Internet-based self-administered intervention to reduce anxiety and depression symptomatology and improve well-being in 7 countries: protocol of a randomized control trial.

Background: Online psychological interventions have emerged as a treatment alternative because they are accessible, flexible, personalized, and available to large populations. The number of Internet interventions in Latin America is limited, as are Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) of their effectiveness and a few studies comparing their effectiveness in multiple countries at the same time. We have developed an online intervention, Well-being Online, which will be available to the public free of charge in 7 countries: Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Spain, and the Netherlands. We expect a reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms and an increase in well-being of the participants. Methods: A multi-country, randomized controlled trial will be conducted. The intervention is multicomponent (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Behavioral Activation Therapy, Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Positive Psychology), with 10 sessions. In each country, eligible participants will be randomized to one of three groups: Enriched Intervention (interactive web design with videos, infographics, text, audio, and forum), Text Intervention (text on the website), and Wait List (control group). Repeated measures will be obtained at 5-time points. Our primary outcomes will be anxiety symptomatology, depressive symptomatology, and mental well-being. MANOVA analysis will be used for our main analysis. Discussion: This protocol describes the design of a randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of a web-based intervention to reduce anxiety and depression symptomatology and increase subjective well-being. The intervention will be made available in four languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, and English). Its results will contribute to the evidence of effectiveness in terms of randomized trials and Internet interventions, mainly in Latin America and Europe.

Variations in anxiety and emotional support among first-year college students across different learning modes (distance and face-to-face) during COVID-19.

College students with more emotional support experience lower levels of anxiety and other psychosocial and behavioral problems. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the emotional well-being of college students was additionally challenged by an abrupt shift to distance learning followed by a return to face-to-face classes. In this exploratory study, we compared the levels of perceived emotional support and anxiety among incoming first-year undergraduate students, prior to starting classes, which included different learning modes in five semesters of instruction from 2021-2023 (three distance semesters and two face-to-face semesters). Data from 8659 undergraduate students were extracted from a Mexican state university database, corresponding to students' responses collected during new student orientation week. Participants were students in the arts and humanities (9.7%), social and legal sciences (38%), life and health sciences (28.9%), and engineering and architecture (23.4%). Anxiety levels were measured with the GAD-7 scale, and emotional support was measured using a subscale of the PERACT-R (To go through with resilience) inventory. Comparisons of emotional support and anxiety scores among semesters revealed highly significant differences with small effect sizes. Anxiety levels increased significantly with mean average of 6.65 SD(5.52) during the baseline measure to the highest in 2022-2 to 7.53 SD(5.3) and Emotional Support decreased systematically each semester from baseline mean = 8.03 SD(2.0) to the lowest 7.52 SD(1.8) in 2022-2. The results show that a return to face-to-face classes was associated with increased anxiety levels, whereas levels of emotional support systematically decreased across the five semesters. MANOVA analysis revealed significant differences in anxiety and emotional support scores between semesters, with peaks during the learning mode semester that students returned to face-to-face classes after distance learning even after adjusting for gender. Given that the effect of emotional support on anxiety may be related to success in future educational and professional activities, it is important to develop interventions to restore and increase college students' emotional support levels and develop anxiety management strategies.

Design and evaluation of a mobile-based intervention for Maya adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a direct impact on mental health. Inter national organisations have emphasised the vulnerability of indigenous people. Digital Mental Health approaches deliver online therapy as an evidence-based, effective, and accessible treat ment option for common mental health problems. However, the evidence regarding these ap proaches is limited in indigenous populations. The objective of this study is to describe the design, development, and evaluation of the efficacy of a self-applied online intervention regarding the psychological symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fear of COVID-19 in a sample of the Maya population. Method: A prospective longitudinal quantitative study was designed, where a single group was measured before and after receiving the online intervention. This study took place from April to September 2021 and consisted of six sessions delivered via WhatsApp in Spanish and Mayan. Results: The initial assessment was implemented with 82 participants who were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire, Scale for Generalised Anxiety Disorder and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale; 18 participants remained in the intervention for the post-as sessment. Statistical differences were observed in PRE and POST measures of depression and anxiety, but not in fear of COVID-19. Conclusions: This study produced positive results for the first online mental health intervention implemented in the Latin American indigenous pop ulation. Future studies might consider developing similar interventions for other indigenous communities in Latin America.

Introducción: La pandemia de COVID-19 tuvo impacto directo en la salud mental. Organizaciones internacionales han enfatizado la vulnerabilidad de los pueblos indígenas. Los enfoques de salud mental digital brindan terapia en línea como una opción de tratamiento basada en evidencia, efectiva y accesible; sin embargo, los datos son limitados en población indígena. El objetivo de este estudio fue describir el diseño, desarrollo y evaluación de la eficacia de una intervención en línea autoaplicada sobre síntomas psicológicos de depresión, ansiedad y miedo al COVID-19 en una muestra de población maya. Método: Se diseñó un es tudio cuantitativo longitudinal prospectivo, donde se midió a un solo grupo antes y después de recibir la intervención en línea, implementada de abril a septiembre de 2021, que constó de seis sesiones impartidas vía WhatsApp, en español y maya. Resultados: La evaluación inicial se implementó con 82 participantes que fueron evaluados mediante el Cuestionario de Salud del Paciente, Escala para el Trastorno de Ansiedad Generalizada y Escala de Miedo al COVID-19; 18 participantes permanecieron para la evaluación posterior. Se observaron di ferencias estadísticas en las medidas pre- y post- de depresión y ansiedad, pero no miedo al COVID-19. Conclusiones: Este estudio arrojó resultados positivos de la primera intervención de salud mental en línea implementada en la población indígena latinoamericana. Estudios futuros podrían considerar el desarrollo de intervenciones similares para otras comunidades indígenas en América Latina.

Characterization of cellular toxicity induced by sub-lethal inorganic mercury in the marine microalgae Chlorococcum dorsiventrale isolated from a metal-polluted coastal site.

Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant that affects numerous marine aquatic ecosystems. We isolated Chlorococcum dorsiventrale Ch-UB5 microalga from coastal areas of Tunisia suffering from metal pollution and analyzed its tolerance to Hg. This strain accumulated substantial amounts of Hg and was able to remove up to 95% of added metal after 24 and 72 h in axenic cultures. Mercury led to lesser biomass growth, higher cell aggregation, significant inhibition of photochemical activity, and appearance of oxidative stress and altered redox enzymatic activities, with proliferation of starch granules and neutral lipids vesicles. Such changes matched the biomolecular profile observed using Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy, with remarkable spectral changes corresponding to lipids, proteins and carbohydrates. C. dorsiventrale accumulated the chloroplastic heat shock protein HSP70B and the autophagy-related ATG8 protein, probably to counteract the toxic effects of Hg. However, long-term treatments (72 h) usually resulted in poorer physiological and metabolic responses, associated with acute stress. C. dorsiventrale has potential use for Hg phycoremediation in marine ecosystems, with the ability to accumulating energetic reserves that could be used for biofuel production, supporting the notion of using of C. dorsiventrale for sustainable green chemistry in parallel to metal removal.

Evaluating a wellness intervention including micro-practices for healthcare professionals before and during COVID-19 / Evaluando una intervención de bienestar con micro prácticas para profesionalesde la salud antes y durante el COVID-19

Abstract Objective: To describe, with a mixed design study, healthcare professionals' pre-post descriptive measures of quality of life (subjective wellness) and prolonged fatigue, as well as an improvement in overall wellness and satisfaction regarding micro-practices as a result of participation in a wellness intervention before and during COVID-19. Material and Methods: This study had a mixed design involving two independent groups of healthcare professionals participating in a wellness intervention with micro-practices before and during COVID-19. The intervention contained multimodal presentations with animated cartoon stories, comics, storytelling, readings, breathing, mindfulness and visualization exercises, adapted from second-order factors in the Indivisible Self model. Pre-post descriptive measures of quality of life (subjective wellness), prolonged fatigue, as well as improvement in overall wellness and satisfaction regarding micro-practices were collected. Results: Attending to either wellness interventions before or during COVID-19 had a positive and, in some cases significant, effect on important indicators of quality-of-life and prolonged fatigue among healthcare professionals. A qualitative analysis indicated a subjective improvement in overall wellness and satisfaction regarding the use of micropractices included in the wellness interventions, regardless of whether these were presented in person or virtually. Most participants subjectively indicated that they improved in the targeted indicators, especially achievement of better wellness. Conclusions: During ordinary and extraordinary circumstances, healthcare professionals require specific interventions that act primarily to provide them with strategies that can improve physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Use of micro-practices in multimodal workshops to improve healthcare practitioner wellness is a successful tool for learning or remembering the importance of pausing during daily clinical activities and refocusing their energy.

Resumen Objetivo: Describir, con un estudio de diseño mixto, la medición descriptiva pre-post sobre la calidad de vida (bienestar subjetivo) y la fatiga prolongada entre profesionales de salud, así como su mejora en el bienestar general y satisfacción respecto al uso de micro-prácticas como resultado de participar en una intervención de bienestar antes y durante COVID-19. Material y métodos: Este estudio tuvo un diseño mixto en el que participaron dos grupos independientes de profesionales del sector salud en una intervención de bienestar con micro-prácticas antes y durante el COVID-19. La intervención consistió en presentaciones multimodales con historias con dibujos animados, cómics, narración de cuentos, lecturas, ejercicios de respiración, mindfulness y visualización, adaptados a partir de los factores de segundo orden del modelo del Yo Indivisible. Se recolectaron medidas descriptivas pre-post de calidad de vida (bienestar subjetivo), fatiga prolongada, así como su mejora en el bienestar general y la satisfacción con respecto a las micro-prácticas. Resultados: La asistencia a cualquiera de las intervenciones para el bienestar antes o durante la COVID-19 tuvo un efecto positivo y, en algunos casos, significativo, sobre importantes indicadores de calidad de vida y fatiga prolongada entre los profesionales del ámbito de la salud. El análisis cualitativo indicó una mejoría subjetiva en cuanto a su bienestar general y satisfacción con respecto al uso de las micro-prácticas incluidas en las intervenciones de bienestar, independientemente de si éstas se presentaron en persona o virtualmente. La mayoría de los participantes indicaron subjetivamente que habían mejorado en los indicadores enfocados, especialmente el logro de un mayor bienestar. Conclusiones: Durante circunstancias ordinarias y extraordinarias, los profesionales de la salud requieren intervenciones específicas que actúen principalmente para proporcionarles estrategias que puedan mejorar la salud física, emocional y espiritual. El uso de microprácticas en talleres multimodales para mejorar el bienestar de los profesionales es una herramienta exitosa para aprender o recordar la importancia que tiene hacer una pausa durante las actividades clínicas diarias y reenfocar su energía.

E-Health Psychological Intervention for COVID-19 Healthcare Workers: Protocol for its Implementation and Evaluation.

(1) Background: Healthcare workers have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital interventions have been carried out that have been effective with this population; however, few have been reported in Latin America. Our aim is to describe the components and methods to evaluate the feasibility and utility of an online multi-component psychological intervention for healthcare workers in Mexico during COVID-19. (2) Methods: This study is a randomized clinical trial with two arms: (1) self-applied intervention and (2) intervention delivered online by therapists. The participants are randomly assigned to one arm, receiving the same treatment contents in both groups. The "Personal COVID" intervention consists of an internet platform containing 9 nuclear and 3 complementary modules. The objectives of the intervention are: (1) to reduce anxiety, depressive symptoms, burnout, and compassion fatigue, and (2) to increase the quality of life, sleep quality, self-care, and their skills to give bad news. The protocol has been registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT04890665). (3) Discussion: This protocol is designed according to the highest scientific standards following the SPIRIT guidelines. The "Personal COVID" intervention is expected to be of high efficacy in treating the emotional distress of healthcare workers and promoting their health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prevalence of Anxiety Symptoms and Associated Clinical and Sociodemographic Factors in Mexican Adults Seeking Psychological Support for Grief During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the greatest challenges in modern history, with more than four million confirmed deaths worldwide. To date, evidence regarding the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on grievers is scarce for developing countries such as Mexico. This study aimed to assess the levels of anxiety and associated concerns in a sample of Mexican adults bereaved during the COVID-19 outbreak. A cross-sectional study was conducted through the Duelo COVID (COVID Grief) platform, which is a self-guided online treatment. A total of 5,224 participants reported their anxiety, depression, sleep quality, avoidance, and arousal, prolonged grief symptoms, and medication consumption. Independent sample Mann-Whitney U-tests, chi-square tests, and Kruskal-Wallis tests, as well as multinomial logistic regression, were conducted. Results indicated that 90.4% of the participants reported clinical levels of anxiety, depression, and sleep affectations. The people who lost someone during the last 5 months scored higher in normal grief symptoms compared to the people whose loss was 6 months ago or more, and 9.8% of individuals reported the use of prescription medication, with anxiolytics and antidepressants being the most common. Females, younger respondents, unemployed people with a lower educational level, and participants who disclosed a recent suicide attempt were among those who reported medication consumption. Sleep problems were more frequent in older participants.

Insecticide Resistance in Aedes aegypti Varies Seasonally and Geographically in Texas/Mexico Border Cities.

Insecticide use is the primary method of attempting to reduce or control the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. Insecticide resistance is a major concern as resistance will limit the efficacy of vector-control efforts. The lower Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas has had autochthonous transmission of multiple mosquito-borne diseases including those caused by dengue virus, chikungunya virus, and Zika virus. However, the current status of mosquito resistance to commonly used pesticides in this region is unknown. In this study, we collected field samples from multiple municipalities in South Texas and assessed resistance using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention bottle bioassay. All populations exhibited characteristics of resistance, and permethrin was the most effective insecticide with an average mortality rate of 44.78%. Deltamethrin and sumethrin had significantly lower mortality rates of 20.31% and 32.16%, respectively, although neither of these insecticides are commonly used for vector-control activities in this region. Depending on which insecticide was used, there was little significance between each of the 7 cities. Seasonal variation in resistance was observed among the collection sites. Both deltamethrin and sumethrin exhibited an increase in susceptibility over the course of 10 months, while permethrin exhibited a decrease in susceptibility. These data highlight the need for further studies to determine if variations in resistance observed are repeated. The data and future findings may be useful in determining the most effective strategies for pesticide use and rotation.

"Burnout syndrome and association with work stress in nursing staff in public hospital of the northern border of Mexico".

Currently in Mexico, there is a lack of published research assessing nursing burnout in a consistent manner. The pressure of having to provide quality care to low income patients can be a serious factor triggering work stress in the nursing professional. The aim of this study was to establish the connection between burnout, work stress and both demographic and labor factors in nursing staff. A sample of 424 nurses participated in the descriptive and cross-sectional study. Each of the participants answered a questionnaire with two validated instruments, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey and the Nursing Stress Scale, both in their Spanish version, as well as a demographic and labor survey of the authors' own creation. A bivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine any significant association between the variables. We found a prevalence of 65.09% in mid-level burnout syndrome among the female sex. Men, on the other hand, featured a high level of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, whereas the female sex showed significantly lower levels of depersonalization. Most of the staff showed acute stress levels. Some factors found in the potential development of burnout were work shift, position, department and gender.

Synchrotron Radiation-Fourier Transformed Infrared microspectroscopy (µSR-FTIR) reveals multiple metabolism alterations in microalgae induced by cadmium and mercury.

Toxic metals such as cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) represent a threat to photosynthetic organisms of polluted aquatic ecosystems, and knowledge about mechanisms of toxicity is essential for appropriate assessment of environmental risks. We used Synchrotron Radiation-Fourier Transformed Infrared microspectroscopy (µSR-FTIR) to characterise major changes of biomolecules caused by Cd and Hg in the model green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. µSR-FTIR showed several metabolic alterations in different biochemical groups such as carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids in a time-dose dependent manner, with the strongest changes occurring at concentrations above 10 µM Cd and 15 µM Hg after short-term (24 h) treatments. This occurred in a context where metals triggered intracellular oxidative stress and chloroplast damage, along with autophagy induction by overexpressing AUTOPHAGY-RELATED PROTEIN 8 (ATG8). Thin layer chromatography analysis confirmed that toxic metals promoted remarkable changes in lipid profile, with higher degree of esterified fatty acid unsaturation as detected by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Under Cd stress, there was specifically higher unsaturation of free fatty acids, while Hg led to stronger unsaturation in monogalactosyldiacylglycerol. µSR-FTIR spectroscopy proved as a valuable tool to identify biochemical alterations in microalgae, information that could be exploited to optimise approaches for metal decontamination.

A Self-Applied Multi-Component Psychological Online Intervention Based on UX, for the Prevention of Complicated Grief Disorder in the Mexican Population During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Protocol of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: COVID-19 has taken many lives worldwide and due to this, millions of persons are in grief. When the grief process lasts longer than 6 months, the person is in risk of developing Complicated Grief Disorder (CGD). The CGD is related to serious health consequences. To reduce the probability of developing CGD a preventive intervention could be applied. In developing countries like Mexico, the psychological services are scarce, self-applied interventions could provide support to solve this problem and reduce the health impact even after the pandemic has already finished. Aims: To design and implement a self-applied intervention composed of 12 modules focused on the decrease of the risk of developing CGD, and increasing the life quality, and as a secondary objective to reduce the symptomatology of anxiety, depression, and increase of sleep quality. The Intervention Duelo COVID (Grief COVID) follows the principles of User Experience (UX) and is designed according to the needs and desires of a sample of the objective participants, to increase the adherence to the self-applied intervention, considered one of the main weaknesses of online interventions. Methods: A Randomized Controlled Trial will be conducted from the 22nd of December of 2020 to the first of June 2021. The participants will be assigned to an intervention with elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness and Positive Psychology. The control group will be a wait-list condition, that will receive the intervention 1.5-2 months after the pre-measurement were taken. The Power Size Calculation conducted through G*Power indicated the need for a total of 42 participants, which will be divided by 21 participants in each group. The platform will be delivered through responsive design assuring with this that the intervention will adapt to the screen size of cellphones, tablets, and computers. Ethics and Dissemination: The study counts with the approval of the Research Ethics Committee of the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez, México, and it is registered in Clinical Trials (NCT04638842). The article is sent and registered in clinical trials before the recruitment started. The results will be reported in future conferences, scientific publications, and media.

Rethinking Strategies and Programs to Improve Physical and Emotional Well-being Among Healthcare Professionals: Facing the New Normalcy.

Background: With the advent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a different perspective on the future of humanity has emerged that emphasizes the importance of building the capacities of healthcare providers in order to assist them with the heavy burden that these changes have placed on them both now and in the future. A reduction in the quality of life and the presence of prolonged fatigue are some of the most imminent problems that emerge among these professionals. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a holistic intervention (workshop) for health science students aimed at developing skills that will enable them to obtain a better self-assessment of their quality of life, and prolonged fatigue. Methods: Pre- and post-measures of quality of life, and prolonged fatigue were obtained from 130 health science students, including a group of 96 attendees (cases) of a 4-h wellness workshop and 34 students who did not attend (controls). Results: Paired t tests indicated a significant improvement in nearly all dimensions related to quality of life, and prolonged fatigue in the case group who attended the workshop. Conclusions: A comprehensive wellness strategy that utilizes a holistic approach can play an important role in improving and promoting essential skills to improve healthcare provider's self-assessment about the quality of life and reduce their prolonged fatigue. The critical importance of these needs has long been recognized, and this will also be crucial for addressing new challenges and emerging realities.

Characterization of Oxidative Lipidomics and Autophagy Induction in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Under Abiotic Stress.

Autophagy constitutes an essential process triggered by oxidative stress that enables cells to recycle damaged biomolecules and organelles, which is eventually traced by immunodetection with anti-ATG8. In parallel with autophagy induction, carbon metabolism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii under abiotic stress is diverged toward lipid biosynthesis and lipid droplet accumulation, which can be analyzed by a simple thin-layer chromatography and in vivo staining with the fluorescent probe BODIPY 493/503. We show the responses in Chlamydomonas cells exposed to mercury or cadmium (0-50 µM doses), as examples of oxidative stress-mediated changes in autophagy and lipid metabolism, monitored with the procedures described in this report.

Effectiveness of behavioral activation for depression treatment in medical students: Study protocol for a quasi-experimental design.

INTRODUCTION: Depression is a frequent mood disorder among medical students that can lead to multiple negative consequences at individual and social level (such as academic achievement and interpersonal conflicts) as well as patient care performance. Therefore, the need of depression decreasing treatments in medical students is important. This study is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression in a sample of Mexican medical students. METHODS: This study will be performed under a quasi-experimental design to verify the effectiveness of the Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression to reduce depressive symptoms in medical students from two public universities in northwestern Mexico. The participants will be assessed with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Plutchik Suicide Risk Scale. In addition to the psychometric assessment, there will be an electroencephalogram evaluation using the EMOTIV (v 1.1) device. RESULTS: A pre-post intervention of 10 Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression sessions will be implemented. The results of the effectiveness of the Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression will be analyzed in five measures at pre-post intervention and two follow-ups of 3 and 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: This study looks for evidence regarding the efficacy and feasibility of the Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression in a sample of medical students from two public universities in Mexico with high levels of depression along with stress and anxiety.

Aluminium triggers oxidative stress and antioxidant response in the microalgae Scenedesmus sp.

Aluminium (Al) water pollution is an increasing environmental problem and comprehensive analysis of toxic responses of aquatic primary producer organisms is imperative. We characterized the antioxidant response of Scenedesmus sp. microalga to Al-induced oxidative stress. After 72 h of exposure to Al (0, 10, and 100 µM) in a modified Bold Basal Medium (pH 5.0), we observed cell aggregation and alterations in the subcellular structure, strong lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress induction (detected with the fluorescent probe 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate) in parallel with Al accumulation in cells. At the same time, Al toxicity caused depletion of important macronutrients like Ca, which is important for cell-wall structure. Analysis of antioxidant enzymatic activities in Al-treated Scenedesmus cells revealed that catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, as well as different isoforms of superoxide dismutase were inhibited especially at the highest Al dose (100 µM), cells that accumulated the highest concentration of Al. On the other hand, glutathione reductase activity increased at that Al concentration. Immunodetection after Western-blotting confirmed that only ascorbate peroxidase inhibition was apparently due to a decrease in enzyme levels. However, the inhibition of catalase and activation of glutathione reductase activities seemed related with post-translational modifications in protein function as protein expression decreased or increased, respectively under Al stress. Our results may help to understand toxic mechanisms triggered by Al in freshwater microalgae, which in turn could aid to select suitable biomarkers of Al contamination in aquatic ecosystems.

Transketolase Activity in the Formation of the Azinomycin Azabicycle Moiety.

The biosynthesis of the azinomycins involves the conversion of glutamic acid to an aziridino[1,2-a]pyrrolidine moiety, which together with the epoxide moiety imparts anticancer activity to these agents. The mechanism of azabicycle formation is complex and involves at least 14 enzymatic steps. Previous research has identified N-acetyl-glutamate 5-semialdehyde as a key intermediate, which originates from protection of the amino terminus of glutamic acid and subsequent reduction of the γ-carboxylate. This study reports on the seminal discovery of a thiamin-dependent transketolase responsible for the formation of 2-acetamido-5,6-dihydroxy-6-oxoheptanoic acid, which accounts for the two-carbon extension needed to complete the carbon framework of the azabicycle moiety.

Detection of Bartonella species, including Candidatus Bartonella ovis sp. nov, in ruminants from Mexico and lack of evidence of Bartonella DNA in saliva of common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) predating on them.

Bartonella spp. have been identified in many bat species worldwide, including the zoonotic species, Candidatus Bartonella mayotimonensis. The common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) preys preferentially on livestock in Latin America and is frequently infected with Bartonella spp. To determine the potential role of D. rotundus in transmitting Bartonella to livestock, common vampire bats and bat-bitten domestic ruminants from Mexico were tested for Bartonella infection by blood culture or conventional PCR. Furthermore, to explore the possibility of bite transmission during blood feeding, saliva swabs from 35 D. rotundus known to be either Bartonella bacteremic (N = 17) or blood culture negative (N = 18) were tested by PCR to detect the presence of Bartonella DNA. Twenty (17.1%) of 117 sheep and 16 (34.8%) of 46 cattle were Bartonella bacteremic by PCR testing. However, none of them were infected with Bartonella strains previously isolated from vampire bats and none of the 35 D. rotundus saliva swabs tested were PCR positive for Bartonella. All but two animals among those which were Bartonella culture and/or PCR positive, were infected with either B. bovis (cattle) or B. melophagi (sheep). Two sheep were infected by a possible new species, Candidatus Bartonella ovis, being phylogenetically closer to B. bovis than B. melophagi. This study does not support the role of D. rotundus as a reservoir of Bartonella species infecting livestock, which could be transmitted via bite and blood feeding and therefore suggest limited risk of zoonotic transmission of Bartonella from common vampire bats to humans.

Experimental infection of Artibeus intermedius with a vampire bat rabies virus.

Experimental infection of Artibeus intermedius, the great fruit-eating bat, was performed with vampire bat rabies isolates. Bats (n=35) were captured in the wild and quarantined prior to experimental infection. No rabies antibodies were detected by rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT) prior to infection. Three doses of rabies virus (RV) and three different routes of infection were used. One out of 35 bats died without showing any clinical signs at day 14 and was positive for rabies. None of the 34 other bats showed clinical signs for rabies, but high antibody titers were detected post-inoculation, suggesting either innate immune response to the vampire bat rabies virus or possible pre-exposure to RV and inoculation leading to a booster effect. Rabies virus was detected by hemi-nested RT-PCR (hnRT-PCR) in the brain (n=3), stomach (n=1) of bats that were negative by immunofluorescence and that survived rabies infection. The bat that died on day 14 was positive by hnRT-PCR on the brain, heart and liver. These results suggest that either previous non-lethal exposure to RV or natural low susceptibility to vampire bat viruses somehow protected Artibeus intermedius from clinical rabies infection leading to a marginal lethality effect on this bats species population in the wild.

Percepción de la calidad de la atención en un servicio de urgencias / Perception of the quality of attention in an emergency service / Percepção da qualidade do atendimento em um pronto-socorro

Introducción. El reconocimiento de la percepción del usuario de la calidad del servicio de urgencias mediante el modelo evaluativo Service Performance, permite la orientación de acciones para mejorar los servicios prestados. Objetivo. Determinar la percepción de la calidad de la atención del servicio de urgencias de una Empresa Social del Estado en Boyacá. Método. Se hizo una investigación descriptiva de diseño transversal, con una muestra conformada por 108 usuarios que recibieron atención en el servicio de urgencias durante el segundo semestre del año 2017. Para la recolección de la información, se utilizó la encuesta Service Performance, la cual consta de 22 preguntas organizadas en cinco dimensiones que permiten evaluar la calidad del servicio según la percepción del usuario. Resultados. La percepción de los usuarios sobre la calidad del servicio de urgencias, en cada una de las cinco dimensiones, obtuvo un puntaje promedio general de 4,09, siendo la dimensión de seguridad la más alta, con un promedio de 4,23, seguida de la empatía, con 4,18, la de capacidad de respuesta, con 4,14, la de fiabilidad, con 4,09 y, la más baja, los elementos tangibles, con 3,79. Conclusiones. El conocer la percepción de la calidad del servicio de urgencias permite desarrollar acciones, establecer confianza y hacer el seguimiento de la calidad del servicio

Introduction: The recognition of the user's perception of quality in the emergency service from the Service Performance evaluation model will allow the orientation of actions in favor of improving the services provided. Objective. Determine the perception of the quality of the emergency service of a social enterprise of the state in Boyacá. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional design research was conducted with a sample consisting of 108 users who received attention in the emergency service during the second semester of 2017. For the collection of information, the Service Performance survey was used as an instrument, which consists of 22 questions, organized into five dimensions that allow evaluating the quality of the service. Results: According to the perception of the users regarding the quality of the emergency service, with respect to each of the five dimensions, a general average of 4.086 was identified; the safety dimension being the highest with an average of 4.23; empathy with 4.18, responsiveness 4.14, and reliability 4.09, being the lowest, tangible elements with 3.79. Conclusions: Knowing the perception of the quality of the emergency service allows us to develop actions, establish trust and monitor the quality of the service.

Introdução. O reconhecimento da percepção do usuário sobre a qualidade do serviço de emergência por meio do modelo avaliativo Service Performance permite a orientação de ações para melhorar os serviços prestados. Objetivo. Determinar a percepção da qualidade do serviço de emergência de uma Empresa Social do Estado em Boyacá. Método. Foi realizada uma pesquisa descritiva transversal, com uma amostra composta por 108 pessoas que receberam cuidados no serviço de emergência durante o segundo semestre de 2017. Para a coleta da informação foi usado Service Performance, que tem 22 questões organizadas em cinco dimensões que permitem avaliar a qualidade do serviço de acordo com a percepção do usuário. Resultados. A percepção dos usuários sobre a qualidade do serviço de emergência, em cada uma das cinco dimensões, obteve uma pontuação média geral de 4,09, sendo a dimensão de segurança a maior, com uma média de 4,23, seguida da empatia, com 4,18, a capacidade da resposta, com 4,14, a confiabilidade, com 4,09, e a menor foram os elementos tangíveis, com 3,79. Conclusões. Conhecer a percepção da qualidade do serviço de emergência permite desenvolver ações, estabelecer confiança e monitorar a qualidade do serviço.

[Depression in older adults with extreme poverty belonging to Social Program in City Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico]. / Depresión en adultos mayores (AM) con pobreza extrema pertenecientes a un Programa Social en Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México.

OBJECTIVE: To identify depression in older adults living in extreme poverty beneficiaries of social program in City Juarez, Chihuahua. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Analytical study in 941 adults > 60 years, studied variables: age, sex, marital status, education and work, extreme poverty, place of residence, asylum. Yesavage Geriatric scale was used. STATISTICAL TESTS: X², IC < 95%, p < 0.05. The analysis was performed with SPSS 20.0. RESULTS: Prevalence of depression 45.48%, in women 46.75%. Older adults who do not work, incomplete education, living in asylum, have hypertension and pulmonary diseases increase depression risk (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Older Adults program beneficiaries living in extreme poverty depression is greater than that reported in the literature. The support granted by the Mexican Government to social programs that benefit older adults should be planned strategically with aims on improving the long-term health.