Factores asociados al consumo de tabaco en estudiantes universitarios de Lima metropolitana.: Factors associated with tobacco consumption in university students of Lima metropolitan

Introduction: The consumption of tobacco is very harmful to people’s health. According to WHO, smoking is the cause of death of 8 million people a year. Objetive: The purpose of the research was to determine the factors associated with the consumption of tobacco in university students in Metropolitan Lima. Methods: The sample consisted of 447 students from Lima universities, the survey was applied: Fagerstrom test. Subsequently the data was analyzed using tables of: distribution, frequency, contingency.  Results: It was evidenced through the X2 statistical test that there is a significant association between the variables sex and smoking habit, OR = 1.93, IC 95%[1.29-6,519]. It was also observed that having smoking parents is significantly associated with the habit of smoking by the children, with a value p =0,000 of X2 and the OR 3.31, IC 95%[2,145 - 5,116]. Conclusion: The variables sex and parental background have a significant association with tobacco consumption, emphasizing that our family environment deserves to be safe, healthy and free of tobacco smokeIntroducción: El consumo de tabaco es muy perjudicial para la salud de las personas, según la OMS el tabaquismo es la causa de muerte de 8 millones de personas al año. Objetivo: El propósito de la investigación fue determinar los factores asociados al consumo de tabaco en estudiantes universitarios de Lima Metropolitana. Métodos: La muestra estuvo conformada por 447 estudiantes de universidades de Lima, se aplicó la encuesta: Test de Fagerstrom. Los datos fueron analizados utilizando tablas de distribución, frecuencia, y contingencia. Resultados: Se evidenció a través de la prueba estadística X2 que existe asociación significativa entre las variables sexo y el hábito de fumar, OR = 1.93, IC 95% [1.29 – 6,519].  También se pudo observar que tener padres fumadores está asociado significativamente al hábito de fumar por parte de los hijos, con un valor de p=0,000 del X2 y el OR 3,31, IC 95% [2,145 – 5,116].  Conclusión: Las variables sexo masculino y antecedentes parentales tienen asociación significativa con el consumo de tabaco enfatizando que nuestro entorno familiar merece ser seguro, saludable y libre del humo de tabaco

Characterization and Comparison of WO3/WO3-MoO3 and TiO2/TiO2-ZnO Nanostructures for Photoelectrocatalytic Degradation of the Pesticide Imazalil

[EN] Tungsten oxide (WO3) and zinc oxide (ZnO) are n-type semiconductors with numerous applications in photocatalysis. The objective of this study was to synthesize and characterize different types of nanostructures (WO3, WO3-Mo, TiO2, and TiO2-ZnO) for a comparison of hybrid and pure nanostructures to use them as a photoanodes for photoelectrocatalytic degradation of emerging contaminants. With the aim of comparing the properties of both samples, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and confocal laser-Raman spectroscopy were used to study the morphology, composition, and crystallinity, respectively. Electrochemical impedances, Mott-Schottky, and water splitting measurements were performed to compare the photoelectrochemical properties of photoanodes. Finally, the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of the pesticide Imazalil was carried out with the best optimized nanostructure (TiO2-ZnO).This research was funded by AEI (PID2019-105844RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and the project co-funded by FEDER operational program 2014¿2020 of Comunitat Valenciana (IDIFEDER/18/044). M.C.-H. received financial support from Ministerio de Universidades of the predoctoral grant (FPU19/02466). G.R.-M. received financial support from the UPV of a post-doctoral grant (PAID-10-21). P.J.N.-G. received support thanks the grant PEJ2018-003596-A-AR funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. Finally, project co-funded by FEDER operational programme 2014-2020 of Comunitat Valenciana (IDIFEDER/18/044) is acknowledged.Cifre-Herrando, M.; Roselló-Márquez, G.; Navarro Gázquez, PJ.; Muñoz-Portero, M.; Blasco-Tamarit, E.; Garcia-Anton, J. (2023). Characterization and Comparison of WO3/WO3-MoO3 and TiO2/TiO2-ZnO Nanostructures for Photoelectrocatalytic Degradation of the Pesticide Imazalil. Nanomaterials. 13(18). https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13182584131

A Carboxylesterase 2 Gene Polymorphism as Predictor of Capecitabine on Response and Time to Progression

Este artículo ha sido publicado en la revista Current Drug Metabolism Esta versión tiene Licencia Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND Le remito pdf recibido de mi solicitud a la revista del postprint, y que me han enviado por correo electrónico con permiso para su depósito.Capecitabine is a drug that requires the consecutive action of three enzymes: carboxylesterase 2 (CES 2), cytidine deaminase (CDD), and thymidine phosphorylase (TP) for transformation into 5-fluorouracil (5FU). The metabolism of 5FU requires the activity of thymidylate synthase (TS) and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) among other enzymes. The present study prospectively examined the possible relationship between the toxicity and efficacy of capecitabine and 14 different polymorphisms in CES 2, CDD, TS and DPD. Between 2003 and 2005, a total of 136 patients with advanced breast or colorectal cancer treated with capecitabine were prospectively enrolled. The presence of two polymorphisms (CDD 943insC and CES 2 Exon3 6046 G/A) were associated with a non-statistically significant higher incidence of grade 3 hand-foot syndrome (HFS) (p=0.07) and grade 3-4 diarrhoea (p=0.09), respectively. Patients heterozygous or homozygous for the polymorphism CES 2 5’UTR 823 C/G exhibited a significantly greater response rate to capecitabine, and time to progression of disease (59%, 8.7 months) than patients with the wild type gene sequence (32%, p=0.015; 5.3 months, p=0.014). For the first time, an association between a polymorphism in the CES2 gene and the efficacy of capecitabine has been described, providing preliminary evidence of its predictive and prognostic value

Influencia de la fertilización nitrogenada sobre las concentraciones de K+, Mg2+ y Ca2+ y sus bioindicadores en raíces y hojas de plantas de judía

The pyruvate kinase (PK) and ATPase activities taking part in nitrogen (N) assimilation is essential for the growth and development of plants. Studies on the kinetics of these enzymes reveal that its activities are dependent of the cofactors K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to determine the effect of different doses of N on enzymatic activities of ATPase and PK as potentials biochemical indicators of the levels of K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+ in the roots and leaves of green bean plants. The N was applied to the nutrient solution as NH4NO3 at the following rates: 1.5, 3.0, 6.0, 12.0, 18.0, and 24.0 mM of N. These results indicate that deficient conditions of N (N1 and N2) were characterized by the lowest accumulation of K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ in both total and soluble forms, and also minimum activities of PK and ATPase induced by K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+, with respect to the activity of basal PK and ATPase; this could mean near optimum conditions for these cations. On the contrary, high-N treatments (N4, N5 and N6) were characterized by presenting decreasing concentrations of total and soluble K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ in roots and leaves of green bean plants; however, the activities of PK and ATPase induced with K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ were increased reaching their maximum activity with respect to basal PK and ATPase, both enzymes reflecting the level of cations in roots and leaves, hence being considered as good physiological bioindicators of these cations.Las actividades piruvato kinasa (PK) y ATPasa participan en la asimilación de nitrógeno (N), la cual es esencial para el crecimiento y desarrollo de las plantas. Estudios sobre cinéticas de estas enzimas revelan que sus actividades son dependientes de los cofactores K+, Ca2+ y Mg2+. Por lo tanto, el objetivo del presente trabajo fue determinar el efecto de diferentes dosis de N sobre las actividades de la ATPasa y PK como posibles bioindicadores de los niveles de K+, Mg2+ y Ca2+ en raíces y hojas de plantas de judía (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Strike). Se aplicó N a la solución nutritiva como NH4NO3 en las siguientes dosis: N1=1,5 mM, N2=3,0 mM, N3=6,0 mM, N4=12,0 mM, N5=18,0 mM y N6=24,0 mM. Los resultados indican que bajo condiciones deficientes de N (N1 y N2), las plantas presentaron menor acumulación de K+, Mg2+ y Ca2+ en su forma total y soluble, así como mínimas actividades PK y ATPasa inducidas por K+, Mg2+ y Ca2+ respecto a la actividad PK y ATPasa basal; lo cual indica condiciones cercanas a las óptimas de estos cationes. Por el contrario, en los tratamientos elevados de N (N4, N5 y N6) las plantas presentaron concentraciones decrecientes de K+, Mg2+ y Ca2+ total y soluble tanto en raíces como en hojas; sin embargo, las actividades PK y ATPasa inducidas con K+, Mg2+ y Ca2+ se incrementaron alcanzando sus máximas actividades con respecto a la PK y ATPasa basal, lo que indica una mayor necesidad fisiológica de estos cationes en los tratamientos elevados de N. Finalmente, la actividad ATPasa basal y la inducida con K+, Mg2+ y Ca2+ se comportaron de forma similar a la actividad PK, lo que refleja el nivel de cationes en raíces y en hojas, por lo que se consideran buenos bioindicadores fisiológicos de estos cationes

Updating known distribution models for forecasting climate change impact on endangered species

To plan endangered species conservation and to design adequate management programmes, it is necessary to predict their distributional response to climate change, especially under the current situation of rapid change. However, these predictions are customarily done by relating de novo the distribution of the species with climatic conditions with no regard of previously available knowledge about the factors affecting the species distribution. We propose to take advantage of known species distribution models, but proceeding to update them with the variables yielded by climatic models before projecting them to the future. To exemplify our proposal, the availability of suitable habitat across Spain for the endangered Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata) was modelled by updating a pre-existing model based on current climate and topography to a combination of different general circulation models and Special Report on Emissions Scenarios. Our results suggested that the main threat for this endangered species would not be climate change, since all forecasting models show that its distribution will be maintained and increased in mainland Spain for all the XXI century. We remark on the importance of linking conservation biology with distribution modelling by updating existing models, frequently available for endangered species, considering all the known factors conditioning the species’ distribution, instead of building new models that are based on climate change variables only.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and FEDER (project CGL2009-11316/BOS

Multi-technical approach for the characterization of polychrome decorative surfaces at Spanish Mission Churches in Nueva Vizcaya (Chihuahua, Mexico)

An interdisciplinary and multi-institutional group of science and art conservation specialists has provided new insight into the painting materials used in the polychrome walls and wooden ceilings in four seventeenth century Spanish colonial churches of Nueva Vizcaya (Chihuahua, Mexico). A multi-analytical study of the decorative surfaces was performed in situ using spectroscopic approaches (XRF, FORS), False Colour Infrared Reflectography - IRFC, as well as micro sampling (ATR-FTIR, LM, GC/MS). A survey of natural resources and study (ATR-FTIR, LM) was carried out to elucidate the natural occurrence of a select number of materials in the surrounding areas of the churches. The present paper presents a multi-analytical study and characterization of green, red-orange and black colour pigments and binders selected from the decorative surfaces. The aim of this study is to highlight relationships between local materials and those from the original polychrome ceilings, in order to understand the material and technological influences that converged in the Spanish colonial architecture of northern Mexico

At the beginnings of the funerary Megalithism in Iberia at Campo de Hockey necropolis

The excavations undertaken at the Campo de Hockey site in 2008 led to the identification of a major Neolithic necropolis in the former Island of San Fernando (Bay of Cádiz). This work presents the results of the latest studies, which indicate that the site stands as one of the oldest megalithic necropolises in the Iberian Peninsula. The main aim of this work is to present with precision the chronology of this necropolis through a Bayesian statistical model that confirms that the necropolis was in use from c. 4300 to 3800 cal BC. The presence of prestige grave goods in the earliest and most monumental graves suggest that the Megalithism phenomenon emerged in relation to maritime routes linked to the distribution of exotic products. We also aim to examine funerary practices in these early megalithic communities, and especially their way of life and the social reproduction system. As such, in addition to the chronological information and the Bayesian statistics, we provide the results of a comprehensive interdisciplinary study, including anthropological, archaeometric and genetic data.Archaeological background: the Campo de Hockey settlement Methods - Tomb typology - Radiocarbon dates and Bayesian analysis. - Bioarchaeology. - DNA - Grave goods Results - Tomb typology - Radiocarbon dating: Bayesian analysis - Bioarchaeology. - DNA - Grave goods. Discussion and conclusions

Evolution of the microstructure, chemical composition and magnetic behaviour during the synthesis of alkanethiol-capped gold nanoparticles

In the present paper, we show an exhaustive microstructural characterization of thiol-capped gold nanoparticles (NPs) with two different average particle sizes. These samples are compared with the polymer-like Au(I) phase formed as a precursor during the synthesis of the thiol-capped gold NPs. The set of analysed samples shows different microstructures at the nanoscale with different proportions of An atoms bonded either to S or to Au atoms. It has been experimentally shown that the presence of a ferromagnetic-like behaviour is associated to the formation of NPs with simultaneous presence of Au-Au and Au-S bonds. In order to explain such magnetic behaviour a possible model is proposed based on the spin-orbit coupling so that localized charges and/or spins (Au-S bonds) can trap conduction electrons (Au-Au bonds) in orbits. (c) 2006 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved