Ciutadans, polítics i democràcia. Anàlisi retoricopersuasiva dels espots electorals emesos a Catalunya (2008-2010)

En el marc dels emergents moviments ciutadans de reivindicació d'una major participació política o el que sembla una demanda latent de revisió del sistema democràtic a Espanya, el present article convida a la reflexió sobre la relació entre polítics i ciutadania des de l'àmbit de la comunicació persuasiva. Se centra en els discursos que els polítics adrecen a la ciutadania en els períodes de comunicació més intensa, els de les campanyes electorals, concretament en els espots difosos per la televisió. Des de l'anàlisi retoricoargumentativa aplicada als espots que els principals partits polítics han produït per als comicis celebrats a Catalunya els darrers anys (eleccions generals espanyoles de 2008, eleccions al Parlament Europeu de 2009 i eleccions al Parlament de Catalunya de 2010) es planteja quina ha estat la relació polític-ciutadà proposada per cada partit, així com la imatge construïda d'ambdues figures i la definició implícita de democràcia que sostenen.Citizens, politicians and democracy. Analysis of rhetorical-persuasive strategies in party political broadcasts in Catalonia (2008-2010). In the context of recent events involving citizens’ demands for greater participation in politics and to a latent demand for a revision of the democratic system in Spain, this paper invites reflection on the relationship between politicians and citizens in the sphere of persuasive communication. It focuses on the political discourse that addresses the public during periods of intense communication, the election campaigns, in particular that of party political broadcasts. Based on the analysis of specific persuasive rhetoric used in the party political broadcasts of recent elections in Catalonia (Spanish General Elections 2008, European Parliament Elections 2009, and Elections to the Parliament of Catalonia 2010), this paper questions the citizen-politician relationship that each party proposes, the image of both of these figures and the implicit definition of democracy that they uphold

Ideales de maternidad en las revistas de familia. Análisis de 'Mi bebé y yo', 'Ser padres', y 'El mundo de tu bebé'

Se analiza el discurso que las revistas de familia tienen sobre la maternidad y la crianza a partir del modelo de ‘maternidad intensiva’ propuesto por Hays (1998). En concreto, hemos tomado como muestra los números publicados en junio y octubre de 2011 de ‘Mi bebé y yo’, ‘Ser padres. La revista del bebé y la familia’, y ‘El mundo de tu bebé’ por tratarse de publicaciones dedicadas al bebé y la familia de mayor consumo en España. A partir de los resultados obtenidos se ofrece una reflexión sobre este ideal de perfección maternal y el peso emocional que representa en la mujer-madre

MEPSAnd: Minimum Energy Path Surface Analysis over n-dimensional surfaces.

Summary: Understanding biophysical phenomena from the approach of molecular simulation is becoming the state-of-art in many research and technology development fields. Energy surfaces with more than 3 dimensions (2 coordinates and energy) are now computationally accessible, yet interpreting the information they offer is not straightforward and the tasks involved very time-consuming. Here we present MEPSAnd, an open source GUI-based program that natively calculates minimum energy paths across energy surfaces of an arbitrary number of dimensions. In addition to the multidimensional analysis of path through lowest barriers, MEPSAnd can also automatically calculate a finite series of suboptimal paths. To allow the efficient interpretation of results, MEPSAnd offers three distinct plotting solutions: i) energy profiles, ii) coordinate projections and iii) network projections. GUI-independent pipelines are also supported via direct python scripting. Therefore, MEPSAnd is a powerful user friendly tool that streamlines path-finding tasks on n-dimensional energy surfaces.pre-print1996 K

Neuroanatomical characterization of the G protein-coupled receptor activity evoked by galanin-related ligands

Galanin neuropeptide is distributed throughout the mammalian nervous system modulating a plethora of diverse physiological functions, including nociception, cognition and neuroendocrine regulation. The regulation of the galaninergic system is an interesting approach for the treatment of different diseases associated to those systems. Nevertheless, the pharmacological selectivity and activities of some galanin receptor (GalR) ligands are still in discussion and seem to depend on the dose, the receptor subtype and the second messengers to which they are coupled at different brain areas. The activity of different GalR ligands on Gi/o proteins, was evaluated by the guanosine 5′-(γ-[35S]thio)triphosphate ([35S]GTPγS) autoradiography in vitro assay applied to rat brain tissue slices in the presence of galanin, M15, M35, M40, gal(2−11) or galnon. The enhancement of the [35S]GTPγS binding induced by the chimerical peptides M15, M35 and M40 was similar to that produced by Gal in those brain areas showing the highest stimulations, such as dorsal part of the olfactory nucleus and ventral subiculum. In contrast to these peptides, using gal(2−11) no effect was measured on Gi/o protein coupling in areas of the rat brain with high GalR1 density such as posterior hypothalamic nucleus and amygdala, indicating low selectivity for GalR1 receptors. The effects evoked by the non-peptide ligand, galnon, were different from those induced by galanin, behaving as agonist or antagonist depending on the brain area, but the stimulations were always blocked by M35. Thus, the activity of most used GalR ligands on Gi/o protein mediated signalling is complex and depends on the brain area. More selective and potent GalR ligands are necessary to develop new treatments aimed to modulate the galaninergic system.Supported by grants from the regional Basque Government IT1454–22 awarded to the "Neurochemistry and Neurodegeneration" consolidated research group and ISCIII Spanish Ministry for Health PI20/00153 and co-funded by the European Union (ERDF "A way to make Europe"). Technical and human support provided by General Research Services SGIker [University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)]

De novo heterozygous mutations in SMC3 cause a range of cornelia de lange syndrome-overlapping phenotypes

© 2015 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC. Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is characterized by facial dysmorphism, growth failure, intellectual disability, limb malformations, and multiple organ involvement. Mutations in five genes, encoding subunits of the cohesin complex (SMC1A, SMC3, RAD21) and its regulators (NIPBL, HDAC8), account for at least 70% of patients with CdLS or CdLS-like phenotypes. To date, only the clinical features from a single CdLS patient with SMC3 mutation has been published. Here, we report the efforts of an international research and clinical collaboration to provide clinical comparison of 16 patients with CdLS-like features caused by mutations in SMC3. Modeling of the mutation effects on protein structure suggests a dominant-negative effect on the multimeric cohesin complex. When compared with typical CdLS, many SMC3-associated phenotypes are also characterized by postnatal microcephaly but with a less distinctive craniofacial appearance, a milder prenatal growth retardation that worsens in childhood, few congenital heart defects, and an absence of limb deficiencies. While most mutations are unique, two unrelated affected individuals shared the same mutation but presented with different phenotypes. This work confirms that de novo SMC3 mutations account for ~1%-2% of CdLS-like phenotypes. Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a multisystem developmental disorder caused by mutation in five genes encoding subunits or regulators of the cohesin complex. To date, only the clinical features of the unique mildly affected CdLS male with SMC3 mutation have been published. Here, we report a series of 16 probands with 15 different intragenic mutations in SMC3 that provide a significant advance in our understanding of the clinical and molecular basis of Cornelia de Lange syndrome and overlapping phenotypes.CdLS Foundation of UK and Ireland for their long-term help and support. M.A.D. and I.D.K. are indebted to the USA Cornelia de Lange Syndrome FoundationPeer Reviewe

In vivo functional and molecular characterization of the Penicillin-Binding Protein 4 (DacB) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Background: Community and nosocomial infections by Pseudomonas aeruginosa still create a major therapeutic challenge. The resistance of this opportunist pathogen to β-lactam antibiotics is determined mainly by production of the inactivating enzyme AmpC, a class C cephalosporinase with a regulation system more complex than those found in members of the Enterobacteriaceae family. This regulatory system also participates directly in peptidoglycan turnover and recycling. One of the regulatory mechanisms for AmpC expression, recently identified in clinical isolates, is the inactivation of LMM-PBP4 (Low-Molecular-Mass Penicillin-Binding Protein 4), a protein whose catalytic activity on natural substrates has remained uncharacterized until now. Results: We carried out in vivo activity trials for LMM-PBP4 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on macromolecular peptidoglycan of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The results showed a decrease in the relative quantity of dimeric, trimeric and anhydrous units, and a smaller reduction in monomer disaccharide pentapeptide (M5) levels, validating the occurrence of D,D-carboxypeptidase and D,D-endopeptidase activities. Under conditions of induction for this protein and cefoxitin treatment, the reduction in M5 is not fully efficient, implying that LMM-PBP4 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa presents better behaviour as a D,D-endopeptidase. Kinetic evaluation of the direct D,D-peptidase activity of this protein on natural muropeptides M5 and D45 confirmed this bifunctionality and the greater affinity of LMM-PBP4 for its dimeric substrate. A three-dimensional model for the monomeric unit of LMM-PBP4 provided structural information which supports its catalytic performance. Conclusions: LMM-PBP4 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bifunctional enzyme presenting both D,D-carboxypeptidase and D,D-endopeptidase activities; the D,D-endopeptidase function is predominant. Our study provides unprecedented functional and structural information which supports the proposal of this protein as a potential hydrolase-autolysin associated with peptidoglycan maturation and recycling. The fact that mutant PBP4 induces AmpC, may indicate that a putative muropeptide-subunit product of the DD-EPase activity of PBP4 could be a negative regulator of the pathway. This data contributes to understanding of the regulatory aspects of resistance to β-lactam antibiotics in this bacterial model.Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, DIVINOCELL FP7 HEALTH-F3-2009-223431 from the European Commission and DIUFRO08-0060 from the Dirección de Investigación of the Universidad de La Frontera of ChilePeer Reviewe

La investigación, el desarrollo y la innovación: Un análisis en clave de crisis presupuestaria

La difícil coyuntura por la que atraviesa el sistema científico técnico español, puede entenderse desde muy diferentes aspectos, institucional, político, recursos humanos, relaciones público-privado etc., pero, desde donde sin duda es más fácilmente constatable y evaluable es en los recursos financieros que le dedican los Presupuestos Generales del Estado. Como por desgracia es habitual en los últimos años, el año 2013 está suponiendo un nuevo recorte en los ya disminuidos recursos destinados a una opción tan estratégica y fundamental para el futuro del país como es el de la Investigación, desarrollo e innovación (I+d+i). Como instrumento de análisis de esta realidad presentamos este trabajo colectivo, que pretende contribuir al mejor conocimiento de la situación de la ciencia en España y a la necesidad de cambiar el rumbo de la política científic

Neutralization Susceptibility of African Swine Fever Virus Is Dependent on the Phospholipid Composition of Viral Particles

AbstractIn this study we have investigated the generation of African swine fever (ASF) virus variants resistant to neutralizing antibodies after cell culture propagation. All highly passaged ASF viruses analyzed were resistant to neutralization by antisera from convalescent pigs or antibodies generated against individual viral proteins which neutralized low-passage viruses. A molecular analysis of neutralizable and nonneutralizable virus isolates by sequencing of the genes encoding for neutralizing proteins revealed that the absence of neutralization of high-passage viruses is not due to antigenic variability of critical epitopes. A comparative analysis of phospholipid composition of viral membranes between low- and high-passage viruses revealed differences in the relative amount of phosphatidylinositol in these two groups of viruses, independent of the cells in which the viruses were grown. Further purification of low- and high-passage viruses by Percoll sedimentation showed differences in the phospholipid composition identical to those found with the partially purified viruses and confirmed the susceptibility of these viruses to neutralization. The incorporation of phosphatidylinositol into membranes of high-passage viruses rendered a similar neutralization susceptibility to low-passage viruses, in which this is a major phospholipid. In contrast, other phospholipids did not interfere with high-passage virus neutralization, suggesting that phosphatidylinositol is essential for a correct epitope presentation to neutralizing antibodies. Additionally, the removal of phosphatidylinositol from a low-passage virus by a specific lipase transformed this virus from neutralizable to nonneutralizable. These data constitute clear evidence of the importance of the lipid composition of the viral membranes for the protein recognition by antibodies and may account in part for the past difficulties in reproducibly demonstrating ASF virus-neutralizing antibodies by using high-passage viruses