Bioclimatic indicators dataset for the orographically complex Canary Islands archipelago.

The Canary Islands are an archipelago of significant natural value, with a large variety of endemic species living in them, making essential the study of the effects of climate change. This research is based on the use of dynamic techniques of climatic regionalisation to obtain climate projections that contribute to the conservation of ecosystems in the Canary Islands. In this work, climate projections derived from WRF simulations with a spatial resolution of 3 km were used to obtain a novel dataset of 53 bioclimatic indicators, called BICI-ULL (Bioclimatic Indicators in the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna).

Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Alzheimer's Disease with a Cannabis-Based Magistral Formulation: An Open-Label Prospective Cohort Study.

Introduction: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) may be disruptive and problematic for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and for their caregivers. Cannabidiol (CBD) may be a safer alternative. The objective was to evaluate whether CBD-rich oil was effective, and safe in adults with NPS secondary to AD.

Developmental validation of the ForenSeq® Kintelligence kit, MiSeq FGx® sequencing system and ForenSeq Universal Analysis Software.

Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy, a recent sub discipline of forensic genomics, leverages the high throughput and sensitivity of detection of next generation sequencing and established genetic and genealogical approaches to support the identification of human remains from missing persons investigations and investigative lead generation in violent crimes. To facilitate forensic DNA evidence analysis, the ForenSeq® Kintelligence multiplex, consisting of 10,230 SNPs, was developed. Design of the ForenSeq Kintelligence Kit, the MiSeq FGx® Sequencing System and the ForenSeq Universal Analysis Software is described.

Clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of patients living with HIV and co-infected with tuberculosis and histoplasmosis: a 5-y retrospective case series.

Background: In Latin America, tuberculosis (TB) and histoplasmosis are two of the most frequent opportunistic infections affecting people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, there are limited data on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with concurrent TB and histoplasmosis infections.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study to describe the clinical, epidemiological and laboratory characteristics and outcomes of 21 patients living with HIV (PLHIV) who were diagnosed with concurrent histoplasmosis and TB between 2017 and 2021 in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Developmental validation of the ForenSeq MainstAY kit, MiSeq FGx sequencing system and ForenSeq Universal Analysis Software.

For human identification purposes, forensic genetics has primarily relied upon a core set of autosomal (and to a lesser extent Y chromosome) short tandem repeat (STR) markers that are enriched by amplification using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that are subsequently separated and detected using capillary electrophoresis (CE). While STR typing conducted in this manner is well-developed and robust, advances in molecular biology that have occurred over the last 15 years, in particular massively parallel sequencing (MPS) [1-7], offer certain advantages as compared to CE-based typing. First and foremost is the high throughput capacity of MPS.

Epidemiology and Mortality of Cryptococcal Disease in Guatemala: Two-Year Results of a Cryptococcal Antigen Screening Program.

Cryptococcal disease is an important opportunistic infection among people living with HIV. The cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) can be detected before the clinical onset of meningitis and its screening is recommended. Here, we evaluated CrAg frequency, and describe the epidemiological characteristics and mortality at 180 days in a cohort of HIV patients from Guatemala.

Tuberculous pericarditis-a silent and challenging disease: A case report.

Background: Tuberculous pericarditis (TP) remains a challenge for endemic countries. In developing countries, one to two percent of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis develops TP.

Case Summary: A 49-year-old woman presented with dyspnea, chest pain and dry cough.

Incidence of Histoplasmosis in a Cohort of People with HIV: From Estimations to Reality.

Among people with HIV, histoplasmosis represents an important cause of mortality. Previous studies provided estimates of the disease incidence. Here, we compared those estimates with the results obtained from a screening program implemented in Guatemala, which included histoplasmosis detection for people with HIV.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV care in Guatemala.

Objectives: To describe the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and deaths from opportunistic infections in Guatemala.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with HIV at a referral clinic (Clinica Familiar Luis Angel García, CFLAG), as well as the disruption of services at a diagnostic laboratory hub (DLH) which provides diagnosis for opportunistic infections to a network of 13 HIV healthcare facilities. Comparative analysis was undertaken using the months March-August from two different time periods: (i) pre-COVID-19 (2017-2019); and (ii) during the COVID-19 period (2020).

A Rapid Screening Program for Histoplasmosis, Tuberculosis, and Cryptococcosis Reduces Mortality in HIV Patients from Guatemala.

Opportunistic infections (OIs) and advanced HIV disease (AHD) contribute to HIV-related mortality. Here, we analyzed the situation of AHD and OIs in a cohort of newly diagnosed HIV patients from Guatemala. We included 2127 adult patients from 13 facilities across the country during 2017 to 2018.

Evaluation of an educational telephone intervention strategy to improve non-screening colonoscopy attendance: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Colonoscopy attendance is a key quality parameter in colorectal cancer population screening programmes. Within these programmes, educative interventions with bidirectional contact carried out by trained personnel have been proved to be an important tool for colonoscopy attendance improvement, and because of its huge clinical and economic impact, they have been widely implemented. However, outside of this population programmes, educative measures to improve colonoscopy attendance have been poorly studied and no navigation interventions are usually performed.

Comprehensive Telestroke Network to Optimize Health Care Delivery for Cerebrovascular Diseases: Algorithm Development.

Background: Health care delivery for cerebrovascular diseases is a complex process, which may be improved using telestroke networks.

Objective: The purpose of this work was to establish and implement a protocol for the management of patients with acute stroke symptoms according to the available treatment alternatives at the initial point of care and the transfer possibilities.

Methods: The review board of our institutions approved this work.

Comparative performance of the laboratory assays used by a Diagnostic Laboratory Hub for opportunistic infections in people living with HIV.

Objectives: We evaluated the comparative performance of different assays used in a Diagnostic Laboratory Hub that linked 13 HIV healthcare facilities for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB), histoplasmosis, and cryptococcosis, and describing its functions in Guatemala compared with other National Reference Laboratories.

Methods: The following diagnostic techniques were analyzed in 24 months (2017-2018) in a cohort of patients with HIV: smear microscopy, mycobacterial and fungal cultures, isolator blood culture, PCR assays, and antigen detection tests.

Results: A total of 4245 patients were included, 716 (16.

Emergent Protective Organogenesis in Date Palms: A Morpho-Devo-Dynamic Adaptive Strategy during Early Development.

Desert plants have developed mechanisms for adapting to hostile desert conditions, yet these mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we describe two unique modes used by desert date palms () to protect their meristematic tissues during early organogenesis. We used x-ray micro-computed tomography combined with high-resolution tissue imaging to reveal that, after germination, development of the embryo pauses while it remains inside a dividing and growing cotyledonary petiole.

Correction to: Evaluation of the presence of Paenibacillus larvae in commercial bee pollen using PCR amplification of the gene for tRNA.

In the article mentioned above an author's name was misspelled.

Evaluation of the presence of Paenibacillus larvae in commercial bee pollen using PCR amplification of the gene for tRNA.

American foulbrood (AFB) caused by Paenibacillus larvae is the most destructive honeybee bacterial disease and its dissemination via commercial bee pollen is an important mechanism for the spread of this bacterium. Because Mexico imports bee pollen from several countries, we developed a tRNA-PCR strategy and complemented that strategy with MALDI-TOF MS and amplicon-16S rRNA gene analysis to evaluate the presence of P. larvae in pollen samples.

Delayed diagnosis of traumatic gunshot wound Brown-Sequard-plus syndrome due to associated brachial plexopathy.

Introduction: Brown-Séquard Syndrome (BSS) is one of the rarest incomplete spinal cord syndromes. The combination of injuries to peripheral nerves and the central nervous system result in an array of symptoms that can result in overlapping clinical presentations and delayed diagnosis. Early detection of spinal cord injury in patients with peripheral nerve injury has been observed to have a positive effect on outcomes.

pMEX01, a 70kb plasmid isolated from Escherichia coli that confers resistance to multiple β-lactam antibiotics.

Multidrug-resistant microorganisms are of great concern to public health. Genetic mobile elements, such as plasmids, are among the most relevant mechanisms by which bacteria achieve this resistance. We obtained an Escherichia coli strain CM6, isolated from cattle presenting severe diarrheic symptoms in the State of Querétaro, Mexico.

Treating Severe Knee Osteoarthritis with Combination of Intra-Osseous and Intra-Articular Infiltrations of Platelet-Rich Plasma: An Observational Study.

Objective: Assessing the therapeutic effects of a combination of intra-articular and intra-osseous infiltrations of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to treat severe knee osteoarthritis (KOA) using intra-articular injections of PRP as the control group.

Design: In this observational study, 60 patients suffering from severe KOA were treated with intra-articular infiltrations of PRP (IA group) or with a combination of intra-osseous and intra-articular infiltrations of PRP (IO group). Both groups were matched for sex, age, body mass index, and radiographic severity (III and IV degree according to Ahlbäck scale).

Intraosseous Infiltration of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Severe Hip Osteoarthritis.

This work describes a technique of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) infiltration for the treatment of severe hip osteoarthritis (OA). Although the results achieved with intra-articular infiltrations of PRP are promising, they may be insufficient in the long-term for severe hip OA. The technique consists of a combined intra-articular and intraosseous infiltration of PRP to reach all joint tissues, especially the subchondral bone, and hence facilitate a greater distribution of PRP.

Parathyroid cysts: the Latin-American experience.

Background: Parathyroid cyst is an infrequent and unsuspected disease. There are more than 300 hundred cases reported in the world literature, a few of them are from Latin America. The experience of our centers and a review of the cases are presented.

Inpatient rehabilitation following operative spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma mimicking stroke: a case report.

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is a rare cause of spinal cord compression. Symptoms may include sudden-onset axial pain followed by neurologic involvement including weakness, numbness and incontinence. Here we report the case of a patient followed prospectively after surgical intervention following SSEH and recovery following inpatient rehabilitation.

Cassava Breeding II: Phenotypic Correlations through the Different Stages of Selection.

Breeding cassava relies on a phenotypic recurrent selection that takes advantage of the vegetative propagation of this crop. Successive stages of selection (single row trial-SRT; preliminary yield trial-PYT; advanced yield trial-AYT; and uniform yield trials UYT), gradually reduce the number of genotypes as the plot size, number of replications and locations increase. An important feature of this scheme is that, because of the clonal, reproduction of cassava, the same identical genotypes are evaluated throughout these four successive stages of selection.