Effectiveness of an intervention to reduce stigma towards people with a mental disorder diagnosis in university students of healthcare careers.

Students in healthcare careers present stigma towards people with psychiatric diagnoses, so the development of interventions to reduce it is essential. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention to reduce stigma towards people diagnosed with mental disorders in healthcare students in Chile. A randomized clinical trial with a before and after measurement was carried out. The intervention was part of a compulsory course and combined educational and contact strategies. A total of 244 fourth-semester students of medicine, nursing, dentistry, obstetrics, psychology, and social work participated. The intervention was effective in reducing stigmatizing attitudes and the desire for social distance. For almost all variables, the magnitude of the stigma reduction depended on the initial level of stigma, not on the profession. The intervention had positive effects on all careers. In conclusion, incorporating a stigma reduction intervention into mandatory professional training, with the active participation of the teacher in charge and experts by experience, can be a valuable tool to promote humanized and non-stigmatizing treatment.

Melatonin therapy reverses lead exposure-induced testicular damage in rats despite the lack of effect on serum testosterone levels.

Lead (Pb) exposure induces testicular damage and infertility. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the therapeutic effects of antioxidants or vitamin D and calcium, which have previously been shown to reduce the toxic effects of Pb co-exposure, in rats. Rats were exposed to Pb for 28 days and subsequently treated with antioxidant (melatonin, silymarin), vitamin D and calcium (VitDCa) or a combination (melatonin or silymarin with VitDCa) for 28 days. Control groups included untreated rats (no Pb exposure or therapy), rats exposed only to melatonin or silymarin and rats exposed to Pb without post exposure therapy. Pb exposure induced testicular damage, increased blood lead level (BLL) and reduced serum testosterone level (STL). Rats exposed to Pb and left untreated for 28 days showed persistent pathological testicular alterations. The two treatments that were most effective in reversing pathological testis damage and restoring spermatogenesis were melatonin and silymarin. However, silymarin and melatonin treatment resulted in significantly different serum testosterone levels in rats. Whereas melatonin therapy reduced serum testosterone to levels lower than those in control rats, silymarin increased serum testosterone to levels higher than those in controls. Our pathological analysis of testes revealed that melatonin promoted spermatogenesis and regression of Pb exposure-induced degenerative changes, despite the associated reduction in serum testosterone levels. This result suggests that circulating testosterone may not have an important role in spermatogenesis. Collectively, our results suggest that melatonin and silymarin are effective therapies against the toxic effects Pb exposure in the male reproductive system.

Synthesis of Fluorescent Pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrimidines from Fischer Carbene Complexes as Building Blocks.

A novel synthetic methodology is reported for the synthesis of fluorescent pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrimidines. Fischer carbene complexes served as the synthetic platform for (3+3) cyclization to form the heterocyclic moiety. The reaction process furnished two products, their ratio being modulated by the metal, base, and solvent. The selectivity exhibited was studied by analyzing the potential energy surface with density functional theory tools. The photophysical properties of absorption and emission were also evaluated. The dyes absorbed at wavelengths of 240-440 nm, depending on the substituents. The maximum emission wavelength was in the range of 470-513 nm, with quantum yields of 0.36-1.0 and a high Stokes shift range of 75-226 nm.

Lophomoniasis pulmonar / Pulmonary lophomoniasis / Lophomoniase pulmonar

Resumen: La lophomoniasis pulmonar es una infección por un protozoario sumamente rara, está asociada con enfermedades crónicas que comprometen la respuesta inmune; sus manifestaciones son erráticas en muchos de los casos, por lo que se retrasa el diagnóstico y el tratamiento oportuno, lo que lleva a complicaciones graves. Presentamos a paciente obstétrica complicada con síndrome de preeclampsia-eclampsia que fue expuesta a corticoide como madurador pulmonar fetal, la cual desarrolló neumonía con SIRA grave, y se documentó en frotis de secreción bronquial Lophomonas spp., recibió tratamiento específico con recuperación clínica.

Abstract: Pulmonary lophomoniasis is an extremely rare protozoan infection, it is associated with chronic diseases that compromise the immune response, its manifestations are in many cases erratic, which delays the diagnosis and timely treatment, leading to complications serious. We present obstetric patient complicated with preeclampsia eclampsia syndrome that was exposed to corticoids as fetal pulmonary maturing, developing pneumonia with severe ARDS, documented in smear of bronchial secretion Lophomonas ssp., received specific treatment with clinical recovery.

Resumo: A lophomoniase pulmonar é uma infecção protozoária extremamente rara, está associada a doenças crônicas que comprometem a resposta imune, suas manifestações são em muitos casos erráticas, por isso o diagnóstico e o tratamento oportuno são tardios levando a complicações sérias. Apresentamos uma paciente obstétrica complicada com síndrome de eclâmpsia pré-eclâmpsia que foi exposta ao corticóide como um madurador pulmonar fetal, desenvolvendo pneumonia com SIRA grave, documentada com frotis de secreção brônquica Lophomonas ssp, recebeu tratamento específico com recuperação clínica.

Melatonin attenuates the effects of sub-acute administration of lead on kidneys in rats without altering the lead-induced reduction in nitric oxide.

Exposure to lead induces oxidative stress and renal damage. Although most forms of oxidative stress are characterized by simultaneous elevation of nitrogen and oxidative species, lead-induced oxidative stress is unusual in that it is associated with a reduction in nitric oxide (NO) levels in the kidney. The role of NO in kidney injury is controversial; some studies suggest that it is associated with renal injury, whereas others show that it exerts protective effects. Concentration-dependent effects have also been proposed, linking low levels with vasodilatation and high levels with toxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of melatonin co-exposure on the lead-induced reduction in renal NO levels. We found that sub-acute intraperitoneal administration of 10 mg/kg/day of lead for 15 days induced toxic levels of lead in the blood and caused renal toxicity (pathological and functional). Under our experimental conditions, lead induced an increase in lipid peroxidation and a decrease in NO. Melatonin co-treatment decreased lead-induced oxidative stress (peroxidation level) and toxic effects on kidneys without altering the lead-induced reduction in renal NO. These results suggest that, in our experimental model, the reduction in renal NO levels by lead exposure is not the only responsible factor for lead-induced kidney damage.

Effect of glycine on lead mobilization, lead-induced oxidative stress, and hepatic toxicity in rats.

The effectiveness of glycine in treating experimental lead intoxication was examined in rats. Male Wistar rats were exposed to 3 g/L lead acetate in drinking water for 5 weeks and treated thereafter with glycine (100 and 500 mg/kg, orally) once daily for 5 days or glycine (1000 mg/kg, orally) once daily for 28 days. The effect of these treatments on parameters indicative of oxidative stress (glutathione and malondialdehyde levels), the activity of blood δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, and lead concentration in blood, liver, kidney, brain, and bone were investigated. Liver samples were observed for histopathological changes. Glycine was found to be effective in (1) increasing glutathione levels; (2) reducing malondialdehyde levels; (3) decreasing lead levels in bone with the highest dose. However, glycine had no effect on lead mobilization when 100 and 500 mg/kg glycine were administered. In microscopic examination, glycine showed a protective effect against lead intoxication.

Oxidative stress effects of thinner inhalation.

Thinners are chemical mixtures used as industrial solvents. Humans can come into contact with thinner by occupational exposure or by intentional inhalation abuse. Thinner sniffing causes damage to the brain, kidney, liver, lung, and reproductive system. We discuss some proposed mechanism by which thinner induces damage. Recently, the induction of oxidative stress has been suggested as a possible mechanism of damage. This paper reviews the current evidence for oxidative stress effects induced by thinner inhalation. Early ideas about the effects of thinner on lipids are discussed in one section. We discuss several studies that have shown the oxidative effects of thinner inhalation on: lipid peroxidation, levels of antioxidant enzymes, glutathione depletion, and oxidation of proteins and DNA. We have also included studies about oxidative stress effects induced by toluene, the principal component (60-70%) of thinner. Finally, work describing the effects of oxidative stress induced by thinner inhalation on different organs is discussed.

Gestión de listas de espera en consulta externa hospitalaria. Aplicación de un protocolo de alta de consulta de cirugía ortopédica y traumatología / Waiting list management in the outpatient clinic. Use of a protocol to discharge patients from a department of orthopedics and traumatology

Objetivo: Evaluación del impacto sobre el índice de revisiones de una consulta de cirugía ortopédica y traumatología, tras la aplicación de un protocolo de alta. Material y método: Análisis prospectivo de 3.523 consultas externas de un servicio hospitalario de cirugía ortopédica y traumatología, a las que se aplicó un protocolo de alta de consulta. Comparación con una muestra aleatoria de 183 consultas realizadas durante el mismo período, a la que no se aplicó dicho protocolo. Resultados: El porcentaje de revisiones fue del 48,7 por ciento en el grupo en que se aplicó el protocolo de alta, frente al 73,3 por ciento en el grupo control (p < 0,0001; intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95 por ciento, 18,2-31,5). No hubo diferencias significativas entre los 2 grupos en cuanto al sexo, porcentaje de primeras/segundas visitas o servicio de procedencia de los pacientes. Conclusiones: La racionalización del índice de revisiones en consulta especializada, mediante la aplicación de protocolos de alta, permite reducir el número absoluto de consultas y puede mejorar los tiempos de espera para consultas de primera vez (AU)