New diagnosis of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in 8 Latin-American countries during 2018.

BACKGROUND: Important prevention efforts have led to a reduction in mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) globally. However, new cases of paediatric HIV infections still occur. Early diagnosis of new HIV infections is essential to start an appropriate antiretroviral treatment to avoid childhood morbidity and mortality related to infection. The aim of this study was to describe the new cases of MTCT in Latin-American referral hospitals. METHODS: A retrospective, multicentre and descriptive study of the new cases of MTCT diagnosed during 2018 in 13 referral hospitals from 8 Latin-American countries (Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama) belonging to PLANTAIDS (Paediatric Network for Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment of HIV in Children), was conducted. PLANTAIDS is included in CYTED (Ibero-American Programme of Science and Technology for Development). RESULTS: Eighty-one children (40.7% males) were included, median age at diagnosis of 2.33 years (IQR:0.7-4.7). Less than 3% of women knew their HIV diagnosis before pregnancy. More than 80% of them were diagnosed after delivery, 8.7% during pregnancy, and 2.9% at delivery. Only one patient underwent antiretroviral therapy (ART) prior to pregnancy. At diagnosis, 50.0% of the children presented with an advanced stage of disease (stage C following the current CDC classification for HIV infection), and 34.4% had less than 15% CD4+ cells/mm3. The time elapsed between delivery and the maternal diagnosis was correlated with the age of children at diagnosis, ρ = 0.760, p < 0.001. Younger age at diagnosis (p = 0.03), a smaller number of previous hospitalizations (p < 0.01), and better immunovirological status (p < 0.01) were found in children whose mothers knew their HIV status at delivery, compared to mothers who were not aware of it. CONCLUSIONS: Although MTCT in Latin America has declined in recent years, our series shows there are still cases that indicate some failures in prevention, being a critical point to improve an earlier diagnosis of pregnant women. Half of the children were diagnosed in an advanced stage of disease and the delay in maternal diagnosis entailed a worse clinical and immunological child' prognosis.

Alkaline decomposition of synthetic jarosite with arsenic.

The widespread use of jarosite-type compounds to eliminate impurities in the hydrometallurgical industry is due to their capability to incorporate several elements into their structures. Some of these elements are of environmental importance (Pb(2+), Cr(6+), As(5+), Cd(2+), Hg(2+)). For the present paper, AsO4 (3-) was incorporated into the lattice of synthetic jarosite in order to carry out a reactivity study. Alkaline decomposition is characterized by removal of sulfate and potassium ions from the lattice and formation of a gel consisting of iron hydroxides with absorbed arsenate. Decomposition curves show an induction period followed by a conversion period. The induction period is independent of particle size and exponentially decreases with temperature. The conversion period is characterized by formation of a hydroxide halo that surrounds an unreacted jarosite core. During the conversion period in NaOH media for [OH(-)] > 8 × 10(-3) mol L(-1), the process showed a reaction order of 1.86, and an apparent activation energy of 60.3 kJ mol(-1) was obtained. On the other hand, during the conversion period in Ca(OH)2 media for [OH(-)] > 1.90 × 10(-2) mol L(-1), the reaction order was 1.15, and an apparent activation energy of 74.4 kJ mol(-1) was obtained. The results are consistent with the spherical particle model with decreasing core and chemical control.

Seroprevalence of high incidence congenital infections among pregnant women in Coatepeque, Guatemala and surrounding areas, 2017-2018.

Maternal infections during pregnancy can potentially cause birth defects and severe adverse effects in infants. From 2017 to 2018, we investigated the seroprevalence of five antibodies among 436 mother-infant pairs enrolled in a pregnancy cohort study in Coatepeque, Guatemala. Upon enrollment (< 20 weeks gestational age) and shortly after delivery, we measured the prevalence of IgG and IgM antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), rubella, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) in mothers and newborns and used rapid tests to detect HIV and syphilis (Treponema pallidum) in mothers. The mean cohort age was 24.5 years. Maternal T. gondii IgM and IgG seropositivity was 1.9% and 69.7%, respectively. No women were positive for HIV, syphilis, or rubella IgM. Maternal rubella IgG seropositivity was 80.8% and significantly increased with age. Maternal CMV IgM and IgG seropositivity were 2.3% and 99.5%, respectively. Of the 323 women tested at both timepoints, IgM reactivation occurred in one woman for T. gondii infection and in eight for CMV. No newborn was seropositive for CMV IgM or rubella IgM. One newborn was seropositive for T. gondii IgM. Congenital T. gondii and CMV infections are important public health issues for pregnant women, newborns, and healthcare providers in Coatepeque and Guatemala.

Toward improved adherence: a text message intervention in an human immunodeficiency virus pediatric clinic in Guatemala City.

ABSTRACT: As access to human immunodeficiency virus treatment expands in Low to Middle Income Countries, it becomes critical to develop and test strategies to improve adherence and ensure efficacy. Text messaging improves adherence to antiretroviral treatment antiretroviral treatment in some patient populations, but data surrounding the use of these tools is sparse in pediatric and adolescent patients in low to middle income countries. We evaluated if a text message intervention can improve antiretroviral treatment adherence while accounting for cell phone access, patterns of use, and willingness to receive text messages.We carried out a cross sectional study to understand willingness of receiving text message reminders, followed by a randomized controlled trial to assess effectiveness of text message intervention.Enrolled participants were randomized to receive standard care with regular clinic visits, or standard care plus short message service reminders. Adherence was measured 3 times during the study period using a 4-day Recall Questionnaire. Outcome was measured based on differences in the average adherence between the intervention and control group at each time point (baseline, 3 months, 6 months).Most respondents were willing to receive text message adherence reminders (81.1%, n = 53). Respondent literacy, travel time to clinic, cell phone access, and patterns of use were significantly associated with willingness. In the randomized trial the intervention group (n = 50) experienced a small but significant mean improvement in adherence over the six-month period (4%, P < .01) whereas the control group (n = 50) did not (mean improvement: 0.8%, P = .64).Text message interventions effectively support antiretroviral adherence in pediatric patients living with human immunodeficiency virus. Studies designed to assess the impact of text messaging interventions must examine local context for cellular phone infrastructure and use and must account for potential loss to follow up when patients miss appointments and study assessments.

Raw data of silver extraction from sodium-silver jarosite using three different lixiviants in alkaline medium.

This article presents the raw data of silver concentration ([Ag]) obtained as a function of time (t) from silver leaching experiments, which were conducted using a synthetic sodium-silver jarosite and different complexing agents: thiosulfate, thiocyanate, and cyanide. Leaching experiments were performed under different conditions of temperature, pH and lixiviant concentration. The data refer to the article "Silver leaching from jarosite-type compounds using cyanide and non-cyanide lixiviants: a kinetic approach" (Islas et al., 2021), in which they were used to determine the leaching kinetics of jarosite-type compounds. The datasets were obtained experimentally from batch experiments. Concentration of silver, [Ag], was determined in each experiment as a function of time by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The information presented in this article can be useful for engineering students interested in mineral processing; particularly, for the calculation of kinetic parameters of silver leaching process. The data could also help in the formulation, implementation, or optimization of strategies for extraction of valuable metals from residues generated by the hydrometallurgical industry.

Influence of BMI, Age, and Gender on the Thickness of Most Common Thinned Flaps.

BACKGROUND: Since the description of superficial fascia flap harvesting, a new window of opportunity has been open in obese patients, where a higher subcutaneous thickness of tissue is present. To our knowledge, the impact of body mass index on superficial fascial flaps has not been reported. METHODS: We recruited 122 patients from April 2019 to January 2020. From these patients, the 3 most common thinned flaps were selected: the superficial circumflex iliac perforator flap; the anterolateral thigh flap at the perforator A, B, and C; and the thoracodorsal flap. Two vertical measures were registered: the distance from the skin to the superficial fascia, and from this point to the deep fascia. RESULTS: The average flap measurement presented here was within the range, as previous clinical studies. The superficial fatty layer thickness in the superficial circumflex iliac perforator and anterolateral thigh flap was somewhat similar in thickness between overweight and obese patients, showing a minimal increase with higher body mass index. The anterolateral thigh flap was found thicker among women, and no statistical difference was shown between age groups in any of the flaps. CONCLUSIONS: A better understanding of the fat layers' thickness will result in better planning, minimizing secondary debulking procedures, decreasing operative time, and reducing general complications among obese patients. Thus, a better understanding of flap structure and physiology in obese patients will lower complications and give more predictable results.

Determination of the dissolution rate of hazardous jarosites in different conditions using the shrinking core kinetic model.

The presence of hazardous jarosites causes a serious environmental problems, releasing potentially toxic elements, principally heavy metals such as Pb, As, Tl, Cr among others to the environment. Thus, the dissolution process of jarosites has to be monitored to assess the environmental impact. In the present work, the different hazardous jarosites were prepared, and characterized by analytical techniques (XRD, SEM, EDS, etc.), and the composition of jarosites was determined by induction-coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP). Shrinking core kinetic model (SCKM) was employed to understand the stability of hazardous jarosites, studying a complete kinetic analysis of the jarosite dissolution process under different conditions (temperatures and pH). The results show that temperature has the highest effect on stability followed by pH, requiring extreme parameters for high dissolution. The batch experiments show that the results are in good agreement with the SCKM forming a solid layer as by-products. The chemical reaction, i.e. dissolution process performs through mostly controlling stage at extreme pH values and then moved to mass transport in the fluid layer. After analyzing the results, a kinetic equation has been proposed to describe adequately the dissolution process, and it predicts the lifetime of the hazardous jarosites.

Repair of a complex abdominal wall defect with anterolateral thigh flap: a good surgical alternative.

INTRODUCTION: Reconstruction of the abdominal wall with major defects usually represents a surgical challenge, especially in cases where the defects are recurrent and have a large size that avoids the use of adjacent tissues for an adequate closure. According to each region the abdomen topography is divided into three regions: upper, middle and lower. Several reconstructive alternatives have been described according to the affected area of the abdomen that include the separation of the muscularis aponeurotic components of the abdominal rectus sheath, the flap of the rectus abdominus muscle with or without cutaneous island, the flap dependent on the dorsal muscle and muscular or musculocutaneous thigh flaps to reconstruct the lower area of the abdomen which is called anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap. The ALT flap has become the best option for large recurrent defects in any of the thirds due to its great versatility. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a 50-year-old patient with an abdominal wall defect, loss of domain and exposure of prosthetic material. Patient had a surgical history of open cholecystectomy, necrosectomy due to acute pancreatitis with open abdomen management and attempted repair of the abdominal defect twice with mesh placement. The abdominal wall was reconstructed with an ALT free flap with a fascia lata component with anastomosis to superior epigastric vessels in a successful manner. Nowadays patient remains without evidence of recurrence of the hernia at 1 year follow-up. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The aim of this paper is to illustrate the ALT flap with a fascia lata component anastomosed to the superior epigastric vessels as a good option to reconstruct complex defects of the upper third of the abdomen.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La reconstrucción de la pared abdominal con grandes defectos suele representar un desafío quirúrgico, sobre todo cuando los defectos son recurrentes y tienen un gran tamaño que dificulta la utilización de tejidos adyacentes para un cierre adecuado. La pared abdominal anterior se divide en tres regiones para su reconstrucción; superior, media e inferior. De acuerdo con cada región se han descrito diferentes técnicas de reconstrucción de pared, como la separación de componentes musculoaponeuróticos de la vaina de los rectos abdominales, el colgajo del músculo recto abdominal con o sin isla cutánea, el colgajo dependiente del músculo dorsal ancho y colgajos musculares o músculocutáneos del muslo para reconstruir el tercio inferior del abdomen, llamado colgajo anterolateral de muslo (ALT, por sus siglas en inglés). El ALT se ha convertido en una buena alternativa para los grandes defectos recurrentes en cualquiera de los tercios debido a su gran versatilidad. CASO CLÍNICO: Presentamos el caso de un paciente de 50 años con un defecto de pared abdominal, pérdida de dominio y exposición de material protésico (malla). Tenía el antecedente quirúrgico de colecistectomía abierta, necrosectomía por pancreatitis aguda con manejo de abdomen abierto (incisión en línea media supra-infraumbilical) e intento de reparación del defecto abdominal en dos ocasiones con colocación de malla (que se encontraba expuesta). El defecto existente se desmanteló y resecó en bloque desde el interior de la pared abdominal, dejando bordes aponeuróticos sanos, quitando todo el tejido cicatricial, la malla y los bordes cutáneos enfermos. Se realizó la reconstrucción de la pared abdominal con ALT con un componente de fascia lata con anastomosis a vasos epigástricos superiores, de manera exitosa. Actualmente no hay evidencia de recurrencia del defecto herniario tras 1 año de seguimiento. DISCUSIÓN/CONCLUSIÓN: El objetivo de este trabajo es describir el ALT con componente de fascia lata con anastomosis a los vasos epigástricos superiores como una buena alternativa para reconstruir defectos de pared complejos del tercio superior del abdomen.

Complex upper limb reconstruction using dorsoepigastric flap. Case report of a convenient resource.

INTRODUCTION: Dorsoepigastric flap (DF), first described by. Haddad and Jimenez, is a variant of the classic lattisimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap that only utilizes a minimum quantity of muscle tissue, through which the vascular pedicle passes by. It has been used primarily as an acceptable alternative in mammary reconstruction when the use of thoraco abdominal muscles is not viable, and offers several advantages such as adequate flap volume with generous cutaneous island dimensions and functional preservation of the latissimus dorsi. PRESENTATION OF A CASE: We report the case of a 12 year old male, who suffered a left upper limb injury secondary to high power firearm shot. He presented extensive damage to the skin, soft tissues and bone structures and was treated with primary reconstruction using DF and peroneal grafts. Three years later, a shoulder prosthesis was placed to improve limb function with unobjectionable results. CONCLUSION: DF is a useful resource that has been merely used in the context of complex upper limb reconstruction, and must be considered essential in the repertoire of the reconstructive surgeon when facing traumatic defects of the upper extremity.

Síndrome de choque tóxico fulminante en pediatría. presentación de casos y revisión de literatura / Fulminant toxic shock syndrome in children. presentation of cases and review of literatura

Se presentan dos casos de Síndrome de Choque Tóxico relacionados a lesiones en piel; ambos evolucionaron hacia fracaso multiorgánico precoz y muerte a pesar del tratamiento antibiótico y soporte. Destacamos su presentación fulminante y la falta de respuesta al tratamiento. Este síndrome se presenta de manera infrecuente, sin embargo su identificación es importante por su agresividad, siendo la sospecha clínica necesaria en el diagnóstico...