Relación entre variables de personalidad e interés por temas morbosos y sexuales en los mass media: réplica del estudio de Zuckerman y Litle en una muestra española

Este trabajo pretende replicar con muestras españolas un estudio americano diseñado para evaluar las relaciones entre el rasgo Búsquesa de Sensaciones, Extraversión, Neuroticismo y Psicoticismo, con el interés por la contemplación o lectura de sucesos violentos, morbosos y sexuales en los medios de comunicación (o reales). El estudio se realizó a partir de inventarios autoinformados de curiosidad morbosa, cuestionarios de personalidad y autopuntuaciones de asistencia a películas pornográficas y de terror. Los resultados obtenidos informan de una relación positiva entre las escalas de Búsqueda de Sensaciones (EBS) y las escalas de Curiosidad Morbosa (CTM-CTS). Ello sugiere como hipótesis que los altos buscadores de sensaciones podrían estar interesados en estímulos que aumentan la actividad del sistema central de catecolaminas. Para ello se parte de hallazgos experimentales previos que apuntan que películas morbosas de terror o sexuales aumentan los niveles de las catecolaminas periféricas.

Influence of "historic" photoperiod during stem elongation on the number of fertile florets in wheat

Extending the duration of the late reproductive phase in wheat has been proposed as a possible avenue to improve spike fertility. There is a positive correlation between the number of fertile florets and the duration of the stem elongation phase when this phase is varied by extended photoperiod. Photoperiod treatments imposed during the vegetative period also influence the duration of stem elongation. The present study analysed the effect of long photoperiod (19 h) of different duration (10, 12, 14, 18 or 22 d) imposed before the onset of stem elongation on floret fertility in wheat. It was found that the length of the stem elongation phase was modified by earlier ‘historic ’ photoperiod treatments imposed during previous phases. However, neither the number of fertile florets per spike nor the spikelet fertility was affected significantly by these historic treatments. The results of the study therefore showed that an increased duration of the late reproductive phase was ineffective in increasing the number of fertile florets, unless the length of that phase was directly altered by current photoperiod.

Rendimiento matemático en contextos bilingües: análisis de la incidencia de algunas variables del contexto socio-educativo

El trabajo que se presenta en este artículo se sitúa en el contexto bilingüe de la provincia de Lleida en la que coexisten dos lenguas en contacto, el catalán y el castellano, si bien existe un predominio de uso familiar y escolar de la primera de ellas. En este contexto, nuestro estudio analiza cómo influyen en el rendimiento en matemáticas las variables del contexto educativo de condición lingüística familiar y situación socio-profesional de la familia, así como las variables individuales de conciente intelectual y autoconcepto matemático. Los resultados globales muestran, en primer lugar, la importancia del lenguaje como instrumento mediador de la enseñanza-aprendizaje de contenidos matemáticos, ya que el rendimiento de los alumnos en esta área curricular está en función del dominio y el uso de la lengua vehicular de la enseñanza —el catalán—. En segundo lugar, se constata una correlación significativa entre el rendimiento matemático y las variables individuales de cociente intelectual y el autoconcepto sobre el propio rendimiento matemático.

Water status and gas exchange of umbu plants (Spondias tuberosa Arr. Cam.) propagated by seeds and stem cuttings

The experiment was carried out at the Embrapa Semi-Árido, Petrolina-PE, Brazil, in order to study the physiological responses of umbu plants propagated by seeds and by stem cuttings under water stress conditions, based on leaf water potential and gas exchange measurements. Data were collected in one-year plants established in pots containing 30 kg of a sandy soil and submitted to twenty-day progressive soil water deficit. The evaluations were based on leaf water potential and gas exchange data collection using psychrometric chambers and a portable infra-red gas analyzer, respectively. Plants propagated by seeds maintained a significantly higher water potential, stomatal conductance, transpiration and photosynthesis under decreasing soil water availability. However, plants propagated by stem cuttings were unable to maintain a favorable internal water balance, reflecting negatively on stomatal conductance and leaf gas exchange. This fact is probably because umbu plants propagated by stem cuttings are not prone to formation of root tubers which are reservoirs for water and solutes. Thus, the establishing of umbu plants propagated by stem cuttings must be avoided in areas subjected to soil water deficit.

Long-lasting stem cell-like memory CD8+ T cells with a naïve-like profile upon yellow fever vaccination.

Efficient and persisting immune memory is essential for long-term protection from infectious and malignant diseases. The yellow fever (YF) vaccine is a live attenuated virus that mediates lifelong protection, with recent studies showing that the CD8(+) T cell response is particularly robust. Yet, limited data exist regarding the long-term CD8(+) T cell response, with no studies beyond 5 years after vaccination. We investigated 41 vaccinees, spanning 0.27 to 35 years after vaccination. YF-specific CD8(+) T cells were readily detected in almost all donors (38 of 41), with frequencies decreasing with time. As previously described, effector cells dominated the response early after vaccination. We detected a population of naïve-like YF-specific CD8(+) T cells that was stably maintained for more than 25 years and was capable of self-renewal ex vivo. In-depth analyses of markers and genome-wide mRNA profiling showed that naïve-like YF-specific CD8(+) T cells in vaccinees (i) were distinct from genuine naïve cells in unvaccinated donors, (ii) resembled the recently described stem cell-like memory subset (Tscm), and (iii) among all differentiated subsets, had profiles closest to naïve cells. Our findings reveal that CD8(+) Tscm are efficiently induced by a vaccine in humans, persist for decades, and preserve a naïveness-like profile. These data support YF vaccination as an optimal mechanistic model for the study of long-lasting memory CD8(+) T cells in humans.

A single epidermal stem cell strategy for safe ex vivo gene therapy.

There is a widespread agreement from patient and professional organisations alike that the safety of stem cell therapeutics is of paramount importance, particularly for ex vivo autologous gene therapy. Yet current technology makes it difficult to thoroughly evaluate the behaviour of genetically corrected stem cells before they are transplanted. To address this, we have developed a strategy that permits transplantation of a clonal population of genetically corrected autologous stem cells that meet stringent selection criteria and the principle of precaution. As a proof of concept, we have stably transduced epidermal stem cells (holoclones) obtained from a patient suffering from recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. Holoclones were infected with self-inactivating retroviruses bearing a COL7A1 cDNA and cloned before the progeny of individual stem cells were characterised using a number of criteria. Clonal analysis revealed a great deal of heterogeneity among transduced stem cells in their capacity to produce functional type VII collagen (COLVII). Selected transduced stem cells transplanted onto immunodeficient mice regenerated a non-blistering epidermis for months and produced a functional COLVII. Safety was assessed by determining the sites of proviral integration, rearrangements and hit genes and by whole-genome sequencing. The progeny of the selected stem cells also had a diploid karyotype, was not tumorigenic and did not disseminate after long-term transplantation onto immunodeficient mice. In conclusion, a clonal strategy is a powerful and efficient means of by-passing the heterogeneity of a transduced stem cell population. It guarantees a safe and homogenous medicinal product, fulfilling the principle of precaution and the requirements of regulatory affairs. Furthermore, a clonal strategy makes it possible to envision exciting gene-editing technologies like zinc finger nucleases, TALENs and homologous recombination for next-generation gene therapy.

Viticultura de precisión: predicción de cosecha a partir de variables del cultivo e índices de vegetación

El presente trabajo muestra los resultados provisionales de un proyecto de viticultura de precisión, llevado a cabo entre la Universidad de Lleida y la empresa Codorníu, S.A., con el objeto de predecir el rendimiento, de forma localizada, de diferentes variedades de viña para la producción de vinos y cavas de calidad. Las variables de cultivo muestreadas de forma detallada han sido: número de yemas, número de brotes, número de racimos, peso de la poda, vigor del cultivo y cosecha del año anterior (2003). El vigor del cultivo se ha extraído de una imagen multiespectral Quickbird 2. Estas variables se han analizado en un modelo de regresión múltiple con la cosecha del año 2004 (variable dependiente), ofreciendo diferentes ajustes según la variedad considerada y variables incorporadas en el análisis.

Chromosome 7 gain and DNA hypermethylation at the HOXA10 locus are associated with expression of a stem cell related HOX-signature in glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND: HOX genes are a family of developmental genes that are expressed neither in the developing forebrain nor in the normal brain. Aberrant expression of a HOX-gene dominated stem-cell signature in glioblastoma has been linked with increased resistance to chemo-radiotherapy and sustained proliferation of glioma initiating cells. Here we describe the epigenetic and genetic alterations and their interactions associated with the expression of this signature in glioblastoma. RESULTS: We observe prominent hypermethylation of the HOXA locus 7p15.2 in glioblastoma in contrast to non-tumoral brain. Hypermethylation is associated with a gain of chromosome 7, a hallmark of glioblastoma, and may compensate for tumor-driven enhanced gene dosage as a rescue mechanism by preventing undue gene expression. We identify the CpG island of the HOXA10 alternative promoter that appears to escape hypermethylation in the HOX-high glioblastoma. An additive effect of gene copy gain at 7p15.2 and DNA methylation at key regulatory CpGs in HOXA10 is significantly associated with HOX-signature expression. Additionally, we show concordance between methylation status and presence of active or inactive chromatin marks in glioblastoma-derived spheres that are HOX-high or HOX-low, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these findings, we propose co-evolution and interaction between gene copy gain, associated with a gain of chromosome 7, and additional epigenetic alterations as key mechanisms triggering a coordinated, but inappropriate, HOX transcriptional program in glioblastoma.

The economic relevance of climate variables in agriculture: the case of Spain

We estimate how climate variables affect price and acreage of productive farmland using the Ricardian approach. Furthermore, we use our estimations to evaluate the joint effects of possible cli- mate changes within the time horizon of 2010 and 2050. Our results show that the price of rainfed land in Spain tends to increase but rainfed acreage decreases. On the other hand, the effect on irrigated farmland price and acreage presents some mixed results, however, in the long run the dominant pattern is clearly increasing for both prices and acreage.

Tumor heterogeneity and cancer stem cell paradigm: updates in concept, controversies and clinical relevance.

Although tumor heterogeneity is widely accepted, the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) and their proposed role in tumor maintenance has always been challenged and remains a matter of debate. Recently, a path-breaking chapter was added to this saga when three independent groups reported the in vivo existence of CSCs in brain, skin and intestinal tumors using lineage-tracing and thus strengthens the CSC concept; even though certain fundamental caveats are always associated with lineage-tracing approach. In principle, the CSC hypothesis proposes that similar to normal stem cells, CSCs maintain self renewal and multilineage differentiation property and are found at the central echelon of cellular hierarchy present within tumors. However, these cells differ from their normal counterpart by maintaining their malignant potential, alteration of genomic integrity, epigenetic identity and the expression of specific surface protein profiles. As CSCs are highly resistant to chemotherapeutics, they are thought to be a crucial factor involved in tumor relapse and superficially appear as the ultimate therapeutic target. However, even that is not the end; further complication is attributed by reports of bidirectional regeneration mechanism for CSCs, one from their self-renewal capability and another from the recently proposed concept of dynamic equilibrium between CSCs and non-CSCs via their interconversion. This phenomenon has currently added a new layer of complexity in understanding the biology of tumor heterogeneity. In-spite of its associated controversies, this area has rapidly emerged as the center of attention for researchers and clinicians, because of the conceptual framework it provides towards devising new therapies.

The economic relevance of climate variables in agriculture: The case of Spain

We estimate the impact of the different climate variables on the value of Spanish farmland. We distinguish between irrigated and non-irrigated lands and use data on temperature, precipitations, physical and socioeconomic characteristics to measure these effects on farm prices and in the number of hectares of farmland. We conclude presenting the main results of our analysis, region by region, and examining the policies that could be more effective to prevent undesired effects.