Heavy-light quark pseudoscalar and vector mesons at finite temperature

The temperature dependence of the mass, leptonic decay constant, and width of heavy-light quark peseudoscalar and vector mesons is obtained in the framework of thermal Hilbert moment QCD sum rules. The leptonic decay constants of both pseudoscalar and vector mesons decrease with increasing $T$, and vanish at a critical temperature $T_c$, while the mesons develop a width which increases dramatically and diverges at $T_c$, where $T_c$ is the temperature for chiral-symmetry restoration. These results indicate the disappearance of hadrons from the spectral function, which then becomes a smooth function of the energy. This is interpreted as a signal for deconfinement at $T=T_c$. In contrast, the masses show little dependence on the temperature, except very close to $T_c$, where the pseudoscalar meson mass increases slightly by 10-20 %, and the vector meson mass decreases by some 20-30

Neprilysin: A Potential Therapeutic Target of Arterial Hypertension?

Arterial hypertension is the most prevalent chronic disease in the adult population of developed countries and it constitutes a significant risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease, contributing to the emergence of many comorbidities, among which heart failure excels, a clinical syndrome that nowadays represents a major health problem with uncountable hospitalizations and the indolent course of which progressively worsens until quality of life decreases and lastly death occurs prematurely. In the light of this growing menace, each day more efforts are invested in the field of cardiovascular pharmacology, searching for new therapeutic options that allow us to modulate the physiological systems that appear among these pathologies. Therefore, in the later years, the study of natriuretic peptides has become so relevant, which mediate beneficial effects at the cardiovascular level such as diuresis, natriuresis, and decreasing cardiac remodeling; their metabolism is mediated by neprilysin, a metalloproteinase, widely expressed in the human and capable of catalyzing many substrates. The modulation of these functions has been studied by decades, giving room to Sacubitril, the first neprilysin inhibitor, which in conjunction with an angiotensin receptor blocker has provided a high efficacy and tolerability among patients with heart failure, for whom it has already been approved and recommended. Nonetheless, in the matter of arterial hypertension, significant findings have arisen that demonstrate the potential role that it will play among the pharmacological alternatives in the upcoming years

Avances del Sargo Archosargus probatocephalus (WALBAUM, 1792) en la acuicultura como respuesta al cambio climático

Se espera una disminución hasta el 40% de la pesca por efecto del cambio climático en regiones tropicales, causando la repercusión en la productividad primaria afectando mayormente a poblaciones de peces que llevan a cabo su reproducción en arrecifes y estuarios; sumado a esto no se cuenta con el acceso físico y económico a alimentos suficientes, seguros y nutritivos para satisfacer las necesidades alimentarias de la población. Por estas razones se pensó en la acuacultura como respuesta a la disminución de la pesca y para producción de alimento sustentable, con un pez nativo que habita en zonas de estuarios y arrecifes, como el sargo que por sus características biológicas y económicas puede ser idóneo para la acuacultura. Para ello se estableció un cultivo experimental de diciembre 2011 a marzo 2012 en el Instituto Tecnológico de Boca del Río consistió de 2 estaques circulares de 25 m3, en área cerrada, con sistema de recirculación acuícola, salinidad de 30 ppm (+ 1), pH de 8.3 (+ 0.4) y temperatura de 26 °C (+ 2). Al inicio se observó un comportamiento agresivo por lo cual se introdujeron refugios y se observó una mejoría. Se estableció una dieta de moluscos bivalvos, después con un flan a base de calamar y finalmente con alimento balanceado. Resultando que tuvo buena adaptación al cautiverio, buena aceptación del alimento balanceado, obteniendo una supervivencia del 95 % en cultivo, además el sargo tiene buen pecio en el mercado, por estas razones se considera una especie idónea para el cultivo

Avances del Sargo Archosargus probatocephalus (WALBAUM, 1792) en la acuicultura como respuesta al cambio climático

A reduction of up to 40% in fishing due to the effects of climate change in tropical regions is expected, causing the impact on primary productivity affecting mainly fish populations that carry out their reproduction in reefs and estuaries; In addition to this, there is no physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet the food needs of the population. For these reasons aquaculture was thought of as a response to the reduction of fishing and sustainable food production, with a native fish that lives in areas of estuaries and reefs, such as the sea bream, which due to its biological and economic characteristics may be suitable for aquaculture To this end, an experimental culture was established from December 2011 to March 2012 at the Technological Institute of Boca del Río, consisting of 2circular ponds of 25 m3, in closed area, with aquaculture recirculation system, salinity of 30 ppm (+1), pH of 8.3 (+ 0.4) and temperature of 26 ° C (+ 2). At first, aggressive behavior was observed, so shelters were introduced and an improvement was observed. A diet of bivalve molluscs was established, afterwith a custard based on squid and finally with balanced food. Being that it had good adaptation to captivity, good acceptance of the balanced feed, obtaining a 95% survival in culture, in addition the sea bream has good wreck in the market, for these reasons it is considered a suitable species for the culture.Se espera una disminución hasta el 40% de la pesca por efecto del cambio climático en regiones tropicales, causando la repercusión en la productividad primaria afectando mayormente a poblaciones de peces que llevan a cabo su reproducción en arrecifes y estuarios; sumado a esto no se cuenta con el acceso físico y económico a alimentos suficientes, seguros y nutritivos para satisfacer las necesidades alimentarias de la población. Por estas razones se pensó en la acuacultura como respuesta a la disminución de la pesca y para producción de alimento sustentable, con un pez nativo que habita en zonas de estuarios y arrecifes, como el sargo que por sus características biológicas y económicas puede ser idóneo para la acuacultura. Para ello se estableció un cultivo experimental de diciembre 2011 a marzo 2012 en el Instituto Tecnológico de Boca del Río consistió de 2 estaques circulares de 25 m3, en área cerrada, con sistema de recirculación acuícola, salinidad de 30 ppm (+ 1), pH de 8.3 (+ 0.4) y temperatura de 26 °C (+ 2). Al inicio se observó un comportamiento agresivo por lo cual se introdujeron refugios y se observó una mejoría. Se estableció una dieta de moluscos bivalvos, después con un flan a base de calamar y finalmente con alimento balanceado. Resultando que tuvo buena adaptación al cautiverio, buena aceptación del alimento balanceado, obteniendo una supervivencia del 95 % en cultivo, además el sargo tiene buen pecio en el mercado, por estas razones se considera una especie idónea para el cultivo

Cigarette smoking and metabolic syndrome components: a cross-sectional study from Maracaibo City, Venezuela [version 3; referees: 2 approved]

Background: A growing body of evidence suggests that cigarette smoking can cause the onset of metabolic syndrome prior to cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between smoking habit and metabolic syndrome components in an adult population from Maracaibo city, Venezuela. Methods: The Maracaibo City Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence Study is a descriptive, cross-sectional study with random and multi-stage sampling. In this sub-study, 2212 adults from both genders were selected. On the basis of their medical background, they were classified as smokers, non-smokers and former smokers. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to Harmonizing 2009 criteria, using population-specific abdominal circumference cut-off points. The association between risk factors was evaluated using a logistic regression model. Results: In the studied population, 14.8% were smokers, 15.4% were former smokers. In the multivariate analysis, the presence of metabolic syndrome (smokers: OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.11–2.14; p=0.010) and its components were related to cigarette smoking, with the exception of hyperglycemia. High blood pressure was inversely associated with current smoking status (smokers: OR, 0.70 (0.51–0.95); p=0.025). Conclusion: Cigarette smoking represents a related factor with metabolic syndrome, being associated with low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, increased abdominal circumference and elevated triacylglyceride levels. Former smokers did not present a greater risk for developing this metabolic disease when compared to non-smokers. The effect of avoiding this habit should be evaluated in future studies in our population