Helenistic moldmade relief bowls from the Calescoves sanctuary (Minorca)

Un proyecto de investigación recientemente desarrollado en Calescoves (Alaior, Menorca), y en concreto las excavaciones llevadas a cabo en la Cova dels Jurats, han supuesto la documentación de un interesante conjunto de materiales cerámicos, en el que conviven elementos de producción local e importaciones. De estos últimos analizamos aquí un conjunto muy significativo, el perteneciente a los boles helenísticos procedentes de la zona jonia. Vinculados en su zona de origen al consumo de vino, la presencia de estos vasos en el santuario menorquín debe vincularse a los rituales y libaciones que se debieron llevar a cabo en la cueva.The research project recently carried out in Calescoves (Alaior, Menorca), and in particular the excavation in the Cova dels Jurats, has allowed us to study an interesting collection of ceramics, including both local and imported items. We will analyse here the Hellenistic bowls from the Ionian area. Linked in their original area to the consumption of wine, the presence of these vessels in this sanctuary must be linked to the rituals and libations that were due to perform in the cave

Clay, Fire, Air, and Mostly Water: Understanding the Importance of Water Resources in Pottery Workshops in Ancient Iberia by Integrating Ethnoarchaeological, Experimental, and Archaeological Research

[EN]Archaeological studies of pottery production have given little attention to the productive uses of water, building historical discourses without taking into consideration its crucial role in many chaînes opératoires. Structures related to the use of water in pottery-making, such as wells, cisterns, or settling ponds, are very rarely discussed. This article aims to remedy that situation by contributing archaeological, thnoarchaeological, and experimental evidence of the importance of water and structures related to the use of water in large-scale pottery production in workshops in ancient and traditional Iberia. We propose recognition of the importance of water use in pottery production to develop a greater understanding of how pottery workshops have operated in diverse geographical and chronological contexts

Urbanise in roman times: rituality and practicality. Proposal for an approved execution procedure

En época romana la orientación conferida a las construcciones solía tener significados simbólicos, reflejos de una ritualidad, especialmente en el caso de ciudades o santua - rios. Aunque también podía responder simplemente a cuestio - nes de tipo práctico. En cualquier caso, el beneplácito de los dioses era condición sine qua non para iniciar la obra y dibu - jar sobre el terreno el diseño de la misma. Frente a la cuestión de su significado, se plantea una pregunta: ¿cuál fue el proce - dimiento de ejecución? En publicaciones precedentes, nues - tra propuesta iba encaminada a identificar sistemas utiliza - dos para conferir a las obras una orientación determinada. En este artículo planteamos un modelo de operar que va en para - lelo con las interpretaciones dadas a las orientaciones, ya sean simbólicas o prácticas, proponiendo como modo de ejecución el explicado por Nypsius en el siglo I d.C. al describir la téc - nica de la varatio.In Roman times, the orientation given to the build - ings usually had symbolic meanings, reflection of a ritual, es - pecially in the case of cities or sanctuaries, although the ori - entation could also simply respond to practical issues. In any case, the gods’ support was essential for the beginning of the works, and the drawing of the design on the ground. Besides the topic of the meaning of the orientations, another question arises: what was the procedure? In previous publications, our proposal was intended to identify the systems used to give the works a certain orientation. In this paper we propose im - plementation rules which run parallel with the symbolic or pragmatic interpretations of orientations, proposing as the ex - ecution procedure the one explained by Nypsius in the first century AD when he describes the technique of varatio

Die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der arabischen Mittelmeerländer im internationalen Vergleich

6 p.- Papers presented at the International Workshop "The Conservation of Subterranean Cultural Heritage", held 25-27 March 2014, in Seville, Spain.Paranhos constitutes one of the main water galleries excavated in the granite substratum of Porto City (Portugal) to gather the groundwater for public use during the past five centuries. This gallery is a Subterranean Cultural Heritage site with a potential use for underground geotourism under safe conditions. An environmental monitoring programme has been conducte in the site comprising rapid multi-parameters. This programme has allowed the identification of urban-induced causes of contamination of the aquifer and internal tunnel atmosphere (waste-water and gas leakage). This study has also comprised the determination of effective radioactive dose in different sectors of the tunnel for potential visitors based on 222Rn studies.Financiado con el Proyecto (HAR-2010-11432-E) Red de Ciencia y Tecnología para la Conservación del Patrimonio CulturalPeer reviewe

Integrin-Mediated Adhesion in the Unicellular Holozoan Capsaspora owczarzaki.

In animals, cell-matrix adhesions are essential for cell migration, tissue organization, and differentiation, which have central roles in embryonic development [1-6]. Integrins are the major cell surface adhesion receptors mediating cell-matrix adhesion in animals. They are heterodimeric transmembrane proteins that bind extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules on one side and connect to the actin cytoskeleton on the other [7]. Given the importance of integrin-mediated cell-matrix adhesion in development of multicellular animals, it is of interest to discover when and how this machinery arose during evolution. Comparative genomic analyses have shown that core components of the integrin adhesome pre-date the emergence of animals [8-11]; however, whether it mediates cell adhesion in non-metazoan taxa remains unknown. Here, we investigate cell-substrate adhesion in Capsaspora owczarzaki, the closest unicellular relative of animals with the most complete integrin adhesome [11, 12]. Previous work described that the life cycle of C. owczarzaki (hereafter, Capsaspora) includes three distinct life stages: adherent; cystic; and aggregative [13]. Using an adhesion assay, we show that, during the adherent life stage, C. owczarzaki adheres to surfaces using actin-dependent filopodia. We show that integrin β2 and its associated protein vinculin localize as distinct patches in the filopodia. We also demonstrate that substrate adhesion and integrin localization are enhanced by mammalian fibronectin. Finally, using a specific antibody for integrin β2, we inhibited cell adhesion to a fibronectin-coated surface. Our results suggest that adhesion to the substrate in C. owczarzaki is mediated by integrins. We thus propose that integrin-mediated adhesion pre-dates the emergence of animals

Meiotic chromosome synapsis depends on multivalent SYCE1-SIX6OS1 interactions that are disrupted in cases of human infertility

Copyright © 2020 The Authors.Meiotic reductional division depends on the synaptonemal complex (SC), a supramolecular protein assembly that mediates homologous chromosomes synapsis and promotes crossover formation. The mammalian SC has eight structural components, including SYCE1, the only central element protein with known causative mutations in human infertility. We combine mouse genetics, cellular, and biochemical studies to reveal that SYCE1 undergoes multivalent interactions with SC component SIX6OS1. The N terminus of SIX6OS1 binds and disrupts SYCE1’s core dimeric structure to form a 1:1 complex, while their downstream sequences provide a distinct second interface. These interfaces are separately disrupted by SYCE1 mutations associated with nonobstructive azoospermia and premature ovarian failure (POF), respectively. Mice harboring SYCE1’s POF mutation and a targeted deletion within SIX6OS1’s N terminus are infertile with failure of chromosome synapsis. We conclude that both SYCE1-SIX6OS1 binding interfaces are essential for SC assembly, thus explaining how SYCE1’s reported clinical mutations give rise to human infertility.O.R.D. is a Sir Henry Dale Fellow jointly funded by the Wellcome Trust and Royal Society (grant number 104158/Z/14/Z). This work was supported by MINECO (BFU2017-89408-R) and by Junta de Castilla y Leon (CSI239P18). F.S.-S., L.G.-H., and N.F.-M. are supported by European Social Fund/JCyLe grants (EDU/556/2019, EDU/1083/2013, and EDU/310/2015). CIC-IBMCC is supported by the Programa de Apoyo a Planes Estratégicos de Investigación de Estructuras de Investigación de Excelencia cofunded by the Castilla–León autonomous government and the European Regional Development Fund (CLC–2017–01)

New Castanospermine Glycoside Analogues Inhibit Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation and Induce Apoptosis without Affecting Normal Cells

sp2-Iminosugar-type castanospermine analogues have been shown to exhibit anti-tumor activity. However, their effects on cell proliferation and apoptosis and the molecular mechanism at play are not fully understood. Here, we investigated the effect of two representatives, namely the pseudo-S- and C-octyl glycoside 2-oxa-3-oxocastanospermine derivatives SO-OCS and CO-OCS, on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer and MCF-10A mammary normal cell lines. We found that SO-OCS and CO-OCS inhibited breast cancer cell viability in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. This effect is specific to breast cancer cells as both molecules had no impact on normal MCF-10A cell proliferation. Both drugs induced a cell cycle arrest. CO-OCS arrested cell cycle at G1 and G2/M in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231cells respectively. In MCF-7 cells, the G1 arrest is associated with a reduction of CDK4 (cyclin-dependent kinase 4), cyclin D1 and cyclin E expression, pRb phosphorylation, and an overexpression of p21Waf1/Cip1. In MDA-MB-231 cells, CO-OCS reduced CDK1 but not cyclin B1 expression. SO-OCS accumulated cells in G2/M in both cell lines and this blockade was accompanied by a decrease of CDK1, but not cyclin B1 expression. Furthermore, both drugs induced apoptosis as demonstrated by the increased percentage of annexin V positive cells and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Interestingly, in normal MCF-10A cells the two drugs failed to modify cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, cyclins, or CDKs expression. These results demonstrate that the effect of CO-OCS and SO-OCS is triggered by both cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, suggesting that these castanospermine analogues may constitute potential anti-cancer agents against breast cancer. © 2013 Allan et al.Peer Reviewe

Urbanise in Roman times: rituality and practicality

dx.doi.org/10.12795/spal.2017i26.05En época romana la orientación conferida a las construcciones solía tener significados simbólicos, reflejos de una ritualidad, especialmente en el caso de ciudades o santuarios. Aunque también podía responder simplemente a cuestiones de tipo práctico. En cualquier caso, el beneplácito de los dioses era condición sine qua non para iniciar la obra y dibujar sobre el terreno el diseño de la misma. Frente a la cuestión de su significado, se plantea una pregunta: ¿cuál fue el procedimiento de ejecución? En publicaciones precedentes, nuestra propuesta iba encaminada a identificar sistemas utilizados para conferir a las obras una orientación determinada. En este artículo planteamos un modelo de operar que va en paralelo con las interpretaciones dadas a las orientaciones, ya sean simbólicas o prácticas, proponiendo como modo de ejecución el explicado por Nypsius en el siglo I d.C. al describir la técnica de la varatio.In Roman times, the orientation given to the buildings usually had symbolic meanings, reflection of a ritual, especially in the case of cities or sanctuaries, although the orientation could also simply respond to practical issues. In any case, the gods’ support was essential for the beginning of the works, and the drawing of the design on the ground. Besides the topic of the meaning of the orientations, another question arises: what was the procedure? In previous publications, our proposal was intended to identify the systems used to give the works a certain orientation. In this paper we propose implementation rules which run parallel with the symbolic or pragmatic interpretations of orientations, proposing as the execution procedure the one explained by Nypsius in the first century AD when he describes the technique of varatio

Modelo de éxito del curso taller de titulación por tesis en medicina humana: publicación de repercusión internacional: Model of success of the course workshop title certification in human medicine:publication of international impact

Promoting Research in Medical Students and increasing scientific production in the universities of Peru and Latin America is a priority and a necessity. It is an honor to share with you that we recently published in the prestigious journal Educación Medica, of Elsevier, indexed in Scopus, the scientific article that summarizes the experience and the success model of the Thesis Workshop Course that is given in the Faculty of Human Medicine of the Ricardo Palma University: Promoting research in medical students and increasing scientific production in universities: Experience of the Undergraduate Thesis Workshop Course.The undergraduate thesis represents academic work with scientific rigor, considered as the first serious step of university students in the field of research, which according to the new university law 30220 in force in Peru, is an essential requirement to obtain the university degree .   DOI:  10.25176/RFMH.v19.n1.1787Promover la Investigación en Estudiantes de Medicina y elevar la producción científica en las universidades del Perú y de Latinoamérica es una prioridad y una necesidad. Es un honor compartir con ustedes que recientemente publicamos en la prestigiosa revista Educación Medica, de Elsevier, indexada en Scopus, el articulo científico que resume la experiencia y el modelo de éxito del Curso Taller de Tesis que se dicta en la Facultad de MedicinaHumana de la Universidad Ricardo Palma: Promoting research in medical students and increasing scientific production in universities: Experience of the Undergraduate Thesis Workshop Course. La tesis de pregrado representa el trabajo académico con rigor científico, considerado como el primer paso serio de los estudiantes universitarios en el campo de la investigación, que según la nueva ley universitaria 30220 vigente en el Perú, constituye un requisito indispensable para obtener el titulo universitario.   DOI:  10.25176/RFMH.v19.n1.178

STAG3 is a strong candidate gene for male infertility

Oligo- and azoospermia are severe forms of male infertility. However, known genetic factors account only for a small fraction of the cases. Recently, whole-exome sequencing in a large consanguineous family with inherited premature ovarian failure (POF) identified a homozygous frameshift mutation in the STAG3 gene leading to a premature stop codon. STAG3encodes a meiosis-specific subunit of the cohesin complex, alarge proteinaceous ring with DNA-entrapping ability that ensures sister chromatid cohesion and enables correct synapsis and segregation of homologous chromosomes during meiosis. The pathogenicity of the STAG3 mutations was functionally validated with a loss- of-function mouse model for STAG3 in oogenesis.However,and sincenone of the male members of this family was homozygous for the mutant allele, we only could hypothesized its putative involvement inmale infertility. In this report,we show that male mice devoid of Stag3 display a severe meiotic phenotype that includes a meiotic arrest at zygonema-like shortening of their chromosome axial elements/lateral elements, partial loss of centromeric cohesion at early prophase and maintenance of the ability to initiate but not complete RAD51- and DMC1-mediated double-strand break repair,demonstrating that STAG3 is a crucial cohesin subunit in mammalian gametogenesis and supporting our proposal that STAG3 is a strong candidate gene for human male infertility. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.This work was supported by grant SAF2011-25252 and Junta de Castilla y León (EL and AMP). SC and RAV are supported by the University Paris Diderot-Paris7, the Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and the GIS-Institut des Maladies Rares.Peer Reviewe