miRNAs, from Evolutionary Junk to Possible Prognostic Markers and Therapeutic Targets in COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a public health issue around the world in the last few years. Currently, there is no specific antiviral treatment to fight the disease. Thus, it is essential to highlight possible prognostic predictors that could identify patients with a high risk of developing complications. Within this framework, miRNA biomolecules play a vital role in the genetic regulation of various genes, principally, those related to the pathophysiology of the disease. Here, we review the interaction of host and viral microRNAs with molecular and cellular elements that could potentiate the main pulmonary, cardiac, renal, circulatory, and neuronal complications in COVID-19 patients. miR-26a, miR-29b, miR-21, miR-372, and miR-2392, among others, have been associated with exacerbation of the inflammatory process, increasing the risk of a cytokine storm. In addition, increased expression of miR-15b, -199a, and -491 are related to the prognosis of the disease, and miR-192 and miR-323a were identified as clinical predictors of mortality in patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Finally, we address miR-29, miR-122, miR-155, and miR-200, among others, as possible therapeutic targets. However, more studies are required to confirm these findings.

Frequency of Toxoplasma gondii and Risk Factors Associated with the Infection in Stray Dogs and Cats of Panama.

Stray animals such as dogs and cats have an important role in maintaining the transmission cycles and dissemination of Toxoplasma gondii. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of T. gondii in stray dogs and cats in six different regions of Panama and determine risk factors associated with the dynamics of infection in each of the studied regions. Data were obtained using serological tests for the detection of anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies. The results of this study revealed an overall infection frequency of 23.73%. The infection frequencies found in dog and cat populations were 25.70% and 21.93% respectively, showing no statistically significant difference. Risk factor correlations suggested different infection dynamics depending on the region analyzed. The San Miguelito, North and West regions were more associated with positive cases in dogs with an age range greater than 13 months. Conversely, the Metro, Central and East regions were more associated with negative cases in cats with age ranging between 0 and 5 months. Infection of the parasite in stray animals can be influenced by intrinsic characteristics of each region, which can potentiate different risk factors associated with the different routes of transmission.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic pets from metropolitan regions of Panama.

Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease but information regarding domestic animals in Central America is scarce and fragmented. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic cats and dogs in different metropolitan regions of Panama. A total of 576 samples were collected; sera from 120 cats and 456 dogs were tested using a commercial indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The overall seroprevalence of IgG antibodies was 30.73%. There is high seroprevalence of T. gondii in cats and dogs in the metropolitan regions around the Panama Canal; however, differences between these species were not significant. Statistical analysis indicated that there are relevant variables, such as the age of animals, with a direct positive relationship with seroprevalence. None of the variables related to animal welfare (veterinary attention provided, type of dwelling, and access to green areas and drinking water) were associated with seropositivity.

Tabaquismo femenino y cáncer de pulmón / Female smoking and lung cancer

Objetivo: Determinar el perfil epidemiológico del Cáncer de Pulmón, en relación al tabaquismo femenino. Material y métodos: Se revisaron 107 casos de pacientes con diagnóstico histológico o citológico de NSCLC, Adenocarcinoma y Carcinoma Epidermoide, atendidos en el HNCASE, EsSalud (Arequipa,Perú), en el periodo comprendido entre julio de 1997 y julio del 2001. Se recolectó información sobrediversas variables que incluyeron: edad promedio, tipo histológico, sexo, grupo etáreo, consumo de tabaco. Se realizó una correlación entre histología, sexo, consumo de tabaco, tabaquismo y tipo histológico, proporción entre Carcinoma Epidermoide y Adenocarcinoma, y viceversa. Además, se determinó el índice de tabaquismo. Resultados: La media de edad de diagnóstico de Cáncer de Pulmón en hombres fue de 62.21 años y en mujeres de 62.29. El promedio de edad en Carcinoma Epidermoide fue mayor que en Adenocarcinoma. El Cáncer de Pulmón fue más frecuente en el grupo de edades de 52 a 60 años. El Adenocarcinoma fue el tipo histológico más común en ambos sexos, pero la diferencia con el Carcinoma Epidermoide estuvo más marcado en mujeres (hombres 51% vs. 48%, no significativo: mujeres es de 81.8% vs. 18.1% p<0.05) para Adenocarcinoma y Carcinoma Epidermoide, respectivamente. El consumo de tabaco fue mayor en hombres que en mujeres (28,3% vs. 9.4%) y en el grupo de mujeres, fue mayor en aquellas con histología de Carcinoma Epidermoide (6.5% y 1.3% para Carcinoma Epidermoide y Adenocarcinoma, respectivamente). Los fumadores de sexo masculino tienen un riesgo 8,9 veces mayor de presentar un Carcinoma Epidermoide que Adenocarcinoma. Los pacientes de sexo masculino con Carcinoma Epidermoide son principalmente fumadores (84% vs. 16% para fumadores y no fumadores, respectivamente). En cambio, los no fumadores tienen más tendencia a desarrollar Adenocarcinoma (62% vs. 37% para Adenocarcinoma y Carcinoma Epidermoide, respectivamente).

Objective: To determine the epidemiological profile of lung cancer in relation to smoking in females. Material and methods: We reviewed 107 cases of patients with histological or cytological diagnosis of NSCLC, Adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma treated at the HNCASE, EsSalud (Arequipa,Peru) between July 1997 and July 2001. Information was collected from the medical charts including: age, histological type, sex, age group, use of tobacco. A correlation was made between histology,sex, tobacco consumption, smoking and histological type, ratio of squamous cell carcinoma and Adenocarcinoma and vice versa, also determined the rate of smoking. Results: The mean age at diagnosis of lung cancer in men was 62.21 years and in women 62.29. The average age was higher in squamous cell carcinoma than in Adenocarcinoma. Lung cancer was more frequent in the age group of 52-60 years. Adenocarcinoma was the most common histological typein both sexes, but the difference with squamous cell carcinoma was more marked in women (men51% vs. 48%, not significant: women is 81.8% vs. 18.1% p 0.05) for Adenocarcinoma and squamous squamous respectively. Tobacco consumption was higher in men than in women (28.3% vs. 9.4%) and the group of women was greater in those with epidemoid carcinoma (6.5%) and 1.3% for squamous cell carcinoma and Adenocarcinoma, respectively). Male smokers have 8.9 times greater risk of presenting an epidermoid carcinoma Adenocarcinoma. Male patients with squamous cell carcinoma are mostly smokers (84% vs. 16% for smokers and nonsmokers, respectively), whereas non-smokers are more likely to develop Adenocarcinoma (62% vs. 37% for Adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, respectively). In both sexes, Adenocarcinoma is more common, but the odds ratio is higher in women (0.82 vs. 0.51). Squamous cell carcinoma is less frequent, but the odds ratio is higher in men (0.48 vs. 0.18). In heavy smokers there is an increased risk.