Resolución de conflictos en madres adolescentes y familias con hermanos mayores de bebés prematuros

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo principal caracterizar la manera en que las madres adolescentes resuelven o afrontan el conflicto de un embarazo no planeado y cómo las familias con hermanos mayores integrantes del Programa Madre Canguro Integral afrontan la llegada de un nuevo bebé, en ambos casos, prematuros. Se realizaron 15 entrevistas, 10 a madres adolescentes, y 5 a madres de los hermanos mayores de los bebés prematuros. Adicionalmente se realizaron 6 talleres para fortalecer la sensibilidad materna en las adolescentes, y 5 talleres conlos hermanos mayores de los bebés prematuros para disminuir la posible rivalidad entre estos. Se encontró que las madres adolescentes afrontan y resuelven el conflicto de quedar en embarazo prematuramente mediante la aceptación y el apoyo por parte de sus parejas y familias nucleares, es decir, que el maternaje de éstas es fortalecido cuando las personas significativas para ellas se involucran en el cuidado tanto del bebé como de ellas y proveen económicamente para sus gastos. Por su parte, se encontró que la resolución del conflicto de la llegada de un nuevo bebé a una familia donde hay un hermano mayor, depende del nivel de involucramiento y tareas que los padres le hayan asignado al menor para el cuidado del bebé, desde el embarazo hasta el nacimiento y en adelante. En cuanto a los talleres se encontró que hubo un cambio de actitud en los participantes, mostrándose más comprometidos, positivos e involucrados con los bebés prematuros a medida que las sesiones avanzaban.This investigation has the main purpose of characterize the way how teen mothers reacts or solve the problem of an unexpected pregnancy and how the families with elder brothers also reacts at the arrival of a new baby , in both cases premature. Fifteen interviews were made, ten to teen mothers and five to mothers of elder brothers of the premature babies. Additionally six workshops were performed to increase the maternal sensibility of the new teen mothers, and five workshops were made with the elder brothers of the premature babies to reduce rivalry between them. It came out clearly that the new young mothers solved their internal conflict of the unexpected pregnancy by the help and understanding of their partners and their families. It means that when they can count with the help of the people who are important for the care of the baby as well as for an economical aid, they overcome the conflict easier. In those cases with elder brothers, the best solution to the conflict was found when the families asked them for cooperation and help to take care of the new baby from the pregnancy onwards. All participants of both workshops showed a positive reaction, more interest, cooperation and understanding with the babies, from the development of the workshop.Psicólogo (a)Pregrad

Dietary supplementation with algae and polyphenols in lactating sows: effects on sows and piglets' performance.

The decrease of the use of antibiotic has promoted the scientific research towards the identificationand study of natural substances able to improve animal performance and welfare (Hashemi et al.,2011; Daglia, 2012; Maghin et al., 2014). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of mixtureof algae plus polyphenols (Algatan Mater®) on piglet and sow performance when used as dietarysupplements to the sows. Eighty-four sows (42 per batch) were divided in two groups fed a controland Algatan Mater® supplemented diet. Feed intake, backfat thickness and blood samples at entry infarrowing room and at 21 days of lactation, and sows’ reproductive data until the next service werecollected. Haematochemical parameters and antioxidant status of sows were analysed. Weight atbirth, after cross-fostering and at 21 days of lactation were recorded to each litter. Backfat losstended to be lower (P=0.07) in sows treated than control. The administration of algae pluspolyphenols in sows improved (P<0.05) the piglets average daily gain and body weight at 21 days oflactation (P=0.014, Figure 1a.). Haematochemical parameters and antioxidant activity of blood wasnot affected by dietary treatment. The total number of piglets born at the next farrowing fromtreated group was higher (P=0.04) than controls (Figure 1b). The inclusion in lactating sows ofAlgatan Mater® improves lactating sows and piglets’ performance. Further research is needed toexplore the mechanism of action of this natural mixture

The wide and growing range of lamin B‑related diseases: from laminopathies to cancer

B-type lamins are fundamental components of the nuclear lamina, a complex structure that acts as a scafold for organization and function of the nucleus. Lamin B1 and B2, the most represented isoforms, are encoded by LMNB1 and LMNB2 gene, respectively. All B-type lamins are synthesized as precursors and undergo sequential post-translational modifcations to generate the mature protein. B-type lamins are involved in a wide range of nuclear functions, including DNA replication and repair, regulation of chromatin and nuclear stifness. Moreover, lamins B1 and B2 regulate several cellular processes, such as tissue development, cell cycle, cellular proliferation, senescence, and DNA damage response. During embryogenesis, B-type lamins are essential for organogenesis, in particular for brain development. As expected from the numerous and pivotal functions of B-type lamins, mutations in their genes or fuctuations in their expression levels are critical for the onset of several diseases. Indeed, a growing range of human disorders have been linked to lamin B1 or B2, increasing the complexity of the group of diseases collectively known as laminopathies. This review highlights the recent fndings on the biological role of B-type lamins under physiological or pathological conditions, with a particular emphasis on brain disorders and cancer

Structure-activity relationships of chromogranin A in cell adhesion. Identification of an adhesion site for fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells.

Previous studies showed that chromogranin A (CgA), a glycoprotein stored and co-released with various hormones by neuroendocrine cells and neurons, can modulate cell adhesion. We have investigated the structure-activity relationships of CgA using fibroblasts and coronary artery smooth muscle cells in adhesion assays. A recombinant CgA fragment 1-78 and a peptide 7-57 containing reduced and alkylated cysteines (Cys(17) and Cys(38)) induced cell adhesion after adsorption onto solid phases at 50-100 nm. Peptides lacking the disulfide loop region, including residues 47-68, 39-59, and 39-68, induced cell adhesion, either bound to solid phases at 200-400 nm or added to the liquid phase at 5-10 microm, whereas peptide 60-68 was inactive, suggesting that residues 47-57 are important for activity. The effect of CgA-(1-78) was blocked by anti-CgA antibodies against epitopes including residues Arg(53), His(54), and Leu(57). Substitutions of residues His(54), Gln(55), and Asn(56) with alanine decreased the cell adhesion activity of peptide 47-68. These results suggest that the region 47-57 (RILSILRHQNL) contains a cell adhesion site and that the disulfide bridge is not necessary for the proadhesive activity. The ability of soluble peptides to elicit proadhesive effects suggests an indirect mechanism. The high sequence conservation and accessibility to antibodies suggest that this region is important for the physiological role of CgA

Specific ablation of phospholipase Cγ1 in forebrain causes manic-like behavior

It is well known that manic episodes are one of the major diagnostic symptoms in a spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders that include schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and bipolar disorder (BD). Despite a possible association between BD and the gene encoding phospholipase Cγ1 (PLCG1), its etiological basis remains unclear. Here, we report that mice lacking phospholipase Cγ1 (PLCγ1) in the forebrain (Plcg1f/f; CaMKII) exhibit hyperactivity, decreased anxiety-like behavior, reduced depressive-related behavior, hyperhedonia, hyperphagia, impaired learning and memory and exaggerated startle responses. Inhibitory transmission in hippocampal pyramidal neurons and striatal dopamine receptor D1-expressing neurons of Plcg1-deficient mice was significantly reduced. The decrease in inhibitory transmission is likely due to a reduced number of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic boutons, which may result from impaired localization and/or stabilization of postsynaptic CaMKII (Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II) at inhibitory synapses. Moreover, mutant mice display impaired brain-derived neurotrophic factor-tropomyosin receptor kinase B-dependent synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, which could account for deficits of spatial memory. Lithium and valproate, the drugs presently used to treat mania associated with BD, rescued the hyperactive phenotypes of Plcg1f/f; CaMKII mice. These findings provide evidence that PLCγ1 is critical for synaptic function and plasticity and that the loss of PLCγ1 from the forebrain results in manic-like behavior

Nuclear DGKα regulates cell cycle progression in K562 cells

The existence of an independent nuclear inositide pathway distinct from the cytoplasmic one has been demonstrated in different physiological systems and in diseases (1). Phosphatidylinositols (PIs) play an important role in nuclear function regulation and behave differently from their counterparts in the cytoplasm. The autonomous nuclear PI cycle in eukaryotic cells is involved in different regulation processes, from cell proliferation to differentiation and many others (2). At nuclear level an array of kinases and phosphatases can modulate PIs. Among these, Diacylglycerol Kinases (DGKs) are a class of phosphotransferases that phosphorylate diacylglycerol (DAG) and induce the synthesis of phosphatidic acid. We Investigated DGKα localization and function in human erythroleukemia cell line K562. Synchronization experiments at different cell cycle checkpoints showed an important expression of DGKα in the nuclear fraction of this cell model, slightly peaking at G2/M. This suggested that DGKα might have a function in nuclear signaling. In particular, nuclear DGKα expression can modulate cell cycle progression, leading to changes in the phosphorylated status of the Retinoblastoma protein (pRb), thus, regulating G1/S transition: DGKα silencing or downregulation leads to impaired G1/S transition and its overexpression leads to S phase progression. The molecular mechanism by which nuclear DGKα controls pRb phosphorylation and therefore cell cycle regulation in K562 cell line are still unclear. Further studies are needed to better understand the role of DGKα in relation to other pivotal PIs involved in cell cycle regulation in the hematopoietic system

Phosphoinositide-dependent signaling in cancer: A focus on phospholipase C isozymes

Phosphoinositides (PI) form just a minor portion of the total phospholipid content in cells but are significantly involved in cancer development and progression. In several cancer types, phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate [PtdIns(3,4,5)P3] and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2] play significant roles in regulating survival, proliferation, invasion, and growth of cancer cells. Phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) catalyze the generation of the essential second messengers diacylglycerol (DAG) and inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate (InsP3) by hydrolyzing PtdIns(4,5)P2. DAG and InsP3 regulate Protein Kinase C (PKC) activation and the release of calcium ions (Ca2+) into the cytosol, respectively. This event leads to the control of several important biological processes implicated in cancer. PLCs have been extensively studied in cancer but their regulatory roles in the oncogenic process are not fully understood. This review aims to provide up-to-date knowledge on the involvement of PLCs in cancer. We focus specifically on PLC\u3b2, PLC\u3b3, PLC\u3b4, and PLC\u3c9 isoforms due to the numerous evidence of their involvement in various cancer types

Nuclear Inositides and Inositide-Dependent Signaling Pathways in Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of hematological malignancies characterized by peripheral blood cytopenia and abnormal myeloproliferation, as well as a variable risk of evolution into acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The nucleus is a highly organized organelle with several distinct domains where nuclear inositides localize to mediate essential cellular events. Nuclear inositides play a critical role in the modulation of erythropoiesis or myelopoiesis. Here, we briefly review the nuclear structure, the localization of inositides and their metabolic enzymes in subnuclear compartments, and the molecular aspects of nuclear inositides in MDS

Response of high-risk MDS to azacitidine and lenalidomide is impacted by baseline and acquired mutations in a cluster of three inositide-specific genes

Specific myeloid-related and inositide-specific gene mutations can be linked to myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) pathogenesis and therapy. Here, 44 higher-risk MDS patients were treated with azacitidine and lenalidomide and mutations analyses were performed at baseline and during the therapy. Results were then correlated to clinical outcome, overall survival (OS), leukemia-free-survival (LFS) and response to therapy. Collectively, 34/44 patients were considered evaluable for response, with an overall response rate of 76.25% (26/34 cases): 17 patients showed a durable response, 9 patients early lost response and 8 patients never responded. The most frequently mutated genes were ASXL1, TET2, RUNX1, and SRSF2. All patients early losing response, as well as cases never responding, acquired the same 3 point mutations during therapy, affecting respectively PIK3CD (D133E), AKT3 (D280G), and PLCG2 (Q548R) genes, that regulate cell proliferation and differentiation. Moreover, Kaplan–Meier analyses revealed that this mutated cluster was significantly associated with a shorter OS, LFS, and duration of response. All in all, a common mutated cluster affecting 3 inositide-specific genes is significantly associated with loss of response to azacitidine and lenalidomide therapy in higher risk MDS. Further studies are warranted to confirm these data and to further analyze the functional role of this 3-gene cluster

Development and Multicenter Validation of a Novel Immune-Inflammation-Based Nomogram to Predict Survival in Western Resectable Gastric and Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma (GEA): The NOMOGAST

Background. More than 50% of operable GEA relapse after curative-intent resection. We aimed at externally validating a nomogram to enable a more accurate estimate of individualized risk in resected GEA. Methods. Medical records of a training cohort (TC) and a validation cohort (VC) of patients undergoing radical surgery for c/uT2-T4 and/or node-positive GEA were retrieved, and potentially interesting variables were collected. Cox proportional hazards in univariate and multivariate regressions were used to assess the effects of the prognostic factors on OS. A graphical nomogram was constructed using R software’s package Regression Modeling Strategies (ver. 5.0-1). The performance of the prognostic model was evaluated and validated. Results. The TC and VC consisted of 185 and 151 patients. ECOG:PS > 0 (p < 0.001), angioinvasion (p < 0.001), log (Neutrophil/Lymphocyte ratio) (p < 0.001), and nodal status (p = 0.016) were independent prognostic values in the TC. They were used for the construction of a nomogram estimating 3- and 5-year OS. The discriminatory ability of the model was evaluated with the c-Harrell index. A 3-tier scoring system was developed through a linear predictor grouped by 25 and 75 percentiles, strengthening the model’s good discrimination (p < 0.001). A calibration plot demonstrated a concordance between the predicted and actual survival in the TC and VC. A decision curve analysis was plotted that depicted the nomogram’s clinical utility. Conclusions. We externally validated a prognostic nomogram to predict OS in a joint independent cohort of resectable GEA; the NOMOGAST could represent a valuable tool in assisting decision-making. This tool incorporates readily available and inexpensive patient and disease characteristics as well as immune-inflammatory determinants. It is accurate, generalizable, and clinically effectivex