Parasitic helminths of alien invasive anurans in Butuan City, Northeastern Mindanao, Philippines.

This study aimed to identify the helminth parasites of invasive anuran species in selected barangays in Butuan City, Philippines. In urbanized areas, invasive species dominate anuran diversity, and one of the primary threats they pose to native wildlife is the transmission of diseases and parasites. Out of the 91 collected individuals of invasive anuran species, Rhinella marina was the most abundant (88 %), followed by Hoplobatrachus rugulosus (12 %) and Kaloula pulchra (3 %). The study identified five species of parasites, with Spirometra sp. being the most prevalent (17.58 %), followed by Echinostoma sp. (16.5 %), Rhabdias bufonis (14.3 %), Cosmocerca sp. (6.6 %), and Strongyloides stercoralis (3.30 %), respectively. Spirometra sp. also had the highest intensity (7.67), followed by Cosmocerca sp. (5), Strongyloides stercoralis (3.33), Rhabdias bufonis (3.30), and Echinostoma sp. (2.73). This parasitological survey revealed that H. rugulosus had the highest prevalence and infection of parasites, and residential areas had the highest parasite prevalence among the habitat types. Adult hosts were found to harbor a higher prevalence and intensity, and male hosts had a higher prevalence. The results highlight the high risk of parasite transmission from anurans to other animals and emphasize the need for the community to control the population of invasive anuran species for the safety of native anurans and to prevent zoonotic transmission to other animals and humans.

Study of Pulmonary Hypertension in Patients Suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Pulmonary hypertension (PAH) represents a frequent complication in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the impact of accelerated inflammatory status on the pulmonary vascular bed is still insufficiently studied. OBJECTIVES: The study of the PAH's prevalence in patients suffering from COPD, its severity compared with lung function and the correlation with certain clinical, biological and functional parameters. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study was performed on a group of 64 patients, average age 53 years, 42 of whom were men (65,62%), suffering from COPD who were admitted to the Emergency County Hospital Craiova, on the II-nd Medical Clinic, within a period of 18 months. When assessing the patients their clinical state was stable, without acute exacerbations items. The control group included 61 patients suffering from other diseases without inflammatory background, who were hospitalized in clinic in the same period. All the patients included in the study were evaluated by: physical examination, thoracic radiological examination, spirometry, inflammatory syndrome, echocardiography Doppler and oximetry. RESULTS: The results of the study show a prevalence of 54.6 % PAH and a statistically significant impact of age, duration of the disease, Sa O2, inflammatory status, which was quantified in the study by ESR, serum levels of CRP and serum level of TNF alpha over the risk of developing COPD in patients suffering from PAH. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence and the severity of PAH in patients suffering from COPD seems to be correlated with their age, duration of the disease, Sa O2 and serum levels of inflammatory markers.

[Autologous tissue engineered skin for full thickness skin replacement].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of regenerating or repairing damaged skin utilizing tissue engineering techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Yorkshire pigs were used in the study. A critical size defect of six, full thickness, 4 cm in diameter round wounds, which were marked on the paravertebral region of the animal were excised. The skin defects were randomly divided into three groups. Group I as control group received no cells or polymer. Group II as a second control group received pluronic hydrogel with no cells. Group III as the experimental group received a mixture of cells (keratinocytes and fibroblasts) and pluronic hydrogel. All specimens were harvested at 4 and 6 weeks in vivo, and underwent gross, histological, and transmission electron microscope evaluation. RESULTS: Histologically, the skin in the experimental group was similar to normal skin with stratified epidermis overlying a moderately thick collageneous dermis. The interface of the tissue was apparently demarcated by epidermal ridges and dermal papillae. The control groups showed no skin formation except for granulation with infiltrating inflammatory cells in the wound. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the basal lamina of the experimental group was well developed and attached to the extracellular matrix. CONCLUSION: This finding demonstrates the successful use of tissue engineered skin with Pluronic F-127 as a cell carrier.