Apoyo social e ideación suicida en pacientes con cáncer

El diagnóstico de cáncer ha sido asociado con un alto riesgo de presentar ideación suicida en comparación con la población no oncológica, sin embargo se ha considerado al apoyo social como un factor protector para la ocurrencia de esta conducta. La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo identificar la relación entre el apoyo social percibido y la ideación suicida en 90 pacientes oncológicos adultos en Bogotá, bajo la hipótesis de que a mayor apoyo social percibido, menor presencia de ideación suicida. Se midió la variable de apoyo social a través del cuestionario Duke UNC y la ideación suicida a través de cuatro instrumentos: Escala de Ideación Suicida (SSI), Escala de Desesperanza de Beck (BHS), el ítem 9 del Inventario de Depresión de Beck (BDI-IA) y una entrevista semiestructurada. Los resultados mostraron que no existe relación entre el apoyo social percibido y la ideación suicida. Por otro lado se identificó una prevalencia de suicidio entre 5,6% y 22,77%, confirmando que el paciente con cáncer considera el suicidio y es fundamental evaluar esta variable en esta población. Se considera importante continuar con la realización de investigaciones que permitan generalizar los resultados a la población oncológica colombiana.

Riesgo de hipertensión arterial por ruido laboral: revisión sistemática

Introducción: la pérdida auditiva inducida por ruido es el efecto nocivo del ruido más comúnmente estudiado, sin embargo, el ruido también produce trastornos digestivos y del sueño, cambios en los niveles de cortisol, efectos cardiovasculares e hipertensión arterial (HTA), entre otros. Objetivo: determinar si la exposición laboral a ruido induce hipertensión arterial. Materiales y métodos: se siguieron las recomendaciones del método PRISMA para revisiones sistemáticas. Se hizo una búsqueda de estudios en PUBMED utilizando los términos “occupational and noise and hypertension” y aplicando los filtros: 1) publicaciones incluidas entre 2005-2015; 2) estudios publicados en inglés; 3) revisión de títulos y resúmenes; 4) revisión completa de los textos para un total final de 32 estudios. Se hizo la revisión, análisis y resumen de todos los estudios. Resultados: los estudios concluyeron que aquellos portadores de los polimorfismos de la enzima convertidora de angiotensina expuestos a ruido, tuvieron una mayor susceptibilidad genética a tener HTA. Los estudios reportaron una asociación positiva entre ruido e HTA. Hay controversia acerca de la relación que existe entre HTA, ruido y coexposición a otros factores como calor, trabajo por turnos, presencia de solventes o plomo en el lugar de trabajo y carga física. Conclusiones: Se presume que solo los niveles de ruido ≥ 85 dBA tienen efectos negativos sobre la salud, pero se ha encontrado que los efectos no auditivos del ruido se producen por debajo de este parámetro. Recomendaciones: se sugiere el uso de la pérdida auditiva inducida por ruido entre población trabajadora como un método de tamizaje para detectar personas prehipertensas, con el fin prevenir la generación de HTA.

Risc i activitats físiques en el medi natural : efectes de la pràctica sobre la resposta emocional. ' Riesgo y actividades físicas en el medio natural : efectos de la práctica sobre la respuesta emocional'.

Analizar la adaptación de las actividades físicas en un medio natural. Estudiar los criterios para juzgar el riesgo de una actividad. Reflexionar entorno al riesgo y su respuesta para su aplicación en el ámbito escolar.. 66 soldados del 'Batallón de Cazadores de Montaña CATALUÑA II/62 de Berga'. Dos grupos: grupo entrenado y grupo control.. Revisa aspectos teóricos y conceptuales en relación a las actividades objeto de estudio. Realiza un estudio del riesgo a partir de diferentes dimensiones que intervienen en la práctica de actividades físicas en el medio natural. Desarrolla un análisis de la respuesta emocional de ansiedad.. Recogida de muestras salivares, registro de frecuencia cardíaca, medición de las variables Escala de Ansiedad Estado, Cortisol y Testosterona. Cuestionario biográfico, fichas de observación y recogida de datos, cuestionario de impulsividad.. Tablas numéricas, gráficos, tablas de contenido, gráficas de barras.. El grupo entrenado muestra incrementos inferiores de cortisol que el grupo control en todas las fases, y de testosterona en la fase de ejecución. La recuperación de los niveles de cortisol y testosterona del grupo entrenado es más rápida. Los resultados muestran la naturaleza multidimensional del estado de ansiedad.. La Escala de Ansiedad Estado es un buen instrumento sensible a las diferentes fases de estrés, pero no es demasiado concreto en las diferencias significativas entre grupos. Se recomienda la medición de la frecuencia cardíaca en las investigaciones a campo abierto, aunque es poco sensible a las diferencias entre grupos. El cortisol y la testosterona son muy útiles para contrastar estas diferencias..

Prevención y pautas de actuación ante la nueva gripe en contextos escolares.

Este artículo también está publicado en la revista 'Aula de innovación educativa, Barcelona, 2009, n. 186, noviembre ; p. 66-69'

Entrenamiento con vibraciones mecánicas y salud : efectos sobre los sistemas óseo, endocrino y cardiovascular.

Resumen tomado de la publicación

Cambios hormonales por efecto de la terapia asistida con caballos en personas autistas

Resumen basado en el de la publicaci??n

Tratamiento de la disfagia y la disglosia tras glosectom??a total y reconstrucci??n con colgajo libre fasciocut??neo anterolateral de muslo : a prop??sito de un caso

Resumen basado en el de la publicaci??n

Eficacia del vendaje neuromuscular en el tratamiento de la sialorrea en pacientes con trastorno del espectro autista

Resumen basado en el de la publicaci??n

Serveis Tècnics de Recerca. Unitat de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina

Al laboratori de la Unitat de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, que es troba a l’edifici Jaume Casademont del Parc Científic de la UdG, es disposa de les tècniques necessàries per extraure ADN humà de mostres biològiques de qualsevol tipus, com ara sang, saliva, semen, teixits, ossos o restes biològiques sobre roba i altres materials

Estudo de vinte casos de hiperadrenocorticismo no cão

O hiperadrenocorticismo canino consiste no conjunto de alterações físicas e bioquímicas resultantes da exposição prolongada e inapropriada, do organismo, a elevadas concentrações de cortisol. Esta dissertação teve como principal objectivo o estudo de vinte casos de hiperadrenocorticismo no cão, com base na recolha e interpretação de dados clínicos, laboratoriais e de imagem, efectuados durante o período de dois anos, entre Março de 2010 e Março de 2012, no Hospital Veterinário da FMVZ/UNESP em Botucatu. Constatou-se que a maioria das características individuais (idade, peso, raça e sexo), sinais clínicos e alterações laboratoriais (hemograma, bioquímicas sanguíneas e urianálise) comuns desta doença estavam presentes. Os cães do nosso estudo eram na sua maioria geriátricos, de raça miniatura como o caniche, com peso inferior a 20 Kg e do sexo feminino; estes apresentavam habituais sinais clínicos como poliúria, polidipsia, distensão abdominal, polifagia, fraqueza muscular, alterações respiratórias, cutâneas e neurológicas, e habituais alterações laboratoriais como trombocitose, linfopenia, eosinopenia, neutrofilia, aumento da fosfatase alcalina sérica, alanina aminotransferase, colesterol e triglicéridos. Alguns destes cães apresentaram ainda três das complicações mais comuns do hiperadrenocorticismo como hipertensão arterial, infecção do tracto urinário inferior e diabetes mellitus. Para chegar ao diagnóstico final realizou-se o teste de supressão de dexametasona a baixas doses em associação com a avaliação das glândulas adrenais através de ecografia, o qual nos permitiu obter a nossa amostra final, os vinte cães com hiperadrenocorticismo. Este estudo contribuiu para aprofundar o conhecimento relativamente às alterações clínicas, laboratoriais e de imagem presentes nos cães com hiperadrenocorticismo e demonstrou que a informação daí retirada é fundamental para chegar ao seu diagnóstico.

Artificial diet for aphids - thirty years' experience

Myzus persicae (Sulzer) was reared continuously for over thirty years (until it died out in December 2008) on a totally defined synthetic artificial diet, the procedure for which is described. Development time was extended on diet compared with rearing on Brussels sprout plants (Brassica oleracea L. var. gemmifera L.), and generation time was further increased by an added pre-reproductive period of 4 days. Fecundity was reduced by about two-thirds, and mean relative growth rate in weight (MRGR) was only 60% in comparison with plant-reared aphids. Applying 2 kg/cm(2) pressure to a 10% sucrose solution extended the adult longevity of Aphis fabae Scopoli by less than I day. In contrast, a short experience of half-strength diet Caused a sharp rise in honeydew excretion by A. fabae for several hours, and alternating full-strength diet with diluted diets (including water) Caused a greater weight increase. The poor performance of aphids on diet thus seems to have a behavioural rather than a mechanical explanation. The diet, designed to give optimal performance of the aphids, has proved not to be useful for nutritional studies, as any change is deleterious. Areas of aphid research where the diet has been useful, however, are studies on repellents/attractants/toxins, role of symbionts, maintenance of genotype collections, work on parasitoid behaviour in relation to plant chemistry, and collection of aphid saliva.

Identification of stimulatory and inhibitory inputs to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis during hypoglycaemia or transport in ewes

This study used the novel approach of statistical modelling to investigate the control of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and quantify temporal relationships between hormones. Two experimental paradigms were chosen, insulin-induced hypoglycaemia and 2 h transport, to assess differences in control between noncognitive and cognitive stimuli. Vasopressin and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) were measured in hypophysial portal plasma, and adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) and cortisol in jugular plasma of conscious sheep, and deconvolution analysis was used to calculate secretory rates, before modelling. During hypoglycaemia, the relationship between plasma glucose and vasopressin or CRH was best described by log(10) transforming variables (i.e. a positive power-curve relationship). A negative-feedback relationship with log(10) cortisol concentration 2 h previously was detected. Analysis of the 'transport' stimulus suggested that the strength of the perceived stimulus decreased over time after accounting for cortisol facilitation and negative-feedback. The time course of vasopressin and CRH responses to each stimulus were different However, at the pituitary level, the data suggested that log(10) ACTH secretion rate was related to log(10) vasopressin and CRH concentrations with very similar regression coefficients and an identical ratio of actions (2.3 : 1) for both stimuli. Similar magnitude negative-feedback effects of log(10) cortisol at -110 min (hypoglycaemia) or -40 min (transport) were detected, and both models contained a stimulatory relationship with cortisol at 0 min (facilitation). At adrenal gland level, cortisol secretory rates were related to simultaneously measured untransformed ACTH concentration but the regression coefficient for the hypoglycaemia model was 2.5-fold greater than for transport. No individual sustained maximum cortisol secretion for longer than 20 min during hypoglycaemia and 40 min during transport. These unique models demonstrate that corticosteroid negative-feedback is a significant control mechanism at both the pituitary and hypothalamus. The amplitude of HPA response may be related to stimulus intensity and corticosteroid negative-feedback, while duration depended on feedback alone.

Mg citrate found more bioavailable than other Mg preparations in a randomised, double-blind study

Published data on the bioavailability of various Mg preparations is too fragmented and scanty to inform proper choice of Mg preparation for. clinical studies. In this study, the relative bioavailability of three preparations of Mg (amino-acid chelate, citrate and oxide) were compared at a daily dose of 300 mg of elemental Mg in 46 healthy individuals. The study was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel intervention, of 60 days duration. Urine, blood and saliva samples were taken at baseline, 24 h after the first Mg supplement was taken ('acute' supplementation) and after 60 days of daily Mg consumption ('chronic' supplementation). Results showed that supplementation of the organic forms of Mg (citrate and amino-acid chelate) showed greater absorption (P = 0.033) at 60 days than MgO, as assessed by the 24-h urinary Mg excretion. Mg citrate led to the greatest mean serum Mg concentration compared with other treatments following both acute (P = 0.026) and chronic (P = 0.006) supplementation. Furthermore, although mean erythrocyte Mg concentration showed no differences among groups, chronic Mg citrate supplementation resulted in the greatest (P = 0.027) mean salivary Mg concentration compared with all other treatments. Mg oxide supplementation resulted in no differences compared to placebo. We conclude that a daily supplementation with Mg citrate shows superior bioavailability after 60 days of treatment when compared with other treatments studied.

PASSCLAIM - gut health and immunity

Background The gut and immune system form a complex integrated structure that has evolved to provide effective digestion and defence against ingested toxins and pathogenic bacteria. However, great variation exists in what is considered normal healthy gut and immune function. Thus, whilst it is possible to measure many aspects of digestion and immunity, it is more difficult to interpret the benefits to individuals of variation within what is considered to be a normal range. Nevertheless, it is important to set standards for optimal function for use both by the consumer, industry and those concerned with the public health. The digestive tract is most frequently the object of functional and health claims and a large market already exists for gut-functional foods worldwide. Aim To define normal function of the gut and immune system and describe available methods of measuring it. Results We have defined normal bowel habit and transit time, identified their role as risk factors for disease and how they may be measured. Similarly, we have tried to define what is a healthy gut flora in terms of the dominant genera and their metabolism and listed the many, varied and novel methods for determining these parameters. It has proved less easy to provide boundaries for what constitutes optimal or improved gastric emptying, gut motility, nutrient and water absorption and the function of organs such as the liver, gallbladder and pancreas. The many tests of these functions are described. We have discussed gastrointestinal well being. Sensations arising from the gut can be both pleasant and unpleasant. However, the characteristics of well being are ill defined and merge imperceptibly from acceptable to unacceptable, a state that is subjective. Nevertheless, we feel this is an important area for future work and method development. The immune system is even more difficult to make quantitative judgements about. When it is defective, then clinical problems ensure, but this is an uncommon state. The innate and adaptive immune systems work synergistically together and comprise many cellular and humoral factors. The adaptive system is extremely sophisticated and between the two arms of immunity there is great redundancy, which provides robust defences. New aspects of immune function are discovered regularly. It is not clear whether immune function can be "improved". Measuring aspects of immune function is possible but there is no one test that will define either the status or functional capacity of the immune system. Human studies are often limited by the ability to sample only blood or secretions such as saliva but it should be remembered that only 2% of lymphocytes circulate at any given time, which limits interpretation of data. We recommend assessing the functional capacity of the immune system by: measuring specific cell functions ex vivo, measuring in vivo responses to challenge, e. g. change in antibody in blood or response to antigens, determining the incidence and severity of infection in target populations during naturally occurring episodes or in response to attenuated pathogens.

The ACTH response to dexamethasone in PTSD

Objective: Enhanced negative feedback and reduced adrenal output are two different models that have been put forth to explain the paradoxical observations of increased release of corticotropin-releasing factor in the face of low cortisol levels in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSID). To discriminate between these models, the authors measured levels of adrenocorticopic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol at baseline and in response to dexamethasone in medically healthy subjects with and without PTSID. Under conditions of enhanced negative feedback inhibition, ACTH levels would not be altered relative to cortisol levels, but the ACTH response to dexamethasone would be augmented, in concert with the enhanced cortisol response to dexamethasone. In contrast, under conditions of reduced adrenal output, ACTH levels would be expected to be higher at baseline relative to cortisol levels, but the ACTH response to dexamethasone would be unchanged in PTSID relative to healthy comparison subjects. Method: The ACTH and cortisol responses to 0.50 mg of dexamethasone were assessed in 19 subjects (15 men and four women) with PTSID and 19 subjects (14 men and five women) without psychiatric disorder. Results: The ACTH-to-cortisol ratio did not differ between groups before or after dexamethasone, but the subjects with PTSD showed greater suppression of ACTH (as well as cortisol) in response to dexamethasone. Conclusions: The data support the hypothesis of enhanced cortisol negative feedback inhibition of ACTH secretion at the level of the pituitary in PTSD. Pituitary glucocorticoid receptor binding, rather than low adrenal output, is implicated as a likely mechanism for this effect.