Where the rubber meets the road: Emerging environmental impacts of tire wear particles and their chemical cocktails.

About 3 billion new tires are produced each year and about 800 million tires become waste annually. Global dependence upon tires produced from natural rubber and petroleum-based compounds represents a persistent and complex environmental problem with only partial and often-times, ineffective solutions. Tire emissions may be in the form of whole tires, tire particles, and chemical compounds, each of which is transported through various atmospheric, terrestrial, and aquatic routes in the natural and built environments. Production and use of tires generates multiple heavy metals, plastics, PAH's, and other compounds that can be toxic alone or as chemical cocktails. Used tires require storage space, are energy intensive to recycle, and generally have few post-wear uses that are not also potential sources of pollutants (e.g., crumb rubber, pavements, burning). Tire particles emitted during use are a major component of microplastics in urban runoff and a source of unique and highly potent toxic substances. Thus, tires represent a ubiquitous and complex pollutant that requires a comprehensive examination to develop effective management and remediation. We approach the issue of tire pollution holistically by examining the life cycle of tires across production, emissions, recycling, and disposal. In this paper, we synthesize recent research and data about the environmental and human health risks associated with the production, use, and disposal of tires and discuss gaps in our knowledge about fate and transport, as well as the toxicology of tire particles and chemical leachates. We examine potential management and remediation approaches for addressing exposure risks across the life cycle of tires. We consider tires as pollutants across three levels: tires in their whole state, as particulates, and as a mixture of chemical cocktails. Finally, we discuss information gaps in our understanding of tires as a pollutant and outline key questions to improve our knowledge and ability to manage and remediate tire pollution.

Pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and ultraviolet filters in wastewater discharges to San Francisco Bay as drivers of ecotoxicity.

Research in the United States evaluating ecotoxic risk to receiving waters posed by contaminants occurring in wastewater discharges typically has focused on measurements of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), with limited evaluations of UV filters and phenylpyrazole and neonicotinoid pesticides. In this study, concentrations of 5 representative pharmaceuticals, 11 pesticides or pesticide degradation products, and 5 ultraviolet filters were measured in 24 h composite samples of six wastewater discharges representing ∼70% of the total wastewater discharged to San Francisco Bay during the summer and fall of 2021. No significant difference was observed between concentrations measured on weekdays vs. weekends. A hydrodynamic model of San Francisco Bay was used to estimate annual average dilution factors associated with different subembayments. With and without considering dilution effects, Risk Quotients were calculated using the 90th percentile of measured concentrations in wastewater effluents and threshold concentrations associated with ecotoxicity. Risk Quotients were highest for the neonicotinoid pesticide, imidacloprid, and exceeded ecotoxicity thresholds in the lower South Bay by a factor of 2.4, even when considering dilution. Compared to commonly measured pharmaceuticals, Risk Quotients for imidacloprid were higher than those for carbamazepine, trimethoprim and diclofenac, and comparable to those for propranolol and metoprolol. Risk Quotients for the pesticide, fipronil, and the UV filter, oxybenzone, were higher than for carbamazepine. The results highlight the need to incorporate pesticides and UV filters with high Risk Quotients into studies in the United States evaluating ecotoxic risk associated with contaminants in municipal wastewater discharges.

Gene Expression Analysis in Postmortem Brains from Individuals Who Died by Suicide: A Systematic Review.

Around the world, more the 700,000 individuals die by suicide every year. It is necessary to understand the mechanisms associated with suicidal behavior. Recently, an increase in gene expression studies has been in development. Through a systematic review, we aimed to find a candidate gene in gene expression studies on postmortem brains of suicide completers. Databases were systematically searched for published studies. We performed an online search using PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases to search studies up until May 2023. The terms included were "gene expression", "expressed genes", "microarray", "qRT-PCR", "brain samples" and "suicide". Our systematic review included 59 studies covering the analysis of 1450 brain tissues from individuals who died by suicide. The majority of gene expression profiles were obtained of the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, ventral prefrontal cortex and orbital frontal cortex area. The most studied mRNAs came of genes in glutamate, γ-amino-butyric acid and polyamine systems. mRNAs of genes in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor, tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB), HPA axis and chemokine family were also studied. On the other hand, psychiatric comorbidities indicate that suicide by violent death can alter the profile of mRNA expression.

Scale-up and fed-batch cultivation strategy for the enhanced co-production of microbial lipids and carotenoids using renewable waste feedstock.

Agro-industrial by-product valorization as a feedstock for the bioproduction of high-value products has demonstrated a feasible alternative to handle the environmental impact of waste. Oleaginous yeasts are promising cell factories for the industrial production of lipids and carotenoids. Since oleaginous yeasts are aerobic microorganisms, studying the volumetric mass transfer (kLa) could facilitate the scale-up and operation of bioreactors to grant the industrial availability of biocompounds. Scale-up experiments were performed to assess the simultaneous production of lipids and carotenoids using the yeast Sporobolomyces roseus CFGU-S005 and comparing the yields in batch and fed-batch mode cultivation using agro-waste hydrolysate in a 7 L bench-top bioreactor. The results indicate that oxygen availability in the fermentation affected the simultaneous production of metabolites. The highest production of lipids (3.4 g/L) was attained using the kLa value of 22.44 h-1, while higher carotenoid accumulation of 2.58 mg/L resulted when agitation speed was increased to 350 rpm (kLa 32.16 h-1). The adapted fed-batch mode in the fermentation increased the production yields two times. The fatty acid profile was affected according to supplied aeration and after the fed-batch cultivation mode. This study showed the scale-up potential of the bioprocess using the strain S. roseus in the obtention of microbial oil and carotenoids by the valorization of agro-industrial byproducts as a carbon source.

Servicio de atención psicológica a niños y adolescentes convalecientes a la COVID-19 en Villa Clara

Fundamento: los niños y los adolescentes constituyen una población sensible a los impactos psicológicos de la pandemia de COVID-19. Reconocerlo implica la necesidad de evaluación, seguimiento e intervención, especialmente cuando se trata de infantes que padecieron la enfermedad y requieren una atención pediátrica integral. Objetivo implementar un servicio de atención psicológica a niños y adolescentes convalecientes a la COVID-19. Métodos: se aplicó un diseño de investigación acción participativa desde un enfoque cualitativo constructivo-interpretativo. Está integrado por tres ejes de acciones: evaluación psicológica, intervención psicoterapéutica y apoyo social. Su diseño e implementación siguió etapas y se realizó de forma colaborativa. Los participantes implicados establecieron relaciones simétricas y siguieron un proceso cíclico de planificación-actuación-observación-reflexión; procedimiento base para atender y perfeccionar la práctica. Resultados: los resultados se obtuvieron con respecto a la evaluación y las acciones de intervención psicológica. Sobre la evaluación se destacan alteraciones clínico psicológicas con afectación de las funciones psíquicas y necesidades de preservación de la salud en los ámbitos personal y familiar. Respecto a la intervención psicológica, la totalidad de los beneficiarios recibió acciones de orientación psicológica y los diagnosticados con afección psiquiátrica recibieron acciones psicoterapéuticas. Todas las familias recibieron apoyo social. Conclusiones: se constató reducción o remisión de la intensidad de síntomas psicológicos, elaboración del duelo ante la pérdida, adecuación de afrontamientos o modificación de comportamientos, fortalecimiento de la capacidad de las redes sociales de apoyo, ampliación del conocimiento de la familia, y creación de canales de información entre la familia y la escuela.

Background: children and adolescents constitute a sensitive population to the psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing it implies the need for evaluation, monitoring and intervention, especially when it comes to infants who have suffered from the disease and require comprehensive pediatric care. Objective: to implement a psychological care service for children and adolescents convalescent from COVID-19. Methods: a participatory action research design was applied from a constructive-interpretive qualitative approach. It is made up of three lines of action: psychological evaluation, psychotherapeutic intervention and social support. Its design and implementation followed stages and was carried out collaboratively. The participants involved established symmetrical relationships and followed a cyclical process of planning-acting-observing-reflecting; basic procedure to attend and improve the practice. Results: the results were obtained regarding the evaluation and the actions of psychological intervention. Regarding the evaluation, clinical-psychological alterations with affectation of the psychic functions and needs for the preservation of health in the personal and family spheres stand out. Regarding the psychological intervention, all the beneficiaries received psychological counseling actions and those diagnosed with a psychiatric condition received psychotherapeutic actions. All families received social support. Conclusions: The psychological symptoms intensity reduction or remission was verified, elaboration of grief in the loss, adaptation of coping or behavior modification, strengthening of the social support networks' capacity, expansion of family knowledge, and creation of information channels between the family and the school.

Chronic Pain and Depression are Increased in Outpatient Adults with Somatic Symptoms from Secondary Health Care Services.

BACKGROUND: Somatic symptom disorder is described as excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors related to physical symptoms. The presence of somatic symptoms has been associated with depression, alexithymia, and the presence of chronic pain. Individuals with somatic symptom disorder are frequent attenders of primary health care services. AIM: We focused on investigating if the presence of psychological symptoms, alexithymia, or pain could be risk factors for somatic symptoms in a secondary health care service. METHODS: A cross-sectional and observational study. A total of 136 Mexican individuals who regularly attend a secondary health care service were recruited. The Visual Analogue Scale for Pain Assessment, the Symptom Checklist 90, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 were applied. RESULTS: Of all the participants, 45.2% showed somatic symptoms. We observed that these individuals more frequently presented with complaints of pain (χ2 = 18.4, p < .001), as well as more severe (t = -4.6, p < .001), and prolonged (χ2 = 4.9, p = 0.02). They also exhibited higher severity in all psychological dimensions assessed (p < .001). Finally, cardiovascular disease (t = 2.52, p = .01), pain intensity (t = 2.94, p = .005), and SCL-90 depression (t = 7.58, p < .001) were associated with somatic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed a high frequency of somatic symptoms in outpatients attending secondary health care services. They may be accompanied by comorbid cardiovascular conditions, higher pain intensity, and other mental health-related symptoms, which may aggravate the general clinical picture presented by the patient seeking health care. The presence and severity of somatization should be taken into consideration in the first and second level health care services for an early mental state evaluation and treatment of these outpatients to have a better clinical assessment and health outcome.

Effect of risperidone on serum IL-6 levels in individuals with schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Risperidone has been significant correlated with a direct effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in patients with schizophrenia. This fact allows the opportunity to link the probable immunomodulatory effect of antipsychotic medication. Specially, a proper functioning of IL-6 pathway plays a potential role in the treatment or development of schizophrenia. OBJECTIVE: Our primary aim was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the effect of risperidone on IL-6 levels in individuals with schizophrenia. METHODS: Studies were identified through a systematic search using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The articles found were subjected to the inclusion and exclusion criteria; then, the mean and standardised differences were extracted to calculate the standardised mean differences using the CMA software. RESULTS: IL-6 levels in individuals with schizophrenia were compared before and after receiving risperidone as treatment. Increased levels of IL-6 levels were observed in individuals with schizophrenia who received risperidone (point estimate 0.249, lower limit 0.042, upper limit 0.455, p-value 0.018). In the Asian population sub-analysis, no statistically significant differences were observed (point estimate 0.103, lower limit -0.187, upper limit 0.215, p value 0.890). When we compared individuals with schizophrenia to the control groups, a significant increase of IL-6 levels was observed in the group with schizophrenia (point estimate 0.248, lower limit 0.024, upper limit 0.472, p-value 0.30). CONCLUSIONS: Risperidone appears to play an important role in IL-6 levels in schizophrenia. Potential implications of increased IL-6 levels in people with schizophrenia should be considered in future studies.KEY POINTSIncreased levels of IL-6 levels were observed in individuals with schizophrenia who received risperidone.Risperidone appears to play an important role in IL-6 levels in schizophrenia.This study could serve for future research focussed on IL-6.

Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Enhancing the Leishmanicidal Activity of Delamanid.

Leishmaniasis, a zoonotic parasitic disease transmitted by infected sandflies, impacts nearly 1 million people yearly and is endemic in many countries across Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Mediterranean; despite this, it remains a neglected disease with limited effective treatments, particularly in impoverished communities with limited access to healthcare. This study aims to repurpose approved drugs for an affordable leishmaniasis treatment. After the screening of potential drug candidates by reviewing databases and utilizing molecular docking analysis, delamanid was chosen to be incorporated into solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNPs). Both in cellulo and in vivo tests confirmed the successful payload release within macrophages and through the epidermis following topical application on murine skin. The evaluation of macrophages infected with L. infantum amastigotes showed that the encapsulated delamanid exhibited greater leishmanicidal activity compared with the free drug. The process of encapsulating delamanid in SLNPs, as demonstrated in this study, places a strong emphasis on employing minimal technology, ensuring energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and reproducibility. It enables consistent, low-cost production of nanomedicines, even on a small scale, offering a promising step toward more accessible and effective leishmaniasis treatments.

Consecuencias psicológicas y recursos psicosociales de afrontamiento en niños y adolescentes convalecientes a la COVID-19 / Psychological consequences and psychosocial coping resources in children and adolescents convalescing from COVID-19

RESUMEN Introducción: Los niños y los adolescentes constituyen una población vulnerable al impacto psicológico que desencadena la COVID-19. Objetivo: Develar consecuencias psicológicas y recursos psicosociales de afrontamiento en niños y adolescentes convalecientes a la COVID-19. Métodos: Se realizó una investigación con enfoque cualitativo constructivo interpretativo, en el período comprendido entre abril de 2020 y septiembre de 2021. Las técnicas empleadas para la obtención de la información fueron: el rombo afectivo, la composición temática, la entrevista semiestructurada, el examen psiquiátrico, la Prueba de Percepción del Funcionamiento Familiar FF-SIL y la historia social psiquiátrica. La muestra estuvo conformada por 25 niños y adolescentes, a partir de criterios de conveniencia y disponibilidad, y con previo consentimiento informado de sus padres. En el procesamiento de los datos obtenidos se empleó la herramienta ATLAS.ti 9, software que permitió el análisis de frecuencias y de coocurrencias de códigos. Resultados: Se señalan, entre otros aspectos, alteraciones clínico-psicológicas con afectación de las funciones afectivas, conativas y de relación, así como necesidades de preservación de la salud en los ámbitos personal y familiar. Conclusiones: Las niñas, los niños y los adolescentes convalecientes a la COVID-19, evidencian síntomas clínico-psicológicos como la ansiedad, el miedo, la tristeza y la irritabilidad, y enfermedades psiquiátricas que clasifican dentro de los trastornos de ansiedad y de adaptación; los recursos psicosociales de afrontamiento, se caracterizaron por la limitada movilización de alternativas resilientes, el predominio de estados emocionales de felicidad ante el alta clínica y la presencia de apoyo social de tipo emocional.

ABSTRACT Introduction: children and adolescents constitute a vulnerable population to the psychological impact triggered by COVID-19. Objective: to reveal the psychological consequences and psychosocial coping resources in children and adolescents convalescing from COVID-19. Methods: a qualitative, constructive and interpretive research was carried out between April 2020 and September 2021. The affective rhombus and thematic composition techniques, the semi-structured interview, the psychiatric examination, the Family Functioning Perception Questionnaire (FF-SIL) and the psychiatric social history were used to obtain the information. The sample consisted of 25 children and adolescents, based on criteria of convenience and availability, and with the prior informed consent of their parents. The ATLAS.ti 9 software was the tool used to process the obtained data, allowing us the analysis of frequencies and code co-occurrences. Results: we pointed out, among other aspects, clinical and psychological alterations with impairment of the affective, conative and relational dimensions, as well as health preserving needs in personal and family spheres. Conclusions: children and adolescents convalescing from COVID-19 show clinical and psychological symptoms such as anxiety, fear, sadness, irritability and psychiatric diseases which classify within anxiety and adaptation disorders; the psychosocial coping resources were characterized by the limited mobilization of resilient alternatives, the predominance of emotional states of happiness after being discharge, and the presence of emotional social support.

High Serum Levels of IL-6 Are Associated with Suicide Attempt but Not with High Lethality Suicide Attempts: A Preliminary Case-Control Study.

Suicide attempts are an emerging health problem around the world. Increased levels of IL-6 have been associated with suicidal behavior. Therefore, the aims of this study were to evaluate the serum levels of IL-6 in individuals with suicide attempts and a comparison group and to associate the IL-6 levels with the lethality of the suicide attempt. Additionally, we associated the rs2228145 polymorphism of the IL6R gene with suicide attempts or with the IL-6 serum levels. Suicide attempts and their lethality were evaluated using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. The serum concentrations of IL-6 were measured by the ELISA technique in individuals with suicide attempts and then compared to a control group. The rs2228145 polymorphism of the IL6R gene was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. We found elevated serum levels of IL-6 in the suicide attempt group when compared to the control group (F = 10.37, p = 0.002). However, we found no differences of the IL-6 levels between high and low lethality. The IL6R gene polymorphism rs2479409 was not associated with suicide attempts. Our data suggest that IL-6 serum is increased in individuals with suicide attempts.

Association between TPH1 polymorphisms and the risk of suicide behavior: An updated meta-analysis of 18,398 individuals.

Objectives: We aimed to examine the association of TPH1 polymorphisms with the risk of suicide behavior (SB). Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Method: All relevant studies that evaluated the association between the A218C (rs1800532), A779C (rs1799913) and A6526G (rs4537731) polymorphisms and the susceptibility to SB published up to September 2021 were identified through a comprehensive systematic search in PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO and Science Direct electronic databases. The association between TPH1 gene polymorphisms and SB was evaluated using inherence models by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analyses, heterogeneity analyses, and publication bias were also tested in this meta-analysis. Results: The meta-analysis for TPH1 A218C revealed an increased risk of SB in the dominant model (OR = 1.11, 95%CI 1.01-1.22). We also observed a positive association in the allelic (OR = 1.13, 95%CI 1.05-1.21), homozygous (OR = 1.22, 95%CI 1.06-1.40), heterozygous (OR = 1.21, 95%CI 1.08-1.37) and dominant (OR = 1.21, 95%CI 1.09-1.34) inherence models with the suicide attempt. Additionally, in the heterozygous (OR = 0.84, 95%CI 0.73-0.97) and dominant (OR = 0.79, 95%CI 0.68-0.91) inherence models we detected an association with completed suicide. Based on ethnicity, an association of SB in the European population also was observed (OR = 1.29, 95%CI 1.12-1.51). However, for both A779C and A6526G polymorphisms we did not find evidence of an association with SB. Conclusion: This meta-analysis suggests that the A218C polymorphism of TPH1 gene could be a possible risk factor of SB. Future large-scale studies are required to analyze the molecular mechanisms by which affect the susceptibility of developing suicide behavior.

Phylodynamics and Coat Protein Analysis of Babaco Mosaic Virus in Ecuador.

Babaco is a fast-growing herbaceous shrub with great commercial potential because of the organoleptic properties of its fruit. Babaco mosaic virus (BabMV) is a potexvirus in the family Alphaflexiviridae affecting babaco in all the provinces that produce this crop in Ecuador. BabMV was recently described but it has been affecting babaco for decades and, since many potexviruses are serologically indistinguishable, it may have been previously misidentified as papaya mosaic virus. Based on the coat protein (CP) gene, we aimed to study the distribution and epidemiological patterns of BabMV in babaco and chamburo over the years and to model its three-dimensional structure. Sequences of the CP were obtained from thirty-six isolates from plants collected in the main babaco-producing provinces of Ecuador between 2016 and 2021. The evolution rate of BabMV was estimated at 1.21 × 10-3 nucleotide substitutions site-1 year-1 and a time of origin of the most recent common ancestor around 1958.80. From molecular dynamics simulations, compared to other proteins of BabMV-RDRP, TGB1, and Alkb domain-the CP exhibited a higher flexibility with the C and N terminals as the most flexible regions. The reconstructed viral distribution provides dispersion patterns which have implications for control approaches of BabMV.

Cannabis smoking increases the risk of suicide ideation and suicide attempt in young individuals of 11-21 years: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis is the most frequently consumed drug around the world. Its use has been associated with increased suicide behaviors; nonetheless, the association of cannabis smoking and suicide behaviors in adolescents has not yet been established. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the risk of suicide attempt, suicidal ideation or suicide planning in individuals of 11-21 years of age who smoke cannabis. METHODS: We performed an online searched using PubMed, EBSCO and Science Direct databases, up to July 2021. We calculated odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals to evaluate the association between suicide attempt, suicidal ideation or suicide planning and cannabis smoking in individuals of 11-21 years of age. RESULTS: Twenty studies reported suicide attempts in 34,859 young individuals, suicidal ideation in 26, 937 individuals, and suicide planning in 9054 young individuals. We found an increased risk of suicide attempt in cannabis smokers than in non-cannabis users (OR: 2.33; 95% CI: 1.78-3.05; Z p value; <0.0001; I2 = 97.12%), as well as a significant association between cannabis smoking and suicidal ideation (OR: 2.04; 95%CI: 1.64-2.53; Z p value: <0.001; I2: 94.88) and suicide planning (OR: 1.674; 95% CI: 1.554-1.804; Z p value: 0.000; I2: 92.609). Subgroup analyses showed that American teens have an increased risk of suicidal ideation; the meta-regression analysis revealed that age was negatively associated with the risk of suicide attempt. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis shows that cannabis smoking increased the risk of suicide attempt, suicidal ideation and suicide planning in young individuals of 11-21 years of age. The high risk of suicide behaviors could vary depending on the population studied; therefore, more studies are necessary to corroborate the risk of presenting suicide behaviors in individuals of 11-21 years of age who smoke cannabis.

The MitoAging Project: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in mitochondrial genes and their association to longevity.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a major hallmark of aging. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations (inherited or acquired) may cause a malfunction of the respiratory chain (RC), and thus negatively affect cell metabolism and function. In contrast, certain mtDNA single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may be beneficial to mitochondrial electron transport chain function and the extension of cellular health as well as lifespan. The goal of the MitoAging project is to detect key physiological characteristics and mechanisms that improve mitochondrial function and use them to develop therapies to increase longevity and a healthy lifespan. We chose to perform a systematic literature review (SLR) as a tool to collect key mtDNA SNPs associated with an increase in lifespan. Then validated our results by comparing them to the MitoMap database. Next, we assessed the effect of relevant SNPs on protein stability. A total of 28 SNPs were found in protein coding regions. These SNPs were reported in Japan, China, Turkey, and India. Among the studied SNPs, the C5178A mutation in the ND2 gene of Complex I of the RC was detected in all the reviewed reports except in Uygur Chinese centenarians. Then, we found that G9055A (ATP6 gene) and A10398G (ND3 gene) polymorphisms have been associated with a protective effect against Parkinson's disease (PD). Additionally, C8414T in ATP8 was significantly associated with longevity in three Japanese reports. Interestingly, using MitoMap we found that G9055A (ATP6 gene) was the only SNP promoting longevity not associated with any pathology. The identification of SNPs associated with an increase in lifespan opens the possibility to better understand individual differences regarding a decrease in illness susceptibility and find strategies that contribute to healthy aging.

Mental Health Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mexican Population: A Systematic Review.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on mental health in the general population, but no systematic synthesis of evidence of this effect has been undertaken for the Mexican population. Relevant studies were identified through the systematic search in five databases until December, 2021. The selection of studies and the evaluation of their methodological quality were performed in pairs. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used for study quality appraisal. The protocol of this systematic review was registered with PROSPERO (protocol ID: CRD42021278868). This review included 15 studies, which ranged from 252 to 9361 participants, with a total of 26,799 participants. The findings show that COVID-19 has an impact on the Mexican population's mental health and is particularly associated with anxiety, depression, stress and distress. Females and younger age are risk factors for development mental health symptoms. Mitigating the negative effects of COVID-19 on mental health should be a public health priority in Mexico.

Development of gelatin/carboxymethylcellulose active films containing Hass avocado peel extract and their application as a packaging for the preservation of berries.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of incorporating different concentrations (0, 200, 300, and 400 mg L-1) of avocado peel extracts (EE-AP) on the physicochemical properties and antifungal activity of gelatin-carboxymethylcellulose (Gel-CMC) films and their applicability in berry preservation. The results showed that incorporating EE-AP was compatible with the Gel-CMC film and enhanced the mechanical properties without affecting the integrity and thermal properties. The 200 mg L-1 of EE-AP concentration on films offered the best barrier properties against water vapor (2.90 × 10-11 g m-1 s-1 Pa-1). FTIR identified the intramolecular and intermolecular interactions between the functional groups of biopolymers and the EE-AP. The results obtained revealed that EE-AP incorporation into gelatin-carboxymethylcellulose films significantly decreased the moisture content (from 12.48 to 11.02%) and solubility (from 40.13 to 35.39%) of the films. All films incorporated with EE-AP showed higher colorimetric parameters and opacity than the control film (p < 0.05). The DPPH radical scavenging ability of the Gel-CMC films was increased from 24.16 to 41.12, 57.21, and 63.47%, as the extract concentration increased. Active films presented excellent ultraviolet-visible light barrier properties. The antioxidant pigments (flavonoids and chlorophylls) were estimated spectrophotometrically through absorbance. In vitro tests indicated high effectiveness to inhibit the growth of Rhizopus stolonifer and Aspergillus niger. A preservation study indicated the absence of fungal development in berries over six days of storage. In conclusion, gelatin-carboxymethylcellulose films with EE-AP represent a potential option for active packaging and can preserve fresh fruit.

Fluoxetine modulates the pro-inflammatory process of IL-6, IL-1ß and TNF-α levels in individuals with depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Clinical evidence suggests that inflammation is a key factor to understand the causes of depressive symptoms. Fluoxetine is one of the main first-line medications used for depression, and it is hypothesized that it participates in the decrease of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Hence, our aim was to perform a meta-analysis and systematic review to understand the interaction of fluoxetine in the IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α inflammatory process. Studies identified in PubMed and Scopus databases were used to perform a meta-analysis via the Comprehensive software. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was used as a summary statistic. The analysis included a total of 292 individuals with major depressive disorder who received fluoxetine for a period longer than 6 weeks; additionally, IL-1ß, IL-6 or TNF-α levels were measured at the end of the antidepressant treatment. The findings were significant revealed decreased levels of the cytokines studied. In conclusion, the pooled data suggest that fluoxetine treatment improved depressive symptomatology by the modulation of pro-inflammatory process such as IL-1ß, IL-6 or TNF-α.

Premisas conceptuales acerca de la categoría subjetividad que requiere el proceso formativo del médico general / Conceptual premises about the subjectivity category required by the training process of the general practitioner

RESUMEN El proceso formativo del médico general en la educación médica superior cubana no enfatiza en las premisas conceptuales como garantía de una adecuada comprensión cultural e histórica del sujeto y la subjetividad, que este profesional aporta en acción y relación dentro del tejido social. Se pretende sintetizar las premisas conceptuales implícitas en la categoría subjetividad, devenida objeto de estudio del proceso formativo del médico general; por ello, resultó indispensable la descripción de los principales aportes teóricos que posibilitaron, desde inicios de la década de los 80 del pasado siglo XX, el desarrollo dentro del contexto nacional de una teoría de la subjetividad. Se concluyó que las premisas conceptuales acerca de la categoría subjetividad que requiere el proceso formativo del médico general, aluden a determinadas zonas de sentido donde se vinculan las categorías subjetividad individual y social, sentidos subjetivos, mediaciones por la subjetividad, así como sujeto individual y social.

ABSTRACT The training process of the general practitioner in Cuban higher medical education does not emphasize the conceptual premises as a guarantee of an adequate cultural and historical understanding of the subject and subjectivity, which this professional contributes in action and relationship within the social fabric. The aim is to synthesize the implicit conceptual premises in the subjectivity category, which has become an object of study in the training process of the general practitioner; For this reason, it was essential to describe the main theoretical contributions that made possible, since the beginning of the 80s of the last century, the development within the national context of a theory of subjectivity. It was concluded that the conceptual premises about the subjectivity category required by the training process of the general practitioner, allude to certain areas of meaning where the categories individual and social subjectivity, subjective senses, mediations by subjectivity, as well as individual and social subject are linked.

La intervención psicosocial mediada por la subjetividad en la práctica clínica del apoyo social / Psychosocial intervention mediated by subjectivity in the clinical practice of social support

RESUMEN El apoyo social constituye una estrategia que revela convergencias entre el ejercicio profesional afín a la Psicología social y la práctica clínica que interrelaciona la atención individual de salud con las condiciones del ambiente familiar y social; sin embargo, estudios recientes efectuados en los ámbitos internacional y nacional, los cuales contribuyen a la sistematización de estrategias de intervención basadas en la práctica clínica del apoyo social, reflejan carencias condicionadas por brechas teórico-metodológicas ante la ausencia del enfoque psicosocial que estas requieren. El objetivo de esta comunicación fue sintetizar el enfoque psicosocial que precisa la práctica clínica del apoyo social. Resultó indispensable la descripción de los nexos entre: las categorías subjetividad social e individual, sentidos subjetivos, mediaciones por la subjetividad, sujeto individual y sujeto social. Se concluyó que la intervención psicosocial en la práctica clínica del apoyo social requiere una mediación subjetiva activo-transformadora permeada de diálogo y reflexión.

ABSTRACT Social support constitutes a strategy that reveals convergences between professional practice related to social psychology and clinical practice that interrelates individual health care with the conditions of the family and social environment; however, recent studies carried out at the international and national contexts that contribute to the systematization of intervention strategies based on social support, reflect deficiencies conditioned by theoretical-methodological gaps in the absence of the psychosocial approach that they require. The objective of this communication was to synthesize the psychosocial approach that the clinical practice of social support requires; therefore, the description of the links between the categories of social and individual subjectivity, psychological meanings, subjective mediations, individually and socially was indispensable. The author concludes that the psychosocial intervention in the clinical practice of social support requires an active-transforming subjective mediation with dialogue and reflection.

Possible Association of Cholesterol as a Biomarker in Suicide Behavior.

Suicides and suicidal behavior are major causes of mortality and morbidity in public health and are a global problem. Various authors have proposed changes in lipid metabolism (total cholesterol decrease) as a possible biological marker for suicidal behavior. The objective of this study was to review the studies that have demonstrated a relationship between serum cholesterol levels and suicidal behavior and to describe the possible pathophysiological mechanisms that associate changes in cholesterol concentration and suicidal behavior. Relevant literature related to serum cholesterol levels and suicidal behavior was identified through various database searches. The data from the existing literature present the findings that relate low cholesterol levels and possible pathophysiological mechanisms (neuroinflammation, serotonergic neurotransmission), genes related to cholesterol synthesis, pharmacological treatments that alter lipid metabolism and the possible participation in suicidal behavior. Nevertheless, future research is required to describe how serum cholesterol affects cholesterol metabolism in the CNS to establish and understand the role of cholesterol in suicidal behavior.