La visualización de datos en el teatro clásico. La colección Gondomar como campo de ensayo

Este artículo analiza treinta y seis obras que pertenecieron a la colección teatral de Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, I Conde de Gondomar, con un doble propósito. En primer lugar, se pretende valorar si la visualización puede resultar una técnica útil y operativa en su aplicación a los estudios sobre teatro clásico español para explorar la estructura de los textos y determinar la relación de las variables con los diferentes géneros. En segundo lugar, el artículo trata de evaluar la utilidad de las variables vinculadas con la configuración estructural del texto dramático en intervenciones y la correlación personaje/ texto pronunciado en la identificación de patrones compositivos propios de los distintos autores. This paper analyses thirty-six plays belonging to the theatrical collection of Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, First Count of Gondomar. The aim is twofold. On the one hand, I intend to assess whether or not the visualization may be a useful and operational tool to apply to research on classical Spanish theatre in order to explore the structure of texts and determine the cross-genre relationship between variables. On the other hand, the article aims to assess the usefulness of those variables, which are linked to the structural configuration in turns characteristic of the dramatic text. In addition, the correlation between character(s) and text will be studied, as manifested in the identification of compositional patterns in different playwrights

NAD+-dependent post-translational modification of Escherichia coli glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is a multifunctional housekeeping protein reported to be a target of several covalent modifications in many organisms. In a previous study, enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) and enteropathogenic (EPEC) Escherichia coli strains were shown to secrete GAPDH and the protein to bind human plasminogen and fibrinogen. Here we report that GAPDH of these pathogens is ADP-ribosylated either in the cytoplasm or in the extracellular medium. GAPDH catalyzes its own modification, which involves Cys-149 at the active site. ADP-ribosylation of extracellular GAPDH may play an important role in the host-pathogen interaction, as also proposed in other pathogens. [Int Microbiol 2009; 12(3):187-192

Characterization of the gene cluster involved in allantoate catabolism and its transcriptional regulation by the RpiR-type repressor HpxU in Klebsiella pneumoniae

Bacteria, fungi, and plants have metabolic pathways for the utilization of nitrogen present in purine bases. In Klebsiella pneumoniae, the genes responsible for the assimilation of purine ring nitrogen are distributed in three separated clusters. We characterized the gene cluster involved in the metabolism of allantoate (genes KPN_01761 to KPN_01771). The functional assignments of HpxK, as an allantoate amidohydrolase, and of HpxU, as a regulator involved in the control of allantoate metabolism, were assessed experimentally. Gene hpxU encodes a repressor of the RpiR family that mediates the regulation of this system by allantoate. In this study, the binding of HpxU to the hpxF promoter and to the hpxU-hpxW intergenic region containing the divergent promoter for these genes was evidenced by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Allantoate released the HpxU repressor from its target operators whereas other purine intermediate metabolites, such as allantoin and oxamate, failed to induce complex dissociation. Sequence alignment of the four HpxU identifi ed operators identifi ed TGAA-N8-TTCA as the consensus motif recognized by the HpxU repressor. [Int Microbiol 2013; 16(3):XXX-XXX]Keywords: Klebsiella pneumoniae · allantoate metabolism · allantoate amidohydrolase · purine catabolism · RpiR-type represso

The UlaG protein family defines novel structural and functional motifs grafted on an ancient RNase fold

Background: Bacterial populations are highly successful at colonizing new habitats and adapting to changing environmental conditions, partly due to their capacity to evolve novel virulence and metabolic pathways in response to stress conditions and to shuffle them by horizontal gene transfer (HGT). A common theme in the evolution of new functions consists of gene duplication followed by functional divergence. UlaG, a unique manganese-dependent metallo-b-lactamase (MBL) enzyme involved in L-ascorbate metabolism by commensal and symbiotic enterobacteria, provides a model for the study of the emergence of new catalytic activities from the modification of an ancient fold. Furthermore, UlaG is the founding member of the so-called UlaG-like (UlaGL) protein family, a recently established and poorly characterized family comprising divalent (and perhaps trivalent)metal-binding MBLs that catalyze transformations on phosphorylated sugars and nucleotides. Results: Here we combined protein structure-guided and sequence-only molecular phylogenetic analyses to dissect the molecular evolution of UlaG and to study its phylogenomic distribution, its relatedness with present-day UlaGL protein sequences and functional conservation. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that UlaGL sequences are present in Bacteria and Archaea, with bona fide orthologs found mainly in mammalian and plant-associated Gramnegative and Gram-positive bacteria. The incongruence between the UlaGL tree and known species trees indicates exchange by HGT and suggests that the UlaGL-encoding genes provided a growth advantage under changing conditions. Our search for more distantly related protein sequences aided by structural homology has uncovered that UlaGL sequences have a common evolutionary origin with present-day RNA processing and metabolizing MBL enzymes widespread in Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya. This observation suggests an ancient origin for the UlaGL family within the broader trunk of the MBL superfamily by duplication, neofunctionalization and fixation. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the forerunner of UlaG was present as an RNA metabolizing enzyme in the last common ancestor, and that the modern descendants of that ancestral gene have a wide phylogenetic distribution and functional roles. We propose that the UlaGL family evolved new metabolic roles among bacterial and possibly archeal phyla in the setting of a close association with metazoans, such as in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract or in animal and plant pathogens, as well as in environmental settings. Accordingly, the major evolutionary forces shaping the UlaGL family include vertical inheritance and lineage-specific duplication and acquisition of novel metabolic functions, followed by HGT and numerous lineage-specific gene loss events

Proteomic profile of extracellular vesicles released by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum BGAN8 and their internalization by non-polarized HT29 cell line

In recent years the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) of Gram-positive bacteria in host-microbe cross-talk has become increasingly appreciated, although the knowledge of their biogenesis, release and host-uptake is still limited. The aim of this study was to characterize the EVs released by the dairy isolate Lactiplantibacillus plantarum BGAN8 and to gain an insight into the putative mechanism of EVs uptake by intestinal epithelial cells. The cryo-TEM observation undoubtedly demonstrated the release of EVs (20 to 140 nm) from the surface of BGAN8, with exopolysaccharides seems to be part of EVs surface. The proteomic analysis revealed that the EVs are enriched in enzymes involved in central metabolic pathways, such as glycolysis, and in membrane components with the most abundant proteins belonging to amino acid/peptide ABC transporters. Putative internalization pathways were evaluated in time-course internalization experiments with non-polarized HT29 cells in the presence of inhibitors of endocytic pathways: chlorpromazine and dynasore (inhibitors of clathrin-mediated endocytosis-CME) and filipin III and nystatin (disrupting lipid rafts). For the first time, our results revealed that the internalization was specifically inhibited by dynasore and chlorpromazine but not by filipin III and nystatin implying that one of the entries of L. plantarum vesicles was through CME pathway

Multifunctional serine protease inhibitor-coated water-soluble gold nanoparticles as a novel targeted approach for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases

The overexpression and increased activity of the serine protease Kallikrein 5 (KLK5) is characteristic of inflammatory skin diseases such as Rosacea. The use of inhibitors of this enzyme—such as 4-(2-aminoethyl)benzenesulfonyl fluoride hydrochloride (AEBSF·HCl) or the anti-human recombinant Kallikrein 5 (anti-KLK5) antibody—in the treatment of the disease has been limited due to their low bioavailability, for which their immobilization in drug delivery agents can contribute to making serine protease inhibitors clinically useful. In this work, we synthesized gold nanoparticles (GNP) coated with a mixture of hydroxyl- and carboxyl-terminated thiolates (GNP.OH/COOH), whose carboxyl groups were used to further functionalize the nanoparticles with the serine protease inhibitor AEBSF·HCl either electrostatically or covalently (GNP.COOH AEBSF and GNP.AEBSF, respectively), or with the anti-KLK5 antibody (GNP.antiKLK5). The synthesized and functionalized GNP were highly water-soluble, and they were extensively characterized using UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). GNP.OH/COOH and their subsequent functionalizations effectively inhibited KLK5 in vitro. Internalization of fluorophore-coated GNP.OH/COOH in human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) was proven using confocal fluorescence microscopy. Cell viability assays revealed that the cytotoxicity of free AEBSF is importantly decreased when it is incorporated in the nanoparticles, either ionically (GNP.COOH AEBSF) or, most importantly, covalently (GNP.AEBSF). The functionalized nanoparticles GNP.AEBSF and GNP.antiKLK5 inhibited intracellular KLK5 activity in HaCaT cells and diminished secretion of IL-8 under inflammatory conditions triggered by TLR-2 ligands. This study points to the great potential of these GNP as a new intracellular delivery strategy for both small drugs and antibodies in the treatment of skin diseases such as Rosacea

Development of lactoferrin-loaded liposomes for the management of dry eye disease and ocular inflammation

Dry eye disease (DED) is a high prevalent multifactorial disease characterized by a lack of homeostasis of the tear film which causes ocular surface inflammation, soreness, and visual disturbance. Conventional ophthalmic treatments present limitations such as low bioavailability and side effects. Lactoferrin (LF) constitutes a promising therapeutic tool, but its poor aqueous stability and high nasolacrimal duct drainage hinder its potential efficacy. In this study, we incorporate lactoferrin into hyaluronic acid coated liposomes by the lipid film method, followed by high pressure homogenization. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles were evaluated in vitro and ex vivo. Cytotoxicity and ocular tolerance were assayed both in vitro and in vivo using New Zealand rabbits, as well as dry eye and anti-inflammatory treatments. LF loaded liposomes showed an average size of 90 nm, monomodal population, positive surface charge and a high molecular weight protein encapsulation of 53%. Biopharmaceutical behaviour was enhanced by the nanocarrier, and any cytotoxic effect was studied in human corneal epithelial cells. Developed liposomes revealed the ability to reverse dry eye symptoms and possess anti-inflammatory efficacy, without inducing ocular irritation. Hence, lactoferrin loaded liposomes could offer an innovative nanotechnological tool as suitable approach in the treatment of DED.FCT -Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia(2017SGR1477)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Adaptación Metodológica al EEES de la asignatura de Técnicas Instrumentales del Grado de Farmacia de la Universidad de Barcelona

[cast] En el plan de estudios del Grado de Farmacia de la Universidad de Barcelona, la asignatura de Técnicas Instrumentales se imparte en el cuarto semestre, después de haber cursado Física, Fisicoquímica y Química Analítica. El equipo docente de la asignatura está integrado por once profesores que mediante trabajo colaborativo y adecuada coordinación organizan la docencia de la misma que se distribuye en clases teóricas y prácticas. Con el objetivo de adaptar la asignatura a las necesidades del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior, se distribuyó en tres Bloques: I, Técnicas Espectroscópicas; II, Técnicas Electroquímicas y III, Técnicas de Separación. Las actividades teórico-prácticas se han planificado de manera secuencial. Así se inicia el ciclo con las clases teóricas del Bloque I y a continuación de manera paralela se imparten las clases prácticas del Bloque I y las clases teóricas del Bloque II y así sucesivamente, de manera que se termina la docencia con las prácticas del último Bloque. En este proceso adquiere especial relevancia tanto la formación práctica en el laboratorio como el trabajo tutorizado que debe realizar el estudiante. Se realiza un proceso de evaluación continuada teórico/práctico en cada uno de los Bloques. Se da especial relevancia a la adquisición de habilidades y destrezas que permitan una correcta realización de las prácticas de laboratorio, es decir la integración de los contenidos específicos a la aplicación de las diferentes técnicas instrumentales, la resolución de los cálculos numéricos y la interpretación de los resultados. [eng] In the new syllabus of the Pharmacy degree at the University of Barcelona, the subject Analytical Techniques is taught at the fourth semester, after the subjects Physics, Physical chemistry and Analytical chemistry. The teaching team of this subject is integrated by eleven teachers that by means of collaborative work and an appropriate coordination, organize the docent activity into practical and theoretical classes. With the aim to adapt this subject to the requirements of the European space for higher education, it has been designed in three blocs: I. Spectroscopic techniques, II. Electrochemical techniques and, III. Separation techniques, by planning the theoretical and practical activities in a sequential manner. Therefore, the cycle begins with the theory of the first bloc followed with the practice corresponding to it together with the theory of the second bloc, and so on. The course ends with the practical part of the third bloc. In this process is of great importance the tutorial work that the student should do. The evaluation of the theory and of the practical part of each bloc is done in a continuous way paying special focus on the acquisition of abilities and handiness that will allow the correct performance in the laboratory. In summary, the integration of the specific contents to the application of the different instrumental techniques, the resolution of the numerical calculations and the interpretation of the results

Activitats per a l'alumnat de secundària "Farmaestiu"

Podeu consultar la Vuitena trobada de professorat de Ciències de la Salut completa a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/66524La Facultat de Farmàcia ha realitzat accions encaminades a enfortir el contacte amb els centres de secundària. En aquest context, es situa l’activitat Farmaestiu que es va celebrar del 16 al 18 de juny de 2014 a la Facultat de Farmàcia. Farmaestiu va estar promogut i organitzat per professors de diferents departaments de la Facultat de Farmàcia juntament amb l’equip deganal de la Facultat de Farmàcia i el Servei d’Atenció a l’Estudiant. Farmaestiu es va adreçar a estudiants de primer i segon dels batxillerat científic (els alumnes havien de cursar 1r de batxillerat durant el curs 2013-2014). La nota acadèmica de la segona avaluació havia d'estar per sobre del 7,5. El nombre de places ofertes va ser de 20. Es va rebre un nombre de sol·licituds molt superior i es va realitzar la selecció tenint en compte la nota acadèmica. Els alumnes van disposar d’un guió de pràctiques elaborat pels professors responsables dels tallers. En aquest guió es descrivien, acompanyats de gràfics, totes les activitats a desenvolupar i es donaven detalls per situar el tema en context i facilitar la compressió del Taller. Les sessions (CONFERÈNCIES I TALLERS) van estar organitzades i impartides per professors de la Facultat i s’indiquen a continuació.La Facultat de Farmàcia ha realitzat accions encaminades a enfortir el contacte amb els centres de secundària. En aquest context, es situa l’activitat Farmaestiu que es va celebrar del 16 al 18 de juny de 2014 a la Facultat de Farmàcia. Farmaestiu va estar promogut i organitzat per professors de diferents departaments de la Facultat de Farmàcia juntament amb l’equip deganal de la Facultat de Farmàcia i el Servei d’Atenció a l’Estudiant. Farmaestiu es va adreçar a estudiants de primer i segon dels batxillerat científic (els alumnes havien de cursar 1r de batxillerat durant el curs 2013-2014). La nota acadèmica de la segona avaluació havia d'estar per sobre del 7,5. El nombre de places ofertes va ser de 20. Es va rebre un nombre de sol·licituds molt superior i es va realitzar la selecció tenint en compte la nota acadèmica. Els alumnes van disposar d’un guió de pràctiques elaborat pels professors responsables dels tallers. En aquest guió es descrivien, acompanyats de gràfics, totes les activitats a desenvolupar i es donaven detalls per situar el tema en context i facilitar la compressió del Taller. El programa va incloure dues conferències plenàries introductòries amb el títol “Farmàcia: quan el futur té molta historia” i “La recerca a les ciències farmacèutiques”, a càrrec del degà i el vicedegà de recerca, respectivament. Les sessions pràctiques van estar organitzades i impartides per professors de la Facultat. En concret, les sessions van ser: Taller de Modelització de Fàrmacs, un Taller d’Electrofisiologia, un Taller de Parasitologia i estades al Servei de Desenvolupament del Medicament. Les sessions pràctiques es van fer de forma rotatòria i en grups reduïts. Les activitats programades van apropar els estudiants a temes de màxim interès del món farmacèutic; se’ls va introduir en les tècniques de modelització molecular per al disseny de nous fàrmacs; van identificar microorganismes patògens; van aplicar tècniques d’electrofisiologia per conèixer el funcionament del cos humà; i van preparar un medicament en la forma farmacèutica de comprimit o de pomada. Aquestes són algunes de les activitats que els van submergir al fascinant món de la farmàcia. Un cop finalitzat el campus es va lliurar als assistents un diploma acreditatiu de la seva participació. En el futur la Facultat de Farmàcia té com a objectiu continuar proposant activitats que permetin als estudiants de secundària conèixer el Grau de Farmàcia i poder integrar al Grau estudiants de batxillerat que mostren un interès destacable per a les disciplines implicades en el món farmacèutic

Clonación y caracterización del operon de la ramnosa de Escherichia coli

[spa] La L-fucosa y la L-ramnosa son dos azúcares naturales que E.coli es capaz de utilizar como fuente de carbono y energía. La diferencia estructrural entre la ramnosa (6- deoxi - manosa) y la fucosa (6-deoxi-galactosa) está unicamente en la posición del radical hidroxilo del c2 y c4. La L-fucosa se metaboliza a través de la acción secuencial de una serie de enzimas inducibles: la fucosa permeasa, la fucosa isomerasa, la fuculosa quinasa y la fuculosa-1-fosfato aldolasa. Por su parte, la ramnosa se metaboliza por una vía análoga a la descrita para la glucosa por acción secuencial de una serie de enzimas inducibles: la ramnosa permeasa, ramnosa isomerasa y la ramnulosa quinasa) y la ramnulosa-1-fosfato aldolasa. Las vías convergen en un punto, de modo que lo descrito para fucosa es válido para glucosa. Se ha de destacar que, si bien existe una gran analogía entre las reacciones implicadas en el catabolismo de la fucosa y de la ramnosa, los enzimas que participan son altamente específicos para cada vía, así como su inducción. También la localización cromosómica de los genes en ambos sistemas es totalmente diferente. Por tanto, a pesar de la gran similitud estructural entre la fucosa y la ramnosa, así como entre sus vías de degradación, los sistemas “fue” y “rha” se comportan de forma diferente por lo que respecta a los cuatro primeros enzimas de la vía metabólica, de manera que ambos dos sistemas parecen tener una organización genética diferente