Human food waste is an essential resource for many animals that inhabit urban ecosystems and has allowed some species to proliferate in cities. Virginia Opossums (
Didelphis virginiana
) are ...considered a good example of this process; however, the real role of waste in this animal’s diet is still unclear. Therefore, this study aims to compare opossums’ diet from urban and natural areas in Mexico City. Opossums were live-trapped, and samples of hair and blood were taken to perform a stable isotope analysis of C and N. The results show that opossums from natural and urban areas, in general, have a very similar isotopic niche; however, one natural location fell out of this pattern, and here opossums based their diet on C3 plants. This suggests that opossum diets have a similar carbon source and occupy a similar trophic position in urban and natural areas. However, there is a separation between opossums in urban and natural areas, not so much in the isotopic niche, but in the feeding habits since natural areas, opossums prefer to feed in their distribution area despite the availability of better quality food in the nearby urban areas.
Protected urban green spaces (PUGS) are exposed to numerous disturbances and threats since they are immersed in highly dynamic socio-ecological systems. PUGS in highly urbanized cities require ...particular conservation strategies. Here, we propose an approach for PUGS management which integrates three components: i) scientific knowledge (monitoring/restoration), ii) community interaction with the environment, and iii) management decision. Our hypothesis asserts that the intersection of these components should produce a solid management program, provided that the obtained multidisciplinary knowledge meets the needs of information required by the community and decision makers. We tested this hypothesis for a small PUGS located within Mexico City at the National Autonomous University of Mexico campus that holds the Ecological Reserve of Pedregal de San Ángel. Through a participatory approach we built a mental model to understand the perceptions of different campus actors (students, academics and administrators), and their social and ecological relationships with this PUGS. Our findings provide insight into the actors’ perceptions and concerns and suggest that the interactions among the three components, although important, are not self-generated and must be constructed. The findings also suggest that one of the management problems is the mismatch between scientific knowledge and conservation programs. It is paramount to include generated knowledge into management and monitoring programs. The complexity of the PUGS requires an active collaboration among actors and monitoring the development of management strategies using the three components while taking the conservation goals into account.
Mammals are one of the most negatively affected groups by urbanization, nevertheless, urban reserves can help their conservation. The study of wildlife within the reserves is important for the ...persistence of these populations, but stressors factors as feral fauna might endanger the conservation of wildlife. Therefore, our objective was to analyze the patterns of temporal and spatial activity of wild and feral mammals within the San Angel Pedregal Ecological Reserve, UNAM, Mexico City, using trap cameras. We found five species of wild mammals and two feral ones. All mammals were primarily nocturnal, except for the Rock Squirrel which changes their behavior in comparison with individuals in natural habitats. All wildlife species showed a high temporal overlap of activity with feral fauna particularly, Rock Squirrel, Eastern Cottontail, and Gray Fox. The analysis of spatial co-occurrence showed that the probability of an encounter between species at a certain point of the reservation is random. Although, due to the reduced area of the reserve, species may overlap spatially. In general, our results indicate that feral fauna has a high overlap of activity with wildlife, however, the studied reserve protects wildlife populations. Therefore, to reduce this overlap, we recommend creating a dog and cat management program for urban protected areas and surrounding areas. Particularly in REPSA, we encourage to continue with the control program of feral species in the long term and change the management of waste within the UNAM.
Abstract
Avibacterium paragallinarum, the causative agent of infectious coryza, releases extracellular membrane vesicles (MVs), containing immunogenic proteins, proteases, putative RTX proteins, ...haemagglutinin, and nucleic acids, into the medium. MVs ranging 50–300 nm in diameter were observed by electron microscopy. They contained immunogenic proteins in the range of 20–160 kDa, detected using vaccinated or experimentally infected chicken sera raised against Av. paragallinarum, but not in pooled sera from specific pathogen-free chickens. Proteolytic activity was not detected in MVs through zymograms; however, immune recognition of high molecular mass bands was observed by Western blotting using an antiprotease serum against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 purified protease, suggesting its presence. MVs agglutinated glutaraldehyde-fixed chicken red blood cells indicating the presence of haemagglutinating antigens. Nucleic acids were also detected inside MVs. Avibacterium paragallinarum releases MVs containing putative virulence factors, which could be important in the pathogenesis of infectious coryza.
Es importante estandarizar los procesos de ingreso a las UCI (UCI), y las prácticas establecidas por consenso determinan intervenciones de calidad que pueden potenciar contextos específicos. Las UCI ...son servicios finitos de alto costo que requieren políticas para garantizar el uso racional y poder brindar atención de calidad a los pacientes. En respuesta a la variabilidad de los criterios de ingreso a la UCI en el país, la Asociación Colombiana de Medicina Crítica y Cuidados Intensivos (AMCI) convocó un equipo multidisciplinario de expertos en medicina crítica para establecer un pronunciamiento científico mediante la metodología de consenso formal, principalmente por el método Delphi, acerca de las recomendaciones y prácticas que permitan homogenizar los criterios de ingreso a las UCI en Colombia. Como parte de la misión de la AMCI, se pretende impactar positivamente en los distintos niveles del sistema de salud (prestadores, administradores, aseguradores y gobierno) y que al final se refleje en beneficios para los pacientes críticos o en riesgo. El consenso invita a todas las UCI del país a seleccionar sus propios criterios teniendo en cuenta el listado de las recomendaciones que contiene; se aclara que los contenidos son generados en un contexto científico, académico y no comercial. Cada institución de salud debe ser garante, mediante la coordinación asistencial de las UCI, del uso responsable de estos criterios tanto para la atención segura y de calidad de los pacientes como de utilizarlos para las distintas relaciones comerciales que se establezcan con las administradoras de los regímenes de salud. Este documento tiene un alcance nacional y su contenido está previsto actualizarlo en un tiempo no mayor a 4años.
It is important to standardize the admission processes to the Intensive Care Units (ICU), and the practices established by consensus determine quality interventions that can enhance specific contexts. ICU are finite, high-cost services that require policies to ensure rational use and to provide quality care to patients. In response to the variability of ICU admission criteria in the country, the Colombian Association of Critical Medicine and Intensive Care (AMCI) convened a multidisciplinary team of experts in critical medicine to establish a scientific statement using the formal consensus methodology, mainly by the Delphi method, about the recommendations and practices that allow to homogenize the criteria for admission to ICU in Colombia. As part of the mission of the AMCI, it is intended to have a positive impact on the different levels of the health system — providers, administrators, insurers and government — and that in the end it will be reflected in benefits for critically ill or at-risk patients. The consensus invites all ICU in the country to select their own criteria taking into account the list of recommendations it contains; it is clarified that the contents are generated in a scientific, academic and non-commercial context. Each health institution must be a guarantor, through the care coordination of the ICUs, of the responsible use of these criteria both for the safe and quality care of patients and to use them for the different commercial relationships established with the administrators of the regimens of health. This document has a national scope and its content is expected to be updated in no more than 4years.
In order to evaluate the scale of spatial patterns in edaphic mesofauna in a pasture-forest gradient, a collection of soil samples was obtained from a transect, followed by faunal extraction, ...counting and sorting. Only Sternorrhyncha (except Coccidae) and Coccidae geostatistical analysis showed spatial dependence within the scale 25-500 cm. Results suggest a revision of the current methods of soilfauna sampling, in which sampling intensity and intervals could be optimized for each taxon.
In order to evaluate the scale of spatial patterns in edaphic mesofauna in a pasture-forest gradient, a collection of soil samples was obtained from a transect, followed by faunal extraction, ...counting and sorting. Only Sternorrhyncha (except Coccidae) and Coccidae geostatistical analysis showed spatial dependence within the scale 25-500 cm. Results suggest a revision of the current methods of soil-fauna sampling, in which sampling intensity and intervals could be optimized for each taxon.
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