Bacteriological quality and solid wastes at five coastal marine environments of Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, Vera; Acuna Gonzalez, Jenaro; Vargas Zamora, Jose A.; Garcia Cespedes, Jairo

2006-01-01

Anthropogenic waste and water bacteriological quality were surveyed twice a year in 2000 and in 2002 at five coastal marine environments in Costa Rica, one in the Caribbean (Bahia de Moin) and four in the Pacific (Bahia de Culebra, Golfo de Nicoya, Estero de Puntarenas, Bahia de Golfito). The most probable number (MPN)/100 mL of coliform bacteria was calculated after incubation series of five test tubes. A total of 14 coastal and two river water samples were collected in the Caribbean, and 32 coastal, nine estuarine and one tap water samples in the Pacific, plus 25 samples investigated for Escherichia coli in 2002. The means of 2 MPN/100 mL in June 2000 and 17 MPN/100 mL in May 2002, and faecal coliforms [es

Parásitos intestinales en monos congo Alouatta palliata (Primates: Cebidae de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Misael Chinchilla Carmona

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Se estudiaron las heces de 102 monos de la especie Alouatta palliata (monos aulladores o congos de las siguientes regiones de Costa Rica. Valle Central: San Ramón (Alajuela; Pacífico Central: Isla Chira y Parque Manuel Antonio (Puntarenas; Pacífico Norte: Palo Verde, Playa Potrero, Nicoya (Guanacaste y Caribe: Cahuita (Limón. Los animales capturados fueron anestesiados con dardos conteniendo Telazol®. La mayoría defecaron espontáneamente o se les estimulaba a defecar. Las muestras se estudiaron en el laboratorio en forma directa en solución salina (0.85% y una solución de yodo o teñidas con hematoxilina para identificar los parásitos correspondientes. El material fue cultivado en el medio de Dobell para determinar la presencia de amebas y flagelados. Se encontraron helmintos de los géneros Trypanoxyuris, Strongyloides y Controrchis y protozoarios de los géneros Endolimax, Entamoeba, Trichomonas y Giardia. Los porcentajes de infección por protozoarios oscilaron entre 16.7% y 80% y se encontraron helmintos en un 3.4% a un 80% de los animales de acuerdo con la zona estudiada. No se encontraron diferencias importantes de parasitosis relacionadas con el sexo pero si existió mayor infección en los animales más jóvenes. Se establece la relación entre los índices de infección y algunos parámetros tales como las áreas estudiadas, el peso de los animales y el contacto con el ser humano.Intestinal parasites in howler monkeys Alouatta palliata (Primates: Cebidae of Costa Rica. Fecal samples of 102 howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata from several sites of Costa Rica were studied for intestinal parasites. The zones studied were: Central Valley (San Ramón, Alajuela, Central Pacific (Chomes and Manuel Antonio National Park, Puntarenas, North Pacific (Palo Verde Park and Playa Potrero, Guanacaste, Chira Island in the Nicoya Gulf and Caribean area (Cahuita, Limón. Animals were anesthetized with dards containing Telazol in order to collect

Variación estacional de la composición proximal en tres especies de importancia comercial del Golfo de Nicoya, Puntarenas, Costa Rica Seasonal variation of proximate composition in three commercially important species in the Gulf of Nicoya, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristian Fonseca Rodríguez

2013-03-01

Full Text Available La información disponible sobre la composición química de algunos recursos pesqueros que se capturan en el Golfo de Nicoya es muy limitada. Por tal razón se determinaron los niveles de los componentes proximales de las partes comestibles (fresco de tres especies de importancia comercial. Las muestras fueron adquiridas en el Mercado de Puntarenas entre febrero 2009 y enero 2001 durante la temporada de pesca. Los análisis de la composición proximal se determinaron según la metodología de AOAC. Los resultados indicaron que el contenido de humedad varió entre 74.6-80.6g/100g en robalo (Centropomus unionesis, 76.9-80.0g/100g en camarón (Trachypenaeus byrdi y 77.9-89.5g/100g en almeja verde (Poymesoda radiata. Después de la humedad la fracción química más abundante fue la proteína presentando los valores más altos en diciembre para el robalo y febrero para el camarón y la almeja verde. Las mayores fluctuaciones en el contenido de lípidos se presentaron en el robalo, variando desde 0.7g/100g hasta 5.6g/100g. Los valores más altos en esta fracción fueron encontrados en julio, febrero y abril en camarones, almeja y robalo respectivamente. Se concluye que la especie de pescado y camarón estudiados son una buena alternativa para el consumo humano por ser una fuente importante de proteínas y por su bajo contenido en lípidos.Nutritional value of seafood for human consumption is worldwide recognized. Some information have been generated in other countries, nevertheless, there is limited information describing the chemical composition of some fishery important species caught in the Gulf of Nicoya. For this reason, we studied the levels of proximal components of the edible parts (fresh of three commercially important species. The meat samples of snook Centropomus unionesis, the shrimp Trachypenaeus byrdi and the bivalve Polymesoda radiata, were collected from the Puntarenas local fish market during the fishing season of February 2009 to

Effectiveness of Protected Areas for Representing Species and Populations of Terrestrial Mammals in Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

González-Maya, José F.; Víquez-R, Luis R.; Belant, Jerrold L.; Ceballos, Gerardo

2015-01-01

Costa Rica has one of the greatest percentages (26%) of protected land in the world. The National Protected Areas System (NPAS) of Costa Rica was established in 1976 and currently includes >190 protected areas within seven different protection categories. The effectiveness of the NPAS to represent species, populations, and areas with high species richness has not been properly evaluated. Such evaluations are fundamental to understand what is necessary to strengthen the NPAS and better protect biodiversity. We present a novel assessment of NPAS effectiveness in protecting mammal species. We compiled the geographical ranges of all terrestrial Costa Rican mammals then determined species lists for all protected areas and the estimated proportion of each species’ geographic range protected. We also classified mammal species according to their conservation status using the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. We found almost complete representation of mammal species (98.5%) in protected areas, but low relative coverage (28.3% on average) of their geographic ranges in Costa Rica and 25% of the species were classified as underprotected according to a priori representation targets. Interestingly, many species-rich areas are not protected, and at least 43% of cells covering the entire country are not included in protected areas. Though protected areas in Costa Rica represent species richness well, strategic planning for future protected areas to improve species complementarity and range protection is necessary. Our results can help to define sites where new protected areas can have a greater impact on mammal conservation, both in terms of species richness and range protection. PMID:25970293

Effectiveness of protected areas for representing species and populations of terrestrial mammals in Costa Rica.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José F González-Maya

Full Text Available Costa Rica has one of the greatest percentages (26% of protected land in the world. The National Protected Areas System (NPAS of Costa Rica was established in 1976 and currently includes >190 protected areas within seven different protection categories. The effectiveness of the NPAS to represent species, populations, and areas with high species richness has not been properly evaluated. Such evaluations are fundamental to understand what is necessary to strengthen the NPAS and better protect biodiversity. We present a novel assessment of NPAS effectiveness in protecting mammal species. We compiled the geographical ranges of all terrestrial Costa Rican mammals then determined species lists for all protected areas and the estimated proportion of each species' geographic range protected. We also classified mammal species according to their conservation status using the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. We found almost complete representation of mammal species (98.5% in protected areas, but low relative coverage (28.3% on average of their geographic ranges in Costa Rica and 25% of the species were classified as underprotected according to a priori representation targets. Interestingly, many species-rich areas are not protected, and at least 43% of cells covering the entire country are not included in protected areas. Though protected areas in Costa Rica represent species richness well, strategic planning for future protected areas to improve species complementarity and range protection is necessary. Our results can help to define sites where new protected areas can have a greater impact on mammal conservation, both in terms of species richness and range protection.

Ecotourism and primate habituation: Behavioral variation in two groups of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus from Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shasta E. Webb

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The increase of ecotourism operations within Costa Rica during the last 20yrs has brought more and more humans into close, direct contact with several wildlife species. One of these species is the white-faced capuchin (Cebus capucinus, highly gregarious, and with exposure over time, willing to come into close vicinity of humans and their developments. Such contact has its advantages and disadvantages for the ecotourism industry. We observed white-faced monkeys in order to assess the impact of human presence and development on monkey behavior, with a focus on aggressive, affiliative, and foraging behaviors in Curú Wildlife Refuge (CWR, located in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, and to ascertain the degree of over-habituation of capuchin populations at CWR. Though there exists no discrete behavioral parameters that measure over-habituation, it can be defined as an extreme state of habituation in which non-human primates not only lose fear of humans, but also actively include humans in social interactions or treat them as a food resource. We used instantaneous focal animal and group scan sampling during 8wks in March and April 2012. Two groups (approximately 20-30 individuals each of capuchins were observed; the first near the tourist development at the Southwestern area of CWR, representing a habituated population that regularly foraged, rested, and groomed in the presence of humans. The second, was observed in the Northeastern area of CWR, did not visit the center of human activity and exhibited fear of humans. The habituated group exhibited significantly fewer instances of threatened behavior in response to human presence (p<0.0001 than the non-habituated group, and spent significantly more time eating and foraging (p<0.0001. While the habituated monkeys at CWR may not be over-habituated, they could become that way as development, especially ecotourism, increases. Over-habituation is a problem that affects capuchins in certain ecotourism sites in Costa

[Distribution, surface and protected area of palm-swamps in Costa Rica and Nicaragua].

Science.gov (United States)

Serrano-Sandí, Juan; Bonilla-Murillo, Fabian; Sasa, Mahmood

2013-09-01

In Central America, palm swamps are known collectively as yolillales. These wetlands are usually dominated by the raffia palm Raphia taedigera, but also by the royal palm Manicaria saccifera and -in lower extensions- by the American oil palm Elaeis oleifera. The yolillales tend to be poor in woody species and are characteristic of regions with high rainfall and extensive hydroperiods, so they remain flooded most of the year. The dominance of large raffia palm leaves in the canopy, allow these environments to be distinguishable in aerial photographs, which consequently has helped to map them along most of their distribution. However, while maps depicting yolillales are available, the extent of their surface area, perimeter and connectivity remains poorly understood. This is particularly true for yolillales in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, countries that share a good proportion of palm dominated swaps in the Rio San Juan Basin. In addition, it is not known the actual area of these environments that is under any category of protection according to the conservation systems of both countries. As a first step to catalog yolillal wetlands in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, this paper evaluates cartographic maps to delineate yolillales in the region. A subsample of yolillales mapped in this study were visited and we geo-referenced them and evaluate the extent and condition of the swamp. A total of 110 883.2ha are classified as yolillales in Nicaragua, equivalent to 22% of wetland surface area recorded for that country (excluding the Cocibolca and Xolothn Lakes). In Costa Rica, 53 931.3ha are covered by these palm dominated swamps, which represent 16.24% of the total surface area covered by wetlands. About 47% of the area covered by yolillales in Nicaragua is under some category of protection, the largest extensions protected by Cerro Silva, Laguna Tale Sulumas and Indio Maiz Nature Reserves. In Costa Rica, 55.5% of the area covered by yolillal is located within protected areas

EX1103L2: Exploration and Mapping, Galapagos Spreading Center: ROV, Mapping, and CTD

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — After the Okeanos Explorer port call and science party change in Puntarenas, Costa Rica between July 2 and July 7, 2011, the second leg of EX1103 will begin. From...

La carrera pedestre por la línea del tren, San José Puntarenas 1914-1938.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Lobo Di Palma

2011-08-01

Full Text Available El propósito de este artículo es identificar los motivos por el cual, se realizo en Costa Rica, en las primeras décadas del siglo XX, un evento deportivo único de carácter mundial, que consistió de una carrera pedestre de más 100 kilómetros de recorrido, entre San José y Puntarenas, realizándose principalmente sobre los durmientes de la línea férrea. Lo novedoso de esta investigación histórica, es que se analiza el impacto deportivo en la sociedad costarricense desde una perspectiva social más amplia, que la simple descripción anecdótica y cronológica tradicional de un evento de tal magnitud, identificando los principales actores involucrados en tan particular evento, y analizado el desarrollo del mismo y los principales motivos de su suspensión desde un punto de vista técnico. El trabajo está dividido en tres capítulos. El primer de ellos contiene información sobre quienes organizaron el evento y su finalidad, cuál fue su recorrido, número de participantes y premiación. En el segundo, se describe los principales acontecimientos sucedidos de tan particular competencia, quienes fueron sus principales protagonistas y como se preparaban. Y en el último, se analiza los motivos por los cuales en 1938 se realizó por última vez, y quienes influyeron a que dicho espectáculo deportivo de dejara de realizar.

Aspectos biometricos del bagre Arius Furthii Steindachner (Pisces Ariidae, colectado en punta Morales, Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurizio Protti Quesada

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Se analizan estadísticamente algunos parámetros biométricos de 257 ejemplares de Arius furthii (Ariidae, colectados en una zona de playa y otra de manglar en Punta Morales, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Las colectas se realizaron por medio de “arrastres” con una red tipo “chinchorro”. La talla de los especímenes capturados osciló entre 55 y 276 mm de longitud total y 1,3 a 176 g en peso fresco. El análisis estadístico mostró que la longitud total es la mejor variable para la estimación del peso fresco a través de una ecuación de regresión logarítmica.  Además, se mostró que no existen diferencias significativas en el peso de los Arius furthii colectados en la playa y los colectados en el manglar.

Distribucion arborea de los gastropodos cerithidea montagnei (mollusca potamidae y littorina Spp. (Mollusca, Littorinidae en el manglar de Mata de Limón, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Édgar Suarez B

2016-03-01

Full Text Available En el manglar de Mata de Limón, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, se estudió la distribución y preferencia por el susbtrato arbóreo de gastrópodos C. montagnei y Littorina spp. en cuatro especies de mangle, según la cantidad de moluscos observados en cada árbol y la cantidad de árboles con presencia o ausencia de ellos, en el período de setiembre de 1982 a junio de 1983. El orden de preferencia mostrado por ambos grupos de moluscos fue: 1 Rhizophora mangle, 2 Avicennia germinans, 3Pelliciera rhizophorae y 4 Laguncularia racemosa. Se discuten las posibles razones de esta preferencia. Cerithidea montagnei presentó una mayor distribución horizontal, así como una mayor abundancia respecto de Littorina spp.

The occurrence of amber and sub-amber (copal) in Costa Rica: the case of San Cristobal de Savegre

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alvarado, Guillermo E.; Brenes, Jorge; Brenes, Jose

2013-01-01

In Costa Rica, small fragments of amber are found in the Miocene shallow marine clastic sedimentary rocks, such as Formacion Punta Judas (Middle Miocene), Formacion Santa Teresa (Middle Miocene), and Formacion Curre (Middle-Upper Miocene). Sub-amber or copal is found in relative abundance in certain localities in the residual soils in the mountains near San Cristobal de Savegre (Aguirre, Puntarenas). The copal samples have sub-rounded or pearly (21.3%), tabular or laminar (29.6%) and troncoidal (30.4%) forms, but some are intermediate or indefinite (18.7%). Its color varies between orange / red (57.4%), followed by yellow (31.0%) and less frequently light yellow to whitish (11.6%); some samples have insects incorporated. The age of the copal is in the age range of 1670-1780 A.D., based on a calibrated 14 C dating. Although these samples of copal seem to have no commercial value, they could be used by local artisans. (author) [es

Aspectos de demanda para 41 productos hortícolas en la Zona Sur de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexis Villalobos Monge

2010-10-01

Full Text Available En este artículo se resume el análisis efectuado a una sección de la actividad “Estudio del mercado hortícola en la zona sur-sur de Costa Rica”, que forma parte del proyecto “Investigación de mercados para productos agrícolas”, el cual se encuentra adscrito ante la Vicerrectoría de Investigación de la Universidad de Costa Rica. El objetivo de esta sección es determinar los principales aspectos cuantitativos y cualitativos referentes a la demanda de hortalizas presente en la zona sur de Costa Rica, lo cual permitirá a los diferentes agentes que participan en estas agrocadenas contar con información de fuentes primarias para tomar las decisiones pertinentes, principalmente para planificar tanto los procesos de siembra como de comercialización. El trabajo de campo consistió en la aplicación de encuestas durante el primer semestre del año 2009 a personas involucradas con cinco tipos de actividades económicas (sodas, restaurantes, supermercados, verdulerías y hoteles en los cantones de Aguirre, Osa, Golfito, Buenos Aires, Coto Brus y Corredores, todos de la provincia de Puntarenas. La información se obtuvo mediante encuestas aplicadas según un diseño estratificado de una etapa, que permitió realizar la inferencia estadística para el parámetro poblacional de demanda, esto en el caso de los productos olerícolas demandados por los encuestados. Los resultados obtenidos permitieron identificar un total de 41 productos, los cuales presentaron diferentes comportamientos según el estrato, y gracias a la inferencia se evidenció los límites mínimos y máximos que se podrían esperar, con un nivel de confianza del 95%.

Insecticide resistance in two Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) strains from Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Bisset, J A; Marín, R; Rodríguez, M M; Severson, D W; Ricardo, Y; French, L; Díaz, M; Pérez, O

2013-03-01

Dengue (family Flaviridae, genus Flavivirus, DENV) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) are presently important public health problems in Costa Rica. The primary strategy for disease control is based on reducing population densities of the main mosquito vector Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae). This is heavily dependent on use of chemical insecticides, thus the development of resistance is a frequent threat to control program effectiveness. The objective of this study was to determine the levels of insecticide resistance and the metabolic resistance mechanisms involved in two Ae. aegypti strains collected from two provinces (Puntarenas and Limon) in Costa Rica. Bioassays with larvae were performed according to World Health Organization guidelines and resistance in adults was measured through standard bottle assays. The activities of beta-esterases, cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, and glutathione S-transferases (GST), were assayed through synergists and biochemical tests, wherein the threshold criteria for each enzyme was established using the susceptible Rockefeller strain. The results showed higher resistance levels to the organophosphate (OP) temephos and the pyrethroid deltamethrin in larvae. The efficacy of commercial formulations of temephos in controlling Ae. aegypti populations was 100% mortality up to 11 and 12 d posttreatment with daily water replacements in test containers. Temephos and deltamethrin resistance in larvae were associated with high esterase activity, but not to cytochrome P450 monooxygenase or GST activities. Adult mosquitoes were resistant to deltamethrin, and susceptible to bendiocarb, chlorpyrifos, and cypermethrin. Because temephos and deltamethrin resistance are emerging at the studied sites, alternative insecticides should be considered. The insecticides chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin could be good candidates to use as alternatives for Ae. aegypti control.

Basidiomicetes de Costa Rica: nuevas especies de Exobasidium (Exobasidiaceae y registros de Cryptobasidiales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis D. Gómez P

1998-12-01

Full Text Available Se describen seis nuevas especies (Exobasidiales, Exobasidiaceae: Exobasidium aequatorianum parásito de Vaccinium crenatum (Don Sleumer en los Andes ecuatorianos; Exobasidium jamaicense como parásito de Lyonia jamaicensis (Sw.D.Don de Jamaica, Exobasidium disterigmicola como parásito de Disterigma huboldtii (Klz. Nied., de Costa Rica y que forma distrofias del tipo escoba de bruja, Exobasidium sphyrospermii de Costa Rica, como parásito de Sphyrospermum cordifolium Bentham, Exobasidium poasanum, de Costa Rica y que forma gigantescas pseudoagallas en hojas y yemas de Cavendishia bracteata (R. & P. ex St.-Hil. Hoer., Exobasidium pernettyae, de Costa Rica y parásito foliar de Pernettya prostrata (Cav. DC. Es muy posible que esas especies de parásitos se extiendan en todo el ámbito geografico de las plantas que parasitan, como lo demuestra el hallazgo de Exobasidium escalloniae Gómez & Kisimova, descrito de Costa Rica, en Escallonia myrtilloides var. patens, en Ecuador de donde tambien se registra Exobasidium vaccinii (Fkl. Wor. Como parásito de las especies costarricenses de Arctostaphylos y Comarostaphylos, se registra, describe e lustra la especie Exobasidium arctostaphyli Hark., descrita de la coasta occidental de los E.E.U.U. lo que constituye un nuevo registro neotropical. La exploración en búsqueda de criptobasidiáceas eleva el número de Cryptobasidiales registrados en Costa Rica a tres: Clinoconidium bullatum Sydow, originalmente descrito de las inmediaciones de Grecia, Alajuela, ahora se conoce también de Monteverde, Puntarenas, como parásito de Cinnamomum spp., Clinoconidium farinosum (P.Henn. Pat., de la misma localidad y como parásito de Ocotea monteverdensis Burger. En la Cordillera de Talamanca, se localizó una población de Aiouea costaricensis (Mez Kosterm., con numerosas agallas foliares y caulinares causadas por Drepanoconis larviformis (Speg. Speg. Con excepción de C. bullatum, todos son nuevos registros

Frecuencia de los hongos asociados al desarrollo de mohos poscosecha en el pedúnculo de la piña en dos zonas de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johanny Castro Chinchilla

2017-01-01

Full Text Available La piña es uno de los principales cultivos de exportación en Costa Rica y la presencia de moho en el pedúnculo afecta su calidad en los mercados internacionales. El objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar en frutos de piña, en la cera aplicada sobre la fruta y en el aire de las cámaras de enfriamiento, la frecuencia de los principales hongos asociados al desarrollo de mohos en el pedúnculo. Se realizó un muestreo mensual de abril de 2012 a marzo de 2013 en empacadoras de Sarapiquí y Puntarenas, Costa Rica. En cada empacadora se muestreó: frutos luego del proceso-comercial que se realiza para exportación y almacenamiento, la cera aplicada sobre la superficie de las frutas y el aire de las cámaras de enfriamiento. Se realizó un análisis de frecuencia de los principales hongos recuperados por muestreo en cada zona, para la cáscara y el pedúnculo, la cera y el aire. Además, se comparó el crecimiento in vitro a 18°C de los hongos más frecuentes al finalizar los muestreos. El hongo más frecuente en las cámaras de enfriamiento, el pedúnculo y la cáscara de ambas zonas y en la cera de Sarapiquí fue Penicillium diversum, con valores entre 7% y 100%. Mientras que en la cera de Puntarenas únicamente destacó la presencia de un grupo de hongos de micelio blanco. P. purpureogenum, Penicillium sp., Talaromyces calidicanius y Cladosporium sp., fueron microorganismos también recuperados con alta frecuencia tanto en la fruta como en el aire de las cámaras de enfriamiento de ambas empacadoras. P. purpureogenum, P. diversum y T. calidicanius fueron las especies con mayor crecimiento in vitro. Se concluyó que el manejo integrado de P. diversum, P. purpureogenum y T. calidicanius es necesario si se desea evitar el desarrollo de moho en el pedúnculo de la piña.

Aportes del turismo según los habitantes de las comunidades de Playas del Coco, Guanacaste y el Roble, Puntarenas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Bartels Villanueva

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo se basa en los artículos titulados “Impacto del Turismo, el caso de: El Roble 2 de Puntarenas” y “Allá en Playas del Coco; donde el turismo no fue amor de temporada”, que se obtuvieron a partir de la investigación realizada por el equipo del proyecto Desarrollo de la investigación INTERSEDES, mediante el estudio y el fortalecimiento del turismo sostenible en las provincias de Limón, Puntarenas y Guanacaste” desarrollado, durante el año 2009 y 2010, en las comunidades de Playas del Coco y el Roble 2 de Puntarenas. El objetivo de la investigación era determinar el impacto del turismo sobre estas comunidades y más específicamente se quería caracterizar a los hogares, conocer la composición de la población económicamente activa, conocer la fuente de los ingresos individuales y familiares y las opiniones que esa población tiene sobre el turismo, la cultura local y el papel de las instituciones locales en el desarrollo de esas comunidades. En nuestro caso queremos comparar esas mismas variables en dos focos de turismo nacional, con características diferentes, para determinar como ven esas comunidades al turismo como actividad de desarrollo local.

Variación estacional de la composición proximal en tres especies de importancia comercial del Golfo de Nicoya, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristian Fonseca Rodríguez

2013-03-01

Full Text Available La información disponible sobre la composición química de algunos recursos pesqueros que se capturan en el Golfo de Nicoya es muy limitada. Por tal razón se determinaron los niveles de los componentes proximales de las partes comestibles (fresco de tres especies de importancia comercial. Las muestras fueron adquiridas en el Mercado de Puntarenas entre febrero 2009 y enero 2001 durante la temporada de pesca. Los análisis de la composición proximal se determinaron según la metodología de AOAC. Los resultados indicaron que el contenido de humedad varió entre 74.6-80.6g/100g en robalo (Centropomus unionesis, 76.9-80.0g/100g en camarón (Trachypenaeus byrdi y 77.9-89.5g/100g en almeja verde (Poymesoda radiata. Después de la humedad la fracción química más abundante fue la proteína presentando los valores más altos en diciembre para el robalo y febrero para el camarón y la almeja verde. Las mayores fluctuaciones en el contenido de lípidos se presentaron en el robalo, variando desde 0.7g/100g hasta 5.6g/100g. Los valores más altos en esta fracción fueron encontrados en julio, febrero y abril en camarones, almeja y robalo respectivamente. Se concluye que la especie de pescado y camarón estudiados son una buena alternativa para el consumo humano por ser una fuente importante de proteínas y por su bajo contenido en lípidos.

Identifying and assessing ecotourism visitor impacts at selected protected areas in Costa Rica and Belize

Science.gov (United States)

Farrell, T.A.; Marion, J.L.

2001-01-01

Protected area visitation is an important component of ecotourism, and as such, must be sustainable. However, protected area visitation may degrade natural resources, particularly in areas of concentrated visitor activities like trails and recreation sites. This is an important concern in ecotourism destinations such as Belize and Costa Rica, because they actively promote ecotourism and emphasize the pristine qualities of their natural resources. Research on visitor impacts to protected areas has many potential applications in protected area management, though it has not been widely applied in Central and South America. This study targeted this deficiency through manager interviews and evaluations of alternative impact assessment procedures at eight protected areas in Belize and Costa Rica. Impact assessment procedures included qualitative condition class systems, ratings systems, and measurement-based systems applied to trails and recreation sites. The resulting data characterize manager perceptions of impact problems, document trail and recreation site impacts, and provide examples of inexpensive, efficient and effective rapid impact assessment procedures. Interview subjects reported a variety of impacts affecting trails, recreation sites, wildlife, water, attraction features and other resources. Standardized assessment procedures were developed and applied to record trail and recreation site impacts. Impacts affecting the study areas included trail proliferation, erosion and widening, muddiness on trails, vegetation cover loss, soil and root exposure, and tree damage on recreation sites. The findings also illustrate the types of assessment data yielded by several alternative methods and demonstrate their utility to protected area managers. The need for additional rapid assessment procedures for wildlife, water, attraction feature and other resource impacts was also identified.

Acerca de los orígenes de las festividades de la Virgen del Mar en la Ciudad de Puntarenas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oriester Abarca

2014-12-01

Full Text Available La advocación de la Virgen del Carmen es una tradición de origen europeo que se difundió en América al menos desde el siglo XVII. En su versión de Virgen del Mar se difundió desde España. Fundadas por el presbítero José Daniel Carmona en 1914, en la ciudad de Puntarenas se celebran las festividades de la Virgen del Mar como un conjunto de actos religiosos que también suponen la confluencia de intereses económicos y políticos.

Evaluación agronómica y nutricional del pasto EStrella africana (Cynodon nlemfuensis en la zona de monteverde, puntarenas, Costa Rica. I. DISPONIBILIDAD DE BIOMASA Y FENOLOGÍA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Villalobos

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Se evaluó la disponibilidad de biomasa y la fenología del pasto estrella africana (Cynodon nlemfuensis a lo largo de 2 años en muestreos bimensuales, en 4 fincas comerciales de ganado lechero ubicadas en los cantones de Tilarán y Central (latitud 10°20’ N, longitud 84°50’ O,altitud 800 a 1200 msnm de las provincias de Guanacaste y Puntarenas, respectivamente. La disponibilidad de materia seca pre-pastoreo y laedad fenológica promedio fueron 4484 kg.ha-1. corte-1 y 7,36 hojas verdes por rebrote, respec- tivamente. La composición botánica promediode las pasturas fue 86,81% estrella, 2,52% otrasgramíneas, 1,39% leguminosas, 1,53% malezas y 7,75% material senescente. La disponibilidad de biomasa fue mayor en las fincas con influencia climática del Oceano Pacífico y su producción disminuyó en los meses de mayor precipitación. La edad fenológica del pasto estrella africana se ubica entre 6 y 8 hojas verdes por rebrote, lo cual permite una adecuada recuperación del pasto, y disminuyó en los meses con excesos deprecipitación.

Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao, Psittaciformes: Psittacidae Nest Characteristics in the Osa Peninsula Conservation Area (ACOSA, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John L Guittar

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao is an endangered species. In Costa Rica, the Scarlet Macaw population of the Central Pacific Conservation Area (ACOPAC, n =432 individuals has undergone considerable study and has been used effectively as a flagship species for regional conservation. Costa Rica’s only other viable Scarlet Macaw population, located in the Osa Peninsula Conservation Area (ACOSA, n=800-1200 individuals, remains virtually unstudied. We studied ACOSA Scarlet Macaw nest cavities from February 19th to March 22nd 2006. Through informal interviews with park guards and residents, we found a total of 57 potential nests in 52 trees. Eleven nests were reported as frequently poached. Scarlet Macaws used 14 identified tree species, ten of which are unrecorded in Costa Rica. The most common nesting trees were Caryocar costaricense (n=12, 24%, Schizolobium parahyba (n=9, 18.0%, Ceiba pentandra (n=7, 14.0% and Ficus sp. (n=5, 10.0%. We compare nesting characteristics to those recorded in ACOPAC. A combination of bottom-up and top-down strategies are necessary to ensure the Scarlet Macaw’s long-term success, including environmental education in local schools, community stewardship of active nests, and the advertisement of stricter penalties for poaching. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (1-2: 387-393. Epub 2009 June 30.

Body composition using deuterated water, index of insulin resistance and cortisol levels in Costa Rican school in the metropolitan area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valverde Vindas, Allan Ignacio

2014-01-01

Body composition in the Costa Rican child population is evaluated and analyzed to determine the relationship with the index of insulin resistance and serum cortisol levels. 113 children in the metropolitan area were studied using deuterium isotope techniques as reference method for overweight and obesity. Morning cortisol levels were determined by immunoassay techniques (ELISA). The insulin resistance index of 113 Costa Rican boys and girls is obtained by the homeostatic method and the relationship between body composition with index of insulin resistance or levels of cortisol [es

Marine protected areas in Costa Rica: How do artisanal fishers respond?

Science.gov (United States)

Madrigal-Ballestero, Róger; Albers, Heidi J; Capitán, Tabaré; Salas, Ariana

2017-11-01

Costa Rica is considering expanding their marine protected areas (MPAs) to conserve marine resources. Due to the importance of households' responses to an MPA in defining the MPA's ecological and economic outcomes, this paper uses an economic decision framework to interpret data from near-MPA household surveys to inform this policy discussion. The model and data suggest that the impact of expanding MPAs relies on levels of enforcement and on-shore wages. If larger near-shore MPAs can produce high wages through increased tourism, MPA expansions could provide ecological benefits with low burdens to communities. Due to distance costs and gear investments, however, MPAs farther off-shore may place high burdens on off-shore fishers.

Hyperparasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Trigonalidae) reared from dry forest and rain forest caterpillars of Area de Conservacion, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Five species of Trigonalidae, hyperparasites of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) and Tachinidae (Diptera) that parasitize caterpillars (Lepidoptera), have been reared during the ongoing caterpillar inventory of Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), Guanacaste Province, northwestern Costa Rica: Lycogaste...

[Ichthyoplankton from the pier area in Limón, Costa Rica].

Science.gov (United States)

Dominici-Arosemena, A; Brugnoli-Olivera, E; Solano-Ulate, S; Molina-Ureña, H; Ramírez Coghi, A R

2000-01-01

Four sampling stations were set 200-500 m off Limon Port, Costa Rica, at an average depth of 20 m. From October 1996 to May 1997 horizontal subsuperficial trawls were done for 12 minutes at a speed of about 2 Km/h, with a 1,000 microns plancton net. A total of 28 samples were processed and 104 physical-chemistry parameter measurements were taken. Average salinity was 30.1 +/- 3.7 and dissolved oxygen 6.9 +/- 0.6 mg l-1 reflecting good aeration throughout the sampling period. This suggests good mixture and a highly dynamic hydrography. Temperature showed no drastic variations (28.0 +/- 1.7 degrees C), possibly because of the constant mixing with shallow water. The highest larval counts were for November and early January and include families common to reefs and estuaries (Balistidae, Lutjanidae) and to coastal areas (Centropomidae, Gerreidae, Haemulidae, Carangidae, Engraulidae, Hemiramphidae, and representative Pleuronectiformes) existing in a common area.

La investigación como una herramienta para el ordenamiento territorial en zonas de deslizamiento: caso de Paraíso de Chánguena de Buenos Aires, Puntarenas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bonilla, Esteban

2007-06-01

Full Text Available El artículo argumenta sobre la necesidad de realizar investigaciones para el ordenamiento territorial que incluyan el tema de la percepción del riesgo y el concepto de riesgo aceptable, en zonas susceptibles a deslizamientos, con el fin de evitar limitaciones o atrasos en el desarrollo socioeconómico de la comunidad. Además, presenta la experiencia de la Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias (CNE en la realización de un estudio sobre la susceptibilidad a la ocurrencia de deslizamientos en Paraíso de Chánguena de Buenos Aires, Puntarenas The article argues about the need of investigating the set of laws for lands which include the topic of risk perception and the concept of acceptable risk in zones susceptible to landslides to avoid limitations or delays in the socioeconomic development of the community. It also presents the experience of the National Commission of Risk Prevention and Emergency Response (Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias - CNE in developing a study about susceptibility to the occurrence of landslides in Paraíso de Chánguena, Buenos Aires, Puntarenas

Pesticides in surface waters in areas influenced by banana production in Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castillo, L.E.; Ruepert, C.; Solis, E.

1999-01-01

Banana production in Costa Rica is highly dependent on pesticide use. However, only a few studies have been undertaken regarding the presence and environmental impact of the agrochemical substances used in the banana culture on the aquatic ecosystem of the Atlantic Region of Costa Rica. This study was, therefore, undertaken in Rio Suerte Basin that drains into the 'Nature Conservation Area' of Tortuguero in the Atlantic lowlands of the country from June 1993 to December 1994. In order to investigate further the occurrence of pesticides in the water bodies located near the possible sources especially during worst-case situations, water samples were analysed following pesticide applications during 1995-1997. Pesticide residues were determined by GC equipped with an electron capture detector (ECD) and a nitrogen phosphorous detector (NPD). The study targeted 11 of the 21 pesticides used in banana production, the others were not analyzed. The most frequently found compounds during the 1993-94 survey were the fungicide propiconazole and the nematocide cadusafos. Maximum concentrations measured after the pesticide applications were found in the main drainage canal and these were 2.1 ug/L carbofuran, 1.2 ug/L terbufos and 0.48 ug/L cadusafos. The peak concentration found shortly after the aerial application of the fungicide propiconazole was 13 ug/L in the creek leaving the banana plantation. (author)

Multi-hazard risk assessment using GIS in urban areas: a case study for the city of Turrialba, Costa Rica

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Westen, Cees J.; Montoya, L.; Boerboom, Luc; Badilla Coto, Elena

In the framework of the UNESCO sponsored project on “Capacity Building for Natural Disaster Reduction‿ a case study was carried out on multi-hazard risk assessment of the city of Turrialba, located in the central part of Costa Rica. The city with a population of 33,000 people is located in an area,

Cumplimiento normativo de la gestión del manejo de desechos sólidos hospitalarios en la Clínica de Jicaral de Puntarenas

OpenAIRE

Cortés Giutta, Rosa D.

2013-01-01

Se dirige la investigación al análisis del cumplimiento normativo de la gestión del manejo de los desechos sólidos hospitalarios en la Clínica de Jicaral perteneciente al Área de Salud Peninsular, C.C.S.S., en Puntarenas, realizado en el año 2003. Como antecedente de la investigación se señala la preocupación por parte de los organismos tanto internacionales como nacionales por el ambiente, los problemas existentes con relación al manejo de los desechos sólidos hos...

The distribution of nutrients, dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll a in the upper Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica, a tropical estuary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime Palter

2007-06-01

Full Text Available in the Gulf of Nicoya on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, nutrient rich equatorial subsurface water (ESW is upwelled in much of the lower gulf. These offshore waters are often regarded as the major source of nutrients to the gulf. However, for most of the year, the ESW has little influence on the nutrient content of the upper gulf, which has a distinct character from the lower gulf. The upper gulf, extending 40 km north of the restriction between Puntarenas Peninsula and San Lucas island, is bordered primarily by mangrove swamps, is less than 20 m deep, and is less saline than the lower gulf. We surveyed the upper gulf for dissolved inorganic nitrogen, phosphate, silicate, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll in November 2000, January and July 2001. All nutrients are more concentrated in the upper gulf during the rainy and transitional seasons than the dry season, significantly so for phosphate and silicate. Throughout the year, nutrients tend to be much more concentrated in the less saline water of the upper gulf. This trend indicates that discharge from the Tempisque River predominantly controls spatial and temporal nutrient variability in the upper gulf. However, nutrient rich ESW, upwelled offshore and mixed to form a mid-temperature intermediate water, may enter the inner gulf to provide an important secondary source of nutrients during the dry season. Rev. Biol. Trop. 55 (2: 427-436. Epub 2007 June, 29.Las aguas subsuperficiales ecuatoriales (ESW que entran por la parte externa del Golfo de Nicoya de Costa Rica, se consideran una fuente importante de nutrientes para el estuario. Sin embargo, durante la mayoría del año las ESW tiene una influencia pequeña en la parte interna del golfo, que es oceanográfica y biológicamente diferente de la parte externa. La parte interna está ubicada desde la península de Puntarenas hasta la boca del Río Tempisque, 40 km al norte; es un área que se caracteriza por un importante aporte de agua dulce

Evaluación agronómica y nutricional del pasto estrella africana (cynodon nlemfuensis En la zona de monte verde, puntarenas, Costa Rica. II. valor nutricional

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Villalobos

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Se analizó el valor nutricional del pasto estrella africana ( Cynodon nlemfuensis a lo largo de 2 años en muestreos bimensuales, en 4 fincas comerciales de ganado lechero ubicadas en los cantones de Tilarán y Central (latitud 10°20’ N, longitud 84°50’, altitud 800 a 1200 msnm de las provincias de Guanacaste y Puntarenas, respectivamente. Las muestras se recolectaron en el aparto siguiente a ser pastoreado y se utilizó una altura de cosecha de 10 cm, para simular el pastoreo que hacen los animales. La composición nutricional promedio para los 2 años de evalua - ción fue de 23,57% MS, 20,27% PC, 2,67% EE, 10,97% cenizas, 64,21% FDN, 34,95% FDA, 4,06% lignina y 68,02% DIVMS y su contenido energético para las variables de TND, ED, EM, EN L (3X y EN G fue 61,37%; 2,71; 2,05; 1,25 y 0,78 Mcal.kg -1 de MS, respectivamente. El valor nutricional del pasto estrella africana varió a lo largo del año como resultado de la climatología de la zona de Monteverde, siendo las fincas con influencia de la vertiente del Pacífico las de menor afectación en la calidad del forraje. El pasto estrella africana mostró un contenido de PC superior a lo reportado para dicha especie y, en general, para pastos tropicales, por lo cual no es limitante para la producción láctea, y la suplementación del ganado lechero en la zona debe utilizar fuentes que permitan una utiliza - ción eficiente del N soluble a nivel ruminal. La rotación del pasto estrella cada 25 días debe ser flexible para permitir, en conjunto con programas de fertilización, optimizar la productividad de las pasturas y su persistencia.

[Bacteriological evaluation of goat milk and cheese distributed in the Metropolitan Area of San José, Costa Rica].

Science.gov (United States)

Araya, Viviana; Gallo, Leslie; Quesada, Carlos; Chaves, Carolina; Arias, María Laura

2008-06-01

In the last years, there has been an increase in the production, industrialization and consumption of goat's milk and derivate products, including cheese, worldwide. Nevertheless, in Costa Rica there is no study of these products, reason why the objective of this work was to determine the microbiological characteristics of goat's milk and fresh cheese distributed in the Metropolitan Area of San José, Costa Rica, in order to evaluate its impact in the economical field and as a potential risk for Public Health. A total of 25 raw goat's milk samples, obtained by manual milking from 5 different producers tested in five different dates and 15 cheese samples, elaborated with pasteurized milk, commercially available and coming from three different producers were analyzed. The study included the analysis of spoilage bacteria (total aeobic count and lactic bacteria count), indicators of hygiene (total coliforms), fecal contamination (fecal coliforms), manipulation (Staphylococcus aureus) and pathogens (Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp). High results were obtained for the total aerobic count and lactic bacteria count of the milk and cheese samples, showing a reduced shelf life. Total coliforms, in limits beyond the established ones by the Costa Rican legislation for human consumption raw milk, were found in 100% of milk samples, as well as for fecal coliforms in 76% of them. All cheese samples, except one, were negative for these indicators, suggesting good manufacturing practices. S. aureus counts were low and both Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes were not isolated from samples analyzed.

EL TURISMO Y LA CONVIVENCIA COMUNAL EN UN ÁREA RURAL-COSTERA

OpenAIRE

Miranda, Francisco

2011-01-01

En el presente artículo el lector podrá encontrar algunos aspectos  relacionados  con el turismo como actividad económica y su expresión concreta en las comunidades de Tambor y Montezuma de Cóbano, provincia de Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Pero además y es la parte fundamental del mismo se hace referencia aquí al impacto que ha tenido este sector en la convivencia comunal y cotidianidad de esas comunidades. Este impacto se analiza en tres dimensiones específicas: la socioeconómica, la cultural y l...

Concentration and chemical composition of PM10 particles in the metropolitan area of ​Costa Rica in 2012

OpenAIRE

Jorge Herrera; José F. Rojas; Víctor H. Beita; Agustín Rodríguez; David Solórzano; Hazel Argüello

2014-01-01

During 2012 the PM10 concentrations were measured in 13 sampling sites distributed in the metropolitan area of Costa Rica. The samples were collected using high volume samplers and subsequently analyzed for: ions (F-, Cl-, NO2-, NO3-, PO43-, SO42-), trace metals (V, Cr, Cu, Mn, Fe, Al, Pb, Ni), organic and elemental carbon content. Sampling sites located in high traffic commercial and industrial zones exhibited significative increased concentrations (42 – 29 µg/m3) compared to low traffic com...

Allometric relationships predicting foliar biomass and leaf area:sapwood area ratio from tree height in five Costa Rican rain forest species.

Science.gov (United States)

Calvo-Alvarado, J C; McDowell, N G; Waring, R H

2008-11-01

We developed allometric equations to predict whole-tree leaf area (A(l)), leaf biomass (M(l)) and leaf area to sapwood area ratio (A(l):A(s)) in five rain forest tree species of Costa Rica: Pentaclethra macroloba (Willd.) Kuntze (Fabaceae/Mim), Carapa guianensis Aubl. (Meliaceae), Vochysia ferru-gi-nea Mart. (Vochysiaceae), Virola koshnii Warb. (Myristicaceae) and Tetragastris panamensis (Engl.) Kuntze (Burseraceae). By destructive analyses (n = 11-14 trees per species), we observed strong nonlinear allometric relationships (r(2) > or = 0.9) for predicting A(l) or M(l) from stem diameters or A(s) measured at breast height. Linear relationships were less accurate. In general, A(l):A(s) at breast height increased linearly with tree height except for Penta-clethra, which showed a negative trend. All species, however, showed increased total A(l) with height. The observation that four of the five species increased in A(l):A(s) with height is consistent with hypotheses about trade--offs between morphological and anatomical adaptations that favor efficient water flow through variation in the amount of leaf area supported by sapwood and those imposed by the need to respond quickly to light gaps in the canopy.

Multi-hazard risk assessment using GIS in urban areas: a case study for the city of Turrialba, Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

van Westen, Cees J.; Montoya, L.; Boerboom, Luc; Badilla Coto, Elena

2002-01-01

In the framework of the UNESCO sponsored project on “Capacity Building for Natural Disaster Reduction‿ a case study was carried out on multi-hazard risk assessment of the city of Turrialba, located in the central part of Costa Rica. The city with a population of 33,000 people is located in an area, which is regularly affected by flooding, landslides and earthquakes. In order to assist the local emergency commission and the municipality, a pilot study was carried out in the development of a GI...

Biodiversidad marina de Costa Rica: Crustacea: Infraorden Anomura

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rita Vargas

2006-06-01

Full Text Available El grupo de los cangrejos anomuros es uno de los mejor conocidos de la costa Pacífica de Costa Rica, pero muy poco conocidos de la costa Caribe. En esta recopilación, basada en la literatura y en las colecciones del Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, informamos de la presencia de 114 especies del Infraorden Anomura en Costa Rica, 20 especies del Caribe, 96 especies del Pacífico, y dos especies presentes en ambas costa. Veintinueve especies son informes nuevos para Costa Rica, 15 del Caribe (75% del total de especies informadas para esa costa y 14 del Pacífica (15% del total de esa costa. La distribución de diez especies es ampliada hasta Costa Rica, siete en el Caribe y tres en el Pacífico. Seis especies son informadas por primera vez para la Isla del Coco, donde además hay cuatro especies endémicas.Marine biodiversity of Costa Rica: Crustacea: Infraorder Anomura. The anomuran crabs are among the best known crustacean groups from the Pacific coast. However, this group is poorly known from the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. In this compilation based on the literature and the collection at the Zoology Museum, Biology School, University of Costa Rica, we report the presence of 114 species of the Infraorder Anomura for Costa Rica, 20 species from the Caribbean, 96 species from the Pacific (two are present on both coasts. Twenty-nine species are new reports for Costa Rica, 15 from the Caribbean coast (74% of the total of species from that coast and 14 from the Pacific (15% of the total from the Pacific. The range of ten species is extended to Costa Rica, siete from the Caribbean and three from the Pacific. Six species are reported for the first time from Cocos Island, where there are also four endemic species. Rev. Biol. Trop. 54(2: 461-488. Epub 2006 Jun 01.

Los derechos culturales con especial referencia a la cosmovisión de los indígenas Bribris de Talamanca

OpenAIRE

Vargas Urbina, Lilliam Marbelli

2014-01-01

En los territorios indígenas de Costa Rica existen ocho grupos socioculturales indígenas distintos: Bribris, Cabécares, Ngäbe, Térrabas, Borucas, Huetares, Malekus y Chorotegas, que habitan en 24 territorios y hablan en 6 idiomas indígenas. La mayoría viven en las áreas rurales o periféricas a los territorios, principalmente en las provincias de Puntarenas y Limón. Directamente en el cantón de Talamanca de esta última provincia vive el 60% de la población indígena del país y su localiza...

A new species of poeciliid fish, Poeciliopsis santaelena, from Peninsula Santa Elena, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William A Bussing

2008-06-01

Full Text Available An undescribed freshwater fish was recently discovered during a biological inventory of Area de Conservación Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica. This new species of Poeciliopsis is closely related to a group of widespread species of small spotted fishes designated as the Poeciliopsis gracilis complex in this study. The complex extends on both versants from southern Mexico to Nicaragua, and with this new finding, extends into Costa Rica. The new species is distinguished from its Central American relatives by its lack of lateral and ventral markings, higher pectoral and caudal-fin counts and more posterior placement of the dorsal fin. Poeciliopsis santaelena is endemic to the Río Potrero Grande, a river whose flow is reduced to just a few pools during the long dry season and flows fully only during very rainy weather. It is just another in a growing list of threatened or endangered species found in this unique peninsular environment. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (2: 829-838. Epub 2008 June 30.Recientemente se descubrió una especie no descrita de pez dulceacuícola durante un inventario biológico en Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG en el noroeste de Costa Rica. Esta especie nueva del género Poeciliopsis tiene un parentesco cercano con un grupo de especies con puntos en los costados ampliamente distribuidas que se designan en este informe como complejo de Poeciliopsis gracilis. El complejo se extiende en ambas vertientes desde el sur de México hasta Nicaragua. La especie nueva se distingue de sus parientes centroamericanos por su falta de manchas negras laterales y ventrales, mayor número de radios pectorales y caudales, y posición más posterior de la aleta dorsal. Poeciliopsis santaelena, especie endémica de un sólo riachuelo intermitente, es una especie más in la lista de especies en peligro que se encuentra en este peculiar ambiente peninsular.

MILSTAMP: Military Standard Transportation and Movement Procedures. Volume 1

Science.gov (United States)

1987-03-15

GUATEMALA AREA: DE3 QUEPOS DB1 SAN JOSE DE4 GOLFITO DB2 PUERTO QUETZAL HONDURAS AREA: EL SALVADOR AREA: DFI SAN LORENZO DC1 LA UNION DF2 FUERZA DC2 LA...DB2 PUERTO QUETZAL DE1 PUNTARENAS DB3 SANTO THOMAS, GUATEMALA DE2 CALDERA DE3 QUEPOS DE4 GOLFITO F21-10 CH 6 DoD 4500.32-R Vol. I HONDURAS AREA: DF2...012 PUERTO QUETZAL DE1 PUNTARENAS DB3 SANTO THOMAS, GUATEMALA DE2 CALDERA DE3 QUEPOS DE4 GOLFITO F21 -10 CH 6 DoD 4500.32-R Vol. I HONDURAS AREA

Educacion Fisica in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Cleland, Donna

1980-01-01

The goal of Costa Rica's Department of Physical Education and Sports is the "utilization of sport, physical education, and recreation as instruments of socialization and contribution to the improved health of Costa Ricans." (JN)

Plants and butterflies of a small urban preserve in the Central Valley of Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Kenji Nishida; Ichiro Nakamura; Carlos O Morales

2009-01-01

Costa Rica’s most populated area, the Central valley, has lost much of its natural habitat, and the little that remains has been altered to varying degrees. Yet few studies have been conducted to assess the need for conservation in this area. We present preliminary inventories of plants, butterflies, and day-flying moths of the Reserva Ecológica Leonelo Oviedo (RELO), a small Premontane Moist Forest preserve within the University of Costa Rica campus, located in the urbanized part of the vall...

Nicaraguan Migrants in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marquette, Catherine M.

2006-07-01

Full Text Available This document is the executive summary of a detailed document entitled, Nicaraguan Migrants and Poverty in Costa Rica, which was prepared for the World Bank in 2006. The more detailed background paper from which this summary is derived was commissioned as a background paper in preparation for an upcoming poverty mission by the World Bank to Costa Rica. This summary and the larger document from which it comes provides: (1 a general overview of the socioeconomic and health situation of Nicaraguan migrants in Costa Rica and (2 a review of the poverty characteristics of these migrants. The primary data sources for the larger paper were successive recent rounds of the Annual National Household Survey in Costa Rica and the 2000 Census. The more detailed report on which this summary is based also reviews issues of data quality, comparability, and methodological problems with respect to existing information on Nicaraguan migrants in Costa Rica. As a summary, the document below, does not include detailed citations, which are of course included in the larger report. Readers are thus, referred to the larger report for citations and more detailed information on the data included in this summary.

Nicaraguan Migrants in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine M. Marquette

2006-01-01

Full Text Available This document is the executive summary of a detailed document entitled, Nicaraguan Migrants and Poverty in Costa Rica, which was prepared for the World Bank in 2006. The more detailed background paper from which this summary is derived was commissioned as a background paper in preparation for an upcoming poverty mission by the World Bank to Costa Rica. This summary and the larger document from which it comes provides: (1 a general overview of the socioeconomic and health situation of Nicaraguan migrants in Costa Rica and (2 a review of the poverty characteristics of these migrants. The primary data sources for the larger paper were successive recent rounds of the Annual National Household Survey in Costa Rica and the 2000 Census. The more detailed report on which this summary is based also reviews issues of data quality, comparability, and methodological problems with respect to existing information on Nicaraguan migrants in Costa Rica. As a summary, the document below, does not include detailed citations, which are of course included in the larger report. Readers are thus, referred to the larger report for citations and more detailed information on the data included in this summary.

Early Stages of Morpho amathonte (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Morphinae and its Variation on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jim Córdoba-Alfaro

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The Southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica shows some local variations in its four Morpho species. The goal of this article is to compare the life cycle of M. amathonte from different areas in Costa Rica and South America. The immature stages were found on Pterocarpus officinalis Jacq. and then photographed and described so as to illustrate its morphology and behavior. It is clear, that M. amathonte from the South Pacific side of Costa Rica comes from one isolated population and demonstrates a cryptic nature between the two forms present in Costa Rica.

Temporal and Spatial variations in Organic and Elemental carbon concentrations in PM10/PM2.5 in the Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica, Central America

Science.gov (United States)

Campos-Ramos, A.; Herrera Murillo, J.; Rodriguez-Roman, S.; Cardenas, B.; Blanco-Jimenez, S.

2011-12-01

During 2010-2011, as part of a Binational Cooperation Project between Mexico and Costa Rica, samples collected weekly in 15 and 5 sites for PM10 and PM2,5 respectively, in the Metropolitan area of Costa Rica, a region of 2.5 million habitants. Based on the high PM2.5 mass concentrations found (17-38 μg/m3), samples were analyzed to determinate the organic and elemental carbon concentrations using DRI Model 2001 Thermal/Optical Carbon Analyzer (Atmoslytic Inc., Calabasas, CA, USA). Organic (OC) and Elemental (EC) carbon concentrations exhibited a clear seasonal pattern with higher concentrations in the rainy period than in the dry period, due to cooperative effects of changes in emission rates and seasonal meteorology. Spatial variations in carbonaceous species concentrations were observed mostly influenced by the local sources at the different sampling sites in the following magnitude of contribution: vehicle emissions > industrial > agricultural burning. Total carbonaceous aerosol accounted for 42.7% and 26.8% of PM2.5 mass in rainy and dry period, respectively. Good correlation (R = 0.87-0.93) between OC and EC indicated that they had common dominant sources of combustion such as heavy fuels used in industries and traffic emissions. The estimated secondary organic carbon (SOC) accounted for 46.9% and 35.3% of the total OC in the rainy and dry period, respectively, indicating that SOC may be an important contributor to fine organic aerosol in the Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica. These results will be used to improve the National Emissions Inventory, particularly for PM2.5.

ACTIVIDADES RECREATIVAS Y SUS BENEFICIOS PARA PERSONAS NICARAGÜENSES RESIDENTES EN COSTA RICA (RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND THEIR BENEFITS FOR NICARAGUANS WHO LIVE IN COSTA RICA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salazar Salas Carmen Grace

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Resumen:Costa Rica se ha convertido en un país multicultural. Muchas personas han migrado a él en busca de mejores condiciones de vida. La mayoría de estas personas son nicaragüenses, quienes conforman alrededor de tres cuartas partes del grupo total inmigrante en el país. En el año 2007, se realizó un proyecto de investigación en la Escuela de Educación Física y Deportes de la Universidad de Costa Rica que tuvo la finalidad de estudiar cómo se recreaba esta población antes y, especialmente, después de la inmigración a Costa Rica. La investigación fue cualitativa, fenomenológica, e incluyó 13 personas nicaragüenses residentes en el Área Metropolitana. La información que se presenta en este artículo fue recolectada mediante entrevistas y observaciones de la participación en una actividad recreativa. Los datos fueron analizados en forma individual y se triangularon. Los resultados generales indican que: (1 la población investigada realizaba once tipos de actividades recreativas en Nicaragua, entre semana y fines de semana, antes de venir a Costa Rica; (2 esa misma población participaba en diez categorías de actividades recreativas en Costa Rica, entre semana y fines de semana, y (3 ese grupo percibió siete beneficios que le ofrecía la recreación.Abstract:Costa Rica has become a multicultural country. Many people immigrated to it looking for a better lifestyle. Most of these people are Nicaraguans, who are three quarters of the total amount of immigrants in Costa Rica. In 2007, the School of Physical Education and Sports at the University of Costa Rica conducted a research to study how this Nicaraguans recreated before and after they immigrated to Costa Rica. The research conducted was qualitative, phenomenological, and included 13 Nicaraguans, who lived in the Metropolitan Area. This article is the first of several papers that will report the result of the research. The information of this article was collected with

Plantas hospederas de Aphis gossypii (Aphididae, vector de virus del melón Cucumis melo (Cucurbitaceae en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.V. Sánchez

2001-03-01

Full Text Available Se identificaron las especies hospederas naturales de Aphis gossypii Glover (Aphididae: Homoptera en plantaciones comerciales de melón para la exportación en Costa Rica. El estudio se realizó en dos fincas, ubicadas una en la provincia de Guanacaste y la otra en la provincia de Puntarenas, correspondientes a dos zonas de vida vegetal diferentes. Se identificaron como especies hospederas del áfido todas aquellas especies vegetales en las que se observó la presencia del áfido en su forma áptera. En ambas fincas el estudio se realizó en los alrededores y dentro del cultivo de melón. En la finca A en cinco diferentes comunidades vegetales (cultivo, canal de drenaje, charral, potrero mejorado y semi-bosque previamente seleccionadas y en la finca B en cuatro comunidades vegetales (cultivo, charral, pastizal natural y semi-bosque. Especímenes de las plantas colonizadas por áfidos y los áfidos colonizadores de cada especie fueron recolectadas para su identificación. Los áfidos se preservaron en alcohol al 70% v/v e identificaron utilizando las claves taxonómicas para áfidos, confirmándose como especie dominante a A. gossypii. La diversidad, cobertura y época de aparición de las especies de plantas hospederas fue monitoreada durante un año calendario en las diferentes comunidades vegetales presentes en ambas fincas, observándose diferencias entre las dos fincas estudiadas. En la finca A se observaron 86 diferentes especies vegetales, pertenecientes a 49 familias, asociadas al cultivo del melón, mientras que en la finca B se identificaron 72 especies de 40 familias. En conjunto para ambas fincas, un de 24 especies de plantas (16 familias estaban colonizadas por el áfido A. gossypii. De éstas, 16 especies de 10 familias, son reportes nuevos de plantas hospederas para este áfido: Justicia comata, Tetramerium nervosum, Alternanthera pubiflora, Cassia massoni, C. reticulata, Cleome viscosa, C. spinosa, Croton argenteus, Caperonia

Seismological programs in Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Montero, W.; Spall, Henry

1983-01-01

At the beginning of the 1970's, a series of programs in seismology were initiated by different Costa Rican institutions, and some of these programs are still in the process of development. The institutions are Insituto Costaricense de Electricidad (ICE)- The Costa Rica Institute of Electricity

Using Social Networks to Educate Seismology to Non-Science Audiences in Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Lücke, O. H.; Linkimer, L.

2013-12-01

Costa Rica has a very high rate of seismicity with 63 damaging earthquakes in its history as a nation and 12 felt earthquakes per month on average. In Costa Rica, earthquakes are part of everyday life; hence the inhabitants are highly aware of seismic activity and geological processes. However, formal educational programs and mainstream media have not yet addressed the appropriate way of educating the public on these topics, thus myths and misconceptions are common. With the increasing influence of social networks on information diffusion, they have become a new channel to address this issue in Costa Rica. The National Seismological Network of Costa Rica (RSN) is a joint effort between the University of Costa Rica and the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity. Since 1973, the RSN studies the seismicity and volcanic activity in the country. Starting on January 2011 the RSN has an active Facebook Page, in which felt earthquakes are reported and information on Seismology, geological processes, scientific talks, and RSN activities are routinely posted. Additionally, RSN gets almost instantaneous feedback from RSN followers including people from all rural and urban areas of Costa Rica. In this study, we analyze the demographics, geographic distribution, reach of specific Facebook posts per topic, and the episodic growth of RSN followers related to specific seismic events. We observe that 70 % of the RSN users are between ages from 18 to 34. We consistently observe that certain regions of the country have more Facebook activity, although those regions are not the most populated nor have a high connectivity index. We interpret this pattern as the result of a higher awareness to geological hazards in those specific areas. We notice that educational posts are as well 'liked' as most earthquake reports. For exceptional seismic events, we observe sudden increments in the number of RSN followers in the order of tens of thousands. For example, the May 2013 Sixaola earthquake (Mw

Prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in healthy personnel from an academic institution of an urban area in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gamboa-Gamboa T

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Tatiana Gamboa-Gamboa,1 Gabriel Abarca-Soto,2 José G Jiménez-Montero3,4 1Department of Research and Nutrition, Universidad de Ciencias Médicas, San José, Costa Rica; 2Department of Research, School of Medicine, Universidad de Ciencias Médicas, San José, Costa Rica; 3Department of Postgraduate Studies, Universidad de Ciencias Médicas, San José, Costa Rica; 4Department of Endocrinology, Hospital CIMA, San José, Costa Rica Objective: The aim of this study was to determine 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in healthy employees of the Universidad de Ciencias Médicas, Costa Rica. Methods: Levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH, and creatinine were measured in 80 people. Solar ultraviolet radiation exposure and 25-hydroxyvitamin D intake were estimated using a previously designed questionnaire. Participants were 52 women aged (mean ± standard deviation 35.8±10.0 years old, body mass index of 27.1±5.9 kg/m2, and 26 men aged 36.4±10.8 years old, body mass index of 27.5±5.0 kg/m2. Results: All participants were normocalcemic, eight females were postmenopausal, three were hypertensive; none had renal, gastrointestinal, or thyroid disease. The level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D was 23.9±7.0 ng/dL and iPTH 40.1±17.5 pg/dL. A level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D $30 ng/dL was seen in 17% of the population. The eight participants with iPTH higher than 67 ng/dL, had 25-hydroxyvitamin D of 18.9±4.8 ng/dL. Two participants who received 25-hydroxyvitamin D and calcium supplements were excluded. Conclusion: The 25-hydroxyvitamin D insufficiency and deficiency found in healthy employees from an academic center in Costa Rica may be due to working long hours in-doors and solar ultraviolet radiation exposure. It is unknown whether secondary hyperparathyroidism seen in nearly 10% of this population, may have long-term effects on bone health. Keywords: vitamin D deficiency, osteoporosis, secondary hyperparathyroidism

Multibeam collection for AT11L28: Multibeam data collected aboard Atlantis from 2005-06-07 to 2005-06-16, Puntarenas, Costa Rica to Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set is part of a larger set of data called the Multibeam Bathymetry Database (MBBDB) where other similar data can be found at...

Costa Ricat vapustavad ekspresidendi kuriteod / Allan Espenberg

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Espenberg, Allan

2004-01-01

Ameerika Riikide Organisatsiooni juhiks vannutatud Costa Rica endine president Miguel Angel Rodriguez leiti olevat süüdi korruptiivsetes tehingutes. Teisigi Costa Rica endisi presidente on süüdistatud korruptsioonis

¿QUIEN CREA MIPYMES EN COSTA RICA? (¿Who are the SME creators in Costa Rica?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Carlos Leiva Bonilla

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo presenta las características más relevantes de los emprendedores que crearos sus propias empresas en Costa Rica, así como el entorno en el cual lo hicieron. Esto a partir de los datos emanados del segundo estudio nacional de micros, pequeñas y medianas empresas (mipymes costarricenses efectuado por el Observatorio de Mipymes durante el año 2011. ABSTRACT This paper presents the most relevant characteristics of the entrepreneurs that created companies in Costa Rica and the country’s entrepreneurial environment. This analysis was done using data from the Second National Survey of micro, small and medium sized Costa Rican companies made by the SME Observatory during 2011.

Demand management by means of substitution energetics in home cooking: Costa Rica's metropolitan area; Gerenciamento da demanda mediante substituicao energetica na coccao residencial: regiao metropolitana da Costa Rica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herrera, Alfonso Herrera

1996-07-01

The electric power system management in Costa Rica is analyzed. The possibility of substitution of LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) for electric power, in home cooking, are identified as one of the most important program in order to reduce increasing load peak and energy requirements in electric power system of Costa Rica. The sustain ability of the substitution program stands on the current process of electric power supply. The primary power sources used in generating electric power in rush hours are oil-based; this process is less efficient than directly using LPG for home cooking. Large scale substitution with LPG in home cooking will reduce increasing electric power demand in peak hours, reducing subsidized electricity sales, with better use of combustibles presently imported, improving the country commercial balance and preventing or postponing electric power system expansion investments. Three different perspectives have been considered in evaluating economical effectiveness in substituting power sources: user, utility and society perspectives. Due to subsidized electric power prices, residential users do not enough interest in substituting of LPG for power source; unless LPG cookers are also subsidized. However, positive results for the distribution utility are enough in order to offer these kind of incentives. Explicit treatment of these kind of programs, including the efficiency increment as an available resource for electric power utilities in Costa Rica, will avoid the implantation of most of combustion plants now planned in current National Electric Power Plant expansion program. (author)

Oil in Costa Rica; El petroleo en Costa Rica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Villa de la Portilla, Gloria [Direccion Sectorial de Energia, Ministerio del Ambiente y Energia (Costa Rica)

1997-07-01

Costa Rica is a rich country in natural resources that can be taken in advantage for power aims, specially the hydraulic and biomass. Nevertheless its development has been based on the oil derivatives, resource that they do not have. The power resources of this country, the oil supply, the demand of oil derivatives are mentioned, the installed capacity and an evaluation is made of the prices of fuels in this country. [Spanish] Costa Rica es un pais rico en recursos naturales que pueden ser aprovechados con fines energeticos, especialmente los hidraulicos y los biomasicos. Sin embargo su desarrollo se ha basado en los derivados del petroleo, recurso que no poseen. Se mencionan los recursos energeticos de este pais, la oferta petrolera, la demanda de derivados del petroleo, la capacidad instalada y se hace una evaluacion de los precios de combustibles en este pais.

Costa Rica publications in the Science Citation Index Expanded: a bibliometric analysis for 1981-2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Monge-Nájera, Julián; Ho, Yuh-Shan

2012-12-01

Despite of its small size, the Central American country of Costa Rica is internationally recognized as one of the world leaders in conservation and as the Central American leader in science. There have been no recent studies on the country's scientific production. The objective of this study was to analyze the Costa Rican scientific output as represented in the Science Citation Index Expanded. All documents with "Costa Rica" in the address field from 1981 to 2010 were included (total 6 801 publications). Articles (79%) were more frequent than other types of publication and were mostly in English (83%). Revista de Biología Tropical published the most articles (17%), followed by Toxicon and Turrialba (2.5%). The New England Journal of Medicine had the highest impact factor (53.484) with nine articles. Of 5 343 articles with known institutional address, 63%were internationally collaborative articles (most with the USA) with h index 91 and citation per publication 18. A total of 81% of all articles were inter-institutionally collaborative articles, led by the Universidad de Costa Rica. This reflects research and education agreements among these countries. Universidad de Costa Rica ranked top one in inter-institutionally collaborative articles, the rank of the total inter-institutionally collaborative articles, and the rank of first author articles and corresponding author articles. Studied subjects and journals in our sample are in agreement with dominant science fields and journals in Costa Rica. Articles with the highest citation were published in New England Journal of Medicine. The largest citation of medical articles reflects the general interest and wider readership of this subject. All corresponding and first authors of the high impact articles were not from Costa Rica. In conclusion, the scientific output of Costa Rican authors is strong in the areas related to conservation but the impact is higher for biomedical articles, and Costa Rican authors need to

Costa Rica Publications in the Science Citation Index Expanded:: A bibliometric analysis for 1981-2010

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julián Monge-Nájera

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Despite of its small size, the Central American country of Costa Rica is internationally recognized as one of the world leaders in conservation and as the Central American leader in science. There have been no recent studies on the country’s scientific production. The objective of this study was to analyze the Costa Rican scientific output as represented in the Science Citation Index Expanded. All documents with “Costa Rica” in the address field from 1981 to 2010 were included (total 6 801 publications. Articles (79% were more frequent than other types of publication and were mostly in English (83%. Revista de Biología Tropical published the most articles (17%, followed by Toxicon and Turrialba (2.5%. The New England Journal of Medicine had the highest impact factor (53.484 with nine articles. Of 5 343 articles with known institutional address, 63%were internationally collaborative articles (most with the USA with h index 91 and citation per publication 18. A total of 81% of all articles were inter-institutionally collaborative articles, led by the Universidad de Costa Rica. This reflects research and education agreements among these countries. Universidad de Costa Rica ranked top one in inter-institutionally collaborative articles, the rank of the total inter-institutionally collaborative articles, and the rank of first author articles and corresponding author articles. Studied subjects and journals in our sample are in agreement with dominant science fields and journals in Costa Rica. Articles with the highest citation were published in New England Journal of Medicine. The largest citation of medical articles reflects the general interest and wider readership of this subject. All corresponding and first authors of the high impact articles were not from Costa Rica. In conclusion, the scientific output of Costa Rican authors is strong in the areas related to conservation but the impact is higher for biomedical articles, and Costa Rican

Heavy metal and selenium levels in endangered wood storks Mycteria americana from nesting colonies in Florida and Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Burger, J; Rodgers, J A; Gochfeld, M

1993-05-01

Colonially-nesting birds often nest in coastal areas, along rivers, or near other bodies of water that also are potentially polluted from industrial, agricultural or urban development. The levels of heavy metals and selenium were examined in the feathers of young wood storks Mycteria americana nesting in Northeastern Florida and from adult and young storks nesting on the Tempisque River on the west coast of Costa Rica. There were no significant yearly differences among the chicks from Costa Rica. Concentration of mercury, cadmium, and lead were significantly higher in the chicks from Florida compared to those from Costa Rica. Adult wood storks at Costa Rica had significantly higher levels of lead, cadmium, selenium, and manganese than young from the same colony.

International trade, and land use intensification and spatial reorganization explain Costa Rica’s forest transition

Science.gov (United States)

Jadin, I.; Meyfroidt, P.; Lambin, E. F.

2016-03-01

While tropical deforestation remains widespread, some countries experienced a forest transition—a shift from net deforestation to net reforestation. Costa Rica had one of the highest deforestation rates in the 1980s and is now considered as a model of environmental sustainability, despite being a major producer of bananas and pineapples. We tested three land use processes that are thought to facilitate forest transitions. First, forest transitions may be accompanied by land use displacement through international trade of land-based products, which may undermine the global-scale environmental benefits of national forest protection. Second, reforestation is often associated with land use intensification in agriculture and forestry, allowing for land sparing. Third, this intensification may partly result from a geographical redistribution of land use at the sub-national scale to better match land use with land suitability. These hypotheses were verified for Costa Rica’s forest transition. We also tested whether forest increased mainly in regions with a low ecological value and agriculture expanded in regions with a high ecological value. Intensification and land use redistribution accounted for 76% of land spared during the forest transition, with 32% of this spared area corresponding to net reforestation. Decreasing meat exports led to a contraction of pastures, freeing an area equivalent to 80% of the reforested area. The forest transition in Costa Rica was environmentally beneficial at the global scale, with the reforested area over 1989-2013 corresponding to 130% of the land use displaced abroad through imports of agricultural products. However, expansion of export-oriented cropland caused deforestation in the most ecologically valuable regions of Costa Rica. Moreover, wood extraction from forest plantations increased to produce the pallets needed to export fruits. This highlights the importance of a multi-scale analysis when evaluating causes and impacts of

Percepción de la biotecnología en estudiantes universitarios de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Valdez

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Se llevó a cabo una encuesta para estudiar la percepción y el grado de conocimiento sobre biotecnología y organismos modificados genéticamente (OMGs, en una muestra de estudiantes (n=750 de tres universidades públicas de Costa Rica: Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR, Universidad Nacional (UNA e Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (ITCR. Se encontró que un 88% mostraron un conocimiento satisfactorio de la biotecnología moderna, y que un 79% expresaron una posición favorable y una buena aceptación de esa tecnología. Además, los estudiantes encuestados aceptarían ciertos riesgos asociados a la biotecnología, siempre y cuando, ésta mejore la capacidad competitiva de Costa Rica. El área de estudio de los estudiantes entrevistados parece estar relacionada con el grado de aceptación debido a que los estudiantes de disciplinas sociales mostraron una mayor percepción negativa hacia los productos biotecnológicos y OMGs, si se compara con la percepción expresada por los estudiantes encuestados de disciplinas de ciencias naturales y de áreas tecnológicas.Perception about biotechnology in university students in Costa Rica. A survey was carried out to determine the perception and knowledge about biotechnology and genetically modified organisms (GMOs in a sample (n = 750 of university students from three public universities in Costa Rica: Universidad de Costa Rica, Universidad Nacional and Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. The study revealed that 88% of the students showed a satisfactory level of knowledge about modern biotechnology and 79% of them reported a favorable opinion and good acceptance of this technology. Students would accept some risks associated to biotechnology if it represents an improvement to the competitiveness of Costa Rica. Some differences were detected in the opinions from students of the three universities that can be associated to the area of study. Students from social disciplines showed a higher percentage of

Infecciones parasitarias del coyote, Canis latrans (Carnivora: Canidae en un Parque Nacional y una zona agrícola en Costa Rica Parasitic infections of coyote, Canis latrans (Carnivora: Canidae in a Costa Rican National Park and a surrounding agricultural area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Niehaus

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Conforme las poblaciones humanas se expanden hacia los hábitats silvestres con sus mascotas y ganado, el potencial de transmisión de enfermedades hacia los animales silvestres -y viceversa- aumenta, y hace necesario identificar interacciones zoonóticas potenciales. Los cánidos domésticos y silvestres pueden funcionar como reservorios o diseminadores de enfermedades infecciosas (se incluyen parásitos, por lo que el coyote (Canis latrans puede también servir como indicador de la salud ecológica. Asimismo, se estudiaron los parásitos de 209 muestras de heces de coyotes en una zona mixta de área silvestre protegida y campo agrícola del Parque Nacional Volcán Irazú (PNVI en Costa Rica. La recolección fue realizada mensualmente durante un año en tres sub-áreas denominadas: Irazú (la más cercana al volcán, papales (por el cultivo de papas, y Prusia (un sector del PNVI. Entonces, se empleó examen directo y concentración mecánica, se obtuvo 36.84% de muestras positivas por al menos un helminto. La presencia de parásitos fue muy similar para ambos sectores boscosos del PNVI (33.3% en Prusia y 37.4% en Irazú, pero contrastó con el 63.63% observado en los papales. También, se identificaron uncinarias (probablemente Ancylostoma caninum, estrongilidios (posiblemente Strongyloides sp., Toxocara canis, Trichuris sp. y Taenia pisiformis, así como Hymenolepis diminuta, probablemente un parásito espurio proveniente de roedores ingeridos por los coyotes. Se comenta la importancia de estos primeros hallazgos y se concluye que las estaciones seca y lluviosa influyen en la presencia de los parásitos.Parasitic infections of coyote, Canis latrans (Carnivora: Canidae in a Costa Rican National Park and a surrounding agricultural area. As human populations expand into wild habitats with their pets and livestock, the potential spread of disease to wildlife or vice versa increases. Because, wild and domestic canids may pose as reservoirs or

Arsenic determination in water supplies for human consumption of the province of Cartago, Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montero-Campos, Virginia; Quesada-Kimsey, Jaime; Ledezma-Espinoza, Aura; Sandoval-Mora, Jose A.

2010-01-01

Scientific knowledge about hydroarsenicism must be disclosed in Latin America. The presence of arsenic has been detected in waters of Costa Rica that have been used for human consumption, in areas of risk; specifically in the province of Cartago, in the cantons of Oreamuno, Central, Paraiso and Alvarado. A quantification of reduced form trivalent arsenic was performed with the methodology of the 7062 Environmental Protection Agency of the United States, through volatile metal hydride generation by flame atomic absorption. The analyzed samples have determined that maintaining the maximum extent permitted by current legislation Costa Rican, 10μg/L. Research areas have corresponded to areas of high risk for its volcanic nature. The vast water supply of the cantons under study, with areas of relative protection circling recharge areas of springs, has caused the population to consume water source underground, but surface direct influence, less influence of volcanic rocks that are found at greater depths. (author) [es

Forest conservation and the clean development mechanism. Lessons from the Costa Rican protected areas project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voehringer, F.

2004-01-01

Deforestation is currently the source of about 20% of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Avoided deforestation has, nonetheless, been ruled out as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) category in the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period, because several methodological issues were considered too difficult to resolve. This paper explores whether CDM issues such as (1) carbon quantification, (2) additionality and baseline setting, (3) leakage risks, (4) non-permanence risks, and (5) sustainable development can be adequately dealt with in large, diversified forest conservation projects. To this aim, it studies the case of the Costa Rican Protected Areas Project (PAP), an Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ) project which was meant to consolidate the national park system to avoid deforestation, promote the growth of secondary forests and regenerate pastures on an area that, in total, covers 10% of the national territory. The case study examines how the issues mentioned above have been addressed in the project design and in the certification process. It is found that baseline uncertainties are the major problem in this case. Nonetheless, the case suggests the possibility to address CDM issues by specific requirements for project design and very conservative and temporary crediting. Provided that other case studies support this conclusion, eligibility of well-designed forest conservation projects under the CDM in the second commitment period may be worth considering, given the secondary benefits of avoided deforestation

residentes nativos de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew A. Herring

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Utilizando datos del Registro Nacional de defunciones de los años 1996-2005 se calcularon las tasas de mortalidad estandarizadas por edad para personas nacidas en Nicaragua versus personas nacidas en Costa Rica. Así mismo, utilizando modelos de regresión binomial se determinaron los riesgos relativos de mortalidad de los inmigrantes nicaragüenses versus personas nativas de Costa Rica con ajustes por edad, urbanización, desempleo, pobreza, educación y segregación residencial. Los hombres y mujeres nacidos en Nicaragua tuvieron un riesgo reducido de mortalidad de 32% y 34% respectivamente con relación a sus contrapartes nacidas en Costa Rica. Se notó que los riesgos de mortalidad por enfermedades infecciosas, cáncer, enfermedades crónicas pulmonares, enfermedades cardiovasculares, y enfermedades crónicas del hígado eran significativamente reducidos entre los inmigrantes nacidos en Nicaragua. El exceso significativo de mortalidad por homicidios se encontró entre los hombres nacidos en Nicaragua (RT = 1,35, 95% IC: 1,19; 1,53 y en mujeres (RT = 1,41, 95% IC: 1,02; 1,95. El riesgo relativo de causas de mortalidad de origen de tipo exógeno entre los inmigrantes nicaragüenses fue más grande entre los grupos de edad joven en áreas de baja densidad de inmigrantes nicaragüenses. La población nacida en Nicaragua residiendo en Costa Rica tiene un riesgo reducido de mortalidad por causas generales versus las personas nacidas en Costa Rica en los años entre 1996-2005. Esto se debe a una mortalidad por enfermedad reducida, la cual es bastante marcada. El homicidio es un una razón de mayor mortalidad entre los inmigrantes nacidos en Nicaragua versus los nativos costarricenses. Hay una gran necesidad de llevar acabo investigaciones adicionales sobre el rol de la migración, estatus socioeconómico y comportamientos entorno a la salud para poder explicar más a fondo los patrones de mortalidad diferenciales entre los inmigrantes nicarag

Effect of fragmentation on the Costa Rican dry forest avifauna

OpenAIRE

Barrantes, Gilbert; Ocampo, Diego; Ram?rez-Fern?ndez, Jos? D.; Fuchs, Eric J.

2016-01-01

Deforestation and changes in land use have reduced the tropical dry forest to isolated forest patches in northwestern Costa Rica. We examined the effect of patch area and length of the dry season on nestedness of the entire avian community, forest fragment assemblages, and species occupancy across fragments for the entire native avifauna, and for a subset of forest dependent species. Species richness was independent of both fragment area and distance between fragments. Similarity in bird comm...

What are people thinking about floods? A study in two Mediterranean areas: Costa Brava, Spain and Talcahuano City, Chile

Science.gov (United States)

Lara, A.; Ribas, A.; Cifuentes, L. A.

2013-05-01

Mediterranean areas are not immune to flood problems. The Spanish Mediterranean coast is a reflection of this, where flooding continues to be the greatest natural hazard with negative effects on the territory. The urbanization of coastal watersheds, very pronounced in the last 15 years, has led to the creation of authentic urban continuums in the seafront and the appearance of residential developments therein. The municipalities of Costa Brava, in the province of Girona, are an example of this dynamic of the increasing risk, exposure, and impact of floods. In Chile, floods are considered one of the main natural hazards, especially in the province of Concepcion. One of the most important cities of this area is Talcahuano, which has suffered continual flood episodes during recent years. Flood episodes could yet increase in the future due to the high frequency of extraordinary atmospheric events and a higher exposure to flood risk created by the development of intensive urbanization processes. However, after the February 27th 8.8 degrees earthquake (Richter scale) that affected the center-south of Chile and originated the tsunami which flooded a large percentage of the residential area and military base of the city of Talcahuano, the risk, vulnerability, resilience and copy capacity concepts changed. This research looks at the social perception and social knowledge of Mediterranean residents affected and unaffected by floods, emphasizing which is their risk, vulnerability, resilience and copy capacity concept and what kind of measures they proposed to reduce their flood vulnerability. The end objective of this research is to become a framework for future local flood policies and a tool that could be reviewed by specialists in other regions that might be affected by this hazard. This social assessment has been carried out through surveys of residents in Costa Brava and Talcahuano whose endogenous and exogenous characteristics have been significant in explaining their

The dystrophinopathies in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Azofeifa

2004-09-01

Full Text Available A five-years long study aiming to describe the basic genetic epidemiology of the dystrophinopathies in Costa Rica recruited 31 patients with clinical symptoms of DMD/BMD at the National Children’s Hospital (HNN. This center is the obligate reference hospital of the national health system for genetic diseases, however, the geographic origin of the patients, a low percentage of deletions and a high proportion of de novo mutations found among them indicate that a significant ascertainment bias impedes a substantial scientific approach to confront and alleviate the problems posed by these severe diseases in Costa Rica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 52(3: 485- 490. Epub 2004 Dic 15.Un estudio de cinco años tendiente a describir la epidemiología genética básica de las distrofinopatías en Costa Rica detectó 31 pacientes con sintomatología de DMD o de BMD en el Hospital Nacional de Niños (HNN, el centro de referencia del sistema nacional de salud para enefrmedades hereditarias, sin embargo, la distribución geográfica de los pacientes, un bajo porcentaje de deleciones y una muy elevada proporción de mutaciones de novo indican que un significante sesgo de averiguación impide el estudio científico de riguroso tendiente a disminuir el impacto de estas enfermedades en Costa Rica.

Nomenclatural problems among Thysanoptera (Insecta of Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arturo Goldarazena

2008-06-01

Full Text Available We present data to argue that several recent papers on the Thysanoptera of Costa Rica are affected by unsatisfactory technical procedures, including failure to recognize intraspecific structural variation. Fourteen new synonyms are recognized for Costa Rica Thysanoptera, nine generic and five specific. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (2: 961-968. Epub 2008 June 30.Presentamos datos para apoyar nuestro argumento de que varios artículos recientes sobre los Thysanoptera de Costa Rica se han visto afectados por procedimientos técnicos insatisfactorios, incluyendo el no reconocer la variación estructural intraespecífica. Presentamos nueve sinonimias en los tisanópteros de Costa Rica: nueve a nivel de género y cinco a nivel de especie.

Corporate Governance in Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Gilberto E. Arce; Edgar Robles C.

2005-01-01

This paper examines corporate governance practices in Costa Rica. First, it estimates corporate governance charter measures using firm-level data for 87 Costa Rican firms and studies their impact on the firms` performance; here, the mean of the corporate governance charters for the publicly traded firms is equal to 56. 14. Second, new evidence is presented on de jure and de facto corporate governance charter measures at the firm level and on their effect on the performance of the firm. The re...

The use of choice experiments in the analysis of tourist preferences for ecotourism development in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Hearne, Robert R; Salinas, Zenia M

2002-06-01

Many nations promote nature-based tourism in order to promote the dual goals of nature conservation and income generation. To be most effective in providing services that facilitate achievement of these goals, decision makers will need to understand and incorporate tourist preferences for nature appreciation, infrastructure, use restrictions, and other attributes of national parks and protected areas. This paper presents the use of choice experiments as a mechanism to analyze preferences of national and international tourists in relation to the development of Barva Volcano Area in Costa Rica. In this section of the Braulio Carrillo National Park, managers are faced with an immediate need to plan for greatly increased visitation rates due to a new road, which will greatly improve access. Choice sets were developed in collaboration with park managers. A survey was conducted of 171 Costa Rican and 271 foreign tourists who visited Poás Volcano, a well-visited alternative site to Barva Volcano. Survey data was analyzed using conditional multinomial logit models. Results of the study demonstrate, that both sets of tourists preferred: (i) improved infrastructure; (ii) aerial trams with observation towers and picnic areas; (iii) more information; and (iv) low entrance fees. Foreign tourists demonstrated strong preferences for the inclusion of restrictions in the access to some trails, whereas Costa Ricans did not show any significant preference for restrictions. Marginal willingness-to-pay for greater information was estimated to be $1.54 for foreign tourists and $1.01 for Costa Rican visitors. The study concludes that choice experiments are a useful tool in the analyses of tourist preferences for the development of protected areas in developing countries.

Energetic management at the Hotel Nido del Halcon, Uvita Puntarenas, based on the ISO standard 50001

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andres Monge, Fernando; Hernandez Fallas, Pablo; Rojas Solis, Alvaro

2014-01-01

An energetic management system is designed at the Hotel Nido del Halcon located in Uvita Pacifico Sur of Costa Rica, based on the ISO standard 50001. The electric power consumption of the hotel is studied by an energy audit. The energy audit and consumption history supplied by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) have determined as critical areas of energy consumption: the refrigeration room, the restaurant, the principal rooms, laundry and pumping systems of the hotel. Mechanical systems more efficient are designed to substitute equipments of higher consumption in daily operation of the Hotel Nido del Halcon. Renewable energy sources are investigated to be taken advantage at the hotel, with the objective of a possible integration into the Plan de Generacion Distribuida of the ICE. An economic analysis of the proposals is performed to optimize the use of energy, as well as relevant and economically feasible recommendations to be implemented immediately [es

Counseling in Costa Rica: A Comparative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Collier, Crystal

2013-01-01

With one of the world's most comprehensive universal healthcare systems, medical tourism in Costa Rica has increased significantly over the past few decades. American tourists save up to 80% of comparative costs for procedures, from heart surgery to root canal treatment. Although many Costa Rican healthcare professionals receive training in North…

Demand management by means of substitution energetics in home cooking: Costa Rica's metropolitan area; Gerenciamento da demanda mediante substituicao energetica na coccao residencial: regiao metropolitana da Costa Rica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herrera, Alfonso Herrera

1996-07-01

The electric power system management in Costa Rica is analyzed. The possibility of substitution of LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) for electric power, in home cooking, are identified as one of the most important program in order to reduce increasing load peak and energy requirements in electric power system of Costa Rica. The sustain ability of the substitution program stands on the current process of electric power supply. The primary power sources used in generating electric power in rush hours are oil-based; this process is less efficient than directly using LPG for home cooking. Large scale substitution with LPG in home cooking will reduce increasing electric power demand in peak hours, reducing subsidized electricity sales, with better use of combustibles presently imported, improving the country commercial balance and preventing or postponing electric power system expansion investments. Three different perspectives have been considered in evaluating economical effectiveness in substituting power sources: user, utility and society perspectives. Due to subsidized electric power prices, residential users do not enough interest in substituting of LPG for power source; unless LPG cookers are also subsidized. However, positive results for the distribution utility are enough in order to offer these kind of incentives. Explicit treatment of these kind of programs, including the efficiency increment as an available resource for electric power utilities in Costa Rica, will avoid the implantation of most of combustion plants now planned in current National Electric Power Plant expansion program. (author)

Comparison of the chemical composition of PM10 and PM2.5 particles collected in urban environments and volcanic areas of metropolitan Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Herrera

2014-12-01

Full Text Available PM10 and PM2,5 were sampled simultaneously in urban and volcanic environments in the Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica from October to November 2012. Higher mass concentrations (42-29 μgm-3 of PM10 and PM2,5 were found at industrial and commercial areas with high traffic flow (La Uruca, Heredia and Belen compared with those found in the volcanic areas. The daily concentrations of PM10 and PM2,5 obtained in the Poas Volcano ranged from 3 -14 μgm-3 and 2-11 μgm-3, respectively. However the acidity of the collected particles in the Poas volcano was higher than those sampled in urban environments probably due to a lower occurrence rate of neutralization. The contribution of secondary ions was more important to the volcanic PM10 composition (around 40%, unlike the PM10 collected in urban areas.

Body composition using deuterated water, index of insulin resistance and cortisol levels in Costa Rican school in the metropolitan area; Composicion corporal utilizando agua deuterada, indice de resistencia a la insulina y niveles de cortisol en escolares costarricenses del area metropolitana

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valverde Vindas, Allan Ignacio

2014-07-01

Body composition in the Costa Rican child population is evaluated and analyzed to determine the relationship with the index of insulin resistance and serum cortisol levels. 113 children in the metropolitan area were studied using deuterium isotope techniques as reference method for overweight and obesity. Morning cortisol levels were determined by immunoassay techniques (ELISA). The insulin resistance index of 113 Costa Rican boys and girls is obtained by the homeostatic method and the relationship between body composition with index of insulin resistance or levels of cortisol [Spanish] La composicion corporal en la poblacion infantil costarricense es evaluada y analizada para determinar la relacion con el indice de resistencia a la insulina y niveles de cortisol serico. 113 ninos y ninas del area metropolitana fueron estudiados utilizando tecnicas isotopicas de deuterio como metodo de referencia para sobrepeso y obesidad. Los niveles de cortisol matutino se han determinado mediante tecnicas inmunoensayo (ELISA). El indice resistencia a la insulina de 113 ninos y ninas costarricenses es obtenido mediante el metodo homeostatico asi como la relacion entre composicion corporal con indice de resistencia a la insulina o niveles de cortisol.

A cross-taxa survey of organochlorine pesticide contamination in a Costa Rican wildland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klemens, J.A.; Wieland, M.L.; Flanagin, V.J.; Frick, J.A.; Harper, R.G

2003-04-01

Amphibians, turtles, mice and birds from a protected Costa Rican wildland were contaminated with organochlorine pesticides and metabolites. - Amphibians, turtles, birds (mostly passerines) and mice collected from a conservation area in northwestern Costa Rica were analyzed for organochlorine (OC) pesticide contamination. Six of 39 amphibians (three of eight species), three of six turtles (two species), one of eight mice (one species) and 19 of 55 birds (five of seven species) contained OCs at levels up to 580 ng/g. The most frequently detected compound in 23 of 108 organisms was p,p'DDE. Dieldrin, delta-BHC, heptachlor, p,p'DDD, and endosulfan II were each found in at least four organisms, while eight other OCs were found in at least one organism. The presence of OCs in taxa from the conservation area indicates the likelihood of long-distance transport of such compounds through the atmosphere.

A cross-taxa survey of organochlorine pesticide contamination in a Costa Rican wildland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klemens, J.A.; Wieland, M.L.; Flanagin, V.J.; Frick, J.A.; Harper, R.G.

2003-01-01

Amphibians, turtles, mice and birds from a protected Costa Rican wildland were contaminated with organochlorine pesticides and metabolites. - Amphibians, turtles, birds (mostly passerines) and mice collected from a conservation area in northwestern Costa Rica were analyzed for organochlorine (OC) pesticide contamination. Six of 39 amphibians (three of eight species), three of six turtles (two species), one of eight mice (one species) and 19 of 55 birds (five of seven species) contained OCs at levels up to 580 ng/g. The most frequently detected compound in 23 of 108 organisms was p,p'DDE. Dieldrin, delta-BHC, heptachlor, p,p'DDD, and endosulfan II were each found in at least four organisms, while eight other OCs were found in at least one organism. The presence of OCs in taxa from the conservation area indicates the likelihood of long-distance transport of such compounds through the atmosphere

Polio Crisis in Costa Rica: Lessons Learned and Achievements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gioconda Vargas-Morúa

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This presentation shows some of the consequences of the polio crisis in Costa Rica during the 1950’s, in order to preserve certain attitudes of Costa Ricans back then that are worth remembering: simplicity, solidarity and gratefulness. Hand in hand with highly service-oriented men and women, the country overcame the crisis and built one of the most iconic hospitals in Costa Rica: the National Children’s Hospital. It is worth rescuing the lessons learned and applying them to current times. This historical text was created based on the stories told by people who lived during the times of the crisis, on a 1956 notebook, on documents from the National Archive and the National Health and Social Security Library (BINASSS, for its name in Spanish, the Costa Rican Social Security System (CCSS, for its name in Spanish, Dr. Rodolfo Álvaro Murillo, and San Juan de Dios Hospital.  National and international newspapers were also reviewed. The consulted material confirms how the work of Costa Ricans, led by committed and service-oriented individuals, allowed for the construction of the National Children’s Hospital to take place -an institution that has served the Costa Rican people for fifty years. Costa Ricans also succeeded in eradicating polio long before several other countries around the world. The reactions of people in the 1950’s are lessons of solidarity and humanity that should not be forgotten; they should be remembered in order to value team work over individual work and make sure, no matter what our role in society is, to always stand by common well-being, as mid-century Costa Ricans did by overcoming their personal limitations and acting for the benefit of society.

Afro-Costa Rican women and delayed multiculturalism: constitutional reform of the (white republic of Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marianela MUÑOZ MUÑOZ

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The article analyzes the reform of Article 1 of the Political Constitution of Costa Rica to acknowledge the multicultural and pluriethnic character of the nation, in terms of its protagonists and timing of approval. On the one hand, it suggests a relationship between racial formation processes and a constitutional multicultural delay. On the other, it recognizes the challenges and strategies of Afro-Costa Rican women to reframe this reform in terms of social justice.

Los manglares de Costa Rica: el Pacífico norte

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Priscilla Zamora-Trejos

2009-09-01

del Pacífico norte de Costa Rica, y del resto del país son necesarios y urgentes.Abstract: Costa Rica mangroves: the north Pacific. Costa Rica has mangrove forests on both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. The Pacific side has 99% of the mangrove area of the country. In this review we compile available information on the mangroves of the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica, from Bahía Salinas, on the border with Nicaragua, to the tip of the Peninsula de Nicoya at Cabo Blanco. We provide information on the location of the mangroves and all available information for each mangrove forest. These mangrove communities are smaller in extension and tree sizes, and have lower diversity compared to the mangroves on the southern section of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The dominant species are Rhizophora mangle and Rhizophora racemosa along the canal edges, backed by Avicennia germinans, and farther inland Avicennia bicolor, Laguncularia racemosa and Conocarpus erectus. At Potrero Grande a healthy population of Pelliciera rhizophorae, a rare species, has been reported. We recognized 38 mangrove communities in this part of the country, based on the National Wetland Inventory, published papers, field observations, theses, technical reports, and the national topographic maps (1:50 000, Instituto Geográfico Nacional. Relatively detailed information could be found for only five mangrove forests, for 14 more only prelimary and incomplete lists of plants and in some cases of animal species are available, for nine there is even less information, and for nine more only their location is known, which in some cases was not correct. Detail mapping, characterization of the vegetation and fauna, physiological studies, analyses of biogeochemical and physical processes, economic valuations, and determination of the health status of the mangrove of the northern Pacific coast, as well as for the rest of Costa Rica, are neccesary and urgent. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (3: 473-488. Epub 2009

A trajetória profissional de Flora Costa Marques: ex-aluna da Escola de Enfermagem Aurora de Afonso Costa (1950-1983 La trayectoria profesional de Flora Costa Marques: ex-alumna de la Escuela de Enfermería Aurora de Afonso Costa (1950-1983 The professional trajectory of Flora Costa Marques: former student of the Aurora de Afonso Costa School of Nursing (1950-1983

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zenith Rosa Silvino

2005-12-01

de la Escuela, con énfasis en el área de la salud pública, se han consolidado a través del preparo de enfermeras que trabajan con las más variadas adversidades en el campo de la salud.The research with social and historical approach describes the trajectory of Flora Costa Marques, a former student of the former Nursing School of Rio de Janeiro State, nowadays Nursing School Aurora de Afonso Costa, in the public health in the city of Niterói, outstanding the School contributions to the graduation of nurses for working in the public health field. The time is from 1950, year of graduation of the second class in nursing of the mentioned school, through 1983, year in which the nurse retired. We used the life story method and as data collecting technique the open interview. When we analyzed the trajectory of the nurse, we observed that the activities developed at the time remit to Programs nowadays existing: PSF, PMF, PACS. So, the School contributions, with emphasis in the public health area, have been consolidated through the preparing of nurses who face the most varied diversities in the field of health.

Estado actual de la biotecnología en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Valdez

2004-09-01

the Construction of Indicators in Biotechnology adapted to Latin American and Caribbean countries, to motivate the application and transference of industrial technologies". The study focused on two units: researchers and research projects developed in Costa Rica, between 1998 and 2002. For researchers, information was collected about indicators related to sex, age, teaching activities, number of projects, academic degree, area of speciality and number of publications. For research projects we obtained information about: speciality, sector of application, duration of projects and number of researchers per project. Very interesting results include the high participation of the women in this area of investigation (54%; the low participation of young researchers (13% younger than 30, and a high proportion of the investigators that are responsible for 4 or more projects (42%. With relation to the specialities of the projects, the majority are in the category Bio-Agro (39% whereas in Acuaculture only 1 % was found. The sectors of application with the most number of projects are: Agriculture and Livestock (37% and Human Health (35%. The main strengthts and limitatations for the development of biotechnology in Costa Rica are discussed. Rev. Biol. Trop. 52(3: 733-743. Epub 2004 Dic 15.

Temporal-space characterization of satellite sea surface temperature in tourist destinations: Partido de la Costa, Pinamar and Villa Gesell, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Verón

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The coastal spaces are fragile and complex areas that receive strong pressure because of the many uses and activities that are developed in them. The tourism of sun and beaches is one of the main economic practices present in these spaces that value the physical-natural conditions and their environmental variables. Of all of them, the sea surface temperature (SST has been the least studied variable, especially associated to tourist destinations. The coastal zone of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, concentrates numerous tourist centers like the Partido de la Costa, Pinamar and Villa Gesell that attract in the summer time, a great flow of population. The objective of the present paper was to perform a descriptive and comparative analysis of SST in these parties through the use of monthly satellite images obtained by the Aqua-MODIS satellite-sensor during the period 2003-2013. The results showed a spatial and seasonal behavior of the SST differentiated for the entire study area. The SST for the warm period (January-March ranged between 21.5 - 24.5°C and for the cold (July-September between 9.4 - 11.5°C. This difference was lower in the cold period, allowing distinguishing 3 thermal zones with variations smaller than 0.5°C between them: Costa Norte, Costa Centro- Costa Sur, and Pinamar-Villa Gesell. The warm period presented more intense spatial thermal variations between the studied tourist destinations. Four thermal zones with 0.5°C differences were identified: Costa Norte, Costa Centro, Costa Sur, and Pinamar-Villa Gesell.

Marine biodiversity baseline for Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica: published records

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Cortés

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The diversity of tropical marine organisms has not been studied as intensively as the terrestrial biota worldwide. Additionally, marine biodiversity research in the tropics lags behind other regions. The 43,000 ha Sector Marino of Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG, Marine Sector of Guanacaste Conservation Area, on the North Pacific coast of Costa Rica is no exception. For more than four decades, the terrestrial flora and fauna has been studied continuously. The ACG marine biodiversity was studied in the 1930’s by expeditions that passed through the area, but not much until the 1990’s, except for the marine turtles. In the mid 1990’s the Center for Research in Marine Science and Limnology (CIMAR of the Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR initiated the exploration of the marine environments and organisms of ACG. In 2015, ACG, in collaboration with CIMAR, started the BioMar project whose goal is to inventory the species of the marine sector of ACG (BioMar ACG project. As a baseline, here I have compiled the published records of marine ACG species, and found that 594 marine species have been reported, representing 15.5% of the known species of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The most diverse groups were the crustaceans, mollusks and cnidarians comprising 71.7% of the ACG species. Some taxa, such as mangroves and fish parasites are well represented in ACG when compared to the rest of the Costa Rican coast but others appear to be greatly underrepresented, for example, red algae, polychaetes, copepods, equinoderms, and marine fishes and birds, which could be due to sampling bias. Thirty species have been originally described with specimens from ACG, and 89 species are not known from other localities on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica except ACG. Most of the sampling has been concentrated in a few localities in Sector Marino, Playa Blanca and Islas Murciélago, and in the nearby waters of Bahía Santa Elena. In an effort to fill this gap, CIMAR

Lysimaco Ferreira da Costa e o ensino secundário brasileiro - Lysimaco Ferreira da Costa and secondary education in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geysa Spitz Alcoforado de Abreu

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Resumo Este artigo apresenta a circulação do intelectual paranaense Lysimaco Ferreira da Costa nas discussões sobre os rumos da educação brasileira, em particular, sobre o ensino secundário, nas décadas de1920 e 1930, destacando as conexões e deslocamentos tecidos numa rede de relações, ou seja, suas vinculações com intelectuais de outros estados, em particular com os intelectuais paulistas e cariocas. Esse estudo constatou que a relação entre Lysimaco Ferreira da Costa e pessoas pertencentes ao grupo católico deu-se mais por questões políticas, do que por vias religiosas. Pelo que se apreende do estudo de sua sociabilidade, pode-se dizer que conservou, em seu círculo de amizades, católicos, protestantes e pessoas de crenças diversas, desde que essas não se opusessem, diante de circunstâncias de tomada de decisão e partido, aos seus interesses políticos. Palavras-chave: Lysimaco Ferreira da Costa; intelectuais da educação; ensino secundário.   LYSIMACO FERREIRA DA COSTA AND SECONDARYEDUCATION IN BRAZIL Abstract This article presents the insertion of Lysimaco Ferreira da Costa in the discussions concerning the direction of Brazilian education. He was an intellectual born in the state of Paraná. The period of the analysis ranges from 1920 and 1930 and its focus is the discussion of the secondary school. It emphasizes the ties and connections established in Lysimaco Ferreira da Costa’s network of relationships, his associations with intellectuals of other states, mainly from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Through the data obtained in this study, it is possible to say that the affiliation between Lysimaco Ferreira da Costa and the Catholic group took place primarily due to political reasons rather than religious grounds. According to the study of his sociability, he maintained in his circle of friends both Catholics, Protestants and people of several beliefs, as long as they did not oppose to his political interests

Perceptions and Beliefs of Rural High School Coordinators in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Segura Castillo

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Costa Rican rural settings include indigenous populations and groups in scattered areas that require considering issues such as language and culture, among others, to achieve an appropriate curriculum development. The National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC defines rurality based on the existence or lack of public services such as roads, communication, utilities, formation of the household, and participation in agricultural activities, among others. This research seeks to interpret the perceptions and beliefs of rural high school principals in Costa Rica, regarding technical and administrative conditions in compliance with the objectives for which the institutions were created. This is a longitudinal qualitative study, since data was taken from two workshops, one in 2010 with 49 rural high school coordinators and another one in 2012 with 205 participants including principals and teaching staff. Information was analyzed using an open-question questionnaire and a Venn diagram. Seventeen rural high schools were visited, and students, teachers, and parents from 45 rural high schools were interviewed during 2011 and 2012. It is concluded that there is still no real integration between the socio productive, personal and social areas with the academic area; therefore, teachers in the academic area should be trained in vocational aspects such as entrepreneurship, cooperativism, business management, as well as counsoling, physical education, arts, and music to trully meet the objectives for which rural high schools were created.

Land cover dynamics following a deforestation ban in northern Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fagan, M E; DeFries, R S; Sesnie, S E; Arroyo, J P; Soto, C; Walker, W; Chazdon, R L; Sanchun, A

2013-01-01

Forest protection policies potentially reduce deforestation and re-direct agricultural expansion to already-cleared areas. Using satellite imagery, we assessed whether deforestation for conversion to pasture and cropland decreased in the lowlands of northern Costa Rica following the 1996 ban on forest clearing, despite a tripling of area under pineapple cultivation in the last decade. We observed that following the ban, mature forest loss decreased from 2.2% to 1.2% per year, and the proportion of pineapple and other export-oriented cropland derived from mature forest declined from 16.4% to 1.9%. The post-ban expansion of pineapples and other crops largely replaced pasture, exotic and native tree plantations, and secondary forests. Overall, there was a small net gain in forest cover due to a shifting mosaic of regrowth and clearing in pastures, but cropland expansion decreased reforestation rates. We conclude that forest protection efforts in northern Costa Rica have likely slowed mature forest loss and succeeded in re-directing expansion of cropland to areas outside mature forest. Our results suggest that deforestation bans may protect mature forests better than older forest regrowth and may restrict clearing for large-scale crops more effectively than clearing for pasture. (letter)

The influence of gender stereotypes on eating habits among Costa Rican adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Monge-Rojas, Rafael; Fuster-Baraona, Tamara; Garita, Carlos; Sánchez, Marta; Smith-Castro, Vanesa; Valverde-Cerros, Oscar; Colon-Ramos, Uriyoán

2015-01-01

To identify the influence of gender stereotypes on eating habits among Costa Rican adolescents. Qualitative, descriptive research was used in this study. Adolescents and parents were recruited from socioeconomically diverse populations in rural and urban areas of San José, Costa Rica. Subjects were 92 adolescents (14 to 17 years old) and 48 parents. Focus group data were transcribed and entered into the qualitative data analysis software Atlas.ti version 5.0. Analyses were grounded on the social cognitive theory. Five themes emerged from the focus group discussions: (1) Costa Rican adolescents associate the consumption of moderate quantities of healthy foods with femininity and male homosexuality. (2) The consumption of hearty portions of nonhealthy foods was associated with masculinity and male heterosexuality. (3) There is an emerging view that it is acceptable for heterosexual male adolescents to take care of their bodies through healthy eating. (4) Body care among female adolescents is an element of femininity and body image. (5) Parents reinforce their daughters' persistent concern with weight control because they perceive it as feminine behavior. Health promoters should be aware of the existing and changing food stereotypes around gender as an avenue for the promotion of healthy eating.

Irazu, Costa Rica Images

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Located 25 km from San Jose, Irazu is the highest volcano in Costa Rica and also has the country's earliest historic eruption (1772).

Application of two analytic techniques of sampling for the determination of aldehydes in air and in rain water in three areas of Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vega Montero, D. I

2001-01-01

The aldehydes are of supreme interest in the quality of the air of Costa Rica; reason why it is very important to determine them qualitative and quantitatively. This study has as objectives the identification and quantification of aldehydes in samples of air and of rain water in three areas of Costa Rica, to compare two methods of taking of samples of air and to correlate the concentration of the aldehydes in the different points of taking of samples. The sampling one carries out in three located stations, in the Hill of the Piroclasticos (3 km. To the Northeast of the active crater of the Volcano Irazu), Escazu (it plants potabilizadora of water) and in Turrucares (facilities of the Rural Watch). The used sampling devices, denuders and cartridges, they were recovered with a breakup of 2,4-dinitrofenilhidrazina o'clock like absorbent reagent, which I form the corresponding hidrazonas in presence of the aldehydes. The identification and quantification of the aldehydes, one carries out by means of chromatography it liquidates of high resolution. The comparison among the concentrations of the aldehydes in air gathered by the two used sampling methods indicates that a significant difference exists among them, at a level of trust of 95% [es

Digital database of microfossil localities in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California

Science.gov (United States)

McDougall, Kristin; Block, Debra L.

2014-01-01

The eastern San Francisco Bay region (Contra Costa and Alameda Counties, California) is a geologically complex area divided by faults into a suite of tectonic blocks. Each block contains a unique stratigraphic sequence of Tertiary sediments that in most blocks unconformably overlie Mesozoic sediments. Age and environmental interpretations based on analysis of microfossil assemblages are key factors in interpreting geologic history, structure, and correlation of each block. Much of this data, however, is distributed in unpublished internal reports and memos, and is generally unavailable to the geologic community. In this report the U.S. Geological Survey microfossil data from the Tertiary sediments of Alameda and Contra Costa counties are analyzed and presented in a digital database, which provides a user-friendly summary of the micropaleontologic data, locality information, and biostratigraphic and ecologic interpretations.

[USJ Herbarium of Costa Rica: history and contributions].

Science.gov (United States)

Morales, Carlos O

2012-12-01

In 2011 the Herbarium USJ of the University of Costa Rica became 80 years old and came up with 100 000 specimens of all the taxa that traditional botany studies. Data and figures on the history, the founders, and contributions of USJ to the knowledge of Costa Rican flora are summarized.

Cryptic species within cryptic moths: new species of Dunama Schaus (Notodontidae, Nystaleinae) in Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Chacón, Isidro A.; Janzen, Daniel H.; Hallwachs, Winnie; J. Bolling Sullivan; Hajibabaei,  Mehrdad

2013-01-01

Abstract Based on almost 1,700 recently reared and wild-collected specimens, the genus Dunama Schaus (Notodontidae, Nystaelinae) in Costa Rica is reviewed. Eight species are recorded of which seven are newly described: Dunama jessiehillae Chacón, Dunama jessiebarronae Chacón, Dunama janewaldronae Chacón, Dunama jessiebancroftae Chacón, Dunama janecoxae Chacón, Dunama biosise Chacón, Dunama indereci Chacón. Dunama angulinea Schaus is redescribed and associated with its correct genitalia. Dunama tuna (Schaus), previously listed as ocurring in Costa Rica, is restricted to Colombia. Most species are described through their distinctive CO1 barcodes, genitalia and life histories. Dunama adults and caterpillars, their foodplants, and their parasites in Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica are described where known. Many life history stages are illustrated. PMID:23730176

Manual of Inorganic Accustomed to Fertilizers of Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rojas Cabezas, E.; Murillo Soto, M.

2001-01-01

The manual of inorganic solid fertilizers of Costa Rica presents as first the description of some nutritious characteristics of the main ones, such as functions, content, forms, symptoms of deficiency among others. Some of the chemical physical characteristics of the included materials were used as prime materials. There is also in the Manual a listing of the main sources fertilizers used in Costa Rica, as well as the main processes of production of fertilizers, while they are considered several listings with the products that the different commercial houses have to disposition of the publish. Finally a summary of the imports of fertilizers is made in Costa Rica during the years 1998, 1999 and 2000, to finish with the general listing of all the products fertilizers registered in Costa Rica, under the order N-P 2 O 5 -K 2 O. (Author) [es

Population assessment of the American crocodile, Crocodylus acutus (Crocodilia: Crocodylidae on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurie A. Mauger

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The American crocodile, Crocodylus acutus, is widely distributed in the American neotropics. It is endangered throughout most of its range and is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Natural Fauna and Flora (IUCN and on Appendix I of the Convention for the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES. Despite this listing, there are few published reports on population status throughout most of its range. We investigated the status of the C. acutus, at several locations along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. We carried out spotlight and nesting surveys from 2007-2009 along the Costa Rican Pacific coast in four distinct areas, coastal areas of Las Baulas (N=40 and Santa Rosa (N=9 National Parks and the Osa Conservation Area (N=13, and upriver in Palo Verde National Park (N=11. We recorded crocodile locations and standard environmental data at each observation. Encounter rates, population structure, distribution within each area and data on successful nesting (presence of hatchlings, nests, etc were determined. We attempted to capture all crocodiles to record standard morphometrics. A total of 586 crocodiles were observed along 185.8km of survey route. The majority of animals encountered (54.9% were either hatchlings (El cocodrilo americano, Crocodylus acutus, se encuentra ampliamente distribuido en el neotrópico Americano y hay pocos estudios publicados sobre el estado de sus poblaciones en la mayor parte de su rango de distribución. Investigamos el estado del Cocodylus acutus en varias ubicaciones a lo largo de la costa del Pacífico de Costa Rica. Se realizaron muestreos nocturnos y de anidación a lo largo de la Costa Pacífica de Costa Rica en cuatro áreas en particular desde 2007-2009,’áreas costeras en los Parque Nacionales de Las Baulas (N=40 y Santa Rosa (N=9, y en el Área de Conservación de la Osa (N=13 y en el curso alto del Parque Nacional de Palo Verde (N=11. Se

Environmental service payments: evaluating biodiversity conservation trade-offs and cost-efficiency in the Osa Conservation Area, Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Barton, D N; Faith, D P; Rusch, G M; Acevedo, H; Paniagua, L; Castro, M

2009-02-01

The cost-efficiency of payments for environmental services (PES) to private landowners in the Osa Conservation Area, Costa Rica, is evaluated in terms of the trade-off between biodiversity representation and opportunity costs of conservation to agricultural and forestry land-use. Using available GIS data and an 'off-the-shelf' software application called TARGET, we find that the PES allocation criteria applied by authorities in 2002-2003 were more than twice as cost-efficient as criteria applied during 1999-2001. Results show that a policy relevant assessment of the cost-effectiveness of PES relative to other conservation policies can be carried out at regional level using available studies and GIS data. However, there are a number of data and conceptual limitations to using heuristic optimisation algorithms in the analysis of the cost-efficiency of PES. Site specific data on probabilities of land-use change, and a detailed specification of opportunity costs of farm land, labour and capital are required to use algorithms such as TARGET for ranking individual sites based on cost-efficiency. Despite its conceptual soundness for regional conservation analysis, biodiversity complementarity presents a practical challenge as a criterion for PES eligibility at farm level because it varies depending on the set of areas under PES contracts at any one time.

The Costa Maya:  Evolution of a Touristic Landscape La Costa Maya : évolution d'un paysage touristique La Costa Maya : evolución de un paisaje turístico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klaus J. Meyer-Arendt

2010-06-01

Full Text Available La Costa Maya est une région côtière du sud du Quintana Roo (Mexique, proche de l'îlet Ambergris au Bélize. Contrairement à la côte caribéenne du Mexique qui a souffert du développement du tourisme de masse à Cancun et le long de la Riviera Maya, la Costa Maya s'est orientée vers un développement durable avec notamment une faible densité de construction et le développement de l'écotourisme.Le développement s'est concentré autour de Puerto Costa Maya où un terminal de croisière a été construit en 2001. La station balnéaire (balneario de Majahual est devenue dépendante des 10-12 bateaux de touristes qui débarquaient chaque semaine. En dépit d'importants plans de développement, les plages reculées de la Costa Maya accueillaient tout au plus des écotouristes aisés et du tourisme lié à la plongée sous-marine.Le cyclone Dean, de catégorie 5, a dévasté le paysage en août 2007 et le rétablissement économique n'a pu être entamé que fin 2008, après la réouverture du terminal de croisière et la reconstruction de Majahual. Fin 2009, le trafic de croisière n'a pas retrouvé son niveau d'avant Dean et la récession mondiale couplée avec la grippe porcine et les violences liées à la drogue ont fait diminuer le tourisme en provenance des Etats-Unis. On ignore à quel niveau les nouvelles infrastructures tels l'aéroport international de Tulum qui propose un itinéraire de Chetumal à la plage et le nouveau complexe hôtelier à Xahuayxel, stimuleront la Costa Maya mexicaine créant peut-être une autoroute côtière reliée à San Pedro au Bélize.The Costa Maya is a vernacular coastal region of southeastern Quintana Roo (Mexico and adjacent Ambergris Cay, Belize.  As Mexico’s Caribbean coast suffered many growth pains associated with mass tourism development in Cancun and along the Riviera Maya, the Costa Maya by contrast was projected for more sustainable development including low-density housing and

Chagas Disease in Dogs from Endemic Areas of Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Montenegro Victor M

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Dogs with the presumptive diagnosis of Chagas disease are commonly sent to our School of Veterinary Medicine by independent veterinarians. This prompted us to evaluate the prevalence of canine trypanosomiasis in some villages of the Central Valley of Costa Rica. A total of 54 dogs (21 males and 33 females from five rural villages, with ages between 3 months and 10 years old, were bled and submitted to three serological tests: indirect immunofluorescence, indirect hemagglutination and ELISA. Among all animals, 15 (27.7% revealed antibodies (6 pure bred and 9 mongrels and in 3 of them the parasite was also demonstrated by xenodiagnosis. All positive animals except 1, and 9 negative animals (control group were examined by X-rays and electrocardiography, revealing different degrees of cardiomegaly and ECG alteration, consistent with Chagas disease pathology in one dog (SA-11 of the infected ones. Examination of 50 inhabitants living in the houses where dogs and Triatoma dimidiata were found, yielded negative serological reactions. This was assumed to support the hypothesis that dogs are commonly infected by the oral route, a more effective means of infection compared with the vector transmission mechanism that occurs in humans.

Costa Rica

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

politiques de la concurrence en Amérique centrale, financé par le CRDI (et qui englobait l'étude sur le Costa Rica susmentionnée), a permis de cerner ces manques et de déterminer quel genre de lois et d'autorités en matière de concurrence conviennent le mieux aux réalités politique, juridique et culturelle de chacun des ...

The Internationalization of SMEs in Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Leiva Bonilla, Juan Carlos

2013-01-01

This article aims to analyze the internationalization process of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Costa Rica. Its ultimate goal is to draw conclusions that might enable the various stakeholders in the process (businesses, government, support agencies, and academia) to make decisions based on better information. To do this we will review the current status of this business sector, compare the patterns of internationalization identified in the theory with those experienced by Costa Rican ...

Ecosystem-Level Carbon Stocks in Costa Rican Mangrove Forests

Science.gov (United States)

Cifuentes, M.

2012-12-01

Tropical mangroves provide a wide variety of ecosystem services, including atmospheric carbon sequestration. Because of their high rates of carbon accumulation, the large expected size of their total stocks (from 2 to 5 times greater than those of upland tropical forests), and the alarming rates at which they are being converted to other uses (releasing globally from 0.02 to 0.12 Pg C yr-1), mangroves are receiving increasing attention as additional tools to mitigate climate change. However, data on whole ecosystem-level carbon in tropical mangroves is limited. Here I present the first estimate of ecosystem level carbon stocks in mangrove forests of Central America. I established 28, 125 m-long, sampling transects along the 4 main rivers draining the Térraba-Sierpe National Wetland in the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. This area represents 39% of all remaining mangroves in the country (48300 ha). A circular nested plot was placed every 25 m along each transect. Carbon stocks of standing trees, regeneration, the herbaceous layer, litter, and downed wood were measured following internationally-developed methods compatible with IPCC "Good Practice Guidelines". In addition, total soil carbon stocks were determined down to 1 m depth. Together, these carbon estimates represent the ecosystem-carbon stocks of these forests. The average aboveground carbon stocks were 72.5 ± 3.2 MgC ha-1 (range: 9 - 241 MgC ha-1), consistent with results elsewhere in the world. Between 74 and 92% of the aboveground carbon is stored in trees ≥ 5cm dbh. I found a significant correlation between basal area of trees ≥ 5cm dbh and total aboveground carbon. Soil carbon stocks to 1 m depth ranged between 141 y 593 MgC ha-1. Ecosystem-level carbon stocks ranged from 391 MgC ha-1 to 438 MgC ha-1, with a slight increase from south to north locations. Soil carbon stocks represent an average 76% of total ecosystem carbon stocks, while trees represent only 20%. These Costa Rican mangroves

Inmigrantes nicaragüenses residentes en Costa Rica: barreras para recrearse

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salazar Salas, Carmen Grace

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Resumen: El artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación cualitativa cuyo objetivo es estudiar cómo se recrea la población migrante nicaragüense en Costa Rica. El estudio incluyó 13 personas residentes en el Área Metropolitana. La información se recolectó por medio de entrevistas individuales, observaciones de la participación en una actividad recreativa y una entrevista grupal. Los datos de cada técnica se analizaron por aparte y luego se triangularon. Para efectos de este artículo, se toman en cuenta los resultados obtenidos en relación con (1 las barreras intrapersonales, las interpersonales y las estructurales; (2 las estrategias cognitivas y de comportamiento asociadas con la negociación para contrarrestar las barreras anteriores y participar en actividades recreativas en Costa Rica y (3 algunas de las barreras experimentadas por la población estudiada, las cuales causaron otras que limitaron la participación en distintas actividades recreativas.Abstract: This article presents the results of a qualitative research study aimed at knowing how the Nicaraguan migrant population recreates in Costa Rica. The study included 13 people living in the Metropolitan Area. The information was collected through interviews, observations of participation in a recreational activity and a group interview. The data were analyzed for each separate technique, and then triangulated. For purposes of this article, the results taken into account were the ones obtained in relation to (1 the intrapersonal, interpersonal and structural constraints; (2 the cognitive and behavioral strategies associated with the negotiation to counteract the previous barriers and to participate in recreational activities in Costa Rica; and (3 some of the barriers experienced by the population in this study which caused other constraints that limited its participation in various recreational activities.

The genera of Chrysomelinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Wills Flowers

2004-03-01

Full Text Available Keys in Spanish and English are given for the genera of Chrysomelinae known from Costa Rica. For each genus, a list of species compiled from collections in the University of Costa Rica, the National Biodiversity Institute, and the entomological literature is presented. The genus Planagetes Chevrolat 1843 is recorded for the first time from Central America, and the genus Leptinotarsa Stål 1858 is synonymized with Stilodes Chevrolat 1843Se presenta claves en español y inglés para los géneros de Chrysomelinae conocidas de Costa Rica. Para cada género, se presenta una lista de especies compiladas de las colecciones de la Universidad de Costa Rica, el Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, y la literatura entomológica. El género Planagetes Chevrolat 1843 está registrado por primera vez de América Central, y el género Leptinotarsa Stål 1858 está sinonomizado con Stilodes Chevrolat 1843

Ecotourism and Sustainable Development in Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Buchsbaum, Bernardo Duha

2004-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide a synopsis of the current issues facing ecotourism in Costa Rica; critically examine the impacts and challenges of ecotourism; analyze the potential of ecotourism as a strategy for sustainable development; look at ways in which ecotourism and sustainable development can be evaluated; and suggest ways to improve current ecotourism practices and policies for Costa Rica. What are the impacts and challenges of ecotourism? What are the possible benefits that...

LA TUTELA SUPRACONSTITUCIONAL DE LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS EN COSTA RICA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gilbert Armijo

2003-01-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo analiza la posición de los derechos fundamentales y la recepción de los derechos humanos en el ordenamiento jurídico de Costa Rica, considerando la eficacia de los instrumentos internacionales sobre la materia y la jurisprudencia de la Comisión y la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos. El artículo analiza especialmente la jurisprudencia de la Sala Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Costa Rica.This article analyzes the place of human rights and their reception in the Costa Rican legal system, considering the effectiveness of international treaties on the subject and the decisions of the Inter-American Commission and Court on Human Rights. The decisions of the Constitutional Chamber of the Costa Rican Supreme Court are also commented.

Factors associated with Neospora caninum serostatus in cattle of 20 specialised Costa Rican dairy herds

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Romero, J.J.; Perez, E.; Dolz, G.; Frankena, K.

2002-01-01

Twenty-five specialised Costa Rican dairy farms (located in the Poás area) were used to determine neosporosis seroprevalence and the association of seropositivity with environmental and management factors. The farms involved were selected intentionally and all of them use VAMPP 5.1 (Veterinary

Etnomatemática en Costa Rica: Un acercamiento a su perspectiva socio-histórica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana-Patricia Vásquez-Hernández

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This article is the result of socio-historical research on the development of ethnomathematics in Costa Rica, with an emphasis on the description of events over time, which tries to order the information along a temporal referent. This research is part of the results of the FUNDER Ethnomathematical project of the Regional Section Huetar North and Caribbean (Campus Sarapiqui of the National University of Costa Rica. The methodology is mainly qualitative in its approach and the narrative is subdivided into theme-based topics. The results demonstrate the work that has been developed in this country to delve into ethnomathematics as a line of research from the various areas of human knowledge and work developed around it.

A Practical Application of Statistical Gap Analysis in National Park Management in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aguirre González, Juan Antonio

2009-04-01

Full Text Available If the tourism growth predicted materialized as tourism for Costa Rica protected areas would see major increases. A study conducted in Volcan Poas National Park and Volcan Turrialba National Park two of Costa Rica leading volcanic crater parks was undertaken to make available to national parks and protected areas managers, a procedure, that could be use: to measure using an adapted form of the expectations disconfirmation theory the satisfaction of visitors to Costa Rica national parks, and to evaluate if the results could be used for establishing the areas of the park infrastructure, services and recreational options that needed improvement and management decisions to enhance visitor's satisfaction. The sample included 1414 surveys The findings indicates that the procedure adapted base on the expectations-disconfirmation model was proven helpful in: a getting the information to help “zero in”, the man-agement decisions in the short and medium term and for the development of the Tourist Management Plans that is to say being developed in the 2 sites, b guiding park managers in the resource allocation process, under the conditions of scarcity that are so common in developing countries, c facilitating regular monitoring of the conditions, with a simple and quick methodology that can be used for “day to day” decisions and more sophisticated statistical analysis d identifying the areas in the management of protected areas that need further analysis and in that way is contributing to the development of the long term socio-economic research programs in national parks, e the “real” importance of the information and education activities in national parks, combination of activities that seems to be critical to enhance “consumer satisfaction” among the visitors to national parks everywhere and particularly as a means of understanding whether visitors needs and expectations are met, whether they receive what they should and as a context for

Agrotourism and Agro-Ecotourism in Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Zumbado Morales, Félix

2010-01-01

artículo -- Universidad de Costa Rica, Programa de Investigación en Desarrollo Urbano Sostenible. 2010 Agrotourism is a form of tourism that encourages visitors to experience rural culture as a tourist attraction. The term “agro-ecotourism” was used for the first time in Costa Rica in 1994, and it is generally used as synonym of agrotourism. Nonetheless, not all cases of agrotourism display sufficient concern for the environment to be considered agro-ecotourism. The aim of the ...

Costa Rica's SINEM: A Perspective from Postcolonial Institutional Ethnography

Science.gov (United States)

Rosabal-Coto, Guillermo

2016-01-01

In this article I suggest that SINEM--the Costa Rican version of Venezuela's El Sistema--articulates a development discourse which legitimates neoliberal policies that govern the twenty-first-century international market, in which Costa Rica figures only as a subaltern. I contend that such articulation contributes to perpetuating notions and…

bajo el bosque en Costa Rica. 1980-2000

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Ocampo

2007-01-01

Full Text Available La ipecacuana o raicilla, hierba nativa de América, es la única planta medicinal del trópico húmedo de Costa Rica cultivada bajo el bosque. Es cultivada en la región Huetar Norte, limítrofe con Nicaragua; la raíz seca de ipecacuana se ha comercializado en Costa Rica como materia prima para la industria farmacéutica internacional desde principios del siglo XX. De acuerdo con las estadísticas oficiales, las exportaciones de raicilla desde Costa Rica en los últimos 20 años han significado un promedio de 64 t año-1. Este trabajo resume actividades relacionadas con la descripción y cultivo de la planta, así como algunos de los aspectos agroecológicos de su cultivo.

Newton da Costa and the school of Curitiba

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Artibano Micali

2011-06-01

Full Text Available This paper intends to report on the beginning of the publications of Newton da Costa outside Brazil. Two mathematicians played an important role in this beginning: Marcel Guillaume from the University of Clermont-Ferrand and Paul Dedecker from the Universities of Lille and Liège. At the same time we recall the role played by Newton da Costa and Jayme Machado Cardoso in the development of what we call here the School of Curitiba [Escola de Curitiba]. Paraconsistent logic was initiated in this school under the influence of Newton da Costa. As another contribution of this school we mention the development of the theory of quasigroups; Jayme Machado Cardoso's name has been given, by Sade, to some particular objects which are now called Cardoso quasigroups.

[Identification of marine and coastal biodiversity conservation priorities in Costa Rica].

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarado, Juan José; Herrera, Bernal; Corrales, Lenin; Asch, Jenny; Paaby, Pía

2011-06-01

Costa Rica is recognized as one of the most diverse countries in species and ecosystems, in their terrestrial realm as well as in the marine. Besides this relevance, the country presents a delay on conservation and management of marine and coastal biodiversity, with respect to terrestrial. For 2006, the marine protected surface was 5,208.8 km2, with 331.5 km of coastline, in 20 protected areas. The country has made progress on the conservation priority sites identification for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity, with few efforts on marine planning. This research presents the analysis and results of the gap identification process, for marine and coastal biodiversity conservation in the protected areas system of Costa Rica. The analysis was built with the spatial information available on the presence and distribution of coastal and marine biodiversity, the establishment of the conservation goals and a threat analysis over the ecological integrity of this biodiversity. The selection of high-priority sites was carried out using spatial optimization techniques and the superposition over the current shape of marine protected areas, in order to identify representation gaps. A total of 19,076 km2 of conservation gaps were indentified, with 1,323 km2 in the Caribbean and 17,753 km2 in the Pacific. Recommendations are aimed at planning and strengthening the marine protected areas system, using the gaps identified as a framework. It is expected that the results of this study would be the scientific base needed for planning and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in the country.

"El sector de la economía laboral en Costa Rica (S.E.L." (The labour economy sector in Costa Rica (S.E.L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Morales Hernández

2012-01-01

Full Text Available : The author analyses the evolution of cooperatives in Costa Rica during the last 60 years. Their evolution, impact on the country’s economy, how their democratic way of operating is mirrored in Costa Rican society, etc. are subjects examined in this article.

Privatización de los servicios de salud: las experiencias de Chile y Costa Rica Health services privatization: the experiences of Chile and Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Homedes

2002-02-01

Full Text Available El trabajo cuestiona los argumentos que justifican la privatización neoliberal de la financiación, gestión y prestación de servicios de salud, y analiza el significado y estrategias de privatización. Comparamos la privatización en Costa Rica y Chile, y en la discusión se sugiere que el modelo costarricense de privatización selectiva, limitada y concebida autóctonamente de Costa Rica lleva a un sistema de salud más solidario, equitativo, eficiente y satisfactorio para los usuarios que el modelo importado de privatización chileno.This study questions the premises that justify the neoliberal privatization of financing, managing and delivering health services. It also analyses the meaning of privatization and its strategies. We compare privatization in Chile and Costa Rica and suggest that the more limited, selective and locally designed privatization process in Costa Rica has resulted in a more equitable, and efficient health system than the imported privatization model introduced in Chile. The Costa Rican system also produces greater patient satisfaction and at the same time preserves the solidarity principle.

Effect of neosporosis on productive and reproductive performance of dairy cattle in Costa Rica

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Romero, J.J.; Breda, van S.; Vargas, B.; Dolz, G.; Frankena, K.

2005-01-01

A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the effect of neosporosis on productive and reproductive parameters in dairy cows. Cows (n = 2743) from 94 farms located in the most important dairy areas in Costa Rica were used in the study. The size of the herds ranged from 32 to 379 females (mean =

Erosión en las costas de Costa Rica, un problema de todos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lizano Rodríguez, Omar

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Presenta un análisis de las causas que provocan cambios en el mar y por ende producen erosión a nivel general y en las costas costarricenses, como lo es el cambio climático, el fenómeno de El Niño, mal manejo de cuencas hidrográficas, entre otros. Describe las principales evidencias que han encontrado en las playas del Pacifico y del Mar Caribe del país. Expone una serie de conclusiones It presents an analysis of the causes that provoke changes in the sea and cause general erosion and in the Costa Rican coasts, such as the climate change, El Niño phenomenon, and bad administration of the watersheds, among others. It describes the main evidences found at the Pacific beaches and the Caribbean ocean of the country. It presents a series of conclusions

Enhancing Outreach using Social Networks at the National Seismological Network of Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Linkimer, L.; Lücke, O. H.

2014-12-01

Costa Rica has a very high seismicity rate and geological processes are part of everyday life. Traditionally, information about these processes has been provided by conventional mass media (television and radio). However, due to the new trends in information flow a new approach towards Science Education is necessary for transmitting knowledge from scientific research for the general public in Costa Rica. Since 1973, the National Seismological Network of Costa Rica (RSN: UCR-ICE) studies the seismicity and volcanic activity in the country. In this study, we describe the different channels to report earthquake information that the RSN is currently using: email, social networks, and a website, as well as the development of a smartphone application. Since the RSN started actively participating in Social Networks, an increase in awareness in the general public has been noticed particularly regarding felt earthquakes. Based on this trend, we have focused on enhancing public outreach through Social Media. We analyze the demographics and geographic distribution of the RSN Facebook Page, the growth of followers, and the significance of their feedback for reporting intensity data. We observe that certain regions of the country have more Facebook activity, although those regions are not the most populated nor have a high Internet connectivity index. We interpret this pattern as the result of a higher awareness to geological hazards in those specific areas. We noticed that the growth of RSN users on Facebook has a strong correlation with the seismic events as opposed to Twitter that displays a steady growth with no clear correlations with specific seismic events. We see the Social Networks as opportunities to engage non-science audiences and encourage the population to participate in reporting seismic observations, thus providing intensity data. With the increasing access to Internet from mobile phones in Costa Rica, we see this approach to science education as an opportunity

A new vanilla species from Costa Rica closely related to V. planifolia (Orchidaceae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José B. Azofeifa-Bolaños

2017-02-01

Full Text Available We describe a new vanilla species growing in sympatry with Vanilla planifolia Jacks. ex Andrews (Orchidaceae in the province of Limón, Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. The morphology of the reproductive and vegetative organs observed on vines cultivated under shade-house, the nuclear (Internal Transcribed Spacer and plastid (matK nucleotide sequences, as well as the contents of aromatic compounds measured in ripe fruits, show that this species is close to but distinct from V. planifolia. The name V. sotoarenasii M.Pignal, Azofeifa-Bolaños & Grisoni sp. nov. is proposed for this new Vanilla species endemic in Costa Rica. It is especially distinguished from V. planifolia by a reduction of about 30% of the size of the fruits and flowers, by a divergence of ITS sequences for at least two species-conserved nucleotides compared to seven other species of the V. planifolia group, and by the presence of anisic compounds and low content of phenolic compounds (including vanillin in the fruits. These results confirmed the extension of the area of distribution of V. planifolia southward to Costa Rica, where a recent speciation process occurred. Because of its particular agronomic and aromatic properties, V. sotoarenasii sp. nov. could represent a valuable biological resource for the vanilla industry.

Conferences on electronic waste in Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roa Gutierrez, Floria

2006-01-01

The management system of electronic waste is a project organized and financed by the bilateral agreement Costa Rica - Holanda, it is integrated by governmental and non-governmental enterprises. It was divided in two phases, first performed in 2003 which provided a diagnosis on the management of electronic resources, based on the diagnosis a propose of strategy for recycling was made. The second phase is given in 2005 with the implementation and realization of the project including two pilots plans located one at the Instituto Tecnologico de Costa Rica and another in the community of Escazu, at the end some recommendations were given to strengthen the system. The electronic waste were divided in white line, gray and brown line; those with pollutants such as phosphorus, chromium, cadmium, barium, lead, beryllium, mercury are toxic and have different effects on human health. The project in Costa Rica has taken as examples several recycling plants in different countries, among them one installed in Belgica. As an outstanding figure of the diagnosis made it was determined that Costa Rica has no legal support regarding the handling of such materials. It has been accumulated in 2007 more than 24 260 tonnes and is growing rapidly year after year. Within the achieved progress in the implementation of the project are: the creation of a legal support, the organization of the compliance unit of the project, the valuation of environmental costs and the increase of enterprises offering the service of primary treatment [es

Anfípodos hiperídeos (Crustacea: Peracarida del Parque Nacional Isla del Coco, Costa Rica, Pacífico Tropical Oriental Hyperiid amphipods (Crustacea: Peracarida of the Parque Nacional Isla del Coco, Costa Rica, Eastern Tropical Pacific

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebeca Gasca

2012-11-01

together with data on their taxonomy and their distribution both in the surveyed area and in general. Most of the species recorded in this zone have been reported in previous surveys in the Eastern Tropical Pacific region and particularly in oceanic waters of Costa Rica. We found eight species representing new records for Costa Rican waters, thus increasing by 26% (to 38 the number of hyperiid species known from Costa Rica. The most frequent species were Lestrigonus shoemakeri, L. bengalensis, Hyperiodes sibaginis, and Phronimopsis spinifera. We expect that additional samplings both from surface and deep waters will expand the knowledge of the diversity of the group in this important protected area.

[Attitude of primary care professionals to gender violence. A comparative study between Catalonia and Costa Rica].

Science.gov (United States)

Rojas Loría, Kattia; Gutiérrez Rosado, Teresa; Alvarado, Ricardo; Fernández Sánchez, Anna

2015-10-01

Describe the relationship between the attitude towards violence against women (VAW) of professionals of the health of primary care with variables such professional satisfaction, workload, orientation of professional practice, knowledge, training and use of network in Catalonia and Costa Rica. Cross-exploratory and comparative study. Primary care in Barcelona and nearby counties and the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) of Costa Rica. 235 primary health professionals of Medicine, Nursing, Psychology and Social Work. Questionnaire with eight sections about attitudes, professional satisfaction, and orientation of professional practice, workload, knowledge, training and use of network. Three types of analysis were carried out: a descriptive one by country; a bivariate analysis; and a multivariable linear regression model. Primary Health Professionals attitudes towards VAW health were similar in both contexts (Catalonia: 3.90 IC 95% 3.84-3.96; Costa Rica: 4.03 IC 95% 3.94-4.13). The variables associated with attitudes towards VAW were: Use of network resources (B=0.20, 95% CI -0.14-0.25, P=<.001), Training (B=0.10, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.17, P=<0.001), and country, Costa Rica (B=0.16, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.25, P=<0.001). There was no interaction between the country and the other variables, suggesting that the association between the variables and the attitude is similar in both countries. The results suggest that increased use of network resources and training are related to a positive attitude towards VWA in primary health professionals, both in Catalonia and Costa Rica. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Metals and organochlorine pesticides in caudal scutes of crocodiles from Belize and Costa Rica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rainwater, Thomas R. [Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States)]. E-mail: thomas.rainwater@tiehh.ttu.edu; Wu, Ted H. [Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States); Finger, Adam G. [Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States); Canas, Jaclyn E. [Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States); Yu Lu [Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States); Reynolds, Kevin D. [Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States); Coimbatore, Gopal [Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States); Barr, Brady [National Geographic Channel, 1145 17th St. NW Washington, DC 20036 (United States); Platt, Steven G. [Department of Biology, Box C-64, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, TX 79832 (United States); Cobb, George P. [Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States); Anderson, Todd A. [Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States); McMurry, Scott T. [Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States)

2007-02-01

Despite high animal diversity in the Neotropics and the largely unregulated use and disposal of pesticides and industrial chemicals in Central America, few data exist regarding accumulation of environmental contaminants in Central American wildlife. In this study we examined accumulation of metals and organochlorine (OC) pesticides in caudal scutes of crocodiles from Belize and Costa Rica. Scutes from Morelet's crocodiles (Crocodylus moreletii) from two sites in northern Belize were analyzed for metals, and scutes from American crocodiles (C. acutus) from one site in Costa Rica were analyzed for metals and OC pesticides. All scutes (n = 25; one scute from each of 25 individuals) contained multiple contaminants. Mercury was the predominant metal detected, occurring in all scutes examined from both species. Other metals detected include cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc. American crocodile scutes from Costa Rica contained multiple OC pesticides, including endrin, methoxychlor, p,p'-DDE, and p,p'-DDT, all of which occurred in 100% of scutes analyzed (n = 6). Mean metal and OC concentrations varied in relation to those previously reported in crocodilian scutes from other localities in North, Central, and South America. OC concentrations in American crocodile scutes were generally higher than those previously reported for other Costa Rican wildlife. Currently, caudal scutes may serve as general, non-lethal indicators of contaminant accumulation in crocodilians and their areas of occurrence. However, a better understanding of the relationships between pollutant concentrations in scutes, internal tissues, and environmental matrices at sample collection sites are needed to improve the utility of scutes in future ecotoxicological investigations.

Metals and organochlorine pesticides in caudal scutes of crocodiles from Belize and Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rainwater, Thomas R.; Wu, Ted H.; Finger, Adam G.; Canas, Jaclyn E.; Yu Lu; Reynolds, Kevin D.; Coimbatore, Gopal; Barr, Brady; Platt, Steven G.; Cobb, George P.; Anderson, Todd A.; McMurry, Scott T.

2007-01-01

Despite high animal diversity in the Neotropics and the largely unregulated use and disposal of pesticides and industrial chemicals in Central America, few data exist regarding accumulation of environmental contaminants in Central American wildlife. In this study we examined accumulation of metals and organochlorine (OC) pesticides in caudal scutes of crocodiles from Belize and Costa Rica. Scutes from Morelet's crocodiles (Crocodylus moreletii) from two sites in northern Belize were analyzed for metals, and scutes from American crocodiles (C. acutus) from one site in Costa Rica were analyzed for metals and OC pesticides. All scutes (n = 25; one scute from each of 25 individuals) contained multiple contaminants. Mercury was the predominant metal detected, occurring in all scutes examined from both species. Other metals detected include cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc. American crocodile scutes from Costa Rica contained multiple OC pesticides, including endrin, methoxychlor, p,p'-DDE, and p,p'-DDT, all of which occurred in 100% of scutes analyzed (n = 6). Mean metal and OC concentrations varied in relation to those previously reported in crocodilian scutes from other localities in North, Central, and South America. OC concentrations in American crocodile scutes were generally higher than those previously reported for other Costa Rican wildlife. Currently, caudal scutes may serve as general, non-lethal indicators of contaminant accumulation in crocodilians and their areas of occurrence. However, a better understanding of the relationships between pollutant concentrations in scutes, internal tissues, and environmental matrices at sample collection sites are needed to improve the utility of scutes in future ecotoxicological investigations

Superficial alteration mineralogy in active volcanic systems : An example of Poás volcano, Costa Rica

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rodríguez, Alejandro; van Bergen, Manfred J.

2017-01-01

The alteration mineralogy in the crater area of Poás volcano (Costa Rica) has been studied to constrain acid fluid-rock interaction processes and conditions relevant for the formation of sulphate-bearing mineral assemblages found on the surface of Mars. Individual sub-environments, which include the

Cetáceos de las aguas costeras del Pacífico norte y sur de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Damián Martínez-Fernández

2011-03-01

Full Text Available De las 29 especies de cetáceos presentes en Costa Rica, se han realizado investigaciones exhaustivas solamente para tres especies. Lo anterior evidencia la poca información general existente sobre cetáceos, a pesar de que Costa Rica posee un notable crecimiento de actividades de avistamiento. Debido al uso que se está generando en las zonas costeras, cada vez se hace más necesario determinar la ocurrencia de cetáceos en zonas de alta actividad turística, con el fin de proponer medidas de conservación. En el presente estudio, se determinaron variables ambientales que estaban relacionadas con la presencia de especies registradas, a partir de 166 avistamientos entre el 2005 y 2006. Las especies con mayor proporción de avistamientos fueron Stenella attenuata (68%, seguida por Megaptera novaeangliae (13% y Tursiops truncatus (10%. La presencia del delfín manchado se relaciona con cambios de salinidad y trasparencia del agua, mientras que la de la ballena jorobada estuvo relacionada con el oleaje y la temperatura superficial del agua. Se confirma la presencia de 7 especies de cetáceos en dos zonas costeras del Pacífico de Costa Rica, de las cuales tres están presentes a lo largo del año. Se encontraron variables ambientales relacionadas con la presencia de al menos dos especies.Inshore cetaceans from the North and South Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Twenty nine cetacean species occur in Costa Rican waters but extensive research has been conducted only for three species. The latter shows there is a lack of general and local information about these mammals, even when the country, has shown a remarkable growth in whale watching activities. The increasing use of marine resources in coastal areas has also developed the need to determine the occurrence of cetaceans in areas showing high tourist presence, in order to propose sound conservation measures. In this study, environmental variables were determined and subsequently related to the

Nicolaou, Prof. Kyriacos Costa

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Fellow Profile. Elected: 2007 Honorary. Nicolaou, Prof. Kyriacos Costa. Date of birth: 1946. Address: Department of Chemistry & BRC, Rice University, 6100, Main Street, MS 602, Houston, TX 77005, U.S.A.. Contact: Residence: (+1-713) 348 8860. Fax: (+1-713) 348 8865. Email: kcn@rice.edu. YouTube; Twitter; Facebook ...

Molecular detection of Dirofilaria immitis, Hepatozoon canis, Babesia spp., Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis in dogs on Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Lanjing; Kelly, Patrick; Ackerson, Kate; El-Mahallawy, Heba S; Kaltenboeck, Bernhard; Wang, Chengming

2014-03-01

Although vector-borne diseases are important causes of morbidity and mortality in dogs in tropical areas, there is little information on these conditions in Costa Rica. In PCRs of blood from dogs in Costa Rica, we did not detect DNAs of Rickettsia (R.) felis and Coxiella (C.) burnetii but we did find evidence of infection with Dirofilaria (D.) immitis (9/40, 22.5%), Hepatozoon (H.) canis (15/40, 37.5%), Babesia spp. (10/40, 25%; 2 with B. gibsoni and 8 with B. vogeli), Anaplasma (A.) platys (3/40, 7.5%) and Ehrlichia (E.) canis (20/40, 50%). Nine dogs (22.5%) were free of any vector-borne pathogens while 14 (35%) were infected with a single pathogen, 11 (27.5%) with two, 4 (10%) with three, 1 (2.5%) with four, and 1 (2.5%) with five pathogens. Dogs in Costa Rica are commonly infected with vector-borne agents.

Diversity and levels of endemism of the Bromeliaceae of Costa Rica – an updated checklist

Science.gov (United States)

Cáceres González, Daniel A.; Schulte, Katharina; Schmidt, Marco; Zizka, Georg

2013-01-01

Abstract An updated inventory of the Bromeliaceae for Costa Rica is presented including citations of representative specimens for each species. The family comprises 18 genera and 198 species in Costa Rica, 32 species being endemic to the country. Additional 36 species are endemic to Costa Rica and Panama. Only 4 of the 8 bromeliad subfamilies occur in Costa Rica, with a strong predominance of Tillandsioideae (7 genera/150 spp.; 75.7% of all bromeliad species in Costa Rica). 124 species (62.6%) grow exclusively epiphytic, additional 59 spp. (29.8%) are facultative epiphytes. The most diverse genus is Werauhia, with 59 species (29.8% of the Costa Rican bromeliad flora), followed by Tillandsia with 40 species (20.2%) and Guzmania with 28 spp. (8.6%). PMID:24399894

Diversity and levels of endemism of the Bromeliaceae of Costa Rica – an updated checklist

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Caceres Gonzalez

2013-11-01

Full Text Available An updated inventory of the Bromeliaceae for Costa Rica is presented including citations of representative specimens for each species. The family comprises 18 genera and 198 species in Costa Rica, 32 species being endemic to the country. Additional 36 species are endemic to Costa Rica and Panama. Only 4 of the 8 bromeliad subfamilies occur in Costa Rica, with a strong predominance of Tillandsioideae (7 genera/150 spp.; 75.7% of all bromeliad species in Costa Rica. 124 species (62.6% grow exclusively epiphytic, additional 59 spp. (29.8% are facultative epiphytes. The most diverse genus is Werauhia, with 59 species (29.8% of the Costa Rican bromeliad flora, followed by Tillandsia with 40 species (20.2% and Guzmania with 28 spp. (8.6%.

REDD+ IN COSTA RICA, WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED?: Indigenous Peoples Human Rights within REDD+

OpenAIRE

Camacho Mejia, Monica Judith

2014-01-01

This thesis analyses the development of REDD+ in Costa Rica. It sets out to analyse what the obligations of Costa Rica are under International Human Rights Law with regard to Indigenous Peoples at the moment of implementing REDD+; what laws should be changed before implementing REDD+ whether Costa Rica wants to fulfil its international obligations towards Indigenous Peoples; what impact the Payment for Environmental Services programme has had on Indigenous Peoples; and how the Costa Rican gov...

Baird's tapir density in high elevation forests of the Talamanca region of Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Maya, José F; Schipper, Jan; Polidoro, Beth; Hoepker, Annelie; Zárrate-Charry, Diego; Belant, Jerrold L

2012-12-01

Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii) is currently endangered throughout its neotropical range with an expected population decline >50% in the next 30 years. We present the first density estimation of Baird's tapir for the Talamanca mountains of Costa Rica, and one of the first for the country. Ten stations with paired cameras were established in Valle del Silencio within Parque Internacional La Amistad (PILA). Seventy-seven tapir pictures of 15 individuals comprising 25 capture-recapture events were analyzed using mark-recapture techniques. The 100% minimum convex polygon of the sampled area was 5.7 km(2) and the effective sampled area using half mean maximum distances moved by tapirs was 7.16 km(2) . We estimated a tapir density of 2.93 individuals/km(2) which represents the highest density reported for this species. Intermountain valleys can represent unique and important habitats for large mammal species. However, the extent of isolation of this population, potentially constrained by steep slopes of the cordillera, remains unknown. Further genetic and movement studies are required to understand meta-population dynamics and connectivity between lowland and highland areas for Baird's tapir conservation in Costa Rica. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd, ISZS and IOZ/CAS.

A food plant specialist in Sparganothini? A new genus and species from Costa Rica (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Science.gov (United States)

Sparganocosma docsturnerorum Brown, new genus and new species, is described and illustrated from Area de Conservación (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica. The new genus shares a long, crescent- or ribbon-shaped signum in the corpus bursae of the female genitalia with Aesiocopa Zeller, 1877, Amorbia Cle...

Monitoreo del manglar de Gandoca, Costa Rica (sitio CARICOMP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana C Fonseca E

2007-03-01

Full Text Available El manglar de Gandoca, Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Gandoca-Manzanillo, Caribe de Costa Rica, se ha monitoreado desde 1999. La especie dominante es el mangle rojo Rhizophora mangle. El pico de productividad y producción de flores a lo largo de los años se dio en julio. La productividad del manglar disminuyó desde el 2001 y la temperatura del agua aparentemente aumentó. La biomasa (14 kg/m² y densidad (9 árboles por 100 m² en Gandoca son relativamente bajas comparados con otras manglares dentro del Programa CARICOMP, mientras que la productividad encontrada para julio en Costa Rica (4 g/m²/día es intermedia, similar a lo que se encontró en la mayoría de los sitios CARICOMP.Monitoring of the mangrove forest at Gandoca, Costa Rica (CARICOMP site. The mangrove forest at Gandoca, Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Gandoca-Manzanillo, Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, has been monitored since 1999, following the CARICOMP protocol. The dominant species was the red mangrove, Rhizophora mangle. The peak of productivity and flowering was in July. The mangrove productivity decline from 2001 to 2004 while the temperature rised. Biomass (14 kg/m² and density (9 trees/10 m² in Gandoca were relatively low compared to other CARICOMP sites, while productivity in July in Costa Rica (4 g/m²/day was intermediate, similar to most CARICOMP sites. Rev. Biol. Trop. 55 (1: 23-31. Epub 2007 March. 31.

Ultraestructura del bambú Guadua paniculata (Poaceae: Bambusoideae de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mayra Montiel

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Se evaluaron características ultraestructurales de la lámina y la bráctea de la hoja, así como de las ramas, de plantas adultas de Guadua paniculata recolectadas en Costa Rica. Sus características ultraestructurales diagnósticas incluyen el patrón celular de la zona adaxial de la lámina foliar, los largos tricomas unicelulares de la superficie abaxial, los más numerosos tricomas auriculares, agrupados en número de 17, el patrón de cera cuticular y las bandas de estomas rodeadas de papilas céricas.Sections of leaf lamina, leaf sheath and branches of adult Guadua paniculata collected in Costa Rica, were studied ultrastructurally. Diagnostic ultrastructural characteristics include the cellular pattern of the adaxial zone in the leaf blade; the large unicellular trichomes of the abaxial area, the more numerous auricular trichomes, grouped in number of 17, the pattern of cuticular wax and the bands of stomata surrounded by ceric papillae. Rev. Biol. Trop. 54(Suppl. 2: 29-34. Epub 2006 Dec. 01.

Escuela Normal de Costa Rica: Historia y legado

OpenAIRE

Carvajal-Jiménez, Vivian; Ruiz-Badilla, Silvia

2016-01-01

On the centennial of the Escuela Normal (Normal School) of Costa Rica, this paper discusses its role and its legacy in teacher training. It is structured in three parts. Firstly, it presents a brief historical background of the origin and profile of normal schools in various parts of the world. Secondly, it describes the development of the Escuela Normal (Normal School) in Costa Rica, refers to various personalities and significant elements that have set the course and prestige of the institu...

African Journals Online: Costa Rica

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic, Congo, Republic, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Arab Rep.

Concentration and chemical composition of PM10 particles in the metropolitan area of ​Costa Rica in 2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Herrera

2014-12-01

Full Text Available During 2012 the PM10 concentrations were measured in 13 sampling sites distributed in the metropolitan area of Costa Rica. The samples were collected using high volume samplers and subsequently analyzed for: ions (F-, Cl-, NO2-, NO3-, PO43-, SO42-, trace metals (V, Cr, Cu, Mn, Fe, Al, Pb, Ni, organic and elemental carbon content. Sampling sites located in high traffic commercial and industrial zones exhibited significative increased concentrations (42 – 29 µg/m3 compared to low traffic commercial and residential zones (23 – 15 µg/m3. As for speciation, crustal contribution increases from 13-14 % found in high traffic industrial zones to 28 % in residential zones. While marine aerosol contribution ranges from 2,5 to 5% for all sampling sites without a distinctive pattern. The OC and EC fraction was the most important contribution to the PM10 composition, mainly in HE-01 and BE-01 sampling sites accounting for around 53 and 56 % of the total mass. This reflects the importance of combustion sources to the fine particulate matter composition. In the case of the trace metals fraction it was the lowest one found for all the sampling sites.

Long-term association of economic inequality and mortality in adult Costa Ricans.

Science.gov (United States)

Modrek, Sepideh; Dow, William H; Rosero-Bixby, Luis

2012-01-01

Despite the large number of studies, mostly in developed economies, there is limited consensus on the health effects of inequality. Recently a related literature has examined the relationship between relative deprivation and health as a mechanism to explain the economic inequality and health relationship. This study evaluates the relationship between mortality and economic inequality, as measured by area-level Gini coefficients, as well as the relationship between mortality and relative deprivation, in the context of a middle-income country, Costa Rica. We followed a nationally representative prospective cohort of approximately 16,000 individuals aged 30 and over who were randomly selected from the 1984 census. These individuals were then linked to the Costa Rican National Death Registry until Dec. 31, 2007. Hazard models were used to estimate the relative risk of mortality for all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality for two indicators: canton-level income inequality and relative deprivation based on asset ownership. Results indicate that there was an unexpectedly negative association between canton income inequality and mortality, but the relationship is not robust to the inclusion of canton fixed-effects. In contrast, we find a positive association between relative deprivation and mortality, which is robust to the inclusion of canton fixed-effects. Taken together, these results suggest that deprivation relative to those higher in a hierarchy is more detrimental to health than the overall dispersion of the hierarchy itself, within the Costa Rican context. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Population assessment of the American crocodile, Crocodylus acutus (Crocodilia: Crocodylidae on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurie A. Mauger

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The American crocodile, Crocodylus acutus, is widely distributed in the American neotropics. It is endangered throughout most of its range and is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Natural Fauna and Flora (IUCN and on Appendix I of the Convention for the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES. Despite this listing, there are few published reports on population status throughout most of its range. We investigated the status of the C. acutus, at several locations along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. We carried out spotlight and nesting surveys from 2007-2009 along the Costa Rican Pacific coast in four distinct areas, coastal areas of Las Baulas (N=40 and Santa Rosa (N=9 National Parks and the Osa Conservation Area (N=13, and upriver in Palo Verde National Park (N=11. We recorded crocodile locations and standard environmental data at each observation. Encounter rates, population structure, distribution within each area and data on successful nesting (presence of hatchlings, nests, etc were determined. We attempted to capture all crocodiles to record standard morphometrics. A total of 586 crocodiles were observed along 185.8km of survey route. The majority of animals encountered (54.9% were either hatchlings (<0.5m or juveniles (0.5-1.25m. The average non-hatchling encounter rate per survey for the Pacific coast was 3.1 crocodiles/km, with individual encounter rates ranging from 1.2 crocodiles/km to 4.3 crocodiles/ km in Las Baulas National Park and the Osa Conservation Area respectively. Distribution of size classes within the individual locations did not differ with the exception of Santa Rosa and Las Baulas National Parks, where hatchlings were found in water with lower salinities. These were the first systematic surveys in several of the areas studied and additional work is needed to further characterize the American crocodile population in Costa Rica.

“Shifting in” migration control. Universalism and immigration in Costa Rica

NARCIS (Netherlands)

K. Voorend (Koen)

2013-01-01

textabstractWhen the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), the flagship institution of Costa Rica’s ‘exceptional’ -solidary and universal- social policy regime, entered in financial crisis in 2011, the already difficult social integration of Nicaraguan immigrants in Costa Rica became even more

Prevalence of mild serum vitamin B12 deficiency in rural and urban Costa Rican young adults Prevalencia de la deficiencia moderada de vitamina B12 sérica en jóvenes adultos de zonas rurales y urbanas de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ileana Holst-Schumacher

2007-12-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have shown an increase of mild serum cobalamin (vitamin B12 deficiency in some Latin American countries; however, no data are available from Costa Rica. The purpose of this work was to establish the prevalence of serum vitamin B12 deficiency among Costa Rican young adults and to study some factors that may help explain the serum cobalamin concentrations. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 400 adults aged 20 to 40 years old from urban and rural areas of the central valley of Costa Rica to determine serum vitamin B12 levels. Additionally, cobalamin dietary intake and the detection of Helicobacter pylori IgG antibodies were studied as possible determinants of the serum vitamin B12 concentrations. RESULTS: The mean serum concentration of vitamin B12 was 268 ± 125 pmol/L, and no significant differences were found by gender or area. Study data indicate an overall prevalence of inadequate serum cobalamin levels of 42.4% (11.2% deficient and 31.2% marginal; more than 50% but less than 75% of individuals had an intake of vitamin B12 below the U.S. Estimated Average Requirement (EAR and 61.2% had IgG antibodies to H. pylori. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of mild serum vitamin B12 deficiency in young Costa Rican subjects is as high as in other Latin American countries. More investigation should be done to elucidate the etiological factors that are generating deficient and marginal serum cobalamin levels in Costa Rican adults in order to define appropriate public health actions.OBJETIVO: Aunque estudios recientes han demostrado un incremento en el déficit moderado de cobalamina (vitamina B12 sérica en algunos países de América Latina, no hay datos de Costa Rica. El propósito de este trabajo fue determinar la prevalencia de la deficiencia de vitamina B12 sérica en jóvenes adultos de Costa Rica y estudiar algunos factores que pueden ayudar a explicar las concentraciones séricas de cobalamina. MÉTODOS: Se

Agricultura, recursos naturales, medio ambiente y desarrollo sostenible en costa rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge A. Morera

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Agricultura, recursos naturales, medio ambiente y desarrollo sostenible en Costa Rica. La agricultura sostenible en Costa Rica debe reconocer la necesidad de intensificar la productividad como medio de soportar la acelerada demanda creada por el incremento poblacional, pero al mismo tiempo debe prever el mejor uso y conservación de los recursos naturales. Sin recursos naturales no hay agricultura y sin ésta no hay seguridad alimentaria. Es de esperar que Costa Rica pueda satisfacer la demanda creciente de alimentos y otros productos agrícolas; evitando el acelerado proceso de degradación que sufren nuestros suelos y bosques. El proceso de agricultura sostenible en Costa Rica y otros países de la región, presenta un incremento en la demanda de tierras y recursos naturales; lo cual suscita competencias y agudos conflictos sociales, económicos y ecológicos. Costa Rica debe plantearse una estrategia de desarrollo sostenible que contemple los efectos asociados del crecimiento demográfico, la seguridad alimentaria, la protección de la biodiversidad, la regeneración de los ecosistemas, el desarrollo de tecnologías amigables con el ambiente, la regulación sobre el acceso a los recursos naturales y la formación de capital humano

Costa Rica regroups for sales kick-off.

Science.gov (United States)

1985-01-01

Cost Rica's contraceptive social marketing project is scheduled to be launched in March 1985. The project is run through a for-profit corporation, Asdecosta, which is owned by the Costa Rican International Planned Parenthood affiliate. Asdecosta was formed as a for-profit entity because Costa Rican law prohibits product sales by nonprofit groups. The US Agency for International Development (AID) will allocate US$1.2 million over a 5-year period, 1983-88. The project manager, Jorge Lopez, is an economist with considerable experience in marketing. The project has lined up a top national distributor, a packaging company, and an advertising agency for its 1st product, a condom manufactured in the US by Ansell. Asdecost's target market is projected to include 50,000-75,000 couples at its peak operating capacity. An estimated 65% of Costa Rican women have used a contraceptive method at some time. The condom, pill, and IUD are the most popular methods. Eventually, Asdecosta expects to expand its product line to include oral contraceptives. Another goal is to counter the high drop out rate among users of government and other family planning services.

Development of domestic hot water systems in Costa Rica from solar energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lizana-Moreno, Fernando

2015-01-01

A software tool is developed to implement the solar domestic hot water systems (DHW) in Costa Rica and to replace the electric water heating equipment. A database with information from the solar radiation is elaborated for different locations in Costa Rica. A manual of design DHW solar systems is realized for the country. An DHW solar system is designed for the type of average building the of country. A software is implemented to calculate the parameters and dimensions necessary for the solar installation of DHW, using the F-Chart method; in addition, the information of the mentioned database is included. A financial analysis is elaborated of the DHW solar systems in Costa Rica. The strategies are proposed for the implementation of DHW solar systems in Costa Rica [es

Subclinical thyroid dysfunction in adult Costa Rican population

OpenAIRE

Guevara Sánchez, Oscar; Holst Schumacher, Ileana; Boza Oreamuno, Sandra; Barrantes Santamaría, Mauro; Chinchilla Monge, Ricardo; Alvarado Ulate, Pablo

2016-01-01

Introducción. La disfunción tiroidea subclínica es un desorden común que puede representar la etapa temprana de una franca enfermedad tiroidea. Objetivo. Conocer la prevalencia de disfunción tiroidea subclínica en una población de adultos costarricenses. Diseño. Investigación de tipo transversal y descriptiva. Lugar. Área urbana de Costa Rica. Participantes. Adultos costarricenses de un área urbana de Costa Rica. Intervenciones. A 297 individuos de ambos géneros con edades entre 30 y 87 años ...

Dust exposure in workers from grain storage facilities in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Zamora, María G; Medina-Escobar, Lourdes; Mora, Glend; Zock, Jan-Paul; van Wendel de Joode, Berna; Mora, Ana M

2017-08-01

About 12 million workers are involved in the production of basic grains in Central America. However, few studies in the region have examined the occupational factors associated with inhalable dust exposure. (i) To assess the exposure to inhalable dust in workers from rice, maize, and wheat storage facilities in Costa Rica; (ii) to examine the occupational factors associated with this exposure; and (iii) to measure concentrations of respirable and thoracic particles in different areas of the storage facilities. We measured inhalable (dust concentrations in 176 personal samples collected from 136 workers of eight grain storage facilities in Costa Rica. We also measured respirable (dust particles in several areas of the storage facilities. Geometric mean (GM) and geometric standard deviation (GSD) inhalable dust concentrations were 2.0mg/m 3 and 7.8 (range=dust concentrations were associated with job category [GM for category/GM for administrative staff and other workers (95% CI)=4.4 (2.6, 7.2) for packing; 20.4 (12.3, 34.7) for dehulling; 109.6 (50.1, 234.4) for unloading in flat bed sheds; 24.0 (14.5, 39.8) for unloading in pits; and 31.6 (18.6, 52.5) for drying], and cleaning task [15.8 (95% CI: 10.0, 26.3) in workers who cleaned in addition to their regular tasks]. Higher area concentrations of thoracic dust particles were found in wheat (GM and GSD=4.3mg/m 3 and 4.5) and maize (3.0mg/m 3 and 3.9) storage facilities, and in grain drying (2.3mg/m 3 and 3.1) and unloading (1.5mg/m 3 and 4.8) areas. Operators of grain storage facilities showed elevated inhalable dust concentrations, mostly above international exposure limits. Better engineering and administrative controls are needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

PERCEPCIÓN DEL IMPACTO DE LA APLICACIÓN DE MECANISMOS DE ASEGURAMIENTO DE LA CALIDAD EN LA EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR EN COSTA RICA: PROYECTO ALFA-CINDA-UNIVERSIDAD DE COSTA RICA (PERCEIVED IMPACT OF QUALITY ASSURANCE MECHANISMS ON COSTA-RICAN HIGHER EDUCATION: THE ALFA-CINDA-UNIVERSIDAD-DE-COSTA-RICA PROJECT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guido Guido, Elsiana

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Resumen: En este artículo se presentan las acciones realizadas dentro del Proyecto Alfa Nro. DCl-ALA 2008/42: Aseguramiento de la calidad: políticas públicas y gestión universitaria financiado con fondos de la Unión Europea y coordinado, de manera general, por el Centro Interuniversitario de Desarrollo, CINDA. Participan 16 universidades latinoamericanas y 7 universidades europeas, y el objetivo general del proyecto es mejorar la gestión de la calidad de la Educación Superior, tanto a nivel de los sistemas nacionales como de las instituciones de Educación Superior, y contribuir con la generación de conocimiento y confianzas mutuas acerca de la calidad de la Educación Superior entre los países latinoamericanos y europeos. Como parte de las actividades desarrolladas se llevaron a cabo estudios en 7 países (5 de Latinoamérica y 2 de Europa para evaluar el impacto de los procesos de aseguramiento de la calidad implementados en las universidades. En Costa Rica, el proyecto ha sido coordinado y ejecutado por la Universidad de Costa Rica desde el año 2009 hasta la fecha. El estudio se realizó en dos universidades estatales y dos privadas, durante el período comprendido entre octubre de 2010 y mayo de 2011, se realizaron 26 entrevistas presenciales y 8 sesiones de grupo a las diferentes poblaciones definidas en el estudio, además, se realizaron un total de 652 encuestas a estudiantes activos y a personas egresadas. Los principales resultados obtenidos en Costa Rica se resumen en este artículo, de acuerdo con los niveles y dimensiones de calidad que fueron definidos en el marco referencial del proyecto.Abstract: The article presents actions carried out in Costa Rica, in the frame of the project Alfa Nro. DCl-ALA 2008/42: Quality assurance: public policies and management in universities. This project is funded by the European Commission and its general coordination is in charge of the Inter-university Center for Development (CINDA, in

El plano secuencia: Pedro Costa y la trilogía de Fontainhas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vieguer, Marcelo

2012-01-01

Full Text Available [es] Desde la aparición del plano secuencia en forma expresiva con Citizen Kane, tal recurso se convirtió en sinónimo de modernidad cinematográfica. Ni tanto ni tan poco, el uso del plano secuencia, generalmente visible, se lo comprendió como maniera formal y toque de virtuosismo. Con el director portugués Pedro Costa, es posible entender de qué manera la crítica y teoría fílmica sobredimensionan criterios esté-ticos ante lo políticamente correcto. Con la realización de la trilogía sobre Fontainhas, Costa se ha convertido en uno de los directores excéntricos más relevantes de los últimos quince años. El recurrente uso del plano secuencia fílmico y su persuasión política a través de las imágenes discurre sobre las condiciones de producción y recepción del cine contemporáneo, poniendo énfasis en llevar a la luz del día del escenario audiovisual los sectores excluidos de su Lisboa, iniciando un periplo que comienza en Fontainhas. [en] Since the sequence shot expressively appeared with Citizen Kane, this resource became synonymous with cinematic modernity. Neither that much nor that little, the use of the sequence shot, usually visible, is understood as formal manieraand a touch of virtuosity. With the Portuguese director Pedro Costa it is possible to understand how film criticism and theory favor aesthetic criteria rather than what is politically correct. With the production of the trilogy about Fontainhas, Costa has become one of the most important marginal directors in the last fifteen years. The recurrent use of the film sequence shot and his political persuasion through images run on the conditions of production and reception of contemporary cinema, with a clear intention to bring into the light of audiovisual stage the excluded areas of Lisbon, starting a long journey that begins in Fontainhas.

A new species of Anacroneuria Klapálek 1909 (Plecoptera: Perlidae) and notes on the altitudinal distribution of the genus in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez-Fonseca, Pablo E; Springer, Monika

2015-12-18

Anacroneuria is the most widespread genus of Perlidae throughout the Neotropical region and 30 species have been reported from Costa Rica. In this paper, we describe and illustrate a new species from a high elevation cloud forest, A. quetzali sp.n., increasing to 31 the number of described species for Costa Rica. In addition, we examine the altitudinal distribution of Anacroneuria in Costa Rica to determine possible patterns, using the data available on its altitudinal range (10-2700 masl). We divided the elevational range in seven categories, using 500 m intervals. We found that most species (90.3%) are distributed in elevations that range from 500 to 1500 masl, followed by low-elevations (35.5%). Interestingly, despite the fact that Plecoptera are known to inhabit clean, fast flowing water at high elevations, only 16.1% of the species have been found at high elevations in Costa Rica (above 2000 masl). Thus, it seems that most Anacroneuria species are distributed in middle elevations, which are the areas that have a high diversity of freshwater habitats.

Joaquim Da Costa Ribeiro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1960-09-15

Professor Costa Ribeiro directed IAEA's Division of Exchange and Training from 15 February 1958 to 15 November 1959 - a period during which the Agency planned, initiated and established its operational programs, and it was largely due to his untiring effort and able handling that the training and fellowship program rapidly developed into one of the most important and fruitful of the Agency's activities

Joaquim Da Costa Ribeiro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1960-01-01

Professor Costa Ribeiro directed IAEA's Division of Exchange and Training from 15 February 1958 to 15 November 1959 - a period during which the Agency planned, initiated and established its operational programs, and it was largely due to his untiring effort and able handling that the training and fellowship program rapidly developed into one of the most important and fruitful of the Agency's activities

The declining effect of sibling size on children's education in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Li

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Costa Rica experienced a dramatic fertility decline in the 1960s and 1970s. The same period saw substantial improvement in children's educational attainment in Costa Rica. This correlation is consistent with household-level quantity-quality tradeoffs, but prior research on quantity-quality tradeoff magnitudes is mixed, and little research has estimated quantity-quality tradeoff behaviors in Latin America. Objective: This study explores one dimension of the potential demographic dividend from the fertility decline: the extent to which it was accompanied by quantity-quality tradeoffs leading to higher educational attainment. Specifically, we provide the first estimate of quantity-quality tradeoffs in Costa Rica, analyzing the increase in secondary school attendance among Costa Rican children as the number of siblings decreases. Furthermore, we advance the literature by exploring how that tradeoff has changed over time. Methods: We use 1984 and 2000 Costa Rican census data as well as survey data from the Costa Rican Longevity and Healthy Aging Study (CRELES. To address endogenous family size, the analysis uses an instrumental variable strategy based on the gender of the first two children to identify the causal relationship between number of siblings and children's education. Results: We find that, among our earlier cohorts, having fewer siblings is associated with a significantly higher probability of having attended at least one year of secondary school, particularly among girls. The effect is stronger after we account for the endogeneity of number of children born by the mother. For birth cohorts after 1980 this relationship largely disappears. Conclusions: This study provides strong evidence for a declining quantity-quality (Q-Q tradeoff in Costa Rica. This result suggests one potential explanation for the heterogeneous findings in prior studies elsewhere, but more work will be required to understand why such tradeoffs might vary

75 FR 3179 - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Trade Agreements-Costa Rica and Peru (DFARS...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-20

...-AG31 Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Trade Agreements--Costa Rica and Peru (DFARS... respect to Costa Rica, and the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement. The trade agreements waive... States Free Trade Agreement with respect to Costa Rica and the United States-Peru Trade Promotion...

International Field Research with Undergraduate Students: Investigating Active Tectonics of the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, J. S.; Gardner, T. W.; Protti, M.

2005-12-01

Over the past eight years, 18 undergraduate students from 12 U.S. and Costa Rican universities and colleges have participated in field research projects investigating coastal tectonics on the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica. These projects have been organized around two different models: 1) a month-long "field camp" with 10 students and 5 project faculty (Keck Geology Consortium Project, 1998), and 2) several two-week field projects with 1-3 students and one faculty advisor (Cal Poly Pomona University and Trinity University). Under the direction of the authors, each of these projects has been carefully designed to provide a new piece to a larger research puzzle. The Nicoya Peninsula lies along Costa Rica's northern Pacific coast inboard of the Middle America Trench where the Cocos and Caribbean plates converge at 10 cm/yr. In 1950, the peninsula was shaken by a ~M 7.7 subduction earthquake that produced widespread damage and 0.5-1.0 m of coseismic coastal uplift. With a large slip deficit since 1950, the Nicoya Peninsula is viewed as a high-potential seismic gap. Field study of uplifted Quaternary marine terraces along the Nicoya coastline provides undergraduate students with a unique opportunity to examine rapid forearc deformation related to large subduction earthquakes. The field research conducted by each of these students provides the basis for a senior thesis at their home institution. In most cases, the students have focused their individual work on separate, but adjacent field areas. Collectively, each of these projects has generated significant data that contribute toward of an ongoing investigation of fore arc tectonics and subduction cycle earthquakes along the Costa Rican Pacific margin.

Cáncer de piel en Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Jaramillo Antillón, Orlando; de la Cruz Martínez, Rafael; Sierra Ramos, Rafaela

1986-01-01

Artículo científico -- Universidad de Costa Rica. Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud, 1986 Se describe la incidencia del cáncer de la piel por sexo, edad y localización de todos los casos notificados en el Registro Nacional de Tumores de Costa Rica, en el periodo 1979-1980. El cáncer de piel presentó el 7,6 % del total de cánceres reportados en 1979 y el 14,5% en 1980. Después del cáncer gástrico, el cáncer de piel fue el más frecuente en 1980. Las provincias de San José, Alajuela y Her...

Costa Rica – “Bogate Wybrzeże” = Costa Rica – „Rich Coast”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marek Napierala

2016-02-01

Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego w Bydgoszczy   Słowa kluczowe: turystyka, Kostaryka, parki narodowe. Key words: tourism, Costa Rica, national parks.   Streszczenie Materiał stanowi dokument z obserwacji autora z pobytu w Kostaryce. Pobyt miał miejsce na przełomie 2015 i 2016 roku i był okazją do zwiedzenia miejsc ciekawych w klimacie podrównikowym. Podróżowanie to odwieczne ludzkie marzenie. Treścią wielu wyjazdów staje się odkrywanie nieznanego, szukanie odmienności w klimacie, florze i faunie, kulturze i zwyczajach ludzi. Można tu spotkać wiele gatunków zwierząt jak: małpy, krokodyle, liczne odmiany barwnych papug, kolibrów, tukany, ciekawe gatunki jaszczurek, węży, bogato ubarwione żaby, żółwie czy legwany. Ciekawe są także chrząszcze i wiele gatunków motyli. Kostaryka zostanie w pamięci miejscem fantastycznych krajobrazów, wakacyjny fenomenem.   Abstract The material is a document from the observation of the author's stay in Costa Rica. Visit took place at the turn of 2015 and 2016 years and was an opportunity to visit interesting places in equatorial climates. Travelling to the eternal human dream. The content of many trips becomes discovering the unknown, looking for differences in climate, flora and fauna, culture and customs of people. You can meet many animal species as .: monkeys, crocodiles, numerous varieties of colorful parrots, hummingbirds, toucans, interesting species of lizards, snakes, richly colored frogs, turtles and iguanas. Interesting are also many species of beetles and butterflies. Costa Rica is in the memory of the place fantastic landscapes, house phenomenon.

Sustaining life in frontier land. Country report 2: Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Prescott-allen, R

1993-01-01

The Community Development Association of the fishing village of Barra del Colorado populated by Blacks embraced the Conservation Strategy for the Sustainable Development of the Plains Tortuguero covering 419,000 hectares of lowland rain forest and wetlands along the Caribbean cost of northern Costa Rica. In 1985 the government established the Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) team visited families and identified community problems. This resulted in the establishment of a communal bank; a community fisherman's association to help obtain a boat and fishing gear; assistance to help villagers obtain title to their land; a feasibility study of a public transport link to the rest of the country; new chairs for the school; and weekly instead of monthly visits by a doctor. The Tortuguero Strategy endeavors to establish 147,000 hectares of conservation area including the Tortuguero National Park. 5000 people live in the buffer zone and 132,000 live in the neighboring western area. The strategy strives to reverse deforestation in the buffer zone by restoring forest cover to 80% of the area by 2000. The Strategy has funded the Union of Small Agricultural Producers of the Atlantic to train people in ecotourism, forestry management, and growing and selling medicinal plants. The IUCN evaluated the environmental impact of expanding banana plantations and recommended ameliorative steps which have not been implemented. The preparation of the Tortuguero Strategy started in 1990 in concert with the Natural Resources Ministry, IUCN, and the European Community. A 1992 draft document based on biophysical, socioeconomic, and legal studies is waiting for official approval. Community strategies have been launched in 2 communities, self-sustaining financing is delayed, and a draft law setting up the conservation area awaits Costa Rican legislative authorization. The strategy is for the long term, but the experience of Barra del

Canine Distemper Virus in Wild Felids of Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Avendaño, Roberto; Barrueta, Flor; Soto-Fournier, Sofía; Chavarría, Max; Monge, Otto; Gutiérrez-Espeleta, Gustavo A; Chaves, Andrea

2016-04-28

Several highly infectious diseases can be transmitted through feces and cause elevated mortality among carnivore species. One such infectious agent, canine distemper virus (CDV; Paramyxoviridae: Morbillivirus), has been reported to affect wild carnivores, among them several felid species. We screened free-ranging and captive wild carnivores in Costa Rica for CDV. Between 2006 and 2012, we collected 306 fecal samples from 70 jaguars (Panther onca), 71 ocelots ( Leopardus pardalis ), five jaguarundis (Puma yaguaroundi), 105 pumas ( Puma concolor ), five margays ( Leopardus wiedii ), 23 coyotes ( Canis latrans ), and 27 undetermined Leopardus spp. We found CDV in six individuals: one captive jaguarundi (rescued in 2009), three free-ranging ocelots (samples collected in 2012), and two free-ranging pumas (samples collected in 2007). Phylogenetic analyses were performed using sequences of the phosphoprotein (P) gene. We provide evidence of CDV in wild carnivores in Costa Rica and sequence data from a Costa Rican CDV isolate, adding to the very few sequence data available for CDV isolates from wild Central American carnivores.

35 years of electron microscopy in Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez Chavarria, Francisco

2011-01-01

Electron microscopy has celebrated in 2009 the XXXV anniversary in Costa Rica. The history of the electron microscopy was initiated with the donation of a microscope by Japan and the establishment of the Unidad de Microscopia Electronica (UME), which later, has been consolidated as the Centro de Investigacion en Estructuras Microscopicas (CIEMic) of the Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR). This center has realized its own research and has gave support to different units of the UCR, state universities and the private sector. Currently, the CIEMic has had two transmission electron microscopes (TEM) and two scanning electron microscopes (SEM), besides of optical microscopy equipment, including a laser confocal microscope. The two fundamental types of electron microscopes (TEM and SEM) have generated different images. While the first has had a resolution that has allowed to analyze virus, usually their images have been flat; however, with some special techniques can obtain three-dimensional images. The image in the TEM is generated by electrons that have passed through the sample, and to interact with its atoms have changed its energy and trajectory. This, at the end, has impacted on a photosensitive screen that has become in flashes, whose intensity has depended on its energy and form the image. Meanwhile, in the MER, the image has been normal type, although with less resolution. The electrons in the MER are focused on a small area of the sample in which have interacted with the atoms of this, and has generated a a series of signals, including the most used were the secondary electrons and characteristic X-rays. In both cases, an electron from beam has generated in the filament a collision against an electron of the sample and has given part of its energy to the degree of release of its atom and issued out of the sample; this has been called secondary electrons. X-rays have been generated when an electron of the same atom that has lost the secondary electron, but in an

San Francisco Bay Area Baseline Trash Loading Summary Results, San Francisco Bay Area CA, 2012, US EPA Region 9

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The San Francisco Bay Area stormwater permit sets trash control guidelines for discharges through the storm drain system. The permit covers Alameda, Contra Costa,...

Availability of water resources in the rio Bermudez micro-basin. Central Region of Costa Rica; Disponibilidad del recurso hidrico en la microcuenca del rio Bermudez. Region Central de Costa Rica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hernando Echevarria, L.; Orozco Montoya, R.

2015-07-01

The Rio Bermudez micro-basin makes up part of the principal hydrological resource area in the Central Region of Costa Rica. For this reason a study was done to determine the availability of hydrological resources in said micro-basin to identify areas with potential water availability problems. A monthly water balance was calculated using land use, geomorphology and climate parameters. From these water balance studies, the amount of available water was calculated and classified into four categories, however, in this micro-basin, only three categories were identified: high, medium and moderate water availability. No areas were identified with low water availability, indicating availability is sufficient; however, there is increasing demand on water resources because over half of the micro-basin area is classified as having moderate water availability. (Author)

Apendicularias (Urochordata y quetognatos (Chaetognatha del Parque Nacional Isla del Coco, Costa Rica Appendicularians (Urochordata and chaetognaths (Chaetognatha of Isla del Coco National Park, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iván Castellanos-Osorio

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Las apendicularias y quetognatos son miembros importantes del zooplancton pero poco estudiados en Costa Rica y no del todo en el Parque Nacional Isla del Coco, Pacífico tropical este. Se recolectaron muestras epipelágicas de zooplancton de la zona oceánica (0-50m de la Isla del Coco, en noviembre de 2001 y sobre parches arrecifales en 2009. Se analizó la composición de especies de apendicularias y quetognatos presentes en 31 muestras. Nueve especies de apendicularias, y ocho especies de quetognatos fueron identificadas. Oikopleura longicauda fue la más abundante en el área estudiada (217organismos, representando el 65.56% del número total de apendicularias, seguida por Oikopleura rufescens, con 35 (10.57%. Todas las especies de apendicularias encontradas en este estudio son comunes en las aguas cálidas de los océanos, seis especies se registran aquí por primera vez en aguas de la Isla del Coco y dos son nuevos registros para Costa Rica. Entre los quetognatos, Flaccisagitta enflata fue la especie más común (85 ejemplares, representando el 50.6% del número total registrada en este estudio, seguida por Serratosagitta pacifica con 38 organismos (20.62%. Zonosagitta bedoti estuvó representada por un solo espécimen. Estas especies también se han registrado en las aguas tropicales del Pacífico oriental, pero seis especies son nuevos registros para Isla del Coco. Los datos sobre la distribución y morfología de las especies registradas se presentan junto con las claves para la identificación de los taxones en el área estudiada.Appendicularians and chaetognaths are important members of the zooplancton but little studied in Costa Rica and not at all at Isla del Coco Nacional Park, eastern tropical Pacific. Epipelagic (0-50m zooplankton samples from the oceanic area off Isla del Coco, were collected in November 2001, and over patch reefs in 2009. We analized the species composition of appendicularians and chaetognaths present in 31

Inventario de las macroalgas dulceacuícolas y marinas de Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Bernecker Lucking, Andrea; Morales Zurcher, María

2011-01-01

Contiene un listado sobre los diferentes grupos de algas, sobre todo las macro algas de agua dulce y marinas para aumentar la lista de especies de algas de Costa Rica. Universidad de Costa Rica UCR::Docencia::Ciencias Básicas::Facultad de Ciencias::Escuela de Biología

Bargaining power and revenue distribution in the Costa Rican mango supply chain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zúñiga-Arias, G.; Meijer, S.A.; Ruben, R.; Hofstede, G.J.

2007-01-01

By the time a European consumer eats a Costa Rican mango, the product has been traded in several transactions between producers, traders, retailers and consumers. This paper investigates the position of Costa Rican smallholders in the mango supply chain in terms of bargaining power and revenue

Sistema de salud de Costa Rica The health system of Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María del Rocío Sáenz

2011-01-01

Full Text Available En este trabajo se describe el sistema de salud de Costa Rica, que presta servicios de salud, agua y saneamiento. El componente de servicios de salud incluye un sector público y uno privado. El sector público está dominado por la Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS, institución autónoma encargada del financiamiento, compra y prestación de la mayoría de los servicios personales. La CCSS se financia con contribuciones de los afiliados, los empleadores y el Estado, y administra tres regímenes: el seguro de enfermedad y maternidad, el seguro de invalidez, vejez y muerte, y el régimen no contributivo. La CCSS presta servicios en sus propias instalaciones o contrata prestadores del sector privado con los que establece contratos denominados "compromisos de gestión". El sector privado comprende una amplia red de prestadores que ofrecen servicios ambulatorios y de especialidad con fines lucrativos. Estos servicios se financian sobre todo con pagos de bolsillo, pero también con primas de seguros privados. El Ministerio de Salud es el rector del sistema y como tal cumple con funciones de dirección política, regulación sanitaria, direccionamiento de la investigación y desarrollo tecnológico. Dentro de las innovaciones relativamente recientes que se han implantado en Costa Rica destacan la implantación de los equipos básicos de atención integral de salud (EBAIS, la desconcentración de los hospitales y clínicas públicos, la introducción de los acuerdos de gestión y la creación de las Juntas de Salud.This paper describes the Costa Rican health system which provides health, water and sanitation services. The health component of the system includes a public and a private sector. The public sector is dominated by the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS, an autonomous institution in charge of financing, purchasing and delivering most of the personal health services in Costa Rica. CCSS is financed with contributions of the

Sub-regional linear programming models in land use analysis: a case study of the Neguev settlement, Costa Rica.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schipper, R.A.; Stoorvogel, J.J.; Jansen, D.M.

1995-01-01

The paper deals with linear programming as a tool for land use analysis at the sub-regional level. A linear programming model of a case study area, the Neguev settlement in the Atlantic zone of Costa Rica, is presented. The matrix of the model includes five submatrices each encompassing a different

THE DETERMINATION OF THE COSTA RICA COLON/USD EXCHANGE RATE

OpenAIRE

Yu Hsing

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to compare four major exchange rate models for the Costa Rica Colon. We examine exchange rate data for the Costa Rica/U.S. dollar relationship from 1981-2007 and find that monetary models have a higher explanatory ability whereas the Mundell-Fleming model performs better in forecasting exchange rates than other models. The coefficient of the interest rate differential in the uncovered interest parity model has a wrong sign.

Passagens para o Estado-nação: a tese de Costa Pinto Passages to the nation-state: the Costa Pinto's thesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Botelho

2009-01-01

Full Text Available O artigo discute uma pesquisa clássica da tradição sociológica brasileira: Lutas de famílias no Brasil (1949, de Luiz de Aguiar Costa Pinto. O objetivo principal é evidenciar e analisar sua significação teórica mais ampla para o entendimento da formação do Estado-nação no Brasil. Mostra como Lutas de famílias no Brasil contribui para desestabilizar a oposição dualista com que a relação entre público e privado vinha sendo interpretada no pensamento social brasileiro.The article discusses a classical research of Brazilian sociological tradition: Lutas de famílias no Brasil (1949, by Luiz de Aguiar Costa Pinto. The main objective is to demonstrate and analyze their theoretical meaning for understanding the formation of the Nation-state in Brazil. It shows how Costa Pinto's research contributes to destabilize the dualistic opposition between public and private on the Brazilian social thought.

Invalidez por dor nas costas entre segurados da Previdência Social do Brasil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ney Meziat Filho

2011-06-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Descrever as aposentadorias por invalidez decorrente de dor nas costas. MÉTODOS: Estudo descritivo com dados do Sistema Único de Informações de Benefícios e dos Anuários Estatísticos da Previdência Social em 2007. A taxa de incidência de dor nas costas como causa das aposentadorias por invalidez foi calculada segundo as variáveis idade e sexo, nos estados. Os dias de trabalho perdidos por invalidez decorrente de dor nas costas foram calculados segundo atividade profissional. RESULTADOS: A dor nas costas idiopática foi a primeira causa de invalidez entre as aposentadorias previdenciárias e acidentárias. A maioria dos beneficiários residia em área urbana e era comerciário. A taxa de incidência de dor nas costas como causa das aposentadorias por invalidez no Brasil foi de 29,96 por 100.000 contribuintes. Esse valor foi mais elevado entre os homens e entre as pessoas mais velhas. Rondônia exibiu taxa quatro vezes superior ao esperado (RT = 4,05 e a segunda maior taxa, referente à Bahia, foi de aproximadamente duas vezes o esperado (RT = 2,07. Os comerciários foram responsáveis por 96,9% dos dias perdidos por invalidez. CONCLUSÕES: A dor nas costas foi uma importante causa de invalidez em 2007, sobretudo entre comerciários, com grandes diferenças entre os estados.

Dos viajes del " Jesús María " a Panama (1823-1824). Aporte del conocimiento del comercio exterior del valle central de Costa Rica en la epoca de la independencia

OpenAIRE

Molina Jiménez, Iván

1985-01-01

Este artículo, preso en el campo de la microeconomía, no va más allá del análisis de un caso particular: el transporte maritimo de mercancías y pasajeros de puntarenas a Panamá y viceversa llevado acabo por la empresa formada por el Panameño Manuel Cacheda y el josefino Gregorio José Ramírez. UCR::Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Artes y Letras::Centro de Investigación en Identidad y Cultura Latinoamérica (CIICLA)

(ananas comosus l. en costa rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steven Brenes-Prendas

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Reconocimiento taxonómico de arvenses y descripción de su manejo, en cuatro fincas productoras de piña (Ananas comosus L. en Costa Rica. El estudio se realizó en el mes de marzo del 2006, en cuatro fincas productoras de piña ubicadas en tres provincias de Costa Rica. Se realizaron levantamientos de arvenses presentes en cada finca; se describen también las prácticas de manejo que se usan para el control de estas arvenses. Se encontraron 58 especies de arvenses distribuidas en 19 familias botánicas. Se analizó el uso de herbicidas y ciclos de aplicación utilizados para el control de malezas y desecación de residuos de cosecha. Se consideró urgente el desarrollo de alternativas para el control de arvenses y el manejo de los residuos de cosecha en piña.

Seismic and Geodetic Monitoring of the Nicoya, Costa Rica, Seismic Gap

Science.gov (United States)

Protti, M.; Gonzalez, V.; Schwartz, S.; Dixon, T.; Kato, T.; Kaneda, Y.; Simila, G.; Sampson, D.

2007-05-01

The Nicoya segment of the Middle America Trench has been recognized as a mature seismic gap with potential to generate a large earthquake in the near future (it ruptured with large earthquakes in 1853, 1900 and 1950). Low level of background seismicity and fast crustal deformation of the forearc are indicatives of strong coupling along the plate interface. Given its high seismic potential, the available data and especially the fact that the Nicoya peninsula extends over large part of the rupture area, this gap was selected as one of the two sites for a MARGINS-SEIZE experiment. With the goal of documenting the evolution of loading and stress release along this seismic gap, an international effort involving several institutions from Costa Rica, the United States and Japan is being carried out for over a decade in the region. This effort involves the installation of temporary and permanent seismic and geodetic networks. The seismic network includes short period, broad band and strong motion instruments. The seismic monitoring has provided valuable information on the geometry and characteristics of the plate interface. The geodetic network includes temporary and permanent GPS stations as well as surface and borehole tiltmeters. The geodetic networks have helped quantify the extend and degree of coupling. A continuously recording, three- station GPS network on the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, recorded what we believe is the first slow slip event observed along the plate interface of the Costa Rica subduction zone. We will present results from these monitoring networks. Collaborative international efforts are focused on expanding these seismic and geodetic networks to provide improved resolution of future creep events, to enhanced understanding of the mechanical behavior of the Nicoya subduction segment of the Middle American Trench and possibly capture the next large earthquake and its potential precursor deformation.

Seismic evidence for hydration of the Central American slab: Guatemala through Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Syracuse, E. M.; Thurber, C. H.

2011-12-01

The Central American subduction zone exhibits a wide variability in along-arc slab hydration as indicated by geochemical studies. These studies generally show maximum slab contributions to magma beneath Nicaragua and minimum contributions beneath Costa Rica, while intermediate slab fluid contributions are found beneath El Salvador and Guatemala. Geophysical studies suggest strong slab serpentinization and fluid release beneath Nicaragua, and little serpentinization beneath Costa Rica, but the remainder of the subduction zone is poorly characterized seismically. To obtain an integrated seismic model for the Central American subduction zone, we combine 250,000 local seismic arrivals and 1,000,000 differential arrivals for 6,500 shallow and intermediate-depth earthquakes from the International Seismic Centre, the Central American Seismic Center, and the temporary PASSCAL TUCAN array. Using this dataset, we invert for Vp, Vs, and hypocenters using a variable-mesh double-difference tomography algorithm. By observing low-Vp areas within the normally high-Vp slab, we identify portions of the slab that are likely to contain serpentinized mantle, and thus contribute to higher degrees of melting and higher volatile components observable in arc lavas.

The formation of human resources in the area of imaging diagnosed and therapeutic of the Universidad de Costa Rica and its contribution to the services of radiology, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine: period 1969 - 2007

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendez Avila, Maria Catalina

2009-01-01

The formation of human resources in the area of imaging diagnosed and therapeutic at the Universidad de Costa Rica, was carried out during the last 38 years and has been necessary to realize an assessment of that trajectory and value the impact it has had, the race today, in radiodiagnostic services, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine. The present work was carried out in order of providing to the Escuela de Tecnologias en Salud, the Universidad de Costa Rica, radiology services, radiotherapy, nuclear medicine and all those involved and interested in the area, a documented and rigorous analysis regarding the trajectory and characterization of the different stages of historical development of human resources training in imaging diagnosed and therapeutic. Also, suffered changes in the curriculum are considered in accordance with historical events and service needs. The analysis of each curriculum was performed and used for training of technicians and graduates in nuclear medicine and ionizing radiation, as well as the curriculum for the training of bachelors and degrees in imaging diagnosed and therapeutics, as part of the curriculum evolution in the formation of human resources. The strengths, deficiencies and challenge in each curriculum were presented, determining in this way how the changes made to the curriculum meet the needs and demands of radiology services, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy. (author) [es

In vitro antimalarial activity of extracts of some plants from a biological reserve in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Chinchilla, Misael; Valerio, Idalia; Sánchez, Ronald; Mora, Víctor; Bagnarello, Vanessa; Martínez, Laura; Gonzalez, Antonieta; Vanegas, Juan Carlos; Apestegui, Alvaro

2012-06-01

Treatment with the usual antimalarial drugs, have induced parasite resistance, reinforcing the need to finding natural antimalarial components that would be found on plants from the forest. Therefore, we decided to look for these components in Costa Rican plants from a protected forest area. Fresh and dry extracts of roots, bark, leaves, flowers and fruits of 25 plants from a biological reserve in Costa Rica, Reserva Biol6gica Alberto Manuel Brenes (REBAMB), were studied in vitro for the presence of substances with antimalarial activity. By studying the inhibition of P berghei schizogony, we assessed the antimalarial activity of several plant extracts: Aphelandra aurantiaca, A. tridentata (Acanthaceae); Xanthosoma undipes (Araceae); Iriartea deltoidea (Arecaceae); Neurolaena lobata (Asteraceae); Senna papillosa, Pterocarpus hayessi, Lonchocarpus pentaphyllus (Fabaceae); Nectandra membranacea, Persea povedae, Cinamomum chavarrianum (Lauraceae); Hampea appendiculata (Malvaceae); Ruagea glabra, Guarea glabra (Meliaceae); Psidium guajava (Myrtaceae); Bocconia frutescens (Papaveraceae); Piper friedrichsthalii (Piperaceae); Clematis dioica (Ranunculaceae); Prunus annularis (Rosaceae); Siparuna thecaphora (Siparunaceae); Solanum arboreum, Witheringia solanacea (Solanaceae); Ticodendrum incognitum (Ticodendraceae); Heliocarpus appendiculatus (Tiliaceae) and Myriocarpa longipes (Urticaceae). We used different parts of the plants as well as fresh and dried extracts for testing IC50. The solid content of the extracts ranged from 1-71.9 microg/mL. The fresh extracts showed stronger activity than the dry ones. Since the plants showing the strongest antimalarial activity are very common in Central America, and some similar genera of these plants have shown positives results in South America, we considered important to present these findings for discussion. On the other hand, this is the first systematic study of this kind ever realized in a circumscribed and protected area of

Entrepreneurship in Culinary Arts: The Costa Rica experience with university students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Antonio Aguirre G

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The tourism industry of Costa Rica represents 7.5% of GNP, 21% of total exports earning and of that contribution the food and beverages subsector represents 28%. The purpose of this research was to indentify, potential elements and obstacles in young university culinary arts students in Costa Rica, largest culinary arts students. The study was conducted among culinary arts students at the Universidad Interamericana de Costa Rica, the interviews conducted were 237 the entire enrollment of the culinary arts school. The findings indicate that .Absence of tradition, culture among the young students and need of family and peers supports appear to be relevant and a source of need by the group. Lack of general business and entrepreneurship training is recognize by both groups a weakness and as a need. Coaching and support for women entrepreneurs is very relevant in both theadministrative and technical aspects of the young students of culinary arts The consideration of this information is important if we are to create with culinary arts training , the new breed of professional chefs entrepreneurs needs for the industry expansion in the years to come in Costa Rica and the region

Social perception and environmental behavior of communities close to a tropical urban river in Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Ureña Santos, Claudio; Barrientos, Zaidett

2017-01-01

Urban green areas are important to keep balance in the cities, but few studies consider people`s perception of these areas. We evaluated and compared the environmental perception of two urban communities in San José, Costa Rica. The analyzed communities are separated by the Ocloro River; one has a low socioeconomic status and the other a medium-high level. We conducted surveys in 40 homes located less than 150 m from the river, and local government employees in charge of natural resources man...

Attention to Diversity: the Experience of UNA Quality Education Project, from the National University of Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Fontana-Hernández, Angélica

2010-01-01

In the last years, the educational Costa Rican system has experienced significant changes, due to the legal framework, so much in the national and international levels, since the promulgation of the Law 7600 Equality of Opportunities for the Persons with Disability in Costa Rica (Costa Rica, Asamblea Legislativa,1996) to the proposal of the Law 8661 Convention on the Human rights of the Persons with Disability (Costa Rica. Asamblea Legislativa, 2008). Due to the temporary space in whic...

Burkholderia glumae EN EL CULTIVO DE ARROZ EN COSTA RICA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Quesada-Gonz\\u00E1lez

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Burkholderia glumae en el cultivo de arroz en Costa Rica. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar la presencia de Burkholderia glumae en arroz en Costa Rica. La bacteria Burkholderia glumae está asociada al cultivo del arroz en el que provoca la enfermedad llamada añublo bacterial. Bajo condiciones ambientales favorables, la densidad bacteriana aumenta, lo que provoca que, bajo un sistema de regulación denominado quorum sensing, se expresen sus mecanismos de virulencia mediante la activación de genes responsables para la síntesis de la toxoflavina, que bloquea el flujo de nutrientes, para la biogénesis de flagelos y la respuesta quimiotáctica, y la producción de la enzima catalasa. Las plantas desarrollan la sintomatología que finalmente conlleva a un vaneamiento del grano provocando pérdidas económicas importantes. Se investigó la situación referente a la contaminación del grano de arroz causado por esta bacteria en Costa Rica durante los años 2009 y 2010, mediante un convenio entre la Corporación Nacional Arrocera y el Laboratorio de Fitopatología del Centro de Investigación en Protección de Cultivos de la Universidad de Costa Rica. Se usó la metodología de PCR de punto final recomendada por investigadores del Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical en Colombia y se reforzó la identificación, por medio de técnicas de microbiología convencional. Se obtuvieron resultados que indican la presencia de la bacteria en Costa Rica, la primera información sobre la prevalencia de un fitopatógeno bacteriano de gran importancia para el sector arrocero.

International Uranium Resources Evaluation Project (IUREP) national favourability studies: Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-08-01

Most parts of Costa Rica, except for the Quaternary volcanic belt, have neither been studied or mapped in detail. Concerning past exploration limited uranium exploration took place in the late 1960's but details are lacking. No additional information is available. A bibliography of Costa Rican geology (Dengo, 19t>2a) and the metallogenic map of Central America (1CAITI, 1970) do not report any uranium occurrences. Data on current exploration activities for uranium are lacking. Mining is essentially regulated by a 1953 code and a 1964 supplement, but the production and use of radioactive materials are controlled by the Costa Rican Atomic Energy Commission. New raining and petroleum laws reportedly are being considered. Mining rights are available with few restrictions to foreign nationals and corporations. Costa Rica contains no rocks older than Cretaceous. The Mesozoic continental clastic sequences of Honduras and northern Nicaragua do not extend this far south. The massive intrusions of acidic granites and syenites in the Talamanca ranges are probably older than the oldest formations now seen adjacent to them and could not have contributed to their mineralization except through weathering. There may be a faint possibility for uranium deposition in lodes and fracture zones within the granitic rocks, but no such deposits have been reported. Insofar as the sediments are concerned, only the shallow water faces of the marine sediments of the Caribbean coastal region offer the remotest possibilities. The uranium potential of Costa Rica is estimated, at less than 1,000 tonnes

How Self-Objectification Impacts Physical Activity Among Adolescent Girls in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Monge-Rojas, Rafael; Fuster-Baraona, Tamara; Garita-Arce, Carlos; Sánchez-López, Marta; Colon-Ramos, Uriyoán; Smith-Castro, Vanessa

2017-02-01

In Latin America, more than 80% of adolescent girls are physically inactive. Inactivity may be reinforced by female stereotypes and objectification in the Latin American sociocultural context. We examined the influence of objectification on the adoption of an active lifestyle among 192 adolescents (14 and 17 years old) from urban and rural areas in Costa Rica. Analyses of 48 focus-groups sessions were grounded in Objectification Theory. Vigorous exercises were gender-typed as masculine while girls had to maintain an aesthetic appearance at all times. Adolescents described how girls were anxious around the prospect of being shamed and sexually objectified during exercises. This contributed to a decrease in girls' desire to engage in physical activities. Among males, there is also a budding tolerance of female participation in vigorous sports, as long as girls maintained a feminine stereotype outside their participation. Self-objectification influenced Costa Rican adolescent girls' decisions to participate in physical activities. Interventions may include: procuring safe environments for physical activity where girls are protected from fear of ridicule and objectification; sensitizing boys about girl objectification and fostering the adoption of a modern positive masculine and female identities to encourage girls' participation in sports.

Formación docente en el área de lengua en las universidad estatales de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murillo Rojas, Marielos

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Resumen: Este artículo tiene como propósito revisar la pertinencia de la formación en el área de lengua, en los programas de formación de maestros de primaria en las universidades estatales. Dado que la formación de maestros en Costa Rica es de corte generalista, se analiza el área de lengua como parte de la propuesta curricular completa que ofrece cada institución. Finalmente, se aporta información que abre espacios para la discusión académica, acerca de aspectos que deben replantearse en la formación inicial docente, en el área de lengua.Abstract: The principal objective of this article is to review the relevance of the formation in the language area, specifically in the formation programs of primary school teachers in the state universities. Since the formation of teachers in Costa Rica is of generalist approach, the area of language as a part of the complete curricular proposal is analyzed in the offer of each institution. Finally, it contributes with information that opens spaces for the academic discussion about aspects that must be reframed in the language area of educational initial formation.

A new species of Trapania (Nudibranchia: Goniodorididae from the Pacific coast of Central America

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yolanda Camacho-García

2000-06-01

Full Text Available A new marine gastropod species of the genus Trapania Pruvot-Fol, 1931, is described from Cabo Blanco, Puntarenas, Costa Rica and from Islas Secas, Panamá. Trapania inbiotica sp. nov. has a white body with red patches, white rhinophores with some little red patches, yellow appendages with partially red bases. The radula is composed of 28 rows of teeth. Each tooth has a large conical cusp with 21-24 denticles. Two or three of those denticles on the inner side of the cusp are smaller than the others. There are also 1-3 small denticles on the outside of the cusp. The jaw elements are very irregular.A partir de dos ejemplares recolectados en la costa pacífica de Costa Rica y Panamá, se describe una nueva especie Trapania inbiotica sp. nov., la cual se distingue por tener el cuerpo blanco con manchas rojas y rinóforos blancos con algunas manchas amarillas pequeñas. La rádula está compuesta por 28 filas de dientes donde cada diente tiene de 21-25 dentículos y una cúspide cónica y larga situada cerca del lado exterior. Dos o tres de esos dentículos localizados en la parte interna de la cúspide son más pequeños que los otros. También están presentes de 1-3 dentículos en la parte externa de la cúspide. La armadura labial está compuesta por uncinos muy irregulares.

“Mall”-deando la ciudad: 24 años de territorialización de los malls en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrés Jiménez Corrales

2017-07-01

Full Text Available La territorialización de los malls en Costa Rica inicia en el año 1993 con la inauguración de Multiplaza Escazú, en la Gran Área Metropolitana de Costa Rica. De este año al año 2017 se contabiliza un total de 14 malls. En este artículo se hará un recorrido sobre las principales características que tienen los malls; se caracterizará la llegada del primer mall al país y se desarrollará un análisis de la evolución espacio-temporal que han tenido estas infraestructuras en la GAM. Por último, se hace un repaso de algunos de los reclamos y respuestas ciudadanas que se han dado ante la construcción de un mall. The territorialisation of malls in Costa Rica began in 1993 with the inauguration of Multiplaza Escazú in the Greater Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica. From 1993 to 2017 a total of 14 malls were built. In this article, a route across the main characteristics of malls is made; the arrival of the first mall to the country is characterized and an analysis of the space-time evolution that these infrastructures have had in the GAM is developed. Finally some of the complaints and citizen responses that have been given to the construction of a mall are reviewed.

A new species of Voria Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Tachinidae) from Area de Conservación Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Fleming, A J; Wood, D Monty; Smith, M Alex; Dapkey, Tanya; Hallwachs, Winnie; Janzen, Daniel

2017-01-01

We describe a new species in the genus Voria Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (Diptera: Tachinidae: Voriini) from Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica. It was reared as part of an ongoing inventory of wild-caught caterpillars spanning a variety of moth and butterfly families (Lepidoptera). Our study provides a concise description of the new species using morphology, life history, molecular data, and photographic documentation. In addition to the new species, we provide a diagnosis of the genus as well as new data relating to host use. The following new species of Voria is described: Voria erasmocoronadoi Fleming & Wood sp. n. The following are proposed by Fleming & Wood as new synonyms of Voria : Xenoplagia Townsend, 1914 syn. n. , Hystricovoria Townsend, 1928 syn. n. , Afrovoria Curran, 1938 syn. n. , and Anavoria Mesnil, 1953 syn. n. , and Itavoria Townsend, 1931 syn. n. The following new combinations are proposed as a result of the new synonymies: Voria bakeri (Townsend, 1928), comb. n. and Voria setosa (Townsend, 1914), comb. n. The authors also propose Voria pollyclari (Rocha-e-Silva, Lopes & Della Lucia, 1999), comb. n. based on the morphology of the holotype.

Radiological dosimetry measurements in Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

León, M.; Santos, F.

2016-07-01

The main cause of human exposure to artificial radiation corresponds to medical applications, so it is essential to reduce the dose to patients, workers and consequently the entire population [1]. Although there is no dose limit for patients, is necessary to reduce it to a minimum possible while still getting all the necessary diagnostic information, taking economic and social factors into account [2]. Based on this proposal, agencies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency has been dedicated to providing guidelines levels, whose function is to serve as standards for the optimization of the medical exposure [3]. This research was created as a preliminary survey with the claim of eventually determine the guidance levels in Costa Rica for three different studies of general radiology: Lumbar Spine-AP, Chest - PA and Thoracic Spine - AP (for screens with speeds of 400 and 800), and cranio-caudal study in mammography, applied to Costa Rica's adult population, perform properly in the institutions of Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social (CCSS).

Radiological dosimetry measurements in Costa Rica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

León, M., E-mail: mauisoiso@gmail.com [Departamento de Física, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica (Costa Rica); Santos, F., E-mail: fsantosg@gmail.com [Departamento de Control de Calidad y Protección Radiológica, Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) (Costa Rica)

2016-07-07

The main cause of human exposure to artificial radiation corresponds to medical applications, so it is essential to reduce the dose to patients, workers and consequently the entire population [1]. Although there is no dose limit for patients, is necessary to reduce it to a minimum possible while still getting all the necessary diagnostic information, taking economic and social factors into account [2]. Based on this proposal, agencies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency has been dedicated to providing guidelines levels, whose function is to serve as standards for the optimization of the medical exposure [3]. This research was created as a preliminary survey with the claim of eventually determine the guidance levels in Costa Rica for three different studies of general radiology: Lumbar Spine-AP, Chest - PA and Thoracic Spine - AP (for screens with speeds of 400 and 800), and cranio-caudal study in mammography, applied to Costa Rica’s adult population, perform properly in the institutions of Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social (CCSS).

Radiological dosimetry measurements in Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

León, M.; Santos, F.

2016-01-01

The main cause of human exposure to artificial radiation corresponds to medical applications, so it is essential to reduce the dose to patients, workers and consequently the entire population [1]. Although there is no dose limit for patients, is necessary to reduce it to a minimum possible while still getting all the necessary diagnostic information, taking economic and social factors into account [2]. Based on this proposal, agencies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency has been dedicated to providing guidelines levels, whose function is to serve as standards for the optimization of the medical exposure [3]. This research was created as a preliminary survey with the claim of eventually determine the guidance levels in Costa Rica for three different studies of general radiology: Lumbar Spine-AP, Chest - PA and Thoracic Spine - AP (for screens with speeds of 400 and 800), and cranio-caudal study in mammography, applied to Costa Rica’s adult population, perform properly in the institutions of Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social (CCSS).

Report on the Application of Ionizing Radiations in Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munoz-Araya, J.

1992-07-01

This report presents an analysis of the different public and private institutions, that in any form applies ionizing radiations. In total a sample of 387 was considered; it offers a great reliability, considering the size of Costa Rican market. Fundamentally the information was taken from the archives of the Atomic Energy Commision of Costa Rica; also from reports of labors and surveys carried out during 1991, tending to justify the Project ARCAL XVI: Industrial Applications of the Nuclear Technology. (author)

Valoración de los efectos socioeconómicos y los recursos naturales en el contexto de la variabilidad climática en zonas costeras de Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Moreno-Díaz, Mary Luz

2015-01-01

Tesis (Doctorado en Ciencias Naturales para el Desarrollo con énfasis en Gestión de Recursos Naturales) Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. Universidad Nacional. Universidad Estatal a Distancia, Doctorado en Ciencias Naturales para el Desarrollo, 2015 The natural resources and ecosystem services of the coastal area in Costa Rica are vital not only for the development of the communities that live in them, but also for the national economy. Climate variability and climate change affec...

Buddleja filibracteolata (Buddlejaceae), una nueva especie para Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Morales, J. Francisco; González, José

2007-01-01

Buddleja filibracteolata (Buddlejaceae), a new species from Costa Rica is described and illustrated and its relationships with B. crotonoides A. Gray are discussed. Buddleja filibracteolata is distinguished by its sessile leaves, amplexicaul leaf blades, and spiciform inflorescence with numerous and conspicuous threadlike bracteoles.Se describe e ilustra Buddleja filibracteolata (Buddlejaceae), una nueva especie de Costa Rica, y se compara con la especie más cercana, B. crotonoides A. Gray. B...

[The importance of genealogy applied to genetic research in Costa Rica].

Science.gov (United States)

Meléndez Obando, Mauricio O

2004-09-01

The extensive development of genealogical studies based on archival documents has provided powerful support for genetic research in Costa Rica over the past quarter century. As a result, several questions of population history have been answered, such as those involving hereditary illnesses, suggesting additional avenues and questions as well. Similarly, the preservation of massive amounts of historical documentation highlights the major advantages that the Costa Rican population offers to genetic research.

Buddleja filibracteolata (Buddlejaceae, una nueva especie para Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morales, J. Francisco

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Buddleja filibracteolata (Buddlejaceae, a new species from Costa Rica is described and illustrated and its relationships with B. crotonoides A. Gray are discussed. Buddleja filibracteolata is distinguished by its sessile leaves, amplexicaul leaf blades, and spiciform inflorescence with numerous and conspicuous threadlike bracteoles.Se describe e ilustra Buddleja filibracteolata (Buddlejaceae, una nueva especie de Costa Rica, y se compara con la especie más cercana, B. crotonoides A. Gray. Buddleja filibracteolata se diferencia por sus hojas sesiles, láminas foliares amplexicaules y por sus inflorescencias espiciformes con numerosas y conspicuas brácteas filiformes.

Higher survival drives the success of nitrogen-fixing trees through succession in Costa Rican rainforests.

Science.gov (United States)

Menge, Duncan N L; Chazdon, Robin L

2016-02-01

Trees capable of symbiotic nitrogen (N) fixation ('N fixers') are abundant in many tropical forests. In temperate forests, it is well known that N fixers specialize in early-successional niches, but in tropical forests, successional trends of N-fixing species are poorly understood. We used a long-term census study (1997-2013) of regenerating lowland wet tropical forests in Costa Rica to document successional patterns of N fixers vs non-fixers, and used an individual-based model to determine the demographic drivers of these trends. N fixers increased in relative basal area during succession. In the youngest forests, N fixers grew 2.5 times faster, recruited at a similar rate and were 15 times less likely to die as non-fixers. As succession proceeded, the growth and survival disparities decreased, whereas N fixer recruitment decreased relative to non-fixers. According to our individual-based model, high survival was the dominant driver of the increase in basal area of N fixers. Our data suggest that N fixers are successful throughout secondary succession in tropical rainforests of north-east Costa Rica, and that attempts to understand this success should focus on tree survival. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

The costa of trichomonads: A complex macromolecular cytoskeleton structure made of uncommon proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

de Andrade Rosa, Ivone; Caruso, Marjolly Brigido; de Oliveira Santos, Eidy; Gonzaga, Luiz; Zingali, Russolina Benedeta; de Vasconcelos, Ana Tereza R; de Souza, Wanderley; Benchimol, Marlene

2017-06-01

The costa is a prominent striated fibre that is found in protozoa of the Trichomonadidae family that present an undulating membrane. It is composed primarily of proteins that have not yet been explored. In this study, we used cell fractionation to obtain a highly enriched costa fraction whose structure and composition was further analysed by electron microscopy and mass spectrometry. Electron microscopy of negatively stained samples revealed that the costa, which is a periodic structure with alternating electron-dense and electron-lucent bands, displays three distinct regions, named the head, neck and body. Fourier transform analysis showed that the electron-lucent bands present sub-bands with a regular pattern. An analysis of the costa fraction via one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) allowed the identification of 54 hypothetical proteins. Fourteen of those proteins were considered to be major components of the fraction. The costa of T. foetus is a complex and organised cytoskeleton structure made of a large number of proteins which is assembled into filamentous structures. Some of these proteins exhibit uncharacterised domains and no function related according to gene ontology, suggesting that the costa structure may be formed by a new class of proteins that differ from those previously described in other organisms. Seven of these proteins contain prefoldin domains displaying coiled-coil regions. This propriety is shared with proteins of the striated fibres of other protozoan as well as in intermediate filaments. Our observations suggest the presence of a new class of the cytoskeleton filaments in T. foetus. We believe that our data could auxiliate in determining the specific locations of these proteins in the distinct regions that compose the costa, as well as to define the functional roles of each component. Therefore, our study will help in the better understanding of the

Fatty acids profile and nutritional composition of two tropical diatoms from the Costa Rican Pacific Coast; Perfil de ácidos grasos y composición nutricional de diatomeas tropicales aisladas de la costa del Pacífico de Costa Rica.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodríguez-Núñez, K.; Toledo-Aguero, P.

2017-07-01

Microalgae represent an important nutritional source for diverse organisms, therefore, their nutritional value, and more specifically, total lipid and fatty acid contents, must be considered. This study evaluated the nutritional contents and potential growth under controlled conditions of Nitzschia sp. and Chaetoceros sp. Tropical microalgae, isolated from the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica. In both strains, the nutritional composition and the fatty acid profile were evaluated in exponential and stationary phases. With regards to fatty acids, Nitzschia sp. had more Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) in both the exponential (32.80%) and stationary (27.20%) phases. The results in growth rate, production and biochemical composition indicated two tropical microalgae strains suitable for cultivation under controlled conditions. The studies of the phytoplankton in this geographical area is highly relevant because of its importance in the primary production of nutrients and the importance of finding sources of fatty acids such as the EPA. [Spanish] Las microalgas representan una fuente alimenticia importante para diversos organismos, por lo que su valor nutricional debe ser considerado, especialmente su contenido de lípidos totales y el perfil de ácidos grasos. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar el crecimiento y determinar la composición bioquímica de dos cepas de microalgas tropicales aisladas de la costa del Pacífico Central de Costa Rica, Nitzschia sp. y Chaetoceros sp. En ambas se evaluó la composición nutricional y perfil de ácidos grasos en fase exponencial y estacionaria. Nitzschia sp. tuvo mayor cantidad de ácido eicosapentanoico (EPA) en ambas fases (32.80% y 27.20%, respectivamente). Los resultados en tasa de crecimiento, producción y composición bioquímica, presentan dos cepas de microalgas tropicales aptas para su cultivo en condiciones controladas. Estudiar el fitoplancton de esta zona es muy relevante debido a su importancia en la producción primaria

Hydro and geothermal electricity as an alternative for industrial petroleum consumption in Costa Rica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mendis, M.; Park, W.; Sabadell, A.; Talib, A.

1982-04-01

This report assesses the potential for substitution of electricity for petroleum in the industrial/agro-industrial sector of Costa Rica. The study includes a preliminary estimate of the process energy needs in this sector, a survey of the principal petroleum consuming industries in Costa Rica, an assessment of the electrical technologies appropriate for substitution, and an analysis of the cost trade offs of alternative fuels and technologies. The report summarizes the total substitution potential both by technical feasibility and by cost effectiveness under varying fuel price scenarios and identifies major institutional constraints to the introduction of electric based technologies. Recommendations to the Government of Costa Rica are presented. The key to the success of a Costa Rican program for substitution of electricity for petroleum in industry rests in energy pricing policy. The report shows that if Costa Rica Bunker C prices are increased to compare equitably with Caribbean Bunker C prices, and increase at 3 percent per annum relative to a special industrial electricity rate structure, the entire substitution program, including both industrial and national electric investment, would be cost effective. The definition of these pricing structures and their potential impacts need to be assessed in depth.

Determinantes de la utilización de servicios de salud en Costa Rica Determinants of health care utilization in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melvin Morera Salas

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Realizar una primera aproximación a los determinantes de la utilización de consultas médicas en Costa Rica. Método: Los datos proceden de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud para Costa Rica 2006. En el análisis econométrico se utilizó un modelo binomial negativo estándar ligado al enfoque de producción de salud de Grossman y un modelo en dos partes congruente con el enfoque agente-principal. Resultados: Los factores determinantes de la utilización de consultas médicas fueron el nivel educativo, el estado de salud percibida, el número de enfermedades crónicas declaradas y la región de residencia. Conclusiones: El hecho de que las variables de necesidad de salud expliquen de forma significativa la probabilidad de contacto con las consultas médicas y que, además, no se registren diferencias significativas de utilización entre quintiles de ingreso y situación de seguro, es un resultado esperable y deseable en un sistema público solidario y casi universal como el costarricense. No se obtienen resultados concluyentes de la influencia del médico en la frecuencia de utilización de las consultas que postula el modelo de agente-principal.Objective: To analyze the determinants of health care utilization (visits to the doctor in Costa Rica using an econometric approach. Methods: Data were drawn from the National Survey of Health for Costa Rica 2006. We modeled the Grossman approach to the demand for health services by using a standard negative binomial regression, and used a hurdle model for the principal-agent specification. Results: The factors determining healthcare utilization were level of education, self-assessed health, number of declared chronic diseases and geographic region of residence. Conclusion: The number of outpatient visits to the doctor depends on the proxies for medical need, but we found no multivariate association between the use of outpatient visits and income or insurance status. This result suggests that

Dynamics of QoI Sensitivity in Mycosphaerella fijiensis in Costa Rica During 2000 to 2003.

Science.gov (United States)

Amil, A F; Heaney, S P; Stanger, C; Shaw, M W

2007-11-01

ABSTRACT From 1997 onward, the strobilurin fungicide azoxystrobin was widely used in the main banana-production zone in Costa Rica against Mycosphaerella fijiensis var. difformis causing black Sigatoka of banana. By 2000, isolates of M. fijiensis with resistance to the quinolene oxidase inhibitor fungicides were common on some farms in the area. The cause was a single point mutation from glycine to alanine in the fungal target protein, cytochrome b gene. An amplification refractory mutation system Scorpion quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay was developed and used to determine the frequency of G143A allele in samples of M. fijiensis. Two hierarchical surveys of spatial variability, in 2001 and 2002, found no significant variation in frequency on spatial scales <10 m. This allowed the frequency of G143A alleles on a farm to be estimated efficiently by averaging single samples taken at two fixed locations. The frequency of G143A allele in bulk samples from 11 farms throughout Costa Rica was determined at 2-month intervals. There was no direct relationship between the number of spray applications and the frequency of G143A on individual farms. Instead, the frequency converged toward regional averages, presumably due to the large-scale mixing of ascospores dispersed by wind. Using trap plants in an area remote from the main producing area, immigration of resistant ascospores was detected as far as 6 km away both with and against the prevailing wind.

In vitro antimalarial activity of extracts of some plants from a biological reserve in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Misael Chinchilla

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Treatment with the usual antimalarial drugs, have induced parasite resistance, reinforcing the need to finding natural antimalarial components that would be found on plants from the forest. Therefore, we decided to look for these components in Costa Rican plants from a protected forest area. Fresh and dry extracts of roots, bark, leaves, flowers and fruits of 25 plants from a biological reserve in Costa Rica, Reserva Biológica Alberto Manuel Brenes (REBAMB, were studied in vitro for the presence of substances with antimalarial activity. By studying the inhibition of P. berghei schizogony, we assessed the antimalarial activity of several plant extracts: Aphelandra aurantiaca, A. tridentata (Acanthaceae; Xanthosoma undipes (Araceae; Iriartea deltoidea (Arecaceae; Neurolaena lobata (Asteraceae; Senna papillosa, Pterocarpus hayessi, Lonchocarpus pentaphyllus (Fabaceae; Nectandra membranacea, Persea povedae, Cinamomum chavarrianum (Lauraceae; Hampea appendiculata (Malvaceae; Ruagea glabra, Guarea glabra (Meliaceae; Psidium guajava (Myrtaceae; Bocconia frutescens (Papaveraceae; Piper friedrichsthalii (Piperaceae; Clematis dioica (Ranunculaceae; Prunus annularis (Rosaceae; Siparuna thecaphora (Siparunaceae; Solanum arboreum, Witheringia solanácea (Solanaceae; Ticodendrum incognitum (Ticodendraceae; Heliocarpus appendiculatus (Tiliaceae and Myriocarpa longipes (Urticaceae. We used different parts of the plants as well as fresh and dried extracts for testing IC50. The solid content of the extracts ranged from 1-71.9μg/mL. The fresh extracts showed stronger activity than the dry ones. Since the plants showing the strongest antimalarial activity are very common in Central America, and some similar genera of these plants have shown positives results in South America, we considered important to present these findings for discussion. On the other hand, this is the first systematic study of this kind ever realized in a circumscribed and protected area of

Mitos que manejan padres y madres acerca del autismo en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cabezas Pizarro, Hannia

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Resumen: Este estudio pretende identificar los principales mitos y creencias que sostienen los padres y madres acerca del autismo en Costa Rica.La confusión no se da solo en padres y familiares de personas con autismo, sino también en profesionales que trabajan directa o indirectamente con esta población. Una posible causa de los errores respecto a esta discapacidad, es el manejo de una limitada información que da origen a una serie de mitos y valoraciones erróneas de lo que es el autismo como síndrome, y lo que las personas que lo presentan son en realidad.Lo anterior ha generado una cantidad de creencias, sin fundamento, acerca de su origen, evolución, tratamiento y “curas mágicas”, que pueden y tienen efectos nocivos en el organismo y en la psicología de las personas que lo padecen, y producen en sus padres más confusión y frustración.Abstract: It is supposed that confusion, about what autism is and which is it etiology, treatment and prognosis, is share by parents and also by professionals that work with Costa Rican autistic children.A probable source of confusion is a lack of information on this disorder, which leads to create myths and believes based on irrational ideas about what autism is as a syndrome and, the particular behavioral characteristics of people carrying on this syndrome.The basic goal of this study is to identify the myths and believes that, Costa Rican parents, hold about the different aspects of autism and the people that carry this syndrome and, based on the collected information to create means to bring appropriate information on those areas it is needed.

Chemical analyses for selected wells in San Joaquin County and part of Contra Costa County, California

Science.gov (United States)

Keeter, Gail L.

1980-01-01

The study area of this report includes the eastern valley area of Contra Costa County and all of San Joaquin County, an area of approximately 1,600 square miles in the northern part of the San Joaquin Valley, Calif. Between December 1977 and December 1978, 1,489 wells were selectively canvassed. During May and June in 1978 and 1979, water samples were collected for chemical analysis from 321 of these wells. Field determinations of alkalinity, conductance, pH, and temperature were made, and individual constituents were analyzed. This report is the fourth in a series of baseline data reports on wells in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys. (USGS)

Pura Vida: Teacher Experiences in a Science Education Study Abroad Course in Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Stephanie Rae

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of classroom teachers who participated in a science-focused study abroad during their time as a preservice teacher and to explore how they are using their study abroad experiences in science curriculum planning and in classroom instruction. This study is guided by two research questions: 1) what are the study abroad experiences that have influenced classroom teachers; and, 2) how do classroom teachers incorporate study abroad experiences into science curriculum planning and instruction in the classroom? Participants were two in-service science teachers from schools located in the Southwestern United States. The participants were enrolled in the course, Environmental Science and Multicultural Experience for K-8 Teachers offered through the Department of Educational Leadership, Curriculum and Instruction during their time as preservice teachers. The course included a two-week study abroad component in Costa Rica. Participants spent their mornings observing a monolingual, Spanish-speaking elementary classroom followed by a faculty-led multicultural seminar. Afternoons during the study abroad experience were dedicated to field science activities such as quantifying plant and animal biodiversity, constructing elevation profiles, determining nutrient storage in soil, and calculating river velocity. Throughout the course students participated in science-focused excursions. A cross case study design was used to answer the two research questions guiding this dissertation study. Data collection included participant-created concept maps of the science experiences during the study abroad experience, in-depth interviews detailing the study abroad experience and classroom instruction, and participant reflective journal entries. Cross-caseanalysis was employed to explore the uniqueness of each participant's experience and commonalities between the cases. Trustworthiness was established by utilizing multiple sources of data

Da Costa on ontology: a naturalistic interpretation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Mariano Nogueira Coelho

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Da Costa's conception of being modifies that of Quine to incorporate relativization to non-classical logics. A naturalistic view of this conception is discussed. This view tries to extend to logic some ideas of Maddy's naturalism concerning mathematics.

Estimating the greenhouse gas benefits of forestry projects: A Costa Rican Case Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Busch, Christopher; Sathaye, Jayant; Sanchez Azofeifa, G. Arturo

2000-09-01

If the Clean Development Mechanism proposed under the Kyoto Protocol is to serve as an effective means for combating global climate change, it will depend upon reliable estimates of greenhouse gas benefits. This paper sketches the theoretical basis for estimating the greenhouse gas benefits of forestry projects and suggests lessons learned based on a case study of Costa Rica's Protected Areas Project, which is a 500,000 hectare effort to reduce deforestation and enhance reforestation. The Protected Areas Project in many senses advances the state of the art for Clean Development Mechanism-type forestry projects, as does the third-party verification work of SGS International Certification Services on the project. Nonetheless, sensitivity analysis shows that carbon benefit estimates for the project vary widely based on the imputed deforestation rate in the baseline scenario, e.g. the deforestation rate expected if the project were not implemented. This, along with a newly available national dataset that confirms other research showing a slower rate of deforestation in Costa Rica, suggests that the use of the 1979--1992 forest cover data originally as the basis for estimating carbon savings should be reconsidered. When the newly available data is substituted, carbon savings amount to 8.9 Mt (million tones) of carbon, down from the original estimate of 15.7 Mt. The primary general conclusion is that project developers should give more attention to the forecasting land use and land cover change scenarios underlying estimates of greenhouse gas benefits.

Management commitments and primary care: another lesson from Costa Rica for the world?

Science.gov (United States)

Soors, Werner; De Paepe, Pierre; Unger, Jean-Pierre

2014-01-01

Maintained dedication to primary care has fostered a public health delivery system with exceptional outcomes in Costa Rica. For more than a decade, management commitments have been part of Costa Rican health reform. We assessed the effect of the Costa Rican management commitments on access and quality of care and on compliance with their intended objectives. We constructed seven hypotheses on opinions of primary care providers. Through a mixed qualitative and quantitative approach, we tested these hypotheses and interpreted the research findings. Management commitments consume an excessive proportion of consultation time, inflate recordkeeping, reduce comprehensiveness in primary care consultations, and induce a disproportionate consumption of hospital emergency services. Their formulation relies on norms in need of optimization, their control on unreliable sources. They also affect professionalism. In Costa Rica, management commitments negatively affect access and quality of care and pose a threat to the public service delivery system. The failures of this pay-for-performance-like initiative in an otherwise well-performing health system cast doubts on the appropriateness of pay-for-performance for health systems strengthening in less advanced environments.

Outdoor and indoor dose assessment using environmental thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLDs) in Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mora, Patricia

2003-01-01

Costa Rica lies at the intersection of the Cocos and Caribbean plates in Central America. It has mountain ranges with many active volcanoes along its territory. Its soils are predominantly of volcanic origin. Natural radiation measurements utilising environmental CaF 2 :Dy thermoluminescence dosimeters were used for the first time in Costa Rica by the Dosimetry Section of the Atomic, Nuclear and Molecular Sciences Research Center of the University of Costa Rica. Seven hundred outdoor measurements were obtained in a 3.5-year period at eight different sites throughout the country. One hundred and seventy-four indoor readings were also collected at four sites for a 2-year period. Population-weighted averages give 82 nGy h -1 for outdoors and 130 nGy h -1 for indoors. The values lie on the upper range of worldwide reported values due to reported soil characteristics rich in uranium and potassium. A preliminary population-weighted value of 0.74 mSv/year for the effective dose is calculated for natural terrestrial gamma radiation in Costa Rica

Challenges for implementing water quality monitoring and analysis on a small Costa Rican catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Golcher, Christian; Cernesson, Flavie; Tournoud, Marie-George; Bonin, Muriel; Suarez, Andrea

2016-04-01

The Costa Rican water regulatory framework (WRF) (2007), expresses the national concern about the degradation of surface water quality observed in the country since several years. Given the urgency of preserving and restoring the surface water bodies, and facing the need of defining a monitoring tool to classify surface water pollution, the Costa-Rican WRF relies on two water quality indexes: the so-called "Dutch Index" (D.I) and the Biological Monitoring Working Party adapted to Costa Rica (BMWP'CR), allowing an "easy" physicochemical and biological appraisal of the water quality and the ecological integrity of water bodies. Herein, we intend to evaluate whether the compound of water quality indexes imposed by Costa Rican legislation, is suitable to assess rivers local and global anthropogenic pressure and environmental conditions. We monitor water quality for 7 points of Liberia River (northern pacific region - Costa Rica) from March 2013 to July 2015. Anthropogenic pressures are characterized by catchment land use and riparian conditions. Environmental conditions are built from rainfall daily series. Our results show (i) the difficulties to monitor new sites following the recent implementation of the WRF; (ii) the statistical characteristics of each index; and (iii) a modelling tentative of relationships between water quality indexes and explanatory factors (land-use, riparian characteristics and climate conditions).

Edificio Playa, en la Costa del Sol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cassinello, Fernando

1964-02-01

Full Text Available This apartment block has been built on the Costa del Sol, in Almeria, only a few metres from the seashore. It is meant to provide the following facilities. Changing rooms for bathers, and a night club, in the basement. Restaurant and bar on the ground floor. Twelve living apartments on the six standard floor levels; two apartments per storey. Porter's house in the attic. As the foundations are in the sand, and the building is exposed to strong coastal winds, the structural design has, as interesting features, the foundation ribbed slab and the transversal portal frames, which are W shaped on the ground level. This arrangement makes the edifice look lighter and it acquires a more dynamic plasticity.En la Costa del Sol de Almería y a muy pocos metros de la orilla del mar, se ha construido este edificio de apartamentos. Su programa es el siguiente: casetas de baño y sala de fiestas, en sótano; restaurante-bar, en planta baja; doce viviendas, en las seis plantas tipo, con dos viviendas por planta; y vivienda del portero en ático. Cimentado sobre arena y expuesto a los fuertes vientos que azotan la costa, la solución estructural ofrece el interés de su tipo de cimentación por placa nervada, y de sus pórticos transversales que en planta baja adoptan forma de W, con lo que el edificio adquiere un aspecto de mayor ligereza y de dinamismo plástico.

Biodiversidad marina de Costa Rica: Crustacea: Decapoda (Penaeoidea, Sergestoidea, Caridea, Astacidea, Thalassinidea, Palinura del Pacífico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rita Vargas

1999-12-01

Full Text Available En el Pacífico de Costa Rica se ha encontrado 117 especies de camarones y langostas. Estas se ubican en el Suborden Dendrobranchiata (Penaeoidea, 25 spp.; Sergestoidea, 1 sp.; y en el Suborden Pleocyemata (Caridea, 73 spp.; Astacidea, 1 sp; Thalassinidea, 13 spp. y Palinura, 4 spp.. Veintisiete especies (23% son nuevos infomes para Costa Rica. Cinco informes representan ampliaciones de ámbito, tres de importancia: Pontonia simplex (Holthuis, 1951 se extiende la distribución desde la bahía Tenacatitán, México hasta bahía Culebra, Guanacaste; Veleronia serratifrons (Holthuis, 1951 se amplia la distribución al norte desde La Libertad, Ecuador hasta Sámara, Guanacaste y Axiopsis serratifrons (A. Milne Edwards, 1873 también al norte desde la isla Gorgona, Colombia hasta bahía Culebra, Guanacaste. Nueve especies fueron descritas con material recolectado en Costa Rica y dos son endémicas. 43% de las especies de camarones del Pacífico este se encuentran en la costa Pacífica de Costa Rica. El total de especies indicado aquí es probablemente una subestimación de la diversidad de estos grupos en el Pacífico de Costa Rica.A total of 117 species of shrimp and lobster are known from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. They belong to the Suborders Dendrobranchiata, Superfamily Penaeoidea (26 species and Pleocyemata, Infraorder Caridea (73, Astacidea (one, Thalassinidea (13, and Palinura (four species. Twenty seven species (23% are reported for the first time for Costa Rica. The distribution range of five species is extended, three of which are significant: Pontonia simplex (Holthuis, 1951 from Tenacatitán Bay, México to Culebra Bay, Guanacaste; Veleronia serratifrons (Holthuis, 1951 from La Libertad, Ecuador to Sámara, Guanacaste and Axiopsis serratifrons (A. Milne Edwards, 1873 from Gorgona Island, Colombia to Culebra Bay, Guanacaste. Nine species, two of which are endemic, were described based on specimens collected in Costa Rica. Forty

Historia de la investigación marino-costera en Bahía Culebra, Pacífico Norte, Guanacaste, Costa Rica History of coastal-marine research in Bahía Culebra, North Pacific, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Cortés

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Bahía Culebra está ubicada en la costa Pacífica norte de Costa Rica en una región de afloramiento estacional. En este trabajo presento la historia de la investigación marina en Bahía Culebra, para sintetizar lo que se ha hecho y resaltar lo que falta por investigar. Los organismos marinos de Bahía Culebra se empezaron a estudiar en la década de 1920 y muy intensamente en la década de 1930 con las expediciones de la Fundación Allan Hancock y de la Sociedad Zoológica de Nueva York. La mayor parte de la investigación marina se ha realizado desde la década de 1980 por investigadores y estudiantes del Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR de la Universidad de Costa Rica. Los ecosistemas mejor estudiados son las comunidades y arrecifes coralinos, seguido por las investigaciones sobre zooplancton. Se han publicado registros de 577 especies marinas en Bahía Culebra y se le suman 20 especies más con las publicadas en este Suplemento. Aún así, todavía falta estudiar varios ecosistemas y grupos de organismos. Es imperativo realizar esfuerzo para proteger y conservar los ecosistemas y biodiversidad marina de Bahía Culebra.History of coastal-marine research in Bahía Culebra, North Pacific, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Bahía Culebra (Culebra Bay is located on the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica in a seasonal upwelling area. In this paper I present the history of marine research at Bahía Culebra, to summarize what is known and to point out research that should be carried out. Marine organisms of the Bay have been stud ied since the 1920’s and very intensely during the 1930’s, with the Alan Hancock Pacific Expeditions and the New York Society Zoological Expeditions. Most marine research has been done since 1980 by the Marine Science and Limnology Reseach Center (Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, CIMAR at the University of Costa Rica. The best studied systems are the coral communities

“Uncovering the Kink Celebrating my Black Identity: Perceptions on Afro-Costa Ricans Natural Hair”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Hutchinson Miller

2016-05-01

Full Text Available It is no secret the racism within the Costa Rican society especially against people of African descent. While this racism is manifested in mostly overt ways it is nonetheless present, and continues to affect people of African descent in a myriad of ways including how they feel about their natural hair. From a very early age Afro-Costa Rican children learn to look down on their natural kink reinforced verbally and through images designed for them to hide, and dislike what is naturally theirs. As a result many embraced synthetic, and other ethnic group’s natural hair, preferring to pay any amount of money besides undergoing significant hair, and scalp ill-treatment all with the objective of hiding the natural kink. The main objective of this paper is to make visible the perceptions of Afro-Costa Ricans natural hair by both Afro, and mestizo ethnic groups, and enquire about some of the effects on people of African descent in Costa Rica. The exploratory research collected data from four focus groups of teenage mestizos, 20th century newspaper, one workshop, and questionnaires filled only by Afro-Costa Ricans.

Taxonomía y distribución del género Leptoscelis en Costa Rica (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae: Leptoscelini Taxonomy and distribution of the genus Leptoscelis in Costa Rica (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae: Leptoscelini

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harry Brailovsky

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Se revisa el género Leptoscelis Laporte (Coreidae: Leptoscelini para Costa Rica y se describe una especie nueva, L. conspicuus. Se discuten sus relaciones con L. quadrisignatus (Distant y L. tricolor Westwood. Leptoscelis bisbimaculata Breddin es sinonimizada con L. quadrisignatus. Se cita por primera vez L. tricolor para Costa Rica. El trabajo incluye nuevos datos de distribución para el género, ilustraciones de las especies y de los parámeros y una clave para la identificación de las especies costarricenses.The genus Leptoscelis Laporte (Coreidae: Leptoscelini from Costa Rica is revised. One new species, L. conspicuus, is described and compared with L. quadrisignatus (Distant and L. tricolor Westwood. Leptoscelis bisbimaculata Breddin is synonymized with L. quadrisignatus. Leptoscelis tricolor is recorded for the first time from Costa Rica. New distribution records are presented. Habitus illustrations and drawings of parameres are provided. A key to the known Costarican species is presented.

Availability of water resources in the rio Bermudez micro-basin. Central Region of Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernando Echevarria, L.; Orozco Montoya, R.

2015-01-01

The Rio Bermudez micro-basin makes up part of the principal hydrological resource area in the Central Region of Costa Rica. For this reason a study was done to determine the availability of hydrological resources in said micro-basin to identify areas with potential water availability problems. A monthly water balance was calculated using land use, geomorphology and climate parameters. From these water balance studies, the amount of available water was calculated and classified into four categories, however, in this micro-basin, only three categories were identified: high, medium and moderate water availability. No areas were identified with low water availability, indicating availability is sufficient; however, there is increasing demand on water resources because over half of the micro-basin area is classified as having moderate water availability. (Author)

Upper Paleogene shallow-water events in the Sandino Forearc Basin, Nicaragua-Costa Rica - response to tectonic uplift

Science.gov (United States)

Andjic, Goran; Baumgartner-Mora, Claudia; Baumgartner, Peter O.

2016-04-01

The Upper Cretaceous-Neogene Sandino Forearc Basin is exposed in the southeastern Nicaraguan Isthmus and in the northwestern corner of Costa Rica. It consists of an elongated, slightly folded belt (160 km long/30 km wide). During Campanian to Oligocene, the predominantly deep-water pelagic, hemipelagic and turbiditic sequences were successively replaced by shelf siliciclastics and carbonates at different steps of the basin evolution. We have made an inventory of Tertiary shallow-water limestones in several areas of Nicaragua and northern Costa Rica. They always appear as isolated rock bodies, generally having an unconformable stratigraphic contact with the underlying detrital sequences. The presence of these short-lived carbonate shoals can be attributed to local or regional tectonic uplift in the forearc area. The best-preserved exposure of such a carbonate buildup is located on the small Isla Juanilla (0.15 km2, Junquillal Bay, NW Costa Rica). The whole island is made of reef carbonates, displaying corals in growth position, associated with coralline red algae (Juanilla Formation). Beds rich in Larger Benthic Foraminifera such as Lepidocyclina undosa -favosa group permit to date this reef as late Oligocene. A first uplift event affected the Nicaraguan Isthmus, that rose from deep-water to shelfal settings in the latest Eocene-earliest Oligocene. The upper Oligocene Juanilla Formation formed on an anticline that developed during the early Oligocene, contemporaneously with other folds observed in the offshore Sandino Forearc Basin. During the early Oligocene, a period of global sea-level fall, the folded tectonic high underwent deep erosion. During the late Oligocene, a time of overall stable eustatic sea level, tectonic uplift gave way to moderate subsidence, creating accommodation space for reef growth. A 4th or 5th order (Milankovic-type) glacio-eustatic sea level rise, could also have triggered reef growth, but its preservation implies at least moderate

Mentored and inspired by Mimo: a tribute to Erminio Costa.

Science.gov (United States)

Bloom, Floyd E

2011-06-01

Throughout his long productive scientific career, Erminio Costa demonstrated several scholarly traits that illustrate a pattern for paths of successful achievement that should guide young scientists. Not only did he seek excellent training, he got and gave good mentoring. That guidance allowed him to ask important questions and to develop the methods necessary to obtain definitive answers by pursuing those questions in depth. Without question, he blazed trails in neuropharmacology that have been an inspiration to many others and me. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Trends in neuropharmacology: in memory of Erminio Costa'.

Population Structure of Pseudocercospora fijiensis in Costa Rica Reveals Shared Haplotype Diversity with Southeast Asian Populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Saville, Amanda; Charles, Melodi; Chavan, Suchitra; Muñoz, Miguel; Gómez-Alpizar, Luis; Ristaino, Jean Beagle

2017-12-01

Pseudocercospora fijiensis is the causal pathogen of black Sigatoka, a devastating disease of banana that can cause 20 to 80% yield loss in the absence of fungicides in banana crops. The genetic structure of populations of P. fijiensis in Costa Rica was examined and compared with Honduran and global populations to better understand migration patterns and inform management strategies. In total, 118 isolates of P. fijiensis collected from Costa Rica and Honduras from 2010 to 2014 were analyzed using multilocus genotyping of six loci and compared with a previously published global dataset of populations of P. fijiensis. The Costa Rican and Honduran populations shared haplotype diversity with haplotypes from Southeast Asia, Oceania, and the Americas but not Africa for all but one of the six loci studied. Gene flow and shared haplotype diversity was found in Honduran and Costa Rican populations of the pathogen. The data indicate that the haplotypic diversity observed in Costa Rican populations of P. fijiensis is derived from dispersal from initial outbreak sources in Honduras and admixtures between genetically differentiated sources from Southeast Asia, Oceania, and the Americas.

Mario Costa tarantino napoletano

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chemi, Tatiana

and the aristocratic tradition. Romanza, opera, operetta, popular folk songs. He became famous thankfully to this last one, when the easy listening music industry was starting its productions. This is the first published biography on the artist and is based on original documents and sources.......Mario Costa was born in Taranto, a town in the sunny south of Italy, but early in his childhood moved to Naples, the cultural capital of southern Italy between the last two centuries. He became a musician, composer and poet and he tried many different genres of music: the popular...

Mujeres esclavas en la Costa Rica del siglo XVIII: Estrategias frente a la esclavitud.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María de los Angeles Acuña León

2011-08-01

Full Text Available La esclavitud formaba parte de la vida cotidiana en la Costa Rica del siglo XVIII. De ahí nuestro interés en visibilizar a la mujer esclava en dicha sociedad. Por tanto en este trabajo se indicará porqué razones y por cuales rutas llegaron estas mujeres a la provincia de Costa Rica y se analizaran los mecanismos de acción y negociación utilizados por estas mujeres esclavas para enfrentar y sobrevivir la maquinaria esclavista. Esto significa el examinar y analizar sus experiencias, sus respuestas y actitudes ante la esclavitud, en la Costa Rica del siglo XVIII.

The Search for Value and Meaning in the Cocoa Supply Chain in Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Jessica Haynes; Frederick Cubbage; D. Evan Mercer; Erin Sills

2012-01-01

Qualitative interviews with participants in the cocoa (Theobroma cacao) supply chain in Costa Rica and the United States were conducted and supplemented with an analysis of the marketing literature to examine the prospects of organic and Fairtrade certification for enhancing environmentally and socially responsible trade of cocoa from Costa Rica. Respondents were...

Protoptila (Trichoptera) of Costa Rica and a Review of the Central American Fauna

Science.gov (United States)

Blahnik, R. J.; Holzenthal, R. W.

2005-05-01

Protoptila is the most diverse of the genera in the subfamily Protoptilinae of the family Glossosomatidae, currently with 80 species, but many more from the Neotropics awaiting description. Fourteen species occur in the United States, only one of which is also known to occur in Mexico. This compares to 38 species and one subspecies (or about half of the total for the genus) currently known from Central America, mostly described in papers by Mosely and Flint. Although the majority of these, or some 27 species, occur in Mexico, this probably more closely reflects the historical intensity of collecting rather than the real diversity by region. In Costa Rica, 11 species are currently known, 8 of which are restricted in distribution to Costa Rica, or Costa Rica and Panama, and only 3 with distributions extending to Mexico. We are describing an additional 8 species from Costa Rica, bringing to 19 the number of species now known from the country. This represents an incredible diversity for such a small country and also a very high level of implied endemism, even considering the likelihood that some of the species will be found to have wider distributions.

Entrepreneurship in Culinary Arts: The Costa Rica experience with university students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Antonio Aguirre G.

2011-01-01

Full Text Available La industria del turismo de Costa Rica representa 7,5% de PNB, 21% de las exportaciones totales y de esa contribución el subsector de alimento y bebidas representa 28%. El propósito de esta investigación fue el de identifi car, elementos y obstáculos potenciales en jóvenes estudiantes de artes culinarias de universidades en Costa Rica. El estudio fue realizado entre estudiantes de artes culinarias en de la Universidad Interamericana de Costa Rica, las entrevistas realizadas fueron 237 todos los matriculados en artes culinarias. Ausencia de tradición, la falta de cultura empresarial entre los jóvenes estudiantes y la necesidad de apoyos de la familia y amigos parecen ser pertinente y una necesidad sentida por el grupo. La falta de instrucción general en negocio y la falta de iniciativa empresarial se reconoce por ambos grupos como una debilidad y necesidad. El "coaching" y el apoyo para mujeres empresarios es muy pertinente, en especial en los aspectos administrativos y técnicos en los jóvenes estudiantes de artes culinarias. La información generada por este estudio es importante si en verdad queremos entrenar con los programas en artes artes culinarias , la nueva casta de chef/empresarios necesarios para la expansión de la industria de la gastronomía en los próximos años para Costa Rica y la región.

A survey on Triatoma dimidiata in an urban area of the province of Heredia, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo Zeledón

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Triatoma dimidiata has been found in several cities and towns of those countries where the insect is a domestic or peridomestic pest. In Central America, urban infestations occur in the capitals of at least five countries. During 2001 and 2002 a survey was carried out in the county of San Rafael, Heredia province, located 15 km northwest of San José, capital of Costa Rica, in order to determine the degree of infestation by T. dimidiata in an entire city block. Six peridomestic colonies of the insect were detected in the backyards of eight households. The ecotopes occupied by the insects consisted of store rooms with old objects, wood piles or firewood, and chicken coops. A total of 1917 insects were found in the six foci, during two sampling periods, and a mean infection rate by Trypanosoma cruzi of 28.4% was found in 1718 insects examined. The largest colony found in one of the households yielded 872 insects that were thriving mainly at the expenses of two dogs. Opossums and adult insects were common visitors of the houses and it became evident that this marsupial is closely related to the peridomestic cycle of the Chagas disease agent. Lack of colonization of the insect inside the human dwellings is explained by the type of construction and good sanitary conditions of the houses, in contrast to the situation in most peridomiciliary areas. Stomach blood samples from the insects showed that the main hosts were, in order of decreasing frequency: rodents, dogs, fowl, humans, opossums, and cats. The fact that no indication of infection with Chagas disease could be detected in the human occupants of the infested houses, vis a vis the high infection rate in dogs, is discussed.

Benefit-cost assessment programs: Costa Rica case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, A.L.; Trocki, L.K.

1991-01-01

An assessment of mineral potential, in terms of types and numbers of deposits, approximate location and associated tonnage and grades, is a valuable input to a nation's economic planning and mineral policy development. This study provides a methodology for applying benefit-cost analysis to mineral resource assessment programs, both to determine the cost effectiveness of resource assessments and to ascertain future benefits to the nation. In a case study of Costa Rica, the benefit-cost ratio of a resource assessment program was computed to be a minimum of 4:1 ($10.6 million to $2.5 million), not including the economic benefits accuring from the creation of 800 mining sector and 1,200 support services jobs. The benefit-cost ratio would be considerably higher if presently proposed revisions of mineral policy were implemented and benefits could be defined for Costa Rica

Agrochemical residues in rivers sediments, Poas, Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masis, Federico; Valdez, Juan; Leon, Sandra; Coto, Tatiana

2008-01-01

The organophosphorus and organochlorine agrochemical residues distribution in sediments of 3 rivers located in an ornamental plant production area were analyzed in Poas canton, Alajuela, Costa Rica. The study comprised 8 months in order to assure 3 seasonal episodes: dry, transitional, and rainy seasons. Sediments were taken in 10 sampling stations along the rivers and characterized by a determination of their organic matter and texture. In 7 out of 10 sampling stations pesticide residues were detected in at least 1 of 4 samplings, but quantified only in 4 stations. Agrochemical residues evaluated included 21 organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides; however, we found residues of only 3 organochlorine pesticides, due their high persistence in the sediment. Residues corresponded to PCNB (80-800 μg.kg -1 ), Endosulfan-β (40-50 μg.kg -1 ), and Endosulfan-α (90 μg.kg -1 ). Chlorothalonil was detected in only one sample. (author) [es

Plants and butterflies of a small urban preserve in the Central Valley of Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenji Nishida

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Costa Rica’s most populated area, the Central valley, has lost much of its natural habitat, and the little that remains has been altered to varying degrees. Yet few studies have been conducted to assess the need for conservation in this area. We present preliminary inventories of plants, butterflies, and day-flying moths of the Reserva Ecológica Leonelo Oviedo (RELO, a small Premontane Moist Forest preserve within the University of Costa Rica campus, located in the urbanized part of the valley. Butterflies are one of the best bio-indicators of a habitat’s health, because they are highly sensitive to environmental changes and are tightly linked to the local flora. A description of the RELO’s physical features and its history is also presented with illustrations. Approximately 432 species of ca. 334 genera in 113 families of plants were identified. However, only 57 % of them represent species native to the Premontane Moist Forest of the region; the rest are either exotic or species introduced mostly from lowland. More than 200 species of butterflies in six families, including Hesperiidae, have been recorded. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (Suppl. 1: 31-67. Epub 2009 November 30.Por ser el área más poblada del país, el valle Central de Costa Rica perdió su hábitat natural; lo poco que queda ha sido alterado en grados variados. Sin embargo, se han realizado algunos estudios para evaluar la necesidad de conservación en esta área. Se presentan inventarios preliminares de plantas, mariposas y polillas diurnas de la Reserva Ecológica Leonelo Oviedo (RELO; una pequeña reserva de bosque húmedo premontano en del campus de la Universidad de Costa Rica, ubicado en la parte urbanizada del valle. Las mariposas diurnas son uno de los mejores bio-indicadores de la salud del hábitat, porque son muy sensibles a los cambios del ambiente y están estrechamente ligadas a la flora local. Se presenta también una descripción de los caracteres físicos y la

Ambient Tremor, But No Triggered Tremor at the Northern Costa Rica Subduction Zone

Science.gov (United States)

Swiecki, Z.; Schwartz, S. Y.

2010-12-01

Non-volcanic tremor (NVT) has been found to be triggered during the passage of surface waves from various teleseismic events in locations around the world including Cascadia, Southwest Japan, Taiwan, and California. In this study we examine the northern Costa Rica subduction zone for evidence of triggered tremor. The Nicoya Peninsula segment of the northern Costa Rica margin experiences both slow-slip and tremor and is thus a prime candidate for triggered tremor observations. Eleven teleseismic events with magnitudes (Mw) greater than 8 occurring between 2006 and 2010 were examined using data from both broadband and short period sensors deployed on the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica. Waveforms from several large regional events were also considered. The largest teleseismic and regional events (27 February 2010 Chile, Mw 8.8 and 28 May 2009 Honduras, Mw 7.3) induced peak ground velocities (PGV) at the NIcoya stations of ~2 and 6 mm/s, respectively; larger than PGVs in other locations that have triggered tremor. Many of the earthquakes examined occurred during small episodes of background ambient tremor. In spite of this, no triggered tremor was observed during the passage of seismic waves from any event. This is significant because other studies have demonstrated that NVT is not triggered everywhere by all events above some threshold magnitude, indicating that unique conditions are required for its occurrence. The lack of triggered tremor at the Costa Rica margin can help to better quantify the requisite conditions and triggering mechanisms. An inherent difference between the Costa Rica margin and the other subduction zones where triggered tremor exists is its erosional rather than accretionary nature. Its relatively low sediment supply likely results in a drier, lower pore fluid pressure, stronger and less compliant thrust interface that is less receptive to triggering tremor from external stresses generated by teleseismic or strong local earthquakes. Another

Activity of volcanoes of Costa Rica during the period 2012-2013

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alpizar, Yemerit; Mora, Mauricio M.; Mora Amador, Raul; Gonzalez, Gino; Ramirez, Carlos J.; Taylor, Waldo

2014-01-01

A synthesis of results and observations of two years of surveillance is presented of the active volcanoes of Costa Rica (Volcan Rincon de la Vieja, Arenal, Poas, Barva, Irazu, Turrialba). The results have enriched the database of the National Seismologic Network, which has four decades of experience in the area and the implementation of technologies. The volcanic activity presented in 2012 is relatively normal with slight signs of seismic activity and phreatic. An increase is presented after the earthquake Samara (Mw = 7.6). The temperature rise manifested mainly in the fumaroles, some changes in crater lake, phreatic activity and volcanic seismicity. The conditions were maintained throughout the period of this study [es

Quantitative analyses of the main chemical constituents in the roots of Echinacea purpurea and E. angustifolia produced in Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loaiza, Jorge; Valverde, Roberto; Rodriguez, Gerardo; Molina, Jorge

2004-01-01

Free phenylpropanoids (chlorogenic and cichoric acids), and glycosidic (echinecoside), as well as the alkamides, present in root extracts of the medicinal plants Echinacea purpurea and E. angustifolia produced in 3 different locations of Costa Rica (Los Santos at 1650 masl, Santa Barbara de Heredia at 1250 masl and Ojo de Agua at 850 masl) were quantified. Results showed a decrease on secondary metabolites associated to an altitude reduction of the growing zone. Concentration of free phenylpropanoids and the echinecoside (synthesized exclusively for E. angustifolia) produced in Costa Rica was 100 and 34% higher than the concentration reported for a standard sample from U.S.A. Alkamides concentration ranged from 0.89-2.31%, as compared to 0.004-0.36% reported from U.S.A. The alkamides produced in Costa Rica were similar in the 3 growing zones. In addition, 2 of them showed different isomerism than the ones reported in samples from U.S.A. These results indicate that in tropical conditions not only is it possible to produce Echinacea, but also that the amount of metabolites is higher than those produced in the Echinacea's origin areas. The presence of compounds with different isomerism could provide an alternative use for those metabolites. (author) [es

Call for a change in research funding priorities: the example of mental health in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Contreras

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The World Health Organization (WHO Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020 urges its Member States to strengthen leadership in mental health, ensure mental and social health interventions in community-based settings, promote mental health and strengthen information systems, and increase evidence and research for mental health. Although Costa Rica has strongly invested in public health and successfully reduced the burden of nutritional and infectious diseases, its transitional epidemiological pattern, population growth, and immigration from unstable neighboring countries has shifted the burden to chronic disorders. Although policies for chronic disorders have been in place for several decades, mental disorders have not been included. Recently, as the Ministry of Health of Costa Rica developed a Mental Health Policy for 2013-2020, it became evident that the country needs epidemiological data to prioritize evidence-based intervention areas. This article stresses the importance of conducting local epidemiological studies on mental health, and calls for changes in research funding priorities by public and private national and international funding agencies in order to follow the WHO Mental Health Action Plan.

Call for a change in research funding priorities: the example of mental health in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Contreras, Javier; Raventós, Henriette; Rodríguez, Gloriana; Leandro, Mauricio

2014-10-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020 urges its Member States to strengthen leadership in mental health, ensure mental and social health interventions in community-based settings, promote mental health and strengthen information systems, and increase evidence and research for mental health. Although Costa Rica has strongly invested in public health and successfully reduced the burden of nutritional and infectious diseases, its transitional epidemiological pattern, population growth, and immigration from unstable neighboring countries has shifted the burden to chronic disorders. Although policies for chronic disorders have been in place for several decades, mental disorders have not been included. Recently, as the Ministry of Health of Costa Rica developed a Mental Health Policy for 2013-2020, it became evident that the country needs epidemiological data to prioritize evidence-based intervention areas. This article stresses the importance of conducting local epidemiological studies on mental health, and calls for changes in research funding priorities by public and private national and international funding agencies in order to follow the WHO Mental Health Action Plan.

Biodiversidad en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatiana Wenker

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Presentación (en español Con una naturaleza rica y diversificada, Costa Rica se presenta hoy en día como un país modelo a nivel mundial por lo que a preservación del medio ambiente y de la biodiversidad se refiere. Tatiana Wenker elaboró una documentación audiovisuel variada que aborda la problemática mundial de preservación del medio ambiente, poniendo de relieve las iniciativas costarricenses sobre el particular. Nos lleva a uno de los parques naturales más grandes de América Central y a l...

Bibliografía sobre organismos, ambientes y procesos marinos y atmosféricos en Bahía Culebra, Pacífico norte, Guanacaste, Costa Rica (1922-2012 Bibliography on marine organisms, environments, and oceanographic and atmospheric processes in Bahía Culebra, north Pacific, Costa Rica (1922-2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Cortés

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Bahía Culebra se locoaliza en la parte norte de la costa Pacífica de Costa Rica. Es una región de afloramiento estacional, rica en ambientes y organismos marinos, y además, la zona de mayor desarrollo turístico del país. En este trabajo compilo y analizo una lista de 182 publicaciones en revista científcas y 23 tesis, informes y libros sobre organismos, ambientes y procesos marinos y atmosféricos en Bahía Culebra o donde se menciona la Bahía, se presentan y analizan. La gran mayoría de los trabajos, empezando en 1922 con la descripción de un poliqueto, son sobre biodiversidad y ecología. Faltan trabajos sobre algunos ambientes de la bahía, por ejemplo, el bentos de los fondos blandos, y grupos de organismos, por ejemplo, sobre gusanos planos de vida libre. Faltan investigaciones sobre pesquería y manejo de los organismos y ambientes marinos de la Bahía.Bibliography on marine organisms, environments, and oceanographic and atmospheric processes in Bahía Culebra, north Pacific, Costa Rica (1922-2012. Bahía Culebra is located on the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It is a seasonal upwelling area, rich in marine ecosystems and organisms, and the main tourist development area in the country. Here, I compiled and analyzed a list of 182 publications in scientific journals, and 23 thesis, reports and books in which marine organisms, environments and marine and atmospheric processes from Bahía Culebra or in which the Bay are mentioned is presented and analyzed. The majority of the publications, starting with a paper from 1922 on a polychaete worm, are on biodiversity and ecology. The are no publications on some environments, for example the benthonic fauna of soft bottoms, or on some taxa, for example, flat worms. More work is needed on fisheries and management of the organisms and environments of Bahía Culebra.

Ecotourism and Interpretation in Costa Rica: Parallels and Peregrinations.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Wayne E.

1994-01-01

Discusses the ecotourism industry in Costa Rica and some of the problems faced by its national park system, including megaparks, rapid increase in tourism, and interpretive services. Suggests alternatives for the problems. (MKR)

Light Diffusion in the Tropical Dry Forest of Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Calvo-Rodriguez, S.; Sanchez-Azofeifa, G. A.

2016-06-01

Leaf Area Index (LAI) has been defined as the total leaf area (one-sided) in relation to the ground. LAI has an impact on tree growth and recruitment through the interception of light, which in turn affects primary productivity. Even though many instruments exist for estimating LAI from ground, they are often laborious and costly to run continuously. Measurements of LAI from the field using traditional sensors (e.g., LAI-2000) require multiple visits to the field under very specific sky conditions, making them unsuitable to operate in inaccessible areas and forests with dense vegetation, as well as areas where persistent sunny conditions are the norm like tropical dry forests. With this context, we proposed a methodology to characterize light diffusion based on NDVI and LAI measurements taken from the field in two successional stages in the tropical dry forest of Santa Rosa National Park in Costa Rica. We estimate a "K" coefficient to characterize light diffusion by the canopy, based on field NDVI measurements derived from optical phenology instruments and MODIS NDVI. From the coefficients determined, we estimated LAI values and compared them with ground measurements of LAI. In both successional stages ground measurements of LAI had no significant difference to the tower-derived LAI and the estimated LAI from MODIS NDVI.

Valuation of tropical forest services and mechanisms to finance their conservation and sustainable use: A case study of Tapantí National Park, Costa Rica

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bernard, F.; Groot, de R.S.; Campos, J.J.

2009-01-01

The Tapanti National Park in Costa Rica comprises a precious but vulnerable tropical rain forest area. The monetary values of ecosystem services that are provided by this park are estimated in order to assess the mechanisms to finance the park's conservation and sustainable use. The main ecosystem

Chondrichthyan Diversity, Conservation Status, and Management Challenges in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Espinoza

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Understanding key aspects of the biology and ecology of chondrichthyan fishes (sharks, rays, and chimeras, as well as the range of threats affecting their populations is crucial given the rapid rate at which some species are declining. In the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP, the lack of knowledge, unreliable (or non-existent landing statistics, and limited enforcement of existing fisheries regulations has hindered management and conservation efforts for chondrichthyan species. This review evaluated our current understanding of Costa Rican chondrichthyans and their conservation status. Specifically, we (1 provide an updated checklist on the species richness, habitat use, and distribution patterns, (2 summarize the most relevant chondrichthyan studies (scientific publications, theses, and official technical reports, (3 identify knowledge gaps, (4 discuss fisheries-related threats, and (5 highlight the management challenges and research needs to effectively protect their populations. A total of 99 chondrichthyan species are formally recorded in Costa Rican waters, from which 15% are threatened with extinction and 41% are “Data Deficient” based on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. A total of 121 studies were published between 1891 and 2017; 82% in the Pacific (24% from Isla del Coco and only 18% from the Caribbean Sea. These results highlight the need to redirect research efforts on specific taxonomic groups and geographic regions (i.e., Caribbean. Based on our review, improving the quality and quantity of fisheries landing statistics, as well as determining the degree of overlap between chondrichthyans and Costa Rican fisheries remains a priority. We proposed an adaptive management framework for chondrichthyan fisheries in data-poor countries where management goals/targets are clearly defined. This framework could strengthen the conservation of chondrichthyan populations in Costa Rica and the region.

The avian community of the Karen Mogensen Reserve, a wealth of biodiversity within the poorly investigated and threatened environments of northwestern Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Zotto, Matteo Dal; Romeo, Giuseppe; Aguilar, Luis A Mena; Sonetti, Dario; Pederzoli, Aurora

2017-01-01

Despite being characterized by some of the most threatened forest ecosystems of Mesoamerica, the Nicoya Peninsula is among the least known regions of neotropical Costa Rica in terms of its birdlife. Within this region, in the framework of an ongoing international cooperation program between Italy and Costa Rica, we had the opportunity to investigate the Karen Mogensen Reserve, a protected area distinguished by the presence of a variety of habitats, including tropical dry forest and moist forest. Species richness in the Reserve was relatively high compared with similar areas in northwestern Costa Rica. A series of surveys carried out over a 20-year period documented an avian community consisting of 207 species, of which 115 were breeding in the zone and another 14 were potentially breeding. We recorded five IUCN globally Vulnerable or Near-Threatened species, along with six species reported for the first time from the Nicoya Peninsula, each representing range extension of more than 100 km. Twenty-six species, mostly breeding in the area, are at their southernmost range borders, and are likely susceptible to global environmental alterations, such as the effects of climate change. Furthermore, our study revealed the presence of two species endemic to a restricted area of Central America and four subspecies endemic to Costa Rica, along with breeding populations of two species that are geographically isolated from the main ones. The present analysis led to the ecological characterization of the resident avian community, showing that 65% of the species are strictly associated with forested environments, and especially with the understory or middle tree level, hence more vulnerable to environmental change (climatic, anthropogenic, etc.) and susceptible to local extinction. These results underscore the importance of the Karen Mogensen Reserve for bird conservation within a vulnerable environmental context, and warrant the continuation of periodic bird surveys, taxonomic

First report of acariasis by Caparinia tripilis in African hedgehogs, (Atelerix albiventris, in Costa Rica Primeiro relato de acariasis por Caparinia tripilis em ouriços Africanos, (Atelerix albiventris, na Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrés Moreira

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The African hedgehog is one of the newly imported exotic pets which have been observed with increasing regularity in veterinary clinics in Costa Rica. Despite their popularity, information about their diseases is scarce. Within skin diseases of hedgehogs, mange caused by Caparinia spp. is a common diagnosis in other countries. Two adult African hedgehogs, one male and one female, were brought to a private clinic in Heredia, Costa Rica, with chronic pruritic dermatitis, scabs, nearly complete loss of spines, lethargy, dehydration, and weight loss. During physical exam, deposits of dry seborrhea were taken and processed for diagnosis. Microscopic examination revealed psoroptid mites identified as Caparinia tripilis. This is the first report of the presence of Caparinia tripilis in Costa Rica and, to the authors' knowledge, the rest of Central America. O ouriço africano é um dos animais de estimação exótico, recém-importado que tem sido observado com maior regularidade nas clínicas veterinárias da Costa Rica. Apesar da sua popularidade, informações sobre suas doenças são escassas. Dentre as doenças de pele de ouriços, a sarna causada por Caparinia spp. é um diagnóstico comum nos outros países. Dois adultos ouriços africanos, um macho e uma fêmea, foram levados para uma clínica particular, em Heredia, Costa Rica, com a dermatite pruriginosa crônica, crostas, perda quase completa de espinhos, letargia, desidratação e perda de peso. Ao exame físico, os depósitos de seborreia seca foram retirados e processados para o diagnóstico. O exame microscópico revelou ácaros (psoroptidae identificados como Caparinia tripilis. Esse é o primeiro relato da presença de Caparinia tripilis na Costa Rica e, para conhecimento dos autores, o resto da América Central.

Nicaragüenses en Costa Rica y Estados Unidos: datos de etnoencuestas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Carlos Vargas

2005-01-01

Full Text Available En Centroamérica el único país con un comportamiento claramente bipolar en el destino de la emigración es Nicaragua. La migración de este país tiene a Costa Rica como principal destino y los Estados Unidos de América como el segundo. Este comportamiento no ha sido estático, aunque si muestra un patrón inverso. De mediados del siglo XIX a finales del decenio de 1970 con el triunfo sandinista (1979, Costa Rica era el principal destino. En la década de los años 80, con la denominada guerra de los contras, se presenta aumento de la emigración y se varía el destino y ocupa los Estados Unidos el primer lugar. Una vez que cesa el conflicto armado y los sandinistas dejan el gobierno, nuevamente Costa Rica se presenta como el principal destino, esta vez con aumento respecto del comportamiento histórico (Vargas; 1999, 2003. Pese a la magnitud de esta migración y las repercusiones para Costa Rica, son pocos los estudios que tienen por objeto analizarla en forma sistemática. Un importante esfuerzo lo han realizado Jimmy Rosales y otros, al estudiar los "nicaragüenses en el exterior" (Rosales: 2001 con datos del censo nicaragüense de 1995. Estudios más puntuales, con trabajo de campo en algunas comunidades fronterizas con Costa Rica, los han realizado investigadores de FLACSO-Costa Rica (Morales; 1997, 2000 (Morales y Castro, 2002 Recientemente, con el empleo de datos de etnoencuestas (para 5 comunidades en Nicaragua y otros países, se han desarrollado algunos trabajos para temas específicos. Fussell (2003 ha revisado las evidencias para la teoría de la causación acumulativa que brinda esta migración; Riosmena (2003 ha estudiado las posibilidades de retorno, y Hickes y Massey (2003, han estudiado las relaciones con el conflicto armado y político en Nicaragua y el destino de los migrantes. En este trabajo se analizan las características demográficas básicas de los migrantes, así como las corrientes migratorias con una mirada

Nicaragüenses en Costa Rica y Estados Unidos: datos de etnoencuestas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vargas, Juan Carlos

2005-01-01

Full Text Available En Centroamérica el único país con un comportamiento claramente bipolar en el destino de la emigración es Nicaragua. La migración de este país tiene a Costa Rica como principal destino y los Estados Unidos de América como el segundo. Este comportamiento no ha sido estático, aunque si muestra un patrón inverso. De mediados del siglo XIX a finales del decenio de 1970 con el triunfo sandinista (1979, Costa Rica era el principal destino. En la década de los años 80, con la denominada guerra de los contras, se presenta aumento de la emigración y se varía el destino y ocupa los Estados Unidos el primer lugar. Una vez que cesa el conflicto armado y los sandinistas dejan el gobierno, nuevamente Costa Rica se presenta como el principal destino, esta vez con aumento respecto del comportamiento histórico (Vargas; 1999, 2003. Pese a la magnitud de esta migración y las repercusiones para Costa Rica, son pocos los estudios que tienen por objeto analizarla en forma sistemática. Un importante esfuerzo lo han realizado Jimmy Rosales y otros, al estudiar los "nicaragüenses en el exterior" (Rosales: 2001 con datos del censo nicaragüense de 1995. Estudios más puntuales, con trabajo de campo en algunas comunidades fronterizas con Costa Rica, los han realizado investigadores de FLACSO-Costa Rica (Morales; 1997, 2000 (Morales y Castro, 2002. Recientemente, con el empleo de datos de etnoencuestas (para 5 comunidades en Nicaragua y otros países, se han desarrollado algunos trabajos para temas específicos. Fussell (2003 ha revisado las evidencias para la teoría de la causación acumulativa que brinda esta migración; Riosmena (2003 ha estudiado las posibilidades de retorno, y Hickes y Massey (2003, han estudiado las relaciones con el conflicto armado y político en Nicaragua y el destino de los migrantes. En este trabajo se analizan las características demográficas básicas de los migrantes, así como las corrientes migratorias con una mirada

Environmental indicators and bio monitoring: Costa Rica experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruiz Hidalgo, K.

2012-01-01

An experience carried out on rice, watermelon and melon crops were applied in Costa Rica. In sediment and water samples using bio monitoring techniques were found pesticides and pollution levels.The water bodies, sediments and ecological quality was determined by the BMWP- CR Index technique.

Systematic observations of Volcán Turrialba, Costa Rica, with small unmanned aircraft and aerostats (UAVs): the Costa Rican Airborne Research and Technology Applications (CARTA) missions

Science.gov (United States)

Pieri, D. C.; Diaz, J. A.; Bland, G.; Fladeland, M. M.; Abtahi, A.; Alan, A., Jr.; Alegria, O.; Azofeifa, S.; Berthold, R.; Corrales, E.; Fuerstenau, S.; Gerardi, J.; Herlth, D.; Hickman, G.; Hunter, G.; Linick, J.; Madrigal, Y.; Makel, D.; Miles, T.; Realmuto, V. J.; Storms, B.; Vogel, A.; Kolyer, R.; Weber, K.

2014-12-01

For several years, the University of Costa Rica, NASA Centers (e.g., JPL, ARC, GSFC/WFF, GRC) & NASA contractors-partners have made regular in situ measurements of aerosols & gases at Turrialba Volcano in Costa Rica, with aerostats (e.g., tethered balloons & kites), & free-flying fixed wing UAVs (e.g., Dragon Eye, Vector Wing 100, DELTA 150), at altitudes up to 12.5Kft ASL within 5km of the summit. Onboard instruments included gas detectors (e.g., SO2, CO2), visible & thermal IR cameras, air samplers, temperature pressure & humidity sensors, particle counters, & a nephelometer. Deployments are timed to support bimonthly overflights of the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) onboard the NASA Terra satellite (26 deployments to date). In situ observations of dilute plume SO2 concentrations (~1-20ppmv), plume dimensions, and associated temperature, pressure, & humidity profiles, validate detailed radiative transfer-based SO2 retrievals, as well as archive-wide ASTER band-ratio SO2 algorithms. Our recent UAV-based CO2 observations confirm high concentrations (e.g., ~3000ppmv max at summit jet), with 1000-1500ppmv flank values, and essentially global background CO2 levels (400ppmv) over distal surroundings. Transient Turrialba He detections (up to 20ppmv) were obtained with a small (~10kg) airborne mass spectrometer on a light aircraft—a UAV version (~3kg) will deploy there soon on the UCR DELTA 500. Thus, these platforms, though small (most payloads de Costa Rica, the NASA Airborne Science and Earth Surface & Interior Programs, the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil de Costa Rica, and FH Düsseldorf for their support.

Ictioplancton en la zona portuaria de Limón, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arturo Dominici-Arosemena

2000-06-01

Full Text Available Four sampling stations were set 200-500m off Limon Port, Costa Rica, at an average depth of 20 m. From October 1996 to May 1997 horizontal subsuperficial trawls were done for 12 minutes at a speed of 1.853 Km/h, with a 1 000 µm net were surveyed with. A total of 28 samples were processed and 104 physical-chemistry parameter measurements were taken. Average salinity was 30.1 + 3.7 and dissolved oxygen 6.9 + 0.6 mg l-1 reflecting good aeration throughout the sampling period. This suggests good mixture and a highly dynamic hydrography. Temperature showed no drastic variations (28.0 + 1.7 °C, possibly because of the constant mixing with shallow water. The highest larval counts were for November and early January and include families from reefs and estuaries (Balistidae, Lutjanidae and from coastal areas (Centropomidae, Gerreidae, Haemulidae, Carangidae, Engraulidae, Hemirramphidae, and representative Pleuronectiformes existing in a common area.

Scarlet Macaw, Ara macao, (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae diet in Central Pacific Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Vaughan

2006-09-01

Full Text Available From 1993 to 1997, we observed Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao feeding behavior in Central Pacific Costa Rica. Feeding data acquired in this study were not collected systematically, but opportunistically whenever macaws were observed feeding. To supplement feeding observations, we conducted interviews with local residents. Scarlet Macaws fed on seeds, fruits, leaves, flowers and/or bark of 43 plant species. Various plant parts eaten by macaws from several tree species contain secondary compounds toxic to humans, and additional species included in their diet are nonnative, introduced for agricultural purposes. Important macaw feeding tree species are Ceiba pentandra, Schizolobium parahybum, and Hura crepitans; these species are also crucial to this macaw population because of nest cavities they provide. The results of this study contribute to the conservation of Scarlet Macaws in Central Pacific Costa Rica through promoting protection of individual trees, and through local elementary school reforestation programs focusing on tree species that macaws use for feeding and/or nesting. Scarlet Macaw conservation is extremely important, as numerous population pressures have caused significant declines in macaw numbers in Costa Rica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 54 (3: 919-926. Epub 2006 Sept. 29.Entre 1993-97, observamos el comportamiento de alimentación de la lapa roja (Ara macao en el Pacifico Central de Costa Rica. La lapa roja se alimentó de semillas, frutas, hojas, flores y corteza de 43 especies de plantas. Varias partes de las plantas comidas por las lapas contienen compuestos secundarios tóxicos al ser humano, y especies adicionales incluidas en la dieta son exóticas; introducidas por razones agrícolas, forestales o estéticas. Especies de árboles importantes como alimento de la lapa roja incluyen: Ceiba pentandra, Schizolobium parahybum, y Hura crepitans; también son criticas para la población de la lapa roja debido a proveen cavidades para anidaci

Fishery biology of jumbo flying squid Dosidicus gigas off Costa Rica Dome

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xinjun; Li, Jianghua; Liu, Bilin; Li, Gang; Lu, Huajie

2014-06-01

The jumbo flying squid ( Dosidicus gigas) population was surveyed with the help of Chinese squid jigging vessels off the Costa Rica Dome (4°-11°N, 90°-100°W) in 2009 and 2010. The daily catch of D. gigas in the two survey cruises ranged from 0 to 5.5 t and was mostly obtained from the areas bounded by 6°-9°N and 91°-94°W and by 6°30'-7°30'N and 96°-97°W. The sea surface temperature in the areas yielding the most catch ranged from 27.5 to 29°C. The sex ratio of the total catch was 3.75:1 (female: male). The mantle length of the squid ranged from 211 to 355 mm (male) and from 204 to 429 mm (female) with an average of 297.9 and 306.7 mm, respectively. In the relationship of the mantle length (mm) and body weight (g) of the squid, there was no significant difference between sexes. The female and male were at a similar maturity, and most individuals are maturing or have matured with a few females being spent. The size (mantle length) and age at the first sexual maturity were 297 mm and 195 d in females, and less than 211 mm and 130 d in males, respectively. Most of the sampled stomachs (70.6%) had no food remains. The major preys of the squids were fish, cephalopods and crustaceans, with the most abundant Myctophum orientale and D. gigas. The preys in more than 65% of the non-empty sampled stomachs evidenced the cannibalism of D. gigas. The results improved current understanding of the fishery biology of D. gigas off the Costa Rica Dome, which may facilitate the assessment and management of relative fishery resources.

Costa Rica Rainfall in Future Climate Change Scenarios

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo Rodriguez, R. A., Sr.; Amador, J. A.; Duran-Quesada, A. M.

2017-12-01

Studies of intraseasonal and annual cycles of meteorological variables, using projections of climate change, are nowadays extremely important to improve regional socio-economic planning for countries. This is particularly true in Costa Rica, as Central America has been identified as a climate change hot spot. Today many of the economic activities in the region, especially those related to agriculture, tourism and hydroelectric power generation are linked to the seasonal cycle of precipitation. Changes in rainfall (mm/day) and in the diurnal temperature range (°C) for the periods 1950-2005 and 2006-2100 were investigated using the NASA Earth Exchange Global Daily Downscaled Projections (NEX-GDDP) constructed using the CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project version 5) data. Differences between the multi-model ensembles of the two prospective scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) and the retrospective baseline scenario were computed. This study highlights Costa Rica as an inflexion point of the climate change in the region and also suggests future drying conditions.

Young Costa Ricans and refugees working together for integration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentina Duque Echeverri

2012-08-01

Full Text Available When given the opportunity, young people can work effectively together to promote local integration. A new Network of Young People Without Borders is undertaking a variety of sensitisation and integration activities in Costa Rica.

Agribusiness academic cooperation: strategies and experiences of innovative technology of Costa Rica and Polytechnic University of Cartagena between the years 2005 and 2011 La cooperación académica en agronegocios: estrategias innovadoras y experiencias del Tecnológico de Costa Rica y la Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena entre el 2005 y el 2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro Martín Ramírez López

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The article meets the objectives of the research for improving agribusiness between Costa Rica and the Region of Murcia. Quality and food safety, pro- duction policies, and diversification of agribusiness in rural areas, are important aspects that make up the strategies studied. Cost reduction, strategic alignment, internationalization and concentration of supply through cooperation, innovative strategies are studied agribusiness. The study explains the research results relating to innovation, entrepre- neurship, cooperation, social responsibility and other competitive factors of agribusiness in Costa Rica and the Region of Murcia.El artículo responde a los objetivos de la investiga- ción para mejora de los agronegocios entre Costa Rica y la Región de Murcia. La calidad y la seguridad alimentaria, las políticas productivas, y la diversifi- cación de los agronegocios en zonas rurales, son aspectos importantes que configuran las estrategias que se estudian. La reducción de costos, adaptación estratégica, internacionalización y concentración de la oferta a través de la cooperación, son estrategias innovadoras de los agronegocios estudiados. El estudio de investigación explica resultados relativos a la innovación, el emprendizaje, la cooperación, la responsabilidad social y otros factores competitivos de los agronegocios de Costa Rica y la Región de Murcia.

El diagnóstico prenatal de defectos cromosómicos en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabel Castro Volio

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Esta es una breve reseña histórica del diagnóstico prenatal citogenético en Costa Rica. Se realiza únicamente en el Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud de la Universidad de Costa Rica desde el año 1984. Sirve a los hospitales de la seguridad social y a la medicina privada. Trabajamos con muestras de líquido amniótico y de sangre fetal enviadas por los perinatólogos, provenientes de embarazos de alto riesgo, ya sea por presentar alteraciones en el ultrasonograma, marcadores sonográficos de aneuploidía o edad materna avanzada, entre otras indicaciones menos frecuentes. El diagnóstico se realiza en el segundo y en el tercer trimestre de gestación. Como la interrupción del embarazo no es permitida, el personal médico y la familia se prepara con tiempo para recibir de la mejor manera al neonato afectado. En los casos de cariotipo normal, esta información alivia la preocupación de los padres.Prenatal diagnosis of chromosomic defects in Costa Rica. This is an historical overview of prenatal cytogenetic diagnosis in Costa Rica. It started in 1984 at the Institute for Health Research of the University of Costa Rica. This is the only fetal cytogenetic diagnosis facility in the country and serves social security as well as private patients. Perinatologists send amniotic fluid and fetal blood samples from high risk pregnancies, mainly due to abnormal ultrasound assessment, sonographic markers of aneuploidy and advanced maternal age. Second and third trimester diagnosis allows the development of coping strategies for the families of affected fetuses, since pregnancy interruption is not permitted. Normal fetal cytogenetic results provide reassurance to the parents. Rev. Biol. Trop. 52(3: 545-549. Epub 2004 Dic 15.

Preliminary study of the contamination by Radon Gas in dwelling enclosures in Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loria, L.G.; Jimenez, R.; Gallardo, M.C.

1993-01-01

The use of Solid State Nuclear Track detectors (SSNTD), LR-115 type II-Quick, is one of the convenient technique to assess the average radiation levels of alpha activities in the environment. This technique has been used to assess the Radon concentration in some areas of San Jose, Costa Rica. Exposed SSNTD films are chemically etched in an alkaline solution and the density of alpha tracks are given as concentration (pCi/L) of Radon. The only known health effect associated with exposure to elevated levels of Radon is an increased risk of developing lung cancer. (authors). 10 refs, 4 figs, 3 tabs

Proliferaciones algales nocivas de cianobacterias (Oscillatoriaceae y dinoflagelados (Gymnodiniaceae en el Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maribelle Vargas-Montero

2004-09-01

magnitude and frequency of harmful algae blooms (HAB. The lack of data regarding the dynamics of these events in the area, and the species of microalgae that produce them, are themes of great interest. The blooms have produced negative impacts on fishery resources and on human health in Costa Rica. In May 2002 a HAB left a large number of dead fish along the central Pacific coast. Water samples were collected using a phytoplankton net and fixed for subsequent processing by electron microscopy. In addition, a one liter sample of surface water was taken for later cell count. In the observed HAB, the dominating organisms found were the cyanobacteria Trichodesmiun erythraeum surrounded by high concentrations of Gram - bacteria and the dinoflagellate Cochlodinium cf. polykrikoides. T. erythraeum, is one of the most important N 2 fixing cyanobacteria in marine waters that has been associated with HAB events in diverse parts of the world as well as with symptoms that produce contact dermatitis and other discomforts. C. cf. polykrikoides is a dinoflagellete associated with fish kills; although the type of associated toxins are unknown. In a national newspaper 17 cases of intoxication in humans were reported during this same period, which presented respiratory disorders and burning of the eyes. This is the first report in Costa Rica where a cyanobacteria and a dinoflagellate were observed together producing HAB

COSTA RICAN MEAT VALUE CHAIN DESCRIPTION: PRICE TRANSMISSION AS A TOOL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Víctor Rodríguez Lizano

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Price transmission analysis is an increasing research topic, especially for price taking countries such as Costa Rica. We describe the beef supply chain and provide a numerical implementation of Vector Error Correction Model (VECM of price transmission for the meat market in order to observe the relationship between import prices of meat and their effects on national retail prices. To restore equilibrium, retail prices correct 8% of the error term monthly. Since the meat imports market of Costa Rica is complex, the analysis of others business partners as Nicaragua should be included in order to compare the influence of these in local retail prices

LÍNEA DE COSTA Y SISTEMAS DE INFORMACIÓN GEOGRÁFICA: MODELO DE DATOS PARA LA CARACTERIZACIÓN Y CÁLCULO DE INDICADORES EN LA COSTA ANDALUZA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Ojeda Zújar

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Presente en numerosas bases de datos geográficas y cartografía oficial, la línea de costa constituye un elemento fundamental en los procesos de análisis, gestión y planificación de la zona costera, si bien su levantamiento a escalas de detalle y su posterior utilización requiere de una precisa delimitación geométrica y del establecimiento de criterios rigurosos para su definición. Éstos últimos deben ser seleccionados con una clara intencionalidad aplicada de acuerdo a su uso posterior. En este sentido, el uso de los Sistemas de Información Geográfica, las bases de datos espaciales y un adecuado modelo de datos, resultan elementos clave para el levantamiento de líneas de costa, así como para los análisis posteriores realizados sobre ellas. En este trabajo se presenta, en primer lugar, la metodología utilizada para la definición geométrica de la línea de costa en Andalucía a una escala detallada (1:2.500 sobre ortofotos y ortoimágenes de resolución métrica y submétrica y el modelo de datos que soporta cada tramo topológicamente independiente digitalizado. Tras su digitalización geométrica e integración en una base de datos espacial (PostGres/PostGis se utilizan las capacidades analíticas de las TIG para la construcción de diferentes indicadores utilizados en su caracterización fisiográfica, estado, seguimiento y evaluación ambiental en la costa andaluza.

Glaucoma in Costa Rica: Initial approaches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Chavarría-Soley

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Glaucoma is the second most frequent cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Genetic factors have been implicated in the development of the disease. So far six loci (GLC1A-GLC1F and two genes (TIGR/MYOC and OPTN are involved in the development of juvenile (JOAG and adult onset or chronic primary open angle glaucoma (COAG, while two loci (GLC3A,GLC3B and one gene (CYP1B1 are known for primary congenital glaucoma (PCG. Here we summarize the results of the first genetic studies of glaucoma in Costa Rica. Nine families: 1 with JOAG, 1 with PCG and 7 with COAG were screened for mutations at the known genes. A10 bp duplication, 1546-1555dupTCATGCCACC, at the CYP1B1 gene, causes, in homozygous state, glaucoma in the consanguineous PCG family. This mutation has been found in different countries and generates an early stop codon that termitates protein synthesis 140 amino acids earlier than the normal allele. In exon 1 of the TIGR/MYOC the innocuous Arg76Lys variant was found in two of the COAG families. In the OPTN gene two variants in the coding region (Thr34Thr, Met 98Lys and 7 intronic changes were found in other Costa Rican glaucoma patients. One of the COAG families was chosen for a genome scan with 379 microsatellite markers and linkage analysis. LOD scores "suggestive" of linkage were obtained for several chromosomal regions. Evidence indicates that hereditary glaucoma in Costa Rica is highly heterogeneous and that further studies in the country will probably disclose some up to now unknown genes responsible for the disease. Rev. Biol. Trop. 52(3: 507-520. Epub 2004 Dic 15.El glaucoma es la segunda causa de ceguera irreversible en el mundo. El componente genético de algunos de los distintos tipos ha sido demostrado: seis loci (GLC1A-GLC1F y dos genes (TIGR/MYOC y OPTN se conocen, hasta ahora, como responsables de la aparición de glaucomas primarios de ángulo abierto tanto del tipo juvenil (JOAG como de l tipo de adultos (COAG. Además, dos

Avances en la reducción del consumo de sal y sodio en Costa Rica Advances in reducing salt and sodium intake in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Blanco-Metzler

2012-10-01

Full Text Available En el presente artículo se describen los avances logrados en Costa Rica -así como los desafíos y limitaciones- en la reducción del consumo de sal. El establecimiento del Plan Nacional para la Reducción del Consumo de Sal/sodio en la Población de Costa Rica 2011 - 2021 se complementó con programas y proyectos multisectoriales específicos dirigidos a: 1 conocer la ingesta de sodio y el contenido de sal o sodio en los alimentos de mayor consumo; identificar los conocimientos, actitudes y comportamientos del consumidor respecto a la sal/sodio, su relación con la salud y el etiquetado nutricio-nal; evaluar la relación costo-efectividad de las medidas dirigidas a reducir la prevalencia de hipertensión arterial; 2 implementar estrategias para disminuir el contenido de sal/sodio en los alimentos procesados y los preparados en casa; 3 promover cambios de conducta en la población para reducir el consumo de sal en la alimentación; y 4 monitorear y evaluar las acciones dirigidas a reducir el consumo de sal o sodio en la población. Para alcanzar las metas propuestas se debe lograr una exitosa coordinación interinstitucional con los actores estratégicos, negociar compromisos con la industria alimentaria y los servicios de alimentación, y mejorar la regulación de los nutrientes críticos asociados con las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles, en los alimentos. Se espera que a partir de los avances logrados durante la ejecución del Plan Nacional, Costa Rica logre alcanzar la meta internacional de reducción del consumo de sal.This article describes the progress-as well as the challenges and limitations-in reducing salt intake in Costa Rica. The National Plan to Reduce Public Consumption of Salt/Sodium in Costa Rica 2011 - 2021 was complemented with multisectoral programs and projects specifically designed to: 1 determine sodium intake and the salt/sodium content of the most widely consumed foods; identify the consumer knowledge, attitudes

Seven songs from Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Cruz-Sàenz, Michèle S. de

1996-01-01

In July of 1973, through the benificence of Professor Juan de Dios Trejos, music teacher from Cartago, Costa Rica, I had the pleasure of meeting doña Leticia de Céspedes. This tiny woman was in her nineties, with neatly cropped snow white hair and blue eyes. She received me in her humble home in Tres Ríos, a town located between San José and Cartago. Sra. de Céspedes had learned to read and transcribe music. She taught piano and guitar. She too, was interested in music whi...

Monitoring risk to water logging: sector south of Ciudad de la Costa. Canelones, Uruguay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marmisolle, J.

2007-01-01

Ciudad de La Costa had experimented in the last decades an important urban expansion with serious environmental consequences, with the objective to establish the hazards of flooding. Originally started in 2002, to contribute to future urban planning, new hazard maps where made for the Southern sector of the city. Through new geological, geomorphologic, hydro-geological studies and precipitation values, zones of high risk of flooding (under 0.5 meters) were identified for the first semester of 2005 which reach 40% of the total surface area. At the same time microbiological analysis of the groundwater confirm an important bacteriological contamination of the waters in the upper free aquifer. Apart from the Carrasco creek all the water samples from the water courses in the area and beaches showed no levels of contamination. (author)

The foundations of environmental health at the University of Costa Rica. A professional's must do La formación en salud ambiental en la Universidad de Costa Rica. El quehacer de un profesional

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinia Alvarado Zeledón

2007-12-01

Full Text Available This article is a synopsis of the historical evolution that the professional profile of Environmental Health in Costa Rica, has had so far. It also tends to recognize the sanitary developments that the country has experienced over the past 70 years, under the availability of the human resources area, particularly.The University of Costa Rica has made an important contribution when attempting to provide the country with a skilled and trained human resources department, in terms of health helping the Costarrican community.This human resources department was initially designed to inspection basic issues of environmental sanitation, such as water waste, vector control and health infrastructure. This, in a country that in the decade of the 30's, had an economy based on agriculture, mainly in which environmental conditions not yet reached alarming levels. Along with the pass of time, these conditions required of a professional able to anticipate scenarios and correct conditions adverse to human development in this Central-American Country. The professional profile of Environmental Health, is therefore, a profile constantly being updated.El presente artículo pretende ser una sinopsis acerca de la evolución histórica que ha tenido el perfil profesional de la salud ambiental en Costa Rica. Así mismo, procura hacer un reconocimiento de las transformaciones sanitarias que el país ha vivido durante los últimos 70 años, a la luz de la disponibilidad de recursos humanos, en esta área en particular.En este sentido, la Universidad de Costa Rica ha realizado una contribución importante al procurar dotar al país de un recurso humano capacitado y formado en competencias que han favorecido las condiciones de salud de la población costarricense.Este recurso humano estaba concebido inicialmente para realizar inspecciones en temas básicos de saneamiento ambiental, relacionados con excretas, aguas residuales, control de vectores, infraestructura sanitaria

Plastic paradise: transforming bodies and selves in Costa Rica's cosmetic surgery tourism industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ackerman, Sara L

2010-10-01

Long popular as a nature tourism destination, Costa Rica has recently emerged as a haven for middle class North Americans seeking inexpensive, state-of-the-art cosmetic surgery. This paper examines "cosmetic surgery tourism" in Costa Rica as a form of medicalized leisure, situated in elite private spaces and yet inextricably linked to a beleaguered national medical program. Through historical context and ethnographic analysis of activities at medical hotels and clinics, I describe how the recovery industry operates on the embodied subjectivities of visiting patients and their local caretakers. Recovery sociality and healing landscapes facilitate patients' transition through a period of post-surgical liminality and provide nostalgic transport to an imagined medical arcadia, while clinicians are attracted by a neoliberal promise of prosperity and autonomy. Ultimately, Costa Rica's transformation into a paradise of medical consumption and self-optimization is contingent on a mythology that obscures growing uncertainties and inequities in the nation's broader medical landscape.

Algunos poliquetos holoplanctónicos (Annelida: Polychaeta del Parque Nacional Isla del Coco, Costa Rica Some holoplanktonic polychaetes (Annelida: Polychaeta from the Parque Nacional Isla del Coco, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soledad Jiménez-Cueto

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Los poliquetos holoplanctónicos no han sido estudiados en las aguas oceánicas adyacentes al Parque Isla del Coco. Se estudiaron estas formas pelágicas a partir del análisis de muestras de zooplancton recolectadas en esta área protegida. Las muestras fueron obtenidas mediante redes de plancton estándar (0.2-0.5mm de malla, 0.49m de diámetro de boca en arrastres horizontales y verticales en la isla oceánica Isla del Coco, Costa Rica, en el Pacífico Tropical Oriental. Los poliquetos pelágicos de esta zona fueron analizados taxonómicamente. El material obtenido incluye representantes de seis especies y cinco familias: Alciopidae, Lopadorhynchidae, Tomopteridae, Polynoidae y Typhloscolecidae. Se presentan diagnosis breves, sino- nimias, análisis morfológicos comparativos, ilustraciones taxonómicas y la distribución conocida de las especies recolectadas en el plancton de Isla del Coco. El registro de Drieschia pellucida Moore es el primero en el Pacífico Tropical Oriental; nuestro espécimen muestra algunas diferencias respecto a la descripción original. El resto de las especies han sido encontradas previamente en aguas del Pacífico Tropical Oriental y en el Domo de Costa Rica, pero son los primeros registros para esta área protegida.The holoplanktonic polychaetes have not been surveyed in the oceanic waters adjacent to Isla del Coco. These pelagic forms are studied based on the analysis of zooplankton samples collected in the area. Samples were obtained both at night and daytime by standard plankton nets (0.2-0.5 mm meshes, 0.49 m mouth diameter hauled horizontally and vertically off the oceanic island Isla del Coco, Costa Rica in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Pelagic polychaetes were collected in one of the night samples and were taxonomically analyzed. The material obtained includes representatives of six species and five families: Alciopidae, Lopadorrhynchidae, Tomopteridae, Polynoidae, and Typhloscolecidae. Brief diagnoses

Plan de manejo integral de residuos sólidos urbanos en Esparza de Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olman J. Quijada Segura

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Este artículo presenta los resultados del estudio de composición de residuos sólidos de la Municipalidad de Esparza, y serán utilizados con el objetivo de determinar la factibilidad técnica y económica para construir un relleno sanitario municipal discriminado. La Municipalidad de Esparza actualmente utiliza el vertedero de Zagala, el cual no cumple con los estándares adecuados para el manejo de estos materiales y se ha convertido en un problema ambiental para la región. Por ello en esta investigación se propuso realizar un estudio físico de los desechos sólidos en tres sectores del cantón de Esparza. Los resultados más prominentes de esta investigación indican que en el cantón el 74.5% de los desechos sólidos pueden ser aprovechados en prácticas de producción de abonos orgánicos, compost y reciclamiento, mientras que un 25.5% no tendrían ningún aprovechamiento y deberían ser dispuestos en un relleno sanitario, situación que actualmente no se hace, pues son enviados al botadero de Zagala. Se espera que este estudio sirva de base para proponer un plan de manejo de los residuos sólidos, apoye los esfuerzos de educación ambiental, sirva de sustento para seleccionar los materiales con potencial de reciclable y defina la cantidad de materiales que irán al relleno sanitario municipal.

Areas and programmes of technical assistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

The cooperation between the Atomic Energy Commission of Costa Rica, and the International Atomic Energy Agency, has permitted to carry out programmes and projects which agree with the national objectives of development. In the areas of environmental hydrology; physical sciences and chemistry; industry and geological sciences; health and animal production; biological sciences, agriculture and alimentation; scientific and technical information. (author) [es

El manglar de Purruja, Golfito, Costa Rica: un modelo para su manejo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Margarita Silva

2004-12-01

Full Text Available El manglar de Purruja (Golfito, Costa Rica tiene una extensión aproximada de 70 Ha. Una investigación socio-biológica del manglar sentó las bases para el diagnóstico del mismo y facilitó el establecimiento de metas para su manejo. La comunidad y el grupo local organizado fueron factores claves para establecer las metas y el plan de acción para el manejo de los recursos. El monitoreo constante y una red de instituciones gubernamentales y no-gubernamentales de trabajo fueron los otros componentes del modelo de manejo. La supervisión técnico-profesional de forma sistemática fue una herramienta clave para conseguir las metas propuestas en el plan de acción y para establecer la red de instituciones que lograron un manejo cooperativo del manglarThe Purruja mangrove (Golfito, Costa Rica has an estimated area of 70 ha. A socio-biological research was the ground to set initial goals to manage the resources and to identify the mangrove biological condition. Community participation and the local organization were key factors in developing an integrated model for the management of natural resources. Constant monitoring and institutional networks were the other two factors to manage the mangrove. The constant profesional support was a tool to facilitate the acomplishment of goals and to establish an institucional network to promote local group iniciatives for collaborative management of the Purruja mangrove

Knowledge of prenatal health care among Costa Rican and Panamanian women Conocimientos de las mujeres de Costa Rica y Panamá sobre el cuidado de la salud durante el embarazo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William Harold Guilford

2008-06-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: There is evidence that health care during pregnancy is a crucial component in ensuring a safe delivery. Because the infant mortality rate in Costa Rica is almost half the rate of Panama, the researchers tested the hypothesis that women in Costa Rica are more knowledgeable about prenatal health care than women in neighboring Panama. METHODS: A multiple-choice survey was used to evaluate women’s knowledge of prenatal care using WHO recommendations as the nominal standard. Oral surveys were administered to 320 women in Costa Rican and Panamanian health care clinics. The surveys consisted of multiple-choice questions designed to assess four specific domains of knowledge in prenatal care: nutrition, danger signs, threats from illness, and acceptable activities during pregnancy. Survey answers were scored, and significant factors in assessing women’s knowledge of prenatal care were determined using analysis of variance and general linear models. RESULTS: Costa Rican women scored higher than Panamanian women in most domains of knowledge in prenatal health care. Only country of origin and educational level were significant factors in determining knowledge of prenatal care. However, country of origin was a stronger predictor of knowledge of prenatal care than was having completed high school. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that Costa Rican women are more knowledgeable about necessary prenatal care than Panamanian women, and that this difference is probably related to direct education about and promotion of prenatal care in Costa Rica. This suggests an influence of cultural health care awareness that extends beyond the previously established negative correlation between maternal educational level and infant mortality.OBJETIVOS: El cuidado de la salud durante el embarazo es un componente crucial para garantizar un parto sin riesgo. Como la mortalidad infantil en Costa Rica es casi la mitad de la registrada en Panamá, se probó la hip

Carbon Neutral by 2021: The Past and Present of Costa Rica’s Unusual Political Tradition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julia A. Flagg

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Costa Rica has pledged to become the first nation to become carbon neutral. This event raises the important question of how to understand this contemporary form of climate politics, given that Costa Rica has made an almost negligible contribution to the problem of global climate change. To understand this pledge, a case study spanning about 200 years situates the pledge within the country’s unique historical profile. An analysis of interview data, archival research, and secondary data reveals that the pledge is the latest instance in Costa Rica’s unusual political tradition. This political tradition dates back to the area’s experience as a Spanish colony and as a newly independent nation. Several events, including the abolition of the army, the work on green development, and being awarded a Nobel Peace Prize were all foundational in forming Costa Rica’s tradition as a place that leads by example and stands for peace and protection of nature. The carbon neutral pledge extends the political tradition that has been established through these earlier events. This case highlights the importance of understanding contemporary environmental politics through an analysis of long-term, historical data.

Cyberl@b: a platform for learning english in Costa Rican public high schools

OpenAIRE

Allen Quesada Pacheco

2006-01-01

Abstract: This paper covers the design and development of a noncommercial software for learning and practicing English called CyberL@b. It was developed at the School of Modern Languages at the University of Costa Rica. Its target population focuses on 7th, 8th and 9th graders at six public high schools in diverse urban and rural settings in Costa Rica.CyberL@b uses interactive media resources designed to engage student in learning English within authentic contexts.Cyberlab was designed to cr...

Análisis de la relación comercial entre la República de Colombia y la República de Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Romero Escobar, Juán Sebastián; Bermudez Monroy, María Gabriela

2012-01-01

Dadas las relaciones de cooperación internacional que presentan las Repúblicas de Colombia y Costa Rica, que se evidencia en los fuertes vínculos comerciales existentes entre las dos naciones, Proexport por medio de su oficina comercial en Costa Rica, ha mantenido al tanto la situación en la que se desenvuelve la alianza comercial entre Colombia y Costa Rica. Él último de estos informes, demuestra la potencialidad de Costa Rica como un mercado para los bienes colombianos y una posibilidad par...

Commercialization Trends in Higher Education: The Costa Rican Case.

Science.gov (United States)

Guido, Maria de Los Angeles

1999-01-01

This case study of the commercialized teaching profession in Costa Rican higher education urges circumspection; the term "efficient and productive change" camouflages the state-sanctioned commodification of the instructional enterprise. Courses are becoming proprietary courseware, machinery for selling intellectual capital is emerging,…

Investigation of KIF6 Trp719Arg in a case-control study of myocardial infarction: a Costa Rican population.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lance A Bare

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The 719Arg allele of KIF6 (rs20455 was associated with coronary events in Caucasian participants of five prospective studies. We investigated whether this KIF6 variant was associated with non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI in a case-control study of an admixed population from the Central Valley of Costa Rica. Genotypes of the KIF6 variant were determined for 4,134 men and women. Cases (1,987 had survived a first MI; controls (2,147 had no history of MI and were matched to cases by age, sex, and area of residence. We tested the association between the KIF6 719Arg allele and non-fatal MI by conditional logistic regression and adjusted for admixture of founder populations.Compared with the reference Trp/Trp homozygotes, KIF6 719Arg carriers were not at significantly higher risk for non-fatal MI in this study after adjustment for traditional risk factors or admixture (OR= 1.12; 95%CI, 0.98-1.28. Heterozygotes of the KIF6 Trp719Arg variant were at increased risk of non-fatal MI: the adjusted odds ratio was 1.16 (95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.34, but this association would not be significant after a multiple testing correction.We found that carriers of the KIF6 719Arg allele were not at increased risk of non-fatal MI in a case-control study of Costa Ricans living in the Central Valley of Costa Rica.

Case Study: Transgenic Crop Controversy in Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Hague, Steve S.

2009-01-01

Costa Rica has rich ecological resources and has been a steady political force in turbulent Central America. Most recently, it has become a battleground between pro- and anti-genetically modified organism (GMO) political forces. This case study examines the roles of U.S.-based cotton ("Gossypium hirsutum" L.) seed companies, anti-GMO…

Prevalence of overweight and obesity among Costa Rican elementary school children Prevalencia del sobrepeso y la obesidad entre escolares de nivel primario en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hilda Patricia Núñez-Rivas

2003-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Given that excessive body weight during childhood influences the development of several chronic diseases in adulthood, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in urban and rural Costa Rican elementary school children. METHODS: The study was carried out from July 2000 to April 2001. A total of 1718 students ages 7-12 were selected from 34 schools in the capital city of San José and in other nearby urban and rural areas. Both younger children (ones aged 7 through 9 years and older children (ones aged 10 through 12 years with a body mass index (BMI at or above the sex-specific 85th percentile were considered overweight. The younger children were classified as being obese if their triceps skinfold was greater than or equal to the 85th percentile for age and sex using the percentiles by age for children in the United States of America as normative standards. The older children were considered obese if they had a BMI at or above the sex-specific 85th percentile and both the triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness at or above the 90th percentile. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight was 34.5%. Children aged 7-9, boys, children from urban areas, and children of a higher socioeconomic status had a higher prevalence of overweight. The prevalence of obesity was 26.2%. A higher prevalence of obesity was found among children aged 7-9, boys, children from urban areas, and children of middle socioeconomic status. CONCLUSIONS: Given the high prevalence of obesity that we found in the Costa Rican children, primary and secondary prevention measures are needed in order to reduce the proportion of deaths due to chronic nontransmissible diseases among Costa Rican adults in the coming decades.OBJETIVO: Dado que el peso corporal excesivo durante la niñez influye en el desarrollo de varias enfermedades crónicas en la adultez, se llevó a cabo este estudio en escolares de nivel primario de áreas urbanas y rurales

Forest Structure and Biomass Data, La Selva, Costa Rica: 2006

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data set provides field measurements of diameter, tree height, and crown dimensions for 1,513 trees in 30 plots at the La Selva Biological Station in Costa...

La política pública en gestión del riesgo en Costa Rica y el abordaje desde la Escuela de Administración Pública de la Universidad de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romero Redondo, Rodolfo

2012-12-01

Full Text Available La gestión del riesgo cobra particular importancia en un país como Costa Rica, al tener una alta propensión a la ocurrencia de eventos de origen natural y, además, con grandes retos de desarrollo. El país debe hacer un análisis integral de este tema e ir consolidando una política publica que permita establecer y articular un curso de acción coherente con las necesidades. La Escuela de Administración Publica de la Universidad de Costa Rica como centro de pensamiento está desarrollando un proyecto de investigación que apoya y promueve una gestión más prospectiva del riesgo en el país The disaster risk management is particularly important in a country like Costa Rica, to have a high propensity for the occurrence of natural events and also with development challenges. The country must make a comprehensive analysis of the issues and public policy to consolidate in order to establish and articulate a course of action consistent with the needs. The School of Public Administration at the University of Costa Rica as a center of thought is developing a research project that supports and promotes a more prospective risk management in the country

Contribuição para o conhecimento dos Parandrini da Costa Rica e do Panamá (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Parandrinae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Santos-Silva

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Somente quatro espécies de Parandrini eram conhecidas da Costa Rica e do Panamá: três em Parandra Latreille, 1802 (das quais só duas estavam registradas para o Panamá e uma em Birandra Santos-Silva, 2002. Este trabalho registra Parandra (Parandra solisi (Santos-Silva, 2007 pela primeira vez para o Panamá e acrescenta duas espécies novas: Parandra (Parandra gilloglyi sp. nov., procedente do Panamá, e Birandra (Birandra boucheri sp. nov., proveniente da Costa Rica e Panamá. São fornecidas chaves para as espécies de Parandra (Parandra que ocorrem na Costa Rica e Panamá e para as espécies de Birandra (Birandra conhecidas na América Central.Only four species of Parandrini were known in Costa Rica and Panama: three in Parandra Latreille, 1802 (of which only two are recorded to Panama, and one in Birandra Santos-Silva, 2002. This work records Parandra (Parandra solisi (Santos-Silva, 2007 for the first time to Panama, and adds two new species: Parandra (Parandra gilloglyi sp. nov. from Panama, and Birandra (Birandra boucheri sp. nov. from Costa Rica and Panama. Keys to the species of Parandra (Parandra which occur in Costa Rica and Panama, and to the species of Birandra (Birandra known in Central America are added.

First report of acariasis by Caparinia tripilis in African hedgehogs, (Atelerix albiventris), in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreira, Andrés; Troyo, Adriana; Calderón-Arguedas, Olger

2013-01-01

The African hedgehog is one of the newly imported exotic pets which have been observed with increasing regularity in veterinary clinics in Costa Rica. Despite their popularity, information about their diseases is scarce. Within skin diseases of hedgehogs, mange caused by Caparinia spp. is a common diagnosis in other countries. Two adult African hedgehogs, one male and one female, were brought to a private clinic in Heredia, Costa Rica, with chronic pruritic dermatitis, scabs, nearly complete loss of spines, lethargy, dehydration, and weight loss. During physical exam, deposits of dry seborrhea were taken and processed for diagnosis. Microscopic examination revealed psoroptid mites identified as Caparinia tripilis. This is the first report of the presence of Caparinia tripilis in Costa Rica and, to the authors' knowledge, the rest of Central America.

Pleural mesothelioma in Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maineri-Hidalgo, Jose Alberto; Putvinsky, Vladimir; Mainieri-Breedy, Giovanna

2006-01-01

The mesothelioma is a neoplasia originated in the serous membranes that drape the cellomic cavities and there cover the visceras that they contain, whose development has related to the exhibition to the asbestos. The present study describes the characteristics of the cases of mesothelioma pleural diagnosed in 3 adults hospitals in Costa Rica. 29 cases of pleural mesothelioma were found between 1972 and 2002 after reviewing the pathology service archives of the 3 national general hospitals of the Costa Rican social security health system. The incidence rate in 2002 was 1 case per 2 million; there were 15 females and 14 males, with a mean age of 54 years. Twenty cases presented with pleural effusion being dyspnea, chest pain, cough, fever and weight loss the most frequent symptoms. The disease was detected in all the cases because of an abnormal chest X-ray. The method used to obtain tissue for histological diagnosis was thoracotomy for 15 cases, pleural biopsy in 8, thoracoscopy in 4 and autopsy in 2. The histological diagnosis in 16 cases was fibrous mesothelioma, 10 malignant and 6 benign, 11 were epithelial (all malignant) and 2 were malignant mixed mesothelioma. The treatment in all the benign cases was surgical resection and none recurred. Two of the malignant lesions were resected, 1 had an extrapleural pneumonectomy along with pericardial and diaphragmatic resection, but the survival was not better than the rest of the malignant cases, with an average survival rate for all of them of only 6 months. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy showed no additional benefit. (author) [es

Dynamics of Ecosystem Services during Forest Transitions in Reventazón, Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallet, Améline; Locatelli, Bruno; Levrel, Harold; Brenes Pérez, Christian; Imbach, Pablo; Estrada Carmona, Natalia; Manlay, Raphaël; Oszwald, Johan

2016-01-01

The forest transition framework describes the temporal changes of forest areas with economic development. A first phase of forest contraction is followed by a second phase of expansion once a turning point is reached. This framework does not differentiate forest types or ecosystem services, and describes forests regardless of their contribution to human well-being. For several decades, deforestation in many tropical regions has degraded ecosystem services, such as watershed regulation, while increasing provisioning services from agriculture, for example, food. Forest transitions and expansion have been observed in some countries, but their consequences for ecosystem services are often unclear. We analyzed the implications of forest cover change on ecosystem services in Costa Rica, where a forest transition has been suggested. A review of literature and secondary data on forest and ecosystem services in Costa Rica indicated that forest transition might have led to an ecosystem services transition. We modeled and mapped the changes of selected ecosystem services in the upper part of the Reventazón watershed and analyzed how supply changed over time in order to identify possible transitions in ecosystem services. The modeled changes of ecosystem services is similar to the second phase of a forest transition but no turning point was identified, probably because of the limited temporal scope of the analysis. Trends of provisioning and regulating services and their tradeoffs were opposite in different spatial subunits of our study area, which highlights the importance of scale in the analysis of ecosystem services and forest transitions. The ecosystem services transition framework proposed in this study is useful for analyzing the temporal changes of ecosystem services and linking socio-economic drivers to ecosystem services demand at different scales.

75 FR 13421 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; FAR Case 2008-036, Trade Agreements-Costa Rica, Oman, and Peru

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-19

... 9000-AL23 Federal Acquisition Regulation; FAR Case 2008-036, Trade Agreements--Costa Rica, Oman, and... United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement, and the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement. DATES... interim rule. The interim rule added Costa Rica, Oman, and Peru to the definition of ``Free Trade...

PERCEPCIONES Y CREENCIAS SOBRE EL ESTUDIO DE LA FILOSOFÍA DE LOS ESTUDIANTES DE LA EDUCACIÓN DIVERSIFICADA EN COSTA RICA (PERCEPTIONS AND BELIEFS ON THE PHILOSOPHY CURRICULUM AMONG COSTA RICAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carvajal Villaplana Álvaro

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Resumen:En 1998 se inicia el desarrollo de la investigación: “Situación de la enseñanza de la filosofía en la Educación Diversificada de Costa Rica”, N° 743-99-298, en el Instituto de Investigaciones Filosóficas (INIF de la Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR. El estudio se basó en una encuesta preparada para evaluar la enseñanza de la filosofía, a partir de la opinión y creencia de los estudiantes de la educación diversificada en Costa Rica que, en efecto, reciben filosofía. La encuesta evalúa cinco componentes: (a Conocimiento del programa y objetivos del curso; (b Percepción de la clase de filosofía; (c Conocimiento de temas y autores; (d Mediación pedagógica del personal docente y (e Actitud hacia la filosofía. Para llevarla a cabo, esta encuesta se aplicó en el año 2002; se escogieron once regiones educativas del país y del total de regiones se entrevistaron a 543 estudiantes. En este trabajo se describen y analizan los principales resultados de esa encuesta.Abstract:A research project on the teaching of philosophy in Costa Rica's senior high schools was began in 1998. It was registered at the Institute for Research in Philosophy, University of Costa Rica, as Project #743-99-298. The study is an evaluation of the teaching of philosophy, from the opinion and believes of the student in Costa Rica’s senior high schools. The survey evaluates five components: (a Knowledge of the program and objectives of the course. (b Perception of the philosophy classes. (c Knowledge of topics and authors. (d Pedagogic Mediation of the educational personnel and (e Attitude toward the philosophy. The survey was applied in the year 2002. It is realized in eleven country’s educative regions. They interviewed to 543 students. In this paper the main results of the survey are described and analyzed

Retos para la agricultura en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oscar Arias M.

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Retos para la agricultura en Costa Rica es un análisis crítico del desarrollo agrícola de Costa Rica de los últimos 25 años. La diversificación agrícola que promovió Costa Rica en la década de los ochenta, permitió ampliar la oferta exportable y reducir la vulnerabilidad de la dependencia económica de productos tradicionales, como café y banano. Los retos de la economía global y el establecimiento de tratados comerciales con muchos países, hacen necesario que el país promueva en el sector agrícola la exportación con mayor valor agregado, para lo cual es necesario una modernización y reconversión productiva, ya que el modelo actual está agotado. Debemos mejorar sustancialmente los bienes y servicios que ofrecemos; para este propósito, algunos aspectos como la imagen de marca del país con tradición democrática, respeto a los derechos laborales, así como las buenas prácticas de manejo ambiental, deben publicitarse. Como una herramienta clave para la incorporación de mayor valor agregado a nuestra producción agrícola, debemos promover la inversión en investigación y desarrollo, que históricamente ha sido escasa (0,4% del PIB. En vista de que el Estado Costarricense ha demostrado una incapacidad crónica para impulsar la ciencia y la tecnología como una herramienta para nuestro desarrollo, se propone un estímulo a la inversión privada y el fortalecimiento de una alianza con el Estado y las universidades. Se analiza la conveniencia del fortalecimiento de la autosuficiencia alimentaria y de que las empresas pequeñas y medianas jueguen un papel más activo en la agro-exportación. Respecto a los tratados comerciales que se han venido negociando, se considera la conveniencia para el país, ya que son instrumentos para integrar nuestro quehacer económico a nivel mundial, y nuestro deber es el de luchar para que el sector agropecuario tenga oportunidad de subsistir competitivamente según esas nuevas reglas y

Economic incentives for improving mango quality in Costa Rica

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zuniga Arias, G.; Ruben, R.; Verkerk, R.; Boekel, van T.

2008-01-01

Purpose

– The purpose of the paper is to present an integrated methodology for identifying effective economic incentives to enhance quality performance by mango producers in Costa Rica.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study analyses the relationship between intrinsic

Plantas hospederas de los virus más importantes que infectan el melón, Cucumis melo (Cucurbitaceae en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.V. Sánchez

1998-03-01

Full Text Available Las especies hospederas naturales de los virus (PRSV, WMV-2, CMV y ZYMV que infectan el cultivo de melón (Cucumis melo L. para la exportación en Costa Rica se identificaron en plantaciones comerciales de dos fincas ubicadas, una en la provincia de Guanacaste, y la otra en la provincia de Puntarenas. En ambas fincas se cultiva el melon con irrigación durante la época seca, pero su manejo cultural es diferente. La finca A con una larga trayectoria en el cultivo de melón en rotación con maíz, sorgo y arroz, y con poco control de malezas; mientras que la finca B con una corta trayectoria en la producción del melón y un mayor control de malezas. La diversidad de especies vegetales fue estudiada en cuadrantes de 100 m2 en cinco diferentes comunidades de plantas previamente seleccionadas en la finca A (cultivo, canal de drenaje, charral, potrero mejorado, y semi-bosque y tres en la finca B (cultivo, charral, pastizal natural, semi-bosque. El número de cuadrantes estudiados dependió del área total cultivada en cada una de las fincas. Todas las especies de plantas representadas en cada cuadrante se recolectaron e identificaron pero solo aquellas especies que presentaron síntomas virales en el campo fueron analizadas por ELISA para determinar la presencia de los cuatro virus estudiados. La diversidad de especies, porcentaje de cobertura y época de aparición de las especies hospederas fue monitoreada durante un año calendario en cinco fechas diferentes. Un total de 86 y 72 especies de plantas fueron identificadas en las fincas A y B respectivamente. Catorce encontradas positivas por lo menos para uno de los cuatro virus. Los cuatro virus fueron encontrados en cada finca en cada fecha de muestreo indicando que la permanencia y abundancia de algunas especies hospederas garantiza la permanencia de los cuatro virus en el campo como fuente de inóculo primario para la próxima siembra. Varias especies de plantas hospederas silvestres previamente

Presence and distribution of two sub-species of Eurema agave (Lepidoptera, Pieridae in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jim Cordoba-Alfaro

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Austin (1992 reported Eurema a. agave (Cramer 1775 to the Caribbean of Costa Rica. However, he actually had found E. a. millerorum, described by Bousquets & Luis-Martinez (1987 for the Caribbean of Mexico. The presence of Eurema a. agave is confirmed on this paper with information of specimens collected in the Pacific and Atlantic slopes of Costa Rica. Aspects on distribution of both subspecies are included.

A preliminary market research about tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum in Costa Rica (ESP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raymon van Anrooy

2016-03-01

Full Text Available From January to July 1995, a market trial was conducted in Costa Rica with the fresh water fish species. Colossoma macropomum, commonly named “tambaqui”. About 1200 fish with an average weight of 800g were obtained from the fish culture station of the Universidad Nacional near La Rita, Guápiles. About 20 fish were delivered each Monday initially to three and later to each of four fishdealers in Limón, Guápiles, San José and Heredia. The shopkeepers purchased the fish at a price of $1.40/kg, covering all production and transport costs, and sold it for $1.97/kg. The motivations of the consumers for purchasing the fish were: curiosity, low price, good taste and recommendations by the shopkeepers. Most of the participants appreciated the taste, meat texture, freshness, colour and appearance very much. Some repondents criticized the amount of intramuscular spines in the fish. Eighty nine percent of the consumers intended to purchase more of the fish and 38% preferred this fish species above all other species. There was no effect (p > 0.05 of gender, householdsize or income level on the responses of the costumers. Chinese costumers were the only group discernible in the survey. Almost all participants thought tambaqui could get a good market position in Costa Rica. This trial shows that the price can be increased a little without losing much customers, but promotion would be necessary to get the product more known among the Costa Rican Population. The production of tambaqui could meet part of the demand for low priced fish in Costa Rica.

Zeolites of the Valle Central of Costa Rica and its outskirts; Zeolitas del Valle Central de Costa Rica y sus alrededores

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeledon, Luis Alonso [Moravia, San Jose, (Costa Rica)

2004-12-15

19 different species of zeolites have been found in 25 outcrops in the Valle Central of Costa Rica and in the Siquirres region. All the zeolites are secondary minerals and crystallized in little veins and vesicles of the basalts and pyroclastics rocks of the La Cruz and Grifo Alto formations, belonging to the Aguacate Group and the alkaline igneous rocks of Guayacan. The most frequent species of zeolites are stibnite, chabasite, laumontite, mesolite/mordenite, thomsonite, and analcime. Natrolite only was found near to Siquirres. (Author) [Spanish] Se describen 19 especies diferentes de zeolitas procedentes de 25 afloramientos en los alrededores del Valle Central de Costa Rica y en la region de Siquirres. Todas las zeolitas descritas son de origen secundario y se presentan en vetillas y vesiculas de los basaltos y rocas piroclasticas de las formaciones La Cruz y Grifo Alto del Grupo Aguacate y en las rocas igneas alcalinas de Guayacan. Las especies mas frecuentes son estilbita, chabasita, laumontita, mesolita/modernita, thomsonita y analcima. La natrolita solo se encontro en los alrededores de Siquirres. (Autor)

Zero Emission Bay Area (ZEBA) Fuel Cell Bus Demonstration Results: Sixth Report

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-01

This report presents results of a demonstration of fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs) operating in Oakland, California. Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) leads the Zero Emission Bay Area (ZEBA) demonstration that includes 13 advanced-d...

El género Leptonema (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae en Costa Rica, con la descripción de una nueva especie

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Muñoz-Quesada

1999-12-01

Full Text Available El género Leptonema Guérin 1943 (Hydropsychidae: Macronematinae es uno de los géneros de Trichoptera más abundantes y más ampliamente distribuidos en el Nuevo Mundo. En Costa Rica son conocidas 24 especies. El presente trabajo incluye la descripción e ilustración del genital del macho de una especie no descrita para Costa Rica: Leptonema tica. Además de la descripción diagnóstica y ilustración de la larva, se incorporan las descripciones diagnósticas e ilustraciones del phallus de los machos de las otras 24 especies. Anotaciones de la historia natural del adulto y la larva del género son incluidas. Finalmente, se incluyen una clave de identificación en inglés y español de las especies conocidas de Leptonema para Costa Rica y se ilustran sus registros de distribución en Costa Rica.The genus Leptonema Guérin 1843 (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae: Macronematinae is one of the best known and most easily recognized of the Neotropical caddisflies. In the New World, the genus is widely distributed from southern North America through Central and South America, including the Antilles, but excluding souther Chile and adjacent Argentina. The adults of Leptonema are large (10-40 mm with light brown to light green translucent wings. Some species have small black or dark spots or patterns on the forewings. Larvae of Leptonema build refuges with small silken nets, and this way feed by filtering fine organic particles from the water. The refuges and nets are built with small gravel, sand, and silk. In 1914, Banks reported L. albovirens from Costa Rica, the first record of the genus for Costa Rica. In 1987, Flint et al. provided an exhaustive taxonomic review of the world species, and recognized 15 species groups, five of which were present in Costa Rica. In addition, they described 48 new species, four from Costa Rica, and reported five additional records. Holzenthal added six additional species records, and Muñoz-Q. described five new species

Proposal to regulate human exposure limits to electromagnetic fields produced by cellular telephony systems in Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomez Lizano, Cristian; Calvo Horth, Gustavo; Dompe Gamboa, Pablo; Ramirez Rodriguez, David; Retana Duran, Elias; Gutierrez Chinchilla, Jose Alcides

2008-01-01

Modern society has presented an epic technology development in recent years, driven strongly by communications networks: from micro environments such as personal area networks passing by cell phone to the global Internet network. The communications established in real-time are increasingly, a necessary input. However, the growing demand for communications services and in particularly mobile phone, has meant that the environment is altered by the large number of signals generated by electromagnetic fields that transmit high volumes of energy, which saturate the electromagnetic spectrum, these waves of energy called no ionizing energy. The World Health Organization, through the International Energy Agency Nonionizing (ICNIRP for its acronym in English), has conducted in recent years researches on the effects of the health of people exposed to nonionizing energy; also, have existed proposals regulating these exposure levels. Nonionizing electromagnetic fields are investigated, focusing on transmitting equipment for mobile phone systems in Costa Rica and electromagnetic safety criteria of exposure, both occupational as of general public. The electromagnetism basic concepts and parameters related with nonionizing radiations research are referenced, among them can be mentioned the relationship between the electric field E, the magnetic field H and the power density S. Other concepts such as near-field region, far-field region, exposure zones and specified absorption rate SAR, are also defined. A mathematical fundament is presented showing the relationships between the concepts explained. Guidelines for calculating the power density are provided by means of a theoretical estimate from parameters of transmitting equipment. Also, the procedures for calculating the spatial and temporal averaging are set out and a brief overview is made of epidemiological and biological effects caused by radio frequency radiation. The existing rules at the international level are analyzed to

In vitro antimalarial activity of extracts of some plants from a biological reserve in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Misael Chinchilla

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Treatment with the usual antimalarial drugs, have induced parasite resistance, reinforcing the need to finding natural antimalarial components that would be found on plants from the forest. Therefore, we decided to look for these components in Costa Rican plants from a protected forest area. Fresh and dry extracts of roots, bark, leaves, flowers and fruits of 25 plants from a biological reserve in Costa Rica, Reserva Biológica Alberto Manuel Brenes (REBAMB, were studied in vitro for the presence of substances with antimalarial activity. By studying the inhibition of P. berghei schizogony, we assessed the antimalarial activity of several plant extracts: Aphelandra aurantiaca, A. tridentata (Acanthaceae; Xanthosoma undipes (Araceae; Iriartea deltoidea (Arecaceae; Neurolaena lobata (Asteraceae; Senna papillosa, Pterocarpus hayessi, Lonchocarpus pentaphyllus (Fabaceae; Nectandra membranacea, Persea povedae, Cinamomum chavarrianum (Lauraceae; Hampea appendiculata (Malvaceae; Ruagea glabra, Guarea glabra (Meliaceae; Psidium guajava (Myrtaceae; Bocconia frutescens (Papaveraceae; Piper friedrichsthalii (Piperaceae; Clematis dioica (Ranunculaceae; Prunus annularis (Rosaceae; Siparuna thecaphora (Siparunaceae; Solanum arboreum, Witheringia solanácea (Solanaceae; Ticodendrum incognitum (Ticodendraceae; Heliocarpus appendiculatus (Tiliaceae and Myriocarpa longipes (Urticaceae. We used different parts of the plants as well as fresh and dried extracts for testing IC50. The solid content of the extracts ranged from 1-71.9μg/mL. The fresh extracts showed stronger activity than the dry ones. Since the plants showing the strongest antimalarial activity are very common in Central America, and some similar genera of these plants have shown positives results in South America, we considered important to present these findings for discussion. On the other hand, this is the first systematic study of this kind ever realized in a circumscribed and protected area of

SME´s semi-formality rate in Costa Rica: a clusters approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lizette Brenes Bonilla

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The MSME Observatory has been studying MSMEs in Costa Rica. Its findings show that for every formal enterprise, there are 2.4 semi-formal ones. The latter refers to those enterprises that have already started the formalization process with the corresponding municipality but that still do not have all the formalization requirements.Owing to the importance of the semi-formal sector in the economic activity of Costa Rica, this study analyzed this business park and the role of municipal management concerning MSMEs, calculated the correlation among semi-formality, competitiveness, and development, and finally, proposed a cluster design to deal with the state of affairs. It should be noted that this type of analysis has never been undertaken in the country.

ESTUDIO INTRAPAÍSES DE LA COMPETITIVIDAD GLOBAL DESDE EL ENFOQUE DEL DOBLE DIAMANTE PARA PUERTO RICO, COSTA RICA Y SINGAPUR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Castro-Gonzáles, Segundo

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Muchos investigadores y economistas han argumentado que los estudios de competitividad del WEF e IMD muestran limitaciones en pequeñas economías,más aún cuando estas tienen características distintas. El objetivo de esta investigación es estudiar la competitividad de 3 peque˜nas economías: Puerto Rico, Costa Rica y Singapur. El modelo del doble-diamante de competitividad resulta útil a la hora de llevar a cabo esta tarea. La información procede de organismos internacionales. Los resultados muestran que Singapur goza de un mayor nivel de competitividad global comparado con Puerto Rico y Costa Rica. Concluimos que Puerto Rico y Costa Rica lucen equilibrados en competitividad, porque internacionalmente Puerto Rico aventaja a Costa Rica en 3 determinantes: condiciones de factores, condiciones de la demanda e industrias relacionadas y de apoyo; mientras que localmente Costa Rica es más competitivo que Puerto Rico en 3 factores domésticos: condiciones de factores, condiciones de demanda y estrategia de las firmas.

Activities of technical cooperation in the countries of Latin America: the case of Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solis Diaz, L.

1998-01-01

The activities of technical cooperation in the region of Latin America, have been promoted by the own countries, and by the International Atomic Energy Agency, since 1957. In Costa Rica from 1969, the Commission of Atomic Energy of Costa Rica, has developed an intense work in the promotion of the pacific uses of nuclear energy, as well as, the coordination and canalization of the international technical cooperation, toward the national executing institutions. (author) [es

Bargaining power and revenue distribution in the Costa Rican mango chain: a gaming simulation approach with local producers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zuniga Arias, G.E.; Meijer, S.; Ruben, R.; Hofstede, G.J.

2007-01-01

By the time a European consumer eats a Costa Rican mango, the product has been traded in several transactions between producers, traders, retailers and consumers. This paper investigates the position of Costa Rican smallholders in the mango supply chain in terms of bargaining power and revenue

A Cross-Country Comparison of Virtual Discussion Board Use in United States and Costa Rican Education Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Hodge, Kari; Saxon, Terrill F.; Trumble, Jason

2013-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to compare the use of virtual discussion boards in various educational settings in the United States and Costa Rica. Participants included professors of education, in-service and pre-service teachers in the United States and Costa Rica where a survey was used that included demographic, knowledge, attitude, and…

The salt content of products from popular fast-food chains in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Heredia-Blonval, Katrina; Blanco-Metzler, Adriana; Montero-Campos, Marielos; Dunford, Elizabeth K

2014-12-01

Salt is a major determinant of population blood pressure levels. Salt intake in Costa Rica is above levels required for good health. With an increasing number of Costa Ricans visiting fast food restaurants, it is likely that fast-food is contributing to daily salt intake. Salt content data from seven popular fast food chains in Costa Rica were collected in January 2013. Products were classified into 10 categories. Mean salt content was compared between chains and categories. Statistical analysis was performed using Welch ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer HSD tests. Significant differences were found between companies; Subway products had lowest mean salt content (0.97 g/100 g; p KFC had the highest (1.57 g/100 g; p < 0.05). Significant variations in mean salt content were observed between categories. Salads had a mean salt content of 0.45 g/100 g while sauces had 2.16 g/100 g (p < 0.05). Wide variation in salt content was also seen within food categories. Salt content in sandwiches ranged from 0.5 to 2.1 g/100 g. The high levels and wide variation in salt content of fast food products in Costa Rica suggest that salt reduction is likely to be technically feasible in many cases. With an increasing number of consumers purchasing fast foods, even small improvements in salt levels could produce important health gains. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Arellano Hernández

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo es una contribución al estudio simultáneo de elementos ontológicos y metodológicos comprometidos con el conocimiento de la organización sociotécnica de la investigación científica universitaria. Se trata de la presentación de un análisis asistido informáticamente de bases de datos que genera mapas, de los que se pueden intelegir organización de relaciones heterogéneas de propiedades científico-técnicas y sociales contenidas en las fuentes de información, que son simultáneamente cuantitativas y cualitativas. Para ilustrar lo anterior, realizamos un estudio de caso analizando informáticamente las bases de datos de los proyectos de investigación en ciencias básicas de la Universidad de Costa Rica entre 1977 y 2005.

Educational gradients in psychotropic medication use among older adults in Costa Rica and the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Domino, Marisa Elena; Dow, William H; Coto-Yglesias, Fernando

2014-10-01

The relationship of education, psychiatric diagnoses, and use of psychotropic medication has been explored in the United States, but little is known about this relationship in poorer countries, despite the high burden of mental illness in these countries. This study estimated educational gradients in diagnosis and psychotropic drug use in the United States and Costa Rica, a middle-income country with universal health insurance. Analyses were conducted by using data of older adults (≥60) from the 2005 U.S. Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (N=4,788) and the 2005 Costa Rican Longevity and Healthy Aging Study (N=2,827). Logistic regressions examined the effect of education level (low, medium, or high) and urban residence on the rates of self-reported mental health diagnoses, screening diagnosis, and psychotropic medication use with and without an associated psychiatric diagnosis. Rates of self-reported diagnoses were lower in the United States (12%) than in Costa Rica (20%), possibly reflecting differences in survey wording. In both countries, the odds of having depression were significantly lower among persons with high education. In Costa Rica, use of psychotropic medication among persons with self-reported diagnoses increased by education level. The educational gradients in medication use were different in the United States and Costa Rica, and stigma and access to care in these countries may play an important role in these differences, although type of insurance did not affect educational gradients in the United States. These analyses increase the evidence of the role of education in use of the health care system.

Evaluation of Costa Rican Excellence: Award for High Quality and Performance (Evaluación del “Premio a la Excelencia para la alta calidad y desempeño”en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henry Quesada Pineda

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the authors analyzed the internal validity of amodel used by the Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce to recognizethe outstanding performance in manufacturing and serviceindustries in Costa Rica. Using an extensive literature review, theauthors validate the current structure of the award model by comparingit with different business process improvement methodologiesand frameworks. Secondly, the authors used a sample of firmsthat competed for the award in 2005, to statically validate the configurationof the model. Multivariate statistical techniques, includingAlpha Coefficient of Cronbach and exploratory factor analysis,were used to validate the model. Also, recommendations weremade to improve the validity of the existing model. Additionally,the analysis of variance (ANOVA was used to test the influence ofsome of the critical factors evaluated by the model.   RESUMEN En este artículo se intenta validar la estructura del modelousado por la Cámara de Industrias de Costa Rica para reconocerel éxito empresarial en los sectores de manufactura yservicios en Costa Rica. Primeramente los autores compararonel modelo del Premio a la Excelencia con otros modelos en laliteratura. Segundo, los autores utilizaron la muestra de empresasque aplicaron al premio en el año 2005 para estadísticamentevalidar la configuración del modelo usado en el premio.Métodos estadísticos como el coeficiente alpha de Cronbachy análisis factorial fueron usados para validar el modelo y sehicieron recomendaciones para mejorar el modelo existente.Finalmente se utilizó ANOVA para medir las relaciones entrelos factores del modelo.

Legislación para el uso de animales de laboratorio en Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Jorge Granados Zúñiga; Liliana Pazos Sanou

1998-01-01

Los animales de laboratorio se usan como análogos a las enfermedades humanas, tanto en gnotobiología, investigación dental, embriología y teratología, oncología, gerontología, investigación cardiovascular, inmunología, parasitología, virología, nutrición, genética y farmacología. Aunque en Costa Rica, la ciencia de animales de laboratorio es apenas incipiente, no existe información sobre los animales, la cantidad y para qué deberían de usarse. En Costa Rica rige desde el 13 de diciembre de 19...

Building positive nature awareness in pupils using the "Rainforest of the Austrians" in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Aubrecht, Margit; Hölzl, Irmgard; Huber, Werner; Weissenhofer, Anton

2013-04-01

20 years ago, Michael Schnitzler founded the NGO "Rainforest of the Austrians" to help save one of the most diverse rainforests in Central America, the Esquinas rainforest on the Pacific coast of SW Costa Rica, from being destroyed through logging. In this abstract we present an interdisciplinary upper Austrian school project aiming at building positive awareness in pupils towards rainforest conservation by fund-raising to help purchase endangered forest areas. The acquired rainforest was donated to the Costa Rican government and became part of the National Park "Piedras Blancas". In the following, we present a chronology of events and actions of the school project. We started our rainforest project by face-to-face encounters, letting involved persons speak directly to the pupils. Dr. Huber, coordinator of the tropical rainforest station La Gamba in Costa Rica (www.lagamba.at), together with Dr. Weissenhofer, presented an introductory slide show about the "Rainforest of the Austrians". With rainforest images and sounds in their mind the pupils wrote "trips of a lifetime" stories, thus creating idyllic images of rainforest habitats. Following up on that, we visited the exhibition "Heliconia and Hummingbirds" at the Biology Center in Linz. Reports about the slide show and the exhibition followed. Tropical sites were compared by producing climate graphs of La Gamba, Costa Rica, and Manaus in Brazil. The global distribution and the decrease of rainforests were also analyzed. In biology lessons the symbiosis between plants and animals of the rainforest were worked out by searching the Internet. Flyers with profiles of rainforest animals were produced. We also discussed the ecotourism project "RICANCIE" in Ecuador using fact sheets. "RICANCIE" is a Spanish acronym standing for "Indigenous Community Network of the Upper Napo for Intercultural Exchange and Ecotourism". It was founded in 1993 aiming to improve the quality of life for some 200 indigenous Kichwa families

Using geographical information systems to identify populations in need of improved accessibility to antivenom treatment for snakebite envenoming in Costa Rica.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erik Hansson

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Snakebite accidents are an important health problem in rural areas of tropical countries worldwide, including Costa Rica, where most bites are caused by the pit-viper Bothrops asper. The treatment of these potentially fatal accidents is based on the timely administration of specific antivenom. In many regions of the world, insufficient health care systems and lack of antivenom in remote and poor areas where snakebites are common, means that efficient treatment is unavailable for many snakebite victims, leading to unnecessary mortality and morbidity. In this study, geographical information systems (GIS were used to identify populations in Costa Rica with a need of improved access to antivenom treatment: those living in areas with a high risk of snakebites and long time to reach antivenom treatment. METHOD/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Populations living in areas with high risk of snakebites were identified using two approaches: one based on the district-level reported incidence, and another based on mapping environmental factors favoring B. asper presence. Time to reach treatment using ambulance was estimated using cost surface analysis, thereby enabling adjustment of transportation speed by road availability and quality, topography and land use. By mapping populations in high risk of snakebites and the estimated time to treatment, populations with need of improved treatment access were identified. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This study demonstrates the usefulness of GIS for improving treatment of snakebites. By mapping reported incidence, risk factors, location of existing treatment resources, and the time estimated to reach these for at-risk populations, rational allocation of treatment resources is facilitated.

Patrones diferenciales de mortalidad entre inmigrantes nicaragüenses y residentes nativos de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Herring, Andrew A.

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Utilizando datos del Registro Nacional de defunciones de los años 1996-2005 se calcularon las tasas de mortalidad estandarizadas por edad para personas nacidas en Nicaragua versus personas nacidas en Costa Rica. Así mismo, utilizando modelos de regresión binomial se determinaron los riesgos relativos de mortalidad de los inmigrantes nicaragüenses versus personas nativas de Costa Rica con ajustes por edad, urbanización, desempleo, pobreza, educación y segregación residencial. Los hombres y mujeres nacidos en Nicaragua tuvieron un riesgo reducido de mortalidad de 32% y 34% respectivamente con relación a sus contrapartes nacidas en Costa Rica. Se notó que los riesgos de mortalidad por enfermedades infecciosas, cáncer, enfermedades crónicas pulmonares, enfermedades cardiovasculares, y enfermedades crónicas del hígado eran significativamente reducidos entre los inmigrantes nacidos en Nicaragua. El exceso significativo de mortalidad por homicidios se encontró entre los hombres nacidos en Nicaragua (RT = 1,35, 95% IC: 1,19; 1,53 y en mujeres (RT = 1,41, 95% IC: 1,02; 1,95. El riesgo relativo de causas de mortalidad de origen de tipo exógeno entre los inmigrantes nicaragüenses fue más grande entre los grupos de edad joven en áreas de baja densidad de inmigrantes nicaragüenses. La población nacida en Nicaragua residiendo en Costa Rica tiene un riesgo reducido de mortalidad por causas generales versus las personas nacidas en Costa Rica en los años entre 1996-2005. Esto se debe a una mortalidad por enfermedad reducida, la cual es bastante marcada. El homicidio es un una razón de mayor mortalidad entre los inmigrantes nacidos en Nicaragua versus los nativos costarricenses. Hay una gran necesidad de llevar acabo investigaciones adicionales sobre el rol de la migración, estatus socioeconómico y comportamientos entorno a la salud para poder explicar más a fondo los patrones de mortalidad diferenciales entre los inmigrantes nicarag

Diversidad y microestructura de quitones (Mollusca: Polyplacophora del Caribe de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cedar I García-Ríos

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Los poliplacóforos asociados a los arrecifes de coral en la costa caribeña de Costa Rica han sido poco estudiados. El examen del cascajo de coral acumulado en el sublitoral somero, en cuatro estaciones de colección, localizadas en la Provincia de Limón reveló una diversidad de quitones mayor a la documentada. Anteriormente se habían registrado ocho especies para el Caribe costaricense: Ischnochiton erythronotus (C.B. Adams, 1845; Ischnoplax pectinata (Sowerby 1840; Stenoplax boogii (Haddon, 1886; S. purpurascens (C.B. Adams, 1845; Acanthopleura granulata (Gmelin, 1791; Chiton marmoratus Gmelin, 1791; C. tuberculatus Linnaeus, 1758; Acanthochitona rhodea (Pilsbry, 1893. Otras cinco se registran aquí por primera vez: Callistochiton portobelensis Ferreira 1976; Ischnochiton kaasi Ferreira 1987; I. pseudovirgatus Kaas 1972; Acanthochitona balesae Abbott 1954; Cryptoconchus floridanus (Dall 1889.Diversity and microstructure of quitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora from the Caribbean of Costa Rica. The polyplacophorans of the coral reef on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica have been insufficiently studied. The examination of coral rubble accumulated in the shallow sublitoral waters on four collection stations in Provincia Limón revealed a higher diversity of chitons than was documented. From the country eight species were previously known: Ischnochiton erythronotus (C.B. Adams 1845; Ischnoplax pectinata (Sowerby 1840; Stenoplax boogii (Haddon 1886; S. purpurascens (C.B. Adams 1845; Acanthopleura granulate (Gmelin 1791; Chiton marmoratus Gmelin 1791; C. tuberculatus Linnaeus 1758 and Acanthochitona rhodea (Pilsbry 1893. This study added five more species that are reported here for the first time: Callistochiton portobelensis Ferreira 1976; Ischnochiton kaasi Ferreira 1987; I. pseudovirgatus Kaas 1972; Acanthochitona balesae Abbott 1954 and Cryptoconchus floridanus (Dall 1889. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (1: 129-136. Epub 2011 March 01.

De la urbanización a la intervención urbana estratégica: Instrumentos de planificación intermedia en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roy Allan Jiménez Céspedes

2016-07-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo analiza el contexto y las posibilidades normativas del país para implementar estrategias de planificación de grandes conjuntos urbanos. Este tipo de planificación se ubica entre los planes reguladores locales y la ejecución del proyecto individual. Su aplicación tiene el alcance del conocido pero nunca aplicado “plan maestro”. Los actuales formatos de transformación del suelo en Costa Rica impiden un abordaje integral de grandes conjuntos urbanos. La separación práctica de la figura de la urbanización y del condominio ha generado una mejor salida en el mercado inmobiliario del segundo. Grandes áreas de la ciudad han sido intervenidas bajo el formato de condominio horizontal. Esta práctica aceptada e institucionalizada, provoca que la trama urbana existente experimente un proceso de sobrecarga. Al mismo tiempo, el condominio horizontal se considera exento de las cesiones que el desarrollo inmobiliario debe brindar a la ciudad. La renovación urbana, inexplorada pero existente en nuestra normativa, abraza muchas de las posibilidades para la implementación de diferentes procesos de escala intermedia. This paper analyzes the opportunities of Costa Rica to implement planning strategies for large urban sectors. This kind of planning takes place between municipal planning (local government and specific (urban projects, in which case, replaces the quite known but difficult to apply “master plan”. The current patterns of urban development and real estate in Costa Rica, prevent an integrated approach on large urban sectors. The lack of commercial advantages of the traditional urban development versus the gated community has provoked that large sectors of the city have been intervened as closed environments. The consequences of this very profitable and institutionalized practice are the overload on existing urban areas and the deficit of public facilities, which are necessary for an adequate urban growth. The urban

First report of acariasis by Caparinia tripilis in African hedgehogs, (Atelerix albiventris), in Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Moreira, Andrés; Troyo, Adriana; Calderón-Arguedas, Olger

2013-01-01

The African hedgehog is one of the newly imported exotic pets which have been observed with increasing regularity in veterinary clinics in Costa Rica. Despite their popularity, information about their diseases is scarce. Within skin diseases of hedgehogs, mange caused by Capariniaspp. is a common diagnosis in other countries. Two adult African hedgehogs, one male and one female, were brought to a private clinic in Heredia, Costa Rica, with chronic pruritic dermatitis, scabs, nearly complete l...

First report of acariasis by Caparinia tripilis in African hedgehogs, (Atelerix albiventris), in Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Moreira,Andrés; Troyo,Adriana; Calderón-Arguedas,Olger

2013-01-01

The African hedgehog is one of the newly imported exotic pets which have been observed with increasing regularity in veterinary clinics in Costa Rica. Despite their popularity, information about their diseases is scarce. Within skin diseases of hedgehogs, mange caused by Caparinia spp. is a common diagnosis in other countries. Two adult African hedgehogs, one male and one female, were brought to a private clinic in Heredia, Costa Rica, with chronic pruritic dermatitis, scabs, nearly complete ...

Dengue in Costa Rica: the gap in local scientific research Dengue en Costa Rica: la brecha en la investigación científica local

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Troyo

2006-11-01

Full Text Available El dengue es una enfermedad de gran importancia a escala mundial. Los esfuerzos para su control en la mayoría de las regiones del mundo no han logrado detener el aumento en su incidencia, y se fomenta la investigación científica para contribuir a desarrollar nuevos enfoques de control basados en la evidencia científica o a mejorar los existentes. Enfermedad recientemente reemergente en Costa Rica, el dengue se ha convertido en un grave problema de salud en ese país. A pesar de esta crítica situación, se dispone de pocas publicaciones científicas sobre dengue en Costa Rica. En una búsqueda realizada en la base de datos PubMed se encontraron solo 11 artículos, mientras que en varias bases de datos bibliográficas centradas en Costa Rica y otros países de América Latina se hallaron 19 artículos más. Además, se encontraron 10 tesis relacionadas con el dengue realizadas en universidades costarricenses. Por lo tanto, son pocos los artículos científicos originales publicados sobre este tema en revistas científicas arbitradas, especialmente en aspectos vinculados con la epidemiología, la salud pública y la idoneidad y eficacia de las intervenciones en marcha. Esta brecha en las investigaciones puede deberse a diversos factores, como el contexto histórico y político, insuficientes recursos financieros y humanos, deficiencias en la colaboración entre las instituciones y dificultades para disponer de los datos. Costa Rica puede aprender de la experiencia de otros países de la Región de las Américas (como Cuba y Trinidad y Tobago, donde se ha investigado mucho más sobre dengue. Las investigaciones de esos dos países han aportado evidencias cruciales para el desarrollo de estrategias locales y generales dirigidas al control y la prevención del dengue. En dependencia del contexto local, algunos métodos de control pueden ser más eficaces que otros, por lo que las acciones basadas en la evidencia deben adaptarse para las

Tourism Chains and Pro-Poor Tourism Development: An Actor-Network Analysis of a Pilot Project in Costa Rica

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Duim, van der V.R.; Caalders, J.D.A.D.

2008-01-01

This paper analyses a pilot project in Costa Rica aimed to examine and improve the market linkages of 24 small-scale tourism initiatives to tour operators in Costa Rica and the Netherlands. It links pro-poor tourism and the concept of tourism chain to actor-network theory. The analysis shows that

Tobacco industry success in Costa Rica: the importance of FCTC article 5.3 El éxito de la industria tabacalera en Costa Rica: la importancia del artículo 5.3 del CMCT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric Crosbie

2012-02-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To analyze how the tobacco industry influenced tobacco control policymaking in Costa Rica. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Review of tobacco industry documents, tobacco control legislation, newspaper articles, and interviewing of key informants. RESULTS: During the mid-to-late 1980s, Health Ministry issued several advanced (for their time smoking restriction decrees causing British American Tobacco (BAT and Philip Morris International (PMI to strengthen their political presence there, resulting in passage of a weak 1995 law, which, as of August 2011, remained in effect. Since 1995 the industry has used Costa Rica as a pilot site for Latin American programs and has dominated policymaking by influencing the Health Ministry, including direct private negotiations with the tobacco industry which violate Article 5.3's implementing guidelines of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC. CONCLUSIONS: The Costa Rica experience demonstrates the importance of vigorous implementation of FCTC Article 5.3 which insulates public health policymaking from industry interference.OBJETIVO: Analizar cómo la industria tabacalera influyó en la formulación de las políticas de control del tabaco en Costa Rica. MATERIALS Y MÉTODOS: Revisión de documentos de la industria tabacalera, de la legislación costarricense de control del tabaco y de periódicos y entrevistas con informantes clave. RESULTADOS: Durante los años ochenta, el Ministerio de Salud aprobó varios decretos para restringir el consumo de tabaco, lo que causó que British American Tobacco y Philip Morris International fortalecieran su presencia política, cuyo resultado fue la promulgación de una ley débil en 1995 todavía vigente. Desde 1995 la industria tabacalera ha utilizado a Costa Rica como piloto para los programas latinoamericanos y ha dominado la formulación de políticas influenciando al Ministerio de Salud, incluyendo negociaciones privadas con la

Uso de encuestas en escolares para la evaluación de la cobertura y oportunidad de la vacunación en Costa Rica Using surveys of schoolchildren to evaluate coverage with and opportunity for vaccination in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nidia Calvo

2004-08-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Identificar diferencias en el nivel de cobertura y en la oportunidad de la vacunación de escolares residentes en tres tipos de zonas de Costa Rica: urbana, rural y fronteriza (rural de la frontera norte del país. MÉTODOS: Mediante encuesta, previa selección de escuelas por probabilidad proporcional, se reunió al azar a alumnos de primero y segundo grados de enseñanza primaria de tres zonas: urbana (n = 961, rural (n = 544 y fronteriza (n = 811. Los datos de las vacunas aplicadas se obtuvieron del carné (cartilla de vacunación. Se evaluaron las diferencias en la cobertura con BCG, DPT3, VOP3, SRP1 y SRP2 y en la oportunidad de la administración de DPT1 + VOP1 antes de los 3 meses, de DPT3 + VOP3 antes de los 7 meses y de DPT4 + VOP4 + SRP1 antes de los 24 meses de edad, entre las tres zonas. RESULTADOS: Del total de alumnos seleccionados, 80% presentaron carné de vacunación en la zona urbana, 73% en la rural y 72% en la fronteriza (P 95% en las zonas urbana y rural, y se encontraron cifras significativamente menores (P OBJECTIVE: To identify differences in the level of coverage of and opportunity for vaccination among schoolchildren in three areas in Costa Rica with different characteristics: an urban area (with the highest level of socioeconomic development of the three areas, a rural area (with a medium level of socioeconomic development, and a border area (a rural area in northern Costa Rica, on the border with Nicaragua, with the lowest level of socioeconomic development and the highest proportion of foreign immigrants. METHODOLOGY: Following selection of schools by proportional probability, surveys were used with children chosen at random from the first and second grades of elementary schools in the three areas: urban (961 students, rural (544 students, and border (811 students. The data on the vaccines that had been administered were obtained from the children's vaccination cards. Differences among the three areas were

Identificación de las prioridades de conservación de la biodiversidad marina y costera en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan José Alvarado

2011-06-01

Rica is recognized as one of the most diverse countries in species and ecosystems, in their terrestrial realm as well as in the marine. Besides this relevance, the country presents a delay on conservation and management of marine and coastal biodiversity, with respect to terrestrial. For 2006, the marine protected surface was 5 208.8km², with 331.5km of coastline, in 20 protected areas. The country has made progress on the conservation priority sites identification for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity, with few efforts on marine planning. This research presents the analysis and results of the gap identification process, formarine and coastal biodiversity conservation in the protected areas system of Costa Rica. The analysis was built with the spatial information available on the presence and distribution of coastal and marine biodiversity, the establishment of the conservation goals and a threat analysis over the ecological integrity of this biodiversity. The selection of high-priority sites was carried out using spatial optimization techniques and the superposition over the current shape of marine protected areas, in order to identify representation gaps. A total of 19 076km² of conservation gaps were indentified, with 1 323km² in the Caribbean and 17 753km² in the Pacific. Recommendations are aimed at planning and strengthening the marine protected areas system, using the gaps identified as a framework. It is expected that the results of this study would be the scientific base needed for planning and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in the country. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (2: 829-842. Epub 2011 June 01.

Radioactivity levels in three regions of Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mora, P.; Salazar, A.

1995-01-01

The establishment of the first radioactivity levels of natural radiation was carried out during the period 1991 to 1994 in three different regions of Costa Rica. The radionuclides studied belong to different soil types related to each selected region. Utilizing low level counting techniques the specific activity of the natural radioactive chains 238 U daughters, 232 Th and the element 40 K were measured for a total of 120 samples during this period. The amount of 137 Cs, a fall out radionuclide, was also studied. The average national values in Bq.kg -1 measured for 238 U were 11.66 for 214 Bi, 34.42 for 226 Ra and 10.73 for 232 Pb, for 232 Th daughters were 4.08 for 208 Tl, 9.65 for 212 Bi and 7.62 for 228 Ac. The specific activity value for 40 K was 95.14 Bq.kg -1 and for 137 Cs was 2.38 Bq.kg -1 . It is found that Costa Rica is not highly natural radioactive country and that the values for 137 Cs are well below international reported values [es

Empirical findings on socioeconomic determinants of fertility differentials in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Carvajal, M J; Geithman, D T

1986-01-01

"This paper seeks to (1) identify socioeconomic variables that are expected to generate fertility differentials; (2) hypothesize the direction and magnitude of the effect of each variable by reference to a demand-for-children model; and (3) test empirically the model using evidence from Costa Rica. The estimates are obtained from a ten-percent systematic random sample of all Costa Rican individual-family households. There are 15,924 families in the sample...." The authors specifically seek "to capture the effects of changing relative prices and available income and time constraints on parental preferences for children. Least-squares estimates show statistically significant relationships between household fertility and opportunity cost of time, parental education, occurrence of an extended family, medical care, household sanitation, economic sector of employment, and household stock of nonhuman capital." excerpt

Que Sucede? Manual Informativo Sobre Rehabilitacion y Educacion Especial en Costa Rica (What's Happening? Informative Manual on Rehabilitation and Special Education in Costa Rica).

Science.gov (United States)

de Mezerville, Gaston; And Others

The manual, in Spanish, provides descriptions of rehabilitation, medical, and special education services; centers and institutions which offer physical and mental rehabilitation services; and lists of professionals and advocacy organizations in Costa Rica. Part 1 includes an overview of rehabilitation and special education, a short history of…

John Chalmers DaCosta (1863-1933): restoration of the old operating table.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Madalyn G; Berger, Adam C; Schwartz, Gordon F; Yeo, Charles J; Cowan, Scott W

2013-03-01

John Chalmers DaCosta was an influential chairman and the first Samuel D. Gross Professor of Surgery at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. He was well known throughout the field as a skilled surgeon, passionate speaker, and exceptional writer. In addition to countless accomplishments during his career, DaCosta was deeply dedicated to the preservation and commemoration of surgical history. This ideology was exemplified when he set out on a mission to recover the old wooden operating table used by many of his iconic mentors including Samuel D. Gross, Joseph Pancoast, and William W. Keen. This table was originally used for surgical demonstrations and anatomy lessons in a lecture room of the Ely Building and later in the great amphitheater of the Jefferson Sansom Street Hospital. It was found forgotten in the basement of the College Building and was promptly refurbished, donned with dedicatory plaques, and returned to its honored position in the medical college. Dr. DaCosta also contributed a detailed article recalling the history of the table and the notable leaders in surgery who taught and practiced on its surface. The old table currently stands proudly in the entranceway of the Department of Surgery where it will remain as a cherished symbol of the early beginnings of surgical practice and education.

The Neutral State: A Genealogy of Ecosystem Service Payments in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David M Lansing

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Using the case of Costa Rica, this paper examines how ′carbon′ became an identifiable problem for that state. We trace how, during the 1980s, rationalities of financialisation and security arose in this country that allowed for Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES to emerge as an economic and political mechanism. Our central thesis is: this period initiated a government project of securing a viable future for the nation′s resources by linking them to global financial markets and international trade. This project of achieving resource security through economic circulation introduced new financial logics into forest management, as well as new modes of calculating the value and extent of the forest. These ways of framing resources found expression in the nation′s PES programme that is now central to the state′s goal of achieving carbon neutrality. Today, Costa Rica′s carbon flows are becoming territorialised as part of the nation′s atmosphere, biomass, people, and economy. This paper shows how carbon′s territorialisation did not begin with a concern for the climate, nor did it occur through diffusion of global climate policy to Costa Rica. Instead, carbon′s rise can be traced to locally specific ways of coping with the problem of resource security.

New records of benthic marine algae and Cyanobacteria for Costa Rica, and a comparison with other Central American countries

Science.gov (United States)

Bernecker, Andrea; Wehrtmann, Ingo S.

2009-09-01

We present the results of an intensive sampling program carried out from 2000 to 2007 along both coasts of Costa Rica, Central America. The presence of 44 species of benthic marine algae is reported for the first time for Costa Rica. Most of the new records are Rhodophyta (27 spp.), followed by Chlorophyta (15 spp.), and Heterokontophyta, Phaeophycea (2 spp.). Overall, the currently known marine flora of Costa Rica is comprised of 446 benthic marine algae and 24 Cyanobacteria. This species number is an under estimation, and will increase when species of benthic marine algae from taxonomic groups where only limited information is available (e.g., microfilamentous benthic marine algae, Cyanobacteria) are included. The Caribbean coast harbors considerably more benthic marine algae (318 spp.) than the Pacific coast (190 spp.); such a trend has been observed in all neighboring countries. Compared to other Central American countries, Costa Rica has the highest number of reported benthic marine algae; however, Panama may have a similarly high diversity after unpublished results from a Rhodophyta survey (Wysor, unpublished) are included. Sixty-two species have been found along both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts of Costa Rica; we discuss this result in relation to the emergence of the Central American Isthmus.

Fundaciones para turbinas eólicas costa afuera Foundations for offshore wind turbines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felipe Alberto Villalobos Jara

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Este artículo describe el comienzo y la evolución de la hoy en día creciente mundialmente industria de la energía eólica costa afuera. Como un caso particular, se describe la actual política de energías renovables en el Reino Unido. Se explican las características de las cargas ambientales existentes costa afuera, tipos de suelos del fondo marino y las fundaciones que se utilizan comúnmente. El tipo de estructura y régimen de carga establecen nuevas condiciones desde el punto de vista de la Ingeniería Civil. Se presentan las cámaras a succión como una fundación alternativa para turbinas de viento costa afuera. Las cámaras a succión son actualmente una alternativa aceptada en vez de usar pilotes en aplicaciones para la industria del petróleo y el gas. Sin embargo, este no es el caso todavía en aplicaciones para aerogeneradores costa afuera.This paper describes the beginning and evolution of the now worldwide growing offshore wind energy industry. In particular, the current renewable energy policy in the UK is described. The characteristics of the environmental loads offshore, type of seabed soils and foundations commonly adopted are explained. The type of structure and loading regime establish new conditions from a Civil Engineering point of view. Suction caissons are introduced as an alternative foundation for offshore wind turbines. Suction caissons are currently an accepted alternative to pile foundations in applications for the oil and gas industry. However, this is not yet the case in applications for offshore wind turbines.

A heresia de Uriel da Costa (1585-1640 contra a comunidade judaica sefardita de Amsterdã

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Alberto da Costa Pinto

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Apresento neste artigo uma descrição analítica da autobiografia – Uma Vida Humana (Exemplar Humanae Vitae de Uriel da Costa, um judeu marrano português nascido na cidade do Porto que se radicou em Amsterdã em 1615 após fuga da Santa Inquisição. Uriel da Costa escreveu a obra um pouco antes de se suicidar (em 1640 e nela encontramos uma descrição da sua trajetória intelectual determinada pela sua radical oposição às práticas político-religiosas da comunidade judaica sefardita de Amsterdã. A autobiografia de Uriel da Costa é um dos grandes documentos das revoltas heréticas no Século XVII. Com a análise da trajetória de Uriel da Costa na sua luta ideológica contra os rabinos sefarditas e o seu suicídio motivado pelas excomunhões (Heréns que sofreu, desenvolvo uma breve nota historiográfica sobre uma prática ideológica de naturalismo deísta que já sugeria diretrizes depois disseminadas no pensamento iluminista europeu do século XVIII.

Las TIC y las Mipymes costarricenses: Situación actual, retos y oportunidades. (ICTs and Costa Rica SMEs: current status, challenges and opportunities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rytha Picado Arroyo

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Las tecnologías de información y comunicación (TICs han tenido un fuerte impacto en el desarrollo económico y social de los países. Costa Rica no se abstrae de esta realidad y muchos menos las micro, pequeñas y medianas empresas (Mipymes por lo cual la Segunda Encuesta Nacional de Mipymes 2011 incursiona en temas de interés que relacionan el uso y aprovechamiento de las TIC. Este artículo resume los hallazgos más relevantes en las siguientes áreas: Internet, comercio electrónico, Internet en celulares y redes sociales. ABSTRACT SMEfinancing was one of the areas investigated in the Second National Survey ofmicro, small and medium sized Costa Rican companies during 2011. The most usedfinancing sources, credit applications during the last five years, end use ofthis credit, and current credit requirements in various financing institutionswere investigated. Similar to other countries, own funding was the main optionfor these companies. Thus, this work examines the conditions that facilitatethe use of self financing or other options available. Through statisticanalysis of the information collected, variables like initial funding source,previous experience of the entrepreneur and priority given to financialmanagement were shown to present a definite relationship to financingstrategies for Costa Rican SMEs.

Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases in Costa Rica: a feasibility study toward a national screening program.

Science.gov (United States)

Wesseling, Catharina; Román, Norbel; Quirós, Indiana; Páez, Laura; García, Vilma; Mora, Ana María; Juncos, Jorge L; Steenland, Kyle N

2013-12-27

The integration of mental and neurologic services in healthcare is a global priority. The universal Social Security of Costa Rica aspires to develop national screening of neurodegenerative disorders among the elderly, as part of the non-communicable disease agenda. This study assessed the feasibility of routine screening for Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) within the public healthcare system of Costa Rica. The population (aged ≥65) in the catchment areas of two primary healthcare clinics was targeted for motor and cognitive screening during routine annual health check-ups. The screening followed a tiered three-step approach, with increasing specificity. Step 1 involved a two-symptom questionnaire (tremor-at-rest; balance) and a spiral drawing test for motor assessment, as well as a three-word recall and animal category fluency test for cognitive assessment. Step 2 (for those failing Step 1) was a 10-item version of the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale and the Mini-Mental State Examination. Step 3 (for those failing Step 2) was a comprehensive neurologic exam with definitive diagnosis of PD, AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), other disorders, or subjects who were healthy. Screening parameters and disease prevalence were calculated. Of the 401 screened subjects (80% of target population), 370 (92%), 163 (45%), and 81 (56%) failed in Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3, respectively. Thirty-three, 20, and 35 patients were diagnosed with PD, AD, and MCI, respectively (7 were PD with MCI/AD); 90% were new cases. Step 1 sensitivities of motor and cognitive assessments regarding Step 2 were both 93%, and Step 2 sensitivities regarding definitive diagnosis 100 and 96%, respectively. Specificities for Step 1 motor and cognitive tests were low (23% and 29%, respectively) and for Step 2 tests acceptable (76%, 94%). Based on international data, PD prevalence was 3.7 times higher than expected; AD prevalence was as expected. Proposed protocol adjustments

Costa Rica’s Implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: Overcoming decades of industry dominance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric Crosbie

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To analyze the passage of Costa Rica’s 2012 tobacco control law. Materials and methods. Review of legislation, newspaper articles, and key informant interviews. Results. Tobacco control advocates, in close collaboration with international health groups, recruited national, regional and international experts to testify in the Legislative Assembly, implemented grassroots advocacy campaigns, and generated media coverage to enact strong legislation in March 2012 consistent with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, despite tobacco industry lobbying efforts that for decades blocked effective tobacco control legislation. Conclusion. Costa Rica’s experience illustrates how with resources, good strategic planning, aggressive tactics and perseverance tobacco control advocates can overcome tobacco industry opposition in the Legislative Assembly and Executive Branch. This determined approach has positioned Costa Rica to become a regional leader in tobacco control.

La Universidad de Costa Rica en tránsito

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Badilla Saxe, Eleonora

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Resumen. La Universidad de Costa Rica en Tránsito es un artículo que pretende dar cuenta del tránsito que ha iniciado la institución en su camino hacia la transdisciplinariedad. Se presenta, en primera instancia, un contexto histórico y referentes teóricos que apuntan a que la Universidad en el Siglo XXI debe iniciar un tránsito, por una parte, de regreso a reflejar el significado de su origen: UNIVERSUS-A-UM (“todo”, “entero”, “universal” superando fragmentaciones y departamentalizaciones y, por otro, hacia una visión transdisciplinar, un pensamiento complejo en sintonía con las realidades biológicas, sociales y culturales del mundo en el siglo XXI. Y, ya que la transdisciplinariedad no se puede llevar a cabo más que en la acción y en la interacción con otros, se reporta sobre una serie de estrategias interconectadas que se están promoviendo Universidad de Costa Rica para ayudar a la institución a iniciar ese tránsito.Abstract. University of Costa Rica in Transit is an article that reports on the journey the institution has started on its path towards transdisciplinarity. On one way, back to the origen: universus (all, whole, universal, overcoming fragmentation and departamentalization. On the other towards a transdisciplinary vision and complex thinking in accordance with the new biological, social and cultural realities of our world. Interactive and interrelated strategies that are currently beeing promoted to stimulate the institution towards transdisciplinarity are reported here. It is important to remember that transdisciplinarity can only be reflected in action, and in the interaction with others.

Status and conservation of coral reefs in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Cortés, Jorge; Jiménez, Carlos E; Fonseca, Ana C; Alvarado, Juan José

2010-05-01

Costa Rica has coral communities and reefs on the Caribbean coast and on the Pacific along the coast and off-shore islands. The Southern section of the Caribbean coast has fringing and patch reefs, carbonate banks, and an incipient algal ridge. The Pacific coast has coral communities, reefs and isolated coral colonies. Coral reefs have been seriously impacted in the last 30 years, mainly by sediments (Caribbean coast and some Pacific reefs) and by El Niño warming events (both coasts). Monitoring is being carried out at three sites on each coast. Both coasts suffered significant reductions in live coral cover in the 1980's, but coral cover is now increasing in most sites. The government of Costa Rica is aware of the importance of coral reefs and marine environments in general, and in recent years decrees have been implemented (or are in the process of approval) to protect them, but limited resources endanger their proper management and conservation, including proper outreach to reef users and the general public.

La maestra Alda Costa: un mártir antifascista

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonella Cagnolati

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Un sector interesante al que aplicar nuevas categorías de la investigación histórica y social es, sin duda, el de la educación de las mujeres. Maestras, educadoras, pedagogas fueron revolucionarias en diversas épocas de la historia dedicando su existencia a la difusión de conocimientos que pudiesen ser aprovechados por otras mujeres. Para ello fundaron escuelas, escribieron libros y publicaron periódicos. En este sentido las maestras socialistas italianas fueron pioneras al difundir palabras claves como derechos, democracia e igualdad de sueldo. Una figura muy importante fue la maestra antifascista Alda Costa (1876-1944, que luchó contra el militarismo italiano antes de la Primera Guerra Mundial y asumió encargos de gran relevancia en el Partido Socialista. Además fue amiga de Giacomo Matteotti, asesinado por los fascistas en Roma en junio de 1925. Alda Costa fue encarcelada, por su oposición al régimen, y los sufrimientos padecidos precipitaron su muerte.

Brucellosis in mammals of Costa Rica: An epidemiological survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández-Mora, Gabriela; Bonilla-Montoya, Roberto; Barrantes-Granados, Osvaldo; Esquivel-Suárez, Andrea; Montero-Caballero, Danilo; González-Barrientos, Rocío; Fallas-Monge, Zeanne; Palacios-Alfaro, José David; Baldi, Mario; Campos, Elena; Chanto, Grettel; Barquero-Calvo, Elías; Chacón-Díaz, Carlos; Chaves-Olarte, Esteban; Guzmán Verri, Caterina; Romero-Zúñiga, Juan-José; Moreno, Edgardo

2017-01-01

Brucellosis has been an endemic disease of cattle and humans in Costa Rica since the beginning of XX century. However, brucellosis in sheep, goats, pigs, water buffaloes, horses and cetaceans, has not been reported in the country. We have performed a brucellosis survey in these host mammal species, from 1999-2016. In addition, we have documented the number of human brucellosis reported cases, from 2003-2016. The brucellosis seroprevalence in goat and sheep herds was 0.98% and 0.7% respectively, with no Brucella isolation. Antibodies against Brucella were not detected in feral or domestic pigs. Likewise, brucellosis seroprevalence in horse and water buffalo farms was estimated in 6.5% and 21.7%, respectively, with no Brucella isolation. Six cetacean species showed positive reactions against Brucella antigens, and B. ceti was isolated in 70% (n = 29) of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba). A steady increase in the diagnosis of human brucellosis cases was observed. Taking into account the prevalence of brucellosis in the various host mammals of Costa Rica, different measures are recommended.

CASE STUDY: Costa Rica — Consumer Choice at the Corner Store ...

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

2010-12-17

Dec 17, 2010 ... But people in Costa Rica noticed when a competition authority ruling forced ... on such issues as the defendants' price, marketing, and sales policies. ... the CPC lumped non-alcoholic carbonated beverages with canned and ...

Learning from Others: Service-Learning in Costa Rica and Indonesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, David D.; Eiserman, William D.

1997-01-01

An exploration of the roles service learning plays in universities in Indonesia and Costa Rica invites policymakers in the United States to re-examine university service, research, and teaching responsibilities. Increased faculty involvement is a key to expanding service learning as part of the university agenda. (SLD)

Molecular Characterization of Two Major Dengue Outbreaks in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Soto-Garita, Claudio; Somogyi, Teresita; Vicente-Santos, Amanda; Corrales-Aguilar, Eugenia

2016-07-06

Dengue virus (DENV) (Flavivirus, Flaviviridae) is a reemerging arthropod-borne virus with a worldwide circulation, transmitted mainly by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Since the first detection of its main transmitting vector in 1992 and the invasion of DENV-1 in 1993, Costa Rica has faced dengue outbreaks yearly. In 2007 and 2013, Costa Rica experienced two of the largest outbreaks in terms of total and severe cases. To provide genetic information about the etiologic agents producing these outbreaks, we conducted phylogenetic analysis of viruses isolated from human samples. A total of 23 DENV-1 and DENV-2 sequences were characterized. These analyses signaled that DENV-1 genotype V and DENV-2 American/Asian genotype were circulating in those outbreaks. Our results suggest that the 2007 and 2013 outbreak viral strains of DENV-1 and DENV-2 originated from nearby countries and underwent in situ microevolution. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Hacia la redefinición del crédito académico en la Universidad de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gallardo Álvarez, Isabel

2005-12-01

Full Text Available El propósito de este artículo es ofrecer un primer avance del proyecto de investigación inscrito en el Instituto de Investigaciones en Educación (INIE acerca de la reconceptualización del crédito académico, entendido como la unidad valorativa de la carga académica del estudiante de la Universidad de Costa Rica. Se incluye información tanto de los antecedentes del concepto créditos en la educación superior pública costarricense como los planteamientos internacionales del proyecto Tunning que pretende mejorar la calidad de la educación superior en Europa. Se ofrece también a manera de consideraciones finales, algunas problemáticas sobre el cálculo de créditos en los cursos de los planes de estudios en la Universidad de Costa Rica. The purpose of this article is to offer a first advance of the research project ascribed to the Institute of Educational Research dealing with the re-conceptualization of the academic credit as a unit to assess the academic load of students at the Universidad de Costa Rica. The piece includes information on the background of the concept of credit in the Costa Rican improve the quality of higher education. As a conclusion the article reviews a recent survey on the problems to calculate credits in the courses of study plan of Universidad de Costa Rica.

Corrugated megathrust revealed offshore from Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Joel H.; Kluesner, Jared; Silver, Eli A.; Brodsky, Emily E.; Brothers, Daniel; Bangs, Nathan L.; Kirkpatrick, James D.; Wood, Ruby; Okamato, Kristina

2018-01-01

Exhumed faults are rough, often exhibiting topographic corrugations oriented in the direction of slip; such features are fundamental to mechanical processes that drive earthquakes and fault evolution. However, our understanding of corrugation genesis remains limited due to a lack of in situ observations at depth, especially at subducting plate boundaries. Here we present three-dimensional seismic reflection data of the Costa Rica subduction zone that image a shallow megathrust fault characterized by corrugated, and chaotic and weakly corrugated topographies. The corrugated surfaces extend from near the trench to several kilometres down-dip, exhibit high reflection amplitudes (consistent with high fluid content/pressure) and trend 11–18° oblique to subduction, suggesting 15 to 25 mm yr−1 of trench-parallel slip partitioning across the plate boundary. The corrugations form along portions of the megathrust with greater cumulative slip and may act as fluid conduits. In contrast, weakly corrugated areas occur adjacent to active plate bending faults where the megathrust has migrated up-section, forming a nascent fault surface. The variations in megathrust roughness imaged here suggest that abandonment and then reestablishment of the megathrust up-section transiently increases fault roughness. Analogous corrugations may exist along significant portions of subduction megathrusts globally.

Estudio de composición de los residuos sólidos urbanos, en Esparza, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olman Quijada

2008-04-01

Full Text Available En este artículo se presentan los resultados del estudio de composición de Residuos Sólidos de la Municipalidad de Esparza, estos serán utilizados con el objetivo de determinar la factibilidad técnica y económica para construir un relleno sanitario municipal discriminado. La Municipalidad de Esparza, actualmente, utiliza el vertedero de Zagala, el cual no cumple con los estándares adecuados para el manejo de estos materiales y se ha convertido en un problema ambiental para la región. Por esta razón, en esta investigación se propuso realizar un estudio físico de los desechos sólidos en tres sectores del cantón de Esparza.Los resultados más prominentes de esta investigación indican que en el cantón el 74.5% de los desechos sólidos pueden ser aprovechados en prácticas de producción de abonos orgánicos, compost y reciclamiento; mientras que un 25.5% no tendrían ningún aprovechamiento y deberían ser dispuestos en un relleno sanitario, situación que, actualmente, no se hace pues estos mismos son enviados al botadero de Zagala. Se espera que este estudio sirva de base para proponer un plan de manejo de los residuos sólidos, apoye los esfuerzos de educación ambiental, sirva de sustento para seleccionar los materiales con potencial de reciclable y defina la cantidad de materiales que irán al relleno sanitario municipal.

35 años de microscopía electrónica en Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Francisco Hernández Chavarría

2011-01-01

En el 2009 se cumplió el XXXV aniversario de la microscopía electrónica en Costa Rica; su historia se inició con la donación de un microscopio, por parte de Japón, la cual se ha consolidado en el Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas, de la Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), entidad que realiza investigación propia y brinda apoyo a diferentes dependencias de la Universidad, universidades estatales y del sector privado. Estos equipos permiten observar el mundo infinitamente pequeñ...

Ichthyoplankton assemblages in the Gulf of Nicoya and Golfo Dulce embayments, Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Molina-Ureña, H

1996-12-01

Ichthyoplankton surveys were conducted in December (rainy season), 1993 and February (dry season), 1994, during the RV Victor Hensen German-Costa Rican Expedition to the Gulf of Nicoya and Gulfo Dulce, Costa Rica. Samples from the inner, central, and outer areas of each gulf were collected in oblique tows with a bongo net of 0.6 m mouth diameter, 2.5 m long and 1000-micron mesh. A total of 416 fish larvae of 22 families were sorted out of 14 samples. Stations of both the maximum (11) and the minimum (1) family richness were located in Golfo Dulce. Mean total larval abundances were 124.9 and 197.2 individuals 10 m-2 for the Gulf of Nicoya and Golfo Dulce, respectively, while mean larval densities ranged from 95.3 larvae 10 m-2 in December to 236.7 larvae 10 m-2 in February. However, no statistical differences between gulfs or seasons were detected, due to the high within-group variability. Cluster Analysis, Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS), and non-parametric tests showed two well-defined major groups: (1) the Gulf of Nicoya neritic assemblage, represented by Engraulids, Sciaenids, and Gobiids (inner and central stations), and (2) the oceanic assemblage, dominated by Myctophids, Bregmacerotids, Ophiidids, and Trichiurids (outer stations off the Gulf of Nicoya and Golfo Dulce). A third, although less defined group, was an Ophichthid-dominated assemblage (typical in areas nearby coral or rocky reefs). These assemblages closely resemble the clusters based upon adult fish data of the beamtrawl catches of the same cruise. This publication is the first to report on the ichthyoplankton community of Golfo Dulce.

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.

The change in the dynamics of Costa Rica’s electoral set up: a case of dealignment Cambio en la dinámica electoral en Costa Rica: un caso de desalineamiento

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando SÁNCHEZ CAMPOS

2010-10-01

Full Text Available The results of the last two general elections (1998 and 2002 in Costa Rica, suggest that the country’s electoral dynamics have exited their apparent stability and entered a process of change. The present study evaluates the main signs of this change (rising levels of absenteeism, ticket-splitting, electoral volatility, and support for third parties, and defines it as an «electoral dealignment» process. Moreover, it argues that there is evidence to conclude that electoral dealignment in Costa Rica seems to be a result of a process of «partisan dealignment».Los resultados de las últimas dos elecciones generales (1998 y 2002 en Costa Rica sugieren que la dinámica electoral del país ha superado su aparente estabilidad para entrar en un proceso de cambio. El presente estudio evalúa las principales señales de este cambio (aumentos en los niveles de abstencionismo, quiebra del voto, volatilidad electoral y apoyo a terceros partidos, y lo define como un proceso de «desalineamiento electoral» (electoral dealignment. Además plantea que existe evidencia para concluir que este desalineamiento electoral pareciera ser el resultado de un proceso de «desalineamiento de partidos» (partisan dealignment.

Respuesta ambiental en el Pacífico frente a la subducción de la dorsal asísmica de Cocos (Panamá y Costa Rica Environmental response in the Pacific to aseismic Cocos Ridge subduction (Panama and Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos De Gracia

2012-06-01

were reconstructed by comparing community structure from bulk fossil samples with dredge collections from modern Tropical American seas, using principal component analysis. Our results indicate that during the early Pliocene, before the closing of the Isthmus, some oceanic islands existed with moderate upwelling in the Burica region. After the closure, during the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene the collision of the DAC caused an uplift of the seafloor, where water depth of 2 300m became shallow waters of less than 40m depth. Meanwhile, upwelling intensified in the open ocean the uplift that had formed small islands in coastal areas of Burica, creating protected areas and limiting the upwelling effect that was given in open ocean. The subduction of the DAC continued until the islands were joined to the mainland and gradually disappeared, allowing the return of the upwelling. During the middle Pleistocene a second process of accelerated uplift ith speeds of 8m/1 000 years provoked again the elevation of the seafloor and later the elevation of the Talamanca Range. The new range formed a barrier that blocked the passage of the Trade winds, created new ecological conditions and optimized and allowed the growth of the best coral reefs in the coasts of the tropical Eastern Pacific (POT between Panama and Costa Rica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 60 (2: 893-908. Epub 2012 June 01.

Los insectos invasores de Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Hanson, Paul

2016-01-01

Se presenta una recopilación preliminar de los insectos introducidos en Costa Rica. Se estima que existen al menos 300 especies exóticas. Los medios más comunes de introducción son: suelo y hojarasca, desechos, madera, granos almacenados, plantas, vertebrados y otros insectos. Se nota la escasez de especies exóticas entre los insectos acuáticos y ciertos grupos de insectos fitófagos (Auchenorrhyncha, Heteroptera, Chrysomelidae). Los insectos introducidos pueden tener un impacto negativo o pos...

Theletrum lamothei sp. nov. (Digenea, parasite of Echidna nocturna from Cuajiniquil, Guanacaste, and other digenes of marine fishes from Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gerardo Pérez-Ponce de León

1998-06-01

Full Text Available A new species of Theletrum is described from the intestine of two palenose morays, Echidna nocturna, collected in Cuajiniquil, Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica. The new species differs from the type species, T. fustiforme Linton, 1910 by having a subspherical pars prostatica, a subspherical seminal vesicle extending anteriorly to the anterior border of the acetabulum, by the presence of a poorly developed hermaphroditic sac, and by having a larger body size. We also report eight additional species of digeneans parasitizing marine fishes in several localities along the Atlantic and Pacific coast of Costa Rica: Bianium simonei, Didymozoinae (metacercariae, Ectenurus virgulus, Hypocreadium myohelicatum, Lecithochirium microstomum, Pseudolecithaster sp., Stephanostomum casum, and Tergestia laticollis. In addition, we present an updated list of helminth parasites of marine fish from Costa Rica and discuss the importance of including parasites as an integral part of biodiversity inventories.Se describe una especie nueva de digéneo del género Theletrum, parásito del intestino de una "morena pecosa", Echidna nocturna, recolectada en Playa Cuajiniquil, Provincia de Guanacaste, Costa Rica. La nueva especie es diferente de T. fustiforme Linton, 1910, la especie tipo, por presentar una pars prostatica subesférica, una vesícula seminal subesférica que se extiende hasta el borde anterior del acetábulo, por la presencia de un saco hermafrodita y por una mayor longitud del cuerpo. También se registran ocho especies adicionales de digéneos parásitos de peces marinos en varias localidades de las costas del Atlántico y del Pacífico de Costa Rica. Por último, presentamos una lista actualizada de los helmintos parásitos de peces marinos y dulceacuícolas de Costa Rica y discutimos la importancia de incluir a los parásitos como una parte integral de las investigaciones sobre biodiversidad.

Cost analysis of an integrated vaccine-preventable disease surveillance system in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Toscano, C M; Vijayaraghavan, M; Salazar-Bolaños, H M; Bolaños-Acuña, H M; Ruiz-González, A I; Barrantes-Solis, T; Fernández-Vargas, I; Panero, M S; de Oliveira, L H; Hyde, T B

2013-07-02

Following World Health Organization recommendations set forth in the Global Framework for Immunization Monitoring and Surveillance, Costa Rica in 2009 became the first country to implement integrated vaccine-preventable disease (iVPD) surveillance, with support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). As surveillance for diseases prevented by new vaccines is integrated into existing surveillance systems, these systems could cost more than routine surveillance for VPDs targeted by the Expanded Program on Immunization. We estimate the costs associated with establishing and subsequently operating the iVPD surveillance system at a pilot site in Costa Rica. We retrospectively collected data on costs incurred by the institutions supporting iVPD surveillance during the preparatory (January 2007 through August 2009) and implementation (September 2009 through August 2010) phases of the iVPD surveillance project in Costa Rica. These data were used to estimate costs for personnel, meetings, infrastructure, office equipment and supplies, transportation, and laboratory facilities. Costs incurred by each of the collaborating institutions were also estimated. During the preparatory phase, the estimated total cost was 128,000 U.S. dollars (US$), including 64% for personnel costs. The preparatory phase was supported by CDC and PAHO. The estimated cost for 1 year of implementation was US$ 420,000, including 58% for personnel costs, 28% for laboratory costs, and 14% for meeting, infrastructure, office, and transportation costs combined. The national reference laboratory and the PAHO Costa Rica office incurred 64% of total costs, and other local institutions supporting iVPD surveillance incurred the remaining 36%. Countries planning to implement iVPD surveillance will require adequate investments in human resources, laboratories, data management, reporting, and investigation. Our findings will be valuable for

NEW SPECIES OF AGRILUS FROM NICARAGUA AND COSTA RICA (COLEOPTERA, BUPRESTIDAE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gianfranco Curletti

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Five new species of the genus Agrilus Curtis, 1825 from Costa Rica and Nicaragua are described: A. barriesi n. sp., A. maesi n. sp., A. ursus n. sp., A. tyrannus n. sp. and A. pumilio n. sp.

Geología de Bahía Culebra, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablo Herrera Zúñiga

2012-04-01

Full Text Available La geología de Bahía Culebra, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, está compuesta por rocas volcánicas de corteza oceánica; sedimentos marinos depositados en el talud, la plataforma continental y zonas someras cerca de la costa; secuencias de rocas piroclásticas intercaladas con sedimentos continentales y depósitos Cuaternarios recientes. En la base de la secuencia estratigráfica afloran los basaltos masivos, algunas veces en almohadilla, del Complejo de Nicoya con textura afanítica con fenocristales de olivino, augitas y plagioclasas. Dentro de la misma Formación se incluyen intrusivos de gabro masivos con piroxenos y plagiogranitos con fenocristales de plagioclasas y hornblenda. Seguidamente afloran las calizas de la Formación El Viejo constituida por colonias arrecifales e intercalaciones calcáreas. La Formación Montezuma compuesta por facies de arenisca media fosilífera, facies de arenisca media con laminación cruzada y facies rítmicas de areniscas y lutitas. Las Dacitas Carbonal están compuestas por lavas hexagonales y variaciones brechosas con clastos de pómez y minerales de alteración. La Formación Bagaces se constituye de varios eventos eruptivos con secuencias de ignimbritas y un depósito sedimentario posiblemente pluvial de arenas volcaniclásticas. En la parte superior de la secuencia estratigrafica se incluyen los depósitos producto de factores erosivos tales como coluvios, arenas de playa, sedimentos de zonas de manglar y aluviones.The geology of Culebra Bay, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, is composed of volcanic rocks of oceanic crust; marine sediments deposited on the slope, continental platform and superficial zones nearby to the coast, pyroclastic rocks inset with continental sediments and recent Quaternary deposits. At the base of the stratigraphy sequence the massive basalts outcrop, sometimes as pillow, from Nicoya complex with aphanitic texture with olivine phenocrysts, augites and plagioclases. Into the same formation are

Epiphytic bromeliad communities in secondary and mature forest in a tropical premontane area

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cascante Marin, A.M.; Wolf, J.H.D.; Oostermeijer, J.G.B.; den Nijs, J.C.M.; Sanahuja, O.; Duran Apuy, A.

2006-01-01

We analyzed the differences in species richness, community composition, population structure and within-tree location of epiphytic bromeliads in contiguous secondary and mature forests in a premontane area in Costa Rica. Diversity in the mature forest was highest, and the communities differed in

La genética humana en Costa Rica situación actual y sus perspectivas

OpenAIRE

Barrantes Mesén, Ramiro

1985-01-01

Artículo científico -- Universidad de Costa Rica. Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud, 1985 Se analiza la situación de la genética humana en Costa Rica mediante un estudio de la literatura científica publicada entre 1964 y 1984. Se muestra que a partir de 1976 se ha incrementado el número de publicaciones en este campo, destacando las investigaciones sobre hemoglobinas anormales, la estructura genética de varias poblaciones y la caracterización de algunas enfermedades hereditarias. Se co...

Culture of Fear and Control in Costa Rica (II). Talk of Crime and Social Changes

OpenAIRE

Huhn, Sebastian

2009-01-01

The Costa Rican talk of crime is fundamentally based on the assumption that a formerly explicitly nonviolent nation has been transformed into a battleground for social violence—that is, on the belief that an alarming “crime wave” is occurring today while there was no crime at all in the past. On the basis of this assumption, the fear of crime and the call for zero tolerance and drastic law enforcement actions have been increasing. In this paper I discuss the Costa Rican talk of crime from a h...

Medusas (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa de una zona de afloramiento costero, Bahía Culebra, Pacífico, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karina Rodríguez-Sáenz

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Las hidromedusas tienen un papel importante en redes tróficas marinas debido a sus hábitos alimenticios depredadores. Este es el primer estudio de este grupo del zooplancton gelatinoso en un area de afloramiento costero en América Central. Durante seis meses de 1999, se estudió la abundancia de hidromedusas en cuatro estaciones en Bahía Culebra, Golfo de Papagayo, costa Pacífica de Costa Rica (10º 37’N-85º40’W. Se identificó un total de 53 especies de las que 26 son registros nuevos para Costa Rica, 21 son registros nuevos para América Central y 8 son nuevos registros para el Pacífico Oriental Tropical. Las especies más abundantes durante el estudio (con más de 30% de la abundancia total fueron Liriope tetraphylla, Solmundella bitentaculata y Aglaura hemistoma. Seis especies se presentaron en todos los muestreos, 10 especies se presentaron únicamente durante la época seca y 17 se presentaron únicamente durante la época lluviosa. Se mostraron diferencias significativas entre las épocas lluviosa y seca. La máxima abundancia promedio de hidromedusas (2.1±4.3 ind./m³ fue encontrada durante las fechas que se espera el afloramiento costero, indicado por alta concentración de oxígeno y baja temperatura. La rica composición de especies encontrada en Bahía Culebra puede ser el resultado de varios factores, incluyendo la condición prístina de la bahía, el transporte de especies por la Contra Corriente Nor-Ecuatorial (NECC y los aportes de origen terrestre. Se incluyen ilustraciones de las 15 especies más importantes para facilitar su identificación y promover estudios futuros en la región.

[Unnecessary premature and avoidable mortality in Costa Rica].

Science.gov (United States)

Llorca Castro, Fernando; Ortún Rubio, Vicente

2010-01-01

With the intention of establishing economic inequities, the article analyzes the variations of the Unnecessarily Premature and Sanitarily Avoidable Mortality (MIPSE) of each of the 81 cantons of Costa Rica during 2000-2005. It is important to identify those inequities, to establish policies and strategies trying to mitigate them. It applies the MIPSE classification proposed by members of the Information and Studies Service, of the Catalunya's Sanitary Resources Headquarter, Spain. By an Indicator of Socioeconomic Development (IDSE) of a University of Costa Rica economist's team, it organised each canton in groups of quintiles (I for the richest, V for the poorest), previous people standardization. We found as a major causes of mortality MIPSE in the country: Heart Isquemic Disease (19,55% MIPSE causes), Traffic Accidents with Motor Vehicles (11,60%), Brain Vascular Disease (6,95%), Perinatal (6,92%) and Suicide (5,14%). The VIH infection - AIDS mortality, the Best Cancer in Women, Uterus Cancer, Skin Cancer and Hepatic Disease Secondary to Alcohol Consumption, affects more the cantons with better financial conditions and the Prostate Benign Hyperplasia mortality, Mothers mortality related with Pregnancy, Childbirth or Puerperal Stage and the Abdominal Hernia mortality, affects more to those with worst economic level. Two MIPSE groups were identified with similar inequality: Leukaemia and Congenital Cardiovascular Disease.

An insight into the antibiofilm properties of Costa Rican stingless bee honeys.

Science.gov (United States)

Zamora, L G; Beukelman, C J; van den Berg, A J J; Aerts, P C; Quarles van Ufford, H C; Nijland, R; Arias, M L

2017-04-02

There is an increasing search for antibiofilm agents that either have specific activity against biofilms or may act in synergy with antimicrobials. Our objective is to examine the the antibiofilm properties of stingless bee honeys. Meliponini honeys from Costa Rica were examined along with Medihoney as a reference. All honeys were submitted to a screening composed of minimum inhibitory concentration, inhibition of biofilm formation and biofilm destruction microplate-based assays against a Staphylococcus aureus biofilm forming strain. Dialysis led to the isolation of an antibiofilm fraction in Tetragonisca angustula honeys. The honey antibiofilm fraction was evaluated for protease activity and for any synergistic effect with antibiotics on a Staphylococcus aureus biofilm. The active fraction was then separated through activity guided isolation techniques involving SDS-PAGEs, anion exchange and size exclusion fast protein liquid chromatographies. The fractions obtained and the isolated antibiofilm constituents were tested for amylase and DNase activity. A total of 57 Meliponini honeys from Costa Rica were studied in this research. The honeys studied belonged to the Tetragonisca angustula (n=36) and Melipona beecheii (n=21) species. Costa Rican Tetragonisca angustula honeys can inhibit the planktonic growth, biofilm formation, and are capable of destroying a Staphylococcus aureus biofilm. The antibiofilm effect was observed in the protein fraction of Tetragonisca angustula honeys. The biofilm destruction proteins allowed ampicillin and vancomycin to recover their antimicrobial activity over a Staphylococcus aureus biofilm. The antibiofilm proteins are of bee origin, and their activity was not due to serine, cysteine or metalloproteases. There were 2 proteins causing the antibiofilm action; these were named the Tetragonisca angustula biofilm destruction factors (TABDFs). TABDF-1 is a monomeric protein of approximately 50kDa that is responsible of the amylase activity

Fragmentation by Dams Threatens Diadromous Fauna in Upstream Protected Areas - the Case of the La Amistad World Heritage Site (Costa Rica and Panama)

Science.gov (United States)

McLarney, W.; Mafla Herrera, M.; Arias Moreno, A. M.; Snyder, M. N.

2016-12-01

Biological consequences of fragmenting rivers with dams are especially acute for migratory species, and even moreso for diadromes (animals obliged to travel between marine and fresh water environments in order to complete their life cycles). Diadromy is a worldwide phenomenon, occurring wherever fresh water rivers run to the sea. Worldwide, diadromous behavior has been described for > 300 species of fish in 37 families, as well as for all of the > 800 species of so-called "freshwater" shrimp in 4 families, plus a few crabs and snails. Diadromy is especially prevalent on islands and isthmuses, where rivers are necessarily short and development of primary freshwater fauna limited. One example is the Mesoamerican isthmus, extending from southern Mexico to the Panama/Colombia border. A 2006 study showed more than 300 high (> 15 m.) dams planned for this 8 country region. One example of the consequences emerges from Asociacion ANAI's biomonitoring work over 17 years in one part of Mesoamerica - the watersheds draining the Caribbean slope of the La Amistad World Heritage Site in Costa Rica and Panama. Our work has shown that over 80 % of fish and all of the shrimp in rivers above 100 m. altitude are diadromes. If all currently planned dams are built, we predict that 11 species of fish and shrimp will be extirpated from >90% of the World Heritage Site. Precedent exists in Puerto Rico, where damming has eliminated diadromous fish and all but a remnant of the shrimp from 25% of the island's watersheds. In La Amistad, the consequences, for biodiversity and fishery resources relied upon by neighboring indigenous ethnias are obvious. In Panama, protected area boundaries were drawn to avoid the issue of dams and reservoirs in national parks; our research shows the need for more comprehensive design criteria to prevent extirpations in protected areas.

Determinants of health in seasonal migrants: coffee harvesters in Los Santos, Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Loría Bolaños, Rocío; Partanen, Timo; Berrocal, Milena; Alvárez, Benjamín; Córdoba, Leonel

2008-01-01

In the agroexport zone of Los Santos Zone in Costa Rica, coffee is harvested by migrant labor. Most migrants are from Panama and Nicaragua. We describe migrants' housing- and service-related health determinants, with analyses of ethnicity, nationality and geography. We used interviews, observation-based assessments, and the Geographic Information System to assess a population of 8,783 seasonal migrants and 1,099 temporary dwellings at a total of 520 farms during 2004-2005. We identified determinants of poor health including widespread deficiencies in the quality of grower-provided dwellings, geographical isolation, crowding, lack of radio and television, and deficient toilets and cooking facilities. The indigenous and non-Costa Ricans shared the poorest conditions. Reluctance to use mainstream public health services was widespread, especially among foreign and indigenous migrants and the geographically isolated. Post-study, researchers organized workshops for audiences including workers, coffee producers, public officials and service providers. Topics have included migration, preventive health and hygiene, and child labor. This work was successful in convincing Costa Rican social security authorities to implement reforms that improve access to and quality of health care for the migrants. Special projects on ergonomics, psychosocial health hazards, and water quality, as well as a literacy program, are ongoing.

Taavet võidab Koljati targalt tegutsedes / Costas Markides ; interv. Endrik Randoja

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Markides, Costas

2007-01-01

London Business Schooli professor Costas Markides vastab küsimustele, mis puudutavad tema raamatus "Fast Second" esitatud väidet, mille kohaselt esimesena uuele turule tulnud ettevõttest saab harva pikas perspektiivis turuliider, kuid samas on edukad just teisena turule sisenevad ettevõtted

EL USO DE TÉCNICAS DE CONTABILIDAD GERENCIAL EN LA TOMA DE DECISIONES DE LAS PYMES DE LA GRAN AREA METROPOLITANA DE COSTA RICA

OpenAIRE

VALVERDE RAMÍREZ, LUIS

2014-01-01

Las Pequeñas y Medianas Empresas (Pymes) de Costa Rica juegan un papel fundamental en la generación de empleo y el desarrollo del país. Aunque constantemente deben tomar decisiones relacionadas con precios, costos, inversiones y nuevos negocios, con frecuencia desconocen las técnicas de Contabilidad Gerencial disponibles para esos fines. La mayoría de estas técnicas son prácticas, sencillas y económicas. A pesar de esto, su uso por parte de las Pymes es muy escaso. Con frecuencia, decisiones ...

Five-year economic evaluation of non-melanoma skin cancer surgery at the Costa del Sol Hospital (2006-2010).

Science.gov (United States)

Aguilar-Bernier, M; González-Carrascosa, M; Padilla-España, L; Rivas-Ruiz, F; Jiménez-Puente, A; de Troya-Martín, M

2014-03-01

The cost associated with treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer is expected to rise considerably over the coming decades. This important public health problem is therefore expected to have an enormous economic impact for the various public health services. To estimate the cost of the surgical-care process of non-melanoma skin cancer at the Costa del Sol Hospital and seek areas to improve its efficiency, using the activity-based costing (ABC) method and the tools designed for decision analysis. To compare the costs for hospitalized patients obtained using the ABC method with the data published by the Spanish Ministry of Health, using the diagnosis-related groups (DRG) classification system. Retrospective analysis of the cost of non-melanoma skin cancer surgery at the Costa del Sol Hospital. The total estimated cost from 2006 to 2010 was 3 398 540€. Most of the episodes (47.3%) corresponded to minor outpatient surgery. The costs of the episodes varied greatly according to the type of admission: 423€ (minor outpatient surgery), 1267€ (major outpatient surgery), and 1832€ (inpatient surgery). The average cost of an inpatient episode varied significantly depending on the calculation system used (ABC: 2328€ vs. DRG: 5674€). The ABC cost analysis system favours standardization of the care process for these tumours and the detection of areas to improve efficiency. This would enable more reliable economic studies than those obtained using traditional methods, such as the DRG. © 2013 The Authors Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology © 2013 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

The effect of jitter on the performance of space coherent optical communication system with Costas loop

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xin; Hong, Yifeng; Wang, Jinfang; Liu, Yang; Sun, Xun; Li, Mi

2018-01-01

Numerous communication techniques and optical devices successfully applied in space optical communication system indicates a good portability of it. With this good portability, typical coherent demodulation technique of Costas loop can be easily adopted in space optical communication system. As one of the components of pointing error, the effect of jitter plays an important role in the communication quality of such system. Here, we obtain the probability density functions (PDF) of different jitter degrees and explain their essential effect on the bit error rate (BER) space optical communication system. Also, under the effect of jitter, we research the bit error rate of space coherent optical communication system using Costas loop with different system parameters of transmission power, divergence angle, receiving diameter, avalanche photodiode (APD) gain, and phase deviation caused by Costas loop. Through a numerical simulation of this kind of communication system, we demonstrate the relationship between the BER and these system parameters, and some corresponding methods of system optimization are presented to enhance the communication quality.

Education in Costa Rica. Reviews of National Policies for Education

Science.gov (United States)

OECD Publishing, 2017

2017-01-01

As Costa Rica's economy has developed in recent decades, the education system that helped propel the country to upper middle-income status now needs reform to respond to rising expectations and changing demands for skills. New challenges are emerging: economic growth has recently slowed, inequality is widening and productivity growth is weak. How…

Spectral analysis of geological materials in the Central Volcanic Range of Costa Rica and its relationship to the remote detection of anomalies

OpenAIRE

Rejas, J. G.; Martínez-Frías, J.; Martínez, R.; Bonatti, J.

2014-01-01

The aim of this work is the comparative study of methods for calculating spectral anomalies from imaging spectrometry in several test areas of the Central Volcanic Range (CVR) of Costa Rica. In the detection of anomalous responses it is assumed no prior knowledge of the targets, so that the pixels are automatically separated according to their spectral information significantly differentiated with respect to a background to be estimated, either globally for the full scene, either locally by i...

MEDIDAS DE NÚCLEO INFLACIONARIO PARA COSTA RICA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Saborío Muñoz

2003-07-01

Full Text Available En este documento se elaboran y evalúan medidas alternativas de núcleo inflacionario para Costa Rica. La idea fundamental contempla al núcleo inflacionario como un indicador de la tendencia subyacente de la inflación capaz de capturar el componente del cambio total de precios común a todos los bienes y servicios, cuya persistencia se mantendría en el mediano y largo plazo y que excluye los cambios en los precios relativos de estos. La medida de núcleo inflacionario seleccionada se contrasta con el Índice de Núcleo Inflacionario (INI, indicador de inflación subyacente actualmente utilizado por el Banco Central de Costa Rica (BCCR.El Índice Subyacente de Inflación (ISI, definido como una medida de núcleo inflacionario que excluye un 30,7% del peso total del Índice de Precios al Consumidor (IPC, refleja más fielmente la tendencia subyacente de la inflación y logra capturar el movimiento más permanente del nivel general de precios, aislando las variaciones en precios relativos. Además, el ISI es fácil de calcular e interpretar lo cual ayuda a incrementar la transparencia y credibilidad de la política monetaria. También es un indicador oportuno, aumentando su valor para los que formulan la política monetaria. Por último, el ISI supera algunas de las limitaciones del INI, como son la falta de un criterio estadístico para definir el punto de corte de los bienes y servicios a excluir y el alto porcentaje del peso total del IPC eliminado. AbstractThis paper builds and evaluates several alternative measures of core inflation for Costa Rica. The chosen measure of core inflation is contrasted with the core inflation index (INI, which is the indicator of underlying inflation used today by the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR. The main idea is that core inflation is a good indicator of the underlying inflation and catches the part of overall price change common to all the goods and services that is expected to persist in the

Description of a new species and subspecies of Idalus Walker from Costa Rica, Honduras and Guatemala (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae, Arctiini)

Science.gov (United States)

Espinoza, Bernardo A.; Janzen, Daniel H.; Winnie Hallwachs;  J. Bolling Sullivan

2013-01-01

Abstract A new species and subspecies of Idalus Walker are described from Costa Rica, Honduras and Guatemala. Images of males and females and their genitalia are provided. Locality information and distribution maps for Costa Rica and for Guatemala are included. The biology and phylogeny of Idalus are discussed. PMID:23730178

Essential oil of Lepechinia schiedeana (Lamiaceae from Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José F. Cicció

1999-09-01

Full Text Available The composition of the essential oil isolated by steam distillation from aerial parts of the Costa Rican herb Lepechinia schiedeana (Schlecht Vatke (Lamiaceae collected in El Empalme, Costa Rica, was determined by capillary gas chromatography (GC and coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS analyses. Fifty-one components were identified corresponding ca. 93% of the oil. The major components were -pinene (26.6%, cis -pinocamphone (25.1%, -3-carene (6.1%, trans -pinocamphone (4.0%, camphor (3.8% and -caryophyllene (3.7%.Se estudiaron los constituyentes del aceite esencial de las partes aéreas de Lepechinia schiedeana (Lamiaceae mediante el uso de cromatografía de gases (GC y cromatografía de gases acoplada a espectrometría de masas (GC-MS. Se caracterizaron 51 compuestos (que representan ca. del 93% del aceite. El aceite se caracteriza por la presencia de gran cantidad de hidrocarburos monoterpénicos (45.9% y de monoterpenos oxigenados (39.7%. Los componentes mayoritarios fueron -pineno (26.6%, cis -pinocanfona (25.1%, -3-careno (6.1%, trans -pinocanfona (4.0%, alcanfor (3.8% y -cariofileno (3.7%.

Dating Violence: Study with Adolescents from Heredia (Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrés Avelino Fernández-Fuertes

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Most of human aggressive behavior occurs in the context of a romantic relationship. Adolescents are not an exception: research show a significant prevalence of dating violence, revealing the need for further study, especially in Latin America, given the lack of research on this topic. This study aims at strengthening knowledge about aggressive behavior in adolescent dating relationships in Costa Rica, taking into account different aggressive behaviors, not only physical or sexual abuse; differences by gender are also analyzed. Based on an ex post facto design, a standardized instrument was used to measure five types of aggressive behavior (i.e., verbal-emotional, physical, sexual, relational and threats in a sample of 468 adolescents from Heredia (Costa Rica. Results show that most participants had committed or suffered aggressions in dating relationships, especially verbal-emotional or both verbal-emotional and sexual abuse, but the mean frequency of reported aggression was low; some significant intersex differences were also found. Results obtained indicate that adolescents have difficulties to deal with conflicts in their romantic relationship; thus this problem needs to be addressed holistically in order to increase the impact of prevention programs for youth.

Evaluation of the potential for erosion and its relationship with the rain energy in the river of Santa Rosa watershed, Costa Rica; Evaluacion del potential erosivo y su relacion con la energia de la lluvia en la microcuenca del rio Santa Rosa, Costa Rica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Acuna Chinchilla, Sisgo R; Aguilar Pereira, Jose F. [Universidad de Costa Rica (Costa Rica). Escuela de Ingenieria Agricola], E-mail: rachith2001@yahoo.esa

2010-07-01

Costa Rica like rest of the world, erosion has negative effects on agricultural production systems and hydroelectric power. In a country where 95% of energy is produced by hydroelectric plants, the management of watersheds is essential where there are hydro projects. This study evaluates the potential erosion of the watershed of the Rio Santa Rosa, (10445 ha) in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, which supplies sediment to the Santa Rosa and Sandillal dams. The evaluation places were defined using aerial photography GIS and GPS tools. The sediment was measured through 19 experimental plots in two land uses (pasture and forest) and three slope ranges (0-15%, 15-30%, 30-45%). The energy was determined on erosive rains comparing the mass of sediment collected. The most vulnerable areas were identified, to define appropriate mitigation measures. It was found that the forest generates more erosion than grass. Furthermore, under similar conditions of coverage, an increase in the range of slopes, erosion increases between two and six times, a direct relationship exists between energy and erosion in the way that coverage is reduced. It was generated a vulnerability map for the watershed. (author)

Cría comercial del caracol en Costa Rica. Estudio de factibilidad y estrategia de mercadeo

OpenAIRE

Sánchez-Gómez, Oscar

1998-01-01

Proyecto de Graduación (Maestría en Administración de Empresas) Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Escuela de Administración de Empresas, 1998. Costa Rica es un país con una diversidad de microclimas muy variados que permite desarrollar actividades muy diversas, principalmente en el área de la agroindustria. La región del Valle Central presenta condiciones muy favorables para criar el caracol de tierra para consumo humano conocido como escargot. Esta investigación analiza la factibilidad...

El impacto del centro universitario de la costa sur en el municipio de Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, México

OpenAIRE

Castañeda Palomera, Alfredo

2015-01-01

Con el objetivo de estimar el impacto económico, social y cultural del Centro Universitario de la Costa Sur (CU Costa Sur) en el Municipio de Autlán de la Navarro, Jalisco, México se realizó la presente tesis. Se fundamenta en la premisa de que el CU Costa Sur como una dependencia de la Universidad de Guadalajara maneja recursos económicos, empleo, incide en el desarrollo y crecimiento de empresas, en la formación de recursos humanos y el mejoramiento de las artes, la danza, el teatro y la cu...

Detection of antibodies against Chlamydophila abortus in Costa Rican sheep flocks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Villagra-Blanco

2015-09-01

Full Text Available A total of 359 sheep samples from 15 flocks were analyzed for the presence of antibodies against Chlamydophila abortus using a commercial Enzyme linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA. Antibodies were detected in 19 (5.29% sheep from 12 (80% flocks. Seropositive animals were found in all analyzed regions (Central, Chorotega, Atlantic Huetar, North Huetar and Central Pacific determining prevalence between 0.28% and 4.4%, and intra-flock positivity between 3.7% and 25.0%. The survey revealed two risk factors associated with seropositivity; introducing animals (males and females, embryos, or semen from other farms or from abroad without any sanitary certification, and flocks not having quarantine areas or separated boxes for diseased animals. No clinical signs of disease were observed in positive seroreactors. C. abortus seems to be present in Costa Rica in a very low prevalence in sheep flocks. Further studies, to isolate the bacteria are required. Finally, implementation of control measures to prevent the spread of C. abortus is recommended.

Detection of antibodies against Chlamydophila abortus in Costa Rican sheep flocks

Science.gov (United States)

Villagra-Blanco, R.; Dolz, G.; Montero-Caballero, D.; Romero-Zúñiga, J.J.

2015-01-01

A total of 359 sheep samples from 15 flocks were analyzed for the presence of antibodies against Chlamydophila abortus using a commercial Enzyme linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Antibodies were detected in 19 (5.29%) sheep from 12 (80%) flocks. Seropositive animals were found in all analyzed regions (Central, Chorotega, Atlantic Huetar, North Huetar and Central Pacific) determining prevalence between 0.28% and 4.4%, and intra-flock positivity between 3.7% and 25.0%. The survey revealed two risk factors associated with seropositivity; introducing animals (males and females), embryos, or semen from other farms or from abroad without any sanitary certification, and flocks not having quarantine areas or separated boxes for diseased animals. No clinical signs of disease were observed in positive seroreactors. C. abortus seems to be present in Costa Rica in a very low prevalence in sheep flocks. Further studies, to isolate the bacteria are required. Finally, implementation of control measures to prevent the spread of C. abortus is recommended. PMID:26623377

Bioplaguicidas de origen vegetal en Costa Rica.

OpenAIRE

Jaime García

2016-01-01

El presente artículo cita los nombres, ordenados por su principal acción plaguicida, de poco más de un centenar de plantas con algún tipo de potencial bioplaguicida en Costa Rica. Posteriormente se presenta la situación de la oferta y la demanda actual de estos productos, destacando las principales limitaciones que experimenta su desarrollo comercial, así como el potencial que posee el país en esta materia, basado en su extraordinaria biodiversidad. Además, se hace mención de las entidades in...

Payments for environmental services in Costa Rica: from Rio to Rio and beyond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Porras, Ina; Miranda, Miriam; Barton, David; Chacon-Cascante, Adriana

2012-05-15

Costa Rica has shown how a small developing country can grab the bull of environmental degradation by the horns, and reverse one of the highest deforestation rates in Latin America to become the poster child of environment success. Key to its achievement has been the country's payments for environmental services (PES) programme, which began in 1997 and which many countries are now looking to learn from, especially as water markets and schemes to reward forest conservation and reduced deforestation (REDD+) grow. Within Costa Rica too, there is a need to first reflect on how the contexts for, and challenges facing, PES have changed; and continue building a robust programme that can ensure the coming decade is as successful as the past one.

Payments for environmental services in Costa Rica: from Rio to Rio and beyond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Porras, Ina; Miranda, Miriam; Barton, David; Chacon-Cascante, Adriana

2012-05-15

Costa Rica has shown how a small developing country can grab the bull of environmental degradation by the horns, and reverse one of the highest deforestation rates in Latin America to become the poster child of environment success. Key to its achievement has been the country's payments for environmental services (PES) programme, which began in 1997 and which many countries are now looking to learn from, especially as water markets and schemes to reward forest conservation and reduced deforestation (REDD+) grow. Within Costa Rica too, there is a need to first reflect on how the contexts for, and challenges facing, PES have changed; and continue building a robust programme that can ensure the coming decade is as successful as the past one.

Helminths of hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santoro M.

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Parasitological examination of a stranded hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata from Pacific coast of Costa Rica revealed the presence of a rich digenean fauna including Carettacola stunkardi (Spirorchiidae, Enodiotrema reductum (Plagiorchiidae, Cricocephalus albus, Adenogaster serialis, Epi-bathra crassa, Pleurogonius lobatus, P. trigonocephalus, P. linearis, and Pyelosomum posterorchis (Pronocephalidae. All helminths except C. albus and P. lobatus represent new geographical records for Costa Rica. Carettacola stunkardi is reported for first time in an Eastern Pacific hawksbill turtle and its pathological changes are here described. Histologically, nodular lesions on the serosal surface of intestine revealed a mixed infiltrate of heterophils, lymphocytes, and histiocytes within necrotic debris. Granulomas with spirorchiid eggs were observed in the mucosa, sub-mucosa and muscular layers of stomach and intestine, gallbladder and liver.

Estrategia para Aumentar la Capacidad de Desarrollo de la Empresa Del Monte en Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Soto Guerrero, Evike

2004-01-01

Tesis de maestría -- Universidad de Costa Rica. Posgrado en Administración y Dirección de Empresas. Maestría Profesional en Administración y Dirección de Empresas con énfasis en Gerencia, 2004 El objetivo general del trabajo es analizar en profundidad la situación comercial de Del Monte en Costa Rica, identificando con exactitud las causas y focos de problema que han generado el decrecimiento en las ventas y participación de la marca. Posteriormente, se diseñará un plan estratégico que pe...

Epidemiología del cáncer de cuello uterino en Costa Rica, 1980-1983

OpenAIRE

Sierra Ramos, Rafaela; Barrantes Mesén, Ramiro

1988-01-01

Artículo científico -- Universidad de Costa Rica. Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud, 1988 Las tasas de cáncer de cuello uterino varían mucho entre los países y frecuentemente dentro de una misma población, según las diferentes comunidades que la forman. Entre los países que presentan mayores tasas de incidencia de este cáncer se encuentran varios de América Latina, de los cuales se tiene información fidedigna. En Costa Rica, a pesar de que en los últimos 20 años la mortalidad por este ...

La población con discapacidad en los censos del siglo XX en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Campos Vargas

2013-07-01

Full Text Available En este trabajo se logró conocer los criterios de clasificación empleados para definir a la población con discapacidad en los registros censales del siglo XX en Costa Rica y, por consiguiente, una aproximación a las formulaciones conceptuales para referirse al grupo en estudio. Además, se caracterizó a ese segmento poblacional a partir de diferentes variables: sexo, edad, estado civil y distribución geográfica. También se abordaron otros aspectos como fueron: alfabetismo, nivel de educación, ocupación, jefatura de hogar y vivienda. Entre los hallazgos más destacables se encuentra la permanencia, en los registros censales del siglo XX, de un concepto de discapacidad basado en la deficiencia, lo que definió los criterios de clasificación para esa población en esas fuentes. Asimismo se constató, por una parte, la asociación entre discapacidad e inequidad en esa centuria y, por la otra, la fragilidad de los vínculos de parentesco en ese grupo poblacional con respecto al conjunto de hogares de Costa Rica a fines de ese siglo. Las fuentes empleadas en esta investigación fueron los censos de población de Costa Rica del siglo XX. En el procedimiento con los datos, se llevó a cabo un análisis descriptivo de distribución de frecuencias.This research discloses the classification criteria used to define the population with disability in the twentieth century census records in Costa Rica and therefore gives an approximation of the conceptual formulations needed to refer to the examined group. Additionally, a segment of the population has been characterized by sex, age, marital status and geographical distribution. Other aspects like literacy rate, education level, occupation, head of household and housing were also dealt with. The disability concept based on deficiency, which defined the classification criteria for the population in those data sources, is among the most significant findings of this research. Furthermore, it was found

Bioplaguicidas de origen vegetal en Costa Rica (ING)

OpenAIRE

García, Jaime

2016-01-01

More than hundred plant species reported to have some kind of pesticide effect in Costa Rica are cited. The current situation of supply and demand of these products is presented, emphasizing the principal limitations for the development at commercial level, as well as the potential that the country possesses based on its extraordinary biodiversity. A listing of the institutions related to this matter is given. Finally, additional considerations are made about the toxicity of theses products a...

America and the Caribbean: The case of Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andy Seidl

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Este documento ilustra un enfoque económico a la comprensión de la industria de turismo de cruceros como impulsora del desarrollo económico en Costa Rica. El objetivo es describir el papel y las actividades de la industria de cruceros e identificar fuentes de costo y beneficio económico, a fin de que se puedan tomar decisiones locales de política con más información sobre el turismo de cruceros. Por ejemplo, nuestro análisis indica que la industria de turismo de cruceros compite con la industria de despacho de carga por espacio portuario a un significativo costo para los puertos de Costa Rica: la cantidad de dinero inyectada a la economía local por turista de crucero es sustancialmente más baja que para otros tipos de turismo. Los cruceros de turismo compran relativamente pocos suministros en Costa Rica y generan una gran cantidad de desechos producidos por las personas así como contaminación de agua y aire, lo que puede crear un serio peligro para la salud y costos de limpieza que no son proporcionales con otros tipos de desarrollo turístico de los que dispone el país. Quizás los encargados de tomar decisiones quieran considerar que la inversión en puertos amistosos con el turismo de crucero podría ser menos eficiente desde una perspectiva nacional que la inversión en infraestructura (por ejemplo, aeropuertos para aumentar tipos más rentables de turismo. Asimismo, quizás los líderes quieran pensar en estimular cruceros más pequeños “de bolsillo” más bien que la actual versión de turismo masivo. Este método debería ser aplicable a comunidades donde el turismo de crucero existe actualmente o se está considerando para incluirlo en la cartera de actividades económicas comunitarias.

Size and distribution of Pandarus satyrus (Copepoda: Pandaridae on the blue shark Prionace glauca (Carcharhiniformes: Carcharhinidae in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Rodrigo Rojas M.

2001-03-01

Full Text Available A total of 80 specimens of Pandarus satyrus, a cosmopolitan ectoparasitic copepod, were taken from fishery catches of blue sharks (Prionace glauca in the Eastern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. All specimens were found in the dorsal surface of pectoral fins (8-30 per shark. Longer specimens were most abundant.Un total de 80 especímenes de Pandarus satyrus, un copépodo ectoparásito cosmopolita, fueron tomados de tiburones azules (Prionace glauca capturados en la costa del Pacífico Oriental de Costa Rica. Todos los especímenes fueron encontrados en la superficie dorsal de las aletas pectorales (entre 8 y 30 por tiburón. Los parásitos más grandes son los más abundantes.

Los mamíferos marinos en la costa central de Oaxaca Marine mammals along the central coast of Oaxaca

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Meraz

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Con la finalidad de conocer las especies de mamíferos marinos que se encuentran en la costa central de Oaxaca, se elaboró un listado comentando las características de los registros obtenidos. Se incluyeron las observaciones hechas a lo largo de 30 recorridos por mar, entre junio de 1999 y enero de 2004, realizadas entre las bahías de Huatulco y la playa de La Escobilla. Adicionalmente se incluyeron registros de animales varados, así como observaciones realizadas desde la costa. Se presentan comentarios sobre el registro de 8 especies en la zona, incluyendo las localidades y fechas de los avistamientos. Stenella attenuata es la especie más abundante, y la zona de Zipolite-Isla Roca Blanca la localidad con el mayor número de avistamientos. Dado el crecimiento turístico del lugar, es importante contar con este tipo de registros ya que es poco lo que se sabe sobre estas especies en esta porción de la costa oaxaqueña.With the aim of documenting the species of marine mammals that occur along the central coast of Oaxaca, a list with the characteristics of the records was elaborated based on observations made throughout 30 surveys from Huatulco Bays to La Escobilla beach between June 1999 and January 2004. Additional records from stranded animals are included, as well observations from the coast. Comments on 8 species are presented, including localities and dates of sightings. Stenella attenuata is the most abundant species. Zipolite-Roca Blanca island was the locality with the highest number of sightings. This records are important to promote conservation due growth of tourism in the area, given that Oaxaca coast is poorly known regarding marine mammals.

Análisis de varios marcadores genéticos clásicos en la población de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernal Morera

2001-12-01

Full Text Available Se realizó un estudio de varios loci de grupos sanguíneos (ABO, Diego, Duffy, Kell, Kidd, Lewis, Lutheran, MNSs, P, Rhesus y Secretor y de la proteína sérica haptoglobina en una muestra de 2 196 costarricenses no emparentados y de ambos sexos. Los datos fueron clasificados y analizados de acuerdo con la región geográfica de origen de los individuos. Se estimaron las frecuencias génicas y su bondad de ajuste al equilibrio de Hardy-Weinberg mediante el método de máxima verosimilitud. Se observó la existencia de una estructuración geográfica en la población de Costa Rica. Todas las regiones de Costa Rica presentan valores de heterocigosidad mucho mayores a los observados en los pueblos indígenas costarricenses, pero semejantes o ligeramente mayores a los encontrados en poblaciones de España. El análisis de distancias génicas evidenció que las regiones de Costa Rica se agrupan próximas entre sí, en posiciones intermedias entre las amerindias y las de España, hecho que es coherente con el planteamiento que atribuye un origen mestizo a la población general de Costa Rica. Además, los datos contradicen la idea de que la región Central tiene una población radicalmente diferente a las demás regiones del país. Estos marcadores revelan pobres valores de probabilidad de exclusión forense y de paternidad, lo que confirma la importancia de su reemplazo por marcadores de ADN en los esquemas de identificación humana de los sistemas de investigación judicial. Tales resultados son similares a los encontrados en otras poblaciones latinoamericanasA study of several loci blood groups (ABO, Diego, Duffy, Kell, Kidd, Lewis, Lutheran, MNSs, P, Rhesus and Secretor, and Hp serum protein was carried out on a sample of 2 196 unrelated Costa Rican individuals of both sexes. Data was classified and analyzed according to geographic regions. Gene frequencies and the goodness of fit to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were estimated by the maximum

Psychosocial factors influencing the frequency of fast-food consumption among urban and rural Costa Rican adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Monge-Rojas, Rafael; Smith-Castro, Vanessa; Colón-Ramos, Uriyoán; Aragón, M Catalina; Herrera-Raven, Francisco

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify psychosocial factors that influence fast-food consumption in urban and rural Costa Rican adolescents. A self-administered questionnaire designed for the study asked about sociodemographic information, frequency of fast-food consumption, meaning of "fast food," location of purchase, and psychosocial correlates. Five psychosocial factors were extracted by using principal components analysis with Varimax rotation method and eigenvalues. Descriptive statistics and a hierarchical linear regression model were used to predict the frequency of fast-food consumption. Responses from 400 adolescents (ages 12-17 y) reveal that daily consumption of fast food was 1.8 times more frequently mentioned by rural adolescents compared with urban youth. Urban and rural differences were found in the way adolescents classified fast foods (rural adolescents included more traditional foods like chips, sandwiches, and Casado-a dish consisting of rice, black beans, plantains, salad, and a meat), and in purchasing locations (rural adolescents identified neighborhood convenience stores as fast-food restaurants). Living in rural areas, convenience and availability of foods, and the presence of external loci of control were predictors of a higher frequency of fast-food consumption, whereas health awareness predicted a lower frequency. The development of interventions to reduce fast-food consumption in Costa Rican adolescents should consider not only convenience, but also the availability of these foods where adolescents are more exposed, particularly in rural areas. Interventions such as improving the convenience of healthy fast foods available in school canteens and neighborhood stores, policies to increase the price of unhealthy fast food, and activities to provide adolescents with the skills to increase self-efficacy and reduce the effect of external loci of control are recommended. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diversidad y microestructura de quitones (Mollusca: Polyplacophora del Caribe de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cedar I García-Ríos

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Los poliplacóforos asociados a los arrecifes de coral en la costa caribeña de Costa Rica han sido poco estudiados. El examen del cascajo de coral acumulado en el sublitoral somero, en cuatro estaciones de colección, localizadas en la Provincia de Limón reveló una diversidad de quitones mayor a la documentada. Anteriormente se habían registrado ocho especies para el Caribe costaricense: Ischnochiton erythronotus (C.B. Adams, 1845; Ischnoplax pectinata (Sowerby 1840; Stenoplax boogii (Haddon, 1886; S. purpurascens (C.B. Adams, 1845; Acanthopleura granulata (Gmelin, 1791; Chiton marmoratus Gmelin, 1791; C. tuberculatus Linnaeus, 1758; Acanthochitona rhodea (Pilsbry, 1893. Otras cinco se registran aquí por primera vez: Callistochiton portobelensis Ferreira 1976; Ischnochiton kaasi Ferreira 1987; I. pseudovirgatus Kaas 1972; Acanthochitona balesae Abbott 1954; Cryptoconchus floridanus (Dall 1889.

Education Exclusion and Dropping out in Public Schools of Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wendy Jiménez-Asenjo

2013-03-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on the findings obtained from a study conducted in 2009: “Exclusión educativa y abandono (deserción escolar en la enseñanza secundaria en Costa Rica” [Education Exclusion and Dropping out in Costa Rica], focused on the students from the 7th to the 11th grades of the General Basic Education. For this research, fieldwork was carried out in 22 institutions, in different educational regions of the country. Interviews were conducted with the school principals and counselors in each of the institutions visited. Focal groups were organized with students and parents in order to –as naturalism and qualitative focus suggest –understand the meaning of education exclusion and dropping out from the point of view of the different agents involved– principals, counselors, students, parents. A relevant conceptual aspect included in this study is the analysis of the problems related to dropping out and exclusion, generally, in a nonjudgmental way, to characterize this phenomenon.

Burning bridges: policy, practice, and the destruction of midwifery in rural Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkins, Gwynne L

2003-05-01

The trend toward hospitalization of birth has a long history in Costa Rica and currently approximately 98% of births take place in the clinical setting. Impoverished rural areas, like the town of Buenos Aires, lag behind national trends and only recently has birth moved from the home to the hospital. Costa Rica's midwife certification program co-opted rural midwives as bridges to biomedicalization, responsible for both pushing women into the biomedical setting and filling the gaps left by a limited national health care system. Despite the eventual illegalization of key practices and of home birth itself, local use of midwives' services continues, albeit with local demands that have transformed midwives into bridges to biomedical care in ways unanticipated by and invisible to national programmers. Midwives provide key services like prenatal massage, treatment of pregnancy crises, and attending unforeseen home births and women unable to afford the modest costs of hospitalization. Yet, midwives report increasing dissatisfaction and the desire to stop providing services in their communities. Practices like prenatal massage are in demand, but are no longer embedded in a system of local exchange that is socially and economically meaningful. Midwives blame their clientele for their dissatisfaction, but directly link these changes to the notions of professionalism, compensation, and changing community values. Thus, the social relationship between midwives and their clients must also be understood as a destructive force burning midwifery as a bridge to safe birth. In this essay, I argue that the process of both remodeling and subsequently destroying midwifery practices begun in the formal health care sector at the national level continues at the local level through changing values and meanings associated with midwives' practices.

LA CERÁMICA CERRO LOS HORNOS, PRESENCIA INKA EN LA COSTA DE TACNA, SUR DEL PERÚ

OpenAIRE

Vela Velarde, Carlos

2004-01-01

Se estudia el sitio Cerro Los Hornos, ubicado en la costa de Tacna, sur del Perú. Presenta cerámica con filiación Inka Imperial o Cuzco Policromo, pero de fabricación local; esta presencia cultural es consecuencia del proceso de expansión Inka a la costa sur del Perú, la cual establece relaciones con la sociedad local The place studied is Cerro Los Hornos located in the coast of Tacna, south of Peru, presents ceramic with filiation Inka Imperial or Cuzco Policromo, but of local production;...

Diccionario histórico-toponímico de la Isla del Coco, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ronald Eduardo Díaz Bolaños

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Se recolectaron de distintas fuentes documentales los nombres de setenta y seis topónimos correspondientes a los principales accidentes topográficos del Parque Nacional Isla del Coco, Costa Rica. Estos se pueden agrupar en cuatro grupos principales, como son aquellos pertenecientes a las visitas de navegantes británicos, la vida republicana en Costa Rica y aquellos de la flora y fauna, tanto terrestre como marina. La metodología empleada ha permitido identificar setenta y uno de estos topónimos. Conceptualmente, el dinamismo del abordaje metodológico y la divulgación de sus resultados sugieren tener implícito un proceso de retroalimentación.

Paraquat Exposure of Knapsack Spray Operators on Banana Plantations in Costa Rica

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Wendel de Joode BN, [No Value; De Graaf IA, [No Value; Wesseling, B; Kromhout, S.B.; de Graaf, Inge

1996-01-01

A study of occupational exposure to paraquat was performed among 11 knapsack spray operators at banana plantations in Costa Rica. External and internal exposures were quantified and determinants of exposure identified by measurements, observations, and interviews. Dermal exposure was measured with

Eliminating War By Eliminating Warriors: A Case Study in Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-01

religious authority of the Spanish Crown and was able to exert pressure on all aspects of Spanish governance. The church encouraged a much weaker...such a cash cow in shipping, Costa Rica has managed to diversify its economy from commodities into tourism and most recently into personal computing

Learning through Participatory Resource Management Programs: Case Studies from Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Sims, Laura; Sinclair, A. John

2008-01-01

Based on an ongoing qualitative case study in Costa Rica, this article presents the participatory work that the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) is doing with farmers to protect watersheds from erosion and contamination. Specifically, it includes a description of ICE's Watershed Management Agricultural Programme and how farmers…

Biodiversity conservation in Costa Rica: a correspondence analysis between identified biodiversity hotspots (Araceae, Arecaceae, Bromeliaceae, and Scarabaeinae and conservation priority life zones Conservación de la biodiversidad en Costa Rica: análisis de la correspondencia entre áreas identificadas clave por su biodiversidad (Araceae, Arecaceae, Bromeliaceae y Scarabaeinae y zonas de vida prioritarias para la conservación

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bert Kohlmann

2010-08-01

Full Text Available This paper undertook an analysis of the distribution of high species richness and areas of endemism based on plants (Araceae, Arecaceae, and Bromeliaceae and dung beetles (Scarabaeinae inhabiting the different Holdridge Life Zones of Costa Rica. Using a geographic information system (GIS we analyzed biogeographic provinces, in terms of their representativity in sampling areas, life zones, and protected areas. Species richness and endemism maps served as a base for conducting a gap analysis and defining 6 different levels of high priority conservation areas. What percentages of these priority areas are under some type of protection or conservation scheme and which of these areas should be enlarged were also investigated. The degree of feasibility that these areas under protection have for enlargement is indicated. A list is included of all the aforementioned registered species for Costa Rica, as well as their presence in the different Holdridge Life Zones and their endemism status. Four areas with the highest species richness were identified, and 3 new areas of endemism are proposed. The most important conservation priority areas are the tropical wet forests on the northeastern lowlands, the Osa Peninsula region, and the premontane wet forest along the Guanacaste, Tilarán and Central mountain ranges. This study clearly demonstrates the need to include and compare different groups of organisms in biodiversity-endemism studies, in order to obtain more robust and finer-grained studies.El presente estudio analiza la distribución de áreas de alta riqueza específica y endemismos basado en plantas (Araceae, Arecaceae, y Bromeliaceae y escarabajos del estiércol (Scarabaeinae, que habitan las diferentes Zonas de Vida de Holdridge en Costa Rica. Mediante el uso de un sistema de información geográfica (SIG analizamos provincias biogeográficas, en relación a la representatividad de las áreas de muestreo, las zonas de vida y las áreas protegidas

The seismogenic zone in the Central Costa Rican Pacific margin: high-quality hypocentres from an amphibious network

Science.gov (United States)

Arroyo, Ivonne G.; Husen, Stephan; Flueh, Ernst R.

2014-10-01

Transition from subduction of normal to thickened oceanic crust occurs in the central portion of the Costa Rican margin, where large interplate earthquakes ( M ~ 7) and abundant interseismic seismicity have been associated with subduction of bathymetric highs. We relocated ~1,300 earthquakes recorded for 6 months by a combined on- and offshore seismological network using probabilistic earthquake relocation in a 3D P-wave velocity model. Most of the seismicity originated at the seismogenic zone of the plate boundary, appearing as an 18° dipping, planar cluster from 15 to 25-30 km depth, beneath the continental shelf. Several reverse focal mechanisms were resolved within the cluster. The upper limit of this interseismic interplate seismicity seems to be controlled primarily by the overlying-plate thickness and coherency, which in turn is governed by the erosional processes and fluid release and escape at temperatures lower than ~100 to 120 °C along the plate boundary. The downdip limit of the stick-slip behaviour collocates with relative low temperatures of ~150 to 200 °C, suggesting that it is controlled by serpentinization of the mantle wedge. The distribution of the interseismic interplate seismicity is locally modified by the presence of subducted seamounts at different depths. Unlike in northern Costa Rica, rupture of large earthquakes in the last two decades seems to coincide with the area defined by the interseismic interplate seismicity.

Evaluación del impacto de la reforma del sector de la salud en Costa Rica mediante un estudio cuasiexperimental Assessing the impact of health sector reform in Costa Rica through a quasi-experimental study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Rosero Bixby

2004-02-01

yet initiated health sector reform in 2000 experienced only a 3% reduction. CONCLUSION: Health sector reform significantly reduced mortality in Costa Rica and put an end to a decade of stagnation, as shown by certain health indicators, such as life expectancy. Equity in access to primary care improved considerably, perhaps because the first reforms were implemented in less developed areas of the country.

Timber resource statistics for the central coast resource area of California.

Science.gov (United States)

Karen L. Waddell; Patricia M. Bassett

1996-01-01

This report is a summary of timber resource statistics for the Central Coast Resource Area of California, which includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, San Benito, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Ventura Counties. Data were collected as part of a statewide multi-resource inventory. The inventory...

Prevalência de dor nas costas e fatores associados em adultos do sul do Brasil: estudo de base populacional Prevalence and associated factors of back pain in adults from southern Brazil: a population-based study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo D. Ferreira

2011-02-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: Determinar a prevalência de dor nas costas e fatores associados em uma amostra representativa da cidade de Pelotas, RS, Brasil. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal que avaliou 972 adultos com idade entre 20 e 69 anos, de ambos os sexos, moradores da zona urbana do município. O questionário aplicado incluiu questões socioeconômicas, demográficas, comportamentais e de saúde. Dor nas costas foi definida como qualquer dor ou desconforto em algum local das costas nos últimos 12 meses, seja na região cervical, torácica ou lombar. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de dor nas costas foi de 63,1% (IC95% 60,0 a 66,1, sendo a região lombar a mais referenciada (40%. Sexo feminino 1,24 (1,12 a 1,37 e percepção ruim de saúde (pOBJECTIVES: To identify the prevalence of spinal pain and possible prognostic factors in a representative sample of Pelotas, RS, Brazil. METHODS: Cross-sectional study evaluated 972 adults aged between 20 and 69 years, of both sexes, residents in a urban area. The questionnaire included socio-economic, demographics, behavioral and health-related questions. Spinal pain was defined as any pain or discomfort in the spine somewhere in the last 12 months, either in the cervical, thoracic or lumbar area. RESULTS: The prevalence of spinal pain was 63.1% (95% CI 60.0 to 66.1 being lower back the most prevalent condition (40%. Female gender 1.24 (1.12 to 1.37 and poor health status(p<0.001 were the variables that remained associated with the presence of spinal pain in the final model. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of back pain is important as it is associated with activity limitation and with health care utilization.

Nicaragüenses inmigrantes en Costa Rica: Patrones de participación en actividades recreativas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Grace Salazar-Salas

2015-01-01

Full Text Available En Costa Rica, las personas nicaragüenses constituyen el mayor grupo inmigrante. Este artículo reporta la tercera y última parte de los hallazgos de un estudio cualitativo que investigó cómo se recreaban trece nicaragüenses que vivían en el Área Metropolitana costarricense. Los datos reportados se obtuvieron de entrevistas. Los hallazgos de este estudio fenomenológico se relacionan con (1 tres tipos de actividades recreativas en las que se dejó de participar, (2 cuatro tipos de activi - dades recreativas en las que se continuó participando como en Nicaragua, (3 dos tipos de actividades recreativas que se modificaron para seguir realizándolas en Costa Rica, (4 cinco tipos de actividades recreativas que se iniciaron o retomaron en Costa Rica, porque casi no se habían realizado en Nicaragua, y (5 dos tipos de actividades recreativas en las que a las personas les gustaría participar en el futuro. Además, se presentan los efectos positivos y negativos del cambio de país y su impacto en la recreación de las personas entrevistadas.

Cuantificación del potencial energético undimotriz en las costas del Caribe colombiano

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime P

2017-11-01

Full Text Available En este documento se describen los avances en la cuantificación de la energía de las olas de la costa caribeña colombiana. La metodología utilizada servirá como punto de partida para establecer el potencial energético en Colombia para este tipo de suministro energético. En la actualidad, el potencial energético teórico estimado en las ondas de la costa cercana en la costa atlántica es de aproximadamente 1107 MW y esto fue posible con datos que se han recogido y procesado desde enero de 2014. Las ecuaciones que tienen en cuenta variables tales como: la densidad del agua de mar, la temperatura y la velocidad del viento en la zona. También muestra el progreso del diseño del sistema Near Shore para la verificación del potencial de energía de las olas que consiste en un dispositivo que transforma la energía cinética de las ondas del mar en energía potencial gravitacional que se va a usar para mover un generador de corriente alterna.

Insights into the illegal trade of feline derivatives in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Rebecca Kelly, Ph.D.

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Research has given the illegal trade of feline derivatives in Mexico as well as Central and South America little attention. The purpose of this article is to: 1 Begin a dialogue among human dimensions of wildlife scholars about the economic and cultural values of feline derivatives throughout Mexico, Central and South America; 2 Present the range of economic values that emerged in my interview and participant observation data from Costa Rica; 3 Offer an explanation of how sociological concepts influence the buying and selling of dead jaguars (Panthera onca, pumas (Puma concolor, and ocelots (Leopardus pardalis in Costa Rica. The principal results are: 1 The sociological concepts of social status and masculine identity interlace with and motivate the illegal trade; 2 The value of feline parts in Costa Rica ranges from $25 to $5000; 3 This value differs by culture and geographic residency of the seller (urban versus rural and diverged from values discovered in other countries; 4 The men who adorn their homes with illegal trophies are not necessarily the poachers. The value of jaguar skin has been recorded for as little as $100 in a 1983 study conducted in Belize and for as high as $600 in a study done in Venezuela in approximately 2011. Because of cultural differences, Cabécar sell a feline skin for as little as $25 and up to $400 if it includes teeth and nails, but Ticos, who are non-indigenous Costa Ricans, sell the skins from $500-$5000. Non-indigenous, wealthy urban men indicate prestige by the display of feline parts. My findings align with existing research that jaguar skins are sold to people in larger cities and that adornment of feline derivatives is a masculine tradition that can be linked with Amerindian cultures and ancient times. Historically jaguars have been associated with elitist symbolism and evidence in this study suggests this continues in today's culture as a sign of social status. Results suggest that money alone does not

Hemoglobinas anormales en la población neonatal de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Abarca

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Se han analizado un total de 70 943 muestras de sangre total en papel filtro S&S 903 de neonatos de Costa Rica (octubre 2005 a Octubre 2006 con el fin de detectar variantes de hemoglobina mediante la técnica de isoelectroenfoque. Se detectaron 891 casos con alguna variante para una frecuencia de 1/79. Se clasifican 5 casos homocigotos para hemoglobina S (anemia drepanocítica o anemia falciforme y un caso doble heterocigoto para SC. En este estudio se demuestra que las variantes fenotípicas de hemoglobina S como la C, se encuentran distribuidas por todo el país con algunas diferencias locales, razón por la cual es importante que la prevención de nuevos casos se realicé a través de nuestro Programa Nacional de Tamizaje de Hemoglobinas junto con un Programa Nacional interdisciplinario de Educación para el portador del rasgo (AS/AC como, para el enfermo y su familia; al igual que la instauración de programas dirigidos a médicos generales y enfermeras en todas las regiones de salud del país, para asegurar consejo genético a portadores y enfermos, y a la vez, mejorar los sistemas de tratamiento a los pacientes para reducir la morbi -mortalidad.Abnormal haemoglobins in the newborn human population of Costa Rica. Hemoglobinopathies are hereditary autosomic recessive diseases. A total of 70 943 samples of whole blood collected by heel prick in filter paper (S&S 903 from throughout Costa Rica (October 2005-October 2006 were analyzed to detect variants of hemoglobin by the iso-electric focusing technique. Eight hundred ninety one cases presented some variant, for a frecuency of 1/79. Five cases are homozygous for hemoglobin S (sickle cell disease and one shows the double heterozygous genotype SC. in this study the S and C variants of hemoglobin, although with some local differences, are widespread all over the country. Thus, the prevention of new cases is important through the testing of hemoglobin in the Costa Rican National Newborn Screening

Le ultime tecnologie hanno aiutato i primi soccorsi alla Costa Concordia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Faccioli

2012-04-01

Thanks to the Geomatics, the Costa Concordia operations are conducted in conditions of extreme security to protect both the lives of rescue workers and the delicate environment.All technologies involved (Lidar, Multibeam, GNSS, INS, ecc…, while having a primary role in real life, have always worked quietly behind the scenes.

Movements and diving behavior of internesting green turtles along Pacific Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanco, Gabriela S; Morreale, Stephen J; Seminoff, Jeffrey A; Paladino, Frank V; Piedra, Rotney; Spotila, James R

2013-09-01

Using satellite transmitters, we determined the internesting movements, spatial ecology and diving behavior of East Pacific green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting on Nombre de Jesús and Zapotillal beaches along the Pacific coast of northwestern Costa Rica. Kernel density analysis indicated that turtles spent most of their time in a particularly small area in the vicinity of the nesting beaches (50% utilization distribution was an area of 3 km(2) ). Minimum daily distance traveled during a 12 day internesting period was 4.6 ± 3.5 km. Dives were short and primarily occupied the upper 10 m of the water column. Turtles spent most of their time resting at the surface and conducting U-dives (ranging from 60 to 81% of the total tracking time involved in those activities). Turtles showed a strong diel pattern, U-dives mainly took place during the day and turtles spent a large amount of time resting at the surface at night. The lack of long-distance movements demonstrated that this area was heavily utilized by turtles during the nesting season and, therefore, was a crucial location for conservation of this highly endangered green turtle population. The unique behavior of these turtles in resting at the surface at night might make them particularly vulnerable to fishing activities near the nesting beaches. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd, ISZS and IOZ/CAS.

Characterization of Bioactive Constituents from Honey Produced by Costa Rican Stingless Bees

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zamora Fallas, L.G.

2018-01-01

Antimicrobial resistance created the need for innovations in topical treatments for wound healing. This thesis comprises a series of investigations that allowed Costa Rican Tetragonisca angustula honeys to pass from being a highly regarded traditional medicine to becoming a novel candidate for wound

The Culture of Fear and Control in Costa Rica (II): The Talk of Crime and Social Changes

OpenAIRE

Sebastian Huhn

2009-01-01

The Costa Rican talk of crime is fundamentally based on the assumption that a formerly explicitly nonviolent nation has been transformed into a battleground for social violence - that is, on the belief that an alarming 'crime wave' is occurring today while there was no crime at all in the past. On the basis of this assumption, the fear of crime and the call for zero tolerance and drastic law enforcement actions have been increasing. In this paper I discuss the Costa Rican talk of crime from a...

Actividad contra Leishmania sp. (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) de plantas en una Reserva Biológica de Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Misael Chinchilla-Carmona; Idalia Valerio-Campos; Ronald Sánchez-Porras; Vanessa Bagnarello-Madrigal; Laura Martínez-Esquivel; Antonieta González-Paniagua; Javier Alpizar-Cordero; Maribel Cordero-Villalobos; Daniela Rodríguez-Chaves

2014-01-01

La leishmaniosis es una enfermedad muy importante para el ser humano pero su tratamiento es bastante difícil. Por esta razón muchos investigadores han venido buscando plantas que contengan componentes químicos activos contra esta parasitosis. En Costa Rica no se tienen estudios al respecto y por eso el objetivo de este estudio fue la búsqueda de componentes activos contra Leishmania sp. en plantas de Costa Rica; 67 especies de la Reserva Biológica Alberto Manuel Brenes (REBAMB) fueron selecci...

Chlamydia psittaci genotype B in a pigeon (Columba livia inhabiting a public place in San José, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Dolz

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Human chlamydiosis is a zoonotic disease of avian origin caused by Chlamydia psittaci. The highest infection rates have been detected in parrots (Psittacidae and pigeons (Columbiformes, the latter most frequently carry the genotypes B and E. These genotypes have been shown to also infect humans. Because pigeons (Columba livia cohabit with humans in urban areas, C. psittaci present in the dust from dry feces of infected pigeons may be transmitted by inhalation and represent a significant public health problem. Between 2012 and 2013 a total of 120 fecal samples were collected from pigeons at four public places (Plaza de la Cultura, Parque Morazán, Parque Central de Guadalupe, Plaza de las Garantías Sociales in San José, Costa Rica. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR was used to amplify a region of the outer membrane protein A gene of C. psittaci. Only one sample was positive in PCR and the positive sample was further subjected to sequencing and genotyping. Sequencing identified this sample as C. psittaci genotype B. This study is the first report to show the presence of this organism in pigeons of Costa Rica, and shows that the infected pigeons may represent a significant risk for humans who visit public places that are inhabited by pigeons.

Chlamydia psittaci genotype B in a pigeon (Columba livia) inhabiting a public place in San José, Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Dolz, G.; Solórzano-Morales, Á.; Angelova, L.; Tien, C.; Fonseca, L.; Bonilla, M.C.

2013-01-01

Human chlamydiosis is a zoonotic disease of avian origin caused by Chlamydia psittaci. The highest infection rates have been detected in parrots (Psittacidae) and pigeons (Columbiformes), the latter most frequently carry the genotypes B and E. These genotypes have been shown to also infect humans. Because pigeons (Columba livia) cohabit with humans in urban areas, C. psittaci present in the dust from dry feces of infected pigeons may be transmitted by inhalation and represent a significant public health problem. Between 2012 and 2013 a total of 120 fecal samples were collected from pigeons at four public places (Plaza de la Cultura, Parque Morazán, Parque Central de Guadalupe, Plaza de las Garantías Sociales) in San José, Costa Rica. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify a region of the outer membrane protein A gene of C. psittaci. Only one sample was positive in PCR and the positive sample was further subjected to sequencing and genotyping. Sequencing identified this sample as C. psittaci genotype B. This study is the first report to show the presence of this organism in pigeons of Costa Rica, and shows that the infected pigeons may represent a significant risk for humans who visit public places that are inhabited by pigeons. PMID:26623327

Chlamydia psittaci genotype B in a pigeon (Columba livia) inhabiting a public place in San José, Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Dolz, G; Solórzano-Morales, Á; Angelova, L; Tien, C; Fonseca, L; Bonilla, M C

2013-01-01

Human chlamydiosis is a zoonotic disease of avian origin caused by Chlamydia psittaci. The highest infection rates have been detected in parrots (Psittacidae) and pigeons (Columbiformes), the latter most frequently carry the genotypes B and E. These genotypes have been shown to also infect humans. Because pigeons (Columba livia) cohabit with humans in urban areas, C. psittaci present in the dust from dry feces of infected pigeons may be transmitted by inhalation and represent a significant public health problem. Between 2012 and 2013 a total of 120 fecal samples were collected from pigeons at four public places (Plaza de la Cultura, Parque Morazán, Parque Central de Guadalupe, Plaza de las Garantías Sociales) in San José, Costa Rica. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify a region of the outer membrane protein A gene of C. psittaci. Only one sample was positive in PCR and the positive sample was further subjected to sequencing and genotyping. Sequencing identified this sample as C. psittaci genotype B. This study is the first report to show the presence of this organism in pigeons of Costa Rica, and shows that the infected pigeons may represent a significant risk for humans who visit public places that are inhabited by pigeons.

New species of Scolytodes (Coleoptera: Scolytidae from Costa Rica and Panamá

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bjarte H. Jordal

1998-06-01

Full Text Available Seven species of Scolytodes (tribe Ctenophorini are described as new to science: S. concavus and S. circumsetosus (from Ficus branches, La Selva, S. montanus (Monteverde, S. nudifrons (Las Cruces near San Vito, and S. triangulus (fogging sample, La Selva, all from Costa Rica, and S. ungulatus (Cerro Punta and S. punctifrons (from Astronium graveolens, Canal Zone, both from Panama. New distributional and host plant data are given for the following species: S. amoenus (Ficus branch, La Selva, and the first record south of Mexico, S. immanis (Cerro de La Muerte, S. impressus (Xylopia branch, Peninsula de Osa, S. ochromae (Ochroma branch, La Selva, S. piceus (fogging sample, La Selva, the first low altitude record, and S. swieteniae (fogging sample, La Selva and Braulio Carrillo, the first exact locality data, all from Costa Rica, and S. nanellus (Barro Colorado Island from Panama.

La apertura comercial en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexis Bustos Alvarado

2010-10-01

Full Text Available En este artículo se analizan los diferentes modelos contemporáneos implementados en Costa Rica, cuyo objetivo ha sido el de generar un desarrollo hacia fuera, es decir, basado en un fuerte impulso a las exportaciones y a la búsqueda de nuevos mercados. Todas estas medidas tomadas por las distintas administraciones, unas con más convicción que otras, han desembocado en un proceso de apertura comercial que ha quedado plasmado en la negociación y firma de diferentes tratados de libre comercio con países y regiones, como una manera de ampliar el mercado y de esta forma acelerar el desarrollo económico del País.

Costa Rica: movimiento de mujeres y liderazgo

OpenAIRE

Torres García, Isabel

2015-01-01

En el estudio Costa Rica: movimiento de mujeres y liderazgo se evidencia cómo el movimiento feminista y amplio de mujeres utiliza formas singulares y creativas de liderazgo, en uno de los contextos sociales más igualitarios de la región y en una de las democracias más afianzadas, como lo es la costarricense. Se pone en evidencia el crecimiento de este movimiento y la relación que existe entre los logros legales y la visibilidad de la dimensión y de la persistencia de las diversas formas de vi...

Geochronological synthesis of magmatism, metamorphism and metallogeny of Costa Rica, Central America; Sintesis geocronologica del magmatismo, metamorfismo y metalogenia de Costa Rica, America Central

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alvarado, Guillermo E., E-mail: galvarado@ice.go.cr [Inst. Costarricense de Electricidad, Apdo. 10032, 1000 San Jose (Costa Rica); Univ. de Costa Rica, Centro de Investigaciones Geologicas, Apdo. 35-2060 (Costa Rica); Gans, Phillipe B [Univ. of California, Dept. of Geological Science, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States)

2012-06-15

A comprehensive compilation of 651 (since 1968) radiometric ages determinations (415 {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar, 211 K/Ar, 5 U/Th, 4 Rb/Sr, 2 U/Pb, and 13 fission track thermochronology ages using zircon) have provided a complete picture of the igneous stratigraphy of Costa Rica, and information about the age of the major metamorphic and metallogenic events in the region. Igneous rocks of Late Jurassic to Middle Eocene age ({approx} 160 to {approx} 41 Ma), mainly accreted ophiolites. The actual subduction zone was established, represented by volcano-sedimentary rocks of basic to felsic composition, at the beginning of Campanian time ({approx} 71 Ma). However, voluminous subalkaline, primary volcanic rocks have appeared only after {approx} 29 Ma. Intrusive to hypabyssal granitic to gabboic plutons, stocks, equivalent dykes and sills, are widely exposed in the Talamanca range ({approx} 12,4 - 7,8 Ma), hills of Escazu ({approx} 6,0 - 5,9 Ma), and Fila Costena ({approx} 18,3 - 16,8 and {approx} 14,8 - 11,1 Ma), Tapanti-Montes del Aguacate-Carpintera ({approx} 4,2 - 2,2 Ma) and Guacimal ({approx} 6,4 - 5,2 Ma). Arc rocks between 29 and 11 Ma (called Photo-Volcanic Front) are known in the San Carlos plains and in southern Costa Rica. The location and age of the igneous rocks have indicated that there was a 20 degrees counterclockwise rotation of the arc (termed as Proto-Volcanic Front) between 15 and 8 Ma, with a pole of rotation that has centered on southern Costa Rica. This rotation is attributed to deformation in the overriding plate (shortening in the south coeval with extension in the NW), accompanied by trench retreat in the south. At {approx} 3,45 Ma, arc-related volcanism has shut off in southern part of the region, but local acid-adakite volcanism has persisted in the Talamanca range (4,2 - 0,95 Ma) due to the subduction of the Cocos Ridge. The Paleo-Volcanic Front is represented by arc-related rocks (8 - 3,5 Ma) along the length of Costa Rica, parallel to but in

Description of a new species of Pleseobyrsa (Heteroptera: Tingidae from Costa Rica Descripción de una nueva especie de Pleseobyrsa (Heteroptera: Tingidae de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara I. Montemayor

2011-06-01

Full Text Available A new Pleseobyrsa, P. persea n. sp. is described for Costa Rica. The host plant of this new species is Persea americana P. Mill. This corresponds to the second species of the genus known for the country and the third whose host plant is P. americana (avocado. A description of the adult as well as of instar V are provided, together with a key to species, photographs taken in the field, and illustrations of the fifth nymph stage, adult, and the main characters.Se describe una especie nueva de Pleseobyrsa, P. persea n. sp. de Costa Rica, cuya planta huésped es Persea americana P. Mill., siendo ésta la segunda especie del género conocida del país y la tercera cuya planta huésped es P. americana (aguacate. Se describen tanto el adulto como el estadio ninfal V; se agrega una clave modificada de Froeschner para las especies, y se ilustran ejemplares en el campo, el quinto estadio ninfal, adulto y los principales caracteres.

Genetic diversity in Oryza glumaepatula wild rice populations in Costa Rica and possible gene flow from O. sativa.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuchs, Eric J; Meneses Martínez, Allan; Calvo, Amanda; Muñoz, Melania; Arrieta-Espinoza, Griselda

2016-01-01

Wild crop relatives are an important source of genetic diversity for crop improvement. Diversity estimates are generally lacking for many wild crop relatives. The objective of the present study was to analyze how genetic diversity is distributed within and among populations of the wild rice species Oryza glumaepatula in Costa Rica. We also evaluated the likelihood of gene flow between wild and commercial rice species because the latter is commonly sympatric with wild rice populations. Introgression may change wild species by incorporating alleles from domesticated species, increasing the risk of losing original variation. Specimens from all known O. glumaepatula populations in Costa Rica were analyzed with 444 AFLP markers to characterize genetic diversity and structure. We also compared genetic diversity estimates between O. glumaepatula specimens and O. sativa commercial rice. Our results showed that O. glumaepatula populations in Costa Rica have moderately high levels of genetic diversity, comparable to those found in South American populations. Despite the restricted distribution of this species in Costa Rica, populations are fairly large, reducing the effects of drift on genetic diversity. We found a dismissible but significant structure (θ = 0.02 ± 0.001) among populations. A Bayesian structure analysis suggested that some individuals share a significant proportion of their genomes with O. sativa. These results suggest that gene flow from cultivated O. sativa populations may have occurred in the recent past. These results expose an important biohazard: recurrent hybridization may reduce the genetic diversity of this wild rice species. Introgression may transfer commercial traits into O. glumaepatula, which in turn could alter genetic diversity and increase the likelihood of local extinction. These results have important implications for in situ conservation strategies of the only wild populations of O. glumaepatula in Costa Rica.

Results from the Astronomy Diagnostic Test: 3 Years at MiraCosta College

Science.gov (United States)

Sirbaugh French, Rica

2007-12-01

The Astronomy Diagnostic Test 2.0 (ADT) was administered to 26 sections of ASTR 101 at MiraCosta College (MCC) from fall 2004 through summer 2007. MiraCosta is a two-year community college located in Oceanside, CA, USA (roughly 40 miles north of San Diego) with an enrollment of approximately 11,000 students. ASTR 101 is MiraCosta's introductory astronomy survey course for non-science majors and has no math prerequisite. Class sizes ranged from 10 to 38 students. Comparison with the ADT National Project results indicates similar pre- and post-course averages: 31.8% (MCC) vs. 32.4% (National) for pre-course tests and 49.3% (MCC) vs. 47.3% (National) for post-course tests. The sample sizes are 709 and 530 students for the pre- and post-tests, respectively. The normalized gain for the entire data set is 0.256 and the effect size (ES) is 1.04, meaning that approximately 85% of the post-test scores are above the average of the pre-test scores. Previous studies have shown the ADT to be a reliable indicator of pre-course misconceptions while post-course scores are useful for comparing modes of instruction and assessing student learning on a limited number of concepts. Additional analyses of the MCC data probe for trends with variables such as gender, class size, and implementation of materials designed for a more "learner-centered” approach (such as Lecture Tutorials, Ranking Tasks, and Think-Pair-Share questions), as well as gains for a particular subset of concepts.

Redescription and resurrection from synonymy, of Aedes (Ochlerotatus Rhyacophilus Costa Lima, 1933 Redescrição e revalidação de Aedes (Ochlerotatus rhyacophilus Costa Lima, 1933

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Anice Mureb Sallum

1988-03-01

Full Text Available Aedes (Ochlerotatu rhyacophilus Costa Lima i resurrected from the synonymy with Aedes (Ochlerotatus scapularis (Rondani. Lectotype and paralectotypes are designated Larval, pupal and both sexes of adult stages are redescribed and illustrated. Bionomics include a picture of a brreding place. Diagnostic characters for distinguishing rhyacophilus from other species of the Scapularis Group are provided. Some data about known distribution are presented.Aedes (Ochlerotatus rhyacophilus Costa Lima é retida da sinonímia con Aedes (Ochlerotatus scapularis (Rondani. São designados lectótipo e paralectótipos. As formas larval, pupal e adulta de ambos os sexos são redescritas e acompanhadas de ilustrações representativas desses estádios, além do aspecto de um criadouro natural. Apresentam-se caracteres diagnósticos que permitem separar rhyacophilus das outras espécies do Grupo Scapularis, e alguns dados sobre a distribuição geográfica até agora conhecida.

Retos para el estudio epidemiológico de la salud mental y el bienestar en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Maroto-Vargas

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Este artículo aborda algunos de los retos conceptuales y metodológicos que identificó la Escuela de Psicología de la Universidad de Costa Rica para el estudio de la salud mental en Costa Rica con el fin de favorecer un debate académico. Presenta una breve reseña del trabajo realizado desde esta unidad académica en los últimos tres años y da cuenta del proceso de trabajo coordinado con otras instancias de la universidad, instituciones públicas, organismos y organizaciones de la sociedad civil a nivel nacional e internacional e identifica los principales nudos de discusión trabajados a nivel conceptual y metodológico. El primero de ellos se refiere a los alcances y las limitaciones al utilizar los términos salud mental, salud o bienestar; este último se trata de una propuesta novedosa en Costa Rica. En un segundo momento, se desarrolla el debate sobre la relevancia de los marcadores genéticos y los factores ambientales y sociales en el proceso de salud/enfermedad. Introduce los aportes de la epidemiología crítica y presenta los argumentos de por qué se considera oportuno realizar la Primera Encuesta Nacional de Salud Mental en Costa Rica, a pesar de una anticipada orientación metodológica por principios más tradicionales del enfoque psiquiátrico y de la epidemiología.

Cruise tourism and community economic development in Central America and the Caribbean: The case of Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seidl, Andy

2006-01-01

Full Text Available This paper illustrates an economic approach to understanding the cruise tourism industry as a driver of economic development in Costa Rica. The objective is to describe the role and activities of the cruise ship industry and identify sources of economic benefit and cost such that more informed local policy decisions about the cruise ship tourism might be made. For example, our analysis indicates: the cruise tourism industry competes with the cargo shipping industry for port space at a significant cost to Costa Rican ports; the amount of money injected into the local economy per cruise tourist is substantially lower than for other types of tourism; Cruise ships purchase relatively few supplies in Costa Rica; Cruise ships generate a great deal of human waste, water and air pollution, which can create a serious health hazard, cleanup costs, and which are not commensurate with other types of tourism development available to Costa Rica; Decision makers may want to consider that investment in cruise tourism friendly ports may be less efficient from a national perspective than investment in infrastructure (e.g., airports to increase more profitable types of tourism; And leaders may want to consider the encouragement of smaller “pocket” cruises over the current cruise version of mass tourism. This approach should be applicable to communities wherever cruise tourism currently exists or is under consideration to be included in the portfolio of community economic activities

Pyroclastic sulphur eruption at Poas Volcano, Costa Rica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Francis, P.W.; Thorpe, R.S.; Brown, G.C.; Glasscock, J.

1980-01-01

The recent Voyager missions to Jupiter have highlighted the role of sulphur in volcanic processes on io. Although fumarolic sulphur and SO/sub 2/ gas are almost universal in terrestrial active volcanoes, and rare instances of sulphur lava flows have been reported, sulphur in a pyroclastic form has only been described from Poas Volcano, Costa Rica. Here we amplify the original descriptions by Bennett and Raccichini and describe a recent eruption of pyroclastic sulphur scoria and ejected blocks that are characterised by miniature sulphur stalactites and stalagmites.

An insight into the antibiofilm properties of Costa Rican stingless bee honeys

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zamora, L.G.; Beukelman, C.J.; Berg, van den A.J.J.; Aerts, P.C.; Quarles van Ufford, H.C.; Nijland, R.; Arias, M.L.

2017-01-01

Objective: There is an increasing search for antibiofilm agents that either have specific activity against biofilms or may act in synergy with antimicrobials. Our objective is to examine the the antibiofilm properties of stingless bee honeys. Method: Meliponini honeys from Costa Rica were

Forest Conservation in Costa Rica: when nonuse benefits are uncertain but rising

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bulte, E.H.; Soest, van D.P.; Kooten, van G.C.; Schipper, R.A.

2002-01-01

Stochastic dynamic programming is used to investigate optimal holding of primary tropical forest in humid Costa Rica when future nonuse benefits of forest conservation are uncertain and increasing. The quasi-option value of maintaining primary forests is included as a component of investment in

Situation in the radiation protection field in Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pacheco Jimenez, R.E.

2001-01-01

The report describes the radiation protection infrastructure in Costa Rica and makes reference to the existing legal framework. The national inventory of significant radiation sources and structure of the Ministry of Health as the national regulatory authority for radiation safety is illustrated; information is also provided on the radiation monitoring equipment available, on programme activities related to the control of radiation sources by authorization and inspection, and on technical support services. (author)

Familial Breast Cancer in Costa Rica: An Initial Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Ramírez Monge

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Cancer is a worldwide problem because of its high rates of incidence and associated mortality. By 2000, more than 6.2 million people died from this illness worldwide. Among all types of cancer, breast cancer is one of the most studied. Each year, one million new cases are diagnosed around the world. We can classify breast cancer into two main kinds: sporadic cases and those which are a product of inherited genetic alterations. Approximately 5-10% of breast cancer cases are the result of inherited mutations, or alterations in breast cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2. Like other countries, Costa Rica possesses high rates of incidence and mortality for breast cancer. According to the "Registro Nacional de Tumores" (National Office of Tumor Records, in 2000 breast cancer had the highest rate of incidence and in 2002 it had the highest rate of mortality in comparison to other types of cancer. For this reason and the generalized lack of knowledge in the field we conducted an epidemiological research on breast cancer patients from Hospital San Juan de Dios, San José, Costa Rica, to find families with a history of breast cancer, and to determine the occurrence of familial cases within the population studied. So far, we have found 23 families, within which we discovered very informative cases that have rendered the identification of a pattern of inheritance. These findings allow us to announce that in Costa Rica there are several cases of inherited breast cancer and that we need more research is needed to improve the prevention, control, and treatment of this disease. Rev. Biol. Trop. 52(3: 531-536. Epub 2004 Dic 15.El cáncer es un problema a nivel mundial porque posee altas tasas de incidencia y mortalidad. Para el año 2000 más de 6.2 millones de personas murieron a causa de esta enfermedad. El cáncer de mama es uno de los tipos de cáncer más estudiados en el mundo por las mismas razones. Cada año, se diagnostican más de un mill

The use of lidar images in Costa Rica : case studies applied in geology, engineering, and archaeology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruiz, Paulo; Garro, Jose F.; Soto, Gerardo J.

2014-01-01

A historical review is made about evolution of technology Lidar (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging). The improvements of this technology and additions from other technologies are annotated in the last 15 years. The information of the aerial and terrestrial lidar operation, technical parameters for data acquisition and resolutions are presented. The results from four studies are presented in Costa Rica: 1) The discovery of pre-Columbian trails in the area of Volcan Arenal, 2) A case of geological mapping and discovery of new volcanic structures in the North area of the Volcan Poas, 3) The characterization of a landslide near Palmares that represents a hazard for the road network, 4) A detail survey of a pre-Columbian sphere. The results from new Lidar will become more frequent in the following years because its cost will be more affordable. The transference of data between institutions will generate new applications in different fields. (author) [es

Sacerdotisas, Curanderas, Parteras y Guerreras: Mujeres de élite en la costa norte del Perú Antiguo

OpenAIRE

Alvarado Escudero, Alicia

2015-01-01

Los hallazgos arqueológicos en la costa norte peruana durante las últimas décadas han permitido constatar que el género femenino tuvo un peso muy importante en las estructuras regionales de poder. Se ha descubierto que las mujeres ocuparon cargos especiales en el mundo político-religioso, lo cual significa una importante contribución al actual análisis de la sociedad prehispánica en la costa norte del Perú. Este artículo analiza cuatro de estos cargos ocupados por mujeres de élite y argumenta...

Forests of hope: Costa Rica. Restoring hope in the clouds.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, L

1996-01-01

The rapid population growth in Central America has created pressure on the largest tract of cloud forest spanning the Talamanca Mountains in Costa Rica and Panama. Of immediate concern is restoring hope in the forest and improving the standard of living among local people. Such is the goal of the Amistad Conservation and Development (AMISCONDE) project in the communities of Cerro Punta, Panama, and San Rafael in Costa Rica. Through agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, environmental education, and community development, AMISCONDE aims to restore the degraded lands in the reserve's buffer zone and improve the income of the people. All the local people, the farmers, women and children have benefited from the project. Some of the activities carried out to meet its objectives include helping the farmers improve the productivity and marketability of their products by teaching them new technologies and giving agricultural credits to farmers, women, and youth groups. In addition, AMISCONDE conducts training courses to address the economic, social and educational needs of women and communities. It is assured that the community and the group will be prepared to continue on their own after the official AMISCONDE office is gone.

Back to the green jewel. After a period of using fossil fuels, Costa Rica is returning to renewable energy sources; Zurueck zum gruenen Juwel. Nach einem Ausflug zu den fossilen Brennstoffen kehrt Costa Rica zurueck zu den erneuerbaren Energien

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bosworth, Melissa

2010-07-15

For more than two decades now, Costa Rica has been a Mecca for eco-tourists. Deep rainforests, empty beeches and an incredible variety of species have made the country into one of the forerunners of sustainability. This picture was marred by the fact that fossil fuels were getting more attention by the government recently. Now, however, Costa Rica is returning to renewable energy sources which had already supplied 100 percent of the country's total power. The government is even considering reimbursement tariffs for solar power. (orig.)

Sex Education Approaches at Costa Rican Public Universities: An Exploratory Paper

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Luisa Preinfalk-Fernández

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This research paper aims to show the panorama and scope of the current existing sex education practices carried out by the Costa Rican public universities. It analyzes different initiatives, its theoretical approaches that guide the actions, their purposes and other relevant aspects. The analysis includes secondary information as well as the point of view of students and university staff, as inputs for decision-making aimed at improving the overall education of young people. The findings take part of an exploratory research based on qualitative and quantitative methodologies based on gender and constructionism perspective. The information was gathered via the application of a questionnaire to a specific uneven stratified cluster groups, composed by 766 enrolled undergraduate students since first semester 2011 at Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica. The statistical margin of error was 1.5% and the confidence level of 95%. In addition, two focus groups with students and depth interviews with 16 persons were made. Data were tabulated with CSPRO software and analyzed using R software.  The findings suggest that Costa Rican universities recognize the importance of sex education as an essential part of overall development of students. Most of the initiatives are institutionalized; however, the lack of guidelines or policies on the subject, in most institutions, affects quality, consolidation and expansion of services. The need to strengthen and expand training activities on sexuality was identified as well. The students have a high opinion about the services offered, but few of them use these services, because they are perceived as less accessible and friendly. This paper concludes that it is a priority to maintain and strengthen existing initiatives on sexual education, so that they can effectively satisfy the needs of youth, with timely interventions and quality to enjoy a healthy and safe sexuality free from violence.

Bacteria of the genus Rickettsia in ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) collected from birds in Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogrzewalska, Maria; Literák, Ivan; Capek, Miroslav; Sychra, Oldřich; Calderón, Víctor Álvarez; Rodríguez, Bernardo Calvo; Prudencio, Carlos; Martins, Thiago F; Labruna, Marcelo B

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to document the presence of Rickettsia spp. in ticks parasitizing wild birds in Costa Rica. Birds were trapped at seven locations in Costa Rica during 2004, 2009, and 2010; then visually examined for the presence of ticks. Ticks were identified, and part of them was tested individually for the presence of Rickettsia spp. by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers targeting fragments of the rickettsial genes gltA and ompA. PCR products were DNA-sequenced and analyzed in BLAST to determine similarities with previously reported rickettsial agents. A total of 1878 birds were examined, from which 163 birds (9%) were infested with 388 ticks of the genera Amblyomma and Ixodes. The following Amblyomma (in decreasing order of abundance) were found in immature stages (larvae and nymphs): Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma calcaratum, Amblyomma coelebs, Amblyomma sabanerae, Amblyomma varium, Amblyomma maculatum, and Amblyomma ovale. Ixodes ticks were represented by Ixodes minor and two unclassified species, designated here as Ixodes sp. genotype I, and Ixodes sp. genotype II. Twelve of 24 tested A. longirostre ticks were found to be infected with 'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii', and 2 of 4 A. sabanerae were found to be infected with Rickettsia bellii. Eight of 10 larval Ixodes minor were infected with an endosymbiont (a novel Rickettsia sp. agent) genetically related to the Ixodes scapularis endosymbiont. No rickettsial DNA was found in A. calcaratum, A. coelebs, A. maculatum, A. ovale, A. varium, Ixodes sp. I, and Ixodes sp. II. We report the occurrence of I. minor in Costa Rica for the first time and a number of new bird host-tick associations. Moreover, 'Candidatus R. amblyommii' and R. bellii were found in A. longirostre and A. sabanerae, respectively, in Costa Rica for the first time. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Prácticas y comportamientos sexuales de los estudiantes de la Universidad de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pilar Salas-Chaves

2011-01-01

Full Text Available El estudio tuvo como objetivo identificar las prácticas sexuales de los estudiantes de la Universidad de Costa Rica para adquirir la infección por VIH, con el fin de promover una vida sexual sana y el mejoramiento de la calidad de vida. Se realizó una encuesta auto-administrada y anónima en la población estudiantil, durante el ciclo lectivo del año 2008 en las diferentes sedes que tiene la Universidad de Costa Rica en todo el país. Al final del trabajo de campo se logró recolectar un total de 497 cuestionarios. La distribución por sexo y edad representó en forma adecuada a la población estudiantil de la Universidad de Costa Rica donde no se dan grandes diferencias. La mayoría de los estudiantes son del área de Ciencias Sociales. El 86% de los estudiantes indicó haber tenido relaciones sexuales y el promedio de edad de inicio de las relaciones sexuales en ambos sexos, fue de 18 años. Un mayor porcentaje de las mujeres (43% respecto a los hombres (38,7% tuvieron la última relación sexual en menos de una semana. La monogamia y el uso de preservativo fueron considerados por la mayoría de los estudiantes como prácticas de sexo seguro. Al consultar a los encuestados donde habían recibido charlas, cursos sobre sexualidad o educación sexual, el sistema educativo fue la principal fuente de información sobre el tema. Esta información lleva a formular una serie de recomendaciones como la necesidad de ejecutar jornadas informativas para los estudiantes en especial las mujeres a través de los medios de comunicación de la Universidad de Costa Rica.

Breadwinning women: Economic contribution of married and cohabiting women to Costa Rican households

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Camila Salazar Mayorga

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes the economic contribution of married and cohabiting women to the household income, in comparison to the income their partners generate, in Costa Rica.  From a perspective of gender roles, human capital theory and female labor participation, this paper examines what variables influence the probability of contribution.  Based on data by the 2014 National Household Survey, this study found that 51% percent of married or cohabiting women do not generate any income, which shows there is an unequal economic relationship in half of Costa Rican households and the males assume the breadwinning role.  Household chores and the number of children reduce the probability of economic contribution.  On the other hand, women with more years of schooling have a higher probability to contribute equally to the couple’s total income.

Health status evaluation of shallow coral reefs in Cahuita and Manzanillo, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Araya-Vargas

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Sedimentation, increased tourism, coral diseases and high ocean temperatures have become a permanent threat to reef areas worldwide. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the health status of the shallow reefs in Cahuita and Manzanillo, Limon, Costa Rica. A database, including species of all colonial sessile cnidarians and their known diseases, was created for the studied area. Subsequently, 15 transects were surveyed along the coast in 1-3 m deep bands of 10 x 1 m following the AGRRA V5.4 protocol. Of the 27 species found, 21 were reported from Cahuita and 23 from Manzanillo. The shallow coral reefs’ health status in both sites was good in terms of diseases, bleaching and mortality due to their low incidence. Sessile cnidarians’ species composition, colonies’ sizes and coverage were dominated by massive and lobate scleractinians such as Pseudodiploria clivosa and Siderastrea siderea. Macroalgal coverage was low (below 20% and mostly represented by brown algae. Sea urchins’ densities were also low (below 1 ind/m2 except for Echinometra viridis in Manzanillo and they trend to continue decreasing as the years go by.

Las principales fallas de motores eléctricos en Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osvaldo Guerreo Castro

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Una de las tareas más importantes en la gestión del mantenimiento de los equipos de producción, y particularmente de los motores eléctricos, es identificar y prevenir las fallas para tomar acciones que eviten la incidencia de las mismas.Mediante una investigación de campo, con visitas a empresas de varios sectoresproductivos y talleres de reparación de motores eléctricos en Costa Rica, se logróobtener una clasificación y distribución porcentual de las fallas más comunes enlos motores trifásicos de inducción, en el rango de 2 a 50 HP.Esta investigación determinó que existen cuatro tipos de fallas más comunes enmotores eléctricos en Costa Rica; estas se concentran en dos sectores productivos.La investigación identificó aspectos relevantes por mejorar en cuanto a la orientación de la formación profesional universitaria y, en el modelo administrativo del mantenimiento de estos equipos, en lasindustrias.

Microcistina en plantas de tratamiento de agua para consumo humano en un ambiente tropical: el Área Metropolitana de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrián Avendaño Lopez

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Se midió la presencia de microcistina en el Área Metropolitana de Costa Rica por la técnica de ELISA de inhibición competitiva y se cuantificó coliformes totales, coliformes termotolerantes, Escherichia coli (por medio de la técnica Numero Más Probable y recuento total aerobio. Se realizaron dos etapas de muestreo, una durante la estación lluviosa del 2003 (abril-octubre y otra durante la estación seca del 2004 (febrero-marzo, cada una con 30 muestras de agua. Se muestreó agua pretratada, semitratada y tratada. Se determinaron niveles de microcistina 0.5 ppb. Se informó la presencia de cianotoxinas en la Planta de Tratamiento de Tres Ríos. No se establece correlación entre los parámetros microbiológicos de calidad del agua y las concentraciones de microcistina en el agua. Los estudios deberían considerar la diversidad y toxicidad de cianobacterias en estas plantas, los efectos del tratamiento, y presencia de otros microorganismos y sustancias (dióxido de carbono, fósforo, Nitrógeno, sobre la presencia, estructura y efecto de estas toxinas.Microcystin in plants that treat water for human consumption in a tropical environment: the Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica. We measured microcystin levels in water of the Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica by competitive inhibition ELISA and we quantified total coliforms, fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli (by a Most Probable Number method and aerobic count. We wanted to identify any cyanotoxin correlation with these parameters, as a public health risk. We sampled in the rainy season of 2003 (April-October and in the dry season of 2004 (February-March (30 samples/season. We sampled pre-treated, semi-treated and treated water. Microcystin levels 0.5 ppb in the dry season. Dry season levels exceeded World Health Organization limits (1.0 ppb. Cyanotoxins occurred in the Tres Ríos plant. We did not find a correlation between these microbiologic parameters of water quality and microcystin levels

Do intermediary institutions promote inclusiveness in PES programs? The case of Costa Rica

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bosselmann, Aske Skovmand; Lund, Jens Friis

2013-01-01

Payments for environmental services (PES) are often promoted on the basis of a purported win–win scenario in terms of accomplishing dual environmental and social policy objectives. Yet, it has been observed that PES programs tend to exclude small land-owners due to relatively high and largely scale......-independent transaction costs. This study seeks to shed light on the role of local intermediaries in PES programs and how they may bring the reality of PES closer to the win–win scenario. This is done through an investigation of three intermediaries in the Costa Rican PES program; an NGO, a producer cooperative...... with landowners, as well as the land development history of the local area. Finally, the role of intermediaries is highly influenced by the framing of their working conditions by the PES program. This study thus shows the importance of considering the factors that condition the role of intermediaries in securing...

Checklist and identification key of Anomalini (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae of Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentina Filippini

2016-10-01

Full Text Available A checklist and identification key for the species of the tribe Anomalini in Costa Rica are presented. The Anomalini species are important economically, as they have larvae that are or can become agricultural pests, as well as ecologically, having potential as bioindicators. In spite of their importance and richness, identification tools for the group in the Neotropics remain scarce. The Costa Rican fauna comprises six genera (Anomala, Anomalorhina, Callistethus, Epectinaspis, Moroniella, and Strigoderma and a total of 120 species. Anomala contusa Filippini, Micó, Galante, 2015 is proposed as a synonym of A. inbio (Ramírez-Ponce, Bitar, Curoe 2014; Anomala limon nom. n. is proposed as a new name for A. inbio Filippini, Galante, Micó, 2015, a homonym of A. inbio (Ramírez-Ponce, Bitar, Curoe, 2014; Anomala cinaedias nom. n. is proposed as a new name for A. chloropyga Ohaus, 1897, a homonym of A. chloropyga Burmeister, 1844; and Anomala chrysomelina is moved to the genus Callistethus.

La apertura de la Licenciatura en Archivísta en la Universidad de Costa Rica: proceso metodológico The opening of the bachelor´s degree of archival science in the Universidad de Costa Rica: Methodological process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Lorena Echavarría Solís

2006-06-01

Full Text Available En esta ponencia se hace una presentación del proceso metodológico seguido para la apertura de la Licenciatura en Archivística de la Universidad de Costa Rica, como una continuación del Bachillerato que no sólo toma en cuenta los instrumentos utilizados en la institución para estos casos sino también la evolución experimentada por la Carrera, las tendencias internacionales y la definición de áreas curriculares como una forma de dar respuesta a las demandas del mercado laboral. Por lo tanto, se exponen los pasos seguidos y la forma en que la Carrera los abordó y por último se presenta la propuesta, como una forma de ilustrar la aplicación de la metodología.This paper makes an presentation of the methodological process followed for the opening of the bachelor´s degree in Archival Science of the University of Costa Rica, as a further education for undergraduates, that not only takes into account the instruments used in the institution for these cases, but also the evolution experienced by the career, international tendencies and the definition of curricular areas as a form of giving answer to market demands. Therefore, the steps followed and the way in which the career approach to them is stated. Finally, the proposal is presented as a form to illustrate the application of the methodology.

The 2017 México Tsunami Record, Numerical Modeling and Threat Assessment in Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Chacón-Barrantes, Silvia

2018-03-01

An M w 8.2 earthquake and tsunami occurred offshore the Pacific coast of México on 2017-09-08, at 04:49 UTC. Costa Rican tide gauges have registered a total of 21 local, regional and far-field tsunamis. The Quepos gauge registered 12 tsunamis between 1960 and 2014 before it was relocated inside a harbor by late 2014, where it registered two more tsunamis. This paper analyzes the 2017 México tsunami as recorded by the Quepos gauge. It took 2 h for the tsunami to arrive to Quepos, with a first peak height of 9.35 cm and a maximum amplitude of 18.8 cm occurring about 6 h later. As a decision support tool, this tsunami was modeled for Quepos in real time using ComMIT (Community Model Interface for Tsunami) with the finer grid having a resolution of 1 arcsec ( 30 m). However, the model did not replicate the tsunami record well, probably due to the lack of a finer and more accurate bathymetry. In 2014, the National Tsunami Monitoring System of Costa Rica (SINAMOT) was created, acting as a national tsunami warning center. The occurrence of the 2017 México tsunami raised concerns about warning dissemination mechanisms for most coastal communities in Costa Rica, due to its short travel time.

Water footprint in drylands: the case of sun and beach tourism in Guanacaste (Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aurora Hernández

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This article briefly elaborates on the uses of water in services and activities related to sun and beach tourism in dry regions such as Guanacaste, in the North Pacific of Costa Rica. The concept of water footprint is used to understand the relationship between tourism and water consumption. This document discusses the implications of this approach of consumption, especially in dry environments that depend on underground extraction of water. The information comes from secondary sources review and its contextualization to the case of Guanacaste. The purpose of this paper is to provide some orientation to the discussions taking place among several involved participants in the area about the usage of water in dry environments and how this orientation should manifest itself in public policies that guide water management.

Promoting universal financial protection: a policy analysis of universal health coverage in Costa Rica (1940-2000).

Science.gov (United States)

Vargas, Juan Rafael; Muiser, Jorine

2013-08-21

This paper explores the implementation and sustenance of universal health coverage (UHC) in Costa Rica, discussing the development of a social security scheme that covered 5% of the population in 1940, to one that finances and provides comprehensive healthcare to the whole population today. The scheme is financed by mandatory, tri-partite social insurance contributions complemented by tax funding to cover the poor. The analysis takes a historical perspective and explores the policy process including the key actors and their relative influence in decision-making. Data were collected using qualitative research instruments, including a review of literature, institutional and other documents, and in-depth interviews with key informants. Key lessons to be learned are: i) population health was high on the political agenda in Costa Rica, in particular before the 1980s when UHC was enacted and the transfer of hospitals to the social security institution took place. Opposition to UHC could therefore be contained through negotiation and implemented incrementally despite the absence of real consensus among the policy elite; ii) since the 1960s, the social security institution has been responsible for UHC in Costa Rica. This institution enjoys financial and managerial autonomy relative to the general government, which has also facilitated the UHC policy implementation process; iii) UHC was simultaneously constructed on three pillars that reciprocally strengthened each other: increasing population coverage, increasing availability of financial resources based on solidarity financing mechanisms, and increasing service coverage, ultimately offering comprehensive health services and the same benefits to every resident in the country; iv) particularly before the 1980s, the fruits of economic growth were structurally invested in health and other universal social policies, in particular education and sanitation. The social security institution became a flagship of Costa Rica

Wood anatomy of Pleodendron costaricense (Canellaceae) from Southern Pacific, Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Roger Moya Roque; Manuel Morales Salazar; Michael C. Wiemann; Luis Poveda Alvarez

2007-01-01

Pleodendron costaricense N. Zamora, Hammel & R. Aguilar (Canellaceae) is an endemic species from the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica. It is rare and is considered to be a living fossil. The wood of P. costaricense has high density (0.92 Kg/cm3, air dry) with little distinction between heartwood and sapwood. The growth rings are marked...

A new isidiate species of Arthonia (Ascomycota: Arthoniaceae) from Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Grube, Martin; Lücking, Robert; Umaña-Tenorio, Loengrin

2004-01-01

The new corticolous species Arthonia isidiata is described from the Pacific lowlands of Costa Rica. A. isidiata is characterized by minute, cylindrical to coralloid isidia produced on the thallus surface. The species currently is known only from the type locality in Corcovado National Park, where it occurs abundantly in the coastal rainforest around Sirena Biological Station.

Educational Leadership for Social Justice in Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Patricia; Slater, Charles L.; Lopez Gorosave, Gema; Cerdas, Victoria; Torres, Nancy; Antunez, Serafin; Briceno, Fernando

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of school leaders to provide social justice in three contexts: Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative study was conducted under the interpretative tradition characterized by a search for an understanding of the social world from the point of view of a…

Cerrando espacios, abriendo brechas. Urbanizaciones cerradas en San Rafael de Escazú, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandro Alvarado Alcázar

2016-01-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo estudia el fenómeno de las urbanizaciones cerradas en el distrito de San Rafael de Escazú, Costa Rica. La tesis central es que las urbanizaciones cerradas producen cambios en la urbanidad mediante la introducción de transformaciones socio-espaciales manifiestas en la materialidad de las urbanizaciones cerradas, las funciones de estas y el tipo de relaciones sociales que sus residentes mantienen entre sí y con su entorno cercano. El artículo cierra sugiriendo explorar la noción de “urbanidad privada” como una forma de entender la producción de espacio promovida desde los intereses privados expresados en la construcción de conjuntos inmobiliarios cerrados, de los cuales las urbanizaciones cerradas son una de sus manifestaciones más visibles. Los resultados presentados en este ensayo, son producto de la investigación titulada “Urbanizaciones cerradas en Costa Rica: transformaciones socio-espaciales en la urbanidad y segregación socio-residencial en el distrito de San Rafael de Escazú (1990-2012”. This paper examines the phenomenon of gated communities in Costa Rica, specifically in the district of San Rafael, Escazú. The central thesis is that gated communities to changes in urbanity by introducing socio-spatial transformations evident in the materiality of gated communities, the functions of these communities and the type of social relations that its residents have with one another and with their immediate environment. The article suggests exploring the notion of “private urbanity” as a way to understand the production of space promoted by private interests and expressed in the construction of closed real estate developments, most visibly manifested by gated communities.. The results presented are the product of research entitled “Urbanizaciones cerradas en Costa Rica: transformaciones socio-espaciales en la urbanidad y segregación socio- residencial en el distrito de San Rafael de Escazú (1990

Tourism Chains and Pro-Poor Tourism Development: An Actor-Network Analysis of a Pilot Project in Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Duim, van der, V.R.; Caalders, J.D.A.D.

2008-01-01

This paper analyses a pilot project in Costa Rica aimed to examine and improve the market linkages of 24 small-scale tourism initiatives to tour operators in Costa Rica and the Netherlands. It links pro-poor tourism and the concept of tourism chain to actor-network theory. The analysis shows that the tangible results in terms of pro-poor tourism of the project itself were meagre, as, initially, only three and later only one out of 24 projects was included in the tourism chain. However, the an...

Antioxidant activity of Costa Rican propolis: a multivariate analysis approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umana Rojas, Eduardo; Solado, Godofredo; Tamayo-Castillo, Giselle

2013-01-01

Propolis is produced by Apis mellifera bees from resins of plants that are found around the apiary. The chemical composition is highly variable and Costa Rica has reported without studies of characterization to define the types of propolis in the country. 119 samples were collected from beekeeping areas of the country. The spectrum of 1 H-NMR and its antioxidant activity against DPPH radical were measured. The spectra have been divided into 243 blocks of 0,04 ppm and processed with the Minitab software for multivariate analysis. 99 of the samples collected were used for construction of models for the valuation of the predictive ability of the model have been used coefficients of determination (R 2 ) of prediction by the software and the remaining 20 samples. The existence of three types of propolis with chemically different metabolomes were determined by principal component analysis (PCA). A prediction model was constructed by analysis of partial least squares (PLS). The prediction model has allowed to classify a propolis according to the level of antioxidant activity (AAO), high (type I and II) or low (type III) from the spectrum of 1 H-NMR. The R 2 has been 0.88 and R 2 prediction of 0, 718 for new samples. The nconiferyl benzoate of group I and nemorosone of the group II as two discriminated antioxidants among the groups I and II were isolated and high concentration levels of these compounds have been differentiated with respect to type III. This has allowed the construction of a linear discriminant model with a success rate of 100% for the samples used for formulation and 92,9 for the prediction of different samples. The classification systems could be applied to the standardization of the quality of propolis from Costa Rica for future medicinal or cosmetic applications that take advantage of its antioxidant properties. Also, the methylated derivative has isolated and identified of the nconiferyl benzoate thereof propolis than was obtained his counterpart

A heresia de Uriel da Costa (1585-1640) contra a comunidade judaica sefardita de Amsterdã

OpenAIRE

João Alberto da Costa Pinto

2017-01-01

Apresento neste artigo uma descrição analítica da autobiografia – Uma Vida Humana (Exemplar Humanae Vitae) de Uriel da Costa, um judeu marrano português nascido na cidade do Porto que se radicou em Amsterdã em 1615 após fuga da Santa Inquisição. Uriel da Costa escreveu a obra um pouco antes de se suicidar (em 1640) e nela encontramos uma descrição da sua trajetória intelectual determinada pela sua radical oposição às práticas político-religiosas da comunidade judaica sefardita de Amsterdã. A ...

La enseñanza del Inglés en Costa Rica y la destreza en el aula desde una perspectiva histórica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Coto Keith, Rossina

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Este artículo es parte de una serie de escritos producto de un proyecto de investigación sobre la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de la destreza auditiva en la clase de inglés en colegios públicos de Costa Rica. El mismo pretende proveer una reseña histórica sobre la enseñanza del inglés en Costa Rica y la destreza auditiva en una segunda lengua en general. El artículo está dividido en dos grandes secciones. La primera sección se concentra en la enseñanza del inglés en Costa Rica, desde alrededor de 1850 hasta nuestros días. La segunda parte trata sobre la enseñanza de la destreza auditiva en el aula, a la luz de los diferentes métodos que se han utilizado para la enseñanza de una segunda lengua o lengua extranjera. This article is the first in a series of pieces that are the result of a research project about the teaching and learning of the listening skill in the English class in public high schools in Costa Rica. It intends to give a historical overview of the teaching of English in Costa Rica and the teaching of the listening skill in general. The article is divided in two sections. The first part centers on the teaching of English in Costa Rica from around 1850 up to the present. The second part deals with the teaching of the skill through history in light of the different methods that have been used to instruct in a second or foreign language.

Consumo de antiinflamatorios no esteroideos en atención primaria en Costa Rica: evolución y variabilidad geográfica Consumption of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents in primary care in Costa Rica: changing patterns and geographical variability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melvin Morera Salas

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Conocer la evolución y la variabilidad en el consumo de los antiinflamarios no esteroideos clásicos (AINE en las áreas de salud de Costa Rica durante el período 2000-2005. Métodos: Se estudiaron los siguientes medicamentos: ibuprofeno, indometacina, penicilamina, sulindaco, tenoxican y diclofenaco sódico. Se utilizó como medida de consumo la dosis diaria definida por 1.000 habitantes y día (DHD, y en el análisis de variabilidad el coeficiente de variación ponderado por el tamaño de población (CVw, el rango extremo, el rango interpercentil, los gráficos de puntos y los mapas con categorías de consumo. Resultados: En el período 2000-2005 el consumo de los AINE creció un 48% y el coste anual se incrementó un 184%. Los medicamentos de mayor consumo y participación en el gasto fueron sulindaco e indometacina. El consumo de los AINE varió entre 0,1 y 60,39 DHD según las áreas de salud, con un CVw del 66,38%. Los medicamento con mayor variabilidad fueron penicilamina (CVw del 449,89% y tenoxican (CVw del 315,26%. Conclusiones: Hay un patrón geográfico diferenciado en el consumo de AINE en el país, y tasas muy diferentes dentro de una misma región. Dos posibles factores asociados a esta variabilidad, según los resultados obtenidos, son la oferta de servicios médicos y el porcentaje de población mayor de 65 años adscrita al área de salud.Objective: To determine changing patterns and variability in consumption of classic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs among the health areas in Costa Rica between 2000 and 2005. Methods: The drugs studied were ibuprofen, indomethacin, penicillamine, sulindac, tenoxicam, and diclofenac sodium. To measure consumption, we used the defined daily dose per 1,000 inhabitants per day (DID. To analyze variability, the coefficient of variation weighed by the population size (CVw, extremal ratio, interquartile ratio, dot plot and map graphs were used. Results: From 2000-2005, NSAID

Costa Rica as a source of emigrants: a reading from a political economy approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo Gatica López

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Available data shows an increase in international migration departing from Costa Rica, mainly to the United States. Based on the data obtained from two surveys conducted with potential emigrants and families with members living abroad, this paper is aimed at understanding their reasons for emigrating. In addition, some socio-economic impacts in four suburbs with high rates of emigration are identified. From a political economy approach, the most appropriate framework to better understand these emigration cases is discussed.  Moreover, the transformation of the employment and productive matrix followed by Costa Rica during the last three decades, as well as the country’s form of insertion into the international economy are two structural factors strongly linked to the emigration of the subjects studied in this paper.

Volcanic gas impacts on vegetation at Turrialba Volcano, Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

Teasdale, R.; Jenkins, M.; Pushnik, J.; Houpis, J. L.; Brown, D. L.

2010-12-01

Turrialba volcano is an active composite stratovolcano that is located approximately 40 km east of San Jose, Costa Rica. Seismic activity and degassing have increased since 2005, and gas compositions reflect further increased activity since 2007 peaking in January 2010 with a phreatic eruption. Gas fumes dispersed by trade winds toward the west, northwest, and southwest flanks of Turrialba volcano have caused significant vegetation kill zones, in areas important to local agriculture, including dairy pastures and potato fields, wildlife and human populations. In addition to extensive vegetative degradation is the potential for soil and water contamination and soil erosion. Summit fumarole temperatures have been measured over 200 degrees C and gas emissions are dominated by SO2; gas and vapor plumes reach up to 2 km (fumaroles and gases are measured regularly by OVSICORI-UNA). A recent network of passive air sampling, monitoring of water temperatures of hydrothermal systems, and soil pH measurements coupled with measurement of the physiological status of surrounding plants using gas exchange and fluorescence measurements to: (1) identify physiological correlations between leaf-level gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence measurements of plants under long term stress induced by the volcanic gas emissions, and (2) use measurements in tandem with remotely sensed reflectance-derived fluorescence ratio indices to track natural photo inhibition caused by volcanic gas emissions, for use in monitoring plant stress and photosynthetic function. Results may prove helpful in developing potential land management strategies to maintain the biological health of the area.

Enamel lesions in development, classification in Costa Rican families

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murillo Knudsen, Gina; Berrocal Salazar, Cristina

2013-01-01

Enamel lesions in development were identified and classified in patients of Llano Grande de Cartago, examined at the Facultad de Odontologia of the Universidad de Costa Rica. A guide is provided over the topic. 15 children and 2 Costa Rican adults were selected. Clinical examinations, radiographs and clinical photographs were used as data collection method. Dental defects of the enamel were classified according to the possible genetic causes and without genetic causes. Imperfect Amelogenesis (IA) was diagnosed in 10 of patients. Hypoplastic IA was determined in 3 siblings with autosomal recessive inheritance, for 16% of the total sample. Hypomineralized IA was identified in an adult and two of his sons, with autosomal dominant inheritance. The remaining 4 cases of IA have been sporadic. Lesions of dental fluorosis were determined in the Horowitz index in 4 individuals, from 2 unrelated families. Other defects unspecified of the enamel or hypoplasias were found in 3 individuals. Enamel lesions in development should be classified with precision, for the purpose to inform to patients affected about their condition, origin, prognosis and appropriate treatment. The basis are established to implement reliability in the construction of family genealogy, identification and classification of enamel lesions, as well as the probabilities of future generations to express the lesions in the enamel of temporary or permanent dentition [es

Evolución de la radiología como especialidad médica en Costa Rica durante el siglo XX: 1904-1980

OpenAIRE

Carlos de Céspedes Vargas

2000-01-01

El autor, como testigo y protagonista, relata la evolución de la Radiología como especialidad médica en Costa Rica durante el pasado siglo XX, de 1904 a 1980.The author, as witness and protagonist, tells us about the evolution of Medical Radiological Specialty in Costa Rica, during the XXth century, from 1904 to 1980.

Macromorfometría de juveniles de Geochelone sulcata (Testudines: Testudinidaeen Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Merchán

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Se midieron 31 ejemplares de tortuga africana de espolones Geochelone sulcata para la realización de un estudio biométrico. Se consideraron 26 medidas morfológicas para cada individuo. Las tortugas tenían una edad de entre 5 y 34 meses, y ninguna había alcanzado la madurez sexual. Todas ellas habían nacido en cautiverio en La Garita de Alajuela, Costa Rica, donde son una especie introducida. La longitud recta del espaldar fue de 83.1 mm, la anchura recta del espaldar de 68.3 mm y la altura máxima media de 46.2 mm. Todas las medidas estaban correlacionadas entre sí, salvo la longitud de la cola y la distancia cloacal. El mayor coeficiente de alometría positiva correspondió a la variable Peso. El mayor coeficiente de alometría negativa correspondió a la anchura a nivel de los escudos gulares. Todas las variables se agruparon en dos componentes principales, la longitud de la cola y la distancia cloacal en el Factor 2 y el resto en el Factor 1. La falta de correlación de las medidas de la cola así como su inclusión en un factor aparte al resto de la muestra podría responder a un proceso incipiente de diferenciación sexualGross morphometry of young Geochelone sulcata (Testudines: Testudinidae in Costa Rica. The African Spur tortoise, Geochelone sulcata, has been introduced to Costa Rica. A total of 31 tortoises were measured for 26 gross morphometry parameters. All individuals measured were inmature, aged from 5 to 34 months, and were born in captivity in La Garita de Alajuela, Costa Rica. Mean straight carapace length was 83.1 mm, mean straight plastron length was 68.3 mm and mean maximum height was 46.2 mm. All the measurements were correlated, except tail length and cloacal distance. Weight had the highest positive allometry coefficient. All the variables were joined in two Principal Components; tail length and cloacal distance in Factor 2 and the rest of them in Factor 1. Lack of correlation among tail measures and the other

Pampered sons, (wo)manly men, or do-nothing machos? Costa Rican men coming of age under neoliberalism.

Science.gov (United States)

Mannon, Susan E; Kemp, Eagan

2010-01-01

This article explores how young men in Costa Rica negotiate ideas of manhood under neoliberalism. We draw on interview data involving 23 men, ages 15–35, residing in one Costa Rican city. Comparing men across three different class locations, we find diverse "markers of manhood." Our data suggest an emerging globally dominant masculine ideal among an elite class of men, a declining locally dominant masculine ideal among working-class men, and a cynical, possibly counter-cultural masculine ideal among poor men. We conclude that masculinities are not only fluid, but tied to changing economic circumstances and class structures.

Ecoturismo y desarrollo rural en el Parque Nacional La Cangreja, Costa Rica

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Díaz González, E.; Koppen, van C.S.A.; Breitling, J.; Camino, de R.

2005-01-01

El ecoturismo se viene perfilando como un elemento conciliador entre las estrategias de conservación de la naturaleza y el desarrollo rural comunitario. Costa Rica, por su parte, emerge en la esfera latinoamericana y mundial como un líder en esta faceta de la industria turística, particularmente

Financial Law (By: Lecturer PhD Cosmin Flavius Costas)

OpenAIRE

Bostan, Ionel

2018-01-01

Through these lines we will stop on a specialty written by a young university student, an exponent of the Superior Law School in Cluj-Napoca. This is the book entitled Drept Financiar [Financial Law], published by Lecturer PhD Cosmin Flavius Costas. On the volume entitled Financial Law, which was published at the end of the year 2016 (ISBN:978-606-673-816-3, Pages: 396) we mention here a radiography "made from four perspectives - national finances, local finance, social security finances and ...

[Host plants of Aphis gossypii (Aphididae), vector of virus of Cucumis melo melon (Cucurbitaceae) in Costa Rica].

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez, M V; Agüero, R; Rivera, C

2001-03-01

Plant species associated with commercial melon crops and surrounding areas were examined to identity the natural host plants of Aphis gossypii Glover. The study was conducted in two farms located in different melon production areas and plant life zones of Costa Rica. Plant species diversity, percent coverage and distribution over time were recorded during one year. Differences between locations were observed. A total of 86 plant species (49 families) and 72 plant species (40 families) were identified associated to the crop in farms A and B, respectively. In both farms a total of 24 species plants (16 families) were colonized by A. gossypii and 16 (10 families) are new reports of host plant species for this aphid. The new reports are: Justicia comata, Tetramerium nervosum, Alternanthera pubiflora, Cassia massoni, C. reticulata, Cleome viscosa, C. spinosa, Croton argenteus, Caperonia palustris, Chamaesyce gyssopilopia, Phyllantus amarus, Sida decumbens, Ludwigia erecta, Passiflora foetida, Guazuma ulmifolia and Corchorus orinocensis.

Diversity, natural history and conservation of amphibians and reptiles from the San Vito Region, southwestern Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos-Barrera, Georgina; Pacheco, Jesus; Mendoza-Quijano, Fernando; Bolaños, Federico; Cháves, Gerardo; Daily, Gretchen C; Ehrlich, Paul R; Ceballos, Gerardo

2008-06-01

We present an inventory of the amphibians and reptiles of the San Vito de Coto Brus region, including the Las Cruces Biological Station, in southern Costa Rica, which is the result of a survey of the herpetofauna occurring in mountain forest fragments, pastures, coffee plantations, and other disturbed areas. We found 67 species, included 26 species of amphibians and of 41 of reptiles. We describe the distribution patterns of the community on the basis of the life zones, elevation, fragmentation, and degree of anthropogenic impact. We also provide some nouvelle data on the systematics of some select taxa, their geographical ranges, microhabitats, activity, and other relevant ecological and natural history features. Finally, we comment on the present conservation status of the herpetofauna in the region. Previous literature and collection records indicate a higher number of species occurring in this area, which suggests that some declines have occurred, especially of amphibians, in last decades.

The professional practice and imaging specialist from the deontological perspective in Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alfaro Vega, Albert; Alvarado Garcia, Danny; Amen Montero, Omar; Gonzalez Rodriguez, Jonnathan; Jimenez Alpizar, Ana Carolina; Solano Arguello, Mariana

2008-01-01

A vision of how to address the challenges facing, daily, the professional person imaging specialist has been raised with the use of new and emerging technologies. Issues to consider conflicts, ethical and moral dilemmas that may affect the way patient care, besides his family; and also, working relationship with colleagues and the institution in which he serves. This professional requires of development and training that will enable him to assess with sufficient objectivity, ethical-moral and conflicting situations to take decisions more convenient, from a critical and reflective practice. A rule of professional practice in diagnostic and therapy imaging has been missing in Costa Rica. Consequently, the need for a study, both theoretical and practical, which take into account ethical and moral guidelines, professional and regulatory was presented, with the objective to establish a possible course to comprehensive consolidation of the professional. The imaging specialist has a great responsibility in his practice, with society and with the patient attending the services in which he works. Different data collection techniques were used, to develop a proposal for guidelines for a possible rules of conduct for the professional person imaging specialist in Costa Rica; in this, have addressed the appropriate deontological topics for future implementation taking into account the professional profile, the academic level, professional practice and the requirements of society. This research has made evident the need and importance of establishing such guidelines as main result. A proposed improvement to the practice of professional person imaging specialist in diagnosis and therapy in Costa Rica is exposed from the qualitative data analysis. (author) [es

Interaction between household and field characteristics in generation of ecosystem services from coffee agro-ecosystem of Llano Bonito, Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Allinne, Clementine; Avelino, Jacques; Gary, Christian; Rossing, Walter; Tittonell, Pablo; Rapidel, Bruno

2014-01-01

Agro-ecosystems are major sources of ecosystem services (ESs). Coffee, originally a shade crop, is an important export cash crop for Costa Rica and other Latin America countries. Coffee grown under shades of diverse natural shade tree species ("rustic" systems) has potential to provide numerous ESs. However, coffee systems in Costa Rica have gone through transformation that involved sparse or absence of shade and intensive production systems with higher external input, favouring short term fi...

Quince años de olimpiadas de matemática en la enseñanza secundaria de Costa Rica (ING)

OpenAIRE

Norma Adolio; José Fabio Gonzáles; Federico Mora

2016-01-01

In this article we analyze the importance of the Costa Rica Mathematics Olympiads in Secondary Schools in this country. This project has contributed to the development of mathematical, scientific and technological communities in Costa Rica and has caused an international impact through annual tournaments. Also this article describes the achievements and weaknesses of these Olympiads, features of great importance for a deep study of its current state. Based on the knowledge and experience acqu...

Characterization of the Skin Microbiota of the Cane Toad Rhinella cf. marina in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan G. Abarca

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Rhinella marina is a toad native to South America that has been introduced in the Antilles, likely carrying high loads of microorganisms, potentially impacting local community diversity. The amphibian skin is involved in pathogen defense and its microbiota has been relatively well studied, however, research focusing on the cane toad microbiota is lacking. We hypothesize that the skin microbial communities will differ between toads inhabiting different geographical regions in Central America and the Caribbean. To test our hypothesis, we compared the microbiota of three populations of R. cf. marina toads, two from Costa Rican (native and one Puerto Rican (exotic locations. In Costa Rica, we collected 11 toads, 7 in Sarapiquí and 4 from Turrialba while in Puerto Rico, 10 animals were collected in Santa Ana. Separate swab samples were collected from the dorsal and ventral sites resulting in 42 samples. We found significant differences in the structure of the microbial communities between Puerto Rico and Costa Rica. We detected as much as 35 different phyla; however, communities were dominated by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Alpha diversity and richness were significantly higher in toads from Puerto Rico and betadiversity revealed significant differences between the microbiota samples from the two countries. At the genus level, we found in Santa Ana, Puerto Rico, a high dominance of Kokuria, Niabella, and Rhodobacteraceae, while in Costa Rica we found Halomonas and Pseudomonas in Sarapiquí, and Acinetobacter and Citrobacter in Turrialba. This is the first report of Niabella associated with the amphibian skin. The core microbiome represented 128 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs mainly from five genera shared among all samples, which may represent the symbiotic Rhinella’s skin. These results provide insights into the habitat-induced microbial changes facing this amphibian species. The differences in the microbial

Results of investigation at the Miravalles geothermal field, Costa Rica. Resultados de las investigaciones en el campo geotermico de Miravalles, Costa Rica; Parte 2, Muestreo de fluidos pozo abajo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grigsby, C.O.; Goff, F.; Trujillo, P.E. Jr.; Counce, D.A.; Dennis, B.; Kolar, J.; Corrales, R. (Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA); Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, San Jose (Costa Rica))

1989-10-01

Samples of the geothermal fluids in the Miravalles, Costa Rica, geothermal system were collected from production wellbores using downhole fluid samplers, from flowing wellheads using miniseparators, and from hot springs that discharge in the area. The reservoir fluid at Miravalles is a neutral-chloride-type water, but fumaroles and acid-sulfate springs are present within the main thermal area, and there are bicarbonate-rich hot springs that are clearly related to the neutral-chloride reservoir fluids. Dissolved gases are primarily a mixture of CO{sub 2} with air, but samples collected in the fumarolic areas also contain H{sub 2}S. Water-stable isotope analyses suggest local meteoric recharge, and the reservoir fluid shows oxygen isotopic shifts of about 2.5% due to high-temperature oxygen exchange between water and rock. Chemical geothermometer temperatures are consistent with the measured downhole temperature of 220{degrees} to 255{degrees}C. This pattern of neutral-chloride reservoir fluids with acid-sulfate springs near the source region and bicarbonate-rich chloride hot springs at the periphery of the system suggests a lateral outflow type of hydrothermal system. In addition to the geochemical evidence, temperature profiles from several of the wells show temperature reversals that are characteristic of lateral outflow plumes. We find no evidence for the underlying, higher temperature (300{degrees}C) system, which has been suggested by other investigators. 24 refs., 14 figs., 6 tabs.

Bioeconomic modeling to support management and breeding of dairy cows in Costa Rica

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vargas Leitón, B.

2000-01-01

During the past decades, genetic improvement of dairy cattle in Costa Rica has depended upon massive importation of germplasm from temperate countries. This may not be an optimal alternative if genetic x environment interactions are significant or production goals differ among countries. The purpose

Phytomedicinal potential of tropical cloudforest plants from Monteverde, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary C Setzer

2003-09-01

Full Text Available A pharmacological survey of plants from Monteverde, Costa Rica, including 165 species representing 61 families has been carried out. Crude plant extracts have been tested for in-vitro bactericidal and fungicidal activity as well as cytotoxic and anti-herpes activity. Of these, 123 extracts exhibited notable cytotoxicity, 62 showed antibacterial activity, 4 showed antifungal activity, and 8 showed promising antiviral activity. Thus, 101 of the plant species examined in this work, or 62%, showed marked bioactivity in one or more bioassays. These results underscore the phytomedicinal potential of Neotropical cloud forestsSe realizó un análisis farmacológico de plantas de Monteverde, Costa Rica, que incluye 165 especies representantes de 61 familias. Se probó in-vitro la actividad bactericida y fungicida, así como la actividad citotóxica y anti-herpes de extractos crudos de plantas. De estos, 123 extractos exhibieron una notable citotoxicidad, 62 mostraron actividad antibacterial, 4 presentaron actividad antihongos, y 8 mostraron una promisoria actividad antiviral. Así, de las 101 especies de plantas examinadas en este trabajo, 62% presentaron una marcada actividad biológica en uno o más de los bioensayos. Estos resultados subrayan el potencial fitomédico de los bosques nubosos Neotropicales

PCB concentrations in intertidal sipunculan (Phylum Sipuncula) marine worms from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spongberg, Alison L.

2006-01-01

Specimens of the sipunculans Phascolosoma perlucens, Antillesoma antillarum, and Sipunculus nudus, were collected for PCB analysis in three coastal embayments of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica in October 2005. After collection the worms were kept in cool sea water and transferred to the laboratory for freeze drying. Half of the specimens of S. nudus were purified in filtered sea water for 72 h before freeze drying. The whole worm sample was ground, using a mortar and pestle prior to being extracted with dichloromethane solvent. The extract was cleaned using a florisil column and analyzed using a 6890 Hewlett-Packard gas chromatograph equipped with a mass selective detector. Recovery efficiencies averaged between 72 and 80 %. Data are not corrected for blank or recovery efficiencies. Concentration data were calculated based on comparison with standards for Arochlor 1221, 1242, 1248 and 1254 (Supelco, Inc.). No worm samples were identified with six of more chlorine atoms. However, the higher chlorinated congeners were identified in the standards. Therefore, the lack of chlorination in the worms was not an analytical artifact. The sum of identifiable PCBs ranged from a barely discernible 0.01 ng/g dry wt in an A. antillarum sample from Bahia de Culebra to 67.71 ng/g dry wt in a P. perlucens sample obtained near the Rio Rincon in the inner Golfo Dulce. S. nudus worm samples from the Cocorocas sand flat in the Golfo de Nicoya had relatively high concentrations of PCBs whether they were purified or not. The samples from Costa Rica are low in PCBs, especially compared to the marine sediment samples measured previously in Costa Rica. This was the first attempt to identify and quantify the presence of PCBs in any marine organisms from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. (author) [es

Marine biodiversity of Bahía Culebra, Guanacaste, Costa Rica: published records

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Cortés

2012-04-01

Full Text Available A survey of the published records of marine organisms of Bahía Culebra, an enclosed embayment on the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica, is analyzed resulting in a list of 577 species representing 22 phyla. The most diverse groups documented were crustaceans, cnidarians and mollusks in order of species number. The first published record of any marine organism from the area, a polychaete, occurred in 1922, with a peak of published records of species between 1940 and 1949 and, more recently, from 2000 to the present. Several additional taxa are known from the region but there are no published records of their occurrence. This is especially evident for such groups as the free living flatworms and black corals. Additionally, several habitats, including soft bottom sediments, have not been sampled. Because of the paucity of knowledge on the biodiversity of Bahia Culebra, much more research is needed in order to evaluate and understand the effect of climate change and increasing anthropogenic activities.Bahía Culebra es una bahía semicerrada en el Pacífico norte de Costa Rica. Se recopilaron y analizaron publicaciones en que se mencionan especies marinas de la Bahía. Un total de 577 especies en 22 filos han sido registradas, la mayoría crustaceos, cnidarios y moluscos. El primer informe de una especie marina de Bahía Culebra fue en 1922, un poliqueto. Entre 1940 y 1949 hay un pico de publicaciones con especies de la Bahía, al igual que del 2000 al presente. Se han observado algunos grupos de animales de los cuales no hay publicaciones, por ejemplo corales negros y gusanos planos de vida libre. Igualmente, tampoco hay publicaciones sobre los organismos del bentos blando. Más investigación en Bahía Culebra como también continuar y ampliar el monitoreo de ecosistemas y organismos marinos, es necesario para poder evaluar los impactos por la actividad humana y los naturales, incluyendo el cambio climático.

Area Assessment. Costa Rica

Science.gov (United States)

1984-01-01

8217 ’ 20 3 G. Los Chiles ■’, Los Chiles 20 .:.’ 𔃽 ■■ ’■ ST ■ .- r. ■-■■’ ’ ■ .. ;-^’ ^" ■: C LI I JIGS...Ciudad Quesada, Pital, La Fortiona de San Carlos, Aguas Zsircas, Altanura, Venecia, Sabanilia, Carrizal, La S’oiza, Orotina, La...Refonna, San Rafael de Ojo de Agua , San Miateo, Sajita Rosa de Curtris, Guatuso. ■ , V. Region Pacifico Seco

Atmospheric forcing of cool subsurface water events in Bahía Culebra, Gulf of Papagayo, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric J. Alfaro

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Bahía Culebra, at Gulf of Papagayo on the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica, is an area of seasonal upwelling where more intense cooling events may occur during some boreal winter weeks mainly. To study these extreme cool events, records of nine sea subsurface temperature stations from 1998 to 2010 were analyzed. Five events associated with extremely cool temperatures in this region were identified from these records and taken as study cases. Sea temperatures decreased about 8-9ºC during these events and occurred while cold fronts were present in the Caribbean, with strong trade wind conditions over Central America. These strong wind conditions may have favored the offshore displacement of the sea surface water. The axis of Bahía Culebra runs northeastsouthwest, a condition that favors and triggers cool water events, mainly because the displaced water is replaced by water from deeper levels.Bahía Culebra, localizada en el Golfo de Papagayo, al norte de la costa del Pacífico de Costa Rica, es un área de afloramiento estacional, en donde pueden ocurrir eventos de enfriamiento más intensos, principalmente durante algunas semanas del invierno boreal. Para estudiar estos eventos de enfriamiento extremo, se analizaron datos de nueve estaciones con registros de la temperatura subsuperficial del mar, desde 1998 hasta el 2010. A partir de estos registros, se identificaron cinco casos de estudio asociados a enfriamientos del mar en la región. Los descensos de la temperatura de estos eventos fueron de aproximadamente 8-9ºC y se asociaron al paso de empujes fríos en la región del Caribe y una fuerte magnitud del viento alisio sobre América Central. Este reforzamiento del flujo alisio favorece el desplazamiento del agua superficial hacia afuera de Bahía Culebra, cuyo eje principal se ubica en la dirección noreste-suroeste. Lo anterior favorece y provoca un enfriamiento de la temperatura del mar en la bahía, ya que el agua desplazada es

Banco Central de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sauter, Franz

1963-06-01

Full Text Available This new building is intended to house the various services of the Central Bank of Costa Rica. It has a prestressed concrete structure, and consists of a basement parking space for 105 vehicles, and nine storeys, providing altogether a floor surface of 12,000 ms2. The building rests on a ground area of 40 by 60 ms, and the main structure occupies 22 by 45 ms. This Bank is located in a district of narrow streets, but its main side overlooks a green open space, which will improve its visibility and appearance. The building structure is made up of a framework of prestressed beams and columns. The beams have been concreted at the site, and the joists, which are also prestressed, are factory made. This framework, at each floor level, constitutes the basis of a continuous slab, which renders the total structure exceedingly stiff. The main continuous girders span 11.22 ms spaces, and vary in cross section. The prestressing reinforcements consist of 6 Loeba type cables. This is an original design by Dr. Leonhardt, in which the cables are placed on three horizontal layers, of parabolic outline. Each cable is made up of 12 x 5.4 mm wires, with a breaking stress of 180 kg/mm2 The tensioning stress was 108 kg/mm2, and the total prestress load is 29,700 kgs. The cables run in corrugated metal tubes, and these were kept in precise position with the aid of distance pieces.El nuevo edificio, destinado a agrupar los servicios del Banco Central de Costa Rica, está constituido por una estructura de hormigón pretensado. El inmueble dispone de un sótano, estacionamiento propio para 105 vehículos y nueve plantas, con una superficie total de 12.000 metros cuadrados. Se asienta sobre una base de 40x60 m, donde se levanta un núcleo central de 22x45 metros. Está situado en un barrio de calles estrechas, pero tiene su fachada, principal frente a una zona verde que le proporcionará mayor categoría y visibilidad. La estructura se compone de una retícula de vigas

Geochronological synthesis of magmatism, metamorphism and metallogeny of Costa Rica, Central America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alvarado, Guillermo E.; Gans, Phillipe B.

2012-01-01

A comprehensive compilation of 651 (since 1968) radiometric ages determinations (415 40 Ar/ 39 Ar, 211 K/Ar, 5 U/Th, 4 Rb/Sr, 2 U/Pb, and 13 fission track thermochronology ages using zircon) have provided a complete picture of the igneous stratigraphy of Costa Rica, and information about the age of the major metamorphic and metallogenic events in the region. Igneous rocks of Late Jurassic to Middle Eocene age (∼ 160 to ∼ 41 Ma), mainly accreted ophiolites. The actual subduction zone was established, represented by volcano-sedimentary rocks of basic to felsic composition, at the beginning of Campanian time (∼ 71 Ma). However, voluminous subalkaline, primary volcanic rocks have appeared only after ∼ 29 Ma. Intrusive to hypabyssal granitic to gabboic plutons, stocks, equivalent dykes and sills, are widely exposed in the Talamanca range (∼ 12,4 - 7,8 Ma), hills of Escazu (∼ 6,0 - 5,9 Ma), and Fila Costena (∼ 18,3 - 16,8 and ∼ 14,8 - 11,1 Ma), Tapanti-Montes del Aguacate-Carpintera (∼ 4,2 - 2,2 Ma) and Guacimal (∼ 6,4 - 5,2 Ma). Arc rocks between 29 and 11 Ma (called Photo-Volcanic Front) are known in the San Carlos plains and in southern Costa Rica. The location and age of the igneous rocks have indicated that there was a 20 degrees counterclockwise rotation of the arc (termed as Proto-Volcanic Front) between 15 and 8 Ma, with a pole of rotation that has centered on southern Costa Rica. This rotation is attributed to deformation in the overriding plate (shortening in the south coeval with extension in the NW), accompanied by trench retreat in the south. At ∼ 3,45 Ma, arc-related volcanism has shut off in southern part of the region, but local acid-adakite volcanism has persisted in the Talamanca range (4,2 - 0,95 Ma) due to the subduction of the Cocos Ridge. The Paleo-Volcanic Front is represented by arc-related rocks (8 - 3,5 Ma) along the length of Costa Rica, parallel to but in front of the modern arc. This activity was followed by the

Aspectos psicosociales en torno a las personas afectadas por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) en Costa Rica

OpenAIRE

Mata, Leonardo

1989-01-01

Artículo científico -- Universidad de Costa Rica. Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud, 1989 Este trabajo describe aspectos psicosociales que resaltan de la interacción entre los proveedores de atencion en salud (el personal de salud) y las personas afectadas por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia human (HIV). La discusión se basa en las experiencias del autor obtenidas mediante el seguimiento de una falange de casi 1000 hombres homosexuales o bisexuales en Costa Rica, así como de la intera...

Identification of endangered or threatened Costa Rican tree species by wood anatomy and fluorescence activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Moya, Róger; Wiemann, Michael C; Olivares, Carlos

2013-09-01

A total of 45 native Costa Rican tree species are threatened or in danger of extinction, but the Convention on International Trade Endangered Species (CITES) includes only eight of these in its Appendices. However, the identification of other species based on their wood anatomy is limited. The present study objective was to describe and to compare wood anatomy and fluorescence activity in some endangered or threatened species of Costa Rica. A total of 45 (22 endangered and 23 threatened with extinction) wood samples of these species, from the xylaria of the Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica and the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin, were examined. Surface fluorescence was positive in eight species, water extract fluorescence was positive in six species and ethanol extract fluorescence was positive in 24 species. Almost all species were diffuse porous except for occasional (Cedrela odorata, C. fissilis, Cordia gerascanthus) or regular (C. salvadorensis and C. tonduzii) semi-ring porosity. A dendritic vessel arrangement was found in Sideroxylon capari, and pores were solitary in Guaiacum sanctum and Vantanea barbourii. Vessel element length was shortest in Guaiacum sanctum and longest in Humiriastrum guianensis, Minquartia guianensis and Vantanea barbourii. Finally, anatomical information and fluorescence activity were utilized to construct an identification key of species, in which fluorescence is a feature used in identification.

Identification of endangered or threatened Costa Rican tree species by wood anatomy and fluorescence activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Róger Moya

2013-09-01

Full Text Available A total of 45 native Costa Rican tree species are threatened or in danger of extinction, but the Convention on International Trade Endangered Species (CITES includes only eight of these in its Appendices. However, the identification of other species based on their wood anatomy is limited. The present study objective was to describe and to compare wood anatomy and fluorescence activity in some endangered or threatened species of Costa Rica. A total of 45 (22 endangered and 23 threatened with extinction wood samples of these species, from the xylaria of the Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica and the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin, were examined. Surface fluorescence was positive in eight species, water extract fluorescence was positive in six species and ethanol extract fluorescence was positive in 24 species. Almost all species were diffuse porous except for occasional (Cedrela odorata, C. fissilis, Cordia gerascanthus or regular (C. salvadorensis and C. tonduzii semi-ring porosity. A dendritic vessel arrangement was found in Sideroxylon capari, and pores were solitary in Guaiacum sanctum and Vantanea barbourii. Vessel element length was shortest in Guaiacum sanctum and longest in Humiriastrum guianensis, Minquartia guianensis and Vantanea barbourii. Finally, anatomical information and fluorescence activity were utilized to construct an identification key of species, in which fluorescence is a feature used in identification.

Project of Carbon Capture in Small and Medium Farms in the Brunca Region, Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gilmar Navarrete

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM of the Kyoto Protocol, allows the non Annex 1 countries to receive projects that contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and sustainable development in developing countries. The CDM, since its inception, has issued credits equivalent to 1.434.737.562 tons of CO2, distributed across 7.450 projects around the world, from 15 different sectors. Sectors 14 that allow forestry projects (such as reforestation and afforestation have registered 53 projects to date; 19 of which are in Latin America. Nevertheless, the contribution of this sector currently represents less than 1% of CDM Certificates of Emissions Reduction (CERs issued. In September 2013, through their National Forestry Financing Fund (FONAFIFO, Costa Rica registered their first CDM project with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC, after having complied with all the project cycle processes. The project, known as "Carbon Sequestration in Small and Medium Farms, Brunca Region, Costa Rica" was a project executed by FONAFIFO under their Environmental Services Payment Program. This project was developed in Pérez Zeledón, San José, Costa Rica in partnership with the Cooperative Corporation CoopeAgri RL. The total goal of the project is to reduce the greenhouse gas emission by 176,050 ton of CO2-e, in a period of 20 years and commercialize the CERs in the regulated carbon market.

Natural radiation doses for cosmic and terrestrial components in Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mora, Patricia; Picado, Esteban; Minato, Susumu

2007-01-01

A study of external natural radiation, cosmic and terrestrial components, was carried out with in situ measurements using NaI scintillation counters while driving along the roads in Costa Rica for the period July 2003-July 2005. The geographical distribution of the terrestrial air-absorbed dose rates and the total effective dose rates (including cosmic) are represented on contour maps. Information on the population density of the country permitted the calculation of the per capita doses. The average effective dose for the total cosmic component was 46.88±18.06 nSv h -1 and the average air-absorbed dose for the terrestrial component was 29.52±14.46 nGy h -1 . The average total effective dose rate (cosmic plus terrestrial components) was 0.60±0.18 mSv per year. The effective dose rate per capita was found to be 83.97 nSv h -1 which gives an annual dose of 0.74 mSv. Assuming the world average for the internal radiation component, the natural radiation dose for Costa Rica will be 2.29 mSv annually

Costa Oriental Maya: una acercamiento al comercio y navegación

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iván Renato Zúñiga Carrasco

2014-01-01

Full Text Available La costa oriental de la Península de Yucatán ofreció un medio ideal para navegantes y mercaderes por la geografía costera peninsular cruzada por extensas redes fluviales que se extienden a lo largo de sus costas y se remontan lejanamente en el interior. E l intercambio de productos a través de largas distancias fue un factor básico en la homogeneidad cultural del mundo maya, jugando un papel crítico en el desarrollo de esta antigua civilización. El comercio marítimo maya se remonta al periodo Preclásico Ta rdío (300 a.C. - 300 d.C. Muchos puertos estaban ubicados en lugares estratégicos para el comercio, como islas, promontorios o a la entrada de ríos y en la mayoría de las veces se ubicaban en lugares protegidos del mar abierto. Las canoas utilizadas por los nativos no se trataba de simples troncos ahuecados; el uso de velas además y remos como puede verse en representaciones en murales y códices.

Parasitosis intestinal en monos capuchinos cariblancos Cebus capucinus (Primates: Cebidae de un área protegida en la provincia de Limón, noreste de Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Misael Chinchilla

2010-12-01

Full Text Available La deforestación de bosques tropicales está amenazando la biodiversidad de las especies de primates y su estado de salud, dependiente de un lugar ecológicamente equilibrado. Con el fin de evaluar esta relación, se analizó la presencia de parásitos en los intestinos de esta especie. El estudio se realizó en la Estación Biológica La Suerte (EBLS, Limón, Costa Rica. El grupo de monos capuchinos cariblancos (Cebus capucinus fue observado entre marzo y diciembre de 2006. Se recolectaron 75 muestras de heces a las que se les identificó las plantas ingeridas, y se procesaron en el laboratorio para evaluar la prevalencia de parásitos. Moraceae fue la familia de plantas más reportada. Strongyloides spp. y acantocéfalos fueron los más comunes. La distribución positiva de las mismas fue similar independientemente del sexo y la edad. Microsporidios se reportaron mayoritariamente en heces asociadas con la familia Piperaceae. Fue encontrada una baja existencia de éstos parásitos en muestras asociadas con Myrtaceae en cuyo género Psidium, se han reportado compuestos activos antiparasitarios. La aparición de parásitos fue relativamente mayor en la EBLS, comparado con muestras de otras regiones más secas de Costa Rica. Por lo tanto, esa expresión parasitaria puede deberse al hecho de ser la EBLS una selva lluviosa, además de estar rodeada por zonas con actividades antrópicas. Se sugiere incrementar las investigaciones de parasitología de campo en primates neotropicales con el fin de entender plenamente las relaciones parásitos-hospederos, para en un largo plazo poder comprender los ecosistemas donde conviven, y en consecuencia, preservar la diversidad biológica.Intestinal parasites in white-faced capuchin monkeys Cebus capucinus Primates: Cebidae inhabiting a protected area in the Limón province of Northeastern Costa Rica. Deforestation of tropical forests is threatening monkey biodiversity and their health status, dependent of an

Bacillus thuringiensis in caterpillars and associated materials collected from protected tropical forests in northwestern Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Sánchez, César; Sittenfeld, Ana; Janzen, Daniel H; Espinoza, Ana M

2006-06-01

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) synthesizes crystalline inclusions that are toxic to caterpillars (Lepidoptera) and other orders of invertebrates. Materials associated with 37 caterpillars from 16 species, collected while feeding on 15 different species of host plants in dry, cloud and rain forests located in the Area de Conservación Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica, were examined for the presence of Bt. From a total of 101 derived samples, 25 Bt isolates were cultured: 56% from host plant leaves, 8% from caterpillar guts and 36% from caterpillar fecal pellets. Bt was isolated from at least one sample in 38% of the systems constituted by the food plant, gut and fecal pellets corresponding to a single caterpillar. Four different morphologies of crystalline inclusions were observed, with bipyramidal and irregular crystal morphologies being the most prevalent.

Appraisal of the Epidemiology of Neospora caninum Infection in Costa Rican Dairy Cattle

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Romero Zúñiga, J.J.

2005-01-01

Costa Rica, milk production has increased gradually during the twentieth century, in which the activity developed from a non-technical to a technical activity. Together with the evolution of the dairy sector, the incidence of infectious and metabolic diseases