Natural Enemies of the Harrisia Cactus Mealybug and Other Hypogeococcus Species (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Puerto Rico: Identification and Taxonomic Notes on Primary and Secondary Parasitoids.

Primary and secondary parasitoids of Hypogeococcus spp. (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on Cactaceae, Amaranthaceae, and Portulacaceae were reported from field surveys conducted in Puerto Rico, USA, since 2009. Resident natural enemies of the Harrisia cactus mealybug (HCM), Hypogeococcus sp., which is devastating native cacti in Puerto Rico and threatening cacti in the adjacent Caribbean islands, were documented prior to the planned introductions of non-native biological control agents from South America against this pest. Two species of Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) were recorded as primary parasitoids of the HCM on Cactaceae: Leptomastidea hypogeococci Triapitsyn, which was the most common, and Anagyrus quilmes Triapitsyn, Logarzo & Aguirre. Another primary parasitoid, Acerophagus sp. near nubilipennis Dozier (Encyrtidae), was also reared from a different Hypogeococcus sp. on Amaranthaceae and Portulacaceae. Hyperparasitoids, usually via L. hypogeococci, included Prochiloneurus narendrani Noyes & Triapitsyn (Encyrtidae), Pachyneuron sp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), Chartocerus elongatus (Girault), and Chartocerus niger (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Signiphoridae). Cheiloneurus chrisiantorresi Triapitsyn sp. n. (Encyrtidae) is newly described and illustrated; its status as a suspect hyperparasitoid of Hypogeococcus sp. on Amaranthaceae and Portulacaceae, along with that of Cheiloneurus sp., will need to be verified. The recorded HCM predators include one species of Chamaemyiidae (Diptera), Leucopina bella (Loew), and three species of Coccinellidae (Coleoptera): Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant, Decadiomus austrinus (Gordon), and Scymnobius flavifrons (Melsheimer).

The anti-CD6 antibody itolizumab provides clinical benefit without lymphopenia in rheumatoid arthritis patients: results from a 6-month, open-label Phase I clinical trial.

Itolizumab is a humanized anti-CD6 monoclonal antibody (mAb) that has previously shown encouraging results, in terms of safety and positive clinical effects, in a 6-week monotherapy clinical trial conducted in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The current Phase I study evaluated the safety and clinical response for a longer treatment of 12 itolizumab intravenous doses in subjects with active RA despite previous disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy. Twenty-one subjects were enrolled into four dosage groups (0·1, 0·2, 0·4 and 0·8 mg/kg). Efficacy end-points including American College of Rheumatology (ACR)20, ACR50 and ACR70 response rates and disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) were monitored at baseline and at specific time-points during a 10-week follow-up period. Itolizumab was well tolerated up to the highest tested dose. No related serious adverse events were reported and most adverse events were mild. Remarkably, itolizumab treatment did not produce lymphopenia and, therefore, was not associated with infections. All patients achieved a clinical response (ACR20) at least once during the study. Eleven subjects (55%) achieved at least a 20% improvement in ACR just 1 week after the first itolizumab administration. The clinical response was observed from the beginning of the treatment and was sustained during 24 weeks. The efficacy profile of this 12-week treatment was similar to that of the previous study (6-week treatment). These results reinforce the safety profile of itolizumab and provide further evidence on the clinical benefit from the use of this anti-CD6 mAb in RA patients.

Seroprevalence in Household Raised Pigs Indicate High Exposure to GII Noroviruses in Rural Nicaragua.

Information about porcine norovirus (PoNoV), genetically similar to human NoV (HuNoV), is limited from rural areas where household-raised pigs are heavily exposed to faecal material which could facilitate transmission. Histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) are known susceptibility factors to NoV in humans and in a germfree piglet model but their role in susceptibility in the porcine population remains unknown. This study reports: (i) the seroprevalence and antibody titres to human norovirus (NoV) VLPs in household raised pigs; (ii) the distribution of HBGAs in relation to NoV IgG antibody titres and further characterization by blocking of GII.4 VLP binding to pig gastric mucins (PGM). The majority of pigs were seropositive to all three VLPs tested (58-70%) with seropositivity and cross-reactivity increasing significantly with age. However, pig sera could not block the binding of NoV GII.4 VLPs (Dijon) to PGM suggesting no previous infection with this genotype. The majority of the pigs were H-positive (84%), a susceptibility factor for human infections. IgG antibody titres were however higher in H-negative (GMT = 247) as compared with H-positive (GMT = 57) pigs, but after age stratification, this difference in antibody titres was only observed in pigs ≤1 month of age. In conclusion, serological data show that the porcine population of Nicaragua is highly exposed to NoV infections, and the association to HBGAs warrants further investigation.

Coexistence and interfacial properties of a triangle-well mimicking the Lennard-Jones fluid and a comparison with noble gases.

Coexistence and interfacial properties of a triangle-well (TW) fluid are obtained with the aim of mimicking the Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential and approach the properties of noble gases. For this purpose, the scope of the TW is varied to match vapor-liquid densities and surface tension. Surface tension and coexistence curves of TW systems with different ranges were calculated with replica exchange Monte Carlo and compared to those data previously reported in the literature for truncated and shifted (STS), truncated (ST), and full Lennard-Jones (full-LJ) potentials. We observed that the scope of the TW potential must be increased to approach the STS, ST, and full-LJ properties. In spite of the simplicity of TW expression, a remarkable agreement is found. Furthermore, the variable scope of the TW allows for a good match of the experimental data of argon and xenon.

Large increase of rotavirus diarrhoea in the hospital setting associated with emergence of G12 genotype in a highly vaccinated population in Nicaragua.

Rotaviruses (RVs) are a major cause of severe diarrhoea in young children. Nicaragua introduced routine immunization with the pentavalent RV vaccine (RV5) in 2006, which greatly reduced the incidence of diarrhoea. A remaining concern has been the possible emergence of new RV strains to which the vaccination has less effect. In this study, 837 children with diarrhoea in hospital settings were investigated for RV between May 2011 and July 2013. RVs were subsequently typed by multiplex PCR and/or sequencing. Fecal anti-RV IgA titres for a subset of RV-infected (n = 137) and noninfected children (n = 52) were determined with an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The RV detection rate was 8% in 2011, followed by a sharp increase to 29% in 2012 and 19% in 2013. This was associated with emergence and predominance of genotype G12 RV, from 0% in 2011 to 66% in 2012 and 82% in 2013, infecting children from 1 month to 10 years of age. Two sequenced G12 strains showed a Wa-like genome with genotype G12-P[8]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1, similar to the globally emerging G12 strains. Fecal anti-RV IgA analysis showed that most G12-infected and noninfected children had been in contact with either vaccine or wild RV strains, but such antibodies did not prevent symptomatic G12 infection. A marked increase of RV was evident in the hospital setting associated with a nationwide emergence and predominance of RV G12 genotype in a population with high RV5 vaccine coverage.

[Dyslalias associated to maloclussion in schoolchildren]. / Dislalias asociadas a maloclusión dental en escolares.

BACKGROUND: The test for evaluating phonological simplification processes (TEPROSIF, according to its initials in Spanish) is a tool which is used to identify dyslalias. Our objective was to establish, by using TEPROSIF, the association between dyslalias and malocclusion in children from 4 to 6 years of age. METHODS: After we standardized the tool with a kappa of 0.9, we applied it to 116 children from 4 to 6 years of age. Patients were conducted to a central occlusion through deglutition. We observed type of bite, overbite, occlusion and terminal plane in order to relate them to the dyslalia presented. For statistical analysis, we used chi-squared test (p < 0.05). RESULTS: They were 55 (47.4 %) boys and 61 (52.6 %) girls, with a median age of 5 years ± 0.71. Phoneme substitution was the most common alteration. We found significant correlation between omission of the phonemes and terminal plane (p = 0.01), Baume type I arch (p = 0.00) and absence of teeth (p = 0.00), as well as between phoneme substitution and terminal plane (p = 0.03), bite type (p = 0.01) and absence of teeth (p = 0.00). CONCLUSIONS: Phoneme substitution is the most common alteration, followed by omission and distortion of phonemes in children between 4 and 6 years of age.

Introducción: el test para evaluar los procesos fonológicos de simplificación (TEPROSIF) es un instrumento que sirve para identificar las dislalias. El objetivo fue determinar la asociación entre dislalias y maloclusión dental en niños de 4 a 6 años mediante la aplicación del TEPROSIF. Métodos: después de su estandarización (kappa 0.9) el instrumento se aplicó en 116 niños de 4 a 6 años. Los pacientes se llevaron a oclusión céntrica por deglución. Se observó tipo de mordida, sobremordida, oclusión y plano terminal para relacionarlos con la dislalia presentada. Utilizamos ?? y consideramos estadísticamente significativa una p = 0.05. Resultados: fueron un total de 55 niños (47.4 %) y 61 niñas (52.6 %), con edad media de 5 años + 0.71. La sustitución de fonemas se encontró con más frecuencia. Hubo correlación significativa entre omisión de fonemas y plano terminal (p = 0.01), arco de Baume tipo I (p = 0.00) y ausencia de dientes (p = 0.00). También entre sustitución de fonemas y plano terminal (p = 0.03), tipo de mordida (p = 0.01) y ausencia de dientes (p = 0.00). Conclusión: en niños de 4 a 6 años, la sustitución de fonemas es la alteración más frecuente; esta va seguida de la omisión de fonemas y, por último, la distorsión de fonemas.

El examen de las pupilas en el neuromonitoreo clínico del paciente con trauma craneoencefálico / The examination of the pupils in the clinical neuromonitoring of the patient with trauma cranioencephalic

El neuromonitoreo clínico intensivo de los pacientes con trauma craneoencefálico, asociado a novedosas tecnologías imagenológicas y funcionales, facilita la detección precoz de complicaciones intracraneales para disminuir la mortalidad y la discapacidad. En los casos graves, la mayoría de los aspectos del examen neurológico está afectado por el uso de analgésicos, sedantes y relajantes musculares necesarios para aliviar los síntomas y permitir una ventilación mecánica adecuada. El examen de las pupilas, junto a la escala del coma de Glasgow, constituye una de las armas clínicas más valiosas utilizadas para el seguimiento clínico intensivo de estos enfermos. En el siguiente artículo se realiza una revisión sobre las principales alteraciones pupilares que pueden encontrarse en los pacientes con trauma craneoencefálico y facilitar su interpretación, en ocasiones compleja.(AU)

Clinical intensive neuromonitoring of patients with craneoencephalic trauma, along with novel images and functional technologies, facilitates the early detection of intracranial complications to decrease mortality and disabilities. In severe cases, most of the neurological exam is bias because of the use of analgesic, sedatives and muscle relaxant drugs needed for relieving the symptoms and mechanical ventilation. Pupillary examination along with the Glasgow coma scale is one of the most valuable clinical resources used for the intensive clinical following of these patients. In the following article a review of the main alterations of the pupillary response that can be found in the acute injured patient to help in its interpretation is performed.(AU)

Synthesis and anabolic/androgenic evaluation of novel 9alpha-fluorosteroids.

3Beta,11beta-dihydroxy-9alpha-fluor-5alpha-androstane-17-one (2), 3beta-acetoxy-9alpha-fluor-11beta-hydroxy-5alpha-androstane-17-one (3), 3beta-acetoxy-9alpha-fluor-11beta,17beta-dihydroxy-5alpha-androstane (4), 3beta,17beta-diacetoxy-9alpha-fluor-11beta-hydroxy-5alpha-androstane (5), 3beta-acetoxy-9alpha-fluor-11beta-hydroxy-5alpha-androstane 17beta-propionate (6), 3beta-acetoxy-9alpha-fluor-11beta-hydroxy-5alpha-androstane 17beta-enanthate (7), 3beta-acetoxy-9alpha-fluor-11beta-hydroxy-5alpha-androstane 17beta-isobutyrate (8) were synthesized in the present study. Compounds 2 and 8 exhibited higher anabolic activity than the rest of the synthesized compounds. The structure of all these newly synthesized compounds was confirmed by analytic spectral data (mass, (1)H NMR and (13)C NMR).

Thermodynamic properties of short-range square well fluid.

The interfacial properties of short-range square well fluid with lambda=1.15, 1.25, and 1.375 were determined by using single canonical Monte Carlo simulations. Simulations were carried out in the vapor-liquid region. The coexistence curves of these models were calculated and compared to those previously reported in the literature and good agreement was found among them. We found that the surface tension curves for any potential model of short range form a single master curve when we plot gamma* vs TT(c). It is demonstrated that the critical reduced second virial coefficient B(2)* as a function of interaction range or T(c)* is not constant.

Ethyl methyl 1,4-dihydro-4-(3-nitrophenyl)-2, 6-bis(1-piperidylmethyl)pyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate.

In the title compound, C(28)H(38)N(4)O(6), the 4-aryl substituent occupies a pseudo-axial position approximately orthogonal to the plane of the dihydropyridine ring [88.1 (3) degrees ]. The dihydropyridine ring adopts a flattened boat conformation. The H atom on the pyridine N atom is involved in a bifurcated intramolecular hydrogen bond, the acceptors being the N atoms of the two piperidylmethyl groups [N.N 2.629 (4) and 2.695 (4) A].

Synthesis, structural studies and pharmacological activity of novel bicyclic compounds derived from 3,4-dihydropyridones: 4-aryl-7,7-dimethyl-2,5-dioxo-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroquinolines.

The purpose of this research is to characterize the possible vascular selectivity of a series of novel bicyclic compounds derived from 3,4-dihydropyridones. We describe the synthesis, structural study by X-ray analysis and quantum chemical calculations at semiempirical (AMI) and ab initio (HF/321G) levels and pharmacological activity of these 4-aryl-7,7-dimethyl-2,5-dioxo-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroquinolines. In addition, the more favoured conformation for compounds 4a-c in solution was determined from the calculated and experimental proton coupling constants. We report the first computational study on the structure of octahydroquinolines. The results of ab initio (HF/3-21G) and semiempirical molecular orbital calculations (AMI) are compared with the data obtained by X-ray crystallographic study for 4a.

Análisis de triclosán y zinc en productos dentales / Triclosan and zinc analysis in dental products

Se presentan técnicas y metodologías para determinar zinc y triclosán en pastas dentales y enjuagatorios se comparan sus concentraciones en las distintas formulaciones. La determinación de triclosán se realiza espectrofotométricamente a 281 nm (UV) previa extracción con solventes orgánicos, la concentración de triclosán se mide utilizando una curva de calibración. El zinc se tituló espectrofotométricamente con EDTA en presencia de negro de eriocromo T (neT) a 560 nm, La concentración de zinc en las muestras se determina a través de una resolución gráfica de la titulación espectrofotometrica. Los valores de triclosán en el enjuagatorio están en el rango de 0,03 porciento y 0,23 porciento y 0,24 porciento para los dentífricos analizados. El porcentaje promedio de zinc (sulfato) en los enjuagatorios analizados es de 0,23 porciento y de 0,47 porciento para el dentífrico (citrato). El zinc y triclosán presentan concentraciones más bajas en los enjuagatorios al compararlas con dentífricos que los contienen

Determinación potenciométrica de fluoruros en dentríficos y aguas de abasto / Potenciometric determination of fluorides in toothpastes and water supplying

Se presentan las metodologías de determinación de fluoruros en dentríficos y aguas de abasto. En la determinación del flúor tanto en dentríficos como en aguas de abasto se utilizó el método potenciométrico y un electrodo específico para fluoruros. La metodología utilizada para dentríficos permite identificar y cuantificar tanto tipos como formas de fluoruros, donde a través de una extracción acuosa y una posterior hidrólisis ácida es posible conocer el flúor iónico total soluble y los tipos de fluoruro (NaF y NaMFP). El método para determinación de flúor en aguas permite analizar muestras en forma directa la concentración de 1,4 ppm, y en form indirecta aguas con menos 0,6 ppm

Concentración de flúor en fluoruros de empleo tópico en odontología / Fluor concentration in topic used fluorides in odontology

En muestras de fluoruros tópicos de uso odontológico empleados en el país de diversos tipo, origen y formas farmacéuticas se analizó su condición de expendio de acuerdo a las normas entregadas por el Instituto de Salud Pública, se determinó la concentración de flúor total soluble que ellas presentan mediante un método potenciométrico, y se cuantificó el pH de los productos. Los resultados nos indican que la mayoría de los fluoruros tópicos de procedencia extranjera no presentan registro sanitario. El relación a la determinación de pH casi todos los productos presentan carácter ácido y las determinaciones de fluoruro indican coincidencia entre lo declarado y lo encontrado para los productos tópicos de baja concentración de fluoruro, pero no para los de alta concentración. Se recomienda una mayor fiscalización de la comunidad odontológica sobre los fluoruros de uso tópico sobre todo en los de origen foráneo, porque se podrían estar usando productos que no cumplen los requisitos necesarios de concentración de flúor

Cuantificación de fluoruros en dentífricos infantiles, su uso e ingesta por niños / Quantification of fluorides in dentifrices for children, its use and uptake by children

Se analizaron muestras de tres dentífricos infantiles de diferentes fechas de elaboración, A (Na MFP), B (NaF) y C (NaMFP) con el fin de determinarles a través de un método potenciómetro el contenido de flúor iónico y el flúor total soluble. Encontrándose diferencias entre la cantidad de flúor declarada y la cuantificada, tanto para los dentífricos con NaMFP como para el dentífrico con NaF. La cuantificación de los fluoruros de los dentífricos en estudio determinó un bajo porcentaje de recuperación del NaMFP presente en el dentífrico A en relación a los esperado (65,79 por ciento), tanto en el porcentaje de recuperación del NaF proveniente del dentífrico B fue de 95,79 por ciento, resultado levemente superior a los valores determinados en otros dentífricos, para el dentífrico C (NaMFP) los porcentajes de recuperación están dentro de los límites esperados (86.59 por ciento). El estudio cinético de estabilidad indica que el tiempo de almacenamiento sólo afecta al dentífrico A, que contiene NaMFP (pendiente a=48,37), en cambio el dentífrico B con NaF presenta una pendiente cercana a cero (a=0,8) y el dentífrico C con una pendiente levemente negativa (a=2,17). Además se procedió a determinar la cantidad de dentífrico dosificado y fluoruro ingerido por niños entre 6-9 años al cepillarse los dientes con un dentífrico fluorurado infantil. La medición de fluoruro se hizo por un método potenciométrico tanto para el fluoruro dosificado como para el ión flúor, siendo la diferencia entre ambos valores la cantidad de fluoruro ingerida. Se pudo observar que el dentífrico dosificado por los niños es de 0,5868 g e ingieren un promedio de 0,2061 mg. de flúor diario, lo que corresponde a un 20 por ciento de a la dosis diaria de suplemento sistémico recomendada por la ADA para niños de esta edad, según el contenido de fluoruro en el agua de consumo que es de 0,20 ppm en este caso

Elevated platelet microparticles in transient ischemic attacks, lacunar infarcts, and multiinfarct dementias.

Platelets release microparticles (PMP) upon activation. Elevated levels of PMP were observed in patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), sometimes associated with a syndrome resembling transient ischemic attack (TIA), suggesting a thrombogenic potential for PMP. To determine if this association applies to TIA and other cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) without ITP, we studied PMP profiles in 71 patients with ischemic CVA: 28 with small vessel CVA (SCVA), either lacunar infarcts or TIA; 24 with large vessel CVA (LCVA); 19 with multiinfarct dementia (MID); 12 with Alzheimer's dementia (AD); and 31 healthy controls. The mean PMP values were: MID = 3.71 +/- 0.51; SCVA = 3.48 +/- 0.63; LCVA = 1.97 +/- 0.28; AD = 1.19 +/- 0.27; controls = 0.88 +/- 0.09, (all units x 10(7)/mL). PMP values in all groups except AD were significantly above normal (p < 0.01). However, the elevation in SCVA was more marked than in LCVA (p < 0.01). Administration of the calcium channel blocker, nifedipine, to 11 TIA patients reduced PMP significantly.