The helminth community of the wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus from the Erro River valley, Navarre, Spain.

The helminth fauna of the wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus, in the Erro River valley (Navarre, Spain) was investigated from a total of 150 mice between February 2001 and July 2002. An overall prevalence of 90.7% was recorded and up to 14 helminth species identified. The most prevalent species was the nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus (78.0%), whereas Syphacia stroma was the species with the highest median abundance (19.8). The detection of Calodium hepaticum, Rodentolepis straminea and the larvae of Hydatigera taeniaeformis are significant, since these helminth species could be considered potential human parasites. The helminth infracommunity comprised no more than five species. A significant predominance of monoxenous species was detected. Statistically significant differences were also found between prevalences, helminth abundance, species richness and helminth diversity of sub-populations of the wood mouse determined by host age and season of capture, which agree with most of the studies carried out on this host. This study will shed light on the helminth community of the wood mouse from a region of Spain which has not previously been documented.

The effect of early experiences in barn owl (Tyto alba) behaviour. Acquisition-expression time of neophobia and filial imprinting. Implications for management and conservation.

In birds, early experiences determine the later behavioural phenotype of individuals and their way of adapting to the challenges they encounter in their environment. We investigated how the degree of exposure of barn owl chicks to humans and their biological parents influenced their behavioural response to humans and different environments. Only the treatment groups raised by human beings, or those that remained for less time with their biological parents (15 days posthatching), learned to fly towards their trainer. However, the two groups of chicks that were raised the longest by their biological parents (20 and 25 days) never flew towards their trainer. In these last groups, the filial imprint was shown not to be able to be reversed. Neophobia was estimated to emerge between 17 and 19 days of age, as barn owls were able to recognize the environment in which they were habituated, showing fear of a new environment. Birds were able to recognize the person who raised them and objects with which they had been raised. The results obtained in this work can help to establish breeding protocols in this and other species of birds of prey, which improve their adaptability to the environment where they will live, whether in captivity or in the wild.

Impacto de un programa piloto de seguimiento farmacoterapéutico sobre el control de la presión arterial de pacientes ambulatorios hipertensos y con síndrome metabólico en México / Impact of a pilot program of medication review with follow-up on the blood pressure control in hypertension ambulatory patients with metabolic syndrome in Mexico

Introducción: En México el 25.5% de los adultos padecen hipertensión arterial sistémica y aproximadamente el 50% de ellos presenta descontrol de la enfermedad. El farmacéutico puede colaborar en el tratamiento de la presión arterial de pacientes hipertensos. Objetivos: Evaluar la mejoría en la presión arterial en pacientes ambulatorios hipertensos con síndrome metabólico mediante un programa piloto de seguimiento farmacoterapéutico Métodos: Se realizó un estudio controlado, aleatorizado y de intervención en pacientes hipertensos y con síndrome metabólico mediante un programa piloto de seguimiento farmacoterapéutico. Se evaluó el control de la presión arterial y el riesgo cardiovascular (RCV) de acuerdo al NCEP-ATP III. Se otorgó seguimiento farmacoterapéutico durante 6 meses, incluyendo educación sanitaria, monitoreo de adherencia, valoración de problemas relacionados con los medicamentos (PRM) y resultados negativos de la medicación (RNM). Se efectuaron mediciones clínicas y de laboratorio para compararse al final de la intervención. Resultados: El promedio de presión arterial sistólica disminuyó en el 16.1% de los participantes del grupo intervención, alcanzándose la meta control de la guía mexicana para hipertensión y del NCEP-ATP III. El RCV en el grupo de intervención y control fue de "bajo riesgo" usando la calculadora PAHO/WHO, y de un rango de 1% a 9.9% usando escala Framingham. La adherencia farmacológica mejoró en el grupo intervención (p=0.021). El promedio de PRM/paciente cambió de 2.5 (DE=1.3) a 0.4 (DE=0.6) al final del estudio (p<0.01). Conclusiones: El seguimiento farmacoterapéutico favoreció el control de la presión arterial en el 16.1% de la población intervenida por el programa piloto

Introduction: In Mexico, 25.5% of adults live with systemic hypertension and approximately 50% of them have poor control of the disease. The pharmacist may collaborate with the medical team in the treatment of blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Objective: To evaluate the blood pressure improvement in outpatients with hypertension and metabolic syndrome through a medication review with follow-up (MRF) pilot program. Methods: It was carried out a randomized, controlled and interventional study in patients with hypertension and metabolic syndrome through a MRF pilot program. Blood pressure control and cardiovascular risk were evaluated using the NCEP-ATP III. A pharmatherapeutical monitoring was provided during 6 months. It included health education, medication adherence monitoring and DRP and NOM assessment. Clinical and laboratory measures were collected and compared at the end of the intervention period with the control group. Results: The systolic blood pressure average diminished in 16.1% of the participants in the intervention group, reaching the control goal of the hypertension Mexican guideline and NCEP-ATP III. The CVR in both groups was "low" using the PAHO/WHO calculator and from 1% to 9.9% using Framingham score. The prevalence of medication adherence increased significantly in the intervention group (p=0.021). The average of DRP/patient changed from 2.5 (SD=1.3) to 0.4, SD=0.6 (p<0.01) at the end of the intervention