The invasion of Patagonia by Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): inferences from mitochondrial DNA patterns.

The Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, which was introduced deliberately in Chile four decades ago for sport fishing and aquaculture, represents a rare example of a successful translocation of an anadromous Pacific salmon into the southern Hemisphere, offering a unique opportunity to examine the role of introduction history and genetic variability in invasion success. We used historical information and mitochondrial displacement loop sequences (D-loop) from seven colonized sites in Chile and Argentina and from native and naturalized Chinook salmon populations to determine population sources and to examine levels of genetic diversity associated with the invasion. The analysis revealed that the Chinook salmon invasion in Patagonia originated from multiple population sources from northwestern North America and New Zealand, and admixed in the invaded range generating genetically diverse populations. Genetic analyses further indicated that the colonization of new populations ahead of the invasion front appear to have occurred by noncontiguous dispersal. Dispersal patterns coincided with ocean circulation patterns dominated by the West Wind Drift and the Cape Horn Currents. We conclude that admixture following multiple introductions, as well as long-distance dispersal events may have facilitated the successful invasion and rapid dispersal of Chinook salmon into Patagonia.

[Hospital care of cerebrovascular accident and the state of patients 12 months after]. / Atención hospitalaria a la enfermedad cerebrovascular aguda y situación de los pacientes a los 12 meses.

OBJECTIVES: Cerebrovascular accident should be of key importance due to its magnitude in terms of mortality and disability. In this study we describe hospital care of patients and follow them one year after. The aims is to uncover areas of improvement in the care of patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Observational study of a randomized sample of 535 patient with a diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease, during de acute phase and 12 months after, using clinical records and telephone interview. RESULTS: Thirty five percent of patients arrived within 6 hours of the occurrence of the event. Thirty six percent had a CAT/MNR within 6 hours. Mortality at hospital was 13.8% increasing up to 26% at 12 months. At discharge 49% had a neurological deficiency. At 12 months 35.8% of the survivors interviewed showed a Barthel Index of less than 95 points. CONCLUSIONS: Organizational measures that guarantee a quick and systematic assessment of brain lesions, early diagnosis and active therapeutic offer, have to be implemented. In the sample studied, only 3% of the patient were candidates to thrombolytic therapy. Rehabilitation can and should play a more relevant role in the prevention of sequelae.

[Impact of 3 years of contract implementation on the quality of cataract surgery]. / Impacto de tres años de contrato-programa en la calidad de la cirugía de catarata.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the adequacy to clinical practice of cataract procedures contracted in the Gipuzkoa Health Area (in public as well as concerted hospitals) from 1995. A second aim is to identify the achievements obtained three years after its implementation comparing the data with those of 1994, a year before. METHODS: Before its implementation a multidisciplinar team established the number of surgical procedures to be contracted each year by age and sex, as well as the technical and quality conditions (out-patient surgery, loco-regional anaesthetic, facoemulsification, etc.). Data used for the assessment: Cataracts Registry of the Ophthalmologic Unit, Patient Management Categories and surgical waiting lists. RESULTS: During the period studied, 8,073 cataract operations were performed, 9% higher than expected. The distribution by age and sex was as estimated. Technical and quality standards were fulfilled, except for the surgical waiting list, in at least 75% of the procedures. The surgical technique mainly used was facoenmulsification, increasing from 15% in 1994 to 76.5% in 1997. CONCLUSION: The contracting of cataract surgery has allowed the assessment, reordering, and establishment of standards of care for all the professionals involved in the process. There were improvements in clinical practice during the period studied. This has given raise to the homogenisation of care in all the units following technical and quality standards, meaning better equity for the patients in need of the procedure.

Enfermedad diarréica aguda por Giardia lamblia / Giardia lamblia acute diarrhea disease

Objetivo: Conocer la patogenicidad de la Giardia lamblia como productora de enfermedad diarreca aguda (EDA). Lugar: Hospital Nacional Dos de Mayo, Lima, Perú. Material y Métodos: De 20 116 coproscopias provenientes de igual número de pacientes, hemos estudiado 57, por presentar G. lamblia singularmente. Provenían mayormente del Departamento de Lima. En el material fecal de ellos se realizó: 1) Reacción de Thevenon en heces; 2) Coloración de azul de metileno y lugol; 3) Concentración del parásito con la técnica de centrífugo - flotación de Faust; además 4) Hemograma; 5) Enterotest, 6) Estudio radiológico contrastado (tránsito intestinal). Resultados: Los 57 casos presentaron diarrea, anorexia, epigastralgia, náuseas y baja ponderal. Con el azul de metileno se encontró polimorfonucleares y/o monocitos en 3 por ciento. En el examen fecal seriado (3 muestras) se halló más de 150 quistes/gramo de heces y el enterotest verificó formas vegetativas y/o quísticas del flagelado. La reacción de Thevenon fue negativa. El estudio radiológico en 17 de 35 casos evidenció alteraciones morfológicas a nivel del segmento duodenoyeyunal. El hemograma reveló anemia moderada en 45 de 57 casos. La sintomatología cedió al manejo médico con metronidazol (26 giardiásicos) y/o albendazol (31 giardiásicos). Conclusión: Giardia lamblia, flagelado cosmopolita, es una de las causas productoras de la EDA en nuestra población.