Pirfenidone (PFD) is a non-peptide synthetic molecule issued as a broad-spectrum anti-fibrotic drug with the ability to decrease TGF-β1, TNF-α, PDGF and COL1A1 expression, which is highly related to prevent or remove excessive deposition of scar tissue in several organs. Basic and clinical evidence suggests that PFD may safely slow or inhibit the progressive fibrosis swelling after tissue injuries. Furthermore, a number of evidence suggests that this molecule will have positive effects in the treatment of other inflammatory diseases. This review contains current research in which PFD has been used as the treatment of several diseases, and focus mainly in the outcomes related to improve inflammation and fibrogenesis. Therefore, the main goal of this review is to focus on the novel findings of PFD efficacy rather than deepen in the chemical aspects of the molecule.

Therapeutic use of leaves of M. oleifera has been evaluated in diabetes because of its possible capacity to decrease blood glucose and lipids concentration after ingestion, as result of the polyphenols content and others compounds. Nevertheless most results have been obtain from leaf extract, therefore this study would use leaf powder as the regular way of consumption of population to know effects over toxicity glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, corporal weight, and predominant groups of microbiota. Powdered leaf was administrated in different doses to know toxicity and genotoxicity using LD50 and micronuclei assay. Hyperglycemia was induced by alloxan on Sprague Dawley rats. Glucose and body weight were measured once a week meanwhile cholesterol and triglycerides were analyzed at the end of the study by commercial kits. Different organs were examined by hematoxylin-eosin technique. Lactic acid bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae were enumerated from stool samples. The tested doses revealed no lethal dose and no significant differences in genotoxicity parameter. The consumption of the leaves showed a hypoglycemic effect (< 250 mg/dL in diabetic M. oleifera treated group), however in corporal weight showed an increased (> 30 g over no M. oleifera treated groups). There was no change in enumeration of lactic acid bacteria (8.4 CFU/g) but there were differences in the predominance of type of lactobacillus and enterobacteria enumeration. These results help to increase information over the most popular use of M. oleifera and its safety. However there are needed more studies over the hypoglycemic mechanisms and effects over intestinal microbiota.

Frailty is a state of vulnerability to stressors because of a decreased physiological reserve, resulting in poor health outcomes. This state is related to chronic conditions, many of which are risk factors for outcomes in elderly patients having SARS-COV-2. This review aims to describe frailty as a physiological vulnerability agent during the COVID-19 pandemic in elderly patients, summarizing the direct and indirect effects caused by the SARS-COV-2 infection and its prognosis in frail individuals, as well as the interventions and recommendations to reduce their effects. Cohort studies have shown that patients with a Clinical Frailty Scale higher than five have a higher risk of mortality and use of mechanical ventilation after COVID-19; nonetheless, other scales have also associated frailty with longer hospital stays and more severe forms of the disease. Additionally, the indirect effects caused by the pandemic have a negative impact on the health status of older people. Due to the above, a holistic intervention is proposed based on a comprehensive geriatric assessment for frail patients (preventive or post-infection) with emphasis on physical activity and nutritional recommendations, which could be a potential preventive intervention in viral infections by COVID-19.

The bacterial community of the artisanal Adobera cheese from Los Altos de Jalisco was described through high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene libraries. Samples were collected in two different seasons (dry and rainy) during four key steps of the manufacturing process (raw milk, fresh curd, matured curd, and cheese). Bacterial diversity was higher in early steps in comparison with the final elaboration stages. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the most abundant phyla, strongly represented by the Streptococcaceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Lactobacillaceae families, and core bacteria genera such as Streptococcus spp., Lactococcus spp., and Lactobacillus spp. Undesirable bacteria, including Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp., were also detected in raw milk but almost undetectable at the end of the cheese manufacturing process, and seemed to be displaced by lactic-acid bacteria-related genera. Seasonal effects were observed on the community structure but did not define the core microbiota composition. Predictive metabolism was related to membrane transport, and amino-acid, lipid, and carbohydrate metabolism pathways. Our results contribute to deduce the role of bacteria involved in Adobera cheese manufacturing in terms of the metabolism involved, cheese microbial safety, and how undesirable bacterial populations could be regulated by process standardization as a potential tool to improve safety.

Functionalization of protein-based materials by incorporation of organic and inorganic compounds has emerged as an active research area due to their improved properties and diversified applications. The present review provides an overview of the functionalization of protein-based materials by incorporating TiO₂ nanoparticles. Their effects on technological (mechanical, thermal, adsorptive, gas-barrier, and water-related) and functional (antimicrobial, photodegradation, ultraviolet (UV)-protective, wound-healing, and biocompatibility) properties are also discussed. In general, protein–TiO₂ hybrid materials are biodegradable and exhibit improved tensile strength, elasticity, thermal stability, oxygen and water resistance in a TiO₂ concentration-dependent response. Nonetheless, they showed enhanced antimicrobial and UV-protective effects with good biocompatibility on different cell lines. The main applications of protein–TiO₂ are focused on the development of eco-friendly and active packaging materials, biomedical (tissue engineering, bone regeneration, biosensors, implantable human motion devices, and wound-healing membranes), food preservation (meat, fruits, and fish oil), pharmaceutical (empty capsule shell), environmental remediation (removal and degradation of diverse water pollutants), anti-corrosion, and textiles. According to the evidence, protein–TiO₂ hybrid composites exhibited potential applications; however, standardized protocols for their preparation are needed for industrial-scale implementation.

Objetivo: Evaluar el efecto del plan de estudios de la Licenciatura en Medicina de la Universidad Guadalajara LAMAR sobre las competencias profesionales para la promoción de la salud y la participación social. Material y métodos Estudio cuasiexperimental de tipo preexperimental de comparación con un grupo estático. Emplazamiento: Campus Vallarta. Temporalidad: septiembre-diciembre de 2017. Universo: 182 estudiantes de Medicina. Muestra: no probabilística, n = 114 estudiantes de Medicina, 62 de primer semestre (G1, intervención momento «A») y 52 de sexto semestre (G2, intervención momento «B»), más 50 estudiantes de primer semestre de licenciatura no relacionada con salud (G0, control). Muestreo: propositivo. Criterios de selección: cualquier edad y sexo, y responder instrumentos. Variables: edad, sexo y competencias profesionales para la promoción de la salud y la participación social. Instrumentos: Instrumento en Español para Evaluar Prácticas de Salud Pública. Procedimientos: las evaluaciones se realizaron al término del semestre 2017B. Análisis: comparación mediante estadística inferencial no paramétrica (p ≤ 0,05). Resultados: Niveles de competencias profesionales para la promoción de la salud y participación social: G0 100% poco o nada competentes, G1 64,5% poco o nada competentes y 35,5% medianamente competentes, G2 11,5% poco o nada competentes y 88,5% medianamente competentes. El nivel de competencia fue mayor al estar expuestos al plan de estudios, y aumentó a mayor tiempo de exposición (χ², p ≤ 0,05 en todos los casos). Conclusiones: El plan de estudios de Medicina evaluado desarrolla en sus estudiantes competencias profesionales para la promoción de la salud y la participación social, pero es susceptible de ser mejorado. Objective: To evaluate the effect of medical curriculum from Universidad Guadalajara LAMAR over professional competencies for promotion of health and social participation in medical students. Material and methods Quasi-experimental study type pre-experimental of comparison with static group. Emplacement: Vallarta's Campus. Temporality: September-December 2017. Universe: 182 medical students. Sample: non-randomized, n = 114 medical students, 62 from first semester (G1, intervention's moment “A”) and 52 from sixth semester (G2, intervention's moment “B”), and additionally 50 from first semester of bachelor not related with health (G0, control). Sampling: propositive. Selection criteria: any age and gender, and to answer instruments. Variables: age, gender and professional competencies for promotion of health and social participation. Instruments: Instrument in Spanish for to Evaluate Public Health Practices. Procedures: the evaluation it achieved to term of 2017B scholar cycle. Analysis: comparison by mean of non-parametric inferential statistics (P ≤ 0.05). Results: Professional competencies level for promotion of health and social participation: G0 100% little or nothing competent, G1 64.5% little or nothing competent and 35.5% fairly competent, G2 11.5% little or nothing competent and 88.5% fairly competent. The competency level was higher in exposed to medical curriculum and increased to a longer exposure time (χ², P ≤ 0.05 in all cases). Conclusions: The medical curriculum from Universidad Guadalajara LAMAR develop professional competencies for promotion of health and social participation in your students, but this can be improved because nobody was highly competent.