Descripción: Crotalus durissus terrificus (C.d.t.) (South American rattlesnake) venom possesses myotoxic and neurotoxic activities, both of which are also expressed by crotoxin, the principal toxin of this venom. Crotoxin contains a basic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and a non toxic acidic protein, crotapotin. We have produced and investigated the ability of IgG antibodies raised in rabbits against PLA2 to neutralize the lethality of the whole venom. PLA2 was isolated by gel filtration chromatography (Sephadex G-75). Specific antibodies were obtained by subcutaneous and intramuscular inoculation of PLA2 (700 μg) with Freund adjuvant. Groups of six mice (20 ± 2 g) were inoculated with 0.5 ml i.p. of C. d. t. venom (4 μg) or a mixture of venom that had been preincubated with the desired volume of IgG antibodies. Mortality, recorded 24 and 48 h after inoculation, showed that IgG anti-PLA2 were more effective than anticrotalic serum in neutralizing the lethal activity. These results demonstrate that it could be possible to obtain an anti-venom made by specific antibodies with a high level of protection against the lethal component of C.d.t. venom, and/or the inclusion of these antibodies as a supplement in heterologous anti-venoms.

Descripción: It has been shown that the molecular mechanism by which cytokines and glucocorticoids mutually antagonize their functions involves a mutual glucocorticoid receptor (GR)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) transrepression. Here we report a role for the nuclear receptor coactivator RAC3, in modulating NF-κB transactivation. We found that RAC3 functions as a coactivator by binding to the active form of NF-κB and that overexpression of RAC3 restores GR-dependent transcription neglecting GR/NF-κB transrepression. The competition between GR and NF-κB for binding to RAC3 may represent a general mechanism by which both transcription factors mutually antagonize their activity. (C) 2000 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Descripción: The applicability of the oriented gas model to the calculation of Raman intensities of molecular crystals is investigated. The basic implications of the model and its consequences are discussed. The polarized spectra of only 3 out of 11 crystals considered are compatible with the model. For these, quantitative calculations based on calculated eigenvectors give reasonable agreement with experiment, while the others are in clear disagreement with available data. It is shown that assignments of unpolarized spectra based on the model's predictions may easily be erroneous. Some of the parameters affecting the calculation are analyzed, confirming the conclusion that the oriented gas model is not a reliable tool for assignment of Raman lattice bands of molecular crystals. Copyright © 1975 American Institute of Physics.

Descripción: In this paper new basaltic outcrops from Ramírez de Velasco ranger (Santiago del Estero province) are described. They are basaltic dikes that vary from few meters to two kilometers long across the igneous basement. All these rocks show dark colors with aphyric (S9 sample) to porphyritic (S17 and S20 samples) textures. When these basalts present phenocrysts, they are composed of lagioclase within a groundmass of subophitic texture. The low alteration of the groundmass allows to recognise microliths of labradorite, augite and opaque minerals of about 0.2 and 0.5 mm. These sizes suggest a hypabisal emplacement of the biggest dikes. Sericite, chlorite, epidote, sphene and opaque minerals compose the alteration assemblage on these rocks. Quartz and carbonates mainly fill small cavities. The geochemical compositions of all analyzed samples support the petrographic classification. They have negative slopes of their trace elements and evidence affiliation with calc-alkaline basalts from magmatic arcs. Their similar textures, mineralogy and chemical compositions suggest that all these basalts where crystallized from the same source and due to the same magmatic process. On the basis of all these data and the features of the basalts that crops out in the surrounding of the study area, this volcanism is attributed to the post-orogenic stage of the Pampean orogeny and therefore it is correlated with the Balbuena Formation (Sierra Norte of Córdoba).

Descripción: In this work we propose a new method for face recognition that successfully handles occluded faces. We propose an innovative improvement that allows to detect and discard occluded zones of the face, thus making recognition more robust in the presence of occlusion. We provide experimental results that show that the proposed method performs well in practice. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

Descripción: The present work investigates several questions from a recent survey of Miller and Nies related to Chaitin's Ω numbers and their dependence on the underlying universal machine. Furthermore, the notion ΩU [X] = ∑p : U (p) ↓ ∈ X 2- | p | is studied for various sets X and universal machines U. A universal machine U is constructed such that for all x, ΩU [{ x }] = 21 - H (x). For such a universal machine there exists a co-r.e. set X such that ΩU [X] is neither left-r.e. nor Martin-Löf random. Furthermore, one of the open problems of Miller and Nies is answered completely by showing that there is a sequence Un of universal machines such that the truth-table degrees of the ΩUn form an antichain. Finally, it is shown that the members of hyperimmune-free Turing degree of a given Π1 0-class are not low for Ω unless this class contains a recursive set. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Descripción: We give a general theorem that provides examples of n-random reals à la Chaitin, for every n ≥ 1; these are halting probabilities of partial computable functions that are universal by adjunction for the class of all partial computable functions, The same result holds for the class functions of partial computable functions with prefix-free domain. Thus, the usual technical requirement of prefix-freeness on domains is an option which we show to be non-critical when dealing with universality by adjunction. We also prove that the condition of universality by adjunction (which, though particular, is a very natural case of optimality) is essential in our theorem. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Descripción: For a vector function u: ℝ→ ℝ N we consider the system, where G: ℝ N → ℝ is a C 1 function. We are interested in finding all possible T-periodic forcing terms p(t) for which there is at least one solution. In other words, we examine the range of the semilinear operator S: H 2 per → L 2([0, T],ℝ N) given by, where. Writing p(t) = p̄ + p̄(t), where, we present several resultsconcerning the topological structure of the set. © 2012 Texas State University-San Marcos.

Descripción: We define the C-rank associated to a projective curve and describe the strata of points having constant rank. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.

Descripción: In silico analyses have revealed a conserved protein domain (CHDL) widely present in bacteria that has significant structural similarity to eukaryotic cadherins. A CHDL domain was shown to be present in RapA, a protein that is involved in autoaggregation of Rhizobium cells, biofilm formation, and adhesion to plant roots as shown by us and others. Structural similarity to cadherins suggested calcium-dependent oligomerization of CHDL domains as a mechanistic basis for RapA action. Here we show by circular dichroism spectroscopy, light scattering, isothermal titration calorimetry, and other methods that RapA2 from Rhizobium leguminosarum indeed exhibits a cadherin-like β-sheet conformation and that its proper folding and stability are dependent on the binding of one calcium ion per protein molecule. By further in silico analysis we also reveal that RapA2 consists of two CHDL domains and expand the range of CHDLcontaining proteins in bacteria and archaea. However, light scattering assays at various concentrations of added calcium revealed that RapA2 formed neither homo-oligomers nor hetero-oligomers with RapB (a distinct CHDL protein), indicating that RapA2 does not mediate cellular interactions through a cadherin-like mechanism. Instead, we demonstrate that RapA2 interacts specifically with the acidic exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced by R. leguminosarum in a calcium-dependent manner, sustaining a role of these proteins in the development of the biofilm matrix made of EPS. Because EPS binding by RapA2 can only be attributed to its two CHDL domains, we propose that RapA2 is a calcium-dependent lectin and thatCHDLdomains in various bacterial and archaeal proteins confer carbohydrate binding activity to these proteins. © 2013 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Descripción: The kinetics of the reaction of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNClB) with aniline and substituted anilines such as p-anisidine, p-toluidine and N-methylaniline have been studied in toluene. Except for N-methylaniline the reactions have shown a third order in amine rate dependence which is consistent with aggregates of the amine acting as the nucleophile. On the other hand, the reaction of DNClB with N-methylaniline under the same conditions shows a linear dependence of the second order rate coefficient, kA, vs [amine], which is consistent with the previous mechanism.

Descripción: We give a new proof of the NP-hardness of deciding the existence of real roots of an integer univariate polynomial encoded by a straight line program based on certain properties of the Tchebychev polynomials. These techniques allow us to prove some new NP-hardness results related to real root approximation for polynomials given by straight line programs. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Descripción: Many remote sensing applications require on-board, real time processing with low power consumption. Solutions based in FPGA implementations are common in these cases to optimize the processing resources needed. In this paper we describe an FPGA based solution for a remote sensing application that processes real time video from an infrared camera in order to identify hot spots. The solution reduces the information in each frame to the location and spatial configuration of each hot spot present in the frame. The proposed method successfully segments the image with a total processing delay equal to the acquisition time of one pixel (that is, at the video rate). This processing delay is independent of the image size. The solution is not tied up to one specific camera, and may be used with several infrared cameras with minor adjustments. FPGA area equations are also presented in order to calculate the needed FPGA size for a particular application. © 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Descripción: A-homopregnanes and 5β-methylpregnanes were prepared from the easily available 3β-hydroxy-20β-acetoxy-4β,5β-methylenepregnane by cationic and radical rearrangements respectively. The A-homopregnane was formed in a single step upon spontaneous rearrangement and elimination by treatment of the cyclopropyl alcohol with BF3·Et2O. The 5β-methylpregnane was obtained by cleavage of the hydrazone of the corresponding cyclopropylketone followed by rearrangement mediated by mercury(II) hydrides. ©ARKAT.

Descripción: This paper reviews recent progress made in our understanding of the functioning and variability of the South American Monsoon System (SAMS) on time scales varying from synoptic to long-term variability and climate change. The SAMS contains one of the most prominent summertime climate patterns in South America, featuring a strong seasonal variability in a region lying between the Amazon and the La Plata Basin. Much of the recent progress is derived from complementary international programs, such as the Monsoon Experiment South America (MESA), as well as from ongoing international programs such as the Large Scale Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment in the Amazon Basin (LBA) and the La Plata Basin (LPB) Regional Hydroclimate Project, which includes the CLARIS LPB Europe-South America Network for Climate Change Assessment and Impact Studies in La Plata Basin Project. The latter assesses atmosphere-land surface interactions, the role of land use changes and aerosols from biomass burning considered as sources of variability and change in the SAMS functioning, characteristics and behaviour. The SAMS region is particularly susceptible to variations of climate due to the importance of hydroelectricity generation and the agricultural base of local economies. Also addressed in this report are projections of climate change and extremes, which are important for impact and vulnerability assessments. This discussion includes the need to identify and understand important processes that control the monsoonal climate, how these processes may vary and change, and how they may interact with key societal sectors, including water resource management, hydroelectric generation, agriculture, and agribusiness. This paper reports on the major contributions of MESA to the knowledge of characteristics, functioning and variability of the SAMS, and is based on recent studies and publications, and can be considered as an update of a previous review by C. S. Vera et al. (2006a). © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society.

Descripción: The advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer (ASTER) was used to identify different deposits of hydrothermal alteration which indicates that several important lithological groups can be mapped in areas with good exposure by using spectral-matching techniques. Different methods are tested in order to identify and map zones with hydrothermal alteration minerals using the ASTER dataset. These areas are often referred to having large quantities of clay minerals which can be detected using multispectral imagery. Several authors have developed different procedures to map these hydrothermal minerals. Among the simplest ones, band combinations and band ratios have proven to be very useful tools for identifying targets. Lithology indexes point to reinforce the spectral response of this group of minerals working with band products and ratios. So far, these techniques do not need a full image correction. Other methods here employed require further processing of the ASTER scene, especially when spectral data are used. These techniques include spectral angle mapper (SAM) classification and minimum noise fraction (MNF) transforms to segregate noise and reduce computational requirements. Spectral data used in this paper were collected from field samples using SWIR (short wave infrared) reflectance spectroscopy and derived from the scene itself. These mapping methods have been tested in areas of known hydrothermal alteration occurrences, e.g. Los Pelambres, El Pachón and Altar, and in other sector of Santa Cruz region like Carnicerias and La Coipa; all of these at the south westernmost part of San Juan province. The result of this work is here presented as a series of images showing lithology indexes and an expected mineral assembly.

Descripción: Five prehistoric rock-avalanches are described in the northern cordilleran region of Neuquén Province, between 37°15′ and 37°30′S and between 70°55′ and 71°05′W. These slides and their deposits were not previously identified and moreover they were classified as glacial and glaciofluvial in origin. All of them are developed on volcanic-sedimentary deposits. They are named after local places: Cerro Piche Moncol, Cerro Guañaco, Cerro Coronal, Laguna Negra and Laguna Lauquen Mallin avalanches. The first three form a group of avalanches situated north of Reñileuvú creek, in the vicinity of the previously described Moncol rock-avalanche. Their break-away zones are located on the lateral slopes of a pre-existing deep glacial valley. The biggest rock-avalanche is the Cerro Piche Moncol and its deposits are due to the collapse of the southern flank of a volcanic edifice with a small caldera. The Cerro Guañaco, Cerro Coronal and Laguna Negra rock-avalanches began as a slump slide to evolving distally into a flow. The slides of Laguna Lauquen Mallín are big rock-block slides. Some local factors, principally contrasting lithology and physical properties, structural factors and more humid conditions during postglacial times favourable conditions for the loss of slope equilibrium. The authors suggest that these gravitational movements triggered by seismic shock. The age of these rock-avalanches is unknown but they must be younger than last local glaciation. © 2005 Asociación Geológica Argentina.

Descripción: In fear conditioning, aversive stimuli are readily associated with contextual features. A brief reexposure to the training context causes fear memory reconsolidation, whereas a prolonged re exposure induces memory extinction. The regulation of hippocampal gene expression plays akey role in contextual memory consolidation and reconsolidation. However, the mechanisms that determine whether memory will reconsolidate or extinguish are not known. Here, we demonstrate opposing roles for two evolutionarily related transcription factors in the mouse hippocampus. We found that nuclear factor-KB (NF-kB) is required for fear memory reconsolidation. Conversely, calcineurin phosphatase inhibited NF-kB and induced nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) nuclear translocation in the transition between reconsolidation and extinction. Accordingly, the hippocampal inhibition of both calcineurin and NFAT independently impaired memory extinction, whereas inhibition of NF-kB enhanced memory extinction. These findings represent the first insight into the molecular mechanisms that determine memory reprocessing after retrieval, supporting a transcriptional switch that directs memory toward reconsolidation or extinction. The precise molecular characterization of postretrieval processes has potential importance to the development of therapeutic strategies for fear memory disorders. © 2011 the authors.

Descripción: The Little Ice Age (LIA) is a climate episode between the 16th and middle 19th centuries, characterized in Europe by colder temperatures and occasionally stormy weather. In certain areas of Europe, long instrumental observations record the Little Ice Age partially; however, in the pampean region meteorological data only started about one hundred years ago. The objective of this contribution is to provide new evidences about the Little Ice Age in the Pampean plain based on lake cores. Short cores of Chascomús and Monte lakes were analyzed and, according to AMS data, they span the last 500 years. The Chascomús core consists of three fining upward sequences. Sediment logical and biological proxies demonstrate a benign period from the end of the 15th century. Around 1700 AD lake level decreased and a dry period started and lasted for almost 150 years. After 1850 AD higher lake levels and increased moisture dominate the pampean scenario. The del Monte lake core is also composed of three fining upwards sequences, and AMS chronology assigned a basal age between 1441-1494 AD. Although the model age needs improvement, the events of Chascomús and del Monte lakes seem to be correlated and show coherent regional tendencies of humidity and droughts during the last 500 years.

Descripción: Fil:Becher, V. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.

Descripción: A comparison of the compressibility factors of argon and xenon reduced in terms of the Kihara intermolecular core model potential is presented. It is found that corresponding-states behavior is better obeyed by using the Kihara rather than the Lennard-Jones potential. The results of this paper indicate that the assumption of the pairwise additivity of the potential seems to be valid within the range covered by the presently available experimental data.

Descripción: Two of the most potent cytokines that regulate anterior pituitary cell function are leukemia inhibitory factor and IL-6. These and others like IL-11 and ciliary neurotrophic factor are referred to as the gp130 cytokines because they share the gp130 glycoprotein as a common receptor initial signal transducer. We and others have shown that gp130 cytokines and their receptors are expressed and functional in normal and tumoral anterior pituitary cells. To study the role of gp130 cytokines in tumorigenic process, we generated gp130 cDNA gp130 sense and gp130 antisense (gp130-AS) transfected stable clones derived from lactosomatotroph GH3 cells. We examined hormone secretion and cell proliferation of these clones as well as their tumorigenic properties in athymic nude mice. Although gp130-AS clones, which have low gp130 levels and impaired signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 activity and suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 expression, showed reduced proliferation and hormone secretion (GH and prolactin) in response to gp130 cytokines, they had a normal response to gp130-independent stimuli. Moreover, gp130-AS clones showed a severely impaired in vivo tumor development. In contrast, the overexpressing gp130 clones (gp130 sense) showed no differences, compared with cells transfected with control vector. Thus, the present study provides new evidence supporting a link between gp130 and pituitary abnormal growth.

Descripción: Bath application of compound T-588, a neuroprotective agent, reduced paired-pulse and repetitive-pulse facilitation at mammalian and crustacean neuromuscular junctions. In addition, it reduced voltage-gated sodium and potassium currents in a use-dependent fashion, but had only a small effect on the presynaptic Ca 2+ conductance. By contrast, it blocked FM 1-43 vesicular uptake but not its release, in both species. Postsynaptically, T-588 reduced acetylcholine currents at the mammalian junction in a voltage-independent manner, but had no effect on the crayfish glutamate junction. All of these effects were rapidly reversible and were observed at concentrations close to the compound's acute protective level. We propose that this set of mechanisms, which reduces high-frequency synaptic transmission, is an important contributory factor in the neuroprotective action of T-588.

Descripción: A functional interaction between progesterone, Th2 cytokines and a suitable balance between nitric oxide and prostaglandins in the uterus is considered to have a major role in the success of embryo implantation and pregnancy. Non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice offer a suitable model to study the modulatory role of Th1 cytokines on uterus signalling and function, since at the prediabetic stage they develop a spontaneous Th1 autoimmune response against exocrine glands similar to Sjögren's syndrome. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a vasoactive neuro- and immunopeptide that promotes Th2 profiles and contributes to the smooth muscle relaxation and vasodilation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the activities of nitric oxide synthase and cyclo-oxygenase and the effect of VIP in the uterus of NOD mice with an emerging Th1 cytokine response. We present evidence of a reduced basal and VIP-stimulated activity of both enzymes in the uterus of NOD mice compared with normal BALB/c mice in proestrus. An altered functional interaction between both enzymes is also present in NOD mice at the time when increased levels of serum interleukin (IL)-12 and tumour necrosis factor-α but not interferon (IFN)-γ or IL-10 were detected. We conclude that signalling alterations in uteri of NOD mice are simultaneous to the onset of a systemic Th1 cytokine response. © 2006 Society for Reproduction and Fertility.

Descripción: Specimens tentatively determined as Hohenbuehelia nigra var. microspora were found in the environs of Buenos Aires. Study of collections in BAFC identified by Singer as H. nigra showed that var. microspora differed considerably from var. nigra. This led to a study of the holotypes of H. nigra var. microspora and H. nigra var. nigra. In the present paper specimens of Hohenbuehelia nigra var. nigra (Schwein.) Singer are redescribed and compared with H. nigra sensu Singer and Digilio, and with H. subbarbata. The taxonomic position of H. nigra var. microspora Singer is defined, for which the new name H. singeri is proposed, whereas for H. nigra sensu Singer and Digilio the variety H. nigra var. pileocystidiata is proposed.

Descripción: In this work we study the asymptotic distribution of eigenvalues in one-dimensional open sets. The method of proof is rather elementary, based on the Dirichlet lattice points problem, which enable us to consider sets with infinite measure. Also, we derive some estimates for the spectral counting function of the Laplace operator on unbounded two-dimensional domains. © 2010 Elsevier Inc.

Descripción: A series of acyl esters of 3,17-β-estradiol has been prepared by an enzymatic methodology. Eleven 17-monoacyl products (five novel compounds) were obtained in a highly regioselective way by acylation of 3,17-β-estradiol or by alcoholysis of the corresponding diacyl derivatives. The influence of various reaction parameters such as molar ratio, enzyme:substrate ratio and temperature was evaluated. Among the tested lipases, Candida rugosa lipase appeared to be the most appropriate in monoacylation and lipase from Candida antarctica in alcoholysis. The advantages presented by this methodology such as mild reaction conditions, economy and low environmental impact, make the biocatalysis a convenient way to prepare monoacyl derivatives of 3,17-β-estradiol containing the aromatic 3-hydroxyl group free. Some of these compounds are recongnized as useful products in the pharmaceutical industry. ©ARKAT.

Descripción: It is shown that Born-Infeld gravity -a high energy deformation of Einstein gravity-removes the singularities of a cosmic string. The respective vacuum solution results to be free of conical singularity and closed timelike curves. The space ends at a minimal circle where the curvature invariants vanish; but this circle cannot be reached in a finite proper time. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.

Descripción: Promoters and enhancers are cis-acting elements that control gene transcription via complex networks of protein-DNA and proteinprotein interactions. Whereas promoters deal with putting in place the RNA polymerase, both enhancers and promoters can control transcriptional initiation and elongation. We have previously shown that promoter structure modulates alternative splicing, strengthening the concept of a physical and functional coupling between transcription and splicing. Here we report that the promoter effect is due to the control of RNA pol II elongation. We found that the simian virus 40 (SV40) transcriptional enhancer, inserted in fibronectin (FN) minigene constructs transfected into mammalian cells, controls alternative splicing by inhibiting inclusion of the FN extra domain I (EDI) exon into mature mRNA. Deletion analysis of enhancer subdomains and competitions in vivo with excess of specific enhancer DNA subfragments demonstrate that the "minimal" enhancer, consisting of two 72-bp repeats, is responsible for the splicing effect. The 72-bp repeat region has been reported to promote RNA pol II elongation. When transcription is driven by the α-globin promoter linked to the SV40 enhancer, basal EDI inclusion and activation by the SR (Ser-Arg-rich) protein SF2/ASF are much lower than with other promoters. Deletion of only one of the two 72-bp repeats not only provokes higher EDI inclusion levels but allows responsiveness to SF2/ASF. These effects are the consequence of a decrease in RNA pol II elongation evidenced both by an increase in the proportions of shorter proximal over full length transcripts and by higher pol II densities upstream of the alternative exon detected by chromatin immunoprecipitation.

Descripción: The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates most of the toxic and endocrine-disruptive actions of aromatic compounds in the ovary. Paradoxically, this receptor has been shown to play important roles in normal female reproductive function as well. Although knowledge of AHR expression regulation in the ovary is of crucial significance to understand the receptor biology and its function in reproductive physiology, there are only limited data in this area. The purpose of the present study was to establish the possible regulation that AHR might undergo in ovarian cells. Here we show that the hormones FSH and estradiol are able to reduce AHR protein and transcript levels in granulosa cells in a way that parallels the changes observed in ovarian tissue across the rat estrous cycle. These findings suggest that estradiol and FSH would be cycle-associated endogenous modulators of AHR expression. In addition, we show that in granulosa cells the receptor is rapidly downregulated via proteasomal degradation following treatment with AHR ligands. However, prolonged treatment with an agonist caused an increase in Ahr mRNA levels. These actions would constitute a regulatory mechanism that both attenuates AHR signal rapidly and replenishes the cellular receptor pool in the long term. In conclusion, our results indicate that AHR expression is regulated by classical hormones and by its own ligands in granulosa cells. © 2006 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

Descripción: Although hypoxia-inducible factor-α (HIFα) subunit-specific hydroxylation and proteolytic breakdown explain the binary switch between the presence (hypoxia) and absence (normoxia) of HIFs, little is known of the mechanisms that fine-tune HIF activity under constant, rather than changing, oxygen tensions. Here, we report that the Drosophila HIFα homolog, the basic helix-loop-helix/PAS protein Sima (Similar), in hypoxic cultures of SL2 cells is expressed in full-length (fl) and splice variant (sv) isoforms. The following evidence supports the role of flSima as functional HIFα and the role of SL2 HIF as a transcriptional activator or suppressor. The pO2 dependence of Sima abundance matched that of HIF activity. HIF-dependent changes in candidate target gene expression were detected through variously effective stimuli: hypoxia (strong) > iron chelation, e.g. desferrioxamine (moderate) ≪ transition metals, e.g. cobalt ≃ normoxia (ineffective). Sima overexpression augmented hypoxic induction or suppression of different targets. In addition to the full-length exon 1-12 transcript yielding the 1510-amino acid HIFα homolog, the sima gene also expressed, specifically under hypoxia, an exon 1-7/12 splice variant, which translated into a 426-amino acid Sima truncation termed svSima. svSima contains basic helix-loop-helix and PAS sequences identical to those of flSima, but, because of deletion of exons 8-11, lacks the oxygen-dependent degradation domain and nuclear localization signals. Overexpressed svSima failed to transactivate reporter genes. However, it attenuated HIF (Sima-Tango)-stimulated reporter expression in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, svSima has the potential to regulate Drosophila HIF function under steady and hypoxic pO2 by creating a cytosolic sink for the Sima partner protein Tango.

Descripción: Fn containing an extra type III domain (EIIIA in the rat, ED1 or EDA in humans) is commonly termed "fetal" fibronectin, but it is prominent during the injury response of adult tissues and mediates important early events in the response. This form is particularly apparent in acute liver injury, where it has been shown that sinusoidal endothelial cells produce EIIIA-fibronectin. This fibronectin isoform arises by alternative splicing of the primary transcript. In the present experiments, we have studied the regulation of fibronectin splicing in primary sinusoidal endothelial cells by transfecting a minigene containing the EIIIA exon and its flanking introns, driven by various promoters. The results indicate that fibronectin splicing in endothelial cells from normal liver is in part promoter-dependent. However, in cells from injured liver in which expression of both total and EIIIA-fibronectin is strikingly increased, promoter effects disappear. Because fibronectin splicing is known to be regulated in part by TGFβ, we also examined the effect of a soluble inhibitor of the TGFβ type 2 receptor. This agent had no effect on splicing by normal endothelial cells. By contrast, for endothelial cells from the injured liver, the splicing pattern reverted to that of normal cells, i.e., it became promoter-dependent. We conclude that, in the setting of injury in vivo, TGFβ overrides the promoter dependence of fibronectin splicing in normal cells. The data suggest that TGFβ modifies the spliceosome, if not through its known signaling intermediates, then through the products of genes regulated by this cytokine.

Descripción: The placenta produces a wide number of molecules that play essential roles in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. In this context, leptin has emerged as an important player in reproduction. The synthesis of leptin in normal trophoblastic cells is regulated by different endogenous biochemical agents, but the regulation of placental leptin expression is still poorly understood. We have previously reported that 17β-estradiol (E 2) up-regulates placental leptin expression. To improve the understanding of estrogen receptor mechanisms in regulating leptin gene expression, in the current study we examined the effect of membrane-constrained E 2 conjugate, E-BSA, on leptin expression in human placental cells. We have found that leptin expression was induced by E-BSA both in BeWo cells and human placental explants, suggesting that E 2 also exerts its effects through membrane receptors. Moreover E-BSA rapidly activated different MAPKs and AKT pathways, and these pathways were involved in E 2 induced placental leptin expression. On the other hand we demonstrated the presence of ERα associated to the plasma membrane of BeWo cells. We showed that E 2 genomic and nongenomic actions could be mediated by ERα. Supporting this idea, the downregulation of ERα level through a specific siRNA, decreased E-BSA effects on leptin expression. Taken together, these results provide new evidence of the mechanisms whereby E 2 regulates leptin expression in placenta and support the importance of leptin in placental physiology. © 2012 Elsevier B.V..

Descripción: Leptin, a 16-kDa protein mainly produced by adipose tissue, has been involved in the control of energy balance through its hypothalamic receptor. However, pleiotropic effects of leptin have been identified in reproduction and pregnancy, particularly in placenta, where it was found to be expressed. In the current study, we examined the effect of cAMP in the regulation of leptin expression in trophoblastic cells. We found that dibutyryl cAMP [(Bu) 2cAMP], a cAMP analog, showed an inducing effect on endogenous leptin expression in BeWo and JEG-3 cell lines when analyzed by Western blot analysis and quantitative RT-PCR. Maximal effect was achieved at 100 μM. Leptin promoter activity was also stimulated, evaluated by transient transfection with a reporter plasmid construction. Similar results were obtained with human term placental explants, thus indicating physiological relevance. Because cAMP usually exerts its actions through activation of protein kinase A (PKA) signaling, this pathway was analyzed. We found that cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation was significantly increased with (Bu)2cAMP treatment. Furthermore, cotransfection with the catalytic subunit of PKA and/or the transcription factor CREB caused a significant stimulation on leptin promoter activity. On the other hand, the cotransfection with a dominant negative mutant of the regulatory subunit of PKA inhibited leptin promoter activity. We determined that cAMP effect could be blocked by pharmacologic inhibition of PKA or adenylyl ciclase in BeWo cells and in human placental explants. Thereafter, we decided to investigate the involvement of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway in the cAMP effect on leptin induction. We found that 50 μM PD98059, a MAPK kinase inhibitor, partially blocked leptin induction by cAMP, measured both by Western blot analysis and reporter transient transfection assay. Moreover, ERK 1/2 phosphorylation was significantly increased with (Bu)2cAMP treatment, and this effect was dose dependent. Finally, we observed that 50 μM PD98059 inhibited cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of CREB in placental explants. In summary, we provide some evidence suggesting that cAMP induces leptin expression in placental cells and that this effect seems to be mediated by a cross talk between PKA and MAPK signaling pathways. Copyright © 2010 by The Endocrine Society.

Descripción: 1. 1. The incubation of the pegion breast muscle homogenate at 37° resulted in a time-dependent decrease in phosphatase activity. This effect was stimulated by ATP, ADP, AMP, GTP, UTP, CTP or pyrophosphate. 2. 2. Reactivation of an inactive phosphorylase a phosphatase preparation was obtained by incubation with ATP-Mg2+. Phosphocreatine-Mg2+ or Mg2+ were also found to be effective in bringing about the reactivation of the enzyme. 3. 3. 3′,5′-Cyclic AMP decreased the yield of the active enzyme when it was added either at the beginning or during the activation reaction. © 1970.

Descripción: 1. 1. The inactivation of phosphorylase a phosphatase decreased the maximum velocity of the phosphorylase a to phosphorylase b conversion reaction when it was assayed at different phosphorylase a concectrations. 2. 2. Maximal phosphorylase a phosphatase activities were found between pH 8 and 8.3. Inactivation of the phosphorylase a phosphatase led to a decrease in the activity in all the pH ranges tested. 3. 3. Theophylline and caffeine stimulated the phosphorylase a phosphatase. The effect of these substances was exerted in the reaction assay of the enzyme. 4. 4. ATP, ADP, AMP, GTP, UTP, CTP and pyrophosphate were found to decrease the rate of the reaction catalyzed by phosphorylase a phosphatase. This effect showed a striking parallelism with the capacity of these compounds to stimulate the phosphatase inactivation. © 1970.

Descripción: The objective of the present paper is to analyse the possible impact of ENSO events on the spatial and the temporal distribution of frost occurrences, within the central region of Argentina. Therefore, the minimum temperature series have been studied for 41 meteorological stations within the Pampa Humeda region and, for a period of 30 years from 1961 to 1990, exploring possible relationships with El Nino (EN)/La Nina (LN) events and the changes in the Southern Oscillation. It can be concluded that part of the frost frequency variability within this region is explained by the ENSO cycle. Results indicate that, for at least 1 of the 2 years in which the EN event takes place, the mean number of frost occurrences drops below the climatological value. The low phase of the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) also coincides with those years for which the number of frost events remained below the total annual mean in all cases, with the year 1965 as an exception. Conversely, during the high phase of the SOI, this number was above the total annual mean for four of the six classified cases. In the particular case of seasonal frost occurrence, it is related to the warm event development state, exhibiting a greater impact during the autumn and winter months, for which the cold event also seems to have influence. Copyright (C) 2000 Royal Meteorological Society.

Descripción: The electronic structures and conformational studies of the cyclopeptides, O-methyl-α-amanitin, phalloidin and antamanide, were obtained from molecular parameters on the basis of semiempiric and ab initio methods.

Descripción: Variation in genome size of 24 populations belonging to 11 NW Patagonian species of Berberis was analysed as a function of the environment and geographical location. The variation showed three levels of discontinuity, two of which corresponded to diploid species (2n = 28) while the third corresponded to polyploid species (2n = 56). Diploids with DNA content ranging from 1.463 pg to 1.857 pg included Berberis cabrerae, B. chillanensis, B. montana, B. serrato-dentata and B. bidentata. Diploids with DNA content ranging from 2.875 pg to 3.806 pg included B. linearifolia, B. darwinii, B. parodii and B. empetrifolia. The genome size of the polyploid species B. buxifolia and B. heterophylla ranged from 5.809 pg to 6.844 pg. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to represent the variability of environmental conditions. The eigenvectors of the principal component axes showed that PCl discriminates the populations according to rainfall, types of vegetation and geomorphology; altitude and latitude, on the other hand, contribute to PC2 and PC3, respectively. From these results it is concluded: (1) that diploids with lower DNA content grow in high-elevation sites having greater rainfall but lower water availability; (2) diploids with higher DNA content are associated with half-elevation forests where the vegetative period is longer, the water availability is greater and the temperatures are higher; and (3) the distribution pattern of polyploids is considerably wider than that of diploids, which are geographically and ecologically restricted to forest areas. These results suggest that the C-value plays an important role in the ability of the species to adapt to different growing conditions. (C) 2000 Annals of Botany Company.

Descripción: The classification of El Niño events was performed based on the time evolution of sea surface warming in the tropical Pacific Ocean during the period 1950-2000. Two sets of events were constructed: one in which the warming core migrates eastward along the tropical Pacific until April-June of the following year, and another one in which it evolves westward until November-January. The first type has associated positive precipitation anomalies over southeastern South America during April-June. It results from a favourable combination of cyclonic vorticity advection and humidity convergence. At high levels, cyclonic vorticity advection is explained in terms of an eastward extension of the subtropical jet. Enhanced humidity advection takes place by an increased low-level northwesterly flow to the east of the Andes. It provides enough moisture availability that, in combination with the upper-level cyclonic vorticity advection, supports heavy precipitation during April-June. The second type of event exhibits slight negative or near-normal precipitation anomalies over the same region. Both low and high-level circulation anomalies are also weaker in this case. The 1997-1998 El Niño is analysed separately because it cannot be classified into any of the previously described event types. The observed distribution of both types of events along the analysed period changes after the 1970s. Comparison with other authors' results suggests the influence of low-frequency processes such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society.

Descripción: Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the 18S(ITS1)-5.8S-26S(ITS2) rDNA region was performed in order to analyse the phylogenetic relationships between 13 Patagonian species of the genus Berberis (Berberidaceae). The divergence values between the pairwise sequence in the studied Patagonian species were in the range 2.9-22.9%. The lengths of the ITS1 and ITS2 sequences were in the range 227-231 bp and 220-224 bp, respectively, and the 5.8S sequence was 159 bp throughout all species. B. microphylla sensu Landrum does not appear to be monophyletic based on current sampling. Indeed, we suggest that B. microphylla should be distinguished from B. buxifolia, B. parodii, and B. heterophylla. ITS sequences, together with data obtained from morphological, biochemical, amplified fragment length polymorphism, and cytological characterizations, support the existence of diploid and polyploid hybrid speciation in the genus. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London.

Descripción: With aging, the kidney develops a progressive deterioration of several structures and functions. Proximal tubular acidification is impaired in old rats with a decrease in the activity of brush border Na+/ H+ exchange and a fall of H-ion flux measured with micropuncture experiments. In the present work we evaluate the contribution of 5-N-ethyl-n-isopropyl amiloride- (EIPA) and bafilomycin-sensitive bicarbonate flux (JHCO3-) in proximal convoluted tubules of young and aged rats. We performed micropuncture experiments inhibiting the Na+/H+ exchanger with EIPA (10-4 M) and the V-H+ ATPase with bafilomycin (10-6 M). We used antibodies against the NHE3 isoform of the Na+/H+ exchanger and the subunit E of the V-H+ ATPase for detecting by Western blot the abundance of these proteins in brush border membrane vesicles from proximal convoluted tubules of young and old rats. The abundance of NHE3 and the V-H+ ATPase was similar in 18-month-old and 3-month-old rats. The bicarbonate flux in old rats was 30% lower than in young rats. EIPA reduced JHCO3- by 60% and bafilomycin by 30% in young rats; in contrast, EIPA reduced JHCO3- by ∼40% and bafilomycin by ∼50% in old rats. The JHCO3- inhibited by bafilomycin was the same in young and old rats: 0.62.nmol · cm-2 · s-1 and 0.71.nmol · cm-2 · s-1, respectively. However, the EIPA-sensitive fraction was larger in young than in old rats: 1.26.nmol · cm-2 · s-1 vs. 0.85 nmol · cm-2 · s-1, respectively. These results suggest that the component more affected in bicarbonate reabsorption of proximal convoluted tubules from aged rats is the Na+-H+ exchanger, probably a NHE isoform different from NHE3. © 2006 The Authors Journal compilation © Blackwell Publishing Ltd/Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2006.

Descripción: Crystal structures are presented for two members of the homologous series of 1,2-dibromo-4,5-dialkoxybenzenes, viz. those with decyloxy and hexadecyloxy substituents, namely 1,2-dibromo-4,5-bis(decyloxy)benzene, C26H44Br2O2, (II), and 1,2-dibromo-4,5-bis(hexadecyloxy)benzene, C38H68Br2O2, (III). The relative influences which halogen bonding, π- π stacking and van der Waals interactions have on these structures are analysed and the results compared with those already found for the lightest homologue, 1,2-dibromo-4,5- dimethoxybenzene, (I) [Cukiernik, Zelcer, Garland & Baggio (2008). Acta Cryst. C64, o604-o608]. The results confirm that the prevalent interactions stabilizing the structures of (II) and (III) are van der Waals contacts between the aliphatic chains. In the case of (II), weak halogen C - Br ⋯(Br - C) ′ interactions are also present and contribute to the stability of the structure. In the case of (III), van der Waals interactions between the aliphatic chains are almost exclusive, weaker C - Br ⋯ π interactions being the only additional interactions detected. The results are in line with commonly accepted models concerning trends in crystal stability along a homologous series (as measured by their melting points), but the earlier report for n = 1, and the present report for n = 10 and 16, are among the few providing single-crystal information validating the hypothesis.

Descripción: We have employed the Douglas-Kroll-Hess approximation to derive the perturbative Hamiltonians involved in the calculation of NMR spin-spin couplings in molecules containing heavy elements. We have applied this two-component quasirelativistic approach using finite perturbation theory in combination with a generalized Kohn-Sham code that includes the spin-orbit interaction self-consistently and works with Hartree-Fock and both pure and hybrid density functionals. We present numerical results for one-bond spin-spin couplings in the series of tetrahydrides C H4, Si H4, Ge H4, and Sn H4. Our two-component Hartree-Fock results are in good agreement with four-component Dirac-Hartree-Fock calculations, although a density-functional treatment better reproduces the available experimental data. © 2005 American Institute of Physics.

Descripción: Relativistic effects on nuclear magnetic shielding constants in HX and CH 3X, where X is either Br or I, were investigated using elimination of small component (ESC) approach. The values of σ(X) were found to affected by relativistic corrections. Large negative contributions correcting the dimagnetic terms were observed that when the effect of electron-positron rotations was included within RC-ESC approach. The results show that some overall shifts from HX to CH 3X is dominated by nonrelativistic effects.

Descripción: A two-component theory for shielding calculations starting from a four-component Rayleigh-Schrodinger perturbation theory (RSPT) formalism is presented. Thus, a set of operators entering the RSPT expressions in terms of the Schrodinger molecular spectrum are derived by expanding such four-component expression as a power series in c-1. All formal expressions are retained, without neglecting any terms in the intermediate steps of the derivation.

Descripción: An alternative approach for the calculation of the electron-positron (e-p) contribution to magnetic properties based on two-component Breit-Pauli spinors is presented. In it, the elimination of the small component scheme is applied to the inverse propagator matrix of e-p pairs. The effect of the positronic manifold is expressed as an operator acting on Breit-Pauli spinors. The operator form thus obtained sums up the relativistic correction as a geometric series and as a result a totally different behavior in the vicinity of a nucleus is obtained as compared to the one of the linear response approximation. This feature has deep influence in numerical values of the e-p contribution to the nuclear magnetic shielding of heavy atoms. Numerical calculations carried out for Kr, Xe, and I show that with this approach, the e-p contributions to this property are in good agreement with those of four-component methods. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.

Descripción: Fil:Flexer, V. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.

Descripción: In this note we give some remarks and improvements on our recent paper [5] about an optimization problem for the p-Laplace operator that were motivated by some discussion that we had with Prof. Cianchi. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Descripción: We investigate the renormalization group approach to nonequilibrium field theory. We show that it is possible to derive nontrivial renormalization group flow from iterative coarse graining of a closed-time-path action. This renormalization group is different from the usual in quantum field theory textbooks, in that it describes nontrivial noise and dissipation. We work out a specific example where the variation of the closed-time-path action leads to the so-called Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation, and show that the renormalization group obtained by coarse graining this action, agrees with the dynamical renormalization group derived by directly coarse graining the equations of motion. © 2002 The American Physical Society.

Descripción: We consider a free quantum scalar field satisfying modified dispersion relations in curved spacetimes, within the framework of Einstein-Aether theory. Using a power counting analysis, we study the divergences in the adiabatic expansion of 〈 φ{symbol}2 〉 and 〈 Tμ ν 〉, working in the weak field approximation. We show that for dispersion relations containing up to 2s powers of the spatial momentum, the subtraction necessary to renormalize these two quantities on general backgrounds depends on s in a qualitatively different way: while 〈 φ{symbol}2 〉 becomes convergent for a sufficiently large value of s, the number of divergent terms in the adiabatic expansion of 〈 Tμ ν 〉 increases with s. This property was not apparent in previous results for spatially homogeneous backgrounds. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Descripción: The idea that memories are immutable after consolidation has been challenged. Several reports have shown that after the presentation of a specific reminder, reactivated old memories become labile and again susceptible to amnesic agents. Such vulnerability diminishes with the progress of time and implies a re-stabilization phase, usually referred to as reconsolidation. To date, the main findings describe the mechanisms associated with the labilization-reconsolidation process, but little is known about its functionality from a biological standpoint. Indeed, two functions have been proposed. One suggests that destabilization of the original memory after the reminder allows the integration of new information into the background of the original memory (memory updating), and the other suggests that the labilization-reconsolidation process strengthens the original memory (memory strengthening). We have previously reported the reconsolidation of human declarative memories, demonstrating memory updating in the framework of reconsolidation. Here we deal with the strengthening function attributed to the reconsolidation process. We triggered labilization-reconsolidation processes successively by repeated presentations of the proper reminder. Participants learned an association between five cue-syllables and their respective response-syllables. Twenty-four hours later, the paired-associate verbal memory was labilized by exposing the subjects to one, two or four reminders. The List-memory was evaluated on Day 3 showing that the memory was improved when at least a second reminder was presented in the time window of the first labilization-reconsolidation process prompted by the earlier reminder. However, the improvement effect was revealed on Day 3, only when at least two reminders were presented on Day2 and not as a consequence of only retrieval. Therefore, we propose central concepts for the reconsolidation process, emphasizing its biological role and the parametrical constrains for this function to be operative. © 2011 Forcato et al.

Descripción: The coast of Lobería and Necochea is characterized by cliffsand narrow beaches. The inlet of the Quequén Grande river used to alter the coastline. The construction of jetties related to the Quequén Harbour induced huge accumulations of sand towards Necochea, and a critic erosive process of cliff and beach to the east. Beach width reduces from 300 m at the west to 40-60 m to the east. Considering regional sand scarcity, the eastern beaches are characterized by more sand variability. Greater variations in the sand balance were assigned to human activity. Waves coming from the E, SE and S deliver more energy along this eastern sector. On the other hand, submerged zones of these beaches have less availability of sand. Greater availability of fine sand was recognized towards Necochea. The Quequén Grande river has much effect on the estuarine dynamics during ENSO-triggered floods, although sedimentation is dominated by silt supply.

Descripción: We study reaction-diffusion systems which involve processes that occur on different time scales. In particular, we apply a multiscale analysis to obtain a reduced description of the slow dynamics. Under certain assumptions this reduction yields a new set of reaction-diffusion equations with rescaled diffusion coefficients. We analyze the Selkov model [E. E. Selkov, Eur. J. Biochem. 4, 79 (1968)] and the ferrocyanide-iodide-sulfite reaction [E. C. Edblom et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 108, 2826 (1986)] to determine whether the rescaling in this case may account for the difference of diffusivities that the formation of certain types of patterns requires. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.

Descripción: Two additive schemes for resolving average molecular electric dipole polarizabilities into atomic contributions, based on the acceleration gauge for the electric dipole, are outlined. Extended calculations have been carried out for a few terms of the alkane series to test the reliability of the partition method. Gross atomic isotropic contributions evaluated for carbon, αAvC≈5.7a.u., and hydrogen, αAvH≈2.7a.u., are actually transferable from molecule to molecule, and can be used to predict fairly accurate average polarizabilities of higher homologous molecules in the alkane series. © 1998 American Institute of Physics.

Descripción: The resolution of molecular electric dipole polarizabilities into atomic contributions was studied in the context of methyl and ethyl derivatives, CH3-X and CH3-CH2-X. The reliability of the partitioning schemes allowing for adhoc quantum chemical tools was also tested. Results depicted a good degree of the transferability from molecule to molecule as shown by the evaluation of gross atomic isotropic contributions for carbon, hydrogen, and heteroatoms.

Descripción: Fil:Depine, R.A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.

Descripción: We compared several attributes of vegetation structure of the understory and of bird species richness, guild abundance, and total abundance between a 200-ha area of semiarid Chacoan forest and another 200-ha area of the same forest where shrubs were manually removed, in Santiago del Estero province, Argentina. We seasonally recorded birds at 60 point count stations (30 in each type of habitat) between March 1998 and August 1999. The shrubless area showed higher percentages of herb cover and bare ground than the forest, whereas in the forest there were higher covers of litter and shrubs and a higher shrub height than in the shrubless area. Moreover, the shrubless area showed a lower species richness and bird abundance than the forest in summer. At the guild level, analyses revealed that bark insectivores were more abundant in the shrubless area, whereas foliage insectivores, terrestrial insectivores, and arboreal seed eaters were more abundant in the forest. Our results show that shrub removal has a great influence on the structure of bird assemblages, which persists several years later after the application of this technique. We recommend that, in case of massive shrub removal, stripes of shrubby vegetation should be maintained in order to guarantee the inclusion of shrub-associated bird species in the mosaic landscape. © The Neotropical Ornithological Society.

Descripción: Cushing's disease is almost always caused by an ACTH-secreting pituitary tumor, but effective medical therapy is currently limited. Because retinoic acid has been shown to be potentially useful in decreasing corticotroph secretion and proliferation in rodent models, we have studied its action in dogs with Cushing's disease. A randomized treatment with retinoic acid (n = 22) vs. ketoconazole (n = 20) in dogs with Cushing's disease was assigned for a period of 180 d. Clinical signs, plasma ACTH and α-MSH, the cortisol/creatinine urine ratio, and pituitary magnetic resonance imaging were assessed and compared at different time points. We recorded a significant reduction in plasma ACTH and α-MSH, and also in the cortisol/ creatinine urine ratio, of the dogs treated with retinoic acid. Pituitary adenoma size was also significantly reduced at the end of retinoic acid treatment. Survival time and all the clinical signs evaluated showed an improvement in the retinoic-acid-treated dogs. No adverse events or signs of hepatotoxicity were observed, suggesting that the drug is not only effective but also safe. Retinoic acid treatment controls ACTH and cortisol hyperactivity and tumor size in dogs with ACTH-secreting tumors, leading to resolution of the clinical phenotype. This study highlights the possibility of using retinoic acid as a novel therapy in the treatment of ACTH-secreting tumors in humans with Cushing's disease. Copyright © 2006 by The Endocrine Society.

Descripción: Meningiomas are tumours derived from the arachnoid and pia mater. During embryogenesis, these membranes develop from the migrating craniofacial neural crest. We have previously demonstrated that meningiomas have characteristic features of embryonic meninges. Craniofacial neural crest derivatives are affected during normal development and migration by retinoic acid. We speculated, therefore, that meningioma cell migration and invasion would be affected in a similar way. In this study we investigated the mechanisms of invasion and migration in meningiomas and the effects of retinoic acid (RA). We found that low doses of RA inhibit in vitro invasion in meningioma cells, without affecting cell proliferation or viability. The matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 (72 kDa gelatinase) and MMP-9 (92 kDa gelatinase), which play a key role in invasion in other tumours, are not affected by RA. RA inhibits cell migration on collagen I and fibronectin. A possible mechanism for these effects is provided by the fact that RA strongly stimulates adhesion of meningioma cells to extracellular matrix substrates. As in vitro invasion, migration and decreased adhesion to the extracellular matrix correlate with the clinical manifestation of tumour invasion, we conclude that RA induces a non-invasive phenotype in meningioma cells.

Descripción: The Payenia basaltic province is a typical retroarc association developed along the foothills of the Andes between 33°40 ́S and 38°00'S. It records two main events, an older, mostly Miocene one (26 to 8 Ma) and a younger Pliocene to Holocene one (younger than 5 Ma). It covers an N-S lowland belt named here the central depression. To the North of 36°20'S, the region was described as Los Huarpes depression, a partially deformed sedimentary basin characterized by a 1000 m-thick, undifferentiated Cenozoic sequence. To the south, Upper Cretaceous to Lower Paleogene layers, instead of the undifferentiated Cenozoic deposits, are covered by basalts. The volcanism additionally covers the western side of the San Rafael Block as well as the fold and thrust belt of the Andean foothills. The Payenia province consists of more than 800 monogenetic basaltic cones, and scarce polygenetic volcanos fed by shallow magmatic chambers. Among the latter, the following examples can be mentioned: Miocene Chachahuén volcano (7 to 5 Ma), composed of andesites, rhyodacites and basalts with high-K and amphibole; Pliocene El Nevado volcano, with calc-alkaline, basaltic trachyandesites, trachytes, dacites and rhyolites; and Upper Pleistocene to Holocene Payún Matrú volcano, composed of trachytes, trachyandesites and trachybasalts. The southernmost area of the central depression is covered by the Pleistocene, Auca Mahuida basaltic shield (1.7 to 0.88 Ma), consisting of trachybasalts, basaltic trachyandesites and trachyandesites. This shield is aligned with Tromen and Domuyo volcanos, defining an NW-SE volcanic belt, oblique to the Andes, whose southern tip corresponds to the Cortaderas lineament. Some of the monogenetic cones are of hydromagmatic origin, whereas a few others exhibit small mantle inclusions. The Payenia retroarc province develops to the south of the Pampean flat slab segment, where the heights of the Andes are smaller. This height difference might have been caused by a higher thermal gradient that softened the crust in the steeper subduction segment, while the colder lithosphere in the flat slab segment allowed greater crustal thickening and height. From the tectonic point of view the height difference has been attributed to a smaller orogenic contraction in the southern segment. Holocene volcanism appears exclusively at Payun Matru volcano. The associated thermal anomaly may explain the segmentation of the central depression, separating the Cenozoic Los Huarpes basin in the north and the section without coeval sedimentation in the south. The only surface evidence of this segmentation is the E-W, La Carbonilla fault, running both sides of the Payun Matru volcano. Other authors have explained this thermal anomaly as a process of crustal thinning and stretching associated with hot injection from the asthenosphere.

Descripción: Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF) prolyl hydroxylase domains (PHDs) have been proposed to act as sensors that have an important role in oxygen homeostasis. In the presence of oxygen, they hydroxylate two specific prolyl residues in HIF-α polypeptides, thereby promoting their proteasomal degradation. So far, however, the developmental consequences of the inactivation of PHDs in higher metazoans have not been reported. Here, we describe novel loss-of-function mutants of fatiga, the gene encoding the Drosophila PHD oxygen sensor, which manifest growth defects and lethality. We also report a null mutation in dHIF-α/sima, which is unable to adapt to hypoxia but is fully viable in normoxic conditions. Strikingly, loss-of-function mutations of sima rescued the developmental defects observed in fatiga mutants and enabled survival to adulthood. These results indicate that the main functions of Fatiga in development, including control of cell size, involve the regulation of dHIF/Sima. © 2005 European Molecular Biology Organization.

Descripción: Isotopic age determinations (40Ar/39Ar) and associated magnetic polarity stratigraphy for Casamayoran age fauna at Gran Barranca (Chubut, Argentina) indicate that the Barrancan 'subage' of the Casamayoran South American Land Mammal 'Age' is late Eocene, 18 to 20 million years younger than hitherto supposed. Correlations of the radioisotopically dated magnetic polarity stratigraphy at Gran Barranca with the Cenozoic geomagnetic polarity time scale indicate that Barrancan faunal levels at the Gran Barranca date to within the magnetochronologic interval from 35.34 to 36.62 megannums (Ma) or 35.69 to 37.60 Ma. This age revision constrains the timing of an adaptive shift in mammalian herbivores toward hypsodonty. Specifically, the appearance of large numbers of hypsodont taxa in South America occurred sometime between 36 and 32 Ma (late Eocene-early Oligocene), at approximately the same time that other biotic and geologic evidence has suggested the Southern high latitudes experienced climatic cooling associated with Antarctic glaciation.

Descripción: Most primates studied have the usual XX/XY sex-chromosome system. However, exceptions to this rule among howler monkeys have been suggested by several authors. Recently a quadrivalent was discovered in male meiosis of Alouatta caraya and it was established that this species has an X1X2Y1Y2 sex chromosome system. On that basis, a cytogenetic analysis of 25 males of this species is described. showing the corrected karyotype of this species. Each chromosome involved in the particular sex-chromosome system of this species is identified on the basis of mitotic chromosome measurements. G and C-banding patterns as well as on the relative measurements of synaptonemal complexes. It is now established that A. caraya has a karyotype with 2n = 52 in both sexes, and that the male one shows a single autosome 7 (X2) besides the X (X1) and the two products of the reciprocal translocation between the second autosome #7 and the Y chromosome (Y1 and Y2), while females show a homomorphic pair #7 (X2) and a pair of X1. The evolutionary implications of the exceptional primate species having composite sex-chromosome systems are discussed.

Descripción: A mutant of Rhizobium meliloti that elicited the formation of inactive nodules in alfalfa was found not to form β-(1→2) glucan in vivo or in vitro. It was nonmotile because it lacks flagella. The 235-kilodalton protein which acts as an intermediate in β-(1→2) glucan synthesis was undetectable in the mutant. These properties of the mutant are common to those of chvB mutants of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Exopolysaccharide formation by the R. meliloti mutant was about double that by the wild type.

Descripción: Fil:Simionato, C.G. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.

Descripción: Under normality, Flury and Schmid [Quadratic discriminant functions with constraints on the covariances matrices: some asymptotic results, J. Multivariate Anal. 40 (1992) 244-261] investigated the asymptotic properties of the quadratic discrimination procedure under hierarchical models for the scatter matrices, that is: (i) arbitrary scatter matrices, (ii) common principal components, (iii) proportional scatter matrices and (iv) identical matrices. In this paper, we study the properties of robust quadratic discrimination rules based on robust estimates of the involved parameters. Our analysis is based on the partial influence functions of the functionals related to these parameters and allows to derive the asymptotic variances of the estimated coefficients under models (i)-(iv). From them, we conclude that the asymptotic variances verify the same order relations as those obtained by Flury and Schmid [Quadratic discriminant functions with constraints on the covariances matrices: some asymptotic results, J. Multivariate Anal. 40 (1992) 244-261] for the classical estimators. We also perform a Monte Carlo study for different sample sizes and different hierarchies which shows the advantage of using robust procedures over classical ones, when anomalous data are present. It also confirms that better rates of misclassification can be achieved if a more parsimonious model among all the correct ones is used instead of the standard quadratic discrimination. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Descripción: In this paper, we introduce a family of robust estimates for the parametric and nonparametric components under a generalized partially linear model, where the data are modeled by y i |(x i , t i ) ∼ F (·, μ i ) with μ i = H(η(t i ) + x i T β), with for some known distribution function F and link function H. It is shown that the estimates of β are root-n consistent and asymptotically normal. Through a Monte Carlo study, the performance of these estimators is compared with that of the classical ones. © Institute of Mathematical Statistics, 2006.

Descripción: We consider the problem of constructing robust nonparametric confidence intervals and tests of hypothesis for the median when the data distribution is unknown and the data may contain a small fraction of contamination. We propose a modification of the sign test (and its associated confidence interval) which attains the nominal significance level (probability coverage) for any distribution in the contamination neighborhood of a continuous distribution. We also define some measures of robustness and efficiency under contamination for confidence intervals and tests. These measures are computed for the proposed procedures. © Institute of Mathematical Statistics, 2004.

Descripción: A new and important rock avalanche not previously recognized is described, which is located 25 km west of Andacollo town. It shows two scars (northern and southern ones) where the southernmost one is interpreted as the most important, developed in the western flank of a reduced basaltic plain, where at its northern part of Cerro Los Cardos is located. The movement is complex showing several breakaway zones developed into the landslide deposit, considered as secondary scars, all of them, main and secondary ones, have a NW trending. The movement mechanics seems to have started as a planar landslide considering the local almost vertical bedding of the Lileo Formation. However, the concave nature of the breakaway zones allows to infer a rotational movement after the initial stage of sliding. The movement corresponding to the southern breakaway zone was projected as a flux to the south of the Lileo valley, presumably in successive pulses as indicated by the multiple secondary scars. The movement corresponding to the northern break away zone moved to the west and after-wards seems to be controlled by the slope of the valley, moving through to the Palao valley. The western slope of the Palao valley was covered by avalanche deposits corresponding to a run-up. Los Rojos lake is located in a depression presumably generated by the landslide and consequent fracturing of a rock block detached from a Los Cardos's lavic structural plain. Several factors, particularly the structure, favoured the development of the landslide. We propose a seismic trigger for the Los Cardos's avalanche, having into account the regional seismotectonic characteristics (neotectonic front) and the local structure (lineaments, faults). Other landslides, some of them with volume similar to an avalanche deposit, have been included in a regional map. Moreover, modifications to the regional stratigraphy, particularly referred to the volcanic units, are proposed based on morphological criteria. Other geoforms related to other geomorphological processes, fluvial, volcanic and glacial are identified. © 2005 Asociación Geológica Argentina.

Descripción: The first rock avalanche to be identified in the southern Sierras Pampeanas is described here and its origin analysed. It is located in the northern sector (Cordon El Realito) of the San Luis fault scarp, which marks the western slope of the Sierra Grande de San Luis. It is suggested that the avalanche was triggered by seismic schock, a hypothesis supported by the seismotectonic and geologic conditions of the region as well as by the records of historical seismicity and by the recognition of modern fractures, scarplets and springwater spots in the piedmont area. Several other geological factors also support this suggestion, such as joint density, main shear zone location, attitude of the internal structure of granitoids and other nearby gravitational movements. The primary landforms of the avalanche landscape strongly suggest that the event was a recent one. The estimated speed is about 190 km/hour. © 1997 Asociacón Geológica Argentina.

Descripción: Rock maenetism techniques were applied to the study of the palaeosols and loess in the Chaco-Pampean plain region, Buenos Aires, Argentina; in addition, several types of non magnetic analysis were carried out: chemical analysis of ferrous and ferric, titanium and magnesium ions and x-Ray difraction. The magnetic susceptibilities of the Argentine palaeosol and loess exhibit different trends to those observed in the well known Chinese examples with which they are compared. In the Chacopampean succession the susceptibility of the loess is higher than that of the palaeosol. This can be explained by differences in the parental material imparting different magnetic properties. © 1998 Asociaciön Geolögica Argentina.

Descripción: A geological and geophysical study in fluvial post-pampean sediments cropping out on the right bank of the Rio Areco was carried out. The sequence studied comprises the Guerrero and Río Salado members of the Luján Formation, in which three palaeosols are developed. The geophysical studies suggest an impoverishment of the detrital ferrimagnetic minerals (magnetite and titanomagnetite) in the parent material, due to the action of pedogenic processes, accompanied by the generation of two neominerales, one antiferromagnetic and the other ferrimagnetic. The ferrimagnetic mineral consists of particles of ultrafine magnetite (state of superparamagnetic domain, grain size approaching 0.01 μm) formed during periods of excess water. The antiferromagnetic minerals (hematite and/or goethite) were generated in periods of major water deficiency. The presence of these minerals would be indicating a warm and humid climate with a marked dryperiod. The oldest paleosol was developed on the Guerrero Member which correlates with the Puesto Callejón Viejo palaeosol that has an age between 10,000 and 8,000 years AP, in this profile. The Rio Salado Member and the two paleosols developed on it would have developed during the warm period known as, Megathermal, between 9,000 and 7,000 years BP. © 2004 Asociación Geológica Argentina.

Descripción: Several reports have shown that after specific reminders are presented, consolidated memories pass from a stable state to one in which the memory is reactivated. This reactivation implies that memories are labile and susceptible to amnesic agents. This susceptibility decreases over time and leads to a re-stabilization phase usually known as reconsolidation. With respect to the biological role of reconsolidation, two functions have been proposed. First, the reconsolidation process allows new information to be integrated into the background of the original memory; second, it strengthens the original memory. We have previously demonstrated that both of these functions occur in the reconsolidation of human declarative memories. Our paradigm consisted of learning verbal material (lists of five pairs of nonsense syllables) acquired by a training process (L1-training) on Day 1 of our experiment. After this declarative memory is consolidated, it can be made labile by presenting a specific reminder. After this, the memory passes through a subsequent stabilization process. Strengthening creates a new scenario for the reconsolidation process; this function represents a new factor that may transform the dynamic of memories. First, we analyzed whether the repeated labilization-reconsolidation processes maintained the memory for longer periods of time. We showed that at least one labilization-reconsolidation process strengthens a memory via evaluation 5 days after its re-stabilization. We also demonstrated that this effect is not triggered by retrieval only. We then analyzed the way strengthening modified the effect of an amnesic agent that was presented immediately after repeated labilizations. The repeated labilization-reconsolidation processes made the memory more resistant to interference during re-stabilization. Finally, we evaluated whether the effect of strengthening may depend on the age of the memory. We found that the effect of strengthening did depend on the age of the memory. Forgetting may represent a process that weakens the effect of strengthening. © 2013 Forcato et al.

Descripción: The enhancement of the resonant instability of right-hand polarized electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves by alpha particles for physical parameters corresponding to coronal mass ejections is studied. We focus on the effects of alpha thermal anisotropy and relative He++/H+ abundance on growth and absorption rates. The first parameter governs directly wave emission, while the second modifies also the wave speed and indirectly enhances the wave excitation.

Descripción: The importance of the content of anionic phospholipids [cardiolipin (CL) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG)] in the osmotic adaptation and in the membrane structure of Bacillus subtilis cultures was investigated. Insertion mutations in the three putative cardiolipin synthase genes (ywiE, ywnE and ywjE) were obtained. Only the ywnE mutation resulted in a complete deficiency in cardiolipin and thus corresponds to a true clsA gene. The osmotolerance of a clsA mutant was impaired: although at NaCl concentrations lower than 1.2 M the growth curves were similar to those of its wild-type control, at 1 .5 M NaCl (LBN medium) the lag period increased and the maximal optical density reached was lower. The membrane of the clsA mutant strain showed an increased PG content, at both exponential and stationary phase, but no trace of CL in either LB or LBN medium. As well as the deficiency in CL synthesis, the clsA mutant showed other differences in lipid and fatty acids content compared to the wild-type, suggesting a cross-regulation in membrane lipid pathways, crucial for the maintenance of membrane functionality and integrity. The biophysical characteristics of membranes and large unilamellar vesicles from the wild-type and clsA mutant strains were studied by Laurdan's steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. At physiological temperature, the clsA mutant showed a decreased lateral lipid packing in the protein-free vesicles and isolated membranes compared with the wild-type strain. Interestingly, the lateral lipid packing of the membranes of both the wild-type and clsA mutant strains increased when they were grown in LBN. In a conditional IPTG-controlled pgsA mutant, unable to synthesize PG and CL in the absence of IPTG, the osmoresistance of the cultures correlated with their content of anionic phospholipids. The transcriptional activity of the clsA and pgsA genes was similar and increased twofold upon entry to stationary phase or under osmotic upshift. Overall, these results support the involvement of the anionic phospholipids in the growth of B. subtilis in media containing elevated NaCl concentrations. © 2006 SGM.

Descripción: Removal of the poly(A) tail is the first step in the degradation of many eukaryotic mRNAs. In metazoans and yeast, the Ccr4/Caf1/Not complex has the predominant deadenylase activity, while the Pan2/Pan3 complex may trim poly(A) tails to the correct size, or initiate deadenylation. In trypanosomes, turnover of several constitutively-expressed or long-lived mRNAs is not affected by depletion of the 5'-3' exoribonuclease XRNA, but is almost completely inhibited by depletion of the deadenylase CAF1. In contrast, two highly unstable mRNAs, encoding EP procyclin and a phosphoglycerate kinase, PGKB, accumulate when XRNA levels are reduced. We here show that degradation of EP mRNA was partially inhibited after CAF1 depletion. RNAi-targeting trypanosome PAN2 had a mild effect on global deadenylation, and on degradation of a few mRNAs including EP. By amplifying and sequencing degradation intermediates, we demonstrated that a reduction in XRNA had no effect on degradation of a stable mRNA encoding a ribosomal protein, but caused accumulation of EP mRNA fragments that had lost substantial portions of the 5' and 3' ends. The results support a model in which trypanosome mRNAs can be degraded by at least two different, partially independent, cytoplasmic degradation pathways attacking both ends of the mRNA. © 2009 The Author(s).

Descripción: Behavioral sensitization to psychostimulants manifests as an increased locomotor response with repeated administration. Dopamine systems are accepted to play a fundamental role in sensitization, but the role of specific dopamine receptor subtypes has not been completely defined. This study used the combination of dopamine D2 receptor-deficient mice and a D1-like antagonist to examine dopamine D1 and D2 receptor involvement in acute and sensitized locomotor responses to methamphetamine. Absence of the dopamine D2 receptor resulted in attenuation of the acute stimulant effects of methamphetamine. Mutant and wild-type mice exhibited sensitization that lasted longer within the time period of the challenge test in the mutant animals. Pretreatment with the D1-like receptor antagonist SCH 23390 produced more potent reductions in the acute and sensitized locomotor responses to methamphetamine in D2 receptor-deficient mice than in wild-type mice; however, the expression of locomotor sensitization when challenged with methamphetamine alone was equivalently attenuated by previous treatment with SCH 23390. These data suggest that dopamine D2 receptors play a key role in the acute stimulant and sensitizing effects of methamphetamine and act in concert with D1-like receptors to influence the acquisition of methamphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization, traits that may influence continued methamphetamine use.

Descripción: We study a parabolic system of two non-linear reaction-diffusion equations completely coupled through source terms and with power-like diffusivity. Under adequate hypotheses on the initial data, we prove that non-simultaneous blow-up is sometimes possible; i.e., one of the components blows up while the other remains bounded. The conditions for non-simultaneous blow-up rely strongly on the diffusivity parameters and significant differences appear between the fast-diffusion and the porous medium case. Surprisingly, flat (homogeneous in space) solutions are not always a good guide to determine whether non-simultaneous blow-up is possible. © 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Descripción: The truncated hemoglobin N, HbN, of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is endowed with a potent nitric oxide dioxygenase (NOD) activity that allows it to relieve nitrosative stress and enhance in vivo survival of its host. Despite its small size, the protein matrix of HbN hosts a two-branched tunnel, consisting of orthogonal short and long channels, that connects the heme active site to the protein surface. A novel dual-path mechanism has been suggested to drive migration of O 2 and NO to the distal heme cavity. While oxygen migrates mainly by the short path, a ligand-induced conformational change regulates opening of the long tunnel branch for NO, via a phenylalanine (PheE15) residue that acts as a gate. Site-directed mutagenesis and molecular simulations have been used to examine the gating role played by PheE15 in modulating the NOD function of HbN. Mutants carrying replacement of PheE15 with alanine, isoleucine, tyrosine and tryptophan have similar O 2 /CO association kinetics, but display significant reduction in their NOD function. Molecular simulations substantiated that mutation at the PheE15 gate confers significant changes in the long tunnel, and therefore may affect the migration of ligands. These results support the pivotal role of PheE15 gate in modulating the diffusion of NO via the long tunnel branch in the oxygenated protein, and hence the NOD function of HbN. © 2012 Oliveira et al.

Descripción: We present experimental measurements and theoretical predictions of ion transport in agar gels during reversible electroporation (ECT) for conditions typical to many clinical studies found in the literature, revealing the presence of pH fronts emerging from both electrodes. These results suggest that pH fronts are immediate and substantial. Since they might give rise to tissue necrosis, an unwanted condition in clinical applications of ECT as well as in irreversible electroporation (IRE) and in electrogenetherapy (EGT), it is important to quantify their extent and evolution. Here, a tracking technique is used to follow the space-time evolution of these pH fronts. It is found that they scale in time as t1/2 characteristic of a predominantly diffusive process. Comparing ECT pH fronts with those arising in electrotherapy (EChT), another treatment applying constant electric fields whose main goal is tissue necrosis, a striking result is observed: anodic acidification is larger in ECT than in EChT, suggesting that tissue necrosis could also be greater. Ways to minimize these adverse effects in ECT are suggested. © 2011 Turjanski et al.

Descripción: The influence of the plankton community structure on carbon dynamics was studied in the surface waters of the Argentinean continental shelf (SW Atlantic Ocean) in summer and fall 2002, 2003 and 2004, The horizontal changes in plankton community respiration (R), net community production (NCP) and gross primary production (GPP) were (1) compared with the difference in the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) between the sea surface and the atmosphere (ΔpCO2), (2) compared with oxygen saturation and (3) related to the microscopic phytoplankton assemblages, This area, which has recently been shown to be a CO2 sink, had an average surface oxygen saturation of 108.1%, indicating that net photosynthesis could have played a dominant role in the CO2 dynamics. At most stations, the production:respiration (GPP:R) ratio was greater than 1, indicating that planktonic communities were autotrophic; the average GPP:R ratio for the whole study was 2.99, Phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll a) and NCP showed an inverse relationship with ΔpCO2 and a direct relationship with %O 2 saturation when phytoplankton assemblages were dominated by diatoms (30% of the stations), This was not the case when small (≤5 μm) flagellates were the most abundant organisms, Although NCP was mostly positive for both groups of stations (i.e. diatom-dominated or small flagellate- dominated), other physical and biological processes are thought to modify the CO2 dynamics when small flagellates are the prevailing phytoplankton group. © Inter-Research 2007.

Descripción: The endothelium is an organ that is involved in several physiological processes, mainly blood fluid preservation. Non-activated endothelial cells express an anticoagulant, antiadhesive and vasodilative phenotype, whereas activated endothelial cells express procoagulant, proadhesive and vasoconstrictive properties. The structure and function are regulated in space and time and this fact originates a specific vascular bed haemostasis . The objective of this work is to review the new concepts in endothelial cell heterogeneity and their influence in haemostasis regulation. © 2007 Federación Bioquímica de la Provincia de Buenos Aires.

Descripción: Fil:Mininni, P.D. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.

Descripción: We present results from two 15363 direct numerical simulations of rotating turbulence where both energy and helicity are injected into the flow by an external forcing. The dual cascade of energy and helicity toward smaller scales observed in isotropic and homogeneous turbulence is broken in the presence of rotation, with the development of an inverse cascade of energy now coexisting with direct cascades of energy and helicity. In the direct cascade range, the flux of helicity dominates over that of energy at low Rossby number. These cascades have several consequences for the statistics of the flow. The evolution of global quantities and of the energy and helicity spectra is studied, and comparisons with simulations at different Reynolds and Rossby numbers at lower resolution are done to identify scaling laws. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

Descripción: We study the intermittency properties of the energy and helicity cascades in two 15363 direct numerical simulations of helical rotating turbulence. Symmetric and antisymmetric velocity increments are examinedas well as probability density functions of the velocity field and of the helicity density. It is found that the direct cascade of energy to small scales is scale invariant and nonintermittentwhereas the direct cascade of helicity is highly intermittent. Furthermorethe study of structure functions of different orders allows us to identify a recovery of isotropy of strong events at very small scales in the flow. Finallywe observe the juxtaposition in space of strong laminar and persistent helical columns next to time-varying vortex tanglesthe former being associated with the self-similarity of energy and the latter with the intermittency of helicity. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

Descripción: We present numerical evidence on how three-dimensionalization is recovered at small scale in rotating turbulence with helical forcing provided by a Beltrami flow. The relevant ranges (large-scale inverse cascade of energy, anisotropic and isotropic direct cascades of energy and helicity, dissipative) are each moderately resolved. These results stem from large direct numerical simulations on grids of either 15363 or 30723 points. In the latter case, the scale at which the inertial wave time and the eddy turn-over time are equal is found to be more than one order of magnitude larger than the dissipation scale. We also examine how the presence of such an intermediate scale could affect truncation due to the use of a helical spectral Large Eddy Simulation procedure which can allow for extending the analysis to a wider range of parameters. Finally, the self-similarity of the direct cascade of energy to small scales for rotating flows, observed recently in numerical simulations as well as in several laboratory experiments, will be discussed briefly for its scaling properties and its conformal invariance.

Descripción: SUMO conjugation to proteins is involved in the regulation of diverse cellular functions. We have identified a protein, RWD-containing sumoylation enhancer (RSUME), that enhances overall SUMO-1, -2, and -3 conjugation by interacting with the SUMO conjugase Ubc9. RSUME increases noncovalent binding of SUMO-1 to Ubc9 and enhances Ubc9 thioester formation and SUMO polymerization. RSUME enhances the sumoylation of IkB in vitro and in cultured cells, leading to an inhibition of NF-kB transcriptional activity. RSUME is induced by hypoxia and enhances the sumoylation of HIF-1α, promoting its stabilization and transcriptional activity during hypoxia. Disruption of the RWD domain structure of RSUME demonstrates that this domain is critical for RSUME action. Together, these findings point to a central role of RSUME in the regulation of sumoylation and, hence, several critical regulatory pathways in mammalian cells. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Descripción: The efferent synaptic specialization of hair cells includes a near-membrane synaptic cistern, whose presence suggests a role for internal calcium stores in cholinergic inhibition. Calcium release channels from internal stores include 'ryanodine receptors', whose participation is usually demonstrated by sensitivity to the eponymous plant alkaloid, ryanodine. However, use of this and other store-active compounds on hair cells could be confounded by the unusual pharmacology of the α9α10-containing hair cell nicotinic cholinergic receptor (nAChR), which has been shown to be antagonized by a broad spectrum of compounds. Surprisingly, we found that ryanodine, rather than antagonizing, is a positive modulator of the α9α10 nAChR expressed in Xenopus oocytes, the first such compound to be found. The effect of ryanodine was to increase the apparent affinity and efficacy for acetylcholine (ACh). Correspondingly, ACh-evoked currents through the isolated cholinergic receptors of inner hair cells in excised mouse cochleas were approximately doubled by 200 μM ryanodine, a concentration that inhibits gating of the ryanodine receptor itself. This unusual positive modulation was not unique to the mammalian receptor. The response to ACh of chicken 'short' hair cells likewise was enhanced in the presence of 100 μM ryanodine. This facilitatory effect on current through the AChR could enhance brief (∼1 s) activation of associated calcium-dependent K+ (SK) channels in both chicken short hair cells and rat outer hair cells. This novel effect of ryanodine provides new opportunities for the design of compounds that potentiate α9α10- mediated responses and for potential inner ear therapeutics based on this interaction. © 2007 Association for Research in Otolaryngology.

Descripción: Fil:Simionato, C.G. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.