Dopamine D4 receptor activation counteracts nigrostriatal pathway activation by morphine: relevance in drug addiction.

Morphine induces dopamine release in the caudate putamen (CPu), which promotes stereotyped behavior and habit learning for drug-seeking and –taking. Nigrostriatal pathway stimulation by morphine is due to a removal of tonic inhibition arising from SNr GABA interneurons on SNc dopaminergic neurons through the mu opioid receptor (MOR). Long-term morphine exposure produces a series of adaptations in SNc dopamine neurons, which affect neuron excitability and dopamine output to CPu. We have previously shown that dopamine D4 receptor (D4R) stimulation counteracts acute and chronic morphine-induced accumulation of several transcription factors in the CPu (Gago et al., 2011 Brain Res.). Since D4R is expressed in the SNr (Rivera et al., Brain Res. 2003), we postulate that a functional D4R-MOR interaction at the midbrain level could exists. We have investigated the role of D4R in the morphine-induced nigroestriatal dopamine metabolism in the rat brain using biochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. We also have studied the influence of D4R on morphine-induced morphological changes in SNc dopamine neurons using both immunohistochemical and image analysis techniques. Finally, we examined a possible underlying mechanism of the D4R-MOR interaction at the SN level using in vitro quantitative receptor autoradiography. We have found that D4R activation restores dopamine metabolism in the nigroestriatal pathway after acute morphine treatment and prevents morphine-induced rise of tyroxine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter. Rats receiving a continuous treatment of morphine (6 days) showed SNc dopamine neurons with smaller size and higher circularity index compared with the controls animals. These morphine-induced morphological adaptatives changes were prevented when a D4R agonist (PD168,077) was administered at the same time with morphine. Autoradiographic studies demonstrated that the D4R agonist reduce the affinity of MOR. The present study provides evidence for the existence of a fully blocking effect of the D4R on the activation of dopaminergic nigroestriatal pathway by morphine.Financiación: P09-CVI- 4702 (Proyecto de Excelencia de la Junta de Andalucía

Determinación del eje de la carretera y la distancia de visibilidad utilizando datos GPS y herramientas SIG

Hoy en día, tanto en el proceso de diseño de las carreteras como en el análisis del funcionamiento de las ya construidas, se está dando cada vez más importancia a la seguridad vial. Entre los distintos aspectos que se consideran se encuentra la distancia de visibilidad. Por otra parte, uno de los problemas que aparecen en la práctica al tratar de analizar carreteras en servicio es la falta de datos de la geometría del eje que estén actualizados y tengan la precisión requerida. En esta comunicación se presenta un procedimiento para determinar el eje de la carretera mediante información GPS y calcular la distancia de visibilidad aplicando herramientas SIG. El procedimiento se ha aplicado a un tramo de carretera convencional de doble sentido de circulación. El método propuesto puede ser especialmente útil en aquellas carreteras en servicio y de las que, por no contar con la información sobre su trazado (original o posteriores modificaciones), no es posible utilizar los programas de diseño de carreteras para el cálculo de la distancia de visibilidad.Nowadays road safety aspects are very important, both for the designing process and for the analysis of already built roads. Sight distance is one of the most important road safety aspects to consider. On the other hand, the geometric definition of already built roads is one of the most difficult issues that arise in practice. This road geometry must be accurate and up to date. In this paper, a procedure to determine the alignment of a road using a GPS and to calculate sight distances using GIS tools is presented. Also, the use of this procedure in a two-lane rural road is described. The proposed method can be especially useful for those roads whose design data are not available because, on them, road design software could not be used for sight distance calculation

Mortality rates immediately after severe hurricanes in Cuba have decreased over the past three decades

ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to understand how Cuba responds to extreme weather events, which can help identify and disseminate good public health practice.Study designThe study design of this study is an observational study using routinely collected mortality data.MethodsNational daily mortality counts after severe hurricanes arrived on the Cuba landmass since 1990 were compared with baseline values. Incidence rate ratios of mortality during the hurricane and for the four weeks afterwards were calculated for four eligible hurricanes: Georges (1998), Dennis (2005), Ike (2008) and Irma (2017).ResultsMortality rates decreased over time (P < 0.001 for interaction), and no excess mortality counts were observed after Hurricane Irma in 2017.ConclusionsMortality rates for severe hurricanes that have made landfall in Cuba have decreased over three decades, despite the most recent hurricane (Irma) being one of the strongest observed in recent decades. This suggests that the Cuban public health preparations and responses to recent severe hurricanes are probably contributing to this mitigation in national mortality rates during these periods

Time to culture conversion in smokers with pulmonary tuberculosis

Background and objective. It has been reported that tobacco smoking slows the sterilisation of sputum culture in pulmonary tuberculosis, but the factors that could delay culture conversion in patients who smoke are not known. Our aim is to identify the factors influencing sputum culture conversion in smokers with pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods. Ninety-nine patients with a smoking history and diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis were analysed retrospectively. The relationship between sputum culture status at the second month and the following variables: age, gender, pack-years index, comorbid diseases, number acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in sputum smear examination, radiological findings (cavitary, extensive or limited disease), drug susceptibility pattern and initial treatment, was analysed. The Student t-test, chi-square test and logistic regression model with forward stepwise conditional methods were used for statistical analysis. A p value of <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results. Twenty six patients (26.2%): 18 males (22.2%) and 8 females (44%) were sputum culture positive at the end of the second month of treatment. In univariate analysis, culture conversion time was significantly associated with female gender and extensive disease, but in a logistic regression analysis was only correlated with female gender (OR=5.63 95% CI 1.21-20.64-p=0.02). Conclusion. In current smokers with pulmonary tuberculosis, the ‘time to culture’ conversion relates only to the female gender

The controversy in the management of the N0 neck for squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the maxillary sinus is a relatively rare disease. As the reported incidence of regional metastasis varies widely, controversy exists as to whether or not the N0 classified neck should be treated electively. In this review, the data from published series are analyzed to decide on a recommendation of elective treatment of the neck in maxillary SCC. The published series consist of heterogeneous populations of different subsites of the paranasal sinuses, different histological types, different staging and treatment modalities used and different ways of reporting the results. These factors do not allow for recommendations based on high levels of evidence. Given this fact, the relatively high incidence rate of regional metastasis at presentation or in follow-up in the untreated N0 neck, and the relatively low toxicity of elective neck irradiation, such irradiation in SCC of the maxillary sinus should be considered

Clinical, endoscopic and sonographic relationship in patients with liver cirrhosis

Introducción: la cirrosis es la fase más avanzada de las enfermedades hepáticas con elevadas morbilidad y mortalidad. Existen métodos no invasivos para el diagnóstico de la hipertensión portal como la ecografía Doppler que actualmente se realiza, de manera regular, en el diagnóstico de los pacientes con cirrosis hepática. Objetivo: describir la relación clínico, endoscópica y sonográfica en pacientes con diagnóstico de cirrosis hepática atendidos en la Consulta Provincial de Hepatología del Hospital “Arnaldo Milián Castro”. Método: se realizó un estudio descriptivo, transversal. La población estuvo conformada por todos los pacientes con diagnóstico de cirrosis hepática atendidos en los años 2015 y 2016. Se realizó un muestreo no probabilístico, se seleccionaron 77 pacientes. Resultados: 53 pacientes pertenecen al grupo de edad entre los 40-59 años, predominaron los masculinos, 39 (50,65%) tuvieron un ultrasonido abdominal patológico, de las 77 endoscopias se encontraron hallazgos patológicos compatibles con hipertensión portal en 31 (40,26%) y los hallazgos sonográficos se relacionaron al mayor tiempo de diagnóstico de la enfermedad, con independencia de la etiología. Conclusiones: los pacientes con cirrosis hepática se encontraban en la edad media de la vida y fueron más los masculinos, aproximadamente la mitad presentaron alteraciones en el Doppler del eje esplenoportal y signos endoscópicos de hipertensión portal, los hallazgos sonográficos se relacionaron al mayor tiempo de diagnóstico de la enfermedad, con independencia de la etiología y las complicaciones relacionadas con la hipertensión portal se asociaron significativamente con los hallazgos patológicos ultrasonográficos y endoscópicos.Introduction: cirrhosis is the most advanced phase of liver diseases with high morbidity and mortality. There are non-invasive methods for diagnosing portal hypertension, such as Doppler ultrasound, which is currently performed on a regular basis in the diagnosis of patients with liver cirrhosis. Objective: to describe the clinical, endoscopic and sonographic relationship in patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis treated at the Provincial Hepatology Consultation of the "Arnaldo Milián Castro" Hospital. Method: a descriptive, transversal study was carried out. The population consisted of all patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis treated in 2015 and 2016. A non-probabilistic sampling was performed, 77 patients were selected. Results: 53 patients belong to the age group between 40-59 years, male patients predominated, 39 (50.65%) had a pathological abdominal ultrasound, of the 77 endoscopies, pathological findings compatible with portal hypertension were found in 31 (40, 26%) and the sonographic findings were related to the longer diagnosis of the disease, regardless of the etiology. Conclusions: patients with liver cirrhosis were in the middle age of life and were more masculine, approximately half presented alterations in the Doppler of the splenoportal axis and endoscopic signs of portal hypertension, the sonographic findings were related to the greater time of diagnosis disease, regardless of the etiology and the complications related to portal hypertension were significantly associated with the ultrasonographic and endoscopic pathological findings

Infraestructuras ecológicas como estrategia de conservación de la entomofauna útil asociada al agrosistema de los cítricos y su acción reguladora sobre plagas claves de este cultivo en Canarias

El presente estudio está enmarcado dentro del proyecto LIFE18 CCA/ES/001109, encaminado a instaurar estrategias de control sostenible de Trioza erytreae (Del Guercio) (vector del HLB) y otras plagas de importancia para la citricultura, en el contexto del Pacto Verde Europeo. El objetivo se ha centrado en el diseño y gestión de infraestructuras ecológicas como estrategia de Control Biológico por Conservación para aumentar la biodiversidad de la entomofauna útil asociada al agrosistema de los cítricos. Los ensayos se han desarrollado en 5 áreas de cultivo de cítricos, localizadas en diferentes zonas citrícolas, norte y sur de Tenerife y Gran Canaria

The Latin American Consortium of Studies in Obesity (LASO)

Current, high-quality data are needed to evaluate the health impact of the epidemic of obesity in Latin America. The Latin American Consortium of Studies of Obesity (LASO) has been established, with the objectives of (i) Accurately estimating the prevalence of obesity and its distribution by sociodemographic characteristics; (ii) Identifying ethnic, socioeconomic and behavioural determinants of obesity; (iii) Estimating the association between various anthropometric indicators or obesity and major cardiovascular risk factors and (iv) Quantifying the validity of standard definitions of the various indexes of obesity in Latin American population. To achieve these objectives, LASO makes use of individual data from existing studies. To date, the LASO consortium includes data from 11 studies from eight countries (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Peru, Puerto Rico and Venezuela), including a total of 32 462 subjects. This article describes the overall organization of LASO, the individual studies involved and the overall strategy for data analysis. LASO will foster the development of collaborative obesity research among Latin American investigators. More important, results from LASO will be instrumental to inform health policies aiming to curtail the epidemic of obesity in the region