Ecuadorian honey types described by Kichwa community in Rio Chico, Pastaza province, Ecuador using Free-Choice Profiling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Vit

Full Text Available Abstract Pastaza is the largest and least populated province in Ecuador, with seven native indigenous nationalities. The Kichwas from the Rio Chico community live near to the capital city Puyo, are recognized for their knowledge on stingless honey bees. From the 400 species of Neotropical Meliponini that make honey in cerumen pots, almost 100 thrive in Southern Ecuador, and confer such biodiversity to pot-honey. In this study sensory characteristics of Ecuadorian false and genuine honeys with diverse entomological origin: Apis mellifera – light amber and amber, Geotrigona leucogastra, Melipona grandis and Scaptotrigona sp. (S. ederi np Schwarz were investigated with Kichwa assessors (four female and four male, aged 18–62 years old. The panel was asked to taste and to identify sensory attributes of honey (appearance, taste, smell, aroma, mouthfeel, other tactile sensations, and to score their intensities in 10 cm unstructured line scales anchored with the words weak and strong, using the Free-Choice Profile methodology The Generalized Procrustes Analysis was used on the data. The first and second dimensions accounted for by 61.1% of the variance. In the descriptive sensory evaluation, darker honeys (amber A. mellifera, false and Geotrigona were separated from (light amber A. mellifera, Melipona and Scaptotrigona by the first dimension; whereas thicker honeys (A. mellifera and false were discriminated from thinner honeys (Geotrigona, Melipona and Scaptotrigona by the second dimension. The assessors were able to evaluate and differentiate honey types without previous sensory training. Remarkably, two Kichwa ladies immediately spit out the false honey, in contrast to an acceptance study on 18-honeys, where the false honey was scored among the preferred ones by 58 participants of the First Congress on Apiculture and Meliponiculture in Ecuador. Therefore, results suggest that Ecuadorian native Kichwas keep a sensory legacy of ancestral knowledge

Hypolobocera guayaquilensis (Decapoda: Pseudothelphusidae): A New Crab Intermediate Host of Paragonimus mexicanus in Manabí Province, Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Calvopina, Manuel; Romero-Alvarez, Daniel; Rendon, Melina; Takagi, Hidekazu; Sugiyama, Hiromu

2018-01-01

To determine that Paragonimus sp. is actively transmitted in a tropical area of the Pacific region of Ecuador where human cases of pulmonary paragonimiasis have recently been documented, a total of 75 freshwater crabs were collected from 2 different streams in the Pedernales area of Manabí Province, Ecuador. All collected crabs were identified as Hypolobocera guayaquilensis based on morphological characteristics of the male gonopods. The hepatopancreas of each crab was examined by compressing it between 2 glass plates followed by observation under a stereomicroscope. Excysted Paragonimus metacercariae were detected in 39 (52.0%) crabs and their densities varied from 1 to 32 per infected crab. There was a positive relationship between crab size and metacercarial density. Sequences of the second internal transcribed spacer region of the ribosomal RNA gene of the Paragonimus metacercariae obtained in this study were identical to those of Paragonimus mexicanus deposited in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank database. Thus, the present study is the first to confirm that the crab species H. guayaquilensis is the second intermediate host of P. mexicanus in Manabí Province, Ecuador. Because this crab might be the possible source of human infections in this area, residents should pay attention to improper crab-eating habits related with a neglected parasitic disease, i.e., paragonimiasis. PMID:29742874

Management effectiveness evaluation in protected areas of southern Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Rodríguez, Fausto; Rosado, Daniel

2017-04-01

Protected areas are home to biodiversity, habitats and ecosystem as well as a critical component of human well-being and a generator of leisure-related revenues. However, management is sometimes unsatisfactory and requires new ways of evaluation. Management effectiveness of 36 protected areas in southern Ecuador have been assessed. The protected areas belong to three categories: Heritage of Natural Areas of the Ecuadorian State (PANE), created and funded by the State, Areas of Forest and Protective Vegetation (ABVP), created but no funded by the State, and private reserves, declared and funded by private entities. Management effectiveness was evaluated by answers of managers of the protected areas to questionnaires adapted to the socio-economic and environmental characteristics of the region. Questions were classified into six elements of evaluation: context, planning, inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes as recommended by IUCN. Results were classified into four levels: unsatisfactory, slightly satisfactory, satisfactory and very satisfactory. The PANE areas and private reserves showed higher management effectiveness levels (satisfactory and very satisfactory) than ABVP areas, where slightly satisfactory and unsatisfactory levels prevailed. Resources availability was found as the main reason behind this difference. The extension, age and province of location were found irrelevant. Outputs, inputs and processes require main efforts to improve management effectiveness. Improving planning and input in the PANE areas and inputs and outcomes on ABVP areas is necessary to obtain a similar result in all areas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comprehensive Survey of Domiciliary Triatomine Species Capable of Transmitting Chagas Disease in Southern Ecuador.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario J Grijalva

Full Text Available Chagas disease is endemic to the southern Andean region of Ecuador, an area with one of the highest poverty rates in the country. However, few studies have looked into the epidemiology, vectors and transmission risks in this region. In this study we describe the triatomine household infestation in Loja province, determine the rate of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in triatomines and study the risk factors associated with infestation.An entomological survey found four triatomine species (Rhodnius ecuadoriensis, Triatoma carrioni, Panstrongylus chinai, and P. rufotuberculatus infesting domiciles in 68% of the 92 rural communities examined. Nine percent of domiciles were infested, and nymphs were observed in 80% of the infested domiciles. Triatomines were found in all ecological regions below 2,200 masl. We found R. ecuadoriensis (275 to 1948 masl and T. carrioni (831 to 2242 masl mostly in bedrooms within the domicile, and they were abundant in chicken coops near the domicile. Established colonies of P. chinai (175 to 2003 masl and P. rufotuberculatus (404 to 1613 masl also were found in the domicile. Triatomine infestation was associated with surrogate poverty indicators, such as poor sanitary infrastructure (lack of latrine/toilet [w = 0.95], sewage to environment [w = 1.0]. Vegetation type was a determinant of infestation [w = 1.0] and vector control program insecticide spraying was a protective factor [w = 1.0]. Of the 754 triatomines analyzed, 11% were infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and 2% were infected with T. rangeli.To date, only limited vector control efforts have been implemented. Together with recent reports of widespread sylvatic triatomine infestation and frequent post-intervention reinfestation, these results show that an estimated 100,000 people living in rural areas of southern Ecuador are at high risk for T. cruzi infection. Therefore, there is a need for a systematic, sustained, and monitored vector control intervention that is

Comprehensive Survey of Domiciliary Triatomine Species Capable of Transmitting Chagas Disease in Southern Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Grijalva, Mario J.; Villacis, Anita G.; Ocaña-Mayorga, Sofia; Yumiseva, Cesar A.; Moncayo, Ana L.; Baus, Esteban G.

2015-01-01

Background Chagas disease is endemic to the southern Andean region of Ecuador, an area with one of the highest poverty rates in the country. However, few studies have looked into the epidemiology, vectors and transmission risks in this region. In this study we describe the triatomine household infestation in Loja province, determine the rate of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in triatomines and study the risk factors associated with infestation. Methodology/Principal Findings An entomological survey found four triatomine species (Rhodnius ecuadoriensis, Triatoma carrioni, Panstrongylus chinai, and P. rufotuberculatus) infesting domiciles in 68% of the 92 rural communities examined. Nine percent of domiciles were infested, and nymphs were observed in 80% of the infested domiciles. Triatomines were found in all ecological regions below 2,200 masl. We found R. ecuadoriensis (275 to 1948 masl) and T. carrioni (831 to 2242 masl) mostly in bedrooms within the domicile, and they were abundant in chicken coops near the domicile. Established colonies of P. chinai (175 to 2003 masl) and P. rufotuberculatus (404 to 1613 masl) also were found in the domicile. Triatomine infestation was associated with surrogate poverty indicators, such as poor sanitary infrastructure (lack of latrine/toilet [w = 0.95], sewage to environment [w = 1.0]). Vegetation type was a determinant of infestation [w = 1.0] and vector control program insecticide spraying was a protective factor [w = 1.0]. Of the 754 triatomines analyzed, 11% were infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and 2% were infected with T. rangeli. Conclusions/Significance To date, only limited vector control efforts have been implemented. Together with recent reports of widespread sylvatic triatomine infestation and frequent post-intervention reinfestation, these results show that an estimated 100,000 people living in rural areas of southern Ecuador are at high risk for T. cruzi infection. Therefore, there is a need for a systematic, sustained

Sex, subdivision, and domestic dispersal of Trypanosoma cruzi lineage I in southern Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Ocaña-Mayorga, Sofía; Llewellyn, Martin S; Costales, Jaime A; Miles, Michael A; Grijalva, Mario J

2010-12-14

Molecular epidemiology at the community level has an important guiding role in zoonotic disease control programmes where genetic markers are suitably variable to unravel the dynamics of local transmission. We evaluated the molecular diversity of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, in southern Ecuador (Loja Province). This kinetoplastid parasite has traditionally been a paradigm for clonal population structure in pathogenic organisms. However, the presence of naturally occurring hybrids, mitochondrial introgression, and evidence of genetic exchange in the laboratory question this dogma. Eighty-one parasite isolates from domiciliary, peridomiciliary, and sylvatic triatomines and mammals were genotyped across 10 variable microsatellite loci. Two discrete parasite populations were defined: one predominantly composed of isolates from domestic and peridomestic foci, and another predominantly composed of isolates from sylvatic foci. Spatial genetic variation was absent from the former, suggesting rapid parasite dispersal across our study area. Furthermore, linkage equilibrium between loci, Hardy-Weinberg allele frequencies at individual loci, and a lack of repeated genotypes are indicative of frequent genetic exchange among individuals in the domestic/peridomestic population. These data represent novel population-level evidence of an extant capacity for sex among natural cycles of T. cruzi transmission. As such they have dramatic implications for our understanding of the fundamental genetics of this parasite. Our data also elucidate local disease transmission, whereby passive anthropogenic domestic mammal and triatomine dispersal across our study area is likely to account for the rapid domestic/peridomestic spread of the parasite. Finally we discuss how this, and the observed subdivision between sympatric sylvatic and domestic/peridomestic foci, can inform efforts at Chagas disease control in Ecuador.

Sex, subdivision, and domestic dispersal of Trypanosoma cruzi lineage I in southern Ecuador.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sofía Ocaña-Mayorga

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Molecular epidemiology at the community level has an important guiding role in zoonotic disease control programmes where genetic markers are suitably variable to unravel the dynamics of local transmission. We evaluated the molecular diversity of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, in southern Ecuador (Loja Province. This kinetoplastid parasite has traditionally been a paradigm for clonal population structure in pathogenic organisms. However, the presence of naturally occurring hybrids, mitochondrial introgression, and evidence of genetic exchange in the laboratory question this dogma.Eighty-one parasite isolates from domiciliary, peridomiciliary, and sylvatic triatomines and mammals were genotyped across 10 variable microsatellite loci. Two discrete parasite populations were defined: one predominantly composed of isolates from domestic and peridomestic foci, and another predominantly composed of isolates from sylvatic foci. Spatial genetic variation was absent from the former, suggesting rapid parasite dispersal across our study area. Furthermore, linkage equilibrium between loci, Hardy-Weinberg allele frequencies at individual loci, and a lack of repeated genotypes are indicative of frequent genetic exchange among individuals in the domestic/peridomestic population.These data represent novel population-level evidence of an extant capacity for sex among natural cycles of T. cruzi transmission. As such they have dramatic implications for our understanding of the fundamental genetics of this parasite. Our data also elucidate local disease transmission, whereby passive anthropogenic domestic mammal and triatomine dispersal across our study area is likely to account for the rapid domestic/peridomestic spread of the parasite. Finally we discuss how this, and the observed subdivision between sympatric sylvatic and domestic/peridomestic foci, can inform efforts at Chagas disease control in Ecuador.

Health Data Concerning Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

1960-01-27

from Machala to Piedras. A less-than-adequate road connects Piedras to Loja . The age of the automobile has not fully arrived in Ecuador and, although...virus from the arthropod and simian reservoirs is not known. 16. Plague. Plague occurs in two provinces of Ecuador : Lojas and Chim- borazo. The disease is...27-01-1960 1 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Health Data Concerning Ecuador 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d

The Putumayo-Oriente-Maranon Province of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru; Mesozoic-Cenozoic and Paleozoic petroleum systems

Science.gov (United States)

Higley, D.K.

2001-01-01

This report is an evaluation of oil and gas resources for petroleum systems of the Putumayo-Oriente-Maranon province of Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru. This assessment is a product of the World Energy Project of the U.S. Geological Survey, under the direction of Thomas Ahlbrandt. Described in this explanation of the petroleum geology of the Putumayo-Oriente-Maranon province are thermal maturation of hydrocarbon source rocks, primary reservoir formations, areas and volumes of oil and (or) gas production, and the history of exploration. Complete oil and gas resource assessment results are planned for a later publication, although some data and results are contained in this report.

Main causes of mortality in the province of Los Ríos - Ecuador year 2015

OpenAIRE

Mazacón Roca, Betthy Narcisa; Zambrano Mazacón, Jimmy Antonio; Álvarez Macias, Blanca Cecilia

2017-01-01

Objective. Analyze the main causes of mortality in Los Ríos-Ecuador during 2015 and thus contribute to the solution of these problems in the area. Materials and methods. Cross-sectional descriptive study of mortality registers of the 2015 data base of the INEC, analyzed with the statistical package SPSS- version 22. Results. We analyzed 66,598 death records of which 2121 correspond to the province of Los Ríos, the average age of life was 66.12 years, the mestizo race has the highest mortality...

Positive deviance study to inform a Chagas disease control program in southern Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Nieto-Sanchez, Claudia; Baus, Esteban G; Guerrero, Darwin; Grijalva, Mario J

2015-05-01

Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, which is mainly transmitted by the faeces of triatomine insects that find favourable environments in poorly constructed houses. Previous studies have documented persistent triatomine infestation in houses in the province of Loja in southern Ecuador despite repeated insecticide and educational interventions. We aim to develop a sustainable strategy for the interruption of Chagas disease transmission by promoting living environments that are designed to prevent colonisation of rural houses by triatomines. This study used positive deviance to inform the design of an anti-triatomine prototype house by identifying knowledge, attitudes and practices used by families that have remained triatomine-free (2010-2012). Positive deviants reported practices that included maintenance of structural elements of the house, fumigation of dwellings and animal shelters, sweeping with "insect repellent" plants and relocation of domestic animals away from the house, among others. Participants favoured construction materials that do not drastically differ from those currently used (adobe walls and tile roofs). They also expressed their belief in a clear connection between a clean house and health. The family's economic dynamics affect space use and must be considered in the prototype's design. Overall, the results indicate a positive climate for the introduction of housing improvements as a protective measure against Chagas disease in this region.

Self-Burns in Fars Province, Southern Iran

OpenAIRE

Mohammadi, Ali Akbar; Tohidinik, Hamid Reza; Zardosht, Mitra; Seyed Jafari, Seyed Morteza

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND The alarming incidence of self- burning provoked to set up a multidisciplinary preventive program to decrease the incidence and complications of this harmful issue. This study investigated the incidence and the preventive measures in self-burn in Fars Province, southern Iran. METHODS This study was a longitudinal prospective design on trend of self-inflicted burn injuries in Fars province after setting up a regional multidisciplinary preventive plan (2009-2012). RESULTS From 18862 ...

New findings of Pleistocene fossil turtles (Geoemydidae, Kinosternidae and Chelydridae from Santa Elena Province, Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edwin A. Cadena

2017-04-01

Full Text Available New Pleistocene fossilized turtle remains from five localities of western Ecuador (Santa Elena Province are described here. All these shell (carapace and plastron fossil remains come from the Tablazo Formation and belong to three different lineages of cryptodires (“hidden-necked” turtles. The most abundant remains belong to geoemydids, attributed here to the genus Rhinoclemmys (indeterminate species. Less abundant in occurrence are the kinosternidids, attributed to Kinosternon (indeterminate species, and the first fossil record of chelydrids, Chelydra(indeterminate species, in the entirety of Central and South America.

Past and Present Perspectives on Indigenous Tourism in the Pastaza Province of Ecuador: The Case of Kapawi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernardo Peredo

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Ecuador has a wide range of ecotourism initiatives throughout the country. Since the 1990s, many Indigenous communities have started to organize themselves in order to run their own ecotourism programs. As a result, scholars have suggested that Indigenous ecotourism in Latin America started in Ecuador with the advent of community-owned projects, particularly in the Amazon. One of the first initiatives was Kapawi, located in the Achuar territory of Pastaza Province. The project was initiated by a private tour operator through a joint venture with the Achuar Indigenous organization. A transfer process started in 2008 and Kapawi is now managed by the Achuar communities, with a new set of opportunities and challenges. This article uses data collected from extensive fieldwork to examine the evolution, lessons learned, dynamics, and perspectives of the Kapawi enterprise.

Positive deviance study to inform a Chagas disease control program in southern Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Nieto-Sanchez

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, which is mainly transmitted by the faeces of triatomine insects that find favourable environments in poorly constructed houses. Previous studies have documented persistent triatomine infestation in houses in the province of Loja in southern Ecuador despite repeated insecticide and educational interventions. We aim to develop a sustainable strategy for the interruption of Chagas disease transmission by promoting living environments that are designed to prevent colonisation of rural houses by triatomines. This study used positive deviance to inform the design of an anti-triatomine prototype house by identifying knowledge, attitudes and practices used by families that have remained triatomine-free (2010-2012. Positive deviants reported practices that included maintenance of structural elements of the house, fumigation of dwellings and animal shelters, sweeping with "insect repellent" plants and relocation of domestic animals away from the house, among others. Participants favoured construction materials that do not drastically differ from those currently used (adobe walls and tile roofs. They also expressed their belief in a clear connection between a clean house and health. The family's economic dynamics affect space use and must be considered in the prototype's design. Overall, the results indicate a positive climate for the introduction of housing improvements as a protective measure against Chagas disease in this region.

Ethnobotany of Indigenous Saraguros: Medicinal Plants Used by Community Healers "Hampiyachakkuna" in the San Lucas Parish, Southern Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade, José M; Lucero Mosquera, Hernán; Armijos, Chabaco

2017-01-01

This paper reports the results of an ethnobotanical survey on the use of medicinal plants by community healers "Hampiyachakkuna" in the San Lucas Parish, province of Loja, Ecuador. A particular ethnic group, the indigenous Saraguros, inhabits this region. This study reports 183 plant species used in 75 different curative therapies by the Saraguro healers.

Insight into the wild origin, migration and domestication history of the fine flavour Nacional Theobroma cacao L. variety from Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Loor Solorzano, Rey Gaston; Fouet, Olivier; Lemainque, Arnaud; Pavek, Sylvana; Boccara, Michel; Argout, Xavier; Amores, Freddy; Courtois, Brigitte; Risterucci, Ange Marie; Lanaud, Claire

2012-01-01

Ecuador's economic history has been closely linked to Theobroma cacao L cultivation, and specifically to the native fine flavour Nacional cocoa variety. The original Nacional cocoa trees are presently in danger of extinction due to foreign germplasm introductions. In a previous work, a few non-introgressed Nacional types were identified as potential founders of the modern Ecuadorian cocoa population, but so far their origin could not be formally identified. In order to determine the putative centre of origin of Nacional and trace its domestication history, we used 80 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to analyse the relationships between these potential Nacional founders and 169 wild and cultivated cocoa accessions from South and Central America. The highest genetic similarity was observed between the Nacional pool and some wild genotypes from the southern Amazonian region of Ecuador, sampled along the Yacuambi, Nangaritza and Zamora rivers in Zamora Chinchipe province. This result was confirmed by a parentage analysis. Based on our results and on data about pre-Columbian civilization and Spanish colonization history of Ecuador, we determined, for the first time, the possible centre of origin and migration events of the Nacional variety from the Amazonian area until its arrival in the coastal provinces. As large unexplored forest areas still exist in the southern part of the Ecuadorian Amazonian region, our findings could provide clues as to where precious new genetic resources could be collected, and subsequently used to improve the flavour and disease resistance of modern Ecuadorian cocoa varieties.

Ethnobotany of Indigenous Saraguros: Medicinal Plants Used by Community Healers “Hampiyachakkuna” in the San Lucas Parish, Southern Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José M. Andrade

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the results of an ethnobotanical survey on the use of medicinal plants by community healers “Hampiyachakkuna” in the San Lucas Parish, province of Loja, Ecuador. A particular ethnic group, the indigenous Saraguros, inhabits this region. This study reports 183 plant species used in 75 different curative therapies by the Saraguro healers.

Ethnobotany of Indigenous Saraguros: Medicinal Plants Used by Community Healers “Hampiyachakkuna” in the San Lucas Parish, Southern Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Lucero Mosquera, Hernán; Armijos, Chabaco

2017-01-01

This paper reports the results of an ethnobotanical survey on the use of medicinal plants by community healers “Hampiyachakkuna” in the San Lucas Parish, province of Loja, Ecuador. A particular ethnic group, the indigenous Saraguros, inhabits this region. This study reports 183 plant species used in 75 different curative therapies by the Saraguro healers. PMID:28744470

Insight into the wild origin, migration and domestication history of the fine flavour Nacional Theobroma cacao L. variety from Ecuador.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rey Gaston Loor Solorzano

Full Text Available Ecuador's economic history has been closely linked to Theobroma cacao L cultivation, and specifically to the native fine flavour Nacional cocoa variety. The original Nacional cocoa trees are presently in danger of extinction due to foreign germplasm introductions. In a previous work, a few non-introgressed Nacional types were identified as potential founders of the modern Ecuadorian cocoa population, but so far their origin could not be formally identified. In order to determine the putative centre of origin of Nacional and trace its domestication history, we used 80 simple sequence repeat (SSR markers to analyse the relationships between these potential Nacional founders and 169 wild and cultivated cocoa accessions from South and Central America. The highest genetic similarity was observed between the Nacional pool and some wild genotypes from the southern Amazonian region of Ecuador, sampled along the Yacuambi, Nangaritza and Zamora rivers in Zamora Chinchipe province. This result was confirmed by a parentage analysis. Based on our results and on data about pre-Columbian civilization and Spanish colonization history of Ecuador, we determined, for the first time, the possible centre of origin and migration events of the Nacional variety from the Amazonian area until its arrival in the coastal provinces. As large unexplored forest areas still exist in the southern part of the Ecuadorian Amazonian region, our findings could provide clues as to where precious new genetic resources could be collected, and subsequently used to improve the flavour and disease resistance of modern Ecuadorian cocoa varieties.

A new species of Pristimantis from southern Ecuador (Anura, Craugastoridae)

Science.gov (United States)

Székely, Paul; Cogălniceanu, Dan; Székely, Diana; Páez, Nadia; Ron, Santiago R.

2016-01-01

Abstract A new species of Pristimantis is described from Reserva Buenaventura, southern Ecuador, at elevations between 878 and 1082 m. A molecular phylogeny based on nuclear and mitochondrial genes shows that the new species is closely related to Pristimantis phoxocephalus, Pristimantis riveti, and Pristimantis versicolor. The new species differs from them and other morphologically similar congeners in having a low W-shaped dermal ridge in the scapular region, a large conical tubercle on the upper eyelid and on the heel, a thin mid dorsal fold, and a longitudinal lateral fold starting behind the tympanic fold and extending along the anterior two thirds of the flank. The new species inhabits cloud forests in the Pacific slopes of the Andes. PMID:27551223

Reasons for an outstanding plant diversity in the tropical Andes of Southern Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Richter

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Long-term field studies in the scope of a multidisciplinary project in southern Ecuador revealed extraordinary high species numbers of many organismic groups. This article discusses reasons for the outstanding vascular plant diversity using a hierarchical scale-oriented top-down approach (Grüninger 2005, from the global scale to the local microscale. The global scale explains general (paleo- ecological factors valid for most parts of the humid tropics, addressing various hypotheses and theories, such as the “greater effective evolutionary time”, constant input of “accidentals”, the “seasonal variability hypothesis”, the “intermediate disturbance hypothesis”, and the impact of soil fertility. The macroscale focuses on the Andes in northwestern South America. The tropical Andes are characterised by many taxa of restricted range which is particularly true for the Amotape-Huancabamba region, i.e. the so called Andean Depression, which is effective as discrete phytogeographic transition as well as barrier zone. Interdigitation of northern and southern flora elements, habitat fragmentation, geological and landscape history, and a high speciation rate due to rapid genetic radiation of some taxa contribute to a high degree of diversification. The mesoscale deals with the special environmental features of the eastern mountain range, the Cordillera Real and surrounding areas in southern Ecuador. Various climatic characteristics, the orographic heterogeneity, the geologic and edaphic conditions as well as human impact are the most prominent factors augmenting plant species diversity. On microscale, prevailing regimes of disturbance and environmental stresses, the orographic basement, as well as the general role on the various mountain chains are considered. Here, micro-habitats e.g. niches for epiphytes, effects of micro-relief patterns, and successions after small-sized disturbance events are screened. Direct effects of human impact are

Mammalia, Chiroptera, Thyropteridae, Thyroptera tricolor Spix, 1823: Distribution extension in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boada, C. E.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In Ecuador, Thyroptera tricolor is distributed on the northern coastal region, in Amazonia, and in the foothillsof the Andes between 50 to 1,800 m of altitude. We reported a capture of a non-breeding female at El Descanso, Los RíosProvince, in the central coastal region of Ecuador. With this record, we have extended the geographical distribution of T.tricolor in Ecuador 55 km further south. Using the available data for Ecuador, a predictive distribution model was generatedusing a Maximum Entropy approach.

Quantifying seasonal and diel variation in Anopheline and Culex human biting rates in Southern Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Sadie J; Lippi, Catherine A; Boersch-Supan, Philipp H; Heydari, Naveed; Silva, Mercy; Adrian, Jefferson; Noblecilla, Leonardo F; Ayala, Efraín B; Encalada, Mayling D; Larsen, David A; Krisher, Jesse T; Krisher, Lyndsay; Fregosi, Lauren; Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M

2017-11-22

Quantifying mosquito biting rates for specific locations enables estimation of mosquito-borne disease risk, and can inform intervention efforts. Measuring biting itself is fraught with ethical concerns, so the landing rate of mosquitoes on humans is often used as a proxy measure. Southern coastal Ecuador was historically endemic for malaria (Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax), although successful control efforts in the 2000s eliminated autochthonous transmission (since 2011). This study presents an analysis of data collected during the elimination period. Human landing catch (HLC) data for three mosquito taxa: two malaria vectors, Anopheles albimanus and Anopheles punctimacula, and grouped Culex spp. were examined for this study. These data were collected by the National Vector Control Service of the Ministry of Health over a 5-year time span (2007-2012) in five cities in southern coastal Ecuador, at multiple households, in all months of the year, during dusk-dawn (18:00-6:00) hours, often at both indoor and outdoor locations. Hurdle models were used to determine if biting activity was fundamentally different for the three taxa, and to identify spatial and temporal factors influencing bite rate. Due to the many different approaches to studying and quantifying bite rates in the literature, a glossary of terms was created, to facilitate comparative studies in the future. Biting trends varied significantly with species and time. All taxa exhibited exophagic feeding behavior, and outdoor locations increased both the odds and incidence of bites across taxa. Anopheles albimanus was most frequently observed biting, with an average of 4.7 bites/h. The highest and lowest respective months for significant biting activity were March and July for An. albimanus, July and August for An. punctimacula, and February and July for Culex spp. Fine-scale differences in endophagy and exophagy, and temporal differences among months and hours exist in biting patterns among

Biogeography of Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae in Ecuador: implications for the design of control strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abad-Franch Fernando

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Chagas disease control strategies strongly depend on the triatomine vector species involved in Trypanosoma cruzi transmission within each area. Here we report the results of the identification of specimens belonging to various species of Triatominae captured in Ecuador (15 species from 17 provinces and deposited in the entomological collections of the Catholic University of Ecuador (Quito, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Brazil, the Natural History Museum London (UK, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (UK, the National Institute of Hygiene (Quito, and the Vozandes Hospital (Quito. A critical review of published information and new field records are presented. We analysed these data in relation to the life zones where triatomines occur (11 life zones, excluding those over 2,200 m altitude, and provide biogeographical maps for each species. These records are discussed in terms of epidemiological significance and design of control strategies. Findings relevant to the control of the main vector species are emphasised. Different lines of evidence suggest that Triatoma dimidiata is not native to Ecuador-Peru, and that synanthropic populations of Rhodnius ecuadoriensis in southern Ecuador-northern Peru might be isolated from their sylvatic conspecifics. Local eradication of T. dimidiata and these R. ecuadoriensis populations might therefore be attainable. However, the presence of a wide variety of native species indicates the necessity for a strong longitudinal surveillance system.

African palm in Los Rios Province of Ecuador: agrobusiness, the state and violation of peasants´ rights

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalia Landívar

2013-10-01

Full Text Available This article provides an analysis of the African palm cluster in the upper region of Los Rios province, and is an emblematic case that reveals the current condition of the power exerted by agro-business in Ecuador. As the analysis of the various actors of the cluster demonstrates, this sector has relied on strong state support, as a result of coalitions between State and a handful of big companies that concentrate the sector’s income and result in the violation of peasant and small producers Human Rights. This process, apparently, hides the historical discrimination towards this constituency and perpetuates historical disadvantages and social debts in our society.

Study on the mortality in Ecuador related to dietary factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Neira-Mosquera, Juan Alejandro; Pérez-Rodríguez, Fernando; Sánchez-Llaguno, Sungey; Moreno Rojas, Rafael

2013-01-01

Diet is an important factor related to the development of numerous diseases. In developing countries like Ecuador, this aspect is not considered as priority however, the study of the incidence of certain diet-related diseases could help to assess consumption habits of a country from a Public Health perspective and support national nutrition policies and programs. The objective the present study is to investigate the mortality rate of certain diet-related diseases in Ecuador and its possible relationship with Ecuadorian consumption habits. For that, mortality rates (2001-2008) associated with five different disease groups related to dietary factors (cancer of colon, cerebrovascular diseases, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and liver diseases) were collected, analyzed and compared to consumption patterns in Ecuador. According to results, Ecuador has a low level of cancer of colon in comparison with developed countries (e.g. Spain). The group with the highest number of deaths corresponded to cardiovascular diseases followed by cerebrovascular diseases. The mortality study per province revealed that Amazonian provinces showed few deaths in relation to other provinces in Ecuador. This could be due to different factors including fails in the disease surveillance information systems, environmental factors and consumption patterns. In this sense, further investigation on native products consumption such as "chontaduro" might help to find valuable foods contributing to healthier Ecuadorian diet. These results, though preliminary, evidence that a major effort should be made by national and international organisations to collect data on consumption patterns and nutritional aspects of the Ecuadorian population in order to better support the development of effective food security and nutrition policies. Copyright © AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of High-Risk Genotypes of Human Papillomavirus: Women Diagnosed with Premalignant and Malignant Pap Smear Tests in Southern Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Loján González, Cisne; Córdova Rodríguez, Ana; Acurio Páez, Katherine; Arévalo, Ana Paulina; Bobokova, Jana

2017-01-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary infectious agent for the development of cervical cancer, although the presence of the virus alone is insufficient for viral development and proliferation; this can be attributed to the increase in potential oncogenic risk, along with other risk factors. In the present investigation, the prevalence of high-risk HPV was determined from samples of premalignant or malignant cervical cytology in women from the southern region of Ecuador. The kit we used was able to detect genotypes 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, and 59. In addition, 64.5% of the analyzed samples were positive for HPV, with genotypes 16 and 18 being the most prevalent (16 was detected in 148 samples and 18 in 108). Genotypes 58 and 51 were the third most frequent simple and multiple infections, respectively. The data are very similar to those obtained worldwide, suggesting that the strategy of sex education, and the use of vaccines as primary prevention agents, could significantly decrease the incidence and mortality rate of cervical cancer in the southern region of Ecuador. PMID:28717342

Genetic and phenotypic diversity of Rhizobium isolates from Southern Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roldán Torres-Gutiérrez

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Rhizobium-legume symbioses play relevant roles in agriculture but have not been well studied in Ecuador. The aim of this study was to characterize the genetic and phenotypic diversity of Rhizobium isolates associated with Phaseolus vulgaris from southern Ecuador. Morpho-cultural characterization, biochemical tests and physiological analyses were conducted to authenticate and determine the diversity of bacteria Rhizobium-like isolates. The genetic diversity of the isolates was determined by molecular techniques, which consisted of bacteria DNA extraction and amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The nodulation parameters and nitrogen fixation for P. vulgaris under greenhouse conditions were also assessed to determine the phenotypic diversity among isolates. Furthermore, bacteria indole-acetic-acid production was evaluated by the colorimetric method. Morpho-cultural and biochemical characteristic assessments demonstrated that Rhizobium-like bacteria was associated with the P. vulgaris nodules. The diversity among the isolates, as determined by physiological analyses, revealed the potential of several isolates to grow at different pH values, salinity conditions and temperatures. Partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene identified the Rhizobium genus in every sampling site. From a total of 20 aligned sequences, nine species of Rhizobium were identified. Nodule formation and biomass, as well as nitrogen fixation, showed an increase in plant phenotypic parameters, which could be influenced by IAA production, especially for the strains R. mesoamericanum NAM1 and R. leguminosarum bv. viciae COL6. These results demonstrated the efficiency of native symbiotic diazotrophic strains inoculants for legume production. This work can serve as the basis for additional studies of native Rhizobium strains and to help spread the use of biofertilizers in Ecuadorian fields.

Checklist of the flower flies of Ecuador (Diptera, Syrphidae)

Science.gov (United States)

Marín-Armijos, Diego; Quezada-Ríos, Noelia; Soto-Armijos, Carolina; Mengual, Ximo

2017-01-01

Abstract Syrphidae is one of the most speciose families of true flies, with more than 6,100 described species and worldwide distribution. They are important for humans acting as crucial pollinators, biological control agents, decomposers, and bioindicators. One third of its diversity is found in the Neotropical Region, but the taxonomic knowledge for this region is incomplete. Thus, taxonomic revisions and species checklists of Syrphidae in the Neotropics are the highest priority for biodiversity studies. Therefore, we present the first checklist of Syrphidae for Ecuador based on literature records, and provide as well the original reference for the first time species citations for the country. A total of 201 species were recorded for Ecuador, with more than 600 records from 24 provinces and 237 localities. Tungurahua, Pastaza, and Galápagos were the best sampled provinces. Although the reported Ecuadorian syrphid fauna only comprises 11.2 % of the described Neotropical species, Ecuador has the third highest flower fly diversity density after Costa Rica and Suriname. These data indicate the high species diversity for this country in such small geographic area. PMID:29200924

Checklist of the flower flies of Ecuador (Diptera, Syrphidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego Marín-Armijos

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Syrphidae is one of the most speciose families of true flies, with more than 6,100 described species and worldwide distribution. They are important for humans acting as crucial pollinators, biological control agents, decomposers, and bioindicators. One third of its diversity is found in the Neotropical Region, but the taxonomic knowledge for this region is incomplete. Thus, taxonomic revisions and species checklists of Syrphidae in the Neotropics are the highest priority for biodiversity studies. Therefore, we present the first checklist of Syrphidae for Ecuador based on literature records, and provide as well the original reference for the first time species citations for the country. A total of 201 species were recorded for Ecuador, with more than 600 records from 24 provinces and 237 localities. Tungurahua, Pastaza, and Galápagos were the best sampled provinces. Although the reported Ecuadorian syrphid fauna only comprises 11.2 % of the described Neotropical species, Ecuador has the third highest flower fly diversity density after Costa Rica and Suriname. These data indicate the high species diversity for this country in such small geographic area.

Soil transmitted helminthiasis in indigenous groups. A community cross sectional study in the Amazonian southern border region of Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Romero-Sandoval, Natalia; Ortiz-Rico, Claudia; Sánchez-Pérez, Héctor Javier; Valdivieso, Daniel; Sandoval, Carlos; Pástor, Jacob; Martín, Miguel

2017-01-01

Background Rural communities in the Amazonian southern border of Ecuador have benefited from governmental social programmes over the past 9 years, which have addressed, among other things, diseases associated with poverty, such as soil transmitted helminth infections. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of geohelminth infection and several factors associated with it in these communities. Methods This was a cross sectional study in two indigenous communities of the Amazonian southern border of Ecuador. The data were analysed at both the household and individual levels. Results At the individual level, the prevalence of geohelminth infection reached 46.9% (95% CI 39.5% to 54.2%), with no differences in terms of gender, age, temporary migration movements or previous chemoprophylaxis. In 72.9% of households, one or more members were infected. Receiving subsidies and overcrowding were associated with the presence of helminths. Conclusions The prevalence of geohelminth infection was high. Our study suggests that it is necessary to conduct studies focusing on communities, and not simply on captive groups, such as schoolchildren, with the object of proposing more suitable and effective strategies to control this problem. PMID:28292765

Precipitation dynamics and chemical properties in tropical mountain forests of Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Rollenbeck

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Terrestrial ecosystems in southern Ecuador are strongly affected by interannual climate variations. This holds especially true for the episodic El Niño events, which cause above-normal precipitation in the coastal region of Ecuador and below normal values in the eastern provinces of the Amazon basin (Bendix, 1999. For the transitional zone between these two extremes, which consists mainly of the andean slopes and larger interandean basins the effect on interannual climate variability is not well known. The PREDICT project monitors regional climate in the provinces of Loja and Zamora-Chinchipe (4° S/79° W, where a strong gradients of precipitation are observed. Between the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Real and the dry valley of Catamayo, which are only 70km apart, rain totals drop from over 4000 mm to only 300 mm per year. These two extremes represent the both sides of the Andean mountain chain and are completely covered by the study area, which is 120 km in diameter. Methods used are a combination of point measurements (climate stations and remote sensing devices (weather radar, satellite imagery, which enable a high-resolution real-time observation of rain distribution and underlying processes. By this, ideal conditions are given to monitor a potential shift of the transition zone between below-average and above-average rainfall situated in this region, if another ENSO-anomaly occurs. Furthermore variability of atmospheric nutrient inputs is analysed within the scope of the project, to assess further impacts on this ecosystem.

Precipitation dynamics and chemical properties in tropical mountain forests of Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Rollenbeck, R.; Fabian, P.; Bendix, J.

2006-01-01

Terrestrial ecosystems in southern Ecuador are strongly affected by interannual climate variations. This holds especially true for the episodic El Niño events, which cause above-normal precipitation in the coastal region of Ecuador and below normal values in the eastern provinces of the Amazon basin (Bendix, 1999). For the transitional zone between these two extremes, which consists mainly of the andean slopes and larger interandean basins the effect on interannual climate variability is not well known. The PREDICT project monitors regional climate in the provinces of Loja and Zamora-Chinchipe (4° S/79° W), where a strong gradients of precipitation are observed. Between the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Real and the dry valley of Catamayo, which are only 70km apart, rain totals drop from over 4000 mm to only 300 mm per year. These two extremes represent the both sides of the Andean mountain chain and are completely covered by the study area, which is 120 km in diameter. Methods used are a combination of point measurements (climate stations) and remote sensing devices (weather radar, satellite imagery), which enable a high-resolution real-time observation of rain distribution and underlying processes. By this, ideal conditions are given to monitor a potential shift of the transition zone between below-average and above-average rainfall situated in this region, if another ENSO-anomaly occurs. Furthermore variability of atmospheric nutrient inputs is analysed within the scope of the project, to assess further impacts on this ecosystem.

Growth hormone receptor deficiency in Ecuador: clinical and biochemical phenotype in two populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Guevara-Aguirre, J; Rosenbloom, A L; Fielder, P J; Diamond, F B; Rosenfeld, R G

1993-02-01

We have identified 56 patients with GH receptor deficiency (Laron syndrome) from two provinces in southern Ecuador, one group of 26 (Loja province) with a 4:1 female predominance and 30 patients from neighboring El Oro province with a normal sex ratio. There were no significant differences between the Loja and El Oro populations in stature (-5.3 to -11.5 standard deviation score), other auxologic measures, or in biochemical measures. GH binding protein, the circulating extracellular domain of the GH receptor, was measured by ligand immunofunction assay and found to be comparably low in children and adults. Levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and -II and the GH-dependent IGF binding protein-3 (measured by RIA) were significantly greater, and GH and IGF binding protein-2 levels significantly lower in adults than children. Levels of IGF-I (adults) and IGF binding protein-3 (children and adults) correlated inversely with statural deviation from normal (P < 0.01). School performance was at an exceptionally high level, 41 out of 47 who had attended school being in the top 3 in classes of 15-50 persons.

Ecological factors related to the widespread distribution of sylvatic Rhodnius ecuadoriensis populations in southern Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grijalva Mario J

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Chagas disease transmission risk is a function of the presence of triatomines in domestic habitats. Rhodnius ecuadoriensis is one of the main vectors implicated in transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in Ecuador. This triatomine species is present in domestic, peridomestic and sylvatic habitats in the country. To determine the distribution of sylvatic populations of R. ecuadoriensis and the factors related to this distribution, triatomine searches were conducted between 2005 and 2009 in southern Ecuador. Methods Manual triatomine searches were conducted by skilled bug collectors in 23 communities. Sylvatic searched sites were selected by a directed sampling, where microhabitats were selected by the searchers and b random sampling, where sampling points where randomly generated. Domiciliary triatomine searches were conducted using the one man-hour method. Natural trypanosome infection was determined by microscopic examination and PCR. Generalized linear models were used to test the effect of environmental factors on the presence of sylvatic triatomines. Results In total, 1,923 sylvatic individuals were collected representing a sampling effort of 751 man-hours. Collected sylvatic triatomines were associated with mammal and bird nests. The 1,219 sampled nests presented an infestation index of 11.9%, a crowding of 13 bugs per infested nest, and a colonization of 80% of the nests. Triatomine abundance was significantly higher in squirrel (Sciurus stramineus nests located above five meters from ground level and close to the houses. In addition, 8.5% of the 820 examined houses in the same localities were infested with triatomines. There was a significant correlation between R. ecuadoriensis infestation rates found in sylvatic and synanthropic environments within communities (p = 0.012. Parasitological analysis revealed that 64.7% and 15.7% of the sylvatic bugs examined (n = 300 were infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and T. rangeli

Ecological factors related to the widespread distribution of sylvatic Rhodnius ecuadoriensis populations in southern Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Chagas disease transmission risk is a function of the presence of triatomines in domestic habitats. Rhodnius ecuadoriensis is one of the main vectors implicated in transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in Ecuador. This triatomine species is present in domestic, peridomestic and sylvatic habitats in the country. To determine the distribution of sylvatic populations of R. ecuadoriensis and the factors related to this distribution, triatomine searches were conducted between 2005 and 2009 in southern Ecuador. Methods Manual triatomine searches were conducted by skilled bug collectors in 23 communities. Sylvatic searched sites were selected by a) directed sampling, where microhabitats were selected by the searchers and b) random sampling, where sampling points where randomly generated. Domiciliary triatomine searches were conducted using the one man-hour method. Natural trypanosome infection was determined by microscopic examination and PCR. Generalized linear models were used to test the effect of environmental factors on the presence of sylvatic triatomines. Results In total, 1,923 sylvatic individuals were collected representing a sampling effort of 751 man-hours. Collected sylvatic triatomines were associated with mammal and bird nests. The 1,219 sampled nests presented an infestation index of 11.9%, a crowding of 13 bugs per infested nest, and a colonization of 80% of the nests. Triatomine abundance was significantly higher in squirrel (Sciurus stramineus) nests located above five meters from ground level and close to the houses. In addition, 8.5% of the 820 examined houses in the same localities were infested with triatomines. There was a significant correlation between R. ecuadoriensis infestation rates found in sylvatic and synanthropic environments within communities (p = 0.012). Parasitological analysis revealed that 64.7% and 15.7% of the sylvatic bugs examined (n = 300) were infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and T. rangeli respectively, and 8% of the

Prevalence of High-Risk Genotypes of Human Papillomavirus: Women Diagnosed with Premalignant and Malignant Pap Smear Tests in Southern Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paola Dalgo Aguilar

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Human papillomavirus (HPV is the primary infectious agent for the development of cervical cancer, although the presence of the virus alone is insufficient for viral development and proliferation; this can be attributed to the increase in potential oncogenic risk, along with other risk factors. In the present investigation, the prevalence of high-risk HPV was determined from samples of premalignant or malignant cervical cytology in women from the southern region of Ecuador. The kit we used was able to detect genotypes 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, and 59. In addition, 64.5% of the analyzed samples were positive for HPV, with genotypes 16 and 18 being the most prevalent (16 was detected in 148 samples and 18 in 108. Genotypes 58 and 51 were the third most frequent simple and multiple infections, respectively. The data are very similar to those obtained worldwide, suggesting that the strategy of sex education, and the use of vaccines as primary prevention agents, could significantly decrease the incidence and mortality rate of cervical cancer in the southern region of Ecuador.

Fore arc tectonothermal evolution of the El Oro metamorphic province (Ecuador) during the Mesozoic

Science.gov (United States)

Riel, Nicolas; Martelat, Jean-Emmanuel; Guillot, Stéphane; Jaillard, Etienne; Monié, Patrick; Yuquilema, Jonatan; Duclaux, Guillaume; Mercier, Jonathan

2014-10-01

The El Oro metamorphic province of SW Ecuador is a composite massif made of juxtaposed terranes of both continental and oceanic affinity that has been located in a fore-arc position since Late Paleozoic times. Various geochemical, geochronological, and metamorphic studies have been undertaken on the El Oro metamorphic province, providing an understanding of the origin and age of the distinct units. However, the internal structures and geodynamic evolution of this area remain poorly understood. Our structural analysis and thermal modeling in the El Oro metamorphic province show that this fore-arc zone underwent four main geological events. (1) During Triassic times (230-225 Ma), the emplacement of the Piedras gabbroic unit at crustal-root level ( 9 kbar) triggered partial melting of the metasedimentary sequence under an E-W extensional regime at pressure-temperature conditions ranging from 4.5 to 8.5 kbar and from 650 to 900°C for the migmatitic unit. (2) At 226 Ma, the tectonic underplating of the Arenillas-Panupalí oceanic unit (9 kbar and 300°C) thermally sealed the fore-arc region. (3) Around the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary, the shift from trench-normal to trench-parallel subduction triggered the exhumation and underplating of the high-pressure, oceanic Raspas Ophiolitic Complex (18 kbar and 600°C) beneath the El Oro Group (130-120 Ma). This was followed by the opening of a NE-SW pull-apart basin, which tilted the massif along an E-W subhorizontal axis (110 Ma). (4) In Late Cretaceous times, an N-S compressional event generated heterogeneous deformation due to the presence of the Cretaceous Celica volcanic arc, which acted as a buttress and predominantly affected the central and eastern part of the massif.

Initial study on the quantitative determination of radon in varied construction dwllings in the province of Pichincha, Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayala, Maria; Penaherrera, Patricio; Munoz, Victor

1993-01-01

This research involves data from dwellings built up with different types of raw materials found spread in the province of Pichincha - Ecuador. The SSNTD method using a cellulose nitrate sensible film LR-115 was used for the research. The incidence of temperature, altitude, ventilation on the concentration gas radon-222 were also subject of a qualitative study. Eventually, the results show that the adobe dwellings and/or poorly ventilated dwellings prodece maximum concentration of radon-222 than first or second floor, meaning that, the gas is also coming up from the ground. In any case the level of radon-222 concentration is less than the acceptet limit, 200 Bq/m 3, by UNCEAR. Only places, such as Mindo and Calderon, surpass the limit

Soil transmitted helminthiasis in indigenous groups. A community cross sectional study in the Amazonian southern border region of Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Romero-Sandoval, Natalia; Ortiz-Rico, Claudia; Sánchez-Pérez, Héctor Javier; Valdivieso, Daniel; Sandoval, Carlos; Pástor, Jacob; Martín, Miguel

2017-03-14

Rural communities in the Amazonian southern border of Ecuador have benefited from governmental social programmes over the past 9 years, which have addressed, among other things, diseases associated with poverty, such as soil transmitted helminth infections. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of geohelminth infection and several factors associated with it in these communities. This was a cross sectional study in two indigenous communities of the Amazonian southern border of Ecuador. The data were analysed at both the household and individual levels. At the individual level, the prevalence of geohelminth infection reached 46.9% (95% CI 39.5% to 54.2%), with no differences in terms of gender, age, temporary migration movements or previous chemoprophylaxis. In 72.9% of households, one or more members were infected. Receiving subsidies and overcrowding were associated with the presence of helminths. The prevalence of geohelminth infection was high. Our study suggests that it is necessary to conduct studies focusing on communities, and not simply on captive groups, such as schoolchildren, with the object of proposing more suitable and effective strategies to control this problem. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Current status of Paragonimus and paragonimiasis in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Calvopiña

2014-11-01

Full Text Available A review of national and international publications on paragonimiasis in Ecuador, epidemiological records from the Ministry of Public Health and unpublished research data was conducted to summarise the current status of the parasite/disease. The purpose of the review is to educate physicians, policy-makers and health providers on the status of the disease and to stimulate scientific investigators to conduct further research. Paragonimiasis was first diagnosed in Ecuador 94 years ago and it is endemic to both tropical and subtropical regions in 19 of 24 provinces in the Pacific Coast and Amazon regions. Paragonimus mexicanus is the only known species in the country, with the mollusc Aroapyrgus colombiensis and the crabs Moreirocarcinus emarginatus, Hypolobocera chilensis and Hypolobocera aequatorialis being the primary and secondary intermediate hosts, respectively. Recent studies found P. mexicanus metacercariae in Trichodactylus faxoni crabs of the northern Amazon. Chronic pulmonary paragonimiasis is commonly misdiagnosed and treated as tuberculosis and although studies have demonstrated the efficacy of praziquantel and triclabendazole for the treatment of human infections, neither drug is available in Ecuador. Official data recorded from 1978-2007 indicate an annual incidence of 85.5 cases throughout the 19 provinces, with an estimated 17.2% of the population at risk of infection. There are no current data on the incidence/prevalence of infection, nor is there a national control programme.

A genetic analysis of Trichuris trichiura and Trichuris suis from Ecuador

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meekums, Hayley; Hawash, Mohamed B F; Sparks, Alexandra M

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Since the nematodes Trichuris trichiura and T. suis are morphologically indistinguishable, genetic analysis is required to assess epidemiological cross-over between people and pigs. This study aimed to clarify the transmission biology of trichuriasis in Ecuador. FINDINGS: Adult...... Trichuris worms were collected during a parasitological survey of 132 people and 46 pigs in Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador. Morphometric analysis of 49 pig worms and 64 human worms revealed significant variation. In discriminant analysis morphometric characteristics correctly classified male worms according...... to genetically analyse Trichuris parasites. Although T. trichiura does not appear to be zoonotic in Ecuador, there is evidence of genetic exchange between T. trichiura and T. suis warranting more detailed genetic sampling....

New records of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae from Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Bruce Alexander

1992-03-01

Full Text Available The plebotomine sand fly fauna of Ecuador was surveyed in two 3-month collecting trips made in 1988 and 1990. A total of 12 provinces were visited, including three (Bolivar, Loja and Morona Santiago from wich no previous records to phlebotomines existed. Forty-six species were collected, 13 of wich, together with 1 subspecies and 1 genus (Warileya represented new records for the country. This survey increases the known number of species in Ecuador to 60. The distribuition of Ecuadorian sand flies is discussed in the light of these new findings.

Climate and Non-Climate Drivers of Dengue Epidemics in Southern Coastal Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M.; Lowe, Rachel

2013-01-01

We report a statistical mixed model for assessing the importance of climate and non-climate drivers of interannual variability in dengue fever in southern coastal Ecuador. Local climate data and Pacific sea surface temperatures (Oceanic Niño Index [ONI]) were used to predict dengue standardized morbidity ratios (SMRs; 1995–2010). Unobserved confounding factors were accounted for using non-structured yearly random effects. We found that ONI, rainfall, and minimum temperature were positively associated with dengue, with more cases of dengue during El Niño events. We assessed the influence of non-climatic factors on dengue SMR using a subset of data (2001–2010) and found that the percent of households with Aedes aegypti immatures was also a significant predictor. Our results indicate that monitoring the climate and non-climate drivers identified in this study could provide some predictive lead for forecasting dengue epidemics, showing the potential to develop a dengue early-warning system in this region. PMID:23478584

New Mesozoic and Cenozoic fossils from Ecuador: Invertebrates, vertebrates, plants, and microfossils

Science.gov (United States)

Cadena, Edwin A.; Mejia-Molina, Alejandra; Brito, Carla M.; Peñafiel, Sofia; Sanmartin, Kleber J.; Sarmiento, Luis B.

2018-04-01

Ecuador is well known for its extensive extant biodiversity, however, its paleobiodiversity is still poorly explored. Here we report seven new Mesozoic and Cenozoic fossil localities from the Pacific coast, inter-Andean depression and Napo basin of Ecuador, including vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, and microfossils. The first of these localities is called El Refugio, located near the small town of Chota, Imbabura Province, from where we report several morphotypes of fossil leaves and a mycetopodid freshwater mussel of the Upper Miocene Chota Formation. A second site is also located near the town of Chota, corresponding to potentially Pleistocene to Holocene lake deposits from which we report the occurrence of leaves and fossil diatoms. A third locality is at the Pacific coast of the country, near Rocafuerte, a town in Esmeraldas Province, from which we report a late Miocene palm leaf. We also report the first partially articulated skull with teeth from a Miocene scombridid (Mackerels) fish from El Cruce locality, and completely preserved seeds from La Pila locality, both sites from Manabí Province. Two late Cretaceous fossil sites from the Napo Province, one near Puerto Napo showing a good record of fossil shrimps and a second near the town of Loreto shows the occurrence of granular amber and small gymnosperms seeds and cuticles. All these new sites and fossils show the high potential of the sedimentary sequences and basins of Ecuador for paleontological studies and for a better understanding of the fossil record of the country and northern South America.

A comparison of alpha and beta diversity patterns of ferns, bryophytes and macrolichens in tropical montane forests of southern Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Mandl, N A; Lehnert, M; Kessler, M; Gradstein, S R

2010-01-01

We present a first comparison of patterns of alpha and beta diversity of ferns, mosses, liverworts and macrolichens in neotropical montane rainforests, and explore the question whether specific taxa may be used as surrogates for others. In three localities in southern Ecuador, we surveyed terrestrial and epiphytic species assemblages in ridge and slope forests in 28 plots of 400 m² each. The epiphytic habitat was significantly richer in ferns, liverworts, and macrolichens than the terrestrial...

Self-Burns in Fars Province, Southern Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammadi, Ali Akbar; Tohidinik, Hamid Reza; Zardosht, Mitra; Seyed Jafari, Seyed Morteza

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND The alarming incidence of self- burning provoked to set up a multidisciplinary preventive program to decrease the incidence and complications of this harmful issue. This study investigated the incidence and the preventive measures in self-burn in Fars Province, southern Iran. METHODS This study was a longitudinal prospective design on trend of self-inflicted burn injuries in Fars province after setting up a regional multidisciplinary preventive plan (2009-2012). RESULTS From 18862 admitted patients, 388 (2%) committed self-burning. While the incidence showed a constant decrease in proportion of suicidal cases among all admitted patients (2.5% to 1.6%). The mean age of self-burning victims ranged from 28.3±10.8 to 30.3±11.7 years. The female victims comprised 67.4% of all suicidal burn patients (Female to male ratio: 2.18). The leading causes of suicide commitment were familial conflicts (75.6%) and psychological problems (16.7%) CONCLUSION It is crucial to continue the regional preventive programs and pave the way to set up national, and even international collaborations to alleviate relevant financial, social, cultural and infrastructural difficulties in order to have lower incidence for this dramatic issue. PMID:27308238

Medicinal plants used in traditional herbal medicine in the province ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Phyto-therapy studies on Chimborazo province in Ecuador are really limited. This area, located within the Andes, is considered a millenarian and intercultural province, where multiples cultures and ethnic groups coexist. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted through direct interviews with 84 ...

Citizenship Education in Ecuador: Perceptions of Students and Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Chavez, Andres Alberto

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to review literature about citizenship education in order to develop a framework for transformative citizenship education and compare that framework to the intended and implemented citizenship education curriculum in Ecuador. This study presents qualitative research carried out in eight schools in four provinces of…

Impact of two policy interventions on dietary diversity in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Ponce, Juan; Ramos-Martin, Jesus

2017-06-01

To differentiate the effects of food vouchers and training in health and nutrition on consumption and dietary diversity in Ecuador by using an experimental design. Interventions involved enrolling three groups of approximately 200 randomly selected households per group in three provinces in Ecuador. Power estimates and sample size were computed using the Optimal Design software, with a power of 80 %, at 5 % of significance and with a minimum detectable effect of 0·25 (sd). The first group was assigned to receive a monthly food voucher of $US 40. The second group was assigned to receive the same $US 40 voucher, plus training on health and nutrition issues. The third group served as the control. Weekly household values of food consumption were converted into energy intake per person per day. A simple proxy indicator was constructed for dietary diversity, based on the Food Consumption Score. Finally, an econometric model with three specifications was used for analysing the differential effect of the interventions. Three provinces in Ecuador, two from the Sierra region (Carchi and Chimborazo) and one from the Coastal region (Santa Elena). Members of 773 households randomly selected (n 4343). No significant impact on consumption for any of the interventions was found. However, there was evidence that voucher systems had a positive impact on dietary diversity. No differentiated effects were found for the training intervention. The most cost-effective intervention to improve dietary diversity in Ecuador is the use of vouchers to support family choice in food options.

Dengue dynamics in Binh Thuan province, southern Vietnam: periodicity, synchronicity and climate variability.

Science.gov (United States)

Thai, Khoa T D; Cazelles, Bernard; Nguyen, Nam Van; Vo, Long Thi; Boni, Maciej F; Farrar, Jeremy; Simmons, Cameron P; van Doorn, H Rogier; de Vries, Peter J

2010-07-13

Dengue is a major global public health problem with increasing incidence and geographic spread. The epidemiology is complex with long inter-epidemic intervals and endemic with seasonal fluctuations. This study was initiated to investigate dengue transmission dynamics in Binh Thuan province, southern Vietnam. Wavelet analyses were performed on time series of monthly notified dengue cases from January 1994 to June 2009 (i) to detect and quantify dengue periodicity, (ii) to describe synchrony patterns in both time and space, (iii) to investigate the spatio-temporal waves and (iv) to associate the relationship between dengue incidence and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indices in Binh Thuan province, southern Vietnam. We demonstrate a continuous annual mode of oscillation and a multi-annual cycle of around 2-3-years was solely observed from 1996-2001. Synchrony in time and between districts was detected for both the annual and 2-3-year cycle. Phase differences used to describe the spatio-temporal patterns suggested that the seasonal wave of infection was either synchronous among all districts or moving away from Phan Thiet district. The 2-3-year periodic wave was moving towards, rather than away from Phan Thiet district. A strong non-stationary association between ENSO indices and climate variables with dengue incidence in the 2-3-year periodic band was found. A multi-annual mode of oscillation was observed and these 2-3-year waves of infection probably started outside Binh Thuan province. Associations with climatic variables were observed with dengue incidence. Here, we have provided insight in dengue population transmission dynamics over the past 14.5 years. Further studies on an extensive time series dataset are needed to test the hypothesis that epidemics emanate from larger cities in southern Vietnam.

Dengue dynamics in Binh Thuan province, southern Vietnam: periodicity, synchronicity and climate variability.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khoa T D Thai

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Dengue is a major global public health problem with increasing incidence and geographic spread. The epidemiology is complex with long inter-epidemic intervals and endemic with seasonal fluctuations. This study was initiated to investigate dengue transmission dynamics in Binh Thuan province, southern Vietnam.Wavelet analyses were performed on time series of monthly notified dengue cases from January 1994 to June 2009 (i to detect and quantify dengue periodicity, (ii to describe synchrony patterns in both time and space, (iii to investigate the spatio-temporal waves and (iv to associate the relationship between dengue incidence and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO indices in Binh Thuan province, southern Vietnam.We demonstrate a continuous annual mode of oscillation and a multi-annual cycle of around 2-3-years was solely observed from 1996-2001. Synchrony in time and between districts was detected for both the annual and 2-3-year cycle. Phase differences used to describe the spatio-temporal patterns suggested that the seasonal wave of infection was either synchronous among all districts or moving away from Phan Thiet district. The 2-3-year periodic wave was moving towards, rather than away from Phan Thiet district. A strong non-stationary association between ENSO indices and climate variables with dengue incidence in the 2-3-year periodic band was found.A multi-annual mode of oscillation was observed and these 2-3-year waves of infection probably started outside Binh Thuan province. Associations with climatic variables were observed with dengue incidence. Here, we have provided insight in dengue population transmission dynamics over the past 14.5 years. Further studies on an extensive time series dataset are needed to test the hypothesis that epidemics emanate from larger cities in southern Vietnam.

Seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi in rural Ecuador and clustering of seropositivity within households.

Science.gov (United States)

Black, Carla L; Ocaña-Mayorga, Sofía; Riner, Diana K; Costales, Jaime A; Lascano, Mauricio S; Arcos-Terán, Laura; Preisser, John S; Seed, J Richard; Grijalva, Mario J

2009-12-01

We performed a cross-sectional study of Trypanosoma cruzi seroprevalence in 14 communities in three provinces of Ecuador and estimated the magnitude of the association of seropositive individuals within households. A total of 3,286 subjects from 997 households were included. Seroprevalence was 5.7%, 1.0%, and 3.6% in subjects in the Manabí, Guayas, and Loja provinces, respectively. Seroprevalence increased with increasing age in Manabí and Guayas, whereas in Loja, the highest prevalence occurred in children Loja, the odds of seropositivity were more than two times greater for an individual living in a household with another seropositive person. Our results indicate that transmission of T. cruzi is ongoing in Ecuador, although intensity of transmission and mechanisms of interaction between humans and the insect vectors of disease vary between geographic regions.

New country records for five species of Pristimantis Jiménez de la Espada, 1870 from Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Yánez-Muñoz, Mario; Toral-Contreras, Eduardo; Meza-Ramos, Paúl; Reyes-Puig, Juan; Bejarano-Muñoz, E.; Mueses-Cisneros, Jonh; Paucar, Diego

2012-01-01

Five new species of frogs from the genus Pristimantis are reported for Ecuador, thus extending the distribution range for these species, previously described only for the southern Andes of Colombia and the northern Andes of Peru. The diversity of Pristimantis in Ecuador increases to 148 species, adding five additional species to the total of 508 anurans already described for Ecuador.

Genetic divergence in populations of Lutzomyia ayacuchensis, a vector of Andean-type cutaneous leishmaniasis, in Ecuador and Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Hirotomo; Cáceres, Abraham G; Gomez, Eduardo A; Mimori, Tatsuyuki; Uezato, Hiroshi; Hashiguchi, Yoshihisa

2015-01-01

Haplotype and gene network analyses were performed on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and cytochrome b gene sequences of Lutzomyia (Lu.) ayacuchensis populations from Andean areas of Ecuador and southern Peru where the sand fly species transmit Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana and Leishmania (Viannia) peruviana, respectively, and populations from the northern Peruvian Andes, for which transmission of Leishmania by Lu. ayacuchensis has not been reported. The haplotype analyses showed higher intrapopulation genetic divergence in northern Peruvian Andes populations and less divergence in the southern Peru and Ecuador populations, suggesting that a population bottleneck occurred in the latter populations, but not in former ones. Importantly, both haplotype and phylogenetic analyses showed that populations from Ecuador consisted of clearly distinct clusters from southern Peru, and the two populations were separated from those of northern Peru. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Are recent graduates enough prepared to perform obstetric skills in their rural and compulsory year? A study from Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez Del Hierro, Galo; Remmen, Roy; Verhoeven, Veronique; Van Royen, Paul; Hendrickx, Kristin

2014-07-31

The aim of this study was to assess the possible mismatch of obstetrical skills between the training offered in Ecuadorian medical schools and the tasks required for compulsory rural service. Primary care, rural health centres in Southern Ecuador. A total of 92 recent graduated medical doctors during their compulsory rural year. A web-based survey was developed with 21 obstetrical skills. The questionnaire was sent to all rural doctors who work in Loja province, Southern Ecuador, at the Ministry of Health (n=92). 'importance of skills in rural practice' with a five-point Likert-type scale (1= strongly disagree; 5= strongly agree); and 'clerkship experience' using a nominal scale divided in five levels: level 1 (not seen, not performed) to level 5 (performed 10 times or more). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (r) was used to observe associations. A negative correlation was found in the skills: 'episiotomy and repair', 'umbilical vein catheterisation', 'speculum examination', 'evaluation of cervical dilation during active labour', 'neonatal resuscitation' and 'vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery'. For instance 'Episiotomy and repair' is important (strongly agree and agree) to 100% of respondents, but in practice, only 38.9% of rural doctors performed the task three times and 8.3% only once during the internship, similar pattern is seen in the others. In this study we have noted the gap between the medical needs of populations in rural areas and training provided during the clerkship experiences of physicians during their rural service year. It is imperative to ensure that rural doctors are appropriately trained and skilled in the performance of routine obstetrical duties. This will help to decrease perinatal morbidity and mortality in rural Ecuador. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Are recent graduates enough prepared to perform obstetric skills in their rural and compulsory year? A study from Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez del Hierro, Galo; Remmen, Roy; Verhoeven, Veronique; Van Royen, Paul; Hendrickx, Kristin

2014-01-01

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the possible mismatch of obstetrical skills between the training offered in Ecuadorian medical schools and the tasks required for compulsory rural service. Setting Primary care, rural health centres in Southern Ecuador. Participants A total of 92 recent graduated medical doctors during their compulsory rural year. Primary and secondary outcomes measures A web-based survey was developed with 21 obstetrical skills. The questionnaire was sent to all rural doctors who work in Loja province, Southern Ecuador, at the Ministry of Health (n=92). We measured two categories ‘importance of skills in rural practice’ with a five-point Likert-type scale (1= strongly disagree; 5= strongly agree); and ‘clerkship experience’ using a nominal scale divided in five levels: level 1 (not seen, not performed) to level 5 (performed 10 times or more). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (r) was used to observe associations. Results A negative correlation was found in the skills: ‘episiotomy and repair’, ‘umbilical vein catheterisation’, ‘speculum examination’, ‘evaluation of cervical dilation during active labour’, ‘neonatal resuscitation’ and ‘vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery’. For instance ‘Episiotomy and repair’ is important (strongly agree and agree) to 100% of respondents, but in practice, only 38.9% of rural doctors performed the task three times and 8.3% only once during the internship, similar pattern is seen in the others. Conclusions In this study we have noted the gap between the medical needs of populations in rural areas and training provided during the clerkship experiences of physicians during their rural service year. It is imperative to ensure that rural doctors are appropriately trained and skilled in the performance of routine obstetrical duties. This will help to decrease perinatal morbidity and mortality in rural Ecuador. PMID:25082424

Leishmaniases in Ecuador: Comprehensive review and current status.

Science.gov (United States)

Hashiguchi, Yoshihisa; Velez, Lenin N; Villegas, Nancy V; Mimori, Tatsuyuki; Gomez, Eduardo A L; Kato, Hirotomo

2017-02-01

This article reviews current knowledge about leishmaniases in Ecuador, proceeding from 1920, when the first human case was described, to the present, mainly focusing on the recent research events published. Regarding basic situations, it appears that 23 of Ecuador's 24 provinces have leishmaniasis-case reports. The disease is one of the mandatory notification infectious diseases in the country since 2005. All the 21,305 cases notified to the Ministry of Public Health, during the period from 2001 through 2014, were said to involve different clinical features of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) but not visceral (VL). Eight Leishmania species, L. (Viannia) guyanensis, L. (V.) panamensis, L. (V.) braziliensis, L. (Leishmania) mexicana, L. (L.) amazonensis, L. (L.) major-like, L. (V.) naiffiand L. (V.) lainsoni were characterized. The last two species were most recently reported from the Ecuadorian Amazon regions. Of the 73 Ecuadorian Lutzomyia species (43 man-biting species) recorded, only four, Lu. trapidoi, Lu. gomezi, Lu. ayacuchensis, and Lu. tortura were incriminated as vectors of the Leishmania parasites. Current knowledge on the reservoir hosts of Leishmania in Ecuador is extremely poor. Recently, in Ecuador different kinds of molecular techniques were developed for diagnosis and mass screening of the disease, employing various materials derived from patients and sand fly vectors. These are PCR-RFLP, colorimetric FTA-LAMP etc. Brief comments and recommendations were also given, for future research and control of leishmaniases in Ecuador. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Response of Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Mantequilla to inoculation of Rhizobium native strains of the Ecuador in greenhouse native races of the Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klever Iván Granda Mora

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The development of biofertilizers based on Rhizobium strains for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. requires studies about bacterial interaction with target cultivars. For these reason, the aim of this paper was to determine the effect of the inoculation of Rhizobium native strains, isolated from southern Ecuador, on P. vulgaris cultivar Mantequilla. An assay was performed in greenhouse. It were evaluated the parameters of nodulation, biomass, nitrogen fixation and efficiency of the symbiosis. All inoculated strains were able to nodulate bean seedlings. The total number of nodules, nodular biomass and plant biomass, were favourably affected by inoculation of Rhizobium strains. The best results were obtained with R. mesoamericanum NAM1, R. leguminosarum COL 6 and R. etli PIN 1 strains. The experimental evidences shows the potential of native strains of Rhizobium for it use as biofertilizers because they are able to raise the rates of nitrogen fixation in common bean in southern Ecuador.

Cancer mortality and oil production in the Amazon Region of Ecuador, 1990-2005.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelsh, Michael A; Morimoto, Libby; Lau, Edmund

2009-02-01

To compare cancer mortality rates in Amazon cantons (counties) with and without long-term oil exploration and extraction activities. Mortality (1990 through 2005) and population census (1990 and 2001) data for cantons in the provinces of the northern Amazon Region (Napo, Orellana, Sucumbios, and Pastaza), as well as the province with the capital city of Quito (Pichincha province) were obtained from the National Statistical Office of Ecuador, Instituto Nacional del Estadistica y Censos (INEC). Age- and sex-adjusted mortality rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated to evaluate total and cause-specific mortality in the study regions. Among Amazon cantons with long-term oil extraction, activities there was no evidence of increased rates of death from all causes (RR = 0.98; 95% CI = 0.95-1.01) or from overall cancer (RR = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.73-0.92), and relative risk estimates were also lower for most individual site-specific cancer deaths. Mortality rates in the Amazon provinces overall were significantly lower than those observed in Pichincha for all causes (RR = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.81-0.83), overall cancer (RR = 0.46; 95% CI = 0.43-0.49), and for all site-specific cancers. In regions with incomplete cancer registration, mortality data are one of the few sources of information for epidemiologic assessments. However, epidemiologic assessments in this region of Ecuador are limited by underreporting, exposure and disease misclassification, and study design limitations. Recognizing these limitations, our analyses of national mortality data of the Amazon Region in Ecuador does not provide evidence for an excess cancer risk in regions of the Amazon with long-term oil production. These findings were not consistent or supportive of earlier studies in this region that suggested increased cancer risks.

A new high-altitude species of centipede from the Andes of Ecuador (Chilopoda, Geophilomorpha, Schendylidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Luis Alberto

2018-01-18

Pectiniunguis aequatorialis sp. nov. (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha: Schendylidae) is described and illustrated on the basis of specimens collected in the Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve in the High Andes of Ecuador. The new species is characterized by having ventral pore-fields on the anterior region of the trunk only, a trait that is shared by a single Neotropical congener: Pectiniunguis ascendens Pereira, Minelli Barbieri, 1994 to which it is similar and is compared taxonomically. This is only the second report of a species of the genus Pectiniunguis Bollman, 1889 from mainland Ecuador. The other taxon is Pectiniunguis roigi Pereira, Foddai Minelli, 2001, so far only known from the type locality, Limoncocha (Sucumbíos Province), and herein reported for the first time from Parque Nacional Sumaco Napo-Galeras (Napo Province).

The remarkable geographical pattern of gastric cancer mortality in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Montero-Oleas, Nadia; Núñez-González, Solange; Simancas-Racines, Daniel

2017-12-01

This study was aimed to describe the gastric cancer mortality trend, and to analyze the spatial distribution of gastric cancer mortality in Ecuador, between 2004 and 2015. Data were collected from the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC) database. Crude gastric cancer mortality rates, standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and indirect standardized mortality rates (ISMRs) were calculated per 100,000 persons. For time trend analysis, joinpoint regression was used. The annual percentage rate change (APC) and the average annual percent change (AAPC) was computed for each province. Spatial age-adjusted analysis was used to detect high risk clusters of gastric cancer mortality, from 2010 to 2015, using Kulldorff spatial scan statistics. In Ecuador, between 2004 and 2015, gastric cancer caused a total of 19,115 deaths: 10,679 in men and 8436 in women. When crude rates were analyzed, a significant decline was detected (AAPC: -1.8%; p<0.001). ISMR also decreased, but this change was not statistically significant (APC: -0.53%; p=0.36). From 2004 to 2007 and from 2008 to 2011 the province with the highest ISMR was Carchi; and, from 2012 to 2015, was Cotopaxi. The most likely high occurrence cluster included Bolívar, Los Ríos, Chimborazo, Tungurahua, and Cotopaxi provinces, with a relative risk of 1.34 (p<0.001). There is a substantial geographic variation in gastric cancer mortality rates among Ecuadorian provinces. The spatial analysis indicates the presence of high occurrence clusters throughout the Andes Mountains. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Chacana caldera complex in Ecuador

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hall, Minard L; Mothes, Patricia A [Instituto Geofisico, Escuela Politecnica Nacional, Quito (Ecuador)], E-mail: volcan_pete@yahoo.com

2008-10-01

The Chacana caldera, located immediately east of Quito, capital of Ecuador, forms the most-northern edifice of Ecuadoros rhyolite province. It is a 50X30 km Pleistocene structure that has remained active into historic times. Vitrophyres, welded tuffs, and ignimbrites of rhyolitic and dacitic composition constitute the outer flanks, meantime syngenetic breccias and tuffs, capped later by extensive dacite lava flows and basin sediments, filled the calderaos depression. A notable resurgence occurred that lifted quiet-water sediments to over 4000 m in elevation. The area has numerous hot springs, and little seismic activity.

The Chacana caldera complex in Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, Minard L; Mothes, Patricia A

2008-01-01

The Chacana caldera, located immediately east of Quito, capital of Ecuador, forms the most-northern edifice of Ecuadoros rhyolite province. It is a 50X30 km Pleistocene structure that has remained active into historic times. Vitrophyres, welded tuffs, and ignimbrites of rhyolitic and dacitic composition constitute the outer flanks, meantime syngenetic breccias and tuffs, capped later by extensive dacite lava flows and basin sediments, filled the calderaos depression. A notable resurgence occurred that lifted quiet-water sediments to over 4000 m in elevation. The area has numerous hot springs, and little seismic activity.

[Chronic and severe anemia caused by Ancylostoma duodenale in Ecuador. Diagnosis by duodenoscopy].

Science.gov (United States)

Calvopiña, Manuel; Flores, Jessica; Guaman, Isabel; Lara, Gabriela; Abarca, Jeyson

2017-10-01

For 11 years, a 38-year-old male residing in a subtropical region of Ecuador, was repeatedly diagnosed with chronic anemia, and treated with blood transfusions in a hospital of province of Cotopaxi, Ecuador. He was transferred to Quito for severe anemia, having hemoglobin of 4 g/dL. Duodenoscopy was performed and adult nematodes, identified later as Ancylostoma duodenale, were observed. The patient was successfully treated with albendazole for five consecutive days and given blood transfusions. In the control visit at eight months, without anemia and no hookworm ova in the stool examined were found.

Spatiotemporal Variation in Environmental Vibrio cholerae in an Estuary in Southern Coastal Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Sadie J; Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M; Ordóñez-Enireb, Eunice; Chu, Winnie; Finkelstein, Julia L; King, Christine A; Escobar, Luis E; Lupone, Christina; Heras, Froilan; Tauzer, Erica; Waggoner, Egan; James, Tyler G; Cárdenas, Washington B; Polhemus, Mark

2018-03-10

Cholera emergence is strongly linked to local environmental and ecological context. The 1991-2004 pandemic emerged in Perú and spread north into Ecuador's El Oro province, making this a key site for potential re-emergence. Machala, El Oro, is a port city of 250,000 inhabitants, near the Peruvian border. Many livelihoods depend on the estuarine system, from fishing for subsistence and trade, to domestic water use. In 2014, we conducted biweekly sampling for 10 months in five estuarine locations, across a gradient of human use, and ranging from inland to ocean. We measured water-specific environmental variables implicated in cholera growth and persistence: pH, temperature, salinity, and algal concentration, and evaluated samples in five months for pathogenic and non-pathogenic Vibrio cholerae , by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We found environmental persistence of pandemic strains O1 and O139, but no evidence for toxigenic strains. Vibrio cholerae presence was coupled to algal and salinity concentration, and sites exhibited considerable seasonal and spatial heterogeneity. This study indicates that environmental conditions in Machala are optimal for cholera re-emergence, with risk peaking during September, and higher risk near urban periphery low-income communities. This highlights a need for surveillance of this coupled cholera-estuarine system to anticipate potential future cholera outbreaks.

The Significant of Model School in Pluralistic Society of the Three Southern Border Provinces of Thailand

OpenAIRE

Haji-Awang Faisol

2016-01-01

This educational research is about the study of the schools’ system in the Pluralistic Society of the Three Southern Border Provinces of Thailand. The research was carried out with some certain objectives in terms of analyzing the achievement of the Thai government schools in conducting the complete integrated Islamic studies programs from at least 12 experienced schools under the supervision of the Office of Regional Education of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat Provinces. The analysis will be t...

Evaluation of site effects in Loja basin (southern Ecuador)

Science.gov (United States)

Guartán, J.; Navarro, M.; Soto, J.

2013-05-01

Site effect assessment based on subsurface ground conditions is often crucial for estimating the urban seismic hazard. In order to evaluate the site effects in the intra-mountain basin of Loja (southern Ecuador), geological and geomorphological survey and ambient noise measurements were carried out. A classification of shallow geologic materials was performed through a geological cartography and the use of geotechnical data and geophysical surveys. Seven lithological formations have been analyzed, both in composition and thickness of existing materials. The shear-wave velocity structure in the center of the basin, composed by alluvial materials, was evaluated by means of inversion of Rayleigh wave dispersion data obtained from vertical-component array records of ambient noise. VS30 structure was estimated and an average value of 346 m s-1 was obtained. This value agrees with the results obtained from SPT N-value (306-368 m s-1). Short-period ambient noise observations were performed in 72 sites on a 500m × 500m dimension grid. The horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) method was applied in order to determine a ground predominant period distribution map. This map reveals an irregular distribution of predominant period values, ranged from 0.1 to 1.0 s, according with the heterogeneity of the basin. Lower values of the period are found in the harder formation (Quillollaco formation), while higher values are predominantly obtained in alluvial formation. These results will be used in the evaluation of ground dynamic properties and will be included in seismic microzoning of Loja basin. Keywords: Landform classification, Ambient noise, SPAC method, Rayleigh waves, Shear velocity profile, Ground predominant period. ;

Detection and molecular characterization of β-lactamase genes in clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria in Southern Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana Yessenia Calva Delgado

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This work performed a phenotypic and genotypic characterization of 79 clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae collected in hospitals of Southern Ecuadorin 2013. Our results showed a high incidence of β-lactamases and ESBLs with blaTEM and blaCTX-M as the prevalent genes, respectively. By direct sequencing of PCR amplicons, the different β-lactamases and variants of the genes were also distinguished. Our results revealed a predominance of TEM-1 β-lactamase and the presence of different CTX-M variants with a prevalence of CTX-M-15. Two infrequent CTX-M variants in South America were also identified. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first studies describing the genetic characteristics of β-lactamases in Ecuador.

Climatic variability related to El Niño in Ecuador - a historical background

Science.gov (United States)

Arteaga, K.; Tutasi, P.; Jiménez, R.

2006-02-01

This paper reports on an investigation into the chronology of El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, during the period from the arrival of conquistadores in Ecuador in 1532 until the year 1900. A number of probable El Niño events and drought years can be dated from anecdotal reports of significant rainfall and drought in the equatorial region. The evidence of ENSO has been documented from early reports in the South America archives. A large number of books and articles have been reviewing from the Ecuadorian archives to obtain information on El Niño events that have occurred over the past centuries. This information is based on evidence obtained from the equatorial region, where strong and very strong El Niño events clearly separate the northern part of the Ecuadorian coast from the southern region, the normally rainy season specially from west-central to the south coast of Ecuador, as well as the drought years, reported in this region which is climatologically and oceanographically different from the moist Northern coast of Ecuador. Given the normal occurrence of rains in the southern coast of Ecuador, it is reasonable to expect that at least some of the major rainy seasons would be recorded in local chronicles and publications. This information has been compared with reports obtained from Peru. Relative strengths of events are based on such considerations as wind and current effects on travel times of ancient sailing ships, degree of physical damage and destruction, amounts of rainfall and flooding, human disease epidemic, mass mortality of endemic marine organism, rises in sea temperatures and sea levels, effects on coastal fisheries. This paper is the first survey of the historical sources concerned the rainfall and drought in Ecuador. In the course of this investigation we also noted some extended periods of time, near decadal or longer over the past records, when the amount and/or strength of El Niño and its resulting effects appeared to represent

Loja musical capital of Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Eugenia Rodríguez Guerrero

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In the slang language of Lojanos, it is said that Loja is the musical capital of Ecuador. thesis or clich´e, which has led to write the present article to find the theoretical empirical support and practices that support it, constituting it in research object and recommend to the future the innovations that need to be introduced in order to sustain and strengthen this place of Loja. This first approach has as a problem What does Loja provides, that distinguish from the rest of the provinces of Ecuador in the musical field, to be considered its capital? This first delivery aims to build a framework of computer concepts that open up posterity to a field of research on music and that translate into policies, plans and programs that empower it. They develop three concepts derived from the thesis: the power to construct music that refers to the generic and specific competences in different instruments and genres, the amount of music that is produced and the human talent in musical formation that is developed in Loja. Empirical evidence is collected to corroborate or reject the hypothesis: Loja is the musical capital of Ecuador. Data are collected on musical skills and compared at the global level, as well as music production and music training scenarios. At the end the hypothesis is checked. The task of the Lojanos is to innovate the capital. Keywords: Music, musical competitions, musical talent in training, amount of music, musicalperformance, musical instrument, songs.

Begomovirus diversity in tomato crops and weeds in Ecuador and the detection of a recombinant isolate of rhynchosia golden mosaic Yucatan virus infecting tomato.

Science.gov (United States)

Paz-Carrasco, Lenin C; Castillo-Urquiza, Gloria P; Lima, Alison T M; Xavier, Cesar A D; Vivas-Vivas, Leticia M; Mizubuti, Eduardo S G; Zerbini, F Murilo

2014-08-01

Viral diseases caused by begomoviruses are of economic importance due to their adverse effects on the production of tropical and subtropical crops. In Ecuador, despite reports of significant infestations of Bemisia tabaci in the late 1990s, only very recently has a begomovirus, tomato leaf deformation virus (ToLDeV, also present in Peru), been reported in tomato. ToLDeV is the first monopartite begomovirus discovered that originated in the Americas, and its presence in Ecuador highlights the need for a wider survey of tomato-infecting begomoviruses in this country. Tomato and weed samples were collected in 2010 and 2011 in six provinces of Ecuador, and begomovirus genomes were cloned and sequenced using a rolling-circle-amplification-based approach. Most tomato samples from the provinces of Guayas, Loja, Manabi and Santa Elena were infected with tomato leaf deformation virus (ToLDeV). One sample from Manabi had a triple infection with ToLDeV, rhynchosia golden mosaic Yucatan virus (RhGMYuV) and an isolate that was a recombinant between the two. A new begomovirus was detected in another tomato sample from Manabi. Samples of Rhynchosia sp. from the provinces of Guayas and Manabi were infected by RhGMYuV. These results indicate not only the prevalence of ToLDeV in tomato in Ecuador but also the presence of other viruses, albeit at a much lower frequency.

Climatic variability related to El Niño in Ecuador − a historical background

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Arteaga

2006-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on an investigation into the chronology of El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO events, during the period from the arrival of conquistadores in Ecuador in 1532 until the year 1900. A number of probable El Niño events and drought years can be dated from anecdotal reports of significant rainfall and drought in the equatorial region. The evidence of ENSO has been documented from early reports in the South America archives. A large number of books and articles have been reviewing from the Ecuadorian archives to obtain information on El Niño events that have occurred over the past centuries. This information is based on evidence obtained from the equatorial region, where strong and very strong El Niño events clearly separate the northern part of the Ecuadorian coast from the southern region, the normally rainy season specially from west-central to the south coast of Ecuador, as well as the drought years, reported in this region which is climatologically and oceanographically different from the moist Northern coast of Ecuador. Given the normal occurrence of rains in the southern coast of Ecuador, it is reasonable to expect that at least some of the major rainy seasons would be recorded in local chronicles and publications. This information has been compared with reports obtained from Peru. Relative strengths of events are based on such considerations as wind and current effects on travel times of ancient sailing ships, degree of physical damage and destruction, amounts of rainfall and flooding, human disease epidemic, mass mortality of endemic marine organism, rises in sea temperatures and sea levels, effects on coastal fisheries. This paper is the first survey of the historical sources concerned the rainfall and drought in Ecuador. In the course of this investigation we also noted some extended periods of time, near decadal or longer over the past records, when the amount and/or strength of El Niño and its resulting effects

Diversity and distribution of the Caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera of Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blanca Ríos-Touma

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background Aquatic insects and other freshwater animals are some of the most threatened forms of life on Earth. Caddisflies (Trichoptera are highly biodiverse in the Neotropics and occupy a wide variety of freshwater habitats. In Andean countries, including Ecuador, knowledge of the aquatic biota is limited, and there is a great need for baseline data on the species found in these countries. Here we present the first list of Trichoptera known from Ecuador, a country that harbors two global biodiversity “hotspots.” Methods We conducted a literature review of species previously reported from Ecuador and supplemented these data with material we collected during five recent field inventories from about 40 localities spanning both hotspots. Using species presence data for each Ecuadorian province, we calculated the CHAO 2 species estimator to obtain the minimum species richness for the country. Results We recorded 310 species, including 48 new records from our own field inventories for the country. CHAO 2 calculations showed that only 54% of the species have been found. Hydroptilidae and Hydropsychidae were the most species rich families. We report the family Xiphocentronidae for the first time from Ecuador as well as several new records of genera from different families. Discussion As in the neighboring Andean countries of Colombia and Peru, it is common to find undescribed species of caddisflies. There are vast areas of Ecuador and the northern Andes that are completely unexplored, and we expect that hundreds of new species are yet to be discovered.

Length-weight and length-length relationships of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in the middle and southern Iraq provinces

Science.gov (United States)

Al-jebory, Taymaa A.; Das, Simon K.; Usup, Gires; Bakar, Y.; Al-saadi, Ali H.

2018-04-01

In this study, length-weight and length-length relationships of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in the middle and southern Iraq provinces were determined. Fish specimens were procured from seven provinces from July to December, 2015. A negative and positive allometric growth pattern was obtained, where the total length (TL) ranged from 25.60 cm to 33.53 cm, and body weight (BW) ranged from 700 g to 1423 g. Meanwhile, the lowest of 1.03 and highest of 3.54 in "b" value was recorded in group F and group C, respectively. Therefore, Fulton condition factor (K) range from 2.57 to 4.94. While, relative condition factor (Kn) was in the ranged of 0.95 to 1.01. A linear relationship between total length (TL) and standard length (SL) among the provinces for fish groups was obtained. The variances in "b" value ranged from 0.10 to 0.93 with correlation coefficient (r2) of 0.02 to 0.97. This research could be used as a guide to study the ecology and biology of common Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in the middle and southern Iraq provinces.

Calleida desenderi, new species from Ecuador (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiinae)

OpenAIRE

Casale, Achille

2011-01-01

Calleida desenderi Casale, sp. n., is described from Ecuador, Napo Province, surroundings of San Rafael. The new taxon is mostly characterized by the head and appendages rufous, the disc of elytra with marked metallic green reflection, the median lobe of aedeagus ring-like, and the endophallus with a long, twisted flagellum. A key for identification of the closer Neotropical species described so far is also provided.

Farmers' Preferences for PES Contracts to Adopt Silvopastoral Systems in Southern Ecuador, Revealed Through a Choice Experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Raes, Leander; Speelman, Stijn; Aguirre, Nikolay

2017-08-01

This study investigates farmers' preferences to participate in payment contracts to adopt silvopastoral systems in Ecuador. A choice experiment was used to elicit preferences between different contract attributes, including differing payment amounts and land management requirements. The research was carried out in the buffer zone of Podocarpus National Park in Southern Ecuador, an area where most land is dedicated to cattle husbandry. A choice experiment was conducted to measure farmers' interest in different types of contracts. Based on existing incentive programs, contract choices varied with respect to the type of silvopastoral system, extra land-use requirements, payment levels and contract duration. In addition, contracts differed with regards to access by cattle to streams. Although the farmers did not show strong preferences for every contract attribute, the majority of farmers in the area showed interest in the proposed contracts. A latent class model identified three classes of respondents, based on their preferences for different contracts attributes or the "business as usual" option. The results suggest that farmland area, agricultural income, and landowners' perceptions of environmental problems provide a partial explanation for the heterogeneity observed in the choices for specific contracts. Participation might increase if contracts were targeted at specific groups of farmers, such as those identified through our latent class model. Offering flexible contracts with varying additional requirements within the same scheme, involving farmers from the start in payments for environmental services design, and combining payments for environmental services with integrated conservation and development projects may be a better way to convince more farmers to adopt silvopastoral systems.

Farmers' Preferences for PES Contracts to Adopt Silvopastoral Systems in Southern Ecuador, Revealed Through a Choice Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Raes, Leander; Speelman, Stijn; Aguirre, Nikolay

2017-08-01

This study investigates farmers' preferences to participate in payment contracts to adopt silvopastoral systems in Ecuador. A choice experiment was used to elicit preferences between different contract attributes, including differing payment amounts and land management requirements. The research was carried out in the buffer zone of Podocarpus National Park in Southern Ecuador, an area where most land is dedicated to cattle husbandry. A choice experiment was conducted to measure farmers' interest in different types of contracts. Based on existing incentive programs, contract choices varied with respect to the type of silvopastoral system, extra land-use requirements, payment levels and contract duration. In addition, contracts differed with regards to access by cattle to streams. Although the farmers did not show strong preferences for every contract attribute, the majority of farmers in the area showed interest in the proposed contracts. A latent class model identified three classes of respondents, based on their preferences for different contracts attributes or the "business as usual" option. The results suggest that farmland area, agricultural income, and landowners' perceptions of environmental problems provide a partial explanation for the heterogeneity observed in the choices for specific contracts. Participation might increase if contracts were targeted at specific groups of farmers, such as those identified through our latent class model. Offering flexible contracts with varying additional requirements within the same scheme, involving farmers from the start in payments for environmental services design, and combining payments for environmental services with integrated conservation and development projects may be a better way to convince more farmers to adopt silvopastoral systems.

Analysis of chain saw lubricating oils commonly used in Thailand's southern border provinces for forensic science purpose.

Science.gov (United States)

Choodum, Aree; Tripuwanard, Kijja; Daeid, Niamh Nic

2014-08-01

In recent years, Thailand's southern border provinces (Malay-Muslim-majority border provinces) have become the scene of violence and insurgency. One of the attack patterns is the blocking of roads with perennial plants followed by planned attacks using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) or weapons on first responders. Containers of viscous dark lubricating oil and traces of lubricants on the felled trees were usually found at the scene. These were suspected to be chain oil lubricant from the chainsaws used to cut down the trees used for the roadblock. This work aimed to differentiate the chromatographic patterns of used lubricating oils available in automobile repair shops from various locations across Thailand's southern border provinces. Lubricating oils were analyzed using gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC/FID) every two weeks to study their variation in chemical compositions over time. The results obtained from GC/FID were normalized for differentiation. This included four two-stroke, six four-stroke, and three recycled oils. Two lubricating oils found at an incident scene were also analyzed and the results compared with the chain oil from five seized chainsaws. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Operational studies on the control of Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, M; Davis, A; Dixon, H; Pawlowski, Z S; Proano, J

1989-01-01

A large-scale study in Loja and El Oro Provinces, Ecuador, demonstrated that population-based treatment of human taeniasis with a low dose of praziquantel is feasible and effective for the short-term control of transmission of Taenia solium in hyperendemic areas. Chemotherapeutic intervention also effectively promoted local preventive measures and contributed greatly to the elaboration of a long-term control programme.

Operational studies on the control of Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis in Ecuador

OpenAIRE

1989-01-01

A large-scale study in Loja and El Oro Provinces, Ecuador, demonstrated that population-based treatment of human taeniasis with a low dose of praziquantel is feasible and effective for the short-term control of transmission of Taenia solium in hyperendemic areas. Chemotherapeutic intervention also effectively promoted local preventive measures and contributed greatly to the elaboration of a long-term control programme.

Circulating strains of Brucella abortus in cattle in the province of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas - Ecuador.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richar Ivan Rodríguez Hidalgo

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In Ecuador, the Province of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas represents the largest informal market of livestock due to its strategic position in the country; thus, given the high mobility of cattle in this region, the aim of this study was to determine the strain variation of Brucella sp.. Part of the study was the isolation, biotyping and genotyping of Brucella species isolated from milk and supra-mammary lymph nodes of sero-positive bovines. Protocols used for isolation, biotyping and genotyping of Brucella species were selective Farrell medium, biochemical assays and IS711-PCR, AMOS-PCR and HOOF-Prints techniques, respectively. In total, 656 animals from sero-positive dairy herds and from the slaughterhouse of the province were diagnosed by Rose Bengal and Wright’s Slow Agglutination test with EDTA. From these animals, 50 animals were found sero-positive for brucellosis. Twenty-five lymph nodes and 25 milk samples from each group of positive reactors were cultured and growth. Isolation was possible in 4 (16% and 9 (36%, respectively; and of these, 10 isolates were diagnosed as Brucella sp. All 4 isolates of lymphatic tissue corresponded to Brucella abortus biotype 1, confirmed as field strains by molecular analysis. Milk isolations, biochemically showed a more dispersed pattern in which B. abortus biotypes 1 and 4 were found; yet four samples gave a pattern similar to B. abortus biotype 2; however, only biotypes 1 and 4 were confirmed by molecular analysis. The concordance between biochemical and molecular diagnostic tests reached 76.9%.

The April 16th 2016 Pedernales Earthquake and Instituto Geofisico efforts for improving seismic monitoring in Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz, M. C.; Alvarado, A. P.; Hernandez, S.; Singaucho, J. C.; Gabriela, P.; Landeureau, A.; Perrault, M.; Acero, W.; Viracucha, C.; Plain, M.; Yepes, H. A.; Palacios, P.; Aguilar, J.; Mothes, P. A.; Segovia, M.; Pacheco, D. A.; Vaca, S.

2016-12-01

On April 16th, 2016, Ecuador's coastal provinces were struck by a devastating earthquake with 7.8 Mw magnitude. This event caused the earthquake-related largest dead toll in Ecuador (663 fatalities) since 1987 inland event. It provoked also a widespread destruction of houses, hotels, hospitals, affecting economic activities. Damaged was very worthy in the city of Pedernales, one of the nearest localities to the epicenter. Rupture area extended about a 100 km from the southern limit marked by the aftershock area of the 1998, 7.1 Mw earthquake to its northern limit controlled by the Punta Galera-Mompiche seismic zone, which is one of the several elongated swarms oriented perpendicular to the trench that occurred since 2007. Historical accounts of the Ecuador Colombia subduction zone have few mentions of felt earthquakes in the XVIII and XIX century likely related to poor communication and urban settlements in this area. A cycle of noticeable earthquakes began in 1896, including the 1906 8.8 Mw event and three earthquakes with magnitudes larger than 7.7 in the period 1942-1979, that preceded the 2016 earthquake. The Instituto Geofiísico of the Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IGEPN) has been monitoring the coastal area through the National Seismic Network (RENSIG) since 30 years back and recently enhanced through SENASCYT and SENPLADES supported projects. International collaboration from Japanese JICA and French IRD also contributed to expand the network and implement research projects in the area. Nowadays, the RENSIG has 135 seismic stations including 105 broadband and 5 strong motion velocimeters. Processing performed by Seiscomp3 software allows an automatic distribution of seismic parameters. A joint cooperation between IGEPN, the Navy Oceanographic Institute and the National Department for Risk Management is in charge of tsunami monitoring.

Attitudes of basic school teachers towards inclusive education in the southern province of Zambia

OpenAIRE

Muleya, Edmond Moses

2006-01-01

Review of literature indicates that successful implementation of inclusion in regular schools is enhanced when regular class teachers have positive attitudes towards inclusion. This investigation explored teachers attitude toward including children with special education needs in the regular classroom. A questionnaire survey was administered to 300 teachers from 3 zones in three different districts in southern province of Zambia. In general it was found that teachers had negative attitudes t...

Operational studies on the control of Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, M.; Davis, A.; Dixon, H.; Pawlowski, Z. S.; Proano, J.

1989-01-01

A large-scale study in Loja and El Oro Provinces, Ecuador, demonstrated that population-based treatment of human taeniasis with a low dose of praziquantel is feasible and effective for the short-term control of transmission of Taenia solium in hyperendemic areas. Chemotherapeutic intervention also effectively promoted local preventive measures and contributed greatly to the elaboration of a long-term control programme. PMID:2805217

Parasitism of the isopod Artystone trysibia in the fish Chaetostoma dermorhynchum from the Tena River (Amazonian region, Ecuador).

Science.gov (United States)

Junoy, Juan

2016-01-01

The isopod Artystone trysibia Schioedte, 1866 is described by using a collection of specimens that were found parasitizing loricariid fish Chaetostoma dermorhynchum Boulenger, 1887 in the Tena River (Napo province, Ecuador, Amazonian region). Additionally to freshly collected specimens, complementary data of the parasite was obtained from preserved fishes at Ecuadorian museums. This is the first record of A. trysibia in Ecuador, and the most upstream location for the species. The new host fish, Chaetostoma dermorhynchum, is used locally as food. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new species of solitary Meteorus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) reared from caterpillars of toxic butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Scott R; Jones, Guinevere Z

2009-01-01

A new species of parasitoid wasp, Meteorus rugonasus Shaw and Jones (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), is described from the Yanayacu Biological Station, Napo Province, Ecuador. The new species is diagnosed and compared to other species in the genus. It was reared from larvae of Pteronymia zerlina (Hewitson, 1855) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Ithomiinae) found feeding on leaves of Solanum (Solanaceae). The parasitoid is solitary. This is the first record of a Meteorus species attacking ithomiine Nymphalidae. A new species of parasitoid wasp, Meteorus rugonasus Shaw and Jones (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), is described from the Yanayacu Biological Station, Napo Province, Ecuador. The new species is diagnosed and compared to other species in the genus. It was reared from larvae of Pteronymia zerlina (Hewitson, 1855) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Ithomiinae) found feeding on leaves of Solanum (Solanaceae). The parasitoid is solitary. This is the first record of a Meteorus species attacking ithomiine Nymphalidae.

Molecular analyses reveal two geographic and genetic lineages for tapeworms, Taenia solium and Taenia saginata, from Ecuador using mitochondrial DNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Solano, Danilo; Navarro, Juan Carlos; León-Reyes, Antonio; Benítez-Ortiz, Washington; Rodríguez-Hidalgo, Richar

2016-12-01

Tapeworms Taenia solium and Taenia saginata are the causative agents of taeniasis/cysticercosis. These are diseases with high medical and veterinary importance due to their impact on public health and rural economy in tropical countries. The re-emergence of T. solium as a result of human migration, the economic burden affecting livestock industry, and the large variability of symptoms in several human cysticercosis, encourage studies on genetic diversity, and the identification of these parasites with molecular phylogenetic tools. Samples collected from the Ecuadorian provinces: Loja, Guayas, Manabí, Tungurahua (South), and Imbabura, Pichincha (North) from 2000 to 2012 were performed under Maximum Parsimony analyses and haplotype networks using partial sequences of mitochondrial DNA, cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and NADH subunit I (NDI), from Genbank and own sequences of Taenia solium and Taenia saginata from Ecuador. Both species have shown reciprocal monophyly, which confirms its molecular taxonomic identity. The COI and NDI genes results suggest phylogenetic structure for both parasite species from south and north of Ecuador. In T. solium, both genes gene revealed greater geographic structure, whereas in T. saginata, the variability for both genes was low. In conclusion, COI haplotype networks of T. solium suggest two geographical events in the introduction of this species in Ecuador (African and Asian lineages) and occurring sympatric, probably through the most common routes of maritime trade between the XV-XIX centuries. Moreover, the evidence of two NDI geographical lineages in T. solium from the north (province of Imbabura) and the south (province of Loja) of Ecuador derivate from a common Indian ancestor open new approaches for studies on genetic populations and eco-epidemiology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethnobotanical Research at the Kutukú Scientific Station, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Bracco, Francesco; Cerna, Marco; Vita Finzi, Paola; Vidari, Giovanni

2016-01-01

This work features the results of an ethnobotanical study on the uses of medicinal plants by the inhabitants of the region near to the Kutukú Scientific Station of Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, located in the Morona-Santiago province, southeast of Ecuador. In the surroundings of the station, one ethnic group, the Shuar, has been identified. The survey hereafter reports a total of 131 plant species, with 73 different therapeutic uses. PMID:28074189

Ethnobotanical Research at the Kutukú Scientific Station, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jose Luis Ballesteros

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This work features the results of an ethnobotanical study on the uses of medicinal plants by the inhabitants of the region near to the Kutukú Scientific Station of Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, located in the Morona-Santiago province, southeast of Ecuador. In the surroundings of the station, one ethnic group, the Shuar, has been identified. The survey hereafter reports a total of 131 plant species, with 73 different therapeutic uses.

Ethnobotanical Research at the Kutukú Scientific Station, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballesteros, Jose Luis; Bracco, Francesco; Cerna, Marco; Vita Finzi, Paola; Vidari, Giovanni

2016-01-01

This work features the results of an ethnobotanical study on the uses of medicinal plants by the inhabitants of the region near to the Kutukú Scientific Station of Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, located in the Morona-Santiago province, southeast of Ecuador. In the surroundings of the station, one ethnic group, the Shuar, has been identified. The survey hereafter reports a total of 131 plant species, with 73 different therapeutic uses.

A new species of Lonchophylla Thomas (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) from Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Albuja V., Luis; Gardner, Alfred L.

2005-01-01

We describe Lonchophylla orcesi, sp. nov., from the Choco, a region of high biotic diversity, endemism, and rainfall along the western Andean slopes and Pacific lowlands of Colombia and Ecuador. One of the largest known Lonchophylla, it occurs sympatrically with at least two other species of Lonchophylla including the similar, but somewhat smaller L. robusta. We also recognize L. concava as a Middle American Province species distinct from L. mordax of Brazil and Bolivia on the basis of cranial and dental features.

Two new species of Leptanilloides Mann, 1823 (Formicidae: Dorylinae from the Andes of southern Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thibaut Delsinne

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Two new species of Leptanilloides are described: L. copalinga Delsinne & Donoso sp. nov., and L. prometea Delsinne & Donoso sp. nov., based on workers collected in the leaf litter and soil of the Andes of southern Ecuador. Both species belong to the L. biconstricta species-group (formally diagnosed here. The metatibial gland, considered a synapomorphy for Dorylinae, is observed in L. prometea sp. nov. but seems absent in L. copalinga sp. nov. We provide a COI DNA barcode for both species and a revised key for the worker caste of all known species in the genus. We also describe a single male identified as a potential new Leptanilloides species on the basis of morphology. Furthermore, its mitochondrial COI gene sequence does not match any previously barcoded species. However, we refrain from giving it a specific name because of our lack of knowledge about the worker caste. So far, half of the 14 Leptanilloides species have been discovered above 1500 m in the mountain forests or páramos of the Ecuadorian Andes, confirming, if needed, the biological significance of these threatened habitats.

A new medicinal plant from Amazonian Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

van Asdall, W

1983-12-01

Dalbergaria tessmanii, a shrub of the Gesneriaceae locally abundant in the tropical forests of Ecuador, is variously ethnomedicinally employed. For example, none of several Shuar (Jívaro) herbal healers know or use it, but the one Shuar Shaman consulted extols its importance in reducing vaginal bleeding. Although Mestizo native consultants from the provincial capital of Morona-Santiago report its use in alleviating heart problems, those from Pastaza Province employ it to reduce menstrual flow. The Lowland Quechua apparently use it for this purpose as well. This plant has apparently not yet been chemically examined. Its reported use in several different cultural context suggest that it should be phytochemically investigated.

Phytogeography of the vascular páramo flora of Podocarpus National Park, south Ecuador

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lozano, P.; Cleef, A.M.; Bussmann, R.W.

2009-01-01

A plant ecological transect study of the páramos of the Podocarpus massif, southern Ecuador, was carried out between July 2001 and August 2004. Including herbarium records 187 vascular plant genera were found, which were used for the present phytogeographical analysis. Three geographic flora

The drag of tails in the Saquisilí Canton of Ecuador as intangible cultural heritage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ángel Velásquez Cajas

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This paper, based on a field research, aims to identify and rescue the cultural expression of the Arrastre de Caudas, of the town of Saquisilí, located at Cotopaxi province in Ecuador. In the first part, this study analyzes the intangible heritage, its concepts, areas, subareas and the process of official cultural registration in Ecuador. The second part describes, in a chronological order, the flag drag celebration, the characters of this religious festivity (priostes, almasantas, cucuruchos, etc. and the symbols (cauda, hat, key. Finally, the research practically relates the two parts into an intangible heritage registration document, based on the reference model developed by the Instituto Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural (INPC.

Lyssavirus surveillance in bats of southern China's Guangxi Province.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Zhuan-Ling; Wang, Wen; Yin, Wei-Li; Tang, Hai-Bo; Pan, Yan; Liang, Xiang; Liu, Qi; Xiong, Yi; Minamoto, Nobuyuki; Luo, Ting Rong

2013-04-01

Although rabies virus is widely distributed in the world, and has been the subject of extensive investigations with the objective of its ultimate prevention, control, and management, there is much less knowledge of the characteristics, distribution, and infectivity of other lyssaviruses. Since bats are known animal vectors for all but one of the known lyssavirus genotypes, we have performed an extensive survey of bats in the Guangxi Province to provide information on lyssavirus distribution in southern China. The lyssavirus nucleoprotein gene was detected in brains of 2.86 % of 2,969 bats. Nucleotide sequence homologies among isolates were 86.9-99.6 %, but only 70.0-85.0 % for lyssaviruses in GenBank. These infected bats were detected from a wide area, essentially forming a band running from the south-west to the north-east of Guangxi, and it appears that infection by new lyssaviruses is widespread in this region.

Reptilia, Squamata, Iguanidae, Anolis heterodermus Duméril, 1851: Distribution extension, first record for Ecuador and notes on color variation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Torres-Carvajal, O.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available We report the first record of A. heterodermus for Ecuador based on four specimens from Chilmá Bajo, province ofCarchi, ca. 120 km NE from the nearest record (departamento Putumayo, municipio de Santiago, Colombia reported in theliterature. Two additional records for Ecuador are listed in the Herpnet database, from specimens deposited at the CarnegieMuseum of Natural History and collected 18 km SE from Maldonado (ca. 8 km NW from Chilmá Bajo. We also presentinformation about color variation in the recently collected specimens.

Strontium isotope data for recent andesites in Ecuador and North Chile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Francis, P.W.; Thorpe, R.S.; Moorbath, S.

1977-01-01

New Sr isotope data are presented for andesite lavas from active volcanoes in Ecuador and North Chile. Twenty-three samples from five Ecuadorian volcanoes have 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios most of which are essentially within analytical error, and average 0.7044. In contrast, 16 samples from the San Pedro-San Pablo volcano complex in North Chile have 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios between 0.7058 and 0.7072. These samples show no correlation between 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and 87 Rb/ 86 Sr, nor between 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and other elements or ratios. The major difference in setting between the two volcanic provinces lies in the thickness of the continental crust; 40-50 km beneath Ecuador, 70 km beneath North Chile. Andesites from both areas are derived primarily from the mantle, but those from North Chile show evidence of a significant Sr isotopic contribution from the continental crust. (Auth.)

Political Ecologies of Global Health: Pesticide Exposure in Southwestern Ecuador's Banana Industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Brisbois, Ben Wesley; Harris, Leila; Spiegel, Jerry M

2018-01-01

Pesticide exposure in Ecuador's banana industry reflects political economic and ecological processes that interact across scales to affect human health. We use this case study to illustrate opportunities for applying political ecology of health scholarship in the burgeoning field of global health. Drawing on an historical literature review and ethnographic data collected in Ecuador's El Oro province, we present three main areas where a political ecological approach can enrich global health scholarship: perceptive characterization of multi-scalar and ecologically entangled pathways to health outcomes; critical analysis of discursive dynamics such as competing scalar narratives; and appreciation of the environment-linked subjectivities and emotions of people experiencing globalized health impacts. Rapprochement between these fields may also provide political ecologists with access to valuable empirical data on health outcomes, venues for engaged scholarship, and opportunities to synthesize numerous insightful case studies and discern broader patterns.

Features of geology in Anyuan hot spot area of southern Jiangxi Province

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Jinrong; Li Ziying; Pang Yaqing; Hu Zhihua; Gao Fei; Wang Yongjian; Zhong Qilong

2013-01-01

Based on the synthetical research on the characteristics of regional geology and structure, magmatic activity and metamorphism, it is considered that Anyuan area in southern Jiangxi Province has features of continent hot spot, and Anyuan hot spot area is an integrated geology body effected by the metamorphism. magmatism, tectonism and hydrothermal metallogenesis originated by the mantle upheaving. Anyuan hot spot area is a mineralization cluster area of uranium and poly-metal, which has the feature of ring structure, negative abnormity of gravity and high field of radioactivity. It is considered that metallogenesis of uranium and poly-metal is close to crust-mantle mixing and fluid of deep source. (authors)

A genetic analysis of Trichuris trichiura and Trichuris suis from Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Meekums, Hayley; Hawash, Mohamed B F; Sparks, Alexandra M; Oviedo, Yisela; Sandoval, Carlos; Chico, Martha E; Stothard, J Russell; Cooper, Philip J; Nejsum, Peter; Betson, Martha

2015-03-19

Since the nematodes Trichuris trichiura and T. suis are morphologically indistinguishable, genetic analysis is required to assess epidemiological cross-over between people and pigs. This study aimed to clarify the transmission biology of trichuriasis in Ecuador. Adult Trichuris worms were collected during a parasitological survey of 132 people and 46 pigs in Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador. Morphometric analysis of 49 pig worms and 64 human worms revealed significant variation. In discriminant analysis morphometric characteristics correctly classified male worms according to host species. In PCR-RFLP analysis of the ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS-2) and 18S DNA (59 pig worms and 82 human worms), nearly all Trichuris exhibited expected restriction patterns. However, two pig-derived worms showed a "heterozygous-type" ITS-2 pattern, with one also having a "heterozygous-type" 18S pattern. Phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial large ribosomal subunit partitioned worms by host species. Notably, some Ecuadorian T. suis clustered with porcine Trichuris from USA and Denmark and some with Chinese T. suis. This is the first study in Latin America to genetically analyse Trichuris parasites. Although T. trichiura does not appear to be zoonotic in Ecuador, there is evidence of genetic exchange between T. trichiura and T. suis warranting more detailed genetic sampling.

The prevalence of Pediculus capitis among School Children in Fars Province, Southern Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R Neirami

2009-05-01

Full Text Available "nBackground: Pediculus capitis or head louse infestation affects millions of children worldwide, especially those in the 5-11 years age group. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of head pediculosis among school children in ur­ban and rural areas of Fars Province, southern Iran."nMethods: All school children of age 6-11 yr from both genders in all urban and rural areas of the province were screened for head louse infestation by examination of their hair and scalps. Parents of all infested children were also exam­ined. The study was repeated in different seasons in the same areas. Moreover, infested children were treated with 5% permethrin shampoo and re-examined one week later for any relapse."nResults: The general prevalence of head louse infestation in primary school students was 0.49% in autumn, 0.37% in win­ter and 0.20% in spring. In the mentioned seasons, the prevalence of P. capitis was higher among females and in ru­ral areas (P=0.001. Although treatment with permethrin shampoo failed in females, it was successful in all infected males from both regions in autumn and spring and in males from urban areas in winter."nConclusion: Head louse infestation is uncommon among Fars Province school children in rural and urban areas and should not be considered a public health priority. However, due to the higher prevalence of pediculosis in low socioeco­nomic group and rural area in our region, it seems that health promotion, particularly early detection and effec­tive management strategies should target this group in the province.

The impact and perspectives of a capacitating culinary awareness program, in the knowledge development of culinary identity, nutrition, hygiene, meal planning and culinary techniques applications in the community “El Progreso” situated in Pedro Vicente Maldonado Province of Pichincha Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Cedeno, Natalia Andrea Ferrin

2017-01-01

Master's thesis in International hotel and tourism management: Culinary leadership and innovation The purpose of this development project is to settle a Culinary Capacitating program along the community “El Progreso”, located in Pedro Vicente Maldonado, Province of Pichincha, Ecuador, in order to analyze the impact and perspectives that culinary knowledge can rapport. It has been taken in consideration the daily habits of the community, thus to improve their daily life of the people, to ma...

Stochastic reservoir optimization using El Niño information: case study of Daule Peripa, Ecuador

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gelati, Emiliano; Madsen, Henrik; Rosbjerg, Dan

2011-01-01

, each corresponding to a hidden climate state. Climatic information is used as exogenous input and to condition state transitions. We apply the model to the inflow of the Daule Peripa reservoir in western Ecuador, where El Niño events cause anomalously heavy rainfall. El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO...

Collection for Ecuador

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2016-01-01

Following the terrible earthquake in Ecuador on April 16th, 2016, a collection was organized at CERN and sent to the INEPE Institute in Quito to help the victims. CERN has received the following two letters that we want to share with you. We wish our Ecuadorian friends a prompt recovery and keep them in our thoughts! Dear Fabiola and Alessandro, […] As the CERN contact person in Ecuador, and as the Country Representative for Ecuador in the CMS Experiment, I would like to thank you, the offices you precede and, through you, the whole CERN community, for all the concern and generosity after the terrible earthquake in the coast of Ecuador.  Rather slowly, but full of hope, our people are overcoming this difficult situation.  Contributions from different sources abroad, like CERN's, combined with the rapid and generous local intervention, have greatly helped the affected communities cope with the most urgent needs in order to restart their lives. Once again, I express my ...

Rural energetic troubles in Ecuador; Problemas de la Energizacion rural en Ecuador

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barriga, A [Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica, Escuela superior politecnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Guayaquil (Ecuador)

1994-07-01

The present work presents a general situation of Ecuador, its demand of Energy, programs of electrification rural, energy requirements in the hydroelectric rural sector, central sector built in Ecuador and the priorities of energy use.

Actitudes lingüísticas en Ecuador. Una tradición normativa que subsiste

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esthela Flores Mejía

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Resumen Este artículo analiza las actitudes lingüísticas de hablantes nativos de español de Quito, hacia al español del Ecuador y hacia el español de los otros países hispanohablantes. El artículo es parte de los resultados del Proyecto LIAS (Linguistic Identity and Attitudes in Spanish-speaking Latin America, financiado por El Consejo Noruego de Investigación (RCN. La recolección de los datos se realizó en la capital del país, entrevistando una muestra de 395 informantes previamente estratificada con las variables de edad, sexo y nivel socioeconómico. El estudio presentado es el primero de esta naturaleza que se realiza en Ecuador; sus resultados muestran, de forma general, la forma de hablar de la provincia de Loja es la que cuenta con mayor prestigio, en contraste con el bajo aprecio por el habla de Guayaquil y Cuenca. Los habitantes de la Capital reconocen como similar la forma de hablar de las provincias aledañas a la suya y diferentes sobre todo a las provincias de la Costa. En líneas generales se puede establecer que, aunque hay algunas variantes del español que les agradan, como las que se hablan en España y en Colombia, el afecto y el prestigio que los ecuatorianos asignan a su propia forma de hablar es muy fuerte. Abstract This article analyzes the linguistic attitudes of native Spanish speakers from Quito, towards Spanish spoken in Ecuador and in the other Spanish-speaking countries. It is a result of the LIAS-Project (Linguistic Identity and Attitudes in Spanish-speaking Latin America, funded by The Research Council of Norway (RCN. The data were gathered in the capital of the country, interviewing a stratified sample of 395 respondents, based on the variables of age, sex and socioeconomic status. This research study is the first of its kind in Ecuador. Its results show that the Spanish spoken in the Loja province has high prestige, in contrast to the Spanish spoken in Guayaquil and Cuenca. Residents of Quito, the

Spotlight: Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

1998-04-01

This article describes the vital statistics and population growth in Ecuador as of mid-1997. Mid-1997 population numbered about 12 million. Fertility was 3.6 births/woman; deaths were 6/1000 population; and births were 29/1000 population. Ecuador was primarily an agricultural country, until oil was discovered in the early 1970s. The country has worked to increase per capita income and confront environmental consequences. The capital city of Quito is situated in a valley between two mountains and has very high air pollution levels due to cars and factories. In contrast, indigenous populations live in the Andean mountains and farm small plots. Land shortages have pushed these farmers onto higher slopes and more marginal land that is becoming eroded. 22% of Ecuador's forests were cleared for farming during 1980-90. The city of Guayaquil, on the Pacific coast, has serious water pollution problems, sewage problems, and industrial pollution. Shrimp farming relies on high levels of fertilizer, which is damaging coastlines. Oil exploration in the interior of Ecuador, has resulted in disruption of indigenous population, loss of forests, and pollution of rivers. Texaco Oil is accused of spilling about 17 million gallons of crude oil, or 50 times more than the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. Texaco argues that it met government environmental standards and agreed to a cleanup, which only partially meets the standards of its critics. Oil resources have funded improvements in education and health. About 90% of Ecuador's adult population is literate. Fertility has declined, but the population is still largely young and will be entering their reproductive years by 2025.

Amazonian indigenous settlement and local development in Pastaza, Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruth I. Arias-Gutiérrez

2016-07-01

Full Text Available In six Amazonian indigenous communities that call to their selves as membership of nación Kichwa, located in Pastaza province, in Ecuador, it is analyzed the process of inhabitation, population characteristics, how much the territory is enough for food requirements for the indigenous families, and their use of land, to determine important factors to improve strategies for local sustainable development. It is considered important because Ecuador has constitutional protection for plural ethnicity and it is looking for improving a new productivity matrix that let down extraction and contamination and raise another matrix based on knowledge and richness from natural renewable resources. Survey used statistics information, qualitative analysis around reality in process, participant research, documentary analysis, oral history and surveys to leadership and family`s chiefs. Results confirm that communities hold standing their identity and knowledge systems of the Amazonian environment, whose conservation they need. Those are factors to be included in local development strategies that let people become safe from effects of extractives activities that are dangerous for culture and environment, in the geographic and biological diversity of the high Ecuadorian Amazonia.

Taxonomic revalidation and potential distribution of Armatocereus brevispinus Madsen (Cactaceae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian R. Loaiza S.

2016-05-01

Full Text Available We report the first confirmed record for northern Peru of Armatocereus brevispinus Madsen, a species of cactus regarded as endemic to the province of Loja, in the southern region of Ecuador. The record corresponds to a locality placed near the km 18 of the route to Ayabaca (04º42’21.0”S and 79º48’51.0”W, in the district of Ayabaca, within the province of Ayabaca, in the Department of Piura. This records represents an extension of the distributional range known for this species in Ecuador. We analyze its taxonomy and the distribution and conservation status and comments on its biogeography in the Andean region.

Tourism as a Poverty Reduction Tool: The Case of Mukuni Village in the Southern Province of Zambia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miroslav Horák

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Globally, tourism is becoming one of the cornerstones of national economic growth and as a means of poverty alleviation, especially in the tourist attractions in rural areas. This article assesses the levels of utilization of tourism potentials in Zambia, in general, and the Mukuni village in the Southern province in Zambia, in particular, with reference to poverty reduction. The world famous Victoria Falls is situated in the Southern province and therefore this area is the most visited places in Zambia and attracts more tourists throughout the whole year. The main income of the local people, which includes the Tonga tribe comes from tourism. Even though tourism has brought positive results, including the realization of some local development projects and prosperity to the people, it has also brought some negative effects such as sociocultural change, pollution and waste in the tourist destination areas in Zambia.For the Mukuni people and Zambia as a whole to fully exploit tourism potentials, stricter laws protecting the destruction of the environment and the preservation culture of the indigenous people should be enforced in the tourist destination areas. The government should use the levy from tourism to provide better infrastructure, create job opportunities and create wealth within the tourist areas for sustainable tourism development and poverty reduction.

Municipal solid waste management in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka: Problems, issues and challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vidanaarachchi, Chandana K.; Yuen, Samuel T.S.; Pilapitiya, Sumith

2006-01-01

This paper describes the problems, issues and challenges faced by Sri Lanka based on the outcome of a recent study conducted in the country's Southern Province. The study consists of a public survey, discussions with local authority staff involved in waste management, discussions with Provincial Council and Government officials, dialogue with local politicians, review of documents and field observations. The study revealed that only 24% of the households have access to waste collection and that in rural areas it was less than 2%. A substantial number of households in areas without waste collection expect local authorities to collect their waste. The study also showed that most sites in the province are under capacity to handle any increased demand. Urgent and immediate improvement of the waste disposal sites is necessary to meet the current demand for improved waste collection. The study also revealed that there is a high willingness of people for home composting

The complex influence of ENSO on droughts in Ecuador

KAUST Repository

Vicente-Serrano, S. M.

2016-03-26

In this study, we analyzed the influence of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the spatio-temporal variability of droughts in Ecuador for a 48-year period (1965–2012). Droughts were quantified from 22 high-quality and homogenized time series of precipitation and air temperature by means of the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index. In addition, the propagation of two different ENSO indices (El Niño 3.4 and El Niño 1 + 2 indices) and other atmospheric circulation processes (e.g., vertical velocity) on different time-scales of drought severity were investigated. The results showed a very complex influence of ENSO on drought behavior across Ecuador, with two regional patterns in the evolution of droughts: (1) the Andean chain with no changes in drought severity, and (2) the Western plains with less severe and frequent droughts. We also detected that drought variability in the Andes mountains is explained by the El Niño 3.4 index [sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the central Pacific], whereas the Western plains are much more driven by El Niño 1 + 2 index (SST anomalies in the eastern Pacific). Moreover, it was also observed that El Niño and La Niña phases enhance droughts in the Andes and Western plains regions, respectively. The results of this work could be crucial for predicting and monitoring drought variability and intensity in Ecuador. © 2016 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Epidemiology of leishmaniasis in Ecuador: current status of knowledge - A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Calvopina

2004-11-01

Full Text Available Although leishmaniasis is regarded as a significant health problem in Ecuador by the Ministry of Health, and the incidence has increased over the last years, an official map on the geographic distribution of disease and sand fly vectors or a control strategy do not exist yet. This article reviews the current situation based on published information to improve our knowledge and understand the epidemiological situation of leishmaniasis in Ecuador in order to help future research and to develop a national control strategy. The disease is endemic in most provinces throughout Pacific coastal region, Amazonian lowlands, and some inter-Andean valleys with a total 21,805 cases reported during 1990-2003. Whereas cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL is found throughout Ecuador, mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL appears to be restricted to the Amazon region; one, parasitologically unconfirmed case of visceral form was reported in 1949. Most human infections are caused by Leishmania (Viannia spp., which is distributed in the subtropical and tropical lowlands; infections due to L. (Leishmania spp. are found in the Andean highlands and in the Pacific lowlands as well. The proven vectors are Lutzomyia trapidoi and Lu. ayacuchensis. Canis familiaris, Sciurus vulgaris, Potos flavus, and Tamandua tetradactyla have been found infected with Leishmania spp. It is estimated that around 3000-4500 people may be infected every year, and that 3.1 to 4.5 millions people are estimated to be at risk of contracting leishmaniasis.

Low Herbivory among Targeted Reforestation Sites in the Andean Highlands of Southern Ecuador.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc-Oliver Adams

Full Text Available Insect herbivory constitutes an important constraint in the viability and management of targeted reforestation sites. Focusing on young experimental stands at about 2000 m elevation in southern Ecuador, we examined foliar damage over one season as a function of tree species and habitat. Native tree species (Successional hardwood: Cedrela montana and Tabebuia chrysantha; fast-growing pioneer: Heliocarpus americanus have been planted among prevailing local landcover types (abandoned pasture, secondary shrub vegetation, and a Pinus patula plantation in 2003/4. Plantation trees were compared to conspecifics in the spontaneous undergrowth of adjacent undisturbed rainforest matched for height and foliar volume. Specifically, we tested the hypotheses that H. americanus as a pioneer species suffers more herbivory compared to the two successional tree species, and that damage is inversely related to habitat complexity. Overall leaf damage caused by folivorous insects (excluding leafcutter ants was low. Average leaf loss was highest among T. chrysantha (7.50% ± 0.19 SE of leaf area, followed by H. americanus (4.67% ± 0.18 SE and C. montana (3.18% ± 0.15 SE. Contrary to expectations, leaf area loss was highest among trees in closed-canopy natural rainforest, followed by pine plantation, pasture, and secondary shrub sites. Harvesting activity of leafcutter ants (Acromyrmex sp. was strongly biased towards T. chrysantha growing in open habitat (mean pasture: 2.5%; shrub: 10.5% where it could result in considerable damage (> 90.0%. Insect folivory is unlikely to pose a barrier for reforestation in the tropical Andean mountain forest zone at present, but leafcutter ants may become problematic if local temperatures increase in the wake of global warming.

Medical education in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Joffre, Carrillo P; Delgado, Belgica; Kosik, Russell Olive; Huang, Lei; Zhao, Xudong; Su, Tung-Ping; Wang, Shuu-Jiun; Chen, Qi; Fan, Angela Pei-Chen

2013-12-01

Ecuador, the smallest of the Andean countries, is located in the northwest portion of South America. The nation's 14.5 million people have a tremendous need for high quality primary care. To describe the profound advances as well as the persistent needs in medical education in Ecuador that have occurred with globalization and with the modernization of the country. Through an extensive search of the literature; medical school data; reports from the Ecuador Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Education; and information from the National Secretary of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation (SENESCYT), the medical education system in Ecuador has been thoroughly examined. The National System of Higher Education in Ecuador has experienced significant growth over the last 20 years. As of 2009 the system boasts 19 medical schools, all of which offer the required education needed to obtain the title of Physician, but only 12 of which offer postgraduate clinical training. Of these 19 universities, nine are public, five are private and self-financed, and five are private and co-financed. Post-graduate options for medical students include: (1) Clinical specialization, (2) Higher diploma, (3) Course specialization, (4) Master's degree, and (5) PhD degree. The rapid growth of Ecuador's system of medical education has led to inevitable gaps that threaten its ability to sustain itself. Chief among these is the lack of well-trained faculty to supply its medical schools. To ensure an adequate supply of faculty exists, the creation of sufficient postgraduate, sub-specialization, and PhD training positions must be created and maintained.

Decline of General Intelligence in Children Exposed to Manganese from Mining Contamination in Puyango River Basin, Southern Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Betancourt, Óscar; Tapia, Marlene; Méndez, Ignacio

2015-09-01

Based on ecosystem approaches to health (Ecohealth), this study sought to identify neurobehavioral disorders in children exposed to several levels of toxic metal pollution from gold mining in the Puyango River Basin, Southern Ecuador. Ninety-three children born or living in the study area participated in the study. A neurobehavioral test battery consisting of 12 tests assessing various functions of the nervous system was applied as well as a questionnaire regarding events of exposure of children's mothers to contaminants during perinatal period. Hair samples were taken from children to determine manganese concentrations. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied in order to examine possible relationships between exposure events, hair manganese, and neurobehavioral disorders. Having controlled co-variables such as age and educational level, it was found that children with elevated levels of hair manganese (over 2 μg/g) had poor performance in the test of general intelligence (Raven's Progressive Color Matrices Scale PCM). The Ecohealth approach helped to identify that children in the lower Puyango Basin with very elevated levels of manganese in the river water (970 µg/L) are the ones who have the highest levels of hair manganese and the worst performance in the intelligence test.

Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Vibrio spp. in Retail and Farm Shrimps in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Sperling, L; Alter, T; Huehn, S

2015-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Vibrio spp. in shrimp at retail and in shrimp farms in Ecuador and to determine the antimicrobial agent resistance patterns of farm isolates. The presence of genes linked to early mortality syndrome (EMS) or acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) also was evaluated. Vibrio spp. were isolated from retail shrimps in Cuenca, Ecuador, and farm shrimps originating from provinces El Oro and Guayas, Ecuador. A total of 229 shrimp samples were collected, of which 71 originated from retail markets in Cuenca and 158 came from shrimp farms. Overall, 219 (95.6%) samples tested positive for Vibrio spp. Vibrio parahaemolyticus (80.8%) was the most common species detected, followed by Vibrio alginolyticus (50.2%), Vibrio cholerae (11.3%), and Vibrio vulnificus (3.5%). None of the V. parahaemolyticus isolates carried the virulence-associated tdh and trh genes. In V. parahaemolyticus shrimp farm isolates, high resistance was found to ampicillin (92.2%), and intermediate resistance was found to tetracycline (51.3%) and amikacin (22.1%). Of the V. parahaemolyticus strains, 68 were resistant to at least three antimicrobial agents, and 2 were resistant to seven antimicrobial agents simultaneously. Up to 18 resistant isolates were found for V. alginolyticus, whereas V. vulnificus and V. cholerae isolates were more susceptible. None of the V. parahaemolyticus isolates carried the EMS-AHPND plasmid. The results of this study revealed the ubiquitous occurrence of Vibrio spp. in shrimps at retail and on shrimp farms in Ecuador.

Geographic Distribution of Leishmania Species in Ecuador Based on the Cytochrome B Gene Sequence Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Hirotomo; Gomez, Eduardo A; Martini-Robles, Luiggi; Muzzio, Jenny; Velez, Lenin; Calvopiña, Manuel; Romero-Alvarez, Daniel; Mimori, Tatsuyuki; Uezato, Hiroshi; Hashiguchi, Yoshihisa

2016-07-01

A countrywide epidemiological study was performed to elucidate the current geographic distribution of causative species of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Ecuador by using FTA card-spotted samples and smear slides as DNA sources. Putative Leishmania in 165 samples collected from patients with CL in 16 provinces of Ecuador were examined at the species level based on the cytochrome b gene sequence analysis. Of these, 125 samples were successfully identified as Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis, L. (V.) braziliensis, L. (V.) naiffi, L. (V.) lainsoni, and L. (Leishmania) mexicana. Two dominant species, L. (V.) guyanensis and L. (V.) braziliensis, were widely distributed in Pacific coast subtropical and Amazonian tropical areas, respectively. Recently reported L. (V.) naiffi and L. (V.) lainsoni were identified in Amazonian areas, and L. (L.) mexicana was identified in an Andean highland area. Importantly, the present study demonstrated that cases of L. (V.) braziliensis infection are increasing in Pacific coast areas.

Traditional medicine applied by the Saraguro yachakkuna: a preliminary approach to the use of sacred and psychoactive plant species in the southern region of Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Armijos, Chabaco; Cota, Iuliana; González, Silvia

2014-02-24

During the colonial period, the indigenous saraguros maintained their traditions, knowledge, and practices to restore and preserve the health of their members. Unfortunately, many of their practices and medicinal resources have not been documented. In this study, we sought to document the traditional healers' (yachakkuna saraguros) knowledge about medicinal and psychoactive plants used in the mesas and in magical-religious rituals. The study was conducted under a technical and scientific cooperation agreement between the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL), the Dirección Provincial de Salud de Loja (DPSL), and the Saraguro Healers Council (Consejo de Sanadores de Saraguro). For the present study, the DPSL and Saraguro Healers Council selected the 10 yachakkuna most recognized for their knowledge and their use of sacred and psychoactive species. Ten interviews with the selected yachakkuna were conducted between 2010 and 2011 to ascertain how the Saraguro traditional healing system is structured and to obtain a record of the sacred and medicinal plant species used to treat supernatural diseases and for psychoactive purposes. The present study describes the traditional health system in the Saraguro indigenous community located in southern Ecuador. It also describes the main empirical methods used to diagnose diseases: direct physical examination of the patient, observation of the patient's urine, documentation of the patient's pulse, limpia, palpation and visionary methods, including supernatural diseases (susto, vaho de agua, mal aire, mal hecho, shuka) and reports of the use of sacred and medicinal psychoactive plants, such as the San Pedro cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi), wandug (Brugmansia spp.), and tobacco (Nicotiana spp.). This study also describes the rituals (limpia, soplada) employed by the Saraguro yachakkuna to treat supernatural diseases. Finally, we report on the main plants used during limpia in the Saraguro community. The current traditional

Prevalence and Determinants of Fall-Related Injuries among Older Adults in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos H. Orces

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. To estimate the prevalence and determinants of fall-related injuries in the previous year among adults aged 60 years or older in Ecuador. Methods. The prevalence of fall-related injuries was estimated using cross-sectional data from the first national survey of Health, Wellbeing, and Aging study. Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between participants’ demographic characteristics and fall-related injuries. Results. Of 5,227 participants with a mean age of 72.6 years, 11.4% (95% CI, 10.3%–12.7% reported a fall-related injury in Ecuador, representing an estimated 136,000 adults aged 60 years or older. Fall-related injuries were more frequently reported among older adults residing in the most urbanized and populated provinces of the country. After controlling for potential confounders, self-reported race as Indigenous (OR 2.2; 95% CI, 2.11–2.31, drinking alcohol regularly (OR 2.54; 95% CI, 2.46–2.63, subjects with greater number of comorbid conditions (OR 2.03; 95% CI, 1.97–2.08, and urinary incontinence (OR 1.83; 95% CI, 1.79–1.87 were factors independently associated with increased odds of sustaining fall-related injuries. Conclusions. Fall-related injuries represent a considerable burden for older adults in Ecuador. The present findings may assist public health authorities to implement fall prevention programs among subjects at higher risk for this type of injury.

A long source area of the 1906 Colombia-Ecuador earthquake estimated from observed tsunami waveforms

Science.gov (United States)

Yamanaka, Yusuke; Tanioka, Yuichiro; Shiina, Takahiro

2017-12-01

The 1906 Colombia-Ecuador earthquake induced both strong seismic motions and a tsunami, the most destructive earthquake in the history of the Colombia-Ecuador subduction zone. The tsunami propagated across the Pacific Ocean, and its waveforms were observed at tide gauge stations in countries including Panama, Japan, and the USA. This study conducted slip inverse analysis for the 1906 earthquake using these waveforms. A digital dataset of observed tsunami waveforms at the Naos Island (Panama) and Honolulu (USA) tide gauge stations, where the tsunami was clearly observed, was first produced by consulting documents. Next, the two waveforms were applied in an inverse analysis as the target waveform. The results of this analysis indicated that the moment magnitude of the 1906 earthquake ranged from 8.3 to 8.6. Moreover, the dominant slip occurred in the northern part of the assumed source region near the coast of Colombia, where little significant seismicity has occurred, rather than in the southern part. The results also indicated that the source area, with significant slip, covered a long distance, including the southern, central, and northern parts of the region.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Rural energetic troubles in Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barriga, A

1994-01-01

The present work presents a general situation of Ecuador, its demand of Energy, programs of electrification rural, energy requirements in the hydroelectric rural sector, central sector built in Ecuador and the priorities of energy use

Concentration of cadmium in cacao beans and its relationship with soil cadmium in southern Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chavez, E.; He, Z.L.; Stoffella, P.J.; Mylavarapu, R.S.; Li, Y.C.; Moyano, B.; Baligar, V.C.

2015-01-01

Cadmium (Cd) content in cacao beans above a critical level (0.6 mg kg −1 ) has raised concerns in the consumption of cacao-based chocolate. Little is available regarding Cd concentration in soil and cacao in Ecuador. The aim of this study was to determine the status of Cd in both, soils and cacao plants, in southern Ecuador. Soil samples were collected from 19 farms at 0–5, 5–15, 15–30, and 30–50 cm depths, whereas plant samples were taken from four nearby trees. Total recoverable and extractable Cd were measured at the different soil depths. Total recoverable Cd ranged from 0.88 to 2.45 and 0.06 to 2.59, averaged 1.54 and 0.85 mg kg −1 , respectively in the surface and subsurface soils whereas the corresponding values for M3-extractable Cd were 0.08 to 1.27 and 0.02 to 0.33 with mean values of 0.40 and 0.10 mg kg −1 . Surface soil in all sampling sites had total recoverable Cd above the USEPA critical level for agricultural soils (0.43 mg kg −1 ), indicating that Cd pollution occurs. Since both total recoverable and M3-extractable Cd significantly decreased depth wise, anthropogenic activities are more likely the source of contamination. Cadmium in cacao tissues decreased in the order of beans > shell > > leaves. Cadmium content in cacao beans ranged from 0.02 to 3.00, averaged 0.94 mg kg −1 , and 12 out of 19 sites had bean Cd content above the critical level. Bean Cd concentration was highly correlated with M3- or HCl-extractable Cd at both the 0–5 and 5–15 cm depths (r = 0.80 and 0.82 for M3, and r = 0.78 and 0.82 for HCl; P < 0.01). These results indicate that accumulation of Cd in surface layers results in excessive Cd in cacao beans and M3- or HCl-extractable Cd are suitable methods for predicting available Cd in the studied soils. - Highlights: • > 60% of the studied sites had a Cd content in cacao beans above the critical level. • Bean Cd concentration was closely correlated with available Cd in soil. • Soil Cd contamination is

Concentration of cadmium in cacao beans and its relationship with soil cadmium in southern Ecuador

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chavez, E. [University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, Indian River Research and Education Center, Fort Pierce, FL 34945 (United States); Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, Centro de Investigaciones Biotecnologicas del Ecuador, Guayaquil, Guayas (Ecuador); He, Z.L., E-mail: zhe@ufl.edu [University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, Indian River Research and Education Center, Fort Pierce, FL 34945 (United States); Stoffella, P.J. [University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, Indian River Research and Education Center, Fort Pierce, FL 34945 (United States); Mylavarapu, R.S. [University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, Soil and Water Science Department, Gainesville, FL 33611 (United States); Li, Y.C. [University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead, FL 33031 (United States); Moyano, B. [Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, Centro de Investigaciones Biotecnologicas del Ecuador, Guayaquil, Guayas (Ecuador); Baligar, V.C. [United State Department of Agriculture, ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705 (United States)

2015-11-15

Cadmium (Cd) content in cacao beans above a critical level (0.6 mg kg{sup −1}) has raised concerns in the consumption of cacao-based chocolate. Little is available regarding Cd concentration in soil and cacao in Ecuador. The aim of this study was to determine the status of Cd in both, soils and cacao plants, in southern Ecuador. Soil samples were collected from 19 farms at 0–5, 5–15, 15–30, and 30–50 cm depths, whereas plant samples were taken from four nearby trees. Total recoverable and extractable Cd were measured at the different soil depths. Total recoverable Cd ranged from 0.88 to 2.45 and 0.06 to 2.59, averaged 1.54 and 0.85 mg kg{sup −1}, respectively in the surface and subsurface soils whereas the corresponding values for M3-extractable Cd were 0.08 to 1.27 and 0.02 to 0.33 with mean values of 0.40 and 0.10 mg kg{sup −1}. Surface soil in all sampling sites had total recoverable Cd above the USEPA critical level for agricultural soils (0.43 mg kg{sup −1}), indicating that Cd pollution occurs. Since both total recoverable and M3-extractable Cd significantly decreased depth wise, anthropogenic activities are more likely the source of contamination. Cadmium in cacao tissues decreased in the order of beans > shell > > leaves. Cadmium content in cacao beans ranged from 0.02 to 3.00, averaged 0.94 mg kg{sup −1}, and 12 out of 19 sites had bean Cd content above the critical level. Bean Cd concentration was highly correlated with M3- or HCl-extractable Cd at both the 0–5 and 5–15 cm depths (r = 0.80 and 0.82 for M3, and r = 0.78 and 0.82 for HCl; P < 0.01). These results indicate that accumulation of Cd in surface layers results in excessive Cd in cacao beans and M3- or HCl-extractable Cd are suitable methods for predicting available Cd in the studied soils. - Highlights: • > 60% of the studied sites had a Cd content in cacao beans above the critical level. • Bean Cd concentration was closely correlated with available Cd in soil. • Soil

Serious fungal infections in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Zurita, J; Denning, D W; Paz-Y-Miño, A; Solís, M B; Arias, L M

2017-06-01

There is a dearth of data from Ecuador on the burden of life-threatening fungal disease entities; therefore, we estimated the burden of serious fungal infections in Ecuador based on the populations at risk and available epidemiological databases and publications. A full literature search was done to identify all epidemiology papers reporting fungal infection rates. WHO, ONU-AIDS, Index Mundi, Global Asthma Report, Globocan, and national data [Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC), Ministerio de Salud Pública (MSP), Sociedad de Lucha Contra el Cáncer (SOLCA), Instituto Nacional de Donación y Trasplante de Órganos, Tejidos y Células (INDOT)] were reviewed. When no data existed, risk populations were used to estimate frequencies of fungal infections, using previously described methodology by LIFE. Ecuador has a variety of climates from the cold of the Andes through temperate to humid hot weather at the coast and in the Amazon basin. Ecuador has a population of 15,223,680 people and an average life expectancy of 76 years. The median estimate of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) population at risk for fungal disease (Ecuador is affected by serious fungal infection.

Peces del Noroeste del Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Barriga, Ramiro

1994-01-01

La ictiofauna del occidente del Ecuador es poco conocida. Los peces del noroccidente son diferentes a los del suroccidente del Ecuador. 34 familias y 82 especies fueron colectadas que equivale al 11 % de las especies de peces continentales registradas en el Ecuador. Icteogeográficamente se sabe que la costa ecuatoriana posee dos provincias: la del Pacifico Norte y la del Guayas, se determinó que el límite de las dos provincias es el río Santiago ya que las especies del mencionado río so...

A National Survey to Determine Prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection among Pregnant Women in Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Costales, Jaime A.; Sánchez-Gómez, Amaya; Silva-Aycaguer, Luis C.; Cevallos, William; Tamayo, Susana; Yumiseva, César A.; Jacobson, Jerry O.; Martini, Luiggi; Carrera, Caty A.; Grijalva, Mario J.

2015-01-01

A nationwide survey was conducted to obtain an estimate of Chagas disease prevalence among pregnant women in Ecuador. As part of a national probability sample, 5,420 women seeking care for delivery or miscarriage at 15 healthcare facilities were recruited into the study. A small minority of participants reported knowing about Chagas disease or recognized the vector. A national seroprevalence of 0.1% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.0–0.2%) was found; cases were concentrated in the coastal region (seroprevalence = 0.2%; 95% CI = 0.0–0.4%). No cases of transmission to neonates were identified in the sample. Seropositive participants were referred to the National Chagas Program for evaluation and treatment. Additional studies are necessary to determine if areas of higher prevalence exist in well-known endemic provinces and guide the development of a national strategy for elimination of mother-to-child transmission of Chagas disease in Ecuador. PMID:25667052

Geographic Distribution of Leishmania Species in Ecuador Based on the Cytochrome B Gene Sequence Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Hirotomo; Gomez, Eduardo A.; Martini-Robles, Luiggi; Muzzio, Jenny; Velez, Lenin; Calvopiña, Manuel; Romero-Alvarez, Daniel; Mimori, Tatsuyuki; Uezato, Hiroshi; Hashiguchi, Yoshihisa

2016-01-01

A countrywide epidemiological study was performed to elucidate the current geographic distribution of causative species of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Ecuador by using FTA card-spotted samples and smear slides as DNA sources. Putative Leishmania in 165 samples collected from patients with CL in 16 provinces of Ecuador were examined at the species level based on the cytochrome b gene sequence analysis. Of these, 125 samples were successfully identified as Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis, L. (V.) braziliensis, L. (V.) naiffi, L. (V.) lainsoni, and L. (Leishmania) mexicana. Two dominant species, L. (V.) guyanensis and L. (V.) braziliensis, were widely distributed in Pacific coast subtropical and Amazonian tropical areas, respectively. Recently reported L. (V.) naiffi and L. (V.) lainsoni were identified in Amazonian areas, and L. (L.) mexicana was identified in an Andean highland area. Importantly, the present study demonstrated that cases of L. (V.) braziliensis infection are increasing in Pacific coast areas. PMID:27410039

Geographic Distribution of Leishmania Species in Ecuador Based on the Cytochrome B Gene Sequence Analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hirotomo Kato

2016-07-01

Full Text Available A countrywide epidemiological study was performed to elucidate the current geographic distribution of causative species of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL in Ecuador by using FTA card-spotted samples and smear slides as DNA sources. Putative Leishmania in 165 samples collected from patients with CL in 16 provinces of Ecuador were examined at the species level based on the cytochrome b gene sequence analysis. Of these, 125 samples were successfully identified as Leishmania (Viannia guyanensis, L. (V. braziliensis, L. (V. naiffi, L. (V. lainsoni, and L. (Leishmania mexicana. Two dominant species, L. (V. guyanensis and L. (V. braziliensis, were widely distributed in Pacific coast subtropical and Amazonian tropical areas, respectively. Recently reported L. (V. naiffi and L. (V. lainsoni were identified in Amazonian areas, and L. (L. mexicana was identified in an Andean highland area. Importantly, the present study demonstrated that cases of L. (V. braziliensis infection are increasing in Pacific coast areas.

Epidemiological surveillance of low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV from poultry in Guangxi Province, Southern China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Peng

Full Text Available Low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV usually causes mild disease or asymptomatic infection in poultry. However, some LPAIV strains can be transmitted to humans and cause severe infection. Genetic rearrangement and recombination of even low pathogenic influenza may generate a novel virus with increased virulence, posing a substantial risk to public health. Southern China is regarded as the world "influenza epicenter", due to a rash of outbreaks of influenza in recent years. In this study, we conducted an epidemiological survey of LPAIV at different live bird markets (LBMs in Guangxi province, Southern China. From January 2009 to December 2011, we collected 3,121 cotton swab samples of larynx, trachea and cloaca from the poultry at LBMs in Guangxi. Virus isolation, hemagglutination inhibition (HI assay, and RT-PCR were used to detect and subtype LPAIV in the collected samples. Of the 3,121 samples, 336 samples (10.8% were LPAIV positive, including 54 (1.7% in chicken and 282 (9.1% in duck. The identified LPAIV were H3N1, H3N2, H6N1, H6N2, H6N5, H6N6, H6N8, and H9N2, which are combinations of seven HA subtypes (H1, H3, H4, H6, H9, H10 and H11 and five NA subtypes (N1, N2, N5, N6 and N8. The H3 and H9 subtypes are predominant in the identified LPAIVs. Among the 336 cases, 29 types of mixed infection of different HA subtypes were identified in 87 of the cases (25.9%. The mixed infections may provide opportunities for genetic recombination. Our results suggest that the LPAIV epidemiology in poultry in the Guangxi province in southern China is complicated and highlights the need for further epidemiological and genetic studies of LPAIV in this area.

Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

1991-06-01

Background notes and statistics on Ecuador are provided in the document. 271,000 sq. km. of jungle are encompassed by the country, with a 1990 population of 11 million growing at the annual rate of 2.4%. The work force total 3.4 million. Ecuador claims a population comprised of 4 ethnic groups, predominantly Roman Catholic, and speaking Spanish in addition to Indian languages. 6 years of education are compulsory, with the country overall enjoying 88% literacy. The infant mortality rate is 51/1,000, while life expectancy is 66 years. 1990 GDP was $10.9 billion, and was growing at the rate of 1.5%. Per capita income was $1,043, while 1990 figures reported 50% inflation. Agriculture accounts for 17% of GNP, industry for 16%; 1990 international trade surplus totalled $0.7 billion. Additional data are provided on Ecuador's people, government, economy, international affiliations, history, political conditions, principal government officials, foreign relations, and bilateral relations with the United States. Structural reform brought economic improvement in 1989. Public sector spending was tightened, monetary growth slowed, and external accounts improved. While progress stalled in 1990, additional steps combined with higher oil prices were expected to reduce the deficit and moderate inflation. Further reductions in government control over the economy, movement toward free-market interest rates, privatization of selected companies, trade liberalization, labor law reform, and the promotion of domestic and foreign private investment are called for.

Effects of land-use changes on soil properties : volcano watershed in Quito, Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Podwojewski, Pascal; Poulenard, J.; Janeau, Jean-Louis

2015-01-01

In the highlands of southern Colombia and northern Ecuador, soils developed on volcanic ash deposits have specific properties: high water retention, high hydraulic conductivity and high carbon (C) contents. The main role of the soils is to regulate the water available for the dense population living in the valleys. Soil properties and land use depend on their altitudes. Any important modification of land-use change has a serious effect on soil properties and consequently the ecosystem propert...

Three new species of Drosophila tripunctata group (Diptera: Drosophilidae in the eastern Andes of Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emily Ramos Guillín

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Three new species of the Drosophila tripunctata group are described and illustrated. These new species were captured using plastic bottles containing pieces of fermented banana with yeast. The collections were from Napo Province, Ecuador at 2 200 m and 3 362 m above sea level. The new species are: Drosophila napoensis sp. nov., Drosophila cuyuja sp. nov. and Drosophila quijos sp. nov. The first two species belong to subgroup I and the latter species belong to subgroup III of the Drosophila tripunctata group.

Textural evidence for high-grade ignimbrites formed by low-explosivity eruptions, Paraná Magmatic Province, southern Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Luchetti, Ana Carolina F.; Gravley, Darren M.; Gualda, Guilherme A. R.; Nardy, Antonio J. R.

2018-04-01

The Paraná-Etendeka Province is a Lower Cretaceous huge bimodal tholeiitic volcanic province (1 million·km3) that predated the Gondwana breakup. Its silicic portion makes up a total volume of at least 20,000 km3 and in southern Brazil it comprises the Chapecó porphyritic high-Ti trachydacites-dacites and the Palmas microporphyritic-aphyric low-Ti dacites-rhyolites. The widespread silicic sheets are debated in the literature because they bear similarities between lavas and high grade ignimbrites. Here we provide new observations and interpretations for flow units with large, dark, and vesicle-poor lens-shaped blobs surrounded by a light-colored matrix. The textural features (macro- to micro-scale) of these blobs are different from typical pumice and/or fiamme and support a low explosivity pyroclastic origin, possibly low-column fountain eruptions with discharge rates high enough to produce laterally extensive high-grade ignimbrites. Such an interpretation, combined with a conspicuous absence of lithic fragments in the deposits, is aligned with a lack of identified calderas in the Paraná-Etendeka Province. Maximum timescales of crystallization associated with the juvenile blobs and estimated from CSD slopes are on the order of millennia for phenocryst populations and on the order of decades for microphenocryst populations.

Scorpionism in Ecuador: First report of severe and fatal envenoming cases from northern Manabí by Tityus asthenes Pocock.

Science.gov (United States)

Borges, Adolfo; Morales, Melva; Loor, Wilmer; Delgado, Miguel

2015-10-01

The presence in rural areas of western Ecuador of scorpions in the genus Tityus capable of producing pediatric mortality is hereby evidenced. The medical significance of scorpions in Ecuador has been underestimated partly because of the clinically unimportant stings delivered by Centruroides margaritatus and Teuthraustes atramentarius, which have venom with low toxicity to vertebrates. Five intra-domiciliary cases of scorpion envenoming in victims aged between 1.9 and 16 years old, including one fatality, are reported from rural settings in forest areas of Chone (n = 2) and Flavio Alfaro (n = 3) counties, northern Manabí province, western Ecuador. Three cases were graded as Class II (moderate) and two in Class III (severe) envenoming. Manifestations showed characteristic autonomic nervous system hyper-stimulation and the fatality (a 1.9-year-old boy from Flavio Alfaro) was due to cardio-respiratory failure. Marked leukocytosis in four of the cases (21,800-31,800 cells/mm(3)), with notable neutrophilia (58-82%), suggests induction of a venom-mediated systemic inflammatory response-like syndrome. Specimens responsible for cases in Flavio Alfaro County, including the fatality, were classified as Tityus asthenes Pocock, accountable for severe scorpionism in Colombia. These findings demand implementation of control and therapeutic measures in affected areas in Ecuador, including evaluation of available scorpion antivenoms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A New Species of Solitary Meteorus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Reared from Caterpillars of Toxic Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Shaw, Scott R.; Jones, Guinevere Z.

2009-01-01

A new species of parasitoid wasp, Meteorus rugonasus Shaw and Jones (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), is described from the Yanayacu Biological Station, Napo Province, Ecuador. The new species is diagnosed and compared to other species in the genus. It was reared from larvae of Pteronymia zerlina (Hewitson, 1855) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Ithomiinae) found feeding on leaves of Solanum (Solanaceae). The parasitoid is solitary. This is the first record of a Meteorus species attacking ithomiine Nympha...

Modelling spatial relationship between climatic conditions and annual parasite incidence of malaria in southern part of Sistan&Balouchistan Province of Iran using spatial statistic models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mansour Halimi

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Objective: To model spatial relationship between climatic conditions and annual parasite incidence (API of malaria in southern part of Sistan&Balouchistan Province of Iran using spatial statistic models . Methods: A geographical weighted regression model was applied for predicting API by 3 climatic factors in order to model the spatial API of malaria in Sistan&Baluchistan Province of Iran. Results: The results indicated that most important climatic factor for explaining API in Sistan&Baluchistan was annual rainfall being of more importance in southern part of study area such as Chabahar, and Nikshar. The temperature and relative humidity are of the second and third priority respectively. The importance of these two climatic factors is higher in northern part of the studied region. The spatial autocorrelation (Moran ’s I for standard residual of applied geographical weighted regression model is -0.022 which indicated no spatial patterns. Conclusions: This model explained only 0.51 of API spatial variation (R2=0.51. Thus, the nonclimatic factors such as socioeconomic, lifestyle and the neighborhood position of this province with Afghanistan, and Pakistan also should be considered in epidemiological survey of malaria in Sistan&Baluchistan.

Payenia volcanic province, southern Mendoza, Argentina

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søager, Nina; Holm, Paul Martin; Llambias, Eduardo Jorge

2013-01-01

The Pleistocene to Holocene Payenia volcanic province is a backarc region of 60,000 km2 in Mendoza, Argentina, which is dominated by transitional to alkaline basalts and trachybasalts. We present major and trace element compositions of 139 rocks from this area of which the majority are basaltic...

Ecuador: efectos de la emigración en los resultados educativos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mónica Mancheno Karolys

2010-11-01

escolaridad debido al alto costo de oportunidad que representa no viajar a una nación en donde, el emigrante aún de poseer bajos niveles educativos recibe ingresos superiores a los que en iguales circunstancias recibiría en el país de origen.  Adicionalmente a lo expuesto, es conveniente señalar que el sistema educativo ecuatoriano y su baja inversión han determinado bajos  incentivos a continuar los estudios.Palabras Claves: Familia transnacional, Flujos Migratorios, Remesas, Tasa Deserción escolar, Tasa no promoción escolar, Valor Agregado Bruto no petrolero___________________________ABSTRACT:Ecuador, like many Latin American countries, has high outward migration flows, which have determined changes in the economic performance of regions. In recent years, the country has migratory behavior of changing migratory characteristics, ranging from the gender composition, which is now more equitable, to changes in the regions of origin and destination of migrants. Thus, in the last decade the largest migration flows come from the high-productive provinces of Pichincha and Guayas, and the main destination is Spain. While the main benefit that generates phenomena of this nature is the remittance to the mother countries, its effect has not exceeded the purely economic level. In Ecuador it has achieved better results in the balance of payments, and also an increase in the consumerist levels of people, but it has also meant greater reliance of the regions from this type of income, which has stuck the autochthon productive development of the region. Additionally, the effects of variables of great importance for the socioeconomic development of nations, such as education, have not been more encouraging. The province of Canar is one of the Ecuadorian provinces to have the higher immigration history apart the highest rate of migrants over the total population, and the flow of remittances they generate represents about 70% of non-oil gross value added. But these features have not

The coffee agroforestry system. Its importance for the agro-alimentary and nutritional security in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciano Abelardo Ponce Vaca

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In the context of coffee growing, Ecuador is characterized by planting two main commercial species of Coffea arabica L. (Arabica coffee, and Coffea canephora Pierre ex Froehner (Robusta coffee, where small production units and agroforestry systems predominate. To overcome the low national production, which constitutes the central problem of coffee growing in the country, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Ecuador, promoted the project «Reactivation of the Ecuadorian coffee industry», which contributes to food security and nutrition with integral approach. In these circumstances, the objective of this paper is to analyze the importance of coffee agroforestry systems for agro-alimentary and nutritional security in Ecuador. The proposal is born from the agro-economic diagnosis «case study», from the situation of the Coffee Production Units, from the Association of Peasants «Juntos Lucharemos» from the La Unión parish of the Jipijapa county, province of Manabí, in which they settled Main contributions to the agro-alimentary and nutritional security coming from the coffee agroforestry systems, this allowed to analyze characteristics related to the object of study. Based on the research results, gaps in national consumption needs were detected. This proposal contributed to articulate and promote the reactivation of coffee growing on agroecological bases, in harmony with the dimensions of sustainability in order to protect and conserve biodiversity and the coffee forest.

Collaborating with Communities and Higher Education to Address the Health-care Needs of Individuals with Disabilities in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Cech, Donna J; Alvarado, Zully J

2017-01-01

Individuals with disabilities experience inequities in access to health care, education, employment, and social inclusion. Causes for Change International (CCI), a non-governmental Organization (NGO), using a community-based rehabilitation approach has worked for 20 years to build self-sufficiency, improve health-care services, and education for women, children, and persons with disabilities in Ecuador. CCI initially addressed health; advocacy for individuals with disabilities; and promoted educational opportunities for children with disabilities, starting in one rural community. CCI's outreach has expanded through Ecuador's coastal provinces, Andean provinces, and Galapagos Islands. CCI also focused on local health-care workforce development, developing employment skills for individuals with disabilities and social inclusion for this population. CCI collaborated with local organizations, government, and universities to provide resources, managed by local leadership. Key program elements of the CCI approach include (1) develop trust between CCI, local communities, local agencies, and government; (2) empower local groups to assume leadership and sustain programs; (3) support communities and groups invested in developing self-sufficiency; and (4) strengthen collaborations and partnerships between local and international organizations, universities, and government agencies. Key lessons learned by CCI are to be supportive of cultural differences; understand that limited financial and material resources may limit the program development; recognize that it is difficult not to foster dependent relationships with communities and appreciate the importance of working with and within the host country's governmental systems. CCI is expanding its service base to other regions of Ecuador and is focusing on development of the Ecuadorian health-care workforce and social inclusion opportunities for individuals with disability. The efforts of a small NGO have helped build

Transformation of health system in Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Wilson Giovanni Jiménez Barbosa; María Luisa Granda Kuffo; Diana Margoth Ávila Guzmán; Leidy Johanna Cruz Díaz; Julián Camilo Flórez Parra; Luisa Silvana Mejía; Diana Carolina Vargas Suárez

2017-01-01

Objective: To describe the transformations of the structure of the health system in Ecuador, taking into account the constitutional and policy context of that country, and to reflect on the historical context in which it occurred and its implications for the welfare of the people from Ecuador. Materials and methods: A bibliographic review was made, beginning with the regulations of Ecuador since the Constitution of 1979, where health is considered as a right, passing by the Organic Law of Hea...

Transformation of health system in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wilson Giovanni Jiménez Barbosa

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: To describe the transformations of the structure of the health system in Ecuador, taking into account the constitutional and policy context of that country, and to reflect on the historical context in which it occurred and its implications for the welfare of the people from Ecuador. Materials and methods: A bibliographic review was made, beginning with the regulations of Ecuador since the Constitution of 1979, where health is considered as a right, passing by the Organic Law of Health, the Social Security Act, among others, including the last reform of the Constitution in 2008. Results: The transformation of the Health System of Ecuador is the result of the action of economic and political forces, both internal and external, that have affected this country throughout the studied period.

Childhood and Adolescence Cancers in the Palermo Province (Southern Italy: Ten Years (2003–2012 of Epidemiological Surveillance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walter Mazzucco

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Italy has one of the highest paediatric cancer incidence rates in Europe. We compared cancer incidence and survival rates in children (0–14 years and adolescents (15–19 years residing in Palermo Province (PP with statistics derived from Italian and European surveillance systems. We included all incident cancer cases, malignant tumours and non-malignant neoplasm of central nervous system (benign and uncertain whether malignant or benign, detected in children and adolescents by the Palermo Province Cancer Registry (PPCR between 2003 and 2012. A jointpoint regression model was applied. Annual Average Percentage Changes were calculated. The Besag–York-Mollie model was used to detect any cluster. The 5-year survival analysis was computed using Kaplan-Meier and actuarial methods. We identified 555 paediatric cancer incident cases (90% “malignant tumours”. No difference in incidence rates was highlighted between PPCR and Italy 26 registries and between PPCR and Southern Europe. No jointpoint or significant trend was identified and no cluster was detected. The 5-year overall survival didn’t differ between PP and the Italian AIRTUM pool. A borderline higher statistically significant survival was observed in age-group 1–4 when comparing PPCR to EUROCARE-5. The epidemiological surveillance documented in the PP was a paediatric cancer burden in line with Italy and southern Europe. The study supports the supplementary role of general population-based cancer registries to provide paediatric cancer surveillance of local communities.

Atmospheric salt deposition in a tropical mountain rainforest at the eastern Andean slopes of south Ecuador – Pacific or Atlantic origin?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Makowski Giannoni

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Sea salt (NaCl has recently been proven to be of the utmost importance for ecosystem functioning in Amazon lowland forests because of its impact on herbivory, litter decomposition and, thus, carbon cycling. Sea salt deposition should generally decline as distance from its marine source increases. For the Amazon, a negative east–west gradient of sea salt availability is assumed as a consequence of the barrier effect of the Andes Mountains for Pacific air masses. However, this generalized pattern may not hold for the tropical mountain rainforest in the Andes of southern Ecuador. To analyse sea salt availability, we investigated the deposition of sodium (Na+ and chloride (Cl−, which are good proxies of sea spray aerosol. Because of the complexity of the terrain and related cloud and rain formation processes, sea salt deposition was analysed from both, rain and occult precipitation (OP along an altitudinal gradient over a period between 2004 and 2009. To assess the influence of easterly and westerly air masses on the deposition of sodium and chloride over southern Ecuador, sea salt aerosol concentration data from the Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate (MACC reanalysis data set and back-trajectory statistical methods were combined. Our results, based on deposition time series, show a clear difference in the temporal variation of sodium and chloride concentration and Na+ ∕ Cl− ratio in relation to height and exposure to winds. At higher elevations, sodium and chloride present a higher seasonality and the Na+ ∕ Cl− ratio is closer to that of sea salt. Medium- to long-range sea salt transport exhibited a similar seasonality, which shows the link between our measurements at high elevations and the sea salt synoptic transport. Although the influence of the easterlies was predominant regarding the atmospheric circulation, the statistical analysis of trajectories and hybrid receptor models revealed a stronger impact of the

76 FR 80870 - Notice of Determination of Pest-Free Areas in Mendoza Province, Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-27

... ;D=APHIS-2010-0032. The first commenter acknowledged Argentina's history of successful Medfly control...] Notice of Determination of Pest-Free Areas in Mendoza Province, Argentina AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health... Southern and Central Oases in the southern half of Mendoza Province in Argentina as pest-free areas for...

Bats, Trypanosomes, and Triatomines in Ecuador: New Insights into the Diversity, Transmission, and Origins of Trypanosoma cruzi and Chagas Disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C Miguel Pinto

Full Text Available The generalist parasite Trypanosoma cruzi has two phylogenetic lineages associated almost exclusively with bats-Trypanosoma cruzi Tcbat and the subspecies T. c. marinkellei. We present new information on the genetic variation, geographic distribution, host associations, and potential vectors of these lineages. We conducted field surveys of bats and triatomines in southern Ecuador, a country endemic for Chagas disease, and screened for trypanosomes by microscopy and PCR. We identified parasites at species and genotype levels through phylogenetic approaches based on 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA and cytochrome b (cytb genes and conducted a comparison of nucleotide diversity of the cytb gene. We document for the first time T. cruzi Tcbat and T. c. marinkellei in Ecuador, expanding their distribution in South America to the western side of the Andes. In addition, we found the triatomines Cavernicola pilosa and Triatoma dispar sharing shelters with bats. The comparisons of nucleotide diversity revealed a higher diversity for T. c. marinkellei than any of the T. c. cruzi genotypes associated with Chagas disease. Findings from this study increased both the number of host species and known geographical ranges of both parasites and suggest potential vectors for these two trypanosomes associated with bats in rural areas of southern Ecuador. The higher nucleotide diversity of T. c. marinkellei supports a long evolutionary relationship between T. cruzi and bats, implying that bats are the original hosts of this important parasite.

Bats, Trypanosomes, and Triatomines in Ecuador: New Insights into the Diversity, Transmission, and Origins of Trypanosoma cruzi and Chagas Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto, C Miguel; Ocaña-Mayorga, Sofía; Tapia, Elicio E; Lobos, Simón E; Zurita, Alejandra P; Aguirre-Villacís, Fernanda; MacDonald, Amber; Villacís, Anita G; Lima, Luciana; Teixeira, Marta M G; Grijalva, Mario J; Perkins, Susan L

2015-01-01

The generalist parasite Trypanosoma cruzi has two phylogenetic lineages associated almost exclusively with bats-Trypanosoma cruzi Tcbat and the subspecies T. c. marinkellei. We present new information on the genetic variation, geographic distribution, host associations, and potential vectors of these lineages. We conducted field surveys of bats and triatomines in southern Ecuador, a country endemic for Chagas disease, and screened for trypanosomes by microscopy and PCR. We identified parasites at species and genotype levels through phylogenetic approaches based on 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) and cytochrome b (cytb) genes and conducted a comparison of nucleotide diversity of the cytb gene. We document for the first time T. cruzi Tcbat and T. c. marinkellei in Ecuador, expanding their distribution in South America to the western side of the Andes. In addition, we found the triatomines Cavernicola pilosa and Triatoma dispar sharing shelters with bats. The comparisons of nucleotide diversity revealed a higher diversity for T. c. marinkellei than any of the T. c. cruzi genotypes associated with Chagas disease. Findings from this study increased both the number of host species and known geographical ranges of both parasites and suggest potential vectors for these two trypanosomes associated with bats in rural areas of southern Ecuador. The higher nucleotide diversity of T. c. marinkellei supports a long evolutionary relationship between T. cruzi and bats, implying that bats are the original hosts of this important parasite.

Prevalence and correlates of burnout in health professionals in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramírez, Marina R; Otero, Patricia; Blanco, Vanessa; Ontaneda, Mercy P; Díaz, Olga; Vázquez, Fernando L

2018-04-01

Although burnout is a widespread phenomenon among healthcare professionals, there are no studies about its prevalence in Ecuador. This study assesses the prevalence of burnout syndrome among Ecuadorian healthcare professionals and examine the relationship with their personal and organizational characteristics. A total of 2404 healthcare professionals (average age 40.0years; 68.4% women) from the capitals of all 24 provinces in Ecuador participated in this study. Trained psychologists assessed the presence of burnout by applying the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Sociodemographic variables, emotional distress, social support and coping styles as well as organizational variables were also collected. Of all healthcare professionals surveyed, 2.6% presented burnout syndrome. By dimensions, 17.2% of the participants presented a high level of emotional exhaustion, 13.5% of depersonalization, and 18.2% had reduced personal accomplishment. Being non-mestizo, being classified as a probable case of mental disorder and using more passive coping were associated with a greater probability of presenting burnout; having >10years of experience was associated with a lower probability of burnout. A significant number of active health professionals suffer from burnout. It is necessary to develop effective psychotherapeutic interventions for those who have the syndrome and to evaluate potential prevention strategies in those who have not yet developed it. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Climate change versus deforestation: Implications for tree species distribution in the dry forests of southern Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Hildebrandt, Patrick; Cueva, Jorge; Espinosa, Carlos Iván; Stimm, Bernd; Günter, Sven

2017-01-01

Seasonally dry forests in the neotropics are heavily threatened by a combination of human disturbances and climate change; however, the severity of these threats is seldom contrasted. This study aims to quantify and compare the effects of deforestation and climate change on the natural spatial ranges of 17 characteristic tree species of southern Ecuador dry deciduous forests, which are heavily fragmented and support high levels of endemism as part of the Tumbesian ecoregion. We used 660 plant records to generate species distribution models and land-cover data to project species ranges for two time frames: a simulated deforestation scenario from 2008 to 2014 with native forest to anthropogenic land-use conversion, and an extreme climate change scenario (CCSM4.0, RCP 8.5) for 2050, which assumed zero change from human activities. To assess both potential threats, we compared the estimated annual rates of species loss (i.e., range shifts) affecting each species. Deforestation loss for all species averaged approximately 71 km2/year, while potential climate-attributed loss was almost 21 km2/year. Moreover, annual area loss rates due to deforestation were significantly higher than those attributed to climate-change (P < 0.01). However, projections into the future scenario show evidence of diverging displacement patterns, indicating the potential formation of novel ecosystems, which is consistent with other species assemblage predictions as result of climate change. Furthermore, we provide recommendations for management and conservation, prioritizing the most threatened species such as Albizia multiflora, Ceiba trichistandra, and Cochlospermum vitifolium. PMID:29267357

Climate change versus deforestation: Implications for tree species distribution in the dry forests of southern Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Manchego, Carlos E; Hildebrandt, Patrick; Cueva, Jorge; Espinosa, Carlos Iván; Stimm, Bernd; Günter, Sven

2017-01-01

Seasonally dry forests in the neotropics are heavily threatened by a combination of human disturbances and climate change; however, the severity of these threats is seldom contrasted. This study aims to quantify and compare the effects of deforestation and climate change on the natural spatial ranges of 17 characteristic tree species of southern Ecuador dry deciduous forests, which are heavily fragmented and support high levels of endemism as part of the Tumbesian ecoregion. We used 660 plant records to generate species distribution models and land-cover data to project species ranges for two time frames: a simulated deforestation scenario from 2008 to 2014 with native forest to anthropogenic land-use conversion, and an extreme climate change scenario (CCSM4.0, RCP 8.5) for 2050, which assumed zero change from human activities. To assess both potential threats, we compared the estimated annual rates of species loss (i.e., range shifts) affecting each species. Deforestation loss for all species averaged approximately 71 km2/year, while potential climate-attributed loss was almost 21 km2/year. Moreover, annual area loss rates due to deforestation were significantly higher than those attributed to climate-change (P < 0.01). However, projections into the future scenario show evidence of diverging displacement patterns, indicating the potential formation of novel ecosystems, which is consistent with other species assemblage predictions as result of climate change. Furthermore, we provide recommendations for management and conservation, prioritizing the most threatened species such as Albizia multiflora, Ceiba trichistandra, and Cochlospermum vitifolium.

Andean cutaneous leishmaniasis (Andean-CL, uta) in Peru and Ecuador: the causative Leishmania parasites and clinico-epidemiological features.

Science.gov (United States)

Hashiguchi, Yoshihisa; Gomez, Eduardo A L; Cáceres, Abraham G; Velez, Lenin N; Villegas, Nancy V; Hashiguchi, Kazue; Mimori, Tatsuyuki; Uezato, Hiroshi; Kato, Hirotomo

2018-01-01

This study provides comprehensive information on the past and current status of the Andean cutaneous leishmaniasis (Andean-CL, uta) in Peru and Ecuador, mainly focusing on the causative Leishmania parasites and clinico-epidemiological features. Available information and data including our unpublished works were analyzed thoroughly. Endemic regions of the Andean-CL (uta) in Peru run from the north Piura/Cajamarca to the south Ayacucho at a wide range of the Pacific watersheds of the Andes through several departments, while in Ecuador those exist at limited and spotted areas in the country's mid-southwestern two provinces, Azuay and Chimborazo. The principal species of the genus Leishmania are completely different at subgenus level, L. (Viannia) peruviana in Peru, and L. (Leishmania) mexicana and L. (L.) major-like (infrequent occurrence) in Ecuador. The Peruvian uta is now prevalent in different age and sex groups, being not clearly defined as found in the past. The precise reasons are not known and should be elucidated further, though probable factors, such as emergence of other Leishmania parasites, non-immune peoples' migration into the areas, etc., were discussed briefly in the text. The Andean-CL cases in Ecuador are more rural than before, probably because of a rapid development of the Leishmania-positive communities and towns, and the change of life-styles of the inhabitants, including newly constructed houses and roads in the endemic areas. Such information is helpful for future management of the disease, not only for Leishmania-endemic areas in the Andes but also for other endemic areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular differentiation of Entamoeba spp. in a rural community of Loja province, South Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Levecke, B; Dreesen, L; Barrionuevo-Samaniego, M; Ortiz, W Benitez; Praet, N; Brandt, J; Dorny, P

2011-12-01

Although previous epidemiological surveys in Ecuador indicate the presence of Entamoeba histolytica, prevalence data of this parasite remain scarce. Most of the studies were based on microscopic examination, which does not allow a morphological differentiation from the non-pathogenic Ent. dispar and Ent. moshkovskii. In the present study, 674 stool samples from a South Ecuadorian rural community were screened for Entamoeba spp. Subsequently, molecular identification was performed on 101 samples containing Ent. histolytica/Ent. dispar/Ent. moshkovskii cysts. The study indicated the absence of Ent. histolytica in this South Ecuadorian community and confirmed the difficulty of differentiating Entamoeba spp. based on morphological features. Copyright © 2011 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Weavers' Association easing poverty in Ecuador | IDRC ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2010-10-12

Oct 12, 2010 ... Weavers' Association easing poverty in Ecuador ... frenzy among the 54 members of Ecuador's Chordeleg Agricultural Craft Centre (CACH). ... Investing in Internet access boosts incomes, concludes Latin American study.

Ecuador steps up pace of oil development activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that oil companies operating in Ecuador plan to quicken the pace of oil development this year. After delays in 1991, companies plan a series of projects to develop reserves discovered the past 3 years estimated at more than 600 million bbl. Oil and Gas Journal estimated Ecuador's proved crude reserves at 1.55 billion bbl as of Jan. 1, 1992. The development push is part of a larger effort needed to ensure Ecuador's status as an oil exporter into the next century. Ecuador is the smallest crude oil producer and exporter in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

Metodología para el cálculo de la distribución de los recursos fiscales para los Gobiernos Autónomos Descentralizados en Ecuador: análisis de su aplicación

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peñaherrera-Cabezas, Jorge

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Aquaculture in Ecuador is a significant source of employment and economic stability. Therefore, it is relevant to conduct a study to measure the impact of the application of Decree No. 1391 reported in the Official Register No. 454 of October 15, 2008. It is the same adjustment to the shrimp aquaculture industry and the aquaculture sector, in general, considering environmental and economic aspects. We have reviewed the case of fish farms most affected by the regulation, located in the province of El Oro, Ecuador. In this detailed research surveys, they showed that after analyzing how the application of Decree No. 1391 in the reality of shrimp El Oro Province manifested and how it has applied in their environment. It showed that 76% of shrimp farmers had to assume, with their capital, additional items that led to the different processes for the fulfillment of that executive order.

The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates producing OXA-48 and NDM in the Southern (Asir) province, Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Zahrani, Ibrahim A; Alsiri, Bander A

2018-01-01

To identify the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) and the most common types of cabapenemases among CRKP in the Southern (Asir) province hospitals, Saudi Arabia. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted between late April and September in 2015. A total of 54 Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) isolates with reduced sensitivity to carbapenems were obtained from various clinical specimens of the 2 largest hospitals in the Southern province. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of carbapenems were confirmed using E-test. Molecular detection of the most common carbapenemase genes (blaIMP, bla-carbapenem-hydrolyzing oxacillinase [OXA-48], blaVIM, bla-New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamas [NDM], and blaKPC) was performed using multiplex-polymerase chain reaction. Results: The current study found that increasing age and intensive care unit admission were associated with CRKP isolation. The major type of carbapenemases was OXA-48 with 81.5% (n=44) and it seems to reach an endemic level. New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamas (NDM) was the second most frequent carbapenemase by 7.4% (n=4) of isolates while Verona integron-encoded metallo-ß-lactamase (VIM) was reported only in one isolate. Conclusion: Saudi Arabia receives large numbers of visitors and migrant workers from OXA-48 and NDM endemic countries such as Turkey, India, and Pakistan every year.

The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates producing OXA-48 and NDM in the Southern (Asir province, Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim A. Al-Zahrani

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To identify the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP and the most common types of cabapenemases among CRKP in the Southern (Asir province hospitals, Saudi Arabia. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted between late April and September in 2015. A total of 54 Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae isolates with reduced sensitivity to carbapenems were obtained from various clinical specimens of the 2 largest hospitals in the Southern province. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs of carbapenems were confirmed using E-test. Molecular detection of the most common carbapenemase genes (blaIMP, bla-carbapenem-hydrolyzing oxacillinase [OXA-48], blaVIM, bla-New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamas [NDM], and blaKPC was performed using multiplex-polymerase chain reaction. Results: The current study found that increasing age and intensive care unit admission were associated with CRKP isolation. The major type of carbapenemases was OXA-48 with 81.5% (n=44 and it seems to reach an endemic level. New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamas (NDM was the second most frequent carbapenemase by 7.4% (n=4 of isolates while Verona integron-encoded metallo-ß-lactamase (VIM was reported only in one isolate. Conclusion: Saudi Arabia receives large numbers of visitors and migrant workers from OXA-48 and NDM endemic countries such as Turkey, India, and Pakistan every year.

The long-term health and economic benefits of DOTS implementation in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Oxlade, Olivia; Vaca, Judyth; Romero, Elizabeth; Schwartzman, Kevin; Graham, Brian; Hernandez, Lucero; Tannenbaum, Terry; Menzies, Dick

2006-01-01

Between April 2001 and March 2004, the Directly Observed Therapy-Short course (DOTS) program was successfully implemented by the National Tuberculosis control program, with assistance from the Canadian Lung Association, in three provinces of Ecuador, where 52% of the population of the country reside. Markov modelling was used to project TB-related morbidity, mortality and costs if the former TB control program (status quo) had continued or if the newly expanded DOTS program is maintained over 20 years. Extensive sensitivity analyses were used to determine the effect on projected outcomes of varying key assumptions. If DOTS is maintained over the next 20 years, we predict that 18,760 cases and 15,812 TB-related deaths will be prevented, resulting in societal savings of dollars 203 million and government savings of dollars 7.1 million (all costs in dollars US). These findings were robust in extensive sensitivity analyses. Given the initial investment of dollars 3 million for DOTS implementation, this would mean a cost of dollars 190 per life saved. Implementation of DOTS could yield very substantial public health and economic benefits for Ecuador. These results demonstrate the benefits from Canadian government support for DOTS implementation in low- and middle-income countries.

The Teles Pires volcanic province: A paleogeoproterozoic silicic-dominated large igneous province in southwest Amazon craton and tectonic implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leite, Jayme Alfredo Dexheimer; Saes, Gerson Souza; Macambira, Moacir Jose Buenano

2001-01-01

Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs) are important features of the Earth history especially recognized during Paleo to Mezosoic times when they are related to the break up of supercontinents (Coffin and Eldhom, 1994). These provinces occur in several different tectonic settings such as volcanic passive margins, submarine ridges and continental and oceanic plateaux. Mafic-dominanted provinces are the most well known among the LIPs and the best examples are the Karoo, Kerguelem and Ontong-Java. LIPs including an important silicic component have been described in some basaltic provinces of southern Africa (Milner et al. 1992). More recently, silicic-dominated LIPs have been recognized in eastern Australia (Bryan et al., 2000), in southern South America (Pankhurst et al. 1998) and in Antartica Penninsula (Riley and Leat, 1999). The common characteristics of this kind of LIP include: 1) large volume of silicic rocks with dominance of ignimbrites, 2) active over 40 to 50 m.y.; and 3) spatially and temporally associated with plate break up. In this paper we present the main geologic and geochronologic characteristics of the Teles Pires volcanic province from southwest Amazon Craton, which allow its classification as a Paleoprotorozoic silicic-dominated LIP. Geologic implications of this suggestion includes the existence of a large cratonic plate as old as 1.81Ga for the Amazon Craton, therefore the proposed 1.85-1.55 Ga magmatic arc of Rio Negro-Juruena Province should be reviewed (au)

Cockroaches (Blattaria) of Ecuador-checklist and history of research.

Science.gov (United States)

Vidlička, Lubomír

2013-01-09

Cockroaches are an understudied group and the total number of described taxa increases every year. The last checklist of Ecuador species was published in 1926. The main aim of this study was to complete a new checklist of cockroach species recorded in Ecuador supplemented with a research history of cockroaches (Blattaria) on the territory of continental Ecuador. In addition, the checklist contains comments on Ecuadorian faunistic records, including the Galápagos Islands. A total of 114 species (105 in continental Ecuador and 18 in Galápagos Islands) belonging to 6 families and 44 genera are listed. Forty species (38.1 %) occur solely in continental Ecuador and five (27.8 %) are endemic on Galápagos Islands. The results indicate that further research on the cockroach fauna of Ecuador as well as determination of museum collections from this territory is needed.

Developing Intercultural Science Education in Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Schroder, Barbara

2008-01-01

This article traces the recent development of intercultural science education in Ecuador. It starts by situating this development within the context of a growing convergence between Western and indigenous sciences. It then situates it within the larger historical, political, cultural, and educational contexts of indigenous communities in Ecuador,…

Monitoring and exposure assessment of pesticide residues in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) from five provinces of southern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Huan, Zhibo; Xu, Zhi; Luo, Jinhui; Xie, Defang

2016-11-01

Residues of 14 pesticides were determined in 150 cowpea samples collected in five southern Chinese provinces in 2013 and 2014.70% samples were detected one or more residues. 61.3% samples were illegal mainly because of detection of unauthorized pesticides. 14.0% samples contained more than three pesticides. Deterministic and probabilistic methods were used to assess the chronic and acute risk of pesticides in cowpea to eight subgroups of people. Deterministic assessment showed that the estimated short-term intakes (ESTIs) of carbofuran were 1199.4%-2621.9% of the acute reference doses (ARfD) while the rates were 985.9%-4114.7% using probabilistic assessment. Probabilistic assessment showed 4.2%-7.8% subjects may suffer from unacceptable acute risk from carbofuran contaminated cowpeas from the five provinces (especially children). But undue concern is not necessary, because all the estimations are based on conservative assumption. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spillover of Newcastle disease viruses from poultry to wild birds in Guangdong province, southern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Bin; Han, Lujie; Gao, Pei; You, Renrong; Wang, Fumin; Xiao, Jiajie; Liao, Ming; Kang, Yinfeng; Ren, Tao

2017-11-01

Despite intensive vaccination programs in many countries, including China, Newcastle disease has been reported sporadically and is still a significant threat to the poultry industry in China. Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is infectious for at least 250 bird species, but the role of wild birds in virus epidemiology remains largely unknown. Fourteen NDV isolates were obtained from 2040 samples collected from wild birds or the environment in Guangdong province, southern China, from 2013 to 2015. The isolation rate was the highest in the period of wintering and lowest during the periods of spring migration, nesting, and postnesting. A maximum clade credibility phylogenetic analysis revealed that at least four genotypes circulate in southern China: three class II genotypes (II, VI, and IX) and one class I (1b). We also demonstrated that most isolates from wild birds were highly similar to isolates from poultry, and two isolates were linked to viruses from wild birds in northern China. These data suggested that wild birds could disseminate NDV and poultry-derived viruses may spillover to wild birds. Accordingly, vaccine development and poultry management strategies should be considered to prevent future NDV outbreaks, particularly given the strength of the poultry industry in developing countries, such as China. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New epidemiological pattern of cutaneous leishmaniasis in two pre-Saharan arid provinces, southern Morocco.

Science.gov (United States)

Ait Kbaich, Mouad; Mhaidi, Idriss; Ezzahidi, Abdelkacem; Dersi, Nouredine; El Hamouchi, Adil; Riyad, Myriam; Akarid, Khadija; Lemrani, Meryem

2017-09-01

Three Leishmania species are responsible of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Morocco. Zoonotic CL due to Leishmania major and Leishmania infantum, the first is known as established in the eastern arid regions, whereas the latter evolves sporadically, especially in the North. While Leishmania tropica, classically considered anthroponotic, is endemic in the semi-arid regions and is largely distributed throughout the country. The aim of this study was to identify the Leishmania species causing CL in two Provinces in arid pre-Saharan region known as zoonotic CL foci, and to contribute an update to the national data concerning the distribution of Leishmania species in both regions. The recruitment of patients was done in six localities in Ouarzazate and Zagoura provinces in 2015 and 2016. Out of 81 samples collected, 66 were positive (81%) by ITS1-PCR amplification of Leishmania DNA extracted from stained smears. The highest rate of Leishmania infection was registered in children aged 9 years or less (71,2%). The ITS1-PCR- RFLP analysis revealed the predominance of L. major infecting 52 patients (79%), followed by L. tropica in 12 patients (18%) and L. infantum in 2 patients who had no history of travel outside the studied area (3%). The sequencing of the ITS1 of both L. infantum, showed 100% similarities with L. infantum strains isolated from dogs and visceral leishmaniasis patients from the south and north of Morocco. The coexistence of the 3 Leishmania species in the same focus, and the difficult distinction of infections associated to the different Leishmania species based only on clinical lesions' aspects complicate the diagnosis and then the national control strategy, as well as the therapeutic management. The epidemiological pattern of CL in the studied areas appears to have changed during the last decades, from a predominant zoonotic CL caused by L. major to a polymorphic disease that can be due to any of the 3 Leishmania species. The expansion of L. infantum and

On the distribution of decapod crustaceans from the Magellan Biogeographic Province and the Antarctic region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Enrique E. Boschi

2005-12-01

Full Text Available The distribution of decapod crustaceans in the southernmost areas of South America and the Antarctic is assessed considering the Magellan Biogeographic Province instead of the antiboreal region. Possible associations between decapod crustaceans from the Magellan Biogeographic Province and those from the Antarctic region are analysed. Species records were assigned to seven geographic regions that were clustered using multivariate analyses based on species presence/absence and Bray-Curtis similarity. The results showed two well-established clusters, one of which included the Pacific and Atlantic areas of the Magellan Province, the southern tip of South America and the Kerguelen Arc islands, with the highest similarity between the southern tip and the Atlantic area. Another cluster was well separated and included the Antarctic and South Georgia with the highest similarity index. Earlier studies and results obtained here suggest that the faunas of southern Chile and southern Argentina are biogeographically related. There is a low level of association among decapod species from the circum-Antarctic region and the Magellan Province.

Energy sector in Ecuador: Current status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pelaez-Samaniego, M.R.; Garcia-Perez, M.; Cortez, L.A.B.; Oscullo, J.; Olmedo, G.

2007-01-01

This paper describes the current energy sector in Ecuador, its present structure, the oil industry, subsidies, and renewable energy, focusing on the evolution and reform of the electricity sector. Currently, 86% of the primary energy originates from nonrenewable sources. In 2005, the gross electricity generation was 15 127 GWh (45.5% hydropower, 43.11% thermal, and 11.39% imported). Ecuador is the fifth largest oil producer in South America but lacks sufficient oil refining capacity. Reserves of natural gas (NG) are small, and most of NG is produced from oil fields without energy recovery. Several projects are underway to increase the utilization of NG and renewable energies to meet Ecuador commitments to the Kyoto Protocol

The unexpected discovery of Brucella abortus Buck 19 vaccine in goats from Ecuador underlines the importance of biosecurity measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Ron-Román, Jorge; Berkvens, Dirk; Barzallo-Rivadeneira, Daniela; Angulo-Cruz, Alexandra; González-Andrade, Pablo; Minda-Aluisa, Elizabeth; Benítez-Ortíz, Washington; Brandt, Jef; Rodríguez-Hidalgo, Richar; Saegerman, Claude

2017-03-01

Very few, mostly old, and only preliminary serological studies of brucellosis in goats exist in Ecuador. In order to assess the current epidemiological situation, we performed a cross-sectional serological study in the goat populations of Carchi (n = 160 animals), Pichincha (n = 224 animals), and Loja provinces (n = 2024 animals). Only two positive serological results (RB negative and SAT-EDTA ≥400 IU/ml) were obtained in lactating goats from the same farm in Quito (Pichincha province). Additionally, milk was sampled from 220 animals in Pichincha province. The present study indicates a low apparent prevalence in Pichincha province and absence in Carchi and Loja provinces. A total of 25 positive milk ring tests (MRT) were obtained in Pichincha province yielding a prevalence of MRT of 11.16%. Subsequent culture was performed on the positive MRT samples. All results were negative, apart from a single sample, obtained from a serologically positive goat in Quito, that was positive for Brucella abortus strain 19 (B19). Several hypotheses are forwarded concerning this unexpected result. The most likely hypothesis is the possible accidental use of a needle, previously used for vaccination of cattle with the said vaccine, for the administration of drug treatment to the goat. This hypothesis underlines the necessity of biosecurity measures to prevent this type of accidents.

Ecuador still grappling over privatization as oil flow rises

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

Ecuador continues to grapple with efforts to privatize its petroleum sector a year after disclosing its plans to withdraw from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. One of OPEC's smallest members, Ecuador last year said it would leave the group in March 1993, citing high membership costs and minimal benefits. Industry observers also noted at the time Ecuador's plans to sharply boost production this century might run afoul of its OPEC quota. Political controversy is stalling efforts to implement a new reform oriented hydrocarbon law in Ecuador that would open the country's petroleum sector to greater participation by foreign companies and privatize state petroleum companies, including Petroleos del Ecuador (Petroecuador). That comes even as foreign contractors' participation in Ecuador's upstream sector are making a significant contribution to boosting the country's oil production, which had remained flat for a number of years. The paper discusses the status of the new law, the controversy surrounding reforms, the master plan, environmental concerns, reserves and production, Petroecuador activity, planned pipeline work, service contracts, start-up of Oxy, details of Oxy development, and Elf's start-up

Characterization of a new tymovirus from Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Naranjilla (Solanum quitoense) is a solanaceous shrub cultivated in Ecuador for fresh fruit and juice production. A naranjilla plant exhibiting stunting and chlorotic spots was sampled near Quito, Ecuador. An infectious agent was transferred to indicator plants by mechanical inoculation, and subsequ...

Incidencia de las intoxicaciones: un caso en hospital de Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Segura-Osorio, Marisela

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Intoxication is a public health problem and one of the main causes of admission in emergency rooms nationwide and internationally. An exploratory, descriptive, and cross-sectional research of a directed observation was conducted to determine the incidence of intoxication in patients of General Teófilo Dávila Hospital in El Oro Province, Ecuador, in 2012; patients were classified by age, sex, origin, and the most frequent toxicant in this area. The highest incidence was February (16.35%, in the sample of 104 intoxicated males predominated (66.35%, urban origin (88.46% and the age group of 20-49 years (60.58%. The circumstances were: accidental (78.85%, intentional (16, 35 % and employment (4.81%. The most important mechanism is the intake (84.62 %, the agent types are food / beverages (29.81 % and substance abuse (25%.

The genus Tyrinthia Bates, 1866 in Ecuador (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae, Hemilophini).

Science.gov (United States)

Galileo, Maria Helena M; McClarin, Jim; Santos-Silva, Antonio

2017-12-05

Tyrinthia frontalis (Guérin-Méneville, 1855) is redescribed, formally recorded from Ecuador, and its type locality is questioned. Tyrinthia napoensis sp. nov. is described from Ecuador. Tyrinthia paraba Martins & Galileo, 1991, and T. turuna Martins & Galileo, 1993 are new country records for Ecuador. A key to species of Tyrinthia from Ecuador is provided.

Lago Agrio (Nueva Loja), Ecuador: A Strategic Black Spot?

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-01

Lago Agrio (Nueva Loja ), Ecuador : A Strategic Black Spot? by Colonel John A. Conway United States Army...REPORT TYPE STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT .33 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Lago Agrio (Nueva Loja ), Ecuador : A...Agrio (Nueva Loja ), Ecuador : A Strategic Black Spot? by Colonel John A. Conway United States Army Colonel Juan C

Is Galba schirazensis (Mollusca, Gastropoda) an intermediate host of Fasciola hepatica (Trematoda, Digenea) in Ecuador?

Science.gov (United States)

Caron, Yannick; Celi-Erazo, Maritza; Hurtrez-Boussès, Sylvie; Lounnas, Mannon; Pointier, Jean-Pierre; Saegerman, Claude; Losson, Bertrand; Benítez-Ortíz, Washington

2017-01-01

Fasciolosis is a widely distributed disease in livestock in South America but knowledge about the epidemiology and the intermediate hosts is relatively scarce in Ecuador. For three months, lymnaeid snails were sampled (n = 1482) in Pichincha Province at two sites located in a highly endemic area. Snails were identified (based on morphology and ITS-2 sequences) and the infection status was established through microscopic dissection and a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based technique. Techniques based on morphology were not useful to accurately name the collected snail species. Comparison with available DNA sequences showed that a single snail species was collected, Galba schirazensis. Live rediae were observed in 1.75% (26/1482) and Fasciola sp. DNA was detected in 6% (89/1482) of collected snails. The COX-1 region permitted identification of the parasite as Fasciola hepatica. The relative sensitivity and specificity of the microscope study, compared to PCR results, were 25.84% and 99.78%, respectively. The mean size of the snails recorded positive for F. hepatica through crushing and microscopy was significantly higher than the mean size of negative snails, but there was no such difference in PCR-positive snails. The role of G. schirazensis as an intermediate host of F. hepatica in Ecuador is discussed and the hypothesis of an adaptation of the parasite to this invasive snail is proposed. For the first time, an epidemiological survey based on molecular biology-based techniques assessed the possible role of lymnaeid snails in the epidemiology of fasciolosis in Ecuador. © Y. Caron et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2017.

Is Galba schirazensis (Mollusca, Gastropoda an intermediate host of Fasciola hepatica (Trematoda, Digenea in Ecuador?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caron Yannick

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Fasciolosis is a widely distributed disease in livestock in South America but knowledge about the epidemiology and the intermediate hosts is relatively scarce in Ecuador. For three months, lymnaeid snails were sampled (n = 1482 in Pichincha Province at two sites located in a highly endemic area. Snails were identified (based on morphology and ITS-2 sequences and the infection status was established through microscopic dissection and a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR-based technique. Techniques based on morphology were not useful to accurately name the collected snail species. Comparison with available DNA sequences showed that a single snail species was collected, Galba schirazensis. Live rediae were observed in 1.75% (26/1482 and Fasciola sp. DNA was detected in 6% (89/1482 of collected snails. The COX-1 region permitted identification of the parasite as Fasciola hepatica. The relative sensitivity and specificity of the microscope study, compared to PCR results, were 25.84% and 99.78%, respectively. The mean size of the snails recorded positive for F. hepatica through crushing and microscopy was significantly higher than the mean size of negative snails, but there was no such difference in PCR-positive snails. The role of G. schirazensis as an intermediate host of F. hepatica in Ecuador is discussed and the hypothesis of an adaptation of the parasite to this invasive snail is proposed. For the first time, an epidemiological survey based on molecular biology-based techniques assessed the possible role of lymnaeid snails in the epidemiology of fasciolosis in Ecuador.

Two new Cystoderma species from high Andean Ecuador

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saar, I.; Læssøe, Thomas

2006-01-01

ABSTRACT: Two new agaric species, Cystoderma andinum and C. papallactae are described from high Andean Ecuador.......ABSTRACT: Two new agaric species, Cystoderma andinum and C. papallactae are described from high Andean Ecuador....

A new species of Eritrachys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Ochlerini) from Ecuador (Especie nueva de Eritrachys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Ochlerini) de Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

A new species of to the genus Eritrachys Ruckes, E. brailovskyi, collected in Ecuador, is described and illustrated. The male of E. bituberculata Ruckes is described and illustrated, with new records from Panama and Ecuador. A key to the species of the genus is provided....

Climate services for health: predicting the evolution of the 2016 dengue season in Machala, Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Lowe, Rachel; Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M; Petrova, Desislava; García-Díez, Markel; Borbor-Cordova, Mercy J; Mejía, Raúl; Regato, Mary; Rodó, Xavier

2017-07-01

El Niño and its effect on local meteorological conditions potentially influences interannual variability in dengue transmission in southern coastal Ecuador. El Oro province is a key dengue surveillance site, due to the high burden of dengue, seasonal transmission, co-circulation of all four dengue serotypes, and the recent introduction of chikungunya and Zika. In this study, we used climate forecasts to predict the evolution of the 2016 dengue season in the city of Machala, following one of the strongest El Niño events on record. We incorporated precipitation, minimum temperature, and Niño3·4 index forecasts in a Bayesian hierarchical mixed model to predict dengue incidence. The model was initiated on Jan 1, 2016, producing monthly dengue forecasts until November, 2016. We accounted for misreporting of dengue due to the introduction of chikungunya in 2015, by using active surveillance data to correct reported dengue case data from passive surveillance records. We then evaluated the forecast retrospectively with available epidemiological information. The predictions correctly forecast an early peak in dengue incidence in March, 2016, with a 90% chance of exceeding the mean dengue incidence for the previous 5 years. Accounting for the proportion of chikungunya cases that had been incorrectly recorded as dengue in 2015 improved the prediction of the magnitude of dengue incidence in 2016. This dengue prediction framework, which uses seasonal climate and El Niño forecasts, allows a prediction to be made at the start of the year for the entire dengue season. Combining active surveillance data with routine dengue reports improved not only model fit and performance, but also the accuracy of benchmark estimates based on historical seasonal averages. This study advances the state-of-the-art of climate services for the health sector, by showing the potential value of incorporating climate information in the public health decision-making process in Ecuador. European Union

[Characteristics of soil phosphorous loss under different ecological planting patterns in hilly red soil regions of southern Hunan Province, China].

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Min; Wen, Shi-Lin; Xu, Ming-Gang; Dong, Chun-Hua; Qin, Lin; Zhang, Lu

2013-11-01

Taking a large standard runoff plot on a red soil slope in Qiyang County, southern Hunan Province as a case, this paper studied the surface soil phosphorus loss characteristics in the hilly red soil regions of southern Hunan under eight ecological planting patterns. The phosphorus loss from wasteland (T1) was most serious, followed by that from natural sloped cropping patterns (T2 and T3), while the phosphorus loss amount from terrace cropping patterns (T4-T8) was the least, only occupying 9.9%, 37%, 0.7%, 2.3%, and 1.9% of T1, respectively. The ecological planting patterns directly affected the forms of surface-lost soil phosphorus, with the particulate phosphorus (PP) as the main lost form. Under the condition of rainstorm (daily rainfall > 50 mm), rainfall had lesser effects on the phosphorus loss among different planting patterns. However, the phosphorus loss increased with increasing rain intensity. The surface soil phosphorus loss mainly occurred from June to September. Both the rainfall and the rain intensity were the factors directly affected the time distribution of surface soil phosphorus loss in hilly red soil regions of southern Hunan.

[State of food and nutritional care in public hospitals of Ecuador].

Science.gov (United States)

Gallegos Espinosa, Sylvia; Nicolalde Cifuentes, Marcelo; Santana Porbén, Sergio

2014-10-03

The ELAN Ecuadorian Study of Hospital Malnutrition returned a malnutrition rate of 37.1% in public hospitals of Ecuador [Gallegos Espinosa S, Nicolalde Cifuentes M, Santana Porbén S; para el Grupo Ecuatoriano de Estudio de la Desnutrición Hospitalaria. State of malnutrition in hospitals of Ecuador. Nutr Hosp (España) 2014;30:425-35]. Hospital malnutrition could be the result of institutional cultural practices affecting the patient's nutritional status. To present the current state of food and nutritional care provided to patients assisted in public hospitals of Ecuador. The state of food and nutritional care provided to 5,355 patients assisted in 36 hospitals of 23 provinces of the country was documented by means of the Hospital Nutrition Survey (HNS), conducted as part of the ELAN Study. HNS recorded the completion of nutritional assessment exercises, the use of food-bymouth, fasting, use of oral nutritional supplements, and implementation and conduction of Artificial nutritional schemes (Enteral/Parenteral); respectively. Less than 0.1% of clinical charts had a diagnosis of malnutrition included in the list of the patient's health problems. Less than half of the patients had been measured and weighted on admission. Serum Albumin values and Total Lymphocytes Counts were annotated on admission in only 13.5% and 59.2% of the instances, respectively. Current weight value was registered in only 59.4% of the patients with length of stay ³ 15 days. An oral nutritional supplement was prescribed in just 3.5% of non-malnourished patients in which significant metabolic stress and/or reduced food intakes concurred. Although up to 10 different indications for use of Artificial nutrition were identified in the sample study, any of these techniques was administered to just 2.5% (median of observed percentages; range: 1.3 - 11.9%) of surveyed patients. Currently, nutritional status of hospitalized patient is not included within therapeutic goals, nutritional assessment

75 FR 22207 - Importation of Papayas From Colombia and Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-28

.... APHIS-2008-0050] RIN 0579-AC95 Importation of Papayas From Colombia and Ecuador AGENCY: Animal and Plant... Colombia and Ecuador into the continental United States. The conditions for the importation of papayas from Colombia and Ecuador include requirements for field sanitation, hot water treatment, and fruit fly trapping...

Cahora Bassa and Tete Province (Mozambique): A great potential for an industrial hub in Southern Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebitosi, A.B.; Graca, A. da

2009-01-01

Mozambique is host to the great Zambezi River Basin and the World Famous Cahora Bassa power plant that generates some 13,000 GWh annually. The bulk of this energy (85%) is exported but the revenue raised does not appear to have any appreciable impact on the host economy. Moreover it is estimated that a further 10% of the generated energy is lost along the 1414 km long transmission line to South Africa. So quite evidently, Mozambique would benefit more if its energy were utilized by locally based industry. This would also save on the losses that are currently incurred during regional transmission. In this paper the authors visit Tete, the Mozambican Province that hosts the Zambezi Basin. They examine its natural and human resources. They observe that its strategic location gives it easy access to regional markets. They also hold interviews with a number of administrators in the Province. Finally, they conclude that Tete is uniquely advantaged to develop into the next regional industrial hub for the Southern African region. This would also greatly add value to the local resources. To realize this dream will require, conviction supported by strong and timely political commitment as well as hard work. Current trends towards integrated regional trading blocks will provide an even easier access to potential markets and human skills pools.

Local perceptions, cultural beliefs and practices that shape umbilical cord care: a qualitative study in Southern Province, Zambia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julie M Herlihy

Full Text Available Global policy regarding optimal umbilical cord care to prevent neonatal illness is an active discussion among researchers and policy makers. In preparation for a large cluster-randomized control trial to measure the impact of 4% chlorhexidine as an umbilical wash versus dry cord care on neonatal mortality in Southern Province, Zambia, we performed a qualitative study to determine local perceptions of cord health and illness and the cultural belief system that shapes umbilical cord care knowledge, attitudes, and practices.This study consisted of 36 focus group discussions with breastfeeding mothers, grandmothers, and traditional birth attendants, and 42 in-depth interviews with key community informants. Semi-structured field guides were used to lead discussions and interviews at urban and rural sites. A wide variation in knowledge, beliefs, and practices surrounding cord care was discovered. For home deliveries, cords were cut with non-sterile razor blades or local grass. Cord applications included drying agents (e.g., charcoal, baby powder, dust, lubricating agents (e.g., Vaseline, cooking oil, used motor oil and agents intended for medicinal/protective purposes (e.g., breast milk, cow dung, chicken feces. Concerns regarding the length of time until cord detachment were universally expressed. Blood clots in the umbilical cord, bulongo-longo, were perceived to foreshadow neonatal illness. Management of bulongo-longo or infected umbilical cords included multiple traditional remedies and treatment at government health centers.Umbilical cord care practices and beliefs were diverse. Dry cord care, as recommended by the World Health Organization at the time of the study, is not widely practiced in Southern Province, Zambia. A cultural health systems model that depicts all stakeholders is proposed as an approach for policy makers and program implementers to work synergistically with existing cultural beliefs and practices in order to maximize

1990s bright for post-OPEC Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

Ecuador, in its first full year outside the fold of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, stands poised for a significant expansion of production in the 1990s. While preparing for Ecuador's eventual withdrawal from OPEC last fall, the government since early summer 1992 has moved quickly to approve a number of key development projects. It was, perhaps, no coincidence that the most important conference on Ecuadorian petroleum prospects in recent years was timed to coincide with the government's public confirmation of the pullout. All foreign companies operating in Ecuador attended, with details disclosed of projects planned or under way. This article summarizes these projects and other key issues raised at the conference

Regional Tectonic Control of Tertiary Mineralization and Recent Faulting in the Southern Basin-Range Province, an Application of ERTS-1 Data

Science.gov (United States)

Bechtold, I. C.; Liggett, M. A.; Childs, J. F.

1973-01-01

Research based on ERTS-1 MSS imagery and field work in the southern Basin-Range Province of California, Nevada and Arizona has shown regional tectonic control of volcanism, plutonism, mineralization and faulting. This paper covers an area centered on the Colorado River between 34 15' N and 36 45' N. During the mid-Tertiary, the area was the site of plutonism and genetically related volcanism fed by fissure systems now exposed as dike swarms. Dikes, elongate plutons, and coeval normal faults trend generally northward and are believed to have resulted from east-west crustal extension. In the extensional province, gold silver mineralization is closely related to Tertiary igneous activity. Similarities in ore, structural setting, and rock types define a metallogenic district of high potential for exploration. The ERTS imagery also provides a basis for regional inventory of small faults which cut alluvium. This capability for efficient regional surveys of Recent faulting should be considered in land use planning, geologic hazards study, civil engineering and hydrology.

A Primary Care System to Improve Health Care Efficiency: Lessons from Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Aldulaimi, Sommer; Mora, Francisco E

2017-01-01

Ecuador is a country with few resources to spend on health care. Historically, Ecuador has struggled to find a model for health care that is efficient, effective, and available to all people in the country, even those in underserved and rural communities. In 2000, the Ecuador Ministry of Public Health implemented a new system of health care that used primary care as its platform. Since then, Ecuador has been able to increase its health care efficiency, increasing its ranking from 111 of 211 countries worldwide in 2000, to 20 of 211 countries in 2014. This article briefly reviews the new components of the system implemented in Ecuador and examines the tools used to accomplish this. The discussion also compares and contrasts the Ecuador and US systems, and identifies concepts and policies from Ecuador that could improve the US system. © Copyright 2017 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Timing of multiple hydrothermal events in the iron oxide-copper-gold deposits of the Southern Copper Belt, Carajás Province, Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Moreto, Carolina P. N.; Monteiro, Lena V. S.; Xavier, Roberto P.; Creaser, Robert A.; DuFrane, S. Andrew; Melo, Gustavo H. C.; Delinardo da Silva, Marco A.; Tassinari, Colombo C. G.; Sato, Kei

2015-06-01

The Southern Copper Belt, Carajás Province, Brazil, hosts several iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposits, including Sossego, Cristalino, Alvo 118, Bacuri, Bacaba, Castanha, and Visconde. Mapping and U-Pb sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) IIe zircon geochronology allowed the characterization of the host rocks, situated within regional WNW-ESE shear zones. They encompass Mesoarchean (3.08-2.85 Ga) TTG orthogneiss, granites, and remains of greenstone belts, Neoarchean (ca. 2.74 Ga) granite, shallow-emplaced porphyries, and granophyric granite coeval with gabbro, and Paleoproterozoic (1.88 Ga) porphyry dykes. Extensive hydrothermal zones include albite-scapolite, biotite-scapolite-tourmaline-magnetite alteration, and proximal potassium feldspar, chlorite-epidote and chalcopyrite formation. U-Pb laser ablation multicollector inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS) analysis of ore-related monazite and Re-Os NTIMS analysis of molybdenite suggest multiple Neoarchean (2.76 and 2.72-2.68 Ga) and Paleoproterozoic (2.06 Ga) hydrothermal events at the Bacaba and Bacuri deposits. These results, combined with available geochronological data from the literature, indicate recurrence of hydrothermal systems in the Southern Copper Belt, including 1.90-1.88-Ga ore formation in the Sossego-Curral ore bodies and the Alvo 118 deposit. Although early hydrothermal evolution at 2.76 Ga points to fluid migration coeval with the Carajás Basin formation, the main episode of IOCG genesis (2.72-2.68 Ga) is related to basin inversion coupled with Neoarchean (ca. 2.7 Ga) felsic magmatism. The data suggest that the IOCG deposits in the Southern Copper Belt and those in the Northern Copper Belt (2.57-Ga Salobo and Igarapé Bahia-Alemão deposits) do not share a common metallogenic evolution. Therefore, the association of all IOCG deposits of the Carajás Province with a single extensive hydrothermal system is precluded.

Antiparasitic herbs used in west regions ofIlam province located in west of Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahmoud Bahmani

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: To identify antiparasitic medicinal plants used by people in southern regions of Ilam province in Iran. Methods: This study was carried out using questionnaire and interview method between February 2012 and April 2013 and also by means of public resources. Along with distributing questionnaires herbarium specimens of each plant were collected and then their genus and species were determined in the Natural Resources Research Center of Ilam province. Results: A total of 19 medicinal plants used as antiparasitic plants belonged to 14 families were identified in southern regions of Ilam province. Majority of antiparasite herbs were related to Compositeae (11%, Rosaceae (11%, Solanaceae (11%, Liliaceae (11%, and Asteraceae (11% families. Aerial parts with 28% were the most plant organs used for the treatment of parasitic diseases. Results of this study showed that infusion with 83% is the most popular form of herbal medications in southern regions of Ilam province. Conclusions: The report of medicinal plants belonged to northern regions of this province may provide necessary condition for researchers to identify effective substances and to study the clinical effects claimed for these plants and their effective substances on different parasitic diseases while traditional effects of these plants are documented.

A long-lived Late Cretaceous-early Eocene extensional province in Anatolia? Structural evidence from the Ivriz Detachment, southern central Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Gürer, Derya; Plunder, Alexis; Kirst, Frederik; Corfu, Fernando; Schmid, Stefan M.; van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.

2018-01-01

Central Anatolia exposes previously buried and metamorphosed, continent-derived rocks - the Kırşehir and Afyon zones - now covering an area of ∼300 × 400 km. So far, the exhumation history of these rocks has been poorly constrained. We show for the first time that the major, >120 km long, top-NE 'Ivriz' Detachment controlled the exhumation of the HP/LT metamorphic Afyon Zone in southern Central Anatolia. We date its activity at between the latest Cretaceous and early Eocene times. Combined with previously documented isolated extensional detachments found in the Kırşehir Block, our results suggest that a major province governed by extensional exhumation was active throughout Central Anatolia between ∼80 and ∼48 Ma. Although similar in dimension to the Aegean extensional province to the east, the Central Anatolian extensional province is considerably older and was controlled by a different extension direction. From this, we infer that the African slab(s) that subducted below Anatolia must have rolled back relative to the Aegean slab since at least the latest Cretaceous, suggesting that these regions were underlain by a segmented slab. Whether or not these early segments already corresponded to the modern Aegean, Antalya, and Cyprus slab segments remains open for debate, but slab segmentation must have occurred much earlier than previously thought.

Remotely-sensed, nocturnal, dew point correlates with malaria transmission in Southern Province, Zambia: a time-series study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nygren, David; Stoyanov, Cristina; Lewold, Clemens; Månsson, Fredrik; Miller, John; Kamanga, Aniset; Shiff, Clive J

2014-06-13

Plasmodium falciparum transmission has decreased significantly in Zambia in the last decade. The malaria transmission is influenced by environmental variables. Incorporation of environmental variables in models of malaria transmission likely improves model fit and predicts probable trends in malaria disease. This work is based on the hypothesis that remotely-sensed environmental factors, including nocturnal dew point, are associated with malaria transmission and sustain foci of transmission during the low transmission season in the Southern Province of Zambia. Thirty-eight rural health centres in Southern Province, Zambia were divided into three zones based on transmission patterns. Correlations between weekly malaria cases and remotely-sensed nocturnal dew point, nocturnal land surface temperature as well as vegetation indices and rainfall were evaluated in time-series analyses from 2012 week 19 to 2013 week 36. Zonal as well as clinic-based, multivariate, autoregressive, integrated, moving average (ARIMAX) models implementing environmental variables were developed to model transmission in 2011 week 19 to 2012 week 18 and forecast transmission in 2013 week 37 to week 41. During the dry, low transmission season significantly higher vegetation indices, nocturnal land surface temperature and nocturnal dew point were associated with the areas of higher transmission. Environmental variables improved ARIMAX models. Dew point and normalized differentiated vegetation index were significant predictors and improved all zonal transmission models. In the high-transmission zone, this was also seen for land surface temperature. Clinic models were improved by adding dew point and land surface temperature as well as normalized differentiated vegetation index. The mean average error of prediction for ARIMAX models ranged from 0.7 to 33.5%. Forecasts of malaria incidence were valid for three out of five rural health centres; however, with poor results at the zonal level. In this

New links between Ecuador and CERN

CERN Document Server

CERN Bulletin

2011-01-01

A new protocol recently signed in Quito opens the way to stronger links between the Ecuadorian scientific community and CERN. The operational framework provided by the protocol will enable scientists from Ecuador to take part in CERN’s projects, supported by the Ecuadorian authorities.   Picture taken during the signing ceremony at SENESCYT (Quito, Ecuador) on 12 July 2011. From left to right: Guillermo Solórzano, Minister for Coordination of Knowledge and Human Talent, Rene Ramirez Gallegos, National Secretary for Higher Education, Science and Technology - SENECYT, Felicitas Pauss and Jose Salicio from CERN. Ecuador’s involvement with CERN dates back to 1999 when a first International Co-operation Agreement was signed. However, despite these early beginnings,   only a few scientists from Ecuador, affiliated to non-Ecuadorian institutes, have since been directly involved in CERN’s projects, in particular the CMS experiment a...

Collection for Ecuador

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2016-01-01

After the violent earthquake that caused the death of hundreds of people, and left thousands wounded and homeless in Ecuador, we appeal to your generosity. We are starting a collection today to help the victims, and the funds will be donated to the INEPE Institute in Quito. This organization, known at CERN for many years as it has been supported by the Long Term Collections of the Staff Association, will be responsible for sending the proceeds of the collection directly to the victims in the field. On behalf of the CERN Management and the CERN Staff Association Fabiola Gianotti, Director General, and Alessandro Raimondo, President of the Staff Association =========================== Bank account details for donations: Bank account holder: Staff Association CERN - 1211 GENEVA 23 Account number: 279-HU106832.1 IBAN: CH85 0027 9279 HU10 6832 1 BIC: UBSWCHZH80A Please mention: Ecuador

Estudio de factibilidad de procesadora de derivados de maracuyá. Una alternativa de desarrollo en Santa Elena, Ecuador Autores

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tigrero-González, Félix

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The present study aims to determine the technical and financial feasibility of processing derived products from passion fruit, through the setting–up of a production and marketing company in the commune “Las Balsas” - Santa Elena city, Guayas province, Ecuador, where the company will be located. This place has a geographical and climatological location that is appropriate for the growing of passion fruit which facilitates obtaining raw materials throughout the year. The social impact of the company is positive since it demands workers for its operation which will be found in the same sector, plus the use of clean technology for environmen- tal conservation, besides the test of a hypothesis that the setting–up of a processing plant of passion fruit will generate social and economic benefits that allows a better standard of life of the inhabitants of this commune and province.

Rabies Epidemiology and Control in Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz-Prado, Esteban; Ponce-Zea, Jorge; Ramirez, Dario; Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M.; Armijos, Luciana; Yockteng, Jaime; Cárdenas, Washington B.

2016-01-01

Objective: Describe the epidemiology and the control effort for rabies in Ecuador. Methods: This observational study included data from the Ecuadorian National Institute of Census and Statistics (INEC), and mortality and morbidity data reported by the Ministry of Public Health and the National Institute for Social Security. We conducted a phylogeny analyses to compare the N gene from the Challenge Virus Standard (CVS) vaccine strain used in Ecuador with published Cosmopolitan, Asian and Sylvatic strains. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to determine the significance of the data. Results: In 1996 Ecuador suffered the highest rate of rabies per capita in the Americas, with an incidence rate of 0.56 cases per 100 000 people per year. Human and canine rabies showed a sharp decline until 2012. Between 1994 and 2014, we found a correlation of 0.925 (pEcuador. The incidence of human and canine rabies, also known as urban rabies, has clearly decreased due to massive canine vaccination campaigns. Phylogenetic analysis of the prevailing vaccine used in the country showed a clear separation from bat-derived rabies, the source of recent rabies outbreaks. Efforts are ongoing to develop rabies vaccines that are highly specific to the rabies virus genotype circulating in the region, including sylvatic rabies. These efforts include the implementation of reverse genetics to generate recombinant virus coding for the prevailing glycoprotein gene. PMID:26493436

Rabies Epidemiology and Control in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz-Prado, Esteban; Ponce-Zea, Jorge; Ramirez, Dario; Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M; Armijos, Luciana; Yockteng, Jaime; Cardenas, Washington Bolivar

2015-07-12

Describe the epidemiology and the control effort for rabies in Ecuador. This observational study included data from the Ecuadorian National Institute of Census and Statistics (INEC), and mortality and morbidity data reported by the Ministry of Public Health and the National Institute for Social Security. We conducted a phylogeny analyses to compare the N gene from the Challenge Virus Standard (CVS) vaccine strain used in Ecuador with published Cosmopolitan, Asian and Sylvatic strains. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to determine the significance of the data. In 1996 Ecuador suffered the highest rate of rabies per capita in the Americas, with an incidence rate of 0.56 cases per 100 000 people per year. Human and canine rabies showed a sharp decline until 2012. Between 1994 and 2014, we found a correlation of 0.925 (pEcuador. The incidence of human and canine rabies, also known as urban rabies, has clearly decreased due to massive canine vaccination campaigns. Phylogenetic analysis of the prevailing vaccine used in the country showed a clear separation from bat-derived rabies, the source of recent rabies outbreaks. Efforts are ongoing to develop rabies vaccines that are highly specific to the rabies virus genotype circulating in the region, including sylvatic rabies. These efforts include the implementation of reverse genetics to generate recombinant virus coding for the prevailing glycoprotein gene.

Uranium exploration in Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Severne, B.; Penaherrera, P.F.; Fiallos, V.S.

1981-01-01

The 600-km segment of the Andean Cordillera in Ecuador includes zones that can be correlated, geologically, with uranium districts elsewhere in the Andes. It is believed that these essentially unexplored zones have the potential for economic uranium mineralization. Exploration activity to date has been limited, although it has involved both geochemical and radiometric techniques to evaluate geological concepts. Minor uranium occurrences (with chemical analyses up to 100 ppm) have been encountered, which provide further incentive to commence large-scale systematic exploration. It is recognized that a very large exploration budget and considerable technical expertise will be required to ensure exploration success. Consequently, participation by groups of proven capability from other countries will be sought for Ecuador's national exploration programme. (author)

Ecuador's Higher Education System in Times of Change

Science.gov (United States)

Van Hoof, Hubert B.; Estrella, Mateo; Eljuri, Marie-Isabel; León, Leonardo Torres

2013-01-01

Ecuador's higher education system is undergoing dramatic changes. The National Constitution of 2008 and the Higher Education Law of 2010 have changed the way Ecuador's universities are funded, administered, and accredited. The importance of research was elevated and drastic changes were made to the academic qualifications and employment conditions…

Transformed Territories of Gendered Care Work in Ecuador's Petroleum Circuit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Cielo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This article explores the transformation of indigenous women's care work in the Ecuadorian Amazon, as their communities are increasingly integrated into petroleum industry activities. Care work activities–not only for social reproduction, but also to sustain cycles of fertility, growth and waste interdependent with nature–constitute affective ecologies. In development sites of Ecuador's petroleum circuit, such activities are domesticated and devalued, and the territories produced by women's care work are progressively delimited. Once aimed at social and natural reproduction, their care practices now focus on household and familial reproduction. This article is based on two years of ethnographic and qualitative research in indigenous communities of the Amazonian provinces of Sucumbíos and Pastaza. We bring feminist economic approaches to the study of affective ecologies to show how fundamental changes in inhabitants' historically shaped relationships to, and conservation of, nature both depend on and produce gendered ecological and socioeconomic relations.

Report on Follow-up Visit to Ecuador, Part 1

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Combs, Gerald F

1961-01-01

...), National Institutes of Health, who visited Ecuador from January 15th to the 21st, 1961. Dr. Gerald F. Combs, PhD, visited Ecuador to discuss the nutritional survey conducted by ICNND in the summer of 1959...

Nutrient addition modifies phosphatase activities along an altitudinal gradient in a tropical montane forest in Southern Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karla eDietrich

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Atmospheric nutrient deposition and climate change are expected to endanger the diversity of tropical forest ecosystems. Nitrogen (N deposition might influence nutrient fluxes beyond the N cycle by a concomitant increased demand for other nutritional elements such as phosphorus (P. Organisms might respond to the increased P demand by enhanced activity of enzymes involved in releasing inorganic P from organic matter (OM. Our aims were to assess the effect of i climate shifts (approximated by an altitudinal gradient, and ii nutrient addition (N, P, N+P on phosphatase activity (PA in organic layer and mineral soil of a tropical montane rainforest in Southern Ecuador. A nutrient manipulation experiment (NUMEX was set up along an altitudinal gradient (1000, 2000, and 3000 m a.s.l.. We determined PA and inorganic and total P concentrations. PA at 1000 m was significantly lower (mean ± standard error: 48 ± 20 µmol p-NP g-1 dm h-1 as compared to 2000 m and 3000 m (119 ± 11 and 137 ± 19, respectively. One explanation might be that very rapid decomposition of OM at 1000 m results in very thin organic layers reducing the stabilization of enzymes and thus, resulting in leaching loss of enzymes under the humid tropical climate. We found no effect of N addition on PA neither in the organic layer nor in mineral soil, probably because of the low nutrient addition rates that showed ambiguous results so far on productivity measures as a proxy for P demand. In the organic layers of P and N+P treatments, we found decreased PA and increased concentrations of inorganic P. This indicates that the surplus of inorganic P reduced the biosynthesis of phosphatase enzymes. PA in megadiverse montane rainforests is likely to be unaffected by increased atmospheric N deposition but reduced upon atmospheric P deposition.

Ecuador project closes shop.

Science.gov (United States)

1985-01-01

The US Agency for International Development (AID) has discontinued its contraceptive social marketing project in Ecuador after 2 1/2 years without a sale. USAID had awarded a 3-year US$1.2 million grant to the program's contractor, the John Snow Public Health Group Inc. The project was run by Ecuador's national family planning association. This is only the 3rd time USAID has terminated a social marketing program since entering this field in 1973. Impediments to the program's operation included product price hikes and supply shortages as a result of teh inflation and currency devaluation in Ecuador in recent years. Government opposition to the sales of donated contraceptive supplies further set back the program. The name chosen for the condom distributed by the program, Liber, had to be changed since a company importing sanitary napkins was using the name Liberty and objected. The program's peculiar organizational structur is also considered to have played a role in the program's failure. Rather than having a single authority responsible for the program, a 2-headed organizational design was used. Program funds were controlled by the contractor, but the family planning organization managed day to day operations. Unified management has enabled programs in other countries to survive problems such as inflation, brand registration, and product and price approvals.

IAEA Completes Nuclear Security Advisory Mission in Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2018-01-01

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts today completed a nuclear security advisory mission in Ecuador. The mission was carried out at the request of the Government of Ecuador. The scope of the two-week International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) mission included the legislative and regulatory framework for the security of radioactive material, regulatory licensing, inspection and enforcement as well as coordination among authorities and other stakeholders involved in nuclear security. In September 2017, Ecuador ratified the 2005 Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and its incorporation into the nuclear security regime was also included in the scope of the mission. The IPPAS team carried out a number of visits, including to a steel company that uses gamma radiography, two hospitals, the National Polytechnic University and a company that transports radioactive material. In addition, the team visited a temporary storage facility for disused radioactive sources in Alóag, a town about 50 km south of the capital, Quito. The team observed that Ecuador is making efforts towards enhancing its national nuclear security regime. The team provided recommendations and suggestions to support Ecuador in enhancing and sustaining nuclear security. Good practices were identified that can serve as examples to other IAEA Member States to help strengthen their nuclear security activities.

Democracia liberal e inestabilidad política en Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Andrade A., Pablo

2005-01-01

Se explora el reciente cambio de gobierno en Ecuador a la luz de las siguientes hipótesis: 1) la inestabilidad política que caracteriza al Ecuador desde hace nueve años; 2) esta fase como resultado de las contradicciones creadas por el intento de reconciliar una economía organizada en torno al libre mercado con los procedimientos de una democracia representativa; 3) el proceso que ha llevado en los últimos trece años a la desarticulación de las instituciones democráticas en Ecuador. Se desarr...

Survey on porcine trichinellosis in Ecuador

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chávez-Larrea, M. A.; Dorny, P.; Møller, L. N.

2004-01-01

A survey on porcine trichinellosis was organised in Ecuador between 2000 and 2003. Blood samples were taken in slaughterhouses (study 1, n = 2000; study 2, n = 331) and in a remote village where pigs are free roaming (study 3, n = 646) and examined by ELISA using excretory/secretory (E/S) antigens...... that Trichinella is present in Ecuador; however, prevalence and parasite burdens are likely to be very low. The likelihood of detecting trichinellosis are higher in traditional settings than in pigs raised on improved farms...

Absence of domestic triatomine colonies in an area of the coastal region of Ecuador where Chagas disease is endemic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario J Grijalva

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Rhodnius ecuadoriensis is considered the second most important vector of Chagas disease in Ecuador. It is distributed across six of the 24 provinces and occupies intradomiciliary, peridomiciliary and sylvatic habitats. This study was conducted in six communities within the coastal province of Guayas. Triatomine searches were conducted in domestic and peridomestic habitats and bird nests using manual searches, live-bait traps and sensor boxes. Synantrhopic mammals were captured in the domestic and peridomestic habitats. Household searches (n = 429 and randomly placed sensor boxes (n = 360 produced no live triatomine adults or nymphs. In contrast, eight nymphs were found in two out of six searched Campylorhynchus fasciatus (Troglodytidae nests. Finally, Trypanosoma cruzi DNA was amplified from the blood of 10% of the 115 examined mammals. Environmental changes in land use (intensive rice farming, mosquito control interventions and lack of intradomestic adaptation are suggested among the possible reasons for the lack of domestic triatomine colonies.

Report on Follow-Up Visit to Ecuador, Part 2

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Pearson, W. N

1961-01-01

...), National Institutes of Health, who visited Ecuador from January 15th to the 21st, 1961. W. N. Pearson, PhD, visited Ecuador from January 15th to the 21st, 1961, to discuss the nutritional survey conducted by ICNND in the summer of 1959...

Offshore Aquaculture Development in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julio López Alvarado

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Ecuador has a long tradition in aquaculture, mainly related to the cultivation of shrimp and tilapia in earthen ponds. Land-based production methods have a large environmental, economic and social impact due to the extensive use of land and its effects on the ecosystems. In order to increase the production of fish without further land use and with a lower environmental impact, a good alternative is the culture of fish in floating cages, adopting technologies used successfully in many other countries. This article analyses the current situation of offshore aquaculture (the production of fish and other aquatic organisms in the open sea in Ecuador, and the prospects for the future of this sector in the country.

Southern Appalachian Regional Seismic Network

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiu, S.C.C.; Johnston, A.C.; Chiu, J.M. [Memphis State Univ., TN (United States). Center for Earthquake Research and Information

1994-08-01

The seismic activity in the southern Appalachian area was monitored by the Southern Appalachian Regional Seismic Network (SARSN) since late 1979 by the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI) at Memphis State University. This network provides good spatial coverage for earthquake locations especially in east Tennessee. The level of activity concentrates more heavily in the Valley and Ridge province of eastern Tennessee, as opposed to the Blue Ridge or Inner Piedmont. The large majority of these events lie between New York - Alabama lineament and the Clingman/Ocoee lineament, magnetic anomalies produced by deep-seated basement structures. Therefore SARSN, even with its wide station spacing, has been able to define the essential first-order seismological characteristics of the Southern Appalachian seismic zone. The focal depths of the southeastern U.S. earthquakes concentrate between 8 and 16 km, occurring principally beneath the Appalachian overthrust. In cross-sectional views, the average seismicity is shallower to the east beneath the Blue Ridge and Piedmont provinces and deeper to the west beneath the Valley and Ridge and the North American craton. Results of recent focal mechanism studies by using the CERI digital earthquake catalog between October, 1986 and December, 1991, indicate that the basement of the Valley and Ridge province is under a horizontal, NE-SW compressive stress. Right-lateral strike-slip faulting on nearly north-south fault planes is preferred because it agrees with the trend of the regional magnetic anomaly pattern.

Southern Appalachian Regional Seismic Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiu, S.C.C.; Johnston, A.C.; Chiu, J.M.

1994-08-01

The seismic activity in the southern Appalachian area was monitored by the Southern Appalachian Regional Seismic Network (SARSN) since late 1979 by the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI) at Memphis State University. This network provides good spatial coverage for earthquake locations especially in east Tennessee. The level of activity concentrates more heavily in the Valley and Ridge province of eastern Tennessee, as opposed to the Blue Ridge or Inner Piedmont. The large majority of these events lie between New York - Alabama lineament and the Clingman/Ocoee lineament, magnetic anomalies produced by deep-seated basement structures. Therefore SARSN, even with its wide station spacing, has been able to define the essential first-order seismological characteristics of the Southern Appalachian seismic zone. The focal depths of the southeastern U.S. earthquakes concentrate between 8 and 16 km, occurring principally beneath the Appalachian overthrust. In cross-sectional views, the average seismicity is shallower to the east beneath the Blue Ridge and Piedmont provinces and deeper to the west beneath the Valley and Ridge and the North American craton. Results of recent focal mechanism studies by using the CERI digital earthquake catalog between October, 1986 and December, 1991, indicate that the basement of the Valley and Ridge province is under a horizontal, NE-SW compressive stress. Right-lateral strike-slip faulting on nearly north-south fault planes is preferred because it agrees with the trend of the regional magnetic anomaly pattern

Evidence of Natural Hybridization and Introgression between Vasconcellea Species (Caricaceae) from Southern Ecuador Revealed by Chloroplast, Mitochondrial and Nuclear DNA Markers

Science.gov (United States)

VAN DROOGENBROECK, B.; KYNDT, T.; ROMEIJN-PEETERS, E.; VAN THUYNE, W.; GOETGHEBEUR, P.; ROMERO-MOTOCHI, J. P.; GHEYSEN, G.

2006-01-01

• Background and Aims Vasconcellea × heilbornii is believed to be of natural hybrid origin between V. cundinamarcensis and V. stipulata, and is often difficult to discriminate from V. stipulata on morphological grounds. The aim of this paper is to examine individuals of these three taxa and of individuals from the closely related species V. parviflora and V. weberbaueri, which all inhabit a hybrid zone in southern Ecuador. • Methods Molecular data from mitochondrial, chloroplast and nuclear DNA from 61 individuals were analysed. • Key Results Molecular analysis confirmed occasional contemporary hybridization between V. stipulata, V. cundinamarcensis and V. × heilbornii and suggested the possible involvement of V. weberbaueri in the origin of V. × heilbornii. In addition, the molecular data indicated unidirectional introgression of the V. cundinamarcensis nuclear genome into that of V. stipulata. Several of the individuals examined with morphology similar to that of V. stipulata had genetic traces of hybridization with V. cundinamarcensis, which only seems to act as pollen donor in interspecific hybridization events. Molecular analyses also strongly suggested that most of the V. × heilbornii individuals are not F1 hybrids but instead are progeny of repeated backcrosses with V. stipulata. • Conclusions The results of the present study point to the need for re-evaluation of natural populations of V. stipulata and V. × heilbornii. In general, this analysis demonstrates the complex patterns of genetic and morphological diversity found in natural plant hybrid zones. PMID:16500954

Ecuador: La experiencia de Radio Latacunga

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Silva

2015-01-01

Full Text Available En Latacunga - Ecuador es entrevistada Lucelly Villa, de la comunidad Hijas de San Pablo, "Hermanas Paulinas", ella es directora de la Radio y presidenta de la CORAPE (Coordinadora de Radios Populares y Educativas de Ecuador. En la entrevista comenta la experiencia de las emisoras en las zonas campesinas de la provincia cuya población indígena campesina esta geográficamente dispersa en la provincia de Cotopaxi. Habla de las dificultades y logros en once años de labor, informa de cómo funcionan las cabinas y la programación.

Regional characteristics of land use in northeast and southern Blue Ridge province: Associations with acid-rain effects on surface-water chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liegel, L.; Cassell, D.; Stevens, D.; Shaffer, P.; Church, R.

1991-01-01

The Direct/Delayed Response Project (DDRP) is one of several being conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to assess risk to surface waters from acidic deposition in the eastern United States. In one phase of DDRP, land use, wetland, and forest cover data were collected for statistical samples of 145 northeast lakes and 35 southern Blue Ridge Province stream watersheds. Land use and other data were then extrapolated from individual to target watershed populations in both study regions. Project statistical design allows summarization of results for various subsets of the target population. The article discusses results and implications of the land-use and land-cover characterization for both regions

Operational strategies of anti-malarial drug campaigns for malaria elimination in Zambia's southern province: a simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Stuckey, Erin M; Miller, John M; Littrell, Megan; Chitnis, Nakul; Steketee, Rick

2016-03-09

Malaria elimination requires reducing both the potential of mosquitoes to transmit parasites to humans and humans to transmit parasites to mosquitoes. To achieve this goal in Southern province, Zambia a mass test and treat (MTAT) campaign was conducted from 2011-2013 to complement high coverage of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLIN). To identify factors likely to increase campaign effectiveness, a modelling approach was applied to investigate the simulated effect of alternative operational strategies for parasite clearance in southern province. OpenMalaria, a discrete-time, individual-based stochastic model of malaria, was parameterized for the study area to simulate anti-malarial drug administration for interruption of transmission. Simulations were run for scenarios with a range of artemisinin-combination therapies, proportion of the population reached by the campaign, targeted age groups, time between campaign rounds, Plasmodium falciparum test protocols, and the addition of drugs aimed at preventing onward transmission. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess uncertainty of simulation results. Scenarios were evaluated based on the reduction in all-age parasite prevalence during the peak transmission month one year following the campaign, compared to the currently-implemented strategy of MTAT 19 % population coverage at pilot and 40 % coverage during the first year of implementation in the presence of 56 % LLIN use and 18 % indoor residual spray coverage. Simulation results suggest the most important determinant of success in reducing prevalence is the population coverage achieved in the campaign, which would require more than 1 year of campaign implementation for elimination. The inclusion of single low-dose primaquine, which acts as a gametocytocide, or ivermectin, which acts as an endectocide, to the drug regimen did not further reduce parasite prevalence one year following the campaign compared to the currently-implemented strategy

Percepciones hemisfericas sobre la crisis colombiana: el caso de Ecuador.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablo Andrade A.

2004-07-01

Full Text Available The essay describes the securitization of Ecuador's policy regarding the Colombian conflict. The author argues that since 1999, distinct governments have adopted a policy that treats the Colombian conflict as a threat to the existential survival of Ecuador. In the first part of the essay, the author discusses the assumptions underlying this policy in light of the available empirical evidence on the effects of the armed conflict over the past five years. The second part deals with the process of securitization itself, illustrating the effects of perceptions of threat on the part of Ecuador's decision-makers, in particular the Armed Forces. The last two sections examine the links existing between Ecuador's policy and the regional interests of the United States, and the effects of the securitization process and its likely continuation in the future.

Ecuador: una democracia inestable

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan J. Paz y Miño Cepeda

2009-12-01

Full Text Available En 1979, tras una década de dictaduras militares, se inició la fase constitucional más larga en la historia del Ecuador. Ésta se levantó sobre las herencias del pasado y se caracterizó, de manera fundamental, por el tránsito desde un modelo estatal-desarrollista hacia uno de tipo empresarial, por el aparecimiento de nuevos agentes sociales, el multipartidismo político, la regionalización nacional, la presencia multicultural y la inserción del país en nuevas relaciones internacionales. Pero esos procesos trajeron como consecuencias centrales: la edificación de una economía inequitativa, una sociedad tensionada, la desestructuración institucional, la precarización del trabajo y la debilidad con la que la nación ha enfrentado el nuevo mundo unipolar. Todo ello ha configurado un cuadro de riesgos para la incipiente democracia. El Ecuador contemporáneo tiene, por tanto, una serie de desafíos económicos, sociales y políticos para escapar a la inestabilidad que ha acompañado a la construcción de su modernización democrática.___________________ABSTRACT:In 1979, after one decade of military dictatorships, the longest constitutional phase in the history of Ecuador was initiated. It was built upon the inheritance of the past and can be fundamentally characterized by the transition from a model that focused on the state as developing the economy (State-model to a model that focused on private business (enterprise-model. The appearance of new social agents, a multiparty system, national regionalization, multicultural presence and the country´s new international relationships are processes which show some important consequences: the establishment of an unequal economy, a society under tension, the breakdown of institutional structures, the vulnerability of working conditions and the weakness with which the nation faced the new polarized world. All this might put into danger this incipient democracy. And this is why Ecuador in these

Validation of a site specific management for plant nutrition in the cocoa crop in the province of Guayas, Ecuador Validación del manejo de la nutrición por sitio específico en una plantación de cacao en la provincia de Guayas, Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mite Francisco

2006-09-01

Full Text Available

Validation of a site specific management for plant nutrition in the cocoa crop in the province of Guayas, Ecuador. In the cocoa crop at Las Cañas Farm, Puerto Inca, Canton Naranjal, province of Guayas, Ecuador, a site specific management experiment for plant nutrition to optimize the use of fertilizers and to improve productivity was carried out. All soil and plant analysis, data yield and fertilization programs were carried out. With the aereal photograph and the map of the farm using geographic information system (GIS, the experimental plots were defined. The plantation was divided in grids of 200 by 100 m. To characterize the soil, a soil sampling until 120 cm in depth was carried out. On the other hand, to dertimine the soil spatial variability, two soil cores were taken. Each core was separated in to 0-20 and 20-40 cm segments. Six series and three classes of soil were identified for cocoa: The class II are soils “quite good”, its cover 162.4 ha and represent 52.5% of the area. The class III that are “goods soils” occupy 56.5 ha and represent 18.3% The class IV are “inadequate soils” with water levels at 40 to 90 cm in depth and horizonts with stones. This area cover 62.7 ha and represent 20.2% of the total area, in which it is necessary to improve the drainage system. It was found that with a population of 2,222 plants for ha, the total nutrient uptake of N, P₂O₅, K₂O, CaO, MgO and S for ha was 101, 27, 204, 69, 42, and 6 kg respectively, and with a population of 833 plants per ha, the total nutrient uptake was 50, 23, and 101, 35, 21 and 6 kg. That implementation of the site specific management for soil fertility allowed to correct problems of soil acidity and iron toxicity to improve productivity in the plots at Las Cañas Farm.

Key words: cacao, site specific; soil fertility; Ecuador.

Chagas Disease in Ecuador: Evidence for Disease Transmission in an Indigenous Population in the Amazon Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chico H Martha

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Two well-defined synthetic peptides TcD and PEP2 were used in a sero-epidemiological study for the detection of Trypanosoma cruzi infections in an indigenous group in the Amazon region of Ecuador. Of the 18 communities studied along the Río Napo, province of Napo, 15 (83.3% were found to be positive for T. cruzi infection. Of the 1,011 individuals examined 61 (6.03% resulted positive. A prevalence of infection of 4.8% was found in children aged 1-5 years. The prevalence of infection increased with age, with adults 50 years or older showing a maximum prevalence of 18.8%. Autochthonous transmission of T. cruzi is present among this isolated indigenous population

Effects of photoperiod, plant growth regulators and culture media on in vitro growth of seedlings of Cyrtochilum loxense (Lindl. Kraenzl. an endemic and endangered orchid from Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yadira González

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Cyrtochilum loxense (Lindl. Kraenzl. is an endemic and seriously endangered orchid species endemic in the Loja Province (Southern Ecuador. The main goals of this research were to analyze how culture media, plant growth regulators and photoperiod affect the growth of C. loxense. Eight month old plants (approximate 1 – 1.5 cm in height obtained by in vitro germination, were cultivated on MS media or Knudson C; MS with three levels of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP (2/0.5; 1/0.5 y 0.5/ 0.5 mg-1L; and three photoperiodic regimes (24/0, 16/8, 8/16 h on MS with and without plant growth regulators. No significant differences of shoot induction were observed on media with or without plant growth regulators, and all tested photoperiods. The highest growth (1.2 cm was observed in plantlets cultivated on growth regulator-free media with a 16/8 photoperiod. Also the shoot and root formation was better in this species in absence of plant growth regulators. Probably this response is due to the endogenous hormone levels in the tissues or due to the kind and concentrations of PGRs used were too low to induce positive morphogenetic responses.

Subsistence hunting for turtles in Northwestern Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carr, John L; Almendariz, Ana; Simmons, John E; Nielsen, Mark T

2014-01-01

We describe the subsistence exploitation of an entire turtle fauna in Esmerald's Province, Ecuador. We collected first hand accounts and witnessed a number of capture techniques used by rural afroecuadorian and chachi inhabitants of the Cayapas Santiago River basin. The diversity of techniques indicated a practical knowledge of the ecology of the species. Chelydra acutirostris, Kinosternon leucostomum, Rhinoclemmys annulata, Melanosterna, and R. nasuta were captured and eaten. Poziando involved cleaning pools in a stream bed during the relatively dry season by removing live plants, organic detritus, and then seining with baskets; we observed R. melanosterna and K. leucostomum captured in this way. Pitfall traps baited with fruit were used to catch R. melanosterna during forays on land. Basket traps (Canasto tortuguero) with a wooden slat funnel across the opening are floated with balsa lashed to the sides. Banana or Xanthosoma leaf bait in the basket traps caught R. melanosterna, R. nasuta, and K. leucostomum. Marshy areas were probed for R. melanosterna and K. leucostomum. Direct capture by hand was also common. Turtles were relished as food items; all turtles captured were consumed, usually in soup or stew. Use of turtles for food in the region was pervasive, perhaps because fish and game populations were depleted.

Unintended pregnancy in the amazon basin of Ecuador: a multilevel analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

San Sebastian Miguel

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It has been estimated that each year 80 million women in the world experience an unintended pregnancy. In Ecuador, recent research has revealed that 36.3% of total births are unintended; the research also details significant geographical, ethnic and socioeconomic variations. These studies focused on individual risk factors and were based on large national surveys where local samples, particularly from rural remote areas, were small. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of contextual and individual factors on unintended pregnancies in the Amazon Basin of Ecuador. Methods Women aged 15-44 were selected through an ongoing community-based cross-sectional survey conducted in the Orellana province between May and December 2006. Data were fitted using multilevel logistic regression, adjusting for both individual-level and community-level factors as fixed effects and allowing for heterogeneity between communities. Results The overall prevalence of unintended pregnancy was 62.7%. Two-thirds (73.7% of indigenous women reported having had at least one unintended pregnancy. Being young, single, and indigenous were significant risk factors for unintended pregnancy, alongside having low access to education and having more than two children. No relationship was found between socioeconomic status and the use of contraceptives. All the variation between communities was explained by individual-level factors. Conclusions This study showed the significance of individual factors in increasing the risk of unintended pregnancy, while the role of community factors was found to be negligible. In order for all women to be able to realize their right to reproductive autonomy, there needs to be a diverse range of solutions, with particular attention paid to cultural issues.

Characterization of ascaris from ecuador and zanzibar.

Science.gov (United States)

Sparks, A M; Betson, M; Oviedo, G; Sandoval, C; Cooper, P J; Stothard, J R

2015-07-01

To shed light on the epidemiology of ascariasis in Ecuador and Zanzibar, 177 adult worms retrieved by chemo-expulsion from either people or pigs were collected, measured and subjected to polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Upon double digestion with RsaI and HaeIII, PCR-RFLP analysis revealed the presence of A. lumbricoides in people and A. suum in pigs in Ecuador. In contrast, while there are no pigs on Zanzibar, of the 56 worms obtained from people, one was genotyped as A. suum. No additional genetic variation was detected upon further PCR-RFLP analysis with several other restriction enzymes. Upon measurement, worm mass and length differed by location and by species, A. suum being lighter and longer. While there is no evidence to suggest zoonotic transmission in Ecuador, an enduring historical signature of previous zoonotic transmission remains on Zanzibar.

Collaborating with Communities and Higher Education to Address the Health-care Needs of Individuals with Disabilities in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donna J. Cech

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Individuals with disabilities experience inequities in access to health care, education, employment, and social inclusion. Causes for Change International (CCI, a non-governmental Organization (NGO, using a community-based rehabilitation approach has worked for 20 years to build self-sufficiency, improve health-care services, and education for women, children, and persons with disabilities in Ecuador. CCI initially addressed health; advocacy for individuals with disabilities; and promoted educational opportunities for children with disabilities, starting in one rural community. CCI’s outreach has expanded through Ecuador’s coastal provinces, Andean provinces, and Galapagos Islands. CCI also focused on local health-care workforce development, developing employment skills for individuals with disabilities and social inclusion for this population. CCI collaborated with local organizations, government, and universities to provide resources, managed by local leadership. Key program elements of the CCI approach include (1 develop trust between CCI, local communities, local agencies, and government; (2 empower local groups to assume leadership and sustain programs; (3 support communities and groups invested in developing self-sufficiency; and (4 strengthen collaborations and partnerships between local and international organizations, universities, and government agencies. Key lessons learned by CCI are to be supportive of cultural differences; understand that limited financial and material resources may limit the program development; recognize that it is difficult not to foster dependent relationships with communities and appreciate the importance of working with and within the host country’s governmental systems. CCI is expanding its service base to other regions of Ecuador and is focusing on development of the Ecuadorian health-care workforce and social inclusion opportunities for individuals with disability. The efforts of a small NGO have

Situation of bovine tuberculosis in Ecuador Situación de la tuberculosis bovina en el Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Freddy Proaño-Pérez

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Bovine tuberculosis (BTB is a chronic and contagious disease that affects domestic animals, wildlife, and humans. Caused by Mycobacterium bovis, BTB causes major economic losses and poses a serious constraint to international livestock trade. Moreover, in developing countries where BTB controls are lacking, M. bovis is a public health concern. In most developing countries, the prevalence of BTB in livestock is unknown because the information is either not reported or not available. In Ecuador, there is no national BTB control program. This article reviews the BTB situation in Ecuador by examining exhaustive data from tuberculin testing surveys and slaughterhouse surveillance studies conducted in 1972-2008 in a variety of the country's geographic areas. In Ecuador, several factors, including the dairy industry's expansion (preempted by the high demand for milk and its by-products, intensified efforts to increase the cattle population, the presence of M. bovis, and a lack of BTB controls, have caused a rise in BTB prevalence, and consequently, a growing push for the implementation of a national BTB control program.La tuberculosis bovina es una enfermedad contagiosa crónica que afecta a los animales domésticos, los animales salvajes y los seres humanos. Es producida por Mycobacterium bovis; causa grandes pérdidas económicas y plantea una grave limitación para el comercio ganadero internacional. Por otro lado, en los países en desarrollo donde no hay controles de la tuberculosis bovina, la infección por M. bovis representa un problema de salud pública. En la mayoría de los países en desarrollo, la prevalencia de tuberculosis en el ganado se desconoce porque la información no se comunica o no se consigue. En el Ecuador no hay un programa nacional de control de la tuberculosis bovina. En este artículo se revisa la situación de la tuberculosis bovina en el Ecuador, sobre la base de un análisis de los datos exhaustivos obtenidos de

78 FR 64009 - Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From China, Ecuador, India, Malaysia, and Vietnam

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-25

... Warmwater Shrimp From China, Ecuador, India, Malaysia, and Vietnam Determinations On the basis of the record... from China, Ecuador, India, Malaysia, and Vietnam of frozen warmwater shrimp, provided for in... China, Ecuador, India, Malaysia, and Vietnam.\\2\\ \\1\\ The record is defined in sec. 207.2(f) of the...

Floristic diversity in agro-ecosystem livestock bovine of the Canton “El Carmen” in Manabi’s province, Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justo A. Rojas Rojas

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the second half of 2013 the species that are part of the diversity of flora in agroecosystems cattle ranching bovine in Canton El Carmen, Manabí, Ecuador were determined. A total of 13 botanical species of which Sida acuta Burm. had the highest records with 29.7 % of dominance and a frequency of 51.0 %, followed by the species Senna obtusifolia (L. H. S. Irwin & Barneby, Desmodium tortuosum (Sw. DC, Pavonia sidifolia Kunth and Stachytarpheta cayennensis (Rich. Vahl. These five species were found to be the most dominant and frequent with respect to all the species found. The Jaccard coefficient showed 53,8 % similarity regarding diversity of plant species.

Smoking behaviour and associated factors of illicit cigarette consumption in a border province of southern Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Ketchoo, Chittawet; Sangthong, Rassamee; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi; Geater, Alan; McNeil, Edward

2013-07-01

Illicit cigarette consumption has increased worldwide. It is important to understand this problem thoroughly. To investigate behaviours and factors associated with illicit cigarette consumption in southern Thailand. A survey and qualitative study were conducted in a border province in southern Thailand next to Malaysia. A modified snowballing technique was used to recruit 300 illicit and 150 non-illicit cigarette smokers. A questionnaire was used to interview subjects. Illicit cigarette packs were obtained in order to identify their characteristics. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was used for data analysis. Smoking of illicit cigarettes has become accepted in the communities. They were available in supermarkets and vendor shops. Friends and other illicit smokers known by illicit cigarette smokers were an important source of information for access to illicit cigarette products. The main factors associated with smoking illicit cigarettes, compared with smoking non-illicit cigarettes, were younger age, higher education and higher average monthly expenditure on cigarettes (most illicit smokers smoked illicit cigarettes (average price per packet = 33 THB (US$1.1), while most non-illicit smokers smoked hand-rolled cigarettes (average price per packet = 7 THB (US$0.2)) and knowledge of other illicit cigarette smokers. The low price of illicit cigarettes was the main reason for their use. Selling strategies included sale of singles, sale in shops and direct sale through social networking. Illicit cigarette consumption has become more acceptable especially among young adult smokers. Age and extent of social networks are important factors associated with smoking illicit cigarettes.

A new alamellate Hygrocybe species from Ecuador

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Læssøe, Thomas; Boertmann, David

2008-01-01

The first known species of Hygrocybe with a smooth hymenophore is described based on material from the eastern slopes of Andean Ecuador. It is considered as incertae sedis in the genus due to a lack of conclusive morphological characters and in the absence of sequence data.......The first known species of Hygrocybe with a smooth hymenophore is described based on material from the eastern slopes of Andean Ecuador. It is considered as incertae sedis in the genus due to a lack of conclusive morphological characters and in the absence of sequence data....

Assessing local vulnerability to climate change in Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Fernandez, Mario Andres; Bucaram, Santiago J.; Renteria, Willington

2015-01-01

Vulnerability assessments have become necessary to increase the understanding of climate-sensitive systems and inform resource allocation in developing countries. Challenges arise when poor economic and social development combines with heterogeneous climatic conditions. Thus, finding and harmonizing good-quality data at local scale may be a significant hurdle for vulnerability research. In this paper we assess vulnerability to climate change at a local level in Ecuador. We take Ecuador as a c...

The carbon holdings of northern Ecuador's mangrove forests

OpenAIRE

Hamilton, Stuart E.; Lovette, John; Borbor, Mercy; Millones, Marco

2016-01-01

Within a GIS environment, we combine field measures of mangrove diameter, mangrove species distribution, and mangrove density with remotely sensed measures of mangrove location and mangrove canopy cover to estimate the mangrove carbon holdings of northern Ecuador. We find that the four northern estuaries of Ecuador contain approximately 7,742,999 t (plus or minus 15.47 percent) of standing carbon. Of particular high carbon holdings are the Rhizophora mangle dominated mangrove stands found in-...

Scorpion envenoming in Morona Santiago, Amazonian Ecuador: Molecular phylogenetics confirms involvement of the Tityus obscurus group.

Science.gov (United States)

Román, Juan P; García, Fernanda; Medina, Doris; Vásquez, Manolo; García, José; Graham, Matthew R; Romero-Alvarez, Daniel; Pardal, Pedro P de Oliveira; Ishikawa, Edna A Y; Borges, Adolfo

2018-02-01

Scorpion envenoming by species in the genus Tityus is hereby reported from rural locations in the Amazonian province of Morona Santiago, southeastern Ecuador. Twenty envenoming cases (18 patients under 15 years of age) including one death (a 4-year-old male) were recorded at the Macas General Hospital, Morona Santiago, between January 2015 and December 2016 from the counties of Taisha (n=17), Huamboyo (n=1), Palora (n=1), and Logroño (n=1). An additional fatality from 2014 (a 3-year-old female from Nayantza, Taisha county) is also reported. Leukocytosis and low serum potassium levels were detected in most patients. We observed a significant negative correlation between leukocytosis and hypokalemia. Scorpions involved in three accidents from Macuma, Taisha County, were identified as genetically related to Tityus obscurus from the Brazilian Amazonian region based on comparison of mitochondrial DNA sequences encoding cytochrome oxidase subunit I. These cases, along with previously reported envenoming from northern Manabí, reinforce the notion that scorpionism is a health hazard for children in Ecuador and emphasizes the need to supply effective antivenoms against local species, which are not currently available. The genetic affinity of the Ecuadorian specimens with T. obscurus may underlay toxinological, clinical, and venom antigenic relationships among Amazonian scorpions that deserves further exploration for designing therapeutic strategies to treat scorpionism in the region. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Geodynamic control of the chemical composition of Tertiary continental arc magmas of Ecuador?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiaradia, M.; Fontbote, L

2001-01-01

Whereas an abundant literature has been produced on the Tertiary magmatism of the Central Andes, no comparable studies exist for the Tertiary continental magmatism of the Northern Andes in general and of Ecuador in particular. In this contribution we present the first extensive data on lead and strontium isotopes of Paleocene to Pliocene magmatic rocks of Ecuador together with their major, trace and rare earth element geochemistry. The main interest of carrying out a geochemical and isotopic investigation on the magmatism of Ecuador is that, different from the Central Andes, Ecuador consists of several accreted terranes both of continental and oceanic affinity. The fragmented nature of the recently assembled crust of Ecuador, composed of lithologies such as Paleozoic schists, Triassic anatexites, and Jurassic metabasalts, could have variably affected the chemistry of the Ecuadorian magmas (au)

A qualitative view of the HIV epidemic in coastal Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Beckman, Adam L; Wilson, Magdalena M; Prabhu, Vishaal; Soekoe, Nicola; Mata, Humberto; Grau, Lauretta E

2016-01-01

In 2013 approximately 37,000 people were living with HIV in Ecuador (prevalence 0.4%), representing a generalized epidemic where most new infections arise from sexual interactions in the general population. Studies that examine attitudes towards people living with HIV (PLWH), individual risk perception of acquiring HIV amongst Ecuadorians, and the ways in which levels of risk perception may affect risk behaviors are lacking. This qualitative study aimed to fill this gap in the literature by investigating these issues in the rural, coastal community of Manglaralto, Ecuador, which has among the highest incidence of HIV in Ecuador. We conducted interviews with 15 patients at Manglaralto Hospital. Analysis of interview transcripts revealed widespread negative attitudes towards PLWH, prevalent risk behaviors such as multiple sex partners and lack of condom use, and low individual risk-perception of contracting HIV. These findings underscore the need for increased efforts to prevent further growth of the HIV epidemic in Ecuador.

A qualitative view of the HIV epidemic in coastal Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam L. Beckman

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In 2013 approximately 37,000 people were living with HIV in Ecuador (prevalence 0.4%, representing a generalized epidemic where most new infections arise from sexual interactions in the general population. Studies that examine attitudes towards people living with HIV (PLWH, individual risk perception of acquiring HIV amongst Ecuadorians, and the ways in which levels of risk perception may affect risk behaviors are lacking. This qualitative study aimed to fill this gap in the literature by investigating these issues in the rural, coastal community of Manglaralto, Ecuador, which has among the highest incidence of HIV in Ecuador. We conducted interviews with 15 patients at Manglaralto Hospital. Analysis of interview transcripts revealed widespread negative attitudes towards PLWH, prevalent risk behaviors such as multiple sex partners and lack of condom use, and low individual risk-perception of contracting HIV. These findings underscore the need for increased efforts to prevent further growth of the HIV epidemic in Ecuador.

75 FR 22370 - Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From Brazil, Ecuador, India, the People's Republic of China...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-28

...-893, A-549-822, A-552-802] Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From Brazil, Ecuador, India, the People's... certain frozen warmwater shrimp from Brazil, Ecuador, India, the People's Republic of China, Thailand, and... Frozen and Canned Warmwater Shrimp From Ecuador, 69 FR 76913 (December 23, 2004) (Ecuador Final...

Mammals of the Kammanassie Mountains, southern Cape Province

African Journals Online (AJOL)

regrettable as in the southern Cape, for example, the marked gradients in .... green plant material (leaves) and insects, using a stereo- scopic microscope with ..... cial and logistic support, especially Mr P. Ie Roux, the. Assistant Director, for his ...

Birds of Mount Kisingiri, Nyanza Province, including a preliminary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mount Kisingiri comprises a much overlooked highland massif in southern Nyanza. Province with a hitherto ..... This imbalance in relative species abundance within a defined ecological niche could .... Hills is unsuitable for foraging or breeding but there is extensive savanna grassland and suitable ..... Columba guinea nf.

Biomass burning in the Amazon-fertilizer for the mountaineous rain forest in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Fabian, Peter; Kohlpaintner, Michael; Rollenbeck, Ruetger

2005-09-01

Biomass burning is a source of carbon, sulfur and nitrogen compounds which, along with their photochemically generated reaction products, can be transported over very long distances, even traversing oceans. Chemical analyses of rain and fogwater samples collected in the mountaineous rain forest of south Ecuador show frequent episodes of high sulfate and nitrate concentration, from which annual deposition rates are derived comparable to those found in polluted central Europe. As significant anthropogenic sources are lacking at the research site it is suspected that biomass burning upwind in the Amazon basin is the major source of the enhanced sulfate and nitrate imput. Regular rain and fogwater sampling along an altitude profile between 1800 and 3185 m has been carried out in the Podocarpus National Park close to the Rio SanFrancisco (3 degrees 58'S, 79 degrees 5'W) in southern Ecuador. pH values, electrical conductivity and chemical ion composition were measured at the TUM-WZW using standard methods. Results reported cover over one year from March 2002 until May 2003. Annual deposition rates of sulfate were calculated ranging between 4 and 13 kg S/ha year, almost as high as in polluted central Europe. Nitrogen deposition via ammonia (1.5-4.4 kg N/ha year) and nitrate (0.5-0.8 kg N/ha year) was found to be lower but still much higher than to be expected in such pristine natural forest environment. By means of back trajectory analyses it can be shown that most of the enhanced sulfur and nitrogen deposition is most likely due to forest fires far upwind of the ecuadorian sampling site, showing a seasonal variation, with sources predominantly found in the East/North East during January-March (Colombia, Venezuala, Northern Brazil) and East/SouthEast during July-September (Peru, Brazil). Our results show that biomass burning in the Amazon basin is the predominant source of sulfur and nitrogen compounds that fertilize the mountaineous rain forest in south Ecuador. The

Exploration and development at crossroads in Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that Ecuador's oil and gas sector has reached a pivotal point in its history. After several years of fairly brisk activity, foreign operators recently began scaling back exploration in Ecuador. They cited results that haven't met expectations and persistent delays in obtaining approval by state owned Petroecuador for development of reserves that have been discovered. Foreign oil companies had anticipated the pace of development would accelerate in Ecuador in early 1992, but major projects generally remained in limbo for most of this year. At presstime, however, there were signs of an encouraging follow-through in promised reforms in the permitting process. Petroecuador in April-May approved two of those projects and a third in June. Of the 13 oil companies or groups that had signed exploration contracts with the state oil company since 1985, several companies have terminated their operations in the country, and only one company, Oryx Energy Co., Dallas, is producing a small volume of oil. Two other companies have been negotiating exploration rights for about 2 years, with contracts yet to be signed

[Identification of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing lineage in Ecuador].

Science.gov (United States)

Jiménez, Patricia; Calvopiña, Karina; Herrera, Diana; Rojas, Carlos; Pérez-Lago, Laura; Grijalva, Marcelo; Guna, Remedios; García-de Viedma, Darío

2017-06-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing lineage isolates are considered to be especially virulent, transmissible and prone to acquire resistances. Beijing strains have been reported worldwide, but studies in Latin America are still scarce. The only multinational study performed in the region indicated a heterogeneous distribution for this lineage, which was absent in Chile, Colombia and Ecuador, although further studies found the lineage in Chile and Colombia. To search for the presence of the Beijing lineage in Ecuador, the only country in the region where it remains unreported. We obtained a convenience sample (2006-2012) from two hospitals covering different populations. The isolates were genotyped using 24-MIRU-VNTR. Lineages were assigned by comparing their patterns to those in the MIRU-VNTRplus platform. Isolates belonging to the Beijing lineage were confirmed by allele-specific PCR. We identified the first Beijing isolate in Ecuador in an unexpected epidemiological scenario: A patient was infected in the Andean region, in a population with low mobility and far from the borders of the neighboring countries where Beijing strains had been previously reported. This is the first report of the presence of the Beijing lineage in Ecuador in an unusual epidemiological context that deserves special attention.

Military Observer Mission Ecuador-Peru (MOMEP) Doing a Lot with a Little.

Science.gov (United States)

1997-06-01

IPS), URL: <htttp://web.maxwell.syr.edu.nativew...aphy/latinam/ ecuador /borderl6.html>, accessed 10 November 1996, pp. 1-2. 蔵 "Evacuees in Loja Number...OBSERVER MISSION ECUADOR -PERU (MOMEP) DOING A LOT WITH A LITTLE BY LIEUTENANT COLONEL KEVIN M. HIGGINS United States Army DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A...MISSION ECUADOR -PERU (MOMEP) Doing A Lot With a Little by Lieutenant Colonel Kevin M. Higgins United States Army Naval Postgraduate School Special

Isolation and Genotyping of Acanthamoeba Strains from Environmental Sources in Ahvaz City, Khuzestan Province, Southern Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Rahdar, M; Niyyati, M; Salehi, M; Feghhi, M; Makvandi, M; Pourmehdi, M; Farnia, S

2012-01-01

Background Acanthamoeba spp. are free-living amoebae commonly found in the environmental sources such as water, soil, and air. This ubiquitous amoeba is the causative agent of amoebic keratitis (AK). The objective of the present study was to investigate the presence of Acanthamoeba spp. in water and soil sources in Ahvaz City, Khuzestan Province, southern Iran. Methods In general, 110 samples of water and soil were taken from different localities of Ahvaz including agricultural canals, rivers, and swimming pools. Filtration and cultivation were carried out on non-nutrient agar medium (NNA). Axenic cultivation was performed for all of positive isolates. PCR analysis was conducted on positive samples. Sequencing was done for 15 PCR products. Genotypes were identified by Blast search and homology analysis. Results Acanthamoeba spp. was found in 43 (71.6%) of samples of water and 13 (26%) soil samples. Genotyping of 15 samples proved that Acanthamoeba belonged to T4 (86.6%), T2 (6.6%), and T5 (6.6%) genotypes. Conclusion TYI-S-33 medium could be better than PYG medium for Acanthamoeba axenic culture. PMID:23323088

Evolution of the Mazatzal province and the timing of the Mazatzal orogeny: Insights from U-Pb geochronology and geochemistry of igneous and metasedimentary rocks in southern New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Amato, J.M.; Boullion, A.O.; Serna, A.M.; Sanders, A.E.; Farmer, G.L.; Gehrels, G.E.; Wooden, J.L.

2008-01-01

New U-Pb zircon ages, geochemistry, and Nd isotopic data are presented from three localities in the Paleoproterozoic Mazatzal province of southern New Mexico, United States. These data help in understanding the source regions and tectonic setting of magmatism from 1680 to 1620 Ma, the timing of the Mazatzal orogeny, the nature of postorogenic maginatism, Proterozoic plate tectonics, and provide a link between Mazatzal subblocks in Arizona and northern New Mexico. The data indicate a period from 1680 to 1650 Ma in which juvenile felsic granitoids were formed, and a later event between 1646 and 1633 Ma, when these rocks were deformed together with sedimentary rocks. No evidence of pre-1680 Ma rocks or inherited zircons was observed. The igneous rocks have ENd(t) from -1.2 to +4.3 with most between +2 and +4, suggesting a mantle source or derivation from similar-aged crust. Nd isotope and trace element concentrations are consistent with models for typical are magmatism. Detrital zircon ages from metasedimentary rocks indicate that sedimentation occurred until at least 1646 Ma. Both local and Yavapai province sources contributed to the detritus. All of the samples older than ca. 1650 Ma are deformed, whereas undeformed porphyroblasts were found in the contact aureole of a previously dated 1633 Ma gabbro. Regionally, the Mlazatzal orogeny occurred mainly between 1654 and 1643 Ma, during final accretion of a series of island arcs and intervening basins that may have amalgamated offshore. Rhyolite magmatism in the southern Mazatzal province was coeval with gabbro intrusions at 1633 Ma and this bimodal magmatism may have been related to extensional processes following arc accretion. ?? 2007 Geological Society of America.

The little women of Loja--growth hormone-receptor deficiency in an inbred population of southern Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenbloom, A L; Guevara Aguirre, J; Rosenfeld, R G; Fielder, P J

1990-11-15

Laron-type dwarfism, which is characterized by the clinical appearance of isolated growth hormone deficiency with elevated serum levels of growth hormone and decreased serum levels of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), has been described in approximately 50 patients. This condition is caused by a deficiency of the cellular receptor for growth hormone, and it is transmitted as an autosomal recessive trait, as indicated by an equal sex distribution and a high rate of consanguinity in affected families. We studied 20 patients (19 females and 1 male, 2 to 49 years of age), from an inbred Spanish population in southern Ecuador, who had the clinical features of Laron-type dwarfism. Seventeen patients were members of two large pedigrees. Among the 13 affected sibships, there were 19 affected and 24 unaffected female siblings and 1 affected and 21 unaffected male siblings. The patients' heights ranged from 10.0 to 6.7 SD below the normal mean height for age in the United States. In addition to the previously described features, 15 patients had limited elbow extensibility, all had blue scleras, affected adults had relatively short extremities, and all four affected women over 30 years of age had hip degeneration. Basal serum concentrations of growth hormone were elevated in all affected children (30 to 160 micrograms per liter) and normal to moderately elevated in the adults. The serum level of growth hormone-binding protein ranged from 1 to 30 percent of normal; IGF-I concentrations were low--less than or equal to 7 micrograms per liter in the children and less than or equal to 66 micrograms per liter in the adults (normal for Ecuadorean women, 98 to 238). Serum levels of IGF-II and growth hormone-dependent IGF-binding protein-3 were also low. We describe an inbred population with a high incidence of growth hormone-receptor deficiency resulting in a clinical picture resembling Laron-type dwarfism but differing principally in showing a marked predominance of affected

78 FR 764 - Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-04

... Shrimp From China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam; Institution of... States is materially retarded, by reason of imports from China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia... the Governments of China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Unless the...

2b-RAD genotyping for population genomic studies of Chagas disease vectors: Rhodnius ecuadoriensis in Ecuador.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis E Hernandez-Castro

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Rhodnius ecuadoriensis is the main triatomine vector of Chagas disease, American trypanosomiasis, in Southern Ecuador and Northern Peru. Genomic approaches and next generation sequencing technologies have become powerful tools for investigating population diversity and structure which is a key consideration for vector control. Here we assess the effectiveness of three different 2b restriction site-associated DNA (2b-RAD genotyping strategies in R. ecuadoriensis to provide sufficient genomic resolution to tease apart microevolutionary processes and undertake some pilot population genomic analyses.The 2b-RAD protocol was carried out in-house at a non-specialized laboratory using 20 R. ecuadoriensis adults collected from the central coast and southern Andean region of Ecuador, from June 2006 to July 2013. 2b-RAD sequencing data was performed on an Illumina MiSeq instrument and analyzed with the STACKS de novo pipeline for loci assembly and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP discovery. Preliminary population genomic analyses (global AMOVA and Bayesian clustering were implemented. Our results showed that the 2b-RAD genotyping protocol is effective for R. ecuadoriensis and likely for other triatomine species. However, only BcgI and CspCI restriction enzymes provided a number of markers suitable for population genomic analysis at the read depth we generated. Our preliminary genomic analyses detected a signal of genetic structuring across the study area.Our findings suggest that 2b-RAD genotyping is both a cost effective and methodologically simple approach for generating high resolution genomic data for Chagas disease vectors with the power to distinguish between different vector populations at epidemiologically relevant scales. As such, 2b-RAD represents a powerful tool in the hands of medical entomologists with limited access to specialized molecular biological equipment.

2b-RAD genotyping for population genomic studies of Chagas disease vectors: Rhodnius ecuadoriensis in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez-Castro, Luis E; Paterno, Marta; Villacís, Anita G; Andersson, Björn; Costales, Jaime A; De Noia, Michele; Ocaña-Mayorga, Sofía; Yumiseva, Cesar A; Grijalva, Mario J; Llewellyn, Martin S

2017-07-01

Rhodnius ecuadoriensis is the main triatomine vector of Chagas disease, American trypanosomiasis, in Southern Ecuador and Northern Peru. Genomic approaches and next generation sequencing technologies have become powerful tools for investigating population diversity and structure which is a key consideration for vector control. Here we assess the effectiveness of three different 2b restriction site-associated DNA (2b-RAD) genotyping strategies in R. ecuadoriensis to provide sufficient genomic resolution to tease apart microevolutionary processes and undertake some pilot population genomic analyses. The 2b-RAD protocol was carried out in-house at a non-specialized laboratory using 20 R. ecuadoriensis adults collected from the central coast and southern Andean region of Ecuador, from June 2006 to July 2013. 2b-RAD sequencing data was performed on an Illumina MiSeq instrument and analyzed with the STACKS de novo pipeline for loci assembly and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) discovery. Preliminary population genomic analyses (global AMOVA and Bayesian clustering) were implemented. Our results showed that the 2b-RAD genotyping protocol is effective for R. ecuadoriensis and likely for other triatomine species. However, only BcgI and CspCI restriction enzymes provided a number of markers suitable for population genomic analysis at the read depth we generated. Our preliminary genomic analyses detected a signal of genetic structuring across the study area. Our findings suggest that 2b-RAD genotyping is both a cost effective and methodologically simple approach for generating high resolution genomic data for Chagas disease vectors with the power to distinguish between different vector populations at epidemiologically relevant scales. As such, 2b-RAD represents a powerful tool in the hands of medical entomologists with limited access to specialized molecular biological equipment.

Prevalence, Genetic Characterization, and 18S Small Subunit Ribosomal RNA Diversity of Trypanosoma rangeli in Triatomine and Mammal Hosts in Endemic Areas for Chagas Disease in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Ocaña-Mayorga, Sofia; Aguirre-Villacis, Fernanda; Pinto, C Miguel; Vallejo, Gustavo A; Grijalva, Mario J

2015-12-01

Trypanosoma rangeli is a nonpathogenic parasite for humans; however, its medical importance relies in its similarity and overlapping distribution with Trypanosoma cruzi, causal agent of Chagas disease in the Americas. The genetic diversity of T. rangeli and its association with host species (triatomines and mammals) has been identified along Central and the South America; however, it has not included data of isolates from Ecuador. This study reports infection with T. rangeli in 18 genera of mammal hosts and five species of triatomines in three environments (domestic, peridomestic, and sylvatic). Higher infection rates were found in the sylvatic environment, in close association with Rhodnius ecuadoriensis. The results of this study extend the range of hosts infected with this parasite and the geographic range of the T. rangeli genotype KP1(-)/lineage C in South America. It was not possible to detect variation on T. rangeli from the central coastal region and southern Ecuador with the analysis of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU-rRNA) gene, even though these areas are ecologically different and a phenotypic subdivision of R. ecuadoriensis has been found. R. ecuadoriensis is considered one of the most important vectors for Chagas disease transmission in Ecuador due to its wide distribution and adaptability to diverse environments. An extensive knowledge of the trypanosomes circulating in this species of triatomine, and associated mammal hosts, is important for delineating transmission dynamics and preventive measures in the endemic areas of Ecuador and Northern Peru.

Prevalence, Genetic Characterization, and 18S Small Subunit Ribosomal RNA Diversity of Trypanosoma rangeli in Triatomine and Mammal Hosts in Endemic Areas for Chagas Disease in Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Ocaña-Mayorga, Sofia; Aguirre-Villacis, Fernanda; Pinto, C. Miguel; Vallejo, Gustavo A.

2015-01-01

Abstract Trypanosoma rangeli is a nonpathogenic parasite for humans; however, its medical importance relies in its similarity and overlapping distribution with Trypanosoma cruzi, causal agent of Chagas disease in the Americas. The genetic diversity of T. rangeli and its association with host species (triatomines and mammals) has been identified along Central and the South America; however, it has not included data of isolates from Ecuador. This study reports infection with T. rangeli in 18 genera of mammal hosts and five species of triatomines in three environments (domestic, peridomestic, and sylvatic). Higher infection rates were found in the sylvatic environment, in close association with Rhodnius ecuadoriensis. The results of this study extend the range of hosts infected with this parasite and the geographic range of the T. rangeli genotype KP1(−)/lineage C in South America. It was not possible to detect variation on T. rangeli from the central coastal region and southern Ecuador with the analysis of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU-rRNA) gene, even though these areas are ecologically different and a phenotypic subdivision of R. ecuadoriensis has been found. R. ecuadoriensis is considered one of the most important vectors for Chagas disease transmission in Ecuador due to its wide distribution and adaptability to diverse environments. An extensive knowledge of the trypanosomes circulating in this species of triatomine, and associated mammal hosts, is important for delineating transmission dynamics and preventive measures in the endemic areas of Ecuador and Northern Peru. PMID:26645579

Ecuador to withdraw from OPEC; group to maintain present flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which has agreed to maintain its present combined production of 24.2 million b/d of oil in the fourth quarter, will soon see the first pullout of a member. The 13 member group will shrink to 12, probably in November, when Ecuador withdraws. Ecuador President Sixto Duran Ballen issued notice of the pullout Sept. 17, a little more than 1 month after he took office. Ecuador, strapped for cash, wants to save OPEC membership dues reported to be $2-3 million/year. It plans to remain an associate member, although it wasn't immediately clear what that means. No other countries are regarded as associate members

State of malnutrition in hospitals of Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallegos Espinosa, Sylvia; Nicolalde Cifuentes, Marcelo; Santana Porbén, Sergio

2014-08-01

Hospital malnutrition is a global health problem affecting 30-50% of hospitalized patients. There are no estimates of the size of this problem in Ecuadorian hospitals. Hospital malnutrition might influence the quality of medical assistance provided to hospitalized populations. To estimate the current frequency of malnutrition among patients admitted to Ecuadorian public hospitals. The Ecuadorian Hospital Malnutrition Study was conducted between November 2011 and June 2012 with 5,355 patients (Women: 37.5%; Ages ≥ 60 years: 35.1%; Length of stay ≤ 15 days: 91.2%) admitted to 36 public hospitals located in the prominent cities of 22 out of the 24 provinces of the country. Malnutrition frequency was estimated by means of the Subjective Global Assessment survey. Malnutrition affected 37.1% of the surveyed patients. Malnutrition was dependent upon patient's age and education level; as well as the presence of cancer, sepsis, and chronic organic failure. Hospital areas showed different frequencies of hospital malnutrition. Health condition leading to hospital admission influenced negatively upon nutritional status. Malnutrition frequency increased as length of stay prolonged. Malnutrition currently affects an important proportion of patients hospitalized in public health institutions of Ecuador. Policies and actions are urgently required in order to successfully deal with this health problem and thus to ameliorate its negative impact upon quality of medical care. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Emergence of rabies in the Gauteng Province, South Africa: 2010–2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claude T. Sabeta

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Canine rabies is enzootic throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, including the Republic of South Africa. Historically, in South Africa the coastal provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape were most affected. Alarmingly, outbreaks of canine rabies have been increasingly reported in the past decade from sites where it has previously been under control. From January 2010 to December 2011, 53 animal rabies cases were confirmed; these were mostly in domestic dogs from southern Johannesburg, which was previously considered to be rabies free. In addition, one case was confirmed in a 26-month old girl who had been scratched by a pet puppy during this period. The introduction of rabies into Gauteng Province was investigated through genetic analysis of rabies positive samples confirmed during the outbreak period. In addition, the nucleotide sequences of incidental cases reported in the province for the past ten years were also included in the analysis. It was found that the recent canine rabies outbreak in the Gauteng Province came from the introduction of the rabies virus from KwaZulu-Natal, with subsequent local spread in the susceptible domestic dog population of southern Johannesburg. The vulnerability of the province was also highlighted through multiple, dead-end introductions in the past ten years. This is the first report of a rabies outbreak in the greater Johannesburg area with evidence of local transmission in the domestic dog population.

Southern African Phanerozoic Carbonatites: Perspectives on Their Sources and Petrogeneses

Science.gov (United States)

Janney, P. E.; Ogungbuyi, P. I.; Marageni, M.; Harris, C.; Reid, D. L.

2017-12-01

Found worldwide, carbonatites are particularly numerous in southern Africa and reflect one expression of abundant intraplate alkaline magmatism of Proterozoic to Paleogene age in the region. Phanerozoic southern African carbonatites tend to be concentrated near the margins of the continent (especially the western margin), and near the East African Rift, and often occur in discrete magmatic lineations also containing kimberlites, melilitites, nephelinites and differentiated silica-undersaturated rocks such as phonolites and syenites. We present a synthesis of geochemical and radiogenic and stable isotope results for southern African carbonatites, including new trace element and isotope data from four Phanerozoic carbonatite complexes in South Africa and Namibia: Marinkas Quellen (MQ; southernmost Namibia, ≈525 Ma), Saltpeterkop (SPK; near Sutherland, South Africa, 74 Ma), Zandkopsdrift (ZKD; near Garies, South Africa, 55 Ma, a major REE deposit in development), and Dicker Willem (DW; near Aus, southern Namibia, 49 Ma). All are located in the Early-mid Proterozoic Namaqua-Natal mobile belt. These carbonatite complexes are each associated with linear, NE-SW oriented magmatic provinces, i.e., the Kuboos-Bremen Line of felsic alkaline intrusions and ultramafic lamprophyres (MQ); the Western Cape olivine melilitite province (SPK); the Namaqualand-Bushmanland-Warmbad province of olivine melilitites and kimberlites (ZKD) and the Schwarzeberg-Klinghardt-Gibeon swarm of nephelinites, phonolites and kimberlites (DW), the latter three provinces are of Paleogene to Late Cretaceous age and are clearly age progressive. Each of the four carbonatite complexes contain silica-undersaturated igneous rocks such as potassic trachyte (MQ, SPK & DW), alkaline lamprophyre (ZKD), ijolite (MQ & DW) and olivine melilitite (ZKD and SPK). Most also contain hybrid silicate-carbonate igneous rocks with <35 wt.% SiO2 and ≥20 wt.% CO2 such as nepheline sövite (DW), aillikite (ZKD) and other

Vegetation Cover Analysis in Shaanxi Province of China Based on Grid Pixel Ternd Analysis and Stability Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, H.; Liu, Y.

2018-04-01

As a key factor affecting the biogeochemical cycle of human existence, terrestrial vegetation is vulnerable to natural environment and human activities, with obvious temporal and spatial characteristics. The change of vegetation cover will affect the ecological balance and environmental quality to a great extent. Therefore, the research on the causes and influencing factors of vegetation cover has become the focus of attention of scholars at home and abroad. In the evolution of human activities and natural environment, the vegetation coverage in Shaanxi has changed accordingly. Using MODIS/NDVI 2000-2014 time series data, using the method of raster pixel trend analysis, stability evaluation, rescaled range analysis and correlation analysis, the climatic factors in Shaanxi province were studied in the near 15 years vegetation spatial and temporal variation and influence of vegetation NDVI changes. The results show that NDVI in Shaanxi province in the near 15 years increased by 0.081, the increase of NDVI in Northern Shaanxi was obvious, and negative growth was found in some areas of Guanzhong, southern Shaanxi NDVI overall still maintained at a high level; the trend of vegetation change in Shaanxi province has obvious spatial differences, most of the province is a slight tendency to improve vegetation, there are many obvious improvement areas in Northern Shaanxi Province. Guanzhong area vegetation area decreased, the small range of variation of vegetation in Shaanxi province; the most stable areas are mainly concentrated in the southern, southern Yanan, Yulin, Xi'an area of Weinan changed greatly; Shaanxi Province in recent 15 a, the temperature and precipitation have shown an increasing trend, and the vegetation NDVI is more closely related to the average annual rainfall, with increase of 0.48 °C/10 years and 69.5 mm per year.

Reservoir operation using El Niño forecasts-case study of Daule Peripa and Baba, Ecuador

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gelati, Emiliano; Madsen, Henrik; Rosbjerg, Dan

2014-01-01

Reservoir operation is studied for the Daule Peripa and Baba system in Ecuador, where El Niño events cause anomalously heavy precipitation. Reservoir inflow is modelled by a Markov-switching model using El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indices as input. Inflow is forecast using 9-month lead time...... Reservoir. Optimized operation is compared to historical management of Daule Peripa. Hypothetical management scenarios are used as the benchmark for the planned system, for which no operation policy is known. Upper bounds for operational performance are found via dynamic programming by assuming perfect...... knowledge of future inflow. The results highlight the advantages of combining inflow forecasts and storage targets in reservoir operation. © 2014 © 2014 IAHS Press....

78 FR 11221 - Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-15

... Shrimp From China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam Determination On the basis... injured by reason of imports from China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam of... China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.\\2\\ \\1\\ The record is defined in sec...

Los youtubers en Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Quezada-Pinzón, Jesús-Germania

2017-01-01

The Ecuadorian youtubers look on the YouTube platform for a space to influence those ones who consume their audiovisual content, where the most important are the ones who make reference to daily activities. In their interest to lead this social network, they have found the reality of Ecuador, which is analyzed and presented in this research.

Assessing local vulnerability to climate change in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, Mario Andres; Bucaram, Santiago J; Renteria, Willington

2015-01-01

Vulnerability assessments have become necessary to increase the understanding of climate-sensitive systems and inform resource allocation in developing countries. Challenges arise when poor economic and social development combines with heterogeneous climatic conditions. Thus, finding and harmonizing good-quality data at local scale may be a significant hurdle for vulnerability research. In this paper we assess vulnerability to climate change at a local level in Ecuador. We take Ecuador as a case study as socioeconomic data are readily available. To incorporate the spatial and temporal pattern of the climatic variables we use reanalysis datasets and empirical orthogonal functions. Our assessment strategy relies on the statistical behavior of climatic and socioeconomic indicators for the weighting and aggregation mechanism into a composite vulnerability indicator. Rather than assuming equal contribution to the formation of the composite indicator, we assume that the weights of the indicators vary inversely as the variance over the cantons (administrative division of Ecuador). This approach captures the multi-dimensionality of vulnerability in a comprehensive form. We find that the least vulnerable cantons concentrate around Ecuador's largest cities (e.g. Quito and Guayaquil); however, approximately 20 % of the national population lives in other cantons that are categorized as highly and very highly vulnerable to climate change. Results also show that the main determinants of high vulnerability are the lack of land tenure in agricultural areas and the nonexistence of government-funded programs directed to environmental and climate change management.

Geology, petrography and geochemistry of the A-type granites from the Morro Redondo Complex (PR-SC, southern Brazil, Graciosa Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FREDERICO C.J. VILALVA

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The Morro Redondo Complex is one of the most important occurrences of the Graciosa A-type Province, southern Brazil. It consists of the Papanduva and Quiriri granitic plutons and a contemporaneous bimodal volcanic association. The Papanduva Pluton includes massive and deformed peralkaline alkali-feldspar granites with Na-Ca and Na-amphiboles and clinopyroxenes. The deformed types are the most evolved rocks in the province and carry rare ‘agpaitic’ minerals, some being described for the first time in granites from Brazil. The larger Quiriri Pluton comprises massive, slightly peraluminous, biotite syeno- and monzogranites with rare Ca-amphibole. Biotite compositions are relatively homogeneous, whereas sodic amphiboles and clinopyroxenes show increasing Na and Fe3+ evolving paths. The Morro Redondo granites are ferroan, with high SiO2, alkalis and HFSE contents; the peralkaline types registering the highest fe#. LILE and HFSE abundances increase with the agpaitic index and the most evolved are HHP granites, with radiogenic heat production up to 5.7 µWm–3. Geothermobarometric estimates indicate emplacement under low pressures (∼100 MPa, at temperatures up to 850-800 °C, and relatively reduced (QFM and oxidized (+1 REPLACE_LT ΔQFM REPLACE_LT +3 environments for the Papanduva and Quiriri Plutons, respectively. In both cases, melts evolved to relatively high oxidation states upon crystallization progress.

Phenotypic variability of Rhodnius ecuadoriensis populations at the Ecuadorian central and southern Andean region.

Science.gov (United States)

Villacís, Anita G; Grijalva, Mario J; Catalá, Silvia S

2010-11-01

Rhodnius ecuadoriensis is an important vector of Chagas disease in Ecuador. Whereas only sylvatic and peridomestic populations are common in Manabi province, this species occupies domestic, peridomestic, and sylvatic habitats in Loja province where high reinfestation of houses was observed. To explore the existence of phenetic changes linked to the domiciliation of the species, this study set out to analyze the wing and antennal phenotypes of R. ecuadoriensis in these two provinces where the vector presents different affinity for domestic habitats. The antennal phenotype and the wing size and shape distinguish the two geographical populations of R. ecuadoriensis. In Manabí, sylvatic and peridomestic specimens were very similar. In Loja, sylvatic and nonsylvatic (domestic and peridomestic) populations showed distinctive characteristics. Remarkable sexual dimorphism of wing and antenna, exclusive of domestic specimens, and high metric disparity in the wing shape of the domestic females point out the existence of a particular situation in this habitat. The results of this phenotypic analysis and previous evidence of behavioral differences support the hypothesis of disruptive selection acting upon R. ecuadoriensis populations.

Epidemiology of Tropical Neglected Diseases in Ecuador in the Last 20 Years

Science.gov (United States)

Cartelle Gestal, Monica; Holban, Alina Maria; Escalante, Santiago; Cevallos, Marcelo

2015-01-01

Background Tropical and zoonotic diseases are major problems in developing countries like Ecuador. Poorly designed houses, the high proportion of isolated indigenous population and under developed infrastructure represent a fertile environment for vectors to proliferate. Control campaigns in Ecuador over the years have had varying success, depending on the disease and vectors targeted. Aims In our study we analyse the current situation of some neglected diseases in Ecuador and the efficiency of the control campaigns (by measuring changes in numbers of cases reported) that the Ecuadorian government has been running to limit the spread of these infectious and parasitic diseases. Results Our study reveals that Brucellosis, Chagas Disease, Rabies and Onchocerciasis have been controlled, but small outbreaks are still detected in endemic areas. Leptospirosis and Echinococcosis have been increasing steadily in recent years in Ecuador since the first records. The same increase has been reported world-wide also. Better diagnosis has resulted in a higher number of cases being identified, particularly with regard to the linking of outdoor activities and contact with farm animals as contributing vectors. Improvements in diagnosis are due to regular professional training, implementation of automatized systems, establishing diagnosis protocols and the creation of an epidemiological vigilance network that acts as soon as a case is reported. Conclusion Control campaigns performed in Ecuador have been successful in recent years, although natural phenomena limit their efficiency. Leptospirosis and Echinococcosis infections remain a growing problem in Ecuador as it is worldwide. PMID:26394405

Epidemiology of Tropical Neglected Diseases in Ecuador in the Last 20 Years.

Science.gov (United States)

Cartelle Gestal, Monica; Holban, Alina Maria; Escalante, Santiago; Cevallos, Marcelo

2015-01-01

Tropical and zoonotic diseases are major problems in developing countries like Ecuador. Poorly designed houses, the high proportion of isolated indigenous population and under developed infrastructure represent a fertile environment for vectors to proliferate. Control campaigns in Ecuador over the years have had varying success, depending on the disease and vectors targeted. In our study we analyse the current situation of some neglected diseases in Ecuador and the efficiency of the control campaigns (by measuring changes in numbers of cases reported) that the Ecuadorian government has been running to limit the spread of these infectious and parasitic diseases. Our study reveals that Brucellosis, Chagas Disease, Rabies and Onchocerciasis have been controlled, but small outbreaks are still detected in endemic areas. Leptospirosis and Echinococcosis have been increasing steadily in recent years in Ecuador since the first records. The same increase has been reported world-wide also. Better diagnosis has resulted in a higher number of cases being identified, particularly with regard to the linking of outdoor activities and contact with farm animals as contributing vectors. Improvements in diagnosis are due to regular professional training, implementation of automatized systems, establishing diagnosis protocols and the creation of an epidemiological vigilance network that acts as soon as a case is reported. Control campaigns performed in Ecuador have been successful in recent years, although natural phenomena limit their efficiency. Leptospirosis and Echinococcosis infections remain a growing problem in Ecuador as it is worldwide.

Stratigraphic And Lithofacies Study Of Distal Rain-Triggered Lahars: The Case Of West Coast Of Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Mulas, M.; Chunga, K.; Peña Carpio, E.; Falquez Torres, D. A.; Alcivar, R., Sr.; Lopez Coronel, M. C.

2015-12-01

The central zone of the coast of Ecuador at the north of Manabí Province, on the area comprised between Salango and Jama communities, is characterized by the presence of whitish to grey, centimeters to meters thick, consolidated to loose distal ash deposits. Recent archeological studies on Valdivia (3500 BC) and Manteña (800-1500 AC - Harris et al. 2004) civilizations remains link this deposits with the intense eruptive phases that afflicted Ecuador 700-900 years ago (Usselman, 2006). Stratigraphic evidences and bibliographic datations of paleosols (Estrada, 1962; Mothes and Hall, 2008), allowed to estimate that these deposits are linked with the 800 BP eruption of Quilotoa and the following eruptions of Cotopaxi. According to the Smith and Lowe classification (1991), the deposits outcropping on the coast (located at a distance greater than 160 km from the volcanic vents), varied from whitish to grey, loose to weakly consolidated, massive to weakly stratified, centimeters to meters thick, coarse to fine ash matrix layers (diluite streamflow facies) to massive, large angular to sub-rounded siltitic blocks-rich and coarse to medium ash matrix deposits (debris flow facies). These types of lithofacies are associated to a rain-triggered lahar (De Belizal et al., 2013). The presence in some stratigraphic sections of sharp contacts, laminated layers of very fine ash, and also cm-thick sand and silt layers between the ash beds of the same deposits permit to understand that the different pulses were generated in short periods and after a long period. Structures like water pipes imply that the lahar went into the sea (Schneider, 2004), and allow the reconstruction of the paleotopographic condition during the emplacement of these deposits. This study focuses on the characterization of these types of deposits, permit to understand the kind of risk that may affect the towns located on the coast of Ecuador after VEI 4 to 6 eruptions on short time and within years.

Spatial Pattern Determination of Biodiversity Threats at Landscape Level (Case Study: Golestan Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Mirzaei

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Mapping spatial patterns of potential biodiversity threats is one of the important steps for effective conservation planning and activities. To determine the spatial patterns of threats in Golestan province, 12 criteria in four main groups including structural (fractal coefficient of perimeter, circularity ratio of area, average slope, compositional aspects of biodiversity (presence of species at risk, non-biological threats (distance to city, distance to village, distance to road, distance to infrastructure, distance to agricultural land, soil pollution, risk of fire and isolation (Nearest Neighbor Index were used. These data layers were digitized in GIS environment and were weighted through Analytical Hierarchy Process. A weighted linear combination was then used to map the spatial pattern of biodiversity threats in the province. Compositional aspect (0.59, non-biological threats (0.23, isolation (0.11, and structural aspect (0.07 were relatively weighted in the order of importance. Central parts of the province and patches in the northern and southern parts were recognized to be more exposed to biodiversity threats. The central parts of the province were mostly threatened by urban, industrial, road and agricultural development, whereas the northern and southern parts were recognized as areas of conservation importance having a variety of threatened birds.

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in Loja and Zamora-Chinchipe, Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Tene, Vicente; Malagón, Omar; Finzi, Paola Vita; Vidari, Giovanni; Armijos, Chabaco; Zaragoza, Tomás

2007-04-20

This paper reports the results of an ethnobotanical survey on the uses of medicinal plants by inhabitants of two southern Ecuadorian provinces, namely, Loja and Zamora-Chinchipe. In this region, two surviving ethnic groups, the Saraguros and the Shuars, and the descendants of a now extinct culture, the Paltas, have been identified. The present study reports a total of 275 plant species, having 68 different therapeutical uses.

LATE GLACIAL AND HOLOCENE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE INFERRED FROM THE PÁRAMO OF CAJANUMA IN THE PODOCARPUS NATIONAL PARK, SOUTHERN ECUADOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ANDREA VILLOTA

2014-12-01

Full Text Available To reconstruct the environmental history including vegetation, fire and climate dynamics, from the Cajanuma valley area ( 3285 m elevation in the Podocarpus National Park, southern Ecuador , we address the following major research question: (1 How did the mountain vegetation developed during the late Glacial and Holocene? (2 Did fire played an important control on the vegetation change and was it natural or of anthropogenic origin?. Palaeoenvironmental changes were investigated using multiple proxies such as pollen, spores, charcoal analyses and radiocarbon dating. Pollen data indicated that during the late Glacial and transition to the early Holocene (ca. 16 000-10 500 cal yr BP herb páramo was the main vegetation type around the study area, while subpáramo and mountain rainforest were scarcely represented. The early and mid-Holocene (ca. 10 500 to 5600 cal yr BP is marked by high abundance of páramo during the early Holocene followed by a slight expansion of mountain forest during the mid-Holocene. During the mid- to late Holocene (ca. 5600-1200 cal yr BP there is a significant presence of páramo and subpáramo while Lower Mountain Forest decreased substantially, although, Upper Mountain Forest remained relatively stable during this period. The late Holocene, from ca. 1200 cal yr BP to present, was characterized by páramo; however, mountain forest and subpáramo presented significantly abundance compared to the previous periods. Fires became frequent since the late Holocene. The marked increased local and regional fire intensity during the wetter late Holocene strongly suggests that were of anthropogenic origin. During the late Glacial and early Holocene, the upper forest line was located at low elevations; but shifted slightly upslope to higher elevations during the mid-Holocene.

President of Ecuador visits CERN

CERN Multimedia

Rosaria Marraffino

2014-01-01

On Friday, 24 October, Dr. Rafael Correa Delgado, President of the Republic of Ecuador, visited CERN.   Visiting Geneva to deliver a lecture at the UN, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa Delgado seized the chance to have a short but intense visit of the Laboratory. The President was met at LHC Point 1 by the Director for Research and Scientific Computing Sergio Bertolucci, who gave him an introduction to CERN’s activities.He was also introduced to the Director for Accelerators and Technology, Frédérick Bordry, and Department Heads José Miguel Jiménez (TE), Livio Mapelli (PH) and Roberto Saban (EN). President Correa Delgado also met with Martijn Mulders, co-organiser of the CERN Latin America School of High-Energy Physics, which will be held in Ecuador from 4 to 17 March 2015. Shortly after that, he visited the ATLAS experimental cavern which he toured with ATLAS Collaboration Spokesperson David Charlton and Fernando Monticelli of t...

78 FR 13325 - Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From the People's Republic of China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-27

... of China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam..., Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.\\1\\ Currently, the... From the People's Republic of China,Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Socialist...

Bioacustical and etho-ecological features in amphibian communities of Southern Cordoba province (Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salas, Nancy E.

1998-01-01

standardized monitoring practices. In the present work, the most important etho-ecological differences (reproduction habitat, call site, daily and seasonal activity of species that constitute the communities of southern Cordoba Province are indicated, and a classification of advertisement calls is provided. The anuran fauna of the plain area of the southern-central Córdoba Province is represented by 9 species of leptodactylids belonging to 5 genera (Leptodactylus gracilis, L. mystacinus, L. latinasus latinasus, L. ocellatus, Pleurodema tucumanum, Physalaemus biligonigerus, Odontophlynus americanus, Ceratophrys cranwelli and C. ornata, 2 species of bufonids (Bufo arenarum and B. fernandezae and one hylid (Hyla pulchella pulchella. The acoustic records obtained in the field during the reproductive period were analyzed through a program of sound digital analysis comparing the following parameters: dominant frequency, call duration and interval between calls; descriptions regarding type of call and modulation were also made. Three types of basic calls were recognized based on duration; this category was sub-divided depending on the shape of the oscillographic image. Results of this analysis revea] marked differences between advertisement calls, mainly at the level of dominant frequency ranges and call duration. This partition of sound space represents a mechanism of mating isolation that minimizes the interaction between sympatric species that breed at the same time.

Mise en évidence de Provinces géochimiques dans les schistes bitumeux du Toarcien de l'est du bassin de Paris Geocheminical Provinces Revealed in Toarcien Oil Shales in the Eastern Paris Basin. Analysis of the Soluble Organic Fraction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huc A. Y.

2006-11-01

Full Text Available L'étude de la matière organique soluble dans le chloroforme des schistes du Toarcien de la partie orientale du bassin de Paris met en évidence l'existence d'une province géochimique nord et d'une province géochimique sud dont la frontière commune se trouve dans la région de Fécocourt. La province septentrionale se caractérise par une influence du domaine continental (massif des Ardennes au niveau de l'apport organique. Alors que la province méridionale se révèle exempt d'apport terrestre. Ces résultats sont en accord avec les indications sédimentologiques fournies par la littérature et apportent une dimension géochimique à la paléogéographie de ce bassin. An anaalysis of soluble organic motter in the chloroform from Toarcian shales from the eastern part of the Paris Basin reveals the existence of a northern geochemical province and a southern geochemical province whose commun boundary lies in the Fecocourt region. The northern province is characterized by the influence of the continental domain (Ardennes range with regard to organic influx, whereas no terrestrial influx is found in the southern province. These findings agree with the sedimentological indications supplied by the literature and add a geochemical dimension to the paleogeography of this basin.

Macroeconomic Effects of Fiscal Policy in Ecuador 1993-2009

OpenAIRE

Carrillo, Paul A.

2010-01-01

Fiscal policy is particularly relevant in dollarized economies. For the case of Ecuador, we analyze the effects of taxes and public spending on the overall performance of the economy for the period 1993-2009. To do this, we use a structural autoregressive vector model (SVAR) incorporating the stylized facts of Ecuador estimated on Gachet et al. (2010). The main results are: i) the taxes have only temporary effects on the ecuadorian economy, ii) the increase in indirect taxes affect negatively...

The disease burden of suicide in Ecuador, a 15 years' geodemographic cross-sectional study (2001-2015).

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz-Prado, Esteban; Simbaña, Katherine; Gómez, Lenin; Henriquez-Trujillo, Aquiles R; Cornejo-Leon, Fernando; Vasconez, Eduardo; Castillo, Diana; Viscor, Ginés

2017-10-10

Suicide affects people from different backgrounds, ethnical groups, socio-economic status and geographical locations. In Latin America, suicide reports arescarce, specially in Andean countries. In Ecuador, very few reports have partially described this phenomenon, nonetheless, estimation of the burden of disease (BoD) hasnever been reported in the country. A country-wide comparison was performed using the Ministry of Public Health's national databases of overall mortality, Hospital Discharges Database, and the Population Census of the National Institute of Census and Statistics (INEC). The study variables analyzed were age, geographical distribution to provincial level, sex, means of suicide, educational attainment, marital status and mortality. Linear Regression and relative Risk analysis were used to predict outcome and the likelihood that suicide occur among study variables. In the last 15 years, 13,024 suicides were officially reported. Men were 3 times more likely than women to die by suicide. The overall age-adjusted suicide ratio in Ecuador corresponds to 7.1 per 100,000 per year. The sex-specific rates were 5.3 in women and 13.2 in men. The primary mean of suicide was hanging X70 (51.1%), followed by self-poisoning X68-X69 (35.2%) and firearms X72-X74 (7.6%). Provinces located at higher altitude reported higher rates than those located at sea level (9 per 100,000 vs 4.5 per 100.000). The total economic loss due to suicide was estimated to be $852.6 million during the 15 years' analysis. This is the first geodemographic study exploring the complete burden of suicide in Ecuador and one of the very few in Latin-America. In the last 15 years of available data, Ecuador ranks above the regional average with an adjusted suicide rate of 7.1 per 100,000 inhabitants. An important finding is that Suicide affects rather younger populations, adding more than 10,000 years of premature years of life lost (YYL) between 2001 and 2015, becoming the first and fourth

Regulatory control of ionizing radiations in Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benitez, Manuel

1996-03-01

This document deals with legal aspects for controlling ionizing radiations, radiological safety regulations and objectives, scopes and features of the national radioprotection planning in Ecuador. (The author)

Facing operational problems in a biodigester in Yuvientsa - Amazonian region of Ecuador

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aragundy, J.

2007-07-01

Yuvientsa is a Shuar indigenous community located in the Morona Santiago Province in the southwestern part of the Amazonian region of Ecuador. Two types of alternative energies have being implemented in Yuvientsa to satisfy people's needs. Solar panels provide electricity to the community. A biodigester to treat the school lavatories' brown-water (fecal water) and to provide gas for cooking to the communal kitchen was built as well. During the operational phase the biodigester faced some difficulties as: being perforated by people of the community as started inflating, being fumigated against malaria, and not having enough organic matter to produce biogas. As a result in this time the biodigester did not operate satisfactorily and the community did not believe that it could work and produce biogas. A biodigester should not be built without an awareness campaign or showing a direct benefit to the community that ensures its adequate operation and maintenance. Before constructing the reactor the organic matter source to operate the biodigester should be clearly identified and its amount should be enough. (orig.)

[Payment mechanisms and financial resources management for consolidation of Ecuador's health system].

Science.gov (United States)

Villacrés, Tatiana; Mena, Ana Cristina

2017-06-08

Analyze the proposal by the Ministry of Public Health to reform the public financing model in Ecuador with regard to pooling of funds and payment mechanisms. A literature review was done of the financing model, the current legal framework, and the budgetary bases in Pubmed, SciELO, LILACS Ecuador, and regional LILACS using the key words health financing, health financing systems, capitation, pooling of funds, health system reform Ecuador, health system Ecuador, and health payment mechanisms. Books and other documents suggested by health systems experts were also included. Review of the financing model enabled identifying the historical segmentation of Ecuador's health system; out of this, the Ministry of Public Health conceived its proposal to reform the financing model. The Ministry's proposed solutions are pooling of funds and payment of services at the first level of care through payment per capita adjusted for socioeconomic and demographic risks. Progress made in reforming the financing model includes design of the proposals and their implementation mechanisms, and discussions with stakeholders. Implementation of these changes may produce improvements for the health system in efficiency, spreading of risks, incentives for meeting health objectives, as well as contribute to its sustainability and advance toward universal health coverage. Nevertheless, legal, political, and operational constraints are hampering their implementation.

Keys of educational change in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agustín De la Herrán Gascón

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The article analyzes the educational system in Ecuador. The Ecuadorian education system arouses international interest, especially in Latin America. In this essay we will try to answer these questions: What might be the relevant keys from the public education in Ecuador? Why has it reached its present level of development, particularly in inclusive education? What fundaments and policies are behind the results of the goals from Education for All (EFA 2000-2015 From the Dakar framework for Action? (World Education Forum, 2000. In light of these issues, the goal is to understand key factors and reasons that have contributed to the development of the Ecuadorian public education. In terms of methodology, the approach is qualitative, dialectical, documentary and descriptive (Mc Millan and Schumacher, 2005. The research is proposed as a case study, where the choice of the case is justified by its novelty, its degree of development and its emphasis on inclusion and equity in all educational levels. With this aim, it is made a descriptive analysis of the rules underlying the changes in the educational system in Ecuador in the last three decades and it is carried out, particularly since 2008, following the last Constitution (Constituent Assembly, 2008. Tables as an analytical contribution of the authors are offered. Also data endorsed by authors and agencies of maximum national and international prestige are detailed and they realize the effectiveness of policies and such changes.

Lithostratigraphy and volcanology of the Serra Geral Group, Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province in Southern Brazil: Towards a formal stratigraphical framework

Science.gov (United States)

Rossetti, Lucas; Lima, Evandro F.; Waichel, Breno L.; Hole, Malcolm J.; Simões, Matheus S.; Scherer, Claiton M. S.

2018-04-01

The volcanic rocks of the Lower Cretaceous Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province, in Brazil, are grouped in the Serra Geral Group. The province can be chemically divided into low-TiO2, and high-TiO2. In southern Brazil, the low-TiO2 lava pile reaches a thickness of 1 km and is formed of heterogeneous lava packages here divided into four lava formations. Torres Formation (TF) is characterized by chemically more primitive basaltic (> 5 wt% MgO) compound pahoehoe flow fields; these lavas stratigraphically overly aeolian sandstones of Botucatu Formation and represent the onset of the volcanic activity. Vale do Sol Formation (VSF) groups vertically stacked sheet-like rubbly pahoehoe basaltic andesites (SiO2 > 51 wt%; MgO < 5 wt%). These lavas covered the former basalts in the Torres Syncline axis and pinch out towards southwest and represent the most voluminous mafic lava flows. Dacites and rhyolites of Palmas Formation (PF) overlay VSF flows in the central and eastern outcrop area and rest directly upon TF lavas in the west. The acidic units were emplaced as lava domes and widespread tabular lava flows. Esmeralda Formation (EF) is the upper stratigraphic unit and it is formed by a basaltic pahoehoe flow field emplaced during the waning phase of volcanic activity of the low-TiO2 lava sequence. Sedimentary interbeds are preserved throughout the whole lava pile and were deposited during quiescence periods of volcanic activity, and represent important stratigraphic markers (e.g. TF-VSF contact). The newly proposed stratigraphy provides promptly recognized stratigraphic units in a regional framework of fundamental importance for future correlations and provide vital information in the understanding of how the Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province evolved through time.

Etiology of Acute Undifferentiated Febrile Illness in the Amazon Basin of Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

Quito, Ecuador; Departamento de Medicina Interna, Hospital General de las Fuerzas Armadas, Quito, Ecuador; Policlínico Militar San Jorge, Sangolqui...593-2-226-9234, E-mail: bquist@hcjb.org.ec. Juan Freire Espín, Departamento de Medicina Interna, Hospital General de las Fuerzas Armadas, Queseras

Maps showing geology, oil and gas fields, and geological provinces of South America

Science.gov (United States)

Schenk, C. J.; Viger, R.J.; Anderson, C.P.

1999-01-01

This digitally compiled map includes geology, geologic provinces, and oil and gas fields of South America. The map is part of a worldwide series on CD-ROM by World Energy Project released of the U.S. Geological Survey . The goal of the project is to assess the undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources of the world and report these results by the year 2000. For data management purposes the world is divided into eight energy regions corresponding approximately to the economic regions of the world as defined by the U.S. Department of State. South America (Region 6) includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, Guyuna, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Morphological and organoleptic description of mango fruits (Mangifera indica L. cultivated in Jipijapa canton in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel-Ortega Julio

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In the year 2016, seventeen cultivars of mango (Mangifera indica L. were collected in local markets and farmers' field of Jipijapa Canton, Ecuador, with the aim of describing and analyzing mango fruits due to their morphological characteristics of sugars (°Brix and total solids. Collections were carried out by stu-dents and teachers of the Research Methodologies course of the Agricultural Engineering Career, of the Southern State University of Manabí (UNESUM. The fruits were characterized by using 16 qualitative and quantitative variables for fruit and seed recommended by UPOV and IPGRI. The percentage of total solids and Brix grades of each harvested crop were also analyzed in the UNESUM bromatology laboratory. Results showed that in the Jipijapa Canton, Ecuador, there is a great biodiversity of native mangoes, which were not characterized. Fruit shapes, pulp color and variable fiber contents were observed. The length of fruit was 6.33 to 12.50 cm, and the width was 5.27 to 8.50 cm, with a length/width ratio between 0.77 and 1.83 cm. The fruit weight was 63.3 to 500 g. No significant differences were observed in the sugars content (°Brix. Finally, it was observed that the range of consumable pulp was 63 to 94% in native cultivars and 86% to 97% in the improved ones.

Quality control tools applied to a PV microgrid in Ecuador

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Camino-Villacorta, M.; Egido-Aguilera, M.A. [Ciudad Univ., Madrid (Spain). Inst. de Energia Solar - UPM; Gamez, J.; Arranz-Piera, P. [Trama Tecnoambiental (TTA), Barcelona (Spain)

2010-07-01

The Instituto de Energia Solar has been dealing with quality control issues for rural electrification for many years. In the framework of project DOSBE (Development of Electricity Service Operators for Poverty Alleviation in Ecuador and Peru), a technical toolkit has been developed to implement adapted integral quality control procedures for photovoltaic systems (covering all components and equipment, installation and servicing), applicable at a local and regional scale, with the overall aim of increasing the confidence in photovoltaic systems. This toolkit was applied in the evaluation of an existing microgrid in Ecuador, which is described in this paper. The toolkit and the detailed results of its application are presented in a published document which is being widely distributed among the stakeholders of rural electrification in Ecuador and Peru. It can be downloaded from the web page of the DOSBE project: www.dosbe.org (orig.)

Prevalence and risk factors associated with Leishmania infection in Trang Province, southern Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Manomat, Jipada; Leelayoova, Saovanee; Bualert, Lertwut; Tan-Ariya, Peerapan; Siripattanapipong, Suradej; Mungthin, Mathirut; Naaglor, Tawee; Piyaraj, Phunlerd

2017-11-01

Autochthonous cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania martiniquensis and Leishmania siamensis have been considered emerging infectious diseases in Thailand. The disease burden is significantly underestimated, especially the prevalence of Leishmania infection among HIV-positive patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with Leishmania infection among patients with HIV/AIDS living in Trang province, southern Thailand, between 2015 and 2016. Antibodies against Leishmania infection were assayed using the direct agglutination test (DAT). DNA of Leishmania was detected by ITS1-PCR using the buffy coat. Species of Leishmania were also identified. Of 724 participants, the prevalence of Leishmania infection was 25.1% (182/724) using either DAT or PCR assays. Seroprevalence of Leishmania infection was 18.5% (134/724), while Leishmania DNA detected by the PCR method was 8.4% (61/724). Of these, 24.9% (180/724) were asymptomatic, whereas 0.3% (2/724) were symptomatic VL and VL/CL (cutaneous leishmaniasis). At least five species were identified: L. siamensis, L. martiniquensis, L. donovani complex, L. lainsoni, and L. major. Multivariate analysis showed that CD4+ levels Leishmania infection. Those who were PCR positive for Leishmania DNA were significantly associated with a detectable viral load, whereas non-injection drug use (NIDU) and CD4+ levels Leishmania seropositivity. A magnitude of the prevalence of underreporting Leishmania infection among Thai patients with HIV was revealed in this study. Effective public health policy to prevent and control disease transmission is urgently needed.

Challenges for an Active Role of Women in Physics in Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Ayala, Paola; Guaño, Sonia; Apolo, Alberto Celi

2009-04-01

The social reality of Ecuador is not far from the experience of most countries of the Andean region in South America. Many factors contribute to a preference for short-learning-curve or business-oriented careers, and also make traditional and time-demanding careers less appealing. Physics is one of the least attractive professions in a country like Ecuador. However, in the last few years, the number of bachelor's-degree candidates in physics has increased significantly. This result, together with the new postgraduate courses offered inland, show promising changes for the future of this career. Developed countries face challenges that involve mainly gender issues in the scientific daily routine, whereas in Ecuador the challenge is still to attract students to this scientific path regardless of their gender.

Sistema de refrigeración solar por absorción para la comunidad de Kumay en Ecuador; Solar absorption refrigeration system for Kumay community in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Antonio Romero Paguay

2015-04-01

Full Text Available En el Ecuador existen muchas zonas aisladas, no electrificadas aún, especialmente en la provincia de Pastaza, en este artículo se presenta un sistema de refrigeración por absorción solar  como una alternativa para la climatización de un consultorio médico en la Comunidad de Kumay. Se realiza el cálculo de la estimación de carga térmica en el consultorio médico empleando el software Carrier E20, el cual arroja una necesidad de enfriamiento de 10 kW o 2,84 toneladas de refrigeración (TR. El sistema de refrigeración por absorción con energía solar propuesto está formado por una máquina de absorción, simple efecto de la marca ClimateWell 10, con 10 kW de potencia de enfriamiento que utiliza como absorbente el par cloruro de litio y agua, requiriéndose un área de captación de energía solar de 30 m2 que será entregada con diez colectores de tubos alvacío marca Thermomax, Modelo Solamax 30. In Ecuador there are many non-electrified remote areas, especially in the province of Pastaza, in this article a solar absorption cooling system is presented as an alternative for the air conditioning of a doctor's office (medical clinic in Community Kumay. The calculation of the estimated thermal load on the doctor's office is done using the software Carrier E20, which throws a necessity of cooling of 10 kW or 2,84 tons of refrigeration. The solar cooling system consist in an absorption machine of single effect, ClimateWell 10, with 10 kW of cooling power that uses as absorbent the lithium chloride and water pair, this system  required an area of reception of solar energy of 30 m2 that will be given with 10 vacuum tube collectors Thermomax, Model Solamax 30.

Causes of blindness among hospital outpatients in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Cass, Helene; Landers, John; Benitez, Paul

2006-03-01

There is a lack of published information on the causes of blindness in Ecuador and the Latin American region in general. This study is designed to enumerate the proportions of ocular conditions contributing to blindness in an outpatient population of an ophthalmology hospital in the coastal region of Ecuador. All cases presenting to an ophthalmology outpatient clinic over a 3-week period during September 2004 were reviewed (n = 802). Visual acuity was measured using a Snellen acuity chart and those who met the criteria for blindness were included in the study (n = 118). Blindness was defined under the World Health Organization protocol as visual acuity of glaucoma (15%). Among those considered to have bilateral blindness (n = 30), refraction was the most common cause (37%), followed by cataract (23%) and glaucoma (17%). The major causes of blindness found in this study reflected those in estimated data for the region. More studies are needed to improve the quality and quantity of epidemiological data on blindness in Ecuador and Latin America. Many obstacles to successful implementation of prevention of blindness programmes in South America still need to be overcome.

Neotectonics of the San Andreas Fault system, basin and range province juncture

Science.gov (United States)

Estes, J. E.; Crowell, J. C.

1982-01-01

The development, active processes, and tectonic interplay of the southern San Andreas fault system and the basin and range province were studied. The study consist of data acquisition and evaluation, technique development, and image interpretation and mapping. Potentially significant geologic findings are discussed.

EL DERECHO CONSUETUDINARIO DE LOS PUEBLOS ORIGINARIOS DEL ECUADOR

OpenAIRE

Vargas Villacres, Borman Renán

2017-01-01

El Ecuador, como país intercultural y plurinacional recoge en su memoria social todas las costumbres, mitos, leyendas y tradiciones que transforman en direccionamientos para el desarrollo del país en todas sus áreas, ya que compila en el Derecho Consuetudinario de los pueblos originarios del Ecuador su forma de actuar, ya hoy en día gracias a la revolución ciudadana, lo podemos socializar y aplicar, mismos que deben ser cumplidos en forma coercitiva porque ese es su modo de vida, que con toda...

Desarrollo histórico del sistema sanitario de Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Castillo Morocho, Silvia

2015-01-01

En este trabajo se describen las condiciones de salud de Ecuador y con mayor detalle, las características del sistema ecuatoriano de salud, incluyendo su estructura y cobertura, programas de salud, fuentes de financiamiento, los recursos físicos, materiales y humanos de los que dispone, las tareas de rectoría que desarrolla el Ministerio de Salud Pública. La República de Ecuador no escapó de los efectos de las sucesivas crisis económicas, y su sistema de salud estuvo marcado por más de 15 ...

Characteristics of clinical Helicobacter pylori strains from Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Debets-Ossenkopp, Yvette J; Reyes, Germán; Mulder, Janet; aan de Stegge, Birgit M; Peters, José T A M; Savelkoul, Paul H M; Tanca, J; Peña, Amado S; Vandenbroucke-Grauls, Christina M J E

2003-01-01

In Ecuador, Helicobacter pylori infections are highly prevalent. A total of 42 H. pylori clinical isolates from 86 patients attending the outpatient clinic of the gastroenterology department of the university hospital of Guayaquil in Ecuador were characterized. Their susceptibility, and cagA and vacA status were determined. Resistance to metronidazole and clarithromycin was found in 80.9% and 9.5% of strains, respectively. Neither amoxicillin- nor tetracycline-resistant strains were found. The most prevalent genotype was the cagA(+), vacA s1b,m1 type. This genotype was associated with gastric cancer and peptic ulcer. Typing by random amplified polymorphic DNA showed no genetic relationship among the strains.

Tsunami source of the 2016 Muisne, Ecuador Earthquake inferred from tide gauge and DART records

Science.gov (United States)

Adriano, B.; Fujii, Y.; Koshimura, S.

2016-12-01

On April 16, 2016 an earthquake occurred in the central coast of Ecuador (0.382°N 79.922°W, Mw=7.8 at 23:58:36.980 UTC according to U.S. Geological Service). It was reported that widespread damage occurred at several towns of Monabi coastal province. According to reports from the Ecuador Government, more than 15,000 buildings were damaged. This earthquake generated a relatively small tsunami that was detected at several tide gauge station as well as offshore DARTs (Deep Ocean Tsunami Detection Buoys). This study aims to investigate the tsunami source of the 2016 Muisne Earthquake using inversion of recorded tsunami waveform signals. The INOCAR (Instituto Oceanográfico de la Armada in Spanish) of the Ecuador provided the tide records of Esmeraldas, Manta, and La Libertad ports. In addition, the DIMAR (Dirección General Marítima in Spanish) of Colombia provided the tide record of Tumaco port. Finally, waveform signal from two DARTs were also employed. These waveform records usually include ocean tides, which we removed by applying a high-pass filter. To estimate the extent of the tsunami source and the slip distribution, we divide the tsunami source into 4 subfaults that covers the aftershock area during one month after the mainshock. The subfault size is 30 km x 60 km with a top depth of 10 km. The focal mechanisms for all the subfaults were taken form the USGS solution of the mainshock. The inversion result showed that the largest slip was located around the epicenter with a maximum value of 3.1 m. The estimated moment magnitude was calculated as Mw=7.78 (5.89E+20 N-m), which is slightly smaller than the proposed by USGS (Mw7.8, moment 7.05E+20 N-m). The estimated slip distribution suggested that the fault rupture started near the epicenter and propagated from north to south. This evidence is supported by the aftershock distribution, which is higher to the south of the epicenter with a main aftershock of Mw=6.0 on April 22.

FIELD MONITORING OF TOMATO LEAF MINER TUTA ABSOLUTA (MEYRICK (LEPIDOPTERA: GELECHIIDAE BY PHEROMONE TRAPS IN ZONA 1 OF ECUADOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hristina Kutinkova

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae, is a economically important pest of processed and fresh tomatoes, both in greenhouses and open field crops. Currently, the pest threatens other cultivated solanaceous plants such as eggplant and potato. In this article we review pheromone control strategies for species-specific and environmentally safe management of the tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae. This insect pest originates from South America and is now considered to be one of the most damaging invasive pests of tomatoes in the Mediterranean Basin countries of Europe and North Africa. In this article we describestrategies used to control T. absoluta including pest detection and population monitoring. Monitoring of Tuta absoluta was carried out in Imbabura Province in Ecuador. The parameters of using the pheromone traps Delta VI are described.

Ethnoveterinary treatments for common cattle diseases in four districts of the Southern Province, Zambia.

Science.gov (United States)

Syakalima, Michelo; Simuunza, Martin; Zulu, Victor Chisha

2018-02-01

Ethno veterinary knowledge has rarely been recorded, and no or limited effort has been made to exploit this knowledge despite its widespread use in Zambia. This study documented the types of plants used to treat important animal diseases in rural Zambia as a way of initiating their sustained documentation and scientific validation. The study was done in selected districts of the Southern Zambia, Africa. The research was a participatory epidemiological study conducted in two phases. The first phase was a pre-study exploratory rapid rural appraisal conducted to familiarize the researchers with the study areas, and the second phase was a participatory rural appraisal to help gather the data. The frequency index was used to rank the commonly mentioned treatments. A number of diseases and traditional treatments were listed with the help of local veterinarians. Diseases included: Corridor disease (Theileriosis), foot and mouth disease, blackleg, bloody diarrhea, lumpy skin disease, fainting, mange, blindness, coughing, bloat, worms, cobra snakebite, hemorrhagic septicemia, and transmissible venereal tumors. The plant preparations were in most diseases given to the livestock orally (as a drench). Leaves, barks, and roots were generally used depending on the plant type. Ethno veterinary medicine is still widespread among the rural farmers in the province and in Zambia in general. Some medicines are commonly used across diseases probably because they have a wide spectrum of action. These medicines should, therefore, be validated for use in conventional livestock healthcare systems in the country to reduce the cost of treatments.

Environmental Education in Ecuador: Conceptions and Currents in Quito's Private Elementary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Viteri, Fátima; Clarebout, Geraldine; Crauwels, Marion

2013-01-01

While key conceptions and the status of environmental education (EE) have been reported at various international, regional, national and local levels, those in play in the schools of Quito (Ecuador) are still relatively unknown. Of particular interest to this study are private schools: they are considerable in number in Ecuador and elsewhere, yet…

Dollarization In El Salvador And Ecuador: A Model Worth Following

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-01

great soil quality ready to be converted to banana plantations, the climate was ideal, plant disease in the area was minimal, and the area was...14, 2016, http://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/index.php?db=FM. Figure 14 graphs the inflation rates of Ecuador, Colombia , Peru, and Bolivia...from 1992–2014. Although Peru and Colombia both had high inflation through the 1990s, prior to 2001 Ecuador clearly had the highest rates. All four

Ecuador's Presidential Election: Background on Economic Issues

OpenAIRE

Mark Weisbrot; Luis Sandoval; Belén Cadena

2006-01-01

This paper looks at the biggest economic challenges that Ecuador's new president will need to address, and examines its recent economic history, including the issues of growth, dollarization, and international trade and finance.

From Slash-and-burn to Disk Ploughing: The Land Policy and Tractors Behind Erosion and Forest Pioneer Farming in Southern Xayabury Province (Laos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc Dufumier

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Bordering Thailand, the southern part of Xayabury province is engaged in international trade and has experienced agricultural growth like nowhere else in Laos. The rapid transformation from manual slash-and-burn agriculture to mechanized, chemical-based cropping systems is often cited by Laotian authorities as a model of development. But a careful study of changes underway indicates that the reality is far less encouraging than it would appear at first. If many farmers have indeed bolstered their incomes over the last twenty years, it is no less true that some of the poorest peasants have become increasingly poorer and that the new techniques cause serious erosion, as they have not been able to prevent the expansion of cultivated areas on sloping lands.

System dynamics modelling and the environmental Kuznets curve in Ecuador (1980–2025)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robalino-López, Andrés; García-Ramos, José-Enrique; Golpe, Antonio A.; Mena-Nieto, Ángel

2014-01-01

Is it possible for a country in the process of development to comply with the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis in the medium term? This is the question that inspired this study. This paper is an extension of a previous study focused on economic development and CO 2 emissions in the coming years in Ecuador (Robalino-López et al., submitted for publication). The main goal of this paper is to analyze whether the EKC hypothesis holds within the period 1980–2025 under four different scenarios. This paper uses co-integration techniques (Stock and Watson, 2010) to test the existence of the EKC hypothesis in Ecuador in the medium term using Jaunky's (2011) specification. Our proposal goes a step further than previous contributions, and intends to see under which conditions a country could approach the fulfilment of this hypothesis in the medium term. Results do not support the fulfilment of the EKC, nevertheless, our estimations show that Ecuador could be on the way to achieving environmental stabilization in the near future if economic growth is combined with an increase in the use of renewable energies, an improvement of the productive sectoral structure, and the use of a more efficient fossil fuel technology. - Author-Highlights: • We model the CO 2 emissions in Ecuador for the next decade under several scenarios. • We study the environmental Kuznets curve in the medium term in Ecuador. • We show that Ecuador will enter into stage 2 of the environmental Kuznets curve in the near future

75 FR 30776 - Exemption of Foreign Air Carriers From Excise Taxes; Review of Finding of Reciprocity (Ecuador...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-02

... Excise Taxes; Review of Finding of Reciprocity (Ecuador), 26 U.S.C. 4221 AGENCY: International Trade... existing exemption for aircraft registered in Ecuador from certain internal revenue taxes on the purchase... Government of Ecuador has discontinued allowing substantially reciprocal tax exemptions to aircraft of U.S...

Resolución de Ecuador (UNESCO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Revista Chasqui

2015-01-01

Full Text Available En Quito (Ecuador, entre el 12 y 14 de septiembre de 1994 se realizó el Seminario Taller Regional sobre Mujer y Medios de Comunicación organizado por la UNESCO. A continuación se reseñan las principales resoluciones.

Sr, Nd, Pb and Hf isotopic constraints on mantle sources and crustal contaminants in the Payenia volcanic province, Argentina

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søager, Nina; Holm, Paul Martin; Thirlwall, Matthew F.

2015-01-01

The presented Sr, Nd, Hf and double-spike Pb-isotopic analyses of Quaternary basalts from the Payenia volcanic province in southern Mendoza, Argentina, confirm the presence of two distinct mantle types feeding the Payenia volcanism. The southern Payenia mantle source feeding the intraplate-type Río...

Cracking the Egg Potential: Traditional Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in a Food-Based Nutrition Intervention in Highland Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Waters, William F; Gallegos, Carlos Andres; Karp, Celia; Lutter, Chessa; Stewart, Christine; Iannotti, Lora

2018-06-01

Food-based interventions can reduce the prevalence of undernutrition and improve household food security, but nutritious and accessible foods may be underutilized. In Ecuador, eggs are inexpensive and widely available, but while they are a valuable source of essential nutrients for infants and young children, medical advice and community-based information have limited their inclusion in infants' diets. A qualitative component was conducted to understand local perceptions, knowledge, and practices to complement a randomized control trial that studied the effect of introducing eggs on nutritional status and growth in infants from 6 to 9 months in rural communities in the highland province of Cotopaxi, Ecuador. The qualitative inquiry consisted of key informant interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), and structured observations in order to understand perceptions, knowledge, and practices related to household egg consumption and to the introduction of eggs in infants' diets. The two principal findings were that: (i) eggs are an available and culturally acceptable food source although they are not always a part of the diet; and (ii) perceptions and practices related to household consumption and the introduction of eggs into the diet of infants are shaped by local knowledge and practices, which are shaped by biomedical information and advice provided by public health professionals. Through an effective food-based intervention that includes qualitative research and a social marketing component, the behaviors of mothers and other caregivers can be modified, enabling children to realize the nutritional advantages of early introduction of eggs into their diet.

First records of parasitoids attacking the Asian citrus psyllid in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego E. Portalanza

Full Text Available ABSTRACT First records of parasitoids attacking the Asian citrus psyllid in Ecuador. The objective of the current study was to investigate the presence of natural enemies of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae (the Asian citrus psyllid in Ecuador. Incidence of parasitoid Diaphorencyrtus aligarhensis (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae was assessed between November 2015 and March 2016, in Letamendi, Febres-Cordero and Tarqui, urban districts of Guayaquil. Highest incidence of parasitism occurred in those regions and seasons of the year with the highest temperatures commensurate with increase of citrus plant shoots. Similar to their host, these parasitoids appear to have established in Ecuador by accident, and were not the result of purposeful introduction. This fortuitous introduction is a potentially helpful tool in controlling the Asian citrus psyllid, and potentially Huanglongbing.

Diversity and distribution of the Caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) of Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Blanca Ríos-Touma; Ralph W. Holzenthal; Jolanda Huisman; Robin Thomson; Ernesto Rázuri-Gonzales

2017-01-01

Background Aquatic insects and other freshwater animals are some of the most threatened forms of life on Earth. Caddisflies (Trichoptera) are highly biodiverse in the Neotropics and occupy a wide variety of freshwater habitats. In Andean countries, including Ecuador, knowledge of the aquatic biota is limited, and there is a great need for baseline data on the species found in these countries. Here we present the first list of Trichoptera known from Ecuador, a country that harbors two global b...

Extración y cuantificación de capsacina a partir de cinco especies nativas del género Capsicum existentes en el Ecuador mediante cromatografía líquida de alta definición

OpenAIRE

Balseca Álvarez, Diana Aurelia; Rivadeneira Herrera, Lorena Anabel

2013-01-01

Pepper genetic resources are important for being a natural source of capsaicin. The information about the magnitude of this feature in chili are scarce native Ecuador. The aim of this study was to identify and quantify capsaicin oleoresin Capsicum species in populations collected in the provinces of Loja, Santo Domingo de la Tsáchilas, Esmeraldas, Los Ríos and Morona Santiago. A pharmacognosy study the dry fruit of the five representative species of the genus Capsicum (C. baccatum, C. chinens...

The Burden of Dengue Fever and Chikungunya in Southern Coastal Ecuador: Epidemiology, Clinical Presentation, and Phylogenetics from the First Two Years of a Prospective Study

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M.; Ryan, Sadie J.; Kenneson, Aileen; King, Christine A.; Abbott, Mark; Barbachano-Guerrero, Arturo; Beltrán-Ayala, Efraín; Borbor-Cordova, Mercy J.; Cárdenas, Washington B.; Cueva, Cinthya; Finkelstein, Julia L.; Lupone, Christina D.; Jarman, Richard G.; Maljkovic Berry, Irina; Mehta, Saurabh; Polhemus, Mark; Silva, Mercy; Endy, Timothy P.

2018-01-01

Abstract. Here, we report the findings from the first 2 years (2014–2015) of an arbovirus surveillance study conducted in Machala, Ecuador, a dengue-endemic region. Patients with suspected dengue virus (DENV) infections (index cases, N = 324) were referred from five Ministry of Health clinical sites. A subset of DENV-positive index cases (N = 44) were selected, and individuals from the index household and four neighboring homes within 200 m were recruited (N = 400). Individuals who entered the study, other than the index cases, are referred to as associates. In 2014, 70.9% of index cases and 35.6% of associates had acute or recent DENV infections. In 2015, 28.3% of index cases and 12.8% of associates had acute or recent DENV infections. For every DENV infection captured by passive surveillance, we detected an additional three acute or recent DENV infections in associates. Of associates with acute DENV infections, 68% reported dengue-like symptoms, with the highest prevalence of symptomatic acute infections in children aged less than 10 years. The first chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infections were detected on epidemiological week 12 in 2015; 43.1% of index cases and 3.5% of associates had acute CHIKV infections. No Zika virus infections were detected. Phylogenetic analyses of isolates of DENV from 2014 revealed genetic relatedness and shared ancestry of DENV1, DENV2, and DENV4 genomes from Ecuador with those from Venezuela and Colombia, indicating the presence of viral flow between Ecuador and surrounding countries. Enhanced surveillance studies, such as this, provide high-resolution data on symptomatic and inapparent infections across the population. PMID:29512482

LIDERAZGO EDUCATIVO TRANSFORMACIONAL COMO NECESIDAD DE LAS INSTITUCIONES EDUCATIVAS EN LA REPÚBLICA DE ECUADOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rubén Darío Balda Macías

2015-09-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo valora las características del liderazgo educativo que de manera general se aprecia en los colegios fiscales rurales del cantón Portoviejo de la provincia Manabí, donde prevalece un estilo tradicional de ejercer el liderazgo educativo con un papel muy absoluto de la acción del director cómo figura principal en la cadena de mando dentro de una institución educativa. Se argumenta la necesidad de un nuevo estilo de liderazgo educativo de carácter transformacional para los colegios de la provincia Manabí en la República de Ecuador, que tenga como esencia la incorporación plena de todos los miembros de la comunidad educativa escolar a las acciones de mejora del proceso formativo de los estudiantes. El cambio de los estilos de dirección al superar el tradicional liderazgo educativo del director favorece que las instituciones educativas sean más pertinentes con sus comunidades y entornos a partir de un accionar conjunto que integre a las familias, instituciones públicas y privadas y organizaciones en el enfrentamiento a cada manifestación no coherente con la formación ciudadana que forma parte de la misión de estas instituciones educativas.PALABRAS CLAVE: liderazgo; liderazgo educativo; comunidad educativa; alumnos; docentes.EDUCATIONAL TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP AS A NEED OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF ECUADORABSTRACTThis article evaluates the characteristics of educational leadership that generally seen in the rural state schools in the canton Portoviejo -Manabí province, where traditional style prevails exercise educational leadership with Very absolute role of action of the director as the main figure in the chain of command within an educational institution. The need for a new style of educational leadership transformational character for schools Manabí province in the Republic of Ecuador, which has as its essence the full inclusion of all members of the educational community school is

Field observations at different scales for understanding hydrological processes in microcatchments at 2000m a.s.l. in Southern Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, F.; Huwe, B.

2009-04-01

In the Andes of Southern Ecuador at 2000m a.s.l. we investigate the hydrological behaviour of three steep microcatchments featuring nature and secondary forest as well as actively grazed pasture. Further locations are two landslides of different age. Within these microcatchments and sites we conducted dye tracer experiments to investigate potential lateral flow paths at pedon scale, monitored the soil water dynamic at plot scale and installed weirs to obtain discharge data from zero order catchments. Furthermore, Ksat measurements all over the microcatchments and sites were made to find dependencies on the topography. A special issue of the forested microcatchments is an organic layer mainly composed of fine roots emerging up to several dm. Composition, thickness and hydrological behaviour of this layer depends on the composition of the tree stand which in turn depends on the topographic position. Until now we have determined the organic layer hydrological parameters of a primary and a secondary forest by a laboratory irrigation device and inverse modelling. Most of the soils situated within the steep slopes were derived from shallow landslides and generally feature high rock fragment contents. Vertical percolation predominates in these soils, that seems to be controlled by the size distribution of the rock fragments. In this regard the effect of landslides on soil properties depends on the type of the landslide, the depth of the displaced material and the type of displacement. However, even at smaller scale soil properties on landslides can vary due to a heterogeneous mixture of substrates occurring with the landslide formation. Soils situated on ridges, plateaus and rotational landslides are denser with lower drainable porosities impeding vertical percolation in benefit for overland flow and lateral subsurface flow. Aims of the investigation are to assess the heterogeneity at the different scales and to find generalities, i.e. hydrological units to establish a

Intra-specific variability in life-history traits of Anadara tuberculosa (Mollusca: Bivalvia) in the mangrove ecosystem of the Southern coast of Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, Luis; Licandeo, Roberto; Cubillos, Luis A; Mora, Elba

2014-06-01

Anadara tuberculosa is one of the most important bivalves along the Western Pacific coast because of its commercial value. Nevertheless, the variability in growth, long-life span, natural mortality and reproductive parameters of this mangrove cockle has not yet been described. The aim of this study was to analyze these life-history traits in three areas of the Southern coast of Ecuador. Empirical and length-based methods were used to estimate these biological parameters. Body size data were collected from the commercial fishery between 2004 and 2011 in landing ports near to the Archipelago of Jambeli [Puerto Bolivar (PB), Puerto Jeli (PJ) and Puerto Hualtaco (PH)]. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters for combined sex were estimated between 70.87 to 93.45mm for L(infinity) and 0.22 to 0.80/year for k. The growth indices (PHI') ranged from 3.17 to 3.85, while the overall growth performance (OGP) ranged from 5.03 to 5.82. The mean of long-life span (t(max)), size and age at maturity (L50% and t50%) were estimated in 7.71 +/- 2.53 years, 39.13 +/- 2.24mm and 1.46 +/- 0.56 years for PB; 9.51 +/- 2.85 years, 37.78 +/- 1.95mm and 1.37 +/- 0.41 years for PJ and 5.81 +/- 2.11 years, 39.73 +/- 3.31mm and 0.94 +/- 0.41 years for PH. Natural mortality (M) ranged from 0.46 to 1.28/year. We concluded that significant intra-specific variation was observed in a temporal scale in PHI' and OGP indices as well as L50% and M. Therefore, temporal changes in these life-history traits should be taken into account when assessing the status of the mangrove cockle fishery.

The Alto Paraguay Alkaline Province: petrographic, geochemical and geochronological characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Velazquez Fernandez, Victor

1996-01-01

The Alto Paraguay Province is located at the border of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraguay, between the coordinates 21 deg 10 ' to 23 deg 25 ' of Southern latitude and 57 deg 10 ' to 58 deg 00 ' , having the city of Porto Murtinho as the main reference point. The geotectonic domain of the area is governed by the precambric units of the Southern extreme of the Amazonic craton which developed a long and accentuated activity, giving rise to folds and important faults, that in several cases seem to have exerted an effective control of the magmatic manifestations. Radiometric data indicate that the emplacement of the syenitic bodies took place in the Permo-Triassic period, with a major incidence in the interval 260-240 Ma, representing thus, an important phase of alkaline magmatic affinity associated to the Parana Basin which is believed is to be unique, since the other known areas (Central, Amambay and Rio Apa Provinces, Paraguay, Velasco Province, Bolivia) are considerably younger (140-120 Ma). Syenitic rocks from the Alto Paraguay Province show wide variation in the ratio 87 Sr/ 86 Sr (0.703361 - 0.707734). Excluding the Cerro Boggiani rocks (0.703837-0.707734), values for the nepheline syenites (0.703361-0.703672) general lower than those of the other syenites types. Alkaline syenites cover the interval 0.703510- 0.703872, while quartz syenites and syenogranites are 0.704562 and 0.707076, respectively. geologic evidence, in addition to petrographic, geochemical and isotopic (Sr) data, suggest that the syenitic rocks have been derived from an unique mantelic parental liquid, by fractional crystallization and assimilation processes, which are assumed to be occurred during the emplacement of the magma in the crust. (author)

Prevalence of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in Schoolchildren in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Játiva, Edgar; Velasco-Benítez, Carlos A; Koppen, Ilan J N; Játiva-Cabezas, Zahira; Saps, Miguel

2016-07-01

The prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in children in Ecuador is unknown. We describe a survey study in 2 schools in Quito, Ecuador, using a Spanish translation of the Questionnaire on Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms-Rome III Version (QPGS-RIII). A total of 417 children (51% boys) with a mean age of 12.0 years were included. FGIDs were present in 95 children (22.8%) and occurred in 25% of girls and in 20.7% of boys (P = 0.296). Functional defecation disorders were found in 12.0% of children, 9.4% had an abdominal pain-related FGID and 3.8% was diagnosed with a vomiting or aerophagia FGID.

Miss Universe in the Land of Missery: Ecuador's Contradictory Development Package

OpenAIRE

Dulfano, Isabel

2007-01-01

Given the wealth generated by oil reserves as well as the promise of economic recovery through dollarization, it is striking to note that the sociopolitical and economic reality of Ecuador contradicts theoretical predictions of prosperity and growth. Economics is only part of the explanation. In fact, social and cultural factors have had a dramatic impact on the current state of affairs in Ecuador. The country faces many of the challenges evident in other Latin American countries and thus ser...

The meaning and consequences of tuberculosis for an at-risk urban group in Ecuador Significado y consecuencias de la tuberculosis para un grupo urbano de riesgo en Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Rodrigo X. Armijos; M. Margaret Weigel; Matilde Qincha; Bernarda Ulloa

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To explore knowledge, beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes about tuberculosis (TB) in a high-risk group in Ecuador. This included signs and symptoms, causation, transmission, treatment, treatment adherence, impact on lifestyle and role functioning, and stigma. METHODS: A convenience sample of 212 adults undergoing diagnostic TB testing at a public health facility in Quito, Ecuador, was recruited for the study. Data were collected from subjects during face-to-face interviews using a ...

Temporal variability and annual budget of inorganic dissolved matter in Andean Pacific Rivers located along a climate gradient from northern Ecuador to southern Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Moquet, Jean-Sébastien; Guyot, Jean-Loup; Morera, Sergio; Crave, Alain; Rau, Pedro; Vauchel, Philippe; Lagane, Christelle; Sondag, Francis; Lavado, Casimiro Waldo; Pombosa, Rodrigo; Martinez, Jean-Michel

2018-01-01

In Ecuador and Peru, geochemical information from Pacific coastal rivers is limited and scarce. Here, we present an unedited database of major element concentrations from five HYBAM observatory stations monitored monthly between 4 and 10 years, and the discrete sampling of 23 Andean rivers distributed along the climate gradient of the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Pacific coasts. Concentration (C) vs. discharge (Q) relationships of the five monitored basins exhibit a clear dilution behavior for evaporites and/or pyrite solutes, while the solute concentrations delivered by other endmembers are less variable. Spatially, the annual specific fluxes for total dissolved solids (TDS), Ca2+, HCO3-, K+, Mg2+, and SiO2 are controlled on the first order by runoff variability, while Cl-, Na+ and SO42- are controlled by the occurrence of evaporites and/or pyrite. The entire Pacific basin in Ecuador and Peru exported 30 Mt TDS·yr-1, according to a specific flux of ∼70 t·km-2·yr-1. This show that, even under low rainfall conditions, this orogenic context is more active, in terms of solute production, than the global average.

Pharmaceutical ethnobotany in the western part of Granada province (southern Spain): ethnopharmacological synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Benítez, G; González-Tejero, M R; Molero-Mesa, J

2010-05-04

The aim of this work is to catalogue, document, and make known the uses of plants for folk medicine in the western part of the province of Granada (southern Spain). An analysis was made of the species used, parts of the plant employed, preparation methods, administration means, and the ailments treated in relation to pathological groups. The work was performed in 16 municipalities within the study zone. The participants were located mainly by questionnaires distributed in public and private centres. The information, gathered through semi-structured open interviews of a total of 279 people, was included in a database for subsequent analysis. A floristic catalogue of the territory was compiled, enabling analyses of the relevance of certain botanical families in popular medicine. Great diversity was established among medicinal species in the region. A total of 229 species of plants were catalogued for use in human medicine to prevent or treat 100 different health problems covering 14 different pathological groups. The number of references reached 1963. The popular pharmacopoeia of this area relies primarily on plants to treat digestive, respiratory, and circulatory problems, using mainly the soft parts of the plant (leaves and flowers) prepared in simple ways (decoction, infusion). An analysis of the medicinal ritual uses of 34 species and the different symptoms reflected a certain acculturation in relation to ethnobotanical knowledge in the last 20 years. The traditional knowledge of plants was shown in relation to medicinal use, reflecting a striking diversity of species and uses, as well as their importance in popular plant therapy in the study zone. These traditions could pave the way for future phytochemical and pharmacological studies and thereby give rise to new medicinal resources. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bovine Tuberculosis and Brucellosis in Traditionally Managed Livestock in Selected Districts of Southern Province of Zambia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. B. Muma

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A study was performed in 2008 to estimate the prevalence of tuberculosis and brucellosis in traditionally reared cattle of Southern Province in Zambia in four districts. The single comparative intradermal tuberculin test (SCITT was used to identify TB reactors, and the Rose Bengal test (RBT, followed by confirmation with competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA, was used to test for brucellosis. A total of 459 animals were tested for tuberculosis and 395 for brucellosis. The overall prevalence of BTB based on the 4 mm and 3 mm cutoff criteria was 4.8% (95% CI: 2.6–7.0% and 6.3% (95% CI: 3.8–8.8%, respectively. Change in skin thickness on SCITT was influenced by initial skin-fold thickness at the inoculation site, where animals with thinner skin had a tendency to give a larger tuberculin response. Brucellosis seroprevalence was estimated at 20.7% (95% CI: 17.0–24.4%. Comparison between results from RBT and c-ELISA showed good agreement (84.1% and revealed subjectivity in RBT test results. Differences in brucellosis and tuberculosis prevalence across districts were attributed to type of husbandry practices and ecological factors. High prevalence of tuberculosis and brucellosis suggests that control control programmes are necessary for improved cattle productivity and reduced public health risk.

Variation in the Growth Traits and Wood Properties of Chinese Fir from Six Provinces of Southern China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongjing Duan

2016-08-01

Full Text Available To determine the phenotypic variation in 700 ten-year grafted Chinese fir collected from six provinces in southern China, 10 phenotypic traits were investigated: tree height, diameter at breast height, bark thickness, volume of timber, heartwood ratio, density of wood, hygroscopicity, tracheid length, tracheid diameter, and ratio of tracheid length to tracheid diameter. Abundant phenotypic variation was found among the six populations; the phenotypic variation coefficients all exceeded 10%, and the largest was for volume of timber. Significant variation (p < 0.01 or 0.05 in traits was found among the populations, except for diameter at breast height, heartwood ratio, and tracheid diameter, while all traits differed significantly (p < 0.01 within populations. The high value of repeatability (broad-sense heritability suggested moderate genetic control of the traits. The 10 traits were strongly correlated within the entire population; strong positive correlations (p < 0.01 were observed between growth traits, and significant negative correlations (p < 0.01 or 0.05 were found between the density of wood and most other characteristics, except for heartwood ratio and ratio of tracheid length to tracheid diameter. Using diameter at breast height and density of wood as criteria, 98 relatively fast-growing genotypes with relatively high wood basic density were identified.

Sistema de salud de Ecuador The health system of Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruth Lucio

2011-01-01

Full Text Available En este trabajo se describen las condiciones de salud en Ecuador y, con mayor detalle, las características del sistema ecuatoriano de salud, incluyendo su estructura y cobertura, sus fuentes de financiamiento, los recursos físicos, materiales y humanos de los que dispone, las tareas de rectoría que desarrolla el Ministerio de Salud Pública, la generación de información en salud, las tareas de investigación, y la participación de los ciudadanos en la operación y evaluación del sistema. También se discuten las innovaciones más recientes que se han implantado en el sistema ecuatoriano de salud dentro de las que destaca la incorporación de un capítulo específico sobre salud a la nueva Constitución que reconoce a la protección de la salud como un derecho humano y la construcción de la Red Pública Integral de Salud.This paper describes the health conditions in Ecuador and, in more detail, the characteristics of the Ecuadorian health system, including its structure and coverage, its financial sources, the physical, material and human resources available, and the stewardship activities developed by the Ministry of Public Health. It also describes the structure and content of its health information system, and the participation of citizens in the operation and evaluation of the health system. The paper ends with a discussion of the most recent policy innovations implemented in the Ecuadorian system, including the incorporation of a chapter on health into the new Constitution which recognizes the protection of health as a human right, and the construction of the Comprehensive Public Health Network.

The double burden of undernutrition and excess body weight in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Freire, Wilma B; Silva-Jaramillo, Katherine M; Ramírez-Luzuriaga, María J; Belmont, Philippe; Waters, William F

2014-12-01

Ecuador's current nutrition policies have not taken adequate notice of the double burden of malnutrition and continue to focus on stunting and to a lesser extent on overweight, without addressing the simultaneous presence of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight or obesity (OW/OB). The aim of this article was to describe the prevalence and distribution of undernutrition (stunting, anemia, and zinc deficiency), overweight, and obesity in Ecuador to explore the evolving double burden of malnutrition at the national, household, and individual levels and to discuss whether current public health policies are addressing the double burden. Data from the 2012 Ecuadorian National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT-ECU) was used to estimate the dual burden of malnutrition at the national, household, and individual levels in children Ecuador. Although integrated approaches to address the emerging double burden are required, public health policies to date have not responded adequately. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

Precambrian large igneous provinces: an overview of geochronology, origins and impact on earth evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heaman, Larry M.

2008-01-01

Precambrian large igneous provinces flourished during the Proterozoic and some, such as the 1.27 Ga Mackenzie event in North America, resemble their Phanerozoic counterparts with good evidence for the production of large volumes of mafic magma in short periods of geologic time (<10 m.y.), a specific focus of this magmatism, and regional uplift prior to the onset of volcanism. In many Precambrian examples, the flood basalts have been largely removed by erosion and only the root zone (e.g. dyke swarm, layered mafic intrusion) of these large igneous provinces is preserved. The short duration of this magmatism and the geometric relationship between linear dyke swarms and basement geology can potentially provide a robust geological pin in continental reconstructions. The extensive 2.37 Ga E-W trending Bangalore dyke swarm in the Dharwar craton, India cross-cuts N-S trending Neoarchean greenstone belts and the 2.51 Ga Closepet granite and is a good example of the potential for providing a cornerstone in Paleoproterozoic continent reconstruction. In contrast, the 1.89 Ga Southern Bastar-Cuddapah large igneous province in southern India is one of several large igneous provinces formed at this time on different continents, including the 1.89-1.88 Ga circum-Superior mafic/ultramafic magmatism in North America and the 1.88-1.87 Ga Waterberg Group sills in South Africa, and is part of a global period of enhanced mantle melting. A challenge for future attempts at Precambrian continent reconstruction is to distinguish between discrete global periods of enhanced mantle melting and a single specific focus large igneous province. (author)

Características de la epidemia de cólera de 1998 en Ecuador, durante el fenómeno de "El Niño" Characteristics of the cholera epidemic of 1998 in Ecuador during El Niño

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Marc Gabastou

2002-09-01

, erythromycin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gentamycin, chloramphenicol, and colistin. Results. In 1998 there were 3 755 cases reported in 17 of the 21 provinces of the country. This corresponds to an incidence rate of 53.96 per 100 000 population. Thirty-seven patients died, for a case fatality rate of 0.97%. A total of 301 strains of V. cholerae were isolated in the 637 suspected-cholera samples that were processed; all corresponded to V. cholerae O1, El Tor, subtype Ogawa. All of the strains were sensitive to tetracycline and to quinolones; 5.6% of the strains were resistant to erythromycin. The only strain resistant to amoxicillin was multiresistant. Officials in Ecuador implemented a series of preventive measures, and the surveillance system was strengthened in order to reduce the impact of the disease. Conclusions. The preventive measures helped to reduce the impact of the 1998 cholera epidemic in Ecuador, in terms of both incidence and the case fatality rate. Given the overall sensitivity of the strains to the antimicrobial drugs, there is no reason to change the current treatment regimens in the country. Taking into account the frequency of natural disasters in Ecuador and the relation that they have to the reappearance of cholera, interventions should be designed that make it possible to prevent and control the reappearance of the disease and its spread to the most vulnerable provinces of the central Sierra mountainous region and the eastern part of the country.

Ecuador's energy policy mix: Development versus conservation and nationalism with Chinese loans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escribano, Gonzalo

2013-01-01

Ecuador's energy policy faces a complex variety of political and economic objectives that are difficult to reconcile in a consistent manner. Ecuador is a small oil producer and exporter with significant renewable (mainly hydropower) resources, hosting some of the richest biodiversity areas in the world, part of which are inhabited by so far indigenous un-contacted people. Being a developing country, tensions arise between conservation aims and development imperatives, as well as between resource nationalism and much-needed foreign financing. However, the really limiting factor for the country's energy development seems to be its constraints in financing the government's development and redistributive policies. Resorting to Chinese loans-for-oil may be part of the solution in the short term, but it does not substitute for a more consistent energy policy. Ecuador's case illustrates the dilemmas of energy policy in natural resource-rich developing countries when confronted with diverging political economy, social, environmental and macro-financial goals. - Highlights: ► Ecuador's energy policy lacks coherence and is plagued with inconsistencies. ► Its three main drivers are development, conservation and resource nationalism. ► Fulfilling President Correa's social agenda requires increasing oil production. ► Conservation demands have been subjected to developmental imperatives. ► Chinese loans and investments limit resource nationalism and favour pragmatism

Land-use induced dynamics of C, N and P in mountain soils of South Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Hamer, U.; Potthast, K.; Makeschin, F.

2009-04-01

The mountain rainforest region in South Ecuador is characterised by sites subjected to forest clearing by slash burn for pasture production. Repeated burning of pastures is a common management practice in South Ecuador. With ongoing pasture age bracken (Pteridium arachnoideum) outcompetes the pasture grass (Setaria sphacelata), pastures are abandoned and a vegetation succession develops. Along a land-use gradient (natural forest, young and old pasture, abandoned pasture with successional vegetation) the dynamics of C, N and P in the mountain soils were investigated. The study sites were located close to the "Estacion Científica San Francisco", about halfway between the province capitals Loja and Zamora, in the Cordillera Real, an eastern range of the South Ecuadorian Andes at about 2000 m above sea level. The mean annual air temperature is 15.3°C with an average annual rainfall of 2176 mm. The land-use change induced an increase of total P in the top soil (0-30 cm) of young and old pastures. An increase in SOC stocks in the top soil of the old pasture was combined with an increase in the proportion of NaOH extractable organic P. In the young pasture soil the mineralization of SOC and the amounts of microbial biomass C, N and P were highest. In 0-5 cm depth gross N mineralization and gross NH4 consumption rates were significantly higher in the young pasture compared to forest and abandoned pasture. Thus, the initial increase in microbial activity after forest to pasture conversion seems to slow down with increasing pasture age. Burning on the abandoned pasture site induced a short-term and short-lived increase in gross N mineralization rates. First results indicate that the land-use induced changes in mineralization rates were connected with changes in the microbial community structure.

Population structure of Han nationality in Central-Southern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qiu-Ling; Chen, Ye-Fei; He, Xin; Shi, Yan-Wei; Wu, Wei-Wei; Zhao, Hu; Lu, De-Jian

2017-07-01

Knowledge of population structure is very important for forensic genetics. However, the population substructure in Central-Southern China Han nationality has still not been fully described. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity of 15 forensic autosomal STR loci from 6879 individuals in 12 Han populations subdivided by administrative provinces in Central-Southern China. The statistical analysis of genetic variation showed that genetic differentiation among these populations was very small with a F st value of 0.0009. The Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components (DAPC) showed that there were no obvious population clusters in Central-Southern China Han population. In practice, the population structure effect in Central-Southern China Han population can be negligible in forensic identification and paternity testing. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The mosses (Bryophyta) of Capitán Prat Province, Aisén Region, southern Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Larraín, Juan

2016-01-01

The bryophytes of Capitán Prat province have remained one of the least explored in Chile. The eventual construction of several dams on the rivers Baker and Pascua required prospection of all groups of organisms including bryophytes, work that was facilitated by the recent construction of vehicular roads that now offer easy access to previously almost unaccessible locations. The results of intense bryophyte collecting during the austral summer of 2007 are here presented. A total of 260 moss taxa are reported for the province, corresponding to 256 species and four infraspecific taxa, of which 211 are new records for the province, 54 are new for Aisén Region, and two are new records for continental Chile ( Pohlia longicollis (Hedw.) Lindb. and Rigodium toxarion var. robustum (Broth.) Zomlefer). Twelve species extend their known distribution ranges to the north, whereas 49 extend them to the south.

Simulating progressive social transfers. Gas subsidies and solidarity bonds in Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuesta, J.; Ponce, J.; Leon, M.

2004-02-01

After two decades of neglect, social expending has become a cornerstone in the current fight against poverty in Ecuador. Ecuador is presently considering the elimination of regressive gas subsidies and the shift of these resources into pro-poor targeted Solidarity Bonds. Great distributive gains are expected from this reform. There are, however, a number of considerations that may prevent this policy shift from obtaining substantial poverty and equality gains. Despite their regressivity, implicit gas subsidies still represent a considerable proportion of total household consumption among poor households. Also, solidarity bonds siphon off a substantial share of their total benefits to middle income groups. This paper estimates the redistributive consequences of policy reforms on gas subsidies and solidarity bonds in Ecuador. A simulation methodology estimates both direct and indirect (labour-driven) distributive effects of four alternative scenarios: (1) total elimination of gas subsidies; (2) selective elimination of gas subsidies among non-poor households; (3) total elimination of gas subsidies and shift of resources to solidarity bonds targeted to the poor; (4) selective elimination of gas subsidies and shift of resources to solidarity bonds targeted to the poor. Estimates confirm that the redistributive gains from these reforms are rather small both for poverty and inequality. Incentives to work following the elimination of subsidies compensate, or even outdo, immediate poverty rises. Also, the elimination of gas subsidies without further expansion of subsidy bonds will unambiguously increase poverty in Ecuador between one and one and a half percent points

Coperación Internacional y Seguridad Ciudadana: el caso de Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreína TORRES ANGARITA

2009-01-01

Full Text Available RESUMEN: El presente trabajo analiza el impacto que en la actualidad tiene la cooperación internacional para el desarrollo en la definición de agendas locales de seguridad ciudadana en Ecuador. En Ecuador se observa una heterogeneidad de proyectos que de alguna manera buscan apoyar y fortalecer iniciativas de prevención de la violencia social. No obstante, en una escala nacional siguen predominando los esfuerzos antinarcóticos apoyados por las donaciones de países como los Estados Unidos. Se cuestiona entonces la injerencia que tiene la cooperación en el desbalance que se genera entre los esfuerzos locales y nacionales y que dificulta la consolidación de agendas locales de seguridad ciudadana más ajustadas a las necesidades y demandas de los y las ciudadanos/as.ABSTRACT: This article analyzes the current impact foreign aid has on the definition of local «citizen security» agendas in Ecuador. Regarding citizen security, Ecuador has heterogeneous projects that seek to strengthen and support social violence prevention initiatives. However, at the national level antidrug efforts prevail, receiving the support of important donors such as the Unites States. The article thus questions the role played by foreign aid in the imbalances found between local and national efforts, that in turn create great difficulty in the definition of a local citizen security agenda more in tuned with citizen’s needs and demands.

Molecular epidemiology of Trypanosoma cruzi and Triatoma dimidiata in costal Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Yim Yan; Sornosa Macias, Karen Jeniffer; Guale Martínez, Doris; Solorzano, Luis F; Ramirez-Sierra, Maria Jesus; Herrera, Claudia; Dumonteil, Eric

2016-07-01

Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. In Ecuador, Triatoma dimidiata and Rhodnius ecuadoriensis are the main vector species, responsible for over half of the cases of T. cruzi infection in the country. T. dimidiata is believed to have been introduced in Ecuador during colonial times, and its elimination from the country is thus believed to be feasible. We investigated here the molecular ecology of T. dimidiata and T. cruzi in costal Ecuador to further guide control efforts. Analysis of the Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS-2) of 23 specimens from Progreso, Guayas, unambiguously supported the likely importation of T. dimidiata from Central America to Ecuador. The observation of a very high parasite infection rate (54%) and frequent feeding on humans (3/5) confirmed a continued risk of transmission to humans. All genotyped parasites corresponded to TcI DTU and Trypanosoma rangeli was not detected in T. dimidiata. TcI subgroups corresponded to TcIa (25%), and mixed infections with TcIa and TcId (75%). Further studies should help clarify T. cruzi genetic structure in the country, and the possible impact of the introduction of T. dimidiata on the circulating parasite strains. The elevated risk posed by this species warrants continuing efforts for its control, but its apparent mobility between peridomestic and domestic habitats may favor reinfestation following insecticide spraying. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tracking the Origin and Deciphering the Phylogenetic Relationship of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maritza Barrera

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In 2010, new Chinese strains of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV, clinically more severe than the classical strains, emerged. These strains were spread to United States in 2013 through an intercontinental transmission from China with further spreading across the world, evidencing the emergent nature of these strains. In the present study, an analysis of PEDV field sequences from Ecuador was conducted by comparing all the PEDV S gene sequences available in the GenBank database. Phylogenetic comparisons and Bayesian phylogeographic inference based on complete S gene sequences were also conducted to track the origin and putative route of PEDV. The sequence from the PED-outbreak in Ecuador was grouped into the clade II of PEDV genogroup 2a together with other sequences of isolates from Mexico, Canada, and United States. The phylogeographic study revealed the emergence of the Chinese PEDV strains, followed by spreading to US in 2013, from US to Korea, and later the introduction of PEDV to Canada, Mexico, and Ecuador directly from the US. The sources of imports of live swine in Ecuador in 2014 were mainly from Chile and US. Thus, this movement of pigs is suggested as the main way for introducing PEDV to Ecuador.

Post-introduction economic evaluation of pneumococcal conjugate vaccination in Ecuador, Honduras, and Paraguay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dagna O. Constenla

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE:A decision-analytic model was constructed to evaluate the economic impact of post-introduction pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV programs in Ecuador, Honduras, and Paraguay from the societal perspective. METHODS: Hypothetical birth cohorts were followed for a 20-year period in each country. Estimates of disease burden, vaccine effectiveness, and health care costs were derived from primary and secondary data sources. Costs were expressed in 2014 US$. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the impact of model input uncertainties. RESULTS: Over the 20 years of vaccine program implementation, the health care costs per case ranged from US$ 764 854 to more than US$ 1 million. Vaccination prevented more than 50% of pneumococcal cases and deaths per country. At a cost of US$ 16 per dose, the cost per disability-adjusted life year (DALY averted for the 10-valent PCV (PCV10 and the 13-valet PCV (PCV13 ranged from US$ 796 (Honduras to US$ 1 340 (Ecuador and from US$ 691 (Honduras to US$ 1 166 (Ecuador respectively. At a reduced price (US$ 7 per dose, the cost per DALY averted ranged from US$ 327 (Honduras to US$ 528 (Ecuador and from US$ 281 (Honduras to US$ 456 (Ecuador for PCV10 and PCV13 respectively. Several model parameters influenced the results of the analysis, including vaccine price, vaccine efficacy, disease incidence, and costs. CONCLUSIONS: The economic impact of post-introduction PCV needs to be assessed in a context of uncertainty regarding changing antibiotic resistance, herd and serotype replacement effects, differential vaccine prices, and government budget constraints.

Post-introduction economic evaluation of pneumococcal conjugate vaccination in Ecuador, Honduras, and Paraguay.

Science.gov (United States)

Constenla, Dagna O

2015-11-01

A decision-analytic model was constructed to evaluate the economic impact of post-introduction pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) programs in Ecuador, Honduras, and Paraguay from the societal perspective. Hypothetical birth cohorts were followed for a 20-year period in each country. Estimates of disease burden, vaccine effectiveness, and health care costs were derived from primary and secondary data sources. Costs were expressed in 2014 US$. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the impact of model input uncertainties. Over the 20 years of vaccine program implementation, the health care costs per case ranged from US$ 764 854 to more than US$ 1 million. Vaccination prevented more than 50% of pneumococcal cases and deaths per country. At a cost of US$ 16 per dose, the cost per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted for the 10-valent PCV (PCV10) and the 13-valet PCV (PCV13) ranged from US$ 796 (Honduras) to US$ 1 340 (Ecuador) and from US$ 691 (Honduras) to US$ 1 166 (Ecuador) respectively. At a reduced price (US$ 7 per dose), the cost per DALY averted ranged from US$ 327 (Honduras) to US$ 528 (Ecuador) and from US$ 281 (Honduras) to US$ 456 (Ecuador) for PCV10 and PCV13 respectively. Several model parameters influenced the results of the analysis, including vaccine price, vaccine efficacy, disease incidence, and costs. The economic impact of post-introduction PCV needs to be assessed in a context of uncertainty regarding changing antibiotic resistance, herd and serotype replacement effects, differential vaccine prices, and government budget constraints.

Ground Motions Simulations and Site Effects in the Quito Basin (Ecuador)

Science.gov (United States)

Courboulex, F.; Castro-Cruz, D.; Laurendeau, A.; Bonilla, L. F.; Bertrand, E.; Mercerat, D.; Alvarado, A. P.

2017-12-01

The city of Quito (3M inhabitants), capital of Ecuador has been damaged several times in the past by large earthquakes. It is built on the hanging-wall of an active reverse fault, constituting a piggy-back basin. The deep structure of this basin and its seismic response remains badly known. We first use the recordings of 170 events on 18 accelerometers from the Quito permanent network and perform spectral ratio analysis. We find that the southern part of Quito shows strong site amplification at low frequency ( 0.35 Hz). Yet, high frequency ( 5 Hz) amplifications also exist, but exhibit a complex spatial variability. We then propose a new calibrated method based on empirical Green's functions (EGF) to simulate the ground motions due to a future earthquake in Quito. The idea is to use the results of a global database of source time functions (i.e., the SCARDEC database, Vallée and Douet, 2016; Courboulex et al., 2016) to define the average values and the variability of the stress-drop ratio parameter, which strongly affects the resulting simulations. We test the method on a Mw 7.8 event, similar in location and focal mechanism to the Pedernales earthquake that occurred on April 16th 2016 on the subduction zone. For this aim, we use the recordings of 6 aftershocks of magnitude 5.6 to 6.2 as EGF's. The predicted Fourier spectra, peak values and response spectra we obtain are in good agreement with real data from the 2016 event recorded on the Quito network. With the constraints we impose on stress-drop ratios, we expect that the simulated ground motions be representative of the variability of other Pedernales-type events that could occur in the future. Our results also well reproduce the low frequency site effects amplification in the south of the basin. This amplification could be particularly dangerous in the case of a mega subduction earthquake, like the one that struck Ecuador in 1906.

Elevational change in woody tissue CO2 efflux in a tropical mountain rain forest in southern Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zach, A.; Horna, V.; Leuschner, C.

2008-01-01

A study was conducted to quantify species-specific differences in wood tissue respiration in tropical mountain forests. The respiratory activity of stems and coarse roots were compared, and changes in stem and root respiration along an altitudinal span of 2000 m in a rain forest in Ecuador were analyzed. Stem and root carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) efflux of trees were investigated using an open gas exchange system while stand microclimate was also monitored. Results of the study demonstrated substantial variations in respiratory activity among the different species of trees. Mean daily CO 2 release rates declined, and mean daily CO 2 released from coarse roots decreased with altitude. Higher stem to coarse root respiration rates were observed at lower elevations. It was concluded that decreases in stem respiration coincided with a significant decrease in relative stem diameter increment and increases in fine and coarse root biomass production. 34 refs., 3 tabs., 3 figs

La Música Da Vida a Vida: Transverse Flute Music of Otavalo, Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Vallejo, Jessie M.

2014-01-01

This dissertation introduces an Andean transverse flute tradition of northernEcuador that has been routinely overlooked throughout a long history of scholarship published on the Otavalan region and its Kichwa–speaking inhabitants. Ethnographic data was collected through a variety of methods over the course of eight cumulative months of fieldwork in Ecuador, as well as an additional three and a half years during which I co–produced an album with flute masters from the Hatun Kotama ...

Psychological Distress and Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya Symptoms Following the 2016 Earthquake in Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M; Hargrave, Anita; Diaz, Avriel; Kenneson, Aileen; Madden, David; Romero, Moory M; Molina, Juan Pablo; Saltos, David Macias

2017-12-05

On 16 April 2016, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck coastal Ecuador, resulting in significant mortality and morbidity, damages to infrastructure, and psychological trauma. This event coincided with the first outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) and co-circulation with dengue virus (DENV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV). We tested whether the degree of psychological distress was associated with the presence of suspected DENV, CHIKV, ZIKV (DCZ) infections three months after the earthquake. In July 2016, 601 household members from four communities in Bahía de Caráquez, Manabí Province, Ecuador, were surveyed in a post-disaster health evaluation. Information was collected on demographics, physical damages and injuries, chronic diseases, self-reported psychological distress, and DCZ symptoms. We calculated the prevalence of arbovirus and distress symptoms by community. ANOVA was used to compare the mean number of psychological distress symptoms between people with versus without suspected DCZ infections by age, gender, community and the need to sleep outside of the home due to damages. The prevalence of suspected DCZ infections was 9.7% and the prevalence of psychological distress was 58.1%. The average number of psychological distress symptoms was significantly higher among people with suspected DCZ infections in the periurban community of Bella Vista, in women, in adults 40-64 years of age and in individuals not sleeping at home ( p < 0.05). The results of this study highlight the need to investigate the interactions between psychological distress and arboviral infections following natural disasters.

Structure of media and communication companies in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Coronel-Salas

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The lack of information about the media landscape in Ecuador has prompted the Department of Communication Sciences at the Private Technical University of Loja to map the country's media, production companies, and advertising and public relations agencies. The need for a database on communication issues is still latent in Ecuador. Some public and private agencies have made some contributions to the construction of physical or virtual repositories, but the data provided have been limited to basic, often outdated, contact information. Based on a sample of over one thousand media companies, this study describes their structure, legal and corporate organisation, geographical location, contents, reach, and provided services. This study is an approximation to the country’s media reality and is part of a wider research project entitled “Mapa de la Comunicación de Ecuador” (“Ecuador’s Media Map”.

The ;Sardinian cold-water coral province; in the context of the Mediterranean coral ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Taviani, M.; Angeletti, L.; Canese, S.; Cannas, R.; Cardone, F.; Cau, A.; Cau, A. B.; Follesa, M. C.; Marchese, F.; Montagna, P.; Tessarolo, C.

2017-11-01

A new cold-water coral (CWC) province has been identified in the Mediterranean Sea in the Capo Spartivento canyon system offshore the southern coast of Sardinia. The 'Sardinia cold-water coral province' is characterized in the Nora canyon by a spectacular coral growth dominated by the branching scleractinian Madrepora oculata at a depth of 380-460 m. The general biohermal frame is strengthened by the common occurrence of the solitary scleractinian Desmophyllum dianthus and the occasional presence of Lophelia pertusa. As documented by Remotely Operated Vehicle survey, this area is a hotspot of megafaunal diversity hosting among other also live specimens of the deep oyster Neopycnodonte zibrowii. The new coral province is located between the central Mediterranean CWC provinces (Bari Canyon, Santa Maria di Leuca, South Malta) and the western and northern ones (Melilla, Catalan-Provençal-Ligurian canyons). As for all the best developed CWC situations in the present Mediterranean Sea, the new Sardinian province is clearly influenced by Levantine Intermediate Water which appears to be a main driver for CWC distribution and viability in this basin.

[Mutant alleles associated to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethanime resistance in Plasmodium falciparum of the Ecuador-Peru and Ecuador-Colombia borders].

Science.gov (United States)

Arróspide, Nancy; Hijar-Guerra, Gisely; de Mora, Doménica; Diaz-Cortéz, César Eduardo; Veloz-Perez, Raúl; Gutierrez, Sonia; Cabezas-Sánchez, César

2014-04-01

The frequency of mutations in pfCRT and DHFR/DHPS genes of Plasmodium falciparum associated with resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine was evaluated in 83 strains from the districts of Esmeralda and Machala, located on the borders of Ecuador-Peru and Ecuador-Colombia in 2002. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), conventional and its variants, was used. Mutations in the pfCRT gene were found in more than 90% of the samples from Esmeralda and Machala. For the DHFR gene, 90% of the strains were mutant samples from Esmeralda, 3 were double mutations and 1 was a triple mutation. In Machala, 25% were simple mutant forms and 75% mixed mutant forms (wild forms/mutant). In conclusion, resistance to chloroquine has been fixed in strains carrying K76T pfCRT mutation, whereas genetic imprinting for resistance to pyrimethamine is evolving, particularly in the district of Esmeralda.

Sentinel surveillance of influenza-like-illness in two cities of the tropical country of Ecuador: 2006-2010.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard W Douce

Full Text Available Tropical countries are thought to play an important role in the global behavior of respiratory infections such as influenza. The tropical country of Ecuador has almost no documentation of the causes of acute respiratory infections. The objectives of this study were to identify the viral agents associated with influenza like illness (ILI in Ecuador, describe what strains of influenza were circulating in the region along with their epidemiologic characteristics, and perform molecular characterization of those strains.This is a prospective surveillance study of the causes of ILI based on viral culture of oropharyngeal specimens and case report forms obtained in hospitals from two cities of Ecuador over 4 years. Out of 1,702 cases of ILI, nine viral agents were detected in 597 patients. During the time of the study, seven genetic variants of influenza circulated in Ecuador, causing six periods of increased activity. There appeared to be more heterogeneity in the cause of ILI in the tropical city of Guayaquil when compared with the Andean city of Quito.This was the most extensive documentation of the viral causes of ILI in Ecuador to date. Influenza was a common cause of ILI in Ecuador, causing more than one outbreak per year. There was no well defined influenza season although there were periods of time when no influenza was detected alternating with epidemics of different variant strains.

New species of Triplocania Roesler ( Psocodea , ? Psocoptera ?, Ptiloneuridae ), from Brazil and Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Da Silva Neto, Alberto Moreira; Rafael, Jos? Albertino; Aldrete, Alfonso N. Garc?a

2015-01-01

Abstract Four species of Triplocania , three with M3 simple, based on male specimens and one with forewing M3 forked, based on male and female specimens, are here described and illustrated, namely: Triplocania bravoi sp. n. (Napo: Ecuador), Triplocania erwini sp. n. (Napo: Ecuador), Triplocania trifida sp. n. (Mato Grosso and Rond?nia: Brazil) and Triplocania lamasoides sp. n. (Rond?nia: Brazil). They differ from all the other species in the genus, in which the males are known, by the hypandr...

Continental breakup of the Central Atlantic and the initiation of the southern Central Atlantic Magmatic Province: revisiting the role of a mantle plume

Science.gov (United States)

Rohrman, M.

2017-12-01

Central Atlantic breakup is strongly associated with magmatism of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP), although the exact mechanism, as well as the temporal and spatial relations, have so far been poorly constrained. Here, I propose a mantle plume origin for the 200 Ma southern Central Atlantic Province (CAMP), based on an original plume conduit location off southeastern Florida, linking Early Jurassic rift systems: One rift arm is defined by the Takutu rift in present-day Guyana and Brazil, extending all the way past the Demerara Rise. This rift is linking up with a second arm from the Bahamas basin to the Blake Plateau basin. Finally, there is the third, failed rift between the Demerara Rise and the Guinea Plateau. This rift system post-dates earlier Triassic rift systems along the US eastcoast and in the subsurface of Arkansas, Texas, the Gulf of Mexico and northern South America. Chronostratigraphic analysis of outcrop, wells and seismic data near the proposed conduit, suggest initial Rhaetian uplift, followed by dike/sill intrusions feeding flood basalts and the initiation of igneous centers at the triple point. The latter resulted in various subsequent uplift and subsidence events, as a result of volcanic construction and erosion. The load of the volcanic edifice generated a point of weakness, allowing favorable plate stresses to generate rift systems, propagating away from the rift junction and eventually break up Pangea. The breakup is marked by the magmatic breakup (un)conformity on seismic data, separating hotspot/plume sourced Seaward Dipping reflectors (SDRs) within the continental rift system, from early ocean spreading sourced SDRs. As ocean spreading continued, the volcanic construction evolved into a hotspot track, now recognized as the Bahamas island trail. Time progression of this hotspot track resembles the present-day Iceland hotspot track, as suggested by plate reconstructions (Figure 1). Based on melting depth estimates from Sm

Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors associated with chronic conditions among older adults in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Guevara, Pilar Egüez; Andrade, Flávia Cristina Drumond

2015-09-01

To explore socioeconomic and lifestyle factors associated with the prevalence of self-reported chronic conditions among older adults in Ecuador. The sample was drawn from the nationally representative observational cross-sectional data of the Health, Well-Being, and Aging survey conducted in Ecuador in 2009. Logistic regression models were used to explore the association between socioeconomic and lifestyle factors and the prevalence of selected chronic conditions. Older women in Ecuador are more likely than men to have been previously diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and arthritis. Results suggest no difference by education or health insurance on number and type of self-reported chronic conditions. However, older adults who resided in the coastal area were more likely to report having diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke than those in the highlands. Living in rural areas was associated with lower odds of having diabetes and high blood pressure. Compared to white older adults, indigenous older adults were less likely to report having high blood pressure, but more likely to report having arthritis. Older age in Ecuador is marked by low educational levels and poverty. Female gender and living in coastal areas were associated with higher risks of self-reported chronic conditions.

Explaining judicial corruption in the courts of Chile, Peru and Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santiago Basabe-Serrano

2013-07-01

Full Text Available This article identifies the main variables that explain judicial corruption in Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. Improving the current methodological strategies used to measure judicial corruption and incorporating endogenous and exogenous variables in the model, this article argues that legal training of the judges, respect for the judicial career, and the fragmentation of political power explain different degrees of judicial corruption. Through a comparative diachronic and synchronic research design of Chile, Peru and Ecuador, the article shows institutional designs with more legal steps will be more inclined to illegal payments or other types of judicial corruption.

Indicators for Environment Health Risk Assessment in the Jiangsu Province of China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shujie; Wei, Zhengzheng; Liu, Wenliang; Yao, Ling; Suo, Wenyu; Xing, Jingjing; Huang, Bingzhao; Jin, Di; Wang, Jiansheng

2015-09-07

According to the framework of "Pressure-State-Response", this study established an indicator system which can reflect comprehensive risk of environment and health for an area at large scale. This indicator system includes 17 specific indicators covering social and economic development, pollution emission intensity, air pollution exposure, population vulnerability, living standards, medical and public health, culture and education. A corresponding weight was given to each indicator through Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Comprehensive risk assessment of the environment and health of 58 counties was conducted in the Jiangsu province, China, and the assessment result was divided into four types according to risk level. Higher-risk counties are all located in the economically developed southern region of Jiangsu province and relatively high-risk counties are located along the Yangtze River and Xuzhou County and its surrounding areas. The spatial distribution of relatively low-risk counties is dispersive, and lower-risk counties mainly located in the middle region where the economy is somewhat weaker in the province. The assessment results provide reasonable and scientific basis for Jiangsu province Government in formulating environment and health policy. Moreover, it also provides a method reference for the comprehensive risk assessment of environment and health within a large area (provinces, regions and countries).

First Record of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) in Ecuador Infesting Urban Citrus and Orange Jasmine Trees

Science.gov (United States)

Cornejo, J.F.; Chica, E.J.

2014-01-01

Abstract Adults and nymphs of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), were collected in the Guayaquil, Samborondón, and Durán cantons in coastal Ecuador. Psyllids were found in high numbers in citrus ( Citrus spp., Sapindales: Rutaceae) and orange jasmine ( Murraya exotica [L.] Jack, Sapindales: Rutaceae) trees within the Guayaquil-Samborondon-Duran conurbation; however, none was found during scoutings in the main citrus producing areas in coastal Ecuador. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of D. citri in Ecuador and the Pacific coastal plain of South America. PMID:25527601

The Social and Spatial Ecology of Dengue Presence and Burden during an Outbreak in Guayaquil, Ecuador, 2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine A. Lippi

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne arbovirus, is a major public health concern in Ecuador. In this study, we aimed to describe the spatial distribution of dengue risk and identify local social-ecological factors associated with an outbreak of dengue fever in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. We examined georeferenced dengue cases (n = 4248 and block-level census data variables to identify social-ecological risk factors associated with the presence/absence and burden of dengue in Guayaquil in 2012. Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA, specifically Anselin’s Local Moran’s I, and Moran’s I tests were used to locate hotspots of dengue transmission, and multimodel selection was used to identify covariates associated with dengue presence and burden at the census block level. We identified significant dengue transmission hotspots near the North Central and Southern portions of Guayaquil. Significant risk factors for presence of dengue included poor housing conditions, access to paved roads, and receipt of remittances. Counterintuitive positive correlations with dengue presence were observed with several municipal services such as garbage collection and access to piped water. Risk factors for increased burden of dengue included poor housing conditions, garbage collection, receipt of remittances, and sharing a property with more than one household. Social factors such as education and household demographics were negatively correlated with increased dengue burden. These findings elucidate underlying differences with dengue presence versus burden, and suggest that vulnerability and risk maps could be developed to inform dengue prevention and control; this is information that is also relevant for emerging epidemics of chikungunya and Zika viruses.

Petroleum: Social and economic effect in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Aguas Pután

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The present article presents the results of the research work related to the social and economic impact of the exploitation of oil in Ecuador, presents the reader with the methodologies that allowed obtaining the results and the most viable solution to the economic problems facing the country . The purpose of the investigative work is to propose a practical solution to the economic and social situation in the country, especially in the last years when the business started with the international oil companies which did not respect the agreement made by both parties that produced Negative consequences for the land, such as damages, contamination of the rivers, damage of the flora and fauna of the surroundings, it is considered that there were and there are economic fluctuations that have varied the economy and development of the fulfillment of the state budget and the breach of the same Towards social promises to the people of Ecuador, for not having the necessary provisions in the fall of the price of oil and this has its effect on the national budget.

[Social factors associated with use of prenatal care in Ecuador].

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Gómez, Amaya; Cevallos, William; Grijalva, Mario J; Silva-Ayçaguer, Luis C; Tamayo, Susana; Jacobson, Jerry O; Costales, Jaime A; Jiménez-Garcia, Rodrigo; Hernández-Barrera, Valentín; Serruya, Suzanne; Riera, Celia

2016-11-01

Prenatal care is a pillar of public health, enabling access to interventions including prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and congenital syphilis. This paper describes social factors related to use of prenatal care in Ecuador. In 2011 and 2012, participant clinical history and interview information was analyzed from a national probability sample of 5 998 women presenting for delivery or miscarriage services in 15 healthcare facilities in Ecuador, to estimate prevalence of HIV, syphilis, and Chagas disease, and prenatal care coverage. The study found that 94.1% of women had attended at least one prenatal visit, but that attendance at no less than four visits was 73.1%. Furthermore, lower educational level, greater number of pregnancies, occupation in the agriculture or livestock sector, and membership in ethnic indigenous, Afro-Ecuadorian, or other minority groups were factors associated with lack of use (no prenatal visits) or insufficient use of prenatal care (fewer than four visits or first visit at >20 weeks gestation) in Ecuador. These results point to persistence of marked inequalities in access to and use of prenatal health services attributable to socioeconomic factors and to the need to strengthen strategies to address them, to reach the goal of universal prenatal care coverage.

Globalization and local response to epidemiological overlap in 21st century Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waters William F

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Third World countries are confronted by a complex overlay of two sets of health problems. Traditional maladies, including communicable diseases, malnutrition, and environmental health hazards coexist with emerging health challenges, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and increasing levels of obesity. Using Ecuador as an example, this paper proposes a conceptual framework for linking epidemiologic overlap to emerging social structures and processes at the national and global levels. Discussion Epidemiologic trends can be seen as part of broader processes related to globalization, but this does not imply that globalization is a monolithic force that inevitably and uniformly affects nations, communities, and households in the same manner. Rather, characteristics and forms of social organization at the subnational level can shape the way that globalization takes place. Thus, globalization has affected Ecuador in specific ways and is, at the same time, intimately related to the form in which the epidemiologic transition has transpired in that country. Summary Ecuador is among neither the poorest nor the wealthiest countries and its situation may illuminate trends in other parts of the world. As in other countries, insertion into the global economy has not taken place in a vacuum; rather, Ecuador has experienced unprecedented social and demographic change in the past several decades, producing profound transformation in its social structure. Examples of local represent alternatives to centralized health systems that do not effectively address the complex overlay of traditional and emerging health problems.

[HIV/AIDS related mortality in southern Shanxi province and its risk factors].

Science.gov (United States)

Ning, Shaoping; Xue, Zidong; Wei, Jun; Mu, Shengcai; Xu, Yajuan; Jia, Shaoxian; Qiu, Chao; Xu, Jianqing

2015-03-01

To explore factors influencing mortality rate of HIV/AIDS and to improve the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART). By means of retrospective cohort study and the AIDS control information system, HIV/AIDS case reports and antiviral treatment information of 4 cities in southern Shanxi province up to end of December 2012 were selected, to calculate the mortality rate and treatment coverage based on further data collected, along with analysis using the Cox proportional hazards survival regression. 4 040 cases confirmed of HIV/AIDS were included in this study. The average age was (36.0 ± 12.9) years, with 65.3% being male, 56.5% being married, 73.5% having junior high school education or lower, 58.4% being peasants, 54.3% with sexually transmitted infection (40.1% were heterosexual, 14.2% were homosexual), and 38.9% were infected via blood transmission (20.2% were former plasma donors, 16.2% blood transfusion or products recipients, 2.4% were injection drug users). Overall mortality decreased from 40.2 per 100 person/year in 2004 to 6.3 per 100 person/year in 2012, with treatment coverage concomitantly increasing from almost 14.8% to 63.4%. Cox proportional hazards survival regression was used on 4 040 qualified cases, demonstrating the top mortality risk factor was without antiretroviral therapy (RR = 14.9, 95% CI: 12.7-17.4). Cox proportional hazards survival regression was made on 1 938 cases of antiviral treatment, demonstrating that the mortality risk of underweight or obese before treatment was higher than those of normal and overweight cases (RR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.6-4.5), and the mortality of those having a CD4(+) T-lymphocyte count ≤ 50 cells per µl before treatment was more than 50 cases (RR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.5-4.5); Cox proportional hazards survival regression was made on 2 102 cases of untreated cases, demonstrating the mortality risk of those initially diagnosed as AIDS was higher than those initially diagnosed as HIV (RR = 3.4, 95% CI: 2

The new reform educational in the Ecuador and its application in education special

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rocio Ernestina García Liscano

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The Ecuador over the years, the government of the citizen revolution has made drastic changes in the education system,with the aim of improving the quality of learning of Ecuadorians. This article is aimed at analyzing the educational reform in Ecuador from the new institutions of the country, which constitutes the government of Econ. Rafael Correa Delgado with the new educational model that began in January 2010, from this restructuring conducted an analysis of special education in our country, if considered in the reforms and if taken due importance concerning the preparation of disabled people. This analysis also helps to demonstrate what are the benefits generated by the educational reform within specialized educational units, based on the perspective of before and after, and as by their application has been made to strengthen the processes of quality improvement, relevance, equity and efficiency of special education in Ecuador.

The Central European, Tarim and Siberian Large Igneous Provinces, Late Palaeozoic orogeny and coeval metallogeny

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Boorder, H.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/098199056

2014-01-01

The formation of the Central European and Tarim Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs) in the Early Permian coincided with the demise of the Variscan and the Southern Tianshan orogens, respectively. The Early Triassic Siberian LIP was formed in the wake of the Western Altaid orogeny in the Late Permian.

Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) in Ecuador: Geographic Distribution, Population Size and Extinction Risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Naveda-Rodríguez, Adrián; Vargas, Félix Hernán; Kohn, Sebastián; Zapata-Ríos, Galo

2016-01-01

The Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) in Ecuador is classified as Critically Endangered. Before 2015, standardized and systematic estimates of geographic distribution, population size and structure were not available for this species, hampering the assessment of its current status and hindering the design and implementation of effective conservation actions. In this study, we performed the first quantitative assessment of geographic distribution, population size and population viability of Andean Condor in Ecuador. We used a methodological approach that included an ecological niche model to study geographic distribution, a simultaneous survey of 70 roosting sites to estimate population size and a population viability analysis (PVA) for the next 100 years. Geographic distribution in the form of extent of occurrence was 49 725 km2. During a two-day census, 93 Andean Condors were recorded and a population of 94 to 102 individuals was estimated. In this population, adult-to-immature ratio was 1:0.5. In the modeled PVA scenarios, the probability of extinction, mean time to extinction and minimum population size varied from zero to 100%, 63 years and 193 individuals, respectively. Habitat loss is the greatest threat to the conservation of Andean Condor populations in Ecuador. Population size reduction in scenarios that included habitat loss began within the first 15 years of this threat. Population reinforcement had no effects on the recovery of Andean Condor populations given the current status of the species in Ecuador. The population size estimate presented in this study is the lower than those reported previously in other countries where the species occur. The inferences derived from the population viability analysis have implications for Condor management in Ecuador. This study highlights the need to redirect efforts from captive breeding and population reinforcement to habitat conservation.

Government policies, inequality and basic needs in Ecuador.

OpenAIRE

Vos R

1985-01-01

ILO pub-WEP pub-PREALC pub. Working paper on development policy, basic needs and poverty in Ecuador - discusses economic policy, and access to public expenditure; argues that income redistribution does not necessarily result from rural area infrastructure, health service, housing and educational expenditure. References, statistical tables.

Security of IP Telephony in Ecuador: Online Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Estrada

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Telephony is a global service and thus telephone networks have been a coveted target for criminals. Now that voice can be transported over IP and that multiple services are integrated in a convergent model through Internet, there are more incentives to attack and more attackers. Moreover, the development of open source telephone applications has encouraged the massive use of IP telephony, but not an increased awareness about embedded security risks. Due to the current and intensive adoption of IP telephony systems in Ecuador, we conducted an exploration based on public information to obtain statistics about telephone systems connected to Internet in Ecuador. Additionally, using a deliberately vulnerable IP telephony system, we collected more data to do a preliminary analysis of threats to such systems. We found that hundreds of telephone systems were publicly available on the Internet and using outdated versions of Asterisk-based applications. We also found thousands of malicious interactions on the IP telephony system we deployed on the Internet.

Interruption of Infection Transmission in the Onchocerciasis Focus of Ecuador Leading to the Cessation of Ivermectin Distribution

Science.gov (United States)

Lovato, Raquel; Guevara, Angel; Guderian, Ronald; Proaño, Roberto; Unnasch, Thomas; Criollo, Hipatia; Hassan, Hassan K.; Mackenzie, Charles D.

2014-01-01

Introduction: A clinically significant endemic focus of onchocerciasis existing in Esmeraldas Province, coastal Ecuador has been under an ivermectin mass drug administration program since 1991. The main transmitting vector in this area is the voracious blackfly, Simulium exiguum. This paper describes the assessments made that support the decision to cease mass treatment. Methodology and Principle Findings: Thirty-five rounds of ivermectin treatment occurred between 1991–2009 with 29 of these carrying >85% coverage. Following the guidelines set by WHO for ceasing ivermectin distribution the impact on parasite transmission was measured in the two vector species by an O-150 PCR technique standard for assessing for the presence of Onchocerca volvulus. Up to seven collection sites in three major river systems were tested on four occasions between 1995 and 2008. The infectivity rates of 65.0 (CI 39–101) and 72.7 (CI 42–116) in 1995 dropped to zero at all seven collection sites by 2008. Assessment for the presence of antibodies against O. volvulus was made in 2001, 2006, 2007 and 2008 using standard ELISA assays for detecting anti-Ov16 antibodies. None of total of 1810 children aged 1–15 years (between 82 and 98% of children present in the surveyed villages) tested in the above years were found to be carrying antibodies to this antigen. These findings were the basis for the cessation of mass drug treatment with ivermectin in 2009. Significance: This fulfillment of the criteria for cessation of mass distribution of ivermectin in the only known endemic zone of onchocerciasis in Ecuador moves the country into the surveillance phase of official verification for national elimination of transmission of infection. These findings indicate that ivermectin given twice a year with greater than 85% of the community can move a program to the final stages of verification of transmission interruption. PMID:24853587

Interruption of infection transmission in the onchocerciasis focus of Ecuador leading to the cessation of ivermectin distribution.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raquel Lovato

2014-05-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: A clinically significant endemic focus of onchocerciasis existing in Esmeraldas Province, coastal Ecuador has been under an ivermectin mass drug administration program since 1991. The main transmitting vector in this area is the voracious blackfly, Simulium exiguum. This paper describes the assessments made that support the decision to cease mass treatment. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPLE FINDINGS: Thirty-five rounds of ivermectin treatment occurred between 1991-2009 with 29 of these carrying >85% coverage. Following the guidelines set by WHO for ceasing ivermectin distribution the impact on parasite transmission was measured in the two vector species by an O-150 PCR technique standard for assessing for the presence of Onchocerca volvulus. Up to seven collection sites in three major river systems were tested on four occasions between 1995 and 2008. The infectivity rates of 65.0 (CI 39-101 and 72.7 (CI 42-116 in 1995 dropped to zero at all seven collection sites by 2008. Assessment for the presence of antibodies against O. volvulus was made in 2001, 2006, 2007 and 2008 using standard ELISA assays for detecting anti-Ov16 antibodies. None of total of 1810 children aged 1-15 years (between 82 and 98% of children present in the surveyed villages tested in the above years were found to be carrying antibodies to this antigen. These findings were the basis for the cessation of mass drug treatment with ivermectin in 2009. SIGNIFICANCE: This fulfillment of the criteria for cessation of mass distribution of ivermectin in the only known endemic zone of onchocerciasis in Ecuador moves the country into the surveillance phase of official verification for national elimination of transmission of infection. These findings indicate that ivermectin given twice a year with greater than 85% of the community can move a program to the final stages of verification of transmission interruption.

Interruption of infection transmission in the onchocerciasis focus of Ecuador leading to the cessation of ivermectin distribution.

Science.gov (United States)

Lovato, Raquel; Guevara, Angel; Guderian, Ronald; Proaño, Roberto; Unnasch, Thomas; Criollo, Hipatia; Hassan, Hassan K; Mackenzie, Charles D

2014-05-01

A clinically significant endemic focus of onchocerciasis existing in Esmeraldas Province, coastal Ecuador has been under an ivermectin mass drug administration program since 1991. The main transmitting vector in this area is the voracious blackfly, Simulium exiguum. This paper describes the assessments made that support the decision to cease mass treatment. Thirty-five rounds of ivermectin treatment occurred between 1991-2009 with 29 of these carrying >85% coverage. Following the guidelines set by WHO for ceasing ivermectin distribution the impact on parasite transmission was measured in the two vector species by an O-150 PCR technique standard for assessing for the presence of Onchocerca volvulus. Up to seven collection sites in three major river systems were tested on four occasions between 1995 and 2008. The infectivity rates of 65.0 (CI 39-101) and 72.7 (CI 42-116) in 1995 dropped to zero at all seven collection sites by 2008. Assessment for the presence of antibodies against O. volvulus was made in 2001, 2006, 2007 and 2008 using standard ELISA assays for detecting anti-Ov16 antibodies. None of total of 1810 children aged 1-15 years (between 82 and 98% of children present in the surveyed villages) tested in the above years were found to be carrying antibodies to this antigen. These findings were the basis for the cessation of mass drug treatment with ivermectin in 2009. This fulfillment of the criteria for cessation of mass distribution of ivermectin in the only known endemic zone of onchocerciasis in Ecuador moves the country into the surveillance phase of official verification for national elimination of transmission of infection. These findings indicate that ivermectin given twice a year with greater than 85% of the community can move a program to the final stages of verification of transmission interruption.

Travel time tomography of the crust and the mantle beneath Ecuador from data of the national seismic network.

OpenAIRE

Araujo , Sebastián

2016-01-01

Although there have been numerous studies on the geodynamics and the tectonics in Ecuador based on the seismic activity, there has not been to date a comprehensive tomography study using the entire database of the National Seismic Network (RENSIG). Only a preliminary limited study was performed by Prevot et al. to infer a simple P velocity model in central Ecuador, and several profiles in the South-Colombian-Ecuador margin were also investigated by using travel time inversion of wide-angle se...

Petróleo, desarrollo y naturaleza: aproximaciones a un escenario de ampliación de las fronteras extractivas hacia la Amazonía suroriente en el Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivette Vallejo

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the expansion of extractive frontiers in the southeastern region of Ecuador, with the bidding for oil blocksaround XI Round Oil. It presents the results of a research done 2013-2014, which aimed to analyze the bonds between extractiveand developmental policies and their effects on indigenous people’s territorial dynamics. The research included interviewing leaders ofindigenous organizations and government officials in the province of Pastaza, conducting thematic forums and monitoring of key events(forums, plus reviewing documentary sources. This article describes government policies that strengthen the developmental cosmography and coloniality of nature in the Amazon, and cause setbacks in the implementation of collective rights, while various positions,narratives and indigenous people agency activated conflicts around the control over territory and resources.

Review of existing species of fruit flies in Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tigrero, Juan

1998-01-01

This study was carried out since 1990 to 1997. The goal was to figure out different species of fruit fly that inhabit in Ecuador. For the identification we put special emphasis in the female genitalia. We recommend to do more research into this subject, because of the few studies done in our country and the importance of fruit cultivation. We mention 32 genus in the family Tephritidae in Ecuador, including the introduced genus Ceratitis. Into Toxotrypaninae are pointing out the presence of one specie of the Toxotrypana genus and 31 species of the Anastrepha genus, detailing brilly the 27 species most common. General notions about taxonomic bases are mentioned in order to identify species of the Anastrepha Schiner, pointing out certain fenotipic characteristics that prove variability among the ecuadorian's population, mainly A. fraterculus, A. distincta, A. obliqua, A. striata, and others. (The author)

Ecology, Distribution, Harvest, and Conservation of the Amazonian Manatee Trichechus inunguis in Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Timm, Robert; Albuja Viteri, Luis Humberto; Clauson, Barbara

1986-01-01

Se da aconocer los recientes sumarios de la distribución de los manatíes amazónicos Trichechus inunguis registran especímenes de la mayor parte de la cuenca amazónica en Brasil, el oriente de Perú, y el suroriente de Colombia, pero no de Ecuador. Durante octubre y noviembre de 1983 nosotros fuimos en busca de manatíes en los sistemas de los ríos Aguarico y Cuyabeno de la Provincia del Napo, Ecuador oriental.

Intersectoral Transfer, Growth, and Inequality in Rural Ecuador

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elbers, C.T.M.; Lanjouw, P.F.

2001-01-01

In this paper we study intersectoral transfer and its impact on the distribution of income in Ecuador. We find that income shares between farm and nonfarm activities are roughly equal, on average, although the rich in rural areas typically receive a greater share of income from nonfarm sources. Thus

Teacher Disempowerment in the Education System of Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Fajardo-Dack, Tammy M.

2016-01-01

A profound and systemic education change requires taking into consideration the several factors that intervene, particularly, and most importantly, the role of the teacher. Ecuador, since 2009 has been immersed in constant changes to achieve an educational transformation; however, nothing has been invested in the professional development of…

Práctica intercultural de los becarios de La Fundación Hanns Seidel - Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Llasag, Milton

2001-01-01

Intercultural practice Fellows the Hanns Seidel Foundation - Ecuador. Problem Statement. Delimitation of the problem. Social-organizational processes of indigenous peoples. Consideracioens osciales and indigenous economic sector. The indigenous movement and intercultural approach. The Hanns Seidel Foundation. Mission. Bases overseas development policy. Development aid and cultural policy. The Hanns Seidel Foundation inthe Ecuador. Fellows of the Foundation and its contribution to the construc...

Is the US Investing Wisely in Latin America? Let Us Take a Closer Look at Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

2009-04-01

voluntad política del Ecuador para profundizar los lazos con Iran”, www.elciudadano.gov.ec 74 Ibid 75 CRS Report for Congress, “Venezuela: Political...www.elciudadano.gov.ec, January 9, 2009. El Ciudadano. “Presidente Correa destacó la voluntad política del Ecuador para profundizar los lazos con

Primary healthcare providers' views on improving sexual and reproductive healthcare for adolescents in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Nicaragua

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jaruseviciene, L.; Orozco, M.; Ibarra, M.

2013-01-01

Objectives: To elicit the views of primary healthcare providers from Bolivia, Ecuador, and Nicaragua on how adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) care in their communities can be improved. Methods: Overall, 126 healthcare providers (46 from Bolivia, 39 from Ecuador, and 41 from Nicarag...

The Perception of the Influence Factors of Journalists in the Journalistic Culture of Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martín Oller

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This article presents the results of the Journalistic Culture of Ecuador Project (CPE on the perception of the influence factors of journalists in Ecuador. These influences are studied because they determine the ideologies and the professional practices of journalists concerning internal consistency and development in relation to the context. These influences come from internal (actor and institutional level and external (system level levels. This qualitative/quantitative study was conducted through in-depth interviews with 31 journalists from 6 media companies in Ecuador during the first half of 2014. The results show that journalists interviewed perceive greater influence within their newsrooms and the immediate environment, but also from the media legislation of the Government, the audience or the public, the news sources and Government or their representatives determine their daily work.

Olivine Major and Trace Element Compositions in Southern Payenia Basalts, Argentina

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søager, Nina; Portnyagin, Maxim; Hoernle, Kaj

2015-01-01

Olivine major and trace element compositions from 12 basalts from the southern Payenia volcanic province in Argentina have been analyzed by electron microprobe and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The olivines have high Fe/Mn and low Ca/Fe and many fall at the end of t...

Sentinel Surveillance of Influenza-Like-Illness in Two Cities of the Tropical Country of Ecuador: 2006–2010

Science.gov (United States)

Douce, Richard W.; Aleman, Washington; Chicaiza-Ayala, Wilson; Madrid, Cesar; Sovero, Merly; Delgado, Franklin; Rodas, Mireya; Ampuero, Julia; Chauca, Gloria; Perez, Juan; Garcia, Josefina; Kochel, Tadeusz; Halsey, Eric S.; Laguna-Torres, V. Alberto

2011-01-01

Background Tropical countries are thought to play an important role in the global behavior of respiratory infections such as influenza. The tropical country of Ecuador has almost no documentation of the causes of acute respiratory infections. The objectives of this study were to identify the viral agents associated with influenza like illness (ILI) in Ecuador, describe what strains of influenza were circulating in the region along with their epidemiologic characteristics, and perform molecular characterization of those strains. Methodology/Findings This is a prospective surveillance study of the causes of ILI based on viral culture of oropharyngeal specimens and case report forms obtained in hospitals from two cities of Ecuador over 4 years. Out of 1,702 cases of ILI, nine viral agents were detected in 597 patients. During the time of the study, seven genetic variants of influenza circulated in Ecuador, causing six periods of increased activity. There appeared to be more heterogeneity in the cause of ILI in the tropical city of Guayaquil when compared with the Andean city of Quito. Conclusions/Significance This was the most extensive documentation of the viral causes of ILI in Ecuador to date. Influenza was a common cause of ILI in Ecuador, causing more than one outbreak per year. There was no well defined influenza season although there were periods of time when no influenza was detected alternating with epidemics of different variant strains. PMID:21887216

LBA-ECO LC-01 National, Provincial, and Park Boundaries, Ecuador

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data set contains the national and provincial boundaries of Ecuador as well as the boundaries of two national parks: the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve and the...

LBA-ECO LC-01 National, Provincial, and Park Boundaries, Ecuador

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ABSTRACT: This data set contains the national and provincial boundaries of Ecuador as well as the boundaries of two national parks: the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve and...

Monthly prevalence and diversity of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae in Fars Province, Southern Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davood Keshavarzi

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Objective: To get new data about the ecology of mosquitoes, which would be valuable to develop programs for future provision of mosquito controls in the study area. Methods: During April to September 2012, larvae of mosquitoes were collected from six counties in south of Fars Province using dipping method. Characteristics of larval breeding places were considered based on water conditions. Species diversity was examined in terms of alpha and beta measures, with the intent of comparing mosquito diversity according to the typology of regions. Results: During this investigation, totally, 5 057 larvae of mosquitoes belonging to 5 genera and 17 different mosquito species were recognized, namely, Anopheles dthali, Anopheles fluviatilis, Anopheles stephensi, Anopheles superpictus, Culex quinquefasciatus (Cx. quinquefasciatus, Culex mimeticus, Culex perexiguus, Culex pipiens (Cx. pipiens, Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Culex theileri (Cx. theileri, Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Culex sinaiticus, Culex torrentium, Culex modestus, Ochlerotatus caspius, Culiseta longiareolata and Aedes vexans (Ae. vexans. This is the first record of Ae. vexans, Culex perexiguus and Culex modestus in the Province. Cx. pipiens (27.3%, Cx. theileri (15.9% and Cx. quinquefasciatus (9.4% were the most abundant species found respectively. Cx. pipiens reached the highest density in August and July, while Cx. theileri, Cx. quinquefasciatus and Ae. vexans were found in high numbers in June. Diversity analysis indicated the highest species diversity in the Mohr County (Margalef index of 1.41 and Shannon index of 1.7 and the lowest species diversity in the Lamerd County (Margalef index of 0.33 and Shannon index of 0.38. Conclusions: Regarding to this research, there are some potential vectors of medical and veterinary importance in Fars Province. Results of the present study may serve as a basis for risk assessment of emerging mosquito-borne diseases.

Distribution and phenology of ixodid ticks in southern Zambia.

Science.gov (United States)

Speybroeck, N; Madder, M; Van Den Bossche, P; Mtambo, J; Berkvens, N; Chaka, G; Mulumba, M; Brandt, J; Tirry, L; Berkvens, D

2002-12-01

Distribution data for epidemiologically important ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in the Southern Province of Zambia, one of the main cattle areas of the country, are presented. Boophilus microplus (Canestrini) was not recorded in southern Zambia, whereas Boophilus decoloratus (Koch) is present throughout the area. New distribution patterns for less economically important ixodid ticks are also discussed. Southern Zambia is a transition zone because it is the most northern area in Africa where mixed Rhipicephalus appendiculatus Neumann and Rhipicephalus zambeziensis Walker, Norval & Corwin populations were reported. Although a second generation of adult R. appendiculatus/R. zamnbeziensis was encountered, simulations indicated that this phenomenon is very rare in southern Zambia, mainly because of the colder temperatures during the early dry season and lower rainfall. These simulations were supported by a development trial under experimental conditions. Tick body size measurements showed that southern Zambian ticks are larger than eastern Zambian R. appendiculatus. It is hypothesized that body size is related to diapausing intensity in this species. The epidemiological consequences are that a different approach to control Theileria parva (Theiler) (Piroplasmida: Theileriidae) and other tick-borne diseases is needed in southern Zambia, compared to the one adopted in eastern Zambia.

Asymptomatic Leishmania Infected Children: A Seroprevalence and Molecular Survey in a Rural Area of Fars Province, Southern Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akram Layegh Gigloo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The current study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of visceral leishmaniasis in asymptomatic healthy children in a rural area of Fars province, Southern Iran. Blood samples were taken from 617 asymptomatic healthy children and serum samples along with buffy coat were separated from the blood. The serum samples were assessed for antibodies against Leishmania infantum by an indirect ELISA and the buffy coats were tested for the presence of L. infantum DNA by molecular method. Of the 617 recruited children, 297 (48.1% were female and 317 (51.4% were male. Anti-Leishmania antibodies were detected in 17 (2.8% of the children. From those 17 seropositive cases, 5 (29.4% were male and 12 (70.6% cases were female. Children aged 5–8 years had the highest seroprevalence rate; however, no associations were found between seropositivity to Leishmania and gender or age of the children. Moreover, L. infantum DNA was detected in buffy coat of 8 (1.3% of 617 children. Three of the PCR-positive cases were seropositive whereas 14 of seropositive subjects (82.3% were PCR-negative. Findings of the current study revealed a considerable subclinical leishmanial infection in children in the studied rural area in the south of Iran. Results of the current study could be used for surveillance, prevention, and control of VL in the area.

The United States Air Force and Humanitarian Airlift Operations 1947-1994

Science.gov (United States)

1998-01-01

Ecuador . Aftershocks in southern Ecuador on December 10 compounded the destruction in cities and villages such as Loja , Cariamango, Celica, and Alamor... Ecuador . Date(s): August 10–19, 1949. Emergency: An earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale struck central Ecuador . Air Force Organization(s...Operations: A severe earthquake registering 7.5 on the Richter scale struck the high valleys of central Ecuador in the Andes on Thursday, August 4

Phylogeography of recently emerged DENV-2 in southern Viet Nam.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maia A Rabaa

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Revealing the dispersal of dengue viruses (DENV in time and space is central to understanding their epidemiology. However, the processes that shape DENV transmission patterns at the scale of local populations are not well understood, particularly the impact of such factors as human population movement and urbanization. Herein, we investigated trends in the spatial dynamics of DENV-2 transmission in the highly endemic setting of southern Viet Nam. Through a phylogeographic analysis of 168 full-length DENV-2 genome sequences obtained from hospitalized dengue cases from 10 provinces in southern Viet Nam, we reveal substantial genetic diversity in both urban and rural areas, with multiple lineages identified in individual provinces within a single season, and indicative of frequent viral migration among communities. Focusing on the recently introduced Asian I genotype, we observed particularly high rates of viral exchange between adjacent geographic areas, and between Ho Chi Minh City, the primary urban center of this region, and populations across southern Viet Nam. Within Ho Chi Minh City, patterns of DENV movement appear consistent with a gravity model of virus dispersal, with viruses traveling across a gradient of population density. Overall, our analysis suggests that Ho Chi Minh City may act as a source population for the dispersal of DENV across southern Viet Nam, and provides further evidence that urban areas of Southeast Asia play a primary role in DENV transmission. However, these data also indicate that more rural areas are also capable of maintaining virus populations and hence fueling DENV evolution over multiple seasons.

Phylogeography of recently emerged DENV-2 in southern Viet Nam.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabaa, Maia A; Ty Hang, Vu Thi; Wills, Bridget; Farrar, Jeremy; Simmons, Cameron P; Holmes, Edward C

2010-07-27

Revealing the dispersal of dengue viruses (DENV) in time and space is central to understanding their epidemiology. However, the processes that shape DENV transmission patterns at the scale of local populations are not well understood, particularly the impact of such factors as human population movement and urbanization. Herein, we investigated trends in the spatial dynamics of DENV-2 transmission in the highly endemic setting of southern Viet Nam. Through a phylogeographic analysis of 168 full-length DENV-2 genome sequences obtained from hospitalized dengue cases from 10 provinces in southern Viet Nam, we reveal substantial genetic diversity in both urban and rural areas, with multiple lineages identified in individual provinces within a single season, and indicative of frequent viral migration among communities. Focusing on the recently introduced Asian I genotype, we observed particularly high rates of viral exchange between adjacent geographic areas, and between Ho Chi Minh City, the primary urban center of this region, and populations across southern Viet Nam. Within Ho Chi Minh City, patterns of DENV movement appear consistent with a gravity model of virus dispersal, with viruses traveling across a gradient of population density. Overall, our analysis suggests that Ho Chi Minh City may act as a source population for the dispersal of DENV across southern Viet Nam, and provides further evidence that urban areas of Southeast Asia play a primary role in DENV transmission. However, these data also indicate that more rural areas are also capable of maintaining virus populations and hence fueling DENV evolution over multiple seasons.

Contested discourses, knowledge, and socio-environmental conflict in Ecuador

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buchanan, K.S.

2013-01-01

This paper explores how multiple types of knowledge – epistemic, technical, and anecdotal – are combined and used discursively within the claim-making process of a long-running socio-environmental conflict concerning copper extraction and its threat to biodiversity conservation in Ecuador's Intag

Information and Communication Technologies and Social Mobilization: The Case of the Indigenous Movement in Ecuador, 2007-2011

Science.gov (United States)

Green-Barber, Lindsay N.

2012-01-01

Over the last three decades Indigenous people in Ecuador have faced government policies threatening their internationally recognized Indigenous human rights. Although a national social movement emerged in Ecuador in 1990, the level of mobilization has since varied. This dissertation project proposes to address the question, under what conditions…

International Briefing 36: Training and Development in Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez-Anormaliza, Richard; Llinàs-Audet, Xavier; Sabaté, Ferran

2017-01-01

This article examines educational policies in Ecuador. It outlines the main features of the education and training systems, and analyses the impact on productivity and national development. The efforts made by various national authorities to strengthen and encourage education at all levels is evident, as well as efforts to boost productivity by…

Social activity’s in four Savings and Credit Cooperatives from Pichincha, Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Andreina García Tenorio

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The social cooperative management is articulated to the social groups linked to the cooperatives by the intention of looking for a collective benefit. The social management finds immersed in the social cooperative responsibility is practised across all the acts that a cooperative company realizes orientated to the well-being of his partners and hard-working. It has to see with the voluntary integration on the part of the companies of the social and environmental worries in the relations with each of his groups of interest; from the employees, as fundamental assets of the organization; up to the clients, suppliers, public power, and the company in his set. For it the aim of the investigation was evaluated the performance of the Social Management of four cooperatives of saving and credit of the province Bargain, Ecuador. The investigation is of type descriptive-correlacional and the used methods are theoretical and empirical. His analysis I throw as results and / or conclusions that the cooperatives possess a budget for the social management, but, the participation of the partners in the process of definition and approval of the above mentioned budget is not definite well, in addition on having checked the activities that realize the cooperatives as part of the social management, one determined that these do not satisfy the needs of the social groups.

Publicaciones feministas en el Ecuador: Caracola y El Ágora de las mujeres Feminist's publications in el Ecuador: El Ágora de las mujeres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Cuvi-Sánchez

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Este ensayo se refiere a Caracola y El Ágora de las Mujeres, dos publicaciones feministas que circulan en El Ecuador. La primera es una revista impresa y trimestral que apareció en marzo de 2001; la segunda es una página que se distribuyó por correo eléctrico durante el 2002 y el 2003.En el ensayo se plantean los objetivos de estas publicaciones, se describe la acogida que han tenido entre la audiencia que han captado, y los desafios que ambos medios de comunicación enfrentan. Dos son las preocupaciones principales de la autora: Cómo elevar la audibilidad de los discursos feministas en el medio ecuatoriano y cómo erosionar el pensamiento androcéntrico que domina las ciencias, la literatura y el arte en ese país.This essay is about Caracola y El Ágora de las Mujeres, two feminist's publications that circulate in Ecuador. The first is a published paper journal that comes out every three months, it first appeared in March 2001; the second was as on-line webzine that appeared between 2002 and 2003. This essay talks about the objectives of both these publications, it describes their reception and the challenges they fac.e The author's intentions are twofold: how to make feminist discourses heard in Ecuador and how to erode the androcentric line of thought that dominates the sciences, literature and art in this country.

Eduardo Solá Franco, Wilson Paccha, Transtango: estrategias de las masculinidades en Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Vega Suriaga, Edgar

2014-01-01

La presente tesis doctoral titulada "Eduardo Solá Franco, Wilson Paccha, Transtango: estrategias de las masculinidades en Ecuador" plantea las dificultades, posibilidades y límites de la representación de las masculinidades en las artes plásticas y en el arte contemporáneo en Ecuador. Para ello, en un primer capítulo se propone un análisis de las masculinidades contemporáneas como resultado de la emergencia del sujeto masculino moderno decimonónico. En ese análisis, se plantea que en el siglo...

On the distribution of Rostkovia magellanica (Juncaceae) - a species newly rediscovered in Ecuador

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balslev, Henrik

1979-01-01

Rostkovia magellanica has hitherto been considered a species of Patagonia and the subantarctic islands from New Zealand to South Georgia. An old report from Ecuador has been considered erroneous, but it has now been rediscovered there. Brief notes on the ecology of the species are given, and the ......Rostkovia magellanica has hitherto been considered a species of Patagonia and the subantarctic islands from New Zealand to South Georgia. An old report from Ecuador has been considered erroneous, but it has now been rediscovered there. Brief notes on the ecology of the species are given...

Hydrothermal alteration maps of the central and southern Basin and Range province of the United States compiled from Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data

Science.gov (United States)

Mars, John L.

2013-01-01

Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data and Interactive Data Language (IDL) logical operator algorithms were used to map hydrothermally altered rocks in the central and southern parts of the Basin and Range province of the United States. The hydrothermally altered rocks mapped in this study include (1) hydrothermal silica-rich rocks (hydrous quartz, chalcedony, opal, and amorphous silica), (2) propylitic rocks (calcite-dolomite and epidote-chlorite mapped as separate mineral groups), (3) argillic rocks (alunite-pyrophyllite-kaolinite), and (4) phyllic rocks (sericite-muscovite). A series of hydrothermal alteration maps, which identify the potential locations of hydrothermal silica-rich, propylitic, argillic, and phyllic rocks on Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) band 7 orthorectified images, and geographic information systems shape files of hydrothermal alteration units are provided in this study.

Health Risk Assessment of Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr in Drinking Water in some Wells and Springs of Shush and Andimeshk, Khuzestan Province, Southern Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamad Sakizadeh

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background: In the current study,the hazard quotient, the hazard index (HI and spatial variations of Fe,Mn,Cu and Cr in drinking water sources of Andimesk-Shush, Khuzestan Province, Southern Iranaquifer were assessed. Methods: We compared theconcentrations of aforementioned heavy metals in wells and springs inAndimeshk and Shush regions. The non-carcinogenic risk assessment of heavy metals was implemented usingUnited States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA index.The spatial maps in the area were developed by geostatistical methods. Results: Mean concentrations of heavy metals in groundwater sources of the study area in decreasing order was as follows: Cu >Mn> Fe> Cr. Except for iron,mean heavy metal concentrations were higher than the standard levels. Manganese concentration in 41.5% of the samples exceeded the permissible limits. Copper was higher than the safety limit in 74% of the samples, and chromium in 54% of the cases. The spatial pattern of heavy metals concentrations indicated higher concentrations in the southern parts of the region. The mean hazard quotients of most samples for the four heavy metals were lower than one, indicating that there was no immediate threat due to the exposure to these heavy metals. The calculated accumulated hazards of these heavy metals produced different results, with hazard indices of higher than one. Conclusion: The accumulated hazard indicesfor the evaluated metals were higher than one, indicating that chronic ingestion of these waters threatens the health of local consumers on the long run.

Tackling Complex Inequalities and Ecuador's Buen Vivir: Leaving No-one Behind and equality in diversity

OpenAIRE

Radcliffe, Sarah Anne

2017-01-01

Ecuador's postneoliberal policy of Buen Vivir seeks to reduce social inequality and tackle complex disadvantages associated with gender, location, race-ethnicity and other social differences. The paper analyses governmental Buen Vivir policy thinking and institutional arrangements to explore how Buen Vivir frameworks approach the constitutional commitment to equality in diversity, in light of the global Sustainable Development Goal of "Leaving No-one Behind" (LNOB). In many respects Ecuador ...

Successful malaria elimination in the Ecuador-Peru border region: epidemiology and lessons learned.

Science.gov (United States)

Krisher, Lyndsay K; Krisher, Jesse; Ambuludi, Mariano; Arichabala, Ana; Beltrán-Ayala, Efrain; Navarrete, Patricia; Ordoñez, Tania; Polhemus, Mark E; Quintana, Fernando; Rochford, Rosemary; Silva, Mercy; Bazo, Juan; Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M

2016-11-28

In recent years, malaria (Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum) has been successfully controlled in the Ecuador-Peru coastal border region. The aim of this study was to document this control effort and to identify the best practices and lessons learned that are applicable to malaria control and to other vector-borne diseases. A proximal outcome evaluation was conducted of the robust elimination programme in El Oro Province, Ecuador, and the Tumbes Region, Peru. Data collection efforts included a series of workshops with local public health experts who played central roles in the elimination effort, review of epidemiological records from Ministries of Health, and a review of national policy documents. Key programmatic and external factors are identified that determined the success of this eradication effort. From the mid 1980s until the early 2000s, the region experienced a surge in malaria transmission, which experts attributed to a combination of ineffective anti-malarial treatment, social-ecological factors (e.g., El Niño, increasing rice farming, construction of a reservoir), and political factors (e.g., reduction in resources and changes in management). In response to the malaria crisis, local public health practitioners from El Oro and Tumbes joined together in the mid-1990s to forge an unofficial binational collaboration for malaria control. Over the next 20 years, they effectively eradicated malaria in the region, by strengthening surveillance and treatment strategies, sharing of resources, operational research to inform policy, and novel interventions. The binational collaboration at the operational level was the fundamental component of the successful malaria elimination programme. This unique relationship created a trusting, open environment that allowed for flexibility, rapid response, innovation and resilience in times of crisis, and ultimately a sustainable control programme. Strong community involvement, an extensive microscopy network and

Ecological and Geographical Analysis of the Distribution of the Mountain Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in Ecuador: Importance of Protected Areas in Future Scenarios of Global Warming

Science.gov (United States)

Ortega-Andrade, H. Mauricio; Prieto-Torres, David A.; Gómez-Lora, Ignacio; Lizcano, Diego J.

2015-01-01

In Ecuador, Tapirus pinchaque is considered to be critically endangered. Although the species has been registered in several localities, its geographic distribution remains unclear, and the effects of climate change and current land uses on this species are largely unknown. We modeled the ecological niche of T. pinchaque using MaxEnt, in order to assess its potential adaptation to present and future climate change scenarios. We evaluated the effects of habitat loss due by current land use, the ecosystem availability and importance of Ecuadorian System of Protected Areas into the models. The model of environmental suitability estimated an extent of occurrence for species of 21,729 km2 in all of Ecuador, mainly occurring along the corridor of the eastern Ecuadorian Andes. A total of 10 Andean ecosystems encompassed ~98% of the area defined by the model, with herbaceous paramo, northeastern Andean montane evergreen forest and northeastern Andes upper montane evergreen forest being the most representative. When considering the effect of habitat loss, a significant reduction in model area (~17%) occurred, and the effect of climate change represented a net reduction up to 37.86%. However, the synergistic effect of both climate change and habitat loss, given current land use practices, could represent a greater risk in the short-term, leading to a net reduction of 19.90 to 44.65% in T. pinchaque’s potential distribution. Even under such a scenarios, several Protected Areas harbor a portion (~36 to 48%) of the potential distribution defined by the models. However, the central and southern populations are highly threatened by habitat loss and climate change. Based on these results and due to the restricted home range of T. pinchaque, its preference for upland forests and paramos, and its small estimated population size in the Andes, we suggest to maintaining its current status as Critically Endangered in Ecuador. PMID:25798851

Ecological and geographical analysis of the distribution of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque in Ecuador: importance of protected areas in future scenarios of global warming.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H Mauricio Ortega-Andrade

Full Text Available In Ecuador, Tapirus pinchaque is considered to be critically endangered. Although the species has been registered in several localities, its geographic distribution remains unclear, and the effects of climate change and current land uses on this species are largely unknown. We modeled the ecological niche of T. pinchaque using MaxEnt, in order to assess its potential adaptation to present and future climate change scenarios. We evaluated the effects of habitat loss due by current land use, the ecosystem availability and importance of Ecuadorian System of Protected Areas into the models. The model of environmental suitability estimated an extent of occurrence for species of 21,729 km2 in all of Ecuador, mainly occurring along the corridor of the eastern Ecuadorian Andes. A total of 10 Andean ecosystems encompassed ~98% of the area defined by the model, with herbaceous paramo, northeastern Andean montane evergreen forest and northeastern Andes upper montane evergreen forest being the most representative. When considering the effect of habitat loss, a significant reduction in model area (~17% occurred, and the effect of climate change represented a net reduction up to 37.86%. However, the synergistic effect of both climate change and habitat loss, given current land use practices, could represent a greater risk in the short-term, leading to a net reduction of 19.90 to 44.65% in T. pinchaque's potential distribution. Even under such a scenarios, several Protected Areas harbor a portion (~36 to 48% of the potential distribution defined by the models. However, the central and southern populations are highly threatened by habitat loss and climate change. Based on these results and due to the restricted home range of T. pinchaque, its preference for upland forests and paramos, and its small estimated population size in the Andes, we suggest to maintaining its current status as Critically Endangered in Ecuador.

Ecological and geographical analysis of the distribution of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in Ecuador: importance of protected areas in future scenarios of global warming.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortega-Andrade, H Mauricio; Prieto-Torres, David A; Gómez-Lora, Ignacio; Lizcano, Diego J

2015-01-01

In Ecuador, Tapirus pinchaque is considered to be critically endangered. Although the species has been registered in several localities, its geographic distribution remains unclear, and the effects of climate change and current land uses on this species are largely unknown. We modeled the ecological niche of T. pinchaque using MaxEnt, in order to assess its potential adaptation to present and future climate change scenarios. We evaluated the effects of habitat loss due by current land use, the ecosystem availability and importance of Ecuadorian System of Protected Areas into the models. The model of environmental suitability estimated an extent of occurrence for species of 21,729 km2 in all of Ecuador, mainly occurring along the corridor of the eastern Ecuadorian Andes. A total of 10 Andean ecosystems encompassed ~98% of the area defined by the model, with herbaceous paramo, northeastern Andean montane evergreen forest and northeastern Andes upper montane evergreen forest being the most representative. When considering the effect of habitat loss, a significant reduction in model area (~17%) occurred, and the effect of climate change represented a net reduction up to 37.86%. However, the synergistic effect of both climate change and habitat loss, given current land use practices, could represent a greater risk in the short-term, leading to a net reduction of 19.90 to 44.65% in T. pinchaque's potential distribution. Even under such a scenarios, several Protected Areas harbor a portion (~36 to 48%) of the potential distribution defined by the models. However, the central and southern populations are highly threatened by habitat loss and climate change. Based on these results and due to the restricted home range of T. pinchaque, its preference for upland forests and paramos, and its small estimated population size in the Andes, we suggest to maintaining its current status as Critically Endangered in Ecuador.

Detection and occurrence of Melon yellow spot virus in Ecuador: an emergent threat to melon and watermelon production

Science.gov (United States)

Worldwide, more than fifty viruses have been reported in cucurbit crops. In Ecuador, approximately 3000 Ha of watermelon, melon and cucumbers are cultivated annually. However, very few studies have been conducted to identify viruses responsible for important epidemics in this crop in Ecuador. During...

Systematics of the Osteocephalus buckleyi species complex (Anura, Hylidae) from Ecuador and Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Ron, Santiago R.; Venegas, Pablo J.; Toral, Eduardo; Morley Read; Diego A. Ortiz; Manzano, Andrea L.

2012-01-01

Abstract We present a new phylogeny, based on DNA sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear genes, for frogs of the genus Osteocephalus with emphasis in the Osteocephalus buckleyi species complex. Genetic, morphologic, and advertisement call data are combined to define species boundaries and describe new species. The phylogeny shows strong support for: (1) a basal position of Osteocephalus taurinus + Osteocephalus oophagus, (2) a clade containing phytotelmata breeding species, and (3) a clade that corresponds to the Osteocephalus buckleyi species complex. Our results document a large proportion of hidden diversity within a set of populations that were previously treated as a single, widely distributed species, Osteocephalus buckleyi. Individuals assignable to Osteocephalus buckleyi formed a paraphyletic group relative to Osteocephalus verruciger and Osteocephalus cabrerai and contained four species, one of which is Osteocephalus buckleyi sensu stricto and three are new. Two of the new species are shared between Ecuador and Peru (Osteocephalus vilmae sp. n. and Osteocephalus cannatellai sp. n.) and one is distributed in the Amazon region of southern Peru (Osteocephalus germani sp. n.) We discuss the difficulties of using morphological characters to define species boundaries and propose a hypothesis to explain them. PMID:23166473

Systematics of the Osteocephalus buckleyi species complex (Anura, Hylidae from Ecuador and Peru

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santiago Ron

2012-10-01

Full Text Available We present a new phylogeny, based on DNA sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear genes, for frogs of the genus Osteocephalus with emphasis in the Osteocephalus buckleyi species complex. Genetic, morphologic, and advertisement call data are combined to define species boundaries and describe new species. The phylogeny shows strong support for: (1 a basal position of O. taurinus + O. oophagus, (2 a clade containing phytotelmata breeding species, and (3 a clade that corresponds to the O. buckleyi species complex. Our results document a large proportion of hidden diversity within a set of populations that were previously treated as a single, widely distributed species, O. buckleyi. Individuals assignable to O. buckleyi formed a paraphyletic group relative to O. verruciger and O. cabrerai and contained four species, one of which is O. buckleyi sensu stricto and three are new. Two of the new species are shared between Ecuador and Peru (O. vilmae sp. n. and O. cannatellai sp. n. and one is distributed in the Amazon region of southern Peru (O. germani sp. n.. We discuss the difficulties of using morphological characters to define species boundaries and propose a hypothesis to explain them.

INVESTIGACIONES ETNOBOTÁNICAS, FITOQUÍMICAS, ANTIOXIDANTES Y PRECLÍNICAS EN CINCO PLANTAS MEDICINALES QUE SE CONSUMEN COMO ANTIDIABÉTICAS EN MACHALA, PROVINCIA DE EL ORO, ECUADOR | ETHNOBOTANICAL, PHYTOCHEMICAL, ANTIOXIDANT AND PRECLINICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN FIVE MEDICINAL PLANTS CONSUMED AS ANTIDIABETICS IN MACHALA, EL ORO PROVINCE, ECUADOR

OpenAIRE

Keyla Moreno Maldonado; Carmita Jaramillo Jaramillo; Mayra Moreira; Simón Gaston García; Luisa Rojas de Astudillo

2016-01-01

La diabetes representa un grave problema de salud pública a nivel mundial. En Ecuador la diabetes ocupa uno de los primeros lugares como causa de fallecimientos. La comunidad hace uso de las plantas medicinales para tratar la diabetes, pero sin ninguna comprobación científica. Los datos acerca de las plantas usadas como antidiabéticas fueron recolectados mediante encuestas a expendedores y consumidores en mercados de venta de plantas medicinales y a la comunidad de Machala, Provincia El Oro, ...

Determinación de la elasticidad de la demanda alimenticia en Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henríquez-Henríquez, Carlos

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the results of a research project funded by System of Research and Development of the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil (SINDE - UCSG. It aims to determine the elasticity of demand for food in Ecuador using predictive techniques, to create an effective public policy design tool. A second aim is to identify possible reasons that can vary the demand for food in Ecuador, mainly through the influence of the price factor. The existing social reality suggests quantifying the behavior of Ecuadorians with regard to the consumption of food, in order to generate a source of information for decision-making at policy level.

Survey of the livestock ticks of the North West province, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arthur M. Spickett

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Ticks, as vectors of disease and damage agents, impact directly and indirectly on the economy of the livestock industry in southern Africa. This study surveyed the occurrence and distribution of ticks infesting livestock across the North West province, South Africa. During three phases in consecutive years, officers of the provincial Veterinary Department collected specimens monthly from livestock hosts at specified sites across the province. Data analysis constituted the fourth phase of the study. A total of 1090 collections from 265 sites yielded 42 566 tick specimens, comprising 22 different tick species (18 ixodids, 4 argasids. The specimens represent all of the major tick vectors of disease that occur in South Africa. The major tick-borne diseases (i.e. heartwater, both African and Asiatic bovine babesiosis and anaplasmosis were found to be prevalent mainly in the north-eastern region of the province, which also displayed the highest tick species diversity. The central region appears transitory to some of the major vectors. Although some tick species were contained within specific regions, others were widespread across the province. Associated serology data show that most herds sampled in areas endemic for babesiosis and anaplasmosis in the north-eastern region are endemically unstable and at risk to these tick-borne diseases should vector control measures become ineffective.

Birth order and human capital development: evidence from Ecuador

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Haan, M.; Plug, E.; Rosero, J.

2012-01-01

In this paper we examine the effect of birth order on human capital development in Ecuador using a large national database together with self-collected survey data. Using family fixed effects models we find significant positive birth order effects; earlier born children stay behind in their human

Birth order and human capital development: evidence from Ecuador

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Haan, M.; Plug, E.; Rosero, J.

2014-01-01

In this paper we examine the effect of birth order on human capital development in Ecuador. Using family fixed effects models we find positive and persistent birth order effects; earlier-born children stay behind in their human capital development from infancy to adolescence. Turning to potential

A survey of sandflies in the affected areas of leishmaniasis, southern Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Sukra, Kotchapan; Kanjanopas, Kobkarn; Amsakul, Sakultip; Rittaton, Virot; Mungthin, Mathirut; Leelayoova, Saovanee

2013-01-01

Leishmania siamensis was firstly described as a causative agent of autochthonous visceral leishmaniasis in southern provinces of Thailand since 2008. The spread of leishmaniasis depends on the distribution of the vectors and reservoir hosts. Unfortunately, little is known about these vital factors. The objective of this study was to identify the distribution of sandfly species, their density, and their habitats in the affected areas of leishmaniasis, southern Thailand. A cross-sectional survey of sandflies was conducted in three provinces of southern Thailand where leishmaniasis cases were previously reported. The collection of sandflies was performed using CDC light traps for four consecutive months, from March to June 2009. A total of 2,698 sandflies were collected in the affected areas. Among 1,451 female sandflies, six species of genus Sergentomyia were identified, i.e., Sergentomyia gemmea, Sergentomyia iyengari, Sergentomyia barraudi, Sergentomyia indica, Sergentomyia silvatica, and Sergentomyia perturbans. S. gemmea (81.4 %) was the most predominant species in all areas. In addition, one species of the genus Phlebotomus, Phlebotomus argentipes, a known vector of leishmaniasis was also detected. The distribution of sandfly species in these leishmaniasis-affected areas was different from the previous studies in other areas of Thailand. Further studies are needed to proof whether these sandflies can be the natural vectors of leishmaniasis.

Food Pattern of Non-Anemic Nomadic Women Living in Fars Province, Southern Iran as a Vegetarian

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mousa Salehi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Background: The Qashqa’i form approximately 500000 Turkish-speaking ethnic nomadic pastoralist tribal people, living in Fars province, southern Iran. People choosing macrobiotic diets are frequently identified as following a vegetarian diet. Despite that plant foods contain only non-heme iron, which is more sensitive than heme iron to both inhibitors and enhancers of iron absorption, surprisingly, we noted that the mean values of hemoglobin and serum ferritin in the group under investigation were significantly higher than the same population living in the south of Iran. So we aimed to investigate the food basket of Qashqa’I people in an attempt to find out the reason behind this observation. Methods: Dietary information was collected using the mean of 3-day recall and food frequency methods. Dieticians, with long experience in nutrition surveillance explained the purpose of the dietary information and instructed the girls on how to report quantities using food basket. Iranian food processor was used to enter and analyze nutrient intakes. Weig hts and heights were measured using established equipment and techniques and body mass index(BMI values were calculated. Results: Mean value of hemoglobin was 12.31±1.51 gr/dL, ferritin 23.59±4.2 μg/L, albumin 4.27±1.1 gr/dL, and total protein 7.72±1.3 gr/dL. BMI of 81% of the women was between 18.5 and 25 kg/m2. Conclusion: The mean serum albumin, total protein, hemoglobin, and serum ferritin of this population show that vegetarian diet can meet protein and Iron requirements by using the variety of plant foods.

Migratory circularity between Ecuador and Spain. Educational transformation and mobility strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Vega Solís

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The migration pattern between Ecuador and Spain has undergone changes since the start of the 2008 crisis. A slowdown in inflows to Spain and increasing Ecuadorian returnees, today add the Spanish skilled migration to this country in entering higher education as well as the exit of young Ecuadorians to acquire fourth level´s degree in Spain, or Europe in general. The context of crisis and unemployment in education in Spain and education reform policies being carried out in Ecuador is articulated in shaping this circularity between the two countries. Through a quantitative and qualitative multi-situated methodology based on a poll and in-depth interviews, this paper estimates the volume of these displacements and explores the motivations, conditions and strategies that are influencing.

A Space-Time Study of Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS and Its Climatic Associations in Heilongjiang Province, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junyu He

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS is highly endemic in China, especially in Heilongjiang province (90% of all reported HFRS cases worldwide occur in China. The dynamic identification of high HFRS incidence spatiotemporal regions and the quantitative assessment of HFRS associations with climate change in Heilongjiang province can provide valuable guidance for HFRS monitoring, preventing and control. Yet, so far there exist very few and of limited scope quantitative studies of the spatiotemporal HFRS spread and its climatic associations in Heilongjiang province. Making up for this lack of quantitative studies is the reason for the development of the present work.Method: To address this need, the well-known Bayesian maximum entropy (BME method of space-time modeling and mapping together with its recently proposed variant, the projected BME (P-BME method, were employed in this work to perform a composite space-time analysis and mapping of HFRS incidence in Heilongjiang province during the years 2005–2013. Also, using multivariate El Niño-Southern Oscillation index as a proxy, we proposed a combination of Hilbert-Huang transform and wavelet analysis to study the “HFRS incidence-climate change” associations.Results: The main results of this work were two-fold: (1 three core areas were identified with high HFRS incidences that were spatially distributed and exhibited distinct biomodal temporal patterns in the eastern, western, and southern parts of Heilongjiang province; and (2 there exists a considerable association between HFRS incidence and climate change, particularly, an ~6 months period coherency was clearly detected.Conclusions: The combination of modern space-time modeling and mapping techniques (P-BME theory, Hilbert-Huang spectrum analysis, and wavelet analysis used in this work led to valuable quantitative findings concerning the spatiotemporal spread of HFRS incidence in Heilongjiang province and its association

Sperm counts may have declined in young university students in Southern Spain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mendiola, Jaime; Jørgensen, Niels; Mínguez-Alarcón, Lidia

2013-01-01

Several studies have investigated temporal trends in semen quality in Northern Europe, but none has examined this question in Southern Europe. A prior study conducted in Almeria Province (Southern Spain) reported higher sperm count and concentration among Spanish young men recruited from 2001......, Body mass index (BMI), presence of varicocoele and prenatal exposure to tobacco) to look for a birth-cohort effect over the combined study period (2001-2011). Sperm concentration and total sperm count declined significantly with year of birth in the pooled analysis (β = -0.04 and β = -0...

Metal sources in Jurassic to miocene ore deposits of Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiaradia, M.; Fontbote, L

2001-01-01

The Ecuadorian crust is a mosaic of NNE-SSW-trending terranes representing different geotectonic domains. These terranes, composed by oceanic and continental crust, were formed during the Triassic separation of the North and South American continents and were accreted to the Amazon craton during subduction of the Farallon/Nazca plate, from Early Cretaceous to Early Tertiary (Litherland et al., 1994). In the southwestern part of Ecuador, EW-striking crustal-scale faults, related to the Huancabamba deflection, mark the transition between the Central and Northern Andes. In this study we discuss more than 200 lead isotope compositions of ores as well as magmatic and metamorphic rocks of Ecuador. The interest of carrying out a large-scale isotope survey in the Northern Andes derives from a geotectonic evolution characterized by multi-accretionary episodes which is not recognized in the Central Andes (au)

New faunistic records of ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae from Hormozgan province, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azadbakhsh Saeed

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the results of a faunal study of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae from Hormozgan province in southern Iran, which was carried out from winter 2015 to winter 2016. A total of 30 species belonging to 18 genera were collected and identified. Two species – Calodromius mayeti and Elaphropus (Tachyura biblis – are reported from Iran for the first time; in addition, the occurrence of several species in Iran was confirmed.

Spatiotemporal clustering, climate periodicity, and social-ecological risk factors for dengue during an outbreak in Machala, Ecuador, in 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M; Muñoz, Ángel G; Ryan, Sadie J; Ayala, Efraín Beltrán; Borbor-Cordova, Mercy J; Finkelstein, Julia L; Mejía, Raúl; Ordoñez, Tania; Recalde-Coronel, G Cristina; Rivero, Keytia

2014-11-25

Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease, is a rapidly emerging public health problem in Ecuador and throughout the tropics. However, we have a limited understanding of the disease transmission dynamics in these regions. Previous studies in southern coastal Ecuador have demonstrated the potential to develop a dengue early warning system (EWS) that incorporates climate and non-climate information. The objective of this study was to characterize the spatiotemporal dynamics and climatic and social-ecological risk factors associated with the largest dengue epidemic to date in Machala, Ecuador, to inform the development of a dengue EWS. The following data from Machala were included in analyses: neighborhood-level georeferenced dengue cases, national census data, and entomological surveillance data from 2010; and time series of weekly dengue cases (aggregated to the city-level) and meteorological data from 2003 to 2012. We applied LISA and Moran's I to analyze the spatial distribution of the 2010 dengue cases, and developed multivariate logistic regression models through a multi-model selection process to identify census variables and entomological covariates associated with the presence of dengue at the neighborhood level. Using data aggregated at the city-level, we conducted a time-series (wavelet) analysis of weekly climate and dengue incidence (2003-2012) to identify significant time periods (e.g., annual, biannual) when climate co-varied with dengue, and to describe the climate conditions associated with the 2010 outbreak. We found significant hotspots of dengue transmission near the center of Machala. The best-fit model to predict the presence of dengue included older age and female gender of the head of the household, greater access to piped water in the home, poor housing condition, and less distance to the central hospital. Wavelet analyses revealed that dengue transmission co-varied with rainfall and minimum temperature at annual and biannual cycles, and we

Composición del plancton en la Puntilla Santa Elena durante agosto 2002 (Ecuador)

OpenAIRE

Torres, G.; Calderón, G.; Franco, V.; Cedeño, E.; Calderón, T.; Salazar, E.

2004-01-01

Esta investigación comprende los estudios del fitoplancton-zooplancton-ictioplancton, realizados en tres sitios de la Península Santa Elena durante agosto 2002, área designada para la proyección de "Arrecife Artificial de las Fuerzas Militares del Ecuador": un avión, barco y tanque de guerra, estructuras artificiales consideradas como basura chatarra (de gran tamaño), que serían recicladas para la bio-exploración artificiales hacia la seguridad de los recursos marinos del Ecuador. En el Estud...

Learning Environments and Didactic Strategies for Vulnerable Groups in the Bolívar Province, Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Msc. M. Aroca-Pazmiño

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the study of vulnerable groups in different educational institutions from the Bolivar Province. The research is based on the social pedagogical approach. Some risks may influence negatively in some groups, and in the teaching-learning process. That´s why, we diagnosed the most vulnerable educational institutions in the main communities and analyzed the causes influencing in this problematic, so we applied a survey and an observational guide to gather information. As a result we detected some students with educational vulnerability caused by dysfunctional families, the great distances from their schools, migration, poverty, physical and learning disabilities, and the fact that the teachers do not know how to deal with these problems. From the analysis and interpretations of the results of the empirical and theoretical methods we are elaborating a Didactic Guide containing learning and teaching strategies aimed at integrating vulnerable groups into different learning environments. Keywords:  educational vulnerability, strategies, learning environment, Social Pedagogy.

Tendencias históricas del proceso de educación de la sexualidad en el Ecuador Historical Trends of the Educational Process of Sexuality in the Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonia Patricia Ubillús Santos

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In Ecuador the profound social, cultural and economic changes of recent times have been creating the conditions for the development of new conceptions in the education of the sexuality. The necessity of taking actions in relation with the education of the sexuality is a challenge for the educators and the health personal. The objective of this paper is to offer psycho-pedagogical foundations for the prevention of adolescent pregnancy and to emphasize the importance and need of sexual education in that context. Theoretical and empiric methods were used in the present investigation, mainly: documental analysis, interviews to adolescents and surveys to teachers. The work provides the main historical trends of the educational process of sexuality in the basic higher educational level in Ecuador.

Targeting micro-credits to poor household enterprises in Ecuador

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hidalgo, D.; Oosterbeek, H.

2008-01-01

In 2007 the government of Ecuador launched a micro-credit program for enterprises run by poor households. The program was targeted to households at the bottom two quintiles in the wealth distribution. This paper uses data collected prior to the start of the program to examine whether the

The Foundation of Counseling in the Republic of Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Robert L.; Valarezo, Maria Alexandra

2013-01-01

Counseling is at an early stage of development in the Republic of Ecuador. A turbulent history, poverty, and unemployment have affected the growth of mental health services and counselor preparation programs. Yet, this country experiences problems of addictions, domestic violence, depression, suicide, gender inequity, and drug trafficking. The…

Late Jurassic rifting in the southern central Graben -A complex story simplified

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verreussel, R.M.C.H.; Munsterman, D.K.; Ten Veen, J.H.; Weerd, A. van de; Dybkjaer, K.; Johannessen, P.N.

2014-01-01

In order to be able to predict the distribution of reservoir sands and of grainsize and porosity trends in a hydrocarbon province, it is essential to understand the basin evolution in detail. In this study, an attempt is made to reconstruct the complex basin evolution of the southern Central Graben

Detrital Zircon Provenance Record of Pre-Andean to Modern Tectonics in the Northern Andes: Examples from Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia

Science.gov (United States)

George, S. W. M.; Jackson, L. J.; Horton, B. K.

2015-12-01

Detrital zircon U-Pb age distributions from modern rivers and Mesozoic-Cenozoic basin fill in the northern Andes provide insights into pre-Andean, Andean, and active uplift and exhumation of distinctive sediment source regions. Diagnostic age signatures enable straightforward discrimination of competing sediment sources within the Andean magmatic arc (Western Cordillera-Central Cordillera), retroarc fold-thrust belt (Eastern Cordillera-Subandean Zone), and Amazonian craton (composed of several basement provinces). More complex, however, are the mid/late Cenozoic provenance records generated by recycling of basin fill originally deposited during early/mid Mesozoic extension, late Mesozoic thermal subsidence, and early Cenozoic shortening. Although subject to time-transgressive trends, regionally significant provenance patterns in Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia reveal: (1) Triassic-Jurassic growth of extensional subbasins fed by local block uplifts (with commonly unimodal 300­-150 Ma age peaks); (2) Cretaceous deposition in an extensive postrift setting fed by principally cratonic sources (with common 1800-900 Ma ages); and (3) Cenozoic growth of a broad flexural basin fed initially fed by magmatic-arc rocks (100-0 Ma), then later dominance by thrust-belt sedimentary rocks with progressively greater degrees of basin recycling (yielding diverse and variable age populations from the aforementioned source regions). U-Pb results from modern rivers and smaller subbasins prove useful in evaluating source-to-sink relationships, downstream mixing relationships, hinterland-foreland basin connectivity, paleodrainage integration, and tectonic/paleotopographic reconstructions. Most but not all of the elevated intermontane basins in the modern hinterland of the northern Andes contain provenance records consistent with genesis in a broader foreland basin developed at low elevation. Downstream variations within modern axial rivers and Cenozoic axial basins inform predictive models of

Optimization of conditions the precipitate elimination from the water supply pipelines (case study: Esfezar village in Southern Khorasan province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

hamid Kardan Moghaddam

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This Study explores the influence of CaCO3 sedimentation in the Qanat system of Esfezar area in Southern Khorasan Province. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the decrease in transient water hardness in the drinking water supply network in the areas neighboring the Esferaz Qanat. The significance of the study lies in the fact that the Qanat under study is the only source of drinking water in the region. For the purposes of this study, experiments were carried out using a reservoir in which water pH was increased by adding lime to form sediments. Chemical coagulants were also added to accelerate the sedimentation process. From among the coagulants of FeSO4, Fe2(SO43, and CuSO4 used, optimizations revlead that Fe2 (SO43 yielded the best results at pH=9/5 in drinking water given the quality parameters of EC:440dS and pH = 7.7. Dimension analysis using the Reynolds Number was also conducted to simulate the qanat discharge, which was further calibrated against experimental results. The results obtained from the model showed that using a spiral pipe and Fe2(SO43 as the coagulant led to reduced transient hardness of water. The results also revealed that CaCO3 sedimentation reduced in the local water supply network.

Reemergence of rabies in the southern Han river region, Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Oem, Jae-Ku; Kim, Seong-Hee; Kim, Yeon-Hee; Lee, Myoung-Heon; Lee, Kyoung-Ki

2014-07-01

Recently, 11 cases of animal rabies were reported in the southern region (Suwon and Hwaseong cities) of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The cases were temporally separated into two cases in dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) in spring 2012 and nine cases in domestic animals and wildlife in winter 2012-13. All carcasses were submitted for histopathologic examination and viral antigen identification. Sequences of the glycoprotein, nucleoprotein, and glycoprotein-large polymerase protein intergenic noncoding loci of the 11 strains were determined and compared with published reference sequences. All rabies strains were closely related to the Gangwon strains isolated in 2008-09, suggesting that the rabies virus strains isolated in Gyeonggi were introduced from Gangwon Province.

A review of the geology and major economic mineral provinces of Southern Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Biljon, W.J.

1982-01-01

The sequences that are considered to contain the oldest rocks (3500 Ma), the greenstone belts, are surrounded and intruded by granitic rocks. Within these granitic terranes, ages of up to 3800 Ma have been obtained. These formations together constitute the basement complex in Southern Africa. Deposits of gold, antimony, copper, lead, zinc, and tin are found in these rocks. Around 2000 Ma ago in the Bushveld Complex with its enormous deposits of chromium, platinum, and vanadium was intruded into the sedimentary sequences in the central Transvaal. Overlying the Namaqualand gneisses, volcano-sedimentary sequences were deposited in South West Africa/Namibia. These sequences were deformed and metamorphosed some 500 to 700 Ma ago along the Damara Belt. Deposits of copper, lead, zinc, vanadium, and tin, as well as a large uranium deposit, exist within this belt. Around 500 Ma ago, sedimentary rocks were deposited in a sea along the southern edge of the present continent. These rocks were deformed into the Cape Fold Belt. Further north, the above-mentioned rocks were followed by the sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Karoo Sequence, which contain not only all the major coal deposits of Southern Africa, but also deposits of uranium and fireclay

Preventive Medicine in World War II. Volume 7. Communicable Diseases. Arthropodborne other than Malaria

Science.gov (United States)

1964-01-01

in Peru or in other countries. In Ecuador , bartonellosis has l»een report«! from the Provinces of Loja and Oro. This author " cultivated...fatal, caused by BartoneUa baciUiformis and transmitted by the bite of Phlebotomies. The dis- ease is limited to certain parts of Peru, Ecuador , and...Colombia. The disease was not a military problem in World War II. American troops stationed in Peru (Talara) and Ecuador (Salinas) were outside the

Determinants of racial discrimination in the labor market in Ecuador, 2010-2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Héctor Alberto Botello Peñaloza

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: This article aims to quantify racial discrimination in the labor market in Ecuador between 2010 and 2012. Methodology: Information is collected from quarterly household surveys on employment prepared by the National Institute of Statistics and Census of Ecuador, from which Mincer equations are estimated for labor income per hour. Subsequently, the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition with Heckman correction is used to determine wage gaps attributable to observable and unobservable factors regarding two ethnic groups: mestizos and whites. Results: The wage gap is significant and positive for white people, and it increases during the period of analysis. 40 % of this difference is due to higher provisions in human capital. However, about 42 % of the gap remains unexplained.

[Mortality from respiratory diseases in the provinces of Apulia Region (Southern Italy) from 1933 to 2010].

Science.gov (United States)

Montinari, Maria Rosa; Gianicolo, Emilio Antonio Luca; Vigotti, Maria Angela

2016-01-01

OBIETTIVI: valutare l'andamento temporale della mortalità per patologie respiratorie nelle province pugliesi utilizzando dati omogenei per fonte e metodologia di calcolo. DISEGNO: analisi ecologica storica degli andamenti temporali di mortalità per tumori e patologie dell'apparato respiratorio nelle province pugliesi, in Puglia e nelle ripartizioni geografiche italiane dal 1933 al 2010. SETTING E PARTECIPANTI: i dati di mortalità e le popolazioni residenti sono di fonte Istat. Sono state esaminate tutte le cause di decesso, il tumore della laringe, il tumore del polmone, l'insieme dei tumori respiratori, la bronchite, la polmonite e la broncopolmonite considerate congiuntamente, e l'insieme delle patologie respiratorie. Le analisi sono disaggregate per sesso dal 1969. PRINCIPALI MISURE DI OUTCOME: rapporti standardizzati di mortalità (SMR%) in riferimento all'Italia, con intervalli di confidenza al 95%, e tassi di mortalità standardizzati col metodo diretto (TSD ) in riferimento alla popolazione standard europea. RISULTATI: dal 1933 al 2010, i TSD per tumori respiratori e per bronchiti diminuiscono in tutte le aree analizzate. Tuttavia, nelle province di Taranto, Brindisi e Lecce, l'SMR% per tumori respiratori, inferiore al riferimento nazionale fino agli anni Sessanta, si allinea (a Brindisi) e supera (a Lecce e Taranto) il riferimento negli anni successivi. Nelle province di Foggia e Bari il numero dei decessi per tumore del polmone è costantemente inferiore all'atteso. CONCLUSIONI: la ricostruzione storica e l'analisi dei trend temporali di mortalità dal 1933 al 2010 mostrano alcune criticità sanitarie in periodi specifici. L'elaborazione dei dati di mortalità per un arco temporale di circa 80 anni ha messo in evidenza la maggiore rilevanza di queste criticità con l'avvio dello sviluppo industriale.

Análisis del acceso a Internet de los estudiantes de Bachillerato en Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Mendoza Zambrano, Damian Marilú

2017-01-01

Los objetivos de esta tesis fueron tres, principalmente: (a) analizar la capacidad de acceso a las TIC de los estudiantes de Bachillerato en Ecuador, (b) comprobar la influencia de los factores socio-demográficos sobre la capacidad de acceso, y (c) proponer y validar empíricamente un modelo multinivel de referencia para políticas de acceso y alfabetización mediática y digital. Para abordar el tema se ha realizado una revisión de literatura y una descripción del contexto mediático de Ecuador, ...

Gobierno corporativo en el Ecuador. Aproximación práctica.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Sperber

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Nadie en Ecuador olvidará el llamado “salvataje bancario” (1998 y el mal denominado “feriado bancario” (1999, que conllevó al congelamiento de fondos y la crisis financiera más importante del Ecuador… El Código de Buen Gobierno Corporativo Ecuatoriano contiene las 51 medidas o recomendaciones tomadas del Código Andino de Gobierno Corporativo. Es un primer paso positivo, aunque las recomendaciones son meramente simples invitaciones o “música celestial”, al carecer de un carácter vinculatorio u obligatorio para los empresarios, directores y accionistas de control. Dichas recomendaciones solo se convierten en mandato para aquellas compañías que las implementen en sus estatutos sociales; pero aún ésta protección es muy débil, puesto que nada impide a que el accionista de control o una simple mayoría de socios reforme los estatutos a su conveniencia cuando lo estime conveniente a su gusto o arbitrio, para incumplir las disposiciones estatutarias. Incluso en Ecuador, donde la violación de las normas estatutarias no es sancionada, ya que con los actuales medios disponibles a los accionistas de minoría es casi imposible iniciar una acción judicial, es imperioso gozar de legitimidad activa para demandar a la sociedad; no hablemos si quiera de demandar a los accionistas de control. En materia de mercado de valores, Ecuador todavía está “en pañales” frente a otros países latinoamericanos, no hablar siquiera de mercados más desarrollados. Una adecuada regulación normativa de la legislación societaria y de mercado de valores, encaminada a la protección de los accionistas minoritarios, en resumen, un mejor gobierno corporativo, lo cual otorgaría mayores incentivos para ampliar y desarrollar el mercado de capitales. El presente trabajo presenta las recomendaciones para un mejor gobierno corporativo en Ecuador.

Assessment of natural background radiation in one of the highest regions of Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, Mario; Chávez, Estefanía; Echeverría, Magdy; Córdova, Rafael; Recalde, Celso

2018-05-01

Natural background radiation was measured in the province of Chimborazo (Ecuador) with the following reference coordinates 1°40'00''S 78°39'00''W, where the furthest point to the center of the planet is located. Natural background radiation measurements were performed at 130 randomly selected sites using a Geiger Müller GCA-07W portable detector; these measurements were run at 6 m away from buildings or walls and 1 m above the ground. The global average natural background radiation established by UNSCEAR is 2.4 mSv y-1. In the study area measurements ranged from 0.57 mSv y-1 to 3.09 mSv y-1 with a mean value of 1.57 mSv y-1, the maximum value was recorded in the north of the study area at 5073 metres above sea level (m.a.s.l.), and the minimum value was recorded in the southwestern area at 297 m.a.s.l. An isodose map was plotted to represent the equivalent dose rate due to natural background radiation. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) between the data of the high and low regions of the study area showed a significant difference (p < α), in addition a linear correlation coefficient of 0.92 was obtained, supporting the hypothesis that in high altitude zones extraterrestrial radiation contributes significantly to natural background radiation.

Examining the specific effects of context on adaptive behavior and achievement in a rural African community: six case studies from rural areas of Southern province, Zambia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Mei; Reich, Jodi; Hart, Lesley; Thuma, Philip E; Grigorenko, Elena L

2014-02-01

Generally accepted as universal, the construct of adaptive behavior differs in its manifestations across different cultures and settings. The Vineland-II (Sparrow et al. in Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second edn. AGS Publishing, Circle Pines, MN, 2005) was translated into Chitonga and adapted to the setting of rural Southern Province, Zambia. This version was administered to the parents/caregivers of 114 children (grades 3-7, mean age = 12.94, SD = 2.34). The relationships between these children's adaptive behavior, academic achievement and cognitive ability indicators are compared to those usually observed in US samples. Results reflect no association between adaptive behavior and cognitive ability indicators, but a strong relationship between high adaptive behavior and reading-related measures. Six case studies of children with high and low scores on the Vineland-II are presented to illustrate the possible factors affecting these outcomes.

Adoption of the Hash algorithm in a conceptual model for the civil registry of Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Toapanta, Moisés; Mafla, Enrique; Orizaga, Antonio

2018-04-01

The Hash security algorithm was analyzed in order to mitigate information security in a distributed architecture. The objective of this research is to develop a prototype for the Adoption of the algorithm Hash in a conceptual model for the Civil Registry of Ecuador. The deductive method was used in order to analyze the published articles that have a direct relation with the research project "Algorithms and Security Protocols for the Civil Registry of Ecuador" and articles related to the Hash security algorithm. It resulted from this research: That the SHA-1 security algorithm is appropriate for use in Ecuador's civil registry; we adopted the SHA-1 algorithm used in the flowchart technique and finally we obtained the adoption of the hash algorithm in a conceptual model. It is concluded that from the comparison of the DM5 and SHA-1 algorithm, it is suggested that in the case of an implementation, the SHA-1 algorithm is taken due to the amount of information and data available from the Civil Registry of Ecuador; It is determined that the SHA-1 algorithm that was defined using the flowchart technique can be modified according to the requirements of each institution; the model for adopting the hash algorithm in a conceptual model is a prototype that can be modified according to all the actors that make up each organization.

Distribution of triatomine species in domestic and peridomestic environments in central coastal Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Villacís, Anita G.; Moncayo, Ana L.; Ocaña-Mayorga, Sofia; Yumiseva, Cesar A.; Baus, Esteban G.

2017-01-01

Background Although the central coast of the Ecuador is considered endemic for Chagas disease, few studies have focused on determining the risk of transmission in this region. In this study we describe the triatomine household infestation in Manabí province (Central Coast region), determine the rate of Trypanosoma cruzi infection and study the risk factors associated with infestation by Rhodnius ecuadoriensis. Methodology/Principal findings An entomological survey found three triatomine species (Rhodnius ecuadoriensis, Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus and P. howardi) infesting domiciles in 47.4% of the 78 communities visited (total infestation rate of 4.5%). Four percent of domiciles were infested, and nymphs were observed in 77% of those domiciles. The three species were found in altitudes below 500 masl and in all ecological zones except cloud forest. Within the domicile, we found the three species mostly in bedrooms. Rhodnius ecuadoriensis and P. rufotuberculatus were abundant in bird nests, including chicken coops and P. howardi associated with rats in piles of bricks, in the peridomicile. Triatomine infestation was characterized by high rates of colonization, especially in peridomicile. Flagelates infection was detected in only 12% of the samples by microscopy and Trypanosoma cruzi infection in 42% of the examined triatomines by PCR (n = 372). The most important risk factors for house infestation by R. ecuadoriensis were ecological zone (w = 0.99) and presence of chickens (w = 0.96). Determinants of secondary importance were reporting no insecticide applications over the last twelve months (w = 0.86) and dirt floor (w = 0.70). On the other hand, wood as wall material was a protective factor (w = 0.85). Conclusion/Significance According the results, approximately 571,000 people would be at high risk for T. cruzi infection in Manabí province. A multidisciplinary approximation and the adhesion to a periodic integrated vector management (IVM) program are essential

Distribution of triatomine species in domestic and peridomestic environments in central coastal Ecuador.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario J Grijalva

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Although the central coast of the Ecuador is considered endemic for Chagas disease, few studies have focused on determining the risk of transmission in this region. In this study we describe the triatomine household infestation in Manabí province (Central Coast region, determine the rate of Trypanosoma cruzi infection and study the risk factors associated with infestation by Rhodnius ecuadoriensis.An entomological survey found three triatomine species (Rhodnius ecuadoriensis, Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus and P. howardi infesting domiciles in 47.4% of the 78 communities visited (total infestation rate of 4.5%. Four percent of domiciles were infested, and nymphs were observed in 77% of those domiciles. The three species were found in altitudes below 500 masl and in all ecological zones except cloud forest. Within the domicile, we found the three species mostly in bedrooms. Rhodnius ecuadoriensis and P. rufotuberculatus were abundant in bird nests, including chicken coops and P. howardi associated with rats in piles of bricks, in the peridomicile. Triatomine infestation was characterized by high rates of colonization, especially in peridomicile. Flagelates infection was detected in only 12% of the samples by microscopy and Trypanosoma cruzi infection in 42% of the examined triatomines by PCR (n = 372. The most important risk factors for house infestation by R. ecuadoriensis were ecological zone (w = 0.99 and presence of chickens (w = 0.96. Determinants of secondary importance were reporting no insecticide applications over the last twelve months (w = 0.86 and dirt floor (w = 0.70. On the other hand, wood as wall material was a protective factor (w = 0.85.According the results, approximately 571,000 people would be at high risk for T. cruzi infection in Manabí province. A multidisciplinary approximation and the adhesion to a periodic integrated vector management (IVM program are essential to guarantee sustainable preventive and control

Populismo y neopopulismo en Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hernán Moreano

2006-11-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo hace una breve descripción de los períodos de Velasco Ibarra, Assad Bucaram, Abdalá Bucaram y Lucio Gutiérrez donde la simbología del líder frente a su pueblo fue esencial dentro de la cultura política ecuatoriana. En sí el objetivo está en describir las diferencias entre populismo y neopopulismo en el Ecuador, y a la vez entender cómo ha funcionado el sistema clientelar y caudillista en cada gobierno; sin dejar de lado, el contexto social y económico por el que se atravezaba.

Populismo y neopopulismo en Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Donoso

2006-01-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo hace una breve descripción de los períodos de Velasco Ibarra, Assad Bucaram, Abdalá Bucaram y Lucio Gutiérrez donde la simbología del líder frente a su pueblo fue esencial dentro de la cultura política ecuatoriana. En sí el objetivo está en describir las diferencias entre populismo y neopopulismo en el Ecuador, y a la vez entender cómo ha funcionado el sistema clientelar y caudillista en cada gobierno; sin dejar de lado, el contexto social y económico por el que se atravezaba

Land use change and human systems dynamics: Cotacachi Ecuador 1963-2000

OpenAIRE

Rhoades, Robert E.

2004-01-01

This presentation reports on a study to analyze land-use change over 40 years in Cotacachi, Ecuador, link land-use change to human system dynamics, and discuss implications for sustainability. BA-2 (SANREM-Andes Research)

CASE STUDY: Ecuador — Learning to share the resource and the ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2010-12-15

Dec 15, 2010 ... Water Management in Ecuador's Andes Mountains ... In talking about water issues with the people of the watershed communities, the ... availability, water quality, and land use were closely linked throughout the watershed, ...

Prevalence and risk factors associated with Dirofilaria immitis infection in dogs and cats in Songkhla and Satun provinces, Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ketsarin Kamyingkird

2017-08-01

Full Text Available To update the microfilaria infection in companion animals, this study determined the prevalence and risk factors of microfilaria infection in dogs and cats collected from eight districts in Songkhla and Satun provinces, southern Thailand. In total, 482 samples (394 dogs and 88 cats were subjected to microscopic examination (ME, polymerase chain reaction (PCR and sequencing analysis. The overall prevalence of microfilaria infection in dogs and cats was 24.1% (95/394 and 36.4% (32/88 using PCR, respectively. Furthermore, the overall results were positive 7.7% (37/482 using ME compared to 26.3% (127/482 using PCR. Sequencing analysis of all positive PCR products identified the microfilaria as Dirofilaria immitis. D. immitis infection in each sampled district of Songkhla and Satun provinces was in the range 0–48% for dogs and in the range 15.4–75% for cats. Risk factor analysis showed that there was significantly higher D. immitis infection in dogs older than 2 yr. The study updated the prevalence of D. immitis infection in dogs and cats in two southern provinces of Thailand and there was a high D. immitis infection rate in old dogs (aged > 2 yr.

A Real Option Analysis applied to the production of Arabica and Robusta Coffee in Ecuador

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jácome, A.R.; Garrido, A.

2017-09-01

The coffee market is distinguished for being volatile and uncertain in terms of domestic and international prices. Arabica and Robusta coffee are produced in 23 provinces of Ecuador. A decade-long decline of coffee production prompted the Ecuadorian government to launch a public program for replanting coffee trees towards the end of 2011. A grower’s decision to enter, remain in or exit the coffee sector is based on fluctuating profits from each year’s harvest sale. We analyzed the hypothesis whereby the coffee grower’s decision to leave the sector is explained by volatile and uncertain prices. This paper aimed to evaluate the coffee sector with an application of Real Option Analysis for the period 2002-2012. We also defined entry (H) and exit (L) prices for Arabica and Robusta coffee for the analyzed period. Our findings revealed high H and L prices encourage growers to leave the sector for the most part of the analyzed period. High H and L prices resulted from high variable cost due to increasing wages for farm workers. The Ecuadorian government is developing a policy to help growers make production more efficient, encouraging them to remain in the sector in the long run.

A Real Option Analysis applied to the production of Arabica and Robusta Coffee in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andres R. Jácome

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The coffee market is distinguished for being volatile and uncertain in terms of domestic and international prices. Arabica and Robusta coffee are produced in 23 provinces of Ecuador. A decade-long decline of coffee production prompted the Ecuadorian government to launch a public program for replanting coffee trees towards the end of 2011. A grower’s decision to enter, remain in or exit the coffee sector is based on fluctuating profits from each year’s harvest sale. We analyzed the hypothesis whereby the coffee grower’s decision to leave the sector is explained by volatile and uncertain prices. This paper aimed to evaluate the coffee sector with an application of Real Option Analysis for the period 2002-2012. We also defined entry (H and exit (L prices for Arabica and Robusta coffee for the analyzed period. Our findings revealed high H and L prices encourage growers to leave the sector for the most part of the analyzed period. High H and L prices resulted from high variable cost due to increasing wages for farm workers. The Ecuadorian government is developing a policy to help growers make production more efficient, encouraging them to remain in the sector in the long run.

A Real Option Analysis applied to the production of Arabica and Robusta Coffee in Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jácome, A.R.; Garrido, A.

2017-01-01

The coffee market is distinguished for being volatile and uncertain in terms of domestic and international prices. Arabica and Robusta coffee are produced in 23 provinces of Ecuador. A decade-long decline of coffee production prompted the Ecuadorian government to launch a public program for replanting coffee trees towards the end of 2011. A grower’s decision to enter, remain in or exit the coffee sector is based on fluctuating profits from each year’s harvest sale. We analyzed the hypothesis whereby the coffee grower’s decision to leave the sector is explained by volatile and uncertain prices. This paper aimed to evaluate the coffee sector with an application of Real Option Analysis for the period 2002-2012. We also defined entry (H) and exit (L) prices for Arabica and Robusta coffee for the analyzed period. Our findings revealed high H and L prices encourage growers to leave the sector for the most part of the analyzed period. High H and L prices resulted from high variable cost due to increasing wages for farm workers. The Ecuadorian government is developing a policy to help growers make production more efficient, encouraging them to remain in the sector in the long run.

Geographical clustering of lung cancer in the province of Lecce, Italy: 1992-2001.

Science.gov (United States)

Bilancia, Massimo; Fedespina, Alessandro

2009-07-01

); in addition, it was seen that high risk areas were not randomly distributed within the province, but showed a sharp clustering. The most perceptible cluster involved a collection of municipalities around the Maglie area (Istat code: 75039), while the association among the municipalities of Otranto, Poggiardo and Santa Cesarea Terme (Istat codes: 75057, 75061, 75072) was more ambiguous. For females, it was noteworthy the significant risk excess in the city of Lecce (Istat code: 75035), where an SMR of 1.83 and rhoi < 0.01 have been registered. BYM model for the province of Lecce: For males, Bayes estimates of relative risks varied around an overall mean of 1.04 with standard deviation of 0.1, with a minimum of 0.77 and a maximum of 1.25. The posterior relative risks for females, although smoothed, showed more variation than for males, ranging form 0.74 to 1.65, around a mean of 0.90 with standard deviation 0.12. For males, 95% posterior credible intervals of relative risks included unity in every area, whereas significantly elevated risk of mortality was confirmed in the Lecce area for females (95% posterior CI: 1.33 - 2.00). BYM model for the whole Apulia: For males, internally standardized maps showed several high risk areas bordering the province of Lecce, belonging to the province of Brindisi, and the presence of a large high risk region, including the southern part of the province of Brindisi and the eastern and southern part of the Salento peninsula, in which an increasing trend in the north-south direction was found.Ecological correlation study with deprivation (Cadum Index): For males, posterior mean of the ecological regression coefficient beta resulted to be 0.04 with 95% posterior credible interval equal to (-0.01, 0.08); similarly, beta was estimated as equal to -0.03 for females (95% posterior credible interval: -0.16, 0.10). Moreover, there was some indication of nonlinearly increasing relative risk with increasing deprivation for higher deprivation

Mapping Genetic Diversity of Cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.): Application of Spatial Analysis for Conservation and Use of Plant Genetic Resources

Science.gov (United States)

van Zonneveld, Maarten; Scheldeman, Xavier; Escribano, Pilar; Viruel, María A.; Van Damme, Patrick; Garcia, Willman; Tapia, César; Romero, José; Sigueñas, Manuel; Hormaza, José I.

2012-01-01

There is a growing call for inventories that evaluate geographic patterns in diversity of plant genetic resources maintained on farm and in species' natural populations in order to enhance their use and conservation. Such evaluations are relevant for useful tropical and subtropical tree species, as many of these species are still undomesticated, or in incipient stages of domestication and local populations can offer yet-unknown traits of high value to further domestication. For many outcrossing species, such as most trees, inbreeding depression can be an issue, and genetic diversity is important to sustain local production. Diversity is also crucial for species to adapt to environmental changes. This paper explores the possibilities of incorporating molecular marker data into Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to allow visualization and better understanding of spatial patterns of genetic diversity as a key input to optimize conservation and use of plant genetic resources, based on a case study of cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.), a Neotropical fruit tree species. We present spatial analyses to (1) improve the understanding of spatial distribution of genetic diversity of cherimoya natural stands and cultivated trees in Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru based on microsatellite molecular markers (SSRs); and (2) formulate optimal conservation strategies by revealing priority areas for in situ conservation, and identifying existing diversity gaps in ex situ collections. We found high levels of allelic richness, locally common alleles and expected heterozygosity in cherimoya's putative centre of origin, southern Ecuador and northern Peru, whereas levels of diversity in southern Peru and especially in Bolivia were significantly lower. The application of GIS on a large microsatellite dataset allows a more detailed prioritization of areas for in situ conservation and targeted collection across the Andean distribution range of cherimoya than previous studies could do, i.e. at

New Proposal of Setal Homology in Schizomida and Revision of Surazomus (Hubbardiidae) from Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Manzanilla, Osvaldo Villarreal; de Miranda, Gustavo Silva; Giupponi, Alessandro Ponce de Leão

2016-01-01

The homology of three somatic systems in Schizomida is studied yielding the following results: (1) proposal of homology and chaetotaxy of abdominal setae in Surazomus; (2) revision of the cheliceral chaetotaxy in Schizomida, with suggestion of new homology scheme between Hubbardiidae and Protoschizomidae, description of a new group of setae in Hubbardiinae (G7), and division of setae group 5 in two subgroups, G5A and G5B; (3) proposal of segmental homology between trimerous and tetramerous female flagellum in Hubbardiinae with association of segment III of tri-segmented species to segments III + IV of tetra-segmented species. Considerations about the dorsal microsetae on the male flagellum are made. The genus Surazomus in Ecuador is revised. The sympatric species Surazomus palenque sp. nov. and S. kitu sp. nov. (Ecuador, Pichincha) are described and illustrated. The female of S. cuenca (Rowland and Reddell, 1979) is described, with two new distributional records for the species. Surazomus cumbalensis (Kraus, 1957) is recorded for the first time from Ecuador (Pichincha).

A national survey of radiodiagnostic services in Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Penaherrera S, P.; Echeverria T, F.; Buitron S, S.; Yela de Chacon, L.

1979-11-01

The Ecuadorian Atomic Energy Commission elaborated a Radiation Protection Regulation for Ecuador. In order to implement it, a national survey of radiodiagnostic services was implemented with the following objectives: a) Statistics of Radiodiagnostic services related to geography and population ulation density, b) To establish general patterns for X-Ray control and calibration, c) Evaluation of the professional and technical work in this field. (Author)

La aleación inestable. Origen y consolidación de un Estado transformista: Ecuador, 1920 – 1960

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ospina Peralta, P.E.

2016-01-01

La historia del Ecuador se ha caracterizado por una vida política “apacible”, ajena a las guerras civiles, los asesinatos políticos y las muertes de manifestantes en las calles. ¿Qué distingue a Ecuador para explicar una historia política de más de medio siglo de resultados tan inusuales? Este

Study of the personal dosimetry service by thermoluminiscence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Penaherrera, Patricio; Buitron, Susana; Prado, Elizabeth; Ceron Fabiola

1992-01-01

This paper is concerned with the personal dosimetry service given by the Ecuadorian Atomic Energy Commission to radiation exposed workers in Ecuador. The study has taken in consideration the number of professionals working in Ecuador by province and by area of work, and also the radiation doses received by them during the period 1987-1990

Local circulating clones of Staphylococcus aureus in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Zurita, Jeannete; Barba, Pedro; Ortega-Paredes, David; Mora, Marcelo; Rivadeneira, Sebastián

The spread of pandemic Staphylococcus aureus clones, mainly methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), must be kept under surveillance to assemble an accurate, local epidemiological analysis. In Ecuador, the prevalence of the USA300 Latin American variant clone (USA300-LV) is well known; however, there is little information about other circulating clones. The aim of this work was to identify the sequence types (ST) using a Multiple-Locus Variable number tandem repeat Analysis 14-locus genotyping approach. We analyzed 132 S. aureus strains that were recovered from 2005 to 2013 and isolated in several clinical settings in Quito, Ecuador. MRSA isolates composed 46.97% (62/132) of the study population. Within MRSA, 37 isolates were related to the USA300-LV clone (ST8-MRSA-IV, Panton-Valentine Leukocidin [PVL] +) and 10 were related to the Brazilian clone (ST239-MRSA-III, PVL-). Additionally, two isolates (ST5-MRSA-II, PVL-) were related to the New York/Japan clone. One isolate was related to the Pediatric clone (ST5-MRSA-IV, PVL-), one isolate (ST45-MRSA-II, PVL-) was related to the USA600 clone, and one (ST22-MRSA-IV, PVL-) was related to the epidemic UK-EMRSA-15 clone. Moreover, the most prevalent MSSA sequence types were ST8 (11 isolates), ST45 (8 isolates), ST30 (8 isolates), ST5 (7 isolates) and ST22 (6 isolates). Additionally, we found one isolate that was related to the livestock associated S. aureus clone ST398. We conclude that in addition to the high prevalence of clone LV-ST8-MRSA-IV, other epidemic clones are circulating in Quito, such as the Brazilian, Pediatric and New York/Japan clones. The USA600 and UK-EMRSA-15 clones, which were not previously described in Ecuador, were also found. Moreover, we found evidence of the presence of the livestock associated clone ST398 in a hospital environment. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Overexploitation of Abalone at Libong Island, Trang Province, Southern Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chanyut Sudtongkong

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abalone is generally known as a fishery resource of high economic value. The wild abalone from Libong Island iswidely known for its potential as a cocktail-size and high-quality broodstock for hatcheries. The high market price andexternal demand have encouraged local fisherman to catch the wild abalone without proper management, resulting in a nearextinction crisis in the abalone population in this area. The present evaluation of abalone management at Libong Island,Trang Province, Thailand, was conducted using local user perceptions. Sixteen performance indicators included effectiveness indicators, equity indicators, and sustainable indicators. These were measured to determine whether the abalonemanagement activities had achieved the set objectives in terms of better conditions for abalone cultivation and sustainability.The results revealed that the abalone population has undergone degrading and decline due to lack of proper managementmeasures in this area. The findings suggest that practical management is needed for the abalone population at Libong Island.

Mini-hydropower development in human province of China and its position in the national economy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daogao, L.

1991-01-01

Hunan province is situated in the southern part of the middle reaches of Yangtze River. With a population of 61 million, it covers an area of about 211,800 km 2 , equivalent to forty percents of the territorial area of France. Throughout the province, there are more than 5300 rivers and 13000 reservoirs completed before 1991, of which over 7300 mini-hydropower stations are under operation. The theoretical hydropower potential is 15320 MW among them 12990 MW can be exploited with a total installed capacity of 1320 MW and an annual generation output of 4150 GWh. The paper will describe the general condition of the hydropower resources, development of mini-hydropower in Human province and its positive role in the national economy. Additionally, the standard of classification, the type of equipment for the medium and small-sized hydropower plants and market conditions in Hunan will be also involved in the paper. 5 tabs

A new species of Molynocoelia Giglio-Tos (Diptera: Tephritidae) from Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Molynocoelia erwini, a new species of fruit fly from Ecuador is described and illustrated. It differs from its previously known congeners in wing pattern (not banded, distal half brown), scutal and scutellar markings, and male femoral setation....

CONTRASTING RESULTS OF POTENTIAL TSUNAMI HAZARDS IN MUISNE, CENTRAL COAST OF ECUADOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theofilos Toulkeridis

2017-02-01

Full Text Available After the 7.8 Mw Earthquake occurred in Ecuador on April 16 of 2016, the Ecuadorian Government declared the whole Island of Muisne into a risk hazard zone by a potential Tsunami impact and subsequent flooding. Based on the emitted resolution, human settlements in the affected area were prohibited, and a resettlement project in the village of Bunche is currently taking place. Nonetheless, our study demonstrates that the inundation chart used to release the mentioned resolution underestimate the flooding area in case of a real Tsunami impact. To support this conclusion, we present a new inundation chart for the three more probable scenarios, based on historical tsunami records and a seismic hazard assessment study in central coastal Ecuador.

The Perception of the Influence Factors of Journalists in the Journalistic Culture of Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Oller, Martín; Chavero, Palmira

2015-01-01

Este artículo presenta los resultados del proyecto Cultura Periodística de Ecuador (CPE) sobre la percepción de los factores de influencia de los periodistas dentro de la cultura periodística de Ecuador. Estas influencias son estudiadas porque determinan las ideologías y las prácticas profesionales de los periodistas desde su punto de vista de coherencia y desarrollo interno en relación con el contexto. Además, proceden tanto de los niveles internos a la redacción del medio (nivel de actor e ...

Radon quantification in dwellings of different construction located in Pichincha Province

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayala, Maria Mercedes

1992-01-01

The desintegration of uranium-238 yields radon-222 present in most dwellings and buildings. Radon-222 gets into them, accumulatively, through floors and walls, domestic fuel-gas and drinking water pipes. Upon inhalation radon is cancer's causes, death-rate being about 5000 deaths per year in USA. This fact evidences the necessity to quantifying radon in dwellings in Ecuador. This research involves data from dwellings built up with different types of raw materials found spread in Pichincha province. The SSNTD method using a cellulose nitrate sensible film LR-115 was used for the research. The incidence of temperature, altitude, ventilation on the concentration gas Rn 222 were also subject of a qualitative study. Eventually, the results shows that the adobe dwellings and/or poorly ventilated dwellings produce maximum concentration of Rn 222 . Some cases show that ground floors have higher rate of Rn 222 than the first or second floors, meaning that the gas is also coming up from the ground. in any case the level of Rn 222 concentration is less than accepted limit 200 Bq/m 3 by UNCEAR only places, such as Mindo and Calderon, surpass the limit

Alelos mutantes asociados a la resistencia a cloroquina y sulfadoxina-pirimetamina en Plasmodium falciparum de las fronteras Ecuador-Perú y Ecuador-Colombia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nancy Arróspide

Full Text Available Se evaluó la frecuencia de mutaciones en los genes pfCRT y DHFR/DHPS del Plasmodium falciparum asociados a la resistencia a cloroquina y sulfadoxina-pirimetamina en 83 cepas provenientes de los distritos Esmeralda y Machala ubicados en las fronteras entre Ecuador-Perú y Ecuador-Colombia durante el año 2002. Se empleó la reacción en cadena de polimerasa (PCR convencional y sus variantes. El gen pfCRT presentó más de 90% de muestras mutantes en Esmeralda y Machala. Para el gen DHFR, el 90% de las cepas fueron muestras mutantes en Esmeralda, tres fueron mutaciones dobles y una triple; en Machala se encontró 25% de formas mutantes simples y 75% de formas mixtas (formas silvestres/mutantes. En conclusión, la resistencia a cloroquina se ha fijado en las cepas portadoras de la mutación K76T pfCRT, mientras que la impronta genética a la resistencia a pirimetamina está en evolución, principalmente en el distrito de Esmeralda

[Polymorphism analysis of 20 autosomal short-tandem repeat loci in southern Chinese Han population].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ling; Lu, Hui-Jie; DU, Wei-An; Qiu, Ping-Ming; Liu, Chao

2016-02-20

To evaluate the value of PowerPlex ® 21 System (Promega) and study the genetic polymorphism of its 20 short-tandem repeat (STR) loci in southern Chinese Han population. We conducted genotyping experiments using PowerPlex ® 21 System on 20 autosomal STR loci (D3S1358, D1S1656, D6S1043, D13S317, Penta E, D16S539, D18S51, D2S1338, CSF1PO, Penta D, TH01, vWA, D21S11, D7S820, D5S818, TPOX, D8S1179, D12S391, D19S433 and FGA) in 2367 unrelated Chinese Han individuals living in South China. The allele frequencies and parameters commonly used in forensic science were statistically analyzed in these individuals and compared with the reported data of other populations. The PowerPlex ® 21 System had a power of discrimination (PD) ranging from 0.7839 to 0.9852 and a power of exclusion (PE) ranging from 0.2974 to 0.8099 for the 20 loci. No significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg expectations was found for all the loci except for D5S818. This southern Chinese Han population had significant differences in the allele frequencies from 8 ethnic groups reported in China, and showed significant differences at 8 to 20 STR foci from 5 foreign populations. The allele frequency at the locus D1S1656 in this southern Chinese Han population differed significantly from those in the 5 foreign populations and from 3 reported Han populations in Beijing, Zhejiang Province and Fujian Province of China. The neighbor-joining phylogenetictree showed clustering of all the Asian populations in one branch, while the northern Italian and Argentina populations clustered in a separate branch. This southern Chinese Han population had the nearest affinity with the Yi ethnic population in Yunnan Province of China. The 20 STR loci are highly polymorphic in this southern Chinese Han population, suggesting the value of this set of STR loci in forensic personal identification, paternity testing and anthropological study.

Genetic diversity of Streptococcus uberis isolates from dairy cows with subclinical mastitis in Southern Xinjiang Province, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lijun; Chen, Wei; Zhang, Lili; Zhu, Yaxin

2013-01-01

Streptococcus uberis is a common cause of dairy cow mastitis throughout the world. The failure to control bovine mastitis caused by S. uberis is largely attributed to the little known about the epidemiology of this bacteria, especially strain differences in the same area. To define the local epidemiology of S. uberis in the south of Xinjiang, China, we explored the genetic diversity of 28 bovine subclinical mastitis field isolates of S. uberis, collected from 3 Chinese farms during 2009 and 2010, which was examined by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for clustering of the isolates and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to assess the relationship between PFGE patterns and to identify genetic lineages. The 28 isolates were grouped into 13 pulsotypes (U1 to U13), and 1 PFGE type (U1) accounted for almost half of the isolates (13/28, 46.4%). This major type was herd specific, indicating either cow-to-cow transmission or infection with isolates from the same environmental reservoirs. The remaining 12 PFGE types of isolates were from different herds, strongly suggesting environmental sources of S. uberis infection. All 28 isolates were analyzed by MLST and clustered into 8 sequence types (STs), of which 7 STs were found to be novel, either with 5 new alleles of 6 housekeeping and virulence genes (ST158, ST159) or with different combinations of previously assigned alleles (ST153, ST154, ST155, ST156, ST157). To our knowledge, this is the first report that documents molecular typing studies of bovine isolates of S. uberis from southern Xinjiang Province, China, which were shown to represent novel genomic backgrounds of this pathogen.

Terrorism, Diasporas, and Permissive Threat Environments. A Study of Hizballah’s Fundraising Operations in Paraguay and Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

2004-12-01

126 “Ecuador: FARC Leader Reyes Escapes Police Surveillance in Quito,” El Comercio [ Internet version-www], 11...Ecuador: FARC Leader Reyes Escapes Police Surveillance in Quito,” El Comercio [ Internet version-www], 11 Jan 04. FBIS Document ID...to facilitate legal business, including the Internet and e-commerce channels.”35 The identification of a mutually beneficial relationship existing

Epidemiology of acromegaly in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

López Gavilanez, Enrique; Guerrero Franco, Kempis; Solórzano Zambrano, Narcisa; Navarro Chávez, Manuel; López Estrella, Camilo; Vaca Burbano, Luis; Marriott Díaz, Eduardo

2016-01-01

To assess the epidemiology of acromegaly in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, and to compare our results to those reported in the literature. An analysis was made of retrospective and prospective data from all patients with acromegaly attending endocrinology clinics at the 4 main hospitals of the public health network of Guayaquil from January 2000 to December 2014. Age at diagnosis, estimated delay in diagnosis, imaging studies of pituitary gland, basal growth hormone (GH) level, GH after an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT-GH), and serum levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) were recorded. Incidence and prevalence of the disease were estimated using information from the 2010 census of population and housing. Forty-eight cases were recorded in the study period in 17 males (35.4%) and 31 females (64.5%); M/F ratio=1.8:1. Mean age at diagnosis was 47.3±16.8 years (range 18-86). Delay in diagnosis was 7.3±6.3 years (range 1-30). Mean age at diagnosis was 47.9±18.2 years in males and 46.3±15.8 years in females. Delay in diagnosis was 10.2±7.9 and 5.7±3.9 years in males and females, respectively. Prevalence of acromegaly is 18.7 cases per million inhabitants, and incidence of acromegaly 1.3 cases per million people per year. Acromegaly predominates in females, and is diagnosed in the fourth decade with a delay of approximately 8 years, usually even longer in males. Incidence and prevalence are lower than reported in international series. The disease is underdiagnosed and underreported in Ecuador. Copyright © 2016 SEEN. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Human brucellosis in northwest Ecuador: typifying Brucella spp., seroprevalence, and associated risk factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ron-Román, Jorge; Ron-Garrido, Lenin; Abatih, Emmanuel; Celi-Erazo, Maritza; Vizcaíno-Ordóñez, Laura; Calva-Pacheco, Jaime; González-Andrade, Pablo; Berkvens, Dirk; Benítez-Ortíz, Washington; Brandt, Jef; Fretin, David; Saegerman, Claude

2014-02-01

Human brucellosis in Ecuador is underreported and based only on passive surveillance. Since 2008, brucellosis was removed from the list of communicable diseases in the country. Until now, the true human brucellosis picture has not yet been determined. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of the disease, identify risk factors associated with brucellosis seropositivity in humans, and isolate circulating strains of Brucella spp. in the northwestern part of Ecuador. Between 2006 and 2008, a large transect survey was conducted, based on blood sampling of people from the northwestern part of Ecuador (n=3733) together with an epidemiological inquiry. On the basis of three diagnostic tests used in parallel, the overall seroprevalence was estimated as 1.88% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.48-2.38). Based on a multivariable random effects logistic regression analysis, the main risk factors associated with human brucellosis seropositivity were contact with livestock (odds ratio [OR]=3.0; CI 1.25-7.08), consumption of fetus and placenta (OR=2.5; CI 1.18-5.22), and involvement in activities at risk for brucellosis infection (OR=1.8; CI 1.00-3.35). Noticeable variation in brucellosis seropositivity among humans within cantons was observed. The circulating strain was Brucella abortus biotype 4. This study emphasized that contact with livestock, consumption of fetus and placenta, and occupational hazard group were all significant risk factors for the transmission of brucellosis among individuals in the northwestern part of Ecuador. Alongside encouraging the launching of educational campaigns against brucellosis, especially in rural areas where 36% of the population lives, controlling this zoonotic disease in animals will directly benefit its prevention in humans, especially because there is no safe and efficacious vaccine against brucellosis in humans.

Social Enterprise, Capabilities and Development: Lessons from Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Scarlato, Margherita

2012-01-01

The paper analyses how the theoretical framework of social enterprise proposed in the academic debate could be operationalised in the specific socioeconomic context of Ecuador. Recently, this country designed a new economic paradigm based on the solidarity economy model to reconcile an ambitious developmental state platform with the vision of a participatory strategy that pursues democracy, human rights and poverty reduction. This paradigm was enshrined in the constitution and elaborated thro...

Comunidades y territorio en la costa del Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Guerrero Burgos, Rafael

2012-01-01

Se propone una definición teórica de la comunidad territorial sustentada en el concepto de identificación y la teoría del desarrollo rural territorial con el objeto de analizar las principales cadenas productivas que surcan la costa centro sur del Ecuador. Además se estudia a los principales movimientos agrarios que caracterizan un territorio que es sobre todo agrario y rural.

Silicic, high- to extremely high-grade ignimbrites and associated deposits from the Paraná Magmatic Province, southern Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Luchetti, Ana Carolina F.; Nardy, Antonio J. R.; Madeira, José

2018-04-01

The Cretaceous trachydacites and dacites of Chapecó type (ATC) and dacites and rhyolites of Palmas type (ATP) make up 2.5% of the 800.000 km3 of volcanic pile in the Paraná Magmatic Province (PMP), emplaced at the onset of Gondwana breakup. Together they cover extensive areas in southern Brazil, overlapping volcanic sequences of tholeiitic basalts and andesites; occasional mafic units are also found within the silicic sequence. In the central region of the PMP silicic volcanism comprises porphyritic ATC-type, trachydacite high-grade ignimbrites (strongly welded) overlying aphyric ATP-type, rhyolite high- to extremely high-grade ignimbrites (strongly welded to lava-like). In the southwestern region strongly welded to lava-like high-grade ignimbrites overlie ATP lava domes, while in the southeast lava domes are found intercalated within the ignimbrite sequence. Characteristics of these ignimbrites are: widespread sheet-like deposits (tens to hundreds of km across); absence of basal breccias and basal fallout layers; ubiquitous horizontal to sub-horizontal sheet jointing; massive, structureless to horizontally banded-laminated rock bodies locally presenting flow folding; thoroughly homogeneous vitrophyres or with flow banding-lamination; phenocryst abundance presenting upward and lateral decrease; welded glass blobs in an 'eutaxitic'-like texture; negligible phenocryst breakage; vitroclastic texture locally preserved; scarcity of lithic fragments. These features, combined with high eruption temperatures (≥ 1000 °C), low water content (≤ 2%) and low viscosities (104-7 Pa s) suggest that the eruptions were characterized by low fountaining, little heat loss during collapse, and high mass fluxes producing extensive deposits.

[The health system of Ecuador].

Science.gov (United States)

Lucio, Ruth; Villacrés, Nilhda; Henríquez, Rodrigo

2011-01-01

This paper describes the health conditions in Ecuador and, in more detail, the characteristics of the Ecuadorian health system, including its structure and coverage, its financial sources, the physical, material and human resources available, and the stewardship activities developed by the Ministry of Public Health. It also describes the structure and content of its health information system, and the participation of citizens in the operation and evaluation of the health system. The paper ends with a discussion of the most recent policy innovations implemented in the Ecuadorian system, including the incorporation of a chapter on health into the new Constitution which recognizes the protection of health as a human right, and the construction of the Comprehensive Public Health Network.

Revealing the Diversity of Introduced Coffea canephora Germplasm in Ecuador: Towards a National Strategy to Improve Robusta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rey Gastón Loor Solórzano

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Genetic resources of Coffea canephora have been introduced in several tropical countries with potential for crop development. In Ecuador, the species has been cultivated since the mid-20th century. However, little is known about the diversity and genetic structure of introduced germplasm. This paper provides an overview of the genetic and phenotypic diversity of C. canephora in Ecuador and some proposals for implementing a breeding program. Twelve SSR markers were used to analyze 1491 plants of C. canephora grown in different living collections in Ecuador, compared to 29 genotypes representing the main genetic and geographic diversity groups identified within the species. Results indicated that most of the genotypes introduced are of Congolese origin, with accessions from both main subgroups, SG1 and SG2. Some genotypes were classed as hybrids between both subgroups. Substantial phenotypic diversity was also found, and correlations were observed with genetic diversity. Ecuadorian Robusta coffee displays wide genetic diversity and we propose some ways of improving Robusta in Ecuador. A breeding program could be based on three operations: the choice of elite clones, the introduction of new material from other countries (Ivory Coast, Uganda, and the creation of new hybrid material using genotypes from the different diversity groups.

Estimation and Forecasting the Gross Domestic Product´s Growth Rate in Ecuador: a Short-term Vision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yadier Alberto Torres−Sánchez

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Ecuador is the seventh largest economy in Latin America. From 2000 to 2012, the country has been expanding at an average rate of 1,15 % on a quarter over quarter basis, mostly due to a rise in exports. Ecuador´s economy is highly dependent on oil exports. In order to reach its full growth potential, the country needs to reduce its dependence on oil revenue; increase the tax base; achieve political stability and reduce the levels of poverty and inequality. The main objective of this research is specifically marked in estimate and forecast the Gross Domestic Product´s Growth Rate in Ecuador, applying for this Box – Jenkins´ Methodology for ARIMA models. It was obtained a forecast of 3,96 % approximately, that represents a logical result according with the time series.

Estimation and Forecasting the Gross Domestic Product´s Growth Rate in Ecuador: a Short-term Vision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yadier Alberto Torres−Sánchez

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Ecuador is the seventh largest economy in Latin America. From 2000 to 2012, the country has been expanding at an average rate of 1,15 % on a quarter over quarter basis, mostly due to a rise in exports. Ecuador´s economy is highly dependent on oil exports. In order to reach its full growth potential, the country needs to reduce its dependence on oil revenue; increase the tax base; achieve political stability and reduce the levels of poverty and inequality. The main objective of this research is specifically marked in estimate and forecast the Gross Domestic Product´s Growth Rate in Ecuador, applying for this Box – Jenkins´ Methodology for ARIMA models. It was obtained a forecast of 3,96 % approximately, that represents a logical result according with the time series.

Celdas solares sensibilizadas con colorantes fotosensibles obtenidos de plantas de la región sur de ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcela Cabrera

Full Text Available Four vegetal species of the southern of Ecuador were used as sensitizers for making dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs. The effect of type and amount of material, type and time of maceration were tested in order to determine the best conditions of extraction. The extraction of the natural dye was made with acidified ethanol. The sensitizing agents were adsorbed on TiO2 nanoparticles in small solar cells. The DSSCs made with natural dyes from extracts of blackberry (Rubus glaucus B, mortiño (Solanum americanum Mill, escancel (Iresine herbstii Hook and beet (Beta vulgaris L developed an open-circuit tension (Voc 0.65, 0.5, 0.45 and 0.19 V, respectively. The short-circuit currents (Isc varies from 2.05 to 19.68 mA cm-2 and the fill factor ranging from 0.61 to 0.69. The DSSCs sensitized with the extract of Rubus glaucus B offered the highest maximum power of 8.83 mW. Thus, the natural dyes used showed great potential as sensitizers in DSSCs, besides being environmentally friendly and their low cost.

Determining the Climate Calendar of Tourism in Sistan-Baluchestan Province, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FAHIMEH SHAHRAKI

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Sistan and Baluchestan Province spans five degrees latitude, with variations in natural phenomena, with cultural and historical resources and beautiful beaches in the south that have a great potential in attracting tourists. To investigate the relationship between climate and tourism, the climate index has been developed so that data are presented showing the individuals’ reactions to climate. The current study chose the tourist major cities of Iran and meteorological data was used to calculate the 20-year period up to 2012. In order to calculate the three climate indices (Predict Mean Vote - PMV, the Physiological Equivalent Temperature - PET and the Standard Effective Temperature - SET, RayMan software was used. These indices were then discussed and the spatial distribution of climatic comfort was represented in GIS environment. The most important national, religious, historical, and natural places in the province were presented and the climate calendar of tourism was identified. The results showed that tourism is concentrated in two periods, hot and cold. The cold period in southern cities such as Chabahar, Konarak and Sarbaz makes them tourist destinations, while the cities of Zahedan, Khash, Zabol, located at higher latitudes, are chosen tourist destination in spring and autumn. Summer has the highest thermal stress in the province.

H5N1 avian influenza virus: human cases reported in southern China.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Crofts, J.; Paget, J.; Karcher, F.

2003-01-01

Two cases of confirmed influenza due to the avian influenza A H5N1 virus were reported last week in Hong Kong (1). The cases occurred in a Hong Kong family who had recently visited Fujian province in southern China. The daughter, aged 8 years, died following a respiratory illness. The cause of her

Prevalence of Marijuana Use among University Students in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Hynes, Marya; Demarco, Maria; Araneda, Juan Carlos; Cumsille, Francisco

2015-05-15

Young adults 18 to 25 years old show the highest prevalence of marijuana use in Latin America. This study analyzes the changes in prevalence of marijuana use among university students in the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru) from two studies carried out in 2009 and in 2012. Data were collected through representative two-stage samples of universities and students in the Andean Community. An online survey was administered using a standardized questionnaire. Prevalence was calculated for lifetime, past year, and past month. Marijuana was the most widely used illicit substance consumed among university students, in 2009 and in 2012. Past month prevalence among university students in 2009 in Colombia was 5.27%, in Peru 1.00%, in Ecuador 1.68%, and in Bolivia 0.76%. Past month prevalence in 2012 in Colombia was 7.14%, in Ecuador 3.67%, in Peru 1.62%, and in Bolivia 1.45% in 2012. Among university students in the Andean Community, past month prevalence increased among both males and females between 2009 and 2012 in most countries. Marijuana continues to be the most commonly used illicit drug in Latin American countries. Increases in prevalence among young adults could have important implications for national drug policy.

Prevalence of Marijuana Use among University Students in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marya Hynes

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Young adults 18 to 25 years old show the highest prevalence of marijuana use in Latin America. This study analyzes the changes in prevalence of marijuana use among university students in the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru from two studies carried out in 2009 and in 2012. Data were collected through representative two-stage samples of universities and students in the Andean Community. An online survey was administered using a standardized questionnaire. Prevalence was calculated for lifetime, past year, and past month. Marijuana was the most widely used illicit substance consumed among university students, in 2009 and in 2012. Past month prevalence among university students in 2009 in Colombia was 5.27%, in Peru 1.00%, in Ecuador 1.68%, and in Bolivia 0.76%. Past month prevalence in 2012 in Colombia was 7.14%, in Ecuador 3.67%, in Peru 1.62%, and in Bolivia 1.45% in 2012. Among university students in the Andean Community, past month prevalence increased among both males and females between 2009 and 2012 in most countries. Marijuana continues to be the most commonly used illicit drug in Latin American countries. Increases in prevalence among young adults could have important implications for national drug policy.

Geographical clustering of lung cancer in the province of Lecce, Italy: 1992–2001

Science.gov (United States)

Bilancia, Massimo; Fedespina, Alessandro

2009-01-01

-specific p-values (denoted by ρi); in addition, it was seen that high risk areas were not randomly distributed within the province, but showed a sharp clustering. The most perceptible cluster involved a collection of municipalities around the Maglie area (Istat code: 75039), while the association among the municipalities of Otranto, Poggiardo and Santa Cesarea Terme (Istat codes: 75057, 75061, 75072) was more ambiguous. For females, it was noteworthy the significant risk excess in the city of Lecce (Istat code: 75035), where an SMR of 1.83 and ρi < 0.01 have been registered. BYM model for the province of Lecce: For males, Bayes estimates of relative risks varied around an overall mean of 1.04 with standard deviation of 0.1, with a minimum of 0.77 and a maximum of 1.25. The posterior relative risks for females, although smoothed, showed more variation than for males, ranging form 0.74 to 1.65, around a mean of 0.90 with standard deviation 0.12. For males, 95% posterior credible intervals of relative risks included unity in every area, whereas significantly elevated risk of mortality was confirmed in the Lecce area for females (95% posterior CI: 1.33 – 2.00). BYM model for the whole Apulia: For males, internally standardized maps showed several high risk areas bordering the province of Lecce, belonging to the province of Brindisi, and the presence of a large high risk region, including the southern part of the province of Brindisi and the eastern and southern part of the Salento peninsula, in which an increasing trend in the north-south direction was found. Ecological correlation study with deprivation (Cadum Index): For males, posterior mean of the ecological regression coefficient β resulted to be 0.04 with 95% posterior credible interval equal to (-0.01, 0.08); similarly, β was estimated as equal to -0.03 for females (95% posterior credible interval: -0.16, 0.10). Moreover, there was some indication of nonlinearly increasing relative risk with increasing deprivation

Geographical clustering of lung cancer in the province of Lecce, Italy: 1992–2001

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fedespina Alessandro

2009-07-01

the ground of area-specific p-values (denoted by ρi; in addition, it was seen that high risk areas were not randomly distributed within the province, but showed a sharp clustering. The most perceptible cluster involved a collection of municipalities around the Maglie area (Istat code: 75039, while the association among the municipalities of Otranto, Poggiardo and Santa Cesarea Terme (Istat codes: 75057, 75061, 75072 was more ambiguous. For females, it was noteworthy the significant risk excess in the city of Lecce (Istat code: 75035, where an SMR of 1.83 and ρi BYM model for the province of Lecce: For males, Bayes estimates of relative risks varied around an overall mean of 1.04 with standard deviation of 0.1, with a minimum of 0.77 and a maximum of 1.25. The posterior relative risks for females, although smoothed, showed more variation than for males, ranging form 0.74 to 1.65, around a mean of 0.90 with standard deviation 0.12. For males, 95% posterior credible intervals of relative risks included unity in every area, whereas significantly elevated risk of mortality was confirmed in the Lecce area for females (95% posterior CI: 1.33 – 2.00. BYM model for the whole Apulia: For males, internally standardized maps showed several high risk areas bordering the province of Lecce, belonging to the province of Brindisi, and the presence of a large high risk region, including the southern part of the province of Brindisi and the eastern and southern part of the Salento peninsula, in which an increasing trend in the north-south direction was found. Ecological correlation study with deprivation (Cadum Index: For males, posterior mean of the ecological regression coefficient β resulted to be 0.04 with 95% posterior credible interval equal to (-0.01, 0.08; similarly, β was estimated as equal to -0.03 for females (95% posterior credible interval: -0.16, 0.10. Moreover, there was some indication of nonlinearly increasing relative risk with increasing deprivation for higher

Republic of Ecuador Country Environmental Analysis : Environmental Quality and Natural Resource Management for Sustained Economic Growth and Poverty Alleviation

OpenAIRE

World Bank

2007-01-01

Ecuador is a country with exceptional natural resource and environmental advantages and challenges. It is strategically located and has considerable oil reserves in the interior and the coastal region. This document does not aim to describe the state of the environment in Ecuador. Rather, its main objective is to provide an analytical foundation to identify the country's institutional weak...

Voices of Contact: Politics of Language in Urban Amazonian Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Wroblewski, Michael

2010-01-01

This dissertation is a study of diverse linguistic resources and contentious identity politics among indigenous Amazonian Kichwas in the city of Tena, Ecuador. Tena is a rapidly developing Amazonian provincial capital city with a long history of interethnic and interlinguistic contact. In recent decades, the course of indigenous Kichwa identity…

Diseño del plan de comunicación institucional con el fin de potenciar la marca, imagen e identidad corporativa de Taste Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Gallardo de la Puente, Carlos Alberto; Granja Londoño, Andrés Felipe

2014-01-01

TASTE ECUADOR is a research, analysis, application and development of human talent enterprise, responsible for promoting culinary and technical information by means of highly trained chefs and culinary products from Ecuador, able to generate an export food culture, opening new global markets, promote strategic integration into the international trade and the participation of the Ecuadorian people worldwide. lt is committed to working for ECUADOR, its gastronomic development and sustainable pr...

Communication of 26 June 1995 received from the Permanent Mission of Ecuador to the International Atomic Energy Agency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

On 27 June 1995, the Director General received a communication dated 26 June 1995 from the Permanent Mission of Ecuador transmitting a Statement of 22 June 1995 issued by the Rio Group concerning the resumption of nuclear testing by France. As requested by the Permanent Mission of Ecuador, the text of the Statement is being circulated for the information of Member States of the Agency

Gender differences in life expectancy with and without disability among older adults in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Egüez-Guevara, Pilar; Andrade, Flávia Cristina Drumond

2015-01-01

Knowledge on disability's impact among older women and men in Ecuador is limited. This paper provides gender-specific estimates of disability prevalence, life expectancy with and without disability, and the factors associated with gender differences in disability at older age in Ecuador (2009-2010). Data from the Health, Well-Being, and Aging Survey (SABE) Ecuador 2009 was used. Participants were 4480 men and women aged 60 and over. Life expectancy with and without disability was calculated using the Sullivan method. Logistic regression analyses were used to explore gender differences in disability prevalence. Two disability measures, indicating limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), were used. 60-year-old women in Ecuador can expect to live 16.3 years without ADL limitations compared to 16.9 years for men. Life expectancy without IADL limitations was 12.5 years for women and 15.5 years for men. At age 60, women's length of life with ADL and IADL disability was higher (7.9 years for women vs. 4.9 years for men with ADL, and 11.7 years for women vs. 6.3 years for men with IADL). After controlling for socioeconomic characteristics, chronic conditions and lifestyle factors, gender differences in ADL disability were not statistically significant. However, older women were 58% more likely (OR=1.58, 95% CI 1.27, 1.95) to report having IADL limitations than men, even after including control variables. Interventions should tackle chronic disease, physical inactivity, and socioeconomic differences to reduce women's vulnerability to disability in older age. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

E-commerce in Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nelly Karina Esparza Cruz

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Today, companies have been forced to create new media with their customers that allow them to obtain the sales volume necessary to make a profit, which is why e-commerce is an invaluable tool for the sales department of the Business. Over the years e-commerce has evolved facing major challenges, especially those related to information security and the little Ecuadorian culture of buying online. However, thanks to the fact that in the last decade the number of Internet users has increased, this has allowed online sales to start increasing their amounts annually, however, compared with the rest of South American countries to Ecuador still It lacks much way to go not only in the implementation of secure web portals for Internet purchases, but also in computer culture and security rules in Internet users.

Volatile organic compounds from vegetation in southern Yunnan Province, China: Emission rates and some potential regional implications

Science.gov (United States)

Geron, Chris; Owen, Sue; Guenther, Alex; Greenberg, Jim; Rasmussen, Rei; Hui Bai, Jian; Li, Qing-Jun; Baker, Brad

Little information is currently available regarding emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in southern Asia. To address the need for BVOC emission estimates in regional atmospheric chemistry simulations, 95 common plant species were screened for emissions of BVOC in and near the Xishuangbanna Tropical Biological Gardens in southern Yunnan Province, Peoples' Republic of China in February 2003. In situ measurements with leaf cuvettes and branch bag enclosures were used in combination with portable gas chromatography, flame ionization, photoionization, and mass spectral detection to identify and quantify BVOC emissions. Forty-four of the species examined emitted isoprene at rates exceeding 20 μg C g -1 (leaf dry weight) h -1. An emphasis was placed on the genus Ficus, which is important in the region and occupies a wide range of ecological niches. Several species in the footprint of a nearby flux tower were also examined. Several palm species and an abundant fern ( Cyclosorus parasiticus) emitted substantial amounts of isoprene, and probably accounted for observed daytime mean isoprene fluxes from the understory of a Hevea brasiliensis plantation of 1.0 and 0.15 mg C m -2 h -1 during the wet and dry seasons, respectively. These measurements verify that both the forest floor and canopy in this region can be sources of isoprene. Monoterpene emissions exceeded 1.0 μg-C g -1 (leaf dry weight) h -1 from only 4 of 38 species surveyed, including some Ficus species and H. brasiliensis. However most of the trees of the latter species were sparsely foliated due to dry season senescence, and emission factors are approximately an order of magnitude lower than those reported during the wet season. BVOC emission rates and physiology of many species are impacted by reduced moisture availability, especially Mangifera indica. South Asia is a region undergoing rapid landuse change and forest plantation establishment, with large increases in area of high BVOC

Comercio entre Huaquillas, Ecuador - Aguas Verdes, Perú.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raúl Carpio

2015-10-01

This research aims to present the statistics on international trade between the major towns on the border Ecuador - Peru. This work seeks to show business opportunities framed in the Strategic Plan of the Productive Transformation matrix which seeks to increase domestic production through import substitution. Based on Huaquillas city, the research results show that the main imports are textiles and footwear, which represent over 50% of total imports and $ 107 million a year.

Birds, Lower Sangay National Park, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador

OpenAIRE

Guevara, E.; Santander, T.; Guevara, J. E.; Gualotuña, R.; Ortiz, V.

2010-01-01

Sangay National Park is located at the mid-eastern Andean foothills of the Cordillera Oriental of Ecuador. We present a preliminary avifauna inventory corresponding to the lower zone of the Sangay National Park (SNP). One-hundred and twenty-seven bird species belonging to 39 families were recorded, including noteworthy records that represent range extensions for four species, Phaetornis hispidus (Gould 1846) (White-bearded Hermit), Ramphastos ambiguus Swainson 1823 (Black-mandibled Toucan), P...

Southern Alberta system reinforcement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rehman, A. [Alberta Electric System Operator, Calgary, AB (Canada)

2008-07-01

System planning for the Alberta Electric System Operator's (AESO) southern system was discussed in view of the growing interest in developing wind energy resources in the province. While Alberta currently has a total of 11,500 MW of installed wind power, southern Alberta has a very small capability for interconnecting additional wind resources. There are 3 main agencies involved in system planning for the southern region: (1) the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC), (2) the AESO, and (3) the transmission facility owners. Transmission needs are studied by the AESO, who then applies to the AUC for approval. Transmission facility owners also apply to the AUC for approval to construct facilities. The AESO's roles are to operate the wholesale electricity market; plan the transmission system; arrange access for loads and generation; and oversee transmission system operation. The AESO is an independent agency with a public interest mandate. The AESO's queue management process has been designed to facilitate non-discriminatory system access. Development options currently being considered by the AESO include a 240 kV AC transmission line; a 500 kV AC transmission line; a 765 kV AC transmission line; a high voltage direct current (HVDC) system; and a voltage source converter (VSC) HVDC system. Radial and looped configurations are also being considered. The AESO is currently conducting a participant involvement program that involves open houses with the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) and other provincial stakeholders. tabs., figs.