Protobios (Estonia)

La modalidad de teletrabajo es el exponente actual más destacado del modelo de producción flexible. Su desarrollo provoca cambios, tanto en la propia organización de los tiempos de trabajo como en los ritmos domésticos. Durante el confinamiento, obligado por la Covid-19, el trabajo desde casa ha aumentado considerablemente, lo que ha tenido una especial repercusión para quienes tienen responsabilidades educativas y de cuidado de menores en edad escolar y preescolar. La implantación del teletrabajo es mayor en grupos profesionales bien situados en la escala laboral, aunque difiere según ocupación, vínculo contractual, antigüedad, edad, género y situación familiar, entre otras variables. Durante los meses críticos de la pandemia el teletrabajo ha visibilizado las transferencias de tiempo y de recursos que se producen entre la esfera laboral y la doméstica. En este artículo se analizan los efectos de estas interconexiones sobre los tiempos de trabajo.

Three-dimensional (3D) customized scaffolds are anticipated to provide new frontiers in cell manipulation and advanced therapy methods. Here, we demonstrate the application of hybrid 3D porous scaffolds, representing networks of highly aligned self-assembled ceramic nanofibers, for culturing four types of cancer cells. Ultrahigh aspect ratio (∼107) of graphene augmented fibers of tailored nanotopology is shown as an alternative tool to substantially affect cancerous gene expression, eventually due to differences in local biomechanical features of the cell–matrix interactions. Here, we report a clear selective up- and down-regulation of groups of markers for breast cancer (MDA-MB231), colorectal cancer (CaCO2), melanoma (WM239A), and neuroblastoma (Kelly) depending on only fiber orientation and morphology without application of any other stimulus. Changes in gene expression are also revealed for Mitomycin C treatment of MDA-MB231, making the scaffold a suitable platform for testing of anticancer agents. This allows an opportunity for selective “clean” guidance to a deep understanding of mechanisms of cancer cells progressive growth and tumor formation without possible side effects by manipulation with the specific markers.

Transcription factor IID (TFIID) activity can be regulated by cellular signals to specifically alter transcription of particular subsets of genes. Alternative splicing of TFIID subunits is often the result of external stimulation of upstream signaling pathways. We studied tissue distribution and cellular expression of different splice variants of TFIID subunit TAF4 mRNA and biochemical properties of its isoforms in human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) to reveal the role of different isoforms of TAF4 in the regulation of proliferation and differentiation. Expression of TAF4 transcripts with exons VI or VII deleted, which results in a structurally modified hTAF4-TAFH domain, increases during early differentiation of hMSCs into osteoblasts, adipocytes and chondrocytes. Functional analysis data reveals that TAF4 isoforms with the deleted hTAF4-TAFH domain repress proliferation of hMSCs and preferentially promote chondrogenic differentiation at the expense of other developmental pathways. This study also provides initial data showing possible cross-talks between TAF4 and TP53 activity and switching between canonical and non-canonical WNT signaling in the processes of proliferation and differentiation of hMSCs. We propose that TAF4 isoforms generated by the alternative splicing participate in the conversion of the cellular transcriptional programs from the maintenance of stem cell state to differentiation, particularly differentiation along the chondrogenic pathway.