Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown on Migraine Patients in Latin America.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, confinement, fear, lifestyle changes, and worldwide health care impacted almost all diseases. Reports from countries outside Latin America revealed differences in migraine patients. In this study, we describe and compare the immediate changes in migraine symptoms associated with COVID-19 quarantine in patients from Argentina, Mexico, and Peru. An online survey was conducted from May to July 2020. The survey was answered by 243 migraine patients, with questions related to sociodemographic data, quarantine conditions, changes in working conditions, physical activity, coffee intake, healthcare access, acute migraine medication use, symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fear of COVID-19. The results show that 48.6% of migraine patients experienced worsened symptoms, 15.6% improved, and 35.8% remained unchanged. Worsening migraine symptoms were associated with staying at home during the lockdown. Intake of analgesics was associated with an increase in migraine symptoms of 18 times relative to those who did not increase their intake. Migraine symptoms improved when the number of sleep hours was increased, and we observed an improvement when patients decreased analgesic intake. The uncertainty about the end of the pandemic, the news, and social media are three items that contributed to the worsening of migraine symptoms in patients in the three investigated countries. Confinement during the first pandemic wave in Latin America harmed migraine patients who stayed home during the lockdown.

Mathematical Model for Describing Corn Grain Dehydration Kinetics after a Nixtamalization Process.

In this research, the mathematical model associated with the hydrothermal dehydration process of Nixtamalized Corn Grains (NCG) with different Steeping Time (ST) values, allows the fitting of experimental data with initial moisture M0 and the equilibrium moisture ME as a function of Isothermal Dehydration Time (IDT). The moisture percentage for any time t and dehydration rate (isolines M(t) and isolines vI respectively) of the NCG is shown by means of matrix graphics as a simultaneous function of IDT and ST. The relationship between initial dehydration rate v0 and initial moisture M0 establishes as a function of ST. Also, the mathematical model associated with the solution of the second Fick's law allows calculating the diffusivity rate vk (H2O molecules out of NCG) and verify that the rate of change in moisture and the dynamical proportionality constant k has a non-linear dependence on the IDT and that k is directly proportional to Deff. The k values strongly relate to ST and the calcium ions percentage into NCG according to solubility lime values into cooking water (or nejayote) as a function of decreasing temperature when ST increases.

n-Iterative Exponential Forgetting Factor for EEG Signals Parameter Estimation.

Electroencephalograms (EEG) signals are of interest because of their relationship with physiological activities, allowing a description of motion, speaking, or thinking. Important research has been developed to take advantage of EEG using classification or predictor algorithms based on parameters that help to describe the signal behavior. Thus, great importance should be taken to feature extraction which is complicated for the Parameter Estimation (PE)-System Identification (SI) process. When based on an average approximation, nonstationary characteristics are presented. For PE the comparison of three forms of iterative-recursive uses of the Exponential Forgetting Factor (EFF) combined with a linear function to identify a synthetic stochastic signal is presented. The one with best results seen through the functional error is applied to approximate an EEG signal for a simple classification example, showing the effectiveness of our proposal.

Extraction of Glucuronoarabinoxylan from Quinoa Stalks (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) and Evaluation of Xylooligosaccharides Produced by GH10 and GH11 Xylanases.

Byproducts from quinoa are not yet well explored sources of hemicellulose or products thereof. In this work, xylan from milled quinoa stalks was retrieved to 66% recovery by akaline extraction using 0.5 M NaOH at 80 °C, followed by ethanol precipitation. The isolated polymer eluted as a single peak in size-exclusion chromatography with a molecular weight of >700 kDa. Analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) combined with acid hydrolysis to monomers showed that the polymer was built of a backbone of ß(1 → 4)-linked xylose residues that were substituted by 4-O-methylglucuronic acids, arabinose, and galactose in an approximate molar ratio of 114:23:5:1. NMR analysis also indicated the presence of α(1 → 5)-linked arabinose substituents in dimeric or oligomeric forms. The main xylooligosaccharides (XOs) produced after hydrolysis of the extracted glucuronoarabinoxylan polymer by thermostable glycoside hydrolases (GHs) from families 10 and 11 were xylobiose and xylotriose, followed by peaks of putative substituted XOs. Quantification of the unsubstituted XOs using standards showed that the highest yield from the soluble glucuronoarabinoxylan fraction was 1.26 g/100 g of xylan fraction, only slightly higher than the yield (1.00 g/100 g of xylan fraction) from the insoluble fraction (p < 0.05). No difference in yield was found between reactions in buffer or water (p > 0.05). This study shows that quinoa stalks represent a novel source of glucuronoarabinoxylan, with a substituent structure that allowed for limited production of XOs by GH10 or GH11 enzymes.

Potencial de cepas fúngicas aisladas en el área de biotecnología fúngica. Primera parte: uso de hongos en biorremediación / Potential of fungal strains isolated in the area of ​​Fungal biotechnology. Part one: Use of fungi in bioremediation

El potencial de las cepas fúngicas en biorremediación, que han sido aisladas en el Instituto de Investigaciones Fármaco Bioquímicas (IIFB), es bastante amplio, se han encontrado cepas que han sido usadas en investigaciones a nivel internacional, tal es el caso de Bjerkandera sp BOL 13, un hongo aislado en un efluente contaminado con aceite en Oruro, con capacidad de degradar varios compuestos hidrocarbonados aromáticos policíclicos. En otro extremo de la nación se logró aislar Galerina sp., un hongo productor de lacasas, enzima importante en los procesos de decoloración.

The potential of fungi strains in biorremdiation that have been isolated in the Intiture of Research Pharmaceutical and Buiochemical (IIFB) is broad, it have been found strains that have been used in research at international level, as Bjerkandera sp BOL 13, a fungi isolated in an oil contaminated effluent, able to degrade polycycloic aromatic hydrocarbons. In other side of the country Galerina sp. was isolated, a laccase producing fungi, an enzyme important in decolorizing processes. contaminado con aceite en Oruro, con capacidad de degradar varios compuestos hidrocarbonados aromáticos policíclicos.

Caloramator boliviensis sp. nov., a thermophilic, ethanol-producing bacterium isolated from a hot spring.

A novel moderately thermophilic, anaerobic, ethanol-producing bacterial strain, 45B(T), was isolated from a mixed sediment water sample collected from a hot spring at Potosi, Bolivia. The cells were straight to slightly curved rods approximately 2.5 µm long and 0.5 µm wide. The strain was Gram-stain-variable, spore-forming and monotrichously flagellated. Growth of the strain was observed at 45-65 °C and pH 5.5-8.0, with optima of 60 °C and pH 6.5. The substrates utilized by strain 45B(T) were xylose, cellobiose, glucose, arabinose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, fructose, galactose, mannose, glycerol, xylan, carboxymethylcellulose and yeast extract. The main fermentation product from xylose and cellobiose was ethanol (0.70 and 0.45 g ethanol per gram of consumed sugar, respectively). Acetate, lactate, propionate, carbon dioxide and hydrogen were also produced in minor quantities. 1,3-Propanediol was produced when glycerol-containing medium was supplemented with yeast extract. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C(15:0), C(16:0), iso-C(16:0), C(15:1), iso-C(14:0), C(13:0) and C(14:0). The polar lipids diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, an aminoglycolipid and 15 other unidentified lipids were predominant. The DNA G+C content of strain 45B(T) was 32.6 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity revealed that strain 45B(T) is located within the Gram-type positive Bacillus-Clostridium branch of the phylogenetic tree. On the basis of morphological and physiological properties and phylogenetic analysis, strain 45B(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Caloramator boliviensis sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is 45B(T) (=DSM 22065(T)=CCUG 57396(T)).

Optimización de las condiciones de cultivo anaeróbico termófilo para aumentar la producción enzimática de xilanasas con cepas bacterianas encapsuladas y libres / Optimization of anaerobic thermophilic culture conditions for increasing xylanase enzyme production with encapsulated and free bacteria strains

Las bacterias termófilas productoras de enzimas son de gran interés en biotecnología debido a que tienen diversas aplicaciones en la industria por su estabilidad extrema.

Precipitation of Zn(II), Cu(II) and Pb(II) at bench-scale using biogenic hydrogen sulfide from the utilization of volatile fatty acids.

Biological production of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) using sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) has important potential within environmental biotechnology. The aim of this work was to study the possibility of using SRB for the treatment of an acid mine drainage (AMD) at bench-scale. This process involved three stages: the optimization of H(2)S production through the utilization of total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs) by SRB, the establishment of a biofilm reactor for sulfide production, and the precipitation of metals by using the biologically produced H(2)S. The substrates used for TVFAs production consisted of papaya, apple and banana. The H(2)S produced from the degradation of TVFAs was utilized for the precipitation of a metal-contaminated effluent collected from Bolivar mine (Oruro, Bolivia). The maximum concentration of H(2)S obtained was approximately 16mM. Removal efficiencies of ca. 100% for copper, above 94% for zinc, and above 92% for lead were achieved.

Estudio de posibles biocontroladores de fitopatógenos de Haba (Vicia faba)y de Papa (Solanum tuberosum) / Study of possible biocontrol of phytopathogenic of bean (Vicia faba) and of Potato (Solanum tuberosum)

El empleo de hongos antagonistas se convierte en una alternativa al uso de pesticidas químicos en el manejo de las enfermedades de plantas. En este contexto se ha realizado un tamizaje, mediante enfrentamientos duales in vitro, frente a Botrytis cinerea; de 60 colonias de hongos (cepario del IIFB) que fueron aisladas de tierras de diversos ecosistemas bolivianos. Las 6 cepas mas activas, fueron sometidas a procesos de fermentación (agitado y no agitado, 80ml); los cultivos en agitadofueron incubados por 16 días y los cultivos no agitados fueron incubados por 29 días; en ambos cultivos sedetermino el pH, consumo de glucosa y la actividad inhibitoria, por el método de dilución en placa, frente a Botrytis cinerea y Alternaria solani.Los filtrados de diferentes tiempos del cultivo no agitado demuestran que, 4 de las 6 cepas tienen actividad contra Botrytis cinerea de las cuales, dos el (8-QD-R y 12-QD-1) son las que presentan mayor actividad inhibitoria.Los filtrados del 12-QD-1 permiten además el control del desarrollo de Alternaria solani. Solo dos de losfiltrados de las 6 cepas (22-QD y 291-QD), en condiciones de cultivo agitado, inhiben el crecimiento de Botrytis cinerea.

Producción biogénica de Sulfuro deHidrógeno a partir de material celulósicoy xilanósico / Biogénica production of xilanósico sulfide de hidrógeno based on material celulósicoy

Las Bacterias Sulfato Reductoras (BSR) son responsables de la producción de sulfuro de hidrógeno (H2S) en anaerobiosis a partir de sulfatos y un donador de electrones. El sulfuro producido podría utilizarse para precipitar metales catiónicos divalentes,permitiendo la biorremediación de efluentes contaminados. El presente estudio forma parte del proyecto: “Biodiversidad Microbiana del programa UMSA-SAREC” con cooperación del departamento deBiotecnología de la Universidad de Lund y establece la posibilidad de montar biorreactores en el altiplano Boliviano para generar H2S. En el trabajo, se”utilizó paja de trigo (donador de electrones) y consorcio bacteriano A10 (BSR) obtenido de la laguna ChalviriPotosí. Bajo condiciones de cultivo batch, se obtuvo una concentración de H2S entre 5 y 8 mM, y en condiciones de cultivo continuo una concentración de25 mM a los 100 días, concentraciones similares se sostuvieron por 90 días, lo que hace este modelo prometedor para su aprovechamiento a escala industrial.

Halomonas boliviensis sp. nov., an alkalitolerant, moderate halophile isolated from soil around a Bolivian hypersaline lake.

Halomonas boliviensis sp. nov. is proposed for two moderately halophilic, psychrophilic, alkalitolerant bacteria, LC1(T) (=DSM 15516(T)=ATCC BAA-759(T)) and LC2 (=DSM 15517=ATCC BAA-760), both of which were isolated from a soil sample around the lake Laguna Colorada, located at 4300 m above sea level in the south-west region of Bolivia. The bacteria are aerobic, motile, Gram-negative rods that produce colonies with a cream pigment. Moreover, they are heterotrophs that are able to utilize various carbohydrates as carbon sources. The organisms reduce nitrate and show tryptophan deaminase activity. The genomic DNA G+C contents were 51.4 mol% for isolate LC1(T) and 52.6 mol% for isolate LC2. Based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis, isolates LC1(T) and LC2 were identified as members of the genus Halomonas and clustered closely with Halomonas variabilis DSM 3051(T) and Halomonas meridiana DSM 5425(T). However, DNA-DNA relatedness between the new isolates and the closest related Halomonas species was low.

Algunos hallazgos sobre la masculinidad del varón cubano contemporáneo / Some findings on the contemporary Cuban male’ masculinity

Los contenidos del discurso patriarcal han variado en su forma pero en su estructura se manstienen y es previsible que no cambiaràn sustancialmente mientras la sociedad no estructure una nueva distribuciòn de funciones y poderes masculinos y femeninos. El machismo como construcciòn cultural no puede continuar presentàndose cargado de dobles mensajes, por un lado se denuncia su parte mas invasiva , pero por la otra se refuerza la asignaciòn tradicional, lo normado por la cultura. Se señala que a pesar de la firmeza de los testimonios , estos no constituyen un retrato definitivo del hombre cubano, sòlo un intento de acercamiento a su realidad genèrica, pues para quienes se esfuerzan a diario por lograr seres humanos mas plenos , felices y coherentes, el abordaje del tema constituye un desafìo y al mismo tiempo una necesidad del desarrolo social

Estado nutricio de niñoz con enfermedad renal terminal sometida a diálisis peritoneal continua ambulatoria / The nutritional status in children treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

Se valoró el estado nutricio de 93 niños sometidos a diálisis peritoneal continua por enfermedad renal. Se llevó a cabo en ellos una encuesta dietética prospectiva por tres días, mediciones somatométricas y estudios de laboratorio (biometría hemática, proteínas séricas, triglicéridos, colesterol y otros). Los resultados mostraron que 86.0 por ciento de los niños tuvieron algún grado de desnutrición (52.7 por ciento) desnutrición grave; en 13 por ciento el peso normal; 86.0 por ciento registró alteración del crecimiento (71.0 por ciento talla baja), y 13.0 por ciento tuvo talla normal. El pliegue tricipital, y la circunferencia de la masa muscular del brazo fueron mediciones que estuvieron bajas en 50.5 por ciento. La encuesta dietética registró un consumo bajo de hidratos de carbono de ingestió alta y proteínas y lípodos, se concluye que la mayoría de los pacientes en diálisis peritoneal, del presente estudio, se encontraban con una desnutrición proteinoenergética

Estudio seroepidemiológico de sarampión en Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, México: una estrategia de evaluación / Sero-prevalence survey of measles antibody titers in children under 15 years of age in the city of Netzahualcoyotl, Mexico: an evaluation strategy

Introducción. Se propone una estrategia rápida de evaluación para determinar la proporción de niños menores de 15 años con anticuerpos a sarampión en un área urbana del Estado de México a través de estudios seroepidemiológicos y muestreo por conglomerados. Material y métodos. Se efectuó un estudio transversal que incluyó una encuesta serológica para determinar títulos de anticuerpos contra sarampión. Para la detección de IgG se utilizó la prueba de Elisa. Resultados. La encuesta serológica detectó que un 27.1 por ciento de los niños carecían de anticuerpos contra sarampión, siendo la proporción de niños protegidos del 72.9 por ciento. Los niños en los que se informó ausencia de vacunación presentaron mayor riesgo de ser seronegativos que los niños con antecedente de vacunación (razón de momios, RM, 2.9; intervalo de confianza, IC, 1.27-6.84). Se encontró que 22.6 por ciento de los niños vacunados con cartilla de vacunación no presentaron anticuerpos contra sarampión, siendo el grupo de edad de 1 a 4 años los más afectados con el 26.4 por ciento. Los niños vacunados en campaña mostraron un riesgo mayor de ser seronegativos que los vacunados en hospitales o centros de salud (RM=1.88, IC 0.72-5.20). Se detectó un 11 por ciento de niños con oportunidades perdidas durante el estudio. Conclusión. Se infiere que la seroconversión encontrada podría deberse a varias posibilidades: inadecuada técnica de aplicación del biológico, cadena de frío deficiente o factores de tipo biológico