Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) is the most commonly used method for accurately detecting gene expression patterns. As part of RT-qPCR analysis, normalization of the data requires internal ...control gene(s) that display uniform expression under different biological conditions. However, no invariable internal control gene exists, and therefore more than one reference gene is needed to normalize RT-qPCR results. Identification of stable reference genes in potato will improve assay accuracy for selecting stress-tolerance genes and identifying molecular mechanisms conferring stress tolerance in this species.
In the experiment, we assessed the expression of eight candidate internal control genes, namely elongation factor-1alpha (
),
,
, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (
), adenine phosphoribosyl transferase (
), 60S ribosomal protein L8 (
), Cullin 3A (
), and exocyst complex component sec3 (
), in a diverse set of potato samples representing drought stress and osmotic stress challenges, and using geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder softwares.
The results indicated that
and
were the most stably expressed genes in the potato under drought and osmotic stress conditions. This work will facilitate future work on gene expression studies in potato and also benefit other species of the
, such as tomato.
Salinity is abiotic stress that inhibits seed germination and suppresses plant growth and root development in a dose-dependent manner.
Fusarium pseudograminearum
(Fg) is a plant pathogen that causes ...wheat crown rot. Chemical control methods against Fg are toxic to the environment and resistance has been observed in wheat crops. Therefore, an alternative approach is needed to manage this devastating disease and the effects of salinity. Our research focused on the mycoparasitic mechanisms of
Trichoderma longibrachiatum
(TG1) on Fg and the induction of defenses in wheat seedlings under salt and Fg stress at physiological, biochemical and molecular levels. The average inhibition rate of TG1 against Fg was 33.86%, 36.32%, 44.59%, and 46.62%, respectively, in the four NaCl treatments (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM). The mycoparasitic mechanisms of TG1 against Fg were coiling, penetration, and wrapping of Fg hyphae. In response to inoculation of TG1 with Fg, significant upregulation of cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs) was observed. The expression of β-1, 6-glucan synthase (PP4), endochitinase precursor (PH-1), and chitinase (chi18-15) increased by 1. 6, 1. 9, and 1.3-fold on day 14 compared with day 3. Wheat seedlings with combined TG1 + Fg treatments under different NaCl stress levels decreased disease index by an average of 51.89%; increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activity by an average of 38%, 61%, and 24.96%, respectively; and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
) content by an average of 44.07% and 41.75% respectively, compared with Fg treated seedlings. The combined TG1 + Fg treatment induced the transcription level of plant defense-related genes resulting in an increase in tyrosin-protein kinase (PR2), chitinase class I (CHIA1), and pathogenesis-related protein (PR1-2) by an average of 1.15, 1.35, and 1.37-fold, respectively compared to Fg treatment. However, the expression levels of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) increased 3.40-fold under various NaCl stresses. Our results suggest that TG1 enhances wheat seedling growth and controls wheat crown rot disease by strengthening the plant defense system and upregulating the expression of pathogenesis-related genes under both Fg and salt stress.
The proportion of HPV16 and 18-associated cervical cancer (CC) appears rather constant worldwide (≥70%), but the relative importance of the other HR-HPV differs slightly by geographical region. Here, ...we studied the HPV genotype distribution of HPV positive Latin American (LA) women by histological grade, in a sub-cohort from the ESTAMPA study; we also explored the association of age-specific HPV genotypes in severe lesions. Cervical samples from 1,252 participants (854 ≤CIN1, 121 CIN2, 194 CIN3 and 83 CC) were genotyped by two PCRs-Reverse Blotting Hybridization strategies: i) Broad-Spectrum General Primers 5+/6+ and ii) PGMY9/11 PCRs. HPV16 was the most frequently found genotype in all histological grades, and increased with the severity of lesions from 14.5% in ≤ CIN1, 19.8% in CIN2, 51.5% in CIN3 to 65.1% in CC (p < 0.001). For the remaining HR-HPVs their frequency in CC did not increase when compared to less severe categories. The nonavalent vaccine HR-types ranked at the top in CC, the dominant ones being HPV16 and HPV45. HR-HPV single infection occurs, respectively, in 57.1% and 57.0% of ≤CIN1 and CIN2, increasing to 72.2% and 91.6% in CIN3 and CC (p<0.001). No association between age and HPV type was observed in CC, although the risk of HPV16 infection in CIN3 cases increased with age. Results confirm the relevance of HPV16 in the whole clinical spectrum, with a strong rise of its proportion in CIN3 and cancer. This information will be relevant in evaluating the impact of HPV vaccination, as a baseline against which to compare genotype changes in HPV type-specific distribution as vaccinated women participate in screening in LA region. Likewise, these data may help select the best HPV testing system for HPV-based efficient, affordable, and sustainable screening programmes.
Thermal energy storage (TES) is crucial in bridging the gap between energy demand and supply globally. Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants, employing molten salts for thermal storage, stand as an ...advanced TES technology. However, molten salts have drawbacks like corrosion, solidification at lower temperatures, and high costs. To overcome these limitations, research is focusing on alternative TES materials such as ceramic particles. These solids match molten salts in energy density and can withstand higher temperatures, making them well-suited for CSP systems. This study revolves around subjecting Solar Salt alone and Solar Salt alongside Volcanic Ash (VA) and Electric Arc Furnace Slag (EAFS) to a comprehensive thermal cycling test. This test is designed to assess the compatibility over the thermal cycles of the Solar Salt and the Solar Salt in contact with these solids in a CSP plant with a thermocline configuration. With a final thermal and chemical evaluation, our observations indicate that EAFS and VA demonstrate promising compatibility but an increase in the reduction rate of the Solar Salt due to a catalyst effect from EAFS in contact with the salt. No discernible alterations were detected in the properties of either the solid materials or solar salt when combined.
Training that future practitioners receive in software project management is a topic of great importance. The objective of this systematic literature review is to summarize the current state of the ...art of the different methods and procedures used to assess serious games. The review follows a predefined procedure that involves automatically searching well-known digital databases. 1199 papers were found by the automatic searches in the digital databases and 102 papers were selected as primary studies. The process was complemented with manual searches using author and backward snowballing techniques. Our systematic literature review identified the main methods followed to assess serious games, the application domains in which the assessments took place, the categories of serious games assessed, the main features considered to assess the educational effectiveness of serious games, the procedures followed for the assessments and the size of the population that participated in the assessments. The results are useful to researchers and practitioners willing to assess serious games in different fields, but specially to those interested in assessing serious games in the area of software project management.
•We present a systematic literature review on serious games (SG) evaluation.•We summarize the different methods and procedures used to assess SG.•We observe the application domains and the categories of SG assessed.•We identify the main methods, features, procedures and size of population to assess SG.•Results are intended to be applied in the area of SG in software project management.
Introducción: de las muertes de mujeres en el mundo por algún tipo de cáncer, el de cérvix es responsable del 7 % del total. En Costa Rica, cada año se diagnostican en promedio 320 casos y fallecen ...140 mujeres por esta enfermedad. Objetivo: identificar barreras para el diagnóstico y el tratamiento del cáncer cérvico-uterino, según la disponibilidad de la asistencia sanitaria en Costa Rica. Metodología: se realizó una revisión sistemática cualitativa de literatura entre mayo y setiembre de 2021. Se examinaron estudios publicados de enero de 2010 a junio de 2021 con diseño cuantitativo, cualitativo o ambos, de fuente primaria o secundaria, que identificaran limitaciones para acceder a la atención según población general, usuarios o personal de salud en Costa Rica. Resultados: se seleccionaron 9 artículos científicos. Se identificaron 5 dimensiones del modelo de Tanahashi y 26 barreras correspondientes a cada una: 12 de disponibilidad, 5 de accesibilidad, 3 de aceptabilidad, 2 de contacto con el servicio y 4 de cobertura efectiva. Conclusiones: las dificultades en torno al servicio médico son múltiples y están presentes en todas las dimensiones descritas en el modelo de Tanahashi. Los hallazgos de este estudio destacan la importancia de abordarlas, lo cual, en algunas podría ser complejo. No obstante, otras variables son relativamente simples de solucionar a nivel de sistema, política o práctica.
Nanofluids (NFs) are colloidal suspensions of nanoparticles (NPs) within a base fluid. Unlike conventional mixtures, NFs exhibit dramatically enhanced properties, such as an abnormal increase in heat ...capacity at low concentration of NPs (e.g., C
values 30% higher than the base material value). Understanding the thermo-physical behavior of NFs is essential for their application as thermal energy storage systems. In this study, we analyze a sodium nitrate ionic system containing 1 wt%, 3 wt% and 7 wt% of SiO
NPs with different techniques like infrared thermography, infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in order to shed light on the mechanism behind the increase of C
. The themographies reveal the presence of a colder layer on top of the NF with 1 wt% of NPs whereas this layer does not appear at higher concentrations of NPs. The IR spectrum of this foamy top layer evidences the high amount of SiO
bonds suggesting the clustering of the NPs into this layer linked by the nitrate ions. The linking is enhanced by the presence of hydroxyls in the NPs' surface (i.e., hydroxilated NPs) that once mixed in the NF suffer ionic exchange between OH
and NO
species, leading to O
-Si-O-NO
species at the interface where a thermal boundary resistance or Kapitza resistance appears (R
= 2.2 m
K kW
). Moreover, the presence of an exothermic reactive processes in the calorimetry of the mixture with 1 wt% of NPs evidences a reactive process (ionic exchange). These factors contribute to the heat capacity increase and thus, they explain the anomalous behavior of the heat capacity in nanofluids.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive lethal malignancy that accounts for more than 90% of pancreatic cancer diagnoses. Our research is focused on the physico-chemical ...properties of the tumour microenvironment (TME), including its tumoural extracellular matrix (tECM), as they may have an important impact on the success of cancer therapies. PDAC xenografts and their decellularized tECM offer a great material source for research in terms of biomimicry with the original human tumour. Our aim was to evaluate and quantify the physico-chemical properties of the PDAC TME. Both cellularized (native TME) and decellularized (tECM) patient-derived PDAC xenografts were analyzed. A factorial design of experiments identified an optimal combination of factors for effective xenograft decellularization. Our results provide a complete advance in our understanding of the PDAC TME and its corresponding stroma, showing that it presents an interconnected porous architecture with very low permeability and small pores due to the contractility of the cellular components. This fact provides a potential therapeutic strategy based on the therapeutic agent size.
•Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death.•Physico-chemical characterization of the tumour microenvironment of PDAC is lacking.•Patient-derived PDAC xenografts decellularized using a design of experiments approach.•Potential therapeutic strategy based on the size of the therapeutic agent.•Availability of certain molecular groups as cells are eliminated from the tumour.
A study of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) thin films by spin-coating process, deposited on conducting glass substrates of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), is performed varying thicknesses from 32 to 80 ...nm. We observe an increase in absorbance at 510, 550, and 610 nm; however, for film thicknesses between 40 and 50 nm, the spectra show abnormalities below 500 nm, resulting from the creation of defects that modify the bandgap value. To prove this hypothesis, we determine the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy level positions of different thickness P3HT films by energy-resolved electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (ER-EIS). This experiment revealed that the HOMO level remains constant regardless of the film thickness, whereas the LUMO exhibits a thickness dependence, where the 46 nm film produces a maximum. To analyze the potentiostatic EIS response, we propose an equivalent electric circuit (EEC) to build relative influence diagrams. The corresponding numerical analysis provides, first, a technique to select ER-EIS appropriate frequencies for studying the electronic response of P3HT films, and second, it allows identifying film defect states in the gap region: density of states (DOS) near the HOMO and LUMO levels, and defect states inside the gap. A molecular dynamics force field (FF) simulation provides a distribution of geometrical arrangements of P3HT oligomers, which are studied subsequently by density functional theory (DFT) calculations to estimate their HOMO-LUMO energies variations. These calculations allow us to explain DOS features detected experimentally near the gap borders.
Limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) is a recently developed binder with huge potential to reduce the clinker factor in cement and the environmental impact. This study aimed to evaluate the evolution ...of the research on LC3 by conducting a bibliometric analysis, evaluating key metrics such as publications, authorships, sources, or countries, to provide greater knowledge and a strategic vision of this technology. This work provides an important perspective of the field and elucidates the research trends and path that the LC3 technology followed from its beginning to date. The analysis reveals a noticeable increase in technology readiness and researchers' interest, as indicated by a significant rise in publications' number over time. Also, the authorship metrics reveal an important cooperation between communities in the development of this technology. The research on LC3 is essential since the technology is a viable and reliable approach to decreasing the cement industry's carbon footprint.
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