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Utopias stand between art, humanities and social sciences. They express the imaginary of the time, which are often constant throughout the history of mankind. This location across borders allows us to see the importance of the interrelationship between the arts, humanities and social sciences over the social imaginary, which were separated with the consolidation of modernity, based in dichotomies that must be overcome to achieve a more complex and profound vision of reality. In this paper we analyze the Renaissance and socialist utopias and imaginary expressions that reflect social reality, as well as actual the absence of structured utopias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mexican rural societies are going through the contradictions of the second modernity without having benefited from the first phase of this period. These circumstances have created a context of risk and a lack of stability for both, men and women, where new forms of gender relations are emerging in jobs, migration y marriage. The article reports on a study carried out with a sample of the female population of one of these rural societies. Among the main results, it was found that women's lives are facing contradictions and their autonomy is undergoing slow progress, along with a disenchanted attitude towards marriage and the family. This is prompting a cultural change, where women are more centered in the economy than traditional values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Analyzing spatiotemporal dependencies between different types of events is highly relevant to many biological phenomena (e.g., signaling and trafficking), especially as advances in probes and microscopy have facilitated the imaging of dynamic processes in living cells. For many types of events, the segmented areas can overlap spatially and temporally, forming random clumps. In this paper, we model the binary image sequences of two different event types as a realization of a bivariate temporal random set and propose a nonparametric approach to quantify spatial and spatiotemporal interrelations using the pair correlation, cross-covariance, and the Ripley IK functions. Based on these summary statistics, we propose a randomization procedure to test independence between event types by applying random toroidal shifts and Monte Carlo tests. A simulation study assessed the performance of the proposed estimators and showed that these statistics capture the spatiotemporal dependencies accurately. The estimation of the spatiotemporal interval of interactions was also obtained. The method was successfully applied to analyze the interdependencies of several endocytic proteins using image sequences of living cells and validated the procedure as a new way to automatically quantify dependencies between proteins in a formal and robust manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of the tool, lists of checkup for the diagnosis of the process of strategic management developed by the CETDIR of the Cujae, it allowed us to identify the restrictive variables or bottle necks in each one of the levels of decision of the company (strategic, tactical and operative), these results were also interpreted from the focus of the vision that you/they contribute the functions of the directive cycle in each one of those levels of managerial decision, compared with those obtained in the exercise of strategic planeación for the period 2008-2010 carried out by the company, it was countersigned that the lack of coherence between the control processes and adjustment in the administrative cycle, doesn't allow them to take advantage of their potentialities meetly in the improvement of its administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the present time the insufficient integration of the strategic planning, with the implantation and control processes, limits the organization in the profit of its strategic targets. In this work a model of management control is designed, for the integration of these processes through the integration of the risk management, the proficiency management and the processes management to the strategic management, that they are present exigencies to the cuban company to elevate level of efficiency and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the problems for fresh fruit production in citrus plantations is pest occurrence, e.g. Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillaridae) detected in Cuba in 1993. It has been considered as one of the most harmful pests of this crop due to the damages caused by larvae in the leaves, sprouts and fruits. To known the dispersion tendency of P. citrella is of so much interest for taking samples and the sampling method. The study was carried out in the Isla de la Juventud nursery on Rugoso, Carrizo and Troyer patterns, from June 1996 to February 1997. Samplings took place weekly in 30 plants previously fixed at random until the they were grafted. A vegetative sprout was taken and the development state and total population of P. citrella were quantified in the pattern studied. Data were evaluated according to Taylor's power law. Results showed that P. citrella distribution pattern was aggregated for the three patterns studied. Variability was found for development state of the insect in the space distribution pattern since eggs and larvae showed aggregation and pupae showed uniform dispersion. This result constitutes a premise to use a good sampling method of P. citrella in the citrus cultivation of Isla de la Juventud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leaf miner of the citrus Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) comes from the Asian Southeast part. This pest was found for the first time in Cuba in September 1993 and it was established in about a year in all the country. It is considered a very important pest in citrus because of the direct and indirect damages it causes. Due to the little knowledge about the relationship established among the insect and its environment, which is essential to manage it, a study about the population behavior on "Rugoso", "Carrizo" and "Troyer" cultivars was carried out in Isla de la Juventud, during the period of June 1998 up to February 1999. In order to determine the abundance and dispersion of MHC, we carried out variance analysis considering as treatments the three patterns in study and a proportion comparison analysis to know the rhythm of sprout in the cultivars. The pattern P. citrella showed preference for the Rugoso lemon followed by Carrizo Citrange and Troyer. The vegetative budding phenological phase in lance tip was the most attractive for oviposition and the adaxial leaf surface was that having a greater abundance of the pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antecedents and objective. Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) results from overweight and other metabolic imbalances coexistence, and is increasing globally. Some intestinal parasites could be involved in MetS etiopathogenesis presumably through gut microbiome modifications. Therefore, potential relationships between MetS and intestinal parasitic infections should be studied. The objectives of our study were to evaluate the prevalences of MetS and intestinal parasitic infection and describe their relations in a semi-urban population of Havana. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 302 adults (mean age 52.2 ± 16.5 years). Several measurements were assessed including anthropometry (weight, height, body mass index, waist circumference), arterial blood pressure, biochemical variables (glucose, triglycerides, cholesterols. total, HDL, and LDL), and parasitic infection (by direct examination, Kato Katz, and Willis methods). MetS was diagnosed according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Results. MetS prevalence was 35.1% (95% CI. 28.8-41.2). Proportions of overweight, dyslipidemia and increased waist circumference were high. LDL-c was the metabolic marker with the highest frequency of vascular risk values (38.3%). The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was 31.5%. Protozoa infections (30.1%) were more frequent than helminth infections (1.7%). Parasitized individuals and those with mixed protozoa infection had higher frequencies of MetS than individuals non-parasitized or infected with a single protozoan, respectively. Conclusion. This study finds a high prevalence of MetS and a low prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection. Intestinal parasites and mixed protozoa infections are positively related to MetS. Other factors associated with an increase in MetS and related metabolic imbalances, along with the potential influence of some intestinal parasites, should be analyzed in-depth in this community and similar others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cuban economic system reforms and structural changes, functional and organizational, that are undertaken throughout the enterprise system, make their institutions to be prepared to achieve the objective of continuing its development mission. In this context, the enterprise object of study should seek new markets and introduce new services, to maintain its leadership and competitiveness. This paper analyzes the company's internal preparation to assume a high national demand service, for it is used as a diagnostic tool, the Balanced Scorecard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae: Phyllocnistinae), (MHC) is one of the most dangerous phytophages in Citrus. It first was detected in Isla de la Juventud on December 1993 and later, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) invaded the crop on February 1999. This insect is as dangerous as P. citrella. The low population density of this pest and the high population density of D. citri suggested the competitive displacement between both species. In order to verify this, a two year old field was sampled weekly; and live miners and psylid populations on the buds of 30 plants previously fixed at random were counted from March 2002 to March 2003. Lotka--Volterra's interspecific competence model was used. The model out come showed that Phyllocnistes citrella was displaced by D. citri because the steepness of the interespecific line (D. citri) lied above that intraespecific line (Phyllocnistes citrella). Plotting population densities of both species were proved in the time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small area estimation seeks to remedy the problem of many surveys designed at the regional level requiring information about more local areas. Unfortunately, the sample size of such regional surveys is usually too small for direct estimation on sub -regional level. This is just the case of a health survey in the eastern region of Cuba to determine the prevalence of childhood anemia. Given this scenario, this paper proposes a strategy to generate estimates at the municipal level, using an approach based on multilevel models. In the study, the influence of individual and contextual characteristics on the prevalence of anemia is evaluated and the risk of acquiring the disease in different strata of the population under two years old is estimated. The spatial variance among different risk groups demonstrates the importance of location on individual characteristics. A graphic diagnosis of the model residuals allows to identifying vulnerable areas where implementing priority programs of food and health must be achieved by optimizing the use of limited resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A variety of organic materials (biomass) are burned for cooking and heating purposes in poorly ventilated houses; smoke from biomass combustion is considered an environmental risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD. In this study, we attempted to determine the participation of single-nucleotide variants in the HHIP (hedgehog-interacting protein) gene in lung function, HHIP serum levels, and HHIP sputum supernatant levels in Mexican women with and without COPD who were exposed to biomass-burning smoke. Methods: In a case-control study (COPD-BS, n = 186, BBES, n = 557) in Mexican women, three SNPs (rs13147758, rs1828591, and rs13118928) in the HHIP gene were analyzed by qPCR; serum and supernatant sputum protein levels were determined through ELISA. Results: The rs13118928 GG genotype is associated with decreased risk (p = 0.021, OR = 0.51, CI95% = 0.27–0.97) and the recessive genetic model (p = 0.0023); the rs1828591-rs13118928 GG haplotype is also associated with decreased risk (p = 0.04, OR = 0.65, CI95% 0.43–0.98). By the dominant model (rs13118928), the subjects with one or two copies of the minor allele (G) exhibited higher protein levels. Additionally, two correlations with the AG genotype were identified: BBES with FEV1 (p = 0.03, r2 = 0.53) and COPD-BS with FEV1/FVC (p = 0.012, r2 = 0.54). Conclusions: Single-nucleotide variants in the HHIP gene are associated with decreased COPD risk, higher HHIP serum levels, and better lung function in Mexican women exposed to biomass burning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 2-benzylsulfanyl benzothiazole (BTA) derivatives were synthesized and fully characterized and in vitro tested against two strains of T. cruzi (NINOA and INC-5), exhibiting good activities at low concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and its gene ( AGER ) have been related to lung injury and inflammatory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We aimed to evaluate the association of rs2071288, rs3134940, rs184003, and rs2070600 AGER single-nucleotide variants and the soluble-RAGE plasma and sputum levels with COPD secondary to biomass-burning smoke (BBS) and tobacco smoking. Four groups, including 2189 subjects, were analyzed: COPD secondary to BBS exposure (COPD-BBS, n = 342), BBS-exposed subjects without COPD (BBES, n = 774), tobacco smoking-induced COPD (COPD-TS, n = 434), and smokers without COPD (SWOC, n = 639). Allelic discrimination assays determined the AGER variants. The sRAGE was quantified in plasma (n = 240) and induced-sputum (n = 72) samples from a subgroup of patients using the ELISA technique. In addition, a meta-analysis was performed for the association of rs2070600 with COPD susceptibility. None of the studied genetic variants were found to be associated with COPD-BBS or COPD-TS. A marginal association was observed for the rs3134940 with COPD-BBS (p = 0.066). The results from the meta-analysis, including six case-control studies (n = 4149 subjects), showed a lack of association of rs2070600 with COPD susceptibility (p = 0.681), probably due to interethnic differences. The sRAGE plasma levels were lower in COPD-BBS compared to BBS and in COPD-TS compared to SWOC. The sRAGE levels were also lower in sputum samples from COPD-BBS than BBES. Subjects with rs3134940-TC genotypes exhibit lower sRAGE plasma levels than TT subjects, mainly from the COPD-BBS and SWOC groups. The AGER variants were not associated with COPD-BBS nor COPD-TS, but the sRAGE plasma and sputum levels are related to both COPD-BBS and COPD-TS and are influenced by the rs3134940 variant., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death worldwide; the main risk factors associated with the suffering are tobacco smoking (TS) and chronic exposure to biomass-burning smoke (BBS). Different biological pathways have been associated with COPD, especially xenobiotic or drug metabolism enzymes. This research aims to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) profiles associated with COPD from two expositional sources: tobacco smoking and BBS. One thousand-five hundred Mexican mestizo subjects were included in the study and divided into those exposed to biomass-burning smoke and smokers. Genome-wide exome genotyping was carried out using Infinium Exome-24 kit arrays v. 1.2. Data quality control was conducted using PLINK 1.07. For clinical and demographic data analysis, Rstudio was used. Eight SNPs were found associated with COPD secondary to TS and seven SNPs were conserved when data were analyzed by genotype. When haplotype analyses were carried out, five blocks were predicted. In COPD secondary to BBS, 24 SNPs in MGST3 and CYP family genes were associated. Seven blocks of haplotypes were associated with COPD-BBS. SNPs in the ARNT2 and CYP46A1 genes are associated with COPD secondary to TS, while in the BBS comparison, SNPs in CYP2C8 , CYP2C9 , MGST3 , and MGST1 genes were associated with increased COPD risk.

Infections caused by micro-organisms of the genus Candida are becoming a growing health problem worldwide. These fungi are opportunistic commensals that can produce infections-clinically known as candidiasis-in immunocompromised individuals. The indiscriminate use of different anti-fungal treatments has triggered the resistance of Candida species to currently used therapies. In this sense, propolis has been shown to have potent antimicrobial properties and thus can be used as an approach for the inhibition of Candida species. Therefore, this work aims to evaluate the anti- Candida effects of a propolis extract obtained from the north of Mexico on clinical isolates of Candida species. Candida species were specifically identified from oral lesions, and both the qualitative and quantitative anti- Candida effects of the Mexican propolis were evaluated, as well as its inhibitory effect on C. albicans isolate's germ tube growth and chemical composition. Three Candida species were identified, and our results indicated that the inhibition halos of the propolis ranged from 7.6 to 21.43 mm, while that of the MFC and FC 50 ranged from 0.312 to 1.25 and 0.014 to 0.244 mg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the propolis was found to inhibit germ tube formation (IC 50 ranging from 0.030 to 1.291 mg/mL). Chemical composition analysis indicated the presence of flavonoids, including pinocembrin, baicalein, pinobanksin chalcone, rhamnetin, and biochanin A, in the Mexican propolis extract. In summary, our work shows that Mexican propolis presents significant anti- Candida effects related to its chemical composition, and also inhibits germ tube growth. Other Candida species virulence factors should be investigated in future research in order to determine the mechanisms associated with antifungal effects against them.

Extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (commonly called Rosselle or "Jamaica flower" in Mexico) have been shown to have antibiotic and antivirulence properties in several bacteria. Here, an organic extract of H. sabdariffa L. is shown to inhibit motility in Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Typhimurium. The compound responsible for this effect was purified and found to be the hibiscus acid. When tested, this compound also inhibited motility and reduced the secretion of both flagellin and type III secretion effectors. Purified hibiscus acid was not toxic in tissue-cultured eukaryotic cells, and it was able to reduce the invasion of Salmonella Typhimurium in epithelial cells. Initial steps to understand its mode of action showed it might affect membrane proton balance.

The aim of this study is to analyze the skeletal and dentoalveolar morphological characteristics of the maxillary in subjects with a unilateral palatally impacted canine using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). A retrospective clinical study was conducted of 100 adult patients divided into two groups: one consisting of patients with a unilaterally palatally impacted maxillary canine (GI), with the subgroups in the right and left hemiarches (GI-R and GI-L), and the second, without impacted canine, as the control group (CG). The CBCT measured skeletal variables (maxillary basal width and alveolar crest height) and dentoalveolar variables (inclination of the upper incisor, tooth lengths of incisors and canines, arch length, tooth size and bone dental discrepancy). In skeletal variables, statistically significant differences were found in alveolar crest height (ACH) in all groups and subgroups ( p < 0.01). In the dentoalveolar variables, there were differences in the angle of the upper incisor (II) and lateral incisor length (LLIL) between the GI and GC and the angle of the upper incisor (II'), arch length (AL') and arch length-tooth size discrepancy (ATD') among the GI subgroups ( p < 0.01). There are skeletal and dentoalveolar differences in patients with unilateral palatally impacted maxillary canines, with lower angular and linear measurements compared with patients without impaction.

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an inflammatory disease characterized by airflow obstruction, commonly present in smokers and subjects exposed to noxious particles product of biomass-burning smoke (BBS). Several association studies have identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in coding genes related to the heat shock proteins family-genes that codify the heat shock proteins (Hsp). Hsp accomplishes critical roles in regulating immune response, antigen-processing, eliminating protein aggregates and co-activating receptors. The presence of SNPs in these genes can lead to alterations in immune responses. We aimed to evaluate the association of SNPs in the HSP90 gene complex and COPD., Methods: We enrolled 1549 participants, divided into two comparison groups; 919 tobacco-smoking subjects (cases COPD-TS n = 294 and, controls SWOC n = 625) and 630 chronic exposed to BBS (cases COPD-BBS n = 186 and controls BBES n = 444). We genotyped 2 SNPs: the rs13296 in HSP90AB1 and rs2070908 in HSP90B1 ., Results: Through the dominant model (GC + CC), the rs2070908 is associated with decreased risk ( p < 0.01, OR = 0.6) to suffer COPD among chronic exposed BBS subjects. We found an association between rs13296 GG genotype and lower risk ( p = 0.01, OR = 0.22) to suffer severe COPD-TS forms in the severity analysis., Conclusions: single-nucleotide variants in the HSP90AB1 and HSP90B1 genes are associated with decreased COPD risk in subjects exposed to BBS and the most severe forms of COPD in tobacco-smoking subjects.