Complete Blood Count Values Over Time in Young Children During the Dengue Virus Epidemic in the Dominican Republic From 2018 to 2020.

Background: Dengue fever (DF) is a mosquito-borne illness with substantial economic and societal impact. Understanding laboratory trends of hospitalized Dominican Republic (DR) pediatric patients could help develop screening procedures in low-resourced settings. We sought to describe laboratory findings over time in DR children with DF and DF severity from 2018 to 2020. Methods: Clinical information was obtained prospectively from recruited children with DF. Complete blood count (CBC) laboratory measures were assessed across Days 1-10 of fever. Participants were classified as DF-negative and DF-positive and grouped by severity. We assessed associations of DF severity with demographics, clinical characteristics, and peripheral blood studies. Using linear mixed-models, we assessed if hematologic values/trajectories differed by DF status/severity. Results: A total of 597 of 1101 with a DF clinical diagnosis were serologically evaluated, and 574 (471 DF-positive) met inclusion criteria. In DF, platelet count and hemoglobin were higher on earlier days of fever (p < = 0.0017). Eighty had severe DF. Severe DF risk was associated with thrombocytopenia, intraillness anemia, and leukocytosis, differing by fever day (p < = 0.001). Conclusions: In a pediatric hospitalized DR cohort, we found marked anemia in late stages of severe DF, unlike the typically seen hemoconcentration. These findings, paired with clinical symptom changes over time, may help guide risk-stratified screenings for resource-limited settings.

The Need and Opportunity to Update the Inventory of Plant Pathogenic Fungi and Oomycetes in Mexico.

Mexico generates specific phytosanitary regulations for each product and origin to prevent the entry of quarantine pests and/or delay their spread within the national territory, including fungi and oomycetes. Phytosanitary regulations are established based on available information on the presence or absence of these pathogens in the country; however, the compilation and precise analysis of reports is a challenging task due to many publications lacking scientific rigor in determining the presence of a taxon of phytosanitary interest in the country. This review evaluated various studies reporting the presence of plant pathogenic fungi and oomycetes in Mexico and concluded that some lists of diseases and phytopathogenic organisms lack technical-scientific basis. Thus, it highlights the need and presents an excellent opportunity to establish a National Collection of Fungal Cultures and a National Herbarium for obligate parasites, as well as to generate a National Database of Phytopathogenic Fungi and Oomycetes present in Mexico, supported by the combination of morphological, molecular, epidemiological, pathogenicity, symptom, and micrograph data. If realized, this would have a direct impact on many future applications related to various topics, including quarantines, risk analysis, biodiversity studies, and monitoring of fungicide resistance, among others.

Variability of the trophic state in a coastal reef system associated with submarine groundwater discharge in the Mexican Caribbean.

Submarine groundwater discharges (SGD) have been associated with important sources of nutrients between the land and oceans that can generate eutrophication conditions. This study aims to analyze the behavior of nitrogen and phosphorus using the mixing curve method, to examine the variation of the trophic state using the Karydis Index, and to evaluate the δ15N in benthic organisms to trace the origin of nitrogen in neap tide (November) and spring tide (January) in the Manatí Cenote, and Nohoch-Teek reef lagoon in the Mexican Caribbean. Nitrogen and phosphate enrichment was in the Manatí Cenote during neap and spring tides. This enrichment was particularly noticeable in the reef lagoon during low tides in the areas influenced by SGD. In the Cenote, differences in the nitrate trophic state were observed, indicating an eu-mesotrophic condition during neap tide and a mesotrophic condition during spring tide. However, no significant differences were observed for ammonium (oligo-mesotrophic), nitrites, or phosphate compounds (oligotrophic). The trophic state reef lagoon exhibited a similar pattern but with different spatial variations. In both systems, phosphorus was a limiting nutrient, while δ15N suggested anthropogenic nitrogen uptake by several benthic organisms.

Epidemiologia de la leucemia neonatal en Bolivia / Epidemiology of neonatal leukemia in Bolivia

Introducción. La leucemia neonatal se presenta durante las cuatro primeras semanas de vida extrauterina, corresponde al 1% de todas las leucemias pediátricas. Se caracteriza por leucemogénesis en útero y está relacionada con la genotoxicidad y el medio ambiente contaminado. La leucemia mieloide aguda representa la gran mayoría de los casos (60%), las alteraciones cromosómicas afectan a la región 11q23. La infiltración cutánea leucémica, la hepatoesplenomegalia y la leucocitosis mayor a 100.000/ul son signos comunes en esta enfermedad. Objetivo. Determinar las características epidemiológicas de la leucemia neonatal en Bolivia. Material y métodos. Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de leucemias neonatales diagnosticadas entre 2007 y 2023. Se recolectó datos epidemiológicos concernientes a características clínicas, características morfológicas e immunofenotípicas, resultados de laboratorio correspondientes al momento del diagnóstico y seguimiento, así como, la radicatoria de la madre durante la gestación. Resultados. Se evidenció 13 casos, la edad media neonatal fue 20 días y mayor incidencia en neonatos varones (n=9, 69%). La LMA (9 casos, 69 %) fue el tipo de leucemia más frecuente (subtipo preponderante LMA M7), seguida de la LLA-B (n=4). 7 casos fueron procedentes de Santa Cruz (54 %), 3 de Cochabamba (23 %), sucesivamente La Paz, Beni y Chuquisaca con un caso cada uno (23 %). Leucocitosis media 106.000/ul, hemoglobina media 13,2 g/dl y plaquetas 209.000/ul fueron características laboratoriales. Conclusiones. La incidencia de leucemia neonatal en Santa Cruz y Cochabamba constituye un interés de salud pública, lo que demanda escudriñar sobre factores de riesgo relacionados con su etiología y el impacto de la contaminación del medio ambiente en esas regiones.

Introduction. Neonatal leukemia occurs during the first four weeks after birth, corresponding to 1% of all pediatric leukemias. It is characterized byleukemogenesis in the uterus, which is related to genotoxicity and polluted environment. Acute myeloid leukemia representas the vast majority of cases (60%), chromosomal alterations concerning 11q23 region. Common signs involve leukemia cutis, hepatosplenomegaly and leukocytosis higher than 100,000/ul. Objective. To determine the epidemiological characteristics of neonatal leukemia in Bolivia. Material and methods. Retrospective descriptive study of neonatal leukemias diagnosed between 2007 and 2023. Epidemiological data regarding clinical characteristics, morphological and immunophenotypic features, laboratory results at diagnosis and follow-up, as well as, residency of the mother during pregnancy were collected. Results. A total of 13 cases were evidenced, mean neonatal age was 20 days, with a higher incidence in male neonates (n=9, 69%). AML (9 cases, 69%) was the most common type of leukemia (mainly AML M7 subtype), followed by B-ALL (n=4). 7 cases were from Santa Cruz (54%), 3 from Cochabamba (23%), consecutively La Paz, Beni and Chuquisaca with 1 case each (23%). Laboratory characteristics displayed mean leukocytosis of106,000/ul, mean Hb 13,2 g/dl and platelets 209.000/ ul. Conclusions. The incidence of neonatal leukemia in Santa Cruz and Cochabamba stands a public health interest, which requires scrutinizing risk factors related to its etiology and the impact of environmental pollution in those region.

Influence of pelagic sargassum influxes on the δ15N in Thalassia testudinum of the Mexican Caribbean coastal ecosystem.

The conservation of Mexican Caribbean Ecosystems (MCE) involves ensuring their capacity to provide resources and ecosystem services to society. Monitoring programs are necessary to establish their management and ensure their sustainability. Thalassia testudinum is the community used to determine anthropogenic influence, in which wastewater is the primary anthropogenic nitrogen source. The extensive amount of pelagic sargassum that enters the area and its decomposition may be additional nitrogen sources in MCE. In the present study, the δ15N in T. testudinum was examined from 2009 to 2019 to infer the nitrogen contribution from pelagic sargassum to MCE. T. testudinum δ15N values showed significant depletion from June/October 2014 to 2019 concerning previous periods. Pelagic sargassum was an alternative nitrogen source, and its leaching reduced T. testudinum δ15N values in MCE.

The 2019-2020 Dengue Fever Epidemic: Genomic Markers Indicating Severity in Dominican Republic Children.

We performed an observational cohort study to assess associations between genetic factors of dengue fever (DF) severity in children in the Dominican Republic. A total of 488 participants had serologically confirmed DF. We replicated the association between the IFIH1 gene (rs1990760) and severe DF (n = 80/488, p = 0.006) and identified novel associations needing further investigation.

Five centuries of Cirsium ehrenbergii Sch. Bip. (Asteraceae) in Mexico, from Huitzquilitl to Cardo Santo: History, ethnomedicine, pharmacology and chemistry.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Several medicinal plants, including the endemic herb Cirsum ehrenbergii (Asteraceae), have been documented in manuscripts, medical and botanical books written in Mexico since the XVI century until the present. This unique circumstance is a real window in the time that allows to investigate historical and contemporary ethnopharmacological knowledge. AIM OF THE STUDY: To examine the persistence, disappearance, and transformation of ethnomedicinal knowledge of C. ehrenbergii along time. Also, to investigate the chemistry and pharmacology of this species in relation to its historical and present day main ethnomedical applications related to Central Nervous System and inflammation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A thorough review was performed of written sources of medicinal plants from XVI and onwards. For the pharmacological studies, the organic extracts were tested in mice models to assess its antidepressant and anti-inflammatory properties. The active extracts were studied chemically. The isolated compounds were identified by 1H, 13C NMR, or characterized by GC-MS. RESULTS: Cirsum ehrenbergii was illustrated for the first time (1552) in the Libellus de Medicinalibus Indorum Herbis (Booklet of Medicinal Plants of the Indians) and named in the Nahuatl native language as huitzquilitl (edible thistle). It was there recommended as nigris sanguinis remedium (remedy for black blood), and for the treatment of illnesses with an inflammatory component. Nigris sanguinis was well known in the European medicine of that time and currently it has been interpreted as "depression". At the present time, peasants and native population in Mexico mainly name C. ehrenbergii in Spanish as cardo Santo (holy thistle). Its original Nahuatl name has been almost forgotten. However, these communities use this species, among other maladies, to heal "nervios" (anxiety and/or depression) and for anti-inflammatory purposes. These ailments and treatments resemble those recorded in the Libellus and in several medicinal plant books along centuries. The ethanol extract of C. ehrenbergii roots showed antidepressant-like activity in mice administered at 300 mg/kg, as indicated by the forced swim test (FST). The glycosylated flavonoid linarin was identified as antidepressant principle and was active at the doses of 30 and 60 mg/kg in the FST. Regarding to anti-inflammatory activity, the most active was the methylene chloride extract of the aerial parts, which contains taraxasterol, pseudotaraxasterol, ß-sitosterol and stigmasterol. CONCLUSIONS: Cirsium ehrenbergii extracts possess antidepressant-like (roots, EtOH) and anti-inflammatory (aerial parts, CH2Cl2) properties, containing active compounds. Our results sustain historical and present day ethnomedical applications of this species documented along five centuries.

Changes in the enrichment of dissolved inorganic nutrients in the coastal waters of the Mexican Caribbean, influenced by submarine groundwater discharges 2016-2019.

The resident and tourist population in the Mexican Caribbean has grown exponentially, increasing the availability of dissolved inorganic nutrients in coastal waters through submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). Recently, a new massive drift of Sargassum spp. has occurred that can provide new organic matter and enrich coastal water with nutrients. In different sites in the Mexican Caribbean, the chemical composition of the water was analyzed, and the δ15N of Thalassia testudinum was determined between 2016 and 2019. Evidence of SGD was observed in Akumal Bay due to high silicate concentrations and its negative correlation with salinity. Seasonal and interannual variation in NH4+ concentration was observed at these sites. In October 2018, SGD contributed ∼70 times more nitrogen and ∼194 times more phosphorus than the decomposition of the pelagic macroalgae Sargassum spp. The δ15N data showed that Akumal Bay received nitrogen of anthropogenic origin and that nitrogen fixation processes or probably assimilation of nitrogen of the leachates of pelagic Sargassum spp were dominant at Mahahual and Xahuayxol.

Methane and carbon dioxide cycles in lakes of the King George Island, maritime Antarctica.

Freshwater ecosystems are important contributors to the global greenhouse gas budget and a comprehensive assessment of their role in the context of global warming is essential. Despite many reports on freshwater ecosystems, relatively little attention has been given so far to those located in the southern hemisphere and our current knowledge is particularly poor regarding the methane cycle in non-perennially glaciated lakes of the maritime Antarctica. We conducted a high-resolution study of the methane and carbon dioxide cycle in a lake of the Fildes Peninsula, King George Island (Lat. 62°S), and a succinct characterization of 10 additional lakes and ponds of the region. The study, done during the ice-free and the ice-seasons, included methane and carbon dioxide exchanges with the atmosphere (both from water and surrounding soils) and the dissolved concentration of these two gases throughout the water column. This characterization was complemented with an ex-situ analysis of the microbial activities involved in the methane cycle, including methanotrophic and methanogenic activities as well as the methane-related marker gene abundance, in water, sediments and surrounding soils. The results showed that, over an annual cycle, the freshwater ecosystems of the region are dominantly autotrophic and that, despite low but omnipresent atmospheric methane emissions, they act as greenhouse gas sinks.

Role of the Antioxidant Activity of Melatonin in Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury is a common problem in the age of interventional cardiology; it is primarily mediated by oxidative stress and reactive agents. Melatonin has antioxidative properties that make its use promising for treating ischemia-reperfusion injury. Multiple experimental studies in murine and porcine models have been performed with good results. Clinical trials have also been conducted but given their heterogeneity, no conclusive results can be made. Melatonin pharmacokinetic properties are not ideal; therefore, many analogs have been proposed with improved characteristics, and some studies have evaluated their efficacy in animal models, but clinical trials are needed to recommend their use. In this review, we expose the results of the most impactful studies regarding melatonin use in ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Temperature differently affected methanogenic pathways and microbial communities in sub-Antarctic freshwater ecosystems.

Freshwater ecosystems are responsible for an important part of the methane (CH4) emissions which are likely to change with global warming. This study aims to evaluate temperature-induced (from 5 to 20 °C) changes on microbial community structure and methanogenic pathways in five sub-Antarctic lake sediments from Magallanes strait to Cape Horn, Chile. We combined in situ CH4 flux measurements, CH4 production rates (MPRs), gene abundance quantification and microbial community structure analysis (metabarcoding of the 16S rRNA gene). Under unamended conditions, a temperature increase of 5 °C doubled MPR while microbial community structure was not affected. Stimulation of methanogenesis by methanogenic precursors as acetate and H2/CO2, resulted in an increase of MPRs up to 127-fold and 19-fold, respectively, as well as an enrichment of mcrA-carriers strikingly stronger under acetate amendment. At low temperatures, H2/CO2-derived MPRs were considerably lower (down to 160-fold lower) than the acetate-derived MPRs, but the contribution of hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis increased with temperature. Temperature dependence of MPRs was significantly higher in incubations spiked with H2/CO2 (c. 1.9 eV) compared to incubations spiked with acetate or unamended (c. 0.8 eV). Temperature was not found to shape the total microbial community structure, that rather exhibited a site-specific variability among the studied lakes. However, the methanogenic archaeal community structure was driven by amended methanogenic precursors with a dominance of Methanobacterium in H2/CO2-based incubations and Methanosarcina in acetate-based incubations. We also suggested the importance of acetogenic H2-production outcompeting hydrogenotrohic methanogenesis especially at low temperatures, further supported by homoacetogen proportion in the microcosm communities. The combination of in situ-, and laboratory-based measurements and molecular approaches indicates that the hydrogenotrophic pathway may become more important with increasing temperatures than the acetoclastic pathway. In a continuously warming environment driven by climate change, such issues are crucial and may receive more attention.

Spatial and temporal distribution of methane emissions from a covered landfill equipped with a gas recollection system.

A previously developed surface probe method, which allows for instantaneous methane (CH4) flux measurement, was used to establish CH4 emission maps of a municipal landfill with a final clay cover and equipped with a gas recollection system. In addition to spatial variations, the method was applied at 7 different times over a total timeframe of 65 h and under similar weather conditions to determine the intrinsic temporal variations of CH4 emissions; i.e., the temporal variation related to the dynamic of the landfill rather than the one driven by external factors. Furthermore, continuous CH4 fluxes, with a data acquisition frequency of 1 Hz, were measured during 12 h at a single position, and for one hour at 22 locations of the landfill, spanning a large range of CH4 emission magnitudes. A simple model for the numerical characterization of spatiotemporal variability of the landfill emission was used and allowed us to separately quantify the temporal and spatial variability. This model showed that, in the landfill tested, the temporal distribution of CH4 emissions resulted more homogeneous than the spatial distribution. Other attributes of the temporal and spatial distributions of CH4 emissions were also established including the anisotropic nature of the spatial distribution and, contrastingly, the stochastic temporal variability of such emissions.

A Full Set of In Vitro Assays in Chitosan/Tween 80 Microspheres Loaded with Magnetite Nanoparticles.

Microspheres have been proposed for different medical applications, such as the delivery of therapeutic proteins. The first step, before evaluating the functionality of a protein delivery system, is to evaluate their biological safety. In this work, we developed chitosan/Tween 80 microspheres loaded with magnetite nanoparticles and evaluated cell damage. The formation and physical-chemical properties of the microspheres were determined by FT-IR, Raman, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and SEM. Cell damage was evaluated by a full set of in vitro assays using a non-cancerous cell line, human erythrocytes, and human lymphocytes. At the same time, to know if these microspheres can load proteins over their surface, bovine serum albumin (BSA) immobilization was measured. Results showed 7 nm magnetite nanoparticles loaded into chitosan/Tween 80 microspheres with average sizes of 1.431 µm. At concentrations from 1 to 100 µg/mL, there was no evidence of changes in mitochondrial metabolism, cell morphology, membrane rupture, cell cycle, nor sister chromatid exchange formation. For each microgram of microspheres 1.8 µg of BSA was immobilized. The result provides the fundamental understanding of the in vitro biological behavior, and safety, of developed microspheres. Additionally, this set of assays can be helpful for researchers to evaluate different nano and microparticles.

Sub-oxycline methane oxidation can fully uptake CH4 produced in sediments: case study of a lake in Siberia.

It is commonly assumed that methane (CH4) released by lakes into the atmosphere is mainly produced in anoxic sediment and transported by diffusion or ebullition through the water column to the surface of the lake. In contrast to that prevailing idea, it has been gradually established that the epilimnetic CH4 does not originate exclusively from sediments but is also locally produced or laterally transported from the littoral zone. Therefore, CH4 cycling in the epilimnion and the hypolimnion might not be as closely linked as previously thought. We utilized a high-resolution method used to determine dissolved CH4 concentration to analyze a Siberian lake in which epilimnetic and hypolimnetic CH4 cycles were fully segregated by a section of the water column where CH4 was not detected. This layer, with no detected CH4, was well below the oxycline and the photic zone and thus assumed to be anaerobic. However, on the basis of a diffusion-reaction model, molecular biology, and stable isotope analyses, we determined that this layer takes up all the CH4 produced in the sediments and the deepest section of the hypolimnion. We concluded that there was no CH4 exchange between the hypolimnion (dominated by methanotrophy and methanogenesis) and the epilimnion (dominated by methane lateral transport and/or oxic production), resulting in a vertically segregated lake internal CH4 cycle.

Water quality in the eastern karst region of the Yucatan Peninsula: nutrients and stable nitrogen isotopes in turtle grass, Thalassia testudinum.

Water quality in the Mexican Caribbean is affected by increases in tourism infrastructure and poor wastewater treatment. Additionally, karst geomorphology facilitates the infiltration of organic matter to subterranean water and coastal fresh water that originates from submarine groundwater discharges (SGDs), altering the environment. The tourism infrastructure grows at different rates along the Caribbean coast, characterizing zones with diverse levels of tourism impact. The aim of this work was to measure nutrient concentrations in superficial coastal water and fresh water to evaluate the water quality through different zones along a gradient from intermediate- (Riviera Maya) to low-tourism (Costa Maya) development regions. Furthermore, this study aimed to compare the measured nutrient concentrations with the Mexican ecological criteria of water quality 001/89 (CE-CCA-001/89), detect possible contributions by SGDs, and determine whether the nitrogen (N) sources are anthropogenic using stable nitrogen isotopes in the seagrass Thalassia testudinum. According to the results, nutrient concentrations (ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, and orthophosphate) differed significantly between the Riviera Maya and Costa Maya (P = 0.0001). Sites such as Shambala, Chávez, Tankah, Mahahual 2, Tulum, Akumal, and Xahuayxol exceeded the upper levels set by the CE-CCA-001/89. Tankah, Shambala, and Chávez were influenced by SGDs. The nitrogen isotope ratio in Akumal and Tulum coast water shows that they are under N loading derived to the sewage percentage of δ15N in Akumal, Tulum, and Mahahual, showing that these sites suffer N loading due to sewage. Our study recommends continuous monitoring and coastal characterization to detect SGD and to regulate, treat, and dispose of sewage.

Cultura de segurança do paciente em unidades de terapia intensiva: percepção de profissionais de saúde / Patient safety culture in intensive care units: the perception of health professionals

Objetivou-se avaliar a percepção da cultura de segurança do paciente sob a perspectiva de profissionais de Unidades de Terapia Intensiva. Trata-se de um estudo transversal realizado com 283 profissionais de saúde de hospitais de referência do estado do Ceará. Os dados foram coletados por meio do Safety Attitudes Questionnaire, o qual busca avaliar as atitudes de segurança no exercício profissional. No escore total do questionário, entre os hospitais, observou-se variação de valores entre 63,4 a 71,5, sendo considerado valor positivo escore igual ou maior que 75. Portanto, nenhuma instituição alcançou resultados positivos. Entre os seis domínios do questionário, "Clima de segurança", "Percepção da gerência" e "Condições de trabalho" apresentaram as médias mais baixas. Desta forma, constatou-se a necessidade de incentivo à cultura de segurança em diversos aspectos, principalmente nas atitudes gerenciais quanto à segurança do paciente e condições de trabalho.

The objective of this study was to evaluate how patient safety culture is perceived by professionals working in Intensive Care Units. "is is a cross-sectional study carried out with 283 health professionals from reference hospitals in the state of Ceará. "e data collection used the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire, which seeks to evaluate safety attitudes in professional activity. Among hospitals, the questionnaire showed scores ranging from 63.4 to 71.5, a positive score being equal to or greater than 75. "erefore, no institution achieved positive results. Among the six domains of the questionnaire, "Safety climate", "Management perception" and "Working conditions" presented the lowest averages. "us, this research veri!ed the need to encourage safety culture in several aspects, mainly regarding managerial attitudes towards patient safety and working conditions.

Cambios en la frecuencia de infección por Helicobacter pylori en niños guatemaltecos durante 10 años / Changes in the frequency of Helicobacter Pylori infection inGuatemalan children for 10 years

Se determinó la frecuencia de anticuerpos IgG anti-Helicobacter pylori a 302 niños de cuatro centros de atención integral (CAI) y se realizó un análisis comparativo con las reportadas en dos estudios del 2002 para establecer cambios en la frecuencia durante el período (2002-2012). La determinación de anticuerpos se realizó a través de un ensayo inmunoenzimático comercial, con un muestreo estratificado por grupo etario, similar al realizado en 2002. Se obtuvo una frecuencia de 44.70%, IC 95% [38.93, 50.48], muy similar a 42.71% encontrada en el 2002 (p = .655). Los cambios observados por rangos de edad no fueron significativamente diferentes: en el grupo de menores de 3 años se encontró positividad el 33.15% en el 2002 y 35.63% en el 2012 (p = .791), y el de 3 a 10 años (p = .628) la positividad en el 2002 fue 51.20% y en el 2012 fue 48.37%, así como con el género de los niños, (p = .874 para el 2002 y p = .435 para el 2012). Se evidenció que la infección es adquirida desde la temprana edad y que aumenta con los años, encontrando que, a la edad de 5 años, casi el 50% de los niños ya es seropositivo. Los factores de riesgo asociados significativamente con la existencia de anticuerpos IgG anti-H. pylori son no estar sano (p = .041), la presencia de diarrea actual (p = .003), el consumo de agua no purificada (p < .001) y la clase de servicio sanitario disponible (p = .003).

The presence of IgG antibodies anti-Helicobacter pylori in 302 children attending four centers for integral attention (CIA) was determined and a comparative analysis with the ones reported in two studies in 2002 was conducted to establish changes in a period of 10 years (2002-2012). To detect the antibodies a comercial immunoassay was used, and the children were grouped stratified by age. A positivity of 44.70%, 95% CI [38.93, 50.48] was found, which was not significantly different from 42.71% found in 2002 (p = .655). No significant difference was found with the changes observed by age group, in the group of children under 3 years 33.15% was found in 2002 and 35.63% in 2012 (p = .791), and in the group 3-10 years (p = .628) the frequency in 2002 was 51.20% and in 2012 was 48.37%, or with the gender of children in both periods (p = 0.874 for 2002 and p = 0.435 for2012). It was evident that the infection is acquired early in life and increases with age, so that at the age of 5 years, almost 50% of children are already positive. Among the risk factors significantly associated with the presence of IgG antibodies to H. pylori we identified not being healthy (p = .041), the actual presence of diarrhea (p = .003), drinking unpurified water (p < .001) and type of health service available (p = .003).

Docência voluntária na aposentadoria: transição entre o trabalho e o não trabalho / Voluntary teaching in retirement: a transition between work and non-work / Docencia voluntaria en la jubilación: transición entre el trabajo y el no trabajo

A atividade docente em instituições públicas federais possui particularidades que repercutem no momento da aposentadoria desses profissionais, levando muitos a permanecerem exercendo suas atividades de forma voluntária ao se aposentarem. O presente estudo foi desenvolvido com oito professores aposentados que permanecem em atividade profissional via adesão ao trabalho voluntário na Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC). Evidenciou-se que a escolha por essa permanência se vincula ao significado atribuído ao trabalho docente e que tanto fatores de ordem pessoal quanto externos aos sujeitos influenciam tal decisão. Os resultados encontrados indicaram que a continuidade do exercício profissional docente se configura como forma de manutenção do modo habitual de viver e principalmente como uma transição em direção à desvinculação total das atividades desenvolvidas. Embora aposentados, os docentes exercem a docência voluntária como estratégia de bridge employment em direção ao desligamento definitivo do trabalho e da instituição.

The teaching activity in federal public institutions has peculiarities that reflect in the moment of these professionals' retirement, making many of them keep doing their teaching activities voluntarily when they retire. This study was developed along with eight retired professors who have remained in professional activity by means of doing volunteer work for Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. It has been evidenced that the choice for this permanence is connected to the meaning given to teaching work and that personal facts, as well as external facts, influence such decision. The results found indicate that remaining in the teaching professional exercise is a way of keeping the usual way of living and mainly as a transition towards the total disconnecting from the developed activities. Although retired, the professors do volunteer teaching as a strategy of bridge employment towards the definitive disconnection from work and from the institution.

La actividad docente en instituciones públicas federales tienen particularidades que influencian en el momento de es os profesionales retirase, llevan do muchos a permaneceren ejerciendo sus actividades de enseñanza de manera voluntaria. Este estudio fue desarrollado junto a 8 (ocho) profesores jubilados que permanecen en actividad profesional a través de la adhesión al trabajo voluntario en la Universidad Federal de Santa Catarina. Se ha evidenciado que la elección de esa permanencia se vincula al significado atribuido al trabajo docente y tal cual factores de orden personal como factores externos a los sujetos influencian tal decisión. Los resultados encontrados indicaran que la continuidad del ejercicio profesional de docencia se configura como forma de manutención de la manera habitual de vivir y principalmente como una transición en dirección a la desvinculación total de las actividades ejercidas. A pesar de jubilados, los docentes ejercen la docencia voluntaria como estrategia de bridge employment en dirección al alejamiento del trabajo y de la institución.

New records of sabellids and serpulids (Polychaeta: Sabellidae, Serpulidae) from the Tropical Eastern Pacific.

Sabellids and serpulids are two well represented families in the polychaete fauna of the Tropical Eastern Pacific, with 31 and 34 species respectively; however, most records come from the Gulf of California or the western coast of Baja California Peninsula. Only a few records are from localities in the large expanse of the central and southern Mexican Pacific. Thus, sabellids and serpulids were collected from several shallow water habitats along the coast of Mexican Pacific, such as coastal lagoons, coral reefs, rocky shores and from man-made structures as marinas, piers and ships of several harbors; additionally, specimens from national collections were revised. More than 8,400 specimens of sabellids and serpulids from the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Sinaloa, Michoacán, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas, and some specimens from Panamá and Perú were examined. In the present work we record new localities of four sabellids and 24 serpulids. One sabellid, Branchiomma bairdi, is an exotic/invasive species in Oaxaca, Sinaloa and Baja California Sur, while four species of serpulids are exotic and/or cryptogenic species: Ficopomatus uschakovi, Hydroides dirampha, H. elegans and H. sanctaecrucis. Additionally, the geographical range has been extended for five species: the sabellids Pseudobranchiomma punctata from Oahu, Hawaii to La Paz Bay, and Parasabella pallida from California to Puerto Escondido, Baja California Sur; and for three serpulids, Hydroides inermis from the Galápagos Islands to Agua Blanca, Oaxaca, H. gairacensis from Panamá to Puerto Ángel, Oaxaca, and H. panamensis from Panamá to Huatulco, Oaxaca and Faro de Bucerías, Michoacán. Hydroides cf. amri, previously recorded as H. brachyacantha from Oahu, Hawaii, is more similar to H. amri from Australia. The number of sabellids recorded for the Tropical Eastern Pacific increased to 33, the serpulid species to 35.

In situ measurement of dissolved methane and carbon dioxide in freshwater ecosystems by off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy.

A novel low-cost method for the combined, real-time, and in situ determination of dissolved methane and carbon dioxide concentrations in freshwater ecosystems was designed and developed. This method is based on the continuous sampling of water from a freshwater ecosystem to a gas/liquid exchange membrane. Dissolved gas is transferred through the membrane to a continuous flow of high purity nitrogen, which is then measured by an off-axis integrated cavity output spectrometer (OA-ICOS). This method, called M-ICOS, was carefully tested in a laboratory and was subsequently applied to four lakes in Mexico and Alaska with contrasting climates, ecologies, and morphologies. The M-ICOS method allowed for the determination of dissolved methane and carbon dioxide concentrations with a frequency of 1 Hz and with a method detection limit of 2.76 × 10(-10) mol L(-1) for methane and 1.5 × 10(-7) mol L(-1) for carbon dioxide. These detection limits are below saturated concentrations with respect to the atmosphere and significantly lower than the minimum concentrations previously reported in lakes. The method is easily operable by a single person from a small boat, and the small size of the suction probe allows the determination of dissolved gases with a minimized impact on shallow freshwater ecosystems.