Towards the Development of Microbial Ecotoxicology Testing Using Chlorpyrifos Contaminated Sediments and Marine Yeast Isolates as a Model.

Chlorpyrifos (CP), a widely used pesticide, and its metabolite 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (3,5,6-TCP), are xenobiotic compounds detected in many biomes, notably in marine sediments, all over the world. These compounds are posing a serious environmental and health problem given their toxicity to wildlife and possible exposure effects to human neurodevelopment. Microorganisms at CP-impacted environments could harbor metabolic capabilities that can be used as indicators of the biological effects of the contaminant and could encode selected functions reactive against contaminants. Those features could be used for microbial ecotoxicology applications by collectively using analytical, enzymatic, microbiological and toxicological techniques in order to assess the biological effects of pollutants and other environmental/climatic stressors in ecosystems. The objective of this study was to assess the variability in the metabolic responses of yeast isolates from CP-contaminated marine sediments as potential biological indicators for microbial ecotoxicology testing. Sediment samples from a South Caribbean tropical shore (Cartagena Bay, Colombia) were collected, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was recovered from lyophilized aliquots. The DGGE (Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis) technique targeting fungal Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) showed the great diversity of fungal types. Simultaneously, yeast strains were isolated from the freshly collected sediment samples. Physiological characterization including API 20C and antibiosis tests, growth patterns at salt concentrations (2/4/10/25%), temperatures (4/25/37/45 °C), esterase activity assay and resistance tests to CP/TCP toxicity resulted in 10 isolated yeast strains, identified as Candida spp. (6), Cryptococcus spp. (3). and Rhodotorula spp. (1), showing promising characteristics to be used as a test for yeast-based ecotoxicity indicators. The patterns of carbohydrate assimilation, low antibiosis, presence of esterases/lipases, growth in a wide range of temperatures and salt concentrations, and tolerance to minimal inhibitory concentrations of CP and TCP are factors useful for testing environmental samples.

Antimicrobial resistance trends in methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates obtained from patients admitted to intensive care units. 2010-2015 / Tendencias de resistencia antimicrobiana en Staphylococcus aureus y Staphylococcus epidermidis resistentes y susceptibles a meticilina aislados, obtenidos en unidades de cuidados intensivos, 2010-2015

Absctract Introduction: The emergence and spread of antimicrobial-resistant strains in hospitals, mainly in intensive care units (ICU), has become a serious public health problem. Objective: To analyze the temporal trends of bacterial resistance phenotypes of methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates obtained from ICU patients of a tertiary hospital in Cartagena, Colombia, between 2010 and 2015. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out between January 2010 and December 2015. Methicillin-resistant and Methicillin-susceptible S. aureus and S. epidermidis isolates (MRSA, MSSA, MRSE and MSSE) were used. Culture medium microdilution technique was used to detect minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). Results: 313 Staphylococcus spp. isolates were identified, and most of them were methicillin-resistant (63.6%). Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis (MRSE) strains represented 13.7% and 27.8%, respectively, of the total sample. The highest antibiotic resistance values in MRSA and MRSE isolates were observed for the following antibiotics: erythromycin (57.6% and 81.2%, respectively), clindamycin (54.6% and 71.0%), ciprofloxacin (48.4% and 36.4%) and trimethoprim-sulfametoxazole (36.4% and 51.4%). Conclusions: The results reported here suggest the need to rethink the control strategies designed to minimize antibiotic resistance in the hospital in which the study was conducted.

Resumen Introducción. La aparición y la diseminación de cepas resistentes en hospitales, principalmente en unidades de cuidado intensivo (UCI), se han convertido en un serio problema de salud pública. Objetivo. Analizar la tendencia de los fenotipos de resistencia de Staphylococcus aureus y Staphylococcus epidermidis resistentes y susceptibles a meticilina aislados en pacientes atendidos en UCI de un hospital de alta complejidad de Cartagena, Colombia, del 2010 al 2015. Materiales y métodos. Estudio analítico transversal realizado entre enero de 2010 y diciembre de 2015. Se utilizaron aislamientos de S. aureus y S. epidermidis meticilino-susceptibles y meticilino-resistentes (SARM, SASR, SERM y SESM). La técnica de susceptibilidad empleada fue el método microdilución en caldo para la detección de la concentración mínima inhibitoria. Resultados. Se identificaron 313 aislamientos de Staphylococcus spp., la mayoría resistentes a meticilina (63.6%). Las cepas SARM y SERM correspondieron al 13.7% y al 27.8% del total de aislamientos, respectivamente. Los mayores porcentajes de resistencia en SARM y SERM correspondieron a eritromicina (57.6% y 81.2%, respectivamente), clindamicina (54.6% y 71.0%), ciprofloxacina (48.4% y 36.4%) y trimetoprima-sulfametoxazol (36.4% y 51.4%). Conclusión. Los resultados encontrados sugieren el replanteamiento de las estrategias de control de la resistencia antimicrobiana en el hospital objeto de estudio.

Conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas sobre autoexamen de mamas en universitarias del área de la salud. Cartagena (Colombia)* / Knowledge, attitudes and practices about breast self-examination of private university students in the health area. Cartagena (Colombia)

Objetivo: determinar los conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas sobre el autoexamen de mama en estudiantes del área de la salud, en una universidad privada de Cartagena de Indias (Colombia). Materiales y métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo, transversal, con una población de referencia de 513 estudiantes universitarias, tamaño muestral de 165 mujeres de 20 a 49 años de edad. Se aplicó una encuesta, que contempló las variables sociodemográficas, conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas sobre el autoexamen de mama. Resultados: de las mujeres encuestadas el 36,4% (60) pertenecen al estrato socioeconómico 2, el 81,2% manifiesto no ser madre de familia, 50,3% pertenecen al régimen contributivo. Se encontró que 80,6% (133) de la población encuestada conoce como se realiza el autoexamen de mama, más de la mitad afirma que esta práctica debe realizarse a partir de los 20 años (64,2% (106)) y el 67% (110) están de acuerdo con las bondades de esta técnica. El 78,7% de las estudiantes participantes considera esta práctica adecuada para la detección de alteraciones en la mama u otros hallazgos sugestivos de cáncer de mama. Con relación a las actitudes, para el 95,8% (158) de las jóvenes es bueno realizarlo, aunque un porcentaje importante de estas mujeres nunca lo realiza (30,9% (51)). Conclusiones: la mayoría de las estudiantes tienen buenos conocimientos sobre el autoexamen de mama, reconocen la importancia de la realización del mismo, presentan una actitud favorable, y tienen una buena práctica..(AU)

Objective: to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices on breast self-examination of university students in the health area at private university in Cartagena (Colombia). Materials and methods: a cross-sectional study with a reference population of 513 university students, sample size of 165 women from 20 to 49 years of age. A survey was applied, which included demographic variables, knowledge, attitudes and practices about breast self-examination. Results: the women surveyed, the 36.4% (60) belong to the socio-economic stratum 2, 81.2% revealed not to be mother of a family, 50.3% belong to the contributory regime. It was found that 80.6% (133) of the population surveyed know how to perform breast self-examination, more than half said that this practice should be made from the 20 years (64.2%) (106) and 67% (110) are in accordance with the advantages of this technique. The 78.7% of the student participants considered this practice suitable for detection of alterations in the breast or other findings suggestive of breast cancer. With regard to attitudes, for 95.8% (158) of the young people is well done, although a significant percentage of these women never performed ((30.9%) (51)). Conclusions: most of the students have good knowledge about breast self-examination, recognize the importance of performing it, present a favorable attitude, and have a good practice..(AU)

[Knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding dengue in a neighborhood forming part of the city of Cartagena]. / Conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas sobre Dengue en un barrio de la ciudad de Cartagena de Indias.

OBJECTIVE: Identifying attitudes, practice and knowledge regarding dengue in a neighborhood of the city of Cartagena. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 870 people living in a neighborhood in the south-eastern part of Cartagena. Probabilistic, randomized, three-staged sampling was used; it was intended to ascertain attitudes, practice and knowledge about dengue. The Stata statistics package (version 11.1) was used for analyzing the data to determine the absolute and relative frequency for each variable studied. RESULTS: It was found that 93.7 % of those surveyed knew about the disease; although 49.7 % did not know what the causal agent of the disease was, 80.5 % of those surveyed did express an interest. In receiving health education classes. 60.1 % of the population surveyed here stored water in their homes and 73.8 % used tanks as containers. 24.8 % of those surveyed stated that they avoided having/using stagnant water. CONCLUSIONS: The residents confirmed the high incidence of dengue cases reported by the district health department. Knowledge about dengue was limited; risky practices favoring the disease's development were adopted, but an attitude towards controlling this issue was evident. Changes in current behavior patterns must thus be promoted in the community and also regarding how prevention and control programs are being carried out.

Conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas sobre Dengue en un barrio de la ciudad de Cartagena de Indias / Knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding dengue in a neighborhood forming part of the city of Cartagena

Objetivo Identificar los conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas sobre dengue en un barrio de la ciudad de Cartagena de Indias. Métodos Estudio descriptivo transversal en 870 sujetos residentes de un barrio ubicado en la zona suroriental de la ciudad. El muestreo fue probabilístico, aleatorio en tres etapas. Se indagó sobre los conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas sobre dengue. Para el análisis de los datos se utilizó la base de datos Stata versión 11.1 para determinar las frecuencias absolutas y relativas de cada variable estudiada. Resultados Se encontró que el 93,7 % de los encuestados conocen que existe la enfermedad; el 49,7 % no sabe cuál es el agente causal de la enfermedad. Mientras que el 80,5 % de los encuestados manifiesta tener disposición para recibir clases de educación sanitaria. El 60,1 % de la población encuestada almacena agua en sus viviendas y el 73,8 % utiliza los tanques como recipientes. El 24,8 % manifiesta que evita tener agua estancada. Conclusiones Los habitantes ratifican la alta incidencia de casos de dengue en el barrio, la cual ha sido reportada por el ente de distrital de salud. Los conocimientos sobre dengue son escasos, se adoptan prácticas de riesgo que favorecen el desarrollo de la enfermedad; sin embargo, se evidencia una actitud favorable para el control. Se requiere, entonces, promover cambios de comportamiento no solo en la comunidad, sino también, en la manera como los programas de prevención y control se están llevando a cabo.

Objective Identifying attitudes, practice and knowledge regarding dengue in a neighborhood of the city of Cartagena. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 870 people living in a neighborhood in the south-eastern part of Cartagena. Probabilistic, randomized, three-staged sampling was used; it was intended to ascertain attitudes, practice and knowledge about dengue. The Stata statistics package (version 11.1) was used for analyzing the data to determine the absolute and relative frequency for each variable studied. Results It was found that 93.7 % of those surveyed knew about the disease; although 49.7 % did not know what the causal agent of the disease was, 80.5 % of those surveyed did express an interest. In receiving health education classes. 60.1 % of the population surveyed here stored water in their homes and 73.8 % used tanks as containers. 24.8 % of those surveyed stated that they avoided having/using stagnant water. Conclusions The residents confirmed the high incidence of dengue cases reported by the district health department. Knowledge about dengue was limited; risky practices favoring the disease's development were adopted, but an attitude towards controlling this issue was evident. Changes in current behavior patterns must thus be promoted in the community and also regarding how prevention and control programs are being carried out.

El virus del papiloma humano (HPV), agente viral importante precusor de la mayoría de las displasias o cáncer cervical / Human papilloma virus agent and important precursor of most dysplasias or cervical cancer

Una de las patologías más frecuentes con la que el hombre ha tenido que luchar en las últimas décadases el cáncer. Los países industrializados y aun aquellos en vía de desarrollo se han dado a la tarea decombatir el cáncer, han hecho grandes esfuerzos e invertido cantidades de dinero con el propósito deconocer el origen y seguimiento de esta enfermedad y buscar alternativas que ayuden a erradicarlao a limitarla. Todos estos experimentos han podido dilucidar algunos factores potenciadores o estimuladores para laaparición de esta enfermedad.El cáncer de cuello uterino es el segundo cáncer más común en la mujer después del cáncer de mama,y existe un desproporcionado aumento del cáncer cervical en mujeres jóvenes (2). Como el cáncer de cuello uterino se desarrolla en mujeres más jóvenes que el de mama, es una de las neoplasias malignasmás devastadoras y es el principal cáncer genital femenino en los países en desarrollo (3,4).

Of the many pathological entities which man has had to battle in recent decades, cancer is one of themost frequent. Industrialized countries, and even those in development, have taken up the task offacing this problem, spending time and money to obtain a better understanding of its origins and tofind alternatives that can help in eradicating or at the very least control it. The recent data concerningthe molecular origins of cancer are outstanding, thanks to which there is a better understanding ofthe process involved in progression, invasion and tumoral metastasis.Carcinoma of the human uterine cervix is the second most common cancer in women, followingbreast cancer. There has been a disproportionate increase in cervix cancer in young women. Sincethis type of cancer develops in younger women than breast cancer, it is one of the most devastatingmalign neoplasm, and is the principal female genital cancer in developing countries. In Colombia, itis the second cause of female mortality.Over 100 years ago, it was proposed that cervical cancer ha...