345 research outputs found

    Verb Phrase Inversion in fictional and non-fictional written english

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    In the last decades, full inversion constructions in which the subject follows the entire verb phrase in a declarative clause, as in"Beside him was a table full of well-known books", have been the subject of extensive research from a functional perspective. This paper is a further contribution to this line of research and offers a corpus-based analysis of a particular type of full inversion, namely verb phrase inversion (for example,"Standing grim and alone was the hulking eyesore of the territorial prison"), in written English texts. In recent work on inversion, there does not seem to be complete agreement as regards the distribution of verb phrase inversion in fiction and non-fiction. On the one hand, works by Heidrum Dorgeloh, David Denison and Douglas Biber et al. suggest that the construction is more frequent in fiction. On the other, studies by Rong Chen and Rolf Kreyer argue the opposite. This study will cast light on the lack of consensus regarding the distribution of verb phrase inversion in written fictional and non-fictional texts. It will be shown that fiction and non-fiction do not differ strongly in the number of verb phrase inversions but rather in the different types of verb phrase inversion used and in the pragmatic function that these constructions serve in discourse

    A constructional analysis of obligatory XVS syntactic structures

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    The analysis of obligatory or formulaic XVS structures — as in “Here comes the sun” or “Now is the time to solve our problems” — has been neglected in the literature since it has been argued that there seems to be no linguistic variation involved in the use of these types of syntactic constructions. Here, I defend the view that obligatory XVS structures are productive, highly structured constructions which are worthy of serious linguistic investigation. On the basis of a corpus-based analysis of written and spoken texts, it is argued that the different obligatory XVS types distinguished in the literature are clear instances of constructions as understood in the Construction Grammar framework. Despite their formal and functional dissimilarities, the article shows that these XVS structures still relate to one another in systematic and predictable ways, and are in fact grouped in relation to a unit in the schematic network which is naturally most salient — the prototype — and form with it a family of nodes which are extensions from the prototype — in the system. In sum, the analysis here will show that obligatory XVS structures are constructions which form an interconnected, structured system or network and are best understood with reference to different forms of inheritance.The Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (National Programme for Excellence in Scientific and Technical Research; grant FFI2014-52188-P)

    Deciphering the Molecular Basis of Melatonin Protective E ects on Breast Cells Treated with Doxorubicin: TWIST1 a Transcription Factor Involved in EMT and Metastasis, a Novel Target of Melatonin

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    Melatonin mitigates cancer initiation, progression and metastasis through inhibition of both the synthesis of estrogens and the transcriptional activity of the estradiol-ER (Estrogen receptor) complex in the estrogen-dependent breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Moreover, melatonin improves the sensitivity of MCF-7 to chemotherapeutic agents and protects against their side e ects. It has been described that melatonin potentiates the anti-proliferative e ects of doxorubicin; however, the molecular changes involving gene expression and the activation/inhibition of intracellular signaling pathways remain largely unknown. Here we found that melatonin enhanced the anti-proliferative e ect of doxorubicin in MCF-7 but not in MDA-MB-231 cells. Strikingly, doxorubicin treatment induced cell migration and invasion, and melatonin e ectively counteracted these e ects in MCF-7 but not in estrogen-independent MDA-MB-231 cells. Importantly, we describe for the first time the ability of melatonin to downregulate TWIST1 (Twist-related protein 1) in estrogen-dependent but not in estrogen-independent breast cancer cells. Combined with doxorubicin, melatonin inhibited the activation of p70S6K and modulated the expression of breast cancer, angiogenesis and clock genes. Moreover, melatonin regulates the levels of TWIST1-related microRNAs, such as miR-10a, miR-10b and miR-34a. Since TWIST1 plays a pivotal role in the epithelial to mesenchymal transition, acquisition of metastatic phenotype and angiogenesis, our results suggest that inhibition of TWIST1 by melatonin might be a crucial mechanism of overcoming resistance and improving the oncostatic potential of doxorubicin in estrogen-dependent breast cancer cells.Funding: The present study was funded by grants from the Spanish Economy and Competitiveness Ministry (SAF2016-77103-P) and from Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla (NVAL 16/01)

    Coadministration of the three antigenic Leishmania infantum poly (A) binding proteins as a DNA vaccine induces protection against Leishmania major infection in BALB/c Mice

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    Antecedentes Las proteínas intracelulares de Leishmania, altamente conservadas, han sido descritas como antígenos en mamíferos infectados natural y experimentalmente. El objetivo del presente estudio es evaluar la antigenicidad y propiedades profilácticas del Leishmania infantum Poly (A) las proteínas (LiPABPs). Metodología/Resultados principales Se han descrito tres diferentes miembros de la familia LiPABP. Se han elaborado herramientas recombinantes basadas en estas proteínas: proteínas recombinantes y vacunas de ADN. Las tres proteínas recombinantes fueron empleadas para recubrir las placas ELISA. Los sueros de pacientes humanos y caninos de leishmaniasis visceral y de pacientes humanos de leishmaniasis mucosa han reconoció los tres LiPABPs. Además, la eficacia protectora de la vacuna de ADN basada en la combinación de los tres Leishmania PABPs ha sido probado en un modelo murino de leishmaniosis progresiva: ratones BALB/c infectados con Leishmania major. La inducción de Th1 como respuesta contra la familia LiPABP por vacunación génica fue capaz de regular a la baja la IL-10 con respuestas predominantes suscitadas por el parásito LiPABPs tras la infección en este modelo murino. Esta modulación se tradujo en una protección parcial contra la infección por L. major. Los ratones vacunados con LiPABP mostraron una reducción de la patología que fue acompañada por una disminución de la carga parasitaria, en títulos de anticuerpos contra antígenos de Leishmania y de la IL-4 y la IL-10 las respuestas mediadas específicas del parásito en comparación con el control de grupos de ratones inmunizados con solución salina o con no-plásmidos recombinantes. Conclusión/significación Los resultados aquí presentados demuestran por primera vez las propiedades profilácticas de una nueva familia de proteínas intracelulares antigénicas de Leishmania, la LiPABPs. La redirección de la respuesta inmune desencadenada frente contra la familia LiPABP (de IL-10 hacia las respuestas mediadas por IFN-γ) por vacunación génica fue capaz de inducir una protección parcial contra el desarrollo de la enfermedad en un modelo murino altamente susceptible de leishmaniasis.Background Highly conserved intracellular proteins from Leishmania have been described as antigens in natural and experimental infected mammals. The present study aimed to evaluate the antigenicity and prophylactic properties of the Leishmania infantum Poly (A) binding proteins (LiPABPs). Methodology/Principal Findings Three different members of the LiPABP family have been described. Recombinant tools based on these proteins were constructed: recombinant proteins and DNA vaccines. The three recombinant proteins were employed for coating ELISA plates. Sera from human and canine patients of visceral leishmaniasis and human patients of mucosal leishmaniasis recognized the three LiPABPs. In addition, the protective efficacy of a DNA vaccine based on the combination of the three Leishmania PABPs has been tested in a model of progressive murine leishmaniasis: BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania major. The induction of a Th1-like response against the LiPABP family by genetic vaccination was able to down-regulate the IL-10 predominant responses elicited by parasite LiPABPs after infection in this murine model. This modulation resulted in a partial protection against L. major infection. LiPABP vaccinated mice showed a reduction on the pathology that was accompanied by a decrease in parasite burdens, in antibody titers against Leishmania antigens and in the IL-4 and IL-10 parasite-specific mediated responses in comparison to control mice groups immunized with saline or with the non-recombinant plasmid. Conclusion/Significance The results presented here demonstrate for the first time the prophylactic properties of a new family of Leishmania antigenic intracellular proteins, the LiPABPs. The redirection of the immune response elicited against the LiPABP family (from IL-10 towards IFN-γ mediated responses) by genetic vaccination was able to induce a partial protection against the development of the disease in a highly susceptible murine model of leishmaniasis.• Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. Proyectos FISPI14/00366 y FISPI11/00095 del Instituto de Salud Carlos III dentro de la Red de Investigación de Enfermedades Tropicales. Proyecto VI P I D I 2008-2011, ISCIII - Subdirección General de Redes y Centros de Investigación Cooperativa (RD12/0018/0009) • CNPq (Ciencia sem Fronteiras), Brasil: PVE 300174/2014-4 • Fundación Ramón Areces: Subvenciones al Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO).peerReviewe

    Rationale and design of the Concordance study between FFR and iFR for the assessment of lesions in the left main coronary artery. The ILITRO-EPIC-07 Trial

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    Introduction and objectives: Patients with left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis have been excluded from the trials that support the non-inferiority of the instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) compared to the fractional flow reserve (FFR) in the decision-making process of coronary revascularization. This study proposes to prospectively assess the concordance between the two indices in LMCA lesions and to validate the iFR cut-off value of 0.89 for clinical use. Methods: National, prospective, and observational multicenter registry of 300 consecutive patients with intermediate lesions in the LMCA (angiographic stenosis, 25% to 60%. A pressure gudiewire study and determination of the RFF and the iFR will be performed: in the event of a negative concordant result (FFR > 0.80/iFR > 0.89), no treatment will be performed; in case of a positive concordant result (FFR 0.80/iFR 0.89), an intravascular echocardiography will be performed and revascularization will be delayed if the minimum lumen area is > 6 mm(2). The primary clinical endpoint will be a composite of cardiovascular death, LMCA lesion-related non-fatal infarction or need for revascularization of the LMCA lesion at 12 months. Conclusions: Confirm that an iFR-guided decision-making process in patients with intermediate LMCA stenosis is clinically safe and would have a significant clinical impact. Also, justify its systematic use when prescribing treatment in these potentially high-risk patients

    Lenguajeando mediación pedagógica

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    PublishedSi lo titulado anteriormente debiera ubicarse dentro de lo que la metodología tradicional considera como un ‘Resumen’, a continuación va entonces lo que en clave podría referirse sobre las ‘Palabras Clave’: brotes porque es lo que surge de las tierras, enacción quizá en el mejor sentido inglés de ‘to enact’, y rizomas en razón de los nacientes tejidos. Anotando al respecto que, si bien Deleuze (2005) acuñó el término en Francia en medio de sus referentes biológicos, es aquí en nuestra denominada Latinoamérica donde los rizomas los hemos ‘platanizado’. Porque aquí los hemos vivenciado y encontrado, hurgando con los dedos entre la tierra. A veces árida y en espera de las gotas de lluvia
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