Mixotrophy in cyanobacteria.

Cyanobacteria evolved the oxygenic photosynthesis to generate organic matter from CO2 and sunlight, and they were responsible for the production of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere. This made them a model for photosynthetic organisms, since they are easier to study than higher plants. Early studies suggested that only a minority among cyanobacteria might assimilate organic compounds, being considered mostly autotrophic for decades. However, compelling evidence from marine and freshwater cyanobacteria, including toxic strains, in the laboratory and in the field, has been obtained in the last decades: by using physiological and omics approaches, mixotrophy has been found to be a more widespread feature than initially believed. Furthermore, dominant clades of marine cyanobacteria can take up organic compounds, and mixotrophy is critical for their survival in deep waters with very low light. Hence, mixotrophy seems to be an essential trait in the metabolism of most cyanobacteria, which can be exploited for biotechnological purposes.

Emotional Profiles of Anxiety, Depression, and Stress: Differences in School Anxiety.

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to confirm the existence of profiles according to the combinations of anxiety, depression, and stress, and looks to examine the differences between profiles according to the mean scores obtained in school anxiety. METHODS: A total of 1,234 Spanish students at the secondary education level with an age range of 13-16 years old (M = 14.52; SD = 1.24) participated in the study by completing the abbreviated version of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the School Anxiety Inventory. RESULTS: The results showed positive, statistically significant, and moderate-sized correlations between all the variables analyzed. The Latent Profile Analysis identified four distinct profiles of depression, anxiety, and stress: Low DAS, Moderate DAS, High DAS, and Very High DAS. The results of the MANOVA showed statistically significant differences between these profiles regarding the school anxiety dimensions, with the profiles Very High DAS and Low DAS being the ones that reported, respectively, the highest and lowest levels in all the school anxiety components. Post hoc analyses revealed significant differences for the large part of profile comparisons, with there being large and moderate differences observed in the majority of cases (d = .30 and 1.66). CONCLUSIONS: The results show the importance of considering social anxiety as a construct that is strongly associated with emotional problems such as depression, anxiety, and stress when developing effective actions to detect them and intervene with adolescents.

Fluoro-labelled sp2-iminoglycolipids with immunomodulatory properties.

The unique electronic properties of the fluorine atom make its strategic incorporation into a bioactive compound a very useful tool in the design of drugs with optimized pharmacological properties. In the field of the carbohydrates, its selective installation at C2 position has proven particularly interesting, some 2-deoxy-2-fluorosugar derivatives being currently in the market. We have now transferred this feature into immunoregulatory glycolipid mimetics that contain a sp2-iminosugar moiety, namely sp2-iminoglycolipids (sp2-IGLs). The synthesis of two epimeric series of 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-sp2-IGLs, structurally related to nojirimycin and mannonojirimycin, has been accomplished by sequential Selectfluor-mediated fluorination and thioglycosidation of sp2-iminoglycals. Exclusively the α-anomer is obtained regardless of the configurational profile of the sp2-IGL (d-gluco or d-manno), highlighting the overwhelming anomeric effect in these prototypes. Notably, the combination of a fluorine atom at C2 and an α-oriented sulfonyl dodecyl lipid moiety in compound 11 led to remarkable anti-proliferative properties, featuring similar GI50 values than the chemotherapy drug Cisplatin against several tumor cell lines and better selectivity. The biochemical data further evidence a strong reduction of the number of tumor cell colonies and apoptosis induction. Mechanistic investigations revealed that this fluoro-sp2-IGL induces the non-canonical activation mode of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, causing p38α autoactivation under an inflammatory context.

Integrated Proteomic and Metabolomic Analyses Show Differential Effects of Glucose Availability in Marine Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus.

We compared changes induced by the addition of 100 nM and 5 mM glucose on the proteome and metabolome complements in Synechococcus sp. strains WH8102, WH7803, and BL107 and Prochlorococcus sp. strains MED4, SS120, and MIT9313, grown either under standard light conditions or in darkness. Our results suggested that glucose is metabolized by these cyanobacteria, using primarily the oxidative pentoses and Calvin pathways, while no proof was found for the involvement of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway in this process. We observed differences in the effects of glucose availability, both between genera and between Prochlorococcus MED4 and SS120 strains, which might be related to their specific adaptations to the environment. We found evidence for fermentation in Prochlorococcus sp. strain SS120 and Synechococcus sp. strain WH8102 after 5 mM glucose addition. Our results additionally suggested that marine cyanobacteria can detect nanomolar glucose concentrations in the environment and that glucose might be used to sustain metabolism under darkness. Furthermore, the KaiB and KaiC proteins were also affected in Synechococcus sp. WH8102, pointing to a direct link between glucose assimilation and circadian rhythms in marine cyanobacteria. In conclusion, our study provides a wide overview on the metabolic effects induced by glucose availability in representative strains of the diverse marine picocyanobacteria, providing further evidence for the importance of mixotrophy in marine picocyanobacteria. IMPORTANCE Glucose uptake by marine picocyanobacteria has been previously described and strongly suggests they are mixotrophic organisms (capable of using energy from the sun to make organic matter, but also to directly use organic matter from the environment when available). However, a detailed analysis of the effects of glucose addition on the proteome and metabolome of these microorganisms had not been carried out. Here, we analyzed three Prochlorococcus sp. and three Synechococcus sp. strains which were representative of several marine picocyanobacterial clades. We observed differential features in the effects of glucose availability, depending on both the genus and strain; our study illuminated the strategies utilized by these organisms to metabolize glucose and showed unexpected links to other pathways, such as circadian regulation. Furthermore, we found glucose addition had profound effects in the microbiome, favoring the growth of coexisting heterotrophic bacteria.

Profiles of Perfectionistic Automatic Thoughts and Aggression.

In recent years, the study of perfectionistic automatic thoughts (PAT) has increased given its maladaptive nature since it is link to numerous psychological disorders. From our knowledge, no previous research has addressed the relationship between PAT and the four components of aggressive behavior (anger, hostility, verbal aggression, and physical aggression). This study had a double goal. The first aim was to identify distinct profiles of PAT in a sample of 3060 Ecuadorian undergraduates (Mage = 22.7, SD = 2.46). The second aim of this study was to determine whether or not statistically significant differences exist between these profiles, based on the four components of aggressive behavior. The Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory (PCI) and the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ) were used. Five profiles with different intensities in the dimensions of perfectionistic automatic thoughts were identified by Latent Class Analysis ((1) No-Perfectionistic Automatic Thoughts, (2) Low Perfectionistic Automatic Thoughts, (3) High Perfectionistic Demands, (4) Moderate Perfectionistic Automatic Thoughts, and (5) High Perfectionistic Automatic Thoughts). The moderate and high perfectionistic automatic thoughts profiles obtained the highest mean scores for all components of aggressive behavior (i.e., the four factors that make up AQ: Physical Aggression, Verbal Aggression, Anger, and Hostility), while the No-perfectionistic automatic thoughts and Low perfectionistic automatic thoughts profiles had the lowest mean scores. These results provide new knowledge about the prevalence of PAT in the context of Ecuador. Also, they suggest further research on the topic given the positive relationship of PAT and aggressive behavior.

Production, homology modeling and mutagenesis studies on GlcH glucose transporter from Prochlorococcus sp. strain SS120.

The marine cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus is one of the main primary producers on Earth, which can take up glucose by using the high affinity, multiphasic transporter GlcH. We report here the overexpression of glcH from Prochlorococcus marinus strain SS120 in Escherichia coli. Modeling studies of GlcH using the homologous MelB melibiose transporter from Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium showed high conservation at the overall fold. We observed that an important structural interaction, mediated by a strong hydrogen bond between D8 and R141, is conserved in Prochlorococcus, although the corresponding amino acids in MelB from Salmonella are different. Biased docking studies suggested that when glucose reaches the pocket of the transporter and interacts with D8 and R141, the hydrogen bond network in which these residues are involved could be disrupted, favoring a conformational change with the subsequent translocation of the glucose molecule towards the cytoplasmic region of the pmGlcH structure. Based on these theoretical predictions and on the conservation of N117 and W348 in other MelB structures, D8, N117, R141 and W348 were mutated to glycine residues. Their key role in glucose transport was evaluated by glucose uptake assays. N117G and W348G mutations led to 17 % decrease in glucose uptake, while D8G and R141G decreased the glucose transport by 66 % and 92 % respectively. Overall, our studies provide insights into the Prochlorococcus 3D-structure of GlcH, paving the way for further analysis to understand the features which are involved in the high affinity and multiphasic kinetics of this transporter.

Perfectionistic Self-Presentation Scale in Ecuador: psychometric properties and latent mean differences across genders / Escala de Autopresentación Perfeccionista en Ecuador: propiedades psicométricas y diferencias de medias latentes en función del género

Abstract Introduction: This paper aims to examine the psychometric properties, i.e., validity, reliability, factorial invariance, and latent mean differences based on gender, of the Perfectionistic Self-Presentation Scale, PSPS, in the Ecuadorian context. Method: A sample consisting of 597 Ecuadorian undergraduates participated in the study. Results: Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported a 14-item and three-dimensional model of the scale: Perfectionistic Self-Promotion, Nondisplay of Imperfection, and Nondisclosure of Imperfection. This model presented configural; measurement, i.e., metric, strong, and strict; as well as structural invariance across genders. Discriminant validity was observed by analysing correlations between PSPS factors and perfectionism traits. Males exhibited higher latent means of Perfectionistic Self-Promotion and also Nondisplay of Imperfection than females. Conclusions: The Spanish-translated and brief version of the PSPS represents a reliable and valid tool for assessing perfectionistic self-presentation in Ecuador.

Resumen Introducción: Este artículo tiene como objetivo examinar las propiedades psicométricas, i.e., validez, fiabilidad, invarianza factorial y diferencias de medias latentes en función del género, de la Escala de Autopresentación Perfeccionista, PSPS, en el contexto de Ecuador. Método: La muestra se compuso de 597 universitarios ecuatorianos. Resultados: El análisis factorial confirmatorio apoyó una estructura de la escala compuesta por 14 ítems y tres dimensiones: autopromoción perfeccionista, no-divulgación de la imperfección, y no-verbalización de la imperfección. Este modelo mostró invarianza configural; de medida, métrica, escalar y estricta; y estructural a través del género. El análisis de correlaciones entre los factores de la PSPS y los rasgos perfeccionistas evidenció la validez discriminante de la escala. Los hombres obtuvieron medias latentes significativamente más altas en comparación con las mujeres en los factores autopromoción perfeccionista y no-divulgación de la imperfección. Conclusiones: La versión de la PSPS abreviada y traducida al español representa una medida fiable y válida para evaluar la autopresentación perfeccionista en Ecuador.

Perfectionism and Emotional Intelligence: A Person-Centered Approach.

This study examined the relationship between perfectionistic concerns (PC) and perfectionistic strivings (PS) with the subcomponents of emotional intelligence (EI) through a latent class person-centered approach. A sample of 1582 Ecuadorian adolescents (619 females) aged from 12 to 18 was employed. The trait meta-mood scale-24 (TMMS-24) and the child and adolescent perfectionism scale (CAPS) were used, respectively, for assessing three subcomponents of EI (i.e., emotional attention, emotional clarity, and mood repair) and two perfectionist dimensions (PC and PS). A three-class solution (High perfectionism, moderate perfectionism, and nonperfectionism) was identified by using latent class analysis. High perfectionism significantly scored higher on emotional attention in comparison with the moderate and nonperfectionism classes, with small and moderate effect sizes. Overall, results suggest that people with high perfectionism might be at greater risk of developing maladaptive emotional self-regulation strategies, such as rumination, because of their tendency to excessively attend their negative mood states.

Marine Synechococcus sp. Strain WH7803 Shows Specific Adaptative Responses to Assimilate Nanomolar Concentrations of Nitrate.

Marine Synechococcus, together with Prochlorococcus, contribute to a significant proportion of the primary production on Earth. The spatial distribution of these two groups of marine picocyanobacteria depends on different factors such as nutrient availability and temperature. Some Synechococcus ecotypes thrive in mesotrophic and moderately oligotrophic waters, where they exploit both oxidized and reduced forms of nitrogen. Here, we present a comprehensive study, which includes transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of the response of Synechococcus sp. strain WH7803 to nanomolar concentrations of nitrate, compared to micromolar ammonium or nitrogen starvation. We found that Synechococcus has a specific response to a nanomolar nitrate concentration that differs from the response shown under nitrogen starvation or the presence of standard concentrations of either ammonium or nitrate. This fact suggests that the particular response to the uptake of nanomolar concentrations of nitrate could be an evolutionary advantage for marine Synechococcus against Prochlorococcus in the natural environment. IMPORTANCE Marine Synechococcus are a very abundant group of photosynthetic organisms on our planet. Previous studies have shown blooms of these organisms when nanomolar concentrations of nitrate become available. We have assessed the effect of nanomolar nitrate concentrations by studying the transcriptome and proteome of Synechococcus sp. WH7803, together with some physiological parameters. We found evidence that Synechococcus sp. strain WH7803 does sense and react to nanomolar concentrations of nitrate, suggesting the occurrence of specific adaptive mechanisms to allow their utilization. Thus, very low concentrations of nitrate in the ocean seem to be a significant nitrogen source for marine picocyanobacteria.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Nojirimycin α-C-Glycosides from a Bicyclic Acyliminium Intermediate: A Convenient Entry to N,C-Biantennary Glycomimetics.

A simple and efficient method for the stereoselective synthesis of nojirimycin α-C-glycoside derivatives has been developed using a bicyclic carbamate-type sp2-iminosugar, whose preparation on a gram scale has been optimized, as the starting material. sp2-iminosugar O-glycosides or anomeric esters serve as excellent precursors of acyliminium cations, which can add nucleophiles, including C-nucleophiles. The stereochemical outcome of the reaction is governed by stereoelectronic effects, affording the target α-anomer with total stereoselectivity. Thus, the judicious combination of C-allylation, carbamate hydrolysis, cross-metathesis, and hydrogenation reactions provides a very convenient entry to iminosugar α-C-glycosides, which have been transformed into N,C-biantennary derivatives by reductive amination or thiourea-forming reactions. The thiourea adducts undergo intramolecular cyclization to bicyclic iminooxazolidine iminosugar α-C-glycosides upon acid treatment, broadening the opportunities for molecular diversity. A preliminary evaluation against a panel of commercial glycosidases validates the approach for finely tuning the inhibitory profile of glycomimetics.

School anxiety profiles in Spanish adolescents and their differences in psychopathological symptoms.

School anxiety and psychopathological symptoms tend to co-occur across development and persist in adulthood. The present study aimed to determine school anxiety profiles based on Lang's model of the triple response system (cognitive anxiety, psychophysiological anxiety, and behavioral anxiety) and to identify possible differences between these profiles in psychopathological symptoms (depression, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity, somatization, anxiety, psychoticism, obsessive-compulsive, phobic anxiety, and paranoid ideation). The School Anxiety Inventory (SAI) and the Symptom Assessment-45 Questionnaire (SA-45) were administered to 1525 Spanish students (49% girls) between 15 and 18 years old (M = 16.36, SD = 1.04). Latent Profile Analysis identified four school anxiety profiles: Low School Anxiety, Average School Anxiety, High School Anxiety, and Excessive School Anxiety. A multivariate analysis of variance revealed statistically significant differences among the school anxiety profiles in all the psychopathological symptoms examined. Specifically, adolescents with Excessive School Anxiety showed significantly higher levels of the nine psychopathological symptoms than their peers with Average School Anxiety and Low School Anxiety. In addition, the Excessive School Anxiety profile scored significantly higher in phobic anxiety than the High School Anxiety group. These findings allow to conclude that it is necessary enhance well-being and reduce psychopathology of those adolescents who manifest high and very high reactivity in cognitive, psychophysiological, and behavioral anxiety.

Measurement Invariance and Latent Mean Differences Between American, Spanish and Chinese Adolescents Using the Social AnxietyScale for Adolescents (SAS-A) / Análisis de Invarianza y Diferencias de Medias Latentes Entre Adolescentes Americanos, Españoles y Chinos Usando la Escala deAnsiedad Social para Adolescentes (SAS-A)

Background: Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent disorders amongadolescents (Stein et al., 2017). The main aim of this study was to analyzethe equivalence of scores on the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents(SAS-A) using structural equation modeling and identify differences inlatent means of social anxiety in China, Spain, and the USA. Method:Random sampling was used to recruit participants, which included 536Chinese (46% girls), 1,178 Spanish (55.3% girls) and 866 North American(55.1% girls) adolescents. The participants’ ages ranged between 14 and17 years old. Results: The SAS-A three-factor correlated model of socialanxiety remained invariant between the Spanish and North Americanadolescents, but results could not be replicated in the Chinese adolescents[M2 = ΔS-Bχ2 (Δdf, p) = 4732.56 (36, < .01)]. Analyses of latent differencesbetween Spain and the USA showed that Spanish adolescents had higherscores than North Americans for Fear of Negative Evaluation (TS = -9.630;d = .44) and for Social Avoidance and General Anxiety towards people(TS = -2.717; d = .12). Conclusions: The results are interpreted accordingto the cultural traits of individualism-collectivism and self-construal, andpractical implications are discussed.

Antecedentes: la ansiedadsocial es uno de los trastornos con mayor prevalencia en adolescentes(Stein et al., 2017). Así, el propósito principal de este estudio fue analizarla invarianza de la Escala de Ansiedad Social para Adolescentes (SAS-A) mediante un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales y examinar las diferenciasde medias latentes en ansiedad social en adolescentes de China, España y EE.UU. Método: los participantes se seleccionaron a través de muestreoaleatorio: 534 chinos (46% chicas), 1.178 españoles (55,3% chicas) y866 norteamericanos (55,1% chicas), con edades comprendidas entre los14 y 17 años. Resultados: las puntuaciones del modelo de tres factorescorrelacionados de ansiedad social de la SAS-A resultaron invariantesentre adolescentes españoles y norteamericanos, pero estos resultados nofueron replicados en adolescentes chinos [M2 = ΔS-Bχ2 (Δdf, p) = 4732.56(36, < .01)]. El análisis de medias latentes entre España y EE.UU. mostróque los adolescentes españoles manifestaban niveles más altos de Miedoante las evaluaciones negativas (TS = -9.630; d = .44) y Evitación social yansiedad general hacia las personas (TS = -2.717; d = .12).Conclusiones: estos hallazgos fueron interpretados atendiendo al de individualismo-colectivismo y las concepciones culturales de la propia persona, analizandosus implicaciones prácticas.

Functional Glyconanomaterials.

Nanotechnology provides a new array of techniques and platforms to study biological processes including glycosystems [...].

Perfectionism, Motives, and Barriers to Exercise from a Person-Oriented Approach.

Perfectionism is considered to be a significant personality factor within the sport and exercise field. However, very little is known about the reasons why individuals with different perfectionistic tendencies engage or not in physical activity. This study aims, from a person-oriented approach, to analyze if participation motives and barriers may differ among four perfectionistic profiles: Non-Perfectionists (low perfectionistic strivings, PS, and perfectionistic concerns, PC), Adaptive Perfectionists (high PS and low PC), Maladaptive Perfectionists (high PS and PC), and Moderate Perfectionists (moderate PS and PC). A sample composed of 597 (Mage = 22.08, SD = 3.33) undergraduates enrolled in a sport science degree from Ecuador participated in this study. Non-Perfectionists reported lower levels of motives, whereas Adaptive and Maladaptive Perfectionists reported higher scores on all participation motives. Significant and positive correlations were found between PS and both autonomous and controlled motives, whereas PC was positively correlated with controlled reasons and only significantly correlated with some autonomous reasons by the effect of PS. In terms of barriers, Maladaptive Perfectionists reported significantly higher scores on all barriers analyzed in comparison with the other three profiles, with moderate and large effect sizes. The results of the bivariate and partial correlations suggest that these inter-profile differences were explained by PC. Considering the results, it is advised to develop strategies to identify Maladaptive Perfectionists in order to increase their intrinsic reasons for practicing physical exercise, and to minimize their perceived barriers.

Exploring different types of school refusers through latent profile analysis and school-related stress associations.

Children experience significant number of stressful situations at school during their academic years. The aims of this study were to identify school refusers groups of children through latent profile analysis and to test their associations with school-related sources and manifestation of stress. Data were obtained from 755 schoolchildren (8-11 years) from public and private schools of Alicante and Murcia (Spain), using the School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised (SRAS-R) and the School Situation Survey (SSS). In general, positive and statistically significant correlations were identified between school refusal behavior and school-related sources and manifestations of stress. School refusers groups were derived from the combination of high and low scores in the four functional conditions assessed by the SRAS-R. "Low School Refusal Behavior Profile,""School Refusal Behavior by Positive Reinforcement Profile" and "Mixed School Refusal Behavior Profile" were identified. The percentages of children within these profiles were 47.7%, 46.6%, and 5.7%, respectively. The Mixed School Refusal Behavior Profile was the group with the highest average scores in the school-related stress factors. In contrast, the group with the lowest mean scores was the Low School Refusal Behavior Profile. By comparing the Low School Refusal Behavior Profile with the Mixed School Refusal Behavior Profile, the largest effect sizes were found. Findings are discussed from a socio-ecological perspective considering the school context conditions as key elements in the development of school refusal behaviors.

Dispositional Empathy and Emotional Intelligence in terms of Perfectionistic Automatic Thoughts.

The maladaptive nature of Perfectionistic Automatic Thoughts (PAT) increases the importance of evaluating the construct. This study aims to identify different clusters of PAT in undergraduates, and to check possible inter-cluster differences in the dimensions of dispositional empathy and emotional intelligence in a sample of 691 Spanish undergraduates (Mage = 23.1; SD = 5.26). The Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and the Trait Meta-Mood Scale were used. Three clusters with low (LPAT), moderate (MPAT) and high (HPAT) levels of PAT were identified. Statistically significant differences were observed between these clusters in terms of dispositional empathy and emotional intelligence dimensions. HPAT significantly scored higher than LPAT on Fantasy, Empathic Concern, Personal Discomfort and Perception, as well as in comparison with MPAT on Fantasy, Empathic Concern, Personal Discomfort and Perception. Moreover, MPAT obtained significantly higher scores on Comprehension and Repair than LPAT. Effect sizes for these differences were of a small magnitude, except for the HPAT and LPAT contrasts, whose differences were of a moderate magnitude.

Detection of Executive Performance Profiles Using the ENFEN Battery in Children Diagnosed With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents. People who have this disorder are characterized by presenting difficulties in the processes of sustained attention, being very active, and having poor control of their impulses. Despite the high prevalence of this disorder and the existence of various tests used for its diagnosis, few data are available regarding the usefulness and diagnostic validity of these tools. Given the difficulties that these subjects present in executive functions, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether the Neuropsychological Assessment of Executive Functions battery for Children (ENFEN, for its acronym in Spanish, Portellano et al., 2009) allows to establish specific profiles of executive performance for people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The sample was made up of 197 participants of both sexes, aged between 6 and 12 years age (134 with a clinical diagnosis and 63 without pathology). A nonexperimental design was followed, using a comparative descriptive study method. The results indicated that the scales of phonological fluency, color path, rings, and interference are the most associated with the diagnosis of ADHD, providing data on inhibition, mental flexibility, sustained and selective attention, planning, verbal fluency, and working memory, among others. The practical implication of these results is in line with providing support in the clinical diagnosis that is carried out in children's mental health units. In addition, the ENFEN tool can be valued as a suitable psychometric instrument in the psychoeducational field, helping professionals in a school environment to be more aware of the areas of cognitive development in which a student diagnosed with ADHD will have more difficulties and, in doing so, providing more adjusted and effective psychopedagogical measures when it comes to supporting students in their adaptation to the school environment.

Cyclodextrin-Based Functional Glyconanomaterials.

Cyclodextrins (CDs) have long occupied a prominent position in most pharmaceutical laboratories as "off-the-shelve" tools to manipulate the pharmacokinetics of a broad range of active principles, due to their unique combination of biocompatibility and inclusion abilities. The development of precision chemical methods for their selective functionalization, in combination with "click" multiconjugation procedures, have further leveraged the nanoscaffold nature of these oligosaccharides, creating a direct link between the glyco and the nano worlds. CDs have greatly contributed to understand and exploit the interactions between multivalent glycodisplays and carbohydrate-binding proteins (lectins) and to improve the drug-loading and functional properties of nanomaterials through host-guest strategies. The whole range of capabilities can be enabled through self-assembly, template-assisted assembly or covalent connection of CD/glycan building blocks. This review discusses the advancements made in this field during the last decade and the amazing variety of functional glyconanomaterials empowered by the versatility of the CD component.

Cyclodextrin-Based Nanostructure Efficiently Delivers siRNA to Glioblastoma Cells Preferentially via Macropinocytosis.

Small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) has the potential to revolutionize therapeutics since it can knockdown very efficiently the target protein. It is starting to be widely used to interfere with cell infection by HIV. However, naked siRNAs are unable to get into the cell, requiring the use of carriers to protect them from degradation and transporting them across the cell membrane. There is no information about which is the most efficient endocytosis route for high siRNA transfection efficiency. One of the most promising carriers to efficiently deliver siRNA are cyclodextrin derivatives. We have used nanocomplexes composed of siRNA and a ß-cyclodextrin derivative, AMC6, with a very high transfection efficiency to selectively knockdown clathrin heavy chain, caveolin 1, and p21 Activated Kinase 1 to specifically block clathrin-mediated, caveolin-mediated and macropinocytosis endocytic pathways. The main objective was to identify whether there is a preferential endocytic pathway associated with high siRNA transfection efficiency. We have found that macropinocytosis is the preferential entry pathway for the nanoparticle and its associated siRNA cargo. However, blockade of macropinocytosis does not affect AMC6-mediated transfection efficiency, suggesting that macropinocytosis blockade can be functionally compensated by an increase in clathrin- and caveolin-mediated endocytosis.

Profiles of Problematic Internet Use in Bullying and Cyberbullying among Adolescents.

The rise of technology has increased risks such as problematic internet use or cyberbullying. Data show that there is problematic use of the internet, which has important repercussions academically, personally, socially and for health. The objective of this study was to identify different profiles that vary according to intra- and interpersonal conflicts related to internet use. In addition, this study aimed to examine whether there are significant differences in bullying and cyberbullying among adolescents with a conflict related to internet use. The study participants were 810 students of Compulsory Secondary Education (M = 13.99, SD = 1.32). The Questionnaire on School Violence and the Questionnaire of Experiences Related to Internet was use. The latent profile analysis identified four different types of conflicts related to internet use: (a) high levels in intra- and interpersonal conflicts; (b) low levels intra- and interpersonal conflicts; (c) moderate intra- and interpersonal conflicts and (d) very high levels in intra- and interpersonal conflicts. The results of the study indicated that there were significant differences in the manifestations of school violence between the profiles. This study assists in educational programs to prevent conflicts related to internet use and school violence through emotional adjustment.