The immunogenetic diversity of the HLA system in Mexico correlates with underlying population genetic structure.

We studied HLA class I (HLA-A, -B) and class II (HLA-DRB1, -DQB1) allele groups and alleles by PCR-SSP based typing in a total of 15,318 mixed ancestry Mexicans from all the states of the country divided into 78 sample sets, providing information regarding allelic and haplotypic frequencies and their linkage disequilibrium, as well as admixture estimates and genetic substructure. We identified the presence of 4268 unique HLA extended haplotypes across Mexico and find that the ten most frequent (HF > 1%) HLA haplotypes with significant linkage disequilibrium (Δ'≥0.1) in Mexico (accounting for 20% of the haplotypic diversity of the country) are of primarily Native American ancestry (A*02~B*39~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02, A*02~B*35~DRB1*08~DQB1*04, A*68~B*39~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02, A*02~B*35~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02, A*24~B*39~DRB1*14~DQB1*03:01, A*24~B*35~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02, A*24~B*39~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02, A*02~B*40:02~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02, A*68~B*35~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02, A*02~B*15:01~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02). Admixture estimates obtained by a maximum likelihood method using HLA-A/-B/-DRB1 as genetic estimators revealed that the main genetic components in Mexico as a whole are Native American (ranging from 37.8% in the northern part of the country to 81.5% in the southeastern region) and European (ranging from 11.5% in the southeast to 62.6% in northern Mexico). African admixture ranged from 0.0 to 12.7% not following any specific pattern. We were able to detect three major immunogenetic clusters correlating with genetic diversity and differential admixture within Mexico: North, Central and Southeast, which is in accordance with previous reports using genome-wide data. Our findings provide insights into the population immunogenetic substructure of the whole country and add to the knowledge of mixed ancestry Latin American population genetics, important for disease association studies, detection of demographic signatures on population variation and improved allocation of public health resources.

Genetic diversity of HLA system in two populations from Oaxaca, Mexico: Oaxaca city and rural Oaxaca.

We studied HLA class I (HLA-A, -B) and class II (HLA-DRB1, -DQB1) alleles by PCR-SSP based typing in 636 Mexicans from the state of Oaxaca living in the city of Oaxaca (N = 151) and rural communities (N = 485), to obtain information regarding allelic and haplotypic frequencies. We found that the 13 most frequent haplotypes in Oaxaca are all of putative Native American origin. Admixture estimates revealed that the main genetic components in the state of Oaxaca are Native American (73.12 ±â€¯2.77% by ML; 61.52% of Native American haplotypes) and European (17.36 ±â€¯2.07% by ML; 20.69% of European haplotypes), and a relatively high African genetic component (9.52 ±â€¯0.88% by ML; 8.94% of African haplotypes).

La tutoría entre pares: primera experiencia curricular opcional en la Facultad de Odontología - UDELAR / Peer tutoring: the first curricular and optional experience at the Faculty of Dentistry - UDELAR

En el marco de las políticas definidas por la Universidad de la República de respaldo al aprendizaje, la Facultad de Odontología presenta su primera experiencia curricular de integración estudiantil. En la carrera de Odontología, se verifica un importante retraso académico en los dos primeros años. El proceso de afiliación a la vida universitaria puede generar desajustes en los rendimientos y riesgo de desvinculación. Entendiendo la importancia del vínculo interpersonal entre estudiantes pares para la continuidad en los estudios, se propone generar estrategias articuladas que contribuyan a neutralizar la fragilidad al ingreso. La Unidad de Apoyo a la Enseñanza expone la experiencia del Curso Tutoría Entre Pares, curricular, optativo y teórico-práctico destacando que: estudiantes avanzados realizan el acompañamiento socio-afectivo, personal y académico de los ingresantes; afecta a toda la cohorte inicial; es de carácter semivoluntario; contempla un respaldo multidisciplinar; moviliza acciones de apoyo institucional complementarias y en red con otras estructuras de apoyo.

In the context of politics promoted by the University of the Republic for students learning, the Faculty of Dentistry presents the first curricular experience for student integration. We verify an important academic delay at first two years of the Dentistry career. The affiliation process might produces, delay and dropout for newcomer. Interpersonal ties presents between peer students generate a persuasive role for continuing studies. Our institution challenge is to articulate strategies that contribute to neutralise the fragility at these stage, generating conditions for a better academic performance. The Support Teaching Unit presents the curricular, optional, theory-practice course experience -Peer Tutoring- focusing on: formation of advanced students for social affective, personal and academic accompaniment to entire entrant cohort; semi voluntary process; an integral and multidisciplinary action of specialist people; mobilization of other institutional support actions; the establishment of an academic, administrative and co-government red of support.

Diagnóstico educativo sobre salud bucal en embarazadas y madres con niños menores de un año / Educational diagnosis on oral health for pregnant women and mothers with children younger than one year

Introducción: la atención estomatológica en Cuba prioriza a embarazadas y madres con niños menores de un año. Objetivo: identificar los conocimientos sobre salud bucal de embarazadas y madres con niños menores de un año. Métodos: se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal, en el municipio Matanzas de 2010 a 2012. El universo fueron todas las embarazadas y madres con niños menores de un año. Se seleccionó una muestra no probabilística con las primeras 126 gestantes captadas y 126 madres que acudieran a puericultura, que dieron su consentimiento informado. Se aplicó la encuesta de conocimientos del Programa Nacional de Atención Estomatológica Integral a la Población y una lluvia de ideas para identificar los conocimientos favorables o no a la salud bucal, en relación a cuatro temas: caries dental, periodontopatías, brote dentario y maloclusiones. Se consideró el nivel de conocimientos bajo (menos de 70 puntos), medio (entre 71 y 89 puntos) y alto (más de 90 puntos). Los datos obtenidos fueron procesados estadísticamente, se usó el porcentaje como medida de resumen. Resultados: entre los conocimientos favorables a la salud bucal estuvieron los relacionados con las medidas preventivas de caries dental y periodontopatías, como el cepillado, con 85,7 por ciento en embarazadas y 95,2 por ciento en madres con niños menores de un año. Los conocimientos desfavorables fueron los relacionados con el brote dentario con 96 por ciento en embarazadas y 94,4 por ciento en madres con niños menores de un año. Las madres con niños menores de un año, mostraron nivel de conocimientos medio (70,6 por ciento), mientras que las embarazadas, mostraron nivel bajo (65,9 por ciento)...(AU)

Introduction: pregnant women and mothers with children younger than one year are priority for dental care in Cuba. Objective: to identify the knowledge on oral health of pregnant women and mothers with children under one year. Method: an observational, descriptive and transversal study was carried out in Matanzas from 2010 to 2012. All pregnant mothers and children younger than one year were the universe. A nonrandom sample with the first 126 pregnant women and 126 mothers, who had come to childcare, was selected. All of them gave their informed consent. Survey of knowledge of the National Program for Comprehensive Stomatology Care was applied; also a brainstorming was used to identify favorable knowledge on oral health, in relation to four topics: dental caries, periodontal disease, tooth bud and malocclusions. Knowledge level was considered low (less than 70 points), average (between 71 and 89 points) and high (over 90 points). The data obtained were processed statistically; the percentage was used as a summary measure. Results: among the favorable oral health knowledge were preventive measures of dental caries and periodontal diseases, such as brushing: pregnant women 85.7 per cent, and 95.2 per cent in mothers with children younger one year. Unfavorable knowledge were related to tooth bud with 96 per cent in pregnant women and 94.4 per cent in mothers with children younger than one year. Mothers with children younger than one year showed average level of knowledge (70.6 per cent), while pregnant women showed low (65.9 per cent) level. Conclusions: mothers with children younger than one year showed average level of knowledge on oral health, and pregnant women showed low level. Knowledge of tooth bud, and malocclusions were insufficient, so these will be the main topics to develop in health promotion strategies for this population(AU)

Diagnóstico educativo sobre salud bucal en embarazadas y madres con niños menores de un año / Educational diagnosis on oral health for pregnant women and mothers with children younger than one year

La atención estomatológica en Cuba prioriza a embarazadas y madres con niños menores de un año. Objetivo: identificar los conocimientos sobre salud bucal de embarazadas y madres con niños menores de un año. Métodos: se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal, en el municipio Matanzas de 2010 a 2012. El universo fueron todas las embarazadas y madres con niños menores de un año. Se seleccionó una muestra no probabilística con las primeras 126 gestantes captadas y 126 madres que acudieran a puericultura, que dieron su consentimiento informado. Se aplicó la encuesta de conocimientos del Programa Nacional de Atención Estomatológica Integral a la Población y una lluvia de ideas para identificar los conocimientos favorables o no a la salud bucal, en relación a cuatro temas: caries dental, periodontopatías, brote dentario y maloclusiones. Se consideró el nivel de conocimientos bajo (menos de 70 puntos), medio (entre 71 y 89 puntos) y alto (más de 90 puntos). Los datos obtenidos fueron procesados estadísticamente, se usó el porcentaje como medida de resumen. Resultados: entre los conocimientos favorables a la salud bucal estuvieron los relacionados con las medidas preventivas de caries dental y periodontopatías, como el cepillado, con 85,7 por ciento en embarazadas y 95,2 por ciento en madres con niños menores de un año. Los conocimientos desfavorables fueron los relacionados con el brote dentario con 96 por ciento en embarazadas y 94,4 por ciento en madres con niños menores de un año. Las madres con niños menores de un año, mostraron nivel de conocimientos medio (70,6 por ciento), mientras que las embarazadas, mostraron nivel bajo (65,9 por ciento). Conclusiones: las madres con niños menores de un año mostraron nivel de conocimientos sobre salud bucal, medio y las embarazadas mostraron un nivel bajo. Los conocimientos sobre brote dentario y maloclusiones fueron insuficientes, por lo que serán las principales temáticas para desarrollar estrategias de promoción de salud en esta población(AU)

Pregnant women and mothers with children younger than one year are priority for dental care in Cuba. Objective: to identify the knowledge on oral health of pregnant women and mothers with children under one year. Method: an observational, descriptive and transversal study was carried out in Matanzas from 2010 to 2012. All pregnant mothers and children younger than one year were the universe. A nonrandom sample with the first 126 pregnant women and 126 mothers, who had come to childcare, was selected. All of them gave their informed consent. Survey of knowledge of the National Program for Comprehensive Stomatology Care was applied; also a brainstorming was used to identify favorable knowledge on oral health, in relation to four topics: dental caries, periodontal disease, tooth bud and malocclusions. Knowledge level was considered low (less than 70 points), average (between 71 and 89 points) and high (over 90 points). The data obtained were processed statistically; the percentage was used as a summary measure. Results: among the favorable oral health knowledge were preventive measures of dental caries and periodontal diseases, such as brushing: pregnant women 85.7 per cent, and 95.2 percent in mothers with children younger one year. Unfavorable knowledge were related to tooth bud with 96 percent in pregnant women and 94.4 percent in mothers with children younger than one year. Mothers with children younger than one year showed average level of knowledge (70.6 percent), while pregnant women showed low (65.9 per cent) level. Conclusions: mothers with children younger than one year showed average level of knowledge on oral health, and pregnant women showed low level. Knowledge of tooth bud, and malocclusions were insufficient, so these will be the main topics to develop in health promotion strategies for this population(AU)

Perfil sociodemográfico y desempeños de los estudiantes de la carrera de Odontología (UdelaR) / Social-demographic profile and student performance from the Faculty of Dentistry (Udelar)

La Unidad de Apoyo a la Enseñanza de la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad de la República presenta una primera aproximación sobre quiénes son y cómo se desempeñan los estudiantes de Odontología en las etapas de ingreso y egreso de la carrera. Se elabora un perfil sociodemográfico a partir del Censo 2007 y se estudia con los datos inicialmente disponibles en la institución el desemplo de varios cohortes a través de las dimensiones de rendimiento académico, avance de la carrera, ritmo y nivel de egreso. Como resultados del estudio se destaca: 1) un perfil de matrícula estudiantil netamente feminizada, dividido paritariamente en su procedencia capitalina y del interior del país, y mayoritariamente procedente de liceos públicos (70%); 2) un nivel de rezago y desvinculación entre el primer y segundo año de la carrera que se ubica en el entorno del 50%; 3) un ritmo de egreso relativamente lento que, no obstante, alcanza una eficiencia terminal cercana al 50%.

Accumulation of toxic metals (Pb and Cd) in the sea urchin Diadema aff. antillarum Philippi, 1845, in an oceanic island (Tenerife, Canary Islands).

This document shows the results obtained from a study on the concentration of toxic heavy metals in the internal tissue and exoskeleton of sea urchins, collected from their natural habitat. The levels of lead and cadmium were measured by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The mean concentrations of lead and cadmium in the internal tissue were 304.04 and 260.54 microg/kg respectively, whereas in the shell they were 185.02 and 142.48 microg/kg. We also performed a statistical analysis of the differences in the distribution of metals between their exoskeleton and their internal content, a correlation study of the metal content in internal tissue and shell and sampling areas, and a correlation study between the metal content and sample size. Since the sea urchin Diadema antillarum presents a wide range of variation in metal content, this study suggests that this species is an excellent bioindicator of heavy metal contamination.