The Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Na(v)1.8 Is Expressed in Human Sperm

The role of Na+ fluxes through voltage-gated sodium channels in the regulation of sperm cell function remains poorly understood. Previously, we reported that several genes encoding voltage-gated Na+ channels were expressed in human testis and mature spermatozoa. In this study, we analyzed the presence and function of the TTX-resistant VGSC a subunit Na(v)1.8 in human capacitated sperm cells. Using an RT-PCR assay, we found that the mRNA of the gene SCN10A, that encode Na-v1.8, was abundantly and specifically expressed in human testis and ejaculated spermatozoa. The Na-v1.8 protein was detected in capacitated sperm cells using three different specific antibodies against this channel. Positive immunoreactivity was mainly located in the neck and the principal piece of the flagellum. The presence of Na-v1.8 in sperm cells was confirmed by Western blot. Functional studies demonstrated that the increases in progressive motility produced by veratridine, a voltage-gated sodium channel activator, were reduced in sperm cells preincubated with TTX (10 mu M), the Na-v1.8 antagonist A-803467, or a specific Na-v1.8 antibody. Veratridine elicited similar percentage increases in progressive motility in sperm cells maintained in Ca2+-containing or Ca2+-free solution and did not induce hyperactivation or the acrosome reaction. Veratridine caused a rise in sperm intracellular Na+, [Na+](i), and the sustained phase of the response was inhibited in the presence of A-803467. These results verify that the Na+ channel Na-v1.8 is present in human sperm cells and demonstrate that this channel participates in the regulation of sperm function.

SU-8 microprobes for biomedical applications

152 p. : il.

Arquitectura subcelular del sistema endocannabinoide en el núcleo ventromedial del hipotálamo de ratón

356 p. : il., graf. Nota: Contiene versión resumida en inglés p.237-256 con el título “Subcellular architecture of the endocannabinoid system in the mouse ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus”

Serie Vídeos tutoriales para fonética. Video 8. Praat: doing phonetics by computer (Parte 4: Propiedades acústicas de los sonidos del habla observables en espectrogramas)

Esta es una colección de 10 vídeos tutoriales que pueden ser empleados como material educativo en los cursos de fonética básica en el ámbito universitario. Los vídeos 1-3 tratan aspectos relacionados con la grabación: el tipo de micrófonos que se emplean, las clases de espacios en las que se suelen llevar a cabo la captura de señales de audio y las grabadoras que se suelen emplear. El vídeo 4 explora técnicas de captura y observación de datos de flujo y presión en fonética aerodinámica. Los vídeos 5-10 presentan información sobre los principales usos que se le brindan al programa Praat (Boersma y Weenink, 2014) en los estudios actuales de fonética acústica, desde la clase de información sobre modos de articulación de las consonantes que se puede identificar en oscilogramas hasta la creación de señales sonoras sintetizadas por medio de unos procedimientos que tiene el programa para tal propósito, los cuales son susceptibles de ser empleados en experimentos de percepción auditiva.

Etapa sentikorraren lehenengo fasearen (8-12 urte) garrantzia keinu teknikoak barneratzerako surfean

8-12 urte bitarteko umeen surf entrenamendu prozesua nola planifikatu behar da, murgilduta dauden etapa sentikorra kontuan hartuz.

Metalotioneinen mailak eta metalen banaketa Ag eta Cu pean mantendutako ostretan

Laburpena: Ikerlan hau itsasoaren kutsaduran zentratzen da, itsasoak arriskutsuak eta kaltegarriak diren substantziak jasotzen dituelako, bai ibaietako ekarpenarengatik, baita zuzeneko karguetatik. Organismo behale gisa ostrak erabiliko dira, izaki iragazleak izanik elikagaien irenstearen ondorioz medio urtsutik kutsatzaileak metatzen dituztelako eta gainera, ingurugiroan dauden mailen gainetik kontzentratzen dituztelako. Ostretan zilarra (Ag) eta kobrea (Cu) bezalako metalen eragina aztertuko da, horretarako, metalen aurreko esposizio biomarkatzaileak erabiliko dira. Besteak beste, autometalografia erabiliko da metalen mailak eta banaketa ostren ehunetan neurtzeko eta metalotioneinen mailak ere neurtuko dira. Ostrek metalekiko izan duten esposizio denborak 0, 6, 7, 13 eta 14 egunetakoak izan dira, bai itsasoko eta bai estuarioko uretan mantenduz. Emaitzak ikusita behatu da estuarioko laginek, normalean, metal kontzentrazio baxuagoak aurkezten dituztela, eta zenbait kasutan kontrolek metalen pean jarritako laginak baino metal kontzentrazio handiagoak erakutsi dituzte aste bat igaro eta gero. Bigarren astean, metal mailen jaitsiera bat behatu da. Beste alde batetik, metalotioneinetan neurtutako indukzio mailak oso baxuak izan dira. Metalen distribuzioa ehun desberdinetan aldez aurretik beste molusku batzuetan deskribatutakoen oso antzekoa izan da ostretan.

CICLOADICIONES [3+2] Y [8+2] Y SU APLICACIÓN A LA SÍNTESIS DE MOLÉCULAS MARCADAS Y SENSORES DE ADN FLUORESCENTES

La presente Tesis Doctoral está encaminada hacia el estudio de las cicloadiciones y su aplicación a la síntesis de moléculas marcadas y sensores de ADN fluorescentes. La primera línea de trabajo se basará en el diseño y síntesis de dos nuevos grupos de moléculas fluorescentes basadas en las benzo[a]imidazo[5,1,2-cd]indolizinas y en las 2,3,9c-triazociclo-penta[j,k]fluorenos mediante la cicloadición [8 + 2]. También se lleva a cabo la síntesis de los derivados los aductos [8+2] que pudieran interaccionar con el ADN y posteriores experimentos de unión al ADN de los compuestos sintetizados. Por otro lado, la segunda línea de investigación consistirá en la búsqueda de estrategias sintéticas para la obtención de un precursor de un inhibidor de HDAC para su utilización en estudios de biodistribución mediante técnicas basados en radioactividad, como son la de tomografía por emisión de positrones y el método de disección.

A chemically inert Rashba split interface electronic structure of C-60, FeOEP and PTCDA on BiAg2/Ag(111) substrates

The fields of organic electronics and spintronics have the potential to revolutionize the electronics industry. Finding the right materials that can retain their electrical and spin properties when combined is a technological and fundamental challenge. We carry out the study of three archetypal organic molecules in intimate contact with the BiAg2 surface alloy. We show that the BiAg2 alloy is an especially suited substrate due to its inertness as support for molecular films, exhibiting an almost complete absence of substrate-molecular interactions. This is inferred from the persistence of a completely unaltered giant spin-orbit split surface state of the BiAg2 substrate, and from the absence of significant metallic screening of charged molecular levels in the organic layer. Spin-orbit split states in BiAg2 turn out to be far more robust to organic overlayers than previously thought.

Composite beta-AgVO3@V5+1.6V4+0.4O4.8 hydrogels and xerogels for catalytic applications

Comunicación (Poster) en panel del congreso: Designing New Heterogeneous Catalysts, Faraday Discussion, 4–6 April 2016. London, United Kingdom.

Mechanisms of Toxicity of Ag Nanoparticles in Comparison to Bulk and Ionic Ag on Mussel Hemocytes and Gill Cells

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are increasingly used in many products and are expected to end up in the aquatic environment. Mussels have been proposed as marine model species to evaluate NP toxicity in vitro. The objective of this work was to assess the mechanisms of toxicity of Ag NPs on mussel hemocytes and gill cells, in comparison to ionic and bulk Ag. Firstly, cytotoxicity of commercial and maltose stabilized Ag NPs was screened in parallel with the ionic and bulk forms at a wide range of concentrations in isolated mussel cells using cell viability assays. Toxicity of maltose alone was also tested. LC50 values were calculated and the most toxic Ag NPs tested were selected for a second step where sublethal concentrations of each Ag form were tested using a wide array of mechanistic tests in both cell types. Maltose-stabilized Ag NPs showed size-dependent cytotoxicity, smaller (20 nm) NPs being more toxic than larger (40 and 100 nm) NPs. Maltose alone provoked minor effects on cell viability. Ionic Ag was the most cytotoxic Ag form tested whereas bulk Ag showed similar cytotoxicity to the commercial Ag NPs. Main mechanisms of action of Ag NPs involved oxidative stress and genotoxicity in the two cell types, activation of lysosomal AcP activity, disruption of actin cytoskeleton and stimulation of phagocytosis in hemocytes and increase of MXR transport activity and inhibition of Na-K-ATPase in gill cells. Similar effects were observed after exposure to ionic and bulk Ag in the two cell types, although generally effects were more marked for the ionic form. In conclusion, results suggest that most observed responses were due at least in part to dissolved Ag.