Spontaneous activity in neuronal networks with dictated connectivity

Treballs Finals de Grau de Física, Facultat de Física, Universitat de Barcelona, Curs: 2018, Tutor: Jordi Soriano FraderaWe studied spontaneous activity in rat neuronal cultures and compared two configurations, namely homogeneous and patterned. In the former, neurons grew over a plain glass substrate and therefore could develop isotropically. In the latter, neurons grew on a substrate shaped with topographical obstacles, which dictated the connectivity of the neurons and broke the isotropy of the system. Activity in all networks was recorded using fluorescence calcium imaging. By analyzing and comparing their activity patterns, we have found that activity in patterned cultures is markedly different, with richer spatiotemporal activity fronts and slower propagation speeds

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the dorsum of the tongue : presentation of a case

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is the most frequent malignant neoplasm of minor salivary glands (76.5%); it is clinically characterized by slow growth, and its most frequent localization is the hard palate. Histopathologically it presents three patterns, cribriform, tubular and solid; the solid type is related to a poor prognostic contrary to the cribriform type, which has a better prognosis. Surgical excision with wide margins is the treatment of choice, if it metastasizes to lymph nodules, post surgical radiotherapy is recommended. A 19 year-old man presented a recurrent lesion on the dorsum of the tongue previously diagnosed as monomorphic adenoma. In a second biopsy it was diagnosed as adenoid cystic carcinoma. The following immunohistochemical studies were ordered: CALP, CEA, Epithelial Membrane Antigen, Glial Fibrilar Acid Protein, Ki67; all of these studies were positive and with different intensities, corroborating the diagnosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma. The patient had a recurrence after 2 years

Parenting practices as risk or preventive factors for adolescent involvement in cyberbullying: Contribution of children and parent gender

Literature points out the role of parenting on adolescent cyberbullying involvement. However, it is necessary to clarify how gender affects this relationship. The aim of this study has been to examine the relation between the adolescents’ perception about parenting practices, and their involvement in cyberbullying, bearing in mind both girls’ and boys’ gender and progenitors’ gender. The sample comprised 2060 Spanish secondary school students (47.9% girls; Mage = 14.34). Two-way ANOVA and binary logistic regression analyses were carried out. An effect of the interaction between sex and cyberbullying roles in maternal affection and communication, inductive discipline, and psychological control, as well as paternal promotion of autonomy and psychological control, was found. In general, it can be observed that the more negative results were found in cyber-aggressors, especially when this role is assumed by girls. The results of logistic regression analysis suggest that parenting practices explain better cyberbullying involvement in girls compared to boys, finding some important differences between both sexes regarding protective and risk factors. These findings highlight the importance of parenting practices to explain cyberbullying involvement, which supports the necessity of including family among the addresses of intervention programs.Gobierno de España PSI2016-74871-RGobierno de España PSI2015-64114-REuropean Research Council H2020 grant number 75517

Is the Predisposition to Have More Children Beneficial among Parents with Only One Child? Evidence from Spanish Parents

The fertility deficit in many European countries is related to a low rate of second births. Understanding the factors associated with the predisposition of one-child parents to have more children could contribute to the search for solutions to this social problem. Although previous evidence highlights the role of employment and social factors, psychological factors have been poorly investigated. This study examines the relationship between different psychosocial factors (rumination, personality, life satisfaction, perfectionism, social support, parental stress, guilt linked to work–family conflict, age and child temperament) and parents’ predisposition to have more children. The sample consisted of 96 one-child Spanish parents whose child was in early childhood education (59.3% women; Mage = 37.41). The results show that one-child parents with the predisposition to have more children, compared to those without a predisposition to have more children, showed higher levels of life satisfaction, extroversion and adaptive perfectionism but lower levels of rumination and parental stress. The social implications of these findings and how they may affect parenting today are discussed

Estudio in vitro del efecto antimicrobiano de cationes divalentes de uso odontológico frecuente sobre Streptococcus mutans con y sin glicocálix

49 p.Streptococcus mutans ha sido la especie bacteriana mayormente reconocida en el proceso de la etiopatogenia de la caries. Este se encuentra dentro de la biopelícula oral, hábitat de múltiples microorganismos y polímeros extracelulares secretados por ésta y otras especies que permiten a estas bacterias adherirse a los tejidos orales, tolerando condiciones desfavorables en el medio oral. Los metales son una de las materias primas más utilizadas y pueden ser encontradas en el desarrollo de diferentes actividades y disciplinas. La odontología también los utiliza como biomaterial para instrumental quirúrgico, implantes, materiales restauradores, aparatología ortodóncica y protésica, entre otros. Desde hace algunos se ha reportado que los cationes divalentes cuentan con propiedades antimicrobianas que no habían sido descritas y que podrían constituir una alternativa para el uso de antibióticos convencionales. En este estudio se evaluó el efecto de soluciones con sales de plata, níquel, magnesio y fierro, agentes frecuentemente utilizados en la práctica odontológica común. Para ello se viabilizaron cepas de Streptococcus mutans, 35 de ellas con glicocálix y 35 de ellas sin éste, en medios TYCS con azúcar al 30%. Se realizaron bioensayos con pocillos para determinar las CMIs de cada agente y posteriormente la siembra de las cepas sobre los medios con agentes disueltos con las CMIs obtenidas en ellos durante 48 horas en condiciones anaeróbicas. La totalidad de los agentes evaluados tuvieron efecto antimicrobiano sobre las cepas de Streptococcus mutans. Las CMIs obtenidas fueron 0,15% para plata; 0,78% para níquel; 7,8% para magnesio y 0,83% para el fierro. No se observó asociación entre la susceptibilidad a estos agentes con la presencia de glicocálix. Las susceptibilidades evidenciadas fueron diferentes de acuerdo al agente catiónico utilizad

Conflictividad escolar en Chile. Comparando la percepción de los miembros de la comunidad educativa

Este trabajo presenta los resultados de un estudio sobre el estado de la conflictividad en una muestra intencionada de ocho establecimientos de educación primaria de la provincia de Concepción, Octava región, Chile, cuyos alumnos de cursos del 2° ciclo básico tienen un alto índice de vulnerabilidad social. Para la evaluación de la conflictividad se ha considerando la opinión de la totalidad de los miembros de la comunidad educativa de dichos centros: 85 docentes 1385 estudiantes y 686 familiares. Los resultados señalan la existencia de diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la percepción que los tres colectivos ofrecen de la conflictividad, siendo en la mayoría de los casos el alumnado el que presenta una visión más negativa de esta dimensión y el profesorado la más positiva. Finalmente se discuten las implicaciones de estos resultados, resaltando la necesidad de conseguir un consenso por parte de toda la comunidad educativa en la evaluación de la conflictividad, para conocer el verdadero estado de la misma y así llevar a cabo las estrategias pertinentes que permitan conseguir una adecuada convivencia escolar.This paper presents the results of a study on the state of conflict in an intentional sample of eight institutions of primary education in the province of Concepción, Eighth region, Chile, whose students of the second basic cycle have a high level of social vulnerability. To evaluate conflict, we have evaluated all member of educational community: 85 teachers, 1385 students and 686 relatives. The results indicated the presence of statistically significant differences in the perception of the three groups about the conflicts in those centres. In the most of case, the worst opinion about the state of conflicts, was given by students, while the opinion more positive was given by teachers. Finally, we discussed the implication of those results, remarking the need of obtain agreement between members of educational community about state of conflicts, in order to know the true state of conflicts and make necessary strategies to obtain a good scholar coexistence

Parenting style risk and protective factor of the bullying phenomenon: Three studies in Andalusian teenagers

In the last forty years, research on bullying has progressed considerably, producing a large body of scientific knowledge. The development of research in this field has permitted defining the nature of this violent phenomenon, determining its prevalence in different parts of the world, the consequences which could be suffered by those directly involved, and the risk or protective factors which can protect children from engaging in bullying, or promote their active participation in it (Hymel & Swearer, 2015; Zych, Ortega-Ruiz, & Del Rey, 2015). Among these factors, the role of emotional intelligence, social competence, and of those related to the family environment, the peer group or the school setting has been highlighted (Álvarez-García, García, & Nuñez, at press; Cook, Williams, Guerra, Kim, & Sadek, 2010). However, the family – a fundamental developmental context in the lives of individuals – and specifically parenting styles, have not yet been studied in enough depth in relation to bullying. In this regard, previous research has examined the role of affection and parental control in bullying involvement (Baldry & Farrington, 2005; Espelage, Bosworth, & Simon, 2000; Kawabata, Alink, Tsen, Van Ijzendoorn, & Crick, 2011; Nickerson, Mele, & Princiotta, 2008), but it has not reflected the latest developments in the study of parenting styles which take into account other parental dimensions beyond affection and control, such as promotion of autonomy or humor (Oliva, Parra, Sanchez-Queija, & López, 2007). Moreover, some studies have linked the traditional typology of parenting styles proposed by Baumrind and extended upon by Maccoby and Martin (democratic, permissive, authoritarian, and neglectful) to bullying involvement (Baldry & Farrington, 2000; Chaux & Castellanos, 2015; Yubero, Larrañaga, & Martínez, 2013). The most recent studies of parenting styles, however, suggest the limited utility of this typology in analyzing child and adolescent psychosocial development in Western society, where most parents are usually democratic (Hoeve, Dubas, Gerris, Van del Laan, & Smeenk, 2011; Oliva, Jiménez, Parra, & Sánchez-Queija, 2008; Torío, Peña, & Rodríguez, Extended abstract 6..