Actitudes hacia la Estadística en Alumnos de Educación: Análisis de Perfiles

Las actitudes hacia la estadística son un cúmulo de conductas, cogniciones y emociones respecto a la estadística. Las actitudes son aprendidas, mediadas por factores culturales e influyen en el aprendizaje y rendimiento de los alumnos, por ello, el objetivo del presente trabajo es realizar una descripción de dichas actitudes en una muestra de 855 alumnos universitarios de la Facultad de Educación de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid por medio de la identificación de perfiles que incluyen también variables de identificación, formación previa, autoconcepto académico y valoraciones sobre la estadística en su carrera y futuro profesional. La metodología que se ha utilizado combina métodos factoriales y análisis cluster. El procedimiento incluye la aplicación de dos cuestionarios (uno para medir las actitudes y otro para las demás variables), la identificación del número de componentes factoriales y de grupos y la validación y descripción de los perfiles. Se han identificado cuatro grupos: los dos primeros (61.64% de la muestra) están compuestos principalmente por mujeres del grado Educación Infantil/Primaria que presentan actitudes desfavorables, alta ansiedad, bajo autoconcepto y consideran la estadística poco útil profesionalmente. Los otros dos grupos están compuestos por alumnos que presentan actitudes favorables, alto auto-concepto y consideran que la estadística es bastante útil. El presente estudio constituye un primer paso en la identificación y caracterización de perfiles de actitud hacia la estadística en alumnos de Educación y permite crear programas educativos para despertar el interés hacia la materia en los grupos que más lo necesitan.2018-1

Computational modeling of threat learning reveals links with anxiety and neuroanatomy in humans

Influential theories implicate variations in the mechanisms supporting threat learning in the severity of anxiety symptoms. We use computational models of associative learning in conjunction with structural imaging to explicate links among the mechanisms underlying threat learning, their neuroanatomical substrates, and anxiety severity in humans. We recorded skin-conductance data during a threat-learning task from individuals with and without anxiety disorders (N=251; 8-50 years; 116 females). Reinforcement-learning model variants quantified processes hypothesized to relate to anxiety: threat conditioning, threat generalization, safety learning, and threat extinction. We identified the best-fitting models for these processes and tested associations among latent learning parameters, whole-brain anatomy, and anxiety severity. Results indicate that greater anxiety severity related specifically to slower safety learning and slower extinction of response to safe stimuli. Nucleus accumbens gray-matter volume moderated learning-anxiety associations. Using a modeling approach, we identify computational mechanisms linking threat learning and anxiety severity and their neuroanatomical substrates

Genome Wide Meta-Analysis identifies common genetic signatures shared by heart function and Alzheimer's disease

Echocardiography has become an indispensable tool for the study of heart performance, improving the monitoring of individuals with cardiac diseases. Diverse genetic factors associated with echocardiographic measures have been previously reported. The impact of several apoptotic genes in heart development identified in experimental models prompted us to assess their potential association with human cardiac function. This study aimed at investigating the possible association of variants of apoptotic genes with echocardiographic traits and to identify new genetic markers associated with cardiac function. Genome wide data from different studies were obtained from public repositories. After quality control and imputation, a meta-analysis of individual association study results was performed. Our results confirmed the role of caspases and other apoptosis related genes with cardiac phenotypes. Moreover, enrichment analysis showed an over-representation of genes, including some apoptotic regulators, associated with Alzheimer's disease. We further explored this unexpected observation which was confirmed by genetic correlation analyses. Our findings show the association of apoptotic gene variants with echocardiographic indicators of heart function and reveal a novel potential genetic link between echocardiographic measures in healthy populations and cognitive decline later on in life. These findings may have important implications for preventative strategies combating Alzheimer's disease

Modelos de crecimiento y producción en España: historia, ejemplos contemporáneos y perspectivas

En el presente trabajo se presenta una revisión sobre los modelos forestales desarrollados en España durante los últimos años, tanto para la producción maderable como no maderable y, para la dinámica de los bosques (regeneración, mortalidad). Se presentan modelos tanto de rodal completo como de clases diamétricas y de árbol individual. Los modelos desarrollados hasta la fecha se han desarrollado a partir de datos procedentes de parcelas permanentes, ensayos y el Inventario Forestal Nacional. En el trabajo se muestran los diferentes submodelos desarrollados hasta la fecha, así como las plataformas informáticas que permiten utilizar dichos modelos. Se incluyen las principales perspectivas de desarrollo de la modelización forestal en España.In this paper we present a review of forest models developed in Spain in recent years for both timber and non timber production and forest dynamics (regeneration, mortality). Models developed are whole stand, size (diameter) class and individual-tree. The models developed to date have been developed using data from permanent plots, experimental sites and the National Forest Inventory. In this paper we show the different sub-models developed so far and the friendly use software. Main perspectives of forest modeling in Spain are presented.The models described in this paper were funded by different regional, national and European projects, and some of them were elaborated by the authors. This work was funded by the Spanish Government by the SELVIRED network (code AGL2008-03740) and the strategic project «Restauración y Gestión Forestal» (code PSE-310000-2009-4)

Identification of a novel polyfluorinated compound as a lead to inhibit human enzymes aldose reductase and AKR1B10 : structure determination of both ternary complexes and implications for drug design

Aldo-keto reductases (AKRs) are mostly monomeric enzymes which fold into a highly conserved ([alpha]/[beta])8 barrel, while their substrate specificity and inhibitor selectivity are determined by interaction with residues located in three highly variable external loops. The closely related human enzymes aldose reductase (AR or AKR1B1) and AKR1B10 are of biomedical interest because of their involvement in secondary diabetic complications (AR) and in cancer, e.g. hepatocellular carcinoma and smoking-related lung cancer (AKR1B10). After characterization of the IC50 values of both AKRs with a series of polyhalogenated compounds, 2,2',3,3',5,5',6,6'-octafluoro-4,4'-biphenyldiol (JF0064) was identified as a lead inhibitor of both enzymes with a new scaffold (a 1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diol). An ultrahigh-resolution X-ray structure of the AR-­NADP+-JF0064 complex has been determined at 0.85 Å resolution, allowing it to be observed that JF0064 interacts with the catalytic residue Tyr48 through a negatively charged hydroxyl group (i.e. the acidic phenol). The non-competitive inhibition pattern observed for JF0064 with both enzymes suggests that this acidic hydroxyl group is also present in the case of AKR1B10. Moreover, the combination of surface lysine methylation and the introduction of K125R and V301L mutations enabled the determination of the X-ray crystallo­graphic structure of the corresponding AKR1B10-NADP+-JF0064 complex. Comparison of the two structures has unveiled some important hints for subsequent structure-based drug-design efforts

Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in non-carnivorous wildlife from Spain

Serum samples from 1034 non-carnivorous wildlife from Spain were tested for antibodies to Neospora caninum by competitive screening enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). High agreement was observed between results in both techniques (kappa value higher than 0.9). Prevalences of N. caninum antibodies positive by both techniques were 11.8% of 237 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 7.7% of 13 barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia), 6.1% of 33 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and 0.3% of 298 wild boar (Sus scrofa). In one of 53 hares (Lepus granatensis), antibodies were found in the ELISA but could not be confirmed by IFAT due to lack of sample. Antibodies to N. caninum were not found in any of 251 wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), 79 fallow deer (Dama dama), 27 mouflon (Ovis ammon), 40 chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) and three Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica). Statistically significant differences were observed between N. caninum seroprevalence in red deer and management of hunting estates (open versus fenced) with higher prevalence in fenced estates, and among sampling sites. Seroprevalence was particularly high in some areas (MO estate in South-Central Spain or some estates of Catalonia, North-East Spain), while no contact with N. caninum was observed in others. Results indicate that in certain areas of Spain, N. caninum is present in wildlife, especially in red deer. These results have important implications in both sylvatic cycles and may influence the prevalence of infection in cattle farms in those areas. To our knowledge, this is the first report of antibodies to N. caninum in wildlife from Spain and the first report of N. caninum antibodies in barbary sheep and wild boar.This is a contribution to the agreements between Yolanda Fierro and UCLM, CSIC, OAPN and SDGSA, Ministerio de Agricultura. Fran Ruiz-Fons received financial support through a grant from the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia. This study received support from the Spanish CICYT, grant AGL2004-06103-C02-01/GAN and AGL2005-07401-CO3-01-GAN, Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología and FEDER.Peer reviewe

Cambios en la microbiota intestinal y el metaboloma fecal en función del daño de la mucosa intestinal

Resumen del trabajo presentado a la 16ª Reunión de la Red Española de Bacterias Lácticas (RedBAL), celebrada en Madrid los días 11 y 12 de mayo de 2023.RTI2018-098288-B-I00, MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, “Una manera de hacer Europa”; AYUD/2021/50981, Principado de Asturias; S.R.-S., contrato predoctoral Severo Ochoa (2021- BP20-012), Principado de Asturias; S.A., contrato postdoctoral del ISPA; N.S., contrato RYC2021-033521-I, MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033 y European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR.N

The Hoopoe's Uropygial Gland Hosts a Bacterial Community Influenced by the Living Conditions of the Bird

Molecular methods have revealed that symbiotic systems involving bacteria are mostly based on whole bacterial communities. Bacterial diversity in hoopoe uropygial gland secretion is known to be mainly composed of certain strains of enterococci, but this conclusion is based solely on culture-dependent techniques. This study, by using culture-independent techniques (based on the 16S rDNA and the ribosomal intergenic spacer region) shows that the bacterial community in the uropygial gland secretion is more complex than previously thought and its composition is affected by the living conditions of the bird. Besides the known enterococci, the uropygial gland hosts other facultative anaerobic species and several obligated anaerobic species (mostly clostridia). The bacterial assemblage of this community was largely invariable among study individuals, although differences were detected between captive and wild female hoopoes, with some strains showing significantly higher prevalence in wild birds. These results alter previous views on the hoopoe-bacteria symbiosis and open a new window to further explore this system, delving into the possible sources of symbiotic bacteria (e.g. nest environments, digestive tract, winter quarters) or the possible functions of different bacterial groups in different contexts of parasitism or predation of their hoopoe host.This work was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (projects CGL2005-06975/BOSFEDER; CGL2007-61251/BOSFEDER), the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (projects CGL2009-14006/BOSFEDER; CGL2010-19233-C03-01/BOSFEDER; CGL2010-19233-C03-03/BOSFEDER), the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (projects CGL2013-48193-C3-1-P/BOSFEDER; CGL2013-48193-C3-2-P/BOSFEDER), and the Junta de Andalucía (RNM 345, P09-RNM-4557). SMRR received a grant from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (FPI program, BES-2011-047677)

Genome-wide association analysis of dementia and its clinical endophenotypes reveal novel loci associated with Alzheimer's disease and three causality networks: The GR@ACE project

Introduction: Large variability among Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases might impact genetic discoveries and complicate dissection of underlying biological pathways. Methods: Genome Research at Fundacio ACE (GR@ACE) is a genome-wide study of dementia and its clinical endophenotypes, defined based on AD's clinical certainty and vascular burden. We assessed the impact of known AD loci across endophenotypes to generate loci categories. We incorporated gene coexpression data and conducted pathway analysis per category. Finally, to evaluate the effect of heterogeneity in genetic studies, GR@ACE series were meta-analyzed with additional genome-wide association study data sets. Results: We classified known AD loci into three categories, which might reflect the disease clinical heterogeneity. Vascular processes were only detected as a causal mechanism in probable AD. The meta-analysis strategy revealed the ANKRD31-rs4704171 and NDUFAF6-rs10098778 and confirmed SCIMP-rs7225151 and CD33-rs3865444. Discussion: The regulation of vasculature is a prominent causal component of probable AD. GR@ACE meta-analysis revealed novel AD genetic signals, strongly driven by the presence of clinical heterogeneity in the AD series

A Rigidifying Salt-Bridge Favors the Activity of Thermophilic Enzyme at High Temperatures at the Expense of Low-Temperature Activity

Although enzymes from thermophiles thriving in hot habitats are more stable than their mesophilic homologs, they are often less active at low temperatures. One theory suggests that extra stabilizing interactions found in thermophilic enzymes may increase their rigidity and decrease enzymatic activity at lower temperatures. We used acylphosphatase as a model to study how flexibility affects enzymatic activity. This enzyme has a unique structural feature in that an invariant arginine residue, which takes part in catalysis, is restrained by a salt-bridge in the thermophilic homologs but not in its mesophilic homologs. Here, we demonstrate the trade-offs between flexibility and enzymatic activity by disrupting the salt-bridge in a thermophilic acylphosphatase and introducing it in the mesophilic human homolog. Our results suggest that the salt-bridge is a structural adaptation for thermophilic acylphosphatases as it entropically favors enzymatic activity at high temperatures by restricting the flexibility of the active-site residue. However, at low temperatures the salt-bridge reduces the enzymatic activity because of a steeper temperature-dependency of activity