Structures of bacterial kynurenine formamidase reveal a crowded binuclear zinc catalytic site primed to generate a potent nucleophile

Tryptophan is an important precursor for chemical entities that ultimately support the biosynthesis of key metabolites. The second stage of tryptophan catabolism is catalysed by kynurenine formamidase, an enzyme that is different between eukaryotes and prokaryotes. In the present study, we characterize the catalytic properties and present the crystal structures of three bacterial kynurenine formamidases. The structures reveal a new amidase protein fold, a highly organized and distinctive binuclear Zn2+ catalytic centre in a confined, hydrophobic and relatively rigid active site. The structure of a complex with 2-aminoacetophenone delineates aspects of molecular recognition extending to the observation that the substrate itself may be conformationally restricted to assist binding in the confined space of the active site and for subsequent processing. The cations occupy a crowded environment, and, unlike most Zn2+ -dependent enzymes, there is little scope to increase co-ordination number during catalysis.We propose that the presence of a bridging water/hydroxide ligand in conjunction with the placement of an active site histidine supports a distinctive amidation mechanism.</p

La universidad desde sus imágenes. Profesionalización, desprofesionalización o proletarización en la universidad contemporánea

La universidad es uno de los actores que, junto al Estado, el Mercado o los grupos profesionales, entre otros, contribuye tanto a la profesionalización y desarrollo de las profesiones como a la suya propia. Pero la imagen de la universidad como organización profesional muestra sólo una parte del rompecabezas; otras metáforas pueden ayudarnos a construir una coherente y sintética radiografía de sus dimensiones y elementos. Las imágenes de la universidad han ido cambiando en el tiempo y con los tiempos. El objetivo de este texto es dar razón, sirviéndonos de varias imágenes, de sus transformaciones. La intención es aproximarnos a una mejor comprensión de nuestra institución en estos tiempos, así como incidir en un debate siempre de actualidad: el que atañe al conflicto entre profesionalización y desprofesionalización y sus repercusiones para pensar nuestra organización.The University represents one of many actors such as Estate, Market, professional groups, that nowadays contribute to the professionalization and the development of professions. It also contributes, of course, to the professionalization of the institution itself and of its professions. It is a complex reality and its image as a professional organization describes only a part of the puzzle that defines its social nature: this important metaphor is not the only one that can give us a clear and coherent idea of it.. These images have been, more or less, changing with time and ruling ones over the others depending on the timing and the place. The goal of this text is to present those transformations through these aforementioned images; with the intention of getting closer to the institution itself and in order to reiterate the discussion that is linked to it: the conflict between professionalization and unprofessionalization, two antonyms from which our organization can be thought of

The European response to the challenge of the Japanese steel industry (1950–1980)

Between 1950 and 1980, the European delay with respect to Japan and the relative loss of competitiveness in the integrated steel industry was due to an institutional, geographical and economic logic based largely on historical factors. Europe had a long steel-making history that was closely related to its sources of raw materials. The new technological paradigm turned this former advantage into a clear disadvantage, while the large investments made in the Thomas and open hearth processes and the affordable price of scrap delayed the adoption of the Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) until its superiority had been clearly demonstrated. The European steel industry was not at the forefront of the transformation, but merely adapting to the changes, pushed by the threat of a new uncomfortable competitor

Assessing Police Attitudes Toward Intervention in Gender Violence: the Role of Training, Perceived Severity, and Myths About Intimate Partner Violence Against Women

Purpose Even though evidence has broadly confirmed that public attitudes toward intervention shape the decision-making process when dealing with IPVAW events, rather less is known about what determines the police decision-making process. Research support that police attitudes toward intervention in IPVAW explain differences when police officers response to IPVAW events. This research analyzes the combined role of IPVAW myths, perceived severity, and IPVAW training in reactive (tolerance for IPVAW and minimal police involvement) and proactive (important police task and pro-arrest) police attitudes toward intervention in gender violence. Methods Drawing from snowball sampling, we collected responses of 211 Spanish police officers via online subject-recruitment platform. Results The main findings of our study confirmed that IPVAW myths lead to less proactive attitudes toward intervention both directly and through a reduction in the perceived severity of IPVAW. Importantly, we found a moderating role of IPVAW training, suggesting that the endorsement of IPVAW myths leads to less proactive responses, but only for untrained police officers. Conclusions Our findings suggest the importance of IPVAW training on police proactive attitudes toward intervention via IPVAW myths instead of perceived severity. Police training programs to both novice and experienced officers should be focused on confronting IPVAW myths in order to improve police perception, evaluation and involvement in gender violence events.Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature

State aids for restructuring Spanish steel industry in European perspective (1975-1988)

El objetivo de este artículo es realizar una comparación cuantitativa de las ayudas públicas destinadas a los procesos de reestructuración de la siderurgia en España y en los países de la CECA en el período 1975-1988. Las fuentes utilizadas corresponden tanto a documentación de archivo como a publicaciones periódicas de diversas instituciones: empresas españolas, patronal siderúrgica (Unesid), organismos públicos españoles y de la CEE e informes de la Comisión Europea. El trabajo demuestra que la principal diferencia entre la políticas siderúrgicas española y comunitaria estribó no tanto en el montante de las ayudas públicas destinadas al proceso de reestructuración como en el uso que se hizo de las mismas. Así, mientras en la CEE las ayudas públicas estuvieron condicionadas a la eliminación de los excedentes de capacidad productiva, en España no se realizó ningún ajuste en este sentido hasta nuestra integración en la Comunidad en 1986.The aim of this article is to make a comparison of public assistance provided during the restructuring of the steel industry in Spain and in the European Community of Coal and Steel from 1975 to 1988. We have used both primary and printed sources from different institutions: steel Spanish companies, Spanish steel organization (Unesid), European Community and Spanish agencies and public bodies and reports from the European Commission. The work concludes that the main difference between the Spanish and European Community steel policies was not so much on the amount of the public resources but rather on the use of them in the restructuring process, especially since the 1980s. So while in the EEC steel aids were granted only in exchange for the elimination of surplus capacity, in Spain not adjustment was made until its accession to the European Communities on 1 January 1986

Effect of Vinyl Flooring on the Modal Properties of a Steel Footbridge

Damping ratios associated with non structural elements play an important role in mitigating the pedestrian-induced vibrations of slender footbridges. In particular, this paper analyses the effect of vinyl flooring on the modal parameters of steel footbridges. Motivated by the unexpected high experimental damping ratios of the first vibration modes of a real footbridge, whose deck was covered by a vinyl flooring, this paper aims at assessing more accurately the experimental damping ratios generated by this non-structural element on steel footbridges. For this purpose, a laboratory footbridge was built and vinyl flooring was installed on it. Its numerical and experimental modal parameters without and with the vinyl flooring were determined. The operational modal analysis method was used to estimate experimentally the modal parameters of the structure. The damping ratios associated with the vinyl flooring were obtained via the substraction between the experimental damping ratios of the laboratory footbridge with and without the vinyl flooring. An average increase of the damping ratios of 2.069% was observed due to the vinyl flooring installed. According to this result, this type of pavement may be a useful tool to significantly increase the damping ratios of steel footbridges in order to reduce pedestrian-induced vibrationsMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad DPI2014-53947-RFondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional DPI2014-53947-

Nuevas aportaciones a la definición del Círculo del Estrecho: la cultura material a través de algunos centros alfareros (ss. VI-I a.n.e.)

El objetivo de este trabajo es poner de relieve la existencia de una serie de rasgos comunes en la cultura material cerámica y en las estructuras de producción de éstas -similitudes comerciales por tantoentre varios yacimientos de lo que se ha venido denominando “Círculo del Estrecho” durante época púnica y tardopúnica, lo que nos servirá para analizar distintas interpretaciones de esta zona geopolítica del Extremo Occidente Mediterráneo.With this paper we will try to emphazise some similarities about ceramics industry -commercial activities- between some archaeological sites included in the &quot;Círculo del Estrecho&quot;. This information will help us to analyse some interpretations given to the historical evolution of this area of the Western Mediterranean Sea