Perfil Bioquímico Sanguíneo Hepático del Cocodrilo de Tumbes (Crocodylus acutus) Criado en Cautiverio

The liver blood chemical profile of the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) raised in captivity in the northern region of Peru was determined. Sixty crocodiles were sampled from a population of 255 animals belonging to the Zoocriadero del Centro de Acuicultura La Tuna Carranza, part of the National Fisheries Development Fund (FONDEPES) located in the region of Tumbes, Peru. The animals were classified as young (n=24), subadults (n=27) and adults (n=9). A blood sample (6 ml) was taken from each animal by puncturing the post-occipital venous sinus while animals were under physical restraint. Serum was separated by centrifugation and concentration of each enzyme was measured by spectrophotometry. Variables studied were alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, total protein and albumin. Statistical difference (p<0.05) was found between age groups in ALT, FA, direct bilirubin, and total protein. All values with the exception of albumin showed high biological differences with those reported by the International Species Information System.Se determinó el perfil bioquímico hepático del cocodrilo de Tumbes (Crocodylus acutus) criado en cautiverio en el norte del Perú. Se trabajó con 60 cocodrilos de una población de 255 animales del Zoocriadero del Centro de Acuicultura La Tuna Carranza, del Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Pesquero (FONDEPES), ubicado en la región de Tumbes, Perú. De estos, 24 eran juveniles, 27 subadultos y 9 adultos. Se extrajo 6 ml de sangre entera sin anticoagulante por punción del seno venoso post-occipital manipulando al animal mediante contención física. Se separó el suero mediante centrifugación y las enzimas se analizaron mediante espectrofotometría. Las variables en estudio fueron alanina aminotransferasa (ALT), aspartato amino transferasa (AST), fosfatasa alcalina (FA), bilirrubina total, bilirrubina directa, bilirrubina indirecta, proteínas totales y albúmina. Se encontró diferencia estadística (p<0.05) en relación a los grupos etarios con respecto a la ALT, FA, bilirrubina directa y proteínas totales. Todos los valores con excepción de la albúmina tuvieron marcadas diferencias biológicas con respecto a valores publicados por el International Species Information System

KINETICS OF ANTIBODIES AGAINST PRRSV IN WEANING, FATTENING AND FINISHING PIGS IN A FARM IN LIMA, PERU

El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar la cinética de anticuerpos contra el virus del Síndrome Reproductivo y Respiratorio Porcino (VPRRS) en 30 animales de un lote de 200 de una granja porcina tecnificada de Lima. Se recolectaron muestras de sangre en tres periodos consecutivos a los 32, 61 y 136 días de edad para la determinación de anticuerpos contra el VPRRS mediante la prueba de ELISA indirecta. Adicionalmente, el lote de los 200 animales, incluidos los 30 animales experimentales, fue observado diariamente durante el tiempo que duró el estudio en busca de problemas respiratorios. El 26.7% (8/30) de las muestras de los lechones a los 32 días de edad tuvieron anticuerpos contra el VPRRS, así como una sola muestra a los 61 días de edad, mientras que el 96.7% (29/30) a los 136 días de edad presentaron anticuerpos contra el VPRRS con valores M/P entre 0.4 a 2.0. Durante el periodo de observación in situ de los animales del lote no se observaron signos respiratorios anómalos. Se encontró asociación significativa (p<0.05) entre la presencia de anticuerpos y la edad de los animales.The objective of the present study was to evaluate the kinetic of antibodies againstthe Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) in 30 of a group of200 pigs in a commercial farm in Lima, Peru. Blood samples were collected at 32, 61 and 135days of age for detecting antibodies against PRRSV by indirect ELISA. In addition, the occurrence of respiratory clinical signs was daily recorded in the total group of 200animals including the 30 animals of the study. The 26.7% (8/30) of pigs had antibodiesagainst PRRSV at 32 days of age and only one at 61 days of age, while 96.7% (29/30) hadantibodies against PRRSV at 136 days of age with S/P values between 0.4 and 2.0. Nonrespiratory problems were recorded. The presence of antibodies and age of animals wasstatistically associated (p<0.05)

ESC Working Group on e-Cardiology Position Paper: Use of Commercially Available Wearable Technology for Heart Rate and Activity Tracking in Primary and Secondary Cardiovascular Prevention

Commercially available health technologies such as smartphones and smartwatches, activity trackers and eHealth applications, commonly referred to as wearables, are increasingly available and used both in the leisure and healthcare sector for pulse and fitness/ activity tracking. The aim of the Position Paper is to identify specific barriers and knowledge gaps for the use of wearables, in particular for heart rate and activity tracking, in clinical cardiovascular healthcare to support their implementation into clinical care. The widespread use of heart rate and fitness tracking technologies provides unparalleled opportunities for capturing physiological information from large populations in the community, which has previously only been available in patient populations in the setting of healthcare provision. The availability of low-cost and high-volume physiological data from the community also provides unique challenges. While the number of patients meeting healthcare providers with data from wearables is rapidly growing, there are at present no clinical guidelines on how and when to use data from wearables in primary and secondary prevention. Technical aspects of heart rate tracking especially during activity need to be further validated. How to analyze, translate, and interpret large datasets of information into clinically applicable recommendations needs further consideration. While the current users of wearable technologies tend to be young, healthy and in the higher sociodemographic strata, wearables could potentially have a greater utility in the elderly and higher risk population. Wearables may also provide a benefit through increased health awareness, democratization of health data and patient engagement. Use of continuous monitoring may provide opportunities for detection of risk factors and disease development earlier in the causal pathway, which may provide novel applications in both prevention and clinical research. However, wearables may also have potential adverse consequences due to unintended modification of behaviour, uncertain use and interpretation of large physiological data, a possible increase in social inequality due to differential access and technological literacy, challenges with regulatory bodies and privacy issues. In the present position paper, current applications as well as specific barriers and gaps in knowledge are identified and discussed in order to support the implementation of wearable technologies from gadget-ology into clinical cardiology

Familial hypercholesterolaemia in children and adolescents from 48 countries: a cross-sectional study

Background: Approximately 450 000 children are born with familial hypercholesterolaemia worldwide every year, yet only 2·1% of adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia were diagnosed before age 18 years via current diagnostic approaches, which are derived from observations in adults. We aimed to characterise children and adolescents with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HeFH) and understand current approaches to the identification and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia to inform future public health strategies. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, we assessed children and adolescents younger than 18 years with a clinical or genetic diagnosis of HeFH at the time of entry into the Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration (FHSC) registry between Oct 1, 2015, and Jan 31, 2021. Data in the registry were collected from 55 regional or national registries in 48 countries. Diagnoses relying on self-reported history of familial hypercholesterolaemia and suspected secondary hypercholesterolaemia were excluded from the registry; people with untreated LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) of at least 13·0 mmol/L were excluded from this study. Data were assessed overall and by WHO region, World Bank country income status, age, diagnostic criteria, and index-case status. The main outcome of this study was to assess current identification and management of children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia. Findings: Of 63 093 individuals in the FHSC registry, 11 848 (18·8%) were children or adolescents younger than 18 years with HeFH and were included in this study; 5756 (50·2%) of 11 476 included individuals were female and 5720 (49·8%) were male. Sex data were missing for 372 (3·1%) of 11 848 individuals. Median age at registry entry was 9·6 years (IQR 5·8-13·2). 10 099 (89·9%) of 11 235 included individuals had a final genetically confirmed diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolaemia and 1136 (10·1%) had a clinical diagnosis. Genetically confirmed diagnosis data or clinical diagnosis data were missing for 613 (5·2%) of 11 848 individuals. Genetic diagnosis was more common in children and adolescents from high-income countries (9427 [92·4%] of 10 202) than in children and adolescents from non-high-income countries (199 [48·0%] of 415). 3414 (31·6%) of 10 804 children or adolescents were index cases. Familial-hypercholesterolaemia-related physical signs, cardiovascular risk factors, and cardiovascular disease were uncommon, but were more common in non-high-income countries. 7557 (72·4%) of 10 428 included children or adolescents were not taking lipid-lowering medication (LLM) and had a median LDL-C of 5·00 mmol/L (IQR 4·05-6·08). Compared with genetic diagnosis, the use of unadapted clinical criteria intended for use in adults and reliant on more extreme phenotypes could result in 50-75% of children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia not being identified. Interpretation: Clinical characteristics observed in adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia are uncommon in children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia, hence detection in this age group relies on measurement of LDL-C and genetic confirmation. Where genetic testing is unavailable, increased availability and use of LDL-C measurements in the first few years of life could help reduce the current gap between prevalence and detection, enabling increased use of combination LLM to reach recommended LDL-C targets early in life

Seroprevalence and risk factors for Taenia solium cysticercosis in rural pigs of Northern Peru

JAYASHI, César M., ARROYO, Gianfranco, LIGHTOWLERS, Marshall W. [et al.]. Seroprevalence and risk factors for Taenia solium cysticercosis in rural pigs of Northern Peru. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases [en línea]. 2012, vol. 6, no. 7, p. 1-5. ISSN 1935-2727.Taenia solium is a cestode parasite that causes cysticercosis in both humans and pigs. A serological survey was undertaken to assess the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with porcine cysticercosis in the rural district of Morropon, Peru. Pigs aged between 2 and 60 months were assessed by the Enzyme-linked Immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) assay to determine their serological status against porcine cysticercosis in a cross-sectional study. A total of 1,153 pigs were sampled. Porcine seroprevalence was 45.19% (42.31–48.06). The information about the animals and households was analyzed and risk factors associated with seroprevalence were determined by a multivariate logistic regression analysis. In the porcine population, the risk of being seropositive increased by 7% with every month of age (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.05–1.09), and by 148% for pigs living in East Morropon (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.82–3.37). Whereas, the presence of latrines in a household decreased the risk of being seropositive by 49% (OR 0.51; 95% CI 0.39–0.67). Sex and rearing system did not represent either risk or protective factors associated with the seroprevalence of porcine cysticercosis. The findings of this study could be used for further development of control programs that might focus on similar population groups within rural communities of developing countries where cysticercosis is endemic

Consistent Measurement of Parasite-Specific Antigen Levels in Sera of Patients with Neurocysticercosis Using Two Different Monoclonal Antibody (mAb)-Based Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays

Monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a complementary diagnosis technique for neurocysticercosis (NCC), which detects circulating parasite antigen (Ag) indicative of viable infection and Ag levels that correlate well with the parasite burden. In this study, we compared the performance of two Ag-ELISA techniques for the detection of NCC. We assessed the agreement between our in-house TsW8/TsW5 Ag-ELISA and the widely used B158/B60 Ag-ELISA for measuring T. solium antigen levels in the sera from 113 patients with calcified, parenchymal, and subarachnoid NCC. Concordance was demonstrated evaluating the limits of agreement (LoAs) stratified by the type of NCC. Both ELISA’s detected 47/48 (97.8%) subarachnoid NCC cases. In parenchymal and calcified NCC, the B158/B60 Ag-ELISA detected 19/24 (79.2%) and 18/41 (43.9%) cases, while the TsW8/TsW5 Ag-ELISA detected 21/24 (87.5%) and 13/41 (31.7%), respectively. Parenchymal and calcified NCC obtained a perfect agreement (100%), indicating that all sample results were within the predicted LoA, while for subarachnoid NCC, the agreement was 89.6%. The high concordance between the assays was confirmed by Lin’s concordance coefficient (LCC = 0.97). Patients with viable parenchymal NCC (LCC = 0.95) obtained the highest concordance between assays, followed by subarachnoid NCC (LCC = 0.93) and calcified NCC (LCC = 0.92). The TsW8/TsW5 Ag-ELISA and B158/B60 Ag-ELISA showed high Ag measurement correlations across diverse types of NCC

Effect of multiple variables on the EITB assay results expressed as odds ratios (OR).

*<p>: Age was modeled as a continuous variable (Age range: minimum = 2, maximum = 60).</p>†<p>: West Morropon area used as baseline.</p>‡<p>: Significantly different.</p

Study area and village distribution.

<p>Study area and village distribution.</p

Porcine seroprevalence arranged by biological and exposure variables determined by EITB.

<p>Porcine seroprevalence arranged by biological and exposure variables determined by EITB.</p

Post-treatment Vascular Leakage and Inflammatory Responses around Brain Cysts in Porcine Neurocysticercosis

<div><p>Cysticidal treatment of neurocysticercosis, an infection of humans and pig brains with <i>Taenia solium</i>, results in an early inflammatory response directed to cysts causing seizures and focal neurological manifestations. Treatment-induced pericystic inflammation and its association with blood brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction, as determined by Evans blue (EB) extravasation, was studied in infected untreated and anthelmintic-treated pigs. We compared the magnitude and extent of the pericystic inflammation, presence of EB-stained capsules, the level of damage to the parasite, expression of genes for proinflammatory and regulatory cytokines, chemokines, and tissue remodeling by quantitative PCR assays between treated and untreated infected pigs and between EB-stained (blue) and non stained (clear) cysts. Inflammatory scores were higher in pericystic tissues from EB-stained cysts compared to clear cysts from untreated pigs and also from anthelmintic-treated pigs 48 hr and 120 hr after treatment. The degree of inflammation correlated with the severity of cyst wall damage and both increased significantly at 120 hours. Expression levels of the proinflammatory genes for IL-6, IFN-γ, TNF-α were higher in EB-stained cysts compared to clear cysts and unaffected brain tissues, and were generally highest at 120 hr. Additionally, expression of some markers of immunoregulatory activity (IL-10, IL-2Rα) were decreased in EB-stained capsules. An increase in other markers for regulatory T cells (CTLA4, FoxP3) was found, as well as significant increases in expression of two metalloproteases, MMP1 and MMP2 at 48 hr and 120 hr post-treatment. We conclude that the increase in severity of the inflammation caused by treatment is accompanied by both a proinflammatory and a complex regulatory response, largely limited to pericystic tissues with compromised vascular integrity. Because treatment induced inflammation occurs in porcine NCC similar to that in human cases, this model can be used to investigate mechanisms involved in host damaging inflammatory responses and agents or modalities that may control damaging post treatment inflammation.</p></div