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Blacktailed rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus) has four subspecies distributed in México; two of them are distributed in Chihuahua. Literature shows that few studies have been done in order to analyze the composition of their venom. Therefore, this study was carried out to evaluate protein content and hemolytic damage by agarose-human erythrocyte substrate between the Crotalus molossus nigrescens and Crotalus molossus molossus subspecies. Mann Whitney’s nonparanteric test was used in order to get the statistics analysis at an IC95. Protein concentration of Crotalus m. nigrescens was 466 ± 35.0 mg mL-1 and Crotalus m. molossus of 449 ± 90.0 mg mL-1 there was no statistical difference detected at IC95 (p>0.05). The protein profile of the venom of Crotalus m. nigrescens showed two protein bands with elevated masses approximately 230 kDa in comparison with Crotalus m. molossus that was of 16 kDa approximately. Crotalus m. nigrescens’s venom was 18 % more hemolytic (156.7±23.33 UHD) than Crotalus m. molossus’s (128±23.32 UHD) at the first hour and 20 % more hemolytic at the second hour, with UHD values of 116.7 ± 12.3 and 94 ± 9.8, respectively. The venom of the two subspecies did not show differences statistically at an IC95 at the first hour (p>0.05) and second hour (p>0.05). It could be concluded that two subspecies samples showed iqual proteomic characteristics. These differences can be attributed to the different eating habits due to the altitude, geographical distribution and the season. It can also be concluded that more investigation regarding venom of rattlesnakes is needed.

Due to its inherent flexibility and adaptability, e-learning has become a versatile and effective educational option, with video-based learning (VBL) enabling asynchronous engagement. Despite the wealth of video resources, evaluating their effectiveness remains challenging. This study employs a comprehensive approach, analyzing student behavior and video metadata to assess educational videos’ efficacy. Metrics such as average playback speed, video and course completion rates, and video metadata were examined using the XuetangX dataset, MOOC- CubeX. Results indicate that viewing patterns are more influenced by students’ choices than by video content. Well-conceptualized videos increase viewing time, with 17 % of students engaging with videos over 30 min if they cover focused topics. While shorter videos generally have higher completion rates, many remain untouched. Playback speed analysis shows a preference for standard speed, with positive correlations between speed and both completion percentage and viewing time. Courses under 5 h are likely to be watched for less than an hour, reflecting brief viewing durations. Metadata analysis reveals that generic titles may deter engagement, underscoring the importance of precise tagging and content relevance for enhancing student interaction.

Introduction The characteristics and clinical relevance of pleural effusion (PLEF) in acute pulmonary embolism (APE) are not fully understood.Methods A single-centre, retrospective study was performed of patients admitted with APE classified according to the subsequent development or not of PLEF. A model was built to predict PLEF and its impact on 30-day all-cause mortality was investigated.Results A total of 1602 patients with APE were included (median age, 74 (61, 82) years; 674 men (42.1%); 382 (23.8%) with PLEF). PLEF was associated with a higher number of comorbidities (p=0.015); more peripheral APE (0.001); a higher frequency of pulmonary infarctions (p

IntroductionGender difference management is one of the most challenging dimensions organizations must cope with to adapt to VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) environments. The aim of this study is to identify the main drivers (i.e., most influential job resources, job demands, and organizational practices) of healthy employees and organizational outcomes assessing the differences between men and women, based on the HERO (HEalthy and Resilient Organization) Model.MethodsData were collected through the HERO-CHECK Questionnaire: job demands (e.g., quantitative overload), job (e.g., team coordination) and personal resources (e.g., emotional competence), healthy organizational practices (e.g., work-family balance practices), healthy employees (e.g., work engagement) and healthy organizational outcomes (e.g., in-role performance). The sample consisted of 2,128 professionals (70% female) from 8 organizations. Gender-based multigroup SEM was performed using R 4.1.2.ResultsResults of the multigroup SEM analysis show a good fit of the HERO model and support the existence of configural invariance among gender groups. This research shows that women perceive more resources to cope with demands, in consequence, they perceive more well-being and better job performance. Regardless of gender, coordination, horizontal trust, vertical trust, and emotional competence stand as relevant resources for achieving healthy employees and healthy organizational outcomes. However, there are gender-specific predictors of healthy employees and healthy organizational outcomes, depending on gender.DiscussionBased on these results, gender-related recommendations for promoting specific resources (e.g., autonomy in women) and preventing specific demands (e.g., mobbing in men) may be suggested in organizational contexts.

Acute liver failure is a rare but serious syndrome, with an incidence of approximately 2,000 to 3,000 cases per year in North America. Its pathophysiology and clinical course vary, depending on the cause of the primary liver injury, and can lead to high morbidity and mortality or the need for liver transplantation, despite available therapies. This syndrome involves excessive activation of the immune system, with damage in other organs, contributing to its high mortality rate. The most accepted definition includes liver injury with hepatic encephalopathy and coagulopathy within the past 26 weeks in a patient with no previous liver disease. The main causes are paracetamol poisoning, viral hepatitis, and drug-induced liver injury, among others. Identifying the cause is crucial, given that it influences prognosis and treatment. Survival has improved with supportive measures, intensive therapy, complication prevention, and the use of medications, such as N-acetylcysteine. Liver transplantation is a curative option for nonresponders to medical treatment, but adequate evaluation of transplantation timing is vital for improving results. Factors such as patient age, underlying cause, and severity of organ failure influence the post-transplant outcomes and survival. Resumen: La falla hepática aguda es un síndrome poco común pero grave, con una incidencia de aproximadamente 2000 a 3000 casos por año en América del Norte. Su fisiopatología y curso clínico varían según la causa del daño hepático primario, y puede llevar a una alta morbimortalidad o necesidad de trasplante hepático, a pesar de las terapias disponibles. Este síndrome involucra una activación excesiva del sistema inmunológico con daño en otros órganos, lo que contribuye a su alta tasa de mortalidad. La definición más aceptada incluye daño hepático con EH y coagulopatía en las últimas 26 semanas en un paciente sin enfermedad hepática previa. Las principales causas son intoxicación por paracetamol, hepatitis viral, lesión hepática inducida por drogas, entre otras. Es crucial identificar la causa, ya que influye en el pronóstico y tratamiento. La supervivencia ha mejorado con medidas de soporte, terapia intensiva, prevención de complicaciones y el uso de medicamentos como la N-acetilcisteína. El trasplante hepático es una opción curativa para casos no respondedores al tratamiento médico, pero la evaluación adecuada del momento para el trasplante es crucial para mejorar los resultados. Factores como la edad del paciente, la causa subyacente y la gravedad de las fallas orgánicas influyen en los resultados y la supervivencia post-trasplante.

The production of backyard chickens is an activity of great importance in the economy of rural families in Paraguay. The Rustipollos population was created through directed crosses between a commercial meat line and a local population belonging to non-specific breeds but phenotypically assimilated to Creole breeds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity, relationship, and structure of Rustipollos using 29 microsatellite markers. Analysis was performed on 50 Rustipollos animals and 926 other individuals as reference breeds/populations from Europe, Africa, South, and North America. A total of 318 alleles were detected, with a mean of 10.97 per locus. The polymorphic information content indicated that 80% of all loci were highly to moderately informative. Only two breeds/populations showed loci that did not deviate from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. The results of genetic diversity indexes suggested moderate levels of genetic variability in Rustipollos population and low inbreeding level. The genetic differentiation index indicates a high genetic differentiation between populations. The results of the Neighbor-Net tree and STRUCTURE analyses indicate the existence of distinct gene pools, with some genetic relationships between Rustipollos, the commercial chicken strain, and south Spanish breeds. The Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components confirmed the observed genetic distances between breeds/populations. The results will be useful for sustainable use and official recognition of this population.

Background: For a medication dispensing service to function with quality, continuous evaluation is required, which is why it is necessary to have reliable measurement tools that make it possible. Quality indicators can serve as tools for managing quality, as they are variables that directly or indirectly measure changes in a situation and help evaluate the progress made in addressing it. This article aims to determine the feasibility and reliability of a quality indicator system for a drug dispensing service for paediatric outpatients in two Mexican hospitals. Methods: A study of the development type of health systems and services at a microlevel was conducted from October 2020 to October 2021 in the pharmaceutical service of two Mexican hospitals. To determine the feasibility of the quality indicators, a retrospective evaluation was performed, which considered the indicators that could be calculated with the available information to be feasible. To determine reliability, an inter-observer agreement study (Kappa (κ)) was performed. Results: The feasibility analysis revealed that all five reference indicators related to the structure were feasible in both hospitals. In the Infantil of the Californias hospital, all six process indicators evaluated were feasible, whilst only one was found feasible in H+ Querétaro. As for outcome indicators, only one was feasible in the Infantil of the Californias hospital. The causes of non-feasibility in both hospitals were the non-documentation of the primary data related to the stages of the process and the lack of instruments to measure patient satisfaction. The reliability of the indicators showed little variability. Conclusion: Although not all indicators were feasible, solutions were proposed so that the 15 reference indicators could be used if an organization decided to do so. The reliability of the indicators was demonstrated, evidencing the importance of the data sheet as a tool to generate valid reliable measures. This article is part of the Hospital pharmacy, rational use of medicines and patient safety in Latin America Special Issue: https://www.drugsincontext.com/special_issues/hospital-pharmacy-rational-use-of-medicines-and-patient-safety-in-latin-america/

IntroductionPoverty is one of the macro factors that has been little studied in terms of its effect on death from COVID-19 since most studies have focused only on investigating whether the pandemic increased poverty or not. With that on mind, the present study aims to analyze how the social deprivations that comprise the measurement of municipal poverty in interaction with health comorbidities and sociodemographic characteristics, increased the probability of death from COVID-19.MethodsThe study is cross-sectional and covers daily reports on the conditions of COVID-19 in the Mexican population for almost 2 years. Using data from the National Epidemiological Surveillance System and the National Council for Evaluation of the Social Development Policy (N = 5,387,981), we employ a Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM), specifically a binomial generalized linear mixed model.ResultsThe findings indicate that, besides comorbidities, sociodemographic traits, and clinical aspects, living in a municipality where one or more of the social deprivations exist increases the probability of death. Specifically, in those municipalities where there is deprivation in education, social security, and food, as well as deprivation due to access to health services and deprivation in household services, the probability of death was greater.DiscussionLiving in a municipality with one or more of the social deprivations that compose poverty generated a greater probability of death. Each one of them or together, shows that poverty is a substantial factor for a pandemic like COVID-19 to worsen contagion and death, becoming a circle from which it is difficult to escape.

IntroductionViolence against women, particularly sexual violence, poses a significant public health concern. Predispositions toward perpetrating such acts often stem from the acceptance of myths that justify or deny these behaviours. This study aimed to explore how dark personality traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism) and pornography consumption relate to the acceptance of these myths.MethodsSurveying 598 participants, the research employed Latent Profile Analyses (LPA) to identify distinct population profiles, Additionally, regression analyses were employed to further explore the relationships among variables.ResultsThree profiles emerged, showcasing varying degrees of acceptance of sexual aggression myths. The most concerning profile, encompassing 9.2% of participants, displayed the highest alignment with these myths, alongside elevated scores in dark personality traits and pornography consumption. Notwithstanding the three profiles showed significant differences in the acceptance of these myths. Interestingly, the regression analysis highlighted that Machiavellianism stood out as the primary predictor for accepting sexual aggression myths, overshadowing the influence of pornography consumption.ConclusionThis emphasizes the role of personality traits in influencing attitudes towards sexual aggression myths. Moreover, implications for tailored prevention strategies, focusing on high-risk profiles, are discussed, highlighting the potential for targeted interventions to address harmful beliefs and behaviours.

Background: Agave cupreata is a specie that can only reproduce by seeds and could take up to 15 years until flowering, placing it at risk of extinction due to its agroindustrial exploitation to produce mezcal. Objective: To evaluate the type of explant, the vitamin complex and 2,4-D concentrations on the direct embryogenic response. Methodology: Explants of leaf, root and stem sections were evaluated. Also, the vitamins MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) and L2 (Phillips and Collins, 1979), five concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), (0.0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 mg L-1) and six concentrations of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), (0.0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 mg L-1) were assayed for the expression of somatic embryos directly. Results: The leaf explant, the vitamin L2 complex, and the concentration of 0.9 mg L-1 of 2,4-D and 0.5 mg L-1 of IAA turned out to be the most efficient for the formation of pro-embryogenic masses and the expression of direct somatic embryos in the globular state. Implications: These results lay the groundwork for the future regeneration of A. cupreata plants via direct somatic embryogenesis, potentially facilitating their conservation and mass propagation. This contributes to the sustainability of mezcal; boosts the local economy, preserves biodiversity, and ensures the continued production of this endangered species. Conclusions: For the first time, the successful expression of somatic embryos directly from A. cupreata explants was evidenced.

IntroductionThe effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Latin American labor markets continue to be quantified, to identify the social and economic impacts that this pandemic had, and to design more efficient public policies that would protect the most vulnerable groups. For this reason, the research question was as follows: what were the changes in the labor formality rates before and two years after the main contingency measures of the COVID-19 pandemic were implemented?MethodsUsing data from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay, the formality rate (τ) was analyzed, which was calculated using a weighted average between the formal employment rates of the number (i) of economic sectors (p) in a specific period (t).ResultsThe results suggest that the weighted labor formality rate increased in the countries of the region. These changes in formality could be the result of greater capital accumulation, the integration of productive processes, the integration of commercialization processes, and differentiated fiscal stimuli (i.e., the intrasectoral aspect), but it was not due to the displacement of workers from highly informal economic sectors to more formalized sectors (i.e., the intersectoral component).DiscussionThe findings emphasized the precarious situation of women in the region, regardless of the country, particularly in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. These findings suggest the need to design public policies that reverse the current situation of the labor market and prevent future economic shocks, with special emphasis on the informal sector and women.