¿Se prescriben adecuadamente los antibióticos en el hospital universitario Mártires del 9 de Abril? / Is made satisfactorily the prescription of antibiotics at Mártires del 9 de Abril University Hospital?

Durante los últimos años, en nuestro país se han establecido las definiciones administrativas y los procedimientos que garantizan el marco técnico, jurídico y laboral que se requiere para hacer un uso racional de los medicamentos, entre ellos, los antibióticos; 4 pero aún se requiere un grupo de acciones comunicativas, educativas e informativas, con el objetivo de alcanzar actitudes acordes con la problemática del significado de los medicamentos en la sociedad contemporánea(AU)

Soft-tissue mineralization of bullfrog larvae (Rana catesbeiana) at a wastewater treatment facility.

Bullfrog tadpoles (Rana catesbeiana) from a wastewater treatment facility were identified with severe lesions consisting of large, up to 1-cm in diameter, mineralized nodules protruding from the tail or gular region. Sectioning of formalin-fixed specimens revealed more extensive mineralization involving the vertebrae or muscles of the head and tail. Nodules examined microscopically were not associated with parasitic or infectious agents. Large nodules consisted of mineralized aggregates surrounded by a margin of granulomatous inflammation. Individual connective-tissue fibers and muscle cells were mineralized at some foci. The nodules consisted entirely of calcium phosphate, and the lesions appeared to be novel. Total serum-calcium concentrations of tadpoles and calcium concentrations in water samples did not differ significantly with increasing distance from the discharge site. Affected tadpoles had elevated cholecalciferol (25-OH-vitamin D3) levels. Effluent from this wastewater treatment facility is divided into 3 streams, each passing through a separate series of wetlands allowing for replicated evaluation of tadpoles with increasing distance from the proximate inputs of treated wastewater. The prevalence of lesions was correlated with proximity of cells to the initial wastewater discharge site, and 28.5% of bullfrog larvae in the first cells had lesions. None were affected in the fifth cells. Southern leopard frog larvae (Rana sphenocephala), the only other species affected, had a much lower prevalence of lesions (<1%) than bullfrog tadpoles and were only affected in the first cells. To date, the primary cause of elevated cholecalciferol is undetermined, but it appears to be remediated by passage of water through the wetlands.

Patterns of development and abnormalities among tadpoles in a constructed wetland receiving treated wastewater.

Constructed wetlands are promoted for effectiveness at treating wastewater and potential value as wildlife habitat; however, wildlife performance studies in treated wastewater wetlands are limited. We used repeated surveys of larval amphibians along three wetland systems and four reference sites to test the hypothesis that bullfrog tadpoles exposed to direct inputs of treated wastewater develop slower, show a higher frequency of abnormalities, and are smaller at metamorphosis compared to tadpoles from reference ponds. Bullfrog tadpoles from wastewater wetlands were similar in size at metamorphosis compared to tadpoles from reference sites; however, they did show a much higher frequency of abnormalities including severe edema, scoliosis, and extreme calcinosis of soft tissues. Calcinosis was novel to the literature on amphibian abnormalities, the most frequent abnormality, and restricted exclusively to treatment wetlands. Within the constructed wetlands, tadpole development was slower and the frequency of scoliosis and calcinosis was higher in those cells receiving direct inputs of treated wastewater. Our results suggest that portions of constructed wetlands that directly receive treated wastewater may be poor amphibian habitat.