FAUNA ACUÁTICA DEL ÁREA CENTRO OCCIDENTAL DE PANAMÁ

    Between 1994 and 2006 samplings were made in different rivers of the Provinces of Veraguas, Chiriqui, Herrera and Cocle with the objective to raise information of the continental fish of the region, as well as to determine the species of crustaceans and mollusks in some of the localities. The samplings were made in Veraguas: Eastern zone of the peninsula of Sona, western zone of the peninsula of Azuero, Cobre river, Santa Maria river, Calovebora river and some creeks of Santiago. In Chiriqui in the river basins of the rivers: Chiriquí Viejo, Chico, Chiriquí, Fonseca, San Felix and Tabasara; and in Herrera: the Parita and La Villa rivers. 93 species of fish were identified, 10 species of crustaceans and six families of moluscos. The index of similarity calculated indicates that the ictiofauna of Darien presents greater similarity with the one of Santa Maria in comparison with the ictiofauna of the rivers that borders the Golfo de Montijo and Chiriquí. In our rivers and creeks inquires into the presence of two introduced species: Poecilia reticulata (Poeciliidae) and Cichlasoma dovii (Cichlidae).      Entre 1994 y 2006 se realizaron muestreos en diferentes ríos de las en las Provincias de Veraguas, Chiriquí, Herrera y Coclé con el objetivo de levantar información sobre los peces continentales de la región, así como determinar las especies de crustáceos y moluscos en algunas de las localidades. Los muestreos se realizaron en Veraguas: zona oriental de la península de Soná, zona occidental de la península de Azuero, río Cobre, río Santa María, río Calovébora y algunos riachuelos de Santiago. En Chiriquí en las cuencas de los ríos Chiriquí Viejo, Chico, Chiriquí, Fonseca, San Felix y Tabasará. En Herrera, los ríos Parita y La Villa. Se identificaron 93 especies de peces, 10 especies de crustáceos y seis familias de moluscos. Se comparó la ictiofauna del área occidental de Panamá con la de Darién, recopilada de otros estudios, encontrando que Darién presenta mayor semejanza con el Santa María, en comparación con la ictiofauna de los ríos que bordean el Golfo de Montijo y Chiriquí. Se informa de la presencia de dos especies introducidas Poecilia reticulata (Poeciliidae) y Cichlasoma dovii (Cichlidae) en nuestras ríos y riachuelos. &nbsp

Microorganismos presentes en fonendoscopios, manos, cavidad oral y nasal de estudiantes de una facultad de medicina

La formación académica de estudiantes de medicina implica interacción con pacientes y superficies del entorno hospitalario, los microorganismos presentes allí pueden ser adquiridos y transmitidos con los riesgos consecuentes para la comunidad hospitalaria. El presente es un estudio descriptivo cuantitativo donde se analizan muestras provenientes de estudiantes de medicina (n= 155) en rotaciones de 3 semanas, tomando hisopados de nariz, boca, manos y fonendoscopio, gram y cultivo en agar sangre, incubación 24 horas a 37°C y 5% de CO2. Se hizo la identificación mediante gram y pruebas de biotipificación convencionales y susceptibilidad antibiótica según técnica de kirby-bauer.Los hallazgos aquí presentados evidencian alta frecuencia de bacterias patógenas en las fuentes de aislamiento, siendo relevante la presencia del Staphylococcus aureus en un 41,7% y la resistencia a antibióticos tanto por gram positivos como por gram negativos; por tanto, es de considerar la implementación de estrategias que minimicen la circulación de estos microorganismos en el ambiente hospitalario. El objetivo de este estudio es establecer la frecuencia de los microorganismos aislados en estudiantes de una Facultad de Medicina

Socioeconomic status. The relationship with health and autoimmune diseases

Socioeconomic status (SES) is a hierarchical social classification associated with different outcomes in health and disease. The most important factors influencing SES are income, educational level, occupational class, social class, and ancestry. These factors are closely related to each other as they present certain dependent interactions. Since there is a need to improve the understanding of the concept of SES and the ways it affects health and disease, we review herein the tools currently available to evaluate SES and its relationship with health and autoimmune diseases. © 2014 Elsevier B.V

Socioeconomic status. The relationship with health and autoimmune diseases

Socioeconomic status (SES) is a hierarchical social classification associated with different outcomes in health and disease. The most important factors influencing SES are income, educational level, occupational class, social class, and ancestry. These factors are closely related to each other as they present certain dependent interactions. Since there is a need to improve the understanding of the concept of SES and the ways it affects health and disease, we review herein the tools currently available to evaluate SES and its relationship with health and autoimmune diseases. © 2014 Elsevier B.V

Garrapatas (Acari: Ixodidae) prevalentes en caninos no migrantes del noroccidente de Bogotá, Colombia

This is the first study that identifies hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in dogs residing in the city of Bogota, changes in the paradigms that guide public health policies are becoming necessary the population risk of zoonosis transmitted Rhipicephalus sanguineus by ticks, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and Amblyomma maculatum. Three private veterinary clinics during 2010 were collected ticks and domiciled canines showed their own permanent residence within the city of Bogota. Ticks were collected manually and fixed in formol 10%. A total of 799 dogs met the inclusion criteria, there were a total of 34 ticks (one per animal), which was an infestation rate of 4.25%.El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo identificar garrapatas duras (Acari: Ixodidae) en caninos domiciliados dentro de la ciudad de Bogotá, el riesgo poblacional de zoonosis trasmitidas por las garrapatas identificadas Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus y Amblyomma maculatum, generan la necesidad de cambios de los paradigmas que orientan las políticas en salud pública. Para el desarrollo del estudio se trabajo en tres clínicas veterinarias particulares durante el año 2010. Se recolectaron garrapatas de caninos domiciliados y que demostraron sus propietarios estancia permanente dentro de la ciudad de Bogotá. Las garrapatas se colectaron de forma manual y se fijaron en Formol al 10 %. Un total de 799 canidos cumplieron el criterio de inclusión, se hallaron un total de 34 garrapatas (una por animal) lo que constituyó una tasa de infestación de 4 ,25%

Lupus mimickers

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by multisystem organ involvement, heterogeneity of clinical features, and variety in degree of severity. The differential diagnosis is a crucial aspect in SLE as many other autoimmune diseases portray clinical similarities and autoantibody positivity. Lupus mimickers refer to a group of conditions that exhibit both clinical features and laboratory characteristics, including autoantibody profiles that resemble those present in patients with SLE, and prompt a diagnostic challenge in everyday clinical practice. Thus, lupus mimickers may present as a lupus-like condition (i.e., 2 or 3 criteria) or as one meeting the classification criteria for SLE. Herein we review and classify the current literature on lupus mimickers based on diverse etiologies which include infections, malign and benign neoplasms, medications, and vaccine-related reactions. © 2014 Elsevier B.V

Lupus mimickers

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by multisystem organ involvement, heterogeneity of clinical features, and variety in degree of severity. The differential diagnosis is a crucial aspect in SLE as many other autoimmune diseases portray clinical similarities and autoantibody positivity. Lupus mimickers refer to a group of conditions that exhibit both clinical features and laboratory characteristics, including autoantibody profiles that resemble those present in patients with SLE, and prompt a diagnostic challenge in everyday clinical practice. Thus, lupus mimickers may present as a lupus-like condition (i.e., 2 or 3 criteria) or as one meeting the classification criteria for SLE. Herein we review and classify the current literature on lupus mimickers based on diverse etiologies which include infections, malign and benign neoplasms, medications, and vaccine-related reactions. © 2014 Elsevier B.V

Evaluation of the adipokine profile (adiponectin, resistin, adipsin, vaspin, and leptin) in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis and its correlation with disease activity

Introduction Adipokines may play a role in the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis. This study evaluated the performance of adipokines in a Colombian population with early rheumatoid arthritis and its relationship with disease activity. Material and methods A cross-sectional study evaluated serum adipokine levels (adiponectin, resistin, adipsin, vaspin, and leptin) in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (eRA), evaluating demographic and clinical variables, along with a control group matched by age and gender. A factorial analysis was performed using principal components analysis (PCA), and a Spearman correlation analysis was performed. Similarly, a cut-off point for serum levels is proposed based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve between eRA and controls and sensitivity analysis. Results Fifty-one eRA subjects were included; there were 41 women. The body mass index (BMI) was 25.12 ±3.8. A statistically significant correlation was identified between adipsin, BMI, and RAPID3. Vaspin and leptin were correlated with BMI. Resistin levels were higher in patients with RAPID3 near remission (p = 0.041), and adiponectin, vaspin, and leptin levels were lower in patients with DAS28 ESR in remission (p = 0.033, p = 0.012, and p = 0.017, respectively). Principal components analysis in component 1 adipokines as adipsin and leptin with BMI and RAPID3 as disease activity index are grouped. Moreover, component 2 had a strong relation between ESR and CRP with an inverse correlation with cholesterol levels and vaspin. A cut-off point was established for each adipokine, thus identifying the best performance for leptin levels greater than 0.58 ng/ml with a sensitivity of 76.5% and specificity of 74.5%. Conclusions Adipokine levels are relevant in eRA, especially with disease activity indexes. Resistin levels were higher in patients with an activity index near remission. Otherwise, adiponectin, vaspin, and leptin levels were lower in patients with low activity indexes. RAPID3 correlated with adipsin. It is complementary to the previously published analysis of adipokines

Does non-erosive rheumatoid arthritis exist? A cross-sectional analysis and a systematic literature review

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with non-erosive rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: First, a cross-sectional analytical study was performed. Non-erosive disease, defined as the absence of any erosion on X-rays after 5 years of RA, was evaluated in 500 patients. Further and additional evaluations including ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) were performed in those patients meeting the eligibility criteria. The Spearman correlation coefficient, kappa analysis, and Kendall[U+05F3]s W test were used to analyze the data. Second, a systematic literature review (SLR) was performed following the PRISMA guidelines. Results: Of a total of 40 patients meeting the eligibility criteria for non-erosive RA, eight patients were confirmed to have non-erosive RA by the three methods. A positive correlation between non-erosive RA and shorter disease duration, antinuclear antibodies positivity, lower rheumatoid factor (RF) and C-reactive protein titers, lower global visual analog scale values, toxic exposures, and lower disease activity-(RAPID3) was found. In addition, an inverse correlation with anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) positivity and medication use was observed. From the SLR, it was corroborated that factors associated with this subphenotype were shorter disease duration, younger disease onset, negative ACPA and RF titers, low cytokine levels, and some genetic markers. Conclusion: Non-erosive RA is rare, occurring in less than 2% of cases. These findings improve on the understanding of RA patients who present without erosions and are likely to have less severe disease. © 2014 Elsevier Inc