A Community-Engaged Social Marketing Campaign to Promote Equitable Access to COVID-19 Services Among Latino Immigrants.

To address disparities in COVID-19 outcomes among Latinos with limited English proficiency in Maryland, our team developed a culturally congruent intervention that coupled a statewide social marketing campaign with community-based COVID-19 services. In the first year, we reached 305 122 people through social media advertisements and had 9607 visitors to the Web site. Social marketing campaigns represent an opportunity to promote COVID-19 testing and vaccine uptake among Latino populations, especially when they are paired with community services that simultaneously address structural barriers to care. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(3):263-266. https://doi.org/10.2105/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307191).

Anestesia de roedores sigmodontinos en condiciones de campo / Anesthesia in Sigmodontinae Rodents Living out in the Countryside

Resumen Algunas investigaciones de mamíferos silvestres requieren del uso de métodos que faciliten la manipulación de los individuos en condiciones de campo, sin afectar negativamente a los animales o a los investigadores. Dentro de estos métodos, se encuentra la inmovilización química, la cual no ha sido muy documentada en roedores silvestres de la subfamilia Sigmodontinae (Cricetidae). Por ello, en esta investigación se evaluó el uso de éter dietílico inhalado para manipular roedores sigmodontinos en campo, comparando el tiempo de inducción y el tiempo de recuperación de la anestesia entre especies, sexos y tipos de ambientes. Se capturaron y anestesiaron un total de 289 individuos de seis especies en el Parque Nacional Natural Chingaza. El tiempo de inducción de la anestesia fue diferente entre Microryzomys minutus, Neomicroxus bogotensis, Thomasomys laniger y Thomasomys niveipes (F3; 552 = 9,36; p < 0,05); de igual forma, el tiempo de recuperación de la anestesia fue diferente entre dichas especies (H = 9,59; p = 0,022). No se encontraron diferencias en los tiempos de inducción y recuperación de la anestesia entre sexos, ni entre ambientes. La mortalidad total fue de 4,5 %. No se observaron secreciones mucosas, vómito o complicaciones cardíacas o respiratorias en los individuos anestesiados. Los individuos fueron recapturados y no se evidenciaron alteraciones en su comportamiento o aspecto físico que indicaran una afectación por la anestesia o manipulación en capturas previas. La anestesia inhalada con éter dietílico puede ser una opción rápida y segura para inmovilizar y manipular sigmodontinos durante procedimientos cortos en campo dentro de estudios poblacionales o programas de monitoreo en vida silvestre.

Abstract Some researches in wild mammals require methods that enable to handle the animals living in wild conditions, without affecting negatively the animals, or the researchers. These methods include the chemical immobilization, which has not been enough documented when handling wild rodents of the Sigmodontinae subfamily (Cricetidae). Therefore, this research evaluated the use of diethyl ether when handling Sigmodontinae rodents out in the countryside. It compared the induction time to the anesthesia recovery time between species, genders, and type of environments. A total of 289 animals were caught and anesthetized from six species in the Chingaza National Natural Park. The anesthesia induction times were different between Microryzomys minutus, Neomicroxus bogotensis, Thomasomys laniger y Thomasomys niveipes (F3; 552 = 9.36; p < 0.05). Likewise, the anesthesia recovery times were different between the same species (H = 9.59; p = 0.022). No difference was found in the induction times and the anesthesia recovery times between genders, neither for the types of environment. Total mortality was 4.5%. None mucosal secretions, vomit, or cardiac/respiratory complications were observed in the anesthetized animals. These subjects were caught again and they did not show any alterations in their behavior or physical aspect indicating affection derived either from the anesthesia or the previous handling under captivation. Anesthesia with diethyl ether can be a quick and safe choice when it comes to immobilize and handle Sigmodontinae rodents during short procedures out in the countryside, when carrying out population studies or wildlife monitoring programs.

CACERÍA DE SUBSISTENCIA DE MAMÍFEROS EN EL SECTOR ORIENTAL DE LA RESERVA DE BIÓSFERA EL TUPARRO, VICHADA (COLOMBIA) / Subsistence Hunting of Mammals in the Eastern Sector of Tuparro Biosphere Reserve, Vichada (COLOMBIA)

La cacería de subsistencia ha sido una actividad de vital importancia para las comunidades indígenas como fuente de proteína y venta. Se caracterizó la cacería de subsistencia realizada por comunidades de las etnias Piaroa y Curripaco presentes en la Reserva de Biosfera el Tuparro, por medio de registros de caza durante nueve meses de estudio. Se encontró que no hay diferencias significativas en cuanto a especies y número de individuos cazados entre las dos etnias, siendo Artiodactyla y Rodentia los órdenes con mayor aporte respecto al número de individuos, biomasa y riqueza de especies, lo cual fue similar a otros estudios realizados en el Neotrópico. Los Piaroa cazan más frecuentemente cuando los estudiantes llegan de la ciudad al resguardo, mientras que los Curripaco lo hacen para las reuniones evangélicas. El arte de caza más usado por las comunidades de las dos etnias fue la escopeta. Las etnias estudiadas tienen sus zonas de caza en la Reserva de Biósfera El Tuparro, y en ellas, los Curripaco están aprovechando directamente los recursos de su zona núcleo del Parque Nacional Natural El Tuparro.

Subsistence hunting has been an activity of vital importance to indigenous communities as a source of protein and sale. We characterized subsistence hunting by Curripaco and Piaroa ethnic groups present in the Tuparro Biosphere Reserve, through hunting records over nine months of study. We found no significant differences in species and number of individuals hunted by the two ethnic groups. The orders Rodentia and Artiodactyla contributed the most in terms of number of individuals, biomass and species richness, which was similar to studies to the Neotropics. The Piaroa hunt more frequently when students return to the community lands from the city, while the Curripaco do so for religious gatherings. The hunting method used most often by both ethnic groups was the shotgun. The hunting areas used by ethnic groups are within the RBT, and the Curripaco are utilizing the resources of the Tuparro Natural National Park, the core area.

Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Babesia caballi and Theileria equi infection in equids.

A cross-sectional study was carried out on equids (horses, mules and donkeys) in Andalusia, Southern Spain, to assess the level of exposure to equine piroplasmosis and to investigate risk factors associated with these infections. At least one animal seropositive for Theileria equi and/or Babesia caballi was detected in 222/380 (58.4%) herds sampled by competitive inhibition ELISAs. The seroprevalences for B. caballi and T. equi were 13.2% and 56.1%, respectively; there was serological evidence of co-circulation of both piroplasms in 10.8% of herds. Antibodies against equine piroplasms were detected in 286/537 (53.3%) animals; 61 (11.4%) were seropositive for B. caballi, 270 (50.3%) were seropositive for T. equi and 24 (8.4%) were seropositive for both T. equi and B. caballi. There was a significantly higher seroprevalence of B. caballi in mules (32.1%) compared with donkeys (17.0%) and horses (7.9%), and a significantly higher seroprevalence of T. equi in mules (66.1%) in comparison with horses (48.6%), but not donkeys (47.2%). There were significant differences in prevalence of both piroplasms among locations; the seroprevalence of B. caballi ranged from 0 to 22.5%, while the seropositivity to T. equi ranged from 26.7 to 63.3%. A multiple logistic regression model indicated that the risk factors associated with a higher T. equi seroprevalence were increased age, presence of ticks and vaccination against other diseases. Risk factors associated with a higher seroprevalence of B. caballi were species (mules compared to horses), entry of horses in the last 6months, presence of ticks and presence of shelter. The findings indicate widespread exposure to equine piroplasmosis in Southern Spain.

Comparison of low-cost and engineered materials for phosphorus removal from organic-rich surface water.

Excess phosphorus (P) in lakes and rivers remains a major water quality problem on a global scale. As a result, new materials and innovative approaches to P remediation are required. Natural materials and waste byproduct materials from industrial processes have the potential to be effective materials for P removal from surface water. Advantages of natural and waste byproduct materials include their low-cost, abundant supply, and minimal preparation, especially compared with engineered materials, such as ion exchange resins and polymeric adsorbents. As a result, natural and waste byproduct materials are commonly referred to as low-cost materials. Despite the potential advantages of low-cost materials, there are critical gaps in knowledge that are preventing their effective use. In particular, there are limited data on the performance of low-cost materials in surface waters that have high concentrations of natural organic matter (NOM), and there are no systematic studies that track the changes in water chemistry following treatment with low-cost materials or compare their performance with engineered materials. Accordingly, the goal of this work was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of low-cost and engineered materials for P removal from NOM-rich surface water. Seven low-cost materials and three engineered materials were evaluated using jar tests and mini-column experiments. The test water was a surface water that had a total P concentration of 132-250 µg P/L and a total organic carbon concentration of 15-32 mg C/L. Alum sludge, a byproduct of drinking water treatment, and a hybrid anion exchange resin loaded with nanosize iron oxide were the best performing materials in terms of selective P removal in the presence of NOM and minimum undesirable secondary changes to the water chemistry.

Evolution of oxidative/nitrosative stress biomarkers during an open-field vaccination procedure in sheep: effect of melatonin.

Melatonin has been shown to exert immunomodularory properties with broad application in veterinary medicine. In previous work we have described that subcutaneous coadministration of melatonin to seeps vaccinated against two stumps of A1 and C strains of Dichelobacter nodosus enhanced both the antibody titer and serum IgG levels to A1 and C strains of D. nodosus compared to vaccinated animals not treated with melatonin. Following a similar protocol here we have investigated the effect of a higher dose of melatonin (36mg/animal) in the improvement of the immune response and in the possible oxidative/nitrosative stress produced during the immunization protocol. Our results show that footrot vaccine application induced nitrosative but not oxidative stress at 42 days post-vaccination, which was neutralized by melatonin administration. On the other hand, melatonin improved the immune response with respect to our previous data increasing the time of permanence of antibodies in serum, opening new perspectives for melatonin as prophylactic drug.

Melatonin enhances the immune response to vaccination against A1 and C strains of Dichelobacter nodosus.

Melatonin has been shown to exert immunomodulatory properties with broad application in veterinary medicine. Here we have investigated the effect of exogenous melatonin in the improvement of the immune response to administration of an immune-preparation of two stumps of A1 and C strains of Dichelobacter nodosus in sheep. Subcutaneous administration of melatonin enhanced plasma levels of melatonin from days 42 to 120. Administration of melatonin to vaccinated animals enhanced both the titer of antibodies and serum IgG levels to A1 and C strains of D. nodosus compared to vaccinated animals not treated with melatonin. Our results suggest that melatonin increased the immune response to vaccination and open new perspectives in the design of prophylactic strategies.

The use of melatonin as a vaccine agent.

Molecules with immunomodulatory properties determine the magnitude and quality of immune responses specific for the coadministered antigen. Melatonin is considered a biological-response modifier of the immune system with broad application in veterinary medicine. In seasonally-breeding animals, the indolamine is able to improve reproductive performance. With the purpose of expanding new advantageous roles for melatonin, we investigated the effect of subcutaneous slow-release melatonin implants in the humoral response after a vaccination. We reported here a new feature of melatonin as an adjuvant-like system towards Dichelobacter nodosus (A1 and C serotypes)--the bacterium which cause ovine footrot--the most important cause of lameness in sheep. Antibody titres determined by both agglutination and ELISA techniques were substantially higher and were sustained for a longer duration than non-implanted animals. Remarkably, the effect of melatonin was completely dependent on the presence of aluminium hydroxide. The finding that melatonin enhances a defined immune response in vivo opens new perspectives for the improvement of Th2-biased immune responses by alum adjuvants.