Prevalencia de Ansiedad y Depresión por COVID-19 en el Personal de Enfermería

Introducción. El personal de enfermería que labora en el segundo nivel de atención enfrenta diariamente situaciones que pueden afectar su salud mental como la depresión y la ansiedad. Algunos de los factores que incrementan la incidencia de estos son: el aumento de casos de COVID-19 y la saturación de los servicios sanitarios. Objetivo. Medir la prevalencia de ansiedad y depresión por COVID-19 en el personal de enfermería, de un hospital de segundo nivel de atención. Metodología. Estudio con enfoque cuantitativo, con un diseño  descriptivo y corte transversal. Mediante un muestreo estadístico por fórmula, se aplicó la Escala de Ansiedad y Depresión de Goldberg (EADG) a 45 integrantes del personal de enfermería; fueron considerados los principios bioéticos en los participantes que aceptaron firmar la carta de consentimiento informado. Resultados. La media de edad fue de 33.67 años y el 62% presenta la ansiedad y con respecto a la variable depresión, no se presentó; sin embargo, se manifiestó un riesgo del 20% de los participantes de presentar síntomas de depresión, entre los que se identificaron: dificultad para concentrarse, pérdida de apetito, sentirse aletargado y despertar demasiado temprano. Conclusiones. Abordar la salud mental en el personal de enfermería es de sumo interés, dado que la presencia de estos padecimientos puede afectar desde la salud del trabajador, hasta la atención y el cuidado que se les brinda a los pacientes.   Introduction. Nursing staff working in the second level of hospital care face daily situations that can affect their mental health, leading to conditions such as depression and anxiety. Some of the factors that increase the incidence of these are: the increase in cases of COVID-19, little certainty in the information on the treatment and care of this disease, the saturation of health services, shortage of supplies, lack of assistance personnel, long working hours, and the mortality rate of the population. Objective. To measure the prevalence of anxiety and depression due to COVID-19 in the nursing staff of a second-level care hospital in the state of Querétaro, in order to obtain information that allows, subsequently, to create strategies for the care of nursing staff. Methodology. A study of quantitative approach, descriptive level and cross section was carried out. A statistical sampling by formula defined the sample of 45 members of the nursing staff; Data collection was used by Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale (EADG) with 18 items with dichotomous response. Bioethical principles were considered and participants were asked to accept the signing of the informed consent letter. Descriptive statistics were used in the analysis of information by means of averages. Results. The mean age was 33.67 years and in terms of the prevalence of anxiety, is present in 62% of the sample and with respect to the variable depression, there is no presence of this; however, there is a risk of 20% of the sample to have symptoms of depression, among which were identified: difficulty concentrating, loss of appetite, feeling elongated and waking up too early. Conclusions. Addressing mental health in nursing staff is of great interest, as the presence of these conditions can affect from the health of the worker to the care and care provided to patients

Microwave-assisted sol-gel synthesis of an Au-TiO2 photoanode for the advanced oxidation of paracetamol as model pharmaceutical pollutant

An Au-TiO2 photoanode on carbon cloth has been synthesized by microwave-assisted sol-gel method to treat paracetamol solutions at pH 3.0 by photocatalysis (PC), electro-oxidation (EO), photoelectrocatalysis with UVA light (PEC), solar PEC (SPEC) and hybrid methods with photoelectro-Fenton under UVA (PEC+PEF) and sunlight (SPEC+SPEF) irradiation at constant anodic potential (Ean). The photoanode has been characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, HRTEM and SEM-EDS. The counter electrode was a 316L stainless steel plate, which was replaced by an air-diffusion electrode for H2O2 generation in hybrid treatments. The most powerful process was SPEC+SPEF, yielding total paracetamol removal in less than 30 min and 24% mineralization after 180 min, at Ean = +0.82 V. The paracetamol decay followed a pseudo-first-order kinetics in PEC. A lower rate constant was obtained upon increase of pharmaceutical concentration, showing good linear fit using a Langmuir-Hinshelwood model

TiO2/Au/TiO2 multilayer thin-film photoanodes synthesized by pulsed laser deposition for photoelectrochemical degradation of organic pollutants

Most commonly employed anodes for photoelectrochemical degradation of organic contaminants in water are too thick, resulting in a low degradation efficiency due to the excessive electron-hole recombination. Multilayer-type TiO 2 /Au/TiO 2 nanocomposites have been prepared as photoanode thin films by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The films were composed of six TiO 2 and five Au alternate layers, with total thickness of about 212 nm, aimed to optimize the absorption of photons and minimize the recombination. The influence of gold on the optical, structural, and chemical properties of the semiconductor nanocomposites was investigated. The band gap determined from Tauc model was 3.22 eV, close to that obtained by spectroscopic ellipsometry and lower than that of the TiO 2 film, revealing an enhancement of visible light absorption. The catalytic performance of PLD films was evaluated by using them as anodes in electro-oxidation (EO) and photoanodes in photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) to degrade 39-157 mg L ⁻¹ paracetamol in sulfate medium. The drug removal was very slow in EO, due to the low ability to form [rad] OH on the anode surface, which was significantly enhanced upon UVA irradiation in PEC. The presence of Cl ⁻ allowed a faster degradation by produced active chlorine. Finally, a hybrid process involving PEC + photoelectro-Fenton (PEF) with an air-diffusion cathode yielded total paracetamol decay in 4-5 min at an anodic potential of +4.0 V because of the efficient [rad] OH generation from Fenton's and photo-Fenton reactions. Hydroquinone, p-benzoquinone and hydroxylated products were detected during EO and PEC. The generation of active chlorine was confirmed by identifying a chlorinated derivative, N-(4-chloro-2-hydroxyphenyl)acetamide, in PEC + PEF treatment

Pharmacokinetic analysis of intraarticular injection of insulin and its effect on IGF-1 expression in synovial fluid of healthy horses

La insulina induce la mitosis en los condrocitos equinos in vitro y mejora la producción de colágeno tipo II. La insulina, cuando se administra vía intraarticular, cambia la composición del líquido sinovial, incluyendo las concentraciones de glucosa, insulina y los niveles de glucemia. La concentración de insulina en la articulación se midió mediante cromatografía líquida de alta resolución (HPLC, por sus siglas en inglés), que proporcionó valores farmacocinéticos. A seis caballos de raza mixta se les administraron tres dosis diferentes de insulina en una articulación antebraquiocarpiana (10, 15 y 20 UI) y se administró solución salina isotónica en la articulación contralateral. La concentración de glucosa en sangre cambió significativamente a través del tiempo para las tres dosis (P0.05), no se encontró diferencia significativa en las concentraciones de glucosa sinovial entre las articulaciones tratadas y de control (P>0.05). Los valores obtenidos mediante HPLC se analizaron con PKAnalyst, esto reveló que los valores farmacocinéticos eran dependientes de las dosis, no hubo diferencia significativa en la concentración de glucosa en sangre entre las tres diferentes dosis (P>0.05). ELISA para el IGF-1 (factor de crecimiento similar a la insulina 1) reveló una diferencia significativa entre las articulaciones tratadas y de control (P0.05), no significant difference in synovial glucose concentrations was found between treated and control joints (P>0.05). Values obtained by HPLC analyzed with PkAnalyst program revealed that the pharmacokinetic values were dose dependent, there was no significant difference in concentration of blood glucose between the three different doses (P>0.05). ELISA for IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1) revealed a significant difference between treated and control joints (P<0.001). Insulin used in this study proved to be innocuous to the equine joint, no more than 20 IU for a 350-400 kg horse should be administered

Intraspecific venom variation of Mexican West Coast Rattlesnakes (Crotalus basiliscus) and its implications for antivenom production

14 páginas, 9 figuras, 3 tablasIntraspecific variation in snake venoms has been widely documented worldwide. However, there are few studies on this subject in Mexico. Venom characterization studies provide important data used to predict clinical syndromes, to evaluate the efficacy of antivenoms and, in some cases, to improve immunogenic mixtures in the production of antivenoms. In the present work, we evaluated the intraspecific venom variation of Crotalus basiliscus, a rattlesnake of medical importance and whose venom is used in the immunization of horses to produce one of the Mexican antivenoms. Our results demonstrate that there is variation in biological and biochemical activities among adult venoms and that there is an ontogenetic change from juvenile to adult venoms. Juvenile venoms were more lethal and had higher percentages of crotamine and crotoxin, while adult venoms had higher percentages of snake venom metalloproteases (SVMPs). Additionally, we documented crotoxin-like PLA2 variation in which specimens from Zacatecas, Sinaloa and Michoacán (except 1) lacked the neurotoxin, while the rest of the venoms had it. Finally, we evaluated the efficacy of three lots of Birmex antivenom and all three were able to neutralize the lethality of four representative venoms but were not able to neutralize crotamine. We also observed significant differences in the LD50 values neutralized per vial among the different lots. Based on these results, we recommend including venoms containing crotamine in the production of antivenom for a better immunogenic mixture and to improve the homogeneity of lots.This study was financially supported by DGAPA-PAPIIT (project IN211621), CONACYT (project264255); FORDECYT PRONACE (project 1715618/2020), FORDECYT (project 303045), Clemson University and the National Science Foundation (DEB 1822417) to CLP.Peer reviewe

Biological and proteolytic variation in the venom of Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus from Mexico

Rattlesnake venoms may be classified according to the presence/absence and relative abundance of the neurotoxic phospholipases A2s (PLA2s), such as Mojave toxin, and snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs). In Mexico, studies to determine venom variation in Mojave Rattlesnakes (Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus) are limited and little is known about the biological and proteolytic activities in this species. Tissue (34) and venom (29) samples were obtained from C. s. scutulatus from different locations within their distribution in Mexico. Mojave toxin detection was carried out at the genomic (by PCR) and protein (by ELISA) levels for all tissue and venom samples. Biological activity was tested on representative venoms by measuring LD50 and hemorrhagic activity. To determine the approximate amount of SVMPs, 15 venoms were separated by RP-HPLC and variation in protein profile and proteolytic activity was evaluated by SDS-PAGE (n = 28) and Hide Powder Azure proteolytic analysis (n = 27). Three types of venom were identified in Mexico which is comparable to the intraspecific venom diversity observed in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, USA: Venom Type A ( Type II), with Mojave toxin, highly toxic, lacking hemorrhagic activity, and with scarce proteolytic activity; Type B ( Type I), without Mojave toxin, less toxic than Type A, highly hemorrhagic and proteolytic; and Type A + B, containing Mojave toxin, as toxic as venom Type A, variable in hemorrhagic activity and with intermediate proteolytic activity. We also detected a positive correlation between SVMP abundance and hemorrhagic and proteolytic activities. Although more sampling is necessary, our results suggest that venoms containing Mojave toxin and venom lacking this toxin are distributed in the northwest and southeast portions of the distribution in Mexico, respectively, while an intergradation in the middle of both zones is presentConsejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia/[221343]/CONACYT/MéxicoUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto Clodomiro Picado (ICP)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Salud::Facultad de Microbiologí

Maternal dietary patterns and acute leukemia in infants: results from a case control study in Mexico

BackgroundChildhood cancer is the leading cause of disease-related mortality among children aged 5–14 years in Mexico, with acute leukemia being the most common cancer among infants. Examining the overall dietary patterns allows for a comprehensive assessment of food and nutrient consumption, providing a more predictive measure of disease risk than individual foods or nutrients. This study aims to evaluate the association between maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy and the risk of acute leukemia in Mexican infants.MethodsA hospital-based case–control study was conducted, comparing 109 confirmed acute leukemia cases with 152 age-matched controls. All participants (≤24 months) were identified at hospitals in Mexico City between 2010 and 2019. Data on a posteriori dietary patterns and other relevant variables were collected through structured interviews and dietary questionnaires. Multivariate logistic regression was employed to estimate the association between maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy and the risk of acute leukemia in infants.ResultsThe “Balanced &amp; Vegetable-Rich” pattern, characterized by a balanced consumption of various food groups and higher vegetable intake, exhibited a negative association with acute leukemia when compared to the “High Dairy &amp; Cereals” Pattern (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.29, 0.90). We observed that mothers who gave birth to girls and adhered to a healthy dietary pattern during pregnancy exhibited significantly lower odds of their children developing AL compared to those who gave birth to boys [OR = 0.32 (95% CI 0.11, 0.97)]. Our results underscore the significance of maternal nutrition as a modifiable factor in disease prevention and the importance of prenatal health education

Evidence of spatial clustering of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases in Greater Mexico City: report from the Mexican Inter-Institutional Group for the identification of the causes of childhood leukemia

BackgroundA heterogeneous geographic distribution of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases has been described, possibly, related to the presence of different environmental factors. The aim of the present study was to explore the geographical distribution of childhood ALL cases in Greater Mexico City (GMC).MethodsA population-based case-control study was conducted. Children &lt;18 years old, newly diagnosed with ALL and residents of GMC were included. Controls were patients without leukemia recruited from second-level public hospitals, frequency-matched by sex, age, and health institution with the cases. The residence address where the patients lived during the last year before diagnosis (cases) or the interview (controls) was used for geolocation. Kulldorff’s spatial scan statistic was used to detect spatial clusters (SCs). Relative risks (RR), associated p-value and number of cases included for each cluster were obtained.ResultsA total of 1054 cases with ALL were analyzed. Of these, 408 (38.7%) were distributed across eight SCs detected. A relative risk of 1.61 (p&lt;0.0001) was observed for the main cluster. Similar results were noted for the remaining seven ones. Additionally, a proximity between SCs, electrical installations and petrochemical facilities was observed.ConclusionsThe identification of SCs in certain regions of GMC suggest the possible role of environmental factors in the etiology of childhood ALL

Plant diversity patterns in neotropical dry forests and their conservation implications

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from American Association for the Advancement of Science via the DOI in this record.Seasonally dry tropical forests are distributed across Latin America and the Caribbean and are highly threatened, with less than 10% of their original extent remaining in many countries. Using 835 inventories covering 4660 species of woody plants, we show marked floristic turnover among inventories and regions, which may be higher than in other neotropical biomes, such as savanna. Such high floristic turnover indicates that numerous conservation areas across many countries will be needed to protect the full diversity of tropical dry forests. Our results provide a scientific framework within which national decision-makers can contextualize the floristic significance of their dry forest at a regional and continental scale.This paper is the result of the Latin American and Caribbean Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest Floristic Network (DRYFLOR), which has been supported at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh by a Leverhulme Trust International Network Grant (IN-074). This work was also supported by the U.K. Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/I028122/1; Colciencias Ph.D. scholarship 529; Synthesys Programme GBTAF-2824; the NSF (NSF 1118340 and 1118369); the Instituto Humboldt (IAvH)–Red colombiana de investigación y monitoreo en bosque seco; the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI; Tropi-Dry, CRN2-021, funded by NSF GEO 0452325); Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR); and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). The data reported in this paper are available at www.dryflor.info. R.T.P. conceived the study. M.P., A.O.-F., K.B.-R., R.T.P., and J.W. designed the DRYFLOR database system. K.B.-R. and K.G.D. carried out most analyses. K.B.-R. R.T.P., and K.G.D. wrote the manuscript with substantial input from A.D.-S., R.L.-P., A.O.-F., D.P., C.Q., and R.R. All the authors contributed data, discussed further analyses, and commented on various versions of the manuscript. K.B.-R. thanks G. Galeano who introduced her to dry forest research. We thank J. L. Marcelo, I. Huamantupa, C. Reynel, S. Palacios, and A. Daza for help with fieldwork and data entry in Peru

EDUCACIÓN AMBIENTAL Y SOCIEDAD. SABERES LOCALES PARA EL DESARROLLO Y LA SUSTENTABILIDAD

Este texto contribuye al análisis científico de varias áreas del conocimiento como la filosofía social, la patología, la educación para el cuidado del medio ambiente y la sustentabilidad que inciden en diversas unidades de aprendizaje de la Licenciatura en Educación para la Salud y de la Maestría en Sociología de la SaludLas comunidades indígenas de la sierra norte de Oaxaca México, habitan un territorio extenso de biodiversidad. Sin que sea una área protegida y sustentable, la propia naturaleza de la región ofrece a sus visitantes la riqueza de la vegetación caracterizada por sus especies endémicas que componen un paisaje de suma belleza