Honey bees can store and retrieve independent memory traces after complex experiences that combine appetitive and aversive associations.

Real-world experiences often mix appetitive and aversive events. Understanding the ability of animals to extract, store and use this information is an important issue in neurobiology. We used honey bees as model organism to study learning and memory after a differential conditioning paradigm that combines appetitive and aversive training trials. First, we used an aversive conditioning paradigm that constitutes a clear opposite of the well-known appetitive olfactory conditioning of the proboscis extension response. A neutral odour is presented paired with the bitter substance quinine. Aversive memory is evidenced later as an odour-specific impairment in appetitive conditioning. Then, we tested the effect of mixing appetitive and aversive conditioning trials distributed along the same training session. Differential conditioning protocols like this were used previously to study the ability to discriminate odours; however, they were not focused on whether appetitive and aversive memories are formed. We found that after differential conditioning, honey bees establish independent appetitive and aversive memories that do not interfere with each other during acquisition or storage. Finally, we moved the question forward to retrieval and memory expression to evaluate what happens when appetitive and the aversive learned odours are mixed during a test. Interestingly, opposite memories compete in such a way that they do not cancel each other out. Honey bees showed the ability to switch from expressing appetitive to aversive memory depending on their satiation level.

United States-Mexico Border Diabetes Prevalence Survey: lessons learned from implementation of the project.

This paper reviews and discusses the main procedures and policies that need to be followed when designing and implementing a binational survey such as the United States of America (U.S.)-Mexico Border Diabetes Prevalence Study that took place between 2001 and 2002. The main objective of the survey was to determine the prevalence of diabetes in the population 18 years of age or older along U.S.-Mexico border counties and municipalities. Several political, administrative, financial, legal, and cultural issues were identified as critical factors that need to be considered when developing and implementing similar binational projects. The lack of understanding of public health practices, implementation of existing policies, legislation, and management procedures in Mexico and the United States may delay or cancel binational research, affecting the working relation of both countries. Many challenges were identified: multiagency/multifunding, ethical/budget clearances, project management, administrative procedures, laboratory procedures, cultural issues, and project communications. Binational projects are complex; they require coordination between agencies and institutions at federal, state, and local levels and between countries and need a political, administrative, bureaucratic, cultural, and language balance. Binational agencies and staff should coordinate these projects for successful implementation.

United States-Mexico border diabetes prevalence survey: lessons learned from implementation of the project / Encuesta de prevalencia de diabetes en la zona fronteriza entre México y los Estados Unidos: lecciones aprendidas de la ejecución del proyecto

This paper reviews and discusses the main procedures and policies that need to be followed when designing and implementing a binational survey such as the United States of America (U.S.)-Mexico Border Diabetes Prevalence Study that took place between 2001 and 2002. The main objective of the survey was to determine the prevalence of diabetes in the population 18 years of age or older along U.S.-Mexico border counties and municipalities. Several political, administrative, financial, legal, and cultural issues were identified as critical factors that need to be considered when developing and implementing similar binational projects. The lack of understanding of public health practices, implementation of existing policies, legislation, and management procedures in Mexico and the United States may delay or cancel binational research, affecting the working relation of both countries. Many challenges were identified: multiagency/multifunding, ethical/budget clearances, project management, administrative procedures, laboratory procedures, cultural issues, and project communications. Binational projects are complex; they require coordination between agencies and institutions at federal, state, and local levels and between countries and need a political, administrative, bureaucratic, cultural, and language balance. Binational agencies and staff should coordinate these projects for successful implementation.

En este artículo se analizan los principales procedimientos y normas que se deberían seguir al diseñar y ejecutar una encuesta binacional, como el estudio de prevalencia de la diabetes en la zona fronteriza entre México y los Estados Unidos que se llevó a cabo entre el 2001 y el 2002. El objetivo principal de la encuesta fue determinar la prevalencia de diabetes en las personas de 18 años o mayores en los condados y municipios fronterizos entre México y los Estados Unidos. Se definieron diversos aspectos políticos, administrativos, financieros, legales y culturales como factores fundamentales que se deben tener en cuenta al elaborar y ejecutar proyectos binacionales similares. La falta de comprensión de las prácticas de salud pública, la ejecución de las normas existentes, la legislación y los procedimientos de gestión en México y los Estados Unidos pueden retardar o cancelar las actividades de investigación binacional, y afectar las relaciones de trabajo entre ambos países. Se señalaron muchas dificultades con respecto a la multiplicidad de organismos y fuentes de financiación, las autorizaciones de carácter ético y presupuestario, la gestión del proyecto, los procedimientos administrativos, los procedimientos de laboratorio, los aspectos culturales y la comunicación del proyecto. Los proyectos binacionales son complejos; requieren coordinación entre los organismos y las instituciones a escalas federal, estatal, local y entre países, y precisan un equilibrio político, administrativo, burocrático, cultural e idiomático. El personal y los organismos binacionales deben coordinar estos proyectos con objeto de lograr su eficaz ejecución.

Nitric oxide binding and photodelivery based on ruthenium(II) complexes of 4-arylazo-3,5-dimethylpyrazole.

Two fluorescent ligands, 3,5-dimethyl-4-(6'-sulfonylammonium-1'-azonaphthyl)pyrazole (dmpzn, 1) and 3,5-dimethyl-4-(4'-N,N'-dimethylaminoazophenyl)pyrazole (dmpza, 2) were obtained by condensation of ketoenolic derivatives with hydrazine. 1 and 2 formed the novel dinuclear complexes [(H(2)O)(3)ClRu(micro-L)(2)RuCl(H(2)O)(3)] (3 or 4) and [(H(2)O)(NO)Cl(2)Ru(micro-L)(2)RuCl(2)(NO)(H(2)O)] (6 or 7) (where L 1 = 2 or , respectively) which were characterized by IR, NMR and elemental analysis. The nitrosyl complexes were prepared by bubbling purified nitric oxide through methanol solutions of the corresponding ruthenium(II) chloroderivative or by reaction of the appropriate ligands with Ru(NO)Cl(3). Complexes 3 and 4 were found to bind NO, resulting in an increase in fluorescence. Ligand 1 also formed the mononuclear nitrosyl complex [Ru(NO)(bpy)(2)(dmpzn)]Cl(2) (8) which released NO in water at physiological pH and in the solid state as revealed by fluorescence and IR measurements, respectively.

Pausa para tu Salud: reduction of weight and waistlines by integrating exercise breaks into workplace organizational routine.

INTRODUCTION: Proactive worksite strategies that change the physical or sociocultural environment(s) to incorporate obligatory physical activity may be necessary to engage sedentary people. This study describes implementation and evaluation of an intervention, Pausa para tu Salud (Pause for Your Health), that integrated a brief period of group exercise into the workday. METHODS: An uncontrolled pretest-post-test study design tested the effects of integrating daily 10-minute exercise breaks during paid work time during January 2003 through January 2004. A total of 335 Mexican Ministry of Health office workers provided baseline data as a part of routine annual clinical screening examinations. RESULTS: Baseline mean body mass index and waist circumferences were 27.8 kg/m(2) and 87.6 cm for women and 26.6 kg/m(2) and 89.7 cm for men. Complete data were available for 271 (80.9%) employees at 1-year follow-up. Two-tailed, paired t-test comparisons were used. Body mass index decreased by 0.32 kg/m(2) (P = .05), and waist circumference by 1.6 cm (P = .0009) overall. The body mass index decrease, however, was significant only for men (-0.43 kg/m(2), P = .03). Multivariate analyses revealed a significant decrease in diastolic blood pressure among women (z = -2.04, P = .042). CONCLUSION: The intervention was associated with significant improvements in both measures of body composition. Substantive health and organizational benefits may result from integrating brief periods of physical activity into the workday if these findings are replicated in randomized controlled trials in other worksites.

Comporación de dos formulaciones de nimodipina en pacientes de edad avanzada con deterioro cognitivo estudio multicéntrico nacional aleatorizado doble ciego / Comporación two nimodipine formulations in elderly patients with cognitive impairment randomized national multicentre double-blind

Evaluar la seguridad y la efectividad en deterioro cognitivo de pacientes con edades entre 55 a 80 años de dos formulaciones de nimodipina: 120 mg de liberación programada (LP) una toma diaria y nimodipina 30 mg de liberación inmediata (LI), 4 tomas diarias. Estudio doble ciego, doble simulado, aleatorio, con pacientes con MMST entre 15 y 24. Estos recibieron las 4 semanas iniciales placebo, luego 12 semanas doble ciego, nimodipina LI activo cuatro tomas diaria, o nimodipina LP activo en una toma diaria. Fueron evaluados a las 12 semanas de tratamiento mediante MMST, escala de Barthel, impresión clínica de cambio" por el médico y el paciente. Ingresaron 69 pacientes, finalizaron el 95.6 por ciento. Treinta y tres con nimodipina LP y treinta y tres con nimodipina LI. Con nimodipina LI, 79 por ciento mejoraron el score de MMST; 78 por ciento notaron mejoría y en 84 por ciento la mejoría fue observada por el médico. Cinco pacientes presentaron reacciones adversas (lipotimia, dos con erupción cutánea, cefalea y epigastralgia), dos suspendieron el tratamiento. En nimodipina LP, 94 por ciento mejoraron el MMST, 94 por ciento dijeron sentirse mejor y en el 91 por ciento, la mejoría fue observada por el médico. Tres (3) pacientes presentaron reacciones adversas (acidez gástrica, hipotensión y mareos), uno suspendió el tratamiento. La nimodipina 120 mg. LP administrada una vez al día y la nimodipina LI 30 mg. administrada cuatro veces al día mejoran el deterioro cognitivo en la edad avanzada, siendo bien toleradas.

Prevalance of proteinuria in Mexico: a conjunctive consolidation approach with other cardiovascular risk factors: the Mexican Health Survey 2000.

BACKGROUND: A number of cross-sectional or serial studies have demonstrated the clinical impact of microproteinuria and macroproteinuria by identifying individuals at risk of both end-stage renal disease and major cardiovascular events. This study focused on the prevalence of proteinuria in Mexico and its relationship with other cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, body mass index, smoking, age, and gender. METHODS: The prevalence of proteinuria in Mexico was obtained from the probabilistic cross-sectional national health survey performed in the year 2000. The proportion of urine dipstick samples that tested positive for protein (defined as > or =1+) in adults from 20 to 69 years of age was determined. The analysis was performed using both algebraic and multicategorical models. Potential interactions between proteinuria and other major cardiovascular risk factors were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 46,523 adult survey participants were included in the analysis. In the general population, 9.2% had proteinuria. By univariate, multivariate, and multicategorical analysis, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and age were strongly associated with the prevalence of proteinuria (P < 0.001). However, in Mexico, the specific distribution of age groups demonstrated that the absolute number of patients without hypertension that had proteinuria is not irrelevant. To identify 1 case of proteinuria, one would need to screen 3 persons with diabetes mellitus, 5 patients with hypertension without diabetes, or 6 persons over the age of 55 years. When proteinuria is present, the probability of having a noncommunicable chronic disease or other major cardiovascular risk factor is more than 85%. CONCLUSION: Proteinuria is prevalent. When considered together, dipstick-positive proteinuria, blood pressure level, body mass index > or =30 m(2)/kg, and abnormal fasting blood glucose measured on a single occasion identifies different segments of the population. Studies such as this may be a suitable initial clinical approach to general population screening for renal and cardiovascular risk stratification.

[Hypercholesterolemia and hypertension in Mexico: urban conjunctive consolidation with obesity, diabetes and smoking]. / Hipercolesterolemia e hipertensión arterial en México. consolidación urbana actual con obesidad, diabetes y tabaquismo.

AIMS: To know the prevalence and the interaction among the principal cardiovascular risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia (HCL), hypertension (HTA), overweight, carbohydrates metabolism disturbances, and smoking, an urban survey was performed in the six Mexican Republic states, where the national population is more concentrated. METHODS: This survey was transversally designed using the WHO type-III model in 120,005 adults from 6 highly populated urban centers (Mexico City, Guadalajara, León, Puebla, Monterrey andTijuana) were included. A blood sample from each person was obtained to quantify fasting glucose and cholesterol. Blood pressure, height and weight were measured using daily validated systems. Data were analyzed by a multicategorical conjunctive consolidation model and by multiple regression models. RESULTS: HCL global prevalence showed to be 43.3% for a population with an average age of 44.1 years. Female gender showed a slightly but statistically significant greater prevalence of HCL than male gender (44% vs 42.2%). From whole women population 33.2% declared to be in menopause, and 59.7% of them had HCL. In addition, HCL was directly related to body mass index (BMI). Thus, in those subjects with BMI < 25 showed a HCL prevalence 34.1%; while those with BMI was between 25 and 29.9, the HCL prevalence was 45.9%, and in those subjects with BMI > or = 30 Kg/m2, ranked a HCL prevalence of 47.3%. The prevalence of hypertension was 30.2% and 52.5% of them had HCL prevalence. Type-2 diabetes mellitus prevalence (DM-2) was 10.7%, 55.2% of them had HCL. In the group aged between 20 to 34 years old, the obesity was the principal determinant for higher HCL prevalence. The HCL prevalence showed to be quite similar in population with and without smoking. In conclusion, HCL prevalence shows 4 progressively increasing gradients associated with age, HTA, DM-2 and BMI.

Hipercolesterolemia e hipertensión arterial en México: Consolidación urbana actual con obesidad, diabetes y tabaquismo / Hypercholesterolemia and hypertension in Mexico: urban conjunctive consolidation with obesity, diabetes and smoking

Se llevó a cabo una encuesta en los estados de la República Mexicana, donde existe la mayor concentración poblacional, con el propósito de profundizar en el conocimiento de la prevalencia y la forma de interacción de factores de riesgo cardiovascular como hipercolesterolemia (HCL), hipertensión arterial sistémica (HTA), obesidad, trastornos del metabolismo de carbohidratos y tabaquismo. La encuesta es de carácter transversal, tipo III de la OMS e incluyó a 120,005 personas, de 6 centros urbanos de gran población (México, D. F., Guadalajara, León, Puebla, Monterrey y Tijuana). A cada persona se le extrajo una muestra de sangre para la determinación capilar de glucosa y colesterol. La presión arterial, la estatura y el peso se midieron con sistemas validados previamente. Los datos recabados se sometieron a análisis multicategórico mediante el método de consolidación conjuntiva y también a un modelo analítico de regresión múltiple. La prevalencia global de HCL (colesterol ≥ 200 mg/dL) resultó ser de un 43.3% para una población con edad promedio de 44.1 años. El género femenino mostró una prevalencia de HCL ligeramente mayor que en el género masculino (44% vs 42.2%) pero estadísticamente significativa. El 33.2% de las mujeres encuestadas declararon ser menopáusicas y en este grupo, la prevalencia de HCL se incrementó en forma significativa al 59.7% (p < .05). La prevalencia de HCL se encontró en relación directa con el índice de masa corporal (IMC), el subgrupo de IMC de < de 25 tuvo una prevalencia de HCL de 34.1%; las personas con IMC de entre 25 y 29.9 tuvieron una prevalencia de HCL de 45.9% y el de IMC de 30 o más alcanzó una prevalencia de HCL de 47.3%. De toda la población encuestada, 30.2% fueron portadores de HTA y de ellos el 52.5% tuvo HCL. Además, hubo correlación entre la severidad de la HTA y el nivel de HCL. La prevalencia de diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM-2) fue del 10.7%, en este subgrupo, la prevalencia de HCL fue del 55.2%. El análisis por consolidación conjuntiva indica que para el grupo de edad entre 20 y 34 años, el impacto de la obesidad es determinante crucial de la mayor prevalencia de HCL. La prevalencia de HCL en este estudio resultó de proporciones similares en la población con y sin tabaquismo. En conclusión la prevalencia de HCL presenta cuatro gradientes de cambio porcentual muy importantes en función de los grupos de edad, de la presencia de HTA, de DM-2 y de IMC.

Aims: To know the prevalence and the interaction among the principal cardiovascular risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia (HCL), hypertension (HTA), overweight, carbohydrates metabolism disturbances, and smoking, an urban survey was performed in the six Mexican Republic states, where the national population is more concentrated. Methods: This survey was transversally designed using the WHO type-III model in 120,005 adults from 6 highly populated urban centers (Mexico City, Guadalajara, León, Puebla, Monterrey and Tijuana) were included. A blood sample from each person was obtained to quantify fasting glucose and cholesterol. Blood pressure, height and weight were measured using daily validated systems. Data were analyzed by a multicategorical conjunctive consolidation model and by multiple regression models. Results: HCL global prevalence showed to be 43.3% for a population with an average age of 44.1 years. Female gender showed a slightly but statistically significant greater prevalence of HCL than male gender (44% vs42.2%). From whole women population 33.2% declared to be in menopause, and 59.7% of them had HCL. In addition, HCL was directly related to body mass index (BMI). Thus, in those subjects with BMI < 25 showed a HCL prevalence 34.1%; while those with BMI was between 25 and 29.9, the HCL prevalence was 45.9%, and in those subjects with BMI ≥ 30 Kg/m², ranked a HCL prevalence of 47.3%. The prevalence of hypertension was 30.2% and 52.5% of them had HCL prevalence. Type-2 diabetes mellitus prevalence (DM-2) was 10.7%, 55.2% of them had HCL. In the group aged between 20 to 34 years old, the obesity was the principal determinant for higher HCL prevalence. The HCL prevalence showed to be quite similar in population with and without smoking. In conclusion, HCL prevalence shows 4 progressively increasing gradients associated with age, HTA, DM-2 and BMI.