Patients' knowledge about the uses, risks, and beliefs surrounding the regulation and safety of Cannabis sativa L. in Peru.

In recent decades, there has been a significant rise in the utilization of medical cannabis. Understanding the various facets surrounding its usage and regulation is paramount for patients, health professionals, and policymakers. This cross-sectional study conducted at the CANNAVITAL clinic in Lima, Peru aimed to assess the basic knowledge, attitudes towards use, and beliefs regarding regulation and safety of Cannabis sativa L. Among 86 patients (mean age: 41 ± 7.8 years; 53.4% women) actively receiving medical cannabis treatment for at least one year, we utilized the 22-item KUC-22 questionnaire to evaluate their understanding of cannabis, risk factors, legislation, medical and recreational use. The average duration of medical cannabis use was 3 ± 1.2 years. Results showed that 60.2% of patients were familiar with different forms of cannabis consumption, while 77.3% recognized the importance of product quality. Chronic pain, nausea and vomiting (each 23.9%) were the primary conditions treated with cannabis, followed by cancer and epilepsy (both 21.6%). A significant correlation was found between knowledge and cannabis use (p < 0.001). Furthermore, 92% of patients believed that a medical prescription was necessary, while 84.1% engaged in self-medication practices. Concerning perceptions, 69.3% of participants perceived psychological dependence from long-term cannabis use, and 65.9% believed it could cause health damage. Significant correlations were observed between the perception of risk factors, knowledge of legislation, and cannabis use (p < 0.001). In conclusion, Peruvian patients exhibited a high level of knowledge regarding the risks, uses, and regulatory framework surrounding Cannabis sativa L. These findings provide valuable insights into patients' perspectives on medical cannabis, offering important information for medical providers and researchers aiming to enhance cannabinoid-based therapies.

Tunable polymer-peptide hybrids for dentin tissue repair.

OBJECTIVES: This study targets to assess the remineralization capability of conditioned dentin infiltrated with polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) doped with tideglusib (TDg) (TDg-NPs). METHODS: Dentin conditioned surfaces were infiltrated with NPs and TDg-NPs. Bonded interfaces were created, stored for 24 h and submitted to mechanical and thermal challenging. Resin-dentin interfaces were evaluated through nanohardness, Masson's trichrome staining microscopy, and Raman analysis. RESULTS: Dentin surfaces treated with TDg-NPs and load cycled produced higher nanohardness than the rest of the groups at the hybrid layer. At the bottom of the hybrid layer, all samples treated with TDg-NPs showed higher nanohardness than the rest of the groups. Active remineralization underneath the hybrid layer was detected in all groups after TDg application and load cycling, inducting new dentinal tubuli formation. After thermocycling, remineralization at the hybrid layer was not evidenced in the absence of NPs. Raman analysis showed increase mineralization, enriched carbonate apatite formation, and improved crosslinking and scaffolding of the collagen. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical loading on the specimens obtained after TDg-NPs dentin infiltration inducts an increase of mineralization at the resin/dentin interface, indicating remineralization of peritubular and intertubular dentin with augmented crystallographic maturity in crystals. Enriched collagen quality was produced, generating an adequate matrix organization to promote apatite nucleation, after tideglusib infiltration. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: At the present research, it has been proved the creation of reparative dentin, at the resin-dentin interface, after tideglusib dentin infiltration. Chemical stability, to favor integrity of the resin-dentin interface, is warranted in the presence of the TDg-NPs in the demineralized dentin collagen.

Deep-sea Ophiuroidea (Echinodermata) collected during the TALUD cruises in western Mexico.

Deep-sea ophiuroids from western Mexico have been documented since 1899, but mostly by non-Mexican expeditions. TALUD is a Mexican project designed to study the deep-sea fauna from Mexico. As part of it, the present contribution provides for the first time detailed information about the taxonomy and distribution, as well as images, of deep-sea ophiuroids from western Mexico, representing a useful taxonomic identification tool for Ophiuroidea from the eastern Pacific. A total of 38 species of ophiuroid (35 identified at species level, one at genus level, and two as confer) were collected from 83 stations located at 123‒2,309 m depth. At a regional scale, several new species records are presented: six for western Baja California, five for western Baja California Sur, two for the Gulf of California, four for Jalisco, 14 for Colima, and five for Guerrero. Geographic (six) and bathymetric (seven) distribution ranges of species are extended. An updated list of deep-sea ophiuroids (61 species) from western Mexico is provided together with an identification key to species collected during this survey. In addition, nine records of deep-sea ophiuroids for the Mexican Pacific are unproven, doubtful or invalid. We corroborated the presence of Ophiacantha eurypoma and Ophiacantha pacifica in the study area and added Amphiura gymnogastra as the first record for Mexico. We propose to transfer Ophiacantha phragma to Ophiolimna on account of it having both granules and spines on the dorsal disc and striated arm plates. TALUD cruises collected 57 % of the total deep-sea species known to occur off Mexico, making it the most important survey of deep-sea Ophiuroidea carried out in western Mexico to date.

Barriers to an Information Effect on Diagnostic Disparities of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Young Children.

OBJECTIVES: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is underdiagnosed in children from minority and low socioeconomic status families, and reports indicate that parental "lack of awareness" of symptoms is a factor, which implicates the adoption of the category globally. However, parental knowledge of ASD has failed to explain emerging clusters of cases. The objective of the present research was to identify and describe barriers to an "information effect" in diagnosis. METHODS: Interviews were conducted with the parents of 54 children with ASD in Costa Rica, many living within clusters that appeared after a genetic study conducted an information campaign for recruitment. The interviews explored factors influencing symptom recognition and help-seeking behaviors. Several barriers were identified that prevent information about ASD or exposure to diagnosed cases from influencing parents' help-seeking behaviors. RESULTS: Early symptoms in most children gave parents no reason to suspect ASD. Later, parents' understanding of ASD depended on caricatures of the disorder. Parents often received unsolicited advice from strangers, although rarely from family, and it was always seen as critical of their parenting; furthermore, the advice was too late to influence the referral process, which was well underway by the time classical symptoms of ASD appeared, if they did at all. Postdiagnosis, the interviewees occasionally gave advice to other parents, mostly strangers, but none had apparently been diagnosed. CONCLUSIONS: The results implicate efforts to educate parents about symptoms of ASD, where a focus on generic developmental delays and neurodevelopmental disorders in general may be more effective than ASD-specific information.

Parental Action and Referral Patterns in Spatial Clusters of Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Sociodemographic factors have long been associated with disparities in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Studies that identified spatial clustering of cases have suggested the importance of information about ASD moving through social networks of parents. Yet there is no direct evidence of this mechanism. This study explores the help-seeking behaviors and referral pathways of parents of diagnosed children in Costa Rica, one of two countries in which spatial clusters of cases have been identified. We interviewed the parents of 54 diagnosed children and focused on social network connections that influenced parents' help seeking and referral pathways that led to assessment. Spatial clusters of cases appear to be a result of seeking private rather than public care, and private clinics are more likely to refer cases to the diagnosing hospital. The referring clinic rather than information spread appears to explain the disparities.

The diffusion of autism spectrum disorder in Costa Rica: Evidence of information spread or environmental effects?

In the U.S., children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been found to live in spatial clusters. Studies have suggested that the clustering is caused by social or environmental factors, but determining the cause of the clustering is difficult in the U.S. setting because of unmeasured variation in healthcare access and diagnostic practices. The present study explores the diffusion of ASD in a small setting in which the diagnosis is not widely publicised and there is no variation in healthcare access or diagnostic practices. Costa Rica provides universal healthcare and only has one diagnosing clinic for young children, and the diagnosis is relatively new and little known among clinicians and parents. In addition, the potential for mercury exposure from the source that has been associated with ASD is absent, and areas with high levels of air pollution are spatially concentrated. Focusing on all young children who underwent an ASD assessment from 2010 to 2013, we identify spatial clusters that suggest a mechanism that does not depend on information about ASD, healthcare access, diagnostic practices, or environmental toxicants. These findings provide details of the "contextual drivers" of the increasing worldwide prevalence of ASD.

A radio-frequency coil for the microwave characterization of vortex dynamics in thin film superconductors.

A radio-frequency coil for the experimental investigation of the magnetic properties of thin superconducting films under microwave fields at different values of temperature and dc magnetic field has been developed. The system has been used for low-temperature microwave frequency-dependent magnetization measurements in a Pb thin film with an engineered periodical antidot array. The characteristic frequencies and the electric and magnetic fields of the resonant system formed by a multi-turn coil with a sample loaded in its core are estimated using the helical approach. A good agreement of the calculated values with those recorded in swept-frequency spectra is obtained. The relation between the characteristics of the resonant structure and the frequency-driven magnetic response of the sample at different nominal microwave powers documents the capability and sensitivity of the layout.

A literature review of the Ophiuroidea (Echinodermata) from the Pacific coast of Mexico / Revisión de literatura de Ophiuroidea (Echinodermata) de las costas del Pacífico de México

Abstract Despite the important effort of knowing the Ophiuroidea diversity in the Mexican Pacific, some mistakes in the taxonomic nomenclature have pervaded through time. In order to clarify the latter, a checklist based on literature review of brittle stars from the Mexican Pacific is provided. We reviewed a total of 105 references that in total summarized 125 species of brittle stars from the Mexican Pacific (112) and the Gulf of California (97), belonging to two orders, 16 families and 50 genera. These records are higher than those reported on previous studies carried out in the area. México is the country with the highest number of brittle stars reported in the Tropical Eastern Pacific; this may be due to its exceptional oceanographic conditions, location and coastline extension. However, a total of 27 species reported in the literature were considered doubtful due to their general distributions and were not included in the checklist. Of the reported species, 35 have their type locality in the Mexican Pacific, corroborating the importance of the country in the Tropical Eastern Pacific in terms of Echinodermata diversity. Rev. Biol. Trop. 63 (Suppl. 2): 37-47. Epub 2015 June 01.

Resumen A pesar del importante esfuerzo en el conocimiento de la diversidad de ofiuroideos del Pacífico mexicano, algunos errores en la nomenclatura taxonómica han perseverado a través del tiempo. Con el objetivo de clarificar lo anterior, se provee una lista de especies de ofiuroideos del Pacífico Mexicano, basada en la revisión de literatura. Se revisó un total de 105 referencias que en total suman 125 especies pertenecientes a dos órdenes, 16 familias y 50 géneros de ofiuros del Pacífico Mexicano (112) y el Golfo de California (97). Estos reportes son mayores que otros estudios llevados a cabo en el área. México es el país con el mayor número de ofiuros reportados en el Pacífico Oriental Tropical; esto puede deberse a su excepcional condición oceanográfica, ubicación y extensión de línea de costa. Un total de 27 de las especies reportadas en la literatura fueron consideradas dudosas de acuerdo distribución geográfica por lo que no fueron incluidas en la lista. 35 especies poseen su localidad tipo en el Pacífico Mexicano, corroborando la importancia de México en el Pacífico Oriental Tropical en términos de diversidad de equinodermos.

Versión paralela del test de aprendizaje verbal España-Complutense (TAVEC) / Alternate form of the test de aprendizaje verbal España-Complutense (TAVEC)

Introducción. La disponibilidad de formas paralelas de instrumentos de evaluación neuropsicológica es escasa. El uso repetido del material y el consiguiente efecto de la práctica dificultan la interpretación de los cambios observados en evaluaciones sucesivas. La memoria es una de las funciones más afectadas por este efecto. Objetivo. Obtener una versión paralela de uno de los instrumentos disponibles en español para la evaluación del aprendizaje y la memoria verbal, el test de aprendizaje verbal España-Complutense (TAVEC). Sujetos y métodos. Se realizó un estudio normativo con una muestra de 110 sujetos para la obtención de los ítems de la forma paralela, siguiendo los criterios utilizados en la versión original. La muestra para el estudio de la versión paralela estuvo formada por 70 sujetos neurológicamente sanos, de 18-89 años. Se aplicaron ambas versiones en un intervalo de 15-20 días. Resultados. Los análisis multivariados mostraron que no se producía efecto de la forma, del orden de administración ni de la sesión. Las correspondientes interacciones tampoco fueron significativas. Estos resultados se observaron tanto para la muestra total como para el grupo de jóvenes (18-29 años), edad intermedia (30-59 años) y envejecimiento (60-89 años). Los análisis correlacionales mostraron la validez y consistencia interna de la forma alternativa. Conclusiones. Los resultados muestran la equivalencia entre la versión original del TAVEC y la versión elaborada en esta investigación. Es, por tanto, una versión recomendable para su uso en el estudio de la evolución de los déficits de aprendizaje y memoria (AU)

Introduction. Parallel forms of neuropsychological tests are scarce. Practice effects associated to repeated testing with the same test confound the interpretation of observed changes in serial assessments. Practice effects are especially likely with memory testing. Aim. To develop an alternate form to the test de aprendizaje verbal España-Complutense (TAVEC), one of the most common memory tests used for Spanish speaking population. Subjects and methods. Participants in the normative study were 110 undergraduates. Participants in the study of the alternate vs original forms were 70 neurologically normal volunteers ranged in age from 18 to 89 years. Forms were administered in counterbalanced order, with a test-retest interval of 15-20 days. Results. Multivariate analyses showed that none of the effects for form, order of administration or session achieved significance. Interactions also failed to reach significance. Aforementioned results were observed in the total sample and the different age groups: young adults (18-29 years), middle-age (30-59 years) and older (60-89 years). Correlational analyses supported the validity and internal consistence of the alternate form. Conclusions. Results indicate the equivalence between the original TAVEC and the form elaborated in this study. This alternate form may be used in serial assessment of learning and memory deterioration (AU)

[Alternate form of the test de aprendizaje verbal España-Complutense (TAVEC)]. / Version paralela del test de aprendizaje verbal España-Complutense (TAVEC).

INTRODUCTION: Parallel forms of neuropsychological tests are scarce. Practice effects associated to repeated testing with the same test confound the interpretation of observed changes in serial assessments. Practice effects are especially likely with memory testing. AIM: To develop an alternate form to the test de aprendizaje verbal España-Complutense (TAVEC), one of the most common memory tests used for Spanish speaking population. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Participants in the normative study were 110 undergraduates. Participants in the study of the alternate vs original forms were 70 neurologically normal volunteers ranged in age from 18 to 89 years. Forms were administered in counterbalanced order, with a test-retest interval of 15-20 days. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses showed that none of the effects for form, order of administration or session achieved significance. Interactions also failed to reach significance. Aforementioned results were observed in the total sample and the different age groups: young adults (18-29 years), middle-age (30-59 years) and older (60-89 years). Correlational analyses supported the validity and internal consistence of the alternate form. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate the equivalence between the original TAVEC and the form elaborated in this study. This alternate form may be used in serial assessment of learning and memory deterioration.

TITLE: Version paralela del test de aprendizaje verbal España-Complutense (TAVEC).Introduccion. La disponibilidad de formas paralelas de instrumentos de evaluacion neuropsicologica es escasa. El uso repetido del material y el consiguiente efecto de la practica dificultan la interpretacion de los cambios observados en evaluaciones sucesivas. La memoria es una de las funciones mas afectadas por este efecto. Objetivo. Obtener una version paralela de uno de los instrumentos disponibles en español para la evaluacion del aprendizaje y la memoria verbal, el test de aprendizaje verbal España-Complutense (TAVEC). Sujetos y metodos. Se realizo un estudio normativo con una muestra de 110 sujetos para la obtencion de los items de la forma paralela, siguiendo los criterios utilizados en la version original. La muestra para el estudio de la version paralela estuvo formada por 70 sujetos neurologicamente sanos, de 18-89 años. Se aplicaron ambas versiones en un intervalo de 15-20 dias. Resultados. Los analisis multivariados mostraron que no se producia efecto de la forma, del orden de administracion ni de la sesion. Las correspondientes interacciones tampoco fueron significativas. Estos resultados se observaron tanto para la muestra total como para el grupo de jovenes (18-29 años), edad intermedia (30-59 años) y envejecimiento (60-89 años). Los analisis correlacionales mostraron la validez y consistencia interna de la forma alternativa. Conclusiones. Los resultados muestran la equivalencia entre la version original del TAVEC y la version elaborada en esta investigacion. Es, por tanto, una version recomendable para su uso en el estudio de la evolucion de los deficits de aprendizaje y memoria.

Sensitivity and positive predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of elastofibroma dorsi: review of fourteen cases.

BACKGROUND: Elastofibroma dorsi (ED) is a benign soft tissue tumor that classically presents as an ill-defined mass at the inferior pole of the scapula. Several studies have indicated the benefits of using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify ED. In this study, we calculate the sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of MRI in the diagnosis of ED using histopathology as the gold standard diagnostic method. Clinical characteristics of ED and radiologic features of MRI as well as treatment options are discussed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic retrospective review was performed of all ED patients treated in our center between 1999 and 2009. MRI and histopathology samples were performed in all cases. The MRI sensitivity and PPV in the diagnosis of ED were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients who were treated within the study period were reviewed; of these, were 14 (3 men, 11 women) true ED cases. MRI scan results matched the histopathology in 14 of 15 patients; 1 false-positive patient was observed, and no false-negative patients (negative MRI and positive histopathology) were noted. The PPV and sensitivity of MRI scan in the diagnosis of ED were 93.3% (95% confidence interval, 68.0%-100.0%) and 100% (95% confidence interval, 75.2%-100.0%) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: MRI is a useful tool for assessment of ED and can potentially help avoid the need for unnecessary biopsy and surgery, especially in the asymptomatic patient.