Regional specific effect of saturated vs unsaturated fat on leptin receptor signalling in mice brain areas regulating feeding.

Leptin receptors (LepR) are expressed in brain areas controlling food intake homeostasis, such as the hypothalamus, the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. In a previous study we reported that long-term intake of saturated and monounsaturated fat alters hypothalamic LepR signalling. The current study aims at investigating the effect of foods high in either saturated (SOLF) or monounsaturated fat (UOLF) on LepR functionality in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex.

Identification and characterization of new isoforms of human fas apoptotic inhibitory molecule (FAIM).

Fas Apoptosis Inhibitory Molecule (FAIM) is an evolutionarily highly conserved death receptor antagonist, widely expressed and known to participate in physiological and pathological processes. Two FAIM transcript variants have been characterized to date, namely FAIM short (FAIM-S) and FAIM long (FAIM-L). FAIM-S is ubiquitously expressed and serves as an anti-apoptotic protein in the immune system.

Hybrid Surface Patterns Mimicking the Design of the Adhesive Toe Pad of Tree Frog.

Biological materials achieve directional reinforcement with oriented assemblies of anisotropic building blocks. One such example is the nanocomposite structure of keratinized epithelium on the toe pad of tree frogs, in which hexagonal arrays of (soft) epithelial cells are crossed by densely packed and oriented (hard) keratin nanofibrils. Here, a method is established to fabricate arrays of tree-frog-inspired composite micropatterns composed of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) micropillars embedded with polystyrene (PS) nanopillars.

Thermally-induced softening of PNIPAm-based nanopillar arrays.

The surface properties of soft nanostructured hydrogels are crucial in the design of responsive materials that can be used as platforms to create adaptive devices. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of thermo-responsive hydrogels such as poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) can be modified by introducing a hydrophilic monomer to create a wide range of thermo-responsive micro-/nano-structures in a large temperature range. Using surface initiation atom-transfer radical polymerization in synthesized anodized aluminum oxide templates, we designed, fabricated, and characterized thermo-responsive nanopillars based on PNIPAm hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties by incorporating acrylamide monomers (AAm).

Circulating CXCL16 in Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Background/aims: Chronic kidney disease and, specifically, diabetic kidney disease, is among the fastest increasing causes of death worldwide. A better understanding of the factors contributing to the high mortality may help design novel monitoring and therapeutic approaches. CXCL16 is both a cholesterol receptor and a chemokine with a potential role in vascular injury and inflammation.

New Double-Infiltration Methodology to Prepare PCL-PS Core-Shell Nanocylinders Inside Anodic Aluminum Oxide Templates.

Melt nanomolding of core-shell nanocylinders of different sizes, employing anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates, is reported here for the first time. The core-shell nanostructures are achieved by a new melt double-infiltration technique. During the first infiltration step, polystyrene (PS) nanotubes are produced by an adequate choice of AAO nanopore diameter size.

Changes in access to health services of the immigrant and native-born population in Spain in the context of economic crisis.

Aim: To analyze changes in access to health care and its determinants in the immigrant and native-born populations in Spain, before and during the economic crisis.

Methods: Comparative analysis of two iterations of the Spanish National Health Survey (2006 and 2012). Outcome variables were: unmet need and use of different healthcare levels; explanatory variables: need, predisposing and enabling factors.

Chromatin remodeling by the SWI/SNF complex is essential for transcription mediated by the yeast cell wall integrity MAPK pathway.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the transcriptional program triggered by cell wall stress is coordinated by Slt2/Mpk1, the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) of the cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway, and is mostly mediated by the transcription factor Rlm1. Here we show that the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex plays a critical role in orchestrating the transcriptional response regulated by Rlm1. swi/snf mutants show drastically reduced expression of cell wall stress-responsive genes and hypersensitivity to cell wall-interfering compounds.

Early detection of cervical cancer according to the discourses of primary care midwives in Segovia, Spain.

Objective: To analyze the discourses of primary care midwives on access to and utilization of the Cervical Cancer Prevention Program.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in an area of low population density with a high proportion of rural population in Segovia, Spain, between 2008 and 2009. Semi-structured interviews were carried out.

[Travel time and participation in breast cancer screening in a region with high population dispersion].

Objective: To analyze the association between travel time and participation in a breast cancer screening program adjusted for contextual variables in the province of Segovia (Spain).

Methods: We performed an ecological study using the following data sources: the Breast Cancer Early Detection Program of the Primary Care Management of Segovia, the Population and Housing Census for 2001 and the municipal register for 2006-2007. The study period comprised January 2006 to December 2007.

Pattern of health services use by immigrants from different regions of the world residing in Spain.

Objective: To determine immigrants' frequency of use of four health services by place of origin and compare it with that of the Spanish population.

Methods: Based on the 2006 National Health Survey in Spain, we estimated the frequency of use of four health services in men and women from: Spain, Western countries, Eastern Europe, Latin America, North Africa, Sub Saharan Africa and Asia/Oceania. These results were compared with the Spanish population by calculating odds ratios adjusted for age, socioeconomic position, health status, and type of health coverage.

Prevention of childhood obesity in Spain: a focus on policies outside the health sector. SESPAS report 2010.

Obesity is currently a global public health problem. Obesity in early life increases the risk of long-term energy imbalance and adult obesity and its comorbidities, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Since infancy and childhood are critical periods for the adoption of food preferences and physical activity, prevention strategies must intervene in these early periods to promote healthy habits and reduce risk behaviors.

[Health services utilization by the immigrant population in Spain].

Objective: To compare health services utilization between the immigrant and indigenous populations in Spain.

Methods: We used information provided by the following four health surveys carried out around 2005: Catalonia 2005; city of Madrid 2005, Canary Islands 2004 and the Autonomous Community of Valencia 2005. The health services studied were general practice, specialist services, emergency services, hospitalization, and two preventive services: pap smear test and mammography.