Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Mostrar: 20 | 50 | 100
Resultados 1 - 20 de 21
Filtrar
1.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces ; 16(30): 39251-39265, 2024 Jul 31.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39021197

RESUMEN

The cubic α-CsPbI3 phase stands out as one of the most promising perovskite compounds for solar cell applications due to its suitable electronic band gap of 1.7 eV. However, it exhibits structural instability under operational conditions, often transforming into the hexagonal non-perovskite δ-CsPbI3 phase, which is unsuitable for solar cell applications because of the large band gap (e.g., ∼2.9 eV). Thus, there is growing interest in identifying possible mechanisms for increasing the stability of the cubic α-CsPbI3 phase. Here, we report a theoretical investigation, based on density functional theory calculations, of the surface passivation of the α-, γ-, and δ-CsPbI3(100) surfaces using the C6H4(NH3)2 [p-phenylenediamine (PPD)] and Cs species as passivation agents. Our calculations and analyses corroborate recent experimental findings, showing that PPD passivation effectively stabilizes the cubic α-CsPbI3 perovskite against the cubic-to-hexagonal phase transition. The PPD molecule exhibits covalent-dominating bonds with the substrate, which makes it more resistant to distortion than the ionic bonds dominant in perovskite bulks. By contrasting these results with the natural Cs passivation, we highlight the superior stability of the PPD passivation, as evidenced by the negative surface formation energies, unlike the positive values observed for the Cs passivation. This disparity is due to the covalent characteristics of the molecule/surface interaction of PPD, as opposed to the purely ionic interaction seen with the Cs passivation. Notably, the PPD passivation maintains the optoelectronic properties of the perovskites because the electronic states derived from the PPD molecules are localized far from the band gap region, which is crucial for optoelectronic applications.

2.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 26(23): 16719-16731, 2024 Jun 12.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38817152

RESUMEN

The incorporation of chiral molecules (A) in materials based on hybrid ABX3 perovskites has opened new paths to tune the optoelectronic properties of perovskites through the transfer of chirality to the inorganic BX framework. However, our atomistic understanding of the role of chemical BX composition in the magnitude of the chirality transfer is far from complete. In this study, we use density functional theory calculations and the experimental Ruddlesden-Popper chiral (R-/S-NEA)2PbBr4 structure (R-/S-NEA = R-/S-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylammonium) to investigate the effects induced by chemical substitution of Pb by Ge or Sn and Br by Cl or I on the transfer of chirality and physical-chemical properties. We have observed that different enantiomers result in opposing orientations of octahedral tiltings within the inorganic framework, thus transferring chirality to the inorganic structure. The tilts are greater in perovskites based on Pb and decrease in the sequence of Cl to Br to I, as a consequence of the decrease in the halide electronegativity that weakens the interactions between X and the -N+H3 group of the NEA chiral cation. The chirality transfer is also evident in the Rashba-Dresselhaus effects on the electronic band structure, in which we found magnitudes directly correlated to the trends of octahedra tilting. The band offsets of substitutions B and X are predominantly influenced by their natural atomic energy levels, while organic molecules play a pivotal role in modulating the ionic potential and electron affinity in systems containing light atoms. The band gap values range from 1.91 up to 3.77 eV, with chirality and anion electronegativity providing significant tuning effects on whether the band gaps are direct or indirect.

3.
J Chem Inf Model ; 64(4): 1306-1318, 2024 02 26.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38347752

RESUMEN

Chiral organic-inorganic perovskites exhibit unique physicochemical properties driven by the symmetry of monovalent organic cations. However, an atomistic understanding of how chiral cations transfer their chirality to the inorganic framework and the role played by van der Waals (vdW) interactions in this process is still incomplete. In this work, we report a theoretical investigation, based on density functional theory calculations within the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) formulation for the exchange-correlation functional, into the role of the vdW interactions in the chirality transfer process. For that, we selected several vdW corrections, namely, Grimme (D2, D3, D3(BJ)), Tkatchenko-Scheffler (TS, TS+SCS, TS+HSI), density-dependent energy correction (dDsC), and many-body scattering (MBD) energy method correction. For the chiral perovskite systems, we selected a set of chiral organic-inorganic perovskites with several dimensions, namely, from zero-dimensional to three-dimensional, each having enantiomers with R and S configurations. Based on a statistical treatment of the relative errors of all lattice parameters with respect to experimental data, we found that D3, D3(BJ), TS, TS+SCS, TS+HSI, and MBD vdW are the most accurate corrections to describe the equilibrium structural properties of chiral perovskites using the PBE method. We identify chirality-induced sequential asymmetries of distorted octahedrons and propose angular descriptors to quantify them, where the orientations of these distortions depend on the R or S nature of the chiral cations. Furthermore, we demonstrate the importance of accurate vdW interactions in precisely describing these asymmetric distortions. By means of binding energies and charge-transfer analysis, we show that the impact of vdW corrections on the charge distribution leads to a subtle strengthening of hydrogen bonds between chiral cations and inorganic octahedra, resulting in an increase in the binding energy. Finally, we identified that the Rashba-Dresselhaus effect in two-dimensionality is refined by vdW interactions.


Asunto(s)
Compuestos de Calcio , Óxidos , Titanio , Teoría Funcional de la Densidad , Enlace de Hidrógeno , Cationes
4.
Diagnostics (Basel) ; 12(6)2022 Jun 05.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35741207

RESUMEN

The new pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus has generated an overload in the quality of medical care in clinical centers around the world. Causes that originate this fact include lack of medical personnel, infrastructure, medicines, among others. The rapid and exponential increase in the number of patients infected by COVID-19 has required an efficient and speedy prediction of possible infections and their consequences with the purpose of reducing the health care quality overload. Therefore, intelligent models are developed and employed to support medical personnel, allowing them to give a more effective diagnosis about the health status of patients infected by COVID-19. This paper aims to propose an alternative algorithmic analysis for predicting the health status of patients infected with COVID-19 in Mexico. Different prediction models such as KNN, logistic regression, random forests, ANN and majority vote were evaluated and compared. The models use risk factors as variables to predict the mortality of patients from COVID-19. The most successful scheme is the proposed ANN-based model, which obtained an accuracy of 90% and an F1 score of 89.64%. Data analysis reveals that pneumonia, advanced age and intubation requirement are the risk factors with the greatest influence on death caused by virus in Mexico.

5.
Front Microbiol ; 11: 587074, 2020.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33281783

RESUMEN

Agricultural plastic mulch films provide a favorable soil microclimate for plant growth, improving crop yields. Biodegradable plastic mulch films (BDMs) have emerged as a sustainable alternative to widely used non-biodegradable polyethylene (PE) films. BDMs are tilled into the soil after use and are expected to biodegrade under field conditions. However, little is known about the microbes involved in biodegradation and the relationships between microbes and plastics in soils. In order to capture the consortium of soil microbes associated with (and thus likely degrading) BDMs, agriculturally-weathered plastics from two locations were studied alongside laboratory enrichment experiments to assess differences in the microbial communities associated with BDMs and PE films. Using a combination of amplicon sequencing and quantitative PCR (qPCR), we observed that agriculturally-weathered plastics hosted an enrichment of fungi and an altered bacterial community composition compared to the surrounding soil. Notably, Methylobacterium, Arthrobacter, and Sphingomonas were enriched on BDMs compared to non-biodegradable PE. In laboratory enrichment cultures, microbial consortia were able to degrade the plastics, and the composition of the microbial communities was influenced by the composition of the BDMs. Our initial characterization of the microbial communities associated with biodegradable plastic mulch films, or the biodegradable "plastisphere," lays the groundwork for understanding biodegradation dynamics of biodegradable plastics in the environment.

6.
Insects ; 11(11)2020 Nov 13.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33202846

RESUMEN

Using social information can be an efficient strategy for learning in a new environment while reducing the risks associated with trial-and-error learning. Whereas social information from conspecifics has long been assumed to be preferentially attended by animals, heterospecifics can also provide relevant information. Because different species may vary in their informative value, using heterospecific social information indiscriminately can be ineffective and even detrimental. Here, we evaluated how selective use of social information might arise at a proximate level in bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) as a result of experience with demonstrators differing in their visual appearance and in their informative value as reward predictors. Bumblebees were first trained to discriminate rewarding from unrewarding flowers based on which type of "heterospecific" (one of two differently painted model bees) was next to each flower. Subsequently, these bumblebees were exposed to a novel foraging context with two live painted bees. In this novel context, observer bumblebees showed significantly more social information-seeking behavior towards the type of bees that had predicted reward during training. Bumblebees were not attracted by paint-marked small wooden balls (moved via magnets) or paint-marked non-pollinating heterospecifics (woodlice; Porcellio laevis) in the novel context, indicating that bees did not simply respond to conditioned color cues nor to irrelevant social cues, but rather had a "search image" of what previously constituted a valuable, versus invaluable, information provider. The behavior of our bumblebees suggests that their use of social information is governed by learning, is selective, and extends beyond conspecifics.

7.
Pediatr Diabetes ; 21(1): 61-68, 2020 02.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31584229

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Multidisciplinary interventions may be useful for children and adolescents with diabetes mellitus (DM), especially in areas where new blood glucose monitoring and control technologies are difficult to access. METHODS: PAANDA, a care program for adolescents and children with diabetes, was implemented in patients aged 0 to 18 years and 11 months. The effect of the intervention was determined by self-blood glucose monitoring (SBGM) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C ) levels at start and after 6 months. RESULTS: A total of 121 patients with DM were evaluated, mean age of 14.27 years (SD: 4.60 years). Blood glucose measurements in range (70-120 mg/dL pre-prandial or 70-180 mg/dL post-prandial) increased by 20.67% before breakfast, 8.14% after breakfast (both P-value <.001), 5.02% before lunch (P-value = .02), 8.66% after lunch (P-value <.001), 11.50% before dinner (P-value <.001), 11.87% after dinner (P-value <.001), and 8.00% at dawn (P-value = .001). This change was accompanied by fewer values in the hyperglycemic category (-19.49% before breakfast, -7.73% after breakfast, both P-value <.001) and hypoglycemia (-1.18%). HbA1C levels decreased significantly 1.8% (P-value = .018). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed an increase in glycemic control associated with each month after the intervention time in the PAANDA program (P-value <.001 for all the time points evaluated) and a significant decrease in glycemic variability. CONCLUSIONS: The multidisciplinary PAANDA intervention had a beneficial effect on glycemic control, with an improved time in range in a population of children and adolescents with DM.


Asunto(s)
Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/sangre , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/terapia , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/sangre , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/terapia , Hemoglobina Glucada/metabolismo , Adolescente , Automonitorización de la Glucosa Sanguínea , Niño , Preescolar , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/diagnóstico , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/diagnóstico , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Recién Nacido , Masculino , México , Periodo Posprandial , Evaluación de Programas y Proyectos de Salud , Factores de Tiempo
8.
Science ; 364(6437): 302, 2019 Apr 19.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31000664
9.
J Vasc Surg ; 70(2): 393-403, 2019 08.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30704799

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: Spinal cord ischemia (SCI) is among the most devastating complications of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Spinal fluid drainage has been proposed as a viable means to reduce SCI, but few data exist to support its routine use. This study investigated the association of preoperative spinal fluid drainage with the risk of SCI after TEVAR. METHODS: The Vascular Quality Initiative TEVAR module was queried for adult patients (≥18 years) undergoing TEVAR (coverage of zones 0-5) between September 2014 and March 2018 (inclusive). Patients with preoperative spinal malperfusion, aortic rupture on presentation, and connective tissue disorders were excluded. One-to-one propensity matching was used to balance patients on 44 separate dimensions by the nearest neighbor principle to compare those with vs those without preoperative spinal drainage. The primary end point was SCI still present at the time of discharge. Secondary outcomes were 30-day mortality and prolonged intensive care unit stay (>7 days). RESULTS: Among 4287 patients who underwent TEVAR (mean age, 67.1 [standard deviation, 13.7] years; 1665 [38.8%] women and 2622 [61.2%] men), 2076 had a spinal drain placed. Propensity matching yielded 1292 pairs with adequate covariate balance (all 44 absolute standardized differences <0.1). In the 2584 propensity-matched patients, spinal drain placement was associated with a reduced risk of SCI (1.5% vs 2.5%; risk-adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.24-0.89; P = .02). The rates of 30-day mortality (4.5% vs 5.0%; risk-adjusted OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.44-1.01; P = .05) and prolonged intensive care unit stay (7.0% vs 5.7%; risk-adjusted OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.84-1.45; P = .48) did not differ on the basis of spinal drain placement. The crossover rate was 10% (127/1292), and those with postoperative drain placement had a 20% (26/127) SCI rate on discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients undergoing thoracic and thoracoabdominal endovascular aortic repair, preoperative placement of a spinal drain, compared with no drain, was associated with reduced risk of SCI. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage as a rescue measure does not provide the same protection offered by routine preoperative placement. Further investigation, including randomized controlled trials, is needed to more definitively determine the role for spinal drainage in TEVAR.


Asunto(s)
Aneurisma de la Aorta Torácica/cirugía , Drenaje/instrumentación , Procedimientos Endovasculares/efectos adversos , Cuidados Preoperatorios/instrumentación , Isquemia de la Médula Espinal/prevención & control , Anciano , Aneurisma de la Aorta Torácica/diagnóstico por imagen , Aneurisma de la Aorta Torácica/mortalidad , Drenaje/efectos adversos , Drenaje/mortalidad , Procedimientos Endovasculares/mortalidad , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Cuidados Preoperatorios/efectos adversos , Cuidados Preoperatorios/mortalidad , Factores Protectores , Estudios Retrospectivos , Medición de Riesgo , Factores de Riesgo , Isquemia de la Médula Espinal/diagnóstico , Isquemia de la Médula Espinal/etiología , Isquemia de la Médula Espinal/mortalidad , Factores de Tiempo , Resultado del Tratamiento , Estados Unidos
10.
Influenza Other Respir Viruses ; 10(3): 154-60, 2016 May.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26935868

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Human enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) recently caused an increase in mild-to-severe pediatric respiratory cases in North America and some European countries. Even though few of these children presented with acute paralytic disease, direct causal relationship cannot yet be assumed. OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this report were to describe the clinical findings of an outbreak of EV-D68 infection in Mexico City and identify the genetic relationship with previously reported strains. PATIENTS/METHODS: Between September and December 2014, 126 nasopharyngeal samples (NPS) of hospitalized children <15 years of age with ARI were tested for the presence of respiratory viruses using a multiplex RT-qPCR and EV-D68-specific RT-qPCR. Clinical, epidemiological, and demographic data were collected and associated with symptomatology and viral infections. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using VP1 region. RESULTS: Enterovirus/rhinovirus infection was detected in 40 patients (31·7%), of which 24 patients were EV-D68-positive. EV-D68 infection prevailed over September and October 2014 and was associated with neutrophilia and lymphopenia, and patients were more likely to develop hypoxemia. Phylogenetic analyses showed that Mexican EV-D68 belongs to the new B1 clade. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first EV-D68 outbreak described in Mexico and occurred few weeks after the United States reported similar infections. Although EV-D68 belongs to new B1 clade, no neurological affection was observed.


Asunto(s)
Asma/complicaciones , Enterovirus Humano D/aislamiento & purificación , Infecciones por Enterovirus/epidemiología , Infecciones por Enterovirus/virología , Neumonía Viral/epidemiología , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/epidemiología , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/virología , Adolescente , Asia/epidemiología , Asma/epidemiología , Niño , Preescolar , Brotes de Enfermedades , Progresión de la Enfermedad , Enterovirus Humano D/clasificación , Enterovirus Humano D/genética , Europa (Continente)/epidemiología , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , México/epidemiología , Nasofaringe/virología , Filogenia , Infecciones por Picornaviridae/epidemiología , Infecciones por Picornaviridae/virología , Neumonía Viral/complicaciones , Neumonía Viral/virología , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/complicaciones , Rhinovirus/genética , Rhinovirus/aislamiento & purificación , Estaciones del Año , Estados Unidos/epidemiología
11.
Salus ; 18(3): 33-40, dic. 2014.
Artículo en Español | LILACS-Express | LILACS | ID: lil-740473

RESUMEN

La práctica médica en la antigua Grecia se llevó a cabo en dos vertientes: una medicina de carácter místico religioso, enraizada en las creencias politeístas, donde dioses sanadores acudían a los santuarios (asclespiades) para ayudar a los enfermos; y una concepción médica, de carácter naturalistico, empírico y racional, ejecutada por médicos entrenados en las escuelas de medicina. Estas dos prácticas no están reñidas entre sí, la primera da paso a la segunda forma de enfrentar el proceso salud-enfermedad, ya que está basada más en prácticas de suturas de heridas superficiales, espolvoreo de sustancias naturales cicatrizantes y/o analgésicas, y aplicación de brebajes de hierbas medicinales, pero es una medicina, cuya narración mitológica ya se encuentra lejos de las prácticas mágica religiosa o milagros de curación espontánea; mientras que la actitud de los médicos científicos es de respeto de las prácticas religiosas de restitución de la salud, aunque ellos ofrezcan servicios limitados al pronóstico del paciente y de carácter laico y sin rituales religiosos. El presente artículo pretende explorar las deidades primigenias de la salud (Quirón, Apolo y Asclepios) y cómo los rituales, símbolos y significados religiosos asignados en sus ceremonias religiosas, representaciones artísticas, y concepciones teológicas, siguen influyendo en la concepción y expresión sociocultural y ética de la práctica médica científica del mundo occidental actual. La concepción mitológica de la medicina impregna las prácticas modernas de la misma, en su expresión sociocultural, simbólica y ética, pero conservando el respeto a la acción autónoma, laica, apolítica y racional.


Medical practice in the ancient Greece was carried out in two ways: a mystical religious medicine, rooted in the polytheistic beliefs, where healing gods flocked to shrines (asclepiads) to help the sick; and a medical concept of naturalistic, empirical and rational character, performed by physicians trained in medical schools. These two practices are not at odds with themselves, the first opens the door to the second way of confronting the health-disease process, since it is based more on practices of sutures of superficial wounds, sprinkling of natural substances healing the analgesic, and application of herbal concoctions, but is a medicine, whose mythological narrative is already away from religious magic practices or miracles of spontaneous healing; while the attitude of the scientific physicians is one of respect for the religious restoration of health practices, even though they offer limited services to the prognosis of the patient and secular nature and without religious rituals. This article aims to explore the primordial deities of health (Chiron, Apollo and Asclepius) and how the rituals, the symbols and religious meanings assigned to their religious ceremonies, artistic depictions, and theological concepts, are still influencing the conception, socio-cultural expression and ethical practice of the medical science in the Western world today. The mythological conception of medicine permeates modern practices, in its socio-cultural, symbolic and ethical expressions, while retaining respect for the autonomous, secular, apolitical and rational action.

12.
Emerg Infect Dis ; 19(9): 1531-4, 2013.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23965808

RESUMEN

We identified 2 poultry workers with conjunctivitis caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H7N3) viruses in Jalisco, Mexico. Genomic and antigenic analyses of 1 isolate indicated relatedness to poultry and wild bird subtype H7N3 viruses from North America. This isolate had a multibasic cleavage site that might have been derived from recombination with host rRNA.


Asunto(s)
Subtipo H7N3 del Virus de la Influenza A/genética , Gripe Aviar/epidemiología , Gripe Aviar/transmisión , Gripe Humana/epidemiología , Gripe Humana/transmisión , Adulto , Secuencias de Aminoácidos , Secuencia de Aminoácidos , Animales , Brotes de Enfermedades , Femenino , Glicoproteínas Hemaglutininas del Virus de la Influenza/química , Glicoproteínas Hemaglutininas del Virus de la Influenza/genética , Humanos , Subtipo H7N3 del Virus de la Influenza A/clasificación , Masculino , México/epidemiología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Tipificación de Secuencias Multilocus , Filogenia , Aves de Corral , Alineación de Secuencia
13.
Virol J ; 10: 41, 2013 Jan 31.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23369604

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Pandemic type A (H1N1) influenza arose in early 2009, probably in Mexico and the United States, and reappeared in North America in September for seven more months. An amino acid substitution in the hemagglutinin (HA), D222G, has been reported in a significant proportion of patients with a severe and fatal outcome. We studied the prevalence of HA222 substitutions in patients in Mexico during the second wave and its association with clinical outcome and pathogenicity in a mouse model. METHODS: The nucleotide sequences of hemagglutinin (HA) from viruses collected from 77 patients were determined including 50 severe and fatal cases and 27 ambulatory cases. Deep sequencing was done on 5 samples from severe or fatal cases in order to determine the quasispecies proportion. Weight loss and mortality due to infection with cultured influenza viruses were analyzed in a mouse model. RESULTS: Viruses from 14 out of 50 hospitalized patients (28%) had a non aspartic acid residue at the HA 222 position (nD222), while all 27 ambulatory patients had D222 (p=0.0014). G222 was detected as sole species or in coexistence with N222 and D222 in 12 patients with severe disease including 8 who died. N222 in coexistence with D222 was detected in 1 patient who died and co-occurrence of A222 and V222, together with D222, was detected in another patient who died. The patients with a nD222 residue had higher mortality (71.4%), compared to the group with only D222 (22.2%, p=0.0008). Four of the 14 viruses from hospitalized patients were cultured and intranasally infected into mice. Two viruses with G222 were lethal while a third virus, with G222, caused only mild illness in mice similar to the fourth virus that contained D222. CONCLUSIONS: We confirm the elevated incidence of HA222 (H1N1)pdm09 variants in severe disease and mortality. Both clinical and mouse infection data support the idea that nD222 mutations contribute to increased severity of disease but additional determinants in disease outcome may be present.


Asunto(s)
Glicoproteínas Hemaglutininas del Virus de la Influenza/genética , Subtipo H1N1 del Virus de la Influenza A/patogenicidad , Gripe Humana/mortalidad , Gripe Humana/patología , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad , Factores de Virulencia/genética , Adulto , Animales , Secuencia de Bases , Peso Corporal , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Femenino , Histocitoquímica , Humanos , Subtipo H1N1 del Virus de la Influenza A/genética , Subtipo H1N1 del Virus de la Influenza A/aislamiento & purificación , Gripe Humana/epidemiología , Gripe Humana/virología , Pulmón/patología , Masculino , México/epidemiología , Ratones , Persona de Mediana Edad , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Mutación Missense , Infecciones por Orthomyxoviridae/patología , Infecciones por Orthomyxoviridae/virología , ARN Viral/genética , Alineación de Secuencia , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN , Análisis de Supervivencia
14.
Virol J ; 8: 370, 2011 Jul 27.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21794170

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Varicella (chickenpox) exhibits a characteristic epidemiological pattern which is associated with climate. In general, primary infections in tropical regions are comparatively less frequent among children than in temperate regions. This peculiarity regarding varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection among certain age groups in tropical regions results in increased susceptibility during adulthood in these regions. Moreover, this disease shows a cyclic behavior in which the number of cases increases significantly during winter and spring. This observation further supports the participation of environmental factors in global epidemiology of chickenpox. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for this distinctive disease behavior are not understood completely. In a recent publication, Philip S. Rice has put forward an interesting hypothesis suggesting that ultra-violet (UV) radiation is the major environmental factor driving the molecular evolution of VZV. DISCUSSION: While we welcomed the attempt to explain the mechanisms controlling VZV transmission and distribution, we argue that Rice's hypothesis takes lightly the circulation of the so called "temperate VZV genotypes" in tropical regions and, to certain degree, overlooks the predominance of such lineages in certain non-temperate areas. Here, we further discuss and present new information about the overwhelming dominance of temperate VZV genotypes in Mexico regardless of geographical location and climate. SUMMARY: UV radiation does not satisfactorily explain the distribution of VZV genotypes in different tropical and temperate regions of Mexico. Additionally, the cyclic behavior of varicella does not shown significant differences between regions with different climates in the country. More studies should be conducted to identify the factors directly involved in viral spreading. A better understanding of the modes of transmissions exploited by VZV and their effect on viral fitness is likely to facilitate the implementation of preventive measures for disease control.


Asunto(s)
Varicela/epidemiología , Varicela/virología , Evolución Molecular , Herpesvirus Humano 3/genética , Herpesvirus Humano 3/efectos de la radiación , Rayos Ultravioleta , Niño , Preescolar , Clima , Genotipo , Humanos , México/epidemiología
15.
Rev. cuba. invest. bioméd ; 25(1)ene.-mar. 2006. graf
Artículo en Español | LILACS | ID: lil-450585

RESUMEN

Se realizó este estudio para que sirviera de instrumento de trabajo y de fuente de consulta a los estudiosos e interesados en el tema. La palabra láser es una sigla de las palabras inglesas light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation ¿qué cantidad de estudiantes conocen el significado de estas palabras, aun conociendo su traducción al español? Para lograr este producto informativo que lleva hacia el estudio y la comprensión de la Física, fue necesario realizar una labor de búsqueda y síntesis de la información publicada sobre el asunto en libros, revistas y obras de referencia. En cuanto a su estructura, se presentó en forma cronológica y descriptiva la iniciación, desarrollo, generalidades del láser y su utilización en las Ciencias para la Salud


Asunto(s)
Física/educación , Rayos Láser , Estudiantes de Medicina
16.
Am J Trop Med Hyg ; 69(1): 53-7, 2003 Jul.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12932097

RESUMEN

Acute undifferentiated febrile illnesses are common in tropical developing countries but are difficult to diagnose on clinical grounds alone. Leptospirosis is rarely diagnosed, despite evidence that sporadic cases and epidemics continue to occur worldwide. The purpose of this study was to diagnose an outbreak of acute undifferentiated febrile illness among Peruvian military recruits that developed after a training exercise in the high jungle rainforest of Peru. Of 193 military recruits, 78 developed an acute febrile illness with varied manifestations. Of these, 72 were found to have acute leptospirosis by a microscopic agglutination test (MAT). An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using Leptospira biflexa antigen was insensitive for the detection of anti-leptospiral IgM antibodies compared with the MAT (20 of 72, 28%). This outbreak of acute undifferentiated febrile illness among Peruvian military recruits was due to leptospirosis. High clinical suspicion, initiation of preventative measures, and performance of appropriate diagnostic testing is warranted in similar settings to identify, treat, and prevent leptospirosis.


Asunto(s)
Brotes de Enfermedades , Leptospirosis/epidemiología , Personal Militar , Adulto , Ensayo de Inmunoadsorción Enzimática , Humanos , Leptospira , Masculino , Perú/epidemiología
17.
Educ. med. super ; 14(2): 155-162, 2000.
Artículo en Español | LILACS | ID: lil-281129

RESUMEN

Se explica la estructura de una disciplina y de una asignatura dentro del curriculum, con especial énfasis en la disciplina Histología en el plan de estudio de la carrera de medicina. Se proponen posibles adecuaciones. Se analiza la asignatura Histología I, y se encuentran dificultades en el sistema de evaluación y en la selección de los tipos de clase donde se analizan las evaluaciones frecuentes: por lo que se pierde la coordinación entre los objetivos, los contenidos y el sistema de evaluación


The structure of a discipline and of a subject within the curriculum is explained, making special emphasis on the discipline of Histology in the medical curriculum. Possible adaptations are recommended. Histology I is analyzed as a subject and difficulties are found in the system of evaluation and in the selection of the types of class where the frequent evaluations are analyzed. That's why, the coordination among the objectives, the content and the system of evaluation is lost


Asunto(s)
Estudiantes de Medicina , Aprendizaje Basado en Problemas , Curriculum , Histología/educación , Educación Médica/tendencias , Evaluación Educacional/métodos
18.
Rev. cuba. obstet. ginecol ; 16(1): 22-8, ene.-mar. 1990. tab
Artículo en Español | LILACS | ID: lil-85586

RESUMEN

Se revisaron los registros de nacimiento ocurridos en los años de 1985 y 1986 en el Hospital Ginecoobstétrico "Héroes de Playa Giróm" de Coenfuegos, además de 257 placentas de igual número de partos ocurridos en el período de enero a diciembre de 1986 en dicho centro. Se determinó la relación entre la edad materna, el peso del recién nacido y la morfología placentaria; se señala la incidencia de embarazos en la adolescencia en nuestras provincias con vistas a evaluar el nivel de educación sexual de la población y las consecuencias que puede traer para el futuro hijo


Asunto(s)
Embarazo , Adolescente , Adulto , Humanos , Femenino , Peso al Nacer , Edad Materna , Placenta/anatomía & histología , Embarazo en Adolescencia
19.
Medicentro ; 5(1): 120-5, ene.-jun. 1989. tab
Artículo en Español | LILACS | ID: lil-106057

RESUMEN

Se analizaron los nacimientos ocurridos en el Hospital Ginecobstétrico Provincial de Cienfuegos durante los años 1985, 1986 y 1987, para determinar los nacimientos de niños de madres menores menores de 20 años. Se observó una disminución progresiva de partos en la adolescencia en el período estudiado, auque la cifra todavía es elevada. También pudo comprobarse una disminución significativa del peso del recién nacido del grupo estudio comparado con el del grupo control: así como fueron inferiores los resultados de la morfología placentaria, lo que manifiesta su relación no sólo con la edad de la madre sino con el peso del recién nacido


Asunto(s)
Embarazo en Adolescencia
20.
Rev. venez. neurol. neurocir ; 2(1): 45-7, ene.-jun. 1988. ilus
Artículo en Español | LILACS | ID: lil-79104

RESUMEN

Presentamos un caso de Quiste Neuroepitelial Intracerebral yuxta ventricular en una mujer joven, en donde se había practicado resección hace quince años y que permaneció asintomático hasta comportarse como una lesión ocupante de espacio con hipertensión endocraneana; discutimos los quistes neuroepiteliales del neuroeje en relación a su histogénesis y comportamiento clínico-patológico y revisamos la literatura correspondiente a estos raros casos


Asunto(s)
Adulto , Humanos , Femenino , Neoplasias del Ventrículo Cerebral/etiología , Quistes/clasificación , Quistes/epidemiología , Ventrículos Cerebrales/patología
SELECCIÓN DE REFERENCIAS
DETALLE DE LA BÚSQUEDA