CAMBIO DE COBERTURA Y USO DEL SUELO EN LA CUENCA DEL RIO MOLOLOA, NAYARIT

Los cambios de cobertura y uso del suelo se han reconocido en muchos países como una de las principales causas de deterioro ambiental, por ello están ubicados en el centro de la investigación ambiental y representan un punto importante en diferentes ámbitos como medio para entender los mecanismos de este proceso de deterioro y guía para la toma razo- nable de decisiones sobre el uso del territorio. En el estado de Nayarit, la cuenca del río Mo- loloa ha proveído de un conjunto de bienes y servicios a las localidades que involucra; des- afortunadamente, esta relación ha repercutido en un deterioro acelerado de sus recursos na- turales. En este trabajo se analizan los cambios de cobertura y uso del suelo en la cuenca del río Mololoa, entre 1995 y 2005, a partir de la interpretación de ortofotos digitales y manejo de la información en un SIG. Los resultados muestran que el paisaje de la cuenca está dominado en 83.01% por la vegetación natural y tierras de cultivo. La dinámica de cambio está centrada en los tipos de cobertura “vegetación natural” y “construcciones”, la primera disminuye a una tasa de 41.67 ha/año, y la segunda, aumenta 74.86 ha/año. La tasa de deforestación de los bosques y selvas de la región fue de 0.1 y 0.36%, menor a las reportadas por diferentes autores a nivel nacional y estatal

Characterization of the cytotoxic effects of the combination of cisplatin and flavanol (-)-epicatechin on human lung cancer cell line A549. An isobolographic approach

Background: Among malignancies, lung cancer is a leading cause of death. Platinum-based therapeutic compounds used to treat lung cancer have not been able to increase the survival of patients and such compounds have a high incidence of adverse and toxic effects. It has been proposed that flavonoids such as catechins may significantly reduce the risk of developing cancer, alongside with other health benefits. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of (-)-epicatechin, the main flavanol found in cocoa, on the proliferation of the lung non-small cell adenocarcinoma cancer cell line A549, and to determine its effects when added simultaneously with cisplatin. Materials and Methods: Concentration-response curves for cisplatin and epicatechin were obtained, inhibitory concentrations calculated and an isobolographic analysis was then performed. Results: We found that epicatechin has a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on proliferation of tumor cells and the isobolographic analysis reveals that the effect of its combination with cisplatin is synergistic. It was also observed that epicatechin promotes cell death by apoptosis. Conclusions: Epicatechin might be considered for future studies to explore its possible use as coadjuvant in cisplatin-based treatments

Impact of Community-Based Larviciding on the Prevalence of Malaria Infection in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The use of larval source management is not prioritized by contemporary malaria control programs in sub-Saharan Africa despite historical success. Larviciding, in particular, could be effective in urban areas where transmission is focal and accessibility to Anopheles breeding habitats is generally easier than in rural settings. The objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a community-based microbial larviciding intervention to reduce the prevalence of malaria infection in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania. Larviciding was implemented in 3 out of 15 targeted wards of Dar es Salaam in 2006 after two years of baseline data collection. This intervention was subsequently scaled up to 9 wards a year later, and to all 15 targeted wards in 2008. Continuous randomized cluster sampling of malaria prevalence and socio-demographic characteristics was carried out during 6 survey rounds (2004-2008), which included both cross-sectional and longitudinal data (N = 64,537). Bayesian random effects logistic regression models were used to quantify the effect of the intervention on malaria prevalence at the individual level. Effect size estimates suggest a significant protective effect of the larviciding intervention. After adjustment for confounders, the odds of individuals living in areas treated with larviciding being infected with malaria were 21% lower (Odds Ratio = 0.79; 95% Credible Intervals: 0.66-0.93) than those who lived in areas not treated. The larviciding intervention was most effective during dry seasons and had synergistic effects with other protective measures such as use of insecticide-treated bed nets and house proofing (i.e., complete ceiling or window screens). A large-scale community-based larviciding intervention significantly reduced the prevalence of malaria infection in urban Dar es Salaam

Parkinsonism caused by adverse drug reactions: a case series

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Parkinsonism puts a high direct cost burden on both patient and caregiver. Several reports of drug-induced parkinsonism have been published, but to the best of our knowledge, there has not been any report of quinine or halothane inducing parkinsonism.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We describe two cases of parkinsonism possibly caused by adverse drug reaction to quinine in a 29-year-old black Nigerian woman and to halothane in a 36-year-old black Hausa (Nigerian) man who received it as general anaesthesia for appendicectomy in our teaching hospital.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These are two unusual cases of parkinsonism caused by adverse drug reactions to high-dose quinine and to halothane as general anaesthesia. We consider that these two cases are important in bringing this potential side-effect to the attention of both pharmacologists and primary care physicians as these are two of the most commonly used medications in our clinics. We conclude that parkinsonism should be included among the adverse drug reactions to high-dose quinine and halothane general anaesthetic.</p

A Research Agenda to Underpin Malaria Eradication

Pedro Alonso and colleagues introduce the Malaria Eradication Research Agenda (malERA) initiative and the set of articles published in this PLoS Medicine Supplement that distill the research questions key to malaria eradication

A framework for assessing the feasibility of malaria elimination

The recent scale-up of malaria interventions, the ensuing reductions in the malaria burden, and reinvigorated discussions about global eradication have led many countries to consider malaria elimination as an alternative to maintaining control measures indefinitely. Evidence-based guidance to help countries weigh their options is thus urgently needed. A quantitative feasibility assessment that balances the epidemiological situation in a region, the strength of the public health system, the resource constraints, and the status of malaria control in neighboring areas can serve as the basis for robust, long-term strategic planning. Such a malaria elimination feasibility assessment was recently prepared for the Minister of Health in Zanzibar. Based on the Zanzibar experience, a framework is proposed along three axes that assess the technical requirements to achieve and maintain elimination, the operational capacity of the malaria programme and the public health system to meet those requirements, and the feasibility of funding the necessary programmes over time. Key quantitative and qualitative metrics related to each component of the assessment are described here along with the process of collecting data and interpreting the results. Although further field testing, validation, and methodological improvements will be required to ensure applicability in different epidemiological settings, the result is a flexible, rational methodology for weighing different strategic options that can be applied in a variety of contexts to establish data-driven strategic plans

Kv7 Channels Can Function without Constitutive Calmodulin Tethering

M-channels are voltage-gated potassium channels composed of Kv7.2-7.5 subunits that serve as important regulators of neuronal excitability. Calmodulin binding is required for Kv7 channel function and mutations in Kv7.2 that disrupt calmodulin binding cause Benign Familial Neonatal Convulsions (BFNC), a dominantly inherited human epilepsy. On the basis that Kv7.2 mutants deficient in calmodulin binding are not functional, calmodulin has been defined as an auxiliary subunit of Kv7 channels. However, we have identified a presumably phosphomimetic mutation S511D that permits calmodulin-independent function. Thus, our data reveal that constitutive tethering of calmodulin is not required for Kv7 channel function