The effect of COVID-19 on cancer incidences in the U.S.

Fundamental data analysis assists in the evaluation of critical questions to discern essential facts and elicit formerly invisible evidence. In this article, we provide clarity into a subtle phenomenon observed in cancer incidences throughout the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed the cancer incidence data from the American Cancer Society [1]. We partitioned the data into three groups: the pre-COVID-19 years (2017, 2018), during the COVID-19 years (2019, 2020, 2021), and the post-COVID-19 years (2022, 2023). In a novel manner, we applied principal components analysis (PCA), computed the angles between the cancer incidence vectors, and then added lognormal probability concepts in our analysis. Our analytic results revealed that the cancer incidences shifted within each era (pre, during, and post), with a meaningful change in the cancer incidences occurring in 2020, the peak of the COVID-19 era. We defined, computed, and interpreted the exceedance probability for a cancer type to have 1000 incidences in a future year among the breast, cervical, colorectal, uterine corpus, leukemia, lung & bronchus, melanoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, prostate, and urinary cancers. We also defined, estimated, and illustrated indices for other cancer diagnoses from the vantage point of breast cancer in pre, during, and post-COVID-19 eras. The angle vectors post the COVID-19 were 72% less than pre-pandemic and 28% less than during the pandemic. The movement of cancer vectors was dynamic between these eras, and movement greatly differed by type of cancer. A trend chart of cervical cancer showed statistical anomalies in the years 2019 and 2021. Based on our findings, a few future research directions are pointed out.

Heparan Sulfate and Sialic Acid in Viral Attachment: Two Sides of the Same Coin?

Sialic acids and heparan sulfates make up the outermost part of the cell membrane and the extracellular matrix. Both structures are characterized by being negatively charged, serving as receptors for various pathogens, and are highly expressed in the respiratory and digestive tracts. Numerous viruses use heparan sulfates as receptors to infect cells; in this group are HSV, HPV, and SARS-CoV-2. Other viruses require the cell to express sialic acids, as is the case in influenza A viruses and adenoviruses. This review aims to present, in a general way, the participation of glycoconjugates in viral entry, and therapeutic strategies focused on inhibiting the interaction between the virus and the glycoconjugates. Interestingly, there are few studies that suggest the participation of both glycoconjugates in the viruses addressed here. Considering the biological redundancy that exists between heparan sulfates and sialic acids, we propose that it is important to jointly evaluate and design strategies that contemplate inhibiting the interactions of both glycoconjugates. This approach will allow identifying new receptors and lead to a deeper understanding of interspecies transmission.

In Vitro Evidence of Differential Immunoregulatory Response between MDA-MB-231 and BT-474 Breast Cancer Cells Induced by Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Conditioned Medium.

Inside tumors, cancer cells display several mechanisms to create an immunosuppressive environment. On the other hand, by migration processes, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can be recruited by different cancer tumor types from tissues as distant as bone marrow and contribute to tumor pathogenesis. However, the impact of the immunoregulatory role of MSCs associated with the aggressiveness of breast cancer cells by soluble molecules has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, this in vitro work aimed to study the effect of the conditioned medium of human bone marrow-derived-MSCs (hBM-MSC-cm) on the immunoregulatory capability of MDA-MB-231 and BT-474 breast cancer cells. The hBM-MSC-cm on MDA-MB-231 cells induced the overexpression of TGF-ß, IDO, and IL-10 genes. Additionally, immunoregulation assays of mononuclear cells (MNCs) in co-culture with MDA-MB-231 and hBM-MSC-cm decreased lymphocyte proliferation, and increased proteins IL-10, TGF-ß, and IDO while also reducing TNF levels, shooting the proportion of regulatory T cells. Conversely, the hBM-MSC-cm did not affect the immunomodulatory capacity of BT-474 cells. Thus, a differential immunoregulatory effect was observed between both representative breast cancer cell lines from different origins. Thus, understanding the immune response in a broader tumor context could help to design therapeutic strategies based on the aggressive behavior of tumor cells.

Provision of Palliative Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review of Ambulatory Care Organizations in the United States.

Background and objectives: Ambulatory (outpatient) healthcare organizations continue to respond to the COVID-19 global pandemic using an array of initiatives to sustain a continuity of palliative care. Continuance of palliative care during major crises has been previously accomplished; however, the global pandemic presents new challenges to the US healthcare industry. Materials and methods: This systematic review queried four research databases to identify applicable studies related to the provision of palliative care during the pandemic in outpatient organizations within the United States. Results: There are two primary facilitators for the ongoing provision of palliative care for the outpatient segment of the United States healthcare industry: technology and advanced care planning. Researchers also identified two primary barriers in the outpatient setting impacting the continuance of palliative care: lack of resources and accessibility to care. Conclusions: This systematic review identified facilitators and barriers for palliative care initiatives in the United States that can further assist future outpatient (ambulatory care) providers at a global level as the pandemic and associated public health initiatives continue.

Exploring Health Outcomes for U.S. Veterans Compared to Non-Veterans from 2003 to 2019.

The physical demands on U.S. service members have increased significantly over the past several decades as the number of military operations requiring overseas deployment have expanded in frequency, duration, and intensity. These elevated demands from military operations placed upon a small subset of the population may be resulting in a group of individuals more at-risk for a variety of debilitating health conditions. To better understand how the U.S Veterans health outcomes compared to non-Veterans, this study utilized the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) dataset to examine 10 different self-reported morbidities. Yearly age-adjusted, population estimates from 2003 to 2019 were used for Veteran vs. non-Veteran. Complex weights were used to evaluate the panel series for each morbidity overweight/obesity, heart disease, stroke, skin cancer, cancer, COPD, arthritis, mental health, kidney disease, and diabetes. General linear models (GLM's) were created using 2019 data only to investigate any possible explanatory variables associated with these morbidities. The time series analysis showed that Veterans have disproportionately higher self-reported rates of each morbidity with the exception of mental health issues and heart disease. The GLM showed that when taking into account all the variables, Veterans disproportionately self-reported a higher amount of every morbidity with the exception of mental health. These data present an overall poor state of the health of the average U.S. Veteran. Our study findings suggest that when taken as a whole, these morbidities among Veterans could prompt the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to help develop more effective health interventions aimed at improving the overall health of the Veterans.

Obesity and Morbidity Risk in the U.S. Veteran.

The obesity epidemic in the United States has been well documented and serves as the basis for a number of health interventions across the nation. However, those who have served in the U.S. military (Veteran population) suffer from obesity in higher numbers and have an overall disproportionate poorer health status when compared to the health of the older non-Veteran population in the U.S. which may further compound their overall health risk. This study examined both the commonalities and the differences in obesity rates and the associated co-morbidities among the U.S. Veteran population, utilizing data from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). These data are considered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be the nation's best source for health-related survey data, and the 2018 version includes 437,467 observations. Study findings show not only a significantly higher risk of obesity in the U.S. Veteran population, but also a significantly higher level (higher odds ratio) of the associated co-morbidities when compared to non-Veterans, including coronary heart disease (CHD) or angina (odds ratio (OR) = 2.63); stroke (OR = 1.86); skin cancer (OR = 2.18); other cancers (OR = 1.73); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR = 1.52), emphysema, or chronic bronchitis; arthritis (OR = 1.52), rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia; depressive disorders (OR = 0.84), and diabetes (OR = 1.61) at the 0.95 confidence interval level.

Genetic ablation of SLK exacerbates glomerular injury in adriamycin nephrosis in mice.

Ste20-like kinase SLK is critical for embryonic development and may play an important role in wound healing, muscle homeostasis, cell migration, and tumor growth. Mice with podocyte-specific deletion of SLK show albuminuria and damage to podocytes as they age. The present study addressed the role of SLK in glomerular injury. We induced adriamycin nephrosis in 3- to 4-mo-old control and podocyte SLK knockout (KO) mice. Compared with control, SLK deletion exacerbated albuminuria and loss of podocytes, synaptopodin, and podocalyxin. Glomeruli of adriamycin-treated SLK KO mice showed diffuse increases in the matrix and sclerosis as well as collapse of the actin cytoskeleton. SLK can phosphorylate ezrin. The complex of phospho-ezrin, Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor 2, and podocalyxin in the apical domain of the podocyte is a key determinant of normal podocyte architecture. Deletion of SLK reduced glomerular ezrin and ezrin phosphorylation in adriamycin nephrosis. Also, deletion of SLK reduced the colocalization of ezrin and podocalyxin in the glomerulus. Cultured glomerular epithelial cells with KO of SLK showed reduced ezrin phosphorylation and podocalyxin expression as well as reduced F-actin. Thus, SLK deletion leads to podocyte injury as mice age and exacerbates injury in adriamycin nephrosis. The mechanism may at least in part involve ezrin phosphorylation as well as disruption of the cytoskeleton and podocyte apical membrane structure.

Olecranon mayo IIA fractures treated with transosseous high strength suture: A series of 29 cases.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to assess the causes and rates of re-operation in olecranon fractures in adults treated with transosseous suture. METHODS: We prospectively recruited 29 patients who were treated with this technique between 2010 and 2018. The type of suture used, tourniquet time and surgical time were analyzed for each one. X-rays were taken after 2 weeks, 6 weeks and 6 months, recording complications, causes, rates of re-operation and the final clinical condition. RESULTS: Median time for ischemia and surgery were 51 (95% CI:48;62) and 45 (95% CI:42;55) minutes respectively. The radiologic studies showed diastasis of the posterior cortex in the X-rays taken after 2 weeks and after 6 weeks in 7 (24,1%) cases. Of these cases, two (6,8%) were no longer followed-up after 6 months. There was only one case of aseptic non-union. Among these cases, two patients (6.8%) required surgical debridement due to acute soft tissue infection. No complication had any clinical impact, maintaining all patients full range of motion and no pain. Osteosynthesis removal was not necessary in any case. CONCLUSION: Transosseous suture with high strength thread is a valid alternative for treating Mayo IIA olecranon fractures in adult patients, decreasing re-operation rates for implant removal. There may be, in a moderate percentage of cases, radiologic diastasis of the posterior cortex at the fracture site, without causing pain nor limiting mobility LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

A biomechanical comparison of the modified Bunnell pullout and Teo intraosseous suture techniques for attachment of tendon to bone.

We compared the biomechanical properties of the Teo intraosseous suture technique with the modified Bunnell pullout technique in a cadaver model after a tendon to bone repair. Thirty-six fresh-frozen cadaveric fingers were assigned randomly to three groups (Teo, Bunnell and control groups). They were loaded cyclically from 2 to 15 N at 25 mm/min, for 500 cycles. Gap formation at the repair site was assessed every 100 cycles and then specimens were tested to failure. The Teo group had an approximately 30% smaller gap every 100 cycles and needed 30% more energy to obtain a 2 mm gap than the modified Bunnell group. Displacement after 500 cyclic loads was significantly lower in the Teo group than in the Bunnell group. For the failure of the Teo suture, it was necessary to apply 31% more load than the Bunnell technique.

A life-threatening situation due to a spider bite : a non-infectious necrotizing fasciitis.

We present the case of a healthy patient who sustained a spiderbite in the elbow and developed a non-infectious necrotizing fasciitis in the affected limb. Female patient aged 24 pain reported a spiderbite received some 72 h previously in Mexico (the spider was identified as a brown recluse spider-Loxosceles reclusa). Under the suspected diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis urgent surgery was indicated. During her hospital stay, the patient required three additional surgical procedures, and was discharged from hospital 30 days after admission. Spider bites in the limb may be limb-threatening and life-threatening. Emergency doctors should be aware of this possibility, because spiders can be unintentionally transported all over the world.

Hemodynamic Instability after Low-Energy Thigh Contusion Caused by Injury to the Femoral Artery: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Acute vascular injuries have been described in relation to high-energy trauma accidents or in patients undergoing surgery in the femoral area. We describe a healthy patient who sustained a direct, low-energy contusion in the thigh and presented haemodynamic instability. Arteriography was used to locate the point of bleeding, and embolisation and vessel occlusion were carried out to stop the haemorrhage. The genetic study identified the COL3A1 gene mutation; accordingly, the patient was diagnosed with the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV (vascular type).

On the existence of cardiomesenchymal stem cells.

The most efficient cells for cardiac regeneration are myocardium-resident cardiac stem cells. However, the limited availability of these cells restricts their utility for cardiac cellular therapy. Mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into a wide variety of tissues, but it is not simple to accurately direct cell differentiation into a specific lineage, such as cardiac tissue; this renders a low efficiency for cardiac regeneration therapy. Given the heterogeneity of mesenchymal stem cells, it may be possible to find specific stem cell subpopulations with a definite differentiation capacity toward cardiac lineage. A parameter to assess cardiac differentiation specificity could be surface marker expression; a population with an immunophenotype similar to cardiac stem cells may have a superior therapeutic value than unsorted mesenchymal stem cells. We hypothesize the existence of a cell line that combines the expression of cardiac stem cell surface markers with those of mesenchymal stem cells, a suitable name for this population is cardiomesenchymal stem cells (CMSC); such cells would be ideal for cardiac regeneration.

Modelo transdisciplinario para la investigación en salud pública / A transdisciplinary model for public health research

En la formación de recursos humanos que se desempeñan en el sector de la salud ha predominado un carácter disciplinario y fragmentado, con influencia en el diseño de las investigaciones y por lo tanto en la producción científica. Varios autores plantean que la formación universitaria debe transitar de la disciplinariedad hacia la transdisciplinariedad. Para obtener el sustento teórico sobre este tema de alcance internacional, en el 2012 se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en las bases de datos PubMed, Ebsco y SciELO, con los términos "investigación transdisciplinaria y traslacional" en los idiomas español e inglés. La mayoría de los autores consultados sostienen que la identificación de problemas desde diferentes perspectivas por parte de especialistas, miembros de las comunidades y directivos propiciará intervenciones intersectoriales más efectivas, y sugieren realizar un cambio organizacional en el que se modifiquen estilos de trabajo y formas auto-organizativas de la actividad científica. Finalmente, se propuso un modelo transdisciplinario para la investigación en salud pública que está basado en la utilización de las herramientas tradicionales de diseño de proyectos, pero con variantes provenientes del enfoque de los sistemas complejos.

Human resources education for health workers has been predominantly discipline-oriented and fragmented, influencing research design and, in turn, scientific output. Several authors argue that university education should transition from disciplinarity to transdisciplinarity. To gather the theoretical underpinnings for this subject of international interest, a literature search was conducted in the PubMed, EBSCO, and SciELO databases in 2012, using the terms "transdisciplinary and translational research" in Spanish and English. The majority of authors believe that identifying problems from different perspectives by specialists and community members and leaders will be conducive to more effective intersectoral interventions. They suggest undertaking organizational change to reshape reshaping work styles and self-organizational forms of scientific activity. Finally, a transdisciplinary model for public health research has been proposed that is based on traditional project design tools, but with variations borrowed from a complex systems approach.

An unusual presentation of herpes simplex in an immunocompromised patient.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a host-adapted human pathogen. HSV-I usually infects non-genital sites at a variety of locations. HSV-2 primarily involves genitalia. Both types can cause genital and orofacial infections, which are clinically indistinguishable. Initial HSV infection is usually asymptomatic or mild and self-limited, but instead of disappearing from the body during convalescence, the virus establishes a latent infection that persists for life. Rarely, there is severe visceral dissemination. This is a case report of an unusual presentation of herpes simplex in an immunocompromised adult patient with generalized skin lesions on the entire body. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in the literature of a disseminated herpes simplex in a patient with history of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Generalized HSV infection in immunodeficient adult patients could be fatal in spite of antiviral therapy. Early recognition of this entity is essential to expedite appropriate treatment and avoid future complications.

Terapia celular y regeneración cardiaca: ¿Dónde estamos? / Cellular therapy and cardiac regeneration: Where are we?

La terapia celular es un recurso prometedor para el tratamiento de la cardiopatía isquémica; mediante un procedimiento como la infusión directa o intravascular de células troncales al tejido dañado, es posible restituir la capacidad funcional del corazón. A pesar del éxito de los ensayos en animales, en humanos no se han obtenido los resultados esperados; además, se presenta una serie de limitantes éticas y prácticas que ponen en duda los resultados. Se ha comprobado que la terapia con células troncales mejora las propiedades electromecánicas del tejido cardiaco como tal; sin embargo, el beneficio funcional aún es poco convincente, pero no desalentador. La realización de ensayos clínicos más grandes y el perfeccionamiento de técnicas de seguimiento no invasivas son necesarios para evaluar de manera integral el beneficio de la terapia celular. Por otra parte, el problema de la supervivencia de las células injertadas es un conflicto relevante, lo que hace que la eficiencia de las células a transferir sea variable y generalmente baja; esto es causado principalmente por tres procesos: apoptosis, isquemia e inflamación. Hasta ahora, el mecanismo más prometedor para incrementar la viabilidad del injerto es la sobreexpresión de proteínas antiapoptóticas. Sin duda, el principal desafío para la terapia celular será determinar la estirpe más adecuada para el tratamiento. En esta revisión se describen los principales tipos de células que a la fecha han sido propuestas para la regeneración cardiaca: las células troncales embrionarias, las células pluripotentes inducidas, las células derivadas de médula ósea, los mioblastos esqueléticos y las células de tejido adiposo, entre otras.

Stem cell therapy is a promising resource for the treatment of ischemic heart disease; through direct or intravascular infusion of stem cells, functional capacity restitution is an achievable goal. Despite successful outcomes in animals, expected results have not been obtained in humans. Cell therapy for human beings has a series of ethical and practical concerns and insufficiently creditable. It has now been proven that stem cell therapy improves electromechanical performance of cardiac tissue itself; however, functional benefit is poorly convincing, even so, results are anything yet not discouraging. In order to accurately evaluate the benefit of stem cell therapy, larger clinical trials and less invasive follow-up procedures are needed. Nevertheless, cell survival is a particularly relevant issue for cell therapy; efficiency of the infusion procedure is variable and generally low; principally caused by three processes: apoptosis, ischemia and inflammation. The most assuring mean to increase cell viability is the overexpression of antiapoptotic proteins. Hence, the main challenge for cell therapy is to determine which cell line or lines are best suited for treatment. In this review, we describe the principal cell types currently used and proposed for cardiac regeneration: embryonic stem cells, pluripotent induced stem cells, bone-marrow derived cells, skeletal mioblasts and adipose tissue derived cells; and others.

Factores que pueden afectar la seguridad del paciente / Factors that may affect patient's safety

Fundamento: la seguridad del paciente es la garantía de las personas de estar libres de sufrir cualquier tipo de daño cuando interactúan con alguno de los servicios de salud. Objetivo: determinar factores que podrían afectar la seguridad del paciente a través de una investigación realizada en el Hospital Provincial y en el Hospital Pediátrico. Método: se realizó un estudio descriptivo, mediante la búsqueda de información bibliográfica sobre la temática de la seguridad del paciente, en las bases de datos disponibles en INFOMED. Para la primera etapa se diseña e implementa una encuesta de 49 preguntas que se les realiza en el año 2009 a trabajadores vinculados a la atención de salud. Para la segunda etapa se implementa una encuesta de 23 preguntas derivadas de las preguntas más relevantes de la primera etapa que se implementó en el Hospital Pediátrico y se va a realizar en el Hospital Provincial Univerrsitario Manuel Ascunce Domenech. El método analítico utilizado para ambas encuestas fue la técnica de componentes principales que permitió valorar la coincidencia de cada pregunta en relación a las posibles afectaciones a la seguridad del paciente. Resultados: la encuesta aplicada, para evaluar factores que afectan la seguridad del paciente fue adecuada. La técnica de componentes principales permitió valorar la importancia de cada pregunta en relación a las posibles afectaciones a la seguridad del paciente, las variables de respuesta se agruparon en seis constructos con un 62,1 % de varianza explicada. Las encuestas arrojaron que las afectaciones del ambiente laboral, el nivel general de interconexión y comunicación, el nivel de gestión del conocimiento, la capacidad de enfrentar imprevistos, la capacidad técnica, el cansancio y la pérdida de concentración podrían afectar la seguridad del paciente. Conclusiones: es posible obtener información in situ a partir del instrumento final obtenido en la última etapa que permita corregir de forma precoz algunas fallas que pudieran afectar la seguridad del paciente y corregirlas. La técnica de componentes principales resultó adecuada para evaluar estas respuestas en conjunto.

ABSTRACT Background: patient's safety is the guarantee of people to be free of suffering any kind of damage when interacting any of the health services. Objective: to determine factors that may affect patient's safety. Method: a descriptive study through a bibliographic review on patient's safety was conducted. The study was divided into two stages, in which surveys according to the technique of main components were implemented; this allowed value the coincidence of each question in relation to the possible impact to the patient´s safety. Results: the applied survey was appraised of adequate; response variables were grouped into six, with a 62.1 % of explained variance. The survey showed that affectations on labor atmosphere, general level of interconnection and communication, level on knowledge management, the capacity to face accidental facts, technical capacity, fatigue and loss of concentration could affect patient's safety. Conclusions: the information was obtained from the final instrument in the last stage. Some failures that could affect patient´s safety may be corrected early. The technique of main components was adequate to evaluate the answers as a whole.

Simulación de un brote de Influenza A H1N1 en una escuela primaria de Camagüey / Simulation of an outbreak of Influenza A H1N1 in a primary school from Camagüey

Fundamento: la dinámica de la vida moderna demuestra la necesidad del uso de modelos matemáticos y simulaciones para el análisis de la dispersión de enfermedades. Objetivo: mostrar el comportamiento de un posible brote epidémico de Influenza A H1N1, en una escuela primaria a partir de la entrada de un enfermo sin tomar ninguna medida de contención. Método: se realizó una simulación con el modelo Susceptible, Expuesto, Infectado y Recuperado, durante el mes de septiembre de 2009. Se asume en la primera simulación que no se tomó ninguna medida preventiva, en la segunda, que se tomaron medidas sólo a partir de los siete días de comenzar el brote. Se toma un índice de transmisibilidad de 0.35, una duración de la enfermedad de siete días y un período latente de un día. Resultados: el modelo de simulación mostró en el caso de no tomar ninguna medida, cómo se produciría un pico máximo de la enfermedad a los trece días de iniciado el mismo, con un total de 190 enfermos, con 99 recuperados y sólo declina de forma espontánea a los 50 días con el último enfermo, el número reproductivo básico fue de 2.22 Conclusiones: existe de forma libre y gratuita un conjunto de herramientas de cálculos y simulaciones que se pueden utilizar en la provincia por parte de los epidemiólogos y los profesores de esta rama de la Salud Pública.

Background: the dynamics of modern life has demonstrated the need for the use of mathematical models and simulations for the analysis of the spread of diseases. Objective: to show the behavior of a possible outbreak of Influenza A H1N1 in a primary school. Method: a simulation using the model Susceptible, Exposed, Infected and Recovered was performed, during September 2009. It is assumed in the first simulation that was not taken any preventive action, in the second one, those measures were taken only after a week of the outbreak onset. The transmission index of 0.35, the duration of the disease of seven days and a latent period of one day was taken. Results: the simulation model showed in the case of not taking any action, how there would be a peak of the disease to the 13 days of being initiated, with a total of 190 patients, 99 recovered; only decline spontaneously to 50 days with the last patient, the basic reproductive number was 2.22. Conclusions: there is a set of tools for calculations and simulations that may be used in the province by epidemiologists and teachers of this branch of public health for free.

Análisis de eficiencia relativa en el control del Aedes aegypti del municipio Camagüey / Analysis of relative efficiency in the Aedes aegypti control in Camagüey municipality

Fundamento: es posible identificar instituciones que utilizan de manera efectiva los recursos productivos puestos a su disposición, así como también se puede identificar aquellas unidades ineficientes mediante el análisis envolvente de datos. El Centro de Medicina y Complejidad de la provincia de Camagüey, junto a la Dirección Provincial de Salud y la Dirección Provincial de la lucha contra vectores, trabajan en un proyecto conjunto para la recolección, análisis y procesamiento de datos. Objetivo: realizar un análisis de eficiencia relativa del control del Aedes aegypti del municipio Camagüey, que se pueda incorporar de forma sistemática al sistema creado. Método: se realizó un análisis de eficiencia relativa a las nueve áreas de salud del municipio de Camagüey vinculadas al control del vector del Dengue, correspondiente al mes de julio del año 2010. Se utilizó la técnica de análisis envolvente, en particular el modelo Constant returns to scale, input oriented model in envelopment form. Se empleó el software Ri para su resolución. Para la selección de las variables a introducir en el modelo, se evaluó el aporte de cada una con la técnica estadística de componentes principales, para lo que se utilizó el programa SPSS 18. Resultados: se seleccionaron como entradas o gastos: gasolina, diesel, insecticida, cantidad de hombres involucrados; como salidas o producciones, cantidad de viviendas visitadas, muestras de adultos y de larvas realizadas, y cantidad de depósitos inspeccionados. Se mostró la eficiencia relativa de cada institución, así como las que pueden servir como puntos de referencia a las no eficientes. Se mostró también un sumario de los objetivos para mejorar la eficiencia a lograr en las entradas y en las salidas. Conclusiones: se identificaron áreas que operan con deficiencias productivas. Se puede introducir el modelo Análisis envolvente de datos de forma sistemática con los códigos abiertos del R.

Background: it is possible to identify institutions that use effectively, productive resources placed at their disposal, as well as to identify those inefficient units using data enveloping analysis. The Medicine and Complexity Center of Camagüey province, along with the Provincial Health Office and the Provincial Office of the fight against vectors, work in a joint project for the collection, analysis and data processing. Objective: to perform an analysis of relative efficiency of Aedes aegypti control in Camagüey municipality, which may be incorporated systematically into the created system. Method: an analysis of relative efficiency to nine health areas in Camagüey municipality related to the control of Dengue's vector was performed on July, 2010. The enveloping analysis technique, in particular the model constant returns to scale, input oriented model in envelopment form was used. The Ri software for its resolution was employed. Variables were assessed by its contribution of each with the statistical technique of main components; the 18 SPSS program was used. Results: selected income or expenditure: gasoline, diesel, insecticide, and number of men involved; as outputs or productions: amount of visited homes, samples of adults and larvae was carried out, and inspected deposits amount. The relative efficiency of each institution was showed, as well as the ones may serve as points of reference to the no efficient ones. A summary of the objectives to improve efficiency regarding income or expenditure also was expressed. Conclusions: the areas that operate with productive deficiencies were identified. Data enveloping analysis model may be inserted systematically with Ri open codes.

Bacterias patógenas aisladas en la nasofaringe de niños indígenas warao: Estado Sucre,Venezuela / Pathogenic bacteria isolated from the nasopharynx of indigenous Warao children: Sucre state, Venezuela

Para determinar la frecuencia de bacterias patógenas y su susceptibilidad antimicrobiana en muestras nasofaringeas de niños indígenas waraos de la comunidad María López, municipio Benítez del estado Sucre, con edades comprendidas entre 0 y 10 años, se procesaron 49 muestras recolectadas durante el período enero-marzo de 2008. La identificación bacteriana se realizó aplicando estudios bacteriológicos convencionales y la susceptibilidad antimicrobiana mediante el método de difusión en disco, siguiendo lineamientos del Instituto de Estándares de Laboratorios Clínicos (CLSI). Los resultados indicaron la presencia de Moraxella catarrhalis (28,6%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (26,5%), Staphylococcus aureus (14,3%) y Haemophilus influenzae (6,1%) en niños con y sin sintomatología. Las bacterias patógenas aisladas del tracto respiratorio superior fueron más frecuentes en el grupo de 0 a 5 años de edad, identificándose, principalmente, S. pneumoniae. Con respecto a la susceptibilidad antimicrobiana, S. pneumoniae mostró resistencia a tetraciclina (46,2%), trimetoprim-sulfametoxazol (38,5%), clindamicina (33,3%) y penicilina (23,1%). Los aislados de S. aureus expresaron sensibilidad a todos los antimicrobianos ensayados. El total de aislados de M. catarrhalis mostró resistencia a ampicilina y penicilina, además, resultaron productores de β-lactamasas. La presencia de bacterias patógenas a nivel nasofaríngeo en la población infantil, representa un riesgo para el desarrollo de infecciones severas del tracto respiratorio.

We collected and `processed 49 nasopharynx samples taken from indigenous Warao children 0-10 years old who lived at the María Lopez community of the Benitez Municipalit at Sucre State, with the purpose of determining the frequency of pathogenic bacteria and their antimicrobial sensitivity in samples collected from these children during the January-March 2008 period. The bacterial identification was obtained by applying conventional bacteriological methods and the antimicrobial sensitivity was determined by the disc diffusion method, following the guidelines of the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute. The results showed presence of Moraxella catarrhalis (28.6%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (26.5%), Staphylococcus aureus (14.3%) and Haemophilus influenza (6.1%) in children with and without symptoms. The pathogenic bacteria isolated from the upper respiratory tract were more frequent in the 0-5 year old group and the most frequent identification was S. pneumoniae. Regarding antimicrobial sensitivity, S. pneumoniae was resistant to tetracycline (46.2%), trimetoprim-sulphametoxazol (38.5%), clindamicyn (33.3%) and penicillin (23.1%). The S. aureus isolates were sensitive to all the antimicrobials studied. All the M. catarrhalis isolates were resistant to ampicillin and penicillin and were also β-lactamase producers. The presence of pathogenic bacteria at the nasopharynx level in child populations signifies a risk for the development of severe respiratory tract infections.

Algunas consideraciones sobre los egresados de la especialidad de higiene y epidemiología / Some considerations on the graduates of hygiene and epidemiology specialty

El área de salud ambiental del Centro Provincial de Higiene, Epidemiología y Microbiología de Camagüey constituye un importante sector que contribuye a garantizar la salud de la población en diferentes contextos. Objetivo: identificar del total de egresados de la especialidad cuantos de ellos fueron ubicados en el área de salud ambiental a partir de la integración de ambas disciplinas en la provincia y el país. Método: se realizó un estudio descriptivo se tuvieron en cuenta los 102 graduados de especialistas desde 1978, fecha de llegada de los primeros profesionales al Centro de Higiene procedente de Ciudad de La Habana, hasta al año 2009. La investigación se divide en dos etapas, una que abarca hasta 1989, fecha en que concluye la formación diferenciada de Higienistas y Epidemiólogos por separado y la otra a partir de esta última fecha en que se integran ambas especialidades en una sola figura académica y por la cual abogan los autores del artículo no obstante las dificultades encontradas en esta última etapa. Se exploran también las aspiraciones de los actuales residentes de la especialidad una vez graduados. Resultados: como principal hallazgo se encuentra que a partir del segundo período un solo profesional de 59 egresados es ubicado en al área de referencia, la prioridad a los servicios de atención primaria es muy pobre y la mayor parte de los actuales residentes desearían permanecer en el área de Epidemiología. Conclusiones: El actual proyecto se rediseñó de la formación académica de los residentes por parte del nivel central teniendo en cuenta los cinco perfiles básicos de salida, sin dejar de mantener la integración inicial, pudiera ser la solución adecuada al actual déficit de personal en el área de salud ambiental.

The environmental health area in the Provincial Center of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology from Camagüey is an important sector which contributes to ensuring the health of the population in different contexts. Objective: to identify from the total number of graduates in the specialty, how many of them were located in the environmental health area from the integration of both disciplines in our province and country. Method: a descriptive study was conducted taking into account the 102 graduates as specialists since 1978, date of arrival of the first professionals from the Hygiene Center to Havana, up to the year 2009. The research is divided into two stages, one covered until 1989, date in which concludes the differentiated training of hygienists and epidemiologists by separate and the other from the latter date where both specialties are integrated in a single academic figure which the authors of the article advocate, despite the difficulties encountered in this last stage. It explores the aspirations of the current residents of specialty once graduate. Results: as main finding was found from the second period just one professional of 59 graduates was located in the area of reference, the priority to primary health care services is very poor and most of the current residents would like to stay in the epidemiology area. Conclusions: the present project was redesign from the residents´ academic training on the part of the central level taking into account the five basic profiles of output, without maintaining the initial integration, could be the adequate answer to the current short-staffed in the environmental health area.