Sample records for alta guajira venezuela

  1. The diffuse seismicity of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, the Perijá Range, and south of the La Guajira peninsula, Colombia and Venezuela: Result of the convergence between Caribbean plate and the South American margin during the Late Neogene?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chicangana, G.; Pedraza, P.; Mora-paez, H.; Ordonez Aristizabal, C. O.; Vargas-Jimenez, C. A.; Kammer, A.

    2012-12-01

    A diffuse low deep microseismicity located overall between the Guajira peninsula and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM) was registered with the recent installation (2008 to Present) of three seismological stations in northeastern Colombia by the Colombian Seismological Network (RSNC), but mainly with the Uribia station in (the) central region of La Guajira peninsula, The microseismicity is characterized by a great population of events with 1.2 < Ml < 3.0. and few events of 3.0 < Ml < 4.0 that sporadically occur. The poor number of seismological stations in this region of Colombia impedes to locate the origin of the local seismicity; however, this seismic activity is associated to the tectonic activity of the Oca fault because with the GPS displacement analysis, neotectonics evidence found in faults traces associated to the Oca fault and the historical earthquake that affected the Colombian city of Santa Marta in 1834, lead us to conclude this. This is a big cortical fault that sets the limit between La Guajira peninsula and the SNSM. Its cortical characteristics were verified from geological data together with gravimetric and seismic exploration. The SNSM limits toward the southeast with the Cesar - Ranchería basin, and this basin in turn limits with the Perijá Range that is localized in the Colombia - Venezuela border. The SNSM, Cesar - Ranchería basin and Perijá Range limit toward the southwest with the Bucaramanga - Santa Marta fault (BSMF), the Oca fault toward the north, and Perijá - El Tigre fault toward the southeast defining a pyramidal orogenic complex. Using remote sensing images data with geological and regional geophysical information, we proposed that this orogenic complex was originated as a result of the Panama arc with the northwestern South America accretion. The final adjustment of the Caribbean plate (CP) between North America and South America during the Late Neogene produced the big cortical faults systems activation like Oca - Moron

  2. Provenance analysis of the Pliocene Ware Formation in the Guajira Peninsula, northern Colombia: Paleodrainage implications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pérez-Consuegra, Nicolás; Parra, Mauricio; Jaramillo, Carlos; Silvestro, Daniele; Echeverri, Sebastián; Montes, Camilo; Jaramillo, José María; Escobar, Jaime

    2018-01-01

    The Cocinetas Basin in the Guajira Peninsula, the northernmost tip of South America, today has a dry climate with low rainfall (<500 mm/yr), a long dry season (>ten months) and no year-long rivers or permanent standing bodies of fresh water. In contrast, the fossil and geological record indicate that the Cocinetas Basin was much wetter during the Miocene-Pliocene (∼17-2.8 Ma). Water needed to sustain the paleofauna could either have originated from local sources or been brought by a larger river system (e.g. proto Magdalena/Orinoco river) with headwaters either in Andean ranges or the Guyana shield. We present a provenance study of the Pliocene Ware Formation, using petrographic analysis of conglomerate clasts and heavy minerals, and U-Pb dating of 140 detrital zircons. Clasts and heavy minerals are typical of ensialic metamorphic and igneous sources. The detrital zircon age distribution indicates the Guajira ranges as the most probable sediment source. The overall results indicate that the fluvial system of the Ware Formation drained the surrounding ranges. The water was probably derived by local precipitation onto the Guajira peninsula.

  3. 77 FR 29633 - Alta Wind VII, LLC, Alta Wind IX, LLC, Alta Wind X, LLC, Alta Wind XI, LLC, Alta Wind XII, LLC...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-05-18

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EL12-68-000] Alta Wind VII, LLC, Alta Wind IX, LLC, Alta Wind X, LLC, Alta Wind XI, LLC, Alta Wind XII, LLC, Alta Wind XIII, LLC, Alta Wind XIV, LLC, Alta Wind XV, LLC, Alta Windpower Development, LLC, TGP Development Company, LLC...

  4. 75 FR 23263 - Alta Wind I, LLC; Alta Wind II, LLC; Alta Wind III, LLC; Alta Wind IV, LLC; Alta Wind V, LLC...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-03

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EL10-62-000] Alta Wind I, LLC; Alta Wind II, LLC; Alta Wind III, LLC; Alta Wind IV, LLC; Alta Wind V, LLC; Alta Wind VI, LLC; Alta Wind VII, LLC; Alta Wind VIII, LLC; Alta Windpower Development, LLC; TGP Development Company, LLC...

  5. Venezuela`s gas industry poised for long term growth

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Croft, G.D.

    1995-06-19

    Venezuela`s enormous gas resource, combined with a new willingness to invite outside investment, could result in rapid growth in that industry into the next century. The development of liquefied natural gas exports will depend on the future course of gas prices in the US and Europe, but reserves are adequate to supply additional projects beyond the proposed Cristobal Colon project. Venezuela`s gas reserves are likely to increase if exploration for nonassociated gas is undertaken on a larger scale. The paper discusses gas reserves in Venezuela, internal gas markets, the potential for exports, competition from Trinidad, LNG export markets, and themore » encouragement of foreign investment in the gas industry of Venezuela.« less

  6. Separation of the Guajira-Bonaire pair in the southern margin of the Caribbean: 65-50 Ma exhumation followed by 300 km right-lateral transtensional deformation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zapata Henao, S.; Cardona, A.; Montes, C.; Valencia, V.; Vervoort, J. D.; Reiners, P. W.

    2012-12-01

    Middle to upper Eocene fluvial strata in the island of Bonaire contains detrital components that were tracked to the basement massifs of the Guajira Peninsula in northern Colombia. These detrital components confirm previous hypothesis that the Guajira-Bonaire pair constitute a tectonic piercing point along the southern Caribbean plate margin that was right-laterally displaced approximately 300 km after middle Eocene times. Other possible sources, the nearby Curacao and the far away Santa Marta massif, did not pass statistical similarity and overlap tests. U-Pb LA-ICP-MS from the metamorphic boulders of the Soebi Blanco Formation in Bonaire yield Grenvillian ages (1084 Ma, 1130 Ma and 1184 Ma), while the detrital zircons recovered from the sandy matrix of the conglomerates contains populations with peaks of 1000 Ma - 1200 Ma, 750 Ma - 950 Ma, and 200 Ma - 300 Ma. Overlap and Similarity tests run between these populations and published data from Guajira yield values of 0.750 and 0.680, which are significantly higher than the same comparison against the Santa Marta Massif (0.637 and 0.522), and the Curacao island (0.629 and 0.467). Thermochronological results from the metamorphic clasts yield Paleocene-middle Eocene ages (65 - 50 Ma) that confirm not only a regional-scale cooling event in this time period, but also help constrain the maximum depositional age (50 Ma) of the poorly dated Soebi Blanco Formation. Figure 6. U-Pb results from analyzed samples and other Caribbean provinces. (A), Detrital zircons from Soebi Blanco conglomerate matrix; (B), Zircon ages from metamorphic clasts (C), detrital zircons from late Cretaceous Etpana Formation in Guajira Peninsula (Weber et al., 2010); (D), detrital zircons from late Cretaceous Santa Marta San Lorenzo schists (Cardona et al., 2010a); (E), detrital zircons from late Cretaceous Knip Group (Wrigth and Wyld, 2010); (F), overlap and similarity values.

  7. Description of a new species of Coelosis Hope from Guajira Peninsula, northern Colombia (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae, Oryctini)

    PubMed Central

    Neita-Moreno, Jhon César; Orozco, Jesús; Medina-Uribe, Claudia Alejandra

    2018-01-01

    Abstract A new species of Coelosis is described from the Macuira Mountains, Guajira Peninsula, northern Colombia. A character comparison between this new and other previously known Colombian species in the genus is presented. A key for the identification and distributional map for Colombian species of Coelosis is provided, as well as a key for the genera included in the tribe Oryctini in Colombia. PMID:29670422

  8. [Immigration to Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Picouet, M; Pellegrino, A; Papail, J

    1986-11-01

    Immigration to Venezuela is examined using census data with the focus on the period 1971-1981. A brief overview of trends since the beginning of the twentieth century is first presented. The analysis indicates that "immigration to Venezuela is clearly of a short-term nature. Flows follow job opportunities and adjust to the labour market and to the financial capacity of the exchange market. The large increase of migratory movements to Venezuela in the 1970's is characterized by a diversification of their places of origin and by a greater instability. To a large extent, the migrants are illegal, especially those coming from Colombia and the Caribbean islands. Because of the crisis of the early 1980's, which is now worsened by the down trend of both oil prices and the U.S. dollar, Venezuela has become less attractive to immigrants, particularly from neighbouring countries." The authors observe that migrants in Venezuela are not well integrated and may depart, disrupting the labor supply in certain technical and specialized occupations (SUMMARY IN ENG AND SPA) excerpt

  9. [Paleoclimate of La Guajira, Colombia; by the growth rings of Capparis odoratissima (Capparidaceae)].

    PubMed

    Ramírez, Jorge Andrés; Ignacio del Valle, Jorge

    2011-09-01

    There is great concern about the effect of climate change in arid and subarid areas of the tropics. Climate change combined with other anthropogenic activities such as deforestation, fires and over-grazing can accelerate their degradation and, consequently, the increases in losses of biological and economic productivity. Climate models, both local and global, predict that rainfall in the arid Peninsula of La Guajira in the Colombian Caribbean would be reduced and temperature would be increased as a result of climate change. However, as there are only suitable climate records since 1972, it is not possible to verify if, indeed, this is happening. To try to verify the hypothesis of reducing rainfall and rising temperatures we developed a growth ring chronology of Capparis odoratissima in the Middle Peninsula of La Guajira with 17 trees and 45 series which attain 48 years back. We use standard dendrochronological methods that showed statistically significant linear relationship with local climatic variables such as air temperature, sea surface temperature (SST), annual precipitation and wind speed; we also reach to successful relationship of the chronology with global climatic variables as the indices SOI and MEI of the ENSO phenomenon. The transfer functions estimated with the time series (1955 and 2003) do not showed statistically significant trends, indicating that during this period of time the annual precipitation or temperatures have not changed. The annual nature of C. odoratissima growth rings, the possibility of cross-dated among the samples of this species, and the high correlation with local and global climatic variables indicate a high potential of this species for dendrochronological studies in this part of the American continent.

  10. Enzootic transmission of yellow fever virus, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Auguste, Albert J; Lemey, Philippe; Bergren, Nicholas A; Giambalvo, Dileyvic; Moncada, Maria; Morón, Dulce; Hernandez, Rosa; Navarro, Juan-Carlos; Weaver, Scott C

    2015-01-01

    Phylogenetic analysis of yellow fever virus (YFV) strains isolated from Venezuela strongly supports YFV maintenance in situ in Venezuela, with evidence of regionally independent evolution within the country. However, there is considerable YFV movement from Brazil to Venezuela and between Trinidad and Venezuela.

  11. Enzootic Transmission of Yellow Fever Virus, Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Auguste, Albert J.; Lemey, Philippe; Bergren, Nicholas A.; Giambalvo, Dileyvic; Moncada, Maria; Morón, Dulce; Hernandez, Rosa; Navarro, Juan-Carlos

    2015-01-01

    Phylogenetic analysis of yellow fever virus (YFV) strains isolated from Venezuela strongly supports YFV maintenance in situ in Venezuela, with evidence of regionally independent evolution within the country. However, there is considerable YFV movement from Brazil to Venezuela and between Trinidad and Venezuela. PMID:25531105

  12. Venezuela Country Analysis Brief

    EIA Publications

    2015-01-01

    Venezuela is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of crude oil. The country has been one of the largest exporters of crude oil in the Americas. As a founding member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Venezuela is an important player in the global oil market. Although oil production has declined since its peak in the late 1990s, Venezuela has been among the top exporters of crude oil to the United States have been among the largest in the world. In recent years, through significant upfront investment, an increasing share of Venezuela’s exports has been delivered to China. While Venezuela is important to the global oil market, the government’s reinvestment of oil revenues into social programs instead of reinvestment into exploration, production, and refining has led to declines in output. In 2014, Venezuela consumed 3.3 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) of total energy.1 Oil continues to represent most of the country’s total energy consumed, and natural gas consumption has increased in the past five years. Hydroelectric power meets less than 25% of total demand, and coal represents less than 1%.

  13. Potential for Great Thrust Earthquakes in NE Colombia & NW Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bilham, R. G.; Mencin, D.

    2013-05-01

    Sixty-five percent of the ≈19 mm/yr eastward velocity of the Caribbean Plate north of Aruba and the Guajira peninsula relative to the South American plate is accommodated by dextral slip on the Bocono Fault system in NW Venezuela at 12±1 mm/yr, the remaining ~3 mm/yr of shear apparently distributed to the NW of the fault (Perez et al., 2011). The N40E strike of the Bocono fault system, however, requires that 10.6±1 mm/yr of convergence should accompany this partitioned dextral shear, but GPS measurements reveal that less than 25% of this convergence occurs across the Venezuelan Andes. The remaining 6-8 mm of convergence is presumably accommodated by incipient subduction between the Bocono fault and a trench 300 km NW of the northern coast of Colombia. Hence NW Venezuela and NE Colombia may occasionally host great earthquakes. Our current poor understanding of the geometry of the plate interface permits the plate to be locked 300 km down-dip and possibly 600 km along-strike, and if the plate slips in 10 m ruptures it could do so every 1200 years in a M~9 earthquake. No great earthquake has occurred since 1492, since when ~4 m of potential slip has developed, but should slip occur on just 10% of the hypothesized décollement (100x150 km) it could do so now in an Mw=8.2 earthquake. In that a potential Mw>8 earthquake poses a future seismic and tsunami threat to the Caribbean it is important to examine whether great earthquakes have occurred previously near the NW Venezuela coast. It is possible that creep accommodates the entire convergence signal, since there is no suggestion from microseismicity for an abrupt locked-to-sliding transition, as, for example, signifies its location in the Himalaya. An alternative measure of future potential seismic energy release is to identify the locus and rate of present-day strain contraction. To this end, Venezuelan, Colombian and US (CU and UNAVCO) investigators are installing an array of more than a dozen continuous operating

  14. Geology and petroleum resources of Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Klemme, H.D.

    1986-05-01

    Venezuela occupies a peripheral position to the Guiana shield and craton in northern South America. The larger sedimentary basins of the Venezuelan craton zone are marginal cratonic basins (Lanos-Barinas), resulting from Tertiary Andean eastward movements, and basins formed by collisional, extensional, and transformed movement of the American portion of Tethys (eastern Venezuela-Trinidad). The smaller sedimentary basins of Venezuela are Tertiary transverse-wrench basins in the disturbed intermontane zone peripheral to the cratonic basins (Maracaibo, Falcon, parts of the Gulf of Venezuela, Carioca, and parts of Tobago-Margarita). Venezuela accounts for 75% of the recoverable oil and 55% of the gas discovered inmore » South America. These deposits occur primarily in two basins (East Venezuela and Maracaibo - where one complex, the Bolivar Coastal and lake pools, represents 40% of South American discovered oil). The East Venezuela basin contains the Orinico heavy oil belt, currently assessed at 1 to 2 trillion bbl of oil in place. Source rocks for Venezuelan hydrocarbons are middle Cretaceous calcareous bituminous shales and marls (40% of discovered hydrocarbons), lower Tertiary deltaic and transitional shales, Paleocene-Eocene (40%), and Oligocene-Miocene deltaic and coastal shales (20%). A key factor in high recovery of hydrocarbons appears to be preservation of middle Cretaceous and lower Tertiary source rocks during maturation and migration. Reservoirs are dominantly (> 90%) clastic sediments (sandstones) within, above, or updip from source sequences. Cap rocks are interbedded and overlying shale.« less

  15. Venezuela: A Revolution on Standby

    DTIC Science & Technology

    Blessed with rich agricultural terrain, Venezuela currently retains the largest proven reserves of petroleum in the world. Surprisingly, though, the...Venezuelas food crisis results from over-reliance on the oil industry, lack of a developed agricultural sector, strong dependence on food imports

  16. First Record of Triatoma maculata (Erichson, 1848) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatomini) in the Municipality of Riohacha, La Guajira – Colombia

    PubMed Central

    Gómez-Melendro, Edith Natalia; Hernández, Carolina; González-Uribe, Catalina; Brochero, Helena

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: Knowledge of vector insect species, their habitat, and geographical distribution is crucial for determining the risk of transmission of the etiological agents that cause disease in humans, which allows defining strategies for prevention, surveillance, and control in line with the characteristics of each area. Objective: To determine the presence and public health importance of vectors of Chagas disease in the indigenous settlements of Marbacella and El Horno of the Wayúu ethnic group in the municipality of Riohacha, La Guajira, Colombia. Materials and Methods: From active search, installation and inspection of biosensors, and occasional catches, Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatomini were collected intra and in the peridomicile housing of the indigenous settlements of El Horno and Marbacella of the Wayúu ethnic group. Indices of intra and peridomestic infestation, colonization, density, dispersion, and natural infection with Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, 1909 were calculated. Results: 79.6% (n = 90) of the specimens were collected in the peridomicile and 20.3% (n = 23) in the intradomicile, all corresponding to Triatoma maculata (Erichson, 1848). The natural infection indices with T. cruzi accounted for 43.5% for Marbacella and 36% for El Horno. Conclusion: This is the first reported capture of individuals of T. maculata, considered a secondary vector of Chagas disease in Colombia, naturally infected with T. cruzi in the municipality of Riohacha expanding the geographical distribution of the species in the department of La Guajira. PMID:25426481

  17. 78 FR 67349 - AltaGas Facilities (U.S.), Inc. (AltaGas); Notice of Application

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-12

    ... Facilities (U.S.), Inc. (AltaGas); Notice of Application Take notice that on October 21, 2013, AltaGas Facilities (U.S.), Inc. (AltaGas), 1700, 355 4th Avenue SW., Calgary, Alberta T2P 0J1, filed an application... years. [[Page 67350

  18. 78 FR 58556 - Silicomanganese From India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-24

    ... From India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela Determination On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the... antidumping duty orders on imports of silicomanganese from India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela would be likely to... Publication 4424 (September 2013), entitled Silicomanganese from India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela...

  19. Venezuela: illegal immigration from Colombia.

    PubMed

    Pellegrino, A

    1984-01-01

    The influx of illegal Colombian immigrants into Venezuela is studied using data from a variety of sources, including the 1971 census and several studies conducted in 1979-1980. The author examines the origins and destinations of migrants; age, sex, educational status, and occupational data; reasons for migration; and geographic distribution of the migrating population. Tables from Venezuela's General Foreign-Born Register of December 1980 are presented in an appendix.

  20. El Fenomeno Chavez: Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, Modern Day Bolivar

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-03-01

    Venezuela’s state owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela. Ever seeking opportunities to provoke the giant United States, Chavez agreed to provide...controlled joint “El Fenomeno Chavez” . . . 9 venture, Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA). Exxon Mobil Corporation decided to sell their stakes among...exploited. 9. Major oil companies in Venezuela: 1. Petroleos de Venezuela (PdVSA) – government-owned; generates 1/3 of national GDP; monopolized the

  1. The New Phase of Constitutional Struggle in Venezuela

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-07-21

    3 The New Phase of “Constitutional” Struggle in Venezuela R. Evan Ellis1 The magnitude of the victory by the Venezuelan opposition in the December 6...rapprochement between Cuba and the United States, as a trend away from leftist populism across the region.3 While Venezuela and the region are indeed...and its neighbors. Anatomy of the Coming Crisis The potential for catastrophe in Venezuela within the coming months arises from a potentially

  2. Country watch: Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Koch, R

    1996-01-01

    Since 1990, ACCSI has worked to safeguard the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS in Venezuela. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) had recognized ACCSI's program by 1992, enabling the nongovernmental organization (NGO) to establish fixed office hours during which it can receive clients. ACCSI does not distinguish between people living with HIV/AIDS and others, but considers it important to regulate AIDS as a public health issue within the context of human rights and ethics. Almost all of the Legal Office's initial cases were related to discrimination in the workplace, health centers, and educational institutions, but the ACCSI now also addresses family problems related to adoption, insurance, and inheritance, among others. To cope with the increase in service caseload, services have been extended through collaboration with specialized organizations concerned with human rights, women, children, prisons, and indigenous people. ACCSI influences governmental policy-making through its participation in the National AIDS Program. Moreover, ACCSI's networking activities ensure that the topic of HIV/AIDS and human rights is now always included in seminars and conferences in Venezuela, even when they are concerned with sexually transmitted diseases or other medical issues. Almost every time the press report upon AIDS, they consult the NGO. Everyday more people in Venezuela are standing up for their rights and denouncing discrimination against people infected with HIV.

  3. Hydrocarbon potential of Central Monagas, Eastern Venezuela Basin, Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Barrios, F.; Daza, J.; Iusco, G.

    1996-08-01

    The Central Monagas area is part of the foreland sub-basin located on the southern flank of the Eastern Venezuela Basin. The sedimentary column of the Central Monagas is at least 7500 in thick and consists of Mesozoic (Cretaceous) and Cenozoic rocks. Interpretations of 60 regional seismic sections have been integrated with data from 12 existing wells, which cover an area of 1200 km{sup 2}. From these interpretations, basin-wide structure and interval isopach maps were constructed in order to aid the depiction of the basin architecture and tectonic history. The sub-basin developed on the southern flank of the Eastern Venezuela Basinmore » is tightly linked to its evolution from a Mesozoic extensional regime into a Cenozoic compressional and strike-slip stage. The basin formed in the Middle Mesozoic by crustal extension of a rifting process. Regional northward tilting of the slab continued during the Late Cretaceous. Finally, the transpression of the Caribbean Plate during the Oligocene-Neogene induced the overprint of compressional deformation associated with the deposition of a foredeep wedge. Geochemical source rock analysis gave an average of 1.2 TOC, and R{sub o} of 0.66 indicating a mature, marine source. The modeling of the hydrocarbon generative history of the basin indicates that the oil migration started in the Middle Miocene, after the trap was formed. Analysis and mapping of reservoir rocks and seal rocks defined the effective area limits of these critical factors. The main play in the area is the extension of the Lower Oficina Formation which is the proven petroleum target in the Eastern Venezuela Basin.« less

  4. Solar Innovator | Alta Devices

    ScienceCinema

    Mattos, Laila; Le, Minh

    2017-12-09

    Selected to participate in the Energy Department's SunShot Initiative, Alta Devices produces solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity at world record-breaking levels of efficiency. Through its innovative solar technology Alta is helping bring down the cost of solar. Learn more about the Energy Department's efforts to advance solar technology at energy.gov/solar .

  5. Venezuela natural gas for vehicles project

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Marsicobetre, D.; Molero, T.

    1998-12-31

    The Natural Gas for Vehicles (NGV) Project in Venezuela describes the development and growth of the NGV project in the country. Venezuela is a prolific oil producer with advanced exploration, production, refining and solid marketing infrastructure. Gas production is 5.2 Bscfd. The Venezuelan Government and the oil state owned company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), pursued the opportunity of using natural gas for vehicles based on the huge amounts of gas reserves present and produced every day associated with the oil production. A nationwide gas pipeline network crosses the country from south to west reaching the most important cities and servingmore » domestic and industrial purposes but there are no facilities to process or export liquefied natural gas. NGV has been introduced gradually in Venezuela over the last eight years by PDVSA. One hundred forty-five NGV stations have been installed and another 25 are under construction. Work done comprises displacement or relocation of existing gasoline equipment, civil work, installation and commissioning of equipment. The acceptance and usage of the NGV system is reflected in the more than 17,000 vehicles that have been converted to date using the equivalent of 2,000 bbl oil/day.« less

  6. Venezuela.

    PubMed

    1982-02-01

    This discussion of Venezuela reviews the following: the history of the country's demographic situation; the government's overall approach to population problems; statistical systems and development planning; institutional arrangements for the integration of population within development planning; the government's view of the importance of population policy in realizing development objectives; population size, growth, and natural increase; morbidity and mortality; fertility; international migration; and spatial distribution. Over the 1920-1961 period Venezuela's level of fertility was high and continued to rise gradually. The crude birth rate was around 40.0/1000 population in 1920, 44.0/1000 in 1950, and 45.0/1000 in 1961, and thereafter began to decline, dropping to a level of 38.4/1000 by 1971. During the same period, mortality underwent a steady decline, with the crude death rate falling from 30.0/1000 population in 1920 to 13.7 in 1950, 7.4 in 1961, and to 6.6 by 1971. Venezuela's government has no policy of intervention to modify fertility or population growth but has relied primarily on the benefits of rapid economic growth to achieve a rate of demographic growth that is compatible with its development objectives. Since 1920, 7 modern censuses have been conducted. The most recent census was in 1971. The registration data are classified as incomplete. Multiround sample household surveys were conducted in 1976-1977 and 1978. The government has not established a special unit for population policies. It assigned this function to the Central Planning Agency in 1975. The government has not announced a comprehensive population policy, but it has been moving in the direction of formulating more comprehensive policies in 2 areas of concern--international migration and spatial distribution. The government considers the current rate of population growth to be satisfactory despite the fact that it is rather high by Latin American standards. The government also considers

  7. Occupational Safety and Health in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Caraballo-Arias, Yohama

    2015-01-01

    Venezuela has pioneered a preventive-focused and comprehensive movement for Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) in Latin America. However, despite being an oil-rich country, it has some of the lowest salaries for their workers and highest levels of hyperinflation, devaluation, crime, and violence of the world. Review the current status and challenges on relevant aspects of OSH in Venezuela. Review of literature and documents from national governments, UN agencies, NGOs, and the Venezuelan government concerning OSH and related topics since 1986. Reformed in 2005, the Organic Law on Prevention, Conditions and Environment (LOPCYMAT) was a fundamental moment of change for OSH. Factors which have impacted OSH the strongest are (i) the creation of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (INPSASEL) and (ii) the socioeconomic crisis Venezuela is going through. Venezuela's laws are innovative and yet non-compliance is enormous. Almost half of the population works in the informal sector. Following the International Labor Office projections, 5 people die per day in Venezuela due to occupational accidents or diseases, making health and safety at work a luxury rather than a right. The quality of life for the average worker has deteriorated, affecting not only health but the overall well-being of all Venezuelans. The political and socio-economic situation has led to a mass exodus of more than 1.6 million highly qualified and talented professionals. Many statistics concerning OSH are not updated and are unreliable regarding occupational accidents and diseases. There is a substantial difference between what is written to protect individual Venezuelans in the workplace and the reality of workplace conditions. Substantial governmental actions are needed in the immediate future to improve occupational safety and health of Venezuelan workers. Copyright © 2015 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. 78 FR 55096 - Ferrosilicon from Russia and Venezuela

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-09

    ... from Russia and Venezuela Determination On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the subject... that an industry in the United States is materially injured by reason of imports from Russia and... with material injury by reason of LTFV imports of ferrosilicon from Russia and Venezuela. Accordingly...

  9. Language Planning for Venezuela: The Role of English.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelsey, Irving; Serrano, Jose

    A rationale for teaching foreign languages in Venezuelan schools is discussed. An included sociolinguistic profile of Venezuela indicates that Spanish is the sole language of internal communication needs. Other languages spoken in Venezuela serve primarily a group function among the immigrant and indigenous communities. However, the teaching of…

  10. Storms or cold fronts: what is really responsible for the extreme waves regime in the Colombian Caribbean coastal region?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Otero, L. J.; Ortiz-Royero, J. C.; Ruiz-Merchan, J. K.; Higgins, A. E.; Henriquez, S. A.

    2016-02-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the contribution and importance of cold fronts and storms to extreme waves in different areas of the Colombian Caribbean in an attempt to determine the extent of the threat posed by the flood processes to which these coastal populations are exposed. Furthermore, the study wishes to establish the actions to which coastal engineering constructions should be subject. In the calculation of maritime constructions, the most important parameter is the height of the wave. For this reason, it is necessary to establish the design wave height to which a coastal engineering structure should be resistant. This wave height varies according to the return period considered. The significant height values for the areas focused on in the study were calculated in accordance with Gumbel's extreme value methodology. The methodology was evaluated using data from the reanalysis of the spectral National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) WAVEWATCH III® (WW3) model for 15 points along the 1600 km of the Colombian Caribbean coastline (continental and insular) between the years 1979 and 2009. The results demonstrated that the extreme waves caused by tropical cyclones and those caused by cold fronts have different effects along the Colombian Caribbean coast. Storms and hurricanes are of greater importance in the Guajira Peninsula (Alta Guajira). In the central area (consisting of Baja Guajira, and the cities of Santa Marta, Barranquilla, and Cartagena), the strong impact of cold fronts on extreme waves is evident. However, in the southern region of the Colombian Caribbean coast (ranging from the Gulf of Morrosquillo to the Gulf of Urabá), the extreme values of wave heights are lower than in the previously mentioned regions, despite being dominated mainly by the passage of cold fronts. Extreme waves in the San Andrés and Providencia insular region present a different dynamic from

  11. Malaria Control and Elimination,1 Venezuela, 1800s–1970s

    PubMed Central

    Villegas, Leopoldo; Udhayakumar, Venkatachalam

    2014-01-01

    Venezuela had the highest number of human malaria cases in Latin American before 1936. During 1891–1920, malaria was endemic to >600,000 km2 of this country; malaria death rates led to major population decreases during 1891–1920. No pathogen, including the influenza virus that caused the 1918 pandemic, caused more deaths than malaria during 1905–1945. Early reports of malaria eradication in Venezuela helped spark the world’s interest in global eradication. We describe early approaches to malaria epidemiology in Venezuela and how this country developed an efficient control program and an approach to eradication. Arnoldo Gabaldón was a key policy maker during this development process. He directed malaria control in Venezuela from the late 1930s to the end of the 1970s and contributed to malaria program planning of the World Health Organization. We discuss how his efforts helped reduce the incidence of malaria in Venezuela and how his approach diverged from World Health Organization guidelines.

  12. Malaria control and elimination, Venezuela, 1800s –1970s.

    PubMed

    Griffing, Sean M; Villegas, Leopoldo; Udhayakumar, Venkatachalam

    2014-10-01

    Venezuela had the highest number of human malaria cases in Latin American before 1936. During 1891–1920,malaria was endemic to >600,000 km2 of this country; malaria death rates led to major population decreases during 1891–1920. No pathogen, including the influenza virus that caused the 1918 pandemic, caused more deaths than malaria during 1905–1945. Early reports of malaria eradication in Venezuela helped spark the world's interest in global eradication. We describe early approaches to malaria epidemiology in Venezuela and how this country developed an efficient control program and an approach to eradication.Arnoldo Gabaldón was a key policy maker during this development process. He directed malaria control in Venezuela from the late 1930s to the end of the 1970s and contributed to malaria program planning of the World Health Organization.We discuss how his efforts helped reduce the incidence of malaria in Venezuela and how his approach diverged from World Health Organization guidelines.

  13. Diabetes Care in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Nieto-Martínez, Ramfis; González-Rivas, Juan P; Lima-Martínez, Marcos; Stepenka, Victoria; Rísquez, Alejandro; Mechanick, Jeffrey I

    2015-01-01

    The incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its economic burden have increased in Venezuela, posing difficult challenges in a country already in great turmoil. The aim of this study was to review the prevalence, causes, prevention, management, health policies, and challenges for successful management of diabetes and its complications in Venezuela. A comprehensive literature review spanning 1960 to 2015 was performed. Literature not indexed also was reviewed. The weighted prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes was estimated from published regional and subnational population-based studies. Diabetes care strategies were analyzed. In Venezuela, the weighted prevalence of diabetes was 7.7% and prediabetes was 11.2%. Diabetes was the fifth leading cause of death (7.1%) in 2012 with the mortality rate increasing 7% per year from 1990 to 2012. In 2012, cardiovascular disease and diabetes together were the leading cause of disability-adjusted life years.T2D drivers are genetic, epigenetic, and lifestyle, including unhealthy dietary patterns and physical inactivity. Obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome are present at lower cutoffs for body mass index, homeostatic model assessment, and visceral or ectopic fat, respectively. Institutional programs for early detection and/or prevention of T2D have not been established. Most patients with diabetes (∼87%) are cared for in public facilities in a fragmented health system. Local clinical practice guidelines are available, but implementation is suboptimal and supporting information is limited. Strategies to improve diabetes care in Venezuela include enhancing resources, reducing costs, improving education, implementing screening (using Latin America Finnish Diabetes Risk Score), promoting diabetes care units, avoiding insulin levels as diagnostic tool, correct use of oral glucose tolerance testing and metformin as first-line T2D treatment, and reducing health system fragmentation. Use of the Venezuelan adaptation of

  14. Reformulated gasoline deal with Venezuela draws heat

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Begley, R.

    A fight is brewing in Congress over a deal to let Venezuela off the hook in complying with the Clean Air Act reformulated gasoline rule. When Venezuela threatened to call for a GATT panel to challenge the rule as a trade barrier, the Clinton Administration negotiated to alter the rule, a deal that members of Congress are characterizing as {open_quotes}secret{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}back door.{close_quotes}

  15. Decade of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, Por Ahora

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-04-01

    minor production source of opium and cocoa , Venezuela is important in the transit of narcotics between Columbia and the US. 60 61 Mindful of this, a...took over.91 To highlight the significance of oil to Venezuela , in 2006, oil represented 91% of its exports compared to 80% five years earlier.92...methodology to examine the last ten years of Venezuelas Hugo Chavez presidency and the significant aspects in terms of US security. The paper contents

  16. Asian genotype of Chikungunya virus circulating in Venezuela during 2014.

    PubMed

    Camacho, Daría; Reyes, Jesús; Negredo, Ana; Hernández, Lourdes; Sánchez-Seco, María; Comach, Guillermo

    2017-10-01

    Chikungunya virus emerged on Saint-Martin Island in the Caribbean in late 2013. Since then in July of 2104 Venezuela reported autochthonous cases. This study reports the first phylogenetic characterization of CHIKV autochthonous cases in Venezuela, 2014. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the CHIKV circulating in Venezuela (Aragua state) belong to the Asian genotype (Caribbean clade) and it is related to viruses that circulated in the same year in the Caribbean. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. [Epidemiology of ophidism in Venezuela (1996-2004)].

    PubMed

    De Sousa, Leonardo; Bastouri-Carrasco, Jessica; Matos, Mercedes; Borges, Adolfo; Bónoli, Stefano; Vásquez-Suárez, Aleikar; Guerrero, Belsy; Rodríguez-Acosta, Alexis

    2013-06-01

    The data of accidents caused by snakebites in Venezuela, registered at the morbidity statistics of the Direction of Epidemiology and Strategic Analysis of the Ministry of Health and Social Development were analyzed. During the years of 1996-2004, 53,792 snakebites were registered in Venezuela (5,976 cases average per year), with a higher incidence during the year 2004 (7,486 incidents). Zulia reported the highest frequency of all the states (5,975 cases); meanwhile the Midwestern region, constituted by Lara, Portuguesa, Falc6n and Yaracuy states, had a higher morbidity for snake bites. The highest incidence, distributed per states was registered in Cojedes, during the year 2001, with 228.72 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. When it was determined by regions, the highest incidence occurred during the year 2004 at los Llanos with 63.81 per 100,000 inhabitants. The median of the incidence rate for Venezuela during the period was of 21.46 accidents per 100,000 inhabitants. The classification of the endemic areas for ophidism, according to the percentiles 23, 50, 75 and 90, organized the country in: (a) states and regions of very high endemicity, (b) high endemicity, (c) middle, (d) low and (e) very low endemicity. These epidemiological data indicated that the accidents caused by snakes constitute a collective health problem in Venezuela.

  18. Hydrogen: BOC-FW venture secures major Venezuela project

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wood, A.

    1995-07-26

    BOC Gases and Foster Wheeler Power Systems (FW) have been awarded a $50-million project to supply a 50-million cu ft/day hydrogen (H{sub 2}) plant to Lagoven`s Amuay, Venezuela refinery for 1997 startup. BOC and FW have also formed a marketing agreement for on-site H{sub 2} plants in the Americas, extending a previous relationship covering Chile and Venezuela.

  19. Critical Pedagogy and Empowering in Teacher Education in Venezuela.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chacon, Carmen T.; Alvarez, Luisa Cristina

    This paper addresses the issue of the relationship between critical pedagogy and English as a foreign language (EFL) in Venezuela. Teacher-researchers have come to see the issues confronting nonnative educators in ELT as a more important issue than in previous years. They are particularly concerned about the current situation in Venezuela,…

  20. Heavy and extra heavy hydrocarbons in Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zamora, L.G.; Gallango, O.E.

    1993-02-01

    Most of Venezuela's giant accumulations of heavier thatn 22[degrees] API hydrocarbons, are located in the more stable flanks of the Maracaibo and Eastern Venezuela basins, at depths shallower than 2400 meters. The reservoir rocks are unconsolidated fluviodeltaic Neogene sands, transgressive over large regional Oligocene unconformities. There are also large volumes accumulated along the mountainous and more active flanks, either in Neogene alluvial sediments or in Cretaceous and older fractured rocks. These accumulations, located near present day erosion surfaces, are subjected to meteoric water influx. Extensive research carried out by the affiliates of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., and other institutions duringmore » the past ten years, has shown tha the main cause of degradation is the action of microorganisms brought in by meteoric water influx and, to less extent, the washing of lighter hydrocarbon fractions by either connate or meteric water. These studies have also shown that most of the heavy and extra-heavy hydrocarbons are the result of biodegradation of low maturity crudes generated from Cretaceous rocks, rich in marine organic matter, which started its generation during the Paleogene. The heavy and extra-heavy hydrocarbons, bitumen included, so far discovered in Venezuela, add up to 1.5 [times] 10[sup 12] bbl in place. This figure includes proved, probable and possible volumes, and the expectancy of additional hydrocarbons of this kind to be discovered yet is of 0.1 [times] 10[sup 12] bbl in place.« less

  1. Poverty rates in Venezuela: getting the numbers right.

    PubMed

    Weisbrot, Mark; Sandoval, Luis; Rosnick, David

    2006-01-01

    This article looks at household and individual poverty rates in Venezuela over the past seven years. For more than a year, the statement that poverty in Venezuela has increased under the government of President Hugo Chávez has appeared in scores of major newspapers, on major television and radio programs, and even in publications devoted to foreign policy. There are no data to support such statements, and in fact the available data show a decline in poverty for both individuals and households over the seven-year period: the percentage of people in poverty declined from 50 percent in the first quarter of 1999 to 43.7 percent in 2005. Further, there is no evidence to suggest any change in the methodology for measuring poverty during this period, as has been alleged in a number of reports. The article also examines briefly the impact of significant changes in non-cash benefits such as free health care, which are not taken into account in the measured poverty rate, on poor people in Venezuela. Finally, the authors look at how the mistakes in reporting on Venezuela's poverty rate were made; an appendix gives examples of mistakes in major media and foreign policy publications.

  2. The Dairy Technology System in Venezuela. Summary of Research 79.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nieto, Ruben D.; Henderson, Janet L.

    A study examined the agricultural technology system in Venezuela with emphasis on the dairy industry. An analytical framework was used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the following components of Venezuela's agricultural technology system: policy, technology development, technology transfer, and technology use. Selected government…

  3. Current Space Projects of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hernández, R.; Acevedo R.; Varela, F.; Otero, S.

    2014-06-01

    Since 2008, with the successful launch of the first Venezuelan telecommunication satellite VENESAT-1, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela became an active player in the international space sector aimed at using space science and technology as a powerful tool to promote the national development. Based on that, through the Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities (ABAE), Venezuela has been implemented several space projects such as the manufacturing and launch of the first Venezuelan remote sensing satellite, the construction of a design center for small satellite technologies, as well as research and development activities related with the estimation of the physical properties of the Earth. This paper presents a brief description of the current space projects that are being developed by Venezuela.

  4. Using the Five Themes of Geography to Teach about Venezuela.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sunal, Cynthia Szymanski; And Others

    1995-01-01

    Maintains that Venezuela has many U.S. ties because of its relative proximity and economic significance. Asserts that the Five Themes of Geography can be used to design effective classroom lessons about Venezuela. Presents five activities that include student objectives, necessary materials, and step-by-step instructional procedures. (CFR)

  5. Digital geologic map and GIS database of Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Garrity, Christopher P.; Hackley, Paul C.; Urbani, Franco

    2006-01-01

    The digital geologic map and GIS database of Venezuela captures GIS compatible geologic and hydrologic data from the 'Geologic Shaded Relief Map of Venezuela,' which was released online as U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1038. Digital datasets and corresponding metadata files are stored in ESRI geodatabase format; accessible via ArcGIS 9.X. Feature classes in the geodatabase include geologic unit polygons, open water polygons, coincident geologic unit linework (contacts, faults, etc.) and non-coincident geologic unit linework (folds, drainage networks, etc.). Geologic unit polygon data were attributed for age, name, and lithologic type following the Lexico Estratigrafico de Venezuela. All digital datasets were captured from source data at 1:750,000. Although users may view and analyze data at varying scales, the authors make no guarantee as to the accuracy of the data at scales larger than 1:750,000.

  6. Venezuelas Pursuit of Caribbean Basin Interests: Implications for United States National Security.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-01-01

    as one of three regional powers in the Caribbean Basin, the others being Cuba and Mexico . This study analyzes Venezuela’s political, economic... Mexico , Venezuela has become one of three regional powers in the Basin. Unlike the other two actors, however, Venezuela pursues policies that largely...about each of the several subregions of the Caribb ’an Basin almost autonomously. This is especially true concerning Mexico , which only from t ,e

  7. Pedernales oilfield, eastern Venezuela: The first 100 years

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gluyas, J.; Oliver, J.; Wilson, W.

    1996-08-01

    Petroleum seeps and surface tar mats attracted oil explorers to Pedernales in eastern Venezuela 100 years ago. Commercial production from the Pedernales Field was established by Creole in 1933. In three production periods, broken by WWII and the end of the Creole-Texaco refining contract, Creole and Lagoven produced about 60 MMSTB from about 60 wells in about 60 years. Peak production was in the late 1950s, when the field delivered 12,000 BOPD. Production was stopped in 1986. In March 1993, BP Venezuela acquired the license to reactivate Pedernales on behalf of Lagoven, and BP`s first well in the field wasmore » drilled in August 1994. A second was completed in early 1995. The production from each well was sufficiently encouraging for commerciality to be declared in March 1995. Phase 1 of the field reactivation demanded a production rate of 11,500 BOPD. As of now (September, 1995) six wells, including one gas disposal well, have been completed. Wells have been placed using a combination of old well data and mapping based on a close spaced 2D seismic survey shot in early 1994. Results from these first few wells indicate that the required production rate will be achieved despite severely depleted reservoir pressures. This paper tells the story of reactivation and re-evaluation of one of eastern Venezuela`s oldest oilfields.« less

  8. Venezuela’s Changing Foreign Policy Towards the United States: A Holistic Analysis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-12-01

    explanations for this change: 1) A new post -Cold War international system. 2) Antagonism produced by unpopular U.S. policies towards Venezuela. 3...States. The thesis hypothesizes four possible explanations for this change: 1) A new post - Cold War international system. 2) Unpopular U.S. policies...These include, the new post -Cold War international system, unpopular U.S. policies towards Venezuela, domestic issues within Venezuela, and

  9. 78 FR 9034 - Silicomanganese From India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela: Final Results of the Expedited Second...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-07

    ...] Silicomanganese From India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela: Final Results of the Expedited Second Sunset Reviews of the... India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela. The Department finds that revocation of these antidumping duty orders... INFORMATION: Background The antidumping duty orders on silicomanganese from India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela...

  10. Epidemiology of sporotrichosis in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Mata-Essayag, Sofia; Delgado, Alejandro; Colella, Maria T; Landaeta-Nezer, Maria E; Rosello, Arantza; Perez de Salazar, Celina; Olaizola, Carolina; Hartung, Claudia; Magaldi, Sylvia; Velasquez, Etna

    2013-08-01

    Sporotrichosis is one of the most common subcutaneous mycoses in Venezuela. It is a granulomatous chronic infection with cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue lesions. Regional lymphatic involvement may be present; extracutaneous disease is rare. The causal fungus Sporothrix schenckii has been isolated from soil, vegetation, and animals on numerous occasions and in many localities throughout the world. The aim of this study is to describe clinical and epidemiological features of cases of sporotrichosis observed in Venezuela and review of the literature. We included the demographic data, clinical features, diagnostic methods, treatment, and follow-up of patients with sporotrichosis from 1963 to 2009, diagnosed at the Department of Medical Mycology. One-hundred and thirty-three sporotrichosis cases were diagnosed. Most patients were under the age of 30 years (66.15%). In 61.6% of them, the mode of transmission was not identified. The predominant clinical form in this population was lymphocutaneous (63.15%). Direct microscopic diagnosis was performed in 123 cases, and 57.9% yielded positive results for asteroid body. Sporotrichosis is an endemic subcutaneous mycosis in Venezuela. There are no reports to this date of disseminated forms of the disease, even amongst patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Direct microscopic examination of wet mount slides with saline solution or distilled water in the search for asteroid bodies is paramount. Saturated sodium and potassium iodine solutions continue to be extremely efficacious and affordable to most of our patients, therefore our treatment of choice. © 2013 The International Society of Dermatology.

  11. Venezuela positioning itself to take key market role in wake of Gulf War

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1991-08-19

    This paper reports on Venezuela which continues efforts to position itself in world markets to capitalize on fallout from the Persian Gulf war. The central government and state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA have accelerated already ambitious plans to expand activities in upstream and downstream oil and gas sectors. Pvdsa has sharply increased its 1991-96 investment program from the level planned at the end of last year. The goal is to put Venezuela on a par with major Persian Gulf oil exporters in terms of productive capacity. Linchpin of those efforts could well be further steps toward privatization ofmore » Venezuela's oil sector. For the first time since nationalization in 1976, private foreign and domestic companies are being permitted to participate in Venezuelan exploration and development. In addition, the government is trimming the onerous tax burden the oil sector has carried in Venezuela, as well as its heavy subsidy of domestic petroleum products.« less

  12. An Interview with Margot Benacerraf: Reveron, Araya, and the Institutionalization of Cinema in Venezuela.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schwartzman, Karen

    1993-01-01

    Presents an interview (edited into a first-person form) with Margot Benacerraf, known for two prize-winning films in the 1950s but not as well known for her active promotion of film culture in Venezuela. Discusses her education in Venezuela, travels outside Venezuela, production of her prize-winning films, and her efforts at promoting the…

  13. [Demographic profile of Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Quintero, I

    1984-04-01

    Sources of demographic data for Venezuela include 11 population censuses conducted between 1873-1981, birth and death registration statistics, and the household sample survey. The average annual rate of population growth increase from 2.8% between 1920-40 to 3-4% thereafter. The population at the 1961 census was 7.52 million. According to preliminary data from the 1981 census, the population of 14.57 million is growing at an annual rate of 2.8%. 41.2% of the population is under 15 years old, implying a huge demand for educational and health services, housing and employment. The dependency rate in 1980 was 81.3% for the country as a whole, 100.4% in rural areas, and 76.0% in urban areas. The young age structure means that the population will continue to grow even if natality rates decline. The crude natality rate was estimated at 47.3/1000 for 1950-55, 36.0 for 1970-75, and 32.9 for 1980-85. Some rural areas still have natality rates of over 47/1000. The total fertility rate declined from 6.5 in 1950-55 to 4.1 in 1980-85. The decline in the natality rate reflects improving quality of life, availability of family planning services, urbanization, and access of women to productive activities and educational centers. The mortality rate was 12.3/1000 in 1950-55, 9.1 in 1960-65, in 1970-75, and has been estimated at 5.5 for 1980-85. Some rural areas have mortality rates of 8.1. The infant mortality rate was 50.2/1000 in 1971 and 34.3 in 1980. Life expectancy at birth is about 69 years. During the 1920s, Venezuela unerwent expansion in infrastructure and technological utilization, generating rapid urbanization. 39.2% of the population was urban in 1941, compared to 78.8% in 1980. The significance of urbanization in Venezuela is due to the rapidity as well as the diffusion of the process. The household sample survey for the 2nd half of 1980 indicated a total of 8.16 million employed and an activity rate of 32.1% overall, 46.4% for males and 17.7% for females. The

  14. Interruption of Onchocerca volvulus transmission in Northern Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Convit, Jacinto; Schuler, Harland; Borges, Rafael; Olivero, Vimerca; Domínguez-Vázquez, Alfredo; Frontado, Hortencia; Grillet, María E

    2013-10-07

    Onchocerciasis is caused by Onchocerca volvulus and transmitted by Simulium species (black flies). In the Americas, the infection has been previously described in 13 discrete regional foci distributed among six countries (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and Venezuela) where more than 370,000 people are currently considered at risk. Since 2001, disease control in Venezuela has relied on the mass drug administration to the at-risk communities. This report provides empirical evidence of interruption of Onchocerca volvulus transmission by Simulium metallicum in 510 endemic communities from two Northern foci of Venezuela, after 10-12 years of 6-monthly Mectizan (ivermectin) treatment to all the eligible residents. In-depth entomologic and epidemiologic surveys were serially conducted from 2001-2012 in selected (sentinel and extra-sentinel) communities from the North-central (NC) and North-east (NE) onchocerciasis foci of Venezuela in order to monitor the impact of ivermectin treatment. From 2007-2009, entomological indicators in both foci confirmed that 0 out of 112,637 S. metallicum females examined by PCR contained L3 infection in insect heads. The upper bound of the 95% confidence intervals of the infective rate of the vector reached values below 1% by 2009 (NC) and 2012 (NE). Additionally, after 14 (NC) and 22 (NE) rounds of treatment, the seasonal transmission potential (±UL CIs) of S. metallicum was under the critical threshold of 20 L3 per person per season. Serological analysis in school children < 15 years-old demonstrated that 0 out of 6,590 individuals were harboring antibodies to Ov-16. Finally, epidemiological surveys made during 2010 (NC) and 2012 (NE) showed no evidence of microfilariae in the skin and eyes of the population. These results meet the WHO criteria for absence of parasite transmission and disease morbidity in these endemic areas which represent 91% of the population previously at-risk in the country. Consequently, the two

  15. Interruption of Onchocerca volvulus transmission in Northern Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Onchocerciasis is caused by Onchocerca volvulus and transmitted by Simulium species (black flies). In the Americas, the infection has been previously described in 13 discrete regional foci distributed among six countries (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and Venezuela) where more than 370,000 people are currently considered at risk. Since 2001, disease control in Venezuela has relied on the mass drug administration to the at-risk communities. This report provides empirical evidence of interruption of Onchocerca volvulus transmission by Simulium metallicum in 510 endemic communities from two Northern foci of Venezuela, after 10–12 years of 6-monthly Mectizan® (ivermectin) treatment to all the eligible residents. Methods In-depth entomologic and epidemiologic surveys were serially conducted from 2001–2012 in selected (sentinel and extra-sentinel) communities from the North-central (NC) and North-east (NE) onchocerciasis foci of Venezuela in order to monitor the impact of ivermectin treatment. Results From 2007–2009, entomological indicators in both foci confirmed that 0 out of 112,637 S. metallicum females examined by PCR contained L3 infection in insect heads. The upper bound of the 95% confidence intervals of the infective rate of the vector reached values below 1% by 2009 (NC) and 2012 (NE). Additionally, after 14 (NC) and 22 (NE) rounds of treatment, the seasonal transmission potential (±UL CIs) of S. metallicum was under the critical threshold of 20 L3 per person per season. Serological analysis in school children < 15 years-old demonstrated that 0 out of 6,590 individuals were harboring antibodies to Ov-16. Finally, epidemiological surveys made during 2010 (NC) and 2012 (NE) showed no evidence of microfilariae in the skin and eyes of the population. Conclusions These results meet the WHO criteria for absence of parasite transmission and disease morbidity in these endemic areas which represent 91% of the population previously at

  16. An Example of Educational Transformation: Venezuela.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cirigliano, Gustavo F. J.

    1979-01-01

    Presents a case study of educational development in Venezuela, with emphasis on political and cultural influences, social needs, needs of developing nations, experimentation on all levels, fellowship programs, and projections for the future. (DB)

  17. Venezuela. America = Las Americas [Series].

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toro, Leonor; Avery, Robert S.

    This bilingual English/Spanish social studies resource booklet provides an encyclopedia-style overview of Venezuela's history, geography, economy, and culture for teachers to use with migrant children in the elementary grades. Topics presented in the English portion include climate, land, people, customs, government, arts, food, culture, wildlife,…

  18. CYP2D6 variability in populations from Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Moreno, Nancy; Flores-Angulo, Carlos; Villegas, Cecilia; Mora, Yuselin

    2016-12-01

    CYP2D6 is an important cytochrome P450 enzyme that plays an important role in the metabolism of about 25% of currently prescribed drugs. The presence of polymorphisms in the CYP2D6 gene may modulate enzyme level and activity, thereby affecting individual responses to pharmacological treatments. The most prevalent diseases in the admixed population from Venezuela are cardiovascular and cancer, whereas viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases, particularly malaria, are prevalent in Amerindian populations; in the treatment of these diseases, several drugs that are metabolized by CYP2D6 are used. In this work, we reviewed the data on CYP2D6 variability and predicted metabolizer phenotypes, in healthy volunteers of two admixed and five Amerindian populations from Venezuela. The Venezuelan population is very heterogeneous as a result of the genetic admixture of three major ethnical components: Europeans, Africans and Amerindians. There are noticeable inter-regional and inter-population differences in the process of mixing of this population. Hitherto, there are few published studies in Venezuela on CYP2D6; therefore, it is necessary to increase research in this regard, in particular to develop studies with a larger sample size. There is a considerable amount of work remaining before CYP2D6 is integrated into clinical practice in Venezuela.

  19. Events affecting gold exploration in Venezuela since 1999

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wilburn, David R.

    2014-01-01

    The structure of the gold mining industry in Venezuela has changed significantly since 1999 as a result of Government policy changes and industry response to these changes. This report documents the policy decisions that have affected the mining industry, discusses the response of the industry on a site by site basis, and suggests possible effects of these changes on the global economy. For the short term, at least, it appears that these changes have made Venezuela a more difficult place to invest for U.S. and Canadian companies, while investment by Chinese entities has been encouraged.

  20. Media and Consumerism in Venezuela.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Richard; And Others

    1979-01-01

    Outlines opposing theories of the role of the commercial mass media in national economic development; reports on a survey of the attitudes of 636 adult residents of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, with respect to consumption, advertising, and national development, and shows how the results relate to the theory proposed by Daniel Lerner. (GT)

  1. The importance of trenching in paleoseismic studies in Venezuela: brief historical summary

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murria, J.

    2009-04-01

    Paleoseismic studies have proved to be a powerful tool in seismic hazards assessment by he contributing to asses the seismogenic potential of a given fault by expanding the time window o seismic activity beyond the limits of historical and instrumental seismicity. Trenching has been an essential tool for paleoseismic studies in Venezuela. The first paleoseismic trenching project in Venezuela goes back to 1968 when Compania Shell de Venezuela retained the services of Woodward Clyde and Associates,(WCA), USA to asses the seismic integrity of the earthen dikes of Costa Oriental of Lake Maracaibo Protection System (COLM) in western Venezuela. The study was carried out under the general coordination of this author. An important part of this project included a seismology and seismic geology study under the direction of Geologist L.S. Cluff. This was the first ever study undertaken in Venezuela and included two excavations across the Oca Fault north of the city of Maracaibo. After several years of inactivity, FUNVISIS (The Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research) carried out in 1980 a seismic hazard (SHA) for the Uribante Caparo Hydroelectric Project southwest Venezuela. In 1989, MARAVEN, an operating company of PETROLE0S DE VENEUELA S.A. (PDVSA) undertook the project of a products pipeline form Maracaibo to El Vigia, south of Lake Maracaibo. Again, FUNVISIS was contracted to carry out a SHA, which included the digging of 5 trenches, which were supplemented with five more trenches for the COLM project. Trenching activity contined in Venezuela in the framework of SHA project, under the direction of Dr. Audemard. In 2001 Venezuelan trenching experience was exported to the neighboring Colombia as e Dr. Audemard t undertook a palaoseismicity project which included the digging of five trenches. In conclusion, paleoseismicty studies have given us the possibility of extending the scope of both instrumental and historical seismicity by some 10,000 years, trenching has

  2. Using the Five Themes of Geography To Teach about Venezuela and Mexico.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sunal, Cynthia Szymanski; Christensen, Lois

    Activities that employ the five themes of geography--location, place, relationships within places, movement, and regions--to teach about Venezuela and Mexico are described in this document. Each theme has objectives, a list of materials, and three types of activities--exploration, invention, and expansion. Background information on Venezuela and…

  3. Earnings and Education in Venezuela: An Update from the 1987 Household Survey.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Psacharopoulos, George; Alam, Asad

    1991-01-01

    Uses data from Venezuela's 1987 Household Survey to update returns to education and compare them to 1975 and 1984 figures. Returns to education have been maintained despite the educational explosion occurring in Venezuela during the period investigated. Although higher education is most heavily subsidized, primary education remains the most…

  4. English Teaching Profile (Provisional): Venezuela.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    British Council, London (England). English Language and Literature Div.

    This profile of the English language teaching situation in Venezuela discusses the status of English in society and in the educational system. It also gives an account of Venezuelan political, economic, and social life. A description is given of the education system and reforms that have been proposed for nursery school through higher education.…

  5. Paleoseismology in Venezuela: Objectives, methods, applications, limitations and perspectives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Audemard M., Franck A.

    2005-10-01

    The privileged location of Venezuela along an active interplate deformation belt, despite of being a "so-called" developing country, has led to a long paleoseismic tradition as attested by 45 trench assessments since 1968. Since then, a first 2-trench study was carried out by the American Woodward-Clyde company across the Oca fault at Sinamaica. Since 1980, all further paleoseismic studies have been performed by FUNVISIS and the Uribante-Caparo hydroelectric project (southern Mérida Andes) became their first assessment where 22 huge trenches were bulldozer-dug. Except for these Compañía Anónima de Administración y Fomento Eléctrico (CADAFE) financed trenches and two others, all other assessments were for Petróleos de Venezuela S. A. -PDVSA-. In this paper, geographic and geologic factors, as well as logistic limitations, conditioning success in paleoseismic studies by trenching, shall be discussed based on the Venezuelan experience developed over the years. The scientific contribution of this approach refer to: confirmation of Holocene fault activity, slip-per-event and average slip rate of a given fault (or segment), seismic potential (repeat of maximum credible earthquakes) of known faults, fault segmentation, fault interaction as consequence of stress loading by stick-slip on contiguous faults, time-space distribution of seismic activity along a given tectonic feature, seismotectonic association of historical earthquakes and landscape evolution on the short term and its implications on the long-term evolution (poorly discussed since this is really part of the field of Neotectonics). In recent years (since 1999), a new approach has been introduced in Venezuela consisting in complementing the seismic history derived from trenching studies with the evaluation of seismically induced perturbations in the continuous Quaternary sedimentary record of (either active or fossil) lakes. The future of this discipline in Venezuela heads to more trenching and lake

  6. Storms or cold fronts? What is really responsible for the extreme waves regime in the Colombian Caribbean coast

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Otero, L. J.; Ortiz-Royero, J. C.; Ruiz-Merchan, J. K.; Higgins, A. E.; Henriquez, S. A.

    2015-05-01

    On Friday, 7 March 2009, a 200 m-long section of the tourist pier in Puerto Colombia collapsed under the impact of the waves generated by a cold front in the area. The aim of this study is to determine the contribution and importance of cold fronts and storms on extreme waves in different areas of the Colombian Caribbean to determine the degree of the threat posed by the flood processes to which these coastal populations are exposed and the actions to which coastal engineering constructions should be subject. In the calculation of maritime constructions, the most important parameter is the wave's height; therefore, it is necessary to definitively know the design wave height to which a coastal engineering structure should be resistant. This wave height varies according to the return period considered. Using Gumbel's extreme value methodology, the significant height values for the study area were calculated. The methodology was evaluated using data from the re-analysis of the spectral NOAA Wavewatch III (WW3) model for 15 points along the 1600 km of the Colombia Caribbean coast (continental and insular) of the last 15 years. The results demonstrated that the extreme waves caused by tropical cyclones and cold fronts have different effects along the Colombian Caribbean coast. Storms and hurricanes are of greater importance in the Guajira Peninsula (Alta Guajira). In the central area formed by Baja Guajira, Santa Marta, Barranquilla, and Cartagena, the strong influence of cold fronts on extreme waves is evident. On the other hand, in the southern region of the Colombian Caribbean coast, from the Gulf of Morrosquillo to the Gulf of Urabá, even though extreme waves are lower than in the previous regions, extreme waves are dominated mainly by the passage of cold fronts. Extreme waves in the San Andrés and Providencia insular region present a different dynamic from that in the continental area due to its geographic location. The wave heights in the extreme regime are

  7. Venezuela, A Country Study.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-04-16

    NUMBERS US Army War College Carlisle Barracks, PA 17013 11. CONTROLLING OFFICE NAME AND ADDRESS 12. REPORT DATE Same16 Aril 1982Same13. NUMBER OF...to grips with expectations for more and better social welfare programs, education, health facilities and jobs. The pressures are the 2 greatest in the...the mestizos or mulattos - and freed blacks. This group was spreading through the country. They became a significant ethnic culture in Venezuela

  8. The Guyana-Venezuela Border Dispute: An Analysis of the Reasons Behind Venezuela’s Continuing Demands for Abrogation of the 1899 Anglo-Venezuelan Arbitral Treaty

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-01-01

    were nationalistic accounts in the domestic media . andI the mil itary appeared ready to take some kind of a( t i on. A militarv option for Venezuela at...Alberto Zambrano Velasco) in a lecture given to the Escuela Superior del Ejercito in December 1989 on Venezuelan geopolitics, Venezuela currently has...Priiniabl y, I I 78 the print media would record to what extent there was popular discontent and concern over these issues. Frequency of news

  9. Streptomyces venezuelae TX-TL - a next generation cell-free synthetic biology tool.

    PubMed

    Moore, Simon J; Lai, Hung-En; Needham, Hannah; Polizzi, Karen M; Freemont, Paul S

    2017-04-01

    Streptomyces venezuelae is a promising chassis in synthetic biology for fine chemical and secondary metabolite pathway engineering. The potential of S. venezuelae could be further realized by expanding its capability with the introduction of its own in vitro transcription-translation (TX-TL) system. TX-TL is a fast and expanding technology for bottom-up design of complex gene expression tools, biosensors and protein manufacturing. Herein, we introduce a S. venezuelae TX-TL platform by reporting a streamlined protocol for cell-extract preparation, demonstrating high-yield synthesis of a codon-optimized sfGFP reporter and the prototyping of a synthetic tetracycline-inducible promoter in S. venezuelae TX-TL based on the tetO-TetR repressor system. The aim of this system is to provide a host for the homologous production of exotic enzymes from Actinobacteria secondary metabolism in vitro. As an example, the authors demonstrate the soluble synthesis of a selection of enzymes (12-70 kDa) from the Streptomyces rimosus oxytetracycline pathway. © 2017 The Authors. Biotechnology Journal published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Research in seismology and earthquake engineering in Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Urbina, L.; Grases, J.

    1983-01-01

    After the July 29, 1967, damaging earthquake (with a moderate magnitude of 6.3) caused widespread damage to the northern coastal area of Venezuela and to the Caracas Valley, the Venezuelan Government decided to establish a Presidential Earthquake Commission. This commission undertook the task of coordinating the efforts to study the after-effects of the earthquake. The July 1967 earthquake claimed numerous lives and caused extensive damage to the capital of Venezuela. In 1968, the U.S Geological Survey conducted a seismological field study in the northern coastal area and in the Caracas Valley of Venezuela. the objective was to study the area that sustained severe, moderate, and no damage to structures. A reported entitled Ground Amplification Studies in Earthquake Damage Areas: The Caracas Earthquake of 1967 documented, for the first time, short-period seismic wave ground-motion amplifications in the Caracas Valley. Figure 1 shows the area of severe damage in the Los Palos Grantes suburb and the correlation with depth of alluvium and the arabic numbers denote the ground amplification factor at each site in the area. the Venezuelan Government initiated many programs to study in detail the damage sustained and to investigate the ongoing construction practices. These actions motivated professionals in the academic, private, and Government sectors to develops further capabilities and self-sufficiency in the fields of engineering and seismology. Allocation of funds was made to assist in training professionals and technicians and in developing new seismological stations and new programs at the national level in earthquake engineering and seismology. A brief description of the ongoing programs in Venezuela is listed below. these programs are being performed by FUNVISIS and by other national organizations listed at the end of this article.   

  11. Republic of Venezuela. Country profile.

    PubMed

    Hakkert, R

    1985-06-01

    Venezuela's current economic and demographic situation is described. Venezuela is a major oil country, and the oil industry accounts for 90% of the country's foreign exchange, 70% of the government's revenues, and 15% of the gross domestic product. The economy experienced a sudden and high rate of economic growth in the mid-1970s as a result of high oil prices; however, in recent years, declining oil prices have had a negative effect on the economy. The country is now faced with a serious trade deficit, and the government recently imposed restrictions on imports. Imports in recently years had increased markedly. The emphasis on the oil industry weakened the agricultural sector and, as a result, food imports increased. In addition, the rapid economic growth experienced during the 1970s greatly increased the demand for imported consumer goods. Venezuela has the 4th highest foreign debt in the world (US$35 billion). Despite these problems Venezuela has a relatively high per capita income (US$4,140) and living standard, compared to other countries in the region. Venezuela's total population is 14.6 million, and the population is unevenly distributed. 86% of the population lives in cities of 2500 or more. 37.4% of the population and 70% of the industry is concentrated in the Federal District which contains Caracas, and in the surrounding states of Aragua, Miranda, and Carabobo. This area constitutes only 2.36% of the country's territory. Most of the oil fields are located in the state of Zulia which also contains the country's 2nd largest city (Maracaibo). The country's coastal area contains most of the agricultural lands, and the prairies just south of the coastal mountain ranges are devoted primarily to cattle raising. The remaining 58.2% of the country's territory is essentially jungle and contains only 6.9% of the country's population. The annual population growth rate is 3.11%. Although the rate declined in recent years it is higher than in most of the other

  12. Correlation of the Jurassic through Oligocene Stratigraphic Units of Trinidad and Northeastern Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Algar, S.; Erikson, J.P.

    1995-04-01

    The Jurassic through Oligocene stratigraphies of Trinidad and the Serrenia del Interior of eastern Venezuela exhibit many similarities because of their proximity on the passive continental margins of northeastern South America. A slightly later subsidence in eastern Venezuela, and the generally deeper-water sedimentation in Trinidad, is interpreted to be the result of a serration of the original rift margin, producing an eastern Venezuela promontory and Trinidadian re-entrant. We interpret these serrations to be the result of oblique (NW-SE) spreading of North and South America during Middle and late Jurassic time. The stratigraphies of northeastern Venezuela and Trinidad contrast in themore » Hauterivan-Albian interval, with dynamic shallow shelf environments prevailing in the Serrenia del Interior and deeper marine submarine-fan deposition in Trinidad. Both areas develop middle to Upper Cretaceous source rocks during a time of eustatic sea level high and widespread oceanic anoxia. 15 refs., 4 fig.« less

  13. Prevalence of Dyslipidemias in Three Regions in Venezuela: The VEMSOLS Study Results

    PubMed Central

    González-Rivas, Juan P.; Nieto-Martínez, Ramfis; Brajkovich, Imperia; Ugel, Eunice; Rísquez, Alejandro

    2018-01-01

    Background The prevalence of dyslipidemia in multiple regions of Venezuela is unknown. The Venezuelan Metabolic Syndrome, Obesity and Lifestyle Study (VEMSOLS) was undertaken to evaluate cardiometabolic risk factors in Venezuela. Objective To determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia in five populations from three regions of Venezuela. Methods During the years 2006 to 2010, 1320 subjects aged 20 years or older were selected by multistage stratified random sampling from all households in five municipalities from 3 regions of Venezuela: Lara State (Western region), Merida State (Andean region), and Capital District (Capital region). Anthropometric measurements and biochemical analysis were obtained from each participant. Dyslipidemia was defined according to the NCEP/ATPIII definitions. Results Mean age was 44.8 ± 0.39 years and 68.5% were females. The prevalence of lipids abnormalities related to the metabolic syndrome (low HDL-c [58.6%; 95% CI 54.9 - 62.1] and elevated triglycerides [39.7%; 36.1 - 43.2]) were the most prevalent lipid alterations, followed by atherogenic dyslipidemia (25.9%; 22.7 - 29.1), elevated LDL-c (23.3%; 20.2 - 26.4), hypercholesterolemia (22.2%; 19.2 - 25.2), and mix dyslipidemia (8.9%; 6.8 - 11.0). Dyslipidemia was more prevalent with increasing body mass index. Conclusion Dyslipidemias are prevalent cardiometabolic risk factors in Venezuela. Among these, a higher prevalence of low HDL is a condition also consistently reported in Latin America. PMID:29538522

  14. Finite Element Analysis of Patella Alta: A Patellofemoral Instability Model.

    PubMed

    Watson, Nicole A; Duchman, Kyle R; Grosland, Nicole M; Bollier, Matthew J

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to provide biomechanical data on the effect of patella height in the setting of medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction using finite element analysis. The study will also examine patellofemoral joint biomechanics using variable femoral insertion sites for MPFL reconstruction. A previously validated finite element knee model was modified to study patella alta and baja by translating the patella a given distance to achieve each patella height ratio. Additionally, the models were modified to study various femoral insertion sites of the MPFL (anatomic, anterior, proximal, and distal) for each patella height model, resulting in 32 unique scenarios available for investigation. In the setting of patella alta, the patellofemoral contact area decreased, resulting in a subsequent increase in maximum patellofemoral contact pressures as compared to the scenarios with normal patellar height. Additionally, patella alta resulted in decreased lateral restraining forces in the native knee scenario as well as following MPFL reconstruction. Changing femoral insertion sites had a variable effect on patellofemoral contact pressures; however, distal and anterior femoral tunnel malpositioning in the setting of patella alta resulted in grossly elevated maximum patellofemoral contact pressures as compared to other scenarios. Patella alta after MPFL reconstruction results in decreased lateral restraining forces and patellofemoral contact area and increased maximum patellofemoral contact pressures. When the femoral MPFL tunnel is malpositioned anteriorly or distally on the femur, the maximum patellofemoral contact pressures increase with severity of patella alta. When evaluating patients with patellofemoral instability, it is important to recognize patella alta as a potential aggravating factor. Failure to address patella alta in the setting of MPFL femoral tunnel malposition may result in even further increases in patellofemoral contact pressures, making it

  15. Finite Element Analysis of Patella Alta: A Patellofemoral Instability Model

    PubMed Central

    Duchman, Kyle R.; Grosland, Nicole M.; Bollier, Matthew J.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Background: This study aims to provide biomechanical data on the effect of patella height in the setting of medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction using finite element analysis. The study will also examine patellofemoral joint biomechanics using variable femoral insertion sites for MPFL reconstruction. Methods: A previously validated finite element knee model was modified to study patella alta and baja by translating the patella a given distance to achieve each patella height ratio. Additionally, the models were modified to study various femoral insertion sites of the MPFL (anatomic, anterior, proximal, and distal) for each patella height model, resulting in 32 unique scenarios available for investigation. Results: In the setting of patella alta, the patellofemoral contact area decreased, resulting in a subsequent increase in maximum patellofemoral contact pressures as compared to the scenarios with normal patellar height. Additionally, patella alta resulted in decreased lateral restraining forces in the native knee scenario as well as following MPFL reconstruction. Changing femoral insertion sites had a variable effect on patellofemoral contact pressures; however, distal and anterior femoral tunnel malpositioning in the setting of patella alta resulted in grossly elevated maximum patellofemoral contact pressures as compared to other scenarios. Conclusions: Patella alta after MPFL reconstruction results in decreased lateral restraining forces and patellofemoral contact area and increased maximum patellofemoral contact pressures. When the femoral MPFL tunnel is malpositioned anteriorly or distally on the femur, the maximum patellofemoral contact pressures increase with severity of patella alta. Clinical Relevance: When evaluating patients with patellofemoral instability, it is important to recognize patella alta as a potential aggravating factor. Failure to address patella alta in the setting of MPFL femoral tunnel malposition may result in

  16. The Development of Education in Venezuela.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sanchez, George I.

    The present study aims to bring to the reader an understanding of Venezuela's educational patterns, needs, and development within the framework of the country's economic and social situation. Much of this report is devoted to historical backgrounds --to cultural development, politics, immigration, economics, and international attitudes-- to give…

  17. Implementing Pre-Vocational Studies in Venezuela.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Young Mi

    This paper describes prevocational education in Venezuela on each educational level. First, it sets a historical context by identifying aspects of technical education that emerged at different times in its development; then it identifies certain strategies created to support the implementation of prevocationalization, and finally it concludes by…

  18. The opisthobranch gastropods (Mollusca: Heterobranchia) from Venezuela: an annotated and illustrated inventory of species.

    PubMed

    Gutiérrez, Manuel Caballer; Ortea, Jesús; Rivero, Nelsy; Tucker, Gabriela Carias; Malaquias, Manuel António E; Narciso, Samuel

    2015-10-29

    The Caribbean waters of Venezuela are composed by a large variety of habitats, with over 2800 km of coastline, islands, and islets. This area is a transitional zone between two main biogeographic provinces, the Caribbean and the Brazilian, separated by the fresh water outflows of the Orinoco and Amazon rivers, and is therefore expected to be an area of high species diversity. However, concerning the study of molluscs, Venezuela is probably the poorest known region in the Caribbean. The best compilation of opisthobranch species known in Venezuela was produced almost a decade ago, mentioning the occurrence of 57 species, plus seven determined only to genus level. In this work, 134 species are reported for Venezuela (71 are illustrated), representing about 40 % of the entire diversity of opisthobranchs known in the Caribbean. Among the species occurring in Venezuela, 49 have here the southern limit of their distribution range and only one the northern limit. Forty-six species are recorded for the first time to the country and one is a new record for the Caribbean Sea, namely Placida cremoniana. In addition, the distribution and ecology of the species are given based in literature and new data.

  19. [Mycoses in Venezuela: Working Groups in Mycology reported cases (1984-2010)].

    PubMed

    Martínez Méndez, Dilia; Hernández Valles, Rosaura; Alvarado, Primavera; Mendoza, Mireya

    2013-01-03

    In 1984 the Venezuelan Work Groups in Mycology (VWGM) were created introducing an innovative approach to the study of the mycoses in Venezuela. To study the occurrence of the mycoses in Venezuela. Review the reported cases of mycoses by the newsletter Boletín Informativo Las Micosis en Venezuela (VWGM) from 1984 to 2010. The data collected showed 36,968 reported cases of superficial mycoses, 1,989 of deep systemic cases, and 822 of localized mycoses. Pityriasis dermatophytosis was the most common superficial infection, and paracoccidioidomycosis and histoplasmosis the most frequent deep systemic infection. Chromoblastomycosis was the most frequently diagnosed subcutaneous infection. The data provided showed the distribution by geographical area for each of the fungal infections studied, which may help to establish the endemic areas. Superficial mycosis is a public health problem due to its high morbidity and is probably responsible for some of the outbreaks in high-risk groups. Paracoccidioidomycosis and histoplasmosis were reported more often, which agrees with earlier reports prior to the formation of the VWGM. Cases of sporotrichosis and chromoblastomycosis in Venezuela can be considered unique due to the high number of cases. This study highlights the contribution of the VWGM to the behavior of the mycoses in Venezuela, its incidence, prevalence, and the recognition of these infections as a problem of public health importance. The VWGM should keep working in this endeavor, not only reporting new cases, but also unifying the clinical and epidemiological criteria, in order to properly monitor the evolving epidemiological changes reported in these types of infections. Copyright © 2012 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  20. José María Vargas (1786-1854): Reformer of anatomical studies in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Reverón, Rafael Romero

    2014-03-01

    José María Vargas (1786-1854): Venezuelan medical doctor, surgeon, optician, anatomist, chemist, botanist, professor, geologist, mineralogist, and mathematician. Second President of Venezuela (1835-1836), First republican dean, he reformed medicine studies in 1827 establishing human anatomical dissection in the Universidad Central de Venezuela where he taught human anatomy between 1827 and 1853 along with surgery and chemistry. In 1838, he wrote Curso de Lecciones y demostraciones Anatómicas, the first book on the subject printed in Venezuela for the teaching of human anatomy. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. ARISS Enables First Educational Contact in Venezuela

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-12-04

    Astronauts on the International Space Station use amateur radio to talk with students all over the world about life and work in space. In October, flight engineer Joe Acaba made an historic contact with the Maria Montessori Institute Educational Unit in San Cristobal, Venezuela: the first-ever educational ham radio contact in that country’s history, courtesy of the Amateur Radio on International Space Station program. Here’s a look at the excitement on the ground as more than a dozen elementary and middle school students got their chance to talk to a man in space. HD Download Link: https://archive.org/details/jsc2017m001093_ARISS_Enables_First_Contact_in_Venezuela For more on ARISS: http://www.ariss.org/ _______________________________________ FOLLOW THE SPACE STATION! Twitter: https://twitter.com/Space_Station Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ISS Instagram: https://instagram.com/iss/

  2. Nanoscience and nanotechnology in Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    López Cadenas, María Sonsiré; Hasmy, Anwar; Vessuri, Hebe

    2011-08-01

    Nanoscale research in Venezuela is briefly reviewed, with emphasis on research groups, research lines, and institutions involved. A summary exploration is made of international collaboration through scientific co-authorship, as well of the efforts to build nano capacities, available infrastructure, relationships to the productive sector and a weak presence in Venezuelan public policies, although there is some expectation that the situation may soon begin to change.

  3. 78 FR 60846 - Silicomanganese From India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela: Continuation of Antidumping Duty Orders

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-02

    ...] Silicomanganese From India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela: Continuation of Antidumping Duty Orders AGENCY: Import... ``ITC'') that revocation of the antidumping duty orders on silicomanganese from India, Kazakhstan, and... orders on silicomanganese from India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff...

  4. 78 FR 49471 - Ferrosilicon From the Russian Federation and Venezuela: Initiation of Antidumping Duty...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-08-14

    ... concerning imports of ferrosilicon from the Russian Federation (``Russia'') and Venezuela filed in proper... Supplement'') as well as company-specific questions (``Supplement to Russia Petition'' and ``Supplement to... ``Petitions for the Imposition of Antidumping Duties on Ferrosilicon from Russia and Venezuela,'' filed on...

  5. World Wide Web Search Engines: AltaVista and Yahoo.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Machovec, George S., Ed.

    1996-01-01

    Examines the history, structure, and search capabilities of Internet search tools AltaVista and Yahoo. AltaVista provides relevance-ranked feedback on full-text searches. Yahoo indexes Web "citations" only but does organize information hierarchically into predefined categories. Yahoo has recently become a publicly held company and…

  6. A modern look at the petroleum geology of the Maracaibo basin, Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Stauffer, K.W.; Croft, G.D.

    1995-06-05

    The Maracaibo basin of western Venezuela is one of the world`s most important oil producing basins, with a cumulative production of more than 35 billion bbl. The reasons for this great wealth of hydrocarbons are a combination of source beds of excellent quality, thick reservoirs with high porosity and permeability, and a series of sealing shales, faults, and unconformities, which provide large and numerous traps. Recent discoveries combined with Venezuela`s opening to international investment suggest that the story of this basin is far from over. Surprisingly little exploration has taken place in large parts of the basin, especially southwest ofmore » Lake Maracaibo and in the southern part of the lake. This paper describes the history of the basin, stratigraphy, structure, oil fields, and its future prospects.« less

  7. Egalitarian policies and social determinants of health in Bolivarian Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Muntaner, Caries; Benach, Joan; Páez Victor, María; Ng, Edwin; Chung, Haejoo

    2013-01-01

    In 1999, newly-elected Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez initiated a far-reaching social movement as part of a political project known as the Bolivarian Revolution. Inspired by the democratic ideologies of Simón Bolívar, this movement was committed to reducing intractable inequalities that defined Venezuela's Fourth Republic (1958-1998). Given the ambitious scope of these reforms, Venezuela serves as an instructive example to understand the political context of social inequalities and population health. In this article, we provide a brief overview of the impact of egalitarian policies in Venezuela, stressing: (a) the socialist reforms and social class changes initiated by the Bolivarian Movement; (b) the impact of these reforms and changes on poverty and social determinants of health; (c) the sustainability of economic growth to continue pro-poor policies; and (d) the implications of egalitarian policies for other Latin American countries. The significance and implications of Chávez's achievements are now further underscored given his recent passing, leading one to ask whether political support for Bolivarianism will continue without its revolutionary leader.

  8. 78 FR 4437 - Silicomanganese From India, Kazakhstan, Venezuela: Notice of Commission Determination To Conduct...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-01-22

    ... From India, Kazakhstan, Venezuela: Notice of Commission Determination To Conduct Full Five-Year Reviews... silicomanganese from India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of... respondent interested party group responses with respect to the reviews on subject imports from India and...

  9. [Colombians in Venezuela: myth and reality].

    PubMed

    Bidegain Greising, G; Freitez Landaeta, A

    1988-08-01

    Figures of Colombian immigrants in Venezuela in the period 1981-1986 as well as the development of their socio-demographic profile and their integration into the labor market are analyzed by means of ad hoc tables drawn from a Sample Home Survey by the Oficina Central de Estadisticas e Informatica and information from the civil record office. It is estimated that in 1987 there are only half a million Colombians in Venezuela and, contrary to what is generally assumed, not only has the afflux decreased (3/4 of the Colombians entered before 1981), but also a return migration can be observed. Colombian immigration is not homogeneous, but is made up of different groups as far as their professional skills and occupations are concerned. The number of Colombians engaged in household service and those living in rural areas has decreased, but not the number of active farm workers. A greater proportion of Colombians engaged in trade and sales activities is observed, but artisans and skilled labor are still the majority.

  10. 78 FR 13380 - Silicomanganese From India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela; Scheduling of Full Five-Year Reviews...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-27

    ... From India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela; Scheduling of Full Five-Year Reviews Concerning the Antidumping Duty Orders on Silicomanganese From India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela AGENCY: United States...) to determine whether revocation of the antidumping duty orders on silicomanganese from India...

  11. Comunicación y empoderamiento ciudadano en salud: un caso de investigación-acción en la Venezuela polarizada

    PubMed Central

    NAHÓN SERFATY, Isaac; EID, Mahmoud

    2016-01-01

    En el marco de un proyecto de investigación-acción que se implementó en Venezuela de 2009 a 2013 se buscó empoderar (empower) a activistas sociales y pacientes en la lucha contra el cáncer de mama (CM). Este proyecto se puso en marcha en un contexto de alta polarización política y social en el marco de la llamada «Revolución bolivariana». A partir de una perspectiva ecológica de la comunicación y el activismo en salud, que integra los niveles interpersonal, grupal y social, se celebraron una serie de actividades orientadas a desarrollar las habilidades de vocería de ciudadanos, especialmente de mujeres, y ampliar las redes de cooperación entre diversos sectores, al mismo tiempo que se perfiló una visión consensuada entre actores sociales e institucionales sobre una respuesta nacional contra el CM. Una comunicación horizontal y participativa permitió que se escuchara la voz de actores usualmente marginalizados en las políticas sanitarias. PMID:27867911

  12. David Meets Goliath on the Information Superhighway: Venezuela in the Context of the Electronic Communication Networks.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sanchez-Vegas, Saadia

    1995-01-01

    Discusses Venezuela's information and communications technology infrastructure and usage patterns; examines future networking plans; and addresses political and economic considerations linked to the information and technology problems in Venezuela and in Latin America in general. (LRW)

  13. Fluorescence Time-lapse Imaging of the Complete S. venezuelae Life Cycle Using a Microfluidic Device.

    PubMed

    Schlimpert, Susan; Flärdh, Klas; Buttner, Mark

    2016-02-28

    Live-cell imaging of biological processes at the single cell level has been instrumental to our current understanding of the subcellular organization of bacterial cells. However, the application of time-lapse microscopy to study the cell biological processes underpinning development in the sporulating filamentous bacteria Streptomyces has been hampered by technical difficulties. Here we present a protocol to overcome these limitations by growing the new model species, Streptomyces venezuelae, in a commercially available microfluidic device which is connected to an inverted fluorescence widefield microscope. Unlike the classical model species, Streptomyces coelicolor, S. venezuelae sporulates in liquid, allowing the application of microfluidic growth chambers to cultivate and microscopically monitor the cellular development and differentiation of S. venezuelae over long time periods. In addition to monitoring morphological changes, the spatio-temporal distribution of fluorescently labeled target proteins can also be visualized by time-lapse microscopy. Moreover, the microfluidic platform offers the experimental flexibility to exchange the culture medium, which is used in the detailed protocol to stimulate sporulation of S. venezuelae in the microfluidic chamber. Images of the entire S. venezuelae life cycle are acquired at specific intervals and processed in the open-source software Fiji to produce movies of the recorded time-series.

  14. Fluorescence Time-lapse Imaging of the Complete S. venezuelae Life Cycle Using a Microfluidic Device

    PubMed Central

    Schlimpert, Susan; Flärdh, Klas; Buttner, Mark

    2016-01-01

    Live-cell imaging of biological processes at the single cell level has been instrumental to our current understanding of the subcellular organization of bacterial cells. However, the application of time-lapse microscopy to study the cell biological processes underpinning development in the sporulating filamentous bacteria Streptomyces has been hampered by technical difficulties. Here we present a protocol to overcome these limitations by growing the new model species, Streptomyces venezuelae, in a commercially available microfluidic device which is connected to an inverted fluorescence widefield microscope. Unlike the classical model species, Streptomyces coelicolor, S. venezuelae sporulates in liquid, allowing the application of microfluidic growth chambers to cultivate and microscopically monitor the cellular development and differentiation of S. venezuelae over long time periods. In addition to monitoring morphological changes, the spatio-temporal distribution of fluorescently labeled target proteins can also be visualized by time-lapse microscopy. Moreover, the microfluidic platform offers the experimental flexibility to exchange the culture medium, which is used in the detailed protocol to stimulate sporulation of S. venezuelae in the microfluidic chamber. Images of the entire S. venezuelae life cycle are acquired at specific intervals and processed in the open-source software Fiji to produce movies of the recorded time-series. PMID:26967231

  15. Geologic map of the Venezuela part of the Puerto Ayacucho 2 degrees x 3 degrees Quadrangle, Amazonas Federal Territory, Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wynn, Jeffrey C.; Olmore, Steven D.; Mendoza, Vicente; García, Andrés; Rendon, Ines; Estanga, Yasmin; Rincon, Haydee; Martinez, Felix; Lugo, Elis; Rivero, Nelson; Schruben, Paul G.

    1994-01-01

    This map is one of a series of 1:500,000-scale maps that, along with several other products, stems from a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana, Tecnica Minera, C.A. (TECMIN), a Venezuelan Government-owned mining and mineral exploration company. The agreement covered cooperative work carried out in the Precambrian Shield of southern Venezuela during 1987-1991 and included a geologic and mineral resource inventory, technology transfer, and scientific training (Wynn and others, in press). The Precambrian Guayana Shield (Escudo de Guyana, not to be confused with the neighboring country of Guyana) includes some of the oldest known rocks in the world (Mendoza, 1977) and also covers parts of neighboring Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana, Columbia, and Brazil. In Venezuela, it underlies most of Bolivar state and all of the Amazonas Federal Territory (see index map).

  16. Astrometry and Geostationary Satellites in Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lacruz, E.; Abad, C.

    2015-10-01

    We present the current status and the first results of the astrometric project CIDA - ABAE for tracking geo-stationary satellites. This project aims to determine a preliminary orbit for the Venezuelan satellite VENESAT-1, using astrometric positions obtained from an optical telescope. The results presented here are based on observations from the Luepa space tracking ground station in Venezuela, which were processed using astrometric procedures.

  17. Venezuela: Background and U.S. Relations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-11-21

    three dual Lebanese-Venezuelan citizens and a Venezuelan company for involvement in the Lebanese Ayman Joumaa drug money laundering network that...Targets Major Money Laundering Network Linked to Drug Trafficker Ayman Joumaa and a Key Hizballah Supporter in South America,” June 27, 2012.) The...2015, China provided some $65 billion in financing to Venezuela. 78 The money typically has been for funding infrastructure and other economic

  18. Mastery: A Lesson from Maria in Venezuela

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Powell, Sandra Anez; Powell, Norman W.

    2012-01-01

    Children who have been born into poverty or into at-risk circumstances are often considered "disposable" and not a societal priority. These youngsters have few advocates and limited successful options in life. In the city of Maracaibo, Venezuela, there is a large population of Amerindians who are called Guajiros. These indigenous people…

  19. Undocumented migration to Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Van Roy, R

    1984-01-01

    "In 1980 Venezuela took...steps to regularize the undocumented migrant population. While the number responding to the amnesty was small relative to expectations, the majority of illegals appeared to have regularized their status. For the first time it was possible to assess objectively the characteristics of the undocumented population. Moreover, the problem of illegal migrants seems to have been temporarily solved, a result of both the amnesty and the country's declining economic activity." Topics covered in the present article include the nationality, geographic distribution, sex and age distribution, educational status, and occupations of undocumented migrants. excerpt

  20. Susceptibility status of Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) to temephos in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Alvarez, Leslie C; Ponce, Gustavo; Oviedo, Milagros; Lopez, Beatriz; Flores, Adriana E

    2014-08-01

    Temephos is an insecticide widely used in Venezuela to control the proliferation of the larvae of Aedes aegypti (L.), the principal vector of dengue virus. The aim of this study was to identify the susceptibility to temephos of Ae. aegypti in four locations in western Venezuela: Lara, Tres Esquinas, Ureña and Pampanito. Larval bioassays were conducted on samples collected in 2008 and 2010, and the levels of α- and β-esterases, mixed-function oxidases, glutathione-S-transferase and insensitive acethyl cholinesterase were determined. Larval populations from western Venezuela obtained during 2008 and 2010 were found to be susceptible to temephos, with low resistance ratios and without overexpression of enzymes. The low RR values reveal the effectiveness of temephos in controlling the larval populations of Ae. aegypti. Control strategies must be vigorously monitored to maintain the susceptibility to temephos of these populations of Ae. aegypti. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  1. Population genetic structure of the dengue mosquito Aedes aegypti in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Herrera, Flor; Urdaneta, Ludmel; Rivero, José; Zoghbi, Normig; Ruiz, Johanny; Carrasquel, Gabriela; Martínez, José Antonio; Pernalete, Martha; Villegas, Patricia; Montoya, Ana; Rubio-Palis, Yasmin; Rojas, Elina

    2006-09-01

    The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the main vector of dengue in Venezuela. The genetic structure of this vector was investigated in 24 samples collected from eight geographic regions separated by up to 1160 km. We examined the distribution of a 359-basepair region of the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 mitochondrial gene among 1144 Ae. aegypti from eight collections. This gene was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and tested for variation using single strand conformation polymorphism analysis. Seven haplotypes were detected throughout Venezuela and these were sorted into two clades. Significant differentiation was detected among collections and these were genetically isolated by distance.

  2. Radioactive source materials in Los Estados Unidos de Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wyant, Donald G.; Sharp, William N.; Rodriguez, Carlos Ponte

    1953-01-01

    This report summarizes the data available on radioactive source materials in Los Estados Unidos de Venezuela accumulated by geologists of the Direccions Tecnica de Geolgia and antecedent agencies prior to June 1951, and the writers from June to November 1951. The investigation comprised preliminary study, field examination, office studies, and the preparation of this report, in which the areas and localities examined are described in detail, the uranium potentialities of Venezuela are summarized, and recommendations are made. Preliminary study was made to select areas and rock types that were known or reported to be radioactive or that geologic experience suggests would be favorable host for uranium deposits, In the office, a study of gamma-ray well logs was started as one means of amassing general radiometric data and of rapidly scanning many of ye rocks in northern Venezuela; gamma-ray logs from about 140 representative wells were examined and their peaks of gamma intensity evaluated; in addition samples were analyzed radiometrically, and petrographically. Radiometic reconnaissance was made in the field during about 3 months of 1951, or about 12 areas, including over 100 localities in the State of Miranda, Carabobo, Yaracuy, Falcon, Lara, Trujillo, Zulia, Merida, Tachira, Bolivar, and Territory Delta Amacuro. During the course of the investigation, both in the filed and office, information was given about geology of uranium deposits, and in techniques used in prospecting and analysis. All studies and this report are designed to supplement and to strengthen the Direccion Tecnica de Geologias's program of investigation of radioactive source in Venezuela now in progress. The uranium potentialities of Los Estados de Venezuela are excellent for large, low-grade deposits of uraniferous phospahtic shales containing from 0.002 to 0.027 percent uranium; fair, for small or moderate-sized, low-grade placer deposits of thorium, rare-earth, and uranium minerals; poor, for

  3. An alternative to the neoliberal model in health: the case of Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Feo, Oscar; Siqueira, Carlos Eduardo

    2004-01-01

    The authors present a synthesis of the proposals put forth by the health sector of Venezuela during the framing of the new Venezuelan Constitution. They summarize the background to the National Constituent Assembly and the legal framework typical of the health sector at that time, identify the methodological aspects that substantiated the health topics included in the new Constitution, and analyze the articles that shape the current constitutional health framework in Venezuela, summarizing their most important features and comparing them with neoliberal health proposals.

  4. [Zika virus: Another emerging arbovirus in Venezuela?].

    PubMed

    Valero Nereida

    2015-09-01

    Current health conditions of Venezuela, together with the tropical proliferation of different types of Aedes (aegypti and albopictus), suggest the arrival to this country of ZIKA virus (ZIKV). The Pan American Health Organization urges Latin American countries to take measures to prevent the ZIKV entry and advises that these measures must be designed to detect the introduction of ZIKV in an area, track its spread and actively monitor the disease. In Venezuela and other Latin-American countries, where endemicity is high for other arboviruses such as dengue arid chikungunya, health authorities should strengthen their surveillance systems to detect early and timely introduction of ZIKV ap.d refine diagnostic methods to confirm the infection rate; however, the high incidence of cases due those viral agents reflects weakened and poorly timed insensitive monitoring systems, as well as, poor vector control measures, arising the questions: will this arbovirus pop in our country, will it set as the other as edemicepidemic and lead to alter their clinical behavior and severity of the disease?

  5. [Three phases of homicidal violence in Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Briceño-León, Roberto

    2012-12-01

    Venezuela was considered one of the least violent countries in Latin America, however by 2010 it was among the countries with the highest homicide rate. This article analyzes the evolution of homicides in Venezuela between 1985 and 2010 and proposes the existence of three stages which correspond to trends in social and political institutions of the country. The first from 1985 to 1993, characterized by the looting of 1989 and the coups d'état of 1992, when for the first time the homicide rate rose from 8 to 20. The second phase from 1994 to 1998 was a recovery period of the institutional and political stability when the homicide rate remained constant at around 20. The third phase began in 1999 with the H Chavez government and the institutional destruction that comes with the Bolivarian revolution and caused an increase in the rate of 20 to 57 homicides per 100 thousand inhabitants. This article argues that the explanation for the changes in the phases is to be found in the transformation of social and political institutions.

  6. Risk, Activism, and Empowerment: Women’s Breast Cancer in Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Eid, Mahmoud; Nahon-Serfaty, Isaac

    2016-01-01

    The prevalence of breast cancer in Venezuela is particularly alarming, which is attributed to healthcare inequalities, low health literacy, and lagging compliance with prevention methods (i.e., screening and mammography). While the right to health is acknowledged by the Venezuelan constitution, activism beyond governmental confines is required to increase women’s breast cancer awareness and decrease mortality rates. Through the development of social support and strategic communicative methods enacted by healthcare providers, it may be possible to empower women with the tools necessary for breast cancer prevention. This paper discusses issues surrounding women’s breast cancer, such as awareness of the disease and its risks, self-advocacy, and the roles of activists, healthcare providers, and society. Specifically, it describes a four-year action-oriented research project developed in Venezuela, which was a collaborative work among researchers, practitioners, NGOs, patients, journalists, and policymakers. The outcomes include higher levels of awareness and interest among community members and organizations to learn and seek more information about women’s breast cancer, better understandings of the communicated messages, more media coverage and medical consultations, increasing positive patient treatments, expansion of networking of NGOs, as well as a widely supported declaration for a national response against breast cancer in Venezuela. PMID:27868080

  7. Mycobacterium tuberculosis population structure and molecular epidemiological analysis in Sucre municipality, Miranda state, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Patiño, Margareth A; Abadía, Edgar; Solalba Gómez; Maes, Mailis; Muñoz, Mariana; Gómez, Daniela; Guzmán, Patricia; Méndez, María Victoria; Ramirez, Carmen; Mercedes, España; de Waard, Jacobus; Takiff, Howard

    2014-12-01

    Sucre municipality is a large, densely populated marginal area in the eastern part of Caracas, Venezuela that consistently has more cases of tuberculosis than other municipalities in the country. To identify the neighborhoods in the municipality with the highest prevalence of tuberculosis, and determine whether the Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain distribution in this municipality is different from that previously found in the western part of Caracas and the rest of Venezuela, we collected data on all tuberculosis cases in the municipality diagnosed in 2005-6. We performed two separate molecular epidemiological studies, spoligotyping 44 strains in a first study, and spoligotyping 131 strains, followed by MIRU-VNTR 15 on 21 clustered isolates in the second. With spoligotyping, the most common patterns were Shared International Type SIT17 (21%); SIT42 (15%); SIT93 (11%); SIT20 (7%); SIT53 (6%), a distribution similar to other parts of Venezuela, except that SIT42 and SIT20 were more common. MIRU-VNTR 15 showed that six of seven SIT17 strains examined belonged to a large cluster previously found circulating in Venezuela, but all of the SIT42 strains were related to a cluster centered in the neighborhoods of Unión and Maca, with a MIRU-VNTR pattern not previously seen in Venezuela. It appears that a large percentage of the tuberculosis in the Sucre municipality is caused by the active transmission of two strain families centered within distinct neighborhoods, one reflecting communication with the rest of the country, and the other suggesting the insular, isolated nature of some sectors.

  8. Intestinal helminths of capybaras, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, from Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Salas, Viviana; Herrera, Emilio A

    2004-10-01

    Quantitative parameters of intestinal helminth species and their potential relations to host characteristics in a population of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) from Venezuela are reported for the first time. The intestines of 40 capybaras were collected during the 1992-annual harvest at Hato El Cedral. Six helminth species were found: 2 cestodes (Monoecocestus macrobursatum, M. hagmanni), 2 nematodes (Viannella hydrochoeri, Protozoophaga obesa), and 2 trematodes (Hippocrepis hippocrepis, Taxorchis schistocotyle). This is the first report for M. macrobursatum in Venezuela. Helminth abundance did not differ between sexes or age classes. Although patterns of distribution for all helminth species were overdispersed, the high prevalence found for all species (over 70%) and the high abundance observed for nematodes made it difficult to assess the effect that these helminths may produce on capybaras. Nevertheless, the negative associations found between the body condition of capybaras and helminth intensity for M. macrobursatum and V. hydrochoeri, might be pointing out potential host population regulatory role for these parasites which require further research.

  9. Household energy use in urban Venezuela: Implications from surveys in Maracaibo, Valencia, Merida, and Barcelona-Puerto La Cruz

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Figueroa, M.J.; Sathaye, J.

    1993-08-01

    This report identifies the most important results of a comparative analysis of household commercial energy use in Venezuelan urban cities. The use of modern fuels is widespread among all cities. Cooking consumes the largest share of urban household energy use. The survey documents no use of biomass and a negligible use of kerosene for cooking. LPG, natural gas, and kerosene are the main fuels available. LPG is the fuel choice of low-income households in all cities except Maracaibo, where 40% of all households use natural gas. Electricity consumption in Venezuela`s urban households is remarkably high compared with the levels usedmore » in households in comparable Latin American countries and in households of industrialized nations which confront harsher climatic conditions and, therefore, use electricity for water and space heating. The penetration of appliances in Venezuela`s urban households is very high. The appliances available on the market are inefficient, and there are inefficient patterns of energy use among the population. Climate conditions and the urban built form all play important roles in determining the high level of energy consumption in Venezuelan urban households. It is important to acknowledge the opportunities for introducing energy efficiency and conservation in Venezuela`s residential sector, particularly given current economic and financial constraints, which may hamper the future provision of energy services.« less

  10. Performance of the ALTA 3500 scanned-laser mask lithography system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buck, Peter D.; Buxbaum, Alex H.; Coleman, Thomas P.; Tran, Long

    1998-09-01

    The ALTA 3500, an advanced scanned-laser mask lithography tool produced by Etec, was introduced to the marketplace in September 1997. The system architecture was described and an initial performance evaluation was presented. This system, based on the ALTA 3000, uses a new 33.3X, 0.8 NA final reduction lens to reduce the spot size to 0.27 micrometers FWHM, thereby affording improved resolution and pattern acuity on the mask. To take advantage of the improved resolution, a new anisotropic chrome etch process has been developed and introduced along with change from Olin 895i resist to TOK iP3600 resist. In this paper we will more extensively describe the performance of the ALTA 3500 and the performance of these new processes.

  11. Birefringence study on 3-C/2-D: Barinas Basin (Venezuela)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Donati, M.S.; Brown, R.J.

    1995-12-31

    P-SV data from the Barinas Basin (Venezuela) was processed with the goal of estimating the birefringence effect caused by an anisotropic layer. The target zone is a fractured carbonate reservoir at 3,000 m located in southwestern Venezuela. The time-lag between fast and slow S-waves (S-waves splitting), and the angle between line azimuth and orientation of the natural coordinates are determined using the Harrison rotation method based upon a modeling of the crosscorrelation function between rotated radial and transverse field components. Due to the small statics observed on the brute stacks of radial and transverse components, the time-shift could be associatedmore » with splitting effects due to the carbonate reservoir in this area.« less

  12. The history of aeronautical medicine in Venezuela

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Iriarte, D. R.

    1986-01-01

    The Aerial Medical Service of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of Venezuela was created on June 1949, and later became the Department of Aeronautical Medicine. Its functions include the medical examinations of future pilots, navigators and flight engineers. The importance of good mental and physical health in all flight and ground personnel to ensure the safety of air travel is discussed.

  13. Four new species of Andean Pilea (Urticaceae), with additional notes on the genus in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Dorr, Laurence J; Stergios, Basil

    2014-01-01

    Four new species of Pilea (Urticaceae) from the Andes of Venezuela are described and illustrated: Pileamatthewii sp. nov., Pileamiguelii sp. nov., Pileanicholasii sp. nov., and Pileanidiae sp. nov. The affinities of these species and their positions within the informal classifications of Pilea proposed by Weddell and Killip are discussed. Notes on other species of Pilea found in Venezuela also are presented.

  14. ALTA injection sclerosing therapy:non-excisional treatment of internal hemorrhoids.

    PubMed

    Miyamoto, Hidenori; Asanoma, Michihito; Miyamoto, Hideyuki; Shimada, Mitsuo

    2012-01-01

    Aluminum potassium sulfate and tannic acid (ALTA) is a new sclerosing therapy for internal hemorrhoids. This injection therapy is a four-step direct injection sclerosing procedure intended to shrink and harden internal hemorrhoids to eliminate hemorrhoidal prolapse and bleeding. The aim of this study was to assess the short term efficacy of this treatment. The procedure was conducted using a four-step injection process under perianal local anesthesia. The entry point for the four-step injection of ALTA is the submucosa of the superior pole, the submucosa in the central part, the mucous lamina propria in the central part and the submucosa at the inferior pole of hemorrhoid. From January 2009 to March 2010, we performed the ALTA sclerosing therapy on 28 patients (14 men and 14 women; mean age, 64.6 years), including 5 second-degree, 16 third-degree and 7 fourth-degree hemorrhoids. There were 6 postoperative complications (2 cases of low grade fever, 2 anal pains, 1 necrosis at injection site and 1 perianal dermatitis). All symptoms of prolapse or bleeding disappeared after 29 postoperative days. There were 3 recurrent cases (10.7%). ALTA sclerosing therapy is a useful and less invasive treatment for internal hemorrhoids.

  15. [Seroprevalence of T. cruzi infection in Canis familiaris, state of Sucre, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Berrizbeitia, Mariolga; Concepción, Juan Luis; Carzola, Valentina; Rodríguez, Jéssicca; Cáceres, Ana; Quiñones, Wilfredo

    2013-01-01

    Trypanosoma cruzi infection in humans has been extensively studied in Venezuela; however, in reservoirs it has been less investigated. The objective of this study was to determine the seroepidemiology of T. cruzi in the state of Sucre, Venezuela. A cross-sectional and prospective study conducted in 95 towns and 577 dwellings in the 15 municipalies of the state of Sucre, Venezuela, from August to November, 2008. The evaluation of serum samples was performed with the CruziELISA kit and the multiple antigens binding assays (MABA). Furthermore, epidemiological surveys were applied to evaluate the risk factors. A total of dogs (average age of 2, 6 + 2.2 years, 226 males and 137 females) was evaluated. The combination of the ELISA / MABA tests detected 78 positive sera, sixty-nine negative and 10 of inconclusive results. The seroprevalence of the T. cruzi infection in dogs in the state of Sucre, was 22.1% (CI 95%: 20.58-22.4%). No significant statistic association was found between the T. cruzi infection in dogs and the evaluated epidemiological variables: hunting dogs that slept oudoors roaming freely in the populated center, sex of the animal and eating habits. The T. cruzi infection was associated to the age of canines, being significantly higher in the group of 0 to 3 years, when compared with older dogs. The high T. cruzi seroprevalence dected in dogs shows that in this región of Venezuela there prevails an important risk factor of transmissibility of this parasite to human populations.

  16. Neotropical genera of Naucoridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Nepomorpha): new species of Placomerus and Procryphocricos from Guyana and Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Sites, Robert W; Camacho, Jesús

    2014-01-09

    The Neotropical fauna of saucer bugs (Naucoridae) currently includes four monotypic genera. Recent extensive collecting in Venezuela has produced three new species in two of these genera. In addition, undetermined Guyanan specimens of one of the new species were found in the United States National Museum of Natural History. Thus, described here are Placomerus obscuratus n. sp. from Guyana and Venezuela with brachypterous and macropterous hindwing forms, and two species of Procryphocricos from Venezuela. Procryphocricos quiu n. sp. is described from the brachypterous forewing form and Procryphocricos macoita n. sp. from both brachypterous and macropterous forms. Previously described species also are discussed.

  17. Venezuela recasts itself as a new frontier in the Americas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Reinsch, A.E.

    1996-09-01

    In January of this year, Venezuela captured the attention of the international energy community by welcoming back the foreign oil companies that, 20 years earlier, it had shut out of the country by nationalizing the hydrocarbon sector. The tool used to attract that attention, a new exploration bidding round, is the most publicized event staged to date in the country`s aperture process. However, it is only the latest in a series of steps taken by officials to bring international oil and gas companies back to Caracas. Venezuela`s physical attraction is easily understood. The country possesses roughly one-half of Latin America`smore » (including Mexico) 125 billion bbl of established, conventional crude oil reserves, plus an estimated 300 billion bbl of additional, nonconventional reserves in the ultra-heavy crude belt of the Orinoco basin. Averaging 2.8 million bpd in 1996, Venezuelan crude production represents over 35% of regional oil output. Natural gas reserves total 138 Tcf, or just over one-half of the region`s total reserves of 274 Tcfg. Annual gas output averages just under 5 Tcf, of which roughly 30% is reinjected as part of tertiary oil recovery schemes. This paper reviews the incentives, deregulation, and government policies to restore the oil and gas industry to the country.« less

  18. Checklist and distribution maps of the blow flies of Venezuela (Diptera, Calliphoridae, Mesembrinellidae)

    PubMed Central

    Velásquez, Yelitza; Martínez-Sánchez, Ana Isabel; Thomas, Arianna; Rojo, Santos

    2017-01-01

    Abstract A checklist of the 39 species of blow flies (Calliphoridae and Mesembrinellidae) so far known to occur in Venezuela is provided, based on a thorough literature review and the examination of ca. 500 specimens deposited in the main entomological collections of the country. Data from the literature and museum collections were used to generate distribution maps for 37 species. Three species are recorded from Venezuela for the first time: Chrysomya putoria (Wiedemann, 1830), Mesembrinella spicata Aldrich, 1925 and Mesembrinella umbrosa Aldrich, 1922. PMID:28228670

  19. [Interpopulation reproductive synchrony of Agave cocui (Agavaceae) in Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Figueredo, Carmen J; Villegas, José Luis; Nassar, Jafet M

    2011-09-01

    Agave cocui (Agavaceae) is a species with broad distribution in arid and semiarid areas of Venezuela and Colombia. Despite of its ecological importance as a source of food for wildlife, and its economic value for production of a spirit drink, studies on the reproductive ecology of the species are relatively rare. In this study, we conducted a one-year evaluation of the flowering and fruiting phenology of A. cocui in the eight representative localities of the species' distribution in Venezuela. Within each study site, we chose an area with a minimum of 50 reproductive individuals and followed their reproductive phenophases with the help of binoculars, using six qualitative cathegories (emerging reproductive stalk, flowers, inmature fruits, mature fruits, bulbils and dry stalk) every two months. Emergence of the reproductive stalk in most of the examined populations began in September (rainy season), although this event delayed two months in a few populations. We detected significant negative correlations between precipitation and the percentage of flowering occurrence in four of the eight populations. Floral resources are available for flower visitors during approximately five months of the year (January-May). In most populations production of flowers initiated in January (dry season), and for Western Venezuela and Andean regions, the flowering main peak occurred in January. Localities from the Central and Eastern Coast exhibited the flowering peak in March, showing a delay of approximately two months with respect to other populations. Beginning of fruit set varied among localities from January to May; however, peak production of mature fruits concentrated in May, and fruit occurrence varied broadly between 5.2 and 85%. Bulbil production was detected in all populations and varied greatly among them (maximum percentage per population: 26.19-92.10%). High flowering synchronicity (Phenophase Overlapping Index: 0.756 and 0.999) was observed among all populations

  20. View - Caribbean Coast - Venezuela

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1973-08-15

    S73-35079 (July-September 1973) --- A near vertical view of the Caribbean coast of Venezuela is seen in this Skylab 3 Earth Resources Experiment Package S190-B (five-inch Earth terrain camera) photograph taken from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. The large body of water is the Golfo de Venezuela; and the major land mass is the Peninsula de Paraguana. The view is looking northward from the mouth of the Golfete de Coro and Punta Cardon to Punta Macolla. The peninsula is connected to the Venezuelan mainland by the narrow strip of land in the most easterly corner of the picture. The dry, arid climate on the peninsula is indicated by sparse vegetation and the abundance of sand dunes. The highest point is about 2,700 feet above the sea and is the conspicuous black spot. Old raised shoreline features appear as streaks parallel to the Golfete de Coro. Sand dunes and stream erosion have modified these features. Water of the Golfete de Coro is red from the high sediment content. The streaks in the water off the peninsula is apparently an effect of wind which is blowing sand and water offshore. The EREP investigator Dr. Jose Antonio Galavis, of the Ministerio de Mines e Hidrocarburos, will use this information to map geology and coastal sedimentation in the Peninsula de Paraguana. Federal agencies participating with NASA on the EREP projects are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers. All EREP photography is available to the public through the Department of Interior?s Earth Resources Observations Systems Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198. (Alternate number SL3-83-237) Photo credit: NASA

  1. [Need and demand of kidneys for transplantation in Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Milanés, C L; Bellorín-Font, E; Weisinger, J; Pernalete, N; Urbina, D; Paz-Martínez, V

    1993-01-01

    The number of cadaveric kidneys available for transplantation has become insufficient around the world. Despite concerted efforts, we have been unsuccessful in greatly improve the supply of organ donors, and consequently the number of end stage renal failure patients awaiting for kidney transplantation continues to increase. The primary objective of this paper is to quantify the need and supply of kidneys for transplant in Venezuela. An overview of the current level of kidney transplant activity in Venezuela is presented, observing that the activity with cadaveric donors had been predominant since 1983, although not to an optimal level. The annual activity in kidney transplant between 1989-1991 remained stable in 6 transplants/million people, but went sharply down to 4.6 in 1992. An estimate of the current need is around 10 donors/million people. This is in contrast with an effective donation rate of only 2.01 and 1.92 donors/million achieved in 1990 and 1991 respectively. The most frequent cause for no donation was the lack of familiar consent. Based on an analysis of the factors involved in the shortage of donor supply in Venezuela, we present some recommendations to increase the availability of cadaveric organ donors in the country. These measures include an improvement of education and legal regulation in the field of organ donation and transplantation, and following the Spanish model, the creation of a program of hospital transplant coordinators that can detect and evaluate potential organ donors as well as coordinate the logistical aspects of transplantation.

  2. A new approach to the oil business in Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pradas, F.; Valdes, G.

    1993-02-01

    Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) has been meeting during the past two years with a considerable number of companies (groups) with a view to possible associations for the reactivation of known fields, joint activities in barely explored areas and the exploitation, refining, upgrading and marketing of crudes from the Orinoco Belt holder of immense reserves of extra-heavy crudes and bitumens. In Venezuela, a new approach to the oil business is under way. On January 1976, the law nationalizing the Venezuelan oil industry became effective establishing that the government retains the sole rights to the country's petroleum industry. However, Article 5more » of the law made provision for associations in cases considered to be of [open quotes]National Interest.[close quotes] PDVSA became the wholly government-owned holding entity, encompassing 26 subsidiaries and affiliates. Other energy segments, particularly coal and petrochemicals, were not included in the law and since 1984 several associations with non-governmental entities have been established in Venezuela and very valuable experience has been garnered. Similarly, partnerships and acquisitions have been made in Europe and USA, mostly in refining, through PDVSA. The international petroleum industry foresees a modest, but steady increase in production during the coming decade, particularly in the second half of the nineties. This effect, added to the globalization concept, is making the traditional vertically integrated oil companies look for diverse [open quotes]lateral[close quotes] associations between groups, private and/or state owned with common interests, that will give greater security to sources of supply and market share.« less

  3. [Control, elimination and eradication of viral immuno preventable diseases in Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Valero, Nereida; Maldonado, Mery

    2005-09-01

    Vaccination has demonstrated the capacity for the drastic decrease of the prevalence and incidence of several diseases of viral etiology and it has allowed their eradication. Among these human immuno preventable diseases are included poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, chicken pox, rubella, hepatitis A and B, influenza A and yellow fever. In residents, travelers to endemic areas and personal at risk, the vaccines to Japanese and equine encephalitis, rabies and adenovirus can be applied. Venezuela has not escaped from the positive impact in the epidemiology of these illnesses as a consequence of the organization and implementation of big national vaccination campaigns; however, and in spite of these efforts, important outbreaks of measles, yellow fever, chicken pox and hepatitis have occurred in the last few years. The tools to eliminate the majority of these viral diseases exist in Venezuela as well as in other countries, and are readily available, effective and relatively not expensive, but require on the whole of an effort of authorities and communities. The implementation of these strategies should have the support of the World Health Organization and the Panamerican Health Organization. This is a priority for the next few years if our aim is the eradication of these illnesses from Venezuela, the continent and the world.

  4. Educational Reform in Colombia and Venezuela: An Organizational Analysis: Occasional Papers in Education and Development Number 4.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanson, Mark

    This paper examines (1) attempts at educational reform in Venezuela and Colombia by means of decentralization, and (2) the impact of decentralization on two contrasting educational systems. In Venezuela, the national school system was highly centralized with even routine decisions being made in Caracas, which resulted in a rigid, unresponsive…

  5. A modern regional geological analysis of Venezuela - lessons from a major new world oil province on exploration in mature areas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Daly, M.; Audemard, F.; Valdes, G.

    1993-09-01

    Venezuela has produced some 44 billion bbl of oil since the early part of the century. As such, it represents one of the world's major oil producers and a mature petroleum province. However, major tracts of Venezuela's sedimentary basins remain underexplored and large discoveries are still being made in new and old reservoir systems. A regional geological analysis of Venezuela, focusing on basin evolution and sequence stratigraphy and incorporating data from the three national oil companies, is presented. The analysis presents a regionally consistent tectonostratigraphic model capable of explaining the evolution of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic basins of Venezuela andmore » placing the major reservoir facies in their regional tectonic and sequence stratigraphic context. Four regional cross sections describe the stratigraphic and structural model. The model recognizes a Jurassic rifting event and inversion, succeeded by an Early Cretaceous passive margin. In western Venezuela, the Early Cretaceous passive subsidence is enhanced locally by extension related to the Colombian active margin. Venezuela experienced a major change in the Campanian with the initial collision of the Caribbean arc, recorded by foreland structuring and widespread stratigraphic changes. From the Campanian onward, the tectonostratigraphic evolution can be modeled in terms of a progressive southeast-directed arc-continent collision and the migration of the associated foredeep and rift basins. Within the tectonic framework, the major sequence stratigraphic units are identified and the reservoir distribution interpreted. This model provides a strong predictive tool to extrapolate reservoir systems into Venezuela's underexplored areas and to readdress its traditional areas.« less

  6. Four new species of Andean Pilea (Urticaceae), with additional notes on the genus in Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Dorr, Laurence J.; Stergios, Basil

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Four new species of Pilea (Urticaceae) from the Andes of Venezuela are described and illustrated: Pilea matthewii sp. nov., Pilea miguelii sp. nov., Pilea nicholasii sp. nov., and Pilea nidiae sp. nov. The affinities of these species and their positions within the informal classifications of Pilea proposed by Weddell and Killip are discussed. Notes on other species of Pilea found in Venezuela also are presented. PMID:25383012

  7. Aluminum potassium sulfate and tannic acid (ALTA) injection as the mainstay of treatment for internal hemorrhoids.

    PubMed

    Hachiro, Yoshikazu; Kunimoto, Masao; Abe, Tatsuya; Kitada, Masahiro; Ebisawa, Yoshiaki

    2011-06-01

    Aluminum potassium sulfate and tannic acid (ALTA) induce noninvasive sclerosis and the involution of hemorrhoids by initiating an inflammatory reaction. We assessed the mid-term outcome after ALTA sclerotherapy for symptomatic hemorrhoids. Between May 2006 and July 2009, 1210 patients with grade III or IV hemorrhoids underwent surgery at Kunimoto Hospital. Our treatment strategy for internal hemorrhoids is first establishing whether ALTA therapy is possible for the type of hemorrhoid, and then performing either ALTA therapy or alternatively, ligation and excision (LE) for those types unsuitable for ALTA therapy. A total of 448 patients were treated with ALTA therapy alone (Group A), 706 patients were treated with a combination of ALTA and LE therapy (Group B), and 56 patients were treated with LE alone (Group C). The overall recurrence rates were 3.6% (16/448) and 0.3% (2/706) in Groups A and B, respectively. There was no recurrence in Group C. Rectal ulcers developed at the injection site in four (0.9%) patients from Group A, but they healed within a few months with conservative therapy. ALTA sclerotherapy is a simple and safe treatment for symptomatic hemorrhoids, with few complications.

  8. Hyperreactive malarial splenomegaly in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Torres, J; Noya, O; Mondolfi, A; Peceño, C; Botto, C

    1988-07-01

    A cross-sectional seroepidemiological survey seeking hyperreactive malarial splenomegaly was carried out in isolated Yanomami hamlets in Amazonas Territory in Venezuela. All 110 inhabitants greater than 1 year of age were evaluated clinically and 98 were studied immunologically. The spleen index for individuals greater than 10 years of age was 44%. Only 3 patients had Plasmodium spp. on thick blood smears. All had serological evidence of infection with Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax. Twenty-three patients were considered to show hyperreactive malarial splenomegaly. Clinical manifestations of the syndrome did not differ from those described in other parts of the world.

  9. A new species of Hemerobiella Kimmins (Neuroptera, Hemerobiidae) from Venezuela with notes on the genus.

    PubMed

    Sosa, Francisco; Lara, Rogéria I R; Martins, Caleb C

    2015-10-09

    Hemerobiella periotoi Sosa & Lara sp. nov. is described from Venezuela. The new species was collected at the edges of a mature cloud forest in Lara state. This is the third species known in Hemerobiella Kimmins, and the second recorded from Venezuela. Additionally, new Venezuelan records and illustrations of H. oswaldi Monserrat, as well as, a key to Hemerobiella species are provided.

  10. The Educational System of Venezuela. Education around the World.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nemeth, Edward J.

    History, structure, legal bases, and planned reforms of the educational system of Venezuela are discussed. The conflicting roles of church and state in administering education have been reconciled within the past two decades, with resultant increases in enrollment and government financing. Curriculum regulation, coordination, and supervision are…

  11. End-stage renal disease and its treatment in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Bellorin-Font, Ezequiel; Milanés, Carmen Luisa; Rodríguez-Iturbe, Bernardo

    2002-09-01

    In Venezuela there are 3234 new cases (132 per million population [pmp]) requiring renal replacement therapy each year, and only 40% of these are admitted to the different modalities of dialysis. In the year 2000, there were 195 patients pmp in chronic hemodialysis (4700 patients). Diabetes, glomerular diseases, and hypertension account for more than 60% of the patients in chronic dialysis. Gross mortality in hemodialysis is around 20%, and cardiovascular causes are the primary cause of death (39.5%). Hospital admission in the dialysis patients amounts to 4.6 days/patient/year. Rehabilitation is inadequate. Only 45% of the dialysis patients report normal home or work activities. Transplantation in Venezuela has a general graft survival rate of 83% at 1 year (90% for living related grafts) and 50% (64% for living related grafts) at 10 years. Future tendencies include emphasis in preventive strategies, including early detection and treatment of diabetes and hypertension, as well as efforts to increase the rate of renal transplantation.

  12. Advantages of isofocal printing in maskmaking with the ALTA 3500

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fuller, Scott E.; Pochkowski, Mike

    1999-04-01

    The ALTA 3500, an advanced scanned-laser mask lithography tool produced by Etec, was introduced to the marketplace in 1997. The system architecture was described and an initial performance evaluation was presented. This system, based on the ALTA 3000 system, uses a new 33.3X, 0.8 NA final reduction lens to reduce the spot size to 0.27 micrometers FWHM, thereby affording improved resolution and pattern acuity on the mask. An anisotropic chrome etch process was developed and introduced along with a TOK iP3600 resist to take advantage of the improved resolution. In this paper we will more extensively describe the performance of the ALTA 3500 scanned laser system and the performance of these new processes. In addition, an investigation of the benefits of operating in the optimal isofocal print region is examined and compared to printing at the nominal process conditions.

  13. An Innovative Project in Educational Technology: The Panama-Venezuela Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rojas, Alicia Mabel

    1980-01-01

    Describes a project which is being implemented in the field of educational technology in Panama and Venezuela. The project emphasizes inservice training of a cadre of professionals who will direct efforts to identify and resolve significant problems in education. (Author/CHC)

  14. ENSO-driven climate variability promotes periodic major outbreaks of dengue in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Vincenti-Gonzalez, M F; Tami, A; Lizarazo, E F; Grillet, M E

    2018-04-10

    Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease of global impact. In Venezuela, dengue has emerged as one of the most important public health problems of urban areas with frequent epidemics since 2001. The long-term pattern of this disease has involved not only a general upward trend in cases but also a dramatic increase in the size and frequency of epidemic outbreaks. By assuming that climate variability has a relevant influence on these changes in time, we quantified the periodicity of dengue incidence in time-series of data from two northern regions of Venezuela. Disease cycles of 1 and 3-4 years (p < 0.05) were detected. We determined that dengue cycles corresponded with local climate and the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variation at both seasonal and inter-annual scales (every 2-3 years). Dengue incidence peaks were more prevalent during the warmer and dryer years of El Niño confirming that ENSO is a regional climatic driver of such long-term periodicity through local changes in temperature and rainfall. Our findings support the evidence of the effect of climate on dengue dynamics and advocate the incorporation of climate information in the surveillance and prediction of this arboviral disease in Venezuela.

  15. State-Led Education for Democratic Socialism: Venezuela's Education Missions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duffy, Maura

    2015-01-01

    Venezuela's "Bolivarian Revolution" is conceptualised as an anti-neoliberal project that aims to promote fundamental changes in the configuration of political power via processes of state-grassroots collaboration. Central to this process is an emphasis on the key role of education in the development of a 21st Century socialism based on…

  16. 77 FR 38823 - Notice of Availability of the Alta East Wind Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-06-29

    ..., LVRWB11B4520] Notice of Availability of the Alta East Wind Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement... California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan Amendment (PA) for the Alta East Wind Project (AEWP), and by.../en/fo/ridgecrest/alta_east_wind_project.html . Email: [email protected] . Fax: 951 697-5299. Mail...

  17. A Descriptive Chronology of Films by Women in Venezuela, 1952-92.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schwartzman, Karen

    1993-01-01

    Offers an annotated chronology of Venezuelan films, representing a first step toward a general history of women's filmmaking in Venezuela. Suggests that the participation of women directors closely follows the curve of national film production in general. (RS)

  18. Forest nurseries in Venezuela: Current efforts and future perspectives

    Treesearch

    J. A. Wright

    2002-01-01

    Current production of forest seedlings in Venezuela totals more than 100 million plants per year. There are four large nurseries that account for more than 75% of the total production with several hundred small nurseries that account for the remainder. Major species used are pines, eucalyptus, mahogany, and numerous other native tree species. Limitations in forest...

  19. 75 FR 55323 - Alta Wind Holdings, LLC; Notice of Petition for Declaratory Order

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-10

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EL10-85-000] Alta Wind Holdings, LLC; Notice of Petition for Declaratory Order September 2, 2010. Take notice that on August 31, 2010, Alta Wind Holdings, LLC filed a Petition for Declaratory Order requesting that the Federal Energy...

  20. 75 FR 76455 - Alta Wind I, LLC; Notice of Petition for Declaratory Order

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-08

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EL11-6-000] Alta Wind I, LLC; Notice of Petition for Declaratory Order December 1, 2010. Take notice that on November 19, 2010, Alta Wind I, LLC filed a Petition for Declaratory Order requesting that the Federal Energy Regulatory...

  1. Digital shaded-relief map of Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Garrity, Christopher P.; Hackley, Paul C.; Urbani, Franco

    2004-01-01

    The Digital Shaded-Relief Map of Venezuela is a composite of more than 20 tiles of 90 meter (3 arc second) pixel resolution elevation data, captured during the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) in February 2000. The SRTM, a joint project between the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), provides the most accurate and comprehensive international digital elevation dataset ever assembled. The 10-day flight mission aboard the U.S. Space Shuttle Endeavour obtained elevation data for about 80% of the world's landmass at 3-5 meter pixel resolution through the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology. SAR is desirable because it acquires data along continuous swaths, maintaining data consistency across large areas, independent of cloud cover. Swaths were captured at an altitude of 230 km, and are approximately 225 km wide with varying lengths. Rendering of the shaded-relief image required editing of the raw elevation data to remove numerous holes and anomalously high and low values inherent in the dataset. Customized ArcInfo Arc Macro Language (AML) scripts were written to interpolate areas of null values and generalize irregular elevation spikes and wells. Coastlines and major water bodies used as a clipping mask were extracted from 1:500,000-scale geologic maps of Venezuela (Bellizzia and others, 1976). The shaded-relief image was rendered with an illumination azimuth of 315? and an altitude of 65?. A vertical exaggeration of 2X was applied to the image to enhance land-surface features. Image post-processing techniques were accomplished using conventional desktop imaging software.

  2. Geographic distribution and host plants of Raoiella indica and associated mite species in northern Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Vásquez, Carlos; de Moraes, Gilberto J

    2013-05-01

    The red palm mite (RPM), Raoiella indica Hirst (Acari: Tenuipalpidae), is an invasive pest in the New World, where it is currently considered a serious threat to coconut and banana crops. It was first reported from northern Venezuela in 2007. To determine its current distribution in this country, surveys were carried out from October 2008 to April 2010 on coconut (Cocos nucifera L.), banana (Musa spp.), ornamental plants and weeds in northern Venezuela. Higher population levels of RPM were registered on commercial coconut farms in Falcón and Sucre states but also on other plant species naturally growing along the coastal line in Anzoategui, Aragua, Carabobo, Monagas and Nueva Esparta states. Out of 34 botanical species evaluated, all RPM stages were observed only on eight arecaceous, one musaceous and one streliziaceous species, indicating that the pest developed and reproduced only on these plants. Mite specimens found on weeds were considered spurious events, as immature stages of the pest were never found on these. Amblyseius largoensis (Muma) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) was the most frequent predatory mite associated with RPM in all sampling sites. The results indicate that RPM has spread to extensive areas of northern Venezuela since its initial detection in Güiria, Sucre state. Considering the report of this pest mite in northern Brazil in the late 2009, additional samplings in southern Venezuela should be carried out, to evaluate the possible presence of RPM also in that region.

  3. Distal Hemorrhoidectomy With ALTA Injection: A New Method for Hemorrhoid Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Abe, Tatsuya; Hachiro, Yoshikazu; Ebisawa, Yoshiaki; Hishiyama, Houhei; Kunimoto, Masao

    2014-01-01

    Aluminum potassium sulfate and tannic acid injection (ALTA) is a useful and less-invasive treatment for internal hemorrhoids. However, it is not a treatment option for external hemorrhoidal diseases, including mixed hemorrhoids. Distal hemorrhoidectomy with ALTA injection involves surgical resection of external piles, followed by injection therapy on internal piles. We report technical details and the short-term results of this procedure in patients with mixed hemorrhoids. Seventy-two patients with mixed hemorrhoids treated between 2010 and 2011 were included. The main outcome measures were the short-term response and complication rates. At 28 days after surgery, the disappearance rate of prolapse was 100%. Three patients (4%) had postoperative complications, all minor in nature. No prolapse recurrence was observed within a median follow-up period of 6 months. Distal hemorrhoidectomy with ALTA injection appears to be a promising treatment option for patients with mixed hemorrhoids. PMID:24833156

  4. Radioisotope Concentration in Lake Sediments of Maracaibo, Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Salas, A. Rangel; Viloria, T.; Sajo-Bohus, L.

    2007-10-26

    Maracaibo Lake is one of the most important water basing and oil producing regions in Venezuela. Changes in the local environment have been monitored for chemical pollution in the past. For this study we selected a set of sediment samples collected in the shore and analyzed for its radioisotope content. Results show the gamma emitting isotopes distribution. Isotopes concentrations have been determined within the natural K, Th and U families.

  5. Decentralization and Regionalization in the Ministry of Education: The Case of Venezuela

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanson, Mark

    1976-01-01

    This research is an effort to analyze the process of organizational change as it takes place within one segment of the public administration mechanism in Venezuela--The Ministry of Education. (Editor/RK)

  6. [Direct genetic manipulation and criminal code in Venezuela: absolute criminal law void?].

    PubMed

    Cermeño Zambrano, Fernando G De J

    2002-01-01

    The judicial regulation of genetic biotechnology applied to the human genome is of big relevance currently in Venezuela due to the drafting of an innovative bioethical law in the country's parliament. This article will highlight the constitutional normative of Venezuela's 1999 Constitution regarding this subject, as it establishes the framework from which this matter will be legally regulated. The approach this article makes towards the genetic biotechnology applied to the human genome is made taking into account the Venezuelan penal law and by highlighting the violent genetic manipulations that have criminal relevance. The genetic biotechnology applied to the human genome has another important relevance as a consequence of the reformulation of the Venezuelan Penal Code discussed by the country's National Assembly. Therefore, a concise study of the country's penal code will be made in this article to better understand what judicial-penal properties have been protected by the Venezuelan penal legislation. This last step will enable us to identify the penal tools Venezuela counts on to face direct genetic manipulations. We will equally indicate the existing punitive loophole and that should be covered by the penal legislator. In conclusion, this essay concerns criminal policy, referred to the direct genetic manipulations on the human genome that haven't been typified in Venezuelan law, thus discovering a genetic biotechnology paradise.

  7. Comet Halleys Legacy: SUNA, Astronomy from Universidad Central de Venezuela (U.C.V.)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Romero, Gabriel; Fernandez, Nelson

    2007-12-01

    The Sociedad Universitaria de Astronomia (SUNA) is a group of astronomy amateurs which works inside the Universidad Central de Venezuela (Venezuelas Central University)s campus. The initiative is originated during the path through the perihelion of Comet Halley in 1986, and since then their goals are promotion of astronomical information to all the university community. Observational works are also carried out, such as: registration and investigation of astronomical events, with the purpose to offer the opportunity to all public, mostly students o the University, to enjoy a spectacle, and at the same time to motivate the students to continue professional studies of astronomy. Being this last goal one of the most gratifying in the society.

  8. KPC and VIM producing Enterobacter cloacae strain from a hospital in northeastern Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Martínez, Dianny; Marcano, Daniel; Rodulfo, Hectorina; Salgado, Nurys; Cuaical, Nirvia; Rodriguez, Lucy; Caña, Luisa; Medina, Belkis; Guzman, Militza; De Donato, Marcos

    2015-06-01

    An 83-year-old male patient is admitted to the central hospital in Cumana, Venezuela with severe urinary infection, history of hospitalizaions and prolonged antimicrobial treatments. A strain of Enterobacter cloacae was isolated showing resistance to multiple types of antibiotics (only sensitive to gentamicin), with phenotype of serine- and metallo-carbapenemases. Both, bla(VIM-2) and bla(KPC) genes were detected in the isolate. This is the first report of an Enterobacteriaceae species producing both KPC carbapenemase and VIM metallo carbapenemase in Venezuela. This finding has a great clinical and epidemiological impact in the region, because of the feasibility of transferring these genes, through mobile elements to other strains of Enterobacter and to other infection-causing species of bacteria.

  9. Evolution of Dengue Virus Type 3 Genotype III in Venezuela: Diversification, Rates and Population Dynamics

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Dengue virus (DENV) is a member of the genus Flavivirus of the family Flaviviridae. DENV are comprised of four distinct serotypes (DENV-1 through DENV-4) and each serotype can be divided in different genotypes. Currently, there is a dramatic emergence of DENV-3 genotype III in Latin America. Nevertheless, we still have an incomplete understanding of the evolutionary forces underlying the evolution of this genotype in this region of the world. In order to gain insight into the degree of genetic variability, rates and patterns of evolution of this genotype in Venezuela and the South American region, phylogenetic analysis, based on a large number (n = 119) of envelope gene sequences from DENV-3 genotype III strains isolated in Venezuela from 2001 to 2008, were performed. Results Phylogenetic analysis revealed an in situ evolution of DENV-3 genotype III following its introduction in the Latin American region, where three different genetic clusters (A to C) can be observed among the DENV-3 genotype III strains circulating in this region. Bayesian coalescent inference analyses revealed an evolutionary rate of 8.48 × 10-4 substitutions/site/year (s/s/y) for strains of cluster A, composed entirely of strains isolated in Venezuela. Amino acid substitution at position 329 of domain III of the E protein (A→V) was found in almost all E proteins from Cluster A strains. Conclusions A significant evolutionary change between DENV-3 genotype III strains that circulated in the initial years of the introduction in the continent and strains isolated in the Latin American region in recent years was observed. The presence of DENV-3 genotype III strains belonging to different clusters was observed in Venezuela, revealing several introduction events into this country. The evolutionary rate found for Cluster A strains circulating in Venezuela is similar to the others previously established for this genotype in other regions of the world. This suggests a lack of correlation

  10. Present Status of Historical Seismicity Studies in Colombia and Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sarabia, A.; Cifuentes, H.; Altez Ortega, R.; Palme, C.; Dimate, C.

    2013-05-01

    After the publication of the SISRA (CERESIS-1985) regional project, a unified catalog of seismic parameters and intensities for South America, researchers in historical seismicity have continued advancing on different scales in the area of this study of seismic hazard. The most important initiatives carried out in this area in Colombia and Venezuela can be grouped as follows: a) Reviews of destructive earthquakes in national and international historic archives, principally by Altez and FUNVISIS in Venezuela and Espinosa, Salcedo, and Sarabia et al in Colombia, leading to the preparation of seismologic catalogues, scientific and dissemination articles, reports, books, among others. b) Organization and systematization of historic information to develop public domain data bases and information, specifically the Historic Seismologic Teleinformation System in Venezuela, carried out between 2004 and 2008 under the coordination of Christl Palme and accessible on-line: http://sismicidad.ciens.ula.ve. As well, the "Historia Sísmica de Colombia 1550-1830" (Seismic History in Colombia 1550-1830) data base, in CD-ROM, by Espinosa Baquero (2003) and the historic seismicity information system of Colombia (Servicio Geológico Colombiano-Universidad Nacional de Colombia), published on the internet in 2012: http://agata.ingeominas.gov.co:9090/SismicidadHistorica/. c) Macroseismic studies for the development of intensity attenuation equations and the quantification and revaluation of basic historic earthquake parameters using isoseismal maps (Rengifo et al., Palme et al., Salcedo et al., among others) and procedures such as Boxer and Bakun & Wentworth (Palme et al., Dimaté, among others), which have produced significant changes in the parameters of some of the large earthquakes. d) Symposiums of researchers to promote interest and development in the discipline, including Jornadas Venezolanas de Sismología Histórica (Venezuelan Congress of Historical Seismology), held

  11. Occupational medicine in a developing society: a case study of Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Guidotti, T L; Goldsmith, D F

    1980-01-01

    Recent activities of the World Health Organization and other international agencies have placed new emphasis on occupational health in developing nations. Venezuela is a nation in transition from a developing society dominated economically by petroleum and agriculture to an economically-diversified industrialized urban society. It provides a case study which illuminates the problems of extending occupational health services in developing economies and questions of public policy regarding utilization of medical resources and the priority that occupational health should hold in such a society. Occupational health has become a serious problem in the developing world as new industries and accelerating ecnomic development occur without adequate resources for worker protection. The study of cases such as that of Venezuela may provide guidance for anticipating and preventing problems in other nations. This paper should be considered a pilot study to explore a social aspect of occupational health that has not received adequate attention.

  12. Combined Rock Magnetic and Dielectric studies applied to stratigraphic and archeological problems in Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Costanzo-Alvarez, V.; Aldana, M.; Suarez, N.

    2007-05-01

    In the last few years the paleomagnetism research group, at the Universidad Simon Bolivar in Caracas (Venezuela), has undertaken combined studies of rock magnetism (e.g. natural magnetic remanence, magnetic susceptibility, hysteresis parameters etc.) and dielectric properties (maximum current depolarization temperatures and average activation energies) in Cretaceous and Paleogene sedimentary sequences from eastern and western Venezuela. Our main goal has been to find new ways of defining physical markers, in fossil- poor sedimentary rocks, for stratigraphic correlations. Magneto/dielectric characterizations of these rocks have proved also useful identifying lithological discontinuities and paleoenvironmental changes. More recently these two-fold technique have been extended to archeological materials (potsherds) from a series of Venezuelan islands, in order to track down clay sources and find out about different stages of pottery craftsmanship. Magneto/Dielectric characterization of archeological potsherds seems to allow the tracing of their provenance from various mainland prehistoric settlements of distinct Venezuelan amerindian groups. In this paper we present a comprehensive review of this research applied to a contact between two sedimentary formations in eastern Venezuela (Cretaceous Chimana/Querecual) and a number of pottery samples with diverse stylistic features excavated in a single archeological site from Los Roques islands.

  13. Review of the genus Bythonia Oman 1936 with description of a new species and new record from Venezuela (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Iassinae).

    PubMed

    Gaiani, Marco A

    2017-06-06

    Bythonia freytagi sp. nov. is diagnosed and described from northern Venezuela. Bythonia rugosa is recorded for the first time in Venezuela from the southern state of Amazonas. The presence of both species of Bythonia in Venezuela represent the first occurrences of this genus north of the Equator. Comments on the relationships of the described species are made and two species groups are proposed. A checklist and key to the known species of the genus are provided.

  14. Occurrence of methylmercury in Lake Valencia, Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jaffe, R.; Cai, Y.; West-Thomas, J.

    1997-12-31

    The presence of mercury in the environment has received renewed attention during recent years. This is in part due to the known human health and ecological effects of the highly toxic organomercury compounds, and to the fact that novel and improved analytical techniques such as atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (AFS) and capillary chromatography with AFS detection, have enhanced significantly the detection of trace amounts of mercury and organo mercurials in environmental samples. Such techniques have allowed for a better understanding of the biogeochemical cycle of mercury in the aquatic environment. This paper reports on the presence of methylmercury in the watermore » column and sediments of a hyper-eutrophic lake. Lake Valencia is a freshwater lake located in North-Central Venezuela`s Aragua Valley. The lake`s surface area covers approximately 350 km{sup 2}, with a mean depth of 19 m and a maximum depth of 41 m. Due to the discharge of waste waters from the cities of Maracay and Valencia, as well as from other smaller villages and agricultural areas in its watershed, Lake Valencia has become hyper-eutrophic. The population of phytoplankton, particularly of blue-green algae, has increased dramatically during the last two decades resulting in anoxic conditions in the lower part of the water column during most of the year. In addition, concentrations of anthropogenic chemicals, including heavy metals, have increased in the Lake during the last four decades. 15 refs., 2 figs.« less

  15. Analysis of the Linkage Effects of Venezuela’s Petroleum Sector and Political Risk Analysis of Venezuela’s Petroleum Sector.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-12-01

    34Petroleo e industrializacion," Comercio Exterior , Vol. 32, (Nov 1982), p. 1213. 52. Blutstein, p. 158. 53. Ministerio de Energia y Minas, Petroleo y...tion of Guyana), and the Empresa Nacional de Pesca (National Fishing Enterprise). As will be analyzed in the next chapter, Venezuela’s develop- ment...economia venezolana en los ultimos 35 anos, p. 273. Comercio Exterior , (Nov 1982), p. 1220. Rollins, Raw Materials Development and Economic Growth: A Study

  16. Casas Muertas and Oficina No. 1: internal migrations and malaria trends in Venezuela 1905-1945.

    PubMed

    Chaves, Luis Fernando

    2007-06-01

    To compare internal migration and temperature as factors behind the decreasing trend in malaria deaths observed in Venezuela from 1905 to 1945, linear autoregressive models are fitted to a historical dataset. The model that only incorporates internal migration is the one with the best fit. The decreasing trend in malaria deaths in Venezuela, from 1905 to 1945, is not explained by a trend in mean annual temperature, but it is associated with an increase in the proportion of population in the Capital District, during a time period when the area was the principal attractor of migrations within the country.

  17. The Production and Utilization of GDP-glucose in the Biosynthesis of Trehalose 6-Phosphate by Streptomyces venezuelae.

    PubMed

    Asención Diez, Matías D; Miah, Farzana; Stevenson, Clare E M; Lawson, David M; Iglesias, Alberto A; Bornemann, Stephen

    2017-01-20

    Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase OtsA from streptomycetes is unusual in that it uses GDP-glucose as the donor substrate rather than the more commonly used UDP-glucose. We now confirm that OtsA from Streptomyces venezuelae has such a preference for GDP-glucose and can utilize ADP-glucose to some extent too. A crystal structure of the enzyme shows that it shares twin Rossmann-like domains with the UDP-glucose-specific OtsA from Escherichia coli However, it is structurally more similar to Streptomyces hygroscopicus VldE, a GDP-valienol-dependent pseudoglycosyltransferase enzyme. Comparison of the donor binding sites reveals that the amino acids associated with the binding of diphosphoribose are almost all identical in these three enzymes. By contrast, the amino acids associated with binding guanine in VldE (Asn, Thr, and Val) are similar in S. venezuelae OtsA (Asp, Ser, and Phe, respectively) but not conserved in E. coli OtsA (His, Leu, and Asp, respectively), providing a rationale for the purine base specificity of S. venezuelae OtsA. To establish which donor is used in vivo, we generated an otsA null mutant in S. venezuelae The mutant had a cell density-dependent growth phenotype and accumulated galactose 1-phosphate, glucose 1-phosphate, and GDP-glucose when grown on galactose. To determine how the GDP-glucose is generated, we characterized three candidate GDP-glucose pyrophosphorylases. SVEN_3027 is a UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, SVEN_3972 is an unusual ITP-mannose pyrophosphorylase, and SVEN_2781 is a pyrophosphorylase that is capable of generating GDP-glucose as well as GDP-mannose. We have therefore established how S. venezuelae can make and utilize GDP-glucose in the biosynthesis of trehalose 6-phosphate. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  18. The Production and Utilization of GDP-glucose in the Biosynthesis of Trehalose 6-Phosphate by Streptomyces venezuelae*

    PubMed Central

    Asención Diez, Matías D.; Miah, Farzana; Stevenson, Clare E. M.; Lawson, David M.; Iglesias, Alberto A.; Bornemann, Stephen

    2017-01-01

    Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase OtsA from streptomycetes is unusual in that it uses GDP-glucose as the donor substrate rather than the more commonly used UDP-glucose. We now confirm that OtsA from Streptomyces venezuelae has such a preference for GDP-glucose and can utilize ADP-glucose to some extent too. A crystal structure of the enzyme shows that it shares twin Rossmann-like domains with the UDP-glucose-specific OtsA from Escherichia coli. However, it is structurally more similar to Streptomyces hygroscopicus VldE, a GDP-valienol-dependent pseudoglycosyltransferase enzyme. Comparison of the donor binding sites reveals that the amino acids associated with the binding of diphosphoribose are almost all identical in these three enzymes. By contrast, the amino acids associated with binding guanine in VldE (Asn, Thr, and Val) are similar in S. venezuelae OtsA (Asp, Ser, and Phe, respectively) but not conserved in E. coli OtsA (His, Leu, and Asp, respectively), providing a rationale for the purine base specificity of S. venezuelae OtsA. To establish which donor is used in vivo, we generated an otsA null mutant in S. venezuelae. The mutant had a cell density-dependent growth phenotype and accumulated galactose 1-phosphate, glucose 1-phosphate, and GDP-glucose when grown on galactose. To determine how the GDP-glucose is generated, we characterized three candidate GDP-glucose pyrophosphorylases. SVEN_3027 is a UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, SVEN_3972 is an unusual ITP-mannose pyrophosphorylase, and SVEN_2781 is a pyrophosphorylase that is capable of generating GDP-glucose as well as GDP-mannose. We have therefore established how S. venezuelae can make and utilize GDP-glucose in the biosynthesis of trehalose 6-phosphate. PMID:27903647

  19. The Crustal Structure and Seismicity of Eastern Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmitz, M.; Martins, A.; Sobiesiak, M.; Alvarado, L.; Vasquez, R.

    2001-12-01

    Eastern Venezuela is characterized by a moderate to high seismicity, evidenced recently by the 1997 Cariaco earthquake located on the El Pilar Fault, a right lateral strike slip fault which marks the plate boundary between the Caribbean and South-American plates in this region. Recently, the seismic activity seems to migrate towards the zone of subduction of the Lesser Antilles in the northeast, where a mb 6.0 earthquake occurred in October 2000 at 120 km of depth. Periodical changes in the seismic activity are related to the interaction of the stress fields of the strike-slip and the subduction regimes. The seismic activity decreases rapidly towards to the south with some disperse events on the northern edge of the Guayana Shield, related to the Guri fault system. The crustal models used in the region are derived from the information generated by the national seismological network since 1982 and by microseismicity studies in northeastern Venezuela, coinciding in a crustal thickness of about 35 km in depth. Results of seismic refraction measurements for the region were obtained during field campains in 1998 (ECOGUAY) for the Guayana Shield and the Cariaco sedimentary basin and in 2001 (ECCO) for the Oriental Basin. The total crustal thickness decreases from about 45 km on the northern edge of the Guayana Shield to some 36 km close to El Tigre in the center of the Oriental Basin. The average crustal velocity decreases in the same sense from 6.5 to 5.8 km/s. In the Cariaco sedimentary basin a young sedimentary cover of 1 km thickness with a seismic velocity of 2 km/s was derived. Towards the northern limit of the South-American plate, no deep seismic refraction data are available up to now. The improvement of the crustal models used in that region would constitute a step forward in the analysis of the seismic hazard. Seismic refraction studies funded by CONICIT S1-97002996 and S1-2000000685 projects and PDVSA (additional drilling and blasting), recording equipment

  20. Raptor abundance and distribution in the Llanos wetlands of Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jensen, W.J.; Gregory, M.S.; Baldassarre, G.A.; Vilella, F.J.; Bildstein, K.L.

    2005-01-01

    The Llanos of Venezuela is a 275 000-km2 freshwater wetland long recognized as an important habitat for waterbirds. However, little information exists on the raptor community of the region. We conducted raptor surveys in the Southwestern and Western Llanos during 2000-02 and detected 28 species representing 19 genera. Overall, areas of the Llanos that we sampled contained 52% of all raptor species and more than 70% of the kites, buteos, and subbuteos known to inhabit Venezuela. Regional differences in the mean number per route for four of the 14 most common species, the Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus), Black-collared Hawk (Busarellus nigricollis), American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), and Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), were significant (P < 0.0018) in relation to the wet or dry seasons. Of the 14 less common species, six were detected in only one season (wet or dry). The Southwestern and Western regions of the Llanos support a rich raptor community composed primarily of nonmigratory wetland-dependent and upland-terrestrial species. ?? 2005 The Raptor Research Foundation, Inc.

  1. Molecular Epidemiologic Source Tracking of Orally Transmitted Chagas Disease, Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Segovia, Maikell; Martínez, Clara E.; Messenger, Louisa A.; Nessi, Anaibeth; Londoño, Juan C.; Espinosa, Raul; Martínez, Cinda; Alfredo, Mijares; Bonfante-Cabarcas, Rafael; Lewis, Michael D.; de Noya, Belkisyolé A.; Miles, Michael A.; Llewellyn, Martin S.

    2013-01-01

    Oral outbreaks of Chagas disease are increasingly reported in Latin America. The transitory presence of Trypanosoma cruzi parasites within contaminated foods, and the rapid consumption of those foods, precludes precise identification of outbreak origin. We report source attribution for 2 peri-urban oral outbreaks of Chagas disease in Venezuela via high resolution microsatellite typing. PMID:23768982

  2. Geographical Distribution of Trypanosoma cruzi Genotypes in Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Carrasco, Hernán J.; Segovia, Maikell; Llewellyn, Martin S.; Morocoima, Antonio; Urdaneta-Morales, Servio; Martínez, Cinda; Martínez, Clara E.; Garcia, Carlos; Rodríguez, Marlenes; Espinosa, Raul; de Noya, Belkisyolé A.; Díaz-Bello, Zoraida; Herrera, Leidi; Fitzpatrick, Sinead; Yeo, Matthew; Miles, Michael A.; Feliciangeli, M. Dora

    2012-01-01

    Chagas disease is an endemic zoonosis native to the Americas and is caused by the kinetoplastid protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The parasite is also highly genetically diverse, with six discrete typing units (DTUs) reported TcI – TcVI. These DTUs broadly correlate with several epidemiogical, ecological and pathological features of Chagas disease. In this manuscript we report the most comprehensive evaluation to date of the genetic diversity of T. cruzi in Venezuela. The dataset includes 778 samples collected and genotyped over the last twelve years from multiple hosts and vectors, including nine wild and domestic mammalian host species, and seven species of triatomine bug, as well as from human sources. Most isolates (732) can be assigned to the TcI clade (94.1%); 24 to the TcIV group (3.1%) and 22 to TcIII (2.8%). Importantly, among the 95 isolates genotyped from human disease cases, 79% belonged to TcI - a DTU common in the Americas, however, 21% belonged to TcIV- a little known genotype previously thought to be rare in humans. Furthermore, were able to assign multiple oral Chagas diseases cases to TcI in the area around the capital, Caracas. We discuss our findings in the context of T. cruzi DTU distributions elsewhere in the Americas, and evaluate the impact they have on the future of Chagas disease control in Venezuela. PMID:22745843

  3. Geographical distribution of Trypanosoma cruzi genotypes in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Carrasco, Hernán J; Segovia, Maikell; Llewellyn, Martin S; Morocoima, Antonio; Urdaneta-Morales, Servio; Martínez, Cinda; Martínez, Clara E; Garcia, Carlos; Rodríguez, Marlenes; Espinosa, Raul; de Noya, Belkisyolé A; Díaz-Bello, Zoraida; Herrera, Leidi; Fitzpatrick, Sinead; Yeo, Matthew; Miles, Michael A; Feliciangeli, M Dora

    2012-01-01

    Chagas disease is an endemic zoonosis native to the Americas and is caused by the kinetoplastid protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The parasite is also highly genetically diverse, with six discrete typing units (DTUs) reported TcI - TcVI. These DTUs broadly correlate with several epidemiogical, ecological and pathological features of Chagas disease. In this manuscript we report the most comprehensive evaluation to date of the genetic diversity of T. cruzi in Venezuela. The dataset includes 778 samples collected and genotyped over the last twelve years from multiple hosts and vectors, including nine wild and domestic mammalian host species, and seven species of triatomine bug, as well as from human sources. Most isolates (732) can be assigned to the TcI clade (94.1%); 24 to the TcIV group (3.1%) and 22 to TcIII (2.8%). Importantly, among the 95 isolates genotyped from human disease cases, 79% belonged to TcI - a DTU common in the Americas, however, 21% belonged to TcIV- a little known genotype previously thought to be rare in humans. Furthermore, were able to assign multiple oral Chagas diseases cases to TcI in the area around the capital, Caracas. We discuss our findings in the context of T. cruzi DTU distributions elsewhere in the Americas, and evaluate the impact they have on the future of Chagas disease control in Venezuela.

  4. Resurrection Symphony: "El Sistema" as Ideology in Venezuela and Los Angeles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fink, Robert

    2016-01-01

    The explosive growth of Venezuela's "El Sistema" is rewriting the agenda of musical education in the West. Many commentators from the world of classical music react to the spectacle of dedicated young colonial musicians playing European masterworks as a kind of "miracle," accepting "Sistema" founder José Antonio…

  5. Distribution, status, and traditional significance of the West Indian manatee Trichechus manatus in Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    O'Shea, Thomas J.; Correa-Viana, Martín; Ludlow, Mark E.; Robinson, John G.

    1988-01-01

    Aerial and interview surveys were conducted in 1986 to determine the current distribution, status, and traditional significance of the West Indian manatee Trichechus manatus in Venezuela. Aerial surveys provided just eight tentative sightings in 73 hours of searching. These discouraging results may have been due to poor visibility, small populations, and perhaps reduced dry season manatee activity. Results of interview surveys, however, permitted a number of important generalizations. A remnant manatee population exists in Lake Maracaibo, but none occur along the more than 1500 km of Caribbean coastline. Abundance is greatest in eastern Venezuela bordering the Golfo de Paria, in the Orinoco Delta, and in the middle Orinoco and tributaries. Local market hunting in the middle of this century probably greatly reduced manatee populations in these areas. Recent protection laws, education efforts, and manatee scarcity have resulted in a declining interest in manatee hunting. Much excellent manatee habitat persists in these regions, and a continued decline in hunting could result in an optimistic outlook for future manatee populations if the incidental take in net fisheries is controlled. Traditional beliefs and legends concerning manatees in Venezuela, including hunting taboos, show that these animals remain a colorful part of the folk culture. However, manatee protection does not pose economic hardships or infringe upon traditional spiritual beliefs.

  6. Receiver Functions Imaging of the Moho and LAB in the Southern Caribbean plate boundary and Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masy, J.; Levander, A.; Niu, F.

    2011-12-01

    We have made teleseismic Ps and Sp receiver functions from data recorded from 2003 to 2009 by the permanent national seismic network of Venezuela, the BOLIVAR (Broadband Onshore-offshore Lithospheric Investigation of Venezuela and the Antilles arc Region) and WAVE (Western Array for Venezuela) experiments. The receiver functions show rapid variations in Moho and lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) depths both across and along the southern Caribbean plate boundary region. We used a total of 69 events with Mw > 6 occurring at epicentral distances from 30° to 90° for the Ps receiver functions, and 43 events with Mw > 5.7 from 55° to 85° to make Sp receiver functions. For CCP stacking we constructed a 3D velocity model from numerous active source profiles (Schmitz et al., 2001; Bezada et al., 2007; Clark et al., 2008; Guedez, 2008; Magnani et al., 2009), from finite-frequency P wave upper mantle tomography model of Bezada et al., (2010) and the Rayleigh wave tomography model of Miller et al., (2009). The Moho ranges in depth from ~25 km beneath the Caribbean Large Igneous Provinces to ~55 km beneath the Mérida Andes in western Venezuela. These results are consistent with previous receiver functions studies (Niu et al., 2007) and the available active source profiles. Beneath the Maracaibo Block in northwestern Venezuela, we observe a strong positive signal at 40 to 60 km depth dipping ~6° towards the continent. We interpret this as the Moho of the Caribbean slab subducting beneath northernmost South America from the west. Beneath northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela the top of this slab has been previously inferred from intermediate depth seismicity (Malavé and Suarez, 1995), which indicates a slab dipping between 20° - 30° beneath Lake Maracaibo. Our results could indicate that the slab is tearing beneath Lake Maracaibo as suggested previously by Masy et al. (2011). The deeper (> 100 km depth) part of the slab has been imaged using P

  7. Biomechanical Assessment of Patellar Advancement Procedures for Patella Alta.

    PubMed

    Seidl, Adam; Baldini, Todd; Krughoff, Kevin; Shapiro, Joshua A; Lindeque, Bennie; Rhodes, Jason; Carollo, James

    2016-05-01

    Crouch gait deformity is common in children with cerebral palsy and often is associated with patella alta. Patellar tendon advancement typically is used to correct patella alta and restore normal knee mechanics. The purpose of this study was to determine the mechanical strength of surgical constructs used for fixation during patellar advancement procedures. This study used a cadaveric model to determine which of 3 surgical techniques is biomechanically optimal for patellar tendon advancement in treating patella alta. Twenty-four human cadaveric knees (8 per group) were prepared using 1 of 3 different common surgical techniques: tibial tubercle osteotomy, patellar tendon partial resection and repair at the distal patella, and patellar tendon imbrication. The patella was loaded from 25 to 250 N at 1 Hz for 1000 cycles. A significant difference in patella displacement under cyclical loading was found between surgical techniques. Tibial tubercle osteotomy exhibited significantly less displacement under cyclical loading than distal patella excision and repair (P<.0001) or imbrication (P=.0088). Imbrication exhibited significantly less displacement than distal patella excision and repair (P=.0006). Tibial tubercle osteotomy survived longest. Based on failure criteria of 5 mm of displacement, tibial tubercle osteotomy lasted between 250 and 500 cycles. The other 2 techniques failed by 25 cycles. This study offers quantitative evidence regarding the relative mechanical strength of each construct and may influence choice of surgical technique. [Orthopedics. 2016; 39(3):e492-e497.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

  8. Modelo Crosscultural de Pasantias para Lideres de la Educacion: Cooperacion entre Estados Unidos y Venezuela (Designing an Effective School Administrator Internship Program: United States and Venezuela Cooperation).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Serafin, Ana Gil; Thompson, Eugene W.

    A model was developed of an internship program designed to give valuable cross-cultural experience to school administrators in training at universities in the United States and Venezuela. A naturalistic approach was used to develop the model. Leading school administrators and educational leadership theorists in both countries were interviewed by…

  9. Preliminary assessment of a Cretaceous-Paleogene Atlantic passive margin, Serrania del Interior and Central Ranges, Venezuela/Trinidad

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pindell, J.L.; Drake, C.L.; Pitman, W.C.

    1991-03-01

    For several decades, Cretaceous arc collision was assumed along northern Venezuela based on isotopic ages of metamorphic minerals. From subsidence histories in Venezuelan/Trinidadian basins, however, it is now clear that the Cretaceous metamorphic rocks were emplaced southeastward as allochthons above an autochthonous suite of rocks in the Cenozoic, and that the pre-Cenozoic autochthonous rocks represent a Mesozoic passive margin. The passive margin rocks have been metamorphosed separately during overthrusting by the allochthons in central Venezuela, but they are uplifted but not significantly metamorphosed in Eastern Venezuela and Trinidad. There, in the Serrania del Interior and Central Ranges of Venezuela/Trinidad, Mesozoic-Paleogenemore » passive margin sequences were uplifted in Neogene time, when the Caribbean Plate arrived from the west and transpressionally inverted the passive margin. Thus, this portion of South America's Atlantic margin subsided thermally without tectonism from Jurassic to Eocene time, and these sections comprise the only Mesozoic-Cenozoic truly passive Atlantic margin in the Western Hemisphere that is now exposed for direct study. Direct assessments of sedimentological, depositional and faunal features indicative of, and changes in, water depth for Cretaceous and Paleogene time may be made here relative to a thermally subsiding passive margin without the complications of tectonism. Work is underway, and preliminary assessments presented here suggest that sea level changes of Cretaceous-Paleogene time are not as pronounced as the frequent large and rapid sea level falls and rises that are promoted by some.« less

  10. Education, Democracy and Social Change: Venezuela's Education Missions in Theory and Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duffy, Maura

    2015-01-01

    The "Bolivarian Revolution" in Venezuela is conceptualised as a pedagogical project that aims to develop "twenty-first century Socialism" through state-grassroots collaboration in the reorganisation of political space in order to develop participatory, democratic institutions and processes. The cornerstones of this project to…

  11. Molecular characterization of hepatitis E virus in patients with acute hepatitis in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    García, Cristina Gutiérrez; Sánchez, Doneyla; Villalba, Maria Caridad Montalvo; Pujol, Flor Helene; de Los Ángeles Rodríguez Lay, Licel; Pinto, Belquis; Chacón, Elsa Patricia; Guzmán, Maria Guadalupe

    2012-07-01

    Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes a common infection in developing countries. HEV infection occurs as outbreaks, as sporadic clinical cases and as large epidemics in endemic areas. The objective of this study was to determine the presence of HEV infection in patients with clinical suspicion of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection, referred to the Instituto Nacional de Higiene "Rafael Rangel" in Venezuela. Seventy-four sera were tested for anti-HAV and anti-HEV IgM antibodies. HEV-RNA was amplified from anti-HEV IgM positive sera using nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for ORF1 (RNA dependent RNA polymerase region) and the amplicons sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. The frequency of anti-HEV IgM was 22/74 (30%) in the samples tested. Dual infection with HAV and HEV was found in 31% (12/39) of anti-HAV IgM positive patients. Viremia was detected in 3/22 (14%) of sera positive for anti-HEV IgM. Two HEV strains were classified as genotype 1 and one as genotype 3, which were closely related to Yam 67 (north of India) and US1 isolates from the USA, respectively. These findings suggest that HEV is an important cause of acute viral hepatitis in Venezuela as a single infection or co-infection with HAV, with high morbidity in children and young adults suggesting that this infection is endemic in Venezuela. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. [Ichthyofauna associated to a shallow reef in Morrocoy National Park, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    López-Ordaz, A; Rodríguez-Quintal, J G

    2010-10-01

    Ichthyofauna associated to a shallow reef in Morrocoy National Park, Venezuela. Morrocoy National Park is one of the most studied coastal marine environments in Venezuela; however, efforts have been concentrated in south zone. In this study we select a shallow reef located in the north zone, characterized the benthic community and the structure of the fish community was studied using visual censuses. The benthic community was dominated by dead coral covered by algae (31%) and the live coral coverage was 12%. A total of 65 fish species belonging to 24 families were recorded, being Pomacentridae (43%), Scaridae (19%) and Haemulidae (15%) the most abundant families. Significant differences in the fish species abundances were found along the depth gradient, which could be related to the habitat characteristics, nevertheless herbivorous species dominance was evident at all depth strata. There seems to be a trend towards greater richness and density in the south zone reefs, and these differences may be related to the presence of extensive seagrass meadows and mangrove forests in that area or to differences in the recruitment patterns.

  13. Determination of reference values and frequency of occurrence of patella alta in German shepherd dogs: a retrospective study.

    PubMed

    Łojszczyk-Szczepaniak, Anna; Silmanowicz, Piotr; Komsta, Renata; Osiński, Zbigniew

    2017-05-31

    Patella alta and patella baja are important conditions underlying a predisposition to many joint diseases, including patellar luxation and patellar chondromalacia of the articular cartilage. The frequencies of patella alta and patella baja have not yet been determined. The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency of patella alta and to determine reference values to the position of the vertical patella according to two modified techniques of the Insall-Salvati method in a group of 65 German shepherd dogs (115 stifle joints). The upper limits of reference values for the normal vertical position of the patella were 1.79 and 2.13, depending on the method of measurement. A high prevalence of patella alta was observed in the group of German shepherd dogs. A correlation was demonstrated between the classification of dogs' joints in the patella alta group and the multiplied risk of canine hip dysplasia (CHD) through the estimation of odds ratios. Dogs with patella alta were healthy dogs that did not exhibit orthopaedic problems in the stifle joints. The results revealed that the risk of CHD is twice as high in dogs with higher patellar ligament length to patella length ratio.

  14. Development of Next Generation Synthetic Biology Tools for Use in Streptomyces venezuelae

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Phelan, Ryan M.; Sachs, Daniel; Petkiewicz, Shayne J.

    Streptomyces have a rich history as producers of important natural products and this genus of bacteria has recently garnered attention for its potential applications in the broader context of synthetic biology. However, the dearth of genetic tools available to control and monitor protein production precludes rapid and predictable metabolic engineering that is possible in hosts such as Escherichia coli or Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In an effort to improve genetic tools for Streptomyces venezuelae, we developed a suite of standardized, orthogonal integration vectors and an improved method to monitor protein production in this host. These tools were applied to characterize heterologous promotersmore » and various attB chromosomal integration sites. A final study leveraged the characterized toolset to demonstrate its use in producing the biofuel precursor bisabolene using a chromosomally integrated expression system. In conclusion, these tools advance S. venezuelae to be a practical host for future metabolic engineering efforts.« less

  15. When populism takes over the delivery of health care: Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Daryanani, Sunil

    2017-01-01

    Adequate and modern health care is not available in Venezuela at this moment. A humanitarian crisis of post war dimensions is currently rampant and afflicting all Venezuelans alike. The delivery and availability of cancer care is severely limited and inadequate. No funding is available as populist measures, mismanagement, pillaging, corruption, lack of forethought and expertise have brought the country into severe economic collapse and political turmoil.

  16. Sentinel surveillance of influenza-like illness in two hospitals in Maracay, Venezuela: 2006-2010.

    PubMed

    Comach, Guillermo; Teneza-Mora, Nimfa; Kochel, Tadeusz J; Espino, Carlos; Sierra, Gloria; Camacho, Daria E; Laguna-Torres, V Alberto; Garcia, Josefina; Chauca, Gloria; Gamero, Maria E; Sovero, Merly; Bordones, Slave; Villalobos, Iris; Melchor, Angel; Halsey, Eric S

    2012-01-01

    Limited information exists on the epidemiology of acute febrile respiratory illnesses in tropical South American countries such as Venezuela. The objective of the present study was to examine the epidemiology of influenza-like illness (ILI) in two hospitals in Maracay, Venezuela. We performed a prospective surveillance study of persons with ILI who presented for care at two hospitals in Maracay, Venezuela, from October 2006 to December 2010. A respiratory specimen and clinical information were obtained from each participant. Viral isolation and identification with immunofluorescent antibodies and molecular methods were employed to detect respiratory viruses such as adenovirus, influenza A and B, parainfluenza, and respiratory sincytial virus, among others. There were 916 participants in the study (median age: 17 years; range: 1 month--86 years). Viruses were identified in 143 (15.6%) subjects, and one participant was found to have a co-infection with more than one virus. Influenza viruses, including pandemic H1N1 2009, were the most frequently detected pathogens, accounting for 67.4% (97/144) of the viruses detected. Adenovirus (15/144), parainfluenza virus (13/144), and respiratory syncytial virus (11/144) were also important causes of ILI in this study. Pandemic H1N1 2009 virus became the most commonly isolated influenza virus during its initial appearance in 2009. Two waves of the pandemic were observed: the first which peaked in August 2009 and the second--higher than the preceding - that peaked in October 2009. In 2010, influenza A/H3N2 re-emerged as the most predominant respiratory virus detected. Influenza viruses were the most commonly detected viral organisms among patients with acute febrile respiratory illnesses presenting at two hospitals in Maracay, Venezuela. Pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza virus did not completely replace other circulating influenza viruses during its initial appearance in 2009. Seasonal influenza A/H3N2 was the most common influenza

  17. Introduction of the gross motor function classification system in Venezuela--a model for knowledge dissemination.

    PubMed

    Löwing, Kristina; Arredondo, Ynes C; Tedroff, Marika; Tedroff, Kristina

    2015-09-04

    A current worldwide common goal is to optimize the health and well-being of children with cerebral palsy (CP). In order to reach that goal, for this heterogeneous group, a common language and classification systems are required to predict development and offer evidence based interventions. In most countries in Africa, South America, Asia and Eastern Europe the classification systems for CP are unfamiliar and rarely used. Education and implementation are required. The specific aims of this study were to examine a model in order to introduce the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS-E&R) in Venezuela, and to examine the validity and the reliability. Children with CP, registered at a National child rehabilitation centre in Venezuela, were invited to participate. The Spanish version of GMFCS-E&R was used. The Wilson mobility scale was translated and used to examine the concurrent validity. A structured questionnaire, comprising aspects of mobility and gross motor function, was constructed. In addition, each child was filmed. A paediatrician in Venezuela received supervised self-education in GMFCS-E&R and the Wilson mobility scale. A Swedish student was educated in GMFCS-E&R and the Wilson mobility scale prior to visiting Venezuela. In Venezuela, all children were classified and scored by the paediatrician and student independently. An experienced paediatric physiotherapist (PT) in Sweden made independent GMFCS-E&R classifications and Wilson mobility scale scorings, accomplished through merging data from the structured questionnaire with observations of the films. Descriptive statistics were used and reliability was presented with weighted Kappa (Kw). Spearman's correlation coefficient was calculated to explore the concurrent validity between GMFCS-E&R and Wilson mobility scale. Eighty-eight children (56 boys), mean age 10 years (3-18), with CP participated. The inter-rater reliability of GMFCS-E&R between; the paediatrician and the PT was Kw = 0.85 (95% CI

  18. Genotyping of clinical isolates of Acanthamoeba genus in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Wagner, Carolina; Reyes-Batlle, María; Ysea, María Alejandra Vethencourt; Pérez, Mónica V Galindo; de Rondón, Carmen Guzmán; Paduani, Anaibeth J Nessi; Pérez, Angelyseb Dorta; López-Arencibia, Atteneri; Sifaoui, Ines; de Galindo, María Virginia Pérez; de Suárez, Eva Pérez; Martínez-Carretero, Enrique; Valladares, Basilio; Piñero, José E; Lorenzo-Morales, Jacob

    2016-12-01

    Free-living amoebae of Acanthamoeba genus are opportunistic pathogens distributed worldwide. Strains included in this genus are causative agents of a fatal encephalitis and a sight-threating keratitis in humans and other animals. In this study, 550 clinical samples which were collected between 1984 and 2014 from different patients with suspected infections due to Acanthamoeba were initially screened for the presence of this amoebic genus at the Laboratorio de Amibiasis-Escuela de Bioanálisis at the Universidad Central de Venezuela. Samples were cultured in 2% Non-Nutrient agar plates seeded with a layer of heat killed Escherichia coli. From the 550 clinical samples included in this study, 18 of them were positive for Acanthamoeba genus after culture identification. Moreover, positive samples were confirmed after amplification of the Diagnostic Fragment 3 (DF3) of the Acanthamoeba18S rDNA genus and sequencing was carried out in order to genotype the isolated strains of Acanthamoeba. Furthermore, the pathogenic potential of the strains was checked by performing thermotolerance and osmotolerance assays. Sequencing of the DF3 region resulted in the identification of genotype T4 in all the isolated strains. Moreover, most isolates were thermotolerant or both thermotolerant and osmotolerant and thus were classified as potentially pathogenic strains. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the molecular characterization at the genotype level of Acanthamoeba strains in Venezuela.

  19. A case-control study of gastric cancer in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Muñoz, N; Plummer, M; Vivas, J; Moreno, V; De Sanjosé, S; Lopez, G; Oliver, W

    2001-08-01

    A case-control study to evaluate risk factors for gastric cancer was carried out among 292 cases of gastric cancer and 485 controls in a high-risk area of Venezuela. Subjects were interviewed using a structured questionnaire, which elicited information on residential history, socio-economic status, family history of gastric diseases, smoking, drinking and dietary habits. Habitual diet was estimated from a meal-structured food frequency questionnaire on 75 food items. There was a strong inverse association with social class, as measured by education and by indicators of poverty. The results of the dietary analysis suggest that a diet high in starch and low in meat, fish and fresh vegetables increases risk of gastric cancer. A protective effect was observed for frequent consumption of allium vegetables. Inverse associations were found with height, which may reflect nutritional status in childhood, and with refrigerator use in the first two decades of life. Alcohol and tobacco consumption was investigated among males only, since the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use was very low in females. Alcohol drinkers were at higher risk than non-drinkers and there was a small excess risk for current smokers compared with never smokers. There was some evidence of familial aggregation of gastric cancer. These findings will have important implications in planning preventive strategies for gastric cancer in Venezuela. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  20. Counter-Hegemonic Regionalism and Higher Education for All: Venezuela and the ALBA

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Muhr, Thomas

    2010-01-01

    This paper employs new regionalism theory and regulatory regionalism theory in its analysis and theorisation of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) as a counter-hegemonic Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) regionalism. As (initially) the regionalisation of Venezuela's Bolivarian Revolution, ALBA is centred around the idea…

  1. When populism takes over the delivery of health care: Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Daryanani, Sunil

    2017-01-01

    Adequate and modern health care is not available in Venezuela at this moment. A humanitarian crisis of post war dimensions is currently rampant and afflicting all Venezuelans alike. The delivery and availability of cancer care is severely limited and inadequate. No funding is available as populist measures, mismanagement, pillaging, corruption, lack of forethought and expertise have brought the country into severe economic collapse and political turmoil. PMID:29225695

  2. PCR deduction of invasive and colonizing pneumococcal serotypes from Venezuela: a critical appraisal.

    PubMed

    Bello Gonzalez, Teresita; Rivera-Olivero, Ismar Alejandra; Sisco, María Carolina; Spadola, Enza; Hermans, Peter W; de Waard, Jacobus H

    2014-04-15

    Serotype surveillance of Streptococcus pneumoniae is indispensable for evaluating the potential impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Serotyping by the standard Quellung reaction is technically demanding, time consuming, and expensive. A simple and economical strategy is multiplex PCR-based serotyping. We evaluated the cost effectiveness of a modified serial multiplex PCR (mPCR), resolving 24 serotypes in four PCR reactions and optimally targeting the most prevalent invasive and colonizing pneumococcal serotypes found in Venezuela. A total of 223 pneumococcal isolates, 140 invasive and 83 carriage isolates, previously serotyped by the Quellung reaction and representing the 18 most common serotypes/groups identified in Venezuela, were serotyped with the adapted mPCR. The mPCR serotyped 76% of all the strains in the first two PCR reactions and 91% after four reactions, correctly identifying 17 serotypes/groups. An isolate could be serotyped with mPCR in less than 2 minutes versus 15 minutes for the Quellung reaction, considerably lowering labor costs. A restrictive weakness of mPCR was found for the detection of 19F strains. Most Venezuelan 19F strains were not typeable using the mPCR, and two 19F cps serotype variants were identified. The mPCR assay is an accurate, rapid, and economical method for the identification of the vast majority of the serotypes from Venezuela and can be used in place of the standard Quellung reaction. An exception is the identification of serotype 19F. In this setting, most 19F strains were not detectable with mPCR, demonstrating a need of serology-based quality control for PCR-based serotyping.

  3. Quadriceps Weakness, Patella Alta and Structural Features of Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis: The Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study

    PubMed Central

    Stefanik, Joshua J.; Guermazi, Ali; Zhu, Yanyan; Zumwalt, Ann C.; Gross, K. Douglas; Clancy, Margaret; Lynch, John A.; Segal, Neil A.; Lewis, Cora E.; Roemer, Frank W.; Powers, Christopher M.; Felson, David T.

    2011-01-01

    Objective To determine the relationship between quadriceps weakness and cartilage damage and bone marrow lesions (BMLs) in the patellofemoral joint (PFJ), and if this relationship is modified by patella alta. Methods The Multicenter Osteoarthritis (MOST) Study is a cohort study of persons aged 50–79 years with or at risk for knee OA. Concentric knee extensor strength was measured using an isokinetic dynamometer. Patella alta was measured using the Insall-Salvati ratio (ISR) on the lateral radiograph, and cartilage damage and bone marrow lesions (BMLs) were graded on MRI in the PFJ. We determined the association between quadriceps weakness with cartilage damage and BMLs in the PFJ among those knees with (ISR≥1.2) and without patella alta (ISR<1.2) using multiple binomial regression. Results 807 knees were studied (mean age 62 years, BMI 30, ISR 1.10), 64% from female subjects. Compared with knees in the highest strength tertile, those in the lowest had 10.2% {95% Confidence Interval (CI) 3–18}, 9.1% (95% CI 2–16), and 7.1% (95% CI 1–13) higher prevalence of lateral PFJ cartilage damage, medial PFJ cartilage damage, and lateral PFJ BMLs, respectively. The association between quadriceps weakness with cartilage damage and BMLs was not different between knees with and with out patella alta in the lateral PFJ. Conclusion Quadriceps weakness was associated with PFJ cartilage damage and BMLs. While both patella alta and quadriceps weakness are associated with PFJ damage, the combination of the two was not associated with more damage than either of these factors alone. PMID:21702087

  4. Guidelines For Implementation of Industrial Programs For Proposed Community Colleges in Venezuela.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sada, Pablo Maria

    The purpose of this study was to examine selected industrial education departments and programs of the community colleges in the United States, and to draw some beneficial implications for the establishment of the proposed community colleges in Venezuela. The procedure involved a review of the literature, the construction of a questionnaire, and…

  5. Ethics, Risk, and Media Intervention: Women's Breast Cancer in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Eid, Mahmoud; Nahon-Serfaty, Isaac

    2015-07-01

    Breast cancer incidence and mortality rates are of concern among Latin American women, mainly due to the growing prevalence of this disease and the lack of compliance to proper breast cancer screening and treatment. Focusing on Venezuelan women and the challenges and barriers that interact with their health communication, this paper looks into issues surrounding women's breast cancer, such as the challenges and barriers to breast cancer care, the relevant ethics and responsibilities, the right to health, breast cancer risk perception and risk communication, and the media interventions that affect Venezuelan women's perceptions and actions pertaining to this disease. In particular, it describes an action-oriented research project in Venezuela that was conducted over a four-year period of collaborative work among researchers, practitioners, NGOs, patients, journalists, and policymakers. The outcomes include positive indications on more effective interactions between physicians and patients, increasing satisfactions about issues of ethical treatment in providing healthcare services, more sufficient and responsible media coverage of breast cancer healthcare services and information, a widely supported declaration for a national response against breast cancer in Venezuela, and the creation of a code of ethics for the Venezuelan NGO that led the expansion of networking in support of women's breast cancer healthcare.

  6. Emergency Communications Network for Disasters Management in Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burguillos, C.; Deng, H.

    2018-04-01

    The integration and use of different space technology applications for disasters management, play an important role at the time of prevents the causes and mitigates the effects of the natural disasters. Nevertheless, the space technology counts with the appropriate technological resources to provide the accurate and timely information required to support in the decision making in case of disasters. Considering the aforementioned aspects, in this research is presented the design and implementation of an Emergency Communications Network for Disasters Management in Venezuela. Network based on the design of a topology that integrates the satellites platforms in orbit operation under administration of Venezuelan state, such as: the communications satellite VENESAT-1 and the remote sensing satellites VRSS-1 and VRSS-2; as well as their ground stations with the aim to implement an emergency communications network to be activated in case of disasters which affect the public and private communications infrastructures in Venezuela. In this regard, to design the network several technical and operational specifications were formulated, between them: Emergency Strategies to Maneuver the VRSS-1 and VRSS-2 satellites for optimal images capture and processing, characterization of the VENESAT-1 transponders and radiofrequencies for emergency communications services, technologies solutions formulation and communications links design for disaster management. As result, the emergency network designed allows to put in practice diverse communications technologies solutions and different scheme or media for images exchange between the areas affected for disasters and the entities involved in the disasters management tasks, providing useful data for emergency response and infrastructures recovery.

  7. Complete genome sequence of jacquemontia yellow vein virus, a novel begomovirus infecting Jacquemontia tamnifolia in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Fiallo-Olivé, Elvira; Chirinos, Dorys T; Geraud-Pouey, Francis; Navas-Castillo, Jesús

    2017-08-01

    Wild plants of the family Convolvulaceae are hosts for a few New World begomoviruses (genus Begomovirus, family Geminiviridae). In this work, we report the complete genome sequence of a new begomovirus infecting the wild convolvulaceous plant Jacquemontia tamnifolia in Venezuela. The cloned bipartite genome showed the organization of typical New World begomoviruses and was found to be phylogenetically related to those of begomoviruses from Venezuela and other Caribbean countries. Several recombination events have been shown to have occurred involving genome fragment exchange with related begomoviruses infecting crops such as tomato and cucurbits and wild plants, including Jacquemontia sp. We propose the name jacquemontia yellow vein virus (JacYVV) for this new begomovirus.

  8. Venezuela’s Potential Threat to the United States’ National Security: An Analysis of the Conflictual Inter-Country Relationship

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-03-07

    this 1982 movement, the two main political parties were Social Christian Party Comité de Organización Política Electoral Independiente (COPEI) and the...www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35766.htm; Internet; accessed 17 February 2006. 15 2 U.S. Department of State, Post Report 2003, Venezuela (Washington...news.bbc.co.uk/ 1/hi/world/americas/country_profiles/1229345.stm; Internet; accessed 11 January 2006. 5 U.S. Department of State, Post Report 2003, Venezuela

  9. The Venezuelan gas industry. Venezuela and other South American countries: Impact on imports into the U.S.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mantellini, R.

    1995-11-01

    The role of Venezuela as a supplier of natural gas and derivative products to international markets will experience significant growth in the medium to long term, in the context of expected market opportunities and the development plans envisaged regarding crude oil production. Venezuela has a very large natural gas resource base, which presently amounts to 287 trillion cubic feet (TCF) in terms of proven, probable and possible reserves. Local consumption is highly concentrated in the oil, petrochemicals, aluminum, steel and electricity generation sectors. At the current consumption level of 1.1 TCF/year, proven reserves would supply the country`s requirements for overmore » 120 years. Probable and possible reserves would more than double this figure. Certainly, this is an indication that one is dealing with a gas surplus country with significant potential for growth towards the exports markets. In this regard, Venezuela`s competitive position is further strengthened by the fact that a large portion of its reserves are associated to crude oil, which allows for low production and handling costs, and a relatively high liquid content. It is expected that the natural gas industry will grow rapidly over the coming years. A significant number of gas projects will be developed, including the expansion of existing ones and the construction of new facilities for recovery of natural gas liquids, the expansion of city methane networks replacing LPG as a domestic and industrial fuel, the construction of ethane recovery units for petrochemical uses, etc., all of which represent an additional liquids production of more than 100 {times} 10{sup 3} bbl/d that could be exported to the US and The Caribbean.« less

  10. Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, Bolivarian Socialism, and Asymmetric Warfare

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-10-01

    Francisco Rojas Aravena, “Nuevo contexto de seguridad internacional: nuevos desafios, nuevas oportunidades?” in La seguridad en America Latina pos 11...Institute, 2005; and Andres Benavente Urbina and Julio Alberto Cirino, “El populismo Chavista en Venezuela,” in La democracia defraudada, Buenos Aires... seguridad en Las Américas: Una mirada a la Conferencia Especial de Seguridad ,” Foro, Noviembre 2003, pp. 10–15. 20. Alvaro Vargas Llosa, “The

  11. Phenotypic and molecular identification of Fonsecaea pedrosoi strains isolated from chromoblastomycosis patients in Mexico and Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Carolina Rojas, O; León-Cachón, Rafael B R; Pérez-Maya, Antonio Alí; Aguirre-Garza, Marcelino; Moreno-Treviño, María G; González, Gloria M

    2015-05-01

    Chromoblastomycosis is a chronic granulomatous disease caused frequently by fungi of the Fonsecaea genus. The objective of this study was the phenotypic and molecular identification of F. pedrosoi strains isolated from chromoblastomycosis patients in Mexico and Venezuela. Ten strains were included in this study. For phenotypic identification, we used macroscopic and microscopic morphologies, carbohydrate assimilation test, urea hydrolysis, cixcloheximide tolerance, proteolitic activity and the thermotolerance test. The antifungal activity of five drugs was evaluated against the isolates. Molecular identification was performed by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) ribosomal DNA regions of the isolated strains. The physiological analysis and morphological features were variable and the precise identification was not possible. All isolates were susceptible to itraconazole, terbinafine, voriconazole and posaconazole. Amphotericin B was the least effective drug. The alignment of the 559-nucleotide ITS sequences from our strains compared with sequences of GenBank revealed high homology with F. pedrosoi (EU285266.1). In this study, all patients were from rural areas, six from Mexico and four from Venezuela. Ten isolates were identified by phenotypic and molecular analysis, using ITS sequence and demonstrated that nine isolates from Mexico and Venezuela were 100% homologous and one isolate showed a small genetic distance. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  12. The Peasantry as an Emerging Political Factor in Mexico, Bolivia, and Venezuela.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lord, Peter P.

    This study examines the potential role of the peasantry in the determination of political power in Latin America. Case studies of Mexico, Bolivia, and Venezuela illustrate that the framework of political change is of major importance because it is crucial in determining the properties of the political system to follow. The previous involvement of…

  13. A new species of Coespeletia (Asteraceae, Millerieae) from Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Diazgranados, Mauricio; Morillo, Gilberto

    2013-01-01

    A new species of Coespeletia from the páramos of Mérida (Venezuela) is described here. This species, named Coespeletia palustris, is found in a few marshy areas of the páramo. It is closely related to C. moritziana, but differs from it in a smaller number of florets in the capitula, larger ray flowers with longer ligulae and longer linguiform appendages, smaller pollen grains, larger cypselae, ebracteate scapes, leaves and inflorescences with more whitish indumentum, larger leaf sheaths, and marshy habitat.

  14. Endemic pemphigus foliaceus in Venezuela: report of two children.

    PubMed

    González, Francisco; Sáenz, Ana Maria; Cirocco, Antonietta; Tacaronte, Inés Maria; Fajardo, Javier Enrique; Calebotta, Adriana

    2006-01-01

    Two native Yanomami children from the Venezuelan Amazonia with erythroderma were hospitalized on our service. Clinical, histologic, and immunofluorescence studies diagnosed endemic pemphigus foliaceous. Human leukocyte antigen class II showed DRB1*04 subtype *0411, which has not been previously associated with this disease. However, it shares a common epitope with all the human leukocyte antigen DRB1 alleles that have been involved in this disease among Brazilian populations. Although this condition is endemic in Brazil, our patients are the first two reported in Venezuela.

  15. Sentinel Surveillance of Influenza-Like Illness in Two Hospitals in Maracay, Venezuela: 2006–2010

    PubMed Central

    Comach, Guillermo; Teneza-Mora, Nimfa; Kochel, Tadeusz J.; Espino, Carlos; Sierra, Gloria; Camacho, Daria E.; Laguna-Torres, V. Alberto; Garcia, Josefina; Chauca, Gloria; Gamero, Maria E.; Sovero, Merly; Bordones, Slave; Villalobos, Iris; Melchor, Angel; Halsey, Eric S.

    2012-01-01

    Background Limited information exists on the epidemiology of acute febrile respiratory illnesses in tropical South American countries such as Venezuela. The objective of the present study was to examine the epidemiology of influenza-like illness (ILI) in two hospitals in Maracay, Venezuela. Methodology/Principal Findings We performed a prospective surveillance study of persons with ILI who presented for care at two hospitals in Maracay, Venezuela, from October 2006 to December 2010. A respiratory specimen and clinical information were obtained from each participant. Viral isolation and identification with immunofluorescent antibodies and molecular methods were employed to detect respiratory viruses such as adenovirus, influenza A and B, parainfluenza, and respiratory sincytial virus, among others. There were 916 participants in the study (median age: 17 years; range: 1 month – 86 years). Viruses were identified in 143 (15.6%) subjects, and one participant was found to have a co-infection with more than one virus. Influenza viruses, including pandemic H1N1 2009, were the most frequently detected pathogens, accounting for 67.4% (97/144) of the viruses detected. Adenovirus (15/144), parainfluenza virus (13/144), and respiratory syncytial virus (11/144) were also important causes of ILI in this study. Pandemic H1N1 2009 virus became the most commonly isolated influenza virus during its initial appearance in 2009. Two waves of the pandemic were observed: the first which peaked in August 2009 and the second - higher than the preceding - that peaked in October 2009. In 2010, influenza A/H3N2 re-emerged as the most predominant respiratory virus detected. Conclusions/Significance Influenza viruses were the most commonly detected viral organisms among patients with acute febrile respiratory illnesses presenting at two hospitals in Maracay, Venezuela. Pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza virus did not completely replace other circulating influenza viruses during its initial

  16. 78 FR 44969 - Ferrosilicon From Russia and Venezuela; Institution of Antidumping Duty Investigations and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-25

    ... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 731-TA-1224-1225 (Preliminary)] Ferrosilicon From Russia and Venezuela; Institution of Antidumping Duty Investigations and Scheduling of Preliminary... of an industry in the United States is materially retarded, by reason of imports from Russia and...

  17. 77 FR 35669 - AltaGas Renewable Energy Colorado LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-06-14

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER12-1875-000] AltaGas Renewable Energy Colorado LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request... of AltaGas Renewable Energy Colorado LLC application for market-based rate authority, with an...

  18. An Energy Overview of Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    anon.

    2003-10-20

    The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Naturalmore » Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Venezuela. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit.« less

  19. Natural Host Relationships of Hantaviruses Native to Western Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Milazzo, Mary L.; Duno, Gloria; Utrera, Antonio; Richter, Martin H.; Duno, Freddy; de Manzione, Nuris

    2010-01-01

    Abstract Strains of Caño Delgadito virus (CADV) and Maporal virus (MAPV) were isolated from 25 (8.9%) of the 280 rodents captured on farms in 1997 in western Venezuela. The results of analyses of laboratory and zoographic data indicated that Alston's cotton rat (Sigmodon alstoni) is the principal host of CADV, horizontal virus transmission is the dominant mode of CADV transmission in Alston's cotton rat in nature, a pygmy rice rat (Oligoryzomys sp.) is the principal host of MAPV, and the natural host relationships of CADV and MAPV are highly specific. PMID:20055578

  20. The Universidad Nacional Abierta of Venezuela. A Case Study in Distance Learning Systems.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Friedman, H. Z.

    A brief description of the country of Venezuela (geography, population, economy, internal communications, and politics) and its educational system introduce a description of the Universidad Nacional Abierta (UNA). The UNA was opened in July 1978 to expand the national system of higher education by the use of distance learning techniques. These…

  1. Range extension for the common dolphin (Delphinus sp.) to the Colombian Caribbean, with taxonomic implications from genetic barcoding and phylogenetic analyses

    PubMed Central

    Chávez-Carreño, Paula Alejandra; Jiménez-Pinedo, Cristina; Palacios, Daniel M.; Caicedo, Dalila; Trujillo, Fernando; Caballero, Susana

    2017-01-01

    The nearest known population of common dolphins (Delphinus sp.) to the Colombian Caribbean occurs in a fairly restricted range in eastern Venezuela. These dolphins have not been previously reported in the Colombian Caribbean, likely because of a lack of study of the local cetacean fauna. We collected cetacean observations in waters of the Guajira Department, northern Colombia (~11°N, 73°W) during two separate efforts: (a) a seismic vessel survey (December 2009—March 2010), and (b) three coastal surveys from small boats (May—July 2012, May 2013, and May 2014). Here we document ten sightings of common dolphins collected during these surveys, which extend the known range of the species by ~1000 km into the southwestern Caribbean. We also collected nine skin biopsies in 2013 and 2014. In order to determine the taxonomic identity of the specimens, we conducted genetic barcoding and phylogenetic analyses using two mitochondrial markers, the Control Region (mtDNA) and Cytochrome b (Cytb). Results indicate that these specimens are genetically closer to the short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) even though morphologically they resemble a long-beaked form (Delphinus sp.). However, the specific taxonomic status of common dolphins in the Caribbean and in the Western Atlantic remains unresolved. It is also unclear whether the distribution of the species between northern Colombia and eastern Venezuela is continuous or disjoined, or whether they can be considered part of the same stock. PMID:28192446

  2. Range extension for the common dolphin (Delphinus sp.) to the Colombian Caribbean, with taxonomic implications from genetic barcoding and phylogenetic analyses.

    PubMed

    Farías-Curtidor, Nohelia; Barragán-Barrera, Dalia C; Chávez-Carreño, Paula Alejandra; Jiménez-Pinedo, Cristina; Palacios, Daniel M; Caicedo, Dalila; Trujillo, Fernando; Caballero, Susana

    2017-01-01

    The nearest known population of common dolphins (Delphinus sp.) to the Colombian Caribbean occurs in a fairly restricted range in eastern Venezuela. These dolphins have not been previously reported in the Colombian Caribbean, likely because of a lack of study of the local cetacean fauna. We collected cetacean observations in waters of the Guajira Department, northern Colombia (~11°N, 73°W) during two separate efforts: (a) a seismic vessel survey (December 2009-March 2010), and (b) three coastal surveys from small boats (May-July 2012, May 2013, and May 2014). Here we document ten sightings of common dolphins collected during these surveys, which extend the known range of the species by ~1000 km into the southwestern Caribbean. We also collected nine skin biopsies in 2013 and 2014. In order to determine the taxonomic identity of the specimens, we conducted genetic barcoding and phylogenetic analyses using two mitochondrial markers, the Control Region (mtDNA) and Cytochrome b (Cytb). Results indicate that these specimens are genetically closer to the short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) even though morphologically they resemble a long-beaked form (Delphinus sp.). However, the specific taxonomic status of common dolphins in the Caribbean and in the Western Atlantic remains unresolved. It is also unclear whether the distribution of the species between northern Colombia and eastern Venezuela is continuous or disjoined, or whether they can be considered part of the same stock.

  3. Wood anatomy of tribe Detarieae and comparison with tribe Caesalpinieae (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae) in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Melandri, José Luis; de Pernía, Narcisana Espinoza

    2009-01-01

    We studied the wood anatomy of 29 species belonging to 10 genera of the tribe Detarieae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae and compare them with tribe Caesalpinieae. Detarieae is the largest of four tribes of Caesalpinioideae, with 84 genera, only eleven occur in Venezuela with species of timber importance. The specimens were collected in Venezuela and include wood samples from the collection of the Laboratorio de Anatomía de Maderas de la Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Ambientales de la Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela, and of the Forest Products Laboratory of the USDA Forest Service in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. The terminology and methodology used followed the IAWA List of Microscopic Features for Hardwood Identification of the IAWA Committee, 1989. Measurements from each specimen were averaged (vessel diameters, vessel element lengths, intervessels pit size, fibre lengths and ray height). The species of Detarieae can be separated using a combination of diagnostic features. Wood characters that provide the most important diagnosis and may be used in systematics of Detarieae include: intercellular axial canals, rays heterocellular, rays exclusively or predominantly uniseriate, prismatic crystals common in ray cells, irregular storied structure and fibre wall thickness. For comparative anatomy between Detarieae and Caesalpinieae: intercellular axial canals, heterocellular rays, rays exclusively or predominantly uniseriate, prismatic crystals common in ray cells (in Detarieae) and regular storied structure, fibres septate, fibre wall thick or very thick, rays homocellular, multiseriate rays and silica bodies (in Caesalpinieae). Axial parenchyma is typically a good diagnostic feature for Leguminosae, but not for Detarieae and Caesalpinieae comparisons.

  4. Diseases and injuries associated with travel among students, employees and teachers of the Central University of Venezuela during the national summer vacations.

    PubMed

    Risquez, Alejandro; Marrero, Aiskel; Naranjo, Niurka; Palacios, Yanine; Rossomando, Maria T; Rodriguez-Morales, Alfonso J

    2010-01-01

    The objective of this study was to describe the incidence of disease and injuries associated with travel, etiology, risk factors and medical management in a cross-sectional evaluation of university students, employees and teachers of the Central University of Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela, who returned from domestic travel. A questionnaire completed by 500 individuals was used to evaluate the incidence of disease and injuries associated with travel, the etiology, risk factors and medical management in university students, employees and teachers of Caracas, Venezuela. From the total who accepted and responded to the interview (460, 92%), 50.8% were females. Almost half of them had some vaccination before travel for: measles 78%, rubella 73.6%, hepatitis B 57%, Yellow fever 53.7%. After travel, 53.9% of the individuals reported disease or injury related with travel, including insect bites (22%), which was reported most commonly. Occurrence of disease and injuries was higher for those who traveled to the jungle (OR=5.23, 95% CI 0.62-43.80), followed by those who travel to two areas (OR=1.82, 95% CI 1.06-3.13). Drinking alcohol during travel was identified in 73.8%, was significantly higher in men (p<0.01), and was associated with car accidents. Finally, 14.8% required medical attention during travel. The results indicated the importance of education and training in travel medicine, a relatively new medical discipline in Venezuela. Venezuela has a significant number of people visiting areas at risk for the acquisition of tropical and non-tropical conditions. Occasionally, travelers were without adequate preventive measures and pre-travel advice which is considered of utmost importance. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. The periodicity of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Grillet, María-Eugenia; El Souki, Mayida; Laguna, Francisco; León, José Rafael

    2014-01-01

    We investigated the periodicity of Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum incidence in time-series of malaria data (1990-2010) from three endemic regions in Venezuela. In particular, we determined whether disease epidemics were related to local climate variability and regional climate anomalies such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Malaria periodicity was found to exhibit unique features in each studied region. Significant multi-annual cycles of 2- to about 6-year periods were identified. The inter-annual variability of malaria cases was coherent with that of SSTs (ENSO), mainly at temporal scales within the 3-6 year periods. Additionally, malaria cases were intensified approximately 1 year after an El Niño event, a pattern that highlights the role of climate inter-annual variability in the epidemic patterns. Rainfall mediated the effect of ENSO on malaria locally. Particularly, rains from the last phase of the season had a critical role in the temporal dynamics of Plasmodium. The malaria-climate relationship was complex and transient, varying in strength with the region and species. By identifying temporal cycles of malaria we have made a first step in predicting high-risk years in Venezuela. Our findings emphasize the importance of analyzing high-resolution spatial-temporal data to better understand malaria transmission dynamics. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Comprehensive Education Bolivarian-Style: The Alternative School in Barrio Pueblo Nuevo, Venezuela

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cole, Mike

    2014-01-01

    In this article, the author traces revolutionary developments in an alternative school in Barrio Pueblo Nuevo, Mérida, in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, a school that caters for students between 4 and 14. He begins by recounting some fieldwork done at the school on his behalf by Edward Ellis in 2010. He goes on to discuss a video made at…

  7. [Morphological abnormalities in the cibarium of Lutzomyia evansi (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) caught in Trujillo, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Méndez-de Daboín, Yolanda; Oviedo-Araújo, Milagros; González-Pérez, Adalberto; Suárez-Hernández, Jorge; Sandoval, Claudia M; Cazorla, Dalmiro

    2015-01-01

    Lutzomyia evansi is a recognized vector of Leishmania infantum in Colombia and Venezuela. To describe and illustrate the morphological abnormalities in Lu. evansi females captured in a rural focus of visceral leishmaniasis in Trujillo, Venezuela. Phlebotomine sand flies were collected using CDC light traps, Shannon traps and aspiration in resting places. The identification was performed according to Young & Duncan (1994) and drawings were made using a microscope with camara lucida . Abnormalities in the cibarium of Lu. evansi were detected in 4 (0.12%) females of the 3,477 adults that were studied. Lutzomyia evansi can have uncommon morphological variants associated with an increase in the number of teeth in the cibarium and their arrangement, which may lead to errors in the taxonomic identification of anomalous specimens. The study of such deformities can serve to avoid taxonomic identification errors.

  8. Ethics, Risk, and Media Intervention: Women’s Breast Cancer in Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Eid, Mahmoud; Nahon-Serfaty, Isaac

    2016-01-01

    Breast cancer incidence and mortality rates are of concern among Latin American women, mainly due to the growing prevalence of this disease and the lack of compliance to proper breast cancer screening and treatment. Focusing on Venezuelan women and the challenges and barriers that interact with their health communication, this paper looks into issues surrounding women’s breast cancer, such as the challenges and barriers to breast cancer care, the relevant ethics and responsibilities, the right to health, breast cancer risk perception and risk communication, and the media interventions that affect Venezuelan women’s perceptions and actions pertaining to this disease. In particular, it describes an action-oriented research project in Venezuela that was conducted over a four-year period of collaborative work among researchers, practitioners, NGOs, patients, journalists, and policymakers. The outcomes include positive indications on more effective interactions between physicians and patients, increasing satisfactions about issues of ethical treatment in providing healthcare services, more sufficient and responsible media coverage of breast cancer healthcare services and information, a widely supported declaration for a national response against breast cancer in Venezuela, and the creation of a code of ethics for the Venezuelan NGO that led the expansion of networking in support of women’s breast cancer healthcare. PMID:27867750

  9. Patellar maltracking is prevalent among patellofemoral pain subjects with patella alta: an upright, weightbearing MRI study

    PubMed Central

    Pal, Saikat; Besier, Thor F.; Beaupre, Gary S.; Fredericson, Michael; Delp, Scott L.; Gold, Garry E.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine if patellar maltracking is more prevalent among patellofemoral (PF) pain subjects with patella alta compared to subjects with normal patella height. We imaged 37 PF pain and 15 pain free subjects in an open-configuration magnetic resonance imaging scanner while they stood in a weightbearing posture. We measured patella height using the Caton-Deschamps, Blackburne-Peel, Insall-Salvati, Modified Insall-Salvati, and Patellotrochlear indices, and classified the subjects into patella alta and normal patella height groups. We measured patella tilt and bisect offset from oblique-axial plane images, and classified the subjects into maltracking and normal tracking groups. Patellar maltracking was more prevalent among PF pain subjects with patella alta compared to PF pain subjects with normal patella height (two-tailed Fisher’s exact test, p < 0.050). Using the Caton-Deschamps index, 67% (8/12) of PF pain subjects with patella alta were maltrackers, whereas only 16% (4/25) of PF pain subjects with normal patella height were maltrackers. Patellofemoral pain subjects classified as maltrackers displayed a greater patella height compared to the pain free and PF pain subjects classified as normal trackers (two-tailed unpaired t-tests with Bonferroni correction, p < 0.017). This study adds to our understanding of PF pain in two ways - 1) we demonstrate that patellar maltracking is more prevalent in PF pain subjects with patella alta compared to subjects with normal patella height; and 2) we show greater patella height in PF pain subjects compared to pain free subjects using four indices commonly used in clinics. PMID:23165335

  10. [Entomological study of Trypanosoma cruzi vectors in the rural communities of Sucre state, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    García-Jordán, Noris; Berrizbeitia, Mariolga; Concepción, Juan Luis; Aldana, Elis; Cáceres, Ana; Quiñones, Wilfredo

    2015-01-01

    The ecological niche of Reduvidae vectors has been modified due to environmental changes and human encroachment into the rural areas. This study evaluates the current entomological indices of triatomines responsible for Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Sucre State, Venezuela. A cross-sectional and prospective study was conducted in 95 towns and 577 dwellings in the 15 municipalities of the state of Sucre, Venezuela, from August to November, 2008. Triatomine bugs were identified on the basis of morphological characteristics, and their feces examined for T. cruzi infection through direct microscopy. Positive slides were stained with Giemsa and parasites were identified by morphologic characterization. The entomological indices expressing the highest values were dispersion (16.67%) and household colonization (33.33%). The triatomine species captured were: Rhodnius prolixus , Rhodnius main intradomiciliary vector. Despite the low index of vector infection (1.72%), the existence of species with domiciliary and peridomiciliary reproductive success ensures the persistence of the epidemiological chain both for the disease and the parasite.

  11. Evolutionary and Ecological Characterization of Mayaro Virus Strains Isolated during an Outbreak, Venezuela, 2010

    PubMed Central

    Auguste, Albert J.; Liria, Jonathan; Forrester, Naomi L.; Giambalvo, Dileyvic; Moncada, Maria; Long, Kanya C.; Morón, Dulce; de Manzione, Nuris; Tesh, Robert B.; Halsey, Eric S.; Kochel, Tadeusz J.; Hernandez, Rosa; Navarro, Juan-Carlos

    2015-01-01

    In 2010, an outbreak of febrile illness with arthralgic manifestations was detected at La Estación village, Portuguesa State, Venezuela. The etiologic agent was determined to be Mayaro virus (MAYV), a reemerging South American alphavirus. A total of 77 cases was reported and 19 were confirmed as seropositive. MAYV was isolated from acute-phase serum samples from 6 symptomatic patients. We sequenced 27 complete genomes representing the full spectrum of MAYV genetic diversity, which facilitated detection of a new genotype, designated N. Phylogenetic analysis of genomic sequences indicated that etiologic strains from Venezuela belong to genotype D. Results indicate that MAYV is highly conserved genetically, showing ≈17% nucleotide divergence across all 3 genotypes and 4% among genotype D strains in the most variable genes. Coalescent analyses suggested genotypes D and L diverged ≈150 years ago and genotype diverged N ≈250 years ago. This virus commonly infects persons residing near enzootic transmission foci because of anthropogenic incursions. PMID:26401714

  12. Evolutionary and Ecological Characterization of Mayaro Virus Strains Isolated during an Outbreak, Venezuela, 2010.

    PubMed

    Auguste, Albert J; Liria, Jonathan; Forrester, Naomi L; Giambalvo, Dileyvic; Moncada, Maria; Long, Kanya C; Morón, Dulce; de Manzione, Nuris; Tesh, Robert B; Halsey, Eric S; Kochel, Tadeusz J; Hernandez, Rosa; Navarro, Juan-Carlos; Weaver, Scott C

    2015-10-01

    In 2010, an outbreak of febrile illness with arthralgic manifestations was detected at La Estación village, Portuguesa State, Venezuela. The etiologic agent was determined to be Mayaro virus (MAYV), a reemerging South American alphavirus. A total of 77 cases was reported and 19 were confirmed as seropositive. MAYV was isolated from acute-phase serum samples from 6 symptomatic patients. We sequenced 27 complete genomes representing the full spectrum of MAYV genetic diversity, which facilitated detection of a new genotype, designated N. Phylogenetic analysis of genomic sequences indicated that etiologic strains from Venezuela belong to genotype D. Results indicate that MAYV is highly conserved genetically, showing ≈17% nucleotide divergence across all 3 genotypes and 4% among genotype D strains in the most variable genes. Coalescent analyses suggested genotypes D and L diverged ≈150 years ago and genotype diverged N ≈250 years ago. This virus commonly infects persons residing near enzootic transmission foci because of anthropogenic incursions.

  13. Molecular epidemiology of human sporotrichosis in Venezuela reveals high frequency of Sporothrix globosa.

    PubMed

    Camacho, Emma; León-Navarro, Isabel; Rodríguez-Brito, Sabrina; Mendoza, Mireya; Niño-Vega, Gustavo A

    2015-02-25

    Sporotrichosis is a cutaneous and subcutaneous fungal disease of humans and other mammals, known to be caused by the Sporothrix schenckii species complex, which comprises four species of clinical importance: S. brasiliensis, S. globosa, S. luriei, and S. schenckii sensu stricto. Of them, S. globosa and S. schenckii s. str. show global distribution and differences in global frequency as causal agents of the disease. In the Americas, only three species are present: S. schenckii s. str., S. brasiliensis (so far, only reported in Brazil), and S. globosa. In Venezuela, since the first case of sporotrichosis reported in 1935, S. schenckii have been considered its unique etiological agent. In the present work, the presence of more than one species in the country was evaluated. By phenotypic key features and molecular phylogeny analyses, we re-examined 30 isolates from diverse Venezuelan regions belonging to the fungi collection of Instituto de Biomedicina, Caracas, Venezuela, and national reference center for skin diseases. All isolates were collected between 1973 and 2013, and maintained in distilled water. Sporotrichosis in Venezuela is mainly caused by S. schenckii s. str. (70%). However, a significant proportion (30%) of sporotrichosis cases in the country can be attributable to S. globosa. A correlation between intraspecific genotypes and clinical presentation is proposed. Our data suggest that sporotrichosis various clinical forms might be related to genetic diversity of isolates, and possibly, to diverse virulence profiles previously reported in the S. schenckii species complex. Sporothrix globosa was found to be the causative agent of 30% of sporotrichosis for the Venezuelan cases re-examined, the highest frequency of this species so far reported in the Americas. The high genetic variability presented by S. schenckii s. str. indicates that species distinction based on phenotypic key features could be a challenging and uncertain task; molecular identification

  14. High Precision Optical Observations of Space Debris in the Geo Ring from Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lacruz, E.; Abad, C.; Downes, J. J.; Casanova, D.; Tresaco, E.

    2018-01-01

    We present preliminary results to demonstrate that our method for detection and location of Space Debris (SD) in the geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) ring, based on observations at the OAN of Venezuela is of high astrometric precision. A detailed explanation of the method, its validation and first results is available in (Lacruz et al. 2017).

  15. An Estimate of Recoverable Heavy Oil Resources of the Orinoco Oil Belt, Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schenk, Christopher J.; Cook, Troy A.; Charpentier, Ronald R.; Pollastro, Richard M.; Klett, Timothy R.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.; Kirschbaum, Mark A.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Pitman, Janet K.

    2009-01-01

    The Orinoco Oil Belt Assessment Unit of the La Luna-Quercual Total Petroleum System encompasses approximately 50,000 km2 of the East Venezuela Basin Province that is underlain by more than 1 trillion barrels of heavy oil-in-place. As part of a program directed at estimating the technically recoverable oil and gas resources of priority petroleum basins worldwide, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated the recoverable oil resources of the Orinoco Oil Belt Assessment Unit. This estimate relied mainly on published geologic and engineering data for reservoirs (net oil-saturated sandstone thickness and extent), petrophysical properties (porosity, water saturation, and formation volume factors), recovery factors determined by pilot projects, and estimates of volumes of oil-in-place. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated a mean volume of 513 billion barrels of technically recoverable heavy oil in the Orinoco Oil Belt Assessment Unit of the East Venezuela Basin Province; the range is 380 to 652 billion barrels. The Orinoco Oil Belt Assessment Unit thus contains one of the largest recoverable oil accumulations in the world.

  16. Lithospheric Expressions of the Precambrian Shield, Mesozoic Rifting, and Cenozoic Subduction and Mountain Building in Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Levander, A.; Masy, J.; Niu, F.

    2013-05-01

    The Caribbean (CAR)-South American (SA) plate boundary in Venezuela is a broad zone of faulting and diffuse deformation. GPS measurements show the CAR moving approximately 2 cm/yr relative to SA, parallel to the strike slip fault system in the east, with more oblique convergence in the west (Weber et al., 2001) causing the southern edge of the Caribbean to subduct beneath northwestern South America. The west is further complicated by the motion of the triangular Maracaibo block, which is escaping northeastward relative to SA along the Bocono and Santa Marta Faults. In central and eastern Venezuela, plate motion is accommodated by transpression and transtension along the right lateral San Sebastian- El Pilar strike-slip fault system. The strike-slip system marks the northern edge of coastal thrust belts and their associated foreland basins. The Archean-Proterozoic Guayana Shield, part of the Amazonian Craton, underlies southeastern and south-central Venezuela. We used the 87 station Venezuela-U.S. BOLIVAR array (Levander et al., 2006) to investigate lithospheric structure in northern South America. We combined finite-frequency Rayleigh wave tomography with Ps and Sp receiver functions to determine lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) depth. We measured Rayleigh phase velocities from 45 earthquakes in the period band 20-100s. The phase velocities were inverted for 1D shear velocity structure on a 0.5 by 0.5 degree grid. Crustal thickness for the starting model was determined from active seismic experiments and receiver function analysis. The resulting 3D shear velocity model was then used to determine the depth of the LAB, and to CCP stack Ps and Sp receiver functions from ~45 earthquakes. The receiver functions were calculated in several frequency bands using iterative deconvolution and inverse filtering. Lithospheric thickness varies by more a factor of 2.5 across Venezuela. We can divide the lithosphere into several distinct provinces, with LAB depth

  17. Orbital hydatid cyst of Echinococcus oligarthrus in a human in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Lopera, R D; Meléndez, R D; Fernandez, I; Sirit, J; Perera, M P

    1989-06-01

    This study reports the first known case of human hydatid disease caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus oligarthrus. The patient, a native Venezuelan female, presented a single cyst localized intraorbitally behind the left eye (retroocular), which was discovered by computed tomography. The cyst was removed by surgery, and after parasitological studies it was identified as an E. oligarthrus hydatid cyst. This is also the first case of intraorbital hydatid cyst in humans in Venezuela.

  18. 78 FR 18972 - Alta Wind X, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER13-1150-000] Alta Wind X, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket Section 204 Authorization This is a supplemental notice in the above-referenced proceeding, of Alta Wind X...

  19. Evaluacion de Programas de Alfabetizacion. Consulta Tecnica Regional (Maracaibo, Venezuela, 30 Noviembre-6 Diciembre 1987) Informe Final. (Evaluation of Literacy Programs. Regional Technical Meeting (Maracaibo, Venezuela, November 30-December 6, 1987).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Santiago (Chile). Regional Office for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean.

    The objectives of this seminar were to identify problems in evaluating literacy programs and to design a working strategy to confront them. Four presentations included national case studies from Brazil, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Central questions asked concerned who and what were evaluated and how were the results to be used. In Brazil,…

  20. Five Years of Cyclotron Radioisotope Production Experiences at the First PET-CT in Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Colmenter, L.; Coelho, D.; Esteves, L. M.

    2007-10-26

    Five years operation of a compact cyclotron installed at PET-CT facility in Caracas, Venezuela is given. Production rate of {sup 18}F labeled FDG, operation and radiation monitoring experience are included. We conclude that {sup 18}FDG CT-PET is the most effective technique for patient diagnosis.

  1. Malaria in Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela: current challenges in malaria control and elimination.

    PubMed

    Recht, Judith; Siqueira, André M; Monteiro, Wuelton M; Herrera, Sonia M; Herrera, Sócrates; Lacerda, Marcus V G

    2017-07-04

    In spite of significant progress towards malaria control and elimination achieved in South America in the 2000s, this mosquito-transmitted tropical disease remains an important public health concern in the region. Most malaria cases in South America come from Amazon rain forest areas in northern countries, where more than half of malaria is caused by Plasmodium vivax, while Plasmodium falciparum malaria incidence has decreased in recent years. This review discusses current malaria data, policies and challenges in four South American Amazon countries: Brazil, Colombia, Peru and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Challenges to continuing efforts to further decrease malaria incidence in this region include: a significant increase in malaria cases in recent years in Venezuela, evidence of submicroscopic and asymptomatic infections, peri-urban malaria, gold mining-related malaria, malaria in pregnancy, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency and primaquine use, and possible under-detection of Plasmodium malariae. Some of these challenges underscore the need to implement appropriate tools and procedures in specific regions, such as a field-compatible molecular malaria test, a P. malariae-specific test, malaria diagnosis and appropriate treatment as part of regular antenatal care visits, G6PD test before primaquine administration for P. vivax cases (with weekly primaquine regimen for G6PD deficient individuals), single low dose of primaquine for P. falciparum malaria in Colombia, and national and regional efforts to contain malaria spread in Venezuela urgently needed especially in mining areas. Joint efforts and commitment towards malaria control and elimination should be strategized based on examples of successful regional malaria fighting initiatives, such as PAMAFRO and RAVREDA/AMI.

  2. Molecular characterisation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in the First National Survey of Anti-tuberculosis Drug Resistance from Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Aristimuño, Liselotte; Armengol, Raimond; Cebollada, Alberto; España, Mercedes; Guilarte, Alexis; Lafoz, Carmen; Lezcano, María A; Revillo, María J; Martín, Carlos; Ramírez, Carmen; Rastogi, Nalin; Rojas, Janet; de Salas, Albina Vázques; Sola, Christophe; Samper, Sofía

    2006-01-01

    Background Molecular typing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains has become a valuable tool in the epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) by allowing detection of outbreaks, tracking of epidemics, identification of genotypes and transmission events among patients who would have remained undetected by conventional contact investigation. This is the first genetic biodiversity study of M. tuberculosis in Venezuela. Thus, we investigated the genetic patterns of strains isolated in the first survey of anti-tuberculosis drug-resistance realised as part of the Global Project of Anti-tuberculosis Drug Resistance Surveillance (WHO/IUATLD). Results Clinical isolates (670/873) were genotyped by spoligotyping. The results were compared with the international spoligotyping database (SpolDB4). Multidrug resistant (MDR) strains (14/18) were also analysed by IS6110-RFLP assays, and resistance to isoniazid and rifampicin was characterised. Spoligotyping grouped 82% (548/670) of the strains into 59 clusters. Twenty new spoligotypes (SITs) specific to Venezuela were identified. Eight new inter-regional clusters were created. The Beijing genotype was not found. The genetic network shows that the Latin American and Mediterranean family constitutes the backbone of the genetic TB population-structure in Venezuela, responsible of >60% of total TB cases studied. MDR was 0.5% in never treated patients and 13.5% in previously treated patients. Mutations in rpoB gene and katG genes were detected in 64% and 43% of the MDR strains, respectively. Two clusters were found to be identical by the four different analysis methods, presumably representing cases of recent transmission of MDR tuberculosis. Conclusion This study gives a first overview of the M. tuberculosis strains circulating in Venezuela during the first survey of anti-tuberculosis drug-resistance. It may aid in the creation of a national database that will be a valuable support for further studies. PMID:17032442

  3. Population differentiation of the Chagas disease vector Triatoma maculata (Erichson, 1848) from Colombia and Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Monsalve, Yoman; Panzera, Francisco; Herrera, Leidi; Triana-Chávez, Omar; Gómez-Palacio, Andrés

    2016-06-01

    The emerging vector of Chagas disease, Triatoma maculata (Hemiptera, Reduviidae), is one of the most widely distributed Triatoma species in northern South America. Despite its increasing relevance as a vector, no consistent picture of the magnitude of genetic and phenetic diversity has yet been developed. Here, several populations of T. maculata from eleven Colombia and Venezuela localities were analyzed based on the morphometry of wings and the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (ND4) gene sequences. Our results showed clear morphometric and genetic differences among Colombian and Venezuelan populations, indicating high intraspecific diversity. Inter-population divergence is suggested related to East Cordillera in Colombia. Analyses of other populations from Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil from distinct eco-geographic regions are still needed to understand its systematics and phylogeography as well as its actual role as a vector of Chagas disease. © 2016 The Society for Vector Ecology.

  4. Malaria in Sucre State, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Zimmerman, R H

    2000-01-01

    The author reviews the malaria research program in Sucre State, Venezuela, taking an ecosystem approach. The goal was to determine which methods could have been introduced at the onset that would have made the study more ecological and interdisciplinary. Neither an ecosystem approach nor integrated disease control were in place at the time of the study. This study began to introduce an ecosystem approach when two contrasting ecosystems in Sucre State were selected for study and vector control methods were implemented based on research results. The need to have a health policy in place with an eco-health approach is crucial to the success of research and control. The review suggests that sustainability is low when not all the stakeholders are involved in the design and implementation of the research and control strategy development. The lack of community involvement makes sustainability doubtful. The author concludes that there were two interdependent challenges for malaria control: development of an ecosystem approach for malaria research and control, and the implementation of an integrated disease control strategy, with malaria as one of the important health issues.

  5. Short biography of Louis Daniel Beauperthuy (1807-71): pioneer of microbiology and medical science in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Godoy, Gerardo A; Tarradath, Ewart

    2010-02-01

    Louis Daniel Beauperthuy was a pioneer of microbiology in Venezuela where he developed microscopic and clinical research together with academic and scientific observation related to leprosy and the role of insects in the transmission of febrile illnesses.

  6. pfmdr1 amplification and fixation of pfcrt chloroquine resistance alleles in Plasmodium falciparum in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Griffing, Sean; Syphard, Luke; Sridaran, Sankar; McCollum, Andrea M; Mixson-Hayden, Tonya; Vinayak, Sumiti; Villegas, Leopoldo; Barnwell, John W; Escalante, Ananias A; Udhayakumar, Venkatachalam

    2010-04-01

    Molecular tools are valuable for determining evolutionary history and the prevalence of drug-resistant malaria parasites. These tools have helped to predict decreased sensitivity to antimalarials and fixation of multidrug resistance genotypes in some regions. In order to assess how historical drug policies impacted Plasmodium falciparum in Venezuela, we examined molecular changes in genes associated with drug resistance. We examined pfmdr1 and pfcrt in samples from Sifontes, Venezuela, and integrated our findings with earlier work describing dhfr and dhps in these samples. We characterized pfmdr1 genotypes and copy number variation, pfcrt genotypes, and proximal microsatellites in 93 samples originating from surveillance from 2003 to 2004. Multicopy pfmdr1 was found in 12% of the samples. Two pfmdr1 alleles, Y184F/N1042D/D1246Y (37%) and Y184F/S1034C/N1042D/D1246Y (63%), were found. These alleles share ancestry, and no evidence of strong selective pressure on mutations was found. pfcrt chloroquine resistance alleles are fixed with two alleles: S(tct)VMNT (91%) and S(agt)VMNT (9%). These alleles are associated with strong selection. There was also an association between pfcrt, pfmdr1, dhfr, and dhps genotypes/haplotypes. Duplication of pfmdr1 suggests a potential shift in mefloquine sensitivity in this region, which warrants further study. A bottleneck occurred in P. falciparum in Sifontes, Venezuela, and multidrug resistance genotypes are present. This population could be targeted for malaria elimination programs to prevent the possible spread of multidrug-resistant parasites.

  7. AMINOGLYCOSIDE RESISTANCE GENES IN Pseudomonas aeruginosa ISOLATES FROM CUMANA, VENEZUELA.

    PubMed

    Teixeira, Bertinellys; Rodulfo, Hectorina; Carreño, Numirin; Guzmán, Militza; Salazar, Elsa; De Donato, Marcos

    2016-01-01

    The enzymatic modification of aminoglycosides by aminoglycoside-acetyltransferases (AAC), aminoglycoside-adenyltransferases (AAD), and aminoglycoside-phosphotransferases (APH), is the most common resistance mechanism in P. aeruginosa and these enzymes can be coded on mobile genetic elements that contribute to their dispersion. One hundred and thirty seven P. aeruginosa isolates from the University Hospital, Cumana, Venezuela (HUAPA) were evaluated. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the disk diffusion method and theaac, aadB and aph genes were detected by PCR. Most of the P. aeruginosa isolates (33/137) were identified from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), mainly from discharges (96/137). The frequency of resistant P. aeruginosaisolates was found to be higher for the aminoglycosides tobramycin and amikacin (30.7 and 29.9%, respectively). Phenotype VI, resistant to these antibiotics, was the most frequent (14/49), followed by phenotype I, resistant to all the aminoglycosides tested (12/49). The aac(6´)-Ib,aphA1 and aadB genes were the most frequently detected, and the simultaneous presence of several resistance genes in the same isolate was demonstrated. Aminoglycoside resistance in isolates ofP. aeruginosa at the HUAPA is partly due to the presence of the aac(6´)-Ib, aphA1 andaadB genes, but the high rates of antimicrobial resistance suggest the existence of several mechanisms acting together. This is the first report of aminoglycoside resistance genes in Venezuela and one of the few in Latin America.

  8. AMINOGLYCOSIDE RESISTANCE GENES IN Pseudomonas aeruginosa ISOLATES FROM CUMANA, VENEZUELA

    PubMed Central

    TEIXEIRA, Bertinellys; RODULFO, Hectorina; CARREÑO, Numirin; GUZMÁN, Militza; SALAZAR, Elsa; DONATO, Marcos DE

    2016-01-01

    The enzymatic modification of aminoglycosides by aminoglycoside-acetyltransferases (AAC), aminoglycoside-adenyltransferases (AAD), and aminoglycoside-phosphotransferases (APH), is the most common resistance mechanism in P. aeruginosa and these enzymes can be coded on mobile genetic elements that contribute to their dispersion. One hundred and thirty seven P. aeruginosa isolates from the University Hospital, Cumana, Venezuela (HUAPA) were evaluated. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the disk diffusion method and theaac, aadB and aph genes were detected by PCR. Most of the P. aeruginosa isolates (33/137) were identified from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), mainly from discharges (96/137). The frequency of resistant P. aeruginosaisolates was found to be higher for the aminoglycosides tobramycin and amikacin (30.7 and 29.9%, respectively). Phenotype VI, resistant to these antibiotics, was the most frequent (14/49), followed by phenotype I, resistant to all the aminoglycosides tested (12/49). The aac(6´)-Ib,aphA1 and aadB genes were the most frequently detected, and the simultaneous presence of several resistance genes in the same isolate was demonstrated. Aminoglycoside resistance in isolates ofP. aeruginosa at the HUAPA is partly due to the presence of the aac(6´)-Ib, aphA1 andaadB genes, but the high rates of antimicrobial resistance suggest the existence of several mechanisms acting together. This is the first report of aminoglycoside resistance genes in Venezuela and one of the few in Latin America. PMID:27007556

  9. Universities, Public Policy and Economic Development in Latin America: The Cases of Mexico and Venezuela.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lorey, David E.

    1992-01-01

    Since establishment of national university systems in Mexico and Venezuela, three principal demands have dominated policy formation: government ideological demand; economic demand for expertise; and political and social demand for upward mobility through education. Tensions between these demands have stemmed from economic inability to sustain…

  10. Biological and phylogenetic characterization of a genotype VII Newcastle disease virus from Venezuela: Efficacy of vaccination

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Here we describe the characterization a virulent genotype VII Newcastle disease virus (NDV) from Venezuela and evaluate the efficacy of heterologous genotype commercial vaccination under field and controlled rearing conditions. Biological pathotyping and molecular analysis were applied. Results sh...

  11. Pneumococcal carriage among indigenous Warao children in Venezuela: serotypes, susceptibility patterns, and molecular epidemiology.

    PubMed

    Rivera-Olivero, Ismar A; Bogaert, Debby; Bello, Teresita; del Nogal, Berenice; Sluijter, Marcel; Hermans, Peter W M; de Waard, Jacobus H

    2007-12-01

    Little attention has been paid to pneumococcal carriage and disease in Amerindians from Latin America. The Warao people, an indigenous population from Venezuela, live in the delta of the Orinoco River in geographically isolated communities with difficult access to medical care. To obtain insight into pneumococcal carriage and the theoretical coverage of pneumococcal vaccines in this population, we investigated pneumococcal colonization, serotype, and genotype distribution among Warao children in 9 distinct, geographically isolated communities in the Delta Amacuro area in the northeast of Venezuela. From April 2004 through January 2005, a total of 161 Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates were recovered from single nasopharyngeal swab samples obtained from 356 children aged 0-72 months. The overall pneumococcal carriage rate was 49%, ranging from 13% to 76%, depending on the community investigated and the age of the children (50% among children aged <2 years and 25% among children aged >2 years). The most frequent serotypes were 23F (19.5% of isolates), 6A (19.5%), 15B (10.4%), 6B (9.1%), and 19F (7.2%). The theoretical coverage of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, including the cross-reactive nonvaccine serotype 6A, was 65%. A total of 26% of the isolates were resistant to first-line antibiotics, with 70% of these strains being covered by the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Restriction fragment end labelling analysis revealed 65 different genotypes, with 125 (80%) of the isolates belonging to 27 different genetic clusters, suggesting a high degree of horizontal spread of pneumococcal strains in and between the villages. The high colonization rates and high (registered) acute respiratory tract infection morbidity and mortality in this part of Venezuela suggest that Warao children are at increased risk for pneumococcal disease and, therefore, benefit from vaccination.

  12. Paleogeographic evolution of foldbelts adjacent to petroleum basins of Venezuela and Trinidad

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Goodman, E.D.; Koch, P.S.; Summa, L.L.

    1996-08-01

    The foldbelts of Venezuela and Trinidad have shaped the history of adjacent sedimentary basins. A set of paleogeographic maps on reconstructed bases depict the role of foldbelts in the development of the sedimentary basins of Venezuela. Some of the foldbelts are inverted, pre-Tertiary graben/passive margin systems. Other foldbelts are allochthonous nappes or parautochthons that override the Mesozoic passive margin hinge without inversion. The emergence of these foldbelts changed the course of existing river systems and provided a new source for sediments and maturation in adjacent deeps. The Merida Andes area was remobilized beginning in the Early Miocene as a zonemore » of lateral shear, along which the Bonaire Block has moved over 200 km to the northeast, dismembering the Maracaibo and Barinas basins. Late Miocene to Recent transpression and fault reactivation have driven rapid Andean uplift with thrust-related subsidence and maturation (e.g., SE Maracaibo foredeep). To the east, uplift and erosion of the Serrania del Interior (1) curtailed mid-Tertiary fluvial systems flowing northward from the igneous and sedimentary rocks of the Guyana Shield, deflecting them eastward, and (2) removed the thick early Miocene foredeep fill into a younger foredeep. Thus, the fold-thrust belts and sedimentary basins in this region are linked in their evolutionary histories.« less

  13. Severity of the 1998 and 2005 bleaching events in Venezuela, southern Caribbean.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez, Sebastián; Cróquer, Aldo; Bone, David; Bastidas, Carolina

    2010-10-01

    This study describes the severity of the 2005 bleaching event at 15 reef sites across Venezuela and compares the 1998 and 2005 bleaching events at one of them. During August and September 2005, bleached corals were first observed on oceanic reefs rather than coastal reefs, affecting 1 to 4% of coral colonies in the community (3 reef sites, n = 736 colonies). At that time, however, no bleached corals were recorded along the eastern coast of Venezuela, an area of seasonal upwelling (3 reefs, n = 181 colonies). On coastal reefs, bleaching started in October but highest levels were reached in November 2005 and January 2006, when 16% of corals were affected among a wide range of taxa (e.g. scleractinians, octocorals, Millepora and zoanthids). In the Acropora habitats of Los Roques (an oceanic reef),no bleached was recorded in 2005 (four sites,n = 643 colonies). At Cayo Sombrero, a coastal reef site, bleaching was less severe in 1998 than in 2005 (9% of the coral colonies involving 2 species vs. 26% involving 23 species, respectively). Our results indicate that bleaching was more severe in 2005 than in 1998 on Venezuelan reefs; however, no mass mortality was observed in either of these two events.

  14. Genetic history of hepatitis C virus in Venezuela: high diversity and long time of evolution of HCV genotype 2.

    PubMed

    Sulbarán, Maria Z; Di Lello, Federico A; Sulbarán, Yoneira; Cosson, Clarisa; Loureiro, Carmen L; Rangel, Héctor R; Cantaloube, Jean F; Campos, Rodolfo H; Moratorio, Gonzalo; Cristina, Juan; Pujol, Flor H

    2010-12-13

    The subtype diversity of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes is unknown in Venezuela. Partial sequencing of the NS5B region was performed in 310 isolates circulating in patients from 1995 to 2007. In the samples collected between 2005 and 2007, HCV genotype 1 (G1) was the most common genotype (63%), composed as expected of mainly G1a and G1b. G2 was the second most common genotype (33%), being G2a almost absent and G2j the most frequent subtype. Sequence analysis of the core region confirmed the subtype assignment performed within the NS5b region in 63 isolates. The complete genome sequence of G2j was obtained. G2j has been described in France, Canada and Burkina Fasso, but it was not found in Martinique, where several subtypes of G2 circulate in the general population. Bayesian coalescence analysis indicated a most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of G2j around 1785, before the introduction of G1b (1869) and G1a (1922). While HCV G1a and G1b experienced a growth reduction since 1990, coincident with the time when blood testing was implemented in Venezuela, HCV G2j did not seem to reach growth equilibrium during this period. Assuming the introduction of G2j from Africa during the slave trade, the high frequency of G2j found in Venezuela could suggest: 1- the introduction of African ethnic groups different from the ones introduced to Martinique or 2- the occurrence of a founder effect. This study represents an in-depth analysis of the subtype diversity of HCV in Venezuela, which is still unexplored in the Americas and deserves further studies.

  15. Genetic History of Hepatitis C Virus in Venezuela: High Diversity and Long Time of Evolution of HCV Genotype 2

    PubMed Central

    Sulbarán, Maria Z.; Di Lello, Federico A.; Sulbarán, Yoneira; Cosson, Clarisa; Loureiro, Carmen L.; Rangel, Héctor R.; Cantaloube, Jean F.; Campos, Rodolfo H.; Moratorio, Gonzalo; Cristina, Juan; Pujol, Flor H.

    2010-01-01

    Background The subtype diversity of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes is unknown in Venezuela. Methodology/Principal Findings Partial sequencing of the NS5B region was performed in 310 isolates circulating in patients from 1995 to 2007. In the samples collected between 2005 and 2007, HCV genotype 1 (G1) was the most common genotype (63%), composed as expected of mainly G1a and G1b. G2 was the second most common genotype (33%), being G2a almost absent and G2j the most frequent subtype. Sequence analysis of the core region confirmed the subtype assignment performed within the NS5b region in 63 isolates. The complete genome sequence of G2j was obtained. G2j has been described in France, Canada and Burkina Fasso, but it was not found in Martinique, where several subtypes of G2 circulate in the general population. Bayesian coalescence analysis indicated a most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of G2j around 1785, before the introduction of G1b (1869) and G1a (1922). While HCV G1a and G1b experienced a growth reduction since 1990, coincident with the time when blood testing was implemented in Venezuela, HCV G2j did not seem to reach growth equilibrium during this period. Conclusions/Significance Assuming the introduction of G2j from Africa during the slave trade, the high frequency of G2j found in Venezuela could suggest: 1- the introduction of African ethnic groups different from the ones introduced to Martinique or 2- the occurrence of a founder effect. This study represents an in-depth analysis of the subtype diversity of HCV in Venezuela, which is still unexplored in the Americas and deserves further studies. PMID:21179440

  16. Mycobacterium tuberculosis ecology in Venezuela: epidemiologic correlates of common spoligotypes and a large clonal cluster defined by MIRU-VNTR-24

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Background Tuberculosis remains an endemic public health problem, but the ecology of the TB strains prevalent, and their transmission, can vary by country and by region. We sought to investigate the prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in different regions of Venezuela. A previous study identified the most prevalent strains in Venezuela but did not show geographical distribution nor identify clonal genotypes. To better understand local strain ecology, we used spoligotyping to analyze 1298 M. tuberculosis strains isolated in Venezuela from 1997 to 2006, predominantly from two large urban centers and two geographically distinct indigenous areas, and then studied a subgroup with MIRU-VNTR 24 loci. Results The distribution of spoligotype families is similar to that previously reported for Venezuela and other South American countries: LAM 53%, T 10%, Haarlem 5%, S 1.9%, X 1.2%, Beijing 0.4%, and EAI 0.2%. The six most common shared types (SIT's 17, 93, 605, 42, 53, 20) accounted for 49% of the isolates and were the most common in almost all regions, but only a minority were clustered by MIRU-VNTR 24. One exception was the third most frequent overall, SIT 605, which is the most common spoligotype in the state of Carabobo but infrequent in other regions. MIRU-VNTR homogeneity suggests it is a clonal group of strains and was named the "Carabobo" genotype. Epidemiologic comparisons showed that patients with SIT 17 were younger and more likely to have had specimens positive for Acid Fast Bacilli on microscopy, and patients with SIT 53 were older and more commonly smear negative. Female TB patients tended to be younger than male patients. Patients from the high incidence, indigenous population in Delta Amacuro state were younger and had a nearly equal male:female distribution. Conclusion Six SIT's cause nearly half of the cases of tuberculosis in Venezuela and dominate in nearly all regions. Strains with SIT 17, the most common pattern overall may be more actively

  17. Results From Venezuela's 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.

    PubMed

    Herrera-Cuenca, Marianella; Méndez-Perez, Betty; Morales, Vanessa Castro; Martín-Rojo, Joana; Tristan, Bianca; Bandy, Amilid Torín; Landaeta-Jiménez, Maritza; Macías-Tomei, Coromoto; López-Blanco, Mercedes

    2016-11-01

    The Venezuelan Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth is the first assessment of information related to physical activity in Venezuela. It provides a compilation of existing information throughout the country and assesses how well it is doing at promoting opportunities for children and youth. The aim of this article is to summarize the information available. Thirteen physical activity indicators were graded by a committee of experts using letters A to F (A, the highest, to F, the lowest) based on national surveys, peer review studies, and policy documents. Some indicators report incomplete information or a lack of data. Overweight and Obesity were classified as A; Body Composition and Nongovernmental Organization Policies as B; Municipal Level Policies as C; and Overall Physical Activity Levels and National Level Policies as D. 63% of children and youth have low physical activity levels. Venezuela needs to undergo a process of articulation between the several existing initiatives, and for said purposes, political will and a methodological effort is required. Investments, infrastructure, and opportunities will be more equal for all children and youth if more cooperation between institutions is developed and communication strategies are applied.

  18. Comparative federal health care policy: evidence of collaborative federalism in Pakistan and Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Baracskay, Daniel

    2013-01-01

    Collaborative federalism has provided an effective analytical foundation for understanding how complex public policies are implemented in federal systems through intergovernmental and intersectoral alignments. This has particularly been the case in issue areas like public health policy where diseases are detected and treated at the local level. While past studies on collaborative federalism and health care policy have focused on federal systems that are largely democratic, little research has been conducted to examine the extent of collaboration in authoritarian structures. This article applies the collaborative federalism approach to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Evidence suggests that while both nations have exhibited authoritarian governing structures, there have been discernible policy areas where collaborative federalism is embraced to facilitate the implementation process. Further, while not an innate aspect of their federal structures, Pakistan and Venezuela can potentially expand their use of the collaborative approach to successfully implement health care policy and the epidemiological surveillance and intervention functions. Yet, as argued, this would necessitate further development of their structures on a sustained basis to create an environment conducive for collaborative federalism to flourish, and possibly expand to other policy areas as well.

  19. Book Review: "Educational Reform and Administrative Development: The Cases of Columbia and Venezuela," by E. Mark Hanson.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lynch, Patrick D.

    1988-01-01

    Reviews "Educational Reform and Administrative Development: The Cases of Colombia and Venezuela," by E. Mark Hanson, which relates the policy-making and administrative structures of these two countries to their political, historical, and cultural contexts. (TE)

  20. Rural Development in Venezuela and the Guianas: A Bibliography. Training and Methods Series Number 20.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Teresa, Comp.; And Others

    The bibliography cites 930 materials dealing with Venezuela and the Guianas. Published between 1949 and 1972, the materials are found in the Land Tenure Center Library at the University of Wisconsin. Topics covered are: agriculture, agrarian reform, economic affairs, economic cooperation, human resources, American Indians, industry, law, money,…

  1. [Case reports of drug-induced liver injury in a reference hospital of Zulia state, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Mengual-Moreno, Edgardo; Lizarzábal-García, Maribel; Ruiz-Soler, María; Silva-Suarez, Niniveth; Andrade-Bellido, Raúl; Lucena-González, Maribel; Bessone, Fernando; Hernández, Nelia; Sánchez, Adriana; Medina-Cáliz, Inmaculada

    2015-03-01

    Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with varied geographical differences. The aim of this prospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study was to identify and characterize cases of DILI in a hospital of Zulia state, Venezuela. Thirteen patients with a presumptive diagnosis of DILI attended by the Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital Universitario, Zulia state, Venezuela, from December-2012 to December-2013 were studied. Ibuprofen (n = 3; 23.1%), acetaminophen (n = 3; 23.1), isoniazid (n = 2; 15.4%) and Herbalife products (n = 2; 15.4%) were the main drugs involved with DILI. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen showed a mixed pattern of liver injury (n = 3; 23.1%) and isoniazid presented a hepatocellular pattern (n = 2; 15.4%). The CIOMS/RUCAMS allowed the identification of possible (n = 7; 53.9%), probable (n = 4; 30.8%) and highly-probable cases (n = 2; 15.4%) of DILI. Amoxicillin/clavulanate, isoniazid, isotretinoin, methotrexate and Herbalife nutritional products were implicated as highly-probable and probable agents. The highest percentage of DILI corresponded to mild cases that recovered after the discontinuation of the agent involved (n = 9; 69.3%). The consumption of Herbalife botanical products is associated with probable causality and fatality (n = 1; 7.7%). In conclusion, the frequency of DILI cases controlled by the Department of Gastroenterology of the Hospital Universitario of Maracaibo was low, being ibuprofen, acetaminophen, isoniazid and products Herbalife the products most commonly involved. It is recommended to continue with the prospective registration of cases, with an extended follow up monitoring period and to facilitate the incorporation of other hospitals in the Zulia State and Venezuela.

  2. Densidad de desarrollo alta y baja en Puerto Rico

    Treesearch

    William A. Gould; Sebastian Martinuzzi; Olga M. Ramos Gonzalez

    2008-01-01

    Este mapa demuestra la distribución de terrenos de alta y baja densidad de desarrollo urbano en Puerto Rico (Martinuzzi et al. 2007). El mapa fue creado mediante el analisis de un mosaico de imagenes de satelite Landsat ETM+ de los años 2000 – 2003. La clasificacion no supervisada ISODATA (“Iterative Self-Organizing Data Analysis Technique”) (ERDAS 2003) fue utilizada...

  3. Population structure of the dengue viruses, Aragua, Venezuela, 2006–2007. Insights into dengue evolution under hyperendemic transmission

    PubMed Central

    Rodriguez-Roche, Rosmari; Villegas, Elci; Cook, Shelley; Poh Kim, Pauline A.W.; Hinojosa, Yoandri; Rosario, Delfina; Villalobos, Iris; Bendezu, Herminia; Hibberd, Martin L.; Guzman, Maria G.

    2012-01-01

    During the past three decades there has been a notable increase in dengue disease severity in Venezuela. Nevertheless, the population structure of the viruses being transmitted in this country is not well understood. Here, we present a molecular epidemiological study on dengue viruses (DENV) circulating in Aragua State, Venezuela during 2006–2007. Twenty-one DENV full-length genomes representing all of the four serotypes were amplified and sequenced directly from the serum samples. Notably, only DENV-2 was associated with severe disease. Phylogenetic trees constructed using Bayesian methods indicated that only one genotype was circulating for each serotype. However, extensive viral genetic diversity was found in DENV isolated from the same area during the same period, indicating significant in situ evolution since the introduction of these genotypes. Collectively, the results suggest that the non-structural (NS) proteins may play an important role in DENV evolution, particularly NS1, NS2A and NS4B proteins. The phylogenetic data provide evidence to suggest that multiple introductions of DENV have occurred from the Latin American region into Venezuela and vice versa. The implications of the significant viral genetic diversity generated during hyperendemic transmission, particularly in NS protein are discussed and considered in the context of future development and use of human monoclonal antibodies as antivirals and tetravalent vaccines. PMID:22197765

  4. Natural hazards on alluvial fans: the debris flow and flash flood disaster of December 1999, Vargas state, Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Larsen, Matthew C.; Wieczorek, Gerald F.; Eaton, L.S.; Torres-Sierra, Heriberto; Sylva, Walter F.

    2001-01-01

    Large populations live on or near alluvial fans in locations such as Los Angeles, California, Salt Lake City, Utah, Denver, Colorado, and lesser known areas such as Sarno, Italy, and Vargas, Venezuela. Debris flows and flash floods occur episodically in these alluvial fan environments, and place many communities at high risk during intense and prolonged rainfall. In December 1999, rainstorms induced thousands of landslides along the Cordillera de la Costa, Vargas, Venezuela. Rainfall accumulation of 293 mm during the first 2 weeks of December was followed by an additional 911 mm of rainfall on December 14 through 16. Debris flows and floods inundated coastal communities resulting in a catastrophic death toll of as many as 30,000 people. Flash floods and debris flows caused severe property destruction on alluvial fans at the mouths of the coastal mountain drainage network. In time scales spanning thousands of years, the alluvial fans along this Caribbean coastline are dynamic zones of high geomorphic activity. Because most of the coastal zone in Vargas consists of steep mountain fronts that rise abruptly from the Caribbean Sea, the alluvial fans provide practically the only flat areas upon which to build. Rebuilding and reoccupation of these areas requires careful determination of hazard zones to avoid future loss of life and property. KEY TERMS: Debris flows, flash floods, alluvial fans, natural hazards, landslides, Venezuela

  5. Teachers' Perceived Efficacy among English as a Foreign Language Teachers in Middle Schools in Venezuela

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chacon, C.T.

    2005-01-01

    Teachers' sense of efficacy has been shown to influence teachers' actions and student outcomes. This study explored self-efficacy beliefs among English as a Foreign Language teachers in selected schools in Venezuela. Data were collected through a survey administered to 100 teachers. The Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (Tschannen-Moran &…

  6. The Effect of Wage Compression and Alternative Labor Market Opportunities on Teacher Quality in Venezuela

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ortega, Daniel E.

    2010-01-01

    This paper examines the effect of teacher relative wages and teacher wage dispersion on high school graduates' preferences for teaching majors in College. This approximation to teacher quality is appropriate in a country like Venezuela as opposed to the US since the rigidity of the tertiary school system significantly limits mobility between…

  7. The Bolivarian University of Venezuela: A Radical Alternative in the Global Field of Higher Education?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ivancheva, Mariya

    2013-01-01

    This article discusses paradoxes in the emergent global field of higher education as reflected in an alternative model of the university--the Bolivarian University of Venezuela (UBV) and the related higher education policy, Mision Sucre. With its credo in the applied social sciences, its commitment to popular pedagogy and its dependence on…

  8. Tertiary evolution of the northeastern Venezuela offshore

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ysaccis B., Raul

    1998-12-01

    On the northeastern offshore Venezuela, the pre-Tertiary basement consists of a deeply subducted accretionary complex of a Cretaceous island arc system that formed far to the west of its present location. The internal structure of this basement consists of metamorphic nappes that involve passive margin sequences, as well as oceanic (ophiolitic) elements. The Tertiary evolution of the northeastern Venezuela offshore is dominated by Paleogene (Middle Eocene-Oligocene) extension and Neogene transtension, interrupted by Oligocene to Middle Miocene inversions. The Paleogene extension is mainly an arc-normal extension associated with a retreating subduction boundary. It is limited to the La Tortuga and the La Blanquilla Basins and the southeastern Margarita and Caracolito subbasins. All of these basins are farther north of and not directly tied to the El Pilar fault system. On a reconstruction, these Paleogene extensional systems were located to the north of the present day Maracaibo Basin. By early Miocene the leading edge of the now overall transpressional system had migrated to a position to the north of the Ensenada de Barcelona. This relative to South America eastward migration is responsible for the Margarita strike-slip fault and the major inversions that began during the Oligocene and lasted into the Middle Miocene. The Bocono-El Pilar-Casanay-Warm Springs and the La Tortuga-Coche-North Coast fault systems are exclusively Neogene with major transtension occurring during the Late Miocene to Recent and act independently from the earlier Paleogene extensional system. They are responsible for the large Neogene transtensional basins of the area: the Cariaco trough, the Northern Tuy-Cariaco and the Paria sub-basins, and the Gulf of Paria Basin. This latest phase is characterized by strain-partitioning into strike slip faults, a transtensional northern domain and a transpressional southern domain that is responsible for the decollement tectonics and/or inversions of the

  9. Review of the Berosus Leach of Venezuela (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Berosini) with description of fourteen new species

    PubMed Central

    Oliva, Adriana; Short, Andrew E. Z.

    2012-01-01

    Abstract The species of the water scavenger beetle genus Berosus Leach occurring in Venezuela are reviewed. Thirty-six species are recorded, including fifteen new species, fourteen of which are described here as new: Berosus aragua sp. n., Berosus asymmetricus sp. n., Berosus capanaparo sp. n., Berosus castaneus sp. n., Berosus corozo sp. n., Berosus ebeninus sp. n., Berosus garciai sp. n., Berosus humeralis sp. n., Berosus jolyi sp. n., Berosus llanensis sp. n., Berosus megaphallus sp. n., Berosus ornaticollis sp. n., Berosus repertus sp. n., and Berosus tramidrum sp. n. The fifteenth new species, known from a single female, is left undescribed pending the collection of males. Twelve species are recorded from Venezuela for the first time: Berosus ambogynus Mouchamps, Berosus consobrinus Knisch, Berosus elegans Knisch, Berosus geayi d’Orchymont, Berosus ghanicus d’Orchymont, Berosus guyanensis Queney, Berosus holdhausi Knisch, Berosus marquardti Knisch, Berosus olivae Queney, Berosus reticulatus Knisch, Berosus wintersteineri Knisch, and Berosus zimmermanni Knisch. PMID:22811607

  10. Barrio Adentro and the reduction of health inequalities in Venezuela: an appraisal of the first years.

    PubMed

    Armada, Francisco; Muntaner, Caries; Chung, Haejoo; Williams-Brennan, Leslie; Benach, Joan

    2009-01-01

    This article presents an update on the characteristics and performance of Venezuela's Bolivarian health care system, Barrio Adentro (Inside the Neighborhood). During its first five years of existence, Barrio Adentro has improved access and utilization of health services by reaching approximately 17 million impoverished and middle-class citizens all over Venezuela. This was achieved in approximately two years and provides an example of an immense "South-South" cooperation and participatory democracy in health care. Popular participation was achieved with the Comités de Salud (health committees) and more recently with the Consejos Comunales (community councils), while mostly Cuban physicians provided medical care. Examination of a few epidemiological indicators for the years 2004 and 2005 of Barrio Adentro reveals the positive impact of this health care program, in particular its primary care component, Barrio Adentro I. Continued political commitment and realistic evaluations are needed to sustain and improve Barrio Adentro, especially its primary care services.

  11. [Urban construction, professions, and immigration at the origin of urban studies in Venezuela, 1870-1957].

    PubMed

    Martin Frechilla, J J

    1996-01-01

    The individuals and circumstances involved in the creation of the first graduate urban studies program in Venezuela are recalled, beginning with the odernization of Caracas under the impulse of President Antonio Guzman Blanco, elected in 1870. Guzman Blanco converted himself into Venezuela's first urbanist with the establishment of organizational frameworks and completion of massive public works projects, which were based largely on the urban models of the US and Europe. Engineering and public health were consolidated as the two most influential sources of professional competence for guiding urban development. By the mid-1930s, growth fueled by petroleum revenues was causing rapid urbanization, and it became apparent that trained professionals able to manage the increasingly complex tasks of urban planning were in short supply. A new surge of modernizing construction began in 1936 and led to a cooperative arrangement with a French firm, whose personnel were to be required to train Venezuelan engineers for future service in urban planning. An influx of refugees from the Spanish Civil War and the increasing influence of urban planning processes in the US were also observed. The National Commission on Urbanism was created in 1946 as a dependency of the Ministry of Planning to facilitate public administration of the development and control of cities. Throughout the period, a debate was underway on the need for a multidisciplinary approach to urban planning versus a primarily architectural or engineering approach. In 1957, some consensus was reached on the need for urban planning to be viewed as more than a speciality of architecture. A framework was developed for a graduate program in 1969 in the Central University of Venezuela. The National Commission on Urbanism was disbanded in 1957, largely because of its excessive focus on architecture to the exclusion of other disciplines relevant to the urbanization process.

  12. [Cardiovascular risk: initial estimation in the study cohort "CDC of the Canary Islands in Venezuela"].

    PubMed

    Viso, Miguel; Rodríguez, Zulma; Loreto, Neydys; Fernández, Yolima; Callegari, Carlos; Nicita, Graciela; González, Julio; Cabrera de León, Antonio; Reigosa, Aldo

    2011-12-01

    In Venezuela as in the Canary Islands (Spain), cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this research is to estimate the cardiovascular risk in the Canary Islands migrants living in Venezuela and participating in the study cohort "CDC of the Canary Islands in Venezuela". 452 individuals, aged 18 to 93 years (54.9% women), were enrolled between June 2008 and August 2009. A data survey was performed and their weight, height, abdomen and hip circumferences, and blood pressure were measured. After a 12-hour fasting period, a blood sample was obtained for glucose and lipid profile determinations. 40.5% of the subjects were over 65 years of age and 8% corresponded to the younger group (18-30 years). In men, the average age was 57.69 +/- 18.17 years and the body mass index 29.39 +/- 5.71 kg/m2, whereas women were 56.50 +/- 16.91 years and 28.20 +/- 5.57 kg/m2, respectively. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 49.1%, overweight and obesity together 75,2%, abdominal obesity 85.4%, diabetes 17.4%, impaired fasting glucose (IFG) 12.2%, elevated blood pressure 52.9%, low HDL-cholesterol 53,8% and elevated serum triglycerides 31%. Among subjects without diabetes or IFG, a third showed a high triglycerides/HDL-cholesterol ratio, indicating insulin resistance. We conclude that the Canarian-Venezuelan community suffers high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (obesity, abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes). In relation to the current population of the Canary Islands, they show a lower frequency of IFG and a higher frequency of low HDL-cholesterol. In comparison to the Venezuelan population (Zulia), they showed to have lower prevalence of IFG, low HDL cholesterol and elevated triglycerides.

  13. A new species of Caligus (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida) from the plankton of the Caribbean coast of Venezuela with a key to species

    PubMed Central

    Suárez-Morales, Eduardo; Camisotti, Humberto; Martín, Alberto

    2012-01-01

    Abstract During a survey of the zooplankton community of Bahía Amuay, Venezuelan Caribbean, specimens of an undescribed species of Caligus Müller were collected. It resembles Caligus xystercus Cressey and Caligus ocyurus Cressey, both known only from the Caribbean Sea. The new species can be distinguished from these and other congeners by a combination of characters including the armature of legs 1 and 4, but mainly by its unique female genital complex. This is the first species of Caligus described from Venezuela. The species is described in full and a key to the species of the genus recorded in Venezuela is provided. PMID:22768004

  14. Comparison of the petroleum systems of East Venezuela in their tectonostratigraphic context

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Stronach, N.J.; Kerr, H.M.; Scotchmer, J.

    1996-08-01

    The Maturin and Guarico subbasins of East Venezuela record the transition from Cretaceous passive margin to Tertiary foreland basin with local post-orogenic transtensional basins. Petroleum is reservoired in several units ranging from Albian (El Cantil Formation) to Pliocene (Las Piedras Formation) age. Source rocks are principally in the Upper Cretaceous (Querecual Formation), and Miocene (Carapita Formation) in the Maturin subbasin and in the Upper Cretaceous (Tigre Formation) and Oligocene (Roblecito and La Pascua Formations) in the Guarico subbasin. An extensive well database has been used to address the distribution and provenance of hydrocarbons in the context of a tectonostratigraphic modelmore » for the evolution of the East Venezuela basin. Nine major plays have been described, comprising thirteen petroleum systems. The principal factors influencing the components of individual petroleum systems are as follows: (1) structural controls on Upper Cretaceous source rock distribution, relating to block faulting on the proto-Caribbean passive margin; (2) paleoenvironmental controls on source rock development within the Oligocene-Miocene foreland basin; and (3) timing of subsidence and maturation within the Oligocene-Upper Miocene foreland basin and the configuration of the associated fold and thrust belt, influencing long range and local migration routes (4) local development of Pliocene post-orogenic transtensional basins, influencing hydrocarbon generation, migration and remigration north of the Pirital High.« less

  15. New Geochronology and Radiometric Age Dates Improve the Definition and Continuity of Accreted Tectonic Terranes of Northern Venezuela and the Lesser Antilles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baquero, M.; Mann, P.; Audemard, F. A.

    2017-12-01

    We use new and compiled geochronology and radiometric dates from the area of Venezuela to Tobago to define the following crustal provinces: 1) Guyana shield forms a sub-circular area of Pan-African rocks against which all younger terranes have collided and partially assumed its rounded shape: ages for the Guyana Shield range from >3.4 Ga to 1.8 Ga; 2) accreted Paleozoic rocks form a sub-circular, largely buried province that surround the Guiana Shield to the north and west; the El Pilar strike-slip fault forms the abrupt, northern limit of the Precambrian-Paleozoic craton in Venezuela characterized by crustal thicknesses of 40-50 km; 3) the Early to Late Cretaceous Great Arc of the Caribbean forms a continuous basement high that can be traced from northern Colombia, through the ABC Islands to La Blanquilla Island, and north along the Aves Ridge to the Greater Antilles; ages of the GAC generally are in the range of Late Cretaceous to early Eocene and have geochemistry consistent with intra-oceanic island arcs or oceanic plateau rocks with the exception of La Orchila Island with a Paleozoic intrusive age; the GAC collided from west to east with the passive margin of South America from Paleocene in western Venezuela to Plio-Pleistocene in the Trinidad area and marks the west to east passage of the Caribbean plate past the South American plate; 4) a post-GAC rifting event affected the GAC-South America suture from late Eocene to middle Miocene time in the Falcón Basin of western Venezuela with ages on intrusive and volcanic from 34 to 15.4 Ma; these ages are coeval with intrusive ages from the southernmost Lesser Antilles on Los Frailes and Los Testigos Islands and range from 35.7±2.6 to 36.4±0.5 Ma; the age of the intervening basin, the Bonaire basin, is poorly known but may be coeval with the Oligocene-Miocene extension that extended the suture zone in western Venezuela and extended the Lesser Antilles arc in early Middle Miocene time to form the Lesser Antilles

  16. Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources of the Maracaibo Basin Province of Venezuela and Colombia, 2016

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schenk, Christopher J.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.; Mercier, Tracey J.; Gaswirth, Stephanie B.; Marra, Kristen R.; Le, Phoung A.; Pitman, Janet K.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Hawkins, Sarah J.; Leathers-Miller, Heidi M.; Finn, Thomas M.; Klett, Timothy R.

    2017-03-27

    Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean continuous resources of 656 million barrels of oil and 5.7 trillion cubic feet of gas in the Maracaibo Basin Province, Venezuela and Colombia.

  17. Residential energy use and conservation in Venezuela: Results and implications of a household survey in Caracas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Figueroa, M.J.; Ketoff, A.; Masera, O.

    1992-10-01

    This document presents the final report of a study of residential energy use in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. It contains the findings of a household energy-use survey held in Caracas in 1988 and examines options for introducing energy conservation measures in the Venezuelan residential sector. Oil exports form the backbone of the Venezuelan economy. Improving energy efficiency in Venezuela will help free domestic oil resources that can be sold to the rest of the world. Energy conservation will also contribute to a faster recovery of the economy by reducing the need for major investments in new energy facilities, allowingmore » the Venezuelan government to direct its financial investments towards other areas of development. Local environmental benefits will constitute an important additional by-product of implementing energy-efficiency policies in Venezuela. Caracas`s residential sector shows great potential for energy conservation. The sector is characterized by high saturation levels of major appliances, inefficiency of appliances available in the market, and by careless patterns of energy use. Household energy use per capita average 6.5 GJ/per year which is higher than most cities in developing countries; most of this energy is used for cooking. Electricity accounts for 41% of all energy use, while LPG and natural gas constitute the remainder. Specific options for inducing energy conservation and energy efficiency in Caracas`s residential sector include energy-pricing policies, fuel switching, particularly from electricity to gas, improving the energy performance of new appliances and customer information. To ensure the accomplishment of an energy-efficiency strategy, a concerted effort by energy users, manufacturers, utility companies, government agencies, and research institutions will be needed.« less

  18. Production optimization of sucker rod pumping wells producing viscous oil in Boscan field, Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Guirados, C.; Sandoval, J.; Rivas, O.

    1995-12-31

    Boscan field is located in the western coast of Maracaibo lake and is operated by Maraven S.A., affiliate of Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. It has 315 active wells, 252 of which are produced with sucker rod pumping. Other artificial lift methods currently applied in this field are hydraulic (piston) pumping (39 wells) and ESP (24 wells). This paper presents the results of the production optimization of two sucker rod pumping wells of Boscan field producing viscous oil. This optimization has been possible due to the development of a new production scheme and the application of system analysis in completion design.more » The new production scheme involves the utilization of a subsurface stuffing box assembly and a slotted housing, both designed and patented by Intevep S.A., affiliate of Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. The completion design method and software used in the optimization study were also developed by Intevep S.A. The new production scheme and design method proved to be effective in preventing the causes of the above mentioned problems, allowing the increase of oil production under better operating conditions.« less

  19. pfmdr1 Amplification and Fixation of pfcrt Chloroquine Resistance Alleles in Plasmodium falciparum in Venezuela ▿ †

    PubMed Central

    Griffing, Sean; Syphard, Luke; Sridaran, Sankar; McCollum, Andrea M.; Mixson-Hayden, Tonya; Vinayak, Sumiti; Villegas, Leopoldo; Barnwell, John W.; Escalante, Ananias A.; Udhayakumar, Venkatachalam

    2010-01-01

    Molecular tools are valuable for determining evolutionary history and the prevalence of drug-resistant malaria parasites. These tools have helped to predict decreased sensitivity to antimalarials and fixation of multidrug resistance genotypes in some regions. In order to assess how historical drug policies impacted Plasmodium falciparum in Venezuela, we examined molecular changes in genes associated with drug resistance. We examined pfmdr1 and pfcrt in samples from Sifontes, Venezuela, and integrated our findings with earlier work describing dhfr and dhps in these samples. We characterized pfmdr1 genotypes and copy number variation, pfcrt genotypes, and proximal microsatellites in 93 samples originating from surveillance from 2003 to 2004. Multicopy pfmdr1 was found in 12% of the samples. Two pfmdr1 alleles, Y184F/N1042D/D1246Y (37%) and Y184F/S1034C/N1042D/D1246Y (63%), were found. These alleles share ancestry, and no evidence of strong selective pressure on mutations was found. pfcrt chloroquine resistance alleles are fixed with two alleles: StctVMNT (91%) and SagtVMNT (9%). These alleles are associated with strong selection. There was also an association between pfcrt, pfmdr1, dhfr, and dhps genotypes/haplotypes. Duplication of pfmdr1 suggests a potential shift in mefloquine sensitivity in this region, which warrants further study. A bottleneck occurred in P. falciparum in Sifontes, Venezuela, and multidrug resistance genotypes are present. This population could be targeted for malaria elimination programs to prevent the possible spread of multidrug-resistant parasites. PMID:20145087

  20. Americo Negrette (1924 to 2003): diagnosing Huntington disease in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Okun, Michael S; Thommi, Nia

    2004-07-27

    To elucidate the role of Dr. Americo Negrette in diagnosing and reclassifying the dancing mania in Maracaibo, Venezuela as Huntington disease (HD). All of the medical and nonmedical books and articles by Negrette were collected and reviewed. Personal interviews with Negrette were performed to confirm the details of his life and original work. His childhood, medical education, and contribution to HD, as well as contributions to medicine, art, and poetry, were covered in interview sessions. Excerpts from his autobiography, Ciudad de Fuego, were translated into English for publication. A complete bibliography of 70 books and research articles authored by Negrette was assembled. Negrette himself reviewed the compilation of this manuscript just days before his sudden death on September 14, 2003. Americo Negrette, a Venezuelan physician, biochemist, artist, and poet, observed a dancing epidemic in 1952. He acquired, through interviews with locals, the knowledge that there were two other small towns along Lake Maracaibo devastated by a syndrome called el mal (the bad). Negrette changed the diagnosis of these patients from a dancing mania to what he believed was Huntington chorea, later termed HD. He presented his findings at the Venezuelan Sixth Congress of Medical Science in 1955. He was met with reluctance in the local scientific community and a passive ear from government authorities. His description, written in Spanish, was not widely distributed beyond Venezuela, and its importance would have to wait until one of his students shared his observations (more than a decade later) with the HD research community and the rest of the world. The "dancing mania" of Maracaibo, because of the work of Americo Negrette, has been reclassified as Huntington disease.

  1. Human papillomavirus in invasive cervical cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 and 3 in Venezuela: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Sánchez-Lander, Jorge; Cortiñas, Paula; Loureiro, Carmen Luisa; Pujol, Flor Helene; Medina, Francisco; Capote-Negrín, Luis; Bianchi, Gino; García-Barriola, Victoria; Ruiz-Benni, Angela; Avilán-Rovira, José; Acosta, Humberto

    2012-10-01

    This study investigated the distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) types in invasive cervical cancer (ICC), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 (CIN2) and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 3 (CIN3) in Venezuela. Paraffin-embedded samples from 329 women from 29 medical centers of the 24 states of Venezuela were analyzed to determine the distribution of HPV types for ICC, CIN2, and CIN3, the prevalence of single and multiple infection, and the association of HPV types with severity of lesion, comparing CIN2 versus CIN3+ (CIN3 and ICC). The samples were analyzed with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by reverse hybridization for the identification of HPV types. HPV was identified in 95/96 ICC specimens (98.9%), in 142/149 CIN3 (95.3%) and in 78/84 CIN2 samples (92.8%). The most common types for ICC and CIN3 were: HPV16, 18, 31, and 33, and for CIN2 were HPV16, 31, 51, 52, and 18. HPV single infection was found in 82.1% of ICC cases, in 79.4% of CIN2 cases, and in 77.4% of CIN3 cases. HPV16 was identified as a single infection more frequently in women with CIN3+ than in those with CIN2 (68.6% versus 46.7%, P=0.002), and HPV16 or HPV18 types were more prevalent in CIN3+ than in CIN2 (73.4% versus 50%, P=0.0006). this is the first study of the distribution of HPV types in ICC, CIN2, and CIN3 conducted throughout the territory of Venezuela. HPV16 and HPV18 were the most frequent HPV types identified in single and multiple infections in both ICC and CIN3 groups, and are associated with severity of lesion. The knowledge of the distribution of HPV types would allow organization of an HPV-DNA-based screening test, and consideration of the implementation of prophylactic vaccination in Venezuela. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Larval habitats of anopheline mosquitoes in the Upper Orinoco, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Rejmánková, E; Rubio-Palis, Y; Villegas, L

    1999-12-01

    Survey of larval habitats of anopheline mosquitoes was conducted in Ocamo in the State of Amazonas, southern Venezuela. The sampled habitats belonged to three different hydrological types: lagoons (26 habitats), forest pools including flooded forest (16 habitats), and forest streams (4 habitats). Out of 46 habitats surveyed, 31 contained anopheline larvae. Six species were found: Anopheles darlingi, Anopheles triannulatus, Anopheles oswaldoi, Anopheles peryassui, Anopheles punctimacula, and Anopheles mediopunctatus. Anopheles triannulatus was the most abundant species. Significantly higher numbers of anopheline larvae, in general, and of An. triannulatus specifically were found in lagoons with submersed macrophytes and sparse emergent graminoids than in forest pools with detritus.

  3. HIV prevalence, sexual behaviors, and engagement in HIV medical care among an online sample of sexually active MSM in Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Perez-Brumer, Amaya G.; Oldenburg, Catherine E.; Biello, Katie B.; Novak, David S.; Rosenberger, Joshua G.; Mimiaga, Matthew J.

    2016-01-01

    In Venezuela, members of a social and sexual partner-networking site for MSM completed an online survey regarding sexual behaviors and HIV medical care. Among the 3,175 respondents, self-reported HIV prevalence was 7.8%. Of participants living with HIV, 73.2% reported taking antiretroviral medication and, 56.6% reported complete adherence within the past month. Participants living with HIV were more likely to be older (aOR=1.04 per one-year increase in age, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.06) and diagnosed with an STI in the previous year (aOR=32.35,10.2). These data provide further understanding of the HIV epidemic among MSM in Venezuela, and potential targets for HIV prevention interventions. PMID:26378188

  4. Situation Report--Burma, Chile, German Democratic Republic, Indonesia, Jamaica, Poland, Singapore, St. Christopher/Nevis, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

    Data relating to population and family planning in ten foreign countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are Burma, Chile, German Democratic Republic, Indonesia, Jamaica, Poland, Singapore, St. Christopher/Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. Information is provided, where appropriate and available, under two…

  5. Common Distribution Patterns of Marsupials Related to Physiographical Diversity in Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Ventura, Jacint; Bagaria, Guillem; Sans-Fuentes, Maria Assumpció; Pérez-Hernández, Roger

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study is to identify significant biotic regions (groups of areas with similar biotas) and biotic elements (groups of taxa with similar distributions) for the marsupial fauna in a part of northern South America using physiographical areas as Operational Geographical Units (OGUs). We considered Venezuela a good model to elucidate this issue because of its high diversity in landscapes and the relatively vast amount of information available on the geographical distribution of marsupial species. Based on the presence-absence of 33 species in 15 physiographical sub-regions (OGUs) we identified Operational Biogeographical Units (OBUs) and chorotypes using a quantitative analysis that tested statistical significance of the resulting groups. Altitudinal and/or climatic trends in the OBUs and chorotypes were studied using a redundancy analysis. The classification method revealed four OBUs. Strong biotic boundaries separated: i) the xerophytic zone of the Continental coast (OBU I); ii) the sub-regions north of the Orinoco River (OBU III and IV); and those south to the river (OBU II). Eleven chorotypes were identified, four of which included a single species with a restricted geographic distribution. As for the other chorotypes, three main common distribution patterns have been inferred: i) species from the Llanos and/or distributed south of the Orinoco River; ii) species exclusively from the Andes; and iii) species that either occur exclusively north of the Orinoco River or that show a wide distribution throughout Venezuela. Mean altitude, evapotranspiration and precipitation of the driest month, and temperature range allowed us to characterize environmentally most of the OBUs and chorotypes obtained. PMID:24806452

  6. A single-step simultaneous protein staining procedure for polyacrylamide gels and nitrocellulose membranes by Alta during western blot analysis.

    PubMed

    Pal, Jayanta K; Berwal, Sunil K; Soni, Rupali N

    2012-01-01

    A simple method for staining of proteins simultaneously on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gels and nitrocellulose membranes by Alta during western blot analysis is described. A 5% solution of Alta, a commercially available cosmetic preparation, is added in the upper tank buffer during electrophoresis. On completion of electrophoresis, the gel is washed in distilled water and viewed on a white light plate and a transilluminator to photograph the protein profiles. The gel is processed for western blot transfer of proteins onto a nitrocellulose membrane, and upon completion, the protein profiles on the membrane are viewed and photographed as stated above. The membrane can then be processed for immunostaining as per the standard procedure. Thus, the staining procedure using Alta is simple, rapid (without any need of destaining), and cost-effective.

  7. The Wall-Rock Record of Incremental Emplacement in the Little Cottonwood-Alta Magmatic and Hydrothermal System, Wasatch Mountains, Utah, U.S.A.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stearns, M.; Callis, S.; Beno, C.; Bowman, J. R.; Bartley, J. M.

    2017-12-01

    Contact aureoles record the cumulative effects on wall rocks of magma emplacement. Like the plutons they surround, contact aureoles have long been regarded to form geologically instantaneously. Protracted incremental emplacement of plutons must be reconciled with the wall-rock record of heat and mass transfer. Fundamental questions include how heat and material move from intrusions into their aureoles and how long that process takes. The Little Cottonwood stock is surrounded by a 2 km-wide contact aureole that contains prograde AFM mineral assemblages in the pelitic layers of the Proterozoic Big Cottonwood Formation. The Alta stock is surrounded by a well characterized 1 km-wide contact aureole containing both prograde AFM and CMS mineral assemblages in Ophir Shale and Mississippian dolostones, respectively. Understanding the petrogenesis of these aureoles requires the timing of magmatism and wall-rock metamorphism to be independently determined. Preliminary petrochronology (U/Th-Pb dates and trace element concentrations collected by LASS-ICP-MS) from the inner aureoles of both intrusions establishes a protracted history of monazite (re)crystallization from 35-25 Ma in the Little Cottonwood aureole and 35 Ma in the Alta aureole. Little Cottonwood aureole monazites are characterized by a positive age correlation with heavy rare earth elements (HREE) and a negative correlation with Eu/Eu*. Alta aureole monazites have a similar range of the HREE concentrations and Eu/Eu* variation. Zircon growth interpreted to record emplacement-level magmatic crystallization of the western Little Cottonwood stock ranges from 33-28 Ma near the contact. Multi-grain U-Pb zircon TIMS dates from the Alta stock range from 35-33 Ma and are interpreted to suggest the full range of emplacement-level magmatism in the Alta stock. Additionally, in situ U-Pb titanite dates from the Alta stock record intermittent high temperature hydrothermal activity in the stock margin from 35-24 Ma. These new

  8. Leptalpheus pereirai sp. nov., a new alpheid shrimp from Panama and Venezuela (Decapoda: Caridea).

    PubMed

    Anker, Arthur; Caripe, Jonathan Vera

    2016-06-22

    A new species of the infaunal alpheid shrimp genus Leptalpheus Williams, 1965 is described based on material from three localities on the Caribbean coast of Panama and Isla Chimana Grande, Venezuela. Leptalpheus pereirai sp. nov. belongs to a group of species characterised by the presence of well-developed adhesive disks on the major chela and appears to dwell in burrows of the large callianassid ghost shrimp, Glypturus acanthochirus Stimpson 1866.

  9. [Frequency of enzymes associated with reduced sensitivity to beta-lactam antibiotics in enterobacteria isolates, Caracas, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Marcano, Daniel; De Jesús, Andreína; Hernández, Luis; Torres, Luis

    2011-12-01

    To determine the frequency of enzymatic mechanisms associated with reduced sensitivity to broad-spectrum beta-lactam antibiotics in enterobacteria isolates obtained at hospital centers in Caracas, Venezuela. A cross-sectional study was conducted on enterobacteria isolated from patients at eight hospital centers in Caracas, Venezuela, from 15 October 2009 to 15 January 2010. The species were identified using conventional biochemical tests, and their susceptibility to antimicrobial drugs was assessed by antibiogram (Kirby-Bauer method), using the 2010 performance standards published by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Beta-lactam-resistant genes were detected using an enhanced polymerase chain reaction assay. Of 1 235 isolates, 207 (16.8%) exhibited resistance to third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins, carbapenems, or both. They presented the following phenotypes: extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL), 93.8%; depressed AmpC, 4.3%; and carbapenemase, 1.9%. Further characterization of the first two phenotypes yielded the following breakdown of types: SHV, 36.7%; CTX-M-1 group, 22.3%; TEM, 21.7%; CTX-M-1 group with impermeability, 5.2%; two-enzyme combinations, 4.5%; CTX-M-2 group, 4.3%; PER, 3.4%; and KPC, 1.9%. The SHV type was predominant in the public hospital strains, whereas the CTX-M-1 group was most common in the strains from the private hospitals. Of the enzymatic mechanisms investigated, the SHV type was the most frequent, followed by the CTX-M-1 group and the TEM type. Also, a high percentage of type KPC was found. The research reported here is one of only a few multicenter studies that have been conducted in Venezuela to evaluate the frequency of this type of antimicrobial resistance mechanism, including phenotypical and molecular characterization. It was shown that the detection methods require proper interpretation of sensitivity profiles and molecular confirmation of the mechanism present.

  10. Streptomyces venezuelae ISP5230 Maintains Excretion of Jadomycin upon Disruption of the MFS Transporter JadL Located within the Natural Product Biosynthetic Gene Cluster

    PubMed Central

    Forget, Stephanie M.; McVey, Jennifer; Vining, Leo C.

    2017-01-01

    JadL was identified as a Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) transporter (T.C. 2.A.1) through sequence homology. The protein is encoded by jadL, situated within the jadomycin biosynthetic gene cluster. JadL has, therefore, been assigned a putative role in host defense by exporting its probable substrates, the jadomycins, a family of secondary metabolites produced by Streptomyces venezuelae ISP5230. Herein, we evaluate this assumption through the construction and analysis of a jadL disrupted mutant, S. venezuelae VS678 (ΔjadL::aac(3)IV). Quantitative determination of jadomycin production with the jadL disrupted mutant did not show a significant decrease in production in comparison to the wildtype strain, as determined by HPLC and by tandem mass spectrometry. These results suggest that efflux of jadomycin occurs upon disruption of jadL, or that JadL is not involved in jadomycin efflux. Potentially, other transporters within S. venezuelae ISP5230 may adopt this role upon inactivation of JadL to export jadomycins. PMID:28377749

  11. Spinocerebellar ataxias in Venezuela: genetic epidemiology and their most likely ethnic descent.

    PubMed

    Paradisi, Irene; Ikonomu, Vassiliki; Arias, Sergio

    2016-03-01

    Dominantly inherited ataxias (spinocerebellar ataxias, SCAs) are a genetically heterogeneous group of neurologic diseases characterized by progressive cerebellar and spinal tract degeneration with ataxia and other signs, common to all known subtypes. Several types are relatively frequent worldwide, but in several countries, one specific SCA may show a higher prevalence owing to founder phenomena. In Venezuela, genetic epidemiological features of SCAs have been assessed during the last 30 years; mutations in ATXN1 (SCA1), ATXN2 (SCA2), ATXN3 (SCA3), CACNA1A (SCA6), ATXN7 (SCA7), ATXN8 (SCA8), ATXN10 (SCA10), TBP (SCA17) and ATN1 (dentatorubral pallidoluysian atrophy, DRPLA) loci were searched among 115 independent families. SCA7 was the most frequent subtype (26.6%), followed by SCA3 (25.0%), SCA2 (21.9%), SCA1 (17.2%), SCA10 (4.7%) and DRPLA (3.1%); in 43% of the families, the subtype remained unidentified. SCA7 mutations displayed strong geographic aggregation in two independent founder foci, and SCA1 showed a very remote founder effect for a subset of families. SCA10 families were scattered across the country, but all had an identical in-phase haplotype carried also by Mexican, Brazilian and Sioux patients, supporting a very old common Amerindian origin. Prevalence for dominant SCAs in Venezuela was estimated as 1:25 000 nuclear families, provenances of which are either Caucasoid, African or Amerindian.

  12. Source investigation of two outbreaks of skin and soft tissue infection by Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. abscessus in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Torres-Coy, J A; Rodríguez-Castillo, B A; Pérez-Alfonzo, R; DE Waard, J H

    2016-04-01

    Outbreaks of soft tissue or skin infection due to non-tuberculous mycobacteria are reported frequently in scientific journals but in general the infection source in these outbreaks remains unknown. In Venezuela, in two distinct outbreaks, one after breast augmentation surgery and another after hydrolipoclasy therapy, 16 patients contracted a soft tissue infection due to Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. abscessus. Searching for the possible environmental infection sources in these outbreaks, initially the tap water (in the hydrolipoclasy therapy outbreak) and a surgical skin marker (in the breast implant surgery outbreak), were identified as the infection sources. Molecular typing of the strains with a variable number tandem repeat typing assay confirmed the tap water as the infection source but the molecular typing technique excluded the skin marker. We discuss the results and make a call for the implementation of stringent hygiene and disinfection guidelines for cosmetic procedures in Venezuela.

  13. High occurrence of Acanthamoeba genotype T4 in soil sources from Bolívar State, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Wagner, Carolina; Reyes-Batlle, María; Hernán, Aurora; Rojas, Elsy; Pérez, Gladymar; López-Arencibia, Atteneri; Sifaoui, Ines; Martínez-Carretero, Enrique; Piñero, José E; Valladares, Basilio; Lorenzo-Morales, Jacob

    2016-09-01

    Pathogenic strains of Acanthamoeba are causative agents of keratitis and encephalitis that often may end fatal in humans and other animals. In the present study, twenty-seven soil samples were collected in the Bolivar State in Venezuela and checked for the presence of Acanthamoeba. Samples were cultivated onto 2% non-nutrient agar plates seeded with a layer of heat killed E. coli. Amplification by PCR and sequencing of the DF3 region of the 18S rDNA of Acanthamoeba was carried out in order to confirm morphological identification of the amoebae. Furthermore, Acanthamoeba spp. was isolated from 51.8% of soil samples. Sequencing of the DF3 region of the 18S rDNA resulted in the identification of genotype T4 in all samples. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of genotype T4 in soil sources from Venezuela. Further studies should be carried out in this State and in the country in order to determine the current occurrence of Acanthamoeba in Venezuelan environments.

  14. New Records of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from Bolívar State in South Eastern Venezuela, with 27 New Species for the State and 5 of Them New in the Country

    PubMed Central

    Berti, Jesús; Guzmán, Hernán; Estrada, Yarys; Ramírez, Rodrigo

    2015-01-01

    This is the first part of a series of studies related to mosquito ecological and biogeographic aspects. A total of 69 mosquito species (Diptera: Culicidae) was collected in 16 localities sampled in the Gran Sabana Municipality, Canaima National Park, and Venezuela. Twenty-seven mosquito species are recorded for the first time from Bolívar State, Venezuela. Five of them species are reported for the first time in Venezuela: Anopheles malefactor Dyar and Knab (1907); Chagasia bonneae Root (1927); Chagasia ablusa Harbach (2009); Culex anduzei Lane (1944), and Uranotaenia leucoptera Theobald (1907). Their medical importance is commented, and ecological and epidemiological aspects are discussed. A checklist of the mosquito species reported in the Gran Sabana County is given. PMID:25853113

  15. Multidata remote sensing approach to regional geologic mapping in Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Baker, R.N.

    1996-08-01

    Remote Sensing played an important role in evaluating the exploration potential of selected lease blocks in Venezuela. Data sets used ranged from regional Landsat and airborne radar (SLAR) surveys to high-quality cloud-free air photos for local but largely inaccessible terrains. The resulting data base provided a framework for the conventional analyses of surface and subsurface information available to the project team. (1) Regional surface geology and major structural elements were interpreted from Landsat MSS imagery supplemented by TM and a regional 1:250,000 airborne radar (SLAR) survey. Evidence of dextral offset, en echelon folds and major thoroughgoing faults suggest a regionalmore » transpressional system modified by local extension and readjustment between small-scale crustal blocks. Surface expression of the major structural elements diminishes to the east, but can often be extended beneath the coastal plain by drainage anomalies and subtle geomorphic trends. (2) Environmental conditions were mapped using the high resolution airborne radar images which were used to relate vegetation types to surface texture and elevation; wetlands, outcrop and cultural features to image brightness. Additional work using multispectral TM or SPOT imagery is planned to more accurately define environmental conditions and provide a baseline for monitoring future trends. (3) Offshore oil seeps were detected using ERS-1 satellite radar (SAR) and known seeps in the Gulf of Paria as analogs. While partially successful, natural surfactants, wind shadow and a surprising variety of other phenomena created {open_quotes}false alarms{close_quotes} which required other supporting data and field sampling to verify the results. Key elements of the remote sensing analyses will be incorporated into a comprehensive geographic information (GIS) which will eventually include all of Venezuela.« less

  16. Venezuela 2000 restructures its electric power sector to ensure competitiveness

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Alvarez, C.E.

    1999-11-01

    Today, it is well known that the countries that are best equipped to develop their production are not those with the most natural resources but those who have the best trained people, most technical resources and that base their development on competitiveness. The State model is, definitely, not one that offers the greatest advantages, and Venezuela is an example of this. Even when, thanks to the economic boom the country enjoyed in the 70s and 80s, it was able to cost the investments required to develop its infrastructure and to prepare a first class human contingent, over the long term,more » competition was discouraged and waste encouraged. The result was that, even when Venezuela had vast economic resources compared to its relatively small population, it was not able to become the exception to the rule and succeed in applying this model--now considered obsolete in many countries--indefinitely. Another model based on private ownership has begun to take its place, one that has made it possible to cost the increasingly large investments required, involves opening up these sectors to private capital, and uses the phenomenon of globalization--a major driving force behind competition and one that has wrought considerable change in all corners of the increasingly smaller planet. This paper describes the steps that different sectors in the country have been taking to implement this new model in the electric power sector, such as developing draft legislation for regulating the Sector, very shortly to culminate in the passing of an electric power law by Congress; opening up the Sector to private investors (privatization); dividing the electric power industry into four business units (generation, transmission, distribution and marketing); the electric power market; and other innovations currently being implemented.« less

  17. Diurnal raptors in the fragmented rain forest of the Sierra Imataca, Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Alvarez, E.; Ellis, D.H.; Smith, D.G.; LaRue, C.T.; Bird, David M.; Varland, Daniel E.; Negro, Juan Jose

    1996-01-01

    The rain forest of the Sierra Imataca in eastern Venezuela has been subjected to extensive deforestation for pastures and agricultural settlements. In the last decade the opening of access roads combined with intensified logging and mining activities have fragmented a significant portion of the remaining forest. We noted local distribution and habitat use for 42 species of diurnal raptors observed in affected areas in this region. We observed some raptors considered as forest interior species and other open country species foraging and roosting in man-made openings inside the forest.

  18. Malaria seroprevalence in blood bank donors from endemic and non-endemic areas of Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Contreras, Carmen Elena; Donato, Marcos de; Rivas, María Ana; Rodulfo, Hectorina; Mora, Robert; Batista, María Eulalia; Marcano, Norka

    2011-03-01

    In Venezuela, a total of 363,466 malaria cases were reported between 1999-2009. Several states are experiencing malaria epidemics, increasing the risk of vector and possibly transfusion transmission. We investigated the risk of transfusion transmission in blood banks from endemic and non-endemic areas of Venezuela by examining blood donations for evidence of malaria infection. For this, commercial kits were used to detect both malaria-specific antibodies (all species) and malaria antigen (Plasmodium falciparum only) in samples from Venezuelan blood donors (n = 762). All samples were further studied by microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The antibody results showed that P. falciparum-infected patients had a lower sample/cut-off ratio than Plasmodium vivax-infected patients. Conversely, a higher ratio for antigen was observed among all P. falciparum-infected individuals. Sensitivity and specificity were higher for malarial antigens (100 and 99.8%) than for antibodies (82.2 and 97.4%). Antibody-positive donors were observed in Caracas, Ciudad Bolívar, Puerto Ayacucho and Cumaná, with prevalences of 1.02, 1.60, 3.23 and 3.63%, respectively. No PCR-positive samples were observed among the donors. However, our results show significant levels of seropositivity in blood donors, suggesting that more effective measures are required to ensure that transfusion transmission does not occur.

  19. Fatal yellow fever in a traveler returning from Venezuela, 1999.

    PubMed

    2000-04-14

    On September 28, 1999, a previously healthy 48-year-old man from California sought care at a local emergency department (ED) and was hospitalized with a 2-day history of fever (102 F [38.9 C]), chills, headache, photophobia, diffuse myalgias, joint pains, nausea, vomiting, constipation, upper abdominal discomfort, and general weakness. On September 26, he had returned from a 10-day trip to Venezuela. On September 29, an infectious disease physician from the ED contacted the Marin County Health Department (MCHD) about the patient's symptoms; MCHD reported his illness to the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) as a suspected case of viral hemorrhagic fever. This report describes the investigation of the case.

  20. [The registration of deaths in Venezuela: an evaluation of coverage].

    PubMed

    Bidegain, G; Lopez, D

    1987-08-01

    "This paper presents six indirect techniques for estimating the degree of death coverage as applied to vital statistics information in Venezuela between 1960 and 1982, collected by two public institutions, namely, the 'Oficina Central de Estadistica e Informatica' (OCEI) and the Ministry of Health and Social Assistance (MSAS).... The results show remarkable improvements in the death registry coverage for both institutions, that amount to 97 or 98 per cent at the beginning of the 80's. Nevertheless, great differences can be observed between them regarding both structure and volume of deaths by sex and age." Among the problems discussed are the impact of immigration and errors in age reporting. (SUMMARY IN ENG) excerpt

  1. HIV prevalence, sexual behaviours and engagement in HIV medical care among an online sample of sexually active MSM in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Perez-Brumer, Amaya G; Oldenburg, Catherine E; Biello, Katie B; Novak, David S; Rosenberger, Joshua G; Mimiaga, Matthew J

    2016-08-01

    In Venezuela, members of a social and sexual partner networking site for men who have sex with men (MSM) completed an online survey regarding sexual behaviours and HIV medical care. Among the 2851 respondents, self-reported HIV prevalence was 6.6%. Of participants living with HIV, 73.2% reported taking antiretroviral medication and 56.6% reported complete adherence within the past month. Participants living with HIV were more likely to be older (aOR = 1.04 per one-year increase in age, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.06) and diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection in the previous year (aOR 3.26, 95% CI: 2.11, 5.04). These data provide further understanding of the HIV epidemic among MSM in Venezuela, and potential targets for HIV prevention interventions. © The Author(s) 2016.

  2. Individuals in a Collectivist World: Born in the U.S.A., Teaching in Caracas, Venezuela

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Warring, Douglas F.; Huber-Warring, Tonya

    2006-01-01

    Venezuela is a country slightly larger than twice the size of California, the third largest U.S.A. state in land area. Caracas, the capitol city, is home to a population of 6 million people nested into a space that is actually smaller in size than the area of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A., a city/suburb of only 2.8 million people. In…

  3. A new species of Piaroa (Schizomida: Hubbardiidae) from Venezuela, with taxonomic notes on the genus.

    PubMed

    M, Osvaldo Villarreal; De Armas, Luis F; García, Luis Fernando

    2014-02-19

    A new species belonging to the schizomid genus Piaroa Villarreal, Giupponi and Tourinho, 2008 is described from north-western Venezuela. A complementary description of Piaroa guipongai Villarreal and Garcia, 2012 is provided including SEM pictures of relevant structures of both sexes. A key for males of Piaroa and Colombiazomus Armas and Delgado-Santa, 2012 is included. The presence of Dm3 setae on Hubbardiidae is discussed.

  4. Postepizootic Persistence of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus, Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Navarro, Juan-Carlos; Medina, Gladys; Vasquez, Clovis; Coffey, Lark L.; Wang, Eryu; Suárez, Alexander; Biord, Hernán; Salas, Marlene

    2005-01-01

    Five years after the apparent end of the major 1995 Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) epizootic/epidemic, focal outbreaks of equine encephalitis occurred in Carabobo and Barinas States of western Venezuela. Virus isolates from horses in each location were nearly identical in sequence to 1995 isolates, which suggests natural persistence of subtype IC VEE virus (VEEV) strains in a genetically stable mode. Serologic evidence indicated that additional outbreaks occurred in Barinas State in 2003. Field studies identified known Culex (Melanoconion) spp. vectors and reservoir hosts of enzootic VEEV but a dearth of typical epidemic vectors. Cattle serosurveys indicated the recent circulation of enzootic VEEV strains, and possibly of epizootic strains. Persistence of VEEV subtype IC strains and infection of horses at the end of the rainy season suggest the possibility of an alternative, cryptic transmission cycle involving survival through the dry season of infected vectors or persistently infected vertebrates. PMID:16485478

  5. Embodying racism: race, rhinoplasty, and self-esteem in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Gulbas, Lauren E

    2013-03-01

    In this article, I examine how race motivates women's decisions to undergo aesthetic rhinoplasty in Caracas, Venezuela. Through a combination of cultural domain analysis and thematic analysis of qualitative interviews, I explore how the preference for whiteness and associated facial features dovetail with the aesthetic ideals promoted by cosmetic surgeons. Rhinoplasty is offered by physicians and interpreted by patients as a resolution to body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem. The clinical ethos of objectivity established by cosmetic surgeons fails to acknowledge how perceptions of the self and body are strongly tied to racial marginalization: patients' efforts to alter the nose reveal attempts to change not only how the body looks, but how it is lived. As a result, cosmetic surgery only acts as a stop-gap measure to heighten one's self-esteem and body image.

  6. First record of Hesperolabops nigriceps Reuter (Hemiptera: Miridae) on Opuntia ficus-indica in Milpa Alta, Mexico City.

    PubMed

    Palomares-Pérez, Martín; Rodríguez-Leyva, Esteban; Brailovsky, Harry; Ramírez-Alarcón, Samuel

    2010-01-01

    In recent years a species of Hesperolabops has become a problem as a pest of nopalitos, Opuntia ficus-indica, in Milpa Alta, in the south of Mexico City, which is the most important production region of this vegetable in the country. A survey of Hesperolabops in Milpa Alta has resulted in the first report of Hesperolabops nigriceps Reuter. This occurrence should be monitored and considered in future studies in order to avoid misidentification of Hesperolabops spp. Kirkaldy native populations there, and to avoid the confusion of the damage that may be caused on O. ficus-indica.

  7. Sedimentological Signatures of Transient Depositional Events in the Cariaco Basin, Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elmore, A. C.; Thunell, R. C.; Black, D. E.; Murray, R. W.; Martinez, N. C.

    2004-12-01

    The varved sediments that have accumulated in the Cariaco Basin throughout the Holocene provide a detailed archive of the region's climatic history, and act as a historical record for the occurrence of phenomena such as earthquakes and coastal flooding. In this study we compare the sedimentological characteristics of lithogenic material collected from the water column during transient depositional events to those of normal hemipelagic sedimentation in the basin. Specifically, we have examined the clay mineralogy and grain size distribution of detrital material delivered to the basin by the July 9, 1997 earthquake near Cumana, Venezuela and the coastal flooding of Venezuela in late 1999. The sample material used in our study was collected as part of an ongoing sediment trap time series in the Cariaco Basin. The sedimentological signatures associated with these two events are distinctive from the typical lithogenic input to the basin. Preliminary data for biweekly samples collected from 1997-1999 shows a tri-modal particle size distribution, with peaks at 3, 22, and 80 im. However, material collected from the deep basin immediately following the 1997 earthquake is characterized by a particle diameter distribution at 6 and 22 im with a smaller than normal peak at 80 im; this variance suggests an alternate source of material was delivered to the basin via a turbidity flow induced by the earthquake. Supporting this theory, the clay mineralogy of the same sediment trap samples shows a higher than average ratio of kaolinite to quartz for sediments delivered to the basin following both the earthquake and flooding. We hope to extend the use of these sedimentological methods to identify past transient depositional events in Cariaco Basin cores.

  8. Dengue seroprevalence and risk factors for past and recent viral transmission in Venezuela: a comprehensive community-based study.

    PubMed

    Velasco-Salas, Zoraida I; Sierra, Gloria M; Guzmán, Diamelis M; Zambrano, Julio; Vivas, Daniel; Comach, Guillermo; Wilschut, Jan C; Tami, Adriana

    2014-11-01

    Dengue transmission in Venezuela has become perennial and a major public health problem. The increase in frequency and magnitude of recent epidemics prompted a comprehensive community-based cross-sectional study of 2,014 individuals in high-incidence neighborhoods of Maracay, Venezuela. We found a high seroprevalence (77.4%), with 10% of people experiencing recent infections. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that poverty-related socioeconomic factors (place and duration of residence, crowding, household size, and living in a shack) and factors/constraints related to intradomiciliary potential mosquito breeding sites (storing water and used tires) were linked with a greater risk of acquiring a dengue infection. Our results also suggest that transmission occurs mainly at home. The combination of increasingly crowded living conditions, growing population density, precarious homes, and water storage issues caused by enduring problems in public services in Maracay are the most likely factors that determine the permanent dengue transmission and the failure of vector control programs. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  9. Dengue Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for Past and Recent Viral Transmission in Venezuela: A Comprehensive Community-Based Study

    PubMed Central

    Velasco-Salas, Zoraida I.; Sierra, Gloria M.; Guzmán, Diamelis M.; Zambrano, Julio; Vivas, Daniel; Comach, Guillermo; Wilschut, Jan C.; Tami, Adriana

    2014-01-01

    Dengue transmission in Venezuela has become perennial and a major public health problem. The increase in frequency and magnitude of recent epidemics prompted a comprehensive community-based cross-sectional study of 2,014 individuals in high-incidence neighborhoods of Maracay, Venezuela. We found a high seroprevalence (77.4%), with 10% of people experiencing recent infections. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that poverty-related socioeconomic factors (place and duration of residence, crowding, household size, and living in a shack) and factors/constraints related to intradomiciliary potential mosquito breeding sites (storing water and used tires) were linked with a greater risk of acquiring a dengue infection. Our results also suggest that transmission occurs mainly at home. The combination of increasingly crowded living conditions, growing population density, precarious homes, and water storage issues caused by enduring problems in public services in Maracay are the most likely factors that determine the permanent dengue transmission and the failure of vector control programs. PMID:25223944

  10. Molecular Evidence of Anaplasma platys Infection in Two Women from Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Arraga-Alvarado, Cruz M.; Qurollo, Barbara A.; Parra, Omaira C.; Berrueta, Maribel A.; Hegarty, Barbara C.; Breitschwerdt, Edward B.

    2014-01-01

    This article presents two case reports of Anaplasma platys detection in two women from Venezuela. Both patients were exposed to Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the presumed tick vector, and experienced chronic, nonspecific clinical signs including headaches and muscle pains. Intra-platelet inclusion bodies resembling A. platys were observed in buffy coat smears and A. platys DNA was amplified and sequenced from whole blood; however, treatment with doxycycline did not alleviate their symptoms. These cases provide further support for A. platys as a zoonotic tick-borne pathogen, most likely of low pathogenicity; nonetheless, the cause of illness in humans by A. platys is yet to be confirmed. PMID:25266347

  11. Thermal modeling in Ceuta, Maracaibo Basin, Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Marcano, F.; Padron, S.

    1993-02-01

    Hydrocarbon generation from Upper Cretaceous source rocks (Fm.La Luna) in Ceuta, center-eastern Maracaibo lake area in Venezuela, is modeled here, using a kinetic method and the conventional Time-Temperature Index (TTI) procedure. Geological evolution, burial and erosional history is based on available interpretation of 3D seismic and well data. Fragmentary present-day subsurface temperature data comes from corrected measurements in a few wells. Paleogradient/heat paleoflux was estimated during the thermal modeling on wells, by calculating vitrinite reflectances (Ro) or Tmax values and then comparing them with measured ones. However, thermal-indicator data does not always appear to be consistent and some data hadmore » to be rejected. Paleogradient evolution in the Cretaceous is controlled by the development of a isolated thermal compartment related to overpressures in a thick shaly sequence in the Upper Cretaceous. A geological section was studied in detail to illustrate possible migration paths to known fields and undrilled traps. Results show a good fit between the thermal evolution of the source rock and the maturity of the crude produced in the area.« less

  12. Assessing the Educational and Financial Needs of Small-Scale Dairy Farmers in Socopo, Venezuela. Summary of Research 64.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nieto, Ruben D.; Henderson, Janet L.

    The process of transferring agricultural technology in many countries was studied to determine the perceived educational and financial needs of small-scale dairy farmers in Socopo, Venezuela. The following data were collected: (1) demographic characteristics--age, educational level, farm size, number of lactating cows, dairy farming experience,…

  13. Adherence with national guidelines in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia: results from the CAPO study in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Levy, Gur; Perez, Mario; Rodríguez, Benito; Hernández Voth, Ana; Perez, Jorge; Gnoni, Martin; Kelley, Robert; Wiemken, Timothy; Ramirez, Julio

    2015-04-01

    The Community-Acquired Pneumonia Organization (CAPO) is an international observational study in 130 hospitals, with a total of 31 countries, to assess the current management of hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). 2 Using the centralized database of CAPO was decided to conduct this study with the aim of evaluate the level of adherence with national guidelines in Venezuela, to define in which areas an intervention may be necessary to improve the quality of care of hospitalized patients with CAP. In this observational retrospective study quality indicators were used to evaluate the management of hospitalized patients with CAP in 8 Venezuelan's centers. The care of the patients was evaluated in the areas of: hospitalization, oxygen therapy, empiric antibiotic therapy, switch therapy, etiological studies, blood cultures indication, and prevention. The compliance was rated as good (>90%), intermediate (60% to 90%), or low (<60%). A total of 454 patients with CAP were enrolled. The empiric treatment administered within 8 hours of the patient arrival to the hospital was good (96%), but the rest of the indicators showed a low level of adherence (<60%). We can say that there are many areas in the management of CAP in Venezuela that are not performed according to the national guidelines of SOVETHORAX.1 In any quality improvement process the first step is to evaluate the difference between what is recommended and what is done in clinical practice. While this study meets this first step, the challenge for the future is to implement the processes necessary to improve the management of CAP in Venezuela. Copyright © 2013 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  14. On the absence of the Green-tailed Trainbearer Lesbia nuna (Trochilidae) from Venezuela: an analysis based on environmental niche modelling.

    PubMed

    Ramoni Perazzi, Paolo; Schuchmann, Karl L; Ablan Bortone, Magdiel; Soto Werschitz, Alejandra

    2017-01-01

    Lesbia nuna , a hummingbird distributed in the tropical Andes, has been included in Venezuela's bird list on the basis of a specimen collected in 1873 at Sierra Nevada, Mérida and deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, with no further records for this country since then. This record, largely considered as valid by most authors, has been questioned by others, although without formal analyses. The potential habitat range of the Green-Tailed Trainbearer, Lesbia nuna gouldii (Trochilidae), in the northern Andes from Ecuador to Venezuela was modelled, using maximum entropy niche modelling, environmental covariates and records from locations across the Colombian Andes. The predicted suitable habitat range corresponded well to the known range of the subspecies L. n. gouldii in Colombia and clearly excluded Sierra Nevada. Therefore, these analyses suggest that this species should be removed from the Venezuelan bird list.

  15. Karyotype of the invasive species Pterois volitans (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae) from Margarita Island, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Nirchio, Mauro; Ehemann, Nicolás; Siccha-Ramirez, Raquel; Ron, Ernesto; Pérez, Julio Eduardo; Rossi, Anna Rita; Oliveira, Claudio

    2014-12-01

    The genus Pterois includes nine valid species, native to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean throughout the Western Pacific. P. volitans and P. miles are native to the Indo-Pacific, and were introduced into Florida waters as a result of aquarium releases, and have been recently recognized as invaders of the Western Atlantic and Caribbean Sea (Costa Rica to Venezuela). Thus far, cytogenetic studies of the genus Pterois only cover basic aspects of three species, including P. volitans from Indo-Pacific Ocean. Considering the lack of more detailed information about cytogenetic characteristics of this invasive species, the objective of the present study was to investigate the basic and molecular cytogenetic characteristics of P. volitans in Venezuela, and compare the results with those from the original distribution area. For this, the karyotypic characteristics of four lionfish caught in Margarita Island, Venezuela, were investigated by examining metaphase chromosomes by Giemsa staining, C-banding, Ag-NOR, and two-colour-Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) for mapping of 18S and 5S ribosomal genes. Comparing the sequences of the 16S gene of the specimens analyzed, with sequences already included in the Genbank, we corroborated that our specimens identified as P. volitans are in fact this species, and hence exclude the possibility of a misidentification of P. miles. The diploid number was 2n = 48 (2m + 10sm + 36a) with FN = 60. Chromosomes uniformly decreased in size, making it difficult to clearly identify the homologues except for the only metacentric pair, and the pairs number two, the largest of the submetacentric series. C-banding revealed only three pairs of chromosomes negative for C-band, whereas all remaining chromosomes presented telomeric and some interstitial C-positive blocks. Only two chromosomes were C-banding positive at the pericentromeric regions. Sequential staining revealed Ag-NOR on the tips of the short arms of chromosome pair number two and the FISH

  16. Simuliidae and their relation to human onchocerciasis in northern Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Lewis, D. J.; de Aldecoa, R. Ibáñez

    1962-01-01

    A study of the vectors of onchocerciasis was carried out in 1961 in northern Venezuela at the request of the Venezuelan Government. This article, based on the report submitted, records various observations made—mainly during the dry season—on the identification and biology of the Simuliidae and on the possibilities of controlling them. Twelve Simulium forms were encountered; special attention was paid to the two common man-biting species; S. exiguum, which was abundant but of uncertain relation to onchocerciasis, and S. metallicum. The authors conclude that S. metallicum is the main or only vector in the area studied, but that S. exiguum might possibly also transmit onchocerciasis in certain places near large streams where it is found in great numbers. PMID:20604129

  17. Late Quaternary environmental history of Lake Valencia, Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bradbury, J. Platt; Leyden, B.; Baker, M.R.; Lewis, W.M.; Schubert, C.; Binford, M.W.; Whitehead, D.R.; Weibezahn, F.H.

    1981-01-01

    Chemical, paleontological, and mineralogical analyses of a 7.5-meter core from the middle of Lake Valencia, Venezuela, have provided information on the paleoclimatic history of this low-elevation, low-latitude site for the last 13,000 years. The data show that dry climates existed in this region from 13,000 years before present (B.P.) until about 10,000 years B.P. The Lake Valencia Basin was occupied by intermittent saline marshes at that time. About 10,000 years B.P., a permanent lake of fluctuating salinity formed and arboreal plant communities replaced the earlier dominant xeric herbaceous vegetation and marsh plants. By 8500 years B.P., Lake Valencia reached moderate to low salinities and discharged water; the modern vegetation became established at that time. After 8500 years B.P., the lake twice ceased discharging as a result of reduced watershed moisture. The second of these drying episodes is still in progress and has been aggravated by human activities in the watershed.

  18. Genetic variability in the Guahibo population from Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Moral, Pedro; Marini, Elisabetta; Esteban, Esther; Mameli, Giuseppa Elisa; Succa, Valeria; Vona, Giuseppe

    2002-01-01

    Four communities from Guahibo of Venezuela were analyzed for the genetic variants of nine erythrocyte enzymes and five serum proteins. Of the 14 loci determined, four were monomorphic. Significant frequency differentiation among communities, was present for ESD and TF markers. In general, Guahibo allele frequencies are in the variation ranges described for South American groups. The analysis indicates a relatively higher affinity of Guahibos with other Venezuelan groups within an irregular pattern of genetic distances that are likely related to the complex demographic history of the South American groups. Genetic diversity estimates reveal a moderate degree of genetic structure between the four Guahibo communities. This intra-tribal variability in Guahibo appears to be lower than in Venezuelan Piaroa but higher than in other Amerindians and could be attributed to a combined effect of low population size and relative isolation of communities. At a continental level, the distribution of genetic diversity is consistent with preferential population movements along the eastern and western coastal areas.

  19. Late quaternary environmental history of Lake Valencia, Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Platt, Bradbury J.; Leyden, B.; Salgado-Labouriau, M.; Lewis, W.M.; Schubert, C.; Binford, M.W.; Frey, D.G.; Whitehead, D.R.; Weibezahn, F.H.

    1981-01-01

    Chemical, paleontological, and mineralogical analyses of a 7.5-meter core from the middle of Lake Valencia, Venezuela, have provided information on the paleoclimatic history of this low-elevation, low-latitude site for the last 13,000 years. The data show that dry climates existed in this region from 13,000 years before present (B.P.) until about 10,000 years B.P. The Lake Valencia Basin was occupied by intermittent saline marshes at that time. About 10,000 years B.P., a permanent lake of fluctuating salinity formed and arboreal plant communities replaced the earlier dominant xeric herbaceous vegetation and marsh plants. By 8500 years B.P., Lake Valencia reached moderate to low salinities and discharged water; the modern vegetation became established at that time. After 8500 years B.P., the lake twice ceased discharging as a result of reduced watershed moisture. The second of these drying episodes is still in progress and has been aggravated by human activities in the watershed. Copyright ?? 1981 AAAS.

  20. [Seasonality of rotavirus infection in Venezuela: relationship between monthly rotavirus incidence and rainfall rates].

    PubMed

    González Chávez, Rosabel

    2015-09-01

    In general, it has been reported that rotavirus infection was detected year round in tropical countries. However, studies in Venezuela and Brazil suggest a seasonal behavior of the infection. On the other hand, some studies link infection with climatic variables such as rainfall. This study analyzes the pattern of behavior of the rotavirus infection in Carabobo-Venezuela (2001-2005), associates the seasonality of the infection with rainfall, and according to the seasonal pattern, estimates the age of greatest risk for infection. The analysis of the rotavirus temporal series and accumulated precipitation was performed with the software SPSS. The infection showed two periods: high incidence (November-April) and low incidence (May-October). Accumulated precipitation presents an opposite behavior. The highest frequency of events (73.8% 573/779) for those born in the period with a low incidence of the virus was recorded at an earlier age (mean age 6.5 +/- 2.0 months) when compared with those born in the station of high incidence (63.5% 568/870, mean age 11.7 +/- 2.2 months). Seasonality of the infection and the inverse relationship between virus incidence and rainfall was demonstrated. In addition, it was found that the period of birth determines the age and risk of infection. This information generated during the preaccine period will be helpful to measure the impact of the vaccine against the rotavirus.

  1. New species of Andiorrhinus Cognetti, 1908 (Oligochaeta: Rhinodrilidae) from Venezuela and Brazil.

    PubMed

    Feijoo, Alexander M; Brown, George G; James, Samuel W

    2017-12-08

    Findings pertinent to 11 earthworm species from Venezuela and Brazil are reported. Six of these species are described as new to science, one is re-described and relocated in the genus Andiorrhinus, and new sites of occurrence are reported for four other species. Eight species of oligochaetes were found in the Andes in the state of Mérida, Venezuela: Andiorrhinus (Turedrilus) duranti sp. nov., Andiorrhinus (Meridrilus) timotocuica sp. nov., Andiorrhinus (Meridrilus) torondoy sp. nov., Andiorrhinus (Meridrilus) sp. 1, Andiorrhinus (Quibario) tatuy sp. nov., Andiorrhinus (Meridrilus) kuika (Righi, 1993), Andiorrhinus (Meridrilus) mukuci (Righi, 1993), and Andiorrhinus (Meridrilus) rimeda (Righi & Araujo, 2000). Andiorrhinus (Meridrilus) sp. 1, represented by one specimen only, is possibly a new species. Three other species were collected in Brazil: Andiorrhinus (Amazonidrilus) karinae sp. nov. in the Cerrado bioregion of Mato Grosso state; Andiorrhinus (Amazonidrilus) rodriguezi sp. nov. in the Amazon region in compost, and Andiorrhinus (Amazonidrilus) duseni (Michaelsen, 1918) in the Atlantic Forest, in the states of São Paulo and Paraná, the last species characterized by broad geographical and land use occurrences. The new subgenus Quibario was distinguished by the presence of three pairs of hearts in segments 10, 11, and 12. Keys are also included to differentiate species of subgenera Amazonidrilus and Meridrilus. The implications of these results in the context of ecological interactions, and dispersion of Andiorrhinus species in South America are discussed.

  2. Venezuela offshore oil and gas production development: Past, present and future

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Perez La Salvia, H.; Schwartz, E.; Contreras, M.

    1995-12-01

    This paper presents a short history of offshore oil and gas production in Venezuela starting in Lake Maracaibo in 1923. The main emphasis has been the results of the recent R and D and the exploratory offshore programs in areas like Orinoco Delta located in the Atlantic Ocean, Northeast and Northwest Venezuela in the Caribbean sea. In the R and D offshore program the main objectives were: (1) To establish the local environmental, oceanographical, geotechnical and seismicity conditions for the Venezuelan Continental Platform. (2) To give a technical support to the PDVSA Operating Affiliates during the exploratory programs including: (a)more » to develop accurate drilling vessel positioning systems; (b) evaluation of sea bottom geotechnical conditions for safely operating the jack-ups and drilling vessels involved in the exploratory wells and (c) to identify those areas which because of their special nature require further investigation to establish preliminary type of platforms required for the areas to be developed or to evaluate other solutions proposed by Foreign Consultant Engineering Companies to the PDVSA Operating Affiliated Companies. The main objective of PDVSA for the coming future will be to develop the North of Paria Gas Field through the initially named Christopher Columbus Project now Sucre Gas, S.A., a consortium conformed by LaGoven, S.A. Shell, Exxon and Mitsubishi. objective of this paper is to give an idea of the history of the Venezuelan Oil and Gas Offshore development giving emphasis to the results of the INTEVEP S.A. Red offshore program and to show some results of the particular characteristics of oceanographical, environmental, geotechnical and seismic conditions in the main areas evaluated during the exploratory program: Orinoco Delta, Gulf of Paria and North of Paria.« less

  3. Are Returns to Education on the Decline in Venezuela and Does Mission Sucre Have a Role to Play?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonzalez, Naihobe; Oyelere, Ruth Uwaifo

    2011-01-01

    Anecdotal evidence points to a falling standard of living for the educated in Venezuela. During this same period, President Hugo Chavez implemented several education reforms. We focus on a major university education reform known as Mission Sucre and its potential impact on returns to university education. First, we show that returns to education…

  4. On the absence of the Green-tailed Trainbearer Lesbia nuna (Trochilidae) from Venezuela: an analysis based on environmental niche modelling

    PubMed Central

    Schuchmann, Karl L.; Ablan Bortone, Magdiel; Soto Werschitz, Alejandra

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Background Lesbia nuna, a hummingbird distributed in the tropical Andes, has been included in Venezuela's bird list on the basis of a specimen collected in 1873 at Sierra Nevada, Mérida and deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, with no further records for this country since then. This record, largely considered as valid by most authors, has been questioned by others, although without formal analyses. New information The potential habitat range of the Green-Tailed Trainbearer, Lesbia nuna gouldii (Trochilidae), in the northern Andes from Ecuador to Venezuela was modelled, using maximum entropy niche modelling, environmental covariates and records from locations across the Colombian Andes. The predicted suitable habitat range corresponded well to the known range of the subspecies L. n. gouldii in Colombia and clearly excluded Sierra Nevada. Therefore, these analyses suggest that this species should be removed from the Venezuelan bird list. PMID:29308047

  5. Preliminary inventory of mammals from Yurubí National Park, Yaracuy, Venezuela with some comments on their natural history.

    PubMed

    García, Franger J; Delgado-Jaramillo, Mariana; Machado, Marjorie; Aular, Luis

    2012-03-01

    In Venezuela, mammals represent an important group of wildlife with high anthropogenic pressures that threaten their permanence. Focused on the need to generate baseline information that allows us to contribute to document and conserve the richness of local wildlife, we conducted a mammalogical inventory in Yurubí National Park, located in Yaracuy State in Venezuela. We carried out fieldworks in three selected vegetation types: an evergreen forest at 197m, a semi-deciduous forest ranging between 100-230m, and a cloud forest at 1 446m. We used Victor, Sherman, Havahart and pitfall traps for the capture of small non-volant mammals and mist nets for bats. In addition, we carried out interviews with local residents and direct-indirect observations for medium-large sized mammals. At least 79 species inhabit the area, representing 28% of the species recorded for the North side of the country. Chiroptera (39 spp.), Carnivora (13 spp.) and Rodentia (9 spp.) were the orders with the highest richness, as expected for the Neotropics. The evergreen forest had the greatest species richness (n=68), with a sampling effort of 128 net-hours, 32 bucket-days, 16 hours of observations, and three persons interviewed, followed by cloud forest (n=45) with 324 net-hours, 790 traps-night, 77 bucket-days, 10 hours of observations, and one person interviewed. The lowest richness value was in the semi-deciduous forest (n=41), with 591 traps-night, 15 net-hours, 10 hours of observations and three persons interviewed. Data and observations obtained in this inventory (e.g., endemism, species known as "surrogate species" threatened in Venezuela) give an important role at the Yurubí National Park in the maintenance and conservation of local ecosystems and wildlife, threatened by human pressures in the Cordillera de la Costa.

  6. Non-capsulated and capsulated Haemophilus influenzae in children with acute otitis media in Venezuela: a prospective epidemiological study.

    PubMed

    Naranjo, Laura; Suarez, Jose Antonio; DeAntonio, Rodrigo; Sanchez, Francis; Calvo, Alberto; Spadola, Enza; Rodríguez, Nicolás; Andrade, Omaira; Bertuglia, Francisca; Márquez, Nelly; Castrejon, Maria Mercedes; Ortega-Barria, Eduardo; Colindres, Romulo E

    2012-02-15

    Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) and Streptococcus pneumoniae are major causes of bacterial acute otitis media (AOM). Data regarding AOM are limited in Latin America. This is the first active surveillance in a private setting in Venezuela to characterize the bacterial etiology of AOM in children < 5 years of age. Between December 2008 and December 2009, 91 AOM episodes (including sporadic, recurrent and treatment failures) were studied in 87 children enrolled into a medical center in Caracas, Venezuela. Middle ear fluid samples were collected either by tympanocentesis or spontaneous otorrhea swab sampling method. Standard laboratory and microbiological techniques were used to identify bacteria and test for antimicrobial resistance. The results were interpreted according to Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) 2009 for non-meningitis isolates. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS 9.1 and Microsoft Excel (for graphical purposes). Overall, bacteria were cultured from 69.2% (63 of the 91 episodes); at least one pathogen (S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, S. pyogenes or M. catarrhalis) was cultured from 65.9% (60/91) of episodes. H. influenzae (55.5%; 35/63 episodes) and S. pneumoniae (34.9%; 22/63 episodes) were the most frequently reported bacteria. Among H. influenzae isolates, 62.9% (22/35 episodes) were non-capsulated (NTHi) and 31.4% (11/35 episodes) were capsulated including types d, a, c and f, across all age groups. Low antibiotic resistance for H. influenzae was observed to amoxicillin/ampicillin (5.7%; 2/35 samples). NTHi was isolated in four of the six H. influenzae positive samples (66.7%) from recurrent episodes. We found H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae to be the main pathogens causing AOM in Venezuela. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines with efficacy against these bacterial pathogens may have the potential to maximize protection against AOM.

  7. Non-capsulated and capsulated Haemophilus influenzae in children with acute otitis media in Venezuela: a prospective epidemiological study

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) and Streptococcus pneumoniae are major causes of bacterial acute otitis media (AOM). Data regarding AOM are limited in Latin America. This is the first active surveillance in a private setting in Venezuela to characterize the bacterial etiology of AOM in children < 5 years of age. Methods Between December 2008 and December 2009, 91 AOM episodes (including sporadic, recurrent and treatment failures) were studied in 87 children enrolled into a medical center in Caracas, Venezuela. Middle ear fluid samples were collected either by tympanocentesis or spontaneous otorrhea swab sampling method. Standard laboratory and microbiological techniques were used to identify bacteria and test for antimicrobial resistance. The results were interpreted according to Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) 2009 for non-meningitis isolates. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS 9.1 and Microsoft Excel (for graphical purposes). Results Overall, bacteria were cultured from 69.2% (63 of the 91 episodes); at least one pathogen (S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, S. pyogenes or M. catarrhalis) was cultured from 65.9% (60/91) of episodes. H. influenzae (55.5%; 35/63 episodes) and S. pneumoniae (34.9%; 22/63 episodes) were the most frequently reported bacteria. Among H. influenzae isolates, 62.9% (22/35 episodes) were non-capsulated (NTHi) and 31.4% (11/35 episodes) were capsulated including types d, a, c and f, across all age groups. Low antibiotic resistance for H. influenzae was observed to amoxicillin/ampicillin (5.7%; 2/35 samples). NTHi was isolated in four of the six H. influenzae positive samples (66.7%) from recurrent episodes. Conclusions We found H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae to be the main pathogens causing AOM in Venezuela. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines with efficacy against these bacterial pathogens may have the potential to maximize protection against AOM. PMID:22335965

  8. Global Climate Change Effects on Venezuela's Vulnerability to Chagas Disease is Linked to the Geographic Distribution of Five Triatomine Species.

    PubMed

    Ceccarelli, Soledad; Rabinovich, Jorge E

    2015-11-01

    We analyzed the possible effects of global climate change on the potential geographic distribution in Venezuela of five species of triatomines (Eratyrus mucronatus (Stal, 1859), Panstrongylus geniculatus (Latreille, 1811), Rhodnius prolixus (Stål, 1859), Rhodnius robustus (Larrousse, 1927), and Triatoma maculata (Erichson, 1848)), vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. To obtain the future potential geographic distributions, expressed as climatic niche suitability, we modeled the presences of these species using two IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) future emission scenarios of global climate change (A1B and B1), the Global Climate model CSIRO Mark 3.0, and three periods of future projections (years 2020, 2060, and 2080). After estimating with the MaxEnt software the future climatic niche suitability for each species, scenario, and period of future projections, we estimated a series of indexes of Venezuela's vulnerability at the county, state, and country level, measured as the number of people exposed due to the changes in the geographical distribution of the five triatomine species analyzed. Despite that this is not a measure of the risk of Chagas disease transmission, we conclude that possible future effects of global climate change on the Venezuelan population vulnerability show a slightly decreasing trend, even taking into account future population growth; we can expect fewer locations in Venezuela where an average Venezuelan citizen would be exposed to triatomines in the next 50-70 yr. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Complete genome sequence of Streptomyces venezuelae ATCC 15439, a promising cell factory for production of secondary metabolites.

    PubMed

    Song, Ju Yeon; Yoo, Young Ji; Lim, Si-Kyu; Cha, Sun Ho; Kim, Ji-Eun; Roe, Jung-Hye; Kim, Jihyun F; Yoon, Yeo Joon

    2016-02-10

    Streptomyces venezuelae ATCC 15439, which produces 12- and 14-membered ring macrolide antibiotics, is a platform strain for heterologous expression of secondary metabolites. Its 9.05-Mb genome sequence revealed an abundance of genes involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and their precursors, which should be useful for the production of bioactive compounds. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Decreasing prevalence of Hepatitis B and absence of Hepatitis C Virus infection in the Warao indigenous population of Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Blanco, Ruth Y.; Loureiro, Carmen L.; Sulbarán, Yoneira F.; Maes, Mailis; de Waard, Jacobus H.; Rangel, Héctor R.

    2018-01-01

    Prevalence and molecular epidemiology studies for hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) virus are scarce in Warao Amerindians from Venezuela, where an epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has recently been documented. To carry out a molecular epidemiology analysis of hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) virus in Warao individuals from the Delta Amacuro State of Venezuela. A total of 548 sera were tested for serological and molecular markers for HBV and HCV. The prevalence of active infection (presence of HBV surface antigen, HBsAg), exposure to HBV (presence of Antibody to HBV core antigen, anti-HBc) and anti-HCV, was 1.8%, 13% and 0% respectively. HBV exposure was significantly lower in men below 18 years old and also lower than rates previously reported in other Amerindian communities from Venezuela. Thirty one percent (31%, 25/80) of individuals without evidence of HBV infection exhibited anti-HBs titer ≥ 10U.I / ml, being significantly more frequent in individuals younger than 20 years. A higher HBV exposure was observed among HIV-1 positive individuals (33% vs 11%, p <0.005). A high prevalence of occult HBV infection was also observed (5.6%, 11/195). Phylogenetic analysis of S gene and complete HBV genomes showed that F3 is the only circulating subgenotype, different from the F2 subgenotype found in 1991 in this population. These results suggest a recent introduction of subgenotype F3, with a low divergence among the isolates. These results highlight the importance of molecular epidemiology studies for viral control, and support the effectiveness of vaccination in reducing transmission of HBV. PMID:29799873

  11. [Inventory of reptiles in 2 semi-arid zones from Northeastern of the Peninsula de Araya, Sucre State, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Pablo Cornejo, E; Antulio Prieto, A

    2001-01-01

    The fauna of reptiles in two localities from Northeastern Peninsula de Araya (Guayacán and El Morahal), Sucre State, Venezuela, was evaluated. Both zones are characterized by a vegetation of thorny tropical mount type, and semiarid climate of scarce precipitations (less than 700 mm). Field trips were made between june 1997 and june 1998. The samples were collected both during day and night, with the aid of conventional accessories. The information was complemented with visual registrations and bibliography revision. A total of 21 species were captured and/or observed, distributed in 10 families belonging to 2 of the 3 orders present in Venezuela. The most important families from the point of view of the diversity of species, were the Gekkonidae (2.00 bits/species) for the lizards and the Colubridae (2.33 bits/species) among the snakes. It was also reported one species of tortoises and three of cinegetic interest, being Cnemidophorus lemniscatus, Ameiva bifrontata y Tropidurus hispidus the only species of constant presence during the study.

  12. Mapa Geologico de Venezuela a Escala 1:750,000

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hackley, Paul C.; Urbani, Franco; Karlsen, Alex W.; Garrity, Christopher P.

    2006-01-01

    Se presenta un mapa geologico digital de Venezuela sobre un fondo de relieve sombreado. Los datos geologicos e hidrologicos del norte del rio Orinoco proceden de la digitalizacion de mapas geologicos en papel a escala 1:500.000. Estos datos fueron integrados con el mapa geologico digital del Escudo de Guayana Venezolano, a su vez derivado de hojas en papel a escala 1:500.000. La informacion sobre los tipos de fallas mostrados en el mapa es igual que en las fuentes originales. Los poligonos geologicos fueron atribuidos por edad, litologia y nombre de la unidad siguiendo el Codigo geologico de Venezuela. Se incorporaron revisiones significativas de la geologia de la Cordillera de la Costa a partir de las nuevas hojas integradas a escala 1:25.000. Toda esta informacion geologico-estructural se sobrepuso a una imagen de relieve sombreado, producida por el procesamiento de los datos de radar interferometrico con 90 m (3 arcosegundos) de resolucion espacial obtenidos por la mision topografica de radar del transbordador espacial (SRTM). Las areas de la base de datos del SRTM carentes de informacion fueron llenadas por medio de la interpolacion de los datos de las celdas adyacentes. Para producir la imagen de relieve sombreado se uso una direccion de iluminacion de 315 deg con un angulo de 65 deg sobre el horizonte. La proyeccion usada en el mapa es conica equidistante, con latitudes de 4 y 9 deg norte como paralelos estandar y una longitud de 66 deg al oeste como meridiano central. Los datos en el mapa proceden primordialment de hojas a escala 1:500.000 y el producto esta preparado para una impresion optima en escala 1:750.000. Los usuarios pueden obtener ampliaciones mayores, sin embargo no se garantiza la precision del mapa a escalas mas detalladas. Especialmente en la region de Guayana, al sobreponer los mapas geologicos sobre la reciente imagen SRTM, se notan grandes discrepancias no sistematicas tanto en contactos como en fallas. Esto es debido a que los mapas

  13. Mineral content of the honey produced in Zulia state, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Sulbarán de Ferrer, Betzabé; Ojeda de Rodríguez, Graciela; Peña, Jorge; Martínez, Janeth; Morán, María

    2004-09-01

    The mineral content of the honey produced in five zones of the Zulia state, Venezuela, during dry and rainy seasons was determined. The analyzed elements were: sodium, potassium (by emission spectroscopy), calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, manganese (by atomic absorption spectroscopy), phosphorus (phosphate ions, by colorimetric method), and ash content of raw honey samples directly collected from different beekeepers. The mean values for Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, and P were 353+84; 1774+138; 237+66; 52+24; 0.76+0.43; 13.5+10.23; 0.92+0.42 and 1642+323 mg/kg respectively. The mean ash content was 0.431+0.15%. Potassium was the most abundant of the elements determined. This results confirm that Zulian honey can be considered a good source of minerals.

  14. FIRST REPORT OF METALLO-β-LACTAMASES PRODUCING Enterobacter spp. STRAINS FROM VENEZUELA

    PubMed Central

    Martínez, Dianny; Rodulfo, Hectorina E.; Rodríguez, Lucy; Caña, Luisa E.; Medina, Belkis; Guzman, Militza; Carreño, Numirin; Marcano, Daniel; Donato, Marcos De

    2014-01-01

    Clinical strains of Enterobacter were isolated from Cumana's Central Hospital in Venezuela, and classified as E. cloacae (21), E. aerogenes (7), E. intermedium (1), E. sakazakii (1) and three unclassified. The strains showed high levels of resistance, especially to SXT (58.1%), CRO (48.8%), CAZ (46.6%), PIP (46.4%), CIP (45.2%) and ATM (43.3%). This is the first report for South America of bla VIM-2 in two E. cloacae and one Enterobacter sp., which also showed multiple mechanisms of resistance. Both E. cloacae showed bla TEM-1, but only one showed bla CTX-M-15 gene, while no bla SHV was detected. PMID:24553611

  15. [A case of laparoscopic surgery for a rectal carcinoid after ALTA therapy for an internal hemorrhoid].

    PubMed

    Aomatsu, Naoki; Nakamura, Masanori; Hasegawa, Tsuyoshi; Nakao, Shigetomi; Uchima, Yasutake; Aomatsu, Keiho

    2014-11-01

    We report a case of laparoscopic surgery for a rectal carcinoid after aluminum potassium and tannic acid (ALTA) therapy for an internal hemorrhoid. A 66-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of bleeding during defecation. He was diagnosed via anoscopy with Goligher grade II internal hemorrhoids. Examination via colonoscopy revealed 2 yellowish submucosal tumors in the lower rectum that were 5mm and 10mm in diameter. A rectal carcinoid tumor was diagnosed based on histopathology. Abdominal computed tomography demonstrated no metastases to the liver or lymph nodes. First, we performed ALTA therapy for the internal hemorrhoids. Two weeks later, we performed laparoscopic-assisted low anterior resection (D2) for the rectal carcinoid. The patient was discharged without complications and has not experienced recurrence during the 2 years of follow-up care.

  16. [Superficial mycoses in patients from Anzoátegui state, Venezuela, period 2002-2012].

    PubMed

    Lemus-Espinoza, Druvic; Teresa Maniscalchi, María; Villarroel, Oskarina; Bónoli, Stefano B; Wahab, Fadi; García, Oswaldo

    2014-12-01

    Superficial fungal diseases that affect the skin and its appendages are frequently seen in basic triage and in dermatology services. These diseases are distributed in Venezuela with an incidence of 92.9%. The aim of this study was to determine the genera and species that cause dermatomycoses in residents of Anzoátegui state, Venezuela, during the period 2002-2012. A total of 4257 patients with a presumptive diagnosis of superficial mycoses were studied, with ages from 7 months to 79 years. The overall prevalence was 30.9%. The most frequent were dermatophytosis (44.7%). M. canis produced 148 cases of tinea capitis. Three dermatophytic agents represented 95% of all cases, with a significant predominance of T. mentagrophytes with 50%. Candidosis occurred in 28.4%. C. albicans, and the C. parapsilosis complex, were responsible for 80% of the cases. The other species identified were C. tropicalis (n = 41, 11.0%), C. glabrata (n = 10, 2.7%), C. guilliermondii (n = 6, 1.6%), C. krusei (n = 4, 1.1%). Pityriasis versicolor occurred in 22.4% of the cases studied, and less frequently were present onychomycosis produced by a non dermatophytic mold: Fusarium oxysporum (n = 34, 65.4%), Aspergillus terreus (n=16, 30.8%) and Scytalidium dimidiatum (n=2; 3.8%). Rare cases of Trichosporon onychomycosis (0.5%) and one case of black tinea were also found. Health education in the population is recommended to promote measures to prevent transmission of these fungi and prevent the spread of this silent public health problem.

  17. [Fishery and biometrics of genus Calappa crabs (Brachyura: Calappidae) in northeastern Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Alió, José J; Marcano, Luis A; Altuve, Douglas E

    2005-01-01

    The box crabs, genus Calappa, are important crab species landed by the industrial trawl fleet in Venezuela. These crabs have a wide distribution in the country, from the Gulf of Venezuela to the Orinoco River, but major landings take place in such gulf, near Margarita Island and northern Sucre State. Average annual landing in the eastern region was 69 t during 1970-2001, with a maximum of 221 t. For this study a sample of 2 398 box crabs was collected by observers on board of industrial trawl vessels, which operated in eastern Venezuela from 1994 to 2000. Three species were found in the landings, Calappa sulcata and C. flammea. each represented 47% of the sample, and C. nitida, which accounted for 5% of the sample. Sex ratio was strongly biased towards males in C. sulcata (2.8:1) and in C. flammnea (1.9:1). while it was only slightly biased in C. nitida (1.4:1). Due to its large size, C. sulcuta is of great commercial interest, with average weight 290 g and a maximum weight of 720 g: C. flammea showed an average weight of 140 g and a maximum weight of 418 g, while C. nitida is the smallest species, with average weight 46 g and maximum weight not beyond 113 g. Box crabs were captured by day and night in similar proportions, and were found in a wide depth range, from a few meters to 126 m deep; however, the largest captures were obtained in the interval 38 - 54 m. Regressions between weight of chelae and total weight were linear, and significantly different between sexes. The relation between total weight and carapace width was allometric, with a power exponent ca. three in C. sulcata, and less than three in C. flamea and C. nitida. Females of C. sulcata and C. nitida showed power exponents significantly smaller than males. Since claws are removed from the animal to be commercialized, while the rest of the animal is returned alive to the sea, for practical purposes a common equation among species and sexes to convert claws weight into total body weight is: total

  18. Morphometric evidence for a possible role of Rhodnius prolixus from palm trees in house re-infestation in the State of Barinas (Venezuela).

    PubMed

    Feliciangeli, M Dora; Sanchez-Martin, Maria; Marrero, Rosalba; Davies, Clive; Dujardin, Jean-Pierre

    2007-02-01

    The main vector of Chagas disease in Venezuela is Rhodnius prolixus. Specimens of Rhodnius sp., identified elsewhere as R. prolixus by molecular tools, were collected in Barinas State (Venezuela) before insecticide application, and compared by morphometric techniques with post-spraying, re-infesting insects after control. Geometric morphometry was applied, allowing separate analyses of shape and size. The idea of a single species sharing silvatic and domestic/peri-domestic ecotopes was supported, suggesting new evolutionary scenarios for the controversial R. prolixus origins. The same data allowed to understand the possible mechanisms of villages re-infestation after a control campaign, either recolonization by local recovery of survivors or re-infestation by external migrants. Both mechanisms were apparent. Although shape properties could distinguish very close subpopulations such as insects from houses and insects from peri-domestic shelters, they were unable to identify the insects from palm trees as a distinct subpopulation. This strongly suggested that human environment could receive immigrants from palm trees. The pattern of size variation supported the hypothesis of a one-way exchange from silvatic to human environments, but did not support the reverse movement. Thus, morphometric data indicated that a silvatic population of the local vector is probably responsible for re-infesting villages after insecticide application, and they also pointed to the existence of re-infestation by local recovery of survivors. According to this interpretation, new epidemiological scenarios must be considered to improve Chagas disease control in Venezuela.

  19. Trypanosoma cruzi genotyping supports a common source of infection in a school-related oral outbreak of acute Chagas disease in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Díaz-Bello, Z; Thomas, M C; López, M C; Zavala-Jaspe, R; Noya, O; DE Noya, B Alarcón; Abate, T

    2014-01-01

    Trypanosoma cruzi I, a discrete typing unit (DTU) found in human infections in Venezuela and other countries of the northern region of South America and in Central America, has been recently classified into five intra-DTU genotypes (Ia, Ib, Ic, Id, Ie) based on sequence polymorphisms found in the spliced leader intergenic region. In this paper we report the genotype identification of T. cruzi human isolates from one outbreak of acute orally acquired Chagas disease that occurred in a non-endemic region of Venezuela and from T. cruzi triatomine and rat isolates captured at a guava juice preparation site which was identified as the presumptive source of infection. The genotyping of all these isolates as TcId supports the view of a common source of infection in this oral Chagas disease outbreak through the ingestion of guava juice. Implications for clinical manifestations and dynamics of transmission cycles are discussed.

  20. Seroprevalence of Toxocara canis infection in tropical Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Lynch, N R; Eddy, K; Hodgen, A N; Lopez, R I; Turner, K J

    1988-01-01

    An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the seroprevalence of Toxocara canis infection in different socio-economic groups of the tropical population of Venezuela. The lack of definitive independent diagnostic criteria for toxocariasis required the establishment of operational upper limits of normality for Toxocara ELISA values, based upon their log-normalized distribution in a presumptive "non-toxocariasis" sub-population. Only 1.8% of urban subjects of medium-high socio-economic level were considered to be clearly positive in Toxocara ELISA, compared to 20.0% of urban slum dwellers, 25.6% rural subsistence farmers and 34.9% Amazon Indians. As the test was performed using excretory-secretory antigen, and under conditions of competitive inhibition by soluble extracts of non-homologous parasites, co-infection by common intestinal helminths, protozoa or other organisms did not give rise to false positive results. However, strong cross-reactivity with Onchocerca volvulus may have influenced the prevalence figure obtained for the Amazon Indians. These results indicate that T. canis is yet another parasite that is widely distributed in economically underprivileged tropical populations.

  1. Integrality in Brazil and Venezuela: similarities and complementarities.

    PubMed

    Santos, Carla Targino Bruno Dos; Barros, Ione Silva; Amorim, Anne Caroline Coelho Leal Árias; Rocha, Dais Gonçalves; Mendonça, Ana Valéria Machado; Sousa, Maria Fátima de

    2018-04-01

    This study aims to compare Primary Health Care (PHC) in Brazil and Venezuela, considering its characteristics as to integrality. It has a qualitative approach, using documental analysis, semi-structured interviews with key informants and field diary notes. We observed the three realms of integrality inherent to the health work process: comprehensive and holistic care, the individual viewed as a complex being with multiple needs, requiring the connection of various health knowledge; continuity of care in institutional micro-policy with interprofessional articulation, in order to consider individual care; continuity of care in macro-policy, when a shift to other levels of care is needed; intersectoriality was also included, when the needs of an individual and community require a cross-sectoral coordination, with action on determinants and conditionants of the health-disease process. It is worth highlighting the natural tendency to include a comprehensive community medical training. We conclude that those countries strengthened by democracy draw their integrality practices closer, as well as the construction of social and health policies for underprivileged populations to achieve equity.

  2. Multiple Paternity in a Reintroduced Population of the Orinoco Crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) at the El Frío Biological Station, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Rossi Lafferriere, Natalia A; Antelo, Rafael; Alda, Fernando; Mårtensson, Dick; Hailer, Frank; Castroviejo-Fisher, Santiago; Ayarzagüena, José; Ginsberg, Joshua R; Castroviejo, Javier; Doadrio, Ignacio; Vilá, Carles; Amato, George

    2016-01-01

    The success of a reintroduction program is determined by the ability of individuals to reproduce and thrive. Hence, an understanding of the mating system and breeding strategies of reintroduced species can be critical to the success, evaluation and effective management of reintroduction programs. As one of the most threatened crocodile species in the world, the Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) has been reduced to only a few wild populations in the Llanos of Venezuela and Colombia. One of these populations was founded by reintroduction at Caño Macanillal and La Ramera lagoon within the El Frío Biological Station, Venezuela. Twenty egg clutches of C. intermedius were collected at the El Frío Biological Station for incubation in the lab and release of juveniles after one year. Analyzing 17 polymorphic microsatellite loci from 335 hatchlings we found multiple paternity in C. intermedius, with half of the 20 clutches fathered by two or three males. Sixteen mothers and 14 fathers were inferred by reconstruction of multilocus parental genotypes. Our findings showed skewed paternal contributions to multiple-sired clutches in four of the clutches (40%), leading to an overall unequal contribution of offspring among fathers with six of the 14 inferred males fathering 90% of the total offspring, and three of those six males fathering more than 70% of the total offspring. Our results provide the first evidence of multiple paternity occurring in the Orinoco crocodile and confirm the success of reintroduction efforts of this critically endangered species in the El Frío Biological Station, Venezuela.

  3. Multiple Paternity in a Reintroduced Population of the Orinoco Crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) at the El Frío Biological Station, Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Alda, Fernando; Mårtensson, Dick; Hailer, Frank; Castroviejo-Fisher, Santiago; Ginsberg, Joshua R.; Castroviejo, Javier; Doadrio, Ignacio; Vilá, Carles; Amato, George

    2016-01-01

    The success of a reintroduction program is determined by the ability of individuals to reproduce and thrive. Hence, an understanding of the mating system and breeding strategies of reintroduced species can be critical to the success, evaluation and effective management of reintroduction programs. As one of the most threatened crocodile species in the world, the Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) has been reduced to only a few wild populations in the Llanos of Venezuela and Colombia. One of these populations was founded by reintroduction at Caño Macanillal and La Ramera lagoon within the El Frío Biological Station, Venezuela. Twenty egg clutches of C. intermedius were collected at the El Frío Biological Station for incubation in the lab and release of juveniles after one year. Analyzing 17 polymorphic microsatellite loci from 335 hatchlings we found multiple paternity in C. intermedius, with half of the 20 clutches fathered by two or three males. Sixteen mothers and 14 fathers were inferred by reconstruction of multilocus parental genotypes. Our findings showed skewed paternal contributions to multiple-sired clutches in four of the clutches (40%), leading to an overall unequal contribution of offspring among fathers with six of the 14 inferred males fathering 90% of the total offspring, and three of those six males fathering more than 70% of the total offspring. Our results provide the first evidence of multiple paternity occurring in the Orinoco crocodile and confirm the success of reintroduction efforts of this critically endangered species in the El Frío Biological Station, Venezuela. PMID:26982578

  4. 76 FR 3881 - Application To Export Electric Energy; TransAlta Energy Marketing (U.S.) Inc.

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-21

    ... Energy Marketing (U.S.) Inc. AGENCY: Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, DOE. ACTION: Notice of application. SUMMARY: TransAlta Energy Marketing (U.S.) Inc. (TEMUS) has applied to renew its..., Federal power marketing agencies, and other entities within the United States. The existing international...

  5. Micrandra inundata (Euphorbiaceae), a new species with unusual wood anatomy from black-water river banks in southern Venezuela

    Treesearch

    Paul E. Berry; Alex C. Wiedenhoeft

    2004-01-01

    Micrandra inundata is a distinctive new species adapted to seasonally flooded black-water river banks in southern Venezuela. Trees rarely exceed 10 m in height but have thick basal trunks composed of very lightweight wood. It has the smallest leaves and fruits of any known Micrandra species and appears to be most closely related to M. minor Benth. The botanical...

  6. Transmission of Guanarito and Pirital Viruses among Wild Rodents, Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Milazzo, Mary L.; Cajimat, Maria N.B.; Duno, Gloria; Duno, Freddy; Utrera, Antonio

    2011-01-01

    Samples from rodents captured on a farm in Venezuela in February 1997 were tested for arenavirus, antibody against Guanarito virus (GTOV), and antibody against Pirital virus (PIRV). Thirty-one (48.4%) of 64 short-tailed cane mice (Zygodontomys brevicauda) were infected with GTOV, 1 Alston’s cotton rat (Sigmodon alstoni) was infected with GTOV, and 36 (64.3%) of 56 other Alston’s cotton rats were infected with PIRV. The results of analyses of field and laboratory data suggested that horizontal transmission is the dominant mode of GTOV transmission in Z. brevicauda mice and that vertical transmission is an important mode of PIRV transmission in S. alstoni rats. The results also suggested that bodily secretions and excretions from most GTOV-infected short-tailed cane mice and most PIRV-infected Alston’s cotton rats may transmit the viruses to humans. PMID:22172205

  7. Integrated foraminiferal biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy of the querecual formation (Cretaceous), Eastern Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Crespo De Cabrera, S.; Sliter, W.V.; Jarvis, I.

    1999-01-01

    An integrated foraminiferal biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy is presented for the Lower to Upper Cretaceous Querecual Formation exposed on Chimana Grande Island, Eastern Venezuela. The formation consists of >450 m alternating foraminiferal and organic-rich carbonates and laminated mudrocks, and is considered the main hydrocarbon source rock for the eastern Venezuela Basin. Biostratigraphic resolution within the Querecual Formation is poor, due to a paucity of keeled planktonic foraminifera and impoverished benthic faunas. Deposition occurred in a bathyal environment, with dysaerobic or anoxic bottom waters resulting from high rates of surface productivity associated with an upwelling environment. Biostratigraphic evidence indicates that the Querecual Formation ranges from the upper Albian Rotalipora ticinensis Zone to the Santonian Dicarinella asymetrica Zone. Iron and Al contents fall through the Albian-Cenomanian indicating a progressive decrease in the detrital supply, driven by rising eustatic sea level. A Ca profile demonstrates variations in carbonate production and dissolution. High total organic carbon (TOC) intervals occur in the upper Albian to mid-Cenomanian and Turonian, and high Ba/Al and Si/Al ratios characterize mid-Cenomanian and younger sediments. Variations in these elements primarily reflect changes in marine productivity, but are also affected by diagenetic processes. A stable carbon isotope curve established from analysis of organic matter (??13Corg) correlates well with published ??13C curves for carbonates from England and Italy. The Cenomanian/Turonian boundary cannot be identified using planktonic foraminifera, because key taxa are absent, but the base of the Turonian is clearly indicated by a sharp fall in ??13C immediately above a major positive excursion. The bottom of the Coniacian is placed below a ??13C minimum, towards the base of the Dicarinella concavata Zone. Combined with the foraminiferal data, the isotopic data enable much

  8. GPS-derived slip rates of active faults in eastern Venezuela, along the southeastern Caribbean PBZ

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Audemard, F. A.; Beck, C.; Jouanne, F.; Reinoza, C. E.; Fegag

    2013-05-01

    For over 20 years, GPS campaign measurements have been performed in eastern Venezuela, as well as in other areas of the country, by different scientific groups and in the frame of different either national or international efforts and/or projects, essentially aiming at the estimation of the rate of motion along the major Quaternary faults (i.e., Boconó, San Sebastián and El Pilar faults) composing the plate boundary zone (PBZ) between the Caribbean and South America, along onshore northern and western Venezuela. The slip rates and sense of slip of those major faults derived from the comparison of several GPS campaigns carried out through the years have confirmed the slip data (fault kinematics) previously derived from geologic data, through comprehensive neotectonic and paleoseismic studies mainly made by the FUNVISIS' Earth Sciences Dpt. staff. In a rough way, we could conclude that those faults are dextrally moving at a rate in the order of 10-12 mm/a. More recently, it has been shown that the El Pilar fault has a locking depth close to 10 km deep and that about half of the PBZ dextral motion is accommodated as creep, reducing the seismic hazard for northeastern Venezuela almost by half. On the contrary, in the near past, very little attention has been paid to the secondary active faulting in eastern Venezuela. In that sense, FUNVISIS, in collaboration with the Université de Savoie, started the monitoring of these secondary features by installing 36 brass benchmarks on bedrock in that region in 2003, which have been occupied 3 times, in late 2003 and 2005 and in early 2013. The comparison between the 2003 and 2005 occupations shows promising results, such as: a) The Charagato fault on Cubagua island is left-lateral with a slip rate of about 2 mm/a; b) slip vectors across the El Pilar fault tend to head to the ESE, suggesting that the tectonic regime is compressive transcurrent to transcurrent compressional (transpressional); c) The NW-SE-trending San Francisco

  9. Monitoring of Land Deformation Due to Oil Production by InSAR Time Series Analysis Using PALSAR Data in Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deguchi, Tomonori; Narita, Tatsuhiko

    2015-05-01

    The target area of this study is the Maracaibo sedimentary basin located in the western part of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The full-scale exploration and development for oil resources in Venezuela which was the greatest oil-producing country in South America had begun at the Maracaibo sedimentary basin in the 1910s, and it was a center of the oil product in Venezuela until the 1980s. But, in most of oil fields in the Maracaibo sedimentary basin, there is concern over the drain on recoverable reserves due to deterioration, and the production amount of petroleum in Venezuela has been diminishing these days. Leveling and GPS surveying were carried out in the past, and they revealed that the large-scale subsidence phenomenon of which cumulative subsidence amount was approximately 5 meter had occurred. The authors applied the vertical displacement measurement by InSAR time series analysis using PALSAR data obtained in the Fine-beam and ScanSAR observation mode. As a result, it could be confirmed clear ground deformation in the surrounding of three oil fields (Tia Juana, Lagunillas and Bachaquero) and easily recognized that the areas of phase anomalies detected by this analysis had expanded and the number of interference fringes had increased over time. The annual velocity of vertical ground surface displacement measured by InSAR time series analysis was -51 mm per year, -103 mm per year and -58 mm per year in Tia Juana, Lagunillas and Bachaquero oil field respectively. The tendency that an earth surface shifted towards the center of phase anomalies was detected from the result of the horizontal ground change measurement. It was interpreted from Google Earth and Landsat images that oil-related facilities (mainly bowling stations) were built intensively over the areas where phase anomalies were detected. Therefore, it was inferred that there was a high association between the operation activity of the oil field and ground deformation. In addition, the deterioration

  10. Seroprevalence and risk factors of toxocariasis in preschool children in Aragua state, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Martínez, María; García, Héctor; Figuera, Liliana; González, Verónica; Lamas, Félix; López, Katherinne; Mijares, Víctor; Corrales, Yeasiry; Lares, María; Ferrer, Elizabeth

    2015-09-01

    Toxocariasis is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by the nematode Toxocara canis. In Venezuela, the magnitude of the disease is unknown and seroepidemiological studies have not been previously carried out in Aragua state. A cross-sectional field study was conducted in eight preschools in three municipalities from Aragua state in Venezuela. A total of 224 children aged between 1 and 6 years were studied (43.8% [98/224] male and 56.2% [126/224] female). Blood samples were obtained for detection of IgG antibodies against Toxocara spp. using ELISA. Participating families were given a questionnaire and children included in the study were clinically evaluated by paediatricians, and signs and symptoms observed were included in the questionnaires. Anti-Toxocara spp. antibodies were detected in 29.0% (65/224) of children. The seroprevalence in the different preschools studied ranged between 4.2% and 60.6%. Leucocytosis and eosinophilia were also detected. Analysis of questionnaires indicated that boys were more at risk than girls. Younger children were also more at risk. Other significant risk factors were socio-economic strata (IV and V), inadequate improvised housing, earthen flooring indoors and outdoors and the presence of dogs in preschools. The results from this work show the presence of infection and a high prevalence of antibodies against Toxocara spp. in the studied municipalities and indicate that toxocariasis poses a serious health problem to preschool children in Aragua state. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  11. Heterologous expression of oxytetracycline biosynthetic gene cluster in Streptomyces venezuelae WVR2006 to improve production level and to alter fermentation process.

    PubMed

    Yin, Shouliang; Li, Zilong; Wang, Xuefeng; Wang, Huizhuan; Jia, Xiaole; Ai, Guomin; Bai, Zishang; Shi, Mingxin; Yuan, Fang; Liu, Tiejun; Wang, Weishan; Yang, Keqian

    2016-12-01

    Heterologous expression is an important strategy to activate biosynthetic gene clusters of secondary metabolites. Here, it is employed to activate and manipulate the oxytetracycline (OTC) gene cluster and to alter OTC fermentation process. To achieve these goals, a fast-growing heterologous host Streptomyces venezuelae WVR2006 was rationally selected among several potential hosts. It shows rapid and dispersed growth and intrinsic high resistance to OTC. By manipulating the expression of two cluster-situated regulators (CSR) OtcR and OtrR and precursor supply, the OTC production level was significantly increased in this heterologous host from 75 to 431 mg/l only in 48 h, a level comparable to the native producer Streptomyces rimosus M4018 in 8 days. This work shows that S. venezuelae WVR2006 is a promising chassis for the production of secondary metabolites, and the engineered heterologous OTC producer has the potential to completely alter the fermentation process of OTC production.

  12. TransAlta's Sundance plant pioneers the company's plunge into automation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wicker, K.

    2005-09-01

    By delaying a plantwide wireless network and sensors, plus a condition-based monitoring system, and extending the reach of its work management system, the huge but aging coal-fired Sundance power plant in Alberta has already saved more than $10 million. The facelift has lowered the cost and raised the productivity of operations, maintenance, and even warehouse inventory control. For having the vision and endurance to plan and execute a project that involved risking a bundle on emerging technologies, TransAlta's Sundance power plant is the well-deserved winner of Power magazine's 2005 Marmaduke Award for excellence in O & M. 5 photos., 2more » tabs.« less

  13. Coexistence of mcr-1 and blaNDM-1 in Escherichia coli from Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Delgado-Blas, Jose F; Ovejero, Cristina M; Abadia-Patiño, Lorena; Gonzalez-Zorn, Bruno

    2016-10-01

    We studied the presence of the mobile colistin resistance gene mcr-1 in human, animal, and environmental Enterobacteriaceae samples from Cumana, Venezuela, that were collected in 2015. The mcr-1 gene was detected in 2/93 Escherichia coli isolates from swine (novel ST452) and human (ST19) samples that were resistant to colistin. Whole-genome sequencing and transformation experiments identified mcr-1 on an IncI2 plasmid. One of the isolates also bore the widely spread carbapenemase NDM-1. A One Health approach is necessary to further elucidate the flux of these high-risk genes. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  14. Integrated satellite InSAR and slope stability modeling to support hazard assessment at the Safuna Alta glacial lake, Peru

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cochachin, Alejo; Frey, Holger; Huggel, Christian; Strozzi, Tazio; Büechi, Emanuel; Cui, Fanpeng; Flores, Andrés; Saito, Carlos

    2017-04-01

    The Safuna glacial lakes (77˚ 37' W, 08˚ 50' S) are located in the headwater of the Tayapampa catchment, in the northernmost part of the Cordillera Blanca, Peru. The upper lake, Laguna Safuna Alta at 4354 m asl has formed in the 1960s behind a terminal moraine of the retreating Pucajirca Glacier, named after the peak south of the lakes. Safuna Alta currently has a volume of 15 x 106 m3. In 2002 a rock fall of several million m3 from the proximal left lateral moraine hit the Safuna Alta lake and triggered an impact wave which overtopped the moraine dam and passed into the lower lake, Laguna Safuna Baja, which absorbed most of the outburst flood from the upper lake, but nevertheless causing loss in cattle, degradation of agricultural land downstream and damages to a hydroelectric power station in Quitaracsa gorge. Event reconstructions showed that the impact wave in the Safuna Alta lake had a runup height of 100 m or more, and weakened the moraine dam of Safuna Alta. This fact, in combination with the large lake volumes and the continued possibility for landslides from the left proximal moraine pose a considerable risk for the downstream settlements as well as the recently completed Quitaracsa hydroelectric power plant. In the framework of a project funded by the European Space Agency (ESA), the hazard situation at the Safuna Alta lake is assessed by a combination of satellite radar data analysis, field investigations, and slope stability modeling. Interferometric analyses of the Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) of ALOS-1 Palsar-1, ALOS-2 Palsar-2 and Sentinel-1 data from 2016 reveal terrain displacements of 2 cm y-1 in the detachment zone of the 2002 rock avalanche. More detailed insights into the characteristics of these terrain deformations are gained by repeat surveys with differential GPS (DGPS) and tachymetric measurements. A drone flight provides the information for the generation of a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM), which is used for the

  15. [Reptiles from Cerro Colorado and its surroundings, Cumana, Sucre State, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Oliveros, O; Prieto, A; Comejo, P

    2000-01-01

    An inventory of the reptiles that inhabit in Cerro Colorado and its surroundings, was performed from March, 1994 to March, 1995. There were reported 8 species of snakes and 7 of lizards enclosed in 4 and 5 families repectively. Aspects observed were ecolology as habitat, activity, reproduction and relative abundance. The more abundant species of lizards were: Cnemidophorus femniscatus, Ameiva bifrontata, (Teiidae), Tropidurus hispidus (Tropiduridae), Gonatodes vittatus and Hemidactylus mabouia (Gekkonidae) and the ophidians: Leptodeira annulata and Mastigodryas amarali (Colubridae). It is believed that the changes occurred in the zone influenced the increase of the relative abundance of the species Leptotyphlops goudotii (Leptotyphlopidae) arid Gymnophthalmus speciosus(Gymnophthalmidae) and perhaps in the disappearance of others that have been reported at the xerophitic or semixerophitic zones of the Sucre State of Venezuela.

  16. Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance index, leptin and thyroid hormone levels in the general population of Merida (Venezuela).

    PubMed

    Uzcátegui, Euderruh; Valery, Lenin; Uzcátegui, Lilia; Gómez Pérez, Roald; Marquina, David; Baptista, Trino

    2015-06-01

    The metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular events, but scarce information exists about its frequency in Venezuela. In this cross-sectional study, we quantified the prevalence of the MetSyn in a probabilistic, stratified sample of 274 subjects aged > or =18 years from the Libertador district in Merida, Venezuela. Secondary outcomes were the measurement of thyroid hormones (free T4 and TSH), leptin levels, and insulin resistance index (HOMA2-IR). The frequency of MetSyn (percentage +/- 95% confidence interval) according to several diagnostic criteria was as follows: National Cholesterol Education Panel (NCEP, original): 27.4% (22.1-32.7); modified NCEP: 31.8% (26.3-37.3); International Diabetes Federation: 40.9% (35.1-46.7); Latin American Diabetes Association: 27% (21.7-32.3), and Venezuelan criteria: 31.8% (26.3-37.3). The MetSyn was more frequent in males than in females with most diagnostic criteria. The estimated prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus was 2.9% either according to the patients' self reports or to fasting glucose level found to be above 126 mg/dL. Abnormal HOMA2-IR index, free T4 and TSH (above the 95th percentile) were detected in 4.5%, 4.4% and 5.1% of the sample, respectively. Free T4 and TSH levels below the 5th percentile were detected in 4.4% and 4.7% of subjects respectively. These values are presented for comparisons with forthcoming studies in specific clinical populations. While studies are being conducted about the different definitions of the MetSyn in Venezuela, we recommend analyzing and publishing local research data with all the available criteria so as to allow comparisons with the results already reported in the literature.

  17. A novel Streptomyces spp. integration vector derived from the S. venezuelae phage, SV1.

    PubMed

    Fayed, Bahgat; Younger, Ellen; Taylor, Gabrielle; Smith, Margaret C M

    2014-05-30

    Integrating vectors based on the int/attP loci of temperate phages are convenient and used widely, particularly for cloning genes in Streptomyces spp. We have constructed and tested a novel integrating vector based on g27, encoding integrase, and attP site from the phage, SV1. This plasmid, pBF3 integrates efficiently in S. coelicolor and S. lividans but surprisingly fails to generate stable integrants in S. venezuelae, the natural host for phage SV1. pBF3 promises to be a useful addition to the range of integrating vectors currently available for Streptomyces molecular genetics.

  18. Venezuela: from doctrine to dialogue to participation in the processes of regional development.

    PubMed

    Allor, D J

    1984-01-01

    The growing toward decentralization and democratization of development planning in Venezuela was discussed. Venezuela has a long tradition of rule by a strong centralized authority. Currently, the Office of the President is vested with considerable power, despite the existence of an elected legislator and an independent judiciary. The president rules by decree. State legislatures are elected, but governors of the states are appointed by the president. There are also elected municipal councils. Both state and municipal governments are almost fully dependent on the federal government for both their operating and capital investment budgets. Development programs are administered through 2 systems. Specific programs are administered by almost 100 different institutes and enterprises. The activities of these various programs are coordinated by administrative bodies at the state and federal level. The 2nd administrative system operates at the regional and federal levels. The administrative body at the federal level is the Central Office for Coordination and Planning and was established by Presidential Decree in 1958. This body prepares and coordinates all national development plans. The administrative bodies at the regional level are the Regional Organizations for Development. These bodies were created in specific regions through a series of legislative acts commencing in 1969 and continuing into the present. The development of these regional bodies represented a 1st step toward decentralization. Decree 478, promulgated in 1980, further promoted the decentalization of developmental planning. The decree established a series of assemblies and councils at various levels. A National Council of Regional Development was created at the federal level, and a Regional Council of Development was established at the regional level. At the state level an Assembly of Participation was organized, and at the municipal level a Committee of Citizen Participation was established

  19. A new baseline for fascioliasis in Venezuela: lymnaeid vectors ascertained by DNA sequencing and analysis of their relationships with human and animal infection

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Human and animal fascioliasis poses serious public health problems in South America. In Venezuela, livestock infection represents an important veterinary problem whereas there appear to be few human cases reported, most of which are passively detected in health centres. However, results of recent surveys suggest that the situation may be underestimated in particular areas. To obtain a baseline for future fascioliasis assessment, studies were undertaken by means of rDNA ITS-2 and ITS-1 and mtDNA cox1 sequencing to clarify the specific status of Venezuelan lymnaeids, their geographical distribution and fascioliasis transmission capacity, by comparison with other American countries and other continents. Results Results obtained completely change the lymnaeid scenario known so far. The relatively rich lymnaeid fauna of Venezuela has been proven to include (i) Lymnaea meridensis and L. neotropica as the only native members, (ii) L. cubensis and Pseudosuccinea columella introduced from the Caribbean area, and (iii) Galba truncatula and L. schirazensis introduced from the Old World. The absence of representatives of the stagnicoline and Radix groups is remarkable. Four species are fascioliasis vectors: G. truncatula, L. cubensis and L. neotropica, which have the capacity to give rise to human endemic areas, and P. columella, which is a source of animal infection and is responsible for the spread of disease. Vector capacity in the apparently highland endemic L. meridensis is to be confimed, although may be expected given its phylogenetic relationships. Similarly as elsewhere, the non-transmitting L. schirazensis has been confused with L. cubensis, also with G. truncatula and possibly with L. neotropica. Conclusions The new scenario leads to the re-opening of many disease aspects. In Venezuela, altitude appears to be the main factor influencing fascioliasis distribution. Human infection shows an altitude pattern similar to other Andean countries, although a

  20. A new baseline for fascioliasis in Venezuela: lymnaeid vectors ascertained by DNA sequencing and analysis of their relationships with human and animal infection.

    PubMed

    Bargues, M Dolores; González, L Carolina; Artigas, Patricio; Mas-Coma, Santiago

    2011-10-14

    Human and animal fascioliasis poses serious public health problems in South America. In Venezuela, livestock infection represents an important veterinary problem whereas there appear to be few human cases reported, most of which are passively detected in health centres. However, results of recent surveys suggest that the situation may be underestimated in particular areas. To obtain a baseline for future fascioliasis assessment, studies were undertaken by means of rDNA ITS-2 and ITS-1 and mtDNA cox1 sequencing to clarify the specific status of Venezuelan lymnaeids, their geographical distribution and fascioliasis transmission capacity, by comparison with other American countries and other continents. Results obtained completely change the lymnaeid scenario known so far. The relatively rich lymnaeid fauna of Venezuela has been proven to include (i) Lymnaea meridensis and L. neotropica as the only native members, (ii) L. cubensis and Pseudosuccinea columella introduced from the Caribbean area, and (iii) Galba truncatula and L. schirazensis introduced from the Old World. The absence of representatives of the stagnicoline and Radix groups is remarkable. Four species are fascioliasis vectors: G. truncatula, L. cubensis and L. neotropica, which have the capacity to give rise to human endemic areas, and P. columella, which is a source of animal infection and is responsible for the spread of disease. Vector capacity in the apparently highland endemic L. meridensis is to be confimed, although may be expected given its phylogenetic relationships. Similarly as elsewhere, the non-transmitting L. schirazensis has been confused with L. cubensis, also with G. truncatula and possibly with L. neotropica. The new scenario leads to the re-opening of many disease aspects. In Venezuela, altitude appears to be the main factor influencing fascioliasis distribution. Human infection shows an altitude pattern similar to other Andean countries, although a differing highland/lowland impact on

  1. Molecular phylogenetics of the glass frog Hyalinobatrachium orientale (Anura: Centrolenidae): evidence for Pliocene connections between mainland Venezuela and the island of Tobago.

    PubMed

    Jowers, Michael J; Lehtinen, Richard M; Downie, Roger J; Georgiadis, Andrew P; Murphy, John C

    2015-08-01

    The presence of Hyalinobatrachium orientale in Tobago and in northeastern Venezuela is puzzling as this species is unknown from the island of Trinidad, an island often hypothesized to be a stepping-stone for the mainland fauna to colonize Tobago. A period of extended isolation on Tobago could result in the Hyalinobatrachium population becoming distinct from the mainland H. orientale. Here, we use 12S and 16S rDNA gene fragments from nine H. orientale specimens from Tobago and the mainland to assess their relationship and taxonomy, as well as the tempo and mode of speciation. The results suggest H. orientale from Venezuela and Tobago are monophyletic and the two populations diverged about 3 million years ago. This estimate corresponds with the drier climate and lower sea levels of the Pliocene glaciation periods. We hypothesize that lower sea levels resulted in land-bridge formations connecting the mainland and Tobago, with a corridor of habitat allowing H. orientale to colonize Tobago to the west of Trinidad.

  2. Black Hispanics have a worse cardiovascular risk profile than mixed Hispanics in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Ryder, Elena; Silva, Eglee; Sulbarán, Tulio; Fernández, Virginia; Campos, Gilberto; Calmon, Gustavo; Clavell, Emilio; Raleigh, Xiomara; Florez, Hermes

    2007-03-01

    In order to characterize components of the metabolic syndrome (MS) in Venezuelan black Hispanics and compare these metabolic abnormalities with those found in the predominant mixed Hispanic population, 2336 mixed Hispanics (69% women) and 281 black Hispanics (60% women), aged 20-78 years, without prior history of diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease were evaluated in a population-based study in Zulia State, Venezuela. Blood pressure (BP), waist circumference, as well as fasting insulin, fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were measured. The criteria proposed by the National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP/ATP III) to identify those with metabolic abnormalities were used. We found that black Hispanics showed higher frequency of age-adjusted elevated BP than mixed Hispanics in both men (66.9% vs. 52.3%, p < 0.01) and women (39.3% vs. 30.4%, p < 0.05). In men, elevated FBG was also more frequent in black Hispanics (32.7%) than in mixed Hispanics (22.3%), despite the lack of significant differences in fasting insulin, HOMA-insulin resistance and HOMA-beta cell function values. In women low HDL-C and higher abdominal obesity were more common in black Hispanics (71.8% and 54.1%, respectively) than in mixed Hispanics (56.2% and 44.5%, respectively), despite the greater frequency of high TG in mixed Hispanics (22.6%) when compared to black Hispanics (13.3%). Furthermore, in logistic regression analysis black Hispanic race was independently associated with higher risk for hypertension, fasting hyperglycemia, and low HDL-C. These results suggest that black Hispanics have worse cardiovascular risk profile than mixed Hispanics in Zulia State, with higher BP, higher FBG, more abdominal obesity, and lower HDL-C. Identification and intervention of these high-risk subjects are important strategies for diabetes and cardiovascular disease prevention in Venezuela.

  3. Molecular epidemiology suggests Venezuela as the origin of the dengue outbreak in Madeira, Portugal in 2012-2013.

    PubMed

    Franco, L; Pagan, I; Serre Del Cor, N; Schunk, M; Neumayr, A; Molero, F; Potente, A; Hatz, C; Wilder-Smith, A; Sánchez-Seco, M P; Tenorio, A

    2015-07-01

    An explosive epidemic occurred in Madeira Island (Portugal) from October 2012 to February 2013. Published data showed that dengue virus type 1 introduced from South America was the incriminated virus. We aim to determine the origin of the strain introduced to Madeira by travellers returning to Europe. Using phylogeographic analysis and complete envelope sequences we have demonstrated that the most probable origin of the strain is Venezuela. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  4. Rural housing for control of Chagas disease in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Briceno-Leon, R

    1987-12-01

    The home is an important protective element for the health of its inhabitants - but these inhabitants often include not only the householders but also domestic pests and vectors of disease. This is particularly so in Latin America where domestic triatomine bugs thrive in many of the poorer quality rural houses, emerging from their crevices at night to feed and transmit Trypanosoma cruzi in their faeces. At the public health level, there is neither drug nor vaccine suitable for controlling T. cruzi - causative agent of Chagas disease - but transmission can be interrupted by control of the domestic vectors. Traditionally, vector control has involved spraying houses with residual insecticides, but a more long-term solution, with many colateral benefits, is to improve rural housing in such a way that colonization by triatomine bugs is inhibited. Such an approach involves development of low-cost techniques for house construction, and mobilization of rural communities to make use of them. In this, Venezuela has played a leading role, as Roberto Briceno-Leon reports.

  5. In vitro antioxidant activity and qualitative phytochemical analysis of two Vismia (Hypericaceae) species collected in Los Andes, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Buitrago D, Alexis; Rojas-Vera, Janne; Peñaloza, Yonel

    2016-12-01

    Vismia genus is distributed mainly in tropical and subtropical regions of Central, South America and some areas of Africa. According to previous investigations, antioxidant potential of Vismia species might be related to anthrones, anthraquinones, flavonoids and phenol derivatives biosynthesized by these plants. In this investigation, phytochemical screening of Vismia baccifera (VB) from Mérida-Venezuela and Vismia macrophylla (VM) from Táchira-Venezuela methanolic extracts, carried out using various chemical assays, revealed an abundant presence of anthraquinones in both species analyzed. Glycosides were also present while flavones and dehydroflavones were observed abundantly in VB but moderated in VM. Triterpenes were also detected and steroids showed to be abundant in VM but moderate in VB. On the other hand, antioxidant capacity measured by the DPPH assay showed that VM possesses a stronger antioxidant activity than VB with IC50 5.50 µg mL-1. Phenol and flavonoid assays carried out by Folin-Ciocalteu and colorimetric test also revealed that methanol extracts of both species contain high concentrations of these metabolites. A relationship between the antioxidant activity, total phenol and flavonoids content of the extracts analyzed was demonstrated in this investigation since those samples with higher phenolic concentrations showed likewise higher antioxidant activity.

  6. Carriage and invasive isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Caracas, Venezuela: the relative invasiveness of serotypes and vaccine coverage.

    PubMed

    Rivera-Olivero, I A; del Nogal, B; Sisco, M C; Bogaert, D; Hermans, P W M; de Waard, J H

    2011-12-01

    The introduction of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Venezuela needs previous studies to assess vaccine efficiency. We conducted a survey of nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage in urban children in Caracas and studied the distribution of serotypes. We compared these data with survey data available for invasive strains isolated in the same area and in the same time period. An overall pneumococcal carriage rate of 27% was observed. The most predominant capsular serotypes among carriage isolates were 6B (29%), 19A (13.8%), 23F (10%), 14 (8.3%), 6A (8.3%) and 15B/C (3.3%) and among invasive isolates 6B (25%), 14 (15%), and 19A, 6A, 7F, and 18 (7.5% each). The serotypes/groups 1, 5, 7F and 18, jointly covering 30% of the invasive strains, represented less than 0.7% of the carrier strains. The theoretical coverage of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine PCV13 for carriage and invasive strains was calculated to be 74% and 90%, respectively. Our study demonstrates important differences for the serotype distribution in disease and carriage isolates and provides a key baseline for future studies addressing the prevalence and replacement of invasive and carriage serotypes after the introduction of the PCV 13 vaccine in Venezuela in the year 2010.

  7. [High activity antiretroviral therapy change associated to adverse drug reactions in a specialized center in Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Subiela, José D; Dapena, Elida

    2016-03-01

    Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) represent the first cause of change of the first-line highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen, therefore, they constitute the main limiting factor in the long-term follow up of HIV patients in treatment. A retrospective study was carried out in a specialized center in Lara State, Venezuela, including 99 patients over 18 years of age who had change of first-line HAART regimen due to ADRs, between 2010 and 2013. The aims of this research were to describe the sociodemographic and clinical variables, frequency of ADRs related to change of HAART, duration of the first-line HAART regimen, to determine the drugs associated with ARVs and to identify the risk factors. The ADRs constituted 47.5% of all causes of change of first-line HAART regimen, the median duration was 1.08±0.28 years. The most frequent ADRs were anemia (34.3%), hypersensitivity reactions (20.2%) and gastrointestinal intolerance (13.1%). The most frequent ARV regimen type was the protease inhibitors-based regimen (59.6%), but zidovudine was the ARV most linked to ADRs (41.4%). The regression analysis showed increased risk of ADRs in singles and students in the univariate analysis and heterosexuals and homosexuals in multivariate analysis; and decreased risk in active workers. The present work shows the high prevalence of ADRs in the studied population and represents the first case-based study that describes the pharmacoepidemiology of a cohort of HIV-positive patients treated in Venezuela.

  8. Description of an oral Chagas disease outbreak in Venezuela, including a vertically transmitted case.

    PubMed

    Noya, Belkisyolé Alarcón de; Pérez-Chacón, Gladymar; Díaz-Bello, Zoraida; Dickson, Sonia; Muñoz-Calderón, Arturo; Hernández, Carlos; Pérez, Yadira; Mauriello, Luciano; Moronta, Eyleen

    2017-08-01

    We describe the eleventh major outbreak of foodborne Trypanosoma cruzi transmission in urban Venezuela, including evidence for vertical transmission from the index case to her fetus. After confirming fetal death at 24 weeks of gestation, pregnancy interruption was performed. On direct examination of the amniotic fluid, trypomastigotes were detected. T. cruzi specific-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) also proved positive when examining autopsied fetal organs. Finally, microscopic fetal heart examination revealed amastigote nests. Acute orally transmitted Chagas disease can be life threatening or even fatal for pregnant women and unborn fetuses owing to vertical transmission. There is therefore an urgent need to improve national epidemiologic control measures.

  9. Molecular identification of unusual Mycetoma agents isolated from patients in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Rojas, Olga C; León-Cachón, Rafael B R; Moreno-Treviño, Maria; González, Gloria M

    2017-02-01

    Mycetoma is a chronic granulomatous, subcutaneous disease endemic in tropical and subtropical countries. It is currently a health problem in rural areas of Africa, Asia and South America. Nine cases of mycetoma were analysed in a retrospective study. All isolates were identified by morphological features. The level of species identification was reached by molecular tools. Definitive identification of fungi was performed using sequence analysis of the ITS of the ribosomal DNA region and the ribosomal large-subunit D1/D2. Identification of actinomycetes was accomplished by the 16S rRNA gene sequence. Six unusual clinical isolates were identified: Aspergillus ustus, Cyphellophora oxyspora, Exophiala oligosperma, Madurella pseudomycetomatis, Nocardia farcinica and Nocardia wallacei. The prevalence of mycetoma in Venezuela remains unknown. This study represents the first report in the literature of mycetoma caused by unusual pathogens identified by molecular techniques. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  10. AVO in North of Paria, Venezuela: Gas methane versus condensate reservoirs

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Regueiro, J.; Pena, A.

    1996-07-01

    The gas fields of North of Paria, offshore eastern Venezuela, present a unique opportunity for amplitude variations with offset (AVO) characterization of reservoirs containing different fluids: gas-condensate, gas (methane) and water (brine). AVO studies for two of the wells in the area, one with gas-condensate and the other with gas (methane) saturated reservoirs, show interesting results. Water sands and a fluid contact (condensate-water) are present in one of these wells, thus providing a control point on brine-saturated properties. The reservoirs in the second well consist of sands highly saturated with methane. Clear differences in AVO response exist between hydrocarbon-saturated reservoirsmore » and those containing brine. However, it is also interesting that subtle but noticeable differences can be interpreted between condensate-and methane-saturated sands. These differences are attributed to differences in both in-situ fluid density and compressibility, and rock frame properties.« less

  11. An aldonolactonase AltA from Penicillium oxalicum mitigates the inhibition of β-glucosidase during lignocellulose biodegradation.

    PubMed

    Peng, Shengjuan; Cao, Qing; Qin, Yuqi; Li, Xuezhi; Liu, Guodong; Qu, Yinbo

    2017-05-01

    Efficient deconstruction of lignocellulose is achieved by the synergistic action of various hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes. However, the aldonolactones generated by oxidative enzymes have inhibitory effects on some cellulolytic enzymes. In this work, D-glucono-1,5-lactone was shown to have a much stronger inhibitory effect than D-glucose and D-gluconate on β-glucosidase, a vital enzyme during cellulose degradation. AltA, a secreted enzyme from Penicillium oxalicum, was identified as an aldonolactonase which can catalyze the hydrolysis of D-glucono-1,5-lactone to D-gluconic acid. In the course of lignocellulose saccharification conducted by cellulases from P. oxalicum or Trichoderma reesei, supplementation of AltA was able to relieve the decrease of β-glucosidase activity obviously with a stimulation of glucose yield. This boosting effect disappeared when sodium azide and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) were added to the saccharification system to inhibit the activities of oxidative enzymes. In summary, we describe the first heterologous expression of a fungal secreted aldonolactonase and its application as an efficient supplement of cellulolytic enzyme system for lignocellulose biodegradation.

  12. Descripción de la zona de alta difusión en un modelo bidimensional para hojas de corriente

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Montero, M. F.; Paola, C. A.; Platzeck, A. M.

    Los modelos bidimensionales para describir hojas de corriente de alta simetría no suministran una descripción detallada de las regiones donde la difusión es considerablemente importante. Tal es el caso de los modelos desarrollados en la década del '60 por Sweet, Parker, Petschek y Sonnerup. En esta comunicación presentamos una solución de las ecuaciones MHD en el entorno del origen, construyendo series bidimensionales para todas las magnitudes físicas involucradas. Valiéndonos de la alta simetría y de las características del problema, logramos reducir el número de coeficientes a calcular. Utilizamos un programa autoconsistente para extender el cálculo a regiones vecinas con difusión moderada o despreciable.

  13. Intestinal Parasitic Infections among Pregnant Women in Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Rodríguez-Morales, Alfonso J.; Barbella, Rosa A.; Case, Cynthia; Arria, Melissa; Ravelo, Marisela; Perez, Henry; Urdaneta, Oscar; Gervasio, Gloria; Rubio, Nestor; Maldonado, Andrea; Aguilera, Ymora; Viloria, Anna; Blanco, Juan J.; Colina, Magdary; Hernández, Elizabeth; Araujo, Elianet; Cabaniel, Gilberto; Benitez, Jesús; Rifakis, Pedro

    2006-01-01

    Introduction. Intestinal parasitic infections, especially due to helminths, increase anemia in pregnant women. The results of this are low pregnancy weight gain and IUGR, followed by LBW, with its associated greater risks of infection and higher perinatal mortality rates. For these reasons, in the setting of no large previous studies in Venezuela about this problem, a national multicentric study was conducted. Methods. Pregnant women from nine states were studied, a prenatal evaluation with a coproparasitological study. Univariated and multivariated analyses were made to determine risk factors for intestinal parasitosis and related anemia. Results. During 19 months, 1038 pregnant women were included and evaluated. Intestinal parasitosis was evidenced in 73.9%: A lumbricoides 57.0%, T trichiura 36.0%, G lamblia 14.1%, E hystolitica 12.0%, N americanus 8.1%, E vermicularis 6.3%, S stercoralis 3.3%. Relative risk for anemia in those women with intestinal parasitosis was 2.56 (P < .01). Discussion. Intestinal parasitoses could be associated with conditions for development of anemia at pregnancy. These features reflect the need of routine coproparasitological study among pregnant women in rural and endemic zones for intestinal parasites. Further therapeutic and prophylactic protocols are needed. Additional research on pregnant intestinal parasitic infection impact on newborn health is also considered. PMID:17093349

  14. Altitude determination and descriptive analysis of clouds on ERTS-1 multispectral photography. [Venezuela

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Albrizzio, C.; Andressen, A.

    1974-01-01

    A simple method to determine the approximate altitude of clouds is described, with the objective of refining their classification using only marginal data from the photographs. Results of the application of this method on photographs of the Goajira Peninsula, Paraguana Peninsula and the Central Coast of Venezuela are presented. Here, the altitudes computed are used to classify clouds and to identify the genus of others without typical form. Instability of air masses through clouds vertical development, and wind direction as well as other local climatic characteristics such as moisture content, loci of condensation, area, etc. are determined using repetitive coverage for the time interval of the photography. Applications for the regional and urban planning (including airport location and flights schedule) and natural resources evaluation are suggested.

  15. Prevalence and risk factors associated with the metabolic syndrome and dyslipidemia in White, Black, Amerindian and Mixed Hispanics in Zulia State, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Florez, Hermes; Silva, Eglé; Fernández, Virginia; Ryder, Elena; Sulbarán, Tulio; Campos, Gilberto; Calmón, Gustavo; Clavel, Emilio; Castillo-Florez, Sumaya; Goldberg, Ronald

    2005-07-01

    Studies have highlighted the association between insulin resistance (IR) and several cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, including hypertension (HTN), obesity, dyslipidemia (i.e. high triglyceride and low HDL-cholesterol) and glucose intolerance, in a cluster known as the metabolic syndrome (MS). There are few data on the frequency of the MS and dyslipidemia in developing countries, and none in South America. To estimate the prevalence of the MS and its components in Zulia State, Venezuela, and to establish associated demographic and clinical factors, we evaluated 3108 Hispanic men and women aged 20 years or older from a cross-sectional survey of a random representative sample from each health district in Zulia State, Venezuela (1999-2001). Prevalence of the MS and dyslipidemia was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)/Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria. The age-adjusted prevalence of MS and dyslipidemia was 31.2% and 24.1%, respectively, with higher rates in men than in women. Prevalence rates increased with age and with the degree of obesity. MS prevalence was lower in Amerindian (17.%) compared to Black (27.2%), White (33.3%) and Mixed (37.4%) men, but no differences were found among women. Overall, low HDL-cholesterol (65.3%), abdominal obesity (42.9%) and HTN (38.1%) were the most frequent MS components. After adjusting for age, sex and race groups, family history of diabetes, obesity and HTN were associated with the MS. Sedentary lifestyle also increased the risk of MS, event after adjusting for the same covariates, obesity and the degree of IR. These results suggest that MS is found in approximately one-third of the Venezuelan adult population in Zulia State, with higher prevalence in men related to the presence of dyslipidemia. Lifestyle interventions in MS subjects are needed in Venezuela to halt the burden of CV disease and diabetes.

  16. Frequency of V1016I and F1534C mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene in Aedes aegypti in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Alvarez, Leslie C; Ponce, Gustavo; Saavedra-Rodriguez, Karla; Lopez, Beatriz; Flores, Adriana E

    2015-06-01

    The V1016I and F1534C mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene have been associated with resistance to pyrethroids and DDT in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. A study was carried out to determine the frequency of I1016 and C1534 by real-time PCR in five natural populations of Ae. aegypti in Venezuela during 2008, 2010 and 2012, as well as in a strain selected with 0.14 µg of deltamethrin for 15 generations. In natural populations, frequencies of I1016 varied between 0.01 and 0.37, and frequencies of C1534 between 0.35 and 1.0. In the Pampanito strain, the frequency of I1016 increased from 0.02 in F1 up to 0.5 in F15 and from 0.35 up to fixation for C1534 after selection with deltamethrin. The results showed that C1534 frequencies are higher than I1016 frequencies in natural populations of Ae. aegypti in Venezuela, and that deltamethrin selected the C1534 more rapidly than I1016. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  17. [The contribution of ethnography to knowledge on socio-cultural codes related to localized cutaneous leishmaniasis in a health education program in Venezuela].

    PubMed

    García Guevara, Baílde

    2007-01-01

    This article presents the experience with the validation of the ethnographic methodology as an alternative for an objective and timely approach to the construction of socio-cultural scenarios in communities affected by cutaneous leishmaniasis in Venezuela. It begins with a brief presentation on the resurgence of leishmaniasis in the Americas as a whole and in Venezuela in the context of social inequalities. It proceeds with a review of the role of health education in programs to control endemic diseases. It then highlights the role of ethnography in the construction of rationality in daily life, its meanings, and interpretation by persons with the disease in order to elaborate permanent and sustainable health education programs. The methodology was validated using a figure in which an analysis was performed of the clinical and epidemiological history normally used to gather information on the disease. Among the main findings was the inadequacy of the clinical history design for obtaining information on socio-cultural factors linked to the disease, expressed by specific geographic territories with the support of georeferencing.

  18. New advances in molecular epizootiology of canine hematic protozoa from Venezuela, Thailand and Spain.

    PubMed

    Criado-Fornelio, A; Rey-Valeiron, C; Buling, A; Barba-Carretero, J C; Jefferies, R; Irwin, P

    2007-03-31

    The prevalence of hematozoan infections (Hepatozoon canis and Babesia sp., particularly Babesia canis vogeli) in canids from Venezuela, Thailand and Spain was studied by amplification and sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene. H. canis infections caused simultaneously by two different isolates were confirmed by RFLP analysis in samples from all the geographic regions studied. In Venezuela, blood samples from 134 dogs were surveyed. Babesia infections were found in 2.24% of the dogs. Comparison of sequences of the 18S rRNA gene indicated that protozoan isolates were genetically identical to B. canis vogeli from Japan and Brazil. H. canis infected 44.77 per cent of the dogs. A representative sample of Venezuelan H. canis isolates (21.6% of PCR-positives) was sequenced. Many of them showed 18S rRNA gene sequences identical to H. canis Spain 2, albeit two less frequent genotypes were found in the sample studied. In Thailand, 20 dogs were analyzed. No infections caused by Babesia were diagnosed, whereas 30 per cent of the dogs were positive to hematozoan infection. Two protozoa isolates showing 99.7-100% identity to H. canis Spain 2 were found. In Spain, 250 dogs were studied. B. canis vogeli infected 0.01% of the animals. The sequence of the 18S rRNA gene in Spanish isolates of this protozoa was closely related to those previously deposited in GenBank (> 99% identity). Finally, 20 red foxes were screened for hematozoans employing semi-nested PCR and primers designed to detect Babesia/Theileria. Fifty percent of the foxes were positive to Theileria annae. In addition, it was found that the PCR assay was able as well to detect Hepatozoon infections. Thirty five percent of the foxes were infected with two different H. canis isolates showing 99.8-100% identity to Curupira 1 from Brazil.

  19. [FOOD CONSUMPTION PATTERN AT A FAMILY LEVEL OF URBAN AREAS OF ANZOÁTEGUI, VENEZUELA].

    PubMed

    Ekmeiro Salvador, Jesús; Moreno Rojas, Rafael; García Lorenzo, María; Cámara Martos, Fernando

    2015-10-01

    In order to assess the qualitative pattern of food consumption in urban families of Anzoátegui, Venezuela, 300 domestic groups that combined a total of 1 163 people were studied. The domestic dietary pattern was addressed by the method of qualitative frequency of food consumption, which applied a structured survey that yielded the usual frequency of intake of a food or food group over a given period. The information was obtained through an interview with the person responsible for the procurement of food in every home, and included basic data for the socioeconomic and nutritional profile of the families studied. The qualitative analysis of the diet was obtained by comparing the different food groups that constitute the actual consumption pattern of the population studied, with official feeding guidelines suggested for the Venezuelan population. The present study showed that the qualitative pattern of food consumption in the urban population evaluated is characterized by slightly adjusted to the promotion of health and control of diet-related diseases. The family food proved to be far from the guidelines established by the dietary guidelines for Venezuela and consumption patterns are fairly homogeneous in the different socioeconomic strata. The foods most consumed daily were salt, coffee, dressing and precooked corn flour as well as beef, chicken and the higher weekly food consumption pastas. 90% of the food consumed daily is technologically processed. The results contribute to increase knowledge about the food situation of the Venezuelan population, and technically could direct the efforts of the authorities to reconcile the development of the productive sector and food supply, whereas a pattern qualitatively inadequate intake directly affects the individual biological functioning, and results in the collective conditioning of unfavorable health states. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  20. Trypanosoma cruzi III from armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus novemcinctus) from Northeastern Venezuela and its biological behavior in murine model. Risk of emergency of Chagas' disease.

    PubMed

    Morocoima, Antonio; Carrasco, Hernán J; Boadas, Johanna; Chique, José David; Herrera, Leidi; Urdaneta-Morales, Servio

    2012-11-01

    Trypanosoma cruzi, etiological agent of Chagas' disease, was isolated from armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus novemcinctus) captured in rural communities Northeastern Venezuela from Nueva Esparta State (no endemic for Chagas' disease), Monagas and Anzoátegui States (endemics). The isolates, genetically typed by PCR-RFLP as belonging to the TcIII DTU, have demonstrated in murine model heterogenic parasitemia, mortality and histotropism with marked parasitism in cardiac, skeletal, and smooth myocytes that showed correlation with lymphobasophilic inflammatory infiltrates. Our finding of T. cruzi infected armadillos in Isla Margarita (Nueva Esparta State), together with reports of triatomine vectors in this region, the accentuated synanthropy of armadillos, intense economic activity, migration due to tourism and the lack of environmental education programs all of them represent risks that could cause the emergence of Chagas' disease in this area. This is the first report of the TcIII DTU in Northeastern Venezuela, thus widening the geographic distribution of this DTU. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Origin of ultramafic-hosted magnesite on Margarita Island, Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abu-Jaber, N. S.; Kimberley, M. M.

    1992-06-01

    Ultramafic-hosted deposits of magnesite (MgCO3) have been studied on Margarita Island, Venezuela, to elucidate the source of carbon and conditions of formation for this type of ore. Petrographic, mineralogic, and δ18O data indicate that magnesite precipitated on Margarita in near-surface environments at low P and T. δ13C ranges from -9 to -16‰ PDB within the magnesite and -8 to -10‰ PDB within some calcite and dolomite elsewhere on the island. The isotopically light dolomite fills karst and the calcite occurs as stock-work veins which resemble the magnesite deposits. These carbon isotopic ratios are consistent with a deep-seated source rather than an overlying source from a zone of surficial weathering. However, there is not much enrichment of precious metals and no enrichment of heavy rare-earth elements, as would be expected if the carbon had migrated upward as aqueous carbonate ions. The carbon probably has risen as a gaseous mixture of CO2 and CH4 which partially dissolved in near-surface water before leaching cations and precipitating as magnesite and other carbonates. The process probably is ongoing, given regional exhalation of carbonaceous gases.

  2. Confronting Health Disparities: Latin American Social Medicine in Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Mantini-Briggs, Clara

    2009-01-01

    Objectives. We explored the emergence and effectiveness of Venezuela's Misión Barrio Adentro, “Inside the Neighborhood Mission,” a program designed to improve access to health care among underserved residents of the country, hoping to draw lessons to apply to future attempts to address acute health disparities. Methods. We conducted our study in 3 capital-region neighborhoods, 2 small cities, and 2 rural areas, combining systematic observations with interviews of 221 residents, 41 health professionals, and 28 government officials. We surveyed 177 female and 91 male heads of household. Results. Interviews suggested that Misión Barrio Adentro emerged from creative interactions between policymakers, clinicians, community workers, and residents, adopting flexible, problem-solving strategies. In addition, data indicated that egalitarian physician–patient relationships and the direct involvement of local health committees overcame distrust and generated popular support for the program. Media and opposition antagonism complicated physicians’ lives and clinical practices but heightened the program's visibility. Conclusions. Top-down and bottom-up efforts are less effective than “horizontal” collaborations between professionals and residents in underserved communities. Direct, local involvement can generate creative and dynamic efforts to address acute health disparities in these areas. PMID:19150916

  3. Confronting health disparities: Latin American social medicine in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Briggs, Charles L; Mantini-Briggs, Clara

    2009-03-01

    We explored the emergence and effectiveness of Venezuela's Misión Barrio Adentro, "Inside the Neighborhood Mission," a program designed to improve access to health care among underserved residents of the country, hoping to draw lessons to apply to future attempts to address acute health disparities. We conducted our study in 3 capital-region neighborhoods, 2 small cities, and 2 rural areas, combining systematic observations with interviews of 221 residents, 41 health professionals, and 28 government officials. We surveyed 177 female and 91 male heads of household. Interviews suggested that Misión Barrio Adentro emerged from creative interactions between policymakers, clinicians, community workers, and residents, adopting flexible, problem-solving strategies. In addition, data indicated that egalitarian physician-patient relationships and the direct involvement of local health committees overcame distrust and generated popular support for the program. Media and opposition antagonism complicated physicians' lives and clinical practices but heightened the program's visibility. Top-down and bottom-up efforts are less effective than "horizontal" collaborations between professionals and residents in underserved communities. Direct, local involvement can generate creative and dynamic efforts to address acute health disparities in these areas.

  4. Evidence of at Least Two Introductions of HIV-1 in the Amerindian Warao Population from Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Rangel, Héctor R.; Maes, Mailis; Villalba, Julian; Sulbarán, Yoneira; de Waard, Jacobus H.; Bello, Gonzalo; Pujol, Flor H.

    2012-01-01

    Background The Venezuelan Amerindians were, until recently, free of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. However, in 2007, HIV-1 infection was detected for the first time in the Warao Amerindian population living in the Eastern part of Venezuela, in the delta of the Orinoco river. The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity of the HIV-1 circulating in this population. Methodology/Principal Findings The pol genomic region was sequenced for 16 HIV-1 isolates and for some of them, sequences from env, vif and nef genomic regions were obtained. All HIV-1 isolates were classified as subtype B, with exception of one that was classified as subtype C. The 15 subtype B isolates exhibited a high degree of genetic similarity and formed a highly supported monophyletic cluster in each genomic region analyzed. Evolutionary analyses of the pol genomic region indicated that the date of the most recent common ancestor of the Waraos subtype B clade dates back to the late 1990s. Conclusions/Significance At least two independent introductions of HIV-1 have occurred in the Warao Amerindians from Venezuela. The HIV-1 subtype B was successfully established and got disseminated in the community, while no evidence of local dissemination of the HIV-1 subtype C was detected in this study. These results warrant further surveys to evaluate the burden of this disease, which can be particularly devastating in this Amerindian population, with a high prevalence of tuberculosis, hepatitis B, among other infectious diseases, and with limited access to primary health care. PMID:22808212

  5. Pleistocene slip rates on the Boconó fault along the North Andean Block plate boundary, Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pousse-Beltran, Lea; Vassallo, Riccardo; Audemard, Franck; Jouanne, François; Carcaillet, Julien; Pathier, Erwan; Volat, Matthieu

    2017-07-01

    The Boconó fault is a strike-slip fault lying between the North Andean Block and the South American plate which has triggered at least five Mw > 7 historical earthquakes in Venezuela. The North Andean Block is currently moving toward NNE with respect to a stable South American plate. This relative displacement at 12 mm yr-1 in Venezuela (within the Maracaibo Block) was measured by geodesy, but until now the distribution and rates of Quaternary deformation have remained partially unclear. We used two alluvial fans offset by the Boconó fault (Yaracuy Valley) to quantify slip rates, by combining 10Be cosmogenic dating with measurements of tectonic displacements on high-resolution satellite images (Pleiades). Based upon a fan dated at >79 ka and offset by 1350-1580 m and a second fan dated at 120-273 ka and offset by 1236-1500 m, we obtained two Pleistocene rates of 5.0-11.2 and <20.0 mm yr-1, consistent with the regional geodesy. This indicates that the Boconó fault in the Yaracuy Valley accommodates 40 to 100% of the deformation between the South American plate and the Maracaibo Block. As no aseismic deformation was shown by interferometric synthetic aperture radar analysis, we assume that the fault is locked since the 1812 event. This implies that there is a slip deficit in the Yaracuy Valley since the last earthquake ranging from 1 to 4 m, corresponding to a Mw 7-7.6 earthquake. This magnitude is comparable to the 1812 earthquake and to other historical events along the Boconó fault.

  6. [Increasing difficulties for scientific publication in Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Ryder, Elena

    2014-03-01

    A very important increase in the costs of the edition of scientific journals has taken place in Venezuela, due to difficulties in obtaining imported free acid paper and other materials used for handling documents. Like other journals, Investigaci6n Clinica has been considering switching completely to a digital publication format; however there are several reasons that prevent us to doing it at this time: the journal is distributed in printed form to many national institutions, which do not have immediate access to digital information. In addition, there exists a commitment of shipment of printed issues for some international indices and in exchange with other national and foreign journals, whose printed format we receive. Another important aspect is that our University maintains a weak technological platform that makes difficult the immediacy required for the interchange with authors and consulted referees of received papers; and there is a latent danger of limitations in the use of digital technologies, due to current national politic problems. Consequently, we need to continue with the printed format, but must reduce the amount of printed issues, so as not to limit the number of papers published in each edition. Nevertheless, there is an ever increasing number of contributions from foreign researches and Investigaci6n Clinica has been recently included in two new international indices, the SEIIC from Argentina and the Infobase Index from India, reasons that obligate us to maintain our levels of excellence and commitment to our authors and readers.

  7. Unusual paired pattern of radiohaloes on a diamond crystal from Guaniamo (Venezuela)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schulze, Daniel J.; Nasdala, Lutz

    2016-11-01

    An octahedral diamond crystal from Guaniamo, Venezuela shows a multitude of round radiocolouration spots that indicate a remarkable formation history. Spots always occur in pairs, with similar spacing and intensity ratio between the two spots of each pair. We interpret this pattern to be the result of long-term irradiation of the stone emanating from a multitude of radioactive point sources. At some point during the irradiation, the stone must have experienced a translational movement which shifted it ca. 50 μm relative to the adjacent material [i.e., the (111) crystal face was a fault plane], after which irradiation continued. The Neoproterozoic age of the Guaniamo kimberlites and the high degree of radiation damage suggest that both of the two irradiation periods lasted over hundreds of millions of years. This interpretation is supported by results of He-irradiation experiments.

  8. [Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Gram-negative bacteria isolated in urinary tract infections in Venezuela: Results of the SMART study 2009-2012].

    PubMed

    Guevara, Napoleón; Guzmán, Manuel; Merentes, Altagracia; Rizzi, Adele; Papaptzikos, Juana; Rivero, Narlesky; Oranges, Carmela; Vlllarroel, Héctor; Limas, Yoxsivell

    2015-12-01

    Antimicrobial resistance of pathogens causing urinary tract infection (UTI) is a growing problem, which complicates their effective treatment. Surveillance is needed to guide appropriate empiric therapy. to describe the susceptibility patterns of Gram-negative bacteria isolated of patients with UTI to twelve antibiotics as part of the Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends in Venezuela. Between 2009-2012 a total of 472 Gram-negative bacteria were isolated from hospitalized patients with UTI. The isolates were sent to Central Laboratory (Central Laboratory of International Health Management Associates) to confirm their identification, and to make susceptibility testing as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Enterobacteriacea comprised 96.6% of the total, where Escherichia coli (76.9%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (10.6%) were the most frequent. Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) was detected in 21.6% of isolates. Top antimicrobial activity were ertapenem, imipenem, and amikacin (> 90.0%), slightly lower for amikacin (85.1%) in ESBL-producing strains. Resistance rates to fluoroquinolones and ampicillin/sulbactam were high (40 y 64%, respectively). These data suggest a necessary revision of the therapeutic regimens for the empirical treatment of UTI in Venezuela.

  9. A new species and new records of Pseudocephennium Reitter in Venezuela, with notes on movable endophallic structures (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae).

    PubMed

    Jałoszyński, Paweł

    2016-03-11

    Pseudocephennium auriculatum sp. n. is described, based on a male specimen collected in north-western Venezuela. New findings of Pseudocephennium maximum Jałoszyński and P. araguanum Jałoszyński, so far known only from holotypes, are reported. The aedeagi of newly found specimens have the endophallic structures extruded to various extent which makes it possible to identify movable components of the internal aedeagal armature.

  10. Petrology, mineralogy and geochemistry of mined coals, western Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hackley, Paul C.; Warwick, Peter D.; González, Eligio

    2005-01-01

    related to construction of the Andean orogen. Values of maximum reflectance of vitrinite in oil (Ro max) range between 0.42% and 0.85% and generally are consistent with the high-volatile bituminous rank classification obtained through ASTM methods. X-ray diffraction analyses of low-temperature ash residues indicate that kaolinite, quartz, illite and pyrite dominate the inorganic fraction of most samples; plagioclase, potassium feldspar, calcite, siderite, ankerite, marcasite, rutile, anatase and apatite are present in minor or trace concentrations. Semiquantitative values of volume percent pyrite content show a strong correlation with pyritic sulfur and some sulfide-hosted trace element concentrations (As and Hg). This work provides a modern quality dataset for the western Venezuela coal deposits currently being exploited and will serve as the foundation for an ongoing coal quality research program in Venezuela.

  11. STSHV a teleinformatic system for historic seismology in Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choy, J. E.; Palme, C.; Altez, R.; Aranguren, R.; Guada, C.; Silva, J.

    2013-05-01

    From 1997 on, when the first "Jornadas Venezolanas de Sismicidad Historica" took place, a big interest awoke in Venezuela to organize the available information related to historic earthquakes. At that moment only existed one published historic earthquake catalogue, that from Centeno Grau published the first time in 1949. That catalogue had no references about the sources of information. Other catalogues existed but they were internal reports for the petroleum companies and therefore difficult to access. In 2000 Grases et al reedited the Centeno-Grau catalogue, it ended up in a new, very complete catalogue with all the sources well referenced and updated. The next step to organize historic seismicity data was, from 2004 to 2008, the creation of the STSHV (Sistema de teleinformacion de Sismologia Historica Venezolana, http://sismicidad.hacer.ula.ve ). The idea was to bring together all information about destructive historic earthquakes in Venezuela in one place in the internet so it could be accessed easily by a widespread public. There are two ways to access the system. The first one, selecting an earthquake or a list of earthquakes, and the second one, selecting an information source or a list of sources. For each earthquake there is a summary of general information and additional materials: a list with the source parameters published by different authors, a list with intensities assessed by different authors, a list of information sources, a short text summarizing the historic situation at the time of the earthquake and a list of pictures if available. There are searching facilities for the seismic events and dynamic maps can be created. The information sources are classified in: books, handwritten documents, transcription of handwritten documents, documents published in books, journals and congress memories, newspapers, seismologic catalogues and electronic sources. There are facilities to find specific documents or lists of documents with common characteristics

  12. Ophthalmic Manifestations of Congenital Zika Syndrome in Colombia and Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Yepez, Juan B; Murati, Felipe A; Pettito, Michele; Peñaranda, Carlos F; de Yepez, Jazmin; Maestre, Gladys; Arevalo, J Fernando

    2017-05-01

    The ocular manifestations and sequelae of Zika virus infection are not well known. Recently, the World Health Organization changed the declaration of Zika as a public health emergency and designated the viral outbreak and related microcephaly clusters as a long-term program of work. This change indicates the urgent need to evaluate and document ophthalmic manifestations in patients for timely management of this disease. In addition, confirmation whether the public health problem in Brazil extends to other regions in South America is needed. To report the ocular manifestations of congenital Zika syndrome with microcephaly in Colombia and Venezuela. This prospective case series included 43 patients from 2 ophthalmic centers in Colombia and Venezuela who underwent evaluation from October 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016, and were clinically diagnosed with congenital Zika syndrome. Twenty patients were Hispanic; 13, African; 8, white; and 2, Native American. Ophthalmic and systemic evaluations and serologic testing were performed on all infants. Patients underwent external ocular examination and dilated ophthalmoscopy. Serologic testing ruled out toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus. Ophthalmic manifestations of congenital Zika syndrome. Of the 43 patients included in this series (28 female and 15 male), the mean (SD) age at examination was 2.1 (1.5) months. The mothers of all the children had no ophthalmic findings and did not report ocular symptoms during pregnancy. All patients had bilateral ophthalmic manifestations. Optic nerve findings included hypoplasia with the double-ring sign, pallor, and increased cup-disc ratio in 5 patients (11.6%). Macular abnormalities included mild to severe pigment mottling in 27 patients (63%) and lacunar maculopathy in 3 (6.9%). Chorioretinal scarring was present in 3 patients (7%). Eleven patients (26%) had a combination of lesions in the posterior pole. Five patients (12%) were

  13. Ophthalmic Manifestations of Congenital Zika Syndrome in Colombia and Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Yepez, Juan B.; Murati, Felipe A.; Pettito, Michele; Peñaranda, Carlos F.; de Yepez, Jazmin; Maestre, Gladys

    2017-01-01

    Importance The ocular manifestations and sequelae of Zika virus infection are not well known. Recently, the World Health Organization changed the declaration of Zika as a public health emergency and designated the viral outbreak and related microcephaly clusters as a long-term program of work. This change indicates the urgent need to evaluate and document ophthalmic manifestations in patients for timely management of this disease. In addition, confirmation whether the public health problem in Brazil extends to other regions in South America is needed. Objective To report the ocular manifestations of congenital Zika syndrome with microcephaly in Colombia and Venezuela. Design, Setting, and Participants This prospective case series included 43 patients from 2 ophthalmic centers in Colombia and Venezuela who underwent evaluation from October 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016, and were clinically diagnosed with congenital Zika syndrome. Twenty patients were Hispanic; 13, African; 8, white; and 2, Native American. Interventions Ophthalmic and systemic evaluations and serologic testing were performed on all infants. Patients underwent external ocular examination and dilated ophthalmoscopy. Serologic testing ruled out toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus. Main Outcomes and Measures Ophthalmic manifestations of congenital Zika syndrome. Results Of the 43 patients included in this series (28 female and 15 male), the mean (SD) age at examination was 2.1 (1.5) months. The mothers of all the children had no ophthalmic findings and did not report ocular symptoms during pregnancy. All patients had bilateral ophthalmic manifestations. Optic nerve findings included hypoplasia with the double-ring sign, pallor, and increased cup-disc ratio in 5 patients (11.6%). Macular abnormalities included mild to severe pigment mottling in 27 patients (63%) and lacunar maculopathy in 3 (6.9%). Chorioretinal scarring was present in 3 patients (7

  14. Semitendinosus Tendon Transfer Associated With Distal Alignment for Patella Alta in a Patient With Recurrent Dislocations.

    PubMed

    Calderazzi, Filippo; Pellegrini, Andrea; Coviello, Gianluca; Groppi, Giulia; Ceccarelli, Francesco

    2015-10-01

    Patellofemoral instability is characterized by pain during normal daily activities and frequent dislocation events. In the reported case, an adolescent girl, aged 15 years, affected by left patellofemoral instability, underwent surgery with a double technique comprising tibial tubercle distalization and medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction. In case of patella alta associated with patellofemoral instability, surgical treatment should focus on medial patellofemoral ligament repair and on recurrent instability prevention.

  15. The prevalence, correlates and impact of anaemia among older people in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Bryce, Renata M; Salas, Aquiles; Acosta, Daisy; Jimenez-Velazquez, Ivonne Z; Llibre-Rodriguez, Juan J; Sosa, Ana Luisa; Teruel, Beatriz Marcheco; Valhuerdi, Adolfo; Ferri, Cleusa P; McKeigue, Paul; Prince, Martin J

    2013-02-01

    Anaemia among older people is increasingly recognized as a matter of public health concern. Data from low- and middle-income countries are sparse. We surveyed 10915 people aged 65 years and over (8423 with blood tests) in catchment areas in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Mexico, to assess prevalence and correlates of anaemia and impact on disability. Prevalence varied widely between sites, from 6·4% in rural Mexico to 9·2% in urban Mexico, 9·8% in Venezuela, 19·2% in Cuba, 32·1% in Puerto Rico and 37·3% in Dominican Republic. Prevalence was higher in men and increased with age, but sociodemographic composition did not account for prevalence differences between sites. Standardized morbidity ratios indicated a much higher prevalence in Cuba (173), Puerto Rico (280) and Dominican Republic (332) compared with USA National Health and National Examination Surveys. Anaemia was associated with undernutrition, physical impairments, and serum creatinine. There was an association with greater African admixture in Dominican Republic but not in Cuba. African admixture is therefore unlikely to fully explain the high prevalence in the Caribbean islands, which may also arise from environmental, possibly dietary factors. Given an important independent contribution of anaemia to disability, more research is needed to identify preventable and treatable causes. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  16. The effects of land use change on mercury distribution in soils of Alta Floresta, Southern Amazon.

    PubMed

    Lacerda, Luiz D; de Souza, Margareth; Ribeiro, Mario G

    2004-05-01

    This study presents the spatial distribution, degree of contamination and storage capacity of Hg in surface forest and pasture soils from Alta Floresta, Southern Amazon, a significant gold mining site from 1980 to 1996. During that period, average annual gold production was about 6.5 tons, with an estimated Hg annual emission to the environment of about 8.8 tons, 60-80% of it being emitted to the atmosphere. Mercury sources to the region are mining sites and gold-dealer shops at the city of Alta Floresta, where gold is smelted and commercialized. Mercury concentrations in forest soils (15-248 ng g(-1), average=61.9 ng g(-1)) were 1.5-3.0 times higher than in pasture soils (10-74 ng g(-1), average=33.8 ng g(-1)), suggesting strong re-mobilization after deforestation. Highest Hg concentrations were found within a distance of 20-30 km from mining sites in both soil types. The influence of the refining operations within the city of Alta Floresta, however, was less clear. Somewhat higher concentrations were observed only within a 5 km radius from the city center where gold-dealer shops are located. Wind direction controls the spatial distribution of Hg. Background concentrations (15-50 ng g(-1)) were generally found at the outer perimeter of the sampling grid, about 40 km from sources. This suggests that Hg released from mining and refining activities undergoes rapid deposition. Estimated cumulative Hg burdens for the first 10 cm of soil averaged 8.3 mg m(-2) and 4.9 mg m(-2), for forest and pasture soils respectively and compare well with ultisols and hydromorphic oxisols, but were lower than those found in yellow-red and yellow latosols and podsols from other Amazonian areas. Our results show that changing land use in the Amazon is a strong re-mobilizing agent of Hg deposited on soils from the atmosphere.

  17. Genetic diversity in cassava landraces grown on farms in Alta Floresta-MT, Brazil.

    PubMed

    Tiago, A V; Rossi, A A B; Tiago, P V; Carpejani, A A; Silva, B M; Hoogerheide, E S S; Yamashita, O M

    2016-09-02

    Brazil is considered one of the domestication centers of cassava (Manihot esculenta), containing a large part of the biological diversity and traditional knowledge of the species. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the genetic diversity of cassava landraces grown by farmers in the north of Mato Grosso State, Brazil, using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) molecular markers. The study was carried out in the municipality of Alta Floresta, MT, on farms located in two rural areas. Seventeen cassava landraces were selected. The DNA was extracted and polymerase chain reaction amplifications were performed using 15 ISSR primers. Genetic similarity estimates were calculated using Jaccard's index and the generated matrix was used for clustering the genotypes by using UPGMA and Tocher's methods. The 15 ISSR primers amplified 120 fragments, revealing 61.67% polymorphism. The polymorphism information content ranged from 0.04 to 0.61, averaging 0.39. The most similar genotypes were AF5 and AF8, whereas the least similar were AF1 and AF16. The UPGMA clustering method formed five groups. Group I included twelve landraces, Group II contained two, and the other groups contained one landrace each. Tocher's method resulted in six groups: 12 landraces clustered in one group, and the other groups each contained one landrace. The ISSR markers proved efficient in revealing genetic diversity among the cassava landraces. The landraces grown by farmers in the two rural areas of Alta Floresta have a great variability and, thus, can be exploited in programs for breeding and preservation of the species.

  18. [Homocysteinemia and its relationship with the methylentetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphism in various ethnic groups from western Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Vizcaíno, Gilberto; Diez-Ewald, María; Herrmann, Falko H; Schuster, Gudrun; Torres-Guerra, Enrique; Arteaga-Vizcaíno, Melvis

    2005-12-01

    The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia and C677T MTHFR polymorphism was studied in various ethnic groups from Western Venezuela (60 Wayuu Indians, 42 italian immigrants and 77 Venezuelan mestizos) in relation with the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia and the C677T MTHFR polymorphism. Homocysteinemia was determined by polarized fluorescence immunoassay in an IMX system, serum folate was measured by radioimmunoanalysis and the MTHFR genotype was determined by PCR and restriction analysis. Hyperhomocysteinemia was defined as a value over 2 SD above the mean value for normal MTHFR (CC677) in each group. The prevalence of MTHFR variants (C677T and 677TT) was elevated in all ethnic groups (78% among the wayuu, 76% among Italians and 63% among mestizos) with a significant association between the concentrations of homocysteine and the levels of serum folate among the wayuu (p < 0.0001) and the mestizos (p < 0.001) only. Hyperhomocysteinemia was associated with MTHFR variants in 23% of the wayuu (OR: 6.17, CI 95: 0.74-51.36), 9.5% of the Italians (OR: 0.93, CI 95: 0.085-10.10) and 20.7 of the Venezuelans mestizos (OR: 5.2, CI 95: 1.08-24.90, p > 0.03). There was no relationship between hyperhomocysteinemia and folate deficiency in any of the groups studied. In conclusion, despite a high prevalence of C677T MTHFR variants in these ethnic groups of western Venezuela, the lack of no evidence of hyperhomocysteinemia combined with folate deficiency may imply that the nutritional status of these groups plays an important role in the control of hyperhomocysteinemia as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

  19. Methodology to incorporate EIA in land-use ordering -- case study: The Cataniapo River basin, Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sebastiani, M.; Llambi, L.D.; Marquez, E.

    1998-07-01

    In Venezuela, the idea of tiering information between land-use ordering instruments and impact assessment is absent. In this article the authors explore a methodological alternative to bridge the information presented in land-use ordering instruments with the information requirements for impact assessment. The methodology is based on the steps carried out for an environmental impact assessment as well as on those considered to develop land-use ordering instruments. The methodology is applied to the territorial ordering plan and its proposal for the protection zone of the Cataniapo River basin. The purpose of the protection zone is to preserve the water quality andmore » quantity of the river basin for human consumption.« less

  20. [Changes in lipid availability in Venezuela, 1970-1992].

    PubMed

    Abreu Olivo, E A; Ablan de Flórez, E

    1994-12-01

    The authors carry out a research focused on the quantification and analysis of the main changes in feeding and nutrition in Venezuela between 1970 and 1992. Such research started with the review and adjustment of the Food Balance Sheets (Hojas de Balance de Alimentos) elaborated by the Instituto Nacional de Nutrición (National Nutrition Institute) between 1970 and 1979 in order to homogenize them in a methodological way to make them similar to those elaborated by that institution and the Fundación Polar for the 1980-90 period. Estimates were made about the daily and per person availability of food for human consumption (DCH) for 1991 and 1992. This report, a partial product of that research, characterizes the evolution of the lipidic DCH in Venezuela for the 1970-1992 period. This period has been divided in seven stages of the evolution of the total energetic DCH, as this reflects well the course of the daily and per person Food Purchasing Power (PCA); there is a direct and strong functional relationship between these two variables. Along those stages the behaviour of the lipidic DCH is studied and we try to view possible relationships between the evolution of the Venezeluans economical situation and the absolute and relative variations observed in the level and the structure of the lipidic DCH. This structure is analyzed from several points of view: groups of food sources, origin, "visibility", and place of origin. One purpose is to determine also which food groups are mainly responsible for the venezuelan's external lipidic dependence. A general picture of the evolution of the DCH for saturated fatty acids and cholesterol is made, as well as of the variations experienced by the P/S and M/S relationships. It was found that the most dynamic elements, those that can explain a very high percentage of the variations observed in the level and the structure of the lipidic DCH were: the groups of foods of Visible Fats, Milk and dairy products, and Meats; vegetal lipids

  1. Isolation of Madre de Dios Virus (Orthobunyavirus; Bunyaviridae), an Oropouche Virus Species Reassortant, from a Monkey in Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Navarro, Juan-Carlos; Giambalvo, Dileyvic; Hernandez, Rosa; Auguste, Albert J.; Tesh, Robert B.; Weaver, Scott C.; Montañez, Humberto; Liria, Jonathan; Lima, Anderson; da Rosa, Jorge Fernando Soares Travassos; da Silva, Sandro P.; Vasconcelos, Janaina M.; Oliveira, Rodrigo; Vianez, João L. S. G.; Nunes, Marcio R. T.

    2016-01-01

    Oropouche virus (OROV), genus Orthobunyavirus, family Bunyaviridae, is an important cause of human illness in tropical South America. Herein, we report the isolation, complete genome sequence, genetic characterization, and phylogenetic analysis of an OROV species reassortant, Madre de Dios virus (MDDV), obtained from a sick monkey (Cebus olivaceus Schomburgk) collected in a forest near Atapirire, a small rural village located in Anzoategui State, Venezuela. MDDV is one of a growing number of naturally occurring OROV species reassortants isolated in South America and was known previously only from southern Peru. PMID:27215299

  2. Four new species and new records of Atopsyche Banks (Trichoptera: Hydrobiosidae) from Pantepui biogeographical region (Venezuela).

    PubMed

    Zamora-Muñoz, Carmen; Derka, Tomáš; Múrria, Cesc

    2017-05-29

    Four new species of the genus Atopsyche Banks (Hydrobiosidae) from Pantepui biogeographical region (Venezuela) are described and illustrated: Atopsyche (Atopsaura) inmae n. sp., Atopsyche (Atopsaura) cristinae n. sp., Atopsyche (Atopsaura) svitoki n. sp., and Atopsyche (Atopsaura) carmenae n. sp. Molecular analyses (cox1 sequences) allowed larva-adult associations and the morphological description of larvae of two of the new species (A. inmae and A. cristinae). A phylogenetic tree is performed to assess the molecular validity of the species, establish evolutionary relation among them and interpret historical biogeography of tepuis. Finally, two new distributional records for A. (Atopsaura) atahuallpa are included, which up to now was known only from the type locality.

  3. An obstetrics and gynaecology graduate residency programme in Venezuela.

    PubMed Central

    Faneite, P.

    1998-01-01

    We present our experience on the design and development of a gynaecology and obstetrics graduate residency programme, developed in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Dr Adolfo Prince Lara Hospital, Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, in which medical specialists and residents participate synergistically. From January to September 1993, curricular activities were planned and students selected. The programme started in October 1993, with six residents for a three-year programme. Courses were given by medical specialists from the Department. In addition to a Programme Coordinator, there is also a Residents' Coordinator, appointed for a two-month term of office; specific functions were assigned for residents occupying this position. All the programmed activities for three years were accomplished, including lectures and rotations, with an important record of surgical interventions. In our grade system, residents got an average of 18 over a maximum of 20 points. Residents also participated as speakers in workshops, special courses and national medicinal meetings, in which they presented a total of nine papers. Activities were evaluated bimonthly in meetings with students and each semester by the Graduate Committee. The first class graduated in September 1996. Results suggest that resident participation in graduate programmes is an important part of their education. PMID:9538482

  4. [Academic resonances of the intellectual baggage brought by Augusto Pi Suñer to Venezuela (1939-1962].

    PubMed

    Frechilla, Juan José Martín

    2010-01-01

    The article read over the intellectual connection between two physiologists, the Catalan exiled Augusto Pi Suñer in 1939 and the Venezuelan Francisco De Venanzi beyond their common research subject like as: the academic insertion of the biological sciences and the related debate with the natural sciences; the scientific development and the necessity to attract the human resources for it; the publication of the project results by owner institutional reviews; the legal establishment at the highest govern level to development the scientific research. All of these subjects were developed when the scientific community in Venezuela are confirming her institutional organization.

  5. [Graduate Program on Physiological Sciences of the School of Medicine of the Central University of Venezuela: XXV years of history].

    PubMed

    Ponte-Sucre, A; Torrealba, A T; González, E

    1999-01-01

    The Graduate Program of Physiological Sciences, the first Master's and Doctor degrees of the Faculty of Medicine from the Central University of Venezuela reached its XXV anniversary in 1998. These pages are devoted to describe and analyze the main subjects related to its growth and its pioneer role on the development of the 4th level studies in the Faculty of Medicine. Also, we discuss in these pages the plans for the future of this program.

  6. Pollination biology of Eulophia alta (Orchidaceae) in Amazonia: effects of pollinator composition on reproductive success in different populations

    PubMed Central

    Jürgens, Andreas; Bosch, Simone R.; Webber, Antonio C.; Witt, Taina; Frame, Dawn; Gottsberger, Gerhard

    2009-01-01

    Background and Aims Spatial variation in pollinator composition and abundance is a well-recognized phenomenon. However, a weakness of many studies claiming specificity of plant–pollinator interactions is that they are often restricted to a single locality. The aim of the present study was to investigate pollinator effectiveness of the different flower visitors to the terrestrial orchid Eulophia alta at three different localities and to analyse whether differences in pollinator abundance and composition effect this plant's reproductive success. Methods Natural pollination was observed in vivo, and manipulative experiments were used to study the pollination biology and breeding system of E. alta at three sites near Manaus, Brazil. To gain a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of pollinator attraction, nectar composition and secretion patterns were also studied, floral scent composition was analysed and a bioassay was conducted. Key Results Flower visitors, pollinator composition, pollinia transfer efficiency of particular pollinator species and natural fruit set differed among the investigated populations of E. alta. Flowers were self-compatible, partially autogamous and effectively pollinated by five bee species (four Centris species and Xylocopa muscaria). Visiting insects appeared to imbibe small amounts of hexose-rich nectar. Nectar sugar content was highest on the third day after flower opening. Floral fragrance analyses revealed 42 compounds, of which monoterpenes and benzenoids predominated. A bioassay using floral parts revealed that only floral tissue from the labellum chamber and labellum tip was attractive to flower visitors. Conclusions The data suggest that observed differences in reproductive success in the three populations cannot be explained by absolute abundance of pollinators alone. Due to behavioural patterns such as disturbance of effective pollinators on flowers by male Centris varia bees defending territory, pollinia transfer

  7. [Dog (Canis familiaris) infectivity to Lutzomyia youngi in Trujillo, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Hernández, Dalila; Rojas, Elina; Scorza, José Vicente; Jorquera, Alicia

    2006-10-01

    In Trujillo, Venezuela the prevalence for American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) is 38 per 100,000 inhabitants. In a periurban, rural settlement of the capital city Trujillo, we studied the potential capability of the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) as a source of infection for Lutzomyia youngi, a phlebotomine sand fly species abundant in the study area and whose domestic vectorial activity has been proven. Dogs with dermal lesions suggestive of ATL and parasitological confirmation of infection, were selected for xenodiagnosis by allowing sylvatic phlebotomines from a ATL free area, to feed ad libitum over each animal's entire body surface. The insects' intestinal tracts were dissected 5 days after the blood meal in order to look for flagellate forms. When these were found, parasitological identification was performed by the multiplex-PCR technique. Four hundred and fifty five sand flies engorged over two dogs in three different assays; promastigotes were found in 4 (0.88%) of the specimens on only one occasion. PCR identified DNA of the Leishmania Viannia subgenus. The household dog has the potential of being a domestic risk factor in the ATL transmission cycle.

  8. Geochemical study of the organic matter from Querecual formation, Anzoategui State, Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Garban, G.; Lopez, L.; Lo Monaco, S.

    1996-08-01

    Kerogen and bitumen fractions extracted from twenty-one limestone samples from kind section of Querecual formation (Querecual River, Anzoategui State, Venezuela) were analyzed for their content of Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, S, Sr, V and Zn. S and trace-metals content from the kerogen fraction were used to obtain information about paleoenvironmental sedimentation conditions of the Querecual formation. Based on these data, and especially on the V and S content variations plus V/Ni, VIV+Ni and Mo/Mo+Cr ratios, we confirm an ancient-reducer condition on this region according with a sulfur-reducer environment. Trace-metals content variations from the bitumen fraction along the studymore » section were used as possible primary migration indicators. V and Ni were the only elements showing a clear tendency to be used as primary migration indicators. The observed tendency allows us to postulate a vertical migration of the bitumen, from center to the extremes of the section.« less

  9. Reliability as the big persuader to privatize the electrical system in Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Alvarez B., C.E.

    1998-12-31

    Throughout the past five years, the Venezuelan authorities, especially the Fondo de Inversiones de Venezuela (FIV), have done a major effort to privatize many of the state owned industries, among them, the electrical public utilities and some important electrical power generation plants or systems based on thermal generation. Mainly along the recent past years, black and brownouts have become more frequent in the system. In other words, system reliability has been diminishing, as a consequence of investment capital and O and M expenses have been reduced to levels below the required by the system. Public opinion is exercising pressure onmore » politicians, so signals are that Congress will probably approve during the current or beginning of next years the required laws to expedite privatization and assure incentives and guaranties to investors. This paper deals with the insides of all these aspects, and with how soon privatization will be carried out. The FIV has been committed to implement this process.« less

  10. 78 FR 33101 - Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Alta East Wind Project, Kern County...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-06-03

    ... turbines, access roads, collector substation, operation and maintenance facility, temporary portable... wind turbines capable of generating up to 153 megawatts. The project site is within the planning....LVRWB11B4520.FX0000] Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Alta East Wind Project, Kern...

  11. Modeling Chagas Disease at Population Level to Explain Venezuela's Real Data

    PubMed Central

    González-Parra, Gilberto; Chen-Charpentier, Benito M.; Bermúdez, Moises

    2015-01-01

    Objectives In this paper we present an age-structured epidemiological model for Chagas disease. This model includes the interactions between human and vector populations that transmit Chagas disease. Methods The human population is divided into age groups since the proportion of infected individuals in this population changes with age as shown by real prevalence data. Moreover, the age-structured model allows more accurate information regarding the prevalence, which can help to design more specific control programs. We apply this proposed model to data from the country of Venezuela for two periods, 1961–1971, and 1961–1991 taking into account real demographic data for these periods. Results Numerical computer simulations are presented to show the suitability of the age-structured model to explain the real data regarding prevalence of Chagas disease in each of the age groups. In addition, a numerical simulation varying the death rate of the vector is done to illustrate prevention and control strategies against Chagas disease. Conclusion The proposed model can be used to determine the effect of control strategies in different age groups. PMID:26929912

  12. Geophysical studies for the identification of basin effects in urban areas in Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmitz, M.; Rocabado, V.; Sánchez, J.; Reinoza, C.; Amaris, E.; Cornou, C.

    2007-05-01

    Urban areas in northern Venezuela are subject to a moderate seismic hazard due to the interactions between the Caribbean and south American plates, which has been evidenced by historical damaging earthquakes as for example the 1812 and the 1967 earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.2 and 6.5, respectively. Strong damages in Caracas during the 1967 earthquake have been asociated to site effects produced by the sediment filled basin. This situation can be observed in most of the big cities in northern Venezuela, which initially developped on plain areas with quaternary basin fills of up to 500 m within mountainous areas, as for example Caracas, Maracay and Barquisimeto. In the mid- 1990ies FUNVISIS started to promote geophysical studies to investigate the shape and the properties of the basin fills in order to contribute to the earthquake disaster reduction. Methods applied for the investigations are gravimetry, microtremor measurements, seismic refraction, among others. In Caracas, a total of 350 m of cuaternary sediments with an average S-wave velocity of about 850 m/s have been derived by seismic investigations. The corresponding predominant periods from microtremor measurements amount up to 2.2 s. Integrating drilling information and 3D gravimetric modeling a detailed picture of the bedrock - sediment interface could be obtained. Results from numerical modelling as well as from experimental transfer function indicate amplifications point to amplifications of a factor of more than 10 related to the deep basin area. In Barquisimeto Metropolitan Area, sediment thickness reaches up to 500 m in the fast growing Cabudare area. Actually, modelling of a recent seismic refraction campaign is in progress, but predominant periods up to 3.0 s in the deepest part of the valley and gravity modelling point to the same order of cuaternary sediments. In other cities, as for example Carora and Mérida, geophysical studies are in progress, first with gravimetric and microtremor

  13. [Seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the rural population of Sucre State, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    García-Jordán, Noris; Berrizbeitia, Mariolga; Rodríguez, Jessicca; Concepción, Juan Luis; Cáceres, Ana; Quiñones, Wilfredo

    2017-10-26

    The current study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Sucre State, Venezuela, and its association with epidemiological risk factors. The cluster sampling design allowed selecting 96 villages and 576 dwellings in the State's 15 municipalities. A total of 2,212 serum samples were analyzed by ELISA, HAI, and IFI. Seroprevalence in Sucre State was 3.12%. Risk factors associated with T. cruzi infection were: accumulated garbage, flooring and wall materials, type of dwelling, living in a house with wattle and daub walls and/or straw roofing, living in a house with risky walls and roofing, risky buildings and wattle and daub outbuildings, poultry inside the human dwelling, and presence of firewood. Infection was associated with individual age, and three seropositive cases were found in individuals less than 15 years of age. Sucre State has epidemiological factors that favor the risk of acquiring T. cruzi infection.

  14. A distinctive new subspecies of Scytalopus griseicollis (Aves, Passeriformes, Rhinocryptidae) from the northern Eastern Cordillera of Colombia and Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Avendaño, Jorge Enrique; Donegan, Thomas M.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract We describe a new subspecies of Pale-bellied Tapaculo Scytalopus griseicollis from the northern Eastern Cordillera of Colombia and Venezuela. This form differs diagnosably in plumage from described subspecies Scytalopus griseicollis griseicollis and Scytalopus griseicollis gilesi and from the latter in tail length. It is also differentiated non-diagnosably in voice from both these populations. Ecological niche modelling analysis suggests that the new subspecies is restricted to the Andean montane forest and páramo north of both the arid Chicamocha valley and the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy. PMID:26085800

  15. A new species of small-eared shrew from Colombia and Venezuela (Mammalia: Soricomorpha: Soricidae: Genus Cryptotis)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Woodman, N.

    2002-01-01

    Populations of small-eared shrews inhabiting the northern Cordillera Oriental of Colombia and adjoining Venezuelan highlands in the vicinity of Paramo de Tama have been referred alternatively to Cryptotis thomssi or Cryptotis meridensis. Morphological and morphometrical study of this population indicates that it belongs to neither taxon, but represents a distinct, previously unrecognized species. I describe this new species as Cryptotis tamensis and redescribe C. meridensis. Recognition of the population at Paramo de Tama as a separate taxon calls into question the identities of populations of shrews currently represented only by single specimens from Cerro Pintado in the Sierra de Perija, Colombia, and near El Junquito in the coastal highlands of Venezuela.

  16. Isolation of Madre de Dios Virus (Orthobunyavirus; Bunyaviridae), an Oropouche Virus Species Reassortant, from a Monkey in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Navarro, Juan-Carlos; Giambalvo, Dileyvic; Hernandez, Rosa; Auguste, Albert J; Tesh, Robert B; Weaver, Scott C; Montañez, Humberto; Liria, Jonathan; Lima, Anderson; Travassos da Rosa, Jorge Fernando Soares; da Silva, Sandro P; Vasconcelos, Janaina M; Oliveira, Rodrigo; Vianez, João L S G; Nunes, Marcio R T

    2016-08-03

    Oropouche virus (OROV), genus Orthobunyavirus, family Bunyaviridae, is an important cause of human illness in tropical South America. Herein, we report the isolation, complete genome sequence, genetic characterization, and phylogenetic analysis of an OROV species reassortant, Madre de Dios virus (MDDV), obtained from a sick monkey (Cebus olivaceus Schomburgk) collected in a forest near Atapirire, a small rural village located in Anzoategui State, Venezuela. MDDV is one of a growing number of naturally occurring OROV species reassortants isolated in South America and was known previously only from southern Peru. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  17. Notes about Alta Vista in Chalchihuites, Zacatecas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Montero García, Ismael Arturo

    2016-11-01

    The Tropic of Cancer is a parallel located at the latitude of 23°26'16''. This imaginary line extends across northern Mexico from the southernmost point of the Baja California Peninsula, to the Gulf of Mexico, passing through the states of Baja California Sur, Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas. The Tropic of Cancer marks the northernmost position of the sun at its midday zenith, which takes place in the Summer solstice. On this day, the sun's rays hit the earth's surface vertically along the entire length of this latitude, which was supposed to be significant for the priest/astronomers of ancient times, who dedicated themselves to observing the apparent movements of the sun. It so happens that Alta Vista in Zacatecas, corresponds to the westernmost peak where this phenomenon can occur, although the date of the zenith's course differs depending on the latitude of each position and so various archaeoastronomical specialists stress how the ancient indigenous cultures, at least those dating from Mexico's Classical period, valued this finding in developing their calendars. On the other hand, the research contributes new elements for discussion because it presents a calendar of the horizon, based on of the highest peaks of the Sierra Prieta mountain range ranging from the archaeological sites of El Chapín, Cerro Pedregoso, to the excavations at El Picacho Pelón (peak El Pelón).

  18. Sedimentary sequence evolution in a Foredeep basin: Eastern Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bejarano, C.; Funes, D.; Sarzalho, S.

    1996-08-01

    Well log-seismic sequence stratigraphy analysis in the Eastern Venezuela Foreland Basin leads to study of the evolution of sedimentary sequences onto the Cretaceous-Paleocene passive margin. This basin comprises two different foredeep sub-basins: The Guarico subbasin to the west, older, and the Maturin sub-basin to the east, younger. A foredeep switching between these two sub-basins is observed at 12.5 m.y. Seismic interpretation and well log sections across the study area show sedimentary sequences with transgressive sands and coastal onlaps to the east-southeast for the Guarico sub-basin, as well as truncations below the switching sequence (12.5 m.y.), and the Maturin sub-basin showsmore » apparent coastal onlaps to the west-northwest, as well as a marine onlap (deeper water) in the west, where it starts to establish. Sequence stratigraphy analysis of these sequences with well logs allowed the study of the evolution of stratigraphic section from Paleocene to middle Miocene (68.0-12.0 m.y.). On the basis of well log patterns, the sequences were divided in regressive-transgressive-regressive sedimentary cycles caused by changes in relative sea level. Facies distributions were analyzed and the sequences were divided into simple sequences or sub- sequences of a greater frequencies than third order depositional sequences.« less

  19. International migration data: their problems and usefulness in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Torrealba, R

    1987-01-01

    During the 1940s and 1950s Venezuela was an important destination for migrants from Southern Europe, a flow that disappeared almost entirely during the 1960s, to be replaced by border movements and the largely illegal migration of Colombians. The oil boom of the 1970s saw an increase of the latter, which may have subsided during the 1980s due to the more difficult economic conditions that have also led to significant emigration levels of Venezuelans and former immigrants. Methods of data collection systems that provide information on migrants include the National Population and Housing Census, the National Household Survey, migration surveys, arrival and departure statistics, registration systems operated by the Direccion General Sectorial de identificacion y Control de Extranjeros, the 1980 regularization drive, statistics gathered by the Ministry of Labor, and vital and civil registration statistics. The lack of effective coordination among the different government agencies gathering information and the administrative nature of the data collected give rise to problems of comparability. Mechanisms to publish and disseminate the data available are not well developed, so that researchers often have no access to potentially useful sources of information. Problems of timeliness in the publication of the most widely used information are also present, as is the large gap existing in data pertaining to emigration, be it of Venezuelan nationals or of immigrants leaving the country.

  20. [Abundance and species richness of fish associated to Thalassia testudinum at Cariaco Gulf, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Peña, Thays Allen; Jiménez, Mayré; Villafranca, Sioliz

    2004-12-01

    Fish are among the most abundant and diverse groups in Thalassia testudinum communities, in turn considered among the most productive and important ecosystems in marine environments. Three stations were sampled in the southern shore of Cariaco gulf (northwestern Venezuela) to quantify fish associated with T. testudinum, from December 1996 to November 1997. We used a 50 m long beach net ("chinchorro playero", height 1.50 m, mesh opening 0.7 cm. A total of 15 509 individuals were collected: 27 families, 38 genera and 44 specie were identified. The most abundant, in descending order, were Haemulon boschmae, Nicholsina usta, Orthopristis ruber, Xenomelaniris brasiliensis and Diplodus argenteus. Thirty three species were occasional visitors (75.0%) and ten were recurrent visitors (22.7%). The permanent resident, N. usta, is a characteristic species that uses T. testudinum throughout its life cycle.

  1. Access to and coverage of renal replacement therapy in minorities and ethnic groups in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Bellorin-Font, Ezequiel; Pernalete, Nidia; Meza, Josefina; Milanes, Carmen Luisa; Carlini, Raul G

    2005-08-01

    Access to and coverage of renal replacement therapy in minorities and ethnic groups in Venezuela. Numerous studies have documented the presence of racial and minority disparities regarding the impact of renal disease and access to renal replacement therapy (RRT). This problem is less well documented in Latin America. Venezuela, like most countries in the region, is subject to severe constraints in the allocation of resources for high-cost chronic diseases, which limits the access of patients with chronic kidney disease to RRT. Although access to health care is universal, there is both a deficit in coverage and disparity in the access to RRT, largely as a result of socioeconomic limitations and budget constrains. With current rising trends of the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and costs of medical technology, the long-term goal of complete RRT coverage will become increasingly out of reach. Current evidence suggests that prevention of progression of renal disease is possible at relatively low cost and broad coverage. Based on this evidence, the Ministry of Health has redesigned its policy with respect to renal disease based on 4 elements: 1. Prevention by means of early detection and referral to multidisciplinary health teams, as well as promotion of health habits in the community. 2. Prevention of progression of renal disease by pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic means. 3. An increase in the rate of coverage and reduction of disparities in the access to dialysis. 4. An increase in the rates of renal transplantation through better organ procurement programs and reinforcement of transplant centers. However, the projected increase in the number of patients with ESKD receiving RRT will represent a serious burden to the health care system. Therefore, implementation of these policies will require the involvement of international agencies as well as an adequate partnership between nephrologists and health care planners, so that meeting the increasing demands

  2. [Lipid profile from low socioeconomic level preschool children. Valencia, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Solano, Liseti; Velásquez, Emma; Naddaf, Gloria; Páez, María

    2003-01-01

    Overweight and obesity are a public health problem worldwide affecting adults and children as well. The aim of this study was to assess overweight, lipid profile and cardiovascular risk ratios in 390 preschool children from low socio-economic level from Valencia, Venezuela. Nutritional anthropometric evaluation measured by body dimensions, and serum determination of cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and cardiovascular risk factors, were determined. 95% of the children were in relative and critical poverty. 14.3% of undernutrition and 20.8% of overweight was found. Lipid profile was in normal range, with no significant differences by sex, but higher values for HDL-cholesterol and risk ratios were found in children aged 1 to 3.99 years. Even though no differences were found by nutritional status, overweight children had higher values for lipids, except HDL-cholesterol. 6.3% of overweight children had cholesterol > or =170 mg/dL, 16.5% LDL-cholesterol > or =110 mg/dL, 40.5% triglycerides > or =75mg/dL and 100% HDL-cholesterol <45 mg/dL. Overweight and lipid profile alterations were present in an important group of the children, which increase their risk of obesity and chronic non-transmissible diseases. Nutritional and educational intervention should be addressed.

  3. Gran Sabana fires (SE Venezuela): a paleoecological perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Montoya, Encarni; Rull, Valentí

    2011-11-01

    Fires are among the most important risks for tropical ecosystems in a future climatic change scenario. Recently, paleoecological research has been addressed to discern the role played by fire in neotropical landscapes. However, given the magnitude of the Neotropics, many studies are relegated to infer just local trends. Here we present the compilation of the paleo-fire records developed until now in the southern Gran Sabana (SE Venezuela) with the aim to describe the fire history as well as to infer the possible forcing factors implied. In this sense, southern Gran Sabana has been under fire perturbation since the Lateglacial, with the concomitant effects upon vegetation, and persisted during the Holocene. Around 2000 cal yr BP onwards, the fire activity highly increased promoting the expansion of pre-existing savannas, the decrease of forests and the appearance and establishment of Mauritia palm swamps. The continuous fire incidence registered for several thousands of years has likely promoted the supremacy of treeless savannas upon other vegetation types and the degradation to secondary landscapes. Based on the available evidence, the anthropogenic nature of this high fire activity has been postulated. If so, it could be hypothesized that the timing arrival of Pemón, the present-day indigenous culture in the Gran Sabana, would be ca 2000 cal yr BP onwards, rather than the last centuries, as it has been formerly assumed. The implications of these ancient practices in the area are also discussed for present Gran Sabana landscapes sustainability and future conservation strategies.

  4. Localized hydroxylamine mutagenesis, and cotransduction of threonine and lysine genes, in Streptomyces venezuelae.

    PubMed Central

    Stuttard, C

    1983-01-01

    A lysate of the generalized transducing phage SV1, grown on the prototrophic type strain 10712 of Streptomyces venezuelae, was mutagenized with hydroxylamine and used to transduce a lysineless auxotroph to lysine independence on supplemented minimal agar. A complex threonine mutant, strain VS95, was isolated from among the transductants and was shown to be carrying at least two different thr mutations. These were about 50% cotransducible with alleles of four independently isolated lysA mutations, as were two other independently isolated threonine mutations, thr-1 and hom-5. The location of thr genes close to lysA occurs in at least three other streptomycetes, but apparently not in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), in which the lysA and thr loci are at diametrically opposite locations on the linkage map. This first observation of cotransduction between loci governing the biosynthesis of different amino acids in the genus Streptomyces demonstrates the feasibility of fine-structure genetic analysis by transduction in these antibiotic-producing bacteria. PMID:6411685

  5. Venezuelines A-G, new phenoxazine-based alkaloids and aminophenols from Streptomyces venezuelae and the regulation of gene target Nur77.

    PubMed

    Ren, Jinwei; Liu, Dong; Tian, Li; Wei, Yangye; Proksch, Peter; Zeng, Jinzhang; Lin, Wenhan

    2013-01-01

    Five new phenoxazine-based alkaloids venezuelines A-E (1-5) and two new aminophenols venezuelines F-G (6-7), as well as three known analogues exfoliazone, chandrananimycin D and carboxyexfoliazone were isolated from the fermentation broth of the marine-derived bacterium Streptomyces venezuelae. The structures of new compounds were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. The cytotoxic activity of these compounds against a panel of tumor cell lines were tested, while the regulation of gene target Nur77 of 2 and exfoliazone (8) were evaluated. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Health economic evaluation of Human Papillomavirus vaccines in women from Venezuela by a lifetime Markov cohort model.

    PubMed

    Bardach, Ariel Esteban; Garay, Osvaldo Ulises; Calderón, María; Pichón-Riviére, Andrés; Augustovski, Federico; Martí, Sebastián García; Cortiñas, Paula; Gonzalez, Marino; Naranjo, Laura T; Gomez, Jorge Alberto; Caporale, Joaquín Enzo

    2017-02-02

    Cervical cancer (CC) and genital warts (GW) are a significant public health issue in Venezuela. Our objective was to assess the cost-effectiveness of the two available vaccines, bivalent and quadrivalent, against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in Venezuelan girls in order to inform decision-makers. A previously published Markov cohort model, informed by the best available evidence, was adapted to the Venezuelan context to evaluate the effects of vaccination on health and healthcare costs from the perspective of the healthcare payer in an 11-year-old girls cohort of 264,489. Costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were discounted at 5%. Eight scenarios were analyzed to depict the cost-effectiveness under alternative vaccine prices, exchange rates and dosing schemes. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Compared to screening only, the bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines were cost-saving in all scenarios, avoiding 2,310 and 2,143 deaths, 4,781 and 4,431 CCs up to 18,459 GW for the quadrivalent vaccine and gaining 4,486 and 4,395 discounted QALYs respectively. For both vaccines, the main determinants of variations in the incremental costs-effectiveness ratio after running deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were transition probabilities, vaccine and cancer-treatment costs and HPV 16 and 18 distribution in CC cases. When comparing vaccines, none of them was consistently more cost-effective than the other. In sensitivity analyses, for these comparisons, the main determinants were GW incidence, the level of cross-protection and, for some scenarios, vaccines costs. Immunization with the bivalent or quadrivalent HPV vaccines showed to be cost-saving or cost-effective in Venezuela, falling below the threshold of one Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita (104,404 VEF) per QALY gained. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these results.

  7. Assessing mercury health effects in gold workers near El Callao, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Rojas, M; Drake, P L; Roberts, S M

    2001-02-01

    Mercury exposure and health status were examined in 40 gold workers in the area surrounding El Callao, Venezuela. Concentrations of mercury in workplace air were measured on 3 successive days, and spot urine and hair samples were also taken for analysis. Subjects underwent a physical examination and completed a questionnaire regarding employment history, work activities involving mercury exposure, use of protective clothing and equipment, and frequency of 37 symptoms associated with mercury toxicity. A complete set of health data was collected for 29 of the subjects. Use of protective equipment was limited, and 17.9%, 24.1%, and 48.3% of subjects had mercury concentrations in air, hair, and urine, respectively, above contemporary occupational exposure guidelines. Physical examination found the workers to be generally healthy and without overt symptoms of mercury toxicity. The frequency of psychoneurological, gastrointestinal, cardio-respiratory, and dermal symptoms was unrelated to any of the measures of mercury exposure. Two subjects had modestly elevated urinary levels of N-acetyl beta-D-glucosaminidase. Despite substantial occupational exposure to mercury among a number of the subjects, few adverse health effects were observed that were plausibly related to mercury.

  8. Rupture history of the 1997 Cariaco, Venezuela, earthquake from teleseismic P waves

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mendoza, C.

    2000-01-01

    A two-step finite-fault waveform inversion scheme is applied to the broadband teleseismic P waves recorded for the strike-slip, Cariaco, Venezuela, earthquake of 9 July 1997 to recover the distribution of mainshock slip. The earthquake is first analyzed using a long narrow fault with a maximum rise time of 20 sec. This line-source analysis indicates that slip propagated to the west with a constant rupture velocity and a relatively short rise time. The results are then used to constrain a second inversion of the P waveforms using a 60-km by 20-km two-dimensional fault. The rupture shows a zone of large slip (1.3-m peak) near the hypocenter and a second, broader source extending updip and to the west at depths shallower than 5 km. The second source has a peak slip of 2.1 meters and accounts for most of the moment of 1.1 × 1026 dyne-cm (6.6 Mww) estimated from the P waves. The inferred rupture pattern is consistent with macroseismic effects observed in the epicentral area.

  9. Mycobiota and concentration of ochratoxin A in concentrated poultry feed from Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Figueroa, S; Centeno, S; Calvo, M A; Rengel, A; Adelantado, C

    2009-04-01

    The main objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency distribution of mycobiota and the concentration of Ochratoxin A (OTA) in 50 samples from one company of commercial brand poultry feed produced in Venezuela. The concentration of OTA in the samples analyzed was determined using the competitive ELISA method. The most frequently isolated genera of moulds were Aspergillus (36%) and Penicillium (20%). Of these genera, the most frequently isolated species were Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus terreus and Penicillium citrinum. Ochratoxigenic species such as Eurotium herbariorum, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ochraceus and Aspergillus glaucus, were also found with lower frequency. Rhodotorula mucilaginosa was the only yeast isolated. 94% of the samples presented contamination by OTA in a range between 2.558 and 31.978 microg kg(-1) feed and 42% of them presented OTA levels from 10 up to 20 microg kg(-1). The findings of this investigation show that 84% of the samples of concentrated feed for meat poultry surpass the maximum permitted limit for OTA of 5 microg kg(-1), established in the majority of countries in which regulations are placed.

  10. Trypanosoma cruzi, the Causal Agent of Chagas Disease: Boundaries between Wild and Domestic Cycles in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Herrera, Leidi

    2014-01-01

    Trypanosoma cruzi the etiological agent of American Trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease (ChD) is transmitted by triatomines vectors between mammals including man. T. cruzi has existed for circa 150 Ma in the Americas and nearly 10 million people are currently infected. The overlap between wild and domestic ecotopes where T. cruzi circulates is increasing. Host-parasite interactions have been determined by infection patterns in these cycles, all under natural or laboratorial conditions. This mini-review describes specific parasite niches, such as plant communities or biological corridors between domestic and wild landscapes, in order to help identify risk factors for ChD and define the boundaries between wild and domestic transmission cycles, with an emphasis on research undertaken in Venezuela.

  11. [Communication and citizenship empowerment in health care: a case of action-research in a polarized Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Nahón Serfaty, Isaac; Eid, Mahmoud

    2015-07-01

    An action-research project was implemented in Venezuela from 2009-2013 to empower social activists and patients in their fight against breast cancer (BC). The project was implemented in a context of high political and social polarization of the so-called «Bolivarian revolution». Based on an ecological perspective of health activism and communication, that encompasses the interpersonal, group and social levels, a series of activities were celebrated to develop the advocacy capabilities of citizens, especially women, expand the collaborative networks among different stakeholders, and promote a consensual view between social and institutional actors about a national response to fight BC. A horizontal and participatory communication allowed that the voice of usually marginalized actors was heard in the process of shaping health care policy.

  12. Oxygen Isotope and Microtextural Evidence for Fluctuations in Fluid Pressure During Contact Metamorphism, Alta Aureole, Utah, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bowman, J. R.; Valley, J. W.; Kita, N.

    2006-12-01

    Thin section-scale textures record a detailed history of prograde and retrograde reactions in the periclase (Per) zone of the Alta Stock aureole. New ion microprobe (SIMS) measurements (10 micron spot, ±0.2 permil, 1sd) of the oxygen isotope compositions of the carbonates preserving these textures provide evidence for at least two cycles of oscillation of fluid pressure (Pfl) between lithostatic (PL) and hydrostatic (Phyd) conditions during evolution of the inner aureole. Infiltration of water-rich fluids during prograde metamorphism converted dolomite (Dol) to Per + calcite (Cal) marble and caused significant 18O/16O depletion in the Dol protolith (Initial δ18O (Cal) > +25 permil), producing Cal with δ18O values of +11 permil. The SIMS values approximate oxygen isotope exchange equilibrium with the Alta stock, indicating that infiltrating fluids were likely magmatic. Exsolution of fluid from the crystallizing magma, coupled with geothermometry from the periclase zone marbles, requires Pfl> PL. Horizontally-oriented expansion cracks filled with brucite (Br) extend from Br pseudomorphs after periclase, and cut retrograde Dol that partially to completely rims the Br pseudomorphs. This earlier retrograde Dol is significantly depleted in 18O/16O relative to matrix Cal, with δ18O of +5 to +7.1 permil. These lower δ18O values indicate that meteoric water infiltrated into the Per marbles during cooling and resulting partial back reaction of Per + Cal to Dol, prior to the hydration of the remaining Per to Br. Influx of meteoric water requires sufficient increase in permeability to permit surface- derived meteoric water to penetrate to the estimated 4.5 km depth of this structural level of the Alta aureole, and suggests a resulting decrease in Pfl to hydrostatic pressure conditions. The horizontally-oriented expansion cracks associated with the Br pseudomorphs indicate that sub-vertical expansion accompanied hydration of Per to Br, requiring that Pfl increase again to

  13. [A new species of frog of the genus Hyalinobatrachium (Anura: Centrolenidae) of the Delta of the Orinoco River, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Celsa Señaris, J; Ayarzagüena, J

    2001-01-01

    A new species of Hyalinobatrachium of the fleischmanni group, H. mondolfii, is described from the Orinoco delta floodplains in Venezuela. This new species can be distinguished from other congeners by the following combination of characters: parietal peritoneum clear, pericardium white, visceral and hepatic peritoneum white, color in life pale green with diminute yellow spots and, in preservative, cream with small dark melanophores (visible only under magnification), bones white in life, extense webbing, snout round in dorsal view and inclinate in lateral view, dorsal skin granulate and a advertisement call with a fundamental frequency greater than 5000 Hz.

  14. Geochronology of recent sediments from the Cariaco Trench (Venezuela) by Alpha Spectrometry of {sup 210}Pb ({sup 210}Po)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Arriojas, A.; Barros, H.; Palacios, D.

    2010-08-04

    210Pb concentration in marine sediments of the Cariaco Trench (North-East of Venezuela) was measured through the analysis of 210Po alpha emissions, which can be assumed to be in secular equilibrium with 210Pb. The analysed sediment core has a length of 1.9 m. The results allowed to apply the CF:CS dating model (Constant Flux and Constant Supply). The sedimentation rate was estimated to be 0.25 cm/y. As far as we know this is the first {alpha}- dating carried out in the country, performed with an alpha spectrometer recently funded by the IAEA.

  15. Seasonal prediction of lightning activity in North Western Venezuela: Large-scale versus local drivers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Muñoz, Á. G.; Díaz-Lobatón, J.; Chourio, X.; Stock, M. J.

    2016-05-01

    The Lake Maracaibo Basin in North Western Venezuela has the highest annual lightning rate of any place in the world (~ 200 fl km- 2 yr- 1), whose electrical discharges occasionally impact human and animal lives (e.g., cattle) and frequently affect economic activities like oil and natural gas exploitation. Lightning activity is so common in this region that it has a proper name: Catatumbo Lightning (plural). Although short-term lightning forecasts are now common in different parts of the world, to the best of the authors' knowledge, seasonal prediction of lightning activity is still non-existent. This research discusses the relative role of both large-scale and local climate drivers as modulators of lightning activity in the region, and presents a formal predictability study at seasonal scale. Analysis of the Catatumbo Lightning Regional Mode, defined in terms of the second Empirical Orthogonal Function of monthly Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS-TRMM) and Optical Transient Detector (OTD) satellite data for North Western South America, permits the identification of potential predictors at seasonal scale via a Canonical Correlation Analysis. Lightning activity in North Western Venezuela responds to well defined sea-surface temperature patterns (e.g., El Niño-Southern Oscillation, Atlantic Meridional Mode) and changes in the low-level meridional wind field that are associated with the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone migrations, the Caribbean Low Level Jet and tropical cyclone activity, but it is also linked to local drivers like convection triggered by the topographic configuration and the effect of the Maracaibo Basin Nocturnal Low Level Jet. The analysis indicates that at seasonal scale the relative contribution of the large-scale drivers is more important than the local (basin-wide) ones, due to the synoptic control imposed by the former. Furthermore, meridional CAPE transport at 925 mb is identified as the best potential predictor for lightning activity in the Lake

  16. Population structure of guppies in north-eastern Venezuela, the area of putative incipient speciation

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Geographic barriers to gene flow and divergence among populations in sexual traits are two important causes of genetic isolation which may lead to speciation. Genetic isolation may be facilitated if these two mechanisms act synergistically. The guppy from the Cumaná region (within the Cariaco drainage) of eastern Venezuela has been previously described as a case of incipient speciation driven by sexual selection, significantly differentiated in sexual colouration and body shape from the common guppy, Poecilia reticulata. The latter occurs widely in northern Venezuela, including the south-eastern side of Cordillera de la Costa, where it inhabits streams belonging to the San Juan drainage. Here, we present molecular and morphological analyses of differentiation among guppy populations in the Cariaco and San Juan drainages. Our analyses are based on a 953 bp long mtDNA fragment, a set of 15 microsatellites (519 fish from 20 populations), and four phenotypic traits. Results Both microsatellite and mtDNA data showed that guppies inhabiting the two drainages are characterised by a significant genetic differentiation, but a higher proportion of the genetic variance was distributed among populations within regions. Most guppies in the Cariaco drainage had mtDNA from a distinct lineage, but we also found evidence for widespread introgression of mtDNA from the San Juan drainage into the Cariaco drainage. Phenotypically, populations in the two regions differed significantly only in the number of black crescents. Phenotypic clustering did not support existence of two distinct groupings, but indicated a degree of distinctiveness of Central Cumaná (CC) population. However, CC population showed little differentiation at the neutral markers from the proximate populations within the Cariaco drainage. Conclusions Our findings are consistent with only partial genetic isolation between the two geographic regions and indicate that the geographic barrier of Cordillera de

  17. Resultados del relevamiento de HI en el Cielo Austral: 3. Relevamiento de Nubes de Alta Velocidad

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morras, R.; Bajaja, E.; Arnal, E. M.; Pöppel, W. G. L.

    Los resultados del relevamiento de HI del Hemisferio Austral fueron reprocesados con el fin de incrementar su sensibilidad. Así, se utilizó esta nueva base de datos con el fin de obtener un nuevo relevamiento de Nubes de Alta Velocidad en el cielo austral. El ruido r.m.s. alcanzado es de 0.015-0.020 K, con una resolución espectral de 8 km/seg. El cubrimiento espacial del relevamiento mejora en un factor 16 al realizado por Bajaja et al (1985).

  18. [Benthic fauna associated to a Thalassia testudinum (Hydrocharitaceae) bed in Parque Nacional Morrocoy, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Rodríguez, C; Villamizar, E

    2000-12-01

    The benthic fauna and diel variation in a shallow seagrass bed (Thalassia testudinum) were studied in Playa Mero, Venezuela. Samples of organisms and sediments were taken using PVC cylinders, 5cm in diameter, along a transect perpendicular to the coast. Seagrass cover, shoot density and biomass were estimated. The seagrass cover was homogeneous along the transect. The intermediate zone had the highest number of shoots and of above-ground and rhizome biomass. Composition and abundance of benthic organisms were related with seagrass and sediment characteristics. Sediment organic matter content and organism abundance were highest near the shore Molluscs, polychaetes, oligochaetes and nematodes were the most abundant groups. Species richness was higher in daytime (40 versus 28 at night). Gastropods were the most abundant organisms both at day and night while polychaetes and crustaceans increased during the day, and holoturids were more numerous at night.

  19. Alta Scuola Politecnica: An Ongoing Experiment in the Multidisciplinary Education of Top Students towards Innovation in Engineering, Architecture and Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benedetto, S.; Bernelli Zazzera, F.; Bertola, P.; Cantamessa, M.; Ceri, S.; Ranci, C.; Spaziante, A.; Zanino, R.

    2010-01-01

    Politecnico di Milano and Politecnico di Torino, the top technical universities in Italy, united their efforts in 2004 by launching a unique excellence programme called Alta Scuola Politecnica (ASP). The ASP programme is devoted to 150 students, selected each year from among the top 5-10% of those enrolled in the Engineering, Architecture and…

  20. The association between patella alta and the prevalence and worsening of structural features of patellofemoral joint osteoarthritis: The Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study

    PubMed Central

    Stefanik, J.J.; Zhu, Y.; Zumwalt, A.C.; Gross, K.D.; Clancy, M.; Lynch, J. A.; Frey Law, L.A.; Lewis, C.E.; Roemer, F.W.; Powers, C.M.; Guermazi, A.; Felson, D.T.

    2010-01-01

    Objective To examine the relationship between patella alta and the prevalence and worsening at follow-up of structural features of patellofemoral joint (PFJ) osteoarthritis (OA) on MRI. Methods The Multicenter Osteoarthritis (MOST) Study is a cohort study of persons aged 50-79 years with or at risk for knee OA. Patella alta was measured using the Insall-Salvati ratio (ISR) on the baseline lateral radiograph and cartilage damage, bone marrow lesions (BMLs), and subchondral bone attrition (SBA) were graded on MRI at baseline and at 30 months follow-up in the PFJ. We examined the association of the ISR with the prevalence and worsening of cartilage damage, BMLs, and SBA in the PFJ using logistic regression. Results 907 knees were studied (mean age 62, BMI 30, ISR 1.10), 63% from female subjects. Compared with knees in the lowest ISR quartile at baseline, those in the highest had 2.4 (95% CI 1.7, 3.3), 2.9 (2.0, 4.3), and 3.5 (2.3, 5.5) times the odds of having lateral PFJ cartilage damage, BMLs, and SBA respectively, and 1.5 (95% CI 1.1, 2.0), 1.3 (0.9, 1.8), and 2.2 (1.4, 3.4) times the odds of having medial PFJ cartilage damage, BMLs, and SBA respectively. Similarly, those with high ISRs were also at risk for worsening of cartilage damage and BMLs over time than those with low ISRs. Conclusion A high ISR, indicative of patella alta, is associated with structural features of OA in the PFJ. Additionally, the same knees have increased risk of worsening of these same features over time. PMID:20506169

  1. Distal tibial tuberosity translation using TTA implants for the treatment of patella alta in large breed dogs. Surgical technique and clinical outcome.

    PubMed

    Pugliese, L C; Pike, F S; Aiken, S W

    2015-01-01

    Medial patellar luxation frequently occurs in dogs resulting in lameness with increasing incidence in large breed dogs. Patella alta has been defined as a patellar ligament length to patellar length ratio that is greater than two and may predispose to patellar luxation. To describe the surgical technique for stabilization of the distal translation of the tibial tuberosity using tibial tuberosity advancement plates and the clinical outcomes with follow-up for clinical cases of dogs. Dogs that were presented with the complaint of patellar luxation and that were concurrently diagnosed with patella alta and were greater than 20 kg in body weight underwent surgery using a tibial tuberosity advancement plate to stabilize the osteotomy. Radiographic assessment of A:PL distance (the ratio of the proximal aspect of the patella to the femoral condyle [A] to the patellar length [PL]), L:P ratio (ratio of the length of the patellar ligament to the diagonal length of the patella), and owner assessment were obtained. Eleven stifles in nine dogs underwent surgical correction with a mean preoperative L:P ratio of 2.47. There were no complications and the lameness resolved clinically. The mean A:PL ratios preoperatively (2.6 ± 0.22) and postoperatively (2.1 ± 0.25) were significantly different (p = 0.0003). All owners were satisfied with the outcome and all dogs had a resolution of lameness with no recurrence of patellar luxation. Stabilization of distal translation of the tibial tuberosity using tibial tuberosity advancement implants to correct patella alta in large breed dogs was feasible and resulted in good clinical outcome.

  2. [Reproductive effort, fattening index and yield of Arca zebra (Filibranchia: Arcidae) by length and its association with environmental variables, Sucre, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Lista, María; Velásquez, Carlos; Prieto, Antulio; Longart, Yelipza

    2016-06-01

    Arca zebra is a mollusk of commercial value and a major socioeconomic fishery in Northeastern Venezuela. The present study aimed to evaluate the reproductive effort (RE), fattening index (FI) and yield (Y) in different size groups of A. zebra from the morro Chacopata, Venezuela. For this, monthly samplings from June 2008 and June 2009, were undertaken, and the bivalves obtained were distributed in three length groups: I (30.1 to 50.0 mm), II (50.1 to 70.0 mm) and III (> 70.0 mm). Monthly RE, FI and Y were determined based on bivalve changes in volume of fresh meat (VFM), intervalvar volume (IV), dry gonad biomass (DW), dry biomass of the organism without gonad (DWs), fresh biomass of meat (FBM) and total biomass including shell (TBIS). Besides, environmental variables such as temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, total organic and inorganic seston and chlorophyll a were measured monthly. There was great variation in the DW between length groups (relevant for II and III): increased from June until late September 2008, was followed by a marked decrease in October 2008, recovered in the following months, and decreased in January 2009, with a slight increase until May 2009; these changes were associated with variations in sea temperature. The weight of the gonad (DW) influenced the RE, FI and Y, as these reached their peaks in the months where there was higher gonadal production, indicating the influence of temperature on A. zebra reproduction.

  3. A new species of Cryptonympha Lugo-Ortiz McCafferty (Ephemeroptera, Baetidae) from Cerro Duida (Venezuela).

    PubMed

    Derka, TomÁŠ; Nieto, Carolina

    2018-02-05

    The genus Cryptonympha includes three species: C. copiosa Lugo-Ortiz McCafferty, 1998; C. dasilvai Salles Francischetti, 2004 and C. genevievae Thomas, Manchon Glémet, 2013, known only from the nymphal stage. A description of the nymph of a fourth representative, Cryptonympha tracheata sp. n. is provided here, based on material collected in a blackwater stream on the slopes of the Cerro Duida mountain in south-western Venezuela. The nymph of the new species can be easily distinguished from the other species of the genus by very long tracheal gills II-VII, 2.5 times the length of each tergum, gill I small, nearly half length of gill IV and by posterior margin of terga with rounded spines. A complete description of the new species and a key for nymphs of all known Cryptonympha species are provided.

  4. A revision of the Larainae (Coleoptera, Elmidae) of Venezuela, with description of nine new species

    PubMed Central

    Maier, Crystal A.

    2013-01-01

    Abstract The species of the riffle beetle subfamily Larainae occurring in Venezuela are revised. Examination of 756 specimens yielded 22 species in nine genera occurring throughout the country. Seven species are newly recorded from the country: Phanoceroides sp. 1, Phanocerus clavicornis Sharp, 1882, Phanocerus congener Grouvelle, 1898, Pharceonus volcanus Spangler & Santiago-Fragoso, 1992, Disersus dasycolus Spangler & Santiago-Fragoso, 1992, Disersus chibcha Spangler & Santiago-Fragoso, 1987, and Disersus inca Spangler & Santiago-Fragoso, 1992. Nine species are found to be new to science, which are here described: Hexanchorus dentitibialis sp. n., H. falconensis sp. n., H. flintorum sp. n., H. homaeotarsoides sp. n., H. inflatus sp. n., Phanocerus rufus sp. n., Pharceonus grandis sp. n., Pharceonus ariasi sp. n., Potamophilops bostrychophallus sp. n. Additionally, a key to species, distribution maps, and photographs and genitalia illustrations are provided for all species. PMID:24146552

  5. A new polytypic species of yellow-shouldered bats, genus Sturnira (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae), from the Andean and coastal mountain systems of Venezuela and Colombia.

    PubMed

    Molinari, Jesús; Bustos, Xiomar E; Burneo, Santiago F; Camacho, M Alejandra; Moreno, S Andrea; Fermín, Gustavo

    2017-03-13

    Sturnira is the most speciose genus of New World leaf-nosed bats (Phyllostomidae). We name Sturnira adrianae, new species. This taxon is born polytypic, divided into a larger subspecies (S. a. adrianae) widespread in the mountains of northern and western Venezuela, and northern Colombia, and a smaller subspecies (S. a. caripana) endemic to the mountains of northeastern Venezuela. The new species inhabits evergreen, deciduous, and cloud forests at mainly medium (1000-2000 m) elevations. It has long been confused with S. ludovici, but it is more closely related to S. oporaphilum. It can be distinguished from other species of Sturnira by genetic data, and based on discrete and continuously varying characters. Within the genus, the new species belongs to a clade that also includes S. oporaphilum, S. ludovici, S. hondurensis, and S. burtonlimi. The larger new subspecies is the largest member of this clade. The two new subspecies are the most sexually dimorphic members of this clade. The smaller new subspecies is restricted to small mountain systems undergoing severe deforestation processes, therefore can be assigned to the Vulnerable (VU) conservation category of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

  6. Reconstruction of Sea/Lake-Level Changes in an Active Strike-Slip Basin (Gulf of Cariaco, NE Venezuela)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Daele, M.; Audemard, F.; Beck, C.; de Batist, M.; van Welden, A.; Moernaut, J.; 2006 Shipboard Party, G.

    2008-05-01

    In January 2006, 76 high-resolution reflection seismic profiles were acquired in the Gulf of Cariaco, Northeast Venezuela. In the upper 100 m of sedimentary infill, 17 unconformity-bounded sequences were identified and mapped throughout the basin. Up to now, no core or borehole information is available to provide age constraints on these units. The sedimentary infill is cut by several faults, Riedel faults in the central part and the El Pilar fault (one of the main faults of the South American-Caribbean plate boundary) in the southern part of the gulf. The connection of the Gulf of Cariaco with the adjacent Cariaco Basin occurs at a present-day water depth of ~ 55 m. This implies that the gulf was disconnected from the world ocean and functioned as a lake during a large part of the last glacial. The main rivers entering the gulf drain the coastal mountain ranges and tend to form pronounced deltas at their inlet. During times when the gulf was a lake, periods with a dry climate resulted in dramatic lake-level lowstands and even complete desiccation/evaporation. The present-day depths of delta offlap breaks and the presence of lowstand/evaporite deposits can thus be used to estimate sea/lake level at the time of their formation. Detailed analysis of these stratigraphic sea/lake-level indicators allowed reconstructing the sea/lake-level history for the period encompassed by the 17 identified sequences. This sea/lake-level reconstruction also needed to be corrected for tectonic subsidence, affecting different parts of the gulf with different intensity. The reconstructed sea/lake-level curve of the Gulf of Cariaco was compared with the eustatic sea-level curve and with results of previous paleoclimate studies in Venezuela. The striking coherence between the eustatic curve and the amplitudes and absolute heights of successive reconstructed lowstands and highstands compelled us to tune our record to the eustatic curve in order to achieve a rough age estimate for our units

  7. Hemosporidian parasites in forest birds from Venezuela: genetic lineage analyses.

    PubMed

    Mijares, Alfredo; Rosales, Romel; Silva-Iturriza, Adriana

    2012-09-01

    Avian hemosporidian parasites of the genera Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, and Leucocytozoon are transmitted by different dipteran vectors. In the present work, we looked for the presence of these parasites in 47 birds from 12 families, which were sampled in the migratory corridor Paso de Portachuelo, located at the Henri Pittier National Park, Venezuela. The presence of the parasites was evidenced by amplification of a region of 471 bp of their cytochrome b gene. This region of the marker presents enough polymorphism to identify most of the mitochondrial lineages. Therefore, the obtained amplicons were sequenced, not only to identify the genus of the parasites sampled, but also to analyze their genetic diversity in the study area. The overall parasite prevalence was low (11%). We reported, for the first time, Plasmodium in birds of the species Formicarius analis and Chamaeza campanisona (Formicariidae) and Haemoproteus in Geotrygon linearis (Columbidae). A phylogenetic tree was generated using the Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, and Leucocytozoon sequences obtained in this study, together with representative sequences from previous studies. The highest genetic diversities between the two Haemoproteus lineages (11.70%) and among the three Plasmodium lineages (7.86%) found in this study are also similar to those found when lineages reported in the literature were used. These results indicate that in the migratory corridor Paso de Portachuleo, representative parasite lineages are found, making this location an attractive location for future studies.

  8. Applied geointegration to hydrocarbon exploration in the San Pedro-Machango Area, Maracaibo Basin, Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fonseca, A.; Navarro, A.; Osorio, R.

    1996-08-01

    Hydrocarbon exploration has nowadays a diversity of technological resources to capture, merge and interpret information from diverse sources. To accomplish this, the integration of geodata for modeling was done through the use of new technologies like Remote Sensing and Geographical Systems of Information and applied to the San Pedro-Machango area, located in the Serrania de Trujillo, west of Costa Bolivar (onshore), eastern Maracaibo Basin, Venezuela. The main purpose of this work was to optimize the design of an exploration program in harmony with environmental conservation procedures. Starting with satellital and radar images that incorporated geophysical, geological and environmental information, theymore » then were analyzed and merged to improve the lithological, structural and tectonic interpretation, generating an integrated model that allowed better project design. The use of a system that combines information of geographical, geodetical, geophysical and geological origins with satellital and radar images produced up to date cartography and refined results of image interpretation.« less

  9. [Seroprevalence for Trypanosoma cruzi infection and associated factors in an endemic area of Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Bonfante-Cabarcas, Rafael; Rodríguez-Bonfante, Claudina; Vielma, Belkys Oviol; García, Douglas; Saldivia, Alexander Mogollón; Aldana, Elis; Curvelo, Juan Luis Concepción

    2011-10-01

    This study investigated risk factors associated with positive serological status for Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies in 26 rural communities including 905 households, 2,156 humans, and 333 dogs in Lara State, Venezuela. Serology was performed with ELISA and MABA. Data were obtained from entomological, demographic, and clinical surveys. Risk factors were determined through binary logistic regression. Seroprevalence was 7.24% in humans and 6.9% in canines. Positive serological status was positively associated with the Rhodnius prolixus vector, age, maternal history of Chagas disease, tobacco chewing, presence of mammals and birds in the household, household disarray, mud-and-wattle outbuildings, and animal nests and burrows in the peridomicile, and negatively associated with tobacco and alcohol consumption, history of cancer, and storage deposits in the peridomile. In conclusion, Chagas disease in this rural area is an old phenomenon transmitted by R. prolixus or by the transplacental route, associated with socio-cultural habits related to poverty, sylvatic surroundings, and the host's medical history.

  10. Late Quaternary Paleohydrology of Arroyo Cycles in the Mixteca Alta, Mexico: Insights from Past and Present Alluvial Stratigraphy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holdridge, Geneviève; Leigh, David S.

    2017-04-01

    Arroyos are incised, ephemeral dryland streams that aggrade and incise on a cyclical timescale. Arroyo studies are integral to understanding landscape evolution in drylands, but the drivers and dynamics of arroyo cycles are not fully understood. This paper presents a study of arroyo stratigraphy in the semi-arid environment of the Mixteca Alta, Oaxaca, Mexico. Examination of the late Quaternary environment and geomorphology of the incised, ephemeral tributaries forming the Río Culebra watershed offered insight about the hydrological variability of the region. The characteristics and chronology of alluvium-paleosol sequences from three watersheds in the Mixteca Alta were examined along their upper, middle and downstream sections. In addition, the channel bedforms and stratigraphy of several watersheds were surveyed to evaluate the processes and morphology characterizing the present dryland stream system. Alluvium-paleosol sequences offered valuable information into the paleohydrology and dynamics of the arroyo cycles of the Mixteca Alta. Unweathered alluvium and paleosol formation in alluvium are two end members of alluvial stratigraphy. Cumulic A horizons form on floodplains when aggradation is slow enough to allow for pedogenesis. Cumulic A horizons were observed in both the Culebra and Verde watersheds from the late Pleistocene to the late Holocene, but not in the present-day arroyos, suggesting the prehistoric cumulic A horizons form in less flashy conditions than modern conditions. The geomorphic survey of present-day processes and forms included observing the bed stratigraphy associated with scouring-chains after flash floods. This examination offered insight to understanding and interpreting the alluvium-paleosol stratigraphy. For example, the present channel bed stratigraphy associated with scour-and-fill consists of poorly sorted, massive, sandy gravel deposits. Finer bedded sediments are observed in the present patchy floodplain deposits, but are

  11. [Prehospital emergency care injuries from external causes in a region of Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Herrera, Rafael; Bastidas, Daniel; Arteaga, Everilda; Bastidas, Gilberto

    2017-01-01

    Worldwide, approximately 3 500 000 people die every year as a result of injuries from external causes, in Venezuela these arte the third leading cause of overall morbidity. Nevertheless, in the country there are no records of the defining aspects of prehospital emergency care as a tool to address this socio-health problem, the aim of this investigation. A descriptive, transversal, field study based on the information recorded daily for a year paramedics was performed. A total 1493 injured by external causes were reported, with a mean age of 29.5 ± 12 years, 84.5% male. Injuries mostly less-moderate (69.4%) were due to severe land transport accidents (70.9%) occurred during the day (75.9%), between monday and friday (72.9%), attended in 20 minutes or less, and transferred in 97.3% of cases. The economically productive young men in areas with higher population density and urbanism are mostly affected by injuries from external causes. In both genres land transport accidents are the most common causes of injury with lower-moderate severity. The care that paramedics provide can be considered adequate.

  12. Petro-state constraints on health policy: guidelines for workable reform in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Trujillo, Antonio J

    2004-01-01

    This article reviews the performance of the Venezuelan health care sector and suggests guidelines for workable health policy under difficult conditions. Two special circumstances constrain policy options. First, Venezuelans share a traditional value, solidarity, which includes a strong desire for equity. Reforms must comply with this norm to succeed. Second, foreign sales of state-controlled oil constitute the bulk of the government budget and the gross domestic product (GDP). Petroleum market fluctuations expose the country to extreme economic cycles. In response, policy making and stakeholders adopt a rentier attitude, focusing on preserving or enlarging entitlements to government oil monies. The side effects of this largesse include poor productivity, a weak private sector, a widespread sense of entitlement without accountability, and a crippled state which controls most of the available resources yet is unable to effectively tax, regulate, steer the economy, or pursue long-term policies. The health care sector shares these problems. As a result, Venezuela's health systems are fragmented, poorly coordinated, excessively centralized, inequitable, and ineffective. Policies to improve public health and public and private medical care must take into account these constraints.

  13. A 75 ka Stalagmite Paleoclimate Record from Northern Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Retrum, J. B.; Gonzalez, L. A.; Edwards, R.; Tincher, S. M.; Cheng, H.; Urbani, F.

    2011-12-01

    A stalagmite collected from Cueva Zarraga in the northern Venezuelan Andes was analyzed to determine local paleoclimatic history and help examine climate change in the Caribbean. Ages were determined by U/Th disequilibrium and the stalagmite shows a nearly complete record for ~ 75 ka. Two significant periods of non-deposition have been identified. The first period ranges between the Last Glacial Maximum at 19,820 ± 149 cal yr BP and a brief resumption of stalagmite growth at 15,409 ± 747 cal yr BP, likely representing the Bølling-Allerød interstadial. After the brief period of deposition, growth does not resume unil the Holocene at 10,408 ± 78 cal yr BP. Carbon and oxygen isotopes show a major depletion shift from the last glacial period to the Holocene, suggesting warmer and wetter conditions during the Holocene. The oxygen isotope depletion shift is also seen in the Cariaco Basin foraminifera record off the northern coast of Venezuela. While tempting to attribute δ13C depletion to decrease of the C4 plant contribution, there is no evidence that the area experience major vegetation changes. We attribute the δ13C depletion to enhanced recycling of soil CO2 resulting from canopy effects. Today, Cueva Zarraga is at the northern extent of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The cooler and drier conditions of the last glacial period suggest a southern displacement of the ITCZ. The close proximity of Cueva Zarraga to Cariaco Basin may allow for a high resolution tropical terrestrial and oceanic climatic response comparison.

  14. Pros and cons of power combined cycle in Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Alvarez, C.; Hernandez, S.

    1997-09-01

    In Venezuela combined cycle power has not been economically attractive to electric utility companies, mainly due to the very low price of natural gas. Savings in cost of natural gas due to a higher efficiency, characteristic of this type of cycle, does not compensate additional investments required to close the simple cycle (heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and steam turbine island). Low gas prices have contributed to create a situation characterized by investors` reluctance to commit capital in gas pipe lines and associated equipment. The Government is taking measures to improve economics. Recently (January 1, 1997), the Ministry of Energymore » and Mines raised the price of natural gas, and established a formula to tie its price to the exchange rate variation (dollar/bolivar) in an intent to stimulate investments in this sector. This is considered a good beginning after a price freeze for about three years. Another measure that has been announced is the implementation of a corporate policy of outsourcing to build new gas facilities such as pipe lines and measuring and regulation stations. Under these new circumstances, it seems that combined cycle will play an important role in the power sector. In fact, some power generation projects are considering building new plants using this technology. An economical comparative study is presented between simple and combined cycles power plant. Screening curves are showed with a gas price forecast based on the government decree recently issued, as a function of plant capacity factor.« less

  15. "Muy poco se sabe de los resultados": Francis E. Bond's expedition to the Paria Peninsula and delta of the Orinoco, Venezuela (1911).

    PubMed

    Dorr, L J

    2010-01-01

    The natural history expedition of the American banker and stock broker Francis E. Bond and companions to the Paria Peninsula and delta of the Orinoco, Venezuela, in early 1911 is described. Biographical details are provided for the three principles: Francis E. Bond, Stewardson Brown and Thomas S. Gillin. The itinerary of their three and a half month expedition is elaborated, and notes are provided on the collection of plants, animals, and artefacts that they gathered in South America and deposited in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia on their return.

  16. Prevalence of asthma in schoolchildren in Alta Floresta- a municipality in the southeast of the Brazilian Amazon.

    PubMed

    de Farias, Márcia Regina de Col; Rosa, Antonia Maria; Hacon, Sandra de Souza; de Castro, Hermano Albuquerque; Ignotti, Eliane

    2010-03-01

    To analyze the prevalence and symptoms of asthma in students of the Brazilian Amazon municipality of Alta Floresta-MT. Cross-sectional study on the prevalence of asthma in 6 and 7 year-old children and 13 to 14 year-old adolescents, using the Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood - ISAAC method, phase I in 2007. Students who answered affirmatively question 2 - "presence of wheezing in the past 12 months" were considered asthmatic. Of the total 2,071 students, 1,072 (51.7%) were children and 999 (48.3%) were teenagers. The prevalence of asthma was 21.4% among schoolchildren, and 12.4% among adolescents (chi2 = 29.29; rho = 0.00). Children presented a higher prevalence than adolescents of the following asthma symptoms: wheezing sometime in life (49.9%), wheezing in the past 12 months (21.4%), 1 to 3 wheezing attacks in the past 12 months (16.4%), and dry cough at night (38.2%). Regarding physician-diagnosed asthma, no difference was observed between the two age groups, with a prevalence of around 6.0%. Male schoolchildren presented a higher prevalence of asthma, physician-diagnosed asthma and four or more wheezing episodes in the past 12 months (rho < 0.05). Male adolescents presented the highest prevalence of strong wheezing affecting speech (rho < 0.05). Alta Floresta presents one of the highest prevalences of asthma in Latin America among schoolchildren in the 6 and 7 year-old age group.

  17. Reference values of waist circumference and waist/hip ratio in children and adolescents of Mérida, Venezuela: comparison with international references.

    PubMed

    Mederico, Maracelly; Paoli, Mariela; Zerpa, Yajaira; Briceño, Yajaira; Gómez-Pérez, Roald; Martínez, José Luis; Camacho, Nolis; Cichetti, Rosanna; Molina, Zarela; Mora, Yolanda; Valeri, Lenin

    2013-05-01

    To collect regional reference values of waist circumference (WC), and waist/hip ratio (WHR) in children and adolescents from Merida, Venezuela, and to compare them to international references. A total of 919 students aged 9-17 years from public and private educational establishments were assessed. Weight, height, WC, and WHR were measured. Outliers (± 3 SD Z-Score) were excluded from the data collected. Percentile distribution of the tested variables was done by age and sex. Fifty-one percent of subjects were female, and 52.7% were from public institutions. WC (p=0.001) and WHR (p=0.0001) were statistically higher in boys. With advancing age, WC increased in both sexes, while WHR showed the opposite behavior (p=0.0001 for both). The 90th percentile (pc) for WC ranged from 69.7 and 83.6 cm in girls and from 69.2 and 86.7 cm in boys. The 90th pc values of WHR ranged from 0.79 and 0.91 in girls and from 0.86 and 0.93 in boys. Overall, our WC and WHR values were lower than North American values and similar to those of some Latin American references. Percentile reference charts for WC and WHR specific for age and sex, obtained from a representative sample of children and adolescents from Mérida, Venezuela, are provided. They may be used regionally, both for individual assessment and to implement prevention policies. Copyright © 2012 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  18. Zika virus detected in amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood in an in vitro fertilization-conceived pregnancy in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Benjamin, Isaac; Fernández, Gissel; Figueira, José Valentin; Parpacén, Leticia; Urbina, María Teresa; Medina, Randolfo

    2017-06-01

    To describe the consequences of Zika virus infection at 10 weeks of gestation in an IVF-conceived pregnancy in Venezuela. A case report. Private assisted reproduction unit. A 36-year-old patient who conceived her first pregnancy through IVF and became infected with Zika virus at 10 weeks' gestation in Venezuela. In vitro fertilization with fresh ET. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging Zika diagnostic methods. Zika virus detection by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in maternal plasma, PCR in amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood. Ultrasonography findings of anatomic abnormalities. Zika infection was confirmed at 10 weeks' gestation by real-time PCR; ultrasound results appeared normal. At 19 weeks' gestation, an ultrasound revealed biometry on three SDs below the means for all parameters but with no apparent anatomic abnormality. Zika virus was positive in maternal urine and amniotic fluid by PCR at 19 weeks' gestation. Ultrasound at 21 weeks + 4 days of gestation showed fetal cerebellar hypoplasia with ventricular dysmorphia, particularly marked on the left, consistent with microcephaly and ventriculomegaly. Because of the poor prognosis, pregnancy was interrupted at 24 weeks' gestation, in France. The PCR in umbilical cord blood taken in this procedure was positive for Zika virus. Initial ultrasound findings in pregnancy may not be informative. Only at 21 weeks + 4 days of gestation did an ultrasound reveal fetal microcephaly and ventriculomegaly. Combined clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings provided a complete picture of the severe damage caused by Zika infection. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. A new species of hermit crab of the genus Pagurus Fabricius, 1775 (Crustacea: Anomura: Paguridae) from the southern Caribbean off Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Lima, Daniel José Marcondes; Lemaitre, Rafael

    2016-09-06

    A male specimen of a new species of the heterogeneous genus Pagurus Fabricius, 1775, collected in 1968 off the Caribbean coast of Venezuela, was discovered among the vast crustacean collections of the Smithsonian Institution. This new species herein described and illustrated is named P. scopaopsis, and is characterized primarily by the presence of: a brush-like setation pattern on the dactyl of the left third pereopod, dense small tubercles on the dorsal surfaces of the dactyl and fixed finger of the right chela, and a raised longitudinal ridge armed with spines on the palm and fixed finger of the left chela.

  20. Mapping lithosphere thickness beneath the Southern Caribbean and Venezuela using body wave reflectivity and surface wave tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masy, J.; Niu, F.; Levander, A.; Schmitz, M.

    2012-12-01

    The Caribbean (CAR) and South American (SA) plate boundary in Venezuela is a broad zone of diffuse deformation and faulting. GPS measurements indicate that the CAR is moving approximately 2 cm/yr respect to SA, parallel to the strike slip fault system in the east, but with an oblique convergence component in the west (Weber et al., 2001). Along the central and eastern Venezuela coast, most of the motion is accommodated by both transpression and transtension along the right lateral strike-slip San Sebastian- El Pilar fault system. The main tectonic features of the area include accretionary wedges and coastal thrust belts with their associated foreland basins (e.g. Sierra del Interior and Espino Graben). Southern of the plate boundary is located the Guayana Shield, which is part of the Amazonian Craton, and is an elevated plain consisting of Precambrian rocks. BOLIVAR (Broadband Onshore-Offshore Lithospheric Investigation of Venezuela and the Antilles Arc Region) was a multidisciplinary, international investigation to determine the evolution of the CAR-SA plate boundary (Levander et al., 2006) that included a 47 station broadband seismic array to complement the 40 station Venezuelan national array operated by FUNVISIS. The goal of this study is to map out lithosphere thickness across the region in order to understand its role for the various types of deformations observed at surface. We combined surface wave tomography and body wave reflectivity to locate the depth of the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB). To generate a coherent 3D reflectivity volume of the study area, we used both P- and S-wave receiver-function data, as well as the ScS reverberation records of two deep earthquakes occurring in South America. We also measured Rayleigh phase velocities in the frequency range of 20-100 s using the two plane-wave method to remove multi-pathing effects (Forsyth and Li, 2005). Finite-frequency kernels were computed for a total of 63 teleseismic events to improve

  1. Petrogenesis of Alta'ameem meteorite (Iraq) inferred from major, trace, REE and PGE+Au content

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kettanah, Yawooz A.; Ismail, Sabah A.

    2018-03-01

    Alta'ameem Meteorite (AM) is an unaltered ordinary LL chondrite that hit an area near Kirkuk City in northern Iraq on 1977. It has an ash-gray colour with a thin black fusion crust, and consists of spheroidal chondrules and variously shaped clasts aggregated together by a fine grained matrix. The chondrules of Alta'ameem Meteorite include all known types in similar meteorites elsewhere. Mineralogically, the AM consists of silicates (olivine - Fa27.7; pyroxene - Fs23.2 (Opx) and 20.5 (Cpx); plagioclase - Ab73.5An22.1Or4.7), alloys and metals (taenite, tetrataenite, kamacite, and native copper), oxides (ilmenite and chromite), sulfides (troilite), and phosphates (apatite) as well as few unidentified minerals including a Fe-Ti-Cr oxide and Fe-Ni sulfide. The chemistry of AM is dominated by SiO2, MgO, and FeOt accounting for >91 wt% of the bulk composition with minor amounts of Al2O3, CaO, Na2O, S, Ni and Cr. It contains 3675 ppb REE which is within the range of most chondrites, with a negative (-0.8) Sm- and positive (+1.2) Tb-anomalies and a near flat normalized trend (LaN/YbN = 1.16). The concentration of PGEs and Au, Ni, Co, and Cr is low in comparison to most chondrites. The K/La, Ru/Rh vs. Pt/Pd, and Pd/Ir ratio (1.85), and low PGE indicates that the AM is somewhat distinct from other meteorites. The AM has W0 weathering grade and very weak (S2) shock metamorphism. Although the AM has some petrographical and geochemical differences with other chondrites, it still can be considered as LL5 chondrite.

  2. A Study of Venezuela’s Internal and External Threat and the United States Security Assistance Program in the Build-Up and Modernization of Her Forces

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-09-01

    records/documents in the division *- are quantitative in nature and are contained in computer printouts. Other documents include daily transactions docu...1498-1830). Venezuela was discovered by Christopher Columbus during his third voyage to the new world in 1498 (25:2). He was intrigued by pearl...maintain control, trade with other countries was forbidden and resulted in the colony’s isolation for most of *O its early existence. News of the new

  3. [Vitamin A deficiency and the anthropometric nutritional status of urban and rural marginalized children in the state of Zulia, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Amaya-Castellanos, Daisy; Viloria-Castejón, Haydée; Ortega, Pablo; Gómez, Gisela; Urrieta, Jesús R; Lobo, Pablo; Estévez, Jesús

    2002-06-01

    The present transversal study was carried out to estimate the prevalence of both vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and protein-energy malnutrition among children (24 to 85 months) from three urban slums (n = 173) in Maracaibo city, Zulia State, Venezuela and a rural slum area (n = 34), vieinal to Maracaibo, by measuring serum retinol and z score of anthropometric indices Height//Age (H//AZ); Weight//Age (W//AZ) and Weight//Height (W//HZ), compared to NCHS-WHO reference values. The Graffar's methodology adapted to Venezuela by Méndez Castellano (1986) confirmed the underprivileged socio-economic condition of the children population. For serum retinol analysis, peripheral venous blood was drawn and serum was treated according to the Bieri et al. (1979) technique and HPLC procedure. Values were recorded in microgram/dL. Statistical analysis was done by using Epi Info 2000, release 1.0 and SAS release 6.0 (1996) computer programs. The prevalence of VAD (serum retinol < 20 micrograms/dL) in the total children population (n = 207) was 22.2%, being higher in urban children than in rural children (22.5% vs 20.5%). No clinical signs of VAD were detected in the children. The nutritional status analysed by Z score of anthropometric indices revealed that 27.4% of children suffered from undernutrition (Z score = -2 to > -3 SD), being 15.4% stunted, 9.6% wasted and 2.6% with acute protein-energy malnutrition. Neither severe malnutrition nor overweight were detected. According with the H//AZ index, 54.6% of children had adequate nutrition. However 23% of them suffered from VAD. In children at risk of developing undernutrition (Z score = -1 to > -2 SD), 20.9% had VAD and of the stunted children, 21.9% presented VAD. With W//AZ, 60.3%, 29.9% and 9.1% of children were with adequate nutrition, at risk, or wasted respectively; of each group, 25.6%, 17.7% and 15%, respectively had serum retinol values below 20 micrograms/dL. The Z score of W//HZ indicator revealed that 87.4%, 10.4% and 2

  4. Helicobacter pylori Infection in Rural and Urban Dyspeptic Patients from Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Contreras, Monica; Fernández-Delgado, Milagro; Reyes, Nelson; García-Amado, María Alexandra; Rojas, Héctor; Michelangeli, Fabian

    2015-01-01

    The goal of this work was to assess the Helicobacter pylori prevalence in a rural mestizo population and compare it to an urban population from Venezuela. The study was performed in gastric juice samples of 71 dyspeptic patients from Caracas (urban) and 39 from Tucupita (rural), in the Orinoco Delta region. Helicobacter pylori was detected by amplification of 16S rRNA, glmM, and ureA genes in 55.0% patients from urban and 87.2% from rural populations. cagA was found positive in 51% and 62% urban and rural patients, respectively. Non-H. pylori Helicobacter species were not detected in the urban population, but was found in 7.7% of patients in the rural study site. Frequency values of the 16S rRNA, glmM, and ureA genes were higher in the rural population. The odds ratio for each gene was 15.18 for 16S rRNA, 2.34 for glmM, 2.89 for ureA, and 1.53 cagA, showing significant differences except for cagA when gene frequency was compared in both populations. These results demonstrate a higher frequency of H. pylori and gastric non-H. pylori Helicobacter infection in a rural mestizo population with low hygienic standards as compared with city dwellers, representing a potential risk for the development of gastroduodenal diseases. PMID:26195456

  5. Tectonothermal modeling of hydrocarbon maturation, Central Maracaibo Basin, Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Manske, M.C.

    1996-08-01

    The petroliferous Maracaibo Basin of northwestern Venezuela and extreme eastern Colombia has evolved through a complex geologic history. Deciphering the tectonic and thermal evolution is essential in the prediction of hydrocarbon maturation (timing) within the basin. Individual wells in two areas of the central basin, Blocks III and V, have been modeled to predict timing of hydrocarbon generation within the source Upper Cretaceous La Luna Formation, as well as within interbedded shales of the Lower-Middle Eocene Misoa Formation reservoir sandstones. Tectonic evolution, including burial and uplift (erosional) history, has been constrained with available well data. The initial extensional thermal regimemore » of the basin has been approximated with a Mackenzie-type thermal model, and the following compressional stage of basin development by applying a foreland basin model. Corrected Bottom Hole Temperature (BHT) measurements; from wells in the central basin, along with thermal conductivity measurements of rock samples from the entire sedimentary sequence, resulted in the estimation of present day heat flow. An understanding of the basin`s heat flow, then, allowed extrapolation of geothermal gradients through time. The relation of geothermal gradients and overpressure within the Upper Cretaceous hydrocarbon-generating La Luna Formation and thick Colon Formation shales was also taken into account. Maturation modeling by both the conventional Time-Temperature Index (TTI) and kinetic Transformation Ratio (TR) methods predicts the timing of hydrocarbon maturation in the potential source units of these two wells. These modeling results are constrained by vitrinite reflectance and illite/smectite clay dehydration data, and show general agreement. These results also have importance regarding the timing of structural formation and hydrocarbon migration into Misoa reservoirs.« less

  6. Neogene history of the Carapita Formation, Eastern Venezuela basin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sanchez Zambrano, Dennis Alberto

    The planktonic and benthic foraminifera from the lower to middle Miocene shales of the Carapita Formation of Eastern Venezuela in three exploration wells and one outcrop section are analyzed with the objectives of establishing a precise biostratigraphy of the formation and its bathymetric history. Comparison with the well-preserved microfaunas of the correlative Cipero Formation of Trinidad made possible the achievement of these objectives. The formation, up to 4500 to 6000 m thick in outcrops, extends from northeastern Anzoategui and North of Monagas States to the Gulf of Paria and is both an important oil reservoir towards the east and the main seal rock for the Oligocene reservoir in the north of Monagas State. In the area studied the Carapita Formation spans lower to lower middle Miocene Zones N6/M3 to N9/M6; its upper part is unconstrained as only rare long ranging early Miocene to early Pliocene planktonic foraminifera occur above the Orbulina datum. Unexpectedly, we found that the four lower to middle Miocene sections are highly discontinuous, with hiastuses as long as 4 Myr. Based on the abundance patterns of sixty-nine species of benthic foraminifera and analysis of morphotype abundance following the methodology of Corliss and Chen (1988) and Corliss and Fois (1993), we show that the Carapita Formation was deposited at outer neritic to middle bathyal depths (≥200--1000 m), whereas the Cipero Formation was deposited at middle to lower bathyal depths (≥600--2000 m). Importantly, the bathymetric changes are associated with unconformities in all sections, strongly suggesting that both (shallowing and associated unconformities) were tectonically induced.

  7. Population-specific genetic modification of Huntington's disease in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Chao, Michael J; Kim, Kyung-Hee; Shin, Jun Wan; Lucente, Diane; Wheeler, Vanessa C; Li, Hong; Roach, Jared C; Hood, Leroy; Wexler, Nancy S; Jardim, Laura B; Holmans, Peter; Jones, Lesley; Orth, Michael; Kwak, Seung; MacDonald, Marcy E; Gusella, James F; Lee, Jong-Min

    2018-05-01

    Modifiers of Mendelian disorders can provide insights into disease mechanisms and guide therapeutic strategies. A recent genome-wide association (GWA) study discovered genetic modifiers of Huntington's disease (HD) onset in Europeans. Here, we performed whole genome sequencing and GWA analysis of a Venezuelan HD cluster whose families were crucial for the original mapping of the HD gene defect. The Venezuelan HD subjects develop motor symptoms earlier than their European counterparts, implying the potential for population-specific modifiers. The main Venezuelan HD family inherits HTT haplotype hap.03, which differs subtly at the sequence level from European HD hap.03, suggesting a different ancestral origin but not explaining the earlier age at onset in these Venezuelans. GWA analysis of the Venezuelan HD cluster suggests both population-specific and population-shared genetic modifiers. Genome-wide significant signals at 7p21.2-21.1 and suggestive association signals at 4p14 and 17q21.2 are evident only in Venezuelan HD, but genome-wide significant association signals at the established European chromosome 15 modifier locus are improved when Venezuelan HD data are included in the meta-analysis. Venezuelan-specific association signals on chromosome 7 center on SOSTDC1, which encodes a bone morphogenetic protein antagonist. The corresponding SNPs are associated with reduced expression of SOSTDC1 in non-Venezuelan tissue samples, suggesting that interaction of reduced SOSTDC1 expression with a population-specific genetic or environmental factor may be responsible for modification of HD onset in Venezuela. Detection of population-specific modification in Venezuelan HD supports the value of distinct disease populations in revealing novel aspects of a disease and population-relevant therapeutic strategies.

  8. Population-specific genetic modification of Huntington's disease in Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Chao, Michael J.; Kim, Kyung-Hee; Shin, Jun Wan; Lucente, Diane; Wheeler, Vanessa C.; Li, Hong; Roach, Jared C.; Hood, Leroy; Jardim, Laura B.; Jones, Lesley; Orth, Michael; Kwak, Seung; MacDonald, Marcy E.; Gusella, James F.

    2018-01-01

    Modifiers of Mendelian disorders can provide insights into disease mechanisms and guide therapeutic strategies. A recent genome-wide association (GWA) study discovered genetic modifiers of Huntington's disease (HD) onset in Europeans. Here, we performed whole genome sequencing and GWA analysis of a Venezuelan HD cluster whose families were crucial for the original mapping of the HD gene defect. The Venezuelan HD subjects develop motor symptoms earlier than their European counterparts, implying the potential for population-specific modifiers. The main Venezuelan HD family inherits HTT haplotype hap.03, which differs subtly at the sequence level from European HD hap.03, suggesting a different ancestral origin but not explaining the earlier age at onset in these Venezuelans. GWA analysis of the Venezuelan HD cluster suggests both population-specific and population-shared genetic modifiers. Genome-wide significant signals at 7p21.2–21.1 and suggestive association signals at 4p14 and 17q21.2 are evident only in Venezuelan HD, but genome-wide significant association signals at the established European chromosome 15 modifier locus are improved when Venezuelan HD data are included in the meta-analysis. Venezuelan-specific association signals on chromosome 7 center on SOSTDC1, which encodes a bone morphogenetic protein antagonist. The corresponding SNPs are associated with reduced expression of SOSTDC1 in non-Venezuelan tissue samples, suggesting that interaction of reduced SOSTDC1 expression with a population-specific genetic or environmental factor may be responsible for modification of HD onset in Venezuela. Detection of population-specific modification in Venezuelan HD supports the value of distinct disease populations in revealing novel aspects of a disease and population-relevant therapeutic strategies. PMID:29750799

  9. An observatory system for physical and biogeochemical parameters in the northern Adriatic Sea: the "Acqua Alta" oceanographic platform

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benetazzo, Alvise; Barbariol, Francesco; Bastianini, Mauro; Bergamasco, Andrea; Bergamasco, Filippo; Bernardi Aubry, Fabrizio; Bertotti, Luciana; Bonaldo, Davide; Cavaleri, Luigi; Carniel, Sandro; Falcieri, Francesco M.; Finotto, Stefania; Lester, Graham; Licer, Matjaz; Malacic, Vlado; Minuzzo, Tiziano; Sclavo, Mauro

    2015-04-01

    The history of the "Acqua Alta" oceanographic platform (http://www.ismar.cnr.it/infrastructures/piattaforma-acqua-alta) started more than forty years ago, shortly after the dramatic surge that affected the city of Venice in late 1966. Since then, benefiting also from recent funding acquired within the National Flagship Project RITMARE, great efforts have been devoted to monitor the oceanographic and atmospheric conditions in the Northern Adriatic Sea (NA), in the proximity of the Venice lagoon. Nowadays the "Acqua Alta", located on a 16 m depth area, represents a success story of the Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR) of the Italian National Research Council (CNR), that manages the structure and used collected data to improve the knowledge of the fragile sea environment that surrounds the Venetian littoral. The directional wave observations started in 1979, representing one of the world longest continuous series. On the sea surface, waves are now routinely observed by means of a submerged acoustic-Doppler system that provides burst of directional wave data, including significant wave height, mean wave period and direction of propagation. Currently these wave parameters are integrated with the data collected by a stereo-video system (namely Wave Acquisition Stereo System, WASS) that provides the 3-D profile of the wavy sea surface. WASS data are unleashing a "new view" for ocean waves providing the complete space-time dynamics of wave groups. Moreover, a series of multiparameters probes permits to measure the vertical distribution of sea temperature (at nine depths from the surface to the bottom), salinity (three positions), dissolved oxygen (two positions), and turbidity close to the sea bottom. The collected data are continuously used to track the water masses that enter, leave, and are produced within the NA. A striking example is provided by the temperature and salinity data used to follow the exceptional dense water formation that occurred in this basin

  10. [Mosquito fauna (Diptera:Culicidae) from Falcon State, Venezuela. I. New records and current checklist].

    PubMed

    Navarro, J C; Bastidas, R J; Zavala, Y

    1994-01-01

    A total of 16 new species records of Culicidae from Falcon State was collected at the "Juan Crisostomo Falcon National Park" (Sierra de San Luis), Natural Monument "Cerro Santa Ana", Coro, and La Vela. Species of Sabethini, Culicini and Toxorhynchitini Tribes were found in natural breeding sites (Phytotelmata), with special occurrence in plants belonging to Tillandsia, Vriesea, Guzmania, Aechmea (Bromelianceae), Heliconia (Heliconiaceae), Calathea (Marantaceae) and Colocasia (Araceae). Aedini and Mansonini were collected only as adults. A specie of Culex (Carrollia) was collected from an artificial container. The Culicidae species belong to 6 genera out of the 23 genera reported from Venezuela (Culex, Wyeomyia, Johnbelkinia, Aedes, Psorophora, Mansonia and Coquillettidia) and to 5 Tribes out of the 9 present in the country. The Aedini, Sabethini and Culicini Tribes were richer in species with 5, 4 and 4 species, respectively, than the Mansonini (2 species) and Toxorhynchitini (1 species) Tribes. We discuss some bioecological aspects regarding the 16 new-species records in Falcon State and give a checklist of the mosquito species previously reported in the literature.

  11. [Cryptosporidium sp infections and other intestinal parasites in food handlers from Zulia state, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Freites, Azael; Colmenares, Deisy; Pérez, Marly; García, María; Díaz de Suárez, Odelis

    2009-03-01

    Cryptosporidiosis in food handlers from Venezuela is unknown, being this an important public health problem in immunosuppressed patients. To determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp and other intestinal parasites in food handlers from Zulia State, one hundred nineteen fecal samples were evaluated by wet mount, concentrated according to Ritchie and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Fourteen (11.8%) were positive for Cryptosporidium sp and associated with other protozoosis (P < 0.05), being most frequent Endolimax nana (42.9%). The general prevalence of the intestinal parasitism was 48.7%, emphasizing E. nana (41.2%), followed by Blastocystis hominis (38.7%) and Entamoeba coli (17.6%). The most frequent pathogenic protozoa was Giardia lamblia (13.4%), followed by the complex Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar (9.2%). 4.1% were positive for intestinal helminthes. The infection by Cryptosporidium sp is frequent in food handlers from Zulia State. Given to the results of this investigation and the nonexistence of studies in this population, is necessary to deepen in the impact of this parasitism in food handlers and the consumers of their products.

  12. Geological photointerpretation of the Paraguana Peninsula using ERTS-A multispectral photography. [Venezuela

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Albrizzio, C.

    1974-01-01

    A methodology was developed to evaluate multispectral analysis of orbital imagery on the interpretation of geology, coastal geomorphology and sedimentary processes. The images analyzed were obtained during the pass of ERTS satellite over the center region of Venezuela on October 19, 1972. ERTS-1 multispectral images in black and white paper copies and transparencies of the 4 bands and false color composites at scales of 1:1,000,000 and 1:500,000 were interpreted. Lithology and outcrop patterns of the following geological formations have been interpreted: igneous and metamorphic basement of Cocodite and Santa Ana, Jurassic-Cretaceous metamorphics of Pueblo Nuevo, Cantaure Miocene-Pliocene sediments, and Quaternary alluvium, dunes, beach ridges, bars and reefs. A prominent and extensive Paraguana tonal anomaly shaped as an 8 has been discovered at the NW of the Peninsula. Its erosional origin has exposed light toned lower beds at the center, with additional evidence of topographic depression and development of underground drainage of karst origin. Coastal geomorphology, its processes and energy has been interpreted with the help of wind direction analysis (ENE-WSW) at sea level through the orientation of transported materials (water vapor, water and sediments) by clouds, waves, sea current, plumes of suspended sediments associated to river outlets, dunes, sediment sources and shore-line orientation.

  13. Control trial of Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. in the Island of Margarita, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Feliciangeli, M Dora; Mazzarri, Milena B; Blas, Sonia San; Zerpa, Olga

    2003-12-01

    The incidence of the American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) in the Island of Margarita, a major tourist centre in Venezuela, has been increasing between 1998 and 2001. Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. is the recognized vector, which was found naturally infected with Leishmania spp, indistinguishable from the parasites recovered from dogs and children. In 1999-2000, we conducted a control trial in Santa Ana del Valle and Las Cabreras, which have similar epidemiological and ecological conditions. The trial was based on intradomestic residual spraying of lambda-cyhalothrin, E.C., 25 mg/m2 and spatial fogging of fenitrothion around the houses at 30 g/ha. Sandfly abundance was recorded using Centers for Disease Control (CDC) traps indoors and outdoors. We found significantly reduced sandfly populations in the target locality. Wall bioassays showed that the residual effect of the insecticide lasts for about 3 months. We believe that indoor spraying with lambda-cyhalothrin three times a year, at a dose slightly greater than 25 mg/m2, might reduce the L. longipalpis s.l. population to a level low enough for achieving a significant reduction of the indoor transmission, thus protecting small children from the disease.

  14. Recurrent wheezing is associated with intestinal protozoan infections in Warao Amerindian children in Venezuela: a cross-sectional survey.

    PubMed

    Overeem, Marcella M A; Verhagen, Lilly M; Hermans, Peter W M; del Nogal, Berenice; Sánchez, Adriana Márquez; Acevedo, Natacha Martinez; Murga, Rosalicia Ramirez; Roelfsema, Jeroen; Pinelli, Elena; de Waard, Jacobus H

    2014-05-29

    While in developed countries the prevalence of allergic diseases is rising, inflammatory diseases are relatively uncommon in rural developing areas. High prevalence rates of helminth and protozoan infections are commonly found in children living in rural settings and several studies suggest an inverse association between helminth infections and allergies. No studies investigating the relationship between parasitic infections and atopic diseases in rural children of developing countries under the age of 2 years have been published so far. We performed a cross-sectional survey to investigate the association of helminth and protozoan infections and malnutrition with recurrent wheezing and atopic eczema in Warao Amerindian children in Venezuela. From August to November 2012, 229 children aged 0 to 2 years residing in the Orinoco Delta in Venezuela were enrolled. Data were collected through standardized questionnaires and physical examination, including inspection of the skin and anthropometric measurements. A stool sample was requested from all participants and detection of different parasites was performed using microscopy and real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We observed high prevalence rates of atopic eczema and recurrent wheezing, respectively 19% and 23%. The prevalence of helminth infections was 26% and the prevalence of protozoan infections was 59%. Atopic eczema and recurrent wheezing were more frequently observed in stunted compared with non-stunted children in multivariable analysis (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.3 - 13.6, p = 0.015 and OR 4.5, 95% CI 0.97 - 21.2, p = 0.055). Furthermore, recurrent wheezing was significantly more often observed in children with protozoan infections than in children without protozoan infections (OR 6.7, 95% CI 1.5 - 30.5). High prevalence rates of atopic eczema and recurrent wheezing in Warao Amerindian children under 2 years of age were related to stunting and intestinal protozoan infections respectively. Helminth

  15. Spatial Analysis of Dengue Seroprevalence and Modeling of Transmission Risk Factors in a Dengue Hyperendemic City of Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Vincenti-Gonzalez, Maria F; Grillet, María-Eugenia; Velasco-Salas, Zoraida I; Lizarazo, Erley F; Amarista, Manuel A; Sierra, Gloria M; Comach, Guillermo; Tami, Adriana

    2017-01-01

    Dengue virus (DENV) transmission is spatially heterogeneous. Hence, to stratify dengue prevalence in space may be an efficacious strategy to target surveillance and control efforts in a cost-effective manner particularly in Venezuela where dengue is hyperendemic and public health resources are scarce. Here, we determine hot spots of dengue seroprevalence and the risk factors associated with these clusters using local spatial statistics and a regression modeling approach. From August 2010 to January 2011, a community-based cross-sectional study of 2012 individuals in 840 households was performed in high incidence neighborhoods of a dengue hyperendemic city in Venezuela. Local spatial statistics conducted at household- and block-level identified clusters of recent dengue seroprevalence (39 hot spot households and 9 hot spot blocks) in all neighborhoods. However, no clusters were found for past dengue seroprevalence. Clustering of infection was detected at a very small scale (20-110m) suggesting a high disease focal aggregation. Factors associated with living in a hot spot household were occupation (being a domestic worker/housewife (P = 0.002), lower socio-economic status (living in a shack (P<0.001), sharing a household with <7 people (P = 0.004), promoting potential vector breeding sites (storing water in containers (P = 0.024), having litter outdoors (P = 0.002) and mosquito preventive measures (such as using repellent, P = 0.011). Similarly, low socio-economic status (living in crowded conditions, P<0.001), having an occupation of domestic worker/housewife (P = 0.012) and not using certain preventive measures against mosquitoes (P<0.05) were directly associated with living in a hot spot block. Our findings contribute to a better comprehension of the spatial dynamics of dengue by assessing the relationship between disease clusters and their risk factors. These results can inform health authorities in the design of surveillance and control activities. Focalizing

  16. Recurrent wheezing is associated with intestinal protozoan infections in Warao Amerindian children in Venezuela: a cross-sectional survey

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background While in developed countries the prevalence of allergic diseases is rising, inflammatory diseases are relatively uncommon in rural developing areas. High prevalence rates of helminth and protozoan infections are commonly found in children living in rural settings and several studies suggest an inverse association between helminth infections and allergies. No studies investigating the relationship between parasitic infections and atopic diseases in rural children of developing countries under the age of 2 years have been published so far. We performed a cross-sectional survey to investigate the association of helminth and protozoan infections and malnutrition with recurrent wheezing and atopic eczema in Warao Amerindian children in Venezuela. Methods From August to November 2012, 229 children aged 0 to 2 years residing in the Orinoco Delta in Venezuela were enrolled. Data were collected through standardized questionnaires and physical examination, including inspection of the skin and anthropometric measurements. A stool sample was requested from all participants and detection of different parasites was performed using microscopy and real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results We observed high prevalence rates of atopic eczema and recurrent wheezing, respectively 19% and 23%. The prevalence of helminth infections was 26% and the prevalence of protozoan infections was 59%. Atopic eczema and recurrent wheezing were more frequently observed in stunted compared with non-stunted children in multivariable analysis (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.3 – 13.6, p = 0.015 and OR 4.5, 95% CI 0.97 – 21.2, p = 0.055). Furthermore, recurrent wheezing was significantly more often observed in children with protozoan infections than in children without protozoan infections (OR 6.7, 95% CI 1.5 – 30.5). Conclusions High prevalence rates of atopic eczema and recurrent wheezing in Warao Amerindian children under 2 years of age were related to stunting and intestinal

  17. Spatial Analysis of Dengue Seroprevalence and Modeling of Transmission Risk Factors in a Dengue Hyperendemic City of Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Vincenti-Gonzalez, Maria F.; Grillet, María-Eugenia; Velasco-Salas, Zoraida I.; Lizarazo, Erley F.; Amarista, Manuel A.; Sierra, Gloria M.; Comach, Guillermo

    2017-01-01

    Background Dengue virus (DENV) transmission is spatially heterogeneous. Hence, to stratify dengue prevalence in space may be an efficacious strategy to target surveillance and control efforts in a cost-effective manner particularly in Venezuela where dengue is hyperendemic and public health resources are scarce. Here, we determine hot spots of dengue seroprevalence and the risk factors associated with these clusters using local spatial statistics and a regression modeling approach. Methodology/Principal Findings From August 2010 to January 2011, a community-based cross-sectional study of 2012 individuals in 840 households was performed in high incidence neighborhoods of a dengue hyperendemic city in Venezuela. Local spatial statistics conducted at household- and block-level identified clusters of recent dengue seroprevalence (39 hot spot households and 9 hot spot blocks) in all neighborhoods. However, no clusters were found for past dengue seroprevalence. Clustering of infection was detected at a very small scale (20-110m) suggesting a high disease focal aggregation. Factors associated with living in a hot spot household were occupation (being a domestic worker/housewife (P = 0.002), lower socio-economic status (living in a shack (P<0.001), sharing a household with <7 people (P = 0.004), promoting potential vector breeding sites (storing water in containers (P = 0.024), having litter outdoors (P = 0.002) and mosquito preventive measures (such as using repellent, P = 0.011). Similarly, low socio-economic status (living in crowded conditions, P<0.001), having an occupation of domestic worker/housewife (P = 0.012) and not using certain preventive measures against mosquitoes (P<0.05) were directly associated with living in a hot spot block. Conclusions/Significance Our findings contribute to a better comprehension of the spatial dynamics of dengue by assessing the relationship between disease clusters and their risk factors. These results can inform health authorities

  18. [International family medicine certification exam in Venezuela: the physician's experience].

    PubMed

    Ledesma-Solaeche, Flor Maria; Romero, Nerio Enrique; Atencio, Carlos Miguel; Pineda, Francisco; Fernández, Miguel Angel

    2006-01-01

    To present opinions of physicians participating in a pilot certification exam in the specialty of Family Medicine implemented in Venezuela, in December 2004, by the Mexican Board of Certification of Family Medicine A.C. Descriptive, transversal. Participant physicians (n:37) completed semi-structured questionnaries: one or two weeks before the exam, and immediately after it. 60% of participants were 41-50 years old and 80% women. All of them were practicing physicians; 49% had 5-10 year experience in family medicine. Main motivation to participate in the exam: the need for continuing learning (83%). Results showed their participation motivated continuing education (46%). Books were the most frequently utilized resource when preparing for the exam (54%). 94% were willing to take the exam again in the future, and all would recommend it to their colleagues. 49% said that examination should be taken every 3-4 years and should be voluntary (54%). 86% considered the content of the exam pertinent to their practice while 54% mentioned it was well adapted to their country's reality. Time for the exam was enough according to 71%, and number of questions was considered excessive by 89%. After the exam, 43% estimated to have personal prognosis for excellent or good outcomes. CONCLUSIONS. The international examination was satisfactory, stimulated desires of update, and the participants would repeat and recommend it in the future. The Mexican experience offers an example to put into practice, and the international collaboration would be a valid option to extend the certification processes in Latin America.

  19. Politics of oil in Venezuela: A decision-making analysis of PDVSA's internationalisation policy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baena, Cesar E.

    The high degree of international vertical integration achieved by the Venezuelan state oil enterprise, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), has placed it among the most important oil multinationals (MNs). The policy of creating downstream outlets through the establishment of foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the form of refinery assets was given the term of 'internationalisation'. By analysing PDVSA's internationalisation policy, the thesis explores the difficulties encountered by a major state-owned enterprise (SOE) from a developing country in its efforts to grow beyond national borders. The study focuses on the impact of democratic bargaining on the process of oil policymaking in Venezuela, stressing the constraints posed by politics on PDVSA's efforts to expand its foreign operations. Specifically, the study examines the intricate policymaking process that shaped the origins and the development of PDVSA's internationalisation policy, underlying the events and factors that influenced each one of its three distinguishable phases: adoption, formulation, and implementation. The tensions between politics and corporate strategy are highlighted at the core of the policymaking process. The study also looks at the relationship between the oil industry and the other two key decision-making centres involved in the oil policymaking process: the executive and Congress. In exploring the ways in which each one of them sought to influence policy outcome, the study attempts to gain insight into the main factors that prompted the tensions among the policy actors involved. Three environments, or pressure-generating centres, constantly exert influence on the oil industry: the oil market, the political context and the government's financial situation. By seeking to determine the industry's response to their pervasive influence on policy formulation and implementation, this research ascertains the extent to which these variables influenced the decision-making process that

  20. Small mammals from the Chelemhá Cloud Forest Reserve, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Matson, Jason O.; Ordóñez-Garza, Nicté; Woodman, Neal; Bulmer, Walter; Eckerlin, Ralph P.; Hanson, J. Delton

    2014-01-01

    We surveyed the small mammals of remnant mixed hardwood-coniferous cloud forest at elevations ranging from 2,100–2,300 m in the Chelemhá Cloud Forest Reserve, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. Removal-trapping using a combination of live traps, snap traps, and pitfall traps for 6 days in January 2007 resulted in 175 captures of 15 species of marsupials, shrews, and rodents. This diversity of small mammals is the highest that we have recorded from a single locality of the 10 visited during eight field seasons in the highlands of Guatemala. Based on captures, the most abundant species in the community of small mammals is Peromyscus grandis (n = 50), followed by Handleyomys rhabdops (n = 27), Heteromys desmarestianus(n = 18), Reithrodontomys mexicanus (n = 17), Handleyomys saturatior (n = 16), Sorex veraepacis (n = 15), and Scotinomys teguina (n = 13). The remaining eight species were represented by one to five individuals.

  1. Estimation of the intrinsic absorption and scattering attenuation in Northeastern Venezuela (Southeastern Caribbean) using coda waves

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ugalde, A.; Pujades, L.G.; Canas, J.A.; Villasenor, A.

    1998-01-01

    Northeastern Venezuela has been studied in terms of coda wave attenuation using seismograms from local earthquakes recorded by a temporary short-period seismic network. The studied area has been separated into two subregions in order to investigate lateral variations in the attenuation parameters. Coda-Q-1 (Q(c)-1) has been obtained using the single-scattering theory. The contribution of the intrinsic absorption (Q(i)-1) and scattering (Q(s)-1) to total attenuation (Q(t)-1) has been estimated by means of a multiple lapse time window method, based on the hypothesis of multiple isotropic scattering with uniform distribution of scatterers. Results show significant spatial variations of attenuation: the estimates for intermediate depth events and for shallow events present major differences. This fact may be related to different tectonic characteristics that may be due to the presence of the Lesser Antilles subduction zone, because the intermediate depth seismic zone may be coincident with the southern continuation of the subducting slab under the arc.

  2. Comparative study of the chemical composition of essential oils of five Tagetes species collected in Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Armas, Kaylin; Rojas, Janne; Rojas, Luis; Morales, Antonio

    2012-09-01

    The leaves and inflorescences of five species of Tagetes, family Asteraceae, were collected from different locations in Mérida state, Venezuela, and their essential oils analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Several differences were observed in the composition of these oils, mainly regarding the major components, which for T. caracasana were trans-ocimenone (64.3%) and cis-tagetone (13.7%), and for T. erecta, piperitone (35.9%) and terpinolene (22.2%). High amounts of trans-anethole (87.5%) and estragole (10.7%) were observed in T. filifolia, while T. subulata essential oil contained terpinolene (26.0%), piperitenone (13.1%) and limonene (10.8%). For T. patula, two different oil samples were analyzed, leaves (TPL) and inflorescences (TPI). The TPL oil showed terpinolene (20.9%) and piperitenone (14.0%) as main components, while the TPI sample was composed mainly of beta-caryophyllene (23.7%), terpinolene (15.6%) and cis-beta-ocimene (15.5%).

  3. Giant-geode endowment of tumuli in the Veia Alta flow, Ametista do Sul

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hartmann, L. A.; Pertille, J.; Duarte, L. C.

    2017-08-01

    Tumuli are a common feature of pahoehoe basaltic flows, interspersed with pits, and furnished the necessary volume of rock in the Paraná volcanic province for hydrothermal alteration and ballooning to form large cavities (1-2 m common). Filling by amethyst and other minerals resulted in the largest world deposit of geodes, Ametista do Sul. The flat-lying fracture positioned 1 m below the 2-3 m thick geodic level crosses the plateau and is a major guide for exploration and gallery opening. The geodes are limited on the top by the platy joint layer, which is covered by an auto-breccia with undulating lower limit. This wave mimicks and is internal to the structure of tumuli and pits at the surface. This field-oriented survey of galleries selected out of 300 active mines resulted in the description of the internal structure of the remarkable Veia Alta pahoehoe flow, in addition to observations in Uruguay.

  4. Natural and induced endoreic hydrological conditions in the Alta Murgia karstic region (Apulia, Southern Italy)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Canora, F.; Fidelibus, M. D.; Spilotro, G.

    2009-04-01

    A study aimed at understanding the hydrological processes in karst areas related to the presence of natural and artificial endoreic basins and their modification due to land use change, as well as the influence of above factors on the infiltration rate has been carried out in the Alta Murgia region (Apulia, Southern Italy). The region is a Cretaceous limestone plateau of the Apulian platform, characterized by a mature karstic landscape: due to its elevation, climatic conditions and lithology, the plateau constitutes the main recharge area of the Murgia aquifer. The typical karst topography is essentially related to the subterranean drainage (sinkholes, caves, conduit): surface and subsurface karst geomorphology is strictly interrelated with hydrology. The morphological features of the karstic plateau are defined by the high density of surface karstic forms (mainly dolines), the presence of exposed karst and karren fields, as well as by the extensive outcrop of fractured rocks. Karst surface shows, on the bottom of the morpho-structural depressions called "lame", natural distribution of modest deposits of "terra rossa" and regolith. The "lame" work as streams during and after intense rainfall events, often outlining a primordial ephemeral hydrographical network, frequently convergent towards dolines, poljes or endoreic basins. Alta Murgia shows many natural endoreic basin conditions in a quite flat morphology. In this environment, when intense rainfall events cover large areas and rainfall intensity exceeds the infiltration capacity of soils and/or sinkholes, significant runoff amounts are produced and stored in the basins causing floods. Most of the natural endoreic basins are small and independent: while the majority of them continue functioning as endoreic even in presence of extreme events of high return time, others (quasi-endoreic), under the same circumstances can start contributing to other basins, due to exceeding their water storage capability. This way

  5. The coupled effects of crouch gait and patella alta on tibiofemoral and patellofemoral cartilage loading in children.

    PubMed

    Brandon, Scott C E; Thelen, Darryl G; Smith, Colin R; Novacheck, Tom F; Schwartz, Michael H; Lenhart, Rachel L

    2018-02-01

    Elevated tibiofemoral and patellofemoral loading in children who exhibit crouch gait may contribute to skeletal deformities, pain, and cessation of walking ability. Surgical procedures used to treat crouch frequently correct knee extensor insufficiency by advancing the patella. However, there is little quantitative understanding of how the magnitudes of crouch and patellofemoral correction affect cartilage loading in gait. We used a computational musculoskeletal model to simulate the gait of twenty typically developing children and fifteen cerebral palsy patients who exhibited mild, moderate, and severe crouch. For each walking posture, we assessed the influence of patella alta and baja on tibiofemoral and patellofemoral cartilage contact. Tibiofemoral and patellofemoral contact pressures during the stance phase of normal gait averaged 2.2 and 1.0 MPa. Crouch gait increased pressure in both the tibofemoral (2.6-4.3 MPa) and patellofemoral (1.8-3.3 MPa) joints, while also shifting tibiofemoral contact to the posterior tibial plateau. For extended-knee postures, normal patellar positions (Insall-Salvatti ratio 0.8-1.2) concentrated contact on the middle third of the patellar cartilage. However, in flexed knee postures, both normal and baja patellar positions shifted pressure toward the superior edge of the patella. Moving the patella into alta restored pressure to the middle region of the patellar cartilage as crouch increased. This work illustrates the potential to dramatically reduce tibiofemoral and patellofemoral cartilage loading by surgically correcting crouch gait, and highlights the interaction between patella position and knee posture in modulating the location of patellar contact during functional activities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Lesser devil rays Mobula cf. hypostoma from Venezuela are almost twice their previously reported maximum size and may be a new sub-species.

    PubMed

    Ehemann, N R; González-González, L V; Trites, A W

    2017-03-01

    Three rays opportunistically obtained near Margarita Island, Venezuela, were identified as lesser devil rays Mobula cf. hypostoma, but their disc widths were between 207 and 230 cm, which is almost double the reported maximum disc width of 120 cm for this species. These morphometric data suggest that lesser devil rays are either larger than previously recognized or that these specimens belong to an unknown sub-species of Mobula in the Caribbean Sea. Better data are needed to describe the distribution, phenotypic variation and population structure of this poorly known species. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  7. Earthquake source imaging by high-resolution array analysis at regional distances: the 2010 M7 Haiti earthquake as seen by the Venezuela National Seismic Network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meng, L.; Ampuero, J. P.; Rendon, H.

    2010-12-01

    Back projection of teleseismic waves based on array processing has become a popular technique for earthquake source imaging,in particular to track the areas of the source that generate the strongest high frequency radiation. The technique has been previously applied to study the rupture process of the Sumatra earthquake and the supershear rupture of the Kunlun earthquakes. Here we attempt to image the Haiti earthquake using the data recorded by Venezuela National Seismic Network (VNSN). The network is composed of 22 broad-band stations with an East-West oriented geometry, and is located approximately 10 degrees away from Haiti in the perpendicular direction to the Enriquillo fault strike. This is the first opportunity to exploit the privileged position of the VNSN to study large earthquake ruptures in the Caribbean region. This is also a great opportunity to explore the back projection scheme of the crustal Pn phase at regional distances,which provides unique complementary insights to the teleseismic source inversions. The challenge in the analysis of the 2010 M7.0 Haiti earthquake is its very compact source region, possibly shorter than 30km, which is below the resolution limit of standard back projection techniques based on beamforming. Results of back projection analysis using the teleseismic USarray data reveal little details of the rupture process. To overcome the classical resolution limit we explored the Multiple Signal Classification method (MUSIC), a high-resolution array processing technique based on the signal-noise orthognality in the eigen space of the data covariance, which achieves both enhanced resolution and better ability to resolve closely spaced sources. We experiment with various synthetic earthquake scenarios to test the resolution. We find that MUSIC provides at least 3 times higher resolution than beamforming. We also study the inherent bias due to the interferences of coherent Green’s functions, which leads to a potential quantification

  8. Long-term effect of mass chemotherapy, transmission and risk factors for Schistosoma mansoni infection in very low endemic communities of Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Hofstede, Stefanie N; Tami, Adriana; van Liere, Genevieve A F S; Ballén, Diana; Incani, Renzo N

    2014-12-01

    The prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni infection in Venezuela has changed from high to low due mostly to successful control activities, including mass chemotherapy and molluscicide applications. This study examined the impact of mass chemotherapy on S. mansoni transmission and risk factors for infection 12 years after administration of praziquantel in Venezuela. Two relatively isolated rural communities were studied, one with snail control (Manuare) and the second without (Los Naranjos). A cross-sectional survey of randomly selected households included 226 (Manuare) and 192 (Los Naranjos) consenting participants. S. mansoni prevalence was determined using a combination of coprological (Kato-Katz) and serological (circumoval precipitin test, alkaline phosphatase immunoassay and Western blot) tests. Data on epidemiological and socioeconomic risk factors were obtained through individual structured interviews. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression models identified independent risk factors for infection. Water sites were examined for the presence of Biomphalaria glabrata snails. Only one participant was positive by coprology. The overall prevalences according to the combined tests were 32.7% in Manuare and 26.6% in Los Naranjos. Lower prevalences (12.7% in Manuare and 13.2% in Los Naranjos) were found in children <12 years of age representing those born after mass chemotherapy. Social demographic variables associated with infection in both communities were older age (>25 years), contact with specific water sites, and being a farmer/non-specialised worker. Mass treatment with praziquantel applied once to endemic communities led to an important and long-lasting sustained reduction of S. mansoni infections independent of the application of snail control. A degree of low active transmission of S. mansoni persisted in the treated areas which was associated with similar factors in both communities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Debris-flow and flooding hazards associated with the December 1999 storm in coastal Venezuela and strategies for mitigation

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wieczorek, G.F.; Larsen, M.C.; Eaton, L.S.; Morgan, B.A.; Blair, J.L.

    2001-01-01

    Heavy rainfall from the storm of December 14-16, 1999 triggered thousands of landslides on steep slopes of the Sierra de Avila north of Caracas, Venezuela. In addition to landslides, heavy rainfall caused flooding and massive debris flows that damaged coastal communities in the State of Vargas along the Caribbean Sea. Examination of the rainfall pattern obtained from the GOES-8 satellite showed that the pattern of damage was generally consistent with the area of heaviest rainfall. Field observations of the severely affected drainage basins and historical records indicate that previous flooding and massive debris-flow events of similar magnitude to that of December 1999 have occurred throughout this region. The volume of debris-flow deposits and the large boulders that the flows transported qualifies the 1999 event amongst the largest historical rainfall-induced debris flows documented worldwide.

  10. Oceanic influence on the precipitation in Venezuela under current and future climate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tim, Nele; Bravo de Guenni, Lelys

    2016-07-01

    The Pacific and Atlantic oceanic influences on observational rainfall data from weather stations over Venezuela are analyzed using Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) executed in the Climate Predictability Tool. CCA is further conducted on rainfall and sea surface temperature data obtained from the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology Earth System Model (MPI-ESM) for historical (1951-2010) and future (2041-2100) periods. Four oceanic regions (North Tropical Atlantic, Niño3, Niño3.4 and an area which includes all previous three) are used for the CCA using data from the Extended Reconstructed Sea Surface Temperature (ERSST) data set, while precipitation data from two regions: a coastal region and an inland region are used in the analysis. Venezuelan seasons (dry and wet) were separated into an early and a late period. The oceanic impact on the precipitation of the station data is, in the majority of the cases, higher in the inland than at the coast. The Pacific's influence is stronger in the early dry season than in the wet season, whereas the Atlantic's influence is stronger in the wet season (inland). In contrast, CCA applied to the model data provides highest correlation coefficients in the late wet season for all oceanic regions. In most cases the North Tropical Atlantic has a stronger influence than the Niño regions.

  11. Monitoring coastal pollution associated with the largest oil refinery complex of Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Bone, David; Bastidas, Carolina; Ramos, Ruth

    2016-01-01

    This study evaluated pollution levels in water and sediments of Península de Paraguaná and related these levels with benthic macrofauna along a coastal area where the largest Venezuelan oil refineries have operated over the past 60 years. For this, the concentration of heavy metals, of hydrocarbon compounds and the community structure of the macrobenthos were examined at 20 sites distributed along 40 km of coastline for six consecutive years, which included windy and calm seasons. The spatial variability of organic and inorganic compounds showed considerably high coastal pollution along the study area, across both years and seasons. The southern sites, closest to the refineries, had consistently higher concentrations of heavy metals and organic compounds in water and sediments when compared to those in the north. The benthic community was dominated by polychaetes at all sites, seasons and years, and their abundance and distribution were significantly correlated with physical and chemical characteristics of the sediments. Sites close to the oil refineries were consistently dominated by families known to tolerate xenobiotics, such as Capitellidae and Spionidae. The results from this study highlight the importance of continuing long-term environmental monitoring programs to assess the impact of effluent discharge and spill events from the oil refineries that operate in the western coast of Paraguaná, Venezuela. PMID:27375970

  12. Monitoring coastal pollution associated with the largest oil refinery complex of Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Croquer, Aldo; Bone, David; Bastidas, Carolina; Ramos, Ruth; García, Elia

    2016-01-01

    This study evaluated pollution levels in water and sediments of Península de Paraguaná and related these levels with benthic macrofauna along a coastal area where the largest Venezuelan oil refineries have operated over the past 60 years. For this, the concentration of heavy metals, of hydrocarbon compounds and the community structure of the macrobenthos were examined at 20 sites distributed along 40 km of coastline for six consecutive years, which included windy and calm seasons. The spatial variability of organic and inorganic compounds showed considerably high coastal pollution along the study area, across both years and seasons. The southern sites, closest to the refineries, had consistently higher concentrations of heavy metals and organic compounds in water and sediments when compared to those in the north. The benthic community was dominated by polychaetes at all sites, seasons and years, and their abundance and distribution were significantly correlated with physical and chemical characteristics of the sediments. Sites close to the oil refineries were consistently dominated by families known to tolerate xenobiotics, such as Capitellidae and Spionidae. The results from this study highlight the importance of continuing long-term environmental monitoring programs to assess the impact of effluent discharge and spill events from the oil refineries that operate in the western coast of Paraguaná, Venezuela.

  13. Childhood Vaccine Acceptance and Refusal among Warao Amerindian Caregivers in Venezuela; A Qualitative Approach.

    PubMed

    Burghouts, Jochem; Del Nogal, Berenice; Uriepero, Angimar; Hermans, Peter W M; de Waard, Jacobus H; Verhagen, Lilly M

    2017-01-01

    Acceptance of childhood vaccination varies between societies, affecting worldwide vaccination coverage. Low coverage rates are common in indigenous populations where parents often choose not to vaccinate their children. We aimed to gain insight into reasons for vaccine acceptance or rejection among Warao Amerindians in Venezuela. Based on records of vaccine acceptance or refusal, in-depth interviews with 20 vaccine-accepting and 11 vaccine-declining caregivers were performed. Parents' attitudes were explored using a qualitative approach. Although Warao caregivers were generally in favor of vaccination, fear of side effects and the idea that young and sick children are too vulnerable to be vaccinated negatively affected vaccine acceptance. The importance assigned to side effects was related to the perception that these resembled symptoms/diseases of another origin and could thus harm the child. Religious beliefs or traditional healers did not influence the decision-making process. Parental vaccine acceptance requires educational programs on the preventive nature of vaccines in relation to local beliefs about health and disease. Attention needs to be directed at population-specific concerns, including explanation on the nature of and therapeutic options for side effects.

  14. Childhood Vaccine Acceptance and Refusal among Warao Amerindian Caregivers in Venezuela; A Qualitative Approach

    PubMed Central

    Burghouts, Jochem; Del Nogal, Berenice; Uriepero, Angimar; Hermans, Peter W. M.; de Waard, Jacobus H.; Verhagen, Lilly M.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Acceptance of childhood vaccination varies between societies, affecting worldwide vaccination coverage. Low coverage rates are common in indigenous populations where parents often choose not to vaccinate their children. We aimed to gain insight into reasons for vaccine acceptance or rejection among Warao Amerindians in Venezuela. Methods Based on records of vaccine acceptance or refusal, in-depth interviews with 20 vaccine-accepting and 11 vaccine-declining caregivers were performed. Parents’ attitudes were explored using a qualitative approach. Results Although Warao caregivers were generally in favor of vaccination, fear of side effects and the idea that young and sick children are too vulnerable to be vaccinated negatively affected vaccine acceptance. The importance assigned to side effects was related to the perception that these resembled symptoms/diseases of another origin and could thus harm the child. Religious beliefs or traditional healers did not influence the decision-making process. Conclusions Parental vaccine acceptance requires educational programs on the preventive nature of vaccines in relation to local beliefs about health and disease. Attention needs to be directed at population-specific concerns, including explanation on the nature of and therapeutic options for side effects. PMID:28107501

  15. Didelphis marsupialis: a primary reservoir of Trypanosoma cruzi in urban areas of Caracas, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Herrera, L; Urdaneta-Morales, S

    1992-12-01

    Direct blood examination and xenodiagnosis of 45 sylvatic, peridomestic or domestic mammals from the Caracas valley, Venezuela, revealed trypanosome infection in six of the 24 opossums, Didelphis marsupialis, collected in urban areas. Isolates were successfully made of trypanosomes from four of the opossums, using the parasites which developed in Rhodnius prolixus fed on the infected opossums to infect NMRI mice. The prepatent period, course of parasitaemia, morphology of bloodstream trypomastigotes, tissue tropism of parasites in the opossums and/or mice, host mortality, morphology of parasites in the bugs, and infectivity to mice of parasites in the faeces of infected bugs, were all characteristic of Trypanosoma (Schizotrypanum) cruzi. In mice, the parasites showed marked myotropism; the heart, skeletal muscle and the smooth muscle of the urinary bladder, penis, prostate, seminal vesicle, lung, stomach, jejunum and colon were frequently invaded, and pseudocyts were also occasionally found in the liver, brain and pancreas. The significance of the invasion of the genito-urinary structures as a possible alternative parasite transmission route is discussed. The possible role of D. marsupialis, as a primary reservoir of T. cruzi, in the establishment of foci of Chagas' disease in Caracas and other Latin American cities, is emphasized.

  16. Analysis of avian communities in Lake Guri, Venezuela, using multiple assembly rule models.

    PubMed

    Feeley, Kenneth

    2003-09-01

    This study analyzed the distribution of resident, forest-interior bird species nesting on islands in Lake Guri, Venezuela using several different community assembly rule models. The models that were tested included Diamond's Assembly Rules, Size Structure, Guild Proportionality, Favored States, and Nestedness. It was determined that the species composition of the study communities was only weakly influenced by competition, but that competition did appear to limit the size similarity which is permissible for co-occurring species. There was no tendency for the relative proportion of species within guilds (i.e. insectivore, omnivore, nectivore and frugivore) to remain stable among the islands. When only the insectivorous and omnivorous species were analyzed (using feeding strata as the functional groups) there was some support for the guild proportionality hypothesis. This study found no support for Fox's Favored State hypothesis, possibly due to the overrepresentation of insectivores and omnivores in the species pool. The island communities exhibit a highly nested structure. This high degree of nestedness supports the hypothesis that the assemblages are more strongly determined by differential extinction vulnerability and selective species loss than by interspecific or inter-guild competition. Understanding patterns of community assembly and their underlying forces has important implications for conservation ecology and reserve design.

  17. Polychaeta (Annelida) associated with Thalassia testudinum in the northeastern coastal waters of Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Liñero Arana, Ildefonso; Díaz Díaz, Oscar

    2006-09-01

    Seasonal variations of polychaetes in a Thalassia testudinum bed were studied from June 2000 to April 2001 in Chacopata, northeastern Venezuela. Eight replicate samples were taken monthly with a 15 cm diameter core and the sediment was passed through a 0.5 mm mesh sieve. A total of 1,013 specimens, belonging to 35 species, was collected. The monthly density ranged from 387 ind/m2 (September) to 1,735 ind/m2 in May (x = 989+/-449 ind/m2). Species richness was lowest in August and September (8) and highest (25) in April (x = 18.00+/-5.29). The shoot density of Thalassia showed an average of 284+/-77.60 shoots/m2, with extreme values in February (164) and May (422). Species diversity ranged from 1.25 in August and 3.33 bits/ind in December (x = 2.47+/-0.64). Significant positive correlations were detected among the number of Thalassia shoots, polychaete abundance and species richness, as well as among species richness, polychaete abundance and species diversity. Species number and average density were found within the intervals of mean values reported in similar studies. The higher number of species and organisms obtained in March-April and June-July can be attributed to the recruitment correlated with the regional up-welling.

  18. Reality of delusion: migrant perception of levels of living and opportunity in Venezuela, 1961-1971.

    PubMed

    Eastwood, D A

    1983-07-01

    To facilitate comparison of how well migrant perceptions may have accorded with reality and of the effects of that migration between 1961-71 may have had on relative regional development in Venezuela, a composite index based on state census data must be constructed by which the country's overall levels of living and social well being can be examined. The index constructed was loosely based on a range of variables suggested by Knox, but with the specific selected variables restricted by those data available in the Venezuelan censuses and other institutional reports. 20 variables were selected. Using these variables, a composite index of levels of living and social well being was constructed. The resultant index (S scores) for each state in 1971 appear in a table and a figure. These S scores demonstrated the relatively higher levels of living in the northern core area around Caracas, with S scores of over 200 in the Federal District and Miranda State. Ripple effects from the northern core also produced high scores in Aragua and Caraboba states. Secondary centers of relative prosperity were Zulia in the west and Bolivar in the east. The traditional Andean population centers in Tachira and Merida also scored positively. In contrast low S scores were found in a central belt of rural states. Lowest scores of all were in the states of Apure and Barinas, isolated on the southern margins of the central belt. Overall, the 1971 S scores decreased as distance from Caracas increased and clearly illustrated Venezuela's acute core/periphery imbalance. Despite the very substantial migration throughout the 1961-71 period, with only minor exceptions, the level of living pattern was essentially static, as a comparison of 1961 and 1971 reveals. Only the states of Bolivar (because of Guayanese industrial growth) and Nueva Esparata (because of its designation as a free port) showed significant 1961-71 improvement in state rankings; only Cojedes and Falcon (for unknown reasons) had

  19. Survey of trace metals in drinking water supplied to rural populations in the eastern Llanos of Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Mora, Abrahan; Mac-Quhae, César; Calzadilla, Malvis; Sánchez, Luzmila

    2009-02-01

    To ascertain the water quality for human consumption, chemical parameters such as pH, conductivity and total dissolved calcium, magnesium, iron, aluminum, zinc, copper and manganese were measured during four sampling periods (November 2002; March, May and July 2003) in drinking water wells which supply several forest camps and rural populations located in the eastern Llanos of Venezuela. Copper levels in drinking water in November 2002 were found to be significantly higher (P<0.05) than the other assessed periods. Temporal variations of the other parameters considered were not statistically significant. Calcium and magnesium concentrations were found to be extremely low (mean concentration+/-S.D. of 0.27+/-0.25mg/l for Ca and 0.219+/-0.118 for Mg) during the four sampling periods, probably because of the carbonate bearing scarcity in the soils lithic component. The rest of the metals complied with the Venezuelan and International guidelines of quality criteria for drinking water.

  20. Case Report: Molecular Confirmation of Lobomycosis in an Italian Traveler Acquired in the Amazon Region of Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Beltrame, Anna; Danesi, Patrizia; Farina, Claudio; Orza, Pierantonio; Perandin, Francesca; Zanardello, Claudia; Rodari, Paola; Staffolani, Silvia; Bisoffi, Zeno

    2017-12-01

    Lobomycosis is a chronic skin mycosis endemic in Amazon regions characterized by chronic nodular or keloidal lesions caused by Lacazia loboi , an uncultivable fungus. Imported cases in nonendemic countries are rare and diagnosed after years. We describe a case of lobomycosis in a healthy 55-year-old Italian traveler who had acquired the infection during 5-day-honeymoon in the Amazon region of Venezuela in 1999. Several weeks after return, he recalled pruritus and papular skin lesions on the left lower limb, subsequently evolving to a plaque-like lesion. Blastomycosis and cryptococcosis were hypothesized based on microscopic morphology of yeast-like bodies found in three consecutive biopsies, although fungal cultures were always negative. In 2016, exfoliative cytology and a biopsy specimen examination showed round yeast-like organisms (6-12 μm), isolated or in a chain, connected by short tubular projections fulfilling the morphologic diagnostic criteria of Lacazia spp. The microscopic diagnosis was confirmed by molecular identification.

  1. Organic geochemical investigation and coal-bed methane characteristics of the Guasare coals (Paso Diablo mine, western Venezuela)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Quintero, K.; Martinez, M.; Hackley, P.; Marquez, G.; Garban, G.; Esteves, I.; Escobar, M.

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this work was to carry out a geochemical study of channel samples collected from six coal beds in the Marcelina Formation (Zulia State, western Venezuela) and to determine experimentally the gas content of the coals from the Paso Diablo mine. Organic geochemical analyses by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and isotopic analyses on-line in coalbed gas samples were performed. The results suggest that the Guasare coals were deposited in a continental environment under highly dysoxic and low salinity conditions. The non-detection of 18??(H)-oleanane does not preclude that the organic facies that gave rise to the coals were dominated by angiosperms. In addition, the presence of the sesquiterpenoid cadalene may indicate the subordinate contribution of gymnosperms (conifers) in the Paleocene Guasare mire. The average coalbed gas content obtained was 0.6 cm3/g. ??13C and D values indicate that thermogenic gas is prevalent in the studied coals. Copyright ?? Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

  2. Subluxação da mandíbula para abordagem de bifurcação carotídea alta em paciente com parotidite por contraste iodado: relato de caso e revisão de literatura

    PubMed Central

    dos Santos, Reinaldo Benevides; Queiroz, André Brito; Fidelis, Ronald José Ribeiro; Lopes, Cicero Fidelis; de Araújo, José Siqueira

    2017-01-01

    Resumo A doença aterosclerótica das carótidas extracranianas pode resultar em complicações com alta morbidade e mortalidade. A avaliação pré-operatória com exames contrastados de imagem é associada a complicações como a parotidite, além das já bem conhecidas reações alérgicas e da disfunção renal. A bifurcação carotídea alta e a doença aterosclerótica de extensão cranial costumam ser fatores limitantes para o tratamento cirúrgico convencional. Entretanto, quando há contraindicação ao uso de contraste iodado ou impossibilidade do tratamento endovascular, há a necessidade do conhecimento de técnicas cirúrgicas que permitam a realização da endarterectomia com segurança. A subluxação da mandíbula se mostrou uma técnica adjuvante segura e efetiva, de fácil execução e reprodutibilidade, possibilitando o acesso a bifurcações carotídeas altas com boa exposição do campo cirúrgico e permitindo a realização da endarterectomia conforme a técnica padrão. Apresentamos o caso de uma paciente com bifurcação carotídea alta e com limitações para uso do contraste iodado que foi submetida a endarterectomia carotídea após subluxação de mandíbula. PMID:29930669

  3. Sighting frequency and relative abundance of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) along the northeast coast of Margarita Island and Los Frailes Archipelago, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Oviedo, Lenin; Silva, Noemi

    2005-01-01

    The study of local cetaceans in Venezuela has a very recent history, and few efforts have been made in the assessment of coastal populations based on field research. The occurrence of whales and dolphins along the northeast coast of Venezuela has been documented through sightings and stranding records. Given the underwater topographical features and the influence of upwelling processes, this area is considered a very productive coastal ecosystem. Our objective was to establish the sighting frequency and relative abundance of bottlenose dolphins in the area. Sighting records were gathered on bottlenose dolphins and other cetacean species occurring along the northeast coast of Margarita Island and Los Frailes Archipelago through direct observation during land-based (6 surveys, 48 hours of observation) and boat-based surveys (24 surveys, 121 hours of observation, 1295 km covered). A sighting frequency was calculated using two methodologies and then compared, considering: 1) a mean effective observation time (4.27 hours), and 2) distance covered with cetacean sightings (1108 kin). A third method is proposed relating a mean effective distance covered with cetacean sightings and expressed as a percentage. The abundance index was calculated using the mean effective observation time. The sighting frequency of Tursiops truncattus in the study area was 3 - 4 sightings per day of 4.27 observation hours, or by 185 kilometers covered. The relative abundance was calculated as 35 dolphins in the study area, so a total population of less than 60 dolphins could inhabit the proposed range. Tursiops truncatus is the dominant species in the northeast coast of Margarita Island and Los Frailes Archipelago with 70% of all the sightings, so this locality could be termed as the distribution range of a possible local population of bottlenose dolphins.

  4. Entomofauna Associated with Agroforestry Systems of Timber Species and Cacao in the Southern Region of the Maracaibo Lake Basin (Mérida, Venezuela).

    PubMed

    Mazón, Marina; Sánchez-Angarita, Daniel; Díaz, Francisco A; Gutiérrez, Néstor; Jaimez, Ramón

    2018-04-20

    Agroforestry systems are environment-friendly production systems which help to preserve biodiversity while providing people with a way of earning a living. Cacao is a historically important crop in Venezuela that traditionally has been produced in agroforestry systems. However, few studies have evaluated how different trees used in those systems affect the dynamics and abundance of insects. The present study evaluated the entomofauna assemblages associated with different combinations of four timber-yielding trees and four Criollo cacao cultivars established in a lowland tropical ecosystem in Venezuela. A randomized block design with two replicates was used, each block having 16 plots which included all 16 possible combinations of four native timber trees ( Cordia thaisiana , Cedrela odorata , Swietenia macrophylla , and Tabebuia rosea ) and four Criollo cacao cultivars (Porcelana, Guasare, Lobatera and Criollo Merideño). Insects were collected with yellow pan traps and sorted to order. Coleoptera and parasitoid Hymenoptera were determined to the family level. In total, 49,538 individuals of seven orders were collected, with Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Hemiptera being the most abundant, although only Lepidoptera and Coleoptera abundances were significantly influenced by the timber tree species. Twenty-three families of parasitoid Hymenoptera and 26 of Coleoptera were found. Significant differences in insects’ assemblages were found both in parasitoid Hymenoptera and Coleoptera families associated to every shade tree, with the families Eulophidae and Lycidae being indicators for Cordia , and Chalcididae for Swietenia . The entomofauna relationship with the cacao cultivar was barely significant, although Scydmaenidae and Scarabaeidae were indicators for Lobatera and Merideño, respectively. No significant effects were found for interaction with cacao cultivars and native trees. We concluded that the particular insect assemblages found in Cedrela

  5. Forest succession in the Upper Rio Negro of Colombia and Venezuela

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Saldarriaga, J.G.; West, D.C.; Tharp, M.L.

    1986-11-01

    Woody vegetation from 23 forest stands along the Upper Rio Negro of Venezuela and Colombia was sampled in 1982 to examine the hypothesis that the Amazon forest has been largely undisturbed since the Pleistocene, to quantify vegetation development during different stages of succession following agricultural development, and to determine the time required for a successional stand to become a mature forest. The ubiquitousness of charcoal in the tierra firme forest indicated the presence of fire associated with extreme dry periods and human disturbances. Changes in species composition, vegetation structure, and woody biomass were studied on 19 abandoned farms and fourmore » mature forest stands. Living and dead biomass for the tress and their components was determined by regression equations developed from measurements of harvested trees. The rate of recovery of floristic composition, structure, and biomass following disturbance is relatively slow. Aboveground dead biomass remained high 14 years after the forest was disturbed by the agricultural practices. The lowest dead biomass is reached 20 years after abandonment, and the largest values are found in mature forests. Data analysis of 80-year-old stands showed that the species composition approached that of a mature forest. Approximately 140 to 200 years was required for an abandoned farm to attain the basal area and biomass values comparable to those of a mature forest. The results of this study indicate that recovery is five to seven times longer in the Upper Rio Negro than it is in other tropical areas in South America.« less

  6. Temporal variations of heavy metals levels in Perna viridis, on the Chacopata-Bocaripo lagoon axis, Sucre State, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Pinto, Rafael; Acosta, Vanessa; Segnini, Mary Isabel; Brito, Leonor; Martínez, Gregorio

    2015-02-28

    Perna viridis was used as biomonitor to assess heavy metal levels in the Chacopata-Bocaripo lagoon axis, Venezuela, during rain and drought seasons. The mussels were weighed and measured. The metal concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. For rain period, the order of bioavailability was: Cu>Ni>Mn>Co>Cd>Pb, and for drought: Cu>Mn>Ni>Co>Pb>Cd. The concentrations of Ni, Co, Cd and Pb showed significant differences (P<0.05) in both periods. There was higher metal accumulation during drought season, possibly related to upwelling, since it produces an increase in primary productivity, which translates more food into organisms, making metals bioavailable for mussels. Only Cu and Mn showed significant relationships between the size and metal concentration, during drought period, it may be because of the organisms need for these essential metals in different physiological processes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. The use of radar and LANDSAT data for mineral and petroleum exploration in the Los Andes region, Venezuela

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vincent, R. K.

    1980-01-01

    A geological study of a 27,500 sq km area in the Los Andes region of northwestern Venezuela was performed which employed both X-band radar mosaics and computer processed Landsat images. The 3.12 cm wavelength radar data were collected with horizontal-horizontal polarization and 10 meter spatial resolution by an Aeroservices SAR system at an altitude of 12,000 meters. The radar images increased the number of observable suspected fractures by 27 percent over what could be mapped by LANDSAT alone, owing mostly to the cloud cover penetration capabilities of radar. The approximate eight fold greater spatial resolution of the radar images made possible the identification of shorter, narrower fractures than could be detected with LANDSAT data alone, resulting in the discovery of a low relief anticline that could not be observed in LANDSAT data. Exploration targets for petroleum, copper, and uranium were identified for further geophysical work.

  8. Complete genome sequence of two tomato-infecting begomoviruses in Venezuela: evidence of a putative novel species and a novel recombinant strain.

    PubMed

    Romay, Gustavo; Chirinos, Dorys T; Geraud-Pouey, Francis; Gillis, Annika; Mahillon, Jacques; Bragard, Claude

    2018-02-01

    At least six begomovirus species have been reported infecting tomato in Venezuela. In this study the complete genomes of two tomato-infecting begomovirus isolates (referred to as Trujillo-427 and Zulia-1084) were cloned and sequenced. Both isolates showed the typical genome organization of New World bipartite begomoviruses, with DNA-A genomic components displaying 88.8% and 90.3% similarity with established begomoviruses, for isolates Trujillo-427 and Zulia-1084, respectively. In accordance to the guidelines for begomovirus species demarcation, the Trujillo-427 isolate represents a putative new species and the name "Tomato wrinkled mosaic virus" is proposed. Meanwhile, Zulia-1084 represents a putative new strain classifiable within species Tomato chlorotic leaf distortion virus, for which a recombinant origin is suggested.

  9. Malaria entomological risk factors in relation to land cover in the Lower Caura River Basin, Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Rubio-Palis, Yasmin; Bevilacqua, Mariapia; Medina, Domingo Alberto; Moreno, Jorge Ernesto; Cárdenas, Lya; Sánchez, Víctor; Estrada, Yarys; Anaya, William; Martínez, Ángela

    2013-01-01

    To explore the effects of deforestation and resulting differences in vegetation and land cover on entomological parameters, such as anopheline species composition, abundance, biting rate, parity and entomological inoculation rate (EIR), three villages were selected in the Lower Caura River Basin, state of Bolívar, Venezuela. All-night mosquito collections were conducted between March 2008-January 2009 using CDC light traps and Mosquito Magnet(r) Liberty Plus. Human landing catches were performed between 06:00 pm-10:00 pm, when anophelines were most active. Four types of vegetation were identified. The Annual Parasite Index was not correlated with the type of vegetation. The least abundantly forested village had the highest anopheline abundance, biting rate and species diversity. Anopheles darlingi and Anopheles nuneztovari were the most abundant species and were collected in all three villages. Both species showed unique biting cycles. The more abundantly forested village of El Palmar reported the highest EIR. The results confirmed previous observations that the impacts of deforestation and resulting changes in vegetation cover on malaria transmission are complex and vary locally. PMID:23579803

  10. Crustal structure in the Falcón Basin area, northwestern Venezuela, from seismic and gravimetric evidence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bezada, Maximiliano J.; Schmitz, Michael; Jácome, María Inés; Rodríguez, Josmat; Audemard, Franck; Izarra, Carlos; The Bolivar Active Seismic Working Group

    2008-05-01

    The Falcón Basin in northwestern Venezuela has a complex geological history driven by the interactions between the South American and Caribbean plates. Igneous intrusive bodies that outcrop along the axis of the basin have been associated with crustal thinning, and gravity modeling has shown evidence for a significantly thinned crust beneath the basin. In this study, crustal scale seismic refraction/wide-angle reflection data derived from onshore/offshore active seismic experiments are interpreted and forward-modeled to generate a P-wave velocity model for a ˜450 km long profile. The final model shows thinning of the crust beneath the Falcón Basin where depth to Moho decreases to 27 km from a value of 40 km about 100 km to the south. A deeper reflected phase on the offshore section is interpreted to be derived from the downgoing Caribbean slab. Velocity values were converted to density and the resulting gravimetric response was shown to be consistent with the regional gravity anomaly. The crustal thinning proposed here supports a rift origin for the Falcón Basin.

  11. Malaria entomological risk factors in relation to land cover in the Lower Caura River Basin, Venezuela.

    PubMed

    Rubio-Palis, Yasmin; Bevilacqua, Mariapia; Medina, Domingo Alberto; Moreno, Jorge Ernesto; Cárdenas, Lya; Sánchez, Víctor; Estrada, Yarys; Anaya, William; Martínez, Ángela

    2013-04-01

    To explore the effects of deforestation and resulting differences in vegetation and land cover on entomological parameters, such as anopheline species composition, abundance, biting rate, parity and entomological inoculation rate (EIR), three villages were selected in the Lower Caura River Basin, state of Bolívar, Venezuela. All-night mosquito collections were conducted between March 2008-January 2009 using CDC light traps and Mosquito Magnet® Liberty Plus. Human landing catches were performed between 06:00 pm-10:00 pm, when anophelines were most active. Four types of vegetation were identified. The Annual Parasite Index was not correlated with the type of vegetation. The least abundantly forested village had the highest anopheline abundance, biting rate and species diversity. Anopheles darlingi and Anopheles nuneztovari were the most abundant species and were collected in all three villages. Both species showed unique biting cycles. The more abundantly forested village of El Palmar reported the highest EIR. The results confirmed previous observations that the impacts of deforestation and resulting changes in vegetation cover on malaria transmission are complex and vary locally.

  12. Holocene evolution of the western Orinoco Delta, Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Aslan, A.; White, W.A.; Warne, A.G.; Guevara, E.H.

    2003-01-01

    The pristine nature of the Orinoco Delta of eastern Venezuela provides unique opportunities to study the geologic processes and environments of a major tropical delta. Remote-sensing images, shallow cores, and radiocarbon-dating of organic remains form the basis for describing deltaic environments and interpreting the Holocene history of the delta. The Orinoco Delta can be subdivided into two major sectors. The southeast sector is dominated by the Rio Grande-the principal distributary-and complex networks of anastomosing fluvial and tidal channels. The abundance of siliciclastic deposits suggests that fluvial processes such as over-bank flooding strongly influence this part of the delta. In contrast, the northwest sector is represented by few major distributaries, and overbank sedimentation is less widespread relative to the southeast sector. Peat is abundant and occurs in herbaceous and forested swamps that are individually up to 200 km2 in area. Northwest-directed littoral currents transport large volumes of suspended sediment and produce prominent mudcapes along the northwest coast. Mapping of surface sediments, vegetation, and major landforms identified four principal geomorphic systems within the western delta plain: (1) distributary channels, (2) interdistributary flood basins, (3) fluvial-marine transitional environments, and (4) marine-influenced coastal environments. Coring and radiocarbon dating of deltaic deposits show that the northern delta shoreline has prograded 20-30 km during the late Holocene sea-level highstand. Progradation has been accomplished by a combination of distributary avulsion and mudcape progradation. This style of deltaic progradation differs markedly from other deltas such as the Mississippi where distributary avulsion leads to coastal land loss, rather than shoreline progradation. The key difference is that the Orinoco Delta coastal zone receives prodigious amounts of sediment from northwest-moving littoral currents that transport

  13. Seismic microzoning projects and their implementation in Venezuela

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmitz, M.; Cano, V.; Olbrich, F.; Vallee, M.; Morales, C.; Arreaza, A.; Mendes, K.; Klarica, S.; Alvarez Gomez, J.; Aray, J.; Vielma, J.; Pombo, A.; Diaz, J.; Grupo de trabajo

    2013-05-01

    Site effects have been recognized to play an important role in damage distribution of destructive earthquakes. These effects have been observed in Venezuela especially during the 1967 Caracas earthquake, when 4 buildings with 10 and more storeys during the Caracas 1967 earthquake collapsed, and a big number of them in the same deep sediment area have been seriously damaged. This motivated the development of studies regarding the subsurface configuration of Caracas and Barquisimeto during the last decade, with a seismic microzoning project realized in both cities from 2005 to 2009. The main results of this project were the development of design response spectra for the different microzones within the sedimentary basin, as well as estimates of landslide hazard. Implementation of the results in municipality ordinances is actually discussed with local authorities. They are aimed to address mitigation for new constructions by the application of the specific design spectra, for existing buildings via evaluation and retrofitting strategies, and for slope areas (informal, as well as formal developments) due to the identification of areas that may not be developed or require detailed studies of slope stabilities. Since then, seismic microzoning studies were started in Cumaná, Guarenas/Guatire and Lara state, and within a broader context of integrated risk management, which includes flooding, landslide and technological risks, in Mérida, Valencia, Maracay, Barcelona/Puerto La Cruz and Valle de la Pascua. The projects are coordinated by the Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research (FUNVISIS) in cooperation with local universities. Efforts are done to unable local researchers to apply the methodologies in other cities as Valera, Trujillo, Boconó, San Cristóbal and Tucacas. A unified seismic hazard map as input motion to these studies is actually in development. Depending on the local characteristics, building inventory and vulnerability analysis are done for risk

  14. Breeding biology and natural history of the Slate-throated Whitestart in Venezuela

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ruggera, R.A.; Martin, T.E.

    2010-01-01

    We provide details on the breeding biology of the Slate-throated Whitestart (Myioborus miniatus) from 126 nests found during seven breeding seasons, 2002-2008, at Yacamb?? National Park, Venezuela. Nesting activity peaked in late April and May. Only the female built the nest and incubated the eggs. Males rarely visited the nest during these stages. Mean clutch size (2.1 ?? 0.04 eggs, n = 93) was the smallest recorded for the Slate-throated Whitestart. Incubation and nestling period lengths were 15.3 ?? 0.31 (n = 21) and 10.8 ?? 0.24 (n = 7) days, respectively. Attentiveness (% of time on the nest) during incubation (59 ?? 1.6%, n = 52) was similar to other tropical warblers and much lower than northern relatives. This caused a relatively low egg temperature (34.40 ?? 0.33u C, n = ?? nests, 20 days) compared with north temperate birds. Both parents fed nestlings and increased their provisioning rates with nestling age. Growth rate based on nestling mass (k = 0.521 ?? 0.015) was faster than for other tropical passerines but slower than northern relatives. Predation was the main cause of nesting failure and rate of predation increased with age of the nest. An estimated 15% of nests were successful based on an overall Mayfield daily predation rate of 0.053 ?? 0.007. This study confirms a strong latitudinal variation in life history traits of warblers. ?? 2010 by the Wilson Ornithological Society.

  15. Measles outbreak in Venezuela: a new challenge to postelimination surveillance and control?

    PubMed

    Sarmiento, Héctor; Cobo, Oswaldo Barrezueta; Morice, Ana; Zapata, Roger; Benitez, María Victoria; Castillo-Solórzano, Carlos

    2011-09-01

    The circulation of wild measles virus was interrupted in Venezuela in February 2007 after the catch-up vaccination (1994) and monitoring (1998) and in response to the measles outbreak in 2001. Traditionally, the routine coverage with measles-mumps-rubella vaccine does not exceed 85%. In February 2006, a measles outbreak started by importation in the State Miranda; this extended to 7 states and lasted 50 weeks with an intermediate period of 17 weeks without reported cases. New cases were reported in the States Guarico and Amazon. The pattern of circulation of the silent period was determined through the use of retrospective search for measles; this showed that 57% of suspected cases did not enter the surveillance system. Molecular epidemiology made it possible to identify B3 as only genotype, which also circulated in Spain. The epidemiological and clinical characteristics of measles have been modified; these determine outbreaks identified late, of slow expansion, silent, and with limited case-fatality, compared with classical outbreaks. The outbreak spread by that behavior was not recognized and the classical control measures did not result. The beginning of a broader and intense vaccination was delayed, partly by weaknesses in the sensitivity of the system. It is crucial to recognize the new behavior of measles and the effectiveness of the classical control measures, and especially to establish criteria for interruption of the circulation to control an outbreak in this stage of elimination.

  16. Geomorphic effects of large debris flows and flash floods, northern Venezuela, 1999

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Larsen, M.C.; Wieczorek, G.F.

    2006-01-01

    A rare, high-magnitude storm in northern Venezuela in December 1999 triggered debris flows and flash floods, and caused one of the worst natural disasters in the recorded history of the Americas. Some 15,000 people were killed. The debris flows and floods inundated coastal communities on alluvial fans at the mouths of a coastal mountain drainage network and destroyed property estimated at more than $2 billion. Landslides were abundant and widespread on steep slopes within areas underlain by schist and gneiss from near the coast to slightly over the crest of the mountain range. Some hillsides were entirely denuded by single or coalescing failures, which formed massive debris flows in river channels flowing out onto densely populated alluvial fans at the coast. The massive amount of sediment derived from 24 watersheds along 50 km of the coast during the storm and deposited on alluvial fans and beaches has been estimated at 15 to 20 million m3. Sediment yield for the 1999 storm from the approximately 200 km2 drainage area of watersheds upstream of the alluvial fans was as much as 100,000 m3/km2. Rapid economic development in this dynamic geomorphic environment close to the capital city of Caracas, in combination with a severe rain storm, resulted in the death of approximately 5% of the population (300,000 total prior to the storm) in the northern Venezuelan state of Vargas. ?? 2006 Gebru??der Borntraeger.

  17. HIV-1 epidemic in Warao Amerindians from Venezuela: spatial phylodynamics and epidemiological patterns.

    PubMed

    Villalba, Julian A; Bello, Gonzalo; Maes, Mailis; Sulbaran, Yoneira F; Garzaro, Domingo; Loureiro, Carmen L; Rangel, Hector R; de Waard, Jacobus H; Pujol, Flor H

    2013-07-17

    We previously reported HIV-1 infection in Warao Amerindians from Venezuela. The aim of this study was to evaluate the extent and the dynamic of HIV-1 dissemination in eight Warao communities. HIV-1 infection was evaluated in 576 Warao Amerindians from the Orinoco Delta. Partial HIV-1 pol sequences were analyzed to reconstruct the spatiotemporal and demographic dynamics of the epidemic. HIV-1 antibodies were present in 9.55% of Warao Amerindians, ranging from 0 to 22%. A significantly higher prevalence was found in men (15.6%) compared with women (2.6%), reaching up to 35% in men from one community. All but one isolates were classified as subtype B. Warao's HIV-1 subtype-B epidemic resulted from a single viral introduction at around the early 2000s. After an initial phase of slow growth, the subtype B started to spread at a fast rate (0.8/year) following two major routes of migration within the communities. A dramatic high prevalence was documented in almost all the communities of Warao Amerindians from the Orinoco Delta tested for HIV-1 infection. This epidemic resulted from the dissemination of a single HIV-1 subtype B founder strain introduced about 10 years ago and its size is probably doubling every year, creating a situation that can be devastating for this vulnerable Amerindian group.

  18. Update on oral Chagas disease outbreaks in Venezuela: epidemiological, clinical and diagnostic approaches

    PubMed Central

    de Noya, Belkisyolé Alarcón; Díaz-Bello, Zoraida; Colmenares, Cecilia; Ruiz-Guevara, Raiza; Mauriello, Luciano; Muñoz-Calderón, Arturo; Noya, Oscar

    2015-01-01

    Orally transmitted Chagas disease has become a matter of concern due to outbreaks reported in four Latin American countries. Although several mechanisms for orally transmitted Chagas disease transmission have been proposed, food and beverages contaminated with whole infected triatomines or their faeces, which contain metacyclic trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi, seems to be the primary vehicle. In 2007, the first recognised outbreak of orally transmitted Chagas disease occurred in Venezuela and largest recorded outbreak at that time. Since then, 10 outbreaks (four in Caracas) with 249 cases (73.5% children) and 4% mortality have occurred. The absence of contact with the vector and of traditional cutaneous and Romana’s signs, together with a florid spectrum of clinical manifestations during the acute phase, confuse the diagnosis of orally transmitted Chagas disease with other infectious diseases. The simultaneous detection of IgG and IgM by ELISA and the search for parasites in all individuals at risk have been valuable diagnostic tools for detecting acute cases. Follow-up studies regarding the microepidemics primarily affecting children has resulted in 70% infection persistence six years after anti-parasitic treatment. Panstrongylus geniculatus has been the incriminating vector in most cases. As a food-borne disease, this entity requires epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches that differ from those approaches used for traditional direct or cutaneous vector transmission. PMID:25946155

  19. The rainfall-triggered landslide and flash-flood disaster in northern Venezuela, December 1999

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Larsen, Matthew C.; Wieczorek, Gerald F.; Eaton, L.S.; Heriberto Torres-Sierra,

    2001-01-01

    Rainstorms in December 1999 induced thousands of landslides along the northern slopes of the Cordillera de la Costa mountain range principally in the state of Vargas, Venezuela. Rainfall accumulation of 293 millimeters during the first 2 weeks ofDecember was followed by an additional 911 millimeters of rainfall on December 14 through 16. The landslides and floods inundated coastal communities resulting in a catastrophic death toll estimated at between 15,000 and 30,000 people. Debris flow damage to houses, buildings, and infrastructure in the narrow coastal zone was severe. Flash floods on alluvial fans at the mouths of rivers draining the coastal mountain range also contributed to the general destruction. In time scales spanning decades to centuries, the alluvial fans along this Caribbean coastline are areas of high geomorphic activity. Because most of the coastal zone in Vargas consists of steep mountain fronts that rise directly from the Caribbean Sea, the alluvial fans provide the only relatively flat areas upon which to build. Rebuilding and reoccupation of these areas requires careful determination of hazard zones to avoid future loss of life and property. A limited assessment of the distribution and character of landslides is currently in progress by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Venezuelan Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

  20. Prevalence and Associated Factors of Insulin Resistance in Adults from Maracaibo City, Venezuela

    PubMed Central

    Palmar, Jim; Cabrera, Mayela

    2016-01-01

    Background and Aim. Insulin resistance (IR) is a prominent pathophysiologic component in a myriad of metabolic disorders, including obesity, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes mellitus, which are common in our locality. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of IR and factors associated with this condition in an adult population from Maracaibo city, Venezuela. Methodology. A cross-sectional, descriptive study with multistaged randomized sampling was carried out in 2026 adults. IR was defined as HOMA2-IR ≥ 2. A multiple logistic regression model was constructed in order to evaluate factors associated with IR. Results. The prevalence of IR was 46.5% (n = 943), with 46.7% (n = 450) in the general population, 46.4% (n = 493) in females, and 47.90% (n = 970) in males (p = 0.895). IR prevalence tended to increase with age and was significantly greater in subjects aged ≥30 years (χ 2 = 16.726; p = 2.33 × 10−4). Employment, alcohol consumption, obesity, high triacylglycerides, low HDL-C, and dysglycemia were associated with greater odds of IR, whereas a high level of physical activity appeared to be weak protective factor against IR. Conclusions. The prevalence of IR is elevated in our locality. The main determinants of this condition appear to be the presence of obesity, high triacylglycerides, low HDL-C, dysglycemia, and alcohol intake. PMID:27579182