Stable C and N isotope concentration in several tissues of the loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta from the western Mediterranean and dietary implications

The isotopic concentrations of carapace scutes, skin, muscle and blood of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) from the Balearic Archipelago were analysed to investigate the pattern of variation between tissues and to assess the position of this species in the trophic webs of the Algerian Basin. Skin showed higher ��13C values than muscle or carapace scutes and these showed higher values than blood. Conversely, muscle showed higher ��15N values than skin, skin showed higher values than blood and blood showed higher values than carapace scutes. Dead and live sea turtles from the same habitat did not differ in the concentration of stable isotopes. However, some of the tissues of the turtles caught in drifting longlines in the oceanic realm showed higher ��13C values than those from the turtles caught by hand or in trammel nets over the continental shelf, although they did not differ in the ��15N. Comparison of the concentration of stable isotopes in the turtles with that of other species from several areas of the Algerian Basin revealed that they consumed planktonic prey and that the trophic level of the sea turtles was higher than that of carnivorous cnidarians but lower than that of zooplanktophagous fish and crustaceans.

Lipid binding by the unique and SH3 domains of c-Src suggests a new regulation mechanism

c-Src is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase involved in numerous signal transduction pathways. The kinase,SH3 and SH2 domains of c-Src are attached to the membrane-anchoring SH4 domain through the flexible Unique domain. Here we show intra- and intermolecular interactions involving the Unique and SH3 domains suggesting the presence of a previously unrecognized additional regulation layer in c-Src. We have characterized lipid binding by the Unique and SH3 domains, their intramolecular interaction and its allosteric modulation by a SH3-binding peptide or by Calcium-loaded calmodulin binding to the Unique domain. We also show reduced lipid binding following phosphorylation at conserved sites of the Unique domain. Finally, we show that injection of full-length c-Src with mutations that abolish lipid binding by the Unique domain causes a strong in vivo phenotype distinct from that of wild-type c-Src in a Xenopus oocyte model system, confirming the functional role of the Unique domain in c-Src regulation.

The redox state of cytochrome C modulates resistance to methotrexate in human MCF7 breast cancer cells

Background: Methotrexate is a chemotherapeutic agent used to treat a variety of cancers. However, the occurrence of resistance limits its effectiveness. Cytochrome c in its reduced state is less capable of triggering the apoptotic cascade. Thus, we set up to study the relationship among redox state of cytochrome c, apoptosis and the development of resistance to methotrexate in MCF7 human breast cancer cells. Results: Cell incubation with cytochrome c-reducing agents, such as tetramethylphenylenediamine, ascorbate or reduced glutathione, decreased the mortality and apoptosis triggered by methotrexate. Conversely, depletion of glutathione increased the apoptotic action of methotrexate, showing an involvement of cytochrome c redox state in methotrexateinduced apoptosis. Methotrexate-resistant MCF7 cells showed increased levels of endogenous reduced glutathione and a higher capability to reduce exogenous cytochrome c. Using functional genomics we detected the overexpression of GSTM1 and GSTM4 in methotrexate-resistant MCF7 breast cancer cells, and determined that methotrexate was susceptible of glutathionylation by GSTs. The inhibition of these GSTM isoforms caused an increase in methotrexate cytotoxicity in sensitive and resistant cells. Conclusions: We conclude that overexpression of specific GSTMs, GSTM1 and GSTM4, together with increased endogenous reduced glutathione levels help to maintain a more reduced state of cytochrome c which, in turn, would decrease apoptosis, thus contributing to methotrexate resistance in human MCF7 breast cancer cells.

Ret��rica, comedia, di��logo. La fusi��n de g��neros en la literatura griega del s. II d.C.

Lucien de Samosate est sans doute un ��crivain difficile a classer. Certains en font le roi du pastiche. Pour nous il s'agit. par contre, d'un ��crivain lucide et intelligent qui cherche dans la tradition les ��l��ments qui peuvent l'aider a comprendre le pr��sent et a en faire une critique parfois f��roce.

Gestor documental en .NET

Projecte desenvolupat en C# que inclou una aplicaci�� d'escriptori, un webservice i una base de dades SQL Server 2008.

Urbanitzaci�� en superf��cie de l'antiga cal��ada lateral mar del Passeig de Gracia entre el C/Bilbao i Josep Pla

Descripci�� del projecte. S���han de destacar les innovacions i aportacions a l���avan�� del coneixement que incorpora el projecte. Es poden incorporar mem��ries, pl��nols, fotografies, esbossos, etc. Tamb�� l���adre��a web si s���ha penjat m��s informaci�� sobre el projecte a la web.

V3 net charge: additional tool in HIV-1 tropism prediction.

Genotype-based algorithms are valuable tools for the identification of patients eligible for CCR5 inhibitors administration in clinical practice. Among the available methods, geno2pheno[coreceptor] (G2P) is the most used online tool for tropism prediction. This study was conceived to assess if the combination of G2P prediction with V3 peptide net charge (NC) value could improve the accuracy of tropism prediction. A total of 172 V3 bulk sequences from 143 patients were analyzed by G2P and NC values. A phenotypic assay was performed by cloning the complete env gene and tropism determination was assessed on U87_CCR5(+)/CXCR4(+) cells. Sequences were stratified according to the agreement between NC values and G2P results. Of sequences predicted as X4 by G2P, 61% showed NC values higher than 5; similarly, 76% of sequences predicted as R5 by G2P had NC values below 4. Sequences with NC values between 4 and 5 were associated with different G2P predictions: 65% of samples were predicted as R5-tropic and 35% of sequences as X4-tropic. Sequences identified as X4 by NC value had at least one positive residue at positions known to be involved in tropism prediction and positive residues in position 32. These data supported the hypothesis that NC values between 4 and 5 could be associated with the presence of dual/mixed-tropic (DM) variants. The phenotypic assay performed on a subset of sequences confirmed the tropism prediction for concordant sequences and showed that NC values between 4 and 5 are associated with DM tropism. These results suggest that the combination of G2P and NC could increase the accuracy of tropism prediction. A more reliable identification of X4 variants would be useful for better selecting candidates for Maraviroc (MVC) administration, but also as a predictive marker in coreceptor switching, strongly associated with the phase of infection.

Pd-catalysed amidation of 2,6-dihalopurine nucleosides. Replacement of iodine at 0 ��C

Pd-catalysed reactions of 2-Cl, 2-Br and 2-I derivatives of a 6-chloropurine nucleoside with benzamide have been compared, using Pd2dba3, Xantphos and Cs2CO3 in toluene, between 20 and 80 ��C. The reactivity order was 2-I > 2-Br > 6-Cl ��� 2-Cl. The 2-I substituent could be replaced even at 0 ��C, under conditions disclosed here for the first time. On the other hand, the replacement of the chlorine atom at position 2 (2-Cl) required 110 ��C.

Seasonal dynamics and net production of disolved organic carbon in an oligotrophic coastal environment

To understand dissolved organic carbon (DOC) seasonal dynamics in a coastal oligotrophic site in the north-western Mediterranean Sea, we monitored DOC concentrations monthly over 3 yr, together with the meteorological data and the food-web-related biological processes involved in DOC dynamics. Additional DOC samples were taken in several inshore���offshore transects along the Catalan coast. We found DOC concentrations of ~60 ��mol C l���1 in winter, with increasing values through the summer and autumn and reaching 100 to 120 ��mol C l���1 in November. There was high inter-annual variability in this summer DOC accumulation, with values of 36, 69 and 13 ��mol C l���1 for 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively. The analysis of the microbial food-web processes involved in the DOC balance did not reveal the causes of this accumulation, since the only occasion on which we observed net DOC production (0.3 �� 1 ��mol C l���1 d���1 on average) was in 2007, and the negative DOC balance of 2006 and 2008 did not prevent DOC accumulating. The DOC accumulation episodes coincided with low rates of water renewal (average 0.037 �� 0.021 d���1 from May to October) compared with those of winter to early spring (average 0.11 �� 0.048 d���1 from November to April). Indeed, the amount of DOC accumulated each year was inversely correlated with the average summer rainfall. We hypothesize that decreased DOC turn-over due to photochemical or biological processes mostly active during the summer and low water renewal rate combine to determine seasonal DOC accumulation and influence its inter-annual variability.

Habitatges C/Pallars

Descripci�� del projecte. S���han de destacar les innovacions i aportacions a l���avan�� del coneixement que incorpora el projecte. Es poden incorporar mem��ries, pl��nols, fotografies, esbossos, etc. Tamb�� l���adre��a web si s���ha penjat m��s informaci�� sobre el projecte a la web.DESCRIPCI�� DE L���EDIFICI: Es tracta d'un edifici lineal de 15 x 53,75 metres amb una al����ria de Planta Baixa+13 Plantes Pis. Donada la repercussi�� visual que t�� l'edifici des de la Diagonal, es planteja el tester-mitgera com una de les fa��anes m��s importants.L'estructura de formig�� es planteja amb una ret��cula de 8x5 metres. La fa��ana dels panys cecs es realitza mitjan��ant panells de formig�� prefabricat. La ret��cula de macro-marcs de la fa��ana de les unitats residencials s'ha previst de formig�� vist i lligada als pilars de fa��ana i al cantell dels forjats.La planta baixa s'ha projectat com un s��col de panys de vidre dins de les pantalles de formig��. Donada la seva gran al��ada, s'ha pensat en un entramat de perfils d'alumini que crean un element de control solar.