Territorial movements and labor dynamics: Bolivian migrants in Mendoza (Argentina) agriculture

La segunda mitad del s. XX registra una fuerte profundización de los procesos migratorios, hecho que habilita a señalarla como la edad de las migraciones (Castles y Miller, 2003). Dentro de los movimientos territoriales, los de carácter estacional mantienen significativa presencia en la provincia de Mendoza (Argentina), a pesar de las importantes transformaciones que se han suscitado en la agricultura regional. El trabajo busca caracterizar a la provincia en términos de su atractividad para los trabajadores estacionales migrantes, haciendo particular énfasis en los trabajadores de origen boliviano. Para el análisis de la población migrante se revisan los antecedentes existentes a nivel nacional, regional y provincial. Luego, se aborda el estudio de los asalariados rurales transitorios en base a los datos contenidos en diversas fuentes secundarias de información. Finalmente y ya en el marco de estrategias de investigación de tipo cualitativas se consideran las dinámicas laborales que se desatan en Mendoza de la mano de las diversas formas de intermediación que se registran en los mercados de trabajo rurales, donde los migrantes bolivianos tienen una marcada presencia.The second half of the XX century registers a strong deepening of migration processes, a fact that enables it to be referred to as the “age of migrations” (Castles and Miller, 2003). Among territorial movements, those of seasonal nature maintain a significant presence in Mendoza province (Argentina), despite the major changes occurred in the agriculture of the region. This work seeks to characterize the province in terms of its attractiveness to seasonal migratory laborers, with particular emphasis on workers of Bolivian origin. For the analysis of the migrant population, a review is made of the existing records at national, regional and provincial scale. Then, the study of transient rural workers is approached on the basis of data contained in different secondary information sources. Finally, and within the framework of qualitative research strategies, we consider the labor dynamics unleashed in Mendoza, driven by the various forms of intermediation occurring in rural labor markets, where Bolivian migrants have a strong presence.Fil: Moreno, Marta Silvia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Aridas; ArgentinaFil: Torres, Laura María del Rosario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Aridas; Argentin

TORC1 controls G1-S cell cycle transition in yeast via Mpk1 and the greatwall kinase pathway

The target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) pathway couples nutrient, energy and hormonal signals with eukaryotic cell growth and division. In yeast, TORC1 coordinates growth with G₁–S cell cycle progression, also coined as START, by favouring the expression of G₁ cyclins that activate cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) and by destabilizing the CDK inhibitor Sic1. Following TORC1 downregulation by rapamycin treatment or nutrient limitation, clearance of G₁ cyclins and C-terminal phosphorylation of Sic1 by unknown protein kinases are both required for Sic1 to escape ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis prompted by its flagging via the SCFCdc4 (Skp1/Cul1/F-box protein) ubiquitin ligase complex. Here we show that the stabilizing phosphorylation event within the C-terminus of Sic1 requires stimulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase, Mpk1, and inhibition of the Cdc55 protein phosphatase 2A (PP2ACdc55) by greatwall kinase-activated endosulfines. Thus, Mpk1 and the greatwall kinase pathway serve TORC1 to coordinate the phosphorylation status of Sic1 and consequently START with nutrient availability

The assessment of the potential hepatotoxicity of new drugs by in vitro metabolomics

Drug hepatotoxicity assessment is a relevant issue both in the course of drug development as well as in the post marketing phase. The use of human relevant in vitro models in combination with powerful analytical methods (metabolomic analysis) is a promising approach to anticipate, as well as to understand and investigate the effects and mechanisms of drug hepatotoxicity in man. The metabolic profile analysis of biological liver models treated with hepatotoxins, as compared to that of those treated with non-hepatotoxic compounds, provides useful information for identifying disturbed cellular metabolic reactions, pathways, and networks. This can later be used to anticipate, as well to assess, the potential hepatotoxicity of new compounds. However, the applicability of the metabolomic analysis to assess the hepatotoxicity of drugs is complex and requires careful and systematic work, precise controls, wise data preprocessing and appropriate biological interpretation to make meaningful interpretations and/or predictions of drug hepatotoxicity. This review provides an updated look at recent in vitro studies which used principally mass spectrometry-based metabolomics to evaluate the hepatotoxicity of drugs. It also analyzes the principal drawbacks that still limit its general applicability in safety assessment screenings. We discuss the analytical workflow, essential factors that need to be considered and suggestions to overcome these drawbacks, as well as recent advancements made in this rapidly growing field of research

Transformaciones territoriales y reproducción social del campesinado en espacios extra-pampeanos de tierras secas (Argentina): Aportes para el debate

Los extensos territorios argentinos - extra-pampeanos y de tierras secas - que recorren el país a la sombra de la cordillera de Los Andes, dan soporte espacial a economías domésticas de tipo agro-pastoril para las cuales el acceso y control de los recursos naturales comportan elementos de primer orden de importancia en términos de su (re)producción social. Se analizan trabajos académicos publicados entre 1990 y 2012 que incorporan a campesinos e indígenas como objeto de estudio, que tematizan la ´reproducción social´ y que proceden en las fases empíricas con estudios de caso situados en espacios extra-pampeanos argentinos de tierras secas. Su análisis crítico permite sintetizar los conocimientos logrados y distinguir zonas de luces y sombras sobre las que proyectar futuros esfuerzos de investigación.The extensive Argentinean territories –extra-Pampas drylands- that traverse the country in the shade of the Andes Mountains provide spatial support to agro-pastoral domestic economies for which access to and control of natural resources are first in order of importance in terms of social (re)production. Over the last years, expansion of capitalism over lands not previously appraised has exerted pressure on the peasantry, creating difficulties for their social (re)production. An analysis is performed of academic studies published between 1990 and 2012 that incorporate peasants and indigenous people as object of study, thematize “social reproduction” and proceed in empirical phases with case studies located in Argentina’s extra-Pampas drylands. Critical analysis of these studies allows for a synthesis of knowledge achieved and for the distinction between light and shadow areas on which to project future research efforts.Fil: Torres, Laura María del Rosario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Pessolano, Daniela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Moreno, Marta Silvia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentin

Las Mujeres marroquíes en Cataluña: entre la transgresión y el cambio

Aquesta comunicació és el resultat d?un treball de recerca que es va dur a terme per a l?assignatura d?estructura i canvi social, que tenia com a objectiu observar els canvis de rols de gènere produïts en les dones immigrades marroquines un cop havien arribat a Catalunya. D?aquesta manera es pretenia relacionar aquests canvis amb unes estratègies específiques d?inserció cultural i social en la societat receptora i estudiar quins factors influeixen en aquestes estratègies, distingint entre els factors que es donen en la societat d?origen (condicions objectives de vida de les dones marroquines, projectes vitals i projectes migratoris) i els que es donen en la societat receptora (situació jurídica, laboral, relacional).This communication is the result of research performed for the Social Structures and Changes subject and which sought to observe changes in gender roles that take place in Moroccan women once they have immigrated to Catalonia. The aim was to relate these changes to specific cultural and social insertion strategies in the host society and study what factors impact these strategies, distinguishing between factors that occur in the source society (objective living conditions of Moroccan women, life projects and migratory projects) and those arising in the host society (legal, occupational, relational situation).Esta comunicación es el resultado de un trabajo de investigación que se llevó a cabo para la asignatura de estructura y cambio social y que tenía como objeto observar los cambios de roles de género producidos en las mujeres inmigradas marroquíes una vez llegadas a Cataluña. De este modo se pretendía relacionar dichos cambios con unas estrategias específicas de inserción cultural y social en la sociedad receptora y estudiar qué factores influyen en dichas estrategias, distinguiendo entre aquellos factores que se dan en la sociedad de origen (condiciones objetivas de vida de las mujeres marroquíes, proyectos vitales y proyectos migratorios) y los que se dan en la sociedad receptora (situación jurídica, laboral, relacional)

Valproate and Short-Chain Fatty Acids Activate Transcription of the Human Vitamin D Receptor Gene through a Proximal GC-Rich DNA Region Containing Two Putative Sp1 Binding Sites

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) mediates 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 pleiotropic biological actions through transcription regulation of target genes. The expression levels of this ligand-activated nuclear receptor are regulated by multiple mechanisms both at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Vitamin D3 is the natural VDR activator, but other molecules and signaling pathways have also been reported to regulate VDR expression and activity. In this study, we identify valproic acid (VPA) and natural short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as novel transcriptional activators of the human VDR (hVDR) gene. We further report a comprehensive characterization of VPA/SCFA-responsive elements in the 5′ regulatory region of the hVDR gene. Two alternative promoter DNA regions (of 2.4 and 3.8 kb), as well as subsequent deletion fragments, were cloned in pGL4-LUC reporter vector. Transfection of these constructs in HepG2 and human Upcyte hepatocytes followed by reporter assays demonstrated that a region of 107 bp (from −107 to −1) upstream of the transcription start site in exon 1a is responsible for most of the increase in transcriptional activity in response to VPA/SCFAs. This short DNA region is GC-rich, does not contain an apparent TATA box, and includes two bona fide binding sites for the transcription factor Sp1. Our results substantiate the hypothesis that VPA and SCFAs facilitate the activity of Sp1 on novel Sp1 responsive elements in the hVDR gene, thus promoting VDR upregulation and signaling. Elevated hepatic VDR levels have been associated with liver steatosis and, therefore, our results may have clinical relevance in epileptic pediatric patients on VPA therapy. Our results could also be suggestive of VDR upregulation by SCFAs produced by gut microbiota

TORC1 coordinates the conversion of Sic1 from a target to an inhibitor of cyclin-CDK-Cks1

Eukaryotic cell cycle progression through G1–S is driven by hormonal and growth- related signals that are transmitted by the target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) pathway. In yeast, inactivation of TORC1 restricts G1–S transition due to the rapid clearance of G1 cyclins (Cln) and the stabilization of the B-type cyclin (Clb) cyclin- dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor Sic1. The latter mechanism remains mysterious but requires the phosphorylation of Sic1-Thr173 by Mpk1 and inactivation of the Sic1- pThr173-targeting phosphatase (PP2ACdc55) through greatwall kinase-activated endosulfines. Here we show that the Sic1-pThr173 residue serves as a specific docking site for the CDK phospho-acceptor subunit Cks1 that sequesters, together with a C-terminal Clb5-binding motif in Sic1, Clb5-CDK-Cks1 complexes, thereby preventing them from flagging Sic1 for ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. Interestingly, this functional switch of Sic1 from a target to an inhibitor of cyclin-CDK-Cks1 also operates in proliferating cells and is coordinated by the greatwall kinase, which responds to both Cln-CDK-dependent cell-cycle and TORC1-mediated nutritional cues

Factors that influence the quality of metabolomics data in in vitro cell toxicity studies: a systematic survey

REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) is a global strategy and regulation policy of the EU that aims to improve the protection of human health and the environment through the better and earlier identification of the intrinsic properties of chemical substances. It entered into force on 1st June 2007 (EC 1907/2006). REACH and EU policies plead for the use of robust high-throughput 'omic' techniques for the in vitro investigation of the toxicity of chemicals that can provide an estimation of their hazards as well as information regarding the underlying mechanisms of toxicity. In agreement with the 3R's principles, cultured cells are nowadays widely used for this purpose, where metabolomics can provide a real-time picture of the metabolic effects caused by exposure of cells to xenobiotics, enabling the estimations about their toxicological hazards. High quality and robust metabolomics data sets are essential for precise and accurate hazard predictions. Currently, the acquisition of consistent and representative metabolomic data is hampered by experimental drawbacks that hinder reproducibility and difficult robust hazard interpretation. Using the differentiated human liver HepG2 cells as model system, and incubating with hepatotoxic (acetaminophen and valproic acid) and non-hepatotoxic compounds (citric acid), we evaluated in-depth the impact of several key experimental factors (namely, cell passage, processing day and storage time, and compound treatment) and instrumental factors (batch effect) on the outcome of an UPLC-MS metabolomic analysis data set. Results showed that processing day and storage time had a significant impact on the retrieved cell's metabolome, while the effect of cell passage was minor. Meta-analysis of results from pathway analysis showed that batch effect corrections and quality control (QC) measures are critical to enable consistent and meaningful estimations of the effects caused by compounds on cells. The quantitative analysis of the changes in metabolic pathways upon bioactive compound treatment remained consistent despite the concurrent causes of metabolomic data variation. Thus, upon appropriate data retrieval and correction and by an innovative metabolic pathway analysis, the metabolic alteration predictions remained conclusive despite the acknowledged sources of variability

Palabras de contenido paranoide en castellano : frecuencia de uso, emocionalidad y especificidad respecto a contenidos depresivos

Experimental research on the psychopathology of paranoia frequently uses verbal stimuli. Therefore, the availability of well validated databases of words specifically related to paranoid disorders would be a highly useful tool for researchers. The goal of this study was to provide such database of Spanish paranoia-related words. A second goal was to select words related to paranoia but not to depression as it is possible that words with paranoid content may have a depressive content as well (e.g., ‘humili-ated’). Thus, we report two different studies. In Study 1, our goal was to select a sample of words spe-cifically related to paranoid contents but not related to depression. In Study 2, our goal was to provide two basic psycholinguistic indexes (subjective frequency of use and emotionality) for the sample of words selected in Study 1. We finally provide the lists of words empirically selected following this pro-cedure and discuss the utility of this type of stimuli for future research on paranoid-related disordersLa investigación en el ámbito de la psicopatología experimental de la paranoia utiliza frecuentemente estímulos verbales. Por esta razón, el disponer de bases de datos validadas de palabras específicamente relacionadas con trastornos paranoides podría constituir una herramienta de gran utilidad para los investigadores. El objetivo de este trabajo fiíe proporcionar una base de datos en español de palabras relacionadas con la paranoia. El segundo objetivo fue seleccionar palabras específicamente relacionadas con la paranoia y no con la depresión, puesto que palabras de contenido paranoide pueden ser interpretadas de modo depresivo (p.ej., «humillado»). Así, se realizaron dos estudios diferentes. En el estudio 1, el objetivo fue seleccionar una muestra de palabras específicamente relacionadas con contenido paranoide y cuyo contenido depresivo fuera bajo. En el estudio 2, el objetivo fue proporcionar dos índices psicolingüísticos básicos (frecuencia subjetiva de uso y emocionalidad) para la muestra de palabras seleccionadas en el Estudio 1. Finalmente, se proporciona un listado de palabras seleccionadas empíricamente siguiendo este procedimiento y se discute la utilidad de disponer de este tipo de estímulos para investigaciones futuras en el ámbito de la psicopatología experimental de trastornos paranoides