Association between cycle threshold (Ct ) values and clinical and laboratory data in inpatients with COVID-19 and asymptomatic health workers.

In-house assays for the diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), are feasible alternatives, particularly in developing countries. Cycle threshold (Ct ) values obtained by qRT-PCR were compared with clinical and laboratory data from saliva of inpatients with COVID-19 and asymptomatic health workers (AHW) were studied. Saliva specimens from 58 inpatients confirmed by qRT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 using nasopharyngeal specimens, and 105 AHW were studied by qRT-PCR using three sets of primers for the N (N1, N2, and N3) gene of SARS-CoV-2, according to the CDC Diagnostic Panel protocol, showing a positivity of 88% for inpatients and 8% for AHW. Bivariate analysis revealed an association between Ct < 38.0 values for N2 and mechanical ventilation assistance among patients (p = .013). In addition, values of aspartate-transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, and ferritin showed significant correlations with Ct values of N1 and N3 genes in inpatients. Therefore, our results show that Ct values correlate with some relevant clinical data for inpatients with COVID-19.

An Overview on Research in a University Hospital, Using a Payback Framework Categorization Approach.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Little information is available on how to assess the impact of research studies conducted in government hospitals in Latin America and specifically in Mexico. We aimed to determine the returns on investment of the research projects that were carried out in the Hospital General "Dr. Manuel Gea Gonzalez" (HGMGG), a general university hospital located in Mexico City, using a categorization model. METHODS: We conducted a study including bibliometric analyses of publications associated with all research studies performed during the period 2016-2019 in the HGMGG and investigator interviews, according to the payback framework categorization model. RESULTS: All studies analyzed had a positive impact based on outcomes in 5 "payback categories": (1) knowledge; (2) research targeting, capacity building, and absorption; (3) policy and product development; (4) health benefits; and (5) broader economic benefits. CONCLUSIONS: To date, it has not been possible to establish a set of indicators that show the results of the investigations carried out by medical specialists in training, who carry out the bulk of medical care in general hospitals and in the National Institutes of Health in Mexico. We identified, in the 5 categories of the payback framework model, different areas of opportunity to improve the benefits of the hospital's medical services through the development of scientific research projects.

Hybrid tumours of the salivary glands. A report of two cases involving the palate and a review of the literature.

Hybrid tumours are very rare salivary gland lesions composed of two or more different tumoural entities in a single neoplasm that arise within a definite topographical region. In most cases adenoid cystic carcinoma has been the predominant component in these lesions. In this study we describe two patients with hybrid tumours located in the palate, one in a 49-year-old woman and one in a 71-year-old man. The first case involved adenoid cystic carcinoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma, and the patient in the second case exhibited adenoid cystic carcinoma and epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma. Both patients were treated with surgery and radiotherapy, and there has been no evidence of recurrence after 13 and 36 months of follow-up, respectively. The recognition of the histologic component with the higher grade of malignancy in every case of hybrid tumour of the salivary glands is a necessary step to determine the biological behaviour and, consequently, to determine the proper therapeutic approach.

Cordomas de cabeza y cuello: presentación de 10 casos / Head and neck chordomas: presentation of 10 cases

Se describen 10 casos de cordomas localizados en la región de cabeza y cuello, recopilados en el período de 1987 a 1997, cuyo tiempo de evolución fue de 41 meses (9-96 meses) y tamaño que fue valorable en cinco pacientes, variando entre 1.5 y 10cm. (6.3 cm. Promedio). La localización más frecuente fue la región del clivus (30 por ciento), seguida de la región cervical y la nasofaringe. Nueve de los casos fueron cordomas convencionales y uno cordoma condroide. Hubo estudios de inmunohistoquímica en cinco casos, que presentaron reactividad a queratina, proteína S-100 y EMA. El tratamiento fue quirúrgico con radioterapia postoperatoria. El 60 por ciento presentaron recurrencias o persistencia tumoral. El seguimiento promedio fue de 15.6 meses

Mixoma odontogénico: presentacion de dos casos / Odontogenic mixoma: presentation of two cases

Dos casos de mixoma en maxilar son descritos. Estos fueron encontrados durante la presencia de edema en maxilar izquierdo, en el primer caso y, por examen dental por persistencia del incisivo lateral superior, en el segundo caso. Los tumores fueron examinados por microscopia de luz, histoquímica, inmunohistoquímica y radiológicamente. Células estrelladas con procesos ramificantes inmersas en abundantes cantidades de mucopolisacáridos ácidos se encontraron. En el segundo caso, un odontoma compuesto con islas de epitelio odontogénico fue identificado. Debido a su morfología, debe diferenciarse de la hiperplasia folicular y de algunos sarcomas con material mixoide. Los dos tumores fueron positivos a filamentos de vimentina y negativos a PS-100. El tratamiento, en ambos casos consistió en resección quirúrgica y después de 14 y ocho meses de seguimiento, respectivamente, no hay evidencia de recurrencias.Palabras clave: Mixoma. Mixoma odontogénico. Neoplasias mixoides