Lobomycosis in Man and Lobomycosis-like Disease in Bottlenose Dolphin, Venezuela

We report 1 case of lobomycosis caused by Lacazia loboi in a fisherman and 1 case of lobomycosis-like disease in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) along the coast of Venezuela. These findings suggest that the marine environment is a likely habitat for L. loboi and a reservoir for infection

Obtenção de compósito com matriz de acetato de celulose e partículas de prata para aplicações antimicrobianas

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo empregar resíduos agroindustriais, especificamente fibras celulósicasextraídas de talos de casca de banana, para a obtenção de acetato de celulose. Tal produto por sua vez, foiutilizado como matriz em um compósito antimicrobiano para uso em embalagens de alimentos, constituídode acetato de celulose e partículas de prata. As referidas partículas foram produzidas por meio de síntese hidrotérmicaassistida por micro-ondas a partir da redução do nitrato de prata, utilizando o citrato trisódico. Aspartículas de prata apresentaram um diâmetro médio de 433,6 nm. O compósito obtido foi caracterizado pormicroscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), testes de resistência à tração, análise termogravimétrica e espectroscopiano infravermelho por transformada de Fourrier (FTIR) e no UV-visível. Os resultados mostraramuma tensão de ruptura de aproximadamente 43 MPa, 25% maior que a apresentada por polímeros comerciaissem a adição de cargas. Além disto, obteve-se propriedades bactericidas com relação as bactérias Staphylococcusaureus e Escherichia coli, quando em contato direto com o filme formado pelo compósito.Palavras-chave: Fibras lignocelulósicas, celulose, compósito, atividade antimicrobiana, partículas de prata

Malaria in Southern Venezuela: The hottest hotspot in Latin America.

Malaria elimination in Latin America is becoming an elusive goal. Malaria cases reached a historical ~1 million in 2017 and 2018, with Venezuela contributing 53% and 51% of those cases, respectively. Historically, malaria incidence in southern Venezuela has accounted for most of the country's total number of cases. The efficient deployment of disease prevention measures and prediction of disease spread to new regions requires an in-depth understanding of spatial heterogeneity on malaria transmission dynamics. Herein, we characterized the spatial epidemiology of malaria in southern Venezuela from 2007 through 2017 and described the extent to which malaria distribution has changed country-wide over the recent years. We found that disease transmission was focal and more prevalent in the southeast region of southern Venezuela where two persistent hotspots of Plasmodium vivax (76%) and P. falciparum (18%) accounted for ~60% of the total number of cases. Such hotspots are linked to deforestation as a consequence of illegal gold mining activities. Incidence has increased nearly tenfold over the last decade, showing an explosive epidemic growth due to a significant lack of disease control programs. Our findings highlight the importance of spatially oriented interventions to contain the ongoing malaria epidemic in Venezuela. This work also provides baseline epidemiological data to assess cross-border malaria dynamics and advocates for innovative control efforts in the Latin American region

First wave of COVID-19 in Venezuela:Epidemiological, clinical, and paraclinical characteristics of first cases

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has particularly affected countries with weakened health services in Latin America, where proper patient management could be a critical step to address the epidemic. In this study, we aimed to characterize and identify which epidemiological, clinical, and paraclinical risk factors defined COVID-19 infection from the first confirmed cases through the first epidemic wave in Venezuela. A retrospective analysis of consecutive suspected cases of COVID-19 admitted to a sentinel hospital was carried out, including 576 patient cases subsequently confirmed for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Of these, 162 (28.1%) patients met the definition criteria for severe/critical disease, and 414 (71.2%) were classified as mild/moderate disease. The mean age was 47 (SD 16) years, the majority of which were men (59.5%), and the most frequent comorbidity was arterial hypertension (23.3%). The most common symptoms included fever (88.7%), headache (65.6%), and dry cough (63.9%). Severe/critical disease affected mostly older males with low schooling (p < 0.001). Similarly, higher levels of glycemia, urea, aminotransferases, total bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were observed in severe/critical disease patients compared to those with mild/moderate disease. Overall mortality was 7.6% (44/576), with 41.7% (28/68) dying in hospital. We identified risk factors related to COVID-19 infection, which could help healthcare providers take appropriate measures and prevent severe clinical outcomes. Our results suggest that the mortality registered by this disease in Venezuela during the first epidemic wave was underestimated. An increase in fatalities is expected to occur in the coming months unless measures that are more effective are implemented to mitigate the epidemic while the vaccination process is ongoing

Venezuela's humanitarian crisis, resurgence of vector-borne diseases, and implications for spillover in the region.

In the past 5-10 years, Venezuela has faced a severe economic crisis, precipitated by political instability and declining oil revenue. Public health provision has been affected particularly. In this Review, we assess the impact of Venezuela's health-care crisis on vector-borne diseases, and the spillover into neighbouring countries. Between 2000 and 2015, Venezuela witnessed a 359% increase in malaria cases, followed by a 71% increase in 2017 (411 586 cases) compared with 2016 (240 613). Neighbouring countries, such as Brazil, have reported an escalating trend of imported malaria cases from Venezuela, from 1538 in 2014 to 3129 in 2017. In Venezuela, active Chagas disease transmission has been reported, with seroprevalence in children (<10 years), estimated to be as high as 12·5% in one community tested (n=64). Dengue incidence increased by more than four times between 1990 and 2016. The estimated incidence of chikungunya during its epidemic peak is 6975 cases per 100 000 people and that of Zika virus is 2057 cases per 100 000 people. The re-emergence of many vector-borne diseases represents a public health crisis in Venezuela and has the possibility of severely undermining regional disease elimination efforts. National, regional, and global authorities must take action to address these worsening epidemics and prevent their expansion beyond Venezuelan borders

Cellulose and nanocellulose from marine biomass and New Zealand flax

Nonrenewable resources, such as petroleum, are finite, and as oil reserves are about to be depleted over the next century, alternatives based on renewable sources, like biomass, must be explored to replace petrochemicals. However, it is necessary to use alternative sources that will not compete with cropped areas. Thus, the present work explored the viability of biomasses (New Zealand flax and seaweed from the Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic regions) to obtain cellulosic material. Hence, the mentioned biomasses were ground and subjected to chemical and physical treatments (alkaline hydrolysis (NaOH 5% w/v), bleaching (NaClO2) and sonication) to obtain cellulosic material. The feasibility to converting cellulosic materials into nanocellulose through an acid hydrolysis and cellulose acetate by esterification reaction was also evaluated. The obtained materials were chemically characterized, according to Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry standards (Tappi), by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and by carbon 13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; physically characterized by zeta potential, thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry; morphologically characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electronics microscopy, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction and cell viability according to ISO 10.993-5. As result, cellulose nanofiber like-sponge morphology was produced from the algae Cystosphaera jacquinotti, without acid hydrolysis. The material being an excellent substrate for cell proliferation. Cellulosic material like-sponge morphology was produced from Anhfeltia plicata. In addition, New Zealand flax was an excellent source of cellulose, presenting a high yield and can be used to produce cellulose nanofibers, by acid hydrolysis and cellulose acetate by esterification.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul - FAPERGSCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPESRecursos não renováveis, como o petróleo, são finitos e tendo em vista que suas reservas estão por se esgotar ao longo do próximo século alternativas baseadas em fontes renováveis, como a biomassa, devem ser exploradas para substituir os petroquímicos. É preciso, no entanto, utilizar fontes alternativas que não venham a competir com áreas destinadas para a produção de alimentos. Nesse contexto, o presente trabalho explorou a viabilidade de biomassas (linho neozelandês e algas marinhas das regiões antárticas e subantártica) serem utilizadas para a obtenção de material celulósico. As diferentes biomassas foram moídas e submetidas a um conjunto de tratamentos químicos e físicos (hidrolise alcalina (NaOH 5% m/v), branqueamento (NaClO2) e sonicação) para a obtenção de material celulósico. Avaliou também a viabilidade de conversão desses materiais celulósicos em nanocelulose por meio de hidrólise ácida e acetato de celulose por meio de reação de esterificação, respectivamente. Os materiais obtidos foram caracterizados quimicamente, de acordo com as normas da Associação Técnica da Indústria de Papel e Polpa, por espectroscopia no infravermelho por transformada de Fourier e por espectroscopia por ressonância magnética nuclear de carbono 13, caracterizados fisicamente por potencial zeta, termogravimetria e calorimetria exploratória diferencial, caracterizados morfologicamente por microscopia ótica, eletrônica de varredura, eletrônica de varredura de alta resolução e eletrônica de transmissão, além de caracterizados por difração de raios-X e viabilidade celular de acordo com ISO 10.993-5. Como resultado, esponja de nanofibras de celulose foi produzida a partir da alga Cystosphaera jacquinotti sem autilização de hidrólise ácida, se mostrado também um excelente substrato para proliferação celular. Esponja celulósica foi obtida a partir da alga Anhfeltia plicata. Ademais, o linho neozelandês mostrou-se uma excelente fonte de celulose, com alto rendimento passível para a produção de nanofibras de celulose, por meio de hidrolise ácida, e acetato de celulose após sua esterificação

Concurrent Chagas&amp;rsquo; disease and borderline disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis: The role of amiodarone as an antitrypanosomatidae drug

Alberto E Paniz-Mondolfi1,4, Alexandra M P&amp;eacute;rez-&amp;Aacute;lvarez1, Oscar Reyes-Jaimes2, Gustavo Socorro1, Olga Zerpa3, Denisa Slova4, Juan L Concepci&amp;oacute;n51Laboratorio de Estudio de Ant&amp;iacute;genos, Instituto de Biomedicina, &amp;ldquo;Hospital Jos&amp;eacute; Greg&amp;oacute;rio Hern&amp;aacute;ndez&amp;rdquo;, Instituto Venezolano de los Seguros Sociales, Caracas, Venezuela; 2Departamento de Dermopatolog&amp;iacute;a, Instituto de Biomedicina, 3Secci&amp;oacute;n de Leishmaniasis, Instituto de Biomedicina, Caracas, Venezuela; 4Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, St. Luke&amp;rsquo;s &amp;ndash; Roosevelt - Beth Israel Medical Center, University Hospital of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, USA; 5Laboratorio de Enzimolog&amp;iacute;a de Par&amp;aacute;sitos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, M&amp;eacute;rida, VenezuelaAbstract: The occurrence of mixed infections of Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. is becoming a common feature in Central and South America due to overlapping endemic areas. Unfortunately, the possibilities for treating flagellated kinetoplastid infections are still very limited and most of the available drugs exhibit severe side effects. Although the development of new drugs for Leishmania has markedly improved in the last years, the tendency is still to employ antimonial compounds. On the other hand, treatment for Chagas&amp;rsquo; disease is only available for the acute phase with no effective therapeutical options for chronic stage disease. The following case report substantiates the recently discovered effect of amiodarone as a nonconventional antiparasitic drug, particularly against Leishmania, breaching a new perspective in the therapeutic management of these important infectious parasitic diseases.Keywords: Chagas&amp;rsquo; disease, leishmaniasis, chemotherapy, amiodaron

A Simple and Complete Supercapacitor Characterization System Using a Programmable Sourcemeter

The development of new materials and systems capable of storing energy efficiently with a fast power delivering has been the subject of several studies. Many techniques and instruments are used for the characterization of these systems. Some involve the use of electrochemical techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, while others use instruments specially developed for this purpose. In this study, we provide a simple and functional supercapacitor characterization system using a programmable sourcemeter with an embedded scripting language. For the validation of the system, commercial capacitors and supercapacitors devices based on activated carbon and manganese dioxide were used. In a few steps, the system is capable of efficiently determine the main parameters used in the characterization of supercapacitors, for instance, specific capacitance, specific energy density, specific power density and equivalent series resistance. From the data collected, the system can also determine the stability and performance of supercapacitors, which are fundamental parameters used in the development of new electrodes for energy storage devices. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17807/orbital.v11i2.1374 <br /