Stingless bee keeping: Biocultural conservation and agroecological education

Introduction

Stingless bee breeding, also called Meliponiculture, has existed for thousands of years in Mesoamerica among a variety of rural and indigenous cultures. Due to its biocultural importance, it represents a perfect device for agroecological education and scaling, as well as pollinator conservation. At the same time, promoting agroecological transitions are necessary for conserving the cultural heritage that meliponicultures represent.

Methods

We organized a series of activities based on this premise: documenting and dialoguing “saberes contemporáneos” (contemporary knowledges), design and implementation of community agroecological workshops, guided visits at the institutional Meliponary at ECOSUR Villahermosa and promotion of agroecological and biocultural school gardens, all in Tabasco, México. We used “diálogo de saberes” (knowledge dialogues) as a methodological approach, promoting respect for the contribution of the diversity of ontoepistemologies involved. We drew on the ideas of several pedagogues, mainly from popular education and critical pedagogy frameworks.

Results and discussion

We identified characteristics of stingless bees and meliponicultures that make them excellent mediators for biocultural conservation and agroecological education: the complex, deep and beautiful relation between humans and bees; meliponiculture's ecological and cultural importance; stingless bees as pollinators par excellence, landscape connectors, and charismatic species; the association of bees with values around work and community; meliponicultures' symbolic relevance and emotional significance; meliponicultures as promoters of intergenerational dialogue; bee keeping as an activity of caring for the continuity of life; sensory stimulation through contact with colonies; learning through doing in the practice of beekeeping; meliponicultures as an activity requiring skill but no special equipment; and meliponiculture's productive potential. This confluence of teaching-learning opportunities, cultural and moral values, care for the land and biocultural diversity, and economic potential makes meliponiculture a potent catalyst for agroecological learning and transitions.

Food Species of Collection and Culinary Culture: Biocultural Heritage of the popoloca community Todos Santos Almolonga, Puebla, Mexico

The Food Collection Species (EAR) are the set of foods (herbs, fruits, seeds, flowers and animals) that grow naturally and are part of the diet of different cultural groups. These foods allow the conservation of biodiversity, offer the possibility of diversifying the consumption of food and have healthier diets. Mexico is one of the countries with the greatest biological and cultural diversity: biocultural, which has originated the creation and conservation of biocultural kitchens. Of these, rural people, indigenous communities and women cooks, who reproduce their food practices and appropriate their natural riches through them, are primarily guardians. The biocultural kitchens are the essence of the preservation of the food culture. The analysis of this is relevant because through it the common dietary patterns are determined. The present investigation analyzes the alimentary culture between the settlers of Todos Santos Almolonga from the Biocultural Heritage focus, which contributes to the permanence of the consumption of 23 EAR; as well as the assessment and perception. The study was qualitative with mixed methods, for this a survey was carried out to 59 domestic units, two routes to the collection areas, 9 semi-structured interviews were applied, informal talks and activities were carried out to prepare local stews with the EAR The surveys, interviews, field notes and field diary were coded. It was found that there is a food culture based on the consumption of EAR, which is found in families that are engaged in field activities (52.5%), are those who mainly conserve local knowledge, produce-collect and present the highest consumption of collection food. There are two forms of access to these foods: by direct harvesting given their proximity and access and by commercial exchange for their remoteness or laborious harvesting. The forms of consumption of the EAR are primarily raw, roasted and boiled. The two factors that contribute most to the EAR are present in the diet of the inhabitants are: the sociocultural factor, reinforces the part of the collective identity and social fabric, and the health factor, where the population identified its importance from the nutritional, wellness and in the prevention of diseases. In the community, the sociocultural factor in the consumption of EARs on the economic criterion that is the dominant discourse in recent times and that downplays the entire cultural construction and view of indigenous peoples and communities was highlighted.

Inhibitory effect of essential oils on growth and on aflatoxins production by Aspergillus parasiticus

The aim of this work was to assess the inhibitory effect of essential oils on the growth and aflatoxin production of Aspergillus parasiticus, as well as to correlate it with the chemical composition of the essential oils. Essential oils from six aromatic species (Cymbopogon citratus, Eucalyptus globulus, Origanum vulgare, Ruta graveolens, Salvia officinalis, Satureja montana) were characterised by gas chromatography and tested for their inhibitory effect against A. parasiticus strain MUM 92.02. Furthermore, the in vitro inhibitory effects of these essential oils on the production of aflatoxins were evaluated by HPLC. Results showed that all essential oils retarded the time for visible growth. Growth rate was affected differently depending on the essential oil. S. montana essential oil prevented growth in all cases. The essential oil of R. graveolens inhibited most of the aflatoxin production even though growth inhibition was low, while with C. citratus essential oil trace levels of aflatoxins were detected. Essential oils containing carvacrol and/or thymol (S. montana and O. vulgare) have the highest activity against fungal growth, while an essential oil (R. graveolens) containing 2-undecanone and 8-phenyl-2-octanone inhibited the synthesis of aflatoxins. Although the main component of this essential oil was 2-undecanone (91%), when pure 2-undecanone was tested, it did not inhibit aflatoxin production. Inhibition activity is probably due to the recently identified minor compound or to a synergistic effect. Essential oils seem to be a good alternative to fungicides not only because of environmental issues but also because they do not seem to enhance mycotoxin production as it has been reported for some fungicides.

DNA profile of dog feces as evidence to solve a homicide

Dog fecal samples were collected at the crime scene and from the shoes of the suspect to see whether they could be linked. DNA was genotyped using a 145bp fragment containing a 60bp hotspot region of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region. Once the species origin was identified, sequences were aligned with the 23 canine haplotypes defined, showing that evidence and reference had 100% identity with haplotype 5. The frequency of haplotype 5 and the exclusion power of the reference population were 0.056 and 0.89, respectively. The forensic index showed that it was 20 times more likely that the evidence belonged to the reference dog than to some other unknown animal. The results support that the mtDNA hypervariable region 1 (HV1) is a good alternative for typing in trace or degraded casework samples when the STR panel fails, and demonstrate the utility of domestic animal samples to give additional information to solve human legal cases.

Outcome Differences between Intra-Arterial Iso- and Low-Osmolality Iodinated Radiographic Contrast Media in the Interventional Management of Stroke III Trial

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Intracarotid arterial infusion of nonionic, low-osmolal iohexol contrast medium has been associated with increased intracranial hemorrhage in a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion model compared with saline infusion. Iso-osmolal iodixanol (290 mOsm/kg H2O) infusion demonstrated smaller infarcts and less intracranial hemorrhage compared with low-osmolal iopamidol and saline. No studies comparing iodinated radiographic contrast media in human stroke have been performed, to our knowledge. We hypothesized that low-osmolal contrast media may be associated with worse outcomes compared with iodixanol in the Interventional Management of Stroke III Trial (IMS III).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed prospective iodinated radiographic contrast media data for 133 M1 occlusions treated with endovascular therapy. We compared 5 prespecified efficacy and safety end points (mRS 0-2 outcome, modified TICI 2b-3 reperfusion, asymptomatic and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and mortality) between those receiving iodixanol (n = 31) or low-osmolal contrast media (n = 102). Variables imbalanced between iodinated radiographic contrast media types or associated with outcome were considered potential covariates for the adjusted models. In addition to the iodinated radiographic contrast media type, final covariates were those selected by using the stepwise method in a logistic regression model. Adjusted relative risks were then estimated by using a log-link regression model.

RESULTS

Of baseline or endovascular therapy variables potentially linked to outcome, prior antiplatelet agent use was more common and microcatheter iodinated radiographic contrast media injections were fewer with iodixanol. Relative risk point estimates are in favor of iodixanol for the 5 prespecified end points with M1 occlusion. The percentage of risk differences are numerically greater for microcatheter injections with iodixanol.

CONCLUSIONS

While data favoring the use of iso-osmolal iodixanol for reperfusion of M1 occlusion following IV rtPA are inconclusive, potential pathophysiologic mechanisms suggesting clinical benefit warrant further investigation.

[Nutritional status of two generations of brothers and sisters <5 years of age beneficiaries from opportunities living in marginalized rural communities in Chiapas, Mexico]

Mexico, in recent decades, has developed several programs to eradicate the problem of infant malnutrition <5 years, primarily among those living in rural and indigenous areas. However, there is insufficient evidence on these programs’ impact on child health and nutrition.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the nutritional changes of two generations of brothers and sisters living in rural communities of Chiapas and who are Oportunidades beneficiaries.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study. It was determined: underweight, stunting, wasting and overweight plus obesity. Older brothers and sisters were evaluated in 2002-2003, for 2010-2011 younger brothers and sisters were evaluated, both groups were <5 years of age at the time of data collection.

RESULTS

Malnutrition, in its three types is a problem. 43.4% of brothers and sisters evaluated in 2010-2011 showed stunting, underweight prevalence declined from 18% to 13.2%, wasting (low weight for height) increased from 8.1% to 10.4%. Overweight and obesity increased significantly by 12 percentage points among brothers and sisters, from 24.8% in 2002-2003 to 36.8% in 2010-2011. Malnutrition among male children is lower than their brothers and sisters from the 2002-2003 generation (stunting p=<0.05), overweight and obesity was 10.9 percentage points higher than their brothers and sisters (26.4% to 37.3%).

CONCLUSION

Children beneficiaries from Opportunities have not yet overcome chronic malnutrition problems. This study shows that there is not a clear impact in improving the nutritional status of the study population.

MR Imaging Findings of Paget's Disease of the Spine

Paget's disease (PD) is a common bone disorder of the aging population where the spine is the second most common involved location after the pelvis. Though imaging findings are well described on CT and radiographs, recognition on MRI can be challenging. We reviewed 16 cases with radiologic or histologic confirmation of uncomplicated PD of the spine. In most cases, MRI showed a mixed pattern of increased/ decreased T1 signal (fine trabecular or coarse) of the vertebral bodies. There was also associated band-like decreased T1 and T2 signal of the endplates. This correlates with the mixed osteolytic and blastic phase of the disease, the most common phase in the spine. Subtle or conspicuous "picture-frame" appearance may also be identified. Present in most cases, but frequently overlooked manifestation on MRI, was the expansion of the vertebral body and/or posterior elements/ spinous process. We identified a subtle diffuse decreased T1 and T2 bone marrow signal, not corresponding to sclerosis on CT or radiographs, in two cases. We proposed this, as an earliest sign on MRI, likely representing early fibro-vascular bone marrow transformation and to our knowledge not previously described. Less commonly, sclerotic PD was also found which is perhaps the most difficult to evaluate given its broad differential. Most cases of PD of the spine were overlooked or confused with other entities by the radiologists. Interpretation of MR images of the spine in the absence of prior imaging is not uncommon. Thus, recognition of MRI manifestations is important to allow appropriate management, to avoid misinterpretations and in most cases to avoid biopsy.

Decreased infarct volume and intracranial hemorrhage associated with intra-arterial nonionic iso-osmolar contrast material in an MCA occlusion/reperfusion model

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Infarct volume and intracranial hemorrhage after reperfusion with nonionic low-osmolar and iso-osmolar iodinated IRCM has not been previously compared. We postulated that iso-osmolar and low-osmolar iodinated contrast media exert varied effects on cerebral infarct after intra-arterial injection. We compared infarct volume and hemorrhagic changes following intra-arterial infusion of iodixanol, iopamidol, or normal saline in a rat MCA occlusion/reperfusion model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Infarct was induced in 30 rats by a previously validated method of MCA suture occlusion. Reperfusion was performed after 5 hours with either iodixanol (n = 9), iopamidol (n = 12), or saline (n = 9). MR images were obtained at both 6 and 24 hours after ischemia, followed by sacrifice. Infarct volume was measured with T2WI and DWI by semiautomatic segmentation. Incidence and area of hemorrhage were measured on brain sections postmortem.

RESULTS

T2WI mean infarct volumes were 242 ± 89, 324 ± 70, and 345 ± 92 mm(3) at 6 hours, and 341 ± 147,470 ± 91, and 462 ± 71 mm(3) at 24 hours in the iodixanol, iopamidol, and saline groups, respectively. Differences in infarct volume among groups were significant at 6 hours (P < .03) and 24 hours (P < .05). In the iodixanol, iopamidol, and saline groups, mean areas for cortical intracranial hemorrhage were 0.8, 18.2, and 25.7 mm(2); and 28, 31, and 56.7 mm(2), respectively, for deep intracranial hemorrhage. The differences in intracranial hemorrhage area among groups were statistically significant for cortical intracranial hemorrhage (P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Intra-arterial infusion of nonionic iso-osmolar iodixanol showed reduced infarct volume and reduced cortical intracranial hemorrhage areas in comparison with nonionic low-osmolar iopamidol and saline. Our results may be relevant in the setting of intra-arterial therapy for acute stroke in humans, warranting further investigation.

The fate of deoxynivalenol and ochratoxin A during the breadmaking process, effects of sourdough use and bran content

Deoxynivalenol (DON) and ochratoxin A (OTA) are mycotoxins produced by fungal species which can contaminate, alone or simultaneously, cereal-based products such as bread. Due to the increasing interest in the beneficial effects of dietary bran, bran bread has attained high consumption. Usually, the higher mycotoxin concentrations in cereals are found in the external layers of the grain (bran), leading to higher concentration of DON and OTA in breads with added bran. Moreover, the use of sourdough in breadmaking is increasing, but no studies about its effect in the mycotoxins content exist. The objective of this study was to determine the variation of concentration of these mycotoxins during the breadmaking process including the following factors: two initial mycotoxin concentrations in the initial mix of ingredients, four different bran contents, and use of sourdough. OTA was confirmed to be quite stable during the breadmaking process, regardless of the assayed factors. DON concentration during breadmaking was not significantly affected by bran content of bread. However, it was significantly affected by kneading and fermentation steps in opposite way depending on sourdough use and flour contamination level: if DON reduction occurs during fermentation, this leads to a safer situation, but the possible increase in DON should be considered with care, as it can compensate the expected dilution effect by recipe. Finally, the results on deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (DON-3-G), although preliminar, suggest an increase of this toxin during fermentation, but mainly during baking.

Food sovereignty: an alternative paradigm for poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation in Latin America

Strong feedback between global biodiversity loss and persistent, extreme rural poverty are major challenges in the face of concurrent food, energy, and environmental crises. This paper examines the role of industrial agricultural intensification and market integration as exogenous socio-ecological drivers of biodiversity loss and poverty traps in Latin America. We then analyze the potential of a food sovereignty framework, based on protecting the viability of a diverse agroecological matrix while supporting rural livelihoods and global food production. We review several successful examples of this approach, including ecological land reform in Brazil, agroforestry, milpa, and the uses of wild varieties in smallholder systems in Mexico and Central America. We highlight emergent research directions that will be necessary to assess the potential of the food sovereignty model to promote both biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction.

An Atlas of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases of the Central Nervous System. A Cooperative Study of SILAN (Sociedad Iberolatinoamericana de Neurorradiologia)

Infectious diseases of the central nervous system vary in frequency in different locations in America and Europe. What is common in Brazil can be a sporadic presentation in Europe. Cooperative work gathering experiences from neuroradiologists working in various places can be achieved and will help to identify uncommon cases that can present in our daily practice.

Toward integrated management of cerebral aneurysms

In the last few years, some of the visionary concepts behind the virtual physiological human began to be demonstrated on various clinical domains, showing great promise for improving healthcare management. In the current work, we provide an overview of image- and biomechanics-based techniques that, when put together, provide a patient-specific pipeline for the management of intracranial aneurysms. The derivation and subsequent integration of morphological, morphodynamic, haemodynamic and structural analyses allow us to extract patient-specific models and information from which diagnostic and prognostic descriptors can be obtained. Linking such new indices with relevant clinical events should bring new insights into the processes behind aneurysm genesis, growth and rupture. The development of techniques for modelling endovascular devices such as stents and coils allows the evaluation of alternative treatment scenarios before the intervention takes place and could also contribute to the understanding and improved design of more effective devices. A key element to facilitate the clinical take-up of all these developments is their comprehensive validation. Although a number of previously published results have shown the accuracy and robustness of individual components, further efforts should be directed to demonstrate the diagnostic and prognostic efficacy of these advanced tools through large-scale clinical trials.

Patulin distribution in Fuji and Golden apples contaminated with Penicillium expansum

This work assesses the extent of patulin contamination in Penicillium expansum-infected apples stored at room temperature for short periods of time and its relationship with apple variety (Golden or Fuji), degree of ripeness and size of lesions. Inoculated apples were incubated at 20 degrees C. Patulin was determined in both sound and decayed tissue from cylindrical samples taken around the lesions and cut into 0.5-cm thick sections. Higher accumulation of patulin occurred in Golden apples, with less ripened apples showing higher concentrations. Total accumulated patulin was similar or higher in 4-cm compared to 2-cm lesioned apples, although a decrease in patulin concentration was observed in older lesion sections. Patulin accumulation occurred over a short period of time at room temperature, thus the stand-by period before processing should be minimised. Of total patulin, 2-6% migrated to the surrounding sound tissue, thus trimming tissue around the rotten part may be a good preventive practice for apple derivative production.

Nouvelle société, nouvelles familles : nouvelle personnalité de base ?

BACKGROUND

In Occidental countries the frame of modern families has been reshaped, and vast economical and social changes have taken place over the last thirty years. They have been marked by the disengagement of the State in the marriage, a giant evolution in conjugality which is becoming privatized and made insecure, changes in gender relations, new motives and conditions for the arrival of the child in the couple, i.e. planned birth, wished or desired infant, infant conceived for oneself, and parenthood has been turned upside down through the extensive evolution of its laws and symbolic-landmarks as well as in practical experience. As these new coordinates of the family are now centred on the consensus instead of authority for the organisation of relationships between its members and on hedonism instead of duty as main value, with a child issued from the desire and acknowledged, from the onset, as a full person "the baby is a person" a child made "for oneself and for him/herself" (and not for the society), brought up in an environment where the media can be considered as a "third parent" because of it's growing importance, the structure of the child's psyche no longer matches the neurotic model.

LITERATURE FINDINGS

Studies made by anthropologists have led us to hypothesise a new "basic personality" in order to reflect the consequences of the new landmarks in society and the new family, as well as the outcome of new educational practices; this new "basic personality" would replace the basic normal/neurotic one, which dominated over the first half of the twentieth century.

CLINICAL ASPECTS

This basic personality, which could be termed as "narcissistic-hedonistic", is characterized by few internalizations, a poorly efficient Superego, nearly no guilt feeling, a weakly socialized Ideal Self suggesting more the Ideal Self of the early childhood, and finally a difficulty in experiencing or testing oneself as a free subject. The resulting narcissistic fragility leads the subject to be more dependent on external objects, to be allergic to frustration, to find delay in the achievement of instinctive aims hard to take, to develop an exaggerated pursuit of perception and sensations. The relation to time is also affected through a privileged investment in the present and the shading off of historical time. These changes must lead to a different subjectivity stemming from a new basic personality. Disorders may stem from three axis of this new basic personality: dependency with attachment disorders, narcissistic fragility, and a high risk of depression; guilt-free "narcissistic perversion" with people, who use other people for their own and exclusive interest, without real empathy; "light" psychopathy, with people capable of social integration for shorts periods of time, with a lot of breaking off in love, friendship, and professional ties.

CONCLUSION

This new configuration where specific pathologies are associated with a new basic personality implies serious thought with regards to care practices so as to adapt them to the patterns of patients.

Patulin accumulation in apples by Penicillium expansum during postharvest stages

AIMS

The aim of this study was to assess the opportunities of Penicillium expansum to develop and produce patulin in apples during cold storage and in the steps prior to processing of apple products.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Two lots of apples var. Golden with different ripeness degree were used. Half of each lot was fungicide treated. Apples were inoculated with P. expansum and stored at 1 degrees C for 6 weeks. The extent of lesions and patulin accumulation both at the end of cold storage and after 3 days at 20 degrees C were assessed. Short storage at 20 degrees C aimed to simulate the transport and storage steps at room temperature before processing. Lesion size significantly increased during the storage at 20 degrees C. An interaction between fungicide treatment and ripeness degree was found; efficiency of fungicide treatment was higher for ripe apples. Although lesions were evident after cold storage, no patulin was detected. Patulin was detected only when fruits were further stored at 20 degrees C. Neither ripeness degree nor fungicide treatment affected patulin accumulation.

CONCLUSIONS

Cold storage periods of 6 weeks do not lead to patulin accumulation.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Shortening preprocessing times at warm temperatures would result into a reduction in patulin content at initial steps of fruits entering the processing plants.

[Gastric volvulus]

Gastric volvulus is a rare condition in pediatric population in which there is an abnormal rotation of one part of the stomach around itself. It's a surgical emergency. We report a six year old female admitted in the emergency due to upper abdominal distention, nausea without vomiting, physical exam revealed upper abdominal distention and abdominal tenderness, no bowel sounds. Laparotomy was performed and a gastric volvulus with occlusive vascular involvement was found. In the post operative period she required a second laparotomy due to adhesions in small bowel.

Consensus, hédonisme : les coordonnées de la nouvelle famille et ses conséquences sur le développement de l’enfant

Over the last three decades, the marital family model described by Durkheim at the end of the nineteenth century has undergone numerous changes, e.g. questioning about the principle of authority, women emancipation, occurrence of the "new fathers", the growing influence of the media on the daily life of families, the less frequent and most precious child (due to the reduced number of children per family),... Through clinical, psychoanalytical and developmental models we, here, analyze these changes together with their impact on child. Historical and sociological approaches also allowed us to examine some of the effects induced by consensus and hedonism, the new familial parameters, on the child's life and development. The modern family being classically founded upon duty (central value) and the principle of authority to settle relationships between individuals, its main features are opposed to those of the contemporary family. The latter, which started to emerge over the sixties, is characterized by both the prevalence of parent-child relationships symmetrization and the emergence of the search for immediate pleasure. The change from parental authority to consensus as a principle ruling the relationships within families leads to many consequences later noticed through changes in the construction of the child's psyche along his development and in the relationships dynamics. Authority imposes on child to submit to the parents-mediatized requirements of the society and implies a change in impulses through the setting of Superego agencies and Ego Ideal, which (both ?) represent taboos and social ideals in the psyche. When consensus is at the center of the family, and according to concrete meetings with the other offered by the thousand and one situations met in the daily life, the aims and satisfaction modalities of the child's impulses will evolve into a relation often based on either strength or seduction. As a result, the settlement of classical instances will be affected. It will result in. Considering hedonism as the central value in child education leads one to support the pleasure principle and contributes to making more difficult the switching to the reality principle. The couple " I want, I don't want" is at the origin of most behaviors, and then further leads to the development of the assertive agency, "I do what I want, and thus I am". The libidinal excitation is, therefore, little restricted and reinforced by the media-based environment. The child's Superego is built on the concrete practices of his parents, but not on their Superego, whereas the Ideal of Ego is poorly socialized and driven towards the ideal Ego, early narcissist formation with the signs of child megalomania. Due to these early years of life throughout which the pleasure principle has been favored by their environment, the children are not prepared for life with its restrictions and unavoidable frustrations possibly experienced as persecutions. In the same way, when they have to meet the requirements of life in community, eg the discipline imposed within a college, these rules are more and more often felt by a pupil as unfair, arbitrary persecutions sometimes related to his own personality, "the teacher doesn't like me" of course, it is all the more legitimate to rebel against them as the charter of the pupils' rights, posted up in the school, has been read through very quickly by the teenagers. This mechanism takes one back to the archaically perception of environment by the very young child and to the projection developed by S. Freud in his description of the building "Ego-pure pleasure", (moi-plaisir purifie) (The Ego and the id, 1920). The opposed mechanism is expressed through an experience of shame felt by the subject when he is unable to satisfy, not the requests of his own impulses, but the social group's requirements. From the libidinal point of view, advertisements stimulate one's desires, incite one to consume and are at the origin of consumer needs. As a consequence, there is a resonance between the individual pleasure principle and the promotion of hedonism suggested by the society. The modern children have their mastery of impulse motions hampered by this phenomenon. The temporality of , new children " in new families sounds centered on the present, which is made of moments of eternity, always restarted (cyclic time of the first ages of life) ; it overrides historical time with a start, an end and references to intergeneration difference and filiations. This prevalence of present offers few support to neurotic defenses, with predictable problems in social interactions due to an inability to manage the tensions issued from the time discrepancies between one and his alter ego. Tran cultural studies have shown that to any social and cultural organization corresponds one or several basic personalities; among them, modem society has exuded the standard neurotic personality characterized by an ample mental space, a strict modulation of behaviors governed by the representations play and spreading out in Le théâtre du Je (The I theatre, Mac Dougall, 1982), a conflict between desire and internalized taboo, and the problematic of transgression and guilt. The modern family produces different personality structures. This led us to assume new basic personalities as follows, and to envision some psychopathological consequences: The passive dependent personality with an extreme narcissist fragility and at high risks of depressive disorders; The perverse-anarchistic personality characterized by subjects unable to feel guilty, taking at the best advantage of others to achieve his own ends thanks to his grasping of social situations and to his own seduction, lacking of true empathy; The slightly-psychopathic personality: these subjects can integrate well, but for a short time, in a social structure. They need to frequently find a new job, move in another place or country. Their relationships with others are always disrupted and changing for they can be involved in only short commitments. They are very susceptible to immediate gratifications.

Design and evaluation of traps for Idiarthron subquadratum (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) with farmer participation in coffee plantations in Chiapas, Mexico

Three new types of traps designed and made by farmers were evaluated for capture of Idiarthron subquadratum Saussure & Pictet. Bag, sack, and fabric traps were compared with previously used bamboo internode traps. A participatory methodology was used involving farmer interviews and workshops to design and make the traps. Farmer participation was useful for obtaining information on perceptions, knowledge, and control activities of I. subquadratum. The bag trap captured a greater number of individuals than the bamboo and fabric traps, but its captures were similar to those of sack trap; captures were similar in bamboo, sack, and fabric traps. When captured individuals were analyzed by stage of development, no significant differences between types of traps were detected for captured adults. The number of individuals captured in the traps showed a similar trend to that counted in nocturnal sampling. A significant positive relationship was detected between numbers of adults captured and the damage of leaves and fruits. Taylor's Power Law indicates that I. subquadratum individuals were more abundant in some traps than in others. With densities greater than five individuals per trap, a smaller number of bag traps was required to estimate the same population compared with the other types of traps. Sampling procedure that used the bag traps had the lowest cost. This study shows that resource-poor coffee, Coffea arabica L., farmers had accumulated knowledge of I. subquadratum based on unpublished data and experience and that they were capable of applying this knowledge to develop an economical and more suitable technology for their conditions.

Farmers' perceptions, knowledge, and management of coffee pests and diseases and their natural enemies in Chiapas, Mexico

Small farmers' perceptions of coffee Coffea arabica L. herbivores and their natural enemies, how those perceptions relate to field infestation levels, and pest management practices being implemented by members from two organic and nonorganic coffee grower organizations in the Soconusco region, southeastern Mexico, were analyzed through an interview survey, diagnostic workshops, and field sampling. The terms pest, disease, and damage were commonly used as synonyms. The major phytophagous species, as perceived by the interviewees, were Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari), and to a lesser extent the fungi Corticium koleroga Cooke (Höhnel) and Hemileia vastatrix Berkeley & Broome. Among the nonorganic farmers, other nonpest-related constraints were regarded as more important. Awareness of the existence of natural enemies was low, despite more organic farmers have used the ectoparasitoid bethylid Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem against H. hampei. Labor supplied by household members was most frequent for pest control; only organic farmers exchanged labor for this purpose. The levels of infestation by H. hampei, Leucoptera coffeella Guérin-Méneville, and C. koleroga were lower within the organic coffee stands. However, a low effectiveness for pest control was commonly perceived, probably due to a feeling, among the organic farmers, of a low impact of their pest management extension service, whereas a lack of motivation was prevalent among the nonorganic farmers, shown by a concern with their low coffee yields and the emigration of youth. The importance of understanding farmers' perceptions and knowledge of pests and their natural enemies and the need for participatory pest management approaches, are discussed.

Evolution of the immunomodulatory role of the heat shock protein gp96

In mammals, certain heat shock proteins (hsps) participate in specialized responses to stressors associated with pathogens or tumors, and as such, act as agents of immune surveillance interacting with both innate and adaptive immunity. We are investigating the conservation of this role throughout the class of vertebrates. We have shown that in Xenopus as in mammals, gp96, the major resident of the endoplasmic reticulum, generates MHC-restricted thymus-dependent immunity in vivo and CR in vitro against minor histocompatibility (H) antigens. By as yet unclear mechanisms that may involve classical MHC-unrestricted cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, gp96 also elicits peptide-specific responses against MHC-class I-negative tumors in adult frogs that may involve cytotoxic NK, MHC-unrestricted CD8+ T and NK/T cells. In naturally MHC class I-deficient but immunocompetent Xenopus larvae, gp96 also generates an innate type of anti-tumor response that is independent of chaperoned peptides. Finally, in a subset of Xenopus sIgM+ B cells, a substantial fraction of gp96 is directed to the cell surface by an active process that is upregulated by bacterial stimulation. This may allow gp96 to access the extracellular compartment without necrosis. Given the dual abilities of gp96 to chaperone antigenic peptides and to modulate innate immune responses, we propose that stimulated B cells that are up-regulating surface gp96 can directly interact with antigen presenting cells (APC) and/or T helper (Th) cells to trigger or amplify immune responses.

Pyruvate prevents peroxide-induced injury of in vitro preimplantation bovine embryos

The impact of oxidative stress on the in vitro development of bovine embryos in synthetic oviduct fluid medium (mSOF) was assessed by using H2O2 as a stress inducer. In a preliminary experiment, a chemiluminescent method was used to measure the antioxidative capacity of the mSOF culture medium. Pyruvate was the mSOF component displaying the highest H2O2 degrading ability. Essential and nonessential amino acids also significantly reduced the H2O2 concentration, whereas lactate and glutamine were ineffective. The effect on further development of a short exposure of zygotes, 9-16-cell stage embryos and blastocysts to 0 M; 10(-7) M ; 10(-6) M, and 10(-5) M H2O2 in pyruvate-free mSOF was evaluated. Developmental rates of the H2O2-treated zygotes to the 5-8-cell or blastocyst stages and survival of H2O2-treated blastocysts were reduced in a dose-dependent manner whereas the 9-16-cell embryos were unaffected by those treatments. Blastocysts treated with H2O2 also tended to have lower numbers of bisbenzimide-stained nuclei and showed increased nuclear fragmentation. Including pyruvate in the mSOF culture medium during a 10(-5) M H2O2 pulse highly reduced the H2O2 concentration as measured by chemiluminescence and improved zygote and blastocyst development, but failed to prevent blastocyst nuclei degradation. These experiments suggest that bovine embryos show developmental change in sensitivity to exogenous H2O2, the 9-16-cell embryos being more resistant than zygotes and blastocysts and that H2O2 and its toxic effects can be attenuated by including pyruvate in the medium.

Thermic transition and glycolytic capacity as critical events in the survival of rat liver slices after overnight cold hypoxic preservation

Cellular survival and hypoxia-reoxygenation injury in overnight cold-preserved liver slices (+/-20 h at 4 degrees C) were investigated. Increased cell death after overnight cold hypoxia depended more on temperature than on the reoxygenation process itself. Fructose (at 50 mM) added before the onset of hypoxia improved survival at the end of 20 h of cold hypoxia over Krebs- or glucose-treated slices. Such a protective effect by fructose was also seen during the normothermic (37 degrees C) reoxygenation of previously cold hypoxic-preserved slices, but only in the absence and not in the presence of tert-butyl hydroperoxide, a model compound widely used to induce an oxidative stress. The protection by fructose was equivalent to that observed when liver slices were incubated in the University of Wisconsin solution (UW). Finally, the morphological study of haematoxylin and eosin (H & E)-stained slices has shown cytoplasmic vacuoles during the reoxygenation step, which were more pronounced in UW-treated than in fructose-treated slices.

[Comparison of extra renal potassium management in hypertensive, diabetic and normal subjects]

BACKGROUND

Sodium and potassium ions are involved in the regulation of blood pressure and the genesis of hypertension.

AIM

To assess internal potassium balance, as a measure of sodium pump activity, in subjects with essential hypertension and diabetic patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eleven hypertensive subjects, 5 non-insulin-dependent diabetics and 16 age matched controls were studied. An acute oral load of 0.8 mEq/Kg body weight of KCl was administered and blood samples were drawn every 30 min thereafter, until 120 min, to measure plasma K+ levels. Urinary K+ excretion during this period was also measured. In eight hypertensive patients, the test was repeated after two week of supplementation with 60 mEq/day of KCl. The maximal increase in plasma potassium levels and the time required to achieve the maximum concentration was recorded.

RESULTS

All patients had normal serum creatinine levels. Mean fasting blood glucose of diabetic patients was 133 +/- 15.1 mg/dl. No difference between patients and controls in maximal increase plasma potassium increase, was observed. In hypertensive patients the lapse to achieve the maximal potassium concentration was longer than in controls. After the period of potassium supplementation in hypertensive patients, there was a significant increase in basal plasma K+ levels and the temporal pattern of plasma potassium increase was similar to that of controls. Between 63 and 68% of retained K+ load was translocated to the intracellular space at 120 min in all study groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Internal potassium balance is not significantly altered in subjects with essential hypertension or in non-insulin-dependent diabetics.

[Multiple splenic abscesses. Report of 2 cases]

Splenic abscesses are infrequent and usually associated to sepsis and immunodepression. The diagnosis is commonly made in the necropsy. We report two cases of multiple splenic abscesses in type II diabetic patients that were diagnosed by ultrasound. Both patients were successfully managed with surgery (drainage of left subphrenic space in one and splenectomy in the other) and antimicrobial agents.

Analysis of class II MHC structure in thymic nurse cells

During the course of thymocyte maturation, the processes of positive selection and tolerance induction are mediated by interactions between thymocyte T-cell receptors and MHC molecules on thymic stromal cells. The means by which these seemingly contrary processes can be mediated by interactions between the same molecules has long been a source of controversy. One idea which has been put forward is that the MHC molecules in different microenvironments of the thymus are not the same. We have tested this hypothesis by examining class II transcripts derived from thymic cortical epithelial cells known as thymic nurse cells, reasoning that alternative splicing of primary transcripts might give rise to a positively selecting MHC molecule. However, we found no evidence for alternative splicing of these transcripts. These results are presented and discussed with regard to implications for possible mechanisms of positive selection.

[Insulin sensitivity: absence of sexual differences when expressed as a function of lean body mass]

The hyperinsulinemic, euglycemic clamp technique was used to test the hypothesis that--when expressed per kilogram of lean body mass--there is a sex-difference in peripheral insulin-mediated glucose disposal (M), as proposed in the literature. Lean body mass was assessed with tetrapolar bioelectric impedance analysis. We studied 15 normal subjects (volunteers with normal glucose tolerance and body mass indices between 20-25 kg/m2) of both sexes, 9 women and 6 men, of 2 age-groups, 20-30 year-old and 40-50 year-old. Men and women were similarly aged (33.3 +/- 3.8 and 33.3 +/- 3.8 years, respectively). Body mass indices were similar in both sexes (22.5 +/- 0.6 in women and 23.6 +/- 0.7 in men, NS) but percentages of fat mass were not (29.4 +/- 1.2 in women and 20.6 +/- 1.6 in men, p less than 0.001). As no difference in M (mg of glucose metabolized per kilogram of body weight per minute) between age-groups was found (6.4 +/- 0.8 and 6.8 +/- 1.2 mg/kg/min, NS) the data from these 2 age-groups were pooled. When M values obtained in both sexes were compared no differences were found (7.1 +/- 1.5 mg/kg/min in women and 6.3 +/- 0.6 in men, NS). Similarly, when M was expressed in function of the prevailing insulin levels attained during steady-state, M/l, no differences were disclosed (8.98 +/- 2 mg/kg/min/microIU insulin in women and 7.8 +/- 1.2 in men, NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Diabetes mellitus in chronic alcoholic liver damage]

We performed an oral glucose tolerance test and measured serum insulin levels in 38 patients with chronic alcoholic liver damage. A diabetic curve was obtained in 34% of subjects both obese and non obese. Insulin levels were elevated in comparison with normal subjects in all patients. The Turner index [(serum insulin x 100)/(blood sugar--30]) was lower than normal at all points of the GTT, suggesting a decreased insulin secretion in relation to serum glucose level. Blood glucose level at 120 min was correlated to age, serum bilirubin and prothrombin time. Thus, chronic liver damage is a risk factor for diabetes mellitus. The alteration of carbohydrate metabolism is correlated to the severity of liver disfunction. The initial pathogenic factor may be hyperinsulinism and resistance to insulin, followed by decreased secretion of the hormone.

[Metabolic control of non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in surgery]

We followed 50 type II diabetic patients undergoing various types of surgical procedures. Control of blood sugar was evaluated as percent of tests within an acceptable limit defined as 160 mg/dl in the preoperative period, 80-240 mg/dl in the early postoperative period and 80-120 mg/dl thereafter. Adequate control was present in 56% of tests in the first period, 95% in the second and 70% in the third. Only 2 subjects experienced hypoglycemia with no sequelae. No cases of ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar coma were observed. Overall mortality was 2% and complications included electrolyte alterations in 8%, acid base disturbance in 4% and infection in 16%. Thus, adequate metabolic control and low morbidity and mortality are possible in patients with type II diabetes undergoing surgery.

[Intensive nutrition in ulcerative colitis. Influence on postoperative morbimortality]

Out of 103 consecutive patients with ulcerative cholitis, 37 required surgery. We compared perioperative morbidity and mortality in 18 patients receiving intensive nutritional care with 9 controls. An increase in serum albumin form 2.8 +/- 0.5 to 3.4 +/- 0.4 mg/dl (p less than 0.01) and lymphocytes from 1210 +/- 614 to 1736 +/- 770 (p less than 0.05) was observed in the first group, but not in the second. No deaths, shorter hospital stay and fewer complications were observed in the first group. We conclude that intensive nutritional care should be routinely used in patients with severe ulcerative cholitis requiring surgery.