Social media exposure, risk perception, preventive behaviors and attitudes during the COVID-19 epidemic in La Paz, Bolivia: A cross sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association among social media exposure, risk perception, preventive behaviors, and attitudes toward the COVID-19 epidemic in Bolivia. METHODS: We launched an online survey in La Paz and El Alto, Bolivia, during April and May 2020. The questionnaire examined: Socio-demographic factors, Social media use, Risk Perception, Preventive behaviors, attitudes and the willingness to use a vaccine if it were available in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic. A logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with risk perception and a structural equation model (SEM) was performed to explore the pathway of the relationship among social media exposure, risk perception and preventive behaviors and attitudes. RESULTS: Among 886 participants, the most were young adults, between 18-25 years old (73.4%) and 577 (65.1%) were female. During the the week before the survey 387 (43.7%) reported be exposure to social media Covid-19 information almost always or always. Moreover 304 (34.3%) were categorized as with a high risk perception. The multivariable analyses show that being female (aOR = 1.5, CI 95% 1.1-2.1) and having high exposure to Covid-19 information on social media (aOR = 2.5, CI 95% 1.3-5.3) were associated with a higher risk perception for Covid-19. Furthermore, SEM results indicated that risk perception is associated with the adoption of preventive behaviors and attitudes (ß = 0.605, p < 0.001) including the acceptance of a vaccine if one were available (ß = 0.388, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Social media exposure to COVID-19 information influences the adoption of preventive attitudes and behaviors through shaping risk perception. Understanding the role of social media during the pandemic could help policymakers and communicators to develop better communication strategies that enable the population to adopt appropriate attitudes and behaviors.

Antidiabetic effect of Cordia morelosana, chemical and pharmacological studies.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE: CORDIA MORELOSANA: Standley (Boraginaceae) is commonly used in folk medicine for the treatment of diarrhoea, kidney inflammation, diabetes, lung pain, bronchitis, asthma, hoarseness, cough and fever. AIM: Current work was conducted to develop a bio-guided isolation of antidiabetic compounds from ethanolic extract of Cordia morelosana (EECm). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The phytochemical bio-guided study was conducted by successive chromatographic techniques, and isolated compounds were characterized by 1D and 2D-NMR experiments. The in vivo antihyperglycemic and antidiabetic activities of EECm (100 mg/kg), and methyl rosmarinate (MR, 50 mg/kg) were determined on normoglycemic and diabetic murine models. Additionally, the in vitro activity was conducted to determine α-glucosidase inhibitory effect, and PPARs, GLUT4 and FATP expression on 3T3-L1 cells by RT-PCR. Acute and sub-chronic toxicological studies for EECm were conducted on rats, following the OECD guidelines (No. 420 and 407). RESULTS: EECm promotes significant α-glucosidase inhibition (55.6%) at 1 mg/kg respect to the control. Also, EECm (100 mg/kg) showed significant antihyperglycemic effect on oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and in non-insulin dependent type 2 diabetes (NIDD) model, had antidiabetic activity (p < 0.001) compared to controls. The bio-guided isolation allowed to obtain four known compounds described as rosmarinic acid (RA), methyl rosmarinate (MR), nicotiflorine and 1-O-methyl-scyllo-inositol. On the other hand, MR showed significant antidiabetic and anthiyperglycemic activities (p < 0.05), and overexpression of PPARγ, PPARα, GLUT-4 and FATP than control. Docking studies were conducted with PPARγ and PPARα, showing interesting binding mode profile on those targets. Finally, EECm displayed a LD50 > 2000 mg/kg and sub-chronic toxicological study reveals no toxic signs in animals tested compared to control. CONCLUSION: EECm showed significant antihyperglycemic and antidiabetic actions being RA and MR the main antidiabetic metabolites.

Tuberculoma intradural extramedular: descripción de un caso clínico y revisión de la bibliografía / Extramedullary intradural tuberculosis: a case report and review of the literature

Introducción. La tuberculosis del sistema nervioso central es una infección crónica común en países en vías de desarrollo, y la meningitis tuberculosa y los tuberculomas intracraneales son las formas más frecuentes. El tuberculoma intradural extramedular es una entidad poco frecuente, con pocos casos descritos en la bibliografía mundial, y por lo general se asocia a un antecedente de meningitis tuberculosa o durante el tratamiento antituberculoso. Caso clínico. Varón de 17 años, sin antecedente de tuberculosis, con cuadro clínico de una mielopatía compresiva de aparición subaguda y curso progresivo, cuya neuroimagen evidenció una lesión extensa intradural extramedular. Se le realizó cura quirúrgica más laminectomía descompresiva en D4-D8 seguido de quimioterapia. El estudio histopatológico confirmó el diagnóstico. Conclusiones. La tuberculosis del sistema nervioso central es una entidad de alta incidencia en nuestro medio, y el tuberculoma intradural extramedular debería incluirse en el diagnóstico diferencial de lesiones expansivas de la médula espinal, más aún si el paciente es joven y existe el antecedente de tuberculosis pulmonar o meningitis tuberculosa. Asimismo, es importante tenerla en cuenta como parte de una reacción paradójica después del inicio del tratamiento específico. Aunque la resección quirúrgica mejora los síntomas compresivos medulares, la terapia médica continúa siendo el pilar en el tratamiento de los tuberculomas (AU)

Introduction. Central nervous system tuberculosis is a common chronic infection in developing countries, being the most frequent forms: tuberculous meningitis and intracranial tuberculosis. Extramedullary intradural tuberculosis is a rare entity with few cases described in the world literature, and is usually associated with a history of tuberculous meningitis or during antituberculosis treatment. Case report. A 17 years-old male patient, without history of tuberculosis, with subacute onset and progressive course of compressive myelopathy. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging revealed an intradural extramedullary mass lesion between the C4 and T8 spinal levels. Surgical resection of tuberculoma was realized, followed by chemotherapy. The histopathological study confirmed the diagnostic. Conclusions. Tuberculosis of the central nervous system is an entity of high incidence in developing countries, and intradural extramedullary tuberculoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of expansive spinal cord injuries, especially if the patient is young and there is a history of pulmonary tuberculosis or tuberculous meningitis. It is also important to take it into account as part of a paradoxical reaction after the initiation of specific treatment. Although surgical resection improves compressive medullary symptoms, medical therapy remains the mainstay in the treatment of tuberculomas (AU)

Discovery of new dual PPARγ-GPR40 agonists with robust antidiabetic activity: Design, synthesis and in combo drug evaluation.

The design of compounds 1 and 2 was based on the similar scaffold of pharmacophoric groups for PPARγ and GPR40 agonists. In order to find new compounds with improved biological activity, the current manuscript describes a new dual PPARγ-GPR40 agonist. We synthesized two compounds, which were prepared following a multistep synthetic route, and the relative mRNA expression levels of PPARγ, GLUT4, and GPR40 were quantified in cell culture, as well as insulin secretion and [Ca2+] intracellular levels. Compound 1 showed a 7-times increase in the mRNA expression of PPARγ, which in turn enhanced the expression levels of GLUT4 respect to control and pioglitazone. It also showed an increase of 2-fold in the [Ca2+]i level allowing an increment on insulin release, being as active as the positive control (glibenclamide), causing also an increase of 2-fold in mRNA expression of GPR40. Furthermore, the compound 2 showed lower activity than the compound 1. The ester of 1 showed antidiabetic activity at a 50mg/kg single dose in streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced diabetic mice model. In addition, we achieved a molecular docking study of compound 1 on PPARγ and GPR40 receptors, showing a great affinity for both targets. We observed important polar interactions between the carboxylic group and main residues into the binding pocket. Therefore, the compound 1 has a potential for the development of antidiabetic agents with newfangled dual action.

Anxiolytic-like effects and toxicological studies of Brickellia cavanillesii (Cass.) A. Gray in experimental mice models.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Brickellia cavanillesii (Asteraceae) (Cass.) A. Gray is one of the popular plants consumed in Central America and Mexico for the treatment of several diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and anxiety, among others. AIM OF THE STUDY: To determine the anxiolytic-like effect of B. Cavanillesii and the safety of its use through toxicological studies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Anxiolytic-like effects of soluble-methanol extract of B. cavanillesii (MEBc) were evaluated in ambulatory activity (open-field test), hole-board test, cylinder of exploration, the elevated plus-maze and the potentiation of the sodium pentobarbital-induced hypnosis mice models. On the other hand, in vivo toxicological studies were conducted on acute and sub-acute mice models recommended by OECD. Active MEBc was subjected to phytochemical studies through conventional chromatographic techniques to isolate bioactive compounds. RESULTS: MEBc (100mg/Kg) showed significant anxiolytic-like effect on animal model used (p<0.05). The phytochemical analysis of MEBc allowed the isolation of two major compounds nicotiflorin and acacetin, among others. Both compounds were found to be partially responsible for the anxiolytic-like effects. Moreover, a median lethal dose (LD50) higher than 2000mg/Kg was determined in mice and sub-acute oral administration of MEBc (100mg/Kg) did not alter body weight, clinical chemistry parameters (ALT and AST) and it did not induce any toxic nor alteration in the liver, kidney and heart functions. CONCLUSIONS: In current investigation, we have shown that MEBc has a wide range of pharmacology-toxicology patterns. The results support further investigation of MEBc as a potential anxiolytic phytomedicinal agent.

A Peruvian family with a novel PARK2 mutation: Clinical and pathological characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Mutations in PARK2 result in autosomal recessive young onset Parkinson's disease (YOPD). Although there have been a number of reports on the clinical characteristics of PARK2-related PD, there is limited information available on the associated neuropathologic changes. DESIGN: We describe the clinical and pathological characteristics of a Peruvian family with YOPD. The proband and one unaffected sibling were screened for PARK2 dosage and point mutations. One affected sibling had detailed neuropathologic examination. SETTING: Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Neurologicas (INCN) in Lima, Peru. RESULTS: The proband and two of her four siblings developed YOPD and both parents were unaffected. The clinical course has been characterized by akinetic-rigid parkinsonism predominantly affecting the lower limbs and dyskinesias. Analysis of PARK2 showed that the proband is compound heterozygous for a novel acceptor splice site mutation in intron 5 (IVS5-1G>A) and an exon 7 deletion. Neuropathologic assessment of an affected sibling revealed severe neuronal loss in the substantia nigra (SN) and loss of tyrosine hydroxylase immunopositive fibers in the striatum. No Lewy body pathology was observed using standard histology or immunohistochemistry for α-synuclein. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with most neuropathologic reports of patients with PARK2 mutations, we did not observe Lewy body inclusions, despite marked SN degeneration and severe dopaminergic denervation of the striatum. These data describe a novel splice site mutation and further extend the clinicopathological characterization of PARK2-associated PD.