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A first approximation to the study of learning processes in bivalves is presented. A habituation procedure was developed using the slimy clam Ruditapes decussatus. The percentage of siphon withdrawal when they were exposed to a white light was measured. In Experiment 1, a habituation-discrimination procedure was used to study the stimulus intensity effect (350-lm vs 806lm). Clams exposed to 350-lm showed a faster habituation than those exposed to 806-lm. Experiment 2 studied the effect of stimulus and intertrial interval (ITI) duration using a 2×2 design. Trials lasted 20 or 180seconds, and the ITI lasted 5 or 10minutes. A combined effect of these two parameters was obtained. Habituation was faster in clams exposed to 180-sec trials with a 5-min ITI. Finally, in Experiment 3 clams were trained with five blocks of five trials with a 5-min ITI. Groups differed on trial duration (20 or 180 secs.). The results showed a general spontaneous recovery effect that was more pronounced for the 180 secs. group. Also, it was found in this experimental condition a reduced response 24hours after finishing training (long-term habituation). Altogether, this series of experiments constitutes a first systematic demonstration of habituation in bivalves.
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Pavlovian conditioning has been proven to be useful for the study of associative learning and animal cognition. This procedure can be used to observe certain memory phenomena. The appetitive conditioning of several neutral stimuli can result in higher response rates, and therefore a better memory, for the first and last stimuli of the series. This is equivalent to primacy and recency effects. In this work, the tentacle lowering procedure was employed to study these phenomena in the snail (Cornu aspersum). Subjects experienced five odorous conditioned stimuli (CS) paired with food (conditioning) in a specific order followed by the exposure to the CSs alone to measure the conditioned response (CR, conditioning test). For Experiment 1, the serial presentation of the five reinforced odors resulted in a higher CR for the initial and final odors in comparison with the middle ones. In Experiment 2, it was established that a 20-min trial is enough to produce appetitive conditioning in snail. For Experiment 3, the results of Experiment 1 were replicated while controlling for odor presentation order. Finally, in Experiment 4, the serial position effect was obtained when the interval between conditioning and test phases were minimized. The results observed in the present study provided evidence of the serial position effect in terrestrial snails. The theoretical implications of these are debated. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Cornus , Animales , Cognición , Condicionamiento Clásico , Alimentos , CaracolesRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: It is recommended to periodically evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1). Despite this, no specific paediatric HRQoL instrument for DM1 has been validated in Spanish. OBJECTIVES: Multicentre, prospective descriptive study in children and adolescents with DM1 with the aim of carrying out cross-cultural adaptation to Spanish and evaluating the reliability and validity of the DISABKIDS chronic disease and diabetes-specific HRQoL questionnaires, using reverse translation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sociodemographic variables were compiled together with the most recent capillary glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) value and HRQoL questionnaires were handed out to 200 Spanish children and adolescents with DM1 aged between 8 and 18 years of age under evaluation in 12 different hospitals. RESULTS: The mean score on the HRQoL questionnaire (patient version) for chronic disease was 80.32 (13.66), being significantly lower (P = .04) in patients with a shorter duration of the disease (≤5 years): 78.34 (13.70) vs. 82.60 (13.36). The mean score of the DM1-specific modules was: 60.81 (16.23) for disease impact and 65.59 (26.19) for treatment impact. The mean HbA1c value was 7.08 (0.79), with no differences (P > .05) noted in the mean score of the HRQoL instruments in patients with HbA1c ≤7% vs. HbA1c >7%. The Cronbach α value varied between 0.72 and 0.90. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish versions of the DISABKIDS HRQoL instruments meet the proposed objectives of semantic equivalence and internal consistency, making it possible to periodically assess HRQoL in these patients. The good average glycaemic control presented by the patients may explain why no difference was found in the HRQoL instruments based on the HbA1c value.
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Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1 , Humanos , Adolescente , Niño , Hemoglobina Glucada , Calidad de Vida , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Control GlucémicoRESUMEN
Rhizospheric and root-endophyte bacteria can stimulate plant growth through diverse biochemical mechanisms and pathways, particularly under biotic and abiotic stresses. For this reason, biotechnological trends on plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) application as biofertilizers, bioremediators, and stress alleviators are gaining increasing interest as ecofriendly strategies for sustainable agriculture management and soil restoration. The first steps needed to implement these technologies are isolation, screening, and characterization of PGPR that can be potentially applied as bioinoculants to alleviate biotic and/or abiotic stresses. Therefore, a complete and accurate methodological study and laboratory techniques are required to warrant the correct achievement of these steps. This review compiles and details the fundamentals, methods, and procedures of key protocols used in isolation and characterization of PGPR for plant stress alleviation.
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Desarrollo de la Planta , Microbiología del Suelo , Agricultura/métodos , Bacterias/genética , SueloRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: One of the physiological changes that is most closely associated with frailty is the increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines, and IL-6 in particular. Most studies have demonstrated this association using blood samples. We analyzed the relationship between frailty syndrome, individual frailty criteria, and IL-6 levels obtained by saliva tests. METHODS: A cross-sectional pilot study was performed among women institutionalized in nursing homes. Frailty was defined as having three or more of the following components: low lean mass, weakness, self-reported exhaustion, low activity level, and slow walking speed; prefrailty was defined as having one or two of those components. RESULTS: There was a significant and positive correlation between the frailty score and salivary IL-6 concentration. Regarding the associations between IL-6 and individual dichotomized frailty criteria, there were significant differences in salivary IL-6 concentration in two frailty criteria: weight loss (p = 0.002) and low physical activity (p = 0.007). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that IL-6 concentration significantly (p < 0.05) (although moderately) discriminated patients that progressed in the frailty syndrome (the area under the curve value was 0.697 with 95% CI 0.566-0.827). CONCLUSIONS: Salivary IL-6 concentration can be used as potential biomarker of frailty syndrome and as a tool to monitor the effects of interventions in frail individuals.
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The Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) is an important small game species endemic to the Iberian Peninsula for which the incidence of roadkill is unknown. We surveyed Iberian hare-vehicle accidents on road networks in southern Spain, focusing on roads that mainly run through favorable habitats for this species: Mediterranean landscapes with plots of arable crops, olive groves, and vineyards. We recorded roadkills over a 5-month period, estimated hare accident densities on roads, and compared these numbers to hare hunting yields in adjoining hunting estates. We also analyzed the spatial patterns of and potential factors influencing hare roadkills. We detected the existence of black spots for hare roadkills in areas with high landscape heterogeneity that also included embankments and nearby crossroads and had high traffic intensity. Hare roadkill levels ranged from 5 to 25% of the annual harvest of hares killed on neighboring hunting estates. We suggest that road collisions should be considered in Iberian hare conservation in addition to hunting, since they may represent an additive source of mortality. Game managers should address the issue of hare roadkill in harvest planning to compensate for hare accidents, adjusting hunting quotas to account for this unnatural source of mortality. Our results suggest future directions for applied research in road ecology, including further work on demographic compensation and roadkill mitigation.
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No disponible
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Humanos , Niño , Adolescente , Hipertensión , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1 , Presión Arterial , Estudios Transversales , Monitoreo AmbulatorioRESUMEN
Old age is associated with a loss of motor functions and a general progressive decline in cognitive functions. Physical exercise is one of the ways in which inflammatory levels in general can be reduced, and therefore physical exercise can be considered a biological aging decelerator. In this article, we examine the relationships between physical exercise and inflammatory markers reported for the different physical exercise protocols that have been used in studies with older individuals, as well as the effects of these regimens. The different types of exercises programmed, and methods used to implement them were very heterogeneous in the articles we analysed. Both, the aerobic exercise and resistance training protocols produced a decrease in plasma levels of IL-6, CRP and TNF-α, and an increase of IL-10 plasma levels as a chronic effect. However, the acute-response of physical exercise appeared to be an initial increase in IL-6 expression and plasma IL-6 levels. Continuing with these exercise programs usually subsequently achieved a chronic response in which there was a decrease in both the basal levels of IL-6, CRP and TNF-α, and the IL-6 produced as acute responses. Regardless of the type of exercise performed, it seems that the exercise parameters, intensity, duration, subject variables, fitness, and level of inflammation are key factors in achieving the expected balance between proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines.
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Envejecimiento/sangre , Ejercicio Físico/fisiología , Mediadores de Inflamación/sangre , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Biomarcadores/sangre , Humanos , Interleucina-6/sangre , Persona de Mediana Edad , Entrenamiento de Fuerza/tendenciasRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Human decidual stromal cells (DSCs) are involved in the maintenance and development of pregnancy, in which they play a key role in the induction of immunological maternal-fetal tolerance. Precursors of DSCs (preDSCs) are located around the vessels, and based on their antigen phenotype, previous studies suggested a relationship between preDSCs and mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs). This work aimed to further elucidate the MSC characteristics of preDSCs. METHODS: We established 15 human preDSC lines and 3 preDSC clones. Physiological differentiation (decidualization) of these cell lines and clones was carried out by in vitro culture with progesterone (P4) and cAMP. Decidualization was confirmed by the change in cellular morphology and prolactin (PRL) secretion, which was determined by enzyme immunoassay of the culture supernatants. We also studied MSC characteristics: (1) In mesenchymal differentiation, under appropriate culture conditions, these preDSC lines and clones differentiated into adipocytes, osteoblasts, and chondrocytes, and differentiation was confirmed by cytochemical assays and RT-PCR. (2) The expression of stem cell markers was determined by RT-PCR. (3) Cloning efficiency was evaluated by limited dilution. (4) Immunoregulatory activity in vivo was estimated in DBA/2-mated CBA/J female mice, a murine model of immune-based recurrent abortion. (5) Survival of preDSC in immunocompetent mice was analyzed by RT-PCR and flow cytometry. RESULTS: Under the effect of P4 and cAMP, the preDSC lines and clones decidualized in vitro: the cells became rounder and secreted PRL, a marker of physiological decidualization. PreDSC lines and clones also exhibited MSC characteristics. They differentiated into adipocytes, osteoblasts, and chondrocytes, and preDSC lines expressed stem cell markers OCT-4, NANOG, and ABCG2; exhibited a cloning efficiency of 4 to 15%; significantly reduced the embryo resorption rate (P < 0.001) in the mouse model of abortion; and survived for prolonged periods in immunocompetent mice. The fact that 3 preDSC clones underwent both decidualization and mesenchymal differentiation shows that the same type of cell exhibited both DSC and MSC characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Together, our results confirm that preDSCs are decidual MSCs and suggest that these cells are involved in the mechanisms of maternal-fetal immune tolerance.
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Aborto Habitual/terapia , Aborto Espontáneo/terapia , Decidua/trasplante , Trasplante de Células Madre Mesenquimatosas , Aborto Habitual/patología , Aborto Espontáneo/patología , Animales , Diferenciación Celular , Células Cultivadas/trasplante , Decidua/citología , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Endometrio/citología , Endometrio/trasplante , Femenino , Humanos , Células Madre Mesenquimatosas/citología , Ratones , EmbarazoRESUMEN
Exercise plays an important role in brain plasticity, leading to improvements in cognitive function and delaying the cognitive deterioration of healthy people. These effects can be observed in individuals with schizophrenia through improvements in their performance in cognitive tasks and a decrease in the symptomology of the disease. In this review we examine the current evidence for the roles that exercise and the immune system play in patients with schizophrenia, and specifically analyze the interleukin-6 (IL-6) pathway as a potential mechanism resulting in these positive effects. Inflammation and high levels of IL-6 are associated with both the severity of schizophrenia and the cognitive impairment suffered throughout the disease. Performing regular exercise can modulate IL-6 by lowering its basal levels and by causing lower acute increases in the plasma levels of this cytokine in response to exercise (an anti-inflammatory response to physical exertion). Although there is evidence for the positive effects of physical exercise on schizophrenia, more studies will be required to better understand how variation in different exercise parameters affects both the acute and chronic plasma levels of IL-6.
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La duloxetina es un antidepresivo inhibidor de la recaptación de serotonina y noradrenalina (IRSN) utilizado para el tratamiento de la depresión mayor, así como el dolor neuropático. La dosis recomendada para el dolor neuropático es de 60 mg una vez al día
Duloxetine is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) is indicated for the management of major depressive disorder and neuropathic pain. The dose recommended for neuropathic pain is 60 mg once a day
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Humanos , Femenino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Clorhidrato de Duloxetina/efectos adversos , Disfonía/inducido químicamente , Dolor de Cuello/tratamiento farmacológico , Dolor de la Región Lumbar/tratamiento farmacológico , Clorhidrato de Duloxetina/administración & dosificación , Antidepresivos/efectos adversosRESUMEN
La oxcarbazepina actúa principalmente a través de su metabolito activo MHD, por lo que presenta menor número de efectos secundarios que la carbamazepina. Sin embargo, presenta mayor tendencia a la hiponatremia (2,7 %), dosis dependiente
Oxcarbazepine acts primarily trough its active metabolite MHD, with a lower potencial for side effects than carbamazepine. However, presents higher incidence of hyponatremia (2,7%), dosis dependent
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Humanos , Femenino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Hiponatremia/inducido químicamente , Diuréticos/efectos adversos , Tiazidas/efectos adversos , Anticonvulsivantes/efectos adversos , Interacciones Farmacológicas , Neuralgia del Trigémino/complicacionesRESUMEN
Lymphoid tissue organizer (LTo) cells, identified in mouse and human embryos, are thought to be precursors of stromal cells in secondary lymphoid organs. Whether LTo cells are present in human adults, however remains unknown. We obtained 15 stromal cell lines from tonsils from children who underwent tonsillectomy, and studied the antigen phenotype of these tonsil stromal cell (TSC) lines by flow cytometry and RT-PCR. Cell lines met the minimal criteria proposed by the International Society for Cellular Therapy to define human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs): plastic-adherent capacity; expression of CD73, CD90 and CD105, lack of CD45, CD19 and HLA-DR; and capacity to differentiate into adipocytes, osteoblasts and chondrocytes. Furthermore, our TSC lines exhibited an antigen phenotype and functional characteristics very similar to those seen in murine embryo LTo cells: they expressed chemokines CCL19, CCL21 and CXCL13, cytokines TRANCE and IL-7, and adhesion molecules ICAM-1, mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule (MadCAM)-1 and VCAM-1. The expression of LTo cell-associated markers and functions were upregulated by lymphotoxin (LT)α1ß2 and TNF, two cytokines involved in the development and maturation of secondary lymphoid tissues. Our results show that TSCs are tonsil MSCs that differentiate into LTo-like cells in response to the effects of these cytokines.
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Diferenciación Celular/inmunología , Células Madre Mesenquimatosas/citología , Tonsila Palatina/citología , Tonsila Palatina/inmunología , Adipocitos/citología , Antígenos CD/biosíntesis , Células Cultivadas , Quimiocinas/biosíntesis , Niño , Condrocitos/citología , Citometría de Flujo , Antígenos HLA/biosíntesis , Humanos , Molécula 1 de Adhesión Intercelular/biosíntesis , Linfocitos/citología , Osteoblastos/citología , Tonsilectomía , Molécula 1 de Adhesión Celular Vascular/biosíntesisRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Human decidual stromal cells (DSCs) play a key role in maternal-fetal interactions. Precursors of DSCs (preDSCs) localize around vessels in both the endometrium and decidua. Previous studies suggested a relationship between preDSCs and pericytes because these cells share a perivascular location, alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SM actin) expression and the ability to contract under the effects of cytokines. METHODS: To further study this relationship, we established 15 human preDSC lines and 3 preDSC clones. The preDSC lines and clones were tested by flow cytometry with a panel of 29 monoclonal antibodies, 14 of which are pericyte markers. The expression of angiogenic factors was determined by RT-PCR, chemotactic activity was studied with the migration assay, and cell contractility was evaluated with the collagen cell contraction assay. Confocal microscopy was used to study decidual sections. RESULTS: Under the effect of progesterone and cAMP, these lines decidualized in vitro: the cells became rounder and secreted prolactin, a marker of physiological DSC differentiation (decidualization). The antigen phenotype of these preDSC lines and clones was fully compatible with that reported for pericytes. PreDSC lines displayed pericyte characteristics: they expressed angiogenic factors and showed chemotactic and cytokine-induced contractile activity. Confocal microscopic examination of decidual sections revealed the expression of antigens detected in preDSC lines: α-SM actin colocalized with CD146, CD140b, MFG-E8, nestin, and STRO-1 (all of which are pericyte markers) in cells located around the vessels, a distinctive location of preDSCs and pericytes. DISCUSSION: Taken together, our results show that preDSCs are pericyte-like cells.
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Inductores de la Angiogénesis/metabolismo , Quimiotaxis , Decidua/metabolismo , Regulación del Desarrollo de la Expresión Génica , Pericitos/metabolismo , Células del Estroma/metabolismo , Adolescente , Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Desdiferenciación Celular , Diferenciación Celular , Línea Celular , Movimiento Celular , Forma de la Célula , Tamaño de la Célula , Células Cultivadas , Células Clonales , Decidua/citología , Decidua/inmunología , Femenino , Humanos , Células Asesinas Naturales/citología , Células Asesinas Naturales/inmunología , Células Asesinas Naturales/metabolismo , Leucocitos Mononucleares/citología , Leucocitos Mononucleares/metabolismo , Pericitos/citología , Pericitos/inmunología , Embarazo , Células del Estroma/citología , Células del Estroma/inmunología , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
No disponible
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Humanos , Femenino , Anciano , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Síndrome del Túnel Tarsiano/cirugía , Síndrome del Túnel Tarsiano , Nervio Tibial/patología , Nervio Tibial , Tobillo/patología , Tobillo , Fascitis Plantar , Parestesia/complicacionesAsunto(s)
Síndromes de Compresión Nerviosa/diagnóstico , Neuropatía Tibial/diagnóstico , Anciano , Femenino , Pie , HumanosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) are important components in the organization of germinal centers in lymphoid tissue where, following antigen presentation, B cells differentiate into memory B cells. The possibility of establishing primary cell lines from FDCs isolated from lymphoid tissue paved the way for characterization of FDC biological properties. We exposed primary FDC cell lines to HIV-1 strains in vitro and studied changes in the chemo-attractive properties of FDCs and release of inflammatory cytokines. RESULTS: FDC lines expressed several known and putative HIV-1 receptors; viral genome was amplified in HIV-1 exposed FDCs which released low levels of p24 HIV-1 protein in culture supernatants, but were not definitely proven to be productively infected. Exposure of FDCs to HIV-1 strains did not change the expression of markers used to characterize these cells. HIV-1 exposed FDCs, however, changed the expression of chemo-attractants involved in cell recruitment at inflammatory sites and increased the production of several inflammatory cytokines. The inflammatory milieu created upon HIV-1 exposure of FDCs led to impaired B cell survival in vitro and reduced Ig production. CONCLUSIONS: FDC lines exposed to different HIV-1 strains, although not able to support productive HIV-1 replication, show an increased production of inflammatory cytokines. Our in vitro model of interactions between HIV-1 exposed FDC lines and B cells suggest that exposure of FDCs to HIV-1 in vivo can contribute to inflammation within germinal centers and that this pathological event may impair B cell survival and contribute to impaired B cell responses during HIV-1 infection.