Producci�� de valor, recursos humans i articulaci�� de l'espai. Catalunya com a exemple (1955-1975)

Com a base per endinsar-se en l'anhlisi de l'articulaci�� espacial d'un territori, proposo postular que aquesta articulaci��, ��s a dir, l'espai social en cada moment determinat, ��s la resultant dels efectes de la formaci�� social vigent sobre una situaci�� genealbgica del territori en el qual interv��. Segons aixb, la variable articuladora en cada formaci�� social estarh formada pel proc��s de producci�� i reproducci�� de valor en la seq��kncia: 1) producci�� de valor; 2) utilitzaci�� dels diversos recursos productius, tot aprofitant-se de la mobilitat diferencial dels factors; 3) circulaci�� del valor, i 4) gesti�� i/o apropiaci�� de l'excedent i repartiment social del valor. Tot aixb sobre un territori en el qual s'articularan diverses funcionalitzacions de manera que possibilitin, i maximalitzin si ��s possible, el resultat per part del bloc gestor-apropiador de l'excedent.

Comparative analysis of amino acid repeats in rodents and humans

Amino acid tandem repeats, also called homopolymeric tracts, are extremely abundant in eukaryotic proteins. To gain insight into the genome-wide evolution of these regions in mammals, we analyzed the repeat content in a large data set of rat-mouse-human orthologs. Our results show that human proteins contain more amino acid repeats than rodent proteins and that trinucleotide repeats are also more abundant in human coding sequences. Using the human species as an outgroup, we were able to address differences in repeat loss and repeat gain in the rat and mouse lineages. In this data set, mouse proteins contain substantially more repeats than rat proteins, which can be at least partly attributed to a higher repeat loss in the rat lineage. The data are consistent with a role for trinucleotide slippage in the generation of novel amino acid repeats. We confirm the previously observed functional bias of proteins with repeats, with overrepresentation of transcription factors and DNA-binding proteins. We show that genes encoding amino acid repeats tend to have an unusually high GC content, and that differences in coding GC content among orthologs are directly related to the presence/absence of repeats. We propose that the different GC content isochore structure in rodents and humans may result in an increased amino acid repeat prevalence in the human lineage.

La situaci�� del tr��fic d'��ssers humans a Catalunya

En la primera, s'explica molt resumidament com s���aborda el coneixement d���un fenomen com el TEH des de la vessant de l���an��lisi. En la segona part s'exposa les dades vinculades a les intervencions que el cos de Mossos d���Esquadra ha efectuat en els darrers anys en l�����mbit del TEH.

Valors humans i bombers

Una v��ctima ��s una persona que acaba de patir un afrontament brutal, sobtat i inesperat amb la mort o amb la degradaci�� de la seva integritat ps��quica i f��sica. Aquesta experi��ncia la viu amb el trencament de la falsa creen��a que el m��n ��s segur i que tot ��s controlable (���aix�� no em passar�� mai a mi���).

Platelet-activating factor causes ventilation-perfusion mismatch in humans

We hypothesized that platelet-activating factor (PAF), a potent inflammatory mediator, could induce gas exchange abnormalities in normal humans. To this end, the effect of aerosolized PAF (2 mg/ml solution; 24 micrograms) on ventilation-perfusion (VA/Q) relationships, hemodynamics, and resistance of the respiratory system was studied in 14 healthy, nonatopic, and nonsmoking individuals (23 +/- 1 [SEM]yr) before and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 15, and 45 min after inhalation, and compared to that of inhaled lyso-PAF in 10 other healthy individuals (24 +/- 2 yr). PAF induced, compared to lyso-PAF, immediate leukopenia (P < 0.001) followed by a rebound leukocytosis (P < 0.002), increased minute ventilation (P < 0.05) and resistance of the respiratory system (P < 0.01), and decreased systemic arterial pressure (P < 0.05). Similarly, compared to lyso-PAF, PaO2 showed a trend to fall (by 12.2 +/- 4.3 mmHg, mean +/- SEM maximum change from baseline), and arterial-alveolar O2 gradient increased (by 16.7 +/- 4.3 mmHg) (P < 0.02) after PAF, because of VA/Q mismatch: the dispersion of pulmonary blood flow and that of ventilation increased by 0.45 +/- 0.1 (P < 0.01) and 0.29 +/- 0.1 (P < 0.04), respectively. We conclude that in normal subjects, inhaled PAF results in considerable immediate VA/Q inequality and gas exchange impairment. These results reinforce the notion that PAF may play a major role as a mediator of inflammation in the human lung.

Platelet-activating factor causes ventilation-perfusion mismatch in humans

We hypothesized that platelet-activating factor (PAF), a potent inflammatory mediator, could induce gas exchange abnormalities in normal humans. To this end, the effect of aerosolized PAF (2 mg/ml solution; 24 micrograms) on ventilation-perfusion (VA/Q) relationships, hemodynamics, and resistance of the respiratory system was studied in 14 healthy, nonatopic, and nonsmoking individuals (23 +/- 1 [SEM]yr) before and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 15, and 45 min after inhalation, and compared to that of inhaled lyso-PAF in 10 other healthy individuals (24 +/- 2 yr). PAF induced, compared to lyso-PAF, immediate leukopenia (P < 0.001) followed by a rebound leukocytosis (P < 0.002), increased minute ventilation (P < 0.05) and resistance of the respiratory system (P < 0.01), and decreased systemic arterial pressure (P < 0.05). Similarly, compared to lyso-PAF, PaO2 showed a trend to fall (by 12.2 +/- 4.3 mmHg, mean +/- SEM maximum change from baseline), and arterial-alveolar O2 gradient increased (by 16.7 +/- 4.3 mmHg) (P < 0.02) after PAF, because of VA/Q mismatch: the dispersion of pulmonary blood flow and that of ventilation increased by 0.45 +/- 0.1 (P < 0.01) and 0.29 +/- 0.1 (P < 0.04), respectively. We conclude that in normal subjects, inhaled PAF results in considerable immediate VA/Q inequality and gas exchange impairment. These results reinforce the notion that PAF may play a major role as a mediator of inflammation in the human lung.

Els gossos espien els humans per calibrar-ne la generositat

Un nou estudi conclou que els gossos observen les persones quan no se n"adonen amb l"objectiu d"intuir i valorar quines s��n les seves actituds

XVIII Setmana de Cinema Formatiu. Recursos Humans i Cinema Formatiu

Reproducci�� digital del document original

Weber's law in decision making: integrating behavioral data in humans with a neurophysiological model

Recent single-cell studies in monkeys (Romo et al., 2004) show that the activity of neurons in the ventral premotor cortex covaries with the animal's decisions in a perceptual comparison task regarding the frequency of vibrotactile events. The firing rate response of these neurons was dependent only on the frequency differences between the two applied vibrations, the sign of that difference being the determining factor for correct task performance. We present a biophysically realistic neurodynamical model that can account for the most relevant characteristics of this decision-making-related neural activity. One of the nontrivial predictions of this model is that Weber's law will underlie the perceptual discrimination behavior. We confirmed this prediction in behavioral tests of vibrotactile discrimination in humans and propose a computational explanation of perceptual discrimination that accounts naturally for the emergence of Weber's law. We conclude that the neurodynamical mechanisms and computational principles underlying the decision-making processes in this perceptual discrimination task are consistent with a fluctuation-driven scenario in a multistable regime.

The effects of milk as a food matrix for polyphenols on the excretion profile of cocoa (-)-Epicatechin metabolites in healthy humans subjects

The effect of different food matrices on the metabolism and excretion of polyphenols is uncertain. The objective of the study was to evaluate the possible effect of milk on the excretion of (2)-epicatechin metabolites from cocoa powder after its ingestion with and without milk. Twenty-one volunteers received the following three test meals each in a randomised cross-over design with a 1-week interval between meals: (1) 250 ml whole milk as a control; (2) 40 g cocoa powder dissolved in 250 ml whole milk (CC-M); (3) 40 g cocoa powder dissolved in 250 ml water (CC-W). Urine was collected before consumption and during the 0-6, 6-12 and 12-24 h periods after consumption. (2)-Epicatechin metabolite excretion was measured using liquid chromatography-MS. One (2)-epicatechin glucuronide and three (2)-epicatechin sulfates were detected in urine excreted after the intake of the two cocoa beverages (CC-M and CC-W). The results show that milk does not significantly affect the total amount of metabolites excreted in urine. However, differences in metabolite excretion profiles were observed; there were changes in the glucuronide and sulfate excretion rates, and the sulfation position between the period of excretion and the matrix. The matrix in which polyphenols are consumed can affect their metabolism and excretion, and this may affect their biological activity. Thus, more studies are needed to evaluate the effect of these different metabolite profiles on the body.

Par��sits i humans, amics i enemics que evolucionen junts

Els bacteris, els virus i els cucs han tingut un paper fonamental en la selecci�� gen��tica dels ��ssers humans. S'han perpetuat els humans amb variants gen��tiques millors per conviure-hi

Dret internacional dels drets humans en per��odes de crisi: criteris d"aplicaci�� de les obligacions jur��diques internacionals en mat��ria de drets econ��mics, socials i culturals

L"objecte de l"article ��s oferir una panor��mica dels criteris d"aplicaci�� de les obligacions jur��diques internacionals en mat��ria de drets econ��mics, socials i culturals (DESC) en per��odes de crisi. L"estudi analitza les dificultats per considerar una crisi econ��mica com una situaci�� excepcional que amenaci la vida de la naci�� i permeti derogar o suspendre certs drets humans; tamb�� clarificar en quina mesura ��s possible derogar o suspendre els DESC. La pr��ctica internacional, judicial i quasi-judicial ens ofereix tres criteris potencialment restrictius de la discrecionalitat estatal per repercutir negativament en el gaudi dels DESC: exist��ncia d"obligacions m��nimes, no regressivitat i protecci�� indirecta. El seu respecte podria evitar abusos com a resultat d"una crisi i garantir la progressivitat dels DESC, tot i que la relativitat de la justiciabilitat dels DESC afegeixi una dificultat legal estructural a nivell estatal.