La cooperación internacional para el desarrollo en la prensa de Castilla y León

Producción CientíficaEste artículo presenta los hallazgos de un análisis de contenido cuantitativo sobre la presencia de la cooperación internacional para el desarrollo en doce periódicos que se distribuyen diariamente en Castilla y León. Entre enero y agosto de 2010 se publicaron 910 piezas periodísticas tratando esta cuestión, un volumen escaso en líneas generales y con una presencia irregular en todas las cabeceras. Estos contenidos, además, carecen de profundidad analítica, no incorporan el enfoque crítico necesario para comprender las complejas relaciones sobre las que se construye la cooperación entre países y, finalmente, priorizan los intereses locales sobre los aspectos de alcance global

Solution SERS of an insoluble synthetic organic pigment-quinacridone quinone-employing calixarenes as dispersive cavitands

3 páginas, 5 figuras.A possibility of getting SERS spectra of insoluble aromatic compounds in colloidal silver solutions is described. The method tested for the organic pigment quinacridone quinone consists of dispersing it in calix[n]arenes. The potentials of such cavitands, both as dispersing and as silver functionalization agents, is reported as a function of the substitution in their lower rim and their cavity size.This work has been financially supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacio´n of Spain (Projects FIS2007-63065 and CONSOLIDER CSD2007-0058/TCP) and the Comunidad de Madrid (MICROSERES II Project S2009/TIC1476).Peer reviewe

Diversity in viral anti-PKR mechanisms: A remarkable case of evolutionary convergence

Most viruses express during infection products that prevent or neutralize the effect of the host dsRNA activated protein kinase (PKR). Translation of Sindbis virus (SINV) mRNA escapes to PKR activation and eIF2 phosphorylation in infected cells by a mechanism that requires a stem loop structure in viral 26S mRNA termed DLP to initiate translation in the absence of functional eIF2. Unlike the rest of viruses tested, we found that Alphavirus infection allowed a strong PKR activation and eIF2α phosphorylation in vitro and in infected animals so that the presence of DLP structure in mRNA was critical for translation and replication of SINV. Interestingly, infection of MEFs with some viruses that express PKR inhibitors prevented eIF2α phosphorylation after superinfection with SINV, suggesting that viral anti-PKR mechanisms could be exchangeable. Thus, translation of SINV mutant lacking the DLP structure (ΔDLP) in 26S mRNA was partially rescued in cells expressing vaccinia virus (VV) E3 protein, a known inhibitor of PKR. This case of heterotypic complementation among evolutionary distant viruses confirmed experimentally a remarkable case of convergent evolution in viral anti-PKR mechanisms. Our data reinforce the critical role of PKR in regulating virus-host interaction and reveal the versatility of viruses to find different solutions to solve the same conflict.This work was supported in part from the VIRUS-HOST interaction programme (Comunidad de Madrid) and by grants from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (SAF2006-09810; SAF2008-02036) and the Fundación Mutua Madrileña (FMM 2008). The institutional support from Fundación Ramón Areces is also acknowledged. E.D was a recipient of VIRUS-HOST programme postdoctoral contract. R.T. was a recipient of the SAF2006-09810 contract and I.V. was a researcher of Ramón y Cajal Programme.Peer Reviewe

Involvement of PKR and RNase L in translational control and induction of apoptosis after Hepatitis C polyprotein expression from a Vaccinia virus recombinant

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is of growing concern in public health with around 350 million chronically infected individuals worldwide. Although the IFN-α/rivabirin is the only approved therapy with 10–30% clinical efficacy, the protective molecular mechanism involved during the treatment is still unknown. To analyze the effect of HCV polyprotein expression on the antiviral response of the host, we developed a novel vaccinia virus (VV)-based delivery system (VT7-HCV7.9) where structural and nonstructural (except part of NS5B) proteins of HCV ORF from genotype 1b are efficiently expressed and produced, and timely regulated in mammalian cell lines. RESULTS: Regulated transcript production and viral polypeptide processing was demonstrated in various cell lines infected with the recombinant VT7-HCV7.9, indicating that the cellular and viral proteolytic machineries are functional within these cells. The inducible expression of the HCV polyprotein by VV inhibits the synthesis of both host and viral proteins over the time and also induces apoptosis in HeLa and HepG2-infected cells. These effects occur accompanying with the phosphorylation of the translation initiation factor eIF-2α. In cells co-infected with VT7-HCV7.9 and a recombinant VV expressing the dominant negative eIF-2α-S51A mutant in the presence of the inductor isopropyl-thiogalactoside (IPTG), protein synthesis is rescued. The IFN-inducible protein kinase PKR is responsible for the translational block, as demonstrated with PKR-/- and PKR+/+ cell lines. However, apoptosis induced by VT7-HCV7.9 is mediated by the RNase L pathway, in a PKR-independent manner. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate the antiviral relevance of the proteins induced by interferon, PKR and RNase L during expression from a VV recombinant of the HCV polyprotein in human cell lines. HCV polyprotein expression caused a severe cytopathological effect in human cells as a result of inhibition of protein synthesis and apoptosis induction, triggered by the activation of the IFN-induced enzymes PKR and RNase L systems. Thus, the virus-cell system described here highlights the relevance of the IFN system as a protective mechanism against HCV infection

Cognitive wireless sensor network platform for cooperative communications

Nowadays, Wireless Ad Hoc Sensor Networks (WAHSNs), specially limited in energy and resources, are subject to development constraints and difficulties such as the increasing RF spectrum saturation at the unlicensed bands. Cognitive Wireless Sensor Networks (CWSNs), leaning on a cooperative communication model, develop new strategies to mitigate the inefficient use of the spectrum that WAHSNs face. However, few and poorly featured platforms allow their study due to their early research stage. This paper presents a versatile platform that brings together cognitive properties into WAHSNs. It combines hardware and software modules as an entire instrument to investigate CWSNs. The hardware fits WAHSN requirements in terms of size, cost, features, and energy. It allows communication over three different RF bands, becoming the only cognitive platform for WAHSNs with this capability. In addition, its modular and scalable design is widely adaptable to almost any WAHSN application. Significant features such as radio interface (RI) agility or energy consumption have been proven throughout different performance tests

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamaseproducing bacteria in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Madrid: Epidemiology, risk factors and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns

Introduction: Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria have been increasingly reported as causal agents of nosocomial infection worldwide. Resistance patterns vary internationally, and even locally, from one institution to the other. We investigated the clinical isolates positive for ESBL-producing bacteria in our institution, a tertiary care hospital in Madrid (Spain), during a 2-year period (2007 2008). Methods: Clinical and microbiological data were retrospectively reviewed. Two hundred and nineteen patients were included in the study. Results: Advanced age, diabetes, use of catheters, previous hospitalization and previous antibiotic treatment were some of the risk factors found among patients. Escherichia coli was the most frequent isolate, and urinary tract the most common site of isolation. Internal Medicine, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and General Surgery presented the highest number of isolates. There were no outbreaks during the study period. Antibiotic patterns showed high resistance rates to quinolones in all isolates. There was 100% sensitivity to carbapenems. Conclusion: Carbapenems continue to be the treatment of choice for ESBL-producing bacteria. Infection control measures are of great importance to avoid the spread of these nosocomial infection

Biological and microbial activity in biological soil crusts from the Tabernas desert, a sub-arid zone in SE Spain.

The ecology and functional role of biological soil crusts (BSCs) in arid and semi-arid zones have been extremely well studied. However, little is known about the biochemical properties related to the number and activity of the microbiota that form the crusts, even though information about these properties is very important for understanding many of the processes that affect the formations. In this study, several properties related to the activity and number of microorganisms (biomass-C, basal respiration, dehydrogenase activity and nitrogen mineralization potential) were determined at different depths (crusts, 0-0.5 cm; middle, 0.5-3 cm and deep, 3-5 cm layers) in two types of crusts (predominated by cyanobacteria and by lichens) in the Tabernas desert (Almeria, SE Spain). The absolute values of the above-mentioned properties and the values expressed relative to the total organic carbon (TOC) content were both much higher in the crust layers than in the surface horizons of soils under Mediterranean or Atlantic climates. A large part of the TOC in the BSCs was contained in the microbiota and another large part was readily metabolized during incubation of the crusts for 10 days at 25 °C. The net nitrogen mineralization rate was also high, and ammonification predominated in the crust layers, whereas nitrification predominated in the middle and deep layers. In all types of BSCs, the microbiota colonized the deep layers, although with greater intensity in the lichen-dominated BSCs than in the cyanobacterial BSCs. The results also indicate that hydrolytic enzymes are not stabilized on soil colloids and their activity depends only on the active microbiota.Peer reviewe

La cooperación internacional para el desarrollo de la prensa en Castilla y León

p. 59-69Este artículo presenta los hallazgos de un análisis de contenido cuantitativo sobre la presencia de la cooperación internacional para el desarrollo en doce periódicos que se distribuyen diariamente en Castilla y León. Entre enero y agosto de 2010 se publicaron 910 piezas periodísticas tratando esta cuestión, un volumen escaso en líneas generales y con una presencia irregular en todas las cabeceras. Estos contenidos, además, carecen de profundidad analítica, no incorporan el enfoque crítico necesario para comprender las complejas relaciones sobre las que se construye la cooperación entre países y, finalmente, priorizan los intereses locales sobre los aspectos de alcance globalS

Effect of composition, sonication and pressure on the rate capability of 5 V-LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 composite cathodes

Positive composite electrodes having LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 spinel as active material, a blend of graphite and carbon black for increasing the electrode electrical conductivity and either polyvinyldenefluoride (PVDF) or a blend of PVDF with a small amount of Teflon® (1 wt%) for building up the electrode. They have been processed by tape casting on an aluminum foil as current collector using the doctor blade technique. Additionally, the component blends were either sonicated or not, and the processed electrodes were compacted or not under subsequent cold pressing. Composites electrodes with high weight, up to 17 mg/cm2, were prepared and studied as positive electrodes for lithium-ion batteries. The addition of Teflon® and the application of the sonication treatment lead to uniform electrodes that are well-adhered to the aluminum foil. Both parameters contribute to improve the capacity drained at high rates (5C). Additional compaction of the electrode/aluminum assemblies remarkably enhances the electrode rate capabilities. At 5C rate, remarkable capacity retentions between 80% and 90% are found for electrodes with weights in the range 3–17 mg/cm2, having Teflon® in their formulation, prepared after sonication of their component blends and compacted under 2 tonnes/cm2

Differential expression of miR-1249-3p and miR-34b-5p between vulnerable and resilient phenotypes of cocaine addiction

Cocaine addiction is a complex brain disorder involving long-term alterations that leadto loss of control over drug seeking. The transition from recreational use to pathologi-cal consumption is different in each individual, depending on the interaction betweenenvironmental and genetic factors. Epigenetic mechanisms are ideal candidates tostudy psychiatric disorders triggered by these interactions, maintaining persistentmalfunctions in specific brain regions. Here we aim to study brain-region-specific epi-genetic signatures following exposure to cocaine in a mouse model of addiction tothis drug. Extreme subpopulations of vulnerable and resilient phenotypes wereselected to identify miRNA signatures for differential vulnerability to cocaine addic-tion. We used an operant model of intravenous cocaine self-administration to evalu-ate addictive-like behaviour in rodents based on the Diagnostic and StatisticalManual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition criteria to diagnose substance use disor-ders. After cocaine self-administration, we performed miRNA profiling to comparetwo extreme subpopulations of mice classified as resilient and vulnerable to cocaineaddiction. We found that mmu-miR-34b-5p was downregulated in the nucleusaccumbens of vulnerable mice with high motivation for cocaine. On the other hand,mmu-miR-1249-3p was downregulated on vulnerable mice with high levels of motordisinhibition. The elucidation of the epigenetic profile related to vulnerability to cocaine addiction is expected to help find novel biomarkers that could facilitate theinterventions to battle this devastating disorder