First Record of Culicoides Occidentalis in Sinaloa, Mexico.

Culicoides species adults were collected in light traps located on the coast of Elota, Sinaloa, Mexico, in February 2022. All specimens were females, and it was determined based on their morphology that they belonged to the Culicoides variipennis complex. The identification of the species was carried out by means of a comparative analysis of genetic sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene, which resulted in C. occidentalis, this being its first report in Sinaloa and its third nationwide.

Concordance between tomographic and surgical AAST injury grades in liver, spleen, and kidney due to blunt abdominal trauma / Concordancia entre los grados de lesión AAST tomográficos y quirúrgicos en hígado, bazo y riñón por trauma cerrado de abdomen

OBJETIVO: Determinar la concordancia entre los grados de lesión de la escala AAST (American Association for the Surgery of Trauma) tomográficos y quirúrgicos en lesiones hepáticas, esplénicas y renales por trauma abdominal cerrado. Método: Estudio prospectivo, unicéntrico, observacional, comparativo y transversal, en pacientes mayores de 15 años con lesión hepática, esplénica o renal por trauma abdominal cerrado, sometidos a tomografía abdominal y posterior laparotomía exploradora, en quienes se determinó la concordancia de los grados de lesión AAST tomográficos y quirúrgicos de estos órganos, de marzo de 2017 a diciembre de 2020, en el Hospital Civil de Culiacán, Sinaloa, México. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 48 pacientes, con una edad promedio de 27.9 ± 10.9 años; de ellos, 41 eran hombres (85%). La lesión esplénica fue la más frecuente, en 30 pacientes (63%), seguida de la hepática en 20 (42%) y la renal en 15 (31%). La concordancia del grado de lesión AAST entre la tomografía y la cirugía fue baja o moderada, con valores kappa de 0.234 (p < 0.001), 0.419 (p < 0.001) y 0.415 (p < 0.001) para las lesiones hepáticas, esplénicas y renales, respectivamente. CONCLUSIONES: Los grados de lesión AAST tomográficos y quirúrgicos en el hígado, el bazo y los riñones por trauma abdominal cerrado tienen baja y moderada concordancia, y los grados tomográficos son menores que los quirúrgicos.

First Record of Toxorhynchites moctezuma in Sinaloa, Mexico: Notes about its Morphology.

Mosquito larvae were collected in the urban area of the city of Culiacan, Sinaloa, in September of 2020. The immature stages were placed in emergence containers and fed with Aedes aegypti larvae. The adults that emerged from the immature stages were mounted on insect pins and characterized based on their morphology. The species corresponded morphologically to Toxorhynchites moctezuma, making this the first report of the species for the state of Sinaloa, Mexico. Similarities and morphological variations are discussed with previous analysis for this species.

Natural Vertical Transmission of Dengue Virus Serotype 4 in Aedes aegypti Larvae from Urban Areas in Sinaloa, Mexico.

Dengue virus (DENV) is transmitted to humans by the bite of the vector Aedes aegypti. Several researchers have suggested that the mechanism of vertical transmission of DENV in the vector is a key aspect for the prevalence of the virus in the environment and the potentiation of epidemic outbreaks of the disease. In this context and as part of an integrated study of DENV serotypes in mosquitoes of urban areas in Sinaloa, Mexico, the presence of DENV-4 in larval stages of Ae. aegypti was evaluated to demonstrate the vertical transmission of this serotype. In total, 672 larvae of Ae. aegypti were collected in 16 sectors and were grouped into 36 pools, of which 41.66% (15/36 pools) tested positive for DENV-4, with a minimum infection rate = 22.32. The analysis of the obtained sequences showed a 98% similarity to the DENV-4 with sequences previously reported in GenBank. These results show that Ae. aegypti acts as a natural reservoir for DENV-4 in this region.

Prevalencia de anemia, deficiencia de hierro y parasitosis intestinal y su relación con las condiciones socioeconómicas, en menores de 15 años de la comunidad rural Las Bucarita, Estado Lara, Venezuela / Prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency and intestinal parasitosis and its relation to socioeconomic conditions, in children under 15 years of rural community The Bucarita, Lara state, Venezuela

En el presente estudio se determinó la prevalencia de anemia, deficiencia de hierro y parasitosis intestinal y su combinación relacionándolo con condiciones socioeconómicas por los métodos de Necesidades Básicas Insatisfechas y Graffar Modificado de Méndez-Castellano. Se evaluaron 403 niños y niñas menores de 15 años de la comunidad rural La Bucarita, Estado Lara, Venezuela. Se determinó la concentración de ferritina sérica mediante el método de ELISA, el hierro sérico y la Capacidad Total de Fijación de Hierro por absorción atómica adosado a un horno de grafito, y la hemoglobina usando un Coulter ACT8; las muestras fecales se analizaron por el método Kato-Katz cualitativo. Los resultados muestran que el 13,4% de los niños y niñas presentaron anemia, 28,3% eran ferropénicos de los cuales 29,8% eran anémicos ferropénicos. El 79,71% de la muestra estudiada presentó parasitosis intestinal siendo los más frecuentes Áscaris Lumbricoides (65,3%) y TrichurisTrichiura (52,4%). El 98% y el 2% de las familias se encuentran en pobreza absoluta y relativa, respectivamente. De acuerdo al Graffar y al NBI, 98,59% clasificó como hogar en pobreza extrema. Hubo correlación estadísticamente significativa p<0,001 entre los aspectos socioeconómicos y la infestación parasitaria observándose la misma prevalencia entre las personas con pobreza crítica y pobreza extrema (79,6%).

In the present study were determined the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency and intestinal parasitosis and their combinations, associating them to socio-economic conditions using the methods of Unsatisfied Basic Needs and Graffar Mendez-Castellano. 403 children under 15 years of age from the rural community of La Bucarita, Lara state, Venezuela, were evaluated. The concentration of serum ferritin was determined by means of ELISA methods, serum iron and Total Binding Capacity Iron by means of atomic absorption attached to a graphite furnace, hemoglobin by means of Coulter Act8 and fecal samples by means of the Kato-Katz qualitative method. The results show that 13.4% of children had anemia, 28.3% were ferropenics, 29,8 % of whom were anemic ferropenics. 79.71% of the sample had intestinal parasitosis, the most frequent were Ascaris lumbricoides (65.3%) and TrichurisTrichiura (52.4%). 98% of the families were in absolute poverty and 2% of the families were in relative poverty. According to Graffar and to NBI, 98.59% were rated as extremely poor household. There was statistically significant correlation p <0.001 between socio-economic and parasitic infestation, the same prevalence being observed among people in poverty and extreme poverty (79.6%).

El proceso de acreditación de Especialistas en Pediatría en Chile / Accreditation process of pediatric healthcare professionals in Chile

In Chile since 1984, the Autonomous Corporation for Certification of Medical Specialties (CONACEM) has certified 12,294 medical specialists. The Pediatrics discipline began its certification processes in 1984; it had certified 1,329 specialists by December, 2012. There are three possible ways to get certified: a) to have passed the Training Graduate Degree Program, taken by 57% of the applicants; b) to meet the requirements for Training in Practice for 5 years, achieved by 39% of applicants; c) to have been trained oversees according to validated programs. There are 11 accredited 3-year long university programs, which take place in Santiago and Provinces with a total annual capacity of 96 students. With the exception of doctors approved by accredited medical university programs, the rest of the applicants must pass a practical examination. A written examination has been added since 2002, whose approval is required to take the practical examination, which has proven to have good discrimination (22% average rejection in 11 years). The certifications granted today are good for 10 years and recertification is good for 7 years. The expiration of the certification process is related to recertification. This review discusses the reasons behind it and discusses the requirements and a table of credits to complete. Current legislation requires the action of at least one certification body, a condition that has been legally and uniquely granted by the Ministry of Health to CONACEM since 2/11/2014.

Desde 1984 la Corporación Autónoma de Certificación de Especialidades Médicas (CONACEM) ha certificado 12.294 especialistas médicos en Chile. La disciplina de Pediatría inició su certificación en 1984, habiendo certificado hasta Diciembre 2012 a 1.329 especialistas. Para la certificación existen tres vías posibles: a) haber aprobado un Programa de Formación Universitario Acreditado, lo que hizo el 57% de los postulantes; b) cumplir los requisitos de Adiestramiento en Práctica durante 5 años, como sucedió con el 39% de los postulantes; c) haber sido formado en el extranjero de acuerdo a programas convalidados. Existen 11 programas universitarios acreditados, de 3 años de duración, con un cupo total anual de 96 alumnos que se desarrollan en Santiago y Provincias. Salvo los médicos aprobados en los Programas Universitarios acreditados, el resto de los postulantes aprobar un examen práctico; desde 2002 se ha agregado un examen escrito, cuya aprobación es requisito para dar el práctico, y que ha resultado tener buena discriminación (22% de rechazo promedio en el período de 11 años). Las certificaciones dadas hoy, tienen una duración de 10 años al inicio y serán de 7 años en la recertificación. La caducidad de las certificaciones está aparejada al proceso de recertificación, de lo cual se discuten las razones que lo avalan; se presentan los requisitos y una tabla de créditos a cumplir, elaboradas por CONACEM. La legislación vigente y en proceso, requiere la actuación de al menos una entidad certificadora, condición que ha sido otorgada legalmente en forma única por el Ministerio de Salud a CONACEM a partir del 11/02/2014.

Leaf-trait responses to irrigation of the endemic fog-oasis tree Myrcianthes ferreyrae: can a fog specialist benefit from regular watering?

Myrcianthes ferreyrae is an endemic, endangered species, with a small number of individuals located only in hyperarid, fog-oases known as lomas along the Peruvian desert in southern Peru, where fog is the main source of water. Following centuries of severe deforestation, reforestation with this native species was conducted in the Atiquipa lomas, Arequipa-Perú. On five slopes, five 2-year-old seedlings were irrigated monthly with water trapped by raschel-mesh fog collectors, supplementing natural rainfall with 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 mm month(-1) from February to August 2008. We measured plant growth, increment in basal diameter, height and five leaf traits: leaf mass area (LMA), leaf carbon isotope composition (δ(13)C), nitrogen per leaf area, total leaf carbon and stomatal density; which are indicative of the physiological changes resulting from increased water supply. Plant growth rates, estimated from the variation of either shoot basal diameter or maximum height, were highly correlated with total biomass. Only LMA and δ(13)C were higher in irrigated than in control plants, but we found no further differences among irrigation treatments. This threshold response suggests an on-off strategy fitted to exploit pulses of fog water, which are always limited in magnitude in comparison with natural rain. The absence of a differential response to increased water supply is in agreement with the low phenotypic plasticity expected in plants from very stressful environments. Our results have practical implications for reforestation projects, since irrigating with 20 mm per month is sufficient to achieve the full growth capacity of this species.

Edible Lepidoptera in Mexico: Geographic distribution, ethnicity, economic and nutritional importance for rural people.

In this paper, we reported the butterflies and moths that are consumed in Mexico. We identified 67 species of Lepidoptera that are eaten principally in their larval stage in 17 states of Mexico. These species belong to 16 families: Arctiidae, Bombycidae, Castniidae, Cossidae, Geometridae, Hepialidae, Hesperiidae, Lasiocampidae, Noctuidae, Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, Pyralidae, Saturniidae, Sesiidae, and Sphingidae.Saturniidae, Pieridae, Noctuidae and Nymphalidae were the more species consumed with 16, 11, 9, and 8 species, respectively. The genera with the largest numbers of species were: Phassus, Phoebis, Hylesia and Spodoptera, with three species.Their local distribution, corresponding to each state of Mexico, is also presented.

Intravitreal bevacizumab for inflammatory choroidal neovascularization: results from the Pan-American Collaborative Retina Study Group at 24 months.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the anatomical and functional outcomes of intravitreal bevacizumab (1.25 or 2.5 mg) in the treatment of inflammatory choroidal neovascularization at 24 months. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records of 22 consecutive patients (23 eyes) with choroidal neovascularization secondary to chorioretinal inflammatory disease in this interventional retrospective multicenter case series. Sixteen eyes (63.6%) received a dose of 1.25 mg of intravitreal bevacizumab, and 7 eyes (36.4%) received a dose of 2.5 mg of intravitreal bevacizumab. RESULTS: At baseline, the mean best-corrected visual acuity was 0.68 logarithm of minimum angle of resolution (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study chart = 20/100). After intravitreal bevacizumab, best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly to 0.41 logarithm of minimum angle of resolution (20/51), 0.42 logarithm of minimum angle of resolution (20/53), and 0.40 logarithm of minimum angle of resolution (20/50) at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively (P < 0.05). Fourteen eyes (60.8%) received 1 injection. Central macular thickness by optical coherence tomography decreased from 375.3 µm (range: 240-634 µm) at baseline to 241.6 µm (range: 189-306 µm) at 24 months of follow-up (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Intravitreal bevacizumab at doses of 1.25 mg and 2.5 mg seems to provide stability or improvement in best-corrected visual acuity, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiogram in inflammatory choroidal neovascularization at 24 months. All patients were treated after the underlying uveitic condition was controlled.

Estudio comparativo del valor nutritivo de varios coleoptera comestibles de México y pachymerus nucleorum (fabricus 1792)(bruchidae) de Brasil / Comparative survey of the nutritive value of several edible coleoptera from Mexico and pachymerus nucleorum (fabricus 1792)(bruchidae) from Brasil

Por medio de métodos normalizados oficiales se analiza y compara el valor nutritivo de algunas especies de escarabajos comestibles de México y el Pachymerus nucleorum de Brasil. Se concluye que los escarabajos comestibles de México y P. nucleorum poseen un alto valor nutritivo en proteínas, aminoácidos, grasas, calorías y minerales, por lo que su ingestión coadyuva a la nutrición de las poblaciones humanas que hacen acopio de este recurso alimenticio de acuerdo a su abundancia durante las diferentes estaciones del año, en las cuales son encontrados

Full-thickness macular hole after LASIK for the correction of myopia.

PURPOSE: To describe 19 patients (20 eyes) who developed a macular hole (MH) after undergoing bilateral LASIK for the correction of myopia. DESIGN: Noncomparative, interventional, retrospective, multicenter case series. PARTICIPANTS: Nineteen patients (20 eyes) who developed an MH after bilateral LASIK for the correction of myopia at 10 institutions in Venezuela, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Spain, and the United States. METHODS: Chart review. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Macular hole development. RESULTS: The MH formed between 1 to 83 months after LASIK (mean, 12.1). In 60% of cases, the MH developed < or =6 months after LASIK, and in 30% of cases it developed > or =1 year after LASIK. Eighteen of 19 (94.7%) patients were female. Mean age was 46 years (range, 25-65). All eyes were myopic (range, -0.50 to -19.75 diopters [mean, -8.9]). Posterior vitreous detachment was not present before and was documented after LASIK in 55% of eyes. A vitrectomy closed the MH on the 14 eyes that underwent surgical management, with an improvement of final best-corrected visual acuity in 13 of 14 (92.8%) patients. Our 20 eyes with a full-thickness MH after LASIK reflect an incidence of approximately 0.02% (20/83938). CONCLUSION: An MH may infrequently develop after LASIK for the correction of myopia. Our study shows that vitreoretinal surgery can be successful in restoring vision for most myopic eyes with an MH after LASIK. Vitreoretinal interface changes may play a role in MH formation after LASIK for the correction of myopia.

Kinins mediate the inhibition of atrial natriuretic peptide diuretic effect induced by pepsanurin

Pepsanurin is a peptidic fraction resulting from pepsin digestion of plasma globulins, that inhibits ANP renal excretory actions. We studied whether kinin-like peptides mediate the anti-ANP effect by testing if pepsanurin: 1) was blocked by the kinin B12 receptor antagonist HOE-140, 2) was produced from kininogen, and 3) was mimicked by bradykinin. Anti-ANP activity was assessed in anesthetized female rats by comparing the excretory response to two ANP boluses (0.5 mug iv) given before and after ip injection of test samples. Pepsanurin from human or rat plasma (1-5 mL/Kg), and bradykinin (5-20 mug/Kg), dose-relatedly inhibited ANP-induced water, sodium, potassium and cyclic GMP urinary excretion, without affecting arterial blood pressure. The same effect was exerted by pepsin hydrolysates of purified kininogen, whereas hydrolysates of kininogen-free plasma had no effect. HOE-140 (5 mug, iv) did not alter baseline, or ANP-induced excretion, but blocked the anti-ANP effects of pepsanurin. Histamine (15 mug/Kg) plus seroalbumin hydrolysates did not affect ANP response, despite inducing larger peritoneal fluid accumulation as compared with pepsanurin or bradykinin. We concluded that kinins cleaved from kininogen mediate the anti-ANP effects of pepsanurin by activation of kinin B2 receptors, independently of changes in systemic arterial pressure or peritoneal fluid sequestration.

Enfermedad inflamatoria del tracto gastrointestinal en el Hospital Universitario, Centro Médico, Puerto Rico, 1980-87 / Inflammatory disease of gastrointestinal tract in the Hospital Universitario, Centro Médico, Puerto Rico 1980-87

A pesar de ser conocidas la colitis ulcerativa y la enfermedad de Crohn hace mucho tiempo, continúa sin establecerse su etiología, y se dificulta muchas veces distinguir una de la otra. Además sus características dificultan el estudio epidemiológico de la enfermedad. En este trabajo se revisaron 70 expedientes con diagnóstico definitivo de enfermedad de Crohn y colitis ulcerativa y se compararon los resultados con la literatura de otras partes del mundo. Encontramos quem la proporción de colitis ulcerativa a enfermedad de Crohn es alta, 5.4:1, no hubo variación con respecto a los grupos etáreos ni a los síntomas más frecuentes; pero sí hubo variación en los patrones de enfermedad de Crohn, siendo el colónico el más frecuente. También se encontró un porcentaje bajo de manifestaciones extraintestinales. Esto hace pensar en la necesidad de seguir un protocolo adecuado para la evaluación de pacientes con enfermedad inflamatoria del intestino