EVALUATION OF THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY CAPACITY OF BETA-SITOSTEROL IN RODENT ASSAYS.

BACKGROUND: Beta-sitosterol (BS) is a compound discovered to be present in numerous plants. A number of interesting biomedical properties have been attributed to BS, including immuno-modulating and anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, the aim of this report was to evaluate its anti-inflammatory capacity by applying various rodent experimental tests. METHODS: To carry out the objective of the study we applied the methods indicated here. Two of the adopted methods were based on the passive reverse Arthus reaction: the rat paw edema test and the rat pleurisy assay. We also applied two methods related with the non-specific acute inflammation: the mouse ear edema test, and the mouse mieloperoxidase activity assay. RESULTS: The results obtained in all tests established a significant anti-inflammatory potential of BS. In the rat paw edema test we found an inhibitory effect which goes from 50-70%; in the rat pleurisy assay our findings with respect to the volume of pleural exuded showed a reduction of 46%, as well as a 20% low amount of neutrophils in comparison with the level of the control group. In the mouse ear edema test we found a mean inflammatory inhibition of 75%, and with respect to mieloproxidase activity the results showed a significant inhibition induced by the three doses of BS. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study we determined a potent anti-inflammatory capacity of BS in specific and non-specific types of acute inflammation in rodents.

Estudio de la implicación en un grupo de personas con demencia con atención tradicional y un grupo con atención centrada en la persona / Study of engagement in a group of people with dementia in traditional care settings and a group with person centred care

Introducción. Las personas con demencia en contexto residencial presentan un grado elevado de apatía y desconexión con el entorno. La ausencia de estimulación y la baja frecuencia de actividades personalizadas, características en los centros residenciales, podrían ser elementos contextuales que favorecen estos comportamientos. El modelo de atención centrado en la persona (MACP) promueve la participación de las personas en actividades cotidianas acorde con sus recursos, sus intereses y necesidades. El objetivo de este estudio es comparar la frecuencia de conductas de implicación y desimplicación en las actividades cotidianas en 2 grupos de usuarios residentes en unidades psicogeriátricas, asistido uno de ellos según el modelo tradicional y el otro según el MACP. Metodología. Participaron en el estudio 28 sujetos con deterioro cognitivo y residentes en unidades psicogeriátricas: 14 usuarios de una unidad tradicional (grupo control) y 14 en una unidad en la que se incorporaron intervenciones relativas al MACP (grupo experimental). Los grupos fueron equivalentes en deterioro cognitivo, capacidades funcionales y años de ingreso. Se utilizó el Registro de Implicación/Engagement para observar en ambos grupos la frecuencia de 12 categorías de comportamiento de implicación en 2 períodos diferenciados: antes de las intervenciones asociadas al MACP y 18 meses después de haber comenzado las mismas. Resultados. Ambos grupos vieron incrementada la frecuencia de sus conductas de implicación en el período post; sin embargo, el grupo experimental disminuyó los comportamientos de desimplicación, mientras que el grupo control los aumentó. Conclusiones. Acorde con los datos, intervenciones asociadas al MACP podrían minimizar los comportamientos de desconexión con el entorno que suceden en el contexto residencial vinculando a las personas al contexto y facilitando la participación e implicación en las actividades de la vida diaria (AU)

Introduction. People with dementia in the residential care setting have a high level of apathy and disengagement. The lack of stimulation and customised activities, a common aspect in residential centres, could be contextual elements that promote these behaviours. The person-centred care model (PCCM) promotes the participation of people in their daily activities in relation to their resources, interests, and needs. The aim of this study is to compare the frequency of engagement behaviours in the daily activities in two groups of users residing in Psychogeriatric Units, one receiving a traditional care model and the other assisted under PCCM. Methodology. The study involved 28 patients with cognitive impairment in Psychogeriatric Units, 14 of whom were in a traditional unit (control group), and 14 were in a unit where PCCM (experimental group) was implemented. Groups were equivalent in cognitive impairment, functional capabilities, and years in the long-term care institution. The Registering Engagement Instrument (REI) was used to observe the frequency of 12 categories of engagement behaviour in two distinct periods in both groups: before the interventions associated with PCCM, and 18 months after starting them. Results. Both groups increased the frequency of their engagement behaviours in the post-evaluation, but the experimental group decreased their disengagement behaviours while the control group increased them. Conclusions. According to the data, PCCM interventions could reduce disengagement behaviours in the residential context, and could facilitate the participation and involvement in the activities of daily living (AU)

Bell's palsy. A prospective, longitudinal, descriptive, and observational analysis of prognosis factors for recovery in Mexican patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prognosis factors in Mexican patients with Bell's palsy. DESIGN: We designed a prospective, longitudinal, descriptive, and observational analysis. Two hundred and fifty one patients diagnosed with Bell's palsy at the National Institute of Rehabilitation were included. We studied the sociodemographic characteristics, seasonal occurrence, sidedness, symptoms, and therapeutic options to determine the prognostic factors for their recovery. RESULTS: Thirty-nine percent of patients had a complete recovery and 41.5% had an incomplete recovery. Marital status, gender, etiology, symptoms, sidedness, House-Brackmann grade, and treatments did not represent significant prognostic factors for recovery. Age > 40 years (OR = 2.4, IC 95% 1.3-4.3, p = 0.002) and lack of physical therapy (OR = 6.4, IC 95% 1.4-29.6, p = 0.006) were significant prognostic factors for incomplete recovery. Familial palsy resulted to be a protective prognostic factor against an incomplete recovery (OR = 0.54, IC 95% 0.28-1.01, p = 0.039). This protection factor was only significant in female patients (OR = 0.41, p = 0.22) but not in male patients (OR = 1.0, p = 0.61). CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of cases with incomplete recovery was high. The age > 40 years and lack of physical therapy were the only significant prognostic factors for an incomplete recovery.