Mediating role of activity level in the depressive realism effect

Several classic studies have concluded that the accuracy of identifying uncontrollable situations depends heavily on depressive mood. Nondepressed participants tend to exhibit an optimistic illusion of control, whereas depressed participants tend to better detect a lack of control. Recently, we suggested that the different activity levels (measured as the probability of responding during a contingency learning task) exhibited by depressed and nondepressed individuals is partly responsible for this effect. The two studies presented in this paper provide further support for this mediational hypothesis, in which mood is the distal cause of the illusion of control operating through activity level, the proximal cause. In Study 1, the probability of responding, P(R), was found to be a mediator variable between the depressive symptoms and the judgments of control. In Study 2, we intervened directly on the mediator variable: The P(R) for both depressed and nondepressed participants was manipulated through instructions. Our results confirm that P(R) manipulation produced differences in the participants’ perceptions of uncontrollability. Importantly, the intervention on the mediator variable cancelled the effect of the distal cause; the participants’ judgments of control were no longer mood dependent when the P(R) was manipulated. This result supports the hypothesis that the so-called depressive realism effect is actually mediated by the probability of responding

Characterization of the rat Na+/nucleoside cotransporter 2 and transport of nucleoside-derived drugs using electrophysiological methods.

The Na(+)-dependent nucleoside transporter 2 (CNT2) mediates active transport of purine nucleosides and uridine as well as therapeutic nucleoside analogs. We used the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique to investigate rat CNT2 (rCNT2) transport mechanism and study the interaction of nucleoside-derived drugs with the transporter expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The kinetic parameters for sodium, natural nucleosides, and nucleoside derivatives were obtained as a function of membrane potential. For natural substrates, apparent affinity (K(0.5)) was in the low micromolar range (12-34) and was voltage independent for hyperpolarizing membrane potentials, whereas maximal current (I(max)) was voltage dependent. Uridine and 2'-deoxyuridine analogs modified at the 5-position were substrates of rCNT2. Lack of the 2'-hydroxyl group decreased affinity but increased I(max). Increase in the size and decrease in the electronegativity of the residue at the 5-position affected the interaction with the transporter by decreasing both affinity and I(max). Fludarabine and formycin B were also transported with higher I(max) than uridine and moderate affinity (102 +/- 10 and 66 +/- 6 microM, respectively). Analysis of the pre-steady-state currents revealed a half-maximal activation voltage of about -39 mV and a valence of about -0.8. K(0.5) for Na(+) was 2.3 mM at -50 mV and decreased at hyperpolarizing membrane potentials. The Hill coefficient was 1 at all voltages. Direct measurements of radiolabeled nucleoside fluxes with the charge associated showed a ratio of two positive inward charges per nucleoside, suggesting a stoichiometry of two Na(+) per nucleoside. This discrepancy in the number of Na(+) molecules that bind rCNT2 may indicate a low degree of cooperativity between the Na(+) binding sites

The Molecular Biology of Vestibular Schwannomas and Its Association with Hearing Loss: A Review

Hearing loss is the most common symptom in patients with vestibular schwannoma (VS). In the past, compressive mechanisms caused by the tumoral mass and its growth have been regarded as the most likely causes of the hearing loss associated with VS. Interestingly, new evidence proposes molecular mechanisms as an explanation for such hearing loss. Among the molecular mechanisms proposed are methylation of TP73, negative expression of cyclin D1, expression of B7-H1, increased expression of the platelet-derived growth factor A, underexpression of PEX5L, RAD54B, and PSMAL, and overexpression of CEA. Many molecular mechanisms are involved in vestibular schwannoma development; we review some of these mechanisms with special emphasis on hearing loss associated with vestibular schwannoma

Long‑term results of the augmented PFNA: a prospective multicenter trial

Producción CientíficaPertrochanteric fractures are increasing and their operative treatment remains under discussion. Failures needing reoperations such as a cut-out are reported to be high and are associated with multiple factors including poor bone quality, poor fracture reduction and improper implant placement. The PFNA® with perforated blade offers an option for standardized cement augmentation with a PMMA cement to provide more stability to the fracture fixation. It remains unclear if the augmentation of this implant does any harm in a longer time span. This prospective multicenter study shows clinical and radiological results with this implant with a mean follow-up time of 15 months

Intestinal microbiota transplantation to germ-free mice in a in vivo model of nafld associated with a quercetin treatment

15 p.To select mice donors for intestinal microbiota transplantation based on its metabolic phenotype in response to a high fat diet (HFD) and quercetin treatment (Q). Intestinal microbiota. Resumen de un trabajo resultado del proyecto de investigación financiado por la Consejería de Educación de la Junta de Castilla y León (referencia LE063U16)S

Effect of cattle trampling and farm machinery traffic on soil compaction of an Entic Haplustoll in a semiarid region of Argentina

Soil compaction has detrimental effects on the physical, mechanical and hydraulic properties of soils, and affects important soil processes and function, and crop productivity. This work was conducted to investigate soil compaction impacts in integrated arable croppinglivestock systems managed under conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT). The work examined the combined effects of cattle trampling and farm machinery traffic on: soil strength, soil deformation, and water infiltration into soil. The following treatments were applied to soil (Entic Haplustoll, 60% sand) managed under CT and NT: three traffic intensities (1, 5, 7 passes) performed with light (2WD, 53 kN) and heavy (4WD, 100.4 kN) tractors, and two stocking densities (400 and 700 kg ha-1 ), respectively. Controls were also used to represent the condition of the soil without any effect of livestock or field traffic. In both tillage systems, soil penetration resistance (strength) increased and water infiltration into soil decreased as traffic intensities or stocking rates applied increased. There was a significant traffic intensity × stocking rate interaction, which influenced the depth and extent of soil compaction at depth. Despite these results, stubble grazing during fallow should not be discouraged as this practice offers mixed farming systems several agronomic and financial benefits. If stubble was to be grazed, the system would need to be carefully managed: (1) avoid ‘random’ traffic using permanent or semipermanent traffic paths to minimise the field wheeled area, (2) vacate livestock from the field, or confine it to a sacrificial area, when the soil water content exceeds a critical level above which soil damage is likely, and (3) maintain more than 60%–70% ground cover. Tillage repair treatments can be targeted to those sacrificial or ‘hot-spots’ areas so that localised, as supposed to widespread, compaction problems are rectified before the next crop is established

Encuesta sobre los Usos Guías de Clase como aproximación a los REA. Una aproximación a través de la investigacción-acción

[ES]En este artículo se presentan los resultados de una encuesta sobre prácticas docentes y conocimiento de Recursos Educativos Abiertos (REA). La encuesta se formula en base a la consideración de la activad docente en base a fases de investigación acción. En este sentido se pregunta a los docentes sobre sus prácticas en la preparación de guías de clases antes de las mismas, la documentación con evidencias de lo que pasa durante las clases y los cambios que se producen en las mismas, y la reflexión posterior una vez concluyen las clases. También se incluyen preguntas sobre el conocimiento y el posicionamiento ante los REA La encuesta se dirigió a profesorado de primaria y secundaria de Galicia y del Norte de Portugal. En total se obtuvieron 602 respuestas de las que se realizan una serie de reflexiones de cara al desarrollo de los REA

Analysis of the interaction of vinyl and carbonyl silanes with carbon nanofiber surfaces

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) have been treated with vinyltryethoxy silane (VTS) and 3-metacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane (MPS). CNF–silane interactions have been analyzed by means of TGA, FTIR-ATR, TEM, HRTEM, SEM and nitrogen adsorption. For similar silane concentration solutions TG analysis has shown that VTS and MPS form one and three silane monolayers, respectively. This has also been corroborated by the presence of an FTIR-ATR band at 1250 cm−1 assigned to Si–O–Si bonds of silica layers. For low silane concentrations, the vinyl group of VTS is bonded to the graphene CNF surface mainly through π–π interactions. However, MPS interacts through the carbonyl group with hydroxyl groups of graphene defect sheets existing probably in micropores. Silanol–CNF hydroxyl interactions are also expected at these silane concentrations. For high silane concentration, when the silica layer is formed, both silanes present vinyl free and carbonyl free groups, as observed by the 1370 and 1686 cm−1 FTIR-ATR bands, respectively. Nitrogen adsorption has shown that while VTS is adsorbed mainly on the defect free graphene surface, MPS is adsorbed on the micropores and, therefore on the hydroxyl defect graphene sites. These results are finally correlated with the dispersion stability of both silanes on water and styrene solutions

Metabolic Phenotype Transfer Through Gut Microbiota Transplantation from HFD-Fed and Quercetin Treated Donors Modulates Obesity-Related NAFLD in Germ-Free Mice

1 p.Gut microbiota is involved in obesity, metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Strategies to modulate it, including faecal transplantation and administration of prebiotics as quercetin, are actively being examined. The present study aims to investigate benefits of experimental gut microbiota transfer from donors to germ-free mice (GFm) in a high-fat diet (HFD)-based NAFLD model. Resumen de un trabajo resultado del proyecto de investigación financiado por la Consejería de Educación de la Junta de Castilla y León (referencia LE063U16)S

Dynamic growth pattern of chinchilla (<i>Chinchilla lanigera</i>) kits during lactation

Se evaluó la aptitud de la función lineal y de la función exponencial creciente para describir el comportamiento dinámico del peso corporal de gazapos de chinchilla durante la lactancia. Los valores observados de las variancias residuales y de los coeficientes de determinación asignaron una leve ventaja al modelo lineal. La función lineal subestimó el peso al nacimiento mientras que la función exponencial lo sobreestimó sin diferenciarse en la magnitud de las diferencias de uno u otro signo entre los valores estimados y observados. La utilización del modelo lineal para caracterizar el crecimiento de gazapos machos proveniente de camadas con uno, dos o tres crías, entre el nacimiento y el destete a los 43 días de edad, permitió constatar que el aumento del tamaño de la camada de uno a dos gazapos, si bien disminuye ligeramente el peso inicial y la tasa de crecimiento predestete, no presenta un efecto detrimental de trascendencia sobre el crecimiento en dicha etapa. Por el contrario, la presencia de un tercer gazapo reduce de manera notoria tanto el peso inicial de los miembros de la camada como su aumento medio diario de peso hasta el destete. De acuerdo con lo relevado en este estudio resultaría más conveniente plantear como objetivo aumentar el número de pariciones por año, por ejemplo mediante un manejo adecuado del fotoperíodo, que aumentar el tamaño de la camada al parto por encima de dos gazapos.The ability of linear and exponential functions to describe the dynamic behavior of body weight of chinchilla kits during lactation was evaluated. Residual variance and coefficient of determination average values derived from each model assigned to linear function a slight advantage. While the linear function underestimated birth weight the exponential model overestimated it showing both models differences of similar magnitude between estimated and observed values. The use of the linear model to characterize the dynamic growth of male kits belonging to litters with one, two or three pups, between birth and weaning at 43 days of age, allowed to confirm that increasing litter size from one to two pups slightly decreases their initial body weight and their growth rate during lactation, without a detrimental effect on overall pre-weaning growth. By contrast, the presence of a third kit in the litter markedly reduces both initial body weight and daily body weight gain from birth to weaning. According to data surveyed in this study increasing the number of parturitions per female per year, for example through an appropriate management of photoperiod, would be more useful than increasing litter size at birth above two kits to increase the overall efficiency of the system.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria