María Orfa Rojas

Effect of Low Temperature On the In Vitro Growth of Plasmodium falciparum

ABSTRACT. The effect of low incubation temperature on synchronized cultures of Plasmodium falciparum was studied. Young trophozoites that were maintained at 28°C matured slowly and invaded poorly. Growth seemed to arrest when parasites reached a maturation equivalent to 30 h, although they reestablished their growth normally when returned to 37°C. On the other hand, 36‐h synchronized parasites that were transferred to 28°C completed their cell cycle with a 12‐16 h delay, but without changes in the parasite as seen by light microscopy and without a diminution in the efficiency of the invasion or in the incorporation of 35S‐methionine. These results might be useful for obtaining parasites at defined stages of development at the desired time.

Detection of Genomic Polymorphism in Plasmodium falciparum Using an Arbitrarily Primed PCR Assay

ABSTRACT. Modifications of the arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction assay (i.e. a low annealing temperature and a very slow increase in the temperature during the elongation steps during the amplification cycles) allowed it to be used with the AT‐rich Plasmodium falciparum DNA. The analysis of the products by polyacrylamide—urea gels, after silver staining, resulted in high resolution and sensitivity. Eighteen single and six combined pairs of arbitrary primers were tested. Two produced polymorphic patterns complex enough to differentiate between close Colombian isolates in a single assay. This method may be useful in studying the distribution and migration of strains in endemic areas, and for identifying intralaboratory cross‐contamination of cultures.

Eficom, Game Designed for the Analysis of Effective and Efficient Communication Skills

The process of transmitting ideas, information, emotions, feelings and attitudes in order to provoke a reaction on those who receive the message, is known as communication. Communication can lead to mistakes on how people of various occupations refer to other people in their inability to communicate in a right way, the lack of skills to listen presentations of their coworkers, or the unwillingness of subordinates to follow instructions. To solve this problem, this essay presents a design of a game called Eficom, which will strengthen and/or teach the foundations for an effective and efficient communication through a fun and recreational activity that involves the analysis of the fundamentals of communication.