Hypothalamus transcriptome profile suggests an anorexia-cachexia syndrome in the anx/anx mouse model

The anx/anx mouse displays poor appetite and lean appearance and is considered a good model for the study of anorexia nervosa. To identify new genes involved in feeding behavior and body weight regulation we performed an expression profiling in the hypothalamus of the anx/anx mice. Using commercial microarrays we detected 156 differentially expressed genes and validated 92 of those using TaqMan low-density arrays. The expression of a set of 87 candidate genes selected based on literature evidences was also quantified by TaqMan low-density arrays. Our results showed enrichment in deregulated genes involved in cell death, cell morphology and cancer as well as an alteration of several signaling circuits involved in energy balance including neuropeptide Y and melanocortin signaling. The expression profile along with the phenotype led us to conclude that anx/anx mice resemble the anorexia-cachexia syndrome typically observed in cancer, infection with human immunodeficiency virus or chronic diseases, rather than starvation, and that anx/anx mice could be considered a good model for the treatment and investigation of this condition.

Association of NTRK3 and its interaction with NGF suggest an altered cross-regulation of the neurotrophin signaling pathway in eating disorders

Eating disorders (EDs) are complex psychiatric diseases that include anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, and have higher than 50% heritability. Previous studies have found association of BDNF and NTRK2 to ED, while animal models suggest that other neurotrophin genes might also be involved in eating behavior. We have performed a family-based association study with 151 TagSNPs covering 10 neurotrophin signaling genes: NGFB, BDNF, NTRK1, NGFR/p75, NTF4/5, NTRK2, NTF3, NTRK3, CNTF and CNTFR in 371 ED trios of Spanish, French and German origin. Besides several nominal associations, we found a strong significant association after correcting for multiple testing (P = 1.04 × 10−4) between ED and rs7180942, located in the NTRK3 gene, which followed an overdominant model of inheritance. Interestingly, HapMap unrelated individuals carrying the rs7180942 risk genotypes for ED showed higher levels of expression of NTRK3 in lymphoblastoid cell lines. Furthermore, higher expression of the orthologous murine Ntrk3 gene was also detected in the hypothalamus of the anx/anx mouse model of anorexia. Finally, variants in NGFB gene appear to modify the risk conferred by the NTRK3 rs7180942 risk genotypes (P = 4.0 × 10−5) showing a synergistic epistatic interaction. The reported data, in addition to the previous reported findings for BDNF and NTRK2, point neurotrophin signaling genes as key regulators of eating behavior and their altered cross-regulation as susceptibility factors for EDs.

Blood levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor correlate with several psychopathological symptoms in anorexia nervosa patients

Background: Evidence of a role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the pathophysiology of eating disorders (ED) has been provided by association studies and by murine models. BDNF plasma levels have been found altered in ED and in psychiatric disorders that show comorbidity with ED. Aims: Since the role of BDNF levels in ED-related psychopathological symptoms has not been tested, we investigatedthe correlation of BDNF plasma levels with the Symptom Checklist 90 Revised (SCL-90R) questionnaire in a total of 78 ED patients. Methods: BDNF levels, measured bythe enzyme-linked immunoassay system, and SCL-90R questionnaire, were assessed in a total of 78 ED patients. The relationship between BDNF levels and SCL-90R scales was calculated using a general linear model. Results: BDNF plasma levels correlated with the Global Severity Index and the Positive Symptom Distress Index global scales and five of the nine subscales in the anorexia nervosa patients. BDNF plasma levels were able to explain, in the case of the Psychoticism subscale, up to 17% of the variability (p = 0.006). Conclusion: Our data suggest that BDNF levels could be involved in the severity of the disease through the modulation of psychopathological traits that are associated with the ED phenotype.

Altered brain-derived neurotrophic factor blood levels and gene variability are associated with anorexia and bulimia

Murine models and association studies in eating disorder (ED) patients have shown a role for the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in eating behavior. Some studies have shown association of BDNF -270C/T single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with bulimia nervosa (BN), while BDNF Val66Met variant has been shown to be associated with both BN and anorexia nervosa (AN). To further test the role of this neurotrophin in humans, we screened 36 SNPs in the BDNF gene and tested for their association with ED and plasma BDNF levels as a quantitative trait. We performed a family-based association study in 106 ED nuclear families and analyzed BDNF blood levels in 110 ED patients and in 50 sib pairs discordant for ED. The rs7124442T/rs11030102C/rs11030119G haplotype was found associated with high BDNF levels (mean BDNF TCG haplotype carriers = 43.6 ng/ml vs. mean others 23.0 ng/ml, P = 0.016) and BN (Z = 2.64; P recessive = 0.008), and the rs7934165A/270T haplotype was associated with AN (Z =-2.64; P additive = 0.008). The comparison of BDNF levels in 50 ED discordant sib pairs showed elevated plasma BDNF levels for the ED group (mean controls = 41.0 vs. mean ED = 52.7; P = 0.004). Our data strongly suggest that altered BDNF levels modulated by BDNF gene variability are associated with the susceptibility to ED, providing physiological evidence that BDNF plays a role in the development of AN and BN, and strongly arguing for its involvement in eating behavior and body weight regulation.

Voice Transformations for Extreme Vocal Effects

Extreme Vocal Effects (EVE) in music are so recent that few studies have been carried out about how they are physiologically produced and whether they are harmful or not for the human voice.Voice Transformations in real-time are possible nowadays thanks to new technologies and voice processing algorithms. This Master's Thesis pretends to define and classify these new singing techniques and to create a mapping between the physiological aspect of each EVE to its relative spectrumvariations.Voice Transformation Models based on these mappings are proposed and discussed for each one of these EVEs. We also discuss different transformation methods and strategies in order to obtain better results.A subjective evaluation of the results of the transformations is also presented and discussed along with further work, improvements, and working lines on this field.

Disfagia orofaringea sindrome geriatrico en el paciente anciano

El present treball es basa per una banda en una revisió bibliogràfica de la disfàgia orofaríngia en el pacient ancià amb especial èmfasi en el pacient ancià fràgil. Aquest document ha estat dissenyat per a la publicació pròxima com capítol Nº29 del primer tractat de Geriatria en espanyol de l'editorial ELSEVIER organitzat pel Dr Pedro Abizanda Soler. El segon document és un protocol de recerca del meu primer disseny de projecte de tesi doctoral. El projecte ha estat aprovat recentment pel Comitè d´Ètica del nostre centre i ha estat presentat a l'oposició de beques hospitalàries de l'Acadèmia de Ciències Mèdiques de la Filial del Maresme

Description of a case of albinism in a tadpole of Discoglossus pictus pictus (Anura: Discoglossidae) in Sicilie

Breu article on es descriu un cas d'albinisme en el gripau pintat (Discoglossus pictus pisctus) de Sicília

Los trastornos del comportamiento alimentario y las ciencias: una mirada a las revistas científicas

La publicación de artículos científicos que tratan los trastornos del comportamiento alimentario (TCA) se ha incrementado en los últimos años y han experimentado un aumento significativo que puede ser atribuido a diferentes factores, entre ellos el surgimiento de nuevas publicaciones más selectivas y especializadas. La creciente investigación examina las preocupaciones de la imagen corporal y otras conductas asociadas, además de realizar investigaciones con diversos grupos poblacionales que incluyen a hispanos, asiáticos, europeos, etc. Este trabajo, muestra una revisión realizada a 136 artículos publicados en 67 revistas de ámbito internacional. Los artículos comprenden una selección realizada entre el año 2004 y el año 2008, como fruto de una revisión bibliográfica que sirvió de base para el desarro-llo del proyecto I+D denominado “La Publicidad de TV entre otros factores socioculturales influyentes en los TCA, estudio experimental y panel de expertos internacional” (2006-2010), proyecto del cual las autoras forman parte. En el artículo se concluye que existe una amplia tendencia a examinar los medios de comunicación y su influencia en los TCA y que las muestras tienden a utilizar a mujeres en su mayoría jóvenes, las cuales presentan un mayor grado de incidencia hacia los trastornos alimentarios que los hombres jóvenes. Se observó además que los investigadores detectan la sintomatología en grupos con una edad cada vez menor.

The Influence of the media and advertising on eating disorders

This article describes a literature review of the influence of advertising and the media on Eating Disorders (ED). Research published in scientific journals in various fields of social sciences such as sychology, psychiatry and communication science has enabled us to conclude that the content displayed in the media, including advertising, are enhancers of disorders and contribute significantly to body issatisfaction in relation to the perceived idea of beauty, it also facilitates the development of weight loss strategies in women and gain of muscle mass in men.

Assessment of emotional reactivity produced by exposure to virtual environments in patients with eating disorders

The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of virtual environments representing situations that are emotionally significant to subjects with eating disorders (ED). These environments may be applied with both evaluative and therapeutic aims and in simulation procedures to carry out a range of experimental studies. This paper is part of a wider research project analyzing the influence of the situation to which subjects are exposed on their performance on body image estimation tasks. Thirty female patients with eating disorders were exposed to six virtual environments: a living-room (neutral situation), a kitchen with highcalorie food, a kitchen with low-calorie food, a restaurant with high-calorie food, a restaurant with low-calorie food, and a swimming-pool. After exposure to each environment the STAI-S (a measurement of state anxiety) and the CDB (a measurement of depression) were administered to all subjects. The results show that virtual reality instruments are particularly useful for simulating everyday situations that may provoke emotional reactions such as anxiety and depression, in patients with ED. Virtual environments in which subjects are obliged to ingest high-calorie food provoke the highest levels of state anxiety and depression.

Renovació pedagógica i formació permanent

En dues ocasions anteriors i en circumstancies ben diferents per alguns de nosaltres, hem opinat o escrit sobre la formació permanent del professorat des d'aquesta "Tribuna» de Tempsd'Educació, per descriure les previsions del Pla de Formació del Departament d'Ensenyament (núm. 2, 1990) o per opinar i comentar les orientacions de la Comunitat Europea sobre la materia (núm. 5, 1991). En aquesta ocasió intentem aproximar-nos al tema des de la perspectiva de la Renovació Pedagógica i reflexionar sobre la marxa i la situació actual del Pla de Formació.

Reincorporación al trabajo tras una incapacidad temporal por trastornos músculo-esqueléticos: Revisión sistemática de guías de buenas prácticas

Objetivo: identificar las guías de retorno al trabajo (GRAT) después de un proceso de Incapacidad temporal (IT) por trastorno músculo esquelético (TME) para evaluar su calidad metodológica.Método: Se realizó una búsqueda sistemática de guías específicas de retorno al trabajo en inglés, castellano y catalán cuyo contenido tenía en forma total o parcial información sobre TME. 6 guías fueron identificadas (3 específicas sobre TME) las cuales fueron evaluadas por 7 expertos utilizando el método validado AGREE. Para cada dominio de cada una de las guías se calcularon las puntuaciones estandarizadas y para cada ítem las medianas de puntajes de los evaluadores. Además, cada evaluador hizo un juicio cualitativo de la calidad de la guía.Resultados: De las 6 guías seleccionadas para su valoración cualitativa y cuantitativa, sólo dos: Official disability guidelines (ODG) y Work related Muskuloskequeletal disorders Guide &Tools for modified work (WRGT), podrían utilizarse sin modificaciones. El resto de guías deben ser revisadas y modificadas antes de utilizarse sistemáticamente. En general, todas las guías definen bien sus objetivos y a quien van dirigidas, además, las opciones de manejo de retorno al trabajo se presentan en forma clara y precisa. Sin embargo, todas excepto una (ODG) tienen limitaciones en los criterios para seleccionar la evidencia científica y ni se comentan potenciales conflictos de interés.Conclusiones: Solo dos guías identificadas serían recomendables su uso sin modificaciones. Si nuestro objetivo es proponer la utilización de una guía en nuestro entorno es necesario complementar la evaluación de la calidad metodológica de estas dos GRAT, con una evaluación basada en la evidencia de la calidad de las recomendaciones incluidas en ellas.

The burnout syndrome and associated personality disturbances. The study in three graduate programs in Dentistry at the University of Barcelona

Objective: Determine the presence of"burnout" syndrome and characteristic personality patterns in the students and faculty of three graduate programs in Dentistry at the University of Barcelona: Department of Oral Surgery and Implantology, Department of Orthodontics and Department of Integrated Dentistry. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in 78 dentists. The level of"burnout" was evaluated using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, socio-demographic variables and, finally, the personality test. Results: Oral surgeons constituted the group of highlevel"burnout". The profile of an individual with a propensity to"burn out" is a single man, with a median age of 27, that is in the first years of the graduate program and that combines studies with 30 hours of clinical practice and/or other work (p<0,05). Narcissistic and borderline are the types of personality most frequently found in the individuals that present"burnout" syndrome (p<0,05). Conclusions: In general, no high levels of"burnout" were registered in the studied population, only 2-3%, if applying strict definition of"burnout", and 10% if these criteria were amplified. We believe it is necessary to identify the individuals with a tendency towards"burnout", in order to establish preventive measures and avoid future negative behaviour at work as well as at the personal level.

Self-Construction, Cognitive Conflicts, and Disordered Eating Attitudes in Young Women

The aim of this study is to identify cognitive variables that predict disordered eating attitudes in a nonclinical sample composed of 50 female university students. Repertory grid technique was used to assess cognitive features of self-construing and cognitive conflicts. Drive for Thinness and Body Dissatisfaction scales from the Eating Disorder Inventory 2 were used as dependent variables, as previous studies suggested that high scores on these scales are associated with the risk of developing or aggravating eating syndromes. Results suggest that drive for thinness can be associated with cognitive conflicts, whereas body dissatisfaction may be higher for those who construct themselves as inadequate and similar to others. In addition, both dependent variables were predicted by being younger and having a higher body mass index.