The autophagy protein Def8 is altered in Alzheimer's disease and Aβ42-expressing Drosophila brains

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by protein accumulation in the brain as a main neuropathological hallmark. Among them, A beta 42 peptides tend to aggregate and create oligomers and plaques. Macroautophagy, a form of autophagy characterized by a double-membrane vesicle, plays a crucial role in maintaining neuronal homeostasis by degrading protein aggregates and dysfunctional organelles as a quality control process. Recently, DEF8, a relatively uncharacterized protein, has been proposed as a participant in vesicular traffic and autophagy pathways. We have reported increased DEF8 levels in lymphocytes from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early-stage AD patients and a neuronal profile in a murine transgenic AD model. Here, we analyzed DEF8 localization and levels in the postmortem frontal cortex of AD patients, finding increased levels compared to healthy controls. To evaluate the potential function of DEF8 in the nervous system, we performed an in silico assessment of its expression and network profiles, followed by an in vivo evaluation of a neuronal Def8 deficient model using a Drosophila melanogaster model of AD based on A beta 42 expression. Our findings show that DEF8 is an essential protein for maintaining cellular homeostasis in the nervous system, and it is upregulated under stress conditions generated by A beta 42 aggregation. This study suggests DEF8 as a novel actor in the physiopathology of AD, and its exploration may lead to new treatment avenues.We thank Washington University, Knight ADRC (Alzheimer's Disease Research Center), grants number P50AG005681, P01AG003991, and P01AG026276, for donating human brain samples. This study used fly stocks obtained from the Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center (NIH P40OD018537). All the biosafety and approvals for the ethical were obtained before the start of the study. All procedures performed in this study were under the ethical standards of the University Mayor. The study was conducted following the Bioethical Scientific Committee from Universidad Mayor Protocol. This work was directly funded by the Chilean Government grants Fondecyt 11200981 (MS) and FDP-UM2021-34 (MS), Fondecyt 1200459 (UW), Fondecyt 1230823 (DRR-MS), FONIS SA22I0041 (NS), and Fondecyt 11160288 (MCN)

Structural and functional brain changes in people with knee osteoarthritis: a scoping review

Background. Knee osteoarthritis is a highly prevalent disease worldwide that leads to functional disability and chronic pain. It has been shown that not only changes are generated at the joint level in these individuals, but also neuroplastic changes are produced in different brain areas, especially in those areas related to pain perception, therefore, the objective of this research was to identify and compare the structural and functional brain changes in knee OA versus healthy subjects. Methodology. Searches in MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, WOS, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Health Source, and Epistemonikos databases were conducted to explore the available evidence on the structural and functional brain changes occurring in people with knee OA. Data were recorded on study characteristics, participant characteristics, and brain assessment techniques. The methodological quality of the studies was analysed with Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Results. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. A decrease volume of the gray matter in the insular region, parietal lobe, cingulate cortex, hippocampus, visual cortex, temporal lobe, prefrontal cortex, and basal ganglia was found in people with knee OA. However, the opposite occurred in the frontal lobe, nucleus accumbens, amygdala region and somatosensory cortex, where an increase in the gray matter volume was evidenced. Moreover, a decreased connectivity to the frontal lobe from the insula, cingulate cortex, parietal, and temporal areas, and an increase in connectivity from the insula to the prefrontal cortex, subcallosal area, and temporal lobe was shown. Conclusion. All these findings are suggestive of neuroplastic changes affecting the pain matrix in people with knee OA

Prevalencia de neuromitos en adultos que cumplen roles de crianza

Los neuromitos son creencias sobre el cerebro y su funcionamiento, basada en la argumentación pseudocientífica o malas interpretaciones de ciertos hallazgos (Painemil et al., 2021). Estas creencias se han asentado en las comunidades educativas influyendo de diversas maneras en ellas. Este trabajo buscó explorar el grado de conocimiento sobre neuromitos que tiene un grupo de adultos de la Región Metropolitana que cumplen roles de crianza entre el periodo de gestación hasta los 3 primeros años de vida. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 73 personas, quienes respondieron una encuesta sobre 5 neuromitos (Sueño, Efecto Mozart, Ambientes Enriquecidos, Periodos Críticos y Estilos de Aprendizaje). Los resultados obtenidos son similares a los observados en otras publicaciones nacionales e internacionales las cuales indican una alta prevalencia de neuromitos. En este caso en particular, es posible afirmar que existe una alta creencia en 4 de los 5 neuromitos estudiados, lo que sugiere un desafío para las futuras educadoras y educadores

Orientaciones para la educación de los niños y niñas dentro del núcleo familiar

Se discute sobre cómo los padres cumplen un rol significativo para sus hijos, y desde la otra perspectiva, cómo los docentes tienen el conocimiento para poder apoyar el desarrollo y aprendizaje integral de los niños y niñas. Sin embrago, si analizamos desde el lugar de la familia, ¿Qué sucede cuando los padres no están relacionados al área de la educación?, claramente la tarea es aún más compleja, siendo los docentes agentes de cambio que constantemente reflexionan sobre el rol pedagógico, que se ve profundamente afectado si no existe una alianza y alineamiento entre familia-escuela. La realidad de cada familia fuera del contexto escolar es la más desafiante, enfrentándose día a día a cuestionamientos sobre su quehacer frente al desarrollo socio- personal, apego significativo y cognitivo de sus hijos e hijas. No obstante, existen un sinfín de aportes para las familias, que pueden utilizarse como orientaciones a su rol que al realizarlas será de gran impacto y beneficio para los niños y niñas

Arterial Hypertension in Pediatrics. Role of Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM)

La Hipertensión Arterial (HTA) es un factor de riesgo relevante de enfermedad cardiovascular. La prevalencia en pediatría ha ido en aumento, asociado al incremento de sobrepeso y obesidad infantil, entre otros factores. Un diagnóstico adecuado e intervención precoz son determinantes en la prevención de daño de órgano blanco. La Academia Americana de Pediatría recomienda realizar Monitorización Ambulatoria de Presión Arterial (MAPA) en pacientes pediátricos con sospecha o factores de riesgo de HTA para confirmar el diagnóstico y dirigir el tratamiento. Las nuevas recomendaciones recientemente publicadas simplifican la interpretación; se elimina la sobrecarga como determinante para la clasificación, quedando sólo 4 categorías diagnósticas de presión arterial: Normo-tensión, Hipertensión de Delantal Blanco, Hipertensión Enmascarada e Hipertensión Ambulatoria. Asimismo, cambian los valores de corte en adolescentes ≥ 13 años, usándose los valores de referencia de MAPA para adultos recomendados por la American Heart Association en 2017. Ambos cambios aumentan la sensibilidad de este examen para la detección de repercusión sistémica. En este artículo se actualiza el estudio y diagnóstico de la HTA basado en las guías de Monitorización Ambulatoria de Presión Arterial chilenas para pacientes pediátricos, con el objetivo de unificar criterios diagnósticos, mejorar su difusión y ampliar su cobertura nacional. Además, se aporta una actualización en relación a las distintas categorías ambulatorias de presión arterial, al daño de órgano blanco y recomendaciones para el correcto uso de esta herramienta diagnóstica, incluyendo sugerencias de informe

Rasgos-CL: A functional trait database of Chilean woody plants

Motivation: Due to language and networking barriers, global initiatives to compile trait data often fail to integrate data from sources in non-English languages or scientists that largely speak and write in non-English languages. To illustrate the potential for regional databases to fill gaps in trait data, and how such databases may fill critical gaps in global biodiversity databases, we built the Rasgos-CL Database. Rasgos-CL provides a comprehensive set of plant traits for the woody flora of Chile by mobilizing and standardizing unstructured data largely from the Spanish-language literature. We quantified the gains in trait coverage compared to global trait databases and identified phylogenetic and geographic biases of trait data gaps.Main Types of Variables Contained: Rasgos-CL contains 25,174 trait records, including 2 continuous and 21 categorical traits for 662 woody species.Spatial Location and Grain: National coverage, with species that occur across all ecosystems in continental Chile.Time Period and Grain: Data were extracted from sources published between 1833 and 2023.Major Taxa and Level of Measurement: Rasgos-CL includes trait data aggregated at the species level for 662 tree and shrub species, and also provides trait records from individual data sources.Software Format: Rasgos-CL includes four csv files. A GitHub repository contains the csv files.Our research was funded by the Agencia Nacional de Investigacion y Desarrollo (Chile; FONDECYT Regular 1201347) and the Data Observatory Foundation. RS was supported by FONDECYT Iniciacion 1120096 and ANID Basal FB210006

Obesidad infantil y salud cerebral: rol del ejercicio físico como neuroprotector

La obesidad infantil ha mostrado un incremento sostenido durante los últimos años. En nuestro país, las tasas de niños con sobrepeso y obesidad muestran un patrón exponencial, concentrándose, en comunas vulnerables. En este sentido, el ejercicio puede generar importantes beneficios en la salud de los niños, impactando positivamente en la salud cardiovascular, sistema musculo esquelético y también a nivel cerebral. Es aquí donde durante los últimos años se han estudiado los cambios que provoca la obesidad en el cerebro infantil y como el ejercicio puede revertir dichos cambios y de esta forma, aumentar la capacidad cognitiva de los niños. Mejoras en pruebas matemáticas, en pruebas de lenguaje y también en la atención, son efectos que se han comprobado en niños obesos que practican ejercicio. No obstante, el desafío de los profesionales que abordan en su rol formador a niños con obesidad es generar un cambio en la forma de percibir la actividad física saludable y una dieta adecuada para entender los beneficios que esto conlleva en la salud cerebral

Poly(ethylene imine)-chitosan carbon dots: study of its physical-chemical properties and biological in vitro performance

Carbon dots (CDs) have been quickly extended for nanomedicine uses because of their multiple applications, such as bioimaging, sensors, and drug delivery. However, the interest in increasing their photoluminescence properties is not always accompanied by cytocompatibility. Thus, a knowledge gap exists regarding their interactions with biological systems linked to the selected formulations and synthesis methods. In this work, we have developed carbon dots (CDs) based on poly (ethylene imine) (PEI) and chitosan (CS) by using microwave irradiation, hydrothermal synthesis, and a combination of both, and further characterized them by physicochemical and biological means. Our results indicate that synthesized CDs have sizes between 1 and 5 nm, a high presence of amine groups on the surface, and increased positive ζ potential values. Further, it is established that the choice and use of different synthesis procedures can contribute to a different answer to the CDs regarding their optical and biological properties. In this regard, PEI-only CDs showed the longest photoluminescent emission lifetime, non-hemolytic activity, and high toxicity against fibroblast. On the other hand, CS-only CDs have higher PL emission, non-cytotoxicity associated with fibroblast, and high hemolytic activity. Interestingly, their combination using the proposed methodologies allow a synergic effect in their CDs properties. Therefore, this work contributes to developing and characterizing CD formulations based on PEI and CS and better understanding the CD's properties and biological interaction.11220120; 11170244 y 11180616 del Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico

Familias y comunidad, corresponsables en el proceso de aprendizaje

El presente ensayo contiene una reflexión respecto a la importancia de la familia como pilar de la sociedad y primer espacio de aprendizaje y socialización que educa a los niños y niñas, desde la perspectiva académica y emocional. Se expone brevemente la dimensión dinámica de la familia, invitando a pensar en las transformaciones que ha tenido que pasar como institución y lo determinante de su rol para cada uno de los miembros que la componen. La necesidad de apoyo y la importancia que en ella recae en la construcción de ambientes seguros y bien tratantes, así como en la generación de vínculos sanos de afecto y contención. Destacando el rol de los educadores para generar, diseñar y mantener una alianza permanente entre familia y establecimiento educativo que favorezca la corresponsabilidad en beneficio de los niños y niñas

Bayesian sampling with BeAtlas, a grid of synthetic Be star spectra I. Recovering the fundamental parameters of α Eri and β CMi

Classical B emission (Be) stars are fast rotating, near-main-sequence B-type stars. The rotation and the presence of circumstellar discs profoundly modify the observables of active Be stars. Our goal is to infer stellar and disc parameters, as well as distance and interstellar extinction, using the currently most favoured physical models for these objects. We present BEATLAS, a grid of non-local thermodynamic equilibrium radiative transfer models for Be stars, calculated with the HDUST code. The grid was coupled with a Monte Carlo Markov chain (MCMC) code to sample the posterior distribution. We test our method on two well-studied Be stars, α Eri and β CMi, using photometric, polarimetric, and spectroscopic data as input to the code. We recover literature determinations for most of the parameters of the targets, in particular the mass and age of α Eri, the disc parameters of β CMi, and their distances and inclinations. The main discrepancy is that we estimate lower rotational rates than previous works. We confirm previously detected signs of disc truncation in β CMi and note that its inner disc seems to have a flatter density slope than its outer disc. The correlations between the parameters are complex, further indicating that exploring the entire parameter space simultaneously is a more robust approach, statistically. The combination of BEATLAS and Bayesian-MCMC techniques proves successful, and a powerful new tool for the field: The fundamental parameters of any Be star can now be estimated in a matter of hours or days.This study was financed in part by the ‘Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico’ – Brasil (CNPq) – Finance Code 140171/2015-0. ACR acknowledges support from the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP grant 2017/08001-7), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES grant 88887.464563/2019-00), Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD grant 57552338), and from the European Southern Observatory (ESO). ACC acknowledges support from CNPq (grant 311446/2019-1) and FAPESP (grants 2018/04055-8 and 2019/13354-1). PT acknowledges support from CAPES (grant 88887.604774/2021-00). MG acknowledges support from FAPESP (grant 2018/05326-5). This work made use of the computing facilities of the Laboratory of Astroinformatics (IAG/USP, NAT/Unicsul), whose purchase was made possible by the Brazilian agency FAPESP (grant 2009/54006-4) and the Institutos Nacionais de Ciência e Tecnologia - Astrofísica (INCT-A). CEJ acknowledges support through the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). THA acknowledges support from FAPESP (grants 2018/26380-8 and 2021/01891-2). CA and MC thank the support from Centro de Astrofísica de Valparaíso. MC, CA, and IA acknowledge the support of Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT) projects 1190485 and 1230131 and ANID-FAPESP project 2019/13354-1. This work was also based on INES data from the IUE satellite. This work was partially supported by the supercomputing infrastructure of the National Laboratory for High Performance Computing (NLHPC - ECM-02).16 This work has been possible thanks to the use of AWS-U.Chile NLHPC credits. This work was performed using HPC resources from the computing centre Mésocentre17 of CentraleSupélec and École Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay supported by CNRS and Région Île-de-France. This research was enabled in part by support provided by the Shared Hierarchical Academic Research Computing Network (SHARCNET)18 and the Digital Research Alliance of Canada.This study was granted access to and greatly benefited from the HPC resources of the Simulations Intensives en Géophysique, Astronomie, Mécanique et Mathématiques (SIGAMM) infrastructure (cluster Licallo), hosted by Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur (crimson.oca.eu) and supported by the Provence-Alpes Côte d’Azur region, France. This publication makes use of VOSA, developed under the Spanish Virtual Observatory (https://svo.cab.inta-csic.es) project funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ through grant PID2020-112949GB-I00. VOSA has been partially updated by using funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, under Grant Agreement nº 776403 (EXOPLANETS-A). The authors acknowledge the National Laboratory for Scientific Computing (LNCC/MCTI, Brazil) for providing HPC resources of the SDumont20 supercomputer, which have contributed to the research results reported within this paper