Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are the most widely used immunological test for the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases. Despite the recommendations of experts, there is some variability in performing and ...interpreting this test in routine practice. In this context, the Spanish Group on Autoimmune Diseases (GEAI) of the Spanish Society of Immunology (SEI) conducted a national survey of 50 autoimmunity laboratories. Here we report the survey results on ANA testing, detection of related antigens, and our recommendations. The survey showed that most of the participating laboratories use a similar approach for most key practices: 84% perform ANA by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) on HEp-2 cells as the screening methodology while the other laboratories use IIF to confirm positive screens; 90% report ANA test results as either negative or positive with titer and pattern; 86% indicated that the ANA pattern conditioned follow-up testing for specific antigen-related antibodies; and 70% confirm positive anti-dsDNA. However, testing practices were highly heterogeneous for certain items, such as sera dilutions and the minimum time period for repeating ANA and related antigen determinations. Overall, this survey shows that most autoimmune laboratories in Spain use a similar approach but that further standardization of testing and reporting protocols is needed.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, cases of acute sinusitis due to COVID-19 and even co-infections have been reported 1. We want to discuss a case in Colombia where a patient with detected type 2 diabetes ...presented sinusitis and COVID-19. A 51-year-old man from Sincelejo, Sucre, consulted on May 23, 2020, with one day presenting general malaise and fever (38 °C), lumbar pain, frequent urination, polydipsia and hyperglycemia (366 mg/dl). He denied cough, travel during the last two weeksan Physical examination revealed a blood pressure of 170/110 mmHg, heart rate of 115 beats/minute, respiratory rate of 16 breaths/minute, and temperature of 36.6 °C. Neither lymphadenopathies nor cardiopulmonary disturbances were noted. A working diagnosis of febrile syndrome, ketoacidosis, and recent-onset type 2 diabetes, with uncontrolled hypertension, was contemplated at admission RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 was positive. A head CT Scan revealed left maxillary sinusitis with mucosal thickening of the maxillary Despite the sizeable SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the number of reports of sinusitis in association with COVID-19 has been limited 2,3. Sinusitis is more often diagnosed among immunocompromised patients, including diabetes of our patient. COVID-19, as a multisystemic condition. It may affect different anatomical areas, including the paranasal sinuses and the upper and lower respiratory mucosa. Although it is uncertain whether SARS-CoV-2 was the sole cause of the sinusitis in our patient or just a contributing factor, other reports suggest a significant involvement of the virus in the development of this condition, in addition to its role in worsening the clinical course of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis
La presente reflexión surge como síntesis de la mesa sobre “La formación de los profesores de física”, en el 11 Congreso Nacional de Enseñanza de la Física, que tuvo lugar en la Universidad de ...Antioquia del 11 al 14 de noviembre de 2022. El objetivo de la mesa era caracterizar los retos actuales en la formación de profesores de física, dadas las exigencias normativas, establecidas por el Ministerio de Educación Nacional y las Instituciones de Educación Superior, y la consecuente tensión con las perspectivas y construcciones teóricas que emergen desde las comunidades académicas en el campo de la didáctica de la física, así como el ideal en los programas de formación de futuros profesores de física.
Irbesartan (IBS) is a tetrazole derivative and antihypertensive drug that has two interconvertible structures, 1H- and 2H-tautomers. The difference between them lies in the protonation of the ...tetrazole ring. In the solid-state, both tautomers can be isolated as crystal forms A (1H-tautomer) and B (2H-tautomer). Studies have reported that IBS is a polymorphic system and its forms A and B are related monotropically. These reports indicate form B as the most stable and less soluble form. Therefore, the goal of this contribution is to demonstrate through a complete solid-state characterization, thermodynamic study and dissolution properties that the IBS forms are desmotropes that are not related monotropically. However, the intention is also to call attention to the importance of conducting strict chemical and in solid-state quality controls on the IBS raw materials. Hence, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and Raman spectroscopy (RS) at ambient and non-ambient conditions, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), hot stage microscopy (HSM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques were applied. Furthermore, intrinsic dissolution rate (IDR) and structural stability studies at 98% relative humidity (RH), 25 °C and 40 °C were conducted as well. The results show that in fact, form A is approximately four-fold more soluble than form B. In addition, both IBS forms are stable at ambient conditions. Nevertheless, structural and/or chemical instability was observed in form B at 40 °C and 98% RH. IBS has been confirmed as a desmotropic system rather than a polymorphic one. Consequently, forms A and B are not related monotropically.
•Valuable solid-state characterization data of irbesartan, data which were formerly absent from the literature, are presented herein.•It has been demonstrated that irbesartan solid forms are not polymorphs; they are desmotropes. Therefore, they are not related monotropically as was previously reported in the literature.•These results address the concerns of dealing with tautomerism as a minor phenomenon and the classification of desmotropes as polymorphs.•The importance of strict quality control analysis of pharmaceutical raw materials, not only chemical but also in the solid-state, is evidenced in the case of irbesartan.
El presente estudio describe la morfología de diez especies de Tripos recolectadas usando dos redes de fitoplancton de 20 y 50 µm durante siete campañas oceanográficas entre el año 2017 y 2019 en el ...golfo de Urabá. Se ofrecen observaciones morfológicas y medidas de las especies encontradas, junto con información sobre distribución local y una clave taxonómica. Se registran por primera vez para el golfo de Urabá: Tripos dens, T. extensus, T. gallicus, T. massiliensis, T. muelleri y T. pentagonus. El golfo de Urabá presenta una riqueza de especies baja en comparación con otras áreas del Caribe colombiano.
The Atlantic Forest is one of the most threatened biomes in the world. Despite that, this biome still includes many areas that are poorly known floristically, including several protected areas, such ...as the "Floresta Nacional do Rio Preto" ("Flona do Rio Preto"), located in the Brazilian State of Espírito Santo. This study used a published vascular plant species list for this protected area from the "Catálogo de Plantas das Unidades de Conservação do Brasil" as the basis to synthesise the species richness, endemism, conservation and new species occurrences found in the "Flona do Rio Preto".
The published list of vascular plants was based on field expeditions conducted between 2018 and 2020 and data obtained from herbarium collections available in online databases. Overall, 722 species were documented for the "Flona do Rio Preto", 711 of which are native to Brazil and 349 are endemic to the Atlantic Forest. In addition, 60 species are geographically disjunct between the Atlantic and the Amazon Forests. Most of the documented species are woody and more than 50% of these are trees. Twenty-three species are threatened (CR, EN and VU), while five are Data Deficient (DD). Thirty-two species are new records for the State of Espírito Santo. Our results expand the knowledge of the flora of the Atlantic Forest and provide support for the development of new conservation policies for this protected area.
El objetivo de esta investigación fue comprender las representaciones sociales asociadas al VIH y al Sida en un grupo de adolescentes y jóvenes universitarios colombianos. Para ello, se realizó un ...estudio cualitativo de diseño fenomenológico interpretativo en el que participaron 18 estudiantes universitarios. Las técnicas de recolección empleadas fueron las redes semánticas naturales (RSN) y los grupos de discusión. Las narrativas evidenciaron que existe desconocimiento sobre aspectos generales del VIH y del Sida. También dieron cuenta de la creencia de que el riesgo de contraer VIH recae únicamente en grupos etiquetados en riesgo. Se identificaron, además, actitudes que denotan estigma hacia personas con la enfermedad. Los pares, los padres, la familia y el internet se reportaron como los principales agentes de socialización sobre la enfermedad. En conclusión, se destaca la necesidad de empoderar a los diferentes agentes de socialización y de fortalecer los procesos educativos desde el reconocimiento de los derechos humanos de todas las personas. Se requiere, por tanto, un trabajo articulado, integral y transversal de los diferentes agentes, no solo para la deconstrucción de las creencias y actitudes negativas hacia la enfermedad, sino para la construcción de una sexualidad responsable y saludable que esté centrada en el autocuidado.
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