Problemas y propuestas de mejora en la atención sanitaria a los inmigrantes económicos

ResumenObjetivosAnalizar los problemas que existen en la atención sanitaria a los inmigrantes económicos en opinión de profesionales sociosanitarios, de la administración sanitaria y de inmigrantes, así como conocer y priorizar las propuestas de los profesionales para mejorar dicha atención.MétodosEstudio descriptivo de enfoque cualitativo realizado en Mallorca. Se han realizado tres grupos focales y tres grupos nominales con profesionales de atención primaria y especializada, dos entrevistas semiestructuradas a dos miembros de la administración sanitaria, uno de la Administración autonómica y otro de la Administración central, y doce entrevistas semiestructuradas a inmigrantes económicos identificados a partir de informantes clave.ResultadosEl incremento del número de inmigrantes económicos es percibido por los profesionales y por la administración con una sensación de llegada masiva. Los principales problemas identificados han sido las restricciones de acceso, el seguimiento de estos pacientes, y la falta de entrenamiento en medicina tropical. Los inmigrantes, en cambio, están más preocupados por regularizar su situación y por el acceso a la vivienda. La primera propuesta de los profesionales es su formación en medicina tropical. La Administración autonómica prioriza el acceso a los servicios sanitarios y la búsqueda activa de problemas de salud en esta población, mientras que la Administración central aboga en primer lugar por la regularización de todos los inmigrantes.ConclusionesLas principales barreras en la atención sanitaria a los inmmigrantes económicos son, en opinión de los profesionales sociosanitarios, las restricciones de acceso, el seguimiento clínico y la falta de entrenamiento en medicina tropical, y para mejorar esta situación los profesionales demandan formación. Las prioridades de las Administraciones autonómica y central no son coincidentes. Finalmente, para los inmigrantes económicos, la atención sanitaria no parece ser una prioridad.SummaryObjectivesTo analyse existing problems in health care to economic immigrants from the point of view of health and social professionals, health authorities and economic immigrants and to know which will be their proposals and priorities to improve economic immigrants’s health assistance.MethodsQualitative approach study made in Majorca island. (Spain). Three focus groups and three nominal groups with health and social workers from primary health care and hospital services were carried out as well as two partially structured interviews to health authorities, one Autonomic Authority and one Governmental Authority, and twelve partially structured interviews to economic immigrants identified trough key informants.ResultsHealth and social workers perceive the increase in the number of economic immigrants as a massive arrival. The main problems identified are: access restrictions to public helath services for economic immigrants, the follow-up of these patients and diagnostic difficulties because lack of training in tropical medicine. Health and social workers’s first proposal for improving this situation is their own training in tropical medicine. Autonomic Authority priorities are to garantiee access to public health services for all immigrants and to look actively for health problems in these population. Governmental Authority, instead, holds the legalization for all. In fact, economic immigrants are not concerned on health care because legalization and houssing problems.ConclusionsThe main barriers identified by health and social workers in health care to economic immigrants are: access restrictions, follow-up and lack of training in tropical medicine. Health and social first proposal to improve this situation is their own training in tropical medicine while Autonomic and Central Authorities’s priorities are not the same. For economic inmigrants, health assistance is not their biggest concern

Preliminary morpho-structural study of a pig population in the province of Corrientes (Argentina)

A preliminary study of the morphostructural characteristics of a sample of the population of Creole Argentine pigs formed by 34 animals of 10 months of age from 12 farms belonging to 3 departments of Corrientes Province, Argentina, based principally on exteriorists and morphologic aspects is presented in this work. The animals presented rectilinear profiles, sub-concave and concave front, Iberian, celtic and asian type ears, red, yellow, white and spotted coats, white, black and white with gray rows hooves, pink and dark mucosaes. They all presented hair and females had between 8 and 15 nipples. The comparative analysis among departments for the quantitative variables and indexes, shows significant differences (p<0.05) for most of them, except for length of the croup, thorax perimeter, facial index, relative depth of the chest, index metacarpus - thoracic and index of load of the cane, in which an homogeneous behaviour was stated in the whole population. It is pending the development of a full work where, the samples of animals are enlarged to achieve a complete description and the genetic characterization of the pigs, to confirm the presence of different varieties and its relationship with the iberic trunk.En este trabajo se presenta un estudio preliminar de las características morfoestructurales de una muestra de la población de cerdos criollos argentinos formada por 34 ejemplares mayores de 10 meses, de 12 establecimientos rurales pertenecientes a 3 departamentos de la Provincia de Corrientes, Argentina, basado principalmente en aspectos exterioristas y morfológicos. Se encontraron perfiles rectilíneos, subconcavilíneos, concavilíneos y ultraconcavilíneos, orejas asiáticas, ibéricas y célticas, capas negras, coloradas y bayas, claras y overas, pezuñas blancas enteras y con vetas de color pizarra, y negras, mucosas rosadas y pigmentadas, todos presentaban pelos y de 8 a 15 mamas las hembras, hallándose mamellas en un porcentaje de la muestra. El análisis comparativo entre departamentos para las variables cuantitativas e índices zoométricos, muestra diferencias significativas (p<0,05) para la mayoría, a excepción longitud de la grupa, perímetro torácico, índice facial, profundidad relativa del pecho, índice metacarpo-torácico e índice de carga de la caña, en las cuales se constató un comportamiento homogéneo en toda la población. Queda pendiente el desarrollo de un trabajo donde, se amplíe la muestra de animales medidos para lograr una descripción completa y donde se profundice en la caracterización genética, para afirmar la presencia de variedades y su relación con el tronco ibérico

Pig local genetic resource in the argentinian ne region

Los parámetros cualitativos muestran que es una población muy homogénea y por lo tanto no pueden establecerse variedades basadas en éstas

Comparison of methods for the identification and sub-typing of O157 and non-O157 Escherichia coli serotypes and their integration into a polyphasic taxonomy approach

peer-reviewedPhenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic data from 12 strains of Escherichia coli were collected, including carbon source utilisation profiles, ribotypes, sequencing data of the 16S–23S rRNA internal transcribed region (ITS) and Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic profiles. The objectives were to compare several identification systems for E. coli and to develop and test a polyphasic taxonomic approach using the four methodologies combined for the sub-typing of O157 and non-O157 E. coli. The nucleotide sequences of the 16S–23S rRNA ITS regions were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), sequenced and compared with reference data available at the GenBank database using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) . Additional information comprising the utilisation of carbon sources, riboprint profiles and FT-IR spectra was also collected. The capacity of the methods for the identification and typing of E. coli to species and subspecies levels was evaluated. Data were transformed and integrated to present polyphasic hierarchical clusters and relationships. The study reports the use of an integrated scheme comprising phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic information (carbon source profile, sequencing of the 16S–23S rRNA ITS, ribotyping and FT-IR spectroscopy) for a more precise characterisation and identification of E. coli. The results showed that identification of E. coli strains by each individual method was limited mainly by the extension and quality of reference databases. On the contrary, the polyphasic approach, whereby heterogeneous taxonomic data were combined and weighted, improved the identification results, gave more consistency to the final clustering and provided additional information on the taxonomic structure and phenotypic behaviour of strains, as shown by the close clustering of strains with similar stress resistance patterns.The authors acknowledge the financial contribution of the Spanish INIA, the Research Council of Norway (project 178230/I10), Foundation for Levy on Foods, the Norwegian Research Fees Fund for Agricultural Goods, the Norwegian Independent Meat and Poultry Association, Nortura SA and NHO Matog Landbruk

Intracellular killing of Brucella melitensis in human macrophages with microspheres-encapsulated gentamicin

Objectives: Treatment of human brucellosis demands antibiotic targeting into the mononuclearphagocytic system. The aim of this work was to prepare and characterize particulate carriers containing gentamicin and to study their interactions with phagocytic cells and bactericidal activity against intracellular Brucella melitensis. Methods: Different poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)polymers with free carboxylic end-group wereusedto formulate micro- and nanoparticles containing gentamicin, by a water-oil-water solvent-evaporation technique. PLGA 502H and 75:25H microparticles were selected because they showed the highest gentamicin loadings as well as good physico-chemical properties and sustained release in vitro. Results: Gentamicin-containing microspheres of both polymers were successfully phagocytosed by infected THP-1 human monocytes, and immunocytochemistry studies revealed that the antibiotic reached Brucella-specific compartments. A dose of 30 mg of encapsulated gentamicin was able to reduce intracellular Brucella infection by 2.2 log. Conclusions: Altogether, these results suggest that 502H and 75:25H microspheres are suitable carriers for gentamicin targeting inside human macrophages and thus for brucellosis treatment

The genus Huperzia (Lycopodiaceae) in the Azores and Madeira

The taxonomy and nomenclature of the genus Huperzia Bernh. in the Azores and Madeira have been reviewed. Plants collected in the Azores and Madeira were characterized morphologically. The independence between two endemic species common to Madeira and the Azores Islands – Huperzia suberecta (Lowe) Tardieu and Huperzia dentata (Herter) Holub – is clearly shown. A clear-cut morphological separation between these taxa and Huperzia selago (L.) Bernh. ex Schrank & Mart. of continental Europe is established

Electrospraying assisted by pressurized gas as an innovative high-throughput process for the microencapsulation and stabilization of docosahexaenoic acid-enriched fish oil in zein prolamine

[EN] Zein, a prolamine obtained from maize, was employed to encapsulate a fish oil highly enriched with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by an innovative process termed electrospraying assisted by pressurized gas (EAPG). This technology combines high electric voltage with pneumatic spray to yield a high-throughput encapsulation process. Semi-spherical zein flowable capsules with mean sizes of 1.4 mu m containing the DHA-enriched fish oil were produced by EAPG from inert ethanol solutions at room conditions, presenting a high encapsulation efficiency. The oxidative stability tests carried out in the zein microcapsules obtained by EAPG showed that the DHA-enriched fish oil was efficiently protected over storage time. Sensory tests were also performed on fortified reconstituted milk with the freshly prepared zein/DHA-enriched fish oil microcapsules, suggesting negligible oxidation effects after 45 days. The results described herein indicate that EAPG is a promising innovative high-throughput electrospraying-based methodology for the encapsulation of bioactives and, therefore, the resultant DHA-enriched fish oil containing microcapsules can be industrially applied for the formulation of fortified foods. Industrial relevance: An innovative process, termed electrospraying assisted by pressurized gas (EAPG), is herein originally presented as a novel encapsulation methodology. This technology is based on the combination of high voltage and pneumatic spray, allowing the formation of microcapsules at room temperature conditions. Thus, EAPG shows a great deal of potential to encapsulate nutraceuticals and other bioactives that are sensitive to thermal degradation and/or oxidation. The resultant bioactive-containing capsules can be, thereafter, applied to develop novel fortified food products.The authors would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) project AGL2015-63855-C2-1-R and to the H2020 EU project YPACK (reference number 773872) for funding.Busolo, M.; Torres-Giner, S.; Prieto, C.; Lagaron, JM. (2019). Electrospraying assisted by pressurized gas as an innovative high-throughput process for the microencapsulation and stabilization of docosahexaenoic acid-enriched fish oil in zein prolamine. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies. 51:12-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2018.04.007S121951Aghbashlo, M., Mobli, H., Madadlou, A., & Rafiee, S. (2012). The correlation of wall material composition with flow characteristics and encapsulation behavior of fish oil emulsion. Food Research International, 49(1), 379-388. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2012.07.031Anwar, S. H., & Kunz, B. (2011). The influence of drying methods on the stabilization of fish oil microcapsules: Comparison of spray granulation, spray drying, and freeze drying. Journal of Food Engineering, 105(2), 367-378. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2011.02.047Anwar, S. H., Weissbrodt, J., & Kunz, B. (2010). Microencapsulation of Fish Oil by Spray Granulation and Fluid Bed Film Coating. Journal of Food Science, 75(6), E359-E371. doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01665.xBakry, A. M., Abbas, S., Ali, B., Majeed, H., Abouelwafa, M. Y., Mousa, A., & Liang, L. (2015). Microencapsulation of Oils: A Comprehensive Review of Benefits, Techniques, and Applications. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 15(1), 143-182. doi:10.1111/1541-4337.12179Busolo, M. A., & Lagaron, J. M. (2012). Oxygen scavenging polyolefin nanocomposite films containing an iron modified kaolinite of interest in active food packaging applications. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 16, 211-217. doi:10.1016/j.ifset.2012.06.008Chen, W., Wang, H., Zhang, K., Gao, F., Chen, S., & Li, D. (2016). Physicochemical Properties and Storage Stability of Microencapsulated DHA-Rich Oil with Different Wall Materials. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 179(7), 1129-1142. doi:10.1007/s12010-016-2054-3Eltayeb, M., Stride, E., Edirisinghe, M., & Harker, A. (2016). Electrosprayed nanoparticle delivery system for controlled release. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 66, 138-146. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2016.04.001Encina, C., Vergara, C., Giménez, B., Oyarzún-Ampuero, F., & Robert, P. (2016). Conventional spray-drying and future trends for the microencapsulation of fish oil. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 56, 46-60. doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2016.07.014Fernandez, A., Torres-Giner, S., & Lagaron, J. M. (2009). Novel route to stabilization of bioactive antioxidants by encapsulation in electrospun fibers of zein prolamine. Food Hydrocolloids, 23(5), 1427-1432. doi:10.1016/j.foodhyd.2008.10.011Filippidi, E., Patel, A. R., Bouwens, E. C. M., Voudouris, P., & Velikov, K. P. (2014). All-Natural Oil-Filled Microcapsules from Water-Insoluble Proteins. Advanced Functional Materials, 24(38), 5962-5968. doi:10.1002/adfm.201400359Ganesan, B., Brothersen, C., & McMahon, D. J. (2013). Fortification of Foods with Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 54(1), 98-114. doi:10.1080/10408398.2011.578221García-Moreno, P. J., Özdemir, N., Stephansen, K., Mateiu, R. V., Echegoyen, Y., Lagaron, J. M., … Jacobsen, C. (2017). Development of carbohydrate-based nano-microstructures loaded with fish oil by using electrohydrodynamic processing. Food Hydrocolloids, 69, 273-285. doi:10.1016/j.foodhyd.2017.02.013García-Moreno, P. J., Stephansen, K., van der Kruijs, J., Guadix, A., Guadix, E. M., Chronakis, I. S., & Jacobsen, C. (2016). Encapsulation of fish oil in nanofibers by emulsion electrospinning: Physical characterization and oxidative stability. Journal of Food Engineering, 183, 39-49. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2016.03.015Gomez-Estaca, J., Balaguer, M. P., Gavara, R., & Hernandez-Munoz, P. (2012). Formation of zein nanoparticles by electrohydrodynamic atomization: Effect of the main processing variables and suitability for encapsulating the food coloring and active ingredient curcumin. Food Hydrocolloids, 28(1), 82-91. doi:10.1016/j.foodhyd.2011.11.013Heinzelmann, K., Franke, K., Jensen, B., & Haahr, A.-M. (2000). Protection of fish oil from oxidation by microencapsulation using freeze-drying techniques. European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology, 102(2), 114-121. doi:10.1002/(sici)1438-9312(200002)102:23.0.co;2-0Hogan, S. A., O’Riordan, E. D., & O’Sullivan, M. (2003). Microencapsulation and oxidative stability of spray-dried fish oil emulsions. Journal of Microencapsulation, 20(5), 675-688. doi:10.3109/02652040309178355Hong, X., Mahalingam, S., & Edirisinghe, M. (2017). Simultaneous Application of Pressure-Infusion-Gyration to Generate Polymeric Nanofibers. Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 302(6), 1600564. doi:10.1002/mame.201600564Lopez-Huertas, E. (2010). Health effects of oleic acid and long chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) enriched milks. A review of intervention studies. Pharmacological Research, 61(3), 200-207. doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2009.10.007Moomand, K., & Lim, L.-T. (2014). Oxidative stability of encapsulated fish oil in electrospun zein fibres. Food Research International, 62, 523-532. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2014.03.054Park, J.-M., Kwon, S.-H., Han, Y.-M., Hahm, K.-B., & Kim, E.-H. (2013). Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids as Potential Chemopreventive Agent for Gastrointestinal Cancer. Journal of Cancer Prevention, 18(3), 201-208. doi:10.15430/jcp.2013.18.3.201Partanen, R., Raula, J., Seppänen, R., Buchert, J., Kauppinen, E., & Forssell, P. (2008). Effect of Relative Humidity on Oxidation of Flaxseed Oil in Spray Dried Whey Protein Emulsions. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 56(14), 5717-5722. doi:10.1021/jf8005849Pereira, D., Valentão, P., & Andrade, P. (2014). Nano- and Microdelivery Systems for Marine Bioactive Lipids. Marine Drugs, 12(12), 6014-6027. doi:10.3390/md12126014Prieto, C., & Calvo, L. (2017). The encapsulation of low viscosity omega-3 rich fish oil in polycaprolactone by supercritical fluid extraction of emulsions. The Journal of Supercritical Fluids, 128, 227-234. doi:10.1016/j.supflu.2017.06.003Ruxton, C. H. S., Reed, S. C., Simpson, M. J. A., & Millington, K. J. (2004). The health benefits of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: a review of the evidence. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 17(5), 449-459. doi:10.1111/j.1365-277x.2004.00552.xShams, T., Parhizkar, M., Illangakoon, U. E., Orlu, M., & Edirisinghe, M. (2017). Core/shell microencapsulation of indomethacin/paracetamol by co-axial electrohydrodynamic atomization. Materials & Design, 136, 204-213. doi:10.1016/j.matdes.2017.09.052Shantha, N. C., & Decker, E. A. (1994). Rapid, Sensitive, Iron-Based Spectrophotometric Methods for Determination of Peroxide Values of Food Lipids. Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL, 77(2), 421-424. doi:10.1093/jaoac/77.2.421Siriwardhana, N., Kalupahana, N. S., & Moustaid-Moussa, N. (2012). Health Benefits of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids. Advances in Food and Nutrition Research, 211-222. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-416003-3.00013-5Tapia-Hernández, J. A., Torres-Chávez, P. I., Ramírez-Wong, B., Rascón-Chu, A., Plascencia-Jatomea, M., Barreras-Urbina, C. G., … Rodríguez-Félix, F. (2015). Micro- and Nanoparticles by Electrospray: Advances and Applications in Foods. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 63(19), 4699-4707. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.5b01403Tihminlioglu, F., Atik, İ. D., & Özen, B. (2010). Water vapor and oxygen-barrier performance of corn–zein coated polypropylene films. Journal of Food Engineering, 96(3), 342-347. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2009.08.018Torres-Giner, S., Gimenez, E., & Lagaron, J. M. (2008). Characterization of the morphology and thermal properties of Zein Prolamine nanostructures obtained by electrospinning. Food Hydrocolloids, 22(4), 601-614. doi:10.1016/j.foodhyd.2007.02.005Torres-Giner, S., Martinez-Abad, A., Ocio, M. J., & Lagaron, J. M. (2010). Stabilization of a Nutraceutical Omega-3 Fatty Acid by Encapsulation in Ultrathin Electrosprayed Zein Prolamine. Journal of Food Science, 75(6), N69-N79. doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01678.xTorres-Giner, S., Pérez-Masiá, R., & Lagaron, J. M. (2016). A review on electrospun polymer nanostructures as advanced bioactive platforms. Polymer Engineering & Science, 56(5), 500-527. doi:10.1002/pen.24274Vaughan, V. C., Hassing, M.-R., & Lewandowski, P. A. (2013). Marine polyunsaturated fatty acids and cancer therapy. British Journal of Cancer, 108(3), 486-492. doi:10.1038/bjc.2012.586Wang, Y., Liu, W., Chen, X. D., & Selomulya, C. (2016). Micro-encapsulation and stabilization of DHA containing fish oil in protein-based emulsion through mono-disperse droplet spray dryer. Journal of Food Engineering, 175, 74-84. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2015.12.007Woods, J., & Mellon, M. (1941). Thiocyanate Method for Iron: A Spectrophotometric Study. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Analytical Edition, 13(8), 551-554. doi:10.1021/i560096a013Xiao, D., Davidson, P. M., & Zhong, Q. (2011). Release and antilisterial properties of nisin from zein capsules spray-dried at different temperatures. LWT - Food Science and Technology, 44(10), 1977-1985. doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2011.07.017Yang, H., Feng, K., Wen, P., Zong, M.-H., Lou, W.-Y., & Wu, H. (2017). Enhancing oxidative stability of encapsulated fish oil by incorporation of ferulic acid into electrospun zein mat. LWT, 84, 82-90. doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2017.05.045Zainal, Z., Longman, A. J., Hurst, S., Duggan, K., Caterson, B., Hughes, C. E., & Harwood, J. L. (2009). Relative efficacies of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in reducing expression of key proteins in a model system for studying osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 17(7), 896-905. doi:10.1016/j.joca.2008.12.009Zeisel, S. H. (1999). Regulation of «Nutraceuticals». Science, 285(5435), 1853-1855. doi:10.1126/science.285.5435.1853Zhang, Y., Cui, L., Li, F., Shi, N., Li, C., Yu, X., … Kong, W. (2016). Design, fabrication and biomedical applications of zein-based nano/micro-carrier systems. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 513(1-2), 191-210. doi:10.1016/j.ijpharm.2016.09.02

The genus Huperzia (Lycopodiaceae) in the Azores and Madeira

The taxonomy and nomenclature of the genus Huperzia Bernh. in the Azores and Madeira have been reviewed. Plants collected in the Azores and Madeira were characterized morphologically. The independence between two endemic species common to Madeira and the Azores Islands – Huperzia suberecta (Lowe) Tardieu and Huperzia dentata (Herter) Holub – is clearly shown. A clear-cut morphological separation between these taxa and Huperzia selago (L.) Bernh. ex Schrank & Mart. of continental Europe is established

Quantitative determination of the antitumor alkyl ether phospholipid edelfosine by reversed-phase liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry: application to cell uptake studies and characterization of drug delivery systems.

Edelfosine is a synthetic alkyl ether phospholipid that represents a promising class of antitumor agents. However, analytical methods to measure these type compounds are scarce. The lack of a reliable methodology to quantify edelfosine is a major problem in ongoing and scheduled preclinical and clinical trials with this drug. We evaluated the applicability of high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry to determine edelfosine in biological samples and polymeric delivery systems. Sample pre-treatment involved polymer precipitation or cell lysis with methanol. HPLC separation was performed on an Alltima RPC18 narrow-bore column and edelfosine quantification was done by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) using positive ion mode and selected ion monitoring. Assays were linear in the tested range of 0.3–10 μg/ml. The limit of quantification was 0.3 ng/sample in both matrices, namely biological samples and polymeric delivery systems. The interassay precision ranging from 0.79 to 1.49%, with relative errors of −6.7 and 12.8%. Mean extraction recovery was 95.6%. HPLC–ESI-MS is a reliable system for edelfosine analysis and quantification in samples from different sources, combining advantages of full automation (rapidity, ease of use, no need of extensive extraction procedures) with high analytical performance and throughput