identify the best option for capturing key environmental gradients while considering biodiversity targets and conservation opportunities and constraints. We identified seven conservation corridors on the basis of subtropical thicket representation, habitat transformation and degradation, wildlife suitability, irreplaceability of vegetation types, protected area networks, and future land-use pressures. These conservation corridors covered 21.1% of the planning region (ranging from 600 to $5200 km^2$) and successfully achieved targets for biological processes and to a lesser extent for vegetation types. The corridors we identified are intended to promote the persistence of ecological processes (gradients and fixed processes) and fulfill half of the biodiversity pattern target. We compared the conservation corridors with a simplified corridor design consisting of a fixed-width buffer along major rivers. Conservation corridors outperformed river buffers in seven out of eight criteria. Our corridor design can provide a tool for quantifying trade-offs between various criteria (biodiversity pattern and process, implementation constraints and opportunities). A land-use management model was developed to facilitate implementation of conservation actions within these corridors.

The decomposition of submerged organic matter after the flooding process of a reservoir and the organic matter transported by the tributaries that supply it, gives rise to the formation of greenhouse gases (GHG), such as CO2 and CH4, product of the aerobic and anaerobic biological processes that take place both on the surface and at the bottom of the reservoir. In this study, the dynamics of aerobic and anaerobic processes as well as the generation of greenhouse gases in the degradation of organic matter, present in a tropical reservoir, were compared. Batch reactors and plant material extracted from the protection strip were used. Likewise, the behavior of the variation of the COD, physicochemical parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen, redox potential, and conductivity were evaluated, and the kinetic constants that represent the behavior of organic matter were defined. The results showed that the degradation of the organic material leads to the generation of GHG, however, when using water plus vegetal material, the GHG increased considerably after a time. This process is due to the fact that the plant material suffers the breakdown of its polymer chains and so it degrades more quickly, which increases the concentration of organic matter available to microorganisms. GHG values ​​were on average 10.290 g CO2eq/m2.d with water only, and 24.536 g CO2eq/m2.d with water and vegetal material for aerobic processes. In anaerobic processes, the values were on average 12.056 g CO2eq/m2.d with water only, and 33.470 g CO2eq/m2.d with water plus vegetal material. These laboratory scale results allow analyzing the behavior of the reservoir and the incidence of flooded plant material on GHGs.

In agricultural activities, the main greenhouse gases (GHG) are those related to C and N global cycles. The impact of agriculture on GHG emissions has become a key issue, especially when considering that natural C and N cycles are influenced by agricultural development. This review focuses on CO2 and N2O soil emissions in terrestrial ecosystems, with emphasis in Chilean and similar agro-ecosystems around the world. The influence of land use and crop management practices on CO2 and N2O emissions is analyzed; some mitigation measures to reduce such emissions are also discussed here. More knowledge on the biological processes that promote of GHG emissions from soil will allow creating opportunities for agricultural development under friendly-environmental conditions, where soil can act as a reservoir and/or emitter of GHG, depending on the balance of inputs and outputs. En actividades agrícolas los principales gases de efecto invernadero (GHG) son los relacionados con los ciclos globales de C y N. El impacto de la agricultura sobre las emisiones GHG se ha convertido en una cuestión clave, especialmente si se considera que los ciclos naturales C y N se ven influidos por el desarrollo agrícola. Esta revisión se centra en emisiones de CO2 y N2O del suelo en los ecosistemas terrestres, con énfasis en agro-ecosistemas de Chile y similares alrededor del mundo. Se analiza la influencia del uso del suelo y las prácticas de manejo del cultivo sobre emisiones de CO2 y N2O, se discuten medidas de mitigación para reducir estas emisiones. Un mayor conocimiento sobre los procesos biológicos que promueven las emisiones GHG del suelo permitirá la creación de oportunidades para el desarrollo agrícola en condiciones ambientalmente amigables, donde el suelo puede actuar como un reservorio y/o emisor de GHG, dependiendo del balance de entradas y salidas.

Multiple myeloma (MM) arises following malignant proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow, that secrete high amounts of specific monoclonal immunoglobulins or light chains, resulting in the massive production of unfolded or misfolded proteins. Autophagy can have a dual role in tumorigenesis, by eliminating these abnormal proteins to avoid cancer development, but also ensuring MM cell survival and promoting resistance to treatments. To date no studies have determined the impact of genetic variation in autophagy-related genes on MM risk. We performed meta-analysis of germline genetic data on 234 autophagy-related genes from three independent study populations including 13,387 subjects of European ancestry (6863 MM patients and 6524 controls) and examined correlations of statistically significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; p < 1 × 10−9) with immune responses in whole blood, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) from a large population of healthy donors from the Human Functional Genomic Project (HFGP). We identified SNPs in six loci, CD46, IKBKE, PARK2, ULK4, ATG5, and CDKN2A associated with MM risk (p = 4.47 × 10−4−5.79 × 10−14). Mechanistically, we found that the ULK4rs6599175 SNP correlated with circulating concentrations of vitamin D3 (p = 4.0 × 10−4), whereas the IKBKErs17433804 SNP correlated with the number of transitional CD24+CD38+ B cells (p = 4.8 × 10−4) and circulating serum concentrations of Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein (MCP)-2 (p = 3.6 × 10−4). We also found that the CD46rs1142469 SNP correlated with numbers of CD19+ B cells, CD19+CD3− B cells, CD5+IgD− cells, IgM− cells, IgD−IgM− cells, and CD4−CD8− PBMCs (p = 4.9 × 10−4−8.6 × 10−4) and circulating concentrations of interleukin (IL)-20 (p = 0.00082). Finally, we observed that the CDKN2Ars2811710 SNP correlated with levels of CD4+EMCD45RO+CD27− cells (p = 9.3 × 10−4). These results suggest that genetic variants within these six loci influence MM risk through the modulation of specific subsets of immune cells, as well as vitamin D3−, MCP-2−, and IL20-dependent pathways.

Issues of regulation and control are central to the study of biological and biochemical systems. Thus it is not surprising that the tools of feedback control theory, engineering techniques developed to design and analyze self-regulating systems, have proven useful in the study of these biological mechanisms. Such interdisciplinary work requires knowledge of the results, tools and techniques of another discipline, as well as an understanding of the culture of an unfamiliar research community. This volume attempts to bridge the gap between disciplines by presenting applications of systems and control theory to cell biology that range from surveys of established material to descriptions of new developments in the field.

This work shows how the cellular Potts model can be used as a framework for model building and how extended models can achieve better biological practicality, accuracy and predictive power. It focuses on ways to integrate and interface the cellular Potts model at the mesoscopic scale with approaches that accurately model microscopic dynamics.

El objetivo de este trabajo fue obtener una metodología para el análisis del rediseño, de un filtro rotatorio, para la mejora de la confiabilidad de proceso como elemento integrante de la confiabilidad operacional. En la metodología se adaptó el método propuesto por la metodología 6 Sigma para el análisis de la confiabilidad de procesos y se implementaron modelos matemáticos para los cálculos de confiabilidad y mantenibilidad. La metodología se implementó en el proceso de filtración de un producto monoclonal en una empresa biofarmacéutica, obteniéndose que los problemas que afectaban los parámetros de operación estaban asociados a la confiabilidad de procesos. Se evaluaron tres alternativas para comprobar la eficacia del rediseño que describieron por este orden la situación actual, los cambios propuestos y la propuesta aceptada, además del comportamiento en el tiempo de las modificaciones de rediseño realizadas. Los datos utilizados fueron extraídos del software SCADA con licencia operativa, durante el período 2018-2019, el cual controla el funcionamiento del filtro rotatorio y el comportamiento de las variables analizadas. La aplicación de esta metodología permitió reducir los ciclos de limpieza del filtro rotatorio, seleccionar la malla adecuada para el proceso de filtración, aumentar la eficiencia al 95% y proponer la velocidad de giro entre 300-500 rpm para alargar el tiempo de colmatación.  

Historically, the teaching of anatomy within the area of Physical Education has not focused its content on the practice of the course of studies; it has not been contextualized in its difficulties. This is an attempt to show that the subject that is offered to us could answer the needs of a dynamic Physical Education, and because of this, it is important to highlight the functional contribution which adapts in a more realistic sense to our teaching practice. The functional anatomy that is proposed goes beyond the static description of the different regions of the human body, having a wider and more dynamic vision of the body in motion. From this idea, we try to see the contents of the subject not as something rigid or invariable, but to use them to think and to create spaces of discussion on our practice and to wonder, how a descriptive anatomy reduced to only its descriptive contents may helps us. The anatomy, in this aspect, must begin from its own field and here lies our main concern as regards focusing on its functions, starting from the movement and not from the dead bodies where we observe the lack of dynamics

A bioassay using red beet root length indicated an increase in imazethapyr bioactivity in Berryland sand (BLS) as soil pH increased from 3.7 to 6.5. Increasing pH above 6.5 had no effect on imazethapyr bioactivity. The lowest imazethapyr concentrations detected by the bioassay at pH 6.5 were 0.5, 1, 2.5, and 5 to 10 μg kg−1 in acidwashed quartz sand, BLS, Aura loamy sand, and muck soil, respectively. After application of 0.07 kg ae ha−1 with 12.5 mm of simulated rainfall at 3-d intervals, imazethapyr remained in the 0 to 15 cm soil in BLS soil columns. Under this rainfall regime, the herbicide moved 30 cm deep 5 mo after application, but residues decreased significantly in surface soil. Imazethapyr bioactivity was highest and mobility was lowest at low soil temperature (10 C) and low moisture (4 to 6% w/w). Imazethapyr movement was monitored successfully using the red beet root length bioassay, and an herbicide residue map was developed to show the pattern of imazethapyr bioactivity in soil columns.

Activity, adsorption, mobility, and field persistence of one emulsifiable concentrate (EC) and three microencapsulated (ME) formulations of alachlor were studied with petri dish bioassay, based on root response of oats grown in sand or soil. Both bioassays indicated that activity of all formulations was increased with increasing herbicide concentration. EC-alachlor in sand showed the highest activity, while ME-alachlorL and ME-alachlorA, the lowest; the activity of ME-alachlorC was intermediate. In silty clay loam soil, EC-alachlor had the highest activity, while ME-alachlorL had the lowest; and ME-alachlorA showed intermediate activity and was similar to that of ME-alachlorC More alachlor was adsorbed on the soil or remained encapsulated (not biologically available) after ME-alachlorL and ME-alachorA application compared to EC-alachlor. An intermediate amount of alachlor was adsorbed or remained inside the capsules when the ME-alachlorC formulation was applied. Greater amounts of alachlor were leached through a silty clay loam after EC-alachlor application compared to the three ME-alachlor formulations. Biologically available alachlor was not detected below 15 or 10 cm after application of EC- and ME-alachlor formulations, respectively. All alachlor formulations applied alone or in mixture with atrazine showed similar field persistence. Biologically available alachlor was not detected in the 0- to 10-cm soil depth 30 d after their application. All alachlor formulations applied alone gave excellent control of redroot pigweed and black nightshade, but only partial control of jimsonweed. None of the herbicide treatments showed any detrimental effect on corn, and all of them increased corn yield to the level of weed-free control.