New Essential Oils from Ecuadorian Gynoxys cuicochensis Cuatrec. and Gynoxys sancti-antonii Cuatrec. Chemical Compositions and Enantioselective Analyses.

The present study belonged to an unfunded project, dealing on the systematic description of unprecedented essential oils (EOs), distilled from 12 species of genus Gynoxys Cuatrec. In this very case, the aim was the first chemical and enantiomeric analyses of two volatile fractions, obtained from the leaves of Gynoxys cuicochensis Cuatrec. and Gynoxys sancti-antonii Cuatrec. These EOs were analyzed by GC-MS (qualitatively) and GC-FID (quantitatively), detecting 89 and 60 components from G. cuicochensis and G. sancti-antonii, respectively. Major components for G. cuicochensis EO, on a nonpolar and polar stationary phase, were α-pinene (29.4-29.6%), p-vinylguaiacol (3.3-3.6%), and germacrene D (20.8-19.9%). In G. sancti-antonii EO, the main compounds were α-pinene (3.0-2.9%), ß-pinene (12.9-12.1%), γ-curcumene (19.7-18.3%), germacrene D (9.0% on the polar phase), ar-curcumene (5.3% on the polar phase), δ-cadinene (4.1-4.6%), α-muurolol (3.3-2.4%), α-cadinol (3.0% on both columns), and an undetermined compound, of molecular weight 220. In addition to chemical composition, the enantioselective analysis of the main chiral compounds was carried out on two different chiral selectors. In G. cuicochensis EO, (1R,5R)-(+)-α-pinene, (S)-(+)-ß-phellandrene, (R)-(-)-piperitone, and (S)-(-)-germacrene D were enantiomerically pure, whereas ß-pinene, sabinene, α-phellandrene, limonene, linalool, and terpinen-4-ol were observed as scalemic mixtures. On the other hand, in G. sancti-antonii EO, the pure enantiomers were (1S,5S)-(-)-α-pinene, (1R,5R)-(+)-sabinene, (R)-(-)-ß-phellandrene, (S)-(-)-limonene, (1S,2R,6R,7R,8R)-(+)-α-copaene, (R)-(-)-terpinen-4-ol, and (S)-(-)-germacrene D, whereas ß-pinene, linalool, and α-terpineol were present as scalemic mixtures. The principal component analysis demonstrated that G. cuicochensis volatile fraction was quite similar to many of the other EOs of the same genus, whereas G. sancti-antonii produced the most dissimilar EO. Furthermore, the enantioselective analyses showed the usual variable enantiomeric distribution, with a greater presence of enantiomerically pure compounds in G. sancti-antonii EO.

Blastocoel fluid aspiration improves vitrification outcomes and produces similar sexing results of in vitro-produced cattle embryos compared to microblade biopsy.

The potential applications of in vitro-produced (IVP) cattle embryos are significantly enhanced when combined with genotype selection and cryopreservation techniques. While trophectoderm (TE) biopsies are frequently used for genotyping, cell-free DNA (cfDNA) found in blastocoele fluid (BF) arises as a less-invasive method. Moreover, the blastocoel collapse produced by BF aspiration could be beneficial for embryo cryotolerance. This study was conducted to test the BF as a source of cell free-DNA (cfDNA) and to compare the BF to the TE biopsy in terms of sexing efficiency/accuracy, embryo survival and gene expression after vitrification/warming. IVP day 7 expanded blastocysts were artificially collapsed by aspiration of BF (VIT-Collapsed) or biopsied (VIT-Biopsied). After sample collection, embryos were vitrified/warmed by the Cryotop method and individually cultured in vitro. Intact fresh non-vitrified and vitrified/warmed blastocysts served as Fresh Control and VIT-Control, respectively. After sex identification of BF or TE biopsies and the corresponding surviving embryos, amplification efficiency and sexing accuracy were assessed. There were no differences between the BF and TE biopsy samples in terms of sexing accuracy or efficiency. Although all vitrified groups showed lower post-warming re-expansion rates (p < 0.05), the blastocyst re-expansion rates in the VIT-Collapsed group were comparable to those in the Fresh Control group whereas biopsied blastocysts showed the lowest (p < 0.05) re-expansion rates. VIT-Collapsed blastocysts had hatching rates that were comparable to those of Fresh Control blastocysts but significantly higher than those of the other vitrification treatments. Proapoptotic gene BAX was overexpressed in VIT-Biopsied embryos, whereas BCL2 transcripts were more abundant in the VIT-Collapsed group. On the other hand, VIT-Biopsied embryos showed altered ATP1B1- and AQP3-mRNA levels. The analysis of the cfDNA present in the BF is an efficient, minimally invasive approach to sex IVP cattle embryos. Besides, the artificial collapse of blastocoel prior to vitrification resulted in higher re-expansion and hatching ability than when embryos were vitrified after being biopsied.

Exopolysaccharide ID1 Improves Post-Warming Outcomes after Vitrification of In Vitro-Produced Bovine Embryos.

This study aimed to assess the cryoprotectant role of exopolysaccharide (EPS) ID1, produced by Antarctic Pseudomonas sp., in the vitrification of in vitro-produced (IVP) bovine embryos. IVP day 7 (D7) and day 8 (D8) expanded blastocysts derived from cow or calf oocytes were vitrified without supplementation (EPS0) or supplemented with 10 µg/mL (EPS10) or 100 µg/mL (EPS100) EPS ID1. The effect of EPS ID1 was assessed in post-warming re-expansion and hatching rates, differential cell count, apoptosis rate, and gene expression. EPS100 re-expansion rates were significantly higher than those observed for the EPS0 and EPS10 treatments, regardless of culture length or oocyte source. EPS100 hatching rate was similar to the one of the fresh blastocysts except for those D7 blastocysts derived from calf oocytes. No differences were observed among EPS ID1 treatments when the inner cell mass, trophectoderm, and total cell number were assessed. Although apoptosis rates were higher (p ≤ 0.05) in vitrified groups compared to fresh embryos, EPS100 blastocysts had a lower number (p ≤ 0.05) of apoptotic nuclei than the EPS0 or EPS10 groups. No differences in the expression of BCL2, AQP3, CX43, and SOD1 genes between treatments were observed. Vitrification without EPS ID1 supplementation produced blastocysts with significantly higher BAX gene expression, whereas treatment with 100 µg/mL EPS ID1 returned BAX levels to those observed in non-vitrified blastocysts. Our results suggest that 100 µg/mL EPS ID1 added to the vitrification media is beneficial for embryo cryopreservation because it results in higher re-expansion and hatching ability and it positively modulates apoptosis.

Reducing women's alcohol use: a brief intervention pilot study at a primary health care service in Brazil.

This study assesses the feasibility of a brief intervention among women with hazardous alcohol use at a primary health care service in Brazil. A two-arm randomized pilot study was carried out from July 2017 to January 2018 with 44 women aged 18 years or older with hazardous alcohol use. The intervention group completed a brief intervention in a single session lasting 20 to 30 minutes. The control group received five minutes of brief advice. Alcohol use was assessed by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and the frequency and quantity of alcohol consumed in the previous month were assessed at baseline and the first and third months of follow-up in both groups. The AUDIT score was decreased in both groups at baseline (intervention group 12.89, control group 10.64), the 1st month (intervention group 12.78 p = .9; control group 7.9 p = .01) and the 3rd month (intervention group 10.11 p = .13; control group 7.09 p < .01). The intervention group continued using alcohol after the brief intervention, although the quantity of alcohol consumed was reduced compared with that at baseline (p < .01). Finally, the brief intervention delivered in a primary health care service in Brazil showed the potential to reduce women's pattern of alcohol consumption.

A Shorter Equilibration Period Improves Post-Warming Outcomes after Vitrification and in Straw Dilution of In Vitro-Produced Bovine Embryos.

This study was designed to the optimize vitrification and in-straw warming protocol of in vitro-produced bovine embryos by comparing two different equilibration periods, short equilibrium (SE: 3 min) and long equilibrium (LE: 12 min). Outcomes recorded in vitrified day seven (D7) and day eight (D8) expanded blastocysts were survival and hatching rates, cell counts, apoptosis rate, and gene expression. While survival rates at 3 and 24 h post-warming were reduced (p < 0.05) after vitrification, the hatching rates of D7 embryos vitrified after SE were similar to the rates recorded in fresh non-vitrified blastocysts. The hatching rates of vitrified D8 blastocysts were lower (p < 0.05) than of fresh controls regardless of treatment. Total cell count, and inner cell mass and trophectoderm cell counts were similar in hatched D7 blastocysts vitrified after SE and fresh blastocysts, while vitrified D8 blastocysts yielded lower values regardless of treatment. The apoptosis rate was significantly higher in both treatment groups compared to fresh controls, although rates were lower for SE than LE. No differences emerged in BAX, AQP3, CX43, and IFNτ gene expression between the treatments, whereas a significantly greater abundance of BCL2L1 and SOD1 transcripts was observed in blastocysts vitrified after SE. A shorter equilibration vitrification protocol was found to improve post-warming outcomes and time efficiency after in-straw warming/dilution.

Glutathione Ethyl Ester Protects In Vitro-Maturing Bovine Oocytes against Oxidative Stress Induced by Subsequent Vitrification/Warming.

This study aimed to examine whether the addition of glutathione ethyl ester (GSH-OEt) to the in vitro maturation (IVM) medium would improve the resilience of bovine oocytes to withstand vitrification. The effects of GSH-OEt on spindle morphology, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial activity and distribution, and embryo developmental potential were assessed together with the expression of genes with a role in apoptosis (BAX, BCL2), oxidative-stress pathways (GPX1, SOD1), water channels (AQP3), implantation (IFN-τ) and gap junctions (CX43) in oocytes and their derived blastocysts. Vitrification gave rise to abnormal spindle microtubule configurations and elevated ROS levels. Supplementation of IVM medium with GSH-OEt before vitrification preserved mitochondrial distribution pattern and diminished both cytoplasmic and mitochondrial ROS contents and percentages of embryos developing beyond the 8-cell stage were similar to those recorded in fresh non-vitrified oocytes. Although not significantly different from control vitrified oocytes, vitrified oocytes after GSH-OEt treatment gave rise to similar day 8-blastocyst and hatching rates to fresh non-vitrified oocytes. No effects of GSH-OEt supplementation were noted on the targeted gene expression of oocytes and derived blastocysts, with the exception of GPX1, AQP3 and CX43 in derived blastocysts. The addition of GSH-OEt to the IVM medium before vitrification may be beneficial for embryo development presumably as the consequence of additional anti-oxidant protection during IVM.

A case of acquired Brown syndrome treated with adalimumab.

We present the case of a 4-year-old boy with acquired Brown syndrome of inflammatory origin. Without evidence of systemic inflammation, the disease typically resolves with oral steroids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Refractory cases can be treated with local steroid injections or surgery. The present case of inflammatory Brown syndrome did not respond to conservative therapy, and parental concerns and wishes precluded more invasive treatments. Adalimumab was initiated and led to complete resolution of the disease.

O primeiro contato com as drogas: análise do prontuário de mulheres atendidas em um serviço especializado / The first contact with drugs: analysis of medical records of women cared in a specialized service

O estudo objetivou caracterizar e compreender o contexto em que se dá o primeiro contato de mulheres com problemas relacionados ao uso de substâncias psicoativas que procuraram atendimento em um serviço especializado em álcool e outras drogas. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório, descritivo de abordagem quanti-qualitativa. Utilizaram-se informações contidas em 412 prontuários de mulheres atendidas num serviço especializado em álcool e outras drogas. Realizou-se uma análise exploratória dos dados quantitativos, e os dados qualitativos foram agrupados e analisados segundo a análise de conteúdo, originando cinco temáticas. Resultados: A idade média de primeiro contato com as drogas foi 16 anos e as substâncias mais usadas foram álcool, tabaco e maconha. Concluiu-se que, na adolescência, as mulheres ficam mais vulneráveis ao primeiro contato com substâncias psicoativas e que o contexto social e familiar exerce influência na iniciação do uso de drogas.

This study aimed to characterize and understand the circumstance under wich women carrying problems related to psychoactive substance use had their first contact with a specialized service in alcohol and other drugs. Exploratory and descriptive study of quantitative and qualitative approach. We retrieved of the information contained in medical records of 412 women cared in a service specializing in alcohol and other drugs. We held a quantitative data exploratory analysis and grouped qualitative data, wich were analyzed as for their content analysis, resulting in five themes. Results: the average age of women first contact with the drugs was 16 years, being alcohol, tobacco and marijuana the most commonly used substances. We concluded that, during adolescence, women are more vulnerable to the first contact with psychoactive substances, and that social and family contexts exert influence on the initiation of drug use.

Biopsia de ganglio centinela en cáncer de mama después de neoadyuvancia en una población latinoamericana / Sentinel Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer After Neoadjuvant Therapy in a Latin-American population

Objetivo: Determinar la utilidad de la biopsia del ganglio centinela en cáncer de mama después neoadyuvancia. Método: Estudio de prueba diagnóstica. Resultados: El análisis se lleva a cabo en 67 pacientes intervenidas en el Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INC) (Bogotá, Colombia), la obtención de una tasa de migración axilar de 85%. La tasa de identificación del ganglio centinela fue del 90%. La tasa de falsos negativos fue del 25%. El rendimiento de la prueba de diagnóstico muestra: una sensibilidad del 75%; una especificidad de 100%; un valor predictivo positivo de 100%; un valor predictivo negativo de 77,5% y un valor de precisión de 85,6%. Conclusiones: Según los resultados de nuestra serie, esta técnica no se recomienda como procedimiento estándar aún en pacientes con axila clínicamente negativa corroborada con ecografía axilar. El alto porcentaje de falsos negativos (25%) encontrado puede deberse al número elevado de pacientes con estadios localmente avanzados en nuestra serie.

Objective: To determine the usefulness of sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer after neoadjuvant treatment. Methods: A study of a diagnostic test. Results: The analysis was carried out on 67 Latin-American patients treated in the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (Bogotá, Colombia), obtaining an axillary migration rate of 85%. The sentinel node identification rate was 90%. The false negative rate is 25%. The performance of the diagnostic test shows a sensitivity of 75%, specifity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100%, negative predictive value of 77.5%, and 85.6% accuracy. Conclusions: The results of our study show that this technique is not recommended as standard procedure, even in patients with clinically negative axilla confirmed by axillary ultrasound. The high percentage of false negatives may be due to the high number of patients with locally advanced disease in our series.

Nivel de conocimientos sobre la atención que brindan los promotores de salud y las características de su intervención con pacientes de tuberculosis pulmonar en centros de salud de Lima Metropolitana 2014 / Level of knowledge about the attention provided by health promoters and the characteristics of their intervention with the pulmonary tuberculosis patients in health centers of metropolitan Lima 2014

La tuberculosis es una enfermedad que sigue siendo una amenaza para la salud pública a escala mundial, con su tendencia a desarrollar enfermedad crónica, discapacitante y fatal; es por ello que la estrategia de control de tuberculosis requiere de la intervención de diferentes actores sociales incluyendo a los promotores de salud. Por lo cual el estudio plantea la necesidad de comprobar el nivel de conocimiento del promotor de salud y las características de su intervención con pacientes de tuberculosis pulmonar en centros de salud de Lima Metropolitana. El estudio es de enfoque cuantitativo, de nivel aplicativo, método descriptivo. Se utilizó como técnica la entrevista y observación, a través de referencias del profesional de enfermería y los instrumentos fueron un cuestionario y lista de chequeo respectivamente a 25 promotores de salud. Cuyos resultados nos indican un nivel de conocimiento medio (56 por ciento), destacando en aspectos conceptuales de la enfermedad con un nivel alto (52 por ciento); acerca de las características de intervención, intervienen en sus actividades un 80 por ciento, destacando en el área de promoción con un 76 por ciento. Concluyendo que los promotores de salud sobre la atención que brindan a los pacientes de tuberculosis pulmonar presentan un nivel de conocimiento medio, y cumplen con el rol de intervención impartido por la norma técnica, guía y manuales en su totalidad, destacando en áreas de prevención y promoción.

Tuberculosis is a disease that remains a threat to public health worldwide, with its tendency to develop chronic, disabling and fatal disease; is why the tuberculosis control strategy requires the involvement of different stakeholders including health promoters. Therefore the study raises the need to check the level of knowledge of the health promoter and the characteristics of its intervention in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in health centers in Lima. The study is quantitative approach, level application, descriptive method. Interview and observation was used as a technique, through references nurse and instruments were a questionnaire and checklist respectively 25 health promoters. The results indicate a medium (56 per cent) knowledge, emphasizing conceptual aspects of the disease with a high level (52 per cent); about the characteristics of intervention involved in its activities by 80 per cent, particularly in the area of promotion with 76 per cent. Concluding that health promoters on the care provided to patients with pulmonary tuberculosis have a medium level of knowledge, and fulfill the role of intervention delivered by technology, guide and manual standard completely, highlighting areas of prevention and promotion.

Essential oil composition from two species of Piperaceae family grown in Colombia.

Essential oil compositions of aerial parts from two species in the Piper (Piperaceae family) genera: Piper lanceaefolium Kunth and Piper hispidum Sw., frequently called deflated (for the anti-inflammatory activity) or cord. Piperaceae leaves were collected in different regions of the Chocó department in northwestern Colombia and identified by botanists from Colombian National Herbarium, where a voucher of each specimen were deposited (No- COL 519993 and No- COL 519969, respectively). The essential oils were obtained by microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MWHD) and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The P. lanceaefolium essential oil was sesquiterpenoid type (71.7%). This composition was represented by sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons (58.5%) and by their oxygenated derivates (13.2%); the main compounds were, trans-beta-caryophyllene (11.6%) and germacrene D (10.7%) followed by alpha-selinene (7.8%), beta-pinene (5.4%), beta-selinene (4.8%), and alpha-cubebene (4.3%). The Piper hispidum essential oil also was sesquiterpene type (74.4%) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (46.4%) followed by sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons (28.0%). The main compounds were trans-nerolidol (23.6%) and caryophyllene oxide (5.4%) followed by beta-elemene (5.1%), trans-beta-caryophyllene (5.1%), curzerene (4.9%), and germacrene B (4.5%). Trans-beta-caryophyllene presents the higher percentage of the common compounds in the two species' essential oil (11.6% and 5.1% in P. lanceaefolium and P. hispidum, respectively).

Eugenol and methyl eugenol chemotypes of essential oil of species Ocimum gratissimum L. and Ocimum campechianum Mill. from Colombia.

Essential oils chemical constituents of leaves of O. gratissimum and O. campechianum of the Lamiaceae family, collected in Chocó of northwest Colombian, were obtained by microwave-assisted hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. A total of 33 and 37 compounds were identified in the essential oil of O. gratissimum and O. campechianum, respectively. O. gratissimum's main essential oils were eugenol (43.2%), 1,8-cineole (12.8%) and beta-selinene (9.0%); in the O. campechianum essential oil, the main components were methyl eugenol (12.0%), germacrene D (10.1%), and eugenol (9.0%). Main distribution of compounds in these essential oils are 25.0% monoterpenes hydrocarbons, 15.0% monoterpenes oxygenated, 35.0% sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons, 7.5% other oxygenated components for O. gratissimum, 33.9% sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons, and 10.7% their respective oxygenated derivates; for O. campechianum, the distribution was 10.7% monoterpenes hydrocarbons and 7.1% their respective oxygenated derivates and 3.6% phenylpropanes. According to the essential oils chemical composition of Ocimum gratissimum and O. campechianum, they are classified as eugenol and methyl eugenol chemotype, respectively.

Procesamiento de la hojarasca de anacardium excelsum en una corriente intermitente tropical del noreste de Venezuela / Leaf litter processing of anacardium excelsum in a tropical intermittent stream of northwestern Venezuela

Algunos factores que influyen sobre el procesamiento de la hojarasca de Anacardium excelsum fueron examinados en un pozo y un rápido en el caño Carichuano, una corriente intermitente de segundo orden ubicada al noroeste de Venezuela. Se incubaron bolsas de hojarasca en dos secciones (pozo y rápido) y la pérdida de peso fue determinada después de 3, 6, 13 y 20 días. La tasa de descomposición (-k) de la hojarasca determinadas para el rápido (0,01722/día) y el pozo (0,01255/día) son estadísticamente diferentes. La producción de conidios de hifomicetos acuáticos incrementó rápidamente (6d) en el rápido y lentamente en el pozo (13d). Las densidades de macroinvertebrados fueron extremadamente bajas (<8ind/gr PSLC). Los invertebrados colonizaron rápidamente las bolsas de hojarasca mantenidas en ambos ambientes; pero las densidades en el rápido resultaron mayores que en el pozo. Se sugiere que la abrasión física causada por la velocidad de la corriente y un incremento de la actividad microbiana podría explicar las diferencias observadas en el procesamiento de la hojarasca de A. excelsum en estos dos ambientes de este río intermitente, mientras que la participación de los invertebrados se considera baja

Abordaje del síndrome premenstrual: una revisión actualizada / Boarding of the premenstrual syndrome: An update review

El síndrome premenstrual afecta a millones de mujeres en todo el mundo y está descrito como uno de los desórdenes más comunes en las mujeres en edad reproductiva, en general queda reservado para aquellos cambios premenstruales adversos cuya duración e intensidad provoquen cambios en la calidad de vida. Se realiza una revisión del manejo del síndrome premenstrual no solo desde el punto de vista farmacológico, donde los avances más recientes, basados en números estudios clínicos, demuestran la eficacia de los inhibidores selectivos de la recaptura de serotonina como fármacos de primera línea, además se describen otras opciones de tratamiento medicamentoso, así como medidas de ayuda en cuanto a la dieta, hábitos, ayuda psicológica y medicina alternativa entre otras; enfatizando que cada mujer es única y que es necesario monitorizar cada opción de tratamiento e individualizar cada caso.