Retirements of professional tennis players in second- and third-tier tournaments on the ATP and WTA tours.

The demands of professional tennis, including physical and psychological aspects, contribute to the frequency of retirements at elite levels of the sport. The aim of this study was to analyze epidemiological patterns and risk factors associated with retirements in previous ATP and WTA Tour tournaments. A retrospective cohort study was conducted. This study focused on previous ATP and WTA Tour tournaments. The ATP database encompassed 584,806 matches, while the WTA database included 267,380 matches. To assess retirements, potential risk factors such as playing surface, tournament category, match round, and player age were analyzed. Incidence rates were calculated for the period between 1978-2019 for men and 1994-2018 for women. The overall incidence rate was 1.56 (95%CI: 1.54, 1.59) and 1.36 (95%CI: 1.33, 1.39) retirements per 1000 games played in male and female competitions, respectively. Retirements increased over the years. Higher incidence rates were observed on hard (1.59 [95%CI: 1.56, 1.63] and 1.39 [95%CI: 1.34, 1.44]) and clay (1.60 [95%CI: 1.57, 1.63] and 1.36 [95%CI: 1.32, 1.41]) compared to grass courts (0.79 [95%CI: 0.65, 0.94] and 1.06 [95%CI: 0.88, 1.27]). Risk factors differed by gender, with tournament category significant in males (IRR: 1.23 [95%CI: 1.19, 1.28] in ITF vs ATP) and match round in females (IRR: 0.92 [95%CI: 0.88, 0.98] in preliminary vs final). This study provides valuable insights for coaches, players, support teams, and epidemiologists regarding retirements and associated risk factors in previous ATP and WTA Tour tournaments, contributing to injury prevention strategies.

Clinical validation of a next-generation sequencing-based multi-cancer early detection "liquid biopsy" blood test in over 1,000 dogs using an independent testing set: The CANcer Detection in Dogs (CANDiD) study.

Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs, yet there are no established screening paradigms for early detection. Liquid biopsy methods that interrogate cancer-derived genomic alterations in cell-free DNA in blood are being adopted for multi-cancer early detection in human medicine and are now available for veterinary use. The CANcer Detection in Dogs (CANDiD) study is an international, multi-center clinical study designed to validate the performance of a novel multi-cancer early detection "liquid biopsy" test developed for noninvasive detection and characterization of cancer in dogs using next-generation sequencing (NGS) of blood-derived DNA; study results are reported here. In total, 1,358 cancer-diagnosed and presumably cancer-free dogs were enrolled in the study, representing the range of breeds, weights, ages, and cancer types seen in routine clinical practice; 1,100 subjects met inclusion criteria for analysis and were used in the validation of the test. Overall, the liquid biopsy test demonstrated a 54.7% (95% CI: 49.3-60.0%) sensitivity and a 98.5% (95% CI: 97.0-99.3%) specificity. For three of the most aggressive canine cancers (lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma, osteosarcoma), the detection rate was 85.4% (95% CI: 78.4-90.9%); and for eight of the most common canine cancers (lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma, osteosarcoma, soft tissue sarcoma, mast cell tumor, mammary gland carcinoma, anal sac adenocarcinoma, malignant melanoma), the detection rate was 61.9% (95% CI: 55.3-68.1%). The test detected cancer signal in patients representing 30 distinct cancer types and provided a Cancer Signal Origin prediction for a subset of patients with hematological malignancies. Furthermore, the test accurately detected cancer signal in four presumably cancer-free subjects before the onset of clinical signs, further supporting the utility of liquid biopsy as an early detection test. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that NGS-based liquid biopsy can offer a novel option for noninvasive multi-cancer detection in dogs.

Persistent infection with a rotavirus vaccine strain in a child suffering from Severe Combined Immunodeficiency in Argentina.

Due to the high burden of disease associated with rotavirus, the massive vaccination in children before six months of age has been encouraged. Currently licensed oral live vaccines have shown low risk of associated adverse events in the general population. Noteworthy, postmarketing reports of severe gastroenteritis with persistent vaccine viral shedding in children with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) have led companies to include this inborn error of immunity as an additional contraindication. SCID is not usually screened in newborns from developing countries. Therefore, the administration of live attenuated vaccines represents the first contact of these patients with life-threatening pathogens. We describe a clinical case of an infant with SCID who suffered from persistent rotavirus symptomatic diarrhea after receiving the rotavirus oral vaccine and was found to be infected with the vaccine strain. This case attempts to contribute to the discussion of those diseases that need to be incorporated into a screening program since an early diagnosis permits clinicians to withhold live attenuated immunization.

Altered Body Composition and Increased Resting Metabolic Rate Associated with the Postural Instability/Gait Difficulty Parkinson's Disease Subtype.

BACKGROUND: Weight loss in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients is a common but poorly understood manifestation. Several studies have reported that weight changes could be related to motor symptoms, drug side effects, dysphagia, depression, and/or dementia. Weight loss in PD is not a benign phenomenon and it has several clinical and prognostic implications with increased morbidity and mortality. Thus, it is crucial to determine nutritional changes in PD patients in order to prevent malnutrition and improve their quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To compare body composition and resting metabolic rates between PD patients and controls. METHODS: A total of 64 PD patients and 52 controls were studied. The Hoehn-Yahr scale was used to determine the disease stage, clinical and epidemiological data were recorded from verbal questionnaire, Inbody S10® was used to collect corporal parameters, and FitMate system was used to assess the resting metabolic rate. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between both experimental groups in age, gender, height, cholesterol levels, and the presence of hypertension, diabetes, and hypo/hyperthyroidism. However, the PD group showed lower body fat mass, whole-body fat percentage, and greater resting metabolic rate compared to controls (p < 0.05), with no significant differences in musculoskeletal mass. Parkinson's disease postural instability/gait difficulty (PD-PIGD) subtype showed lower body fat parameters, increased fat-free mass, and higher resting metabolic rates. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that PD patients present an increased resting metabolic rate associated with the postural instability/gait difficulty PD subtype, allowing a selective decrease of body fat mass and not musculoskeletal mass. Of note, several disease-related factors may contribute to this weight loss in PD patients, being a complex and multifactorial consequence. Our findings could likely be one of the many contributing factors. However, present findings may further add to our understanding of the phenomenon of weight loss in patients with PD.

Guía de Diagnostico y Tratamiento: Neumonia Adquirida en la Comunidad / Diagnostic and Treatment Guide: Pneumonia Acquired in the Community

La neumonía adquirida en la comunidad es la infección aguda del parénquima pulmonar causada por patógenos adquiridos en el ámbito comunitario. Es la principal causa de mortalidad infantil en el mundo, siendo los virus la etiología más frecuente en todos los grupos etarios. La radiografía de tórax es el patrón de oro para realizar el diagnóstico, aunque no debe retrasarse el inicio del tratamiento en caso de no disponer de esta. El tratamiento inicial consiste en medidas de sostén. La terapéutica antibiótica, en caso de las etiologías bacterianas, debe iniciarse tempranamente

Acquired pneumonia in the community is the acute infection of the lung parenchyma caused by pathogens acquired in the community environment. It is the leading cause of infant mortality in the world, with viruses being the most frequent etiology in all age groups. Chest radiography is the gold standard for diagnosis, although the start of treatment should not be delayed in case of not having it. The initial treatment consists of support measures. Antibiotic therapy, in case of bacterial etiologies, it should be started at an early stage

Retrospective evaluation of toceranib phosphate (Palladia) in cats with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Objectives The aim of the study was to determine the clinical benefit and adverse event profile of toceranib phosphate in the treatment of feline oral squamous cell carcinoma (FOSCC). Methods Data obtained from the medical records of cats with oral squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed between 2010 and 2014 treated with toceranib phosphate were compared with medical record data from cats that did not receive toceranib, cytotoxic chemotherapy or radiation, to determine the response to toceranib treatment and adverse event profile of toceranib in cats. Concurrent use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was allowed. Results Forty-six cats with FOSCC were included; 23 received treatment with toceranib (group 1) and 23 did not (group 2). The overall biological response rate in group 1 was 56.5%. Median survival time of toceranib-treated cats was significantly longer at 123 days compared with 45 days in cats not treated with toceranib ( P = 0.01). Cats achieving stable disease or better on toceranib therapy had significantly longer progression-free survival ( P <0.0001) and median survival ( P = 0.0042) times than those with progressive disease on toceranib. Administration of NSAIDs was also associated with significantly improved survival time ( P = 0.0038) among all cats. Anorexia was common but may reflect the underlying disease in these patients. Toceranib was well tolerated in cats, with the most common side effect being mild gastrointestinal toxicity. Conclusions and relevance Toceranib was well tolerated in cats with oral squamous cell carcinoma and may lead to improved survival times, especially when combined with NSAIDs. NSAID administration was also associated with improved survival times, and the relative benefit of toceranib and NSAIDs is difficult to determine from this retrospective study. Despite improvement in survival times, long-term survival in this patient population remained poor. As toceranib was well tolerated and may improve survival time, prospective evaluation of toceranib alone is warranted to assess response as a single agent and as part of multimodal therapy in an effort to achieve a more durable response in FOSCC.

Prevalence, incidence, and remission rates of urinary incontinence in women attended in gynecological practice.

AIMS: To assess the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) in a cohort of women attended in primary care gynecological and estimate the incidence and remission rates of UI symptoms at 1 year. METHODS: We performed a multicenter prospective cohort study of women attending eight primary care gynecological practices. Consecutive women attended for gynecological issues different from UI were invited to participate in the study by answering the International Consultation on Incontinence questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF). Patients receiving treatment for UI, during pregnant, and postpartum were excluded. All women with UI symptoms (ICIQ-UI-SF > 0) wishing treatment were studied and treated following routine clinical practice. All women were invited to answer the same questionnaire by phone 1 year after inclusion. RESULTS: A total of 2,840 women answered the questionnaire; 1,188 (41.8%) had UI symptoms (ICIQ-UI-SF > 0). Accordingly, nearly half (44.9%) had mild UI symptoms. Treatment was requested by only 551/1,188 incontinent women (46.38%), being related to the severity of UI. At 1 year, 2,443 patients/2,840 (86.0%) were found and again responded to the ICIQ-UI-SF. At 1 year the incidence of UI was 5.3% (77 new cases of UI out of 1,652 with the initial ICIQ-UI-SF = 0) while the remission rate of UI among untreated women was 27.9% (144 with ICIQ-UI-SF = 0). CONCLUSIONS: Almost one half of women attended in primary care general gynecology practices have UI symptoms, with less than 50% requesting treatment. In these women, UI is a dynamic process with an incidence of 5.3% and a remission rate of 27.9% at 1 year. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:1081-1085, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Residual defects after repair of obstetric anal sphincter injuries and pelvic floor muscle strength are related to anal incontinence symptoms.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The aim was to analyze the correlation between residual anal sphincter (AS) defects and pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength on anal incontinence (AI) in patients with a history of obstetric AS injuries (OASIS). METHODS: From September 2012 to February 2015, an observational study was conducted on a cohort of females who underwent repair of OASIS intrapartum. The degree of OASIS was scored intrapartum according to Sultan's classification. Participants were assessed at 6 months postpartum. Incontinence symptoms were evaluated using Wexner's score and PFM strength using the Modified Oxford Scale (MOS). 3D-endoanal ultrasound was performed to classify AS defects according to Starck's system. Correlation between Sultan's and Starck's classifications was calculated using Cohen's kappa and Spearman's rho (Rs) test. The impact of residual AS defects and PFM strength on AI was analyzed using a multiple regression model. RESULTS: A total of 95 women were included in the study. Good correlation (κ= 0.72) was found between Sultan's and Starck's classifications. Significant positive correlation was observed between Wexner's score and both Sultan's (p = 0.023, Rs =0.212) and Starck's (p < 0.001, Rs =0.777) scores. The extent of the residual AS defect was the most relevant factor correlating with AI symptoms. In patients with severe AS injuries, higher MOS values were associated with lower Wexner's score. CONCLUSIONS: The degree of AS tear measured intrapartum was the most important factor related to AI after primary repair of OASIS. PFM strength was associated with lower incontinence symptoms in the postpartum period.

Cystic Fibrosis Cloud database: Un sistema informático para el almacenamiento y manejo de datos clínicos y microbiológicos del paciente con fibrosis quística / Cystic Fibrosis Cloud database: An information system for storage and management of clinical and microbiological data of cystic fibrosis patients

El manejo clínico y epidemiológico de los pacientes con fibrosis quística (FQ) con exacerbaciones pulmonares agudas o infecciones pulmonares crónicas demanda una actualización permanente de procedimientos médicos y microbiológicos, estos se asocian con la constante evolución de los agentes patógenos durante la colonización de su hospedador. Para poder monitorear la dinámica de estos procesos es fundamental disponer de sistemas expertos que permitan almacenar, extraer y utilizar la información generada a partir de estudios realizados sobre el paciente y los microorganismos aislados de aquel. En este trabajo hemos diseñado y desarrollado una base de datos on-line basada en un sistema informático que permite el almacenamiento, el manejo y la visualización de la información proveniente de estudios clínicos y de análisis microbiológicos de bacterias obtenidas del tracto respiratorio del paciente con FQ. Este sistema informático fue designado como Cystic Fibrosis Cloud database (CFC database) y está disponible en el sitio http://servoy.infocomsa.com/cfc_database. Está compuesto por una base de datos principal y una interfaz on-line, la cual emplea la arquitectura de productos Servoy basada en tecnología Java. Si bien el sistema CFC database puede ser implementado como un programa local de uso privado en los centros de asistencia a pacientes con FQ, admite también la posibilidad de ser empleado, actualizado y compartido por diferentes usuarios, quienes pueden acceder a la información almacenada de manera ordenada, práctica y segura. La implementación del CFC database podría tener una gran impacto en la monitorización de las infecciones respiratorias, la prevención de exacerbaciones, la detección de organismos emergentes y la adecuación de las estrategias de control de infecciones pulmonares en pacientes con FQ

The epidemiological and clinical management of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients suffering from acute pulmonary exacerbations or chronic lung infections demands continuous updating of medical and microbiological processes associated with the constant evolution of pathogens during host colonization. In order to monitor the dynamics of these processes, it is essential to have expert systems capable of storing and subsequently extracting the information generated from different studies of the patients and microorganisms isolated from them. In this work we have designed and developed an on-line database based on an information system that allows to store, manage and visualize data from clinical studies and microbiological analysis of bacteria obtained from the respiratory tract of patients suffering from cystic fibrosis. The information system, named Cystic Fibrosis Cloud database is available on the http://servoy.infocomsa.com/cfc_database site and is composed of a main database and a web-based interface, which uses Servoy's product architecture based on Java technology. Although the CFC database system can be implemented as a local program for private use in CF centers, it can also be used, updated and shared by different users who can access the stored information in a systematic, practical and safe manner. The implementation of the CFC database could have a significant impact on the monitoring of respiratory infections, the prevention of exacerbations, the detection of emerging organisms, and the adequacy of control strategies for lung infections in CF patients

[Cystic Fibrosis Cloud database: An information system for storage and management of clinical and microbiological data of cystic fibrosis patients]. / Cystic Fibrosis Cloud database: Un sistema informático para el almacenamiento y manejo de datos clínicos y microbiológicos del paciente con fibrosis quística.

The epidemiological and clinical management of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients suffering from acute pulmonary exacerbations or chronic lung infections demands continuous updating of medical and microbiological processes associated with the constant evolution of pathogens during host colonization. In order to monitor the dynamics of these processes, it is essential to have expert systems capable of storing and subsequently extracting the information generated from different studies of the patients and microorganisms isolated from them. In this work we have designed and developed an on-line database based on an information system that allows to store, manage and visualize data from clinical studies and microbiological analysis of bacteria obtained from the respiratory tract of patients suffering from cystic fibrosis. The information system, named Cystic Fibrosis Cloud database is available on the http://servoy.infocomsa.com/cfc_database site and is composed of a main database and a web-based interface, which uses Servoy's product architecture based on Java technology. Although the CFC database system can be implemented as a local program for private use in CF centers, it can also be used, updated and shared by different users who can access the stored information in a systematic, practical and safe manner. The implementation of the CFC database could have a significant impact on the monitoring of respiratory infections, the prevention of exacerbations, the detection of emerging organisms, and the adequacy of control strategies for lung infections in CF patients.

Evaluación de los sistemas comerciales automatizados VITEK 2 y API 20NE para la identificación de organismos del complejo Burkholderia cepacia aislados de muestras clínicas / Evaluation of commercial systems VITEK 2 and API 20NE for identification of Burkholderia cepacia complex bacteria from clinical samples

Las especies del complejo Burkholderia cepacia (CBC) son capaces de causar infecciones crónicas del tracto respiratorio en pacientes con fibrosis quística y en otros individuos inmunocomprometidos. La mayoría de estas especies exhiben alta resistencia a la terapia antibiótica, lo que genera la necesidad de una detección rápida y precisa para poder implementar estrategias de control adecuadas. En este trabajo se utilizó la técnica de reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR) para amplificar el gen recA (PCR-recA), con el fin de identificar microorganismos pertenecientes al CBC. Con este método molecular como referencia, se evaluó la sensibilidad (S) y la especificidad (E) de dos sistemas de identificación comerciales automatizados, VITEK 2 y API 20NE (bioMérieux®), así como también el valor de las pruebas bioquímicas manuales más representativas para la identificación de estos microorganismos. El método VITEK 2 presentó una S del 71,1 % y una E del 100 %; para el método API 20NE, estos valores fueron 69,7 % y 90,2 %, respectivamente. En cuanto a las pruebas fenotípicas manuales, los resultados obtenidos fueron más heterogéneos, lo que posiblemente se deba a que estas bacterias podrían sufrir presión selectiva para sobrevivir en pacientes crónicos y perder factores fenotípicos característicos. La técnica de PCR-recA resultó de fácil implementación, por lo que cabe considerar a esta técnica de identificación como una opción viable, aun en laboratorios de diagnóstico clínico de mediana complejidad.

Species belonging to the Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) are capable of causing chronic respiratory tract infections in patients suffering from cystic fibrosis as wel as in immunocompromised individuals. Most of these species are highly resistant to antibiotic therapy, generating the need for their rapid and accurate detection for the proper treatment and clinical management of these patients. In this wok, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique based on the amplification of the recA gene (PCR-recA) was applied for an accurate identification of bacteria belonging to the BCC. Sensitivity (S) and specificity (E) of two biochemically-based commercial automated systems, API 20NE and VITEK 2 (bioMérieux®), and of the most representative biochemical manual tests for the identification of the Burkholderia cepacia complex were herein evaluated. The commercial systems VITEK 2 and API 20NE showed the following sensitivity and specificity vaues for identification to the species level, S: 71.1 %, E: 100 %, S: 69.7 %, E: 90.2 %, respectively. More complex results were observed for phenotypic manual tests, since BCC bacteria can undergo selective pressure to survive in chronic patients causing the loss of their typical phenotypic characteristics. The PCR-recA technique was easy to implement even in medium-complexity clinical diagnostic laboratories.

[Evaluation of commercial systems VITEK 2 and API 20NE for identification of Burkholderia cepacia complex bacteria from clinical samples]. / Evaluación de los sistemas comerciales automatizados VITEK 2 y API 20NE para la identificación de organismos del complejo Burkholderia cepacia aislados de muestras clínicas.

Species belonging to the Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) are capable of causing chronic respiratory tract infections in patients suffering from cystic fibrosis as well as in immunocompromised individuals. Most of these species are highly resistant to antibiotic therapy, generating the need for their rapid and accurate detection for the proper treatment and clinical management of these patients. In this work, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique based on the amplification of the recA gene (PCR-recA) was applied for an accurate identification of bacteria belonging to the BCC. Sensitivity (S) and specificity (E) of two biochemically-based commercial automated systems, API 20NE and VITEK 2 (bioMérieux®), and of the most representative biochemical manual tests for the identification of the Burkholderia cepacia complex were herein evaluated. The commercial systems VITEK 2 and API 20NE showed the following sensitivity and specificity vaues for identification to the species level, S: 71.1 %, E: 100 %, S: 69.7 %, E: 90.2 %, respectively. More complex results were observed for phenotypic manual tests, since BCC bacteria can undergo selective pressure to survive in chronic patients causing the loss of their typical phenotypic characteristics. The PCR-recA technique was easy to implement even in medium-complexity clinical diagnostic laboratories.

Experimental infection of Leishmania (L.) chagasi in a cell line derived from Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera:Psychodidae).

The present work describes the in vitro infection of a cell line Lulo, derived from Lutzomyia longipalpis embryonic tissue, by Leishmania chagasi promastigotes. This infection process is compared with a parallel one developed using the J774 cell line. The L. chagasi MH/CO/84/CI-044B strain was used for experimental infection in two cell lines. The cells were seeded on glass coverslips in 24-well plates to reach a final number of 2 x 10(5) cells/well. Parasites were added to the adhered Lulo and J774 cells in a 10:1 ratio and were incubated at 28 and 37 masculineC respectively. After 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 days post-infection, the cells were extensively washed with PBS, fixed with methanol, and stained with Giemsa. The number of internalized parasites was determined by counting at least 400 cultured cells on each coverslip. The results showed continuous interaction between L. chagasi promastigotes with the cell lines. Some ultrastructural characteristics of the amastigote forms were observed using transmission electron microscopy. The highest percentage of infection in Lulo cells was registered on day 6 post-infection (29.6%) and on day 4 in the J774 cells (51%). This work shows similarities and differences in the L. chagasi experimental infection process in the two cell lines. However, Lulo cells emerge as a new model to study the life-cycle of this parasite.

Experimental infection of Leishmania L. chagasi in a cell line derived from Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae)

The present work describes the in vitro infection of a cell line Lulo, derived from Lutzomyia longipalpis embryonic tissue, by Leishmania chagasi promastigotes. This infection process is compared with a parallel one developed using the J774 cell line. The L. chagasi MH/CO/84/CI-044B strain was used for experimental infection in two cell lines. The cells were seeded on glass coverslips in 24-well plates to reach a final number of 2 x 10(5) cells/well. Parasites were added to the adhered Lulo and J774 cells in a 10:1 ratio and were incubated at 28 and 37ºC respectively. After 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 days post-infection, the cells were extensively washed with PBS, fixed with methanol, and stained with Giemsa. The number of internalized parasites was determined by counting at least 400 cultured cells on each coverslip. The results showed continuous interaction between L. chagasi promastigotes with the cell lines. Some ultrastructural characteristics of the amastigote forms were observed using transmission electron microscopy. The highest percentage of infection in Lulo cells was registered on day 6 post-infection (29.6 percent) and on day 4 in the J774 cells (51 percent). This work shows similarities and differences in the L. chagasi experimental infection process in the two cell lines. However, Lulo cells emerge as a new model to study the life-cycle of this parasite.

Sexo del hospedero y dosis infectante de parásitos como factores en el desarrollo de la infección con Trypanosoma cruzi en un modelo murino / Sex of host and initial dose of inoculum like factors in the development of infection with Trypanosoma cruzi in a murine model

Se infectaron ratones de la cepa ACA, machos y hembras, con 200 y 2.000 tripomastigotes sanguíneos del clon Dm 28c de Trypanosoma cruzi. Todos los animales se comportaron como susceptibles a la infección, en forma independiente del sexo y la dosis de inóculo inicial. Los animales, tanto machos como hembras, infectados con 2.000 parásitos presentaron niveles de parasitemia significativamente más altos que los ratones infectados con la dosis menor. A su vez, los machos desarrollaron niveles de parasitemia más altos que las hembras, tanto al infectar con 200 como con 2.000 parásitos. A pesar de comportarse todos los animales experimentales como susceptibles, el período de supervivencia fue significativamente más prolongado en los machos infectados con 200 comparado con lo ocurrido con los machos infectados con 2.000 parásitos. Las hembras infectadas con 2.000 parásitos sobreviven más tiempo que los machos infectados con la misma dosis. No se observaron diferencias significativas en el tiempo de supervivencia, al comparar hembras infectadas con ambas dosis ni tampoco al comparar machos y hembras infectados con 200 parásitos. Al parecer, en nuestro caso, la principal característica afectada por las variables sexo y dosis de inóculo inicial es el nivel de parasitemia.

Protein Profiles of Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli

Trypanosoma cruzi, is a protozoan parasite, which has a close phylogenetic relationship with Trypanosoma rangeli that is not pathogenic for the vertebrate host. Both parasites have antigenic similarity, they have different and complex total protein profiles according to their morphological and physiological stage epimastigotes or trypomastigotes, showing a differential gene expression during the life cycle. There are also differences according to T. cruzi populations used, which were isolated from different geographical areas and were harvested from different sources. This study clearly showed the Colombian SA strain that is highly virulent, has differences in its protein profile when as compared with Dm28c clone, Tulahuen strain and Colombian Astec strain which is not virulent. The proteins were separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Specie-specific proteins were found which allow us to identify them, just as it occurs with T. rangeli (Choachí-2V strain), which has three protein bands. However, two of them are not only present in epimastigotes but also in trypomastigotes, but the other is exclusive of epimastigote forms.

Asma brônquica: utilidade da terapêutica homeopática / Bronchial asthma: usefulness of homeopathic therapy

Estudo prospectivo que mostra a eficácia do tratamento homeopático na asma brônquica, na Policlínica Docente de Playa, na cidade de Havana (Cuba), no período compreendido entre novembro 1996 - fevereiro 1997. Os casos foram selecionados considerando-se as crises de asma desencadeadas por mudança de temperatura e umidade; critério de exclusäo: tratamento esteróide recente. Estudo duplo-cego. Os medicamentos utilizados foram Tuberculinum e Dulcamara com seguimento quinzenal. Estudo estatístico favorável à terapêutica homeopática.