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Resumen Introducción. Para el establecimiento adecuado de plantaciones de cacao, se deben garantizar tecnologías idóneas para la obtención de posturas (plantas jóvenes sembradas y desarrolladas en bolsas) de calidad en los viveros. Objetivo. Definir indicadores de calidad para posturas de cacao producida vía micro injertos, en función de las fuentes orgánicas y hongos micorrízicos arbusculares en un suelo Cambisol. Materiales y métodos. Entre 2018 y 2019, en el vivero de la Empresa Agroforestal y Coco de Baracoa, se evaluó la inoculación de las cepas Glomus cubense y Rhizoglomus irregulare en sustratos formados por humus de lombriz y cáscara de cacao compostada (3:1,5:1 v/v). Se utilizó un diseño completamente aleatorizado, con cincuenta posturas por tratamiento, de ellas se evaluaron veinticinco. A los cuatro meses se evaluó: altura, diámetro del tallo, masa seca aérea, radical y total, concentración de nutrientes foliares (N, P, K), área foliar, índice de esbeltez, índice de calidad Dickson (ICD) y porcentaje de colonización micorrízica. Se realizó un análisis de varianza de clasificación simple y se aplicó la prueba de comparación de Duncan (95 %). Resultados. La inoculación de G. cubense y R. irregulare, independiente de la fuente de abono orgánico, incrementaron significativamente la masa seca total (39 %), el área foliar (20 %) y el ICD (48 %), respecto los testigos. El ICD se relacionó significativamente (p

To evaluate long-term oncological and renal function outcomes in patients treated with robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC).Patients undergoing RAPN for clinically localized RCC between January 2014 and December 2019 at a tertiary robotic reference center were evaluated. Clinical course, pathologic characteristics, and long-term outcomes were obtained from our institutional review board-approved RCC database.A total of 234 patients were available for analysis. Median follow-up was 46 months (10.8-97.8 months), with 77 patients (32.9%) having at least 5-years of follow-up. Pathology revealed clear-cell RCC in 67.5% (n = 158). Among unfavorable factors, nuclear grades 3 or 4 were found in 67 (29.4%), lymphovascular invasion in 10 (4.3%), positive surgical margins in 22 (9.4%), necrosis in 21 (9%), and sarcomatoid pattern in 2 patients (0.9%). At 12 months, mean serum creatinine was 1.04 mg/dL and 12.9% of patients experienced upstaging in chronic kidney disease. Overall recurrence-free survival at 5-years was 97.8%. There were five local (2.1%) and two distant (0.9%) recurrences, none of them resulting in cancer-specific death. Median time to recurrence was 20 months (11-64 months). Warm ischemia time [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.14, p = 0.034] and sarcomatoid pattern (HR = 124.57, p = 0.001) were the only variables associated with local relapse.Data from this large cohort demonstrate that patients undergoing RAPN have a low incidence of local and distant relapse, resulting in excellent long-term survival while preserving stable renal function in most patients.

Resumen Introducción. Los microorganismos eficientes se han convertido en una práctica común como estrategia de manejo agrícola sostenible y han sido ampliamente usados con diferentes propósitos. Objetivo. Evaluar el efecto de frecuencias de aplicaciones del bioproducto en el desarrollo de cafeto y el control de enfermedades en su primer año de plantado. Materiales y métodos. El experimento se desarrolló en la Estación Experimental Agro-Forestal en Jibacoa, Villa Clara, Cuba. Se asperjó a 5 L.ha-1 a una concentración del 2% con frecuencias: mensuales, bimensuales, trimestrales y un tratamiento sin aspersiones (Control). Al año de establecida la plantación se evaluó a los cafetos: morfología (la altura, el diámetro del tallo, el diámetro de la copa), enfermedades (índice de infestación y de distribución de la mancha de hierro y la roya). Resultados. Con las aspersiones mensuales se manifestó una tendencia de mejora en el desarrollo de los cafetos. Al asperjar mensualmente el bioproducto se disminuyó en un 57,2% y 45,8% el índice de infestación y de distribución respectivamente de la mancha de hierro en comparación al control. En la roya la aplicación mensual y bimensual disminuyó en un 69,5% y 65,8% respectivamente el índice de infestación y en un 60,6% y 57,9% de igual manera el índice de distribución. Conclusiones. Las aspersiones mensuales con del bioproducto es una alternativa ecológica a emplear en el primer año de plantado el café al controlar la roya, la mancha de hierro con una tendencia a mejorar el desarrollo de las plantas. Abstract Introduction. Efficient microorganisms have become a common practice among sustainable agricultural management strategies and have been widely used for different purposes. Objective. To evaluate the effect of application frequencies of the bioproduct in the development of coffee tree and the control of diseases in its first year of planting. Materials and methods. The experiment was developed at the Agro-Forestal Experimental Station in Jibacoa, Villa Clara, Cuba. It was sprayed at 5 L.ha-1 (2% concentration) with different frequencies: monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly and a treatment without spraying (Control). One year after the plantation was established, the coffee trees were evaluated: morphology (height, stem diameter, crown diameter), diseases (rate of infestation and distribution of iron stain and rust). Results. Monthly application showed a tendency to improve the development of coffee trees. When sprinkling the bioproduct monthly, the infestation and distribution index of the iron stain decreased by 57,2% and 45,8%, respectively, compared to the control. In rust, the monthly and bimonthly application of the decreased the infestation index by 69,5% and 65,8%, respectively, and the distribution index by 60,6% and 57,9%, in the same way. Conclusions. Monthly sprinkling with is an ecological alternative to be used in the first year of coffee planting to control rust, the iron stain with a tendency to improve plant development.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of the application of biostimulant doses on the development, absorption, and use efficiency of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium by cacao seedlings. Design/Methodology/Approach: Five doses of Enerplant® (0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 mL ha-1) were applied to cacao seedlings grown under a saran mesh. The study was carried out using a completely randomized design. The foliar area received a monthly application of the biostimulant. In order to determine the nutrient absorption, 3 plants per treatment were divided into leaves, stems, and roots; they were subsequently dried for 72 h at 65 °C. Finally, they were ground, packaged, labeled, and sent to the laboratory, where the macronutrients of each component were analyzed. Results: The cacao seedlings had a positive response to the biostimulant application. In average, the results of our two-year study were: 1 mL ha-1 doses of Enerplant® significantly increased height (24%), dry mass (30%), quality index (58%), and foliar area (56%) of the cacao seedlings. Doses higher than 1- and 2-mL ha-1 decreased plant growth. The nutrient absorption by cacao in the nursery stage followed the following pattern: K > N > P. Findings/Conclusions: The efficiency of nutrient use —regardless of the Enerplant® dose applied— was higher for P, followed by N and, finally, K. Applying 2 mL ha-1 doses of the biostimulant guaranteed the highest absorption and use efficiency values of macronutrients by cacao seedlings.

Introducción. La caficultura requiere de tecnologías que incrementen los rendimientos, la eficiencia del uso de los fertilizantes, promuevan el uso de fuentes locales de nutrientes y aprovechen los beneficios de los microorganismos. Objetivo. Establecer la factibilidad del intercalamiento de la canavalia inoculada con rizobios y hongos micorrízicos arbusculares en cafetos y su relación con la fertilización nitrogenada. Materiales y métodos. El estudio se realizó entre los años 2008 y 2012 en el Instituto de Investigaciones Agro-Forestales, en Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Se utilizó un diseño de bloques al azar con arreglo factorial. Se estudiaron cinco sistemas de fertilización nitrogenada, con y sin intercalamiento de canavalia inoculada en una plantación de cafetos podados y cultivados en suelo Cambisol. Las plantas de canavalia se mantuvieron en las calles del cafeto durante la época lluviosa, en ciclos de crecimiento de 90 a 120 días, corte, arrope y posterior siembra. Las semillas de canavalia se recubrieron con inoculantes micorrízicos y Rhizobium y se sembraron a 25 cm x 25 cm en la entrecalle de los cafetos. Se evaluó la biomasa, el crecimiento de la leguminosa, el rendimiento del cafeto y la eficiencia agronómica de la fertilización nitrogenada. Resultados. Con la canavalia inoculada con Rhizobium y hongos micorrízicos se incorporaron 205,9 kg de N ha-1 en tres años y se incrementó el rendimiento de los cafetos en 17 % y 16 % en el primer y segundo año, respectivamente. Con el sistema de fertilización N4 + canavalia se obtuvo un rendimiento promedio anual de 1,69 t ha-1 de café oro. Conclusiones. El intercalamiento de la canavalia con el cafeto incrementó la eficiencia de la fertilización nitrogenada. Fue efectivo el intercalar la canavalia inoculada con Rhizobium y hongos micorrízicos en el manejo de C. canephora durante los primeros dos años a partir de la poda baja del cafeto.

Introducción. Pseudomona sp como rizobacteria promotora del crecimiento vegetal es muy utilizada en diversos cultivos, ya que promueve el crecimiento y previene la colonización de patógenos. Objetivo. Evaluar la influencia de Pseudomona sp en la emergencia de las semillas y el desarrollo de posturas de Theobroma cacao L. en suelos fersialíticos pardos rojizo de Jibacoa. Materiales y métodos. La investigación se realizó en el 2018 en la Estación Experimental Agro-Forestal de Jibacoa en el municipio Manicaragua, provincia Villa Clara, Cuba. En un diseño de bloques al azar con 3 réplicas, se estudiaron 3 tratamientos: a- Control: siembra de semillas en un sustrato compuesto por 3 partes de suelo y una de abono orgánico (3/1); b- siembra de semillas en un sustrato 5/1; c- sustrato 5/1 con siembra de semillas peletizadas con Pseudomona sp. Se evaluó la emergencia de las semillas y a 10 posturas se le midieron la altura, el diámetro del tallo, la masa seca y el área foliar. Resultados. La aplicación de Psedomona sp a las semillas del cacao en el momento de la siembra incrementó su emergencia en un 14,57% con respecto a las no peletizadas en igual volumen de abono orgánico y en un 4,18% con respecto al tratamiento control. Este biofertilizante aumentó la masa seca y el área foliar en un 18,3% y 37,8% respectivamente en el sustrato 5/1, y en 18,3% y 46,9% de igual manera con respecto al tratamiento control. Conclusiones. La aplicación de Psedomona sp a las semillas del cacao en el momento de la siembra provoca efectos positivos en la emergencia y el desarrollo de las posturas de cacao al aumentar su peso seco y área foliar.

Inorganic arsenic (As) is a toxic xenobiotic and carcinogen associated with severe health conditions. The urban population from the Atacama Desert in northern Chile was exposed to extremely high As levels (up to 600 µg/l) in drinking water between 1958 and 1971, leading to increased incidence of urinary bladder cancer (BC), skin cancer, kidney cancer, and coronary thrombosis decades later. Besides, the Andean Native-American ancestors of the Atacama population were previously exposed for millennia to elevated As levels in water (∼120 µg/l) for at least 5,000 years, suggesting adaptation to this selective pressure. Here, we performed two genome-wide selection tests—PBSn1 and an ancestry-enrichment test—in an admixed population from Atacama, to identify adaptation signatures to As exposure acquired before and after admixture with Europeans, respectively. The top second variant selected by PBSn1 was associated with LCE4A-C1orf68, a gene that may be involved in the immune barrier of the epithelium during BC. We performed association tests between the top PBSn1 hits and BC occurrence in our population. The strongest association (P = 0.012) was achieved by the LCE4A-C1orf68 variant. The ancestry-enrichment test detected highly significant signals (P = 1.3 × 10−9) mapping MAK16, a gene with important roles in ribosome biogenesis during the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the genetic factors involved in adaptation to the pathophysiological consequences of As exposure.

Globally, intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring use in severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) is inconsistent and susceptible to resource limitations and clinical philosophies. For situations without monitoring, there is no published comprehensive management algorithm specific to identifying and treating suspected intracranial hypertension (SICH) outside of the one ad hoc Imaging and Clinical Examination (ICE) protocol in the Benchmark Evidence from South American Trials: Treatment of Intracranial Pressure (BEST:TRIP) trial. As part of an ongoing National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported project, a consensus conference involving 43 experienced Latin American Intensivists and Neurosurgeons who routinely care for sTBI patients without ICP monitoring, refined, revised, and augmented the original BEST:TRIP algorithm. Based on BEST:TRIP trial data and pre-meeting polling, 11 issues were targeted for development. We used Delphi-based methodology to codify individual statements and the final algorithm, using a group agreement threshold of 80%. The resulting CREVICE (Consensus REVised ICE) algorithm defines SICH and addresses both general management and specific treatment. SICH treatment modalities are organized into tiers to guide treatment escalation and tapering. Treatment schedules were developed to facilitate targeted management of disease severity. A decision-support model, based on the group's combined practices, is provided to guide this process. This algorithm provides the first comprehensive management algorithm for treating sTBI patients when ICP monitoring is not available. It is intended to provide a framework to guide clinical care and direct future research toward sTBI management. Because of the dearth of relevant literature, it is explicitly consensus based, and is provided solely as a resource (a "consensus-based curbside consult") to assist in treating sTBI in general intensive care units in resource-limited environments.

Beyond exposure to arsenic in drinking-water, there is few information about demographic and clinicopathological features of patients with bladder cancer living in arsenic-exposed regions. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of arsenic exposure on clinicopathological characteristics in patients with bladder cancer from a contaminated region compared to those of 2 reference areas.Data of 285 patients with bladder cancer (83 with arsenic exposure from Antofagasta and 202 controls from 2 different sites in Santiago) were obtained through personal interviews and from review of medical records. Demographic, clinicopathological parameters, and information on relevant environmental risk factors were compared with parametric and nonparametric tests as needed. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify independent predictors for high grade and muscle-invasive disease (T2-4).We found no significant differences between groups regarding age at presentation (66.4 vs. 66.5 and 67.2 years; P = 0.69, for exposed vs. the 2 nonexposed groups, respectively) and female gender (28.9% vs. 29.8% and 26.2%; P = 0.84). Proportion of current smokers was significantly lower in the exposed population (10.7% vs. 38.6% and 26.9%; P0.001). There was a significantly higher proportion of locally advanced (10.8 vs. 1.8 and 0.7% T3/4; P = 0.002) and high-grade tumors (79.5% vs. 63.2% and 64.1%; P = 0.001) within arsenic-exposed patients. Arsenic exposure was the only significant predictor for the presence of high-grade tumors (adjusted OR: 5.10; 95%CI: 2.03-12.77) on multivariable analysis.Our study revealed relevant clinical differences in bladder cancer patients with a history of arsenic exposure as compared to nonexposed cases. The more aggressive phenotype associated to arsenic-related bladder cancer should be considered when designing efficient screening strategies for this high-risk population.

Paragonimiasis is a parasitic zoonosis, food-borne trematodes caused by species of the genus Paragonimus, found in tropical and subtropical areas of Asia, Africa and America. Humans become infected by eating raw or undercooked freshwater shellfish. The infection primarily affects the lungs, development of multiple clinical and radiological manifestations, depending on what the parasite's life cycle is. The most important differential diagnosis of this disease is pulmonary tuberculosis. This article describes the disease in two girls with different pulmonary manifestations. The paragonimiasis should be suspected in patients with chronic cough, rusty sputum, chest pain, with or without brain involvement, who live or have lived in an endemic area and having a high eosinophilia with radiographic changes suggestive of Loeffler's syndrome.

Cat scratch disease (CSD) is the most common zoonosis transmitted by household animals. There is limited data on the epidemiology and clinical presentation of this disease in Colombia. The typical presentation includes subacute or chronic lymph node infection following inoculation of Bartonella henselae bacilli through a cat scratch. Cats have a B. henselae seroprevalence as high as 90%. Here, we report the case of a preschool boy from a rural area of Antioquia, Colombia, who presented with chronic lymphadenopathy in the right axilla. Other important infectious etiologies were ruled out, and confirmation was made with the Warthin Starry stain of a lymph node biopsy. We also discuss the most important aspects of the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disease.

A precipitação é um dos principais fatores que determina a dinâmica sazonal da vegetação na região de savanas tropicais, como é o caso do cerrado brasileiro. Neste trabalho foram analisadas as relações da precipitação sazonal, com o comportamento sazonal das classes de uso e cobertura da terra (UCT), principalmente as fisionomias de cerrado do Estado de Tocantins. Foi analisada a dinâmica sazonal do cerrado, incluindo áreas florestadas e não florestadas, a partir da análise de imagens do MODIS/TERRA IV (Índices de Vegetação) de janeiro a dezembro de 2004, bem como dados diários de precipitação de 2004 e uma série de precipitação diária do período de 1969 a 2005. Os resultados da análise de precipitação mostram que a área de estudo apresentou uma alta sazonalidade, com estação seca de maio a setembro. As análises dos IV mostram que a dinâmica sazonal das formações de cerrado é similar àquela das áreas convertidas para outros usos. O padrão sazonal das classes de UCT segue os padrões da precipitação, cujos menores valores foram registrados no mês de agosto de 2004, mês este que apresentou os menores valores dos IV. Diferentemente das demais classes de UCT, a formação florestal não se ajustou ao padrão de precipitação, apresentando valores de IV similares ao longo do ano com leve decréscimo no mês de setembro de 2004.Precipitation is one of the main factors that determine the seasonal dynamics of the vegetation in tropical savanna areas, as the Brazilian cerrado. In this work the relationship of the seasonal precipitation with the seasonal behavior of the land use and land cover (LULC) types, mainly savannah physiognomies of the Tocantins State, was investigated. We analyzed the savanna seasonal dynamics, including forest and converted areas, with MODIS/TERRA VI (vegetation indexes) satellite measurements from January to December 2004 and daily precipitation of 2004 and daily precipitation series from 1969 to 2005. The results of the precipitation analysis show that the study areas exhibited a high seasonality with a dry season from May to September. The analysis of the VI showed that the seasonal dynamic of the savanna formations and the converted areas were similar. The seasonal pattern of these LULC types follows the precipitation pattern, when the lowest VI values were recorded in August of 2004. Differently of these LULC types, forest formations do not fitted to the precipitation pattern, this LULC type keep similar VI values along year with light decrease in September of 2004.

La ascariasis es una parasitosis ampliamente diseminada en el mundo, especialmente en los niños de los países en vías de desarrollo, ligada a condiciones de pobreza, desnutrición y mala higiene. Se acepta que es la geohelmintiasis más frecuente entre todas las parasitosis humanas. Dado el complejo ciclo de vida del parásito causal, se pueden producir muchas y variadas complicaciones intestinales y extraintestinales, entre ellas la peritonitis. El tratamiento oportuno y las medidas preventivas son factores importantísimos para evitar las muertes por esta enfermedad. Se presenta el caso de una niña de 3 años de edad, procedente de una zona rural colombiana quien presentó una peritonitis por áscaris, manifestada por diarrea persistente, dolor y masa abdominal, en quien se hizo el diagnóstico en forma casual mediante laparotomía y biopsia peritoneal, ante la sospecha de un linfoma. Ascariasis is one of the most prevalent and widespread human helminthic infections, especially in children of the underdeveloped countries. It is related to conditions of poverty, malnutrition and poor hygiene. According to the complex life cycle of the parasite, several and different intestinal and extraintestinal complications can arise, including peritonitis. Appropriate treatment and preventive measures are very important factors to avoid deaths caused by this disease. We report the case of a 3 year-old girl, coming from a rural area of Colombia, who presented peritonitis by Ascaris lumbricoides, preceded by persistent diarrhea, pain and abdominal mass. She was incidentally diagnosed by means of laparotomy and peritoneal biopsy, because an intestinal lymphoma was suspected.

Ascariasis is one of the most prevalent and widespread human helminthic infections, especially in children of the underdeveloped countries. It is related to conditions of poverty, malnutrition and poor hygiene. According to the complex life cycle of the parasite, several and different intestinal and extraintestinal complications can arise, including peritonitis. Appropriate treatment and preventive measures are very important factors to avoid deaths caused by this disease. We report the case of a 3 year-old girl, coming from a rural area of Colombia, who presented peritonitis by Ascaris lumbricoides, preceded by persistent diarrhea, pain and abdominal mass. She was incidentally diagnosed by means of laparotomy and peritoneal biopsy, because an intestinal lymphoma was suspected. La ascariasis es una parasitosis ampliamente diseminada en el mundo, especialmente en los niños de los países en vías de desarrollo, ligada a condiciones de pobreza, desnutrición y mala higiene. Se acepta que es la geohelmintiasis más frecuente entre todas las parasitosis humanas. Dado el complejo ciclo de vida del parásito causal, se pueden producir muchas y variadas complicaciones intestinales y extraintestinales, entre ellas la peritonitis. El tratamiento oportuno y las medidas preventivas son factores importantísimos para evitar las muertes por esta enfermedad. Se presenta el caso de una niña de 3 años de edad, procedente de una zona rural colombiana quien presentó una peritonitis por áscaris, manifestada por diarrea persistente, dolor y masa abdominal, en quien se hizo el diagnóstico en forma casual mediante laparotomía y biopsia peritoneal, ante la sospecha de un linfoma.

Understanding how cells behave and interact with surrounding cells, tissues, microorganisms and all types of biological, biochemical and biomechanical cues from their environment, constitutes a relevant research challenge and requires the support, not only of advanced manipulation and imaging technologies, but also of specifically designed biomedical microsystems with micrometric and even nanometric details for enabling interactions at a cellular and molecular level. These types of microsystems, together with the use of advanced design and manufacturing strategies for their efficient development, constitute the core topic of present Handbook. Biomedical microsystems aimed at interacting with and studying the behavior of cells, include: dishes for 2D culture, microsystems for studying cells under chemical gradients, electrophoretic microsystems, multi-culture platforms and devices for cell co-culture and dynamic bioreactors or cell culture platforms. This chapter provides an introduction to these different types of biomedical microdevices, illustrating them by means of different cases of study. Main current research trends are also outlined. Other emerging and possibly more complex microsystems for interacting with cells and controlling their behavior and fate, even with the potential of constructing whole tissues and organs from cultured cells, are covered in depth in Chaps. 13– 23.

Introducción: la infección por VIH en el niño ha sido diagnosticada en el mundo desde 1982 y en Colombia desde 1987; se ha convertido en un serio problema de salud pública, especialmente para la población infantil por sus implicaciones en el deterioro progresivo de la inmunidad celular y, en general, del estado de salud de los niños infectados. Se manifiesta con enfermedades infecciosas y no infecciosas, desnutrición secundaria y compromiso neurológico con deterioro del desarrollo psicomotor; todo ello puede dejar secuelas graves que afectan la calidad de vida y la ponen en riesgo. Métodos: se llevó a cabo un estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo transversal a partir de las historias clínicas de los niños con diagnóstico de infección por VIH en el Hospital Universitario San Vicente de Paúl de Medellín, Colombia, entre 1997 y 2005. Resultados: durante este período se diagnosticó la infección por VIH en 54 niños de los cuales 28 (51,9%) fueron del sexo femenino; sus edades estuvieron entre 24 días y 108 meses; 29 niños (53,7%) fueron casos índice. Veinticinco (46,3%) procedían de Medellín; 52 (96,3%) adquirieron verticalmente la infección; el estado clínico más frecuente fue el B (36; 66,7%); en cuanto al estado inmunológico hubo 17 niños (31,5%) en la categoría 3 o de inmunosupresión grave; 12 niños (22,2%) presentaron desnutrición grave cuando se comparó el peso con respecto a la edad y la neumonía ocurrió en 39 (72,2%) como primera manifestación clínica, seguida por el compromiso de los sistemas gastrointestinal, linfático, nervioso y renal; se hallaron también problemas hematológicos, compromiso cardíaco y manifestaciones cutáneas. La fiebre por encima de 38 ºC, sola o acompañada de otros síntomas o signos, se presentó en 38 pacientes (70,4%). Introduction: HIV infection of children was first diagnosed in 1982. The first Colombian case was described in 1987. It has become a serious public health problem, especially in the pediatric population. Its clinical manifestations include both infectious and non-infectious diseases, secondary malnutrition, and neurological affection. Methods: a descriptive, retrospective, crosssectional study was carried out based on the medical histories of 54 HIV-infected children seen at Hospital Universitario San Vicente de Paúl, in Medellín, Colombia, between 1997 and 2005. Results: out of the 54 children 28 (51.9%) were females. Ages were between 24 days and 108 months. Twenty nine patients (53.7%) were index cases. In 52 (96.3%) transmission of the infection had been vertical. The most frequently found clinical stage was B (36 children; 66.7%). Concerning the immunological situation, 17 children (31.5%) were in the category 3, namely, severe immunosupression. Twelve patients (22.2%) were severely malnourished. Neumonia was the first clinical manifestation (39 patients; 72.2%), followed by gastrointestinal, lymphatic, nervous, and renal manifestations; also present were hematological, cardiac and skin problems. Fever (above 38 ºC) was present in 38 patients (70.4%), either alone of along with other symptoms or signs.

Introduction: HIV infection of children was first diagnosed in 1982. The first Colombian case was described in 1987. It has become a serious public health problem, especially in the pediatric population. Its clinical manifestations include both infectious and non-infectious diseases, secondary malnutrition, and neurological affection. Methods: a descriptive, retrospective, crosssectional study was carried out based on the medical histories of 54 HIV-infected children seen at Hospital Universitario San Vicente de Paúl, in Medellín, Colombia, between 1997 and 2005. Results: out of the 54 children 28 (51.9%) were females. Ages were between 24 days and 108 months. Twenty nine patients (53.7%) were index cases. In 52 (96.3%) transmission of the infection had been vertical. The most frequently found clinical stage was B (36 children; 66.7%). Concerning the immunological situation, 17 children (31.5%) were in the category 3, namely, severe immunosupression. Twelve patients (22.2%) were severely malnourished. Neumonia was the first clinical manifestation (39 patients; 72.2%), followed by gastrointestinal, lymphatic, nervous, and renal manifestations; also present were hematological, cardiac and skin problems. Fever (above 38 ºC) was present in 38 patients (70.4%), either alone of along with other symptoms or signs. Introducción: la infección por VIH en el niño ha sido diagnosticada en el mundo desde 1982 y en Colombia desde 1987; se ha convertido en un serio problema de salud pública, especialmente para la población infantil por sus implicaciones en el deterioro progresivo de la inmunidad celular y, en general, del estado de salud de los niños infectados. Se manifiesta con enfermedades infecciosas y no infecciosas, desnutrición secundaria y compromiso neurológico con deterioro del desarrollo psicomotor; todo ello puede dejar secuelas graves que afectan la calidad de vida y la ponen en riesgo. Métodos: se llevó a cabo un estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo transversal a partir de las historias clínicas de los niños con diagnóstico de infección por VIH en el Hospital Universitario San Vicente de Paúl de Medellín, Colombia, entre 1997 y 2005. Resultados: durante este período se diagnosticó la infección por VIH en 54 niños de los cuales 28 (51,9%) fueron del sexo femenino; sus edades estuvieron entre 24 días y 108 meses; 29 niños (53,7%) fueron casos índice. Veinticinco (46,3%) procedían de Medellín; 52 (96,3%) adquirieron verticalmente la infección; el estado clínico más frecuente fue el B (36; 66,7%); en cuanto al estado inmunológico hubo 17 niños (31,5%) en la categoría 3 o de inmunosupresión grave; 12 niños (22,2%) presentaron desnutrición grave cuando se comparó el peso con respecto a la edad y la neumonía ocurrió en 39 (72,2%) como primera manifestación clínica, seguida por el compromiso de los sistemas gastrointestinal, linfático, nervioso y renal; se hallaron también problemas hematológicos, compromiso cardíaco y manifestaciones cutáneas. La fiebre por encima de 38 ºC, sola o acompañada de otros síntomas o signos, se presentó en 38 pacientes (70,4%).

Given that highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been demonstrated useful to restore immune competence in type-1 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1)-infected subjects, we evaluated the specific antibody response to influenza vaccine in a cohort of HIV-1-infected children on HAART so as to analyze the quality of this immune response in patients under antiretroviral therapy. Sixteen HIV-1-infected children and 10 HIV-1 seronegative controls were immunized with a commercially available trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine containing the strains A/H1N1, A/H3N2, and B. Serum hemagglutinin inhibition (HI) antibody titers were determined for the three viral strains at the time of vaccination and 1 month later. Immunization induced a significantly increased humoral response against the three influenza virus strains in controls, and only against A/H3N2 in HIV-1-infected children. The comparison of post-vaccination HI titers between HIV-1+ patients and HIV-1 negative controls showed significantly higher HI titers against the three strains in controls. In addition, post vaccination protective HI titers (defined as equal to or higher than 1:40) against the strains A/H3N2 and B were observed in a lower proportion of HIV-1+ children than in controls, while a similar proportion of individuals from each group achieved protective HI titers against the A/H1N1 strain. The CD4+ T cell count, CD4/CD8 T cells ratio, and serum viral load were not affected by influenza virus vaccination when pre- vs post-vaccination values were compared. These findings suggest that despite the fact that HAART is efficient in controlling HIV-1 replication and in increasing CD4+ T cell count in HIV-1-infected children, restoration of immune competence and response to cognate antigens remain incomplete, indicating that additional therapeutic strategies are required to achieve a full reconstitution of immune functions. COL0008639 COL0058784 COL0012444

Total reported gold resources in Peru is about 192 Moz. Gold production in Peru was 4.9 Moz in 2013, which was ranked first in Latin America and sixth in the world. Historic cumulative gold production in Peru is 118 Moz, and production from main gold belts including Miocene epithermal belt, Carboniferous-Permian orogenic gold belt and Upper Cretaceous intrusion-related gold belt corresponds to 84%. Most of production areas are located in Northern part of Peru, which corresponds to 63.5% of the total domestic production. Annual production onces in Yanacocha mine and Alto Chicama were 1 Moz and 0.606 Moz in 2013, which were ranked first and second in Peru, respectively. Gold production in Peru is expected to be 6.5 Moz in 2017. To accomplish the expected production, ongoing 14 projects should be developed to the production stage in three years.

The article deals with the testing of phytoestrogens containing in plants endemic to Chile. This research confirms that phytoextract has the similar effect upon the target-tissues like estradiol. It was detected, that this substance inhibits the stimulating action of estradiol over the population of lactobacillus in vagina.

The Brazilian savanna, named locally Cerrado, is the second largest Brazilian biome, covering approximately two million km2, especially in the Central Highlands (Ratter et al., 1997). This biome is composed predominantly of tropical savanna vegetation and is considered as one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, a priority area for biodiversity conservation in the world (Myers et al., 2000). The Cerrado region is considered the last agricultural frontier in the world (Borlaug, 2002), which has been converted in the last 50 years especially for agriculture and pasture purposes, where natural and mainly anthropogenic annual burning is a common practice. Currently, around 50% of natural vegetation in the Cerrado region has been converted to pastures and crops (PROBIO-MMA, 2007).This conversion has impacted the biological diversity, the hydrological cycle, the energy balance, the climate and the carbon dynamics at local and regional scales due to habitat fragmentation, invasive alien species, soil erosion, pollution of aquifers, degradation of ecosystems and changes in fire regimes (Klink & Machado, 2005; Aquino & Miranda, 2008). The knowledge of spatial distribution, temporal dynamics and biophysical characteristics of the vegetation types, are important elements to improve the understanding of what is the interaction like between vegetation, precipitation and fire.

Seasonal Variability of Vegetation and Its Relationship to Rainfall and Fire in the Brazilian Tropical Savanna

OBJECTIVES Household contacts (HHCs) of pulmonary tuberculosis patients are at high risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and early disease development. Identification of individuals at risk of tuberculosis disease is a desirable goal for tuberculosis control. Interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) using specific M. tuberculosis antigens provide an alternative to tuberculin skin testing (TST) for infection detection. Additionally, the levels of IFNgamma produced in response to these antigens may have prognostic value. We estimated the prevalence of M. tuberculosis infection by IGRA and TST in HHCs and their source population (SP), and assessed whether IFNgamma levels in HHCs correlate with tuberculosis development. METHODS A cohort of 2060 HHCs was followed for 2-3 years after exposure to a tuberculosis case. Besides TST, IFNgamma responses to mycobacterial antigens: CFP, CFP-10, HspX and Ag85A were assessed in 7-days whole blood cultures and compared to 766 individuals from the SP in Medellin, Colombia. Isoniazid prophylaxis was not offered to child contacts because Colombian tuberculosis regulations consider it only in children under 5 years, TST positive without BCG vaccination. RESULTS Using TST 65.9% of HHCs and 42.7% subjects from the SP were positive (OR 2.60, p