Inmaculada Masero Moreno

Neurofeedback and standard pharmacological intervention in ADHD: A randomized controlled trial with six-month follow-up

The present study is a randomized controlled trial that aims to evaluate the efficacy of Neurofeedback compared to standard pharmacological intervention in the treatment of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The final sample consisted of 23 children with ADHD (11 boys and 12 girls, 7-14 years old). Participants carried out 40 theta/beta training sessions or received methylphenidate. Behavioral rating scales were completed by fathers, mothers, and teachers at pre-, post-treatment, two-, and six-month naturalistic follow-up. In both groups, similar significant reductions were reported in ADHD functional impairment by parents; and in primary ADHD symptoms by parents and teachers. However, significant academic performance improvements were only detected in the Neurofeedback group. Our findings provide new evidence for the efficacy of Neurofeedback, and contribute to enlarge the range of non-pharmacological ADHD intervention choices. To our knowledge, this is the first randomized controlled trial with a six-month follow-up that compares Neurofeedback and stimulant medication in ADHD.

Photosynthetic adaptation to length of day is dependent on S-sulfocysteine synthase activity in the thylakoid lumen

Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) chloroplasts contain two O-acetyl-serine(thiol)lyase (OASTL) homologs, OAS-B, which is an authentic OASTL, and CS26, which has S-sulfocysteine synthase activity. In contrast with OAS-B, the loss of CS26 function resulted in dramatic phenotypic changes, which were dependent on the light treatment. We have performed a detailed characterization of the photosynthetic and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters in cs26 plants compared with those of wild-type plants under short-day growth conditions (SD) and long-day growth conditions (LD). Under LD, the photosynthetic characterization, which was based on substomatal CO2 concentrations and CO2 concentration in the chloroplast curves, revealed significant reductions in most of the photosynthetic parameters for cs26, which were unchanged under SD. These parameters included net CO2 assimilation rate, mesophyll conductance, and mitochondrial respiration at darkness. The analysis also showed that cs26 under LD required more absorbed quanta per driven electron flux and fixed CO2. The nonphotochemical quenching values suggested that in cs26 plants, the excess electrons that are not used in photochemical reactions may form reactive oxygen species. A photoinhibitory effect was confirmed by the background fluorescence signal values under LD and SD, which were higher in young leaves compared with mature ones under SD. To hypothesize the role of CS26 in relation to the photosynthetic machinery, we addressed its location inside of the chloroplast. The activity determination and localization analyses that were performed using immunoblotting indicated the presence of an active CS26 enzyme exclusively in the thylakoid lumen. This finding was reinforced by the observation of marked alterations in many lumenal proteins in the cs26 mutant compared with the wild type.

Signaling in the plant cytosol: cysteine or sulfide?

AbstractCysteine (Cys) is the first organic compound containing reduced sulfur that is synthesized in the last stage of plant photosynthetic assimilation of sulfate. It is a very important metabolite not only because it is crucial for the structure, function and regulation of proteins but also because it is the precursor molecule of an enormous number of sulfur-containing metabolites essential for plant health and development. The biosynthesis of Cys is accomplished by the sequential reaction of serine acetyltransferase (SAT) and O-acetylserine(thiol)synthase (OASTL). In Arabidopsis thaliana, the analysis of specific mutants of members of the SAT and OASTL families has demonstrated that the cytosol is the compartment where the bulk of Cys synthesis takes place and that the cytosolic OASTL enzyme OAS-A1 is the responsible enzyme. Another member of the OASTL family is DES1, a novel l-cysteine desulfhydrase that catalyzes the desulfuration of Cys to produce sulfide, thus acting in a manner opposite to that of OAS-A1. Detailed studies of the oas-a1 and des1 null mutants have revealed the involvement of the DES1 and OAS-A1 proteins in coordinate regulation of Cys homeostasis and the generation of sulfide in the cytosol for signaling purposes. Thus, the levels of Cys in the cytosol strongly affect plant responses to both abiotic and biotic stress conditions, while sulfide specifically generated from the degradation of Cys negatively regulates autophagy induced in different situations. In conclusion, modulation of the levels of Cys and sulfide is likely critical for plant performance.

Low abundance does not mean less importance in cysteine metabolism

The cysteine molecule plays an essential role in cells because it is part of proteins and because it functions as a reduced sulfur donor molecule. In addition, the cysteine molecule may also play a role in the redox signaling of different stress processes. Even though the synthesis of cysteine by the most abundant of the isoforms of O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase in the chloroplast, the mitochondria and the cytosol is relatively well-understood, the role of the other less common isoforms homologous to O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase is unknown. Several studies on two of these isoforms, one located in the cytosol and the other one in the chloroplast, have shown that while one isoform operates with a desulfhydrase activity and is essential to regulate the homeostasis of cysteine in the cytosol, the other, located in the chloroplast, synthesizes S-sulfocysteine. This metabolite appears to be essential for the redox regulation of the chloroplast under certain lighting conditions.

MATEMÁTICAS, ECONOMÍA Y EMPRESA: APRENDIZAJE Y CONTEXTO

espanolLa norma tributaria unicamente establece el plazo de prescripcion para solicitar la devolucion de lo indebidamente pagado, faltando determinar los plazos para que opere la prescripcion de solicitar lo debidamente pagado como ocurre con la devolucion del IVA. El objetivo del estudio es determinar el plazo en el que prescribe la devolucion de lo debidamente pagado, realizando un analisis critico de la normativa tributaria ecuatoriana y los pronunciamientos de la autoridad competente, siendo la analogia un procedimiento admisible para colmar los vacios de la ley. En virtud del analisis, se concluye que el plazo en el que prescribe la devolucion de lo debidamente pagado es de 5 anos. EnglishThe tax stander establishes only the term of prescription for the refund request of the improperly paid, being necessary to determine the deadlines for the prescription for refund request of VAT. The objective of this study is to determine the period of time to request about the improperly paid, carrying out a critical analysis of the Ecuadorian tax regulations and the pronouncements of the competent authority, the analogy being an admissible procedure to fill the voids of the law. As such, it is concluded that the period of the refunded duly paid prescribed in 5 years.Los Metodos Cuantitativos constituyen un area con destacada importancia en la Ciencia Economica. Sin embargo, existe una actitud negativa del alumnado hacia sus disciplinas, especialmente en las Matematicas. Para mostrar su importancia y utilidad en esta Ciencia, proponemos la ensenanza practica de esta materia. En torno a esta idea planteamos los objetivos de aprendizaje, los contenidos y las actividades que abordan los conceptos del Calculo Diferencial e Integral y su aplicacion a fenomenos economicos basicos de la Teoria Economica.

Regulation of Autophagy by Hydrogen Sulfide

Hydrogen sulfide has been considered a toxic molecule; however, it has also been recently recognized as a signaling molecule of comparable importance to NO and H2O2 in plants, where it mediates the tolerance response and regulates essential processes such as autophagy. Autophagy is a conserved mechanism with a pro-survival role, involving the sequestration of cytoplasmic constituents within structures called autophagosomes that are then targeted for degradation inside the vacuole. The essential components of autophagy are conserved; one such protein is ATG8, which has been extensively used to monitor autophagic activity in plants by immunoblotting analysis and GFP fluorescence detection.