Diabetes is a major cause of influenza-associated mortality in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Influenza is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Most influenza-associated deaths are associated with cardiovascular or respiratory disorders. However, a large proportion of influenza-associated deaths do not have respiratory or cardiovascular disorders declared as the underlying cause of death. Diabetic individuals are at increased risk for influenza-mortality. In this study, we assessed the contribution of diabetes to influenza-associated mortality in Mexico. METHODS: Diabetes influenza-associated mortality was estimated for the Mexican population using National Mortality Databases from the Mexican Ministry of Health from 1998 through 2015. Diabetes influenza-associated mortality was calculated applying Serfling cyclical regression models to weekly mortality rates for persons 20-59 years, 60 and more years, and all ages, and by sex. RESULTS: There was a high correlation between weekly pneumonia and influenza mortality and diabetes-related mortality. Yearly influenza-associated diabetes mortality rates varied between 2.0 and 5.9/100,000. Up until the 2005-2006 season, diabetes-associated mortality rates were higher in females, while after that season rates were higher in males. Yearly influenza-associated diabetes mortality rates for adults 20-59 years of age ranged between 1.7 and 3.4/100,000, while estimates for adults 60 years and older ranged between 16.3 and 46.1/100,000. Approximately one third of estimated diabetes influenza-associated deaths occurred in adults 20-59 years of age. On average, diabetes deaths accounted for 19.6% of estimated influenza-associated all-cause mortality. CONCLUSION: Diabetes is a major cause of estimated influenza-associated mortality in Mexico. Health-care authorities and professionals in countries with high diabetes prevalence should be aware of the potential impact of influenza in individuals with this condition.

PACAP-PAC1R modulates fear extinction via the ventromedial hypothalamus.

Exposure to traumatic stress can lead to fear dysregulation, which has been associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous work showed that a polymorphism in the PACAP-PAC1R (pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide) system is associated with PTSD risk in women, and PACAP (ADCYAP1)-PAC1R (ADCYAP1R1) are highly expressed in the hypothalamus. Here, we show that female mice subjected to acute stress immobilization (IMO) have fear extinction impairments related to Adcyap1 and Adcyap1r1 mRNA upregulation in the hypothalamus, PACAP-c-Fos downregulation in the Medial Amygdala (MeA), and PACAP-FosB/ΔFosB upregulation in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus dorsomedial part (VMHdm). DREADD-mediated inhibition of MeA neurons projecting to the VMHdm during IMO rescues both PACAP upregulation in VMHdm and the fear extinction impairment. We also found that women with the risk genotype of ADCYAP1R1 rs2267735 polymorphism have impaired fear extinction.

New piophilid in town: the first Palaearctic record of Piophila megastigmata and its coexistence with Piophila casei in central Spain.

The genus Piophila Fallén (Diptera: Piophilidae) is known from only two species: Piophila casei (L.) is a major pest, a cosmopolitan species and is commonly used as a forensic indicator, whereas Piophila megastigmata McAlpine has until now only been recorded in a natural environment in South Africa. The present work reports the first occurrence of P. megastigmata in the Palaearctic region from specimens collected by carrion-baited traps throughout different natural habitats of central Spain. Furthermore, the species was also collected with P. casei on corpses of domestic pigs used in a carrion succession study in a periurban habitat in central Spain. Both species occurred on carrion in different seasons, but P. megastigmata was more abundant than P. casei in autumn, arriving earlier at the carcasses and persisting for a longer period. The contrary pattern was observed in spring. The presence of P. megastigmata in different localities in central Spain and its coexistence with P. casei in a periurban habitat make it a potentially useful new tool for legal medicine in Europe; thus this species must be considered in forensic entomology studies.

Sex differences in fear memory consolidation via Tac2 signaling in mice.

Memory formation is key for brain functioning. Uncovering the memory mechanisms is helping us to better understand neural processes in health and disease. Moreover, more specific treatments for fear-related disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder and phobias may help to decrease their negative impact on mental health. In this line, the Tachykinin 2 (Tac2) pathway in the central amygdala (CeA) has been shown to be sufficient and necessary for the modulation of fear memory consolidation. CeA-Tac2 antagonism and its pharmacogenetic temporal inhibition impair fear memory in male mice. Surprisingly, we demonstrate here the opposite effect of Tac2 blockade on enhancing fear memory consolidation in females. Furthermore, we show that CeA-testosterone in males, CeA-estradiol in females and Akt/GSK3ß/ß-Catenin signaling both mediate the opposite-sex differential Tac2 pathway regulation of fear memory.

Deficit irrigation and rootstock: their effects on water relations, vegetative development, yield, fruit quality and mineral nutrition of Clemenules mandarin.

Differences between rootstocks, 'Cleopatra' mandarin and 'Carrizo' citrange, in soil-plant water relations and the influence of these factors on vigor, crop yield, fruit quality and mineral nutrition were evaluated in field-grown Clemenules mandarin trees irrigated at 100% of potential seasonal evaporation (ET(c)) (control treatment), or irrigated at 100% ET(c), except during Phases I and III of fruit growth and post-harvest when no irrigation was applied (deficit irrigation (DI) treatment), for 3 years. Differences between rootstocks in plant-soil water relations were the primary cause of differences among trees in vegetative development and fruit yield. After 3 years of DI treatment, trees on 'Cleopatra' showed more efficient soil water extraction than trees on 'Carrizo', and maintained a higher plant water status, a higher gas exchange rate during periods of water stress and achieved faster recovery in gas exchange following irrigation after water stress. The DI treatment reduced vegetative development more in trees on 'Carrizo' than in trees on 'Cleopatra'. Cumulative fruit yield decreased more in DI trees on 'Carrizo' (40%) than on 'Cleopatra' (27%). The yield component most affected by DI in 'Cleopatra' was the number of fruit, whereas in 'Carrizo' it depended on the severity of water stress reached in each phase (severe water stress in Phase I affected mainly the number of fruit, whereas it affected fruit size the most in Phase III). In the third year of DI treatment, water-use efficiency decreased sharply in trees on 'Carrizo' (70%) compared to trees on 'Cleopatra' (30%). Thus, trees on 'Cleopatra' were able to tolerate moderate water stress, whereas trees on 'Carrizo' were more sensitive to changes in soil water content.

[The PAM program for the early detection of breast cancer: the initial results (1987-1990). Programa de Detección Precoz de Alteraciones Mamarias]. / Programa PAM de detección temprana de cáncer de mama: primeros resultados (1987-1990).

We report the results of the PAM program for the early detection of breast cancer, carried out in Barcelona in females aged 50-70 years who were invited to participate by two personal letters. Out of 5435 invited females in the three years of the program, 37.2% responded to the first cycle and 70.8% to the second. The rate of detection of cancer was 6.9/1000 participating women in the first cycle. The validity of mammography was high, comparable to that from other countries. Sensitivity was 87.5%, specificity 99.1%, positive predictive value 45.2% and negative predictive value 99.9%. Letter would be insufficient as the only means of invitation to achieve a high participation rate in the first circle.

[Streptococcus suis meningitis]. / Meningitis por Streptococcus suis.

Human infection by Streptococcus suis (S. suis) is a zoonosis, with a known occupational risk and clinical presentation mainly as a purulent meningitis with low mortality and frequent hearing loss and ataxia sequela. Less than 150 human cases have been reported since original one thirty years ago. There is a geographical distribution most patients living in northern Europe and south Asia. S. suis disease in human has been reported in two patients in Spain the last years. We present two patients with S. suis meningitis, both were men with occupation related by pork meet, and good outcome. They come at our hospital in a lapse of one month. Both had neurosensorial hearing loss and walking ataxia. One patient had peripheral facial paralysis and diplopia because of paresia of contralateral sixth nerve, with complete resolution at three months. The rare presentation of S. suis meningitis in our country must not forget us to record the working risk at anamnesis.

P2X7 and NRAMP1/SLC11 A1 gene polymorphisms in Mexican mestizo patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis remains one of the most important infectious diseases worldwide. Several studies have suggested that genetic factors may affect susceptibility to tuberculosis, but the specific genes involved have not yet been fully characterized. NRAMP1/SLC11 A1 and P2X(7) genes have been linked to increased risk for tuberculosis in some African and Asiatic populations. To explore the potential role of these genes in the susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis in a Mexican mestizo population, we evaluated the association of D543N and 3'-UTR polymorphisms in NRAMP1/SLC11 A1 and - 762 and A1513C polymorphisms in P2X(7) genes with the risk for tuberculosis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of genomic DNA followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, and allelic-specific PCR was employed. We found no significant differences in allelic frequency in NRAMP1/SLC11 A1 gene polymorphisms in 94 patients with tuberculosis compared to 100 healthy contacts. Similarly, no significant association of the P2X(7)-762 gene polymorphism with tuberculosis was detected. In contrast, the P2X(7) A1513C polymorphism was associated significantly with tuberculosis (P = 0.02, odds ratio = 5.28, 95% CI, 0.99-37.69), an association that had not been reported previously. However, when the function of P2X(7) was assessed by an L-selectin loss assay, we did not find significant differences in patients compared to healthy contacts or between PPD(+) and PPD(-) control individuals. This study further supports the complex role of P2X(7) gene in host regulation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, and demonstrates that different associations of gene polymorphisms and tuberculosis are found in distinct racial populations.

[The clinico-mammographic follow-up of breast cancer after conservative treatment]. / Seguimiento clínico-mamográfico del cáncer de mama tras tratamiento conservador.

Clinical and mammographic follow-up of 149 patients diagnosed of stage I and II breast neoplasm and treated with conservative surgery and irradiation between January 1986 and December 1988 was reviewed to determine clinical and radiographic recurrence pattern. Follow-up controls included a clinical examination and a mammogram at 6-9 months, a second at 10-16, a third at 17-22, a fourth at 23-24 and a mammogram yearly and a clinical examination every 6 months thereafter. To December 1991 18 patients recurred. 12 had a metastatic spread, 3 a unique local recurrence and 3 a local recurrence with a metastasis spread. Clinical recurrence was as a carcinomatous mastitis in three patients and a solid nodule in two. Radiologic recurrence was as an augmented skin thickness in three patients. Mammogram was not performed in one patient because an associated poor prognostic metastatic spread. Mammographic skin thickness secondary to irradiation appeared in 93% of the patients at 6-9 first control, 62% at second, 50% at third and 35% at fourth. The number of recurrences is scarce to achieve any clinical, pathological or treatment factor associated with greater risk of recurrence. We suggest that first mammogram should be delayed after 12 months of treatment because we would not obtain any relevant clinical information before, once observed skin thickness persistence at 6 months and most frequent recurrence radiologic pattern.

La Entomología Forense en España: pasado, presente y perspectivas de futuro / Forensic Entomology in Spain: past, present and future perspectives

La entomología forense -estudio de los insectos que aparecen en los cadáveres- es una disciplina relativamente joven en cuanto a su aplicación. En España ha evolucionado lentamente, experimentando un notable crecimiento en las últimas décadas, tanto en el número de trabajos como en el de grupos de investigación dedicados a ello, adquiriendo un estatus cada vez más importante como disciplina forense. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados de una revisión bibliográfica en la que se ha analizado con detalle la evolución de las publicaciones relacionadas con la entomología forense en España. Se incluye además un anexo con las referencias de todos los artículos recopilados, clasificados según sus características (divulgación científica, educación o formación, aplicación en casos reales e investigación en entomología forense). Finalmente se analiza el estado actual de esta disciplina en nuestro país, considerando la faceta educativa, así como los principales lugares donde se investiga y aquellos donde se aplica la entomología forense en la resolución de casos reales

Forensic Entomology- the study of insects appearing in corpses- is a relatively young discipline regarding its application. In Spain it has evolved slowly showing a great development in the last decades, both regarding the publications number and the people involved, gaining a higher status as a forensic discipline. The results of a bibliographical revision in which evolution of the number of Spanish Forensic Entomology publications has been analyzed in detail are presented. Moreover, an annexe with the references of all the compiled publications classified according to the type (scientific popularization, education and training, application in real cases and investigation in Forensic Entomology) is enclosed. Finally, the current state of the discipline in our country is also presented, taking into consideration education aspects as well as main places where there are people researching or applying forensic entomology in the resolution of real cases

Meningitis por streptococcus suis / Streptococcus suis meningitis

La infección humana por Streptococcus suis (S. suis) es una zoono sis, con un riesgo ocupacional conocido y que suele presentarse como meningitis purulenta, que tiene baja mortalidad y frecuentes secuelas de hipoacusia y ataxia. Se han publicado menos de 150 casos humanos desde el informe original de hace 30 años. Hay una reconocida distribución geográfica viviendo la mayoría de los afectados en el norte de Europa y el sudeste Asiático. En España se han comunicado dos pacientes con enfermedad por S. suis. Presentamos dos pacientes con meningitis por S.suis, que acudieron a nuestro hospital en el plazo de un mes. Ambos eran hombres con exposición laboral a cerdos. Presentaron hipoacusia neurosensorial y ataxia de la marcha. Un paciente tuvo parálisis facial periférica y diplopía por paresia del sexto par contralateral con resolución completa a los tres meses. Lo excepcional de la meningitis por S. suis en nuestro país, no debe hacernos olvidar la importancia de registrar el riesgo laboral en la anamnesis. (AU)