Especies de Lutzomyia (Diptera: Psychodidae) posibles vectores de leishmaniasis en la ciudad de Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia

One hundred and twenty five urban cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis have been reported within the city of Bucaramanga in the last five years. This study was carried out to determine the species of Lutzomyia present in the city and their role in public health. The search for sand flies was carried out in eight of the city's zones, from September to December 1996, using CDC light traps and direct aspiration in resting cites and on protected human bait. 212 specimens from eleven Lutzomyia species and one species of Brumptomyia were collected. Amongst the anthropophillic species found, L. ovallesiand L. gomeziare known vectors of L. braziliensis. L. ovallesi had the greatest distribution throughout the city and L. gomezi was the most frequent capture with human bait. Both were found in the dwelllngs frorn which most cases of the disease were reported. The finding of these species in the city suggests the possibility of infection within the urban area and the need to pursue studies to cut the transmission cycle.Debido al registro, en los últimos cinco años, de ciento venticinco casos urbanos de leishrnaniasis cutánea en la ciudad de Bucaramanga, se desarrolló el presente estudio con el fin de determinar las especies del género Lutzomyia existentes en la ciudad y sus implicaciones en salud pública. La búsqueda de los flebotomineos se hizo en ocho zonas de la ciudad en los meses de septiembre a diciembre de 1996, utilizando como técnicas de muestre0 trampas de luz tipo CDC y aspiración directa en cebo humano protegido y en sitios de reposo. Los insectos fueron preservados en alcohol al 70% y aclarados con KOH y fenol. Se capturaron 212 especímenes pertenecientes a once especies del género Lutzomyia y una del género Brumptomyia. Entre las especies antropofílicas encontradas, L. ovallesi y L. gomezi se destacan por ser reconocidas como vectores de Leishmania braziliensfs. L. ovallesi fue la especie de mayor distribución en la ciudad, L. gomezi la más abundante en las capturas con cebo humano; las dos se encontraron en barrios donde se ha informado el mayor número de casos de la enfermedad. El hallazgo de estas especies en la ciudad sugiere la posibilidad de que los habitantes de Bucaramanga puedan infectarse en el área urbana y crea la necesidad de continuar estudios que contribuyan a interrumpir el ciclo de transmisión

Description and ontogenetic morphometrics of nymphs of Belminus herreri Lent & Wygodzinsky (Hemiptera: Reduviidae, Triatominae)

For the first time all instars of a species of the genus Belminus are described based on laboratory F1 generation specimens from adults caught in department of Cesar, Colombia. Ontogenetic morphometrics of postembryonic head development was made, suggesting that the greatest changes occur between the 1st and 2nd instars

Anomalías morfológicas en los dientes del cibario de Lutzomyia evansi (Diptera: Psychodidae) en el estado Trujillo, Venezuela

Introduction: Lutzomyia evansi is a recognized vector of Leishmania infantum in Colombia and Venezuela.Objective: To describe and illustrate the morphological abnormalities in Lu. evansi females captured in a rural focus of visceral leishmaniasis in Trujillo, Venezuela.Materials and methods: Phlebotomine sand flies were collected using CDC light traps, Shannon traps and aspiration in resting places. The identification was performed according to Young & Duncan (1994) and drawings were made using a microscope with camara lucida.Results: Abnormalities in the cibarium of Lu. evansi were detected in 4 (0.12%) females of the 3,477 adults that were studied.Conclusion: Lutzomyia evansi can have uncommon morphological variants associated with an increase in the number of teeth in the cibarium and their arrangement, which may lead to errors in the taxonomic identification of anomalous specimens. The study of such deformities can serve to avoid taxonomic identification errors.Introducción. Lutzomyia evansi es un reconocido vector de Leishmania infantum en Colombia y Venezuela.Objetivo. Describir e ilustrar las anomalías morfológicas presentes en el cibario de hembras de Lu. evansi capturadas en un foco rural de leishmaniasis visceral en Trujillo, Venezuela.Materiales y métodos. Para la captura de los flebótomos se utilizaron tres diferentes métodos (trampa Shannon, trampas de luz del tipo CDC y capturas en reposo). En la identificación taxonómica se siguió la clave de Young & Duncan (1994) y los diseños biológicos se hicieron utilizando un microscopio óptico con cámara clara.Resultados. En 3.477 especímenes de Lu. evansi se detectaron cuatro (0,12 %) hembras con diferentes anomalías en el cibario.Conclusión. Algunos especímenes de Lu. evansi pueden presentar anomalías morfológicas relacionadas con aumento del número de los dientes en el cibario y con su disposición. La detección de estas anomalías en poblaciones naturales de Lu. evansi puede evitar dificultades y confusiones en el momento de la identificación taxonómica de los especímenes teratomorfos, reduciendo así el riesgo de incurrir en errores taxonómicos

Effect of extenders based on Tris, Tes and skim milk on cryopreservation of epididymal alpaca sperm

El estudio tuvo por objetivo evaluar el efecto de tres dilutores (Tris, Tes y leche descremada) en la criopreservación de espermatozoides obtenidos del epidídimo de alpaca. Previamente se determinó el efecto del tiempo entre el beneficio/castración y la recuperación de los espermatozoides del epidídimo. Se utilizaron 24 testículos de alpacas para la obtención de los espermatozoides directamente del epidídimo en una solución fisiológica buferada (PBS). La recuperación de espermatozoides se realizó a las 0, 35, 48 y 72 horas (6 testículos por grupo) y se evaluó la motilidad, concentración espermática e integridad funcional de membrana. Los espermatozoides recuperados a partir de 35 horas post beneficio/castración no fueron aptos para ser congelados. Las muestras recuperadas a las 0 horas fueron diluidas con Tris, Tes y leche descremada, enfriadas desde 35 a 5 oC en 90 minutos, envasadas en pajillas de 0.25 ml y congeladas en nitrógeno líquido. Se evaluó la motilidad, integridad funcional de membrana y vitalidad/integridad acrosomal en las muestras descongeladas. La motilidad fue de 14.0, 8.6 y 17.0% en los grupos Tris, Tes y leche descremada, respectivamente, donde el grupo leche descremada fue significativamente mejor que el grupo Tes (p<0.05). Los porcentajes de integridad funcional de membrana y vitalidad/integridad acrosomal fueron similares entre los tres grupos. Se concluye que los tres dilutores brindan efectos similares para la criopreservación de espermatozoides epididimarios de alpaca.The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of three semen extenders (skim milk, Tris, and Tes) on cryopreservation of epididymal alpaca sperm. Previously, the effect of timespan since slaughtering or castration to the recovery of epididymal sperm was evaluated. Twenty-four alpaca testicles were used to obtain sperm from the epididymis in a buffered saline solution (PBS). The recovery of spermatozoa was performed at 0, 35, 48, and 72 hours (6 testes per group) after slaughtering or castration. Sperm motility, concentration, and sperm membrane functional integrity were analyzed. Sperm recovered after 35 hours was not usable for cryopreservation. Sperm samples recovered at 0 hours were subjected to the process of freezing. Samples were diluted with skim milk, Tris, and Tes, cooled from 35 to 5 °C in 90 minutes, packed into 0.25 ml straws and frozen in liquid nitrogen. After thawing, straws were evaluated by motility, sperm membrane functional integrity and vitality/acrosome integrity. Motility was 17.0, 14.0, and 8.6% on skim milk, Tris and Tes groups respectively, where the skim milk group was significantly better than the Tes (p<0.05). Percentages of sperm membrane functional integrity and vitality/acrosomal integrity were similar among the three extenders. It was concluded that all three extenders provided similar effects for the cryopreservation of epididymal alpaca spermatozoa

Low-Affinity/High-Selectivity Dopamine Transport Inhibition Sufficient to Rescue Cognitive Functions in the Aging Rat

The worldwide increase in cognitive decline, both in aging and with psychiatric disorders, warrants a search for pharmacological treatment. Although dopaminergic treatment approaches represent a major step forward, current dopamine transporter (DAT) inhibitors are not sufficiently specific as they also target other transporters and receptors, thus showing unwanted side effects. Herein, we describe an enantiomerically pure, highly specific DAT inhibitor, S-CE-123, synthetized in our laboratory. Following binding studies to DAT, NET and SERT, GPCR and kinome screening, pharmacokinetics and a basic neurotoxic screen, S-CE-123 was tested for its potential to enhance and/or rescue cognitive functions in young and in aged rats in the non-invasive reward-motivated paradigm of a hole-board test for spatial learning. In addition, an open field study with young rats was carried out. We demonstrated that S-CE-123 is a low-affinity but highly selective dopamine reuptake inhibitor with good bioavailability. S-CE-123 did not induce hyperlocomotion or anxiogenic or stereotypic behaviour in young rats. Our compound improved the performance of aged but not young rats in a reward-motivated task. The well-described impairment of the dopaminergic system in aging may underlie the age-specific effect. We propose S-CE-123 as a possible candidate for developing a tentative therapeutic strategy for age-related cognitive decline and cognitive dysfunction in psychiatric disorders

Simulador holográfico

En este trabajo de investigación se presenta un simulador holográfico que tiene como objetivo grabar y reconstruir numéricamente un holograma binario. Se comprobaron numéricamente los resultados obtenidos en laboratorio. El simulador holográfico fue programado en MATLAB

System size and centrality dependence of the balance function in A+A collisions at sqrt[sNN]=17.2 GeV

Electric charge correlations were studied for p+p, C+C, Si+Si, and centrality selected Pb+Pb collisions at sqrt[sNN]=17.2 GeV with the NA49 large acceptance detector at the CERN SPS. In particular, long-range pseudorapidity correlations of oppositely charged particles were measured using the balance function method. The width of the balance function decreases with increasing system size and centrality of the reactions. This decrease could be related to an increasing delay of hadronization in central Pb+Pb collisions

Inequality in the distribution of ear, nose and throat specialists in 15 Latin American countries: an ecological study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore sociogeographical inequalities in the availability and distribution of ear, nose and throat specialists (ENTs) in 15 Latin American (LA) countries. DESIGN: Ecological. SETTING: Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries of LA.The number of registered ENTs in 2017 was obtained from the National ENT Society in each country. OUTCOME MEASURES: The ENT rate/million population was calculated at the national and subnational (eg, state) level. Three measures were calculated to assess subnational distributive inequality of ENTs: (1) absolute and (2) relative index of dissimilarity; and (3) concentration index (using the Human Development Index as the equity stratifier). Finally, the ratio of ENTs/million population in the capital area compared with the rest of the country was calculated. RESULTS: There was more than a 30-fold difference in the number of ENTs/million population across the included countries-from 61.0 in Argentina (95% CI 58.7 to 63.4) to 2.8 in Guatemala (95% CI 2.1 to 3.8). In all countries, ENTs were more prevalent in advantaged areas and in capital areas. To attain distributive equality, Paraguay would need to redistribute the greatest proportion of its ENT workforce (67.3%; 95% CI 57.8% to 75.6%) and Brazil the least (18.5%; 95% CI 17.6% to 19.5%). CONCLUSIONS: There is high inequality in the number and distribution of ENTs between and within the 15 studied countries in LA. This evidence can be used to inform policies that improve access to ear and hearing services in the region, such as scale-up of training of ENTs and incentives to distribute specialists equally. These actions to reduce inequities, alongside addressing the social determinants of ear and hearing health, are essential to realise Universal Health Coverage

Descripción de un caso de paratuberculosis caprina juvenil en Argentina

La paratuberculosis (PTBC) es una enfermedad crónica causada por Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) que puede afectar a varias especies de rumiantes, entre ellos los caprinos, ocasionando importantes pérdidas productivas.Trabajo publicado en Cagliada, Maria del Pilar Lilia y Galosi, Cecilia Mónica (comps.). I Congreso de Microbiología Veterinaria. Libro de resúmenes. La Plata: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, 2021.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London