Malaria infection among adults residing in a highly endemic region from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

BACKGROUND: Adults infected with Plasmodium spp. in endemic areas need to be re-evaluated in light of global malaria elimination goals. They potentially undermine malaria interventions but remain an overlooked aspect of public health strategies. METHODS: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Plasmodium spp. infections, to identify underlying parasite species, and to assess predicting factors among adults residing in an endemic area from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A community-based cross-sectional survey in subjects aged 18 years and above was therefore carried out. Study participants were interviewed using a standard questionnaire and tested for Plasmodium spp. using a rapid diagnostic test and a nested polymerase chain reaction assay. Logistic regression models were fitted to assess the effect of potential predictive factors for infections with different Plasmodium spp. RESULTS: Overall, 420 adults with an estimated prevalence of Plasmodium spp. infections of 60.2% [95% CI 55.5; 64.8] were included. Non-falciparum species infected 26.2% [95% CI 22.2; 30.5] of the study population. Among infected participants, three parasite species were identified, including Plasmodium falciparum (88.5%), Plasmodium malariae (39.9%), and Plasmodium ovale (7.5%) but no Plasmodium vivax. Mixed species accounted for 42.3% of infections while single-species infections predominated with P. falciparum (56.5%) among infected participants. All infected participants were asymptomatic at the time of the survey. Adults belonging to the "most economically disadvantaged" households had increased risks of infections with any Plasmodium spp. (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 2.87 [95% CI 1.66, 20.07]; p < 0.001), compared to those from the "less economically disadvantaged" households. Conversely, each 1 year increase in age reduced the risk of infections with any Plasmodium spp. (aOR = 0.99 [95% CI 0.97, 0.99]; p = 0.048). Specifically for non-falciparum spp., males had increased risks of infection than females (aOR = 1.83 [95% CI 1.13, 2.96]; p = 0.014). CONCLUSION: Adults infected with malaria constitute a potentially important latent reservoir for the transmission of the disease in the study setting. They should specifically be taken into account in public health measures and translational research.

Differential cardiomyocyte transcriptomic remodeling during in vitro Trypanosoma cruzi infection using laboratory strains provides implications on pathogenic host responses.

BACKGROUND: Chagas disease can lead to life-threatening cardiac manifestations. Regional factors, including genetic characteristics of circulating Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), have attracted attention as likely determinants of Chagas disease phenotypic expression and Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCM) progression. Our objective was to elucidate the differential transcriptomic signatures of cardiomyocytes resulting from infection with genetically discrete T. cruzi strains and explore their relationships with CCM pathogenesis and progression. METHODS: HL-1 rodent cardiomyocytes were infected with T. cruzi trypomastigotes of the Colombian, Y, or Tulahuen strain. RNA was serially isolated post-infection for microarray analysis. Enrichment analyses of differentially expressed genes (fold-change ≥ 2 or ≤ 0.5) highlighted over-represented biological pathways. Intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were compared between T. cruzi-infected and non-infected HL-1 cardiomyocytes. RESULTS: We found that oxidative stress-related gene ontology terms (GO terms), 'Hypertrophy model', 'Apoptosis', and 'MAPK signaling' pathways (all with P < 0.01) were upregulated. 'Glutathione and one-carbon metabolism' pathway, and 'Cellular nitrogen compound metabolic process' GO term (all with P < 0.001) were upregulated exclusively in the cardiomyocytes infected with the Colombian/Y strains. Mean intracellular levels of ROS were significantly higher in the T. cruzi-infected cardiomyocytes compared to the non-infected (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The upregulation of oxidative stress-related and hypertrophic pathways constitutes the universal hallmarks of the cardiomyocyte response elicited by T. cruzi infection. Nitrogen metabolism upregulation and glutathione metabolism imbalance may implicate a relationship between nitrosative stress and poor oxygen radicals scavenging in the unique pathophysiology of Chagas cardiomyopathy.

Characterization of Pulmonary Bacteriobiota in Critically Ill Patients in Southern Peru through Next-Generation Sequencing Technology.

Sequence variation in the 16S gene is widely used to characterize diverse microbial communities. This was the first pilot study carried out in our region where the pulmonary microbiota of critically ill patients was investigated and analyzed, with the aim of finding a specific profile for these patients that can be used as a diagnostic marker. An study of critical patients mechanically ventilated for non-respiratory indications, in a polyvalent intensive care unit, was carried out; samplee were extracted by endotracheal aspiration and subsequently the microbiota was characterized through Next-Generation Sequencing Technology (NGS). The predominant phyla among the critically ill patients were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidata. In the surviving patients group, the predominant phyla were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidata and Firmicutes, in the group of deceased patients thy were Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidata. We found a decrease in commensal bacteria in deceased patients and a progressive increase in in-hospital germs.

Indicadores de calidad de colangiopancreatografía retrógada endoscópica en un hospital nivel III asociados al desarrollo de pancreatitis aguda post-cpre / Quality indicators of endoscopic retrogated cholangiopancreatography in a level iii hospital associated with the development of post-ercp acute pancreatitis

Objetivo: Evaluar la asociación entre los indicadores de calidad de colangiopancreatografía retrógada endoscópica (CPRE) y desarrollo de pancreatitis aguda post-CPRE en el Hospital Regional Lambayeque durante el período 2016­junio 2017. Material y métodos: estudio observacional, transversal analítico, retrospectivo. Población censal 539 y muestra 358. Se evaluaron historias clínicas usando un checklist de indicadores de calidad de "The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)". Se usó media y desviación estándar para la edad y frecuencias absolutas y porcentajes para las demás variables. Se evaluó el porcentaje de cumplimiento de cada indicador. Se encontró la asociación entre indicadores de calidad y el desarrollo de pancreatitis usando razones de prevalencia (IC95%) y X2(p<0,05). Resultados: La edad promedio es 52,24+20,168, el 66,5% son mujeres. 98,3% de las CPREs tiene indicación apropiada; 0,3% no tiene consentimiento informado completo; 15,38% tuvo administración de antibiótico adecuada; 92,2% fueron realizadas por un endoscopista capacitado; en 96,9% se logró la canulación profunda, ninguno tuvo medición del tiempo de fluoroscopio, 65,1% logró extracción de cálculos <1cm, 95,5% logró la colocación de stent; ninguna tuvo reporte completo y en el 98,5% los efectos adversos fueron documentados. La tasa de pancreatitis fue 7%, de perforación 0,6% y de hemorragia 2,5%. Solo el 3,9% tuvo control en >14 días. Conclusiones: No existe asociación entre los indicadores de calidad de CPRE y el desarrollo de pancreatitis. No se cumplen todos los criterios de calidad. La pancreatitis post-CPRE tiene más posibilidad de presentarse en mujeres, pero menos en mayores de 65 años.

Objetive:Evaluate the association between the quality indicators for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and the development of acute pancreatitis post-ERCPin "Hospital Regional Lambayeque" during the period 2016-June2017. : observational, Material and methodsanalytic transversal and retrospective study. Population of 539 and sample 358 patiens. The clinical histories were evaluated using a checklist of the quality indicators of the "The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)". For the age were used mean and standard deviation; and for the other variables were used total frequencies and percent. The accomplishment percent of every indicator was evaluated. The association between the quality indicators and the development of pancreatitis was made using prevalence reasons (CI95%) and x2(p<0.05). The mean age is Results:52.24+20.168, 66.5% are women. 98.3% of the ERCPs has appropriate indication; 0.3% doesn ́t have informed consent, 15.38% has adequate antibiotic administration, 92.2% was made by a trained endoscopist, in the 96.9% the deep canulation was achieved, any has measurement of fluoroscopy time, in the 65.1% the stones <1cm were extracted successfully, in the 95.5% stent was placement successfully; any has a complete report; and in the 98.5% the adverse effects were documented. The rate of pancreatitis was 7%, perforation 0.6% and bleeding 2.5%. Only 3.9% has control in >14 days. Conclusions: There is no association between the quality indicators for ERCPand the development of acute pancreatitis post-ERCP. Not all the quality indicators were achieved. Post-ERCPPancreatitis has more possibility to develop in woman and less possibility to develop in 65 or more years patients.

Simultaneous T1 , T2 , and T1ρ relaxation mapping of the lower leg muscle with MR fingerprinting.

PURPOSE: To develop a novel MR-fingerprinting (MRF) pulse sequence that is insensitive to B1+ and B0 imperfections for simultaneous T1 , T2 , and T1ρ relaxation mapping. METHODS: We implemented a totally balanced spin-lock (TB-SL) module to encode T1ρ relaxation into an existing MRF framework that encoded T1 and T2 . The spin-lock module used two 180° pulses with compensatory phases to reduce T1ρ sensitivity to B1 and B0 inhomogeneities. We compared T1ρ measured using TB-SL MRF in Bloch simulations, model agar phantoms, and in vivo experiments to those with a self-compensated spin-lock preparation module (SC-SL). The TB-SL MRF repeatability was evaluated in maps acquired in the lower leg skeletal muscle of 12 diabetic peripheral neuropathy patients, scanned two times each during visits separated by about 30 days. RESULTS: The phantom relaxation times measured with TB-SL and SC-SL MRF were in good agreement with reference values in regions with low B1 inhomogeneities. Compared with SC-SL, TB-SL MRF showed in experiments greater robustness against severe B1 inhomogeneities and in Bloch simulations greater robustness against B1 and B0 . We measured with TB-SL MRF an average T1 = 950.1 ± 28.7 ms, T2 = 26.0 ± 1.2 ms, and T1ρ = 31.7 ± 3.2 ms in skeletal muscle across patients. Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated low bias between TB-SL and SC-SL MRF and between TB-SL MRF maps acquired in two visits. The coefficient of variation was less than 3% for all measurements. CONCLUSION: The proposed TB-SL MRF sequence is fast and insensitive to B1+ and B0 imperfections. It can simultaneously map T1 , T2 , T1ρ , and B1+ in a single scan and can potentially be used to study muscle composition.

Adaptación transcultural al español de la versión corta del Awareness of Independent Learning Inventory (AILI) / Transcultural adaptation to Spanish of the short version of the Awareness of Independent Learning Inventory (AILI)

OBJETIVO: Realizar la adaptación transcultural al español de la versión corta del Awareness of Independent Learning Inven-tory (AILI) para medir la metacognición, pieza clave en la educación. Sujetos y métodos: Inicialmente, tres traductores realizaron la traducción de inglés a español y se determinó el grado de acuerdo entre las tres versiones. Posteriormente, tres expertos corrigieron esas versiones y, con dichas correcciones un especialista, las investigadoras y un alumno colaborador construyeron un consenso. Dos traductoras hicieron la retrotraducción del consenso. Se evaluó el grado de acuerdo de cada versión retrotraducida con la versión original y se obtuvo una versión retrotraducida final. Se halló la equivalencia de la versión retrotraducida final con la versión original. Finalmente, se aplicó el consenso a una muestra piloto para determinar la consistencia interna y se midió el grado de comprensión. RESULTADOS: El grado de acuerdo entre las versiones traducidas del inglés al español fue kappa = 0,4501, 0,4150 y 0,4416. El coeficiente de Spearman entre la versión retrotraducida final y la versión original fue de 0,906. El documento de consenso fue comprensible en un 89,8% (IC 95%: 86,2-93,2%). Se obtuvo una elevada fiabilidad (alfa de Cronbach = 0,859). CONCLUSIÓN: La adaptación transcultural de la versión corta del AILI originó un instrumento final con una elevada comprensibilidad y fiabilidad

AIM: To make the transcultural adaptation to Spanish of the short version of the Awareness of Independent Learning Inventory (AILI) in order to measure the metacognition, an important piece in the education. Subjects and methods: Initially, three translators make the translation from English to Spanish and it was determined the degree of agreement between the three versions. Then, three specialists check the three versions and with those corrections another specialist, the researchers and a contributor student construct a consensus. Two translators make the re-translation from the consensus. It was evaluated the degree of agreement between every retranslated version and the original version and a final re-translated version was obtained. The equivalence between the final re-translated version and the original version was evaluated. Finally, the consensus was applied to a pilot sample to determine the internal consistent and the degree of comprehension was measured too. RESULTS: The degree of agreement between the translated versions from English to Spanish was kappa = 0.4501, 0.4150 and 0.4416. The Spearman coefficient of the final re-translated version with the original version was 0.906. The consensus document was comprehensible in 89.8% (95% CI: 86.2-93.2%). It was obtained high reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.859). CONCLUSION: Transcultural adaptation of the short version of the AILI originated a final instrument with high compressibility and reliability