Delusional disorder: no gender differences in age at onset, suicidal ideation, or suicidal behavior

Objective: To investigate gender differences in age at onset, psychopathology, and suicidal behavior rates in delusional disorder (DD). Methods: We conducted a prospective longitudinal study of 97 patients with DD. Demographic and clinical data at baseline were recorded. Gender differences were investigated by applying analysis of covariance, using age at onset and age at first psychiatric consultation as dependent variables, comorbid depression and gender as between-subject factors, and employment status, social support, and DD types as covariates. Results: Seventy-six percent of the patients were women. The average age at onset was 48.76±12.67 years, mean age at first psychiatric consultation was 54.13±13.67 years, and men were more likely to be employed than women (p = 0.041). Despite the earlier age at onset and at first psychiatric consultation in men, these differences tended to disappear when adjusted for potential confounders. There were no significant gender differences in depressive comorbidity, presence of suicidal ideation and behavior, or compliance rates at follow-up. Conclusions: Our findings could not confirm that male and female DD patients differ in age at onset, age at first psychiatric consultation, or suicidal ideation and behavior, even after controlling for potential confounders. .

Inhibition of LDL-oxidation and antioxidant properties related to polyphenol content of hydrophilic fractions from seaweed Halimeda Incrassata (Ellis) Lamouroux

LDL oxidation and oxidative stress are closely related to atherosclerosis. Therefore, natural antioxidants have been studied as promising candidates. In the present study, the LDL oxidation inhibition activity of bioactive compounds from Halimeda incrassata seaweed. associated to antioxidant capacity, was evaluated in vitro. Experimental work was conducted with lyophilized aqueous extract and phenolic-rich fractions of the seaweed and their effect on LDL oxidation was evaluated using heparin-precipitated LDL (hep-LDL) with exposure to Cu2+ ions and AAPH as the free radical generator. H. incrassata had a protective effect for hep-LDL in both systems and the presence of phenolic compounds contributed to the activity where phenolic-rich fractions showed significant capacity for inhibition of oxidation mediated by Cu2+ ions. The observed effect could be related to the antioxidant potential of polar fractions evidenced by reducing activity and DPPH• radical scavenging. The results obtained in vitro further support the antioxidant and LDL oxidation inhibition properties of H. incrassata and further knowledge toward future phytotherapeutic application of the seaweed.

A oxidação da LDL e o estresse oxidativo estão intimamente relacionados com a aterosclerose. Por isso, os antioxidantes naturais têm sido estudados como candidatos promissores. No presente trabalho foi avaliada in vitro a capacidade de inibição da oxidação da LDL pelos compostos bioativos da alga Halimeda incrassata em associação à capacidade antioxidante. O trabalho experimental foi conduzido com extratos polares (extrato aquoso liofilizado e frações ricas em fenólicos) e seu efeito na oxidação da LDL foi avaliado usando LDL precipitada com heparina (hep-LDL), oxidada com íons de Cu2+ e AAPH, como geradores de radicais livres. A H. incrassata apresentou efeito protetor para hep-LDL em ambos sistemas e a presença de compostos fenólicos contribuiu para a atividade em que as frações ricas em fenólicos demonstram capacidade significativa em inibir a oxidação mediada pelos íons de Cu2+. O efeito observado deve estar relacionado com o potencial antioxidante das frações polares medido pela atividade redutora e varredura do radical DPPH. Os resultados obtidos demonstram as propriedades antioxidantes e de inibição da oxidação da LDL da H. incrassata e podem contribuir para as evidências de futuras aplicações fitoterapêuticas desta alga.

Determinación de autoanticuerpos contra lipoproteínas de baja densidad oxidadas y nativas en el suero de pacientes sometidos a coronariografía en el CIMEQ / Determination of auto-antibodies to native and oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in serum of patients underwent coronariography in the Medical-Surgical Research Center (MSRC)

La oxidación de las lipoproteínas de baja densidad (LDLox) es un evento importante en el desarrollo y progresión de la aterosclerosis y la respuesta inmune contra estas moléculas puede modular la aterogénesis. La relación entre los autoanticuerpos anti-LDLox y la cardiopatía isquémica (CI) es aún controversial. En el presente estudio se determinaron los valores de las IgM e IgG anti-LDLox, en 20 pacientes a quienes se les indicó una coronariografía por alguna razón en la consulta de cardiología. Se tomó como grupo control a 10 voluntarios jóvenes sanos trabajadores del Centro de Inmunología Molecular. Los niveles de anticuerpos de tipo IgM contra las LDLox no fueron diferentes entre los pacientes sin evidencia de CI y los sujetos jóvenes sanos. En cambio, los niveles de IgM anti-LDLox de estos grupos fueron estadísticamente superiores a los del grupo de pacientes con evidencia de CI. Nuestros resultados, aunque preliminares, sustentan la hipótesis de que este tipo de autoanticuerpos pudiera estar inversamente asociado con la presencia de aterosclerosis

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation is an important event in atherosclerosis development. The relationship between oxidized LDL (oxLDL) autoantibodies and coronary artery disease (CAD) remains controversial. IgM and IgG autoantibodies to oxLDL were measured in twenty patients undergoing clinically indicated coronary angiography, and in ten young healthy volunteers from the Center of Molecular Immunology. The levels of IgM autoantibodies to oxLDL did not differ between no CAD patients and healthy subjects, but the levels of IgM autoantibodies to oxLDL of these two groups were higher compared with the one of CAD patient group. Our results, although preliminary, supports the hypothesis that this kind of Abs might be inversely associated with the presence of atherosclerosis

Antimicrobial compounds detected in Bocconia arborea extracts by a direct bioautographic method

Background. Among the numerous in vitro methods for studying the antimicrobial activity of plant drugs, bioautography has found widespread applications, especially for the detection of new compounds in complex plant extracts. Methods. This paper describes the results obtained during the application of the bioautographic method to detect antimicrobial compounds in a chloroformic extract of leaves and steams of Bocconia arborea, a plant used profusely in traditional medicine for the treatment of diverse infectious disease. Results and Conclusions. The method allows for the detection of spots of growth inhibition of cultures directly in the extract thin layer chromatographic plate previously dispersed with a broth culture containing the microorganisms. The procedure also allowed for the detection of the presence of several products in the B. arborea extract with considerable activity against five different microorganisms. Additonally, the method allowed the determiantion that the antimicrobial activity is due to compounds of probable alkaloid origin

Factores asociados a talla baja en niños de una población rural de Oaxaca / The factors associated to short stature in rural children of the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico

El objetivo del presente estudio fue conocer la frecuencia de talla baja en niños del medio rural y estudiar los factores que se encuentran asociados a ella. Se incluyeron todos los niños (n=137) entre 13 y 84 meses de edad, de una población rural del Valle de Oaxaca. Se les midió, y se aplicó un cuestionario a los padres o tutores de los niños. Los datos se analizaron en tablas de contingencias por análisis de varianza. Se encontró que las enfermedades gastrointestinales y respiratorias, los hábitos alimentarios y la escolaridad materna, tienen una asociación inversa y significativa con la talla baja (p< 0.05)