Cloning of the Coffea canephora SERK1 promoter and its molecular analysis during the cell-to-embryo transition

Background: Somatic embryogenesis receptor-like kinase 1 (SERK1) is a cell membrane receptor active in different plant tissues and involved in cell differentiation activities including somatic embryogenesis. The identification of promoter elements responsible for SERK1 expression during the onset of somatic embryogenesis can be useful to understand the molecular regulation of the cell-to embryo transition, and these promoter elements represent biotechnological tools in plant organ tissue culture. Results: A −1,620 bp DNA sequence located upstream of the Coffea canephora SERK1 gene homologue (CcSERK1) was isolated, and then, different segments containing key response elements (REs) for somatic embryogenesis onset and development were fused to the uidA (encoding a ß-glucuronidase, GUS) reporter gene to evaluate its expression in transgenic leaf explants. DNA segments of −1,620 and −1048 bp in length directed uidA expression with patterns in leaf explants similar to those occurring during somatic embryogenesis. When a −792-bp fragment was used, uidA expression disappeared only in leaf explants and pro-embryogenic mass but persisted in developing embryos. No uidA expression was detected in any embryogenic stage when a −618-bp fragment was used. Conclusion: DNA deletions showed that a −1048-bp sequence located upstream of the CcSERK1 gene is sufficient to direct gene expression during the onset and the development of C. canephora somatic embryogenesis. The DNA segment located between −1048 and −792 bp (containing BBM and WUS REs) is needed for gene expression before embryogenesis onset but not during embryo development. The promoter segment between −792 and −618 bp (including GATA, ARR1AT, and ANT REs) regulates gene expression in developing embryos.

La investigación en las facultades de administración de Colombia *

Introducción. La evolución de un campo profesional o disciplinar se asocia a la capacidad de su comunidad académica para generar conocimiento y el presente artículo aborda esta temática a partir de las facultades de administración existentes en el país. Objetivo. Caracterizar el estado actual de la investigación en las facultades de administración. Materiales y Métodos. Se utilizó una encuesta a 65 decanos de facultades de administración de Colombia, que se complementó con información institucional de la plataforma ScienTi de Colciencias. Resultados. Se identificaron dos tipos de facultades, el primero denominado de "mediano desarrollo de investigación" y el segundo de "bajo desarrollo de investigación". No se configuró un grupo de "alto desarrollo". Conclusiones. Aunque se ha avanzado en una cultura de investigación y desarrollo de políticas para el fomento y apoyo de la investigación aún prevalecen problemas como marcadas diferencias entre facultades y ciudades y aún puede percibirse que la investigación es marginal en el pregrado.

Introduction. The evolution of a disciplinary or professional field is associated to the capacity of its academic community for generating knowledge and this article deals with this topic from management Schools exiting in the country. Objective: to characterize the current status of research in Management Schools. Materials and Methods. A survey was applied to 65 deans of Management Schools of Colombia; this server was supplemented with institutional information of Colciencias scientific platforms. Results. Two types of Schools were identified: the first type called " middle development of research" and the second one "low development of research." "A hig development research group was not set." Conclusions. Although there has been an advancement in research culture in the development of politics for research support and foment, there are still problems such as big differences among Schools and cities and can still be perceived that research is marginal in undergraduate programs.

Introdução. A evolução de um campo profissional ou disciplinar se associa à capacidade de sua comunidade acadêmica para gerar conhecimento e o presente artigo aborda esta temática a partir das faculdades de administração existentes no país. Objetivo. Caracterizar o estado atual da investigação nas faculdades de administração. Materiais e Métodos. Se utilizou uma enquete a 65 decanos de faculdades de administração da Colômbia, que se complementou com informação institucional da plataforma Scienti de Colciencias. Resultados. Se identificaram dois tipos de faculdades, o primeiro denominado de "médio desenvolvimento de investigação" e o segundo de "baixo desenvolvimento de investigação". Não se configurou um grupo de "alto desenvolvimento". Conclusões. Ainda que se há avançado numa cultura de investigação e desenvolvimento de políticas para o fomento e apoio da investigação ainda prevalecem problemas como marcadas diferenças entre faculdades e cidades e ainda pode perceber-se que a investigação é marginal na pré- graduação.

Rol de la TC multicorte con RMP en el diagnóstico de la hernia obturatriz: presentación de un caso / Role of multislice CT with MPR (multi-planar reformation) in the diagnosis of obturator hernia. a case report

La hernia obturatriz (HO) es poco frecuente y representa del 0.05 al 0.4 por ciento del total de hernias. Debido a su rareza y a su presentación inespecífica, el diagnóstico es por lo general tardío y las tasas de mortalidad elevadas (12-70 por ciento). Se presenta un caso típico de HO diagnosticada en el preoperatorio mediante TC Multi-corte con RMP y tratado mediante laparotomía de urgencia con buen resultado. El empleo de TC Multicorte con RMP de abdomen y pelvis, en cuadros de obstrucción intestinal en mujeres añosas, sin antecedente de cirugías previas ni hernias objetivables, tiene gran valor para el diagnóstico preoperatorio precoz de HO y podría contribuir a reducir las elevadas tasas de morbilidad y mortalidad.

Abstract. The obturator hernia (OH) is rare and accounts for 0.05 to 0.4% of all hernias. Because of its rarity and its nonspecific presentation, diagnosis is usually late and has high mortality rates (12-70%). A typical case of OH diagnosed preoperatively by Multislice CT with MPR and treated using emergency laparotomy with good results, is presented. The use of Multislice CT with MPR of the abdomen and pelvis, in symptoms of intestinal obstruction in elderly women with no history of previous surgery or objectified hernias, has great value for early preoperative diagnosis of OH and could help reduce the high rates of morbidity and mortality.

Liderazgo y relaciones sociales en el trabajo como factor de riesgo psicosocial: su incidencia sobre gestión humana en las organizaciones / Leadership and Social Relationships at Work as a Psychosocial Risk Factor: It's Incidence on Human Resource Management in Organizations

Este artículo pretende analizar los tópicos liderazgo y relaciones sociales en el trabajo, como factores de riesgo psicosocial, fundamentados en los modelos: demanda control-apoyo social, el modelo de desequilibrio esfuerzo-recompensa y el modelo dinámico de los factores de riesgo. La contrastación empírica se hizo mediante la aplicación de una batería de instrumentos validados por el Ministerio de Protección Social de Colombia a un grupo de 148 jefes y 267 profesionales y técnicos, de 44 empresas localizadas en el Eje Cafetero colombiano. Los resultados permiten identificar un alto índice de riesgo en las dimensiones relaciones con colaboradores y relaciones sociales; no se encontraron diferencias significativas en el índice de riesgo por género y tipo de cargo, pero sí diferencias entre algunos grupos de edad, tiempo de servicio y tipo de contrato.

This paper intends to analyse leadership and social relationships at work as a psychosocial risk factor, grounded on the following models: control demand - social support, effort-reward disbalance, and the dynamic risk factors model. The empirical contrast was performed by applying a set of instruments validated by the Colombian Ministry of Social Protection to a sample comprised of 148 managers and 267 professionals and technicians in 44 companies in the Colombian Coffee Region. The results allow us to identify a high risk in the dimensions relations with coworkers and social relations; no significant differences were found in risk indexes by gender or position, but some differences were found among age groups, service time and type of contract.

Condiciones de causalidad entre la gestión de los recursos humanos y la cultura organizacional: un estudio empírico en el contexto industrial colombiano / Causal conditions between human resource management and organizational culture. An empirical study in the Colombian industrial context / Condições de causalidade entre a gestão dos recursos humanos e a cultura organizacional. um estudo empírico no contexto industrial colombiano

La gestión de los recursos humanos es el marco estratégico de la cultura organizacional. Por tanto, el presente estudio pretende identificar el impacto recíproco entre la cultura organizacional y la gestión de recursos humanos. Para esto se construyen dos modelos: uno para el análisis de la gestión de recursos humanos y otro para el análisis de la cultura organizacional. El estudio se contrasta en 199 empresas industriales de Colombia. Para el procesamiento de la información se utilizaron modelos multivariados con énfasis en análisis factorial confirmatorio -CFA- y modelos de ecuaciones estructurales -SEM-. Como principal hallazgo se identifica que la tipología cultural del mercado incide significativamente en las prácticas de recursos humanos tales como el aprovisionamiento, la capacitación y la carrera.

The human resource management is the strategic framework of the organizational culture. Therefore, this study aims to identify the mutual impact between organizational culture and human resource management practices. To this end two models were constructed: one for the analysis of human resource management and another for the analysis of the organizational culture. The study was conducted in 199 manufacturing firms in Colombia. For information processing, multivariate models with emphasis on confirmatory factor analysis -CFA- and structural equation modeling- SEM- were used. The main finding was that market culture has a positive and significant impact on human resource management practices such as supply, training and career prospect.

A gestão dos recursos humanos é o marco estratégico da cultura organizacional. Portanto, o presente estudo pretende identificar o impacto recíproco entre a cultura organizacional e a gestão de recursos humanos. Para isto constroem-se dois modelos: um para a análise da gestão de recursos humanos e outro para a análise da cultura organizacional. O estudo se contrasta em 199 empresas industriais da Colômbia. Para o processamento da informação utilizam-se modelos multivariados com ênfase em análise fatorial confirmatório -CFA- e modelos de equações estruturais -SEM-. Como principal descobrimento identifica-se que a tipologia cultural do mercado incide significativamente nas práticas de recursos humanos tais como o aprovisionamento, a capacitação e a carreira.

Aplicación del score de clavien en el servicio de cirugía general / Useful utilization of clavien's score to classify surgical complications

Introducción: la falta de información de resultados negativos es una deficiencia importante en la literatura médica, lo cual hace difícil evaluar los resltados de las nuevas terapéuticas. Clavien y colaboradores, propusieron una clasificación que es útil para el estudio de las complicaciones quirúrgicas. El objetivo de este trabajo, fue, aplicar el nuevo Score de Clavien y colaboradores en el Servicio de Cirugía General del Sanatorio Allende, evaluando las complicaciones quirúrgicas. Matirial y métodos: es un estudio prospectivo observacional de los pacientes que fueron intervenidos por cirugías electivas o de urgencia por el Servicio de Cirugía General del Sanatorio Allende durante los meses de marzo a septiembre del 2010. Se utilizó el trabajo de Clavien para clasificar las cirugías y las complicaciones quirúrgicas. Algunos pacientes tuvieron más de una complicación, pero sólo se registró la más importante. Resultados: se analizó un total de 1.117 cirugías, se registró una morbilidad general del 5,19% y una mortalidad del 0,53%. Las cirugías tipo A se complicaron en un 3,93%, las cirugías tipo B se complicaron en un 5,53% y las tipo C se complicaron en un 23,07%. Pacientes complicados según la clasificación, Grado I 18,96%, II 36,2%; IIIa 8,62%; IIIb 15,51%; IVa 8,62%; IVb 1,72%; V 10,34%. Conclusión: el Score de Clavien y colaboradores, nos resultó un método útil, objetivo y fácil para llevar los estudios estadísticos en nuestro servicio de cirugía y comparar las diferentes terapéuticas posibles para las complicaciones.

Introduction: the lack of information about negative results is an important deficiency in medical literature, making difficult to evaluate new therapeutics results. Clavien and colleagues suggested a useful classification for the study of surgical complications. The aim of this work was to analyze surgical complications according to Clavien's score in Sanatorio Allende's General Surgery Department. Materials and Methods: it is a prospective observational study of every patient who went under scheduled or urgent surgery in Sanatorio Allende during the period of time March-September 2010. Clavien's score was used to classify surgical complications. Some patient had more than one complication, the most important was the one taken into account. Results: A total of 1,117 surgeries were analyzed, obtaining a morbility of 5,19 % and a mortality of 0,53 %. A 3,93 % of type A surgeries got complicated, while a 5,53 % of type B surgeries and a 23.07% of type C surgeries. Complicated patients according to classification were: Grade I 18,96%; II 36,2%; IIIa 8,62%; IIIb 15,51 %; IVa 8,62%; IVb 1.72%; V 10,34%. Conclusion: Clavien's Score was a useful, easy and objective method to apply statistical methods to our surgical department and let us compare the different therapeutics for the complications registered.

Endogenous GUS-like activity in Capsicum chinense Jacq

The gene uidA, codes for beta-glucuronidase, which is one of the reporters more frequently utilized in transgenic plants. However, this can only be use if the selected organism does not present endogenous GUS-like activity. In tissues of C. chinense we found a GUS-like activity showing different levels of intensity. Histochemical screening showed that endogenous GUS-like activity decreased, or reduced significantly, in almost all tissues with exception of stament, when phosphate buffer was adjusted to pH 8. Subsequently, C. chinense zygotic embryo explants were transient transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 (pCAMBIA2301) and plantlets regenerated were histochemically stained in phosphate buffer pH 8. Observations of incubated tissues of C. chinense regenerants showed blue staining, suggesting expression of uidA. Incubated tissues of non-transformed regenerants did not show blue staining in phosphate buffer pH 8. The results show that for transformation experiments of C. chinense with uidA gene, pH 8 is recommended for histochemical staining.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-transient genetic transformation of Habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq. ) leaf explants

Most of the pepper species of the genus Capsicum have been recalcitrant to efficient Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated stable or transient, genetic transformation. In the present work, we optimized a protocol for transient transformation of the Habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) through the standardization of several experimental factors. These included the age of the plants, the temperature, the length of co-cultivation, the application of a negative (vacuum) and/or a positive (infiltration) pressure, along with micro injection, the use of acetosyringone during the bacterial culturing, and modification of the pH during the GUS assay to eliminate the endogenous beta-glucuronidase activity. The standardized protocol, which yielded nearly 55 percent fully transformed leaf explants, was used to successfully mobilize two empty binary vectors (pCAMBIA2301 and pCAMex), as well as the C. chinense cDNAs encoding the pathogenesis-related protein 10 and esterase, respectively.

Relaciones entre recursos humanos y cultura organizacional: un estudio empírico / The relationship between human resources and organizational culture: an empirical study / Relação entre recursos humanos e cultura organizacional. Um estudo empírico

Para algunos autores la gerencia de los recursos humanos se constituye en el marco estratégico de la cultura organizacional y establecen que puede existir una influencia recíproca entre recursos humanos y cultura (Yeung, Brockbank, y Ulrich, 1991): las prácticas de recursos humanos deben encajar en la cultura para que sean efectivas y puedan ser retenidas en el tiempo, pero las prácticas a su vez refuerzan la cultura y la influencian a través de la información suministrada y de los comportamientos inducidos. La presente investigación pretende identificar una relación entre los recursos humanos y la cultura organizacional. El contraste se realizó en 199 empresas de Colombia; para el procesamiento de la información se utilizaron modelos multivariados con énfasis en análisis de conglomerados y análisis de varianza.

For some authors,human resources management constitutes the strategic framework for organizational culture. They state that an interaction between human resources and culture might exist (Yeung, Brockbank y Ulrich, 1991). Considering that in order to be effective and retained in time human resources practices must fit into the organizational culture, these practices in turn reinforce and influence culture through the information they provide and the behavior they induce. This research aims at identifying a relationship between human resources and organizational culture. The study was conducted in 199 Colombian firms. For information processing multivariate models with emphasis on cluster analysis and variance analysis were used.

Para alguns autores a gestão dos recursos humanos constitui o quadro estratégico da cultura organizacional e estabelecem que pode haver uma interação entre recursos humanos e cultura (Young, Brockbank e Ulrich, 1991): as práticas de recursos humanos devem encaixar na cultura para ser efetivos e ser mantidos ao longo do tempo. Além disso reforçam a cultura e influenciam-la pela informação proporcionada e dos comportamentos induzidos. Esta pesquisa visa identificar uma relação entre recursos humanos e cultura organizacional. O contraste foi realizada em 199 empresas da Colômbia. Para processar a informação se utilizaram modelos multivariados, com ênfase na análise de conglomerados e análise de variância.

Agrobacterium-mediated transient transformation of Mexican prickly poppy (Argemone mexicana L)

Shoot apex, leaf primordia, leaf sections and roots from Mexican prickly poppy seedlings, were inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring the binary vector pCAMBIA2301, which contained the beta-glucuronidase (uid A) gene. Histochemical beta-glucuronidase (GUS) assay in infected explants showed transient gus gene expression between 3 and 12 days after inoculation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. mexicana susceptibility to A. tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation.