Bases hormonals de la conducta prosocial: una revisió de la literatura

Resumen: En los últimos años se ha intensificado el estudio de las conductas prosociales, incluyendo una mayor atención a los aspectos neuropsicobiológicos implicados en tales conductas, para entender su funcionamiento, así como para fomentarlas. Las investigaciones también pueden proporcionar una aproximación a la búsqueda de tratamientos más acertados a aquellas enfermedades en las que la cognición social se ve alterada. El objetivo principal del presente trabajo es establecer el estado actual de la cuestión, revisando la literatura publicada sobre las hormonas que influyen a la conducta prosocial, tanto en animales como en humanos. Los resultados de la investigación apuntan a la oxitocina, la vasopresina, la testosterona, los receptores α del estrógeno y la serotonina como las sustancias más relevantes. Abstract: During the last years, an increasing amount of studies have focused on prosocial behavior. Many of them display a strong interest in the understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms involved in such behavior, which is absolutely necessary in order to achieve a complete comprehension of its nature, as well as to promote and improve prosocial behavior in human societies. The research may also provide the basis to develop more accurate prescriptions for the diseases in which social cognition is affected. The main object of this study is to assess the current state of the art in this field, by reviewing the scientific literature that provides information about the hormones affecting prosocial behavior in animals as well as in human beings. The results point out that oxytocin, vassopressin, testosterone, alpha-estrogen receptors, and serotonin seem to be the most relevant endocrine products. Resum En els últims anys s'ha intensificat l'estudi de les conductes prosocials, incloent-hi més atenció als aspectes neuropsicobiològics implicats en aquestes conductes, per entendre el seu funcionament, així com per a fomentar-les. Les investigacions també poden proporcionar una aproximació a la recerca de tractaments més encertats per a aquelles malalties en què la cognició social es veu alterada. L'objectiu principal del present treball és establir l'estat actual de la qüestió, revisant la literatura publicada sobre les hormones que influeixen en la conducta prosocial, tant en animals com en humans. Els resultats de la investigació apunten a l'oxitocina, la vasopressina, la testosterona, els receptors α de l'estrogen i la serotonina com les substàncies més rellevants

Keys to world Charipinae (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea, Figitidae)

Eight genera of Charipinae are defined, keyed out, and illustrated. Keys for all charipine species within each valid genus, including Alloxysta, Apocharips, Dilyta, Phaenoglyphis, and Thoreauana, are presented, except for Dilapothor, Lobopterocharips, and Lytoxysta, which are monotypic. Figures are provided to show the diagnostic morphological features as used in the keys

Outdoor academic debate as a tool to stimulate critical thinking and scientific orientation: a pilot experience

This paper aims to present a pilot experience conducted during the spring of 2018 in the Jardí Botànic (Botanic Garden) of the Universitat de València. The experience brought about 24 students from the degrees of Sociology, Primary School Education and Psychology in the same university (6 students from each degree), and 6 students from different academic backgrounds, including Master´s Degree students and one PhD student. The main goal of the pilot study is to analyze the perception and effectiveness of an academic debate seminar made outdoors and including students from different academic backgrounds. It was organized in three sessions of three hours each, with a pre-established distribution of roles between moderators and participants was pre-established. Clear rules of the functioning were also set up. The debate was structured in different parts, the duration of which had been previously established, as well as the time allocated to each intervention. Mutual trust and respect were also promoted and different dialectical positions and arguments were encouraged. At the end the students assessed the experience and had the opportunity to explain the extent to which the experience was fruitful in an individual essay, highlighting especially two positive aspects: the outdoor environment and the possibility to interact with students of other careers

Debate académico de puertas abiertas como herramienta para estimular el pensamiento crítico y la orientación científica : una experiencia piloto

Se presenta una experiencia piloto realizada durante la primavera de 2018 en el Jardí Botànic de la Universitat de València. La experiencia reunió a 24 estudiantes de las titulaciones de Sociología, Educación Primaria y Psicología de la misma universidad (6 estudiantes de cada titulación), más 6 estudiantes de diferentes titulaciones académicas, incluyendo máster y doctorado. El objetivo principal del estudio piloto es analizar la percepción y la efectividad de un seminario de debate académico llevado a cabo al aire libre, y con la participación de alumnos de diferentes ámbitos académicos. Se organizó en tres sesiones de tres horas cada una, con una distribución preestablecida de roles entre moderadores y participantes. También se establecieron normas claras de funcionamiento. El debate se estructuró en varias partes, y tanto la duración de las sesiones como el tiempo asignado a cada intervención habían sido determinadas con antelación. El foco se centró en promover la confianza y el respeto mutuo entre participantes, y se estimuló a los participantes que adoptaran y mantuvieran diferentes posiciones y argumentos dialécticos. Al final, los estudiantes evaluaron la experiencia y tuvieron la oportunidad de explicar hasta qué punto les había resultado fructífera, en un ensayo individual, en el que destacaron especialmente dos aspectos positivos: el entorno exterior y la posibilidad de interactuar con estudiantes de otras carreras

Hormonal responses to competition

S p o rts competitions have been employed to analy ze the influence of social confro n t ations on hormonal levels. Howeve r, results have been inconsistent. Seve ral va ri ables such as outcome, phy s i c a l exe rtion, mood and causal at t ri bution have been considered as important mediat o rs of this infl u e nc e. Our aim was to examine their role in the testosterone and cortisol responses to a real confro n t ation. To this end, twe l ve judoists who part i c i p ated in a competition between clubs we re studied. Results showed non significant diffe rences depending on outcome in hormones, physical exe rtion, mood and causal at t ri bution; only sat i s faction with the outcome being significant. Intere s t i n g ly, testoste rone response was positive ly associated with self-ap p raisal of perfo rmance and at t ri bution of outcome to personal effo rt. Cortisol response showed a ve ry consistent re l ationship with negat ive moo d. These findings support a clear association of competition-induced hormonal responses with cogni t ive and emotional aspects rather than with objective (outcome or physical exe rtion) ch a ra c t e ri stics of the situat i o n

Revision of the Barbotin's Charipinae collection with description of a new Alloxysta species (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Figitidae)

The Barbotin's Charipinae collection has been revised and all the specimens have been identified to species level. A total of 1011 specimens have been studied and grouped in 24 species: Alloxysta arcuata, A. basimacula, A. brachycera, A. brachyptera, A. brevis, A. castanea, A. citripes, A. consobrina, A. crassa, A. fuscipes, A. fracticornis, A. glebaria, A. halterata, A. kovilovica, A. macrophadna, A. mullensis, A. pilipennis, A. pleuralis, A. pusilla, A. ramulifera, A. sawoniewiczi, A. semiaperta, A. victrix and Phaenoglyphis villosa. The information present on the labels of each specimen is given. Additionally, one new species has been found in this collection, which is described in this paper: Alloxysta barbotini Ferrer-Suay & Pujade-Villar n. sp. A complete description and illustrative plate are given for this new species

Impacte del bilingüisme sobre l'estructura cerebral

Neuroscientific research on bilingualism has traditionally focused on its functional implications. The brain is a continually changing organ (due to genetic as well as nongenetic causes), and language's pervasiveness in human behaviour allows to consider bilingualism as a highly demanding cognitive condition. During the last ten years, important developments of the neuroimaging techniques have boosted significant progresses in the knowledge about the neural correlates of language processing and representation. Many studies have shown that bilingualism might be involved in Grey Matter volume's changes in brain regions such as the inferior frontal Gyrus or the Posterior Supramarginal Gyrus, as well as in promoting a greater White Matter integrity in several brain structures. Furthermore, bilingualism has been recently linked to a delay of 4 to 5 years in the onset of dementia, so suggesting that it could be an effective strategy to enhance the Cognitive Reserve. Key words: bilingualism, Grey and White Matter, Cognitive Reserv

Design of nanostructured siloxane-gelatin coatings: Immobilization strategies and dissolution properties

Owing to the outstanding service life of metallic prostheses, a substantial effort has been put into their surface modification to improve biocompatibility and reduce metallic ion diffusion. To satisfy these requirements, the coating materials obtained using the sol-gel method, with its wide range of tuning properties, have been extensively explored. The well-known biocompatibility of these materials makes them good candidates for different biomedical applications. We designed a series of siloxane-gelatin hybrids to be used as coatings for metallic implants or in controlled delivery systems. Two different matrixes were designed based on methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMOS), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) alkoxysilane precursors. In one hybrid coating gelatin was physically entrapped and in the other it was linked to the siloxane network by covalent bonds. Synthesis parameters were established by studying the sol-gel reaction using 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance (29Si NMR), which also allowed quantification of the network connectivity. Dissolution and degradation studies showed the effectiveness of GPTMS as a covalent coupling agent between the silica and gelatin phases; it increased the stability of the coatings in aqueous media. The aim of this study was to design a set of hybrid materials with highly tailorable properties, suitable for their potential biomedical application

First records of Charipinae (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea, Figitidae) aphid hyperparasitoids from Malta

Charipinae material has been collected from different localities in Malta. Three species have been identified: Alloxysta citripes , Alloxysta pilipennis and Phaenoglyphis villosa in association with two aphids and one parasitoid species. Diagnosis and information about distribution and hosts of each species is given. Plates with diagnostic features of these three species are also included. These findings represent the first record of the subfamily Charipinae in Malt