Characteristics of COVID-19 and mortality-associated factors during the first year of the pandemic in southeast Mexico.

Aim: The present study was designed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 and mortality-associated factors during the first year of the pandemic in patients from southeastern Mexico. Patient & methods: A total of 953 records from patients with COVID-19 were cross-sectionally studied in a primary care hospital in southeast Mexico between 2020 and 2021. Results: The prevalent symptoms were fever (78.6%), cough (80.5%) and headache (82.8%) and dyspnea reached 13.5%. The mortality rate was 7.63% and the clinical variables associated with it were age >60 years, hypertension, severe disease, radiographic pneumonia, days to diagnosis and having two Mayan surnames. Conclusion: Future health strategies should consider age, comorbidities, disease severity, clinical manifestations and possessing ethnicity of risk (i.e., Mayan genetic background).

Morfología cefalométrica de la sínfisis del mentón en individuos jóvenes de la ciudad de Quito-Ecuador / Cephalometric morphology of chin symphysis in young individuals from the city of Quito-Ecuador

Resumen Introducción: La sínfisis del mentón aporta equilibrio, simetría y armonía al rostro. Por ser una estructura anatómica mandibular muy importante y altamente modificable en cirugía estética, se considera indispensable conocer su morfología y así obtener una correcta interacción en el diagnóstico, pronóstico y terapéutica médico-odontológica. Objetivo: Determinar la morfología sínfisis del mentón en jóvenes adultos de la ciudad de Quito- Ecuador, año 2019, mediante la identificación de las longitudes sagitales y coronales. Metodología: Este estudio tuvo un enfoque cuantitativo, tipo descriptivo-observacional, con temporalidad retrospectiva. Se calibraron, analizaron y trazaron 384 radiografías digitales laterales de adultos jóvenes de la ciudad de Quito-Ecuador, año 2019 en el software AutoCAD-2019. Resultados: Existió una elevada frecuencia de la forma geométrica cuadrada (60%) con respecto a la rectangular (40%), adicionalmente se identificó que la figura cuadrada es más frecuente en individuos de sexo femenino y sujetos clase I (56%) y II (70%), además de todos los patrones de crecimiento vertical hipodivergentes (58%), normodivergentes (64%) e hiperdivergentes (57%). Conclusiones: La forma cuadrada de la sínfisis del mentón es mayor que la forma rectangular. Por la originalidad de los resultados, se sugiere realizar nuevos estudios que correlacionen la morfología mentoniana con las diferentes estructuras cráneo-maxilofaciales.

Abstract Introduction: The chin symphysis contributes to the balance, symmetry and harmony of the face. Since it is an important anatomical jaw structure and highly modifiable in aesthetic surgery, it is considered crucial to know its morphology and, thus, obtain a correct interaction in the diagnosis, prognosis and medical-dental therapy. Objective: To determine the symphysis morphology of the chin in young adults in the city of Quito, Ecuador, in the year 2019, through the identification of sagittal and coronal lengths. Methodology: This study had a quantitative approach, descriptive-observational type, with retrospective temporality. We calibrated, analyzed and plotted 384 lateral digital radiographs of young adults from the city of Quito-Ecuador, year 2019 in the software AutoCAD-2019. Results: There was a high frequency of the square geometric shape (60%) in comparison to the rectangular one (40%). Additionally, it was identified that the square figure is more frequent in female individuals and class I (56%) and II (70%) subjects, in addition to all the hypodivergent (58%), normodivergent (64%) and hyperdivergent (57%) vertical growth patterns. Conclusions: The square shape of the chin symphysis is larger than the rectangular shape. Due to the originality of the results, it is suggested to carry out new studies that correlate chin morphology with the different cranio-maxillofacial structures.

Morfología cefalométrica de la sínfisis del mentón en individuos jóvenes de la ciudad de Quito-Ecuador

Introducción: La sínfisis del mentón aporta equilibrio, simetría y armonía al rostro. Por ser una estructura anatómica mandibular muy importante y altamente modificable en cirugía estética, se considera indispensable conocer su morfología y así obtener una correcta interacción en el diagnóstico, pronóstico y terapéutica médico-odontológica. Objetivo: Determinar la morfología sínfisis del mentón en jóvenes adultos de la ciudad de Quito- Ecuador, año 2019, mediante la identificación de las longitudes sagitales y coronales. Metodología: Este estudio tuvo un enfoque cuantitativo, tipo descriptivo-observacional, con temporalidad retrospectiva. Se calibraron, analizaron y trazaron 384 radiografías digitales laterales de adultos jóvenes de la ciudad de Quito-Ecuador, año 2019 en el software AutoCAD-2019. Resultados: Existió una elevada frecuencia de la forma geométrica cuadrada (60%) con respecto a la rectangular (40%), adicionalmente se identificó que la figura cuadrada es más frecuente en individuos de sexo femenino y sujetos clase I (56%) y II (70%), además de todos los patrones de crecimiento vertical hipodivergentes (58%), normodivergentes (64%) e hiperdivergentes (57%). Conclusiones: La forma cuadrada de la sínfisis del mentón es mayor que la forma rectangular. Por la originalidad de los resultados, se sugiere realizar nuevos estudios que correlacionen la morfología mentoniana con las diferentes estructuras cráneo-maxilofaciales.

Introduction: The chin symphysis contributes to the balance, symmetry and harmony of the face. Since it is an important anatomical jaw structure and highly modifiable in aesthetic surgery, it is considered crucial to know its morphology and, thus, obtain a correct interaction in the diagnosis, prognosis and medical-dental therapy. Objective: To determine the symphysis morphology of the chin in young adults in the city of Quito, Ecuador, in the year 2019, through the identification of sagittal and coronal lengths. Methodology: This study had a quantitative approach, descriptive-observational type, with retrospective temporality. We calibrated, analyzed and plotted 384 lateral digital radiographs of young adults from the city of Quito-Ecuador, year 2019 in the software AutoCAD-2019. Results: There was a high frequency of the square geometric shape (60%) in comparison to the rectangular one (40%). Additionally, it was identified that the square figure is more frequent in female individuals and class I (56%) and II (70%) subjects, in addition to all the hypodivergent (58%), normodivergent (64%) and hyperdivergent (57%) vertical growth patterns. Conclusions: The square shape of the chin symphysis is larger than the rectangular shape. Due to the originality of the results, it is suggested to carry out new studies that correlate chin morphology with the different cranio-maxillofacial structures.

Diagnostic accuracy of buffy coat culture compared to total blood culture in late-onset sepsis of the newborn.

OBJECTIVES: To study the potential of buffy coat culture as a diagnostic tool for neonatal late-onset sepsis. METHODS: This was a study of diagnostic accuracy in newborn infants born at 28-41 weeks of gestation, weighing >800g, with ≥8 points on the NOSEP-1 scale. Paired samples for total blood culture (TBC) and buffy coat culture were drawn. We established the positivity rate, sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and likelihood ratios, and compared time to positivity and contamination rates. RESULTS: Fifty-two newborns were included in the study. Twenty-one TBC and 22 buffy coat cultures were positive. The positivity rate for TBC was 40.4% and for buffy coat culture was 42.3% (p=not significant). Three TBC were positive with negative buffy coat culture. Four buffy coat cultures were positive with negative TBC; Kappa agreement was 0.723, p <0.001. Buffy coat culture sensitivity was 86% (95% confidence interval (CI) 68.5-95.4%), specificity 87% (75.4-93.7%), positive predictive value 82% (65.4-91.1%), negative predictive value 90% (77.9-96.8%), positive likelihood ratio 6.64 (2.79-15.05), and negative likelihood ratio 0.16 (0.05-0.42). We found no difference in time to positivity in hours; Wilcoxon Z=1224, p=0.22. The contamination rate was 1.9% for both methods. CONCLUSIONS: Buffy coat culture is as good as TBC for the microbiological diagnosis of late-onset sepsis of the newborn. Buffy coat culture allows the use of remaining plasma for further analysis.

Bioelectrochemistry of non-covalent immobilized alcohol dehydrogenase on oxidized diamond nanoparticles.

Diamond nanoparticles are considered a biocompatible material mainly due to their non-cytotoxicity and remarkable cellular uptake. Model proteins such as cytochrome c and lysozyme have been physically adsorbed onto diamond nanoparticles, proving it to be a suitable surface for high protein loading. Herein, we explore the non-covalent immobilization of the redox enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (E.C.1.1.1.1) onto oxidized diamond nanoparticles for bioelectrochemical applications. Diamond nanoparticles were first oxidized and physically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), FT-IR and TEM. Langmuir isotherms were constructed to investigate the ADH adsorption onto the diamond nanoparticles as a function of pH. It was found that a higher packing density is achieved at the isoelectric point of the enzyme. Moreover, the relative activity of the immobilized enzyme on diamond nanoparticles was addressed under optimum pH conditions able to retain up to 70% of its initial activity. Thereafter, an ethanol bioelectrochemical cell was constructed by employing the immobilized alcohol dehydrogenase onto diamond nanoparticles, this being able to provide a current increment of 72% when compared to the blank solution. The results of this investigation suggest that this technology may be useful for the construction of alcohol biosensors or biofuel cells in the near future.

On the relationship between the activity and structure of PEG-alpha-chymotrypsin conjugates in organic solvents.

Enzymes are attractive catalysts for the production of optically active compounds in organic solvents. However, their often low catalytic activity in such applications hampers their practical use. To overcome this, we investigated the effectiveness of the covalent modification of alpha-chymotrypsin with methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with a Mw of 5,000 to enhance its activity. The model transesterification reaction between sec-phenethyl alcohol and vinyl butyrate in various neat dry organic solvents and at a controlled water activity of 0.008 in two solvents was employed to measure the effect of PEGylation on activity and enantioselectivity. Synthesis conditions were varied to obtain various conjugates with average molar ratios of PEG-to-chymotrypsin ranging from ca. 1 to 7. While the enantioselectivity increased only modestly from ca. 4.4 to 6.1 when averaging results in all solvents, PEG was very efficient in increasing the activity of alpha-chymotrypsin up to more than 400-fold compared to that of the powder lyophilized from buffer alone. The activity increase was more pronounced in apolar than in polar organic solvents and also depended on the amount of PEG bound to the enzyme. For example, the activity of the modified enzyme towards the most reactive "S" enantiomer in octane increased 440-fold but increasing the molar ratio of PEG-to-enzyme from 1.1 to 7.1 resulted in a more than twofold decrease in enzyme activity. Controlling the water activity did not prevent the drop in activity. To investigate the possible origin of the activity changes, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy experiments were conducted. It was found that PEGylation reduced lyophilization-induced structural perturbations, but exposure to the organic solvents caused structural perturbations. These perturbations were more pronounced in polar than in apolar solvents. The pronounced activity drop in polar solvents at increasing PEG-modification levels correlated with an increasing level of solvent-induced structural perturbations. This correlation was less pronounced in apolar solvents where both, activity drop and structural perturbations, were less pronounced at increasing PEGylation levels. In summary, PEG-modified alpha-chymotrypsin might be an interesting system to catalyze reactions, particularly in apolar organic solvents.

Effect of the covalent modification of horseradish peroxidase with poly(ethylene glycol) on the activity and stability upon encapsulation in polyester microspheres.

Encapsulation of proteins in polyester microspheres by coacervation methods frequently causes protein inactivation and aggregation. Furthermore, an often-substantial amount of the encapsulated proteins is released within the first 24 h from the microspheres. To overcome these problems poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was employed as excipient and protein-modifying agent. The model protein horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was chemically modified or co-lyophilized with PEG of differing molecular weights, namely PEG(5000), PEG(20000), and PEG(40000). The lyophilized preparations were encapsulated in poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) microspheres by a coacervation method. Covalent modification of HRP with PEG increased the encapsulation efficiency (EE) from 83% to about 100% while PEG when used as an excipient reduced the EE. Encapsulation caused aggregation of ca. 5% of non-modified HRP and the residual specific activity was only 57%. Covalent modification with PEG reduced HRP aggregation to less than 1% and improved its residual activity to more than 95%. When PEG was used as excipient similar results were found with respect to a reduction in encapsulation-induced aggregation, but no more than 80% of residual activity was obtained even for the best formulation after encapsulation. It was also found that covalent modification of HRP with PEG substantially reduced the unwanted initial "burst" release observed during the initial 24 h of in vitro release from about 70% to 23%. Furthermore, HRP activity and stability were also improved during in vitro release for HRP-PEG conjugates. The data show that covalent modification of proteins with PEG might be useful to improve protein stability during coacervation encapsulation and subsequent release as well as to increase EE and reduce the burst release.

Endometriosis: tratamiento con Danazol y análogos de la GnRH / Endometriosis: processing with Danazol and a of the GnRH

Expone que en el hospital del IESS de Guayaquil en el lapso comprendido de ene. 1994 a dic. 1996, en el Departamento de Gineco-Obstetricia se practicaron 104 laparoscopias, encontrándose en 65 pacientes endometriosis. El grupo de edad más afectado era de 30 a 39 años con 46 pacientes (70,76xcto). De los cuatro grados que se clasifica la endometriosis fuel el grado II el más alto con 22 pacientes (33,84 por ciento). La patología asociada más frecuente fue la infertilidad pura no asociada a otro síntoma en 24 pacientes (36,92 por ciento). Para el tratamiento se utilizaron análogos de la GnRH y Danazol encontrándose que después del tratamiento se embarazaron 4 pacientes de las cuales en 2 se utilizaron análogos y en otras 2 Danazol. Se realiza una segunda observación a 10 pacientes y se demuestra que los dos fármacos son eficaces disminuyendo las lesiones, cierta ventaja se demuestra con el Danazol porque posterior a la segunda observación se embarazó otra paciente a la que se le administró el medicamento en mención.