Stabilization of Anthocyanins from Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) Husks and In Vivo Evaluation of Their Antioxidant Activity.

Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) is one of the most popular and widely consumed products throughout the world, mainly due to its taste, aroma, caffeine content, and natural antioxidants. Among those antioxidants, anthocyanins are one of the most important natural pigments, which can be found in coffee husks. It is widely known that anthocyanins have multiple health benefits partially linked to their antioxidant properties. However, anthocyanins have low stability and are sensitive to all types of changes. In order to prevent its degradation, anthocyanins can be stabilized with nanoparticles. Thus, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the stability of the anthocyanins extracted from coffee husks, using three different extracting agents (ethanol, methanol, and water) and stabilizing them through conjugation with zinc oxide nanoparticles. The anthocyanins extracts were mainly composed of cyanidin-3-rutinoside (97%) and the total phenolic compounds of the fresh extracts were 458.97 ± 11.32 (methanol), 373.53 ± 12.74 (ethanol), and 369.85 ± 15.93 (water) mg GAE/g. On the other hand, the total phenolic compounds of the nanoparticle-anthocyanin conjugates underwent no significant changes after stabilization as the major loss was less than 3%. Furthermore, the percentage of anthocyanins' degradation was less than 5% after 12 weeks of storage. On top of that, fresh anthocyanin extracts and anthocyanin-nanoparticle conjugates exhibited a strong protective effect against oxidative stress and increased the survival rate of Caenorhabditis elegans.

Chemistry, Occurrence, Properties, Applications, and Encapsulation of Carotenoids-A Review.

Carotenoids are natural lipophilic pigments and antioxidants that are present in many fruits and vegetables. The consumption of carotenoids is correlated with positive health effects and a decreased risk of several chronic diseases. Provitamin A carotenoids (ß-carotene, α-carotene, γ-carotene, and ß-cryptoxanthin) are essential for the development and maintenance of sight. ß-carotene, α-carotene, zeaxanthin, ß-cryptoxanthin, lutein, and lycopene have high antioxidant activity and promote free radical scavenging, which helps protect against chronic diseases. However, carotenoids are chemically unstable and prone to oxidation in the presence of light, heat, oxygen, acids, and metal ions. The use of carotenoids in the food industry is limited due to their poor solubility in water, bioavailability and quick release. Encapsulation techniques, such as microencapsulation, nanoencapsulation and supercritical encapsulation, are used to overcome these problems. The objective of this paper is to describe the characteristics and potential health benefits of carotenoids and advances in encapsulation techniques for protecting and enhancing their solubility or bioavailability.

Heart Disease Characterization and Myocardial Strain Analysis in Patients with PACS1 Neurodevelopmental Disorder.

BACKGROUND: PACS1 neurodevelopmental disorder (PACS1-NDD) (MIM# 615009) is a rare autosomal dominant disease characterized by neurodevelopmental delay, dysmorphic facial features, and congenital malformations. Heart disease (HD) is frequently present in individuals with PACS1-NDD, but a compressive review of these anomalies and an evaluation of cardiac function in a cohort of patients are lacking. METHODS: (i) Cardiac evaluation in 11 PACS1-NDD patients was conducted using conventional echocardiography. (ii) Heart function was assessed by tissue Doppler imaging, and two-dimensional speckle tracking was performed in seven patients and matched controls. (iii) This systematic review focused on determining HD prevalence in individuals with PACS1-NDD. RESULTS: In our cohort, 7 of 11 patients presented HD. (Among them, three cases of ascending aortic dilatation (AAD) were detected and one mitral valve prolapse (MVP).) None of the patients showed echocardiographic pathological values, and the left global longitudinal strain was not significantly different between patients and controls (patients -24.26 ± 5.89% vs. controls -20.19 ± 1.75%, p = 0.3176). In the literature review, almost 42% (42/100) of individuals with PACS1-NDD reportedly experienced HD. Septal defects were the most common malformation, followed by patent ductus arteriosus. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show a high prevalence of HD in PACS1-NDD patients; in this way, AAD and MVP are reported for the first time in this syndrome. Furthermore, a detailed cardiac function evaluation in our cohort did not reveal evidence of cardiac dysfunction in individuals with PACS1-NDD. Cardiology evaluation should be included for all individuals with Schuurs-Hoeijmakers syndrome.

Automatic alignment of myocardial perfusion PET and 64-slice coronary CT angiography on hybrid PET/CT.

BACKGROUND: Hybrid PET/CT allows for acquisition of cardiac PET and coronary CT angiography (CCTA) in one session. However, PET and CCTA are acquired with differing breathing protocols and require software registration. We aimed to validate automatic correction for breathing misalignment between PET and CCTA acquired on hybrid scanner. METHODS: Single-session hybrid PET/CT studies of rest/stress (13)N-ammonia PET and CCTA in 32 consecutive patients were considered. Automated registration of PET left ventricular (LV) surfaces with CCTA volumes was evaluated by comparing with expert manual alignment by two observers. RESULTS: The average initial misalignments between the position of LV on PET and CCTA were 27.2 ± 11.8, 13.3 ± 11.5, and 14.3 ± 9.1 mm in x, y, and z axes on rest, and 26.3 ± 10.2, 11.1 ± 9.5, and 11.7 ± 7.1 mm in x, y, and z axes on stress, respectively. The automated PET-CCTA co-registration had 95% agreement as judged visually. Compared with expert manual alignment, the translation errors of the algorithm were 5.3 ± 2.8 mm (rest) and 6.0 ± 3.5 mm (stress). 3D visualization of combined coronary vessel anatomy and hypoperfusion from PET could be made without further manual adjustments. CONCLUSION: Software co-registration of CCTA and PET myocardial perfusion imaging on hybrid PET/CT scanners is necessary, but can be performed automatically, facilitating integrated 3D display on PET/CT.

Medical Cost of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Children in Ambulatory Care.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to estimate the direct cost per episode and the annual cost for upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in children in Ambulatory Health Centers of the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) of Ecuador. METHODS: A cost of illness study with a provider perspective was carried out through a micro-costing of health resources and valuated in international dollars. Medical visits, laboratory tests, imaging examinations, and other procedures were valued using the tariff framework of services for the National Health System, and for prescribed medication a reported cost registry of pharmacy purchases made in the year of study was used. RESULTS: We included 380 electronic health records of children. We found a re-consultation rate of 22.89%, a medicine prescription rate of 95.52%, and an antibiotic prescription rate of 45.26%. The first medical consultation accounted for 71.9% of the total cost of URTI, the following visits accounted for 11.82%, and medication accounted for 14.68%. Antibiotics accounted for 58.92% of the total cost of medication. CONCLUSION: The direct medical cost to the MSP of Ecuador of 1 episode of URTI in children in primary care was around I$37.28 (2017 dollars) (95% CI: I$35.81-I$38.75). The total cost of URTI cases in children to the MSP in 2017 was at least I$50.478 million (2017 dollars) (95% CI I$48.527m-I$52.523m). Re-consultation and the prescription of medication represent an important component of the direct cost of medical care of URTI.

Carotenoids from mamey (Pouteria sapota) and carrot (Daucus carota) increase the oxidative stress resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans.

Carotenoids are natural pigments and antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables such as carrot, tomato, orange, mango, yellow corn, pumpkin, and mamey. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant potential of mamey (Pouteria sapota) carotenoids and compared them to carrot (Daucus carota) carotenoids. The carotenoids were extracted from mamey and carrot, and their antioxidant capacity were determined via in vitro (ABTS method) and in vivo assays (resistance against oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans). The carotenoid contents in mamey and carrot were 4.42 ± 0.12 and 5.47 ± 0.04 mg ß-carotene/100 g, respectively. Despite the differences between the carotenoid contents in both products (p < 0.05), the in vitro antioxidant capacity results showed no significant differences between the extracts (p > 0.05). The mamey and carrot carotenoid extracts decreased the oxidative damage in C. elegans by 20-30% and 30-40%, respectively. Both extracts increased the resistance and enhanced the survival of the nematodes, and showed better effects than pure ß-carotene, probably owing to the complex mixture in the carotenoid extracts. These results suggest that mamey is a good alternative source of carotenoids and that it protects against oxidative stress in C. elegans. The protective effect of mamey carotenoids was similar to the effect of carrot carotenoids.

Modelado de la degradación hidrolítica de un implante óseo / Modeling of the hydrolytic degradation of a bone implant

Una de las áreas más importantes de la ingeniería de tejidos es la investigación sobre la regeneración y sustitución del tejido óseo. Para cumplir con estos requisitos, los implantes óseos han sido desarrollados para permitir la migración de las células, el crecimiento del tejido, el transporte de los factores de crecimiento y nutrientes y la renovación de las propiedades mecánicas. Los implantes están hechos de diferentes biomateriales y se han fabricado utilizando varias técnicas que, en algunos casos, no permiten un control total sobre el tamaño y la orientación de los poros que caracterizan a la microestructura del andamio. Desde esta perspectiva, se propone el uso de un sistema de reacción difusión para lograr las características geométricas de la matriz ósea. La validación de esta hipótesis se realiza a través de simulaciones de la geometría obtenida por un sistema de reacción-difusión junto con un modelo de degradación por hidrólisis en elementos tridimensionales representativos...

Research into bone tissue regeneration and substitution is one of the most important components of tissue engineering. In compliance with these requirements, bone implants have been developed which allow cell migration, tissue growth, the transport of growth factors and nutrients, and the renewal of mechanical properties. Implants are made of various biomaterials, and they have been manufactured using techniques which not always allow total control of the size and orientation of the pores involved in the microstructure of the scaffold. From this standpoint, a reaction-diffusion system is proposed for the achievement of appropriate geometric features in the bone matrix. The hypothesis is validated through simulations of the geometry obtained with a reaction-diffusion system and a model of hydrolytic degradation in three-dimensional representative elements...

Aplicación de sistemas reacción-difusión en el diseño de la geometría interna de matrices para regeneración ósea / Implementation of reaction-diffusion systems in the design of the internal geometry of matrices for bone regeneration

Una de las áreas de la ingeniería de tejidos es la investigación de alternativas para la formación de nuevo tejido óseo y el reemplazo de su función. Para cumplir este requerimiento se han desarrollado las matrices que permiten la migración celular, el crecimiento del tejido óseo, el transporte de factores de crecimiento y nutrientes y la renovación de las propiedades mecánicas de los huesos. Las matrices se manufacturan mediante diversas técnicas que, en algunos casos, no permiten el control total sobre el tamaño y orientación de los poros que las caracterizan. Desde esta perspectiva se propone un sistema reacción-difusión para diseñar las especificaciones geométricas de las matrices óseas. Para evaluar la hipótesis se realizan simulaciones en dos y tres dimensiones del sistema reacción-difusión en conjunto con el biomaterial que conformará la matriz. Los resultados obtenidos muestran la efectividad de la metodología para controlar aspectos como el porcentaje de porosidad, el tamaño del poro, la orientación y la interconectividad de estos en matrices óseas fabricadas según la hipótesis propuesta

One of the different areas of textile Engineering is the search of alternatives to create a new bone tissue and the replacement of its function. To fulfill this requirement different matrices have been developed allowing the cellular migration, the growth of bone tissue, the transportation of growth factors and nutrients, as well as the renewal of bone mechanical properties. Matrices are manufactured through different techniques that in some cases, to obstruct the total control on the size and orientation of characteristic pores. From this perspective, authors propose a reaction-diffusion system to design the geometrical specifications of bone matrices. To assess the hypothesis simulations are performed in two or three dimensions of reaction-diffusion system together with the biomaterial to create the matrix. Results obtained show the effectiveness of the methodology to control the following features: porosity percentage, pore size, orientation and interconnection of these bone matrices manufactured according the proposed hypothesis

Desarrollo de los modelos computacionales de remodelación ósea / Development of computer models of bone remodeling

Se revisan los modelos de remodelación ósea empleados en simulaciones computacionales. Se describen sus principales variables y relaciones matemáticas mostrando resultados de la aplicación de cada uno de los modelos en aplicaciones clínicas

The bone remodeling models used in computer simulations are reviewed. The main variables and mathematical relations are described as well as the results of application of each of models in the clinical practice

Modelos computacionales de diferenciación y adaptación ósea / Computational models of bone differentiation and adaptation

Se realizó una revisión de los modelos computaciones de diferenciación y adaptación ósea existentes, haciendo énfasis en el desarrollo alcanzado en esta área durante los últimos años. El estudio del tejido óseo ha venido en aumento en las últimas décadas gracias al renacimiento de la mecanobiología, cuyo paradigma principal es la influencia que tienen las cargas mecánicas sobre el desarrollo, adaptación y mantenimiento de los tejidos. El objetivo principal del trabajo es resaltar la importancia de la mecanobiología computacional en el modelado del tejido óseo y la necesidad de seguir desarrollando la mecanobiología experimental para poder medir con exactitud las propiedades de los tejidos y las características celulares de mayor sensibilidad en los modelos computacionales

Authors review the available computational models of bone differentiation and adaptation, emphasizing on the development achieved in this area during pas years. The bone tissue study has increased in past decades due to rebirth of mechanobiology, whose main paradigm is the influence of mechanical loads on the tissues development, adaptation and maintenance. The major objective of present paper is to emphasize la significance of computational mechanobiology in the bone tissue modeling and the need to keep on developing the experimental mechanobiology to measure accurately the tissues properties and the more sensible cellular features of computational models

Implantes Scaffolds para regeneración ósea. Materiales, técnicas y modelado mediante sistemas de reacción-difusión / Scaffolds implants for the bone regeneration. Materials, techniques and modeling by means of reaction-diffusion systems

El presente trabajo hace una revisión de los biomateriales usados en implantes óseos y sus aplicaciones clínicas y propone la hipótesis que un sistema reacción-difusión puede ser usado para regular el porcentaje de porosidad, el tamaño de poro y la interconectividad de los mismos en cementos óseos inyectables. En la primera parte se describen los biomateriales en la ingeniería de tejidos óseos, en la segunda se detallan las propiedades mecánicas y geométricas necesarias para el proceso de regeneración ósea, en la tercera se explican los métodos de conformación y aplicación de implantes, en la cuarta se hace una revisión de las técnicas de modelado computacional aplicadas a los procesos de manufactura de implantes y al proceso de regeneración ósea y por último se propone la idea de que un sistema reacción-difusión puede servir para modular la porosidad de un cemento óseo inyectable

The aim of present paper is to review of biomaterial used in bone implants and its clinical applications and also to propose the hypothesis that a reaction-diffusion system may be used to regulate the porosity percentage, the pore size and their interconnection in injectable bone cement. In the first part are described the biomaterial in the bone tissue engineering, in the second one, are detailed the mechanical and geometric properties needed for the bone regeneration process, in the third one are explained the implant conformation and application methods, in the fourth one we made a review of computation modeling techniques applied to implant manufacture process and the bone regeneration process and finally, we propose the notion that a reaction-diffusion system may to serve to modulate the porosity of a injectable bone cement

Efecto de la contaminación ambiental sobre las consultas por infecciones respiratorias en niños de la Ciudad de México / Effect of environmental pollution on medical visits for respiratory infection in children from Mexico City

Objetivo. Modelar la variabilidad en el número de consultas infantiles diarias por motivos respiratorios como consecuencia de los cambios diarios en los niveles de contaminación ambiental, observada en los servicios de urgencias y medicina familiar de un hospital de especialidades del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social ubicado en la zona suroeste de la Ciudad de México durante 1993. Material y métodos. Se estudió la correlación entre la presencia de infecciones respiratorias altas y bajas con la exposición a ozono y bióxido de nitrógeno. Para modelar esta asociación se utilizó la técnica de regresión Poisson aplicada sobre modelos de riesgo lineal y no lineal con periodos de latencia entre las mediciones ambientales y la consulta de uno, dos y tres días, así como el promedio de las mediciones de los tres, cinco y siete días previos a la consulta. Resultados. El modelo utilizado estima que un incremento de 50 ppb en el promedio horario de ozono de un día ocasionaría, al día siguiente, un incremento del 9.9 por ciento en las consultas de urgencias por infecciones respiratorias altas en el periodo invernal, pudiendo incrementarse hasta en un 30 por ciento si el incremento se dieron en cinco días consecutivos como promedio. Conclusiones. Los resultados sugieren que la exposición de los menores de 15 años al ozono y bióxido de nitrógeno inciden significativamente sobre el número de consultas ocasionadas por motivos respiratorios en esta zona de la Ciudad de México

Objective. To model the variability of medical visits by children for respiratory reasons as a consequence of the daily changes in environmental pollution observed in the emergency and family medicine departments of a hospital of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social located in the southwest of Mexico City during 1993. Materials and methods. The correlation between the presence of upper and lower respiratory tract infections and exposure to ozone and nitrogen dioxide was studied. To model this association, the authors used multivariate Poisson regression models with linear and non-linear risk, with lag periods between the environmental measurements and the medical visits of one, two and three days, as well as the average of the measurements of three, five and seven days previous to the visit. Results. The model estimates that an increment of 50 ppb in the daily average of ozone would cause an increase of 9.9% in emergency visits due to high respiratory tract infections during the winter, which could rise to 30% if the increment would last five consecutive days in average. Conclusions. Results suggest that exposure of children younger than 15 years of age to ozone and nitrogen dioxide significantly affect the number of medical visits for respiratory causes in this part of Mexico City.

Efectos hemodinámicos del captropril oral en pacientes con estenosis aórtica crítica / Hemodynamic efects of oral captopril in patients with severe aortic stenosis

Objetivos: Se diseñó un protocolo prospectivo, abierto, no controlado, con el fin de analizar los efectos hemodinámicos del captopril oral en pacientes con estenósis aórtica crítia. Se les colocó un cateter de flotación, se midieron parámetros hemodinámicos completos en forma basal y a la 1, 2, 4, 6 y 8 horas de cada toma del captopril cuya dosis fue de 12.5 mg en la primera y si se toleró se incrementó a 25 mg cada 8 horas durante 48 horas (6 tomas en total). Análisis estadístico: se utilizó comparación multivariada con la prueba de neuman-Keuls con un error alfa (tipo-1) de 0.05. Resultados; se analizaron un total de 22 enfermos en los cuales las resistencia vasculares sistémicas de 1750 Din/seg/cm-5 disminuyeron a 1200 (P-0.001), el gasto cardiaco de 4.1 litros/minuto aumentó a 5.8 (P-0.001) el índice cardiaco de 2.4 litros/minuto aumentó a 2.9 (P-0.009), el volumen latido de 47 ml/latido aumentó a 64 (P-0-04) y el índice del volumen latido de 27 ml/latido/m²sc aumentó a 36 (P-0.002). Las otras variables no mostraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas. En el subgrupo de pacientes en insuficiencia cardiaca (n=7) las resistencias vasculares sistémicas de 2050 Din/seg/cm-5 disminuyeron a 1463 (P-0.02), el índice cardiaco de 2.07 litros/minuto/m²sc aumentó a 2.75 (P-0.04), el gasto cardiaco de 2.8 litros/minuto aumentó a 4.1 (P-0.04), el volumen latido de 46 ml/latido aumentó a 64 (P-0.03), la presión en cuña de la arteria pulmonar de 19 mmHg disminuyó a 16 (P-0.04) y la presión arterial pulmonar sistólica de 63 mmHg disminuyó a 42 (P-0.009). El resto de las variables no tuvieron diferencia estadísticamente significativa. Conclusiones. el captopril mejora los parámetros hemodinámicos y la función ventricular izquierda, en forma global así como en el subgrupo de pacientes en insuficiencia cardiaca

Prevalencia de anticuerpos antieritrocitos y su importancia clínica en 17960 pacientes Banco de Sangre / Prevalence of antierythrocytes antibodies and its clinical importance in 17960 patients, blood bank

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue el de conocer la prevalencia de anticuerpos antieritrocitos en 17960 muestras estudiadas en el Banco de Sangre del Hospital Calderón Guardia así como su significado clínico. Se encontró que el 1.1 por ciento (n=200) tienen anticuerpos a grupos sanguíneos, de estos el 94 por ciento (n=188) se identificaron y en el 6 por ciento (n=12) no se pudo concluir nada con la metodología utilizada. De el 94 por ciento que equivale a 188 casos de los cuales el 73 por ciento tienen importancia clínica (n=137) y el 27 por ciento (n=51) no tienen importancia clínica. La frecuencia con que se encontraron los diferentes sistemas de grupos sanguíneos fue: Rh-hr, I, Kell Lewis, Duffy, Kidd, MNSs, Lutheran y P. Se encontró una prevalencia de anticuerpos clínicamente significativos de 0.8 por ciento de los 17960 pacientes estudiados con la siguiente especificidad : 26 por ciento para el anti D, Anti E 19 por ciento, anti c 13 por ciento, anti K 12 por ciento, anti Fya 8 por ciento, anti Jka 7 por ciento, anti C y anti e con un 5 por ciento cada uno, anti S 3 por ciento, anti s 1 por ciento, anti Lu un 0.3 por ciento. Los anticuerpos sin importancia clínica con 0.28 por ciento de prevalencia e identificados en el siguiente orden anti I un 83 por ciento, Lea 14 por ciento, Leb, M y P con 1 por ciento para cada uno

Infarto agudo del miocardio relacionado con el consumo de cocaína: informe de un caso / Acute myocardial infarction related to cocain use. Report of one case

El consumo de cocaína se asocia con síndromes isquémicos cardíacos, en especial angina de pecho, infarto agudo del miocardio, arritmias cardíacas y muerte súbita. Un número significativo de personas que sufren infarto agudo del micardio, asociado al abuso de cocaína, no tienen aterosclerosis coronaria significativa. El mecanismo del infarto, en estos pacientes, permanece obscuro. En este informe se describe el caso de un hombre joven con arterias coronarias sin lesiones angiográficas, en quien el consumo de cocaína produjo probablemente un espasmo coronario con formación de trombo intracoronario e infarto miocárdico. Después del tratamiento con heparina, aspirina y diltiazem, la angiografía de control demostró la desaparición del trombo intracoronario