Monitoring of inland waters for culturing shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei: application of a method based on survival and chemical composition.

This study evaluated the suitability of 21 inland waters (16 well waters and 5 surface waters) from Northwest Mexico via short- (48 h) and medium-term (28 days) tests using postlarvae (PL18) of Litopenaeus vannamei. In the short test, survival was assessed at 48 h after shrimp were placed in groups of 10 postlarvae into 2-L containers of inland water, to which they had been previously acclimated. The second, medium-term test consisted of four replicates with 10 postlarvae, and each group was placed in 15-L containers with the treatment water. Weights (initial and final) and survival were evaluated weekly for 28 days. In those waters for which the short test was positive and the medium-term test was negative and which also had a deficiency of potassium and/or magnesium, a third test was conducted. These last waters were supplemented with salts, and the shrimp survival and weights (initial and final) were recorded for 28 days. The water samples from San Jose, Mochicahui, Sinaloa River, Caimanero inner Lagoon, La Pipima, Campo Santa Fe, Escopama, and Fitmar had >60% survival in the short test. The Caimanero inner Lagoon water had the highest survival (87.5 ± 9.6%) and final mean weight (201.3 ± 86.2 mg). In the third test, it was found that shrimp in the water from La Pipima, Campo Santa Fe, and Fitmar exhibited 100% survival for 2 weeks. Finally, in this work, a decision tree to evaluate the suitability of low-salinity water for shrimp farming was proposed, which can be applied in other regions.

Usefulness of serum lipid peroxide as a diagnostic test for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in the full-term neonate.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of serum lipid peroxide (LPO) for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in full-term neonates. STUDY DESIGN: Diagnostic test evaluation forming three groups: (1) healthy full-term neonates (n=59), (2) at-risk full-term neonates without HIE (n=57) and (3) at-risk full-term neonates with HIE (n=57). HIE diagnosis was made using the Finer clinical classification at 48 h after birth. Serum LPO was taken at 4 h after birth and determined by spectrophotometry. RESULT: One hundred seventy-three full-term neonates were studied. Fifty-one of the at-risk full-term neonates with HIE (51/57) had high serum LPO and two of the at-risk full-term neonates without HIE (2/57) (P<0.001). Serum LPO level had 89% sensitivity, 96% specificity, 96% positive predictive value, 90% negative predictive value, 24 positive probability ratio, 0.11 negative probability ratio and 92% diagnostic usefulness. CONCLUSION: Serum LPO level could be a useful test for early diagnosis of HIE in full-term neonates.

Dengue virus in Mexican bats.

Individuals belonging to five families, 12 genera, and 19 different species of bats from dengue endemic areas in the Gulf and Pacific coasts of Mexico were examined by ELISA, RT-PCR, and for the presence of dengue virus (DV) NS1 protein. Nine individuals from four species were seropositive by ELISA: three insectivorous, Myotis nigricans (four positives/12 examined), Pteronotus parnellii (3/19), and Natalus stramineus (1/4), and one frugivorous Artibeus jamaicensis (1/35) (12.86% seroprevalence in positive species). DV serotype 2 was detected by RT-PCR in four samples from three species (all from the Gulf coast - rainy season): two frugivorous, A. jamaicensis (2/9), and Carollia brevicauda (1/2), and one insectivorous, M. nigricans (1/11). The latter was simultaneously positive for NS1 protein. DV RT-PCR positive animals were all antibody seronegative. M. nigricans showed positive individuals for all three tests. This is the first evidence suggesting the presence of DV in bats from Mexico.

Long-term visual results in congenital cataract surgery associated with preoperative nystagmus.

BACKGROUND: Congenital cataracts are the leading cause of preventable blindness in children. The prevalence of this disease is higher in developing countries. The incidence and visual outcome of patients who have undergone congenital cataract surgery in Mexico is not currently known. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long-term visual results in Mexican children with bilateral congenital cataracts associated with preoperative nystagmus. METHODS: In a tertiary-level hospital, the long-term visual results of 13 children (26 eyes) with bilateral congenital cataracts associated with preoperative nystagmus were evaluated. All patients had at least 5 years of follow-up after surgery, and all patients were subjected to an intentional ophthalmologic examination. Three types of visual function were evaluated: visual acuity, contrast sensitivity vision, and stereoscopic vision. Age at surgery was correlated with visual outcome. Optical rehabilitation and surgical complications were also analyzed. RESULTS: Our group found five patients (38%) with acceptable visual acuity levels. Eight patients (62%) were legally blind according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Contrast sensitivity vision and stereopsis were severely affected in all patients. We also found a high correlation between timing of surgery, optical rehabilitation, and visual outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Early diagnosis and treatment, in addition to adequate optical rehabilitation, are mandatory for preventing blindness secondary to congenital cataracts in developing countries. The current state of congenital cataract management in Mexico is also examined.

Ro60 ribonucleoprotein inhibits transcription by T3 RNA polymerase in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Ro60 ribonucleoprotein is a conserved molecule belonging to the family of Ro ribonucleoproteins and targeted by autoantibodies produced in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus or Sjogren's syndrome. Ro60 plays a role in postranscription events, as well as in the nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of RNA polymerase III transcripts. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the in vitro effects of Ro60 on T3 RNA polymerase transcription. METHODS: Ro60 ribonucleoprotein was affinity-purified from human spleen extracts using 4B-Sepharose linked to anti-Ro60 monoclonal antibodies. Purified Ro60 was incorporated into the T3 RNA polymerase transcription reaction system using pTRI-beta-Actin-human DNA as a template. RESULTS: Ro60 inhibited initiation of the transcription process in a dose-dependent manner; neither elongation nor termination was affected by Ro. CONCLUSION: In vitro, Ro60 appears to inhibit the transcription of a T3 RNA polymerase-dependent template.

[Cataracts and atopic dermatitis in children. A study of 68 patients]. / Cataratas y dermatitis atópica en niños. Estudio de 68 pacientes.

We choose 68 children with diagnosis of atopic dermatitis according to Hanifin's criteria, then they were sent to ophthalmologic exploration and were investigated other clinical data that could be related with ocular disturbances. The positive result for cataracts was found in three patients (4.4%) all of them females, 11, 12 and 18 years old respectively, with around 9 years of the onset of the disease. They were considered as severe according to the same criteria, all of them had familiar history of atopic diseases and tendency to generalize and to present eczematous phase in any moment of the evolution. These findings are similar to those reported by other authors and we remark the importance of recognizing risk factors in patients with this dermatosis to send opportunely to a periodic ophthalmologic evaluation.