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Los pesticidas organofosforados son esteres del ácido fosfórico (OPs), frecuentemente utilizados como insecticidas y acaricidas. Son un grupo muy importante de contaminantes ambientales empleados en la agricultura intensiva para la protección contra las plagas, producen disturbios en las reacciones bioquímicas normales necesarias para el metabolismo, exhiben un amplio rango de toxicidad para los mamíferos y actúan sobre el sistema nervioso central como inhibidores de la acetilcolinesterasa. En este estudio se evaluó la concentración letal media (CL50) de diecisiete compuestos organofosforados usando Artemia franciscana. El compuesto que presentó mayor toxicidad fue el fentión con CL50 de 6,26 µg/mL a las 24h de exposición y de 0,11 µg/mL a las 48h y aquellos con menor toxicidad fueron: clorpirifos y malatión con valores de CL50 mayores de 100 µg/mL.Modelos QSAR (relación cuantitativa existente entre la estructura y la actividad) fueron desarrollados para predecir la toxicidad de los OPs correlacionando sus valores LC50 con descriptores moleculares,usando métodos computacionales y herramientas estadísticas. El momento dipolar (µ) y el coeficiente de partición octanol/agua (LogP) fueron los descriptores moleculares que presentaron la mejor correlación lineal con R2 de 0,8107 y 0,8546 para 24 y 48 h de exposición,respectivamente, de OPsfrente A. franciscana.

Teófilo Otoni foi uma das figuras de maior destaque na política do Brasil imperial. Atuou em vários eventos políticos decisivos, sempre guiado pelos ideais republicanos. A trajetória política de Otoni tem sido lembrada pela coerência e integridade. Entretanto, a ambigüidade de suas práticas evidencia tensões características das idéias liberais no Brasil oitocentista

Fluxes of nutrients and net metabolism were estimated in coastal lagoon Magdalena Bay using LOICZ biogeochemical model. In situ data were obtained from 14 sites in the lagoon and also from a fixed site in the adjacent ocean area. Intense upwelling (February to July) and faint upwelling (August to January) were analyzed from monthly time series. The Temperature, nitrite + nitrate, ammonium and phosphate within the lagoon showed significant differences (p

Corrosion of crucibles happens during the blast furnace operation, and it is important to make it as controlled as possible. The wear of the walls and the bottom of the crucible can be qualitatively estimated using temperature data and heat flux, but it is necessary to reach a better knowledge of the multiple mechanisms involved in its degradation. The Nodal Wear Model (NWM) can give us, through thermal boundary layer values, the way to develop the best corrosion model for the crucible.Durante la operación de un alto horno, tiene lugar la corrosión del crisol que, se ha de procurar llevar a cabo de una manera controlada. Si bien el progreso del desgaste en paredes y fondo del crisol se puede intuir a través de medidas de temperatura y flujos de calor, se necesita alcanzar un conocimiento más preciso de los mecanismos que influyen en su degradación. El Modelo de Desgaste Nodal (MDN), puede proporcionar a través de los valores de la capa límite térmica, la posibilidad de desarrollar el concepto del patrón de corrosión más indicado para la instalación.

Introduction: Tuberculosis notification in Portugal has decreased in the last few years. As a consequence of the economic crisis, emigration has increased and immigration has decreased. Immigrants are a risk group for tuberculosis. Most emigrants are 20-44 years old and belong to the age group most affected by tuberculosis., Objective: To describe the decrease in tuberculosis notification in Portugal over the last years from a demographical point of view., Methods: Mathematical analysis was performed to quantify the effect of the migration movements (separately and simultaneously) on tuberculosis notification in Portugal from 2008 to 2014. We calculated the estimated tuberculosis notification for each year during the period of study: 1) fixing immigration rate and tuberculosis rate in immigrants at 2008 values; 2) fixing emigration rate and tuberculosis rate in emigrants at 2008 values; 3) fixing both phenomenons at 2008 values., Results: The differences between the observed and the estimated numbers were small (≤0.5 cases/100000 inhabitants)., Discussion: Impact of the migration movements on tuberculosis notification rate does not seem to be significant when analyzed for each phenomenon individually and simultaneously, by our model. This might mean that we have to concentrate our efforts in other risk factors for tuberculosis., (Copyright © 2017 SEPAR. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objective: Poor mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells (CD34(+) cells) from bone marrow is a frequent reason for not reaching the autologous stem cell trasplantation (SCT) procedure in patients diagnosed with lymphoma or myeloma. Plerixafor, a reversible inhibitor of the binding of stromal cell-derived factor 1 to its cognate receptor CXCR4, has demonstrated a higher capacity for the mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells in combination with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) compared with G-CSF alone. For this reason, plerixafor is now indicated for poor mobilizer myeloma or lymphoma patients. Some studies have recently indicated that a pre-emptive strategy of plerixafor use during first mobilization, according to the number of CD34(+) mobilized cells in peripheral blood or to the harvested CD34(+) cells after first apheresis, could avoid mobilization failures and re-mobilizations, as well as the delay of autologous SCT. The aim of this consensus was to perform a review of published studies on pre-emptive strategy and to establish common recommendations for hospitals in Catalonia and Balearics on the use of pre-emptive plerixafor., Methods: For the Consensus, physicians from participant hospitals met to review previous studies as well as previous own data about plerixafor use. The GRADE system was used to qualify the available evidence and to establish recommendations on the use of pre-emptive plerixafor., Results and Conclusions: After a review of the literature, the expert consensus recommended the administration of pre-emptive plerixafor for multiple myeloma or lymphoma patients with a CD34+ cell count lower than 10 cells/μL in peripheral blood (measured in the morning of day 4 of mobilization with G-CSF or after haematopietic recovery in the case of mobilization with chemotherapy plus G-CSF)., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Malaria is a serious public health problem at present; it affects almost half of the population from over 100 countries and poses a high risk of reintroduction in Cuba., Objective: To identify the Culicidae species present in natural breeding sites located in three areas of Camagüey municipality, particularly anopheles., Methods: Larval inspections were carried out in 66 natural breeding sites of Anopheles almimanus located in three areas of Camagüey municipality from May to June 2010, according the World Health Organization methodology. The preferential breeding sites of Anopheles albimanus and the association of this species with other Culicidae were ascertained., Results: Presence of Culicidae in 28.78% of inspected breeding sites, being Anopheles albimanus the prevailing one with 63.51%. This species was captured together with Culex quinquefasciatus, Culex nigripalpus, Culex erraticus, Culex corniger, Psorophora confinnis, Psorophora howardii and Ochlerottatus scapularis, in low polluted water bodies such as lagoons (58.34%) and streams (25%), and in others more polluted such as ditches (8.33%) and narrow trails (8.33%)., Conclusions: The existence of species of medical and veterinary importance, particularly Anopheles albimanus, in the studied areas calls for constant monitoring of these species in order to draw up integrated strategies focused on the biological fight, and the involvement of the community in this process to help in preventing the emergence of cases or epidemic outbreaks of imported malaria.

In the last decade there has been increasing awareness of the importance of thymus gland function in the reconstitution of host immunity following hematopoietic transplantation. A functional thymus contributes to foster T compartment reconstitution, with an increased diversity of T receptor rearrangement, and a more physiological distribution of the functional subpopulations. Palifermin, a keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) approved for reducing the incidence and severity of oral mucositis, has been proposed as a possible strategy for improving thymus function and immune reconstitution after hematopoietic transplantation. In vitro and animal models show palifermin to protect the thymus from chemo-/radiotherapy induced damage, increasing thymic production, accelerating immune reconstitution, improving response to vaccines, and reducing the incidence of graft-versus-host disease in animal models. To date, no studies have analyzed this possible application in humans. This study reports preliminary data on immune reconstitution in 50 autologous transplant recipients (30 treated with palifermin and 20 controls). The results suggest that palifermin at the doses and involving the regimens indicated for the prevention of oral mucositis has no effect upon thymus gland function in adult patients, and induces no changes in T immune recovery (either CD4 or CD8) or in the percentage of functional T subpopulations or T helper lymphocytes.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains the greatest source of morbidity-mortality in allogenic transplant patients. Although in most cases the more easily obtainable clinical and laboratory test parameters suffice to confirm the diagnosis and establish the stage of the disease biopsies of the affected organ are sometimes needed. At present there is great Interest in the study of factors allowing a prognosis of the course and type of response to treatment in patients with CVHD. In this sense, It would be necessary to objectively Identify and validate biomarkers capable of predicting biological or pathological processes in patients with cVHD. To this effect we have performed serial analyses of skin tissue using peripheral blood and tissue biomarkers in a prospective observational study conducted in three transplant centers. The still preliminary results Indicate that certain histopathological findings classically attributed to CVHD ore also seen in patients not clinically affected by the disease--this probably being related to other physiopathological phenomena occurring during transplantation. The study of these findings, combined with biomarker analysis, will allow improved understanding of the underlying etiopathogenesis, as well as the definition of new diagnostic, prognostic and response-evaluating criteria.

Objective: the study carried out in Yaguajay, Sancti Spíritus province was aimed at identifying the mollusk species present in the freshwater ecocystems as well as their distribution and abundance in each reservoir., Methods: two years--2005 and 2006--were analyzed through 2 samplings per years covering the rainy and the dry season; 20 reservoirs were sampled to determine the present freshwater mollusks. Data were processed by Excelxp and the statistical analysis used SPSS version 8 processor and 4 x 4 contingency tables., Results: ten species were detected in 2005, being Tarebia granifera the most distributed and abundant followed by Marisa cornuarietis. It was observed that the highest amount of mosquitoes was collected in the rainy season during the two years under study in addition to proving that there was significant correlation between the occurrence of mollusk species and fish in the 20 researched reservoirs., Conclusions: Yaguajay municipality exhibits wide freshwater mollusk fauna if one takes into account the 14 identified species of which 4 turned out to be intermediate hosts for fascioliasis, schistosomiasis and angiostrongyliasis. There is close relation between freshwater malacofauna and vegetation.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of iron-deficiency anaemia among rural pregnant women in Valladolid, Yucatan, Mexico., Materials and Methods: A descriptive study was carried out from March to May 2006. A clinical-epidemiological survey, a complete blood count test and a ferritin test were applied to a non-random sample conformed by 51 rural pregnant women., Results: Thirty five point two percent of the 51 pregnant women studied presented anaemia, which was more frequent during the second and third trimester, 25.6% of which were adolescents. Abnormal iron profile was found in 41% of the women, 30% (9/51) presented iron-deficiency anaemia which was more frequent in the third trimester. The women with iron-deficiency anaemia had had an average of four pregnancies. No significant difference was found between multiparity and anaemia (square Chi, p = 9.29)., Conclusions: The prevalence of iron-deficient anaemia was 17.64% in this group, more frequent during the third trimester. The hematological alterations were more frequent in multipara women. In a quarter of the sample, pregnancy occurred during adolescence; two events that need greater amounts of iron. The creation of nutritional programs since childhood and the incorporation of ferritin in prenatal care is fundamental for the adequate development and security of both mother and child.

Objectives: To characterize the health system stakeholder's perspective on the basics of the political, economic, and sanitary context, as well as the ways in which control activities are being realized in four of Colombia's health departments., Methods: This was a qualitative study of four Colombian health departments chosen for their differing cervical cancer mortality rates and their planned disease control efforts (Boyacá, Caldas, Magdalena, and Tolima). Semistructured interviews were conducted of health care managers, insurance coordinators, and public and private health institutions at the departmental and municipals levels. Focus groups comprised of professionals from health insurance companies and health care services providers were convened. Data analysis was based on the grounded theory with open codes related to the roles of health care managers, insurance companies, and heath care services provided. The technical reports were compared to the testimonies of interviewees., Results: Thirty-eight interviews and 14 focus groups (70.9% response rate) were conducted and 12 technical reports reviewed. Cervical cancer is not perceived to be a public health priority. Interest centers on the flow of financial resources within the health system. Findings indicated unsatisfactory communication among the stakeholders and no consensus on the subject. Planning is limited to meeting the status quo. Staffing is inadequate. Cases with positive outcomes are lost to follow-up due to the fragmentation that results from affiliation with different health care systems., Conclusions: The financial situation, normative planning, and the challenges of decentralization affect the skill-building, at-risk coverage, and the control activities needed for effective screening programs. What is needed is an integrated, more efficiently organized program in which all the health system stakeholders participate.

Objective: Low-income countries, like Colombia, have recorded a low impact on mortality rates due to cervical cancer. This can be partially explained by the cancer control models and their approaches implemented so far. This study adopted a cancer control model designed by the National Cancer Institute (Instituto Nacional de Cancerología) based on interventions at three different levels and on using social strategies founded on a human rights' perspective., Methods: A participatory community-based intervention was carried out in three phases: diagnosis (2004-2005), intervention (2006) and evaluation (2007). The evaluation phase included three components: analysing community leaders' perceptions of human rights, a comparative analysis of population surveys before (2005) and after the intervention (2007) and analysing the demand for cytology services (2001-2007) and analysing gaining access to definitive diagnosis and treatment (2007)., Results: A significant increase in activities related to human rights' claims was found. Cytological coverage during the last year reached 75% in the most vulnerable females. The intervention contributed towards recovering credibility in public health services. It also enhanced the quality of the services being offered to women., Conclusion: The cancer control model promoted the development of effective action at multiple levels. Encouraging a human rights' approach is pertinent in cancer control programmes.

Objective: A social representation of the Pap smear is given in this article, as are the barriers against it and the motivation for practising it, aimed at adjusting preventative health services in a particular Colombian town., Methods: A phenomenological, qualitative study was carried out, using focal groups and workshops for validating the results. A theoretical sample was designed to find differences according to age, heatlh system affiliation and dwelling place within the municipality in question. Atlas ti software was used for giving the analysis a narrative interpretation., Results: The Pap smear is associated with infection and pre-cancer and cancer prevention. Cultural barriers, misinformation being spread by peers, a lack of social networks and the particularly poor quality of Colombian public health services were identified., Discussion: Attempts to make the Pap smear as objective as possible were found to be satisfactory, even though no logical relationship was found between knowledge of the Pap smear and its practice. Older women have the social representation of risk implicit in an acute infection model. Lack of opportunity for a having a Pap smear appointment and delays in presenting the corresponding report have a negative impact on cancer control.

Based on practical experiences, it was presented the way to assess the potential and the depredating capacity of mosquito larvae by direct observations in the laboratory, using fish. The objective is to facilitate a methodology that allows to know about the behavior of those vertebrates in the presence of the immature stages of the hematophagous diptera in different water bodies.

Objectives: To study the attitude of primary care doctors when a high (> or = 4 ng/ml) prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is found and to examine the variables linked to a prostate biopsy and the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PC)., Design: Descriptive, observational study., Setting: Urban health district., Patients: Ninety-four men not previously diagnosed with PC who in 1998 had a PSA figure > or = 4 ng/ml. The list was obtained from the pertinent laboratory., Measurements: The following variables were gathered from review of clinical records: family background of PC, age, PSA figure, reason for request for PSA (if not given, it was considered a screening), referral to the urologist, rectal touch, transrectal echography, prostate biopsy and final diagnosis., Results: Average age was 70 (SD, 9.31). The reason for requesting PSA was: urine symptoms in 25 (26.6%), other signs or symptoms in 25 (26.6%), request of patient in 2 cases (2.1%) and screening in 42 (44.7%). Rectal touch took place in 16 cases. Twenty-nine people were referred for examination to the urologist. 36 patients had an echography and biopsy. Variables linked to the prostate biopsy in the logistic model were: higher value of the PSA (OR 1.1; 95% CI, 1.03-1.18), being older (OR 0.92; CI, 0.87-0.98) and rectal touch performed (OR 3.58; CI, 1.02-12.51). Ten cases of PC were diagnosed., Conclusions: The most common reason for a PSA request was screening. Prostate biopsy was not requested for 58 men. A primary care guide to action concerning PC diagnosis in cases of PSA > or = 4 ng/ml would be useful.

Background: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of inherited eye disorders that affect photoreceptor and pigment epithelial function. Mutations in different genes involved in the phototransduction process have been described in patients with autosomal recessive RP., Patients and Methods: We examined the gene coding the beta subunit of the phosphodiesterase (PDEB) in a ARRP family with two affected sisters. SSCP (single stand conformational polymorphism) analysis of the coding region of the gene showed abnormal bands in two different exons. PCR products showing SSCP aberrant patterns were subsequently sequenced., Results: The two affected sisters had inherited from their father a PDEB gene with a known mutation (Gln298X) and a rare variant and from their mother a PDEB gene with a new mutation: Asp600Asn., Conclusions: The nature of the mutations in the PDEB gene and their pattern of inheritance indicate that the lack of activity of the phosphodiesterase (PDE), a key enzyme in the visual phototransduction process, account for the RP phenotype in these patients.

Von Recklinghausen's Neurofibromatosis is an autosomal dominant disease of variable manifestations. Association with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary tumours is well documented, most of them being benign neurofibromas. Other tumours, such as leiomyomas, sarcomas, ganglioneuromas and carcinoids are less frequent. Much rarer is the development of epithelial malignancies and an ontogenic relation is not clear. The authors reports a case of adenocarcinoma of Vater's Ampulla and duodenal neurofibromas, in a patient with Von Recklinghausen's disease, presenting obstructive jaundice.

Some 100 neurological disorders are known today to have a genetic cause. Most involve severe dysfunction and are not candidates for conventional therapies. Recent conceptual and methodological advances, however, allow for therapeutic approaches that substitute defective genes for functioning equivalents, through what we now call "gene therapy". New pathways are thus open for treatment. Two major strategies have been proposed for gene transference, one physical and the other biological, each with inherent advantages and limitations. Herpes simplex virus is, a priori, an ideal vector as a consequence of its trophic relation to cells of the nervous system and in fact this virus has been applied repeatedly in animal models of gene therapy. The toxicity of herpes simplex infections, however, and our ignorance of their effect on the receptor genome, have put constraints on its use in humans. Retroviruses have also been tested in treatment protocols for malignant brain tumors in humans. Other strategies involve genetic modification of cultivated cells in vitro for subsequent implantation in the appropriate tissue for ongoing production of neurotrophic factors or growth. We describe the various strategies for gene transference and evaluate the results obtained.