Children with SLI can exhibit reduced attention to a talker's mouth

It has been demonstrated that children with specific language impairment (SLI) show difficulties not only with auditory but also with audiovisual speech perception. The goal of this study was to assess whether children with SLI might show reduced attention to the talker's mouth compared to their typically developing (TD) peers. An additional aim was to determine whether the pattern of attention to a talking face would be related to a specific subtype of SLI. We used an eye-tracker methodology and presented a video of a talker speaking the children's native language. Results revealed that children with SLI paid significantly less attention to the mouth than the TD children. More specifically, it was also observed that children with a phonological-syntactic deficit looked less to the mouth as compared to the children with a lexical-syntactic deficit

El yacimiento arqueológico de Orpesa la Vella (Oropesa del Mar, Castellón). Resultados de las campañas de 2005 a 2008 y su contextualización

Tras un breve resumen de la primera etapa de intervenciones, se presentan los resultados de las campañas de excavación realizadas entre los años 2005 y 2008 en el yacimiento arqueológico de Orpesa la Vella (Oropesa del Mar, Plana Alta, Castellón). Finalmente se efectúa un ensayo de contextualización completa de la secuencia del yacimiento.First we present a brief summary of the interventions carried out previously in the archaeological site of Orpesa la Vella (Oropesa del Mar, Plana Alta, Castellón). Subsequently, the results of the excavation campaigns carried out between 2005 and 2008 are presented. Finally, we try to make a contextualization of the complete archaeological sequence

Quantitative analysis of the seminal plasma proteome in secondary hypogonadism

In the grey zone of testosterone levels between 8 and 12 nmol/L, the usefulness of therapy is controversial; as such, markers of tissue action of androgens may be helpful in adjusting clinical decisions. To better understand the effect of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis on male accessory secretion, we performed a proteomic quantitative analysis of seminal plasma in patients with secondary hypogonadism, before and after testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Ten male patients with postsurgical hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism were enrolled in this study, and five of these patients were evaluated after testosterone treatment. Ten men with proven fertility were selected as a control group. An aliquot of seminal plasma from each individual was subjected to an in-solution digestion protocol and analyzed using an Ultimate 3000 RSLC-nano HPLC apparatus coupled to a LTQ Orbitrap Elite mass spectrometer. The label-free quantitative analysis was performed via Precursor Ions Area Detector Node. Eleven proteins were identified as decreased in hypogonadic patients versus controls, which are primarily included in hydrolase activity and protein binding activity. The comparison of the proteome before and after TRT comes about within the discovery of six increased proteins. This is the primary application of quantitative proteomics pointed to uncover a cluster of proteins reflecting an impairment not only of spermatogenesis but of the epididymal and prostate epithelial cell secretory function in male hypogonadism. The identified proteins might represent putative clinical markers valuable within the follow-up of patients with distinctive grades of male hypogonadism

The Role of Testosterone in Spermatogenesis: lessons from proteome profiling of human spermatozoa in testosterone deficiency

Testosterone is essential to maintain qualitative spermatogenesis. Nonetheless, no studies have been yet performed in humans to analyze the testosterone-mediated expression of sperm proteins and their importance in reproduction. Thus, this study aimed to identify sperm protein alterations in male hypogonadism using proteomic profiling. We have performed a comparative proteomic analysis comparing sperm from fertile controls (a pool of 5 normogonadic normozoospermic fertile men) versus sperm from patients with secondary hypogonadism (a pool of 5 oligozoospermic hypogonadic patients due to isolated LH deficiency). Sperm protein composition was analyzed, after peptide labelling with Isobaric Tags, via liquid chromatography followed by tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) on an LTQ Velos-Orbitrap mass spectrometer. LC-MS/MS data were analyzed using Proteome Discoverer. Criteria used to accept protein identification included a false discovery rate (FDR) of 1% and at least 1 peptide match per protein. Up to 986 proteins were identified and, of those, 43 proteins were differentially expressed: 32 proteins were under-expressed and 11 were over-expressed in the pool of hypogonadic patients compared to the controls. Bioinformatic analyses were performed using UniProt Knowledgebase, and the Gene Ontology Consortium database based on PANTHER. Notably, 13 of these 43 differentially expressed proteins have been previously reported to be related to sperm function and spermatogenesis. Western blot analyses for A-Kinase Anchoring Protein 3 (AKAP3) and the Prolactin Inducible Protein (PIP) were used to confirm the proteomics data. In summary, a high-resolution mass spectrometry-based proteomic approach was used for the first time to describe alterations of the sperm proteome in secondary male hypogonadism. Some of the differential sperm proteins described in this study, which include Prosaposin, SMOC-1, SERPINA5, SPANXB1, GSG1, ELSPBP1, fibronectin, 5-oxoprolinase, AKAP3, AKAP4, HYDIN, ROPN1B, ß-Microseminoprotein and Protein S100-A8, could represent new targets for the design of infertility treatments due to androgen deficiency

'In vitro' Effect of Different Follicle¿Stimulating Hormone Preparations on Sertoli Cells: Toward a Personalized Treatment for Male Infertility

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), a major regulator of spermatogenesis, has a crucial function in the development and function of the testis and it is extensively given as a fertility treatment to stimulate spermatogenesis. We analyzed the effects of different FSH preparations (α-follitropin, β-follitropin, and urofollitropin) in combination with testosterone on porcine pre-pubertal Sertoli cells. To study the effect of the different FSH treatments in the Sertoli cell function we performed Real Time PCR analysis of AMH, inhibin B, and FSH-r, an ELISA assay for AMH and inhibin B, and a high-throughput comparative proteomic analysis. We verified that all three preparations induced a reduction of AMH in terms of mRNA and secreted proteins, and an increase of inhibin B in terms of mRNA in all the FSH formulations, while solely α-follitropin produced an increase of secreted inhibin B in the culture medium. Comparative proteomic analysis of the three FSH preparations identified 46 proteins, 11 up-regulated and 2 down-regulated. Surprisingly, the combination of testosterone with β-follitropin specifically induced an up-regulation of eight specific secreted proteins. Our study, showing that the three different FSH preparations induce different effects, could offer the opportunity to shed light inside new applications to a personalized reproductive medicine

H4K5 butyrylation coexist with acetylation during human spermiogenesis and are retained in the mature sperm chromatin

Male germ cells experience a drastic chromatin remodeling through the nucleo-histone to nucleo-protamine (NH-NP) transition necessary for proper sperm functionality. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of H4 Lys5, such as acetylation (H4K5ac), play a crucial role in epigenetic control of nucleosome disassembly facilitating protamine incorporation into paternal DNA. It has been shown that butyrylation on the same residue (H4K5bu) participates in temporal regulation of NH-NP transition in mice, delaying the bromodomain testis specific protein (BRDT)-dependent nucleosome disassembly and potentially marking retained nucleosomes. However, no information was available so far on this modification in human sperm. Here, we report a dual behavior of H4K5bu and H4K5ac in human normal spermatogenesis, suggesting a specific role of H4K5bu during spermatid elongation, coexisting with H4K5ac although with different starting points. This pattern is stable under different testicular pathologies, suggesting a highly conserved function of these modifications. Despite a drastic decrease of both PTMs in condensed spermatids, they are retained in ejaculated sperm, with 30% of non-colocalizing nucleosome clusters, which could reflect differential paternal genome retention. Whereas no apparent effect of these PTMs was observed associated with sperm quality, their presence in mature sperm could entail a potential role in the zygote

Proteòmica del plasma seminal i de les seves vesícules extracel·lulars: nova font de biomarcadors útils en l’estudi de la funció espermàtica i la infertilitat masculina

[cat] La infertilitat és un problema freqüent a escala mundial cada cop més comú. No obstant això, la manca de comprensió de la biologia reproductiva masculina i dels mecanismes moleculars alterats en pacients infèrtils resulta en una disponibilitat limitada i insuficient d’eines diagnòstiques i pronòstiques per a l’avaluació de la fertilitat masculina, així com de tractaments per a la infertilitat. Tot i que l’espermatozoide és la peça clau en la transmissió de la informació paterna a l’embrió, hi ha evidències que els fluids secretats per l’epidídim i les glàndules sexuals accessòries, incloent-hi les vesícules extracel·lulars, juguen un paper molt més important en la reproducció masculina que el de simplement ser el mitjà de transport dels espermatozoides. La hipòtesi d’aquesta tesi és que l’aplicació de tècniques proteòmiques d’alt rendiment en l’estudi del plasma seminal de pacients infèrtils podria permetre la identificació de nous potencials biomarcadors clínics no invasius que permetin una millora en la classificació actual de la infertilitat i en l’optimització del seu diagnòstic i tractament, i que ens apropin al diagnòstic personalitzat de la infertilitat masculina. A més, l’estudi de la comunicació intercel·lular entre vesícules extracel·lulars i espermatozoides, i l’aplicació de noves metodologies per a l’obtenció de poblacions específiques de diferents tipus de vesícules extracel·lulars, podrien revelar la veritable importància de les vesícules extracel·lulars de l’epidídim i de les glàndules sexuals accessòries en la funció espermàtica, el que proporcionaria les bases per a futurs estudis orientats a identificar nous biomarcadors diagnòstics i pronòstics, així com desenvolupar noves teràpies per a millorar la fertilitat masculina. Per tant, els objectius d’aquesta tesi doctoral són els següents: 1. Analitzar els perfils proteòmics del plasma seminal de pacients amb diferents tipus d’infertilitat amb la finalitat d’identificar nous potencials biomarcadors de fertilitat/infertilitat útils per a l’assistència clínica. 1.1. Caracteritzar el proteoma del plasma seminal de pacients infèrtils categoritzats segons els paràmetres seminals (normozoospèrmics, astenozoospèrmics, oligozoospèrmics i azoospèrmics). 1.2. Caracteritzar el proteoma del plasma seminal de pacients infèrtils afectes d’hipogonadisme hipogonadòtropic, abans i després de la teràpia de reemplaçament de testosterona. 2. Explorar la possible comunicació intercel·lular entre les vesícules extracel·lulars seminals i l’espermatozoide, i determinar el seu impacte en la funció espermàtica. 2.1. Demostrar la participació dels epididimosomes (vesícules extracel·lulars secretades per l’epidídim) en la transferència de proteïnes entre l’epidídim i els espermatozoides. 2.2. Determinar l’impacte de les vesícules extracel·lulars seminals CD63+ en la funció espermàtica mitjançant el seu aïllament amb tècniques d’immunoafinitat, i caracteritzar el seu contingut mitjançant proteòmica d’alt rendiment.[eng] Infertility is a common and rising problem worldwide. However, the lack of understanding of male reproductive biology and the molecular mechanisms altered in infertile patients results in a limited and insufficient availability of male infertility diagnostic and prognostic tools, as well as fertility treatments. Although the sperm is the key piece in the transmission of paternal information to the embryo, there is evidence that the fluids secreted by the epididymis and male accessory sex glands, including the seminal EVs, play a pivotal role in male reproduction more than simply being a medium to carry the spermatozoa. The hypothesis of this thesis is that the use of high-throughput proteomic techniques for the study of the seminal plasma of infertile patients could allow the identification of novel and non-invasive clinical biomarkers, which could result in an improvement of the current male infertility stratification and an optimization of their diagnostic and treatment, moving towards a personalized evaluation of male infertility. Also, the study of the intercellular communication between seminal EVs and sperm, and the application of new methodologies to obtain specific populations of the different types of EVs, could contribute to revealing the real biological roles of seminal EVs from the epididymis and the male accessory sex glands in sperm function. These findings could provide the basis for future studies aimed at identifying new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, as well as developing new therapies to improve male fertility. Therefore, the objectives of this doctoral thesis are: 1. To analyze the seminal plasma proteomic profile of patients with different types of infertility in order to identify new potential biomarkers of fertility/infertility useful for clinical care. 1.1. To define the seminal plasma proteome signatures of infertile patients categorized according to their seminal parameters (normozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, oligozoospermia, and azoospermia). 1.2. To characterize the seminal plasma proteome of infertile patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, before and after testosterone replacement therapy. 2. To explore the potential intercellular communication between seminal EVs and sperm, and to determine the impact of this on sperm function. 2.1. To demonstrate the participation of epididymosomes (EVs secreted by the epididymis) in protein transfer between epididymis and sperm. 2.2. To determine the impact of CD63+ seminal EVs on sperm function by isolating the EVs with immunoaffinity techniques, and to characterize their protein content by high-throughput proteomics

Pabellón Sert

Mascarell, Ferran (direcció i guió); Vergés, Rosa (realització); Barrachina, Jordi (guió)Construcció del Pavelló de la República de la mà de Josep Lluís Sert i Luis Lacasa, amb motiu de l'Exposició Internacional de París de 1937. - Plans: (DP) Torre Eiffel, gent passejant, pavellons dels diferents països a l'Exposició Universal. (DP) Diverses personalitats parlant sobre el moment històric i el significat del pavelló: Alberto Closas, Oriol Bohigas, José Prat, Antoni Tàpies, Josefina Alix, Josep Lluis Sert, J.M. Hernández de León i Francisco de Sert. (DP) LLuís Companys visitant l'exposició. (DP) Imatges de la Guerra Civil Espanyola: bombardejos, soldats, gent corrent cap els refugis, la ciutat de Guernica derruïda. (DP) Obres d'art exposades al pavelló d'artistes com Picasso, Miró, Julio González i Alberto Sánchez, entre d'altres. (DP) El 1938 es desmunta el pavelló, enviant algunes de les obres cap a Barcelona. (DP) El 1992 amb motiu dels Jocs olímpics, l'Ajuntament de Barcelona encarrega una rèplica del pavelló.Digitalitzat pel SEDA

Una inscripción romana de Benafer (Alto Palancia, Castellón)

An unpublished Roman funerary epigraph dating from the 1st century is studied using 3D technologies. The find comes from the town of Benafer in the Alto Palancia region, an area where numerous Roman inscriptions has been found. Se estudia un epigrafe romano funerario inédito datado en el siglo IdC aplicando tecnologías 3D. El hallazgo procede de la localidad de Benafer, en la comarca del Alto Palancia, zona en la que se han localizado numerosas inscripciones romanas

Complex population of chromatin-associated proteins identified in mature sperm of the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) through high-throughput proteomic analysis

XIII International Symposium on Spermatology, 9-13 May 2018, Stockholm, SwedenPeer Reviewe