Implementation of the reverse screening syphilis algorithm in a clinical laboratory

Background: Syphilis remains a public health concern worldwide, the accuracy of diagnostic tests is critical for its successful control. Currently, there are two approaches to the diagnosis of syphilis using serological tests: the traditional algorithm and the reverse algorithm. Aim: The goal of this study was to analyse the advantages and disadvantages in the implementation of the syphilis reverse-screening algorithm in an outpatient clinical laboratory. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was carried out analyzing 246 reactive sera from a total of 14700 requests for syphilis serology. Chemiluminescent assay ARCHITECT Syphilis TP, V.D.R.L. and FTA-Abs were performed. Results: Among 246 reactive sera by ARCHITECT Syphilis TP, 129 were reactive and 117 were non-reactive by V.D.R.L. the last mentioned resulted in 97 reactive and 20 non-reactive by FTA-Abs, suggesting false positives (0.13%).Two patients with primary infection were detected, that were not detected by V.D.R.L. and one pregnant woman with primary infection with a high value S/CO and V.D.R.L.:1 dils. Conclusions: Among the advantages of using a reverse algorithm were greater sensitivity in the detection of patients with primary syphilis; automation, complete traceability of the samples; objective interpretation and conclusive results.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Atlas de sequías de America Latina y el Caribe. URUGUAY.

En Uruguay, aproximadamente el 93% de su territorio está dedicado a actividades agropecuarias a actividades agropecuarias (MGAP-DIEA, 2011) lo que lo vuelve un paísaltamente dependiente de este sector, siendo la producción agrícola y ganadera y la agroindustria, responsables de entre el 70% a 80% del valor total de sus exportaciones. A su vez, la agricultura es un sector clima dependiente, potencialmente afectado por las consecuencias del clima. La variabilidad climática interanual es la que presenta la principal incidencia relativa comparada con la variabilidad decadal y la de largo plazo

Thirty Years of Multilevel Processes for Adaptation of Livestock Production to Droughts in Uruguay

Abstract Most countries lack effective policies to manage climate risks, despite growing concerns with climate change. The authors analyzed the policy evolution from a disaster management to a risk management approach, using as a case study four agricultural droughts that impacted Uruguay’s livestock sector in the last three decades. A transdisciplinary team of researchers, extension workers, and policy makers agreed on a common conceptual framework for the interpretation of past droughts and policies. The evidence presented shows that the set of actions implemented at different levels when facing droughts were mainly reactive in the past but later evolved to a more integral risk management approach. A greater interinstitutional integration and a decreasing gap between science and policy were identified during the period of study. Social and political learning enabled a vision of proactive management and promoted effective adaptive measures. While the government of Uruguay explicitly incorporated the issue of adaptation to climate change into its agenda, research institutions also fostered the creation of interdisciplinary study groups on this topic, resulting in new stages of learning. The recent changes in public policies, institutional governance, and academic research have contributed to enhance the adaptive capacity of the agricultural sector to climate variability, and in particular to drought. This study confirms the relevance of and need to work within a transdisciplinary framework to effectively address the different social learning dimensions, particularly those concerning the adaptation to global change

Thirty years of multi-level processes for adaptation of livestock production to droughts in Uruguay.

ABSTRACT.Most countries lack effective policies to manage climate risks, despite growing concerns with climate change. We analyzed the policy evolution from a disaster management to a risk management approach, using as a case study four agricultural droughts that impacted Uruguay?s livestock sector in the last three decades. A transdisciplinary team of researchers, extension workers, and policy makers agreed on a common conceptual framework for the interpretation of past droughts and policies. The evidence presented shows that the set of actions implemented at different levels when facing droughts were mainly reactive in the past but later evolved to a more integral risk management approach. A greater interinstitutional integration and a decreasing gap between science and policy were identified during the period of study. Social and political learning enabled a vision of proactive management and promoted effective adaptive measures. While the Government of Uruguay explicitly incorporated the issue of adaptation to climate change to its agenda, research institutions also fostered the creation of interdisciplinary study groups on this topic, resulting in new stages of learning. The recent changes in public policies, institutional governance and academic research, have contributed to enhance the adaptive capacity of the agricultural sector to climate variability, and in particular to drought. This study confirms the relevance and need to work within a transdisciplinary framework to effectively address the different social learning dimensions, particularly those concerning the adaptation to global change.@2017 American Meteorological Societ