Gut microbiota in experimental murine model of Graves' orbitopathy established in different environments may modulate clinical presentation of disease.

BACKGROUND: Variation in induced models of autoimmunity has been attributed to the housing environment and its effect on the gut microbiota. In Graves' disease (GD), autoantibodies to the thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) cause autoimmune hyperthyroidism. Many GD patients develop Graves' orbitopathy or ophthalmopathy (GO) characterized by orbital tissue remodeling including adipogenesis. Murine models of GD/GO would help delineate pathogenetic mechanisms, and although several have been reported, most lack reproducibility. A model comprising immunization of female BALBc mice with a TSHR expression plasmid using in vivo electroporation was reproduced in two independent laboratories. Similar orbital disease was induced in both centers, but differences were apparent (e.g., hyperthyroidism in Center 1 but not Center 2). We hypothesized a role for the gut microbiota influencing the outcome and reproducibility of induced GO. RESULTS: We combined metataxonomics (16S rRNA gene sequencing) and traditional microbial culture of the intestinal contents from the GO murine model, to analyze the gut microbiota in the two centers. We observed significant differences in alpha and beta diversity and in the taxonomic profiles, e.g., operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from the genus Lactobacillus were more abundant in Center 2, and Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium counts were more abundant in Center 1 where we also observed a negative correlation between the OTUs of the genus Intestinimonas and TSHR autoantibodies. Traditional microbiology largely confirmed the metataxonomics data and indicated significantly higher yeast counts in Center 1 TSHR-immunized mice. We also compared the gut microbiota between immunization groups within Center 2, comprising the TSHR- or ßgal control-immunized mice and naïve untreated mice. We observed a shift of the TSHR-immunized mice bacterial communities described by the beta diversity weighted Unifrac. Furthermore, we observed a significant positive correlation between the presence of Firmicutes and orbital-adipogenesis specifically in TSHR-immunized mice. CONCLUSIONS: The significant differences observed in microbiota composition from BALBc mice undergoing the same immunization protocol in comparable specific-pathogen-free (SPF) units in different centers support a role for the gut microbiota in modulating the induced response. The gut microbiota might also contribute to the heterogeneity of induced response since we report potential disease-associated microbial taxonomies and correlation with ocular disease.

Estudios de aculturación en España en la última década / No disponible

En un mundo globalizado, numerosos grupos de personas entran en contacto permanentemente y experimentan cambios de carácter psicosocial. A estos cambios producidos durante el contacto entre grupos culturalmente diferentes hace referencia la llamada aculturación. En este trabajo se presenta una revisión sistemática de 18 artículos sobre las investigaciones que han tratado este fenómeno durante la última década (2005-2015) en España. Los resultados de esta revisión indican que las líneas temáticas más estudiadas en la literatura han sido los ámbitos aculturativos periféricos y nucleares, el papel del prejuicio en la adopción de un estilo aculturativo u otro, la influencia de las estrategias de aculturación adoptadas en la salud mental de las personas y otras variables que condicionan el proceso de aculturación. Como conclusión, existe un acuerdo generalizado sobre la importancia de trabajar variables como la empatía, el manejo de emociones o las habilidades sociales para fomentar la solidaridad y la sensibilidad intercultural desde edades tempranas

In a globalized world, numerous groups of people come into permanent contact with each other and experience psychosocial changes. These changes, produced during contact between culturally different groups, are called acculturation. In the present study, a systematic review was carried out of 18 journal articles that have researched this phenomenon over the last decade (2005-2015) in Spain. The results show that the main topics studied are the areas of nuclear and peripheral acculturation, the role of prejudice in the adoption of one acculturation style or another, the influence of the acculturation strategies adopted on people’s mental health and other variables that influence the process of acculturation. To sum up, there is general agreement on the importance of developing variables such as empathy, managing emotions or social skills in order to promote solidarity and intercultural sensitivity from an early age

Celos y envidia en el trabajo: una revisión de los últimos 20 años / No disponible

No cabe duda que las organizaciones pueden verse afectadas por las respuestas afectivas de sus miembros, y que el modo en que se gestionen estas respuestas influirá de manera decisiva en su desempeño laboral. Dos de las emociones que influyen de manera directa en el rendimiento son los celos y la envidia. El presente artículo tiene como objetivo realizar una revisión bibliográfica de los últimos 20 años sobre los celos y la envidia en el ámbito laboral. Tras una búsqueda exhaustiva de 41 artículos relevantes, se procedió a explorar las principales definiciones dadas, los métodos de medida utilizados para su evaluación y las variables antecedentes y consecuentes con las que se han relacionado estas dos emociones. Para terminar, se presentan las limitaciones de estos estudios y las propuestas de futuro para este campo de investigación. Los resultados apuntan que las futuras investigaciones deberían centrarse en el estudio de las variables moduladoras entre los celos y la envidia, además de tener en cuenta la utilización de metodología cualitativa y los estudios longitudinales

There is no doubt that organizations may be affected by the emotional responses of its members, and how these responses are handled decisively influence on job performance. Two of the emotions that have a direct bearing on performance are jealousy and envy. This paper aims to conduct a literature review of the last 20 years about jealousy and envy in the workplace. After an exhaustive search of 41 relevant articles, we proceeded to explore the main definitions given, the measurement methods used for evaluation and the antecedent and consequent variables which have related these two emotions. Finally, the limitations of these studies and proposals for the future of this research are presented. The results suggest that future research should focus on the study of moderator variables between jealousy and envy, while taking into account the use of qualitative methodology and longitudinal studies

Differences in fungi present in induced sputum samples from asthma patients and non-atopic controls: a community based case control study.

BACKGROUND: There is emerging evidence for the presence of an extensive microbiota in human lungs. It is not known whether variations in the prevalence of species of microbiota in the lungs may have aetiological significance in respiratory conditions such as asthma. The aim of the study was to undertake semi-quantitative analysis of the differences in fungal species in pooled sputum samples from asthma patients and controls. METHODS: Induced sputum samples were collected in a case control study of asthma patients and control subjects drawn from the community in Wandsworth, London. Samples from both groups were pooled and then tested for eukaryotes. DNA was amplified using standard PCR techniques, followed by pyrosequencing and comparison of reads to databases of known sequences to determine in a semi-quantitative way the percentage of DNA from known species in each of the two pooled samples. RESULTS: A total of 136 fungal species were identified in the induced sputum samples, with 90 species more common in asthma patients and 46 species more common in control subjects. Psathyrella candolleana, Malassezia pachydermatis, Termitomyces clypeatus and Grifola sordulenta showed a higher percentage of reads in the sputum of asthma patients and Eremothecium sinecaudum, Systenostrema alba, Cladosporium cladosporioides and Vanderwaltozyma polyspora showed a higher percentage of reads in the sputum of control subjects. A statistically significant difference in the pattern of fungi that were present in the respective samples was demonstrated using the Phylogenetic (P) test (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: This study is novel in providing evidence for the widespread nature of fungi in the sputum of healthy and asthmatic individuals. Differences in the pattern of fungi present in asthma patients and controls merit further investigation. Of particular interest was the presence of Malassezia pachydermatis, which is known to be associated with atopic dermatitis.

Aspirin-like defect in platelet secretion on a patient undergoing cardiac valve and coronary graft surgery. Perioperative management.

We show the case of an adult male with a previous diagnosis of an 'aspirin-like' defect in platelet secretion responses scheduled for cardiac valve surgery. Perioperative management and bleeding prevention were made following experts' recommendations.