Influence of Quaternary Benzophenantridine and Protopine Alkaloids on Growth Performance, Dietary Energy, Carcass Traits, Visceral Mass, and Rumen Health in Finishing Ewes under Conditions of Severe Temperature-humidity Index.

Twenty Pelibuey×Katahdin ewes (35±2.3 kg) were used to determine the effects of the consumption of standardized plant extract containing a mixture of quaternary benzophenanthridine alkaloids and protopine alkaloids (QBA+PA) on growth performance, dietary energetics, visceral mass, and ruminal epithelial health in heat-stressed ewes fed with a high-energy corn-based diet. The basal diet (13.9% crude protein and 2.09 Mcal of net energy [NE] of maintenance/kg of dry matter) contained 49.7% starch and 15.3% neutral detergent fiber. Source of QBA+PA was Sangrovit RS (SANG) which contains 3 g of quaternary benzophenathridine and protopine alkaloids per kg of product. Treatments consisted of a daily consumption of 0 or 0.5 g SANG/ewe. Ewes were grouped by weight and assigned to 10 pens (5 pens/treatment), with two ewes per pen. The experimental period lasted 70 days. The mean temperature humidity index during the course of this experiment was 81.7±1.0 (severe heat stress). There were no treatment effects on water intake. Dry matter intake was not affected (p = 0.70) by treatments, but the group fed SANG had a numerically (11.2%) higher gain in comparison to the control group, SANG improved gain efficiency (8.3%, p = 0.04), dietary NE (5.2%, p<0.01) and the observed-to-expected NE (5.9%, p<0.01). Supplemental SANG did not affect (p≥0.12) carcass characteristics, chemical composition of shoulder, and organ weights (g/kg empty body weight) of stomach complex, intestines, and heart/lung. Supplemental SANG decreased liver weight (10.3%, p = 0.02) and increased visceral fat (16.9%, p = 0.02). Rumen epithelium of ewes fed SANG had lower scores for cellular dropsical degeneration (2.08 vs 2.34, p = 0.02), parakeratosis (1.30 vs 1.82, p = 0.03) and neutrophil infiltration (2.08 vs 2.86, p = 0.05) than controls. It is concluded that SANG supplementation helped ameliorate the negative effects of severe heat on growth performance of feedlot ewes fed high-energy corn-based diets. Improvement in energetic efficiency may have been mediated, in part, by anti-inflammatory effects of supplemental SANG and corresponding enhancement of nutrient uptake

The abundances of polyacetylenes towards CRL618

We present a mid-infrared high spectral resolution spectrum of CRL618 in the frequency ranges 778-784 and 1227-1249 cm^-1 (8.01-8.15 and 12.75-12.85 um) taken with the Texas Echelon-cross-Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) and the Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). We have identified more than 170 ro-vibrational lines arising from C2H2, HCN, C4H2, and C6H2. We have found no unmistakable trace of C8H2. The line profiles display a complex structure suggesting the presence of polyacetylenes in several components of the circumstellar envelope (CSE). We derive total column densities of 2.5 10^17, 3.1 10^17, 2.1 10^17, 9.3 10^16 cm^-2, and < 5 10^16 cm^-2 for HCN, C2H2, C4H2, C6H2, and C8H2, respectively. The observations indicate that both the rotational and vibrational temperatures in the innermost CSE depend on the molecule, varying from 100 to 350 K for the rotational temperatures and 100 to 500 K for the vibrational temperatures. Our results support a chemistry in the innermost CSE based on radical-neutral reactions triggered by the intense UV radiation field.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, 1 table; accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Molecular characterization of autophagic and apoptotic signaling induced by sorafenib in liver cancer cells

Sorafenib is the unique accepted molecular targeted drug for the treatment of patients in advanced stage of hepatocellular carcinoma. The current study evaluated cell signaling regulation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK), Akt, and 5′AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) leading to autophagy and apoptosis induced by sorafenib. Sorafenib induced early (3–12 hr) ER stress characterized by an increase of Ser51P-eIF2α/eIF2α, C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), IRE1α, and sXBP1, but a decrease of activating transcription factor 6 expression, overall temporally associated with the increase of Thr183,Tyr185P-JNK1/2/JNK1/2, Thr172P-AMPKα, Ser413P-Foxo3a, Thr308P-AKt/AKt and Thr32P-Foxo3a/Foxo3a ratios, and reduction of Ser2481P-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/mTOR and protein translation. This pattern was related to a transient increase of tBid, Bim EL, Beclin-1, Bcl-xL, Bcl-2, autophagy markers, and reduction of myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) expression. The progressive increase of CHOP expression, and reduction of Thr308P-AKt/AKt and Ser473P-AKt/AKt ratios were associated with the reduction of autophagic flux and an additional upregulation of Bim EL expression and caspase-3 activity (24 hr). Small interfering-RNA (si-RNA) assays showed that Bim, but not Bak and Bax, was involved in the induction of caspase-3 in sorafenib-treated HepG2 cells. Sorafenib increased autophagic and apoptotic markers in tumor-derived xenograft model. In conclusion, the early sorafenib-induced ER stress and regulation of JNK and AMPK-dependent signaling were related to the induction of survival autophagic process. The sustained drug treatment induced a progressive increase of ER stress and PERK-CHOP-dependent rise of Bim EL, which was associated with the shift from autophagy to apoptosis. The kinetic of Bim EL expression profile might also be related to the tight balance between AKt- and AMPK-related signaling leading to Foxo3a-dependent BIM EL upregulation.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad BFU2016‐75352‐PInstituto de Salud Carlos III PI15/00034, PI13/ 00021, PI16/00090, PI14/01349Ministerio de Educación FPU16/05127, FPU12/01433, FPU13/01237Junta de Andalucía CTS-6264, PI-00025-2013, PI-0127-2013, PI-0198-201

Sarcoma de Partes Blandas como Hallazgo Casual: a Propósito de Cuatro Observaciones

Se presentan en este trabajo cuatro pacientes con sarcoma s de partes blandas que fueron diagnosticados de fibrohistiocitoma maligno, osteosarcoma extraesquelético, sarcoma sinovial y sarcoma indiferenciado. En todos ellos el tumor fué un hallazgo casual apreciado en exploraciones orientadas hacia otros procesos por los que acudieron al hospital. Se insiste en el diagnóstico precoz y en el correcto tratamiento de este tipo de sarcomas y se recomienda la punción biopsia ante la presencia de tumoraciones blandas con crecimiento progresivo, aún sin otro tipo de sintomatología.Th e author s hav e colecte d fou r patients diagnose d o f Soft tissu e Sar - comas. Th e histologica l diagnosis was, malignan t fibrou s histiocytoma , extraskele - t a l osteosarcoma , synovia l sarcom a an d no-differentiate d sarcoma . Al l o f the m th e tu m o r wa s a casua l findin g durin g th e exploratio n suspectin g othe r pathology . The y emphasiz e a t th e earl y diagnosis an d correc t managemen t o f this typ e o f sarcomas, a s wel l a s th e needl e biops y (close d biopsy ) o f soft tumor s wit h progresiv e growth , even without clinical symptoms

The cyanobacterial ribosomal-associated protein LrtA from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is an oligomeric protein in solution with chameleonic sequence properties

The LrtA protein of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 intervenes in cyanobacterial post-stress survival and in stabilizing 70S ribosomal particles. It belongs to the hibernating promoting factor (HPF) family of proteins, involved in protein synthesis. In this work, we studied the conformational preferences and stability of isolated LrtA in solution. At physiological conditions, as shown by hydrodynamic techniques, LrtA was involved in a self-association equilibrium. As indicated by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence, the protein acquired a folded, native-like conformation between pH 6.0 and 9.0. However, that conformation was not very stable, as suggested by thermal and chemical denaturations followed by CD and fluorescence. Theoretical studies of its highly-charged sequence suggest that LrtA had a Janus sequence, with a context-dependent fold. Our modelling and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations indicate that the protein adopted the same fold observed in other members of the HPF family ( - - - - - ) at its N-terminal region (residues 1–100), whereas the C terminus (residues 100–197) appeared disordered and collapsed, supporting the overall percentage of overall secondary structure obtained by CD deconvolution. Then, LrtA has a chameleonic sequence and it is the first member of the HPF family involved in a self-association equilibrium, when isolated in solution.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CTQ2015-64445-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad BIO2016-78020-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad FIS2014-52212-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad BIO2016-75634-PFundación Séneca 19353/PI/1

Analysis of genome expression of rhizobium etli in free living and plant-associated symbiotic state

Comunicaciones a congreso

Epidemiología de las fracturas de la extremidad proximal del fémur en asturias

Hemos realizado un estudio epidemiológico de las fracturas de fémur proximal en personas mayores de 50 años, atendidas en nuestro Hospital durante los años 1990-92. Se valoraron un total de 355 casos. En el período estudiado se observó que las fracturas más numerosas fueron la cervicales, no encontrando diferencias significativas en los ingresos según el período estacional. La edad media de presentación fue de 81 años. La tasa de incidencia fue muy semejante a las otras provincias españolas y menor que la encontrada en los países del Norte de Europa, Inglaterra y Estados Unidos.We have performed an epidemiologic study on the incidence of proximal femoral fractures in patients older than 50 years, all reviewed in our Hospital from 1990 to 1992. We included 355 patients. Femoral neek fractures were the most frequent lesions. No significant differences in the hospital admissions were found during all the year's seasons. The mean age of presentation was 81 years. The incidence rate was similar to the rest of Spain, and less than in North Europe, England and United States

High resolution spectroscopy of the high velocity hot post-AGB star LS III +52 24 (IRAS 22023+5249)

The first high-resolution (R~50,000) optical spectrum of the B-type star, LS III +52 24, identified as the optical counterpart of the hot post-AGB candidate IRAS 22023+5249 (I22023) is presented. We report the detailed identifications of the observed absorption and emission features in the full wavelength range (4290-9015 A) as well as the atmospheric parameters and photospheric abundances (under the Local Thermodinamic Equilibrium approximation) for the first time. The nebular parameters (Te, Ne) are also derived. We estimate Teff=24,000 K, log g=3.0, xi=7 kms-1 and the derived abundances indicate a slightly metal-deficient evolved star with C/O<1. The observed P-Cygni profiles of hydrogen and helium clearly indicate on-going post-AGB mass loss. The presence of [N II] and [S II] lines and the non-detection of [O III] indicate that photoionisation has just started. The observed spectral features, large heliocentric radial velocity, atmospheric parameters, and chemical composition indicate that I22023 is an evolved post-AGB star belonging to the old disk population. The derived nebular parameters (Te=7000 K, Ne=1.2x104 cm-3) also suggest that I22023 may be evolving into a compact, young low-excitation Planetary Nebula. Our optical spectroscopic analysis together with the recent Spitzer detection of double-dust chemistry (the simultaneous presence of carbonaceous molecules and amorphous silicates) in I22023 and other B-type post-AGB candidates may point to a binary system with a dusty disk as the stellar origin common to the hot post-AGB stars with O-rich central stars.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS (22 pages, 4 figures, and 8 tables). arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:0707.059

Towards 50% Efficiency in Solar Cells

International audienc