Detection of DNA-RNA hybrids in vivo

DNA-RNA hybrids form naturally during essential cellular functions such as transcription and replication. However, they may be an important source of genome instability, a hallmark of cancer and genetic diseases. Detection of DNA-RNA hybrids in cells is becoming crucial to understand an increasing number of molecular biology processes in genome dynamics and function and to identify new factors and mechanisms responsible for disease in biomedical research. Here, we describe two different procedures for the reliable detection of DNA-RNA hybrids in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in human cells: DNA-RNA Immunoprecipitation (DRIP) and Immunofluorescence

Topological constraints impair RNA polymerase II transcription and causes instability of plasmid-borne convergent genes

Despite the theoretical bases for the association of topoisomerases and supercoiling changes with transcription and replication, our knowledge of the impact of topological constraints on transcription and replication is incomplete. Although mutation of topoisomerases affects expression and stability of the rDNA region it is not clear whether the same is the case for RNAPII transcription and genome integrity in other regions. We developed new assays in which two convergent RNAPII-driven genes are transcribed simultaneously. Plasmid-based systems were constructed with and without a transcription terminator between the two convergent transcription units, so that the impact of transcription interference could also be evaluated. Using these assays we show that Topos I and II play roles in RNAPII transcription in vivo and reduce the stability of RNAPII-transcribed genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Supercoiling accumulation in convergent transcription units impairs RNAPII transcription in top1Δ strains, but Topo II is also required for efficient transcription independent of Topo I and of detectable supercoiling accumulation. Our work shows that topological constraints negatively affect RNAPII transcription and genetic integrity, and provides an assay to study gene regulation by transcription interference

Who are diverse?: conceptualisations of cultural diversity in schools behind desks and at chalkface

This paper analyses the meanings and values attached to‘culturaldiversity’as a descriptive and interpretative category in the fieldof education in Spain, including its application to define differentgroups in elementary and primary schools there. It reports from acomparative study that considers the discursive production of‘cultural diversity’in Spanish academia together with thediscourse of teaching staff from three schools with specificprogrammes aimed at cultural diversity. Results attest to threedifferent uses of‘cultural diversity’: individualisation, differenceand inequalities, as well as two different assessments: enrichmentand problem. It also analyses how the discourse of teachers ismore complex than those of the academy, because, among otherreasons, they link diversity with situations produced by socialinequality, by the fact that many students are migrants, and by adifferent ethnic condition. In general, the academic discoursetends to present a more institutionalised, idealised and blindvision of social inequalit

Las áreas protegidas como territorios turísticos: Análisis crítico a partir del caso de los parques naturales de la Sierra Morena andaluza

El artículo trata de ofrecer una aproximación rigurosa y crítica a la compleja cuestión de la relación entre turismo y áreas naturales de singular cualificación, con especial énfasis en aquellas protegidas bajo la figura de Parque Natural, teóricamente marcada por su especial idoneidad para el desarrollo turístico a tenor de su flexibilidad y polifuncionalidad. El estudio, aplicado al ámbito de la Sierra Morena andaluza, aborda aspectos claves tales como la necesaria consideración de la base territorial de las áreas protegidas, la operatividad de los instrumentos para el fomento turístico, la deseable vinculación con el uso público y, sobre todo, la necesaria definición de una estrategia turística específica para los parques.

Development of a capillary electrophoresis method for the determination of soybean proteins in soybean-rice gluten-free dietary products. Research Article

CE has been applied for the first time to the simultaneous separation of soybean and\ud rice proteins. Treated and untreated capillaries with different effective lengths as well\ud as separation media at different pHs were tested. For that purpose, samples and\ud standard solutions were prepared in 25:75 ACN–water media containing 0.3% v/v\ud acetic acid. The use of an untreated capillary of 50 cm effective length together with an\ud 80 mM borate buffer (pH 8.5) modified with 20% v/v ACN and UV detection at 254 nm\ud were the conditions working the best. These conditions enabled the determination of\ud soybean proteins in gluten-free dietary commercial products elaborated with soybean\ud protein and/or soybean flour and rice flour using the standard additions calibration\ud method. The method was linear up to 26 mg/mL of soybean proteins, the precision\ud (expressed as RSD) was always better than 6%, and recoveries obtained for soybean\ud proteins when spiking commercial products were very close to 100%The authors thank the Ministry of Science and Technology\ud (Spain) for the research project BQU2002–01199 and F. J.\ud Cabello-Murillo for technical assistance. C.G.-R. also\ud thanks the Ministry of Science and Technology for the\ud Ramón y Cajal program (RYC-2003–001)

El despertar de la infografía en la prensa escrita: el caso de La Voz de Galicia

En este artículo vamos a abordar el estudio de una forma de expresión que cuenta cada vez con mayor prestigio y presencia en los medios de comunicación: la infografía. Para eso nos centraremos en un hecho histórico: la I Guerra del Golfo, como primer gran acontecimiento mundial ocurrido en el momento en el que la informática comienza a asentarse en las redacciones; y en un periódico: La Voz de Galicia, como publicación de referencia en España y, fundamentalmente, en Galicia. En las próximas páginas estudiaremos las características, estructura, composición, contenido y funciones de los infográficos realizados en aquella época y comprobaremos si, como ocurrió en otros diarios españoles, la I Guerra del Golfo fue el motor que propició el desarrollo de la infografía en La Voz de Galicia.In this article we are going to approach the study of a way of expression that has more prestige and presence in mass media every day: the infographics. We will concentrate on a historical fact: 1st Persian Gulf War, as first worldwide event happened when computing starts settling down in newspaper editorial offices; and on a print newspaper: La Voz de Galicia, as a publication of reference in Spain and, especially, in Galicia. On next pages, we are going to study the characteristics, structure, composition, content and functions of the infographics done at that time and we check too if, like happened in other Spanish newspapers, 1st Persian Gulf War was the engine that favoured the development of infographics in La Voz de Galicia

Aproximación al "esquema L" de Lacan y sus implicaciones en la clínica (parte I)

En la segunda parte del trabajo intentamos presentar el funcionamiento global del “esquema L” y demostrar su utilidad práctica en el tratamiento analítico. En este sentido, en las relaciones sociales es el “yo” el que tiene todo el protagonismo, mientras el “sujeto” queda excluido de las mismas; de ahí que estos contactos cotidianos se muestren como la incomunicación más radical, aunque parezca lo contrario. El tratamiento que realizamos, por contra, debe escapar a esos parámetros, pues durante el mismo se procura que el “imaginario” facilite progresivamente la manifestación del “sujeto del inconsciente” en toda su dimensión, traspasando las constantes y molestas interferencias yoicas. Este procedimiento, si se realiza adecuadamente como Lacan nos enseña, permite que la “palabra plena” fluya entre paciente y analista, de modo tal que el contacto que se produzca sea de “sujeto” a “sujeto”, mientras que en las relaciones sociales las conexiones se formulan en términos de “ego” y “alter ego”. Para lograrlo, quién se coloque al lado del paciente debe saber que ha de ocupar el lugar de la alteridad radical, del “Otro”, y no del “otro” especula

Psychological Problems Derived from Mastectomy: A Qualitative Study

Advances in treatment of breast cancer have not avoided using mastectomy in all cases, and when this happens, we are dealing with a woman who is suffering from psychological problems. In order to study this issue we have carried out a research with the collaboration of The Andalusian Association of Women with Mastectomies (AMAMA) in Seville, which provided us with a sample of 46 mastectomized women. The objective of this study is to analyze in depth the psychological reaction of women to mastectomy through its different stages from diagnosis to surgical treatment. We chose a cualitative method so as to explore the subjective components of psicologycal respons. As a result, we found in studied women: (a) The “fracture” of the “corporal imaginary” related to the disappearance of a valuable organ, linked to the feeling of loss of personal attractiveness, low self-esteem and avoidance of social relationships. (b) The problem with “femininity” has been linked to the issue of “desirability”, something innate in the “feminine position”. (c) Many of them keep in mind the idea of mutilation, as a “hole” which is impossible to integrate. (d) Finally, we demonstrate how certain features of personality made them especially vulnerable to the explained phenomena