The modernist tiles of Onda (Castellón)

[SPA] El presente trabajo es un avance de un estudio que estamos desarrollando sobre la producción azulejera modernista de Onda (Castellón) en las primeras décadas del siglo XX. Onda, cuya tradición cerámica se remonta al último tercio del siglo XVIII, fue uno de los principales centros españoles productores de azulejos durante en las primeras décadas del siglo XX. Ya a finales del siglo XIX el núcleo ondense se destacaba en el panorama español con 10 fábricas de azulejos en 1890. Con la llegada del siglo XX, y los avances técnicos de todo tipo que conlleva la nueva centuria (prensado en semiseco, decoración masiva por el sistema de trepas, hornos de pasajes,..), el despegue de la industria azulejera ondense fue espectacular. De toda la gran producción de azulejos de este período, vamos a ceñirnos a los diseños puramente modernistas diferenciándolos del resto de la producción (historicista, ecléctica, múltiple y variopinta). No obstante, conviene apuntar que la documentación existente sobre las fábricas de azulejos ondenses es escasa por no decir nula en la mayoría de los casos. Por ello, el análisis de la azulejería modernista de Onda lo tenemos que hacer centrándonos en la propia colección de azulejos modernista conservada en el Museo, así como de los repertorios de estarcidos y trepas, en los escasos diseños en acuarelas y en los pocos catálogos que conservamos. La mayoría de los diseños son anónimos, copiados o reinterpretados de catálogos extranjeros o nacionales, de repertorios o álbumes decorativos de la época, de revistas, semanarios, etc…, no obstante, tenemos constancia de algunos diseños con nombres propios. Con este breve artículo sólo pretendemos incidir en el papel que tuvo de la industria azulejera ondense en la cerámica de aplicación arquitectónica modernista española y europea. [ENG] This paper is a preview of a study that we are developing on the modernist Onda (Castellón) tile production in the first decades of the twentieth century. Onda, whose ceramic tradition dates back to the last third of the eighteenth century, was one of the main Spanish centers tile producers during the first decades of the twentieth century. Since the late nineteenth century the core ondense highlighted in the Spanish panorama with 10 tile factories in 1890. With the advent of the twentieth century and the technical advances of all kinds that carries the new century (semi-dry pressing, massive decoration by trepas system, furnaces passages, ..), take off the ceramic tile industry ondense was spectacular. Of all the great production of tiles of this period, we will stick to the purely modernist designs differentiating remaining production (historicist, eclectic, multiple and varied). However, it should be noted that existing documentation on tiles factories ondenses is low if not zero in most cases. Therefore, the analysis of Onda modernist tiles we have to do to focus on the own collection of modernist tiles preserved in the Museum, as well as codes of stencils and trepas, in the few designs in watercolors and in the few catalogs we maintain. Most designs are anonymous, copied or reinterpreted foreign or national catalogs, directories or decorative albums of the era, magazines, weeklies, etc ... However, we are aware of some designs with names. With this brief article only intend to influence the role played by the Ondense tile industry in ceramics Spanish and European modernist architectural application

Museo de Arqueología Castillo de Onda (Castellón)

El Museo de Arqueología de Onda se encuentra en el propio castillo de Onda (Castellón), siendo tanto un museo local como un museo de sitio de la propia fortaleza. Las piezas más significativas que se exhiben corresponde al conjunto de yeserías musulmanas (siglos XII-XIII) pertenecientes a una vivienda residencial y recuperadas en el centro histórico en 1968. Por su parte, interesa destacar que las recientes intervenciones arqueológicas en el castillo nos han deparado el descubrimiento de la estructura arquitectónica de un complejo palatino de época taifa (siglo XI). Este hallazgo, aunque todavía en fase de estudio, ya puede ser contemplado y es complementario a la visita al Museo. En la actualidad se está preparando un nuevo proyecto de puesta en valor de toda la fortaleza, en el cual se incluye la remodelación de la exposición permanente del Museo

An Intimate Relationship between ROS and Insulin Signalling: Implications for Antioxidant Treatment of Fatty Liver Disease

Oxidative stress damages multiple cellular components including DNA, lipids, and proteins and has been linked to pathological alterations in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) emission, resulting from nutrient overload and mitochondrial dysfunction, is thought to be a principal mediator in NAFLD progression, particularly toward the development of hepatic insulin resistance. In the context of insulin signalling, ROS has a dual role, as both a facilitator and inhibitor of the insulin signalling cascade. ROS mediate these effects through redox modifications of cysteine residues affecting phosphatase enzyme activity, stress-sensitive kinases, and metabolic sensors. This review highlights the intricate relationship between redox-sensitive proteins and insulin signalling in the context of fatty liver disease, and to a larger extent, the importance of reactive oxygen species as primary signalling molecules in metabolically active cells

Análisis arqueométrico de la cerámica dorada andalusí de la Alcazaba de Onda (Castellón)

In the present article there are exposed the results of the analysis of the bodies and the glazes of 21 ceramic representative fragments of a set found in the excavations of the Alcazaba of Onda and that can be dated in outline between ends the XIth and the first half of the XIIth centur y. We have attended fundamentally to the lustre potter y and to the ceramics with white cover. The principal aim is to determine if it is a question of one or of several productions. For it there has been analyzed the composition and texture of the body, as well as the microstructure and composition of the glaze by means of microscope electronics of sweep (SEM). Also there have been compared with ceramics that we suppose local, such productions as common ceramics of the same archaeological context and fragments found in the califal arqueological site Mas de Pere, where kilns were situated for the manufacture of ceramics. Also we have arranged with clays of the nearby deposit of the Sitjar. The results show that there are different productions of lostre ceramics, both for composition of the bodies and for the glaze. In addition, the composition of the white ceramics is ver y similar to the local clays of Onda, with which it is not possible to reject that it was a question of a local production.Postprint (published version

Sensitivity of Lipid Metabolism and Insulin Signaling to Genetic Alterations in Hepatic Peroxisome Proliferator–Activated Receptor-γ\gamma Coactivator-1α\alpha Expression

Objective: The peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-$\gamma$ coactivator (PGC)-1 family of transcriptional coactivators controls hepatic function by modulating the expression of key metabolic enzymes. Hepatic gain of function and complete genetic ablation of PGC-1$\alpha$ show that this coactivator is important for activating the programs of gluconeogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, and lipid secretion during times of nutrient deprivation. However, how moderate changes in PGC-1$\alpha$ activity affect metabolism and energy homeostasis has yet to be determined. Research Design and Methods: To identify key metabolic pathways that may be physiologically relevant in the context of reduced hepatic PGC-1$\alpha$ levels, we used the Cre/Lox system to create mice heterozygous for PGC-1$\alpha$ specifically within the liver (LH mice). Results: These mice showed fasting hepatic steatosis and diminished ketogenesis associated with decreased expression of genes involved in mitochondrial $\beta$-oxidation. LH mice also exhibited high circulating levels of triglyceride that correlated with increased expression of genes involved in triglyceride-rich lipoprotein assembly. Concomitant with defects in lipid metabolism, hepatic insulin resistance was observed both in LH mice fed a high-fat diet as well as in primary hepatocytes. Results: These data highlight both the dose-dependent and long-term effects of reducing hepatic PGC-1$\alpha$ levels, underlining the importance of tightly regulated PGC-1$\alpha$ expression in the maintenance of lipid homeostasis and glucose metabolism

Phase I/II trial of concurrent extracranial palliative radiation therapy with Dabrafenib and Trametinib in metastatic BRAF V600E/K mutation-positive cutaneous Melanoma

Background: Concurrent treatment with BRAF inhibitors and palliative radiation therapy (RT) could be associated with increased toxicity, especially skin toxicity. Current Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) consensus guideline recommend ceasing BRAF inhibitors during RT. There is a lack of data regarding concurrent RT with combined BRAF and MEK inhibitors. This single-arm phase I/II trial was designed to assess the safety and tolerability of palliative RT with concurrent Dabrafenib and Trametinib in patients with BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma. Materials and methods: Patients received Dabrafenib and Trametinib before and during palliative RT to soft tissue, nodal or bony metastases. The RT dose was escalated stepwise during the study period. Toxicity data including clinical photographs of the irradiated area was collected for up to 12 months following completion of RT. Results: Between June 2016 to October 2019, ten patients were enrolled before the study was stopped early due to low accrual rate. Six patients were treated at level 1 (20 Gy in 5 fractions, any location) and 4 patients at level 2a (30 Gy in 10 fractions with no abdominal viscera exposed). All alive patients completed one year of post-RT follow-up. Of the 82 adverse events (AEs) documented, the majority (90%) were grade 1 and 2. Eight grade 3 events (10%) occurred in five patients, only one was treatment-related (grade 3 fever due to Dabrafenib and Trametinib). No patients experienced grade 3 or 4 RT related toxicities, including skin toxicities. One serious AE was documented in relation to a grade 3 fever due to Dabrafenib and Trametinib requiring hospitalisation. Conclusions: The lack of grade 3 and 4 RT-related toxicities in our study suggests that Dabrafenib and Trametinib may be continued concurrently during fractionated non-visceral palliative RT to extracranial sites

Increased Adiposity, Dysregulated Glucose Metabolism and Systemic Inflammation in Galectin-3 KO Mice

PMCID: PMC3579848This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Various Oscillation Patterns of Serum Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 Concentrations in Healthy Volunteers

Background: Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) was originally identified as a paroxysm proliferator activated receptor-α target gene product and is a hormone involved in metabolic regulation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the diurnal variation of serum FGF21 concentration in obese and non-obese healthy volunteers. Methods: Blood samples were collected from five non-obese (body mass index [BMI] ≤23 kg/m 2) and five obese (BMI ≥25 kg/ m 2) healthy young men every 30 to 60 minutes over 24 hours. Serum FGF21 concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay. Anthropometric parameters, glucose, free fatty acid, insulin, leptin, and cortisol concentrations were also measured. Results: The serum FGF21 concentrations displayed various individual oscillation patterns. The oscillation frequency ranged between 6 and 12 times per day. The average duration of oscillation was 2.52 hours (range, 1.9 to 3.0 hours). The peaks and troughs of FGF21 oscillation showed no circadian rhythm. However, the oscillation frequency had a diurnal variation and was lower during the light-off period than during the light-on period (2.4 vs. 7.3 times, P<0.001). There was no difference in the total frequency or duration of oscillations between non-obese and obese subjects, but obese individuals had increased numbers of larger oscillations (amplitude ≥0.19 ng/mL). Conclusion: Various oscillation patterns in serum FGF21 concentration were observed, and reduced oscillation frequencies were seen during sleep. The oscillation patterns of serum FGF21 concentration suggest that FGF21 may be secreted into systemic circulation in a pulsatile manner. Obesity appeared to affect the amplitude of oscillations of serum FGF21

Discovery of Dual-Action Membrane-Anchored Modulators of Incretin Receptors

The glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptors are considered complementary therapeutic targets for type 2 diabetes. Using recombinant membrane-tethered ligand (MTL) technology, the present study focused on defining optimized modulators of these receptors, as well as exploring how local anchoring influences soluble peptide function.Serial substitution of residue 7 in membrane-tethered GIP (tGIP) led to a wide range of activities at the GIP receptor, with [G(7)]tGIP showing enhanced efficacy compared to the wild type construct. In contrast, introduction of G(7) into the related ligands, tGLP-1 and tethered exendin-4 (tEXE4), did not affect signaling at the cognate GLP-1 receptor. Both soluble and tethered GIP and GLP-1 were selective activators of their respective receptors. Although soluble EXE4 is highly selective for the GLP-1 receptor, unexpectedly, tethered EXE4 was found to be a potent activator of both the GLP-1 and GIP receptors. Diverging from the pharmacological properties of soluble and tethered GIP, the newly identified GIP-R agonists, (i.e. [G(7)]tGIP and tEXE4) failed to trigger cognate receptor endocytosis. In an attempt to recapitulate the dual agonism observed with tEXE4, we conjugated soluble EXE4 to a lipid moiety. Not only did this soluble peptide activate both the GLP-1 and GIP receptors but, when added to receptor expressing cells, the activity persists despite serial washes.These findings suggest that conversion of a recombinant MTL to a soluble membrane anchored equivalent offers a means to prolong ligand function, as well as to design agonists that can simultaneously act on more than one therapeutic target