Functional characterization of the RNA binding protein RALY

Of 25000 genes encoded from genome, more than 90% are subject to alternative splicing or other post-transcriptional modifications. All these events produce a high number of different proteins that form the basis for the high variety of cells. The RNAbinding proteins (RBPs) play crucial roles in this variability by regulating many steps of biological processes regarding RNA metabolism. The heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) belong to big family of RBPs involved in many aspects of RNA metabolism including RNA stability, intracellular transport and translation. More recently, RALY, a RNA-binding protein associated with the lethal yellow mutation in mouse, has been identified as new member of the hnRNP family even if, its biological function remains still elusive. My PhD project aimed to characterize human RALY and to assess its function in mammalian cells. Initially I dentified the expression pattern of this protein into the cell and I characterized the functional nuclear localization sequence that localizes RALY protein into the nuclear compartment. In order to better understand the role of RALY in the cells, I identified the proteins component of RALY-containing complexes using a new assay named iBioPQ (in vivo-Biotinylation-Pulldown-Quant assay). I also performed polyribosome profiling assay to check the resence of RALY in translating mRNAs. Moreover, a microarray assay was performed in order to identify potential mRNAs whose metabolism appears dependent on RALY expression. Taken together, the results that I obtained suggest that RALY is involved in mRNA metabolism. Unfortunately more studies remain to do before shedding some light on the biological role of RALY in mammal

The emerging role of the inwardly rectifying K+ channels in autism spectrum disorders and epilepsy

Autism is a complex behavioral disorder that develops prior to age three years and is distinguished by high heritability. Many genes predisposing to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have been identified. These findings have demonstrated that ASDs are etiologically heterogeneous; although, the mutations underlying ASDs are identifiable only in a minority of patients. Indeed, the causes of ASDs are unknown in more than 70% of patients. Recently, we have described two unrelated families whose affected individuals display a characteristic triad of symptoms of autism; such as impairments in social interaction, impairments in communication, restricted interests and repetitive behavior. They also displayed other symptoms commonly observed in autistic individuals; such as gait imbalance, clumsiness, mental retardation and epilepsy. The genetic analysis of these families resulted in the identification of new heterozygous point mutations in the KCNJ10 gene that encodes the inwardly-rectifying K+ channel Kir4.1 expressed predominantly, but not exclusively, in astrocytes. Functionally, the mutated channels exhibited a phenotype consistent with gain-of-function defects. These new findings highlight the emerging role of inwardly-rectifying K+ channels and astrocyte dysfunction in autism spectrum disorders associated with epilepsy.peer-reviewe

The impact of innovation and technology on microfinance sustainable governance

Technical or social innovation, concerning also the creation and commercialization of new products, strategies and management, has a deep actual - and especially trendy - impact on microfinance institutions (MFIs), contributing to reshape their business model, with an impact on their overall risk profile. Innovation is mostly an opportunity even for MF risk mitigation, considering its pervasive impact on risk factors. This original analysis is addressing, in a multidisciplinary and innovative comprehensive way, apparently weakly related topics such as MF governance, and IT issues, within recessionary cycles. This hardly investigated frontier faces key trendy issues, which are likely to deeply reengineer the relationship among different stakeholders, as it has already happened, on a different and more sophisticated scale, with traditional banking. To the extent that technology (with access to Internet, social networks, cashless electronic payments, etc.) reshapes the equilibriums among different stakeholders, it is likely to have important – albeit under-investigated - corporate governance consequences, softening the conflicts of interest among stakeholders and reinforcing the business model, making it more resilient during recessions, with positive externalities on both sustainability and outreach

Matching Financial Closeness with Social Distancing: Networking Digital Platforms within a Corporate Governance Ecosystem

The Covid-19 – Coronavirus pandemic has rapidly spread around the world, demanding for physical social distancing measures as a strategy to soften contagion. Whereas social closeness proves dangerous, financial proximity is increasingly needed. It can be guaranteed by FinTechs or technological devices and applications, like digital platforms. Exploiting their networking properties, platforms may be represented by bridging nodes like Mobile banking (M-banking) hotspots. M-banking and FinTech applications are fully consistent with physical distance prescriptions, and so presents a Covid 19-compliant strategy that eases financial inclusion, allowing for 24/7 operativity. This is essential in poor environments where healthcare systems are weak, and prompt liquidity is needed for survival. M-banking is also a remedy against bank desertification, caused by many factors that include the decrease of “physical” bank branches. Based on these premises, this study proposes an innovative interpretation of the networking properties of digital platforms and M-banking that represent a new – virtual – stakeholder, showing how they impact on corporate governance interactions among composite stakeholders. Due to their scalability, platforms foster cooperative value co-creating patterns among cooperating stakeholders, with deep albeit still under investigated governance implications. Network governance is a novel approach to the stakeholders' ecosystem, and its value-adding phisical and virtual interactions. The paper shows how to match virtual financial proximity with apparently contradicting social distancing. This study represents an advance in the current corporate governance literature, as it investigates about its smart (digital) extensions that can represent a shield against pandemic adversities, permanently reducing transaction costs and information asymmetries

The socioeconomic gradient in health: The role of intra-household resource allocation

This paper aims to analyse the impact of different household financial regimes on the health status of males and females in a number of European countries. Using the EU-SILC 2010 on intra-household sharing of resources, we find that each member of the couple is worse off if his/her partner has most decision-making responsibilities. Additionally, the presence of children in the household plays a role in the effect that household financial regimens exert on individual self-assessed health, especially among females. We conclude that family arrangements regarding resource allocation and decision-making have important consequences and should be given some attention in the task of identifying individuals predisposed to health problems.Universidad de Málaga Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. ECO2012-33993,and ECO2015-63734-P (MINECO/FEDER) and the Fundación Ramón Areces (Research Project: Determinants of social exclusion and recommendations for combating it

Display Technologies for the Selection of Monoclonal Antibodies for Clinical Use

The development and improvement of strategies related to discovery technologies of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) (phage display, yeast display, ribosome display, bacterial display, mammalian cell surface display, mRNA display, DNA display, transgenic animal, and human B-cell derived) opened perspectives for the screening and the selection of therapeutic antibodies for, theoretically, any target from any kind of organism. The implantation of a robust platform of antibody discovery technologies allows reaching this goal. Additionally to recombinant antibody selection, antibody engineering technologies were developed and explored to obtain desired characteristics of selected leading candidates such as high affinity, low immunogenicity, improved functionality, improved protein production, improved stability, and others. mAb humanization methods emerged as alternative for generating humanized variants of promising candidates obtained from non-human organism that could elicit an immune response. This chapter contains an overview of discovery technologies, mainly display methods and antibody humanization methods for the selection of therapeutic humanized and human mAbs that appeared along the development of these technologies and thereafter. The increasing applications of phage display technology will be highlighted in the antibody engineering area (affinity maturation, guided selection to obtain human antibodies) giving promising perspectives for the development of future therapeutics

Massive body-brain disconnection consequent to spinal cord injuries drives profound changes in higher-order cognitive and emotional functions: A PRISMA scoping review

: Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to a massive disconnection between the brain and the body parts below the lesion level representing a unique opportunity to explore how the body influences a person's mental life. We performed a systematic scoping review of 59 studies on higher-order cognitive and emotional changes after SCI. The results suggest that fluid abilities (e.g. attention, executive functions) and emotional regulation (e.g. emotional reactivity and discrimination) are impaired in people with SCI, with progressive deterioration over time. Although not systematically explored, the factors that are directly (e.g. the severity and level of the lesion) and indirectly associated (e.g. blood pressure, sleeping disorders, medication) with the damage may play a role in these deficits. The inconsistency which was found in the results may derive from the various methods used and the heterogeneity of samples (i.e. the lesion completeness, the time interval since lesion onset). Future studies which are specifically controlled for methods, clinical and socio-cultural dimensions are needed to better understand the role of the body in cognition

Teaching experience in the classroom of science: the soil as chemical thread concept

En este trabajo presentamos una propuesta didáctica innovadora para alumnos de la Educación Secundaria, sobre le tema suelo en la cual se tiene en cuenta el impacto de la actividad humana. Esta propuesta se implementó durante el desarrollo del tema disoluciones y ofreció una nueva alternativa para la interpretación de los conceptos de disolución y de pH. Se relacionaron los compuestos químicos con los agentes formadores del suelo y sus contaminantes. La experiencia didáctica se desarrolló simultáneamente en cinco escuelas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires empleando una metodología “en red” en el marco del Programa “Ciencia entre Todos” (CET). Presentamos la propuesta didáctica por su carácter innovador para el tratamiento de los diseños curriculares de química, por su enfoque integrador con las problemáticas sociales de la región y la promoción del cuidado del ambiente desde el punto de vista del desarrollo sustentable.We present a new didactic approach for secondary students about “the soil”. The impact of the human activity was especially considered. This design was carried out for solutions and provided new strategies for understanding pH concept. Chemical compounds were related with the training agents of the ground and its pollutant. This didactic experience was simultaneously put into practice in five schools of Provincia de Buenos Aires employing net methodology. This belongs to the Program “Science by and for Everyone” (CET). We present this proposal because of its innovation characteristics for chemical contents, its focus on social and regional problems and the promotion of environment care from sustainable development perspective.Fil: Moro, Lucrecia E.. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Tintori Ferreira, María Alejandra. Instituto Stella Maris Adoratrices; ArgentinaFil: Lorenzo, Maria Gabriela. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Centro de Investigación y Apoyo A la Educación Cientifica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Control de la intensidad de los entrenamientos de fuerza por medio de la percepción subjetiva de esfuerzo

El objetivo de este estudio fue establecer relaciones entre la percepción subjetiva de esfuerzo (RPE), el peso movilzado y las modificaciones de la potencia mecánica (PM) producida en series hasta el agotamiento utizando diferentes porcentajes de la 1 MR. 11 varones de 22,1±1,0 años, 81,5±10,3 Kg. y 179,6±6,6 cm, fueron evaluados en 8 ocasiones con 48 horas de pausa entre cada sesión. En la primera sesión, se realizó el test de 1 MR en press de banca y en las 7 restantes se valoró la máxima cantidad de repeticiones posibles de realizar utizando pesos asociados con los siguientes intervalos de la 1 MR: 30-40%, >40-50%, >50-60%, >60%-70%, >70-80%, >80-90% y >90%. La PM producida en la fase concéntrica de cada repetición se calculó por medio de un transductor de velocidad. La RPE se determinó por medio de la escala OMNI-RES (0- 10), ndicando un valor numérico al final de cada repetición. Los resultados mostraron que la RPE se relacionaba tanto con la magnitud del peso como con las variaciones de la PM producida a lo largo de las series con pesos submáximos, observándose diferencias significativas entre la RPE nicial y la RPE promedio de las primeras 3 repeticiones respecto a la RPE asociada a una caída >10% o del 20% de la PM máxima medida en cada serie. Estas relaciones indican que determinando los valores de RPE al inicio o en diferentes momentos de las series, es posible controlar la intensidad y delimitar las zonas de entrenamiento de fuerz