Baseline genotype testing to assess drug resistance before beginning HIV treatment

To the Edito

Genetic Characterization of Rubella Virus Strains Detected in Spain, 1998-2014

The National Plan for the Elimination of Rubella was implemented in Spain in 2008 using the logistics of the National Plan for the Elimination of Measles that have been employed since year 2000. Molecular characterization of rubella virus (RUBV) is important for disease surveillance and for monitoring elimination of the disease throughout the world. We describe the first complete series of data regarding the circulation of RUBV genotypes in Spain. The 739-nucleotide fragment designated by the WHO for RUBV genotyping was sequenced in 88 selected cases collected from 1998 to 2014. Five genotypes were identified: 1E, 2B, 1J, 1I, and 1a. Genotype 1E was predominant between 1998 and 2003 but was replaced by genotype 2B, which was detected in sporadic cases in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2014. There was an outbreak of genotype 2B in Algeciras (Andalusia) in 2008. Genotype 1J caused an outbreak in Madrid in 2004/2005 and sporadic cases in 2005 and 2007. Genotype 1I was found to have infected an immune-suppressed patient with neurological symptoms in 2008. Finally, vaccine strain RA 27/3 was detected in three sporadic cases, two of them immune-suppressed and without a recent history of vaccination. This suggests that during these years there were a series of imported sporadic cases and outbreaks, confirming the findings of epidemiological data analysis. The importation sources were generally consistent with our geographic and cultural ties, mainly with Europe (genotypes 1E, 2B, 1I) and Latin America (1J)

Desarrollo de una campaña gráfica con enfoque social que rescate la identidad cultural de la comunidad de la vereda El Rincón en Nariño basada en la investigación acción participativa. Experiencia de diseño participativo intergeneracional

Este proyecto de grado es una intervención social centrada en el diseño participativo y el desarrollo de una campaña gráfica para rescatar la identidad cultural de la comunidad de El Rincón. El enfoque metodológico se centró en la Investigación Acción Participativa, IAP, que mediante su aplicación, estructuró el proyecto a través de procesos de comunicación alternativa. Con esto se busca reavivar la cultura campesina en diferentes fases de auto-valoración con la definición de su problemática y sus posibles soluciones gráficas para la identidad de la comunidad del Corregimiento El Rincón, municipio El Rosario, Departamento de Nariño. Con la alfabetización visual como principal estrategia metodológica, se genera una retroalimentación simbólica de saberes, tradiciones y perspectivas ancestrales con los saberes académicos, que les permitiera durante el proceso participativo, reconocerse visualmente en el ámbito social e histórico como personas necesarias e importantes para el sostenimiento de las dinámicas agrícolas, protección de la tierra y revaloración del contexto rural circundante, destacando su valor humano y su papel incidente en el desarrollo de su comunidadProyecto de grado (Diseñador de la Comunicación Gráfica)-- Universidad Autónoma de Occidente, 2014PregradoDiseñador(a) de la Comunicación Gráfic

Evaluación del riesgo suicida y caracterización de factores asociados en estudiantes de medicina colombianos

Objetivo: Estimar la prevalencia de riesgo suicida en estudiantes de medicina colombianos y caracterizar factores de riesgo conocidos en dicha población. Metodología: Estudio  de tipo corte transversal, en estudiantes de medicina de diez universidades colombianas, el riesgo suicida se estimó con la escala de Plutchik. Se utilizó un cuestionario autoaplicado, realizando muestreo por conveniencia, el análisis estadístico se realizó con SPSS 5.0. Resultados: 243 sujetos, con edad entre 15-27 años, 64,5% eran mujeres, 16% cursaban internado; 3,3% tuvo autopercepción de mal rendimiento académico, 16% reportó antecedente personal y 23% antecedente familiar de enfermedad mental; 18,8% tenían consumo de licor mayor al social. La prevalencia general de riesgo suicida fue de 49.4%, se encontró asociación entre el riesgo suicida y el antecedente personal de enfermedad mental (p= 0,000; OR= 3,01 IC: 1,60-5,63) y la autopercepción de mal rendimiento académico (p= 0,001; OR= 2,32 IC: 2,008-2,696). Conclusión: Este estudio refuerza la necesidad de la búsqueda activa del riesgo suicida en estudiantes de medicina

Conformación de semilleros de investigación como estrategia para el fortalecimiento de actitudes pro-ambientales en el departamento del Huila

El presente trabajo de investigación pretende fortalecer actitudes pro ambientales en lacomunidad educativa de la Institución Educativa El Núcleo Escolar el Guadual delmunicipio de Rivera Huila, a través de la creación e implementación de semilleros deinvestigación como estrategia didáctica para solucionar problemáticas ambientaleslocales y regionales. Esta propuesta se realiza en el ámbito de la Licenciatura en CienciasNaturales: Física, Química y Biología de la Universidad Surcolombiana, acorde con lamisión institucional de formar licenciados con espíritu investigativo, quienes sean capacesde forjar en sus estudiantes un sentido de pertenencia con su entorno natural e incentivaren ellos, su compromiso con la formación de un mundo ambientalmente sostenible. Eldiseño metodológico utilizado para el desarrollo de la investigación es de enfoquecualitativo y según su enfoque se clasifica como descriptivo. Esta investigación permitecaracterizar al estudiante a través de sus emociones, concepciones, conductas y demásacciones humanas, y presentar una revisión de los antecedentes relacionados con elfenómeno del pensamiento científico desde la escuela y que contribuyen a la solución deproblemáticas ambientales locales. Como instrumentos de recolección de datos seaplicaron: cuestionarios validados por expertos, en estudiantes y entrevistassemiestructuradas tipo exploratorio, en padres de familia y docentes, con el fin de indagar sobre su concepción acerca de sus actitudes ambientales y sobre la importancia de laformación de semilleros

Primary malignant melanoma of the biliary tract: A case report and literature review

BACKGROUND: Primary malignant melanoma of the biliary tract (MBT) is a rare condition whose diagnosis requires excluding a primary origin in another location. This paper reviews the most important characteristics of MBT cases published in the literature and reports a new case. The patient reported here is the first case of primary malignant melanoma of the biliary tract with pulmonary metastasis treated with immunotherapy. This patient remains disease-free 36 mo after the treatment of metastatic lung lesions. CASE SUMMARY: A 51-year-old man was admitted to the gastrointestinal department to study obstructive jaundice of a 1 wk clinical course. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography revealed dilatation of the intrahepatic biliary tract and stenosis of the common hepatic duct. Given the suspicion of biliary tract neoplasia, cholecystectomy and resection of the common hepatic duct were performed with hepatic jejunostomy free of complications. Anatomo-pathological diagnosis was melanoma. After intervention, the patient was referred to the Department of Medical Oncology, where a primary origin was excluded in the skin, mucosa, and eyes. This confirmed diagnosis of primary biliary tract melanoma. Computed tomography was performed 12 mo after the procedure revealed several subcentimetric lung nodules. Wedge resection was performed. After confirming the diagnosis of pulmonary metastasis of primary melanoma of the biliary tract, the patient was started on immunotherapy with nivolumab. Tolerance to treatment was excellent. The patient remains disease-free 36 mo after the treatment of metastatic lung lesions. CONCLUSION: The patient reported here is the first case of primary malignant melanoma of the biliary tract with lung metastases successfully treated with immunotherapy

Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 virus circulation using Acute Respiratory Infections sentinel system of Catalonia (PIDIRAC) during the 2019-2020 season: A retrospective observational study

Background: In the context of COVID-19 pandemic in Catalonia (Spain), the present study analyses respiratory samples collected by the primary care network using Acute Respiratory Infections Sentinel Surveillance System (PIDIRAC) during the 2019-2020 season to complement the pandemic surveillance system in place to detect SARS-CoV-2. The aim of the study is to describe whether SARS-CoV-2 was circulating before the first confirmed case was detected in Catalonia, on February 25th, 2020. Methods: The study sample was made up of all samples collected by the PIDIRAC primary care network as part of the Influenza and Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) surveillance system activities. The study on respiratory virus included coronavirus using multiple RT-PCR assays. All positive samples for human coronavirus were subsequently typed for HKU1, OC43, NL63, 229E. Every respiratory sample was frozen at-80°C and retrospectively studied for SARS-CoV-2 detection. A descriptive study was performed, analysing significant differences among variables related to SARS-CoV- 2 cases comparing with rest of coronaviruses cases through a bivariate study with Chi-squared test and statistical significance at 95%. Results: Between October 2019 and April 2020, 878 respiratory samples from patients with acute respiratory infection or influenza syndrome obtained by PIDIRAC were analysed. 51.9% tested positive for influenza virus, 48.1% for other respiratory viruses. SARS-CoV-2 was present in 6 samples. The first positive SARS-CoV-2 case had symptom onset on 2 March 2020. These 6 cases were 3 men and 3 women, aged between 25 and 50 years old. 67% had risk factors, none had previous travel history nor presented viral coinfection. All of them recovered favourably. Conclusion: Sentinel Surveillance PIDIRAC enhances global epidemiological surveillance by allowing confirmation of viral circulation and describes the epidemiology of generalized community respiratory viruses' transmission in Catalonia. The system can provide an alert signal when identification of a virus is not achieved in order to take adequate preparedness measures

Non-Canonical WNT5A Signaling Through RYK Contributes to Aggressive Phenotype of the Rheumatoid Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes

We hypothesized that WNT5A could contribute to the enhanced migration and invasiveness of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA FLS), which is one of the incompletely understood aspects of the RA FLS aggressive phenotype. This hypothesis is based on the previous evidence of a WNT5A role in both, RA and cell migration. Migration and invasion of RA FLS were assessed after incubation with recombinant Wnt5a (rWnt5a) or silencing of the endogenous WNT5A expression. The expression of WNT5A, WNT receptors, cytokines, chemokines, and metalloproteinases was quantified with RT-PCR. The WNT pathway was explored with gene silencing, antibody and pharmacological inhibition followed by migration assays and phosphoprotein western blots. Here, we reported that rWnt5a promoted migration and invasion of RA FLS, whereas knockdown of the endogenous WNT5A reduced them. These effects were specific to the RA FLS since they were not observed in FLS from osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Also, rWnt5a induced the expression of IL6, IL8, CCL2, CXCL5, MMP1, MMP3, MMP9, and MMP13 from baseline or potentiating the TNF induction, WNT5A signaling required the RYK receptor and was mediated through the WNT/Ca(2+) and the ROCK pathway. These pathways involved the RYK and ROCK dependent activation of the p38, ERK, AKT, and GSK3beta kinases, but not the activation of JNK. Together these findings indicate that WNT5A contributes to the enhanced migration and invasiveness of RA FLS through RYK and the specific activation of ROCK and downstream kinases

Erratum: Evaluation of a new, rapid, simple test for the detection of influenza virus

Following publication of [1] it has come to our attention that there was an error in the authorship order and in Jordi Vila's name, which should be Jordi Vila and not Jordi Vila Estape. We would like to sincerely apologize for the error and any inconvenience caused