Octopus maya white body show sex-specific transcriptomic profiles during the reproductive phase, with high differentiation in signaling pathways

Oscar Juárez (2019, [Artículo])

White bodies (WB), multilobulated soft tissue that wraps the optic tracts and optic lobes, have been considered the hematopoietic organ of the cephalopods. Its glandular appearance and its lobular morphology suggest that different parts of the WB may perform different functions, but a detailed functional analysis of the octopus WB is lacking. The aim of this study is to describe the transcriptomic profile of WB to better understand its functions, with emphasis on the difference between sexes during reproductive events. Then, validation via qPCR was performed using different tissues to find out tissue-specific transcripts. High differentiation in signaling pathways was observed in the comparison of female and male transcriptomic profiles. For instance, the expression of genes involved in the androgen receptor-signaling pathway were detected only in males, whereas estrogen receptor showed higher expression in females. Highly expressed genes in males enriched oxidation-reduction and apoptotic processes, which are related to the immune response. On the other hand, expression of genes involved in replicative senescence and the response to cortisol were only detected in females. Moreover, the transcripts with higher expression in females enriched a wide variety of signaling pathways mediated by molecules like neuropeptides, integrins, MAPKs and receptors like TNF and Toll-like. In addition, these putative neuropeptide transcripts, showed higher expression in females’ WB and were not detected in other analyzed tissues. These results suggest that the differentiation in signaling pathways in white bodies of O. maya influences the physiological dimorphism between females and males during the reproductive phase. © 2019 Juárez et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

androgen receptor, integrin, mitogen activated protein kinase, neuropeptide, transcriptome, tumor necrosis factor, argonaute protein, corticotropin releasing factor receptor, corticotropin releasing factor receptor 2, DEAD box protein, estradiol 17be BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA ANIMAL (ZOOLOGÍA) BIOLOGÍA ANIMAL (ZOOLOGÍA)

THEORETICAL STUDY OF MULTIPARTITE QUANTUM CORRELATIONS IN A NON-LINEAR SYSTEM

Héctor Rodríguez-Nava (2023, [Tesis de maestría])

"Se estudió teóricamente un Hamiltoniano que describe dos procesos paramétricos en un cristal no-lineal que, bajo condiciones geométricas específicas, generan correlaciones cuánticas no locales en cuatro modos de luz en las cantidades llamadas cuadraturas del campo. Se utilizaron dos metodologías para este estudio: métodos de espacio fase y ecuaciones de evolución de Heisenberg. Ambas técnicas generaron sistemas de ecuaciones diferenciales que describen el comportamiento dinámico de los operadores de creación y aniquilación de los cuatro modos de luz. Estos valores se utilizaron para certificar las correlaciones cuánticas por medio de testigos de enredamiento y steering."

Fotónica Óptica cuántica Enredamiento Correlaciones cuánticas Métodos de espacio fase Ecuaciones diferenciales estocásticas Steering CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA FÍSICA ÓPTICA ÓPTICA

Gestión de los monumentos históricos de propiedad pública en el Centro Histórico de Morelia, 1991-2019

Gauri Ivette García Medina (2020, [Tesis de maestría])

Facultad de Arquitectura. Maestría en Arquitectura, Investigación y Restauración de Sitios y Monumentos

The conservation of the architectural heritage that is under the custody of the Mexican government has not been fully observed as a problem for the administration in this country. Apparently, avoiding the physical deterioration of public monuments, located in federal protection zones, has been a successful task. In contrast to this general perception, the way in which changes in government administration generate ruptures and disengagement in planning regarding ways to protect the architectural heritage was observed from the local level. That is why this research carries out a timely review, evidencing the problem that exists around government management to conserve monuments in the Historic Center of Morelia, from its incorporation as a site in the world heritage list in 1991 until the year of 2019 where a turn of national politics manifests. In order to identify, the level of incidence of the government to carry out actions around the protection of publicly owned historical monuments; The changes of political visions in the different administrative procedures are characterized by evaluating the physical state of the buildings and documenting the way in which the local vision has been gradually transformed in favor of its conservation. By contrasting the political will of several administrations with the restorations in the architectural facts, the methodological proposal provides a broadening of the spectrum of analysis. Which has the possibility of being used prior to practical decision making for asset protection. The review of the units of analysis revealed that the lack of continuity in government management around the heritage violates the conservation processes.

La conservación de patrimonio arquitectónico que se encuentra bajo resguardo del gobierno mexicano no ha sido considerada como una circunstancia digna de atención para las entidades encargadas del mismo. En apariencia, consideran que ha sido una tarea exitosa su labor de evitar el deterioro físico de los monumentos públicos ubicados en zonas de protección federal. En contraste a esta percepción generalizada, desde el ámbito local ha podido observarse que los cambios de administración de gobierno sólo han generado rupturas y desvinculaciones en la planeación respecto de las formas de proteger el patrimonio arquitectónico. Por ello, la presente investigación realiza una revisión puntual sobre dicha situación, evidenciando la problemática que existe en torno de la gestión gubernamental para conservar monumentos en el Centro Histórico de Morelia. El trabajo indaga en el periodo que va de 1991, cuando fue incorporado en la Lista de Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO, al año de 2019, donde se hizo patente un cambio de dirección en la política nacional. Con el objetivo de identificar el grado de incidencia del gobierno en las acciones relacionadas con la protección de monumentos históricos de propiedad pública, se analizan y definen las visiones políticas de las diferentes gestiones administrativas mediante la evaluación del estado físico de los inmuebles y se documenta la evolución paulatina de la visión local a favor de la conservación de los mismos. La propuesta metodológica del presente trabajo busca contrastar la voluntad política de varias administraciones con las restauraciones llevadas a cabo sobre los hechos arquitectónicos, logrando aportar un espectro de análisis más amplio. Así, se tiene posibilidad de utilizarla como base para tomar decisiones prácticas para la protección patrimonial. La revisión de las unidades de análisis reveló que la falta de continuidad en la gestión gubernamental en torno al patrimonio vulnera los procesos de conservación.

HUMANIDADES Y CIENCIAS DE LA CONDUCTA FA-M-2020-0241 Conservación arquitectónica Monumento público Visión política Agentes de decisión

Multicriteria assessment of alternative cropping systems at farm level. A case with maize on family farms of South East Asia

Santiago Lopez-Ridaura (2023, [Artículo])

CONTEXT: Integration of farms into markets with adoption of maize as a cash crop can significantly increase income of farms of the developing world. However, in some cases, the income generated may still be very low and maize production may also have strong negative environmental and social impacts. OBJECTIVE: Maize production in northern Laos is taken as a case to study how far can farms' performance be improved with improved crop management of maize with the following changes at field level: good timing and optimal soil preparation and sowing, allowing optimal crop establishment and low weed infestation. METHODS: We compared different farm types' performance on locally relevant criteria and indicators embodying the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, economic and social). An integrated assessment approach was combined with direct measurement of indicators in farmers' fields to assess eleven criteria of local farm sustainability. A bio-economic farm model was used for scenario assessment in which changes in crop management and the economic environment of farms were compared to present situation. The farm model was based on mathematical programming maximizing income under constraints related to i) household composition, initial cash and rice stocks and land type, and ii) seasonal balances of cash, labour and food. The crop management scenarios were built based on a diagnosis of the causes of variations in the agronomic and environmental performances of cropping systems, carried out in farmers' fields. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that moderate changes in crop management on maize would improve substantially farm performance on 4 to 6 criteria out of the 11 assessed, depending on farm types. The improved crop management of maize had a high economic attractiveness for every farm type simulated (low, medium and high resource endowed farms) even at simulated production costs more than doubling current costs of farmers' practices. However, while an improvement of the systems performance was attained in terms of agricultural productivity, income generation, work and ease of work, herbicide leaching, improved soil quality and nitrogen balance, trade-offs were identified with other indicators such as erosion control and cash outflow needed at the beginning of the cropping season. SIGNIFICANCE: Using farm modelling for multicriteria assessment of current and improved maize cropping systems for contrasted farm types helped capture main opportunities and constraints on local farm sustainability, and assess the trade-offs that new options at field level may generate at farm level.

Bio-Economic Farm Model Smallholder Farms CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CASH CROPS INDICATORS SMALLHOLDERS CROPPING SYSTEMS MAIZE

Suppression of breast tumor growth and metastasis by an engineered transcription factor

Adriana Beltran Lopez (2011, [Artículo])

Maspin is a tumor and metastasis suppressor playing an essential role as gatekeeper of tumor progression. It is highly expressed in epithelial cells but is silenced in the onset of metastatic disease by epigenetic mechanisms. Reprogramming of Maspin epigenetic silencing offers a therapeutic potential to lock metastatic progression. Herein we have investigated the ability of the Artificial Transcription Factor 126 (ATF-126) designed to upregulate the Maspin promoter to inhibit tumor progression in pre-established breast tumors in immunodeficient mice. ATF-126 was transduced in the aggressive, mesenchymal-like and triple negative breast cancer line, MDA-MB-231. Induction of ATF expression in vivo by Doxycycline resulted in 50% reduction in tumor growth and totally abolished tumor cell colonization. Genome-wide transcriptional profiles of ATF-induced cells revealed a gene signature that was found over-represented in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) "Normal-like" intrinsic subtype of breast cancer and in poorly aggressive, ER+ luminal A breast cancer cell lines. The comparison transcriptional profiles of ATF-126 and Maspin cDNA defined an overlapping 19-gene signature, comprising novel targets downstream the Maspin signaling cascade. Our data suggest that Maspin up-regulates downstream tumor and metastasis suppressor genes that are silenced in breast cancers, and are normally expressed in the neural system, including CARNS1, SLC8A2 and DACT3. In addition, ATF-126 and Maspin cDNA induction led to the re-activation of tumor suppressive miRNAs also expressed in neural cells, such as miR-1 and miR-34, and to the down-regulation of potential oncogenic miRNAs, such as miR-10b, miR-124, and miR-363. As expected from its over-representation in ER+ tumors, the ATF-126-gene signature predicted favorable prognosis for breast cancer patients. Our results describe for the first time an ATF able to reduce tumor growth and metastatic colonization by epigenetic reactivation of a dormant, normal-like, and more differentiated gene program. © 2011 Beltran et al.

artificial transcription factor 126, complementary DNA, doxycycline, estrogen receptor, maspin, microRNA, retrovirus vector, transcription factor, unclassified drug, estrogen receptor, serine proteinase inhibitor, SERPIN B5, SERPIN-B5, transcription BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA ANIMAL (ZOOLOGÍA) BIOLOGÍA ANIMAL (ZOOLOGÍA)

The Scaling Scan: A practical tool to determine opportunities and challenges to sustainably scale innovations

Lennart Woltering (2023, [Libro])

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA INNOVATION ADOPTION SOCIAL INCLUSION ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS SCALING UP

Multiplexed host-induced gene silencing of Aspergillus flavus genes confers aflatoxin resistance in groundnut

Kiran Sharma Pooja Bhatnagar-Mathur (2023, [Artículo])

Host-Induced Gene Silencing CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA AFLATOXINS ARACHIS HYPOGAEA ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS FATTY ACIDS GROUNDNUTS PROTEOMICS

Analyzing antifragility among smallholder farmers in Bihar, India: An assessment of farmers' vulnerability and the strengths of positive deviants

Roos Adelhart Toorop Santiago Lopez-Ridaura ML JAT Deepak Bijarniya Jeroen Groot (2023, [Artículo])

Farmers around the world are increasingly vulnerable: climate variability is identified as the primary stressor, but unfavorable biophysical circumstances and disturbances in the socioeconomic domain (labor dynamics and price volatility) also affect farm management and production. To deal with these disturbances, adaptations are recognized as essential. Antifragility acknowledges that adaptations and volatility are inherent characteristics of complex systems and abandons the idea of returning to the pre-disturbance system state. Instead, antifragility recognizes that disturbances can trigger reorganization, enabling selection and removal of weaker system features and allowing the system to evolve toward a better state. In this study, we assessed the vulnerability of different types of smallholder farms in Bihar, India, and explored the scope for more antifragile farming systems that can 'bounce back better' after disturbances. Accumulation of stocks, creation of optionality (i.e., having multiple options for innovation) and strengthening of farmer autonomy were identified as criteria for antifragility. We had focus group discussions with in total 92 farmers and found that most expressed themselves to be vulnerable: they experienced challenges but had limited adaptive capacity to change their situation. They mostly made short-term decisions to cope with or mitigate urgent challenges but did not engage in strategic planning driven by longer-term objectives. Instead, they waited for governmental support to improve their livelihoods. Despite being confronted with similar challenges, four positive deviant farmers showed to be more antifragile: their diverse farming systems were abundant in stocks and optionality, and the farmers were distinguished in terms of their autonomy, competence, and connectedness to peers, the community, and markets. To support antifragility among regular farmers, adaptations at policy level may be required, for example, by shifting from a top-down toward a bottom-up adaptation and innovation regime where initiative and cooperation are encouraged. With a more autonomous orientation, farmers' intrinsic motivation is expected to increase, enabling transitions at the farm level. In this way, connected systems can be developed which are socioeconomically and biophysically adaptive. When practices, knowledge, and skills are continuously developed, an antifragile system with ample stocks and optionality may evolve over time.

Autonomy Adaptive Capacity Smallholder Farmers CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA POLICIES SMALLHOLDERS AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES

Necessity as a driver in bending agricultural gender norms in the Eastern Gangetic Plains of South Asia

Pragya Timsina Emma Karki Brendan Brown (2023, [Artículo])

The majority of the farmers in the rural Global South continue to depend directly or indirectly on agriculture for their livelihoods. Despite the fact that women account for almost half of the world's farmers, they face gender-specific challenges such as deeply rooted cultural and social norms that limit their access to land, assets, financial markets, agricultural training, and information. Using semi-structured interviews with farmers in the Eastern Gangetic Plains, this study investigates how necessity is becoming one of the major drivers in the bending of agricultural gender norms. The study investigates the connections between feminist political ecology and agricultural technology production frameworks in order to comprehend the implications of technology adoption and influences on gender norms in communities. Women's participation in agriculture was found to be heavily influenced by social and cultural barriers, and they were frequently subjected to social criticism for breaking the systemic gender norms. This paper emphasizes on the growing pattern of bending gender norms with recommendations for increasing women's participation and scope in future agriculture development initiatives through policies and interventions that emphasize gender equity.

Social Barriers Cultural Barriers Feminist Political Ecology CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA GENDER NORMS WOMEN FARMERS AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY

CCAFS Outcome Synthesis Report:

Mathieu Ouédraogo John Recha Maren Radeny Paresh Shirsath Peter Läderach Osana Bonilla-Findji (2021, [Documento de trabajo])

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE INVESTMENT FARMING SYSTEMS CLIMATE CHANGE