Demonstration and partial characterization of the interferon-gamma receptor on human mononuclear phagocytes.

Radioiodinated recombinant human interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) bound to human monocytes, U937, and HL60 cells in a specific, saturable, and reversible manner. At 4 degrees C, the different cell types bound 3,000-7,000 molecules of IFN gamma, and binding was of comparable affinity (Ka = 4-12 X 10(8) M-1). No change in the receptor was observed after monocytes differentiated to macrophages or when the cell lines were pharmacologically induced to differentiate. The functional relevance of the receptor was validated by the demonstration that receptor occupancy correlated with induction of Fc receptors on U937. Binding studies using U937 permeabilized with digitonin showed that only 46% of the total receptor pool was expressed at the cell surface. The receptor appears to be a protein, since treatment of U937 with trypsin or pronase reduced 125I-IFN gamma binding by 87 and 95%, respectively. At 37 degrees C, ligand was internalized, since 32% of the cell-associated IFN gamma became resistant to trypsin stripping. Monocytes degraded 125I-IFN gamma into trichloroacetic acid-soluble counts at 37 degrees C but not at 4 degrees C, at an approximate rate of 5,000 molecules/cell per h. The receptor was partially characterized by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of purified U937 membranes that had been incubated with 125I-IFN gamma. After cross-linking, the receptor-ligand complex migrated as a broad band that displayed an Mr of 104,000 +/- 18,000 at the top and 84,000 +/- 6,000 at the bottom. These results thereby define and partially characterize the IFN gamma receptor of human mononuclear phagocytes.

Protocol de viabilitat socioecològica del llop : àrea d'estudi de la Vall d'Alinyà

Aquest estudi analitza diferents variables ecològiques i socials amb l’objectiu de determinar la viabilitat de l’espècie Canis lupus en el territori que compren la Vall d’Alinyà, i definir unes pautes per extrapolar aquest tipus d’anàlisis a altres àrees d’estudi. El llop va desaparèixer de Catalunya a causa de la forta pressió antròpica exercida sobre l’espècie en el passat. En l’última dècada, s’han donat indicis d’una possible reaparició del súper depredador en el territori català. Com a mètode per a la cerca del llop s’ha experimentat amb l’ús de gossos de rastreig per a la cerca i diferenciació de rastres de llop, aquesta és una tècnica innovadora no utilitzada anteriorment per a aquest tipus d’objectiu. L’exploració de les inquietuds dels ramaders i caçadors de la zona, mostra una bona predisposició a la reaparició de l’animal. Malgrat no s’ha detectat llop amb els mètodes emprats, es demostra que li és viable d’establir-se a la zona.

Proposal of three thermodynamic variables to discriminate between storms associated with hail and storms with intense rainfall in Catalonia (Proposta de tres variables termodinàmiques per discriminar entre tempestes amb pedregades i tempestes amb pluges intenses)

Between late spring and early fall, the development of storms is common in Catalonia. Despite the fact that they usually produce heavy showers of short duration, they can also involve severe weather with ice pellets or hail. While the latter usually affect inland regions, and there are numerous publications on these cases; the analysis of events affecting the coast and causing damage to public and private properties is not so well developed. The aim of this study is to provide additional thermodynamic indicators that help differentiate storms with hail from storms without hail, considering cases that have affected various regions of Catalonia, mainly coastal areas. The aim is to give more information to improve prognosis and the ability to detail information in these situations. The procedure developed involved the study of several episodes of heavy rainfall and hail that hit Catalonia during the 2003-2009 period, mainly in the province of Girona, and validated the proposal during the campaign of late summer and fall of 2009, as well as 2012. For each case, several variables related to temperature, humidity and wind were analyzed at different levels of the atmosphere, while the information provided by the radio sounding in Barcelona was also taken into account. From this study, it can be concluded that the temperature difference between 500 hPa and 850 hPa, the humidity in the lower layers of the atmosphere and the LI index are good indicators for the detection of storms with associated hail.

Association of early repolarization with risk of cardiac mortality in the general population

Early repolarization, which is characterized by an elevation of the J-point on 12-lead electrocardiography, is a common finding that has been considered as benign for decades. However, in the last years, it has been related with vulnerability to idiopathic ventricular fibrillation and with cardiac mortality in the general population. Recently, 4 potential ECG predictors that could differentiate the benign from the malignant form of early repolarization have been suggested. Any previous study about early repolarization has been done in Spain. Aim. To ascertain whether the presence of early repolarization pattern in a resting electrocardiogram is associated with a major risk of cardiac death in a Spanish general population and to determine whether the presence of potential predictors of malignancy in a resting electrocardiogram increases the risk of cardiac mortality in patients with early repolarization pattern. Methods. We will analyse the presence of early repolarization and the occurrence of cardiac mortality in a retrospective cohort study of 4,279 participants aged 25 to 74 years in the province of Girona. This cohort has been followed during a mean of 9.8 years. Early repolarization will be stratified according to the degree of J-point elevation (≥0.1 mV or ≥0.2 mV), the morphology of the J-wave (slurring, notching or any of these two), the ST-segment pattern (ascending or descending) and the localization (inferior leads, lateral leads, or both). Association of early repolarization with cardiac death will be assessed by adjusted Cox-proportional hazards models

Cultural events and tourist development in Catalonia (Spain)

From the point of view of local development cultural tourism events represent an opportunity since they are distributed homogeneously by the Catalan territory and are experiencing a vertiginous growth as a way to differentiate the existing supply. In our study a sample of 264 telephone surveys made to organizers of events in Catalonia has been compiled, with the purpose of characterizing the existing supply, thematic typologies, management models, commercialization inputs and economic impact. The results allow us to characterize events from the point of view of their tourist potential. Finally some recommendations are set out to develop future tourism policies based on events according to product differentiation, seasonality, competitiveness and creativity.

Cultural events as tourism supply in coastal Catalan resorts

During the last three decades, the number of tourism events has been growing in Catalan coastal resorts because of the recover of Catalan cultural traditions, festivals and folklore, and also because of tourism growth. Catalan tourism resorts use events as catalysers for new supply and as a mean to differentiate and singularize themselves from their competitors. The tourism potential of cultural events is undeniable but there are some problems that prevent a more effective impact as economic and regional development agents. This paper reflects some discussions and conclusions obtained from the analysis of 264 valid responses of a survey made to different Catalan event organizers in 2008 and 2009. We describe and characterize cultural event supply in coastal resorts in order to study the events tourism importance, their capacity to generate and spread economic development, and their managerial model. The analysis is made in a geographical basis, comparing the results of the territorial organization of events of the city of Barcelona, coastal and inland municipalities. Finally some considerations about event regional tourism policy and tourism development are discussed.

Minimization of biosynthetic costs in adaptive gene expression responses of yeast to environmental changes

Yeast successfully adapts to an environmental stress by altering physiology and fine-tuning metabolism. This fine-tuning is achieved through regulation of both gene expression and protein activity, and it is shaped by various physiological requirements. Such requirements impose a sustained evolutionary pressure that ultimately selects a specific gene expression profile, generating a suitable adaptive response to each environmental change. Although some of the requirements are stress specific, it is likely that others are common to various situations. We hypothesize that an evolutionary pressure for minimizing biosynthetic costs might have left signatures in the physicochemical properties of proteins whose gene expression is fine-tuned during adaptive responses. To test this hypothesis we analyze existing yeast transcriptomic data for such responses and investigate how several properties of proteins correlate to changes in gene expression. Our results reveal signatures that are consistent with a selective pressure for economy in protein synthesis during adaptive response of yeast to various types of stress. These signatures differentiate two groups of adaptive responses with respect to how cells manage expenditure in protein biosynthesis. In one group, significant trends towards downregulation of large proteins and upregulation of small ones are observed. In the other group we find no such trends. These results are consistent with resource limitation being important in the evolution of the first group of stress responses.

Analysis of vineyard differential management zones and relation to vine development, grape maturity and quality

The objective of research was to analyse the potential of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) maps from satellite images, yield maps and grapevine fertility and load variables to delineate zones with different wine grape properties for selective harvesting. Two vineyard blocks located in NE Spain (Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah) were analysed. The NDVI was computed from a Quickbird-2 multi-spectral image at veraison (July 2005). Yield data was acquired by means of a yield monitor during September 2005. Other variables, such as the number of buds, number of shoots, number of wine grape clusters and weight of 100 berries were sampled in a 10 rows × 5 vines pattern and used as input variables, in combination with the NDVI, to define the clusters as alternative to yield maps. Two days prior to the harvesting, grape samples were taken. The analysed variables were probable alcoholic degree, pH of the juice, total acidity, total phenolics, colour, anthocyanins and tannins. The input variables, alone or in combination, were clustered (2 and 3 Clusters) by using the ISODATA algorithm, and an analysis of variance and a multiple rang test were performed. The results show that the zones derived from the NDVI maps are more effective to differentiate grape maturity and quality variables than the zones derived from the yield maps. The inclusion of other grapevine fertility and load variables did not improve the results.

Los juegos y deportes tradicionales en Europa: entre la tradición y la modernidad

El juego es un elemento básico de socialización: es una creación cultural en el marco de una sociedad determinada. La visión contextualizada de todo juego tradicional debe considerar las propiedades que caracterizan su lógica interna, así como las condiciones socioculturales y los significados simbólicos que le atribuyen sus protagonistas (lógica externa). En esta investigación se realiza un inventario y análisis de la lógica interna y la lógica externa de los juegos tradicionales de adultos que se practican actualmente en 11 regiones europeas. Entre las conclusiones más relevantes destacar que existe un gran repertorio de juegos psicomotores y sociomotores. Se trata de juegos con un alto componente competitivo, en los que se distinguen vencedores y perdedores. Los grupos son básicamente masculinos y mixtos y sin la presencia de un líder o capitán, excepto en las regiones más deportivizadas en las que si aparece esta figura. Se observa que muchas de estas prácticas se están transformando en deportes (regionales), sobre todo aquellas que son protagonizadas por el género masculino. En definitiva, esta investigación aporta datos muy relevantes para comprender la naturaleza de la cultura lúdica tradicional europea.

Els jocs i esports tradicionals a Europa: entre la tradició i la modernitat

El joc és un element bàsic de socialització: és una creació cultural en el marc d’una societat determinada. La visió contextualitzada de qualsevol joc tradicional ha de considerar les propietats que caracteritzen la seva lògica interna, i també les condicions socioculturals i els significats simbòlics que -li atribueixen els seus protagonistes (lògica externa). En aquesta investigació es fa un inventari i una anàlisi de la lògica interna i la lògica externa dels jocs tradicionals d’adults que es practiquen actualment a 11 regions europees. Entre les conclusions més rellevants cal destacar que hi ha un gran repertori de jocs psicomotors i sociomotors. Es tracta de jocs amb un alt component competitiu, en els quals es distingeixen vencedors i perdedors. Els grups són bàsicament masculins i mixtos i sense la presència d’un líder o capità, excepte a les regions més esportivitzades, on sí que apareix aquesta figura. Observem que moltes d’aquestes pràctiques s’estan transformant en esports (regionals), sobretot les que són protagonitzades pel gènere masculí. En resum, aquesta investigació aporta dades molt rellevants per a comprendre la naturalesa de la cultura lúdica tradicional europea.

Comparing N = 1 effect size indices in presence of autocorrelation

Generalization from single-case designs can be achieved by means of replicating individual studies across different experimental units and settings. When replications are available, their findings can be summarized using effect size measurements and integrated through meta-analyses. Several procedures are available for quantifying the magnitude of treatment"s effect in N = 1 designs and some of them are studied in the current paper. Monte Carlo simulations were employed to generate different data patterns (trend, level change, slope change). The experimental conditions simulated were defined by the degrees of serial dependence and phases" length. Out of all the effect size indices studied, the Percent of nonoverlapping data and standardized mean difference proved to be less affected by autocorrelation and perform better for shorter data series. The regression-based procedures proposed specifically for single-case designs did not differentiate between data patterns as well as simpler indices.

Gradients and regeneration: the case of TNEX59 in planarians (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida)

During development, multicellular organisms determine and then differentiate regions that constitute the body's architecture. These regions are established and controlled by a number of molecules, including nuclear factors, that drive the organism from the egg to its final shape. We studied the molecules involved in the regionalisation of the freshwater planarian body (Platyhelminthes, Turbelleria, Tricladida).

Effect of heating oxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin on microsomes oxidation.

Hemoglobin (Hb) has been proposed to be a major pro-oxidant in raw and cooked meats. To understand the mechanisms and differentiate between the pro-oxidant and antioxidant potential of oxyhemoglobin (OxyHb) and methemoglobin (MetHb), their pro-oxidant activity, protein solubility, radical scavenging capacity, iron content and contribution of non-chelatable iron on lipid oxidation were determined as a function of thermal treatments. The ability of native OxyHb and MetHb to promote lipid oxidation was similar and higher than their corresponding OxyHb or MetHb heated at 68 and 90 degrees C but not different from those at 45 degrees C. The pro-oxidant activity of MetHb heated at 68 and 90 degrees C were similar whereas the pro-oxidant activity of OxyHb heated at 68 degrees C was higher than that heated at 90 degrees C. The decreased pro-oxidant activity of heat-denatured Hb was associated with a decrease in the solubility of heme iron while free iron showed little impact on the lipid oxidation.

Anàlisi de la incidència del sistema de joc en la creació de situacions de superioritat numèrica en el futbol amb el juvenil “A” del Futbol Club Barcelona

El present treball es centra en l’estudi de les situacions de superioritat numèrica generades al llarg de la temporada 2013-2014 de l’equip Juvenil A del Futbol Club Barcelona. L’objectiu principal d’aquest treball és esbrinar quina incidència té el sistema de joc 1-4-3-3 en la creació d’aquestes situacions ofensives en el joc de l’equip. Per tal d’enregistrar múltiples situacions de joc i diferenciar la seva complexitat, s’han establert tres variables d’estudi: la zona del camp on es crea la superioritat numèrica (dividint el camp en 12 zones), el tipus de superioritat produïda (2 contra 1, 3 contra 1, 3 contra 2, 4 contra 2 i 4 contra 3), i la freqüència d’interacció dels jugadors en les situacions de superioritat en relació al networking (jugadors que intervenen en les situacions de superioritat per tal de poder establir relacions entre posicions del sistema de joc 1-4-3-3). El mètode utilitzat és notacional (ja que s’enregistra la freqüència en què succeeix un fenomen a partir d’unes taules creades especialment per l’enregistrament de dades), on fent ús de la proposta de Gréhaigne (2001) s’analitzen 8 partits al llarg de la temporada 2013-2014. Els resultats obtinguts mostren que es produeixen més superioritats a les zones 4 i 6 (20,37% respectivament), seguides de les zones 7 (14,81%) i 5 (13,89%). El major tipus de superioritat ha estat el 2 contra 1 (48,15%) seguit del 3 contra 2 (39,81%). La interacció més freqüent entre jugadors en les situacions de 2 contra 1 ha estat: lateral dret i central dret (26,92%) i lateral esquerre i central esquerre (21,15%). En les situacions de tres jugadors (3 contra 1) ha estat: entre el central dret, central esquerre i el pivot (28,57%) i entre el central dret, el lateral dret i el pivot (28,75%). En les situacions de 3 contra 2: lateral dret, l’interior dret i l’extrem dret (18,60%) i entre el central esquerre, el lateral esquerre i l’interior esquerre (18,60%). Pel que fa a les situacions de 4 contra 2 no se n’ha produït cap, i les de 4 contra 3 hi ha una igualtat entre diverses posicions(16,67%), però no s’observen dades molt significatives en quan a la intervenció, excepte la posició del pivot que intervé en gairebé totes. Aquestes dades, s’assimilen al que diuen Sans i Frattarola (2009) sobre el fet que en la zona d’inici es creen més situacions de superioritat que en la zona de progressió i finalització. També Castelo (1999) aporta un estudi sobre els percentatges d’aportacions ofensives dels jugadors en funció de l’espai i la demarcació, però tot i que en aquest cas no ho compara amb situacions de superioritat numèrica, les dades extretes son interessants per la comparativa amb l’estudi que es presenta.

Influències del tipus de superfície en el rendiment dels jocs al servei i a la restada en jugadors ATP (2013)

L’objectiu d’aquest estudi és descobrir com influeix la superfície de la pista de tenis en el rendiment dels jugadors a l’hora d’aconseguir un major percentatge de jocs guanyats, factor determinant en el resultat final. Per controlar aquest factor diferenciarem entre els disputats en servei i en restada, per tenir així una visió més acurada del tenis d’elit. La mostra escollida està composta per els 50 tenistes millor classificats a final de l’any 2013. S’incorporarà també la variable de l’alçada del jugador per veure si aquesta es també un factor influent. Es conclou l’estudi sabent que la superfície d’herba ajuda a un major èxit en els jocs al servei, més que en les superfícies dures i la terra batuda. Pel que fa a la restada, trobem que en la superfície d’herba, la mostra dels jugadors analitzats guanya un percentatge menor que sobre pista ràpida i terra batuda. Tot i això, les diferències no semblen gaire grans entre unes i altres. Per determinar si els jugadors actuals estan adaptats a aquestes 3 superfícies per igual es va agafar el percentatge de jocs guanyats en la millor i la pitjor superfície (descartant l’intermèdia), i s’establí una mitjana entre els 50 tenistes. Els resultats indicaren que la majoria de jugadors segueixen notant el canvi de superfície, tot i això, la majoria d’ells estan capacitats per guanyar partits en les altres pistes. Obtinguérem també una alta correlació entre l’alçada del tenista i una major diferència entre el percentatge de jocs guanyats en el servei en comparació amb la restada.