Exploring the CO2 photocatalytic evolution onto the CuO (1 1 0) surface: A combined theoretical and experimental study.

A combined theoretical and experimental study was performed to elucidate the photocatalytic potential of tenorite, CuO (1 1 0) and to assess the evolution pathway of carbon dioxide (CO2) evolution pathway. The calculations were performed with density functional theory (DFT) at a DFT + U + J0 and spin polarized level. The CuO was experimentally synthesized and characterized with structural and optical methodologies. The band structure and density of states revealed the rise of band gaps at 1.24 and 1.03 eV with direct and indirect band gap nature, respectively. These values are in accordance with the experimental evidence at 1.28 and 0.96 eV; respectively, which were obtained by UV-Vis DRS. Such a behavior could be related to enhanced photocatalytic activity among copper oxide materials. Experimental evidence such as SEM images and work function measurements were also performed to evaluate the oxide. The redox potential suggests a catalytic character of tenorite (1 1 0) for the CO2 transformation through aldehydes (methanal) intermediate formation. Furthermore, a route through methylene glycol CH2(OH)2 was also explored with the theoretical methodology. The reaction path exhibits an immediate reduction of Image 1 into a •OH radical and an [OH]- anion, in the first step. This •OH radical attacks a double bond (C = O) of Image 2 to form bicarbonate ([Image 3]-) and subsequently, carbonic acid (Image 4). The carbonic acid reacts with other •OH radical to finally form orthocarbonic acid (Image 5).

Is mass screening enough to control tuberculosis in Ecuador's prisons?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate mass screening campaigns for tuberculosis in prisoners in Ecuador. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Cross-sectional study of Chronic Cough (CC) detected amongst inmates who entered two prisons in Ecuador between January and December 2016 (n = 12,365). The time distribution of the CCs was analyzed with the uniformity test and its relationship with the diagnosed cases of PTB, the prevalence of PTB was calculated. A logistic regression model was performed to determine the factors modifiers of PTB positivity. RESULTS: 1.332 chronic cougher were recorded, the positivity rate was 17.3% (95% CI, 15.1-19.4), and the prevalence was 1.9% (95% CI, 1.6 - 2.1). There was an absence of uniformity in the detection and diagnosis by epidemiological weeks; there was a positive correlation between CC and PTB cases. The positivity rate was associated with the prison with the highest density (adjusted OR 3.8; 95% CI, 2.5-5.5). DISCUSSION: Massive screening campaigns are not enough to control tuberculosis in Ecuador's prisons. The incidence found is high. It is necessary to strengthen the diagnostic process to treat all the cases found and thus break the chain of transmission.

In vitro nematicidal activity of two ferrocenyl chalcones against larvae of Haemonchus contortus (L3) and Nacobbus aberrans (J2).

The main goal of this work was to evaluate the in vitro biological activity of two ferrocenyl chalcones (FcC-1 and FcC-2) against Haemonchus contortus (third-stage larvae (L3)) and Nacobbus aberrans (second-stage juveniles (J2)). Both compounds were synthesized and characterized by usual spectroscopic methods and their molecular structures were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffractometry. Nematode strains were examined in terms of percentage mortality of H. contortus (L3) by the action of FcC-1, which showed an effectivity of 100% at a concentration of 342 µM in 24 h, with EC50 = 20.33 µM and EC90 = 162.76 µM, whereas FcC-2 had an effectivity of 72% at a concentration of 342 µM in 24 h, with EC50 = 167.39 µM and EC90 = 316.21 µM. The effect of FcC-1 against nematode phytoparasite N. aberrans showed a better percentage of 95% at a concentration of 342 µM, with EC50 = 7.18 µM and EC90 = 79.25 µM, whereas the effect of FcC-2 was 87% at 342 µM, with EC50 = 168 µM and EC90 = 319.56 µM at 36 h. After treatment, the scanning electron micrographs revealed deformities in the dorsal flank and posterior part close to the tail of H. contortus L3. They showed moderate in vitro nematicidal activity against H. contortus L3 and N. aberrans J2.

PTPN22 +788 G>A (R263Q) Polymorphism is Associated with mRNA Expression but it is not a Susceptibility Marker for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients from Western Mexico.

PTPN22 represents an important non-HLA gene that has been strongly associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis. Several studies have reported a specific genetic variant for PTPN22 (+788 G>A; rs33996649) that might be associated with decreased RA risk in Caucasian population; nevertheless, its specific role in western Mexican population has not been yet described. A case-control study with 443 RA patients and 317 control subjects (CS) was conducted. The genotyping was performed by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique and the PTPN22 mRNA expression was determined by SYBR Green-based real-time quantitative-PCR assay. No association between the PTPN22 +788 G>A polymorphism and RA susceptibility in western Mexican population was found when comparing genotype and allelic frequencies between RA patients and CS (G/G vs. G/A: OR 0.55, p = 0.14, 95% CI 0.22-1.32; G vs. A: OR 0.56, p = 0.14, 95% CI 0.23-1.36). The PTPN22 mRNA expression increased 4.6-fold more in RA patients than in CS, and RA patients, carriers of PTPN22 +788 G/A genotype, expressed 15.6-fold more than RA patients carrying the homozygous G/G genotype. Overall, these results showed that the PTPN22 +788 G>A polymorphism is not associated with RA susceptibility in western Mexican population, whereas the presence of G/A genotype is associated with increased PTPN22 mRNA expression in RA patients.

Effectiveness, safety and cost of abiraterone acetate in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a real-world data analysis.

PURPOSE: New therapies with diverse mechanisms of action are available for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness, safety and cost of abiraterone acetate (AA) in patients with mCRPC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Observational retrospective cohort study in which mCRPC patients who initiated AA between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2017, were included. The patients were followed-up until death or March 31, 2018. Demographic, clinical and economic data were collected from the corporate electronic information systems. Survival distributions were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. RESULTS: A total of 69 mCRPC patients were started on AA, of whom 18 (26.1%) received prior chemotherapy (post-CT) and 51 (73.9%) did not receive it (CT-naïve). A PSA decline of ≥ 50% was achieved in five (27.8%) post-CT and 32 (62.7%) CT-naïve patients (p = 0.011). Median time to PSA progression, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 4.4/7.9 months (p = 0.003), 5.1/7.5 months (p = 0.034) and 12.1/21.3 months (p = 0.119), respectively, for post-CT/CT-naïve patients. Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) occurred in 10 (55.6%) post-CT and 11 (21.6%) CT-naïve patients (p = 0.007). The most common AEs were hypokalaemia (11.6%), hypertension (8.7%) and fatigue (5.8%). The cost per median PFS month and per median OS month was €2818.4/€2784.3 and €1187.9/€980.4 for post-CT/CT-naïve patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CT-naïve patients treated with AA obtained a better clinical benefit in terms of effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness ratio than post-CT patients. The effectiveness outcomes were poorer than those reported previously in the clinical trial setting.

Effects of health at every size® interventions on health-related outcomes of people with overweight and obesity: a systematic review.

CONTEXT: The growing use of interventions based on the Health at Every Size® (HAES®) in obesity management. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to summarize the health-related effects of HAES®-based interventions on people with overweight and obesity. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane Library, LILACS, Google Scholar, OpenGrey and Grey Literature Report. STUDY SELECTION: A systematic review of studies published until January 2017 reporting on HAES®-based randomized and non-randomized controlled trials in people with overweight and/or obesity. DATA EXTRACTION: Fourteen papers met the inclusion criteria. The assessed studies included the following tests: blood profile, blood pressure, anthropometry, eating behaviour, energy intake, diet quality, psychological and qualitative evaluations. RESULTS: The HAES® interventions benefited both the psychological and physical activity outcomes, besides promoting behavioural and qualitative changes in eating habits. On the other hand, the results regarding cardiovascular responses, body-image perception and total energy intake were inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS: Despite improving the cardiovascular status, eating behaviours, quality of life and psychological well-being in participants, other large long-term clinical trials should be performed to establish the effectiveness of HAES®-based interventions in improving health for people with overweight and obesity. PROSPERO registration 2017: CRD42017054857.

Improving efficacy and efficiency through the implementation of a new organisational model in a Radiation Oncology Department.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate a new organisational model, "process management" (PM), implemented in the Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria (HUVV) compared with traditional models used in other Radiation Oncology Departments (RODs), in terms of efficacy and efficiency. METHODS: The study period ranged from September 2011 to August 2012. Efficacy was assessed, comparing the number of patients attended in first consultation and treated per month, average waiting time from referral to first visit and average waiting time from first visit to treatment. Data were collected from two public hospitals in Andalusia: the HUVV and another Public Hospital in Andalusia (PHA1). Efficiency was assessed comparing the costs per patient attended in first visit and treated at HUVV in 2012 compared with those of a second Public Hospital in Andalusia (PHA2) for 2008. The number of sessions saved using hypofractionation versus classical schemes during the year 2012 in HUVV was estimated, and the money saved was calculated. RESULTS: In the efficacy analysis, we found significant differences in the average waiting time for first visit, start of treatment, and the number of patients seen and treated annually. After calculating the total cost generated in the ROD, the efficiency analysis showed a lower cost per patient attended in first visit (EUR 599.17) and per patient treated (EUR 783.50), with a saving of 6035 sessions using hypofractionated schemes. CONCLUSIONS: Process management in an ROD reduces time, both to first medical visit and to treatment initiation, allowing an optimisation of linear accelerator (LINAC) capacity.

Percepción de la imagen corporal y prácticas alimentarias entre indígenas Mayas de Yucatán, México / Body image perception and food practices of Mayan indigenous of Yucatan, Mexico

The objective of this study was to assess body image perception and feeding practices of indigenous Mayan of two different rural areas of Yucatan. Eight men and 2 women from 10 families of the community of Xanlah (corn forming area) and 8 women and 3 men from another community called Mucuyche (Henequen plantation) were selected; height and weight were measured to determine body mass index (BMI). Usual dietary practices and in-depth interviews were done to know their self-image perception. The answers showed similarities in both communities, being "chubby" is part of their cultural context and considered "normal" and food selection was not based on nutritional value, but on the status, recognition and prestige which these foods represent. It's essential that the nutrition policies are implemented with strategies that are pertinent to the social and cultural context of the country.

El objetivo del estudio fue conocer la percepción de la imagen corporal y las prácticas alimentarias de indígenas mayas de dos zonas rurales de Yucatán, México. Se seleccionaron 10 familias por conveniencia hasta que se obtuvo el punto de saturación teórica, con un total de 8 mujeres y 2 hombres de la comunidad de Xanláh (zona maicera), y 8 mujeres y 3 hombres de la localidad de Mucuyché (zona henequenera); se les pesó y midió para identificar el Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC), dieta habitual y entrevistas en profundidad (cuya guía fue validada en un estudio previo) para conocer la percepción de la imagen. Las respuestas mostraron similitudes en ambas comunidades, el estar 'gordito' o 'gordita' forma parte de su contexto cultural y de la "normalidad" y, seleccionan los alimentos no por su valor nutritivo, sino por el estatus, reconocimiento y prestigio que dichos alimentos representan. Es indispensable que las políticas se orienten con estrategias pertinentes a los contextos sociales y culturales del país.

Evaluation of Water Sanitation Health Education Programme: Working with the Knowledge of the Basic Sanitation Services in a Developing Community in Rural Haiti after the 2010 Earthquake.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to measure the knowledge regarding the new sanitation water system being implemented in Dessources, a rural community in the municipality of Croix-des-Bouquets in Haiti after a two-year intervention programme. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional epidemiologic design was used to measure the knowledge of the people in the community using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data collection followed a face-to-face interview process in all houses of the community. The instrument content validity was performed by a panel of experts followed by Cronbach's alpha test to establish the reliability of knowledge scale. In addition, association measures were done using Stata 11.0 statistical package. RESULTS: Content validity test were performed with minimum changes and an alpha of 0.74 was obtained for the scale. Response rate was 65.57% (41/60 houses); non-participants were only those who did not meet the inclusion criteria. Most of the participants (77.5%) were 21-49 years old and 85% had been living in the community for more than 20 years. Bivariate analysis showed that the people of Dessources had adequate knowledge. Significant differences, however, were found among the zones that are not in use of the new sanitary systems and among families with more than seven members per house. CONCLUSIONS: Differences found can be explained based on the Rogers theoretical diffusion of innovation model. The evaluation shows that people of Dessources in Haiti have a high knowledge regarding the new water sanitation system and provided evidence of an adequate health education programme intervention.

Successional changes in functional composition contrast for dry and wet tropical forest.

We tested whether and how functional composition changes with succession in dry deciduous and wet evergreen forests of Mexico. We hypothesized that compositional changes during succession in dry forest were mainly determined by increasing water availability leading to community functional changes from conservative to acquisitive strategies, and in wet forest by decreasing light availability leading to changes from acquisitive to conservative strategies. Research was carried out in 15 dry secondary forest plots (5-63 years after abandonment) and 17 wet secondary forest plots (< 1-25 years after abandonment). Community-level functional traits were represented by community-weighted means based on 11 functional traits measured on 132 species. Successional changes in functional composition are more marked in dry forest than in wet forest and largely characterized by different traits. During dry forest succession, conservative traits related to drought tolerance and drought avoidance decreased, as predicted. Unexpectedly acquisitive leaf traits also decreased, whereas seed size and dependence on biotic dispersal increased. In wet forest succession, functional composition changed from acquisitive to conservative leaf traits, suggesting light availability as the main driver of changes. Distinct suites of traits shape functional composition changes in dry and wet forest succession, responding to different environmental filters.

First Report of Neofusicoccum australe (Botryosphaeria australis), as a Branch Dieback Pathogen of Avocado Trees in Chile.

Since 2007, Chilean avocado (Persea americana Mill.) orchards have been exposed to several abiotic stress conditions, namely frost damage and drought, due to three consecutive seasons of cold winters and shortage of irrigation water. At the same time, a severe disease resulting in tree dieback of cv. Hass, specifically, was observed in north-central Chile. Symptomatic trees exhibited abundant dead twigs in the tree canopy, and wilted leaves remained attached to the twigs in autumn. Closer inspection revealed reddish-brown necrotic lesions on the bark of the dead twigs, which girdled these symptomatic branches. When the bark was removed, the wood below appeared dark brown, in contrast to the yellowish-green coloring of healthy. The fungus was also consistently isolated from rotted fruit. A Neofusicoccum sp. with a yellow colony was consistently isolated from the necrotic lesions on PDA and incubated at room temperature for 3 days. Conidia produced in black pycnidia growing on 2% water agar with sterilized pine needles were smooth, unicellular, hyaline, and with granular contents. One or two septa developed at germination, but rarely before. The average length of the conidia was 27.0 ± 0.9 µm, with a length/width ratio of 3.9 ± 0.2 µm. Based on culture and conidial morphology, the isolates were putatively identified as Neofusicoccum luteum (1). DNA sequence analysis of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was conducted for four representative isolates using primers ITS1 and ITS4 (4). The sequence analysis of ITS region of kiwifruit isolate H1M4 (Accession No. KC330230) reveled 100% nucleotide identity to N. australe (FJ157187 to FJ157192) (3). Pathogenicity tests were conducted with stem inoculations of 2-year-old cv. Hass plants grow in plastic containers in a sand/lime/peat mixture. For each inoculated plant (n = 8), a 7-mm-diameter agar plug from the margin of a 3-day culture was used as inoculum after wounding the stem to the depth to 7 mm with a cork borer. Negative control (n = 8) were wounded and then 'mock-inoculated' with sterile agar plugs. The inoculation sites were wrapped with Parafilm. All plants were kept in a greenhouse. After 5 months, all inoculated plants showed bark cankers and necrotic lesions beneath the bark, which were 5.2 cm long (n = 8). No symptoms developed on the control plants. N. australe was recovered from the margin of the necrosis lesion of every inoculated plant, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates and confirming its pathogenicity. Botryosphaeraceae spp. are the commonly reported to have ability to survive endophytically in their host, causing disease only when the host is exposed to a stress condition (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of N. australe as a pathogen of avocado in Chile. The fungal isolates (PaHass No. 1 to 4) were deposited in the Laboratorio de Fitopatología Frutal y Molecular, Departamento de Sanidad Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas de la Universidad de Chile. References: (1) A. J. L. Phillips. http://www.crem.fct.unl.pt/botryosphaeria_site/ Accessed November 20, 2011. (2) B. Slippers and M. J. Wingfield. Fungal Biol. Rev. 21:90, 2007. (3) B. Slippers et al. Mycologia 96:1030, 2004. (4) White et al. PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. Academic Press, San Diego, 1990.

Diaporthe ambigua Associated with Post-Harvest Fruit Rot of Kiwifruit in Chile.

Kiwifruit is an important, expanding commercial crop in Chile. Several fungi have been reported to be associated with post-harvest rots of kiwifruit worldwide (2). During 2011 and 2012, kiwifruit produced in the VI and VII regions of Chile, showing symptoms of inner rot, were investigated with the aim of identifying the disease agent. The affected fruits had brown pubescent skin at the stem end that became soft and lighter in color than the adjacent firm healthy tissues. A watery exudate and white to pale grayish mycelial mats frequently developed at the stem end of the fruit, causing a water-drop stain down the sides on the dry brown healthy skin. The underlying tissue accessed by peeling off the skin was usually water soaked, soft, and lighter green than the healthy tissue. A fermented sour odor occurred frequently on severely decayed fruits. After incubation at 25°C over 7 days on potato dextrose agar (PDA), white to grayish, pale aerial mycelial mats were recovered from fragments of symptomatic kiwifruit superficially disinfected with 95% ethanol. After 2 weeks, black, spherical pycnidia developed, bearing hyaline, ellipsoidal, biguttulate conidia (5.4 to 12.6 × 2.1 to 4.7 µm). After 3 weeks, abundant perithecia embedded in a distinct, black, elevated stroma developed. Perithecia were black, globose, 200 to 500 µm in diameter with necks sinuous, filiform, 550 to 840 × 50 to 95 µm. Clavate, sessile asci, 30.9 to 50.2 × 6.6 to 12.5 µm contained ascospores biseriate, hyaline, smooth, fusoid-ellipsoid, widest just above the septum, tapering towards both ends, medianly septate, constricted at the septum at maturity, with 1 to 2 guttules per cell ascospores, 5.9 to 9.7 × 2.5 to 4.3 µm. All colonies obtained from kiwifruit displayed the same morphological traits and were consistent with those of a Diaporthe sp. (1). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was sequenced using ITS1/ITS4 primers (4). Analysis of ITS region of kiwifruit isolates Damb_12 and Damb_16 (GenBank Accession Nos. KC294545 and KC294544, respectively) revealed 100% nucleotide identity to Diaporthe ambigua (HM575420, HM575419, DQ286274, DQ286270, and DQ286271). Six millimeter plugs from fungal colonies growing on PDA at 25°C for 7 days were used to inoculate 15 healthy untreated, ripe 'Hayward' kiwifruits. Control fruits were inoculated with agar plugs. Inoculated fruits were incubated at 25°C and 80% relative humidity. After 7 days, white to pale grayish mycelial mats developed only on the inoculated fruits, releasing a water drop stain. The underlying tissue was lighter green and water soaked. D. ambigua was reisolated only from the inoculated fruits. D. actinidiae has been previously reported on kiwifruit canes in Chile (3); however, to our knowledge, this is the first report on the occurrence of D. ambigua (Phomopsis ambigua) on kiwifruit in Chile. The fungal isolates (no. 1 to 21) have been deposited in the Laboratorio de Fitopatología Frutal y Molecular, Departamento de Sanidad Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas de la Universidad de Chile. References: (1) J. C. Jansen van Rensburg et al. Studies in Mycol. 55:65, 2006. (2) L. Luongo et al. J. Plant Pathol. 93:205, 2011. (3) A. Palma and E. Piontelli. E. Bol. Micol. 15:79, 2000. (4) White et al. PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. Academic Press, San Diego, 1990.

Ensayo clínico aleatorio: papel de la dieta y ejercicios físicos en mujeres con síndrome metabólico / Randomised controlled trial: the role of diet and exercise in women with metabolic syndrome

Objetivo Evaluar la eficacia de un programa de recomendaciones nutricionales y ejercicios físicos en mujeres con síndrome metabólico.Diseño Ensayo clínico aleatorio multicéntrico.EmplazamientoAtención primaria de Holguín, Cuba.ParticipantesMuestreo por conglomerados de 150 mujeres obesas con síndrome metabólico, sin alteraciones de la glucemia. Se asignaron aleatoriamente a un grupo control (n=70) y a uno experimental (n=80). Completaron el estudio (junio 2008-julio 2009), 62 mujeres del control y 60 del grupo de intervención.IntervenciónEn el grupo experimental se aplicó una dieta hipocalórica balanceada y un programa de ejercicio físico. El grupo control recibió los cuidados habituales.Mediciones principalesPeso corporal, índice de masa corporal, circunferencia abdominal, presión arterial, glucemia y el perfil lipídico en sangre.ResultadosAl año, en relación al grupo control, en el grupo experimental se redujo más la presión diastólica (78±0,9 vs. 91±1,1mm Hg), el colesterol total (4,7±0,1 vs. 6,0±0,1mmol/L), los triglicéridos (1,9±0,1 vs. 2,9±0,1mmol/L) y el colesterol-LDL (2,5±0,0 vs. 3,5±0,1mmol/L), y aumentó más el colesterol-HDL (1,2±0,0 vs. 1,1±0,0mmol/L). No se produjeron cambios apreciables en el peso, el índice de masa corporal, la circunferencia abdominal, la presión arterial sistólica y la glucemia.ConclusionesSe demuestra la efectividad del programa de intervención sobre la presión arterial y el perfil de lípidos en sangre. (AU)

Tendencias y características de la investigación en enfermería publicada en México / Trends and features of published nursing research in Mexico

Objetivo: Conocer las tendencias y características de los artículos de investigación en enfermería publicados en México en los últimos 5 años. Metodología: Estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo y transversal. La muestra correspondió a 358 artículos de investigación publicados. Se elaboró un instrumento de 34 ítems, sometido al análisis de expertos y piloteado previo a la revisión final para valorar características de los artículos publicados en cuatro revistas mexicanas. Resultados: La principal temática abordada fue la clínica 36.9% en el contexto hospitalario, 42.2% de las investigaciones utilizó teoría de enfermería. En el 77.5% predominó el paradigma cuantitativo, la zona centro del país tiene el mayor número de publicaciones. En los artículos, el grado académico predominante del 1er autor es Maestría con el 41.1%.Discusión: Los resultados evidencian la brecha existente entre universidades y hospitales para generar investigación, falta de financiamiento (no hay claridad de su procedencia), insuficiente generación de nuevos investigadores (los alumnos no participan en la autoría), rigurosidad metodológica cuestionable, con evidentes inconsistencias en algunos artículos. Dado que no se analizaron revistas internacionales y revistas diferentes a la disciplina donde publican enfermeras mexicanas, los resultados no se pueden generalizar. A pesar de que los resultados son congruentes con estudios previos, es eminente la mejoría en la calidad de los artículos de investigación.Conclusión: El trabajo deja la oportunidad para fortalecer aspectos principalmente metodológicos que contribuyan al desarrollo de la investigación y propiciar la reflexión sobre las áreas de oportunidad en la investigación de enfermería mexicana.

Objective: Get to know the trends and features of published nursing research in Mexico in the last five years. Method. Descriptive, retrospective, transversal study. The sample was 358 published research articles. A 34 item instrument was elaborated, subdued to experts analysis, and piloted previously to the final review to asses features of the articles published in four Mexican journals. Outcomes: Clinical themes were the main subject approached: 36.9% in the hospital context; 42.2% researched used nursing theory. The qualitative paradigm prevailed in the 77.5%, and the country central area has the greater number of publications. In the articles, Mastery is the academic degree of the first author with 41.1%. Discussion: Results evidence the existing gap among universities and hospitals in order to generate research, financing lack (there is no clarity on its origin), inadequate generation of new researchers (students do not participate as authors), questionable methodological strictness, with evident inconsistencies in some articles. Due international or other than nursing journals where Mexican nurses published were not analyzed, results con not be generalized. Despite results are congruent with previous studies, the improvement on the research articles quality is evident (is eminent). Conclusion: The study leaves the opportunity open to strengthen mainly methodological aspects that contribute to research development and foster reflection on strengthen opportunity areas in Mexican nursing research.

Estrategia de intervención educativa a padres de niños con Síndrome Down para el desarrollo del autovalidismo / Educational participation strategy of parents with Down syndrome offspring aimed at developing self-support

El Síndrome Down es la enfermedad genética de causa cromosómica más frecuente. Sin embargo, existe desinformación en la familia de aspectos importantes relacionados con el desarrollo de sus hijos como es el autovalidismo. Se aplicó una estrategia educativa con un diseño de estudio ambispectivo para explorar el conocimiento que posee un grupo de padres y/o madres sobre el desarrollo del autovalidismo de sus hijos con Síndrome Down, matriculados en el Círculo Infantil Especial Zunzún, de Ciudad de La Habana, en el año 2009. Se realizó en 3 fases y se impartieron 4 talleres. Antes de efectuar los talleres los padres y/o madres reconocían no tener la información necesaria sobre el autovalidismo y las minusvalías de sus hijos. Los talleres impartidos tuvieron un impacto positivo sobre el conocimiento en los padres, las posibilidades de desarrollo de los niños y en su integración futura en la sociedad(AU) .

Down syndrome is the most frequent genetic disease due to a chromosomic aberration. However, there is a real lack of information in the family regarding important facts related with the development of their offspring, like it is the case of self-support. An educational strategy with a before-after design was applied in 2009 to the fathers and/or mothers of Down syndrome children registered in the Zunzún Special Day Care Center in Havana City, in order to explore the knowledge they had regarding the development of self-support in their offspring. The study was carried out in 3 stages with the application of 4 workshops. Before the workshops the parents and/or mothers recognized not to have the necessary information on the childrens self-support and disabilities. All children showed up difficulties in the method of acquisition of abilities that they could have developed in spite of their disabilities. Workshops had a positive impact on the knowledge of parents, the possibilities of children and in their future social integration(AU)

First Report of Verticillium Wilt of Gold Kiwifruit, Actinidia chinensis Cv. Hort 16A, Caused by Verticillium albo-atrum in Chile.

Gold kiwifruit, Actinidia chinensis Planch cv. Hort 16A, was first planted in Chile in 2003 and vines started dying within 2 years. By the end of the 2007-2008 growing season, as much as 80% of the plants in several orchards had died. The disease was characterized by a conspicuous reddish brown discoloration of the xylem and the sudden wilting and dieback of plants any time during the growing season. In the spring, entire plants or parts of plants failed to break buds. In others, the buds broke, but juvenile leaf clusters then wilted and died. On severely affected plants, scion watershoots wilted and died. The disease was often accompanied by shallow cracking of the bark and slight sponginess of the underlying cortex. The disease was apparently most severe in sites that had been planted to Gold kiwifruit immediately after removal of apple, pear, citrus, or grape. Orchards planted following long-term maize, wheat, or grass culture were almost disease free. A fungus was consistently isolated from symptomatic vascular tissue disinfected in 1% sodium hypochlorite and plated on potato dextrose agar. Conidiogenous cells were arranged in verticels; conidia were hyaline, elliptical, single celled, and measured 3.5 to 8.5 × 1.8 to 4.3 µm (average 5.5 × 2.5 µm). Dark, resting mycelium developed after 1 to 2 weeks of incubation. On the basis of these morphological characteristics, the fungus was identified as Verticillium albo-atrum Reinke & Berthier. Identification was confirmed by sequencing part of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region with primers ITS1 and ITS4. The sequence of a representative isolate showed high homology (98% identity over a length of 494 bp) with a DNA fragment (NCBI Accession No. 108476) of V. albo-atrum from alfalfa. To complete pathogenicity tests, 20 healthy, 1-year-old Hort 16A kiwi vines grafted on Hayward kiwifruit (A. deliciosa Chevalier) seedlings were inoculated by injection of 20 µl of 106 conidia/ml into stems of the scion. Twenty control plants were injected with an equal volume of sterile distilled water. Plants were held in a controlled environment facility at 24°C with 16 h of light per day. Eight weeks after inoculation, typical wilting and dieback symptoms developed on 90% of the plants. Control plants injected with water remained healthy. Verticillium wilt has never been reported on kiwifruit (A. deliciosa) in Chile. V. albo-atrum has a rather narrow host range and is mainly reported as a pathogen on alfalfa, hop, soybean, tomato, and potato (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of V. albo-atrum causing wilt and dieback on Gold kiwifruit (A. chinensis) cv. Hort 16A. The fungal isolates have been deposited in the Plant Pathology Laboratory of the Sanidad Vegetal Department of Agricultural Sciences Faculty of University of Chile under the name Actinidia chinensis/V. albo-atrum No. 1 to 8. Reference: (1) E. K. Ligoxigakis et al. Phytoparasitica 30:511, 2002.

Trends of overweight and obesity among children in Tijuana, Mexico.

The objectives of this study were to compare the trends of obesity from 2001-02 to 2006-07 in school children of Tijuana, Mexico and to investigate the relationship with the child's gender and type of school attended. Bietapic random sample was selected by cluster of schools and groups. Results of the 1684 children from 6-14 years of age assessed showed an overall prevalence of obesity (> 95(th)) of 28%. An overall increase of overweight and obesity of 7-percentage points (p=0.0003), from 41 to 48%, being higher among boys and younger girls. Prevalence of obesity was higher among boys and children from private schools.

Cierre percutáneo del ductus arterioso con coils: diagnóstico y seguimiento ecocardiográfico a largo plazo / Percutaneous closure of arterious ductus with coils: echocardiographic diagnosis and follow up

Objectives: We report about the percutaneous closure with coils of small and medium sized ductus arteriosus, and their long term follow up in a single center. Patients and Method: This is a retrospective study, including 291 patients in an intention to treat basis, between 1998 and 2006. Results: The median age and weight at time of procedure was 45 months and 16,7 Kg respectively. The immediate rate of occlusion was 82 percent and 91,3 percent at 1 year follow up. Up to 98 percent of cases needed just 1 coil to close the defect. The result was considered sub optimal in 33 cases (11,6 percent) almost half of this group was evaluated as having mild residual shunt at one year, all of them closed with additional coils percutaneously. Only the size of ductus was related to this type of result (>3 mm). Conclusions: The percutaneous closure with coils, is a highly eficacious alternative, for treatment of ductus arteriosus up to 2,5-3 mm, as minor diameter, with a very convenient cost/benefit rate. Beyond these limits the advantages disappear, and alternative devices become the treatment of choice.

Objetivos: Se reporta sobre el cierre percutáneo de ductus pequeños y medianos con coils en un solo centro, su diagnóstico y seguimiento ecocardiográfico a largo plazo. Pacientes y método: Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo sobre 291 pacientes portadores de ductus arterioso diagnosticado ecocardiográficamente en quienes se intentó el cierre percutáneo entre 1998y 2006. Resultados: La mediana de edad y peso de los pacientes al momento del procedimiento fue de 45 meses y 16,7 kg. La tasa de oclusión inmediata fue de 82 por ciento y de 91,3 por ciento a un año. En el 98 por ciento de los casos se utilizó un solo coil para cerrar el defecto. El resultado fue sub óptimo en 33 casos (11,6 por ciento) siendo casi la mitad de estos casos correspondientes a shunt residual leve a un año, todos cerrados con coil en procedimiento percutáneo adicional. Sólo el tamaño del ductus estuvo relacionado con este resultado (>3mm). Conclusiones: El cierre con coils sigue siendo un tratamiento altamente eficaz para ductus de hasta 2,5-3 mm de diámetro menor, con una relación costo/beneficio muy favorable al compararse con dispositivos alternativos. Más allá de estos límites las ventajas mencionadas tienden a disminuir en forma considerable y se hace discutible su uso.

[Presence of metallo beta-lactamases in imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa]. / Presencia de metalo-beta-lactamasas en Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistente a imipenem.

BACKGROUND: Metallo-beta-lactamases (MBL) confer high resistance to carbapenems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Psae). They are encoded in mobile elements of different genes (VIM, IMP, SMP, GIM), along with other resistance genes. AIM: To detect the presence of MBL in imipenem resistant Psae strains. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty-nine imipenem resistant Psae strains isolated from January 2004 to August 2005 in a University Clinical Hospital, were included. The presence of MBL was studied by Etest (phenotypic) and genotypic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. To rule out a nosocomial outbreak, MBL positive strains were studied by pulse field gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: The presence of MBL was detected in eleven strains. AH were type VIM and were not clonally related. There was no concordance between phenotypic and genotypic MBL detecting methods. All the strains were also multiresistant. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of MBL was detected in 19% of imipenem resistant Psae strains.