Complex signatures of selection for the melanogenic loci TYR, TYRP1 and DCT in humans

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The observed correlation between ultraviolet light incidence and skin color, together with the geographical apportionment of skin reflectance among human populations, suggests an adaptive value for the pigmentation of the human skin. We have used Affymetrix U133a v2.0 gene expression microarrays to investigate the expression profiles of a total of 9 melanocyte cell lines (5 from lightly pigmented donors and 4 from darkly pigmented donors) plus their respective unirradiated controls. In order to reveal signatures of selection in loci with a bearing on skin pigmentation in humans, we have resequenced between 4 to 5 kb of the proximal regulatory regions of three of the most differently expressed genes, in the expectation that variation at regulatory regions might account for intraespecific morphological diversity, as suggested elsewhere.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Contrary to our expectations, expression profiles did not cluster the cells into unirradiated versus irradiated melanocytes, or into lightly pigmented versus darkly pigmented melanocytes. Instead, expression profiles correlated with the presence of Bovine Pituitary Extract (known to contain α-MSH) in the media. This allowed us to differentiate between melanocytes that are synthesizing melanin and those that are not. <it>TYR, TYRP1 </it>and <it>DCT </it>were among the five most differently expressed genes between these two groups. Population genetic analyses of sequence haplotypes of the proximal regulatory flanking-regions included Tajima's D, HEW and DHEW neutrality tests analysis. These were complemented with EHH tests (among others) in which the significance was obtained by a novel approach using extensive simulations under the coalescent model with recombination. We observe strong evidence for positive selection for <it>TYRP1 </it>alleles in Africans and for <it>DCT </it>and <it>TYRP1 </it>in Asians. However, the overall picture reflects a complex pattern of selection, which might include overdominance for <it>DCT </it>in Europeans.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Diversity patterns clearly evidence adaptive selection in pigmentation genes in Africans and Asians. In Europeans, the evidence is more complex, and both directional and balancing selection may be involved in light skin. As a result, different non-African populations may have acquired light skin by alternative ways, and so light skin, and perhaps dark skin too, may be the result of convergent evolution.</p

Jugamos y aprendemos en el patio

Contiene: anexo con juegos y cancionesEl proyecto consiste en mejorar las condiciones de los patios para crear espacios de aprendizaje, diversión, exploración y descubrimiento. Los objetivos son descubrir, conocer y controlar el propio cuerpo; actuar de forma cada vez más autónoma en sus actividades habituales; establecer relaciones sociales y desarrollar actitudes de ayuda y colaboración; y conocer, disfrutar y proteger el entorno. La metodología es activa con un enfoque globalizador, basada en el juego, adecuada a las necesidades del niño y ligada a los elementos de su entorno inmediato. Las actividades son de movimiento, manipulación, plásticas y de experimentación. Estas consisten en juegos con pelota; juegos con arena; juegos con pompas de jabón; guiñol y teatrillo; fiesta del agua; carreras y juego libre; actividades de clasificación de materiales en cubetas; juegos de grupos y participación -corro de la patata, corro chirimbolo, el patio de mi casa, etc.-; y juegos con triciclos y correpasillos. La evaluación valora la respuesta del niño y su desarrollo.Madrid (Comunidad Autónoma). Consejería de EducaciónMadridMadrid (Comunidad Autónoma). Subdirección General de Formación del Profesorado. CRIF Las Acacias; General Ricardos 179 - 28025 Madrid; Tel. + 34915250893ES

La Escuela de Colores (por una Educación Intercultural) : la Escuela de Colores

Se pretende fomentar la interculturalidad y la integración mediante actitudes de respeto hacia la diversidad, la solidaridad y la convivencia. La metodología se basa en un acercamiento a la realidad cultural partiendo del entorno próximo, mediante la realización de actividades como la Semana de la Solidaridad, y la Fiesta de la Interculturalidad. También hay experiencias organizadas en torno a talleres, estudiando las culturas nacionales y extranacionales a través de vídeos, trajes típicos, carteles, cuentos, etc. La evaluación se realiza a partir de fichas de control, de reuniones períodicas de ciclo, y a través de encuestas, tanto a los alumnos como a la familia. Se han valorado de manera más positiva las actividades realizadas por todo el centro y en aquellas donde han participado padres y madres..Madrid (Comunidad Autónoma). Consejería de Educación y CulturaMadridMadrid (Comunidad Autónoma). Subdirección General de Formación del Profesorado. CRIF Las Acacias; General Ricardos 179 - 28025 Madrid; Tel. + 34915250893ES

La importancia de conocer el idioma

Este proyecto consiste en mejorar el uso cotidiano de la lengua castellana, abordándola desde el vocabulario, la ortografía y la compresión lectora en las distintas asignaturas. Para dar mayor globalidad al ejercicio, se trabaja también estos factores en otros idiomas como el inglés y el francés. Los objetivos son desarrollar un vocabulario adecuado a las distintas materias; escribir correctamente; trabajar la comprensión de los textos; aumentar la cohesión y la coordinación entre alumnos y profesores; fomentar la utilización de distintos métodos de enseñanza-aprendizaje; fomentar el interés con actividades motivadoras e innovadoras en la enseñanza curricular; y potenciar el trabajo en grupo e individual. Las actividades llevadas a la práctica son acordes a la edad y a los objetivos propuestos. Se elaboran listados de palabras de ortografía dudosa, se trabajan textos para acceder a su comprensión, se hacen concursos de ortografía, se cuelgan carteles por pasillos y aulas con palabras significativas, se fabrican tarjetas para jugar-aprendiendo en clases y tutorías, y se utilizan programas de ordenador que refuerzan el aprendizaje de vocabulario y ortografía. La metodología pone en activo tanto a profesores como a alumnos. Los primeros se encargan de hacer los listados de palabras y de preparar y dar formato a las pruebas eliminatorias del concurso. Los alumnos se encargan de buscar la información necesaria para definir las palabras, hacer los carteles y exponer las conclusiones. La evaluación consiste principalmente en reuniones de profesores que analizan el desarrollo del proyecto, exponen las dificultades encontradas y establecen modificaciones y correcciones en relación a los ejercicios. Como anexo se presentan dos CD-ROM con las actividades realizadas..Madrid (Comunidad Autónoma). Consejería de Educación. Dirección General de Mejora de la Calidad de la EnseñanzaMadridMadrid (Comunidad Autónoma). Subdirección General de Formación del Profesorado. CRIF Las Acacias; General Ricardos 179 - 28025 Madrid; Tel. + 34915250893ES

COVID-19 in hospitalized HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients : A matched study

CatedresObjectives: We compared the characteristics and clinical outcomes of hospitalized individuals with COVID-19 with [people with HIV (PWH)] and without (non-PWH) HIV co-infection in Spain during the first wave of the pandemic. Methods: This was a retrospective matched cohort study. People with HIV were identified by reviewing clinical records and laboratory registries of 10 922 patients in active-follow-up within the Spanish HIV Research Network (CoRIS) up to 30 June 2020. Each hospitalized PWH was matched with five non-PWH of the same age and sex randomly selected from COVID-19@Spain, a multicentre cohort of 4035 patients hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19. The main outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality. Results: Forty-five PWH with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 were identified in CoRIS, 21 of whom were hospitalized. A total of 105 age/sex-matched controls were selected from the COVID-19@Spain cohort. The median age in both groups was 53 (Q1-Q3, 46-56) years, and 90.5% were men. In PWH, 19.1% were injecting drug users, 95.2% were on antiretroviral therapy, 94.4% had HIV-RNA < 50 copies/mL, and the median (Q1-Q3) CD4 count was 595 (349-798) cells/μL. No statistically significant differences were found between PWH and non-PWH in number of comorbidities, presenting signs and symptoms, laboratory parameters, radiology findings and severity scores on admission. Corticosteroids were administered to 33.3% and 27.4% of PWH and non-PWH, respectively (P = 0.580). Deaths during admission were documented in two (9.5%) PWH and 12 (11.4%) non-PWH (P = 0.800). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that well-controlled HIV infection does not modify the clinical presentation or worsen clinical outcomes of COVID-19 hospitalization

How do women living with HIV experience menopause? Menopausal symptoms, anxiety and depression according to reproductive age in a multicenter cohort

CatedresBackground: To estimate the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms and anxiety/depression and to assess the differences according to menopausal status among women living with HIV aged 45-60 years from the cohort of Spanish HIV/AIDS Research Network (CoRIS). Methods: Women were interviewed by phone between September 2017 and December 2018 to determine whether they had experienced menopausal symptoms and anxiety/depression. The Menopause Rating Scale was used to evaluate the prevalence and severity of symptoms related to menopause in three subscales: somatic, psychologic and urogenital; and the 4-item Patient Health Questionnaire was used for anxiety/depression. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of association between menopausal status, and other potential risk factors, the presence and severity of somatic, psychological and urogenital symptoms and of anxiety/depression. Results: Of 251 women included, 137 (54.6%) were post-, 70 (27.9%) peri- and 44 (17.5%) pre-menopausal, respectively. Median age of onset menopause was 48 years (IQR 45-50). The proportions of pre-, peri- and post-menopausal women who had experienced any menopausal symptoms were 45.5%, 60.0% and 66.4%, respectively. Both peri- and post-menopause were associated with a higher likelihood of having somatic symptoms (aOR 3.01; 95% CI 1.38-6.55 and 2.63; 1.44-4.81, respectively), while post-menopause increased the likelihood of having psychological (2.16; 1.13-4.14) and urogenital symptoms (2.54; 1.42-4.85). By other hand, post-menopausal women had a statistically significant five-fold increase in the likelihood of presenting severe urogenital symptoms than pre-menopausal women (4.90; 1.74-13.84). No significant differences by menopausal status were found for anxiety/depression. Joint/muscle problems, exhaustion and sleeping disorders were the most commonly reported symptoms among all women. Differences in the prevalences of vaginal dryness (p = 0.002), joint/muscle complaints (p = 0.032), and sweating/flush (p = 0.032) were found among the three groups. Conclusions: Women living with HIV experienced a wide variety of menopausal symptoms, some of them initiated before women had any menstrual irregularity. We found a higher likelihood of somatic symptoms in peri- and post-menopausal women, while a higher likelihood of psychological and urogenital symptoms was found in post-menopausal women. Most somatic symptoms were of low or moderate severity, probably due to the good clinical and immunological situation of these women