Tele-entomology and tele-parasitology: A citizen science-based approach for surveillance and control of Chagas disease in Venezuela.

Chagas Disease (CD), a chronic infection caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite, is a Neglected Tropical Disease endemic to Latin America. With a re-emergence in Venezuela during the past two decades, the spread of CD has proved susceptible to, and inhibitable by a digital, real-time surveillance system effectuated by Citizen Scientists in communities throughout the country. The #TraeTuChipo (#BringYourKissingBug) campaign implemented in January 2020, has served as such a strategy counting on community engagement to define the current ecological distribution of CD vectors despite the absence of a functional national surveillance program. This pilot campaign collected data through online surveys, social media platforms, and/or telephone text messages. A total of 79 triatomine bugs were reported from eighteen Venezuelan states; 67 bugs were identified as Panstrongylus geniculatus, 1 as Rhodnius pictipes, 1 as Triatoma dimidiata, and 10 as Triatoma maculata. We analyzed 8 triatomine feces samples spotted from 4 Panstrongylus geniculatus which were confirmed positive by qPCR for T. cruzi. Further molecular characterization of discrete typing units (DTUs), revealed that all samples contained TcI, the most highly diverse and broadly distributed strain of T. cruzi. Moreover, analysis of the mitochondrial 12S gene revealed Myotis keaysi, Homo sapiens, and Gallus gallus as the main triatomine feeding sources. This study highlights a novel Citizen Science approach which may help improve the surveillance systems for CD in endemic countries

Understanding the potential impact of different drug properties on SARS-CoV-2 transmission and disease burden : a modelling analysis

Q1Q1Background The unprecedented public health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has motivated a rapid search for potential therapeutics, with some key successes. However, the potential impact of different treatments, and consequently research and procurement priorities, have not been clear. Methods and Findings develop a mathematical model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, COVID-19 disease and clinical care to explore the potential public-health impact of a range of different potential therapeutics, under a range of different scenarios varying: i) healthcare capacity, ii) epidemic trajectories; and iii) drug efficacy in the absence of supportive care. In each case, the outcome of interest was the number of COVID-19 deaths averted in scenarios with the therapeutic compared to scenarios without. We find the impact of drugs like dexamethasone (which are delivered to the most critically-ill in hospital and whose therapeutic benefit is expected to depend on the availability of supportive care such as oxygen and mechanical ventilation) is likely to be limited in settings where healthcare capacity is lowest or where uncontrolled epidemics result in hospitals being overwhelmed. As such, it may avert 22% of deaths in highincome countries but only 8% in low-income countries (assuming R=1.35). Therapeutics for different patient populations (those not in hospital, early in the course of infection) and types of benefit (reducing disease severity or infectiousness, preventing hospitalisation) could have much greater benefits, particularly in resource-poor settings facing large epidemics. Conclusions There is a global asymmetry in who is likely to benefit from advances in the treatment of COVID-19 to date, which have been focussed on hospitalised-patients and predicated on an assumption of adequate access to supportive care. Therapeutics that can feasibly be delivered to those earlier in the course of infection that reduce the need for healthcare or reduce infectiousness could have significant impact, and research into their efficacy and means of delivery should be a priorityRevista Internacional - Indexad

Evaluación en época seca de ecosistemas acuáticos y terrestres: componentes de vegetación y faunación. Sector Centro Administrativo PNN El Tuparro (Cumaribo, Vichada)

La asignatura Ecología Regional Continental tiene como objetivo el análisis de los procesos ecológicos a escala de paisaje y bioma. A lo largo de su existencia dentro del programa curricular de Biología de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia se han realizado distintos estudios ecológicos en distintas regiones del país, ampliando cada vez más el conocimiento de los estudiantes que toman la asignatura y aportando al conocimiento de zonas poco estudiadas. Durante los últimos periodos, la fase de campo se ha realizado en zonas pertenecientes al Sistema de Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia. Es así como se realizó un estudio preliminar durante el segundo semestre de 2010 en el PNN Cueva de Los Guacharos en el departamento del Huila, cumpliendo con el objetivo de una evaluación ecológica rápida a nivel de vegetación y limnología de manera dirigida, además de proyectos de distintos temas sobre aspectos ecológicos de la región. Para este periodo, primer semestre de 2011, la fase de campo se desarrolló en el PNN El Tuparro, ubicado en el departamento del Vichada y se incluyó adicionalmente el componente de faunación. Esta zona del país es poco conocida dado su difícil acceso, por lo que la información obtenida es de gran valor

Inter-acciones: apuestas regionales de la investigación en comunicación

Transformación social, desarrollo y gestión de la comunicación en investigación; Educación y comunicación en procesos de transformación cultural; y Medios, convergencia y cibercultura. Además, responde a la pregunta: ¿qué líneas aborda la investigación en Comunicación Social desde la modalidad virtual y a distancia de UNIMINUTO? Lo anterior, con el objetivo de acoplar la investigación básica y aplicada desde el nivel de pregrado, en atención a los retos que afronta la formación del nuevo comunicador social con respecto al componente de investigación e innovación desde los semilleros de investigación; además, en consideración a que los semilleros son un espacio institucional para el fomento de la cultura investigativa institucional y de programas, propiciar la interacción entre la comunidad académica con miras al fortalecimiento de la excelencia académica, el desarrollo social y el progreso científico de la comunidad, así como la generación de la capacidad de trabajo en grupo, la interdisciplinariedad y el establecimiento de redes de investigación

Resultados Semilleros de Investigación 2009-2010

La publicación recoge los doce informes finales de investigación presentados por los estudiantes de ocho Semilleros 1 y cuatro Semilleros 2, correspondientes a la convocatoria 2009–2010 y se constituye en el Número 25 de la Serie de Investigaciones en Construcción, si bien este es el primer Número publicado en formato digital que UNIJUS se permite poner a disposición no sólo de la comunidad universitaria, sino también de la sociedad colombiana e internacional, interesada en los temas estudiados por los jóvenes investigadores de la Facultad de Derecho, Ciencias Políticas y Sociales de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Malaria en tiempos de la COVID-19 en Venezuela: una sindemia incomprendida

El impacto de la enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19, por sus siglas en ingl&eacute;s) en el mundo no tiene precedentes, afectando particularmente a los pa&iacute;ses de ingreso bajo y mediano bajo con sistemas de salud debilitados, inestabilidad econ&oacute;mica y pol&iacute;tica, crisis humanitarias y profundas desigualdades sociales. Hasta el 31 de marzo de 2022 se hab&iacute;an reportado 520.304 casos y 5.681 muertes por la COVID-19 en Venezuela, unas de las cifras m&aacute;s bajas reportadas en la regi&oacute;n. Sin embargo, estos datos probablemente no reflejan el comportamiento epidemiol&oacute;gico real de la pandemia en el pa&iacute;s, donde se estima que el subregistro es entre 5 y 7 veces mayor a lo reportado oficialmente debido sobre todo a la centralizaci&oacute;n diagn&oacute;stica &mdash;muestras de todo el pa&iacute;s son procesadas por un solo centro&mdash; y a la limitada capacidad t&eacute;cnica y de recurso humano disponibles para afrontar tanto los brotes epid&eacute;micos como la vigilancia epidemiol&oacute;gica durante toda la pandemia, entre otros factores, lo que ha llevado incluso a la recolecci&oacute;n de estad&iacute;sticas &laquo;paralelas&raquo; por parte del personal de salud

Statins as Modulators of Regulatory T-Cell Biology

Statins are pharmacological inhibitors of the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), an enzyme responsible for the synthesis of cholesterol. Some recent experimental studies have shown that besides their effects on the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases, statins may also have beneficial anti-inflammatory effects through diverse mechanisms. On the other hand, the induction and activity of regulatory T cells (Treg) are key processes in the prevention of pathology during chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Hence, strategies oriented towards the therapeutic expansion of Tregs are gaining special attention among biomedical researchers. The potential effects of statins on the biology of Treg are of particular importance because of their eventual application as in vivo inducers of Treg in the treatment of multiple conditions. In this paper we review the experimental evidence pointing out to a potential effect of statins on the role of regulatory T cells in different conditions and discuss its potential clinical significance

A time-series analysis of morbidity and mortality of viral hepatitis in Venezuela, 1990–2016

Abstract Background Viral hepatitis (VH) is a leading contributor to morbidity and mortality worldwide, constituting a public health problem associated with the level of human development. In recent years, Venezuela has experienced a political, social, and economic crisis and has been impacted by natural disasters that have led to the deterioration of sanitary and health infrastructures modifying the determinants of VH. Despite epidemiological studies conducted in specific regions of the country or populations, the national epidemiological behaviour of VH remains unclear. Methods This is a time series study involving records of morbidity and mortality by VH in Venezuela reported during the period from 1990 to 2016. The Venezuelan population was taken as the denominator of the morbidity and mortality rates, according to the Venezuelan National Institute of Statistics and the 2016 population projections from the latest census published on the website of the responsible Venezuelan agency. Results During the study period, 630,502 cases and 4,679 deaths from VH in Venezuela were analysed. Most of the cases (n = 457,278; 72.6%) were classified as unspecific VH (UVH). The deaths were mainly attributed to VHB (n = 1,532; 32.7%), UVH (n = 1,287; 27.5%), and sequelae of VH (n = 977; 20.8%). The mean rates of cases and deaths from VH in the country were 95 ± 40.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and 0.7 ± 0.1 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively, showing a large dispersion that is evident from the calculation of the coefficients of variation. There was document a strong correlation between UVH and VHA cases (0.78, p < 0.01) morbidity rates. VHB mortality rate was very strongly correlated with sequelae of VH (–0.9, p < 0.01). Conclusions VH is a major burden of morbidity and mortality in Venezuela with an endemic-epidemic trend and an intermediate prevalence for VHA, VHB, and VHC. Epidemiological information is not published in a timely manner and diagnostic tests are insufficient in primary health services. There is an urgent need to resume epidemiological surveillance of VH and to optimise the classification system for a better understanding of UVH cases and deaths due to sequelae of VHB and VHC