Galectin-8 counteracts folic acid-induced acute kidney injury and prevents its transition to fibrosis.

Acute kidney injury (AKI), characterized by a sudden decline in kidney function involving tubular damage and epithelial cell death, can lead to progressive tissue fibrosis and chronic kidney disease due to interstitial fibroblast activation and tissue repair failures that lack direct treatments. After an AKI episode, surviving renal tubular cells undergo cycles of dedifferentiation, proliferation and redifferentiation while fibroblast activity increases and then declines to avoid an exaggerated extracellular matrix deposition. Appropriate tissue recovery versus pathogenic fibrotic progression depends on fine-tuning all these processes. Identifying endogenous factors able to affect any of them may offer new therapeutic opportunities to improve AKI outcomes. Galectin-8 (Gal-8) is an endogenous carbohydrate-binding protein that is secreted through an unconventional mechanism, binds to glycosylated proteins at the cell surface and modifies various cellular activities, including cell proliferation and survival against stress conditions. Here, using a mouse model of AKI induced by folic acid, we show that pre-treatment with Gal-8 protects against cell death, promotes epithelial cell redifferentiation and improves renal function. In addition, Gal-8 decreases fibroblast activation, resulting in less expression of fibrotic genes. Gal-8 added after AKI induction is also effective in maintaining renal function against damage, improving epithelial cell survival. The ability to protect kidneys from injury during both pre- and post-treatments, coupled with its anti-fibrotic effect, highlights Gal-8 as an endogenous factor to be considered in therapeutic strategies aimed at improving renal function and mitigating chronic pathogenic progression.

Galectins in epithelial-mesenchymal transition: roles and mechanisms contributing to tissue repair, fibrosis and cancer metastasis.

Galectins are soluble glycan-binding proteins that interact with a wide range of glycoproteins and glycolipids and modulate a broad spectrum of physiological and pathological processes. The expression and subcellular localization of different galectins vary among tissues and cell types and change during processes of tissue repair, fibrosis and cancer where epithelial cells loss differentiation while acquiring migratory mesenchymal phenotypes. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) that occurs in the context of these processes can include modifications of glycosylation patterns of glycolipids and glycoproteins affecting their interactions with galectins. Moreover, overexpression of certain galectins has been involved in the development and different outcomes of EMT. This review focuses on the roles and mechanisms of Galectin-1 (Gal-1), Gal-3, Gal-4, Gal-7 and Gal-8, which have been involved in physiologic and pathogenic EMT contexts.

Driver Monitoring for a Driver-Centered Design and Assessment of a Merging Assistance System Based on V2V Communications.

Merging is one of the most critical scenarios that can be found in road transport. In this maneuver, the driver is subjected to a high mental load due to the large amount of information he handles, while making decisions becomes a crucial issue for their safety and those in adjacent vehicles. In previous works, it was studied how the merging maneuver affected the cognitive load required for driving by means of an eye tracking system, justifying the proposal of a driver assistance system for the merging maneuver on highways. This paper presents a merging assistance system based on communications between vehicles, which allows vehicles to share internal variables of position and speed and is implemented on a mobile device located inside the vehicle. The system algorithm decides where and when the vehicle can start the merging maneuver in safe conditions and provides the appropriate information to the driver. Parameters and driving simulator tests are used for the interface definition to develop the less intrusive and demanding one. Afterward, the system prototype was installed in a real passenger car and tests in real scenarios were conducted with several drivers to assess usability and mental load. Comparisons among alternative solutions are shown and effectiveness is assessed.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 founder mutations account for 78% of germline carriers among hereditary breast cancer families in Chile.

Identifying founder mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 in specific populations constitute a valuable opportunity for genetic screening. Several studies from different populations have reported recurrent and/or founder mutations representing a relevant proportion of BRCA mutation carriers. In Latin America, only few founder mutations have been described. We screened 453 Chilean patients with hereditary breast cancer for mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2. For recurrent mutations, we genotyped 11 microsatellite markers in BRCA1 and BRCA2 in order to determine a founder effect through haplotype analysis. We found a total of 25 mutations (6 novel) in 71 index patients among which, nine are present exclusively in Chilean patients. Our analysis revealed the presence of nine founder mutations, 4 in BRCA1 and 5 in BRCA2, shared by 2 to 10 unrelated families and spread in different regions of Chile. Our panel contains the highest amount of founder mutations until today and represents the highest percentage (78%) of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. We suggest that the dramatic reduction of Amerindian population due to smallpox and wars with Spanish conquerors, a scarce population increase during 300 years, and the geographic position of Chile constituted a favorable scenario to establish founder genetic markers in our population.

Discrimination of face gender and expression under dual-task conditions.

In order to test whether expression and gender can be attended to simultaneously without a cost in accuracy four experiments were carried out using a dual gender-expression task with male and female faces showing different emotional expressions that were backward masked by emotionally neutral faces. In the dual-facial condition the participants had to report both the gender and the expression of the targets. In two control conditions the participant reported either the gender or the expression of the face and indicated whether a surrounding frame was continuous or discontinuous. In Experiments 1-3, with angry and happy targets, asymmetric interference was observed. Gender discrimination, but no expression discrimination, was impaired in the dual-facial condition compared to the corresponding control. This effect was obtained with a between-subjects design in Experiment 1, with a within-subjects design in Experiment 2, and with androgynous face masks in Experiment 3. In Experiments 4a and 4b different target combinations were tested. No decrement of performance in the dual-facial task was observed for either gender or expression discrimination with fearful-disgusted (Experiment 4a) or fearful-happy faces (Experiment 4b). We conclude that the ability to attend simultaneously to gender and expression cues without a decrement in performance depends on the specific combination of expressions to be differentiated between. Happy and angry expressions are usually directed at the perceiver and command preferential attention. Under conditions of restricted viewing such as those of the present study, discrimination of these expressions is prioritized leading to impaired discrimination of other facial properties such as gender.

miR-146a and miR-638 in BRCA1-deficient triple negative breast cancer tumors, as potential biomarkers for improved overall survival.

BACKGROUND: Mechanisms that lead to the reduced expression of BRCA1 in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) tumors are not fully understood. A possible cause is overexpression of miR-146a and miR-638, which regulate BRCA1 expression in other cancers. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the expression of these microRNAs in relation to BRCA1 expression in TNBC tumors. METHODS: Expression of both microRNAs was assessed by real time qPCR using Taqman microRNA assays in TNBC tumors. Results were related to protein expression of BRCA1 and patient's survival. RESULTS: miR-146a and miR-638 were overexpressed in 36% and 59% of TNBC tumors, respectively. Overexpression was preeminent in BRCA1-deficient tumors and significantly associated to a better overall survival. CONCLUSION: Both miRNAs are potential biomarkers for improved overall survival in patients with BRCA1-deficient TNBC tumors.

Where to look when looking at faces: visual scanning is determined by gender, expression and tasks demands / Dónde mirar cuando miramos caras: el escaneo visual está determinado por el género, la expresión y las demandas de la tarea

Visual scanning of faces was studied during categorization of expression and gender with the aim of revealing possible differences in the perceptual mechanisms that mediate analysis of these facial properties. A more distributed scanning pattern, with increased fixation in the lower face, was observed in the expression compared to the gender task. Distribution of fixations across the upper and lower face also varied depending on the specific gender and expression of the viewed faces, with female faces and faces showing anger attracting more fixations to the eye region. Variations reflecting an interaction between gender and expression were also observed. However, the nature of these modulations suggests a differential influence of perceptual interactions and social/affective value on eye movement measures and on pupil size. Collectively, these results show that the visual inspection of faces is determined in a complex manner by the specific demands of different categorization tasks and by the perceptual and social/affective properties of the emotional expressions shown by either male or female faces (AU)

Se ha estudiado la inspección visual de caras durante tareas de categorización de expresión y género con el objetivo de encontrar posibles diferencias en los mecanismos perceptuales que medían el análisis de las propiedades faciales. Se observó un patrón de inspección visual más distribuido con un incremento de fijaciones en la parte baja de la cara durante la tarea de expresión frente a la tarea de género. La distribución de las fijaciones en torno a la parte superior e inferior de la cara también varió dependiendo del género y de la expresión de las caras con un número mayor de fijaciones en la región de los ojos para las caras de ira femeninas. Los resultados indicaron también una interacción entre género y expresión. La naturaleza de estas modulaciones sugiere una influencia diferencial sobre las medidas oculares y el tamaño de la pupila dependientes del tipo de tarea y del valor socio-afectivo de los estímulos. En conjunto, estos resultados muestran que la inspección visual de caras está determinada de una manera compleja por las demandas específicas de diferentes tareas de categorización; por las propiedades perceptivas y por la naturaleza de las expresiones emocionales mostradas por caras masculinas y femeninas (AU)

Impulsive Driving: Definition and Measurement Using the I-Driving Scale (IDS).

Impulsivity has been widely studied in the context of traffic. The trait is believed to be the root of some accidents, along with other variables like aggression and anger. The present research objective is to develop a new scale - the I-Driving Scale (IDS) - to evaluate and measure the construct of impulsivity in specific driving situations. To that end, two studies were conducted, with 162 and 107 participants, respectively. In both studies, participants were recruited via their social networks, and answered anonymously. In addition to the IDS, they completed the Use the Vehicle to Express Anger subscale of the Driving Anger Expression Inventory (DAX), the Driving Anger Scale (DAS), and the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS11), and also provided demographic information. The final scale had 11 items falling into two factors: impatience, and aggressiveness/abruptness. The results show a high consistency (αT = .81, αI = .70, and αA = .85 in the first study; αT = .83, αI = .80, and αA = .88 in the second study). Statistical results of Exploratory Factor Analysis in the first sample indicated goodness of fit to a two-factor model (RMSR = .057, GFI = .98). The second study confirmed that factorial structure (χ2/df = 80.50/43 = 1.87, RMSEA = .088, CFI = .94, TLI = .92). Correlations with other measures indicated the Impatience subscale is associated with different expressions of anger behind the wheel, and directly correlated with the loss of driver's license points. Furthermore, the Aggressiveness or Abruptness subscale was associated with more mechanical aspects, and correlated inversely with age.

The Relationship Between Educational Years and Phonemic Verbal Fluency (PVF) and Semantic Verbal Fluency (SVF) Tasks in Spanish Patients Diagnosed With Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Psychotic Bipolar Disorder.

Semantic and verbal fluency tasks are widely used as a measure of frontal capacities. It has been well described in literature that patients affected by schizophrenic and bipolar disorders present a worse execution in these tasks. Some authors have also noted the importance of educational years. Our objective is to analyze whether the effect of cognitive malfunction caused by apathology is superior to the expected effect of years of education in phonemic verbal fluency (PVF) and semantic verbal fluency (SVF) task execution. A total of 62 individuals took part in this study, out of which 23 were patients with schizophrenic paranoid disorder, 11 suffered from bipolar disorder with psychotic symptomatology, 13 suffered from bipolar disorder without psychotic symptomatology, and 15 participants were nonpathological individuals. All participants were evaluated with the PVF and SVF tests (animals and tools). The performance/execution results were analyzed with a mixed-model ANCOVA, with educational years as a covariable. The effect of education seems to be more determined by PVF FAS tests than by SVF. With PVF FAS tasks, the expected effect of pathology disappears when the covariable EDUCATION is introduced. With SVF tasks, the effect continues to be significant, even though the EDUACTION covariable dims such effect. These results suggest that SVF tests (animals category) are better evaluation tools as they are less dependent on the patients' education than PVF FAS tests.

Impulsive driving: definition and measurement using the I-driving scale (IDS)

Impulsivity has been widely studied in the context of traffic. The trait is believed to be the root of some accidents, along with other variables like aggression and anger. The present research objective is to develop a new scale -the I-Driving Scale (IDS)- to evaluate and measure the construct of impulsivity in specific driving situations. To that end, two studies were conducted, with 162 and 107 participants, respectively. In both studies, participants were recruited via their social networks, and answered anonymously. In addition to the IDS, they completed the Use the Vehicle to Express Anger subscale of the Driving Anger Expression Inventory (DAX), the Driving Anger Scale (DAS), and the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS11), and also provided demographic information. The final scale had 11 items falling into two factors: impatience, and aggressiveness/abruptness. The results show a high consistency (αT = .81, αI = .70, and αA = .85 in the first study; αT = .83, αI = .80, and αA = .88 in the second study). Statistical results of Exploratory Factor Analysis in the first sample indicated goodness of fit to a two-factor model (RMSR = .057, GFI = .98). The second study confirmed that factorial structure (χ2/df = 80.50/43 = 1.87, RMSEA = .088, CFI = .94, TLI = .92). Correlations with other measures indicated the Impatience subscale is associated with different expressions of anger behind the wheel, and directly correlated with the loss of driver's license points. Furthermore, the Aggressiveness or Abruptness subscale was associated with more mechanical aspects, and correlated inversely with age (AU)

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Psychometric properties of the eight-item modified Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey based on Spanish outpatients.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the modified Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (mMOS-SS) in a primary healthcare setting (PHCS). METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out with Spanish outpatients (N = 903) from a PHCS. Subjects responded to the first eight items of the classic Medical Outcomes Study-Social Support Survey (MOS-SS), in effect the mMOS-SS, and immediately proceeded to give answers to the rest of the scale. Also, sociodemographic, self-reported health status and mood/anxiety disorders data were collected. Factor structure was analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory analysis, internal reliability was determined by Cronbach's standardized alpha, and consistency was evaluated by item-to-total score correlations. Evidences of validity were assessed by Spearman's rank correlations, and using the Mann-Whitney test or Kruskal-Wallis test as appropriate, of differences between the mMOS-SS and the MOS-SS. RESULTS: Mean scores for the MOS-SS (mean = 4.26, SD = 0.78) and mMOS-SS (mean = 4.34, SD = 0.74) are similar. Cronbach's alpha was 0.96 and 0.91, for the MOS-SS and mMOS-SS, respectively. Item-to-total score correlations of the MOS-SS and mMOS-SS are ≥0.64 and ≥0.70, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) [56.63% variance, KMO=0.904; χ2=4396.27], and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) [CFI=0.95; NNFI(TLI)=0.97; SRMR=0.05; χ2=296.81; RMSEA=0.17] showed a one-factor structure. CONCLUSIONS: Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the mMOS-SS in outpatients attending a PHCS are adequate. Factor analysis confirmed a one-factor model with acceptable fit indices.

Interference in visual perception by verbal and spatial cognitive activity.

In two experiments we tested the hypothesis that cognitive processing based on spatial imagery produces more deterioration of visual perception than cognitive processing based on verbal codes. So, we studied the effect on visual perception of two cognitive tasks, one of spatial imagery and the other a verbal task. In the first one, with 30 participants, we analyzed the mental load and ocular behaviors in both cognitive tasks. In the second experiment, with 29 participants, we studied the effect of both tasks on a visual search task, using a dual-task experimental paradigm. The verbal task presented higher mental load than the imagery task when both tasks were carried out with visual search task, and there was more deterioration in stimulus detection with the verbal task. We can conclude that: (1) cognitive tasks produce important deterioration in the capacities of visual search and identification of stimuli; (2) this deterioration has two components: (a) an inefficient search, associated with alterations of the gaze patterns while performing cognitive tasks, and (b) a general interference, nonspecific to spatial codes, in the process of identification of looked-at stimuli; (3) this cognitive interference is related to the mental load or effort required by the cognitive task.

Interference in visual perception by verbal and spatial cognitive activity

In two experiments we tested the hypothesis that cognitive processing based on spatial imagery produces more deterioration of visual perception than cognitive processing based on verbal codes. So, we studied the effect on visual perception of two cognitive tasks, one of spatial imagery and the other a verbal task. In the first one, with 30 participants, we analyzed the mental load and ocular behaviors in both cognitive tasks. In the second experiment, with 29 participants, we studied the effect of both tasks on a visual search task, using a dual-task experimental paradigm. The verbal task presented higher mental load than the imagery task when both tasks were carried out with visual search task, and there was more deterioration in stimulus detection with the verbal task. We can conclude that: (1) cognitive tasks produce important deterioration in the capacities of visual search and identification of stimuli; (2) this deterioration has two components: (a) an inefficient search, associated with alterations of the gaze patterns while performing cognitive tasks, and (b) a general interference, nonspecific to spatial codes, in the process of identification of looked-at stimuli; (3) this cognitive interference is related to the mental load or effort required by the cognitive task (AU)

Mediante dos experimentos hemos puesto a prueba la hipótesis de que el procesamiento cognitivo basado en imaginería espacial produce más deterioro en la percepción visual que el procesamiento basado en códigos verbales. Hemos estudiado el efecto de dos tareas cognitivas, una de imaginería espacial y otra verbal, sobre la percepción visual. En el primer experimento, con 30 participantes, analizamos la carga mental y el comportamiento ocular en ambas tareas cognitivas. En el segundo experimento, con 29 participantes, estudiamos el efecto de ambas tareas sobre una tarea de búsqueda visual, usando el paradigma experimental de doble tarea. La tarea verbal presentó mayor carga mental que la de imaginería espacial cuando ambas tareas se realizaron junto con la tarea de búsqueda visual y hubo un mayor deterioro en la detección de estímulos con la tarea verbal. Concluimos que (1) las tareas cognitivas producen un importante deterioro en capacidades de búsqueda visual e identificación de estímulos visuales; (2) este deterioro tiene dos componentes: (a) búsqueda ineficiente, asociada con alteraciones del patrón de mirada mientras se desarrollan tareas cognitivas, y (b) interferencia general, no específica de códigos espaciales, en el proceso de identificación de estímulos mirados; (3) esta interferencia cognitiva está relacionada con la carga mental o esfuerzo requerido por tareas cognitivas (AU)

The role of mental load in inattentional blindness

El propósito de esta investigación es determinar si la carga mental de una tarea cognitiva impide el procesamiento de estímulos visuales, es decir, si la carga mental produce ceguera atencional, y en qué momento del procesamiento de la tarea cognitiva se produce más interferencia. Se utilizó una tarea aritmética con dos niveles de carga mental junto a una tarea de búsqueda y detección visual en situación de doble tarea. Se llevó a cabo un experimento con 35 participantes. Un sistema de registro ocular (ASL Model 5000) fue usado para comprobar qué estímulos fueron mirados. Los resultados muestran un deterioro en la tarea de detección al realizar las dos tareas simultáneamente, que es mayor cuando la tarea aritmética fue de mayor carga mental. Dicho deterioro no puede ser explicado por una alteración del patrón ocular. El momento de procesamiento o subproceso de la tarea aritmética que produce una mayor interferencia sobre la detección visual corresponde con el momento puramente cognitivo de cálculo, frente a subprocesos con componentes perceptivos o motores, como escuchar los estímulos o emitir las respuestas(AU)

The purpose of this investigation is to determine whether the mental load of a cognitive task prevents the processing of visual stimuli, that is, whether the mental load produces inattentional blindness, and at what point in the cognitive-task processing more interference is produced. An arithmetic task with two levels of mental load was used in a dual-task situation with a visual search and detection task. An experiment was performed with 35 participants. An eye tracker system (ASL model 5000) was used to verify which targets were looked at. The results show impairment in the detection task when carrying out the two tasks simultaneously; it was higher when the arithmetic task had a higher mental load. The impairment cannot be explained by alteration in the ocular pattern. The moment at which the process or sub-process of the arithmetic task produces the greatest interference in visual detection corresponds to the purely cognitive moment of calculus, versus sub-processes with perceptive or motor components, such as listening to the stimuli or emitting responses(AU)

[Attention to speed and guide traffic signs with eye movements]. / Atención a señales de velocidad y de orientación mediante movimientos oculares.

The goal of this research is to describe the visual search patterns for diverse traffic signs. Twelve drivers of both genders and different driving experience levels took part in real driving research with an instrumented car provided with an eye-tracking system. Looking at signs has a weak relation with speed reduction in cases where actual driving speed was higher. Nevertheless, among the people who looked at the sign, the percentage of those who reduce the speed below the limit is greater than of those who do not look at the sign. Guide traffic signs, particularly those mounted over the road, are more frequently glanced at than speed limit signs, with a glance duration of more than one second, in sequences of more than two consecutive fixations. Implications for driving and the possibilities and limitations of eye movement analysis for traffic sign research are discussed.

Atención a señales de velocidad y de orientación mediante movimientos oculares / Attention to speed and guide traffi c signs with eye movements

El objetivo de esta investigación es la descripción de los patrones de inspección visual a diferentes señales de circulación. Doce conductores de ambos sexos y variada experiencia colaboraron en la investigación de conducción real con un coche equipado con sistema de registro ocular. El hecho de mirar las señales guarda escasa relación con la disminución de la velocidad cuando ésta sobrepasa lo indicado en la señal. Sin embargo, entre los que miran la señal el porcentaje de los que reducen la velocidad por debajo de lo indicado en ella es mayor que entre los que no la miran. Las señales de orientación son miradas con más frecuencia que las de velocidad máxima, especialmente las situadas sobre la calzada, y en secuencias de más de dos fijaciones consecutivas por mirada, con una duración media por mirada de más de un segundo. Se discuten las implicaciones para la conducción y las posibilidades y limitaciones de la técnica del registro de movimientos oculares en la investigación de señales de circulación (AU)

The goal of this research is to describe the visual search patterns for diverse traffic signs. Twelve drivers of both genders and different driving experience levels took part in real driving research with an instrumented car provided with an eyetracking system. Looking at signs has a weak relation with speed reduction in cases where actual driving speed was higher. Nevertheless, among the people who looked at the sign, the percentage of those who reduce the speed below the limit is greater than of those who do not look at the sign. Guide traffic signs, particularly those mounted over the road, are more frequently glanced at than speed limit signs, with a glance duration of more than one second, in sequences of more than two consecutive fixations. Implications for driving and the possibilities and limitations of eye movement analysis for traffic sign research are discussed (AU)