Pinworms of the red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) in Colombia. Gathering the pieces of the pinworm-primate puzzle

Pinworms of primates are believed to be highly host specific parasites, forming co-evolutionary associations with their hosts. In order to assess the strength and reach of such evolutionary links, we need to have a broad understanding of the pinworm diversity associated with primates. Here, we employed an integrative taxonomic approach to assess pinworm diversity in red howler monkeys in Colombia. Molecular and morphological evidence validate the presence of at least four different species of Trypanoxyuris occurring in red howler monkeys: T. minutus, a widely distributed species, and three new species, T. seunimiii n. sp., T. kemuimae n. sp. and T. kotudoi n. sp. The mitochondrial COI gene and the 28S ribosomal gene were used for phylogenetic assessments through Bayesian inference. The three new species were morphologically distinct and formed reciprocally monophyletic lineages. Further molecular lineage subdivision in T. minutus and T. kotudoi n. sp. without morphological correspondence, suggests the potential scenario for the existence of cryptic species. Phylogenetic relationships imply that the different species of Trypanoxyuris occurring in each howler monkey species were acquired through independent colonization events. On-going efforts to uncover pinworm diversity will allow us to test the degree of host specificity and the co-phylogenetic hypothesis, as well as to further unravel the primate-pinworm evolutionary history puzzle

Circuit Theory

Contains reports on four research projects

Using new and innovative technologies to assess clinical stage in early intervention youth mental health services: Evaluation study

Background: Globally there is increasing recognition that new strategies are required to reduce disability due to common mental health problems. As 75% of mental health and substance use disorders emerge during the teenage or early adulthood years, these strategies need to be readily accessible to young people. When considering how to provide such services at scale, new and innovative technologies show promise in augmenting traditional clinic-based services. Objective: The aim of this study was to test new and innovative technologies to assess clinical stage in early intervention youth mental health services using a prototypic online system known as the Mental Health eClinic (MHeC). Methods: The online assessment within the MHeC was compared directly against traditional clinician assessment within 2 Sydney-based youth-specific mental health services (headspace Camperdown and headspace Campbelltown). A total of 204 young people were recruited to the study. Eligible participants completed both face-to-face and online assessments, which were randomly allocated and counterbalanced at a 1-to-3 ratio. These assessments were (1) a traditional 45- to 60-minute headspace face-to-face assessment performed by a Youth Access Clinician and (2) an approximate 60-minute online assessment (including a self-report Web-based survey, immediate dashboard of results, and a video visit with a clinician). All assessments were completed within a 2-week timeframe from initial presentation. Results: Of the 72 participants who completed the study, 71% (51/72) were female and the mean age was 20.4 years (aged 16 to 25 years); 68% (49/72) of participants were recruited from headspace Camperdown and the remaining 32% (23/72) from headspace Campbelltown. Interrater agreement of participants’ stage, as determined after face-to-face assessment or online assessment, demonstrated fair agreement (kappa=.39, P\u3c.001) with concordance in 68% of cases (49/72). Among the discordant cases, those who were allocated to a higher stage by online raters were more likely to report a past history of mental health disorders (P=.001), previous suicide planning (P=.002), and current cannabis misuse (P=.03) compared to those allocated to a lower stage. Conclusions: The MHeC presents a new and innovative method for determining key clinical service parameters. It has the potential to be adapted to varied settings in which young people are connected with traditional clinical services and assist in providing the right care at the right tim

Secado natural de yuca para la alimentacion animal: Una nueva agroindustria en Colombia

A collaborative project of the Colombian Integrated Rural Development Program (DRI) and CIAT, aimed at establishing small agroindustrial firms to produce dry cassava on the Atlantic Coast of Colombia, is described. It began with the installation of a pilot plant for natural drying of cassava, with the collaboration of a group of 15 farmers. This plant operated on an exptl. basis in 1981 to obtain information about the efficiency of the process under the conditions existing on the Colombian Atlantic Coast and to determine the product`s acceptability by the animal feed industry. In 1982, during the project`s 2nd phase, the pilot plant was operated semicommercially to obtain data on production costs; likewise, it showed the economical and technical feasibility of the process. In 1983, the 3rd phase began, consisting in the replication of the project in other cassava-producing areas of the region. In 1984 and 1985, the project grew considerably, with 20 drying plants functioning in 1984 and 36 in 1985. To establish small-scale natural cassava drying plants, the following requisites are essential: (1) selection of a processing technology that can be assimilated, controlled, and easily managed by farmers; (2) implementation of integrated programs of processing, production, and commercialization that reduce the risks and increase net incomes of farmers; and (3) provision of institutional support that is adequate in terms of technical assistance, credit facilities, management and fiscal training, and of advice in the formation and consolidation of cooperative and associative groups for agricultural production. (AS-CIAT

II Workshop on Modeling and Simulation for Science and Engineering

II Workshop on Modeling and Simulation for Science and Engineering (II WMSSE) was a conference conducted at Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar, in the city of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, on September 24, 25 and 26, 2019. There, works in several topics of science, technology and engineering were presented. Specially, the participants of conference wanted to bring some solutions to the actual industrial requirements such as improvement and optimization of the heat transfer equipment, electronic devices, system control by mean of computational modeling. Also, dynamic system control was widely used for the prediction of power flow market, diffusion of bacteria in coffee production, stress concentration in industrial machines, analysis of population dynamics, model of hydrological and pluviometric networks, encryption for intercommunication of substation control centers, and others

Prevalencia de trematodes y factores de riesgo asociados con el ganado lechero en Colombia

This study was conducted to establish the prevalence and identify the risk factors associated with trematode infections in dairy cattle in the Boyacá Highlands, Colombia. Fecal samples collected from 300 randomly selected cattle were examined using a simple sedimentation technique for differential trematodes egg count. The animals were found shedding eggs of three groups of trematodes, namely Fasciola hepatica, Paramphistomum cervi and Cotylophoron cotylophorum. The specific prevalence of this trematodes were 11.6%, 9.3%, and 3.7% respectively. A substantial overlap was observed in the appearance of F. hepatica y P. cervi. The prevalence of the three trematodes identified in this study was significantly associated (p<0.05) with body condition and breed, while the prevalence of Fasciola hepatica and Paramphistomum cervi, was associated with age. The prevalence of the three main trematodes of importance for animal health with a high rate of mixed infection along with a poor body condition, suggests a substantial economic loss incurred due to reduced productivity of livestock in the study area.El estudio se llevó a cabo para establecer la prevalencia e identificar los factores de riesgo asociados con las infecciones por trematodes en ganado lechero de las tierras altas de Boyacá, Colombia. Las muestras fecales recogidas de 300 bovinos seleccionados al azar se examinaron utilizando una técnica de sedimentación simple para el recuento diferencial de huevos de trematodes. En el ganado estudiado fueron encontrados huevos de tres grupos de trematodes, a saber: Fasciola hepatica, Paramphistomum cervi y Cotylophoron cotylophorum. La prevalencia específica para estas tres especies fueron de 11,6%, 9,3% y 3,7% respectivamente. Se observó una superposición importante entre F. hepatica y P. cervi. La prevalencia de los tres trematodes identificados en este estudio se asoció significativamente (p<0,05) con la condición corporal y la raza, mientras que la prevalencia de Fasciola sp y Paramphistomum sp fue asociada con la edad. La prevalencia de los tres principales trematodes de importancia para la salud animal y la alta tasa de infección mixta, junto al deterioro de la condición corporal, determinan una pérdida económica sustancial debida a la reducción de la productividad del ganado en el área estudiada

Investigacion sobre secado natural y solar de trozos de yuca con aire forzado con un ventilador

The natural and solar drying system of cassava chips using natural air forced through the product with the help of a fan is described. This process enables drying to occur in the least time possible without affecting chip quality; likewise, it is not expensive. The system consists of a rural drying bin, a fan, and a solar collector which is optional depending on the drying capacity of the natural air. Illustrations are provided of the system; tables included indicate the materials required and the costs of constructing the different components of the system. The costs of different attachments are also indicated as well as labor requirements. (CIAT

Occurrence of Armases angustum (Smith, 1870) (DECAPODA, SESARMIDAE) in tanks of Guzmania sp. (BROMELIACEAE) at tropical rain forest of Chocó (Colombia)

Varias especies Sesarmidae viven en fitotelmata como una estrategia para evitar la depredación, hallar nutrientes, y proteger a los juveniles. El estudio muestra la presencia de A. angustum asociados con Guzmania sp. (Bromeliaceae) en las selvas de Colombia. A. angustum tiene adaptaciones morfológicas para la escalar que permiten el acceso a las bromelias y otras fitotelmata como otras especies de cangrejos reportados en bromelias y huecos de los árboles. Futuras investigaciones futura podría ser dirigida hacia la explicación de la presencia de A. angustum.Several Sesarmidae species live in phytotelmata as a strategy to avoid predation, find nutrients, and protect the juvenile. This study reports the occurrence of A. angustum to be associated with Guzmania sp. (Bromeliaceae) in rainforests of Colombia. A. angustum has morphological adaptations for climbing that allow access to bromeliads and other phytotelmata as other crab species reported in bromeliads and tree holes. Future research would be directed toward explaining the presence of A. angustum on bromeliads