Browsing by Author "Valenzuela, Rodrigo"
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Item Brain structural parameters correlate with University Selection Test outcomes in Chilean high school graduates(2022) Ivanovic, Daniza; Zamorano, Francisco; Soto-Icaza, Patricia; Rojas, Tatiana; Larraín, Cristián; Silva F., Claudio; Almagià, Atilio; Bustamante, Claudia; Arancibia, Violeta; Villagrán, Francisca; Valenzuela, Rodrigo; Barrera, Cynthia; Billeke, PabloHow well students learn and perform in academic contexts is a focus of interest for the students, their families, and the entire educational system. Although evidence has shown that several neurobiological factors are involved in scholastic achievement (SA), specific brain measures associated with academic outcomes and whether such associations are independent of other factors remain unclear. This study attempts to identify the relationship between brain structural parameters, and the Chilean national University Selection Test (PSU) results in high school graduates within a multidimensional approach that considers socio-economic, intellectual, nutritional, and demographic variables. To this end, the brain morphology of a sample of 102 students who took the PSU test was estimated using Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Anthropometric parameters, intellectual ability (IA), and socioeconomic status (SES) were also measured. The results revealed that, independently of sex, IA, gray matter volume, right inferior frontal gyrus thickness, and SES were significantly associated with SA. These findings highlight the role of nutrition, health, and socioeconomic variables in academic successItem Docosahexaenoic acid levels in erythrocytes and their association with the University Selection Test Outcomes in Chile(2018) Valenzuela, Rodrigo; Barrera, Cynthia; Orellana, Yasna; Almagià, Atilio; Arancibia, Violeta; Larraín, Cristian; Silva, Claudio; Billeke, Pablo; Zamorano, Francisco; Martínez, Víctor; Valenzuela, Alfonso; Ivanovic, DanizaThe aim of this study was to quantitate the relative impact of DHA and AA levels in erythrocytes, anthropometric parameters and socio-economic status of school-age children, of both genders, graduated from high school in Chile, on the scholastic achievement in the University Selection Test (Prueba de Selección Universitaria, PSU) both language scholastic achievement (LSA) and mathematics scholastic achievement (MSA). A representative sample of 671 school-age young graduated from high school in 2013, 550 and 548 of them took the PSU for LSA and MSA, respectively. Only school-age young with high (n=91) and low (n=69) SA in both tests were considered. A total of 122 school-age children agreed to participate in the study and were divided as follows: Group 1: high PSU outcome (n=70; males n=48) and Group 2: low PSU outcome (n=52; males n=23). Data were analyzed by means of SAS software. Independently of gender, DHA, socio-economic status and head circumference-for-age Z-score were the most relevant parameters explaining both LSA (R2=0.650; p<0.0001) and MSA outcomes (R2=0.700; p<0.0001). These results can be useful for nutrition, health and education planning, in order to protect children starting from an early age and thus increase their school outcomes.Publication Effects of a High-Fat Diet and Docosahexaenoic Acid during Pregnancy on Fatty Acid Composition in the Fetal Livers of Mice(2023) Álvarez, Daniela; Ortiz, Macarena; Valdebenito, Gabriel; Crisosto, Nicolás; Echiburú, Bárbara; Valenzuela, Rodrigo; Espinoza, Alejandra; Maliqueo, ManuelA high-fat diet (HFD) during pregnancy promotes fat accumulation and reduces docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels in the liver of the offspring at postnatal ages, which can depend on fetal sex. However, the prenatal mechanisms behind these associations are still unclear. Thus, we analyzed if an HFD alters DHA content and the expression of molecules related to fatty acid (FA) metabolism in the fetal liver. Female C57BL/6 mice were fed a control diet or HFD for 4–6 weeks before pregnancy until the gestational day (GD) 17.5. A subgroup of each diet received DHA (100 mg/Kg) orally from GD 6.5 until 16.5. On GD 17.5, maternal livers, placentas, and livers from male and female fetuses were collected for FA profiling with gas-chromatography and gene expression of molecules related to FA metabolism using qPCR. PPAR-α protein expression was evaluated using Western blot. The gene expression of placental FA transporters was also assessed. An HFD increased eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and decreased DHA levels and protein expression of PPAR-α in the fetal livers of both sexes. DHA increased the gene expression of Ppara, Cpt1, and Acsl1 in the livers of female fetuses. Therefore, an HFD reduces DHA levels and PPAR-α, a master regulator of gene expression, in the fetal liver. In turn, the livers of female fetuses seem to be more sensitive to DHA action.Item Impact of anthropometric nutritional parameters on the university selection test in Chile: A multifactorial approach(Elsevier Inc., 2019-01) Ivanovic, Daniza; Valenzuela, Rodrigo; Almagia, Atilio; Barrera, Cynthia; Arancibia, Violeta; Larraín, Cristian; Silva, Claudio; Billeke, Pablo; Zamorano, Francisco; Villagrán, Francisca; Orellana, Yasna; Martínez, VíctorObjectives Scholastic achievement (SA) is a multifactorial problem that depends on factors related to the child, the child's family, and the educational system. The aim of this study was to quantify the relative impact of significant variables at the beginning of high school during 2010 (first grade of high school [1 HSG]) on 2013 university selection test (Prueba de Seleccion Universitaria [PSU]) outcomes, both in language scholastic achievement (LSA) and mathematics scholastic achievement (MSA), when students graduated from high school (4 HSG). This was done at the time of university admission with a multicausal approach. The purpose was to confirm the hypothesis that the level of educational establishment SA, intellectual ability, sex, parental schooling levels, and head circumference for age Z-score at the onset of high school are the most relevant parameters associated with 2013 PSU outcomes, both in LSA and MSA. Methods A representative, proportional, and stratified sample of 671 children of both sexes who enrolled in 1 HSG in 2010 (mean age: 14.8 ± 0.6 y) participated in the study. Nutritional, intellectual, brain developmental, cardiovascular risk, socio-to-economic, demographic, and educational variables were quantitated. SA was assessed at 4 HSG with the 2013 PSU tests. Data were analyzed with SAS software. Results Educational establishment SA, intellectual ability, maternal schooling, and age Z-score were the most relevant parameters to explain LSA (R2 = 0.493; P < 0.0001) and MSA variance in addition to sex (male), but only in MSA (R2 = 0.600; P < 0.0001). Conclusions These findings confirm the hypothesis and can be useful to support nutritional, health, and educational planning.Item miRNA Landscape in Pathogenesis and Treatment of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease(2021) Vega, Fabian; Bustamante, Mario; Valenzuela, Rodrigo; Urzúa, Cristhian; Cuitino, LoretomiRNAs, one of the members of the noncoding RNA family, are regulators of gene expression in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Changes in miRNA pool expression have been associated with differentiation of CD4+ T cells toward an inflammatory phenotype and with loss of self-tolerance in autoimmune diseases. Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease is a chronic multisystemic pathology, affecting the uvea, inner ear, central nervous system, and skin. Several lines of evidence support an autoimmune etiology for VKH, with loss of tolerance against retinal pigmented epithelium-related self-antigens. This deleterious reaction is characterized by exacerbated inflammation, due to an aberrant T H 1 and T H 17 polarization and secretion of their proinflammatory hallmark cytokines interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-17, interferon γ, and tumor necrosis factor α, and an impaired CD4+ CD25 high FoxP3+ regulatory T cell function. To restrain inflammation, VKH is pharmacologically treated with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs as first and second line of therapy, respectively. Changes in the expression of miRNAs related to immunoregulatory pathways have been associated with VKH development, whereas some genetic variants of miRNAs have been found to be risk modifiers of VKH. Furthermore, the drugs commonly used in VKH treatment have great influence on miRNA expression, including those miRNAs associated to VKH disease. This relationship between response to therapy and miRNA regulation suggests that these small noncoding molecules might be therapeutic targets for the development of more effective and specific pharmacological therapy for VKH. In this review, we discuss the latest evidence regarding regulation and alteration of miRNA associated with VKH disease and its treatment.