Comparative Microsatellite Typing of New World Leishmania infantum Reveals Low Heterogeneity among Populations and Its Recent Old World Origin

Leishmania infantum (syn. L. chagasi) is the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the New World (NW) with endemic regions extending from southern USA to northern Argentina. The two hypotheses about the origin of VL in the NW suggest (1) recent importation of L. infantum from the Old World (OW), or (2) an indigenous origin and a distinct taxonomic rank for the NW parasite. Multilocus microsatellite typing was applied in a survey of 98 L. infantum isolates from different NW foci. The microsatellite profiles obtained were compared to those of 308 L. infantum and 20 L. donovani strains from OW countries previously assigned to well-defined populations. Two main populations were identified for both NW and OW L. infantum. Most of the NW strains belonged to population 1, which corresponded to the OW MON-1 population. However, the NW population was much more homogeneous. A second, more heterogeneous, population comprised most Caribbean strains and corresponded to the OW non-MON-1 population. All Brazilian L. infantum strains belonged to population 1, although they represented 61% of the sample and originated from 9 states. Population analysis including the OW L. infantum populations indicated that the NW strains were more similar to MON-1 and non-MON-1 sub-populations of L. infantum from southwest Europe, than to any other OW sub-population. Moreover, similarity between NW and Southwest European L. infantum was higher than between OW L. infantum from distinct parts of the Mediterranean region, Middle East and Central Asia. No correlation was found between NW L. infantum genotypes and clinical picture or host background. This study represents the first continent-wide analysis of NW L. infantum population structure. It confirmed that the agent of VL in the NW is L. infantum and that the parasite has been recently imported multiple times to the NW from southwest Europe

Enfermedades crónicas

Adherencia al tratamiento farmacológico y relación con el control metabólico en pacientes con DM2Aluminio en pacientes con terapia de reemplazo renal crónico con hemodiálisis en Bogotá, ColombiaAmputación de extremidades inferiores: ¿están aumentando las tasas?Consumo de edulcorantes artificiales en jóvenes universitariosCómo crecen niños normales de 2 años que son sobrepeso a los 7 añosDiagnóstico con enfoque territorial de salud cardiovascular en la Región MetropolitanaEfecto a corto plazo de una intervención con ejercicio físico, en niños con sobrepesoEfectos de la cirugía bariátrica en pacientes con síndrome metabólico e IMC < 35 KG/M2Encuesta mundial de tabaquismo en estudiantes de profesiones de saludEnfermedades crónicas no transmisibles: Consecuencias sociales-sanitarias de comunidades rurales en ChileEpidemiología de las muertes hospitalarias por patologías relacionadas a muerte encefálica, Chile 2003-2007Estado nutricional y conductas alimentarias en adolescentes de 4º medio de la Región de CoquimboEstudio de calidad de vida en una muestra del plan piloto para hepatitis CEvaluación del proceso asistencial y de resultados de salud del GES de diabetes mellitus 2Factores de riesgo cardiovascular en población universitaria de la Facsal, universidad de TarapacáImplicancias psicosociales en la génesis, evolución y tratamiento de pacientes con hipertensión arterial esencialInfarto agudo al miocardio (IAM): Realidad en el Hospital de Puerto Natales, 2009-2010Introducción de nuevas TIC y mejoría de la asistencia a un programa de saludNiños obesos atendidos en el Cesfam de Puerto Natales y su entorno familiarPerfil de la mortalidad por cáncer de cuello uterino en Río de JaneiroPerfil del paciente primo-consultante del Programa de Salud Cardiovascular, Consultorio Cordillera Andina, Los AndesPrevalencia de automedicación en mujeres beneficiarias del Hospital Comunitario de Til-TiPrevalencia de caries en población preescolar y su relación con malnutrición por excesoPrevalencia de retinopatía diabética en comunas dependientes del Servicio de Salud Metropolitano Occidente (SSMOC)Problemas de adherencia farmacológica antihipertensiva en población mapuche: Un estudio cualitativoRol biológico de los antioxidantes innatos en pacientes portadores de VIH/SidaSobrepeso en empleados de un restaurante de una universidad pública del estado de São Paul

NOTAS E RESENHAS

PIERRE MONBEIG, O PATRIARCA DA GEOGRAFIA PAULISTA E NACIONAL - Silvio Carlos BRAY FORMAÇÃO DE GEÓGRAFOS NA REPÚBLICA DEMOCRÁTICA ALEMÃ - Sylvio C. BANDEIRA DE MELLO E SILVA IMPACTO AMBIENTAL NA REGIÃO DE BRASILIA: AS CASCALHEIRAS - Maria NOVAES PINTO; Luiz Gonzaga FONSECA; Fernando MONTEIRO RIBEIRO IMPORTÂNCIA DO MONITORAMENTO EM AREAS AGRÍCOLAS - Miguel Cezar SANCHEZ; Nanci Aparecida VISACCHERO ANÁLISE DA QUALIDADE HÍDRICA PELA APLICAÇÃO DE BIO-INDICADORES (Contribuição aos Estudos Biogeográficos de Ambientes Aquáticos) - Adler G. VIADANA O TRABALHO INFORMAL NAS METRÓPOLES BRASILEIRAS: UMA ANÁLISE COMPARATIVA - Pedro DE ALMEIDA VASCONCELOS A VARIABILIDADE DAS TEMPERATURAS EM FUNÇÃO DE CARACTERÍSTICAS DAS VERTENTES - Anderson Luis HEBLING CHRISTOFOLETTI; Maria Juraci ZANI DOS SANTOS; Nádia Regina DO NASCIMENTO MIGRAÇÃO INTRA-URBANA: ALGUNS PROBLEMAS PARA A IMPLEMENTAÇÃO DE PROJETOS DE INVESTIGAÇÃO - Odeibler SANTO GUIDUGLI GEOGRAFIA INDUSTRIAL - Silvia SELINGARDI SAMPAIO DA VIDA BUCÓLICA AO USO DO SOLO E EXPLORAÇÃO DOS RECURSOS NATURAIS - Antonio CHRISTOFOLLETTI PROCESSOS POLÍTICOS E SÓCIO-ECONÔMICOS ATUANTES NA ORGANIZAÇÃO DOS SISTEMAS ESPACIAIS - Antonio CHRISTOFOLLETTI PROBLEMÁTICAS FOCALIZADAS EM GEOGRAFIA URBANA - Antonio CHRISTOFOLLETTI GEOGRAFIA DA POPULAÇÃO - Odeibler SANTO GUIDUGLI APLICAÇÕES HIDROLÓGICAS DA TECNOLOGIA ESPACIAL - Maria Isabel C. DE FREITAS RECURSOS ECONÔMICOS - Lucy Marion CALDERINI PHILADELPHO MACHADO AVALIAÇÃO ECONÔMICA DO MEIO AMBIENTE, SISTEMAS NATURAIS E DESENVOLVIMENTO - Ana Tereza CORTEZ MORAES BIOGEOGRAFIA E MEIO AMBIENTE - Walter Cecílio BRINO A TRANSIÇÃO TECNOLÓGICA EM CARTOGRAFIA - Miguel Cezar SANCHEZ MACMILLAN DICTIONARY OF THE ENVIRONMENT - Rolando BERRÍOS EARTH SCIENCE (PUPIL EDITION) - M. O. UMENWEKE EARTH SCIENCE (TEACHER EDlTION) - M. O. UMENWEK

Phylogenetic classification of the world's tropical forests

Knowledge about the biogeographic affinities of the world’s tropical forests helps to better understand regional differences in forest structure, diversity, composition, and dynamics. Such understanding will enable anticipation of region-specific responses to global environmental change. Modern phylogenies, in combination with broad coverage of species inventory data, now allow for global biogeographic analyses that take species evolutionary distance into account. Here we present a classification of the world’s tropical forests based on their phylogenetic similarity. We identify five principal floristic regions and their floristic relationships: (i) Indo-Pacific, (ii) Subtropical, (iii) African, (iv) American, and (v) Dry forests. Our results do not support the traditional neo- versus paleotropical forest division but instead separate the combined American and African forests from their Indo-Pacific counterparts. We also find indications for the existence of a global dry forest region, with representatives in America, Africa, Madagascar, and India. Additionally, a northern-hemisphere Subtropical forest region was identified with representatives in Asia and America, providing support for a link between Asian and American northern-hemisphere forests.</p

Proceedings of the 24th Paediatric Rheumatology European Society Congress: Part three

From Springer Nature via Jisc Publications Router.Publication status: PublishedHistory: collection 2017-09, epub 2017-09-0

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Linkage Between Mangrove Fish Community and Nearshore Benthic Habitats in Biscayne Bay, Florida, USA: A Seascape Approach

The role of mangroves as essential fish habitat has been a focus of extensive research. However, recent evidence has shown that this role should not be evaluated in isolation from surrounding habitats such as seagrass beds and hard-bottom communities. For example, submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) communities provide potential sources of food and shelter for fish species that may reside in the mangroves, but may also undergo ontogenetic migrations and daily home-range movements into neighboring habitats. The connectivity between the mangrove fish community and the surrounding seascape may be influenced by the level of patchiness, fragmentation, and spatial heterogeneity of adjacent SAV habitats (i.e., SAV seascape structure). The spatial patterns and heterogeneity of SAV seascape structures are driven by internal and external regulatory mechanisms operating at different spatial and temporal scales. In addition, it is likely that many fish species inhabiting the mangrove zones have different home ranges, and foraging and migratory patterns; therefore, different mangrove fish species may respond to seascape heterogeneity at different scales. There are few studies that have assessed the influence and connectivity of benthic habitats adjacent to mangroves for estuarine fish populations at multiple scales. The present research used an exploratory seascape approach in Biscayne Bay (Florida, USA) to evaluate patterns in the patch composition and configuration of SAV communities, and to examine relationships between seascape structural metrics and the abundance, diversity, and distribution of fishes that utilize the adjacent mangrove shoreline as nursery and/or adult habitat. This seascape approach consisted of: a) the multi-scale characterization of the SAV distribution across the seascape with metrics developed in Landscape Ecology, Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing; b) multivariate analyses to identify groups with significantly distinct SAV seascape structures within the most heterogeneous scale, and identify possible mechanisms driving the observed SAV seascape structures; and c) an assessment of the mangrove fish community responses to SAV seascape structures. By applying a set of multivariate analyses (e.g., ANOSIM, MDS plots, hierarchical clustering), the buffer within 200 m from shore was identified as the scale with the highest structural heterogeneity. At this scale, two major SAV seascape structures (i.e., areas with similar SAV spatial arrangement and composition) were identified: a fragmented SAV seascape (FSS) structure and a continuous SAV seascape (CSS) structure. Areas with CSS were characterized by large, uniform SAV patches. In contrast, areas with FSS were characterized by a higher density of smaller, more complex SAV patches. Furthermore, the areas with CSS and FSS structures clustered in zones of the bay with distinct salinity properties. The areas with CSS structures were mostly located in zones characterized by high and stable salinity. However, the areas with FSS concentrated in zones that are influenced by freshwater discharges from canals and with low and variable salinity. The responses of fish diversity metrics were not constrained to the scale at which the greatest spatial heterogeneity of SAV seascape structures was observed (i.e., the seascape composition and configuration within 200 m from shore), but was related to SAV seascape characteristics across different scales. The majority of the variability of the fish diversity metrics in the mangrove shoreline was explained by SAV seascape structures within the smaller scales (i.e., 100-400 m from shore), and SAV seascape structures that represented the level of fragmentation and/or the percent of suitable habitat. Different conceptual models were proposed to illustrate and understand the ecological dynamics behind the relationship between the diversity of the mangrove fish community and the structure of the adjacent SAV seascape. In general, the diversity and abundance of fishes is influenced by the type and level of fragmentation of the SAV seascape, which, in turn, influence the proportion of the seascape used for foraging and refuge by fish. In conclusion, this research quantified how the release of large pulses of freshwater into near-shore habitats of coastal lagoons can influence the seascape structure of SAV communities. Namely, freshwater inputs produce fragmentation in otherwise fairly homogeneous SAV meadows. The outcome of this research highlights the importance of seascape characteristics as indicators of ecosystem-level modifications and alterations affecting the spatial distribution, assemblage, and diversity of marine nearshore habitats in coastal regions heavily influenced by human activities. In addition, the results illustrated the cascading effects and synergistic influences of near-shore habitat spatial assemblages on the composition and diversity of estuarine fish communities. Lastly, and very importantly, the relationships established in this project provide quantitative and qualitative information on patterns of species-habitat associations needed for the improved synergistic management and protection of coastal habitats and fisheries resources

Using habitat suitability models to predict changes in seagrass distribution caused by water management practices

Habitat suitability (HS) models can help elucidate the relationship between organisms and their environment and simulate the potential impacts of human activities on species distributions. Here, we developed HS models for Thalassia testudinum and Halodule wrightii, two seagrasses found in Biscayne Bay (Florida, USA). These species are mostly found in nearshore habitats of the bay that are highly susceptible to changes in water quality because of their proximity to the city of Miami and activities and projects associated with the restoration of the Florida Everglades. The HS models parameterized with data collected at >900 sites highlighted salinity as a key factor determining habitat suitability for these seagrass species. Thalassia s suitable habitat was associated with higher, more stable salinity compared with that of Halodule, which was associated with lower salinity and shallower depths. Both species benefited under a simulated scenario of increased freshwater flow, but Halodule s suitable habitat increased by 71% compared with that of Thalassia s, which exhibited only an 18% increase. HS models such as those described here provide spatial modeling tools that can contribute sciencebased input into the management of coastal resources within an adaptive management framework.Academi