Genetic diversity and phylogeny of Anopheles nuneztovari C and Anopheles albimanus, vectors of malaria in the department of Córdoba, Colombia.

In the department of Córdoba, 21 widely distributed Anopheles species have been described, of which Anopheles triannulatus, Anopheles nuneztovari, Anopheles albimanus, and Anopheles darlingi are the most abundant species, and the last three play a vectorial role in Malaria transmission in Colombia. A correct taxonomic identification of malaria insect vectors is of vital importance for the development of effective vector control strategies. However, the identification of individuals from the Anopheles genus presents difficulties due to the loss of relevant morphological characters during the transport and preservation of the collected specimens. In addition to the interspecific variations, and the intraspecific similarities of the species belonging to the subgenus Nyssorhynchus, since itpresents species complexes and cryptic species that difficults identification based only in morphological characteristics. The objective of this study was to characterize the barcode fragment of the COI gene and its genetic diversity for the identification of An. (Nys) nuneztovari and An. (Nys) albimanus in areas of high malaria transmission from the department of Córdoba. 67 individuals belonging to the species An. nuneztovari cytotype C and 22 An. albimanus were identified, and additionally, 9 haplotypes were obtained for An. nuneztovari C and 14 for An. albimanus distributed in the study areas. The values obtained in the FST and Nm estimators indicate a low or null genetic differentiation and a high gene flow between most of the studied populations because they share the most frequent haplotypes of these two species. The maximum likelihood trees for these species showed that the specimens from Córdoba belong to the same mitochondrial lineage as those previously reported from Antioquia, Choco, and Norte de Santander.

A look into the wild. Pathological analysis of a modern collection of guanacos from the Dry Chaco and its implications for South American camelid paleopathological studies.

OBJECTIVE: This article evaluates the prevalence of lesions in a modern osteological collection of guanacos (Lama guanicoe) and discusses the potential of paleopathological data to assess human intervention and environmental stress. MATERIALS: A modern osteological collection of guanacos (NISP = 862) from north-western Córdoba, Central Argentina. METHODS: The prevalence of pathological specimens per skeletal element and the pathological index (Bartosiewicz et al., 1997) was used. The prevalence of arthropathies, trauma and infections was quantified. Additionally, thorn lesions in the autopodium were recorded. RESULTS: 11.03 % of the specimens presented pathological changes and the mean pathological index was 0.01. Degenerative lesions were the most prevalent type (10.34 %), followed by traumatic (0.81 %) and infectious pathologies (0.12 %). Thorn lesions (2.55 %) were recorded especially in metapodials. CONCLUSIONS: Guanacos are exposed to the development of degenerative lesions, mainly in the autopodium and vertebrae. These lesions are probably common in camelids and should not be used to argue human management. Traumatic and infectious lesions are less frequent. SIGNIFICANCE: This work provides baseline information for the paleopathological study of South American camelids and contributes to the characterization of a regionally endangered species. LIMITATIONS: The nature of the faunal assemblage did not allow for direct correlations between pathologies and individual variables such as sex or age. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: The comparison of our results with other wild and domesticated modern populations would be valuable to expand the baseline information for paleopathological studies. The use of quantitative methods is encouraged for future comparative and diachronic studies.

Caracterización de la Política de Proyección Social de la Universidad Católica de Córdoba (UCC) para evaluar el impacto formativo en los graduados / Characterization of the Social Projection Policy of the Catholic University of Córdoba (UCC) to evaluate the educational impact

La Universidad Católica de Córdoba (Argentina) ha implementado una política de proyección social desde el año 2011, la cual forma parte de un objetivo central a nivel institucional: concebir las funciones sustantivas y centrales de la universidad desde la gestión socialmente responsable. La búsqueda de este objetivo tiene su sustento en el paradigma educativo ignaciano, el cual busca incidir desde allí en la formación de los futuros graduados. Frente a ello, se plantea una investigación que busca indagar sobre el impacto que logra en la formación de los graduados la política de proyección social bajo el enfoque de Responsabilidad Social Universitaria adoptado por la Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Una etapa esencial de esta investigación es lograr caracterizar la política mencionada a los fines de correlacionar los procesos educativos de acuerdo al paradigma educativo adoptado en la universidad con respecto a la formación y el perfil de sus graduados. Esta caracterización se realizó a partir de un enfoque analítico interpretativo, retrospectivo y transversal, desarrollado a través de un diseño metodológico cualitativo, basado en análisis documental y entrevistas en profundidad con los referentes institucionales. Los resultados de caracterización de la PPS permitieron considerar dos categorías de análisis: por un lado, el vínculo de la Universidad con la comunidad de acuerdo a propiedades prestablecidas, y por otro, el impacto de la política sobre los futuros graduados de acuerdo al paradigma educativo adoptado. Ante la carencia de herramientas adecuadas de evaluación de impacto formativo en los perfiles de los egresados universitarios, esta investigación pretende contribuir con avances instrumentales útiles en la medición de la efectividad de la política de proyección social de la Universidad Católica de Córdoba, los cuales poseen la potencialidad de hacerse extensivos para su empleo en otras universidades confiadas a la Compañía de Jesús, y de la región

The Catholic University of Córdoba (Argentina) has implemented a social projection policy since 2011, which is part of a central objective at the institutional level: to conceive the substantive and central functions of the university from socially responsible management. The search for this objective is supported by the Ignatian educational paradigm, which seeks to influence the training of future graduates from there. Faced with this, an investigation is proposed that seeks to investigate the impact that the policy of social projection, under the approach of University Social Responsibility, adopted by the Catholic University of Córdoba achieves in the training of graduates. An essential stage of this research is to characterise the aforementioned policy in order to correlate the educational processes according to the educational paradigm adopted at the university with respect to the training and profile of its graduates. This characterisation was carried out from an interpretive, retrospective and cross-sectional analytical approach, developed through a qualitative methodological design, based on documentary analysis and indepth interviews with institutional referents. The results of the characterisation of the PPS allowed considering two categories of analysis: on the one hand, the link between the University and the community according to pre-established properties, and on the other, the impact of the policy on future graduates according to the adopted educational paradigm. Given the lack of adequate tools for evaluating the training impact on the profiles of university graduates, this research aims to contribute with useful instrumental advances in measuring the effectiveness of the social projection policy of the Catholic University of Córdoba, which have the potential to be extended for employment in other universities entrusted to the Society of Jesus, and in the region.

Understanding the role of temporal variation of environmental variables in predicting Aedes aegypti oviposition activity in a temperate region of Argentina.

Environmental variables related to vegetation and weather are some of the most influential factors that impacting Aedes (Stegomya) aegypti, a mosquito vector of dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses. In this paper, we aim to develop temporal predictive models for Ae. aegypti oviposition activity utilizing vegetation and meteorological variables as predictors in Córdoba city (Argentina). Eggs were collected using ovitraps placed throughout the city from 2009 to 2012 that were replaced weekly. Temporal generalized linear mixed models were developed with negative binomial distributions of errors that model average number of eggs collected weekly as a function of vegetation and meteorological variables with time lags. The best model included a vegetation index, vapor pressure of water, precipitation and photoperiod. With each unit of increment in vegetation index per week the average number of eggs increased by 1.71 in the third week. Furthermore, each millimeter increase of accumulated rain during 4 weeks was associated with a decrease of 0.668 in the average number of eggs found in the following week. This negative effect of precipitation could occur during abundant rainfalls that fill containers completely, thereby depriving females of oviposition sites and leading them to search for other suitable breeding sites. Furthermore, the average number of eggs increased with the photoperiod at low values of mean vapor pressure; however the average number of eggs decreased at high values of mean vapor pressure, and the positive relationship between the response variable and mean vapor pressure was stronger at low values of photoperiod. Additionally, minimum temperature was associated positively with oviposition activity and that low minimum temperatures could be a limiting factor in Ae. aegypti oviposition activity. Our results emphasize the important role that climatic variables such as temperature, precipitation, and vapor pressure play in Ae. aegypti oviposition activity and how these variables along with vegetation indices can be used to inform predictive temporal models of Ae. aegypti population dynamics that can be used for informing mosquito population control and arbovirus mitigation strategies.

Biological kinship in 750 year old human remains from Central Argentina with signs of interpersonal violence.

Human skeletal remains of an adult male (20-24 years old) and a juvenile (4-8 years old), dated to 750 ± 85 14C years BP, were found on the southern margin of Mar Chiquita Lagoon (Córdoba, Argentina). Both individuals show signs of being victims of interpersonal violence, with arrowheads associated with the remains and perimortem lesions on the juvenile, as well as an unusual form of burial, with the juvenile partially overlapped with the adult. The aim of this work is to study a possible kin relationship between these two individuals through ancient DNA analysis. Biological kinship was evaluated by autosomal and Y-chromosome STR (short tandem repeat) typing, PCR-APLP for SNP determination and hypervariable region I sequencing of the mitochondrial DNA. Genetic analyses indicated that these individuals shared the same Y-chromosomal haplotype but different mitochondrial lineages. The likelihood ratio based on autosomal loci indicates that the genetic profiles of the human remains would be more likely to be that indicating a father-son bond. The paleogenetic approach combined with forensic genetic methods applied to this study allowed us to confirm a hypothesis that originated in bioarchaeological evidence. This study constitutes a unique case in Argentina of kinship determination based on DNA profiles of human remains in an archaeological context of interpersonal violence. It is important to highlight the contribution made by these studies to address topics usually hidden in bioarchaeological studies, such as community organization, cultural customs and mortuary practices.

Trayectorias y dinámicas alimentarias de adultos/as mayores: la alimentación como relato de vida / Trajectories and food dynamics of Elderly People: food as life story

Argentina atraviesa un proceso de transición demográfica avanzada, ya que los/as adultos mayores (AM) alcanzan el 15,1% de la población. Ello pone en tensión el lugar de las/os AM en la sociedad, sus condiciones de acceso y resolución de necesidades, entre ellas la alimentación. En este trabajo se postula que hablar de la alimentación, de los alimentos, es hablar de los/as AM, de la historia de vida de estas personas que se va escribiendo entre sustancias y circunstancias que hacen a actividades tan cotidianas como el cocinar y el comer. Así, se planteó como objetivo, indagar acerca de la categoría trayectorias y dinámicas alimentarias (TyDA) de los/as AM de la Ciudad de Córdoba-Argentina, para establecer diálogo(s) posible(s) entre alimentación y curso de vida. Se realizó una investigación con posicionamiento epistemológico mixto entre paradigma interpretativista y crítico; con triangulación metodológica cuali-cuantitativa. Etapa cuantitativa: muestra no probabilística por cuotas según nivel de instrucción (n=384); incluyendo a AM de Córdoba y gran Córdoba que integran espacios participativos. Se implementó un cuestionario semiestructurado. Etapa cualitativa: muestra intencional (n=10) a partir del muestro anterior. Se realizaron observaciones participantes, bitácora de campo y entrevistas. Participaron 384 AM, edad promedio de 72 años (DE=7), 79% mujeres y 21% varones. Las "TyDA", siguiendo una idea de proceso que se construye y reconstruye constantemente, fueron abordadas desde: a) Etapa de la vida b) Sistema Alimentario y c) Alimentos identificadores. Reconstruir la historia de la comida de los/as AM propicia el reencuentro con la propia historia (infancia, juventud, adultez, vejez). Esta matriz de sentido es una invitación a repensar los abordajes en materia de políticas públicas destinados a este grupo poblacional; que genera cambios demográficos tanto a nivel macrosocial (cultura, economía, mercado de trabajo, sistemas políticos) pero especialmente en la experiencia de vida de los y las AM.

Urban Populations of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) From Central Argentina: Dispersal Patterns Assessed by Bayesian and Multivariate Methods.

Aedes aegypti (L.), the main vector of dengue and other arboviruses, was declared eradicated from Argentina in 1964; however, in 1987, it was detected again and nowadays it occurs in most of the country territory. To understand the transmission of vector-borne diseases, knowledge of the dispersal of vector populations is essential to evaluate the risk of pathogen transmission. We conducted a population genetic analysis of Ae. aegypti in 20 neighborhoods from Córdoba, the second largest city in Argentina, using 10 microsatellite loci. High genetic differentiation and the absence of an isolation by distance pattern was found using Weir and Cockerham's θ. Bayesian and multivariate clustering analyses showed that the studied sites included individuals with high membership coefficients (Q) in their populations, individuals with membership in another cluster, and admixed individuals. Individuals with high Q in clusters different from the population in which they were collected strongly suggests that passive transport is important in shaping the Ae. aegypti dispersal pattern in Córdoba city. Knowing the genetic structure of Ae. aegypti populations and their dispersal patterns would contribute to the implementation of vector control programs.

Hydrogeological features affecting spatial distribution of glyphosate and AMPA in groundwater and surface water in an agroecosystem. Córdoba, Argentina.

The study area is located in the eastern slope of Las Peñas Mountain and its adjacent oriental fluvio-aeolian-plain. Agriculture is the main activity (soybean, maize, wheat, peanuts and alfalfa) with no-tillage farming and intensive use of agrochemicals (pesticides-fertilizers). Glyphosate (N-phosphono-methylglycine) is the most common used herbicide which suffers microbial biodegradation giving aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), its main metabolite. The objective of this work is to evaluate hydrogeological features which influence the presence of glyphosate and AMPA in waters. In the study area, the main flow direction of surface and groundwater is NW-SE. The unsaturated zone thickness decreases in the same direction from 60 to 0 m, so groundwater surges in low areas in the eastern sector. From the total water samples collected, glyphosate was detected in 66% of surface water samples (0.2 to 167.4 µg/L), in 15.8% of the groundwater samples (1.3 to 2 µg/L) and in the harvested precipitation sample (0.2 µg/L). AMPA was found in 33% of surface water and 15.8% of groundwater. The herbicide detection was related to areas with the shallowest water table (< 4 m), low hydraulic conductivity in the aquifer (K = 1.5 m/d), low hydraulic gradient (i = 0.16%) and very low flow velocity (0.02 m/d). The most outstanding result is that the groundwater presents higher values in comparison with the surface water samples, which can be explained by the greater dilution capacity of streams. The detection of glyphosate and AMPA in the unconfined aquifer shows that the application for decades under the prevailing agricultural model exceeds the degradation potential of the soil and the unsaturated zone, causing groundwater contamination.

Could land cover influence Aedes aegypti mosquito populations?

Aedes aegypti is mainly found in urban environments, where human activity guarantees the permanent availability of potential larval habitats. The present study aimed to test for a possible association between Ae. aegypti infestation and land cover classes. From 23 February to 22 May 2015, immature mosquitoes (except eggs) were sampled in artificial containers identified in dwellings in Córdoba city, Argentina. The proportion of each land cover class was determined by SPOT-5 (Satellites Pour 1'Observation de la Terre or Earth-observing Satellites) image classification. Generalized linear models were developed to assess a suite of predetermined hypotheses and identified cover class variables associated with Ae. aegypti infestation. Arboreal vegetation was identified as the land cover with the greatest relative importance, negatively associated with Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. More infestation was find in areas with less arboreal vegetation, which corresponds to more urbanized areas.

Consumo de bebidas azucaradas en la alimentación de escolares de la ciudad de Córdoba, 2016-2017 / Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in the Diet of Schoolchildren in Córdoba City, 2016-2017

INTRODUCCIÓN: El consumo excesivo de bebidas azucaradas (BA) se ha asociado a mayor riesgo de obesidad y sus comorbilidades. El objetivo del estudio fue examinar el consumo de alimentos y el aporte energético de las BA en escolares de 9-12 años de Córdoba en 2016-2017 según sexo y estado nutricional. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal en una muestra de 311 escolares, obtenida mediante un muestreo por conglomerados. Se aplicó un cuestionario de alimentación validado y se calculó el consumo de alimentos en gramos por día (g/día), el de BA en centímetros cúbicos por día (cc/día), su aporte energético en kilocalorías por día (kcal/día) y la proporción cubierta del valor energético total (VET). Se analizaron diferencias por sexo y estado nutricional usando test T para proporciones (α=0,05). RESULTADOS: El 97% de los escolares consumió una media de 539,16 cc/día (error estándar: 18,81) de BA, lo que representa un 9% del VET. Una mayor proporción con normopeso (29,14%) consumió menos del 5% del VET a través de las BA respecto a los escolares con obesidad (11,86%) (p=0,014), mientras que la categoría de consumo medio (5-10% del VET) acumuló mayor proporción de niños con obesidad (52,54% versus 36,42%) (p=0,048). CONCLUSIONES: Las BA exceden la recomendación para el consumo de azúcares simples (10% del VET). Es necesario planificar abordajes alimentarionutricionales dirigidos a reducir su consumo en los escolares para prevenir la obesidad y enfermedades crónicas.

Occurrence of persistent organic pollutants in air at different sites in the province of Córdoba, Argentina.

The occurrence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the atmosphere of six sites with different emission sources in the province of Córdoba, Argentina, was analyzed. The sites included urban, industrial, agricultural, and mountain areas. Samples were collected using passive air samplers (PAS) consisting of polyurethane foam disks (PUF). Samples were analyzed for 12 PAHs, 31 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 12 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and 11 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The concentrations of PAHs in the atmosphere were elevated at urban sites and were even higher at the industrial site. With respect to OCPs, it was observed that the concentrations of endosulfan were greater at the agricultural site (AGR) (416 ± 4 pg m-3). For hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), only the alpha isomer was detected and there were minimal differences between the different sampling sites (5.9-13.3 pg m-3). In the case of dieldrin, the highest concentrations (33.6 pg m-3) were found at the mountain site, which may have been due to its use for insect control. Although heptachlor epoxide was not detected, the concentration of heptachlor was significantly higher at the agricultural and downtown sites (∼ 3.6 pg m-3). Regarding DDTs, the isomers p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE showed the highest concentrations at the mountain site (ΣDDT 120 ± 12 pg m-3) and downtown site (ΣDDT 157 ± 62 pg m-3). The relationship between the isomers suggested that at the downtown site, the contribution of this pesticide to the environment was recent, probably for the control of diseases vectors. The congener pattern of PBDEs was dominated by BDE-47, and BDE-99 at all sites, with the downtown site having the highest concentrations of compound esters (ΣPBDEs 118 ± 38 pg m-3). Finally, high concentrations of PCBs were found at the industrial site (ΣPCBs 1677 ± 134 pg m-3), and the predominating homologs were 5-Cl and 6-Cl, in contrast to the other sites where PCBs were dominated by 3-Cl and 4-Cl. This is the first study of POPs carried out in the province of Córdoba.

Pseudoscorpiones (arachnida) de isla fuerte y tortuguilla, caribe colombiano

En busca de contribuir al conocimiento de la fauna de invertebrados en la región Caribe de Colombia, se evaluó la fauna de pseudoescorpiones en dos zonas insulares continentales frente a la costa del departamento de Córdoba, la cual incluye a nueve especies, ocho géneros y seis familias. Se reporta por primera vez el género Solinus Chamberlin y se amplía la distribución conocida de Solinus corticola Chamberlin, 1923, hacia Colombia. Se efectúan consideraciones sobre las especies a los diferentes microhábitats (excepto Planctolpium arboreum Hoff, 1964). Se sugiere que el rafting y la foresia permitió la dispersión de estos géneros y especies desde el continente hacia las zonas insulares.

To contribute to the knowledge of the invertebrate fauna in the Caribbean region of Colombia, the pseudoscorpion fauna was evaluated in two continental islands zones in the coast of the department of Córdoba, which includes nine species distributed in eight genera and six families, the genus Solinus Chamberlin is reported for the first time and the known distribution of Solinus corticola Chamberlin, 1923 is extended to Colombia. Also, the adaptation of the species to the different microhabitats is considered (except for Planctolpium arboreum Hoff, 1964). It is suggested that the rafting and the phoresis allowed the dispersal of these genera and species from the mainland towards the insular zones.

Etnobotánica médica urbana y periurbana de la ciudad de Córdoba (Argentina) / Urban and peri-urban medical ethnobotany in the city of Córdoba (Argentina)

Following is submitted an ethnobotanic study on knowledge and practices on usage, role and meaning of plants and relatives used by practitioners of non-official medicine in urban and peri-urban places of the city of Córdoba, Argentina. In this study area, it can be observed a cultural structure of knowledge as well as local and foreign practices, which are typical of modern cultures. Diverse social actors perform as cultural connectors between urban and rural scenarios, which match traditional components with those of biomedicine as well as those that belong to a large chain of medical herbs marketing. Quantitative and qualitative methods were resorted to, through classical ethnobotanic techniques. An amount of 768 therapeutical usages were registered which correspond to 262 native and foreign medical taxons. These taxons belong to 95 family plants marketed within urban and peri-urban areas. It is also remarkable an urban pharmacopeia highly diverse as regards species and usages with a top level of exotic species (60%) as well as complementary alternative and global medicines in theses contexts.

Se presenta un estudio etnobotánico de los conocimientos y prácticas referidos al uso, rol y significado de los vegetales usados por practicantes de la medicina no oficial en poblaciones urbanas y periurbanas de la ciudad de Córdoba, Argentina. En este ámbito de estudio, se conforma un complejo cultural de saberes y prácticas locales y foráneas, típicas de culturas modernas. Se destaca el protagonismo de diversos actores sociales los que actúan como conectores culturales entre escenarios urbanos y rurales, los que combinan elementos tradicionales con los de la biomedicina, como así también los que forman parte de una larga cadena de comercialización de hierbas medicinales. Se recurrió a métodos cualitativos y cuantitativos mediante técnicas clásicas etnobotánicas. Se documentaron un total de 768 usos terapéuticos correspondientes a 262 taxones medicinales de estatus autóctonos y exóticos que pertenecen a 95 familias de plantas comercializadas en el ámbito urbano y periurbano. Se advierte una farmacopea urbana altamente diversificada en especies y aplicaciones con un predominio de especies exóticas (60%) como así también la presencia influyente de las medicinas alternativas complementarias y de medicinas globales en estos contextos.

Boletín epidemiológico semanal 2: Comportamiento de la notificación de PFA / Weekly epidemiological bulletin 2

La tasa de notificación de PFA según entidad territorial de procedencia, para el país fue de 1,3 casos por 100.000 menores de 15 años en comparación con el año inmediatamente anterior presentando un aumento de 0,1 casos (1,2 casos por 100.000 menores de 15 años para el 2017). En 2018 no notificaron casos dos distritos (Cartagena y Santa Marta) y un departamento (Vaupés) que de acuerdo a su cantidad de población menor de 15 años debe notificar un caso cada seis años.

The notification rate of PFA according to the territorial entity of origin, for the country was 1.3 cases per 100,000 children under 15 years compared to the immediately previous year presenting an increase of 0.1 cases (1.2 cases per 100,000 under 15 for 2017). In 2018, no two districts (Cartagena and Santa Marta) and a department (Vaupés) were notified that, according to their population under 15 years of age, must report a case every six years.

Modelling the distribution of the vector Aedes aegypti in a central Argentine city.

Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) is an urban mosquito involved in the transmission of numerous viruses, including dengue, chikungunya and Zika. In Argentina, Ae. aegypti is the main vector of dengue virus and has been involved in several outbreaks in regions ranging from northern to central Argentina since 2009. In order to evaluate areas of potential vector-borne disease transmission in the city of Córdoba, Argentina, the present study aimed to identify the environmental, socioeconomic and demographic factors driving the distribution of Ae. aegypti larvae through spatial analysis in the form of species distribution models (SDMs). These models elucidate relationships between known occurrences of a species and environmental data in order to identify areas with suitable habitats for that species and the consequent risk for disease transmission. The maximum entropy species distribution model was able to fit the training data well, with an average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of > 0.8, and produced models with fair extrapolation capacity (average test AUC: > 0.75). Human population density, distance to vegetation and water channels were the main variables predictive of the vector suitability of an area. The results of this work will be used to target surveillance and prevention measures, as well as in mosquito management.

Do Exposure to Arsenic, Occupation and Diet Have Synergistic Effects on Prostate Cancer Risk?

Background: Diverse environmental exposures, as well as dietary and lifestyle factors, are associated with prostate cancer (PC) etiology; however little is known about joint interactive influences. The aim of this study was to analyse effects of diet combined with arsenic in drinking water and agricultural occupation on PC risk. Methods: A case-control study was conducted in Córdoba, Argentina (period 2008-2015) including 147 cases of PC and 300 controls. All subjects were interviewed about food consumption, socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics. A sample of drinking water was taken to determine arsenic concentrations. Adherence scores to the Traditional Dietary Pattern were estimated, based on a principal component factor analysis. A two-level logistic regression model was fitted in order to assess effects of the Traditional Pattern, occupation and arsenic exposure on the occurrence of PC (outcome). Family history of PC was considered as a clustering variable. Results: PC risk was greatest in subjects with high adherence to the Traditional Pattern (OR 2.18; 95%IC 1.097­4.344). Subjects exposed to arsenic in drinking water above 0.01mg/l who simultaneously performed agricultural activities showed a markedly elevated PC risk (OR 5.07; 95%IC 2.074-12.404). Variance of the random effect of family history of PC was significant. conclusion: Diet, arsenic and occupation in agriculture exert significant effects on PC risk. Further efforts are necessary to analyse risk factors integrally, in order to achieve a better understanding of the complex causal network for PC in this multiple-exposure population.

Satellite-based view of the aerosol spatial and temporal variability in the Córdoba region (Argentina) using over ten years of high-resolution data.

Space-based observations offer a unique opportunity to investigate the atmosphere and its changes over decadal time scales, particularly in regions lacking in situ and/or ground based observations. In this study, we investigate temporal and spatial variability of atmospheric particulate matter (aerosol) over the urban area of Córdoba (central Argentina) using over ten years (2003-2015) of high-resolution (1 km) satellite-based retrievals of aerosol optical depth (AOD). This fine resolution is achieved exploiting the capabilities of a recently developed inversion algorithm (Multiangle implementation of atmospheric correction, MAIAC) applied to the MODIS sensor datasets of the NASA-Terra and -Aqua platforms. Results of this investigation show a clear seasonality of AOD over the investigated area. This is found to be shaped by an intricate superposition of aerosol sources, acting over different spatial scales and affecting the region with different yearly cycles. During late winter and spring (August-October), local as well as near- and long-range transported biomass burning (BB) aerosols enhance the Córdoba aerosol load, and AOD levels reach their maximum values (> 0.35 at 0.47µm). The fine AOD spatial resolution allowed to disclose that, in this period, AOD maxima are found in the rural/agricultural area around the city, reaching up to the city boundaries pinpointing that fires of local and near-range origin play a major role in the AOD enhancement. A reverse spatial AOD gradient is found from December to March, the urban area showing AODs 40 to 80% higher than in the city surroundings. In fact, during summer, the columnar aerosol load over the Córdoba region is dominated by local (urban and industrial) sources, likely coupled to secondary processes driven by enhanced radiation and mixing effects within a deeper planetary boundary layer (PBL). With the support of modelled AOD data from the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Application (MERRA), we further investigated into the chemical nature of AOD. The results suggest that mineral dust is also an important aerosol component in Córdoba, with maximum impact from November to February. The use of a long-term dataset finally allowed a preliminary assessment of AOD trends over the Córdoba region. For those months in which local sources and secondary processes were found to dominate the AOD (December to March), we found a positive AOD trend in the Córdoba outskirts, mainly in the areas with maximum urbanization/population growth over the investigated decade. Conversely, a negative AOD trend (up to -0.1 per decade) is observed all over the rural area of Córdoba during the BB season, this being attributed to a decrease of fires both at the local and the continental scale.

Analytical report of the 2016 dengue outbreak in Córdoba city, Argentina.

After elimination of the Aedes aegypti vector in South America in the 1960s, dengue outbreaks started to reoccur during the 1990s; strongly in Argentina since 1998. In 2016, Córdoba City had the largest dengue outbreak in its history. In this article we report this outbreak including spatio-temporal analysis of cases and vectors in the city. A total of 653 dengue cases were recorded by the laboratory-based dengue surveillance system and georeferenced by their residential addresses. Case maps were generated from the epidemiological week 1 (beginning of January) to week 19 (mid-May). Dengue outbreak temporal evolution was analysed globally and three specific, high-incidence zones were detected using Knox analysis to characterising its spatio-temporal attributes. Field and remotely sensed data were collected and analysed in real time and a vector presence map based on the MaxEnt approach was generated to define hotspots, towards which the pesticide- based strategy was then targeted. The recorded pattern of cases evolution within the community suggests that dengue control measures should be improved.

Caracterización de la infección por Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella spp. y coqueluche en la provincia de Córdoba, Argentina / Features of Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella spp. infection and whopping cough in Córdoba province, Argentina

Introduction: Whooping cough is a re-emerging infection in the world and Latin America. Objective: It was considered relevant to investigate the clinical and epidemiological profile of Bordetella spp. and Bordetella pertussis infection in Córdoba province, Argentina; evaluating, at the same time, the co-infection with virus producing respiratory infections that may be confused with whooping cough. Material and Methods: All whooping cough suspected cases were studied by Polimerase Chain Reaction, amplifying the repeated insertion sequence (IS) 481 and the promoter gene encoding pertussis toxin, between 2011 and 2013. The data were obtained from the clinical and epidemiological records. Results: From 2,588 whooping cough suspected cases, 11.59% was infected by Bordetella spp. and 9.16% was confirmed as Bordetella pertussis infection. The rate of infection was 7.22 and 1.84 per 100,000 for 2011 and 2012, respectively. The infection presented a seasonal tendency and it was mainly found on the group of children between 13 and 24 months old. The co-infection with virus producing respiratory infections, were uncommon. Paroxysmal cough, cyanosis and/or vomiting were predictors of the infection for Bordetella pertussis. Discussion and Conclusions: To deal with the re-emergence of whooping cough is important the knowledge of the regional epidemiological situation. This paper shows the situation of these infections in the regional clinical and epidemiological context, and makes the information available for health decision-making.

Introducción: Coqueluche es una enfermedad reemergente en el mundo y en Latinoamérica. Objetivo: Resultó de interés caracterizar el perfil clínico-epidemiológico de la infección por Bordetella spp. y Bordetella pertussis en Córdoba, Argentina; evaluando además, la frecuencia de infecciones de etiología viral que, por cursar con un síndrome coqueluchoide (SC), pueden ser confundidas con cuadros de coqueluche. Material y Métodos: Los casos sospechosos de coqueluche, se estudiaron por reacción de polimerasa en cadena; amplificando la secuencia repetida de inserción (IS) 481 y la región promotora del gen de la toxina pertussis; entre 2011 y 2013. Los datos de los pacientes se obtuvieron de las fichas clínicoepidemiológicas. Resultados: De 2.588 pacientes, 11,59% presentó una infección por Bordetella spp. y en 9,16% se confirmó una infección por Bordetella pertussis. La tasa de infección fue 7,22 y 1,84 por 100.000 habitantes en 2011 y 2012, respectivamente. La infección presentó una tendencia estacional y se concentró principalmente en niños entre 13 y 24 meses. La tos paroxística, cianosis y/o vómitos fueron predictores de la infección por B. pertussis. La coinfección con virus productores de infecciones respiratorias fue poco frecuente. Discusión y Conclusiones: Es fundamental el conocimiento de la situación epidemiológica regional. Este trabajo presenta la situación de Córdoba y pone a disposición de la comunidad sanitaria la información para la toma de decisiones en el contexto clínico-epidemiológico regional.