María de las Nieves de Braganza y Borbón, notes from a journey through ottoman Mesopotamia

Pocos son los viajeros que nos han dejado constancia de sus viajes por Mesopotamia, y menos aún viajeras. Este es el caso de María de las Nieves de Braganza y Borbón, una figura controvertida, heroína para unos y villana para otros. Acompañada de su esposo, Alfonso Carlos de Borbón, se dedicaron a recorrer el mundo dejando constancia de todos sus viajes en numerosos diarios de viaje, como sería el caso de su paso por tierras mesopotámicas camino hacia la IndiaFew are the travelers who have left us record of their trips through Mesopotamia, and even fewer women. This is the case of María de las Nieves de Braganza y Borbón, a controversial figure, heroine for some and villain for others. Accompanied by her husband, Alfonso Carlos de Borbón, they traveled around the world, recording all their journeys in travel journals, as would be the case of their travel through Mesopotamian lands on their way to Indi

Itineraria Anatolica Antiqua. La red viaria de los sectores montañosos septentrionales de Anatolia: las rutas nororientales y el Imperio hitita

La investigación de una región particular también conlleva el estudio de su red de comunicaciones. Así, en las siguientes páginas, se revisarán brevemente las rutas e itinerarios que pudieron atravesar el complicado paisaje de gran parte de Anatolia septentrional durante la Antigüedad para poder abordar un completo análisis regional de estos sectores geográficos en época hitita durante gran parte del II milenio a.C.The investigation of a particular region also bears the study of its net of communications. So, in the following pages, it will be briefly checked the routes and itineraries that could cross the complicated landscape of great part of north Anatolia during the Antiquity with the intention of doing a study to approach firmly to a complete regional research of this area in the Hittite Period, during great part of the II millennium B.C

Lysine 27 dimethylation of Drosophila linker histone dH1 contributes to heterochromatin organization independently of H3K9 methylation

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of core histones are important epigenetic determinants that correlate with functional chromatin states. However, despite multiple linker histone H1s PTMs have been identified, little is known about their genomic distribution and contribution to the epigenetic regulation of chromatin. Here, we address this question in Drosophila that encodes a single somatic linker histone, dH1. We previously reported that dH1 is dimethylated at K27 (dH1K27me2). Here, we show that dH1K27me2 is a major PTM of Drosophila heterochromatin. At mitosis, dH1K27me2 accumulates at pericentromeric heterochromatin, while, in interphase, it is also detected at intercalary heterochromatin. ChIPseq experiments show that >98% of dH1K27me2 enriched regions map to heterochromatic repetitive DNA elements, including transposable elements, simple DNA repeats and satellite DNAs. Moreover, expression of a mutated dH1K27A form, which impairs dH1K27me2, alters heterochromatin organization, upregulates expression of heterochromatic transposable elements and results in the accumulation of RNA:DNA hybrids (R-loops) in heterochromatin, without affecting H3K9 methylation and HP1a binding. The pattern of dH1K27me2 is H3K9 methylation independent, as it is equally detected in flies carrying a H3K9R mutation, and is not affected by depletion of Su(var)3–9, HP1a or Su(var)4–20. Altogether these results suggest that dH1K27me2 contributes to heterochromatin organization independently of H3K9 methylation.MICIN/AEI 10.13039/501100011033 [BFU2015-65082-P and PGC2018-094538-B-100]; ‘FEDER, una manera de hacer Europa’; Generalitat de Catalunya [SGR2014-204, SGR2017-475]; this work was carried out within the framework of the ‘Centre de Referencia en Biotecnologia’ of ` the Generalitat de Catalunya. Funding for open access charge: MINECO [PGC2018-094538-B-100]. Conflict of interest statement. None declared

Combined bottom-up and top-down mass spectrometry analyses of the pattern of post-translational modifications of Drosophila melanogaster linker histone H1

Linker histone H1 is a major chromatin component that binds internucleosomal DNA and mediates the folding of nucleosomes into a higher-order structure, namely the 30-nm chromatin fiber. Multiple post-translational modifications (PTMs) of core histones H2A, H2B, H3 and H4 have been identified and their important contribution to the regulation of chromatin structure and function is firmly established. In contrast, little is known about histone H1 modifications and their function. Here we address this question in Drosophila melanogaster, which, in contrast to most eukaryotic species, contains a single histone H1 variant, dH1. For this purpose, we combined bottom-up and top-down mass-spectrometry strategies. Our results indicated that dH1 is extensively modified by phosphorylation, methylation, acetylation and ubiquitination, with most PTMs falling in the N-terminal domain. Interestingly, several dH1 N-terminal modifications have also been reported in specific human and/or mouse H1 variants, suggesting that they have conserved functions. In this regard, we also provide evidence for the contribution of one of such conserved PTMs, dimethylation of K27, to heterochromatin organization during mitosis. Furthermore, our results also identified multiple dH1 isoforms carrying several phosphorylations and/or methylations, illustrating the high structural heterogeneity of dH1. In particular, we identified several non-CDK sites at the N-terminal domain that appear to be hierarchically phosphorylated. This study provides the most comprehensive PTM characterization of any histone H1 variant to date. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.This work was supported by grants from MICINN (CSD2006-49, BIO2008-00799 and BFU2009-07111), the CSIC (200420E391) and the “Generalitat de Catalunya” (SGR2009-1023 and SGR2009-1005). This work was carried out within the framework of the “Xarxa de Referència en Biotecnologia” of the “Generalitat de Catalunya”.Peer Reviewe

Capacitive resistive electric transfer modifies gait pattern in horses exercised on a treadmill

Capacitive resistive electric transfer (CRET), a radiofrequency at 448 kHz, resulted in increased superficial and deep temperature and hemoglobin saturation, faster elimination of metabolic and inflammatory products and enhanced sport performance in humans. This research aims to investigate whether the application of CRET affects the locomotor pattern in horses and to assess whether an accumulative effect appears when two CRET sessions are applied two consecutive days. Nine horses were subjected to two CRET sessions applied in both right and left sides of neck, shoulder, back and croup. The horses were exercised on a treadmill, at walk and at trot, before CRET application and at 2, 6 and 12 h after. A second CRET session was applied next day, and the animals were evaluated again at the same times (i.e. at 26, 30 and 36 h after the first session). Between 5 and 7 days later, the same horses were subjected to a sham procedure and they were evaluated in the same times as in the CRET experiment. During treadmill exercise, locomotor parameters were measured with a triaxial accelerometer fixed in the pectoral region and in the sacrum midline. The sham procedure did not affect any of the accelerometric variables studied. CRET applications resulted in greater total powers, which resulted in absolute increased dorsoventral, mediolateral and longitudinal powers. However, a reduction in dorsoventral power expressed as a percentage of total power was found. Stride regularity increased. The greater total power resulted in longer stride length and because the velocity was kept fixed on the treadmill, stride frequency decreased. An accumulative effect of CRET application was only found in stride length and frequency. It appears that CRET is a useful technique to enhance power and to elongate the stride at defined walk and trot velocities. The effect of these changes on performance should be studied for horses competing in different sport disciplines

e-Civitas. Database of Medieval Cities

Proyecto en curso, continuará en próximos años.El proyecto de innovación docente e.-Civitas Base de datos sobre las ciudades medievales tiene por objetivo crear un espacio de encuentro entre la investigación sobre mundo urbano y la docencia en los grados de Historia y Arqueología. El objetivo del mismo es sistematizar información sobre ciudades medievales en una base de datos como resultado de las actividades del proyecto y la formación de los alumnos en herramientas TIC.The teaching innovation project e.-Civitas Database on medieval cities aims to create a meeting point between research on the urban world and teaching in History and Archaeology degrees. The aim of the project is to systematise information on medieval cities in a database as a result of the activities of the project and the training of students in ICT tools.Le projet d'innovation pédagogique e.-Civitas Database on medieval cities vise à créer un point de rencontre entre la recherche sur le monde urbain et l'enseignement dans les diplômes d'histoire et d'archéologie. L'objectif du projet est de systématiser les informations sur les villes médiévales dans une base de données, grâce aux activités du projet et à la formation des étudiants aux outils TIC.Depto. de Historia de América y Medieval y Ciencias HistoriográficasFac. de Geografía e HistoriaFALSEUniversidad Complutense de MadridComunidad de Madridsubmitte