Evaluation of local immune response to Fasciola hepatica experimental infection in the liver and hepatic lymph nodes of goats immunized with Sm14 vaccine antigen

Protection against Fasciola hepatica in goats immunized with a synthetic recombinant antigen from Schistosoma mansoni fatty acid-binding protein 14 (rSm14) was investigated by assessing worm burdens, serum levels of hepatic enzymes, faecal egg count and hepatic damage, which was evaluated using gross and microscopic morphometric observation. The nature of the local immune response was assessed by examining the distribution of CD2+, CD4+, CD8+ and γ´+ T lymphocytes along with IgG+, IL-4+ and IFN-γ+ cells in the liver and hepatic lymph nodes (HLN). The goats used consisted of group 1 (unimmunized and uninfected), group 2 [infected control - immunized with Quillaia A (Quil A)] and group 3 (immunized with rSm14 in Quil A and infected), each containing seven animals. Immunization with rSm14 in Quil A adjuvant induced a reduction in gross hepatic lesions of 56.6% (p < 0.001) and reduced hepatic and HLN infiltration of CD2+, CD4+, CD8+ and γ´+ T lymphocytes as well as IL-4+ and IFN-γ+ cells (p < 0.05). This is the first report of caprine immunization against F. hepatica using a complete rSm14 molecule derived from S. mansoni. Immunization reduced hepatic damage and local inflammatory infiltration into the liver and HLN. However, considering that Quil A is not the preferential/first choice adjuvant for Sm14 immunization, further studies will be undertaken using the monophosphoryl lipid A-based family of adjuvants during clinical trials to facilitate anti-Fasciolavaccine development.

Vaccination with Trypanosoma rangeli modulates the profiles of immunoglobulins and IL-6 at local and systemic levels in the early phase of Trypanosoma cruzi experimental infection

In America, there are two species of Trypanosoma that can infect humans: Trypanosoma cruzi, which is responsible for Chagas disease and Trypanosoma rangeli, which is not pathogenic. We have developed a model of vaccination in mice with T. rangeli epimastigotes that protects against T. cruzi infection. The goal of this work was to study the pattern of specific immunoglobulins in the peritoneum (the site of infection) and in the sera of mice immunized with T. rangeli before and after challenge with T. cruzi. Additionally, we studied the effects triggered by antigen-antibodies binding and the levels of key cytokines involved in the humoral response, such as IL-4, IL-5 and IL-6. The immunization triggered the production of antibodies reactive with T. cruzi in peritoneal fluid (PF) and in serum, mainly IgG1 and, to a lesser magnitude, IgG2. Only immunized mice developed specific IgG3 antibodies in their peritoneal cavities. Antibodies were able to bind to the surface of the parasites and agglutinate them. Among the cytokines studied, IL-6 was elevated in PF during early infection, with higher levels in non-immunized-infected mice. The results indicate that T. rangeli vaccination against T. cruzi infection triggers a high production of specific IgG isotypes in PF and sera before infection and modulates the levels of IL-6 in PF in the early periods of infection.

Ruralserv: Un instrumento de medición de la calidad del servicio en alojamientos rurales con autenticidad local

Màster tesi què pretén determinar quins atributs han de ser considerats per a mesurar la qualitat del servei en establiments rurals amb autenticitat local. Proposa un nou instrument de medició, que l’autor ha anomenat RURALSERV. Se segueix el model SERVQUAL, però amb un format de mesura basat exclusivament en la percepció del visitant

Instal·lacions d'un local social

Projecte de construcció d'un edifici social per a activitats socials, de relació, culturals i esbarjo al municipi de Vilaür (Alt Empordà)

Predictors of local malaria outbreaks: an approach to the development of an early warning system in Colombia

Risk factor surveillance is a complementary tool of morbidity and mortality surveillance that improves the likelihood that public health interventions are implemented in a timely fashion. The aim of this study was to identify population predictors of malaria outbreaks in endemic municipalities of Colombia with the goal of developing an early warning system for malaria outbreaks. We conducted a multiple-group, exploratory, ecological study at the municipal level. Each of the 290 municipalities with endemic malaria that we studied was classified according to the presence or absence of outbreaks. The measurement of variables was based on historic registries and logistic regression was performed to analyse the data. Altitude above sea level [odds ratio (OR) 3.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34-9.98], variability in rainfall (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.40-2.44) and the proportion of inhabitants over 45 years of age (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.08-0.38) were factors associated with malaria outbreaks in Colombian municipalities. The results suggest that environmental and demographic factors could have a significant ability to predict malaria outbreaks on the municipal level in Colombia. To advance the development of an early warning system, it will be necessary to adjust and standardise the collection of required data and to evaluate the accuracy of the forecast models.

Inducció local de magnetisme mitjançant irradiació d'ions a través de màscares

Degut a la gran demanda tecnològica, actualment hi ha un gran interès en desenvolupar medis magnètics amb entitats ferromagnètiques de dimensions nanomètriques. Aquesta demanda promou la investigació i el desenvolupament de nous materials i processos de fabricació que permetin controlar d’una manera més precisa les propietats magnètiques i estructurals. Entre els mètodes de litografia convencionals (per exemple deposició física a través de màscares, deposició química en fase vapor i electrodeposició), recentment s’ha demostrat que la irradiació amb ions a través de màscares pre‐litografiades, sembla ser un bon mètode per a la fabricació d’estructures ferromagnètiques de l’ordre dels nanòmetres. Aquesta tècnica pot ser aplicada per aprofitar la transició paramagnètica‐ferromagnètica que presenten alguns materials al ser desordenats estructuralment (per exemple FeAl, FePt3, Ni3Sn2). En el treball que es presenta a continuació s’utilitza l’aliatge Fe60Al40 per a fabricar estructures ferromagnètiques embegudes en una matriu paramagnètica mitjançant irradiació amb ions d’argó a través d’una membrana de polimetil metacrilat (PMMA) prèviament litografiada amb feixos d’electrons (EBL). La fabricació d’aquest sistema té com a objectiu d’estudiar l’evolució de la morfologia i el gruix de PMMA (a partir de SEM i AFM) i del comportament magnètic de les estructures fabricades (MFM i MOKE), quan és irradiat consecutivament a diferents energies. Per a completar l’estudi s’han utilitzat simulacions per a determinar les condicions d’irradiació (TRIM), com per a una millor comprensió dels resultats (simulacions micromagnètiques). El contingut de la memòria inclou una breu introducció històrica i conceptual sobre el magnetisme. A continuació s’exposen les tècniques necessàries per a la fabricació, preparació i caracterització de la mostra. Finalment es presenta una discussió dels resultats obtinguts i les conclusions.

Prevenir la violencia de género en el ámbito educativo desde la perspectiva local

Boletín semanal para profesionales sanitarios de la Secretaría General de Salud Pública, Inclusión y Calidad de Vida de la Consejería de Salud y Bienestar Social

Veinte municipios trabajan en red para la acción local en salud

Boletín semanal para profesionales sanitarios de la Secretaría General de Salud Pública y Participación Social de la Consejería de Salud

Sencilla, a tiempo y basada en lo local, claves de la efectividad de la evaluación del impacto en salud

Resumen del encuentro de expertos europeos sobre la evalución de la implatación de la evalución de impacto en salud. Jornada celebrada en Sevilla en febrero de 2008

II plan integral para la inmigración en Andalucía: acción local y gestión de la diversidad

Boletín semanal para profesionales sanitarios de la Secretaría General de Salud Pública y Participación Social de la Consejería de Salud

La atención a la inmigración en el ámbito local, un esfuerzo conjunto de profesionales de la salud, ONG'S, asociaciones y ayuntamientos

Boletín semanal para profesionales sanitarios de la Secretaría General de Salud Pública y Participación Social de la Consejería de Salud

La red local de acción en salud de Andalucía comienza su andadura en ocho municipos de la comunidad

Boletín semanal para profesionales sanitarios de la Secretaría General de Salud Pública y Participación Social de la Consejería de Salud

Molecular characterisation of dengue virus type 1 reveals lineage replacement during circulation in Brazilian territory

Dengue fever is the most important arbovirus infection found in tropical regions around the world. Dispersal of the vector and an increase in migratory flow between countries have led to large epidemics and severe clinical outcomes, such as dengue haemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. This study analysed the genetic variability of the dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV-1) in Brazil with regard to the full-length structural genes C/prM/M/E among 34 strains isolated during epidemics that occurred in the country between 1994-2011. Virus phylogeny and time of divergence were also evaluated with only the E gene of the strains isolated from 1994-2008. An analysis of amino acid differences between these strains and the French Guiana strain (FGA/89) revealed the presence of important nonsynonymous substitutions in the amino acid sequences, including residues E297 (Met→Thr) and E338 (Ser→Leu). A phylogenetic analysis of E proteins comparing the studied isolates and other strains selected from the GenBank database showed that the Brazilian DENV-1 strains since 1982 belonged to genotype V. This analysis also showed that different introductions of strains from the 1990s represented lineage replacement, with the identification of three lineages that cluster all isolates from the Americas. An analysis of the divergence time of DENV-1 indicated that the lineage circulating in Brazil emerged from an ancestral lineage that originated approximately 44.35 years ago.