Hiperhomocisteinemia, factores de riesgo y afectación cardiovascular en pacientes de más de 65 años ingresados en un servicio de medicina interna

La homocisteína (H) es un aminoácido al que se le está concediendo especial importancia como factor de riesgo vascular en los últimos 15 años. Se metaboliza fundamentalmente por dos vías metabólicas en las que intervienen la vitamina B6, B12 y ácido fólico: por tal motivo, el déficit aislado o combinado de estas vitaminas produce hiperhomocisteinemia. Objetivos 1.- Estudiar la prevalencia de hiperhomoscisteinemia y analizar de que factores depende la H. 2.- Estudiar la relación entre H y factores de riesgos vascular, con haber sufrido eventos vasculares, con presentar deterioro cognitivo y con insuficiencia cardiaca congestiva. 3,- Analizar el valor pronóstico de la homocisteína. Se estudiaron a 440 pacientes de más de 65 años ingresados en un Servicio de Medicina Interna. Se recogieron los antecendes personales (entre ellos los factores de riesgo vascular, los antecedentes de eventos vasculares y otros como insufciencia cardiaca cogenstiva), se realizó una valoraciónd el estado de nutrición (encuesta dietética, índice de masa corporal, valoración nutricional subjetiva, cociente cintura cadera y área muscular del brazo), se aplicó una escala de demencia (teste de Pfeiffer), se realizó un EKG y una analística general (con H, vitaminas B6. B12 y ácido fólico). Para el análisis de supervivencia se estableció contacto telefónico después del alta para averigurar si en el momento de la llamada estaban vivos o había fallecido. Además se estudiaron a 2 grupos controles (de más de 65 años, con buen estado general y sin antecedentes previos de eventos vasculares), uno de 52 de pacientes ambulatorios en consultas del Servicio de Medicina Interna y el otro de 23 pacientes procedentes de una consulta de preanestesia de Cirugía Menor. El análisi estadístico se realizó mediante el programa SPPS

ANÁLISIS PRELIMINAR DE RIESGOS DE ACCIDENTES MAYORES EN LA CENTRAL TERMOELÉCTRICA “OTTO PARELLADA”.

Entre los accidentes de origen tecnológico, ocupan un importante lugar los denominados accidentes mayores, o sea los derrames (líquidos) o escapes (gases) de sustancias tóxicas y/o inflamables, incendios o explosiones que pueden producirse durante operaciones con sustancias peligrosas, capaces de provocar afectaciones graves a las personas, al medio ambiente y económicas. El Análisis de Riesgos de Procesos, es una disciplina que combina la evaluación ingenieril de procesos tecnológicos con técnicas matemáticas que permiten realizar estimaciones de frecuencias probabilísticas y consecuencias de posibles accidentes mayores, así como determinar las causas por las que podrían producirse. Un estudio para el análisis preliminar de riesgos de accidentes mayores fue ejecutado en la central termoeléctrica (CTE) “Otto Parellada” de La Habana, Cuba. Los resultados permitieron establecer que en la CTE están presentes los peligros de derrames tóxicos de ácido sulfúrico, derrames inflamables de fuel oíl, incendios y explosiones en el sistema de distribución de combustible y en la caldera. Las principales causas de riesgos de accidentes mayores identificadas fueron: fallo del sistema de control del flujo de agua a la caldera; fallo de los sistemas de protección; insuficiente inspección y mantenimiento e insuficiencias en el tratamiento químico del agua. Las medidas recomendadas para mejorar la gestión de seguridad de procesos de la CTE son de tipo técnico-organizativas, relacionadas con la frecuencia y alcance de las inspecciones, mantenimiento y actualización del manual del proceso, así como, proceder con la instalación de una planta para el tratamiento de los residuales que se generan en el proceso

New cinnamic – N-benzylpiperidine and cinnamic – N,N-dibenzyl(N-methyl)amine hybrids as Alzheimer-directed multitarget drugs with antioxidant, cholinergic, neuroprotective and neurogenic properties

Here we describe new families of multi-target directed ligands obtained by linking antioxidant cinnamic-related structures with N-benzylpiperidine (NBP) or N,N-dibenzyl(N-methyl)amine (DBMA) fragments. Resulting hybrids, in addition to their antioxidant and neuroprotective properties against mitochondrial oxidative stress, are active at relevant molecular targets in Alzheimer’s disease, such as cholinesterases (hAChE and hBuChE) and monoamine oxidases (hMAO-A and hMAO-B). Hybrids derived from umbellic – NBP (8), caffeic – NBP (9), and ferulic – DBMA (12) displayed balanced biological profiles, with IC50s in the low-micromolar and submicromolar range for hChEs and hMAOs, and an antioxidant potency comparable to vitamin E. Moreover, the caffeic – NBP hybrid 9 is able to improve the differentiation of adult SGZ-derived neural stem cells into a neuronal phenotype in vitro.Financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO, grants SAF2012-31035 and SAF2015-64948-C2-1-R to MIRF; grant SAF2014-52940-R to APC) partially financed by FEDER funds, and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC, grant PIE-201580E109) is gratefully acknowledged. ME thanks COLCIENCIAS (Colombia) for a Ph.D. fellowship.Peer reviewe

Life-long spontaneous exercise does not prolong lifespan but improves health span in mice

BackgroundLife expectancy at birth in the first world has increased from 35 years at the beginning of the 20th century to more than 80 years now. The increase in life expectancy has resulted in an increase in age-related diseases and larger numbers of frail and dependent people. The aim of our study was to determine whether life-long spontaneous aerobic exercise affects lifespan and healthspan in mice.ResultsMale C57Bl/6J mice, individually caged, were randomly assigned to one of two groups: sedentary (n = 72) or spontaneous wheel-runners (n = 72). We evaluated longevity and several health parameters including grip strength, motor coordination, exercise capacity (VO2max) and skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis. We also measured the cortical levels of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophin associated with brain plasticity. In addition, we measured systemic oxidative stress (malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl plasma levels) and the expression and activity of two genes involved in antioxidant defense in the liver (that is, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD)). Genes that encode antioxidant enzymes are considered longevity genes because their over-expression may modulate lifespan. Aging was associated with an increase in oxidative stress biomarkers and in the activity of the antioxidant enzymes, GPx and Mn-SOD, in the liver in mice. Life-long spontaneous exercise did not prolong longevity but prevented several signs of frailty (that is, decrease in strength, endurance and motor coordination). This improvement was accompanied by a significant increase in the mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle and in the cortical BDNF levels.ConclusionLife-long spontaneous exercise does not prolong lifespan but improves healthspan in mice. Exercise is an intervention that delays age-associated frailty, enhances function and can be translated into the clinic

Neurogenic inducers based on the chromone scaffold, a new family of multitarget directed ligands for Alzheimer's disease

Resumen del trabajo presentado a la XXXVIII Reunión Anual del Grupo Español de Neurotransmisión y Neuroprotección (GENN), celebrada en Almagro (Ciudad Real) del 13 al 15 de diciembre de 2017.The highly complex pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative illnesses have led to replace the traditional one-drug - one-target by the multi-target-directed ligands (MTDLs) paradigm, in which a single molecule is designed to be active against several pharmacological targets. Continuing with our interest in neuroprotective and neurogenic compounds, in this work we describe a new family of donepezil flavonoid hybrids exhibiting nanomolar affinities for the sigma-1 receptor and a combined inhibition of key enzymes in AD, such as 5-lipoxygenase, acetylcholinesterase, and monoaminoxidases. In general, they scavenge free radical species and are predicted to be brain-permeable. In phenotypic assays, new hybrids protect neuronal cells against mitochondrial oxidative stress and promote maturation of neural stem cells into a neuronal phenotype. Therefore, new donepezil - flavonoid hybrids could contribute to the protection and even, the reparation of neuronal tissues, of great therapeutic interest in AD and neurodegenerative diseases.Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness MINECO (grant SAF2015-64948-C2-1-R) and Spanish National Research Council CSIC (grant PIE-201580E109).Peer Reviewe

Prospección acústico-pesquera y caracterización ambiental de algunos recursos de tipo demersal en el Caribe colombiano

Within the framework of the fishing program Vecep (Inpa-Colombia) a pilot acoustic survey was carried out for the reconnaissance of bottoms and demersal resources, previous to the evaluation by the swept area method made by the same program. The survey was made in the strip between the outer limit of the artisanal fishing zone and the external edge of the continental shelf, and from Punta Gallinas to Cabo Tiburón, on the Colombian Caribbean.  Some fishing operations with bottom long lines also took place, as well as oceanographic stations in all the wurveyed area.  Although some resultos of interest were disclosed to the businessmen in the fishing sector through a technical bulletin and a workshop, the main results had not yet been formally published.  The present work rescues the most important aspects from the fishing and oceanographic point of view, making emphasis on the environmental conditions in the sites where groupers and snappers were caught.En el marco del programa de pesca Vecep (Inpa-Colombia) se llevó a cabo una campaña piloto de reconocimiento acustico de los fondos y de recursos demersales, previa a la evaluación por área barrida realizada por ese mismo programa.  La campaña se realizó en la franja del Caribe Colombiano comprendida entre el límite exterior de la pesca artesanal y al borde extremo de la plataforma  continental y desde Punta Gallinas  hasta Cabo Tiburón.  Se efectuaron tambien algunas pescas comprobatorias con palangres de fondo, así como estaciones oceanográficas en todo el area prospectada. Aunque algunos resultados de interés fueron divulgados a los industriales del sector pesquero a través de un boletín tecnico y de un taller, los principales resultados no habían sido formalmente publicados.  el presente trabajo rescata los aspectos mas relevantes desde el punto de vista pesquero y oceanográfico, haciendo énfasis en las condiciones ambientales de los calderos en que se capturaron pargos y meros de profundida

8-Amide and 8-carbamate substitution patterns as modulators of 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin's antidepressant profile: Synthesis, biological evaluation and docking studies

Psychiatric and neurological disorders affect millions of people worldwide. Currently available treatments may help to improve symptoms, but they cannot cure the diseases. Therefore, there is an urgent need for potent and safe therapeutic solutions. 8-Amide and 8-carbamatecoumarins were synthetized and evaluated as human monoamine oxidase A and B (hMAO-A and hMAO-B) inhibitors. Comparison between both scaffolds has been established, and we hypothesized that the introduction of different substituents can modulate hMAO activity and selectivity. N-(7-Hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin-8-yl)-4-methylbenzamide (9) and ethyl N-(7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin-8-yl)carbamate (20) proved to be the most active and selective hMAO-A inhibitors (IC = 15.0 nM and IC = 22.0 nM, respectively), being compound 9 an irreversible hMAO-A inhibitor twenty-four times more active in vitro than moclobemide, a drug used in the treatment of depression and anxiety. Based on PAMPA assay results, both compounds proved to be good candidates to cross the blood-brain barrier. In addition, these compounds showed non-significant cytotoxicity on neuronal viability assays. Also, the best compound proved to have a t of 6.84 min, an intrinsic clearance of 195.63 μL min mg protein, and to be chemically stable at pH 3.0, 7.4 and 10.0. Docking studies were performed to better understand the binding affinities and selectivity profiles for both hMAO isoforms. Finally, theoretical drug-like properties calculations corroborate the potential of both scaffolds on the search for new therapeutic solutions for psychiatric disorders as depression.This research was funded by Consellería de Cultura, Educacion ´ e Ordenacion ´ Universitaria (EM2014/016), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion ´ (PID2020-116076RJ-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and Fundaçao ˜ para a Ciˆencia e Tecnologia (PTDC/ASP-PES/28397/ 2017, CEECIND/02423/2018, UIDB/00081/2020, LA/P/0056/2020 and EXPL/BIA-BQM/0492/2021). Financial support from the Xunta de Galicia (Centro de investigacion ´ de Galicia accreditation 2019–2022) and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund - ERDF), is also gratefully acknowledged. M.I.R.-F. acknowledges the economic support from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities; Spanish Research Agency; and European Regional Development Funds (grant PID2021-122650OB-I00) and from CSIC (PIE202080E118)

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in goats from north-western Spain

Introduction and objective: Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are protozoans involved in reproductive failure especially in ruminant livestock. The objective was to estimate the seroprevalence of both parasites in goats from north-western Spain and to study the influence of some factors on seropositivity. Material and Methods: Blood samples from 638 goats were collected in 50 farms. Presence of T. gondii and N. caninum antibodies were detected by direct agglutination and competitive ELISA techniques, respectively. The risk factor analysis was performed using a mixed-effects logistic regression. Results: Individual (48%) and herd-level (74%) T. gondii seroprevalence values were high; the within-herd prevalence was 53%. In contrast, 6% of animals tested positive to N. caninum and 38% of the herds had at least one positive animal, with a true within-herd prevalence of 10%. Mixed infections were limited; 91% of N. caninum seropositive goats were also positive to T. gondii The risk factor analysis showed that T. gondii seroprevalence is influenced by the presence of sheep in the farm (OR=4.9) and the seropositivity to N. caninum (OR=16.5); goats from the Central-coastal area, more humid and warm, had a 15.7-fold probability of being seropositive to T. gondii than those from the Mountainous area. Cross-breed goats (OR=4.5) and the seropositivity to [i]T. gondii [/i](OR= 9.5) were factors associated with N. caninum seropositivity. Conclusions: The high T. gondii seroprevalence in goats constitute a noticeable zoonotic risk. The consideration of the risk factors identified in designing T. gondii and N. caninum control programs in goat herds should allow the implementation of more efficient measures, avoiding the appearance of outbreaks of reproductive disorders by both protozoans in goatsThe authors express their thank to OVICA (Galician Association of Ovine and Caprine Breeders), BOAGA (Galician Autochthonous Breed Federation) and the veterinarians of the ADSG ACIVO for their collaboration in this study. This work was supported by a Programme for consolidating and structuring competitive research groups (GRC2015/003, Xunta de Galicia) and by the Research Project ‘RUMIGAL: Rede de estudomultidisciplinar dos ruminantesen Galicia’ (R2014/005, REDES, Xunta de Galicia)S

8-Amide and 8-carbamate substitution patterns as modulators of 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin's antidepressant profile: Synthesis, biological evaluation and docking studies

Psychiatric and neurological disorders affect millions of people worldwide. Currently available treatments may help to improve symptoms, but they cannot cure the diseases. Therefore, there is an urgent need for potent and safe therapeutic solutions. 8-Amide and 8-carbamatecoumarins were synthetized and evaluated as human monoamine oxidase A and B (hMAO-A and hMAO-B) inhibitors. Comparison between both scaffolds has been established, and we hypothesized that the introduction of different substituents can modulate hMAO activity and selectivity. N-(7-Hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin-8-yl)-4-methylbenzamide (9) and ethyl N-(7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin-8-yl)carbamate (20) proved to be the most active and selective hMAO-A inhibitors (IC50 = 15.0 nM and IC50 = 22.0 nM, respectively), being compound 9 an irreversible hMAO-A inhibitor twenty-four times more active in vitro than moclobemide, a drug used in the treatment of depression and anxiety. Based on PAMPA assay results, both compounds proved to be good candidates to cross the blood-brain barrier. In addition, these compounds showed non-significant cytotoxicity on neuronal viability assays. Also, the best compound proved to have a t1/2 of 6.84 min, an intrinsic clearance of 195.63 μL min−1 mg−1 protein, and to be chemically stable at pH 3.0, 7.4 and 10.0. Docking studies were performed to better understand the binding affinities and selectivity profiles for both hMAO isoforms. Finally, theoretical drug-like properties calculations corroborate the potential of both scaffolds on the search for new therapeutic solutions for psychiatric disorders as depressionThis research was funded by Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria (EM2014/016), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (PID2020-116076RJ-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (PTDC/ASP-PES/28397/2017, CEECIND/02423/2018, UIDB/00081/2020, LA/P/0056/2020 and EXPL/BIA-BQM/0492/2021). Financial support from the Xunta de Galicia (Centro de investigación de Galicia accreditation 2019–2022) and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund - ERDF), is also gratefully acknowledged. M.I.R.-F. acknowledges the economic support from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities; Spanish Research Agency; and European Regional Development Funds (grant PID2021-122650OB-I00) and from CSIC (PIE-202080E118)S

Jardins per a la salut

Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona. Ensenyament: Grau de Farmàcia. Assignatura: Botànica farmacèutica. Curs: 2014-2015. Coordinadors: Joan Simon, Cèsar Blanché i Maria Bosch.Els materials que aquí es presenten són el recull de les fitxes botàniques de 128 espècies presents en el Jardí Ferran Soldevila de l’Edifici Històric de la UB. Els treballs han estat realitzats manera individual per part dels estudiants dels grups M-3 i T-1 de l’assignatura Botànica Farmacèutica durant els mesos de febrer a maig del curs 2014-15 com a resultat final del Projecte d’Innovació Docent «Jardins per a la salut: aprenentatge servei a Botànica farmacèutica» (codi 2014PID-UB/054). Tots els treballs s’han dut a terme a través de la plataforma de GoogleDocs i han estat tutoritzats pels professors de l’assignatura. L’objectiu principal de l’activitat ha estat fomentar l’aprenentatge autònom i col·laboratiu en Botànica farmacèutica. També s’ha pretès motivar els estudiants a través del retorn de part del seu esforç a la societat a través d’una experiència d’Aprenentatge-Servei, deixant disponible finalment el treball dels estudiants per a poder ser consultable a través d’una Web pública amb la possibilitat de poder-ho fer in-situ en el propi jardí mitjançant codis QR amb un smartphone