Nanotechnological Strategies for Protein Delivery

The use of therapeutic proteins plays a fundamental role in the treatment of numerous diseases. The low physico-chemical stability of proteins in physiological conditions put their function at risk in the human body until they reach their target. Moreover, several proteins are unable to cross the cell membrane. All these facts strongly hinder their therapeutic effect. Nanomedicine has emerged as a powerful tool which can provide solutions to solve these limitations and improve the efficacy of treatments based on protein administration. This review discusses the advantages and limitations of different types of strategies employed for protein delivery, such as PEGylation, transport within liposomes or inorganic nanoparticles or their in situ encapsulation

Factores moduladores de las características del recuerdo demorado de hechos traumáticos: edad y grado de implicación

El estudio de las memorias traumáticas ha generado en los últimos años un gran debate acerca de las implicaciones que puede tener sobre la comprensión de los mecanismos involucrados en el recuerdo de hechos emocionales y sobre algunos casos legales, como el abuso sexual en menores. Asimismo, la evaluación del recuerdo en personas que han experimentado algún tipo de situación traumática (víctimas de delitos sexuales, refugiados, etc.) podría tener una aplicación clínica puesto que muchas de las patologías que pueden presentar estas personas están relacionadas con la memoria, y más concretamente, con las características del recuerdo que tienen del suceso traumático. El análisis de las características del recuerdo se ha revelado como una importante vía de investigación que ha supuesto dar un salto cualitativo en el estudio de la memoria, puesto que, el análisis además de cuantitativo es posible realizarlo también cualitativamente, permitiendo estudiar el rendimiento no sólo en función de su exactitud sino también de la calidad de las experiencias de recuperación..

Hybrid Collagenase Nanocapsules for Enhanced Nanocarrier Penetration in Tumoral Tissues

Poor penetration of drug delivery nanocarriers within dense extracellular matrices constitutes one of the main liabilities of current nanomedicines. The conjugation of proteolytic enzymes on the nanoparticle surface constitutes an attractive alternative. However, the scarce resistance of these enzymes against the action of proteases or other aggressive agents present in the bloodstream strongly limits their application. Herein, a novel nanodevice able to transport proteolytic enzymes coated with an engineered pH-responsive polymeric is presented. This degradable coat protects the housed enzymes against proteolytic attack at the same time that it triggers their release under mild acidic conditions, usually present in many tumoral tissues. These enzyme nanocapsules have been attached on the surface of mesoporous silica nanoparticles, as nanocarrier model, showing a significatively higher penetration of the nanopartides within 3D collagen matrices which housed human osteosarcoma cells (HOS). This strategy can improve the therapeutic efficacy of the current nanomedicines, allowing a more homogeneous and deeper distribution of the therapeutic nanosystems in cancerous tissues

CCFRA/PQAM-31: Phenomenological Questionnaire on autobiographical Memory

Questionnaire to assess phenomenological characteristics of autobiographical memory

Criteria-based Content Analysis in True and Simulated Victims with Intellectual Disability

The aims of the present study were to analyse people’s natural ability to discriminate between true and false statements provided by people with intellectual disability (IQTRUE = 62.00, SD = 10.07; IQFALSE = 58.41, SD = 8.42), and the differentiating characteristics of such people’s statements using criteria-based content analysis (CBCA). Thirty-three people assessed 16 true statements and 13 false statements using their normal abilities. Two other evaluators trained in CBCA evaluated the same statements. The natural evaluators differentiated between true and false statements with somewhat above-chance accuracy, even though error rate was high (38.19%). That lay participants could not effectively discriminate between false and true statements demonstrates that such assessments cannot be considered useful in a forensic context. The CBCA technique did discriminate at a better level than intuitive judgements. However, of the 19 criteria, only one significantly discriminated. More procedures specifically adapted to the abilities of people with intellectual disabilities are thus required. The presence of structured production, quantity of details, characteristics details and unexpected complications increased the probability that a statement would be considered true by non-expert evaluators. The classification made by the non-expert evaluators was independent of the participants’ IQ. A big data analysis is performed in search for better classification quality

Evaluación de la credibilidad de la prueba testifical en víctimas con discapacidad intelectual

Uno de los principales obstáculos en el acceso a la justicia de las víctimas con discapacidad procede de los estereotipos referidos a su capacidad para declarar en un procedimiento policial y judicial, tendiendo unos a considerarlos menos creíbles que al resto de víctimas y otros más creíbles por su supuesta incapacidad para elaborar mentiras complejas. El presente trabajo revisa tres de los estudios recientemente realizados por el grupo UCM de Psicología del Testimonio con el objetivo de analizar el papel de la experiencia y la intuición en la evaluación de la credibilidad en personas con discapacidad intelectual (DI), y comprobar si los procedimientos de análisis de credibilidad tales como el basado en el Modelo de Control de la Realidad [Reality Monitoring, RM] y el de Evaluación de la Validez de las Declaraciones [Statement Validity Assessment, SVA] serían válidos para discriminar entre relatos verdaderos y falsos en estos colectivos. De para discriminar entre las víctimas reales y simuladas, pero tampoco parece resultar suficiente analizar las características de los relatos como único indicador. Se propone como alternativa el procedimiento general HELPT para la evaluación de la credibilidad en personas con DI

Credibility assessment of testimonies provided by victims with intellectual disabilities

One of the main obstacles in the way of access to justice for the victims with intellectual disability comes from the stereotypes referred to their ability to produce a statement at police legal procedures, with the consequence that some consider their statements less reliable than the rest of the victims, and others considerate their statements more reliable given their inability to create complex lies. This article reviews three of the most recent studies done by the UCM group of Psychology of Testimony, with the objective of analyzing the role of experience and intuition in the evaluation of credibility in people with intellectual disability (ID), and also it aims to prove whether the credibility analysis procedures such as Reality Monitoring (RM) and Statement Validity Assessment (SVA) would be valid procedures to discriminate between real and false statements within these collectives. From the results of these studies, it can be deducted that experience may not seem to be enough in order to discriminate between real and simulated victims, but analyzing the characteristics of the statements as the only indicator doesn’t seem to be enough either. As an alternative, the general procedure HELPT is proposed for the evaluation of credibility of people with ID.Uno de los principales obstáculos en el acceso a la justicia de las víctimas con discapacidad procede de los estereotipos referidos a su capacidad para declarar en un procedimiento policial y judicial, tendiendo unos a considerarlos menos creíbles que al resto de víctimas y otros más creíbles por su supuesta incapacidad para elaborar mentiras complejas. El presente trabajo revisa tres de los estudios recientemente realizados por el grupo UCM de Psicología del Testimonio con el objetivo de analizar el papel de la experiencia y la intuición en la evaluación de la credibilidad en personas con discapacidad intelectual (DI), y comprobar si los procedimientos de análisis de credibilidad tales como el basado en el Modelo de Control de la Realidad [Reality Monitoring, RM] y el de Evaluación de la Validez de las Declaraciones [Statement Validity Assessment, SVA] serían válidos para discriminar entre relatos verdaderos y falsos en estos colectivos. De para discriminar entre las víctimas reales y simuladas, pero tampoco parece resultar suficiente analizar las características de los relatos como único indicador. Se propone como alternativa el procedimiento general HELPT para la evaluación de la credibilidad en personas con DI

Multifunctional Protocells for Enhanced Penetration in 3D Extracellular Tumoral Matrices.

The high density of the extracellular matrix in solid tumors is an important obstacle to nanocarriers for reaching deep tumor regions and has severely limited the efficacy of administrated nanotherapeutics. The use of proteolytic enzymes prior to nanoparticle administration or directly attached to the nanocarrier surface has been proposed to enhance their penetration, but the low in vivo stability of these macromolecules compromises their efficacy and strongly limits their application. Herein, we have designed a multifunctional nanocarrier able to transport cytotoxic drugs to deep areas of solid tumors and once there, to be engulfed by tumoral cells causing their destruction. This system is based on mesoporous silica nanocarriers encapsulated within supported lipid bilayers (SLB). The SLB avoids premature release of the housed drug while providing high colloidal stability and an easy to functionalize surface. The tumor penetration property is provided by attachment of engineered polymeric nanocapsules that transport and controllably unveil and release the proteolytic enzymes that in turn digest the extracellular matrix, facilitating the nanocarrier diffusion through the matrix. Additionally, targeting properties were endowed by conjugating an antibody specific to the investigated tumoral cells to enhance binding, internalization, and drug delivery. This multifunctional design improves the therapeutic efficacy of the transported drug as a consequence of its more homogeneous distribution throughout the tumoral tissue

La potencialidad de las vías pecuarias de la Comarca de Antequera. Análisis territorial con sistemas de información geográfica, caso concreto: Cordel de Antequera - Málaga

Premio extraordinario de Trabajo Fin de Máster curso 2020/2021. Máster en Estrategias para el Desarrollo Rural y Territoria

Evaluating the Credibility of Statements Given by Persons with Intellectual Disability

El objetivo del presente trabajo consistió en analizar las características diferenciales de los relatos emitidos por víctimas reales y simuladas con discapacidad intelectual ligera y moderada mediante el procedimiento de análisis de credibilidad de Control de la Realidad (RM). Dos evaluadores entrenados en los procedimientos de análisis de credibilidad mediante criterios de contenido evaluaron 13 relatos verdaderos y 16 relatos falsos. Los resultados encontrados muestran que existen pocas diferencias entre los dos tipos de relatos. Los únicos criterios que resultan significativos para discriminar entre los dos tipos de relatos son la cantidad de detalles y la longitud de las declaraciones espontáneas obtenidas mediante recuerdo libre. Ninguna de las características fenomenológicas examinadas resultó significativa para discriminar entre víctimas reales y simuladas. La representación gráfica mediante visualización hiperdimensional (HDV) considerando conjuntamente todos los criterios muestra una gran heterogeneidad entre relatos. Un análisis de conglomerados permitió clasificar los dos tipos de relatos con una probabilidad de acierto del 68.75 por ciento.The objective of this study was to analyze the features that distinguish statements given by actual and simulated victims with mild to moderate intellectual disability, using the credibility analysis procedure known as Reality Monitoring (RM). Two evaluators trained in credibility analysis procedures using content criteria evaluated 13 true statements and 16 false statements. The results obtained show that there is little difference between the two types of statements when analyzed on the basis of content criteria using the RM procedure. The only criteria that proved to be significant for discriminating between the two types of statements were the amount of details and the length of spontaneous statements obtained through free recall. None of the phenomenological characteristics studied. turned out to be significant for discriminating between actual and simulated victims. Graphic representation using high-dimensional visualization (HDV) with all criteria taken into consideration shows that the two types of statements are quite heterogeneous. Cluster analysis can group cases with a 68.75% chance of accuracy