Chronic wound healing by controlled release of chitosan hydrogels loaded with silver nanoparticles and calendula extract.

As the skin is the main protective organ of the body, it is exposed to wounds or injuries which carry out a healing process during a period of approximately 15 days depending on the severity of the injury. In the present research, the development of chitosan-based hydrogels loaded with silver nanoparticles and calendula extract (Ch-AgNPs-Ce) was proposed. This can be used to fulfill the hemostatic, anti-infective, antibacterial, healing and anti-inflammatory functions through controlled release of the nanoparticles and calendula extract in substitution of commonly used drugs. The physical properties of the silver nanoparticles were analyzed by UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, showing a size between 50 and 100 nm. The antibacterial properties were evaluated by the agar well diffusion method. Antimicrobial testing of the hydrogels showed that the inclusion of silver nanoparticles provides concentration-dependent antibacterial behavior against E. coli and S. aureus. The healing properties of the system were tested in two diabetic patients to whom said hydrogels were placed, obtaining a positive curative result after a few weeks. Therefore, it can be concluded that Ch-AgNPs-Ce hydrogels can achieve healing in chronic or exposed wounds after a period of time which can be used in alternative treatments in patients with poor healing capacity.

Recombinant Erythropoietin Provides Protection against Renal Fibrosis in Adenine-Induced Chronic Kidney Disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) causes anemia by renal damage. In CKD, the kidney is submitted to hypoxia, persistent inflammation, leading to fibrosis and permanent loss of renal function. Human recombinant erythropoietin (rEPO) has been widely used to treat CKD-associated anemia and is known to possess organ-protective properties that are independent from its well-established hematopoietic effects. Nonhematopoietic effects of EPO are mediated by an alternative receptor that is proposed to consist of a heterocomplex between the erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) and the beta common receptor (ßcR). The present study explored the effects of rEPO to prevent renal fibrosis in adenine-induced chronic kidney disease (Ad-CKD) and their association with the expression of the heterodimer EPOR/ßcR. Male Wistar rats were randomized to control group (CTL), adenine-fed rats (Ad-CKD), and Ad-CKD with treatment of rEPO (1050 IU/kg, once weekly for 4 weeks). Ad-CKD rats exhibited anemia, uremia, decreased renal function, increased infiltration of inflammatory cells, tubular atrophy, and fibrosis. rEPO treatment not only corrected anemia but reduced uremia and partially improved renal function as well. In addition, we observed that rEPO diminishes tubular injury, prevents fibrosis deposition, and induces the EPOR/ßcR heteroreceptor. The findings may explain the extrahematopoietic effects of rEPO in CKD and provide new strategies for the treatment of renal fibrosis in CKD.

Efecto de un plan de estudios de Medicina sobre las competencias para la promoción de la salud y la participación social / Effect of a medical curriculum on the competencies for promotion of health and social participation

OBJETIVO: Evaluar el efecto del plan de estudios de la Licenciatura en Medicina de la Universidad Guadalajara LAMAR sobre las competencias profesionales para la promoción de la salud y la participación social. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio cuasiexperimental de tipo preexperimental de comparación con un grupo estático. Emplazamiento: Campus Vallarta. Temporalidad: septiembre-diciembre de 2017. Universo: 182 estudiantes de Medicina. Muestra: no probabilística, n = 114 estudiantes de Medicina, 62 de primer semestre (G1, intervención momento «A») y 52 de sexto semestre (G2, intervención momento «B»), más 50 estudiantes de primer semestre de licenciatura no relacionada con salud (G0, control). Muestreo: propositivo. Criterios de selección: cualquier edad y sexo, y responder instrumentos. VARIABLES: edad, sexo y competencias profesionales para la promoción de la salud y la participación social. Instrumentos: Instrumento en Español para Evaluar Prácticas de Salud Pública. Procedimientos: las evaluaciones se realizaron al término del semestre 2017B. Análisis: comparación mediante estadística inferencial no paramétrica (p ≤ 0,05). RESULTADOS: Niveles de competencias profesionales para la promoción de la salud y participación social: G0 100% poco o nada competentes, G1 64,5% poco o nada competentes y 35,5% medianamente competentes, G2 11,5% poco o nada competentes y 88,5% medianamente competentes. El nivel de competencia fue mayor al estar expuestos al plan de estudios, y aumentó a mayor tiempo de exposición (Chi2, p ≤ 0,05 en todos los casos). CONCLUSIONES: El plan de estudios de Medicina evaluado desarrolla en sus estudiantes competencias profesionales para la promoción de la salud y la participación social, pero es susceptible de ser mejorado

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of medical curriculum from Universidad Guadalajara LAMAR over professional competencies for promotion of health and social participation in medical students. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Quasi-experimental study type pre-experimental of comparison with static group. Emplacement: Vallarta's Campus. Temporality: September-December 2017. Universe: 182 medical students. Sample: non-randomized, n = 114 medical students, 62 from first semester (G1, intervention's moment "A") and 52 from sixth semester (G2, intervention's moment "B"), and additionally 50 from first semester of bachelor not related with health (G0, control). Sampling: propositive. Selection criteria: any age and gender, and to answer instruments. VARIABLES: age, gender and professional competencies for promotion of health and social participation. Instruments: Instrument in Spanish for to Evaluate Public Health Practices. Procedures: the evaluation it achieved to term of 2017B scholar cycle. Analysis: comparison by mean of non-parametric inferential statistics (P ≤ 0.05). RESULTS: Professional competencies level for promotion of health and social participation: G0 100% little or nothing competent, G1 64.5% little or nothing competent and 35.5% fairly competent, G2 11.5% little or nothing competent and 88.5% fairly competent. The competency level was higher in exposed to medical curriculum and increased to a longer exposure time (Chi2, P ≤ 0.05 in all cases). CONCLUSIONS: The medical curriculum from Universidad Guadalajara LAMAR develop professional competencies for promotion of health and social participation in your students, but this can be improved because nobody was highly competent