Els fetus pateixen els efectes de la nicotina

El consum de tabac durant l'embaràs exposa al fetus a possibles efectes deleteris de la nicotina que poden afectar els resultats perinatals i la salut del nen. La nicotina sembla afectar el desenvolupament neurològic normal del fetus al principi de la vida. A més, s'ha observat que l'exposició del fetus dins de l'úter al consum de tabac per part de la mare podria induir una síndrome d'abstinència neonatal a la nicotina.El consumo de tabaco durante el embarazo expone al feto a posibles efectos dañinos de la nicotina que pueden afectar a los resultados perinatales y a la salud del niño. La nicotina parece afectar el desarrollo neurológico normal del feto al principio de la vida. Además, se ha observado que la exposición del feto, dentro del útero, al consumo de tabaco por parte de la madre podría inducir un síndrome de abstinencia neonatal a la nicotina

Recent trends in analytical methods to determine new psychoactive substances in hair

New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) belong to several chemical classes, including phenethylamines, piperazines, synthetic cathinones and synthetic cannabinoids. Development and validation of analytical methods for the determination of NPS both in traditional and alternative matrices is of crucial importance to study drug metabolism and to associate consumption to clinical outcomes and eventual intoxication symptoms. Among different biological matrices, hair is the one with the widest time window to investigate drug-related history and demonstrate past intake. The aim of this paper was to overview the trends of the rapidly evolving analytical methods for the determination of NPS in hair and the usefulness of these methods when applied to real cases. A number of rapid and sensitive methods for the determination of NPS in hair matrix has been recently published, most of them using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Hair digestion and subsequent solid phase extraction or liquid-liquid extraction were described as well as extraction in organic solvents. For most of the methods limits of quantification at picogram per milligram hair were obtained. The measured concentrations for most of the NPS in real samples were in the range of picograms of drug per milligram of hair. Interpretation of the results and lack of cut-off values for the discrimination between chronic consumption and occasional use or external contamination are still challenging. Methods for the determination of NPS in hair are continually emerging to include as many NPS as possible due to the great demand for their detection

El mate provoca síndrome d'abstinència durant la lactància

El mate és una infusió molt comuna en alguns països d'Amèrica del Sud, feta amb les fulles del mate assecades, torrades i polvoritzades. Científics de la UAB han observat un nounat, fill d'una gran consumidora de mate, que presentava tremolors, irritabilitat, plor agut, i altres troballes neurològiques lleus. Es va comprovar la relació d'aquests símptomes amb una exposició crònica a la cafeïna i la teobromina, substàncies que abunden al mate.El mate es una infusión muy común en algunos países de Sudamérica, hecha con las hojas del mate secas, tostadas y pulverizadas. Científicos de la UAB han observado un neonato, hijo de una gran consumidora de mate, que presentaba temblores, irritabilidad, llanto agudo, y otros hallazgos neurológicos leves. Comprobaron la relación entre estos síntomas y una exposición crónica a la cafeína y la teobromina, substancias que abundan en el mate.Mate is a very common infusion in many South American countries. It's prepared by steeping dried leaves of yerba mate in hot water. UAB researchers have observed a neonatal baby, whose mother is a heavy consumer of mate, who presented increased jitteriness and irritability, high-pitched crying, and other mild neurological anormalities. Their observation have demonstrated a relation between these symptoms and a chronic exposition to caffeine and theobromine, two very abundant substances in mate

El consum d'alcohol durant l'embaràs altera la producció d'hormones placentàries

El trastorn de l'espectre alcohòlic fetal és la principal causa de retard mental evitable i no genètica. Fins a dia d'avui el diagnòstic de l'exposició a l'alcohol s'ha basat en qüestionaris i biomarcadors de consum d'alcohol. Malgrat això, no existeixen biomarcadors relacionats amb el dany cel·lular causat per l'exposició prenatal a l'alcohol. En aquest sentit, la placenta és un òrgan essencial en la transferència de nutrients (i substàncies d'abús) i té una funció endocrina fonamental pel correcte desenvolupament embrionari. Per aquest motiu, el principal objectiu de l'estudi va ser identificar nous biomarcadors placentaris en nens exposats a alcohol.El trastorno del espectro alcohólico fetal es la principal causa de retraso mental evitable y no genética. Hasta día de hoy el diagnóstico de la exposición al alcohol se ha basado en cuestionarios y biomarcadores de consumo de alcohol. Sin embargo, no existen biomarcadores relacionados con el daño celular causado por la exposición prenatal al alcohol. En este sentido, la placenta es un órgano esencial en la transferencia de nutrientes (y sustancias de abuso) y tiene una función endocrina fundamental para el correcto desarrollo embrionario. Por este motivo, el principal objetivo del estudio fue identificar nuevos biomarcadores placentarios en niños expuestos a alcohol.Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is the main cause of preventable non- genetic mental retardation. Until today the diagnosis of alcohol exposure has been based on questionnaires and biomarkers of alcohol consumption. It is important to identify biomarkers related to cellular damage caused by prenatal ethanol exposure. In this sense, the placenta is the main organ involved in the transfer of essential nutrients (and substance abuse) and also has a pivotal role on endocrine function during embryonic development. For this reason, the main objective of the study was to identify new placental biomarkers in children exposed to alcohol

Efficacy and Feasibility of an Osteopathic Intervention for Neurocognitive and Behavioral Symptoms Usually Associated With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

post-print294 K

Diseñando e Implementado Políticas Públicas con y para la Comunidad Gitana. El Impacto Social del Plan Integral del Pueblo Gitano en Cataluña

Desde que en 2005 el Parlamento Europeo reconociera la discriminación racial y exclusión social que sufre la minoría étnica más numerosa de Europa, la comunidad gitana, se está llevando a cabo un creciente esfuerzo político a nivel europeo, estatal, regional y local en favor de la inclusión del Pueblo Gitano. Sin embargo, la situación social y especialmente educativa de esta comunidad sigue siendo claramente alarmante (Damonti & Arza, 2014; EU-FRA. European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2018). A partir de los resultados alcanzados en el marco de dos investigaciones científicas (García-Espinel, 2016; Macías-Aranda, 2017), este artículo evidencia los principios clave que han posibilitado el impacto del Plan Integral del Pueblo Gitano en Catalunya. Este Plan es el conjunto de políticas públicas dirigidas a mejorar la situación de la población gitana en Catalunya, las cuales se desarrollan desde 2005. La consonancia con los resultados de las investigaciones científicas de mayor reconocimiento internacional, así como la implicación real del Pueblo Gitano en el diseño, implementación y desarrollo de las acciones del Plan, entre otros elementos clave, son los que explican el impacto social que se está alcanzando en Catalunya, especialmente en el ámbito educativo, y concretamente, en el ámbito universitario y de estudios postobligatorios.         

Prediction of Childhood Asthma Using Conditional Probability and Discrete Event Simulation

Abstract: Asthma prevalence in children and adolescents in Spain is 10-17%. It is the most common chronic illness during childhood. Prevalence has been increasing over the last 40 years and there is considerable evidence that, among other factors, continued exposure to cigarette smoke results in asthma in children. No statistical or simulation model exist to forecast the evolution of childhood asthma in Europe. Such a model needs to incorporate the main risk factors that can be managed by medical authorities, such as tobacco (OR = 1.44), to establish how they affect the present generation of children. A simulation model using conditional probability and discrete event simulation for childhood asthma was developed and validated by simulating realistic scenario. The parameters used for the model (input data) were those found in the bibliography, especially those related to the incidence of smoking in Spain. We also used data from a panel of experts from the Hospital del Mar (Barcelona) related to actual evolution and asthma phenotypes. The results obtained from the simulation established a threshold of a 15-20% smoking population for a reduction in the prevalence of asthma. This is still far from the current level in Spain, where 24% of people smoke. We conclude that more effort must be made to combat smoking and other childhood asthma risk factors, in order to significantly reduce the number of cases. Once completed, this simulation methodology can realistically be used to forecast the evolution of childhood asthma as a function of variation in different risk factors

Acute heroin intoxication in a baby chronically exposed to cocaine and heroin: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Acute intoxication with drugs of abuse in children is often only the tip of the iceberg, actually hiding chronic exposure. Analysis using non-conventional matrices such as hair can provide long-term information about exposure to recreational drugs.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report the case of a one-month-old Caucasian boy admitted to our pediatric emergency unit with respiratory distress and neurological abnormalities. A routine urine test was positive for opiates, suggesting an acute opiate ingestion. No other drugs of misuse, such as cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines or derivatives, were detected in the baby's urine. Subsequently, hair samples from the baby and the parents were collected to evaluate the possibility of chronic exposure to drug misuse by segmental analysis. Opiates and cocaine metabolites were detected in hair samples from the baby boy and his parents.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In light of these and previous results, we recommend hair analysis in babies and children from risky environments to detect exposure to heroin and other drug misuse, which could provide the basis for specific social and health interventions.</p