Planting the Seed for Blood Pressure Control: The Role of Plant-Based Nutrition in the Management of Hypertension.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Hypertension results in significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditures. Fortunately, it is largely preventable and treatable by implementing dietary interventions, though these remain underutilized. Here, we aim to explore the role of healthy dietary patterns in hypertension management and describe approaches for busy clinicians to address nutrition effectively and efficiently with patients. RECENT FINDINGS: DASH, Mediterranean, vegetarian, and vegan diets that include minimally processed, plant-based foods as core elements have consistently shown positive effects on hypertension. Recommendations that distill the most healthful components of these diets can significantly impact patient outcomes. Clinicians can harness evidence-based dietary assessment and counseling tools to implement and support behavioral changes, even during brief office visits. Healthful plant-based dietary patterns can often effectively prevent and treat hypertension. Clinicians may help improve patient outcomes by discussing evidence-based nutrition with their patients. Future work to promote infrastructural change that supports incorporating evidence-based nutrition into medical education, clinical care, and society at large can support these efforts.

Efectividad a 3 y 6 meses de una intervención integral para caries dental en escolares de San Nicolás Lempa, San Vicente; Rosario de Mora, San Salvador; San Luis La Herradura, La Paz; Joateca y Torola, Morazán / Effectiveness at 3 and 6 months of a comprehensive intervention for dental caries in schoolchildren from San Nicolás Lempa, San Vicente; Rosario de Mora, San Salvador; San Luis La Herradura, La Paz; Joateca and Torola, Morazán

Objetivo: Determinar la efectividad a 3 y 6 meses de una intervención integral para caries dental de dientes permanentes en usuarios atendidos en las Unidades Comunitarias de Salud Familiar de San Nicolás Lempa en San Vicente; Rosario de Mora en San Salvador; San Luis La Herradura en La Paz; Joateca y Torola en Morazán. Metodología: Estudio tipo intervención comunitaria cuasi-experimental con grupo control pre-post; realizado en escolares usuarios de las Unidades Comunitarias de Salud Familiar; entre mayo del 2017 hasta abril del 2018, con una muestra total de 150 pacientes, clasificados según criterios de inclusión. Se realizó un diagnóstico inicial, tratamientos integrales y dos controles, los hallazgos fueron registrados en una guía de observación, para verificar la efectividad se utilizaron tablas de contingencia, ANOVA y Supervivencia. Resultados: Los tratamientos realizados en los escolares durante la investigación fueron, 150 técnicas de higiene bucal, 47 remineralizaciónes con barniz de flúor; 1,512 sellantes de fosas y fisuras (SFF), 232 obturaciones. El porcentaje de niños con un nivel óptimo de higiene oral fue ascendiendo de 41.33% inicial a un 84.56 a los 6 meses; el promedio de dientes permanentes cariados fue de 1.86 inicialmente, bajando a los 6 meses a 0.22; la supervivencia de sellantes de fosas y fisuras (SFF) fue de 89.34% y de las obturaciones 97%. Conclusión: La intervención integral con protocolos personalizados de educación, motivación y técnicas de higiene bucal, así como los tratamientos preventivos y curativos, fue efectiva, ya que permitió disminuir los niveles de placa bacteriana, cálculo dental y lesiones de caries; y también se observó la efectividad en la supervivencia de los SFF y de obturaciones.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness at 3 and 6 months of a comprehensive intervention for dental caries of permanent teeth in users treated at the Family Health Community Units of San Nicolás Lempa in San Vicente; Rosario de Mora in San Salvador; San Luis La Herradura in La Paz; Joateca and Torola in Morazán. Methodology: Cuasi-experimental community intervention study with pre-post control group carried out in school users of the Family Health Community Units between May 2017 and April 2018, with a total sample of 150 patients, classified according to inclusion criteria. An initial diagnosis, integral treatments and two controls were made, the findings were recorded in an observation guide. To verify the effectiveness, contingency, ANOVA and Survival tables were used. Results: The treatments carried out in the students during the research were 150 oral hygiene techniques, 47 remineralizations with fluoride varnish; 1,512 pits and fissure sealants, 232 seals. The percentage of children with an optimal level of oral hygiene was rising from an initial 41.33% to 84.56% at 6 months; the average of decayed permanent teeth was 1.86 initially, decreasing at 6 months to 0.22; the survival of pits and fissure sealants was 89.34% and the fillings 97%. Conclusion: The integral intervention with personalized protocols of education, motivation and oral hygiene techniques, as well as preventive and curative treatments was effective since it allowed to diminish the levels of bacterial plaque, dental calculus and caries lesions; also, the survival of pits and fissure sealants and obturations was observed. Key words: Comprehensive intervention, effectiveness, dental caries, dental treatments, oral hygiene techniques.

The RecA-Dependent SOS Response Is Active and Required for Processing of DNA Damage during Bacillus subtilis Sporulation.

The expression of and role played by RecA in protecting sporulating cells of Bacillus subtilis from DNA damage has been determined. Results showed that the DNA-alkylating agent Mitomycin-C (M-C) activated expression of a PrecA-gfpmut3a fusion in both sporulating cells' mother cell and forespore compartments. The expression levels of a recA-lacZ fusion were significantly lower in sporulating than in growing cells. However, M-C induced levels of ß-galactosidase from a recA-lacZ fusion ~6- and 3-fold in the mother cell and forespore compartments of B. subtilis sporangia, respectively. Disruption of recA slowed sporulation and sensitized sporulating cells to M-C and UV-C radiation, and the M-C and UV-C sensitivity of sporangia lacking the transcriptional repair-coupling factor Mfd was significantly increased by loss of RecA. We postulate that when DNA damage is encountered during sporulation, RecA activates the SOS response thus providing sporangia with the repair machinery to process DNA lesions that may compromise the spatio-temporal expression of genes that are essential for efficient spore formation.