Long Term Aggresome Accumulation Leads to DNA Damage, p53-dependent Cell Cycle Arrest, and Steric Interference in Mitosis.

Juxtanuclear aggresomes form in cells when levels of aggregation-prone proteins exceed the capacity of the proteasome to degrade them. It is widely believed that aggresomes have a protective function, sequestering potentially damaging aggregates until these can be removed by autophagy. However, most in-cell studies have been carried out over a few days at most, and there is little information on the long term effects of aggresomes. To examine these long term effects, we created inducible, single-copy cell lines that expressed aggregation-prone polyglutamine proteins over several months. We present evidence that, as perinuclear aggresomes accumulate, they are associated with abnormal nuclear morphology and DNA double-strand breaks, resulting in cell cycle arrest via the phosphorylated p53 (Ser-15)-dependent pathway. Further analysis reveals that aggresomes can have a detrimental effect on mitosis by steric interference with chromosome alignment, centrosome positioning, and spindle formation. The incidence of apoptosis also increased in aggresome-containing cells. These severe defects developed gradually after juxtanuclear aggresome formation and were not associated with small cytoplasmic aggregates alone. Thus, our findings demonstrate that, in dividing cells, aggresomes are detrimental over the long term, rather than protective. This suggests a novel mechanism for polyglutamine-associated developmental and cell biological abnormalities, particularly those with early onset and non-neuronal pathologies

Contenidos de fósforo total en suelos con características vérticas de la Provincia de Entre Ríos

p.53-58En Entre Ríos, los suelos con características vérticas ocupan el 69 por ciento del total de la superficie provincial, sin contar el D elta del río Paraná (Proyecto PN U D-FA O -INTA, 1980), generalmente estos suelos son deficientes en fósforo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el contenido de fósforo total y su distribución en las fracciones orgánicas e inorgánicas en perfiles de suelos con características vérticas de Entre Ríos. Se tomaron muestras de suelo provenientes de cuatro Vertisoles, tres Alfisoles y un Molisol con características vérticas. En superficie los contenidos de fósforo total (Pt) de los suelos de los tres ordenes estudiados fueron de 200 a 300 mg kg. Del P total superficial de estos suelos predomina la fracción de P orgánico (Po) en relación a las formas inorgánicas (Pi). La distribución del P orgánico total en el perfil sigue un patrón general de disminución con el aumento de la profundidad, mientras que el Pi tiene una tendencia opuesta. Los horizontes C mostraron valores de P inorgánico de 150 a 200 mg de P kg `1 de suelo, reduciéndose aproximadamente a la mitad en los horizontes superficiales. Como resultado de este estudio, se puede concluir que los suelos del centro norte de la provincia de Entre Ríos presentan valores bajos de Pt. En estos suelos son im portantes las proporciones de Po en superficie, las cuales oscilan entre el 60 por ciento el 70 por ciento del Pt

High Dynamic Range Images Coding: Embedded and Multiple Description

The aim of this work is to highlight and discuss a new paradigm for representing high-dynamic range (HDR) images that can be used for both its coding and describing its multimedia content. In particular, the new approach defines a new representation domain that, conversely from the classical compressed one, enables to identify and exploit content metadata. Information related to content are used here to control both the encoding and the decoding process and are directly embedded in the compressed data stream. Firstly, thanks to the proposed solution, the content description can be quickly accessed without the need of fully decoding the compressed stream. This fact ensures a significant improvement in the performance of search and retrieval systems, such as for semantic browsing of image databases. Then, other potential benefits can be envisaged especially in the field of management and distribution of multimedia content, because the direct embedding of content metadata preserves the consistency between content stream and content description without the need of other external frameworks, such as MPEG-21. The paradigm proposed here may also be shifted to Multiple description coding, where different representations of the HDR image can be generated accordingly to its content. The advantages provided by the new proposed method are visible at different levels, i.e. when evaluating the redundancy reduction. Moreover, the descriptors extracted from the compressed data stream could be actively used in complex applications, such as fast retrieval of similar images from huge databases

Efecto de la disponibilidad de nitrógeno y agua de los suelos sobre los requerimientos de fósforo del maíz

p.127-131Se estudió el efecto de la disponibilidad de nitrógeno y agua sobre los requerimientos de fósforo del cultivo de maíz, en un experimento realizado en macetas. Se trabajó con 5 suelos en los que se generaron 5 niveles de disponibilidad de P, en tres condiciones: Seco, Húmedo y Húmedo más Nitrógeno. Se evaluó el P disponible por el método de Bray, el P en la solución del suelo, el rendimiento de materia seca del maíz, la concentración de P en las plantas y se estimó la cantidad de P absorbida por difusión y por flujo masal. Se observó una marcada variación de los rendimientos en respuesta a la adición de P y a los distintos niveles de agua y nitrógeno. La menor disponibilidad de N y agua redujo los rendimientos potenciales entre un 15 y un 50 por ciento. La eficiencia en el uso de los recursos analizados fue superior cuando éstos se encontraron cerca del óptimo. Una expresión relativa del rendimiento permitió una mejor interpretación de los resultados. Los niveles críticos de P Bray, así como las dosis de P requeridas no variaron ante las distintas condiciones de disponibilidad de agua y nitrógeno. La interpretación del análisis de suelo, así como las dosis de recomendación fueron independientes del nivel de rendimiento potencial. La mayor disponibilidad de agua y N incrementó las cantidades de P absorbidas por las plantas, facilitando el flujo difusivo

SURGERY IN PATIENTS WITH TESTICULAR MALIGNANT GERM CELL TUMORS: COMPLIANCE TO SURGICAL GUIDELINES AND RESULTS IN THE ITALIAN COOPERATIVE STUDY

Purpose: Surgery represents a main and often the only treatment in patients with testicular Malignant Germ Cell Tumors (MGCT). We analyzed the compliance to surgical guidelines and the results in a series of patients with testicular MGCT -/+ retroperitoneal node involvement, without distant metastases. Method: 42 patients, observed in 15 Centers were enrolled in the Italian Cooperative Study on MGCT (January2004–December2010). 14/42 were younger than 2 y. of age, 28/42 between 13–18 y. Treatment was delivered according to COG-Staging-System: St.I patients (complete excision with inguinal orchifunicolectomy+decrease of markers, +hemiscrotectomy if scrotal involvement) did not receive further treatment; St.II patients (scrotal involvement after hemiscrotectomy and/or retroperitoneal node (RPN) enlargement:2 cm) had RPN Dissection if residuals were suspected after PEBx3or4. Results: St.I: 26 patients. 3/26 had a scrotal approach due to suspected testicular torsion: 1/3 underwent hemiscrotectomy, 2 did not receive further therapy after decrease of alphaFP, due to patient’s or physician’s decision respectively. 3/26 were successfully treated for RPN relapse, occurred at 3,6,9 months after adequate surgery (2 adolescents, 1 infant). St.II: in 4 patients CTwas delivered due to slight enlargement of RPN (+persistent alphaFP in 1). St.III: 12 patients received CT and RPND (bilateral in 1). Histology was negative in 11/12. All patients are alive without disease, 39 in 1stCR, 3 in 2ndCR (f.u 9–86 m.:med.48). 1 St.1 patient suffered from postoperative scrotal hematoma. Among patients younger than 2 y, 10/14 had a pure YST, 12/14 had St.I disease; among those between 13–18 y, 27/28 had a mixed histology, 14/28 were St.II or St.III. In 3 adolescents a testicular prosthesis was positioned during primary operation. Conclusion: Outcome was excellent. Regional relapses, observed only in St.I patients, were cured. Surgical guidelines were followed in 40/42 cases. Scrotal approach did not worsen the outcome of patients who did not receive further treatment

Prediction of Displacements in Unstable Areas Using a Neural Model

In pipeline management the accurate prediction of weak displacements is a crucial factor in drawing up a prevention policy since the accumulation of these displacements over a period of several years can lead to situations of high risk. This work addresses the specific problem related to the prediction of displacements induced by rainfall in unstable areas, of known geology, and crossed by underground pipelines. A neural model has been configured which learns of displacements from instrumented sites (where inclinometric measurements are available) and is able to generalise to other sites not equipped with inclinometers

Horizontal gene transfer in bdelloid rotifers is ancient, ongoing and more frequent in species from desiccating habitats.

BACKGROUND: Although prevalent in prokaryotes, horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is rarer in multicellular eukaryotes. Bdelloid rotifers are microscopic animals that contain a higher proportion of horizontally transferred, non-metazoan genes in their genomes than typical of animals. It has been hypothesized that bdelloids incorporate foreign DNA when they repair their chromosomes following double-strand breaks caused by desiccation. HGT might thereby contribute to species divergence and adaptation, as in prokaryotes. If so, we expect that species should differ in their complement of foreign genes, rather than sharing the same set of foreign genes inherited from a common ancestor. Furthermore, there should be more foreign genes in species that desiccate more frequently. We tested these hypotheses by surveying HGT in four congeneric species of bdelloids from different habitats: two from permanent aquatic habitats and two from temporary aquatic habitats that desiccate regularly. RESULTS: Transcriptomes of all four species contain many genes with a closer match to non-metazoan genes than to metazoan genes. Whole genome sequencing of one species confirmed the presence of these foreign genes in the genome. Nearly half of foreign genes are shared between all four species and an outgroup from another family, but many hundreds are unique to particular species, which indicates that HGT is ongoing. Using a dated phylogeny, we estimate an average of 12.8 gains versus 2.0 losses of foreign genes per million years. Consistent with the desiccation hypothesis, the level of HGT is higher in the species that experience regular desiccation events than those that do not. However, HGT still contributed hundreds of foreign genes to the species from permanently aquatic habitats. Foreign genes were mainly enzymes with various annotated functions that include catabolism of complex polysaccharides and stress responses. We found evidence of differential loss of ancestral foreign genes previously associated with desiccation protection in the two non-desiccating species. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly half of foreign genes were acquired before the divergence of bdelloid families over 60 Mya. Nonetheless, HGT is ongoing in bdelloids and has contributed to putative functional differences among species. Variation among our study species is consistent with the hypothesis that desiccating habitats promote HGT