Resumen: Introducción: el ejercicio reduce el dolor y mejora la funcionalidad en pacientes con dolor crónico lumbar y espondilolistesis degenerativa. Sin embargo, no existe a la fecha un consenso sobre la superioridad de algún programa de ejercicio para inducir cambios tróficos de los músculos estabilizadores lumbares, por lo que el objetivo fue comparar el trofismo de estos músculos mediante ultrasonido, con dos programas de ejercicio distintos: estabilización vertebral versus ejercicios flexores. Material y métodos: estudio prospectivo, longitudinal y comparativo, en veintiún pacientes mayores de 50 años, con dolor crónico lumbar y espondilolistesis degenerativa. Se entrenó a los pacientes para la ejecución diaria de ejercicio: estabilización lumbar o ejercicios flexores, los cuales fueron asignados por aleatorización como parte de un ECA en desarrollo. El trofismo muscular fue evaluado mediante ultrasonido al inicio y a tres meses. Las pruebas de U de Mann-Whitney y prueba de Wilcoxon se usaron para comparaciones entre grupos y para correlaciones se usaron los coeficientes de correlación de Spearman. Resultados: todos los pacientes presentaron ganancia en el trofismo de los músculos multífidos a tres meses, pero sin diferencias entre grupos de tratamiento. No se detectaron cambios significativos en el resto de los músculos evaluados. Conclusión: no encontramos diferencia significativa entre los ejercicios de estabilización lumbar y los ejercicios flexores, a tres meses de seguimiento, en términos de los cambios tróficos medidos por ultrasonido de los músculos estabilizadores lumbares.

Abstract: Introduction: exercise programs can reduce pain and improve functionality in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis and chronic low back pain. However, there is still no consensus surrounding the superiority of any specific routine for exercise-induced trophic changes of lumbar muscles. The aim was to compare the changes in the primary lumbar stabilizing muscle thickness after spine stabilization exercises and flexion exercises in patients with spondylolisthesis and chronic low back pain. Material and methods: prospective, longitudinal and comparative study was carried out. Twenty-one treatment-naive patients with a diagnosis of both chronic low back pain and degenerative spondylolisthesis over the age of 50 were included. A physical therapist taught participants either spine stabilization exercises or flexion exercises to execute daily at home. The thickness of the primary lumbar muscles was measured through ultrasound (at rest and contraction) at baseline and three months. A Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were performed for comparisons, and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were calculated for associations. Results: we did not find statistically between the exercise programs: all patients presented significant changes in the thickness of the multifidus muscle but in none of the other evaluated muscles. Conclusion: there is no difference between spine stabilization exercises and flexion exercises after three months in terms of the changes in muscle thickness evaluated by ultrasound.

The Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP), in Zacatepec Morelos, started a genetic improvement program of wild and semi-cultivated poinsettia plants ("nochebuena de sol"). It is important to generate a phytosanitary database that allows the release of new varieties and hybrids that provide tolerance to the major pathogens reported in cultivated poinsettia plants. The phytosanitary status of the "nochebuena de sol" plants is not available in Mexico, so the objective of this research was to generate preliminary data about viruses associated to these materials. Based on DAS-ELISA and RT-PCR results, we reported the presence of the Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and Poinsettia mosaic virus (PnMV) in wild and semi-cultivated poinsettia plants for the first time in Mexico.

El Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP), a través del Campo Experimental "Zacatepec" en el estado Morelos, inició un programa de mejoramiento genético de plantas silvestres y semicultivadas de nochebuena ("nochebuena de sol"). Dicho programa requiere de la generación de una base de datos fitosanitarios con tolerancia a los principales patógenos. México no cuenta con información sobre las enfermedades causadas por virus en la nochebuena de sol, por lo que el objetivo de la presente investigación fue generar datos preliminares sobre los virus asociados a estos materiales. Con base en los resultados obtenidos en las técnicas DAS-ELISA y RT-PCR, se reportan por primera vez en México los virus Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) y Poinsettia mosaic virus (PnMV) en plantas silvestres y semicultivadas de nochebuena.

This is the first record of Oenomaus ortygnus (Cramer) damaging fruits of ilama (Annona diversifolia) and extends the butterfly distribution for three states in Mexico.

This paper describes the design and implementation of a new digital dimming electronic ballast with the capability of being remotely controlled in a digital way, this is achieved through a novel lighting network based on Controller Area Network (CAN) bus standard. The proposed ballast was designed to drive a T5, 28 Watts fluorescent lamp. The proposed functional performance was tested using an implemented lighting network system based on CAN 2.0A bus specification. The defined lighting network functions include dimming, turning on and off, and fault condition detection. The network control is made with a lighting system software in a personal computer (PC) through one specific CAN node, being able to address up to 2047 individually controllable ballasts. According to the obtained results the proposed digital dimming electronic ballast performed the established functions successfully, meeting C class of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard. The resulting system consists of a novel fully functional CAN bus lighting network with a reliable two wire remote control. Applications for this CAN Bus lighting network include lighting systems focused on design issues like lamp dimming control for electrical energy consumption savings and efficient lamp maintenance. Such application areas cover building lighting management, precision lighting effects, and studio lighting.

Este artículo describe el diseño e implementación de un nuevo balastro electrónico digital con variación de intensidad luminosa controlado digitalmente a distancia, mediante una novedosa red de iluminación basada en el estándar Bus CAN (Controller Area Network). El balastro propuesto opera con una lámpara fluorescente del tipo T5, 28 Watts, el cual se implementó en una red de iluminación basada en la especificación CAN 2.0A. Se incluyeron funciones de variación de intensidad luminosa, apagado, encendido y detección de condición de fallo. El control de la red se realiza con un programa en una computadora personal (PC) a través de un nodo CAN específico, con el cual es posible controlar individualmente hasta un máximo de 2047 balastros. De acuerdo con los resultados obtenidos el balastro electrónico propuesto realiza exitosamente las funciones establecidas, cumpliendo con el estándar internacional clase C de International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), lo cual permite la implementación de una red de iluminación CAN novedosa completamente funcional con control remoto confiable. Las aplicaciones para esta red de iluminación CAN incluyen sistemas de iluminación enfocados al control de intensidad luminosa para ahorro en el consumo de energía eléctrica y mantenimiento eficiente de lámparas. Tales áreas de aplicación cubren sistemas de mantenimiento de lámparas en edificios, efectos luminosos de precisión e iluminación de estudios.

Frutos de cinco seleções de rambutan (RT-01, RT-02, RT-03, RT-04 e RT-05) foram caracterizados para identificar aqueles com qualidade internacional e selecionar os melhores para aumentar a produção no México, o melhoramento e a conservação no banco de germoplasma. Os frutos foram colhidos nos meses de junho, julho e agosto de 2008. Em cada colheita, avaliaram-se a forma (largura/diâmetro), firmeza, peso do fruto, número de frutos por quilograma, peso e porcentagem do pericarpo, semente e arilo, sólidos solúveis totais, açúcares totais, conteúdo de vitamina C, pH, acidez titulável e foi feita uma avaliação sensorial com 31 provadores, qualificando a cor, forma, doçura e acidez de cada amostra. Os frutos das cinco seleções tiveram forma alargada ou oval, com valores de firmeza de 43,7 a 51,0 N, o peso de cada fruto oscilou entre 22,4 a 34,7g, registrando de 28,9 a 45,0 frutos por quilograma, com um peso de pericarpo de 10,5 a 17,5 g, que correspondeu de 45,9 a 49,9% do peso do fruto. O peso da semente foi de 2,2 a 2,5g (7,0 a 10,0%), o peso médio do arilo foi de 8,9 a 13,1g, equivalentes a 37,5 41,4%. Os frutos apresentaram alto conteúdo de sólidos solúveis totais (17,8 a 20,7 ºBrix), açúcares totais (400 a 465,7 mg/100g), vitamina C (37,9 a 69,1 mg/100g de porção comestível), baixo pH (5,0) e elevada acidez titulável (0,7 a 0,8%). Os frutos das amostras RT-01 e RT-05 apresentaram melhores atributos quanto a peso do fruto, sólidos solúveis totais e acidez titulável, características desejáveis para exportação, além de ser de melhor aceitação pelos provadores. A data da colheita influenciou significativamente na qualidade dos frutos, e na metade e ao final da temporada da colheita houve frutos de maior peso, porcentagem de arilo, sólidos solúveis totais, vitamina C, menor pH e acidez titulável.

Fruits of five regional selections of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) were characterized to identify those with international marketing quality to promote their propagation in Mexico, improvement and conservation in germoplasm bank. The fruits were harvested in June, July, and August 2008 and, after each harvest, were assessed for shape (length/diameter), firmness, fruit weight, number of fruits per kilogram, weight and percentage of pericarp, seed and aril, total soluble solids, total sugars, vitamin C content, pH, and titratable acidity. In addition, a sensorial evaluation was carried out with 31 panelists who graded each selection for color, sweetness, and acidity. Fruits of five selections were ovoid, and with the following characteristics: firmness values from 43.7 to 51.0 N, fruit weight ranged from 22.4 to 34.7 g, registering from 28.9 to 45.0 fruits per kg; pericarp weight from 10.5 to 17.3 g (45.9 to 49.9% of the total fruit weight); total seed weight from 2.2 to 2.5 g (7.0 to 10.0%); average arils weight from 8.9 to 13.1 g (37.5 to 41.4%). The fruits had high contents of total soluble solids (17.8 to 20.4 ºBrix), total sugars (211.95 to 242.70 mg/100g in the edible portion), vitamin C (37.9 to 69.1 mg/100 g), pH 5.0, and titratable acidity of 0.20 to 0.28%. The fruits from the RT-01 and RT-05 selections had better attributes in fruit weight, total soluble solids and titratable acidity and were better accepted by the panelists. Harvest date significantly affects rambutan fruit quality; at the middle and end of the season harvested fruits had better qualitative characteristics for the marketing.