Establishing a dengue genomic monitoring in Cuba: uncovering virus dynamics to enhance local response.

Background: A major dengue outbreak was reported by the Cuban Ministry of Health in 2022, highlighting the need for strong surveillance, with high pediatric cases showing warning signs. Using phylogenetic and epidemiologic approaches, we provide evidence toward a better understanding of dengue's recent transmission history.

Methods: This study details the implementation of the genomic surveillance system for Dengue virus.

Adapting the colonial mentality scale for mexican-origin emerging adults.

Colonial mentality is one of the most damaging effects of colonization, where colonizers are perceived as superior to the colonized people's culture, society, and heritage (David & Okazaki, 2006a). In this study, we apply a postcolonial lens to the lived experiences of 205 Mexican-origin emerging adults in the United States (72% women) to examine the psychometric properties of a revised version of the Colonial Mentality Scale (CMS-M). Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the CMS's underlying factor structure, including additional items measuring anti-Black features.

A new approach to a first order irreversible homogeneous chemical reaction followed by an electrochemical process (CE mechanism): theory, simulation and application.

Chronoamperometric profiles were derived for systems in which an irreversible, homogeneous chemical reaction generates an electroactive species that readily reacts at the surface of a planar electrode. From the resulting current (i) equations, a semi-operation (convolution voltammetry and semi-differentiation) approach was proposed to extract the rate constant of the chemical reaction through non-linear fitting. These equations were validated using digital simulations, and the semi-derivative approach successfully recovered the simulated parameters.

Oropouche Fever, Cuba, May 2024.

Phylogenetic analyses showed that the virus responsible for a May 2024 Oropouche fever outbreak in Cuba was closely related to viruses from Brazil in 2023. Pools of Ceratopogonidae spp. biting midges and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes were positive for Oropouche viral RNA.

Validation of an Ultraviolet Light Response Gene Signature for Predicting Prognosis in Patients with Uveal Melanoma.

Uveal melanoma (UVM) is a highly aggressive ocular cancer with limited therapeutic options and poor prognosis particularly for patients with liver metastasis. As such, the identification of new prognostic biomarkers is critical for developing effective treatment strategies. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential of an ultraviolet light response gene signature to predict the prognosis of UVM patients.

Neovagina in Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) Syndrome: Vaginoplasty Using Ileal Flap.

Introduction: Surgical treatment of patients with malformations of the female genital tract is a complex problem and there are different techniques described in the literature. The goal of all these techniques is the reconstruction of a neovagina that is anatomically similar to a vagina, with adequate length to facilitate sexual functioning and with the lowest risk of possible complications. The aim of this study is to describe the surgical technique for the reconstruction of a neovagina from an ileal segment without a vascular pedicle.

Levator ani muscle avulsion in patients with pelvic floor dysfunction - Does it help in understanding pelvic organ prolapse?

Introduction: Levator ani muscle (LAM) lesions are an important factor in the development of female pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

Objective: To determine the prevalence of LAM avulsion by transperineal ultrasound. The second outcome is to evaluate the association between complete avulsion and the type, degree, and number of POP compartments involved.

Highly realistic simulation for robot-assisted hypothalamic hamartoma real-time MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT).

Purpose: Real-time MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a challenging procedure due to its technical complexity, as well as the need for efficient multidisciplinary teamwork and transfer of an anesthetized patient between operating room (OR) and magnetic resonance (MR). A highly realistic simulation was developed to design the safest process before being applied to real patients. In this report, authors address the description of the methodology used for this simulation and its purposefulness.

Dopamine oxidation at gold electrodes: mechanism and kinetics near neutral pH.

The two-electron electrochemical oxidation of dopamine is studied voltammetrically at gold macroelectrodes around neutral pH with simulations used to give kinetic and mechanistic data. In particular, the system shows "potential inversion" in which the thermodynamic oxidation potential of dopamine to form the corresponding semi-quinone formation occurs at a more positive potential than that of the oxidation of the semi-quinone to the quinone form. The use of Tafel slopes measured from the voltammograms as a function of the voltage scan rate is show to be a particularly sensitive indicator of mechanism showing the effect of the follow-up chemistry in which the two-electron oxidation product undergoes an irreversible cyclization reaction.

High-sensitivity troponin T in asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis.

In asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis (ASAS), treatment decisions are made on an individual basis, and case management presents a clinical conundrum. We prospectively phenotyped consecutive patients with ASAS using echocardiography, exercise echocardiography, cardiac MRI and biomarkers (NT-proBNP, high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) and ST2) ( = 58). The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death, new-onset symptoms, cardiac hospitalization, guideline-driven indication for valve replacement and cardiovascular death at 12 months.

A new ferrous diflunisal complex and its effects on biopools of labile iron.

Drugs bearing metal-coordinating moieties can alter biological metal distribution. In this work, a complex between iron(II) and diflunisal was prepared in the solid state, exhibiting the following composition: [Fe(diflunisal)(HO)], (Fe(dif)). The ability of diflunisal to alter labile pools of both plasmatic and cellular iron was investigated in this work.

Intravenous Remifentanil Analgaesia for an Obstetric Patient with Type I Neurofibromatosis and a Factor V Leiden Mutation.

Type I neurofibromatosis is characterised by altered skin pigmentation and the growth of benign tumours, particularly along the peripheral nerves and central nervous system. We report a 36-year-old woman in labour who was admitted to the obstetric suite of the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain, in 2007 with hypothyroidism, type I neurofibromatosis and a factor V Leiden mutation. Due to a lack of cranial and spinal imaging data, an epidural was not indicated; instead, continuous intravenous remifentanil analgaesia was administered.

Desferrioxamine and desferrioxamine-caffeine as carriers of aluminum and gallium to microbes via the Trojan Horse Effect.

Iron acquisition by bacteria and fungi involves in several cases the promiscuous usage of siderophores. Thus, antibiotic resistance from these microorganisms can be circumvented through a strategy of loading toxic metals into siderophores (Trojan Horse Effect). Desferrioxamine (dfo) and its cell-permeant derivative desferrioxamine-caffeine (dfcaf) were complexed with aluminum or gallium for this purpose.

In situ evaluation of gemcitabine-DNA interaction using a DNA-electrochemical biosensor.

The electrochemical behaviour of the cytosine nucleoside analogue and anti-cancer drug gemcitabine (GEM) was investigated at glassy carbon electrode, using cyclic, differential pulse and square wave voltammetry, in different pH supporting electrolytes, and no electrochemical redox process was observed. The evaluation of the interaction between GEM and DNA in incubated solutions and using the DNA-electrochemical biosensor was studied. The DNA structural modifications and damage were electrochemically detected following the changes in the oxidation peaks of guanosine and adenosine residues and the occurrence of the free guanine residues electrochemical signal.

N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and high-sensitivity troponin in the evaluation of acute chest pain of uncertain etiology. A PITAGORAS substudy.

Introduction And Objectives: High-sensitivity troponin assays have improved the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome in patients presenting with chest pain and normal troponin levels as measured by conventional assays. Our aim was to investigate whether N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide provides additional information to troponin determination in these patients.

Methods: A total of 398 patients, included in the PITAGORAS study, presenting to the emergency department with chest pain and normal troponin levels as measured by conventional assay in 2 serial samples (on arrival and 6 h to 8h later) were studied.

Genotyping non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Latin America.

Introduction: Frequency of mutations in EGFR and KRAS in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is different between ethnic groups; however, there is no information in Latin-American population.

Methods: A total of 1150 biopsies of NSCLC patients from Latin America (Argentina, Colombia, Peru, and Mexico) were used extracting genomic DNA to perform direct sequencing of EGFR gene (exons 18 and 21) and KRAS gene in 650 samples. In Mexico, Scorpions ARMS was also used to obtain a genetic profile.

Ultrasound-guided supraclavicular vs infraclavicular brachial plexus blocks in children.

Background: Supraclavicular brachial plexus blocks are not common in children because of risk of pneumothorax. However, infraclavicular brachial plexus blocks have been described in paediatric patients both with nerve stimulation and ultrasound (US)-guidance. US-guidance reduces the risk of complications in supraclavicular brachial plexus blocks in adults.

Simultaneous voltammetric detection of ascorbic acid, dopamine and uric acid using a pyrolytic graphite electrode modified into dopamine solution.

Pyrolytic graphite electrodes (PGE) were modified into dopamine solutions using phosphate buffer solutions, pH 10 and 6.5, as supporting electrolyte. The modification process involved a previous anodization of the working electrode at +1.

Protein Z levels and anti-protein Z antibodies in patients with arterial and venous thrombosis.

Introduction: The thrombotic risk associated with protein Z (PZ) deficiency is unclear. Anti-protein Z (anti-PZ) has been described as a risk factor in unexplained embryo demise. The aim of our study was to evaluate a possible PZ deficiency and presence of anti-PZ antibodies on thrombotic diseases.

Anesthetic management of a patient in prone position with a drill bit penetrating the spinal canal at C1-C2, using a laryngeal mask.

Unlabelled: Airway management in patients with penetrating neck trauma must guarantee cervical spine stability. Moreover, the prone position increases the risk of difficult ventilation and cervical spine injury. A 19-yr-old patient was brought to the emergency room in prone position with a drill bit protruding from the posterolateral aspect of his neck.

Electrochemical oxidation of biological molecules at carbon paste electrodes pre-treated in guanine solutions.

Carbon paste electrodes were modified in guanine solutions under an applied potential of 1.1 V and used for electrochemical detection of NADH, NADPH, uric acid and 8-oxoguanine. Detection limits were 3.

Electrochemical evaluation of rhodium dimer-DNA interactions.

The interaction of rhodium dimers, including the carboxylates (acetate, propionate, butyrate, trifluoroacetate, citrate and gluconate), amidates (acetamidate and trifluoroacetamidate) and carboxamidate (Doyle catalyst S) with DNA was investigated by electrochemical methods. Differential pulse voltammetry measurements showed, in agreement to literature data, that most of rhodium carboxylates have a higher affinity for adenine than guanine residues. Some differences of reactivity may be correlated with the compound structures and these were helpful in understanding the influence of equatorial ligands on axial coordination mechanisms.