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Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) is a serine/threonine kinase that has emerged as a key regulator of neurotransmission in complex cognitive processes. Its expression is altered in treated schizophrenia patients, and cannabinoids modulate CDK5 levels in the brain of rodents. However, the role of this kinase, and its interaction with cannabis use in first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients is still not known. Hence, we studied the expression changes of CDK5 and its signaling partner, postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) in olfactory neuroepithelial (ON) cells of FEP patients with (FEP/c) and without (FEP/nc) prior cannabis use, and in a dual-hit mouse model of psychosis. In this model, adolescent mice were exposed to the cannabinoid receptor 1 agonist (CB1R) WIN-55,212–2 (WIN: 1 mg/kg) during 21 days, and to the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) blocker phencyclidine (PCP: 10 mg/kg) during 10 days. FEP/c showed less social functioning deficits, lower CDK5 and higher PSD95 levels than FEP/nc. These changes correlated with social skills, but not cognitive deficits. Consistently, exposure of ON cells from FEP/nc patients to WIN in vitro reduced CDK5 levels. Convergent results were obtained in mice, where PCP by itself induced more sociability deficits, and PSD95/CDK5 alterations in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus than exposure to PCP-WIN. In addition, central blockade of CDK5 activity with roscovitine in PCP-treated mice restored both sociability impairments and PSD95 levels. We provide translational evidence that increased CDK5 could be an early indicator of psychosis associated with social deficits, and that this biomarker is modulated by prior cannabis use.

e sugar cane massif of the Argeo Martínez Sugar Company in Guantánamo province is affected by the woody species Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn (marabou) and Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit. (leucaena), those that invade sugarcane plantations in the territory, sharing living space, water, light and nutrients while making harvest difficult. In order to determine the degree of affectation and frequency of appearance of the woody, exotic and invasive species D. cinerea and L. leucocephala and to represent the spatial distribution, the study was carried out in the sugarcane areas based on the weed survey of the PCMalezas between the years 2006-2018. e results of the frequency of appearance showed that these species are scattered in 96 blocks of 8 producing units, distributed in 2,723.09 ha of sugarcane with a predominance of the degree of slight affectation and number of incidence as weeds. 4. e statistical analysis of the frequency of appearance, showed a signi cant difference between the species of woody plants. It was observed in the spatial distribution, that the northwest and southeast region of the sugarcane agricultural area presents a higher incidence of invasion of the species studied

In order to evaluate the percentage of weed cover in different cultivation techniques, a study was made of the population of weeds, in the production unit "Manuel Sánchez" of the Sugar Company "Argeo Martinez", Guantánamo, between April and July 2014, in the 1st shoot strain, variety C90-647, on a soil alluvial, compacted, from 24 days after the mechanized harvest. The percentage of coverage, wealth, dominance and species diversity were evaluated in five management techniques and three replications, as well as the economic valuation. The results showed that the coverage percentage varied indistinctly by treatment and remained below 1.4 % from 30 days until the study stage was concluded. The Margalef index was higher for the Deep Cultivation treatment 1.10 + 1.60 m, while the similarity index for all the combinations at 90 days after assembly showed imbalance of species between treatments with values lower than 0.5. The diversity of weeds showed that a total of 11 weed species inhabited the area with a predominance of the Poaceae; relative abundance was observed in five species with superiority of Cynodon dactylon revealing a gradual decrease in the Deep Cultivation treatment 1.10 + 1.60 m during the period. The lowest and highest cost for clean days, was for the treatments Unaltered coverage of crop residues and deep cultivation 1.10 + 1.60 m respectively.

The dioxide of sulfur in 2014 represented the second pollutant of more emission to the atmosphere for the fixed sources in Villa Clara, being the entities fuel oil consumers the responsible maxims. The objectives of this work have been to quantify the polluting load of the dioxide of sulfur emitted by the sources of the MINAG, to determine the percentage that represents these emissions of the total, for municipalities and consumption of fuel, to evaluate the quality of the air and to propose measures of reduction of the emission. The method applied was using direct mensuration with analyzers of gases and factors of emission of AP-42 of the Agency of Environmental Protection of the United States (EPA), the evaluation of the quality of the air was carried out through the moderation of the dispersion of the pollutant with the software ISC-AERMOD Version 3.15 of the EPA. The results show that the polluting load of the dioxide of sulfur was of 68 t, 80 % emitted in the municipality of Santo Domingo and 97 % to burn fuel oil. The quality of the air is acceptable, faulty and dreadful in near different areas to the emission sources. Applying the measures proposals, the energy efficiency can rise and to reduce the consumption of fuel to 3 % (38 t) and the emission in 1.8 t, favoring the costs of the entities and propitiating smaller deterioration of the quality of the air in the affected areas.

Introducción: El Centro Nacional Coordinador de Ensayos Clínicos (CENCEC) utiliza el software OpenClinica para diseñar los Cuadernos de Recogida de Datos (CRD) de los ensayos clínicos. Cada ensayo tiene características específicas, pero existen datos comunes a todos los ensayos que pueden ser estandarizados. Objetivo: Desarrollar una biblioteca de plantillas para el diseño de los CRD. Método: Se realizó un análisis documental de los estándares para el manejo de datos en los ensayos clínicos y se analizaron los diseños utilizados en cuatro ensayos desarrollados en OpenClinica. Resultados: Según los tipos de datos que se registran en los ensayos clínicos se diseñaron 14 plantillas. Cada plantilla, es un fichero Excel con cinco hojas de trabajo donde se registran todas las definiciones del CRD. Las plantillas se han utilizado en tres ensayos clínicos con resultados favorables. Conclusión: Las 14 plantillas que componen la biblioteca CRD fueron diseñadas permitiendo su futura reutilización en la gestión de datos de nuevos ensayos clínicos. Palabras clave: cuaderno de recogida de datos; manejo de datos; ensayo clínico; OpenClinica. Abstract Introduction: CENCEC uses OpenClinica software to design the database of the Case Report Forms (CRF) of the clinical trials (CT). Every trial has specific characteristics although some of them are common to all trials which permit to standardize the process. Objective: To develop a library of templates in order to design the CRF. Methods: A documentary analyses of the standards for data management in clinical trials was performed and in addition of that four designs developed at OpenClinica were reviewed. Results: A library of 14 templates according to data types of CT was proposed. Every template is an Excel file with five sheets in which the definitions of the CRF is registered. The templates have been used in three CT. Conclusions: The 14 templates that make up the CRF library were designed allowing their future reuse in the management of data from new clinical trials. Keywords: case report forms; data management; clinical trial; OpenClinica.

Abstract Background Asthma exacerbations are important events that affect disease control, but predictive factors for severe or moderate exacerbations are not known. The objective was to study the predictive factors for moderate (ME) and severe (SE) exacerbations in asthma patients receiving outpatient care. Methods Patients aged > 12 years with asthma were included in the study and followed-up at 4-monthly intervals over a 12-month period. Clinical (severity, level of control, asthma control test [ACT]), atopic, functional, inflammatory, SE and ME parameters were recorded. Univariate analysis was used to compare data from patients presenting at least 1 SE or ME during the follow-up period vs no exacerbations. Statistically significant (p 80%). Twenty-seven patients (8%) had a SE and 183 had a ME (58.5%) during follow-up. In the case of SEs, the only predictive factor identified in the multiple analysis was previous SE (baseline visit OR 4.218 95% CI 1.53-11.58, 4-month follow-up OR 6.88 95% CI 2.018-23.51) and inhalation technique (OR 3.572 95% CI 1.324-9.638). In the case of MEs, the only predictive factor found in the multiple analysis were previous ME (baseline visit OR 2.90 95% CI 1.54-5.48, 4-month follow- up OR 1.702 95% CI 1.146-2.529). Conclusions The primary predictive factor for SE or ME is prior SE or ME, respectively. SEs seem to constitute a specific patient "phenotype", in which the sole predictive factor is prior SEs.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most prevalent comorbid mental disorder among people with substance use disorders. The MDD can be both primary and substance-induced and its accurate diagnosis represents a challenge for clinical practice and treatment response. Recent studies reported alterations in the circulating expression of inflammatory mediators in patients with psychiatric disorders, including those related to substance use. The aim of the study was to explore TNF-α, IL-1β, CXCL12, CCL2, CCL11 (eotaxin-1) and CX3CL1 (fractalkine) as potential biomarkers to identify comorbid MDD and to distinguish primary MDD from substance-induced MDD in patients with substance disorders. Patients diagnosed with cocaine (CUD, n = 64) or alcohol (AUD, n = 65) use disorders with/without MDD were recruited from outpatient treatment programs [CUD/non-MDD (n = 31); CUD/primary MDD (n = 18); CUD/cocaine-induced MDD (N = 15); AUD/non-MDD (n = 27); AUD/primary MDD (n = 16) and AUD/alcohol-induced MDD (n = 22)]. Sixty-two healthy subjects were also recruited as control group. Substance and mental disorders were assessed according to "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, text revision" (DSM-IV-TR) and a blood sample was collected for determinations in the plasma. The cocaine group showed lower TNF-α (p

Background: Asthma exacerbations are important events that affect disease control, but predictive factors for severe or moderate exacerbations are not known. The objective was to study the predictive factors for moderate (ME) and severe (SE) exacerbations in asthma patients receiving outpatient care.Methods: Patients aged > 12 years with asthma were included in the study and followed-up at 4-monthly intervals over a 12-month period. Clinical (severity, level of control, asthma control test [ACT]), atopic, functional, inflammatory, SE and ME parameters were recorded. Univariate analysis was used to compare data from patients presenting at least 1 SE or ME during the follow-up period vs no exacerbations. Statistically significant (p <0.1) factors were then subjected to multiple analysis by binary logistic regression.Results: A total of 330 patients completed the study, most of whom were atopic (76%), women (nearly 70%), with moderate and mild persistent asthma (>80%). Twenty-seven patients (8%) had a SE and 183 had a ME (58.5%) during follow-up. In the case of SEs, the only predictive factor identified in the multiple analysis was previous SE (baseline visit OR 4.218 95% CI 1.53-11.58, 4-month follow-up OR 6.88 95% CI 2.018-23.51) and inhalation technique (OR 3.572 95% CI 1.324-9.638). In the case of MEs, the only predictive factor found in the multiple analysis were previous ME (baseline visit OR 2.90 95% CI 1.54-5.48, 4-month follow- up OR 1.702 95% CI 1.146-2.529).Conclusions: The primary predictive factor for SE or ME is prior SE or ME, respectively. SEs seem to constitute a specific patient "phenotype", in which the sole predictive factor is prior SEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]