[Perception of the educational environment in residents of medical specialties in Chilean universities]. / Percepción del ambiente educacional de postgrado en residentes de especialidades médicas de universidades chilenas.

BACKGROUND: The Learning Environment (LE) influences the performance of students, learning, social life, mental health, and the future of work. AIM: To assess the learning environment (LE) among medical residents of 64 specialties. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two validated instruments "Postgraduate Hospital Education Environment Measure" (PHEEM) and "Ambulatory Care Learning Educational Environment" (ACLEEM), and open questions were answered online by 1259 residents from 15 universities. A descriptive and analytical statistical analysis and semantic deductive-inductive analyses of open questions were performed. RESULTS: LE was positive rather than negative (PHEEM of 100.5 points (79-116) and ACLEEM of 138.5 points (120-157)). An age over 32 years, male sex, studying in a private university, being in first year of residence and being in a non-surgical specialty were associated with a better PHEEM score (p < 0.05). For ACLEEM, the first year of specialty, a non-surgical specialty and studying in a private university were associated with better scores (p < 0.05). Two programs had excellent LE (Pathological Anatomy and Ophthalmology) and no specialty had a very poor performance or many problems. Aspects of teaching, clinical activities, and teachers were strengths reported by students. Aspects to improve were teaching, protected times and clinical activities. CONCLUSIONS: LE among medical specialties had more positive than negative features, but with areas that should be improved.

Health-Related Quality of Life and Depressive Symptomatology in High School Students during the Lockdown Period Due to SARS-CoV-2.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate and compare the prevalence of health-related quality of life and depressive symptomatology in high school students during the lockdown period due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with students attending the High School Education System of the University of Guadalajara, Jalisco, México. Through a Google Forms survey, students answered their perceptions of health-related quality of life and depressive symptomatology. The outcome variable was the presence of depressive symptoms, assessed using the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.8 in both surveys. A total of 1446 students participated (women, 64.9%; mean age of 16.1 ± 0.9 years). Among the students, 22% manifested clinical depressive symptoms (24.4 ± 5.0), and males showed lower scores on health-related quality of life and depressive symptoms (44.9 ± 11.9, p = 0.005) (12 ± 7.7, p = <0.001) compared to their female peers (45.2 ± 10.6, p = 0.005) (13.7 ± 7.5, p = <0.001), respectively. During the lockdown due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, a high prevalence of depressive symptomatology was identified in our students with in addition to a low perception of health-related quality of life in dimensions, mood and emotions, and peers and social support.

Percepción del ambiente educacional de postgrado en residentes de especialidades médicas de universidades chilenas / Perception of the educational environment in residents of medical specialties in Chilean universities

BACKGROUND: The Learning Environment (LE) influences the performance of students, learning, social life, mental health, and the future of work. Aim: To assess the learning environment (LE) among medical residents of 64 specialties. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two validated instruments "Postgraduate Hospital Education Environment Measure" (PHEEM) and "Ambulatory Care Learning Educational Environment" (ACLEEM), and open questions were answered online by 1259 residents from 15 universities. A descriptive and analytical statistical analysis and semantic deductive-inductive analyses of open questions were performed. Results: LE was positive rather than negative (PHEEM of 100.5 points (79-116) and ACLEEM of 138.5 points (120-157)). An age over 32 years, male sex, studying in a private university, being in first year of residence and being in a non-surgical specialty were associated with a better PHEEM score (p < 0.05). For ACLEEM, the first year of specialty, a non-surgical specialty and studying in a private university were associated with better scores (p < 0.05). Two programs had excellent LE (Pathological Anatomy and Ophthalmology) and no specialty had a very poor performance or many problems. Aspects of teaching, clinical activities, and teachers were strengths reported by students. Aspects to improve were teaching, protected times and clinical activities. CONCLUSIONS: LE among medical specialties had more positive than negative features, but with areas that should be improved.

In Vitro Antifungal Activity and Toxicity of Dihydrocarvone-Hybrid Derivatives against Monilinia fructicola.

The aim of this study was to synthesize a series of novel and known dihydrocarvone-hybrid derivatives (2-9) and to evaluate mycelial growth activity of hybrid molecules against two strains of Monilinia fructicola, as well as their toxicity. Dihydrocarvone-hybrid derivatives have been synthesized under sonication conditions and characterized by FTIR, NMR, and HRMS. Antifungal efficacy against both strains of M. fructicola was determined by half maximal effective concentration (EC50) and toxicity using the brine shrimp lethality test (BSLT). Among the synthesized compounds, 7 and 8 showed the best activity against both strains of M. fructicola with EC50 values of 148.1 and 145.9 µg/mL for strain 1 and 18.1 and 15.7 µg/mL for strain 2, respectively, compared to BC 1000® (commercial organic fungicide) but lower than Mystic® 520 SC. However, these compounds showed low toxicity values, 910 and 890 µg/mL, respectively, compared to Mystic® 520 SC, which was highly toxic. Based on the results, these hybrid compounds could be considered for the development of more active, less toxic, and environmentally friendly antifungal agents against phytopathogenic fungi.

[Retrospective analysis of the work of a medical education office]. / Gestión de una oficina de educación médica: evidencia de 10 años y planteamientos de nuevos desafíos para el siglo XXI.

BACKGROUND: Training of health care students at universities is a great challenge for Medical Education Offices. Our office made clear and explained the teaching-learning process from the perspective of teachers, programs, and students. AIM: To report a ten years' analysis of a Medical Education Office (MEO) work, describing the different processes and systematized decisions aimed to improve the quality of the programs and learning results. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A 10 years retrospective analysis of the Medical Education Office processes directed to Medicine, Nursing, Physical Therapy, and Nutrition careers of a Faculty of Medicine. Flunks between 2013 and 2017 were compared. RESULTS: A progressive reduction in flunks was observed in the four careers. Specifically, the proportion of flunks in Nutrition decreased from 30 to 9%. When comparing flunks using a Chi-square test of homogeneity in the four careers, a significant decrease in four of six courses was observed. This led to a sustained increase in number of students who completed their career and obtained their title. Specifically, in Medicine there was a 7.5-fold increase in these figures. The Diploma course trained 90% of the teachers in charge of courses of the four careers. The master's degree generated research that allowed to increase the productivity in health sciences education. CONCLUSIONS: The Office of Medical Education created knowledge and management models for the education of health sciences students, enhancing the quality of training and learning processes.

Gestión de una oficina de educación médica: evidencia de 10 años y planteamientos de nuevos desafíos para el siglo XXI / Retrospective analysis of the work of a medical education office

BACKGROUND: Training of health care students at universities is a great challenge for Medical Education Offices. Our office made clear and explained the teaching-learning process from the perspective of teachers, programs, and students. AIM: To report a ten years' analysis of a Medical Education Office (MEO) work, describing the different processes and systematized decisions aimed to improve the quality of the programs and learning results. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A 10 years retrospective analysis of the Medical Education Office processes directed to Medicine, Nursing, Physical Therapy, and Nutrition careers of a Faculty of Medicine. Flunks between 2013 and 2017 were compared. Results: A progressive reduction in flunks was observed in the four careers. Specifically, the proportion of flunks in Nutrition decreased from 30 to 9%. When comparing flunks using a Chi-square test of homogeneity in the four careers, a significant decrease in four of six courses was observed. This led to a sustained increase in number of students who completed their career and obtained their title. Specifically, in Medicine there was a 7.5-fold increase in these figures. The Diploma course trained 90% of the teachers in charge of courses of the four careers. The master's degree generated research that allowed to increase the productivity in health sciences education. CONCLUSIONS: The Office of Medical Education created knowledge and management models for the education of health sciences students, enhancing the quality of training and learning processes.

Integral Projection Models and Sustainable Forest Management of Agave inaequidens in Western Mexico.

In México, at least 37 Agave species are extracted from wild populations for producing distilled spirits. This activity involves harvesting mature agaves just before producing their inflorescences, which cancels sexual reproduction of plants used. The increasing demand of agaves spirits in national and international markets is determining a strong pressure on wild populations, most of them lacking adequate management. In addition, the dynamics of agave populations may be affected by natural phenomena like oscillation of rainfall regimes, which affects the recruitment of agave seedlings, or the scarcity of pollinators that may affect seed production and general population dynamics. We studied the demography of wild populations of Agave inaequidens to analyze critical conditions for populations recovery, modelling the effects of rainfall trends on the demographic performance of this species, and exploring response of populations to hypothetical extraction regimes and reforestation efforts. Our study was performed in four well-conserved wild populations in Central Western Mexico, each population was sampled in a plot of about one hectare composed by 10 subplots 50 x 5 m (2500 m2). Populations were monitored yearly between 2011 and 2013, measuring plant size, reproductive individuals, and fecundity. Data were analyzed through integral projection models by using the IPMpack for R, to perform prospective analyses. We in addition constructed stochastic models to explore the possible influence of rainfall variation on species demography, using data for the drier and wetter years of the study period. Population growth varied from λ=1.003 to λ=0.899 among populations and years, and exceptionally λ=0.559 after a fire event. Low rainfall decreases λ values, indicating especial limitations to harvesting agaves during dry years whose frequency most probably will increase. In general, extraction rates from 10% to 30% of mature individuals are viable to maintain λ above 1, and these rates may be higher if new plants are introduced in populations. Depending on levels of extraction, our models suggest that it is necessary to carry out actions of reforestation, and in situ management according to the trends found in each site. This is one indispensable condition to maintain λ close to or greater than 1. Sustainable extraction of wild agaves is possible, some communities are already carrying out a repertoire of goods practices in this direction, but together with ecological criteria and good management techniques, strict regulations and social organization are needed to achieve it.

The conservation value of human-modified landscapes for the world's primates.

Land-use change pushes biodiversity into human-modified landscapes, where native ecosystems are surrounded by anthropic land covers (ALCs). Yet, the ability of species to use these emerging covers remains poorly understood. We quantified the use of ALCs by primates worldwide, and analyzed species' attributes that predict such use. Most species use secondary forests and tree plantations, while only few use human settlements. ALCs are used for foraging by at least 86 species with an important conservation outcome: those that tolerate heavily modified ALCs are 26% more likely to have stable or increasing populations than the global average for all primates. There is no phylogenetic signal in ALCs use. Compared to all primates on Earth, species using ALCs are less often threatened with extinction, but more often diurnal, medium or large-bodied, not strictly arboreal, and habitat generalists. These findings provide valuable quantitative information for improving management practices for primate conservation worldwide.

Hummingbird migration and flowering synchrony in the temperate forests of northwestern Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Many species of birds are morphologically and physiologically adapted for migration. Migratory movements of birds can range from thousands of kilometers, such as when birds migrate from wintering to breeding sites in summer, to several kilometers, such as when birds migrate among habitats in a single mountain system. The main factor that influences bird migration is the seasonal fluctuation of food resources; climate, predation, competition for resources and endogenous programming are also important factors. Hummingbirds are highly dependent on nectar, so their migration is likely correlated with the blooming of plant species. The ecological implications of altitudinal migration in the mountains of North America as well as the latitudinal migration of Selasphorus rufus through Mexico are still poorly understood. To explore these issues, over three non-consecutive years, we evaluated interannual variation in the phenologies of a latitudinal migrant (S. rufus) and an altitudinal migrant (Amazilia beryllina) and their visited plants. METHODS: We assessed the relationship between two migratory hummingbirds and flower abundance in 20 fixed-radius plots (25 m radius). All available flowers were counted along transects (40 × 5 m) inside each fixed-radius plot. Sampling was performed every 10 days from November 12 through February 20 of 2010-2011, 2013-2014 and 2015-2016, resulting in a total of 11 samples of each plot per period. Phenological variation and the relationships among hummingbird abundance, flower abundance and vegetation type were evaluated using a generalized additive mixed model. RESULTS: S. rufus abundance was related to sampling time in the first and third periods; this relationship was not significant in the second period. A. beryllina abundance was related with the sampling time over all three periods. The abundance of S. rufus hummingbirds was significantly related to the number of Salvia iodantha flowers. The abundance of A. beryllina hummingbirds was related to the number of S. iodantha and Cestrum thyrsoideum flowers and the total number of flowers. We found a non-significant correlation between S. rufus and A. beryllina abundance and vegetation types. CONCLUSION: Contrary to expectations, the long-distance migration of S. rufus was not consistent over the sampling periods. The migration of S. rufus through the study region may be altered by changes in climate, as has occurred with other species of migratory birds. In the present study, the migration of S. rufus was correlated with the blooming of S. iodantha. In comparison, the altitudinal migrant A. beryllina responded to the availability of floral resources but was not associated with a particular plant. The migration of this latter species in the area probably depends on multiple factors, including climatic and demographic factors, but is particularly dependent on the supply of floral resources and competition for these resources.

Draft Whole Genome Sequence Analyses on Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae Hypersensitive Response Negative Strains Detected from Kiwifruit Bleeding Sap Samples.

Kiwifruit bleeding sap samples, collected in Italian and Chilean orchards from symptomatic and asymptomatic plants, were evaluated for the presence of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae, the causal agent of bacterial canker. The saps were sampled during the spring in both hemispheres, before the bud sprouting, during the optimal time window for the collection of an adequate volume of sample for the early detection of the pathogen, preliminarily by molecular assays, and then through its direct isolation and identification. The results of molecular analyses showed more effectiveness in the P. syringae pv. actinidiae detection when compared with those of microbiological analyses through the pathogen isolation on the nutritive and semiselective media selected. The bleeding sap analyses allowed the isolation and identification of two hypersensitive response (HR) negative and hypovirulent P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains from different regions in Italy. Moreover, multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) and whole genome sequence (WGS) were carried out on selected Italian and Chilean P. syringae pv. actinidiae virulent strains to verify the presence of genetic variability compared with the HR negative strains and to compare the variability of selected gene clusters between strains isolated in both countries. All the strains showed the lack of argK and coronatine gene clusters as reported for the biovar 3 P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains. Despite the biologic differences obtained in the tobacco bioassays and in pathogenicity assays, the MLSA and WGS analyses did not show significant differences between the WGS of the HR negative and HR positive strains; the difference, on the other hand, between PAC_ICE sequences of Italian and Chilean P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains was confirmed. The inability of the hypovirulent strains IPV-BO 8893 and IPV-BO 9286 to provoke HR in tobacco and the low virulence shown in this host could not be associated with mutations or recombinations in T3SS island.

The thermal niche of Neotropical nectar-feeding bats: Its evolution and application to predict responses to global warming.

The thermal niche of a species is one of the main determinants of its ecology and biogeography. In this study, we determined the thermal niche of 23 species of Neotropical nectar-feeding bats of the subfamily Glossophaginae (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae). We calculated their thermal niches using temperature data obtained from collection records, by generating a distribution curve of the maximum and minimum temperatures per locality, and using the inflection points of the temperature distributions to estimate the species optimal (STZ) and suboptimal (SRZ) zones of the thermal niche. Additionally, by mapping the values of the STZ and SRZ on a phylogeny of the group, we generated a hypothesis of the evolution of the thermal niches of this clade of nectar-feeding bats. Finally, we used the characteristics of their thermal niches to predict the responses of these organisms to climate change. We found a large variation in the width and limits of the thermal niches of nectar-feeding bats. Additionally, while the upper limits of the thermal niches varied little among species, their lower limits differ wildly. The ancestral reconstruction of the thermal niche indicated that this group of Neotropical bats evolved under cooler temperatures. The two clades inside the Glossophaginae differ in the evolution of their thermal niches, with most members of the clade Choeronycterines evolving "colder" thermal niches, while the majority of the species in the clade Glossophagines evolving "warmer" thermal niches. By comparing thermal niches with climate change models, we found that all species could be affected by an increase of 1°C in temperature at the end of this century. This suggests that even nocturnal species could suffer important physiological costs from global warming. Our study highlights the value of scientific collections to obtain ecologically significant physiological data for a large number of species.

Differential survival and growth of wild and cultivated seedlings of columnar cacti: Consequences of domestication.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Studies of domestication of cacti in the Tehuacán Valley have identified morphophysiological divergences between wild and cultivated populations. To determine whether such divergences are associated with differential survivorship in xeric and mesic environments characterizing wild and cultivated habitats, respectively, we hypothesized that seedlings from cultivated populations are less tolerant of xeric environments and that differences between wild and cultivated populations are greater in species with higher management intensity. METHODS: We compared size, survivorship, and absolute and relative growth rates (AGRs, RGRs) in shade and humidity gradients of seedlings from wild and cultivated populations of Stenocereus pruinosus, S. stellatus, Polaskia chichipe, and Escontria chiotilla. These species represent a range of management intensity, from highest to lowest, respectively. KEY RESULTS: Seedlings of cultivated populations were larger than those of wild populations in all species studied. The AGRs were significantly different in P. chichipe and E. chiotilla associated with management, whereas the RGRs and seedling survival were significantly different in S. pruinosus and P. chichipe throughout the shade gradient tested. We also found significant differences in seedling survival among humidity treatments in E. chiotilla and among shade treatments in P. chichipe. CONCLUSIONS: Artificial selection favoring larger fruits favors larger seeds and seedlings. Seedling survivorship and growth of managed plants are generally higher in mesic environments apparently because of natural selection associated with habitat conditions. Such differences may contribute to morphophysiological divergences between wild and cultivated populations. Interspecific differences might be associated with adaptations to the natural environments where each species occurs.

Seed-mediated connectivity among fragmented populations of Quercus castanea (Fagaceae) in a Mexican landscape.

PREMISE OF STUDY: Anthropogenic fragmentation is an ongoing process in many forested areas that may create loss of connectivity among tree populations and constitutes a serious threat to ecological and genetic processes. We tested the central hypothesis that seed dispersal mitigates the impact of fragmentation by comparing connectivity and genetic diversity of adult vs. seedling populations in recently fragmented populations of the Mexican red oak Quercus castanea. METHODS: Adult individuals, established before fragmentation, and seedlings, established after fragmentation, were sampled at 33 forest fragments of variable size (0.2 to 294 ha) within the Cuitzeo basin, Michoacán state, and genotyped using seven highly polymorphic chloroplast microsatellite markers (cpSSRs). To test whether seed dispersal retains connectivity among fragmented populations, we compared genetic diversity and connectivity networks between adults and progeny and determined the effect of fragment size on these values. KEY RESULTS: Seventy haplotypes were identified, 63 in the adults and 60 in the seedlings, with average within-population diversity (hS) values of 0.624 in the adults and 0.630 in the seedlings. A positive correlation of genetic diversity values with fragment size was found in the seedling populations but not in the adult populations. The network connectivity analysis revealed lower connectivity among seedling populations than among adults. The number of connections (edges) as well as other network properties, such as betweenness centrality, node degree and closeness, were significantly lower in the seedlings network. CONCLUSIONS: Habitat fragmentation in this landscape is disrupting seed-dispersal-mediated genetic connectivity among extant populations.

Influence of traditional markets on plant management in the Tehuacán Valley.

BACKGROUND: The Tehuacán Valley, Mexico is a region with exceptionally high biocultural richness. Traditional knowledge in this region comprises information on nearly 1,600 plant species used by local peoples to satisfy their subsistence needs. Plant resources with higher cultural value are interchanged in traditional markets. We inventoried the edible plant species interchanged in regional markets documenting economic, cultural and ecological data and about their extraction and management in order to: (1) assess how commercialization and ecological aspects influence plant management, (2) identify which species are more vulnerable, and (3) analyze how local management contributes to decrease their risk. We hypothesized that scarcer plant species with higher economic value would be under higher pressure motivating more management actions than on more abundant plants with lower economic value. However, construction of management techniques is also influenced by the time-span the management responses have taken as well as biological and ecological aspects of the plant species that limit the implementation of management practices. Plant management mitigates risk, but its absence on plant species under high risk may favor local extinction. METHODS: Six traditional markets were studied through 332 semi-structured interviews to local vendors about barter, commercialization, and management types of local edible plant species. We retrieved ethnobotanical information on plant management from ten communities in a workshop and sampled regional vegetation in a total of 98 sites to estimate distribution and abundance of plant species commercialized. Through Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) we analyzed the amount of variation of management types that can be explained from socioeconomic and ecological information. A risk index was calculated relating distribution, abundance, economic value and management of plant resources to identify the most vulnerable species. RESULTS: We recorded 122 edible plant species interchanged in the main regional markets. CCA explained significantly 24% of management variation, spatial distribution and plant parts used being particularly important in management decisions. The indeterminate 76% of variation suggests that management decisions depend on particular variables that are not explained by the ecological and socioeconomic factors studied and/or their high variation in the context at the regional scale. The risk index indicated that management was the factor that mostly influences decreasing of risk of interchanged plant species. We identified Clinopodium mexicanum, Pachycereus weberi, Dasylirion serratifolium, Disocorea sp., Ceiba aesculifolia, Neobuxbamia tetetzo, Lippia graveolens, Litsea glaucescens, L. neesiana, Jatropha neopauciflora, Agave potatorum and other agave species used for producing mescal among the more endangered plant species due to human pressure, their relative scarcity and limited or inexistent management. CONCLUSION: Spatial distribution and plant parts used are particularly meaningful factors determining risk and influencing management actions on edible plant species interchanged in the region. Limited or inexistent management may favor extinction of local populations under risk. Local management techniques synthesize knowledge and experiences crucial for designing sustainable management programs. Traditional management techniques supported by ecological information and environmental management approaches could make valuable contributions for sustainable use of plant species, particularly those becoming economically important more recently.

Ecological and socio-cultural factors influencing plant management in Náhuatl communities of the Tehuacán Valley, Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Management types and their intensity may vary according to indicators such as: (1) practices complexity, (2) degree of techniques specialization, (3) occurrence and types of social regulations, (4) artificial selection intensity, (5) energy invested, (6) tools types, and (7) amounts of resources obtained. Management types of edible plants were characterized and analyzed in Náhuatl communities of the Tehuacán Valley. We expected that both natural and human pressures generate risk on plant resources availability, influencing human responses of management directed to decrease risk. We particularly hypothesized that magnitude of risk would be a direct function of human pressures favored by cultural and economic value and ecological factors such as scarcity (restricted distribution and abundance). Management practices may decrease risk of plant resources, more effectively when they are more intense; however, absence or insufficiency of management practices on endangered plants may favor loss of their populations. Understanding current management motives and their consequences on the purpose of ensuring availability of plant resources might allow us to understand similar processes occurring in the past. This issue is particularly important to be studied in the Tehuacán Valley, where archaeologists documented possible scenarios motivating origins of plant management by agriculture during prehistory. METHODS: Through ethnobotanical collecting, 55 semi-structured and free listing interviews we inventoried edible plant species used in five villages of Coyomeapan, Mexico. We identified: (1) native plant species whose products are obtained exclusively through simple gathering, (2) native species involving simple gathering and other management types, and (3) non-native species managed by agricultural management. We conducted in depth studies on the 33 native species managed through gathering and other types of practices. We carried out a total of 660 sessions of detailed interviews to 20 households randomly selected. We showed to people voucher specimens and photos of the sample of species chosen and documented their cultural and economic values. Spatial availability of these plant species was evaluated through vegetation sampling. Values for each cultural, economic, and ecological indicator were codified and averaged or summed and weighed according to frequency of interviewees' responses or ecological conditions per plant species. With the standardized values of these indicators we performed a PCA and scores of the first principal component were considered as a risk index, which summarizes information of thirteen indicators of human use, demand and scarcity of each plant species. Similarly, eleven indicators of energy invested, complexity, tools and management strategies were used for performing PCA and scores of the first principal component were considered as management intensity index for each plant species. A linear regression analysis was performed to analyze the relation between risk and management intensity indexes. Amounts of variation of management data explained by ecological, cultural and economic information, as well as their risk level were analyzed through canonical correspondence analyses (CCA). RESULTS: A total of 122 edible plant species were recorded, nearly 30% of them were introduced domesticated plants, 51 were wild species obtained exclusively by simple gathering and 33 were native species obtained by simple gathering and other management practices, these latter were the ones more deeply studied. People recognized variants in 21 of these latter 33 species, the variants receiving differential use, management, artificial selection and incipient domestication. The lowest values of management intensity corresponded to species under simple gathering and tolerance, mostly annual abundant plants, occasionally consumed by few people. The highest management intensity values were recorded in species with economic importance, mostly perennial with recognized variants whose management requires using tools, and which are protected by collective regulations. The regression analysis indicated significant value R² = 0.433 (P < 0.001) between risk and management indexes. CCA explained 65.5% of variation of management intensity, mainly by socio-cultural factors (32.6%), whereas ecological data explained 21.3% and the intersection of all factors 11.6%. Variation of management intensity is 67.6% explained by risk variables. Length-span of life cycle, reproductive system type, distribution, number of parts used, number of management and use forms and type of regulations were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: People manage plant resources according to the role these play in households' subsistence, the quantity available and the quality of their useful products; particularly important is the balance between resources availability and demand. Management responses to risk are also influenced by the ease to propagate or manipulate individual plants and time requiring the construction of manipulation strategies and techniques.

Early onset and long lasting protection in pigs provided by a classical swine fever E2-vaccine candidate produced in the milk of goats.

For vaccination against classical swine fever virus (CSFV), it is strongly desirable to induce a rapid and long lasting protection. At present, only live attenuated CSFV vaccines have shown early onset of protection, differing with the recombinant subunit-based vaccines reported so far. Recently, a new vaccine formulation based on E2 envelope viral glycoprotein produced in the milk of goats (E2his) has been shown to induce a highly protective response in pigs against CSFV infection. Pigs immunized with a single dose of this vaccine candidate, formulated as a water-in oil emulsion, elicited an effective response against CSF as early as 7 days post-vaccination. No severe CSF clinical signs were observed and no animals died although the challenge dose was 10(5)PDL(50) of a highly pathogenic CSFV strain. Noticeably, this response completely prevented CSFV infection in pigs when they were challenged under the same conditions 2 weeks after a single dose of the recombinant E2his vaccine formulation. A schedule consisting of a primary immunization with the same vaccine candidate, followed by a booster dose 2 weeks later induced a highly protective response against CSFV infection for as long as 9 months post-vaccination. These promising results demonstrate by far the feasibility of using the E2his-based vaccine in regional programs for preventing and controlling CSF.

Highly protective E2-CSFV vaccine candidate produced in the mammary gland of adenoviral transduced goats.

Classical swine fever virus is the etiological agent of the most economically important highly contagious disease of swine worldwide. E2 is the major envelope glycoprotein present as a homodimer on the outer surface of the virus and represents an important target for the induction of neutralizing immune response against the viral infection. The E2 extracellular domain was expressed in the milk of adenoviral transduced goats at the highest level about 1.2g/L. The recombinant glycoprotein was purified from clarified serum milk by a single metal chelate affinity chromatography step, as a homodimer of approximately 100kDa and purity over 98%. Glycosylation analysis showed the presence of oligomannoside, hybrid and complex type N-glycans, attached to the recombinant E2. The capacity of goat milk-derived E2 antigen to protect pigs from both classical swine fever clinical signs and viral infection was assessed in a vaccination and challenge trial. The immunized pigs became protected after challenge with 10(5) LD(50) of a highly pathogenic CSFV strain. In the context of veterinary vaccines, this expression system has the advantages that the recombinant antigen could be harvested in about 48h after adenoviral transduction with expression levels in the range of g/L. This approach may turn into a scalable expression system for the assessment and production of veterinary vaccines.

Safety of Pochonia chlamydosporia var catenulata in acute oral and dermal toxicity/pathogenicity evaluations in rats and rabbits.

The nematophagous fungus, Pochonia chlamydosporia var. catenulata (Kamyschlco ex Barron & Onions) Zare & W-Gams, was investigated as a potential biocontrol agent in integrated pest management strategy for Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood in vegetable crops in Cuba. An acute oral and dermal toxicity/patogenicity study was performed to determine the safety of this fungus in non-target organisms. In the first study, a 1-dose level of 5 x 10(8) units of the microbial pest control agent/treated rat was used. Mortality or clinical signs were not evident and no adverse effects on body weight, hematology, microbiology and gross or microscopic pathology were observed. Food and water consumption was not significantly different between control and treated groups. In the acute dermal toxicity study, there was neither mortality nor clinical signs of toxicity, and no toxic effects in gross and microscopic pathology were detected. Thus, Pochonia chlamydosporia var. catenulate (Vcc-108, IMI SD 187), administered oral and dermally to rats and rabbits respectively, was safe in toxicity/pathogenicity studies.