Coinfections and differential diagnosis in immunocompetent patients with uveitis of infectious origin

Background: Making a definite diagnosis of infectious uveitis is a challenging task because many other infectious, and non-infectious uveitis, may have similar non-specific symptoms and overlapping clinical appearances. Co-infections in immunocompetent patients are not frequently proved with traditional serologic-diagnostic tools. Methods: Descriptive transversal study, in a Uveitis Service of an Ophthalmology Reference Center, in Bogotá, Colombia, from July 2014 to February 2016. Aqueous humor (AH) and/or vitreous fluid, blood and serum samples were collected from consecutive patients suspected of having infectious uveitis. The diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) was confirmed by the Goldmann-Witmer coefficient (GWC) and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Differential diagnosis by PCR in AH was done for viral origin such as Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2), Varicella zoster virus (VZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Results: In 66 Colombian patients with uveitis of presumed infectious origin: 22 (33.3%) were confirmed as OT, 16 (24.2%) as undetermined OT, five (7.5%) as co-infections and 23 (34.8%) as other uveitis. Toxoplasma coinfection with M. tuberculosis was identified in one case by PCR and in four cases with HSV by GWC. The initial clinical diagnosis changed, after laboratory examination, in 21 cases (31.8%). Conclusions: Clinical diagnosis can be changed by laboratory examination in a significant proportion of cases of uveitis. Diagnosis of OT should combine the use of PCR and GWC to reach the maximum of confirmation of cases. The use of multiple laboratory methods is necessary to identify co-infections and viral infections that can mimic OT in immunocompetent patients. © 2019 The Author(s)

Honores y renuncias: la escultora argentina Lola Mora y la fuente de los debates

Lola Mora (1867-1936) fue la más halagada y discutida escultora argentina de\ud los últimos años del siglo XIX y comienzos del siglo XX. La prensa escrita de Buenos Aires\ud sigue el desarrollo de su carrera artística desde la llegada del viaje de estudios en 1900 y\ud la convierte en protagonista principal monopolizando así la atención de los cronistas. El tema\ud de este trabajo de investigación es una de sus obras más conocidas: la Fuente de las Nereidas\ud o denominada popularmente Fuente de Lola Mora, conjunto escultórico de mármol de Carrara\ud que se inaugura el 21 de mayo de 1903 en el Paseo de Julio. Esta investigación abordará\ud las cuestiones que se debatieron en torno a este conjunto escultórico en relación al\ud emplazamiento original en 1903, que lo transforma en un proceso particular ya que hasta\ud ese momento nunca se habían producido discusiones de tales características en torno a una\ud obra decorativa para la ciudad

Coinfections and differential diagnosis in immunocompetent patients with uveitis of infectious origin

Background: Making a definite diagnosis of infectious uveitis is a challenging task because many other infectious, and non-infectious uveitis, may have similar non-specific symptoms and overlapping clinical appearances. Co-infections in immunocompetent patients are not frequently proved with traditional serologic-diagnostic tools. Methods: Descriptive transversal study, in a Uveitis Service of an Ophthalmology Reference Center, in Bogotá, Colombia, from July 2014 to February 2016. Aqueous humor (AH) and/or vitreous fluid, blood and serum samples were collected from consecutive patients suspected of having infectious uveitis. The diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) was confirmed by the Goldmann-Witmer coefficient (GWC) and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Differential diagnosis by PCR in AH was done for viral origin such as Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2), Varicella zoster virus (VZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Results: In 66 Colombian patients with uveitis of presumed infectious origin: 22 (33.3%) were confirmed as OT, 16 (24.2%) as undetermined OT, five (7.5%) as co-infections and 23 (34.8%) as other uveitis. Toxoplasma coinfection with M. tuberculosis was identified in one case by PCR and in four cases with HSV by GWC. The initial clinical diagnosis changed, after laboratory examination, in 21 cases (31.8%). Conclusions: Clinical diagnosis can be changed by laboratory examination in a significant proportion of cases of uveitis. Diagnosis of OT should combine the use of PCR and GWC to reach the maximum of confirmation of cases. The use of multiple laboratory methods is necessary to identify co-infections and viral infections that can mimic OT in immunocompetent patients. © 2019 The Author(s)

Consensus document on acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) established by the Mexican Association of Hepatology

Acute-on chronic liver failure (ACLF) has been an intensively debated topic mainly due to the lack of a unified definition and diagnostic criteria. The growing number of publications describing the mechanisms of ACLF development, the progression of the disease, outcomes and treatment has contributed to a better understanding of the disease, however, it has also sparked the debate about this condition. As an attempt to provide medical professionals with a more uniform definition that could be applied to our population, the first Mexican consensus was performed by a panel of experts in the area of hepatology in Mexico. We used the most relevant and impactful publications along with the clinical and research experience of the consensus participants. The consensus was led by 4 coordinators who provided the most relevant bibliography by doing an exhaustive search on the topic. The entire bibliography was made available to the members of the consensus for consultation at any time during the process and six working groups were formed to develop the following sections: 1.- Generalities, definitions, and criteria, 2.- Pathophysiology of cirrhosis, 3.- Genetics in ACLF, 4.- Clinical manifestations, 5.- Liver transplantation in ACLF, 6.- Other treatments

Revista Divulgación Científica Universidad del Rosario No. 6

Esta publicación tiene la decidida intención de acercar la investigación que realiza la Universidad del Rosario de Bogotá, Colombia, a un gran número de lectores para mostrarles, desde el periodismo científico, el quehacer investigativo de la institución.This publication has the determined intention of bringing the research carried out by the Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá, Colombia, to a large number of readers to show them, from scientific journalism, the investigative work of the institution

Antología del pensamiento crítico ecuatoriano contemporáneo

Aunque la mayoría de textos reflexiona sobre el siglo XX, la historiografía ecuatoriana no está representada en esta antología. Existe un sesgo hacia trabajos más afines a las ciencias sociales y menos a las humanidades. Esta limitación surge fundamentalmente por el carácter propio de una antología que no permite seleccionar textos demasiado extensos y que además puedan leerse como ensayos por sí solos. El libro se ordena en cinco campos: la relación entre estructura y política; pueblo y populismos; etnicidad y nación; feminismos, cuerpos y diferencias y genealogías de la crítica social. Esperamos con esta antología ofrecer a los lectores una mirada de la producción de pensamiento crítico ecuatoriano que alimente los debates presentes sobre dominación y desigualdades sociales desde el estudio concreto de una realidad concreta como la ecuatoriana, y que permita a las nuevas generaciones debatir, construir y situar su trabajo dentro de la tradición intelectual de su país y de América Latina