Growth Rate and Associated Factors in Small Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

AbstractObjectiveTo study the growth rate and factors influencing progression of small infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA).DesignObservational, longitudinal, prospective study.Patients and methodsWe followed patients with AAA <5cm in diameter in two groups. Group I (AAA 3–3.9cm, n=246) underwent annual ultrasound scans. Group II (AAA 4–4.9cm, n=106) underwent 6-monthly CT scans.ResultsWe included 352 patients (333 men and 19 women) followed for a mean of 55.2±37.4 months (6.3–199.8). The mean growth rate was significantly greater in group II (4.72±5.93 vs. 2.07±3.23mm/year; p<0.0001). Group II had a greater percentage of patients with rapid aneurysm expansion (>4mm/year) (36.8 vs. 13.8%; p<0.0001). The classical cardiovascular risk factors did not influence the AAA growth rate in group I. Chronic limb ischemia was associated with slower expansion (≤4mm/year) (OR 0.47; CI 95% 0.22–0.99; p=0.045). Diabetic patients in group II had a significantly smaller mean AAA growth rate than non-diabetics (1.69±3.51 vs. 5.22±6.11mm/year; p=0.032).ConclusionsThe expansion rate of small AAA increases with the AAA size. AAA with a diameter of 3–3.9cm expand slowly, and they are very unlikely to require surgical repair in 5 years. Many 4–4.9cm AAA can be expected to reach a surgical size in the first 2 years of follow-up. Chronic limb ischemia and diabetes are associated with reduced aneurysm growth rates

Spatio-temporal dynamics of dengue 2009 outbreak in Córdoba city, Argentina.

During 2009 the biggest dengue epidemic to date occurred in Argentina, affecting almost half the country. We studied the spatio-temporal dynamics of the outbreak in the second most populated city of the country, Córdoba city. Confirmed cases and the results of an Aedes aegypti monitoring during the outbreak were geolocated. The imported cases began in January, and the autochthonous in March. Thirty-three percent of the 130 confirmed cases were imported, and occurred mainly at the center of the city. The autochthonous cases were more frequent in the outskirts, specially in the NE and SE. Aedes aegypti infestation showed no difference between neighborhoods with or without autochthonous cases, neither between neighborhoods with autochthonous vs. imported cases. The neighborhoods with imported cases presented higher population densities. The majority of autochthonous cases occurred at ages between 25 and 44 years old. Cases formed a spatio-temporal cluster of up to 20 days and 12 km. According to a athematical model that estimates the required number of days needed for transmission according to daily temperature, the number of cases begun to fall when more than 15.5 days were needed. This may be a coarse estimation of mean mosquito survival in the area, provided that the study area is close to the global distribution limit of the vector, and that cases prevalence was very low.Fil: Estallo, Elizabet Lilia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones Entomológicas de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Carbajo, Anibal Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental; ArgentinaFil: Grech, Marta Gladys. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Esquel. Departamento de Biología. Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Ecología y Sistemática Animal; ArgentinaFil: Frias Cespedes, M.. Ministerio de Salud de la Provincia de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Lopez, L.. Ministerio de Salud de la Provincia de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Lanfri, M. A.. Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales; ArgentinaFil: Ludueña Almeida, Francisco F.. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones Entomológicas de Córdoba; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Almiron, Walter Ricardo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones Entomológicas de Córdoba; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; Argentin

Spatiotemporal dynamics of dengue emergence in the city of Reconquista (Santa Fe, Argentina) and its relationship with meteorological and social variables

Dengue fever is an important zoonotic disease in inter-tropical areas worldwide. In the past decades, the dengue virus (DEN) has spread into sub-tropical and temperate regions, with greater incidence and increasingly frequent epidemic outbreaks. In Argentina, DEN is an epidemic disease initiated by imported cases from countries where viral circulation is permanent. Santa Fe is a province in central Argentina where dengue outbreaks have been recorded since 2009, and the city of Reconquista has been the most affected since then.Para acceder a la videoconferencia completa, hacer clic en "Enlace externo".Sociedad Latinoamericana de Ecología de Vectore

A decade of arbovirus emergence in the temperate southern cone of South America : dengue, Aedes aegypti and climate dynamics in Córdoba, Argentina

Background: Argentina is located at the southern temperate range of arboviral transmission by the mosquito Aedes aegypti and has experienced a rapid increase in disease transmission in recent years. Here we present findings from an entomological surveillance study that began in Córdoba, Argentina, following the emergence of dengue in 2009. Methods: From 2009 to 2017, larval surveys were conducted monthly, from November to May, in 600 randomly selected households distributed across the city. From 2009 to 2013, ovitraps (n = 177) were sampled weekly to monitor the oviposition activity of Ae. aegypti. We explored seasonal and interannual dynamics of entomological variables and dengue transmission. Cross correlation analysis was used to identify significant lag periods. Results: Aedes aegypti were detected over the entire study period, and abundance peaked during the summer months (January to March). We identified a considerable increase in the proportion of homes with juvenile Ae. aegypti over the study period (from 5.7% of homes in 2009-10 to 15.4% of homes in 2016-17). Aedes aegypti eggs per ovitrap and larval abundance were positively associated with temperature in the same month. Autochthonous dengue transmission peaked in April, following a peak in imported dengue cases in March; autochthonous dengue was not positively associated with vector or climate variables. Conclusions: This longitudinal study provides insights into the complex dynamics of arbovirus transmission and vector populations in a temperate region of arbovirus emergence. Our findings suggest that Córdoba is well suited for arbovirus disease transmission, given the stable and abundant vector populations. Further studies are needed to better understand the role of regional human movement.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Evaluación de células madre mesenquimales ovinas como modelos celulares in vitro de scrapie

Las células madre mesenquimales (MSCs) son células madre pluripotentes adultas caracterizadas por su capacidad de autorenovación y de diferenciación en células de origen mesodérmico (osteoblastos, adipocitos, condrocitos y miocitos). Estas células también son capaces de diferenciarse in vitro en células de origen neurogénico (Zeng et al., 2011; Alizadeh et al., 2019). Por otro lado, las MSCs expresan la proteína prión celular (PrPc) y las MSCs murinas procedentes de médula ósea (BM-MSCs) son capaces de infectarse con una cepa de Gerstmann-Sträussler-Schneiker previamente adaptada en ratón ex vivo y mantener la infectividad en pases sucesivos (Akimov et al., 2009). Nuestro grupo de investigación ha descrito la presencia de PrPC en MSCs ovinas derivadas de médula ósea (oBM-MSCs) tanto a nivel de transcripción como de proteína (Mediano et al., 2015). En ese mismo estudio, las oBM-MSCs derivadas de ovejas con scrapie mostraron un potencial de proliferación disminuido en comparación con las células obtenidas de ovejas sanas. Todos estos hallazgos, hacen de las MSCs unas buenas candidatas para el desarrollo de modelos in vitro de enfermedades priónicas. En este trabajo, presentamos el aislamiento de oBM- MSCs procedentes de ovejas con diferentes genotipos para el gen PRNP (ARQ/ARQ, ARQ/VRQ y VRQ/VRQ) y la evaluación de: su habilidad para diferenciarse en células madre neurales (NSCs), su capacidad para replicar el prion y su respuesta a la infección in vitro con priones

Self-determination theory as an explanation for the motivation of novice and expert ballet dancers

This research explored the motivation of novice and expert ballet dancers using the Self-Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 200). Its main objective was to learn and understand the different factors that motivate a dancer to dance. The researchers have interviewed a total of 20 respondents 10 novices, these are the enrolled student dancers and 10 experts, company members of a prestigious ballet company in the Philippines. The respondents answers undergone qualitative analysis which arrived at several themes under the three basic needs of the Self-Determination Theory. The results of the study are as follows: novice ballet dancers are motivated by autonomy and relatedness while expert ballet dancers are motivated by the three needs itself autonomy, competence and relatedness. Researchers have developed a revised framework based on the results they have gathered and analyzed