Intraspecific variation in pollination ecology due to altitudinal environmental heterogeneity.

Plant-pollinator interactions are constrained by floral traits and available pollinators, both of which can vary across environmental gradients, with consequences for the stability of the interaction. Here, we quantified how the pollination ecology of a high-mountain hummingbird-pollinated plant changes across a progressively more stressful environmental gradient of the Venezuelan Andes. We compared pollination ecology between two populations of this plant: Piedras Blancas (PB) and Gavidia (GV), 4450 and 3600 m asl, respectively. We hypothesised that self-compatibility might be higher at the higher altitude site, however we found that flowers showed similar capacities for self-compatibility in both localities. Seed production by flowers exposed to natural pollinators was significantly higher in the lower locality, where we also found higher nectar quality, larger flowers and increased frequencies of pollinator visitations. Interestingly, the population energy offered in the nectar was the same for both localities due to the higher density and floral aggregation found in the higher altitude population. Our study demonstrates how two plant populations in different environmental conditions have different pollination ecology strategies. Pollinator visitations or their absence result in trait associations in one population that are independent in the other. These population differences are not explained by differences in pollinator assembly, but by environmental heterogeneity.

Actitud del personal de enfermería ante COVID-19 en Querétaro y Yucatán / Nursing staff attitude towards COVID-19 in Querétaro and Yucatán

Introducción: esta investigación describe la actitud del personal de enfermería que ha laborado en el área de atención COVID-19 durante el año 2021 en los estados de Querétaro y Yucatán, México. La actitud ante la COVID-19 es la variable fundamental en el comportamiento que puede presentar un individuo, es un estado de disposición mental el cual permite influenciar la conducta, esta se ve afectada por las creencias y valores que se han aprendido a lo largo de la vida. Objetivo: comparar la actitud del personal de enfermería que otorga cuidados a pacientes con COVID-19 en Querétaro y Yucatán. Metodología: estudio descriptivo, transversal, cuantitativo en una muestra de 292 personal de enfermería por muestreo no probabilístico, con la adaptación del instrumento "Conocimiento, actitud, práctica y respuesta psicológica entre enfermeras durante COVID-19", el cual se tradujo y contextualizó en español obteniendo indicadores de confiabilidad (alfa de Cronbach de 0.75) y se cuidó la validez de contenido para analizar las variables del presente estudio. Resultados: los participantes corresponden a 130 de Querétaro y 162 de Yucatán, pudo observarse que la mayor proporción de actitud favorable corresponde a Yucatán, no obstante, las diferencias entre las dos muestras no son estadísticamente significativas (p = 0.382). Conclusión: se determinó que los profesionales de enfermería tuvieron una actitud favorable en la atención de los pacientes con COVID-19.

Introduction: This research describes the attitude of nursing personnel who have worked in the COVID-19 care area during the year 2021 in the states of Querétaro and Yucatán, Mexico. The attitude towards COVID-19 is the fundamental variable in the behavior that an individual can present, it is a state of mental disposition, which allows influencing behavior, and this is affected by the beliefs and valuesthat have been learned throughout life. Objective: To compare the attitude of the nursing staff who provide care to patients with COVID-19 in Querétaro and Yucatán. Methodology: Descriptive, cross-sectional, quantitative study in a sample of 292 nursing staff by non-probabilistic sampling, with the adaptation of the instrument "Knowledge, attitude, practice and psychological response towards COVID-19 among nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak" was translated and contextualized in Spanish, obtaining reliability indicators (Cronbach's Alpha: 0.75) and content validity was taken care of to analyze the variables of this study. Results: The participants correspond to 130 from Querétaro and 162 from Yucatán, it could be observed that the highest proportion of favorable attitude corresponds to Yucatán, however, the differences between the two samples were not statistically significant (p = 0.382). Conclusion: it was determined that nursing professionals had a favorable attitude in the care of patients with COVID-19.

Infección por Rhodotorula rubra en el lactante con leucemia linfoblástica aguda. Reporte de un caso / Rhodotorula rubra infection in infants with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Case report

Rhodotorula especies (spp.) son levaduras comensales de la familia Sporidiobolaceae. Rhodotorula rubra es un patógeno oportunista y emergente que tiene la habilidad de colonizar e infectar a los pacientes susceptibles como son los que padecen de enfermedades hematológicas malignas, y está asociado con el uso de catéteres venosos centrales. Hay pocos reportes de casos en niños inmunocomprometidos. Presentamos el caso de una paciente lactante con diagnóstico de leucemia linfoblástica aguda (LLA) B común, que presentó infección fúngica por Rhodotorula rubra.

Rhodotorula species (spp.) are commensal yeasts of the family Sporidiobolaceae. Rhodotorula rubra is an opportunistic and emerging pathogen with the ability to colonize and infect susceptible patients like patients with malignant haematological diseases and it is associated with the use of central venous catheters. Only a few reports have linked found in immunocompromised children. In this article we present the case report of a lactating patient with a diagnosis of common acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B), who presented a fungal infection by Rhodotorula rubra.

Characteristics of progression to tyrosine kinase inhibitors predict overall survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer harboring an EGFR mutation.

BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring EGFR-sensitizing mutations has a distinct biology and heterogeneous clinical behavior. We evaluated the characteristics to progression such as clinical patterns of progression (dramatic, gradual, and local) with the prognosis of NSCLC patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). METHODS: We reviewed 123 advanced-NSCLC patients with an EGFR-sensitizing mutation treated with TKIs (gefitinib, erlotinib and afatinib). We assessed patients according to clinical factors and progression pattern to TKIs at three centers. RESULTS: For all patients, 58.5%, 31.7% and 9.8% harbored exon19 deletion, exon21 L858R mutation and other-sensitivity mutations, respectively. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 8.8 months (95% CI: 7.9-9.7). Sixty percent of patients were asymptomatic. Dramatic-progression was the most frequent pattern (50.4%), followed by gradual-progression (32.5%), and local-progression (17.1%). Median overall survival (OS) was 23.1 months (95% CI: 17.4-28.9). In the univariate analysis, factors associated to a longer OS included pattern [gradual-progression (32.1), dramatic (19.5) and local (18.8 months), P=0.008], and the time to progression to TKI [>12 months (38.5), 6-12 months (19.1), <6 months (9.6), P<0.001]. Multivariate analysis showed that only time to progression to TKI was independently associated to OS and PFS. CONCLUSIONS: Factors at TKI progression associated to a longer OS can define a subset of patients who may benefit from continued TKI therapy, as well as from local-ablative therapy in progression sites, especially in patients without T790M or who lack access to third-generation TKI.

Adhesión convencional en dentina, dificultades y avances en la técnica / Conventional dentin bonding. Difficulties and progress in the technique

INTRODUCCIÓN: estudios respecto a la adhesión en dentina han reportado que, contrario a la estabilidad lograda sobre esmalte dental, en dentina los mecanismos adhesivos todavía son sensibles, impredecibles e inestables. El objetivo de este trabajo es revisar la literatura actual sobre la adhesión en dentina, con el fin de caracterizar la adhesión convencional describiendo las modificaciones actuales del protocolo convencional, encaminadas a mejorar el desempeño adhesivo de los materiales dentales. Métodos: se hizo una revisión de la literatura evaluando 3 bases de datos: ScienceDirect, Springer y Medline, de las cuales se escogieron los 52 artículos más relevantes, publicados entre los años 2004 y 2013. Se usaron, como criterios de búsqueda, las palabras clave: dentin, dentin bonding, bond strength y acid etching. Resultados: al revisar los artículos seleccionados, se logró una descripción del protocolo de adhesión convencional que muestra la formación del barrillo dentinario (smear layer), la acción del ácido fosfórico y la formación de la interfase adhesiva propiamente dicha, junto con las dificultades propias de la técnica y las posibles soluciones planteadas hasta la fecha. Conclusión: la adhesión convencional sobre dentina es un procedimiento estricto y delicado, que evidencia inconvenientes como la degradación hidrolítica y proteolítica de la matriz de colágeno por parte de enzimas liberadas en el momento de la desmineralización, lo que deteriora la interfase adhesiva. Por tanto, se han sugerido sustancias que pueden ser utilizadas como agentes de protección del colágeno, sin alterar e incluso mejorando la resistencia adhesiva.

INTRODUCTION: studies on dentin bonding have reported that, contrary to the achieved stability on dental enamel, adhesive mechanisms on dentine are still sensitive, unpredictable, and unstable. The objective of this study is to review the current literature on dentin bonding in order to characterize conventional bonding, describing current modifications of the conventional protocol aimed at improving the adhesive performance of dental materials. METHODS: a literature review was conducted within 3 databases: ScienceDirect, Springer, and Medline, choosing the 52 most relevant articles published between 2004 and 2013. The following key words were used as search criteria: dentin, dentin bonding, bond strength, and acid etching. RESULTS: the review of the selected articles provided a description of the conventional adhesion protocol showing the formation of smear layer, the action of phosphoric acid, and the actual formation of adhesive interface, as well as the difficulties of the technique and possible solutions suggested to date. CONCLUSIONS: conventional dentin bonding is a precise and delicate procedure that shows disadvantages such as the hydrolytic and proteolytic degradation of collagen matrix by enzymes released at the time of demineralization, which damages the adhesive interface. Therefore, several substances have been suggested to be used as agents of collagen protection without altering adhesive strength, and even improving it.studies on dentin bonding have reported that, contrary to the achieved stability on dental enamel, adhesive mechanisms on dentine are still sensitive, unpredictable, and unstable. The objective of this study is to review the current literature on dentin bonding in order to characterize conventional bonding, describing current modifications of the conventional protocol aimed at improving the adhesive performance of dental materials. Methods: a literature review was conducted within 3 databases: ScienceDirect, Springer, and Medline, choosing the 52 most relevant articles published between 2004 and 2013. The following key words were used as search criteria: dentin, dentin bonding, bond strength, and acid etching. Results: the review of the selected articles provided a description of the conventional adhesion protocol showing the formation of smear layer, the action of phosphoric acid, and the actual formation of adhesive interface, as well as the difficulties of the technique and possible solutions suggested to date. Conclusion: conventional dentin bonding is a precise and delicate procedure that shows disadvantages such as the hydrolytic and proteolytic degradation of collagen matrix by enzymes released at the time of demineralization, which damages the adhesive interface. Therefore, several substances have been suggested to be used as agents of collagen protection without altering adhesive strength, and even improving it.

One-Year Feasibility Study of Replenish MicroPump for Intravitreal Drug Delivery: A Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: To determine the feasibility of the surgical procedure and to collect some safety data regarding the bioelectronics of a novel micro drug pump for intravitreal drug delivery in a Beagle dog model for up to 1 year. METHODS: Thirteen Beagle dogs were assigned to two groups. The experimental group (n = 11) underwent pars plana implantation of MicroPump; the body of which was sutured episclerally, while its catheter was secured at a pars plana sclerotomy. The control group (n = 2) underwent sham surgeries in the form of a temporary suturing of the MicroPump, including placement of the pars plana tube. Baseline and follow-up exams included ophthalmic examination and imaging. The experimental animals were euthanized and explanted at predetermined time points after surgery (1, 3, and 12 months), while the control animals were euthanized at 3 months. All operated eyes were submitted for histopathology. RESULTS: Eyes were scored according to a modified McDonald-Shadduck system and ophthalmic imaging. Neither the implanted eyes nor the control eyes showed clinically significant pathological changes beyond the expected surgical changes. The operated eyes showed neither significant inflammatory reaction nor tissue ingrowth through the sclerotomy site compared with the fellow eyes. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the Replenish Posterior MicroPump could be successfully implanted with good safety profile in this animal model. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: The results of this study in a Beagle dog model are supportive of the biocompatibility of Replenish MicroPump and pave the way to the use of these devices for ocular automated drug delivery after further testing in larger animal models.

[(18)FDG PET/CT imaging in primary breast lymphoma and breast cancer]. / (18)FDG PET/CT en linfoma primario de mama y cáncer de mama.

BACKGROUND: Of women between 15 and 29 years of age, 13.6% will die from breast cancer. For women between 30 and 64 years of age, 19% will die from breast cancer. METHODS: We studied 1728 oncological patients and 295 patients were included, 293 with breast cancer (17%) and two patients with primary breast lymphoma (0.1%). RESULTS: There were 98% females and 2% males. SUVmax for the primary tumor was 4.2 +/- 2.6 SD. Mean SUVmax for patients with primary breast lymphoma were 3.2 and 1.4. Sites of metastases were lymph nodes in the neck (4.4% SUVmax 2.7), internal mammary lymph nodes (5% SUVmax 5.3), mediastinum (8.3% SUVmax 5.0), retroperitoneal (6 % SUVmax 5.4), ipsilateral axilla (94% SUVmax 4.5), contralateral axilla (4.4% SUVmax 2.8), pectoral muscle (10.2% SUVmax 2.6), pleura (4.4% SUVmax 3.9), lung (32.3% SUVmax 2.9), liver (19.1% SUVmax 4.5), bone (36.7%), adrenal gland (4.4% SUVmax 2.4), brain (4.4%), spleen and contralateral breast, one case each. One patient presented thymic hyperplasia after chemotherapy. Mean SUVmax for blastic lesions was 5.4 +/- 2.9 SD, for lytic lesions it was 6.7 +/- 2.4 SD and for lesions not apparent on the CT it was 4.6 +/- 2.4 SD. The incidence of a second primary was 4.7%, 2.1% ovarian, 1.4% lung, 0.3% lymphoma, 0.3% endometrium, 0.3% pancreas and 0.3% thyroid. CONCLUSIONS: Mean SUVmax for the primary tumor was similar to that reported in the literature. Values for metastatic bone lesions are higher in this study. Inclusion of PET/CT in the followup of breast lesions is cost efficient.

(18)FDG PET/CT en linfoma primario de mama y cáncer de mama / (18)FDG PET/CT imaging in primary breast lymphoma and breast cancer

BACKGROUND: Of women between 15 and 29 years of age, 13.6% will die from breast cancer. For women between 30 and 64 years of age, 19% will die from breast cancer. METHODS: We studied 1728 oncological patients and 295 patients were included, 293 with breast cancer (17%) and two patients with primary breast lymphoma (0.1%). RESULTS: There were 98% females and 2% males. SUVmax for the primary tumor was 4.2 +/- 2.6 SD. Mean SUVmax for patients with primary breast lymphoma were 3.2 and 1.4. Sites of metastases were lymph nodes in the neck (4.4% SUVmax 2.7), internal mammary lymph nodes (5% SUVmax 5.3), mediastinum (8.3% SUVmax 5.0), retroperitoneal (6 % SUVmax 5.4), ipsilateral axilla (94% SUVmax 4.5), contralateral axilla (4.4% SUVmax 2.8), pectoral muscle (10.2% SUVmax 2.6), pleura (4.4% SUVmax 3.9), lung (32.3% SUVmax 2.9), liver (19.1% SUVmax 4.5), bone (36.7%), adrenal gland (4.4% SUVmax 2.4), brain (4.4%), spleen and contralateral breast, one case each. One patient presented thymic hyperplasia after chemotherapy. Mean SUVmax for blastic lesions was 5.4 +/- 2.9 SD, for lytic lesions it was 6.7 +/- 2.4 SD and for lesions not apparent on the CT it was 4.6 +/- 2.4 SD. The incidence of a second primary was 4.7%, 2.1% ovarian, 1.4% lung, 0.3% lymphoma, 0.3% endometrium, 0.3% pancreas and 0.3% thyroid. CONCLUSIONS: Mean SUVmax for the primary tumor was similar to that reported in the literature. Values for metastatic bone lesions are higher in this study. Inclusion of PET/CT in the followup of breast lesions is cost efficient.

[Positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) in lung cancer]. / Tomografía por emisión de positrones y tomografía computarizada (PET/CT) en carcinoma de pulmón.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the most frequent cause of death due to neoplasm in Western populations, with >660,000 new diagnoses of lung cancer per year according to the World Health Organization. METHODS: We undertook this study to emphasize the role of positron emission tomography to all health care professionals involved in lung cancer diagnosis. RESULTS: There are false negatives with PET-(18)FDG in carcinoids and broncheoalveolar carcinoma in almost 40% of the cases. One relatively common cause of false positives is the vocal cord and adjacent muscles contralateral and compensatory to the lung lesion that show an increased uptake of (18)FDG because of lesions in the laryngeal nerve by the tumor or secondary to surgery. It should not be confounded with metastases. CONCLUSIONS: There is sufficient scientific evidence pointing to the usefulness of PET studies and its evolution to PET/CT, especially in patients with lung cancer. This can resolve doubts by the oncologist and patient when there is a suspicious malignant lesion by the following: characterizing solitary pulmonary nodules (benign or malignant), localizing the optimal site for the biopsy, diagnosis of the primary tumor for initial staging, evaluation of mediastinal involvement and distant metastasis, evaluate and restage residual tumor, assessment of recurrence, monitoring response, prognostic prediction and radiotherapy planning.

Captaciones fisiológicas y variantes normales en el estudio PET/CT con (18)FDG / Normal variants and frequent pitfalls with (18)FDG PET/CT study

BACKGROUND: Fluordeoxyglucose ((18)FDG) is the most common radiotracer used for PET/CT studies. It enters the cell because of the glucose transporter proteins (GLUTs): 1) erythrocytic membrane, skeletal muscle, lymphocytes, ovaries, breast; 2) pancreas, retina, erythrocytes; 3) adipocytes, ovaries, testis; 4) skeletal muscle, adipocytes, ovaries, myocardium; 5) breast, small intestine, testis, kidney, erythrocytes; 6) spleen, leucocytes, brain; 7) liver; 8) testis, brain; 9) liver, kidney; 10) liver, pancreas; 11) heart, muscle; 12) heart, prostate; 13) brain. We undertook this study to expand the knowledge about physiological uptake. Physiological uptake of (18)FDG was in brain, Waldeyer ring (adenoids, palatine tonsils, lingual tonsils), salivary glands (parotids, submandibular), tongue, vocal cords, cricoarythenoid muscle, thyroid, brown fat (supraclavicular, mediastinal, neck, pericardial fat, around kidney, around great vessels in the thorax, subdiaphragmatic, intercostals, paravertebral), myocardium, breast, thymus, contractive muscles, liver, spleen (similar to the liver), stomach, intestine, kidneys, bladder, uterus, ovaries, testes, bone marrow, esophagus, and atherosclerotic inflammatory plaque. DISCUSSION: False positives were as follows: pneumoniae, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, cryptococcosis, thrombosis, bronchitis, costochondritis, radiation pneumonitis, misregistration for respiratory movements, catheters, thyroid and adrenal adenomas, osteophytes, fractures, abscess, foreign body, surgical wounds, ostomies, prosthesis, degenerative joint diseases, osteomyelitis, amyloidosis, pancreatitis, myositis, gastritis, colitis, herpes zoster. (18)FDG should be injected 4-6 h after insulin administration because it will be concentrated in the muscles. The brown fat raises its uptake 50% in late images. CONCLUSIONS: It is vital to know the most frequent sites of physiological uptake in the (18)FDG PET/CT studies to identify those regions that occasionally present hypermetabolism but that are not related to neoplastic tumors. This must be taken into consideration in the evaluation of PET/CT studies.

[Normal variants and frequent pitfalls with (18)FDG PET/CT study]. / Captaciones fisiológicas y variantes normales en el estudio PET/CT con (18)FDG.

BACKGROUND: Fluordeoxyglucose ((18)FDG) is the most common radiotracer used for PET/CT studies. It enters the cell because of the glucose transporter proteins (GLUTs): 1) erythrocytic membrane, skeletal muscle, lymphocytes, ovaries, breast; 2) pancreas, retina, erythrocytes; 3) adipocytes, ovaries, testis; 4) skeletal muscle, adipocytes, ovaries, myocardium; 5) breast, small intestine, testis, kidney, erythrocytes; 6) spleen, leucocytes, brain; 7) liver; 8) testis, brain; 9) liver, kidney; 10) liver, pancreas; 11) heart, muscle; 12) heart, prostate; 13) brain. We undertook this study to expand the knowledge about physiological uptake. Physiological uptake of (18)FDG was in brain, Waldeyer ring (adenoids, palatine tonsils, lingual tonsils), salivary glands (parotids, submandibular), tongue, vocal cords, cricoarythenoid muscle, thyroid, brown fat (supraclavicular, mediastinal, neck, pericardial fat, around kidney, around great vessels in the thorax, subdiaphragmatic, intercostals, paravertebral), myocardium, breast, thymus, contractive muscles, liver, spleen (similar to the liver), stomach, intestine, kidneys, bladder, uterus, ovaries, testes, bone marrow, esophagus, and atherosclerotic inflammatory plaque. DISCUSSION: False positives were as follows: pneumoniae, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, cryptococcosis, thrombosis, bronchitis, costochondritis, radiation pneumonitis, misregistration for respiratory movements, catheters, thyroid and adrenal adenomas, osteophytes, fractures, abscess, foreign body, surgical wounds, ostomies, prosthesis, degenerative joint diseases, osteomyelitis, amyloidosis, pancreatitis, myositis, gastritis, colitis, herpes zoster. (18)FDG should be injected 4-6 h after insulin administration because it will be concentrated in the muscles. The brown fat raises its uptake 50% in late images. CONCLUSIONS: It is vital to know the most frequent sites of physiological uptake in the (18)FDG PET/CT studies to identify those regions that occasionally present hypermetabolism but that are not related to neoplastic tumors. This must be taken into consideration in the evaluation of PET/CT studies.

[Reliability of CA 15-3 in the follow up of female patients with breast carcinoma and bone metastases]. / Confiabilidad del CA 15-3 como seguimiento en las pacientes con carcinoma mamario y metástasis óseas.

UNLABELLED: The breast cancer is one of the most frequent in the world, with an incidence that has been raising despite the many different prevention programs. In the early 1980s, two groups of investigators report a new tumor marker and called it cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3). CA 15-3 in the diagnostic and follow up of patients with breast cancer has a sensitivity ranging from 75-76.9% and the specificity ranging from 85.5-93%. METHODS: We review the files of 100 female patients in the Nuclear Medicine Department, which was done bone scan and CA 15-3 from January to December 2000. All patients were in stage III and IV. For the bone scan every patient received 20 mCi of Medroxi-Di Phosphonate (MDP). The CA 15-3 was quantify in the radioimmunoanalysis (RIA) laboratory. The CA 15-3 reference protocol is equal or less than 30 U/mL. RESULTS: The mean patient's age was 59.39 years. The mean value from CA 15-3 for the patients with the absence of metastatic disease is 16.18 U/mL and 164.02 U/mL in the presence of metastatic disease mL (p < 0.00001). In our research the high level was 35 U/mL (percentil 95). The sensitivity founded was 82% and the specificity was 87%. High CA 15-3 levels are present when the patient has the tumor and get down to normal when the tumorectomy of the mastectomy was done; in the absence of metastatic disease. CONCLUSIONS: Skeletal scintigraphy is reserved for patients with clinical stage III and IV disease. Image those patients who have skeletal pain or high levels of CA 15-3 although an early stage disease. In patients with skeletal metastases and chemotherapy protocol there is a significative diminish of the value of the tumor marker in comparison with the previous one. In patients with metastatic disease and normal CA 15-3, the tumor marker will increase gradually. CA 15-3 can be use as a simple method that reflects the presence of bone metastases in association with bone scan.

Estrato social y prevalencia de gingivitis en gestantes, estado Yaracuy, municipio San Felipe / Social class and prevalence of gingivitis in pregnant women, Yaracuy state, San Felipe municipe

El propósito de este estudio fue determinar la prevalencia de gingivitis asociada con el estrato social de las gestantes atendidas en tres centros asistenciasles (público, semiprivado y privado) del municipio San Felipe, estado Yaracuy, Venezuela. Se seleccionó una muestra dirigida de 150 mujeres embarazadas, distribuidas proporcionalmente en los tres centros asistenciales y se aplicó el diseño longitudinal tipo panel para examinar los cambios en las características de la encía, enfermedad gingival, placa bacteriana y cálculo dental en el 3er y 8vo mes de gestación. Para evaluar la gravedad de la gingivitis, determinar la cantidad de placa bacteriana, cálculo dental e identificar el grupo social de pertenencia de las gestantes se utilizó el Indice gingival de Loe y Silness, el Indice de placa de Silness y Loe, el Indice de cálculo de Green y Vermilio y el método Graffar modificado, respectivamente. El análisis de datos se realizó elaborando tablas de frecuencia de una o más variables y aplicando el test ?2 para verificar si era posible rechazar o no las hipótesis nulas de la independencia entre las variables consideradas en la investigación. El test proporcionó resultados a una probabilidad de 1 por 1000, que verifican la desigual distribución de la gingivitis en el 3er y 8vo mes de gestación, siendo los grupos sociales más afectados la clase marginal, obrera y media baja. Asimismo, se pudo comprobar la asociación placa bacteriana, cálculo dental y enfermedad gingival y la ausencia de relación entre la edad de las gestantes, el número de embarazos y la gravedad de la enfermedad gingival

Efecto de un enjuague bucal compuesto de aloe vera en la placa bacteriana e inflamación gingival / The effect of a aloe vera-based mouthwash on bacterial plaque and gingival inflamation

En este estudio se identificaron y contrastaron los índices de placa (IP) e inflamación gingival (IG) en dos grupos (experimental y control) antes de la administración y 15 y 30 días después del uso continuo de un enjuague bucal elaborado con gel de aloe vera al 50 por ciento de concentración. Los sujetos, entre 18 y 26 años de edad, que participaron en el experimento, fueron seleccionados en el Servicio Odontológico del Fuerte Tavacares, Venezuela, Estado Barinas, previa evaluación gingivoperiodontal y verificación de que reunían las características exigidas para integrar el grupo experimental y control. El diseño experimental de series cronológicas múltiples permitió compara en el grupo experimental y en los dos grupos los resultados obtenidos en diferentes momentos. Los enjuagues, experimental y placebo, fueron preparados en el Departamento de Galénica, Facultad de Farmacia, U. de Los Andes, Venezuela, y la cantidad de placa e inflamación gingival se determinó utilizando el índice de placa de Silness y Loe y el índice gingival de Loe y Silness. Los resultados indicaron una significativa disminución de los valores de los índices (IP, IG) en el grupo experimental a los 15 y 30 días de uso del enjuague con aloe vera, en relación al grupo control tratado con un placebo. La significación de los valores fue avalada por pruebas estadísticas (t de Student y Rangos Signados de Wilcoxon) permitiendo concluir que en el contexto de esta investigación, el gel de aloe vera utilizado en la composición del enjuague experimental a un 50 por ciento de concentración desminuye la cantidad de placa y la inflamación gingival

Glicosaminoglicanos en el fluido crevicular y su relación con los períodos de actividad de la enfermedad periodontal / Glycosides in the cervical fluid oral relations by activite period of the periodontal deseases

El presente trabajo plantea el uso del análisis bioquímico como una alternativa que permite determinar la actividad de la Enfermedad Periodontal. Parte de consideraciones generales que destacan la significación del fluido crevicular en la evaluación de la evolución de esta entidad patológica por cuanto éste constituye un elemento siempre presente en el proceso. Aún cuando en sus conclusiones no pretende ser definitivo, plantea una línea de investigación tendiente al desarrollo de elementos diagnósticos de fácil aplicación y contundencia en sus resultados. Los resultados obtenidos permitieron corroborar que la presencia de (glicosaminoglicanos puede ser indicativo de actividad de la enfermedad periodontal y que la Electroforesis como técnica tiene suficiente sensibilidad como para detectar este tipo de moléculas. Finalmente, esta investigación permite establecer que no existe una relación directa entre las manifestaciones clínicas, radiográficas, índice de placa e índice de sangrado y la actividad de la enfermedad periodontal. Una de las principales recomendaciones que emanan del análisis lo constituye el hecho de que cuando la evidencia clínica hace sospechar que la enfermedad periodontal se encuentra en su fase activa, es necesaria la evaluación de los marcadores bioquímicos con la finalidad de establecer el diagnóstico preciso y el tratamiento indicado)