Mitochondrial fusion is increased by the nuclear coactivator PGC-1beta

Background There is no evidence to date on whether transcriptional regulators are able to shift the balance between mitochondrial fusion and fission events through selective control of gene expression. Methodology/Principal Findings Here, we demonstrate that reduced mitochondrial size observed in knock-out mice for the transcriptional regulator PGC-1β is associated with a selective reduction in Mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) expression, a mitochondrial fusion protein. This decrease in Mfn2 is specific since expression of the remaining components of mitochondrial fusion and fission machinery were not affected. Furthermore, PGC-1β increases mitochondrial fusion and elongates mitochondrial tubules. This PGC-1β-induced elongation specifically requires Mfn2 as this process is absent in Mfn2-ablated cells. Finally, we show that PGC-1β increases Mfn2 promoter activity and transcription by coactivating the nuclear receptor Estrogen Related Receptor α (ERRα). Conclusions/Significance Taken together, our data reveal a novel mechanism by which mammalian cells control mitochondrial fusion. In addition, we describe a novel role of PGC-1β in mitochondrial physiology, namely the control of mitochondrial fusion mainly through Mfn2.

Clinical management and burden of bipolar disorder: a multinational longitudinal study (WAVE-bd Study)

BACKGROUND: Studies in bipolar disorder (BD) to date are limited in their ability to provide a whole-disease perspective--their scope has generally been confined to a single disease phase and/or a specific treatment. Moreover, most clinical trials have focused on the manic phase of disease, and not on depression, which is associated with the greatest disease burden. There are few longitudinal studies covering both types of patients with BD (I and II) and the whole course of the disease, regardless of patients' symptomatology. Therefore, the Wide AmbispectiVE study of the clinical management and burden of Bipolar Disorder (WAVE-bd) (NCT01062607) aims to provide reliable information on the management of patients with BD in daily clinical practice. It also seeks to determine factors influencing clinical outcomes and resource use in relation to the management of BD. METHODS: WAVE-bd is a multinational, multicentre, non-interventional, longitudinal study. Approximately 3000 patients diagnosed with BD type I or II with at least one mood event in the preceding 12 months were recruited at centres in Austria, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Portugal, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine and Venezuela. Site selection methodology aimed to provide a balanced cross-section of patients cared for by different types of providers of medical aid (e.g. academic hospitals, private practices) in each country. Target recruitment percentages were derived either from scientific publications or from expert panels in each participating country. The minimum follow-up period will be 12 months, with a maximum of 27 months, taking into account the retrospective and the prospective parts of the study. Data on demographics, diagnosis, medical history, clinical management, clinical and functional outcomes (CGI-BP and FAST scales), adherence to treatment (DAI-10 scale and Medication Possession Ratio), quality of life (EQ-5D scale), healthcare resources, and caregiver burden (BAS scale) will be collected. Descriptive analysis with common statistics will be performed. DISCUSSION: This study will provide detailed descriptions of the management of BD in different countries, particularly in terms of clinical outcomes and resources used. Thus, it should provide psychiatrists with reliable and up-to-date information about those factors associated with different management patterns of BD. TRIAL REGISTRATION NO: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01062607.

Evaluación del estándar SQL:1999 respecto a las características orientadas al objeto que soporta y su implementación a los SGBD object-relational

Memoria de TFC en el que se analiza el estándar SQL:1999 y se compara con PostgreeSQL y Oracle.

Creación del núcleo de un servidor web

L'objectiu particular és elaborar el nucli principal d'un servidor web, que tingui com a característiques: multithread, multiprocés, desenvolupament en Java, funcionament en entorns Windows, GNU Linux i heterogenis.

Matéria seca, carbono e nitrogênio de raízes de soja e milho em plantio direto e convencional

O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar se o sistema de preparo do solo afeta a distribuição e o acúmulo de matéria seca (MS), carbono (C) e nitrogênio (N) das raízes de soja (Glycine max) e milho (Zea mays), em um Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico muito argiloso. A amostragem das raízes até 1 m de profundidade foi feita com anéis volumétricos. A distribuição em profundidade e o acúmulo de MS, C e N das raízes não foram influenciados pelo preparo do solo. A densidade de comprimento de raízes na camada de 0-0, 10 m foi de 0,7 a 1,4 cm cm-3 em soja, e de 1,2 a 1,6 cm cm-3 em milho, e decresceu nas demais camadas. O acúmulo de MS das raízes foi de 1,94 a 2,01 Mg ha-1 em soja, e de 2,50 a 3,79 Mg ha-1 em milho. Houve acúmulo de 0,61 a 0,63 Mg ha-1 de C e de 36,9 a 38,2 kg ha-1 de N em soja, e de 0,72 a 1,10 Mg ha-1 de C e de 18,78 a 28,48 kg ha-1 de N em milho. Independentemente do sistema de preparo do solo, 80% das raízes situam-se entre 0,43 e 0,54 m de profundidade em soja, e entre 0,40 e 0,46 m em milho.

Reconocimiento y representación digital de la notación matemática manual

El trabajo muestra un estudio comparativo de las soluciones que plantean diferentes soluciones comerciales y/o libres para la adecuación o no a su integración en un entorno como es el campus virtual de la UOC. Para esto se ha elaborado una lista de indicadores clave y más adelante se ha hecho una valoración de la integración en el entorno UOC, relacionando los indicadores anteriores con los requerimientos de la UOC. Investigando previamente cuales son estos. Por último se ha comprobado y corroborado la posible integración de la solución elegida al campus virtual, con el desarrollo de una pequeña aplicación web.

Analysis of the present (and impact) of women in business organizations in contemporany Spanish democracy. The impact of Spanish law of equality reviewed

Since its approval, in 2007, the Spanish Law of Equality (LO 3/2007) has been the target of many scholars on gender issues. Those analyses (and those previous to the first observable results of the Spanish Law of Equality), have largely prioritized political representative institutions and political parties as the main arenas to assess the impact of the new regulation. Nevertheless, to make a comprehensive analysis of the increase and impact of the presence of women in contemporary democracies one cannot exclude the existence of many other crucial actors in our pluralist systems, such as business organizations.In this line, in order to widen the knowledge on the presence of women in Spanish contemporary democracy, as well as to further assess the impact of Spanish Law of Equality on the presence of women in economic and political life, our paper will look at the gender bias of the executive committees in the Spanish Chambers of Commerce and business associations during the period 20010-2012. By placing those actors at the front sight, we aim to contribute with new empirical insights to the current debate on this topic.

Gazpacho consumption is associated with lower blood pressure and reduced hypertension in a high cardiovascular risk cohort. Cross-sectional study of the PREDIMED trial

Hypertension is a major public health problem and a leading cause of death and disability in both developed and developing countries, affecting onequarter of the world"s adult population. Our aim was to evaluate whether the consumption of gazpacho, a Mediterranean vegetable-based cold soup rich in phytochemicals, is associated with lower blood pressure (BP) and/or reduced prevalence of hypertension in individuals at high cardiovascular risk. Methods and results: We selected 3995 individuals (58% women, mean age 67 y) at high cardiovascular risk (81% hypertensive) recruited into the PREDIMED study. BP, weight, and dietary and physical activity data were collected. In multivariate linear regression analyses, after adjustment, moderate and high gazpacho consumption categories were associated with reduced mean systolic BP of 1.9 mm Hg [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.4; 0.6] and 2.6 mm Hg (CI: 4.2; 1.0), respectively, and reduced diastolic BP of 1.5 mm Hg (CI: 2.3; 0.6) and 1.9 mm Hg (CI: 2.8; 1.1). By multiple-adjusted logistic regression analysis, gazpacho consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of hypertension, with OR Z 0.85 (CI: 0.73; 0.99) for each 250 g/week increase and OR Z 0.73 (CI: 0.55; 0.98) for high gazpacho consumption groups compared to the no-consumption group. Conclusions: Gazpacho consumption was inversely associated with systolic and diastolic BP and prevalence of hypertension in a cross-sectional Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular risk. The association between gazpacho intake and reduction of BP is probably due to synergy among several bioactive compounds present in the vegetable ingredients used to make the recipe.

Gazpacho consumption is associated with lower blood pressure and reduced hypertension in a high cardiovascular risk cohort. Cross-sectional study of the PREDIMED trial

Hypertension is a major public health problem and a leading cause of death and disability in both developed and developing countries, affecting onequarter of the world"s adult population. Our aim was to evaluate whether the consumption of gazpacho, a Mediterranean vegetable-based cold soup rich in phytochemicals, is associated with lower blood pressure (BP) and/or reduced prevalence of hypertension in individuals at high cardiovascular risk. Methods and results: We selected 3995 individuals (58% women, mean age 67 y) at high cardiovascular risk (81% hypertensive) recruited into the PREDIMED study. BP, weight, and dietary and physical activity data were collected. In multivariate linear regression analyses, after adjustment, moderate and high gazpacho consumption categories were associated with reduced mean systolic BP of 1.9 mm Hg [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.4; 0.6] and 2.6 mm Hg (CI: 4.2; 1.0), respectively, and reduced diastolic BP of 1.5 mm Hg (CI: 2.3; 0.6) and 1.9 mm Hg (CI: 2.8; 1.1). By multiple-adjusted logistic regression analysis, gazpacho consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of hypertension, with OR Z 0.85 (CI: 0.73; 0.99) for each 250 g/week increase and OR Z 0.73 (CI: 0.55; 0.98) for high gazpacho consumption groups compared to the no-consumption group. Conclusions: Gazpacho consumption was inversely associated with systolic and diastolic BP and prevalence of hypertension in a cross-sectional Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular risk. The association between gazpacho intake and reduction of BP is probably due to synergy among several bioactive compounds present in the vegetable ingredients used to make the recipe.

Aprende electricidad con facilidad

Este trabajo pretende ser un complemento educativo para las asignaturas de electricidad y electrónica impartidas en los diferentes niveles del sistema educativo actual. Está enfocado principalmente a los alumnos de PCPI.

Genetic studies of body mass index yield new insights for obesity biology

Obesity is heritable and predisposes to many diseases. To understand the genetic basis of obesity better, here we conduct a genome-wide association study and Metabochip meta-analysis of body mass index (BMI), a measure commonly used to define obesity and assess adiposity, in up to 339,224 individuals. This analysis identifies 97 BMI-associated loci (P < 5 × 10(-8)), 56 of which are novel. Five loci demonstrate clear evidence of several independent association signals, and many loci have significant effects on other metabolic phenotypes. The 97 loci account for ∼2.7% of BMI variation, and genome-wide estimates suggest that common variation accounts for >20% of BMI variation. Pathway analyses provide strong support for a role of the central nervous system in obesity susceptibility and implicate new genes and pathways, including those related to synaptic function, glutamate signalling, insulin secretion/action, energy metabolism, lipid biology and adipogenesis.

Experiencia de 10 años de innovación docente en la Unidad de Laboratorios Docentes (ULD) de la Facultad de Farmacia

[spa]En este trabajo se describe la experiencia de innovación docente desarrollada en la ULD a lo largo de los 10 años de existencia. Se comentan algunos de los indicadores del sistema de gestión de la calidad así como su evolución y los resultados más representativos obtenidos en su alimentación. El objetivo de este proyecto es introducir aspectos de la gestión de la calidad, seguridad, salud y medio ambiente en la formación de los estudiantes para que los apliquen a lo largo del desarrollo de las prácticas. De esta forma, podrán adquirir una formación transversal adicional que difícilmente le será transmitida a través de las diferentes asignaturas de la licenciatura y que mejorará sus competencias y facilitará su acceso al ámbito laboral. También se pretende contribuir en la mejora del funcionamiento y las infraestructuras de los laboratorios de prácticas de la facultad. [eng] In the following work it is summarized the innovative experience carried out by the ULD besides showing the results obtained from the different indicators that allow to evaluate the efficiency of the quality management system. The aim is to improve the management of the practical teaching by introducing aspects of quality management, safety, health and environment in the formation of the students. In such a way, they would be able to acquire a transverse additional formation that difficultly would be transmitted across the different subjects of the degree and that would improve their competitions when acceding to the working world.

The complete genome sequence of the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis.

Bacillus subtilis is the best-characterized member of the Gram-positive bacteria. Its genome of 4,214,810 base pairs comprises 4,100 protein-coding genes. Of these protein-coding genes, 53% are represented once, while a quarter of the genome corresponds to several gene families that have been greatly expanded by gene duplication, the largest family containing 77 putative ATP-binding transport proteins. In addition, a large proportion of the genetic capacity is devoted to the utilization of a variety of carbon sources, including many plant-derived molecules. The identification of five signal peptidase genes, as well as several genes for components of the secretion apparatus, is important given the capacity of Bacillus strains to secrete large amounts of industrially important enzymes. Many of the genes are involved in the synthesis of secondary metabolites, including antibiotics, that are more typically associated with Streptomyces species. The genome contains at least ten prophages or remnants of prophages, indicating that bacteriophage infection has played an important evolutionary role in horizontal gene transfer, in particular in the propagation of bacterial pathogenesis.