El taller como estrategia de vinculación con la comunidad en los proyectos de extensión sobre tenencia responsable de mascotas de la Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias de la UNLP

Las carreras de grado de nuestras Universidades presentan a sus alumnos la oportunidad de recibir una formación integral a partir de experiencias de enseñanza-aprendizaje cada vez más ágiles y renovadas, donde el plantel docente utiliza más adecuadamente la tríada enseñanza- extension-investigación. Si bien los resultados obtenidos en la construcción de conocimientos por los alumnos pueden ser adecuados para su formación profesional, debemos preguntarnos hasta qué punto los preparamos para transmitir los saberes obtenidos a la comunidad, entendiéndose por ella a clientes, colegas, instituciones y población en general. Con esta premisa y en el marco de las convocatorias de la Secretaría de Extensión de la UNLP es que la Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias desarrolla proyectos desde el año 2010 referidos a la tenencia responsable de mascotas. Se incluyó en las intervenciones territoriales el dictado de talleres a cargo de los alumnos, acompañados por docentes, que se desarrollaron en establecimientos educativos de nivel preescolar, primario y secundario. Los objetivos de dichas prácticas fueron claramente de doble vía, buscando así satisfacer necesidades formativas de los disertantes y del auditorio.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

The Role of pH Fronts in Reversible Electroporation

We present experimental measurements and theoretical predictions of ion transport in agar gels during reversible electroporation (ECT) for conditions typical to many clinical studies found in the literature, revealing the presence of pH fronts emerging from both electrodes. These results suggest that pH fronts are immediate and substantial. Since they might give rise to tissue necrosis, an unwanted condition in clinical applications of ECT as well as in irreversible electroporation (IRE) and in electrogenetherapy (EGT), it is important to quantify their extent and evolution. Here, a tracking technique is used to follow the space-time evolution of these pH fronts. It is found that they scale in time as , characteristic of a predominantly diffusive process. Comparing ECT pH fronts with those arising in electrotherapy (EChT), another treatment applying constant electric fields whose main goal is tissue necrosis, a striking result is observed: anodic acidification is larger in ECT than in EChT, suggesting that tissue necrosis could also be greater. Ways to minimize these adverse effects in ECT are suggested

An increase of cereal intake as an approach to weight reduction in children is effective only when accompanied by nutrition education: a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The main emphasis of dietary advice for control of obesity has been on reducing dietary fat. Increasing ready to eat cereal (RTEC) consumption could be a strategy to reduce fat intake and increase carbohydrate intake resulting in a diet with lower energy density.</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>1. To determine if an increase in RTEC intake is an effective strategy to reduce excess body weight and blood lipids in overweight or at risk of overweight children. 2. To determine if a nutrition education program would make a difference on the response to an increase in cereal intake. 3) To determine if increase in RTEC intake alone or with a nutrition education program has an effect on plasma lipid profile.</p> <p>Experimental design</p> <p>One hundred and forty seven overweight or at risk of overweight children (6–12 y of age) were assigned to one of four different treatments: a. One serving of 33 ± 7 g of RTEC for breakfast; b. one serving of 33 ± 7 g of RTEC for breakfast and another one for dinner; c. one serving of 33 ± 7 g of RTEC for breakfast and a nutrition education program. d. Non intervention, control group. Anthropometry, body composition, physical activity and blood lipids were measured at baseline, before treatments, and 12 weeks after treatments.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After 12 weeks of intervention only the children that received 33 ± 7 g of RTEC and nutrition education had significantly lower body weight [-1.01 (-1.69, -0.34) ], p < 0.01], lower BMI [-0.95 (-1.71, -0.20), p < 0.01] and lower total body fat [-0.71 (-1.71, 0.28), p < 0.05] compared with the control group [1.19 (0.39, 1.98), 0.01 (-0.38, 0.41), 0.44 (-0.46, 1.35) respectively]. Plasma triglycerides and VLDL were significantly reduced [-20.74 (-36.44, -5.05), -3.78 (-6.91, -0.64) respectively, p < 0.05] and HDL increased significantly [6.61 (2.15, 11.08), p < 0.01] only in this treatment group. The groups that received 1 or 2 doses of RTEC alone were not significantly different to the control group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A strategy to increase RTEC consumption, as a source of carbohydrate, to reduce obesity is effective only when accompanied by nutrition education. The need for education could be extrapolated to other strategies intended for treatment of obesity.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Australian New Zealand Clincial Trial Registry. Request no: ACTRN12608000025336</p

Physical activity and risk of Metabolic Syndrome in an urban Mexican cohort

Abstract Background In the Mexican population metabolic syndrome (MS) is highly prevalent. It is well documented that regular physical activity (PA) prevents coronary diseases, type 2 diabetes and MS. Most studies of PA have focused on moderate-vigorous leisure-time activity, because it involves higher energy expenditures, increase physical fitness, and decrease the risk of MS. However, for most people it is difficult to get a significant amount of PA from only moderately-vigorous leisure activity, so workplace activity may be an option for working populations, because, although may not be as vigorous in terms of cardio-respiratory efforts, it comprises a considerable proportion of the total daily activity with important energy expenditure. Since studies have also documented that different types and intensity of daily PA, including low-intensity, seem to confer important health benefits such as prevent MS, we sought to assess the impact of different amounts of leisure-time and workplace activities, including low-intensity level on MS prevention, in a sample of urban Mexican adults. Methods The study population consisted of 5118 employees and their relatives, aged 20 to 70 years, who were enrolled in the baseline evaluation of a cohort study. MS was assessed according to the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program, ATP III and physical activity with a validated self-administered questionnaire. Associations between physical activity and MS risk were assessed with multivariate logistic regression models. Results The prevalence of the components of MS in the study population were: high glucose levels 14.2%, high triglycerides 40.9%, high blood pressure 20.4%, greater than healthful waist circumference 43.2% and low-high density lipoprotein 76.9%. The prevalence of MS was 24.4%; 25.3% in men and 21.8% in women. MS risk was reduced among men (OR 0.72; 95%CI 0.57–0.95) and women (OR 0.78; 95%CI 0.64–0.94) who reported an amount of ≥30 minutes/day of leisure-time activity, and among women who reported an amount of ≥3 hours/day of workplace activity (OR 0.75; 95%CI 0.59–0.96). Conclusion Our results indicate that both leisure-time and workplace activity at different intensity levels, including low-intensity significantly reduce the risk of MS. This finding highlights the need for more recommendations regarding the specific amount and intensity of leisure-time and workplace activity needed to prevent MS

Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression among Outpatients with Type 2 Diabetes in the Mexican Population

Depression and anxiety are common in diabetic patients; however, in recent years the frequency of these symptoms has markedly increased worldwide. Therefore, it is necessary to establish the frequency and factors associated with depression and anxiety, since they can be responsible for premature morbidity, mortality, risk of developing comorbidities, complications, suffering of patients, as well as escalation of costs. We studied the frequency of depression and anxiety in Mexican outpatients with type 2 diabetes and identified the risk factors for depression and anxiety.We performed a study in 820 patients with type 2 diabetes. The prevalence of depression and anxiety was estimated using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, respectively. We calculated the proportions for depression and anxiety and, after adjusting for confounding variables, we performed multivariate analysis using multiple logistic regressions to evaluate the combined effect of the various factors associated with anxiety and depression among persons with type 2 diabetes. The rates for depression and anxiety were 48.27% (95% CI: 44.48–52.06) and 55.10% (95% CI: 51.44–58.93), respectively. Occupation and complications in diabetes were the factors associated with anxiety, whereas glucose level and complications in diabetes were associated with depression. Complications in diabetes was a factor common to depression and anxiety (p<0.0001; OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.29–2.4).Our findings demonstrate that a large proportion of diabetic patients present depression and/or anxiety. We also identified a significant association between complications in diabetes with depression and anxiety. Interventions are necessary to hinder the appearance of complications in diabetes and in consequence prevent depression and anxiety

Insulin resistance and its association with the components of the metabolic syndrome among obese children and adolescents

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Insulin resistance is the primary metabolic disorder associated with obesity; yet little is known about its role as a determinant of the metabolic syndrome in obese children. The aim of this study is to assess the association between the degree of insulin resistance and the different components of the metabolic syndrome among obese children and adolescents.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An analytical, cross-sectional and population-based study was performed in forty-four public primary schools in Campeche City, Mexico. A total of 466 obese children and adolescents between 11-13 years of age were recruited. Fasting glucose and insulin concentrations, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured; insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome were also evaluated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Out of the total population studied, 69% presented low values of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, 49% suffered from abdominal obesity, 29% had hypertriglyceridemia, 8% presented high systolic and 13% high diastolic blood pressure, 4% showed impaired fasting glucose, 51% presented insulin resistance and 20% metabolic syndrome. In spite of being obese, 13% of the investigated population did not present any metabolic disorder. For each one of the components of the metabolic syndrome, when insulin resistance increased so did odds ratios as cardiometabolic risk factors.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Regardless of age and gender an increased degree of insulin resistance is associated with a higher prevalence of disorders in each of the components of the metabolic syndrome and with a heightened risk of suffering metabolic syndrome among obese children and adolescents.</p

Tracking protein electrodenaturation fronts in the electrochemical treatment of tumors

Electrochemical reactions in the electrochemical treatment of tumors (EChT) induce extreme pH changes and, consequently, protein electrodenaturation fronts intimately related to tumor destruction. Here we introduce a new in vitro EChT collagen–macronutrient gel (CMG) model to study protein electrodenaturation fronts as a mean of assessing EChT effectiveness. Our CMG model shows that from an initial uniform condition two electrodenaturation fronts evolve expanding towards each other until collision. Moreover, electrodenaturation front tracking reveals that the front grows under a diffusion-controlled regime. Based on this evidence it is possible, in principle, to predict the time needed for tumor destruction without compromising healthy tissue. These results are consistent with those previously obtained with in vivo and in vitro EChT modeling. In contrast to previous simpler in vitro models, our CMG model represents a better structural and chemical approximation to a real tissue thus providing a better tool for validation of new in silico EChT models aimed at a more accurate prediction of tissue destruction level. Keywords: Tumors, Electrochemical treatment, In vitro models, Electrodenaturatio

Seismicity and potencially active faults in the Northwest and Central-West Iberian Peninsula

The Northwest and Central-West Iberian Peninsula configure an intraplate area far from the active plate boundaries, where the Variscan basement crops out extensively (Iberian Massif). This area of the Iberian Peninsula has been traditionally considered a seismically stable region; however, it presents a moderate intraplate seismicity which indicates the presence of active structures and the occurrence of potentially damaging earthquakes. The scarcity of Mesozoic and Cenozoic deposits makes very difficult to track the record of the more recent tectonic activity and the characterization of active tectonic structures within the Iberian Massif. Nevertheless the seismic sequences of 1995-1997 in Lugo (5.1 mb; IV) and 2003 in Zamora (4.2 Mw) provided important information about the orientation of the present stress tensor, and the distribution of the hypocenters informed about the rupture geometry of the fault planes. The present work integrates geological, geomorphological, structural, and seismological data in order to define the main potentially active faults in the region. Faults trending NE–SW to N–S are potentially active as strike-slip, in some cases with a reverse component, under a NW-SE to N–S compression. [RESUMEN] El Noroeste y Centro Oeste de la Peninsula Ibérica son parte de una región intraplaca alejada de los bordes de placa sísmicamente activos, donde aflora el basamento varisco (Macizo Ibérico). Esta región de la Península Ibérica ha sido tradicionalmente considerada sísmicamente estable; sin embargo, presenta una moderada sismicidad que indica la presencia de estructuras activas y terremotos potencialmente catastróficos. La escasez y dispersión de los depósitos Mesozoicos y Cenozoicos hace difícil identificar la actividad tectónica más reciente, así como la caracterización de las fallas potencialmente activas dentro del Macizo Iberico. Sin embargo la sismicidad de 1995 y 1997 en Lugo (5.1 mb) y de 2003 en Zamora (4.2 Mw) aportó importante información para determinar la orientación del tensor actual de esfuerzos. De igual modo, la orientación de las replicas aportó información sobre los planos de rotura. El presente trabajo integra datos geológicos, geomorfológicos, estructurales y sismotectónicos para definir las principales fallas potencialmente activas en la región. Las fallas con orientaciones NE-SW hasta N-S son potencialmente activas, bajo un tensor de esfuerzos de NW-SE a N-S, como fallas de desgarre y en algunas zonas con componente inversa