Cellular Immune Response in Patients Immunized with Three Vaccine Doses of Different Vaccination Schemes Authorized by the Chilean Ministry of Health in January 2022.

In December 2019, a case of atypical pneumonia was reported in Wuhan, China. It was named COVID-19 and caused by SARS-CoV-2. In a few months, scientific groups around the world developed vaccines to reduce the disease's severity. The objective was to evaluate the humoral and cellular immune response post immunization with three different vaccination schedules administered in Chile until January 2022. Sixty volunteers were recruited with a three-dose schedule, who had no history of infection nor close contact with a positive patient. IgG against the spike antigenic domain was detected, and the neutralization capacity against two groups of variants, Original/Alpha and Beta/Gamma, was also measured. Finally, the cellular response with interferon release was measured through IGRA. Results showed that there were significant differences in the neutralizing antibodies for the original and alpha variant when comparing three Comirnaty doses with Coronavac and Vaxzevria. A high number of reactive subjects against the different SARS-CoV-2 variants, alpha, gamma, and delta, were observed, with no significant differences between any of the three schemes, confirming the existence of a cellular immune response against SARS-CoV-2. In conclusion, the three vaccine schemes generated a cellular immune response in these volunteers.

Cromomicosis: reporte de un caso con topografía atípica / Chromomycosis: report of a case with unusual topography

Antecedentes. La cromomicosis es una micosis profunda producida por hongos pigmentados de la familia Dematiaceae, que se caracteriza por la presencia de nódulos, lesiones verrugosas y atróficas, y que predomina en clima tropical y subtropical. En México ocupa el tercer lugar entre las micosis subcutáneas, afectando principalmente extremidades inferiores y siendo la forma verrugosa la presentación clínica más frecuente. Objetivo. resentar un caso clínico de cromomicosis localizado en el hélix y lóbulo de la oreja izquierda en un paciente de 29 años de edad, cuyas características morfológicas y topográficas son poco habituales. Métodos. Se realizó examen directo del raspado de las lesiones, y cultivo en agar Sabouraud y agar micobiótico. Resultados. Al observar al microscopio el examen directo del raspado de las lesiones se encontraron células fumagoides, y en el cultivo en agar Sabouraud glucosado y agar micobiótico se desarrolló una colonia de hongos negros, que al estudio microscópico se identificó como Fonsecaea pedrosoi, por lo que se llegó al diagnóstico de cromomicosis, patología que se trató con itraconazol Resultados. a razón de 200 miligramos al día durante 10 semanas, presentando resolución completa de la dermatosis. Conclusiones. Se trata de un caso clínico de cromomicosis con características clínicas poco habituales, con adecuada respuesta al tratamiento con itraconazol(AU)

Background. Chromomycosis is a subcutaneous mycosis caused by dematiaceous fungi. It is characterized by the presence of nodules, verrucous and atrophic lesions, and is prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas. Mexico ranks third among the subcutaneous mycoses, mainly affecting the lower limbs. The verrucous lesions are the most common clinical presentation. Aims. We present a case of chromomycosis located in the helix and the left earlobe in a 29 year-old male, with unusual morphology and topography. Method. Samples from the affected ear were taken for direct examination, and cultured in Sabouraud dextrose agar and mycobiotic agar. Results. Fumagoid cells were found when examining the lesion scrapings under direct microscopic examination. The Sabouraud dextrose agar and mycobiotic agar developed a colony of black fungus, which in the microscopic study was identified as Fonsecaea pedrosoi. The definitive diagnosis was chromomycosis, a pathology that was treated with itraconazole 200mg daily for 10 weeks, with a complete resolution of the dermatosis. Conclusions. This is a case of chromomycosis with unusual clinical features, with an appropriate response to treatment with itraconazole(AU)

[Chromomycosis: report of a case with unusual topography]. / Cromomicosis: Reporte de un caso con topografía atípica.

BACKGROUND: Chromomycosis is a subcutaneous mycosis caused by dematiaceous fungi. It is characterized by the presence of nodules, verrucous and atrophic lesions, and is prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas. Mexico ranks third among the subcutaneous mycoses, mainly affecting the lower limbs. The verrucous lesions are the most common clinical presentation. AIMS: We present a case of chromomycosis located in the helix and the left earlobe in a 29 year-old male, with unusual morphology and topography. METHOD: Samples from the affected ear were taken for direct examination, and cultured in Sabouraud dextrose agar and mycobiotic agar. RESULTS: Fumagoid cells were found when examining the lesion scrapings under direct microscopic examination. The Sabouraud dextrose agar and mycobiotic agar developed a colony of black fungus, which in the microscopic study was identified as Fonsecaea pedrosoi. The definitive diagnosis was chromomycosis, a pathology that was treated with itraconazole 200mg daily for 10 weeks, with a complete resolution of the dermatosis. CONCLUSIONS: This is a case of chromomycosis with unusual clinical features, with an appropriate response to treatment with itraconazole.

Therapeutic efficacy of two different cytostatic-linked phosphonates in combination with razoxane in the transplantable osteosarcoma of the rat.

Two new compounds, 4-[4-[bis-(2-chloroethyl)-amino-]phenyl]-1- hydroxybutane-1,1-bisphosphonic acid (BAD) and aminotris-(methylenephosphonato)-diamminoplatinum(II) (ADP) that both have cytostatic and osteotropic properties, have shown good therapeutic efficacy against an osteosarcoma which metastasizes and kills by lung metastases. We therefore combined each of these drugs with the antimetastic agent razoxane. Razoxane (20 mg/kg i.p., 5 days/week for 6 weeks) was administered in combination with either BAD (30 mg/kg i.p.) or ADP (37.5 mg/kg i.v.) twice weekly for 3 weeks. Tumour volumes, body weight, survival time and occurrence of metastases were recorded, in addition to the measurement of the metastasis area compared to the total lung area in serial histological lung samples. In both experiments, razoxane effected a significant increase in life span while being ineffective in tumour inhibition. Razoxane in combination with BAD displayed an enhanced anticancer activity which was not significant. ADP had a good antineoplastic activity and a large increase in survival time (144 per cent ILS). Razoxane used in combination with ADP did not influence antitumour efficacy. Median survivals of both ADP-treated groups were significantly longer than the razoxane-treated group. Analysis of the lung metastasis area showed a maximum of 57 per cent for the controls while all treated groups occupied a lesser area. The lowest metastases area was found with the combination treatment BAD + RAZ (18 per cent). This was considered an antimetastatic effect, while ADP treatment effected a time delay only. No change in metastatic pattern was observed in any of the treatment groups. Histological examination showed no effect on the capillaries in the proliferating region of the tumours that could account for the lower occurrence of metastases.

Sensitivity of rodent osteosarcoma clones to platinum-containing phosphonic acid complexes in vitro.

Osteosarcoma treatment still is unsatisfactory owing to the development of metastases. This situation causes many problems for the patients as well as the clinicians. Tumor heterogeneity is made responsible for the development of cell lines resistant to chemotherapy. As the transplantable osteosarcoma of the rat resembles the human metastasizing osteosarcoma, studies on clones of this tumor were started. The following compounds were investigated: AMDP, cis-diammine[nitrilotris-(methylphosphonato)(2-)-O1,N1]plati num II; DADP, cis-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine[nitrilotris(methylphosphonato)(2 -)-O1,N1]- platinum II; IMD, cis-diammine[imino-bis(methylphosphonato)(2-)-O1,N1]platinum II; DIMD, cis-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine[iminobis(methylphosphonato) (2-)-O1,N1]platinum II. In vitro assays were performed with cell lines derived from a lung metastasis with the limited-dilution method. The clones varied in modal chromosome number, growth kinetics and tumorigenicity. AMDP was the most potent compound in all three clones resulting in a concentration- and time-dependent effect while IMD was somewhat less active. The diamminocyclohexane derivatives were considerably less effective, inhibiting cell growth especially in clone C10. In contrast, clone C36 was more sensitive than C25 and did not recover within the observation period of 5 days. Viability was reduced significantly only in C10, when treated with AMDP. Differences between the clones and the various compounds in inhibiting cell growth could be observed. Therefore, further experiments on the heterogeneity and sensitivity of these cell lines seem promising.

Comparación de los efectos clínicos y neurohumorales de Milrinona y Captopril en pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca crónica / Clinical and neuroendocrine response of Milrinone vs. Captopril in heart failure

En el presente estudio hemos comparado los efectos de Milrinona (M), un nuevo fármaco inótropo, positivo con un inhibidor de enzima convertidora, Captopril (C), en la condición clínica y respuesta adrenérgica al esfuerzo físico leve en pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca congestiva (ICC) en CF III. El estudio randomizado, cruzado y doble ciego evaluó los efectos de M, 10 mg c/6 hr. o C 50 mg c/8 hr. durante 9 semanas, comparados con placebo, en 16 pacientes con ICC (6 de causa isquéemica, 10 por miocardiopatíia dilatada), que recibían digital y diuréticos. Se determinó un score clínico (SC), que incluía síntomas, examen físico y Rx. tórax, (rango 0-14), la fracción de eyección radio isotópica (FE) y la actividad de renina plasmática (ARP). La noradrenalina plasmática (NAD) se midió en reposo (r) y a iguales niveles de esfuerzo físico leve (e) (6 min. Naughton, VO2 8-9 ml/kg/min.). El score clínico mejoró en forma significativa y similar por efectos de ambas drogas (5.2+-0.4 a 4.4+-0.5, 4.1+-0.4 respectivamente, p<0.01). Lo mismo ocurrió con la fracción de eyección de VI que aumentó de 23.6+-2.6% por efecto de milrinona y a 28.6+-3.2% por efecto de captopril, (p<0.01). La respuesta neurohumoral fue diferente ya que no hubo modificaciones de la ARP o NAD en reposo y esfuerzo por efecto de Milrinona. La ARP aumentó (1.6+-0.5 a 5.3+-1.5 ng/ml/hr y la NAD en esfuerzo disminuyó (1228+-158 a 820+-100 pg/ml) por efecto de Captopril (p<0.01). La elevación de ARP y la menor respuesta adrenégica al esfuerzo físico observada con C confirma un diferente efecto humoral con respecto de M e indican que favorece una mejor adaptación al esfuerzo físico en pts. con ICC