Predicción de unión de péptidos de Plasmodium falciparum al HLA clase II. Probabilidad, combinatoria y entropía aplicadas a las proteínas MSP-5 y MSP-6 / Plasmodium falciparum binding peptides prediction to HLA class II. Probability, combinatory and entropy applied to MSP-5 and MSP-6 proteins

Las proteínas de superficie del merozoíto (MSP) son de importancia en la invasión parasitaria al glóbulo rojo. La proteína MSP-5, encontrada en merozoítos libres, tiene un papel en la inmunización de ratones al P. falciparum y P. yoelii, pese a lo cual algunos estudios cuestionan su rol en la invasión. La proteína MSP-6 forma junto con MSP-1 y MSP-7 un complejo en la superficie del merozoíto, liberado del parásito cerca del momento de la invasión al glóbulo rojo. Con el fin de predecir el fenómeno de unión de péptidos de las proteínas de superficie MSP-5 y MSP-6, se aplicó una teoría de unión al HLA clase II, a la totalidad de secuencias de 20 aminoácidos de tales moléculas. Se calcularon los valores de probabilidad, combinatoria y entropía de 168 secuencias nonámeras sobrelapadas de la proteína MSP-5 y 228 de MSP-6. Por último se aplicó la teoría de unión a todos los péptidos nonámeros de tres proteínas construidas computacionalmente, cada una con una longitud de 500 aminoácidos. Para la proteína MSP-5 se predijo un total de 31 secuencias asociadas al macroestado de unión y 137 al de no unión, mientras que se predijo la existencia de 35 secuencias asociadas al macroestado de unión para MSP-6 y 193 al de no unión. Se encontraron respectivamente 100, 111 y 91 secuencias predichas de unión para las tres proteínas teóricas construidas. La predicción teórica de unión de péptidos es útil para facilitar el desarrollo de vacunas, al evidenciar el orden físico-matemático subyacente al fenómeno.(AU)

[General aspects of homeopathy]. / Aspectos generales de la homeopatía.

Homeopathic medicine is a type of therapy that appeared in Europe at the end of the eighteenth century. At the present time, it is widely accepted in developed countries as a form of alternative medicine. In Chile, health regulation includes homeopathy as pharmaceutical products and homeopathy is also considered a form of complementary medicine, that is well accepted by the public. The scientific rationale of homeopathy is based on an empiric type of thought that goes from the general to the particular. The symptoms that are valued are those that are particular to each sick individual. It uses diluted solutions of plants, minerals, animals and even venoms. There are basically two hypotheses to explain its mechanisms of action: The "immunological memory" and the "memory of water" or the transmission of electromagnetic information of the water. There still is needed to perform new studies to scientifically assess homeopathy and its usefulness, as an accepted alternative therapy.

Aspectos generales de la homeopatía: [revisión] / General aspects of homeopathy: [revision]

Homeopathic medicine is a type of therapy that appeared in Europe at the end of the eighteenth century. At the present time, it is widely accepted in developed countries as a form of alternative medicine. In Chile, health regulation includes homeopathy as pharmaceutical producís and homeopathy is also considered a form of complementary medicine, that is well accepted by the public. The scientific rationale of homeopathy is based on an empine type of thought that goes from the general to the particular. The symptoms that are valued are those that are particular to each sick individual. It uses diluted solutions of plants, minerals, animáis and even venoms. There are basically two hypotheses to explain its mechanisms ofaction: The "immunological memory" and the "memory of water" or the transmission of electromagnetic information of the water. There still is needed to perform new studies to scientifically assess homeopathy and its usefulness, as an accepted alternative therapy.

[Postpartum contraception]. / Anticoncepcion el el puerperio.

PIP: In April 1966, a program of information, education, and family planning services for pregnant women was started in 19 cities in 14 countries under the auspices of the Population Council. 122 establishments and 600,000 women were involved by January 1971. Numerous surveys show that in underdeveloped communities over one-half of urban women want to prevent new births; in rural areas such desire re mains latent as a result of the insufficiency or absence of services. Public maternity clinics play a very useful role. After one year of operation, out of 100,000 participants, approximately 51% selected IUDs, 16% oral contraceptives, 10% sterilization and 13% other methods. The frequency of pregnancies was similar to that found in usual cases of IUD insertion. Participants are younger and have fewer children than women attending regular clinics; after 12 months, 10% is still using the initial method. The continuation rate is higher when IUDs are used. Results were generally encouraging and surveys showed that the women con cerned and the public were satisfied. At the end of the experimental stage, the Council withdrew support from the program, although it urged its adoption where appropriate.^ieng

[Changes in various indexes of maternal health observed after a program of family planning]. / Cambios en algunos índices de salud materna observados después de un programa de planificación familiar.

PIP: In 1965 the National Health Service (SNS) in Chile began a family planning program with the object of reducing abortions to a minimum, reducing the number of births to multiparous women, and reducing infant mortality rates. A community that had a fairly constant population and an SNS clinic located within easy access of the populous was carefully selected to make a preliminary test of the effectiveness of the program. On the theory that education and services needed to be provided in equal measure if the program were to succeed, efforts were made to educate (mostly through talks) previous abortion seekers, as they stood a 2-5 times greater chance of having a subsequent abortion than did others.In the talks, special emphasis was placed on risks involved in induced abortion. The women were also instructed in the use of all sorts of contraceptives and costs were made as low as possible. A survey of fertility and abortion was taken prior to the initiation of the program in 1965 and was repeated in 1967. Age-specific abortion rates had dropped for all but the 15-19 group, but the only statistically significant drops occurred in the 20-24, 25-29, and 30-34 age groups. General and total abortion rates dropped by 38.1 and 39.4% respectively, both of which were highly significant. Fertility rates also dropped;the TFR was down by 20% and age-specific rates were down for all groups, though only the drops in the 30-34 and 35-39 groups were statistically significant. Fertility was, however, still high (TFR - 5.2), and infant mortality remained almost stable. The proportion of grand multiparous women was reduced from 30% to 17.5%.^ieng

Inmunización en gran escala contra el sarampión en Chile / Mass measles immunization in Chile

The results obtained in Chile after three years of vaccination with the Edmonston B strain of Enders attenuated vaccine have been reported. More than 620,000 children from eight months to five years of age - 54.7 per cent of the population in that age range - have been vaccinated. The serological studies reveal the persistence of serum antibodies for at least three years; good immunological response in underfed children; unsatisfactory serological response in infants under nine months of age. The total number of deaths in 1965 was the lowest registered in the last five years, and was 2,053 lower than in 1964. An epidemic occurred in the Province of Magallanes at the same time that vaccination was being carried out; this permitted demonstration of the high level of efficacy of the vaccine, through a comparison of the measles rates among vaccinated and among unvaccinated children. A 30-month follow-up of about 2,000 vaccinated and 2,000 unvaccinated children showed 12 cases of measles with one death in the vaccinated group, as against 340 cases with 24 deaths in the control group. An investigation of children hospitalized in Santiago was carried out during 1965. At that time 43 per cent of the city's population between eight months and five years of age had been vaccinated; 256 unvaccinated children were hospitalized with measles and there were 30 deaths, whereas only 5 vaccinated children

Inmunización en gran escala contra el sarampión en Chile / Mass measles immunization in Chile

The results obtained in Chile after three years of vaccination with the Edmonston B strain of Enders attenuated vaccine have been reported. More than 620,000 children from eight months to five years of age - 54.7 per cent of the population in that age range - have been vaccinated. The serological studies reveal the persistence of serum antibodies for at least three years; good immunological response in underfed children; unsatisfactory serological response in infants under nine months of age. The total number of deaths in 1965 was the lowest registered in the last five years, and was 2,053 lower than in 1964. An epidemic occurred in the Province of Magallanes at the same time that vaccination was being carried out; this permitted demonstration of the high level of efficacy of the vaccine, through a comparison of the measles rates among vaccinated and among unvaccinated children. A 30-month follow-up of about 2,000 vaccinated and 2,000 unvaccinated children showed 12 cases of measles with one death in the vaccinated group, as against 340 cases with 24 deaths in the control group. An investigation of children hospitalized in Santiago was carried out during 1965. At that time 43 per cent of the city's population between eight months and five years of age had been vaccinated; 256 unvaccinated children were hospitalized with measles and there were 30 deaths, whereas only 5 vaccinated children