Growth hormone response to clonidine and the cortisol response to dexamethasone in depressive patients.

The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) and the clonidine stimulation test (CST) were studied in 47 depressed patients. Issues addressed included (1) the usefulness of both tests as markers of major depression; (2) the relationship between the two tests and the pathophysiology underlying this relationship; and (3) the psychopathological correlates of both tests. The widely reported link between abnormal DST results and melancholic depression was confirmed. The DST and the CST showed extensive overlap, suggesting a relationship in major depression between the biological abnormalities indexed by each test (i.e., hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and noradrenergic system). Finally, the psychopathological correlates of various subgroups categorized on the basis of test responses (e.g., normal test results, blunted CST results, and both abnormal DST and CST results) confirmed significant differences between groups on two items of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression: psychic anxiety and somatic anxiety. The results suggest that particular patterns of neuroendocrine abnormalities may be associated with particular profiles of depressive symptomatology.

[Aeromonas hydrophila. Infection in Xenopus laevis]. / Aeromonas hydrophila. Infección en Xenopus laevis.

Aeromonas hydrophila caused severe disease in a group of 50 Xenopus leavis three weeks after being transferred from their laboratory conditions. The first clinical signs observed were marked pallor, petechiae, lethargy, anorexia, and edema. The duration of the disease was about 48 days, during which 4 animals acquired the disease and 10 died. The study of the bacteriology of the skin and skeletal muscles showed at necropsy subcutaneous edema, hemorrhage, and ascitis. Aeromonas hydrophila was isolated in 14 of the 50 animals studied.

[Identification of gram negative, facultative anaerobic, oxidase positive bacilli]. / Identificación de bacilos gramnegativos, anaerobios facultativos, oxidasas positivos.

We identified 100 strains of Gram-negative, oxidase-positive bacilli, facultative anaerobes, isolated from different human pathological products by conventional biochemical methods. From the total number of strains studied, 1 corresponded to genus Vibrio, 66 to genus Aeromonas, and 33 to genus Plesiomonas. It is of the utmost importance to conduct surveillance studies of these microorganisms in order to investigate their circulation in Cuba.

[Isolation and identification of Vibrio genus microorganisms in the Quibu River]. / Aislamiento e identificación de microorganismos del género Vibrio en las aguas del río Quibú.

The Quibú River sewages were studied during 9 weeks, in order to isolate and characterize Vibrio genus microorganisms. Twenty Moore's hyssops were placed 2 or 3 times a week on the banks of the river, where each of them was kept in a passive capture stay for 24 hours. In all the hyssops placed, Vibrio cholerae non-01 were isolated.

[Identification of species of microorganisms of the genus Vibrio]. / Identificación de especies de microorganismos del género Vibrio.

During 1988, a study was made on 61 microorganisms, genus Vibrio, which were received at the National Reference Laboratory for Acute Diarrheic Diseases. Pedro Kouri Institute of Tropical Medicine. Of them, 46 were from children with acute diarrheic disease and 15 were isolated from the environment. By means of biochemical tests. 61 Vibrio cholerae No. 01. 9 Vibrio parahaemolyticus and 1 Vibrio alginolyticus were identified. Emphasis is placed upon the importance of keeping a systematic surveillance upon these microorganisms in Cuba.

Bocio endemico en Pirque. / Endemic goiter in Pirque

Se estudio la prevalencia de bocio en los escolares del area de Pirque, cuatro anos despues de iniciada la yodacion de sal en Chile. Se encontro un 30% de bocio principalmente de grado I. No se encontraron sintomas de alteracion de la funcion tiroidea. No hubo relacion entre bocio con nivel socioeconomico, estado nutritivo y talla actual. Los resultados indican que Pirque aun es zona de alta endemia de bocio, sin tener relacion con estado nutricional y nivel socioeconomico. Se discuten los factores causales de bocio endemico