Cyberbullying in Primary School: Explicative Factors Related to Roles of Involvement

El cyberbullying ha sido identificado como uno de los problemas más importantes entre los jóvenes en la última década. Las contribuciones científicas a este fenómeno se centran de forma destacada en el estudio de los factores asociados con los rasgos de personalidad, sobre todo en la etapa secundaria. El objetivo de este estudio es determinar si, junto con ciertas variables de personalidad existen variables del contexto que pueden explicar la participación en el acoso cibernético como no implicados, espectadores, víctimas, agresores y agresores victimizados. Un total de 1278 escolares de primaria (47.7% niñas), con edades comprendidas entre los 10-14 años, en Andalucía (M = 11.11; DT = 0.75) participaron en el estudio. Los análisis estadísticos indican que las variables tanto personales como interpersonales influyen en el acoso cibernético, específicamente, se observó el género, la autoestima negativa, el ajuste social entre iguales, y la disruptividad y conflictividad. Los resultados se discuten en función de las contribuciones científicas que explican la influencia de estos factores en los roles de participación en el acoso cibernético.</jats:p

Carbon nanodot–based electrogenerated chemiluminescence biosensor for miRNA-21 detection

A simple carbon nanodot–based electrogenerated chemiluminescence biosensor is described for sensitive and selective detection of microRNA-21 (miRNA-21), a biomarker of several pathologies including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The photoluminescent carbon nanodots (CNDs) were obtained using a new synthesis method, simply by treating tiger nut milk in a microwave reactor. The synthesis is environmentally friendly, simple, and efficient. The optical properties and morphological characteristics of the CNDs were exhaustively investigated, confirming that they have oxygen and nitrogen functional groups on their surfaces and exhibit excitation-dependent fluorescence emission, as well as photostability. They act as co-reactant agents in the anodic electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of [Ru(bpy)3]2+, producing different signals for the probe (single-stranded DNA) and the hybridized target (double-stranded DNA). These results paved the way for the development of a sensitive ECL biosensor for the detection of miRNA-21. This was developed by immobilization of a thiolated oligonucleotide, fully complementary to the miRNA-21 sequence, on the disposable gold electrode. The target miRNA-21 was hybridized with the probe on the electrode surface, and the hybridization was detected by the enhancement of the [Ru(bpy)3]2+/DNA ECL signal using CNDs. The biosensor shows a linear response to miRNA-21 concentration up to 100.0 pM with a detection limit of 0.721 fM. The method does not require complex labeling steps, and has a rapid response. It was successfully used to detect miRNA-21 directly in serum samples from heart failure patients without previous RNA extraction neither amplification processThis study is funded by the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain) projects (TRANSNANOAVANSENS, S2018/NMT-4349, CAM/B2017/BMD-3686) and Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Spanish Government) projects: CTQ2015-71955-REDT (ELECTROBIONET), CTQ2014-53334-C2-1-R and PID2020-116728RB-I0

Membrane Partitioning of the Pore-Forming Domain of Colicin A. Role of the Hydrophobic Helical Hairpin

AbstractThe colicins are bacteriocins that target Escherichia coli and kill bacterial cells through different mechanisms. Colicin A forms ion channels in the inner membranes of nonimmune bacteria. This activity resides exclusively in its C-terminal fragment (residues 387–592). The soluble free form of this domain is a 10 α-helix bundle. The hydrophobic helical hairpin, H8–H9, is buried inside the structure and shielded by eight amphipathic surface helices. The interaction of the C-terminal colicin A domain and several chimeric variants with lipidic vesicles was examined here by isothermal titration calorimetry. In the mutant constructions, natural sequences of the hydrophobic helices H8 and H9 were either removed or substituted by polyalanine or polyleucine. All the constructions fully associated with DOPG liposomes including the mutant that lacked helices H8 and H9, indicating that amphipathic rather than hydrophobic helices were the major determinants of the exothermic binding reactions. Alanine is not specially favored in the lipid-bound form; the chimeric construct with polyalanine produced lower enthalpy gain. On the other hand, the large negative heat capacities associated with partitioning, a characteristic feature of the hydrophobic effect, were found to be dependent on the sequence hydrophobicity of helices H8 and H9

Relations between positive psychotic symptoms and ideas of reference observation and communication

The ideas of reference (IOR) are observable in varied psychopathological manifestations, although predominate in psychotic disorders. We tried to study the IOR according to their content (observation, communication, and other IOR). We tried to determine if these kinds of IOR are separable, and also to observe their relationship with some positive symptoms. Participated 364 patients (39 participants with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders). The instruments used were the Referential Thinking Scale (REF) and BPRS rating-scale. Statistically significant differences between the observation and communication IOR were found, and also between the communication IOR and other IOR. Significant positive correlations between observation IOR and grandiosity were reached, and between observation IOR and suspicion (persecution delusion in BPRS). The observation IOR are rather indicator of delusional severity in general than a specific content of psychopathology, and this kind of IOR are not restricted to the persecutory delusions

Ex Vivo Tracking of Endogenous CO with a Ruthenium(II) Complex

[EN] A two-photon fluorescent probe based on a ruthenium(II) vinyl complex is capable of selectively detecting carbon monoxide in cells and ex vivo using mice with a subcutaneous air pouch as a model for inflammation. This probe combines highly selective and sensitive ex vivo detection of endogenous CO in a realistic model with facile, inexpensive synthesis, and displays many advantages over the widely used palladium-based systems.The authors thank the Spanish government (Project MAT2015-64139-C4-1), the Generalitat Valencia (Project PROME-TEOII/2014/047), CIBER-BBN, IC Global Engagements fund, Santander Mobility Award. C.T. is grateful to the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, A.T. thanks the Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2012-634) and J.A.R. thanks the EPSRC, for PhD studentships.De La Torre-Paredes, C.; Toscani, A.; Marín-Hernández, C.; Robson, JA.; Terencio, MC.; White, AJ.; Alcaraz, MJ.... (2017). Ex Vivo Tracking of Endogenous CO with a Ruthenium(II) Complex. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 139(51):18484-18487. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.7b11158S18484184871395

Avances en el diagnóstico de la discapacidad auditiva: técnica de la audiometría por Microfónicos Cocleares

Los problemas de audición que hacen necesario el uso de audífonos afectan a todo tipo de personas, pero especialmente a aquellas que presentan dificultades para realizar la audiometría tonal subjetiva por su falta de colaboración en la prueba. La inexistencia de pruebas de audiometría objetivas equivalente a la tonal da lugar a un impreciso diagnóstico y a un dudoso tratamiento. Los microfónicos cocleares son señales eléctricas producidas por las células ciliadas internas y externas al estímulo de la presión sonora vibrátil del sonido. La determinación de la audición hasta la cóclea inclusive permite separar los problemas de audición según su origen: los debidos a patologías existentes hasta la cóclea, parte de ésta incluida, y los debidos a patologías que afectan desde este tejido hasta el córtex. En este trabajo se exponen los avances obtenidos en el Laboratorio de Bioinstrumentación y Nanomedicina del Centro de Tecnología Biomédica de la UPM. Se ha demostrado que la señal eléctrica es una función de la presión sonora, a mayor presión mayor amplitud de la señal registrada. Comprobación del Recruitment con el equipo experimental de laboratorio, que la técnica de los MC es en realidad una medida objetiva de la pérdida auditiva y que es posible diseñar un nuevo prototipo más sensible capaz de registrar los microfónicos cocleares en humanos

Estudio y comparativa de la influencia del tipo de refuerzo en materiales compuestos de base titanio fabricados por técnicas de compactación caliente inductiva

La constante necesidad de mejora en el sector aeronáutico y aeroespacial introdujo el uso de materiales compuestos de matriz metálica, para lograr propiedades excelentes con reducción de peso. Dadas las buenas características del titanio, éste fue considerado excelente candidato para constituirse como matriz de materiales compuestos de matriz metálica (TMCs); destacando la pulvimetalurgia como principal método de fabricación, dada su versatilidad, menor coste y mayor precisión dimensional. En el presente trabajo se realiza un análisis comparativo de las implicaciones en las propiedades finales del material, según el polvo de titanio empleado como matriz y el tipo de refuerzo. Se estudian probetas fabricadas con matriz de titanio grado 1 o grado 5, con varios tipos de refuerzo cerámico y porcentaje. Los tres refuerzos más importantes en el campo de los TMCs son B4C, TiC y TiB2. Las muestras se fabricaron en la empresa austriaca RHP-Technology GmbH, mediante la técnica de compactación de polvos (Inductive Hot Pressing). Dichas piezas fueron analizadas mediante varias técnicas de microscopía, además de someterlas a diferentes ensayos para determinar las propiedades físicas y mecánicas más importantes. Las conclusiones permitirán optimizar los parámetros de fabricación, para encontrar así nuevos materiales que cumplan los exigentes requisitos del sector aeronáutico.The constant need for improvement in the aeronautical and aerospace sector introduced the use of metallic matrix composite materials to achieve excellent properties with weight reduction. Given its good properties, titanium was considered an excellent candidate to constitute the matrix of metallic matrix composite materials (TMCs); highlighting powder metallurgy as the main manufacturing method, given its versatility, lower costs and greater dimensional accuracy. In the present work, a comparative analysis of the influence in the final properties of the material is made, according to the titanium powder used as matrix and the type of reinforcement. Specimens were produced with titanium matrix grade 1 or grade 5, with different ceramic reinforcement and percentages. The three most important reinforcements in the field of TMCs are B4C, TiC and TiB2. The samples were manufactured in the Austrian company RHP-Technology GmbH, via Inductive Hot Pressing. The specimens were analyzed by several microscopy techniques, in addition to carrying out different tests to determine the most important physical and mechanical properties. The conclusions will allow optimizing the manufacturing parameters, to find new materials that fulfill the demanding requirements of the aeronautical sector

2,4,5-Triaryl imidazole probes for the selective chromo-fluorogenic detection of Cu(II). Prospective use of the Cu(II) complexes for the optical recognition of biothiols

The sensing behaviour toward metal cations and biothiols of two 2,4,5-triarylimidazole probes (3a and 3b) is tested in acetonitrile and in acetonitrile-water. In acetonitrile the two probes present charge-transfer absorption bands in the 320-350 nm interval. Among all cations tested only Cu(11) is able to induce bathochromic shifts of the absorption band in the two probes, which is reflected in marked colour changes. Colour modulations are ascribed to the formation of 1:1 Cu(II)-probe complexes in which the cation interacts with the imidazole acceptor heterocycle. Besides, the two probes present intense emission bands (at 404 and 437 nm for 3a and 3b respectively) in acetonitrile that are quenched selectively by Cu(11). Probe 3a is soluble in acetonitrile-water 1:1 (v/v) and Cu(11) also induces bathochromic shifts of the absorption bands. Moreover, the emission bands of probe 3a in this mixed aqueous solutions is quenched in the presence of Cu(II). The potential use of the 1:1 complex formed between 3a and Cu (II) for the chromo-fluorogenic detection of biothiols (GSH, Cys and Hcy) in aqueous environments is also tested. At this respect, addition of GSH, Cys and Hcy to acetonitrile-water 1:1 v/v solutions of 3a-Cu(11) complex induces a hypsochromic shift of the visible band (reflected in a bleaching of the solutions) with a marked emission increase at 470 nm.We thank the Spanish Government (MAT2015-64139-C4-1-R) and Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEO 2018/024). H.E.O. thanks Generalitat Valenciana for his Grisolia fellowship. Thanks are also due to Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal) for financial support to the Portuguese NMR network (PTNMR, Bruker Avance III 400-Univ. Minho), FCT and FEDER (European Fund for Regional Development)-COMPETEQREN-EU for financial support to the research centre CQ/UM [Ref. UID/QUI/00686/2013 and UID/QUI/0686/2016], and a PhD grant to R.C.M. Ferreira (SFRH/BD/86408/2012)