Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Variants and Disease Outcome of COVID-19 Patients in the Amazonas Region of Peru.

Peru was severely affected by COVID-19 with a fatality rate that reached up to 6%. In this study, the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 variants and COVID-19 disease outcome in Amazonas, a region of northeastern Peru, was evaluated. The variants were determined by genomic sequencing, and clinical-epidemiological data were collected from 590 patients between April 2021 and February 2022. There was no association between mortality and hospitalization with any of the variants, but we did find that Omicron is more likely to infect vaccinated and nonvaccinated people. A significant association was also found between unvaccinated patients and hospitalization. Interestingly, in the indigenous population, there were fewer hospitalizations than in the general population. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 variants were not associated with the disease outcome in the Amazonas region, and indigenous population were found to be less vulnerable to severe COVID-19 illness.

Remoción de semillas por Dorymyrmex insanus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) en una reserva ecológica en la Ciudad de México, México / Seed removal by Dorymyrmex insanus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in an ecological reserve in Mexico City, Mexico

Abstract Introduction: Seed removal by ants is an interaction that may greatly affect the dynamic and structure of the vegetation. This aspect is well known for granivorous ants; however, there is little information on the effect of omnivorous ants. Objective: To assess the potential impact of the omnivorous ant Dorymyrmex insanus on vegetation. Methods: In the Pedregal Reserve, Mexico City, we identified the items in the refuse piles of ten ant colonies, for one year, covering the rainy and dry seasons. For each season we calculated seed diversity and analyzed the possible relationship between seed size and their abundance in the refuse piles, with regression models. We also did germination tests with seeds of Tagetes micrantha, comparing seeds from piles and from plants. Results: D. insanus removed seeds of 19 plant species as well as plant remains (such as leaves, twigs, roots), and remains of insects. Seed diversity was higher in the rainy season but the greatest abundance was in the dry season. When analyzing the relationship between seed length and abundance in the refuse piles, we found that the ants preferred seeds of around 10 mm. We also found that more seeds of T. micrantha germinated when they were previously handled by ants. Conclusions: The ant D. insanus actively participates in the removal of seeds from several species, favoring germination, and seasonality affects the selectivity of resources.

Resumen Introducción: La remoción de semillas por parte de las hormigas es una interacción que puede afectar en gran medida la dinámica y estructura de la vegetación. Este aspecto es bien conocido para las hormigas granívoras; sin embargo, hay poca información sobre el efecto de las omnívoras. Objetivo: Evaluar el impacto potencial de la hormiga omnívora Dorymyrmex insanus sobre la vegetación. Métodos: En la Reserva Pedregal, Ciudad de México, se identificaron los ítems en el área del basurero para diez colonias de hormigas, durante un año, cubriendo la época de lluvia y sequía. Para cada temporada calculamos la diversidad de semillas y analizamos la posible relación entre el tamaño de las semillas y su abundancia en los basureros, con modelos de regresión. También hicimos pruebas de germinación con semillas de Tagetes micrantha, comparando las encontradas en los basureros con las provenientes de las plantas. Resultados: D. insanus eliminó semillas de 19 especies de plantas, así como restos de plantas (hojas, ramitas, raíces) y restos de insectos. La diversidad de semillas fue mayor en la estación lluviosa pero la mayor abundancia lo fue en la estación seca. Al analizar la relación entre la longitud de las semillas y la abundancia en el área del basurero, encontramos que las hormigas preferían semillas de alrededor de 10 mm. También encontramos que germinaron más semillas de T. micrantha cuando fueron manipuladas previamente por hormigas. Conclusiones: La hormiga D. insanus participa activamente en la remoción de semillas de varias especies, favoreciendo la germinación, y la estacionalidad afecta la selectividad de recursos.

Malaria y COVID-19 en comunidades nativas de Amazonas, Perú / Malaria and COVID-19 in native communities of Amazonas, Peru

Introducción En los últimos años, el número de casos de malaria en las comunidades nativas de Condorcanqui, Amazonas ha aumentado considerablemente. La malaria por Plasmodium vivax es endémica en la región y en 2019 fue reportada la reintroducción de P. falciparum. Métodos En este estudio, recopilamos y analizamos los datos de malaria y COVID-19 reportados por la Dirección Regional de Salud (DIRESA) durante el 2020. Además, realizamos un análisis de razón de posibilidades "odds ratio" para evaluar las asociaciones significativas entre los síntomas de la COVID-19 y las infecciones previas de malaria. Resultados En el 2020, se reportaron 1547 casos de malaria (97% por P. vivax) y 5968 de COVID-19. Por otro lado, 96 pacientes contrajeron COVID-19 después de contraer una infección de malaria. De éstos, 87 eran sintomáticos (90,6%) y en su mayoría adultos de 30 a 59 años (62,3%). Además, encontramos que las infecciones previas de malaria están asociadas a la presencia de síntomas como fiebre, tos, dolor de garganta y dificultad respiratoria. Sin embargo, no hubo asociación significativa entre estos casos y la hospitalización o la muerte. Conclusión Nuestro análisis sugiere que las infecciones previas por malaria podrían afectar la sintomatología de la COVID-19, lo que destaca la importancia de un programa continuo de control y vigilancia de la malaria para evitar posibles sindemias con la COVID-19.

Introduction In recent years, the number of malaria cases in native communities from Condorcanqui, Amazonas has considerably increased. Plasmodium vivax malaria is endemic in the region and the re-introduction of P. falciparum was reported in 2019. Methods Here, we compiled and analyzed malaria and COVID-19 data reported by the Regional Direction of Health (DIRESA) during the 2020. Additionally, we performed an odds ratio analysis to evaluate significant associations between COVID-19 symptoms and previous malaria infections. Results In 2020, 1547 malaria (97% were P. vivax) and 5968 COVID-19 cases were reported. Furthermore, 96 patients got COVID-19 after getting a malaria infection. From these, 87 were symptomatic (90.6%), and mostly adults, ages 30 to 59 (62.3%). Also, we found that malaria previous infections represent a risk for the presence of symptoms such as fever, cough, throat pain, and respiratory difficulty. Nevertheless, there was no significant association between these cases and hospitalization or death. Conclusion Our analysis suggests that previous malaria infections might affect COVID-19 symptomatology, which highlights the importance of a continuing control and surveillance malaria program to avoid potential syndemics with COVID-19.

Synthesis and Antimicrobial Evaluation of Amino Acid Naphthoquinone Derivatives as Potential Antibacterial Agents.

BACKGROUND: The synthesis and biological evaluation of 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives are of great interest since these compounds exhibit strong antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, and anticancer activities. The electronic properties of naphthoquinones are usually modulated by attaching functional groups containing nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur atoms, which tune their biological potency and selectivity. METHODS: A series of 13 amino acid 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives was synthesized under assisted microwave and ultrasound conditions. The antibacterial activity of compounds was tested against American Type Culture Collection (ATCC): Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis, as well as 2 multidrug resistant pathogens: E. coli and S. aureus from clinical isolated. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using the broth microdilution method. RESULTS: MIC of derivatives 4-11, 14, and 16 showed antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Antimicrobial activities of the compounds 4-8 and 14 were ≤MIC 24.7 µg mL-1 against all the reference strains; even more, compound 6 showed the most potent activity with an MIC of 3.9 µg mL-1 on S. aureus. On the clinical isolated, the compounds 7, 8, and 14 showed an MIC of 49.7 and 24.7 µg mL-1 against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. About ADME properties and Osiris analysis, the compounds 4-16 presented high gastrointestinal absorption and good characteristics for oral bioavailability, and compound 14 was the less toxic. CONCLUSION: Amino acid 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives showed good in vitro antibacterial activity against clinical strains, and modifications on C-3 with a chloride atom enhanced the efficiency against the same pathogens.

Ecotoxicological impacts caused by high demand surfactants in Latin America and a technological and innovative perspective for their substitution.

Nowadays, water pollution represents a great concern due to population growth, industrialization, and urbanization. Every day hazardous chemical products for humans and aquatic organisms are disposed of arbitrarily from homes and industries. Even though detergents are considered an essential market, there is evidence of environmental impacts caused by surfactants like nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE) and linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS). Regulations about maximum allowable concentrations in sewage, surface water, and drinking water are scarce or null, mostly in developing countries like Latin American countries. Therefore, this review explores these two common toxic surfactants (NPE and LAS) and proposes a technological, innovative, and ecological perspective on detergents. Also, it establishes a starting point for industries to minimize adverse effects on humans and environmental health caused by these compounds.

Plasmodium falciparum outbreak in native communities of Condorcanqui, Amazonas, Perú.

BACKGROUND: Malaria remains a serious health threat in the Amazonas Region of Peru and approximately 95% of the cases, mainly Plasmodium vivax, are found in native communities of The Rio Santiago District, Condorcanqui Province. In 2019, more than one thousand malaria cases were reported, with an unusual number of Plasmodium falciparum autochthonous cases. The present study aims to report this P. falciparum outbreak while describing the epidemiology of malaria and the risk factors associated in the native communities of Amazonas, Peru. METHODS: The DIRESA-Amazonas in collaboration with the Condorcanqui Health Network and the Institute of Tropical Diseases of the UNTRM carried out a malaria Active Case Detection (ACD III) between January 31st and February 10th of 2020. A total of 2718 (47.4%) individuals from 21 native communities grouped in eight sanitary districts, were screened for malaria infections. Each participant was screened for malaria using microscopy. Follow-up surveys were conducted for all malaria positive individuals to collect socio-demographic data. Spatial clustering of infection risk was calculated using a generalized linear model (GLM). Analysis of risk considered factors such as gender, age, type of infection, symptomatology, and parasitaemia. RESULTS: The study suggests that the P. falciparum index case was imported from Loreto and later spread to other communities of Rio Santiago during 2019. The ACD III reported 220 (8.1%) malaria cases, 46 P. falciparum, 168 P. vivax and 6 mixed infections. SaTScan analysis detected a cluster of high infection risk in Middle Rio Santiago and a particular high P. falciparum infection risk cluster in Upper Rio Santiago. Interestingly, the evaluation of different risk factors showed significant associations between low parasitaemia and P. falciparum asymptomatic cases. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of a P. falciparum outbreak in native communities of Condorcanqui, Amazonas. Timely identification and treatment of symptomatic and asymptomatic cases are critical to achieve malaria control and possible elimination in this area. However, the current malaria situation in Condorcanqui is uncertain, given that malaria ACD activities have been postponed due to COVID-19.

Epidemiological Analysis of COVID-19 Cases in Native Amazonian Communities from Peru.

Despite early control measures, SARS-CoV-2 reached all regions of Peru during the first wave of the pandemic, including native communities of the Peruvian Amazon. Here, we aimed to describe the epidemiological situation of COVID-19 in the Amazonas region of Peru using an open database of 11,124 COVID-19 cases reported from 19 March to 29 July 2020, including 3278 cases from native communities. A high-incidence area in northern Amazonas (Condorcanqui) reported a cumulative incidence of 63.84/1000 inhabitants with a much lower death rate (0.95%) than the national average. Our results showed at least eight significant factors for mortality, and the Native Amazonian ethnicity as a protective factor. Molecular confirmatory tests are necessary to better explain the high incidence of antibody response reported in these communities.

Importancia de la genética como ciencia en relación a la pandemia de COVID-19 / Importance Of Genetics As A Science In Relation To The COVID-19 Pandemic

La actual pandemia de COVID-19 se ha convertido en un grave problema de salud pública mundial, contándose casi un millón y medio de casos y decenas de miles de muertes a la fecha. La genética por su parte está teniendo un papel protagónico en la identificación, manejo y tratamiento de enfermedades. En el presente artículo se detalla sobre la importancia de la genética como ciencia para afrontar la amenaza global de la COVID-19, desde diferentes enfoques. Se resaltan los aportes que ha tenido y seguirá teniendo la genética en la identificación del nuevo virus SARS- CoV-2, en el desarrollo de nuevas técnicas diagnósticas, en la prevención de contagios y del desarrollo de cuadros graves, así como en el diseño de vacunas y en la propuesta y evaluación de tratamientos para la COVID-19.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has become a major global public health problem with almost one and a half million cases and tens of thousands of deaths until now. Genetics is playing a leading role in the identification, management and treatment of diseases. This article details the importance of genetics as a science to face the global threat of COVID-19, from different approaches. The contributions that genetics have had and will continue to have in the identification of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus, in the development of new diagnostic techniques, in the prevention of infections and development of severe symptoms, as well as in the design of vaccines and in the proposal and evaluation of treatments for COVID-19.

Mesenchymal Stromal Cell-Based Therapies as Promising Treatments for Muscle Regeneration After Snakebite Envenoming.

Snakebite envenoming is a global neglected disease with an incidence of up to 2.7 million new cases every year. Although antivenoms are so-far the most effective treatment to reverse the acute systemic effects induced by snakebite envenoming, they have a limited therapeutic potential, being unable to completely neutralize the local venom effects. Local damage, such as dermonecrosis and myonecrosis, can lead to permanent sequelae with physical, social, and psychological implications. The strong inflammatory process induced by snake venoms is associated with poor tissue regeneration, in particular the lack of or reduced skeletal muscle regeneration. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs)-based therapies have shown both anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative properties. We postulate that using allogeneic MSCs or their cell-free products can induce skeletal muscle regeneration in snakebite victims, improving all the three steps of the skeletal muscle regeneration process, mainly by anti-inflammatory activity, paracrine effects, neovascularization induction, and inhibition of tissue damage, instrumental for microenvironment remodeling and regeneration. Since snakebite envenoming occurs mainly in areas with poor healthcare, we enlist the principles and potential of MSCs-based therapies and discuss regulatory issues, good manufacturing practices, transportation, storage, and related-procedures that could allow the administration of these therapies, looking forward to a safe and cost-effective treatment for a so far unsolved and neglected health problem.

Hidranencefalia congénita: reporte de un adolescente en el norte de México / Congenital hydranencephaly: report of an adolescent in the north of Mexico

Fundamento: la hidranencefalia es la ausencia total o casi total de los hemisferios cerebrales con persistencia de líquido cefalorraquídeo, que afecta a individuos de todo el mundo sin importar su género u origen étnico. No existe un tratamiento eficaz y curativo y la gran mayoría de los pacientes mueren antes de alcanzar el tercer año de vida, aunque en algunas excepciones pueden llegar a la mayoría de edad, donde se requiere siempre del apoyo multidisciplinario. Objetivo: presentar el caso de un varón adolescente con hidranencefalia congénita. Caso clínico: paciente masculino de 11 años de edad ingresado en el centro a los cinco años referido como holoprosencefalia. Fue obtenido por cesárea a las 38 semanas de gestación por ruptura de membranas con somatometría normal y Apgar de cinco, requirió maniobras de reanimación neonatal avanzada. A los 30 días su perímetro cefálico aumentó a 39 cm, siguió en aumento hasta alcanzar los 54 cm a los 6 meses de edad. No presentó control cefálico ni control del tronco, tampoco fue capaz de realizar bipedestación, ni desarrolló lenguaje ni emisión de sonidos. Una tomografía cerebral realizada a su ingreso al centro reveló islotes de parénquima cerebral con meninges y línea media, lo que correspondió a una hidranencefalia. Se presentó el caso por la baja frecuencia que, los pacientes con hidranencefalia alcanzan la adolescencia. Conclusiones: la hidranencefalia es una enfermedad que suele ser letal, y los casos que logran sobrevivir tienen secuelas neurológicas graves y discapacitantes. Aunque se conocen algunos síndromes genéticos asociados a hidranencefalia, la mayoría de los casos son esporádicos y sin manifestaciones externas al sistema nervioso central. Si bien, la esperanza de que el caso presentado muestre mayores avances en su desarrollo neurológico no es alentadora, las terapias física, ocupacional y pulmonar pueden permitir una mejor calidad de vida.

Background: hydranencephaly is the total or almost total absence of the cerebral hemispheres with persistent cerebrospinal fluid, which affects individuals around the world regardless of gender or ethnicity. There is no effective and curative treatment, and most patients die before reaching the third year of life, although some exceptions can come of age, always requiring multidisciplinary support. Objective: to present the case of an adolescent male with congenital hydranencephaly. Clinical case: a 11-year-old male from 11 who was admitted at the age of 5 referred to as holoprosencephaly. He was born by caesarean section at 38 weeks of gestation due to rupture of membranes with normal somatometry and Apgar 5, requiring advanced neonatal resuscitation maneuvers. At 30 days head circumference increased to 39 cm and was increasing, reaching 54 cm at 6 months of age. The patient has no control head and trunk, and he was not capable of bipedalism, or developed language or sound emission. A brain scan performed on admission revealed brain parenchyma islets and meninges, corresponding to hydranencephaly. The case is presented by the infrequency with which patients reach adolescence. Conclusions: hydranencephaly is a disease that is usually fatal, and cases that survive have severe and disabling neurological sequeles. Although some genetic syndromes associated with hydranencephaly are known, most cases are usually sporadic with no other manifestations. Though the hope that the case presented shows greater progress in their neurological development is not encouraging, physical, occupational and pulmonary therapy may allow better quality of life.

Overall Key Performance Indicator to Optimizing Operation of High-Pressure Homogenizers for a Reliable Quantification of Intracellular Components in Pichia pastoris.

The most commonly used cell disruption procedures may present lack of reproducibility, which introduces significant errors in the quantification of intracellular components. In this work, an approach consisting in the definition of an overall key performance indicator (KPI) was implemented for a lab scale high-pressure homogenizer (HPH) in order to determine the disruption settings that allow the reliable quantification of a wide sort of intracellular components. This innovative KPI was based on the combination of three independent reporting indicators: decrease of absorbance, release of total protein, and release of alkaline phosphatase activity. The yeast Pichia pastoris growing on methanol was selected as model microorganism due to it presents an important widening of the cell wall needing more severe methods and operating conditions than Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. From the outcome of the reporting indicators, the cell disruption efficiency achieved using HPH was about fourfold higher than other lab standard cell disruption methodologies, such bead milling cell permeabilization. This approach was also applied to a pilot plant scale HPH validating the methodology in a scale-up of the disruption process. This innovative non-complex approach developed to evaluate the efficacy of a disruption procedure or equipment can be easily applied to optimize the most common disruption processes, in order to reach not only reliable quantification but also recovery of intracellular components from cell factories of interest.

Acoso laboral y estilos de afrontamiento en enfermeras de un hospital infantil en la ciudad de México / Workplace harassment and coping styles in nurses at a children's hospital in Mexico City / Assédio no trabalho e estilos de enfrentamento em enfermeiras de um hospital infantil na Cidade do México

Introducción: El acoso laboral se ha venido estudiando desde diversas perspectivas, es un fenómeno que cada día va creciendo en todos los ámbitos de trabajo, el profesional de enfermería por sus características particulares no está libre de padecerlo dentro de la organización. Se debe diferenciar el acoso laboral de otro tipo de agresiones psicológicas, físicas o sexuales. Una manera de hacer frente a la situación de acoso laboral es utilizar una de las estrategias de afrontamiento dirigidas al problema y a la emoción. Metodología: Se realizó una investigación de tipo descriptivo, transversal y correlacional para identificar la existencia y grado de acoso laboral y determinar los etilos de afrontamientos utilizados por una muestra de 105 enfermeras de una institución de salud pediátrica. Se utilizaron los instrumentos: HTP para conocer el acoso laboral y el COPE-28 para identificar el estilo de afrontamiento de las enfermeras. Se echó mano de la estadística descriptiva y las tablas de contingencia, asimismo, fue usado el paquete estadístico SPSS para el análisis de la información. Resultados: Se encontró un grado de acoso laboral bajo (62%) en la población estudiada, la edad más afectada fue la del grupo que comprendía entre 30 a 39 años (61.5%), los factores de: humillación y rechazo personal (44.8%) de acuerdo a la percepción del personal, el 12% respondió que sí lo ha percibido en los últimos seis meses. Para la variable de afrontamiento se encontró que el dirigido al problema (74.1%), fue el más utilizado por las enfermeras. Conclusiones: Se evidencia acoso laboral en grado bajo en las enfermeras que trabaja en esa institución, en tanto el estilo de afrontamiento dirigido al problema, es el utilizado con mayor frecuencia. Por lo que se encontró una fuerza de correlación positiva media, lo que explica que a mayor acoso laboral, mayor nivel de afrontamiento.

Introduction: Workplace harassment has been studied from different perspectives, it is a phenomenon that is growing every day in all areas of work, the nursing professional because of its particular characteristics is not free to suffer it within the organization. Workplace harassment should be differentiated from other types of psychological, physical or sexual aggression. One way to deal with the situation of workplace bullying is to use one of the coping strategies aimed at the problem and the emotion. Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional and correlational investigation was carried out to identify the existence and degree of work-related harassment and to determine the coping styles used by a sample of 105 nurses from a pediatric health institution. The instruments were used: HTP to learn about workplace bullying and COPE-28 to identify nurses' coping style. The descriptive statistics and the contingency tables were used, and the SPSS statistical package was used for the analysis of the information. Results: We found a low degree of work-related harassment (62%) in the population studied, the most affected age was that of the group that comprised between 30 and 39 years old (61.5%), the factors of: humiliation and personal rejection (44.8% ) According to the perception of the staff, 12% answered that they have perceived it in the last six months. For the coping variable it was found that the one addressed to the problem (74.1%) was the one most used by the nurses. Conclusions: There is evidence of low-level work-related harassment in the nurses who work in that institution, while the style of coping addressed to the problem is the one most frequently used. Therefore, a positive mean correlation force was found, which explains that the greater the level of workplace harassment, the greater the level of coping.

Introdução: O assédio no local de trabalho tem sido estudado a partir de diferentes perspectivas, é um fenômeno que está crescendo a cada dia em todas as áreas de trabalho, o profissional de enfermagem por causa de suas características particulares não está livre para sofrer dentro da organização. O assédio no local de trabalho deve ser diferenciado de outros tipos de agressão psicológica, física ou sexual. Uma maneira de lidar com a situação do assédio moral no trabalho é usar uma das estratégias de enfrentamento voltadas para o problema e a emoção. Metodologia: Foi realizada uma investigação descritiva, transversal e correlacional para identificar a existência e o grau de assédio no trabalho e determinar os estilos de enfrentamento utilizados por uma amostra de 105 enfermeiros de uma instituição de saúde pediátrica. Os instrumentos foram utilizados: HTP para aprender sobre o assédio moral no trabalho e COPE-28 para identificar o estilo de enfrentamento dos enfermeiros. Utilizou-se a estatística descritiva e as tabelas de contingência, e o pacote estatístico SPSS foi utilizado para a análise das informações. Resultados: um grau de perseguição baixo (62%) na população do estudo foi encontrado, a idade foi o grupo mais afectado compreendendo entre 30 a 39 anos (61,5%), factores: humilhação e rejeição pessoal (44,8% ) De acordo com a percepção da equipe, 12% responderam que perceberam isso nos últimos seis meses. Para a variável coping verificou-se que a que se refere ao problema (74,1%) foi a mais utilizada pelos enfermeiros. Conclusões: Há evidências de assédio relacionado ao trabalho de baixo nível nas enfermeiras que atuam naquela instituição, enquanto o estilo de enfrentamento abordado é o mais utilizado. Portanto, uma força de correlação média positiva foi encontrada, o que explica que quanto maior o nível de assédio no local de trabalho, maior o nível de enfrentamento.

Efectividad de un programa nacional de fomento de la lactancia materna en Chile 1993-2002 / Efficacy of a national program to promote breast feeding: Chile 1993-2002

Mesoamérica, el área de interés de este trabajo, es la sección de América Latina que se extiende desde México hasta Panamá. Las deliberaciones de comités internacionales constituyen las principales bases para el establecimiento de recomendaciones de nutrimentos. En menor grado, se han considerado las particularidades de biodisponibilidad de los distintos nutrimentos. Las recomendaciones de nutrimentos en la región son "relativamente" uniformes y consistentes con respecto al hierro, al yodo y a la mayoría de las vitaminas del complejo B. Pero existen discrepancias con las recomendaciones promulgadas para otros nutrimentos. . Una base válida para la armonización no sería la unificación de las recomendaciones a lo largo de Mesoamérica, sino la certeza de que la recomendación del nutrimento proporcionará su adecuada disponibilidad y/o llenará las reservas corporales de manera óptima para la supervivencia, el crecimiento, el bienestar y la función dentro del nicho ecológico de los grupos de población de la región. El hecho de que las recomendaciones de nutrimentos deben satisfacerse a partir de los alimentos, que sean accesibles y aceptables culturalmente y que se aproximen a las demandas paralelas de las recomendaciones basadas en alimentos, representa un reto adicional

[Efficacy of a national program to promote breast feeding: Chile 1993-2002]. / Efectividad de un programa nacional de fomento de la lactancia materna en Chile 1993-2002.

Promotion of breast feeding is a priority in Chilean health's policies. The aim of the study was to evaluate the tendency of breastfeeding (exclusive, continued, partial), in children less than 18 months old, controlled in the Chilean public health system, based in four national surveys. Through a 24 h food intake recall (breastfeeding, water, juice, infant formula, solids) food patterns were explored every 3 years, as well as maternal participation in jobs located away from home. the sample consisted of approximately 10 thousand children, less than 18 months old of the 28 health services throughout the country. The prevalence of children with exclusive breastfeeding, predominant (breastfeeding, water or juice), complemented (breastfeeding plus solids) or any other way of feeding for each month of age in each survey, and changes in period studied, was determined. Between 1993 and 2002, exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months increased from 16 to 43.1% (p<0.001) and predominant breastfeeding from 25.4 to 57.4%. at the same time, complemented breastfeeding at 12 months increased from 10.7 to 21.3%, and partial or complemented breastfeeding in 12 to 18 month old children went from 24.1 to 46.7%. Maternal work located away from home was inversely associated with the prevalence of exclusive and complemented breastfeeding during the first year (p<0.001). There has been a significant increase of maternal breastfeeding in the period analyzed. The negative effects of maternal labor on breastfeeding suggests to explore more effective forms of social support to the working mother.

Sobrevida del niño menor de 1500 gramos en Chile / Survival of newborn weighing less than 1500 grams in Chile

Se analiza la sobrevida de recien nacidos en Chile, menores de 1500 gramos de peso. Se evalúan sus complicaciones como sindrome de dificultad respiratoria; difusión broncopulmonar, hemorragia intracraneales, retinopatía y problemas sensoriales

Incidencia de apendicitis en el Hospital Padre Billini - Enero 1990 - diciembre 1995 / Incidence of apendicitis of the \"Padre Billini\" Hospital, January 1990-December 1995

Se realizó un estudio descriptivo con el objetivo de determinar la incidencia de apendicitis aguda en 33,863 pacientes admitidos en el Hospital Padre Billini durante el período enero de 1990 a diciembre de 1995. Encontrándose una tasa de incidencia de 1.4 por cada 1,000 ingresos; el 41.6// estaban comprendido entre los 20-29 años; el 53.9// correspondieron al sexo masculino; el 57.5// se debieron a cuerpo extraño y el 1.8// de los pacientes fallecieron