Informe sobre el Seminari «Sistemes d'Informació per a l'Acció Cultural Local» (Barcelona, 25-28 de novembre de 1998)

El passat mes de novembre, l'Àrea de Cultura de la Diputació de Barcelona va organitzar Interacció'98, unes jornades de convocatòria estatal sobre polítiques i gestió cultural. La convocatòria d'enguany ¿la quarta edició¿ tractà d'un centre d'interès específic: «Cultura i poder local». Dins el marc d'Interacció'98, es va organitzar el seminari de «Sistemes d'informació per a l'acció cultural local». Aquest seminari es va organitzar amb l'intent de conjugar la reflexió teòrica amb la presentació de pràctiques amb resultats positius procedents d'organitzacions públiques de diversa adscripció temàtica i sectorial de tot l'Estat espanyol. El comú denominador va ser la seva significació quant a les possibilitats i limitacions dels sistemes d'informació per a l'acció cultural a escala territorial.

Los planes municipales de bibliotecas: contextualización y situación en Cataluña

Se analizan las funciones de la biblioteca pública previstas en las últimas pautas internacionales IFLA/UNESCO para bibliotecas públicas. Se destaca que, para poder hacer frente a los nuevos retos, la biblioteca pública necesita trabajar en una doble perspectiva: el trabajo en red y el trabajo de cooperación en el territorio. Se consideran los planes municipales de bibliotecas como una herramienta que ha de velar por la adecuación del servicio bibliotecario al entorno en el que se desarrollan los servicios y que deben asimismo garantizar el trabajo de cooperación de la biblioteca pública en el territorio. Se analiza la situación en Cataluña en lo que se refiere a la elaboración de planes municipales de bibliotecas. El trabajo concluye con una bibliografía temática.

Política local d'informació i biblioteca pública

S'analitza la relació entre la biblioteca pública i la política local d'informació. Es destaca la necessitat que les administracions desenvolupin, en l'àmbit local, sistemes d'informació per a sistematitzar i posar a disposició del ciutadà la informació generada des de l'Administració i d'altres agents municipals. Una de les funcions destacables de la biblioteca pública és facilitar l'accés a la informació. Això fa que la biblioteca tingui un paper clau en la participació en les polítiques locals d'informació. Es presenten exemples d'iniciatives vinculades a aquests àmbits i propostes d'actuació, tant per als ajuntaments com per a les pròpies biblioteques.

Disseny i creació de bases de dades bibliogràfiques amb CDS/ISIS: l'experiència de SABA-DOC

Es descriu el procés de disseny i creació de bases de dades bibliogràfiques amb el programa CDS/ISIS. Es tracta de la base de dades SABA-DOC, principal producte del projecte Centres de Documentació i Biblioteques de Sabadell en Xarxa. La base de dades conté referències bibliogràfiques dels fons documentals de diverses entitats de Sabadell i els registres referits a Sabadell provinents de la base de dades del Servei d'Història Local de Catalunya, de la UAB. Es comenten aspectes de l'estructura de la base de dades, del seu manteniment i de la interfície de consulta des del web. S'hi inclou també una primera avaluació dels resultats obtinguts fins ara.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-beta as a target for wound healing drugs: what is possible?

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) dysfunction has been implicated in the manifestation of many diseases and illnesses, ranging from obesity to cancer. Herein, we discuss the role of PPARbeta, one of the three PPAR isotypes, during wound healing. While PPARbeta expression is undetectable in unchallenged and healthy adult interfollicular mouse skin, it is robustly re-activated in stress situations, such as upon phorbol ester treatment, hair plucking and cutaneous wounding. The inflammatory reaction associated with a skin injury activates the keratinocytes at the edges of the wound. This activation involves PPARbeta, whose expression and activity as transcription factor are up-regulated by pro-inflammatory signals. The re-activation of PPARbeta influences three important properties of the activated keratinocytes that are vital for rapid wound closure, namely, survival, migration and differentiation. The anti-apoptotic and, thus, survival role of PPARbeta is mediated by the up-regulation of expression of integrin-linked kinase and 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1. Both kinases are required for the full activation of the Akt1 survival cascade. Therefore, the up-regulation of PPARbeta, early after injury, appears to be important to maintain a sufficient number of viable keratinocytes at the wound edge. At a later stage of wound repair, the stimulation of keratinocyte migration and differentiation by PPARbeta is also likely to be important for the formation of a new epidermis at the wounded area. Consistent with these observations, the entire wound healing process is delayed in PPARbeta +/- mice and wound closure is retarded by 2-3 days. The multiple roles of PPARbeta in the complex keratinocyte response after injury and during skin repair certainly justify a further exploration of its potential as a target for wound healing drugs.

NMR and LC-MSn characterisation of two minor saponins from Ilex paraguariensis.

Two minor saponins obtained from the methanolic extract of the leaves of Ilex paraguariensis have been characterised by 13C-NMR, 1H-NMR, API-MS and chemical hydrolysis as oleanolic acid-3-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl)-(28-->1)- beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (guaiacin B) and oleanolic acid-3-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-(alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl- (1-->2))-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl)-(28-->1)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (nudicaucin C). Both are isomeric forms of the known matesaponins 1 (MSP 1) and 2 (MSP 2) and differ only by the nature of the aglycone: they have oleanolic acid instead of ursolic acid, as found in the matesaponins. These minor saponins have not been fully separated from their major isomers MSP 1 and 2 and were characterised by in-mixture NMR analysis, LC-MS and LC-MSn experiments.

Transporte do paclobutrazol em colunas de solos

O paclobutrazol (PBZ) é um regulador de crescimento utilizado em sistemas agrícolas com o propósito de controlar o crescimento vegetativo, estimulando a capacidade reprodutiva das plantas. Esse regulador de crescimento permanece ativo no solo por muito tempo, e sua meia-vida varia com o tipo de solo e as condições climáticas, podendo afetar severamente o desenvolvimento dos cultivos subseqüentes e, por lixiviação, contaminar os aqüíferos. Este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar os mecanismos envolvidos no transporte e na sorção do PBZ em colunas, utilizando amostras de um Argissolo Amarelo eutrófico e de um Vertissolo Háplico órtico, ambos da região do Vale do Rio São Francisco. Os ensaios de deslocamento miscível do traçador (solução de KBr) e do paclobutrazol foram realizados considerando duas vazões (0,4 e 1,6 cm³ min-1) para ambos os solos. As variáveis hidrodispersivas foram obtidas pelo ajuste do modelo convecção dispersão (CDE) às curvas de eluição experimentais do KBr, e as variáveis do modelo CDE-2 sítios de sorção, às curvas de eluição experimentais do PBZ por intermédio do programa CXTFIT 2.0. O paclobutrazol foi mais facilmente transportado no Vertissolo Háplico que no Argissolo Amarelo. A taxa de recuperação foi menor para a menor vazão para ambos os solos. A quantidade de PBZ não recuperada pode ser atribuída, sobretudo, à histerese no processo de sorção irreversível. O modelo CDE a dois sítios de sorção representa adequadamente os dados experimentais das curvas de eluição do paclobutrazol. Os resultados obtidos evidenciam que o paclobutrazol, utilizado em pomares com manga irrigada cujos solos são o Argissolo Amarelo e o Vertissolo Háplico, oferece risco real de contaminação das águas subterrâneas da região.

Caracterização de neossolos regolíticos da região semiárida do Estado de Pernambuco

Estudos de caracterização de solos em regiões ainda pouco exploradas, além de disponibilizarem e ampliarem a base de informações sobre as mais distintas ordens de solos do território nacional, também permitem sistematizar informações sobre suas propriedades, que poderão servir de subsídio para o desenvolvimento de práticas de manejo e uso sustentável das terras. Entre os principais solos recorrentes na região semiárida pernambucana, destacam-se os Neossolos Regolíticos, os quais perfazem aproximadamente 27 % da superfície do Estado e recobrem importantes áreas voltadas à produção agrícola, especialmente à agricultura familiar. Considerando a possibilidade de ocorrência de Neossolos Regolíticos com distintas propriedades físicas, químicas ou mineralógicas, em razão da existência de distintos contextos geológicos e climáticos ao longo do Estado de Pernambuco, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar física, química e mineralogicamente Neossolos Regolíticos ao longo da região semiárida do Estado de Pernambuco, bem como relacionar os solos com sua litologia. Para isso, foram selecionados cinco perfis de Neossolos Regolíticos em diversos municípios do Estado de Pernambuco (P1=São Caetano, P2=Lagoa do Ouro, P3=Caetés, P4=São João e P5=Parnamirim). Os perfis foram descritos morfologicamente, coletando-se amostras de todos os horizontes do solo e da rocha do embasamento. Foram realizadas análises físicas e químicas para fins de classificação de solos, análises mineralógicas das frações grossas (cascalho e areia) por microscopia óptica e das frações silte e argila por difração de raios X, além de análises petrográficas das amostras de rochas. De acordo com os resultados, observou-se a ocorrência de solos semelhantes e com pequeno grau de desenvolvimento pedogenético, variando de medianamente a muito profundos, com sequência de horizontes A-AC-C e Cr e textura arenosa a média. Dois perfis apresentaram caráter solódico em profundidade. Todos os solos apresentaram baixos teores de matéria orgânica e P disponível. Apesar dos baixos teores de cátions trocáveis, todos os perfis são eutróficos. A assembleia mineralógica das frações cascalho, areia e silte é constituída essencialmente por quartzo, seguido de feldspatos e mica, corroborando a constituição petrográfica analisada. A caulinita é o principal argilomineral da fração argila em todos os perfis e horizontes estudados, indicando um importante processo de monossialitização em solos autóctones, em clima caracteristicamente semiárido. No perfil P2, devido à posição mais baixa do solo na paisagem, ocorreram minerais esmectíticos com misturas de fases entre montmorilonita, beidelita ou nontronita, identificados pela análise de DRX, empregando o teste de Greene-Kelly.

Covalent binding of C3b to monoclonal antibodies selectively up-regulates heavy chain epitope recognition by T cells.

Protein C3 of the complement system is known for its role in the nonspecific immune response. Covalent binding of C3b to antigen upon complement activation also plays a significant role in specific T cell immune response. C3b-antigen complexes can bind to complement receptors on the antigen-presenting cell, and the C3b antigen link (most often an ester link) remains fairly stable inside the cells. In this study, IgG1,kappa and IgG2a,kappa murine monoclonal antibodies (mAb) were used as antigens; covalent complexes between mAb and C3b were produced and purified in vitro from purified proteins; human B cell lines and T cell clones were raised from tumor patients who received mAb injections for cancer therapy or diagnosis. Recognition of epitopes of these mAb by T cell clones when the mAb were processed alone or bound to C3b was compared. IgG or IgG-C3b complexes presented by B cell lines were able to stimulate proliferation of kappa light chain-specific T cell clones at similar concentrations. In contrast, IgG-C3b complex recognition by heavy chain-specific T cell clones required 100-fold less IgG-C3b than uncomplexed IgG. As C3b was shown to be covalently bound only to the IgG heavy chains in the complexes, C3b chaperoning is restricted to only the IgG heavy chain and selectively influences intracellular steps of IgG heavy chain processing. This differential modulation of C3b suggests an early dissociation of IgG heavy and light chains in antigen-presenting cells.

Synthesis of chemically functionalized superparamagnetic nanoparticles as delivery vectors for chemotherapeutic drugs.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are in clinical use for disease detection by MRI. A major advancement would be to link therapeutic drugs to SPIONs in order to achieve targeted drug delivery combined with detection. In the present work, we studied the possibility of developing a versatile synthesis protocol to hierarchically construct drug-functionalized-SPIONs as potential anti-cancer agents. Our model biocompatible SPIONs consisted of an iron oxide core (9-10 nm diameter) coated with polyvinylalcohols (PVA/aminoPVA), which can be internalized by cancer cells, depending on the positive charges at their surface. To develop drug-functionalized-aminoPVA-SPIONs as vectors for drug delivery, we first designed and synthesized bifunctional linkers of varied length and chemical composition to which the anti-cancer drugs 5-fluorouridine or doxorubicin were attached as biologically labile esters or peptides, respectively. These functionalized linkers were in turn coupled to aminoPVA by amide linkages before preparing the drug-functionalized-SPIONs that were characterized and evaluated as anti-cancer agents using human melanoma cells in culture. The 5-fluorouridine-SPIONs with an optimized ester linker were taken up by cells and proved to be efficient anti-tumor agents. While the doxorubicin-SPIONs linked with a Gly-Phe-Leu-Gly tetrapeptide were cleaved by lysosomal enzymes, they exhibited poor uptake by human melanoma cells in culture.

Characterization of Exopolysaccharides Produced by Rhizobia Species

ABSTRACT Increasing attention has been given, over the past decades, to the production of exopolysaccharides (EPS) from rhizobia, due to their various biotechnological applications. Overall characterization of biopolymers involves evaluation of their chemical, physical, and biological properties; this evaluation is a key factor in understanding their behavior in different environments, which enables researchers to foresee their potential applications. Our focus was to study the EPS produced by Mesorhizobium huakuii LMG14107, M. loti LMG6125, M. plurifarium LMG11892,Rhizobium giardini bv. giardiniH152T, R. mongolense LMG19141, andSinorhizobium (= Ensifer)kostiense LMG19227 in a RDM medium with glycerol as a carbon source. These biopolymers were isolated and characterized by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. Maximum exopolysaccharide production was 3.10, 2.72, and 2.50 g L-1for the strains LMG6125, LMG19227, and LMG19141, respectively. The purified EPS revealed prominent functional reactive groups, such as hydroxyl and carboxylic, which correspond to a typical heteropolysaccharide. The EPS are composed primarily of galactose and glucose. Minor components found were rhamnose, glucuronic acid, and galacturonic acid. Indeed, from the results of techniques applied in this study, it can be noted that the EPS are species-specific heteropolysaccharide polymers composed of common sugars that are substituted by non-carbohydrate moieties. In addition, analysis of these results indicates that rhizobial EPS can be classified into five groups based on ester type, as determined from the 13C NMR spectra. Knowledge of the EPS composition now facilitates further investigations relating polysaccharide structure and dynamics to rheological properties.

Membrane-destabilizing activity of pH-responsive cationic lysine-based surfactants: role of charge position and alkyl chain length

Many strategies for treating diseases require the delivery of drugs into the cell cytoplasm following internalization within endosomal vesicles. Thus, compounds triggered by low pH to disrupt membranes and release endosomal contents into the cytosol are of particular interest. Here, we report novel cationic lysine-based surfactants (hydrochloride salts of N¿- and N¿-acyl lysine methyl ester) that differ in the position of the positive charge and the length of the alkyl chain. Amino acid-based surfactants could be promising novel biomaterials in drug delivery systems, given their biocompatible properties and low cytotoxic potential. We examined their ability to disrupt the cell membrane in a range of pH values, concentrations and incubation times, using a standard hemolysis assay as a model of endosomal membranes. Furthermore, we addressed the mechanism of surfactant-mediated membrane destabilization, including the effects of each surfactant on erythrocyte morphology as a function of pH. We found that only surfactants with the positive charge on the ¿-amino group of lysine showed pH-sensitive hemolytic activity and improved kinetics within the endosomal pH range, indicating that the positive charge position is critical for pH-responsive behavior. Moreover, our results showed that an increase in the alkyl chain length from 14 to 16 carbon atoms was associated with a lower ability to disrupt cell membranes. Knowledge on modulating surfactant-lipid bilayer interactions may help us to develop more efficient biocompatible amino acid-based drug delivery devices.