Determinación bacteriológica de la calidad del agua para consumo humano obtenida de filtros ubicados dentro del campus central de la Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala

El agua apta para el consumo humano o lo que se conoce como “agua potable”, es aquella que según sus características organolépticas, físicas, químicas y bacteriológicas, no representa un riesgo para la salud del consumidor. El presente estudio se basó en la determinación de la calidad del agua extraída de 21 filtros de ozono y de capas de las Facultades de Agronomía, Arquitectura, Ciencias Químicas y Farmacia, Económicas, Ingeniería y Odontología; Escuela de Historia y de Trabajo Social; Gimnasio Universitario y del Centro de Estudios del Mar (CEMA); ubicados dentro del campus central de la Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala con el objetivo de determinar sí el agua extraída de los mismos es apta para el consumo humano. Se colectaron y evaluaron las muestras para determinar la cantidad de coliformes totales y fecales por el método del Numero Más Probable (NMP) así como evidenciar la presencia de Escherichia coli (E. coli) según criterios establecidos por la norma Comisión Guatemalteca de Normas, Norma Técnica Guatemalteca [COGUANOR NTG 29001], 2010. Bacteriological determination of the quality of drinking water obtained from filters located in the central campus of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala. Abstract “Purified water” is described as having organoleptic, physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics that does not represent any risk for human health. The present study was based in the determination of water quality from 21 ozone and sedimentation water filters form the Faculties of Agronomy, Architecture, Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Economic Sciences, Enginery and Odontology; The School of History, Social Work; The University Gym and The Center of Sea Studies (CEMA) (Spanish acronyms); located in the central campus of Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala. The main purpose of the study to determine if the water samples extracted from the filters a qualified for human intake. This evaluation is based on the quantity of total and fecal coliforms according to the most probable number method (MPN) and the presence of Escherichia coli (E. coli), both evaluated under [COGUANOR NTG 29001],2010 standards

Problems in obtaining precise and accurate Sr isotope analysis from geological materials using laser ablation MC-ICPMS

This paper reviews the problems encountered in eleven studies of Sr isotope analysis using laser ablation multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICPMS) in the period 1995–2006. This technique has been shown to have great potential, but the accuracy and precision are limited by: (1) large instrumental mass discrimination, (2) laser-induced isotopic and elemental fractionations and (3) molecular interferences. The most important isobaric interferences are Kr and Rb, whereas Ca dimer/argides and doubly charged rare earth elements (REE) are limited to sample materials which contain substantial amounts of these elements. With modern laser (193 nm) and MC-ICPMS equipment, minerals with >500 ppm Sr content can be analysed with a precision of better than 100 ppm and a spatial resolution (spot size) of approximately 100 μm. The LA MC-ICPMS analysis of 87Sr/86Sr of both carbonate material and plagioclase is successful in all reported studies, although the higher 84Sr/86Sr ratios do suggest in some cases an influence of Ca dimer and/or argides. High Rb/Sr (>0.01) materials have been successfully analysed by carefully measuring the 85Rb/87Rb in standard material and by applying the standard-sample bracketing method for accurate Rb corrections. However, published LA-MC-ICPMS data on clinopyroxene, apatite and sphene records differences when compared with 87Sr/86Sr measured by thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS) and solution MC-ICPMS. This suggests that further studies are required to ensure that the most optimal correction methods are applied for all isobaric interferences

Risk Factors for and Clinical Outcome of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection in a Peri-Urban West-African Birth Cohort

BACKGROUND: Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most prevalent congenital infection worldwide. Epidemiology and clinical outcomes are known to vary with socio-economic background, but few data are available from developing countries, where the overall burden of infectious diseases is frequently high. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: As part of an ongoing birth cohort study in The Gambia among term infants, urine samples were collected at birth and tested by PCR for the presence of CMV DNA. Risk factors for transmission and clinical outcome were assessed, including placental malaria infection. Babies were followed up at home monthly for morbidity and anthropometry, and at one year of age a clinical evaluation was performed. The prevalence of congenital CMV infection was 5.4% (40/741). A higher prevalence of hepatomegaly was the only significant clinical difference at birth. Congenitally infected children were more often first born babies (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 5.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.0-13.7), more frequently born in crowded compounds (adjusted OR 2.9, 95%CI 1.0-8.3) and active placental malaria was more prevalent (adjusted OR 2.9, 95%CI 1.0-8.4). These associations were corrected for maternal age, bed net use and season of birth. During the first year of follow up, mothers of congenitally infected children reported more health complaints for their child. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In this study, the prevalence of congenital CMV among healthy neonates was much higher than previously reported in industrialised countries, and was associated with active placental malaria infection. There were no obvious clinical implications during the first year of life. The effect of early life CMV on the developing infant in the Gambia could be mitigated by environmental factors, such as the high burden of other infections.Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Placental Malaria is associated with reduced early life weight development of affected children independent of low birth weight

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Infection with <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>during pregnancy contributes substantially to the disease burden in both mothers and offspring. Placental malaria may lead to intrauterine growth restriction or preterm delivery resulting in low birth weight (LBW), which, in general, is associated with increased infant morbidity and mortality. However, little is known about the possible direct impact of the specific disease processes occurring in PM on longer term outcomes such as subsequent retarded growth development independent of LBW.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In an existing West-African cohort, 783 healthy infants with a birth weight of at least 2,000 g were followed up during their first year of life. The aim of the study was to investigate if <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>infection of the placenta, assessed by placental histology, has an impact on several anthropometric parameters, measured at birth and after three, six and 12 months using generalized estimating equations models adjusting for moderate low birth weight.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Independent of LBW, first to third born infants who were exposed to either past, chronic or acute placental malaria during pregnancy had significantly lower weight-for-age (-0.43, 95% CI: -0.80;-0.07), weight-for-length (-0.47, 95% CI: -0.84; -0.10) and BMI-for-age z-scores (-0.57, 95% CI: -0.84; -0.10) compared to infants born to mothers who were not diagnosed with placental malaria (p = 0.019, 0.013, and 0.012, respectively). Interestingly, the longitudinal data on histology-based diagnosis of PM also document a sharp decline of PM prevalence in the Sukuta cohort from 16.5% in 2002 to 5.4% in 2004.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>It was demonstrated that PM has a negative impact on the infant's subsequent weight development that is independent of LBW, suggesting that the longer term effects of PM have been underestimated, even in areas where malaria transmission is declining.</p

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells in B cell malignancies

Tumor cells use several mechanisms such as soluble immune modulators or suppressive immune cells to evade from anti-tumor responses. Immunomodulatory cytokines, such as transforming growth factor-beta, interleukin (IL)-10, and IL-35, soluble factors, such as adenosine, immunosuppressive cells, such as regulatory T cells, NKT cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), are the main orchestra leaders involved in immune suppression in cancer by which tumor cells can freely expand without immune cell-mediated interference. Among them, MDSCs have attracted much attention as they represent a heterogenous population derived from myeloid progenitors that are expanded in tumor condition and can also shift toward other myeloid cells, such as macrophages and dendritic cells, after tumor clearing. MDSCs exert their immunosuppressive effects through various immune and non-immune mechanisms which make them as potent tumor-promoting cells. Although, there are several studies regarding the immunobiology of MDSCs in different solid tumors, little is known about the precise characteristics of these cells in hematological malignancies, particularly B cell malignancies. In this review, we tried to clarify the precise role of MDSCs in B cell-derived malignancies