Uncoupling protein-3 as a molecular determinant of the action of 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine on energy metabolism

Thyroid hormones are known to stimulate thermogenesis in rodents by exerting a permissive effect on norepinephrine that affects uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) expression in brown adipose tissue (BAT). The aim of this study was to identify new targets of the thermogenic effects of T3 in tissues other than the BAT, such as skeletal muscle. In β1/β2/β3-adrenoceptor knockout (β-less) mice, that are dramatically cold intolerant, a normal body temperature was maintained throughout 48h of cold exposure by T3 administration. In these mice, BAT UCP1 protein expression was not modified either by cold exposure or by T3 administration. To test the possibility that T3 might act via muscle uncoupling protein-3 (UCP3), an UCP3 knockout (KO) model was used. This model exhibited a normal phenotype except that, upon T3 administration, stimulated oxygen consumption of the UCP3KO mice was significantly lower by 6% than that of the wild-type (WT) mice. This difference was observed only during the dark period (between 7.00p.m. and 7.00a.m.), i.e. when the mice are the most active at consuming food. Therefore, UCP3 might participate in the correction by T3 of the dramatic cold intolerance of the β-less mice. These results reactivate the idea that UCP3 might play a role in the control of energy balanc

The studies on the romancero of Carolina Michaeis de Vasconcelos

UIDB/00657/2020 UIDP/00657/2020Carolina Michaëlis de Vasconcelos is one of the most recognized Romanists of the second half of the 19th century and the first quarter of the 20th century. Specialized in the history, culture, and literature of the Iberian Peninsula of the Middle Ages and early modernity, and author of numerous important studies on Portuguese literature, she also paid special attention to the Hispanic balladry. It was a constant subject of research throughout her career, from the edition of the Romancero del Cid in 1875, which was one of her first academic publications, to the pinnacle of her work in this field represented by the Estudos sobre o Romanceiro Peninsular. Romances Velhos em Portugal from 1907-1909. The objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of Carolina Michaëlis de Vasconcelos' publications on Hispanic balladry, including both those dedicated monographically to this subject and those that address it more tangentially. This survey will allow us to observe what were her main points of interest, what contributions she made to the field, and how her ideas evolved throughout the time. In addition, for the most significant works, it will be detailed the critical reception at the time and the weight they still have today in this field of study.publishersversionpublishe

Cytomegalovirus drug resistance mutations in transplant recipients with suspected resistance

Resistant CMV infections are challenging complications after SOT and HSCT. Prompt recognition of ARMs is imperative for appropriate therapy. 108 plasma samples from 96 CMV + transplant recipients with suspected resistance were analysed in CNM in a retrospective nationwide study from January 2018 to July 2022 for resistance genotyping. ARMs in UL97 and UL54 were found in 26.87% (18/67) and 10.60% (7/66) of patients, respectively. Patients' ARM distribution in UL97 was as follows: L595S n = 3; L595S/M460I n = 1; L595S/N510S n = 1; L595W n = 1; C603W n = 4; A594V n = 3; A594E n = 1; C607Y n = 1; L397R/T409M/H411L/M460I n = 1; L397I n = 1; H520Q n = 1; four patients showed ARMs in UL54 as well (F412C n = 1; T503I n = 2; P522S n = 1), whereas three patients exhibited ARMs in UL54 only (L501I/T503I/L516R/A834P n = 1; A987G n = 2). L516R in UL54 and L397R/I and H411L in UL97 have been found for the first time in a clinical sample. L595S/W was the most prevalent ARM found to lend resistance to GCV. In UL54 all ARMs lent resistance to GCV and CDV. In addition, A834P, found in one patient, also lent resistance to FOS. CMV load did not differ significantly in patients with or without ARMs, and no differences were found either between patients with ARMs in UL97 or in UL97 and UL54. Despite extensive use of classical antivirals for the treatment of CMV infection after HSCT and SOT, ARMs occurred mainly in viral UL97 kinase, which suggests that CDV and mostly FOS continue to be useful alternatives to nucleoside analogues after genotypic detection of ARMs.This work was supported by a grant from Instituto de Salud Carlos III. AESI2021 PCIII00011-MPY434/2021. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature.S

Cerámicas emirales y califales de Murcia, calle Pascual (siglos IX-XI)

In this paper, some of the ceramic finds from the archaeological excavation of a plot in the city of Murcia are studied. The stratigraphic succession of the analyzed deposit, which reached -5.25 m deep, dates back from modern levels until the horizons  of earlier occupation. For some of these we have dates obtained from14C analysis of some organic remains and a numismatic find. Taking into account all of these data and the comparative analysis with other sites, we have set a sequence of evolution of the pottery throughout a period between the 9th and 11th centuries. The study of these ceramics has also provided valuable information about the origins of the city of Murcia and its social evolution during the first centuries of its history.En este trabajo se estudian algunos de los hallazgos cerámicos procedentes de la excavación arqueológica de un solar en la ciudad de Murcia. La sucesión estratigráfica del depósito analizado, que alcanzó los -5.25 m de profundidad, se remontaba desde niveles modernos hasta los horizontes de ocupación más antiguos. Para algunos de estos, además, contamos con dataciones absolutas procedentes de: 1) análisis arqueomagnético de las propias cerámicas, 2) análisis de Carbono 14 efectuados sobre restos orgánicos y 3) de algún hallazgo numismático. Gracias a todo ello y al examen comparativo con otros yacimientos, hemos podido establecer una secuencia de la evolución de las producciones alfareras a lo largo de los siglos IX y XI. El estudio de estas cerámicas también nos ha proporcionado valiosa información acerca de los orígenes de la propia ciudad de Murcia y de la evolución de la sociedad que la pobló en los primeros siglos de su historia

Regional performance in the Research, Innovation and Competitiveness Priorities of the Energy Union

The Energy Union is one of the 10 political priorities of the current Commission; and comprises five closely interlinked dimensions, the fifth of which addresses research, innovation and competitiveness (RIC). Trends in patents are among the key performance indicators monitored annually to evaluate the contribution of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) to the objectives of the Energy Union in a quantifiable way, as part of the reporting on the State of the Energy Union. At regional level, the Commission has called on the relevant authorities to develop smart specialisation strategies for research and innovation, encouraging all European regions to identify their areas of competitive advantage, where research and innovation investment under cohesion policy could be prioritised. This document provides an overview of regional performance in the Research, Innovation and Competitiveness Priorities of the Energy Union through maps.JRC.C.7 - Knowledge for the Energy Unio

Analysis of potential risk factors in the survival of patients with primary retroperitoneal liposarcoma

[eng] Introduction The present work is an observational study of a series of variables regarding overall survival and disease-free survival in patients diagnosed with primary liposarcoma. Methods The study is prospective with retrolective data collection that includes all patients with primary liposarcoma referred to Hospital Son Espases University Hospital, Palma de Mallorca, Spain from January 1990 to December 2019. Results The study includes 50 patients and the compartment surgery was performed in 18 patients (36%) of cases. The mean overall survival of the sample was 15.57 years (95% CI: 12.02-19.12) and the mean disease-free survival was 6.70 years (95% CI: 4.50-8.86). Conclusion Compartment surgery has not shown benefits in terms of overall survival and disease-free survival. The ASA classification (≥3) predicts a poor prognosis in both overall survival and disease-free survival. Resection with free margins, described on the pathological results and defined in this work as R0, show better disease-free survival

Truncation of αB-crystallin by the myopathy-causing Q151X mutation significantly destabilizes the protein leading to aggregate formation in transfected cells

Here we investigate the effects of a myopathy-causing mutation in αB-crystallin, Q151X, upon its structure and function. This mutation removes the C-terminal domain of αB-crystallin, which is expected to compromise both its oligomerization and chaperone activity. We compared this to two other αB-crystallin mutants (450delA, 464delCT) and also to a series of C-terminal truncations (E164X, E165X, K174X, and A171X). We find that the effects of the Q151X mutation were not always as predicted. Specifically, we have found that although the Q151X mutation decreased oligomerization of αB-crystallin and even increased some chaperone activities, it also significantly destabilized αB-crystallin causing it to self-aggregate. This conclusion was supported by our analyses of both the other disease-causing mutants and the series of C-terminal truncation constructs of αB-crystallin. The 450delA and 464delCT mutants could only be refolded and assayed as a complex with wild type αB-crystallin, which was not the case for Q151X αB-crystallin. From these studies, we conclude that all three disease-causing mutations (450delA, 464delCT, and Q151X) in the C-terminal extension destabilize αB-crystallin and increase its tendency to self-aggregate. We propose that it is this, rather than a catastrophic loss of chaperone activity, which is a major factor in the development of the reported diseases for the three disease-causing mutations studied here. In support of this hypothesis, we show that Q151X αB-crystallin is found mainly in the insoluble fraction of cell extracts from transient transfected cells, due to the formation of cytoplasmic aggregates