Dual Roles of Diadenosine Polyphosphates in Corneal Epithelial Cell Migration

Purpose. To investigate the influence of diadenosine polyphosphates on the rate of corneal epithelial cell migration. Methods. Primary corneal epithelial cell cultures were obtained from New Zealand White rabbits. Immunocytochemical experiments were performed by fixing the cells with 4% paraformaldehyde (PFA) and incubated with cytokeratin 3 primary antibody, which was subsequently incubated with a secondary IgG mouse labeled with FITC, and the cells were observed under confocal microscopy. Migration studies were performed by taking confluent monolayers that were wounded with a pipette tip and challenged with different di- and mononucleotides with or without P2 antagonist (n = 8 each treatment). For concentration–response analysis, compounds were tested in doses ranging from 10−8 to 10−3 M (n = 8). The stability of the dinucleotides was assayed by HPLC, with an isocratic method (n = 4). Results. Cells under study were verified as corneal epithelial cells via the immunocytochemical analysis. Cell migration experiments showed that Ap4A, UTP, and ATP accelerated the rate of healing (5, 2.75, and 3 hours, respectively; P < 0.05; P < 0.001), whereas Ap3A, Ap5A, and UDP delayed it (6.5, 10, and 2 hours, respectively; P < 0.05). ADP did not modify the rate of migration. Antagonists demonstrated that Ap4A and Ap3A did activate different P2Y receptors mediating corneal wound-healing acceleration and delay. Concerning the possible degradation of the dinucleotides, it was almost impossible to detect any products resulting from their cleavage. Conclusions. Based on the pharmacological profile of all the compounds tested, the two main P2Y receptors that exist in these corneal cells are a P2Y2 receptor accelerating the rate of healing and a P2Y6 receptor that delays this process.

An empirical study of the recreationalexpressive and referential roles of the cell phone among young students and their potential applications to advertising

The cell phone has become a means of finding persuasive content, making friends and accessing information. For this reason it is of great interest in analyzing is use by young people during their formative years. Regarding this point, the objectives of the research are: to obtain percentage data on the distraction call phones cause among students; to define their habits re fun activities and their study responsibility in their personal and academic lives; and to identify leisure-expressive and referential trends. It was decided to analyze the Spanish discourse found on Twitter. To do so, a quantitative and qualitative methodology was used, with a linguistic pattern extraction tool which allows us to obtain categories of meaning. The sample was 10,000 tweets in Spanish, with key words such as “cell” and “study” and all possible derivatives. The data were gathered between 30 May and the 6 June 2014, which coincides with the start of the exam period in Spain. Finally, the potential applications of the research to the specific field of publicity and advertising is discussed as a possible solution to the current needs of the brands, which have to find participative formats taking into account the students’ leisure trends.

Género: identidades, estereotipos y roles. Un estudio empírico con alumnado no universitario de la Comunidad de Madrid

El presente trabajo se ha estructurado en torno a una realidad compleja: el género. Se ha seguido una doble vía metodológica, con una revisión teórica del tema, y un trabajo empírico en el que se han analizado algunos elementos importantes de esta realidad en una muestra formada por alumnado de tercer ciclo de Educación Primaria, ESO, PCPI, Bachillerato, CFGM y CFGS de la Comunidad de Madrid, escolarizado en centros públicos y concertados. El objetivo ha sido doble. Por un lado, la aproximación teórica a la categoría género y su influencia en las relaciones de pareja. Por otro, conocer empíricamente si el género es relevante en la forma en la que el alumnado no universitario se define a sí mismo (faceta de la identidad de género); en el modo en que describe a los demás (chicas y chicos en general); en lo que considera deseable para quienes desempeñan roles relacionales; y si su identidad de género influye en las expectativas que se plantean para el futuro y los estilos de relación de pareja preferidos. A lo largo de la parte teórica se ha revisado el desarrollo histórico del término género, haciendo hincapié en los distintos matices que ha ido adquiriendo hasta alcanzar en la actualidad una multiplicidad de usos y numerosos enfoques para su estudio. Posteriormente, dado su carácter polifacético y multidimensional, se han analizado teóricamente tres elementos de esta realidad, concretamente la identidad, los estereotipos y los roles de género, dada su relevancia evidenciada en la literatura. Se ha estudiado también el amor y las relaciones de pareja y su nexo con el género, especialmente con la violencia de género. El trabajo empírico ha abordado ciertas facetas específicas de la identidad, los estereotipos y los roles de género, así como el efecto de la identidad de género en las expectativas de futuro que se plantea el alumnado no universitario y los estilos de amor preferidos como base de relaciones de pareja ideales. En todos estos elementos, se ha analizado la influencia del sexo, la edad y la etapa educativa...