Cardioprotective Effects of S-Nitrosothiols in Ischemia- Reperfusion: Role for Mitochondria and Calcium Channels

The most important clinical consequence of coronary disease is acute myocardial infarction caused by an occlusion that limits the irrigation to the heart. Although the gold standard treatment is to restore blood flow, this reperfusion causes inherent damage by increasing the size of the infarcted area primarily through the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP). The cardioprotective effect of nitric oxide (NO) has been described to operate through S-nitrosylation of several important proteins in the cardiomyocytes such as the calcium channels RyR2 and the L-type Ca2+ channel and mitochondrial proteins, including the MPTP. In this sense, an attractive strategy to prevent the ischemia-reperfusion damage is to increase the bioavailability of endogenous S-nitrosothiols. S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) is an enzyme involved in the metabolism of NO through denitrosylation, which would limit the cardioprotective effect of NO. Although inhibition of GSNOR has been studied in different organs, its effects on myocardial reperfusion have not yet been fully elucidated. In this chapter, we review the pathophysiology underlying myocardial reperfusion injury and the opening of the MPTP along with the cardioprotective role of S-nitrosothiols and the potential role for GSNOR

Presente-pasado. Definición y usos de una categoría historiográfica en historia de la ciencia: El arte prehistórico como paradigma.

In this paper we will investigate the potential for the application of the concept of “present-past” in the study of the history of archaeology. We suggest that this category provides archaeologists with a useful model in order to understand (A) the role of our present concepts and ideas in the definition of the past and (B) the impact of archaeological finds on modern Western societies. Taking the example of the cave of Altamira into account, we will analyse first the importance of assumptions deeply embedded in Western culture in the definition of Palaeolithic art at the end of nineteenth century. Secondly, we will show the influence (economic, cultural, political) that Palaeolithic art exerts on our modern societies. Through this examination, we will show the way in which the concept of “present-past” can be used in history of science.En este artículo exploramos las potencialidades de la categoría historiográfica “presente-pasado” en historia de la arqueología. Dicha categoría debe ser considerada como un instrumento que permita a los historiadores comprender (A) la importancia del presente en la definición del pasado y (B) el impacto que la arqueología ejerce sobre nuestras modernas sociedades occidentales. Tomando como ejemplo la cueva de Altamira, analizaremos en primer lugar la importancia que nuestras modernas categorías ejercieron sobre la definición del arte paleolítico a finales del siglo XIX. En segundo lugar, mostraremos la influencia (económica, cultural, política) que el arte paleolítico ejerce sobre nuestras modernas sociedades contemporáneas. De este modo, esperamos demostrar las potencialidades de la categoría “presente-pasado” en historia de la ciencia

ODEval: a Tool for Evaluating RDF(S), DAML+OIL, and OWL Concept Taxonomies

Ontologies implemented in RDF(S), DAML+OIL, and OWL should be evaluated from the point of view of knowledge representation before using them in Semantic Web applications. Several language-dependent ontology validation tools and ontology platforms, such as OilEd with FaCT, can be used in order to evaluate RDF(S), DAML+OIL and OWL ontologies. This paper offers two main contributions. The first of these exams whether previous ontology tools detect knowledge representation problems in RDF(S), DAML+OIL, and OWL concept taxonomies. Indeed, such tools do not focus on detecting inconsistencies and redundancies in concept taxonomies. The second contribution is ODEval, a language-dependent tool for evaluating, from the point of view of knowledge representation, concept taxonomies in ontologies implemented in such languages. ODEval complements previous ontology tools when we want to evaluate RDF(S), DAML+OIL, and OWL concept taxonomie

A Semantic Data Grid for Satellite Mission Quality Analysis

The combination of Semantic Web and Grid technologies and architectures cases the development of applications that share heterogeneous resource,, (data and computing elements) that belong to several organisations. The Aerospace domain has an extensive and heterogeneous network of facilities and institutions, with a strong need to share both data and computational resources for complex processing tasks. One such task is monitoring and data analysis for Satellite Missions. This paper presents a Semantic Data Grid for satellite missions, where flexibility, scalability, interoperability, extensibility and efficient development have been considered the key issues to be addressed

Reaction path analysis from potential energy contributions using forces: An accessible estimator of reaction coordinate adequacy

The calculation of potential energy and free-energy profiles along complex chemical reactions or rare event processes is of great interest because of their importance for many areas in chemistry, molecular biology, and material science. One typical way to generate these profiles is to add a bias potential to modify the energy surface, which can act on a selected degree of freedom in the system. However, in these cases, the quality of the result is strongly dependent on the selection of the degree of freedom over which this bias potential acts. The present work introduces a simple method for the analysis of the degree of freedom selected to describe a chemical process. The proposed methodology is based on the decomposition of contributions to the potential energy profiles by the integration of forces along a reaction path, which allows evaluating the different contributions to the energy change. This could be useful for discriminating the contributions to the energy arising from different regions of the system, which is particularly useful in systems with complex environments that must be represented using hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics schemes. Furthermore, this methodology allows in generating a quick and simple analysis of the degree of freedom which is used to describe the potential energy profile associated with the reactive process. This is computationally more accessible than the corresponding free-energy profile and can therefore be used as a simple estimator of reaction coordinate adequacy.Fil: Foglia, Nicolás Oscar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; ArgentinaFil: González Lebrero, Mariano Camilo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; ArgentinaFil: Biekofsky, Rodolfo R.. Moebius Research Ltd.; Reino UnidoFil: Estrin, Dario Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentin

Knowledge Maps for Intelligent Questioning Systems in Engineering Education

The development of a hierarchical knowledge map with an intelligent questioning system to improve the educational process in engineering courses is discussed. Knowledge map represents the architecture of the entire curriculum and each course as an interconnection of modules. The knowledge system provides the necessary framework to allow a questioning system to select appropriate questions. It will also give immediate feedback and assistance to the student for improving the delays with classical assessment

An Instrument for Assessing Knowledge Gain in a First Course in Circuit Theory

Although there has been considerable research on the development and use of assessment instruments to measure the effectiveness of various pedagogical approaches to teaching introductory physics classes (Hestenes et al. 1, Hestenes et al 2, Hake 3, Saul et al. 4) and other science courses (for example, see Vosniadou 5), there is relatively little similar work that has been done to develop assessment instruments for the first circuit theory course that is taught in electrical and computer engineering. Given the large numbers of students nationwide who take such a course, the challenge this course presents to beginning engineering students, and the introduction of new approaches to teach this material, an instrument similar to those available for physics is needed to identify student misconceptions at the beginning of the class and to measure the normalized learning gain at the end of the class (Hake 3). These gains and other metrics can then be used to compare the effect of different teaching methods. In addition, this same instrument or portions of it can be offered at later times in the curriculum to measure retention and reinforcement from other courses. This concept-based testing approach is useful to examine the overall effectiveness of the circuit component of a curriculum and could thus be used as part of the continuous self-improvement process required under the ABET 2000 rules

Hacia una historia crítica del arte paleolítico : la historia social de las ciencias sociales como paradigma

Algunos trabajos recientes han subrayado la emergencia, durante los años noventa, de una historia crítica de la arqueología opuesta a la historiografía tradicional. Como estos autores señalan, el principal objetivo de la nueva generación de historiadores es que la historia de la arqueología asuma una posición más central en el conjunto de la disciplina. En este contexto, pensamos que el proyecto de la historia social de las ciencias sociales de Pierre Bourdieu puede proporcionar un modelo útil para construir una historiografía crítica que introduzca el pasado en los debates disciplinares. Tomando como ejemplo nuestro reciente trabajo sobre arte paleolítico, sugerimos aquí algunas ideas sobre la utilización de la historia social de Bourdieu como instrumento de análisis histórico que permita comprender mejor los cimientos de la ciencia arqueológica.Recent works on archaeological theory have emphasized the emergence during the nineties of a critical history of archaeology as opposed to a traditional historiography. As these authors have pointed out, the main aim of the former is that the history of archaeology assumes a more central position in the discipline. In this context, we suggest that Pierre Bourdieu's project of Social history of social science can provide archaeologists with a useful model to build a critical historiography of the discipline that articulates the past with contemporary debates on archaeological knowledge. Taking our recentworks on Paleolithic art into account, we propose in this paper some critical thoughts on Bourdieu's Social History as an instrument of historical analysis that is useful to better understand the foundations of archaeological science.</p

Analysis of the social-economic-labor characteristics that interact in the farming EAP. The city of Río Cuarto bordering area

El presente trabajo consiste especialmente en un estudio de las variables socio-económico-laborales y sus implicancias territoriales que interactúan en la PEA Agropecuaria, con particular énfasis en la figura de los productores y, en menor medida, en la de los asalariados, en el área rural que rodea a la ciudad de Río Cuarto, correspondiente a un sector territorial representativo de la Región Pampeana. En primer lugar, nos referiremos a la valoración de las magnitudes y fluctuaciones de la PEA Agropecuaria y, en segundo lugar, nos abocaremos específicamente al análisis de las variables socio-económico-laborales de la misma, valiéndonos de la información proveniente de encuestas que realizamos a tal fin. En suma, los objetivos centrales que persigue esta investigación son: destacar las fluctuaciones que ha sufrido en sus magnitudes la PEA Agropecuaria, procesar las características de la estructura familiar de los actores involucrados, calcular la capacidad productiva y de manejo de las explotaciones y analizar el desempeño laboral en sus diversas variantes y matices, entre otros aspectos. Fundamentalmente, este trabajo consiste en un estudio de caso mediante una tarea de campo exhaustiva, a fin de obtener una información de detalle y de vivencia de las realidades socio-territoriales a pequeña escala, que no se puede obtener a nivel de información estadística general.The present work consists of a study of the social-economic-working variables and their territorial implications, which interact in the Farming EAP, with particular emphasis on the producers role and, to a lesser extent, on the wage-earners role, in the rural area that surrounds the city of Río Cuarto, which is part of an area representative of the Pampean Region. Firstly, we will consider the valuation of the magnitudes and fluctuations of the Farming EAP and, secondly, we will focus on the analysis of the social-economicworking variables of the Farming EAP, using the information of surveys carried out for said purpose. In sum, the central objectives of this research are: to point out the fluctuations that the Farming EAP has undergone in their magnitudes, to process the features of the familiar structure of the actors involved, to calculate the productive capacity and thefarming management, and analyze labor performance diverse variants and shades, among other aspects. Basically, this work consists of a case study through exhaustive field work, in order to obtain thorough and experience data of the social-territorial realities on a small scale, that cannot be obtained at general statistical information level. In other words, the purpose of this research, apart from trying to deepen in the knowledge of the above mentioned issue, mainly in our area of study, is to enhance, through the contribution of information and the pertinent analyses, a most precise comprehension of the social-economic-working matters that affect Pampean Region Farming EAP in general.Departamento de Geografí