Standardization of the PCR Technique for the Detection of the Toxoplasma gondii B1 Gene in Meat and Water Samples and Cloning of the Product for Use as Control.

INTRODUCTION: Toxoplasmosis is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The infection is generally asymptomatic and the most severe cases occur in immunosuppressed patients. The main route of transmission is the ingestion of water or food contaminated with cysts of the parasite. The objective of this work was the standardization of the PCR for the detection of the T. gondii B1 gene in meat and water samples and cloning of the product for use as a control. METHODS: The optimal reaction conditions of the different components of the PCR were determined and the technique was used to detect DNA from meat and water samples. Bands were purified and cloned into a pGEM-T-Easy vector and used as a control in the PCR. RESULTS: Optimal PCR conditions were; 100 µM dNTP, 0.4 µM primers, and 0.5 U Taq polymerase. The product obtained from the PCR was cloned with a simple cloning strategy with efficient results. With the standardized PCR and using the cloned DNA as a control, T. gondii DNA was detected in 90% of the positives samples of meat and water and there was no amplification in the negative samples. CONCLUSIONS: The PCR assay standardized in this study was demonstrated to be an effective technique to detect T. gondii DNA in meat and water samples. The cloning of PCR product and its application as a control in molecular diagnosis of toxoplasmosis might improve the reproducibility of this method and avoid the use of patient samples or cultures, which present several limitations.

Demencia rápidamente progresiva, sobre el reporte de un caso de Creutzfeldt-Jakob / Rapidly Progressive Dementia, on a Creutzfeldt-Jakob Case Report

Resumen La enfermedad de Creutzfeldt-Jakob (ECJ) es una entidad neurodegenerativa, neuroselectiva y fatal con casi nulo reporte en México. Se presenta el caso de un paciente del sexo masculino de 40 años que inició de padecimiento con alteraciones de la memoria a corto plazo, episodios depresivos y labilidad emocional con tendencia a la irritabilidad, posteriormente se agregó desorientación espacial y disminución de fuerza del hemicuerpo izquierdo, lateropulsión en la marcha ipsilateral e insomnio, por lo cual fue ingresado al hospital por 40 días para abordaje diagnóstico. Durante su estancia hospitalaria se le realizaron diversos estudios siendo los más relevantes para el diagnóstico: resonancia magnética, la cual presentó "cintas corticales" e hiperintensidades en los núcleos de la base, ambos hallazgos altamente sugerentes de la patología, así como proteína 14-3-3 positiva, lo cual reafirmó el diagnóstico. Tras 15 meses del inicio de los síntomas neurológicos presentó un cuadro de neumonía adquirida en la comunidad, por lo cual fue admitido al hospital donde se diagnosticó absceso pulmonar y demencia rápidamente progresiva, finalmente el paciente falleció en el nosocomio por una sepsis de origen pulmonar, 18 meses después del inicio de los síntomas, no se realizó necropsia, esto de acuerdo con los estándares actuales del manejo de la enfermedad.

Abstract The Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a neurodegenerative, neuroselective and fatal entity, that is not usually reported in Mexico. We present a 40-year-old male patient who presents the onset of this illness, with short-term memory disorder, depressive episodes and emotional lability with a tendency to irritability. He also presents space disorientation, decreased strength of the left and lateral hemibody drive in the ipsilateral walk, and insomnia, for which he is admitted to the hospital during 40 days for diagnostic approach. Several studies were carried out during his hospital stay, the most relevant for the diagnosis: a magnetic resonance which presented "cortical ribboning" and hyperintensities in the nuclei of the base, both diagnosis highly suggested the pathology. The positive results to protein 14-3-3 reaffirmed the diagnosis. After 15 months of the onset of neurological symptoms, the patient presented symptoms of pneumonia, which lead to the hospitalization. During his stay, he presented a pulmonary abscess and rapid progressive dementia. The patient died in the hospital by a pulmonary sepsis 18 months after the onset of symptoms. No necropsy was performed, following the current standards for the disease management.

Enfermedad de Lyme en la Ciudad de México / Lyme disease in Mexico City

Resumen: Se comunica el caso de una paciente de 29 años de edad, originaria y residente de la Ciudad de México, que inició su padecimiento con dolor en el segundo dedo de la mano izquierda posterior a una visita al bosque de Aragón, que progresó con náusea y diarrea, así como artralgias incapacitantes con predominio en las manos y los pies sin eritema multiforme en la mano. A su ingreso al hospital tuvo marcadores de inflamación de 19 x 103/μL leucocitos y proteína C reactiva de 28 mg/dL, que se elevaron durante su estancia hospitalaria; ante la falta de respuesta al tratamiento médico y múltiples pruebas negativas se decidió realizar Western Blot para ricketsias con lo que se obtuvo resultado positivo para Borrelia burgdorferi, con lo que se estableció el diagnóstico definitivo de borreliosis de Lyme; la paciente recibió tratamiento adecuado y tuvo mejoría clara. La enfermedad de Lyme es una zoonosis transmitida por las garrapatas del género Ixodes causadas por la espiroqueta Borrelia burgdorferi. La Ciudad de México no se ha reportado como zona endémica por lo que comunicamos este caso.

Abstract: This paper reports the case of a 29-year-old female patient, who was originally from Mexico City and began her condition with pain in the second finger of left hand after a visit to the Aragon forest in Mexico City, progressing with nausea and diarrhea, as well as incapacitating arthralgias with predominance in hands and feet without erythema multiforme in hand. Upon admission, she had inflammation markers of 19 x 103/μL leukocytes and C-reactive protein of 28 mg/dL, which were elevated during her hospital stay; due to the lack of response to medical treatment and multiple negative tests, a Western Blot test for ricketsias was done obtaining a positive result for Borrelia burgdorferi, establishing the definitive diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis, receiving adequate treatment and presenting clear improvement. Lyme disease is a zoonosis transmitted by the ticks of the genus Ixodes caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Mexico City has not been reported as an endemic area, which is why we report this case.

Baseline urinalysis values in common bottlenose dolphins under human care in the Caribbean.

Urinalysis is a rapid, simple, inexpensive, and reliable test that documents urine abnormalities reflecting various types of renal, hormonal, or metabolic diseases. Urinalysis could assist proper monitoring of the health of dolphins under human care; however, normal baseline values for dolphin urinalysis have not been reported, to our knowledge. We sampled urine from 193 common bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus), living under human care in 24 Caribbean dolphinariums, by voluntary free-catch and analyzed the urine for chemical and microscopic variables using multi-agent dry reagent chemistry dipstick test strips, dedicated pH reagent strips, and unstained sediment slides. Most urine was clear, pale yellow to dark yellow, and had a fishy odor. Dipstick glucose, bilirubin, ketones, and nitrites were negative in all dolphins. The urine pH was acidic ( x¯ ± SD; 5.88 ± 0.58) and specific gravity (SG) was 1.035 ± 0.008. Most animals had 0-2 red blood cells and white blood cells per 40× field, and were negative for proteins. On microscopic sediment, 42.7% of samples had few-to-many squamous epithelial cells; hyaline and epithelial casts were observed only rarely. Crystals were observed in 36.6% of the samples; most were calcium oxalate dihydrate (48.2%) and amorphous urates (42.4%). The values obtained in our study can be used as a reference for health monitoring of dolphins in dolphinariums, and to monitor renal conditions and function in dolphins being rehabilitated or under human care.

Impact of declining exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke in public places to decreasing smoking-related cancer mortality in the US population.

BACKGROUND: The major decrease in exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) in public places in recent decades could have contributed to the decline in smoking-related cancer mortality observed in the US population. METHODS: Prospective study among 11,856 non-smoking adults aged ≥40 years who participated in NHANES 1988-1994 or 1999-2004 and were followed for mortality through 2006. We estimated the amount of change in cancer mortality over time attributed to the intermediate pathway of changes in SHS exposure in public places, after adjustment for risk factors and SHS exposure at home. RESULTS: The adjusted smoking-related cancer mortality rate ratios (95% CI) for a two-fold increase in serum cotinine and a 1-hour increase in occupational SHS exposure time were 1.10 (1.03, 1.17) and 1.14 (1.06, 1.24) for all-cancer, and 1.13 (1.03, 1.24) and 1.14 (1.02, 1.26) for smoking-related cancer, respectively. The absolute reduction in mortality comparing 1999-2004 to 1988-1994 was 75.8 (-25.5, 177.0) and 77.0 (2.6, 151.4) deaths/100,000 person-years, for all-cancer and smoking-related cancer, respectively. Among these avoided all-cancer deaths, 45.8 (2.8, 89.5) and 18.1 (-1.2, 39.6)/100,000 person-year were attributable to changes in serum cotinine concentrations and occupational SHS exposure time, respectively. The corresponding numbers of smoking-related cancer avoided deaths were 36.4 (0.7, 72.8) and 9.9 (-3.8, 24.9)/100,000 person-year. CONCLUSIONS: Declines in SHS exposure were associated with reductions in all-cancer and smoking-related cancer mortality, supporting that smoking bans in public places may have reduced cancer mortality among non-smoking adults.

Control del deterioro microbiológico de filetes de tilapia mediante la aplicación de bacterias lácticas / Control Microbiological Deterioration of Tilapia Fillets by the Application of Lactic Acid Bacteria / Controle de Deterioração Microbiológica da Tilápia Arquiva Através da Aplicação de Bactérias Láticas

Resumen En los últimos años se ha reconocido el potencial de las bacterias ácido lácticas (BAL) como agentes bioconservantes de productos cárnicos, incluido el pescado, al reducir el deterioro microbiológico y químico. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar el efecto bioconservante de dos cepas de BAL y el tiempo de impregnación en la calidad microbiológica y química de filetes de tilapia. Se evaluaron dos tiempos de impregnación (1h y 2h) y las BAL Lactobacillus plantarum JCM 1149 y Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC4356. Los filetes bioconservados (FB) se almacenaron a 5°C y se evaluaron los cambios en el recuento de BAL, mesófilos, psicrófilos y coliformes totales durante 30 días. Los recuentos en los FB fueron de 5.94 de Log UFC/g. de BAL, y <2.7 log UFC/g de coliformes y psicrófilos. Los filetes control presentaron recuentos de 1.2 log UFC/g de BAL mientras los coliformes totales y psicrófilos superaron el límite permitido para consumo humano luego de 10 días. Luego de 10 días. El tratamiento que mantuvo la calidad microbiológica y química de los FB por más tiempo fue L. plantarum con inmersión de una hora. Las BAL estudiadas mostraron un efecto inhibitorio de la microflora deteriorante del pescado y una reducción en la formación de nitrógeno volátil, siendo un método viable para la conservación del pescado.

Abstract In recent years, it has recognized the potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as biopreservatives agents for meat products, including fish, by reducing the microbiological and chemical spoilage. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of two strains biopreservative LAB and impregnation time on the microbiological and chemical quality of tilapia fillets. Two impregnation time (1h and 2h) and two LAB (Lactobacillus plantarum JCM 1149 and Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC4356 were evaluated. The biopreserved fillets (BF) were stored at 5 ° C and the changes of the LAB count, mesophilic, psychrophilic and total coliforms., were evaluated for 30 days. The microbiological analysis show for the BF 5.94 log CFU / g. of LAB and <2.7 log CFU / g of coliform and psychrophilic bacteria. The control Fillets showed 1.2 log CFU / g of LAB while the psychrophile and total coliforms exceeded the allowed limit for human consumption after 10 days. The treatment kept the microbiological and chemical quality of the BF longer was L. plantarum with one hour of impregnation. The LAB studied showed an inhibitory effect of the spoilage microflora of fish and a reduction in the formation of volatile nitrogen compounds, being a viable fish preservation method.

Resumo Nos últimos anos tem se reconhecido o potencial das bactérias ácido lácticas (BAL) como agentes bioconservantes de pro dutos carnicos, incluído o peixe ao diminuir o deterioro microbiológico e químico. O propósito deste estudo foi determinar o efeito bioconservante de duas cepas de BAL e a avaliação do tempo de impregnação requerido para obter uma boa qua lidade microbiológica e química de filetes de tilapia. Foram avaliados dois tempos de impregnação (1h e 2h) com as BAL Lactobacillus plantarum JMC 1149 e Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC4356. Os filetes biopreservados (FB) foram estocados a 5oC e valoradas as modificações na contagem de microorganismos BAL, mesófilos, psicrófilos, coliformes totais durante 30 dias. As contagens microbianas nos FB foram de 5.94 de log UFC/g e <2.7 log UFC/g de coliformes e psicrofilos. Os filetes controle apresentaram valores de 1.2 log UFC/g de BAL, não entanto os coliformes totais e psicrófilos superaram o limite permitido para consumo humano após 10 dias de estocagem. O tratamento que manteve a qualidade microbiológica e química dos FB por maior tempo foi de imersão com Lactobacillus plantarum por uma hora. As BAL estudadas amostraram um efeito inibitório da microflora deteriorante dos peixes e uma redução na formação de nitrogênio volátil se apresentan do como um método viável para a preservação de filete de peixe

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in dry tea.

Twenty-eight different tea samples sold in the United States were evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection (FLD) for their contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Many PAHs exhibit carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic properties and have been related to several kinds of cancer in man and experimental animals. The presence of PAHs in environmental samples such as water, sediments, and particulate air has been extensively studied, but food samples have received little attention. Eighteen PAHs congeners were analyzed, with percentage recovery higher than 85%. Contamination expressed as the sum of the 18 analyzed PAHs was between 101 and 1337 µg/kg on dry mass and the average contents in all of the 28 examined samples was 300 µg/kg on dry mass. Seven of the congeners were found in all samples with wide ranges of concentrations as follows: fluorene (7-48 µg/kg), anthracene (1-31 µg/kg), pyrene (1-970 µg/kg), benzo(a)anthracene (1-18 µg/kg) chrysene (17-365 µg/kg), benzo(a)pyrene (1-29 µg/kg), and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (4-119 µg/kg). The two most toxic congeners benzo(a)pyrene and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene were found at high concentrations only in Earl Grey Twinnings, Earl Grey Harney& Sons Fine Teas, and Chai Ultra Spice Black Tea Twinnings. Six PAH congeners are considered as suspected carcinogens (U.S.EPA), formed the basis of the estimation of the toxic equivalent (TEQ), Chai Ultra-Spice Black Tea Twinnings had the highest TEQ (110.9) followed by two grey tea samples, Earl Grey Harney & Sons Fine Tea (57.7) and Earl Grey Twinnings (54.5). Decaffeinated grey teas had the lowest TEQs, decaffeinated Earl Grey Bigelow (9.4) and Green Tea Honey Lemon Decaffeinated Lipton (9.6).

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in roasted coffee.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are suspected to be carcinogenic and mutagenic. This study describes the presence of PAHs in light, medium and dark roasted coffee including instant and decaffeinated brands. Total PAHs concentration was related to the degree of roasting with light roasted coffee showing the least and dark roasted coffee showing the highest level. Both instant and decaffeinated coffee brand showed lower levels of PAHs. Naphthalene, acenaphthylene, pyrene and chrysene were the most abundant individual isomers. The concentrations ranged from 0 to 561 ng g(-1) for naphthalene, 0 to 512 ng g(-1) for acenaphthylene, 60 to 459 ng g(-1) for pyrene and 56 to 371 ng g(-1) for chrysene. Thus, roasting conditions should be controlled to avoid the formation of PAHs due to their suspected carcinogenic and mutagenic properties.

Una propuesta para la concepción y abordaje del habitante de la calle desde una perspectiva psicoanalítica / A proposal for the design and approach of the street dweller from a psychoanalytic perspective

El presente artículo deriva de los resultados de investigación del proyecto "El lugar del sujeto que habita en la calle" del grupo de investigación Psicosis y Psicoanálisis de la Facultad de Psicología de la Fundación Universitaria los Libertadores. Teniendo en cuenta el contexto, la metodología propuesta para desarrollar este trabajo está centrada, por una parte, en una alternativa enmarcada dentro de lo que sería una escucha desde los preceptos psicoanalíticos, que propenda por la emergencia de la palabra y el reconocimiento de un sujeto con un saber, restringido en los linderos del deseo y de las paradojas del inconsciente y por otra, de forma complementaria, la lectura sintomática de los documentos que dejan al descubierto el discurso que permite la emergencia del sujeto que habita en la calle. Se exponen los hallazgos en lo concerniente al contexto político y social que configura una forma particular de concepción y abordaje con el habitante de la calle; igualmente, se exponen algunos hallazgos que fueron posibles mediante la generación del espacio de escucha, que dan cuenta de un imaginario que se ha dibujado en torno al habitante de la calle, que dista mucho de lo enunciado por ellos, y que permite aproximarse a una concepción de un sujeto inscrito en el discurso de la calle, de un sujeto del inconsciente.

This paper is based on the research results of the project 'The place of the subject that lives on the street", by the group Psychosis y Psychoanalysis of the Psychology faculty of Fundación Universitaria Los Libertadores. On the one hand, the methodology to develop is centered in an alternative framed within what it would be the listening from psychoanalytic precepts, which aims for the emergence of the word and the recognition of a subject with a restricted knowledge, within the limits of the desire and the paradoxes of the unconscious. And on the other side, the symptomatic reading of documents is used, revealing the discourse that allows the emergence of the subject who lives on the street. The research findings concerning to the social and political context shapes a particular form to conceive and approach to the street inhabitant. As a result of the listening space, some findings were presented, reporting the portrayed imaginary of the street dweller, which is too far from what they have stated by themselves, and allows an approach to the conception of the subject enrolled in the discourse of the street, a subject of the unconscious.

Tipos del virus dengue identificados en pacientes del Centro Médico Dr. Rafael Guerra Méndez, Valencia, Estado Carabobo, Venezuela / Dengue virus types identified in patients attended at Medical Center Dr. Rafael Guerra Méndez, Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela

En esta investigación se llevó a cabo un estudio descriptivo de 114 muestras serológicas de pacientes con sospecha clínica de dengue, según criterios establecidos por la Organización Mundial para la Salud (OMS), que se recibieron durante el mes de junio de 2010 en el Centro Médico Dr. Rafael Guerra Méndez, de la ciudad de Valencia, Estado Carabobo. Las muestras se trasladaron al Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de la Universidad de Carabobo (BIOMED-UC) y se analizaron por la técnica de RT-PCR anidada. Los resultados indicaron positividad en 46 muestras y la presencia de los 4 tipos del virus dengue. Los tipos detectados con mayor frecuencia fueron DEN-4 (34,8%), seguido por el DEN-3 (32,6%), sobre todo en niños ≤ 12 años que representaron el 54% del total de las muestras.

This research conducted a descriptive study of 114 serum samples from patients with clinical suspicion of dengue, according to criteria established by the World Health Organization (WHO) who were received during the month of June 2010 at the Medical Center Dr. Rafael Guerra Mendez in the city of Valencia, Carabobo State. Samples were transported to the Institute of Biomedical Research of the University of Carabobo (BIOMED-UC) and analyzed by RT-nested PCR. The results showed positivity in 46 samples and the presence of the 4 types of dengue virus. The most frequently detected types were DEN-4 (34.8%), followed by DEN-3 (32.6%) which were, especially in children ≤ 12 years and accounted for 54% of total samples.

Cuantificación relativa de genes relacionados con la respuesta inmune antiviral en una población venezolana de Aedes (stegomyia) aegypti / Relative quantification of Antiviral immune response related genes in an Aedes (stemgoyia) aegypti Venezuelan population

El virus DENV-3 es el responsable del segundo mayor porcentaje de afecciones hemorrágicas severas causadas por este virus, solo superado por el virus DENV-2. La virulencia de este serotipo, causante de brotes epidémicos a gran escala en países como Venezuela donde circula activamente durante todo el año, es la razón principal del desarrollo investigativo en el campo de las interacciones virus-vector en la búsqueda de un control epidémico efectivo. En el presente trabajo, se evaluó la expresión de dos genes, RNAi (dcr-2 y ago-2), que codifican para proteínas de respuesta antiviral en mosquitos con la finalidad de estudiar el cambio en la expresión de los mismos en el vector una vez infectado con el DENV-3. Para ello, se infectó artificialmente una población de Aedes (stegomyia) aegypti de Trujillo, elaborándose dos grupos experimentales (15dpi y 20dpi) y un control; posteriormente se aisló, cuantificó y se realizó transcripción reversa al RNA total aislado de los grupos. La infección en los grupos experimentales se evidenció por la detección de bandas de productos de PCR de 511pb para DENV y 290pb para DENV-3 mediante electroforesis en gel de agarosa al 2%, y se realizó la cuantificación relativa de la expresión genética por PCR en tiempo real. Como resultado, la expresión de los genes no presentó cambios con respecto a los mosquitos no infectados (grupo control) (p<0.05). Estos resultados indican que el virus DENV-3 pudiera estar mostrando mecanismos de evasión sobre las vías de RNAi dentro del cuerpo del vector, y esto puede estar relacionado al hecho de que la replicación de los miembros del genero Flavivirus, entre ellos el DENV, se lleva a cabo en el sistema de membranas y vesículas, lo que les permite evadir el encuentro en el citoplasma con las proteínas asociadas al complejo de RNAi.

DENV-3 is the responsible for the second major percentage of hemorrhagic severe affections caused by this virus, only overcome by DENV-2. The virulence of this serotype is the cause of broad scale fever outbreaks in different countries, especially in Venezuela where it circulates actively throughout the year. This is the main reason of investigative developments in the virus-vector interactions field to find an effective epidemic control. In this study, we evaluated the expression of dcr-2 and ago-2, two RNAi antiviral pathway genes in mosquitoes to study the fold change in the expression of these genes in the mosquito vector Aedes (stegomyia) aegypti infected with DENV-3. We artificially infected a population of mosquitoes from Trujillo state (Venezuela) and prepared three (3) experimental groups (15dpi, 20dpi and a control group). Later, we isolated, quantified and applied a reverse transcription to the total RNA obtained of mosquitoes and the infection in the experimental groups was detected performing a 2% agarose gel electrophoresis of the PCR products of the total RNA (511bp for DENV and 290bp for DENV3). In addition, the infection in the experimental groups was confirmed by the detection of PCR products. The fold change in dcr-2 and ago-2 expression genes was quantify by Real Time PCR. As results, the fold change expression in the ago-2 and dcr-2 were equal to the non-infected mosquitoes “control group” (p<0.05). These results indicate that DENV-3 could have evasion mechanisms of RNAi pathway inside vector’s body, and this can be related to the fact that dengue virus replication is accomplished in the vesicle system and membrane system as well (endoplasmic reticulum and golgi complex) avoiding cytoplasmic encounter with the RNAi pathway proteins.

[Clinical guideline for diagnosis and treatment of the thromboembolic venous disease]. / Guía de práctica clínica. Diagnóstico y tratamiento de la enfermedad tromboembólica venosa.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a guideline on thrombosis in order to standardize the protocol of management, as a strategy for reducing the morbidity and mortality. METHODS: Clinical questions were formulated and structured. Standardized sequence was established to search for practice guidelines from the clinical questions raised on diagnosis and treatment of venous thrombosis. The working group selected clinical practice guidelines. We choose seven guidelines with the best recommendations. For recommendations not included in the referenced guides the search process was conducted in PubMed and Cochrane Library. The results were expressed as levels of evidence and grade of recommendation. CONCLUSIONS: Risk criteria and the correct diagnosis can be established to choose thromboprophylaxis strategy. This guide is a compilation and an analysis of international guidelines, that meta-analysis and review articles on thrombosis that makes available to medical staff recommendations based on evidence to make decisions, standardized diagnostic and treatment to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with venous thrombosis.

Relación entre comportamientos sexuales, y uso de drogas y alcohol en estudiantes de algunos colegios públicos de Manizales, Colombia 2008 / Sexual behavior, drug and alcohol use and its relationship among students in some public schools in Manizales, Colombia, 2008

Objetivo: Este estudio pretende conocer los comportamientos sexuales y la frecuencia del consumo de drogas y alcohol, y su relación en adolescentes de secundaria de cuatro instituciones públicas de la ciudad de Manizales, Caldas, Colombia de 9° a 11° grado. Materiales y Métodos: Se realizó un estudio de corte transversal. Participaron 334 estudiantes, seleccionados por muestreo probabilístico estratificado por colegio de una población de 3423 estudiantes. La recolección de datos se hizo mediante una encuesta que incluyó aspectos sociodemográficos, comportamientos sexuales, consumo de alcohol y drogas. Resultados: El inicio de relaciones sexuales en promedio para hombres fue de 13.64 años y para mujeres de 14.83 años, la mayoría de participantes de género femenino 64.4 por ciento ha tenido una pareja sexual en contraste con el género masculino 21 por ciento; también se encontró un índice de consumo de alcohol de 94.9, siendo la cerveza la más consumida en hombres; el consumo de sustancias psicoactivas fue de 45.2 por ciento siendo el popper el de mayor consumo (38.9 por ciento), estos porcentajes incluyen los bajos consumos. Se encontraron claras relaciones entre las variables de comportamiento sexual y de consumo de alcohol y drogas, en particular resalta la relación entre número de parejas sexuales y consumo de drogas. Conclusiones: Se puede concluir que el inicio de relaciones sexuales en esta población es temprano, con un amplio uso del preservativo como método de planificación (88.8 por ciento) y que el consumo de sustancias psicoactivas es frecuente. Se debe reforzar la promoción y prevención de la salud.

Human pharmaceuticals, antioxidants, and plasticizers in wastewater treatment plant and water reclamation plant effluents.

The primary objective of this study was to determine the presence of unregulated organic chemicals in reclaimed water using complementary targeted and broad spectrum approaches. Eleven of 12 targeted human pharmaceuticals, antioxidants, and plasticizers, and 27 tentatively identified non-target organic chemicals, were present in secondary effluent entering tertiary treatment trains at a wastewater treatment plant and two water reclamation facilities. The removal of these compounds by three different tertiary treatment trains was investigated: coagulant-assisted granular media filtration (California Title-22 water, 22 CCR 60301-60357; Barclay [2006]), lime clarification/reverse osmosis (lime/ RO), and microfiltration-reverse osmosis (MF/RO). Carbamazepine, clofibric acid, gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, p-toluenesulfonamide, caffeine, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and N-butyl benzenesulfonamide (N-BBSA) were present at low to high nanogram-per-liter levels in Title 22 water. The lime/RO product waters contained lower concentrations of clofibric acid, ibuprofen, caffeine, BHA, and N-BBSA (<10 to 71 ng/L) than their Title 22 counterparts. The MF/RO treatment reduced concentrations to levels below their detection limits, although BHT was present in MF/RO product water from one facility. The presence of the target analytes in two surface waters used as raw drinking water sources and a recharged groundwater was also examined. Surface waters used as raw drinking water sources contained caffeine, BHA, BHT, and N-BBSA, while recharged groundwater contained BHT, BHA, and N-BBSA. Nontarget compounds in recharged groundwater appeared to be attenuated with increased residence time in the aquifer.

Secretion antigens of mycobacterium tuberculosis: A comparison between a reference strain and seven wild isolates

Background. This study was carried out with the aim of detecting possible differences between proteins secreted by fresh wild isolates of Mycrobacterium tuberculosis and from a reference strain of this microorganism, H37Rv TMCC 102. Materials and Methods. This reference strain of M tuberculosis has been in our laboratory for over 10 years, where it has been maintained by serial subcultures in PBY and Lo-wenstein-Jensen media. Patterns of protein secretion and recognition by sera derive from both tuberculosis patients and normal individuals were analysed by electrophoresis and Western blotting. Results. No major qualitative differences were observed among the several strains studied with respect to protein patterns or recognition of these proteins by test sera. Normal sera were found to react with almost all antigens recognized by tuberculosis sera, but with less intensity. However, a small protein of 14.5 kDa, secreted by both the wild and reference strain of M. tuberculosis, was recognized by 32 of the 40 tuberculous patient sera tested (80 percent), and was not recognized by any of the 40 serum samples derived from healthy individuals. Conclusions. This small protein seems to be a potentially important antigen for the serological diagnosis of tuberculosis and/or for use in the follow-up patients who received treatment

Lues congenita / Congenital infection

La sifilis congenita se debe a diseminacion hematogena transplacentaria de la madre hacia el feto. La patologia resultante para el nino es variada dependiendo de la etapa evolutiva de la sifilis materna y de la edad gestacional en la que se infecto el nino.