Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in patients with Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis: association with respiratory infection

OBJECTIVES: To determine the possible association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels with disease activity and respiratory infection in granulomatosis with polyangiitis patients during two different periods: winter/spring and summer/autumn. METHODS: Thirty-two granulomatosis with polyangiitis patients were evaluated in the winter/spring, and the same patients (except 5) were evaluated in summer/autumn (n=27). The 25OHD levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Disease activity was assessed by the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score Modified for Wegener’s Granulomatosis (BVAS/WG) and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) positivity. Respiratory infection was defined according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. RESULTS: 25OHD levels were lower among patients in winter/spring than in summer/autumn (32.31±13.10 vs. 38.98±10.97 ng/mL, p=0.04). Seven patients met the criteria for respiratory infection: 5 in winter/spring and 2 in summer/autumn. Patients with respiratory infection presented lower 25OHD levels than those without infection (25.15±11.70 vs. 36.73±12.08 ng/mL, p=0.02). A higher frequency of low vitamin D levels (25OH

Aplicación de técnicas de sensoreamiento remoto y sistemas de información geográfica en la caracterización edafoclimática de núcleos productivos de la Orinoquia alta colombiana (estudio de caso cimarrón nueva Antioquia Vichada)

Los sistemas agroforestales multiestrata son factibles, de ser establecidos en esta región del país y apuntan a incorporar a la Orinoquia colombiana a la actividad agropecuaria nacional, desde el punto de vista productivo, comercial y social, también, desde la perspectiva internacional aparece como un foco de generación de oxígeno y en un centro de captura de carbono que contribuye en la mejora del ambiente y el bienestar del mundo

Controlo integrado da Lagarta das Pastagens Mythimna unipuncta (Haworth)

II Jornadas Agronómicas Açorianas, Outubro, 1991, Ponta Delgada, Açores.No Arquipélago dos Açores, desde 1970 e com maior incidência na ilha de S. Miguel, devido ao aumento da área de pastagem, com vista ao desenvolvimento da bovinocultura, uma das espécies de Noctuídeos, Mythimna unipuncta (Haworth) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), assinalada na região desde 1810 por GODMAN, tornou-se num grave problema económico, estimando-se os seus prejuízos em cerça de 8% da produção anual das pastagens (TAVARES, 1989)

The activity of laurel essential oil (crude and fractions) in the control of adult bovine ticks and larvae

Ectoparasites cause direct and indirect losses to farmers, affecting the production of meat and milk and increasing the production costs due to the acquisition of acaricides to maintain cattle health. The financial losses caused by Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, which is the main livestock ectoparasite in Brazil, reach approximately US$ 3 billion annually. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acaricidal effect of the crude essential oil (EO) and EO’s fractions (FR) obtained from Laurus nobilis L. (Lauraceae) leaves on Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. Eight fractions were obtained, wherein five major compounds were identified (sabinene, α-terpinyl acetate, 1,8-cineole, linalool, and α-terpineol). The acaricidal activity of these FR was tested by the larval packet test. The EO was tested by the adult immersion test, and, at concentrations of 200, 100 and 50 µL/mL, the oil caused mortality of engorged females, egg mass reduction, and hatching inhibition. The fractions with α-terpineol and sabinene, as the major compounds, were the most active larvicides (LC50=0.13 µL/mL, LC99=0.51 µL/mL; and LC50=0.20 µL/mL, LC99=0.56 µL/mL, respectively). This assessment also indicated that fractionation was important since most of the fractions obtained were more active than the EO. Furthermore, this is the first report of laurel EO and its fractions employed in the control of cattle ticks. Thereby, new prospects for the use of this essential oil or its chromatographic fractions in products applied for cattle tick control can be opened up. However, studies in other stages of development of cattle ticks for the active fractions, and studies under field conditions, the effect on non-target organisms and residual effect on the environment are still needed to evaluate the acaricidal activity of EO and its active fractions

Chikungunya Virus as Cause of Febrile Illness Outbreak, Chiapas, Mexico, 2014

Since chikungunya virus (CHIKV) was introduced into the Americas in 2013, its geographic distribution has rapidly expanded. Of 119 serum samples collected in 2014 from febrile patients in southern Mexico, 79% were positive for CHIKV or IgM against CHIKV. Sequencing results confirmed CHIKV strains closely related to Caribbean isolates