Corrected Hill Function in Stochastic Gene Regulatory Networks

Describing reaction rates in stochastic bio-circuits is commonly done by directly introducing the deterministically deduced Hill function into the master equation. However, when fluctuations in enzymatic reaction rates are not neglectable, the Hill function must be derived, considering all the involved stochastic reactions. In this work, we derived the stochastic version of the Hill function from the master equation of the complete set of reactions that, in the macroscopic limit, lead to the Hill function reaction rate. We performed a series expansion around the average values of the concentrations, which allowed us to find corrections for the deterministic Hill function. This process allowed us to quantify the fluctuations of enzymatic reactions. We found that the underlying variability in propensity rates of gene regulatory networks has an important non-linear effect that reduces the intrinsic fluctuations of the mRNA and protein concentrations.Comment: 23 pages, 14 figure

Vector-borne disease risk indexes in spatially structured populations

There are economic and physical limitations when applying prevention and control strategies for urban vector borne diseases. Consequently, there are increasing concerns and interest in designing efficient strategies and regulations that health agencies can follow in order to reduce the imminent impact of viruses like Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya. That includes fumigation, abatization, reducing the hatcheries, picking up trash, information campaigns. A basic question that arise when designing control strategies is about which and where these ones should focus. In other words, one would like to know whether preventing the contagion or decrease vector population, and in which area of the city, is more efficient. In this work, we propose risk indexes based on the idea of secondary cases from patch to patch. Thus, they take into account human mobility and indicate which patch has more chance to be a corridor for the spread of the disease and which is more vulnerable. They can also indicate the neighborhood where hatchery control will reduce more the number of potential cases. In order to illustrate the usefulness of these indexes, we run a set of numerical simulations in a mathematical model that takes into account the urban mobility and the differences in population density among the areas of a city. If i is a particular neighborhood, the transmission risk index TR_i measures the potential secondary cases caused by a host in that neighborhood. The vector transmission risk index VTR_i measures the potential secondary cases caused by a vector. Finally, the vulnerability risk index VR_i measures the potential secondary cases in the neighborhood. Transmission indexes can be used to give geographical priority to some neighborhoods when applying prevention and control measures. On the other hand, the vulnerability index can be useful to implement monitoring campaigns or public health investment.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure

Murine Typhus in Child, Yucatan, Mexico

A case of murine typhus in Yucatan was diagnosed in a child with nonspecific signs and symptoms. The finding of Rickettsia typhi increases the number of Rickettsia species identified in Yucatan and shows that studies are needed to determine the prevalence and incidence of rickettsioses in Mexico

Increased efficiency in the second-hand tire trade provides opportunity for dengue control

Dengue fever is increasing in geographical range, spread by invasion of its vector mosquitoes. The trade in second-hand tires has been implicated as a factor in this process because they act as mobile reservoirs of mosquito eggs and larvae. Regional transportation of tires can create linkages between rural areas with dengue and disease-free urban areas, potentially giving rise to outbreaks even in areas with strong local control measures. In this work we sought to model the dynamics of mosquito transportation via the tire trade, in particular to predict its role in causing unexpected dengue outbreaks through vertical transmission of the virus across generations of mosquitoes. We also aimed to identify strategies for regulating the trade in second-hand tires, improving disease control. We created a mathematical model which captures the dynamics of dengue between rural and urban areas, taking into account the movement and storage time of tires, and mosquito diapause. We simulate a series of scenarios in which a mosquito population is introduced to a dengue-free area via movement of tires, either as single or multiple events, increasing the likelihood of a dengue outbreak. A persistent disease state can be induced regardless of whether urban conditions for an outbreak are met, and an existing endemic state can be enhanced by vector input. Finally we assess the potential for regulation of tire processing as a means of reducing the transmission of dengue fever using a specific case study from Puerto Rico. Our work demonstrates the importance of the second-hand tire trade in modulating the spread of dengue fever across regions, in particular its role in introducing dengue to disease-free areas. We propose that reduction of tire storage time and control of their movement can play a crucial role in containing dengue outbreaks

Fatal Human Infection with Rickettsia rickettsii, Yucatán, Mexico

The first fatal Rickettsia rickettsii infection was diagnosed in the southwest of Mexico. The patient had fever, erythematous rash, abdominal pain, and severe central nervous system involvement with convulsive crisis. The diagnosis of R. rickettsii infection was established by immunohistochemistry and specific polymerase chain reaction

Influencia medioambiental en la salud de los educandos con trastornos de la conducta

Introduction: COVID-19 represented a global health crisis and revealed the fragility of the interdependent relationship with nature; hence the need to train teachers from an environmentalist conception so that they have a positive impact on the health of students with behavioral disorders.Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of a guidance manual for teachers related to environmental aspects, which can influence the health of students with behavioral disorders.Methods: a pedagogical study was carried out at the "Águedo Morales Reina" special school between September 2021 and June 2022, using document analysis, scientific observation, interviews and descriptive statistics, in a sample of five students with mental disorders. behavior with health problems, five specialists (speech therapist, educational psychologist, art instructors) and two teachers from special schools.Results: it is specified in a guidance manual for teachers that offers suggestions on environmental aspects to achieve a healthy education for students with behavioral disorders. It constitutes a resource to help overcome the diagnosis in the shortest possible time, by taking into account the positive and negative implications of the environment on the health of students with behavioral disorders.Conclusions: the guidance manual confirmed its theoretical, methodological and practical value, by confirming higher levels in the use of environmental aspects for the development of quality health in the selected students in the province of Pinar del Río.Introducción: la COVID-19 representó una crisis mundial de salud y reveló la fragilidad de la relación de interdependencia con la naturaleza; de ahí la necesidad de formar desde una concepción medioambientalista al docente para que impacte positivamente en la salud de los educandos con trastornos de la conducta.Objetivo: evaluar la efectividad de un manual de orientación para docentes relacionado con aspectos medioambientales, que pueden influir en la salud de los educandos con trastornos de la conducta. Métodos: se realizó un estudio de corte pedagógico en la escuela especial "Águedo Morales Reina" entre septiembre de 2021 y junio de 2022, utilizando el análisis de documentos, la observación científica, entrevista y la estadística descriptiva, en una muestra de cinco educandos con trastornos de la conducta con problemas de salud, cinco especialistas (logopeda, psicopedagoga, instructores de arte) y dos maestros de las escuelas especiales.Resultados: se concreta en un manual de orientación para docentes que ofrece sugerencias de aspectos medioambientales para el logro de una educación saludable a los educandos con trastornos de la conducta. Constituye un recurso para contribuir a superar el diagnóstico en el menor tiempo posible, al tener en cuenta las implicaciones positivas y negativas del ambiente en la salud de los educandos con trastornos de la conducta.Conclusiones: el manual de orientación constató su valor teórico, metodológico y práctico, al confirmar niveles superiores en la utilización de aspectos medioambientales para el desarrollo de una salud con calidad en los educandos seleccionados en la provincia de Pinar del Río

Estrategias de movilidad basadas en la teoría de percolación para evitar la diseminación de enfermedades: COVID-19

La movilidad de las personas es uno de los principales factores que propician la propagación espacial de epidemias. Las medidas de control epidemiológico basadas en la restricción de movilidad son generalmente poco populares y las consecuencias económicas pueden llegar aser muy grandes. Debido a los altos costos de estas medidas, es de gran relevancia tener estrategias globales que optimicen las medidas minimizando los costos. En este trabajo, se calcula el umbral de percolación de la propagación de enfermedades en redes. De manera particular, se encuentra el número de caminos a restringir y localidades que tienen que ser aisladas para limitar la propagación global de COVID-19 en el Estado de Puebla, México. Simulaciones computacionales donde se implementan las medidas de restricción de movilidadentre los diferentes municipios, junto con las medidas de confinamiento, muestran que es posible reducir un 94 % de la población afectada comparado con el caso en el que no se implementa ninguna medida. Esta metodología puede ser aplicada a distintas zonas para ayudar a las autoridades de salud en la toma de decisiones. Human mobility is an important factor in the spatial propagation of infectious diseases. On the other hand, the control strategies based on mobility restrictions are generally unpopular and costly. These high social and economic costs make it very important to design global protocols where the cost is minimized and effects maximized. In this work, we calculate the percolation threshold of the spread in a network of a disease. In particular, we found the number of roads to close and regions to isolate in the Puebla State, Mexico, to avoid the global spread of COVID-19. Computational simulations taking into account the proposed strategy show a potential reduction of 94 % of infections. This methodology can be used in broader and different areas to help in the design of health policiesAgradecemos el apoyo económico por parte del Consejo de Ciencia y Tecnología del Estado de Puebla. Bogar Díaz está financiado por el programa CONEX-Plus,con fondos de la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, del Programa Horizonte 2020 dentro de las acciones de trabajo Marie-Sklodowska Curie COFUND (H2020-MSCA-COFUND-2017- GA 801538)

Functional Autonomy Evaluation Levels in Middle-Aged and Older Spanish Women: On Behalf of the Healthy-Age Network

Aging is associated with a progressive loss of functional capacity that affects the health and quality of life of middle-aged and older people. The purpose of this study was to report functional autonomy evaluation levels in middle-aged and older women in the Spanish context. A total of 709 middle-aged and older women, between 50 and 90 years old, were selected to participate in the study. The sample was divided by age category every five years. The functional autonomy levels were determined by the Latin American Group for Maturity (GDLAM) protocol and we developed a classification pattern for middle-aged and older women living in Spain. The GDLAM Index (GI) was then calculated to assess functional autonomy. The classification of the tests and the GI followed the percentile rank (P) Very Good (p 0.85). It was considered that the lower the value found for the percentile, the better the result. The GDLAM protocol showed strong reliability with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values greater than 0.92 in all tests. It is observed that all variables of the GDLAM protocol presented a positive and significant correlation with age (p < 0.001). The Roc Curve showed that GI values higher than 26 (CI95% = 0.97-1.00; p < 0.001) and 32 (CI95% = 0.98-1.00; p < 0.001) for middle-aged and elderly women, respectively, can predict and indicate low functional autonomy. The normative values hereby provided will enable evaluation and adequate interpretation of Spanish middle-aged and older women's functional autonomy

Conflictos socioambientales y alternativas de la sociedad civil

Los conflictos socioambientales se multiplican en todo el mundo. Giran en torno a la contaminación industrial, las actividades mineras, el cambio de uso de suelo, la deforestación, la construcción de presas, la introducción de semillas genéticamente modificadas, el mal manejo de desechos sólidos y la privatización de tierra, agua y biodiversidad, entre otros. ¿Cuáles son las causas subyacentes a estos conflictos? ¿Quiénes son los protagonistas? ¿Cuáles son sus demandas, propuestas y estrategias? ¿En qué medida han contribuido a proteger o sanear el medio ambiente? ¿Hay conflictos locales que se convierten en glocales con la intervención de la sociedad civil? Estas interrogantes se abordan en este libro, que recoge inventarios de conflictos ambientales en México, en especial en Jalisco.ITESO, A.C