Sarchophagid flies (Insecta, Diptera) from pig carcasses in Minas Gerais, Brazil, with nine new records from the Cerrado, a threatened Neotropical biome

Sarchophagid flies (Insecta, Diptera) from pig carcasses in Minas Gerais, Brazil, with nine new records from the Cerrado, a threatened Neotropical biome. The diversity of the Sarcophagidae fauna of the Cerrado biome, also know as the Brazilian Savanna, is still underestimated. In this research we collected flies in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, during a Forensic Entomology experiment. Samples were collected throughout the decomposition process of domestic pig (Sus scrofa Linnaeus) carcasses, and the experiments were conducted in areas of pasture and semideciduous forest. A total of 85,694 adult flesh flies belonging to 57 species were collected from all carcasses. New records for nine species of Sarcophaginae are provided, including the first record of Blaesoxipha (Acridiophaga) caridei (Brèthes, 1906) to Brazil, and new occurrences of the following species for the Cerrado and/or for the state of Minas Gerais: Blaesoxipha (Acanthodotheca) acridiophagoides (Lopes & Downs, 1951), Malacophagomyia filamenta (Dodge, 1964), Nephochaetopteryx orbitalis (Curran & Walley, 1934), Nephochaetopteryx cyaneiventris Lopes, 1936, Nephochaetopteryx pallidiventris Townsend, 1934, Oxysarcodexia occulta Lopes, 1946, Ravinia effrenata (Walker, 1861) and Sarcophaga (Neobellieria) polistensis (Hall, 1933).

Record of postmortem injuries caused by the Neotropical social wasp Agelaia fulvofasciata (Degeer) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) on pig carcasses in the Eastern Amazon region: implications in forensic taphonomy

ABSTRACTPostmortem injuries are a source of misinterpretations in forensic analysis and therefore are subject matter of taphonomic interest. Many types of injuries can cause different artifacts, which deserve attention of the forensic pathologists when evaluating corpses, either at the crime scene or during an autopsy. Insects can be important biotaphonomic agents and their activity may result in artifacts that resemble antemortem injuries. Here, we describe postmortem injuries caused by the Neotropical wasp Agelaia fulvofasciata (Degeer, 1773) on domestic pig carcasses weighting 15 kg. The specimens showed extensive injuries to the lower lip, similar to lacerations, and some minor lesions on the snout and anus. In addition, we observed the same wasp species preying on larvae of Sarcophagidae (Peckia sp.). Besides causing postmortem injuries, the ability of this species to detect carcasses in the early and fresh decomposition stages should be noted. Thus, future applications aiming criminal, any biotaphonomic events caused by carrion insects need to be disclosed.

New records of Sarcophagidae species (Diptera) with forensic potential in Rio de Janeiro

ABSTRACTSarcophagidae species are frequent and abundant in the decomposition process of corpses and, consequently, play an important role as a tool for the application of Forensic Entomology. Helicobia pilifera Lopes, 1939, Microcerella erythropyga (Lopes, 1936), Oxysarcodexia fringidea Curran & Walley, 1934 and Peckia (Peckia) pexata(Wulp, 1895) were recorded for the first time in a Forensic Entomology experiment in Rio de Janeiro, using domestic pig carcasses as substrate.

Draft genome of the Leptospira interrogans strains, Acegua, RCA, Prea, and Capivara, obtained from wildlife maintenance hosts and infected domestic animals

In the present paper, we announce new draft genomes of four Leptospira interrogans strains named Acegua, RCA, Prea, and Capivara. These strains were isolated in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, from cattle, dog, Brazilian guinea pig, and capybara, respectively.

Fifty years in the blink of an eye: a retrospective study of ocular and periocular lesions in domestic animals

A survey was undertaken aiming to obtain an overview of ocular and periocular lesions diagnosed in domestic mammals over a period of 50 years in a veterinary pathology diagnostic laboratory in the Central Region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In this lab, 33,075 histophatological exams had been performed over the period surveyed, of which 540 (1.6%) concerned ocular and periocular lesions. For various reasons ninety specimens were excluded from the study and the remaining 450 consisted of samples from dogs (53.5%), cattle (28.2%), cats (11.1%), horses (5.1%) sheep (1.3%), rabbits (0.4%), and pig (0.2%). The eyelids were the most prevalent (248/450) site of lesions in each of the species studied, followed by third eyelid (73/450), and conjunctiva (27/450). In dogs (241 samples) lesions in sebaceous glands (including Meibomian glands) were the most common findings (75/241), followed by melanocytic tumors (52/241) and nonspecific conjunctivitis (13/241). Squamous cell neoplasms, both benign and malignant, were relatively common. In cattle, anatomical sites affected by ocular and periocular lesions, in decreasing order of frequency, were eyelid, cornea and third eyelid. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) alone accounted for 80.3% of all diagnoses, while all neoplastic lesions made up for 85.0% of the lesions diagnosed in cattle. Neoplasia accounted for most of the lesions diagnosed in cats (39/50 cases); all of these were malignant, and SCC, hemangiosarcoma and fibrosarcoma were the most common types diagnosed. In horses, 19 out of 23 submissions were neoplasms and most were sarcoid (8/23) and SCC (8/23). There were six submissions from sheep with unpigmented skin, all of which represented SCC of the eyelids (5) and third eyelid (1).

An overview of domestic aspects in US climate policy

The article shows how domestic aspects influence the United States national and international climate policy. To accomplish the task, the authors analyzes the discussions when Bill Clinton was ruling the country, a time during which global discussions were forwarded. The paper recalls the debate in the Bush administration and the growing polarization since Barack Obama took office.

An outline of military technological dynamics as restraints for acquisition, international cooperation and domestic technological development

The expectation that technological returns from defense expenditure through acquisition, international cooperation and domestic research would further national development underappreciates the different technological dynamic of the armed services. This paper outlines the technological dynamic the stems from fighting in the air, at sea and on land, exemplifying consequences for the case of acquisition.

Exogenous induction of ovarian activity and ovulation and transfer of fresh embryos of domestic cat (Felis catus)

The objective of the present study was the exogenous stimulation of ovarian activity and definition of embryo collection, and transfer protocols, in the domestic cat for potential application in non-domestic endangered species. Sixteen adult queens and two adult male reproducers kept in the experimental cat house at the Morphology sector at the Veterinary Department (DVT), UFV, were used in this study. All the queens received a single application of 150 IU Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG) in the post estrus to induce ovarian activity and 80 to 84 hours later, received a single application of 100 UI Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) to induce ovulation. After hCG application, only the donor queens were naturally mated. The receptor queens received extra stimulus for induction of ovulation through manipulation of an intravaginal swab. Five to six days after hCG application, the donor queens were subjected to a laparotomy for embryo collection that was performed by trans-horn uterine washing. On average, six embryos were surgically inovulated. They were classified as type I and III compact morula and blastocysts in four receptor queens. Three animals presented pregnancy confirmed by ultrasound at day 36 and two of these animals gave birth to litters of two and four offsprings, respectively, at 66 and 63 days after induction of ovulation. Except for one still birth, all the offspring developed normally.

Environmental impact on the bacteriological quality of domestic water supplies in Lagos, Nigeria

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of town planning, infrastructure, sanitation and rainfall on the bacteriological quality of domestic water supplies. METHODS: Water samples obtained from deep and shallow wells, boreholes and public taps were cultured to determine the most probable number of Escherichia coli and total coliform using the multiple tube technique. Presence of enteric pathogens was detected using selective and differential media. Samples were collected during both periods of heavy and low rainfall and from municipalities that are unique with respect to infrastructure planning, town planning and sanitation. RESULTS: Contamination of treated and pipe distributed water was related with distance of the collection point from a utility station. Faults in pipelines increased the rate of contamination (p<0.5) and this occurred mostly in densely populated areas with dilapidated infrastructure. Wastewater from drains was the main source of contamination of pipe-borne water. Shallow wells were more contaminated than deep wells and boreholes and contamination was higher during period of heavy rainfall (p<0.05). E. coli and enteric pathogens were isolated from contaminated supplies. CONCLUSIONS: Poor town planning, dilapidated infrastructure and indiscriminate siting of wells and boreholes contributed to the low bacteriological quality of domestic water supplies. Rainfall accentuated the impact.

Entomological aspects of Chagas' disease transmission in the domestic habitat, Argentina

OBJECTIVE: To study the risk of Trypanosoma cruzi domestic transmission using an entomological index and to explore its relationship with household's characteristics and cultural aspects. METHODS: There were studied 158 households in an endemic area in Argentina. Each household was classified according to an entomological risk indicator (number of risky bites/human). A questionnaire was administered to evaluate risk factors among householders. RESULTS: Infested households showed a wide range of risk values (0 to 5 risky bites/human) with skewed distribution, a high frequency of lower values and few very high risk households. Of all collected Triatoma infestans, 44% had had human blood meals whereas 27% had had dogs or chickens blood meals. Having dogs and birds sharing room with humans increased the risk values. Tidy clean households had contributed significantly to lower risk values as a result of low vector density. The infested households showed a 24.3% correlation between time after insecticide application and the number of vectors. But there was no correlation between the time after insecticide application and T. infestans' infectivity. The statistical analysis showed a high correlation between current values of the entomological risk indicator and Trypanosoma cruzi seroprevalence in children. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of T. cruzi domestic transmission assessed using an entomological index show a correlation with children seroprevalence for Chagas' disease and householders' habits.

Health, sleep and lack of time: relations to domestic and paid work in nurses

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether reported morbidity and complaints of lack of time and sleep are associated with the burden of professional work and housework among nurses. METHODS: A cross-sectional exploratory study was carried out among female nurses and nurse assistants (N=206) of a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire. The prevalence ratio and 95% confidence intervals were estimated. RESULTS: Mean duration of professional work and housework time was 40.4 and 31.6 hours/week, respectively. Long professional working time (over 44 hours/week) were associated with mild emotional disorders (PR=1.37; 95% CI: 1.05-1.80), complaints of lack of time for resting/leisure (PR=1.61; 95% CI: 1.31-1.97), housework (PR=1.48; 95% CI: 1.12-1.97), and childcare (PR=1.99; 95% CI: 1.51-2.63). Long housework time (over 28 hours/week) was associated with lower prevalence of lack of time for childcare (PR=0.62; 95% CI: 0.46-0.84). High housework load was associated with lack of personal time and complaints of varicose veins (PR=1.31; 95% CI: 1.14-1.50 and PR=1.31; 95% CI: 1.08-1.58, respectively). Complaints of varicose veins were also frequent among female nurses with a total work load above 84 hours (PR=1.30; 95% CI: 1.05-1.61), though this group has shown a lower prevalence of arterial hypertension and recurrent headaches (PR=0.35; 95% CI: 0.15-0.83 and PR=0.53; 95% CI: 0.32-0.89, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that both professional and home environments are relevant in the evaluation of work overload on nurses' health and their family and social life. It is stressed the need for instruments for analyzing total workload among female populations.

Prevalence of thermotolerant species of Campylobacter and their biotypes in children and domestic birds and dogs in Southern Chile

The prevalence of thermotolerant Campylobacter in diarrhoeic and healthy children as well as in dogs, hens, ducks and pigeons was determined in Southern Chile. Campylobacter were found in 34.5% of the faecal samples examined. The isolation rate of Campylobacter in diarrhoeic and healthy children was 16.3% and 6.4% respectively. Despite C.jejuni was always more frequent than C. coli, the latter was isolated with a high frequency (29%) from patients with diarrhoea. C.jejuni and C. coli biotypes I and II were found in healthy and diarrhoeic children and were predominant in all the animals species studied. This may point out towards the possible origin of strains infecting children.

Carriage of the classical thermotolerant campylobacters in healthy domestic animals from Eastern Peru

Com o objetivo de conhecer a importância dos animais domésticos como reservatórios naturais dos clássicos campylobacters termotolerantes, amostras de fezes foram obtidas de mamíferos e aves do leste do Peru e imediatamente colocadas num meio de enriquecimento. Técnicas convencionais foram utilizadas para identificar C. jejuni ssp. jejuni, C. coli e C. lari. Campylobacter foi isolado em 26,5% dos animais estudados, sendo C. jejuni ssp. jejuni biovar I o mais freqüente (8,9%). O frango foi o reservatório mais importante destes microorganismos (54,0%).

Domestic vectors of Chagas' disease in three rural communities of Nicaragua

A triatomine survey was conducted in three rural settlements of Nicaragua (Santa Rosa, Quebrada Honda and Poneloya) where Chagas' disease is endemic, to determine rates of house infestation, evaluate the housing condition and to asess the performance of the María sensor box in detection of domestic vectors. A total of 184 households were selected and vectors were sought by the methods of timed manual capture and by sensor boxes. The sole vectors species found in this study was Triatoma dimidiata. Of the examined bugs 50, 60 and 33%, in the respective communities, were infected with T. cruzi. The rates of house infestation as determined by manual capture and sensor boxes were respectively, 48.3% and 54.2% in Santa Rosa, 29.8% and 51.2% in Quebrada Honda and in Poneloya 3.8 and 5.9% with significant difference between the methods in Quebrada Honda. When compared with the manual capture, the Maria sensor box detected vectors in 71.4% of positive houses in two of the communities but also was able to detect bugs in 39.3% and 41.1% of houses where manual capture had been negative. Housing condition was evaluated according to three structural parameters, in this way, in the first community 79.2% of houses were classified as bad, 20.8% as regular; in the second one 42.5% were bad and 57.5% regular, whereas in the third 62.5% of the houses were regular. Rates of infestation did not differ greatly between the different housing conditions. Our results show that the sensor box is as efficient as manual capture and could be implemented in our country.