The objective of this study was to describe the seroepidemiology of
Neospora caninum infection in dogs in close contact with dairy cattle and dogs from urban areas of Aguascalientes, Mexico, as well ...as to estimate the possible association between age, gender and size of these groups and seroprevalence. Sera were obtained from samples of 152 dogs in dairy farms and 116 in the urban area, and were subjected to ELISA test. General seroprevalence reached 32%, while the seroprevalence in farm dogs (41%) was significantly higher than in dogs from the urban area (20%) (
p
<
0.05). Regarding age groups, general seroprevalence was greater among dogs between 11 and 15 years of age (67%) remaining equal between males and females (32 and 31%, respectively). Nevertheless, females resident in farms had a higher seroprevalence (42%) than female resident in the urban area. Regarding size, large-sized animals had greater seroprevalence in farms (58%), while in the urban area medium-sized animals were those that had the highest seroprevalence (27%). It was found that dairy farm dogs had a higher risk of infection (OR
=
2.79;
p
=
0.0004), and that in said group, the age range from <1 to 5 years of age was identified as a risk factor (OR
=
3.11,
p
=
0.001).
Dialelic crosses and backcrosses of pyrethroid resistant (RR) and susceptible (SS) Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus tick strains were carried out and the substitution (Phe-Ile) within the sodium ...channel gene was monitored in order to analyze the effects of the genotype on the pyrethroid resistance phenotype as measured by the larval packet test (LPT). Parental strains: susceptible (SS) and resistant (RR); dialelic crosses: RS (#RR 9 $SS), and SR (#SS 9 $RR); and backcrosses: RS 9 SS, RS 9 RR, SR 9 SS and SR 9 RR were infested on 280 kg calves. Resistance type (monogenic or polygenic) and effective dominance were determined based on the discriminant concentration (DC) for cipermethrine (0.5%), deltamethrine (0.09%) and flumethrine (0.01%). Allele specific PCR (AS-PCR) was used for genotyping, looking at a sodium channel mutation (Phe-Ile substitution). The mortality rates and allele frequency of susceptible and pyrethroid resistant reference strains were 0% mortality and 90% RR alleles for resistant strain, and 100% mortality and 0% RR alleles as measured by the larval packet test (LPT) and allele specific PCR (AS-PCR) respectively. Backcrossed strain SR 9 RR showed an effective dominance (DML) of 0.605 for cypermethrin, 0.639 for deltamethrin and 0.498 for flumethrin, while survival of backcrosses RS 9 SS, RS 9 RR and SR 9 SS showed a significant tendency to recesivity. Backcrossed strain SR 9 RR (69.4%) also showed a higher RR genotype frequency with regards to RS 9 SS (25.5%), RS 9 RR (36.7%) and SR 9 SS (32.0%), however, susceptible allele was inherited in general as an incomplete dominant trait. Monogenic inheritance hypothesis was tested and the results showed monogenic inheritance for cypermethrin and flumethrin (P\0.05) but not for deltamethrin (P0.05). However, significant correlation was found between RR genotype and the survival rate for all three pyrethroids used (P\0.05), suggesting that a single substitution on the sodium channel gene can be responsible for resistance to pyrethroids as a class, due to the high frequency for RR genotypes. Combination with different mutations or metabolic resistance mechanisms cannot be excluded.
The aim of this study was to determine by nested PCR probe the presence of
Neospora caninum in fetal brain tissue from aborted dairy fetuses in Aguascalientes, a state in the central part of Mexico. ...Forty-four fetal brains from eight dairy farms were analyzed using single tube nested PCR probe with primers NF1, NS2, NR1 and SR1, with histopathology as the reference technique. From the 44 bovine fetuses studied, 35 (80%) were diagnosed as being infected by
N. caninum using PCR probe and 20 (45%) were considered positive by histopathology, because they had lesions suggestive of bovine neosporosis. Fair agreement was observed (31%) between both probes. The age of aborting cows ranged from 1.6 to 2.9-year-old in 17 (49%) of the positive cases diagnosed by PCR. Gestational ages of aborted fetuses ranged from <3 to 9 months, with average of 5.6 months, and no statistical significant difference was observed when ages of infected and no infected fetuses were compared (
P
>
0.05). The frequency of
N. caninum positive cases observed could be considered to be higher than other areas of Mexico and other countries.
Abstract Background and aim The Mediterranean diet is considered a model for healthy eating. However, prospective evidence in Mediterranean countries evaluating the relationship between this dietary ...pattern and non-fatal cardiovascular events is scarce. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between the adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the incidence of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events among initially healthy middle-aged adults from the Mediterranean area. Methods and results We followed-up 13,609 participants (60 percent women, mean age: 38 years) initially free of cardiovascular disease (CVD) during 4.9 years. Participants were part of a prospective cohort study of university graduates from all regions of Spain. Baseline diet was assessed using a validated 136-item food-frequency questionnaire. A 9-point score was used to appraise adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Incident clinical events were confirmed by a review of medical records. We observed 100 incident cases of CVD. In multivariate analyses, participants with the highest adherence to the Mediterranean diet (score > 6) exhibited a lower cardiovascular risk (hazard ratio = 0.41, 95% confidence interval CI: 0.18–0.95) compared to those with the lowest score (<3). For each 2-point increment in the score, the adjusted hazard ratios were 0.80 (95% CI: 0.62–1.02) for total CVD and 0.74 (0.55–0.99) for coronary heart disease. Conclusions There is an inverse association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the incidence of fatal and non-fatal CVD in initially healthy middle-aged adults.
Extensive sampling of 202 lentic water bodies (lakes, lagoons and ponds) located between 3150 and 4460 m a.s.l. in the Cajas National Park (South Ecuadorian Andes) has revealed the high interest of ...these mountain enclaves in tropical latitudes for the investigation of faunal and ecological aspects of the branchiopod fauna. The first results allowed to recognize 21 species, 15 of them new to Ecuador, of which 2 are in process of description to be published as new to science. All species are characteristic of little mineralized and oligotrophic waters, 8 of them appear in the plankton and the rest in the limnetic littoral benthos.
Un muestreo extensivo de 202 masas de agua leníticas (lagos, lagunas y charcas), ubicadas entre 3,150 y 4,460 m s.n.m. en el Parque Nacional Cajas (Andes Australes de Ecuador), ha puesto de manifiesto el elevado interés que tienen estos enclaves de alta montaña en latitudes tropicales para la investigación de aspectos faunísticos y ecológicos de la fauna de branquiópodos. Los primeros resultados han permitido reconocer 21 especies, 15 de ellas nuevas para Ecuador, de las cuales 2 están en proceso de descripción para ser publicadas como nuevas para la Ciencia. Todas las especies son propias de aguas poco mineralizadas y oligotróficas, 8 de ellas aparecen en el plancton y el resto en el bentos litoral.
The taxonomic composition of the litoral benthic limnetic crustacean communities, (branchiopods, copepods and ostracods) and macrophytes of the lacustrine water bodies of the Cajas National Park ...located in the Southern Andes of Ecuador have been studied in order to identify the most suitable taxa to be used as indicators of the ecological status of lakes. Among the crustaceans (22 taxa) three groups were differentiated. A first group with taxa of higher indicator value including Branchinecta papillata, Ilyocryptus spinosus, Alonella sp, Pleuroxus sp. Paralona pigra and Alona sp. gr. manueli. A second group with medium indicator value including Alona glabra, Alona guttata, Microcyclops sp. Eucyclops sp. and Paracyclops sp. The third group was formed by taxa of the lower indicator value, either because of its eurioic and / or cosmopolitan character or because of its rarity. Macrophytes have been evaluated as good indicators of the ecological and conservation status of the lakes. The taxa which were submerged, floating and rooted in the sediment were identified to be a good indicator for the water body, and helophytes and hygrophytes for the limnetic litoral zone.
Se ha estudiado la composición taxonómica de las comunidades de crustáceos litoral-bentónicos (branquiópodos, copépodos y ostrácodos) y macrófitos de las masas de agua lacustre del Parque Nacional Cajas situado en los Andes Australes de Ecuador, con objeto de identificar los taxones más adecuados para ser utilizados como indicadores del estado ecológico de los lagos. De los crustáceos (22 taxones) se diferencian tres grupos. Un primer grupo con taxones de alto valor indicador formado por Branchinecta papillata, Ilyocryptus spinosus, Alonella sp, Pleuroxus sp. Paralona pigra y Alona sp. gr. manueli. Un segundo grupo con taxones de valor indicador medio formado por Alona glabra, Alona guttata, Microcyclops sp. Eucyclops sp. y Paracyclops sp. El tercer grupo estaría formado por taxones de escaso valor indicador, bien por su carácter eurioico y/o cosmopolita o por su rareza. De los macrófitos se han valorado como buenos indicadores del estado ecológico y de conservación de los lagos, los taxones enraizados sumergidos y flotantes para la masa de agua, y los helófitos e higrófitos para los litorales.
A substitution (Pherightward arrowIle) within the sodium channel gene sequence has been associated with pyrethroid resistance in Boophilus microplus. The aim of the present study was to analyze the ...inheritance of pyrethroid resistance and the mutant allele, on reciprocal crosses of a susceptible (SS) and a resistant (RR) strain. Bioassays and genotypes were determined to evaluate pyrethroid resistance. The resistance allele frequency of both parental strains were 100% and 2.27% for RR and SS, respectively. The reciprocal crosses show a predominance of the heterozygote genotype, in agreement with the significant decrease of the acaricide resistance to cypermethrin, deltamethrin, and flumethrin. However, the RS progeny showed a complete recessive survival (D ML = 0) for deltamethrin and flumethrin, suggesting a complete dominance of the susceptible allele and incomplete dominance for cypermethrin (D ML = 0.169). On the other hand, SR progeny showed a partially recessive survival for cypermethrin (D ML = 0.380), deltamethrin (D ML = 0.319), and flumethrin (D ML = 0.258), indicative of a partially dominant inheritance of the resistance. A possible maternal strain effect should be considered for practical purposes and prediction of acaricide resistance and further work needs to be done to elucidate the underlying inheritance of pyrethroid resistance and the sodium channel mutation in B. microplus.
A serological survey for antibody activity to
Neospora caninum was carried out in Aguascalientes, a state in the central part of Mexico. One-hundred and eighty-seven serum samples from 13 dairy herds ...were tested by the ELISA test. The herd prevalence was 100% and the overall prevalence was 59% (
n=110). Seventy-six of 97 seropositive cows had previous records of abortion. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups (
P<0.05). However, the odds ratio was 1.4, suggesting an association between abortion and seropositivity. Neosporosis in dairy cattle appears to be widespread in Mexico, warranting more epidemiological studies to determine the distribution of the causative protozoan.
This article aims to estimate the differences in environmental impact (greenhouse gas GHG emissions, land use, energy used, acidification and potential eutrophication) after one year of promoting a ...Mediterranean diet (MD).
Baseline and 1-year follow-up data from 5800 participants in the PREDIMED-Plus study were used. Each participant's food intake was estimated using validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires, and the adherence to MD using the Dietary Score. The influence of diet on environmental impact was assessed through the EAT-Lancet Commission tables. The influence of diet on environmental impact was assessed through the EAT-Lancet Commission tables. The association between MD adherence and its environmental impact was calculated using adjusted multivariate linear regression models.
After one year of intervention, the kcal/day consumed was significantly reduced (−125,1 kcal/day), adherence to a MD pattern was improved (+0,9) and the environmental impact due to the diet was significantly reduced (GHG: −361 g/CO2-eq; Acidification:-11,5 g SO2-eq; Eutrophication:-4,7 g PO4-eq; Energy use:-842,7 kJ; and Land use:-2,2 m2). Higher adherence to MD (high vs. low) was significantly associated with lower environmental impact both at baseline and one year follow-up.
Meat products had the greatest environmental impact in all the factors analysed, both at baseline and at one-year follow-up, in spite of the reduction observed in their consumption.
A program promoting a MD, after one year of intervention, significantly reduced the environmental impact in all the factors analysed. Meat products had the greatest environmental impact in all the dimensions analysed.
The possible relationships between stable fly infestation with dairy farm facilities and sanitation practices were studied using path analysis. Twelve dairies located in four counties of ...Aguascalientes dairy region were selected. The dairies were monitored from May to November 2003. In each occasion, fly infestation, individual physical facility characteristics, and sanitation practices were recorded. In all, 11 independent variables were involved in the study and related variables were grouped together and analyzed in two blocks by path analysis for each one of five population events (begin of fly season, first peak, fluctuation, second peak and decrease). There were significant regression coefficients only in the second peak for two variables, the distance to the silos and the distance to the dung heap (
r
2
=
0.96 for the full model). Among the 11 variables examined in the study, none had a statistical significant indirect contribution to fly infestation; direct contribution was observed for distance to the silos and for distance to the dung heap variables. However, only the distance to the silos variable was significantly related to stable fly Infestation.
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