Análise faunística dos helmintos de pardais (Passer domesticus L., 1758) capturados em Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Sparrows captured in Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, were examined through necropsy and the helmints found were identified. The prevalence, intensity of infection and the habitat of each helminth species found are showed. An analysis of the helminth fauna using the importance value of the species collected indicated that in the sparrow the dominant species are: Leucochloridium parcum, Tanaisia inopina, Choanotaenia passerina, Dispharynx nasuta and Tetrameres minima; and the co-dominant species are: Echinostoma revolutum, Eumegacetes mediximus and Mediorhynchus papillosus. According to the host specificity were classified as specialist species: L. parcum, T. inopina, C. passerina and T. minima; and as generalist species: E. revolutum, E. medioximus, D. nasuta and M. papillosus. Echinostoma revolutum was found for the first time in P. domesticus. The species E. medioximus , T. minima and D. nasuta were found for the first time in the sparrow in Brazil. The species C. passerina and M. papillosus were found for the first time in Brazil, expanding their distribution to the Neotropical region.

Iniciación del alumno al campo de la investigación en una asignatura multidisciplinar orientada a la robótica

La asignatura de libre elección en la que se realizó la experiencia que se indica pretende ser un trampolín de iniciación para aquellos alumnos de la Universidad Europea de Madrid que tengan inquietud por descubrir el mundo de la robótica. Con una clase de alumnos procedentes de muchas titulaciones distintas, Licenciado en Odontología, Ingeniero de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Ingeniero Industrial, Ingeniero Informático, Ingeniero en Telecomunicaciones, Técnicos en Obras Públicas y alumnos internacionales, el reto de hacer de la asignatura algo interesante para ellos implicaba saber adaptarse a distintos niveles tanto disciplinar (varias carreras) como académico (los alumnos eran tanto de los primeros cursos como de los últimos). Basándose en el uso del portafolio y el aprendizaje basado en problemas se fueron inculcando los conocimientos básicos necesarios para desarrollar lo que sería el final de la asignatura. Este objetivo final es el que hizo que los alumnos vieran de cerca la labor de un investigador y un grupo de trabajo multidisciplinar. El reto consistió en que debían hacer una solicitud 'ficticia' de un proyecto PROFIT. Los PROFIT constituyen programas de ayuda y fomento a la investigación técnica convocados por el Ministeriode Industria, Turismo y Comercio. Las plantillas son accesibles desde Internet y de esta forma los alumnos pudieron realizar una memoria clara y precisa de sus proyectos. Además, como elemento final de evaluación se invitó a dos profesores expertos en robótica de otra universidad al día de la presentación en el que los alumnos entregaban la memoria y defendían sus trabajos. Tres profesores en total, dos de otra universidad y el profesor de la asignatura asistieron a su defensa y pusieron de manera independiente los trabajos en orden según sus preferencias, al ser 5 grupos la nota debía ponerse entre 10, 9, 8, 7 y 6. La media de la decisión de los tres profesores configuró la nota final.

Urban ecology of Triatoma infestans in San Juan, Argentina

This study was performed in an urban neighborhood of the capital city of the province of San Juan, Argentina. Erected as a housing complex, the place consists of 768 flats distributed in buildings of three and seven floors each. A survey was carried out in 33% of the dwellings, enquiring about the number of Triatoma infestans found indoors, stage of the bug development - nymph or adult - and how these insects had entered their homes. Adult T.infestans were found on all floors; 163 people (64%) had found them at least once, and 130 (51%) several times. Dispersal flight seems to have been the main mechanism of infestation by adult bugs in this area, and a total of 51% of the surveyed inhabitants reported that the insects had flown into their flats.

Estudio del ecosistema urbano de San José. Protocolo de monitoreo de aves y naturalización del Parque La Sabana

El papel de la ciudad en el futuro de la humanidad será transcendente, y es que el crecimiento actual de los espacios urbanos tiende, en general, a desbordar el sitio original de las ciudades, abarcando territorios cada vez más extensos y discontinuos. Y por este motivo es de vital importancia el estudio de la ciudad y de su entorno, el cual es sinónimo de ecosistema urbano. En el siguiente estudio se evalúa el ecosistema urbano de San José, capital de Costa Rica, dando énfasis en las zonas verdes presentes, en las relaciones con los ecosistemas naturales circundantes y como mejorar su capacidad ecológica. Por este motivo se ha analizado un proceso de rearborización en el Parque Metropolitano La Sabana, principal nódulo de carga de la trama urbana. Este esfuerzo de naturación dotará al parque de una mayor naturalización, con lo que se espera un aumento de la biodiversidad faunística. Para conocer estos cambios se crea un programa de monitoreo de aves con su respectivo protocolo.

Seguiment de l'evolució de la recuperació del bosc de ribera en la zona afectada per l'incendi del riu Canaletes del 20/07/2009. Proposta de campanya de voluntariat ambiental en rius per la custòdia i recuperació fluvial

El riu Canaletes va resultar afectat per l’ incendi que es va produir a Horta de Sant Joan el juliol de l’any 2009. El foc va malmetre bona part de la flora i fauna de la zona, però un dels ecosistemes que en va sortir més perjudicat va ser el del bosc de ribera, ecosistema molt fràgil en front de pertorbacions d’aquest tipus, ja que la seva capacitat de regeneració no és tant senzilla ni ràpida com en altres ecosistemes mediterranis com podrien ser els boscos de pi blanc. No obstant, si que existeixen algunes espècies de ribera que presenten una ràpida resposta als incendis com és el cas dels salzes o alguns pollancres o àlbers, que en aquest cas, poc temps després del foc ja presentaven rebrots, segons observacions realitzades al camp. Per comprovar l’evolució de la recuperació del bosc de ribera en la zona afectada per l’incendi, es van realitzar diverses sortides de camp. D’aquestes observacions, es va poder deduir que actualment el bosc de ribera de la zona estudiada, evoluciona segons les previsions realitzades en estudis immediatament posteriors al foc, de manera que hi estan proliferant de manera ràpida bardisses amb esbarzer, gavarrera, roldor i sanguinyol, en aquells llocs que abans de l’incendi eren ocupats per arbres caducifolis.

Population dynamics of intermediate snail hosts of Fasciola hepatica and some environmental factors in San Juan y Martinez municipality, Cuba

The variation of abundances of intermediate snail hosts of Fasciola hepatica in Cuba (Fossaria cubensis and Pseudosuccinea columella) was studied during one year under natural conditions at five sampling sites in San Juan y Martinez municipality, Pinar del Rio province, Cuba. The effect of some environmental variables on the lymnaeid abundances was also studied. A canonical correspondence analysis showed that both species do not generally occur together in the same habitat and that most factors affect them in an opposite fashion, although both of them correlate positively through time to the diversity of the habitats. F. cubensis prefers the sites that are in or closer to the city whereas P. columella is more abundant in rural sites. Lymnaeid abundances are mainly affected by nitrite and nitrate concentrations as well as by the abundance of the thiarid Tarebia granifera. F. cubensis is more abundant in polluted habitats with low densities (or absence) of T. granifera whereas P. columella prefers cleaner habitats and can coexist with the thiarid, even at its higher densities. The implications of divergent preferences of the two lymnaeids for the control of fasciolosis are discussed.

Seropositivity for hepatitis B virus, vaccination coverage, and vaccine response in dentists from Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

This study investigated the seropositivity for hepatitis B virus (HBV), the vaccination index, and the vaccine response index in dentists from Campo Grande, MS. Blood samples from 474 dentists (63.7% women and 36.3% men), with a mean age of 38.5 ± 10.5 years were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect the serological markers: HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc. The HBsAg positive samples were tested for anti-HBc IgM, HBeAg, and anti-HBe. A total of 51 (10.8%) dentists showed seropositivity for HBV. Three (0.6%) were HBsAg/anti-HBc/anti-HBe positive, 43 (9.1%) were anti-HBc/anti-HBs positive, and 5 (1.1%) had only anti-HBc. Viral DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction in 9 (17.6%) out of 51 HBV seropositive samples. A vaccination index of 96.6% (458/474) was observed, although 73.1% (335/458)completed the three-dose schedule. Excluding 46 HBV seropositive individuals from 458 that reported vaccination, 412 were analyzed for vaccine response index. It was observed that 74.5% (307/412) were anti-HBs positive; this percentage increased to 79.1% when three doses were administered. The results showed a high vaccination index and a good rate of vaccine response; however, the failure in completing the three-dose schedule and the occurrence of HBV infection reinforce the need for more effective prevention strategies.

Abundance of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) and urban transmission of visceral leishmaniasis in Campo Grande, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

The outspread and urbanization of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Campo Grande, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, lead us to undertake the present study over diversity and abundance of sand flies in the urban area to compare with previous search carried out during 1999/2000, before the identification of the disease in the human population.The captures were carried out with automatic light traps, weekly, from February 2004 to February 2005 on three sites including a forested area (Zé Pereira), two peridomicilies (shelters of domestic animals and cultivation areas), and intradomicilie. In the present study 110 collections were obtained during 13 months for 1320 h of collections, resulting in 5004 specimens, 3649 males and 1355 females belonging to the 20 following species: Brumptomyia avellari, Brumptomyia sp., Bichromomyia flaviscutellata, Evandromyia lenti, E. termitophila, E. cortelezzii, E. borrouli, Lutzomyia sp., L. longipalpis, Micropygomyia quinquefer, N. antunesi, N. whitmani, Pintomyia christenseni, Pi. damascenoi, Psathyromyia aragaoi, Ps. campograndensis, Ps. hermanlenti, Ps. shannoni, Pychodopygus claustrei, and Sciopemyia sordellii. L. longipalpis was the most abundant species in the anthropic environment with 92.22% of the captures. This shows an increase of sixty times in the density of L. longipalpis compared to the last sand fly evaluation in 1999/2000. The high density of L. longipalpis in Campo Grande is the main factor of risk in transmission of the disease to human in the urban area. The capture of N. antunesi, typical specie from Amazonian region, in Mato Grosso do Sul is reported for the first time.

Prevalence, genotypes and risk factors associated with hepatitis C virus infection in hemodialysis patients in Campo Grande, MS, Brazil

A survey was conducted among the hemodialysis units of the city of Campo Grande, located in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul in the Mid-west region of Brazil, with the aim of investigating the prevalence, risk factors, and genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. A total of 163 patients were interviewed in five dialysis units. Serum samples were screened for anti-HCV. Positive samples were tested for HCV RNA and genotyped. The prevalence of anti-HCV was 11% (95% CI: 6.8-17.1). A history of transfusion with blood that was not screened for anti-HCV and length of time on hemodialysis were associated with HCV infection. HCV RNA was detected in 12 samples: ten were of genotype 1, subtypes 1a (75%) and 1b (8.3%), and two were of genotype 3, subtype 3a (16.7%).

Adenovirus, calicivirus and astrovirus detection in fecal samples of hospitalized children with acute gastroenteritis from Campo Grande, MS, Brazil

We analyzed fecal samples from hospitalized children up to three years of age with acute gastroenteritis at Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, from May 2000-January 2004. Astrovirus and calicivirus were detected by Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction and adenovirus was detected using the Rotavirus and Adenovirus combined immunoenzyme assay. Astrovirus, adenovirus and calicivirus were detected at rates of 3.1%, 3.6% and 7.6%, respectively. These results re-emphasize the need for the establishment of regional vigilance systems to evaluate the impact of enteric viruses on viral gastroenteritis.