Identification of Zika virus in immature phases of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus: a surveillance strategy for outbreak anticipation

A progressive increase in the circulation of arboviruses in tropical countries has been observed, accounting for 700,000 yearly deaths in the world. The main objective of this article was to identify the presence of Zika (ZIKV), dengue (DENV), and Chikungunya (CHIKV) viruses in immature stages of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus. Household collections of immature phases of the vectors were carried out in the years 2015 and 2016. A total of 2902 dwellings were visited and the rate of infestation with larvae and pupae of Aedes mosquitoes was 283/1462 (19.4%) in March 2015 and 55/1440 (3.8%) in June 2015. In March 2015, 907 larvae/pupae were collected (583 or 64.3% of Ae. aegypti and 324 or 35.7% of Ae. albopictus) while in June 2015 there was a reduction in the number of immature forms found: 197 larvae/pupae (121 or 61.4% of Ae. aegypti and 76 or 38.6% of Ae. albopictus). This reduction was accompanied by a decrease in suspected human ZIKV cases from March to June 2015. The RT-qPCR performed in 18 pools identified that three (two of Ae. aegypti and one of Ae. albopictus) were positive for ZIKV, and none were positive for DENV or CHIKV. Our findings demonstrated that ZIKV was present in immature stages of insect vectors in the study region at least five months prior to the peak of ZIKV associated cases. Xenomonitoring of immature phases of the vectors may prove useful for predicting outbreaks.

Factores de riesgo para sobrepeso y obesidad en lactantes / Risk factors for overweight and obesity in infants

Introduction: At one year of age, factors that favor the development of obesity and other metabolic disorders in later stages of life are present. Objective: To identify perinatal, societal, and dietary risk factors for excess weight and obesity in 12 months infants. Subjects and methods: Case-control studies with infants under the care of Family Medicine Units. These cases studied were overweight or obese children, and control cases were children at a healthy weight. Each group included 152 infants, who were evaluated based on their responses to a questionnaire, their records, and perinatal, societal, and dietary variables. Results: The variables with statistical significance were high pre-gestational weight, high gestational weight gain (OR 1.79-3.88), absence of breastfeeding and exclusive formula feeding (OR 2.02 and 1.75). Conclusion: In the presence of pre-pregnancy obesity and exclusive formula feeding, there is a 64.4% greater risk of becoming overweight or obese at 12 months old.

Introducción: Al año de vida existen factores que favorecen el desarrollo de obesidad y alteraciones metabólicas en etapas posteriores. Objetivo: Identificar factores de riesgo perinatales, sociales y alimentarios de sobrepeso y obesidad en lactantes de 12 meses de edad. Sujetos y método: Estudio de casos y controles en lactantes, que acuden a Unidades de Medicina Familiar, considerando casos; niños con sobrepeso u obesidad y controles: peso adecuado. Se incluyeron 152 lactantes por grupo, a los cuales se les estudió mediante un cuestionario y revisión de expedientes, variables perinatales, sociales y alimentarias. Resultados: Las variables con significancia estadística fueron: peso pre-gestacional de la madre elevado, incremento de peso gestacional elevado; OR 1,79 y 3,88 ausencia de lactancia materna y alimentación con fórmula láctea exclusiva, OR 2,02 y 1,75. Conclusión: en presencia de obesidad pregestacional y alimentación con formula láctea exclusiva, existe un riesgo 64,38% mayor de desarrollar sobrepeso u obesidad a los 12 meses de edad.

Agronomic and molecular characterization of introgression lines from the interspecific cross Oryza sativa (BG90-2) x Oryza glumaepatula (RS-16)

The reduced genetic variability of modern rice varieties (Oryza sativa) is of concern because it reduces the possibilities of genetic gain in breeding programs. Introgression lines (ILs) containing genomic fragments from wild rice can be used to obtain new improved cultivars. The objective of the present study was to perform the agronomic and molecular characterizations of 35 BC2F8 ILs from the cross O. glumaepatula x O. sativa, aiming to select high-yielding ILs to be used in rice-breeding programs. All 35 ILs were field evaluated in the season 2002/2003 in three locations and the 15 best performing ones were evaluated in the season 2003/2004 in five locations. In 2003/2004, six ILs (CNAi 9934, CNAi 9931, CNAi 9930, CNAi 9935, CNAi 9936, and CNAi 9937) showed the highest yield means and were statistically superior to the controls Metica 1 and IRGA 417. Molecular characterization of the 35 ILs was performed with 92 microsatellite markers distributed on the 12 rice chromosomes and a simple regression Oriza glumaepatula-derived introgression lines quantitative trait locus analysis was performed using the phenotypic data from 2002/2003. The six high-yielding ILs showed a low proportion of wild fragment introgressions. A total of 14 molecular markers were associated with quantitative trait loci in the three locations. The six high-yielding ILs were incorporated in the Embrapa breeding program, and the line CNAi 9930 is recommended for cultivation due to additional advantages of good grain cooking and milling qualities and high yield stability. The O. glumaepatula-derived ILs proved to be a source of new alleles for the development of high-yielding rice cultivars.

Determinacion de inmunoglobulinas y complemento en toxemia gravidica. / Determination of immunoglobulins and complement in toxaemia of pregnancy

La toxemia gravidica ocurre como complicacion del embarazo, se inicia en la 26 semana de gestacion, se caracteriza por edema, hipertension arterial y proteinuria, la causa se desconoce, desde hace 70 anos se sospecha que sea inmunologica. Los cambios inmunologicos que se han encontrado son los siguientes: disminucion de IgG, disminucion de celulas T, presencia de complejos inmunes IgG, IgM y complemento en el glomerulo y anticuerpos trofoblasticos en suero. En el presente trabajo se estudiaron 30 pacientes: 15 con toxemia gravidica y 15 con embarazo normal, en estas no se encontro variacion de la IgG, IgA, IgM y la fraccion C3 del complemento la C4 se encontro baja en el 57%. En las pacientes con toxemia gravidica no se encontro variacion de IgM e IgA, en cambio se encontro una baja de IgG en el 70% y C3 y C4 se encontro disminuida en un 70%