Extra Pulmonary Tuberculosis: An Overview

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the bacterium that as a single agent is known to cause the infection with the most morbidity and mortality around the world. It is known to cause pulmonary infection in immunocompetent patient, but its dissemination outside the lungs has been linked to a high degree of cellular immunosuppression as seen in the advance stages of human immunodeficiency virus infection, and after chemotherapy. Despite extensive research, screening, education, and continuous efforts to try to eradicate and control the infection, tuberculosis is still one of the most prevalent infections throughout the world. Even the cases of extra pulmonary dissemination are seen to have increased. Extra pulmonary tuberculous dissemination has a very variable presentation that depends on the organ involved. The diagnosis is difficult and many times a long time passes between diagnosis and initial presentation. In this chapter, we will review how tuberculosis infection presents when the bacilli invades any tissue outside the pulmonary parenchyma, what the literature recommends for the proper work up and diagnosis, and general treatment for major organ system infection

Protection by Neuroglobin Expression in Brain Pathologies

Astrocytes play an important role in physiological, metabolic, and structural functions, and when impaired, they can be involved in various pathologies including Alzheimer, focal ischemic stroke, and traumatic brain injury. These disorders involve an imbalance in the blood flow and nutrients such as glucose and lactate, leading to biochemical and molecular changes that cause neuronal damage, which is followed by loss of cognitive and motor functions. Previous studies have shown that astrocytes are more resilient than neurons during brain insults as a consequence of their more effective antioxidant systems, transporters, and enzymes, which made them less susceptible to excitotoxicity. In addition, astrocytes synthesize and release different protective molecules for neurons, including neuroglobin, a member of the globin family of proteins. After brain injury, neuroglobin expression is induced in astrocytes. Since neuroglobin promotes neuronal survival, its increased expression in astrocytes after brain injury may represent an endogenous neuroprotective mechanism. Here, we review the role of neuroglobin in the central nervous system, its relationship with different pathologies, and the role of different factors that regulate its expression in astrocytes.GB’s work is supported by Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.Peer reviewedPeer Reviewe

Modelación y calibración de la intersección ubicada entre las carreras 23 y 21 con las calles 45 y 48 en la ciudad de Bucaramanga

Los modelos de micro simulación de tránsito permiten obtener un panorama del estado del tráfico, de la forma como están operando las vías y del control de las señales en las intersecciones. En caso de que las vías presenten un bajo nivel de servicio o flujo de tráfico interrumpido, puede ser necesario modelar diversas soluciones viales, de forma que se logre aplicar técnicas que conlleven a la mitigación de las problemáticas presentes en la intersección y se determine la eficiencia de la solución propuesta y la viabilidad de su aplicación en la zona de estudio. En el presente artículo se presenta la modelación de la intersección ubicada entre las carreras 23 y 21 con calles 45 y 48 en la ciudad de Bucaramanga, para la cual se genera un modelo de micro simulación calibrado con el fin de representar la situación actual de la intersección. Finalmente, se presentan los resultados arrojados por la simulación en términos de velocidad, demoras y nivel de servicio de las diferentes vías que componen la intersección

Estimation of the Maximum Sustainable Yield and the Optimal Fishing Effort of the Blue Crab (<em>Callinectes sapidus</em>, Rathbun 1896) of Laguna Madre, Tamaulipas, Mexico

The fishery of the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) in Laguna Madre (LM), Tamaulipas, Mexico, with an average annual catch of 3307 tons, is of great importance economically and socially. The objective of this research was to estimate the carrying capacity (K), the catchability coefficient (q), the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) (tons), and the optimal fishing effort (fMSY) (traps). For this, a time series from 1998 to 2012 was used for the catch and number. The Fox (1970) and Schaefer (1954) models included in A Surplus-Production Model Incorporating Covariates (ASPIC) software were employed for this study. A set of statistical variability estimators and the Akaike?s, Bayesian, and Hannan-Quinn information criteria were used for the selection of models. The results obtained by the fox model were K = 54,000, q = 0.00008798, MSY = 2567 and fMSY = 146,900 traps, whereas for the Schaefer model, the results were K = 28,370, q = 0.00002425, MSY = 2008, and fMSY = 58,390. The model with the best adjustment was that of Schaefer. It is concluded that the fishing resource has been overexploited during the period 2003–2011, with an average annual surplus of 670 tons and 25,000 traps. It is recommended to consider the MSY and fMSY values of the Schaefer model for the National Fishing Charter (NFC)

Diseño del programa de protección contra caídas para el arme y desarme de andamios multidireccionales tipo roseta para el sector de la construcción

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Chiral symmetry restoration and the critical end point in QCD

Abstract: In a system of quark matter we study the chiralphasetransition,thebehaviorofthechiralandquark number susceptibility and the CEP at finite temperature andchemicalpotential.Thisisdonewithintheframework oftwo-flavorNambuandJona-Lasiniomodel.Wehavecalculatedthechiralquarkcondensateandthequarknumber densityand,withthis,wehavefoundthephasetransition type.Withthesequantitieswehavedeterminedthephase diagramforQCDandtheCEP. Keywords:chiralphasetransition,criticalendpoint,dynamicalmass,criticalbehavior,dynamicalchiralsymmetrybreakin

Long-Term Follow-Up of Children Treated With Peginterferon and Ribavirin for Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Objectives: The aim of the study was to describe the 5-year follow-up of children who received peginterferon and ribavirin in a global, open-label study. Methods: A 5-year follow-up study of 107 children and adolescents ages 3 to 17 years with chronic hepatitis C virus infection who received peginterferon and ribavirin for 24 or 48 weeks. No drugs were administered during follow-up. Results: Ninety-four patients were enrolled in the long-term follow-up portion of the study;the median duration of follow-up was 287 weeks (range, 73-339). Of 63 patients with sustained virologic response who were enrolled, 54 completed 5 years of follow-up;none had relapse in the 5-year follow-up period. Significant decreases in height z scores were observed during treatment. The effect of treatment on height z score was larger in patients treated for 48 weeks compared with those treated for 24 weeks (mean change from baseline to the end of treatment was -0.13 [P < 0.001] and -0.44 [P < 0.001] in the 247 and 48-week treatment groups, respectively). Among patients treated for 24 weeks, full recovery of height z scores to baseline was observed by 1 year of follow-up, whereas only partial recovery was observed during 5 years of follow-up in patients treated for 48 weeks (mean change from baseline to the final follow-up visit was -0.16 (P=NS) and 0.32 (P < 0.05) in the 24- and 48-week treatment groups, respectively). Similar patterns were observed for weight and body mass index z scores. Conclusions: Impairment of growth should be considered when assessing the risk-benefit profile of peginterferon/ribavirin therapy in children with hepatitis C virus infection. In deciding to treat children with chronic hepatitis C virus, considerations should include both deferring treatment in patients during optimal growth periods, and the possibility that interferon free regimens may be available to children in the next 5 to 10 years