Description: The members of the human regulators of calcineurin (RCAN) protein family are endogenous regulators of the calcineurin (CN)-cytosolic nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFATc) pathway activation. This function is explained by the presence of a highly conserved calcipressin inhibitor of calcineurin (CIC) motif in RCAN proteins, which has been shown to compete with NFATc for the binding to CN and therefore are able to inhibit NFATc dephosphorylation and activation by CN. Very recently, emerging roles for NFATc proteins in transformation, tumor angiogenesis and metastasis have been described in different cancer cell types. In this work, we report that the overexpression of RCAN3 dramatically inhibits tumor growth and tumor angiogenesis in an orthotopic human breast cancer model. We suggest that RCAN3 exerts these effects in a CN-dependent manner, as mutation of the CIC motif in RCAN3 abolishes the tumor suppressor effect. Moreover, the expression of the EGFP-R3 178-210 peptide, spanning the CIC motif of RCAN3, is able to reproduce all the antitumor effects of RCAN3 full-length protein. Finally, we show that RCAN3 and the EGFP-R3 178-210 peptide inhibit the CN-NFATc signaling pathway and the induction of the NFATc-dependent gene cyclooxygenase-2. Our work suggests that the EGFP-R3 178-210 peptide possess potent tumor suppressor properties and therefore constitutes a novel lead for the development of potent and specific antitumoral agents. Moreover, we propose the targeting of the CN-NFATc pathway in the tumor cells constitutes an effective way to hamper tumor progression by impairing the paracrine network among tumor, endothelial and polymorphonucleated cells.

Description: We report 12 new transit observations of the exoplanet WASP-4b from the Transit Monitoring in the South ( TraMoS ) project. These transits are combined with all previously published transit data for this planet to provide an improved radius measurement of R p = 1.395 ± 0.022 R jup and improved transit ephemerides. In a new homogeneous analysis in search for transit timing variations (TTVs) we find no evidence of those with rms amplitudes larger than 20 s over a 4-yr time span. This lack of TTVs rules out the presence of additional planets in the system with masses larger than about 2.5, 2.0 and 1.0 M around the 1:2, 5:3 and 2:1 orbital resonances. Our search for the variation of other parameters, such as orbital inclination and transit depth, also yields negative results over the total time span of the transit observations. Finally, we perform a simple study of stellar spots configurations of the system and conclude that the star rotational period is about 34 d.

Description: In the context of the Transit Monitoring in the South project, we present nine new transit observations of the exoplanet OGLE-TR-113b observed with the Gemini South, Magellan Baade, Danish-1.54 m and Southern Astrophysical Research telescopes. We perform a homogeneous analysis of these new transits together with 10 literature transits to probe into the potential detection of an orbital decay previously reported for this planet. Our new observations extend the transit monitoring baseline for this system by 6 yr, to a total of more than 13 yr. With our timing analysis we obtained a $\dot{P}=-1.0 \pm 6.0$  ms yr –1 , which rejects previous hints of a larger orbital decay for OGLE-TR-113b. With our updated value of $\dot{P}$ we can discard tidal quality factors of Q *  〈 10 5 for its host star. Additionally, we calculate a 1 dispersion of the transit timing variations of 42 s over the 13 yr baseline, which discards additional planets in the system more massive than 0.5–3.0 M in 1:2, 5:3, 2:1 and 3:1 Mean Motion Resonances with OGLE-TR-113b. Finally, with the joint analysis of the 19 light curves we update transit parameters, such as the relative semimajor axis $a / R_s = 6.44^{+0.04}_{-0.05}$ , the planet-to-star radius ratio $R_p / R_s =0.14436^{+0.00096}_{-0.00088}$ , and constrains its orbital inclination to $i =89.27^{+0.51}_{-0.68}$ deg.

Description: Multicolour broad-band transit observations offer the opportunity to characterize the atmosphere of an extrasolar planet with small- to medium-sized telescopes. One of the most favourable targets is the hot Jupiter HAT-P-32 b. We combined 21 new transit observations of this planet with 36 previously published light curves for a homogeneous analysis of the broad-band transmission spectrum from the Sloan u ' band to the Sloan z ' band. Our results rule out cloud-free planetary atmosphere models of solar metallicity. Furthermore, a discrepancy at reddest wavelengths to previously published results makes a recent tentative detection of a scattering feature less likely. Instead, the available spectral measurements of HAT-P-32 b favour a completely flat spectrum from the near-UV to the near-IR. A plausible interpretation is a thick cloud cover at high altitudes.