The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is a global health threat with the potential to cause severe disease manifestations in the lungs. Although COVID-19 has been extensively characterized clinically, the factors distinguishing SARS-CoV-2 from other respiratory viruses are unknown. Here, we compared the clinical, histopathological, and immunological characteristics of patients with COVID-19 and pandemic influenza A(H1N1). We observed a higher frequency of respiratory symptoms, increased tissue injury markers, and a histological pattern of alveolar pneumonia in pandemic influenza A(H1N1) patients. Conversely, dry cough, gastrointestinal symptoms and interstitial lung pathology were observed in COVID-19 cases. Pandemic influenza A(H1N1) was characterized by higher levels of IL-1RA, TNF-α, CCL3, G-CSF, APRIL, sTNF-R1, sTNF-R2, sCD30, and sCD163. Meanwhile, COVID-19 displayed an immune profile distinguished by increased Th1 (IL-12, IFN-γ) and Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13) cytokine levels, along with IL-1β, IL-6, CCL11, VEGF, TWEAK, TSLP, MMP-1, and MMP-3. Our data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 induces a dysbalanced polyfunctional inflammatory response that is different from the immune response against pandemic influenza A(H1N1). Furthermore, we demonstrated the diagnostic potential of some clinical and immune factors to differentiate both diseases. These findings might be relevant for the ongoing and future influenza seasons in the Northern Hemisphere, which are historically unique due to their convergence with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The potential introduction of the newly licensed HPV-vaccines at affordable prices could play a central role in preventing cervical cancer in middle and low-income countries, where most of the cases occur. In spite of this, basic epidemiological data about HPV and HPV-related lesions are still scarce. To determine the prevalence of cervical abnormalities, HPV prevalence, genotype distribution and related risk factors, we carried out a cross-sectional study in a population from Guatemala that included 297 women from the general population (GP women) and 297 sex workers (SW). All participating women were interviewed and underwent a complete gynecological examination that included collection of cervical cells for cytological diagnosis, HPV DNA detection and typing by PCR methods. Cervical HPV DNA prevalence among GP women and from SW was 38.1% (95% CI: 32.5-43.8) and 67.3% (95% CI: 61.7-72.6), respectively. The prevalence of abnormal cytology among GP women was 7.7% (ASCUS 5 1.4%, LSIL 5 4.7%, ASC-H 5 0.3% and HSIL 5 1.4%) and among SW was 21.6% (ASCUS 5 7.5%, LSIL 5 10.6%, ASC-H 5 1.4% and HSIL 5 2.1%). The most prevalent HPV types among women with normal cytology were HPVs 51 (n 5 30), 66 (n 5 25) and 16 (n 5 25), and among women with HSIL or ASC-H (n 5 14) HPVs 58 (n 5 5) and 16 (n 5 5). Determinants associated with HPV DNA detection were having had an occasional partner during the last 6 months and smoking habit among GP women, and being a minor among SW. HPV and abnormal cytology prevalence is high among women in Guatemala. The introduction of a HPV vaccination program would prevent an important fraction of HPV-related disease burden. ' UICCKey words: human-papillomavirus; abnormal cytology; sex workers; Guatemala; prevalence Cervical cancer is the second most frequent cancer among women in developing and middle income countries.1 The causal role of the human papillomavirus (HPV) in the development of both invasive cervical cancer (ICC) and its precursor lesions (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or CIN) is well established.2,3 HPV infection shares common risk factors with other sexually transmitted infections (STI), like the number of life-time sexual partners or not using a barrier-method for contraception. Furthermore, HPV is now considered one of the most common STI worldwide. 4 HPV types have been classified as low-risk oncogenicity (LR-HPV) and high-risk oncogenicity (HR-HPV), according to their potential to induce carcinogenesis.5 HR-HPV are highly prevalent in women with high grade intraepithelial lesions (CIN II or III) and this proportion increases in women with ICC in whom it is estimated that around 70% of the cases are related to HPV types 16 and 18.6 Characterized HR-HPV types include HPVs 16,18,31,33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 53, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73 and 82. HPVs 6,11, 40, 42, 43, 44, 54, 61, 70, 72, 81 and CP1068 are considered LR-HPVs. HPV types 26 and 66 are considered as probably carcinogenic. 5The introduction of prophylactic HPV vaccines, which protect against a limited number of HPV types ...

Word count: Text: 3,000 Abstract: 244, Tables: 2 2 ABSTRACT Objectives: Mobile van (MV) for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) screening is effective in reaching at-risk populations. We aimed to compare behaviour characteristics and HIV and syphilis prevalence between subjects tested at a mobile van offering voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) versus those tested at 3 STI clinics in Guatemala.Methods: Over 28 months, female sex workers (FSWs), men who have sex with men/transgenders (MSM/TG), and people not reporting being a member of a risk group (NR) were offered HIV and syphilis rapid tests and interviewed on their sociodemographic and risk behaviour. Results:We tested 2,874 subjects (MV:1,336 (46%) vs. clinics:1,538 (54%)). The MV screened 73% of FSWs and 73% of the MSM/TG, and detected 19% of HIV and 69% of syphilis cases. HIV prevalence was significantly higher (p<0.001) at the STI clinics than at the MV for both NR and MSM/TG (NR:7% vs. 1%, MSM/TG:8% vs. 1%, respectively). A significantly higher proportion of MSM/TG screened at the STI clinic reported having had a prior HIV test (MV: 21% vs. clinics: 41%, p-value <0.001) while more FSWs tested in the MV reported having multiple partners and using condoms at their last sexual intercourse. Conclusions:The higher prevalence of HIV and syphilis at the STI clinics suggests they successfully identified high-risk subjects. In particular, the NR group showed higher than expected HIV and syphilis prevalence. Innovative approaches such as MV contributed to increasing access to other hard-to-reach groups such as MSM/TG or FSWs.3

Although a longer follow-up would be needed, the results suggest that the intervention was feasible and has been shown to be effective in reducing STI and HIV incidence and in increasing condom use with clients and HIV-related knowledge.

Our results support the suitability of the MASS and its subscales to measure muscle dysmorphia symptoms in Mexican male bodybuilders.

Loop-mediated amplification (LAMP) is an isothermal amplification technique favored in diagnostics and point-of-care work due to its high sensitivity and ability to run in isothermal conditions. In addition, a visual readout by lateral flow strips (LFS) can be used in conjunction with LAMP, making the assay accessible at the point-of-care. However, the amplicons resulting from a LAMP reaction varied in length and shape, making them undiscernible on a double-stranded DNA intercalating dye stained gel. Standard characterization techniques also do not identify which amplicons specifically bind to the LFS, which generate the visual readout. We aimed to standardize our characterization of LAMP products during assay development by using fluorescein amidite (FAM) and biotin-tagged loop forward and backward primers during assay development. A pvuII restriction enzyme digest is applied to the LAMP products. FAM-tagged bands are directly correlated with the LFS visual readout. We applied this assay development workflow for an HPV 16 assay using both plasmid DNA and clinical samples to demonstrate proof of concept for generalized assay development work. Keywords Loop-mediated amplification. Lateral flow strip. Point of care. HPV 16. Assay development. Fluorescent. DNA. Nucleic acid amplification Published in the topical collection featuring Female Role Models in Analytical Chemistry.

We evaluated a rapid point-of-care test for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in specimens from 278 sex workers attending sexually transmitted infection clinics in Guatemala. The sensitivity and the specificity of the test compared to the results of PCR were 62.96% and 99.60%, respectively. The test performed moderately well as a screening tool in a context in which clinical follow-up visits are infrequent.Laboratory screening has been suggested to be an effective strategy for reducing the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in sex workers (SWs) (11). Rapid point-of-care (POC) tests can be a cost-effective strategy for increasing the impact of screening interventions for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in both SWs and their clients (14). Their greatest value is that they can yield the results at the time of the initial patient visit and do not require patient follow-up (6), the rate of failure of which is as high as 50% among STI clinic populations (10). The use of rapid POC tests of moderate sensitivity combined with immediate on-site treatment may lead to the treatment of more infected women than the use of PCR alone when the return rate is low (3). The currently available rapid tests for the detection of C. trachomatis have reasonable specificities, but they are relatively insensitive compared to other methods (7). Their reported sensitivities and specificities for endocervical swab specimens are 49.7% to 95% and 97.9% to 100%, respectively, compared with the results of PCR (4,5,7,8,9,17). The Sexually Transmitted Diseases Initiative claimed as a priority the evaluation of rapid C. trachomatis tests that can be used to screen high-risk populations (16). Our aim was to evaluate the performance of a rapid C. trachomatis test compared with that of the current "gold standard" assay (PCR) with specimens from female SWs in the context of its specific application.Study setting and populations. The study was conducted in three STI clinics located in the province of Escuintla, Guatemala. The clinics were set up by the Fundació Sida i Societat, a nonprofit organization that has been offering to SWs regular screening and treatment for human immunodeficiency virus infection and STIs since 2004. Between April and August 2007, we recruited consecutive female SWs attending the clinics who were at least 18 years of age, willing to participate, and not currently menstruating and who had not used antibiotics within the previous 3 weeks. The women were interviewed, and specimens were collected by trained medical doctors. Testing for C. trachomatis is included in the regular screening for SWs, for which written consent is obtained. Therefore, consent specifically for this study was considered unnecessary.Specimen collection, transport, and processing. Two cervical swab specimens were collected from each participant and were always collected in the same sequence (a sample was collected for the rapid test, followed by collection of a sample for PCR). We used a Dacron swab to collect samples for the rapid C. t...

Esta investigación analiza el uso de estilos y estrategias de aprendizaje que utilizan estudiantes universitarios y su relación con el rendimiento académico. Las hipótesis de investigación se contrastan en función del análisis inferencial y discriminante con una muestra de 516 estudiantes universitarios quienes respondieron a los cuestionarios CHAEA y CEVEAPEU. Los resultados indican diferencias significativas con relación a un mayor rendimiento académico por parte de los alumnos cuya preferencia es mayor por los estilos de aprendizaje reflexivo y teórico y por utilizar con una mayor frecuencia estrategias de aprendizaje. El análisis discriminante indica que las variables clasificatorias que mejor predicen la pertenencia a un grupo de la variable rendimiento académico son: la preferencia de los estilos reflexivo y teórico,  así como el empleo de las estrategias de Búsqueda, selección y Procesamiento de la información, las estrategias Metacognitivas y de Control de contexto.