Spotted fever group rickettsiae in black rats, pets, and humans in Zungarococha community, A rural area in the surroundings of Iquitos, Peru.

Rickettsiae are a family of ectoparasite-borne bacteria that can produce high morbidity and mortality among humans. There are scarce data on rickettsial ecology in rural areas of the Peruvian Amazon basin, where seroprevalence has not been determined, and the identities of animals acting as reservoirs of these bacteria are not known. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Zungarococha (between 2019 and 2021), a rural community located approximately 20 km away from Iquitos city.

Low Antenatal Care Number of Consultations Is Associated with Gestational Weight Gain and Birth Weight of Offspring of Teenage Mothers: A Study Based on Colombian and Mexican Cohorts.

Background: More than 70% of pregnant adolescents in developing countries experience inappropriate gestational weight gain (GWG).

Objective: To determine the association of the number of antenatal care visits (ANC) with GWG, birth weight, and their differences between two countries.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted in two cohorts of adolescents, one from Mexico and one from Colombia.

Mass chemotherapy with niclosamide for the control of : population-based safety profile and treatment effectiveness.

Background: Mass drug administration (MDA) with niclosamide (NSM) can be used to control taeniasis, the cause of neurocysticercosis. NSM is 84.3% effective against taeniasis and is considered safe as it is not absorbed from the intestinal tract.

Involvement of Expression of miR33-5p and ABCA1 in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Coronary Artery Disease.

MicroRNAs (miRs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally and are crucial in lipid metabolism. ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) is essential for cholesterol efflux from cells to high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Dysregulation of miRs targeting can affect cholesterol homeostasis and contribute to coronary artery disease (CAD).

Analysis of Circulating miRNA Expression Profiles in Type 2 Diabetes Patients with Diabetic Foot Complications.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with various complications, including diabetic foot, which can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Non-healing foot ulcers in diabetic patients are a major risk factor for infections and amputations. Despite conventional treatments, which have limited efficacy, there is a need for more effective therapies.

Response to the Letter regarding "The usefulness of the genetic panel in the classification and refinement of diagnostic accuracy of Mexican patients with Marfan syndrome and other connective tissue disorders".

Dear Editor, In relation to the letter expressing concerns about some important points of the article entitled "The usefulness of the genetic panel in the classification and refinement of diagnostic accuracy of Mexican patients with Marfan syndrome and other connective tissue disorders", we would like to comment on the following.  Read more in the PDF.

Serum Folate, Red Blood Cell Folate, and Zinc Serum Levels Are Related with Gestational Weight Gain and Offspring's Birth-Weight of Adolescent Mothers.

Background: Gestational weight gain below or above the Institute of Medicine recommendations has been associated with adverse perinatal and neonatal outcomes. Very few studies have evaluated the association between serum and red blood cell folate concentrations and gestational weight gain in adolescents. Additionally, zinc deficiency during pregnancy has been associated with impaired immunity, prolonged labor, preterm and post-term birth, intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight, and pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Paediatrics congenital heart disease is associated with plasma miRNAs.

Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) are the most common malformations from birth. The severity of the different forms of CHD varies extensively from superficial mild lesions with follow-up for decades without any treatment to complex cyanotic malformations requiring urgent surgical intervention. microRNAs have been found to be crucial in cardiac development, giving rise to possible phenotypes in CHD.

Co-creation process of an intervention to implement a multiparameter point-of-care testing device in a primary healthcare setting for non-communicable diseases in Peru.

Background: Point-of-care testing (POCT) devices are diagnostic tools that can provide quick and accurate results within minutes, making them suitable for diagnosing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, these devices are not widely implemented in healthcare systems and for this reason is relevant to understand the implementation process.

Aim: To describe the process and define a strategy to implement a multiparameter POCT device for diagnosing and managing NCDs in one region of Peru.

Gestational Weight Gain: Is the Role of Genetic Variants a Determinant? A Review.

Excessive or insufficient gestational weight gain (GWG) leads to diverse adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. There is evidence that pregestational body mass index (pBMI) plays a role in GWG, but no genetic cause has been identified. In this review, we aim to analyze genotype variants associated with GWG.

Impact of Treatment with Antioxidants as an Adjuvant to Standard Therapy in Patients with Septic Shock: Analysis of the Correlation between Cytokine Storm and Oxidative Stress and Therapeutic Effects.

Cellular homeostasis is lost or becomes dysfunctional during septic shock due to the activation of the inflammatory response and the deregulation of oxidative stress. Antioxidant therapy administered alongside standard treatment could restore this lost homeostasis. We included 131 patients with septic shock who were treated with standard treatment and vitamin C (Vit C), vitamin E (Vit E), N-acetylcysteine (NAC), or melatonin (MT), in a randomized trial.

Evaluation of the participation of ABCA1 transporter in epicardial and mediastinal adipose tissue from patients with coronary artery disease.

Objective: Recent studies have shown a relationship between adipose tissue and coronary artery disease (CAD). The ABCA1 transporter regulates cellular cholesterol content and reverses cholesterol transport. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) R230C, C-17G, and C-69T and their expression in epicardial and mediastinal adipose tissue in Mexican patients with CAD.

The usefulness of the genetic panel in the classification and refinement of diagnostic accuracy of Mexican patients with Marfan syndrome and other connective tissue disorders.

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a multisystem genetic disorder with over 3000 mutations described in the fibrillin 1 (FBN1) gene. Like MFS, other connective tissue disorders also require a deeper understanding of the phenotype-genotype relationship due to the complexity of the clinical presentation, where diagnostic criteria often overlap. Our objective was to identify mutations in patients with connective tissue disorders using a genetic multipanel and to analyze the genotype-phenotype associations in a cohort of Mexican patients.

Development and Laboratory Evaluation of a Simple, Field-Applicable Coproantigen Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Diagnosis of Taeniasis in Northern Peru.

Coproantigen detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (coAg ELISA) is a vital tool for detecting and treating cases of Taenia solium taeniasis. However, the assay's procedures require costly materials and sophisticated equipment, which are typically inaccessible in rural settings where the disease is endemic. To overcome these barriers, we developed and evaluated a field-applicable coAg ELISA.

Analysis of GPR126 polymorphisms and their relationship with scoliosis in Marfan syndrome and Marfan-like syndrome in Mexican patients.

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an inherited connective tissue disorder. As the spinal growth depends on delicate balance of forces, conditions that affect musculoskeletal matrix often lead to spinal deformities. A large cross-sectional study revealed a 63% prevalence of scoliosis among patients with MFS.

Overexpression of microRNA-21-5p and microRNA-221-5p in Monocytes Increases the Risk of Developing Coronary Artery Disease.

MicroRNAs (miRs) regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and are found to be present in monocytes. This study aimed to investigate miR-221-5p, miR-21-5p, and miR-155-5p, their expression in monocytes, and their role in coronary arterial disease (CAD). The study population comprised 110 subjects, and RT-qPCR was used to examine the miR-221-5p, miR-21-5p, and miR-155-5p expressions in monocytes.

Evaluating the Role of Corrals and Insects in the Transmission of Porcine Cysticercosis: A Cohort Study.

The widespread dispersion of pigs infected with cysticercosis across endemic villages, low cyst burden among infected pigs, and low prevalence of taeniasis all suggest that pig ingestion of human feces is not the only mode of transmission for . Our objective was to evaluate the risk of porcine cysticercosis associated with exposure to human feces, dung beetles, and flies in an endemic community setting. We used a cluster-randomized cohort design to compare the risk of developing antibodies and infection among 120 piglets raised in either free-roaming (FR), standard corral (SC), or netted corral environments (NC).

Individual, Family, and Social Factors Associated with Gestational Weight Gain in Adolescents: A Scoping Review.

About 56% to 84% of pregnant adolescents have inappropriate (insufficient or excessive) gestational weight gain (GWG); however, the factors associated with GWG in this age group have not been systematically identified. This scoping review aimed to synthesize the available scientific evidence on the association of individual, family, and social factors with inappropriate gestational weight gain in pregnant adolescents. To carry out this review, the MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were searched for articles from recent years.

Expressions of mRNA and encoded proteins of mitochondrial uncoupling protein genes (, , and ) in epicardial and mediastinal adipose tissue and associations with coronary artery disease.

Objective: To evaluate the expression of , , and mRNA and encoded proteins in epicardial and mediastinal adipose tissues in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Subjects And Methods: We studied 60 patients with CAD and 106 patients undergoing valve replacement surgery (controls). Expression levels of , , and mRNA and encoded proteins were measured by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively.

Impact on the Clinical Evolution of Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia and the Participation of the Polymorphisms in Regulating SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

In patients with severe pneumonia due to COVID-19, the deregulation of oxidative stress is present. Nuclear erythroid factor 2 (NRF2) is regulated by KEAP1, and NRF2 regulates the expression of genes such as NFE2L2-KEAP1, which are involved in cellular defense against oxidative stress. In this study, we analyzed the participation of the polymorphisms of NFE2L2 and KEAP1 genes in the mechanisms of damage in lung disease patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Cancer Incidence in Merida, Mexico 2015-2018: First Report from the Population-based Cancer Registry.

Background: Cancer registries are essential for monitoring cancer burden and patterns, and document changes in time for cancer control. Hereby, we present the first results of four years of the Merida population-based cancer registry in Mexico.

Methods: The registry collects data on all new cancers diagnosed since 2015 using both active and passive methods including a total of 104 information sources.

Dietary and Nutrient Intake, Eating Habits, and Its Association with Maternal Gestational Weight Gain and Offspring's Birth Weight in Pregnant Adolescents.

Pregnant adolescents' diet and eating habits are inadequate; however, their association with gestational weight gain (GWG) is uncertain. We aimed to analyze whether there is an association between dietary and nutrient intake and eating habits with GWG among pregnant adolescents and their offspring's birth weight. A longitudinal study was performed with 530 participants.

[Complications of cardiac catheterisation in congenital heart disease. 30 years of experience. A new risk-adjusted score].

Objetive: To present a risk-ajusted score of complications during cardias catheterization in congenital heart disease.

Design: observational, analitic, ambispective of 3.504 cases.

Geographically Targeted Interventions versus Mass Drug Administration to Control Taenia solium Cysticercosis, Peru.

Optimal control strategies for Taenia solium taeniasis and cysticercosis have not been determined. We conducted a 2-year cluster randomized trial in Peru by assigning 23 villages to 1 of 3 geographically targeted intervention approaches. For ring screening (RS), participants living near pigs with cysticercosis were screened for taeniasis; identified cases were treated with niclosamide.