Oropouche Fever, Cuba, May 2024.

Phylogenetic analyses showed that the virus responsible for a May 2024 Oropouche fever outbreak in Cuba was closely related to viruses from Brazil in 2023. Pools of Ceratopogonidae spp. biting midges and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes were positive for Oropouche viral RNA. No cases were severe. Virus extension to new areas may increase case numbers and severity.

Octocoral growth rate and mortality along a eutrophication gradient in Cuban reefs.

Octocorals are showing resilience to local and global stressors, while the decline in zooxanthellate corals continues. One of the processes that helps explain this ecological succession is the vertical growth of octocorals, which allows colonies to avoid stressors occurring at the substrate level. However, the growth and survival of octocorals could be affected by eutrophication, similar to what has happened with zooxanthellate corals. For this reason, the growth rate, mortality and survival of two octocoral species were determined along a eutrophication gradient in Cuba. A permanent band transect (250 × 2 m) was established on seven frontal reefs, and marked colonies were monitored for one year. The growth rates in height, width and colony area of Eunicea flexuosa and Plexaura kükenthali were significantly greater in the reefs near the polluted river basins. The eutrophication gradient, water visibility, and sediment accumulation on the bottom explained 36-78% of the variability in the growth of both species. The positive and significant correlations between the growth rate and stable nitrogen isotopes in both species and the microbiological variables, suggest that the contributions of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and organic matter from sewage discharge favor the growth of colonies. The eutrophication gradient did not explain the variability in mortality of either species in the short term, while hydrodynamic stress did. The results of this research highlight the resilience of both species and their ability to grow more rapidly in areas with eutrophic conditions, low water visibility, and greater sediment accumulation on the bottom, which may help explain the abundance of octocorals in the western tropical Atlantic.

Which Stranger's Disease? Immigration, Immunization, and the Whitening of Cuba in the Age of Atlantic Revolutions.

In 1804, Cuban physician Tomás Romay tried and failed to create the first yellow fever vaccine. The article analyzes his experimental efforts, foregrounding the enslaved and enlisted subjects at the center of this early vaccine trial. Though a scientific failure, this brief experiment, the desires and logics embedded within it, and the measures deployed in its wake - in the form of European whitening campaigns - allow us to consider the political uses of immunity during the Age of Atlantic Revolutions. Historicizing these events within the wider geopolitics of the Caribbean, the article explicates the central role that yellow fever immunization played in Cuban authorities' attempts to shore up their political and economic sovereignty in the midst of anti-colonial and anti-slavery resistance. As such, it shows how yellow fever and its threat to social and economic order fits within a broader history of vaccination as a mechanism of colonial governance. Finally, by situating Cuban efforts to prevent yellow fever alongside the health concerns of enslaved people - concerns that arguably informed their resistance to slavery - the article also demonstrates how ideas about immunity and political belonging increasingly intersected through whiteness as an elite ideal in the era that Cuba first became a slave society.

Report of an unusual association of Oropouche Fever with Guillain-Barré syndrome in Cuba, 2024.

Oropouche virus is the aetiological agent of Oropouche fever. At present, this is currently considered one of the most important vector-borne diseases in Latin America. On 27 May 2024, the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba reported the first ever outbreak of Oropouche fever. In this report, we describe three human cases of Oropouche virus infection with symptoms and signs of neurological disease and clinical diagnosis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome. This study offers insights regarding that Oropouche virus is a causal agent of neurological disorders and it could be involved in the etiology of the Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

Advancing the art of mosquito control: the journey of the sterile insect technique against Aedes aegypti in Cuba.

BACKGROUND: Aedes aegypti, the primary vector of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses, poses a significant public health threat worldwide. Traditional control methods using insecticides are increasingly challenged by resistance and environmental concerns. The sterile insect technique (SIT) offers an eco-friendly alternative that has been successfully applied to other insect pests. This article aims to briefly review Ae. aegypti management in Cuba, highlighting the accomplishments, challenges, and future directions of the SIT. MAIN BODY: Here we provide a brief summary of the extensive history of Ae. aegypti control efforts in Cuba. After a successful eradication campaign in the 1980s, a resurgence of dengue cases has been observed in recent years, suggesting that traditional control methods may have limited effectiveness under current conditions. In response, Cuba initiated a phased approach to develop and evaluate the feasibility of SIT for Ae. aegypti control, starting in 2008. Initial research focused on Ae. aegypti mating behavior and sterilization methods, followed by successful laboratory and semi-field trials that demonstrated population suppression. The first open-field trial in 2020 confirmed the efficacy of the SIT in reducing Ae. aegypti populations under real-world conditions. Currently, the research is in a phase involving a cluster-randomized superiority-controlled trial. This planned trial will compare the standard vector control program with the same program augmented by the SIT, aiming to assess the impact of the SIT on dengue incidence as the primary outcome. Implementing robust epidemiological trials to evaluate the effectiveness of the SIT is complex due to potential spillover effects from mosquito and human movement across study areas. Additionally, conducting the SIT requires significant development and operational investments. Despite these challenges, the ongoing Cuban trial holds promise for establishing the SIT as an effective and sustainable tool for Ae. aegypti control and for reducing the burden of mosquito-borne diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The phased evaluation conducted in Cuba confirms the efficacy of the SIT against Ae. aegypti, highlighting its potential for sustainable mosquito-borne disease management. The effective implementation of multi-site trials will be crucial in providing evidence of the potential of the sterile insect technique as part of a strategy to reduce the incidence of arboviral diseases.

Maniobras de vacunación contra la Covid-19 en Songo-La Maya, Cuba / Vaccination maneuvers against Covid-19 in Songo-La Maya, Cuba / Medidas de vacinação contra a Covid-19 em Songo-La Maya, Cuba

Introducción: En la lucha contra las epidemias la vacunación resulta una herramienta indispensable de la salud pública. Método: Se presenta una investigación interventiva y del tipo descriptivo, no experimental y bajo los métodos: observación participativa, revisión de historias clínicas, entrevista médica y correlación de datos. El universo y muestra estuvo constituido por 87 028 personas mayores de 2 años de edad pertenecientes al municipio Songo-La Maya. Se implementó la vacunación en el periodo Febrero del 2021 hasta Febrero del 2022. Todo bajo la metodología de la investigación cuantitativa y del paradigma del positivismo. Resultados: al cierre de febrero del 2022 se administraron 270140 dosis de las vacunas cubanas Abdala, soberana 02, soberana plus y 951 dosis de vacuna china Sinopharm; para un total de 271091 dosis administradas. Hasta la fecha, han recibido al menos una dosis de una de las vacunas cubanas 75 866 personas. Conclusiones: En el municipio Songo-La Maya hasta febrero del 2022, el 78.02 % de su población quedó inmunizada contra la Covid-19. Más de la mitad (58,14%) completaron el esquema de las 3 dosis de la vacuna Abdala y el 17,75% completó el esquema de la 2da dosis de soberana 02 y una de soberana plus. Es notorio que en las publicaciones de los medios que responden a los países altamente industrializados no mencionan las vacunas cubanas, esto puede responder a mediaciones políticas para no dar méritos a los logros de la Revolución Cubana.

Introduction: In the fight against epidemics, vaccination is an indispensable public health tool. Method: An interventional and descriptive research is presented, non-experimental and using the methods: participatory observation, review of medical record, medical interview and data correlation. The universe and sample consisted of 87,028 people over 2 years of age belonging to the Songo-La Maya municipality. Vaccination was implemented in the period from February 2021 to February 2022. All under the methodology of quantitative research and the paradigm of positivism. Results: at the end of February 2022, 270,140 doses of the Cuban vaccines Abdala, sovereign 02, sovereign plus and 951 doses of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine were administered; for a total of 271,091 doses administered. To date, 75,866 people have received at least one dose of one of the Cuban vaccines. Conclusions: In the Songo-La Maya municipality until February 2022, 78.02% of its population was immunized against Covid-19. More than half (58.14%) completed the schedule of the 3 doses of the Abdala vaccine and 17.75% completed the schedule of the 2nd dose of sovereign 02 and one of sovereign plus. It is notorious that in media publications that respond to highly industrialized countries they do not mention Cuban vaccines; this may respond to political mediations to not give merit to the achievements of the Cuban Revolution.

Introdução: No combate às epidemias, a vacinação é uma ferramenta indispensável de saúde pública. Método: Apresenta-se uma pesquisa intervencionista e descritiva, não experimental e utilizando os métodos: observação participante, revisão de prontuários, entrevista médica e correlação de dados. O universo e a amostra foram constituídos por 87.028 pessoas com mais de 2 anos pertencentes ao município de Songo-La Maya. A vacinação foi implementada no período de fevereiro de 2021 a fevereiro de 2022. Tudo sob a metodologia da pesquisa quantitativa e o paradigma do positivismo. Resultados: no final de fevereiro de 2022, foram administradas 270.140 doses das vacinas cubanas Abdala, soberana 02, soberana plus e 951 doses da vacina chinesa Sinopharm; para um total de 271.091 doses administradas. Até o momento, 75.866 pessoas receberam pelo menos uma dose de uma das vacinas cubanas. Conclusões: No município de Songo-La Maya até Fevereiro de 2022, 78,02% da sua população estava imunizada contra a Covid-19. Mais da metade (58,14%) completou o esquema das 3 doses da vacina Abdala e 17,75% completou o esquema da 2ª dose da soberana 02 e uma da soberana plus. É notório que nas publicações mediáticas que respondem aos países altamente industrializados não mencionam as vacinas cubanas; isto pode responder às mediações políticas para não dar mérito às conquistas da Revolução Cubana.

'Y Compartimos. . .': the collective creation of performed fiction in practice.

This essay combines text and images in the style of a graphic novel to animate the lively and dynamic processes of a qualitative research approach that I call the collective creation of performed fiction. This is a form of projective storytelling in which participants draw on their own experiences to create and perform composite stories. Using fiction helps them avoid revealing sensitive details of their personal lives. The examples shared here are drawn from a long-term engagement with a group of youth in Old Havana, Cuba, where historic geopolitical tensions and emergent economic crises are interrupting the imagined futures of the young. This brief contribution documents key differences between three creative mediums used in this work (street theatre, film and animation), and addresses their varied capacities to mitigate the risks of self-disclosure.

Real-world effectiveness of the heterologous SOBERANA-02 and SOBERANA-Plus vaccine scheme in 2-11 years-old children during the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron wave in Cuba: a longitudinal case-population study.

Background: Increased pediatric COVID-19 occurrence due to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has raised concerns about the effectiveness of existing vaccines. The protection provided by the SOBERANA-02-Plus vaccination scheme against this variant has not yet been studied. We aimed to evaluate the scheme's effectiveness against symptomatic Omicron infection and severe disease in children. Methods: In September 2021, Cuba implemented a mass pediatric immunization with the heterologous SOBERANA-02-Plus scheme: 2 doses of conjugated SOBERANA-02 followed by a heterologous SOBERANA-Plus dose. By December, before the Omicron outbreak, 95.4% of 2-18 years-old had been fully immunized. During the entire Omicron wave, we conducted a nationwide longitudinal post-vaccination case-population study to evaluate the real-world effectiveness of the SOBERANA-02-Plus scheme against symptomatic infection and severe disease in children without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. The identification of COVID-19 cases relied on surveillance through first line services, which refer clinical suspects to pediatric hospitals where they are diagnosed based on a positive RT-PCR test. We defined the Incidence Rate ratio (IRR) as IRvaccinated age group/IRunvaccinated 1-year-old and calculated vaccine effectiveness as VE = (1-IRR)∗100%. 24 months of age being the 'eligible for vaccination' cut-off, we used a regression discontinuity approach to estimate effectiveness by contrasting incidence in all unvaccinated 1-year-old versus vaccinated 2-years-old. Estimates in the vaccinated 3-11 years-old are reported from a descriptive perspective. Findings: We included 1,098,817 fully vaccinated 2-11 years-old and 98,342 not vaccinated 1-year-old children. During the 24-week Omicron wave, there were 7003/26,241,176 person-weeks symptomatic COVID-19 infections in the vaccinated group (38.2 per 105 person-weeks in 2-years-old and 25.5 per 105 person-weeks in 3-11 years-old) against 3577/2,312,273 (154.7 per 105 person-weeks) in the unvaccinated group. The observed overall vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic infection was 75.3% (95% CI, 73.5-77.0%) in 2-years-old children, and 83.5% (95% CI, 82.8-84.2%) in 3-11 years-old. It was somewhat lower during Omicron BA.1 then during Omicron BA.2 variant circulation, which took place 1-3 and 4-6 months after the end of the vaccination campaign. The effectiveness against severe symptomatic disease was 100.0% (95% CI not estimated) and 94.6% (95% CI, 82.0-98.6%) in the respective age groups. No child death from COVID-19 was observed. Interpretation: Immunization of 2-11 years-old with the SOBERANA-02-Plus scheme provided strong protection against symptomatic and severe disease caused by the Omicron variant, which was sustained during the six months post-vaccination follow-up. Our results contrast with the observations in previous real-world vaccine effectiveness studies in children, which might be explained by the type of immunity a conjugated protein-based vaccine induces and the vaccination strategy used. Funding: National Fund for Science and Technology (FONCI-CITMA-Cuba).

Pharmacodynamic of Recombinant Human Interferon Alpha-2b Nasal Drops and Effective Prophylaxis Against SARS-COV-2 Infection.

The recombinant human interferon alpha-2b (IFN-α2b) nasal drop formulation (Nasalferon) was studied as prophylaxis for SARS-CoV-2. Healthy volunteers between 19 and 80 years of age received 0.5 million international units of IFN in one drop (0.05 mL ) in each nostril, twice a day, for 10 consecutive days. The nondetection of SARS-CoV-2 by real-time polymerase chain reaction was the primary outcome variable. Several IFN-α biomarkers, including intranasal gene expression and innate immune effector activity, were increased in participants who received intranasal IFN-α2b. The study included 2,930 international travelers and 5,728 persons who were their close contacts. The subjects were treated with Nasalferon in January 2021, and 9,162 untreated travelers were included as controls. COVID-19 rate in treated subjects was significantly lower than in untreated subjects (0.05% vs. 4.84%). The proportion of travelers with COVID-19 decreased from 60.9% to 2.2% between December 2020 and February 2021. Furthermore, 1,719 tourism workers also received Nasalferon, and no cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were detected, whereas 39 COVID-19 cases (10.6%) were reported in 367 untreated subjects. The main adverse events associated with the use of intranasal IFN-α2b were nasal congestion, headache, and rhinorrhea. Our prophylactic health interventions study demonstrates that the daily administration of Nasalferon for 10 days decreases the risk of developing COVID-19 in healthy volunteers. [Figure: see text].

Caracterización genética de aislamientos de SARS-CoV-2 en las diferentes etapas pandémicas de COVID-19 en Cuba

Introducción: El desarrollo de vacunas seguras y eficaces contra el SARS-CoV-2 supuso un enorme reto para enfrentar la pandemia de la COVID-19. La aparición de nuevas variantes del SARS-CoV-2 representa un reto en la evaluación de la efectividad de las vacunas, diferentes candidatos vacunales y terapéuticos desarrollados por la comunidad científica. Objetivos: Caracterizar la diversidad genética de aislamientos virales cubanos en el periodo comprendido entre junio de 2020 y diciembre de 2022. Métodos: Se obtuvo el ARN de SARS-CoV-2 de 27 aislamientos a partir de sobrenadante de cultivo celular y se secuenció el gen S. Las secuencias generadas se emplearon para la identificación y posterior caracterización molecular de las variantes genéticas del virus mediante análisis filogenético y el uso de las herramientas disponibles en la base de datos GISEAD. Resultados: Las variantes detectadas en los aislamientos cubanos de SARS-CoV-2 estudiados se correspondieron a las identificadas en los estudios de vigilancia genómica realizados en las diferentes etapas pandémicas de la COVID-19 en Cuba. El 33,3 % de los aislamientos secuenciados correspondieron a los diferentes linajes de la variante Ómicron, seguido de la variante Beta B 1.351 (29,6 %), otros linajes de SARS-CoV-2 (25,9 %), Alfa B 1.1.7 (7,4 %) y Delta B.1.575 (3,7 %). Se detectó la mutación D614G en todos los aislamientos de SARS-CoV-2 estudiados. Conclusiones: La caracterización molecular de los aislamientos cubanos de SARS-CoV-2 tiene una elevada diversidad genética. Posibilita evaluar in vitro e in vivo los candidatos vacunales y agentes terapéuticos desarrollados por la industria biofarmacéutica cubana.

Introduction: The development of safe and effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 posed a huge challenge to face the COVID-19 pandemic. The appearance of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 represents a challenge in evaluating the effectiveness of vaccines, different vaccine and therapeutic candidates developed by the scientific community. Objectives: Characterize and analyze the genetic diversity of Cuban viral isolates, in the period between June 2020 and December 2022. Methods: SARS-CoV-2 RNA was obtained from 27 isolates from cell culture supernatant and the S gene was sequenced. The generated sequences were used for the identification and subsequent molecular characterization of the genetic variants of the virus through phylogenetic analysis and the use of the tools available in the GISEAD database. Results: The variants detected in the Cuban SARS-CoV-2 isolates corresponded to those identified in the genomic surveillance studies carried out in the different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba. 33.3% of the sequenced isolates corresponded to the different lineages of the Omicron variant, followed by Beta B 1.351 (29.6%), other SARS-CoV-2 lineages (25.9%), Alpha B 1.1.7 (7.4%) and Delta B.1.575 (3.7%). The D614G mutation was detected in all SARS-CoV-2 isolates studied. Conclusions: The molecular characterization of the Cuban isolates of SARS-CoV-2 has a high genetic diversity. It makes it possible to evaluate in vitro and in vivo vaccine candidates and therapeutic agents developed by the Cuban biopharmaceutical industry.

La Agencia de los Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional (USAID) como arma contra la colaboración médica internacional de Cuba

El artículo analiza la labor subversiva asignada por la administración de Biden a la Agencia de los Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional, para atacar a las brigadas médicas cubanas en el exterior. Especialmente, analiza el nuevo programa denominado Combatir el trabajo forzoso en las misiones médicas cubanas, y paralelamente, corrobora la existencia de una estrategia de boicot a la cooperación médica y a la exportación de servicios de salud, sobre todo dirigida a esta última modalidad, con el fin de cortar los ingresos económicos. El antecedente de este nuevo programa es uno similar financiado por el gobierno de Trump, en 2019, aunque este cuenta con 1 millón de dólares adicionales. Como la principal línea de mensaje que se emplea contra los convenios médicos cubanos internacionales, es que violan los derechos humanos al promover el trabajo esclavo, priorizan la búsqueda de testimonios para sustentar dicha campaña. El programa cuenta con elementos propios de acciones encubiertas y exige que los elegidos incidan dentro de Cuba y en países de América Latina. Esto último es consecuente con la estrategia sanitaria que Biden implementa para retomar su influencia en la región, además de restar protagonismo a Cuba. Finalmente, se demuestra que, aunque Biden le impone su impronta a la estrategia, es un continuador de Donald Trump.

The article analyzes the subversive work assigned by the Biden administration to the United States Agency for International Development, to attack Cuban medical brigades abroad. Specifically, it analyzes the new program called Combating forced labor in Cuban medical missions, and at the same time, corroborates the existence of a strategy to boycott medical cooperation and the export of health services, especially aimed at the latter modality, with the in order to cut off economic income. The background to this new program is a similar one funded by the Trump government in 2019, although it has an additional one million dollars. Since the main line of message used against international Cuban medical agreements is that they violate human rights by promoting slave labor, they prioritize the search for testimonies to support said campaign. The program has elements of covert actions and requires those elected to carry out actions within Cuba and in Latin American countries. The latter is consistent with the health strategy that Biden implements to regain his influence in the region, in addition to reducing Cuba's prominence. Finally, it is shown that, although Biden imposes his imprint on the strategy, he is a follower of Donald Trump.

Cáncer de mama en coraza en hombre: un caso poco frecuente

El cáncer de mama en coraza constituye una de las formas clínicas de presentación de las metástasis cutáneas del cáncer mamario. Es de aparición poco frecuente, sobre todo, en el sexo masculino. Se presenta el caso de un paciente de sexo masculino, de 74 años de edad, de color de piel negra, con antecedente de diabetes e hipertensión arterial que acudió a consulta de mastología provincial por presentar desde hacía algunos meses dolor discreto y unas lesiones pruriginosas en la mama derecha. Además de otros exámenes se le realizó biopsia escisional de pequeño fragmento de la lesión con estudio por parafina que informó metástasis cutánea de un carcinoma mamario en coraza según su forma de presentación clínica. Se muestra el caso porque no se localizó ninguna publicación en la provincia Cienfuegos ni en el país de un caso en el sexo masculino, por lo cual se considera de interés para el personal médico la publicación de este reporte.

Shell breast cancer is one of the clinical forms of presentation of cutaneous metastases of breast cancer. It is rare, especially in males. The case of a 74-year-old male patient with black skin color, with a history of diabetes and high blood pressure, who attended a provincial mastology consultation for a few months of mild pain and pruritic lesions on his neck, is presented the right breast. In addition to other examinations, an excisional biopsy of a small fragment of the lesion was performed with a paraffin study, which reported cutaneous metastasis of a shell breast carcinoma according to its clinical presentation. The case is shown because no publication was found in the province of Cienfuegos or in the country of a male case, which is why the publication of this report is considered of interest to medical personnel.

Mortalidad infantil en la provincia de Santiago de Cuba durante el período 2008-2022

Introducción: La tasa de mortalidad infantil es un indicador importante y sensible del bienestar y la calidad de vida de una población, muy usado para medir su estado de salud. Objetivo: Caracterizar la mortalidad infantil según semestres en la provincia de Santiago de Cuba durante 2008-2022. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional descriptico y transversal sobre la mortalidad infantil en la provincia de Santiago de Cuba durante los años 2008-2022. Para ello se analizó la relación existente entre los semestres de cada año respecto a los nacimientos, las defunciones y su incidencia en la tasa del país. Resultados: Se observó una disminución de los nacimientos y un incremento de las defunciones en cada quinquenio estudiado respecto al anterior. El número de fallecidos menores de un año fluctuó, con una tendencia al aumento a partir del 2019; asimismo, los indicadores de mortalidad infantil fueron inestables, con propensión al incremento, sobre todo en el segundo semestre, y peores resultados en el 2021 y 2022. Existió un descenso mantenido de los nacimientos a partir del 2011, que alcanzó 25,6 % en el 2022. Respecto a los semestres, en el segundo hubo mayor número de nacimientos, defunciones y tasas. Conclusiones: La provincia de Santiago de Cuba influye de forma directa en los resultados de la mortalidad infantil nacional, con una tasa superior a la exhibida por el país. El segundo semestre es el período en el que se incrementan los nacimientos y las defunciones, lo que incide en la elevación de las tasas respectivas.

Introduction: The infant mortality rate is an important and sensitive indicator of the well-being and life quality of a population, very used to measure the health state. Objective: To characterize the infant mortality in Santiago de Cuba province during the period 2008-2022. Methods: An observational descriptive and cross-sectional study about the infant mortality was carried out in Santiago de Cuba during the years 2008-2022. The existent relationship among the semesters of every year regarding births, deaths and their incidence in the country rate was analyzed. Results: A decrease of births and an increment of deaths were observed in each five year period studied regarding the previous one. The number of deceased children under one year fluctuated, with a tendency to the increase starting from 2019; also, the indicators of infant mortality were unstable, with tendency to the increment, mainly in the second semester, and worse results in 2021 and 2022. There was a maintained decrease of births since 2011 that reached 25.6% in 2022. In relation to semesters, in the second one there was a higher number of births, deaths and rates. Conclusions: Santiago de Cuba province influences in a direct way on the results of national infant mortality, with a superior rate to the one exhibited by the country. The second semester is the period in which births and deaths are increased, what impacts in the elevation of the respective rates.

Algunas precisiones a un artículo sobre las enfermedades otorrinolaringológicas padecidas por José Martí

José Martí, el más universal de los cubanos, el hombre que unió a sus compatriotas en el exilio y organizó la Guerra Necesaria, padeció varias entidades patológicas, entre ellas algunas de tipo otorrinolaringológico; pero estas no lograron detenerlo en su labor por alcanzar una patria libre. En el presente trabajo se precisan algunos deslices encontrados en una publicación donde se exponen las enfermedades otorrinolaringológicas que aquejaban al Apóstol.

José Martí, the most universal of Cubans, the man who united his compatriots in exile and organized The Necessary War, suffered from several pathological entities, including some of the otorhinolaryngological type; but these illnesses did not stop him in his work to achieve a free homeland. In the present work, some errors found in a publication that exposes the otorhinolaryngological diseases that afflicted the Apostle are specified.

Fecundidad adolescente en la provincia de Cienfuegos. Período 2012-2021

Fundamento el estudio de la fecundidad adolescente, así como su cambio en el tiempo es de gran importancia, ya que permite mostrar los avances o retrocesos de la misma. Objetivo caracterizar el comportamiento de la fecundidad adolescente en la provincia de Cienfuegos. Métodos estudio descriptivo, de corte transversal, que tuvo como universo de investigación toda la población femenina de 15-49 años de Cienfuegos en el período 2012-2021, así como los nacimientos ocurridos por este grupo de edad, además los de las madres menores de 15 años. Se analizaron los indicadores: tasa específica de fecundidad, haciendo énfasis en la tasa de fecundidad adolescente (15-19 años), edad media y peso de la tasa de fecundidad adolescente al total de la fecundidad. Los datos fueron obtenidos de los anuarios estadísticos de la Oficina Nacional de Estadística e Información, de la Dirección Nacional y Provincial de Estadísticas del Ministerio de Salud Pública. Resultados la tasa de fecundidad adolescente presenta ligeras oscilaciones, pasando de 46,7 hijos por mujer en el año 2012 a 45, 4 en el 2021. El grupo de edad de mayor fecundidad es el 20-24 años, la edad media se ubica en el grupo etario 25-29 años y los municipios de mayor peso a la fecundidad total son Abreus y Aguada de Pasajeros. Conclusiones la tasa de fecundidad adolescente muestra resistencia a la disminución, comportamiento que demuestra la necesidad de enfatizar en las políticas y estrategias de educación sexual a los grupos de edades más vulnerables dentro del grupo reproductivo.

Foundation: the adolescent fertility study, as well as its change over time, is of great importance, since it allows us to show its progress or setbacks. Objective: characterize the fertility behavior in the Cienfuegos province. Methods: descriptive, cross-sectional study, which had as the research universe the entire female population aged 15-49 years old of Cienfuegos from 2012 to 2021, as well as the births that occurred in this age group, in addition to those of 15 years old younger mothers. The analyzed indicators were: specific fertility rate, emphasizing the adolescent fertility rate (15-19 years old), average age and weight of the adolescent fertility rate to total fertility. The data were obtained from the National Office of Statistics and Information statistical yearbooks, of the National and Provincial Public Health Ministry Directorate of Statistics. Results: the adolescent fertility rate presents slight oscillations, going from 46.7 children per woman in 2012 to 45.4 in 2021. The age group with the highest fertility is 20-24 years old, the average age is in the age group 25-29 years old and the municipalities with the greatest weight in total fertility are Abreus and Aguada de Pasajeros. Conclusions: the adolescent fertility rate shows resistance to decline, a behavior that demonstrates the need to emphasize sexual education policies and strategies for the most vulnerable age groups within the reproductive group.

Genome-wide analysis of the Siboney de Cuba cattle breed: genetic characterization and framing with cattle breeds worldwide.

Crossbreeding has been employed to address environmental challenges. One successful example is the Siboney de Cuba, developed in response to economic challenges in the 1960s. The aim of this study was to perform the first genomic characterization of the Siboney de Cuba breed, a successful hybrid breed resulting from the crossbreeding of Cuban Zebu and Holstein, using SNP array chip. For this purpose, 48 Siboney de Cuba cattle samples were collected and genotyped with the GGP Bovine 100k BeadChip, resulting in 83,314 SNPs after quality control. The genetic diversity was investigated using observed and expected heterozygosity, inbreeding coefficient, and minor allele frequency. Runs of homozygosity (ROH) analysis provided insights into molecular inbreeding. Additionally, the study investigated copy number variants (CNV), identifying CNV regions and their distribution. The genetic relationship and population structure of Siboney de Cuba were analyzed in comparison with worldwide cattle populations using ADMIXTURE, multidimensional scaling, and phylogenetic analysis. Six ROH islands containing a total of 50 genes were discovered, some of which were uncharacterized loci. Furthermore, 792 CNV with higher occurrence of genetic material loss were observed. The overall genome coverage for CNV regions was 2.16%. The Siboney de Cuba exhibited a good level of genetic variability with high heterozygosity and low inbreeding when compared with other cattle breeds worldwide. Also, the breed shared genetic similarity to hybrids from America and Bos indicus from Africa and highlighted a moderate level of genetic isolation with some overlaps with Bos taurus from America. The breed showed a complex genetic composition, influenced by historical factors. Overall, findings of the present study contribute to the understanding of genomic structure of Siboney de Cuba cattle breed.

Chemical and C and N stable isotope compositions of three species of epiphytic Tillandsia in a Caribbean coastal zone: air pollution sources and biomonitoring implications.

We characterized the elemental and C and N stable isotope compositions of Tillandsia fasciculata Sw., Tillandsia balbisiana Schult. & Schult.f. and Tillandsia recurvata (L.) L. samples collected in Cienfuegos (Cuba). Results showed high enrichment factors for S, Hg, Cd, Pb, P, Zn, Cu, Mo, Sb and Ca in all Tillandsia species, indicating inputs from local anthropogenic activities (road traffic, industries and cement production). Carbon concentrations and δ13C varied from 38.3-47.7 % and -20.4 to -13.4 ‰ within the three species, respectively. δ13C showed seasonal dependence with the dry and wet periods and more 13C-depleted values in urban/industrial areas, coherent with the input of anthropogenic emissions. Nitrogen concentrations (0.4-1.3 %) and δ15N values (-9.9-4.4 ‰) exhibit larger variations and are positively correlated in the three species. The most positive δ15N in T. recurvata (-0.2-4.4 ‰) are attributed to contributions from industrial activities and road traffic. In fact, both δ15N and total nitrogen (TN) values increase in sites with higher road traffic and show significant correlations with typical road traffic and industrial tracers. Finally, we calculate an average total nitrogen deposition rate of 4.4 ± 2.3 kg ha-1 a-1 from N content in T. recurvata, similar to the existing values determined in the region by field measurements, but higher than the global terrestrial average.

Assessing greenhouse gas emissions in Cuban agricultural soils: Implications for climate change and rice (Oryza sativa L.) production.

Assessing the impact of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on agricultural soils is crucial for ensuring food production sustainability in the global effort to combat climate change. The present study delves to comprehensively assess GHG emissions in Cuba's agricultural soil and analyze its implications for rice production and climate change because of its rich agriculture cultivation tradition and diverse agro-ecological zones from the period of 1990-2022. In this research, based on Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach the empirical findings depicts that in short run, a positive and significant impact of 1.60 percent % in Cuba's rice production. The higher amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels improves photosynthesis, and stimulates the growth of rice plants, resulting in greater grain yields. On the other hand, rice production index raising GHG emissions from agriculture by 0.35 % in the short run. Furthermore, a significant and positive impact on rice production is found in relation to the farm machinery i.e., 3.1 %. Conversely, an adverse and significant impact of land quality was observed on rice production i.e., -5.5 %. The reliability of models was confirmed by CUSUM and CUSUM square plot. Diagnostic tests ensure the absence of serial correlation and heteroscedasticity in the models. Additionally, the forecasting results are obtained from the three machine learning models i.e. feed forward neural network (FFNN), support vector machines (SVM) and adaptive boosting technique (Adaboost). Through the % MAPE criterion, it is evident that FFNN has achieved high precision (91 %). Based on the empirical findings, the study proposed the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices and incentives should be given to the farmers so that future generations inherit a world that is sustainable, and healthy.

A collaborative approach to develop indicators for quality of care for ST segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in networks without coronary intervention: A position paper.

BACKGROUND: Data about performance measures (PM) in patients with ST segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) in low- and middle-income countries is really scarce. One of the reasons is the lack of appropriate measures for these scenarios where coronary intervention is not the standard treatment. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a set of PM and quality markers for patients with STEMI in these countries. METHODS: Two investigators systematically reviewed existing guidelines and scientific literature to identify potential PM by referring to documents searched through PubMed from 2010 through 2019, using terms "Myocardial Infarction", "STEMI", "quality indicator", and "performance measure". A modified Delphi technique, involving multidisciplinary panel interview, was used. A 15-member multidisciplinary expert panel individually rated each potential indicator on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) during three rounds. All indicators that received a median score ≥4.5, in final round without significant disagreement were included as PM. RESULTS: Through the consensus-building process, 84 potential indicators were found, of which 10 were proposed as performance measures and 2 as quality metrics, as follows: Pre-Hospital Electrocardiogram; Patients with reperfusion therapy; Pre-hospital Reperfusion; Ischemic time less than 120 minutes; System delay time less than 90 minutes; In-hospital Mortality; Complete in-hospital Treatment; Complete in-hospital Treatment in patients with Heart Failure; 30 day-Re-admissions; 30 day-mortality; Patients with in-hospital stress test performed; and, Patients included in rehabilitation programs. CONCLUSION: This document provides the official set of PM of attention in ST segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction of the Cuban Society of Cardiology and Cuban National Group of Cardiology.