Green Carbon Dots as Additives of Biopolymer Films for Preserving from Oxidation of Oil-Based Products.

The deterioration of oil-based products during processing, distribution and storage has a major negative impact on the industry from an economic point of view. The spoilage of oil is mainly due to its oxidation which can be triggered by various factors, such as UV light, heating or the presence of impurities that result in the formation of radical species. In this context, several packaging alternatives have recently been developed with the aim to protect and extend the shelf life of oil-based products. This work aimed to study the antioxidant properties of bio-polymer-based films (BPFs) obtained from high methoxylated pectin (HMP) and sodium caseinate (CAS) and enriched with different concentrations of green carbon dots (gCDs), 0.25%, 0.50 and 1% w/w, obtained from apple pomace (APCDs) and rosemary powder (RCDs). The resulting films (gCDs-BPFs) have shown that the presence of gCDs not only modified the surface roughness of the films, but also positively affected their antioxidant properties. The addition of gCDs enhanced the radical inhibiting capacity of the raw BPFs by 42 and 62% for the films containing 1% RCDs and 1% APCDs, respectively. As a proof of the concept, two oil samples (edible and cosmetic) were treated with the obtained antioxidant films, and the results demonstrated that in both types of samples the oxidation process was minimized during the five days of the experiment. These results are promising and suggest that the antioxidant bio-polymer-based films could be excellent candidates for further production of active packaging.

High Methoxyl Pectin and Sodium Caseinate Film Matrix Reinforced with Green Carbon Quantum Dots: Rheological and Mechanical Studies.

Nowadays, proteins and polysaccharides play a fundamental role in the manufacturing of biocompatible materials applied in food packaging. The resulting films have, however, limits associated with the resistance to mechanical stress; therefore, it is important to reinforce the initial mixture with additives that promote the development of stronger molecular links. Carbon dots (CDs) are excellent candidates for this purpose due to the presence of surface functional groups that determine the formation of numerous intramolecular bonds between the charged biopolymers. The present research aims to evaluate the effect of CDs on the mechanical properties of biopolymer films obtained from sodium caseinate (CAS), high methoxyl pectin (HMP) and glycerol used as plasticizers. Green carbon dots (gCDs) were obtained from natural organic sources by green synthesis. The effects of gCDs on the flow behavior and viscoelastic properties of mixed biopolymer dispersions and the thermophysical properties of the corresponded films were evaluated by steady and unsteady shear rheological measurements and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) tests, respectively. The dynamic mechanical measurements were realized taking into account the parameters of temperature and relative humidity. The results indicate a significant change in the viscosity of the protein-polysaccharide dispersions and the thermomechanical properties of the corresponding film samples reinforced with higher amounts of gCDs.

Multi-Year Mass-Trapping With Autocidal Gravid Ovitraps has Limited Influence on Insecticide Susceptibility in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) From Puerto Rico.

Mass-trapping has been used to control outbreaks of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Culicidae) in Puerto Rico since 2011. We investigated the effect of multi-year, insecticide-free mass trapping had on the insecticide susceptibility profile of Ae. aegypti. Eggs collected in southern Puerto Rico were used to generate F1 populations that were tested for susceptibility to permethrin, sumethrin, bifenthrin, deltamethrin, and malathion according to CDC bottle bioassays protocols. All populations of Ae. aegypti were resistant to the synthetic pyrethroids and mosquitoes from two locations were partially resistant to malathion. Population genetic analysis, using a double digest restriction sites associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) approach, indicated a large amount of migration between study sites effectively homogenizing the mosquito populations. Mass-trapping using noninsecticidal autocidal gravid ovitraps did not restore susceptibility to five active ingredients that are found in commercial insecticides. Migration between communities was high and would have brought outside alleles, including resistant alleles to the treatment communities. Further investigation suggests that household use of commercially available insecticide products may continue to select for resistance in absence of public health space spraying of insecticides.

Riesgo-beneficio de la retirada de estatinas en cuidados paliativos: revisión sistemática de la literatura / Risks and benefits of statin deprescription in palliative care: a systemic review of the literature

Introducción: El uso de estatinas en pacientes con enfermedad terminal avanzada no queda claro; el tiempo para obtener un beneficio es superior a la supervivencia, a los efectos adversos e interacciones farmacológicas. El objetivo es buscar evidencia científica del riesgo-beneficio en la retirada de estatinas en pacientes con enfermedad terminal avanzada. Metodología: Revisión sistemática bibliográfica de artículos en inglés y español publicados entre 2013 y 2018. Bases de datos: Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane, Google académico, Cercatot de la web de la Biblioteca de la Universidad de Lleida. Parámetros analizados: tipo de estudio, tamaño de muestra, esperanza de vida, resultados más significativos y posibles limitaciones. Selección de artículos mediante la lectura del título y/o resumen, posterior lectura completa del texto. Resultados: Encontramos 224 artículos, 13 cumplen criterios. Los beneficios de estatinas en prevención primaria se observan entre 6 meses y 3 años. Presentan mayor susceptibilidad a efectos adversos personas con edad avanzada, caquexia o fragilidad. Los efectos adversos principales fueron: gastrointestinales (8 %), dolores musculoesqueléticos (mayor al 7 %). Las miopatías fueron más frecuentes en mujeres y en personas con niveles de vitamina D bajos. Las interacciones principales fueron con amlodipino, fluconazol o ketoconazol, warfarina, verapamilo o eritromicina. Mejor calidad de vida percibida en el grupo que descontinúa estatinas. La desprescripción ocurre habitualmente horas o días antes del fallecimiento. Conclusiones: La intervención paliativa precoz al retirar las estatinas cuando estas ya no ofrezcan un beneficio podría ofrecer beneficios como evitar efectos adversos e interacciones y mejorar la calidad de vida. Sería útil la estandarización de criterios. (AU)

Introduction: The use of statins in patients with advanced terminal disease is unclear: the time needed to obtain benefits is greater than survival, and adverse effects as well as pharmacological interactions may occur. The objective was to find scientific information regarding the risks and benefits of statin deprescription in patients with limited prognosis. Methodology: A systematic review of the literature in English and Spanish published between 2013 through 2018. Search: PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Google Scholar, Cercatot (University of Lleida web services). Data analyzed: type of study, population size, life expectancy, notable results, and possible limitations. The selection of articles was done by reading the title and/or abstract; the whole paper was read subsequently. Results: We found 224 articles, 13 met the criteria. The benefits of statins in primary prevention are observed between 6 months and 3 years. An increased susceptibility to side effects was seen in the elderly, cachectic, or frail patients. Major side effects included: gastrointestinal events (8%), and musculoskeletal pain (above 7%). Myopathies were more common in women and in people with low vitamin D levels. Most common interactions occurred with amlodipine, fluconazole or ketoconazole, warfarin, verapamil or erythromycin. A better quality of life was perceived in the group that discontinued statins. Deprescription usually occurs hours or days before death. Conclusions: In early palliative intervention the withdrawal of statins when they no longer offer any benefits could benefit our patients by avoiding adverse effects and interactions, thus improving quality of life. A standardization of criteria would be useful. (AU)

Oxidative Stability of Vegetal Oil-Based Lubricants.

Lipids are widely distributed in nature and are one of the most important components of natural foods, synthetic compounds, and emulsions. To date, there is a strong social demand in the industrial sector for the use of sustainable products with a minimal environmental impact. Depending on their origin and composition, lipids can be employed as a plausible alternative as biodegradable lubricants in order to reduce the use of conventional mineral oil lubricants and mitigate their environmental impact. This perspective provides an overview of the advantages and constrains of vegetal oils under different lubrication regimes and the tribochemical reactions that can take place. Also, the different factors and pathways that influence their oxidation, the key role of moisture, and the changes of physical properties under pressure and temperature are reviewed. Special emphasis is devoted to the oxidation instability of fatty acids and vegetal oils and the physical and chemical approaches to improve oxidative and thermal stability are described in detail.

Synthesis and Characterization of Green Carbon Dots for Scavenging Radical Oxygen Species in Aqueous and Oil Samples.

Carbon dots (CDs) due to their unique optical features, chemical stability and low environmental hazard are applied in different fields such as metal ion sensing, photo-catalysis, bio-imaging and tribology, among others. The aims of the present research were to obtain CDs from vegetable wastes (tea and grapes) as carbon sources and to explore their potential properties as radical scavengers. CDs from glutathione/citric acid (GCDs) were synthetized for comparison purposes. The CDs were investigated for their chemical structure, morphology, optical and electronical properties. The antioxidant activity has been explored by DPPH and Folin-Ciocelteau assays in aqueous media. Due to their solubility in oil, the CDs prepared from tea wastes and GCDs were assayed as antioxidants in a mineral oil lubricant by potentiometric determination of the peroxide value. CDs from tea wastes and GCDs exhibited good antioxidant properties both in aqueous and oil media. Possible mechanisms, such as C-addition to double bonds, H-abstraction and SOMO-CDs conduction band interaction, were proposed for the CDs radical scavenging activity. CDs from natural sources open new application pathways as antioxidant green additives.

Artificial Intelligence and fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy for evaluating water-mediated degradation of lubricant oils.

The presence of water in lubricant oils is a parameter related to the lubricant deterioration, which can be indicative of a serious loss of tribological efficiency and, therefore, an increase in maintenance costs. Likewise, controlling the aging of the lubricant oil is a keynote issue to prevent damage on the lubricated surfaces (e.g. engine pieces). The combination of Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) techniques with Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR) result in an easy, simple, fast and non-destructive way for obtaining accurate information about the actual situation of a lubricant oil. The analysis of this ATR-FTIR information using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) as well as Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) results in the proper classification of lubricant oils regarding the presence/absence of water, age and viscosity. The methodology proposed in this work describes procedures for identifying the deterioration degree of oils with as high as 100% success (aging week) or 97.7% (for viscosity and water presence).

Alkyl-capped copper oxide nanospheres and nanoprolates for sustainability: water treatment and improved lubricating performance.

Metal oxide nanoparticles of different nature have been used in different fields such as therapeutics, biomarkers, tribology or environmental remediation, among others. Besides, the surface modification of such nanoparticles is of particular interest to bring designed functions. In this paper we describe the synthesis of CuO nanoparticles with two different geometries (spherical and prolate) and decorated with long alkyl chains in order to use as dye removers by adsorption and/or photo-degradation of a persistent model dye (Congo Red) and as lubricant additives to improve the tribological performance of base lubricant oils. Alkyl-functionalized CuO nanoparticles demonstrated a high stability in oily suspensions and an improvement in the friction reducing the CoF ca. 26%; the alkyl-decorated nanoparticles showed also higher adsorption kinetics for Congo Red than the neat ones following a pseudo-second-order trend, although with lower adsorption efficiency. The synthesis, surface modification and physic-chemical characterization of spherical and prolate CuO nanoparticles are described as well as their applications as lubricant additives and Congo Red photocatalytic removal.

Evaluation of a nurse-led intervention program in heart failure: A randomized trial / Evaluación de un programa de intervención de enfermería en insuficiencia cardiaca: un ensayo aleatorizado

Background and objective: Several trials have evaluated the effect of disease management programs in heart failure (HF) with diverse results. The aim of this study was to develop a simple nurse-led clinic intervention program for patients with HF and assess whether this intervention positively affects the prognosis of patients, their care costs and perceived quality of life (QoL). Methods: Between 2011 and 2013, 127 patients with reduced ejection fraction were prospectively randomly allocated (1:2) to standard care or intervention program. Primary composite endpoint was all-cause mortality and hospital readmissions. Secondary endpoints were all-cause mortality, all-cause hospital readmissions, readmissions for HF, time to first readmission and QoL improvements assessed by "Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire" (MLHFQ). An intention-to-treat analysis was performed. Results: After a median follow-up of 2-years, no differences were found in the primary composite endpoint. Likewise, there were no differences between groups in the predefined secondary endpoints of mortality and readmissions from any cause. However, in the intervention group, readmissions for HF were significantly reduced (35% vs. 18%; p=0.04) and QoL significantly improved (MLHFQ±SD: 2.29±14 vs. 10.9±14.75; p=0.04). Conclusions: In patients with HF, the use of a nurse-led intervention program significantly improves perceived QoL and reduce HF hospital readmissions

Introducción y objetivos: Se han publicado múltiples ensayos sobre programas de gestión de enfermedades en la insuficiencia cardiaca (IC) con resultados muy heterogéneos. El objetivo de este estudio fue desarrollar un sencillo programa de intervención clínica dirigido por enfermería en pacientes con IC y evaluar si dicha intervención afecta positivamente sobre el pronóstico de los pacientes, sus costes de atención y la calidad de vida percibida. Métodos: Entre 2011 y 2013, 127 pacientes con fracción de eyección reducida fueron aleatorizados (1:2) a manejo estándar o al programa de intervención. El objetivo primario compuesto fue mortalidad y reingresos hospitalarios por cualquier causa. Los criterios de valoración secundarios fueron mortalidad por cualquier causa, reingresos hospitalarios por cualquier causa, reingresos hospitalarios por IC, tiempo hasta el primer ingreso y mejoría de la calidad de vida evaluado por el Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). Resultados: Tras un seguimiento medio de 2 años, no se encontraron diferencias en el criterio de valoración compuesto primario. Igualmente, no hubo diferencias en la mortalidad o los reingresos por cualquier causa. Sin embargo, en el grupo de intervención, los reingresos por IC se redujeron (35 vs. 18%; p=0,04) y la calidad de vida percibida mejoró de forma significativa (MLHFQ±DE: 2,29±14 vs. 10,9±14,75; p=0,04). Conclusiones: En los pacientes con IC, el empleo de un programa de intervención dirigido por enfermería mejora significativamente la calidad de vida percibida y reduce los reingresos hospitalarios por IC

Evaluation of a nurse-led intervention program in heart failure: A randomized trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Several trials have evaluated the effect of disease management programs in heart failure (HF) with diverse results. The aim of this study was to develop a simple nurse-led clinic intervention program for patients with HF and assess whether this intervention positively affects the prognosis of patients, their care costs and perceived quality of life (QoL). METHODS: Between 2011 and 2013, 127 patients with reduced ejection fraction were prospectively randomly allocated (1:2) to standard care or intervention program. Primary composite endpoint was all-cause mortality and hospital readmissions. Secondary endpoints were all-cause mortality, all-cause hospital readmissions, readmissions for HF, time to first readmission and QoL improvements assessed by "Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire" (MLHFQ). An intention-to-treat analysis was performed. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 2-years, no differences were found in the primary composite endpoint. Likewise, there were no differences between groups in the predefined secondary endpoints of mortality and readmissions from any cause. However, in the intervention group, readmissions for HF were significantly reduced (35% vs. 18%; p=0.04) and QoL significantly improved (MLHFQ±SD: 2.29±14 vs. 10.9±14.75; p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with HF, the use of a nurse-led intervention program significantly improves perceived QoL and reduce HF hospital readmissions.

Unctuous ZrO2 nanoparticles with improved functional attributes as lubricant additives.

One of the main drawbacks in the application of metal-oxide nanoparticles as lubricant additives is their poor stability in organic media, despite the good anti-wear, friction-reducing and high-load capacity properties described for these materials. In this work, we present a novel procedure to chemically cap the surface of ZrO2 nanoparticles (ZrO2NPs) with long hydrocarbon chains in order to obtain stable dispersions of ZrO2NPs in non-aqueous media without disrupting their attributes as lubricant additives. C-8, C-10 and C-16 saturated flexible chains were attached to the ZrO2NP surface and their physical and chemical characterization was performed by transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance. The dispersion stability of the modified ZrO2NPs in non-aqueous media was studied using static multiple light scattering. Tribological tests demonstrated that dispersions of the long-chain capped ZrO2NPs in base lubricating oils exhibited low friction coefficients and improved the anti-wear properties of the base oil when compared with the raw lubricating oil.

Cellular Uptake and Tissue Biodistribution of Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles and Nanoclusters.

In this study, the in vitro uptake by fibroblasts and in vivo biodistribution of 15 nm 11-mercaptoundecanoicacid-protected gold nanoparticles (AuNPs-MUA) and 3 nm glutathione- and 3 nm bovine serum albumin-protected gold nanoclusters (AuNCs@GSH and AuNCs@BSA, respectively) were evaluated. In vitro cell viability was examined after gold nanoparticle treatment for 48 h, based on MTT assays and analyses of morphological structure, the cycle cell, cellular doubling time, and the gold concentration in cells. No potential toxicity was observed at any studied concentration (up to 10 ppm) for AuNCs@GSH and AuNCs@BSA, whereas lower cell viability was observed for AuNPs-MUA at 10 ppm than for other treatments. Neither morphological damage nor modifications to the cell cycle and doubling time were detected after contact with nanoparticles. Associations between cells and AuNPs and AuNCs were demonstrated by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). AuNCs@GSH exhibited fluorescence emission at 611 nm, whereas AuNCs@BSA showed a band at 640 nm. These properties were employed to confirm their associations with cells by fluorescence confocal microscopy; both clusters were observed in cells and maintained their original fluorescence. In vivo assays were performed using 9 male mice treated with 1.70 µg Au/g body weight gold nanoparticles for 24 h. ICP-MS measurements showed a different biodistribution for each type of nanoparticle; AuNPs-MUA mainly accumulated in the brain, AuNCs@GSH in the kidney, and AuNCs@BSA in the liver and spleen. Spleen indexes were not affected by nanoparticle treatment; however, AuNCs@BSA increased the thymus index significantly from 1.28 to 1.79, indicating an immune response. These nanoparticles have great potential as organ-specific drug carriers and for diagnosis, photothermal therapy, and imaging.

Engineered silica nanoparticles as additives in lubricant oils.

Silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) synthesized by the sol-gel approach were engineered for size and surface properties by grafting hydrophobic chains to prevent their aggregation and facilitate their contact with the phase boundary, thus improving their dispersibility in lubricant base oils. The surface modification was performed by covalent binding of long chain alkyl functionalities using lauric acid and decanoyl chloride to the SiO2 NP surface. The hybrid SiO2 NPs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, simultaneous differential thermal analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance and dynamic light scattering, while their dispersion in two base oils was studied by static multiple light scattering at low (0.01% w/v) and high (0.50%w/v) concentrations. The nature of the functional layer and the functionalization degree seemed to be directly involved in the stability of the suspensions. The potential use of the functional SiO2 NPs as lubricant additives in base oils, specially designed for being used in hydraulic circuits, has been outlined by analyzing the tribological properties of the dispersions. The dendritic structure of the external layer played a key role in the tribological characteristics of the material by reducing the friction coefficient and wear. These nanoparticles reduce drastically the waste of energy in friction processes and are more environmentally friendly than other additives.

Effectiveness of a cognitive behavioral intervention in patients with medically unexplained symptoms: cluster randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Medically unexplained symptoms are an important mental health problem in primary care and generate a high cost in health services.Cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic therapy have proven effective in these patients. However, there are few studies on the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions by primary health care. The project aims to determine whether a cognitive-behavioral group intervention in patients with medically unexplained symptoms, is more effective than routine clinical practice to improve the quality of life measured by the SF-12 questionary at 12 month. METHODS/DESIGN: This study involves a community based cluster randomized trial in primary healthcare centres in Madrid (Spain). The number of patients required is 242 (121 in each arm), all between 18 and 65 of age with medically unexplained symptoms that had seeked medical attention in primary care at least 10 times during the previous year. The main outcome variable is the quality of life measured by the SF-12 questionnaire on Mental Healthcare. Secondary outcome variables include number of consultations, number of drug (prescriptions) and number of days of sick leave together with other prognosis and descriptive variables. Main effectiveness will be analyzed by comparing the percentage of patients that improve at least 4 points on the SF-12 questionnaire between intervention and control groups at 12 months. All statistical tests will be performed with intention to treat. Logistic regression with random effects will be used to adjust for prognostic factors. Confounding factors or factors that might alter the effect recorded will be taken into account in this analysis. DISCUSSION: This study aims to provide more insight to address medically unexplained symptoms, highly prevalent in primary care, from a quantitative methodology. It involves intervention group conducted by previously trained nursing staff to diminish the progression to the chronicity of the symptoms, improve quality of life, and reduce frequency of medical consultations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01484223 [http://ClinicalTrials.gov].

Programa EDUCA. Escuela de padres para el tratamiento de los trastornos del comportamiento perturbado / EDUCA program. School parents for the treatment of disorders of disturbed behavior

Es un hecho reconocido que los problemas de comportamiento perturbador en la adolescencia y en la juventud, así como las conductas agresivas y delictivas, se ha incrementado notablemente en los últimos años, provocando una gran perocupación social por cómo revertir esta tendencia. Los trastornos del comportamiento perturbador suponen hoy en día uno de los diagnósticos más frecuentes en las unidades de salud mental infanto-juvenil, tanto en España, que supone algo más de la mitad de las consultas clínicas que se realizan, como fuera de nuestras fronteras. Loa programas de escuela de padres suponen el tratamiento de primera elección para los problemas cotidianos del comportamiento, lo que actuaría como prevención primaria de otros trastornos de conducta más graves. El objetivo principal de nuestro estudio experimental fue diseñar y probar la eficacia de un program protolizado y en grupo de escala de padres para el tratamiento de los trastornos del comportamiento perturbador de la infancia y la adolescencia, así como par mejorar lasatisfacción y el clima social dentro del contexto familiar. La muestra del estudio estubo compuesta por 31 familias (31 madres y 25 padres) que fueron derivadas a la Unidad de Salud Mental Infanto-Juvenil de Algeciras por problemas de comportamiento perturbador de sus hijos. Los resultados obtnidos mostraron que el programa EDUCA fue eficaz al producir una mejoría clínica y estadísticamente significativa en las variables: afgresividad (P<0,01), hiperactividad (p<0,05), Cohesión (P<0,02), Moral-Religiosidad (P<0,01), Organización (P<0,003) y Satisfacción familiar (P<0,01)(AU)

It is recognized that disruptive behavior problems in adolescence and youth, as well as aggressive and criminal behavior has increased dramatically in recent years, causing great social perocupación how to reverse this trend. The disruptive behavior disorders represent today one of the most common diagnoses in the units of child and adolescent mental health, in Spain, which involves more than half of clinical consultations taking place, and beyond our borders. Loa parents school programs involve the treatment of choice for the everyday problems of behavior, which act as primary prevention of other serious behavioral disorders. The main objective of our experimental study was to design and test the effectiveness of a program protolizado and scale group of parents in the treatment of disruptive behavior disorders of childhood and adolescence, and even improve lasatisfacción and social climate within the family context. The study sample was composed of 31 families (31 mothers and 25 fathers) who were referred to the Unit of Child and Adolescent Mental Health of Algeciras for disruptive behavior problems of their children. The results showed that the program obtnidos EDUCA was effective in producing a clinically and statistically significant variables: afgresividad (P <0.01), hyperactivity (p <0.05), Cohesion (P <0.02), Moral -religiosity (P <0.01), Organisation (P <0.003) and family satisfaction (P <0.01) (AU)

Quantum chemical calculations on the interaction between flavonol and functional monomers (methacrylic acid and 4-vinylpyridine) in molecularly imprinted polymers.

Quantum chemical calculations were performed to characterize the interaction of the flavonol molecule (FL) with methacrylic acid (MAA) and 4-vinylpyridine (4VPy) in the formation of imprinted polymers. The polarizable continuum model (PCM) was used to gain insight on the type of interaction between the reactant molecules under vacuum conditions and in the presence of different solvents. The effect of solvent on the pre-polymerization complex formation was evaluated through the stability energy, in which chloroform behaves as the best solvent for the synthesis of the imprinted polymers since it facilitates the reaction by lowering its degree of stabilization. The reactivity was analyzed in terms of the electrostatic surface potential (ESP) and Mulliken charge. By means of these results, it has been possible to determine two potential recognition sites for the interaction of the MAA monomer and one for the 4VPy in relation to the strength of interaction with FL. In this concern, the interaction of the system FL-MAA is stronger than FL-4VPy.

Tratamiento Cognitivo-Conductual, Protocolizado y en Grupo, de la Fibromialgia / Group Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Protocol for Fibromyalgia Patients

El objetivo del presente trabajo es comprobar si un programa protocolizado de tratamiento cognitivo conductual, diseñado específicamente para ser aplicado en formato grupal a pacientes de fibromialgia, puede ayudar a mitigar los problemas emocionales y mejorar el afrontamiento de la enfermedad. En el estudio participaron un total de 34 pacientes diagnosticados de fibromialgia, todos ellos pertenecientes a la Asociación de Fibromialgia de la Comunidad de Madrid (AFIBROM). El programa fue estructurado en 10 sesiones de dos horas de duración con una periodicidad semanal. En la evaluación pre y post-tratamiento, así como en el seguimiento realizado a los 3 meses, los participantes cumplimentaron los cuestionarios: Inventario de Depresión de Beck (BDI), Escala de Ansiedad y Depresión en Hospital (HAD), Escala de Autoeficacia (SES), Escala de Catastrofismo (PCS) y Auto-registro del Dolor. Los resultados mostraron una mejoría clínica y estadísticamente significativa entre el pre y el post-tratamiento, en la variable depresión medida tanto con el BDI como con el HAD-D, así como en la variable ansiedad según el HAD-A. Esta mejoría se mantiene en el seguimiento realizado a los 3 meses de finalizado el tratamiento. Asimismo, al final de la intervención se observa un incremento estadísticamente significativo en todas las medidas de Autoeficacia y una disminución significativa de los pensamientos de Rumiación y Magnificación, mejoría que no se mantiene uniformemente en el seguimiento. Finalmente señalar que aunque tras la intervención se produce una bajada en el dolor medio informado por los pacientes, esta disminución no resulta estadísticamente significativa. Por todo ello puede concluirse que este programa de tratamiento protocolizado y en grupo ha demostrado ser eficaz para mitigar los problemas emocionales asociados a la fibromialgia, disminuir los pensamientos rumiativos y mejorar su percepción de autoeficacia en el afrontamiento de su enfermedad. Finalmente señalar la conveniencia de realizar sesiones de seguimiento-mantenimiento para consolidar los resultados obtenidos (AU)

Fibromyalgia Association of Madrid (AFIBROM). The program was divided into 10 sessions of two hours duration on a weekly basis. The evaluation was pre- and post-treatment with follow-up after 3 months, and participants completed questionnaires: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Anxiety and Depression Scale Hospital (HAD) Self Efficacy Scale (SES), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and Self-recording of pain. The results showed a clinically and statistically significant improvement between pre- and post-treatment depression with both the BDI and the HAD-D, as well as in the anxiety variable with HAD-A. This improvement was maintained at the follow-up 3 months after treatment ended. Also, at the end of the intervention a statistically significant increase is shown in all measures of self-efficacy and a significant decrease in the thoughts of rumination and magnification, though this is not maintained consistently at follow-up. Finally it is to be noted that even though after the intervention there was a reduction in average pain reported by the patients, this decrease is not statistically significant. Therefore, it can be concluded that this group treatment protocol has proven effective in alleviating the emotional problems associated with fibromyalgia, lowering ruminative thoughts and improving their self-perception in combating their disease. Finally, the desirability of conducting follow-up maintenance sessions to consolidate the results obtained should be noted (AU)

Multifunctional nanoparticles: analytical prospects.

Multifunctional nanoparticles are among the most exciting nanomaterials with promising applications in analytical chemistry. These applications include (bio)sensing, (bio)assays, catalysis and separations. Although most of these applications are based on the magnetic, optical and electrochemical properties of multifunctional nanoparticles, other aspects such as the synergistic effect of the functional groups and the amplification effect associated with the nanoscale dimension have also been observed. Considering not only the nature of the raw material but also the shape, there is a huge variety of nanoparticles. In this review only magnetic, quantum dots, gold nanoparticles, carbon and inorganic nanotubes as well as silica, titania and gadolinium oxide nanoparticles are addressed. This review presents a narrative summary on the use of multifunctional nanoparticles for analytical applications, along with a discussion on some critical challenges existing in the field and possible solutions that have been or are being developed to overcome these challenges.

New method for monitoring programmed cell death and differentiation in submerged Streptomyces cultures.

Vital stains were used in combination with fluorimetry for the elaboration of a new method to quantify Streptomyces programmed cell death, one of the key events in Streptomyces differentiation. The experimental approach described opens the possibility of designing online protocols for automatic monitoring of industrial fermentations.

[The users of an online psychological advice service: a sociodemographic analysis]. / Perfil sociodemográfico de los usuarios de un servicio de asistencia psicológica online.

Although online psychological services and research based on them are increasing rapidly, it is not that easy to find investigations that focus on the kind of people that demand them. To know their profile could help to improve the online psychological services that are offered to them. For this purpose, we analysed the sociodemographic characteristics of 1052 participants, all of them having posed a psychological question to our online advice service. The relations between sociodemographics and variables related to the psychological consultation are analysed herein. Features such as age distribution, a high proportion of long-term problems, the large quantity of questions from Latin America, or the under representation of the lowest socioeconomic and educational levels could lead to clinical, social and legal implications that we comment on in this work.