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Las Parálisis Flácidas causadas por el consumo de los frutos de las plantas del género Karwinskia (tullidora) han emergido como un problema de salud pública en ciertas regiones de México. El objeto de este trabajo fue investigar los factores geográficos asociados a esta patología, en 72 casos reportados en México de 1990 a 1994. La distribución geográfica de casos coincide con las 11 especies reportadas de Karwinskia en México. La mayoría se relacionaron con la K. humboldtiana y, en menor medida, con K. mollis, K. parvifolia, K. johnstonii y K. rzedowskii. La presencia de casos es mayor en regiones con climas secos (79,2%), vegetación de Matorrales Aridos (41,7%) y altitudes menores de mil metros (54,1%). Se determinaron tres diferentes zonas de riesgo: la zona del río Balsas, la región norte del país, así como las zonas áridas y secas centrales de los estados de Puebla, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí y Querétaro. Las comunidades menores de 2.500 habitantes y con niveles de bienestar y de educación bajos son las más afectadas

Abstract Based on its PK/PD ratios, doxycycline hyclate (DOX-h), a time-dependant antibacterial, is ideally expected to achieve both sustained plasma drug concentrations at or slightly above the MIC level for as long as possible between dosing intervals. Pursuing this end, a poloxamer-based matrix was used to produce a long-acting injectable preparation (DOX-h-LA) and its serum concentrations vs. time profile investigated after its SC injection to dogs (≤ 0.3 mL per injection site), and results compared with the oral (PO) and IV pharmacokinetics of DOX-h, prepared as tablet or as freshly made solution. A crossover (4 x 4 x 4) study design was employed with 12 Mongrel dogs, with washout periods of 21 days, and at dose of 10 mg/kg in all cases. DOX-h-LA showed the greatest values for bioavailability (199.48%); maximum serum concentration (Cmax) value was 2.8 ± 0.3 with a time to reach Cmax (Tmax) of 2.11 ± 0.12 h and an elimination half-life of 133.61 ± 6.32 h. Considering minimum effective serum concentration of 0.5 μg/mL, a dose-interval of at least 1 week h can be achieved for DOX-h-LA, and only 48 h and 24 h after the IV or PO administration of DOX-h as a solution or as tablets, respectively. A non-painful small bulge, apparently non-inflammatory could be distinguished at injection sites. These lumps dissipated completely in 30 days in all cases.

Abstract Background Captopril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor widely used in the treatment of arterial hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Our objective was to study whether captopril is able to attenuate the cardiac inflammatory process associated with arterial hypertension. Methods Left ventricle mRNA expression and plasma levels of pro-inflammatory (interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-6) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines, were measured in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and their control normotensive, Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, with or without a 12-week treatment with captopril (80 mg/Kg/day; n = six animals per group). To understand the mechanisms involved in the effect of captopril, mRNA expression of ACE, angiotensin II type I receptor (AT1R) and p22phox (a subunit of NADPH oxidase), as well as NF-κB activation and expression, were measured in the left ventricle of these animals. Results In SHR, the observed increases in blood pressures, heart rate, left ventricle relative weight, plasma levels and cardiac mRNA expression of IL-1β and IL-6, as well as the reductions in the plasma levels and in the cardiac mRNA expression of IL-10, were reversed after the treatment with captopril. Moreover, the mRNA expressions of ACE, AT1R and p22phox, which were enhanced in the left ventricle of SHR, were reduced to normal values after captopril treatment. Finally, SHR presented an elevated cardiac mRNA expression and activation of the transcription nuclear factor, NF-κB, accompanied by a reduced expression of its inhibitor, IκB; captopril administration corrected the observed changes in all these parameters. Conclusion These findings show that captopril decreases the inflammation process in the left ventricle of hypertensive rats and suggest that NF-κB-driven inflammatory reactivity might be responsible for this effect through an inactivation of NF-κB-dependent pro-inflammatory factors.

Abstract Background Glucose is the preferred carbon and energy source for Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. A complex regulatory network coordinates gene expression, transport and enzymatic activities, in response to the presence of this sugar. We present a comparison of the cellular response to glucose in these two model organisms, using an approach combining global transcriptome and regulatory network analyses. Results Transcriptome data from strains grown in Luria-Bertani medium (LB) or LB+glucose (LB+G) were analyzed, in order to identify differentially transcribed genes in B. subtilis. We detected 503 genes in B. subtilis that change their relative transcript levels in the presence of glucose. A similar previous study identified 380 genes in E. coli, which respond to glucose. Catabolic repression was detected in the case of transport and metabolic interconversion activities for both bacteria in LB+G. We detected an increased capacity for de novo synthesis of nucleotides, amino acids and proteins. A comparison between orthologous genes revealed that global regulatory functions such as transcription, translation, replication and genes relating to the central carbon metabolism, presented similar changes in their levels of expression. An analysis of the regulatory network of a subset of genes in both organisms revealed that the set of regulatory proteins responsible for similar physiological responses observed in the transcriptome analysis are not orthologous. An example of this observation is that of transcription factors mediating catabolic repression for most of the genes that displayed reduced transcript levels in the case of both organisms. In terms of topological functional units in both these bacteria, we found interconnected modules that cluster together genes relating to heat shock, respiratory functions, carbon and peroxide metabolism. Interestingly, B. subtilis functions not found in E. coli, such as sporulation and competence were shown to be interconnected, forming modules subject to catabolic repression at the level of transcription. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that the response to glucose is partially conserved in model organisms E. coli and B. subtilis, including genes encoding basic functions such as transcription, translation, replication and genes involved in the central carbon metabolism.

Background: Epidemic outbreaks have significant impact on psychological well-being, increasing psychiatric morbidity among the population. We aimed to describe the early psychological impact of COVID-19 and its contributing factors in a large Spanish sample, globally and according to mental status (never mental disorder NMD, past mental disorder PMD, current mental disorder CMD)., Methods: An online questionnaire was conducted between 19 and 26 March, five days after the official declaration of alarm and the lockdown order. Data included sociodemographic and clinical information and the DASS-21 and IES questionnaires. We analysed 21 207 responses using the appropriate descriptive and univariate tests as well as binary logistic regression to identify psychological risk and protective factors., Results: We found a statistically significant gradient in the psychological impact experienced in five domains according to mental status, with the NMD group being the least affected and the CMD group being the most affected. In the three groups, the depressive response was the most prevalent (NMD = 40.9%, PMD = 51.9%, CMD = 74.4%, F  = 1011.459, P  < 0.001). Risk factors were female sex and classification as a case in any psychological domain. Protective factors were younger age and ability to enjoy free time. Variables related to COVID-19 had almost no impact except for having COVID-19 symptoms, which was a risk factor for anxiety in all three groups., Conclusions: Our results can help develop coping strategies addressing modifiable risk and protective factors for each mental status for early implementation in future outbreaks., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors completed the ICMJE Unified Competing Interest form (available upon request from the corresponding author), and declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 by the Journal of Global Health. All rights reserved.)