Effect of mangiferin, a naturally occurring glucoxylxanthone, on fear memory in rats

Mangiferin (1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxy-2-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl] -xanthen-9-one, CAS 4773-96-0), a naturally occurring glucosylxanthone, is widely distributed in higher plants and a constituent of folk medicine. In the present study the effect of systemic administration of mangiferin on behavioural outcomes of neurological function in normal rats was investigated. A single intraperitoneal injection of mangiferin (10, 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight) immediately post-training produced an impairment of long-term memory for aversive training and a reduced freezing in a dose independent manner, when given immediately post-training. The administration of mangiferin 6 h post-training did not affect fear memory. The results indicate that mangiferin might induce deficits of emotionally motivated memory.     

Validación en España del cuestionario de calidad de vida PROSQOLI en pacientes con cáncer de próstata avanzado

ObjectivesValidation of the PROSQOLI questionnaire adapted to Spanish, pursing an instrument to evaluate, in the common clinical practice, the quality of life in patients with locally advanced or disseminated prostate cancer in our country.Material and MethodsA cross-sectional prospective study was designed in 750 patients (150 centers) with disseminated or locally advanced prostate cancer (TNM criterion) who came to the scheduled check-up. Socio-demographic and clinical data of the participants were collected. The subjects filled out the PROSQOLI and EQ-5D questionnaires. The analysis included 561 cases that met the selection criteria. The psychometric characteristics (feasibility, validity and reliability) of the adapted PROSQOLI questionnaire were studied.ResultsMean age was 73.63 (7.59) years. A total of 72.01% of the participants had locally advanced disease. In 28.16%, the primary treatment was radiotherapy, in 12.30% it was prostatectomy. A total of 83.48% received hormone treatment. The mean for each scale of the PROSQOLI questionnaire varied from 68.86 to 74.51. The percentage of no response was less than 3% for each scale. The percentage of subjects with minimum score in any scale was negligible, and the maximum score did not surpass 5%. Mean time to fill out the questionnaire was 109.42 (101.00) seconds. Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.937 and the total item correlation was superior to 0.7 for all the items. Correlations with the EQ-5D questionnaire were moderate. Scores on the questionnaire were associated to all the parameters studied related to the disease.ConclusionsThe adapted questionnaire has adequate psychometric properties for its use in research and in the clinical practice.     

Evaluación formativa mediante el portafolio de 4 promociones de residentes de medicina de familia y comunitaria de la Unidad Docente de Murcia

ObjectiveTo evaluate the performance and quality of the 10 groups of training tasks envisaged in the portfolio training model undertaken by all residents of the Primary Care Teaching Unit in Murcia.DesignA cross-sectional study was conducted on the portfolios provided and completed by all residents in May 2011.ParticipantsAll residents who were in training at that time (131).MethodTen groups of training tasks were established from those recommended by the National Commission for the specialty. The performance of each one in each of the portfolios was evaluated, and the compliance for each training task was calculated. The quality of the performance of each of the tasks was given a score, 0 points (very poor) to 10 points (excellent).ResultsAs regards compliance, the tasks that were most performed were: filling in the Resident book correctly and using the resident skills guide, both with 99.24%, followed by reflection reports on the training visits. All tasks had a compliance rate higher than 67%. The mean percentage of compliance was 86.49%. All tasks obtained an average score greater than 7 (outstanding). The overall mean score was 7,8 points.ConclusionsThe level of perfomance of the tasks set out in the portfolio by the residents was very satisfying. It is necessary to continue working on improving the performance of the portfolio.     

Pregnancy 101: A Call for Reproductive and Prenatal Health Education in College

The objective of the study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of a college course in preconception health and prenatal development at improving reproductive health awareness in college students. Students enrolled in the course completed pretest and posttest assessments and a course evaluation. Students’ self-perception of awareness of the positive and negative factors that can affect pregnancy increased from 13% at the beginning of the course to 89 and 93% at the end of the course, respectively. Correspondingly, students’ knowledge of course-related information improved across nearly all areas assessed. The average score among students increased from 67 to 90% correct from pretest to posttest. Course evaluation results indicated that over 94% of students found the course to be beneficial and informative. College courses are a practical way to disseminate reproductive and prenatal health information. Educating college students in these areas has clear benefits to both individual students and society and, as such, merits increased attention in college curricula.     

Male Contraception,IV: Hypotonic-Like Effect from Echeveria gibbiflora on Human Sperm

At present there is no accepted method for the regulation of male fertility. The most appropriate form of contraception would undoubtedly be to develop from traditional plant-derived folk drugs a contraceptive male method. Hypoosmotic shock is used for validate plasma membrane function and its fertilizing capacity of human sperm. Such effect is induced in human sperm in the presence of a purified fraction from Echeveria gibbiflora (PFEG) aqueous crude extract. The hypotonic-like effect included a distension of the plasma membrane over the acrosome region and in some occasions around the sperm middle piece. An enhanced activity of the immobilizing and agglutination effects was induced instantaneously after the addition of PEFG versus aqueous crude extract activity (OBACE). Using electron microscopy it was possible to observe a deposit of a ''sticky'' dense material intercalated along the plasma membrane. The membrane was sealed making it impossible to measure the viability or metabolic activity of the treated sperm by the fluorescence (FDA-IP) technique. It was also possible to corroborate the dispersion of the acrosomal content and the disappearance of the acrosomal and nuclear membrane. Results that makes PFEG hypotonic-like effect a serious candidate to conduct a study to determine the predicting capacity of this compound in human infertility and suggest that the plant may yield a compound suitable for use as male contraceptive agent.