Alopecia areata (AA) is a dermatological disease characterized by non-scarring hair loss of the scalp and/or body, with an unpredictable and variable evolution in the patients in which, despite multidisciplinary efforts, its etiology is not entirely known, although some evidence suggests that environmental, immunological and genetic factors could be generating the disease. The aim of this review is to provide an updated panorama of the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of AA, to analyze the mechanisms that could participate in its etiology, as well as to review some of the most important genetic variants that could confer susceptibility to the development of this disease.

La alopecia areata es un padecimiento dermatológico caracterizado por la pérdida de pelo no cicatricial del cuero cabelludo y/o del cuerpo, con una evolución impredecible y variable en los pacientes. A pesar de esfuerzos multidisciplinarios, su etiología sigue sin conocerse con exactitud, aunque algunas evidencias sugieren que factores ambientales, inmunológicos y genéticos podrían estar originando la enfermedad. El objetivo de esta revisión consiste en dar un panorama actual de las características clínicas, diagnóstico y tratamiento de la alopecia areata, analizar los mecanismos que podrían participar en su etiología, así como revisar algunas de las variantes génicas más importantes, que podrían conferir susceptibilidad al desarrollo de la enfermedad.

This study aimed to detect dengue virus (DENV) serotypes in serum samples obtained in Matamoros Tamaulipas, Mexico, and to determine the concordance of conventional nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and a serological test [enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA NS1)]. Here, we detected mixed infections consisting of four serotypes of DENV. The most prevalent serotype was DENV-1, followed by DENV-4. This is the first report of DENV-4 in our region. Mixed infections were also detected in 21.5% of samples, and the predominant coinfection consisted of DENV-1 and DENV-2. Therefore, continuous epidemiological surveillance of DENV in this area is required to predict future forms of dengue heterologous infections and the effect of this on health care.

ABSTRACT Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease that affects a considerable portion of the population and type 2 diabetes represents a serious current public health problem in Mexico. Diabetic foot is a severe consequence of diabetes for its prevalence, the frequency of resulting infections, and the high social and economic costs. In this study we examined 382 isolated families of infections in 284 patients to determine their identity by biochemical tests and their drug resistance profile. Of the 382 isolates, 186 samples (48.61%) were positive Gram bacteria; 182 samples (47.6 %) were negative Gram bacteria; and 14 (3.6 %) were Candida sp. In 158 of the 284 samples (55.6%) only one type of bacteria was identified; in 113 samples (39.7 %) a mixed culture was found, with 7 samples containing both bacteria and yeast and 13 samples resulting negative. The most prevalent pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In S. aureus isolates, 63.9 % was resistant to MRSA; 4.1 % was resistant to vancomicyn; and 18.6.% was resistant to imepenem. P. aeruginosa was the most prevalent Gram negative isolated and also the one with the most drug resistance. Drug-resistance analysis showed that the majority of S. aureus were MRSA and in P. aeruginosa, families resistant to all tested antimicrobials prevailed.

RESUMEN La diabetes mellitus (DM) es una enfermedad crónica que afecta a un porcentaje considerable de la población, y la diabetes tipo II constituye un gran problema de salud pública en México actualmente. El pie diabético es una secuela grave de la diabetes por su prevalencia, la frecuencia con que se presentan infecciones y por los enormes costos económicos y sociales. En este estudio se examinaron 382 cepas aisladas de infecciones a partir de 284 pacientes con pie diabético, para determinar su identidad mediante pruebas bioquímicas y perfil de fármaco-resistencia. De las 382 cepas, 186 (48.6 %) fueron bacterias Gram positivas, 182 (47.6 %) bacterias Gram negativas y 14 (3.6%) Candida sp. En 158 de las 284 muestras (55.6%), se obtuvo solo un tipo de bacteria; en 113 muestras (39.7 %) se obtuvo un cultivo mixto, y dentro de estas, siete tenían crecimiento de bacteria y levadura y 13 muestras resultaron negativas. Los patógenos más prevalentes fueron Staphylococcus aureus y Pseudomonas aeruginosa. El 63.9 % de los aislados de S. aureus resultó resistente a la meticilina (MRSA), 44.1 % resistentes a la vancomicina y un 18.6 % resistentes al imipenem. P. aeruginosa fue el Gram negativo aislado con mayor frecuencia, mostrando multifármaco-resistencia. Los perfiles de fármaco-resistencia mostraron que la mayoría de S. aureus fue MRSA y en los aislados de P. aeruginosa prevalecieron las cepas resistentes a todos los antibióticos probados.

This paper briefly describes the progress that our research group has achieved in the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of new potential therapeutic molecules for public health problems such as obesity, cancer, tuberculosis, and American trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease. We briefly reviewed the relevance of each of these diseases, the drugs that have been used for treatment and those that are in development. Furthermore, we describe the rational design and synthesis strategies conducted by our research group, which have been focused on the development of new compounds with biological activity as potential anti-obesity, anti-cancer, anti-tuberculosis, and anti-trypanosomiasis agents.

En este artículo se describe de manera breve el trabajo que ha desarrollo nuestro grupo de investigación en el diseño, síntesis y evaluación biológica de moléculas con potencial terapéutico para problemas de salud pública tales como la obesidad, cáncer, tuberculosis y la tripanosomiasis americana o enfermedad de Chagas. Se realizó una revisión concisa de la relevancia de cada una de las enfermedades, los fármacos que se han usado para su tratamiento y aquellos que se han desarrollado recientemente. Además, se describen las estrategias de diseño racional y síntesis conducidas por nuestro grupo de investigación, las cuales se han enfocado en el desarrollo de nuevos compuestos con actividad biológica como potenciales agentes anti-obesidad, anti-cáncer, anti-tuberculosis y anti-tripanosomiasis.

We describe the synthesis of 12 new ethyl and methyl quinoxaline-7-carboxylate 1,4-di-N-oxide derivatives on solid supports with room temperature and microwave-assisted solvent-free procedures. Results show that solid supports have good catalytic activity in the formation of quinoxaline 1,4-di-N-oxide derivatives. We found that florisil and montmorillonite KSF and K10 could be used as new, easily available, inexpensive alternatives of catalysts. Additionally, room temperature and microwave-irradiation solvent-free synthesis was more efficient than a conventional procedure (Beirut reaction), reducing reaction time and increasing yield.

In this work we report the synthesis of sulfonamide derivatives using a conventional procedure and with solid supports, such as silica gel, florisil, alumina, 4Å molecular sieves, montmorillonite KSF, and montmorillonite K10 using solvent-free and microwave-assisted methods. Our results show that solid supports have a catalytic activity in the formation of sulfonamide derivatives. We found that florisil, montmorillonite KSF, and K10 could be used as inexpensive alternative catalysts that are easily separated from the reaction media. Additionally, solvent-free and microwave-assisted methods were more efficient in reducing reaction time and in increasing yield.

The aims of this study were to formulate calcium-alginate beads containing glibenclamide, characterize the resulting microparticles, evaluate the release characteristics of this type of delivery system in an in vitro dissolution test, and compare it with two commercially available trademarks (Daonil® and Glibetab®). We obtained glibenclamide loaded calcium-alginate beads with a rough surface and a particle size between 150-200 µm. For the in vitro dissolution test Daonil® at 45 min showed a Q > 70%, whereas Glibetab® and glibenclamide calcium-alginate beads a Q < 70%; in spite of that glibenclamide calcium-alginate beads showed significant release properties.