Effects of brain insulin in conditioned place preference using exercise as a reward stimulus

Treball Final de Màster Universitari en Investigació en Cervell i Conducta. Codi: SBM024. Curs acadèmic: 2016/2017Researches suggest that physical activity is effective to prevent or treat stress-related psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse disorders. Both, natural and drugs rewards is processed by the mesolimbic dopamine system; and also this is implicated to rewardrelated behavioral disorders. Studies supports the hypothesis that physical activity act as powerful natural stimulus of the mesolimbic system, using the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm with cues associates to voluntary exercise on the running wheel. On the other hand, several studies had reported that insulin can modulated aspects related to memory and learning, which are involved in reward-related behaviors, however, further data are necessary to understand these mechanisms. In addition, an important mediator of insulin/IGF1 (insulinlike growth factor-1) signaling is ERK (extracellular signal–regulated kinases). Evidence supports its implication in learning and memory, and is expressed in the NAcc and activated during exposure to natural and drugs rewards. Our hypothesis is that if insulin signaling can modulate preference to drugs via its effect on dopaminergic transmission in the mesolimbic system, it could similarly modulate preference to the context paired with voluntary exercise. In order to set up the behavior paradigm to study insulin/IGF1 signaling effect in preference for a rewarding stimulus such as exercise, male Wistar rats intraventricular insulin injections treated were used to study the rewarding effects on CPP paired to voluntary wheel running. pERK, IRS2, and IRS1 expression was assessed by immunohistochemical analysis. We found that intraventricular insulin injection showed no significant differences on conditioned place preference using exercise as a reward stimulus. pERK phosphorylation increases in specific brain regions of the insulin injected rats. IRS1 and IRS2 expression displays a different pattern in prefrontal cortex nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area. We suggest that the responses of animals in a CPP paradigm can be improved by insulin, due to insulin signaling into the reward areas. Data of immunohistochemical analysis support other studies that reported role of insulin into VTA neurons. Nevertheless, are needed additional research focus on the effects of insulin injections into mesolimbic regions as NAcc or VTA to understand what it is the role of insulin modulating reward-related behaviors

History of Education reforms in Spain.

This work provides a succinct historical overview of the history of the Spanish education system from 1812, date of the first Spanish Constitution, until 1970 at the end of the Francoist era in Spain, highlighting the legislative milestones and contextualising them within the larger political landscape in which they took place. The paper will go on to describe the basic legislation which has regulated the Spanish education system since 1970 describing some of their most significant aspects, from the General Education Law (LGE) of 1970 to the Organic Law Modifying the Organic Law for Education (LOMLOE) which came into force in 2020.post-print744 K

Virtues and values education in schools: a study in an international sample.

There is a deficit in character education research in Latin America and a lack of clarity about conceptual issues relevant to values and virtues. This lack of conceptual clarity has practical importance. The research sought to investigate empirically how school managers and teachers understand and practice character education, with particular attention to the distinction between educating values and virtues. The study was carried out during the first semester of 2022 on a sample of 160 schools in 17 countries, mainly in Christian schools in Spain and Mexico. The results show that there are differences according to the type of school and country. There are important findings regarding the concept of virtue and its relation to the concept of value, which virtues and values are most relevant for schools to teach, and which are the most used strategies in character education programmes. The research points to moral education as a central theme in schools, which considers both virtue and values education. There is a genuine interest on training teachers in virtue education.pre-print1755 K

高中教师的工作对大学生个人责任和关系责任的预测

Several studies have shown the importance of training students in responsibility. Responsibility implies taking responsibility for one’s own actions (personal responsibility) and, assuming that our actions affect others (relational responsibility). Teachers can and should help train students in this dimension. The aim of this research is to analyze and understand which teaching behaviors and actions favor the formation of personal and relational responsibility in university students. The research design was sequential explanatory (mixed methodology). There were 403 university students for the quantitative study and 200 for the qualitative study. The measurement instrument used was designed and validated ad hoc. It presented adequate reliability and validity indicators. In addition, the ERRP scale was used, which assesses the personal and relational responsibility of the university student. The opinion of the participants was collected from open questions included in the questionnaire used. The results show that 14.4% of the students’ personal and relational responsibility can be explained by the teaching actions that contribute to it. The qualitative study shows that relational responsibility learning is higher than personal responsibility learning. A reliable and valid scale is provided to assess teachers’ actions that shape students’ personal and relational responsibility as well as teachers’ actions and behaviors that can help to elaborate a formative ethical competence on it.Diversos estudios han mostrado la importancia de formar a los estudiantes en responsabilidad lo que implica, hacerse cargo de las propias acciones (responsabilidad personal) y asumir que nuestras acciones afectan a los demás (responsabilidad relacional). Los docentes pueden y deben ayudar a formar a los estudiantes en esta dimensión. La investigación tiene como objetivo analizar y comprender qué comportamientos y acciones docentes favorecen la formación de la responsabilidad personal y relacional en los universitarios. El diseño de investigación fue secuencial explicativo (metodología mixta). Se contó con 403 estudiantes universitarios para el estudio cuantitativo y con 200 para el estudio cualitativo. El instrumento de medida empleado fue diseñado y validado ad hoc. Este presentó indicadores de fiabilidad y validez adecuados. Además, se empleó la escala ERRP que valora la responsabilidad personal y relacional del estudiante universitario. La opinión de los participantes fue recogida a partir de preguntas abiertas incluidas en el cuestionario utilizado. Los resultados muestran que el 14.4% de la responsabilidad personal y relacional de los estudiantes se puede explicar por las acciones docentes que contribuyen a la misma. El estudio cualitativo muestra que los aprendizajes de la responsabilidad relacional son mayores que los de la responsabilidad personal. Se aporta una escala fiable y válida que permite valorar las acciones de los docentes que forman la responsabilidad personal y relacional de los estudiantes así como acciones y comportamientos docentes que pueden ayudar a elaborar una competencia ética formativa sobre la misma.Ряд исследований показывает важность обучения учащихся ответственности, что подразумевает принятие ответственности за свои действия (личная ответственность) и принятие того, что их действия влияют на других (коллективная ответственность). Учителя могут и должны помочь в подготовке учащихся в этом аспекте. Цель исследования - проанализировать и понять, какое поведение и действия преподавателя способствуют формированию личной и коллективной ответственности у студентов университета. Дизайн исследования - последовательный разъяснительный (смешанная методология). В количественном исследовании приняли участие 403 студента университета, в качественном - 200. Используемый инструмент измерения был разработан и валидирован ad hoc. Он имел адекватные показатели надежности и валидности. Кроме того, использовалась шкала ERRP, оценивающая личную и коллективную ответственность студента университета. Мнение участников было собрано с помощью открытых вопросов, включенных в анкету. Результаты показали, что 14,4% личной и реляционной ответственности студентов можно объяснить действиями преподавателей, которые способствуют ее развитию. Качественное исследование показывает, что обучение коллективной ответственности выше, чем обучение личной ответственности. Предлагается надежная и валидная шкала для оценки действий преподавателей, формирующих личную и коллективую ответственность учащихся, а также действий и поведения преподавателей, которые могут помочь в развитии формируемой этической компетентности в этой области.各种研究表明培养学生责任感的重要性，这意味着对自己的行为负责（个人责任）并假设我们的行为会影响他人（关系责任）。教师可以而且应该在这个维度上帮助培养学生。该研究的目的是分析和了解哪些行为和教学行为有利于大学生个人和关系责任的形成。 研究采用解释性顺序（混合方法）设计。对 403 名大学生进行了定量研究，200 名大学生进行了定性研究。使用的测量仪器是专门设计和验证的。这提供了足够的可靠性和有效性指标。此外，还使用了 ERRP 量表，该量表评估大学生的个人和关系责任。参与者的意见是从所用问卷中包含的开放性问题中收集的。结果表明，学生的个人和关系责任中有 14.4% 可以用促成它的教学行为来解释。定性研究表明，关系责任的学习大于个人责任的学习。 本研究提供了一个可靠和有效的量表，允许评估教师的行为，这些行为促使学生的个人和关系责任的形成，以及有助于发展形成性道德能力的行为和教师行为

The effect of teacher leadership on students’ purposeful learning.

Teaching leadership is a key factor for students’ learning and flourishing, and it occurs in an asymmetrical and interpersonal relationship. This research seeks to characterize the teaching leadership of high school teachers through the influence they exert on their students. It is not based on the teacher’s self-perception but on the experience that the students have had. For this purpose, a qualitative study was carried out in Spain with 200 first-year university students in which they answered four questions about the teacher who most influenced them during their high school. The results point to five leadership traits or styles that are not mutually exclusive: empathetic leadership, comforting leadership, motivating leadership, exemplary leadership, and wise leadership. In addition, moments of weakness and vulnerability in students are those that most favour the influence of the teacher in their lives, encouraging vital learning in them. This study highlights the importance of teacher leadership for student character education.post-print1771 K

A virtue-based model of leadership education.

This article presents a theoretical justification and a proposal that seeks to educate university students in leadership through virtues and personal competencies. A distinction is offered between virtues and competencies without opposing them. Subsequently, a leadership education model based on virtues and personal competencies is offered. This proposal applies the Aristotelian-Thomistic tradition of education in virtues considering the contributions of psychology and leadership theory. The leadership model includes eight competencies linked to the cardinal virtues, which are grouped into three domains: understanding reality, relating to others and dedication to the task. Finally, some guidelines for the further development of assessment instruments and for leadership education of university students are offered.post-print830 K

Can We Treat Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), considered the most common type of dementia, is characterized by a progressive loss of memory, visuospatial, language and complex cognitive abilities. In addition, patients often show comorbid depression and aggressiveness. Aging is the major factor contributing to AD; however, the initial cause that triggers the disease is yet unknown. Scientific evidence demonstrates that AD, especially the late onset of AD, is not the result of a single event, but rather it appears because of a combination of risk elements with the lack of protective ones. A major risk factor underlying the disease is neuroinflammation, which can be activated by different situations, including chronic pathogenic infections, prolonged stress and metabolic syndrome. Consequently, many therapeutic strategies against AD have been designed to reduce neuro-inflammation, with very promising results improving cognitive function in preclinical models of the disease. The literature is massive; thus, in this review we will revise the translational evidence of these early strategies focusing in anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory molecules and discuss their therapeutic application in humans. Furthermore, we review the preclinical and clinical data of nutraceutical application against AD symptoms. Finally, we introduce new players underlying neuroinflammation in AD: the activity of the endocannabinoid system and the intestinal microbiota as neuroprotectors. This review highlights the importance of a broad multimodal approach to treat successfully the neuroinflammation underlying AD

Early intervention with ABA prevents neuroinflammation and memory impairment in a triple transgenic mice model of Alzheimer´s disease

Neuroinflammation and insulin resistance in the brain are intimately linked to neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. Even though traditionally Alzheimer´s disease has been associated to Aβ deposits and hyperphosphorylated Tau intracellular tangles, several studies show that neuroinflammation may be the initial cause that triggers degeneration. Accordingly, a number of natural supplements that improves brain insulin sensitivity and reduce neuroinflammation have been proposed as good choices in the therapeutic prevention of cognitive decline. Further supporting this evidence, we show that phytohormone Abscisic Acid, can prevent memory impairment and neuroinflammation markers in a triple transgenic mouse model, where no peripheral inflammatory changes have occurred. Moreover, our data strongly suggests that early intervention is critical for good prognosis, and that cognitive improvement requires longer treatment than recovering neuroinflammation markers

Prostate tumor OVerexpressed-1 (PTOV1) down-regulates HES1 and HEY1 notch targets genes and promotes prostate cancer progression

Background PTOV1 is an adaptor protein with functions in diverse processes, including gene transcription and protein translation, whose overexpression is associated with a higher proliferation index and tumor grade in prostate cancer (PC) and other neoplasms. Here we report its interaction with the Notch pathway and its involvement in PC progression. Methods Stable PTOV1 knockdown or overexpression were performed by lentiviral transduction. Protein interactions were analyzed by co-immunoprecipitation, pull-down and/or immunofluorescence. Endogenous gene expression was analyzed by real time RT-PCR and/or Western blotting. Exogenous promoter activities were studied by luciferase assays. Gene promoter interactions were analyzed by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays (ChIP). In vivo studies were performed in the Drosophila melanogaster wing, the SCID-Beige mouse model, and human prostate cancer tissues and metastasis. The Excel package was used for statistical analysis [...]

The Role of miR-107 in Prostate Cancer: A Review and Experimental Evidence

Over the past two decades, several research groups have focused on the functioning of microRNAs (miRNAs), because many of them function as positive or negative endogenous regulators of processes that alter during the development of cancer. Prostate cancer is the second most commonly occurring cancer in men. New biomarkers are needed to support the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Although it is necessary to deepen the research on this molecule to explore its potential utility in the diagnosis, follow-up, and prognosis of cancer, our results support a role of miR-107 in the signaling cascades that allow cancer progression, and as shown here, in the progression of Prostate Cancer (PCa). These findings strongly suggest that miR-107 may be a potential circulating biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer