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

Introduction: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative disease that has a national reference center in Costa Rica. Based on the promulgation of Executive Decree 28838-H of July 17, 2000, the National Center for Pain Control and Palliative Care became the reference center for all patients with ALS, in order to improve quality of life of patients and families facing this disease. The objective of this study was to know the prevalence and other epidemiological variables of ALS in Costa Rica in the first semester of 2014. Methods: the data collection was made from the reports generated by the Integrated Health Information System. The database with the variables of sex, age and domicile of each patient was elaborated. Simple frequencies were performed and the prevalence was estimated for 2014, at the National Center for Pain Control and Palliative Care. Results: the population was 129 patients with an average age of 60 years. The gender distribution was 63% men and 37% women. A prevalence of 3.00 cases per 100,000 of the total population (95% CI, 2.48-3.52) was found. The study shows that the prevalence of patients with ALS is higher in the central valley. Conclusion:  the prevalence of ALS in Costa Rica is within the expected worldwide, being more frequent in males.

Overwhelming evidence points to the importance of maintaining connectivity given rapidly fragmenting habitats and climate change.  Many efforts to identify where ecological corridors should be placed are based on estimates of structural connectivity that take advantage of readily available land-cover data.  We provide an overview of structural connectivity methodology and review the various limitations of these methods for functional connectivity -- the degree to which corridors facilitate the movement of organisms.  These limitations include not accounting for dispersal complexities and specific habitat requirements of focal species, and invisible barriers to movement.  Also, to what extent will the resulting corridors serve the most vulnerable species under a rapidly changing climate?  We describe several connectivity-modeling approaches designed to be climate-wise.  Assessing species for traits that may make them more susceptible to extinction is one way to prioritize which species warrant additional data collection and demographic analyses to improve the likelihood that corridors will function for them.  There is substantial evidence that traits such as limited movement or dispersal ability as well as geographic range and habitat restrictions make species more vulnerable.  Therefore, we suggest using these traits to guide focal-species selection.  Finally, we discuss the importance of employing new technologies to monitor individual movement and species utilization of corridors varying in width and other characteristics to help plan and verify functional connectivity for these species. 

The Chilean mammal fauna is one of the best known of South America.  In spite of this, in the last decade several new species have been described based on specimens collected in the country, while other species previously known elsewhere have been recorded for the first time in Chile.  Here we keep on this trend by recording for the first time for Chile a species of long-tailed mouse of the genus Oligoryzomys.   This mention is based on genetic (cytochrome b gene sequences) and morphological data gathered from several specimens collected at four localities of Quebrada de Camarones, Región de Arica y Parinacota in northern Chile.  At one of these localities a specimen was live-trapped; while in the other three localities several osteological remains were recovered from owl pellets. The morphologic and genetic information robustly indicate that the revised specimens belong to the genus Oligoryzomys. The phylogenetic analyses show that the trapped specimens belong to O. flavescens s. l.  However, it remains unsolved to which of two main lineages of O. flavescens s. l., O. flavescens s. s. or O. occidentalis, belongs the specimens from Camarones.  Here we increase the known species richness of Chilean living mammals by showing that northernmost Chile is inhabited by O. flavescens s. l.  The possibility that the specimens from Camarones represent an undescribed species cannot be ruled out.  These new records indicate, once again, that much remains to be learn about basic aspects of the Chilean mammals, including which species form the local assemblages.

Urbanization implies the loss of biodiversity and promotes the extirpation of local flora and fauna.  It favors habitat fragmentation and the establishment and increase of non-native species and, eventually, the homogenization of the landscape.  This study aims to evaluate the urbanization process in a medium-sized city in the Mexican southeast, San Cristóbal de Las Casas (SCLC) in the Neotropics, and the response of the rodent community to such process.  The study area was categorized according to its structural characteristics into four coverage classes: urban, forest, agricultural and mountain wetlands.  Rodents were sampled over urbanization gradients.  In each gradient, nine sampling sites were established.  The responses of rodent alpha and beta diversities to landscape structure (landscape metrics) were evaluated.  The larger diversity of rodents was found in the mosaic and transition landscape categories and the least diverse were the conserved and urban ones.  In SCLC, rodent richness responds to the number of fragments and the diversity of the landscape.  Mus musculus and Rattus rattus were more abundant in landscapes with a high percentage of urban cover, while Peromycus mexicanus and P. beatae, in landscapes with higher forest cover.  San Cristóbal de Las Casas is a city that grows over areas with native vegetation, forests and mountain wetlands; of which fragments remain embedded in the urban matrix.  Mosaic and transition landscapes favor areas with high diversity and richness of rodent species (intermediate disturbance hypothesis).  This study suggests that both native and non-native rodent species are abundant in areas with natural vegetation and also in urban sites.  Sanitary measures are granted, since reservoir species of pathogens with zoonotic potential can be found in the area.

Variation and differentiation among populations provide a framework to decipher how populations are, or are not, changing due to gene flow, genetic drift, and selection.  The sagebrush least chipmunk (Tamias minimus scrutator) is distributed in arid and semi-arid habitats throughout much of the Great Basin and adjacent regions.  The broad distribution and variation in elevation of populations make this a good system to assess population variation and the forces shaping differentiation.  Here, we use allozyme and morphological datasets to: 1) assess the relative roles of geographic locality and elevation of populations in shaping population structure; 2) examine the level of differentiation of peripheral and isolated populations; and 3) compare the genetic and morphological signals of population variation and structure.  We sampled 312 individuals from 12 T. minimus scrutator populations and other areas of their distribution.  Individuals were measured for 27 genetic and 61 morphological traits.  These datasets were analyzed to determine the distribution of variation and the differentiation among populations and tested for correlations with geographic distance and elevation.  Multiple approaches were used to thoroughly compare the signals from each dataset.  We found 13 polymorphic electrophoretic loci with most of the variation structured among populations within regions.  Eight loci exhibited elevational heterogeneity but most high-elevation populations showed no heterogeneity among populations.  Thirty-two morphological characters varied among populations but with no discernable trends across regions or elevations.  Populations had varying levels of asymmetric distinctness in morphological characters, but there were no significant differences among populations.  Morphological and genetic distance measures were correlated and there was some evidence of a correlation of genetic and geographic distance.  We also found some correlation of asymmetric distances with morphological or genetic distances at smaller scales.  There was substantial variation of genetic and morphological traits among sagebrush least chipmunk populations.  Each population had a unique genetic signature and significant morphological differentiation.  Our results suggest that genetic drift is contributing to the structure of these populations, with some evidence of selection shaping the distribution of variation at different elevations.  The peripheral populations had mixed signals of isolation among the different datasets, with an overall signature suggesting that genetic drift is also driving the variation among these populations.  The different measures of population variation yielded inconsistent signals of population structure, highlighting the need for multiple approaches to assess population variation.  The variation among sagebrush least chipmunk populations is impacted by a variety of factors and contemporary investigations may reveal populations responding to alterations in habitat and climate.

Small rodents are increasingly used as model animals in disease ecological research.  However, many students in the field have an inadequate knowledge of the significance of demographic heterogeneity of reservoir rodent populations and how that affects infection parameters.  I summarize here some of the common problems and give a solution, the use of the concept of functional groups, to gain more detailed information and avoid common mistakes (e. g., by drawing conclusion from pooled population samples).  I emphasize the importance of seasonality and demography (roles of various population functional subgroups) for parasite/pathogen studies and sampling design to cover the essential components of populations. 

Introduction: between 2014 and 2018, the zika virus, whose reports of previous cases in humans were sporadic, caused extensive outbreaks in America, which resulted in an increase in the prevalence of congenital defects associated with perinatal infection by this virus, mainly microcephaly and alterations of the central nervous system. Hearing loss is one of the birth defects described as part of congenital zika syndrome. Costa Rica, a country with areas of high density of the transmitting vector, did not escape this reality, being today an endemic country of the virus. Objective: to define the ideal audiological evaluation that children with congenital zika virus infection should have, according to the evidence in the literature. Methodology: a qualitative review study of the literature was carried out, based on a bibliographic search carried out between June 2019 and June 2020 in the Redalyc, Pubmed, and Scielo databases, using as descriptors the words Hearing loss AND zika, congenital zika OR zika Virus; Articles published from 2016 to 2020, in Spanish, English and Portuguese languages ​​were selected. Two independent reviewers performed article selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. Studies containing auditory evaluation of patients with congenital or acquired zika virus infection were included; and / or hypotheses or evidence about the pathophysiology of hearing impairment associated with the zika virus; and / or recommendations were included on the detection and follow-up of patients with hearing impairment due to the zika virus. Forty-one articles were included in the review. Evaluation algorithms were proposed in children born to mothers with exposure to the zika virus during the prenatal stage or suspected congenital infection. Results: the main manifestation of hearing impairment associated with congenital zika is sensorineural hearing loss; the case series published in this regard vary considerably in terms of prevalence and largely depend on the diagnostic method used and the follow-up. Hearing loss in these cases can be derived from lesions in the auditory pathway at both the cortical and cochlear levels; several are the proposed mechanisms of action. Hearing impairment can be progressive and late-onset and the impairment can be moderate to severe. A similarity has been found in the clinical manifestations of the zika virus with those of the TORCH group, which establishes a similarity in the configuration of hearing loss and its possible retrocochlear and late-onset effects. A detection and monitoring algorithm is proposed for this population. Conclusions: The audiological evaluation of children of mothers affected by VZ during pregnancy should be timely, continuous, and interdisciplinary during at least the first two years of life.

Introduction: the objective of this study was to describe the level of compliance with the quality characteristics audited in the informed consent (IC) for major surgeries performed in the Costa Rican social security, in 2019. Methodology: a descriptive study was carried out, Retrospective documenting compliance with the quality of filling in the CI forms for major surgeries, in 27 Costa Rican social security establishments during the year 2019. In that year, 101,490 procedures performed were classified as major surgery. A random sample of 2,350 cases was selected, of which 2,343 (99.7%) were audited. Results: of the audited cases, 92.4% (n= 2,166) had compliance with the correct application of the IC form, 5.7 had partial compliance and, in 1.9% the IC document corresponding to the surgery audited was not found.   Of the 27 audited establishments, in 55% (n = 15) the IC was filled out correctly so that they achieved the required compliance (greater than 95%) according to the parameters set by the audit, while 45% (n = 12) did not. Conclusion: most of the major surgeries complied with the correct application of the IC form in social security; however, of the total of the audited establishments, about half did not reach the required level of compliance. The results of this audit should serve as the basis for action plans destined to correct the failures that can be documented, and in this way, contribute to the continuous improvement of the quality culture.

Introduction: oral cavity cancer is characterized by having a high prevalence, a low survival rate and represents a public health problem. Chewing and swallowing can be impaired, because of primary cancer lesions or adverse effects of treatment.  Objective: to determine the functional limitations in chewing and swallowing in people with advanced oral cavity cancer from an interdisciplinary approach for a palliative dental intervention. Methodology: narrative review article that included 45 articles in English, Spanish and Portuguese, published from 2013 onwards. The population of interest were adults with advanced oral cancer who present limitations in chewing and swallowing under Palliative Care conditions. Abstracts or conference papers and editorials were excluded.  Results: chewing and swallowing may present limitations in their function that require palliative intervention from the dental approach. Among the interventions can be mentioned the control of trismus, the protection of the teeth and their supporting tissues, the care of dental prostheses, the control of pain and infections, the prevention and treatment of osteoradionecrosis, care of xerostomia, the intervention of oral mucositis, the surgical reconstruction of lost anatomical structures, the use of maxillofacial prostheses and the control of edema.  Conclusion: dentistry has a relevant role in the palliative intervention of people with advanced oral cavity cancer with limitations of chewing and swallowing by providing a total and active care of the mouth, in which pain relief and tooth maintenance dental are a priority.

Introduction: obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAHS) is characterized by the cessation of breathing during sleep, in the long term it favors arterial hypertension. Objective: to evaluate the effects of at least 1 month of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy on diurnal blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation (SatO2) in patients with OSAHS. Methods: 449 adults with a diagnosis of OSAHS were studied between 2015 and 2018, with a minimum 1 month of treatment with a daily monthly documentary record of BP, HR and SatO2. The effects of CPAP were determined by the change in the mean values ​​at the beginning, first month and six months of treatment, comparisons were made according to subgroups based on adequate adherence and low adherence to treatment.  Results: the group  with adequate adherence, shows a statistically significant decrease in systolic BP at 6 months of treatment of 5.4 mmHg (95% CI: -2.9-7.88; p=0.00002) and diastolic BP by 2,77 mmHg (95% CI: -1.19-4.34; p=0.00005), while in the group with low adherence at 6 months the systolic BP decreased by 13.12 mmHg (95% CI: -1, 44-27.68; p=0.07) and diastolic BP decreased 2.55 mmHg (95% CI: -7.72-12.82; p=0.61), with statistically non-significant changes. HR and SatO2 did not show any significant change.  Conclusion: CPAP treatment for more than 4 weeks, with adequate adherence to treatment (minimum average of 4 hours per day on more than 80% therapy days), significantly reduces BP in people with OSAHS.