Free epsilon amino groups and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural contents in clear and cataractous human lenses

The free epsilon-amino groups and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) contents were determined in soluble and insoluble proteins of clear human lenses and diabetic and nondiabetic senile cataractous lenses. The free epsilon-amino group content of soluble proteins in diabetic cataracts was decreased by 37% (P less than 0.01), whereas in nondiabetic senile cataracts it did not differ from that of clear lenses. The free epsilon-amino group content of insoluble proteins both in diabetic and nondiabetic cataracts was decreased significantly (P less than 0.001, P less than 0.015, respectively). The 5-HMF content of soluble proteins in diabetic cataracts was increased by 52% (P less than 0.001), whereas in nondiabetic cataracts it did not change from that of clear lenses. The 5-HMF content of insoluble proteins in diabetic as well as in nondiabetic cataracts was increased significantly as compared to that of clear lens (P less than 0.001, P less than 0.001, respectively). The soluble protein of diabetic and nondiabetic cataracts was decreased with an increase in the insoluble protein content. These results suggest that nonenzymatic glycosylation plays a role in the conformational change of lens proteins in both diabetic and nondiabetic cataracts

Gender and psychiatric drugs: A qualitative study to find the views of prescription-fillers

Objetivos: Conocer la opinión de los prescriptores en relación con los factores que influyen en la prescripción diferencial y sus propuestas para disminuir la prescripción de psicofármacos, así como analizar los discursos con el objeto de mostrar los posibles sesgos de género implícitos. Diseño: Metodología cualitativa. Entrevistas semiestructuradas realizadas durante los años 2002 y 2003. Emplazamiento: Centros de salud urbanos y rurales. Participantes: Profesionales de medicina familiar y comunitaria y psiquiatría que trabajan en los servicios públicos de salud de Andalucía, Comunidad de Madrid y País Vasco. Criterios de segmentación: comunidad de residencia, edad, sexo, especialidad médica y ubicación del centro. Métodos: Muestra estructural. Entrevistas realizadas por el equipo investigador. Estrategia de análisis en dos procesos diferenciados: análisis de contenido con categorías consensuadas y análisis del discurso desde la perspectiva de género. Resultados: En los prescriptores se observa una asociación entre el consumo de psicofármacos y el sexo, la edad, el nivel socioeconómico y las expectativas sociales. En los discursos encontramos perfiles emergentes de consumidores que no aparecen en la bibliografía epidemiológica. El análisis del discurso pone de manifiesto sesgos de género implícitos en las creencias de algunos prescriptores. Conclusiones: Para minimizar la crecienteoferta y demanda de psicofármacos, los prescriptores consideran necesario mejorar la formación en diagnosis y psicoterapia, rebajar la presión asistencial, mejorar la coordinación entre servicios y favorecer tratamientos alternativos. Para minimizar los sesgos de género en el diagnóstico y la prescripción de psicofármacos consideramos necesaria la formación en cuestiones relacionadas con la influencia de los factores culturales y generalizadas en el proceso de construcción de las identidades.Objectives: To find the views of those filling out prescriptions on the factors that affect differential prescription of psychiatric medication, and on reducing the prescription; and to analyse their discourse for possible implicit gender bias. Design: Qualitative methodology. Semistructured interviews conducted in 2002- 2003. Setting: Urban and rural health centres. Participants: Family and community medicine and psychiatry professionals working in the public health services of Andalusia, the Community of Madrid, and the Basque Country. Segmentation criteria: community of residence, age, sex, medical speciality, and location of centre. Methods: Structural sample. Interviews conducted by the research team. Strategy of analysis in two distinct processes: contents analysis with agreed categories and gender analysis of the discourse. Results: The prescribers found that taking psychiatric medication was associated with sex, age, social and economic category, and social expectations. In the discourses we found consumer profiles emerging that were not found in the epidemiological literature. Discourse analysis showed implicit gender bias in the beliefs of some prescribers. Conclusions: To minimise the growing offer and demand for psychiatric medication, prescribers thought training in diagnosis and psychotherapy should be improved, case-loads should be reduced, co-ordination between services improved and alternative treatments favoured.To minimise gender bias in the diagnosis and prescription of psychiatric medication, we think training is needed on the influence of cultural and gender factors on the process of construction of identities