Geochemical and geochronological constraints on the geologic evolution of the western Sonobari Complex, northwestern Mexico

In the southern Sierra Sonobari, NW Mexico, U-Pb and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology studies allowed to define the provenance and maximum depositional age of the Francisco Gneiss basement of the Sonobari terrane, and to establish the age of some magmatic events in that area. The youngest zircon cluster in paragneisses of the Francisco Gneiss indicates a maximum depositional age of 509 ± 29Ma. The main peaks of the relative probability plot yield ages of 1690 and 1404Ma with minor peaks at 1156, 921, and 517Ma. Major peaks suggest that the main source of sediments was the Paleo- and Mesoproterozoic crust of Laurentia. Orthogneiss from the Francisco Gneiss yields a U-Pb zircon upper intercept age of 248 ± 28Ma, which is interpreted as the crystallization age. Crosscutting dykes of metabasite yield an 40Ar/39Ar age of 67 ± 5Ma, which is interpreted as indicating cooling after either a latest Early Cretaceous orogenic event or Late Cretaceous contact metamorphism. Granodiorite intruding the Francisco Gneiss yields a U-Pb age of 64 ± 1Ma, which is interpreted as a magmatic age. The hornblende-plagioclase Macochin Gabbro yields 40Ar/39Ar isochron ages of 54 ± 10Ma and 47 ± 5Ma, which are interpreted as cooling ages after the gabbro intrusion. Geochemical data indicate that the mafic rocks of the Francisco Gneiss correspond to subalkaline basalts of tholeiitic affinity with concentrations of high field strength elements similar to oceanic basalts, suggesting an asthenospheric upper mantle source. However, according to the variation in Th/Yb and U/Yb, the amphibolites display a significant influence of the upper continental crust. The Macochin Gabbro also has a geochemical signature characteristic of subalkaline basalt with tholeiitic affinity, and high field strength elements similar to oceanic basalts. Tectonic discrimination diagrams and elemental distribution suggest that the mafic rocks of both the Francisco Gneiss and Macochin Gabbro were emplaced during rifting in a back-arc setting

Validation of <i>N</i>-myristoyltransferase as Potential Chemotherapeutic Target in Mammal-Dwelling Stages of <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>

BACKGROUND:Trypanosoma cruzi causes Chagas disease, an endemic and debilitating illness in Latin America. Lately, owing to extensive population movements, this neglected tropical disease has become a global health concern. The two clinically available drugs for the chemotherapy of Chagas disease have rather high toxicity and limited efficacy in the chronic phase of the disease, and may induce parasite resistance. The development of new anti-T. cruzi agents is therefore imperative. The enzyme N-myristoyltransferase (NMT) has recently been biochemically characterized, shown to be essential in Leishmania major, Trypanosoma brucei, and T. cruzi¸ and proposed as promising chemotherapeutic target in these trypanosomatids. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Here, using high-content imaging we assayed eight known trypanosomatid NMT inhibitors, against mammal-dwelling intracellular amastigote and trypomastigote stages and demonstrated that three of them (compounds 1, 5, and 8) have potent anti-proliferative effect at submicromolar concentrations against T. cruzi, with very low toxicity against human epithelial cells. Moreover, metabolic labeling using myristic acid, azide showed a considerable decrease in the myristoylation of proteins in parasites treated with NMT inhibitors, providing evidence of the on-target activity of the inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:Taken together, our data point out to the potential use of NMT inhibitors as anti-T. cruzi chemotherapy

Envejecimiento de la población

&bull;Actividades b&aacute;sicas de la vida diaria en personas mayores y factores asociados &bull;Asociaci&oacute;n entre depresi&oacute;n y posesi&oacute;n de mascotas en personas mayores &bull;Calidad de vida en adultos mayores de Santiago aplicando el instrumento WHOQOL-BREF &bull;Calidad de vida en usuarios con enfermedad de Parkinson, demencia y sus cuidadores, comuna de Vitacura &bull;Caracterizaci&oacute;n de egresos hospitalarios de adultos mayores en Puerto Natales (2007-2009) &bull;Comportamiento de las patolog&iacute;as incluidas como GES para el adulto mayor atendido en un Cesfam &bull;Contribuci&oacute;n de vitaminas y minerales a las ingestas recomendadas diarias en ancianos institucionalizados de Madrid &bull;Estado de salud oral del paciente inscrito en el Programa de Visita Domiciliaria &bull;Evaluaci&oacute;n del programa de discapacidad severa en Casablanca con la matriz de marco l&oacute;gico &bull;Factores asociados a satisfacci&oacute;n vital en una cohorte de adultos mayores de Santiago, Chile &bull;Pauta instrumental para la identificaci&oacute;n de riesgos para el adulto mayor autovalente, en su vivienda &bull;Perfil farmacol&oacute;gico del paciente geri&aacute;trico institucionalizado y posibles consecuencias en el deterioro cognitivo &bull;Programa de cuidados paliativos y alivio del dolor en Puerto Natales &bull;Rehabilitaci&oacute;n mandibular implantoprot&eacute;sica: efecto en calidad de vida relacionada con salud bucal en adultos mayores &bull;Salud bucodental en adultos mayores autovalentes de la Regi&oacute;n de Valpara&iacute;so &bull;Transici&oacute;n epidemiol&oacute;gica y el estudio de carga de enfermedad en Brasi

Laparoscopy in management of appendicitis in high-, middle-, and low-income countries: a multicenter, prospective, cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Appendicitis is the most common abdominal surgical emergency worldwide. Differences between high- and low-income settings in the availability of laparoscopic appendectomy, alternative management choices, and outcomes are poorly described. The aim was to identify variation in surgical management and outcomes of appendicitis within low-, middle-, and high-Human Development Index (HDI) countries worldwide. METHODS: This is a multicenter, international prospective cohort study. Consecutive sampling of patients undergoing emergency appendectomy over 6 months was conducted. Follow-up lasted 30 days. RESULTS: 4546 patients from 52 countries underwent appendectomy (2499 high-, 1540 middle-, and 507 low-HDI groups). Surgical site infection (SSI) rates were higher in low-HDI (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.33-4.99, p = 0.005) but not middle-HDI countries (OR 1.38, 95% CI 0.76-2.52, p = 0.291), compared with high-HDI countries after adjustment. A laparoscopic approach was common in high-HDI countries (1693/2499, 67.7%), but infrequent in low-HDI (41/507, 8.1%) and middle-HDI (132/1540, 8.6%) groups. After accounting for case-mix, laparoscopy was still associated with fewer overall complications (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.42-0.71, p < 0.001) and SSIs (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.14-0.33, p < 0.001). In propensity-score matched groups within low-/middle-HDI countries, laparoscopy was still associated with fewer overall complications (OR 0.23 95% CI 0.11-0.44) and SSI (OR 0.21 95% CI 0.09-0.45). CONCLUSION: A laparoscopic approach is associated with better outcomes and availability appears to differ by country HDI. Despite the profound clinical, operational, and financial barriers to its widespread introduction, laparoscopy could significantly improve outcomes for patients in low-resource environments. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02179112

Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy. Methods In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation. Results Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89.6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60.6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95 per cent c.i. 0.14 to 0.21, P <0001) or low (363 of 860, 422 per cent; OR 008, 007 to 010, P <0.001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high-HDI countries (risk difference -94 (95 per cent c.i. -11.9 to -6.9) per cent; P <0001), but the relationship was reversed in low-HDI countries (+121 (+7.0 to +173) per cent; P <0001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30-day perioperative mortality (OR 0.60, 0.50 to 073; P <0.001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low- and middle-HDI countries. Conclusion Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low-HDI countries was half that in high-HDI countries.Peer reviewe

Mortality of emergency abdominal surgery in high-, middle- and low-income countries

Background: Surgical mortality data are collected routinely in high-income countries, yet virtually no low- or middle-income countries have outcome surveillance in place. The aim was prospectively to collect worldwide mortality data following emergency abdominal surgery, comparing findings across countries with a low, middle or high Human Development Index (HDI). Methods: This was a prospective, multicentre, cohort study. Self-selected hospitals performing emergency surgery submitted prespecified data for consecutive patients from at least one 2-week interval during July to December 2014. Postoperative mortality was analysed by hierarchical multivariable logistic regression. Results: Data were obtained for 10 745 patients from 357 centres in 58 countries; 6538 were from high-, 2889 from middle- and 1318 from low-HDI settings. The overall mortality rate was 1⋅6 per cent at 24 h (high 1⋅1 per cent, middle 1⋅9 per cent, low 3⋅4 per cent; P < 0⋅001), increasing to 5⋅4 per cent by 30 days (high 4⋅5 per cent, middle 6⋅0 per cent, low 8⋅6 per cent; P < 0⋅001). Of the 578 patients who died, 404 (69⋅9 per cent) did so between 24 h and 30 days following surgery (high 74⋅2 per cent, middle 68⋅8 per cent, low 60⋅5 per cent). After adjustment, 30-day mortality remained higher in middle-income (odds ratio (OR) 2⋅78, 95 per cent c.i. 1⋅84 to 4⋅20) and low-income (OR 2⋅97, 1⋅84 to 4⋅81) countries. Surgical safety checklist use was less frequent in low- and middle-income countries, but when used was associated with reduced mortality at 30 days. Conclusion: Mortality is three times higher in low- compared with high-HDI countries even when adjusted for prognostic factors. Patient safety factors may have an important role. Registration number: NCT02179112 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)

Segmentation, access to finance constraints and the credit monopolistic power of financial institutions in Nicaragua

Item does not contain fulltextAccess to finance has been the focus of significant interest in recent years as there are warning signs suggesting that lack of access to credit has an adverse effect on growth and poverty alleviation. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that access to finance is positively correlated with productivity and competitiveness; therefore, it is an important consideration in terms of the poverty trap evident in developing countries. Using endogenous and exogenous variables from data derived from the Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS 2005), this paper examines a conceptual background on the basis of new statistical evidence concerning access to credit and segmentation in Nicaragua. The core contribution of this study lies in the critical revision of the main constraints in terms of increasing financial access for the broad range of Nicaraguan households. Likewise, our analysis produces new empirical indications that challenge the monopolistic power that financial institutions have in this country.23 p

Gender segregation and income differences in Nicaragua

Contains fulltext : 204309.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Despite having higher average education levels, Nicaraguan women still earn much less than men. Furthermore, the country has one of the highest levels of occupational gender segregation in Latin America. This paper aims to explain the gender income gap in Nicaragua, taking into account individual characteristics, engagement in specific occupations and sectors, and geographical location. Using a multilevel framework, the study finds that while a considerable part of the income gap can be explained by women's employment in occupations and sectors with low remuneration, another substantial part of this gap is attributable to the prevalence of patriarchal gender norms - and thus cannot be explained by human capital factors. These results show that understanding labor market segregation is vital for comprehending the perseverance of the gender income gap, and they further imply that women's progress in breaching the gender stereotypes in Nicaragua is still limited.27 p