Salud de los trabajadores

Actividad física y su relación con los factores de riesgo cardiovascular de carteros chilenosAnálisis de resultados: riesgos psicosociales en el trabajo Suceso-Istas 21 en Cesfam QuellónAusentismo laboral por enfermedades oftalmológicas, Chile 2009Brote de diarreas por norovirus, posterremoto-tsunami, Constitución, Región del MauleCalidad de vida en profesionales de la salud pública chilenaCaracterización del reposo laboral en personal del SSMN durante el primer semestre de 2010Concentración de nicotina en pelo en trabajadores no fumadores expuestos a humo de tabaco ambientalCondiciones de trabajo y bienestar/malestar docente en profesores de enseñanza media de SantiagoDisfunción auditiva inducida por exposición a xilenoErgonomía aplicada al estudio del síndrome de dolor lumbar en el trabajoEstimación de la frecuencia de factores de riesgo cardiovascular en trabajadores de una empresa mineraExposición a plaguicidas inhibidores de la acetilcolinesterasa en Colombia, 2006-2009Factores de riesgo y daños de salud en conductores de una empresa peruana de transporte terrestre, 2009Las consecuencias de la cultura en salud y seguridad ocupacional en una empresa mineraPercepción de cambios en la práctica médica y estrategias de afrontamientoPercepción de la calidad de vida en la Universidad del BiobíoPesos máximos aceptables para tareas de levantamiento manual de carga en población laboral femeninaRiesgo coronario en trabajadores mineros según la función de Framingham adaptada para la población chilenaTrastornos emocionales y riesgo cardiovascular en trabajadores de la salu

Nonlinearity Induced Entanglement Stability in a Qubit-Oscillator System

We propose a system composed of a qubit interacting with a quartic (undriven) nonlinear oscillator (NLO) through a conditional displacement Hamiltonian. We show that even a modest nonlinear perturbation in the NLO potential can enhance and stabilize the quantum entanglement dynamically generated between the qubit and the NLO. In absence of the nonlinearity the entanglement between the qubit and the oscillator is known to periodically oscillate between 0 and 1, whereas the nonlinearity suppresses the dynamical decay of entanglement once it is generated. While the generation of entanglement is due to the superposition principle combined with conditional displacements in the NLO, as noted in several works before, the improvements in this entanglement is because of the squeezing and other complex processes induced by two- and four-phonon interactions. Finally, we have solved the Markovian master equation, and even in this open case the system preserves the previous features and remain robust.Comment: v2: 11 pages, 10 figures (based on the reviewed version

Evidence of colonization of man-made ecotopes by Triatoma dimidiata (Latreille, 1811) in Costa Rica

Triatoma dimidiata adults have been frequently found, during the last five years, in a dog kennel and a chicken coop, in the back yard of a well-built house, 15 km from San José, the capital of Costa Rica. In the chicken coop nymphs were also found. Two of the 11 dogs from the kennel were serologically positive for Trypanosoma cruzi infection. The inhabitants of the house, three adults and two children, were negative. This type of colonization by the insect, which is attracted to lights, is becoming common in old and new settlements, with different degrees of success, a fact with epidemiological implications and great relevance in the control strategies that can be applied

Enfermedad de Chagas aguda, en un adulto tratado con benznidazol (Rochagan®) en Costa Rica

Se da a conocer un caso agudo de la enfermedad de Chagas en un adulto de 48 años con signo de Romaña, infectado al recibir un chorro de orina de una chinche (T. dimidiata), cuando trataba de destripada con un palo de café. Es el primer adulto con enfermedad de Chagas aguda tratado en Costa Rica con benznidazol. Se citan los síntomas encontrados, así como los aspectos epidemiológicos relacionados con su presentación. Se enfatizan el tratamiento y la evolución del caso. Se hace un llamado de atención a los clínicos, ya que este caso no fue diagnosticado apropiadamente desde un inicio, lo que evidencia el desconocimiento que existe de la enfermedad de Chagas como motivo de consulta.An acute case of Chagas "disease with Romañas" sign, in a 48 years old man, is described. Treatment with Benznidazol was succesfull. This is the first acute case in an adult treated with this drug in Costa Rica. Reference is made to the epidemiological aspects involved in this case and to the mechanism of infection. This person became infected when he was trying to kiU a nymph of T. dimidiata with a coffe stick and received a jet of urine directly in the right eye. The case was not diagnosed by the clinicians while the patient was at the hospital indicating the poor knowledge of practitioners about the characteristics of the disease in our country

Detection of Dirofilaria immitis and other arthropod-borne filarioids by an HRM real-time qPCR, blood-concentrating techniques and a serological assay in dogs from Costa Rica

Background: Canine filarioids are important nematodes transmitted to dogs by arthropods. Diagnosis of canine filariosis is accomplished by the microscopic identification of microfilariae, serology or PCR for filarial-DNA. The aim of this study was to evaluate a molecular assay for the detection of canine filariae in dog blood, to compare its performance to other diagnostic techniques, and to determine the relationship between microfilarial concentration and infection with other vector-borne pathogens. Methods: Blood samples from 146 dogs from Costa Rica were subjected to the detection of canine filarioids by four different methods: the microhematocrit tube test (MCT), Knott's modified test, serology and a high resolution melt and quantitative real-time PCR (HRM-qPCR). Co-infection with other vector-borne pathogens was also evaluated. Results: Fifteen percent of the dogs were positive to Dirofilaria immitis by at least one of the methods. The HRM-qPCR produced distinctive melting plots for the different filarial worms and revealed that 11.6% of dogs were infected with Acanthocheilonema reconditum. The latter assay had a limit of detection of 2.4x10-4 mf/μl and detected infections with lower microfilarial concentrations in comparison to the microscopic techniques and the serological assay. The MCT and Knott's test only detected dogs with D. immitis microfilaremias above 0.7 mf/μl. Nevertheless, there was a strong correlation between the microfilarial concentration obtained by the Knott's modified test and the HRM-qPCR (r = 0.906, p < 0.0001). Interestingly, one dog was found infected with Cercopithifilaria bainae infection. Moreover, no association was found between microfilaremia and co-infection and there was no significant difference in microfilarial concentration between dogs infected only with D. immitis and dogs co-infected with Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys or Babesia vogeli. Conclusions: This is the first report of A. reconditum and C. bainae in Costa Rica and Central America. Among the evaluated diagnostic techniques, the HRM-qPCR showed the most sensitive and reliable performance in the detection of blood filaroids in comparison to the Knott's modified test, the MCT test and a serological assay.Antecedentes: Los filarioides caninos son nematodos importantes transmitidos a los perros por artrópodos. El diagnóstico de la filariosis canina se realiza mediante la identificación microscópica de las microfilarias, la serología o la PCR para el ADN filarial. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar un ensayo molecular para la detección de filarias caninas en sangre de perro, comparar su rendimiento con otras técnicas de diagnóstico y determinar la relación entre la concentración de microfilarias y la infección con otros patógenos transmitidos por vectores. Métodos: Se sometieron muestras de sangre de 146 perros de Costa Rica a la detección de filarioides caninos mediante cuatro métodos diferentes: la prueba del tubo de microhematocrito (MCT), la prueba modificada de Knott, la serología y una fusión de alta resolución y la PCR cuantitativa en tiempo real (HRM-qPCR). También se evaluó la coinfección con otros patógenos transmitidos por vectores. Los resultados: El quince por ciento de los perros dieron positivo a Dirofilaria immitis por al menos uno de los métodos. La HRM-qPCR produjo distintivas parcelas de fusión para los diferentes gusanos de la filaria y reveló que el 11,6% de los perros estaban infectados con Acanthocheilonema reconditum. Este último ensayo tenía un límite de detección de 2,4x10-4 mf/μl y detectaba infecciones con concentraciones microfilariales más bajas en comparación con las técnicas microscópicas y el ensayo serológico. El MCT y la prueba de Knott sólo detectaron perros con microfilaremias de D. immitis por encima de 0,7 mf/μl. Sin embargo, hubo una fuerte correlación entre la concentración de microfilarias obtenida por la prueba modificada de Knott y la HRM-qPCR (r = 0,906, p < 0,0001). Curiosamente, se encontró un perro infectado con Cercopithifilaria bainae. Además, no se encontró ninguna asociación entre la microfilaremia y la coinfección y no hubo ninguna diferencia significativa en la concentración de microfilarias entre los perros infectados sólo con D. immitis y los perros coinfectados con Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys o Babesia vogeli. Conclusiones: Este es el primer informe de A. reconditum y C. bainae en Costa Rica y América Central. Entre las técnicas diagnósticas evaluadas, la HRM-qPCR mostró el desempeño más sensible y confiable en la detección de filaroides en sangre en comparación con la prueba modificada de Knott, la prueba MCT y un ensayo serológico.Universidad Nacional, Costa RicaEscuela de Medicina Veterinari

Gipsy 3D: Analysis, visualization and vo-tools

4 pages, 1 figure.-- Editors: Bohlender, David A.; Durand, Daniel; Dowler, Patrick.-- This volume contains papers that were presented to the 18th annual conference on Astronomical Data Analysis Software and Systems (ADASS XVIII), which was held on 2--5 November in Québec City, QC, Canada.The scientific goals of the AMIGA project are based on the analysis of a significant amount of spectroscopic 3D data. In order to perform this work we present an initiative to develop a new VO compliant package, including present core applications and tasks offered by the Groningen Image Processing System (GIPSY), and new ones based on use cases elaborated in collaboration with advanced users. One of the main goals is to provide local interoperability between GIPSY (visualization and data analysis) and other VO software. The connectivity with the Virtual Observatory environment will provide general access to 3D data VO archives and services, maximizing the potential for scientific discovery.This work will be partially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation thanks to DGI Grant AYA2008-06181-C02- 01.Peer reviewe

A survey on Triatoma dimidiata in an urban area of the province of Heredia, Costa Rica

Triatoma dimidiata has been found in several cities and towns of those countries where the insect is a domestic or peridomestic pest. In Central America, urban infestations occur in the capitals of at least five countries. During 2001 and 2002 a survey was carried out in the county of San Rafael, Heredia province, located 15 km northwest of San José, capital of Costa Rica, in order to determine the degree of infestation by T. dimidiata in an entire city block. Six peridomestic colonies of the insect were detected in the backyards of eight households. The ecotopes occupied by the insects consisted of store rooms with old objects, wood piles or firewood, and chicken coops. A total of 1917 insects were found in the six foci, during two sampling periods, and a mean infection rate by Trypanosoma cruzi of 28.4% was found in 1718 insects examined. The largest colony found in one of the households yielded 872 insects that were thriving mainly at the expenses of two dogs. Opossums and adult insects were common visitors of the houses and it became evident that this marsupial is closely related to the peridomestic cycle of the Chagas disease agent. Lack of colonization of the insect inside the human dwellings is explained by the type of construction and good sanitary conditions of the houses, in contrast to the situation in most peridomiciliary areas. Stomach blood samples from the insects showed that the main hosts were, in order of decreasing frequency: rodents, dogs, fowl, humans, opossums, and cats. The fact that no indication of infection with Chagas disease could be detected in the human occupants of the infested houses, vis a vis the high infection rate in dogs, is discussed

A survey on Triatoma dimidiata in an urban area of the province of Heredia, Costa Rica

Triatoma dimidiata has been found in several cities and towns of those countries where the insect is a domestic or peridomestic pest. In Central America, urban infestations occur in the capitals of at least five countries. During 2001 and 2002 a survey was carried out in the county of San Rafael, Heredia province, located 15 km northwest of San José, capital of Costa Rica, in order to determine the degree of infestation by T. dimidiata in an entire city block. Six peridomestic colonies of the insect were detected in the backyards of eight households. The ecotopes occupied by the insects consisted of store rooms with old objects, wood piles or firewood, and chicken coops. A total of 1917 insects were found in the six foci, during two sampling periods, and a mean infection rate by Trypanosoma cruzi of 28.4% was found in 1718 insects examined. The largest colony found in one of the households yielded 872 insects that were thriving mainly at the expenses of two dogs. Opossums and adult insects were common visitors of the houses and it became evident that this marsupial is closely related to the peridomestic cycle of the Chagas disease agent. Lack of colonization of the insect inside the human dwellings is explained by the type of construction and good sanitary conditions of the houses, in contrast to the situ- ation in most peridomiciliary areas. Stomach blood samples from the insects showed that the main hosts were, in order of decreasing frequency: rodents, dogs, fowl, humans, opossums, and cats. The fact that no indication of infection with Chagas disease could be detected in the human occupants of the infested houses, vis a vis the high infection rate in dogs, is discussed.Triatoma dimidiata se ha encontrado en varias ciudades y pueblos de los países donde el insecto es una plaga doméstica o peridoméstica. En Centroamérica, las infestaciones urbanas se dan en las capitales de al menos cinco países. Durante 2001 y 2002 se llevó a cabo una encuesta en el municipio de San Rafael, provincia de Heredia, situado a 15 km al noroeste de San José, capital de Costa Rica, para determinar el grado de infestación por T. dimidiata en toda una manzana. Se detectaron seis colonias peridomiciliarias del insecto en los patios de ocho hogares. Los ecotopos ocupados por los insectos consistían en almacenes con objetos viejos, pilas de madera o leña y gallineros. En los seis focos se encontraron un total de 1917 insectos, durante dos periodos de muestreo, y una tasa media de infección por Trypanosoma cruzi del 28,4% en 1718 insectos examinados. La mayor colonia encontrada en uno de los hogares produjo 872 insectos que prosperaban principalmente a costa de dos perros. Las zarigüeyas y los insectos adultos eran visitantes habituales de las casas y se hizo evidente que este marsupial está estrechamente relacionado con el ciclo peridoméstico del agente de la enfermedad de Chagas. La falta de colonización del insecto dentro de las viviendas se explica por el tipo de construcción y las buenas condiciones sanitarias de las casas, en contraste con la situación de la mayoría de las zonas peridomiciliarias. Las muestras de sangre del estómago de los insectos mostraron que los principales huéspedes eran, en orden de frecuencia decreciente: roedores perros, aves, humanos, zarigüeyas y gatos. El hecho de que no se detectara ningún indicio de infección por la enfermedad de Chagas en los ocupantes humanos de las casas infestadas de los hogares infestados, frente a la elevada tasa de infección en los perros.Universidad Nacional, Costa RicaEscuela de Medicina Veterinari

Subcutaneous spirocercosis in a dog from Costa Rica and first molecular confirmation of Spirocerca lupi in Central America

Spirocerca lupi is the etiological agent of spirocercosis in canids from tropics and subtropics in the world. This parasite can lead to life threatening complications, including the formation of fibro and osteosarcomas. A 5-year- old crossbreed Maltese dog from Costa Rica was presented to a veterinary clinic with two nodules in the sub- cutaneous tissues of the cervical region. One of the nodules resolved with intramuscular antibiotic and anti- inflammatory treatment. However, the other nodule persisted and became purulent. The content of the nodule was excised releasing two coiled 3-cm reddish worms. Identity of the specimens was confirmed by amplifying an 850 bp fragment of the 18S rDNA. The obtained sequence showed 99.96% similarities with S. lupi from Hungary. The present study highlights the need of veterinary clinicians' awareness towards nematode aberrant migrations, and the require of molecular studies to gain insight into the parasite's evolutionary history.Spirocerca lupi es el agente etiológico de la espirocerosis en los cánidos de los trópicos y subtrópicos del mundo. Este parásito puede provocar complicaciones mortales, como la formación de fibrosis y osteosarcomas. Un perro maltés de 5 años de edad, procedente de Costa Rica, acudió a una clínica veterinaria con dos nódulos en los tejidos subcutáneos de la región cervical. Uno de los nódulos se resolvió con un tratamiento antibiótico y antiinflamatorio intramuscular. Sin embargo, el otro nódulo persistió y se volvió purulento. El contenido del nódulo fue extirpado liberando dos gusanos rojizos enrollados de 3 cm. La identidad de los especímenes se confirmó mediante amplificación de un fragmento de 850 pb del ADNr 18S. La secuencia obtenida mostró una similitud del 99,96% con S. lupi de Hungría. El presente estudio pone de relieve la necesidad de que los clínicos veterinarios tomen conciencia de las migraciones aberrantes de los nematodos, y de que se requiera una mayor concienciación al respecto y la necesidad de realizar estudios moleculares para conocer la historia evolutiva del parásito.Universidad Nacional, Costa RicaEscuela de Medicina Veterinari