Review: predatory soil mites as biocontrol agents of above- and below-ground plant pests.

Biological pest control is becoming increasingly important for sustainable agriculture. Although many species of natural enemies are already being used commercially, efficient biological control of various pests is still lacking, and there is a need for more biocontrol agents. In this review, we focus on predatory soil mites, their role as natural enemies, and their biocontrol potential, mainly in vegetable and ornamental crops, with an emphasis on greenhouse systems. These predators are still underrepresented in biological control, but have several advantages compared to predators living on above-ground plant parts. For example, predatory soil mites are often easy and affordable to mass rear, as most of them are generalist predators, which also means that they may be used against various pests and can survive periods of pest scarcity by feeding on alternative prey or food. Many of them can also endure unfavourable conditions, making it easier for them to establish in various crops. Based on the current literature, we show that they have potential to control a variety of pests, both in greenhouses and in the field. However, more research is needed to fully understand and appreciate their potential as biocontrol agents. We review and discuss several methods to increase their efficiency, such as supplying them with alternative food and changing soil/litter structure to enable persistence of their populations. We conclude that predatory soil mites deserve more attention in future studies to increase their application in agricultural crops.

Risk Association of TOX3 and MMP7 Gene Polymorphisms with Sporadic Breast Cancer in Mexican Women.

Breast cancer (BC) has one of the highest incidences and mortality worldwide. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TOX3 rs3803662 and MMP7 rs1943779 have been associated with susceptibility to BC. In this case-control study, we evaluated the association of rs3803662 (TOX3)/rs1943779 (MMP7) SNPs with clinical features, immunohistochemical reactivity, and risk association with BC in women from northeastern Mexico. We compared 212 BC cases and 212 controls. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood to perform the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. We calculated genotype frequencies, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals. We found that CT (Cytocine-Thymine) and TT (Thymine -Thymine) genotypes, and T alleles of TOX3 rs3803662, were associated with BC risk (p = 0.034, p = 0.011, respectively). SNP TOX3 rs3803662 was associated with positive progesterone receptors (PR) and triple-negative BC (TNBC) but not with estrogen receptor (ER) or HER2 reactivity. CT and TT genotypes (p = 0.006) and T alleles (p = 0.002) of SNP MMP7 rs1943779 were associated with risk of BC. We found that T alleles of TOX3 rs3803662 and MMP7 rs1943779 SNPs are associated with BC risk. These findings contribute to personalized medicine in Mexican women.

Relative bioavailability and pharmacokinetic comparison of a fixed-dose combination tablet of mosapride, pancreatin, and simethicone relative to single-component mosapride tablets in healthy Mexican subjects.

Abbott Laboratories de México S.A. de C.V. developed a new fixed-dose combination of mosapride 5 mg, pancreatin 170 mg, and simethicone 125 mg as an alternative to the mosapride monotherapy to improve overall satisfaction and adequate relief of gastrointestinal disorders symptoms and to reduce multiple pill burden. As a part of the fixed-dose combination registration process in Mexico, a pharmacokinetic and relative bioavailability study was carried out to demonstrate nonexistence of pharmacokinetic interaction when mosapride is administered alone or in combination with pancreatin and simethicone using DOSIER® (mosapride) 5-mg tablets as a reference product. Tolerability of the fixed-dose combination tablet was assessed. In this open-label, randomized, oral single-dose, two-way crossover study, 65 healthy male and female subjects received either the fixed-dose combination tablet or the reference product during each study period. The two study periods were separated by a 7-day washout period. Mosapride concentrations in plasma samples were determined using a validated ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method. Blood samples were collected for up to 16 h post dose. The primary evaluation criteria were Cmax and AUC0-t for mosapride. The 90% confidence intervals for the ratio of geometric means for Cmax (96.12% to 110.90%) and AUC0-t (99.07% to 108.06%) were within the defined acceptance limits of 75% to 133% and 80% to 125% for Cmax and AUC0-t , respectively, indicating bioequivalence between the two products. Both products were safe and well tolerated. Therefore, mosapride in combination with pancreatin and simethicone tablet is bioequivalent to mosapride alone, and no new safety signals emerged.

The Effect of School Psychologists and Social Workers on School Achievement and Failure: A National Multilevel Study in Chile.

School achievement and failure have become growing political and social concerns due to the negative consequences of school failure for individuals and society. The inclusive educational movement, which calls for equal access, permanence, participation, and promotion of all students worldwide, poses many challenges for schools and school systems. As a public policy strategy, some countries have provided additional funds for incorporating non-teaching professionals such as school psychologists and social workers in regular K-12 schools. However, there is lack of research on the effects of these psychosocial professionals on student outcomes. This national multilevel study explored the effect of psychologists (n = 8,469) and social workers (n = 3,524) on indicators of eighth-grade (n = 147,531) and 10th-grade (n = 106,347) students' academic achievement and dropout in Chile. A multilevel secondary analysis was performed using national records of non-teaching professionals working as school staff members, achievement scores on the national SIMCE test, and dropout rates based on official records. Results showed that after controlling for individual and school variables known to affect achievement and dropout, schools with psychologists and social workers working as staff members had lower short- and long-term dropout rates. The presence and higher number of school psychologists per school was positively associated with higher math achievement, with a reduced effect in low-SES schools. Lower-SES schools with more social workers had higher math scores. These results support policies that increase funding for school psychologists and social workers, since their incorporation partly explains better school achievement and less school failure when controlling for individual and school characteristics, but emphasize the need to further explore the mechanisms through which school achievement and failure are developed with the support of psychologists and social workers in schools. We discuss the need to regulate the type of prevention and intervention strategies from a whole-school, evidence-based approach, as well as to incorporate psychosocial training modules and comprehensive guidelines as part of professional training programs and as certified requisites for working in schools.

ADIPOQ single nucleotide polymorphisms and breast cancer in northeastern Mexican women.

BACKGROUND: Adiponectin gene (ADIPOQ) polymorphisms have been shown to affect adiponectin serum concentration and some have been associated with breast cancer (BC) risk. The aims of this study were to describe the frequency of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ADIPOQ in Mexican women with BC and to determine if they show an association with it. METHODS: DNA samples from 397 patients and 355 controls were tested for the ADIPOQ gene SNPs: rs2241766 (GT) and rs1501299 (GT) by TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was tested. Multiple SNP inheritance models adjusted by age and body mass index (BMI) were examined for the SNP rs1501299. RESULTS: We found that in the frequency analysis of rs1501299 without adjusting the BMI and age, the genotype distribution had a statistically significant difference (P = 0.003). The T allele was associated with a BC risk (OR, 1.99; 95% CI 1.13-3.51, TT vs. GG; OR, 1.53; 95% CI 1.12-2.09, GT vs. GG). The SNP rs2241766 was in HW disequilibrium in controls. In conclusion, the rs1501299 polymorphism is associated with a BC risk. CONCLUSIONS: Identification of the genotype of these polymorphisms in patients with BC can contribute to integrate the risk profile in both patients and their relatives as part of a comprehensive approach and increasingly more personalized medicine.

Bioequivalence and Tolerability of Ambrisentan: A Pharmacokinetic Study in Mexican Healthy Male Subjects.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a disease characterized by a progressive rise in pulmonary vascular resistance. Ambrisentan is an oral, propanoic acid based-endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA), selective for the endothelin type-A receptor, which is approved for the treatment of PAH. The Colombia National Food and Drug Surveillance Institute regulatory criteria require demonstrating that the proposed generic product is bioequivalent to its reference-listed drug to obtain marketing approval. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to test the bioequivalence, pharmacokinetics, and tolerability of ambrisentan 10 mg tablets. METHODS: In this open-label, randomized, oral single-dose, two-way crossover bioequivalence study, 26 Mexican adult healthy male subjects received either the generic product of ambrisentan 10 mg or the reference product Volibris® (ambrisentan) 10 mg tablets during each study period under fasting conditions. There was a 7-day washout period between each dosing. Ambrisentan concentrations in plasma samples were quantified using a validated ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method. Blood samples were collected up to 72 h post-dose in each study period. The primary end points were maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration-time (AUC0-t) curve between 0 and 72 h for ambrisentan. RESULTS: The ratios (90% CI) of geometric mean for ambrisentan were 104.3% (97.12-111.98%) and 100.2% (95.56-104.72%). These pharmacokinetic parameter values lie within the INVIMA-specified bioequivalence limits of 80%-125%. Nervous system disorders were the most common adverse events (AEs). All AEs were mild to moderate in nature and were resolved after follow-up or pharmacologic treatment. Both products were safe and well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: The test product ambrisentan 10 mg tablets is bioequivalent to the reference product Volibris® (ambrisentan) 10 mg tablets. Both treatments were well tolerated in the Mexican male population of this study. TRIAL REGISTRATION: COFEPRIS National Clinical Trials Registry number 183300410B0367/2018.

Synergistic bactericide and antibiotic effects of dimeric, tetrameric, or palindromic peptides containing the RWQWR motif against Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains.

Dimeric and tetrameric peptides derived from LfcinB (20-25): RRWQWR, LfcinB (20-30): RRWQWRMKKLG, LfcinB (17-31): FKARRWQWRMKKLGA, or the palindromic sequence LfcinB (21-25)Pal: RWQWRWQWR were obtained by means of the SPPS-Fmoc/tBu methodology. The antibacterial activity of these molecules was evaluated against Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922 and ATCC 11775), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853). The dimer LfcinB (20-25)2: (RRWQWR)2K-Ahx, the tetramer LfcinB (20-25)4: (RRWQWR)4K2-Ahx2-C2, and the palindromic sequence LfcinB (21-25)Pal exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains. In all cases, the antibacterial activity was dependent on peptide concentration. The polyvalent molecules LfcinB (20-25)2 and LfcinB (20-25)4 exhibited bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and S. aureus strains; additionally, this dimer and this tetramer combined with ciprofloxacin exhibited a synergistic antibacterial effect against E. coli ATCC 25922 and P. aeruginosa, respectively. Furthermore, the peptides LfcinB (20-30)4, LfcinB (20-25)4, and LfcinB (21-25)Pal combined with vancomycin exhibited a synergistic antibacterial effect against S. aureus and E. faecalis, respectively. This study showed that polyvalent peptides derived from LfcinB exhibit significant antibacterial activity, suggesting that these peptides could have a therapeutic application. Furthermore, our results suggest that polyvalent peptide synthesis could be considered as an innovative and viable strategy for obtaining promising antimicrobial molecules.

A novel cognitive assessment paradigm to detect Pre-mild cognitive impairment (PreMCI) and the relationship to biological markers of Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVE: A number of older adults obtain normal scores on formal cognitive tests, but present clinical concerns that raise suspicion of cognitive decline. Despite not meeting full criteria for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), these PreMCI states confer risk for progression to Alzheimer's disease (AD). This investigation addressed a pressing need to identify cognitive measures that are sensitive to PreMCI and are associated with brain biomarkers of neurodegeneration. METHOD: Participants included 49 older adults with a clinical history suggestive of cognitive decline but normal scores on an array of neuropsychological measures, thus not meeting formal criteria for MCI. The performance of these PreMCI participants were compared to 117 cognitively normal (CN) elders on the LASSI-L, a cognitive stress test that uniquely assesses the failure to recover from proactive semantic interference effects (frPSI). Finally, a subset of these individuals had volumetric analyses based on MRI scans. RESULTS: PreMCI participants evidenced greater LASSI- L deficits, particularly with regards to frPSI and delayed recall, relative to the CN group. No differences on MRI measures were observed. Controlling for false discovery rate (FDR), frPSI was uniquely related to increased dilatation of the inferior lateral ventricle and decreased MRI volumes in the hippocampus, precuneus, superior parietal region, and other AD prone areas. In contrast, other LASSI-L indices and standard memory tests were not related to volumetric findings. CONCLUSIONS: Despite equivalent performance on traditional memory measures, the frPSI distinguished between PreMCI and CN elders and was associated with reductions in brain volume in numerous AD-relevant brain regions.

Proceso de atención de enfermería en el fomento deactividad física de adultos mayores institucionalizados / Nursing care process in promoting physical activity in institutionalized elderly

Medir la eficacia del proceso de atención de enfermería (PAE) en el fomento de la actividadfísica de adultos mayores, internados en cinco centros de bienestar del anciano del ÁreaMetropolitana Centro-Occidente de Colombia.MetodologíaIntervención comunitaria, con selección aleatoria y grupo control. 30 participantes en cadagrupo. En ambos grupos se aplicó PAE (excepto intervención) con taxonomía NANDANIC-NOC. Se valoraron los 13 dominios, el déficit cognitivo, la capacidad funcional y ladependencia. Se priorizaron tres diagnósticos y por cada uno se planearon tres resultadoscon escalas NOC de 4 indicadores cada una. Un grupo fue intervenido según diagnósticorelevante durante 10 sesiones, el otro siguió la rutina del CBA. Análisis comparativo depuntajes NOC. El incremento promedio de un punto por participante en cada NOC indicóeficacia.ResultadosGrupos similares excepto en género (p=0,017), predominio de mujeres (60,0%). Adultosmayores de 75 años (72,0%), con algún grado de demencia senil (63,0%) y alteracionesfuncionales marcadas en flexibilidad y agilidad. En puntajes NOC no hubo diferenciassignificativas entre grupos. Intervención eficaz en cuatro NOC: Deambulación: caminata,tolerancia a la actividad, forma física y resistencia. Ganaron independencia 10 personasdel grupo intervenido y 3 del grupo control (p=0,0004).ConclusionesSe reafirma el uso del PAE para la gestión del cuidado. Se aporta un esquema práctico demedición de eficacia del cuidado, adaptado a la condición del adulto mayor...

To measure the effectiveness of the implementation of the nursing care process (NCP) inpromoting physical activity for older adults hospitalized in five wellness centers elder ofMetropolitan Center-West of Colombia.MethodologyStudy of community Intervention, randomly selecting and control group. 30 participantsin each group. In both groups PAE was applied (except for intervention) with taxonomyNANDA-NIC-NOC. The three domains were assessed: cognitive impairment, functionalcapacity and dependence. Three diagnoses were prioritized and three outcomes wereplanned with stops NOC 4 indicators for each diagnose. One group was operated as relevantdiagnosis during 10 sessions, the other followed the routine of the CBA. Comparativeanalysis of scores NOC. The average increase of one point for each participant indicatedNOC efficiency.ResultsSimilar groups except gender (p = 0,017), predominance of women (60,0%). Adults over75 years (72,0%), with some degree of senile dementia (63,0%) and functional alterationsmarked in flexibility and agility. In scores NOC there was no significant difference betweengroups. There was effective intervention in four NOC: Wandering: walk; activity tolerance;fitness and strength. 10 people in the intervention group gained independence and 3 in thecontrol group (p = 0,0004).ConclusionsThe use of NCP to manage care is reaffirmed. A practical scheme for measuring effectivenessof care, adapted to the condition of the elderly is provided...

Epilepsia y embarazo / Epilepsy and pregnancy

La epilepsia es la entidad neurológica que con mayor frecuencia requiere tratamiento continuo durante la gestación. Se revisan las posibles complicaciones en la madre, en que forma puede afectarse el feto y la probabilidad teratogénica de los anticonvulsivantes. Es importante programar el embarazo para elegir el medicamento adecuado siendo la época libre de crisis la más conveniente. El médico debe buscar ante todo controlar las crisis durante el embarazo y buscar que el fármaco sea el menos teratogénico, pues casi todos los anticonvulsivantes tienen efectos nocivos para el feto. El ácido valproico continúa siendo el de mayor riesgo para producir malformaciones congénitas y trastornos cognitivos detectables en la niñez. Otros medicamentos como levetiracetam, lamotrigina, carbamazepina o fenitoina han demostrado ser menos tóxicos. Debe evitarse la politerapia y administrar ácido fólico para favorecer la normalidad del embarazo y su producto...

Epilepsy is the most common neurologic condition requiring continuing treatment during pregnancy. This paper reviews the possible complications for the mother, how may the fetus be affected and the possible teratogenicity of anticonvulsants. Conception must be planned in order to choose the proper medication and a seizure-free period is the most convenient time. Proper seizure control and choosing the least teratogenic agent is the primary goal for almost all anticonvulsants induce harmful effects on the fetus. Valproic acid carries the highest risk associated with congenital malformations and cognitive impairment detectable during childhood. Other anticonvulsants such as levetiracetam, lamotrigine, carbamazepine or phenytoin have been found to be less toxic. Polytherapy must be avoided and folic acidshould be administered to have a favorable gestational and newborn outcome...

Generalist red velvet mite predator (Balaustium sp.) performs better on a mixed diet.

Generalist predators have the potential advantage to control more than one pest and to be more persistent than specialist predators because they can survive on different foods. Moreover, their population growth rate may be elevated when offered a mixture of prey species. We studied a generalist predatory mite Balaustium sp. that shows promise for biological control of thrips and whiteflies in protected rose cultures in Colombia. Although starting its life in the soil, this predator makes excursions onto plants where it feeds on various arthropods. We quantified life history parameters of the predator, offering high densities of three pest species: first-instar larvae of Frankliniella occidentalis, eggs of Trialeurodes vaporariorum and Tetranychus urticae, either alone or in combination. The predators completed their life cycle on each diet. The egg-to-egg period was c. 2 months. All eggs were laid in one batch in 1-2 days, indicating a pronounced semelparous reproduction pattern. In general, females reproduced earlier and laid more eggs on mixed diets, and these early reproducers consequently had higher population growth rates than late reproducers. The best diet in terms of egg-to-egg period and juvenile survival was the combination of eggs from whiteflies and spider mites. Spider mite eggs alone and western flower thrips larvae alone were the worst diets. It remains to be investigated whether mixed diets promote the population growth rate of Balaustium sufficiently for biocontrol of whiteflies and thrips in the presence of alternative prey, such as spider mites, to become effective.