Yolanda Sanz López

Histone 3.3 Participates in a Self-Sustaining Cascade of Apoptosis That Contributes to the Progression of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

RATIONALE Shifts in the gene expression of nuclear protein in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive disease that is characterized by extensive lung inflammation and apoptosis, are common; however, the extent of the elevation of the core histones, which are the major components of nuclear proteins and their consequences in COPD, has not been characterized, which is important because extracellular histones are cytotoxic to endothelial and airway epithelial cells. OBJECTIVES To investigate the role of extracellular histones in COPD disease progression. METHODS We analyzed the nuclear lung proteomes of ex-smokers with and without the disease. Further studies on the consequences of H3.3 were also performed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS A striking finding was a COPD-specific eightfold increase of hyperacetylated histone H3.3. The hyperacetylation renders H3.3 resistant to proteasomal degradation despite ubiquitination; when combined with the reduction in proteasome activity that is known for COPD, this resistance helps account for the increased levels of H3.3. Using anti-H3 antibodies, we found H3.3 in the airway lumen, alveolar fluid, and plasma of COPD samples. H3.3 was cytotoxic to lung structural cells via a mechanism that involves the perturbation of Ca(2+) homeostasis and mitochondrial toxicity. We used the primary human airway epithelial cells and found that the antibodies to either the C or N terminus of H3 could partially reverse H3.3 toxicity. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that there is an uncontrolled positive feedback loop in which the damaged cells release acetylated H3.3, which causes more damage, adds H3.3 release, and contributes toward the disease progression.

Inventario de Desarrollo Battelle como instrumento de ayuda diagnóstica en el autismo

El objetivo es comprobar si el Inventario de Desarrollo Battelle se podria utilizar como instrumento de ayuda diagnostica en autismo en los primeros 4 anos.

Characterisation of Plasmodium falciparum RESA-like protein peptides that bind specifically to erythrocytes and inhibit invasion

Abstract The Plasmodium falciparum ring-erythrocyte surface antigen (RESA)-like putative protein was identified and characterised. PCR and RT-PCR assays revealed that the gene encoding this protein was both present and being transcribed in P. falciparum strain FCB-2 16 h after erythrocyte invasion. Indirect immunofluorescence studies detected this protein in infected erythrocyte (IE) cytosol in dense fluorescent granules similar to Maurers clefts at 16–20 h (parasites in ring and trophozoite stages) and very strongly on IE membranes at 22 h, suggesting that it is synthesised during early ring stages (16 h) and transported to the infected red blood cell (RBC) membrane surface during the trophozoite stage (22 h). Western blotting showed that antisera produced against polymerised synthetic peptides of this protein recognised a 72-kDa band in P. falciparum schizont lysate. P. falciparum RESA-like peptides used in normal RBC binding assays revealed that peptides 30326 (101NAEKI LGFDD KNILE ALDLFY120), 30334 (281RVTWK KLRTK MIKAL KKSLTY300) and 30342 (431SSPQR LKFTA GGGFC GKLRNY450) bind with high activity and saturability, presenting nM affinity constants. These peptides contain α-helical structural elements, as determined by circular dichroism, and inhibit P. falciparum in vitro invasion of normal RBCs by up to 91%, suggesting that some RESA-like protein regions are involved in intra-erythrocyte stage P. falciparum invasion.

La observación psicológica en los tribunales para niños en España (1889-1975) (II): La estructura de la exploración psicológica

At the beginning of the 20 th century Juvenile Courts were set up in Spain. The Juvenile Courts Law, promulgated in 1918, states the need of setting up Observation Homes run by specialised staff trained in juvenile experimental psychology. Tertiary Capuchin brothers took charge of these Juveniles homes, not without the opposition of the Institucion Libre de Ensenanza. This second article deals with both the method and the psychotechnical tests and apparatus used in psychological examination. Finally, a description of the psychological types outlined in the 20 th century will be examined.

La observación psicológica en los tribunales para niños en España (1889-1975): (I) Los terciarios capuchinos y la psicología

En los comienzos del siglo XX se empiezan a instaurar en Espana los tribunales para ninos. La ley de tribunales para ninos, promulgada en 1918, recoge la necesidad de contar con Casas de Observacion atendidas por personal tecnico especializado en psicologia experimental del menor. Los padres terciarios capuchinos se hicieron cargo, en pugna con la Institucion Libre de Ensenanza, de los centros de menores. En este primer articulo se aborda historicamente la relacion de los religiosos con la psicologia, sus condicionantes politicos e ideologicos y su modelo criminologico.