Polyphenols and Flavonoids Composition, Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties of Andean Baccharis macrantha Extracts.

This study examined the leaves of Baccharis macrantha to obtain extracts of Baccharis macrantha (EBM) and to determine the total flavonoid content (TFC) and the total polyphenol content (TPC). The main objective of this work was to quantify TPC and TFC of extracts of B. macrantha from Ecuador and evaluate its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The extraction method was optimized with solvents, ethanol, and methanol, at temperatures of 30-60 °C and extraction times of 5-20 min. The optimal TFC extraction conditions were at EtOH25% at 50 °C for 10 min. The optimal TPC extraction conditions were at EtOH50% at 50 °C for 10 min. EBM was characterized by TLC and HPLC with three standards: gallic acid, catechin, and quercetin. EBM-EtOH25% and EBM-EtOH50% obtained at 50 °C for 10 min were used to identify quercetin and evaluate biologicals activities. Quercetin was detected in EBM (EtOH25% and EtOH50%). EBM anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated with the red blood cell stabilization (RBC) method. The RBC model showed values of 49.72% of protection lysis RBC to EBM-EtOH25% and 50.71% of protection lysis RBC to EBM-EtOH50%. The EBM in vitro inhibition of lipid peroxidation showed a protection of 77.00% (EtOH25%) and 73.11% (EtOH50%) when the TBARs method was used. EBM-EtOH25% and EtOH50% showed high antioxidant activity. EBM-EtOH25% presented values of ABTS (1172 µmol TE/g EBM), DPPH (836 µmol TE/g, EBM), and FRAP (85.70 µmol TE/g, EBM).

Caenorhabditis elegans como modelo de infección para el estudio de antimicrobianos / Caenorhabditis elegans as an infection model for the study of antimicrobials

Resumen A pesar de algunas limitaciones éticas, los animales juegan un papel importante como anfitriones sustitutos para investigar los mecanismos fisiopatológicos de enfermedades con el fin de indagar en ellos medicamentos contra diferentes patologías. Uno de los grandes problemas en salud pública a nivel mundial en el contexto farmacológico es la producción de antibióticos y la ocurrencia de resistencia microbiana, además, cada vez resulta más complejo el uso de modelos animales por las restricciones bioéticas actuales, no obstante, es necesario usar modelos simples en los estudios preliminares que permitan evaluar las interacciones huésped-patógeno-antimicrobiano. Al validar que Caenorhabditis elegans es susceptible a varias bacterias y además tiene la capacidad de responder a estímulos ambientales con cambios observables en el comportamiento tras ser alimentado con diversas bacterias, resulta muy útil usarlo en este tipo de investigaciones ya que tiene una vida promedio corta y no cuenta con restricciones éticas para su uso. Por lo anterior, en este artículo se revisa la susceptibilidad que tiene C.elegans de infectarse con diferentes bacterias, además, ya que aún no se ha validado completamente como modelo para poner a prueba antimicrobianos se propone que este nematodo es útil como modelo In vivo para evaluar infecciones y tratamientos antibacterianos.

Abstract Despite some ethical limitations, animals play an important role as surrogate hosts in investigating the pathophysiological mechanisms of disease in order to test drugs against different pathologies. One of the great problems in public health worldwide in the pharmacological context is the production of antibiotics and the occurrence of microbial resistance, the use of animal models is becoming increasingly complex due to current bioethical restrictions, however, it is necessary to use models simple in preliminary studies that allow evaluating host-pathogen-antimicrobial interactions. Validating that Caenorhabditis elegans is susceptible to various bacteria and also has the ability to respond to environmental stimuli with observable changes in behavior after being fed with various bacteria, it is very useful to use it in this type of research since it has a short average life and does not have ethical restrictions for its use. Therefore, this article reviews the susceptibility of C. elegance to become infected with different bacteria, in addition, since it has not yet been fully validated as a model to test antimicrobials, it is proposed that this nematode is useful as an in vivo model. to evaluate infections and antibacterial treatments.

Multimedia educativa para el estudio de los contenidos de la asignatura Odontopediatría / Educational multimedia for the study of the contents of the subject Pediatric Dentistry

Fundamento: la incorporación de las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones permite al docente desarrollar al máximo las capacidades individuales de sus alumnos, por lo que tiene la responsabilidad de integrar en su práctica estrategias creativas e innovadoras. Objetivo: diseñar una multimedia educativa como material de apoyo a la docencia en la asignatura Odontopediatría de la carrera de Estomatología. Métodos: se realizó una investigación de innovación tecnológica en la Facultad de Estomatología de la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Villa Clara en el período septiembre 2015-febrero 2016. Se utilizaron métodos teóricos y empíricos para la fundamentación y recogida de información, así como los programas Mediator 9.0 MatchWare, Paint, Photoshow, Microsoft Office PowerPoint y Gonder share PhotoStorePlatinum para la confección de la multimedia. Resultados: el producto diseñado constituye un material de apoyo a la docencia en la asignatura Odontopediatría; se accede fácilmente a su contenido a través de hipervínculos. Los conocimientos que puede adquirir el alumno están ubicados en cuatro botones horizontales y nueve laterales. Conclusiones: la multimedia educativa fue valorada por los especialistas como pertinente, de fácil accesibilidad, útil y presenta calidad en sus aspectos técnicos. Los estudiantes, como usuarios, mostraron su conformidad con el producto diseñado.

Background: the incorporation of information and communication technologies allows teachers to fully develop the individual abilities of their students, so they have the responsibility to integrate creative and innovative strategies into their practice. Objective: to design an educational multimedia as a support teaching aid in the subject Pediatric Dentistry of the Dentistry career. Methods: a research work of technological innovation was carried out in the Dentistry Faculty of Villa Clara University of Medical Sciences from September 2015 to February 2016. Theoretical and empirical methods were used for the foundation and collection of information, as well as the programs Mediator 9.0 MatchWare, Paint, Photoshop, Microsoft Office PowerPoint and Gonder share PhotoStorePlatinum for the production of the multimedia. Results: the designed product constitutes a support teaching aid in the subject Pediatric Dentistry; content can be easily accessed through hyperlinks. The knowledge that the student can acquire is located in four horizontal and nine lateral buttons. Conclusions: the educational multimedia was valued by the specialists as pertinent, easy to access, useful and technical aspects with high quality. The students, as users, showed their consent with the designed product.

Isolation of Antibacterial Hydrolysates from Hen Egg White Lysozyme and Identification of Antibacterial Peptides.

Native and heated hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) hydrolysates were isolated by hydrolysis with pepsin at pH 2.0 in situ in a cation exchange membrane to isolate and identify antibacterial peptides of the HEWL hydrolysates. Native and heated HEWL was partially hydrolyzed with pepsin at pH 2.0. The fractions were eluted with 5 M ammonia to identify 23 antibacterial peptides using a tandem mass spectrometry. Then, these fractions were eluted with a solution of NaCl 1 M, and seven positively charged peptides f(23-28) YSLGNW, f(122-129) AWIRGCRL, f(123-129) WIRGCRL, f(124-129) IRGCRL, f(82-96) ALLSSDITASVNCAK, f(103-129) VAWRNRCKGTDVQAWIRGCRL, and f(97-123) KIVSDGNGMNAWVAWRNRCKGT were identified using tandem mass spectrometry. Native HEWL hydrolysate presented an enzymatic activity of 23.0%, heated HEWL hydrolysate at pH 6.0 presented a residual enzymatic activity of 22.0%, and heated HEWL hydrolysate at pH 7.0 presented an enzymatic activity of 21.33%. Native and heated HEWL hydrolysate presented antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus carnosus. Native HEWL hydrolysate presented a higher enzymatic activity than heated HEWL hydrolysates.

Tuning the Rectification Ratio by Changing the Electronic Nature (Open-Shell and Closed-Shell) in Donor-Acceptor Self-Assembled Monolayers.

This Communication describes the mechanism of charge transport across self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of two donor-acceptor systems consisting of a polychlorotriphenylmethyl (PTM) electron-acceptor moiety linked to an electron-donor ferrocene (Fc) unit supported by ultraflat template-stripped Au and contacted by a eutectic alloy of gallium and indium top contacts. The electronic and supramolecular structures of these SAMs were well characterized. The PTM unit can be switched between the nonradical and radical forms, which influences the rectification behavior of the junction. Junctions with nonradical units rectify currents via the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) with a rectification ratio R = 99, but junctions with radical units have a new accessible state, a single-unoccupied molecular orbital (SUMO), which turns rectification off and drops R to 6.

Enfermedad de Pott: a propósito de un caso / Pott's disease. A case report

Un tercio de la población mundial está infectada por tuberculosis. Cada año en el mundo se re-portan de 8 a 10 millones de casos nuevos de tuberculosis, y cerca de 3 millones fallecen a causa de la enfermedad. Suele afectar los pulmones, pero en 33 % de los casos afecta otros órganos. La tuberculosis vertebral ocurre en menos de 1% de los pacientes, es más frecuente en niños que adultos. Los datos clínicos más comunes son: dolor, limitación funcional, y contractura muscular. En etapas avanzadas presenta una giba dorsal, y alteraciones neurológicas. Presentamos el caso de una paciente femenina de 55 años con dolor lumbar irradiado a miembro inferior izquierdo de 4 meses de evolución. Estudios imagenológicos revelan deshidratación del disco intervertebral L4-L5, acuñamiento del cuerpo vertebral de L2-L3 con desplazamiento del muro posterior en L2. Recibió tratamiento médico, se realiza biopsia por aspiración guiada por fluoroscopia y se envían muestras para histopatología y cultivo para micobacterias con adecuada respuesta clínica.

A third of the global population is infected with tuberculosis. Each year in the world are reported from 8 to 10 million new cases of tuberculosis, and about 3 million die of the disease. It usually affects the lungs, but in 33% of cases affect other organs. Spinal tuberculosis occurs in less than 1% of patients, is more common in children than adults. The most common clinical data are pain, functional limitation, and muscular contraction. In advanced stages has a dorsal hump, and neurological disorders. We report the case of a female patient of 55 years with low back pain radiating to the left leg 4 months. Imaging studies reveal dehydration L4-L5 intervertebral disc, vertebral body wedging L2-L3 of the rear wall displacement in L2. He received medical treatment, aspiration biopsy was performed guided by fluoros-copy and sent samples for histopathology and culture for mycobacteria with adequate clinical response.

Diagnóstico de alteraciones oculares anatómicas y funcionales en neonatos / Anatomic and functional diagnosis of ocular abnormalities in neonates

Las alteraciones oculares pueden ser funcionales o estructurales y se originan tanto en el desarrollo embrionario como en el fetal. Algunas alteraciones son inherentes a la edad gestacional, mientras que otras se relacionan a errores innatos del metabolismo, síndromes genéticos, toxicomanías o tratamientos farmacológicos recibidos por la madre en el primer trimestre de la gestación. Material y métodos: De enero de 2000 a agosto de 2012 se realizó un estudio prospectivo, transversal, observacional y descriptivo en el que se efectuó una valoración oftalmológica de todos los neonatos hospitalizados en la Unidad de Terapia Intensiva y en la Unidad de Cuidados Intermedios del recién nacido. Los niños del programa de seguimiento pediátrico también fueron evaluados. Las variables maternas medidas fueron: edad, patología endocrinológica y adicciones. Las variables neonatales fueron: sexo, edad gestacional al nacer y tipo de alteración ocular. Se utilizó estadística descriptiva. Resultados: Se estudiaron 4,583 pacientes hospitalizados y 7,815 ambulatorios. Se identificaron 179 (1.4%) niños con malformaciones oculares; 33 presentaron diversos síndromes que incluían malformaciones oculares asociadas. Hubo 93 hijos de madre diabética, 24 hijos de madres con alguna adicción y 29 hijos de madres adolescentes. El intervalo de la edad gestacional al nacer fue de 24 a 40 semanas. Conclusiones: Las anormalidades oculares en hijos de madres con DM o toxicomanías fueron más frecuentes, y se presentaron de manera única o formando parte de alteraciones congénitas múltiples.

Ocular disorders are anatomical or functional, and can appeared since embryo development or fetal stage, and be present at born. Some ocular abnormalities are related with gestacional age, while others are due to inborn metabolic errors, genetic syndromes, drug abuse or pharmacologic treatment in the mother. Methods: From January 2000 to August 2012, a prospective, transversal, observational and descriptive study was performed. An ophthalmological evaluation was made to all neonates hospitalized at the Neonatal Intensive and Intermediate Unit Care. Ambulatory infants of the follow up pediatric program also were evaluated. Maternal variables evaluated were: age, endocrine pathology, and addictions. Neonatal variables were sex, gestacional age at born, and type of ocular alteration. Descriptive statistic was done. Results: A total of 4,583 hospitalized patients and 7,815 ambulatory infants were under ophthalmological evaluation. An ocular abnormality was identified in 179 (1.4%) newborns, 33 patients had a syndrome which included ocular problems, 93 had a diabetic mother, 24 were born from addicted mother and 29 of a teen mom. The gestacional age at born range from 24 to 40 weeks. Conclusions: In this study sons of diabetic and addicted mothers seem to present more often congenital ocular malformations.

Induced self-assembly of a tetrathiafulvalene-based open-shell dyad through intramolecular electron transfer.

An organic switch: An open-shell dyad, consisting of an electron acceptor perchlorotriphenylmethyl radical unit linked to an electron π-donor tetrathiafulvalene unit through a vinylene π-bridge, was synthesized (see picture). The self-assembly of the dyad in solution induced by its intramolecular electron transfer was studied.