139 research outputs found
Cerámica y climatización saludable: paneles cerámicos radiantes en edificios. Condiciones de confort y demanda energética frente a sistemas convectivos
Porcelain stoneware is a widely used building material. In recent years, its range of uses has expanded to encompass a new spectrum of innovative and inventive applications in architecture. In this research, we analysed the patented Thermal Ceramic Panel. This consists of a thin porcelain stoneware panel that incorporates a capillary system of polypropylene tubes measuring 3.5 mm in diameter embedded in a conductive ceramic interface. The system works with hot or cold water, producing healthy heating and cooling by means of radiant surfaces. Following an initial prototype test in which panels were placed on the walls of an office, we conducted simulations at the University of Alicante Museum using wall, ceiling and baffle panels, having previously monitored the state of the building. Thermal behaviour parameters were analysed and compared with those of other standard finishing materials, obtaining results for thermal comfort and energy savings in comparison with all-air systems.El gres porcelánico es un material ampliamente utilizado en edificación. En los últimos años su uso ha experimentado un nuevo espectro de líneas de innovación e invención en sus aplicaciones en la arquitectura. En esta investigación de analiza la patente Panel de Acondicionamiento Térmico Cerámico, consistente en piezas de gres porcelánico de bajo espesor, que contienen tramas capilares a base de tubos de polipropileno de 3,5 mm de diámetro, e interfaz de pasta conductora. Estos sistemas trabajan con agua fría o caliente produciendo una climatización saludable por superficies radiantes. Tras una primera experiencia de prototipado y colocación de paneles en pared en un despacho de oficina, se han realizado simulaciones en el Museo de la Universidad de Alicante, colocando los paneles en pared, techo o tipo bafle, previa monitorización del estado actual del edificio. Se han analizado los parámetros de comportamiento térmico y se han comparado con otros materiales de acabado habituales. Se han obtenido resultados de confort térmico y ahorros energéticos de forma comparativa frente a sistemas todo-aire
Polen atmosférico en San Sebastián: 1983, 1984, 1985. I. Polen total y Gramíneas
Con un Captador volumétrico Burkard se ha estudiado el polen atmosférico en
San Sebastián desde el 21 de marzo de 1983 al 30 de septiembre de 1985. Se han
confeccionado unos gráficos de concentraciones medias semanales de pólenes totales
y de Gramíneas como contribución a la realización del Mapa Polínico de
España
Espectros Raman de Rb₂SeO₄
En esta comunicación presentamos resultados preliminares del espectro Raman de Rb₂Se0₄. Este compuesto, que pertenece al grupo espacial Pnam, es isomorfo a temperatura ambiente con K₂Se0₄. Este último es prototipo de la conocida familia de compuestos que tiene por característica las transiciones de fase en secuencia paraeléctrica - inconmensurada - ferroeléctrica.
El espectro Raman de los modos internos de Rb₂SeI0₄ tiene, como era de esperar, características similares a las de K₂Se0₄, observándose un corrimiento hacia frecuencias más bajas del orden de 5 cm⁻¹. Los modos de la red muestran que este compuesto también puede considerarse pseudohexagonal ya que la cantidad de modos Big es menor que la calculada por análisis de grupo factor. Más importante, en estas medidas que ahora están siendo llevadas a cabo, no se observa hasta 98 K ningún modo blando que pueda ser reminiscente al comportamiento del modo amplitud característico de la fase inconmensurada en el compuesto prototípico.
Nuestros resultados son coincidentes con cálculos teóricos recientes que identifican el incremento del radio catiónico (de K a Rb) como un factor inhibidor de la secuencia de transiciones de fase arriba mencionada.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta
Ulcerative colitis in northern Portugal and Galicia in Spain
BACKGROUND: Clinical and therapeutic patterns of ulcerative colitis (UC) are variable in different world regions. The purpose of this study was to examine two close independent southern European UC populations from 2 bordering countries and observe how demographic and clinical characteristics of patients can influence the severity of UC.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted during a 15-month period (September 2005 to December 2006) based on data of 2 Web registries of UC patients. Patients were stratified according to the Montreal Classification and disease severity was defined by the type of treatment taken.
RESULTS: A total of 1549 UC patients were included, 1008 (65%) from northern Portugal and 541 (35%) from Galicia (northwest Spain). A female predominance (57%) was observed in Portuguese patients (P < 0.001). The median age at diagnosis was 35 years and median years of disease was 7. The majority of patients (53%) were treated only with mesalamine, while 15% had taken immunosuppressant drugs, and 3% biologic treatment. Most patients in both groups were not at risk for aggressive therapy. Extensive colitis was a predictive risk factor for immunosuppression in northern Portugal and Galicia (odds ratio [OR] 2.737, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.846-4.058; OR 5.799, 95% CI: 3.433-9.795, respectively) and biologic treatment in Galicia (OR 6.329, 95% CI: 2.641-15.166). Younger patients presented a severe course at onset with more frequent use of immunosuppressors in both countries.
CONCLUSIONS: In a large population of UC patients from two independent southern European countries, most patients did not require aggressive therapy, but extensive colitis was a clear risk factor for more severe diseas
Mechanical control of nuclear import by Importin-7 is regulated by its dominant cargo YAP
Mechanical forces regulate multiple essential pathways in the cell. The nuclear translocation of mechanoresponsive transcriptional regulators is an essential step for mechanotransduction. However, how mechanical forces regulate the nuclear import process is not understood. Here, we identify a highly mechanoresponsive nuclear transport receptor (NTR), Importin-7 (Imp7), that drives the nuclear import of YAP, a key regulator of mechanotransduction pathways. Unexpectedly, YAP governs the mechanoresponse of Imp7 by forming a YAP/Imp7 complex that responds to mechanical cues through the Hippo kinases MST1/2. Furthermore, YAP behaves as a dominant cargo of Imp7, restricting the Imp7 binding and the nuclear translocation of other Imp7 cargoes such as Smad3 and Erk2. Thus, the nuclear import process is an additional regulatory layer indirectly regulated by mechanical cues, which activate a preferential Imp7 cargo, YAP, which competes out other cargoes, resulting in signaling crosstalk.We thank Miguel Sánchez for text editing. We thank Erika R. Geisbrecht, Kenneth Irvine, and Ariberto Fassati for kindly providing reagents. This study was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICIIN)/Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI)/European Regional Development Fund (ARDF/FEDER) “A way to make Europe” (PID2020-118658RB-I00, SAF2017-83130-R, IGP-SO grant MINSEV1512-07-2016, CSD2009-0016 and BFU2016-81912-REDC), Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (Tec4Bio-CM, S2018/NMT¬4443), Fundació La Marató de TV3 (201936-30-31), “La Caixa” Foundation (HR20-00075) and AECC (PROYE20089DELP) all to M.A.d.P. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 641639. M.G.G. and L.S. are sponsored by FPU fellowships (FPU15/03776 and FPU18/05394, respectively). The CNIC is supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIIN) and the Pro CNIC Foundation, and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence CEX2020-001041-S
GRB 050904 at redshift 6.3: observations of the oldest cosmic explosion after the Big Bang
We present optical and near-infrared observations of the afterglow of the
gamma-ray burst GRB 050904. We derive a photometric redshift z = 6.3, estimated
from the presence of the Lyman break falling between the I and J filters. This
is by far the most distant GRB known to date. Its isotropic-equivalent energy
is 3.4x10^53 erg in the rest-frame 110-1100 keV energy band. Despite the high
redshift, both the prompt and the afterglow emission are not peculiar with
respect to other GRBs. We find a break in the J-band light curve at t_b = 2.6
+- 1.0 d (observer frame). If we assume this is the jet break, we derive a
beaming-corrected energy E_gamma = (4-12)x10^51 erg. This limit shows that GRB
050904 is consistent with the Amati and Ghirlanda relations. This detection is
consistent with the expected number of GRBs at z > 6 and shows that GRBs are a
powerful tool to study the star formation history up to very high redshift.Comment: 3 figures, 5 pages, accepted for publication in A&A Letters. One
figure added, minor modifications. Full author list in the pape
The effects of short-term, progressive exercise training on disease activity in smouldering multiple myeloma and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance:a single-arm pilot study
Background: High levels of physical activity are associated with reduced risk of the blood cancer multiple myeloma (MM). MM is preceded by the asymptomatic stages of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smouldering multiple myeloma (SMM) which are clinically managed by watchful waiting. A case study (N = 1) of a former elite athlete aged 44 years previously indicated that a multi-modal exercise programme reversed SMM disease activity. To build from this prior case study, the present pilot study firstly examined if short-term exercise training was feasible and safe for a group of MGUS and SMM patients, and secondly investigated the effects on MGUS/SMM disease activity. Methods: In this single-arm pilot study, N = 20 participants diagnosed with MGUS or SMM were allocated to receive a 16-week progressive exercise programme. Primary outcome measures were feasibility and safety. Secondary outcomes were pre- to post-exercise training changes to blood biomarkers of MGUS and SMM disease activity– monoclonal (M)-protein and free light chains (FLC)– plus cardiorespiratory and functional fitness, body composition, quality of life, blood immunophenotype, and blood biomarkers of inflammation. Results: Fifteen (3 MGUS and 12 SMM) participants completed the exercise programme. Adherence was 91 ± 11%. Compliance was 75 ± 25% overall, with a notable decline in compliance at intensities > 70% V̇O2PEAK. There were no serious adverse events. There were no changes to M-protein (0.0 ± 1.0 g/L, P =.903), involved FLC (+ 1.8 ± 16.8 mg/L, P =.839), or FLC difference (+ 0.2 ± 15.6 mg/L, P =.946) from pre- to post-exercise training. There were pre- to post-exercise training improvements to diastolic blood pressure (− 3 ± 5 mmHg, P =.033), sit-to-stand test performance (+ 5 ± 5 repetitions, P =.002), and energy/fatigue scores (+ 10 ± 15%, P =.026). Other secondary outcomes were unchanged. Conclusions: A 16-week progressive exercise programme was feasible and safe, but did not reverse MGUS/SMM disease activity, contrasting a prior case study showing that five years of exercise training reversed SMM in a 44-year-old former athlete. Longer exercise interventions should be explored in a group of MGUS/SMM patients, with measurements of disease biomarkers, along with rates of disease progression (i.e., MGUS/SMM to MM). Registration: https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN65527208 (14/05/2018)
Inhibition of ER stress-mediated apoptosis in macrophages by nuclear-cytoplasmic relocalization of eEF1A by the HIV-1 Nef protein
HIV-1 Nef protein has key roles at almost all stages of the viral life cycle. We assessed the role of the Nef/eEF1A (eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1-alpha) complex in nucleocytoplasmic shuttling in primary human macrophages. Nuclear retention experiments and inhibition of the exportin-t (Exp-t) pathway suggested that cytoplasmic relocalization of eEF1A, mediated by Exp-t, occurs in Nef-treated monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). We observed the presence of tRNA in the Nef/eEF1A complexes. Nucleocytoplasmic relocalization of the Nef/eEF1A complexes prevented stress-induced apoptosis of MDMs treated with brefeldin-A. Blockade of stress-induced apoptosis of MDMs treated with HIV-1 Nef resulted from enhanced nucleocytoplasmic transport of eEF1A with decreased release of mitochondrial cytochrome c, and from increased tRNA binding to cytochrome c, ultimately leading to an inhibition of caspase activation. Our results indicate that HIV-1 Nef, through the nucleocytoplasmic relocalization of eEF1A and tRNAs, enhances resistance to stress-induced apoptosis in primary human macrophages
The HIV-1 Nef protein binds argonaute-2 and functions as a viral suppressor of RNA interference
The HIV-1 accessory protein Nef is an important virulence factor. It associates with cellular membranes and modulates the endocytic machinery and signaling pathways. Nef also increases the proliferation of multivesicular bodies (MVBs), which are sites for virus assembly and budding in macrophages. The RNA interference (RNAi) pathway proteins Ago2 and GW182 localize to MVBs, suggesting these to be sites for assembly and turnover of the miRNA-induced silencing complex (miRISC). While RNAi affects HIV replication, it is not clear if the virus encodes a suppressor activity to overcome this innate host response. Here we show that Nef colocalizes with MVBs and binds Ago2 through two highly conserved Glycine-Tryptophan (GW) motifs, mutations in which abolish Nef binding to Ago2 and reduce virus yield and infectivity. Nef also inhibits the slicing activity of Ago2 and disturbs the sorting of GW182 into exosomes resulting in the suppression of miRNA-induced silencing. Thus, besides its other activities, the HIV-1 Nef protein is also proposed to function as a viral suppressor of RNAi (VSR)
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