Autoecología de los castañares catalanes

Optimum and marginal parameter ranges have been established for defining landform, climatic and soil habitat diagrams of chestnut (Castanea sativa Miller) woodstands in Catalonia. Such diagrams show that most of the Catalonian chestnut stands are located on soils developed from igneous rocks, with predominant sandyloamy textures. According to FAO criteria, soils are classified as Cambisols. Although soil water holding capacities are considerably low, it does not occur significant drought stress. Despite their relatively high acidity, soil humus form are forest mull. Moreover, several silvicultural parameters have been calculated. After their correlation with the ecological ones, it is concluded that the best chestnut forest sites are located around 750 m elevation, with 240 mm spring rainfall, 11.5 ºC mean annual temperature, and 20 ºC mean temperature at the hottest month.Se han establecido los valores paramétricos óptimos y marginales que definen los hábitats fisiográfico, climático y edáfico de las masas de Castanea sativa Miller en Cataluña. Así, se ha podido comprobar que la mayoría de los castañares catalanes se hallan sobre suelos formados a partir de rocas ígneas, y en ellos predominan las texturas franco-arenosas. Los suelos, según FAO, son mayoritariamente cambisoles. Aunque la capacidad de retención de agua de estos suelos es escasa, la sequía fisiológica está muy reducida. Los humus fundamentalmente pertenecen al tipo mull forestal, a pesar la elevada acidez. Además, se han elaborado una serie de parámetros selvícolas que al correlacionarlos con los ecológicos nos ha permitido comprobar que los mejores castañares se encuentran entorno a los 750 m de altitud, con precipitaciones de primavera cercanas a 240 mm, temperaturas medias anuales sobre 11,5º C y temperaturas medias del mes más cálido próximas a 20º C

Development of a novel splice array platform and its application in the identification of alternative splice variants in lung cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Microarrays strategies, which allow for the characterization of thousands of alternative splice forms in a single test, can be applied to identify differential alternative splicing events. In this study, a novel splice array approach was developed, including the design of a high-density oligonucleotide array, a labeling procedure, and an algorithm to identify splice events.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The array consisted of exon probes and thermodynamically balanced junction probes. Suboptimal probes were tagged and considered in the final analysis. An unbiased labeling protocol was developed using random primers. The algorithm used to distinguish changes in expression from changes in splicing was calibrated using internal non-spliced control sequences. The performance of this splice array was validated with artificial constructs for <it>CDC6</it>, <it>VEGF</it>, and <it>PCBP4 </it>isoforms. The platform was then applied to the analysis of differential splice forms in lung cancer samples compared to matched normal lung tissue. Overexpression of splice isoforms was identified for genes encoding <it>CEACAM1</it>, <it>FHL-1</it>, <it>MLPH</it>, and <it>SUSD2. </it>None of these splicing isoforms had been previously associated with lung cancer.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This methodology enables the detection of alternative splicing events in complex biological samples, providing a powerful tool to identify novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for cancer and other pathologies.</p

Structural Determinants of the Dictyostatin Chemotype for Tubulin Binding Affinity and Antitumor Activity Against Taxane- and Epothilone-Resistant Cancer Cells

13 p.-5 fig.-2 tab.-1 graph.abst.A combined biochemical, structural, and cell biology characterization of dictyostatin is described, which enables an improved understanding of the structural determinants responsible for the high-affinity binding of this anticancer agent to the taxane site in microtubules (MTs). The study reveals that this macrolide is highly optimized for MT binding and that only a few of the structural modifications featured in a library of synthetic analogues resulted in small gains in binding affinity. The high efficiency of the dictyostatin chemotype in overcoming various kinds of clinically relevant resistance mechanisms highlights its potential for therapeutic development for the treatment of drug-resistant tumors. A structural explanation is advanced to account for the synergy observed between dictyostatin and taxanes on the basis of their differential effects on the MT lattice. The X-ray crystal structure of a tubulin–dictyostatin complex and additional molecular modeling have allowed the rationalization of the structure–activity relationships for a set of synthetic dictyostatin analogues, including the highly active hybrid 12 with discodermolide. Altogether, the work reported here is anticipated to facilitate the improved design and synthesis of more efficacious dictyostatin analogues and hybrids with other MT-stabilizing agents.This work was supported in part by grants BIO2013-42984-R (J.F.D.) and SAF2012-39760-C02-02 (F.G.) from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, grant S2010/BMD-2457 BIPEDD2 from Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (F.G. and J.F.D.), and the Swiss National Science Foundation grants 310030B_138659 and 31003A_166608 (M.O.S.). The authors acknowledge networking contribution by the COST Action CM1407 “Challenging organic syntheses inspired by nature—from natural products chemistry to drug discovery” and the COST action CM1470. I.P. thanks the EPSRC and AstraZeneca for funding, Dr. John Leonard (AstraZeneca) for useful discussions, Dr. Stuart Mickel (Novartis) for the provision of chemicals, and the EPSRC UK National Mass Spectrometry Facility at Swansea University for mass spectra

Enhanced superconductivity in atomically thin TaS2

The ability to exfoliate layered materials down to the single layer limit has presented the opportunity to understand how a gradual reduction in dimensionality affects the properties of bulk materials. Here we use this top-down approach to address the problem of superconductivity in the two-dimensional limit. The transport properties of electronic devices based on 2H tantalum disulfide flakes of different thicknesses are presented. We observe that superconductivity persists down to the thinnest layer investigated (3.5 nm), and interestingly, we find a pronounced enhancement in the critical temperature from 0.5 to 2.2 K as the layers are thinned down. In addition, we propose a tight-binding model, which allows us to attribute this phenomenon to an enhancement of the effective electron-phonon coupling constant. This work provides evidence that reducing the dimensionality can strengthen superconductivity as opposed to the weakening effect that has been reported in other 2D materials so far

Development of a novel splice array platform and its application in the identification of alternative splice variants in lung cancer

Abstract Background Microarrays strategies, which allow for the characterization of thousands of alternative splice forms in a single test, can be applied to identify differential alternative splicing events. In this study, a novel splice array approach was developed, including the design of a high-density oligonucleotide array, a labeling procedure, and an algorithm to identify splice events. Results The array consisted of exon probes and thermodynamically balanced junction probes. Suboptimal probes were tagged and considered in the final analysis. An unbiased labeling protocol was developed using random primers. The algorithm used to distinguish changes in expression from changes in splicing was calibrated using internal non-spliced control sequences. The performance of this splice array was validated with artificial constructs for CDC6, VEGF, and PCBP4 isoforms. The platform was then applied to the analysis of differential splice forms in lung cancer samples compared to matched normal lung tissue. Overexpression of splice isoforms was identified for genes encoding CEACAM1, FHL-1, MLPH, and SUSD2. None of these splicing isoforms had been previously associated with lung cancer. Conclusions This methodology enables the detection of alternative splicing events in complex biological samples, providing a powerful tool to identify novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for cancer and other pathologies

Experiencias positivas de aprendizaje autónomo en el ámbito de las ciencias experimentales

En este trabajo se presenta un conjunto de casos de estudio donde se han aplicado distintas metodologías que ayudan a la formación de conocimiento utilizando aprendizaje autónomo o semiautónomo. En todos los casos propuestos se ha podido percibir por ambas partes del proceso formativo el éxito en los resultados de aprendizaje. Entre los casos de estudio de éxito podemos mencionar: los trabajos cooperativos coordinados entre diversas asignaturas, el uso de “chuletas oficiales” en los exámenes o el aprendizaje por resolución de problemas. En cada caso se ha detallado el contexto de aplicación de la metodología docente, y en los casos que fuese necesario el equivalente en el grado de Biología y Ciencias del Mar. Además, se ha tenido en cuenta la perspectiva del alumnado, junto con la visión del profesorado, para dar mayor amplitud y proyección a la propuesta. Los resultados animan a continuar usando los casos de éxito y mejorar los mismos adaptando al contexto de la materia y mantenerse siempre abiertos a la incorporación de nuevas metodologías para un óptimo aprendizaje

Discourse Analysis and Terminology in Languages for Specific Purposes

Aquest importantíssim recull conté estudis i reflexions sobre temes rellevants en la recerca sobre LSP: anglès mèdic, el llenguatge de la publicitat i periodístic, telecomunicacions i terminologia informàtica, llenguatge comercial i jurídic... Malgrat que gran part dels treballs aplegats es refereixen a l'anglès, també hi ha que tracten l'alemany, francès i altres llengües. Conté textos en anglès, francés, portuguès i castellà

Famílies botàniques de plantes medicinals

Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona. Ensenyament: Grau de Farmàcia, Assignatura: Botànica Farmacèutica, Curs: 2013-2014, Coordinadors: Joan Simon, Cèsar Blanché i Maria Bosch.Els materials que aquí es presenten són els recull de 175 treballs d’una família botànica d’interès medicinal realitzats de manera individual. Els treballs han estat realitzat per la totalitat dels estudiants dels grups M-2 i M-3 de l’assignatura Botànica Farmacèutica durant els mesos d’abril i maig del curs 2013-14. Tots els treballs s’han dut a terme a través de la plataforma de GoogleDocs i han estat tutoritzats pel professor de l’assignatura i revisats i finalment co-avaluats entre els propis estudiants. L’objectiu principal de l’activitat ha estat fomentar l’aprenentatge autònom i col·laboratiu en Botànica farmacèutica