Biological activity of pyrazole and imidazole-dehydroepiandrosterone derivatives on the activity of 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

The enzyme type 5 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 5 (17ß-HSD5) catalyzes the transformation of androstenedione (4-dione) to testosterone (T) in the prostate. This metabolic pathway remains active in cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy. Since physicians seek to develop advantageous and better new treatments to increase the average survival of these patients, we synthesized several different dehydroepiandrosterone derivatives. These compounds have a pyrazole or imidazole function at C-17 and an ester moiety at C-3 and were studied as inhibitors of 17ß-HSD5. The kinetic parameters of this enzyme were determined for use in inhibition assays. Their pharmacological effect was also determined on gonadectomized hamsters treated with Δ(4)-androstenedione (4-dione) or testosterone (T) and/or the novel compounds. The results indicated that the incorporation of a heterocycle at C-17 induced strong 17ß-HSD5 inhibition. These derivatives decreased flank organ diameter and prostate weight in castrated hamsters treated with T or 4-dione. Inhibition of 17ß-HSD5 by these compounds could have therapeutic potential for the treatment of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia.

The Joint Role of Focused and Molar Climates and Eudaemonic Well-being as Mediators of the Relationship between Flexible Telework and Scientific Productivity in Spanish ERC-Granted Teams.

Flexible work arrangements, such as teleworking, have gained massive and unprecedented usage for creating work environments that foster well-being and productivity. Yet empirical evidence is still scant and not much is known about the role of organizational climate(s) in this process. Accordingly, the present study was set out to investigate the mediating mechanisms linking flexible teleworking to scientific productivity by considering climate for well-being dimensions, the climates for excellence and for innovation, and eudaemonic well-being as mediating constructs. Data were collected from 358 members of 48 Spanish European Research Council (ERC) granted teams and analyses were conducted both at the individual and team level, after checking for the relevant aggregation indexes. Relevant and significant relations were found within the hypothesized statistical model both at the individual and team level of analysis. The climate dimension of team support and the climate for innovation, together with eudaimonic well-being, resulted to be linked by significant relationships suggesting a potential mediating path. Also, empirical evidence supported considering gender as a control variable for the relationship between flexible teleworking and the climate dimension of work-life balance. In conclusion, climate variables and eudaimonic well-being represent relevant variables for the explanation of the relationship between flexible teleworking and scientific productivity. Practical and theoretical implications, and limitations are further discussed in the article.

The ECO VI Organizational Climate Scale: An Invariance Study in Four Latin American Countries.

Introduction: Cross-cultural research is fundamental for the development and validation of work and organizational theories and to guide evidence-based practices around the globe. Although organizational climate is one of the most investigated higher-level constructs in organizational psychology, there is a lack of research analysing the invariance of measurements across national cultures in Latin America. This prevents scientists and practitioners from having a deeper understanding of this variable across the different countries and cultures composing this continent. Objectives: This study aims at examining the measurement invariance of the Encuesta de Clima Organizacional scale in its VI version (ECO VI) in Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, and Dominican Republic. Method: Data were gathered from 38 companies operating in the manufacturing sector based in the four abovementioned countries and the sample sizes were as follows: Colombia was represented by 1007 employees, Costa Rica by 1090 employees, Panama by 372 employees, and Dominican Republic by 213. Measurement invariance was examined by testing the configural, metric, scalar, and structural models of invariance. Results: The results supported with empirical evidence that the ECO VI scale is characterized by measurement invariance. More precisely, 6 of its 8 dimensions are unbiasedly interpreted and can be considered for making meaningful comparisons across the considered national cultures, while the outputs deriving from the dimensions of "resources availability" and "interpersonal relationships" should be treated with more caution. Indeed, for such dimensions support for only configural and metric invariance was found. Conclusions: The main contribution of the present study was to provide evidence about the measurement invariance of the ECO VI scale. Thus, providing the community of scientists and practitioners operating in different Latin American countries with a molar organizational climate scale that can be used for conducting cross-cultural research. Hence, it is now possible to have a deeper understanding of how theories and practices involving the organizational climate for well-being can be better applied across the countries and cultures composing this continent.

Introducción: La investigación transcultural es fundamental tanto para el desarrollo y validación de teorías laborales y organizacionales en distintos contextos como para guiar prácticas basadas en la evidencia a nivel internacional. A pesar del hecho de que el clima organizacional es uno de los constructos más investigados en psicología organizacional, hay una falta de investigación que analice la invariancia de las medidas a través de distintas culturas nacionales en América Latina. Esto impide que los científicos y profesionales tengan una comprensión más profunda de esta variable en los diferentes países que componen este continente. Objetivos: Este estudio tiene como objetivo examinar la invariancia de medida de la escala "Encuesta de Clima Organizacional" en su sexta versión (ECO VI) en Colombia, Costa Rica, Panamá y República Dominicana. Método: Se recopilaron datos de 38 empresas de manufactura con sede en los cuatro países mencionados: 1007 empleados en Colombia, 1090 en Costa Rica, 372 en Panamá y 213 en República Dominicana. La invarianza de la medición fue examinada por probar los modelos de invariancia configuracional, métrica, escalar y estructural. Resultados: Los resultados respaldaron con evidencia empírica que la escala ECO VI se caracteriza por la invariancia de medida a través de las cuatro muestras. Más precisamente, 6 de sus 8 dimensiones pueden considerarse para hacer comparaciones significativas entre las culturas nacionales consideradas, mientras que los resultados derivados de las dimensiones de "disponibilidad de recursos" y "relaciones interpersonales" deben tratarse con más cautela. De hecho, para tales dimensiones solo se encontró soporte para la invariancia configuracional y métrica. Conclusiones: La principal contribución del presente estudio fue aportar evidencia sobre la invariancia de medida de la escala ECO VI. Por lo tanto, brinda a la comunidad de científicos y profesionales que operan en diferentes países de América Latina una escala de clima organizacional molar que puede usarse con confiabilidad en los cuatro contextos analizados. Por lo tanto, ahora es posible tener una comprensión más profunda de cómo las teorías y prácticas que involucran el clima organizacional para el bienestar pueden aplicarse mejor en los países y culturas que componen este continente.

Clinical characterization of patients with HLA-B27-associated uveitis and evaluation of the impact of systemic treatment on the recurrence rate: a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Despite HLA-B27-associated uveitis is one of the most frequent etiologies of uveitis worldwide, there are scarce studies on the clinical spectrum of this disease and the implications of therapeutic strategies used in the Latin-American population, with none conducted in Colombia. Thus, this study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of a cohort of patients with positive HLA-B27-associated uveitis in Colombia and evaluate the impact of systemic treatment on the recurrence rate. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 490 clinical charts of patients with uveitis, searching for those with positive HLA-B27-associated uveitis over eight years in a referral center in Bogotá, Colombia. We used descriptive statistics to summarize demographic and clinical characteristics and conducted a Chi-square test, Fisher Exact test, Spearman correlation, and Mann-Whitney test to assess associations between treatment strategies and the recurrences rate. RESULTS: We analyzed 39 patients (59% females) with positive HLA-B27-associated uveitis, with a median age at the first consultation of 44.5 years (Range: 2-80) and a mean follow-up time of 86.4 weeks (1.65 years). Most patients had unilateral uveitis (53.8%) and an anterior anatomical diagnosis (76.6%); two had anterior chamber fibrinous reaction, and only one had hypopyon. Most patients did not show associated systemic symptoms (66.7%). Topical corticosteroids, NSAIDs, methotrexate, mydriatics, and adalimumab were the most used treatments. The most common complications included cataracts, posterior synechiae, and macular edema. We identified that the rate of recurrences decreases over time (r = -0.6361, P = 0.002571), and this decrease seems to be associated with the initiation of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in chronic and recurrent cases. CONCLUSION: The clinical spectrum of HLA-B27-associated uveitis in Colombian patients is distinct from other latitudes. Notably, we found a female predominance, older age at presentation, higher frequency of bilateral and vitreous involvement, and lower frequency of concomitant systemic diseases. Additionally, our results suggest that DMARDs such as methotrexate and biologic agents are good therapeutic options to avoid recurrences in chronic and recurrent cases.

Little Leaguer's shoulder.

A case of Little Leaguer's shoulder (LLS) in a 12-year-old male is presented. Classically, LLS is an overuse injury affecting adolescent pitchers. The diagnosis is the result of a thorough history, physical examination, and radiographic evaluation. Clinicians unfamiliar with LLS may fail to detect this injury and order a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study without radiographs. The objective of this case report is to help radiologists become more familiar with the MRI and radiographic findings of LLS.

Relación entre optimismo y salud bajo la influencia de las creencias religiosas en dos muestras latinoamericanas / Relationship between optimism and health under the influence of religious beliefs in two Latin American population samples

Resumen El estudio del bienestar ha cobrado creciente relevancia dada su relación con estados psicológicos como la ansiedad, depresión, estrés y también la salud. Sin embargo, se cuenta con pocas propuestas explicativas del bienestar, así como validación empírica transcultural de estos. El presente estudio evaluó el efecto de la inclusión de una variable contextual cultural sobre un modelo explicativo de bienestar, específicamente si las creencias religiosas moderan el efecto mediador de los afectos positivos sobre la relación optimismo y salud. La muestra de este estudio consistió en 529 participantes de dos países latinoamericanos (285 de Chile y 244 de Colombia). Los resultados indican que en ambos países hay un efecto significativo del optimismo sobre la percepción de salud mediado por los afectos positivos. Sin embargo, las creencias religiosas no ejercen un efecto significativo sobre la intensidad de las relaciones entre las variables del modelo de base. La importancia de los factores culturales y de los estudios transculturales sobre el bienestar son presentados y discutidos.

Abstract The study of well-being has gained increasing relevance given its relationship with psychological states such as anxiety, depression, stress, as well as health. Nonetheless, there are few explanatory proposals on well-being, or any empirical cross-cultural validation of these. The present study evaluated the effect of the inclusion of a cultural contextual variable on an explanatory model of well-being, specifically on whether religious beliefs moderate the mediating effect of the positive affects on the relationship between optimism and health. The sample of this study consisted of 529 participants from two Latin American countries (285 from Chile and 244 from Colombia). The results indicate that, in both countries, there is a significant effect of optimism on the perception of health mediated by positive affects. However, religious beliefs do not exert a significant effect on the intensity of the relationships between the variables of the base model. The importance of cultural factors and cross-cultural studies on well-being are presented and discussed.

P300-based brain computer interface experimental setup.

A Brain-Computer interface (BCI) is a communication system that enables the generation of a control signal from brain signals such as sensorymotor rhythms and evoked potentials; therefore, it constitutes a novel communication option for people with severe motor disabilities (such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients). This paper presents the development of a P300-based BCI. This prototype uses a homemade six-channel electroencephalograph for the acquisition of the signals, and a visual stimulation matrix; since this matrix contains letters of the alphabet as well as images associated to them, it permits word-writing and the elaboration of messages with the images. To process the signals the software BCI2000 and MATLAB 7.0 were used. The latter was used to program three linear translation algorithms (Stepwise Linear Discriminant Analysis, Lineal Discriminant Analysis and Least Squares) to convert the brain signals into communication signals. These algorithms had a classification accuracy of 90.73 %, 95.75 % and 89.45 % respectively, when using raw data; and of 90.78%, 49.48 % and 53.9 %, when data was previously common-average filtered. The experimental setup was tested in ten healthy volunteers; 5 of them got a 100% success, 1 a 90% success, 2 an around 70% success and 2 a 50% success, in the online free-spelling tests.

Técnica para la reconstrucción de rupturas crónicas del tendón rotuliano / Technique for reconstruction of chronic ruptures of the patellar tendon

Las rupturas crónicas del tendón rotuliano son lesiones raras en la rodilla. Usualmente ocurren en pacientes menores de 40 años de edad. La mayoría de estas lesiones son unilaterales. La reparación tardía de esta lesión presenta peores resultados que en los pacientes con reparación aguda. La retracción y la atrofia del tendón del cuádriceps con la migración proximal de la rótula hacen que la reconstrucción primaria en algunos casos sea imposible. Se describe una técnica para descender la rótula y reconstruir la ruptura crónica del tendón rotuliano con un aloinjerto de tendón rotuliano. Se utiliza un cerclaje de alambre para realizar el descenso de la rótula a su altura original y así lograr una reducción en la tensión de la reconstrucción posquirúrgica. Esta técnica ofrece una alternativa para la reconstrucción de rupturas crónicas del tendón rotuliano.

Manejo artoscópico del pinzamiento subacromial

El síndrome de pinzamiento subacromial está caracterizado por tres etapas anatomopatológicas que son progresivas. En sus estados iniciales y especialmente enpacientes jóvenes el tratamiento conservador brinda buenos resultados cuando hay una lesión más avanzada. Incluyendo rupturas parciales o totales de los tendones el manguito rotador, la cirugia brinda la mejor posibilidad de una recuperación funcional acompañada de alivio del dolor. La decompresión del espacio subacromial incluyendo la bursectomía, resección del ligamento acromioclavicular, la acromioplastia anterior y el desbridamiento de los tendones traumátizados sepueden hacer con técnicas totalmente artroscópicas. Los reparos de rupturas completas del manguito rotador requieren una pequeña incisión lateral para reinsertar los tendones. Las técnicas artroscópicas permiten manejar el síndrome de pinzamiento persubacromial con mínimo trauma a los tejidos blandos, una rehabilitación más temprana y menos complicaciones. Los resultados son iguales y en ocasiones mejores que con cirugia abierta