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(Objective): The objective of this study was to determine the larvicidal activity against A. aegypti of ethanolic extracts of plants commonly found in Costa Rica. (Methodology): Larvicidal activity of ethanolic extracts of plants was determined in this study using the WHO/VBC/81.807: WHO/VBC/81. from 1981. An analysis PROBID for dose response was conducted to determine LC50 of the most prominent extracts. (Results): A total of six extracts with the highest toxicity were chosen, with the stem extract of Ipomoea cairica having the lowest LC50 of 0.0341 mg/mL, followed by I. cairica leaf extract with an LC50 of 0.121 mg/mL. The larvicidal activity of ethanolic extracts of plants was determined in this study, with an emphasis on the larvicidal potential of I. cairica as an environmentally friendly alternative for the control of A. aegypti. (Conclusions): The larvicidal activity for ethanolic extracts of different plants, with an emphasis on the larvicidal potential of I. cairica as an environmentally friendly alternative for the control of A. aegypti. Resumen: (Objetivo): El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la actividad larvicida contra A. aegypti de extractos etanólicos de plantas comúnmente encontradas en Costa Rica. (Metodología): La actividad larvicida de extractos etanólicos de plantas fue determinada mediante la metodología WHO/VBC/81.807: WHO/ VBC/81. de 1981 de la Organización Mundial de la salud. Un análisis PROBID para determinar la respuesta a distintas dosis fue llevado a cabo y así determinar los valores de dosis letal media (LC50) para los extractos más prominentes (Resultados): Un total de seis extractos con la mayor toxicidad fueron escogidos, siendo el extracto de los tallos de Ipomoea cairica lo que mostraron el menor valor de LC50 con 0.0341 mg/ mL, seguido por el extracto de las hojas de I. cairica con un LC50 de 0.121 mg/mL. (Conclusiones): La actividad larvicida de los extractos etanólicos de plantas fue determinada en este estudio con un énfasis en el potencial de la I. cairica como una alternativa ambientalmente amigable para el control de A. aegypti. Resumo: (Objetivo): Este estudo teve como objetivo determinar a atividade larvicida contra A. aegypti de extratos etanólicos de plantas comumente encontradas na Costa Rica. (Metodologia): A atividade larvicida de extratos etanólicos de plantas foi determinada usando a metodologia da OMS/VBC/81.807: WHO/VBC/81. 1981 da Organização Mundial da Saúde. Uma análise PROBID para determinar a resposta a diferentes doses foi realizada para estabelecer os valores da dose letal média (LC50) para os extratos mais proeminentes. (Resultados): Foi escolhido um total de seis extratos com a maior toxicidade, com o extrato de hastes de Ipomoea cairica mostrando o menor valor LC50 a 0,0341 mg/mL, seguido pelo extrato de folhas de I. cairica com um LC50 de 0,121 mg/mL. (Conclusões): A atividade larvicida dos extratos etanólicos de plantas foi determinada neste estudo com ênfase no potencial da I. cairica como uma alternativa ambientalmente amigável para o controle de A. aegypti.

Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; 2019-nCoV; Fenotips; Factors de risc; Infecció greu per SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; 2019-nCoV; Fenotipos; Factores de riesgo; Infección grave por SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; 2019-nCoV; Phenotypes; Risk factors; Severe SARS-CoV-2 infection Background The identification of factors associated with Intensive Care Unit (ICU) mortality and derived clinical phenotypes in COVID-19 patients could help for a more tailored approach to clinical decision-making that improves prognostic outcomes. Methods Prospective, multicenter, observational study of critically ill patients with confirmed COVID-19 disease and acute respiratory failure admitted from 63 ICUs in Spain. The objective was to utilize an unsupervised clustering analysis to derive clinical COVID-19 phenotypes and to analyze patient’s factors associated with mortality risk. Patient features including demographics and clinical data at ICU admission were analyzed. Generalized linear models were used to determine ICU morality risk factors. The prognostic models were validated and their performance was measured using accuracy test, sensitivity, specificity and ROC curves. Results The database included a total of 2022 patients (mean age 64 [IQR 5–71] years, 1423 (70.4%) male, median APACHE II score (13 [IQR 10–17]) and SOFA score (5 [IQR 3–7]) points. The ICU mortality rate was 32.6%. Of the 3 derived phenotypes, the A (mild) phenotype (537; 26.7%) included older age ( 65 years), high severity of illness and a higher likelihood of development shock. Crude ICU mortality was 20.3%, 25% and 45.4% for A, B and C phenotype respectively. The ICU mortality risk factors and model performance differed between whole population and phenotype classifications. Conclusion The presented machine learning model identified three clinical phenotypes that significantly correlated with host-response patterns and ICU mortality. Different risk factors across the whole population and clinical phenotypes were observed which may limit the application of a “one-size-fits-all” model in practice. This study was supported by the Spanish Intensive Care Society (SEMICYUC) and Ricardo Barri Casanovas Foundation. The study sponsors have no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the report.

Currently, dry-type transformers are commonly installed as wind turbine step-up (WTSU) transformers, especially in offshore wind farms. Due to their low flammability and resistance to moisture, their performance is optimal in offshore platforms. Nonetheless, their thermal-electrical degradation must be carefully considered given the special wind and weather conditions in marine environments. The present paper studies the thermal aging of dry-type WTSU transformers in offshore wind farms considering the most thermally stressed location i.e. the winding hot-spot. The estimation of the transformer lifetime consumption introduced in this work can be applied in the framework of digital twins for diagnostic and prognostic monitoring purposes The thermal degradation study is based on a typical offshore load profile and includes the analysis of the impact of several transformer characteristics and operating conditions. As a result of the analysis, it can be concluded that lower temperature insulations, forced air cooling systems, a lower mean winding temperature rise and cool ambient temperatures lead to decreased loss of life values. Also, the present work suggests the suitability of considering thermal degradation studies as an optimal sizing factor for offshore WTSU given the low ambient temperatures in marine environment and the low capacity factors. The authors gratefully acknowledge the Support of the Basque Government (project ELKARTEK KK - 2018/00096 and GISEL research group IT1191-19), as well as of the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU (research group unding GIU18/181).

BALB/c mice injected at birth with 108 semi-allogeneic (C57BL/6 x BALB.IgHb)F1 spleen cells develop a lupus-like syndrome in which autoantibodles bear exclusively the donor allotype. We have analyzed the evolution of donor B cell chimerism and the autoimmune manifestations during the first year of life in these mice. Anti-DNA, -histone, and -cardiolipln IgG antibodies as well as circulating immune complexes appeared in the second week of life, reached the highest values around the sixth week, and then progressively dropped to normal values after the sixth month in most mice. The kinetics of the evolution of the autoimmune manifestations, as well as the kinetics of serum donor Ig allotype, were parallel to the kinetics of donor B cell chimerism, which was particularly prominent in the spleens in early weeks of life, and progressively decreased after remission of the autoimmune syndrome. Membrane-proliferative glomerulonephritls, which was followed as the more representative histological abnormality in this model, was particularly evident after 10 weeks of life, but disappeared by the end of the follow-up. Interestingly, when mice with a self-limited disease were re-injected with 108 F1 spleen cells i.v., a flare in the serologlcal manifestations was observed. In these re-injected mice a predominance of anti-DNA, lgG1 antibodies bearing exclusively the donor allotype was also observed, as in the early weeks of life. These results emphasize the central role of donor B cell chimerism in the development and in the self-limitation of the autoimmune disease in parental mice neonatally injected with F1 cells and Indicate that the capacity to react with F1 cells, to generate a renewed burst of symptoms, persists in these mice after the disappearance of autoimmune findings

Several reports of familial aggregation of giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) have been described although detailed genetic and immunological studies are scarce. Our aims were to investigate the influence of HLA-DRB1 alleles and to analyze the phenotype and T cell receptor (TCR) usage of circulating T lymphocytes in a familial case of GCA and PMR.HLA-DRB1 typing was carried out using polymerase chain reaction amplification with specific primers. The study of the circulating T cell repertoire was performed by staining with specific monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry analysis.Patient 1 developed GCA at the age of 71, four years prior to the diagnosis of PMR in her older brother. The HLA-DRB1 typing of Patient 1 was DRB1*04 (DRB1*0401)/DRB1*12 and in Patient 2 was DRB1*07/DRB1*12. In our patient population, GCA was associated with an increased frequency of HLA-DRB1*04 compared with PMR patients. Regarding T cell phenotype, the brother with active PMR had a higher expression of surface markers indicating activation in both T cell subsets (CD25 and HLA-DR). The sister with GCA showed a pronounced decrease of CD4+/CD45RA+ T cells with respect to her brother with PMR. Both patients carried a significant depletion of CD28 in both subsets, specially within the CD8+ T cell compartment. The BV gene usage differed from one patient to the other. T cell expansions were identified in both patients but the specificities were different.We describe an association of GCA and PMR between two first degree relatives with significant genetic and immunologic differences. Our results suggest that the pathogenic mechanisms leading to the development of GCA and PMR are probably multifactorial, and both genetic and environmental factors may contribute to the development of these diseases.

Neck located hydatid cysts are of rare occurrence. We report two patients with such condition. A 66 years old male with a slowly progressive painless 4 cm nodule located in the right thyroid. It did not concentrate 131I and a fine needle aspiration cytology was informed as an acute thyroiditis. A 5 years old boy presented with a 5 cm painless right submaxillary cyst. Ultrasound examination showed that it was unilocular, and fine needle aspiration biopsy disclosed unspecific findings. In both cases surgical findings and the pathological study showed hydatid cysts. Both patients had normal chest x ray and abdominal ultrasound examinations. They had an uneventful postoperative evolution. Echinococcosis must be considered in the differential diagnosis of cervical cysts in endemic area.

Neck located hydatid cysts are of rare occurrence. We report two patients with such condition. A 66 years old male with a slowly progressive painless 4 cm nodule located in the right thyroid. It did not concentrate 131I and a fine needle aspiration cytology was informed as an acute thyroiditis. A 5 years old boy presented with a 5 cm painless right submaxillary cyst. Ultrasound examination showed that it was unilocular, and fine needle aspiration biopsy disclosed unspecific findings. In both cases surgical findings and the pathological study showed hydatid cysts. Both patients had normal chest x ray and abdominal ultrasound examinations. They had an uneventful postoperative evolution. Echinococcosis must be considered in the differential diagnosis of cervical cysts in endemic area.

The records of 62 patients with clinical and radiographic evidence of vertebral osteomyelitis and positive bacteriological diagnosis, seen between 1979 and 1996, were reviewed in order to gather data on the epidemiology and the clinical pattern displayed by patients with this condition in northern Spain.Staphylococcus aureus (15 cases), Mycobacterium tuberculosis (15 cases) and Brucella melitensis (13 cases) were the microorganisms most frequently found in our patient series. After improvement of the sanitary and hygienic control of food products, the role of Brucella melitensis is decreasing as a causative agent (only 3 cases in the last 6 years). Staphylococcus epidermidis, present in 4 cases (6.6%), should be suspected in elderly patients with previous intravenous cannulations (3 of 4 cases). The most frequent risk factors were alcoholism (7 cases), chronic hepatic disease (7 cases), diabetes (6 cases) and previous surgery (6 cases). Delay in diagnosis was high (the mean number of days between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 125). The lumbar region was the most commonly affected site. Neurologic involvement was present in 10 patients on admission (16%). ESR was50 mm/hr in a high number of cases. Blood cultures were found to be the most valuable routine test. Plain x-rays were normal in 10 patients (16%); in 6 of them Staphylococcus aureus was the responsible organism. Other imaging modalities showed a high sensitivity. Surgical drainage was necessary in 12 individuals (in 7 due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis). Outcome was good in the majority of cases: only 2 patients with associated endocarditis died. Neurologic sequelae were present in another 3 patients.Vertebral osteomyelitis can be caused by a variety of pathogens. Therefore, bacteriological studies are necessary to establish the etiologic diagnosis and determine the specific antimicrobial treatment required.

El presente trabajo propone el método "Análisis de Correspondencias" como una alternativa de análisis estadístico aplicado a variables sociales, en este caso: la vivienda, con el fin de identificar diferenciaciones entre áreas estadístico–censales. Dicho procedimiento se aplicó a algunos datos sobre vivienda de las tres áreas metropolitanas más importantes del país: Ciudad de México, Guadalajara y Monterrey, utilizando la información del censo de población correspondiente a 1980. Con la utilización de este método se pudo constatar su bondad en el análisis de problemas sociales, en virtud de que permite comparar de modo gráfico en un mismo nivel tanto variables como observaciones, cualidad que otros métodos multivariados no proporcionan. En el presente caso, a partir de un modelo hipotético de crecimiento urbano, propuesto por Valverde y Tamayo (1990), y de los resultados del análisis de correspondencias, se obtuvieron resultados significativos que permitieron precisar dicho modelo.

El análisis de las ciudades implica considerar diferentes aspectos. Si entre ellos se toma en cuenta únicamente a la vivienda, se advierte una notoria diferenciación del espacio construido, que manifiesta una desigualdad social producto de una distribución diferencial del ingreso. Este trabajo tiene por objetivo, proporcionar herramientas metodológicas que nos permitan caracterizar a la vivienda en relación con la desigualdad social.

La paradoja de Talcahuano es haber recibido en su territorio comunal una importante inversión económica en grandes industrias, sin lograr transformar este impulso en progreso y en mejoramiento de la calidad de vida urbana. Lo que pudo ser beneficio no ha significado sino simple crecimiento demográfico, dispersión de su trama urbana, saturación poblacional y desequilibrio del medio ambiente.

Context: The Sechium edule fruit is grown and consumed because of their nutritional values in different countries of Latin America. Costa Rica is one of the most important producers and exporters. It is consumed as an antioxidant because its flavonoid content suggests such activity; however, the selection of varieties to crop does not involve the phytochemical profile of them. Aims: To characterize the phytochemical and antioxidant profile of the S. edule varieties grown in Costa Rica. Methods: The in vitro radical scavenging activity of different S. edule extracts were measured using DPPH and ORAC assays, as well as their inhibition of lipid peroxidation in rat liver and their redox potential by cyclic voltammetry. Flavonoids glycosides were isolated by HPLC and their structures were determined by NMR. Results: The S. edule varieties grown in Costa Rica showed a good radical scavenging activity and inhibition of lipid peroxidation; there were significant differences between varieties. In addition, the redox potential determined by electrochemical methods suggested the presence of flavonoids, which was confirmed by the isolation of apigenin 7-O-rutinoside and luteolin 7-O-rutinoside. Conclusions: The antioxidant potential of varieties of S. edule grown in Costa Rica was confirmed, identifying the 845 variety as the best antioxidant profile.

The cytokine profile suggests that giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a Th1-driven disease, in which local IFN-gamma plays a critical role in the development of a systemic arteritis. IL-12 is a potent inducer of IFN-gamma and is critically involved in biasing an immune response towards a Th1 pathway. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there was an association between an IL-12 gene polymorphism (-1188 A/C 3UTR) and disease susceptibility for GCA and two other age-related inflammatory conditions, such as polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA). Furthermore, we attempted to correlate such polymorphism with in vitro IL-12 production.We analyzed genotypes at -1188 in the 3UTR of the IL-12 promoter by PCR-RFLP in 68 GCA, 138 PMR, and 72 EORA patients as well as in 465 healthy controls (HC). IL-12p70 levels in culture supernatants after stimulation with PMA+Ionomycin was assessed by ELISA.All groups were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Allelic and gen-omic distribution was not significantly different among the study groups. None of the genetic variants was associated with disease severity. Although the differences were not statistically significant, HC genotypes were associated with distinct IL-12 p70 production.The IL-12 (-1188 A/C 3UTR) gene polymorphism is not associated with disease susceptibility or severity in three age-related chronic inflammatory syndromes. The production of IL-12 p70 is dependent on the genetic background in HC, although in patients such association may be biased by other unknown factors.

Fuente TESIUNAM