Changes in cortical oscillations linked to multisensory modulation of nociception

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Estudio de la respuesta inmunomoduladora en el cáncer de mama

El cáncer de mama es considerado una entidad heterogénea que presenta diferencias moleculares que se relacionan con el pronóstico de las pacientes. El cáncer de mama se clasifica según la expresión de los receptores de estrógeno (RE), receptor de progesterona (RP), Her2-neu, citoqueratinas, entre otros marcadores; la mutación de p53 y el porcentaje de expresión ki67 se consideran también indicadores de pronóstico. Por otra parte, la capacidad de invasión y metástasis tumoral depende de las características propias del tumor así como de la respuesta inmune de cada paciente. Uno de los mecanismos de evasión tumoral involucra a la Indolamino-2,3- dioxigenasa (IDO), una enzima de 42-45 kD que cataliza el paso limitante de la degradación del triptofano en la vía de la quinureína. Hay evidencias que sugieren que IDO tiene un rol en la supervivencia de los tumores ya que restringe la vigilancia inmunológica del hospedador. Este efecto estaría mediado por la inhibición de las células T activadas para ejercer su efecto citotóxico sobre las células tumorales. Asimismo, IDO actúa incrementando la actividad supresora de los linfocitos T regulatorios CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ (Treg) ya que está implicada en su inducción.Facultad de Ciencias Médica

Estudio de la respuesta inmunomoduladora en el cáncer de mama

El cáncer de mama es considerado una entidad heterogénea que presenta diferencias moleculares que se relacionan con el pronóstico de las pacientes. El cáncer de mama se clasifica según la expresión de los receptores de estrógeno (RE), receptor de progesterona (RP), Her2-neu, citoqueratinas, entre otros marcadores; la mutación de p53 y el porcentaje de expresión ki67 se consideran también indicadores de pronóstico. Por otra parte, la capacidad de invasión y metástasis tumoral depende de las características propias del tumor así como de la respuesta inmune de cada paciente. Uno de los mecanismos de evasión tumoral involucra a la Indolamino-2,3- dioxigenasa (IDO), una enzima de 42-45 kD que cataliza el paso limitante de la degradación del triptofano en la vía de la quinureína. Hay evidencias que sugieren que IDO tiene un rol en la supervivencia de los tumores ya que restringe la vigilancia inmunológica del hospedador. Este efecto estaría mediado por la inhibición de las células T activadas para ejercer su efecto citotóxico sobre las células tumorales. Asimismo, IDO actúa incrementando la actividad supresora de los linfocitos T regulatorios CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ (Treg) ya que está implicada en su inducción.Facultad de Ciencias Médica

Listening to a conversation with aggressive content expands the interpersonal space

The distance individuals maintain between themselves and others can be defined as ‘interpersonal space’. This distance can be modulated both by situational factors and individual characteristics. Here we investigated the influence that the interpretation of other people interaction, in which one is not directly involved, may have on a person’s interpersonal space. In the current study we measured, for the first time, whether the size of interpersonal space changes after listening to other people conversations with neutral or aggressive content. The results showed that the interpersonal space expands after listening to a conversation with aggressive content relative to a conversation with a neutral content. This finding suggests that participants tend to distance themselves from an aggressive confrontation even if they are not involved in it. These results are in line with the view of the interpersonal space as a safety zone surrounding one’s body

Demographic transition and the real exchange rate in Australia: An empirical investigation

This article utilizes the empirical findings that age structure of the population affects saving, investment and capital flow and hypothesizes that age structure influences the real exchange rate. Based on this link, an empirical model is specified for Australia and estimated with annual data for the period 1970–2011. An autoregressive distributed lag model of cointegration indicates that Australia's real exchange rate is cointegrated with its productivity differential and the relative share of young dependents (0–14 years) in the population. Long-run estimates show that young cohort has an appreciating influence on the real exchange rate. Also, the short-run adjustment is substantial, with more than 65% of the disequilibrium corrected in a year

The preterm cervix reveals a transcriptomic signature in the presence of premature pre-labor rupture of membranes

BACKGROUND: Premature prelabor rupture of fetal membranes accounts for 30% of all premature births and is associated with detrimental long-term infant outcomes. Premature cervical remodeling, facilitated by matrix metalloproteinases, may trigger rupture at the zone of the fetal membranes overlying the cervix. The similarities and differences underlying cervical remodeling in premature prelabor rupture of fetal membranes and spontaneous preterm labor with intact membranes are unexplored. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to perform the first transcriptomic assessment of the preterm human cervix to identify differences between premature prelabor rupture of fetal membranes and preterm labor with intact membranes and to compare the enzymatic activities of matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 between premature prelabor rupture of fetal membranes and preterm labor with intact membranes. STUDY DESIGN: Cervical biopsies were collected following preterm labor with intact membranes (n = 6) and premature prelabor rupture of fetal membranes (n = 5). Biopsies were also collected from reference groups at term labor (n = 12) or term not labor (n = 5). The Illumina HT-12 version 4.0 BeadChips microarray was utilized, and a novel network graph approach determined the specificity of changes between premature prelabor rupture of fetal membranes and preterm labor with intact membranes. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting confirmed the microarray findings. Immunofluorescence was used for localization studies and gelatin zymography to assess matrix metalloproteinase activity. RESULTS: PML-RARA-regulated adapter molecule 1, FYVE-RhoGEF and PH domain-containing protein 3 and carcinoembryonic antigen-ralated cell adhesion molecule 3 were significantly higher, whereas N-myc downstream regulated gene 2 was lower in the premature prelabor rupture of fetal membranes cervix when compared with the cervix in preterm labor with intact membranes, term labor, and term not labor. PRAM1 and CEACAM3 were localized to immune cells at the cervical stroma and NDRG2 and FGD3 were localized to cervical myofibroblasts. The activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 was higher (1.22 ± 4.403-fold, P < .05) in the cervix in premature prelabor rupture of fetal membranes compared with preterm labor with intact membranes. CONCLUSION: We identified 4 novel proteins with a potential role in the regulation of cervical remodeling leading to premature prelabor rupture of fetal membranes. Our findings contribute to the studies dissecting the mechanisms underlying premature prelabor rupture of fetal membranes and inspire further investigations toward the development of premature prelabor rupture of fetal membranes therapeutics

Action ability modulates time‑to‑collision judgments

Time-to-collision (TTC) underestimation has been interpreted as an adaptive response that allows observers to have more time to engage in a defensive behaviour. This bias seems, therefore, strongly linked to action preparation. There is evidence that the observer’s physical fitness modulates the underestimation effect so that people who need more time to react (i.e. those with less physical fitness) show a stronger underestimation effect. Here we investigated whether this bias is influenced by the momentary action capability of the observers. In the first experiment, participants estimated the time-to-collision of threatening or non-threatening stimuli while being mildly immobilized (with a chin rest) or while standing freely. Having reduced the possibility of movement led participants to show more underestimation of the approaching stimuli. However, this effect was not stronger for threatening relative to non-threatening stimuli. The effect of the action capability found in the first experiment could be interpreted as an expansion of peripersonal space (PPS). In the second experiment, we thus investigated the generality of this effect using an established paradigm to measure the size of peripersonal space. Participants bisected lines from different distances while in the chin rest or standing freely. The results replicated the classic left-to-right gradient in lateral spatial attention with increasing viewing distance, but no effect of immobilization was found. The manipulation of the momentary action capability of the observers influenced the participants’ performance in the TTC task but not in the line bisection task. These results are discussed in relation to the different functions of PPS