Scientific facts improve cannabis perception and public opinion: results from Sinaloa, México.

Cannabis, the most prevalent drug in Latin America, has long been associated with the state of Sinaloa, Mexico, known for its cultivation and distribution. Despite increasing global acceptance, cannabis use remains stigmatized in Mexican society, driven by perceptions of it as a highly psychoactive and addictive substance lacking medicinal or industrial value. This study investigates the impact of scientific information on societal perceptions of cannabis in Sinaloa. A large convenience sample of 3162 individuals from Sinaloa participated in this research, responding to a questionnaire on cannabis consumption and attitudes. Participants were then subjected to an intervention consisting of an informative briefing based on the documents "Using Evidence to Talk About Cannabis" and "State of the Evidence: cannabis use and regulation" by the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy. After the intervention, participants' attitudes were immediately reevaluated through the same questionnaire, allowing for a comparison of pre- and post-intervention responses. The results indicate that the intervention (providing scientific information) significantly influenced attitudes toward cannabis, with education and age playing prominent roles in its effectiveness. Notably, the intervention fostered more positive or more neutral attitudes, potentially reducing stigma and promoting a better-informed perspective on cannabis. This study highlights the pivotal role of evidence in shaping informed citizens' views, while underscoring the importance of countering misinformation for societal progress. These findings have significant implications for forthcoming cannabis policy modifications in Mexico, emphasizing the necessity of engaging knowledgeable individuals in policy decisions to address the violence and inequalities associated with the illicit drug trade, particularly in Sinaloa.

Pilot study of the productivity and Salmonella seroprevalence in pigs administered organic acids.

Control of Salmonella in pig/pork production is important to protect public health because pork is one of the main sources of human infection. Moreover, antimicrobial use in pig farms should be kept low to minimize development and transmission of antimicrobial resistance. This pilot study evaluated the productivity and Salmonella seroprevalence in pigs administered organic acids (OA) compared to pigs given growth promoters in one farm in Antioquia, Colombia. Two groups each consisting of 60 pigs of 6-weeks of age were studied for 4 months. One group was provided feed and water with OA (Selko pH® and Selacid®), whereas the other group (control) received antimicrobial growth promoters according to routine feeding practices (tylosin and zinc bacitracin). Blood samples were taken three times (T1-T3) and pigs were weighted five times to calculate daily weight gain (DWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Initially when the pigs were 6 weeks old (T1), the Salmonella seroprevalence was 1.7% in both groups. When the pigs were 11 weeks old (T2), the seroprevalence was significantly lower in pigs provided OA compared to the control group (19 vs. 47%, P < 0.001), whereas when the pigs were 23 weeks old (T3), the seroprevalence did not differ between the groups (62 vs. 77%; P = 0.075). The cumulative DWG was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (713 vs. 667 g/day; P < 0.001). The cumulative FCR did not differ between groups (2.80 vs. 2.77; P = 0.144). The pilot study indicates that cleaning the water pipes and administrating OA improve productivity in pigs and delay exposure to Salmonella spp. when compared with growth promoters. Thus, OA could replace antimicrobial growth promoters and reduce antimicrobial use and resistance. However, the study should be repeated before firmer conclusions can be drawn.

Neurological Disorders in an Elderly Cohort Experienced Past Stressful Events: A Retrospective-prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Psychological stress may be a risk factor for dementia, but the association between exposure to stressful life events and the development of cognitive dysfunction has not been conclusively demonstrated. We hypothesize that if a stressful event has an impact on the subjects, its effects would be different in the three diseases. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the effects of stressful events in senior patients who later developed ischemic stroke, Alzheimer's, or Parkinson's disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Together with demographic variables (age, sex, race, socioeconomic and cultural levels), five types of past stressful events, such as death or serious illness of close relatives, job dismissal, change of financial status, retirement, and change of residence, were recorded in 1024 patients with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and ischemic stroke. Time-todiagnosis (months from the event to the first symptoms: retrospective study) and evolution time (years of follow-up of each patient: prospective study) were recorded. The variance and nonparametric methods were analyzed to the variables time-to-diagnosis and evolution time to analyze differences between these diseases. RESULTS: The demographic variables, such as age, sex, race, economic and cultural levels, were found to be statistically non-significant; differences in the economic level were significant (P<0.05). Significant differences (P<0.001) were found in the mean time-to-diagnosis between diseases (Alzheimer's disease>Parkinson's disease >Stroke), and minor differences (P<0.05) in evolution time. CONCLUSION: Differences in time-to-diagnosis between the diseases indicate that the stressful effect of having experienced the death or serious illness of a close relative has an impact on their emergence. The measurement of time-to-diagnosis and evolution time proves useful in detecting differences between diseases.

HUMAN COSAVIRUS INFECTION IN HIV SUBJECTS WITH DIARRHOEA: PERSISTENT DETECTION ASSOCIATED WITH FATAL OUTCOME.

BACKGROUND: Human cosavirus (HCoSV) is a new member of the Picornaviridae family, geographically widespread among humans. It has been suggested as a causative agent of acute gastroenteritis, but its pathogenicity is not currently certain. In HIV-infected subjects, diarrhoea is one of the most frequent gastrointestinal manifestations, whose aetiology remains often unexplained. OBJECTIVES: To identify the cause of viral diarrhoea among HIV infected patients by molecular assays. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 143 stool samples from HIV subjects with and without diarrhoea, were screened for conventional enteric viruses (rotavirus, adenovirus, norovirus and astrovirus) by molecular assays. The presence of HCoSV genome was investigated by nested RT-PCR for the 5'UTR region. Positive samples were further characterized by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS: Enteric viruses were more frequently found in diarrhoea cases (9/82) than controls (0/61) (p=0.007). HCoSV was detected in five (3.5%) of the subjects affected by diarrhoea. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the predominance of the HCoSV species D. One patient suffered a persistent cosavirus infection with a same strain and after eight months he had a fatal outcome. No other pathogens could be detected. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest a role of non-conventional enteric viruses, as HCoSV, as a potential opportunistic agent causing persistent infection and deterioration of the clinical conditions in HIV-infected patients. Screening procedures and monitoring including such viruses would be helpful in the clinical management of such patients.

Evaluation of emotional and psycholinguistic problems in deaf and hard-of-hearing students in the Canary Islands.

OBJECTIVES: The current study evaluated deaf and hard-of-hearing students' mental health in terms of emotional and behavioral strengths and difficulties, as measured by the SDQ in the Canary Islands. Furthermore, it evaluated the students' psycholinguistic abilities using the Spanish version of the ITPA. METHODS: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to assess school children problems. The Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities measured student spoken and written linguistic abilities. RESULTS: Student self-reports yielded different SDQ scores to parent and teacher reports. Student spoken and written linguistic abilities varied according to ten covariates. DISCUSSION: Perceptions about the mental health of children differed according to the groups studied. Perceptions about student abilities in the classroom were different, particularly the ability to reproduce sequences of complex and non-significant figures by memory. CONCLUSION: Two outcomes emerged: a) conduct problems were the SDQ subscale that most distinguished children with cochlear implants from those with hearing aids, and b) tutor and specialist teacher experience appeared as the decisive influencing students' psycholinguistic abilities.

Performance of parallel FDTD method for shared- and distributed-memory architectures: Application tobioelectromagnetics.

This work provides an in-depth computational performance study of the parallel finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The parallelization is done at various levels including: shared- (OpenMP) and distributed- (MPI) memory paradigms and vectorization on three different architectures: Intel's Knights Landing, Skylake and ARM's Cavium ThunderX2. This study contributes to prove, in a systematic manner, the well-established claim within the Computational Electromagnetic community, that the main factor limiting FDTD performance, in realistic problems, is the memory bandwidth. Consequently a memory bandwidth threshold can be assessed depending on the problem size in order to attain optimal performance. Finally, the results of this study have been used to optimize the workload balancing of simulation of a bioelectromagnetic problem consisting in the exposure of a human model to a reverberation chamber-like environment.

Numerical simulation of knotted solutions for Maxwell equations.

In this work, we use the finite differences in time domain (FDTD) numerical method to compute and assess the validity of Hopf solutions, or hopfions, for the electromagnetic field equations. In these solutions, field lines form closed loops characterized by different knot topologies which are preserved during their time evolution. Hopfions have been studied extensively in the past from an analytical perspective but never, to the best of our knowledge, from a numerical approach. The implementation and validation of this technique eases the study of more complex cases of this phenomena; e.g., how these fields could interact with materials (e.g., anisotropic or nonlinear), their coupling with other physical systems (e.g., plasmas), and also opens the path on their artificial generation by different means (e.g., antenna arrays or lasers).

Calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS) en niños de educación primaria de Islas Canarias que usan dispositivos auditivos / Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in children in Primary Education in the Canary Islands with cochlear implants or hearing aids

INTRODUCCIÓN: Los objetivos del estudio fueron: primero, evaluar la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS) de niños y niñas con implantes cocleares (nIC) o audífonos (nAU) de educación primaria de Islas Canarias. Segundo, analizar las percepciones que los progenitores (padres o madres) tenían de la CVRS de los nIC o nAU y finalmente, explorar la homogeneidad de resultados entre los autoinformes de los nIC y nAU y los informes de sus progenitores sobre la CVRS. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se obtuvieron datos de 89 nIC y 63 nAU y sus 152 progenitores. Se utilizaron 2 instrumentos estandarizados: el Kid-KINDLR_children_7-13, el Kid_Kiddo-KINDLR_Parents_7-17 y un cuestionario con variables demográficas y audiológicas que respondieron nIC y nAU y sus progenitores. Mediante la prueba «t» de Student, ANOVA de una vía, análisis post hoc y 3 coeficientes de correlación de concordancia (CCC) se analizaron los 3 objetivos. RESULTADOS Y DISCUSIÓN: Los nIC mostraron una percepción de mejor CVRS en comparación con los nAU. Los nIC y nAU y sus padres fueron significativamente distintos en las provincias de Tenerife y Gran Canaria. Los nIC y nAU de Gran Canaria obtuvieron mejores resultados en las dimensiones bienestar emocional y familiar, mientras que los nIC y nAU de Tenerife destacaron en autoestima o amigos. Los progenitores de los niños con IC (pIC) tuvieron una puntuación promedio más alta en la percepción de la CVRS total y por dimensiones referida a sus hijos frente a los progenitores de los nAU. El acuerdo entre niños y sus progenitores fue bajo, excepto en la dimensión autoestima. Los nIC y sus progenitores percibieron mejor CVRS que los nAU y sus progenitores. Las autopercepciones de los nIC y nAU de la CVRS fueron inferiores a las informadas por sus progenitores. CONCLUSIONES: Los hallazgos sugieren que los nIC y nAU de educación primaria de las Islas Canarias han mantenido percepciones discrepantes de su CVRS, autopercibiendo los nIC mejor CVRS que los nAU. Los pIC han alcanzado una puntuación promedio más alta de la CVRS de sus hijos que la expresada por los progenitores de nAU por razones de pertenencia a una provincia. Los profesionales que trabajan con los nIC y nAU deben optimizar las dimensiones de la CVRS de los nIC y nAU

INTRODUCTION: The objectives of the study were first, to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of primary school children from the Canary Islands with cochlear implants (CIs) and hearing aids (HAs). And second, to analyse parents' perceptions of their children with CIs and HAs regarding HRQoL, and finally, to explore the agreement between the children's self-reports and their parents' reports concerning HRQoL. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data consisted of 89 children with CIs and 63 children with HAs and their 152 parents. Two standardised instruments were used: Kid-KINDLR_children_7-13, Kid_Kiddo-KINDLR_Parents_ 7-17 and a demographic and audiological survey, which were answered by the children and their parents. Student's t-test, one-way ANOVA, post hoc analysis and 3 concordance correlation coefficients (CCC) were used to address the 3 objectives. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The children with CIs exhibited a perception of better HRQoL in comparison with the children with HAs. The children with CIs and HAs and their parents were significantly distinct in the provinces of Tenerife and Gran Canaria. The cchildren with CIs and HAs from Gran Canaria were better on Emotional well-being and Family, while the children with CIs and HAs from Tenerife emphasised Self-esteem or Friends. The parents of the children with CIs had a higher average score in the perception of the total HRQoL and per dimension related to their children compared to the parents of the children with HAs. The agreement between children and parents was low except in the Self-esteem dimension. The children with CIs and their parents demonstrated a perception of better HRQoL than the children with HAs and their parents. The children with CIs and HAs had lower self-perception of the HRQoL than their parents' reports. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the children with CIs and HAs in Primary Education in the Canary Islands have discrepant perceptions of their HRQoL; the children with CIs self-perceive better HRQoL than the children with HAs. The parents of the children with CIs achieved a higher average score of their children's HRQoL than the parents of the children with HAs due to their belonging to a province. Professionals working with CI and HA recipients need to be sensitive to psychological issues to optimise HRQoL dimensions in children with CIs and HAs

Health-related quality of life in children who use cochlear implants or hearing aids.

OBJECTIVES: First, this study aimed at evaluating the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and socio-demographic characteristics of children with cochlear implants (CIs) and hearing aids (HAs) from the 2 provinces of the Canary Islands (Spain) on the Kid-KINDLR_children_7-13. The second goal was to analyze parental background factors and the perspectives of their children with CIs and HAs on Kid_Kiddo-KINDLR_Parents_ 7-17. Finally, the third objective was to explore agreement between children's self-reports and their parents' reports concerning HRQoL. DESIGN: The data consisted of 89 children with CIs and 63 children with HAs and their 89 parents, respectively. The socio-demographic characteristics of children and parental background factors included demographic and audiological variables. Student's t-test, one-way ANOVA, post hoc analysis and 4 concordance correlation coefficients (CCC) were used to address the 3 aims. RESULTS: Children with CIs exhibited a perception of better HRQoL in comparison with children with HAs. Among other differences, children with CIs and HAs and their parents were significantly distinct in Setting (i.e., provinces of Tenerife and Gran Canaria) (t = 2.921, p < 0.010). Moreover, parents were significantly different in some background factors (i.e., age, socioeconomic status, and learning). While Cohen's Kappa values for most dimensions were too small, the ICC and Student's t-test expressed only concordance in the overall HRQoL and Physical well-being. CONCLUSIONS: Children with CIs and their parents demostrated a perception of better HRQoL than children with HAs and their parents. Overall, children's self-ratings of HRQoL differed from their parents' reports.

Intake Fraction of PM10 from Coal Mine Emissions in the North of Colombia.

Intake fraction was determined in this study to provide insight into population exposures to PM10 that is effectively inhaled due to emissions of an opencast coal mine. We applied the CALPUFF model to a coal mine in Northern Colombia, which has 6 active pits with an annual production of 33.7 million tons. We estimated the intake fractions for 7 towns through the integration of dispersion model results over the population data. The resulting average intake fractions were between 6.13 × 10-9 and 3.66 × 10-8 for PM10. 62.4% of the intake fractions in the domain were calculated within a 23 km radius from the coal mine and coved 44.3% of the total population in this area. We calculated an estimate point for morbidity impacts using standard epidemiological assumptions. It is estimated that there were annually 105835 restricted activity days and 336832 respiratory symptom cases due to the direct impact of the opencast coal mining. These data also provide a framework for improved understanding of the effect of coal mining in Colombia.

High-protein hypocaloric vs normocaloric enteral nutrition in critically ill patients: A randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: Appropriate caloric intake in critically ill patients receiving enteral nutrition is controversial. This study evaluates the impact of different caloric regimens on severity of organ failure measured with Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a randomized prospective controlled trial. Study population included adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients expected to require enteral nutrition for more than 96 hours. Goals in the intervention group were hypocaloric (15 kcal/kg per day) enteral nutrition compared to normocaloric (25 kcal/kg per day) enteral nutrition, both with hyperproteic intake (1.7 g of protein/kg per day). Primary end point was change in SOFA score (ΔSOFA) from baseline at 48 hours. Secondary end points were ΔSOFA at 96 hours, insulin requirements, hyperglycemia or hypoglycemic episodes, length of ICU stay, days on ventilator, and 28-day mortality. RESULTS: After screening 443 patients, 120 patients were analyzed. There were no differences between groups in baseline characteristics. We did not find a statistically significant difference in ΔSOFA at 48 hours. Patients in the hypocaloric group showed lower average daily insulin requirements and percentage of patients requiring any insulin. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperproteic, hypocaloric nutrition did not show different outcomes compared to normocaloric nutrition, except lower insulin requirements. Hypocaloric nutrition could provide a more physiologic approach with lower need for care and metabolic impact.

Biopsia selectiva del ganglio centinela en las metástasis en tránsito de melanoma / Selective biopsy of sentinel ganglion in transit metastasis of melanoma

No disponible

Hemocultivos y sepsis por cateterismo intravascular en los Servicios Críticos de Atención al Grave / Hemocultures and sepsis due to intravascular catheterism at the Critical Care Unit

Se estudiaron 164 hemocultivos de pacientes con sospecha de sepsis de causa no precisada ingresados en los Servicios Críticos de Atención al Grave [Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI) y Unidad de Cuidados Intermedios (UCIM)] del Hospital "Dr Salvador Allende" del municipio Cerro, Ciudad de La Habana, para determinar mediante técnica bacteriológica cuantitativa de hemocultivos, el origen de sepsis por cateterismo intravascular. Se tomaron 2 muestras de hemocultivos, una obtenida mediante venipunción periférica y otra, mediante catéter implantado en estos pacientes. Se procesaron las muestras según técnica bacteriológica cuantitativa. Se precisó que en 48,39 porciento de los casos, la sepsis presentada por el paciente era por el catéter intravenoso y en el 51,61 porciento el foco de infección se encontraba en otra localización. Los microorganismos más frecuentes aislados fueron 10 cepas de S. aureus (32,26 porciento); 7 cepas de estafilococos coagulasa negativos (22,58 porciento) y 6 cepas de bacilos no fermentadores (19,35 porciento)

Impotencia sexual

Se esquematiza la fisiología de la erección y eyaculación. Se señala como puede producirse impotencia sexual. De los distintos tipos de impotencia de destaca una forma muy frecuiente en nuestro medio; por inhibición refleja (psíquica). Se expone nuestra técnica psicoterápica para estos casos basada en el enfoque reflexológico del síndrome. Por sus resultados y facilidad de la técnica recomendamos su uso e invitamos a los psicoterapeutas a que hagan las modificaciones que estimen pertinentes, acordes con sus actitudes, recordando que sobre bases científicas la psicoterapia tiene mucho de arte(AU)