The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hot1p regulated gene YHR087W (HGI1) has a role in translation upon high glucose concentration stress.

Background While growing in natural environments yeasts can be affected by osmotic stress provoked by high glucose concentrations. The response to this adverse condition requires the HOG pathway and involves transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms initiated by the phosphorylation of this protein, its translocation to the nucleus and activation of transcription factors. One of the genes induced to respond to this injury is YHR087W. It encodes for a protein structurally similar to the N-terminal region of human SBDS whose expression is also induced under other forms of stress and whose deletion determines growth defects at high glucose concentrations. Results In this work we show that YHR087W expression is regulated by several transcription factors depending on the particular stress condition, and Hot1p is particularly relevant for the induction at high glucose concentrations. In this situation, Hot1p, together to Sko1p, binds to YHR087W promoter in a Hog1p-dependent manner. Several evidences obtained indicate Yhr087wp"s role in translation. Firstly, and according to TAP purification experiments, it interacts with proteins involved in translation initiation. Besides, its deletion mutant shows growth defects in the presence of translation inhibitors and displays a slightly slower translation recovery after applying high glucose stress than the wild type strain. Analyses of the association of mRNAs to polysome fractions reveals a lower translation in the mutant strain of the mRNAs corresponding to genes GPD1, HSP78 and HSP104. Conclusions The data demonstrates that expression of Yhr087wp under high glucose concentration is controlled by Hot1p and Sko1p transcription factors, which bind to its promoter. Yhr087wp has a role in translation, maybe in the control of the synthesis of several stress response proteins, which could explain the lower levels of some of these proteins found in previous proteomic analyses and the growth defects of the deletion strain. Keywords: Saccharomyces cerevisiae; High glucose osmotic stress; Gene YHR087W; Gene expression; Translation; Hot1p; Hog1p; Polysomes

Spectral analysis of the angular distribution function of back reflectors for thin film silicon solar cells

Nowadays, one of the most important challenges to enhance the efficiency of thin film silicon solar cells is to increase the short circuit intensity by means of optical confinement methods, such as textured back-reflector structures. In this work, two possible textured structures to be used as back reflectors for n-i-p solar cells have been optically analyzed and compared to a smooth one by using a system which is able to measure the angular distribution function (ADF) of the scattered light in a wide spectral range (350-1000 nm). The accurate analysis of the ADF data corresponding to the reflector structures and to the μc-Si:H films deposited onto them allows the optical losses due to the reflector absorption and its effectiveness in increasing light absorption in the μc-Si:H layer, mainly at long wavelengths, to be quantified.

Characteristics of Flowing Film

Työssä tutkittiin uutta teknologiaa pigmenttipäällystykseen. Tämä tekniikka on yleisesti tunnettua eräillä muilla teollisuudenaloilla. Kirjallisuustutkimuksessa on esitelty prosessia ja sen eri osatekijöitä sekä muilla aloilla tunnettuja prosessimuuttujia. Päällystyspastojen ja päällystettävien pintojen teoriaa on selvitetty uuden tekniikan ja pigmenttipäällystyksen valossa. Uuden tekniikan perusmekanismeja tutkittiin kokeellisessa osassa. Valuvan nestefilmin stabiilisuutta tutkittiin minimivirtauksen avulla. Stabiilisuustutkimuksen suorittamiseen käytettiin apuna Taguchi-matriisia DOE-ohjelmalla (Design of Experiments). Kokeiden perusteella minimivirtauksen kannalta päällystyspastalle edullisempi koostumus on kalsiumkarbonaatti- kuin kaoliinipasta. Sideaineella on pienempi osuus lateksia ja polyvinyylialkoholia parempi. Suurempi osuus pinta-aktiivista ainetta ja matala pastan kuiva-ainepitoisuus ovat suositeltuja. Tehokas ilmanpoisto päällystyspastasta on myös tärkeää lopullisen tuloksen kannalta. Koekoneella ajetuissa päällystyskokeissa havaittiin valuvan filmin ominaisuuksien tärkeys. Pienetkin kaasumäärät päällystyspastassa häiritsivät lopullisen päällysteen laatua. Päällystyspastan ilmanpoisto on avainasemassa erityisesti kun päällystetään suurella nopeudella pieniä päällystemääriä. Koeajoissa havaittiin kaikki kirjallisuudessa esitellyt rajoittavat tekijät. Kokeissa päällystettiin 400-1600 m/min nopeudella 5-20 g/m² päällystemääriä. Olosuhteet stabiilille nestefilmille vaativat edelleen kehitystä suurella nopeudella päällystettäessä. Päällysteen eroavaisuuksia verrattiin teräpäällystysmenetelmiin. Terä-päällystyksellä saadaan sileä mutta epätasaisesti peittävä pinta kun taas uuden tekniikan päällyste mukailee päällystettävän alustan topografiaa. Tasapaksun päällysteen etuna on hyvä peittävyys jo pienellä päällystemäärällä.

In vitro assays and clinical trials in red blood cell aging: Lost in translation.

The age of erythrocyte concentrates (EC) in transfusion medicine and the adverse outcomes when transfusing long-term-stored EC are highly controversial issues. Whereas the definition of a short-term-stored EC or a long-term-stored EC is unclear in clinical trials, data based on in vitro storage assays can help defining a limit in addition of the expiration date. The present review merges together these data in order to highlight an EC age cut-off and points out potential misleading consideration. The analysis of in vitro data highlights the presence of reversible and irreversible storage lesions and demonstrates that red blood cells (RBC) exhibit two limits during storage: one around 2 weeks and another one around 4 weeks of storage. Of particular importance, the first lesions to appear, i.e. the reversible ones, are per se reversible once transfused, whereas the irreversible lesions are not. In clinical trials, the EC age cut-off for short-term storage is in general fewer than 14 days (11 ± 4 days) and more disperse for long-term-stored EC (17 ± 13 days), regardless the clinical outcomes. Taking together, EC age cut-off in clinical trials does not totally fall into line of in vitro aging data, whereas it is the key criteria in clinical studies. Long-term-stored EC considered in clinical trials are not probably old enough to answer the question: "Does transfusion of long-term-stored EC (older than 4 weeks) result in worse clinical outcomes?" Depending on ethical concerns and clinical practices, older EC than currently assayed in clinical trials should have to be considered. These two worlds trying to understand the aging of erythrocytes and the impact on patients do not seem to speak the same language.

In a better world (2011): the ethics of a doctor facing violence

The main theme"In a Better World" (S. Bier, 2011), is violence and its possible answers: forgiveness and revenge. The film revolves around a doctor Anton who works in a refugee camp in sub-Saharan Africa. His family lives in a quiet village in Denmark, where his teenage son suffers bullying at school. This movie shows the fragility of a modern society, normal in appearance but with deep fissures that reflect the tragedies plaguing much of the African continent. It helps to understand the reality experienced by more than 10 million refugees and 15 million internally displaced persons surviving in sub-Saharan Africa. Hævnen, the original title whose meaning in Spanish is revenge, invites reflection on another possible response to violence-forgiveness. It is an excellent film for teaching and learning issues related to humanitarian work developed by health professionals in refugee camps around world.

Lost in translation: dietary management of cardiovascular risk factors is seldom implemented.

OBJECTIVE: To assess dietary management of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) in the general population. METHOD: Cross-sectional study conducted between 2009 and 2012 on 4811 participants (2567 women, 58±11years) living in Lausanne, Switzerland. RESULTS: Sixteen percent of participants diagnosed with overweight/obesity reported a slimming diet. Slimming diet was associated with diagnosis of hypertension: Odds ratio and (95% confidence interval): 0.61 (0.40-0.93); older age [0.84 (0.58-1.21), 0.79 (0.53-1.18) and 0.47 (0.27-0.81) for [50-60[, [60-70[ and [70+ years, respectively]; female gender [1.84 (1.36-2.48)] and diagnosis of diabetes [2.16 (1.13-4.12)]. Only 8% of participants diagnosed with hypertension reported a low-salt diet. Low-salt diet was associated with antihypertensive drug treatment [2.17 (1.28-3.68)] and diagnosis of diabetes [2.72 (1.26-5.86)]. One-third of participants diagnosed with dyslipidemia reported a low-fat diet. Low-fat diet was associated with female gender [1.47 (1.17-1.86)]; older age [1.29 (0.89-1.87), 1.71 (1.18-2.48) and 2.01 (1.33-3.03) for [50-60[, [60-70[ and [70+ years, respectively]; hypolipidemic drug treatment [OR=1.68 (1.29-2.18)]; current smoking [0.70 (0.51-0.96)] and obesity [0.67 (0.45-1.00)]. Approximately half of participants diagnosed with diabetes reported an antidiabetic diet. Antidiabetic diet was associated with current smoking [0.44 (0.22-0.88)] and antidiabetic drug treatment [OR=3.26 (1.81-5.86)]. CONCLUSION: Dietary management of CVRFs is seldom implemented in Switzerland.

In a better world (2011): the ethics of a doctor facing violence

The main theme"In a Better World" (S. Bier, 2011), is violence and its possible answers: forgiveness and revenge. The film revolves around a doctor Anton who works in a refugee camp in sub-Saharan Africa. His family lives in a quiet village in Denmark, where his teenage son suffers bullying at school. This movie shows the fragility of a modern society, normal in appearance but with deep fissures that reflect the tragedies plaguing much of the African continent. It helps to understand the reality experienced by more than 10 million refugees and 15 million internally displaced persons surviving in sub-Saharan Africa. Hævnen, the original title whose meaning in Spanish is revenge, invites reflection on another possible response to violence-forgiveness. It is an excellent film for teaching and learning issues related to humanitarian work developed by health professionals in refugee camps around world.

Stability of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon thin-film transistors

Hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon thin-films were obtained by catalytic chemical vapour deposition at low substrate temperatures (150°C) and high deposition rates (10 Å/s). These films, with crystalline fractions over 90%, were incorporated as the active layers of bottom-gate thin-film transistors. The initial field-effect mobilities of these devices were over 0.5 cm 2/V s and the threshold voltages lower than 4 V. In this work, we report on the enhanced stability of these devices under prolonged times of gate bias stress compared to amorphous silicon thin-film transistors. Hence, they are promising candidates to be considered in the future for applications such as flat-panel displays.

Compositional influence on the electrical performance of zinc indium tin oxide transparent thin-film transistors

In this work, zinc indium tin oxide layers with different compositions are used as the active layer of thin film transistors. This multicomponent transparent conductive oxide is gaining great interest due to its reduced content of the scarce indium element. Experimental data indicate that the incorporation of zinc promotes the creation of oxygen vacancies. In thin-film transistors this effect leads to a higher threshold voltage values. The field-effect mobility is also strongly degraded, probably due to coulomb scattering by ionized defects. A post deposition annealing in air reduces the density of oxygen vacancies and improves the fieldeffect mobility by orders of magnitude. Finally, the electrical characteristics of the fabricated thin-film transistors have been analyzed to estimate the density of states in the gap of the active layers. These measurements reveal a clear peak located at 0.3 eV from the conduction band edge that could be attributed to oxygen vacancies.

Interviewing Carol Maier: a woman in translation

En un article posterior a les seves traduccions a la llengua anglesa de Memorias de Leticia Valle de Rosa Chacel i de Delirio y destino de María Zambrano, Carol Maier apunta el que penso que hauria de constituir una de les màximes més determinants en la pràctica de la traducció (1996, 209): «…it is not only in the ‘text’ of a work but precisely in the notes, introductions, and afterwards meant to ensure a work’s recovery that the most decided re-covering often occurs.» Per a Maier, traductora literària, teòrica i professora de traducció, la responsabilitat de l’activitat traductològica no es limita a una mera (re)escriptura del text originari. Cal que el traductor i la traductora s’impliquin, abandonin les distàncies crítiques i portin a la visibilitat el que pensen sobre la teoria i la pràctica de la traducció. I és precisament aquesta crida de Maier a l’expansió del terme «responsabilitat» en traducció la que m’invita a presentar potser d’una altra manera aquesta entrevista amb ella. Maier ens ofereix ara i aquí un espai de debat, de diàleg i de reflexió per a totes les persones que volem pensar sobre les paradoxes i les contradiccions derivades de (re)escriure una textualitat en una altra llengua. En definitiva, estic convençuda que les seves afirmacions, pensaments i comentaris sobre les interseccions entre el gènere i la traducció es guanyaran merescudament el sobrenom de «responsables» per al qual ella lluita tan enèrgicament.