Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species are important tick-borne pathogens that cause disease in cattle, dogs, horses and humans; with little information available about these agents in Colombia. The aim of this study was to provide molecular evidence for the presence of Anaplasma sp. and Ehrlichia sp. species in ticks collected from horses, dogs and cattle in Cordoba, Colombia. In this study, 1.105 ticks were removed from 226 zebu cattle (Bos indicus), 87 dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and 19 horses (Equus caballus), from different localities of Cordoba. Ticks were identified taxonomically and PCR assays were used for the amplification of Anaplasma sp. and Ehrlichia sp. DNA. The amplification products were sequenced and analyzed. From the 1,105 ticks examined, 679 (61.5%) were Rhipicephalus microplus, collected from cattle, 353 (32%) were Rhipicephalus sanguineus from dogs and 73 (6,6%) Dermacentor nitens collected on horses; 332 pools were formed to develop the PCR assay. Anaplasma sp. and Ehrlichia sp. DNA was detected in 5.7% (19/332 pools). Direct sequencing of amplicons showed that seven sequences had similarities between 99–100% with Anaplasma marginale, one sequence showed 100% identical with Anaplasma phagocytophilum, seven sequences showed 100% identity with Ehrlichia ewingii, one sequence had 100% identity with E. chaffensis and three sequences showed similarities of 99% and 95% with Ehrlichia mineirensis and Ehrlichia canis respectively. In conclusion, several tick-borne pathogens identified in this survey suggests that there is a risk for the emergence of tick-borne diseases in domestic animals and humans in Colombia. Our data provides evidence of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma species circulating in ticks from Cordoba.

AIMTo present a simple technique during penile prosthesis implantation that promotes the perception of increased phallic length.

METHODSThe penoscrotal web is defined. A "check mark" incision is made with excision of scrotal tissue. Excellent exposure is provided for implantation of the cylinders, pump and reservoir. Wound closure is performed longitudinally.

RESULTSThis technique is a modified extension of surgeries described in the pediatric literature for webbed penis. Loss of penile length following penile implantation surgery is worrisome for patients suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED). This technique helps with patient satisfaction, cosmetic results, and improves perception of penile length.

CONCLUSIONVentral phalloplasty is a safe, technically simple procedure that may be performed in concert with penile prosthesis implantation or as a stand alone procedure under certain circumstances.

Erectile Dysfunction ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Penile Implantation ; adverse effects ; methods ; Penis ; pathology ; surgery

A protocol of polymerase chain reaction-random amplified polymorphic DNAs (PCR-RAPDs) was established to analyse the gene diversity and genotype identification for clones of Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl. in Chile. Ten (out of 34) clones from introduction trial located in Voipir-Villarrica, Chile, were studied. The PCR-RAPDs technique and a modified hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) protocol were used for genomic DNA extraction. The PCR tests were carried out employing 10-mer random primers. The amplification products were detected by electrophoresis in agarose gels. Forty nine polymorphic bands were obtained with the selected primers (BG04, BF07, BF12, BF13, and BF14) and were ordered according to their molecular size. The genetic similarity between samples was calculated by the Jaccard index and a dendrogram was constructed using a cluster analysis of unweighted pair group method using arithmetic averages (UPGMA). Of the primers tested, 5 (out of 60) RAPD primers were selected for their reproducibility and high polymorphism. A total of 49 polymorphic RAPD bands were detected out of 252 bands. The genetic similarity analysis demonstrates an extensive genetic variability between the tested clones and the dendrogram depicts the genetic relationships among the clones, suggesting a geographic relationship. The results indicate that the RAPD markers permitted the identification of the assayed clones, although they are derived from the same geographic origin.
Genotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique ; methods ; Sequoia ; classification ; genetics