Mental rotation and schizotypal personality traits: A Bayesian approach.

People diagnosed with schizophrenia exhibit mental rotation differences, suggesting that clinical levels of positive symptoms, such as psychotic hallucinations, are related to disruptions in their monitoring and manipulation of mental representations. According to the psychosis continuum, findings in people with a high level of schizotypal personality traits are expected to be qualitatively similar, but research concerning this topic is scarce. A spared mental imagery manipulation in this population only could suggest that this ability might be a possible protective factor, or that the emergence of clinical-level positive symptoms could be paired with disruptions in this capacity. To explore this issue, 205 undergraduate students (122 women) completed a novel mental rotation task identifying the stimulus that was a 90, 180, or 270° rotation of a black circle with colored portions and were assessed with the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire. Men performed better in most conditions. No relationship was detected between schizotypal personality traits and accuracy in the task. These results do not support that mental imagery manipulation disruptions may be related to schizotypal personality traits in non-clinical populations. Thus, they might instead be associated with the onset of psychosis disorders as mental representation handling is hindered. However, additional research is required including the general population, as well as those with higher levels of psychotic symptoms and psychosis disorders. Future research could also focus on working memory processes related to mental representation manipulations of different sensory modalities such as auditory mental representations and their relationship with schizotypal personality traits and clinical populations.

Lippia graveolens HBK oleoresins, extracted by supercritical fluids, showed bactericidal activity against multidrug resistance Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus strains.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work was to characterize Lippia graveolens oleoresins, obtained by Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE), from crops collected at different locations in Mexico. The antimicrobial effect of oleoresins was tested in reference strains and clinical isolates of susceptible and multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus. SIGNIFICANCE: The increasing of MDR strains is becoming a global public health problem that has led to the search for new treatments, and essential oils have resurged as a source of compounds with bactericidal functions. Oregano essential oil has attracted attention recently, however, this oil is mainly obtained by hydro-distillation (uses large amounts of water) or solvents extraction (potential contaminant). SFE has gained popularity as it represents an environmentally friendly technology. METHODS: L. graveolens oleoresins were obtained by SFE, total phenol contents were quantified by Folin-Ciocalteu method, the identification of compounds and thymol and carvacrol quantification was carried out by GC-MS. The antimicrobial activity was tested by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). RESULTS: SFE showed higher yields compared with the hydro-distillation process. L. graveolens grown in different Mexican locations showed differences in oleoresin composition and a slightly different antimicrobial capacity against clinical isolates. CONCLUSIONS: It was demonstrated that SFE is an efficient technology for extracting L. graveolens oleoresins. Additionally, the solvent-free extraction method and the observed antimicrobial effect increase the applications of these oleoresins in fields, such as cosmetics, food industry, medicine, amongst others.

Large study (283 women) on the effectiveness of Manosar®: 2 g of d-mannose + 140 mg of proanthocyanidins (PAC), of prolonged release. / Amplio estudio (283 mujeres) sobre la eficacia de Manosar®: 2 g de d-manosa + 140 mg de proantocianidinas (PAC), de liberación prolongada frente a 240 mg de PAC de liberación prolongada en la prevención a 6 meses por vía oral de las infecciones urinarias recurrentes.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety in the prophylasis of urinary tract infections (UTIs) with a food supplement that contains D-mannose like active ingredient (Manosar®), in comparison to another preparation in which the active ingredient are the proanthocyanidins (PAC), both of them, in prolonged released, after, they was administered for 24 weeks. METHODS: A multicenter, randomized and double blind experimental study was carried out. 283 women with a history of recurrent UTIs without evidence of complication were included. They were randomized 1: 1 in two groups. In one group, 1 oral sachet of Manosar® a day was administered, and in the other group 1 oral sachet of a compound of 240 mg of continuous-release PAC. Prior to inclusion in the study, the episode of UTI was confirmed at least by the clinical symptoms and positivity of the Combur test. RESULTS: Valid data were obtained from 184 patients with an average age of 49.5 years: 90 received Manosar® and 94 isolated PAC. A total of 72 patients suffered an UTI due to E.coli: 25 patients in the arm with Manosar® versus 47 patients in the isolated PAC group, this difference being statistically significant (p=0.002). The free time of new UTI recurrences was 98.6 days in the group treated with Manosar® and 84.6 days in the group with isolated PAC. CONCLUSION: The oral taking of a daily sachet of Manosar® is effective and safe in preventing recurrent UTIs in women, being superior to the oral taking of isolated PAC.

OBJETIVO: Comparar la eficacia y seguridad de la profilaxis de las infecciones del tracto urinario (ITUs) con un complemento alimenticio que contiene D-manosa como principio activo principal (Manosar®), en comparación con otro preparado cuyo principio activo único son las proantocianidinas (PAC), ambos de liberación continuada, tras su administración durante24 semanas.MÉTODOS: Estudio experimental multicéntrico, aleatorizado y doble ciego. Se incluyeron 283 mujeres con historia de ITUs recurrentes sin evidencias de complicación. Se randomizaron 1:1 en dos grupos. En un grupo se administró 1 sobre diario oral de Manosar®, y en el otro 1 sobre diario oral de un compuesto de 240 mg de PAC de liberación continuada. Previo a la inclusión en el estudio se confirmó el episodio de ITU al menos por la sintomatología clínica y positividad del test de Combur. RESULTADOS: Se obtuvieron datos válidos de 184 pacientes con edad media de 49,5 años: 90 recibieron Manosar® y 94 PAC aislado. Un total de 72 pacientes padecieron una ITU por E.coli: 25 pacientes en el brazo con Manosar® frente a 47 pacientes en el grupo de PAC aislado, siendo esta diferencia estadísticamente significativa (p=0,002). El tiempo libre de nuevas recurrencias de ITU fue de 98,6 días en el grupo tratado con Manosar® y de 84,6 días en el grupo con PAC aislado.CONCLUSIÓN: La toma oral de un sobre al día de Manosar® es eficaz y segura en la prevención de las ITUs recurrentes en la mujer, siendo superior a la toma oral de PAC aislado.

The role of pollination effectiveness on the attributes of interaction networks: from floral visitation to plant fitness.

Network analysis is a powerful tool to understand community-level plant-pollinator interactions. We evaluated the role of floral visitors on plant fitness through a series of pollination exclusion experiments to test the effectiveness of pollinators of an Ipomoea community in the Pacific coast of Mexico, including: (1) all flower visitors, (2) visitors that contact the reproductive organs, (3) visitors that deposit pollen on stigmas, and (4) visitors that mediate fruit and seed production. Our results show that networks built from effective pollination interactions are smaller, less connected, more specialized and modular than floral visitor networks. Modules are associated with pollinator functional groups and they provide strong support for pollination syndromes only when non-effective interactions are excluded. In contrast to other studies, the analyzed networks are not nested. Our results also show that only 59% of floral visitors were legitimate pollinators that contribute to seed production. Furthermore, only 27% of the links in visitation network resulted in seed production. Our study shows that plant-pollination networks that consider effectiveness measures of pollination in addition to floral visitation provide insightful information about the different role floral visitors play in a community, encompassing a large number of commensalistic/antagonistic interactions and the more restricted set of mutualistic relationships that underlie the evolution of convergent floral phenotypes in plants.

[Efficacy and safety of D-mannose (2 g), 24h prolonged release, associated with Proanthocyanidin (PAC), versus isolate PAC, in the management of a series of women with recurrent urinary infections.] / Eficacia y tolerancia terapéutica de la D­manosa (2 g) de liberación prolongada 24 horas (asociada a proantocianidinas), frente a proantocianidinas aisladas en el manejo de una serie de mujeres con infecciones urinarias recurrentes.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of dietary supplement "Manosar®" composed of D-mannose (2 g), 24 h prolonged release, associated with Proanthocyanidin (PAC) (140 mg), ursolic acid (7.98 mg), A, C, and D vitamins and the oligoelement zinc, versus 240 mg of PAC in recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI), for a designed follow-up of 24 weeks, in women. METHODS: A multicenter randomized experimental double-blind study was carried out. The study was approved by review board of "Complejo Hospitalario de Toledo" (Spain), and all patients gave informed consent. A total of 150 women with non complicated UTI were screened for participation. Valid data was obtained from 93, with mean age of 48 years. Fortyfour patients were assigned to the Manosar® group and 51 patients to the PAC group. Patients were followed during six months. A previous UTI was defined based on a combination of symptoms and a positive reactive urine trip. Confirmation of a new UTI was based on symptoms, reactive urine strip and urine culture. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients (35%) had an UTI during the six months follow-up. The percentage of UTI of the Manosar® group during this period was 24%, while the percentage of the PAC group was 45% (p〈0.05). The disease-free time for the Manosar® group was 95 days, while this time was 79 days for the PAC group. The incidence of side effects was low. Diarrhea was the most frequent side-effect in both groups. CONCLUSION: Manosar® (oral once a day) is more effective than single dose PAC (240 mg daily orally) to prevent recurrent UTI in women.

Eficacia y tolerancia terapéutica de la D-manosa (2 g) de liberación prolongada 24 horas (asociada a proantocianidinas), frente a proantocianidinas aisladas en el manejo de una serie de mujeres con infecciones urinarias recurrentes / Efficacy and safety of D-mannose (2 g), 24h prolonged release, associated with Proanthocyanidin (PAC), versus isolate PAC, in the management of a series of women with recurrent urinary infections

Objetivo: Comparar la eficacia y seguridad de un complemento alimenticio (Manosar®) (2 gramos de D-manosa, 140 mg de PAC y 7,98 mg de ácido ursólico junto con las vitaminas A, C y E, y el oligoelemento Zinc) en la recurrencia de la ITU y su comparación con un compuesto basado con 240 mg proantocianidinas (PAC aislado), con una duración de administración esperada de 24 semanas. Métodos: Estudio experimental multicéntrico, aleatorizado y doble ciego. Aprobado por el Comité Ético de Investigación clínica del "Complejo Hospitalario de Toledo". Todos los pacientes firmaron el consentimiento. Se incluyeron 150 mujeres con historia de ITU recurrentes sin evidencias de complicación. Se obtuvieron datos válidos de 93 pacientes con edad media de 47,62 años. 42 recibieron Manosar y 51 PAC aislado. Controles cada 30 días durante 6 meses. La confirmación del episodio clínico previo de ITU fue definido al menos por la sintomatología clínica y tira de orina Combur (positiva a leucocito-esterasa y/o nitritos). La confirmación del nuevo episodio incidente durante el estudio fue confirmado por la sintomatología clínica, tira de orina y urinocultivo. Resultados: 33 pacientes (35,48%) padecieron una ITU durante el periodo de 6 meses de seguimiento. En el grupo tratado con Manosar® se observó ITU a los seis meses en un 23,8%, mientras que en el grupo control (PAC aislado) fue de 45,1% (p<0,05). El tiempo libre de enfermedad fue de 78,81 días en el grupo control (PAC aislado) y de 94,7 días en el grupo tratado con Manosar®. Se observó una baja incidencia de acontecimientos adversos, siendo la diarrea el más frecuente en ambos grupos. Conclusión: La toma oral de Manosar®, un sobre al día, es más eficaz que la toma oral de 240 mg de PAC aislado, un sobre al día, en la prevención de las infecciones urinarias de repetición en la mujer (AU)

Objetive: To compare the efficacy and safety of dietary supplement "Manosar®" composed of D-mannose (2 g), 24 h prolonged release, associated with Proanthocyanidin (PAC) (140 mg), ursolic acid (7.98 mg), A, C, and D vitamins and the oligoelement zinc, versus 240 mg of PAC in recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI), for a designed follow-up of 24 weeks, in women. Methods: A multicenter randomized experimental double-blind study was carried out. The study was approved by review board of "Complejo Hospitalario de Toledo" (Spain), and all patients gave informed consent. A total of 150 women with non complicated UTI were screened for participation. Valid data was obtained from 93, with mean age of 48 years. Fortyfour patients were assigned to the Manosar® group and 51 patients to the PAC group. Patients were followed during six months. A previous UTI was defined based on a combination of symptoms and a positive reactive urine trip. Confirmation of a new UTI was based on symptoms, reactive urine strip and urine culture. Results: Thirty-three patients (35%) had an UTI during the six months follow-up. The percentage of UTI of the Manosar® group during this period was 24%, while the percentage of the PAC group was 45% (p<0.05). The disease-free time for the Manosar® group was 95 days, while this time was 79 days for the PAC group. The incidence of side effects was low. Diarrhea was the most frequent side-effect in both groups. Conclusion: Manosar® (oral once a day) is more effective than single dose PAC (240 mg daily orally) to prevent recurrent UTI in women (AU)

Identification of novel PI3K inhibitors through a scaffold hopping strategy.

A scaffold hopping strategy, including intellectual property availability assessment, was successfully applied for the discovery of novel PI3K inhibitors. Compounds were designed based on the chemical structure of the lead compound ETP-46321, a potent PI3K inhibitor, previously reported by our group. The new generated compounds showed good in vitro potency and selectivity, proved to inhibit potently the phosphorylation of AKTSer473 in cells and demonstrated to be orally bioavailable, thus becoming potential back-up candidates for ETP-46321.

Potato Consumption Does Not Increase Blood Pressure or Incident Hypertension in 2 Cohorts of Spanish Adults.

Background: Potatoes have a high glycemic load but also antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. It is unclear what mechanisms are involved in relation to their effect on blood pressure (BP) and hypertension.Objectives: This study aimed to assess the association between potato consumption, BP changes, and the risk of hypertension in 2 Spanish populations.Methods: Separate analyses were performed in PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea), a multicenter nutrition intervention trial of adults aged 55-80 y, and the SUN (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra) project, a prospective cohort made up of university graduates and educated adults with ages (means ± SDs) of 42.7 ± 13.3 y for men and 35.1 ± 10.7 y for women. In PREDIMED, generalized estimating equations adjusted for lifestyle and dietary characteristics were used to assess changes in BP across quintiles of total potato consumption during a 4-y follow-up. Controlled BP values (systolic BP <140 mm Hg and diastolic BP <90 mm Hg) during follow-up were also assessed. For SUN, multivariate-adjusted HRs for incident hypertension during a mean 6.7-y follow-up were calculated.Results: In PREDIMED, the total potato intake was 81.9 ± 40.6 g/d. No overall differences in systolic or diastolic BP changes were detected based on consumption of potatoes. For total potatoes, the mean difference in change between quintile 5 (highest intake) and quintile 1 (lowest intake) in systolic BP after multivariate adjustment was -0.90 mm Hg (95% CI: -2.56, 0.76 mm Hg; P-trend = 0.1) and for diastolic BP was -0.02 mm Hg (95% CI: -0.93, 0.89 mm Hg; P-trend = 0.8). In SUN, the total potato consumption was 52.7 ± 33.6 g/d, and no significant association between potato consumption and hypertension incidence was observed in the fully adjusted HR for total potato consumption (quintile 5 compared with quintile 1: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.80, 1.19; P-trend = 0.8).Conclusions: Potato consumption is not associated with changes over 4 y in blood pressure among older adults in Spain or with the risk of hypertension among Spanish adults. This trial was registered at www.controlled-trials.com as ISRCTN35739639.

Mediterranean diet and risk of heart failure: results from the PREDIMED randomized controlled trial.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) on the incidence of heart failure (HF), a pre-specified secondary outcome in the PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) primary nutrition-intervention prevention trial. METHODS AND RESULTS: Participants at high risk of cardiovascular disease were randomly assigned to one of three diets: MedDiet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), MedDiet supplemented with nuts, or a low-fat control diet. Incident HF was ascertained by a Committee for Adjudication of events blinded to group allocation. Among 7403 participants without prevalent HF followed for a median of 4.8 years, we observed 29 new HF cases in the MedDiet with EVOO group, 33 in the MedDiet with nuts group, and 32 in the control group. No significant association with HF incidence was found for the MedDiet with EVOO and MedDiet with nuts, compared with the control group [hazard ratio (HR) 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.41-1.13, and HR 0.92; 95% CI 0.56-1.49, respectively]. CONCLUSION: In this sample of adults at high cardiovascular risk, the MedDiet did not result in lower HF incidence. However, this pre-specified secondary analysis may have been underpowered to provide valid conclusions. Further randomized controlled trials with HF as a primary outcome are needed to better assess the effect of the MedDiet on HF risk. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN35739639.

Fatty Acid Diversity is Not Associated with Neutral Genetic Diversity in Native Populations of the Biodiesel Plant Jatropha curcas L.

Jatropha curcas L. (Euphorbiaceae) is a shrub native to Mexico and Central America, which produces seeds with a high oil content that can be converted to biodiesel. The genetic diversity of this plant has been widely studied, but it is not known whether the diversity of the seed oil chemical composition correlates with neutral genetic diversity. The total seed oil content, the diversity of profiles of fatty acids and phorbol esters were quantified, also, the genetic diversity obtained from simple sequence repeats was analyzed in native populations of J. curcas in Mexico. Using the fatty acids profiles, a discriminant analysis recognized three groups of individuals according to geographical origin. Bayesian assignment analysis revealed two genetic groups, while the genetic structure of the populations could not be explained by isolation-by-distance. Genetic and fatty acid profile data were not correlated based on Mantel test. Also, phorbol ester content and genetic diversity were not associated. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that total oil content was associated with altitude and seasonality of temperature. The content of unsaturated fatty acids was associated with altitude. Therefore, the cultivation planning of J. curcas should take into account chemical variation related to environmental factors.

Phosphorus reduces the zinc concentration in cereals pot-grown on calcareous Vertisols from southern Spain.

BACKGROUND: Zinc deficiency, a major problem in crops grown on soils low in available Zn, is even more important in phosphorus-rich soils. This work aimed to elucidate the effects of soil P and Zn levels, and of fertilizer application, on yield and Zn concentration in cereal grains. RESULTS: Wheat and barley were successively pot-grown on 20 calcareous Vertisols low in available Zn and ranging widely in available P. Grain yield in the plants grown on the native soils was positively correlated with Olsen P but not with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable Zn except for wheat on P-rich soils. Grain Zn concentration was negatively correlated with Olsen P. Grain Zn uptake differed little among soils. Application of P to the soils increased grain yield insignificantly and P concentration significantly; however, it reduced grain Zn concentration (particularly at low Olsen P values). Applying Zn alone only increased grain Zn concentration, whereas applying P and Zn in combination increased yield and grain Zn concentration at low and high Olsen P values, respectively. CONCLUSION: Applying P alone to plants grown on calcareous Vertisols low in available P and Zn may in practice reduce grain Zn concentrations while not increasing grain yield significantly. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Indole modifies the central carbon flux in the anaerobic metabolism of Escherichia coli: application to the production of hydrogen and other metabolites.

Indole is a bicyclic signaling molecule with effects on both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. The majority of studies of indole action have been performed with bacteria cultured under aerobic conditions and little information is available about its effects under anaerobic conditions. Here the effect of the indole on anaerobic metabolism of Escherichia coli WDHL was studied. Indole in the range 0.5-8mM was added to the culture medium and cell growth, hydrogen and metabolite production were compared to cultures lacking indole. Results showed that while 8mM indole abolished growth completely, 4mM indole had a partial bacteriostatic effect and the maximum optical density of the culture decreased by 44% compared to the control cultures. In addition, 4mM indole had an important effect on anaerobic metabolism. Hydrogen production increased from 650±115 to 1137±343mL H2/L, and hydrogen yield increased from 0.45±0.1 to 0.94±0.34mol H2/mol glucose, compared to the control culture. Carbon flux was also affected and the composition of the final by-products changed. Lactate (41mM) was the main metabolite in the control cultures, whereas ethanol (56.2mM) and acetate (41.2mM) were the main metabolites in the cultures with 2mM indole. We conclude that the supplementation of E. coli cultures with exogenous indole is a simple and novel strategy to improve the production of hydrogen as well as other metabolites such as ethanol used as biofuels.

The severity of iron chlorosis in sensitive plants is related to soil phosphorus levels.

BACKGROUND: Iron (Fe) deficiency chlorosis, a major nutritional problem in plants growing on calcareous soils, is related to the content and reactivity of soil iron oxides and carbonates. The effects of other soil components, however, need elucidation. In this paper we tested the hypothesis that application of high doses of phosphorus (P) to the soil can aggravate Fe chlorosis. RESULTS: Lupin and sorghum were grown on 24 calcareous soils. Leaf chlorophyll concentration (LCC) in lupin decreased with increasing available P/available Fe ratio in the native soil but LCC in sorghum was unaffected by that ratio. Application of P to the soil resulted in significant reduction of LCC and dry weight in lupin. In sorghum, LCC and dry weight were positively affected by P fertilisation for soils poor in available P whereas the opposite effect was generally observed for the P-rich soils. In another experiment where olive plants were pot-grown on two soils during the 2009­2011 period, P fertilisation affected LCC negatively only in 2009 and 2011 and in the soil that was poorer in iron oxides. CONCLUSION: Application of fertiliser P to Fe chlorosis-inducing soils is likely to aggravate this deficiency. However, this effect depends on the plant and the Fe and P statuses of the soil.

Morphological variation, management and domestication of 'maguey alto' (Agave inaequidens) and 'maguey manso' (A. hookeri) in Michoacán, México.

BACKGROUND: Agave inaequidens and A. hookeri are anciently used species for producing the fermented beverage 'pulque', food and fiber in central Mexico. A. inaequidens is wild and cultivated and A. hookeri only cultivated, A. inaequidens being its putative wild relative. We analysed purposes and mechanisms of artificial selection and phenotypic divergences between wild and managed populations of A. inaequidens and between them and A. hookeri, hypothesizing phenotypic divergence between wild and domesticated populations of A. inaequidens in characters associated to domestication, and that A. hookeri would be phenotypically similar to cultivated A. inaequidens. METHODS: We studied five wild and five cultivated populations of A. inaequidens, and three cultivated populations of A. hookeri. We interviewed agave managers documenting mechanisms of artificial selection, and measured 25 morphological characters. Morphological similarity and differentiation among plants and populations were analysed through multivariate methods and ANOVAs. RESULTS: People recognized 2-8 variants of A. inaequidens; for cultivation they select young plants collected in wild areas recognized as producing the best quality mescal agaves. Also, they collect seeds of the largest and most vigorous plants, sowing seeds in plant beds and then transplanting the most vigorous plantlets into plantations. Multivariate methods classified separately the wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens and these from A. hookeri, mainly because of characters related with plant and teeth size. The cultivated plants of A. inaequidens are significantly bigger with larger teeth than wild plants. A. hookeri are also significatly bigger plants with larger leaves but lower teeth density and size than A. inaequidens. Some cultivated plants of A. inaequidens were classified as A. hookeri, and nearly 10% of A. hookeri as cultivated A. inaequidens. Wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens differed in 13 characters, whereas A. hookeri differed in 23 characters with wild populations and only in 6 characters with cultivated populations of A. inaequidens. CONCLUSIONS: Divergence between wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens reflect artificial selection. A. hookeri is similar to the cultivated A. inaequidens, which supports the hypothesis that A. hookeri could be the extreme of a domestication gradient of a species complex.

Tomás Romay, paradigma de la salud cubana / Tomás Romay, paradigm of the cuban health

Se expone una síntesis biográfica del insigne médico cubano Tomás Romay Chacón, donde se enfatiza en el alcance de sus contribuciones al desarrollo de la medicina cubana, las ciencias naturales y la cultura nacional. Se describen los principales aportes del científico cubano, así como sus características personales y valores éticos profesionales, los cuales mantienen su vigencia en la actual Medicina Cubana. Este trabajo establece una aproximación a la vida y obra del sabio cubano y rinde un modesto homenaje a su memoria, proyecta su ejemplo en las nuevas generaciones de galenos y en la manera de hacer una medicina para el bien de todos (AU)

A biographical synthesis of the distinguished Cuban doctor Tomás Romay Chacón is exhibited where It emphasizes the power of his contributions to the development of the Cuban medicine, the natural science and the national culture. The main contributions of the Cuban scientists are described, as well as his personal characteristics and professional ethical values, which maintain his validity in the current Cuban Medicine. This paper establishes an approximation to the life and work of this Cuban wise person and pay a modest honor to his memory projecting his example in new generations and in the way of doing a Medicine for the wellbeing of all (AU)

Correlates of out-of-pocket and catastrophic health expenditures in Tanzania: results from a national household survey.

BACKGROUND: Inequality in health services access and utilization are influenced by out-of-pocket health expenditures in many low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Various antecedents such as social factors, poor health and economic factors are proposed to direct the choice of health care service use and incurring out-of-pocket payments. We investigated the association of these factors with out-of-pocket health expenditures among the adult and older population in the United Republic of Tanzania. We also investigated the prevalence and associated determinants contributing to household catastrophic health expenditures. METHODS: We accessed the data of a multistage stratified random sample of 7279 adult participants, aged between 18 and 59 years, as well as 1018 participants aged above 60 years, from the first round of the Tanzania National Panel survey. We employed multiple generalized linear and logistic regression models to evaluate the correlates of out-of-pocket as well as catastrophic health expenditures, accounting for the complex sample design effects. RESULTS: Increasing age, female gender, obesity and functional disability increased the adults' out-of-pocket health expenditures significantly, while functional disability and visits to traditional healers increased the out-of-pocket health expenditures in older participants. Adult participants, who lacked formal education or worked as manual laborers earned significantly less (p < 0.001) and spent less on health (p < 0.001), despite having higher levels of disability. Large household size, household head's occupation as a manual laborer, household member with chronic illness, domestic violence against women and traditional healer's visits were significantly associated with high catastrophic health expenditures. CONCLUSION: We observed that the prevalence of inequalities in socioeconomic factors played a significant role in determining the nature of both out-of-pocket and catastrophic health expenditures. We propose that investment in social welfare programs and strengthening the social security mechanisms could reduce the financial burden in United Republic of Tanzania.

In vitro duodenal lipolysis of lipid-based drug delivery systems studied by HPLC-UV and HPLC-MS.

Oral drug delivery systems based on lipids are biodegraded in a process called lipolysis to release free fatty acids and monoglycerides. The rate of this lipolysis is usually measured by pH titration. Nevertheless, this technique has some limitations, such as not providing any information about the actual composition of the lipolytic products. In this study, we propose a method to analyze these products during and after lipolysis using HPLC. For the first time, HPLC-UV and HPLC-MS have been used to investigate in vitro duodenal lipolysis of long- and medium-chain triglycerides nanoemulsions. These results have been compared with pH titration, revealing the complementarity of both techniques. The main free fatty acids and monoglycerides produced were effectively identified and quantified as they were formed and after the lipolysis experiment and subsequent ultracentrifugation. The release of fatty acids during lipolysis was qualitatively similar between the compared techniques, although a partial precipitation of medium chain fatty acids could be revealed with HPLC-MS. In addition, the release of two hydrophobic compounds with health benefits, oleoylethanolamide and carnosic acid, was investigated. In conclusion, this study may serve as a starting point for subsequent investigations regarding biodegradation and absorption of lipid-based drug delivery systems using HPLC.

Relación de la resistencia a la insulina con el riesgo cardiovascular, según diferentes tablas y factores de riesgo cardiovascular en sujetos sobrepesos y obesos / Association of the insulin resistance with the cardiovascular risk in overweight and obese persons, according to several cardiovascular risk tables and risk factors

Objetivo: determinar cuál de las tablas de riesgo cardiovascular y factores de riesgo, está más relacionada con la resistencia a la insulina en los adultos sobrepesos y obesos. Métodos: se estudiaron 350 pacientes sobrepesos u obesos de edades comprendidas entre los 19 y 70 años. Se les aplicó un cuestionario, que incluyó: edad, sexo, color de piel, hábitos tóxicos, práctica de actividad física y medicamentos utilizados. Las particularidades del examen físico realizado fueron: peso, talla, índice de masa corporal, tensión arterial, circunferencias de cintura y cadera e índice cintura-cadera. Los exámenes bioquímicos realizados fueron: glucosa, insulina, colesterol, triglicéridos y HDL-c en ayunas. La resistencia a la insulina fue evaluada mediante el índice de cálculo modelo homeostático de Mathews. Se utilizaron las tablas de Framingham, de la Organización Mundial de la Salud y las de Gaziano para medir el riesgo cardiovascular. Resultados: al comparar la frecuencia de riesgo cardiovascular según las tablas utilizadas, se observó que el riesgo moderado y alto, según Gaziano, fue superior al encontrado por Framingham y la Organización Mundial de la Salud (20,6 por ciento [72/350] vs. 2,9 por ciento [10/350] y 3,7 por ciento [13/350]). La frecuencia de resistencia a la insulina se distribuyó de manera similar para todas las tablas de riesgo cardiovascular. Cuando se analizó la relación entre la resistencia a la insulina y cada factor de riesgo cardiovascular, predominaron los triglicéridos elevados (68,7 por ciento), seguido por el colesterol ³ 5,2 mmol/L (60,2 por ciento), el índice de masa corporal ³ 30 (59,0 por ciento) y la hipertensión (59,5 por ciento). La sensibilidad de identificar resistencia a la insulina para cada tabla de riesgo cardiovascular, se comportó de manera uniforme en todas, sin embargo, las tablas según Gaziano, presentaron mayor especificidad (43,0 por ciento). Con relación a la sensibilidad y especificidad de la resistencia a la....(AU)

Objective: to determine the cardiovascular risk and risk factor table that is most associated with the insulin resistance in overweight and obese patients. Methods: three hundred fifty overweight and obese patients, aged 19 to 70 years, were studied. They were questioned about age, sex, race, toxic habits, physical exercising and pharmaceutical consumption. The details of the physical exam included weight, size, body mass index, blood pressure, waist and hip circumference, waist-hip index. The biochemical exams were glucose, insulin, cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL-C on fasting. Mathews' homeostatic model estimation index served to evaluate the insulin resistance. The WHO table, the Framingham table and Gaziano table sere used to measure the cardiovascular risk. Results: the comparison of the cardiovascular risk frequency according to the tables showed that the moderate and the high risks in Gaziano table were higher than those of the Framingham and of the World Health Organization (20.6 percent [72/350] vs. 2.9 percent [10/350] and 3.7 percent [13/350]). The insulin resistance frequency was similar in all the cardiovascular risk tables. In the analysis of the relations between the insulin resistance and each cardiovascular risk factor, increased triglyceride indexes prevailed (68.7 percent) followed by cholesterol index of ³ 5.2 mmol/L (60.2 percent), body mass index of ³ 30 (59.0 percent) and hypertension (59,5 percent). The sensitivity of detection of insulin resistance observed in each cardiovascular risk table was similar; however, Gaziano tables showed higher specificity (43 percent). As to the sensitivity and specificity of the...(AU)

Assessment of trace elements and stable isotopes of three Ardeid species at Birama Swamp, Cuba.

The Birama Swamp is the second largest wetland in the Caribbean region and it is inhabited by large populations of waterbirds. Here we report, for the first time, the foraging ecology and pollutant levels of three Ardeidae species: Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis), Snowy egret (Egretta thula), and Tricolored heron (E. tricolor) breeding in this wetland using stable-isotope (δ (15)N and δ (13)C) and trace elements [mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and selenium (Se)] analysis of chick feathers. Our results showed that individuals from all species occupied similar trophic levels. However, we found significant differences for δ (13)C, with the highest values in cattle egret indicating its use of terrestrial habitats and a generalist and opportunist behavior. No significant differences were found for Pb among species. Yet, Hg levels were greater and similar in tricolored heron and snowy egret than in cattle egret, which was associated with their greater use of aquatic environments. Snowy egret had the lowest values of Se differing significantly with the other two species suggesting a different relative use of prey type. Modeling log-Hg concentration in relation to δ (15)N and δ (13)C showed an independent and significant relationship among species but without interaction with species level indicating that within a particular species, higher Hg levels were associated with higher δ (15)N values. There was no interaction between δ (15)N and δ (13)C in the general linear models for Se and Pb in all species. We found an association between δ (15)N and species in Pb for snowy egret. The foraging habitat use of these species and the low levels of pollutants, which are lower than in other similar habitats in other areas of the world, indicated that there is not risk of negative effects in juvenile birds of the Birama Swamp colony that may impair their survival. Our results can be used as a baseline to achieve management regulations.

Modification of solubility and heat-induced gelation of amaranth 11S globulin by protein engineering.

The primary structure of amaranth 11S globulin (Ah11S) was engineered with the aim to improve its functional properties. Four continuous methionines were inserted in variable region V, obtaining the Ah11Sr+4M construction. Changes on protein structure and surface characteristics were analyzed in silico. Solubility and heat-induced gelation of recombinant amaranth 11S proglobulin (Ah11Sr and Ah11Sr+4M) were compared with the native protein (Ah11Sn) purified from amaranth seed flour. The Ah11Sr+4 M showed the highest surface hydrophobicity, but as consequence the solubility was reduced. At low ionic strength (µ = 0.2) and acidic pH (<4.1), the recombinant proteins Ah11Sr and Ah11Sr+4 M had the highest and lowest solubility values, respectively. All globulins samples formed gels at 90 °C and low ionic strength, but Ah11Sn produced the weakest and Ah11Sr the strongest gels. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis under gel forming conditions revealed only exothermic transitions for all amaranth 11S globulins analyzed. In conclusion, the 3D structure analysis has revealed interesting molecular features that could explain the thermal resistance and gel forming ability of amaranth 11S globulins. The incorporation of four continuous methionines in amaranth increased the hydrophobicity, and self-supporting gels formed had intermediate hardness between Ah11Sn and Ah11Sr. These functional properties could be used in the food industry for the development of new products based on amaranth proteins.