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Rare earth elements (REE) levels in Havana bay surface sediments are determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. REE contents follow the order: Ce > La > Nd > Sm > Eu, Yb, Tb, Lu. The results shows that REE content in the bay is site depended and suggest that an REE anthropogenic input into the bay occurred. The chondrite and upper continental crust-normalizations confirm the REE enrichment of the bay sediments, respect to the REE content in sediments from the Cuban northwestern coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty six elements was studied preliminary in the superficial sediments of Havana Bay using gamma activation analysis by the electron accelerator microtron MT-25 at the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, JINR. Samples from five zones of Havana Bay including the three coves were analyzed. The obtained results show a close relation between the concentration levels of the studied elements and the pollution sources. Some elements (As, Ba, Ni, Pb, Cu, Zn, Fe, Cr, Mn) have high concentration levels compared to the values for other environmental marine sediments reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the phytoplasmas groups 16SrI 'Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia' and 16SrII group 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris' and rickettsia were associated with Bunchy Top Symptoms (BTS) of papayo in Cuba. The ADN samples from papaya plants positive to phytoplasma and rickettsia were used for evaluate and optimize nPCR multiplex. Generic primers for amplification of phytoplasma R16mF2/R16mR1 were used in the first reaction. A mixture composed of PBTF1/ PBTR1and R16F2n/BPVNr/p86r for rickettsia and phytoplasma (16SrI and 16SrII groups) amplifications were used in the second reaction. The diagnostic assay by the nPCR multiplex permitted the simultaneous detection of phytoplasmas and rickettsias in samples of papaya plants from the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Antimicrobial drug resistance constitutes a health risk of increasing concern worldwide. One of the most common av-enues for the acquisition of clinically-relevant antimicrobial resistance can be traced back to the food supply, where resistance is acquired through the ingestion of antimicrobial resistant microorganisms pres-ent in food. Antimicrobial resistance constitutes a health risk, leading to production losses and negative consequences for livelihood and food safety. OBJECTIVE Determine whether resistant bacteria are present in foods in Cuba. METHODS A descriptive observational study was conducted in theMicrobiology Laboratory of Cuba's National Institute of Hygiene, Epi-demiology and Microbiology from September 2004 through Decem-ber 2018. Researchers analyzed 1178 bacterial isolates from food samples. The isolates were identifi ed as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Vibrio cholerae and coagulase-positive Staphylococcus. The antimi-crobial susceptibility study was performed using the Bauer-Kirby disk diffusion method, following procedures outlined by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The data were analyzed using WHO-NET version 5.6. RESULTS Of the total isolates, 62.1% were resistant to at least one antibiotic. Within each group, >50% of isolates showed some type of resistance. E. coli and V. cholerae exceeded 50% resistance to tetracycline and ampicillin, respectively. Staphylococcus showed the highest resistance to penicillin, and Salmonella to tetracycline, nali-dixic acid and ampicillin. The highest percentages of non-susceptible microorganisms were identifi ed in meats and meat products. CONCLUSIONS These results serve as an alert to the dangers of acquiring antibiotic-resistant bacteria from food and demonstrate the need to establish a surveillance system and institute measures bacte-rial control in food products.KEYWORDS Microbial drug resistance, bacteria, food, foodborne disease, Cuba.

The serotypes of 178 isolates of Salmonella enterica taken from food in different regions of Cuba between January 2008 and December 2009 were identified, and the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of 100 selected isolates was determined by strata sampling. A total of 20 Salmonella serotypes were identified, with a predominance of S. Enteritidis (23%), S. Agona (13.5%), and S. London (11.2%). Of all the strains, 75% were resistant or presented intermediate resistance to at least one of the drugs tested, in the following order: tetracycline (70.7%), ampicillin (22.7%), and nalidixic acid (14.7%). Ten different resistance patterns were identified. The most frequent patterns corresponded to strains that were either drug-resistant or had intermediate resistance (89.3%). Three strains (identified as S. Infantis, S. Derby, and S. Enteritidis) were multiresistant, and one of them, S. Enteritidis, was not sensitive to either nalidixic acid or ciprofloxacin. To control salmonellosis, the importance of maximizing integrated health surveillance is emphasized.

Purpose: To evaluate the catalytic activity of the red cell enzyme, glutathione reductase (GR) in pregnant women with Hb AS and with Hb AA, and in a group of non-pregnant women with Hb AA, as well as the relationship of GR deficiency with Hb S., Patients and Methods: The catalytic activity was determined in presence and absence of FAD by means of a modified Long and Carson technique. 59 pregnant women with AS and 33 with AA phenotypes were studied., Results: Differences were found in the enzyme's catalytic activity with and without FAD, both in pregnant women with Hb AS (mean values 37.17 nka/g y Hb in whites and 42.84 nkat/g HS in afro people) and in those with Hb AA, and also in non-pregnant women with Hb AA. A high frequency of GR deficiency was found in all groups due to an insufficient riboflavin supply in diet., Conclusion: A correlation between GR deficiency and Hb S could not be demonstrated. The coefficient of activity of red cell GR shows a tendency to increase in pregnancy due to certain riboflavin deficit of diet.