La desinstitucionalización y la crisis de las instituciones

.Hablar de instituciones se ha convertido en hablar de crisis de las instituciones. En este sentido, la noción de desinstitucionalización ocupa un lugar relevante en la reflexión institucional. Por este motivo, en este artículo se lleva a cabo una revisión del concepto de institución y de las principales críticas que ha recibido como paso previo al análisis más detallado del fenómeno desinstitucionalizador en la práctica psiquiátrica. Tal análisis lleva a la elaboración de una propuesta alternativa que cuestiona la pertinencia de seguir hablando de instituciones así como de procesos desinstitucionalizadores. Concretamente, se plantea que las especiales características de algunas prácticas psiquiátricas contemporáneas se ajustan mejor a la noción de ex-titución tomada de la obra de Serres

Credence cues of pork are more important than consumers' culinary skills to boost their purchasing intention

The role of consumers' culinary skills on purchasing cues of pork, with emphasis on niche demands (outdoor husbandry and/or certified organic), was assessed in cross-country regions of Spain (Catalonia and Aragon) and Portugal (North). A sample of 974 respondents answered an on-line survey with questions regarding consumer purchasing habits, product involvement and intrinsic and credence attributes. They also chose between two contrasting boneless pork loins and express willingness to pay (WTP) for different product scenarios with different pig farm facilities and for organic pork standards. Two optimal segments were identified based on food-related habits: ‘uninvolved’ and ‘innovative cook lovers’, both similarly balanced across socio-demographics, score for credence attributes or consumer involvement dimensions. Overall mean WTP premium across countries was 11.8% for marbled pork, 20.0% for outdoor pork and 24.3% for organic logo stamp. Credence cues of pork claiming health issues (absence of antibiotics and hormone residues) rather than consumers' culinary skills defined the WTP for niche pork in these regions

Effects of Field Pea Diet and Immunocastration in Heavy Pigs on Fresh Pork and Dry-Cured Ham

Peas are an alternative to soybeans to supply protein in livestock feeds. Immunocastration avoids surgical castration of male pigs and increases fat deposition in female pigs. This work aimed to assess the effects of pea inclusion on the amount of fat and fatty acid profile of loins and on weight losses of dry-cured hams in different sexes of pigs; in addition, growth performance and feeding behavior in immunocastrated female pigs were evaluated. Two experiments were conducted with crossbred immunocastrated female (IF) and immunocastrated (IM) or surgically castrated (CM) male pigs from Duroc dams sired by Berkshire, which were assigned to one of two diets (soybean vs. pea-based). The effect of castration type on the afore-mentioned variables was evaluated in male pigs, and the growth performance, and feeding behavior in female pigs. The pea-based diet in IF had no effect on average daily gain nor on carcass traits; although, it increased feeding time (p < 0.001) and reduced n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content (p < 0.05). In male pigs, the pea-based diet did not change carcass fatness either but reduced the n-3 PUFA levels (p < 0.05). Likewise, IM had lower (p < 0.001) monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and higher (p < 0.05) n-6 PUFA than CM. Diet did not affect dry-cured ham weight losses during the process, while IM showed greater (p < 0.001) losses than CM. Pigs fed a pea-based diet complied with the requirements of cured ham production, while immunocastration in male pigs increased weight losses, partly explained by lower fat content and higher fatty acid unsaturation

Impact of Liver Inflammation on Bile Acid Side Chain Shortening and Amidation

Bile acid (BA) synthesis from cholesterol by hepatocytes is inhibited by inflammatory cytokines. Whether liver inflammation also affects BA side chain shortening and conjugation was investigated. In human liver cell lines (IHH, HepG2, and HepaRG), agonists of nuclear receptors including the farnesoid X receptor (FXR), liver X receptor (LXR), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) did not affect the expression of BA-related peroxisomal enzymes. In contrast, hepatocyte nuclear factor 4? (HNF4?) inhibition down-regulated acyl-CoA oxidase 2 (ACOX2). ACOX2 was repressed by fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19), which was prevented by extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway inhibition. These changes were paralleled by altered BA synthesis (HPLC-MS/MS). Cytokines able to down-regulate cholesterol-7?-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) had little effect on peroxisomal enzymes involved in BA synthesis except for ACOX2 and bile acid-CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferase (BAAT), which were down-regulated, mainly by oncostatin M (OSM). This effect was prevented by Janus kinase (JAK) inhibition, which restored BA side chain shortening and conjugation. The binding of OSM to the extracellular matrix accounted for a persistent effect after culture medium replacement. In silico analysis of four databases (n = 201) and a validation cohort (n = 90) revealed an inverse relationship between liver inflammation and ACOX2/BAAT expression which was associated with changes in HNF4? levels. In conclusion, BA side chain shortening and conjugation are inhibited by inflammatory effectors. However, other mechanisms involved in BA homeostasis counterbalance any significant impact on the serum BA profile

Validation of a rapid antigen test as a screening tool for SARS-CoV-2 infection in asymptomatic populations. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values

Background: Early diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is essential to reduce disease spread. Rapid antigen tests have not been sufficiently evaluated in asymptomatic patients to be used as massive population screening tools. Methods: Head-to-head evaluation of Roche SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as SARS-CoV-2 screening tools performed in asymptomatic adults from a semi-closed community in University of Navarra (Spain) from November 2020 to January 2021. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values were calculated using RT-PCR as reference method. Findings: Roche SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test was performed on 2542 asymptomatic adults in a community with a SARS-CoV-2 incidence of 1·93%. It showed a sensitivity of 71·43% (CI 95%: 56·74 - 83·42) and a specificity of 99·68% (CI 95%: 99·37 - 99·86). Positive Predictive Value was 81·4 (CI 95% 66·6 - 91·61) and Negative Predictive Value was 99·44 (CI 95% 99·06 - 99·69). Test sensitivity was related to viral load, with higher sensitivity in RT-PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values under 25 (93·75%, CI 95%: 71·96 - 98·93), that dropped to 29·41% (CI 95%: 10·31- 55·96) in RT-PCR Ct values above 25. Interpretation: This study suggests that rapid antigen tests are less effective in asymptomatic population, when compared with RT-PCR

Defective HNF4alpha-dependent gene expression as a driver of hepatocellular failure in alcoholic hepatitis

Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is a life-threatening condition characterized by profound hepatocellular dysfunction for which targeted treatments are urgently needed. Identification of molecular drivers is hampered by the lack of suitable animal models. By performing RNA sequencing in livers from patients with different phenotypes of alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), we show that development of AH is characterized by defective activity of liver-enriched transcription factors (LETFs). TGFβ1 is a key upstream transcriptome regulator in AH and induces the use of HNF4α P2 promoter in hepatocytes, which results in defective metabolic and synthetic functions. Gene polymorphisms in LETFs including HNF4α are not associated with the development of AH. In contrast, epigenetic studies show that AH livers have profound changes in DNA methylation state and chromatin remodeling, affecting HNF4α-dependent gene expression. We conclude that targeting TGFβ1 and epigenetic drivers that modulate HNF4α-dependent gene expression could be beneficial to improve hepatocellular function in patients with AH

An experimental DUAL model of advanced liver damage

Individuals exhibiting an intermediate alcohol drinking pattern in conjunction with signs of metabolic risk present clinical features of both alcohol-associated and metabolic-associated fatty liver diseases. However, such combination remains an unexplored area of great interest, given the increasing number of patients affected. In the present study, we aimed to develop a preclinical DUAL (alcohol-associated liver disease plus metabolic-associated fatty liver disease) model in mice. C57BL/6 mice received 10% vol/vol alcohol in sweetened drinking water in combination with a Western diet for 10, 23, and 52 weeks (DUAL model). Animals fed with DUAL diet elicited a significant increase in body mass index accompanied by a pronounced hypertrophy of adipocytes, hypercholesterolemia, and hyperglycemia. Significant liver damage was characterized by elevated plasma alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase levels, extensive hepatomegaly, hepatocyte enlargement, ballooning, steatosis, hepatic cell death, and compensatory proliferation. Notably, DUAL animals developed lobular inflammation and advanced hepatic fibrosis. Sequentially, bridging cirrhotic changes were frequently observed after 12 months. Bulk RNA-sequencing analysis indicated that dysregulated molecular pathways in DUAL mice were similar to those of patients with steatohepatitis. Conclusion: Our DUAL model is characterized by obesity, glucose intolerance, liver damage, prominent steatohepatitis and fibrosis, as well as inflammation and fibrosis in white adipose tissue. Altogether, the DUAL model mimics all histological, metabolic, and transcriptomic gene signatures of human advanced steatohepatitis, and therefore serves as a preclinical tool for the development of therapeutic targets

Telepoder: tecnologías y control penitenciario

La implementación de muchas de las innovaciones posibilitadas por las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) ofrece un contexto privilegiado para analizar cómo el control social, en consonancia con las transformaciones experimentadas por nuestra sociedad, también está sufriendo una transformación radical. En este trabajo se analiza el surgimiento de las medidas de control telemático penitenciario desde sus inicios a las formas actuales problematizando, sin embargo, las lecturas lineales e internalistas del desarrollo tecnológico para atender así a las concepciones sobre la sociedad y sobre el control social que se configuran en la misma definición y caracterización de los dispositivos