Evaluación de actitudes frente al uso de las tortugas marinas en playa gandoca

En el Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Gandoca-Manzanillo, Costa Rica, se creó en 1986 un programa para la protección y conservación de la población anidadora de tortugas marinas. Esta evaluación buscaba identificar los aspectos que predisponen a la población a actuar de una forma determinada utilizando el modelo metodológico denominado teoría de facetas; este modelo parte de una frase mapa que enmarca la hipótesis, y con la cual se elaboró el cuestionario de evaluación que se aplicó a 106 habitantes de la comunidad de Gandoca, lo que corresponde al 40% del total de pobladores según el Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (2000). En general, los resultados mostraron que la actitud de la población de Gandoca hacia el uso que se le debe dar a las tortugas marinas se basa en el elemento emocional, donde el turismo tiene gran aceptación, y donde existe en limitada medida la responsabilidad de las accioneshacia el objeto de la actitud.In the Gandoca National Wildlife Refuge-Manzanillo, a protection and conservation program of sea turtles population was created in 1986. Up to that time, the change in disposition of the community towards the extractive and non extractive use of sea turtles had not been verified. This evaluation looked to identify the different aspects that predispose the community to act in a determined way, making use of a methodological model denominated facet theory; this model starts from a sentence map that include the hypothesis and which was used to elaborate the evaluation questionnaire applied to the 106 citizens of the community of Gandoca, that correspond to 40% of the total of the population according to the National Institute of Statistics and Census (2000). In general the results show that the attitude of the Gandoca population towards the use that should be given to the sea turtles is based in the emotional element where the tourism has great acceptance rate and where the responsibility of the actions towards the object of the attitude exists but it is not elevated

Hydrolysable Tannins and Biological Activities of Meriania hernandoi and Meriania nobilis (Melastomataceae)

A bio-guided study of leaf extracts allowed the isolation of two new macrobicyclic hydrolysable tannins, namely merianin A (1) and merianin B (2), and oct-1-en-3-yl b-xylopyranosyl-(1”-6’)-b-glucopyranoside (3) from Meriania hernandoi, in addition to 11 known compounds reported for the first time in the Meriania genus. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses including one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques and mass spectrometry. The bioactivities of the compounds were determined by measuring the DPPH radical scavenging activity and by carrying out antioxidant power assays (FRAP), etiolated wheat coleoptile assays and phytotoxicity assays on the standard target species Lycopersicum esculentum W. (tomato). Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited the best free radical scavenging activities, with FRS50 values of 2.0 and 1.9 M, respectively

Determination of sex from tooth pulp tissue

Objective: This study was carried out to determine the reliability of sex determination from teeth pulp tissue. Patients and methods: This study was carried on 60 maxillary and mandibular premolars and permanent molars (30 male teeth and 30 female teeth) which were indicated for extraction. The teeth were categorized into three groups of 20 each (10 from males and 10 from females).Group 1-pulp tissue from teeth examined immediately after extraction. Group 2- and Group 3-pulp tissue examined from teeth one and five month after extraction, respectively. Teeth was sectioned and pulpal cells were stained with quinacrine dihydrochloride. The cells were observed with fluorescent microscope for fluorescent body. Gender was determined by identification of Y chromosome fluorescence in dental pulp. Results: Freshly extracted teeth and for those examined one month later, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and efficiency were all 100%. Conclusion: The fluorescent Y body test is shown to be a reliable, simple, and cost-effective technique for gender identification in the immediate postmortem period up to one month

Soil macrofauna in areas with different ages after Pinus patula clearcutting

In Andean high montane areas, the establishment of exotic tree forests changes the soil dynamics and its biodiversity. Soil macrofauna act as indicators of ecosystem successional processes, and may have an important role in ecological restoration processes after clearcutting exotic tree plantations. The aim of the present study was to understand how soil macrofaunal assemblies change in areas with different ages post clearcutting of Pinus patula, and to identify the soil physico-chemical variables that better explain these variations. The macrofauna in a high montane forest was evaluated along with that of three areas with different ages post clearcutting: 0, 2.5, and 5 years after clearcutting (Yac). The effect of soil physico-chemical variables on macrofauna abundance was also evaluated. Macrofauna composition changed after clearcutting. Macrofauna abundance, richness, and diversity were lower in the 0 Yac area than in the other areas. Moreover, the macrofuna similarity to the reference forest did not increase with the years after clearcutting. This is due to the changes in soil characteristics, triggered by clearcutting. Slope, temperature, bulk density, real density, loam, pH, P, Na and K were the soil variales with a positive effect on the macrofauna abundance. These physico-chemical variables should be considered when designing restoration plans for Andean forest ecosystems. Moreover, Diplopoda, Coleoptera and Chilopoda might be useful to monitor and evaluate restoration processes after Pinus spp. clearcutting, because of their high abundance, diversity and relationship with environmental conditions

Effect of ultrapure lipopolysaccharides derived from diverse bacterial species on the modulation of platelet activation

Platelets are small circulating blood cells that play essential roles in the maintenance of haemostasis via blood clotting. However, they also play critical roles in the regulation of innate immune responses. Inflammatory receptors, specifically Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4, have been reported to modify platelet reactivity. A plethora of studies have reported controversial functions of TLR4 in the modulation of platelet function using various chemotypes and preparations of its ligand, lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The method of preparation of LPS may explain these discrepancies however this is not fully understood. Hence, to determine the impact of LPS on platelet activation, we used ultrapure preparations of LPS from Escherichia coli (LPSEC), Salmonella minnesota (LPSSM), and Rhodobacter sphaeroides (LPSRS) and examined their actions under diverse experimental conditions in human platelets. LPSEC did not affect platelet activation markers such as inside-out signalling to integrin IIb3 or P-selectin exposure upon agonist-induced activation in platelet-rich plasma or whole blood whereas LPSSM and LPSRS inhibited platelet activation under specific conditions at supraphysiological concentrations. Overall, our data demonstrate that platelet activation is not largely influenced by any of the ultrapure LPS chemotypes used in this study on their own except under certain conditions

Expanded parameters to assess the quality of honey from Venezuelan bees (Apis mellifera).

Hive samples from seven Venezuelan states were studied to determine the quality of honeys from the naturalized tropical honey bee Apis mellifera, submitted for a national honey competition. The physicochemical composition varied as follows: antibacterial activity as minimal inhibitory concentration for each of S. aureus and E. coli was 25.0-50.0 g/100 mL, antioxidant activity was 34.90-203.21 ?moles Trolox equivalents/100 g, ash was 0.03-0.13 g/100 g, diastase activity was 3.00-47.81 DN, flavonoids was 2.32-14.41 mg EQ/100 g, free acidity was 24.40-54.55 meq/kg, HMF was 17.70-631.73 mg/kg, moisture content was 17.2-20.2 g/100 g and nitrogen was 28.68-107.29 mg/100 g. Non aromatic organic acids, such as D-gluconic acid, was 13.5-69.3 g/kg, citric acid was 8.0-135.4 mg/kg, and malic acid was 11.2-60.9 mg/kg. Polyphenols were 38.15-182.10 mg EGA/100g, reducing sugars were 62.05-77.57 g/100 g, sucrose was 0.93-13.86 g/100 g, and vitamin C was 12.86-37.05 mg/100 g. Botanical origins of the nine honeys, determined by pollen analysis, indicate that these honeys often were derived from non-forest, non-native and weedy species. The results are a first step to better characterisation of honeys, and some of the parameters were determined for the first time in Venezuelan A. mellifera honey. They can be used for research, educational purposes, and to better understand market values, natural occurrence and chemistry of tropical honey harvested from Apis mellifera

Ruxolitinib in refractory acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease : a multicenter survey study

Graft-versus-host disease is the main cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. First-line treatment is based on the use of high doses of corticosteroids. Unfortunately, second-line treatment for both acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease, remains a challenge. Ruxolitinib has been shown as an effective and safe treatment option for these patients. Seventy-nine patients received ruxolitinib and were evaluated in this retrospective and multicenter study. Twenty-three patients received ruxolitinib for refractory acute graft-versus-host disease after a median of 3 (range 1-5) previous lines of therapy. Overall response rate was 69.5% (16/23) which was obtained after a median of 2 weeks of treatment, and 21.7% (5/23) reached complete remission. Fifty-six patients were evaluated for refractory chronic graft-versus-host disease. The median number of previous lines of therapy was 3 (range 1-10). Overall response rate was 57.1% (32/56) with 3.5% (2/56) obtaining complete remission after a median of 4 weeks. Tapering of corticosteroids was possible in both acute (17/23, 73%) and chronic graft-versus-host disease (32/56, 57.1%) groups. Overall survival was 47% (CI: 23-67%) at 6 months for patients with aGVHD (62 vs 28% in responders vs non-responders) and 81% (CI: 63-89%) at 1 year for patients with cGVHD (83 vs 76% in responders vs non-responders). Ruxolitinib in the real life setting is an effective and safe treatment option for GVHD, with an ORR of 69.5% and 57.1% for refractory acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease, respectively, in heavily pretreated patients