Remote Healthcare Program in Mexico in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Rodolfo Lehmann Mendoza,Gabriela Yanet Cortés Moreno,Hilario Ascensión Martinez Arredondo,Anaya Aguilar Cynthia Jeanet,Pedro Armando Chaidez Rosales,Ilicia González Mundo,Armando Mejía Nava,Adrian H. 대한의료정보학회 2022 Healthcare Informatics Research Vol.28 No.2

Objectives: Given the challenge of limiting the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 while simultaneously continuingto provide medical care for other chronic and degenerative diseases and monitor therapy, a remote medical advice and guidanceprogram was created to help individuals receive health services at their homes. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional,and observational study was performed from April 13, 2020 to April 19, 2021 among Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) healthservices beneficiaries. Mobile text messages were used to assign patients throughout Mexico to a doctor, who coordinateda video call with the nursing service for advice and remote care. Results: In total, 17,472 calls were registered, with an averageduration of 10.28 minutes. Almost half (49.4%) of the people who requested attention through the remote program wereworkers, 31.5% were workers’ relatives, and 19.1% were retired workers. The average age of the program users was 50.66 ±18.02 years. A total of 144 doctors from 28 different specialties participated. In this program, 7,163 calls were made becauseof respiratory symptoms, 1,514 for therapeutic monitoring (prescriptions), and 8,183 because of other diseases, includingmental health. Conclusions: Remote healthcare programs have shown the potential to support the health system. This programis the first to deploy real-time video calls with a health team utilizing institutional electronic clinical records in Mexico. The implementation of this pandemic management program impacted the number of consultations given remotely, resultingin effective triage.

Cr-doped BiYO3 photocatalyst for degradation of oxytetracycline under visible light irradiation

Hernández-Arellano Diana L.,Durán-Álvarez Juan C.,Cortés-Lagunes Silvana,Zanella Rodolfo,Soto Tania E.,López-Juárez Rigoberto 한국세라믹학회 2023 한국세라믹학회지 Vol.60 No.1

Chromium-doped BiYO3 powders were synthesized by the Pechini method at low temperature between 400 and 800 °C for 1 h. From the XRD results it was observed the coexistence between tetragonal and cubic phases for samples calcined at 400 °C for 1 h. Meanwhile, for samples calcined at 600 and 800 °C, a single cubic phase was observed. The powders consisted of agglomerates of nanocrystals as shown in the SEM and TEM images. The specific surface area was in the order of 3.01–7.74 m2 g−1, obtained from BET analysis. The band gap of BiYO3 and Cr-doped BiYO3 was < 2.21 eV which corroborates that these materials absorb light in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The photocatalytic decomposition of oxytetracycline was successfully achieved using Cr-doped BiYO3, where the best performance was obtained with BiY0.98Cr0.02O3 ceramic powders calcined at 800 °C for 1 h. For this composition the removal of oxytetracycline after 240 min of visible light irradiation was 100% of degradation and 75% of mineralization. The photocatalytic process was driven by the photo-holes, as a negligible production of ·OH radicals was observed in tests using scavengers. The photocatalytic activity of the BiY0.995Cr0.005O3 and BiY0.98Cr0.02O3 materials was corroborated under more realistic conditions, using tap water and trace concentration of the antibiotic. The high stability of the photocatalyst was observed through four consecutive reaction cycles. The results demonstrate that the Cr-doping has clearly improved the catalytic performance of BiYO3 for degradation of oxytetracycline under visible light irradiation.

MODELING OF PLASMONIC PHENOMENA IN NANOSTRUCTURED SURFACES

RODOLFO CORTES,V´ICTOR COELLO 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2009 NANO Vol.4 No.4

Plasmonic phenomena in nanostructured surfaces are modeled by considering isotropic point-like nanoparticles whose responses to an incident surface plasmon polariton (SPP) field are phenomenologically related to their effective polarizabilities. Numerical simulations of different SPP elastic (in-plane) scattering orders and the operation of simple plasmonic devices are presented. Futhermore, nonlinear microscopy with a tightly focused laser beam scanning over a sample surface was modeled by using of analytic representations of the Green dyadic in the near- and far-field regions, with the latter being approximated by the part describing the scattering via excitation of SPPs. In general, the stability with respect to geometrical parameters and dispersion were the main features investigated in the presented plasmonic phenomena.

Antivirulence Activity of a Dietary Phytochemical: Hibiscus Acid Isolated from Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Reduces the Virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a Mouse Infection Model

Humberto Cortes-López,Javier Castro-Rosas,Rodolfo García-Contreras,José Salud Rodríguez-Zavala,Bertha González-Pedrajo,Miguel Díaz-Guerrero,Javier Hernández-Morales,Naybi Muñoz-Cazares,Marcos Soto-Her 한국식품영양과학회 2021 Journal of medicinal food Vol.24 No.9

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Hs) calyxes, rich in organic acids, are included in diets in different countries. In recent years, some phytochemicals have been shown to reduce bacterial virulence at sublethal concentrations by interfering with quorum sensing (QS) systems. Therefore, in this study the antivirulence properties of Hs calyxes and two γ-lactones (hibiscus acid [HA] and its methyl ester) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa were analyzed. Acetone and methanol extracts of Hs showed anti-QS activity by inhibiting violacein production (60% to 80% with 250 μg/mL). In molecular docking analysis, the γ-lactones registered a good binding score, which suggests strong interaction with the active site of LasR protein. To verify their effect in vitro, they were isolated from Hs and evaluated in six QS-regulated phenotypes, as well as in ExoU toxin that is released by the type III secretion system (T3SS). At 500 μg/mL they reduced alkaline protease (29–52%) and elastase (15–37%) activity, biofilm formation (∼75%), and swarming (50%), but there was no effect on pyocyanin production, hemolytic activity, or type III secretion. In a mouse abscess/necrosis model, HA at sublethal concentrations (15 and 31.2 μg/mL) affected infection establishment and prevented damage and systemic spread. In conclusion, HA is the first molecule identified with antivirulence properties in Hs with the potential to prevent infections caused by P. aeruginosa.

SURFACE PLASMON EXCITATION AND MANIPULATION IN DISORDERED TWO-DIMENSIONAL NANOPARTICLE ARRAYS

VICTOR COELLO,RODOLFO CORTES,CESAR E. GARCIA-ORTIZ,NORA ELIZONDO 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2013 NANO Vol.8 No.4

We present experimental and numerical results of simultaneous surface plasmon polariton (SPP) excitation and in-plane manipulation with random arrays of gold nanoparticles. The recorded images were obtained by using leakage radiation microscopy (LRM) for the excitation wavelength of 633 nm and for different densities of particles. The numerical model makes use of a composed analytic Green dyadic which takes into account near- and far-field regions, with the latter being approximated by the part describing the scattering via excitation of SPP. The LRM optical images obtained are related to the calculated SPP intensity distributions demonstrating that the developed approach can be successfully used in studies of systems of closely spaced arrays.

Evanescent Microwave Microscopy

Carlos Martinez,Victor Coello,Ricardo Villagomez,Rodolfo Cortes 한국물리학회 2005 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.47 No.1

Imaging of evanescent microwaves with a scanning near-field microwave microscope is experimentally investigated. Near-field intensity distributions images taken at different probe-surface distances are collected to evaluate the capabilities of the microscope and the contribution of propagatingfield components stemming from inelastic (out-of-plane) scattering. A set of two-dimensional mirrors are showed along with their corresponding near-field optical image and their efficiency is discussed. We believe that this experimental approach is reliable enough to be used as a check of potential (two-dimensional) micro-components and eventually for micro and nano-circuits.