Variables predictoras de riesgo de trastorno del comportamiento alimentario en mujeres.

El propósito de esta investigación fue analizar el papel de la composición corporal, la insatisfacción corporal y el modelo de delgadez sobre el riesgo de desarrollar trastornos del comportamiento alimentario (TCA). Participaron 289 estudiantes universitarias, quienes contestaron el Cuestionario de Actitudes Alimentarias, el Cuestionario de Bulimia de Edimburgo y el Cuestionario de Influencias del Modelo Estético Corporal. La composición corporal se analizó por medio de bioimpedancia eléctrica. Se encontró que 9.69% de las mujeres presentaron riesgo de TCA, siendo mayor el porcentaje entre las mujeres que tenían peso normal y cantidades excesivas de grasa corporal. La insatisfacción corporal predijo el riesgo de anorexia nerviosa, y la interacción entre insatisfacción corporal, influencia de la publicidad e índice de masa corporal predijo el riesgo de bulimia nerviosa. Se concluye que la insatisfacción corporal juega un papel relevante en la predicción de riesgo de TCA

Scale of Estimation and Consumption of Foods in Children: Evaluation of their psychometric properties

The strategies to reduce overweight and obesity have not had the expected impact. It is necessary to develop greater knowledge regard food estimation and intake frequency. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of an instrument aimed at the evaluation of meals (EM) and its intake frequency (IFR) in children. A total of 1,090 9-year-old boys and girls from the South region of Jalisco (Mexico) answered the Scale of Estimation and Consumption of Foods in Children, which consists of two sections: EM and IFR. The exploratory factor analysis carried out with 545 participants derived three factors for each section, which were subsequently corroborated based on two confirmatory factor analyses, one per section, performed with the second half of the sample (n = 545). Both models registered some goodness of fit indexes. The final version of the scale, with 23 items, showed appropriate internal consistency in its both sections: EM (α = .86) and IFR (α = .84). The need to extend the analysis of the psychometric properties of the scale in children from other regions of the country is discussed

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Modulation of Immune Response by Organophosphorus Pesticides: Fishes as a Potential Model in Immunotoxicology

Immune response is modulated by different substances that are present in the environment. Nevertheless, some of these may cause an immunotoxic effect. In this paper, the effect of organophosphorus pesticides (frequent substances spilled in aquatic ecosystems) on the immune system of fishes and in immunotoxicology is reviewed. Furthermore, some cellular and molecular mechanisms that might be involved in immunoregulation mechanisms of organophosphorus pesticides are discussedLa respuesta inmunológica está modulada por diferentes sustancias presentes en el medio ambiente. Sin embargo, algunos de estos pueden causar un efecto inmunotóxico. En este trabajo se revisa el efecto de los pesticidas organofosforados (sustancias frecuentes derramadas en los ecosistemas acuáticos) sobre el sistema inmunitario de los peces y en la inmunotoxicología. Además, se discuten algunos mecanismos celulares y moleculares que pueden estar implicados en los mecanismos de inmunoregulación de los plaguicidas organofosforado

[Sweetened solution intake in albino rats: taste versus calories]

Animals display preferences for sweetened over unsweetened foods under diverse experimental procedures. No evidence has been provided of whether flavor or energetic content of sweeteners determine this preference. In this experiment, female and male rats were exposed to water and a solution sweetened with glucose (sweet taste and calories) and water and a solution sweetened with sucralose (sweet taste without calories). We observed that animals exposed to glucose solution increased the sweetened water intake gradually compared to water intake and animals exposed to sucralose solution maintained equal sweetened water and water intake. This suggests that caloric content affects the increase of intake of sweetened liquids. However, it is important to continue to investigate whether history of taste exposure modifies water-intake response

[Sweetened solution intake in albino rats: taste versus calories]

Animals display preferences for sweetened over unsweetened foods under diverse experimental procedures. No evidence has been provided of whether flavor or energetic content of sweeteners determine this preference. In this experiment, female and male rats were exposed to water and a solution sweetened with glucose (sweet taste and calories) and water and a solution sweetened with sucralose (sweet taste without calories). We observed that animals exposed to glucose solution increased the sweetened water intake gradually compared to water intake and animals exposed to sucralose solution maintained equal sweetened water and water intake. This suggests that caloric content affects the increase of intake of sweetened liquids. However, it is important to continue to investigate whether history of taste exposure modifies water-intake response

Evaluación del potencial de membrana mitocondrial en linfocitos de tilapia nilótica (Oreochromis niloticus) expuesta a un plaguicida anti-colienstarásico

Cholinergic components have been characterized in mammalian lymphocytes, which may play an important role in the regulation of the immune response. Organophosphate pesticides, being inhibitors of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, can exert an immunotoxic effect through the alteration of this cholinergic extra-neuronal lymphocyte system, thus altering the physiology of lymphocytes.En linfocitos de mamíferos se han caracterizado componentes colinérgicos, los cuales podrían tener un papel importante en la regulación de la respuesta inmune. Los plaguicidas organofosforados, al ser inhibidores de la enzima acetilcolinesterasa, pueden ejercer un efecto inmunotóxico a través de la alteración de este sistema colinérgico extra-neuronal linfocitario, alterando así la fisiología de los linfocitos

Immunologic parameters evaluations in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to sublethal concentrations of diazinon

Fish resistance to microorganisms depends basically on the immune response. Although there are several studies on the diazinon mammalian immunotoxicity, in the case of fish there are only few. The aim of present study was to evaluate the effect of diazinon on immunological parameters (relative spleen weight, splenocytes count, lysozyme activity, respiratory burst and IgM concentration) in Nile tilapia. Diazinon at sublethal concentrations (0.39 and 0.78\ua0mg/L) did not alter RSW, splenocytes count or lysozyme activity. However, at the highest concentration tested (1.96\ua0mg/L) diazinon significantly increased respiratory burst and IgM concentration. In summary, diazinon (and perhaps other pesticides) could alter immunological response and induce oxidative stress. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Funcionamiento psicológico, calidad de vida y obesidad

La obesidad es un problema con importantes repercusiones psicológicas y sociales. Hoy día domina en nuestra sociedad la idea de que la delgadez es sinónimo de belleza, éxito, estatus económico y autocontrol. La presión social por alcanzar este ideal ejerce una influencia importante en el bienestar psicológico de las personas, principalmente en aquéllas que presentan un peso corporal alejado de dicho estereotipo (Toro, 2004). El propósito del presente capítulo es describir la relación entre la obesidad, el funcionamiento psicológico y la calidad de vida. La estructura del texto es la siguiente: primero se presenta una breve historia sobre la obesidad y algunos avances científicos que revolucionaron la óptica para lidiar con este problema. Después se presentan algunos datos epidemiológicos sobre la prevalencia e incidencia de este problema de salud pública. Se menciona, entre otros detalles interesantes, el tiempo que resta para contribuir a la solución de este problema antes de que colapse el sistema de salud. En la sección Calidad de vida se describe la relación entre la obesidad y dicho concepto que, desde hace relativamente poco tiempo, ocupa un lugar prominente en los temas de investigación en Psicología. En la sección Funcionamiento psicológico se analizan las implicaciones de la obesidad sobre algunos de los factores que influyen tanto en la calidad de vida como en el funcionamiento psicológico. Asimismo, se enfatizan los hallazgos contradictorios entre si la obesidad tiene una influencia negativa o no sobre el bienestar psicológico. Finalmente, en las conclusiones se discuten algunas prácticas y condiciones que, desde nuestra perspectiva, se sugieren mejorar para aumentar la probabilidad de contribuir a la solución del problema