Validación de una escala para evaluar la adicción a Internet

La definición del uso prolongado de Internet como una adicción no es clara. Se han utilizado diversas estrategias en un intento de recuperar datos empíricos que permitan suponer este uso como una adicción. Destaca el diseño de instrumentos de evaluación para la adicción a Internet. Sin embargo, existen pocos instrumentos confiables y válidos que permitan su evaluación. El propósito del presente estudio fue desarrollar un instrumento que permita medir la adicción a Internet, el cual integra los parámetros de la adicción a sustancias junto con los parámetros de adicción conductual. Se utilizó una escala Likert con 29 ítems y se aplicó a 128 estudiantes universitarios que cum-plieron con los criterios establecidos. Los resultados indicaron la presencia de 6 factores que contienen un total de 26 ítems y que lograron explicar el 69.47% de la varianza total. Además, el instrumento en general obtuvo una con-sistencia interna aceptable con un alfa de Cronbach de 0.917. De las variables cuyos pesos factoriales cargaron de forma importante, se obtuvieron alfas que van desde 0.86 para el primer factor a 0.64 para el sexto factor. Se sugiere que el instrumento es una opción válida y confiable que permitirá evaluar el uso adictivo de InternetThe definition of prolonged Internet use as an addiction is unclear. Various strategies have been used to recover empirical data that allow us to consider this use as an addiction. The design of assessment instruments for Internet addiction stands out. However, there are few reliable and valid instruments that allow its evaluation. The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to measure Internet addiction, which integrates the parameters of subs-tance addiction together with the parameters of behavioral addiction. A Likert scale with 29 items was used and it was applied to 128 university students who met the established criteria. The results indicated the presence of 6 factors that contain a total of 26 items and that managed to explain 69.47% of the total variance. In addition, the instrument in general obtained an acceptable internal consistency with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.917. Of the variables whose factorial weights loaded significantly, alphas ranging from 0.86 for the first factor to 0.64 for the sixth factor were obtained. It is suggested that the instrument is a valid and reliable option that will allow evaluating addictive use of the Internet

CROMOSOMAS, LESIÓN DEL ADN Y MALFORMACIÓN NUCLEAR EN LA TORTUGA DULCEACUÍCOLA KINOSTERNON LEUCOSTOMUM (TESTUDINES: KINOSTERNIDAE)

Kinosternon leucostomum is one of the common freshwater turtles in Tabasco State, Mexico. However, studies of this species are limited for this region. The pollution in aquatic ecosystems from Tabasco is increasing and the effects on wildlife have not been properly made. Therefore, a chromosomic study and DNA lesion and nuclear malformation was performed in K. leucostomum from Tabasco. The karyotype in the turtle K. leucostomum is 34 msm/A + 22 T/C(2n=56 chromosomes). Also, intracellular malformations were identified: Chromosomes and DNA damage (micronucleus), binucleated cells, trinucleated cells, tetranucleated cells, cells in apoptosis and nucleoplasmic bridge, in irregular proportions. The probable origin of cell disorders is due to the presence of contaminants in aquatic ecosystems from Tabasco.La especie Kinosternon leucostomum, es una de las tortugas dulceacuícolas comunes del estado de Tabasco, México. Sin embargo, los estudios en esta especie son escasos para esta región. La contaminación en los ecosistemas acuáticos de Tabasco están aumentando cada vez más, y los efectos a la fauna silvestre no se han realizado adecuadamente. Por ello, se realizó un estudio cromosómico, de lesión de ADN y malformación nuclear en la especie K. leucostomum de Tabasco. El cariotipo en la tortuga K. leucostomum fue 34 msm/A + 22 T/C (2n=56 cromosomas). También, se identificaron malformaciones intracelulares: lesión del ADN y cromosomas (micronúcleos), células binucleadas, células trinucleadas, células tetranucleadas, células en apoptosis y puentes nucleoplásmicos, en proporciones irregulares. El origen probable de las alteraciones celulares es debido a la presencia de contaminantes en los ecosistemas acuáticos de Tabasco

Molecular Mechanisms of Resistance to Antifungals in <em>Candida albicans</em>

Invasive Candidiasis (IC) presents a global mortality rate greater than 40%, occupying the fourth place worldwide as the most frequent opportunistic nosocomial disease. Although the genus Candida consists of around 200 species, only 20 are reported as etiological agents of IC, being Candida albicans the most frequent causal agent. Even when there is a broad range of antifungals drugs for Candida infections, azoles, polyenes, and echinocandins are considered among the most effective treatment. However, there is some incidence for antifungal resistance among some Candida strains, limiting treatment options. Several molecular mechanisms with antifungal agents have been reported for C. albicans where insertions, deletions, and point mutations in genes codifying target proteins are frequently related to the antifungal drug resistance. Furthermore, gene overexpression is also frequently associated to antifungal resistance as well as an increase in the activity of proteins that reduce oxidative damage. This chapter summarizes the main molecular mechanisms to C. albicans antifungal drug resistance, besides offering an overview of new antifungal agents and new antifungal targets to combat fungal infections

Psychiatric Comorbidity in Mexican Adolescents with a Diagnosis of Eating Disorders Its Relationship with the Body Mass Index

The prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders among patients with eating disorders (ED) is higher than the general population. Individuals diagnosed with eating disorders have changes in their body mass index which could promote severe metabolic disruptions. This study aimed (1) to report the prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders among a Mexican adolescent sample diagnosed with eating disorders, (2) to compare our results with the prevalence of psychiatric disorders reported from a national survey of mental health of adolescents, (3) to compare the presence of psychiatric comorbidities between ED diagnoses, and (4) to explore the relationship of these comorbidities with the body mass index. In the study, we included 187 Mexican adolescents diagnosed with eating disorders. The psychiatric comorbidities were evaluated using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for children/adolescents, and a revised questionnaire on eating and weight patterns. We found that 89% of the Mexican adolescents diagnosed with ED had another psychiatric comorbidity. Major depressive disorder (52.40%) and suicide risk (40%) were the most prevalent comorbidities. Attention and deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) prevalence was different between ED diagnosis, and adolescents with binge-eating disorder and ADHD had the higher body mass index. Our results showed that in this sample of Mexican adolescents, the presence of comorbidities could impact body mass index. This emphasizes the importance that clinicians take into consideration the presence of psychiatric comorbidities to achieve an integrative treatment for adolescents diagnosed with ED

Analysis of Potential Vitamin D Molecule Biomarkers: Association of Calcitriol and Its Hydroxylation Efficiency Ratio with Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a multifactorial autoimmune disease in which hypovitaminosis D by calcidiol quantification has been associated with disease severity. However, other vitamin D molecules could be implicated in RA pathophysiology and its comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), which impacts the severity and mortality of RA patients. This study aimed to assess the relationship between calcidiol, calcitriol, its hydroxylation efficiency ratio, and the soluble vitamin D receptor (sVDR) and clinical and CVD risk variables to propose potential vitamin D molecule biomarkers for RA. A cross-sectional study of females was conducted on 154 RA patients and 201 healthy subjects (HS). Calcidiol, calcitriol, and the sVDR were measured in blood serum, and vitamin D hydroxylation efficiency was estimated using the calcitriol/calcidiol ratio score. CVD risk was calculated by the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) cutoff values. Disease activity was evaluated with the Disease Activity Score for 28 standard joints (DAS28-CRP). Results: The hydroxylation efficiency ratio and calcitriol serum levels were higher in RA patients with hypovitaminosis D (p p = 0.02), calcitriol serum levels (OR = 2.95; p p p = 0.04) and higher calcitriol levels (OR = 5.6; p p = 0.03), CRP (r = 0.28, p p p < 0.01). In conclusion, hypovitaminosis D in RA patients was characterized by a pattern of a higher hydroxylation efficiency ratio and higher calcitriol and sVDR serum levels. Notably, higher calcitriol serum levels and a higher vitamin D hydroxylation efficiency ratio were associated with higher CVD risk in RA patients

Individuals Diagnosed with Binge-Eating Disorder Have DNA Hypomethylated Sites in Genes of the Metabolic System: A Pilot Study

Binge-eating disorder, recently accepted as a diagnostic category, is differentiated from bulimia nervosa in that the former shows the presence of binge-eating episodes and the absence of compensatory behavior. Epigenetics is a conjunct of mechanisms (like DNA methylation) that regulate gene expression, which are dependent on environmental changes. Analysis of DNA methylation in eating disorders shows that it is reduced. The present study aimed to analyze the genome-wide DNA methylation differences between individuals diagnosed with BED and BN. A total of 46 individuals were analyzed using the Infinium Methylation EPIC array. We found 11 differentially methylated sites between BED- and BN-diagnosed individuals, with genome-wide significance. Most of the associations were found in genes related to metabolic processes (ST3GAL4, PRKAG2, and FRK), which are hypomethylated genes in BED. Cg04781532, located in the body of the PRKAG2 gene (protein kinase AMP-activated non-catalytic subunit gamma 2), was hypomethylated in individuals with BED. Agonists of PRKAG2, which is the subunit of AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), are proposed to treat obesity, BED, and BN. The present study contributes important insights into the effect that BED could have on PRKAG2 activation

CRP Serum Levels Are Associated with High Cardiometabolic Risk and Clinical Disease Activity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have a higher frequency of cardiovascular risk factors such as high C-reactive protein (CRP) levels than the general population. CRP is considered a cardiovascular disease marker that could be related to SLE clinical disease activity. This study aimed to assess the association between CRP with cardiometabolic risk and clinical disease activity in SLE patients. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in 176 female SLE patients and 175 control subjects (CS) with median ages of 38 and 33 years, respectively; SLE patients were classified by the 1997 SLE-ACR criteria, and the clinical disease activity by the Mexican-SLEDAI (Mex-SLEDAI). CRP and lipid profile (triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL-C, and LDL-C) were quantified by turbidimetry and colorimetric-enzymatic assays, respectively. SLE patients had higher CRP levels than CS (SLE: 5 mg/L vs. CS = 1.1 mg/L; p p = 0.04), triglycerides/HDL-C index (OR = 5.2; IC: 2.1–12.8; p p = 0.03), Castelli index (OR = 6.6; IC: 2.5–17.8; p p = 0.04; and β coefficient = 5.8; IC: 2.5–9.4; R2 = 0.15; p = 0.001). In conclusion, high CRP levels were associated with high cardiometabolic risk and clinical disease activity in SLE patients