Extended Abstracts

ABSTRACT A mathematical reprocessing of old seismic lines let ta know the Crustal Structure down to 35 km depth. Deep seismic discontinuities were interpreted as the top of the lower Crust and the ancestral master-shear which controlled the rift basin geometry during the late Cretaceous -early Jurassic. In addition, important inversion events were recognized by seismic stratigraphie analysis of the basin, and dated as Pliensbachian -Torcian and Bathonian -Callovian

Subjetividades políticas, identidad nacional y la auto-representación del Kirchnerismo en los festejos del bicentenario argentino de la revolución de mayo

El Bicentenario Argentino de la Revolución de Mayo fue un acontecimiento histórico no solo por presentarse como un momento de reflexión obligada sobre nuestra historia e identidad, sino porque según los registros de medios gráficos y fuentes gubernamentales asistieron a los festejos (solo en Capital federal) aproximadamente 6 millones de personas. \n Paralelamente al evento histórico que se conmemora en todo el país, los 200 años de la conformación del primer gobierno patrio y la independencia de la corona española, la sorpresiva masividad fue una de las primeras noticias en ocupar las tapas de los principales diarios, debido a que esta celebración se convirtió en el fenómeno social de mayor convocatoria en la historia argentina. En el momento de observar y analizar el desenvolvimiento de los festejos se torna evidente que esta convocatoria, y el éxito de la participación ciudadana, sobrepasó las expectativas tanto de los organizadores como de los medios. En numerosas notas periodísticas y manifestaciones públicas de funcionarios y agentes organizadores, se expresó reiteradamente lo inesperado de la participación ciudadanía en las calles y plazas de Capital Federal. Las avenidas colmadas de personas provenientes de diferentes barrios porteños, el conurbano bonaerense y el interior del país, despertaron en la prensa gráfica su analogía con varios hitos históricos de participación popular, pero que a diferencia de esta celebración, quedaron grabados en la memoria colectiva por un marco de crisis económica y/o política. \n No solo fue la propuesta del gobierno lo que reactivó el relato del Estado-Nación, adjudicar el éxito de los festejos tan solo a sus organizadores sería caer en una lectura reduccionista, que presupone una respuesta lineal e inmediata por parte de la población frente a los mensajes del Estado.\n Tanto el registro de los medios, como la respuesta espontánea por parte de la población en general, gestaron las condiciones para el debate y la puesta en escena de una vasta pluralidad de significaciones sociales que envuelven a la cuestión de la identidad nacional, siendo esta materialidad interesantísima para abordar desde una perspectiva comunicacional critica.\n La propuesta de esta investigación intenta analizar, explicar y describir significaciones, figuraciones, procesos de interpelación, enunciación y sobre todo, las nociones de identidad subyacentes en la prensa gráfica y el relato kirchnerista, a partir de un compendio de representaciones que conforman el corpus de análisis de medios gráficos. \n El contenido, criterio de selección y marco teórico de dicho corpus será especificado más adelante. Para desarrollar este análisis la contextualización de la relación entre los medios gráficos y el gobierno kirchnerista es de suma importancia, debido a que en el registro y las interpretaciones que intentan asentarse desde la prensa gráfica, también se ponen en juego los lazos imaginarios que constituyen la identidad de una nación. Por eso mismo, antes de volcarse concretamente a este primer eje de análisis, se desarrollará una descripción y explicación de la relación de los tres diarios que conforman el corpus de análisis (Página/12, La Nación y Clarín) con el gobierno kirchnerista.\nFil: Cominguez, Gustavo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Sociales. Buenos Aires, Argentin

Exploring the role of L1-L2 overlap, structural complexity, and task effects in the processing of bilingual Spanish morphosyntax

It is unclear whether postpuberty second language (L2) learners can achieve a native-like representation and processing in the target language. Some researchers argue that lack of convergence in postpuberty L2 systems results from their fundamentally different nature, which cannot instantiate new grammatical features that are absent in the L1 of the learners due to maturational constraints (e.g., Franceschina, 2005; Hawkins and Franceschina, 2004). Moreover, as the underlying grammatical representation is non-native-like, L2 systems cannot apply a full parsing route to the incoming linguistic input in the L2, especially with grammatical long-distance dependencies (Clahsen and Felser, 2006a, 2006b, 2006c). By contrast, other researchers claim that postpuberty L2 systems are fundamentally identical to native systems, and variability in the L2 representation and processing is the result of different factors, such as L1-L2 overlap, individual cognitive differences (e.g., working memory), task demands, structural complexity, exposure to the target language, and proficiency level, among others (e.g., Dekydtspotter and Renaud, 2014; Hopp, 2007; Lardiere, 2009). This dissertation investigates the role of L1-L2 overlap, structural complexity, and task effects in the processing of L2 Spanish. Specifically, it explores how L1 English advanced postpuberty learners of L2 Spanish process grammatical gender and number agreement violations in Spanish clitic-doubled left dislocations, and whether they parse this type of long-distance grammatical dependency by applying syntactic island constraints. In order to do so, a group of L1 English advanced postpuberty learners of L2, and a control group of Spanish native speakers completed a series of experiments employing the moving-window paradigm (Just et al., 1982). Results reveal that L2 learners can acquire and process grammatical features that are absent in their L1 in a native-like fashion, regardless of whether the online tasks require subjects to answer comprehension or acceptability questions. Moreover, they show that postpuberty L2 speakers can parse grammatically complex representations that are subject to syntactic island constraints such as clitic-doubled left dislocations in a native-like way. From these results, it is possible to conclude that the nature of L2 systems is fundamentally identical to that of natives’. The findings of this dissertation contribute to a better understanding of L2 verb-object agreement relations, an understudied domain in the field of second language acquisition, which has been shown to be particularly problematic for postpuberty L2 speakers (e.g., Tremblay, 2005). Finally, the findings are also informative about how this type of dependency is parsed in a Romance language like Spanish for which there is few psycholinguistic research (e.g., Coughlin and Tremblay, 2013; Leal Méndez, Farmer, and Slabakova, 2014; Pablos, 2006).Ph.D.Includes bibliographical referencesby Juan Pablo Comíngue

Atractylodes chinensis Water Extract Ameliorates Obesity via Promotion of the SIRT1/AMPK Expression in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Obesity remains a continuing global health concern, as it is associated with an increased risk of many chronic diseases. Atractylodes chinensis Koidz. (Ac) is traditionally used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis, hepatitis, and gastric ulcers. Despite the diverse pharmacological activities of Ac, scientific evidence for the use of Ac in obesity is still limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the anti-obesity effects of Ac. C57BL/6N mice were divided into five groups as follows: chow diet group (CON), 45% HFD group, HFD + oral administration of orlistat group, and HFD + oral administration of Ac groups. RT-PCR and western blotting were used to examine the expression of molecules relating to obesity progression. Ac-administered mice showed dramatically decreased body weight and weight gain compared to the high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. In addition, Ac administration attenuated the protein expression levels of adipogenic transcription factors in the white adipose tissue (WAT) and livers of HFD-fed mice. Furthermore, Ac administration declined the expression levels of lipogenic genes, while enhancing those of the fatty acid oxidation genes in the WAT of HFD-fed mice. Importantly, Ac administration highly upregulated the AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) expression levels in WAT of the HFD-induced obese mouse model. Our results provide evidence that Ac can effectively ameliorate weight gain and adipose tissue expansion

Papain Ameliorates Lipid Accumulation and Inflammation in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity Mice and 3T3-L1 Adipocytes via AMPK Activation

Papain is a proteolytic enzyme present in the leaves, fruits, roots, and latex of the Carica papaya (papaya) plant. Although it exhibits a wide range of activities, there are no reports on the anti-obesity effects of papain. This study examined the anti-obesity effect and obesity-involved anti-inflammatory mechanism of papain in in vivo and in vitro models using high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Oral administration of papain reduced HFD-induced weight of the body, liver, and adipose tissues of mice. Papain also reduced hepatic lipid accumulation and adipocyte size. Moreover, serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were markedly reduced in papain-treated mice. In addition, papain inhibited the differentiation of preadipocytes and oil accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and rat primary preadipocytes. Mechanistically, papain significantly downregulated the protein levels of key adipogenesis regulators and reversed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and adipokines in HFD-induced obese mice and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Papain also markedly enhanced activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase pathway in both models. Collectively, these results suggest that papain exerts anti-obesity effects in HFD-induced mice and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes by regulating levels of adipogenic factors involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation; thus, it could be useful in the prevention and treatment of obesity

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects of Carpesium cernuum L. Methanolic Extract in LPS-Stimulated RAW 264.7 Macrophages

A hypernomic reaction or an abnormal inflammatory process could cause a series of diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, and cancer. Additionally, oxidative stress has been identified to induce severe tissue injury and inflammation.Carpesium cernuumL. (C.cernuum) is a Chinese folk medicine used for its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and detoxifying properties. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of C.cernuumin inflammatory and oxidative stress conditions remains largely unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a methanolic extract of C.cernuum(CLME) on lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages and a sepsis mouse model. The data presented in this study indicated that CLME inhibited LPS-induced production of proinflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E-2(PGE(2)) in RAW 264.7 cells. CLME treatment also reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and enhanced the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protein in a dose-dependent manner in the LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, CLME treatment abolished the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B), enhanced the activation of nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and reduced the expression of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) and ERK kinase (MEK) phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. These outcomes implied that CLME could be a potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent

Pharmacological Properties of a Traditional Korean Formula Bojungchiseup-tang on 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes and High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity Mouse Model

The global obesity epidemic has nearly doubled since 1980, and this increasing prevalence is threatening public health. It has been reported that natural products could contain potential functional ingredients that may assist in preventing obesity. Bojungchiseub-tang (BJT), mentioned in the Donguibogam as an herbal medication for the treatment of edema, a symptom of obesity, consists of eleven medicinal herbs. However, the pharmacological activity of BJT has not been investigated. The present study was designed to investigate the putative effect of BJT on the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells and the weight gain of high-fat diet (HFD-) fed C57BL/6 mice. Oil Red O staining was conducted to examine the amount of lipids in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups: standard diet group (control, CON), 45% HFD group (HFD), and HFD supplemented with 10% of BJT (BJT). The expression levels of genes and proteins related to adipogenesis in cells, WAT, and liver were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot, respectively. We found that BJT treatment significantly decreased the protein and mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) in a dose-dependent manner in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. Similar to the results of the in vitro experiment, BJT suppressed HFD-induced weight gain in an obese mouse model. In addition, BJT effectively reduced the HFD-induced epididymal adipose tissue weight/body weight index. BJT also downregulated the mRNA levels of PPARγ, C/EBPα, and SREBP1 in the epididymal adipose and liver tissue of HFD-fed obese mice. These findings suggest that BJT induces weight loss by affecting adipogenic transcription factors

Rice Hull Extract (RHE) Suppresses Adiposity in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice and Inhibits Differentiation of 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes

Obesity is one of major health challenges in the industrial world. Although rice hull has been reported to show various bioactivities, no studies have evaluated its anti-obesity effect. We hope to demonstrate the anti-obesity effect of rice hull extract (RHE) and the underlying mechanism in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Serum lipid profiles were determined by enzymatic methods. Histological analysis of liver and epididymis fat tissues was carried out with hematoxylin and eosin stain. The mRNA expression of adipogenic markers was analyzed with qRT-PCR and western blotting. Oral administration of RHE reduced body weight gain and fat accumulation in HFD-fed mice. RHE also reduced lipid accumulation by inhibiting the mRNA expression of adipogenic-related genes in HFD-fed obese mice and differentiated preadipocytes. The downregulation of adipogenesis by RHE was mediated through the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). In addition, RHE induced the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and extracellular-signal-regulated kinases (ERK) in liver and epididymis adipose tissues of HFD-fed obese mice. Taken together, these findings indicate that RHE could inhibit the differentiation of adipose cell and prevent HFD-induced obesity, suggesting its potential in the prevention of obesity and metabolic syndrome and related-disorders