La mujer inmortal: Sexualidad y terror en "Ligeia" de Edgar Allan Poe y en "Leyendas de Hascischs" de Clemente Palma

The gothic aspect is a common feature of short stories by the North American writer Edgar Allan Poe and Peruvian modernist Clemente Palma. This movement is shown from different perspectives such as rejection of illustrated official morality, interest in showing what is hidden, monstruous or grotesque and finally, the representation of personal and psychological issues in literary works. This study analyzes one of these hidden thoughts and main worries of fin-de-siecle man: fear from femenine sexuality expressed through male gothic, especially portraying the imaginary that is projected through the tales "Ligeia" by Poe (1893) and "Leyendas de haschisch" by Palma (1904). In this article I present a differentiation between anglo-saxon and latinamerican gothic, based on historic, cultural, linguistic and geographical differences. My main goal is to clarify representation, symbolism, development of horror in the tale and the presence of the death/sleeping beauty in the experiences of these narcotized narrators

Studies on Monoclonal Antibodies Characterization and immunohistochemical detection of Lactococcus garvieae

Lactococcus garvieae, the aetiological agent of Lactococcosis, has recently been responsible for significant disease outbreaks in a variety of economically important freshwater and seawater fish species cultured worldwide. The development of immunological diagnostic tests to use in the control strategies against L. garvieae has been limited due to a complicated global distribution of serotypes. It appears there are serotypic differences between L. garvieae recovered from different regions, and although perhaps a common Antigen (Ag) may be expressed by all serotypes, it has not been found yet. The identification of this Ag would enable the development of specific Monoclonal Antibodies (MAbs), which could be used, in conjunction with immunological techniques, for the detection of all isolates of the pathogen in infected fish and water. In this study, nine MAbs produced in the Aquatic Vaccine Unit of the Institute of Aquaculture (IoA), University of Stirling against L. garvieae type strain NCIMB 702928 (3 MAbs) and against a L. garvieae Japanese clinical isolate (12-99)(6 MAbs), as well as two more MAbs, kindly donated by Professor Tae Sung Jung (Laboratory of Fish and Shellfish Diseases, Gyeongsang National University, Republic of Korea) against L. garvieae Korean isolates, were screened, using Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), against a collection of 12 L. garvieae isolates from Europe and Asia, and L. garvieae type strains. None of the MAbs in the study recognized all the L. garvieae isolates tested, although some of the Japanese MAbs (specifically MAbs 3 G9, 8B12, 11F8 and 11B1) recognized a higher number of isolates than the rest of MAbs (including all the type strains in the study and several Japanese and Italian isolates). Differences in the intensity of the reaction has led to the idea that the Ag can be expressed at two different levels by different isolates, or that perhaps there are two different Ags displaying similar epitopes that are recognized at two levels. European MAbs and the rest of the Japanese MAbs were very specific to certain strains, including two of the type strains and one Japanese isolate but they did not recognize any of the Italian isolates. Korean MAbs did not recognize any isolate, and this led to think about a possible absence of MAb in the supernatant. However, none of the two L. garvieae Korean isolates were recognized by any MAb. The MAbs were also tested for cross-reactivity using ELISA with a collection of 32 isolates from other bacterial species (including L. garvieae related and unrelated species). Low levels of cross reactivity (ranging from 0.3% to 9.6%) were detected, with the exception of a Korean MAb (U99-33) that showed a significant cross reactivity with Renibacterium salmoninarum. An Immunohistochemistry (IHC) test was developed with the MAbs studied. A preliminary IHC test was carried out with all the MAbs, and the results obtained correlated with those from the ELISA assay. Based upon the results obtained and availability of supernatants, two MAbs, (Japan) 3G9 and (Euro) 13, were used in IHC to screen tissue samples from a L. garvieae challenge with isolate NCIMB 702928 in rainbow trout, carried out during the study. Both MAbs were able to detect specifically L. garvieae in infected tissue sections of various organs. The pathology observed in challenged fish is described. Most prominent features on clinical examination were exophthalmos, generalized congestion and haemorrhage, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and serositis, which sometimes extended to the myocardium. Histopathological features included several inflammatory and degenerative processes in various organs (eye, swimbladder, spleen, liver, kidney and heart). In conclusion, the findings of the study suggest that our knowledge on serotypes and antigenic profiles of the bacteria worldwide needs to be expanded, in order to acquire a level of knowledge that will allow the development of MAbs that recognize all L.garvieae isolates worldwide. If these are developed, it will be possible to use them in IHC to detect the bacteria in infected fish tissue, and will help to differentiate lactococcosis from other streptococcal diseases

Mediation Effect of Age Category on the Relationship between Body Composition and the Physical Fitness Profile in Youth Handball Players

The aims of the present study were (1) to determine the differences in body composition and the physical and physiological profile of handball youths across age categories, and (2) to analyze the mediation effect of different categories on the relationship between lean mass or fat mass and specific physical handball capacities. Fifty-four young handball players aged 13 to 18 were assigned to U14 (13- and 14-year-olds), U16 (15- and 16-year-olds), and U18 (17- and 18-year-olds). Body composition was measured using multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance (Inbody®, 230). Handball physical fitness was assessed using handgrip force, jumping tests (squat jump, countermovement jump, countermovement jump with aimed arms), a 30-m sprint, a change-of-direction test (T-half agility test and modified Illinois test), and a Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1. Simple mediation analysis was performed to analyze whether the category mediated the relationship between lean mass or fat mass and physical capacities. No significant differences were observed according to category for the majority of the measured parameters, except for height, lean body mass, and arm span. Lean body mass increased significantly as player category increased (p < 0.05; ∆ = 4.66–9.38; effect size (ES) = 0.96–1.92). The increase in handball category enhanced the majority of the physical capacities evaluated; however, these differences were reduced between the U16 vs. U18 categories. The indirect mediation effect suggests that handball category mediated the relationship between lean mass and upper and lower strength, velocity, agility, and cardiorespiratory fitness. In contrast, an indirect effect suggests that category mediated the relationship between fat mass only in agility and cardiorespiratory fitness. We conclude that U18s showed better body composition parameters, as well as better physical performance scores. Handball category clearly mediated the relationship between body composition through lean mass and fat mass and the physiological profile in handball youth, but lean mass proved to be more relevant when mediating physical performance

Effect of 8-week of dietary micronutrient supplementation on gene expression in elite handball athletes

Purpose A study was made of the changes in gene expression in elite handball athletes, comparing gene modulation before, after and in the absence of an 8-week nutritional intervention with multivitamin/mineral supplements. Methods Thirteen elite handball athletes (aged 22.9 ± 2.7 years) and 13 sedentary controls (aged 20.9 ± 2.8 years) were included. Three timepoints were established: T0 (baseline conditions); T8 (after 8 weeks of supplementation with a multivitamin/mineral complex); and T16 (after 8 weeks in the absence of supplementation). The expressions of a total 112 of genes were evaluated by RT-qPCR analysis with the QuantStudioTM 12K Flex Real-Time PCR System. Results The analysis revealed different gene regulation profiles of genes implicated in cell communication, cell energy metabolism, inflammation and the immune system, oxidative stress and muscle function in athletes compared to sedentary controls under resting conditions (upregulated genes: effect size = large, η2 = 1.011 to 1.398, p < 0.05; downregulated genes: effect size = large, η2 = 0.846 and 1.070, p < 0.05, respectively). The nutritional intervention encouraged gene upregulation in elite athletes (p < 0.05). In a follow-up investigation, the IRAK1, CD81, ITGB1, ACADS PDHA2 and GPX1 genes were downregulated in athletes, with a moderate main effect for time-by-group interaction (ηP2 = 0.099 to 0.133; p < 0.05). Additionally, nutritional genes such as MTHFR and THTPA revealed a moderate effect over all the timepoints and group interaction in the study (ηP2 = 0.070 to 0.092; p < 0.05). Conclusions Elite handball athletes showed a different expression profile in reference to key genes implicated in several sports performance-related functions compared to the sedentary controls, in addition to modulation of gene expression after multivitamin/mineral supplementation.J.M.L was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education (grant number AP2009- 3701) and E.P was supported by the FIS Project PI10/1993 form the Carlos III Health Institute

Superhéroes en la península Ibérica. Identidad nacional, apropiación cultural e influencia estadounidense en la narrativa de la serie de cómics Ibéroes (2009-17), de Íñigo Aguirre y Javier Tartaglia.

El estudio se centrará en el análisis e interpretación textual del cómic como manifestación artística, enfocándose particularmente en la adaptación a la idiosincrasia española de un modelo de producción cultural de claro cuño estadounidense que se ha universalizado para desarrollarse internacionalmente, como ocurre en España. Así, mediante esta apropiación y, a pesar de la fuerte influencia del país norteamericano, el texto no deja de ofrecer una obra genuinamente española, especialmente en el contenido, directamente asociado a la realidad peninsular que no deja de emerger entre la estructura aparentemente foránea

Las damas de El Cid: El alzamiento de la voz femenina.

The utilization of a real character of the past as a point of departure in the moment of creating a novel of the so-called ¨historical¨ genre, is very frequent and beneficial in the literary actuality and Spanish editorial.&nbsp; This study analizes the female characters that surround El Cid in the works: Doña Jimena Díaz de Vivar.&nbsp; Gran señora de todos los deberes (1960) by María Teresa León, Anillos para una dama (1973) by Antonio Gala y Urraca (1982) by Lourdes Ortiz, to show how agency of the feminine voice close to the figure of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar grows and becomes more determined as socio-political conditions change in the twentieth century.&nbsp; This work presents how these novels radically depart from the etiquette of historical novel by using the same discourse of national myth of the Re-conquest under which they live in order to minimize it and reconstruct it from a different point of view from that of the classic phallocentric Cid: the feminine.&nbsp;La utilización de un personaje real del pasado como punto de partida a la hora de crear una novela de las llamadas “históricas” es algo muy frecuente y beneficioso en la actualidad literaria y editorial española. Este estudio analiza los personajes femeninos que rodean a El Cid en las obras Doña Jimena Díaz de Vivar. Gran señora de todos los deberes (1960) de María Teresa León, Anillos para una dama (1973) de Antonio Gala y Urraca (1982) de Lourdes Ortiz, para mostrar cómo la agencia de la voz femenina cercana a la figura de Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar crece y se hace más determinante a medida que las condiciones socio-políticas cambian en el s. XX. Este trabajo presenta cómo estas obras se alejan radicalmente de la etiqueta de históricas utilizando el mismo discurso del mito nacional de la reconquista bajo el que viven para minimizarlo y reconstruirlo desde una óptica diferente a la del clásico Cid falocéntrico, la femenina

Non-Lethal Sequential Individual Monitoring of Viremia in Relation to DNA Vaccination in Fish-Example Using a Salmon Alphavirus DNA Vaccine in Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar

International audienceTraditionally, commercial testing for vaccine efficacy has relied on the mass infection of vaccinated and unvaccinated animals and the comparison of mortality prevalence and incidence. For some infection models where disease does not cause mortality this approach to testing vaccine efficacy is not useful. Additionally, in fish experimental studies on vaccine efficacy and immune response the norm is that several individuals are lethally sampled at sequential timepoints, and results are extrapolated to represent the kinetics of immune and disease parameters of an individual fish over the entire experimental infection period. In the present study we developed a new approach to vaccine testing for viremic viruses in fish by following the same individuals over the course of a DNA vaccination and experimental infection through repeated blood collection and analyses. Injectable DNA vaccines are particularly efficient against viral disease in fish. To date, two DNA vaccines have been authorised for use in fish farming, one in Canada against Infectious Haemorrhagic Necrotic virus and more recently one in Europe against Salmon Pancreatic Disease virus (SPDv) subtype 3. In the current study we engineered and used an experimental DNA vaccine against SPDv subtype 1. We measured viremia using a reporter cell line system and demonstrated that the viremia phase was completely extinguished following DNA vaccination. Differences in viremia infection kinetics between fish in the placebo group could be related to subsequent antibody levels in the individual fish, with higher antibody levels at terminal sampling in fish showing earlier viremia peaks. The results indicate that sequential non-lethal sampling can highlight associations between infection traits and immune responses measured at asynchronous timepoints and, can provide biological explanations for variation in data. Similar to results observed for the SPDv subtype 3 DNA vaccine, the SPDv subtype 1 DNA vaccine also induced an interferon type 1 response after vaccination and provided high protection against SPDv under laboratory conditions when fish were challenged at 7 weeks post-vaccination

Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases-4. The road less traveled

Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) regulate diverse processes, including extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, and growth factors and their receptors' activities through the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Recent evidence has shown that this family of four members (TIMP-1 to TIMP-4) can also control other important processes, such as proliferation and apoptosis, by a mechanism independent of their MMP inhibitory actions. Of these inhibitors, the most recently identified and least studied is TIMP-4. Initially cloned in human and, later, in mouse, TIMP-4 expression is restricted to heart, kidney, pancreas, colon, testes, brain and adipose tissue. This restricted expression suggests specific and different physiological functions. The present review summarizes the information available for this protein and also provides a putative structural model in order to propose potential relevant directions toward solving its function and role in diseases such as cancer

Myxomatous Degeneration of the Canine Mitral Valve: From Gross Changes to Molecular Events

Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is the single most common acquired heart disease of the dog, but is also of emerging importance in human medicine, with some features of the disease shared between both species. There has been increased understanding of this disease in recent years, with most research aiming to elucidate the cellular and molecular events of disease pathogenesis. For gross and histological changes, much of our understanding is based on historical studies and there has been no comprehensive reappraisal of the pathology of MMVD. This paper reviews the gross, histological, ultrastructural, cellular and molecular changes in canine MMVD. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved