An��lisi socioambiental dels voltors a Aliny�� : evoluci��, percepci�� i viabilitat

La finca de la Muntanya d���Aliny�� ��s l�����nica zona del m��n on es poden observar les quatre esp��cies de voltors europeus: voltor com�� (Gyps fulvus), voltor negre (Aegypius monachus), aufrany (Neophron percnopterus) i trencal��s (Gypaetus barbatus). Davant el problema de l���abandonament del poble i de l���envelliment de la poblaci�� es planteja una alternativa de futur vers a una economia no tant basada en la ramaderia i l���agricultura, que s��n les activitats agropecu��ries tradicionals a la zona. La recent intervenci�� de la Fundaci�� Territori i Paisatge ha determinat, en gran part, el futur d���aquestes aus a Aliny��. Per una altra banda, les normatives vigents eren molt restrictives, fins fa ben poc, sobre l���aprofitament per part dels voltors de les restes d���animals morts provinents de la ramaderia. Ara neix una nova perspectiva de futur de tipus tur��stic.

Propuesta de ejes c��vicos para Barcelona. Metamor-eje.Ideas

Algunas calles pueden potenciarse en su valor formal, funcional y de reconocimiento social como ejes c��vicos de la ciudad. Se trata de otorgarle identidad al eje compuesto por la calle en s�� y sus manzanas aleda��as, para que sea percibido como una entidad estructurante del barrio, a su vez esto permitir��a pensaren una red con continuidad en la ciudad. Ejes urbanos de gesti��n colectiva, que pondran en valor tanto los potenciales f��sicos y funcionales, como los de tipo social. Tambi��n, se trata de articular las propuestas de los distintos colectivos, asociaciones y entidades del barrio. Esta propuesta es aplicable a calles y corredores con potencial de ser eje c��vico, la hemos usado en Barcelona en la calle Ribes.

Construcci�� del condicionament arquitect��nic de l���estaci�� de La Sagrera

Award-winning

Dise��o e implementaci��n de una base de datos relacional para la gesti��n de un videojuego

El proyecto consiste en la creaci��n de una base de datos que administra la informaci��n y actividad de un videojuego on-line. Adicionalmente se crea un DWH con Pentaho.

Medio siglo de cambios paisaj��sticos en la monta��a mediterr��nea. Percepci��n y valoraci��n social del paisaje en la alta Garrotxa (Girona)

Rural depopulation and abandonment of farming activities have resulted in an intense transformation of the characteristic landscapes of Mediterranean mountains. A dynamic characterized by an intense process of expansion of forested cover in detriment to livestock and agricultural areas. This process, which produces effects such as biodiversity and cultural heritage loss and contributes to the spread of wildfires, can be mapped, quantified and described with high accuracy through the means of digital mapping, geographic information systems and landscape indexes. But what is the perception and valuation of these changes by the stakeholders involved in the management of these territories? This article attempts to answer this question in the protected area of Alta Garrotxa (Girona), where a strong correlation between landscape dynamics and their perception by the stakeholders is revealed. On the other hand, the valuation and future prospects produce diverse and often contradictory points of views that illustrate the existing difficulties to management

Dual inhibitors of beta-amyloid aggregation and acetylcholinesterase as multi-target anti-Alzheimer drug candidates

Notwithstanding the functional role that the aggregates of some amyloidogenic proteins can play in different organisms, protein aggregation plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of a large number of human diseases. One of such diseases is Alzheimer"s disease (AD), where the overproduction and aggregation of the ��-amyloid peptide (A��) are regarded as early critical factors. Another protein that seems to occupy a prominent position within the complex pathological network of AD is the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), with classical and non-classical activities involved at the late (cholinergic deficit) and early (A�� aggregation) phases of the disease. Dual inhibitors of A�� aggregation and AChE are thus emerging as promising multi-target agents with potential to efficiently modify the natural course of AD. In the initial phases of the drug discovery process of such compounds, in vitro evaluation of the inhibition of A�� aggregation is rather troublesome, as it is very sensitive to experimental assay conditions, and requires expensive synthetic A�� peptides, which makes cost-prohibitive the screening of large compound libraries. Herein, we review recently developed multi-target anti-Alzheimer compounds that exhibit both A�� aggregation and AChE inhibitory activities, and, in some cases also additional valuable activities such as BACE-1 inhibition or antioxidant properties. We also discuss the development of simplified in vivo methods for the rapid, simple, reliable, unexpensive, and high-throughput amenable screening of A�� aggregation inhibitors that rely on the overexpression of A��42 alone or fused with reporter proteins in Escherichia coli.

Regulation of human class I alcohol dehydrogenases by bile acids

Class I alcohol dehydrogenases (ADH1s) are the rate-limiting enzymes for ethanol and vitamin A (retinol) metabolism in the liver . Because previous studies have shown that human ADH1 enzymes may participate in bile acid metabolism, we investigated whether the bile acid-activated nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (FXR) regulates ADH1 genes. In human hepatocytes, both the endogenous FXR ligand chenodeoxycholic acid and synthetic FXR-specific agonist GW4064 increased ADH1 mRNA, protein, and activity. Moreover, overexpression of a constitutively active form of FXR induced ADH1A and ADH1B expression, whereas silencing of FXR abolished the effects of FXR agonists on ADH1 expression and activity. Transient transfection studies and electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed functional FXR response elements in the ADH1A and ADH1B proximal promoters, thus indicating that both genes are direct targets of FXR. These findings provide the first evidence for direct connection of bile acid signaling and alcohol metabolism.

Human disease and drug pharmacology, complex as real life

In the past decades drug discovery practice has escaped from the complexity of the formerly used phenotypic screening in animals to focus on assessing drug effects on isolated protein targets in the search for drugs that exclusively and potently hit one selected target, thought to be critical for a given disease, while not affecting at all any other target to avoid the occurrence of side-effects. However, reality does not conform to these expectations, and, conversely, this approach has been concurrent with increased attrition figures in late-stage clinical trials, precisely due to lack of efficacy and safety. In this context, a network biology perspective of human disease and treatment has burst into the drug discovery scenario to bring it back to the consideration of the complexity of living organisms and particularly of the (patho)physiological environment where protein targets are (mal)functioning and where drugs have to exert their restoring action. Under this perspective, it has been found that usually there is not one but several disease-causing genes and, therefore, not one but several relevant protein targets to be hit, which do not work on isolation but in a highly interconnected manner, and that most known drugs are inherently promiscuous. In this light, the rationale behind the currently prevailing single-target-based drug discovery approach might even seem a Utopia, while, conversely, the notion that the complexity of human disease must be tackled with complex polypharmacological therapeutic interventions constitutes a difficult-torefuse argument that is spurring the development of multitarget therapies.

Estat d'��nim sota la crisi / Estado de ��nimo bajo la crisis

Viure ��s una cosa m��s aviat hostil, un eludir constantment dificultats i de tant en tant, alguna satisfacci�� vital.

El universo sonoro de la guitarra amplificada

L'univers sonor de la guitarra amplificada ��s la culminaci�� d'un proc��s d'anys de recerca, experimentaci�� i depuraci�� de coneixements t��cnics i te��rics sobre l'enorme paleta de possibilitats timbriques que ens ofereix la guitarra, ja sigui el��ctrica, cl��ssica, ac��stica o flamenca. L'objectiu principal d'aquest treball ��s el d'atorgar al lector una gamma el m��s completa possible d'eines que li ajudin a comprendre les condicionants del so de l'instrument, per aix�� ajudar���ho en la cerca personal d'aquesta guitarra ���perfecta��� o en defecte d'aix��, per orientar���ho per trobar i personalitzar la que m��s se li apropi.

Operacions b��siques al laboratori qu��mic en xarxa. Una nova eina per a estudiants i professors

Un conjunt de professors de les facultats de Qu��mica i Farm��cia de la Universitat de Barcelona hem elaborat un material docent en suport electr��nic, d"acc��s lliure a la xarxa, que descriu el procediment pr��ctic de diverses operacions b��siques de treball al laboratori qu��mic. L"objectiu principal ��s crear un material docent que serveixi de suport a l"aprenentatge dels estudiants i a la tasca docent del professorat involucrat en l"ensenyament del treball pr��ctic en l"etapa d"inici dels estudis universitaris.

Tricicle urb�� "El Cargol"

El treball contempla el coquitzat, el modelat, la representaci�� gr��fica i la generaci�� de documentaci�� t��cnica mitjan��ant l���eina SolidWorks utilitzant geometries complexes a partir del disseny d���un nou concepte de mobilitat urbana amb el disseny un tricicle, funcional, econ��mic i sostenible.

Pneumococcal penumonia presenting with septic shock: host-ant pathogen-related factors and outcomes

BACKGROUND: Host- and pathogen-related factors associated with septic shock in pneumococcal pneumonia are not well defined. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for septic shock and to ascertain patient outcomes. Serotypes, genotypes and antibiotic resistance of isolated strains were also analysed. METHODS: Observational analysis of a prospective cohort of non-severely immunosuppressed hospitalised adults with pneumococcal pneumonia. Septic shock was defined as a systolic blood pressure of <90 mm Hg and peripheral hypoperfusion with the need for vasopressors for >4 h after fluid replacement. RESULTS: 1041 patients with pneumococcal pneumonia diagnosed by Gram stain and culture of appropriate samples and/or urine antigen test were documented, of whom 114 (10.9%) had septic shock at admission. After adjustment, independent risk factors for shock were current tobacco smoking (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.02 to 4.34; p = 0.044), chronic corticosteroid treatment (OR, 4.45; 95% CI, 1.75 to 11.32; p = 0.002) and serotype 3 (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.12 to 4.475; p = 0.022). No significant differences were found in genotypes and rates of antibiotic resistance. Compared with the remaining patients, patients with septic shock required mechanical ventilation more frequently (37% vs 4%; p<0.001) and had longer length of stay (11 vs 8 days; p<0.001). The early (10% vs 1%; p<0.001) and overall case fatality rates (25% vs 5%; p<0.001) were higher in patients with shock. CONCLUSIONS: Septic shock is a frequent complication of pneumococcal pneumonia and causes high morbidity and mortality. Current tobacco smoking, chronic corticosteroid treatment and infection caused by serotype 3 are independent risk factors for this complication.

APTIC : a social network to improve the quality of life of members of patients' associations

Peer-reviewed