31 research outputs found

    Cold season mortality and hatching behavior of Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) eggs in Buenos Aires City, Argentina

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    In temperate regions, populations of Aedes aegypti survive the cold season in the egg stage. In the present work, we studied the cold-season mortality of Ae. aegypti eggs and their subsequent hatching pattern in Buenos Aires city. Eggs were exposed during the winter season (three months) in three neighborhoods located along a gradient of distance toward the Río de la Plata River, coincident with a gradient of activity of Ae. aegypti. Results showed mortalities lower (30.6%) than those from tropical regions during the dry season. Significant differences were detected among the egg mortalities of each site with a maximum value at the site nearest the Río de la Plata River (50%), and a minimum value at the most continental site (9%). Post-experimental hatching response of eggs differed between sites, with the highest proportion of hatched eggs during the first immersion in the site nearest to the river and the lowest proportion in the most continental site. The hatching proportion also differed between age classes, with older (early-laid) eggs hatching later than new (late-laid) ones. Our results provide the first information of Ae. aegypti egg mortality in temperate South America and support the hypothesis that differences in egg mortality are associated with abundance patterns of Ae. aegypti in Buenos Aires city.Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raul A. Ringuelet

    Efectos de una intervención on line en conductas de autocuidado asociadas a la alimentación

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    Results of the project "Prevention of overweight and obesity in Chilean school children: A bet on the enterprising capacity of children" (FONIS SA10I20016), in response to the question: Is it possible to help change behaviors associated with overweight and obesity through an intervention designed for this purpose? Material and Methods: A quasi-experimental study in 5th and 6th grade children of primary municipal schools, La Pintana, Metropolitan Region, Chile. After obtaining informed consent, 6 schools were selected by random cluster sampling for the study group n = 442 and 6 schools for control group n = 328. The intervention, with software supported in Web page, was performed according to the auto diagnostics of behaviors associated with feeding, identified with the Moore-Child Nutrition Index (MIN-C ©) instrument. The analysis of results used parametric tests with R 2012. Results: There is a positive effect of number of times entered to the website on behaviors observed in the post test compared with the pretest in the intervention group. Conclusion: The effect of the intervention was statistically significant for the studied behaviors, in children who used the software 8 times or more.Resultados del proyecto “Prevención del sobrepeso y de la obesidad en escolares chilenos: Apuesta a la capacidad emprendedora de los niños” (FONIS SA10I20016) en respuesta a la interrogante: ¿Es posible contribuir al cambio de conductas asociadas a sobrepeso y obesidad a través de una intervención diseñada para este fin?Material y Métodos: Estudio cuasi experimental en niños/as de 5º y 6º año básico de colegios municipalizados, comuna La Pintana, Región Metropolitana, Chile. Previa obtención de consentimiento informado, se seleccionaron mediante muestreo aleatorio por conglomerado 6 colegios para grupo estudio n=442 y 6 colegios para grupo control n=328. La intervención, con apoyo de software en página Web, se realizó en función del auto diagnóstico de conductas asociadas a la alimentación, identificadas con el instrumento Moore Index Nutrition-Child (MIN-C©), diseñado de acuerdo al marco conceptual de la Teoría de Déficit de Autocuidado de Dorothea Orem. El análisis de resultados utilizó pruebas paramétricas con software R 2012.Resultados: Existe efecto positivo del número de ingresos al sitio web sobre las conductas observadas en el post test comparadas con las del pretest en el grupo intervenido.Conclusión: El efecto de la intervención fue estadísticamente significativo para las conductas estudiadas, en los niños/as que utilizaron el software 8 y más veces. El marco teórico de Orem permite el diseño de una intervención dirigida a motivar el cambio de conductas asociadas a una alimentación saludabl

    Increased size and energy reserves in diapausing eggs of temperate Aedes aegypti populations

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    Many insects overwinter in diapause, a pre-programmed anticipated response to unfavorable environmental conditions, often induced by a short-day photoperiod. Diapause involves morphological changes and increased energy stores required for metabolic demands during winter. In diapausing mosquito eggs, the accumulation of lipids plays an important role, because these molecules are the primary fuel consumed during embryogenesis and pharate larvae metabolism, and have a key role in egg desiccation resistance. The supposed inability of the mosquito Aedes aegypti to lay diapausing eggs has been recently challenged by a study on a temperate population, which showed that the inhibition of egg hatching in response to short days is possible in this species. Thus, the aim of the present study was to assess the effects of parental photoperiod on embryonic diapause-related traits, such as the triglyceride content and size of eggs laid, of two populations whose localities of origin differ in their winter length. Two colonies were maintained for each population: one under a Short-Day Photoperiod (SD: 10 h:14 h – Light:Dark) and the other under a Long-Day Photoperiod (LD: 14 h:10 h – Light:Dark). The eggs obtained from each combination of population and light treatment were used for size measurement (length, width and volume) and for the quantification of triglyceride content. Egg size showed differences between photoperiod treatments, with larger width and volume in eggs from the SD treatment. Remarkably, eggs from the SD treatment accumulated twice as many triglycerides as those from the LD treatment. Also, the eggs derived from the population having the longer winter accumulated larger amounts of triglycerides. The higher lipid content is probably contributing to a better survival during the cold season in both populations. The photoperiod-induced response in egg size and amount of triglycerides observed in this study support the hypothesis that the Ae. aegypti populations studied are able to lay diapausing eggs, a fact that provides physiological bases for the further expansion of this species to colder regions.Fil: Mensch, Julian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Di Battista, Cristian Matias. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: de Majo, María Sol. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Campos, Raul Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Fischer, Sylvia Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; Argentin

    Photoperiod affects female life history traits in temperate populations of Aedes aegypti from South America

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    In many insects, short photoperiods induce females to lay diapausing eggs, which are associated with a reduction in female fecundity, and/or with an increase in their growth rate, allowing for a larger size at adulthood. The effects of short photoperiods may also differ among populations, depending on the different selection pressures imposed by the winter conditions. Thus, this study aimed to experimentally assess the effects of short photoperiods on Aedes aegypti, an invasive mosquito species that also vectors several viral diseases. We compared life history parameters of the females reared from the first larval instar under contrasting photoperiods, in two populations from the temperate region of Argentina, one with a milder winter (BA) and the other with a harsher winter (SB). The results showed a significant increase in the time to oviposition, a trend to a larger size of females (significant only for SB) and higher inhibition of egg hatching (more pronounced in SB), in response to short photoperiods. No differences in fecundity were detected among treatments. The different reaction norms of the populations in female body size and egg hatching response suggest an adaptation to local conditions, which might favour a further expansion of A. aegypti towards colder climates.Fil: Campos, Raul Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Di Battista, Cristian Matias. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: de Majo, María Sol. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Montini, Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Fischer, Sylvia Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; Argentin

    Cold season mortality and hatching behavior of Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) eggs in Buenos Aires City, Argentina

    Get PDF
    In temperate regions, populations of Aedes aegypti survive the cold season in the egg stage. In the present work, we studied the cold-season mortality of Ae. aegypti eggs and their subsequent hatching pattern in Buenos Aires city. Eggs were exposed during the winter season (three months) in three neighborhoods located along a gradient of distance toward the Río de la Plata River, coincident with a gradient of activity of Ae. aegypti. Results showed mortalities lower (30.6%) than those from tropical regions during the dry season. Significant differences were detected among the egg mortalities of each site with a maximum value at the site nearest the Río de la Plata River (50%), and a minimum value at the most continental site (9%). Post-experimental hatching response of eggs differed between sites, with the highest proportion of hatched eggs during the first immersion in the site nearest to the river and the lowest proportion in the most continental site. The hatching proportion also differed between age classes, with older (early-laid) eggs hatching later than new (late-laid) ones. Our results provide the first information of Ae. aegypti egg mortality in temperate South America and support the hypothesis that differences in egg mortality are associated with abundance patterns of Ae. aegypti in Buenos Aires city.Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raul A. Ringuelet

    Poor Sleep quality and health-related quality of life impact in adolescents with and without chronic immunosuppressive conditions during COVID-19 quarantine

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    OBJECTIVE: To assess the possible factors that influence sleep quality in adolescents with and without chronic immunosuppressive conditions quarantined during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 305 adolescents with chronic immunocompromised conditions and 82 healthy adolescents. Online surveys were completed, which included questions on socio-demographic data and self-rated healthcare routine during COVID-19 quarantine and the following validated questionnaires: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL4.0), and Pediatric Outcome Data Collection Instrument (PODCI). RESULTS: The median current age [14 (10-18) vs. 15 (10-18) years, p=0.847] and frequency of female sex (62% vs. 58%, p=0.571) were similar in adolescents with chronic conditions compared with healthy adolescents. The frequency of poor sleep quality was similar in both groups (38% vs. 48%, p=0.118). Logistic regression analysis, including both healthy adolescents and adolescents with chronic conditions (n=387), demonstrated that self-reported increase in screen time (odds ratio [OR] 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-6.8; p=0.008) and intrafamilial violence report (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.2-3.5; p=0.008) were independently associated with poor sleep quality in these adolescents. However, the PODCI global function score was associated with a lower OR for poor sleep quality (OR 0.97; 95% CI 0.94-0.99; p=0.001). Further logistic regression, including only adolescents with chronic conditions (n=305), demonstrated that self-reported increase in screen time (OR 3.1; 95% CI 1.4-6.8; p=0.006) and intrafamilial violence report (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.2-3.4; p=0.011) remained independently associated with poor quality of sleep, whereas a lower PODCI global function score was associated with a lower OR for sleep quality (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.94-0.98; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Self-reported increases in screen time and intrafamilial violence report impacted sleep quality in both healthy adolescents and those with chronic conditions. Decreased health-related quality of life was observed in adolescents with poor sleep quality

    Evolving trends in the management of acute appendicitis during COVID-19 waves. The ACIE appy II study

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    Background: In 2020, ACIE Appy study showed that COVID-19 pandemic heavily affected the management of patients with acute appendicitis (AA) worldwide, with an increased rate of non-operative management (NOM) strategies and a trend toward open surgery due to concern of virus transmission by laparoscopy and controversial recommendations on this issue. The aim of this study was to survey again the same group of surgeons to assess if any difference in management attitudes of AA had occurred in the later stages of the outbreak. Methods: From August 15 to September 30, 2021, an online questionnaire was sent to all 709 participants of the ACIE Appy study. The questionnaire included questions on personal protective equipment (PPE), local policies and screening for SARS-CoV-2 infection, NOM, surgical approach and disease presentations in 2021. The results were compared with the results from the previous study. Results: A total of 476 answers were collected (response rate 67.1%). Screening policies were significatively improved with most patients screened regardless of symptoms (89.5% vs. 37.4%) with PCR and antigenic test as the preferred test (74.1% vs. 26.3%). More patients tested positive before surgery and commercial systems were the preferred ones to filter smoke plumes during laparoscopy. Laparoscopic appendicectomy was the first option in the treatment of AA, with a declined use of NOM. Conclusion: Management of AA has improved in the last waves of pandemic. Increased evidence regarding SARS-COV-2 infection along with a timely healthcare systems response has been translated into tailored attitudes and a better care for patients with AA worldwide

    Erratum: Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

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    Interpretation: By quantifying levels and trends in exposures to risk factors and the resulting disease burden, this assessment offers insight into where past policy and programme efforts might have been successful and highlights current priorities for public health action. Decreases in behavioural, environmental, and occupational risks have largely offset the effects of population growth and ageing, in relation to trends in absolute burden. Conversely, the combination of increasing metabolic risks and population ageing will probably continue to drive the increasing trends in non-communicable diseases at the global level, which presents both a public health challenge and opportunity. We see considerable spatiotemporal heterogeneity in levels of risk exposure and risk-attributable burden. Although levels of development underlie some of this heterogeneity, O/E ratios show risks for which countries are overperforming or underperforming relative to their level of development. As such, these ratios provide a benchmarking tool to help to focus local decision making. Our findings reinforce the importance of both risk exposure monitoring and epidemiological research to assess causal connections between risks and health outcomes, and they highlight the usefulness of the GBD study in synthesising data to draw comprehensive and robust conclusions that help to inform good policy and strategic health planning

    <scp>ReSurveyEurope</scp>: A database of resurveyed vegetation plots in Europe

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    AbstractAimsWe introduce ReSurveyEurope — a new data source of resurveyed vegetation plots in Europe, compiled by a collaborative network of vegetation scientists. We describe the scope of this initiative, provide an overview of currently available data, governance, data contribution rules, and accessibility. In addition, we outline further steps, including potential research questions.ResultsReSurveyEurope includes resurveyed vegetation plots from all habitats. Version 1.0 of ReSurveyEurope contains 283,135 observations (i.e., individual surveys of each plot) from 79,190 plots sampled in 449 independent resurvey projects. Of these, 62,139 (78%) are permanent plots, that is, marked in situ, or located with GPS, which allow for high spatial accuracy in resurvey. The remaining 17,051 (22%) plots are from studies in which plots from the initial survey could not be exactly relocated. Four data sets, which together account for 28,470 (36%) plots, provide only presence/absence information on plant species, while the remaining 50,720 (64%) plots contain abundance information (e.g., percentage cover or cover–abundance classes such as variants of the Braun‐Blanquet scale). The oldest plots were sampled in 1911 in the Swiss Alps, while most plots were sampled between 1950 and 2020.ConclusionsReSurveyEurope is a new resource to address a wide range of research questions on fine‐scale changes in European vegetation. The initiative is devoted to an inclusive and transparent governance and data usage approach, based on slightly adapted rules of the well‐established European Vegetation Archive (EVA). ReSurveyEurope data are ready for use, and proposals for analyses of the data set can be submitted at any time to the coordinators. Still, further data contributions are highly welcome.</jats:sec

    Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

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    Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries
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