Leishmaniasis cutánea

We revise the main characteristics of cutaneous leishmaniasis, with particular reference to epidemiologycal, clinical and histological aspects, endèmic disease in Baleario Islands.Se revisan las principales características de la leishmaniasis cutánea, con especial referencia a los aspectos epidemiológicos, clínicos e histopatológicos, enfermedad endémica en las Islas Baleares

High-fat diet and glucose and albumin circadian rhythms' chronodisruption in rats

La obesidad es una de las enfermedades nutricionales más extendidas en las sociedades desarrolladas y se considera un factor de riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar cómo una dieta alta en grasas puede influir en la cronobiología de los ritmos circadianos de glucosa y albúmina. Ochenta y cuatro ratas Wistar macho comunes se separaron en dos grupos: un grupo de control (n = 42) y un grupo alimentado con una dieta rica en grasas (n = 42); tanto para el grupo control como para el grupo inducido por la obesidad establecimos 7 subgrupos (6 ratas por subgrupo) para tomar muestras de sangre a las 0000, 0200, 0400, 1000, 1400, 1800 y 2200 horas. Los niveles plasmáticos de glucosa y albúmina se analizaron en muestras de sangre y sus ritmos circadianos se evaluaron mediante la prueba Cosinor. Nuestros resultados mostraron síntomas claros de cronodisrupción en las oscilaciones de glucosa y albúmina, aunque estos trastornos circadianos fueron más evidentes en los ritmos de glucosa.Obesity is one of the most widespread nutritional diseases in developed societies and it is considered a cardiovascular disease risk factor. The aim of the present work was to evaluate how a high-fat diet may influence the chronobiology of glucose and albumin circadian rhythms. Eighty-four male common Wistar rats were separated into two groups: a control group (n = 42) and a group fed a high-fat diet (n = 42); both for the control and the obesity-induced group we stablished 7 subgroups (6 rats per subgroup) to take blood samples at 0000, 0200, 0400, 1000, 1400, 1800, and 2200 hours. Glucose and albumin plasma levels were analyzed in blood samples and their circadian rhythms were evaluated through the cosinor method. Our results showed clear chronodisruption symptoms in both glucose and albumin oscillations, although these circadian disorders were more evident in glucose rhythms.• Junta de Extremadura y Fondos FEDER. Ayuda GR15051peerReviewe

Angiotensin II type 2 receptor as a novel activator of brown adipose tissue in obesity

The angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) exerts vasorelaxant, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. In obesity, its activation counterbalances the adverse cardiovascular effects of angiotensin II mediated by the AT1R. Preliminary results indicate that it also promotes brown adipocyte differentiation in vitro. Our hypothesis is that AT2R activation could increase BAT mass and activity in obesity. Five-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were fed a standard or a high-fat (HF) diet for 6 weeks. Half of the animals were treated with compound 21 (C21), a selective AT2R agonist, (1 mg/kg/day) in the drinking water. Electron transport chain (ETC), oxidative phosphorylation, and UCP1 proteins were measured in the interscapular BAT (iBAT) and thoracic perivascular adipose tissue (tPVAT) as well as inflammatory and oxidative parameters. Differentiation and oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in the presence of C21 was tested in brown preadipocytes. In vitro, C21-differentiated brown adipocytes showed an AT2R-dependent increase of differentiation markers (Ucp1, Cidea, Pparg) and increased basal and H+ leak-linked OCR. In vivo, HF-C21 mice showed increased iBAT mass compared to HF animals. Both their iBAT and tPVAT showed higher protein levels of the ETC protein complexes and UCP1, together with a reduction of inflammatory and oxidative markers. The activation of the AT2R increases BAT mass, mitochondrial activity, and reduces markers of tissue inflammation and oxidative stress in obesity. Therefore, insulin reduction and better vascular responses are achieved. Thus, the activation of the protective arm of the renin–angiotensin system arises as a promising tool in the treatment of obesity15 página

Plant species in Basque Country with positive bioactive principles for sleep rhythm

Las condiciones históricas, climatológicas y edáficas del País Vasco, son las principales causas de que su extensión se vea dominada por 3 formaciones vegetales potenciales: robledales, hayedos y quejigales. Nuestro objetivo fue estudiar qué especies vegetales medicinales presentan evidencias científicas para tratar problemas de sueño. Para ello, se consultó bibliografía y bases de datos referentes a especies sedantes, hipnóticas o ansiolíticas por presentar mecanismos de actuación similares, así como sus principios activos. Se concluye el estudio con la catalogación de 22 especies vegetales del País Vasco como remedios naturales para combatir los problemas del sueño presentes en la sociedad.Historic, climatic and soil conditions of the Basque Country, are the main causes which provokes its extension is mainly dominated by 3 types of potential vegetation: oak, beech and gall. Our objective was focused in researching what plants show scientific evidences to be used within sleep problems. Scientific literature and databases were consulted in those species referenced as sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics due they act through similar mechanisms, their bioactive principles were revised too. We conclude this study with 22 plant species in Basque Country as natural sleep inducers to be used in sleep problems in our society.Junta de Extremadura y Fondos FEDER: GR10003peerReviewe

Bladder cancer index: cross-cultural adaptation into Spanish and psychometric evaluation

BACKGROUND: The Bladder Cancer Index (BCI) is so far the only instrument applicable across all bladder cancer patients, independent of tumor infiltration or treatment applied. We developed a Spanish version of the BCI, and assessed its acceptability and metric properties. METHODS: For the adaptation into Spanish we used the forward and back-translation method, expert panels, and cognitive debriefing patient interviews. For the assessment of metric properties we used data from 197 bladder cancer patients from a multi-center prospective study. The Spanish BCI and the SF-36 Health Survey were self-administered before and 12 months after treatment. Reliability was estimated by Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed through the multi-trait multi-method matrix. The magnitude of change was quantified by effect sizes to assess responsiveness. RESULTS: Reliability coefficients ranged 0.75-0.97. The validity analysis confirmed moderate associations between the BCI function and bother subscales for urinary (r = 0.61) and bowel (r = 0.53) domains; conceptual independence among all BCI domains (r ≤ 0.3); and low correlation coefficients with the SF-36 scores, ranging 0.14-0.48. Among patients reporting global improvement at follow-up, pre-post treatment changes were statistically significant for the urinary domain and urinary bother subscale, with effect sizes of 0.38 and 0.53. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish BCI is well accepted, reliable, valid, responsive, and similar in performance compared to the original instrument. These findings support its use, both in Spanish and international studies, as a valuable and comprehensive tool for assessing quality of life across a wide range of bladder cancer patients

Efectos de los suplementos alimenticios en la reproducción asistida

Las tasas de fertilidad en España han ido disminuyendo progresivamente en los últimos 10 años. Se estima que actualmente un 15-17% de la población en edad fértil padece de algún tipo infertilidad. Esto genera problemas socioeconómicos a nivel poblacional y problemas psicológicos a nivel de individuo, debido a lo cual, actualmente, se encuentra en aumento la demanda de las técnicas de reproducción asistida (TRA), entre las que se encuentran la inseminación artificial (IA), la fecundación in vitro (FIV) y la inyección intracitoplasmática de espermatozoides (ICSI). Aunque las TRA hayan ido desarrollándose y mejorando a lo largo de los años, sus tasas de éxito no son demasiado elevadas. La nutrición es un factor esencial en la fertilidad, tanto masculina como femenina, por lo que el uso de ciertos suplementos alimenticios de forma complementaria a las TRA puede mejorar los resultados de las mismas. Los suplementos más relevantes en este sentido son el ácido graso omega-3, ácido fólico, vitaminas B12, D, C y E, zinc, selenio, melatonina, mio-inositol y coenzima Q10. En la presente revisión se estudian los principales efectos beneficiosos de la suplementación con dichos micronutrientes sobre la fertilidad en hombres y mujeres que se someten a las distintas TRA.Fertility rates in Spain have been progressively decreasing over the last 10 years. It is estimated that currently 15-17% of the population of childbearing age suffers from some form of infertility. This generates socio-economic problems at the population level and psychological problems at the individual level, which is why there is currently an increasing demand for assisted reproductive techniques (ART), including artificial insemination (AI), in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Although ART has developed and improved over the years, its success rates are not very high. Nutrition is an essential factor in both male and female fertility, so the use of certain dietary supplements in addition to ART can improve the results of ART. The most relevant supplements in this regard are omega-3 fatty acid, folic acid, vitamins B12, D, C and E, zinc, selenium, melatonin, myo-inositol and coenzyme Q10. This review examines the main beneficial effects of supplementation with these micronutrients on fertility in men and women undergoing ART.peerReviewe

Influence of ligand lipophilicity in Pt(II) complexes on their antiproliferative and apoptotic activities in tumour cell lines

This manuscript is in Memoriam of Prof. Álvaro Bernalte García, Group Leader of the Coordination Chemistry Research Group.One of the most widely used strategies for drug development is the coordination of bioactive ligands to transition metals, which could improve biological activity. Moreover, the incorporation of aromatic groups to ligands may allow an enhanced lipophilicity that can influence the cellular uptake and accumulation of the metallodrugs, thus increasing their activity. Herein, we have reported the synthesis and characterization of four Pt(II) complexes [PtCl2(L)], where L = 2-(1-pyrazolyl)-2-thiazoline (PzTn), 2-(1-pyrazolyl)-1,3-thiazine (PzTz), 2-(3,5-diphenyl-1- pyrazolyl)-2-thiazoline (DPhPzTn) or 2-(3,5-diphenyl-1-pyrazolyl)-1,3-thiazine (DPhPzTz). The study was aimed at analysing their potential anticarcinogenic ability in epithelial cervix carcinoma HeLa, human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 and human histiocytic lymphoma U-937 tumour cell lines as well as checking whether the structural factors of the organic ligand may influence their biological activity. Our findings showed that PtDPhPzTn and PtDPhPzTz were far more effective in terms of cytotoxicity than their less lipophilic counterparts (PtPzTn and PtPzTz), especially in cells derived from solid cervical tumours, thereby suggesting that modulating the lipophilicity of the ligands can help improve the cytotoxic effect of the metal complexes.The authors appreciate the technical and human support provided by the facilities of Bioscience Applied Techniques and Elemental and Molecular Analysis Service of SAIUEx (financed by UEx, Junta de Extremadura, MICINN, FEDER, and FSE). X-Ray intensity measurements were performed at the Unidade de Raios X (RIAIDT, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain). This work was supported by Junta de Extremadura grants (ref. GR18040, GR18062 and IB18013). E. Fernández-Delgado holds a research pre-doctoral fellowship from Junta de Extremadura (jointly financed by European Social Fund, ref. PD18020). J. Espino holds a research post-doctoral fellowship from Junta de Extremadura (ref. TA18002).peerReviewe