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Introducción: La visibilización de las condiciones de trabajo de los profesionales de enfermería en México resulta necesaria para mejorar algunos aspectos. Objetivo: Analizar las condiciones de trabajo de los profesionales de enfermería en un hospital de segundo nivel en la Ciudad de México. Material y métodos: Estudio de carácter cuantitativo, no experimental, transversal, prolectivo, descriptivo y diagnóstico. La variable medida fueron las condiciones laborales de enfermería. El universo fue de 530 profesionales de enfermería y la muestra de 200. Resultados: En cuanto a las "condiciones intralaborales", 56.50% del personal sí cuentan con los recursos e insumos necesarios para trabajar, y 57.50% afirman que el sueldo es relativamente bueno; sobre las "condiciones extralaborales", 56% manifiestan tener una buena calidad de vida. Lo que más disgusta al personal es en un 27% el ambiente de trabajo, en un 18% las injusticias y en un 15% la falta de personal. Discusión: 82% del personal de enfermería mostró desgate físico y mental en el trabajo, lo que es semejante al 80% de los profesionales de enfermería en Colombia que tienen una sobrecarga laboral que afecta su calidad de vida. Conclusiones: Los profesionales de enfermería tienen condiciones laborales de buenas a excelentes. Sin embargo, es necesario atender la sobrecarga de trabajo y el agotamiento físico y mental con diversas estrategias, como contratar más personal para mejorar el cuidado de los pacientes.

Introduction: Making the working conditions of nursing professionals in Mexico more visible is necessary to improve some aspects. Objetive: To analyze the Working Conditions in Nursing professionals in a second level Hospital, in Mexico City. Material and Methods: Quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, prolective, descriptive and diagnostic study. The variable measured was nursing working conditions. The universe was 530 nursing professionals and the sample was 200. Results: Regarding "intra-work conditions", 56.50% of the personnel do have the necessary resources and supplies to work, and 57.50% state that the salary is relatively good; regarding "extra-labor conditions", 56% state that they have a good quality of life. The most disliked aspects are the working environment (27%), injustices (18%), and lack of personnel (15%). Discussion: 82% of the nursing staff showed physical and mental stress at work, which is similar to the 80% of nursing professionals in Colombia who have a work overload that affects their quality of life. Conclusions: Nursing professionals have good to excellent working conditions. However, work overload and physical and mental exhaustion need to be addressed with various strategies, such as hiring more staff to improve patient care.

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New natural reducing agents with a lower negative impact on the environment and with a high antimicrobial potential are required for the process of obtaining silver nanoparticles through the chemical reduction method. The use of plant extracts can be a fast track in the formation of nanoparticles. In this case, organic compounds such as terpenes, flavonoids, enzymes, proteins, and cofactors present in plants act as reducing agents for nanomaterials. This research evaluated the antimicrobial property of silver nanoparticles from extracts of Crescentia cujete L. The presence of quercetin (flavonoid) was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC); the production of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was established by green synthesis; the size and morphology of the nanomaterials were evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The antimicrobial capacity was studied by two analysis methods: modified culture medium and surface seeding. The presence of quercetin (26.55 mg L-1) in the crude extract of Crescentia cujete L., identified by HPLC, was evidenced. Nanoparticle formation was spherical, with an average size of 250 ± 3 and 460 ± 6 nm. Microbiological cultures with treatment showed 94% microbial inhibition. It was concluded that the Crescentia cujete L., leaves shoed an acceptable concentration of quercetin to be used as a useful adjuvant to enhance the reduction of NPs synthesis. The nanoparticles produced by green synthesis proved to have a positive effect to combat pathogenic microorganisms.

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Ehrlichia canis has gained importance over the years as a zoonotic bacterium, nevertheless in Mexico is unknown the extent of the problem in animals and public health. The country had a few studies carried out locally using serology and molecular tests as diagnostic methods. Ehrlichiosis is not considered endemic in the central valley of Mexico, because the climatic conditions in the region have not allowed the vector (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) to establish itself adequately, therefore, diagnosis is not used in clinical practice in this area. A nested PCR (nPCR) offers rapid results with high sensitivity and specificity regardless of cost. The use of a recombinant positive control provides the advantage of timely diagnosis, follow-up treatment and allows the clinician to decide. In this work, the nPCR reported by Wen et al. (J Clin Microbiol 35(7):1852-2185, 1997) was used for the diagnosis of E. canis by modifying the reaction conditions to improve the detection of the test. We constructed a recombinant positive control to nPCR as diagnostic technique for E. canis, also we modified the reaction conditions to improve detection of the test which allowed the diagnosis of E. canis in dogs in the Mexican Republic using 53 samples from dogs with positive serological diagnosis of Ehrlichiosis, some of them from the valley of Mexico. Currently, this nPCR is offered to public at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico at an accessible cost and allows to begin to generate epidemiological information to know distribution of the bacterium.

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Objetivo: Analizar la satisfacción laboral de los profesionales de enfermería en un hospital de segundo nivel de la Ciudad de México. Marco teórico: La satisfacción laboral es un estado emocional positivo basado en la percepción subjetiva del propio trabajo, de acuerdo con la actitud frente al mismo, así como con las creencias y valores de la persona. Material y métodos: Estudio de carácter cuantitativo, no experimental, transversal, prolectivo, descriptivo y diagnóstico. La variable estudiada fue la satisfacción laboral. El universo se conformó por 530 profesionales de enfermería y la muestra por 200 de ellos. Resultados: 52.50% del personal de enfermería está satisfecho con su trabajo, 63.50% consideran que el trabajo que realizan es de mucho valor y 40% piensan que ocasionalmente carecen del tiempo necesario para realizar sus actividades. Discusión: 52.50% del personal de enfermería está satisfecho con su trabajo, lo que contrasta con la investigación de Pérez Fonseca y cols., en la cual se reporta 83.10% del personal de enfermería insatisfecho. Conclusiones: Los profesionales de enfermería del hospital de segundo nivel están satisfechos con el trabajo que realizan. Sin embargo, conviene monitorear de forma continua las áreas que causan insatisfacción para corregirlas en favor del personal de enfermería y de los pacientes

Objective: To analyze job satisfaction in nursing professionals at a second level hospital in Mexico City. Theoretical Framework: Job satisfaction is a positive emotional state based on the subjective perception of one's own work, according to the attitude toward it, as well as the person's beliefs and values. Material and methods: Quantitative, experimental, transversal, prolective, descriptive and diagnostic study. The variable was job satisfaction. The universe was confirmed by 530 nursing professionals, and the sample by 200 nursing professionals. Results: 52.50% of the nursing staff were satisfied with their work, 63.50% considered that the work they do is of great value, and 40% believed that occasionally they lack the necessary time to carry out their activities. Discussion: 52.50% of the nursing staff were satisfied with their work, which differs from the research by Pérez Ma. y Cols. that report 83.10% of dissatisfied staff. Conclusions: Nursing professionals at a second level hospital were satisfied with the work they do. However, it would be advisable to continuously monitor the areas that cause dissatisfaction in order to improve them in favor of the nursing staff and patient.

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Introduction: pronation is a procedure used at the Intensive Care Unit with patients presenting Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) with severe hypoxemia. Bibliographical references clearly support the application of this procedure due to the improvement it produces in oxygenation and the increased survival rate in patients. The main foundation behind this technology is that Ventral Decubitus (VD) promotes an improved redistribution of ventilation toward the dorsal regions of the lung, which are mainly collapsed during Dorsal Decubitus. Nursing staff have used this procedure because VD has proven to be a strategy with a useful and accessible impact over respiratory physiology. Objective: to analyze Pronation as a nursing technology and its promotion of COVID-19 patients' wellbeing at the General Hospital Dr. Manuel Gea González, in Mexico City. Material and methods: a nonexperimental, quantitative, cross-sectional, prolective, descriptive study to analyze pronation, as a nursing technology that promotes wellbeing in the care of COVID-19 patients at General Hospital Dr. Manuel Gea González, in Mexico City. Pronation as a nursing technology was the variable being measured. The universe was 530 nursing professionals working at the Hospital. The population and sample were 52 nursing specialists working with COVID-19 patients, representing 9.81% of the Universe. Results: as for training and experience with Pronation, 50% of the staff consider they have received sufficient training in regards to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but they are still under training. Additionally, 84.62 % consider that Pronation promotes a remarkable recovery in the patients, with oxygen saturations between 80 to 100 %; 71.16 % believe that patients do show hemodynamic instability due to the position shift, but not in every case; and 80.77 % consider they make sure their patients do not develop pressure ulcers, given that 65.39 % practice patient hygiene and movement to prevent such ulcers. Discussion: from the interviewed staff, 50.01 % consider they have received sufficient training regarding COVID and the pronation of patients. This is consistent with Hernandez et al., who describe the need of a team trained specifically on the procedure, preferably comprised of Nurses specialized in Intensive Care. Likewise, 84.62% of staff members believe Pronation improves oxygen saturation in patients from 80% to 100%, this is contrasted with Barrantes and Vargas, who indicate that if Pronation does not result in 5% improvement in oxygen saturation, the patient must be returned to dorsal decubitus. Conclusion: ventilation in prone position is a pulmonary protective action used for over 30 years that produces an evident and continuous improvement in blood oxygenation and the respiratory physiology. Therefore, nursing specialists caring for COVID-19 patients recommend its use.

Introducción: la pronación es una maniobra utilizada en las unidades de cuidados intensivos, en pacientes que presentan síndrome de distrés respiratorio agudo (SDRA), cuando la hipoxemia es severa. Apoyada por una sólida evidencia científica, tiene impacto en la forma en que se ventila a los pacientes como parámetro de seguridad, esto aumenta la supervivencia. Objetivo: analizar la pronación, como tecnología de enfermería, que produce bienestar en el cuidado de los pacientes COVID-19, en el Hospital General Dr. Manuel Gea González, en la Ciudad de México. Material y métodos: estudio de carácter cuantitativo, no experimental, transversal, prospectivo, descriptivo. Variable medida: la pronación, como tecnología de enfermería. El universo 530 profesionales de enfermería que trabajan en el hospital, muestra: 52 especialistas de enfermería que trabajan con pacientes COVID-19. Resultados: en relación a la capacitación y experiencia en pronación, el 50% del personal manifiestan que sí recibieron suficiente capacitación sobre el virus SARS-CoV-2, aunque siguen capacitándose en ésta área; el 84.62 % consideran que en la pronación, los pacientes mejoran bastante, saturando entre el 80 y 100 % de oxígeno y el 80.77 % siempre cuidan que los pacientes no tengan úlceras por presión.Discusión: el 50.01 % del personal entrevistado manifiesta que sí recibió suficiente capacitación sobre la COVID-19 para pronar a los pacientes, lo que es semejante a la investigación de Hernández GD., et al.¹ Conclusión: la ventilación en posición prono es una medida de protección pulmonar utilizada hace más de 30 años que produce una mejoría evidente y sostenida de la oxigenación de la sangre y en la fisiología respiratoria, por lo que los especialistas de enfermería que atiende pacientes COVID-19 recomiendan su aplicación, pues está asociada al aumento de probabilidad de supervivencia.

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The seed industry in Chile has thrived since the implementation of a stringent, voluntarily self-imposed coexistence strategy between genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and non-GMO seed activities. GMO varieties of maize, soybean, and canola represent the vast majority of biotech seeds produced in Chile. Chile's exports of genetically modified (GM) seeds and organically grown food products (which excludes GM seeds and materials) continue to expand. Organic Chilean farmers predominantly produce and export fruits such as blueberries, wine grapes, and apples. Under normal agricultural conditions, the inadvertent presence of GMOs in non-GMO or organic crops cannot be ruled out. Producers of organic foods are required to implement stringent measures to minimize contact with any non-organic crop, regardless of whether these crops are GM. Only very small amounts of organic maize, soybean, and canola - if any - have been produced in Chile in recent years. Given the characteristics and nature of Chile's agriculture, the direct impact of the GM seed industry on organic farming in Chile is likely to be negligible. The Chilean experience with coexistence between GM seed and organic industries may inform other countries interested in providing its farmers with alternative agricultural production systems.

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PURPOSE: To describe the implementation of a postfracture care program in a private hospital in Colombia, the results achieved after the program's first year, and the challenges encountered. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study of the first year's outcomes. The program was implemented following best practices described in the "Capture the Fracture" framework. We assessed the management of fractures before the launch of the program. A multidisciplinary group was established to collaborate on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with osteoporotic fractures. A full-time program coordinator was appointed. We analyzed the program's clinical outcomes and limitations. RESULTS: One-hundred and ninety patients were included in the study, with an average age of 76.7. Hip fracture was the most frequent one (33.6%). After the first year of implementing the program, 39.4% of patients received osteoporosis treatment, with an adherence rate of 73%. The incidence of subsequent falls was 5.8% and 1% for new fractures. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a program for patients' care with fragility fractures is challenging for healthcare institutions. The role of a full-time coordinator is critical for the proper operation of such programs.

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Chile has become one of the main global players in seed production for counter-season markets and research purposes. Chile has a key role contributing to the reduction in seed production shortages in the Northern Hemisphere by speeding up the development of new hybrids, cultivars, and genetically modified (GM) organisms. The seeds that Chile produces for export include a considerable amount of GM seeds. Between 2009 and 2018, 1,081 different seed-planting events were undertaken for seed multiplication and/or research purposes. Every single event that had commodity cultivation status in 2018 in at least one country underwent field activities in Chile at least once over the last 10 y. Chile just adopted a regulatory approach for new plant breeding techniques. This type of regulatory approach should contribute to maintaining the status of Chile as a hot spot for future innovation in plant breeding-based biotechnology.

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We determined, using confocal microscopy, the structure and dynamics of the small component in concentrated binary colloidal mixtures with moderate and large size ratios and different compositions of Polymethyl methacrylate particles. We show that when increasing the content of small spheres at fixed total volume fraction, a transition in the local environment of the small particles is observed, from a mixed environment of other small and large particles to a local environment of only small particles. The transition is rather abrupt for moderate size ratios, while it becomes particularly broad for large size ratios. This can be associated with the improved ability of the small particles to pack in between the large particles for larger size ratios. The dynamics reflect the transition with an increase of the mobility observed at intermediate mixing. This increase becomes particularly pronounced for large size ratios, leading to diffusive dynamics of the small particles, in agreement with predictions of theories of the glass transition in binary hard-sphere mixtures. The composition at which the fastest dynamics are observed is apparently independent of the size ratio.

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The Parry-Romberg syndrome (PRS), also known as hemifacial atrophy, is a rare neurocutaneous disease with the prevalence of 1/700,000 cases. It is more common in women than men, with an early onset of disease usually within the first two decades of life. Even though the etiology of PRS is unknown, it is thought to be a multifactorial disease that involves hereditary, posttraumatic, autoimmune, infectious, and neoplastic factors. There are a variety of systemic manifestations described in PRS including neurological conditions that range from intractable headache to refractory epilepsy. The manifestations must be identified in a timely manner to ensure an early therapeutic intervention, considering that an appropriate approach during the initial phase might halt the disease progression and markedly improve the quality of life in these patients. This article is aimed to describe the case of a 23 years old female with left hemifacial atrophy and dermatologic, dental, and neurologic compromise, associated with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy evidenced in neuroimaging and electrodiagnostic testings.

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INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a common multisystemic complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. The most frequent presentations of graft-versus-host disease involve the skin, the gastrointestinal tract, and the liver. The aim of the present study was to know the frequency of gastrointestinal tract and liver GVHD and the characteristics of disease presentation in pediatric patients that underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) at a tertiary care hospital center in Mexico City. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out, utilizing the case records of patients that underwent HSCT in 2015, to determine the frequency of GVHD in pediatric patients at a Mexican tertiary care hospital center. RESULTS: In 2015, 16 HSCT were performed, 11 of which were carried out in males (68%). Only 3 patients developed graft-versus-host disease (18.7%). One patient presented with skin and liver GVHD and 2 patients presented with gastrointestinal tract and liver GVHD, which was the most frequent type. CONCLUSIONS: HSCT is still an uncommon procedure in Mexico and there is a lower frequency of gastrointestinal tract and liver GVHD than that reported in other studies. Most certainly, there will be an increase in this type of patient and risk factors in the Mexican population must still be determined to help predict the onset of GVHD.

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Turner syndrome (TS) is one of the most common sexual chromosome abnormalities and is clearly associated with an increased risk of autoimmune diseases, particularly thyroid disease and coeliac disease (CD). Single-nucleotide polymorphism analyses have been shown to provide correlative evidence that specific genes are associated with autoimmune disease. Our aim was to study the functional polymorphic variants of PTPN22 and ZFAT in relation to thyroid disease and those of MYO9B in relation to CD. A cross-sectional comparative analysis was performed on Mexican mestizo patients with TS and age-matched healthy females. Our data showed that PTPN22 C1858T (considered a risk variant) is not associated with TS (X2  = 3.50, p = .61, and OR = 0.33 [95% CI = 0.10-1.10]). Also, ZFAT was not associated with TS (X2  = 1.2, p = .28, and OR = 1.22 [95% CI = 0.84-1.79]). However, for the first time, rs2305767 MYO9B was revealed to have a strong association with TS (X2  = 58.6, p = .0001, and OR = 10.44 [95% C = 5.51-19.80]), supporting a high level of predisposition to CD among TS patients. This report addresses additional data regarding the polymorphic variants associated with autoimmune disease, one of the most common complications in TS.

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INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune skin disease caused by the destruction of melanocytes. Although quality of life (QOL) in vitiligo has been studied in different countries, it has not yet been investigated in Mexico. The aim of this study was to assess the QOL of Mexican patients with vitiligo. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We conducted a cross-sectional study at the research unit of Centro Dermatológico Dr. Ladislao de la Pascua in Mexico City. We included adults with vitiligo and excluded those with other pigmentation disorders or a neurological or psychiatric disorder. Patients on psychoactive medications were also excluded. All the patients were administered the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), a vitiligo-specific quality of life instrument (the VitiQoL), and the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. RESULTS: We studied 150 patients with vitiligo (103 women [68.7%] and 47 men [31.3%]). The median (interquartile range) age was 38 (20) years. The mean (SD) scores on the DLQI and VitiQoL were 5.2 (5.4) and 32.1 (22.7) out of total possible scores of 30 and 90, respectively. The correlation between questionnaire scores was 0.675 (P<.001). Patients with genital involvement scored significantly worse on the VitiQoL than those without lesions in this area (43.95 [28.4]) vs. 28.98 [20.08], P<.001). The prevalence of depression and anxiety was 34% and 60%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Vitiligo has a minimal impact on the QOL of our patients. QOL was worse in patients with genital lesions.

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Chlorophyll is a pyrrolic pigment with important optical properties, which is the reason it has been studied for many years. Recently, interest has been rising with respect to this molecule because of its outstanding physicochemical properties, particularly applicable to the design and development of luminescent materials, hybrid sensor systems, and photodynamic therapy devices for the treatment of cancer cells and bacteria. More recently, our research group has been finding evidence for the possibility of preserving these important properties of substrates containing chlorophyll covalently incorporated within solid pore matrices, such as SiO2, TiO2 or ZrO2 synthesized through the sol-gel process. In this work, we study the optical properties of silica xerogels organo-modified on their surface with allyl and phenyl groups and containing different concentrations of chlorophyll bonded to the pore walls, in order to optimize the fluorescence that these macrocyclic species displays in solution. The intention of this investigation was to determine the maximum chlorophyll a concentration at which this molecule can be trapped inside the pores of a given xerogel and to ascertain if this pigment remains trapped as a monomer, a dimer, or aggregate. Allyl and phenyl groups were deposited on the surface of xerogels in view of their important effects on the stability of the molecule, as well as over the fluorescence emission of chlorophyll; however, these organic groups allow the trapping of either chlorophyll a monomers or dimers. The determination of the above parameters allows finding the most adequate systems for subsequent in vitro or in vivo studies. The characterization of the obtained xerogels was performed through spectroscopic absorption, emission and excitation spectra. These hybrid systems can be employed as mimics of natural systems; the entrapment of chlorophyll inside pore matrices indicates that it is possible to exploit some of the most physicochemical properties of trapped chlorophyll for diverse technological applications. The data herein collected suggest the possibility of applying the developed methodology to other active, captive molecules in order to synthesize new hybrid materials with optimized properties, suitable to be applied in diverse technological fields.

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The anterior (A) and posterior (P) cruciate ligaments (CL) of the knee, located inside the joint, connect the femur and the tibia and thus provide stability in the anteroposterior axis of one bone over the other. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) may be injured as a result of rotation when practicing a sport involving turning with the foot on the ground. ACL injuries are diagnosed with maneuvers like the Lachman, drawer and pivot. Accelerometers were used to plot the pivot maneuver in patients seeing the orthopedist surgeon using the KT1000 test as gold standard. This case-control descriptive study was approved by the Hospital's Ethics Committee. Results: 92 patients accepted to participate through an informed consent; nine cases were KT1000 positive, and nine age- and gender-matched controls were selected among KT1000 negative patients. KT1000 alterations were greater among females (78%) and in 67% of cases the right leg was affected. Mean KT1000 results were 5.44 mm in cases and 0.66 mm in controls. Accelerometers allowed plotting the pivot maneuver and the resulting charts for cases and controls were similar. Remarkable differences were seen only in one male patient with a 15 mm KT1000, who underwent repair of the left ACL; the maneuver was performed under sedation. We concluded that conscious patients oppose the maneuver, unlike anesthetized patients, and that the use of accelerometers helps document the pivot maneuver which, in turn, helps detect differences between a normal ACL and an injured one.

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INTRODUCTION: A perceived risk of cancer encourages preventive behavior while the lack of such a perception is a barrier to risk reduction. There are no instruments in Spanish to measure this perceived risk and thus quantify response to interventions for preventing this disease at a population level. The aim of this study was to design and validate a self-administered questionnaire for measuring the perceived risk of skin cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire with a visual Likert-type scale was designed based on the results of the analysis of the content of a survey performed in 100 patients in the Dr. Ladislao de la Pascua Skin Clinic, Distrito Federal México, Mexico. Subsequently, the questionnaire was administered to a sample of 359 adult patients who attended the clinic for the first time. As no gold standard exists for measuring the perceived risk of skin cancer, the construct was validated through factor analysis. RESULTS: The final questionnaire had 18 items. The internal consistency measured with Cronbach α was 0.824 overall. In the factor analysis, 4 factors (denoted as affective, behavioral, severity, and susceptibility) and an indicator of risk accounted for 65.133% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: The psychometric properties of the scale were appropriate for measuring the perception of risk in adult patients (aged 18 years or more) who attended the dermatology clinic.

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South America and especially the Amazon basin is known to be home to some of the most isolated human groups in the world. Here, we report on a study of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the Waorani from Ecuador, probably the most warlike human population known to date. Seeking to look in more depth at the characterization of the genetic diversity of this Native American tribe, molecular markers from the X and Y chromosomes were also analyzed. Only three different mtDNA haplotypes were detected among the Waorani sample. One of them, assigned to Native American haplogroup A2, accounted for more than 94% of the total diversity of the maternal gene pool. Our results for sex chromosome molecular markers failed to find close genetic kinship between individuals, further emphasizing the low genetic diversity of the mtDNA. Bearing in mind the results obtained for both the analysis of the mtDNA control region and complete mitochondrial genomes, we suggest the existence of a 'Waorani-specific' mtDNA lineage. According to current knowledge on the phylogeny of haplogroup A2, we propose that this lineage could be designated as subhaplogroup A2s. Its wide predominance among the Waorani people might have been conditioned by severe genetic drift episodes resulting from founding events, long-term isolation and a traditionally small population size most likely associated with the striking ethnography of this Amazonian community. In all, the Waorani constitute a fine example of how genetic imprint may mirror ethnopsychology and sociocultural features in human populations.

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The aim of the current study was to determine the possible effects of progestagen oestrous synchronization on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression during sheep luteogenesis and the peri-implantation period and the relationship with luteal function. At days 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 21 of pregnancy, the ovaries from 30 progestagen treated and 30 ewes cycling after cloprostenol injection were evaluated by ultrasonography and, thereafter, collected and processed for immunohistochemical evaluation of VEGF; blood samples were drawn for evaluating plasma progesterone. The progestagen-treated group showed smaller corpora lutea than cloprostenol-treated and lower progesterone secretion. The expression of VEGF in the luteal cells increased with time in the cloprostenol group, but not in the progestagen-treated group, which even showed a decrease between days 11 and 13. In progestagen-treated sheep, VEGF expression in granulosa-derived parenchymal lobule capillaries was correlated with the size of the luteal tissue, larger corpora lutea had higher expression, and tended to have a higher progesterone secretion. In conclusion, the current study indicates the existence of deleterious effects from exogenous progestagen treatments on progesterone secretion from induced corpora lutea, which correlate with alterations in the expression of VEGF in the luteal tissue and, this, presumably in the processes of neoangiogenesis and luteogenesis.

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