Validity of the Satisfaction with Life Scale in Colombia and factorial equivalence with Spanish data / Validez de la Escala de Satisfacción con la Vida en Colombia y equivalencia factorial con datos españoles

Abstract The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) is a widely used, 5-item, 7-point Likert-type scale that measures life satisfaction. The current study aims to explore the validity of the SWLS in Colombia and its factorial equivalence with Spanish samples. The SWLS was administered to a total of 1,587 Colombian participants, including a sample of undergraduates, a sample from the general population, and a clinical sample. The internal consistency across the different samples was good (overall alpha of .89). The one-factor model found in the original scale showed a very good fit in the overall Colombian sample (RMSEA = .052, 90% CI [.034, .073]; CFI = .99; NNFI = .99). SWLS scores are significantly related to measures of valued living, emotional symptoms, negative thoughts, experiential avoidance, and cognitive fusion. The clinical sample's mean score on the SWLS was significantly lower than the scores of the nonclinical samples. Three additional Spanish samples (N = 1057) were obtained to analyze the factorial equivalence of the SWLS in Colombia and Spain. Metric and scalar invariance were observed between countries and between Colombian males and females. In conclusion, the SWLS showed good psychometric properties in Colombia and factorial equivalence with Spanish samples.

Resumen La Escala de Satisfacción con la Vida (SWLS) es una escala ampliamente utilizada para medir satisfacción vital. Consta de 5 ítems que se responden en una escala tipo Likert de 7 puntos. El objetivo de este artículo es explorar la validez del SWLS en Colombia y la equivalencia factorial con muestras españolas. Se administró el SWLS a 1587 participantes colombianos, incluyendo una muestra de universitarios, una de población general y una muestra clínica. La consistencia interna a través de muestras fue buena (alfa global de .89). El modelo unifactorial encontrado en la escala original mostró muy buen ajuste en las muestras colombianas (RMSEA = .052, 90% CI [.034, .073]; CFI = .99; NNFI = .99). Las puntuaciones del SWLS estuvieron relacionadas significativamente con medidas de vida valiosa, síntomas emocionales, pensamientos negativos, evitación experiencial y fusión cognitiva. La puntuación promedio de la muestra clínica fue significativamente menor que las de las muestras no clínicas. Se obtuvieron tres muestras españolas (N = 1057) para analizar la equivalencia factorial del SWLS en Colombia y España. Se observó invarianza métrica y escalar entre países y entre género en Colombia. En conclusión, la SWLS mostró buenas propiedades psicométricas en Colombia y equivalencia factorial con muestras españolas.

How are triggers for repetitive negative thinking organized? a relational frame analysis / Análisis de la organización de los disparadores del pensamiento negativo repetitivo desde la teoría del marco relacional

Background: Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) has been identified as an important transdiagnostic process. However, little empirical research has been conducted into how triggers for RNT are organized. This study tested the hypothesis that these triggers are usually hierarchically related. Method: One-hundred undergraduates underwent several evaluation phases. Firstly, a diagnostic interview was administered. Secondly, participants responded to several questionnaires measuring emotional symptoms and the tendency to engage in RNT. Thirdly, participants were presented with a list of thoughts that typically serve as triggers for RNT. They were asked to select the thoughts they usually experienced and to rate how much they became entangled in those thoughts. Fourthly, three types of diagrams were explained that showed ways in which the triggers could be organized: COORDINATION, COMPARISON, and HIERARCHY. Participants were asked to select the diagram that best described them. Results: Seventy-nine participants organized their triggers for RNT in hierarchies, 19 participants in relationships of comparison, and 2 in coordination. Participants who selected HIERARCHY exhibited higher scores in RNT than those who selected the comparison diagram. Conclusions: Psychological interventions aimed at disrupting RNT should take into account how triggers are organized

Antecedentes: el pensamiento negativo repetitivo (PNR) ha sido identificado como un proceso transdiagnóstico relevante. Sin embargo, se ha realizado escasa investigación acerca de cómo se relacionan sus disparadores. Este estudio evaluó la hipótesis de que los disparadores suelen relacionarse jerárquicamente. Método: se evaluó a 100 universitarios. Primero, se administró una entrevista diagnóstica. Segundo, los participantes completaron medidas de síntomas emocionales y la tendencia a implicarse en PNR. Tercero, se les presentó un listado de pensamientos que suelen funcionar como disparadores de PNR, seleccionaron los que suelen experimentar y evaluaron el grado en que se quedan enredados con ellos. Cuarto, se les explicó tres diagramas que representaban formas en que los disparadores pueden organizarse: COORDINACIÓN, COMPARACIÓN y JERARQUÍA. Finalmente, se les pidió que seleccionaran el que mejor se les ajustaba. Resultados: setenta y nueve participantes organizaron los disparadores en jerarquías, 19 en relaciones de comparación y 2 en coordinación. Los participantes que seleccionaron JERARQUÍA obtuvieron mayores puntuaciones en PNR que los que eligieron el diagrama de comparación. Conclusiones: las intervenciones psicológicas que buscan alterar PNR deberían tener en cuenta cómo se organizan los disparadores

How are triggers for repetitive negative thinking organized? A relational frame analysis.

BACKGROUND: Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) has been identified as an important transdiagnostic process. However, little empirical research has been conducted into how triggers for RNT are organized. This study tested the hypothesis that these triggers are usually hierarchically related. METHOD: One-hundred undergraduates underwent several evaluation phases. Firstly, a diagnostic interview was administered. Secondly, participants responded to several questionnaires measuring emotional symptoms and the tendency to engage in RNT. Thirdly, participants were presented with a list of thoughts that typically serve as triggers for RNT. They were asked to select the thoughts they usually experienced and to rate how much they became entangled in those thoughts. Fourthly, three types of diagrams were explained that showed ways in which the triggers could be organized: COORDINATION, COMPARISON, and HIERARCHY. Participants were asked to select the diagram that best described them. RESULTS: Seventy-nine participants organized their triggers for RNT in hierarchies, 19 participants in relationships of comparison, and 2 in coordination. Participants who selected HIERARCHY exhibited higher scores in RNT than those who selected the comparison diagram. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological interventions aimed at disrupting RNT should take into account how triggers are organized.

Simuladores virtuales para entrenamiento de habilidades para laparoscopia / Virtual simulators for laparoscopic skills training / Simuladores virtuais para laparoscopic skills training

Este artículo presenta una revisión sobre algunos simuladores virtuales, comerciales y en investigación, disponibles actualmente para entrenamiento de cirugía laparoscópica; entre ellos se incluyen los simuladores que usan interfaces hápticas para aumentar la sensación de inmersión y el realismo de los ejercicios. Además, se describe el programa de entrenamiento Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS), que está diseñado para aprender a dominar las habilidades básicas requeridas para hacer cirugías laparoscópicas, y cuyos ejercicios, o aproximaciones de ellos, han sido incorporados por gran cantidad de simuladores. Finalmente, se realiza una comparación entre los diferentes sistemas de simulación encontrados.

This paper presents a review about some virtual simulators for laparoscopic surgery training. Currently, they are available in both commercially and under research; it includes simulators with haptic interfaces used to increase the immersion sense and realism of the exercises. Besides, the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) training program is described; it was designed to learn basic skills required for laparoscopic surgeries, and its exercises, or very similar approaches, which have been added in many simulators. Finally, a comparison between all the simulators found is performed.

Este trabalho apresenta uma revisão Acerca alguns simuladores de treinamento virtual para a cirurgia laparoscópica. Atualmente, eles estão disponíveis comercialmente em pesquisa e sob; que inclui as interfaces táteis com simuladores usados para aumentar a sensação de imersão e realismo dos exercícios. Além disso, os Fundamentos de Cirurgia Laparoscópica (FLS) programa de treinamento é descrito; ele foi projetado para aprender as habilidades básicas necessárias para cirurgias laparoscópicas, e seus exercícios, ou muito semelhante abordagens, que foram adicionados em muitos simuladores. Finalmente, uma comparação entre todos os simuladores encontrados é realizada.

Phosphorylation of RhoB by CK1 impedes actin stress fiber organization and epidermal growth factor receptor stabilization.

RhoB is a small GTPase implicated in cytoskeletal organization, EGF receptor trafficking and cell transformation. It is an immediate-early gene, regulated at many levels of its biosynthetic pathway. Herein we show that the serine/threonine protein kinase CK1 phosphorylates RhoB in vitro but not RhoA or RhoC. With the use of specific CK1 inhibitors, IC261 and D4476, we show that the kinase phosphorylates also RhoB in HeLa cells. Mass spectrometry analysis demonstrates that RhoB is monophosphorylated by CK1, in its C-terminal end, on serine 185. The substitution of Ser185 by Ala dramatically inhibited the phosphorylation of RhoB in cultured cells. Lastly we show that the inhibition of CK1 activates RhoB and promotes RhoB dependent actin fiber formation and EGF-R level. Our data provide the first demonstration of RhoB phosphorylation and indicate that this post-translational maturation would be a novel critical mechanism to control the RhoB functions.

MAP1A light chain-2 interacts with GTP-RhoB to control epidermal growth factor (EGF)-dependent EGF receptor signaling.

Rho GTPases have been implicated in the control of several cellular functions, including regulation of the actin cytoskeleton, cell proliferation, and oncogenesis. Unlike RhoA and RhoC, RhoB localizes in part to endosomes and controls endocytic trafficking. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen and a glutathione S-transferase pulldown assay, we identified LC2, the light chain of the microtubule-associated protein MAP1A, as a novel binding partner for RhoB. GTP binding and the 18-amino acid C-terminal hypervariable domain of RhoB are critical for its binding to MAP1A/LC2. Coimmunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence experiments showed that this interaction occurs in U87 cells. Down-regulation of MAP1A/LC2 expression decreased epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor expression and modified the signaling response to EGF treatment. We concluded that MAP1A/LC2 is critical for RhoB function in EGF-induced EGF receptor regulation. Because MAP1A/LC2 is thought to function as an adaptor between microtubules and other molecules, we postulate that the RhoB and MAP1A/LC2 interactions facilitate endocytic vesicle trafficking and regulate the trafficking of signaling molecules.

Epigenetic regulation of RhoB loss of expression in lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: RhoB is down-regulated in most lung cancer cell lines and tumor tissues when compared with their normal counterparts. The mechanism of this loss of expression is not yet deciphered. METHODS: Since no mutation has been reported in the RhoB sequence, we investigated the epigenetic regulation of RhoB expression by analyzing the effect of HDAC inhibitors and methyltransferase inhibitors, by direct sequencing after bisulfite treatment and by methylation specific PCR. RESULTS: We first showed that histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors induce a significant RhoB re-expression in lung cancer cell lines whereas only a slight effect was observed with methyl transferase inhibitors. As promoter methylation is the most common epigenetic process in lung cancer, we performed methylation specific PCR and sequence analysis after bisulfite treatment and demonstrated that RhoB was methylated neither in lung cancer cell lines nor in tumor tissues. We also showed that a variable number of tandem repeats sequences in the 5' region of the RhoB gene was involved in HDAC response. CONCLUSION: We thus propose that RhoB regulation of expression occurs mainly by histone deacetylation rather than by promoter hypermethylation and that this process can be modulated by specific 5' sequences within the promoter.

Syntheses of functionalized biotin N-1' derivatives: new tools for the control of gene expression with small molecules.

The exceptionally high affinity of biotin toward avidin and streptavidin is at the basis of (strept)avidin-biotin biotechnology, which has numerous applications in life sciences. Recent biotin developments for in vivo and in vitro acylation of selective targeted protein and intein-mediated site specific protein biotinylation require the free biotin carboxyl function to covalently bind with the targeted protein. However, recently this carboxylic function has been used to substitute biotin with numerous ligands and flags. In the present work, we propose the N-1' labeling possibilities of biotin, keeping the valeric chain free. We describe liquid and solid-phase syntheses of functionalized biotin N-1' derivatives. Although the N-1' modification involves a two-log decrease in affinity, in vitro these molecules kept their high avidin affinity (around 10(-12) M) and the in vivo acylation ability of new biotin derivatives.

Cloning of the human RHOB gene promoter: characterization of a VNTR sequence that affects transcriptional activity.

The RHOB gene is an immediate-early gene implicated in cell growth control, cytoskeletal organization, and neoplastic transformation. Although the mouse RHOB gene (Arhb) promoter has been described, the human promoter is unknown. We cloned the human RHOB gene (ARHB) 5'-flanking region from the human genome and characterized its promoter region. Unlike its mouse counterpart, the human gene shows a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) sequence with a 34-bp repetitive unit between positions -1124 and -821. We demonstrated that this VNTR sequence significantly decreases the transcriptional activity of ARHB and simian virus-40 (SV40) promoters. PCR amplification of the VNTR sequence using genomic DNA from many cell lines revealed the existence of at least four alleles containing a different number of the repetitive unit. Our data suggest a potential regulatory role for the VNTR sequence in ARHB expression.