Genomic Study of RNA Polymerase II and III SNAP(c)-Bound Promoters Reveals a Gene Transcribed by Both Enzymes and a Broad Use of Common Activators.

SNAP(c) is one of a few basal transcription factors used by both RNA polymerase (pol) II and pol III. To define the set of active SNAP(c)-dependent promoters in human cells, we have localized genome-wide four SNAP(c) subunits, GTF2B (TFIIB), BRF2, pol II, and pol III. Among some seventy loci occupied by SNAP(c) and other factors, including pol II snRNA genes, pol III genes with type 3 promoters, and a few un-annotated loci, most are primarily occupied by either pol II and GTF2B, or pol III and BRF2. A notable exception is the RPPH1 gene, which is occupied by significant amounts of both polymerases. We show that the large majority of SNAP(c)-dependent promoters recruit POU2F1 and/or ZNF143 on their enhancer region, and a subset also recruits GABP, a factor newly implicated in SNAP(c)-dependent transcription. These activators associate with pol II and III promoters in G1 slightly before the polymerase, and ZNF143 is required for efficient transcription initiation complex assembly. The results characterize a set of genes with unique properties and establish that polymerase specificity is not absolute in vivo

Estudio ecocardiográfico y de la concentración de NT-proBNP en pacientes diabéticos tipo 2 con y sin cardiopatía isquémica

The aim of this study was to determine whether there are differences in echocardiographic findings or in the level of a biochemical marker (i.e. N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide [NT-proBNP]) between controls and type-2 diabetic patients with or without ischemic heart disease. Echocardiography was used to assess left ventricular function and morphology. In addition, the plasma NT-proBNP concentration was measured. The prevalence of diastolic dysfunction was greater in diabetics without ischemic heart disease than in controls (88% vs. 74%, respectively; P< .001) and the NT-proBNP concentration was higher (350.6+/-197.8 vs. 281.7+/-190.4 fmol/mL; P< .001). Diabetics with ischemic heart disease had a higher NT-proBNP concentration than those without (720.4+/-278.1 vs. 350.6+/-197.8 fmol/mL, respectively; P< .001). An NT-proBNP concentration >490 fmol/mL had a sensitivity of 84% and a specificity of 75% for detecting ischemic heart disease in diabetics

A case of capecitabine-induced coronary microspasm in a patient with rectal cancer

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is the most frequently used chemotherapy agent concomitant with radiotherapy in the management of patients with rectal cancer. Capecitabine is an oral fluoropyrimidine that mimics the pharmaconkinetics of infusional 5-FU. This new drug is replacing 5-FU as a part of the combined-modality treatment of a number of gastrointestinal cancers. While cardiac events associated with the use of 5-FU are a well known side effect, capecitabine-induced cardiotoxicity has been only rarely reported. Here, we reviewed the case of a patient with rectal cancer who had a capecitabine-induced coronary vasospasm. The most prominent mutation of the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene was also analyzed

Visualization of Myelin Basic Protein (Mbp) T Cell Epitopes in Multiple Sclerosis Lesions Using a Monoclonal Antibody Specific for the Human Histocompatibility Leukocyte Antigen (Hla)-Dr2–Mbp 85–99 Complex

Susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with the human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR2 haplotype, suggesting that major histocompatibility complex class II–restricted presentation of central nervous system–derived antigens is important in the disease process. Antibodies specific for defined HLA-DR2–peptide complexes may therefore be valuable tools for studying antigen presentation in MS. We have used phage display technology to select HLA-DR2–peptide-specific antibodies from HLA-DR2–transgenic mice immunized with HLA-DR2 molecules complexed with an immunodominant myelin basic protein (MBP) peptide (residues 85–99). Detailed characterization of one clone (MK16) demonstrated that both DR2 and the MBP peptide were required for recognition. Furthermore, MK16 labeled intra- and extracellular HLA-DR2–MBP peptide complexes when antigen-presenting cells (APCs) were pulsed with recombinant MBP. In addition, MK16 inhibited interleukin 2 secretion by two transfectants that expressed human MBP–specific T cell receptors. Analysis of the structural requirement for MK16 binding demonstrated that the two major HLA-DR2 anchor residues of MBP 85–99 and the COOH-terminal part of the peptide, in particular residues Val-96, Pro-98, and Arg-99, were important for binding. Based on these results, the antibody was used to determine if the HLA-DR2–MBP peptide complex is presented in MS lesions. The antibody stained APCs in MS lesions, in particular microglia/macrophages but also in some cases hypertrophic astrocytes. Staining of APCs was only observed in MS cases with the HLA-DR2 haplotype but not in cases that carried other haplotypes. These results demonstrate that HLA-DR2 molecules in MS lesions present a myelin-derived self-peptide and suggest that microglia/macrophages rather than astrocytes are the predominant APCs in these lesions

Formando periodistas digitales para la democracia del siglo XXI

El programa “Periodismo Escolar en Internet” que presentamos en este artículo es producto de una de las transferencias de investigación y desarrollo de la Facultad de Ciencias Sociales de la UNLZ, desde el programa “Medios de comunicación en Internet” que es parte de una estrategia mayor para la reducción de la brecha digital, ofreciendo a la sociedad y a la comunidad educativa, herramientas y conocimientos sobre el cambio de paradigma que significa el impacto de las tecnologías en el marco de la Sociedad de la Información. En la estrategia de comunicación que se desarrolla desde la Cátedra “Seminario de Periodismo digital”, se incluyen principalmente cuatro áreas de impacto, la que nos ocupa principalmente en esta artículo es la formación del profesorado de las escuelas medias y la asistencia para la puesta en marcha de periódicos escolares con sus alumnos. El resultado es una serie de publicaciones online realizadas desde Tierra del Fuego a Jujuy que suma a más de cien instituciones. Como innovación implementamos actualmente una publicación que integra temáticamente los aportes de todos los participantes teniendo una suerte de “agencia de noticias nacional” de alumnos de escuela media, sin “agenda” super estructural, y con la visión local de perspectiva global.Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación Socia

FORMANDO PERIODISTAS DIGITALES PARA LA DEMOCRACIA DEL SIGLO XXI

El programa “Periodismo Escolar en Internet” que presentamosen este artículo es producto de una de las transferencias deinvestigación y desarrollo de la Facultad de Ciencias Socialesde la UNLZ, desde el programa “Medios de comunicación enInternet” que es parte de una estrategia mayor para lareducción de la brecha digital, ofreciendo a la sociedad y a lacomunidad educativa, herramientas y conocimientos sobre elcambio de paradigma que significa el impacto de lastecnologías en el marco de la Sociedad de la Información. En laestrategia de comunicación que se desarrolla desde la Cátedra“Seminario de Periodismo digital”, se incluyen principalmentecuatro áreas de impacto, la que nos ocupa principalmente enesta artículo es la formación del profesorado de las escuelasmedias y la asistencia para la puesta en marcha de periódicosescolares con sus alumnos.El resultado es una serie de publicaciones online realizadasdesde Tierra del Fuego a Jujuy que suma a más de cieninstituciones.Como innovación implementamos actualmente una publicaciónque integra temáticamente los aportes de todos losparticipantes teniendo una suerte de “agencia de noticiasnacional” de alumnos de escuela media, sin “agenda” superestructural, y con la visión local de perspectiva global

Formando periodistas digitales para la democracia del siglo XXI

El programa “Periodismo Escolar en Internet” que presentamos en este artículo es producto de una de las transferencias de investigación y desarrollo de la Facultad de Ciencias Sociales de la UNLZ, desde el programa “Medios de comunicación en Internet” que es parte de una estrategia mayor para la reducción de la brecha digital, ofreciendo a la sociedad y a la comunidad educativa, herramientas y conocimientos sobre el cambio de paradigma que significa el impacto de las tecnologías en el marco de la Sociedad de la Información. En la estrategia de comunicación que se desarrolla desde la Cátedra “Seminario de Periodismo digital”, se incluyen principalmente cuatro áreas de impacto, la que nos ocupa principalmente en esta artículo es la formación del profesorado de las escuelas medias y la asistencia para la puesta en marcha de periódicos escolares con sus alumnos. El resultado es una serie de publicaciones online realizadas desde Tierra del Fuego a Jujuy que suma a más de cien instituciones. Como innovación implementamos actualmente una publicación que integra temáticamente los aportes de todos los participantes teniendo una suerte de “agencia de noticias nacional” de alumnos de escuela media, sin “agenda” super estructural, y con la visión local de perspectiva global.Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación Socia

Disminución de la reserva de flujo coronario en pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca no isquémica

Introduction and objectives. Coronary flow reserve (CFR) is impaired not only in ischemic heart disease, but also in cardiac diseases that may or may not course with heart failure. The aim of the present study was to determine if the severity of heart failure can influence CFR impairment. Methods. Forty patients with non-ischemic heart disease and heart failure were studied 41 times. Four groups were established: 1. 10 patients in functional class III-IV; 2. 10 patients in functional class II not taking beta-blockers; 3. 11 patients in class II treated with carvedilol, and 4. 10 patients in class I. These patients had a history of heart failure and systolic dysfunction. Myocardial blood flow (MBF) was measured with positron emission tomography (PET) and N-13 ammonia at rest (r) and during adenosine triphosphate (ATP) infusion. Results. MBF and CFR were significantly higher in group 4 (1.95 ± 0.58 and 2.40 ± 0.95 ml/min/g) than in group 1 (1.02 ± 0.52 and 1.46 ± 0.48 ml/min/g). CFR tended to be higher in groups 2 (1.73 ± 0.72), and 3 (1.89 ± 0.75) vs group 1. No significant correlation was found between CFR and the following variables: age, systolic blood pressure, ventricular mass index, ventricular volume indexes, and ejection fraction. Conclusions. Coronary microvascular function is impaired in non-ischemic heart failure, and the impairment is related to functional class, regardless of the underlying responsible heart disease

Marker-Assisted Pyramiding of Blast-Resistance Genes in a japonica Elite Rice Cultivar through Forward and Background Selection

Rice blast, caused by Pyricularia oryzae, is one of the main rice diseases worldwide. The pyramiding of blast-resistance (Pi) genes, coupled to Marker-Assisted BackCrossing (MABC), provides broad-spectrum and potentially durable resistance while limiting the donor genome in the background of an elite cultivar. In this work, MABC coupled to foreground and background selections based on KASP marker assays has been applied to introgress four Pi genes (Piz, Pib, Pita, and Pik) in a renowned japonica Italian rice variety, highly susceptible to blast. Molecular analyses on the backcross (BC) lines highlighted the presence of an additional blast-resistance gene, the Pita-linked Pita2/Ptr gene, therefore increasing the number of blast-resistance introgressed genes to five. The recurrent genome was recovered up to 95.65%. Several lines carrying four (including Pita2) Pi genes with high recovery percentage levels were also obtained. Phenotypic evaluations confirmed the effectiveness of the pyramided lines against multivirulent strains, which also had broad patterns of resistance in comparison to those expected based on the pyramided Pi genes. The developed blast-resistant japonica lines represent useful donors of multiple blast-resistance genes for future rice-breeding programs related to the japonica group