Acylase enzymes disrupting quorum sensing alter the transcriptome and phenotype of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the composition of bacterial biofilms from wastewater treatment plants.

Biofilms represent an essential way of life and colonization of new environments for microorganisms. This feature is regulated by quorum sensing (QS), a microbial communication system based on autoinducer molecules, such as N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) in Gram negative bacteria. In artificial ecosystems, like Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs), biofilm attachment in filtration membranes produces biofouling. In this environment, the microbial communities are mostly composed of Gram-negative phyla. Thus, we used two AHLs-degrading enzymes, obtained from Actinoplanes utahensis (namely AuAAC and AuAHLA) to determine the effects of degradation of QS signals in the biofilm formation, among other virulence factors, of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain isolated from a WWTP, assessing molecular mechanisms through transcriptomics. Besides, we studied the possible effects on community composition in biofilms from activated sludge samples. Although the studied enzymes only degraded the AHLs involved in one of the four QS systems of P. aeruginosa, these activities produced the deregulation of the complete QS network. In fact, AuAAC -the enzyme with higher catalytic efficiency- deregulated all the four QS systems. However, both enzymes reduced the biofilm formation and pyocyanin and protease production. The transcriptomic response of P. aeruginosa affected QS related genes, moreover, transcriptomic response to AuAAC affected mainly to QS related genes. Regarding community composition of biofilms, as expected, the abundance of Gram-negative phyla was significantly decreased after enzymatic treatment. These results support the potential use of such AHLs-degrading enzymes as a method to reduce biofilm formation in WWTP membranes and ameliorate bacterial virulence.

La maestra de educación física en los libros de texto de primaria / The Teacher of Physical Education in Primary Textbooks

El objetivo del presente estudio es analizar cómo se representa a la maestra de educación física en los libros de texto de esta área, en la etapa de Educación Primaria. Se realiza un estudio cuantitativo que muestra un número elevado de maestras con respecto al maestro de educación física, principalmente en el primer ciclo de Primaria y otro cualitativo, a través del análisis de contenido, identificando un tratamiento estereotipado en cuanto a las características físicas de la docente, al representar a una maestra eminentemente joven, de raza blanca, delgada, con ropa deportiva y sin discapacidad. Pero a la vez, aparece un tratamiento más abierto y participativo en cuanto al rol representado, ya que la maestra de educación física aparece en la zona periférica de la imagen, con actitud activa, en un espacio no necesariamente deportivo, sin complementos docentes, que imparte contenidos relacionados con la gestión del grupo-clase y los juegos

The objective of the present study is to analyse how the physical education teacher is represented in the textbooks of this area, in the Primary Education stage. A quantitative study is carried out showing a high number of teachers with respect to the physical education teacher, mainly in the first cycle of Primary Education and a qualitative one, through content analysis, identifying a stereotyped treatment of the physical characteristics of the teacher, by representing a teacher eminently young, white, thin, wearing sports clothes and without disabilities. But at the same time, a more open and participative treatment appears in relation to the role represented, since the physical education teacher appears in the peripheral area of the image, with an active attitude, in a space not necessarily sports, without teaching complements, that Imparts content related to group-class management and games

Scaling Theory of the Anderson Transition in Random Graphs: Ergodicity and Universality.

We study the Anderson transition on a generic model of random graphs with a tunable branching parameter 1

Multifractality of quantum wave functions in the presence of perturbations.

We present a comprehensive study of the destruction of quantum multifractality in the presence of perturbations. We study diverse representative models displaying multifractality, including a pseudointegrable system, the Anderson model, and a random matrix model. We apply several types of natural perturbations which can be relevant for experimental implementations. We construct an analytical theory for certain cases and perform extensive large-scale numerical simulations in other cases. The data are analyzed through refined methods including double scaling analysis. Our results confirm the recent conjecture that multifractality breaks down following two scenarios. In the first one, multifractality is preserved unchanged below a certain characteristic length which decreases with perturbation strength. In the second one, multifractality is affected at all scales and disappears uniformly for a strong-enough perturbation. Our refined analysis shows that subtle variants of these scenarios can be present in certain cases. This study could guide experimental implementations in order to observe quantum multifractality in real systems.

Two scenarios for quantum multifractality breakdown.

We expose two scenarios for the breakdown of quantum multifractality under the effect of perturbations. In the first scenario, multifractality survives below a certain scale of the quantum fluctuations. In the other one, the fluctuations of the wave functions are changed at every scale and each multifractal dimension smoothly goes to the ergodic value. We use as generic examples a one-dimensional dynamical system and the three-dimensional Anderson model at the metal-insulator transition. Based on our results, we conjecture that the sensitivity of quantum multifractality to perturbation is universal in the sense that it follows one of these two scenarios depending on the perturbation. We also discuss the experimental implications.

New insights on nucleoside 2'-deoxyribosyltransferases: a versatile biocatalyst for one-pot one-step synthesis of nucleoside analogs.

In recent years, glycosiltransferases have arisen as standard biocatalysts for the enzymatic synthesis of a wide variety of natural and non-natural nucleosides. Such enzymatic synthesis of nucleoside analogs catalyzed by nucleoside phosphorylases and 2'-deoxyribosyltransferases (NDTs) has demonstrated to be an efficient alternative to the traditional multistep chemical methods, since chemical glycosylation reactions include several protection-deprotection steps. This minireview exhaustively covers literature reports on this topic with the final aim of presenting NDTs as an efficient option to nucleoside phosphorylases for the synthesis of natural and non-natural nucleosides. Detailed comments about structure and catalytic mechanism of described NDTs, as well as their possible biological role, substrate specificity, and advances in detection of new enzyme specificities towards different non-natural nucleoside synthesis are included. In addition, optimization of enzymatic transglycosylation reactions and their application in the synthesis of natural and non-natural nucleosides have been described. Finally, immobilization of NDTs is shown as a practical procedure which leads to the preparation of very interesting biocatalysts applicable to industrial nucleoside synthesis.

Global and regional cortical thinning in first-episode psychosis patients: relationships with clinical and cognitive features.

BACKGROUND: The thickness of the cortical mantle is a sensitive measure for identifying alterations in cortical structure. We aimed to explore whether first episode schizophrenia patients already show a significant cortical thinning and whether cortical thickness anomalies may significantly influence clinical and cognitive features. METHOD: We investigated regional changes in cortical thickness in a large and heterogeneous sample of schizophrenia spectrum patients (n=142) at their first break of the illness and healthy controls (n=83). Magnetic resonance imaging brain scans (1.5 T) were obtained and images were analyzed by using brains2. The contribution of sociodemographic, cognitive and clinical characterictics was investigated. RESULTS: Patients showed a significant total cortical thinning (F=17.55, d=-0.62, p<0.001) and there was a diffuse pattern of reduced thickness (encompassing frontal, temporal and parietal cortices) (all p's<0.001, d's>0.53). No significant group×gender interactions were observed (all p's>0.15). There were no significant associations between the clinical and pre-morbid variables and cortical thickness measurements (all r's<0.12). A weak significant negative correlation between attention and total (r=-0.24, p=0.021) and parietal cortical thickness (r=-0.27, p=0.009) was found in patients (thicker cortex was associated with lower attention). Our data revealed a similar pattern of cortical thickness changes related to age in patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS: Cortical thinning is independent of gender, age, age of onset and duration of the illness and does not seem to significantly influence clinical and functional symptomatology. These findings support a primary neurodevelopment disorder affecting the normal cerebral cortex development in schizophrenia.

Multicenter analysis of glucocerebrosidase mutations in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies indicate an increased frequency of mutations in the gene encoding glucocerebrosidase (GBA), a deficiency of which causes Gaucher's disease, among patients with Parkinson's disease. We aimed to ascertain the frequency of GBA mutations in an ethnically diverse group of patients with Parkinson's disease. METHODS: Sixteen centers participated in our international, collaborative study: five from the Americas, six from Europe, two from Israel, and three from Asia. Each center genotyped a standard DNA panel to permit comparison of the genotyping results across centers. Genotypes and phenotypic data from a total of 5691 patients with Parkinson's disease (780 Ashkenazi Jews) and 4898 controls (387 Ashkenazi Jews) were analyzed, with multivariate logistic-regression models and the Mantel-Haenszel procedure used to estimate odds ratios across centers. RESULTS: All 16 centers could detect two GBA mutations, L444P and N370S. Among Ashkenazi Jewish subjects, either mutation was found in 15% of patients and 3% of controls, and among non-Ashkenazi Jewish subjects, either mutation was found in 3% of patients and less than 1% of controls. GBA was fully sequenced for 1883 non-Ashkenazi Jewish patients, and mutations were identified in 7%, showing that limited mutation screening can miss half the mutant alleles. The odds ratio for any GBA mutation in patients versus controls was 5.43 across centers. As compared with patients who did not carry a GBA mutation, those with a GBA mutation presented earlier with the disease, were more likely to have affected relatives, and were more likely to have atypical clinical manifestations. CONCLUSIONS: Data collected from 16 centers demonstrate that there is a strong association between GBA mutations and Parkinson's disease.

Cannabis abuse is associated with decision-making impairment among first-episode patients with schizophrenia-spectrum psychosis.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis use appears to be a risk factor for schizophrenia. Moreover, cannabis abusers show impaired decision-making capacities, linked to the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Although there is substantial evidence that first-episode schizophrenia patients show impairments in cognitive tasks associated with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), it is not clear whether decision making is impaired at schizophrenia onset. In this study, we examined the association between antecedents of cannabis abuse and cognitive impairment in cognitive tasks associated with the DLPFC and the OFC in a sample of first-episode patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. METHOD: One hundred and thirty-two patients experiencing their first episode of a schizophrenia-spectrum psychosis were assessed with a cognitive battery including DLPFC-related tasks [backward digits, verbal fluency (FAS) and the Trail Making Test (TMT)] and an OFC-related task [the Iowa Gambling Task (GT)]. Performance on these tasks was compared between patients who had and had not abused cannabis before their psychosis onset. RESULTS: No differences were observed between the two groups on the performance of any of the DLPFC-related tasks. However, patients who had abused cannabis before their psychosis onset showed a poorer total performance on the gambling task and a lower improvement on the performance of the task compared to no-abusers. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-psychotic cannabis abuse is associated with decision-making impairment, but not working memory and executive function impairment, among first-episode patients with a schizophrenia-spectrum psychosis. Further studies are needed to examine the direction of causality of this impairment; that is, does the impairment make the patients abuse cannabis, or does cannabis abuse cause the impairment?

Choline acetyltransferase variants and their influence in schizophrenia and olanzapine response.

Choline acetyltransferase (ChAt) is extensively distributed throughout the CNS where, by catalyzing acetylcholine synthesis, it participates in modulating wide-ranging cholinergic-dependent functions including cognitive performance, sleep, arousal, movement, and visual information processing. Recently, compelling evidence has mounted implicating ChAt in schizophrenia. In particular, studies have identified significant reductions in ChAt activity in the nucleus accumbens and pontine tegmentum of such patients, which furthermore correlate significantly with measures of cognitive performance in the disorder. Similarly, elevated levels of choline, the acetylcholine precursor, have been identified among patients, implicating altered ChAt activity in these individuals. We sought to investigate the potential contribution of three ChAt gene polymorphisms in schizophrenia, and uncovered evidence for significant association between one of these, rs1880676G/A, and disease susceptibility among Basque individuals (genotypewise chi(2) = 20.7, P = 0.00003; allelewise chi(2) = 10.1, P = 0.002). A similar trend for association with susceptibility was observed for a second SNP, rs3810950G/A, (genotypwise chi(2) = 6.4, P = 0.05; allelewise chi(2) = 3.75, P = 0.05). Evidence was also uncovered for a potential influence of these polymorphisms on olanzapine treatment outcome among Spanish patients (F-statistic = 5.02, P = 0.03; F-statistic = 6.53, P = 0.02 respectively), and on improvements in positive symptoms in the case of rs3810950 (F-statistic = 5.3, P = 0.03) and general psychopathology in the case of rs1880676 and rs3810950 (F-statistic = 5.24, P = 0.03; F-statistic = 5.31, P = 0.03 respectively) during therapy. While more comprehensive studies are warranted to determine the precise contribution of ChAt mediated mechanisms in schizophrenia, our findings tentatively implicate a genetic influence of ChAt in the disorder's susceptibility and treatment.

No association between ADRA2A polymorphisms and schizophrenia.

There is evidence to suggest that the alpha(2A)-adrenergic receptor may be involved in schizophrenia. With attention directed at the upstream regulatory region of the gene which codes for this receptor (ADRA2A), we proposed that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within this region influences susceptibility to schizophrenia by altering the expression of this receptor. We opted to test for an influence on susceptibility by association study using 112 schizophrenic/schizoaffective disorder patients and 159 controls. The region of interest was screened for SNPs using a combination of bioinformatic searches and sequencing. A total of nine SNPs were discovered, of which four (-5972-G/A, -2211-A/T, -1291-C/G and -261-G/A) were genotyped in the entire clinical sample. No associations were evident, suggesting no influence for these SNPs in susceptibility to schizophrenia.

LRRK2 mutations are a common cause of Parkinson's disease in Spain.

Pathogenic mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 gene (LRRK2; PARK8) have been implicated in autosomal dominant, late-onset parkinsonism. The LRRK2 6055G > A (G2019S) mutation is the most common reported to date, and has been observed in a number of different European populations. So far, only the LRRK2 4321C > G (R1441G) mutation has been identified in the Spanish population. Herein we have assessed the frequency of G2019S in a referral-based series of 225 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) from the region of Asturias, Northern Spain. The mutant allele was identified in five (2.7%) of the sporadic late-onset patients and was not present in control subjects. All carriers displayed genetic profiles consistent with the same haplotype, as previously reported for Lrrk2 G2019S-positive subjects. None of these patients presented with a family history of parkinsonism at the time of diagnosis. Thus, approximately 5% of sporadic patients with PD from the North of Spain have either Lrrk2 G2019S or R1441G substitutions.

Peter's delusions inventory in Spanish general population: internal reliability, factor structure and association with demographic variables (dimensionality of delusional ideation).

INTRODUCTION: Several lines of evidence suggest the existence of a continuum on psychotic symptoms, including delusions. Moreover, several studies have reported differences regarding prevalence and intensity of these symptoms in relation to age, gender and educational level. This study tries to analyze distribution and dimensionality of delusional ideation in the general population, as well as relationship between gender, age and educational level with the prevalence of these symptoms. METHOD: We used the 21-item Peters. Delusions Inventory (PDI-21) on a general population sample as our measure of delusional ideation. A factor analysis was carried out to determine the dimensionality of delusional ideation. Next, linear regression analyses were performed to analyze the relationship of age, gender and educational level with the different dimensions. RESULTS: 365 subjects completed the inventory. Factor analysis revealed the presence of 7 easily interpretable factors. Five of these factors were negatively correlated with age. Women had higher scores on the "magical thinking" factor. Finally, lower educational level was correlated with higher scores on those factors of "magical thinking" and "experiences of influence". CONCLUSIONS: It appears that the PDI-21 is a useful instrument to measure dimensionality of delusional ideation in Spanish general population. Results of the influence of gender, age and educational level are in agreement with those reported in psychosis samples, supporting the existence of a continuum in psychoses.

El Inventario de experiencias delirantes de Peters (PDI) en población general española: fiabilidad interna, estructura factorial y asociación con variables demográficas / Peter's delusions inventory in Spanish general population: internal reliability, factor structure and association with demographic variables (dimensionality of delusional ideation)

Introducción. Numerosos estudios apoyan la existencia de un continuum en los síntomas psicóticos, incluyendo los delirios. Por otro lado, varios estudios han encontrado diferencias en cuanto la frecuencia e intensidad de estos síntomas en relación con la edad, el sexo y el nivel educativo de los sujetos. Este estudio trata de analizar la distribución dimensionalidad de la ideación delirante en la población general, así como la relación del sexo, la edad y el nivel educativo con la presencia de estos síntomas. Método. Para medir la ideación delirante se utilizó el inventario de experiencias delirantes de Peters de 21 ítems (PDI-21) en una muestra de población general. Se realizó un análisis factorial para determinar la dimensionalidad de ideación delirante. Posteriormente se realizaron análisis de regresión lineal para analizar la relación de la edad, el sexo el nivel educativo con las diferentes dimensiones. Resultados. Trescientos sesenta y cinco sujetos cumplimentaron el cuestionario. El análisis factorial reveló la presencia de siete factores fácilmente interpretables. Cinco de los factores se correlacionaron de manera negativa con edad. Las mujeres obtuvieron puntuaciones significativamente más altas en el factor «pensamiento mágico». Finalmente, un menor nivel educativo se correlacionaba con mayores puntuaciones en los factores «pensamiento mágico» «vivencias de influencia». Conclusiones. El PDI-21 resulta ser un instrumento útil para medir la dimensionalidad de la ideación delirante en población general española. Los resultados obtenidos sobre influencia del sexo, la edad y el nivel educativo están en consonancia con los obtenidos en muestras de pacientes psicóticos, apoyando la existencia de un continuum en las psicosis

Introduction. Several lines of evidence suggest the existence of a continuum on psychotic symptoms, including delusions. Moreover, several studies have reported differences regarding prevalence and intensity of these symptoms in relation to age, gender and educational level. This study tries to analyze distribution and dimensionality of delusional ideation in the general population, as well as relationship between gender, age and educational level with the prevalence of these symptoms. Method. We used the 21-item Peters. Delusions Inventory (PDI-21) on a general population sample as our measure of delusional ideation. A factor analysis was carried out to determine the dimensionality of delusional ideation. Next, linear regression analyses were performed to analyze the relationship of age, gender and educational level with the different dimensions. Results. 365 subjects completed the inventory. Factor analysis revealed the presence of 7 easily interpretable factors. Five of these factors were negatively correlated with age. Women had higher scores on the «magical thinking» factor. Finally, lower educational level was correlated with higher scores on those factors of «magical thinking» and «experiences of influence». Conclusions. It appears that the PDI-21 is a useful instrument to measure dimensionality of delusional ideation in Spanish general population. Results of the influence of gender, age and educational level are in agreement with those reported in psychosis samples, supporting the existence of a continuum in psychoses

LRRK2 mutations in Parkinson disease.

To determine the frequency of LRRK2 mutations in idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD), the authors studied 786 PD probands, 32 affected siblings, 1,044 unaffected siblings, and 278 unrelated controls. The authors designed allelic discrimination assays for nine LRRK2 mutations and identified these in six probands with PD, one affected sibling, one unaffected sibling, and one unrelated control. Thus LRRK2 mutations only rarely cause idiopathic PD.

Propuesta de un modelo dimensional para los trastornos de personalidad / Proposal of a dimensional model of personality disorders

En los últimos años asistimos a un emergente interés por aspectos relacionados con la psicopatología en general, y con los trastornos de personalidad en particular, como son las patologías duales, la comorbilidad y los modelos dimensionales. Desde el modelo de tres factores de Eysenck hasta el de los cinco factores de Fiske, del modelo psicobiológico de Cloninger al modelo biosocial de Millon, son múltiples los modelos de análisis de la personalidad que se han propuesto, así como las dimensiones sobre las que anclar los diferentes trastornos de la personalidad. En este trabajo se propone un modelo dimensional para los trastornos de la personalidad basándonos en los criterios del DSM-IV, es decir, en las dimensiones estilo cognitivo (dependencia- independencia de campo), emoción prevalente (iramiedo), estilo interpersonal (sumisión-dominancia) y control de los impulsos (impulsión-compulsión). Consideramos que estas dimensiones se relacionan con diferentes niveles de complejidad cerebral partiendo del hecho de que la evolución opera desde el principio de la redundancia. Desde estas dimensiones se propone un modelo con un eje bimodal en cuyos extremos se hallan la personalidad antisocial (alta dependencia de campo, ira, impulsividad y dominancia) y la esquizotipia (baja dependencia de campo, miedo, compulsividad y sumisión). Entre estos extremos se hallarían la personalidad límite, paranoide, narcisista, histriónica, dependiente, pasivo-agresiva, dependiente, evitativa, obsesivo-compulsiva, paranoide y esquizoide

During recent years there has been a growing interest on several aspects regarding psychopathology in general and particularly with personality disorders, such as dual psychopathology, comorbidity and dimensional models. Going from the Eysenck’s three-factor model to the Fiske’s five-factor one, from the Cloninger’s psychobiological model to the Millon’s biosocial one, a wide variety of personality analysis models, as well as dimensions to which the different personality disorders should be anchored, have been proposed. Here, we propose a dimensional model for personality disorders based on DSM-IV criteria, which are cognitive style (field dependence-independence), prevalent emotion (anger-fear), interpersonal style (submissivenessdominance), and impulse control (impulsiveness-compulsiveness). We consider that these dimensions are related to different levels of cerebral complexity, assuming that evolution operates under the redundancy principle. Based on these dimensions, a bimodal model in which antisocial personality (high field dependence, anger, dominance, and impulsiveness) and schizotypal personality (low field dependence, fear, submissiveness, and compulsiveness) would be anchored in each extreme is proposed. Between these two extremes, the rest of personality disorders, such as borderline, paranoid, narcissist, histrionic, dependent, passive-aggressive, avoidant, obsessive-compulsive, paranoid, and schizoid, would be anchored

Proposal of a dimensional model of personality disorders.

During recent years there has been a growing interest on several aspects regarding psychopathology in general and particularly with personality disorders, such as dual psychopathology, comorbidity and dimensional models. Going from the Eysenck's three-factor model to the Fiske's five-factor one, from the Cloninger's psychobiological model to the Millon's biosocial one, a wide variety of personality analysis models, as well as dimensions to which the different personality disorders should be anchored, have been proposed. Here, we propose a dimensional model for personality disorders based on DSM-IV criteria, which are cognitive style (field dependence-independence), prevalent emotion (anger-fear), interpersonal style (submissiveness-dominance), and impulse control (impulsiveness-compulsiveness). We consider that these dimensions are related to different levels of cerebral complexity, assuming that evolution operates under the redundancy principle. Based on these dimensions, a bimodal model in which antisocial personality (high field dependence, anger, dominance, and impulsiveness) and schizotypal personality (low field dependence, fear, submissiveness, and compulsiveness) would be anchored in each extreme is proposed. Between these two extremes, the rest of personality disorders, such as borderline, paranoid, narcissist, histrionic, dependent, passive-aggressive, avoidant, obsessive-compulsive, paranoid, and schizoid, would be anchored.