West Nile virus (WNV) was isolated from the brains of 3 horses that died from encephalitis in February 2006. The horses were from different farms in central Argentina and had not traveled outside the country. This is the first isolation of WNV in South America.

Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory condition that usually affects young men. Cardiac dysfunction and pulmonary disease are well-known and commonly reported extra-articular manifestation, associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). AS has also been reported to be specifically associated with aortitis, aortic valve diseases, conduction disturbances, cardiomyopathy and ischemic heart disease. The pulmonary manifestations of the disease include fibrosis of the upper lobes, interstitial lung disease, ventilatory impairment due to chest wall restriction, sleep apnea, and spontaneous pneumothorax. They are many reports detailing pathophysiology, hypothesized mechanisms leading to these derangements, and estimated prevalence of such findings in the AS populations. At this time, there are no clear guidelines regarding a stepwise approach to screen these patients for cardiovascular and pulmonary complications.

Since 1995, artists in Vietnam have been staging performance art events in alternative art spaces around Hàà Nôôi and Hôô Chíí Minh City, often defying government restrictions on public gatherings. That they take place outside of the ordinary venues for art, such as galleries and museums, gives these performances an illicit flavor that both attracts and deflects attention. This paper will argue that these art forms originate in a local culture of ritualized displays of emotion and are freeing artists from the constraints of the mainstream art world.

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