The regulation of transcriptional repression in hypoxia

A sufficient supply molecular oxygen is essential for the maintenance of physiologic metabolism and bioenergetic homeostasis for most metazoans. For this reason, mechanisms have evolved for eukaryotic cells to adapt to conditions where oxygen demand exceeds supply (hypoxia). These mechanisms rely on the modification of pre-existing proteins, translational arrest and transcriptional changes. The hypoxia inducible factor (HIF; a master regulator of gene induction in response to hypoxia) is responsible for the majority of induced gene expression in hypoxia. However, much less is known about the mechanism(s) responsible for gene repression, an essential part of the adaptive transcriptional response. Hypoxia-induced gene repression leads to a reduction in energy demanding processes and the redirection of limited energetic resources to essential housekeeping functions. Recent developments have underscored the importance of transcriptional repressors in cellular adaptation to hypoxia. To date, at least ten distinct transcriptional repressors have been reported to demonstrate sensitivity to hypoxia. Central among these is the Repressor Element-1 Silencing Transcription factor (REST), which regulates over 200 genes. In this review, written to honor the memory and outstanding scientific legacy of Lorenz Poellinger, we provide an overview of our existing knowledge with respect to transcriptional repressors and their target genes in hypoxia

Fronts dynamics in the presence of spatio-temporal structured noises

Front dynamics modeled by a reaction-diffusion equation are studied under the influence of spatio-temporal structured noises. An effective deterministic model is analytical derived where the noise parameters, intensity, correlation time and correlation length appear explicitely. The different effects of these parameters are discussed for the Ginzburg-Landau and Schl\"ogl models. We obtain an analytical expression for the front velocity as a function of the noise parameters. Numerical simulations results are in a good agreement with the theoretical predictions.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures; REVTEX; to be published in Phys.Rev.E, july 200

Dating minerals by ID-TIMS geochronology at times of in situ analysis: selected case studies from the CPGeo-IGc-USP laboratory

Since 1964, the Center for Geochronological Research - CPGeo, one of the interdepartmental centers of the Instituto de Geociências (IG) of São Paulo University, has developed studies related to several geological processes associated with different rock types. Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry Isotopic Dilution (ID-TIMS) has been the technique widely used in the CPGeo U-Pb Laboratory. It provides reliable and accurate results in age determination of superposed events. However, the open-system behavior such as Pb-loss, the inheritance problem and metamictization processes allow and impel us to a much richer understanding of the power and limitations of U-Pb geochronology and thermochronology. In this article, we present the current methodology used at the CPGeo-IGc-USP U-Pb laboratory, the improvements on ID-TIMS method, and report high-precision U-Pb data from zircon, monazite, epidote, titanite, baddeleyite and rutile from different rock types of several domains of the Brazilian south-southeast area, Argentina and Uruguay.O Centro de Pesquisas Geocronológicas (CPGeo), um dos centros interdepartamentais do Instituto de Geociências (IG) da Universidade de São Paulo (USP), desde 1964 desenvolve estudos relacionados a diversos processos geológicos que se associam a diferentes tipos de rochas. A técnica amplamente utilizada no Laboratório U-Pb é a diluição isotópica por espectrometria de massa termo ionizada (ID-TIMS). Esta sistemática proporciona resultados bastante confiáveis e precisos na determinação das idades de eventos geológicos superpostos. Entretanto, o comportamento de sistema aberto como perda de Pb, problemas de herança isotópica e processos de metamictização, nos permite o entendimento do poder e limitação da geocronologia e termocronologia U-Pb. Neste artigo apresentamos a metodologia atualmente utilizada no Laboratório U-Pb do CPGeo-IGc-USP, as melhorias atingidas na técnica ID-TIMS e alguns dados obtidos em zircão, epídoto, titanita, baddeleyita e rutilo de diferentes tipos de rochas de alguns domínios da região sul-sudeste brasileira e da Argentina e Uruguai.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

U-Pb dating of the Paimán Granite, Sierra de Paimán, Chilecito, La Rioja

Se da a conocer los resultados de la datación U-Pb convencional en circones del Granito Paimán, uno de los componentes del flanco oriental del Sistema de Famatina. Fueron analizadas cinco fracciones de cristales de circón de un granito porfiroide, característico de la unidad. Los resultados son coherentes entre sí y proveen una edad de 477,6 ± 4,1 Ma, que ubican la edad de cristalización y emplazamiento en el Ordovícico Temprano. La datación corrobora su asignación a la fase magmática oclóyica y específicamente al cinturón famatiniano. El análisis del presente y otros datos U-Pb previos de otras rocas graníticas del cinturón famatiniano entre los 28º y 33º S, permiten delimitar un estrecho lapso (alrededor de 20 Ma) de actividad ígnea, sin poderse determinar ninguna polaridad en la producción del magmatismo.Conventional U-Pb zircon ages for the Paimán Granite are presented. The magmatic unit crops out in the eastern border of the Famatina range. Five zircon fractions were analysed from a coarse porphyritic granitoid, the major component in the Paimán-Chilecito area. Results are concordant for the five fractions and the mean 206Pb/238U age of 477.6 ± 4.1 Ma is Early Ordovician. This age confirms that the Paimán Granite is part of the Ocloyic magmatic phase and Famatinian belt. The present age together with the previous U-Pb ages from granitoids of the Famatinian belt between 28º and 33º S suggest that the magmatic activity occurred over a short time span of about 20 Ma, following no noticeable internal polarity within the belt.Centro de Investigaciones Geológica

U-Pb dating of the Paimán Granite, Sierra de Paimán, Chilecito, La Rioja

Se da a conocer los resultados de la datación U-Pb convencional en circones del Granito Paimán, uno de los componentes del flanco oriental del Sistema de Famatina. Fueron analizadas cinco fracciones de cristales de circón de un granito porfiroide, característico de la unidad. Los resultados son coherentes entre sí y proveen una edad de 477,6 ± 4,1 Ma, que ubican la edad de cristalización y emplazamiento en el Ordovícico Temprano. La datación corrobora su asignación a la fase magmática oclóyica y específicamente al cinturón famatiniano. El análisis del presente y otros datos U-Pb previos de otras rocas graníticas del cinturón famatiniano entre los 28º y 33º S, permiten delimitar un estrecho lapso (alrededor de 20 Ma) de actividad ígnea, sin poderse determinar ninguna polaridad en la producción del magmatismo.Conventional U-Pb zircon ages for the Paimán Granite are presented. The magmatic unit crops out in the eastern border of the Famatina range. Five zircon fractions were analysed from a coarse porphyritic granitoid, the major component in the Paimán-Chilecito area. Results are concordant for the five fractions and the mean 206Pb/238U age of 477.6 ± 4.1 Ma is Early Ordovician. This age confirms that the Paimán Granite is part of the Ocloyic magmatic phase and Famatinian belt. The present age together with the previous U-Pb ages from granitoids of the Famatinian belt between 28º and 33º S suggest that the magmatic activity occurred over a short time span of about 20 Ma, following no noticeable internal polarity within the belt.Centro de Investigaciones Geológica

U-Pb dating of the Paimán Granite, Sierra de Paimán, Chilecito, La Rioja

Se da a conocer los resultados de la datación U-Pb convencional en circones del Granito Paimán, uno de los componentes del flanco oriental del Sistema de Famatina. Fueron analizadas cinco fracciones de cristales de circón de un granito porfiroide, característico de la unidad. Los resultados son coherentes entre sí y proveen una edad de 477,6 ± 4,1 Ma, que ubican la edad de cristalización y emplazamiento en el Ordovícico Temprano. La datación corrobora su asignación a la fase magmática oclóyica y específicamente al cinturón famatiniano. El análisis del presente y otros datos U-Pb previos de otras rocas graníticas del cinturón famatiniano entre los 28º y 33º S, permiten delimitar un estrecho lapso (alrededor de 20 Ma) de actividad ígnea, sin poderse determinar ninguna polaridad en la producción del magmatismo.Conventional U-Pb zircon ages for the Paimán Granite are presented. The magmatic unit crops out in the eastern border of the Famatina range. Five zircon fractions were analysed from a coarse porphyritic granitoid, the major component in the Paimán-Chilecito area. Results are concordant for the five fractions and the mean 206Pb/238U age of 477.6 ± 4.1 Ma is Early Ordovician. This age confirms that the Paimán Granite is part of the Ocloyic magmatic phase and Famatinian belt. The present age together with the previous U-Pb ages from granitoids of the Famatinian belt between 28º and 33º S suggest that the magmatic activity occurred over a short time span of about 20 Ma, following no noticeable internal polarity within the belt.Centro de Investigaciones Geológica

O magmatismo alcalino Neoproterozóico na Ilha do Cardoso, Sudeste do Estado de São Paulo

This work focuses on the geology and geochronology of rocks cropping out on Cardoso Island, on the southeastern coast of São Paulo State, close to the boundary with Paraná State. The island, with an area of about 151 km² is a protected area administered by the Forest Institute of the Secretariat for the Environment of the State of São Paulo. It is mountainous, with a peak at 814 m, and is covered by dense"Atlantic Forest" vegetation. The island is made up mainly of an igneous complex with light grey leucocratic, inequigranular, medium to coarse-grained syenites. The Três Irmãos Syenite (STI), composed of pyroxene, hornblende, and perthitic to mesoperthitic microcline, predominates has magmatic flow structures, and is cut by the pinkish grey, leucocratic medium-grained Cambriú alkali-feldspar granites (GC). Geochemical analysis of STI and GC demonstrate their metaluminous alkaline nature and late orogenic to anorogenic character. The bodies formed between 620 and 570 Ma according to U-Pb dating of zircons and cooled between 597 and 531 Ma (K-Ar in amphiboles). Whole rock Sm-Nd analyses yield Meso - and Paleoproterozoic TDM ages (1,500 - 2,200 Ma). A belt of low-grade metasedimentary rocks occurs in the northern part of the island. Quartz schist, quartz-mica schist and mica-quartz schist, often-containing andalusite and cordierite, predominate.Geochemical and geochronological data suggest that the sources of the metasediments were continental arc andesites of whose protoliths separated from the mantle between 1,800 and 2,200 Ma during the Paleoproterozoic. These metasediments probably continue on the continent in the Taquari region and extend southwards in narrow strips between the granitoids of the Paranaguá Domain.O objetivo deste trabalho é o estudo geológico e geocronológico da Ilha do Cardoso, localizada no litoral sudeste do Estado de São Paulo, divisa com Estado do Paraná. Trata-se de uma área com aproximadamente 151 km2, de proteção ambiental (APA), administrada pelo Instituto Florestal da Secretaria do Meio Ambiente do Estado de São Paulo. Seu relevo é montanhoso atingindo a cota máxima de 814 metros, sendo recoberta por uma densa vegetação de mata atlântica. Os terrenos pertencentes a Ilha do Cardoso, são constituídos em grande parte por um complexo ígneo, representado principalmente por rochas sieníticas de cor cinza clara, leucocráticas, inequigranulares e de granulação média a grossa. Composicionalmente predominam sienitos constituídos por piroxênios, hornblendas, e microclíneo pertítico a mesopertítico, exibindo estruturas típicas do fluxo magmático e denominado de Sienito Três Irmãos (STI). Este é cortado por um álcali-feldspato granito com hornblenda e biotita, de cor cinza-rosada, leucocrático de granulação média, denominado de Granito Cambriú (GC). As análises geoquímicas efetuadas nos STI e GC, permitiram atribuir-lhes uma filiação alcalina e meta-aluminosa sugestivas de granitos anorogênicos a tardi orogênicos. Os dados geocronológicos indicam para a formação desses corpos um intervalo de idades entre 620-570 Ma (método U-Pb em zircões), e com o resfriamento entre 597-531 Ma (dados K-Ar em anfibólios). Análises Sm-Nd em rocha total, realizadas nestas rochas, indicaram idades (TDM) situadas entre o Mesoproterozóico - GC - e o Paleoproterozóico - STI - (1.500 - 2.200 Ma). Na porção setentrional da Ilha ocorre uma faixa de rochas metassedimentares de baixo grau metamórfico, estruturadas segundo a direção geral E-W. Predominam quartzo xistos, mica-quartzo xisto e quartzo-mica xistos muitas vezes com andaluzita e cordierita. Os dados geocronológicos, Sm-Nd (TDM), sugerem rochas fontes derivadas do manto durante o Paleoproterozóico (1.800-2.200 Ma). Rochas similares ocorrem a oeste, no continente, na região de Taquari, estendendo-se para sul como faixas relativamente estreitas, em meio aos granitóides do Domínio Paranaguá

Polarization quantum properties in type-II Optical Parametric Oscillator below threshold

We study the far field spatial distribution of the quantum fluctuations in the transverse profile of the output light beam generated by a type II Optical Parametric Oscillator below threshold, including the effects of transverse walk-off. We study how quadrature field correlations depend on the polarization. We find spatial EPR entanglement in quadrature-polarization components: For the far field points not affected by walk-off there is almost complete noise suppression in the proper quadratures difference of any orthogonal polarization components. We show the entanglement of the state of symmetric intense, or macroscopic, spatial light modes. We also investigate nonclassical polarization properties in terms of the Stokes operators. We find perfect correlations in all Stokes parameters measured in opposite far field points in the direction orthogonal to the walk-off, while locally the field is unpolarized and we find no polarization squeezing.Comment: 16 pages, 18 figure

Estudio descriptivo de las cavidades pleurales residuales complicadas tratadas en un Servicio de Cirugía Torácica

Introducción: Las cavidades pleurales residuales se definen como espacios pleurales causados por una falta de reexpansión pulmonar principalmente secundario a infecciones pleurales o cirugías torácicas. Estas pueden cronificarse y complicarse si no logran resolverse con los tratamientos de primera línea (drenaje torácico, fibrinolíticos o decorticación quirúrgica). Material y Métodos: Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de los pacientes con cavidades pleurales residuales complicadas (CPRC) en el Servicio de Cirugía Torácica del Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete desde noviembre del 2004 hasta mayo del 2015. Resultados: Sesenta y tres pacientes fueron diagnosticados, con una mayor frecuencia en hombres (n=57; 90,5%). Del total de pacientes intervenidos en este periodo, el 16,27% de cirugías fueron secundarias a esta patología. La patología infecciosa fue la más frecuente (n=35; 55,6%) y dentro de la post-quirúrgica la neumonectomía (n=8; 42,1%), con una media de días desde la intervención quirúrgica hasta el diagnóstico de 190,7 días. En 43 pacientes (68,3%) el cultivo del líquido pleural fue positivo. En 17 pacientes (27%) se asoció a una fístula broncopleural. De los 63 pacientes, 16 (25,4%) recibieron un único tratamiento quirúrgico (25,4%), mientras que 47 (74,6%), precisaron más de un tratamiento. En 39 casos (61,9%) la cavidad pleural complicada se resolvió por medio de los tratamientos, mientras que no lo hizo en 24 (38,1%) pacientes. Conclusiones: A pesar de ser una patología poco frecuente continua presente en la actualidad, principalmente como complicación postquirúrgica o infecciosa. Los tratamientos descritos hasta la fecha no revelan una alta eficacia.Introduction: Residual pleural cavities are pleural spaces caused by a lack of pulmonary reexpansion mainly secondary to pleural infections or thoracic surgeries. If they can not be solved with first line treatments (thoracic drainage, fibrinolytics or surgical decortication), these can become cronic and complicate. Material and Methods: Retrospective descriptive study of patients with complicated residual pleural cavities at the Thoracic Surgery Service of the “Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete” from November 2004 to May 2015. Results: Sixty-three patients were diagnosed, showing that incidence was more frequent in men (n=57; 90.5%). 16.27% of the surgeries treated within this period were secondary to this pathology. The infectious pathology was the most frequent (n = 35; 55.6%), whereas within the postoperative group, it was pneumonectomy (n = 8; 42.1%), with 190.7 days in average from surgical intervention to the diagnosis. In 43 patients (68.3%), the pleural fluid culture was positive. In 17 patients (27%), it was associated with a bronchopleural fistula. From the 63 patients, 16 (25.4%) received a single surgical treatment (25.4%), while 47 (74.6%) required more than one treatment. In 39 cases (61.9%), the complicated pleural cavity was resolved, whereas in 24 (38.1%) patients it wasn’t. Conclusions: Despite it being a rare pathology, it is still present today, mainly as a post-surgical or infectious complication. To date, the treatments described haven’t exhibited high efficacy

Evaluation of antibiotic susceptibility of Lactobacillus plantarum isolated from traditional Portuguese sausage products

Nowadays the use of fermentative microbiota in food products is researched in order to confer protection to the products and furnish health benefits to consumers The aim of this work was to evaluate antibiotics susceptibility of Lactobacillus plantarum isolated from fermented traditional meat products in order to select them to be used as starters or protective bacteria on fermented meat products. The susceptibility of different L. plantarum isolates (n=44) from fermented/dry/smoked meat products of three different Portuguese industries were tested by Agar disc diffusion method for Vancomycin, Quinupristin/Dalfopristin, Rifampicin, Penicillin G, Erythromycine, Tetracycline, Gentamicin, Lincomycin and Chloramphenicol. Most of the studied L plantarum isolates were susceptible for Tetracycline (75%) and Erythromycin (71%) and could be used safely as starter cultures. Those that presented resistance need to be genetically evaluated since the mechanism of resistance is probably related to mobile genetic elements carried by L plantarum