Ethnobotany of the garífuna of Eastern Nicaragua

We report the diversity of plants used by the Garifuna focusing on medicinals. Garifuna plants documented in this study are distributed among 75 families, 193 genera, and 254 species. Included are 229 medicinals, 93 food plants, and 94 species for other uses. Garifuna medicinals treat more than 30 human ailments and most are native (74%) to eastern Nicaragua. About 70% of the medicinals have some bioactive principle, most are herbs (37%) or trees (34%), and leaves are the most frequently utilized plant part. Most are prepared as decoctions and are administered orally. Most food plants are domesticates, and only 14 of 51 domesticated food species are native to the NW tropics with only three to Mesoamerica. Garifuna culture is changing rapidly as a result of contact with immigrating mestizos from central Nicaragua. This study provides a written record of folk medicine and ethnobotany for the people of eastern Nicaragua.     

Impact factor of Revista Iberoamericana de Micología

The impact factor is a bibliometric indicator published annually in the Journal Citation Reports, and widely regarded as a quality ranking of the journals included in this database. The problem with this indicator is that the impact factor of several journals not listed in the Science Citation Index database is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze the 2001 national and international impact factor of Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. The National impact factor of Revista Iberoamericana de Micología was obtained by adding the number of cites in 2001 from a total of 87 Spanish medical journals of greater scientific quality. Also, bibliographical references from Spanish journals indexed in the 2001 Journal Citation reports database have been included to determine the international impact factor of this analyzed journal. Revista Iberoamericana de Micología received a total of 62 cites from published articles in 1999 to 2001, coming from 20 different journals, being their self-citation index 10.1%. The journal with the highest number of cites to Revista Iberoamericana de Micología was Journal of Clinical Microbiology, with 12 cites (19.3%). According to this findings the national and international impact factor of Revista Iberoamericana de Micología was 0.266 and 0.606, respectively. The impact factor of Revista Iberoamericana de Micología, although not included in the Science Citation Index database, was higher than other Journal Citation Reports. Moreover, Revista Iberoamericana de Micología received most of its citations from high impact factor journals included in the Journal Citation Reports database. These data support the international recognition of the scientific level of the journal.     

The distribution and ecology of littoral Oligochaeta and Aphanoneura (Annelida) of the Natural and Historical Reserve of Isla Martín García,Río de la Plata River,Argentina

The objective of this paper is to provide data on the distribution and ecology of oligochaetes and aphanoneurans occurring in the Río de la Plata, Argentina, including details regarding, their densities, faunal characteristics, species richness, diversity and equitability. Between 1995 and 1997, a total of five stations on the Río de la Plata were sampled on eight different occasions. The taxocenosis of Oligochaeta and Aphanoneura included 30 species belonging in six families: Naididae, Tubificidae, Narapidae, Enchytraeidae, Lumbricidae and Aeolosomatidae. The density varied between 44495 ind m^–2 and 57 ind m^–2. Species richness varied between 1 and 17, the diversity ranged from 0.07 to 2.55, and equitability varied between 0.08 and 0.64. According to dominance and frequency, the dominant, constant and widely distributed species were: Nais variabilis, Stephensoniana trivandrana, Amphichaeta leydigi, Chaetogaster diastrophus, Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri, Aulodrilus pigueti, Narapa bonettoi and the species of Enchytraeidae and Aeolosomatidae.     

Bloom of Gymnodinium catenatum in Bahía Santiago and Bahía Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico

Gymnodinium bloom events are of concern, since they produce toxins, which have unfavorable consequences to marine ecosystems, human health and the economy. This report describes the physico-chemical conditions that were present during the algal bloom event on May 2010 in Bahía Manzanillo and Bahía Santiago, Colima, Mexico. For this, seawater nutrient analysis, phytoplankton counts, identification, and toxicity tests were undertaken. Nutrients in seawater were determined using colorimetric techniques, the higher concentrations (8.88 microM DIN, 0.78 microM PO4 and 24.34 microM SiO2) were related with upwelling waters that promoted the algal bloom that began after registering the year lowest sea-surface temperature, favoring the rapid growth of G. catenatum (up to 1.02 x 10(7) cells/L). Phytoplankton counting was carried out using sedimentation chambers and cells enumerated on appropriated area. The bloom persisted in the bays for approximately two weeks and was associated with toxicity (determined with HPLC) in local oysters (1525.8 microg STXeq/100g), and in phytoplankton (10.9 pg STXeq/cells) samples. Strong variations in cell toxicity (1.4 to 10.9pg STXeq/cells), most likely reflected the availability of inorganic nutrients. The toxin profile of the phytoplankton samples consisted of 11 toxins and resembled those recorded for several strains of G. catenatum isolated from other coastal areas of Mexico.     

Pollen analysis of honeys from the central zone of the Argentine province of Entre Ríos

Based on the melissopalynology 38 honey samples collected in the central region of the Argentine province of Entre Ríos were classified by botanical and geographical origin. According to qualitative analysis, 20 honey samples were monofloral and 18 were multifloral. Dominant pollen types were Scutia buxifolia Reissek (Rhamnaceae) in six samples, Baccharis spp. (Asteraceae) in five, Lotus spp. (Fabaceae) in three, Eucalyptus spp. (Myrtaceae) and Eryngium spp. (Apiaceae) in two, Ammi visnaga (L.) Lam. (Apiaceae) and Trithrinax campestris (Burmeist.) Drude & Griseb. (Arecaceae) in one sample. One hundred and nineteen pollen types were identified belonging to 52 families; 75% of which were native species. The families best represented in number of species were Asteraceae and Fabaceae. Pollen types such as Scutia buxifolia, Trithrinax campestris, Schinus spp. (Anacardiaceae), Mimosoideae from Prosopis spp., Acacia spp., Mimosa ostenii Speg. ex Burkart, and M. strigillosa Torr. & A. Gray are considered the indicators for this geographical origin. The studied honeys were also characterized by a high frequency of Apiaceae, Brassicaceae, Astereae, Echium plantagineum L. and cultivated Papilionoideae forage species such as Melilotus albus Desr., Lotus spp. and Trifolium spp. Honeydew elements were scarce.     

Seasonal succession of Copepoda in the Bahía Blanca estuary

The abundance and species composition of Copepoda with respect to other mesozooplanktonic groups were studied at the harbour of Ingeniero White in the inner zone of the Bahfa Blanca estuary, between July 1990 and August 1991. Maximal copepod abundances of 4.7 × 10 m^–3 and 4.9 × 10 m^–3 were observed in January 1991 and May 1991, respectively. Minimal abundances of 6 m^–3 were found in June 1990. Acartia tonsa was present throughout the year with high dominance in summer-autumn (December to May). Eurytemora affinis was present from July to October 1990 (first pulse) and from July to September 1991 (second pulse). Euterpina acutifrons was most abundant during spring 1990, whereas Paracalanus parvus was most abundant during winter-spring (July–October) 1990 and April–May 1991. The rest of the copepods were observed during winter and spring 1990 and July–August 1991. Calanoides carinatus and Labidocera fluviatilis, both species from the outer estuarine waters, were only found on two sampling dates. The proportion of meroplanktonic forms was high in certain months of the annual period considered. Differences between the copepod seasonal succession studied here and those observed during several years in the 1980's are discussed.     

The redefinition of Cladiopsocus (Psocoptera: Cladíopsocidae)

The genus Cladiopsocus Roesler is redefined. Seven new species from Central and South America and seven previously described species of Triplocania Roesler are placed in this genus.     

KIR gene diversity in Mexican mestizos of San Luis Potosí

Natural killer (NK) cell function is regulated by different types of membrane-bound receptors of which killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are the most complex and diverse. KIRs are encoded by 17 different genes located within the leukocyte receptor complex (19q13.4). The frequency with which KIR gene features are present in different human populations differs. Here, we present our results on the KIR gene diversity observed in a large group of mestizos from the central Mexican city of San Luis Potosí. In total, 53 different KIR genotypes were observed, 47 with previously described gene profiles and six harboring novel KIR gene combinations. Group A homozygous haplotypes were seen in 102 individuals (34%), while group B homozygous haplotypes were present in 45 (15%). Heterozygous combinations of groups A and B haplotypes were seen in 153 individuals (51%). Haplotype frequency estimations based on a true content of 600 chromosomes showed a relatively balanced proportion of group A (59.5%) and group B (40.5%) haplotypes in our study population. A homozygous combination of the cA01|tA01 haplotype was present in 33% of the population with other frequent combinations being cA01|tA01, cB03|tB01 in 14.7% and cA01|tA01, cB02|tA01 in 12%. The dendrogram derived from activating KIR gene phylogenetic analysis revealed five clearly distinct clades corresponding to African, East Asian, Arab/Caucasoid, Mexican mestizo/Amerindian and South Asian populations. Our results illustrate the genetic contribution that Caucasoid and Amerindian populations have made toward present-day Mexicans and suggest an important Southeast Asian genetic contribution to native Amerindian populations.     

Presence of American cutaneous Leishmaniasis vectors surrounding the city of Medellín,Colombia

The presence of Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) hartmanni, as a vector of Leishmania colombiensis and L. columbiana (Verrucarum group), recently incriminated in the transmission of leishmaniasis, and L. pia (Verrucarum group) are reported for the first time in a periurban area of Medellín city. There is thus a risk of leishmaniasis transmission in this town.     

Negotiation of ethnoracial configurations among Puerto Rican Taíno activists

In Puerto Rico, scholarly histories and common knowledge have presumed that the Taíno – the pre-Columbian population of the island – became extinct at some time between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. However, various people on the island challenge this assumption by claiming to be Taíno. The public reemergence of Taíno groups in Puerto Rico is highly disputed by scholars, governmental institutions and non-Taíno populations of the region, often on the basis of Puerto Rico’s long-documented history of creolization and state-sponsored ideology of racial blending. Within this context, the case of Taíno indigenous activism in Puerto Rico offers a critical lens through which to consider interactional challenges involved in claiming belonging to a presumably “extinct” ethnoracial category.     

Detection of Peptidic Sequences in the Ancient Acidic Sediments of Río Tinto,Spain

Biomarkers are molecules that are produced by or can be associated with biological activities. They can be used as tracers that give us an idea of the ancient biological communities that produced them, the paleoenvironmental conditions where they lived, or the mechanism involved in their transformation and preservation. As a consequence, the preservation potential of molecules over time depends largely on their nature, but also on the conditions of the environment, which controls the decomposition kinetics. In this context, proteins and nucleic acids, which are biomolecules bearing biological information, are among the most labile molecules. In this research, we report the presence of short-chained peptides obtained from extracts of ferruginous sedimentary deposits that have been produced under the acidic and oxidizing solutions of Río Tinto, Spain. These preliminary results go against the paradigmatic idea that considers the acidic and oxidizing environments inappropriate for the preservation of molecular information.     

Microalgae associated with deteriorated stonework of the fountain of Bibatauín in Granada,Spain

The fountain of Bibatauín, in Granada (Spain), is in a poor state of conservation, and biodeterioration is occurring. Colonization by microalgae and its effects on the fountain were investigated. The microorganisms from representative sampling areas were identified by optical microscopy, and the biogenic carbonate crusts they formed analysed by X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electronic microscopy. The most representative genera found were Cosmarium, Phormidium and Symploca, and the main mineral was calcite.     

First report of Panstrongylus megistus sylvatic focus in municipality of Bambuí, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

In 1943, the Center for the Study and Prophylaxis of Chagas Disease, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, state of Minas Gerais (MG), was created in the municipality of Bambuí to carry out studies related to Chagas disease in the mid-western region of MG. Since that time, several investigations have been conducted to determine the natural habitat of triatomines, but Panstrongylus megistus colonies have never been found in this region. This paper records the first finding of a P. megistus sylvatic colony in 69 years of research. The characteristics of this ecotope and its implications for the epidemiology of Chagas disease are discussed.     

Estimating genetic erosion using the example of Picea chihuahuana Martínez

Genetic erosion can be defined as a permanent reduction in richness or evenness of common local alleles or the loss of combination of alleles over time in a defined area. This process can be detrimental to the short-term viability of individuals and populations, the evolutionary potential of populations and species, and the direct use of genetic resources. Various international and intergovernmental organizations and networks have therefore recognized the need to assess and monitor plant genetic erosion in order to prevent such effects. The rare tree species Picea chihuahuana Martínez, which is endemic to Mexico, is an excellent model for estimating potential genetic erosion. The species occurs in about 40 often isolated relict populations in the Sierra Madre Occidental. In this study, the degree of genetic erosion was evaluated in five populations of P. chihuahuana M. in the State of Durango (Mexico), by comparing the genetic diversity in diameter classes (as a surrogate variable for age classes). The results of the study demonstrate a moderate loss of genetic diversity at some amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) loci from the older trees to saplings and to young seedlings in the two largest populations. Significant genetic erosion was only detected in a very small population, named San José de las Causas (SJ). Hence, if genetic diversity at AFLP loci reflects diversity in the genome on the whole, genetic erosion per se does not explain the relict status of Chihuahua spruce, except in very small populations, such as SJ, which comprised of ca. 120 individuals.