The C-terminal peptide of H-Ras as a target for the covalent binding of drugs modulating ras-dependent pathways

Comunicaciones a congreso

Effects of Pilates training on sleep quality, anxiety, depression and fatigue in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To analyze the effects that a Pilates-based exercise program has on sleep quality, anxiety, depression and fatigue in community-dwelling Spanish postmenopausal women aged 60 and over. Study design: A total of 110 women (69.15 ± 8.94 years) participated in this randomized controlled trial. They were randomly allocated to either a control (n = 55) or a Pilates (n = 55) group. Main outcome measures: Sleep quality and self-perceived fatigue were assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Fatigue Severity Scale, respectively. Anxiety and depression were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results: Significant improvements were observed after Pilates training in all PSQI domains as well as in the PSQI total score, with small to medium-size effects, while significant between-group differences in post-intervention measures were observed only for sleep duration (d = 0.69) and sleep disturbances (d = 0.78). Moreover, intraand inter-group statistical differences were observed for depression (d = 0.39 and d = 0.86, respectively) and for anxiety (d = 0.43 and d = 1.27 respectively). Finally, participants in the Pilates group experienced a decrease in self-perceived fatigue after the intervention period (d = 0.32). Conclusions: For community-dwelling Spanish postmenopausal women aged 60 years and over, a twelve-week Pilates exercise intervention has beneficial effects on sleep quality, anxiety, depression and fatigue.This work was supported by the project UJA2016/08/08, University of Jaén

Elevated expression of the chemokine-scavenging receptor D6 is associated with impaired lesion development in psoriasis

D6 is a scavenging-receptor for inflammatory CC chemokines that are essential for resolution of inflammatory responses in mice. Here, we demonstrate that D6 plays a central role in controlling cutaneous inflammation, and that D6 deficiency is associated with development of a psoriasis-like pathology in response to varied inflammatory stimuli in mice. Examination of D6 expression in human psoriatic skin revealed markedly elevated expression in both the epidermis and lymphatic endothelium in "uninvolved" psoriatic skin (ie, skin that was more than 8 cm distant from psoriatic plaques). Notably, this increased D6 expression is associated with elevated inflammatory chemokine expression, but an absence of plaque development, in uninvolved skin. Along with our previous observations of the ability of epidermally expressed transgenic D6 to impair cutaneous inflammatory responses, our data support a role for elevated D6 levels in suppressing inflammatory chemokine action and lesion development in uninvolved psoriatic skin. D6 expression consistently dropped in perilesional and lesional skin, coincident with development of psoriatic plaques. D6 expression in uninvolved skin also was reduced after trauma, indicative of a role for trauma-mediated reduction in D6 expression in triggering lesion development. Importantly, D6 is also elevated in peripheral blood leukocytes in psoriatic patients, indicating that upregulation may be a general protective response to inflammation. Together our data demonstrate a novel role for D6 as a regulator of the transition from uninvolved to lesional skin in psoriasis

Validity and reliability of situational judgement test scores: A new approach based on cognitive diagnosis models

© The Author(s) 2016.Conventional methods for assessing the validity and reliability of situational judgment test (SJT) scores have proven to be inadequate. For example, factor analysis techniques typically lead to nonsensical solutions, and assumptions underlying Cronbach’s alpha coefficient are violated due to the multidimensional nature of SJTs. In the current article, we describe how cognitive diagnosis models (CDMs) provide a new approach that not only overcomes these limitations but that also offers extra advantages for scoring and better understanding SJTs. The analysis of the Q-matrix specification, model fit, and model parameter estimates provide a greater wealth of information than traditional procedures do. Our proposal is illustrated using data taken from a 23-item SJT that presents situations about student-related issues. Results show that CDMs are useful tools for scoring tests, like SJTs, in which multiple knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics are required to correctly answer the items. SJT classifications were reliable and significantly related to theoretically relevant variables. We conclude that CDM might help toward the exploration of the nature of the constructs underlying SJT, one of the principal challenges in SJT research.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Simulación de una instalación de un proceso industrial. PLC, robot e IHM, mediante OPC

[Resumen] El objetivo del presente artículo es presentar una instalación de un proceso industrial y la simulación del mismo que sirva como plataforma de prácticas para los alumnos del Máster de Informática Industrial. Para ello se diseña una isla robotizada con: tres cintas transportadoras, cinco topes y un robot. Para programar el funcionamiento de la isla y la simulación de su comportamiento se dispone de STEP 7 y TIA Portal para la programación del PLC y del simulador respectivamente y del IHM del Operador El simulador posee las opciones para configurar el tipo de pieza, si es pieza buena o mala, y el código de la misma para controlar si damos dos, tres o cuatro taladros. Se puede iniciar el ciclo completo de simulación o simular las presencias de los elementos y los defectos posibles de la instalación. A través del IHM se puede observar el estado del ciclo automático, el número de piezas no trabajadas, buenas o malas, configurar el número de ciclo de cada pieza con su trabajo, visualizar los defectos entre otras opciones.[Abstract] The objective of this article is to present an installation of an industrial process and the simulation of it that serves as a platform of practices for the students of the Master of Industrial Computing. To do this, a robotic island is designed with: three conveyor belts, five stops and one robot. To program the operation of the island and the simulation of its behavior, STEP 7 and TIA Portal are available for programming the PLC and the simulator respectively and the IHM of the Operator. The simulator has the options to configure the type of part, if it is part good or bad, and the code of the same to control if we give two, three or four drills. You can start the complete simulation cycle or simulate the presence of the elements and the possible defects of the installation. Through the IHM you can observe the status of the automatic cycle, the number of pieces not worked, good or bad, set the cycle number of each piece with your work, visualize the defects among other options.Universidad de Valladolid; PID1718_9

Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in Spanish community-dwelling middleaged and older women: Association with balance confidence, fear of falling and fall risk

Objectives: To analyze the association of sarcopenia, obesity, and sarcopenic obesity (SO) with fear of falling (FoF) and balance confidence in a Spanish sample of middle-aged and older community-dwelling women. Study design and outcome measures: A total of 235 women (69.21 ± 7.56 years) participated in this study. Body composition (bioelectrical impedance analysis), hand-grip strength, and physical performance (gait speed) were evaluated for the diagnosis of sarcopenia, obesity, and SO. Anxiety and depression were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) and the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) were employed to assess FoF and balance confidence, respectively. Scores of > 26 on the FES-I and < 67% on the ABC were used to identify women at risk of falling. The independent associations of sarcopenia, obesity and SO with FoF, balance confidence, and fall risk were evaluated by multivariate linear and logistic regressions, adjusting for potential confounding variables. Results: 27.23% and 18.72% of women presented with sarcopenia and SO, respectively. Gait speed, body mass index (BMI), and fall history were independently associated with ABC score (adjusted-R2 = 0.152) and fall risk (ABC) (adjusted-R2 = 0.115). FES-I score was independently associated (adjusted-R2 = 0.193) with fall history, gait speed, BMI, and depression, which, together with obesity (BMI) and SO, remained independent factors for fall risk measured as FES-I score (adjusted-R2 = 0.243). Conclusion: In community-dwelling middle-aged and older Spanish women, BMI, gait speed, and fall history were independently associated with FoF, balance confidence, and fall risk. Depression was related only to FoF, and, together with obesity (BMI) and SO, was an independent predictor of fall risk as assessed by the FES-I

Absence of giant spin splitting in the two-dimensional electron liquid at the surface of SrTiO3 (001)

We reinvestigate the putative giant spin splitting at the surface of SrTiO3 reported by Santander-Syro et al. [Nature Mat. 13, 1085 (2014)]. Our spin- and angle-resolved photoemission experiments on fractured (001) oriented surfaces supporting a two-dimensional electron liquid with high carrier density show no detectable spin polarization in the photocurrent. We demonstrate that this result excludes a giant spin splitting while it is consistent with the unconventional Rashba-like splitting seen in band structure calculations that reproduce the experimentally observed ladder of quantum confined subbands.PostprintPeer reviewe

Parametric Forcing of Waves with Non-Monotonic Dispersion Relation: Domain Structures in Ferrofluids?

Surface waves on ferrofluids exposed to a dc-magnetic field exhibit a non-monotonic dispersion relation. The effect of a parametric driving on such waves is studied within suitable coupled Ginzburg-Landau equations. Due to the non-monotonicity the neutral curve for the excitation of standing waves can have up to three minima. The stability of the waves with respect to long-wave perturbations is determined $via$ a phase-diffusion equation. It shows that the band of stable wave numbers can split up into two or three sub-bands. The resulting competition between the wave numbers corresponding to the respective sub-bands leads quite naturally to patterns consisting of multiple domains of standing waves which differ in their wave number. The coarsening dynamics of such domain structures is addressed.Comment: 23 pages, 6 postscript figures, composed using RevTeX. Submitted to PR