Adherence to self-administering interferon-ß1a using RebiSmart® device in Mexican patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Adherence to disease-modifying therapies is determinant to attain maximal clinical benefit in multiple sclerosis (MS). RebiSmart® is an electronic auto-injector for subcutaneous delivery of interferon ß-1a (INF-ß1a) that monitors adherence by featuring a log of each drug administration for objective evaluation. The aim of this study was to assess long-term adherence to INF-ß1a by using the RebiSmart® device in Mexican patients with relapsing MS. METHODS: This is an observational multicenter study on patients with relapsing MS treated with INF-ß1a subcutaneously delivered by the RebiSmart® device. Adherence was computed as the number of injections received during the study period divided by the number of injections scheduled and expressed as percent. RESULTS: A total of 66 patients from 6 specialized MS centers were evaluated (45 females and 21 males, mean age 43.91±13.32 years). Mean adherence was 79.51±18% (median: 85.54%, range: 34.4-100%). During a median follow-up of 27.5 months (mean 33.36±29.39 months) the annualized relapse rate had a mean of 0.50±1.63. Mean initial EDSS was 1.90±1.52, and mean EDSS at the end of follow-up was 1.80±1.74. Compared with their counterparts, the mean number of relapses was significantly lower among patients with high (>80%) adherence (0.25±0.44 vs 0.67±92 relapses, respectively; P = 0.03). The proportion of relapse-free patients was 75.0% among patients with high adherence and 53.3% in low-compliant patients (P = 0.06). High adherence patients presented lower rates of EDSS worsening ≥1.0 at the end of treatment, as compared with low-compliant patients (11.1% vs 43.3%, respectively; P = 0.003). High schooling (>12 years) was the only predictor of a high adherence (OR: 2.97, 05% CI: 1.08-1.18; P = 0.03) and of being relapse-free during follow-up (OR: 3.22, 05% CI: 1.12-9.23; P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Adherence to INF-ß1a using RebiSmart® in this Mexican cohort with MS was moderate, but associated with low relapse rate and influenced by high schooling.

Methamidophos alters sperm function and DNA at different stages of spermatogenesis in mice.

Methamidophos (MET) is a highly toxic organophosphate (OP) pesticide that is widely used in developing countries. MET has male reproductive effects, including decreased fertility. We evaluated MET effects on sperm quality, fertilization and DNA integrity, exploring the sensitivity of different stages of spermatogenesis. Adult male mice received MET (3.75 or 5mg/kg-bw/ip/day/4 days) and were euthanized 1, 28 or 45 days post-treatment (dpt) to evaluate MET's effects on epididymal maturation, meiosis or mitosis, respectively. Spermatozoa were obtained from the cauda epididymis-vas deferens and were evaluated for sperm quality, acrosome reaction (AR; Coomassie staining), mitochondrial membrane potential (by JC-1), DNA damage (comet assay), oxidative damage (malondialdehyde (MDA) production), in vitro fertilization and protein phosphorylation (immunodetection), and erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. At 1-dpt, MET inhibited AChE (43-57%) and increased abnormal cells (6%). While at 28- and 45-dpt, sperm motility and viability were significantly reduced with an increasing MET dose, and abnormal morphology increased at 5mg/kg/day/4 days. MDA and mitochondrial activity were not affected at any dose or time. DNA damage (OTM and %DNA) was observed at 5mg/kg/day/4 days in a time-dependent manner, whereas both parameters were altered in cells from mice exposed to 3.75 mg/kg/day/4 days only at 28-dpt. Depending on the time of collection, initial-, spontaneous- and induced-AR were altered at 5mg/kg/day/4 days, and the fertilization capacity also decreased. Sperm phosphorylation (at serine and tyrosine residues) was observed at all time points. Data suggest that meiosis and mitosis are the more sensitive stages of spermatogenesis for MET reproductive toxicity compared to epididymal maturation.

Prevalence and correlates of food insecurity among students attending a midsize rural university in Oregon.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence and identify correlates of food insecurity among students attending a rural university in Oregon. METHODS: Cross-sectional nonprobability survey of 354 students attending a midsize rural university in Oregon during May, 2011. The main outcome was food insecurity measured using the US Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Survey Module: 6-Item Short Form. Socioeconomic and demographic variables were included in multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: Over half of students (59%) were food insecure at some point during the previous year. Having fair/poor health (odds ratio [OR], 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-4.63), being employed (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.04-2.88), and having an income < $15,000/y (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.07-4.63) were associated with food insecurity. In turn, good academic performance (grade point average of ≥ 3.1) was inversely associated with food insecurity. CONCLUSIONS: Food insecurity seems to be a significant issue for college students. It is necessary to expand research on different campus settings and further strengthen support systems to increase access to nutritious foods for this population.

Use of health services among vineyard and winery workers in the North Willamette Valley, Oregon.

Although agricultural work is considered one of the most dangerous and physically demanding jobs, the majority of farmworkers remain vulnerable to disease and injury, while use of health services is limited. The present study analyzes the use of health care services among vineyard and winery workers in the North Willamette Valley, Oregon. Data from 513 foreign-born workers collected during the summer of 2009 by ¡Salud! Services, was used to test the influence of relevant predisposing and enabling factors of the Behavioral Model of Health Care Utilization among Vulnerable Populations. The majority of participants were males (87%) with an average age of 33 years. Over half of the workers were either married or living with a partner (54%) and had children living with them (58%). Very few spoke English (5%) and only a third had more than 6 years of formal education. Two-thirds of workers (65%) had a full time job and shared housing (67%). Only one of every five workers (19%) had health insurance. Multivariate analyses show that use of health services in the past 2 years is more likely among females, those who have children, have more than 6 years of education, work full time, are insured, and are currently attending school. This study provides further insight for health care provision initiatives to reduce the many barriers faced by farmworkers and their families.

Decolorizing textile wastewater with Fenton's reagent electrogenerated with a solar photovoltaic cell.

In this work it is demonstrated that Fenton's reagent can be electroproduced with abundant and cheap feedstock: oxygen saturated wastewater and solar energy. Experiments were carried out in a divided electrochemical flow cell using two electrodes: a three dimensional reticulated vitreous carbon cathode and stainless steel anode. Fenton's reagent is produced by oxygen reduction on the cathode in the presence of 1mM Fe(2+). The influence of electrolyte nature and its concentration and potential difference on the current efficiency, as well as the rate of Fenton's reagent electroproduction is discussed and it is concluded that over this extended range of conditions the current efficiency, for Fenton's reagent production, fell within the range 50-70%. It is possible to electroproduce a stoichiometric amount of Fenton reagent for the oxidation of 0.061mM Reactive Black 5 (in tap water+0.05M Na(2)SO(4), approximately pH 2.8). Similar results were obtained for solutions containing 0.1mM Acid Green 25. Some practical applications in the field of water treatment are included. The energy required for drive electrochemical reaction is supplied to the flow cell by means of a commercial solar panel.

Levantamento de protozoonoses e verminoses nas sete creches municipais de Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul - Brasil / Setting up of protozoonoses and verminosis in the seven municipal day care centers of Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul - Brazil

O presente trabalho objetivou verificar a incidência de parasitoses intestinais em crianças, nas sete creches municipais de Uruguaiana, RS, Brasil. A pesquisa foi realizada em dois ciclos, o primeiro de maio a setembro de 2002 e o segundo, de maio a novembro de 2003. Em ambos os períodos foram coletados uma amostra de cada criança. O material foi colocado em frascos plásticos eos exames foram processados conforme o método de Lutz, Hoffmann, Pons e Janer (1919) ou Técnica de Sedimentação Espontânea,que é utilizada para diagnosticar ovos e larvas de helmintos e cistos de protozoários (VALLADA, 1993). Foram constatadas as seguintes verminoses: Ascaris lumbricoides, Hymenolepis nana, Trichuris trichiura, Strongyloides stercoralis, Enterobius vermicularis e das protozoonoses verificou-se Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba coli e Entamoeba hystolítica.

Valores de referencia de las subpoblaciones de linfocitos T en la sangre del cordón umbilical / Reference values of T lymphocyte subpopulations in cord blood

Con el objeto de determinar el porcentaje de las subpoblaciones de linfocitos T en la sangre del cordón umbilical y establecer los valores de referencia en el área metropolitana de la ciudad de Puebla, se seleccionaron al azar 80 recién nacidos de un total de 400; éstos eran consecutivos a término, eutróficos y libres de enfermedad. Se determinó el porcentaje de subpoblaciones CD3, CD4 y CD8 de linfocitos T en la sangre del cordón umbilical por citometría de flujo. Los límites de referencia se obtuvieron a partir de las percentilas 25 y 75 en los parámetros de distribución gaussiana. Los valores de referencia para CD3 (por ciento) fueron de 45.5-91.3, para CD4 (por ciento) de 26.2-69.4, para CD8 (por ciento) de 16.2-24.1 y para NK (por ciento) de 2.0-8.5. Los resultados obtenidos representan los límites de referencia de las subpoblaciones de linfocitos T para compararse con los valores observados en los niños enfermos o en riesgo de desarrollar una enfermedad inmunológica