山木通的化学成分研究

目的：对毛茛科铁线莲属植物山木通的化学成分进行提取、分离和鉴定。方法：用不同浓度乙醇提取,利用硅胶、SephadexLH-20、ODS柱色谱法对山木通的化学成分进行分离,根据理化性质和MS、NMR光谱数据进行结构鉴定。结果：经鉴定得到7个化合物,分别为β-谷甾醇（Ⅰ）;正二十二烷（Ⅱ）;3-羰基齐墩果烷（Ⅲ）;正十六烷酸（Ⅳ）;正二十六烷酸（Ⅴ）;丁香酸（Ⅵ）;5-羟基4-氧代戊酸（Ⅶ）。结论：所得化合物均为首次从该种植物中得到。     

Detección de disfagia en mayores institucionalizados

Objective

To determine the prevalence of dysphagia in a population of institutionalised elderly people, and the effectiveness of a clinical method for its detection.

Methodology

A prospective study was conducted on a random sample of elderly residents. A clinical evaluation along with an assessment with different volumes and viscosities (MECVV) were used. Specific care and follow up was arranged following this assessment.

Results

Forty residents were studied. The prevalence of unrecognised dysphagia was 42.5%. Following assessment by the MECVV, the prevalence rose from 22.5% to 65% (P=.012). Dysphagia detected by MECVV was related to nutritional risk, as measured by the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) (P=.007), and to the diagnosis of dementia (P=.028).

Conclusions

The diagnosis of dysphagia in this sample of institutionalised elderly people increases when applying a clinical method for detection, reaching a prevalence similar to other studies.     

Construction and validation of a scale to assess attitudes toward patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders

Introduction

Patients suffering from dementia are often subjected to discriminatory attitudes, but there are few instruments able to measure these.

Objective

the construction and validation of a scale to detect negative attitudes toward patients with dementia and determine its psychometric properties, reliability criteria, and convergent and divergent validity.

Participants and methods

Fifty subjects were recruited for item selection. The scale was validated using 296 subjects of both genders, and included psychology, medical and nursing students.

Material and methods

A Likert-type attitudes scale of 30 items with 7 answers options was developed. After the pilot analysis of the scale and total item-item correlation a definitive tool of 20 items was developed, with a Cronbach‘s alpha index of 0.89. After the main component analysis, a 3 factors solution was preferred (rejection, effect and experience), which alone could explain the 65.7% of the total variance. Confirmatory factorial analysis with structural equations showed good fitting indexes (CFI=0.92; GFI=0.94; AGFI=0.90; PGFI=0.91; RMSEA=0.05). Convergent validation showed a positive correlation with scales measuring attitudes toward dementia, handicapped people, aging, and a questionnaire on negative stereotypes toward aging.

Results

Higher education and previous contact with the elderly were associated with more positive attitudes (F=29.16 and z=12.45, respectively).

Conclusions

The attitudes toward dementia scale is a valid and reliable instrument to detect these in the general population.     

Chronodisruption and ageing

Modern life leads to a more active nocturnal lifestyle, reduced sleep hours and sometimes abrupt shifts across time zones (such as jet lag and shift work) that generate chronodisruption (CD) which can result in premature ageing. CD is defined as a significant disturbance of the internal temporal order of biochemical, physiological and behavioural circadian rhythms. Epidemiological studies show that CD induced by shift work, chronic jet lag, social jet lag and excessive exposure of bright light at night is associated with an increased incidence of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, cognitive and affective impairment, sleep disorders, some cancers and premature ageing. CD may be the result of disturbances in different components of the circadian system (central pacemaker and peripheral oscillators, inputs to central clock, mainly due to visual deficiencies, and output signals from the pacemaker and oscillators). Exposure to different synchronizers (light, meal times, physical and social activities) with a regular pattern results in a chronoenhacement that can prevent age-related CD.     

Binding of 9-aminoacridine to deoxydinucleoside phosphates of defined sequence: Preferences and stereochemistry

The effect of sequence on the binding of 9-aminoacridine to DNA has been investigated by studying its interaction with deoxydinucleoside phosphates of different sequences using proton nuclear magnetic resonance. Quantitative binding information can be obtained by comparison of the proton chemical shift behavior of 9-aminoacridine upon addition of dinucleoside phosphate to various models for the interaction using least-squares computer fitting procedures. The simplest model that fits the data includes (1) dimerization of 9-aminoacridine and (2) a mixture of 1:1 and 2:1 (dinucleoside phosphate/9-aminoacridine) complexes. The computed parameters allow comparison of binding constants and stereochemistry for different sequences. The 1:1 complexes seem to involve interaction of the ring nitrogen with the backbone phosphate and stacking of one or both chromophores on the acridine; preference in binding is observed for alternating (purine-pyrimidine or pyrimidine-purine) over non-alternating (purine-purine) dinucleoside phosphates. The 2:1 complexes involve intercalation of the acridine between two complementary dinucleoside phosphate strands with weak sequence preferences in binding. The stereochemistry of intercalation differs between non-alternating purine-purine sequences and the alternating pyrimidine-purine or purine-pyrimidine sequences in having the 9-aminoacridine stacked with the purines of one strand rather than straddling the purines on opposite strands. The difference in stereochemistry could possibly be a determining factor in frameshift sequence specificity.     

Prevención cuaternaria en ancianos

Quaternary prevention is a group of measures taken to prevent, decrease and/or alleviate the harm caused by health activities.     

Teratorhabditis palmarum n. sp. (Nemata: Rhabditidae): An Associate of Rhynchophorus palmarum and R. cruentatus

Teratorhabditis palmarum n. sp., an associate of the palm weevils Rhynchophorus palmarum and R. cruentatus is described. Teratorhabditis palmarum was isolated from newly emerged adults and cocoons of R. palmarum from red-ring diseased coconut palms, Cocos nucifera, in Trinidad and Ecuador, and from red-ring diseased oil palms, Elaeis guineensis, in Colombia. Teratorhabditis palmarum was also associated internally with newly emerged adults of R. cruentatus from mature transplanted cabbage palmettos, Sabal palmetto, in Florida. Dauer juveniles of T. palmarum infested the genital capsule and body cavity of newly emerged adult female and male palm weevils. Adult nematodes isolated from cocoons and dauer juveniles from newly emerged palm weevils were cuhurable on bacterial lawns on several solid media. Females of T. palmarum have a single anteriorly directed ovary; vulva at 93-96% of the body length; short, hemispherical spicate tail; three or four teeth in the metastom; cuticle with distinct transverse punctations that change abruptly at the level of the procorpus to indentations of alternating size and arrangement; and eggs with cuticular sculpturing. Males have a crenate, peloderan bursa with a 2 + 5 + 3 pattern of bursal rays (7 extend to the margin of bursa); spicules linear, completely fused at the distal tip and dorsally for 50% of the total spicule length.     

Systematic revision of the endemic deerHaploidoceros n. gen.mediterraneus (Bonifay, 1967) (Mammalia, Cervidae) from the Middle Pleistocene of Southern France

New osteological material of the endemic deer from Lunel-Viel and l’Igue des Rameaux (France) reveals its evolutionary specialization, and gives reason for establishing a new genus,Haploidoceros, with a single speciesH. mediterraneus (Bonifay, 1967). The cranial proportions and morphology suggest thatH. mediterraneus is close to the Late Villafranchian speciesMetacervocerus rhenanus, which may be a possible forerunner of the deer under study. The evolutionary origin ofH. mediterraneus took place in the Iberian glacial refugia during the “Mindel glaciation” of the early Middle Pleistocene. The North-East distribution ofH. mediterraneus was limited by unfavorable climate influence of the Arctic and Alpine Ice Shields.