Journalists in Newsrooms: Professional Roles, Influences, and Changes to Journalism

This special edition of Brazilian Journalism Research hopes to bring more recognition to journalists by assembling a collection of articles that deal specifically with journalists who work in newsrooms and the journalistic practices from different organizational and institutional environments. In that regard, the dossier also provides writers from Ibero-American countries with a space for their articles on the results from the international comparative study entitled Worlds of Journalism Study, which included data collected by researchers from 67 countries and from newsroom journalists in print, audiovisual and online media. This international comparative project produced articles on Argentina, Portugal, Spain and, to a large extent, the experience of the organizers of this dossier and their work coordinating the project in Brazil and Ecuador

GAP, an aequorin-based fluorescent indicator for imaging Ca2+ in organelles

Producción CientíficaGenetically encoded calcium indicators allow monitoring subcellular Ca2+ signals inside organelles. Most genetically encoded calcium indicators are fusions of endogenous calcium-binding proteins whose functionality in vivo may be perturbed by competition with cellular partners.We describe here a novel family of fluorescent Ca2+ sensors based on the fusion of two Aequorea victoria proteins, GFP and apo-aequorin (GAP). GAP exhibited a unique combination of features: dual-excitation ratiometric imaging, high dynamic range, good signal-to-noise ratio, insensitivity to pH and Mg2+, tunable Ca2+ affinity, uncomplicated calibration, and targetability to five distinct organelles. Moreover, transgenic mice for endoplasmic reticulum-targeted GAP exhibited a robust long-term expression that correlated well with its reproducible performance in various neural tissues. This biosensor fills a gap in the actual repertoire of Ca2+ indicators for organelles and becomes a valuable tool for in vivo Ca2+ imaging applications

The antitumor drugs trabectedin and lurbinectedin induce transcription-dependent replication stress and genome instability

R-loops are a major source of replication stress, DNA damage, and genome instability, which are major hallmarks of cancer cells. Accordingly, growing evidence suggests that R-loops may also be related to cancer. Here we show that R-loops play an important role in the cellular response to trabectedin (ET743), an anticancer drug from marine origin and its derivative lurbinectedin (PM01183). Trabectedin and lurbinectedin induced RNA–DNA hybrid-dependent DNA damage in HeLa cells, causing replication impairment and genome instability. We also show that high levels of R-loops increase cell sensitivity to trabectedin. In addition, trabectedin led to transcription-dependent FANCD2 foci accumulation, which was suppressed by RNase H1 overexpression. In yeast, trabectedin and lurbinectedin increased the presence of Rad52 foci, a marker of DNA damage, in an R-loop–dependent manner. In addition to providing new insights into the mechanisms of action of these drugs, our study reveals that R-loops could be targeted by anticancer agents. Given the increasing evidence that R-loops occur all over the genome, the ability of lurbinectedin and trabectedin to act on them may contribute to enhance their efficacy, opening the possibility that R-loops might be a feature shared by specific cancers. Implications: The data presented in this study provide the new concept that R-loops are important cellular factors that contribute to trabectedin and lurbinectedin anticancer activity.European Research Council ERC2014 AdG669898 TARLOOPMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad BFU2016-75058-PPharmaMar PRJ20140221

Definition of a FPGA-based SoC architecture for PRBS transmission in optical spectroscopy

Optical spectroscopy is a well-known tool typically employed for characterizing the properties of materials by analyzing their iteration with light. One of the most spread techniques is the dual comb spectroscopy, since it accomplishes ultra-high resolution, and high sensitivity measurements with a relatively simple platform including a single, relatively narrowband photodetector. The employed optical dual comb can be implemented through electro-optical (EO) modulation driven by pseudo-ransom binary sequences (PRBS) at high data rates, commonly in the range of tens of Gbps. For that purpose, the runtime generation and transmission of adaptive PRBS is still an open challenge, often involving expensive and not flexible high-speed digital systems, with a few commercially available solutions that sometimes do not match the application requirements efficiently. In this context, this work describes the definition and implementation of a System-on-Chip (SoC) architecture, based on a FPGA device, capable of generating and transmitting two PRBS for a dual comb, at a data rate up to 5 Gbps. The architecture can be configured and its operation modified in run time, thanks to the general-purpose processor involved, in charge of managing an Ethernet link to receive new PRBS to be transmitted or set up certain parameters. The proposed design has been validated experimentally on a dual comb spectroscopy measurement, where the absorption of a hydrogen cyanide (HCN) gas cell has been successfully characterized.Agencia Estatal de InvestigaciónMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovació

Views on quality of life as perceived by women with disabilities

[ES]La calidad de vida se ve afectada ante una discapacidad, más aún cuando quien la presenta es una mujer. De cara a emprender futuras acciones se realiza un estudio dirigido a conocer la percepción que dicho colectivo tiene sobre su calidad de vida. Para ello se elaboró un cuestionario cualitativo. De las respuestas de 526 mujeres se realizó un análisis de los datos utilizando el software webQDA. Se observa que todas las dimensiones de calidad de vida se consideran afectadas en mayor o menor grado, siendo una variable a tener en cuenta el tipo de discapacidad; sin embargo, la percepción de falta de autonomía e inclusión es una constante en todo el colectivo. Los resultados indican la necesidad de continuar trabajando la independencia y autonomía a través de los apoyos, los cuales además de materiales o de recursos humanos deben ser emocionales desde el inicio de la discapacidad

Incidence of cardiovascular events and associated risk factors in kidney transplant patients: a competing risks survival analysis

[Abstract] Background: The high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among the renal transplant population accounts for increased mortality. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of cardiovascular events and factors associated with cardiovascular events in these patients. Methods: An observational ambispective follow-up study of renal transplant recipients (n = 2029) in the health district of A Coruña (Spain) during the period 1981-2011 was completed. Competing risk survival analysis methods were applied to estimate the cumulative incidence of developing cardiovascular events over time and to identify which characteristics were associated with the risk of these events. Post-transplant cardiovascular events are defined as the presence of myocardial infarction, invasive coronary artery therapy, cerebral vascular events, new-onset angina, congestive heart failure, rhythm disturbances, peripheral vascular disease and cardiovascular disease and death. The cause of death was identified through the medical history and death certificate using ICD9 (390-459, except: 427.5, 435, 446, 459.0). Results: The mean age of patients at the time of transplantation was 47.0 ± 14.2 years; 62% were male. 16.5% had suffered some cardiovascular disease prior to transplantation and 9.7% had suffered a cardiovascular event. The mean follow-up period for the patients with cardiovascular event was 3.5 ± 4.3 years. Applying competing risk methodology, it was observed that the accumulated incidence of the event was 5.0% one year after transplantation, 8.1% after five years, and 11.9% after ten years. After applying multivariate models, the variables with an independent effect for predicting cardiovascular events are: male sex, age of recipient, previous cardiovascular disorders, pre-transplant smoking and post-transplant diabetes. Conclusions: This study makes it possible to determine in kidney transplant patients, taking into account competitive events, the incidence of post-transplant cardiovascular events and the risk factors of these events. Modifiable risk factors are identified, owing to which, changes in said factors would have a bearing of the incidence of events

Diseño de un modelo SIGC en el marco del programa AUDIT para la Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales

El presente proyecto pone de manifiesto el compromiso de la Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid con la mejora continua de la calidad en el marco del programa AUDIT. Se pretenden establecer los criterios de calidad, hacer el seguimiento de los procesos definidos para lograrlos y establecer estrategias de mejora continua, así como responder al compromiso de satisfacción de las necesidades y respuesta a las expectativas de los diferentes grupos de interés, y facilitar el seguimiento de las titulaciones implantadas

A randomized clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of CO-oximetry and anti-smoking brief advice in a cohort of kidney transplant patients who smoke: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Randomized controlled trial[Abstract]Background: The cardiovascular risk in renal transplant patients is increased in patients who continue to smoke after transplantation. The aim of the study is to measure the effectiveness of exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) measurement plus brief advisory sessions, in comparison to brief advice, to reduce smoking exposure and smoking behavior in kidney transplant recipients who smoke. The effectiveness will be measured by: (1) abandonment of smoking, (2) increase in motivation to stop smoking, and (3) reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Design: a randomized, controlled, open clinical trial with blinded evaluation. Scope: A Coruña Hospital (Spain), reference to renal transplantation in the period 2012-2015. Inclusion criteria: renal transplant patients who smoke in the precontemplation, contemplation or preparation stages according to the Prochaska and DiClemente's Stages of Change model, and who give their consent to participate. Exclusion criteria: smokers attempting to stop smoking, patients with terminal illness or mental disability that prevents them from participating. Randomization: patients will be randomized to the control group (brief advisory session) or the intervention group (brief advisory session plus measuring exhaled CO). The sample target size is n = 112, with 56 patients in each group. Allowing for up to 10 % loss to follow-up, this would provide 80 % power to detect a 13 % difference in attempting to give up smoking outcomes at a two-tailed significance level of 5 %. Measurements: sociodemographic characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors, treatment, rejection episodes, infections, self-reported smoking habit, drug use, level of dependence (the Fagerström test), stage of change (Prochaska and DiClemente's Stages of Change model), and motivation to giving up smoking (the Richmond test). Response: the effectiveness will be evaluated every 3, 6, 9 and 12 months as: pattern of tobacco use (self-reported tobacco use), smoking cessation rates, carbon monoxide (CO) levels in exhaled air measured by CO-oximetry, urinary cotinine tests, nicotine dependence (Fagerström test), motivational stages of change (Prochaska and DiClemente's stages) and motivation to stop smoking (the Richmond test). Analysis: descriptive statistics and linear/logistic multiple regression models will be performed. Clinical relevance will be measured as relative risk reduction, absolute risk reduction and the number needed to treat. Ethics: informed consent of the patients and Ethical Review Board was obtained (code 2011/061). Discussion: Tobacco is a modifiable risk factor that increase the risk of morbidity and mortality in kidney transplant recipients. If effectiveness of CO-oximetry is confirmed to reduce tobacco exposure, we would have an intervention that is easy to use, low cost and with great implications about cardiovascular risk prevention in these patients.Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI11/0135

Toll-like receptor 4 contributes to vascular remodelling and endothelial dysfunction in angiotensin II-induced hypertension

This is the peer-reviewed version of the following article: "Toll-like receptor 4 contributes to vascular remodelling and endothelial dysfunction in angiotensin II-induced hypertension", British Journal of Pharmacology 172.12 (2015): 3159-76 which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.13117 This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley-VCH Terms and Conditions for Self-ArchivingBackground and Purpose Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signalling contributes to inflammatory cardiovascular diseases, but its role in hypertension and the associated vascular damage is not known. We investigated whether TLR4 activation contributed to angiotensin II (AngII)-induced hypertension and the associated vascular structural, mechanical and functional alterations. Experimental Approach AngII was infused (1.44 mg·kg−1·day−1, s.c.) for 2 weeks in C57BL6 mice, treated with a neutralizing anti-TLR4 antibody or IgG (1 μg·day−1); systolic BP (SBP) and aortic cytokine levels were measured. Structural, mechanical and contractile properties of aortic and mesenteric arterial segments were measured with myography and histology. RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to analyse these tissues and cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from hypertensive rats (SHR). Key Results Aortic TLR4 mRNA levels were raised by AngII infusion. Anti-TLR4 antibody treatment of AngII-treated mice normalised: (i) increased SBP and TNF-α, IL-6 and CCL2 levels; (ii) vascular structural and mechanical changes; (iii) altered aortic phenylephrine- and ACh-induced responses; (iv) increased NOX-1 mRNA levels, superoxide anion production and NAD(P)H oxidase activity and effects of catalase, apocynin, ML-171 and Mito-TEMPO on vascular responses; and (v) reduced NO release and effects of L-NAME on phenylephrine-induced contraction. In VSMC, the MyD88 inhibitor ST-2825 reduced AngII-induced NAD(P)H oxidase activity. The TLR4 inhibitor CLI-095 reduced AngII-induced increased phospho-JNK1/2 and p65 NF-κB subunit nuclear protein expression. Conclusions and Implications TLR4 up-regulation by AngII contributed to the inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, vascular remodelling and stiffness associated with hypertension by mechanisms involving oxidative stress. MyD88-dependent activation and JNK/NF-κB signalling pathways participated in these alterationsThis work was supported by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (SAF2012-36400), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Red de Investigación Cardiovascular RD12/0042/0024 and RD12/0042/0033) and URJC (PRIN13_CS12). AMB was supported by the Ramón y Cajal Program (RYC-2010-06473)

Diseño de un modelo SIGC en el marco del programa AUDIT para la Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales

El presente proyecto pone de manifiesto el compromiso de la Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid con la mejora continua de la calidad en el marco del programa AUDIT. Se pretenden establecer los criterios de calidad, hacer el seguimiento de los procesos definidos para lograrlos y establecer estrategias de mejora continua, así como responder al compromiso de satisfacción de las necesidades y respuesta a las expectativas de los diferentes grupos de interés, y facilitar el seguimiento de las titulaciones implantadas