Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Life history traits are highly variable attributes that maximize organisms’s adaptation. The relationship of weight and body size with environmental changes and habitat heterogeneity has been documented in previous reports; and size and body shapes are both considered life history attributes that are associated with rainfall, that boost available resources in the environment. While in Aspidoscelis genus, clutch size and relative mass are mainly associated with latitude and altitude, in Aspidoscelis gularis, winter rainfall favors two reproductive seasons, which may determine season variable clutch size. With the aim to study this, samplings were undertaken from May-July 2013, and May-September 2015. A total of 65 individuals lizards of the Southeast clade were obtained, and body length and interaxilar distance measurements were taken; furthermore, hepatic tissue samples were taken for DNA extraction, which allowed us to analyze phylogenetic relationships through a Bayesian Inference analysis, and subsequently, to apply Phylogenetic Comparative Methods (like phylogenetic signal, phylogenetically independent contrasts and reconstruction of ancestral character). Our results showed that there is a low phylogenetic signal regarding body size and shape, while the phylogenetically independent contrasts and reconstruction of ancestral characters suggest that small body sizes are associated to locations with highest rainfall. This can be associated to an establishment of an early sexual maturity, which reflects the maximum size of adults. Furthermore, according to an ANOVA and ANCOVA, there were statistically significant differences in body size and shape respectively, which promote a system for sexual competition for males and a system for fertility in females. These results were important to determine the effect of rainfall on some life history traits, pointing out that lizards of the Southeast clade, belonging to the A. gularis complex were able to face different selection pressures, determined by the environment.

The spatial and temporal distributions of vegetation can be influenced by edaphic and environmental factors as well as disturbances. The present study was undertaken to characterize the distribution and spatial dependence of species diversity in a fragment of semideciduous seasonal forest after a disturbance event by fire and to identify changes during natural regeneration. The fire, occurred in 1999, and surveys were undertaken in 2000, 2005 and 2014 in 26 geo-referenced plots (400 m²) distributed along two transects. The Fire Damage Index (FDI) in each plot was based on a scale from 0 to 5, and all of the arboreal individuals with diameters at breast height (DBH) ≥ 5 cm were identified in each plot. Species diversity was calculated using the Shannon index (H'), and species richness (S) was estimated using species accumulation curves; variations between the surveys compared based on the means and standard errors. The S, H’ and FDI data were submitted to non-spatial exploratory and geostatistical analyses. After adjusting the semivariograms, the levels of spatial dependence were classified, and interpolation of the variables values were performed using ordinary kriging to characterize their spatial distributions in the form of maps. Spatial analysis was used to identify and characterize differences between the post-fire surveys in terms of the configurations of the arboreal community. The fire event influenced the spatial and temporal structures of the variables S and H’. These variables showed spatial dependence and aggregated distributions, with reduction in the distance under spatial influences and a uniformity of individuals distribution in the forest fragment at the different surveys. This research characterized the distribution and spatial dependence of the variables S and H’ in a forest fragment after a fire event and the alterations in the arboreal community structure during natural regeneration. 

Pseudoscorpions embrace a diverse group of arachnids with approximately 3 500 species that occur in various habitats, such as soil, leaf litter, caves and canopies. This study aimed at evaluating the relationship between the pseudoscorpion assemblages in soil, termite nests, tree trunks and canopies, as well as the temporal distribution as to the abundance and richness of species in these habitats. For this purpose different sampling techniques were applied in an integrated manner in distinct habitats of a seasonally flooded monodominant forest in the Northern Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Data regarding the abundance and richness of assemblage species were organized by means of the Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS). A total of 2 068 Pseudoscorpiones distributed in seven families and 18 species were captured. Chernetidae (8 spp.) and Withiidae (5 spp.) predominated, while Atemnidae, Cheiridiidae, Geogarypidae, Lechytiidae and Olpiidae were present with only one species each. Terrestrial fauna was more abundant (1 035 ind.; 50.0 % of the total catch) with three families and 10 species. In the arboreal fauna (712 ind.; 34.4 %), four families and 13 species were found. Termite mounds (321 ind.; 15.6 %) corresponded to the habitat with the least number of individuals, however, five families and nine species were identified, including Parachernes sp. 2, Geogarypus sp. and Olpiolum sp., not found in other analyzed habitats in this forest. The analyses did not show any temporal variation as to abundance or richness of Pseudoscorpiones in each evaluated habitat; however, the analysis showed that the edaphic environment (soil + termite nests), tree trunks and tree canopies are distinct habitats in relation to the composition of the assemblage. The occurrence of typical terricolous (e.g. Parawithius sp., Withiidae gen. sp. and Parachernes sp.) and other arboricolous (e.g. Cheiridium sp., Americhernes sp. and Lustrochernes sp.) species highlights the vertical stratification of the assemblage present in this floodplain forest in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso. 

Dengue fever is perhaps the most important viral re-emergent disease especially in tropical and sub-tropical countries, affecting about 50 million people around the world every year. In the Central Highlands regions of Vietnam, dengue fever still remains as a major public health issue. Although four viral serotypes have been currently identified, dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) was involved in the most important outbreaks during 2010-2012, especially, 2010 when the fatality rate highly increased. Detection of genotype of DENV-2 provided information on origin, distribution and genotype of the virus. In this study, DEN-2 isolated from dengue patients during the 2010-2012 epidemics was amplified and sequenced with E gene. The consensus sequences were aligned with reference E gene sequences of globally available Genbank. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using Neighbor-joining and Kimura 2-parameter model to construct phylogenetic tree. A total of 15 isolates (seven from 2010; one from 2011 and seven from 2012) were obtained from human serum samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Asian genotype 1 is currently circulating locally in Central Highlands region. Isolates of this genotype were closely related to viruses from Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. It indicated that these epidemics maybe imported into the Central Highlands region from South-East Asia neighbor countries. The study results would help in planning for prevention and control of dengue virus in Vietnam. Continuous monitoring of DENV genotypes is necessary to confirm the current findings and detect possible genotype shifts within the dengue viruses in the future.

Introduction: Gallbladder agenesis (GA) is a rare congenital anomaly, with a reported incidence ranging between 13–65 % per a 100 000 population. Its association with acute pancreatitis is extremely rare. Objective: To present a case of GA associated with recurrent acute pancreatitis. Case Presentation: We present an 85 years old woman whose clinical record reported a bladder stonediagnosis by US, that arrive to the hospital with frequent episodes of intermittent vomiting, abdominal pain and hypotension. She was admitted at hospital with upper abdominal pain, vomiting and hypotension. At the physical examination the abdomen was soft, with mild epigastric tenderness, without tenderness rebound or tumor. US report gallbladder not visible. In less than 24 hours the patient evolved with shock, multiple organ failure and death. Gallbladder agenesis and acute pancreatitis were found in autopsy. Conclusions: The GA is a rare congenital anomaly, difficult to establish a correct preoperative diagnosis, always found during the abdominal surgery or autopsy. Its association with acute pancreatitis is very uncommon. Pancreatitis may be due to of Oddi Sphincter’s Dysfunction (SOD) or idiopathic origin.Keywords: Gallbladder agenesis, biliary anomaly, acute pancreatitis, of Oddi Sphincter’s Dysfunction, idiopathic origin.

Introduction: The current context in which the superior medical education is developed challenges us to continuously raise the pedagogic preparation of our professors/tutors who have to confront the tutelary teaching in their medical family clinics where the students incorporate starting from the first year of the Medicine career. Objective: To characterize the control of the tutelary teaching in the Integral General Medicine discipline during the courses 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 in the Faculty of Medical Sciences "Comandante Manuel Fajardo". Material and Methods: It was carried out an observational, descriptive, retrospective, quantitative and qualitative study of the Integral General Medicine discipline in three school courses. The primary fact was obtained from documental information provided by the teaching department, related with the controls to the teaching activities of education at work. Absolute and relative frequencies were calculated. Ranking and Field of forces techniques were applied and the tree of problems was elaborated. Results: The course 2012-2013 was characterized by being the one where less controls carried out and it had the bigger execution percent with 86, 3%. In the control the evaluation prevails of well in the course 2012-2013 and Excellent in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. In the 57, 1% of the controls the educational pyramid doesn't exist and where it does, prevails the presence of two academic years students. Conclusions: In the course 2012 - 2013 were carried out a smaller number of controls with a bigger execution percentage. The evaluation of well prevailed in the course 2012 - 2013 and the evaluation of Excellent prevailed in the other courses, while the absence of educational pyramid prevailed. It was defined as central problem the deficient pedagogic preparation of professors/tutors.   Keywords: tutelary teaching, control to class, professors, categorized tutors.

Introduction: The forms of presentation of the tuberculosis (Tb) include: the pulmonary, miliaria and extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Outside of the lung, the where places with major frequency localizes tuberculosis are, by order of frequency: lymphatic ganglions, pleura, genitourinary system, bones and joints, meninges, peritoneum and pericardium. Objective: To present an interesting case in the clinic of extrapulmonary Tb and lung Tb. Case presentation: Masculine 65-years patient of age, chronic alcoholic and smoker. That began to present an increase of volume in the lateral right region of the neck that went growing progressively; besides humid cough with whitish expectoration, dysphagia to the solid foods, asthenia, anorexia and loss of weight. The physical examination made evident multiple cervical suppurative adenopathias, the major of 6cm and crepitating rasps at the superior third of the right hemi-thorax. The Mantoux proof was positive and the thorax X-ray suggested a pulmonary TB. The patient was discharged with a treatment against tuberculosis and ambulatory antibiotic, which were abandoned by the patient. He was entered in second occasion in the service of geriatrics for ulceration of the major injury of the neck and dies at the third day for a generalized sepsis. Conclusions: The tuberculosis of the lymphatic ganglions is the more common presentation of the extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Illness attacks principally to the persons with low defenses and in the presented case the patient had factors that could have depressed his immune system as the age, the chronic alcoholism and the smoking Keywords: Pulmonary tuberculosis, extrapulmonary tuberculosis, mantoux, scrofula.

Introduction: The complicated fracture of the medium third of the root is a complex entity, particularly with an unfavorable prognosis and a symptomatic course in which the clinical success becomes a utopia in not just a few opportunities because the stability by confrontation of the free edges of the fractured fragments is difficult to achieve.  In this respect, the endodontic stabilizer is used to guarantee a satisfactory bilateral anchorage that gives the possibility to unify, in a single visit, the necessary operation times for a successful treatment. Objective: To describe the feasibility of the use of an endodontic stabilizer in the management of a complicated fracture of the medium third of the root in a single visit. Case presentation: Female 60-year-old patient who comes to the consulting room after suffering from a consistent dentoalveolar trauma with a complicated fracture of the medium third of the root in tooth no.21; radiograph reveals a slight periodontal widening, and discontinuous edges. Radical endodontic treatment is performed with the placement of an intraductal stabilizer in the reduction of the fracture.  Conclusions: The use of an endodontic stabilizer in the management of a complicated fracture of the medium third of the root in a single visit to the dentist is a feasible alternative in the mediate and immediate treatment seeing that it supposes a fast recovery of the bucco-dental functions of the patient.Keywords: dental fracture, endodontics, intraductal posts, dental restoration, dental materials, traumatic lesion of the tooth.

Objective. To assess the quality and compliance of clinical practice guidelines (CPG) applicable to chronic noncommunicable diseases (CNCD) in primary healthcare (CS),and views of staff on the barriers, facilitators and their use. Materials and methods. 18 valued CPG with AGREEII, 3 are selected to develop indicators and assess compliance using lot quality acceptance sample (LQAS, standard 75 / 95% threshold 40 / 75% respectively, α:0. 05, β:0. 10) on 5 CS. 70 professionals surveyed about knowledge and use of CPG. Results. Average quality of the CPG was 57.2%; low rating in domains: “Applicability” (<25%), “Stakeholder involvement” (43.5%) and “Rigour of development” (55.0%). Compliance in CS ranges from 39 to 53.4%. Professionals show uneven knowledge of CPG; 44 to 45% (according to CPG), they declare that they are not used, they identify as main barriers the lack of training, and their difficult accessibility and management. Conclusions. The quality and implementation of evaluated CPG is deficient constituting an opportunity of improvement in health services.

 Objective. To determine the number of micronuclei and nuclear anomalies in Mexico’s indigenous population. Materials and methods. One hundred twenty indigenous individuals were evaluated, including thirty from the ethnicities Cora, Huichol, Tarahumara and Tepehuano. The number of micronuclei (MN) and any nuclear abnormality (NA) in oral mucosa cells, including cells with nuclear buds, binucleated cells, cells with karyolysis, karyorrhetic, condensed chromatin and pyknotic cells were determined for each participant. Results. Tepehuano and Tarahumaras showed the greatest damage to DNA. The Tepehuano group presented the highest number of MN and NA, this being a significant difference (p < 0.05) compared with the rest of the studied groups. This group also presented the highest herbicide exposure (46.7%). In relation to the smoking and drinking habits, these were more frequent in the Tarahumara group (33.3 and 50% respectively). Conclusion. The ethnic diversity, habits and customs may influence the DNA nuclear integrity in the Amerindian groups.