Transcriptomic analysis of the hepatic response to stress in the red cusk-eel (Genypterus chilensis): Insights into lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and liver steatosis

Indexación: Scopus.Teleosts exhibit a broad divergence in their adaptive response to stress, depending on the magnitude, duration, and frequency of stressors and the species receiving the stimulus. We have previously reported that the red cusk-eel (Genypterus chilensis), an important marine farmed fish, shows a physiological response to stress that results in increased skeletal muscle atrophy mediated by over-expression of components of the ubiquitin proteasome and autophagy-lysosomal systems. To better understand the systemic effects of stress on the red cusk-eel metabolism, the present study assessed the transcriptomic hepatic response to repetitive handling-stress. Using high-Throughput RNA-seq, 259 up-regulated transcripts were found, mostly associated with angiogenesis, gluconeogenesis, and triacylglyceride catabolism. Conversely, 293 transcripts were down-regulated, associated to cholesterol biosynthesis, PPARα signaling, fatty acid biosynthesis, and glycolysis. This gene signature was concordant with hepatic metabolite levels and hepatic oxidative damage. Moreover, the increased plasmatic levels of AST (aspartate aminotransferase), ALT (alanine aminotransferase) and AP (alkaline phosphatase), as well as liver histology suggest stress-induced liver steatosis. This study offers an integrative molecular and biochemical analysis of the hepatic response to handling-stress, and reveals unknown aspects of lipid metabolism in a non-model teleost.http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.017644

Nivel de sesgos cognitivos de representatividad y confirmación en estudiantes de Psicología de tres universidades del Bío-Bío

Cognitive biases are unreasonable ways of making decisions, often in a one-sided way. The objective of this research was to describe the level of representativeness and confirmation biases in Chilean psychology students, in order to know how this phenomenon occurs. The participants were 198 psychology students from three universities in southern Chile. The instrument was based on two cognitive tasks derived from Kanheman and Tversky. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and mean differences. The results indicate a high level of biases in the groups of students, in the two tasks evaluated; the representativeness bias presents differences among universities only in sub-task 1, as well as in task 2, related to confirmation bias. Likewise, there are differences in representation bias according to age and sex. The need to strengthen reasoning skills in the initial training of future psychologists, in order to improve skills related to decision making in the professional field is concluded.Los sesgos cognitivos son formas no razonadas de tomar decisiones, a menudo de manera parcializada. El objetivo de esta investigación fue describir el nivel de sesgos de representatividad y confirmación en estudiantes de psicología chilenos, para conocer cómo se presenta este fenómeno. Los participantes fueron 198 estudiantes de psicología, de tres universidades del sur de Chile. El instrumento se basó en dos tareas cognitivas derivadas de Kanheman y Tversky; se analizaron los datos con estadística descriptiva y diferencias de medias. Los resultados indican alto nivel de sesgos en los grupos de estudiantes, en las dos tareas evaluadas; el sesgo de representatividad presenta diferencias entre universidades, solo en la subtarea 1, así como en la tarea 2, relacionada con sesgo de confirmación; así mismo se observan diferencias en sesgo de representación según edad y sexo. Se concluye la necesidad de fortalecer habilidades de razonamiento en la formación inicial de los futuros psicólogos y psicólogas, con la finalidad de mejorar las habilidades relacionadas con la toma de decisiones en el campo profesional

Nivel de sesgos cognitivos de representatividad y confirmación en estudiantes de Psicología de tres universidades del Bío-Bío

Cognitive biases are unreasonable ways of making decisions, often in a one-sided way. The objective of this research was to describe the level of representativeness and confirmation biases in Chilean psychology students, in order to know how this phenomenon occurs. The participants were 198 psychology students from three universities in southern Chile. The instrument was based on two cognitive tasks derived from Kanheman and Tversky. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and mean differences. The results indicate a high level of biases in the groups of students, in the two tasks evaluated; the representativeness bias presents differences among universities only in sub-task 1, as well as in task 2, related to confirmation bias. Likewise, there are differences in representation bias according to age and sex. The need to strengthen reasoning skills in the initial training of future psychologists, in order to improve skills related to decision making in the professional field is concluded.Los sesgos cognitivos son formas no razonadas de tomar decisiones, a menudo de manera parcializada. El objetivo de esta investigación fue describir el nivel de sesgos de representatividad y confirmación en estudiantes de psicología chilenos, para conocer cómo se presenta este fenómeno. Los participantes fueron 198 estudiantes de psicología, de tres universidades del sur de Chile. El instrumento se basó en dos tareas cognitivas derivadas de Kanheman y Tversky; se analizaron los datos con estadística descriptiva y diferencias de medias. Los resultados indican alto nivel de sesgos en los grupos de estudiantes, en las dos tareas evaluadas; el sesgo de representatividad presenta diferencias entre universidades, solo en la subtarea 1, así como en la tarea 2, relacionada con sesgo de confirmación; así mismo se observan diferencias en sesgo de representación según edad y sexo. Se concluye la necesidad de fortalecer habilidades de razonamiento en la formación inicial de los futuros psicólogos y psicólogas, con la finalidad de mejorar las habilidades relacionadas con la toma de decisiones en el campo profesional

Ophrys fusca and Ophrys dyris (Orchidaceae) – constancy of tetraploidy amongst populations in Central Portugal

Ophrys is amongst the best known orchid genera and is an established system for the study of pollinatormediated floral evolution. Two species, Ophrys fusca s.l. and Ophrys dyris (= O. omegaifera subsp. dyris) belonging to Ophrys section Pseudophrys are the focus of this study. In the context of an integrative study of morphological and genetic diversity of O. fusca and O. dyris, genome size (GS) and cytotype diversity were surveyed from Portuguese populations. Flow cytometry methods were used to assess GS, and subsequently determine the ploidy level of 67 specimens, including the species and putative hybrids. Cytotypes were also confirmed based on chromosome counts from the roots of two specimens, one of each species. Constancy of nuclear DNA content (1C = 11.19 pg) and ploidy level (2n =4x = 72, 74) was documented among all the individuals analysed. Implications are considered, in terms of interpreting the origin and predicting the persistence of putative hybrids

A factorial-design cluster randomised controlled trial investigating the cost-effectiveness of a nutrition supplement and an exercise programme on pneumonia incidence, walking capacity and body mass index in older people living in Santiago, Chile: the CENEX study protocol

BACKGROUND: Chile is currently undergoing a period of rapid demographic transition which has led to an increase in the proportion of older people in the population; the proportion aged 60 years and over, for example, increased from 8% of the population in 1980 to 12% in 2005. In an effort to promote healthy ageing and preserve function, the government of Chile has formulated a package of actions into the Programme of Complementary Feeding for the Older Population (PACAM) which has been providing a nutritional supplement to older people since 1998. PACAM distributes micronutrient fortified foods to individuals aged 70 years and over registered at Primary Health Centres and enrolled in the programme. The recommended serving size (50 g/day) of these supplements provides 50% of daily micronutrient requirements and 20% of daily energy requirements of older people. No information is currently available on the cost-effectiveness of the supplementation programme. AIM: The aim of the CENEX cluster randomised controlled trial is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an ongoing nutrition supplementation programme, and a specially designed physical exercise intervention for older people of low to medium socio-economic status living in Santiago, Chile. METHODS: The study has been conceptualised as a public health programme effectiveness study and has been designed as a 24-month factorial cluster-randomised controlled trial conducted among 2800 individuals aged 65.0-67.9 years at baseline attending 28 health centres in Santiago. The main outcomes are incidence of pneumonia, walking capacity and change in body mass index over 24 months of intervention. Costing data (user and provider), collected at all levels, will enable the determination of the cost-effectiveness of the two interventions individually and in combination. The study is supported by the Ministry of Health in Chile, which is keen to expand and improve its national programme of nutrition for older people based on sound science-base and evidence for cost-effectiveness. : TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN48153354

Investigation of potential cognition factors correlated to fire evacuation

The design of a navigation system to support indoor fire evacuation depends not only on speed but also a relatively thorough consideration of the cognition factors. This study has investigated potential cognition factors which can affect the human behaviours and decision making during fire evacuation by taking a survey among indoor occupants in age of 20s under designed virtual scenarios. It mainly focuses on two aspects of Fire Responses Performances (FRP), i.e. indoor familiarity (spatial cognition) and psychological stress (situ-ated cognition). The collected results have shown that these cognition factors can be affected by gender and user height and they are correlated with each other in certain ways. It has also investigated users‟ attitudes to the navigation services under risky and non-risky conditions. The collected answers are also found to be correlated with the selected FRP factors. These findings may help to further design of personalized indoor navigation support for fire evacuation