Mosquito community composition in dynamic landscapes from the Atlantic Forest biome (Diptera, Culicidae)

Mosquito community composition in dynamic landscapes from the Atlantic Forest biome (Diptera, Culicidae). Considering that some species of Culicidae are vectors of pathogens, both the knowledge of the diversity of the mosquito fauna and how some environment factors influence in it, are important subjects. In order to address the composition of Culicidae species in a forest reserve in southern Atlantic Forest, we compared biotic and abiotic environmental determinants and how they were associated with the occurrence of species between sunset and sunrise. The level of conservation of the area was also considered. The investigation was carried out at Reserva Natural do Morro da Mina, in Antonina, state of Paraná, Brazil. We performed sixteen mosquito collections employing Shannon traps at three-hour intervals, from July 2008 to June 2009. The characterization of the area was determined using ecological indices of diversity, evenness, dominance and similarity. We compared the frequency of specimens with abiotic variables, i.e., temperature, relative humidity and pluviosity. Seven thousand four hundred ten mosquito females were captured. They belong to 48 species of 12 genera. The most abundant genera were Anopheles, Culex, Coquillettidia, Aedes and Runchomyia. Among the species, the most abundant was Anopheles cruzii, the primary vector of Plasmodium spp. in the Atlantic Forest. Results of the analyses showed that the abiotic variables we tested did not influence the occurrence of species, although certain values suggested that there was an optimum range for the occurrence of culicid species. It was possible to detect the presence of species of Culicidae with different epidemiologic profiles and habitat preference.

Iowa Community Empowerment Newsletter, Summer 2009, Vol 10, no. 3

Monthly newsletter for the Iowa Department of Public Health

Does Bt maize cultivation affect the non-target insect community in the agro ecosystem?

ABSTRACT The cultivation of genetically modified crops in Brazil has led to the need to assess the impacts of this technology on non-target species. Under field conditions, the potential effect on insect biodiversity was evaluated by comparing a homogeneous corn field with conventional and transgenic maize, expressing different Bt proteins in seven counties of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The richness pattern of non-target insect species, secondary pests and natural enemies were observed. The results do not support the hypothesis that Bt protein affects insect biodiversity. The richness and diversity data of insects studied were dependent on the location and other factors, such as the use of insecticides, which may be a major factor where they are used.

Community Action in Iowa, 2006

The Division of Community Action Agencies is located within the Iowa Department of Human Rights and is the focal point for Community Action Agency activities within Iowa government. The Division of Community Action Agencies exists to develop and expand the capacity at the community level to assist families and individuals to achieve economic and social self-sufficiency, and to ensure that the basic energy needs of Iowa’s low-income population are met. The Division is comprised of the Bureau of Community Services, the Bureau of Energy Assistance and the Bureau of Weatherization.

Community Action in Iowa, 2007

The Division of Community Action Agencies is located within the Iowa Department of Human Rights and is the focal point for Community Action Agency activities within Iowa government. The Division of Community Action Agencies exists to develop and expand the capacity at the community level to assist families and individuals to achieve economic and social self-sufficiency, and to ensure that the basic energy needs of Iowa’s low-income population are met. The Division is comprised of the Bureau of Community Services, the Bureau of Energy Assistance and the Bureau of Weatherization.

Assessment of microbial community structure changes by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA)

Amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) is a simple method based on restriction endonuclease digestion of the amplified bacterial 16S rDNA. In this study we have evaluated the suitability of this method to detect differences in activated sludge bacterial communities fed on domestic or industrial wastewater, and subject to different operational conditions. The ability of ARDRA to detect these differences has been tested in modified Ludzack-Ettinger (MLE) configurations. Samples from three activated sludge wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with the MLE configuration were collected for both oxic and anoxic reactors, and ARDRA patterns using double enzyme digestions AluI+MspI were obtained. A matrix of Dice similarity coefficients was calculated and used to compare these restriction patterns. Differences in the community structure due to influent characteristics and temperature could be observed, but not between the oxic and anoxic reactors of each of the three MLE configurations. Other possible applications of ARDRA for detecting and monitoring changes in activated sludge systems are also discussed

Special report on the Former Russell Community School District for the period July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008

Special report on the Former Russell Community School District for the period July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008

Frequency and determinants of urgent requests to home care agencies for community-dwelling elderly.

We analyzed a one-year case series and performed a longitudinal (4 month) cohort analysis of urgent requests made to home care agencies by and for their > or = 65 years old clients in order to estimate the frequency of unscheduled services delivered by home care agencies and to identify risk factors. All 40 home care agencies located in a Swiss region were included in the study and we registered 3,816 urgent requests (75/1,000 > or = 65 years residents per year). Among home care users, the presence of a urinary catheter, incontinence and the need for assistance in bathing were predictors of unscheduled services. Resources should be planned in order to help home care teams to handle unexpected, disruptive clusters of urgent requests that may compromise their scheduled activities.

Elevated inflammatory markers combined with positive pneumococcal urinary antigen are a good predictor of pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia in children.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to evaluate procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) as predictors of a pneumococcal etiology in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in hospitalized children. METHODS: Children requiring hospitalization for CAP were prospectively enrolled. The following indices were determined: antibodies against pneumococcal surface proteins (anti-PLY, pneumococcal histidine triad D, pneumococcal histidine triad E, LytB and pneumococcal choline-binding protein A), viral serology, nasopharyngeal cultures and polymerase chain reaction for 13 respiratory viruses, blood pneumococcal polymerase chain reaction, pneumococcal urinary antigen, PCT and CRP. Presumed pneumococcal CAP (P-CAP) was defined as a positive blood culture or polymerase chain reaction for Streptococcus pneumoniae or as a pneumococcal surface protein seroresponse (≥2-fold increase). RESULTS: Seventy-five patients were included from which 37 (49%) met the criteria of P-CAP. Elevated PCT and CRP values were strongly associated with P-CAP with odds ratios of 23 (95% confidence interval: 5-117) for PCT and 19 (95% confidence interval: 5-75) for CRP in multivariate analysis. The sensitivity was 94.4% for PCT (cutoff: 1.5 ng/mL) and 91.9% for CRP (cutoff: 100 mg/L). A value≤0.5 ng/mL of PCT ruled out P-CAP in >90% of cases (negative likelihood ratio: 0.08). Conversely, a PCT value≥1.5 ng/mL associated with a positive pneumococcal urinary antigen had a diagnostic probability for P-CAP of almost 80% (positive likelihood ratio: 4.59). CONCLUSIONS: PCT and CRP are reliable predictors of P-CAP. Low cutoff values of PCT allow identification of children at low risk of P-CAP. The association of elevated PCT or CRP with a positive pneumococcal urinary antigen is a strong predictor of P-CAP.

Iowa Community Empowerment Newsletter, October 2009, Vol 10, no. 4

Monthly newsletter for the Iowa Department of Public Health

Traitement des infections urinaires simples: impact des résistances antibiotiques croissantes dans la communauté [Uncomplicated urinary tract infections: impact of increasing antibiotic resistance in the community].

Uncomplicated urinary tract infections are commonly encountered in primary care and frequently lead to empirical antibiotic prescriptions. The development of antibiotic resistance in the community explains treatment failures observed with commonly-prescribed drugs such as quinolones and co-trimoxazole. This article describes the epidemiology of antibiotic resistance among pathogens causing uncomplicated urinary tract infections and the consequences in terms of recommendations for empirical antibiotic therapy.

Iowa Community Empowerment Newsletter, December 2009, Vol 10, no. 5

Monthly newsletter for the Iowa Department of Public Health