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

 Introduction: the training of the central musculature of the body (CORE) constitutes an element of vital importance in the elderly person, allowing the development of strength, resistance, flexibility and balance, which are key elements to reduce the risk of falls. Objective: the objective of this work was to analyze the effect of CORE work on the development of balance and the reduction of the risk of falls in the elderly. Methods: descriptive study of literature review based on evidence on the influence of CORE work on the development of balance in the elderly, using databases such as: PubMed, Scielo, El Sevier, Tripdatabase, with the help of the following Boolean operators: CORE AND Stability, CORE AND Elderly, Elderly Adult AND Risk, Physiotherapy AND CORE, CORE AND Elderly Adult Strength, Fall Risk AND Elderly, Elderly AND Falls, CORE Stability AND Elderly Adult, CORE AND Elderly Adult. 34 scientific articles published between 2016 and 2021, in Spanish or English, were chosen. According to the Sackett classification, 38.2% had a level of evidence 1, 2,9% level 2, 14,7% level 3, 35,2% level 4 and 9% level 5. Results: the reviewed articles coincide that the main risk factors related to the risk of falls must be worked on through training programs that strengthen the CORE, including coordination exercises, speed, strength and resistance as a form of prevention for the risk of falls in the elderly. Conclusions: extrinsic and intrinsic factors are a risk for the prevalence of falls in the elderly since they lead to functional deterioration. Therefore, the prescription of physical exercise must be individualized and focused on speed, strength, and resistance work in order to increase the CORE musculature, improve functional capacity, balance and reduce the risk of falls.

Introduction: the Achilles tendon is the most resistant tendon structure in the human body. Although it raises an injury prevalence of 24% within the population of runners, which increases exponentially at the international level. Objectives: We analyze the influence of the running technique on the architecture of the Achilles tendon, and we look for other factors that also influence its morphology. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional and descriptive study was carried out; thirty-three healthy habitual running subjects voluntarily participated. We carried out an orthogonal study of the tendon structure, obtaining values of diameter, perimeter, and microcirculation; the results were related to the runners' technique. Results: no significant differences were found regarding the influence of the running technique on the architecture of the Achilles tendon, observing that it was more significantly influenced by gender, height, and training. Conclusions: Although the running technique does not influence the thickness of the Achilles tendon, the influence of the technique on other characteristics of the tendon should continue to be studied.

The aged population of the world has been increasing and in  the case of Costa Rica, it increased from 5% in 2000 to 10% in 2020 and with it an increase in diseases of old age, including dementia. An alternative for assessing cognitive impairment is the measurement of pulse wave velocity (PWV). Many factors affect this parameter: age, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. However, the research studies and meta-analysis reviews relates PWV with cognitive disorders in the elderly. Even though this is not a definitive proof, it is important to follow changes along the temporal axis, such as to determine and correlate with demential conditions of the patient.  The relationship between PWV such as cause or effect, still requires more investigation, but so far is clear that is a risk factor for developing cognitive decline and dementia in elders. However, let us keep in mind that PWV is only one factor involved in cognitive disorders, but some other factors such as genetics and life styles could be involved.  Because the measure of the PWV is an easy noninvasive laboratory test and clinical registration equipment is available, it is encouraged that all institutions dealing with older patients to perform measurements of this parameter. This would allow us to know the risk of mental condition of the patient, the evolution of the disease or the potential benefits of therapeutic treatments.

Introduction: the present work intends in the adult with cerebral palsy speech-language characteristics that occur in patients with sequelae of cerebral palsy of the Orofacial Motricity Center. Methodology: 35 adults with CP were evaluated. The performance classification systems in the control of saliva, food and communication-expression and the Spanish version of the Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment (Version 2) were used. Regarding the swallowing and voice handicap, the Spanish versions of the Deglutition Handicap Index and Voice Handicap Index questionnaires were applied. Results: adults with cerebral palsy, participants in the study, have an average age of 35 years, most were women (23 people). Most of them present performance difficulties in the control of saliva (11 people), feeding (15 people) and in communication-expression (20 people). Dysarthria ranges from mild (in the spastic and ataxic classification type) to moderate (in the dyskinetic classification type). There are disadvantages in swallowing and voice. Discussion: alterations were identified in the performance of salivary control, feeding and communication-expression, mild to moderate dysarthria and a disadvantage resulting from swallowing and voice alterations.

Palliative Care, like Occupational Therapy, proposes a holistic view of the person, including the dimensions physical, emotional, social and spiritual. Spirituality is intimately linked to participation in significant occupations, since occupation is the means for its expression. The article takes a tour of the concept of spirituality and the approach from Occupational Therapy. On the other hand, the evidence of unmet spiritual needs shows a deficit in the comprehensive approach of the Palliative Care teams. Therefore, the six essential qualities for the care of spirituality in health professionals that can be taken into account from a person-centered palliative model are exposed. Finally, a care approach centered on the person and the occupation is proposed. In this way, it is intended to account for the importance of spirituality, as a determinant for the health and well-being of people, and a way of expression based on participation in significant activities, favoring coping and adaptation to the Situation of illness in individuals and families attending Palliative Care.

Hooper’s deer mouse, Peromyscus hooperi, is the sole member of the Peromyscus hooperi species group.  This species is endemic to México where it is restricted to the grassland transition zone in the states of Coahuila, Zacatecas, and San Luis Potosí.  Previous studies using mitochondrial and nuclear genes (Cytb, Adh1-I2, Fgb-I7 and Rbp3) did not resolve the phylogenetic relationships of this relatively poorly known species.  It was hypothesized that P. hooperi is sister to P. crinitus, and these two taxa are related to P. melanotis, P. polionotus, P. maniculatus, P. keeni, P. leucopus, P. gossypinus, P. eremicus, P. californicus, and Osgoodomys banderanus.  Based on morphological characters, karyotypes, and allozymes, P. hooperi does not align with either subgenera Haplomylomys or Peromyscus.  However, its unique characteristics (e. g., phallus, karyotype) have been recognized, and therefore it has been retained as its own species group.  To better resolve the phylogenetic placement of P. hooperi, we performed target-enrichment and high-throughput sequencing and obtained several thousand nuclear ultraconserved elements and a complete mitogenome from a specimen collected in 1896 by Nelson and Goldman in Coahuila, México.  We compared these data with 21 other species of neotomines using genome-wide data.  Contrary to previous studies, we found high nodal support for the placement of P. hooperi as sister to a clade that includes Podomys floridanus, Neotomodon alstoni, Habromys simulatus, H. ixtlani, Peromyscus mexicanus, P. megalops, P. melanophrys, P. perfulvus, P. aztecus, P. attwateri, P. pectoralis, and P. boylii.  We dated a Pliocene divergence of P. hooperi from its sister group at approximately 3.98 mya, and after the split of P. crinitus at ca. 4.31 mya from other peromyscines.  We demonstrated that genome-wide data improve the phylogenetic signal, independently of taxon sampling, for a phylogenetically problematic species such as P. hooperi.  We recommend that future genomic studies expand taxon sampling, including members of the subgenus Haplomylomys, to confirm the phylogenetic relationships of P. hooperi and the genetic status of its populations.

Artibeus aztecus is a Mesoamerican montane bat with three currently recognized, allopatric subspecies.  No study has evaluated the phylogenetic status of the subspecies.  However, through an analysis of its ecological niche and its geographic distribution, here we analyze whether there is differentiation of the climatic requirements for each subspecies, assessing whether niche evolution is a potential factor in subspecies differentiation.  We assayed ecological niche models for each subspecies, analyzed the response curves for the most important climatic variables of each model, and generated the potential distribution model for each subspecies.  We assayed a background similarity test between the subspecies to determine how similar their niches were.  We found differences in climatic requirements for the three allopatric subspecies and the most important variables and their response curves.  Potential distribution models concur with Mesoamerican highlands and highlight the lowlands of the isthmus of Tehuantepec and the Nicaraguan depression as possible geographic barriers.  Differences found between ecological niches for each subspecies contrast with previous findings for the species and other phyllostomid bats.  Niche conservatism may have caused geographic isolation in the past, and differences in environmental requirements may have appeared later.  Molecular and morphological analyses are necessary to clarify the taxonomic status of these populations and the evolutionary processes involved in their diversification.

One of the fundamental objectives of ecology is to study the relative importance of ecological, evolutionary, and stochastic processes in determining local community structure.  Many studies have focused on taxonomic diversity, paying relatively little attention to other dimensions of biological diversity, such as phylogenetic and functional diversity.  Little is known about how these dimensions relate to each other, and the ecological processes that influence their variation.  In this study, we characterize these three dimensions of biodiversity in 14 primate communities from different ecosystems in Ecuador to understand possible mechanisms responsible for their assembly.  Results show that coastal communities are taxonomically less diverse than those from the Amazon and present different functional groups.  On the other hand, phylogenetic diversity is higher in Amazonian communities, showing a tendency for overdispersion (high values of MPDPD = mean phylogenetic distance per pair and low PSC = degree to which coexisting species are related).  This indicates a possible influence of biological factors, such as competition, on community assembly.  For all three dimensions, climatic variables were the most significant predictors of community structure, while vertical forest structure contributed significantly to variation in the phylogenetic dimension.  The high functional diversity reported in this study highlights the importance and vulnerability of this group and the ecosystems they inhabit.  Macroecological studies, such as the one presented here, allow a better understanding of community structure and provide important information for the development of conservation strategies. 

Letter to the Editor

The Mexican Long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris nivalis) is the largest nectarivorous species in the New World, and one of three migratory nectarivores in Mexico. It is considered an ‘Endangered Species’ under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and ‘Threatened’ by the Mexican Federal List of Endangered Species.  In 1994, a Recovery Plan was developed by the USFWS with the participation of Mexican and American researchers, and the most urgent actions to ensure the species protection were identified.  Locating and protecting roosts are among the most urgent tasks recognized.  With this study, we aimed to identify the most suitable areas potentially holding additional mating roosts of Leptonycteris nivalis, and we conducted surveys of these areas to confirm its presence, and to assess the reproductive state of individuals.  We used Maxent, the Genetic Algorithm for Rule-set Production (GARP), and Bioclim algorithms to generate an agreement map of the potential distribution of additional mating roosts, and we implemented a Euclidian multidimensional distances analysis to identify ecologically similar regions to “La Cueva del Diablo”, the only mating roost known for the species.  We identified suitable areas in the states of Morelos, Puebla and the State of Mexico. We visited seventeen caves distributed in ten different localities in these areas.  For two consecutive years, we found the species in a cave called: “La Cueva de los Coyotes”, located in the State of Mexico, where we captured eighteen individuals, including a pregnant female.  The location of an unknown roost so far, occupied by individuals of L. nivalis, and among them a pregnant female, allows us to reflect about the reproductive dynamics of the species.  In that sense, reproductive populations may be splitting into smaller colonies to mate, other than “La Cueva del Diablo”, or pregnant females might me moving to additional and nearby roosts to spend the rest of the winter season. Using these tools and further refinements we may be able to locate additional mating roosts, thus, providing more possibilities for the application of conservation measures for the protection of the species.