Publications by authors named "Juan Avila"

Article Synopsis
  • HIV is a retrovirus that primarily targets the immune system, leading to various opportunistic infections like pneumonia and kidney-related issues, notably HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN).
  • Advances in antiretroviral therapy allow individuals with HIV to maintain a normal lifespan and avoid progression to AIDS if treated timely.
  • A 32-year-old male patient was diagnosed with HIV and pneumonia, subsequently treated and stabilized, highlighting the importance of early recognition and treatment of HIV and its complications.
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Differential dynamic microscopy (DDM) typically relies on movies containing hundreds or thousands of frames to accurately quantify motion in soft matter systems. Using movies much shorter in duration produces noisier and less accurate results. This limits the applicability of DDM to situations where the dynamics are stationary over extended times.

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Mass spectrometry (MS) has long been used for quality control of oligonucleotide therapeutics, including single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats techniques. However, the application of MS is limited to qualitative assays in most cases. Here, we showed that electrospray-ionization quadrupole time-of-flight MS (ESI-QTOF-MS) assays can be quantitative for chemical species found in sgRNA samples.

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Objective: We aimed to develop of a risk stratification model for the pharmaceutical care (PC) of patients with solid or hematologic neoplasms who required antineoplastic agents or supportive treatments.

Method: The risk stratification model was collaboratively developed by oncology pharmacists from the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy (SEFH). It underwent refinement through three workshops and a pilot study.

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Objective: We aimed to develop of a risk stratification model for the pharmaceutical care of patients with solid or hematologic neoplasms who required antineoplastic agents or supportive treatments.

Method: The risk stratification model was collaboratively developed by oncology pharmacists from the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy (SEFH). It underwent refinement through 3 workshops and a pilot study.

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Adrenal incidentaloma (AI) is rare and found in approximately 2-4% of abdominal computed tomography scans. Up to 10% of patients with AI have autonomous secretion of adrenal hormones. If not quickly diagnosed and adequately treated, the outcome may be devastating to the patient.

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Despite many available treatments for schizophrenia, several unmet needs persist in treating individuals with this disorder, and the response rate to first-line antipsychotics remains relatively low. Clozapine has shown efficacy in treating schizophrenia patients who failed to respond to previous antipsychotics. However, side effects and the need for routine blood tests have limited its use as a first-line treatment.

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Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare autoimmune disorder that typically develops after a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection. While  is associated with approximately 30% of cases, organisms such as , , Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, Zika virus, influenza virus, and hepatitis A, B, C, and E have demonstrated clinical associations to GBS. In rare instances, infections have been documented as the underlying cause for GBS.

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Background: Spiegel hernia is a rare type of ventral hernia that occurs when there is a defect in the semilunar line (Spiegel line) through which there is protrusion of preperitoneal fat or a peritoneal sac with or without an intra-abdominal viscus.

Clinical Case: A 52-year-old female patient admitted for abdominal pain and tumor in the lower right quadrant of 15 cm. In the operating room, wall plasty was performed and when hernia sac was opened, necrotic appendicitis was identified.

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Background: Exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs) via drinking water is a serious global health threat. Various factors influence susceptibility to iAs-associated health outcomes, including differences in iAs metabolism. Previous studies have shown that obesity is associated with iAs metabolism.

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This correspondence argues and offers recommendations for how Geographic Information System (GIS) applied to maternal and newborn health data could potentially be used as part of the broader efforts for ending preventable maternal and newborn mortality. These recommendations were generated from a technical consultation on reporting and mapping maternal deaths that was held in Washington, DC from January 12 to 13, 2015 and hosted by the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) global Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP). Approximately 72 participants from over 25 global health organizations, government agencies, donors, universities, and other groups participated in the meeting.

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Introduction: Bacterial infections represent a serious complication of liver cirrhosis. Traditionally, Gram negative bacteria have been described as the microorganisms responsible for the majority of the infections. However, in the past few years, changes in the microbiological spectrum have been described, and multiresistant bacteria are observed more frequently.

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Plasmodium vivax is a major cause of illness in areas with low transmission of malaria in Latin America, Asia, and the Horn of Africa. However, pregnancy-associated malaria remains poorly characterized in such areas. Using a hospital-based survey of women giving birth and an antenatal survey, we assessed the prevalence rates of Plasmodium spp.

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Background: Arsenic exposure increases the risk of non-cancerous and cancerous diseases. In the Antofagasta region in Chile, an established relationship exists between arsenic exposure and the risk of cancer of the bladder, lung and skin. Platinum-based drugs are first-line treatments, and many works recognise selenium as a cancer-fighting nutrient.

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We measured the concentration of 12 metals in coastal waters of seven sites of San Jorge Bay in Antofagasta (northern Chile), in order to relate the presence of metals with the different uses of San Jorge Bay coastal border, and to evaluate the quality of the bay's bodies of water according to the proposed current Chilean Quality Guide for trace elements in seawater (CONAMA 2003). The results suggest that the coastal water of San Jorge Bay has very good quality according to the proposed regulation mentioned above. However, the distribution of metals such as Cu and Pb along the bay's coast line evidences a notorious effect of the industrial activity, which would involve different behavior patterns for some trace elements in some bodies of water, suggesting that the levels indicated in the environmental guideline of the Chilean legislation do not represent pollution-free environments.

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Cu, Pb, and Hg concentrations were determined in surface sediment samples collected at three sites in San Jorge Bay, northern Chile. This study aims to evaluate differences in their spatial distribution and temporal variability. The highest metal concentrations were found at the site "Puerto", where minerals (Cu and Pb) have been loaded for more than 60 years.

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Background: We assessed aspects of Seguro Popular, a programme aimed to deliver health insurance, regular and preventive medical care, medicines, and health facilities to 50 million uninsured Mexicans.

Methods: We randomly assigned treatment within 74 matched pairs of health clusters-ie, health facility catchment areas-representing 118 569 households in seven Mexican states, and measured outcomes in a 2005 baseline survey (August, 2005, to September, 2005) and follow-up survey 10 months later (July, 2006, to August, 2006) in 50 pairs (n=32 515). The treatment consisted of encouragement to enrol in a health-insurance programme and upgraded medical facilities.

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The prevalence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis has increased in the last years, paralleling the increasing incidence of overweight and obesity in the general population and related comorbidities. It is expected that in near future, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis will be responsible for a large number of subjects with chronic liver disease due to fatty liver Because of this, treatment options for fatty liver are necessary. To date, the cornerstone of treatment is based in weight reduction, with diet and increased physical activity, although reports indicating that insulin sensitizers and medications that reduce oxidative stress may hold promise for the treatment of this condition.

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We assessed the efficacy of mefloquine monotherapy and mefloquine-artesunate (MQ-AS) combination therapy for the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria at four sites in the Bolivian Amazon region. Patients with uncomplicated P. falciparum infections between 5 and 60 years of age were randomly assigned to be treated with either MQ (15 mg/kg in a single oral dose) or MQ (15 mg/kg) plus AS (4 mg/kg daily for 3 days).

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed guidelines for in vivo antimalarial drug efficacy testing for Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax in areas with low-to-moderate transmission, such as the Americas. These guidelines are used widely by ministries of health and national malaria control programs to assess the efficacy of their first-line and second-line drugs for the treatment of malaria and to provide the information necessary to update national malaria treatment policies. Following the WHO guidelines, we have conducted in vivo efficacy trials with a variety of drugs and drug combinations against P.

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