Controlar el estrés cotidiano alivia síntomas de enfermedades autoinmunes como el lupus

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– Controlar el estrés cotidiano alivia síntomas de enfermedades autoinmunes como el lupus

Un estudio del Departamento de Medicina de la Universidad de Granada indica que el estrés cotidiano empeora los síntomas de los enfermos con lupus eritematoso y que un tratamiento de afrontamiento del estrés en estos enfermos, además de mejorar los niveles de estrés, ansiedad y síntomas depresivos, mejora parte de las manifestaciones clínicas de la enfermedad, dando lugar a una mejoría significativa en la calidad de vida de estos pacientes. El estudio español, realizado por Nuria Navarrete y dirigido por Juan Jiménez Alonso y María Isabel Peralta Ramírez, se publica en Psychosomatic Medicine.

Los investigadores aplicaron una terapia de afrontamiento del estrés a 45 pacientes con lupus y niveles elevados de estrés. Los resultados de la investigación mostraron que aquellos que siguieron la terapia alcanzaron niveles de estrés, ansiedad y depresión incluso inferiores a los de la población general y que mejoraron su calidad de vida, presentando menos síntomas cutáneos y musculo-esqueléticos, los más frecuentes entre los afectados por el lupus. El control de su estrés disminuyó síntomas como la sensación de fatiga, la pérdida de peso, la fiebre continuada y el dolor e inflamación de las articulaciones.

Los estudios que analizan la relación entre lupus y estrés son de difícil diseño y realización, lo que los convierte en escasos en la literatura médica, además no siempre concuerdan en sus conclusiones. De ahí el valor de la aportación española. Según explica Juan Jiménez Alonso, se hace necesario controlar el estrés cotidiano en los enfermos de lupus eritematoso como parte del tratamiento médico, pues mejora su calidad de vida al reducir síntomas psicológicos y parte de los debidos a la propia enfermedad. Además, señala el investigador, el trabajo abre nuevas vía para continuar la investigación y abundar en los factores desencadenantes de los brotes lúpicos, entre los que está el estrés.

Los resultados de la investigación, en la que han participado especialistas de las Unidades de Enfermedades Autoinmunes Sistémicas de los hospitales Universitarios Virgen de las Nieves y San Cecilio de Granada y de la Facultad de Psicología de esta ciudad andaluza, resaltan la importancia del abordaje global del enfermo en el lupus y, por extensión, en otras enfermedades crónicas. Pensamos que podría ser útil desde el momento del diagnóstico de la enfermedad, pues ya en ese momento el paciente puede requerir ayuda para manejar su estrés y minimizar sus efectos negativos, indica Nuria Navarrete.

Los autores del trabajo señalan que el estrés está muy presente en la vida de estos pacientes ya que junto a las situaciones cotidianas que provocan ansiedad a población sana estas personas tienen que afrontar una enfermedad crónica incurable, aunque puede ser controlada, que requiere un tratamiento que en algunos casos se extiende a toda una vida.
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«Colombo era lombardo» Lo rivela il test del Dna

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– «Colombo era lombardo» Lo rivela il test del Dna

I risultati della tesi di laurea di una studentessa di Pavia
MILANO – Genovese o spagnolo, Cristoforo Colombo? Meglio lombardo. La corsa per dare i natali al grande navigatore che per primo attraversò lAtlantico raggiungendo il continente americano segna oggi un punto a favore della Lombardia: sulle sue origini una studentessa di Voghera, Natalia Lugli, 23 anni, ci ha svolto la tesi di laurea magistrale alla Facoltà di Scienze Biologiche dell Università di Pavia. Un lavoro serio, basato su oltre 100 analisi del Dna tratto dalla saliva di altrettanti uomini – piemontesi, liguri e lombardi – con cognome, appunto, Colombo. La tesi da dimostrare era che il grande navigatore era lombardo in quanto lombarda è lorigine del suo cognome.
Un lavoro apparentemente fin troppo facile: basta aprire lelenco del telefono di Milano e al nome Colombo ci sono quattro pagine di abbonati. E chi non ricorda la famosa commedia di Giuseppe Adami, Felicita Colombo, ricca e intraprendente salumiera milanese, interpretata da Dina Galli e poi da Valeria Valeri? Ma la vicenda è seria e scientifica: nasce dalla volontà del professor Josè Antonio Lorente Acosta, direttore del Laboratorio di Identificazione Genetica della Facoltà di Medicina dellUniversità di Granada, di dimostrare, col suo Projecto Colon, primo che i resti conservati a Siviglia sono effettivamente di Cristoforo Colombo, poi che Colombo era spagnolo.
Alla prima dimostrazione, fatta confrontando il Dna con quello dei resti del figlio e del fratello, ha collaborato anche il professor Carlo Alberto Redi del Dipartimento di Biologia Animale dellUniversità di Pavia nonché direttore scientifico del Policlinico S. Matteo e Accademico dei Lincei, perché proprio a Pavia esiste un frammento di osso che un certificato notarile dellepoca attribuisce al navigatore. Proprio in occasione di questa collaborazione, il professor Redi inviò una sua allieva, Natalia Lugli dal collega Lorente, con il quale si stabilì che entrambi avrebbero fatto ricerche per stabilire anche lorigine del cognome Colombo nellItalia settentrionale, nella Francia meridionale e in Spagna.
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Controlling stress helps fight lupus

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– Controlling stress helps fight lupus

Reducing stress in those with lupus decreases some symptoms such as weight loss, fatigue, fever, pain and joint inflammation, says a Spanish study.

University of Granada researchers found patients who received psychological therapy significantly reduced their levels of stress — daily stress which occurs in circumstances of little importance but of high frequency — had reduced levels of anxiety and depression, achieving even lower stress levels than those of the general population.

Dr. Nuria Navarrete Navarrete, Juan Jimenez Alonso and Maria Isabel Peralta Ramirez applied a therapy to fight stress in a group of 45 patients suffering from lupus to teach them how to manage their stress and reduce the negative effects of lupus.

The researchers found that the lupus patients who received the therapy significantly improved their quality of life both at a physical and psychological level and presented fewer skin and muscular skeletal symptoms, which usually appear in patients suffering from lupus, according to the study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

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Goats’ Milk Shown to be More Healthful Than Cows’ Milk Related News

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– Goats Milk Shown to be More Healthful Than Cows Milk Related News

Aug 3,2007-Results obtained in the study reveal that ferropenic anaemia and bone demineralisation caused by this pathology have a better recovery with goats milk.

Research carried out at the Department of Physiology of the University of Granada (Universidad de Granada [http://www.ugr.es/]) has revealed that goats milk has more beneficial properties to health than cows milk. Just two of these properties are, 1. that it helps to prevent ferropenic anaemia (iron deficiency) and 2. that it helps to prevent bone demineralisation (softening of the bones).

This project, conducted by Doctor Javier Díaz Castro and directed by professors Margarita Sánchez Campos, Ma Inmaculada López Aliaga and Ma José Muñoz Alférez, focuses on the comparison between the nutritional properties of goats milk and cows milk, both with normal calcium content and calcium enriched, against the bioavailability of iron, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. To carry out this study, the metabolic balance technique has been used both in rats with experimentally induced nutritional ferropenic anaemia and in a control group of rats.

In order to know how the nutritive utilisation of these minerals may affect their metabolic distribution and destination, the UGR researcher has determined the concentration of these minerals in the different organs involved in their homeostatic regulation and different haematological parameters in relation to the metabolism of the minerals.

Better results with goats milk

Results obtained in the study reveal that ferropenic anaemia and bone demineralisation caused by this pathology have a better recovery with goats milk. Due to the higher bioavailability of iron, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, the restoration of altered haematological parameters and the better levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), a hormone that regulates the calcium balance in the organism was found in the rats that consumed this food.

Javier Díaz Castro points out that the inclusion of goats milk with normal or double calcium content in the diet favours digestive and metabolic utilisation of iron, calcium and phosphorus and their deposit in target organs – parts of the organism to which these minerals are preferably sent – involved in their homeostatic regulation.

According to this researcher, all these conclusions reveal that regular consumption of goats milk — a natural food with highly beneficial nutritional characteristics – has positive effects on mineral metabolism, recovery from ferropenic anaemia and bone mineralisation in rats. In addition, and unlike observations in cows milk, its calcium enrichment does not interfere in the bioavailability of the minerals studied.

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Stress management helps fight chronic diseases such as Lupus

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– Stress management helps fight chronic diseases such as Lupus

Benefits of stress management and Lupus treatment

Lupus is an autoimmune disease affecting more than 5 million people around the world, and makes the immune system attack the bodys cells and tissue as if they were enemies.

It particularly affects women of fertile age between 15 and 44 years old.

A study conducted at the University of Granada (Universidad de Granada) shows that reducing stress in people suffering from lupus also decreases some symptoms of this disease such as inexplicable loss of weight, feeling of fatigue, continuous fever or pain and inflammation in joints.

Patients who received psychological therapy significantly reduced their levels of stress, anxiety and depression, achieving even lower levels than those of the general population.
C@MPUS DIGITAL Lupus is an autoimmune disease which produces antibodies causing injuries to the bodys cells and tissue. It makes the immune system go out of control and the organism attack healthy cells instead of the germs on them. This pathology, which affects more than 5 million people around the world, is more developed in women of fertile age between 15 and 44 years old.

A study conducted in the Department of Medicine at the University of Granada determined that daily stress (which occurs in circumstances of little importance but of high frequency) could exacerbate the symptoms of patients suffering from lupus. In other words, controlling the stress level of those suffering from this disease allows the determination of its negative effects, such as inexplicable loss of weight, feeling of fatigue, continuous fever or pain and inflammation in joints.

This study, carried out by Dr. Nuria Navarrete Navarrete and led by researchers Juan Jiménez Alonso and María Isabel Peralta Ramírez, aimed to check the effects of stress treatment in patients suffering from lupus and with high levels of stress. A team of psychologists from the University of Granada applied a therapy to fight stress in a group of 45 patients suffering from lupus to teach them how to manage their stress to reduce the negative effects of this disease. Results showed that patients who received psychological therapy signifcantly reduced their levels of stress, anxiety and depression, achieving levels even lower than those of the general population. Furthermore, they significantly improved their quality of life both at a physical and psychological level and presented fewer skin and musclar skeletal symptoms, which usually appear in patients suffering from lupus.

Daily stress management

Nuria Navarrete explains that lupus is a chronic disease whose course is unpredictable. Patients alternate periods of clinical stability with others in which there are symptoms and signs showing that the disease is active. In addition, there are certain factors such as stress which may cause crisis and, therefore, worsen the prognosis of the disease.

Daily stress is very common in patients suffering from lupus. Apart from the usual circumstances which produce anxiety in a healthy population, other effects include knowing that your body suffers from a chronic disease which is controllable but incurable and of uncertain prognosis that requires chronic treatment (in some cases for the rest of their life) and which have important secondary effects.

The results of this study highlighted the importance of dealing appropriately with patients suffering from lupus and, by extension, from other chronic diseases. According to our results, attention on other psychological aspects is essential to achieve an effective global treatment of the patient, says Navarrete. In other words, the treatment of daily stress, together with the usual pharmacological treatment, is a useful weapon when treating patients suffering from lupus. We think that this treatment could be useful from the moment in which the disease is diagnosed, as patients may require help to manage their stress and minimise its negative effects, says researcher Navarrete.

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Controlling Stress Helps Fight Lupus

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– Controlling Stress Helps Fight Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease which produces antibodies causing injuries to the bodys cells and tissue. It makes the immune system go out of control and the organism attack healthy cells instead of the germs on them. This pathology, which affects more than 5 million people around the world, is more developed in women of fertile age between 15 and 44 years old.

A study conducted in the Department of Medicine at the University of Granada determined that daily stress (which occurs in circumstances of little importance but of high frequency) could exacerbate the symptoms of patients suffering from lupus. In other words, controlling the stress level of those suffering from this disease allows the determination of its negative effects, such as inexplicable loss of weight, feeling of fatigue, continuous fever or pain and inflammation in joints.

This study, carried out by Dr. Nuria Navarrete Navarrete and led by researchers Juan Jiménez Alonso and María Isabel Peralta Ramírez, aimed to check the effects of stress treatment in patients suffering from lupus and with high levels of stress. A team of psychologists from the University of Granada applied a therapy to fight stress in a group of 45 patients suffering from lupus to teach them how to manage their stress to reduce the negative effects of this disease. Results showed that patients who received psychological therapy signifcantly reduced their levels of stress, anxiety and depression, achieving levels even lower than those of the general population. Furthermore, they significantly improved their quality of life both at a physical and psychological level and presented fewer skin and musclar skeletal symptoms, which usually appear in patients suffering from lupus.

Managing daily stress Nuria Navarrete explains that lupus is a chronic disease whose course is unpredictable. Patients alternate periods of clinical stability with others in which there are symptoms and signs showing that the disease is active. In addition, there are certain factors such as stress which may cause crisis and, therefore, worsen the prognosis of the disease.

Daily stress is very common in patients suffering from lupus. Apart from the usual circumstances which produce anxiety in a healthy population, other effects include knowing that your body suffers from a chronic disease which is controllable but incurable and of uncertain prognosis that requires chronic treatment (in some cases for the rest of their life) and which have important secondary effects.

The results of this study highlighted the importance of dealing appropriately with patients suffering from lupus and, by extension, from other chronic diseases. According to our results, attention on other psychological aspects is essential to achieve an effective global treatment of the patient, says Navarrete. In other words, the treatment of daily stress, together with the usual pharmacological treatment, is a useful weapon when treating patients suffering from lupus. We think that this treatment could be useful from the moment in which the disease is diagnosed, as patients may require help to manage their stress and minimise its negative effects, says researcher Navarrete.

Part of the results of this study were published in the renowned journals Psychosomatic Medicine and Revista Clínica Española.

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Controlling Stress can Combat Chronic Diseases Like Lupus

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– Controlling Stress can Combat Chronic Diseases Like Lupus

A study conducted in the Department of Medicine at the University of Granada determined that daily stress could exacerbate the symptoms of patients suffering from lupus

In other words, controlling the stress level of those suffering from this disease allows the determination of its negative effects, such as inexplicable loss of weight, feeling of fatigue, continuous fever or pain and inflammation in joints.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease which produces antibodies causing injuries to the body’s cells and tissue. It makes the immune system go out of control and the organism attack healthy cells instead of the germs on them. This pathology, which affects more than 5 million people around the world, is more developed in women of fertile age between 15 and 44 years old.

The study, carried out by Dr. Nuria Navarrete Navarrete and led by researchers Juan Jiménez Alonso and María Isabel Peralta Ramírez, aimed to check the effects of stress treatment in patients suffering from lupus and with high levels of stress. A team of psychologists from the University of Granada applied a therapy to fight stress in a group of 45 patients suffering from lupus to teach them how to manage their stress to reduce the negative effects of this disease.

Results showed that patients who received psychological therapy signifcantly reduced their levels of stress, anxiety and depression, achieving levels even lower than those of the general population. Furthermore, they significantly improved their quality of life both at a physical and psychological level and presented fewer skin and musclar skeletal symptoms, which usually appear in patients suffering from lupus.
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Controlling stress helps fight chronic diseases such as lupus

Escrito por

– Controlling stress helps fight chronic diseases such as lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease which produces antibodies causing injuries to the body’s cells and tissue. It makes the immune system go out of control and the organism attack healthy cells instead of the germs on them. This pathology, which affects more than 5 million people around the world, is more developed in women of fertile age between 15 and 44 years old.

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A study conducted in the Department of Medicine [http://www.ugr.es/~medicina/pinvesti.htm] at the University of Granada [http://www.ugr.es] determined that daily stress (which occurs in circumstances of little importance but of high frequency) could exacerbate the symptoms of patients suffering from lupus. In other words, controlling the stress level of those suffering from this disease allows the determination of its negative effects, such as inexplicable loss of weight, feeling of fatigue, continuous fever or pain and inflammation in joints.

This study, carried out by Dr. Nuria Navarrete Navarrete and led by researchers Juan Jiménez Alonso and María Isabel Peralta Ramírez, aimed to check the effects of stress treatment in patients suffering from lupus and with high levels of stress. A team of psychologists from the University of Granada [http://www.ugr.es] applied a therapy to fight stress in a group of 45 patients suffering from lupus to teach them how to manage their stress to reduce the negative effects of this disease. Results showed that patients who received psychological therapy signifcantly reduced their levels of stress, anxiety and depression, achieving levels even lower than those of the general population. Furthermore, they significantly improved their quality of life both at a physical and psychological level and presented fewer skin and musclar skeletal symptoms, which usually appear in patients suffering from lupus.

Managing daily stress

Nuria Navarrete explains that lupus is a chronic disease whose course is unpredictable. Patients alternate periods of clinical stability with others in which there are symptoms and signs showing that the disease is active. In addition, there are certain factors such as stress which may cause crisis and, therefore, worsen the prognosis of the disease.

Daily stress is very common in patients suffering from lupus. Apart from the usual circumstances which produce anxiety in a healthy population, other effects include knowing that your body suffers from a chronic disease which is controllable but incurable and of uncertain prognosis that requires chronic treatment (in some cases for the rest of their life) and which have important secondary effects.

The results of this study highlighted the importance of dealing appropriately with patients suffering from lupus and, by extension, from other chronic diseases. “According to our results, attention on other psychological aspects is essential to achieve an effective global treatment of the patient”, says Navarrete. In other words, the treatment of daily stress, together with the usual pharmacological treatment, is a useful weapon when treating patients suffering from lupus. “We think that this treatment could be useful from the moment in which the disease is diagnosed, as patients may require help to manage their stress and minimise its negative effects,” says researcher Navarrete.

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La UGR recoge en un libro varios estudios sobre el desarrollo económico mundial

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Desde el neoinstitucionalismo hasta el desarrollo, subdesarrollo y evolución del sistema económico mundial, pasando por la pasión por el crecimiento o el colapso del consejo de Washington y nueva agenda del desarrollo, el libro “Desarrollo: Crónica de un desafío permanente”, que compila el profesor de Economía Aplicada de la Universidad de Granada Fernando López Castellano y publica la Editorial de la Universidad de Granada en colaboración con el Centro de Iniciativas de Cooperación al Desarrollo (CICODE), pretende contribuir al conocimiento de la evolución del pensamiento económico sobre el desarrollo, y, a tal fin, acercar al lector a una selección de textos referentes a distintas tradiciones de pensamiento, enfoques analíticos y líneas metodológicas, que plantean la necesidad de “repensar” la economía del desarrollo.

Así, el volumen recoge reflexiones y trabajos de estudiosos del desarrollo: Mancar Olson Jr., Robert Hinrichs Bates, Dani Rodrik y Arvind Subramanian, quienes se refieren al neoinstitucionalismo, acción colectiva y economía política del desarrollo; Samir Amin, Inmanuel Wallerstein, Giovanni Arrigí y Michel Aglietta, sobre “Desarrollo, subdesarrollo y evolución del sistema económico mundial; Paul Streeten, Amartya Kumar Sen, Herman E. Daly, sobre el capítulo que se titula “Más allá de la pasión por el crecimiento”; Joseph E. Stiglitz, José Antonio Ocampo, Achile Mbembe y Ha-Joon Chang, autores del capítulo “Colapso del Consenso de Washington y nueva agenda del desarrollo”.

Según el autor, compilador de estos textos: “Ha pasado un cuarto de siglo desde que A. O. Hirschman entonara el epitafio de la Economía del Desarrollo. Eran los primeros años 80 de la pasada centuria, la época de la fascinación había acabado y el desarrollo desaparecía de la agenda económica y política de los gobiernos. La adaptación de las economías al nuevo marco competitivo daba lugar a un giro copernicano en las estrategias y el saber neoclásico retornaba a la escena económica”.

Referencia
Prof. Fernando López Castellano. Departamento de Economía Aplicada. Universidad de Granada.
Tfns: 958 248345 / 244046.
Correo e. flopezc@ugr.es

Estudian los mecanismos mentales responsables de las conductas de riesgo que ejecutamos al conducir, practicar sexo o drogarnos

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¿Cuáles son los mecanismos mentales que llevan a un individuo a desarrollar conductas de riesgo como realizar adelantamientos indebidos en la carretera, realizar prácticas sexuales inseguras o consumir drogas aún sabiendo sus consecuencias? Averiguarlos es el objetivo de un grupo de científicos del Departamento de Psicología Experimental y Fisiología del Comportamiento de la Universidad de Granada, quienes trabajan en el proyecto “El comportamiento de riesgo: bases cognitivas, emocionales y neuropsicológicas”, que ha sido subvencionado como Proyecto de Excelencia con un importe de 193.000 euros por la Junta de Andalucía.

Este trabajo, que dirigen los profesores Andrés Catena Martínez, José Juan Cañas Delgado, Antonio Maldonado López y Antonio Cándido Ortiz, y en el que participan un total de 13 investigadores, permitirá medir variables que nunca antes se han cuantificado en este contexto, como la actividad cerebral, para a partir de ellas predecir y modificar las conductas de riesgo de los individuos. En otras palabras, la investigación de la UGR permitirá determinar el estado emocional del individuo y actuar sobre él, relacionando los sistemas cognitivo y emocional a través del estudio de sus variables.

Simulador de HONDA
Para ello, los científicos de la UGR estudiarán la conducción arriesgada gracias a un simulador proporcionado por la compañía HONDA (Riding Trainer), una suerte de motocicleta que plantea al sujeto una serie de situaciones de riesgo para ver cómo reacciona ante ellas. Hasta la fecha, el experimento se ha desarrollado con alumnos de la Facultad de Psicología, pero después del verano se realizará con todo tipo de ciudadanos.

De este modo, los investigadores emplearán técnicas como la hipnosis para modificar el estado de ánimo del sujeto (esto es, “infundirle” de manera artificial un estado de euforia, de tristeza o de cansancio), y después someterle a la conducción para ver cómo reacciona.

Andrés Catena Martínez y José Juan Cañas Delgado destacan que los resultados de este proyecto de investigación podrán tener consecuencias en relación con políticas de prevención de riesgos, como tráfico, riesgos laborales o salud (SIDA y drogadicción). Así, gracias a este trabajo se podrá evaluar la eficacia de la nueva Ley de Tráfico, y la de la implantación de carnet por puntos. Además, explican los científicos de la UGR, esta investigación permitirá evaluar de forma rápida y fiable la propensión al riesgo de los candidatos a puestos de trabajo en los que son frecuentes los accidentes debido a la toma de decisiones arriesgadas del trabajador (por ejemplo, conductores de autobuses o camiones).

Los resultados empíricos de este proyecto serán enviados ara su publicación en revistas científicas como “Journal of Cognitive Neurosciences”, “Neuroimage” o “Journal of Experimental Psychology”.

—————-

Referencia
Prof. Andrés Catena Martínez y José Juan Cañas Delgado. Departamento de Psicología Experimental y Fisiología del Comportamiento.
Tfnos: 958 244 254 – 958 243 767 – 958 246 268.
Correo e. acatena@ugr.es – delagado@ugr.es

Les scientifiques de l’UGR étudient les mécanismes mentaux responsables des conduites de risque qui sont réalisées lors de la conduite, des rapports sexuels ou de la consommation des drogues

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Quels sont les mécanismes mentaux qui mènent à un individu à développer des conduites de risque comme le fait de réaliser des dépassements inadéquats sur la route, d’avoir des relations sexuelles non protégées ou de consommer des drogues en connaissant leurs conséquences? Chercher à le savoir est l’objectif d’un groupe de scientifiques du Département de Psychologie Expérimentale et Physiologie du Comportement de l’Université de Grenade, qui travaillent sur le projet « le comportement de risque : bases cognitives, émotionnelles et neuropsychologiques », subventionné d’une somme de 193 000 euros comme Projet d’Excellence par le Gouvernement Autonome d’Andalousie.

Ce travail, dirigé par les professeurs Andrés Catena Martínez, José Juan Cañas Delgado, Antonio Maldonado López et Antonio Cándido Ortiz, et auquel participe un total de 13 chercheurs, permettra de mesurer des variables qui n’ont jamais été quantifiées dans ce contexte, comme l’activité cérébrale, à partir desquelles il sera possible de prédire et de modifier les conduites de risque des individus. En d’autres mots, la recherche de l’UGR permettra de déterminer l’état émotionnel de l’individu et de réagir sur lui, en mettant en relation les systèmes cognitifs et émotionnels à travers l’étude de ses variables.

Simulateur de HONDA
À cette fin, les scientifiques de l’UGR étudieront la conduite risquée grâce à un simulateur proportionné par la compagnie HONDA (Riding Trainer), une sorte de motocyclette qui met le sujet dans une série de situations de risque pour voir comment il réagira. Jusqu’à maintenant, l’expérience a été réalisée sur des étudiants de la Faculté de Psychologie, mais prochainement il sera réalisé sur tout genre de citoyens.

De cette façon, les chercheurs utiliseront des techniques comme l’hypnose pour modifier l’humeur du sujet (c’est-à-dire, «lui insuffler» de manière artificielle un état d’euphorie, de tristesse ou de fatigue), et après le soumettre à la conduite pour voir comment il réagira.

Andrés Catena Martínez et José Juan Cañas Delgado soulignent que les résultats de ce projet de recherche pourront avoir des conséquences sur les politiques de prévention de risques, comme la circulation, les risques de travail ou de santé (SIDA et toxicomanie). Ainsi, grâce à ce travail il sera possible d’évaluer l’efficacité de la nouvelle Loi espagnole de Circulation, et celle de l’instauration du permis à points. De plus, expliquent les chercheurs de l’UGR, cette recherche permettra d’évaluer de manière rapide et fiable la propension au risque des candidats aux postes de travail où les accidents sont fréquents, conséquence d’une prise de décision risquée de la part du travailleur (par exemple, les conducteurs d’autobus ou de camions).

Les résultats empiriques de ce projet seront envoyés pour leur publication à des revues scientifiques comme « Journal of Cognitive Neurosciences», «Neuroimage» ou «Journal of Experimental Psychology».

Coordonnées
Pr. Andrés Catena Martínez et José Juan Cañas Delgado. Département de Psychologie Expérimentale et Physiologie du Comportement.
Tél. (+34) 958244254 – (+34) 958243767 – (+34) 958246268.
Courriel : acatena@ugr.es – delagado@ugr.es

La supercomputación proporcionará «un gran avance» a los investigadores

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– La supercomputación proporcionará un gran avance a los investigadores

Una importante reducción en la cantidad de tiempo necesario para la realización de cálculos es una de las ventajas que proporciona la supercomputación a los investigadores según Pedro Ángel Castillo, profesor de Arquitectura y Tecnologí­a de Computadores de la Universidad de Granada.

Castillo, quien participa en el curso XML: la construcción de sitios web en el ámbito educativo, señaló que, gracias a este sistema ,un proceso de cálculo podrí­a pasar de tardar dos semanas a dos dí­as. Este periodo de tiempo, que para los usuarios es mucho, para los investigadores supone un gran avance.

Castillo abordó en su ponencia titulada XPath: lenguaje para la selección de información la temática de los lenguajes utilizados para el intercambio de datos entre supercomputadores, pudiéndose instalar programas especí­ficos para el almacenamiento e intercambio de datos de forma distribuida entre varias redes.

A este respecto, Castillo comentó que se van a crear granjas de ordenadores en distintos puntos de la geografí­a española para la Mare Nostrum, una supercomputadora de gran potencia de Barcelona. Las redes se ubicarán en Granada, Málaga, Sevilla o Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

En relación a esto, Ví­ctor Manuel Rivas, director del curso, comentó que se va a proceder a la instalación de versiones anteriores de esta supercomputadora en las distintas sedes, de manera que éstas queden interconectadas, por lo que hará que en España se consigan capacidades de cálculo muy grandes.

Estos sistemas lo que hacen es dividir unos procesos de cálculo muy grandes en pequeñas tareas que se reparten por muchos ordenadores. Esto, a causa de que, según Castillo, dos ordenadores juntos no trabajan el doble, sino mucho más que el doble, hace que con estas redes se alcance una potencia de cálculo bestial y se puedan pasar los datos mucho más fácilmente.

Estas tareas, según Rivas, pueden aplicarse a campos tan diversos como la genómica, astrofí­sica, medicina o incluso para la predicción del tiempo. Al hilo de esto, comentó que si se quieren hacer cálculos meteorológicos con la máxima precisión sin este sistema, el proceso podrí­a durar 23 ó 24 horas, por lo que no tiene ningún sentido. Así­, Castillo señaló que con este sistema de redes, gracias al ahorro de tiempo que se produce en los procesos de cálculo, se pueden obtener previsiones con muchas horas de antelación.
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