Manganese inactivation of renal betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase from swine

Manganese is an essential micronutrient for mammals, however high manganese concentrations cause adverse health effects. Swine renal betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase catalyzes the synthesis of glycine betaine, which plays an important role in renal cells osmoregulation. In vitro inactivation of BADH was observed by incubating the purified enzyme in the presence of 1 mM MnCl2 under physiological and low ionic strength conditions. Enzyme inactivation followed first order kinetics in a monophasic process with an inactivation constant of 0.126 ± 0.011 min^-1 and 0.137 ± 0.017 at physiological and low ionic strength, respectively. Enzyme inactivation was not prevented by physiological ionic strength, nor by the substrates NAD+ and betaine aldehyde at saturated concentrations. The enzyme was reactivated with DTT and GSH. Native-PAGE of the inactivated enzyme showed no change in the tetrameric conformation. Intrinsic protein fluorescence studies demonstrated an increased exposure of the tryptophan residues to the aqueous solvent when the enzyme was incubated with Mn^2+. These results suggest that BADH inactivation by Mn^2+ may result from the oxidation of cysteines, which induces changes in the tertiary structure of the enzyme

CAMBIOS EN ACTIVIDAD DE TREHALASA ESTÁN ASOCIADOS A CAMBIOS EN EL ESTATUS HÍDRICO EN Selaginella Lepidophylla

Selaginella lepidophylla es una planta tolerante a la desecación, conocida por su habilidad para sobrevivir largos periodos de sequía, debido a su capacidad para acumular niveles altos de trehalosa. Plantas secas de S. lepidophylla hidratadas durante 24 horas mostraron una rápida cinética de hidratación. Las plantas alcanzaron un 48 % de Contenido Relativo de Agua (CRA) a las 4 horas de hidratación. Plantas totalmente hidratadas mostraron una cinética de deshidratación menos acelerada, presentando un CRA del 50 % a las 8 horas de deshidratación. Las plantas secas mostraron actividad de trehalasa neutra y ácida. La actividad máxima de trehalasa neutra se alcanzó a un CRA de 48 %, mientras que el máximo para trehalasa ácida se encontró en plantas totalmente hidratadas. Las plantas sometidas a deshidratación durante 24 horas mostraron actividad de trehalasa neutra y baja actividad de trehalasa ácida. Se encontró un máximo de actividad de trehalasa neutra a un CRA del 85 % y del 50 % para trehalasa ácida. El patrón de actividad enzimática varió en relación con la concentración de trehalosa. Se demostró que la actividad de trehalasa cambia durante la toma y pérdida de agua y qué estos cambios se reflejan en la concentración de trehalosa en plantas de Selaginella

On the behavior of site effects in central Mexico (the Mexican volcanic belt – MVB), based on records of shallow earthquakes that occurred in the zone between 1998 and 2011

The Mexican volcanic belt (MVB) is a seismogenic zone that transects the central part of Mexico with an east–west orientation. The seismic risk and hazard of this seismogenic zone has not been studied in detail due to the scarcity of instrumental data as well as because seismicity in the continental regime of central Mexico is not too frequent. However, it is known that there are precedents of large earthquakes (<i>M</i>_w > 6.0) that have taken place in this zone. The valley of Mexico City (VM) is the sole zone, within the MVB, that has been studied in detail. Studies have mainly focused on the ground amplification during large events such as the 1985 subduction earthquake that occurred off coast of Michoacán. The purpose of this article is to analyze the behavior of site effects in the MVB zone based on records of shallow earthquakes (data not reported before) that occurred in the zone between 1998 and 2011. We present a general overview of site effects in the MVB, a classification of the stations in order to reduce the uncertainty in the data when obtaining attenuation parameters in future works, as well as some comparisons between the information presented here and that presented in previous studies. <br><br> A regional evaluation of site effects and Fourier acceleration spectrum (FAS) shape was estimated based on 80 records of 22 shallow earthquakes within the MVB zone. Data of 25 stations were analyzed. Site effects were estimated by using the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) methodology. The results show that seismic waves are less amplified in the northeast sites of the MVB with respect to the rest of the zone and that it is possible to classify two groups of stations: (1) stations with negligible site amplification (NSA) and (2) stations with significant site amplification (SSA). Most of the sites in the first group showed small (<3) amplifications while the second group showed amplifications ranging from 4 to 6.5 at frequencies of about 0.35, 0.75, 15 and 23 Hz. With these groups of stations, average levels of amplification were contrasted for the first time with those caused by the subduction zone earthquakes. With respect to the FAS shapes, most of them showed similarities at similar epicentral distances. Finally, some variations of site effects were found when compared to those obtained in previous studies on different seismicity regions. These variations were attributed to the location of the source. <br><br> These aspects help to advance the understanding about the amplification behavior and of the expected seismic risk on central Mexico due to large earthquakes within the MVB seismogenic zone

Equilibrio trabajo-familia, estrategias de afrontamiento y satisfacción laboral en trabajadores de empresas privadas de la Región del Maule.

78 p.La presente investigación tiene como objetivo determinar si existe alguna relación entre el Equilibrio Trabajo-Familia, las Estrategias de Afrontamiento y la Satisfacción Laboral en trabajadores de empresas privadas de la región del Maule, Talca. A los 100 trabajadores se les administró el Cuestionario de Interacción Trabajo- Familia, SWING (Moreno, Sanz, Rodríguez & Geurts, 2009), Cuestionario de Afrontamiento COPE (de Crespo & Cruzado, 1997), y el cuestionario de satisfacción laboral S20/23, creado por Meliá & Peiró en 1998. Con el objetivo de obtener mayores antecedentes y realizar un análisis más preciso se aplicó en conjunto un Registro de Antecedentes Sociodemográfico a los trabajadores.Se observa que en relación a las estrategias de afrontamiento, la estrategia “centrada en el problema” específicamente, correlacionó con la satisfacción laboral, y el estilo de afrontamiento “centrado en la emoción” en cambio, mostró relaciones positivas y significativas sólo con la satisfacción con la supervisión y la satisfacción intrínseca del trabajo. Se concluye que no se apreciaron correlaciones entre el equilibrio trabajo-familia con las estrategias de afrontamiento ni con la satisfacción laboral, sin embargo se observó que la relación entre el estilo de afrontamiento centrado en el problema y la satisfacción laboral total, presentó un efecto indirecto significativo a través de la interacción positiva entre trabajo y familia.Palabras claves: equilibrio trabajo-familia, estrategias de afrontamiento y satisfacción laboral

Global environmental changes: setting priorities for Latin American coastal habitats.

The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.comThe Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) reports that Global Environmental Changes (GEC) are occurring quicker than at any other time over the last 25 million years and impacting upon marine environments (Bellard et al., 2012). There is overwhelming evidence showing that GEC are affecting both the quality and quantity of the goods and services provided by a wide range of marine ecosystems. In order to discuss regional preparedness for global environmental changes, a workshop was held in Ilhabela, Brazil (22- 26 April 2012) entitled "Evaluating the Sensitivity of Central and South American Benthic Communities to Global Environmental Changes" that drew together scientists from ten Latin American and three European countries. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Content Analysis of Digital Media Coverage of the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine School-Entry Requirement Policy in Puerto Rico

BACKGROUND: In August 2018, Puerto Rico (PR) became the 4th state or territory in the United States to adopt a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine school-entry requirement, for students 11-12 years old. Evidence suggests that the content of media coverage may impact people\u27s perception of HPV vaccine and their willingness to vaccinate. This study aimed to analyze the content of digital news coverage related to the implementation of the policy in PR. METHODS: A content review was conducted of digital media published from January 2017 through December 2018. The content reviewed was carried out in two steps: 1) creating a matrix to summarize each article\u27s content about the policy and 2) qualitative analysis using a grounded theory approach. RESULTS: The search resulted in 34 articles obtained from 17 online local and international news outlets that reported the policy\u27s implementation. Analyses showed that 61% of the news articles did not mention the number of required doses, and 79% discussed the new policy concerning cancer prevention. In 2017, news coverage focused mostly on describing the policy, while 2018 coverage focused on controversies surrounding the implementation. Neutral emergent codes included: 1) Description of the policy; 2) Information about HPV related cancers; and 3) General information about HPV vaccine. Negative emergent codes included: 1) infringement to patient and parental autonomy; 2) Hesitancy from the political sector, and 3) Hesitancy from groups and coalitions. Positive content included: 1) knowledge and acceptance of HPV vaccine for cancer prevention; 2) importance of education and protective sexual behaviors; and 3) new vaccination law proposal. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the media coverage in PR was neutral and included limited information related to the vaccine, HPV, and HPV-related cancers. Neutral and negative themes could influence public concerns regarding the new policy, as well as HPV vaccination rates in PR

Age at menopause in Latin America

OBJECTIVE: To assess the age at menopause (AM) in Latin America urban areas. DESIGN: A total of 17,150 healthy women, aged 40 to 59 years, accompanying patients to healthcare centers in 47 cities of 15 Latin American countries, were surveyed regarding their age, educational level, healthcare coverage, history of gynecological surgery, smoking habit, presence of menses, and the use of contraception or hormone therapy at menopause. The AM was calculated using logit analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the entire sample was 49.4 ± 5.5 years. Mean educational level was 9.9 ± 4.5 years, and the use of hormone therapy and oral contraception was 22.1% and 7.9%, respectively. The median AM of women in all centers was 48.6 years, ranging from 43.8 years in Asuncion (Paraguay) to 53 years in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia). Logistic regression analysis determined that women aged 49 living in cities at 2,000 meters or more above sea level (OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.4-2.9, P less than 0.001) and those with lower educational level (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.3-2.8, P less than 0.001) or living in countries with low gross national product (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.5-2.9, P less than 0.001) were more prone to an earlier onset of menopause. CONCLUSIONS: The AM varies widely in Latin America. Lower income and related poverty conditions influence the onset of menopause. © 2006 by The North American Menopause Society

Incidence and mortality rates of selected infection-related cancers in Puerto Rico and in the United States

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In 2002, 17.8% of the global cancer burden was attributable to infections. This study assessed the age-standardized incidence and mortality rates of stomach, liver, and cervical cancer in Puerto Rico (PR) for the period 1992-2003 and compared them to those of Hispanics (USH), non-Hispanic Whites (NHW), and non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB) in the United States (US).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Age-standardized rates [ASR(World)] were calculated based on cancer incidence and mortality data from the PR Cancer Central Registry and SEER, using the direct method and the world population as the standard. Annual percent changes (APC) were calculated using the Poisson regression model from 1992-2003.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The incidence and mortality rates from stomach, liver and cervical cancer were lower in NHW than PR; with the exception of mortality from cervical cancer which was similar in both populations. Meanwhile, the incidence rates of stomach, liver and cervical cancers were similar between NHB and PR; except for NHB women who had a lower incidence rate of liver cancer than women in PR. NHB had a lower mortality from liver cancer than persons in PR, and similar mortality from stomach cancer.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The burden of liver, stomach, and cervical cancer in PR compares to that of USH and NHB and continues to be a public health priority. Public health efforts are necessary to further decrease the burden of cancers associated to infections in these groups, the largest minority population groups in the US. Future studies need to identify factors that may prevent infections with cancer-related agents in these populations. Strategies to increase the use of preventive strategies, such as vaccination and screening, among minority populations should also be developed.</p