Immersive Virtual Tasks with Motor and Cognitive Components: A Feasibility Study of Adults and Older Adult Fallers and Nonfallers.

The objective of the present study was to compare the feasibility, safety, and satisfaction of an immersive virtual reality system developed specifically for cognitive-sensory-motor training among older adult fallers and nonfallers and adult individuals. This was a cross-sectional observational study, and 20 adults, 20 nonfaller older adults, and 20 faller older adults were assessed. The primary outcome was feasibility assessed with safety and satisfaction measures. Safety outcomes were associated with adverse events occurred during the experience with the immersive virtual reality system (IVRS), assessed through the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire and by registering the falls, pain, or any discomfort reported by the participants. Satisfaction was assessed with a structured questionnaire, answered after 10 minutes of experiencing the IVRS. The dates were assessed with one-way analysis of variance or the Kruskal-Wallis test and Bonferroni post hoc test. The results showed that the IVRS was safe and the participants related good satisfaction with the system. Most of participants related no symptoms (93.6 percent) or light cybersickness symptoms (6.0 percent). There were no occurrences of falls or pain associated with the IVRS. The IVRS was feasible for adults and nonfaller and faller older adults.

Assessment of the decapod crustacean diversity in the Guayana Shield region aiming at conservation decisions / Avaliação da diversidade de crustáceos decápodos na região do escudo das Guianas como subsídio a decisões de conservação

The current state of knowledge of freshwater decapod crustacean diversity of the Guayana Shield Region is briefly assessed, based upon information gathered from the scientific literature as well as unpublished data from academic theses, technical reports, and carcinological collections. The decapod fauna of the region is presently known to include 64 species and subspecies within six families and 17 genera. Diversity by countries, basins, and rivers is listed, comments on endemic, rare or threatened species are made, and information about relevant taxonomic literature is presented. Seven priority areas for conservation actions concerning crustacean decapods are suggested and related to the 25 priority areas defined by the Fishes and Freshwater Working Group at the Guayana Shield Conservation Priority Setting Workshop, held at Paramaribo (Suriname) in April 2002.

Avalia-se resumidamente a situação atual do conhecimento sobre a diversidade dos crustáceos decápodos de água doce da região do Escudo das Guianas com base em informações obtidas da literatura científica e dados inéditos de trabalhos acadêmicos, relatórios técnicos e coleções carcinológicas. A fauna de decápodos da região está atualmente constituída por 64 espécies e subespécies em seis famílias e 17 gêneros. Relaciona-se a diversidade por país, bacias e rios, faz-se comentários sobre espécies endêmicas, raras ou ameaçadas, e apresenta-se informações sobre a literatura taxonômica relevante de cada grupo. Em relação aos crustáceos decápodos, sugere-se sete áreas prioritárias para ações conservacionistas e relaciona-se essas áreas com as 25 áreas prioritárias definidas pelo Grupo de Trabalho em Peixes e Organismos Dulcícolas no "Guayana Shield Conservation Priority Setting Workshop", realizado em Paramaribo (Suriname), em abril de 2002.

Tasa de filtración e ingestión de simocepahlus vetulus (Müller, 1776)(crustacea: cladocera) alimentado con selenastrum capricornutum Printz, 1914 y chlorellavulgaris Beijerinck 1990 / Filtration and ingestion rates of simocephalus vetulus (Müller, 1776)(crustacea: cladocera) fed with selenastrum capricornutum Printz 1914 chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck 1990

Los Cladocera son organismos microfiltradores con un alto potencial para ser utilizados como alimento vivo de diversas especies de peces, tanto en acuarismo como en piscicultura intensiva. Por esta razón es importante el estudio de las tasas de filtración e ingestión de Simocephalus vetulus (Müller, 1776), alimentado con las microalgas de agua dulce Selenastrum capricornutum Printz, 1914 y Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck, 1890 en concentraciones que van desde 4 hasta 500x104cel/ml. Los valores de las tasas de ingestión más elevados (1,04-1,92x106cel/ind/h) se encontraron en los tratamientos donde la densidad alimenticia que se ofreció fue entre 3 y 5x106cel/ml, mientras que las tasas de filtración más altas se obtuvieron en las concentraciones de alimento menores entre 4 y 64x104cel/ml. En cuanto al tipo de fitoplancton se encontró que S. vetulus filtró mayores volúmenes de agua (8,96ml/ind/h), cuando se le alimentó con C. vulgaris que con S. capricornutum (2,02ml/ind/h). Así mismo, se observó una mayor ingestión de células de C. vulgaris (6,45x105cel/ind/h) que de S. capricornutum (4,01x105cel/ind/h)

Ancient androdioecy in the freshwater crustacean Eulimnadia.

Among the variety of reproductive mechanisms exhibited by living systems, one permutation--androdioecy (mixtures of males and hermaphrodites)--is distinguished by its rarity. Models of mating system evolution predict that androdioecy should be a brief stage between hermaphroditism and dioecy (separate males and females), or vice versa. Herein we report evidence of widespread and ancient androdioecy in crustaceans in the genus Eulimnadia, based on observations of over 33,000 shrimp from 36 locations from every continent except Antarctica. Using phylogenetic, biogeographical and palaeontological evidence, we infer that androdioecy in Eulimnadia has persisted for 24-180 million years and has been maintained through multiple speciation events. These results suggest that androdioecy is a highly successful aspect of the life history of these freshwater crustaceans, and has persisted for orders of magnitude longer than predicted by current models of this rare breeding system.

Inventario de los crustaceos decápodos de las zonas alta y media del Delta del Río Orínoco, Venezuela / Inventory of the decapod custaceans of the high and middle Orinoco River Delta, Venezuela

Con el fin de aumentar el crecimiento sobbre la biodiversidad acuática de Venezuela, se presenta un inventario preliminar de las especies de crustáceos decápados del delta del Orínoco y se discute acerca de sus patrones de distribución. Para esto se estudiaronlas colecciones de camarones carídeos y cangrejos brachiuros depositadas en el Museo de Historia Naturalla Salle y el Museo de Biología de la Universidad Central de Venezuela. Se registran un total de 9 especies de camarones y 7 cagrejos, y es señalada por primera vez para Venezuela la especie Palaemonetes ivonicus, Holthuis, 1952

Aspectos Medicos del aborto inducido / Medical aspects of induced abortion

Entre el 25 de febrero al 1 de marzo del presente ano, se llevaron a cabo en la ciudad de La Paz "Las jornadasw multidisciplinarias sobre el aborto". Desde el punto de vista juridico y al decir de la coordinacion general del evento, en la actualidad el 9// de la poblacion total del mundo vive en paises donde el aborto esta prohibido sin excepciones, otro 19// vive en paises en que el aborto esta permitido para salvar la vida de la mujer embarazada. Un 24// de la poblacion mundial vive en paises donde se admite el aborto por algunas causas. Otro 38// admite el aborto sin especificar razones y sobre 10// restante no se tiene informacion al respecto