Seroprevalence of canine Leishmania infantum infection in the Mediterranean region and identification of risk factors : The example of North-Eastern and Pyrenean areas of Spain

This project received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement nº 642609 and by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain (CG12010-22368-CO2-01).Altres ajuts: RICET/RD12/0018/0010The Mediterranean basin is an endemic region for canine leishmaniosis (CanL), where it represents a major veterinary problem and raises human health concerns. However, the distribution of the disease is heterogeneous and not all countries and locations have been equally studied and characterized. This work describes the situation of CanL in Girona province (Catalonia, Spain), for which no data has been previously reported, and presents a relevant study to exemplify other areas with similar characteristics across the region. Four cross-sectional seroprevalence surveys were performed from 2012 to 2016 throughout the province, including 36 sampling stations in 26 localities and a total of 593 dogs. For each animal, individual and location variables were also collected. Additionally, each dog owner answered a questionnaire about their knowledge of CanL and preventive methods used. Blood samples were analysed by an in-house ELISA and a mixed logistic regression model was used to assess the relationship between pre-determined variables and dog seropositivity. A Spearman's correlation was used to assess the association between dog owners' perceived risk of CanL and Leishmania infantum seropositivity in dogs at a given location. The overall true seroprevalence estimated for Girona province was 19.5% (95%CI: 15.5-23.5), of which only 6.8% (10/146) were considered symptomatic. Age of the dog [OR = 1.21 (95%CI: 1.11-1.31); p < 0.001] and altitude [OR = 0.02 (95%CI: 0.001-0.19); p = 0.001] were identified as risk factors for the infection. The results obtained in this study are expected to aid in the implementation of directed control programmes in CanL endemic areas throughout Europe, as well as to provide suitable data for the design of better risk assessment maps of the disease

Projet Nassonia : mise en place d'un inventaire forestier des arbres d'intérêt

Au sein du massif forestier de Saint-Hubert, 1 650 hectares de forêt domaniale sont cogérés, depuis plus de 2 ans, dans un schéma inédit de partenariat public-privé, par le DNF (SPW ARNE) et la Fondation Pairi Daiza. Ce projet Nassonia, d’une durée de 20 ans trois fois renouvelable, s’inscrit dans le temps long de la forêt. Il a pour objectif principal de placer la biodiversité et la naturalité au centre des enjeux de gestion au sein de ce territoire. Le présent article explique les résultats et la méthode d’un inventaire mis en place par l’équipe en charge du projet dans le but de fournir des données importantes pour la rédaction du nouveau plan d’aménagement forestier. Un des enjeux majeurs est effectivement de disposer, dans toute une série de domaines, d’un état des lieux initial, un t0

Avaliando a aprendizagem dos alunos da primeira série do Ensino Médio em uma unidade didática sobre o tema tabela periódica

A área de ensino de ciências está vivenciando um crescimento significativo em relação à pesquisa e, para contribuir neste aspecto, o presente trabalho propõe uma sequência de aulas que formam uma unidade didática, trabalhada na primeira série do Ensino Médio, com o propósito de avaliar o desenvolvimento dos alunos em relação ao tema tabela periódica em forma de questionários e mapas conceituais. As aulas foram ministradas por bolsistas do PIBID em Química da Universidade Federal deLavras e, os resultados mostram que, os alunos compreenderam a maneira pela qual a tabela periódicafoi desenvolvida, já que as respostas ao questionário pós foram mais elaboradas em relação ao prévio e, ainda, conseguiram relacionar os conceitos desenvolvidos por meio de mapas conceituais. Esta ainda contribuiu para a formação inicial dos licenciandos, uma vez que estes elaboraram, aplicaram eavaliaram a unidade

Aloe barbadensis: how a miraculous plant becomes reality

Aloe barbadensis Miller is a plant that is native to North and East Africa and has accompanied man for over 5,000 years. The aloe vera plant has been endowed with digestive, dermatological, culinary and cosmetic virtues. On this basis, aloe provides a range of possibilities for fascinating studies from several points of view, including the analysis of chemical composition, the biochemistry involved in various activities and its application in pharmacology, as well as from horticultural and economic standpoints. The use of aloe vera as a medicinal plant is mentioned in numerous ancient texts such as the Bible. This multitude of medicinal uses has been described and discussed for centuries, thus transforming this miracle plant into reality. A summary of the historical uses, chemical composition and biological activities of this species is presented in this review. The latest clinical studies involved in vivo and in vitro assays conducted with aloe vera gel or its metabolites and the results of these studies are reviewed

user centered design approaches and methods for p5 ehealth

As seen throughout this book, eHealth informed by P5 approach gives full recognition to patients' contexts, needs, desires, and personal characteristics. These aspects should not only be considered as cornerstones for technology evaluation, but as fundamental guidelines for design in the first place. This relates to User-Centered Design, that is, any technology/service design where final users influence how the design itself takes place. In other words, eHealth development should be based on research data gathered among final users about their needs and contexts of use, in order to be specifically tailored on final users even before the realization of low-level prototypes. This methodological contribution presents a critical presentation, description, and evaluation of research tools to be employed not to evaluate technology's results and effectiveness, but the specific characteristics of users in order to orient design and development. Such an approach should be considered the "gold standard" of P5 eHealth solutions

Human Subjects Protection and Technology in Prevention Science: Selected Opportunities and Challenges

Internet-connected devices are changing the way people live, work, and relate to one another. For prevention scientists, technological advances create opportunities to promote the welfare of human subjects and society. The challenge is to obtain the benefits while minimizing risks. In this article, we use the guiding principles for ethical human subjects research and proposed changes to the Common Rule regulations, as a basis for discussing selected opportunities and challenges that new technologies present for prevention science. The benefits of conducting research with new populations, and at new levels of integration into participants’ daily lives, are presented along with five challenges along with technological and other solutions to strengthen the protections that we provide: (1) achieving adequate informed consent with procedures that are acceptable to participants in a digital age; (2) balancing opportunities for rapid development and broad reach, with gaining adequate understanding of population needs; (3) integrating data collection and intervention into participants’ lives while minimizing intrusiveness and fatigue; (4) setting appropriate expectations for responding to safety and suicide concerns; and (5) safeguarding newly available streams of sensitive data. Our goal is to promote collaboration between prevention scientists, institutional review boards, and community members to safely and ethically harness advancing technologies to strengthen impact of prevention science