Potential Biotechnological Applications of Venoms from the Viperidae Family in Central America for Thrombosis.

Central America is home to one of the most abundant herpetofauna in the Americas, occupying only 7% of the continent's total area. Vipers and lizards are among the most relevant venomous animals in medical practice due to the consequences of envenomation from the bite of these animals. A great diversity of biomolecules with immense therapeutic and biotechnological value is contained in their venom. This paper describes the prominent leading representatives of the family Viperidae, emphasizing their morphology, distribution, habitat, feeding, and venom composition, as well as the biotechnological application of some isolated components from the venom of the animals from these families, focusing on molecules with potential anti-thrombotic action. We present the leading protein families that interfere with blood clotting, platelet activity, or the endothelium pro-thrombotic profile. In conclusion, Central America is an endemic region of venomous animals that can provide many molecules for biotechnological applications.

Impact of Targeted Therapy on the Survival of Patients With Advanced-Stage Non-small Cell Lung Cancer in Oncosalud - AUNA.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is still a prevalent and fatal neoplasm in developing countries. In the last decades, chemotherapy (CHT) maintenance occupied an important role in the treatment, as well as targeted therapies. We aimed to evaluate the survival impact of targeted therapy in advanced lung cancer at a private Peruvian institution (Oncosalud - AUNA). METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively medical records of patients with advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLS) (clinical stage III-IV) who received CHT and maintenance treatment with target therapy (TT) or CHT. The impact was assessed by progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) using the Kaplan-Meier method, and comparisons of survival curves were performed using log-rank or Breslow test and Cox model. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 65 years. Clinical characteristics, as well as the treatment type, showed no significant difference between the two groups. The maintenance schedule in those receiving CHT was generally pemetrexed (70%) and in those receiving TT was erlotinib (60.7%). In patients receiving TT, the median PFS was 13 months compared to 7 months in those receiving CHT; likewise, the median OS was 45 and 17 months, respectively. The PFS and OS curves showed significant differences (P < .05), achieving a better survival in subjects treated with TT. CONCLUSION: Progression-Free Survival and OS were superior in patients who received targeted therapy than those treated only with CHT, the 2 years rate of PFS and OS was nearly double to those who received only CHT-based treatments.

Application of probabilistic models for extreme values to the COVID-2019 epidemic daily dataset.

Worldwide, COVID-19 coronavirus disease is spreading rapidly in a second and third wave of infections. In this context of increasing infections, it is critical to know the probability of a specific number of cases being reported. We collated data on new daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 breakouts in: Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Spain, U.K., and the United States, from the 20th of January, 2020 to 28th of August 2021. A selected sample of almost ten thousand data is used to validate the proposed models. Generalized Extreme-Value Distribution Type 1-Gumbel and Exponential (1, 2 parameters) models were introduced to analyze the probability of new daily confirmed cases. The data presented in this document for each country provide the daily probability of rate incidence. In addition, the frequencies of historical events expressed as a return period in days of the complete data set is provided.

Gastric myeloid sarcoma: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is a rare hematologic malignancy defined as an extramedullary tumor of immature granulocytic cells. It can occur as primary or de novo and be associated with myelodysplasia or myeloproliferative neoplasms. The most frequent locations are the skin, lymph nodes and bones. The case of a patient with a diagnosis of primary granulocytic de novo gastric MS is reported. CASE SUMMARY: A 19-year-old female patient with MS, whose abdominal computed tomography showed a bulky tumor of 16.5 cm in the gastric chamber with infiltration in the retroperitoneal, pancreatic and bile duct region; the histological study showed gastric mucosa diffusely infiltrated by mononucleated cells and the immunohistochemistry expressed myeloperoxidase. After receiving induction chemotherapy based on the 3 + 7 regimen (daunorubicin/cytarabine), the patient developed severe hematological toxicity and neutropenic typhlitis which required a prolonged medical treatment. She presented a rapid disease progression. Although she received supportive treatment, the patient died. CONCLUSION: Gastric primary de novo MS is a rare and aggressive course neoplasm, fostering knowledge is very important to decide its management and to promote more approaches focused on understanding this pathology and its particularities in our population.

Real-World Data on Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma in Latin America: A Study From the Grupo de Estudio Latinoamericano de Linfoproliferativos.

PURPOSE: Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is an aggressive disease caused by the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1. Real-world data of ATLL in Latin America are lacking. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed patients with ATLL (acute, lymphomatous, chronic, and smoldering) encountered in 11 Latin American countries between 1995 and 2019. Treatment response was assessed according to the 2009 consensus report. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. RESULTS: We identified 253 patients; 226 (lymphomatous: n = 122, acute: n = 73, chronic: n = 26, and smoldering: n = 5) had sufficient data for analysis (median age 57 years). Most patients with ATLL were from Peru (63%), Chile (17%), Argentina (8%), and Colombia (7%). Hypercalcemia was positively associated with acute type (57% v lymphomatous 27%, P = .014). The median survival times (months) were 4.3, 7.9, 21.1, and not reached for acute, lymphomatous, chronic, and smoldering forms, with 4-year survival rates of 8%, 22%, 40%, and 80%, respectively. First-line zidovudine (AZT)-interferon alfa (IFN) resulted in an overall response rate of 63% (complete response [CR] 24%) for acute. First-line chemotherapy yielded an overall response rate of 41% (CR 29%) for lymphomatous. CR rate was 42% for etoposide, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and prednisone versus 12% for cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and prednisone-like regimen (P < .001). Progression-free survival at 1 year for acute type patients treated with AZT-IFN was 67%, whereas 2-year progression-free survival in lymphomatous type patients who achieved CR after chemotherapy was 77%. CONCLUSION: This study confirms Latin American ATLL presents at a younger age and has a high incidence of lymphomatous type, low incidence of indolent subtypes, and worse survival rates as compared with Japanese patients. In aggressive ATLL, chemotherapy remains the preferred choice for lymphomatous favoring etoposide-based regimen (etoposide, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and prednisone), whereas AZT-IFN remains a good first-line option for acute subtype.

Manejo de neoplasias oncohematológicas en el contexto de la pandemia de COVID-19: recomendación de expertos / Management of oncohematological neoplasms in the COVID-19 pandemic: experts recommendation

RESUMEN La pandemia por COVID-19 originado por el Coronavirus 2 causante de síndrome respiratorio agudo severo (SARS-CoV-2) es causante de una crisis de salud pública a nivel global. Muchos reportes indican resultados desalentadores en pacientes con cáncer respecto a la población general. Por ello, los expertos en el manejo de neoplasias oncohematológicas del Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, hospitales nacionales y una clínica privada de Lima Metropolitana han desarrollado recomendaciones obtenidas por consenso para continuar con el manejo de pacientes con neoplasias oncohematológicas en forma segura ante la coyuntura de pandemia.

ABSTRACT The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a global public health crisis. Many reports indicate disappointing results in cancer patients compared to the general population. Therefore, experts in the management of oncohematological malignancies from the National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases, national hospitals and a private clinic in Metropolitan Lima have developed recommendations obtained by consensus to continue with the management of patients with oncohematological neoplasms safely in the face of the pandemic.

Triple-negative breast cancer in Peru: 2000 patients and 15 years of experience.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies commonly identify the clinical characteristics and survival outcomes of patients with breast cancer at five years. Our study aims to describe the sociodemographic, clinicopathological characteristics and determine the long-term event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) of a Peruvian population with triple-negative breast cancer. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of new cases treated at a single institution in the period 2000-2014. The survival analysis included patients with stages I-IV. Survival estimates at 10 years were calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the Log-rank test. We further used multivariate Cox regression analysis to calculate prognostic factors of recurrence and mortality. RESULTS: Among the 2007 patients included, the median age at diagnosis was 49 years (19-95 years). Most patients presented histologic grade III (68.7%), tumor stage II (34.2%), and III (51.0%) at diagnosis. Local and distant relapse was present in 31.9 and 51.4% of the patients, respectively. The most frequent sites of metastasis were the lungs (14.5%), followed by bone (9.7%), brain (9.6%), and liver (7.9%). The median follow-up was 153 months. At 3, 5, and 10 years, the EFS of the population was 55%, 49%, and 41%, respectively, while the OS was 64%, 56%, and 47%, respectively. Moreover, an N3 lymph node status was the most important prognostic factor for both disease relapse (HR: 2.54, 95% CI: 2.05-3.15) and mortality (HR: 2.51, 95% CI: 2.01-3.14) at ten years. An older age and higher T staging were associated with a worse OS, while patients who received radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy had better survival rates. CONCLUSION: The sociodemographic features of Peruvian patients with TNBC are similar to those of other populations. However, our population was diagnosed at more advanced clinical stages, and thus, EFS and OS were lower than international reports while prognostic factors were similar to previous studies.

Breast-conserving surgery vs. total mastectomy in patients with triple negative breast cancer in early stages: A propensity score analysis.

BACKGROUND: Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) as an alternative to total mastectomy (TM) in patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is not widely spread. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) between both surgical approaches in early-stage TNBC patients at 10 years. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in TNBC female patients with stage I-IIa, treated at a single-center during the period of 2000-2014. We estimated and compared the survival rates with the Kaplan Meier and Long-rank test. Propensity scores were calculated with the generalized boosted regression model and were used in the multivariate Cox regression analysis with the covariate adjustment method. RESULTS: We included 288 patients, 111 in the BCS vs. 177 in the TM group. The median follow-up was 102 months. Moreover, the patients in the BCS group had superior OS (85% vs. 81%, p = 0.56) and DFS (83% vs. 80%, p = 0.42) at 10 years. In the multivariate Cox analysis, BCS decreased the mortality risk (HR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.37-1.67, p = 0.538), and the locoregional or distant recurrence risk (HR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.32-1.41, p = 0.294), albeit with no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: BCS is a safe alternative to TM in Latin-American patients with early-stage TNBC.

Minimising the stress of weaning of beef calves: a review.

Weaning of beef calves is usually done abruptly and early compared to the natural weaning of the species, and is associated with simultaneous exposure of calves to a range of social and environmental stressors. Behavioural and physiological responses to weaning indicate detrimental effects on the welfare of these animals. The development and assessment of weaning methods aiming at reducing or avoiding this problem must be supported by scientific knowledge of the morphological, physiological and psychological mechanisms involved in the establishment, maintenance and braking of the cow-calf bond. Solutions also depend on the understanding of the various stressors associated with weaning, among which are the change in diet, cessation of nursing, separation from the dam, the change to a new spatial environment and the need for social reorganization following removal of the adults from the group. This review discusses these issues and assesses the effectiveness of the methods so far proposed for improving the welfare of beef calves during the weaning period.