Psychosocial risks faced by olive workers in Spain: evaluated using the 'Mini Psychosocial Factors' questionnaire.

Background: Spain has the largest olive-growing area in Europe. The goal of the present research is to evaluate the psychosocial risks faced by workers in the olive groves of Jaén (the largest olive grove region of Spain).

Method: This method consists of 15 questions that analyse a total of 12 variables (mental load, demands, health, etc).

Changes in circulating extracellular vesicle cargo are associated with cognitive decline after major surgery: an observational case-control study.

Background: Postoperative neurocognitive decline is a frequent complication triggered by unclear signalling mechanisms. This observational case-control study investigated the effects of hip or knee replacement surgery on the composition of circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs), potential periphery-to-brain messengers, and their association with neurocognitive outcomes.

Methods: We mapped the microRNAome and proteome of plasma-derived EVs from 12 patients (six with good and six with poor neurocognitive outcomes at 3 months after surgery) at preoperative and postoperative timepoints (4, 8, 24, and 48 h).

Impaired astrocytic synaptic function by peripheral cholesterol metabolite 27-hydroxycholesterol.

Astrocytes represent the most abundant cell type in the brain, where they play critical roles in synaptic transmission, cognition, and behavior. Recent discoveries show astrocytes are involved in synaptic dysfunction during Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD patients have imbalanced cholesterol metabolism, demonstrated by high levels of side-chain oxidized cholesterol known as 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OH).

Review of Technological Challenges in Personalised Medicine and Early Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Disorders.

Neurodegenerative disorders are characterised by progressive neuron loss in specific brain areas. The most common are Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease; in both cases, diagnosis is based on clinical tests with limited capability to discriminate between similar neurodegenerative disorders and detect the early stages of the disease. It is common that by the time a patient is diagnosed with the disease, the level of neurodegeneration is already severe.

Surgical Trauma in Mice Modifies the Content of Circulating Extracellular Vesicles.

Surgical interventions rapidly trigger a cascade of molecular, cellular, and neural signaling responses that ultimately reach remote organs, including the brain. Using a mouse model of orthopedic surgery, we have previously demonstrated hippocampal metabolic, structural, and functional changes associated with cognitive impairment. However, the nature of the underlying signals responsible for such periphery-to-brain communication remains hitherto elusive.

Risk of musculoskeletal disorders in pepper cultivation workers.

Agricultural workers have an increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders, mainly due to the manual nature of the work. This study assesses the level of physical well-being in pepper cultivation workers in Almería (Spain). The objective was to analyze pepper cultivation tasks performed in the Almería-type greenhouse, using the OWAS (Ovako Working Posture Assessment System) and RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) methods.

Approach for Assessing the Prevalence of Psychosocial Risks of Workers in the Greenhouse Construction Industry in South-Eastern Spain.

This paper shows the prevalence of psychosocial risks for workers in the greenhouse construction industry in south-eastern Spain. : The assessment of the workers' psychosocial risks was carried out through simple random sampling, which uses a questionnaire containing 13 variables characterizing the companies, 14 variables characterizing the workers, and 15 questions proposed by the Mini Psychosocial Factors (MPFs) risk assessment method. A descriptive analysis and multiple correspondence analysis were performed on the sample data.

High levels of 27-hydroxycholesterol results in synaptic plasticity alterations in the hippocampus.

Alterations in brain cholesterol homeostasis in midlife are correlated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, global cholesterol-lowering therapies have yielded mixed results when it comes to slowing down or preventing cognitive decline in AD. We used the transgenic mouse model Cyp27Tg, with systemically high levels of 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OH) to examine long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampal CA1 region, combined with dendritic spine reconstruction of CA1 pyramidal neurons to detect morphological and functional synaptic alterations induced by 27-OH high levels.

Blocking Astrocytic GABA Restores Synaptic Plasticity in Prefrontal Cortex of Rat Model of Depression.

A decrease in synaptic plasticity and/or a change in excitation/inhibition balance have been suggested as mechanisms underlying major depression disorder. However, given the crucial role of astrocytes in balancing synaptic function, particular attention should be given to the contribution of astrocytes in these mechanisms, especially since previous findings show that astrocytes are affected and exhibit reactive-like features in depression. Moreover, it has been shown that reactive astrocytes increase the synthesis and release of GABA, contributing significantly to tonic GABA inhibition.

The impact of damage-associated molecular patterns on the neurotransmitter release and gene expression in the ex vivo rat carotid body.

New Findings: What is the central question of this study? Are carotid bodies (CBs) modulated by the damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and humoral factors of aseptic tissue injury? What are the main findings and their importance? DAMPs (HMGB1, S100 A8/A9) and blood plasma from rats subjected to tibia surgery, a model of aseptic injury, stimulate the release of neurotransmitters (ATP, dopamine) and TNF-α from ex vivo rat CBs. All-thiol HMGB1 mediates upregulation of immune-related biological pathways. These data suggest regulation of CB function by endogenous mediators of innate immunity.

Musculoskeletal Risks: RULA Bibliometric Review.

The objective of this study was to reveal RULA method applications in terms of the knowledge, country, year and journal categories. The search was performed using the "Web of Science Core Collection". The period from 1993 to April 2019 was selected.

An Overview of REBA Method Applications in the World.

The objective of this work is to review literature, worldwide, in which the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) ergonomic assessment method was applied and count the number of times that REBA was applied together with other methods and subsequent incidence. The database used was the "Web of Science-Core Collection". Only scientific articles and bibliographic reviews were included, analysing a total of 314 documents and selecting only 91.

The Guatemalan Construction Industry: Approach of Knowledge Regarding Work Risks Prevention.

In the present work, the results are presented for the characterization of work risk prevention in the Guatemalan construction industry. This characterization has been carried out using a simple random sampling technique, employing a questionnaire that was structured into 3 groups of variables: 1. General company data; 2.

Disrupted Neuroglial Metabolic Coupling after Peripheral Surgery.

Immune-related events in the periphery can remotely affect brain function, contributing to neurodegenerative processes and cognitive decline. In mice, peripheral surgery induces a systemic inflammatory response associated with changes in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and transient cognitive decline, however, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here we investigated the effect of peripheral surgery on neuronal-glial function within hippocampal neuronal circuits of relevance to cognitive processing in male mice at 6, 24, and 72 h postsurgery.

Musculoskeletal disorders: OWAS review.

The prevention of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) is very important in the world. Governments and companies are the most interested. The objective of the present work is to review the literature on the applications of the OWAS method in the diverse sectors or fields of knowledge and countries from its publication to March 2017.

Running Opposes the Effects of Social Isolation on Synaptic Plasticity and Transmission in a Rat Model of Depression.

Stress, such as social isolation, is a well-known risk factor for depression, most probably in combination with predisposing genetic factors. Physical exercise on the other hand, is depicted as a wonder-treatment that makes you healthier, happier and live longer. However, the published results on the effects of exercise are ambiguous, especially when it comes to neuropsychiatric disorders.

Acute and Long-Term Effects of Brief Sevoflurane Anesthesia During the Early Postnatal Period in Rats.

The possibility that exposure to general anesthetics during early life results in long-term impairment of neural function attracted considerable interest over the past decade. Extensive laboratory data suggest that administration of these drugs during critical stages of central nervous system development can lead to cell death, impaired neurogenesis, and synaptic growth as well as cognitive deficits. These observations are corroborated by several recent human epidemiological studies arguing that such cognitive impairment might also occur in humans.

Dopaminergic control of autophagic-lysosomal function implicates Lmx1b in Parkinson's disease.

The role of developmental transcription factors in maintenance of neuronal properties and in disease remains poorly understood. Lmx1a and Lmx1b are key transcription factors required for the early specification of ventral midbrain dopamine (mDA) neurons. Here we show that conditional ablation of Lmx1a and Lmx1b after mDA neuron specification resulted in abnormalities that show striking resemblance to early cellular abnormalities seen in Parkinson's disease.

Hippocampal morphology in a rat model of depression: the effects of physical activity.

Accumulating in vivo and ex vivo evidences show that humans suffering from depression have decreased hippocampal volume and altered spine density. Moreover, physical activity has an antidepressant effect in humans and in animal models, but to what extent physical activity can affect hippocampal volume and spine numbers in a model for depression is not known. In this study we analyzed whether physical activity affects hippocampal volume and spine density by analyzing a rodent genetic model of depression, Flinders Sensitive Line Rats (FSL), with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and ex vivo Golgi staining.

Aspirin-triggered resolvin D1 prevents surgery-induced cognitive decline.

Hospitalization for major surgery or critical illness often associates with cognitive decline. Inflammation and dysregulation of the innate immune system can exert broad effects in the periphery and central nervous system (CNS), yet the mechanisms underlying memory impairment after surgery remain poorly understood and without effective therapy. Endogenous regulation of acute inflammation is providing novel approaches to treat several disease states including sepsis, pain, obesity and diabetes.

Dysfunctional hippocampal activity affects emotion and cognition in mood disorders.

Mood disorders, such as major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder and generalized anxiety disorder usually comprise mood related as well as cognitive symptoms and the interaction between these symptoms is still not clear. Most antidepressant drugs have a positive effect on mood but do not treat the cognitive dysfunctions or even aggravate the symptoms. In this review we will evaluate the association between mood and cognition in the context of mood disorders.

Dysfunctional astrocytic regulation of glutamate transmission in a rat model of depression.

Depression is usually associated with alterations in the monoaminergic system. However, new evidences suggest the involvement of the glutamatergic system in the aetiology of depression. Here we explored the glutamatergic system in a rat model of depression (i.

Altered postnatal development of cortico-hippocampal neuronal electric activity in mice deficient for the mitochondrial aspartate-glutamate transporter.

The deficiency in the mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate transporter Aralar/AGC1 results in a loss of the malate-aspartate NADH shuttle in the brain neurons, hypomyelination, and additional defects in the brain metabolism. We studied the development of cortico/hippocampal local field potential (LFP) in Aralar/AGC1 knockout (KO) mice. Laminar profiles of LFP, evoked potentials, and unit activity were recorded under anesthesia in young (P15 to P22) Aralar-KO and control mice as well as control adults.

[Deep brain stimulation: 12 years' experience and 150 patients treated with a follow-up of over a year].

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a widely accepted clinical technique. The main motor symptoms are significantly reduced. The success of the technique depends on the experience of the neurosurgeon, neurologist and neurophysiologist who carry it out.