Potential protein biomarkers in saliva for detection of frailty syndrome by targeted proteomics.

Frailty is a physiological geriatric syndrome, caused by immunosenescence, inflammation and alterations at the protein level leading to metabolic and microbiota changes. Currently, this syndrome is evaluated clinically with the Frailty-VIG index. The aim of the study was therefore to investigate the potential suitability of saliva as a non-invasive proximal biological fluid for the characterisation and identification of possible protein-level biomarkers in frailty syndrome. This cross-sectional study was conducted in a rural population of older Spanish adults using the SMR proteomics technique. A differential protein profile of eight potential and surrogate proteins (CYTC, CYTD, CYTS, CYTB, MIF, ALBU, CD44 and B2MG) was detected in saliva, all of which correlated with factors characterising frailty syndrome, such as vascular ageing (arterial stiffness and cardiovascular disease), obesity, mood problems, global cognitive impairment, changes in gait and hand pressure strength. The proteins CYTD (r = 0.415, p = 0.013) and CYTC (r = 0.280, p = 0.026), which were detected differentially in the protein profile, were associated with the Frailty-VIG index. All analysed proteins are associated not only with the clinical symptoms of frailty syndrome, but also with an acute inflammatory response, endothelial cell proliferation and the complement system, among others.

Risk factors contributing to infection with SARS-CoV-2 are modulated by sex.

Throughout the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico (August-December 2020), we closely followed a cohort of n = 100 healthcare workers. These workers were initially seronegative for Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and maintained close contact with patients afflicted by the disease. We explored the database of demographic, physiological and laboratory parameters of the cohort recorded at baseline to identify potential risk factors for infection with SARS-CoV-2 at a follow-up evaluation six months later. Given that susceptibility to infection may be a systemic rather than a local property, we hypothesized that a multivariate statistical analysis, such as MANOVA, may be an appropriate statistical approach. Our results indicate that susceptibility to infection with SARS-CoV-2 is modulated by sex. For men, different physiological states appear to exist that predispose to or protect against infection, whereas for women, we did not find evidence for divergent physiological states. Intriguingly, male participants who remained uninfected throughout the six-month observation period, had values for mean arterial pressure and waist-to-hip ratio that exceeded the normative reference range. We hypothesize that certain risk factors that worsen the outcome of COVID-19 disease, such as being overweight or having high blood pressure, may instead offer some protection against infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Maternal Consumption of Non-Nutritive Sweeteners during Pregnancy Is Associated with Alterations in the Colostrum Microbiota.

Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) provide a sweet taste to foods and beverages without significantly adding calories. Still, their consumption has been linked to modifications in adult's and children's gut microbiota and the disruption of blood glucose control. Human milk microbiota are paramount in establishing infants' gut microbiota, but very little is known about whether the consumption of sweeteners can alter it. To address this question, we sequenced DNA extracted colostrum samples from a group of mothers, who had different levels of NNS consumption, using the Ion Torrent Platform. Our results show that the "core" of colostrum microbiota, composed of the genera Bifidobacterium, Blautia, Cutibacteium, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus, remains practically unchanged with the consumption of NNS during pregnancy, but specific genera display significant alterations, such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. A significant increase in the unclassified archaea Methanobrevibacter spp. was observed as the consumption frequency of NNS increased. The increase in the abundance of this archaea has been previously linked to obesity in Mexican children. NNS consumption during pregnancy could be related to changes in colostrum microbiota and may affect infants' gut microbiota seeding and their future health.

Opportune warning of COVID-19 in a Mexican health care worker cohort: Discrete beta distribution entropy of smartwatch physiological records.

We present a statistical study of heart rate, step cadence, and sleep stage registers of health care workers in the Hospital General de México "Dr. Eduardo Liceaga" (HGM), monitored continuously and non-invasively during the COVID-19 contingency from May to October 2020, using the Fitbit Charge 3® Smartwatch device. The HGM-COVID cohort consisted of 115 participants assigned to areas of COVID-19 exposure. We introduce a novel biomarker for an opportune signal for the likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 infection based on the Shannon Entropy of the Discrete Generalized Beta Distribution fit of rank ordered smartwatch registers. Our statistical test indicated infection for 94% of patients confirmed by positive polymer chain reaction (PCR+) test, 47% before the test, and 47% in coincidence. These results required innovative data preprocessing for the definition of a new biomarker index. The statistical method parameters are data-driven, confidence estimates were calibrated based on sensitivity tests using appropriately derived surrogate data as a benchmark. Our surrogate tests can also provide a benchmark for comparing results from other anomaly detection methods (ADMs). Biomarker comparison of the negative Immunoglobulin G Antibody (IgG-) subgroup with the PCR+ subgroup showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01, effect size = 1.44). The distribution of the uninfected population had a lower median and less dispersion than the PCR+ population. A retrospective study of our results confirmed that the biomarker index provides an early warning of the likelihood of COVID-19, even several days before the onset of symptoms or the PCR+ test request. The method can be calibrated for the analysis of different SARS-CoV-2 strains, the effect of vaccination, and previous infections. Furthermore, our biomarker screening could be implemented to provide general health profiles for other population sectors based on physiological signals from smartwatch wearable devices.

Adaptación en español y validación en México de la herramienta de tamizaje nutricional STAMP (Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics) / Adaptation in Spanish and validation in Mexico of the Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP)

Antecedentes: la desnutrición pediátrica es una de las principales causas de complicaciones en niños hospitalizados, por ello, el tamizaje nutricional al ingreso es indispensable. La Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP) es una herramienta sencilla, reproducible y fácil de interpretar, sin embargo, en México no se encuentra validada. El objetivo del estudio fue validar y adaptar a la población mexicana la herramienta de tamizaje nutricional STAMP. Metodología: la validación se realizó en dos fases: en primer lugar, se realizó la traducción y adaptación cultural; y en segundo lugar, se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal comparando la herramienta STAMP con una evaluación nutricional completa (ENC). Un médico pediatra especialista en nutrición realizó la ENC con la evaluación de parámetros antropométricos, clínicos y dietéticos y, posteriormente, dos nutriólogas realizaron la misma evaluación con la herramienta STAMP. Finalmente, se tamizaron todos los pacientes en leve y moderado o grave riesgo de desnutrición. Resultados: de los 300 pacientes incluidos en el estudio, 160 fueron niños (53,3 %) y 140, niñas (46,7 %), con una media de edad de 9,44 ± 5,73 años. Las valoraciones realizadas con la herramienta STAMP tuvieron una concordancia del 100 %. Comparado con la ENC, se obtuvo un índice kappa de 0,480 (p < 0,01). La prueba STAMP mostró una sensibilidad del 92 %, una especificidad del 75 %, valor predictivo positivo (VPP) del 45 %, valor predictivo negativo (VPN) del 97 %, LR- de 3,68 y LR- de 0,10. Conclusiones: la herramienta de tamizaje STAMP cuenta con los elementos necesarios para evaluar de forma objetiva el riesgo de desnutrición en niños mexicanos y es una prueba altamente sensible y específica. (AU)

Background: pediatric malnutrition is one of the main causes of complications in hospitalized children. Nutritional screening at admission is essential. The Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP) is a simple, reproducible and easy-to-interpret tool, but it is not validated in Mexico. The objective of the study was to validate and adapt the STAMP nutritional screening tool to the Mexican population. Methods: the validation was carried out in two phases: firstly, the translation and cultural adaptation was carried out; and secondly, a cross-sectional study was performed comparing the STAMP tool with a complete nutritional assessment (CNA). A pediatrician specialized in nutrition performed the CNA with the evaluation of anthropometric, clinical and dietary parameters; later, two nutritionists carried out the same evaluationwith the STAMP tool. Finally, the patients were graded as low risk and moderate or severe malnutrition risk. Results: of the 300 patients included in the study, 160 were boys (53.3 %) and 140 were girls (46.7 %), with a mean age of 9.44 ± 5.73 years. The assessments made by with the STAMP tool had a 100 % concordance. Compared with CNA, a kappa index of 0.480 (p < 0.01) was obtained. The STAMP test showed a sensitivity of 92 %, a specificity of 75 %, positive predictive value (PPV) of 45 %, negative predictive value (NPV) of 97 %, RVN of 3,68, and RVN of 0,10. Conclusions: the STAMP screening tool has the necessary elements to objectively assess the risk of malnutrition in Mexican children and is a highly sensitive and specific test. (AU)

A scoping review of the methods used in patients with liver cirrhosis to assess body composition and their nutritional findings.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Body composition (BC) assessment in cirrhosis has a wide variety of methods with no consensus on the best tools for each body component in patients with Liver Cirrhosis (LC). We aimed to conduct a systematic scoping review of the most frequent body composition analysis methods and nutritional findings published in liver cirrhosis patients. METHODS: We searched for articles in PubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science databases. Keywords selected the BC methods and parameters in LC. RESULTS: Eleven methods were found. The most frequently used were computed tomography (CT) 47.5%, Bioimpedance Analysis 35%, DXA 32.5%, and anthropometry 32.5%. Up to 15 BC parameters were reported from each method. CONCLUSIONS: The vast heterogeneity in the results found during the qualitative analysis and imaging methods must reach a consensus to achieve a better clinical practice and improve nutritional treatment, as the physiopathology in LC compromises the nutritional status directly.

[Adaptation in Spanish and validation in Mexico of the Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP]. / Adaptación en español y validación en México de la herramienta de tamizaje nutricional STAMP (Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics).

Introduction: Background: pediatric malnutrition is one of the main causes of complications in hospitalized children. Nutritional screening at admission is essential. The Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP) is a simple, reproducible and easy-to-interpret tool, but it is not validated in Mexico. The objective of the study was to validate and adapt the STAMP nutritional screening tool to the Mexican population. Methods: the validation was carried out in two phases: firstly, the translation and cultural adaptation was carried out; and secondly, a cross-sectional study was performed comparing the STAMP tool with a complete nutritional assessment (CNA). A pediatrician specialized in nutrition performed the CNA with the evaluation of anthropometric, clinical and dietary parameters; later, two nutritionists carried out the same evaluation with the STAMP tool. Finally, the patients were graded as low risk and moderate or severe malnutrition risk. Results: of the 300 patients included in the study, 160 were boys (53.3 %) and 140 were girls (46.7 %), with a mean age of 9.44 ± 5.73 years. The assessments made by with the STAMP tool had a 100 % concordance. Compared with CNA, a kappa index of 0.480 (p < 0.01) was obtained. The STAMP test showed a sensitivity of 92 %, a specificity of 75 %, positive predictive value (PPV) of 45 %, negative predictive value (NPV) of 97 %, RVN of 3,68, and RVN of 0,10. Conclusions: the STAMP screening tool has the necessary elements to objectively assess the risk of malnutrition in Mexican children and is a highly sensitive and specific test. test.

Introducción: Antecedentes: la desnutrición pediátrica es una de las principales causas de complicaciones en niños hospitalizados, por ello, el tamizaje nutricional al ingreso es indispensable. La Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP) es una herramienta sencilla, reproducible y fácil de interpretar, sin embargo, en México no se encuentra validada. El objetivo del estudio fue validar y adaptar a la población mexicana la herramienta de tamizaje nutricional STAMP. Metodología: la validación se realizó en dos fases: en primer lugar, se realizó la traducción y adaptación cultural; y en segundo lugar, se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal comparando la herramienta STAMP con una evaluación nutricional completa (ENC). Un médico pediatra especialista en nutrición realizó la ENC con la evaluación de parámetros antropométricos, clínicos y dietéticos y, posteriormente, dos nutriólogas realizaron la misma evaluación con la herramienta STAMP. Finalmente, se tamizaron todos los pacientes en leve y moderado o grave riesgo de desnutrición. Resultados: de los 300 pacientes incluidos en el estudio, 160 fueron niños (53,3 %) y 140, niñas (46,7 %), con una media de edad de 9,44 ± 5,73 años. Las valoraciones realizadas con la herramienta STAMP tuvieron una concordancia del 100 %. Comparado con la ENC, se obtuvo un índice kappa de 0,480 (p < 0,01). La prueba STAMP mostró una sensibilidad del 92 %, una especificidad del 75 %, valor predictivo positivo (VPP) del 45 %, valor predictivo negativo (VPN) del 97 %, LR- de 3,68 y LR- de 0,10. Conclusiones: la herramienta de tamizaje STAMP cuenta con los elementos necesarios para evaluar de forma objetiva el riesgo de desnutrición en niños mexicanos y es una prueba altamente sensible y específica.

Rehabilitation on a treadmill induces plastic changes in the dendritic spines of spinal motoneurons associated with improved execution after a pharmacological injury to the motor cortex in rats.

Lesions to the corticospinal tract result in several neurological symptoms and several rehabilitation protocols have proven useful in attempts to direct underlying plastic phenomena. However, the effects that such protocols may exert on the dendritic spines of motoneurons to enhance accuracy during rehabilitation are unknown. Thirty three female Sprague-Dawley adult rats were injected stereotaxically at the primary motor cerebral cortex (Fr1) with saline (CTL), or kainic acid (INJ), or kainic acid and further rehabilitation on a treadmill 16 days after lesion (INJ+RB). Motor performance was evaluated with the the Basso, Beatie and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotion scale and in the Rotarod. Spine density was quantified in a primary dendrite of motoneurons in Lamina IX in the ventral horn of the thoracolumbar spinal cord as well as spine morphology. AMPA, BDNF, PSD-95 and synaptophysin expression was evaluated by Western blot. INJ+RB group showed higher scores in motor performance. Animals from the INJ+RB group showed more thin, mushroom, stubby and wide spines than the CTL group, while the content of AMPA, BDNF, PSD-95 and Synaptophysin was not different between the groups INJ+RB and CTL. AMPA and synaptophysin content was greater in INJ group than in CTL and INJ+RB groups. The increase in the proportion of each type of spine observed in INJ+RB group suggest spinogenesis and a greater capability to integrate the afferent information to motoneurons under relatively stable molecular conditions at the synaptic level.

Impact Factor JUMPS After the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Study in Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging Journals.

ABSTRACT: One of the most widely applied methods for evaluating a research paper's quality is the impact factor (IF). The term JUMPS was applied to the IF in an article published in PubMed in 2021, describing an increase of more than 40% of IF. In this study, we aimed to compare the growth rate of IF JUMPS in Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging in the last 6 years. This retrospective study calculated the growth rate (JUMP) in IF from 2015 to 2020. We used the Friedman and Wilcoxon signed ranks tests to calculate the statistically significant difference in IF from 2015 to 2020 and the 2019 to 2020 difference. We classified JUMPS in negative growth rate, quartiles, and journals with >100%. Three journals had more than 100% IF growth rate during 2020 ( Zeitschrift fur Medizinische Physik , Journal of the Belgian Society of Radiology , and Ultrasound Quarterly ). A 76% to 100% growth rate was observed in another 4 journals (3.2%), and 8 journals (6.3%) depicted a 51% to 75% percentage of change. Repeated measures analyses showed a significant difference ( P < 0.001). During the COVID-19 pandemic, several journals in the Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging category increased their IF by 50%. Knowing the growing trends in this category might supplement the assessment of target journals for authors looking to submit their works.

High Incidence Rate of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Workers at a Dedicated COVID-19 Hospital: Experiences of the Pandemic from a Large Mexican Hospital.

Health care workers (HCW) are at high risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCW has been examined in cross-sectional studies by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) tests, which may lead to underestimating exact incidence rates. We thus investigated the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a group of HCW at a dedicated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hospital in a six-month follow-up period. We conducted a prospective cohort study on 109 participants of both sexes working in areas of high, moderate, and low SARS-CoV-2 exposure. qPCR tests in nasopharyngeal swabs and anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG serum antibodies were assessed at the beginning and six months later. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters were analyzed according to IgG seropositivity by paired Student's T-test or the chi-square test. The incidence rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection was considerably high in our cohort of HCW (58%), among whom 67% were asymptomatic carriers. No baseline risk factors contributed to the infection rate, including the workplace. It is still necessary to increase hospital safety procedures to prevent virus transmissibility from HCW to relatives and non-COVID-19 patients during the upcoming waves of contagion.

Is a Non-Caloric Sweetener-Free Diet Good to Treat Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder Symptoms? A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: A diet containing non-caloric sweeteners (NCS) could reduce calorie intake; conversely, some animal studies suggest that NCS consumption may increase functional gastrointestinal disorder symptoms (FGDs). This study aimed to compare the effect of consuming a diet containing NCS (c-NCS) versus a non-caloric sweetener-free diet (NCS-f) on FGDs. Methods: We conducted a randomized, controlled, parallel-group study using two different diets for five weeks: the c-NCS diet contained 50−100 mg/day NCS, whereas the NCS-f diet had less than 10 mg/day NCS. At the beginning of the study (PreTx) and at the end (PostTx), we assessed FGDs, dietary intake, and NCS consumption. Results: The percentage of participants with diarrhea (PreTx = 19% vs. PstTx = 56%; p = 0.02), post-prandial discomfort (PreTx = 9% vs. PstTx = 39%; p = 0.02), constipation (PreTx = 30% vs. PostTx = 56%; p < 0.01), and burning (PreTx = 13% vs. PostTx = 33%; p < 0.01) increased in the c-NCS diet group. Conversely, abdominal pain (PreTx = 15% vs. PostTx = 3%; p = 0.04), post-prandial discomfort (PreTx = 26% vs. PostTx = 6%; p = 0.02), burning (PreTx = 15% vs. PostTx = 0%; p = 0.02), early satiety (PreTx = 18% vs. PostTx = 3%; p < 0.01), and epigastric pain (PreTx = 38% vs. PostTx = 3%; p < 0.01) decreased in the NCS-f diet group. Conclusion: A c-NCS diet is associated with increased FGDs, including diarrhea, post-prandial discomfort, constipation, and burning or retrosternal pain. The NCS-f diet also decreased FGDs, as well as abdominal pain, post-prandial discomfort, burning or retrosternal pain, early satiety, and epigastric pain.

Ten-Week Sucralose Consumption Induces Gut Dysbiosis and Altered Glucose and Insulin Levels in Healthy Young Adults.

Sucralose consumption alters microbiome and carbohydrate metabolism in mouse models. However, there are no conclusive studies in humans. Our goals were to examine the effect of sucralose consumption on the intestinal abundance of bacterial species belonging to Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes and explore potential associations between microbiome profiles and glucose and insulin blood levels in healthy young adults. In this open-label clinical trial, volunteers randomly drank water, as a control (n = 20), or 48 mg sucralose (n = 20), every day for ten weeks. At the beginning and the end of the study, participants were subjected to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to measure serum glucose and insulin every 15 min for 3 h and provided fecal samples to assess gut microbiota using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Sucralose intake altered the abundance of Firmicutes without affecting Actinobacteria or Bacteroidetes. Two-way ANOVA revealed that volunteers drinking sucralose for ten weeks showed a 3-fold increase in Blautia coccoides and a 0.66-fold decrease in Lactobacillus acidophilus compared to the controls. Sucralose consumption increased serum insulin and the area under the glucose curve compared to water. Long-term sucralose ingestion induces gut dysbiosis associated with altered insulin and glucose levels during an OGTT.

The Girls' Leadership Academy: A Promising, Empowerment-Based Approach to the Prevention of Sexual Violence.

Sexual violence (SV) is a pernicious issue that disproportionally impacts girls and women. Although few initiatives have demonstrated effectiveness in leading to reductions in SV, global health organizations have identified empowerment-based programs as a promising approach to SV prevention. The purpose of this article is to discuss the Girls Leadership Academy (GLA), a program of the Nebraska's Women's Center for Advancement, which is a "homegrown," theoretically grounded, practice-based SV prevention program for adolescent girls. More specifically, we discuss previous research relevant to the GLA; the theoretical underpinnings of the GLA; and the history, context, and content of the GLA.

Cortical Synaptic Reorganization Under Chronic Arsenic Exposure.

There is solid epidemiological evidence that arsenic exposure leads to cognitive impairment, while experimental work supports the hypothesis that it also contributes to neurodegeneration. Energy deficit, oxidative stress, demyelination, and defective neurotransmission are demonstrated arsenic effects, but it remains unclear whether synaptic structure is also affected. Employing both a triple-transgenic Alzheimer's disease model and Wistar rats, the cortical microstructure and synapses were analyzed under chronic arsenic exposure. Male animals were studied at 2 and 4 months of age, after exposure to 3 ppm sodium arsenite in drinking water during gestation, lactation, and postnatal development. Through nuclear magnetic resonance, diffusion-weighted images were acquired and anisotropy (integrity; FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (dispersion degree; ADC) metrics were derived. Postsynaptic density protein and synaptophysin were analyzed by means of immunoblot and immunohistochemistry, while dendritic spine density and morphology of cortical pyramidal neurons were quantified after Golgi staining. A structural reorganization of the cortex was evidenced through high-ADC and low-FA values in the exposed group. Similar changes in synaptic protein levels in the 2 models suggest a decreased synaptic connectivity at 4 months of age. An abnormal dendritic arborization was observed at 4 months of age, after increased spine density at 2 months. These findings demonstrate alterations of cortical synaptic connectivity and microstructure associated to arsenic exposure appearing in young rodents and adults, and these subtle and non-adaptive plastic changes in dendritic spines and in synaptic markers may further progress to the degeneration observed at older ages.

Pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in adult rats are associated with plastic changes to the dendritic spines on hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons.

Epilepsy is a chronic neurobehavioral disorder whereby an imbalance between neurochemical excitation and inhibition at the synaptic level provokes seizures. Various experimental models have been used to study epilepsy, including that based on acute or chronic administration of Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ). In this study, a single PTZ dose (60 mg/kg) was administered to adult male rats and 30 min later, various neurobiological parameters were studied related to the transmission and modulation of excitatory impulses in pyramidal neurons of the hippocampal CA1 field. Rats experienced generalized seizures 1-3 min after PTZ administration, accompanied by elevated levels of Synaptophysin and Glutaminase. This response suggests presynaptic glutamate release is exacerbated to toxic levels, which eventually provokes neuronal death as witnessed by the higher levels of Caspase-3, TUNEL and GFAP. Similarly, the increase in PSD-95 suggests that viable dendritic spines are functional. Indeed, the increase in stubby and wide spines is likely related to de novo spinogenesis, and the regulation of neuronal excitability, which could represent a plastic response to the synaptic over-excitation. Furthermore, the increase in mushroom spines could be associated with the storage of cognitive information and the potentiation of thin spines until they are transformed into mushroom spines. However, the reduction in BDNF suggests that the activity of these spines would be down-regulated, may in part be responsible for the cognitive decline related to hippocampal function in patients with epilepsy.

Ibotenic acid induced lesions impair the modulation of dendritic spine plasticity in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, a phenomenon that underlies working memory and social behavior.

The lesions induced by Ibotenic acid (IA) emulate some of the symptoms associated with schizophrenia, such as impaired working memory that is predominantly organized by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), or difficulties in social interactions that aremainly organized by the amygdala (AMG). The plastic capacity of dendritic spines in neurons of the mPFC and AMG is modulated by molecules that participate in the known deterioration of working memory, although the influence of these on the socialization of schizophrenic patients is unknown. Here, the effect of a neonatal IA induced lesion on social behavior and working memory was evaluated in adult rats, along with the changes in cytoarchitecture of dendritic spines and their protein content, specifically the postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), Synaptophysin (Syn), AMPA receptors, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Both working memory and social behavior were impaired, and the density of the spines, as well as their PSD-95, Syn, AMPA receptor and BDNF content was lower in IA lesioned animals. The proportional density of thin, mushroom, stubby and wide spines resulted in plastic changes that suggest the activation of compensatory processes in the face of the adverse effects of the lesion. In addition, the reduction in the levels of the modulating factors also suggests that the signaling pathways in which such factors are implicated would be altered in the brains of patients with schizophrenia. Accordingly, the experimental study of such signaling pathways is likely to aid the development of more effective pharmacological strategies for the treatment of schizophrenia.

Actitudes del personal de enfermería ante la muerte de sus pacientes / Atitudes dos profissionais de enfermagem frente à morte dos pacientes / Nursing Staff Attitudes Towards Patients' Death

Introducción: El proceso de morir se ha desplazado a lo largo de la historia desde la familia y el hogar hasta los profesionales de salud y los hospitales. Cuidar demanda actitudes, conocimientos y destrezas que se deben adquirir y perfeccionarse durante la formación disciplinar. Objetivo: Explorar las actitudes que muestra el personal de enfermería que labora en áreas hospitalarias críticas ante el proceso de la muerte de pacientes. Materiales y métodos: Estudio descriptivo de corte transversal, bajo un muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia se obtuvo una muestra final de 71 enfermeras profesionales que laboran en áreas críticas de dos hospitales de alta especialidad en Tabasco, México. El instrumento utilizado fue "Actitudes ante la muerte" (CAM-2), traducido del original de Martin y Salovely. Resultados: Los profesionales de enfermería que participaron en el estudio tienen una edad promedio de 32.5 años (DE=7), donde el 71.8% de los participantes pertenecen al sexo femenino. El 67.6% del personal de enfermería muestra una actitud de indiferencia ante la muerte, solo un 9.9% muestra una actitud positiva. Con relación a la perspectiva de actitud de temor el 46.5% manifiesta que pensar en la muerte les genera ansiedad, mientras que el 39.4% ve la muerte de los pacientes como algo natural. Conclusiones: El personal de enfermería posee sentimientos de indiferencia ante el cuidado del paciente ante la muerte, sin embargo, consideran que aceptar su propia muerte los lleva a cuidar con más libertad.

Introduction: The dying process has historically shifted from family and home settings to healthcare professionals and hospital settings. Caring involves attitudes, knowledge and skills that should be acquired and honed through nursing training. Objective: To explore nursing staff attitudes who work in critical hospital departments when faced with the process of dying patients. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a non-probability convenience sampling, from which a final sample of 71 professional nurses who work in critical departments of higher-level specialty hospitals in Tabasco, Mexico was obtained. The CAM-2 Attitudes Towards Death instrument originally developed by Martin & Salovely was translated and applied. Results: The average age of nursing professionals participating in this study were 32.5 years (SD=7), of which 71.8% were women. 67.6% of nurses had an attitude of indifference to death and only 9.9% had a positive attitude. From an attitude of fear perspective, 46.5% of the nurses expressed that thinking about death causes them anxiety, while 39.4% considered the death of patients as something natural. Conclusions: Nursing staff feel indifferent to patient care when facing death. However, nurses believe that accepting their own death leads them to care more freely.

Introdução: O processo de morte passou ao longo da história da família e do lar para profissionais de saúde e hospitais. O cuidado exige atitudes, conhecimentos e habilidades que devem ser adquiridos e aperfeiçoados através do treinamento de enfermagem. Objetivo: Explorar as atitudes dos profissionais de enfermagem que trabalham em áreas hospitalares críticas frente ao processo de morte de pacientes. Materiais e Métodos: Estudo descritivo transversal com base em uma amostragem não-probabilística por conveniência, foi obtida uma amostra final de 71 enfermeiros profissionais que trabalham em áreas críticas de hospitais especializados em alta complexidade em Tabasco, México. O instrumento CAM-2 Atitudes frente à morte originalmente desenvolvido pela Martin & Salovely foi traduzido e aplicado. Resultados: A idade média dos profissionais de enfermagem que participaram deste estudo foi de 32,5 anos (SD=7), onde 71,8% dos participantes eram do sexo feminino. 67,6% dos enfermeiros mostraram uma atitude de indiferença em relação à morte e apenas 9,9% mostraram uma atitude positiva. Em relação à perspectiva de uma atitude de medo, 46,5% dos enfermeiros expressaram que pensar na morte gera ansiedade, enquanto 39,4% consideraram a morte dos pacientes como algo natural. Conclusões: Os profissionais de enfermagem se sentem indiferentes em relação aos cuidados do paciente frente à morte. No entanto, eles sentem que aceitar sua própria morte os leva a cuidar mais livremente.

Quantitative systematic review: Methods used for the in vivo measurement of body composition in pregnancy.

AIMS: Because of the increased overall prevalence of pre-pregnancy obesity among racial-ethnic groups, we conducted a review of published methods for body composition measurement during pregnancy considering at present there is no consensus on the best practices and type of study design that researchers should use for this purpose. DESIGN: Quantitative systematic review. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Virtual Library of Health. Search dates from 1997-2016. REVIEW METHODS: Search of articles indexed in selected databases from 1997-2016. Studies were published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Graphs were carried out using data visualization software. RESULTS: From the 112 included studies, 70 were prospective cohorts, 30 cross-sectional studies, 10 randomized controlled trial, and two retrospective studies. Cross-sectional studies and randomized controlled trial depicted a positive correlation with significant trend. CONCLUSIONS: Although several methods for body composition measurement exist, only bioelectrical impedance analysis, displacement plethysmography, and displacement plethysmography show a significant growing trend. Use of data visualization allows understanding various associations among categorical variables, with a graphical display of their multidimensional behaviour. IMPACT: Public and private health-care institution evaluating pregnancy women. Health-care personnel, including nursing professional, dealing with measurements of body composition during pregnancy will find reading this manuscript beneficial.

Actividad física y estado nutricional en escolares del sureste mexicano / Physical activity and nutritional status in Mexican southeast scholars / Atividade física e estado nutricional em escolares do sudeste do México / Activité physique et état nutritionnel des écoliers du sud-est mexicain

Resumen Objetivo: La presente investigación tiene como objetivo principal, describir la relación entre el nivel de actividad física y el estado nutricional de los escolares de Tabasco, estado que pertenece a la región sureste de México. Material y métodos: Se utilizó un diseño descriptivo-correlacional con muestreo probabilístico irrestricto aleatorio, en una muestra de 2,084 escolares inscritos en seis escuelas de educación primaria de Tabasco. Los datos se recolectaron a través del "Four by One-day physical activity questionare", además de valoraciones antropométricas. Resultados: Los resultados mostraron que el 46.3% de los escolares se encuentran en sobrepeso y obesidad; y que las actividades físicas realizadas con mayor frecuencia por los escolares son de tipo muy ligero, lo que indica menor gasto energético. También se refleja que del 62% de infantes muy inactivos, las niñas representan el 34.7%, lo que indica que son más inactivas en comparación con los niños. Se encontró una relación negativa estadísticamente significativa (rs = -.105, p=.001) de la actividad física con el estado nutricional.

Abstract Objective: The main objective of this research is to describe relationship between physical activity and nutritional status level of schoolchildren in Tabasco, a southeastern state from Mexico. Materials and methods: It was used a descriptive-correlational design with random unrestricted probabilistic of 2,084 schoolchildren sample enrolled in six primary schools in Tabasco. Data was collected through the "Four by One-day physical activity questionnaire", in addition to anthropometric assessments. Results: The results showed that 46.3% of schoolchildren are overweight and obese and that the physical activities most frequently carried out by schoolchildren are very light, indicating lower energy expenditure. It is also reflected that from 62% of very inactive infants, girls represent 34.7%, indicating they are more inactive compared to boys. It was found a statistically significant negative relationship (rs = -, 105, p =, 001) of physical activity with nutritional status.

Resumo Objetivo: O principal objetivo desta pesquisa é descrever a relação entre nível de atividade física e o estado nutricional de escolares em Tabasco, um estado pertencente à região sudeste do México. Materiais e métodos: foi utilizado um desenho descritivo-correlacional com amostragem probabilística irrestrita aleatória em uma amostra de 2.084 escolares matriculados em seis escolas primárias de Tabasco. Os dados foram coletados por meio do "questionário de atividade física de quatro por um dia", além de avaliações antropométricas. Resultados: Os resultados mostraram que 46,3% dos escolares estão com sobrepeso e obesos e que as atividades físicas mais frequentemente realizadas pelos escolares são muito leves, indicando menor gasto energético. Também se reflete que, de 62% dos bebês muito inativos, as meninas representam 34,7%, indicando que são mais inativas em comparação aos meninos. Foi encontrada uma relação negativa estatisticamente significativa (rs = -, 105, p =, 001) da atividade física com o estado nutricional.

Résumé Objectif: Le principal objectif de cette recherche est de décrire la relation entre le niveau d'activité physique et l'état nutritionnel des écoliers de Tabasco, un état de la région sud-est du Mexique. Matériel et méthodes: Un plan descriptif-corrélationnel a été utilisé avec un échantillon aléatoire sans restriction de 2084 élèves inscrits dans six écoles primaires de Tabasco. Les données ont été collectées par le biais du «Four by One-day Physical Activity Questionnaire¼, en plus d'évaluations anthropométriques. Résultats: Les résultats ont montré que 46,3% des écoliers sont en surpoids ou obèses et que les activités physiques qu'ils pratiquent le plus fréquemment sont de très légère intensité, ce qui indique une faible dépense énergétique. Il ressort également que parmi les 62% d'enfants très inactifs, les filles représentent 34,7%, ce qui indique qu'elles sont plus inactives que les garçons. Une relation négative statistiquement significative (rs = -.105, p = .001) de l'activité physique avec l'état nutritionnel a été trouvée.