Calidad del agua para los ríos alto andinos, mediante indicadores biológicos

El embalse La Mica entró en operación en el año 2002, a partir de ese año se han venido realizando monitoreos de la calidad del agua, tanto en el centro del embalse como en sus captaciones y ríos tributarios, para determinar la calidad del agua, su estado trófico y el tipo de tratamiento que se debe realizar, para que el agua sea apto para el consumo humano El monitoreo consiste en la toma de muestras de agua para el análisis físico-químico y bacteriológico, tanto In Situ como en el laboratorio de Control de Calidad del Agua de la empresa, ubicado en el Parque Metropolitano de Quito. Este monitoreo se lo ha venido realizando cada tres meses, sin tomar en cuenta otros tipos de indicadores para determinar la calidad del agua, como el uso de bioindicadores o indicadores biológicos. En éste caso se propuso utilizar como bioindicadores a los macro invertebrados, por ser fáciles de muestrear, tener ciclos biológicos cortos, fácil de identificar hasta nivel de familias y permiten observar de manera indirecta, el estado ambiental del agua lo cual permite predecir las condiciones el agua del embalse en un futuro. El monitoreo se realizó en los tres ríos tributarios que abastecen de agua al embalse, río Sarpache, río Moyas y río Alambrado. Se realizaron tres muestreos, en doce estaciones del río Sarpache, nueve estaciones en el río Moyas y nueve estaciones en el río Alambrado. Para determinar la calidad del agua de los ríos mediante la identificación de macrobentos, se emplearon tres tipos de índices bióticos, que han sido usados para determinar la calidad del agua en ríos de altura. Los índices utilizados fueron IBF (Índice Biótico de Familias), EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera) y el BMWP (Biological Monitoring Working Party), y el ABI (Andean Biotic Index). Si bien no podemos concluir tácitamente sobre las condiciones del agua en los tributarios, debido a los pocos monitoreos, y sin tener datos anteriores para realizar comparaciones, se puede observar que la calidad del agua no es muy buena en los ríos Alambrado y Moyas, esto se puede deber a una contaminación de tipo orgánica, debido a la presencia de materia orgánica en los suelos de la cuenca de drenaje

Exploiting Fluorescent Reporter Molecules for Process Analytical Technology (PAT): FH – HES

Process Analytical Technology (PAT) launched by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) aims to ensure the quality of pharmaceutical products. One important tool to obtain a deeper process understanding is the use of modern real-time process sensors and analyzers. In this context an industrially accepted optical probe for turbidity measurement (Aquasant probe) has been adapted for on-line and real-time fluorescence measurement in (bio-)reactors. By tagging product proteins with fluorescent reporter molecules (e.g. GFP) it was possible to quantify product concentrations during a fermentation process with the new probe. The on-line obtained signal showed a high correlation to the off-line signal. This new method has remarkable advantages compared to classical off-line product lab analyses and can serve as a platform-independent quantification method of products to be used in either up- or downstream processing

Ribavirin Concentrations Do Not Predict Sustained Virological Response in HIV/HCV-Coinfected Patients Treated with Ribavirin and Pegylated Interferon in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Ribavirin (RBV) is an essential component of most current hepatitis C (HCV) treatment regimens and still standard of care in the combination with pegylated interferon (pegIFN) to treat chronic HCV in resource limited settings. Study results in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients are contradicting as to whether RBV concentration correlates with sustained virological response (SVR). METHODS: We included 262 HCV treatment naïve HIV/HCV-coinfected Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) participants treated with RBV and pegIFN between 01.01.2001-01.01.2010, 134 with HCV genotype (GT) 1/4, and 128 with GT 2/3 infections. RBV levels were measured retrospectively in stored plasma samples obtained between HCV treatment week 4 and end of therapy. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between RBV concentration and SVR in GT 1/4 and GT 2/3 infections. The analyses were repeated stratified by treatment phase (week 4-12, 13-24, >24) and IL28B genotype (CC versus CT/TT). RESULTS: SVR rates were 35.1% in GT 1/4 and 70.3% in GT 2/3 infections. Overall, median RBV concentration was 2.0 mg/L in GT 1/4, and 1.9 mg/L in GT 2/3, and did not change significantly across treatment phases. Patients with SVR had similar RBV concentrations compared to patients without SVR in both HCV genotype groups. SVR was not associated with RBV levels ≥2.0 mg/L (GT 1/4, OR 1.19 [0.5-2.86]; GT 2/3, 1.94 [0.78-4.80]) and ≥2.5 mg/L (GT 1/4, 1.56 [0.64-3.84]; GT 2/3 2.72 [0.85-8.73]), regardless of treatment phase, and IL28B genotype. CONCLUSION: In HIV/HCV-coinfected patients treated with pegIFN/RBV, therapeutic drug monitoring of RBV concentrations does not enhance the chance of HCV cure, regardless of HCV genotype, treatment phase and IL28B genotype

Time to Switch to Second-line Antiretroviral Therapy in Children With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Europe and Thailand.

Background: Data on durability of first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) in children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are limited. We assessed time to switch to second-line therapy in 16 European countries and Thailand. Methods: Children aged <18 years initiating combination ART (≥2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors [NRTIs] plus nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor [NNRTI] or boosted protease inhibitor [PI]) were included. Switch to second-line was defined as (i) change across drug class (PI to NNRTI or vice versa) or within PI class plus change of ≥1 NRTI; (ii) change from single to dual PI; or (iii) addition of a new drug class. Cumulative incidence of switch was calculated with death and loss to follow-up as competing risks. Results: Of 3668 children included, median age at ART initiation was 6.1 (interquartile range (IQR), 1.7-10.5) years. Initial regimens were 32% PI based, 34% nevirapine (NVP) based, and 33% efavirenz based. Median duration of follow-up was 5.4 (IQR, 2.9-8.3) years. Cumulative incidence of switch at 5 years was 21% (95% confidence interval, 20%-23%), with significant regional variations. Median time to switch was 30 (IQR, 16-58) months; two-thirds of switches were related to treatment failure. In multivariable analysis, older age, severe immunosuppression and higher viral load (VL) at ART start, and NVP-based initial regimens were associated with increased risk of switch. Conclusions: One in 5 children switched to a second-line regimen by 5 years of ART, with two-thirds failure related. Advanced HIV, older age, and NVP-based regimens were associated with increased risk of switch

Patient flowchart.

<p>Patient flowchart.</p

Ribavirin plasma concentration overall and in different treatment phases.

<p><u>Abbreviations</u>: GT, genotype; IQR, interquartile range; RBV, ribavirin.</p><p>Ribavirin plasma concentration overall and in different treatment phases.</p

Children and young people with perinatal HIV in Europe: epidemiological situation in 2014 and implications for the future

Accurate ascertainment of the number of children living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is important to plan paediatric and adolescent health services. In Europe, the first generation of perinatally HIV-infected survivors are transferring to adult care and their health needs are unknown. We undertook an online survey of HIV cohort studies participating in the EuroCoord Network of Excellence to ascertain the number of perinatally HIV-infected (pHIV) patients included, to compare it with those published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) and to assess the ability of countries to follow up pHIV patients after transfer to adult care. At the end of 2013, 16 countries in EuroCoord reported 8,229 pHIV patients in follow-up in cohorts, compared with 5,160 cumulative diagnoses reported by the ECDC in the same area. Follow-up of pHIV patients after transfer to adult care varied. It is likely that the number of diagnoses of perinatal HIV reported to ECDC is an underestimate, although this varies by country. Further work is needed to refine estimates and encourage follow-up in adult HIV cohorts to investigate long-term outcomes and improve the care of the next generation of children with HIV

Comparison of ribavirin concentrations between HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with and without sustained virological response (SVR), stratified by HCV genotype and treatment phase.

<p>Abbreviations: SVR, sustained virological response; 0, no SVR; 1, SVR.</p

Patient flowchart.

<p>Patient flowchart.</p