Resumen Objetivos: determinar la frecuencia del gen mecA en Staphylococcus aureus resistente a meticilina (MRSA) aislados de pacientes atendidos en un hospital de tercer nivel en la región Cajamarca, Perú; asimismo, determinar cuál de los dos antibióticos usados como screening fenotípico tiene mayor utilidad para explicar la presencia de dicho gen. Métodos: se analizaron 71 aislamientos bacterianos provenientes de muestras del Hospital Regional Docente de Cajamarca, la identificación de S. aureus se llevó a cabo mediante el equipo MicroScan. El screening fenotípico para resistencia a meticilina se realizó mediante la técnica de difusión, con discos de cefoxitina y oxacilina. La extracción de ADN se realizó mediante shock térmico, la detección del gen mecA se realizó mediante reacción en cadena de la polimerasa. El análisis estadístico se realizó con el software SPSS v.25. Resultados: de los 71 aislados, 40 (56,3%) fueron MRSA portadores del gen mecA, la mayoría de estos aislamientos correspondieron a pacientes hospitalizados 22 (31,0%), siendo más frecuentes en muestras de secreción bronquial 27 (38,0%). El screening fenotípico con disco de cefoxitina predijo mejor la presencia del gen mecA [P=0,010; Exp(B)= 12,3] en comparación con el disco de oxacilina. Conclusiones: este estudio demostró alta frecuencia de MRSA mecA positivo en muestras de origen clínico, principalmente de pacientes hospitalizados. Es importante establecer medidas de vigilancia para identificar MRSA en todos los hospitales de la región.

Abstract Objective: to determine the frequency of the mecA gene in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from patients treated at a third-level hospital in the Cajamarca region, Peru; as well as, to determine which of the two antibiotics used as phenotypic screening is more useful in explaining the presence of said gene. Methods: 71 bacterial isolates were analyzed from samples obtained from the Hospital Regional Docente of Cajamarca. The identification of S. aureus was carried out using the MicroScan system. Phenotypic screening for resistance to methicillin was performed using the diffusion technique with cefoxitin and oxacillin discs. DNA extraction was performed by heat shock, mecA gene detection was performed through polymerase chain reaction. For data analysis, the statistical software SPSS v.25 was used. Results: from 71 isolates, 40 (56,3%) were MRSA carriers of the mecA gene, the majority of these isolates corresponded to hospitalized patients 22 (31,0%), being more frequent in bronchial secretion samples 27 (38,0%). Phenotypic screening with cefoxitin disc was a better predictor for the presence of the mecA gene [P=0,010; Exp(B)= 12,3] compared to the oxacillin disc. Conclusions: It is shown a high frequency of positive MRSA mecA in samples of clinical origin, mainly from hospitalized patients. It is important to establish surveillance guidelines to identify MRSA in all hospitals in the region.

Resumen Introducción. Los sensores remotos ofrecen la capacidad de observar un objeto sin estar en contacto con el mismo, son utilizados en aplicaciones para la agricultura y tienen un gran potencial de desarrollo para el cultivo del banano (Musa AAA). Durante las últimas décadas las investigaciones en sensores remotos y agricultura se han incrementado gracias a la disponibilidad de imágenes satelitales de alta resolución y al uso de vehículos aéreos no tripulados que generan información base para las investigaciones. Objetivo. Realizar una revisión general sobre las aplicaciones del uso de sensores remotos para el cultivo del banano en tres aspectos específicos: determinación del área de cultivo, estimación de su productividad y en el diagnóstico de enfermedades. Desarrollo. Las áreas de plantaciones comerciales de banano son de fácil detección visual o por medio clasificaciones de imágenes, como con las imágenes del radar de abertura sintética (SAR), que pueden alcanzar presiones superiores al 95%. Esto debido a la alta retrodispersión de las hojas grandes de la planta. No obstante, los estudios realizados en cuanto a productividad son escasos para el cultivo de banano y se han limitado al uso de índices de vegetación, con resultados bajos en sus correlaciones. En cuanto la identificación de enfermedades, se ha trabajado en las principales que afectan la producción con niveles de correlación superiores al 90 % para algunas enfermedades. Conclusión. La presente revisión evidencia que las plantaciones bananeras pueden ser delimitadas mediante el uso de sensores remotos y, de igual forma, estos permiten la identificación de las principales enfermedades en el cultivo. Sin embargo, los resultados obtenidos para determinar productividad son escasos y con poca precisión.

Abstract Introduction. Remote sensors offer the ability to observe an object without being in contact with it. They are widely used in agricultural applications and have large development potential in banana (Musa AAA) plantations. During the past decades, the research in remote sensing and agriculture has increased through the availability of high-resolution satellite images (spatial, spectral, and temporal) and the use of remotely piloted vehicles that generate base information for research. Objective. To carry out a general review on the applications of the use of remote sensors for banana plantations in three specific aspects: determination of the cultivation area, productivity estimation, and disease diagnosis. Development. The extension of land covered by commercial banana plantations can be detected visually or easily by means of remote image classifications, such as the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensor, which hve resulted in classification accuracies of around 95%. This is due to the high backscattering of the large leaves of the plant. However, the studies on productivity are scarce for banana cultivation and have been limited to the use of vegetation index, showing poor results in their correlations. As for the identification of diseases, work has been done on the main diseases affecting production with correlation levels above 90 % for some diseases. Conclusion. This review shows that banana plantations can be detected through the use of remote sensors and, likewise, these allow the identification of the main diseases in the crop. However, the results obtained to determine productivity are scarce and with little precision.

Abstract Basic renal function tests such as maximum urine osmolality and urinary elimination of albumin and N-acetyl-glucosaminidase often reveal abnormalities in clinical cases involving hyperpressure in the urinary tract or loss of renal parenchyma. However, in all the available algorithms dedicated to the study of children with urinary tract infection or dilation, the benefit of using these functional parameters is not mentioned. In this review, we provide information about the practical usefulness of assessing the basic renal function parameters. From these data, we propose an algorithm that combines morphological and functional parameters to make a reasoned case for voiding cystourethrography. From these data, we propose an algorithm that combines morphological and functional parameters to make a reasoned case for voiding cystourethrography.

Resumen Las pruebas básicas de estudio de la función renal como la osmolalidad urinaria máxima y la eliminación urinaria de albúmina y de N-acetil-glucosaminidasa se alteran con mucha frecuencia en situaciones clínicas que cursan con hiperpresión en la vía urinaria o con pérdida de parénquima renal. No obstante, en todos los algoritmos que se pueden consultar dedicados al estudio de los niños con infección urinaria o dilatación de la vía urinaria nunca se menciona el beneficio del uso de esos parámetros funcionales. En esta revisión, ofrecemos información acerca de la utilidad práctica que conlleva la determinación de los parámetros básicos de estudio de la función renal. A partir de esos datos proponemos un algoritmo destinado a realizar una petición razonada de la cistografía conjuntando parámetros morfológicos y funcionales.

Stresses such as cold and drought can impair plant yield and induce a highly complex array of responses. Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas and is considered a cold-sensitive plant. We previously showed that cold stress induces the expression of several genes in in vitro sugarcane plantlets. Here we characterize one of those genes, SsNAC23, a member of the NAC family of plant-specific transcription factors, which are induced by low temperature and other stresses in several plant species. The expression of SsNAC23 was induced in sugarcane plants exposed to low temperatures (4ºC). With the aim of further understanding the regulatory network in response to stress, we used the yeast two-hybrid system to identify sugarcane proteins that interact with SsNAC23. Using SsNAC23 as bait, we screened a cDNA expression library of sugarcane plants submitted to 4ºC for 48 h. Several interacting partners were identified, including stress-related proteins, increasing our knowledge on how sugarcane plants respond to cold stress. One of these interacting partners, a thioredoxin h1, offers insights into the regulation of SsNAC23 activity.

Treze óleos essenciais de plantas da Colômbia, obtido por hidrodestilação ou hidrodestilação assistida por microondas, da planta inteira, caule, folhas e flores, foram analisados por técnicas de espectrometria de massa acoplada a cromatografia gasosa. Foi avaliada a citotoxicidade de óleos essenciais utilizando o ensaio com Artemia salina e suas atividades antioxidantes medindo seus efeitos sobre os níveis de substâncias reativas ao ácido tiobarbitúrico em microssomas de fígado de rato induzida por Fe2+/H2O2. Cinco óleos apresentaram alta citotoxicidade (LC50<10 µg/mL) sobre o ensaio de Artemia salina. A atividade antioxidante do óleo essencial de Ocotea sp., Tagetes lucida e Lippia alba (quimiotipo geranial) apresentaram os menores valores de Concentração Eficaz (CE50), na ordem de 31,1, 37,9 e 94,9 µg/mL, respectivamente. Os principais componentes desses óleos foram α-pineno (42%), estragol (95,7%) e geranial (30,4%), respectivamente. Elettaria cardamomum e Lippia alba (quimiotipo carvona, Tolima) apresentaram moderada atividade antioxidante com valores de CE50 de 130,5 e 174,4 µg/mL, respectivamente. Os óleos essenciais de mollis Minthostachys mollis, Lippia alba (quimiotipo carvona, Cundinamarca), e Piper sanctifelisis não mostraram atividade antioxidante (CE50>1000 µg/mL).

Thirteen essential oils from Colombian plants, obtained by hydrodistillation or microwave-assisted hydrodistillation of total plant, stem, leaves, and flowers were analyzed by gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques. Cytotoxicity of essential oils was assessed using the brine shrimp assay, and their antioxidant activities measuring their effects on the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances on rat liver microsomes induced by Fe2+/H2O2. Five oils showed high cytotoxicity (LC50<10 µg/mL) on the brine shrimp assay. The antioxidant activity of the essential oil from Ocotea sp., Tagetes lucida and Lippia alba (geranial chemotype) showed the lowest mean effective concentrations (EC50), with values of 31.1, 37.9 and 94.9 µg/mL, respectively. The main components for these oils were α-pinene (42%), estragole (95.7%) and geranial (30.4%), respectively. Elettaria cardamomum and Lippia alba (carvone chemotype, Tolima) presented moderate antioxidant activities with EC50 values of 130.5 and 174.4 µg/mL, respectively. Essential oils from Minthostachys mollis, Lippia alba (carvone chemotype, Cundinamarca), and Piper sanctifelisis did not show antioxidant activity (CE50>1000 µg/mL).

Relatamos o caso de paciente do sexo masculino com 36 anos de idade com sinais e sintomas de insuficiência cardíaca direita. A história revelou trauma torácico há aproximadamente cinco anos. Submetido a operação para tratamento de insuficiência tricúspide, notou-se ausência do músculo papilar anterior da valva tricúspide, fenda na cúspide anterior e dilatação do anel tricuspídeo. Foi realizada sutura da fenda localizada na cúspide anterior e feita sua sustentação utilizando-se tira de pericárdio bovino fixada na face atrial e base do músculo papilar posterior. A operação foi completada com anuloplastia de Revuelta. O paciente obteve nítida melhora dos sintomas no pós-operatório imediato, mantendo-se em classe funcional I (NYHA), após 22 meses de evolução.

Tricuspid regurgitation arising from chest trauma five years earlier was successfully corrected by valve reconstruction in a 36 year-old man. During correction a fissure of the anterior leaflet, absence of the anterior papillary muscle, chordae tendineae and tricuspid annulus dilatation were found. Tricuspid valvuloplasty was feasible using an anchored suture of the anterior leaflet fissure, artificial bovine chordae, pericardium implantation and Revuelta ring annuloplasty. There were no complications and no early or late mortality. At 22 months follow-up tricuspid valve function has remained with mild regurgitation. The patient is in good clinical condition.