14 CFR 91.709 - Operations to Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Operations to Cuba. 91.709 Section 91.709... Board Such Aircraft § 91.709 Operations to Cuba. No person may operate a civil aircraft from the United States to Cuba unless— (a) Departure is from an international airport of entry designated in § 6.13 of...

14 CFR 91.709 - Operations to Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Operations to Cuba. 91.709 Section 91.709... Board Such Aircraft § 91.709 Operations to Cuba. No person may operate a civil aircraft from the United States to Cuba unless— (a) Departure is from an international airport of entry designated in § 6.13 of...

14 CFR 91.709 - Operations to Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Operations to Cuba. 91.709 Section 91.709... Board Such Aircraft § 91.709 Operations to Cuba. No person may operate a civil aircraft from the United States to Cuba unless— (a) Departure is from an international airport of entry designated in § 6.13 of...

31 CFR 515.420 - Travel to Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Travel to Cuba. 515.420 Section 515.420 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF..., even if provided free-of-charge by the Government of Cuba or a national of Cuba or paid for by a third...

31 CFR 515.420 - Travel to Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Travel to Cuba. 515.420 Section 515.420 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF..., even if provided free-of-charge by the Government of Cuba or a national of Cuba or paid for by a third...

31 CFR 515.420 - Travel to Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Travel to Cuba. 515.420 Section 515.420 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF..., even if provided free-of-charge by the Government of Cuba or a national of Cuba or paid for by a third...

31 CFR 515.420 - Travel to Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Travel to Cuba. 515.420 Section 515.420 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF..., even if provided free-of-charge by the Government of Cuba or a national of Cuba or paid for by a third...

31 CFR 515.420 - Travel to Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Travel to Cuba. 515.420 Section 515.420 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF..., even if provided free-of-charge by the Government of Cuba or a national of Cuba or paid for by a third...

Pediatric Gastroenterology in Cuba: Evolution and Challenges.

PubMed

Castañeda-Guillot, Carlos

2016-10-01

INTRODUCTION The professional practice of pediatric gastroenterology arose in Cuba as an expression of the specialty's development internationally and Cuba's new strategies in public health, and in response to national needs for health care expertise in digestive diseases of infants, older children and adolescents. OBJECTIVES Describe the history of pediatric gastroenterology's development in Cuba since its inception at the National Gastroenterology Institute in the early 1970s, its contributions, and efforts to extend it to pediatric hospitals throughout Cuba. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION This is a historical review based on document analysis. Institutional sources from the National Gastroenterology Institute and Ministry of Public Health were reviewed, as well as international and national literature on the history of pediatric gastroenterology and unpublished texts since its emergence in 1972. DEVELOPMENT Although pediatric gastroenterology has not been formally recognized as a medical specialty in Cuba, there have been important achievements in establishing a network of specialized health care services for digestive diseases of children and adolescents. Gastrointestinal endoscopy and other auxiliary diagnostic modalities have been introduced for children and play a major role in clinical trials and research. This article describes the international context that promoted the specialty's development in Cuba. Reference is made to specialized training from its initial stages in 1972, its consolidation as an emerging discipline in Cuban medicine, and its diffusion in Latin American and Caribbean countries. Professional development and specialized training to meet health human resource needs in pediatric hospitals are described, as well as Cuban participation in the Latin American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. National and international milestones, publications, awards and recognitions that indicate advances despite difficulties are also

Waterfowl in Cuba: Current status and distribution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blanco Rodríquez, Pedro; Vilella, Francisco; Sánchez Oria, Bárbara

2014-01-01

Cuba and its satellite islands represent the largest landmass in the Caribbean archipelago and a major repository of the region’s biodiversity. Approximately 13.4% of the Cuban territory is covered by wetlands, encompassing approximately 1.48 million ha which includes mangroves, flooded savannas, peatlands, freshwater swamp forests and various types of managed wetlands. Here, we synthesise information on the distribution and abundance of waterfowl on the main island of Cuba, excluding the numerous surrounding cays and the Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth), and report on band recoveries from wintering waterfowl harvested in Cuba by species and location. Twenty-nine species of waterfowl occur in Cuba, 24 of which are North American migrants. Of the five resident Anatid species, three are of conservation concern: the West Indian Whistling-duck Dendrocygna arborea (globally vulnerable), White-cheeked Pintail Anas bahamensis (regional concern) and Masked Duck Nomonyx dominicus(regional concern). The most abundant species of waterfowl wintering in Cuba include Blue-winged Teal A. discors, Northern Pintail A. acuta, and Northern Shoveler A. clypeata. Waterfowl banded in Canada and the United States and recovered in Cuba included predominantly Blue-winged Teal, American Wigeon and Northern Pintail. Banding sites of recovered birds suggest that most of the waterfowl moving through and wintering in Cuba are from the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways. Threats to wetlands and waterfowl in Cuba include: 1) egg poaching of resident species, 2) illegal hunting of migratory and protected resident species, 3) mangrove deforestation, 4) reservoirs for irrigation, 5) periods of pronounced droughts, and 6) hurricanes. Wetland and waterfowl conservation efforts continue across Cuba’s extensive system of protected areas. Expanding collaborations with international conservation organisations, researchers and governments in North America will enhance protection

Physics in Cuba from the Perspective of Bibliometrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marx, Werner; Cardona, Manuel

We present a bibliometric analysis of the development of the physical sciences in Cuba since the revolution of 1959. We analyze, using available databases (Web of Science, Essential Science Indicators, INSPEC), the development of the output (number of publications of authors based in Cuba) and of their impact (number of citations) from 1959 until now. We discuss the productivity of Cuba in comparison to the Latin American sister republics and the collaborative efforts between Cuba and highly developed countries. The most important areas of scientific activity within the field of physics, the preferred journals and the leading affiliations are identified. The most frequently cited Cuban physics publications are given. Finally, the overall scientific ranking of Cuba among the world nations is investigated.

31 CFR 515.566 - Religious activities in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Religious activities in Cuba. 515.566..., Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.566 Religious activities in Cuba. (a) General license... transactions as are directly incident to religious activities in Cuba under the auspices of the organization...

31 CFR 515.566 - Religious activities in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Religious activities in Cuba. 515.566..., Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.566 Religious activities in Cuba. (a) General license... transactions as are directly incident to religious activities in Cuba under the auspices of the organization...

31 CFR 515.566 - Religious activities in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Religious activities in Cuba. 515.566..., Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.566 Religious activities in Cuba. (a) General license... transactions as are directly incident to religious activities in Cuba under the auspices of the organization...

31 CFR 515.566 - Religious activities in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Religious activities in Cuba. 515.566..., Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.566 Religious activities in Cuba. (a) Specific license... involving transactions (including travel-related transactions) in which Cuba or a Cuban national has an...

31 CFR 515.566 - Religious activities in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Religious activities in Cuba. 515.566..., Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.566 Religious activities in Cuba. (a) General license... transactions as are directly incident to religious activities in Cuba under the auspices of the organization...

Science and Technology Diplomacy with Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colon, Frances

President Obama's announcement of U. S. policy change toward Cuba and increased freedom of interaction with the Cuban people opens unprecedented and long-awaited opportunities for the scientific and engineering communities in the U. S. and in Cuba to establish and expand collaborative efforts that will greatly advance U.S. and Cuba science and technology agendas. New rules for export of donated-only items for scientific use will bring researchers closer to the level of their professional peers around the world. Increasing Cubans' access to information will result in greater interactions between scientific communities and enable the sharing of ideas and discoveries that can fuel entrepreneurship on the island. The scientific community has expressed an extraordinary level of interest in the wide range of scientific opportunities that the new policy presents, in collaborating with their Cuban counterparts, and in supporting the development of scientific capacity in Cuba. In response to numerous expressions of interest and inquiries from the scientific community, the Office of the Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State (STAS) has engaged in public outreach to inform the U.S. science and technology community of the implications of the new policy for collaborative research, emerging scientific opportunities, and the standing limitations for engagement with the people of Cuba.

Oil prospects of Cuba

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

Marrero-Faz, M.; Hernandezperez, G.

The Cuban Archipelago is an Early Tertiary thrust belt derived from the Collision of the Cretaceous volcanic arc from the South with the North American continental margin (Jurassic- Cretaceous). The main characteristics of the hydrocarbon potential of Cuba are: (1) Widespread existence of Jurassic-Cretaceous source rocks and active process of generation of different types of oils; (2) Hydrocarbons are reservoired in a wide range of rock types most commonly in thrusted, fractured carbonates of Jurassic to Cretaceous age. This kind of reservoir is the most important in Cuba; (3) High density in area of different types of traps, being themore » most important hinterland dipping thrust sheet play; and (4) Migration and trapping of hydrocarbons mainly in Eocene. Migration is supposed to be mostly lateral. Vertical migration is not excluded in the South and also in some part of the North Province. There still remains a significant number of untested, apparently valid exploration plays in both on- and offshore areas of Cuba.« less

Linguistic Policy in Post-revolutionary Cuba.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archibald, James

1995-01-01

Focuses on the influence of language on economic, social, and political change in postrevolutionary Cuba. One of Cuba's primary postrevolutionary objectives was the eradication of illiteracy. Linguistic policies with respect to both Spanish and foreign languages were seen as a means to build human value and to establish a strong base for future…

Preparing for Post-Embargo Cuba: Effects on Businesses and Consumers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ray, Nina M.; And Others

1995-01-01

Discusses a brief history of U.S. trade with Cuba, the current status of Cuba's role in world trade, and the effects the U.S. embargo has on American businesses and U.S. and Cuban citizens. The article presents suggestions on how U.S. businesses can prepare for an open Cuba and argues for the lifting of the U.S. embargo against Cuba. (84…

Birth planning in Cuba: a basic human right.

PubMed

Swanson, J M

1981-01-01

This paper reports on the development of birth planning in Cuba and strategies that are relevant to nurses in the communities of Cuba. Cuba reduced its crude birth rate by 40% from 1964-75 without formal family planning programs and resources. By 1975, Cuba had achieved the lowest birth rate in Latin America (21/1000) except Barbados (19/1000). By 1978, Cuba's crude birth rate declined to a low of 15.3/1000. The demographic transition in Cuba has been a process of equalization by: 1) community participation to ensure basic human rights for everyone, 2) increasing the status of women while providing child care centers, 3) providing equal availability of health care services including contraceptive services, sterilization, and abortion, and 4) focusing on individual birth choice, not on limiting population growth. Emphasis in Cuba for reducing fertility has been put on literacy, education, and infant mortality. The illiteracy rate in 1961 decreased from 20% to 4%. Infant mortality decreased from 38.8/1000 live births in 1970 to 22.3/1000 in 1978. 1/3 of Cuban women were participating fully in the labor force in 1978. Polyclinics have been established as preventive care medical centers throughout Cuba and health care is free. Family planning options are integrated into routine primary health care at polyclinics and assure equal access to the total Cuban population. Abortion is freely available and increased to 61/1000 in 1976. The implications for nursing are that: 1) the traditional work of nurses places them in a key position to help extend basic human rights beyond current levels, 2) nurses can initiate discussions of birth planning with women and men in a variety of settings, and 3) nurses can increase case-finding related to birth planning needs both in health care classes or within established groups in the community.

Concurrent Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hahn, T.

2016-10-01

The parallel version of the multidimensional numerical integration package Cuba is presented and achievable speed-ups discussed. The parallelization is based on the fork/wait POSIX functions, needs no extra software installed, imposes almost no constraints on the integrand function, and works largely automatically.

An educator's perspective on the emerging Cuba and multiculturalism.

PubMed

Washington, Carla D

2006-01-01

Plagued by many years of frequent leadership changes, and influences from power brokers whose policies and politics were oftentimes detrimental to Cuba's emerging as an industrialized and diverse economy nation, Cuba is now attempting to move beyond the survival mode. After the symbiotic relationship between the Soviet Union was dismantled in the 90s, Cuba is now undergoing metamorphoses of growth and change, socially, politically and culturally, while still remaining a mixture of worlds both rural and urban. This narrative article describes the multicultural experiences that an American university professor recently experienced while visiting Cuba.

31 CFR 515.570 - Remittances to Nationals of Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Remittances to Nationals of Cuba. 515..., Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.570 Remittances to Nationals of Cuba. (a) Family... older are authorized to make remittances to nationals of Cuba who are close relatives, as defined in...

Cuba's international cooperation in health: an overview.

PubMed

De Vos, Pol; De Ceukelaire, Wim; Bonet, Mariano; Van der Stuyft, Patrick

2007-01-01

In the first years after Cuba's 1959 revolution, the island's new government provided international medical assistance to countries affected by natural disasters or armed conflicts. Step by step, a more structural complementary program for international collaboration was put in place. The relief operations after Hurricane Mitch, which struck Central America in 1998, were pivotal. From November 1998 onward, the "Integrated Health Program" was the cornerstone of Cuba's international cooperation. The intense cooperation with Hugo Chávez's Venezuela became another cornerstone. Complementary to the health programs abroad, Cuba also set up international programs at home, benefiting tens of thousands of foreign patients and disaster victims. In a parallel program, medical training is offered to international students in the Latin American Medical School in Cuba and, increasingly, also in their home countries. The importance and impact of these initiatives, however, cannot and should not be analyzed solely in public health terms.

Joint Ventures in Cuba: Opportunities for Direct Foreign Investment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tancer, Robert S.

1995-01-01

Presents a brief history of direct foreign investment in Cuba since 1982. This investment currently plays an important role in Cuba as a replacement to Soviet aid and as a means to earn foreign exchange. Tourism and mining are the preferred area for foreign investment because both of these sectors offer hard currency returns for Cuba. (20…

A Perspective on Physics in Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handy, Carlos R.

The author is Cuban by birth: the son of an Afro-Cuban mother and an Afro-American father. He spent the first 8 years of his life attending schools in Havana and New York City. He left Cuba in 1958 so as to gain a more uninterrupted educational experience. This led to his PhD in theoretical physics from Columbia University in 1978, followed by a post-doctoral appointment at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. He returned to Cuba in 1980 as a member of an academic tour organized by the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. This provided an introduction to various government-run scientific facilities in Havana and the easternmost city of "Santiago de Cuba" in the province of Oriente.

31 CFR 515.548 - Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Services rendered by Cuba to United... REGULATIONS Licenses, Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.548 Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft. Payment to Cuba of charges for services rendered by Cuba in connection...

31 CFR 515.548 - Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Services rendered by Cuba to United... REGULATIONS Licenses, Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.548 Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft. Payment to Cuba of charges for services rendered by Cuba in connection...

31 CFR 515.561 - Persons visiting close relatives in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Cuba. 515.561 Section 515.561 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Cuba. (a) General license. (1) Persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and persons... close relative, as defined in § 515.339 of this part, who is a national of Cuba, as defined in § 515.302...

31 CFR 515.561 - Persons visiting close relatives in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Cuba. 515.561 Section 515.561 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Cuba. (a) General license. (1) Persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and persons... close relative, as defined in § 515.339 of this part, who is a national of Cuba, as defined in § 515.302...

31 CFR 515.561 - Persons visiting close relatives in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Cuba. 515.561 Section 515.561 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Cuba. (a) General license. (1) Persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and persons... close relative, as defined in § 515.339 of this part, who is a national of Cuba, as defined in § 515.302...

31 CFR 515.561 - Persons visiting close relatives in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Cuba. 515.561 Section 515.561 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Cuba. (a) General license. (1) Persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and persons... close relative, as defined in § 515.339 of this part, who is a national of Cuba, as defined in § 515.302...

31 CFR 515.561 - Persons visiting close relatives in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Cuba. 515.561 Section 515.561 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Cuba. (a) General license. (1) Persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and persons... close relative, as defined in § 515.339 of this part, who is a national of Cuba, as defined in § 515.302...

Security Requirements for Post-Transition Cuba

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-08-01

modern circum-Caribbean militaries: control of air- and sea -space against transnational criminals. The military will need a new structure for these...in the yacht , Granma, landing near Playa de Las Colorados in Oriente Province on December 2, 1956. This area of southeastern Cuba had been where...Communist Party of Cuba did 10 not support Fidel until early 1958,14 which irritated him and caused him to distrust the party. By January 1, 1959, the

Early Literacy in Cuba: Lessons for America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abel, Carolyn Davidson; Abel, Charles Frederick

2017-01-01

How did Cuba erase illiteracy in a single year? How did they combine both a phonics approach with the constructivist meaning-based model for teaching reading that we cannot seem to manage here in the states? This paper seeks to shed light on Cuba's impressive 1961 National Literacy Campaign and reflects upon implications for early literacy…

Theological Higher Education in Cuba. Part 4: The Historical Roots and Milestones of the Eastern Cuba Baptist Theological Seminary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esqueda, Octavio J.

2007-01-01

This article presents an overview of the Eastern Cuba Baptist Theological Seminary. The seminary was founded in the city of Santiago de Cuba, on October 10, 1949, by the Eastern Baptist Convention. The seminary exists to provide training for pastors in the Eastern Baptist Convention. The school offers a four-year program leading to a bachelor in…

First epidemic of echovirus 16 meningitis in Cuba.

PubMed

Sarmiento, L; Mas, P; Goyenechea, A; Palomera, R; Morier, L; Capó, V; Quintana, I; Santin, M

2001-01-01

From April to September 2000, an epidemic of aseptic meningitis spread throughout Cuba, with 16,943 reported cases. Virologic studies identified echovirus 16 as the cause of this epidemic. This is the first reported isolate of echovirus 16 from patients with viral meningitis in Cuba.

Potential Transportation Impacts of Expanded U.S.-Cuba Trade, Final Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-02-02

Before 1960, the United States and Cuba were major trading partners. At that time, Cuba was the seventh largest export market for U.S. products. In the years since then, U.S. trade with Cuba has been highly regulated. Exports have been mostly prohibi...

El Espanol de Cuba: Situacion bibliografica (Spanish in Cuba: Bibliographies).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez Morales, Humberto

1968-01-01

Analytical and critical commentaries on books about the Spanish language in Cuba are presented here. Bibliographies, dictionaries, glossaries, readers, and linguistic studies are treated, and a selective bibliography of materials is presented. Most of the materials covered are also in M. W. Nichols'"A Bibliographical Guide to Materials on…

Cuba: A Short Critical Bibliographic Guide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basosi, Duccio

An island with a population of approximately eleven million citizens, Cuba has been the topic of a huge amount of books and articles by scholars, politicians, artists, tourists and—why not?—foreign undercover agents. A random search in a well-known on-line bookshop gives some 118,000 results for the island's name. In brief, to present a selection of basic works on Cuba is a very harsh task that necessarily leads to difficult choices.

Implementing renewable energy in Cuba

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

Hawthorne, W.; Stone, L.; Perez, V.B.H.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the tightening of the US embargo, Cuba has found itself in an energy crisis of enormous magnitude. Faced with this energy crisis and its ensuing black-outs and productivity reductions, Cuba has developed a national energy plan which focuses on energy self-sufficiency and sustainability. Energy efficiency, solar energy, wind power, micro-hydro, and biomass are each included in the plan. Implementation of renewable energy projects in each of these areas has begun throughout the country with the enthusiastic support of Cubasolar, the Cuban renewable energy professional association.

Bagasse utilization in Cuba

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

Not Available

Fluctuations in world sugar prices retard economic development in sugar-producing countries like Cuba, and so there is a pressing need to find alternative uses for sugar cane through the industrialization of its by-products, such as bagasse. In 1971 the United Nations Development Program began a cooperative venture with the Cuban Research Institute for Sugar Cane Derivatives to develop methods of making newsprint from bagasse. An experimental plant - Cuba 9, located 35 kilometers south of Havana, was inaugurated in May 1981. It is semi-commercial in character and has a daily capacity of 34 tonnes of newsprint and five tonnes ofmore » dissolving pulp. Pilot plants for the production of furfural and for the production of reconstituted panelboard are in operation.« less

31 CFR 515.337 - Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... of Cuba. 515.337 Section 515.337 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... REGULATIONS General Definitions § 515.337 Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba. For purposes of this part, the term prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba means Ministers and Vice-ministers...

31 CFR 515.337 - Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... of Cuba. 515.337 Section 515.337 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... REGULATIONS General Definitions § 515.337 Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba. For purposes of this part, the term prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba means Ministers and Vice-ministers...

31 CFR 515.337 - Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Government of Cuba. 515.337 Section 515.337 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... REGULATIONS General Definitions § 515.337 Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba. For purposes of this part, the term prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba means Ministers and Vice-ministers...

31 CFR 515.337 - Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... of Cuba. 515.337 Section 515.337 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... REGULATIONS General Definitions § 515.337 Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba. For purposes of this part, the term prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba means Ministers and Vice-ministers...

31 CFR 515.337 - Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... of Cuba. 515.337 Section 515.337 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... REGULATIONS General Definitions § 515.337 Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba. For purposes of this part, the term prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba means Ministers and Vice-ministers...

Black Youth in Cuba

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horne, Gerald C.

1975-01-01

Cuban social system has eliminated discrimination, racism, sexism and unemployment and created equal opportunity for all. Cuba is upheld as model for all forward looking U.S. citizens to study. (Author/AM)

Cuba's 100-year plan for climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stone, Richard

2018-01-01

On its deadly run through the Caribbean last September, Hurricane Irma lashed northern Cuba, inundating coastal settlements and scouring away vegetation. Irma lent new urgency to a Cuban national plan, called Tarea Vida, or Project Life, that bans construction of new homes in threatened coastal areas, mandates relocating people from communities doomed by rising sea levels, calls for an overhaul of the country's agricultural system to shift crop production away from saltwater-contaminated areas, and spells out the need to shore up coastal defenses, including by restoring degraded habitat. Project Life stands out for taking a long view: It intends to prepare Cuba for climatological impacts over the next century. Much of the initial funding could come from a $100 million proposal that Cuba plans to submit soon to the Global Climate Fund.

Turkey vulture surveys in Cuba

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wotzkow, C.; Wiley, J.W.

1988-01-01

Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura), were surveyed monthly in Cuba from March 1982-January 1983. A total of 25371 vultures were tallied in 7186 km (3.5 vultures/transect km) of roadside counting along main highways leading from the city of La Habana (northwestern Cuba) to the city of Las Tunas (southeast). Numbers of vultures counted declined substantially beyond 200 m from the transect road. Density of vultures observed within 200 m of the road along the transect route was 0.06/ha. Highest counts were obtained in March, April and June. Turkey Vulture flying activity was greatest during the periods 0900-1200 H and 1400-1700 H.

31 CFR 515.563 - Journalistic activities in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Journalistic activities in Cuba. 515.563 Section 515.563 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued... § 515.560(c) and other transactions that are directly incident to doing research in Cuba for a free...

The Beginning of Semiconductor Research in Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veltfort, Theodore

I was invited to Cuba in 1962 to initiate some efforts in semiconductor development. I had been a physicist and senior research engineer with various electronic companies of the "Silicon Valley" of California, south of San Francisco. I had heard of the efforts made by the new revolutionary government of Cuba to advance the level of science and technology, and I was anxious to see what I could do to help.

A New Look at U.S. Foreign Policy toward Cuba

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-04-01

an explanation of Cuba’s leadership structure; 5) an illustration of the current changing environment; 6) and a number of other factors that must be...APPENDIX TWO - Demographics and Country Statistics 74 Section 1- Cuba 75 - Cuba Statistics 77 Section 2 - Central America, Mexico , and the Caribbean...important shipping routes from the North Atlantic into the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Panama Canal. Since the Spanish-American War, the

Offshore S. Cuba -- Quaternary lobsters and Eocene reefs

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

Rebora, M.

When Cuba is mentioned, the first image that comes to an explorationist's mind is one of complex imbricated thrust sheets, fractured carbonate reservoirs, volcanics and ophiolitic, and heavy and high sulfur oil. It is now known that this stimulating'' scenario does not apply to the whole of Cuba but only to the northern and central part where plate collisions and robust wrench tectonics exacted their toll on sediments and hydrocarbons alike. Seismic data recently acquired by Taurus Petroleum off the southern coast of Cuba reveal a rather different scenario: Mesozoic sediments several thousands of meters thick, deformed by moderate wrenchmore » tectonics into low-relief flower structures, and overlain by a variety of Paleogene shelf edge reefs, atolls, and banks that look as if reproduced from the pages of AAPG's Memoir 57. The whole is topped by Oligocene and Miocene evaporites, shales, and carbonates. The paper describes the southern shelf area, exploration in Cuba, reefs, oil and gas shows, source rocks, reservoir rocks, seals, and potential reserves.« less

75 FR 54594 - Effectiveness of Licensing Procedures for Agricultural Commodities to Cuba

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-08

...] Effectiveness of Licensing Procedures for Agricultural Commodities to Cuba AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and... Administration Regulations for the export of agricultural commodities to Cuba. BIS will include a description of...), to Cuba. Requirements and procedures associated with such authorization are set forth in section 740...

77 FR 55183 - Effectiveness of Licensing Procedures for Agricultural Commodities to Cuba

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-07

...] Effectiveness of Licensing Procedures for Agricultural Commodities to Cuba AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and... Administration Regulations for the export of agricultural commodities to Cuba. BIS will include a description of...), to Cuba. Requirements and procedures associated with such authorization are set forth in Sec. 740.18...

31 CFR 515.415 - Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Travel to Cuba; transportation of... CONTROL REGULATIONS Interpretations § 515.415 Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals... or a returning resident of the United States, from Cuba to the United States, unless otherwise...

31 CFR 515.415 - Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Travel to Cuba; transportation of... CONTROL REGULATIONS Interpretations § 515.415 Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals... or a returning resident of the United States, from Cuba to the United States, unless otherwise...

31 CFR 515.415 - Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Travel to Cuba; transportation of... CONTROL REGULATIONS Interpretations § 515.415 Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals... or a returning resident of the United States, from Cuba to the United States, unless otherwise...

31 CFR 515.415 - Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Travel to Cuba; transportation of... CONTROL REGULATIONS Interpretations § 515.415 Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals... or a returning resident of the United States, from Cuba to the United States, unless otherwise...

31 CFR 515.415 - Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Travel to Cuba; transportation of... CONTROL REGULATIONS Interpretations § 515.415 Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals... or a returning resident of the United States, from Cuba to the United States, unless otherwise...

Historical Overview of Leprosy Control in Cuba.

PubMed

Beldarraín-Chaple, Enrique

2017-01-01

INTRODUCTION Leprosy, an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, affects the nervous system, skin, internal organs, extremities and mucous membranes. Biological, social and environmental factors influence its occurrence and transmission. The first effective treatments appeared in 1930 with the development of dapsone, a sulfone. The main components of a control and elimination strategy are early case detection and timely administration of multidrug therapy. OBJECTIVES Review the history of leprosy control in Cuba, emphasizing particularly results of the National Leprosy Control Program, its modifications and influence on leprosy control. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION The historiological method was applied using document review, complemented by interviews with experts on leprosy and its control. Archived documents, medical records, disease prevalence censuses conducted since 1942, and incidence and prevalence statistics for 1960-2015 from the Ministry of Public Health's National Statistics Division were reviewed. Reports and scientific literature published on the Program and the history of leprosy in Cuba were also reviewed. DEVELOPMENT Leprosy has been documented in Cuba since 1613. In 1938, the Leprosy Foundation was created with ten dispensaries nationwide for diagnosis and treatment. The first National Leprosy Control Program was established in 1962, implemented in 1963 and revised five times. In 1972, leper colonies were closed and treatment became ambulatory. In 1977, rifampicin was introduced. In 1988, the Program instituted controlled, decentralized, community-based multidrug treatment and established the criteria for considering a patient cured. In 2003, it included actions aimed at early diagnosis and prophylactic treatment of contacts. Since 2008, it prioritizes actions directed toward the population at risk, maintaining five-year followup with dermatological and neurological examination. Primary health care carries out diagnostic and treatment

Toxocariasis in Cuba: a literature review.

PubMed

Sariego, Idalia; Kanobana, Kirezi; Rojas, Lázara; Speybroeck, Niko; Polman, Katja; Núñez, Fidel A

2012-01-01

Human toxocariasis (HT) is a zoonotic disease caused by infection with the larval stage of Toxocara canis, the intestinal roundworm of dogs. Infection can be associated with a wide clinical spectrum varying from asymptomatic to severe organ injury. While the incidence of symptomatic human toxocariasis appears to be low, infection of the human population is widespread. In Cuba, a clear overview on the status of the disease is lacking. Here, we review the available information on toxocariasis in Cuba as a first step to estimate the importance of the disease in the country. Findings are discussed and put in a broader perspective. Data gaps are identified and suggestions on how to address these are presented. The available country data suggest that Toxocara infection of the definitive dog host and environmental contamination with Toxocara spp. eggs is substantial, but information on HT is less conclusive. The availability of adequate diagnostic tools in the country should be guaranteed. Dedicated studies are needed for a reliable assessment of the impact of toxocariasis in Cuba and the design of prevention or control strategies.

Toxocariasis in Cuba: A Literature Review

PubMed Central

Sariego, Idalia; Kanobana, Kirezi; Rojas, Lázara; Speybroeck, Niko; Polman, Katja; Núñez, Fidel A.

2012-01-01

Human toxocariasis (HT) is a zoonotic disease caused by infection with the larval stage of Toxocara canis, the intestinal roundworm of dogs. Infection can be associated with a wide clinical spectrum varying from asymptomatic to severe organ injury. While the incidence of symptomatic human toxocariasis appears to be low, infection of the human population is widespread. In Cuba, a clear overview on the status of the disease is lacking. Here, we review the available information on toxocariasis in Cuba as a first step to estimate the importance of the disease in the country. Findings are discussed and put in a broader perspective. Data gaps are identified and suggestions on how to address these are presented. The available country data suggest that Toxocara infection of the definitive dog host and environmental contamination with Toxocara spp. eggs is substantial, but information on HT is less conclusive. The availability of adequate diagnostic tools in the country should be guaranteed. Dedicated studies are needed for a reliable assessment of the impact of toxocariasis in Cuba and the design of prevention or control strategies. PMID:22389726

Applied Science in Cuba.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Jeffrey L.

1986-01-01

Discusses various topics and issues related to the scientific enterprise in Cuba. Notes that Cuban science is emphasizing biotechnology and research on the island's chief crop (sugarcane), although hampered by limited personnel and lack of modern laboratory equipment. (JN)

31 CFR 515.207 - Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Cuba. 515.207 Section 515.207 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Prohibitions § 515.207 Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba. Except as specifically authorized by the... regulations, rulings, instructions, licenses or otherwise, (a) No vessel that enters a port or place in Cuba...

31 CFR 515.548 - Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Services rendered by Cuba to United... REGULATIONS Licenses, Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.548 Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft. Specific licenses are issued for payment to Cuba of charges for services...

31 CFR 515.207 - Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Cuba. 515.207 Section 515.207 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Prohibitions § 515.207 Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba. Except as specifically authorized by the... regulations, rulings, instructions, licenses or otherwise, (a) No vessel that enters a port or place in Cuba...

31 CFR 515.207 - Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Cuba. 515.207 Section 515.207 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Prohibitions § 515.207 Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba. Except as specifically authorized by the... regulations, rulings, instructions, licenses or otherwise, (a) No vessel that enters a port or place in Cuba...

31 CFR 515.548 - Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Services rendered by Cuba to United... REGULATIONS Licenses, Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.548 Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft. Specific licenses are issued for payment to Cuba of charges for services...

31 CFR 515.207 - Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Cuba. 515.207 Section 515.207 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Prohibitions § 515.207 Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba. Except as specifically authorized by the... regulations, rulings, instructions, licenses or otherwise, (a) No vessel that enters a port or place in Cuba...

31 CFR 515.548 - Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Services rendered by Cuba to United... REGULATIONS Licenses, Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.548 Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft. Specific licenses are issued for payment to Cuba of charges for services...

Visiting the Republic of Cuba: An Experience to Remember.

PubMed

Brown, Geraldine

2015-01-01

A few years ago, I was privileged to visit the Republic of Cuba as a summer vacation. Officially, this Spanish island is the largest island in the Caribbean, with more than 12 million people. It is only second as being most populous after Hispaniola with its people, culture and customs. Havana is the capital and Cuba's largest city. The United States lies to the immediate north only about 95 miles away, and the Bahamas and Mexico to the west, the Cayman Islands and Jamaica are on the southern end, and Haiti and the Dominion Republic are in the southeastern area. The history of this island is truly amazing. I was able to vist a hospital, and ride public transportation (bus). The trip was made at the time when Cuba was not open to travelers coming direct from the United States. I traveled to Montreal, Canada to board Cabana Arlines to Havana, Cuba.

[Eugenic abortion could explain the lower infant mortality in Cuba compared to that in Chile].

PubMed

Donoso S, Enrique; Carvajal C, Jorge A

2012-08-01

Cuba and Chile have the lower infant mortality rates of Latin America. Infant mortality rate in Cuba is similar to that of developed countries. Chilean infant mortality rate is slightly higher than that of Cuba. To investigate if the lower infant mortality rate in Cuba, compared to Chile, could be explained by eugenic abortion, considering that abortion is legal in Cuba but not in Chile. We compared total and congenital abnormalities related infant mortality in Cuba and Chile during 2008, based on vital statistics of both countries. In 2008, infant mortality rates in Chile were significantly higher than those of Cuba (7.8 vs. 4.7 per 1,000 live born respectively, odds ratio (OR) 1.67; 95% confidence intervals (Cl) 1.52-1.83). Congenital abnormalities accounted for 33.8 and 19.2% of infant deaths in Chile and Cuba, respectively. Discarding infant deaths related to congenital abnormalities, infant mortality rate continued to be higher in Chile than in Cuba (5.19 vs. 3.82 per 1000 live born respectively, OR 1.36; 95%CI 1.221.52). Considering that antenatal diagnosis is widely available in both countries, but abortion is legal in Cuba but not in Chile, we conclude that eugenic abortion may partially explain the lower infant mortality rate observed in Cuba compared to that observed in Chile.

31 CFR 515.207 - Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... with Cuba. 515.207 Section 515.207 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... REGULATIONS Prohibitions § 515.207 Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba. Except as specifically... place in Cuba to engage in the trade of goods or the purchase or provision of services, may enter a U.S...

Fascioliasis: can Cuba conquer this emerging parasitosis?

PubMed

Rojas, Lázara; Vazquez, Antonio; Domenech, Ingrid; Robertson, Lucy J

2010-01-01

Fascioliasis, an emerging parasitic infection, impacts significantly on both veterinary and human health worldwide. Endemic foci are not limited only to areas of extensive livestock farming, but owing to the parasite's abilities to colonise new intermediate hosts and adapt to new environments, also occur in other places, including Cuba. In Cuba, despite a high prevalence of fascioliasis in livestock, and the widespread occurrence of two potential intermediate hosts, human infection has decreased steadily over the past 10 years. In other parts of the world, human fascioliasis is apparently becoming more frequent. Problems in counteracting the spread of fascioliasis, and approaches used in Cuba to limit zoonotic transmission are discussed, with emphasis on diagnostic and treatment problems, malacological initiatives, and the importance of an integrated control programme. Such programmes may be of benefit in other countries where the prevalence of human fascioliasis is increasing, and lessons may perhaps be learned from the Cuban approach. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oncology nursing in Cuba: report of the delegation.

PubMed

Sheldon, Lisa Kennedy; Leonard, Kathleen; Gross, Anne; Hartnett, Erin; Poage, Ellen; Squires, Jennifer; Ullemeyer, Vicki; Schueller, Mary; Stary, Susan; Miller, Mary Alice

2012-08-01

In December 2011, the first delegation of oncology nurses from the United States visited Havana, Cuba. The delegation included oncology nurses, educators, and leaders from across America and provided opportunities to learn about the healthcare system, cancer, and oncology nursing in Cuba. Delegation members attended lectures, toured facilities, and enjoyed Cuban culture. This exchange highlighted the similarities in cancer care and oncology nursing between countries and opened doors for future collaborations.

Joint Task Force -Guantanamo Bay, Cuba: Open or Close?

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

Obama signed that executive order directing the closure of detention operations at Guantanamo Bay. Subsequently, despite domestically political and...domestically political and international scrutiny, detention operations at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba have evolved into the premier detention facility in the...operations at Guantanamo Bay. Subsequently, despite domestically political and international scrutiny, detention operations at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Cuba's Strategy for Alzheimer Disease and Dementia Syndromes.

PubMed

Bosch-Bayard, Rodolfo I; Llibre-Rodríguez, Juan J; Fernández-Seco, Alberto; Borrego-Calzadilla, Carmen; Carrasco-García, Mayra R; Zayas-Llerena, Tania; Moreno-Carbonell, Carmen R; Reymond-Vasconcelos, Ana G

2016-10-01

Dementia is a great challenge to public health in Cuba due to its impact on society and families. Cuba's National Intervention Strategy for Alzheimer Disease and Dementia Syndromes is designed to address this challenge. The Strategy includes working guidelines for primary and secondary care, education about rights of people with cognitive impairment, professional development, research, and health promotion and dementia prevention. An associated action plan, focused on primary care, includes proposals for creation of memory clinics, day centers and comprehensive rehabilitation services for cognitive stimulation. Short-term measures proposed include increasing early detection; creating a dementia morbidity and mortality registry; promoting professional training; providing support for families; and promoting basic and clinical research on dementia. Medium-term proposals aim to reduce dementia incidence and mortality by controlling risk factors and promoting healthy lifestyles, offering new treatment options and optimizing early detection. A set of indicators has been developed to evaluate strategy implementation. With this strategy, Cuba joins the small number of developing countries that have responded to WHO's call to improve care for patients with dementia and alleviate its impact on society and families. KEYWORDS Dementia, Alzheimer disease, aging, national health programs, social stigma, primary prevention, health promotion, civil rights, Cuba.

Courting the future: cancer and genetics in Cuba.

PubMed

2014-01-01

Describing this double issue of MEDICC Review could be an exercise for a first-year philosophy course in logic. It's not about "cancer and genetics" in Cuba. It's about cancer in Cuba and about genetics in Cuba, not about exploring relationships between them. Nevertheless, while the marriage of the two themes was fortuitous, in that the two had long been scheduled for the journal in 2014, there is a certain felicity to their sharing an issue. To date, the outstanding accomplishments of genetics have been most helpful for conditions occurring at the beginning of life and cancer is largely (though not exclusively) a disease related to aging. But the two are intrinsically connected: Although only a few of the more than 100 different diseases grouped under the term cancer are known to be hereditary, every cancer begins with a mutation in one or more genes, whether the mutation is inherited, due to an exposure, or is simply a random error in the millions of cell divisions that are part and parcel of cellular reproduction. Our cover image, a stained-glass window by Cuban artist Rosa María de la Terga at Cuba's National Medical Genetics Center, illustrates the elegance of the DNA molecule, the intricate key to life.

31 CFR 515.553 - Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. 515.553 Section 515.553 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations... Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. Specific licenses are issued authorizing payments from accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments for transactions...

31 CFR 515.553 - Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. 515.553 Section 515.553 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations... Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. Specific licenses are issued authorizing payments from accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments for transactions...

31 CFR 515.553 - Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. 515.553 Section 515.553 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations... Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. Specific licenses are issued authorizing payments from accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments for transactions...

31 CFR 515.553 - Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. 515.553 Section 515.553 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations... Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. Specific licenses are issued authorizing payments from accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments for transactions...

31 CFR 515.553 - Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. 515.553 Section 515.553 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations... Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. Specific licenses are issued authorizing payments from accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments for transactions...

31 CFR 515.559 - Certain transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... controlled foreign firms with Cuba. 515.559 Section 515.559 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating... transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba. (a) Effective October 23, 1992, no specific... controlled firms in third countries and Cuba for the exportation to Cuba of commodities produced in the...

31 CFR 515.559 - Certain transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... controlled foreign firms with Cuba. 515.559 Section 515.559 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating... transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba. (a) Effective October 23, 1992, no specific... controlled firms in third countries and Cuba for the exportation to Cuba of commodities produced in the...

31 CFR 515.559 - Certain transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... controlled foreign firms with Cuba. 515.559 Section 515.559 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating... transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba. (a) Effective October 23, 1992, no specific... controlled firms in third countries and Cuba for the exportation to Cuba of commodities produced in the...

31 CFR 515.559 - Certain transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... controlled foreign firms with Cuba. 515.559 Section 515.559 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating... transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba. (a) Effective October 23, 1992, no specific... controlled firms in third countries and Cuba for the exportation to Cuba of commodities produced in the...

31 CFR 515.559 - Certain transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... controlled foreign firms with Cuba. 515.559 Section 515.559 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating... transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba. (a) Effective October 23, 1992, no specific... controlled firms in third countries and Cuba for the exportation to Cuba of commodities produced in the...

77 FR 23598 - Technical Amendment to Cuba Airport List: Addition of Recently Approved Airports

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-20

...] Technical Amendment to Cuba Airport List: Addition of Recently Approved Airports AGENCY: Customs and Border... accept aircraft traveling to or from Cuba. DATES: Effective: April 20, 2012. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION... States to or from Cuba. Prior to January 2011, the regulations required direct flights between the United...

The challenge for Cuba.

PubMed Central

Claudio, L

1999-01-01

The restrictions of a U.S. trade embargo and the collapse of the Soviet Union marked the beginning of a period of extreme economic hardship in Cuba. Economic adversity has had tremendous effects, both positive and negative, on all aspects of life on the Island, including environmental and public health. PMID:10210701

Zoological Collections and Collecting in Cuba during the Twentieth Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taboada, Gilberto Silva

1994-01-01

Traces the history of 20th-century zoological collections in Cuba, and the present whereabouts of Cuba's zoological collections. The historical accounts are divided into two periods: from 1902 to 1959 and from 1959 to the present. A preliminary survey of the nature, size, and current state of these collections is included. (MDH)

Poliomyelitis and its elimination in Cuba: an historical overview.

PubMed

Beldarraín, Enrique

2013-04-01

Polio was first detected in Cuba in the late 19th century among residents of the US community on the Isla de Pinos (Isle of Pines, now Isle of Youth), apparently introduced through migration from the USA. The first outbreak was reported in 1906 on the Isle, with the first epidemic reported in the former province of Las Villas in 1909. The epidemics subsequently intensified, by 1934 becoming periodic every four to five years, and accompanied by high morbidity, mortality and crippling sequelae, primarily among children. To review and analyze the history of polio and its control in Cuba, from the disease's first appearance in 1898 until WHO/PAHO certification of elimination in 1994. The historiological method was used; archival documents, medical records, and available polio morbidity and mortality statistics from the Ministry of Public Health's National Statistics Division before 1959 and from 1959 through 2000 were reviewed. Crude morbidity and mortality rates were calculated using population estimates at mid-period. Reports and scientific publications describing polio vaccination campaigns and their results were also reviewed, and key informants were interviewed. After initial introduction of polio in Cuba, five major epidemics occurred between 1932 and 1958: in 1934 (434 cases, 82 deaths); 1942 (494 cases, 58 deaths); 1946 (239 cases, 33 deaths), 1952 (492 cases, 15 deaths) and 1955 (267 cases, 8 deaths). Between 1957 and 1961 the disease's endemicity reached epidemic levels, with the last outbreak occurring in 1961, with 342 cases, 30% of them in children aged >4 years. In 1962, Cuba launched a nationwide polio vaccination campaign, the first of annual campaigns thereafter carried out in the framework of a coherent national program aimed at polio elimination. Using the Sabin oral vaccine and targeting the entire pediatric population in a single time period, five million doses were administered in the first campaign, reaching 87.5% of the target population aged 1

First report of a Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) in Cuba

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alvarez-Aleman, Anmari; Beck, Cathy A.; Powell, James A.

2010-01-01

Manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) in Florida utilize intake and effluent canals of power plants as resting and thermoregulatory habitat. We report the use of a power plant canal in Cuba by a known Florida manatee, the first documented case of movement by a manatee between Florida and Cuba. In January, February, and April 2007, two manatees (mother and calf) were reported entering a power plant canal in north Havana, Cuba. The larger manatee had several distinctive scars which were photographed. Digital images were matched to a previously known Florida manatee (CR131) with a sighting history dating from December 1979 to July 2006. Exchanges of individuals between Florida and Cuba may have important genetic implications, particularly since there appears to be little genetic exchange between the Florida manatee subspecies with populations of the Antillean manatee subspecies (T. m. manatus) in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

76 FR 5058 - Airports of Entry or Departure for Flights to and From Cuba

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-28

... [CBP Dec 11-05] RIN 1651-AA86 Airports of Entry or Departure for Flights to and From Cuba AGENCY: U.S... (DHS) regulations, direct flights between the United States and Cuba must arrive at or depart from one... Border Protection (CBP) to process authorized flights between the United States and Cuba. These...

31 CFR 515.564 - Professional research and professional meetings in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... to professional research by full-time professionals who travel to Cuba to conduct professional... transactions as are directly incident to travel to Cuba by full-time professionals to attend professional... such a provider; and (ii) The traveler's schedule of activities does not include free time, travel, or...

31 CFR 515.564 - Professional research and professional meetings in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... research by full-time professionals who travel to Cuba to conduct professional research in their... directly incident to travel to Cuba by full-time professionals to attend professional meetings or... provider; and (ii) The traveler's schedule of activities does not include free time, travel, or recreation...

31 CFR 515.564 - Professional research and professional meetings in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... research by full-time professionals who travel to Cuba to conduct professional research in their... directly incident to travel to Cuba by full-time professionals to attend professional meetings or... provider; and (ii) The traveler's schedule of activities does not include free time, travel, or recreation...

31 CFR 515.564 - Professional research and professional meetings in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... research by full-time professionals who travel to Cuba to conduct professional research in their... directly incident to travel to Cuba by full-time professionals to attend professional meetings or... provider; and (ii) The traveler's schedule of activities does not include free time, travel, or recreation...

31 CFR 515.564 - Professional research and professional meetings in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... research by full-time professionals who travel to Cuba to conduct professional research in their... directly incident to travel to Cuba by full-time professionals to attend professional meetings or... provider; and (ii) The traveler's schedule of activities does not include free time, travel, or recreation...

Cuba's response to the HIV epidemic.

PubMed Central

Pérez-Stable, E J

1991-01-01

BACKGROUND: Cuba's response to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic has been to conduct mass testing of the population to ascertain seroprevalence, to enforce mandatory relative quarantine of persons testing positive, and to implement educational interventions using media and school-based programs. METHODS: Interview with the Vice-Minister of Health and review of available data. RESULTS: Reports to date show a very low seroprevalence rate without evidence of a widespread epidemic. Sexual contact with foreign-born persons is the primary risk factor. Possible advantages of Cuba's policy include rapid reduction in the risk of HIV transmission by infected blood products, an opportunity for focused education and secondary prevention, and limitation of new infections. Possible disadvantages include the restriction of individual freedom in those who are not guilty of any illegal act, quarantine of persons with false positive HIV tests, and ongoing transmission because of the incomplete nature of the quarantine. The policy is expensive and may displace other public health priorities. The content of the media-based educational interventions has emphasized rational medical information in unimaginative formats with a limited focus on prevention. CONCLUSIONS: The issue of personal responsibility for behavioral change versus government imposed regulations is at the core of Cuba's HIV policy. The quarantine policy may paradoxically permit most Cubans to feel that they are personally invulnerable to the HIV epidemic. PMID:2014854

Cuba's response to the HIV epidemic.

PubMed

Pérez-Stable, E J

1991-05-01

Cuba's response to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic has been to conduct mass testing of the population to ascertain seroprevalence, to enforce mandatory relative quarantine of persons testing positive, and to implement educational interventions using media and school-based programs. Interview with the Vice-Minister of Health and review of available data. Reports to date show a very low seroprevalence rate without evidence of a widespread epidemic. Sexual contact with foreign-born persons is the primary risk factor. Possible advantages of Cuba's policy include rapid reduction in the risk of HIV transmission by infected blood products, an opportunity for focused education and secondary prevention, and limitation of new infections. Possible disadvantages include the restriction of individual freedom in those who are not guilty of any illegal act, quarantine of persons with false positive HIV tests, and ongoing transmission because of the incomplete nature of the quarantine. The policy is expensive and may displace other public health priorities. The content of the media-based educational interventions has emphasized rational medical information in unimaginative formats with a limited focus on prevention. The issue of personal responsibility for behavioral change versus government imposed regulations is at the core of Cuba's HIV policy. The quarantine policy may paradoxically permit most Cubans to feel that they are personally invulnerable to the HIV epidemic.

Cholera with severe renal failure in an Italian tourist returning from Cuba, July 2013.

PubMed

Mascarello, M; Deiana, M L; Maurel, C; Lucarelli, C; Luzzi, I; Luzzati, R

2013-08-29

In July 2013, an Italian tourist returning from Cuba was hospitalised in Trieste, Italy, for cholera caused by Vibrio cholerae O1 serotype Ogawa with severe renal failure. An outbreak of cholera was reported in Cuba in January 2013. Physicians should consider the diagnosis of cholera in travellers returning from Cuba presenting with acute watery diarrhoea.

Acute myocardial infarction mortality in Cuba, 1999-2008.

PubMed

Armas, Nurys B; Ortega, Yanela Y; de la Noval, Reinaldo; Suárez, Ramón; Llerena, Lorenzo; Dueñas, Alfredo F

2012-10-01

Acute myocardial infarction is one of the leading causes of death in the world. This is also true in Cuba, where no national-level epidemiologic studies of related mortality have been published in recent years. Describe acute myocardial infarction mortality in Cuba from 1999 through 2008. A descriptive study was conducted of persons aged ≥25 years with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction from 1999 through 2008. Data were obtained from the Ministry of Public Health's National Statistics Division database for variables: age; sex; site (out of hospital, in hospital or in hospital emergency room) and location (jurisdiction) of death. Proportions, age- and sex-specific rates and age-standardized overall rates per 100,000 population were calculated and compared over time, using the two five-year time frames within the study period. A total of 145,808 persons who had suffered acute myocardial infarction were recorded, 75,512 of whom died, for a case-fatality rate of 51.8% (55.1% in 1999-2003 and 49.7% in 2004-2008). In the first five-year period, mortality was 98.9 per 100,000 population, falling to 81.8 per 100,000 in the second; most affected were people aged ≥75 years and men. Of Cuba's 14 provinces and special municipality, Havana, Havana City and Camagüey provinces, and the Isle of Youth Special Municipality showed the highest mortality; Holguín, Ciego de Ávila and Granma provinces the lowest. Out-of-hospital deaths accounted for the greatest proportion of deaths in both five-year periods (54.8% and 59.2% in 1999-2003 and 2004-2008, respectively). Although risk of death from acute myocardial infarction decreased through the study period, it remains a major health problem in Cuba. A national acute myocardial infarction case registry is needed. Also required is further research to help elucidate possible causes of Cuba's high acute myocardial infarction mortality: cardiovascular risk studies, studies of out-of-hospital mortality and quality of care

Increased sex ratio in Russia and Cuba after Chernobyl: a radiological hypothesis.

PubMed

Scherb, Hagen; Kusmierz, Ralf; Voigt, Kristina

2013-08-15

The ratio of male to female offspring at birth may be a simple and non-invasive way to monitor the reproductive health of a population. Except in societies where selective abortion skews the sex ratio, approximately 105 boys are born for every 100 girls. Generally, the human sex ratio at birth is remarkably constant in large populations. After the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in April 1986, a long lasting significant elevation in the sex ratio has been found in Russia, i.e. more boys or fewer girls compared to expectation were born. Recently, also for Cuba an escalated sex ratio from 1987 onward has been documented and discussed in the scientific literature. By the end of the eighties of the last century in Cuba as much as about 60% of the food imports were provided by the former Soviet Union. Due to its difficult economic situation, Cuba had neither the necessary insight nor the political strength to circumvent the detrimental genetic effects of imported radioactively contaminated foodstuffs after Chernobyl. We propose that the long term stable sex ratio increase in Cuba is essentially due to ionizing radiation. A synoptic trend analysis of Russian and Cuban annual sex ratios discloses upward jumps in 1987. The estimated jump height from 1986 to 1987 in Russia measures 0.51% with a 95% confidence interval (0.28, 0.75), p value < 0.0001. In Cuba the estimated jump height measures 2.99% (2.39, 3.60), p value < 0.0001. The hypothesis may be tested by reconstruction of imports from the world markets to Cuba and by radiological analyses of remains in Cuba for Cs-137 and Sr-90. If the evidence for the hypothesis is strengthened, there is potential to learn about genetic radiation risks and to prevent similar effects in present and future exposure situations.

Baseline research for action: adolescent alcohol consumption in Los Palacios Municipality, Cuba.

PubMed

Díaz, Yolanda; Espinosa, Yairelis

2013-04-01

In Cuba, alcohol is an important contributor to morbidity, mortality and social problems. The foundation of Cuba's universal primary health care coverage, family doctor-and-nurse offices play a critical role in prevention, early detection and treatment of alcohol abuse. Los Palacios Municipality of the westernmost province of Pinar del Río, Cuba, is a socially complex, periurban area where alcohol abuse and alcoholism have been identified as important health problems. Adolescents constitute a population at high risk for alcohol abuse because of their receptivity to social influences, but the precise extent of the problem is unknown. This paper reports baseline findings from a survey and direct observation of alcohol consumption in the catchment area of a primary care center, conducted to inform planning for an educational intervention. KEYWORDS Alcohol, alcoholism, alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, adolescence, primary health care, Cuba.

Orienete Province, eastern end of Cuba as seen from Gemini 7 spacecraft

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-12-05

S65-63826 (5 Dec. 1965) --- Oriente Province, eastern end of Cuba, as seen from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Gemini-7 spacecraft during its 14th revolution of Earth. Guantanamo Bay is in the center of the picture on the southern coast of Cuba. Santiago de Cuba is located about one inch from the bottom edge of the picture, or about three inches westward down the coast from Guantanamo. This photograph was taken with a modified 70mm Hasselblad camera, using Eastman Kodak, Ektachrome MS (S.O. 217) color film. Photo credit: NASA

Time for a New Cuba Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-11

achieve. It is time for the United States to pursue its national interests with regard to Cuba and implement a completely new policy in order to improve regional security and economic stability in Latin America.

Four decades of kidney transplantation in Cuba.

PubMed

Alfonzo, Jorge P

2013-01-01

This article describes the background, beginnings, development, evolution and outcomes of kidney transplantation in Cuba. Nephrology as a medical specialty in Cuba began in 1962 and was formalized in 1966. Conditions were created to implement renal replacement therapy (including transplants), bring nephrology care to the entire country and train human resources who would assume this responsibility, making Cuba one of the first countries with a comprehensive program for renal patient care. After three unsuccessful cadaveric-donor kidney transplantations in 1968-69, the ensuing history of kidney transplantation can be summarized in the following three stages. 1970-1975: In January 1970, cadaveric-donor kidney transplantation began at the Nephrology Institute. That year, 17 kidney transplantations were performed; four of these patients lived with functional kidneys for 15-25 years; 10-year graft survival was 23.5% (Kaplan-Meier survival curve); HLA typing began in 1974. By December 1975, 170 grafts had been done in three hospitals. 1976-1985: Seven transplantation centers performed 893 grafts during this period. HLA-DR typing was introduced in 1976 and the National Histocompatibility Laboratory Network was founded in 1978. The first related living-donor kidney transplantation was done in 1979. 1986-2011: The National Kidney Transplantation Coordinating Center and the National Kidney Transplantation Program were created in 1986; the first combined kidney-pancreas transplantation was performed the same year. In 1990, cyclosporine and the Cuban monoclonal antibody IOR-T3 were introduced for immunosuppression to prevent rejection, as were other Cuban products (hepatitis B vaccine and recombinant human erythropoietin) for transplant patients. By December 2011, the cumulative number of transplants was 4636 (384 from related living donors). With over 40 years of experience, kidney transplantation is now well established in Cuba; it is free and universally accessible, on the

American Delegation Is Blocked from Attending an Academic Conference in Cuba.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haworth, Karla

1997-01-01

American academics planning to attend an international conference on operations research in Cuba, including the keynote speaker, had to cancel plans when the Treasury Department did not approve licenses they needed to spend money in Cuba. They claim the lack of approval was for political reasons, but the government claims the application was…

Fifty years of Cuba's medical diplomacy: from idealism to pragmatism.

PubMed

Feinsilver, Julie M

2010-01-01

Medical diplomacy, the collaboration between countries to simultaneously produce health benefits and improve relations, has been a cornerstone of Cuban foreign policy since the outset of the revolution fifty years ago. It has helped Cuba garner symbolic capital (goodwill, influence, and prestige) well beyond what would have been possible for a small, developing country, and it has contributed to making Cuba a player on the world stage. In recent years, medical diplomacy has been instrumental in providing considerable material capital (aid, credit, and trade), as the oil-for-doctors deals with Venezuela demonstrates. This has helped keep the revolution afloat in trying economic times. What began as the implementation of the one of the core values of the revolution, namely health as a basic human right for all peoples, has continued as both an idealistic and a pragmatic pursuit. This article examines the factors that enabled Cuba to conduct medical diplomacy over the past fifty years, the rationale behind the conduct of this type of soft power politics, the results of that effort, and the mix of idealism and pragmatism that has characterized the experience. Moreover, it presents a typology of medical diplomacy that Cuba has used over the past fifty years.

Increased sex ratio in Russia and Cuba after Chernobyl: a radiological hypothesis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The ratio of male to female offspring at birth may be a simple and non-invasive way to monitor the reproductive health of a population. Except in societies where selective abortion skews the sex ratio, approximately 105 boys are born for every 100 girls. Generally, the human sex ratio at birth is remarkably constant in large populations. After the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in April 1986, a long lasting significant elevation in the sex ratio has been found in Russia, i.e. more boys or fewer girls compared to expectation were born. Recently, also for Cuba an escalated sex ratio from 1987 onward has been documented and discussed in the scientific literature. Presentation of the hypothesis By the end of the eighties of the last century in Cuba as much as about 60% of the food imports were provided by the former Soviet Union. Due to its difficult economic situation, Cuba had neither the necessary insight nor the political strength to circumvent the detrimental genetic effects of imported radioactively contaminated foodstuffs after Chernobyl. We propose that the long term stable sex ratio increase in Cuba is essentially due to ionizing radiation. Testing of the hypothesis A synoptic trend analysis of Russian and Cuban annual sex ratios discloses upward jumps in 1987. The estimated jump height from 1986 to 1987 in Russia measures 0.51% with a 95% confidence interval (0.28, 0.75), p value < 0.0001. In Cuba the estimated jump height measures 2.99% (2.39, 3.60), p value < 0.0001. The hypothesis may be tested by reconstruction of imports from the world markets to Cuba and by radiological analyses of remains in Cuba for Cs-137 and Sr-90. Implications of the hypothesis If the evidence for the hypothesis is strengthened, there is potential to learn about genetic radiation risks and to prevent similar effects in present and future exposure situations. PMID:23947741

3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of... the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation... aircraft in international airspace north of Cuba. On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation 7757, the national...

3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of... the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation... aircraft in international airspace north of Cuba. On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation 7757, the national...

3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of... the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation... aircraft in international airspace north of Cuba. On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation 7757, the national...

Physics and Women: A Challenge Being Successfully Met in Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arias de Fuentes, Olimpia

The history of physics in Cuba, like all the country's educational and scientific development, cannot be understood without taking into account its close relationship with the social changes that took place in Cuba during the five decades elapsed since 1959. This should include due consideration to the role played by women in this process, all the more since the link between science and gender is now generally regarded as a subject of growing special interest

Cuba: Clearing Perilous Waters?

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-01-01

tourists and earn dollars—were precisely the ones benefiting most from the "dollarization" of the economy in 1993, a move that decriminalized the...fragmented. As with many dissident and opposition groups today, they probably would be divided by ideological, gen- erational, and racial differences. The...intensifying racial animosities stemming from the Castro era. Cuba is thus left ideologically, politically, and racially divided. The new government’s

3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency Relating to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of Vessels... Emergency Relating to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and... north of Cuba. On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation 7757, the national emergency was extended and its...

3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency Relating to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of Vessels... Emergency Relating to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and... north of Cuba. In July 1996 and on subsequent occasions, the Cuban government stated its intent to...

Impressions of the Republic of Cuba. A Report by a Delegation of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities to the Republic of Cuba, December 2-10, 1978.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Carol R., Ed.

Impressions of the Republic of Cuba are presented based on a visit to Cuba in 1978 by a delegation of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. The following topics are discussed: the Cuban educational system, Cuban postsecondary education, goals of postsecondary education, elementary education, vocational and technical…

The US blockade and Cuba's AIDS sanatoria system.

PubMed

Landau, J G

1998-01-01

Cuba's low rate of HIV infection is due to several factors that include early HIV detection campaigns, the sanatoria system, and the U.S. embargo that has restricted sex tourism and drugs. People diagnosed with HIV are scheduled for entry into the sanatoria system within their province. Food and medical care are guaranteed in the sanatoria, as are educational opportunities and work for the unskilled, a powerful incentive in an impoverished nation. Ironically, while the U.S. embargo partly contributes to keeping the HIV infection rate low, it also is severely and adversely affecting public health in Cuba by creating widespread shortages in medical care resources.

Effect of the Cu/Ba ratio for the YBCO deposition onto IBAD template by the MOCVD method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, J. K.; Kim, H. J.; Jun, B. H.; Kim, C. J.

2005-10-01

YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) thin films were fabricated by the metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using a single liquid source. The copper/barium (Cu/Ba) ratio was varied from 1.26 to 1.38 to optimize the deposition condition. The IBAD template (CeO2/YSZ/stainless steel) was used as a substrate. The growth features of the YBCO films were not significantly influenced by the Cu/Ba ratio, while the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) and critical current (Ic) depended on the Cu/Ba ratio. When Cu/Ba ratio was between 1.26 and 1.29, Tc was as low as 80 K, while as Cu/Ba ratio increased to 1.38, it increased to above 85 K. The highest Tc (89.0 K) and Ic (46.3 A/cm-width) were achieved at the Cu/Ba ratio of 1.38 (Y:Ba:Cu = 1:2.1:2.9). It indicates that the optimum Cu/Ba ratio which differs from stoichiometric balance exists for the formation of the superconducting phase with a high Tc and Ic in MOCVD method.

A review of the genus Berosus Leach of Cuba (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae)

PubMed Central

Deler-Hernández, Albert; Fikáček, Martin; Cala-Riquelme, Franklyn

2013-01-01

Abstract The Cuban fauna of the genus Berosus Leach, 1817 is reviewed based on newly collected material as well as historical and type specimens. Nine species are recognized, including three recorded from Cuba for the first time: Berosus infuscatus LeConte, 1855, Berosus interstitialis Knisch, 1924 (= Berosus stribalus Orchymont, 1946 syn. n.) and Berosus metalliceps Sharp, 1882. Only one of the nine Cuban species, Berosus chevrolati, remains endemic to Cuba, as two other species previously considered as endemic to Cuba are recorded from elsewhere: Berosus quadridens from Mexico and Central America and Berosus trilobus from the Dominican Republic. Notes on biology and Cuban distribution are provided for all nine species. Berosus quadridens Chevrolat, 1863, stat. restit. is removed from synonym with Berosus truncatipennis and considered a valid species. PMID:23794806

EL MANEJO DE LA BIODIVERSIDAD EN EL SIGLO XXI

Treesearch

ARIEL E. LUGO

2001-01-01

ser humano está transformando rápidamente el planeta Tierra (Meyer y Turner, 1994; Vitousek et al., 1997a). Su actividad tiene efectos globales que modifican el ambiente terrícola (Tabla I). Estos cambios, que comenzaron con la revolución industrial del siglo XIX, serán más notables en el siglo XXI en lo que se ha denominado la era Homogeocena donde el efecto dominante...

Phylodynamics of the HIV-1 epidemic in Cuba.

PubMed

Delatorre, Edson; Bello, Gonzalo

2013-01-01

Previous studies have shown that the HIV-1 epidemic in Cuba displayed a complex molecular epidemiologic profile with circulation of several subtypes and circulating recombinant forms (CRF); but the evolutionary and population history of those viral variants remains unknown. HIV-1 pol sequences of the most prevalent Cuban lineages (subtypes B, C and G, CRF18_cpx, CRF19_cpx, and CRFs20/23/24_BG) isolated between 1999 and 2011 were analyzed. Maximum-likelihood analyses revealed multiple introductions of subtype B (n≥66), subtype C (n≥10), subtype G (n≥8) and CRF18_cpx (n≥2) viruses in Cuba. The bulk of HIV-1 infections in this country, however, was caused by dissemination of a few founder strains probably introduced from North America/Europe (clades B(CU-I) and B(CU-II)), east Africa (clade C(CU-I)) and central Africa (clades G(CU), CRF18(CU) and CRF19(CU)), or locally generated (clades CRFs20/23/24_BG). Bayesian-coalescent analyses show that the major HIV-1 founder strains were introduced into Cuba during 1985-1995; whereas the CRFs_BG strains emerged in the second half of the 1990s. Most HIV-1 Cuban clades appear to have experienced an initial period of fast exponential spread during the 1990s and early 2000s, followed by a more recent decline in growth rate. The median initial growth rate of HIV-1 Cuban clades ranged from 0.4 year⁻¹ to 1.6 year⁻¹. Thus, the HIV-1 epidemic in Cuba has been a result of the successful introduction of a few viral strains that began to circulate at a rather late time of the AIDS pandemic, but then were rapidly disseminated through local transmission networks.

75 FR 8791 - Continuation of the National Emergency Relating to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-25

... to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of... February 23, 2010 Continuation of the National Emergency Relating to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority....-registered civilian aircraft in international airspace north of Cuba. On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation...

Theological Higher Education in Cuba: Part 2--Origins and Ministry of Protestant Seminaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esqueda, Octavio J.

2007-01-01

This article provides an overview of the main Protestant theological seminaries in Cuba: Western Cuba Baptist Seminary, Cedars of Lebanon Seminary, The New Pines Evangelical Seminary, Evangelical Theological Seminary, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center, Nazarene Theological Seminary and International School of Theology. The history and…

Mathematics and Physics in Cuba Before 1959: A Personal Recollection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altshuler, José

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the formal inauguration of the Republic of Cuba (May 20, 1902), the then Historian of the City of Havana, Emilio Roig de Leuchsenring, decided to publish a memorial volume which would include various special studies on the progress made in the country during the preceding half century with regard to specific aspects of national collective life. The volume, entitled Facetas de la vida de Cuba republicana, 1902-1952 (Facets of Life in Republican Cuba, 1902-1952) appeared in print in 1954. Its publication was delayed—as Roig explained in his prologue, somewhat cryptically—"due to causes beyond our control or of that of the Cuban writers to whom we entrusted the preparation of the said studies." Needless to say, the causes referred to were none other than those derived from the atmosphere of political unrest in the country after the military coup staged in March 1952 by former strongman, General Batista.

Case Study in International Cooperation: Cuba's Molecular Immunology Center and Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

PubMed

Evans, Rachel; Reid, Mary; Segal, Brahm; Abrams, Scott I; Lee, Kelvin

2018-04-01

In 1961, the USA severed diplomatic relations with Cuba, and in 1962 an embargo was imposed on trade and financial relations with that country. It was not until five decades later that the USA and Cuba would reestablish relations. This opened the way for the New York State Trade Mission to Cuba in April 2015, during which Cuba's Molecular Immunology Center and Buffalo, New York's Roswell Park Cancer Institute signed a formal agreement that would set in motion biotechnology research collaboration to address one of the most important causes of death in both countries. Significant research from Cuba led to this groundbreaking collaboration. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the development of this cooperation, from the Molecular Immunology Center's initial investigations, through the opening of a phase I clinical trial at Roswell Park Cancer Institute with therapies developed at the Center. This cooperation was responsible for the first clinical trial for CIMAvax-EGF involving advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients in the USA. A license was also approved by the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control authorizing a commercial partnership for development of biotechnology products, combining the cancer research efforts of both institutions. This unusual collaboration between Cuba and the USA-the US economic embargo and travel restrictions not withstanding-opens good prospects for expanded medical research between the two countries. While political and logistical challenges remain, the shared mission and dedication of these Cuban and US scientists points the way towards relationships that can lead to development, testing, approval and use of promising new therapies for cancer patients. KEYWORDS Biotechnology, clinical trials, cancer vaccines, cancer immunotherapy, non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC, Cuba, USA.

Reflections on Educational Reform in Cuba.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindahl, Ronald A.

1998-01-01

Reviews Cuban educational reforms, highlighting 1959, 1976, and 1980s initiatives. Compares Cuba's progress with John Kotter's eight-step process based on establishing a sense of urgency, creating a guiding coalition, developing and communicating the change vision, empowering broad-based action, generating short-term wins, consolidating gains, and…

Storm Warnings for Cuba

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-01-01

Services: Telephone: (310) 451-7002; Fax: (310) 451-6915; Internet : order@rand.org. al Accesion For "Ni %&’ Storm WarningsDTI’ TAB E03 --- - - -for...reaction leading to an uncontrol- lable burgeoning of private entrepreneurial activity. As one observer 14See Acuerdo del Buro Politico , "Para llevar a...34 10Comisi6n de Relaciones Internacionales, Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular, Datos, Reflexiones y Argumentos Sobre la Actual Situaci6n de Cuba, n.p

Diversidad haplotípica en el manatí Trichechus manatus en Cuba: resultados preliminares

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hernandez-Martinez, Damir; Alvarez-Aleman, Anmari; Bonde, Robert K.; Powell, James A.; Garcia-Machado, Erik

2013-01-01

The aim of this analysis was to obtain information regarding the mtDNA haplotype composition of the manatee (T. manatus) occupying the Cuban archipelago. A fragment of 410 bp of the non-coding region was analyzed for 12 individual manatees from Cuba and one from Florida, USA. Only two haplotypes were identified. Haplotype A1, found exclusively in Florida (including in the sample analyzed here) but also found in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, was the most frequent haplotype (11 of the 12 samples from Cuba) and widely distributed. The second haplotype A3, previously referred to as endemic from Belize, was identified from an individual stranded in Isabela de Sagua, north of Cuba. These preliminary results provide information about three major aspects of manatee biology: (1) the mtDNA genetic diversity of T. manatus in Cuba seems low as compared to other regions of the Caribbean; (2) the Cuban population likely belongs to the group comprising Florida and the portions of the Greater Antilles; and (3) the territories of Belize and Cuba have exchanged individuals at present or in a relatively recent past.

78 FR 13207 - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-26

...--Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the... Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of... north of Cuba. On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation 7757, the national emergency was extended and its...

76 FR 11071 - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-28

...--Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the... Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of... north of Cuba. On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation 7757, the national emergency was extended and its...

Cuba: Issues for 111th Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-14

Humanos y Reconciliacion Nacional, “Cuba en el año 2009: la situacíon de derechos civiles, políticos y económicos,” February 2, 2009. 13 Anita Snow...park. On April 21, 2008, ten members of the Ladies in White were 12 Comision Cubana de Derechos

Jurassic-Cretaceous Composite Total Petroleum System and Geologic Assessment of Oil and Gas Resources of the North Cuba Basin, Cuba

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2008-01-01

The purpose of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) World Oil and Gas Assessment is to develop geologically based hypotheses regarding the potential for additions to oil and gas reserves in priority areas of the world. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the North Cuba Basin. The assessment is based on the geologic elements of the total petroleum system (TPS) defined in the province, including petroleum source rocks (source-rock maturation, generation, and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy and petrophysical properties), and petroleum traps (Trap formation and timing). Using this geologic framework, the USGS defined a Jurassic-Cretaceous Total Petroleum System in the North Cuba Basin Province. Within this TPS, three assessment units were defined and assessed for undiscovered oil and gas resources.

Research colloquium on occupational respiratory diseases: a conference in Cuba (1984)

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

Rosenstock, L.; Orris, P.

At an international conference in Havana, Cuba, March 19-21, 1984, health professional from the US, Canada, and Cuba participated in a research colloquium on occupational lung diseases. Participants and speakers discussed the state of the art of knowledge, research, and management of key occupational lung diseases, and suggested directions for future efforts. Differences among the three countries in terms of the medical, economic, and social aspects of defining, treating, and compensating occupational diseases were also considered.

Rivulus berovidesi, a new killifish species (Teleostei: Rivulidae) from western Cuba.

PubMed

Silva, Rodet Rodriguez

2015-04-24

Rivulus berovidesi, a new killifish species, is described from a small stream in Sierra de Cajalbana, northwestern Cuba. It is readily distinguished from Rivulus cylindraceus Poey by the combination of an exclusive color pattern and meristic characters such as a d-type frontal scalation pattern (versus e-type pattern in Rivulus cylindraceus). The current diagnosis of Rivulus berovidesi based on chromatic, morphological and meristic characters is consistent with a recent molecular analysis of this genus in Cuba.

HIV-1 Genetic Variability in Cuba and Implications for Transmission and Clinical Progression.

PubMed

Blanco, Madeline; Machado, Liuber Y; Díaz, Héctor; Ruiz, Nancy; Romay, Dania; Silva, Eladio

2015-10-01

INTRODUCTION Serological and molecular HIV-1 studies in Cuba have shown very low prevalence of seropositivity, but an increasing genetic diversity attributable to introduction of many HIV-1 variants from different areas, exchange of such variants among HIV-positive people with several coinciding routes of infection and other epidemiologic risk factors in the seropositive population. The high HIV-1 genetic variability observed in Cuba has possible implications for transmission and clinical progression. OBJECTIVE Study genetic variability for the HIV-1 env, gag and pol structural genes in Cuba; determine the prevalence of B and non-B subtypes according to epidemiologic and behavioral variables and determine whether a relationship exists between genetic variability and transmissibility, and between genetic variability and clinical disease progression in people living with HIV/AIDS. METHODS Using two molecular assays (heteroduplex mobility assay and nucleic acid sequencing), structural genes were characterized in 590 people with HIV-1 (480 men and 110 women), accounting for 3.4% of seropositive individuals in Cuba as of December 31, 2013. Nonrandom sampling, proportional to HIV prevalence by province, was conducted. Relationships between molecular results and viral factors, host characteristics, and patients' clinical, epidemiologic and behavioral variables were studied for molecular epidemiology, transmission, and progression analyses. RESULTS Molecular analysis of the three HIV-1 structural genes classified 297 samples as subtype B (50.3%), 269 as non-B subtypes (45.6%) and 24 were not typeable. Subtype B prevailed overall and in men, mainly in those who have sex with men. Non-B subtypes were prevalent in women and heterosexual men, showing multiple circulating variants and recombinant forms. Sexual transmission was the predominant form of infection for all. B and non-B subtypes were encountered throughout Cuba. No association was found between subtypes and

Studies in neotropical paleobotany. XIV. A palynoflora from the middle Eocene Saramaguacan formation of Cuba

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, A.; Cozadd, D.; Areces-Mallea, A.; Frederiksen, N.O.

2000-01-01

An assemblage of 46 fossil pollen and spore types is described from a core drilled through the middle Eocene Saramaguacan Formation, Camaguey Province, eastern Cuba. Many of the specimens represent unidentified or extinct taxa but several can be identified to family (Palmae, Bombacaceae, Gramineae, Moraceae, Myrtaceae) and some to genus (Pteris, Crudia, Lymingtonia?). The paleo-climate was warm-temperate to subtropical which is consistent with other floras in the region of comparable age and with the global paleotemperature curve. Older plate tectonic models show a variety of locations for proto-Cuba during Late Cretaceous and later times, including along the norther coast of South America. More recent models depict western and central Cuba as two separate parts until the Eocene, and eastern Cuba (joined to northern Hispaniola) docking to central Cuba also in the Eocene. All fragments are part of the North American Plate and none were directly connected with northern South America in late Mesozoic or Cenozoic time. The Saramaguacan flora supports this model because the assemblage is distinctly North American in affinities, with only one type (Retimonocolpites type 1) found elsewhere only in South America.

HIV/AIDS among women in Havana, Cuba: 1986-2011.

PubMed

Oliva, Dinorah C; Viñas, Arturo L; Saavedra, Clarivel; Oliva, Maritza; González, Ciro; de la Torre, Caridad

2013-10-01

Women are being diagnosed with HIV infection in increasing numbers, and now account for 50% of cases worldwide. In Cuba, HIV is more frequent in men, but in recent years, a growing number of women have been diagnosed. Describe patterns of HIV among women in Havana, Cuba, 1986-2011. Descriptive study of women with HIV aged >14 years, residents of Havana, Cuba, who were diagnosed with HIV from 1 January 1986 through 31 December 2011. Information was obtained from the limited-access HIV/AIDS database of Cuba's Ministry of Public Health. Data were studied from all reported cases, a total of 1274 women. Variables selected were age at diagnosis, education, municipality of residence, screening group, year of HIV diagnosis, late presentation, AIDS-defining condition, year of diagnosis as AIDS case, vital status at the end of 2011, and year of death (if applicable). Incidence of HIV and AIDS, cumulative incidence by municipality of residence, and case fatality rates were calculated. Those aged 20-29 years were most affected by HIV. Almost half (46.7%) the women had completed middle school, and a further 35.4% had completed high school or middle-level technical studies. HIV incidence began to increase more steeply starting in 1998, as did AIDS incidence by year of diagnosis, though to a lesser extent. Central Havana and Old Havana municipalities had the highest cumulative incidence. Late presentation was seen in 7.4% of cases; mean age of those diagnosed late was 38.9 years. Wasting syndrome and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia were the most frequent AIDS-defining conditions. Case fatality rates started to decline in 1998. HIV infection in women is occurring in a predominantly young, relatively well-educated population. Increasing rates of HIV and AIDS in the past decade are a warning sign of the possible expansion of HIV infection in women, even though mortality is declining.

Forest nursery pest management in Cuba

Treesearch

Rene Alberto Lopez Castilla; Angela Duarte Casanova; Celia Guerra Rivero; Haylett Cruz Escoto; Natividad Triguero Issasi

2002-01-01

A systematic survey of methods to detect pests in forest nurseries before they damage plants was done. These surveys recorded the most important forest nursery pests during 18 years (from 1980 to 1998) and their geographical and temporal distribution in the principal enterprises in Cuba. Approximately a dozen insect species and three fungi species responsible for the...

A New Approach to Health Services and Pharmacy in Cuba.

PubMed

Sánchez, Alina M

2015-12-01

In December 17, 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama surprised the world by announcing his intention to enter into negotiations aimed at reestablishing diplomatic relations with Cuba. Since then, expectations and interest regarding the health system of that country have increased. This report focuses on the Cuban health and pharmacy systems from a practical and educational standpoint. Pharmaceutical services, strengths, opportunities, and challenges are described. Cuba's new trends toward patient-centered care are analyzed to provide insights for developing pharmaceutical care practice and implementing policies suitable for practice in all health care settings. © 2015 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

[A battle won: the elimination of poliomyelitis in Cuba].

PubMed

Chaple, Enrique Beldarraín

2015-01-01

Poliomyelitis was introduced in Cuba in the late nineteenth century by American residents in Isla de Pinos. The first epidemics occurred in 1906 and 1909 and increased in intensity between 1930 and 1958. The scope of the paper is to reconstruct the history of the disease and its epidemics in Cuba prior to 1961, the first National Polio Vaccination Campaign (1962) and its results, as well as analyze the ongoing annual vaccination campaigns through to certified elimination of the disease (1994). The logical historical method was used and archival documents and statistics from the Ministry of Health on morbidity and mortality through 2000 were reviewed. Gross morbidity and mortality rates were calculated and interviews with key figures were conducted.

Solenoptera Audinet-Serville, 1832 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae, Solenopterini) in Cuba, with description of a new species.

PubMed

Devesa, Sergio; Fonseca, Elier; Barro, Alejandro

2016-11-02

The genus Solenoptera Audinet-Serville in Cuba is reviewed and S. zayasi sp. nov. is described from Cuba. The following nomenclatural changes are proposed: 1) S. fraudulenta Galileo & Martins, 1993 is synonymized with S. dominicensis Gahan, 1890; 2) S. cubana (Zayas, 1975) is transferred from Prosternodes cubanus Zayas, 1975. Furthermore, S. dominicensis is removed from the Cuban fauna and new localities for S. cubana are recorded. A key to all three Solenoptera species known from Cuba, both for males and females, is included.

Economic and Security Reasons Why the U.S. Should Normalize Relations with Cuba

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

45 “Overview of Cuban Business Environment.” 27 Table 2. Active International Economic...reveals the depth and variety of Cuba’s FDI. By the end of 2000, the approximately 400 joint ventures in business in Cuba by the end of 2000...47 “Cuba Facts.” 48 “Overview of Cuban Business Environment.” 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 1993 1994 1995

Origin of invasive Florida frogs traced to Cuba

PubMed Central

Heinicke, Matthew P.; Diaz, Luis M.; Hedges, S. Blair

2011-01-01

Two of the earliest examples of successful invasive amphibians are the greenhouse frog (Eleutherodactylus planirostris) and the Cuban treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) in Florida. Although both are generally assumed to be recent introductions, they are widespread on Caribbean islands and also have been proposed as natural colonizers. We obtained nucleotide sequence data for both species and their closest relatives in their native and introduced ranges. Phylogenetic analyses trace the origin of E. planirostris to a small area in western Cuba, while O. septentrionalis is derived from at least two Cuban sources, one probably a remote peninsula in western Cuba. The tropical-to-temperate invasion began with colonization of the Florida Keys followed by human-mediated dispersal within peninsular Florida. The subtropical Keys may have served as an adaptive stepping stone for the successful invasion of the North American continent. PMID:21270024

8 CFR 1245.13 - Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. 1245.13 Section 1245.13 Aliens and Nationality... nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. (a) Aliens eligible to apply for adjustment. An... Nicaragua or Cuba; (2) Except as provided in paragraph (o) of this section, has been physically present in...

8 CFR 1245.13 - Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. 1245.13 Section 1245.13 Aliens and Nationality... nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. (a) Aliens eligible to apply for adjustment. An... Nicaragua or Cuba; (2) Except as provided in paragraph (o) of this section, has been physically present in...

8 CFR 1245.13 - Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. 1245.13 Section 1245.13 Aliens and Nationality... nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. (a) Aliens eligible to apply for adjustment. An... Nicaragua or Cuba; (2) Except as provided in paragraph (o) of this section, has been physically present in...

8 CFR 1245.13 - Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. 1245.13 Section 1245.13 Aliens and Nationality... nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. (a) Aliens eligible to apply for adjustment. An... Nicaragua or Cuba; (2) Except as provided in paragraph (o) of this section, has been physically present in...

8 CFR 1245.13 - Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. 1245.13 Section 1245.13 Aliens and Nationality... nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. (a) Aliens eligible to apply for adjustment. An... Nicaragua or Cuba; (2) Except as provided in paragraph (o) of this section, has been physically present in...

The Cuba-United States Thaw: Building Bridges Through Science and Global Health.

PubMed

Bausch, Daniel G; Kouri, Vivian; Resik, Sonia; Acosta, Belsy; Guillen, Gerardo; Goraleski, Karen; Espinal, Marcos; Guzman, Maria G

2017-06-01

AbstractBeginning in 2014, there has been significant progress in normalization of relations between Cuba and the United States. Herein, we discuss the history and recent progress in scientific collaboration between the two countries as well as the continued challenges. Science and global health diplomacy can be key tools in reestablishing a trusting and productive relationship of mutual and global benefit, bringing about better and healthier lives for people in both Cuba and the United States.

In Defense of Clinical Autopsy and Its Practice in Cuba.

PubMed

Espinosa-Brito, Alfredo D; de Mendoza-Amat, José Hurtado

2017-01-01

There has been a notable decrease in the global practice of clinical autopsy; the rate has fallen to below 10%, even in high-income countries. This is attributed to several causes, including increased costs, overreliance on modern diagnostic techniques, cultural and religious factors, the emergence of new infectious diseases and negative attitudes on the part of doctors, even pathologists. Alternative methods to autopsy in postmortem studies have been developed based on imaging, endoscopy and biopsy (all quite expensive). These methods have been used in developed countries but never as effectively as the classic autopsy for identifying cause of death and potential medical errors. Although Cuba has also seen a decrease in its autopsy rates, they remain comparatively high. Between 1996 and 2015, there were 687,689 hospital deaths in Cuba and 381,193 autopsies, 55.4% of the total. These autopsies have positively affected medical care, training, research, innovation, management and society as a whole. Autopsies are an important tool in the National Health System's quest for safe, quality patient care based on the lessons learned from studying the deceased. KEYWORDS Autopsy, postmortem examination, postmortem diagnosis, quality of care, patient safety, medical error, Cuba.

31 CFR 515.560 - Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction. 515.560 Section 515.560 Money and Finance... Licensing Policy § 515.560 Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S... guidelines with respect to Cuba or engaged in by U.S.-owned or -controlled foreign firms (general and...

31 CFR 515.560 - Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction. 515.560 Section 515.560 Money and Finance... Licensing Policy § 515.560 Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S... Department of Commerce regulations and guidelines with respect to Cuba or engaged in by U.S.-owned or...

31 CFR 515.560 - Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction. 515.560 Section 515.560 Money and Finance... Licensing Policy § 515.560 Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S... Department of Commerce regulations and guidelines with respect to Cuba or engaged in by U.S.-owned or...

31 CFR 515.560 - Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction. 515.560 Section 515.560 Money and Finance... Licensing Policy § 515.560 Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S... Department of Commerce regulations and guidelines with respect to Cuba or engaged in by U.S.-owned or...

31 CFR 515.560 - Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction. 515.560 Section 515.560 Money and Finance... Licensing Policy § 515.560 Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S... Department of Commerce regulations and guidelines with respect to Cuba or engaged in by U.S.-owned or...

Cuba: Multidimensional numerical integration library

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hahn, Thomas

2016-08-01

The Cuba library offers four independent routines for multidimensional numerical integration: Vegas, Suave, Divonne, and Cuhre. The four algorithms work by very different methods, and can integrate vector integrands and have very similar Fortran, C/C++, and Mathematica interfaces. Their invocation is very similar, making it easy to cross-check by substituting one method by another. For further safeguarding, the output is supplemented by a chi-square probability which quantifies the reliability of the error estimate.

Geology of the manganese deposits of Cuba

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simons, Frank S.; Straczek, John A.

1958-01-01

Deposits of manganese ore have been found in five of the six provinces of Cuba and have been reported from the sixth.  Only Oriente and Pinar del Rio provinces have more than a few known deposits and only the deposits of Oriente have yielded any appreciable amount of ore.

Cuba: Issues for the 111th Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-18

April 21, 2008, ten members of the Ladies in White were 12 Comision Cubana de Derechos Humanos y...Reconciliacion Nacional, “Cuba en el año 2009: la situacíon de derechos civiles, políticos y económicos,” February 2, 2009. 13 Anita Snow, “Cuban

High proportion of mannosidosis and fucosidosis among lysosomal storage diseases in Cuba.

PubMed

Menéndez-Sainz, C; González-Quevedo, A; González-García, S; Peña-Sánchez, M; Giugliani, R

2012-08-13

Although lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are considered individually rare, as a group they present a non-negligible frequency. Few studies have been made of populational occurrence of LSDs; they have been conducted predominantly on Caucasian populations. We studied the occurrence of LSDs in Cuba. Data from individuals who had been referred to the Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery in Havana from hospitals all over the country between January 1990 and December 2005 were analyzed. This institute was the only laboratory to provide enzyme-based diagnostic testing for 19 LSDs in Cuba during this period. Occurrence rates were calculated by dividing the number of postnatal diagnoses by the number of births during the study period. The combined occurrence of LSDs in Cuba was 5.6 per 100,000, lower than that reported in other studies conducted on Caucasian populations. The most frequent individual LSDs were: mucopolysaccharidosis type I (1.01 per 100,000) and, surprisingly, alpha-mannosidosis (0.72 per 100,000) and fucosidosis (0.62 per 100,000). These findings may be related to specific genetic characteristics and admixture of the Cuban population. This is the first comprehensive study of the occurrence of LSDs in Cuba. We conclude that the epidemiology of these diseases can vary regionally, and we stress the need for similar surveys in other Latin American countries.

8 CFR 245.13 - Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. 245.13 Section 245.13 Aliens and Nationality... PERMANENT RESIDENCE § 245.13 Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public... section 241(a)(5) of the Act, if the alien: (1) Is a national of Nicaragua or Cuba; (2) Except as provided...

8 CFR 245.13 - Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. 245.13 Section 245.13 Aliens and Nationality... PERMANENT RESIDENCE § 245.13 Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public... section 241(a)(5) of the Act, if the alien: (1) Is a national of Nicaragua or Cuba; (2) Except as provided...

Transverse tectonic zonation of Cuba and its significance for oil exploration

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

Levchenko, V.A.

The Laramide structures of Cuba and its continental shelf, which are oriented sublatitudinally, are divided into variously elevated blocks by transverse faults of submeridional strike, movements along which have occurred since the end of the Paleozoic. This division, inherited from the region's pre-Mesozoic stage of development, has determined the heterogeneous composition of the Cuban geosyncline's folded basement, which may be characterized by an alternation of areas of Paleozoic uplifts and intervening grabens filled with metamorphosed deposits of Early and Middle Jurassic and Triassic age, and also areas of oceanic crust. In the concluding phase of the Laramide orogeny, there weremore » northward strike-slip movements of individual blocks in the central part of Cuba. The oil potential of Cuba is associated mainly with the depressed blocks, above which the section through the Mesozoic deposits may be presumed to be more complete. The best potential for finding oil exists in the zones of the transverse regional faults along which there may have been both lateral and vertical migration of oil hydrocarbons in the stages of crustal upwarp and extension.« less

Cuba in Transition: Communism vs Charisma Who Will Emerge as Cuba’s Next Leader

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-04-04

38 Olivo Verde, Defense of the Socialist Homeland, 6 March 1986. 26 MajGen Frias LtGen Espinosa MajGen Sola Cuban forces.39 The FAR is...comprised of three separate branches: the Army (Ejercito 150,000 troops strong), the Navy [Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria (MG) 5,000 troops strong] and...Cintro Frias , and is headquartered in Havana. The Eastern Army Corps, is led by General Ramon Espinosa Martin, and is headquartered in Santiago de Cuba

Comparing the Role of Education in Serving Socioeconomic and Political Development in Tanzania and Cuba.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mtonga, Harry L.

1993-01-01

Compares Tanzania and Cuba to show how, in each case, the state has used education in political and socioeconomic development as a means of achieving socialism. In Cuba, the school system has contributed to creation of the new society, whereas Tanzania continues with piecemeal reconstruction of the educational system. (SLD)

Comparison of family planning in Cuba and Ireland.

PubMed

Smyth, Suzie; Stronge, Shirley

2015-08-26

Family planning gives individuals and couples control and choice over the number of children they have and the timing of their births. Developments in reproductive health have resulted in major changes in the options for family planning, providing more choice and control over fertility. This article explores reproductive health in the Republic of Cuba and the Republic of Ireland, with a focus on contraceptive use and termination of pregnancy as methods of family planning. The predominant religion in both countries is Catholicism, which promotes the right to life of the unborn child. The two countries have adopted different approaches to the availability of both contraception and termination of pregnancy. Cuba has offered free access to contraception and termination of pregnancy since the 1960s to reduce maternal mortality. In Ireland, contraception was not widely available until 1995 and termination of pregnancy is available only in extremely limited circumstances.

Eradication of poliomyelitis in Cuba: a historical perspective.

PubMed Central

Más Lago, P.

1999-01-01

The eradication of poliomyelitis in Cuba, for which effective vaccines had to be acquired, is reviewed in this article. The strategy for eradication was based on mass immunization campaigns for the annual delivery of two doses of trivalent Sabin oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV). Except during the first campaign in 1962, the ages of the children for immunization were determined through national serological surveys of the entire country, including rural and urban areas. The interruption of wild virus transmission had been suspected since 1967 in Cuba, and since 1970 no studies have detected any wild virus. The important role of political and social organizations in the success of the programme and in the execution of the mass immunization campaigns is underscored. Countries that have successfully interrupted poliovirus circulation should maintain high immunization coverage for as long as there are other countries in the world where poliovirus still exists. PMID:10516790

Tuberculosis mortality trends in cuba, 1998 to 2007.

PubMed

González, Edilberto; Risco, Grisel E; Borroto, Susana; Perna, Abel; Armas, Luisa

2009-01-01

Introduction Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of illness and death throughout the world. The World Health Organization's Global Plan to Stop TB 2006-2015 proposes that countries cut TB mortality by half compared to 1990 rates. In Cuba, TB mortality declined steadily throughout the 20th century, particularly after 1960. Objective Describe TB mortality distribution and trends in Cuba from January 1998 to December 2007 by infection site, sex, age and province, and determine progress towards the WHO's 2015 target for TB mortality reduction. Methods A time series ecological study was conducted. Death certificates stating TB as cause of death were obtained from the Ministry of Public Health's National Statistics Division, and population data by age group, sex, and province were obtained from the National Statistics Bureau. Crude and specific death rate trends and variation were analyzed. Results TB mortality declined from 0.4 per 100,000 population in 1998 to 0.2 (under half the 1990 rate) in 2007. Clinical forms of the disease, both pulmonary and extrapulmonary, also declined. The highest mortality rates were found in males and in the group aged ≥ 65 years. Rates were also highest in the capital, Havana, with extreme values of 0.73 and 0.39 per 100,000 population at the beginning and end of the period, respectively. Conclusions Deaths from TB declined steadily compared to total deaths and deaths caused by infectious diseases. The Global Plan to Stop TB target was met well ahead of 2015. If this trend continues, TB is likely to become an exceptional cause of death in Cuba.

Teaching American Diplomacy Using Primary Sources: Cuba

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraft, Michael; Anderson, David J.; Starbird, Caroline; Ertenberg, Samantha

2005-01-01

The purpose of this book is to allow high school students to examine the relationship between Cuba and the United States by studying a rich collection of primary materials and classroom-ready lessons which incorporate those materials. This book contains materials from 27 primary sources, including texts of speeches before the House and Senate,…

Knowledge of the Brain Death Concept Among the Population of Havana, Cuba.

PubMed

Ríos, A; López-Navas, A I; Sánchez, Á; Martinez-Alarcon, L; Ayala, M A; Garrido, G; Sebastián, M J; Ramis, G; Abdo-Cuza, A; Hernández, A; Ramírez, P; Parrilla, P

2018-03-01

One of the main reasons against organ donation is the fear of apparent death due to ignorance of the brain death concept. Our aim was to assess knowledge about and acceptance of the brain death concept among the population of Havana, Cuba. The population screened, stratified by gender and age, included those >15 years old and living in Havana, Cuba. The appraisal tool utilized was a questionnaire on attitude toward organ donation ("PCID-DTO Ríos"). A random selection of individuals were surveyed according to the stratification. Cuba's census data were used. The participation was anonymized and self-administered. The verbal consent of participants was provided. There were 920 respondents: 31% (n = 282) knew the concept of brain death and accepted it; 57% (n = 529) did not; and 12% (n = 109) had a misperception, or did not accept brain death as a person's death. Those who knew and accepted the concept had a more favorable attitude toward their own organ donation after death (85% vs 61%; P < .001). The psychosocial factors related to the knowledge of brain death concept were: the gender (P = .002), to make up for speaking at a family level about the organ transplant (P < .001), the couple's opinion about the organ donation (P < .001) and the religion (P < .001). The brain death concept is not well understood in the population of Havana, Cuba. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum in the endemic avifauna of eastern Cuba.

PubMed

Soares, Letícia; Marra, Peter; Gray, Lindsey; Ricklefs, Robert E

2017-12-01

Island populations are vulnerable to introduced pathogens, as evidenced by extinction or population decline of several endemic Hawaiian birds caused by the malaria parasite, Plasmodium relictum (order Haemosporida). We analyzed blood samples from 363 birds caught near Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, for the presence of haemosporidian infections. We characterized parasite lineages by determining nucleotide variation of the parasite's mitochondrial cyt b gene. Fifty-nine individuals were infected, and we identified 7 lineages of haemosporidian parasites. Fifty individuals were infected by 6 Haemoproteus sp. lineages, including a newly characterized lineage of Haem. (Parahaemoproteus) sp. CUH01. Nine individuals carried the P. relictum lineage GRW4, including 5 endemic Cuban Grassquits (Tiaris canorus) and 1 migratory Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina). A sequence of the merozoite surface protein gene from one Cuban Grassquit infected with GRW4 matched that of the Hawaiian haplotype Pr9. Our results indicate that resident and migratory Cuban birds are infected with a malaria lineage that has severely affected populations of several endemic Hawaiian birds. We suggest GRW4 may be associated with the lack of several bird species on Cuba that are ubiquitous elsewhere in the West Indies. From the standpoint of avian conservation in the Caribbean Basin, it will be important to determine the distribution of haemosporidian parasites, especially P. relictum GRW4, in Cuba as well as the pathogenicity of this lineage in species that occur and are absent from Cuba. © 2017 Society for Conservation Biology.

Education in Cuba. Bulletin, 1943, No. 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turosienski, Severin K.

1943-01-01

Education in Cuba is one of several basic studies on education in the other American republics planned by the U.S. Office of Education as a part of a program to promote better understanding of education in the Latin American countries and to encourage closer educational cooperation. The study is based on first-hand data gathered by the author…

31 CFR 515.563 - Journalistic activities in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Journalistic activities in Cuba. 515.563 Section 515.563 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued... free-lance journalistic project upon submission of an adequate written application including the...

31 CFR 515.563 - Journalistic activities in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Journalistic activities in Cuba. 515.563 Section 515.563 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued... free-lance journalistic project upon submission of an adequate written application including the...

31 CFR 515.563 - Journalistic activities in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Journalistic activities in Cuba. 515.563 Section 515.563 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued... free-lance journalistic project upon submission of an adequate written application including the...

31 CFR 515.563 - Journalistic activities in Cuba.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Journalistic activities in Cuba. 515.563 Section 515.563 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued... free-lance journalistic project upon submission of an adequate written application including the...

[Estimation of infant and child mortality in the eastern provinces of Cuba].

PubMed

Gonzalez, G; Herrera, L

1986-01-01

An estimate of infant and child mortality in the eastern provinces of Cuba is presented using the Brass method as adapted by Trussell. "Estimations by urban and rural zones are also performed within the provinces studied, and results are compared with those possible to obtain by continuous statistics. Results obtained show that in the eastern [part] of the country Holguin and Guantanamo are the provinces with highest infantile mortality rates, and the lowest rates correspond to Granma, followed by Santiago de Cuba." (SUMMARY IN ENG AND FRE) excerpt

Cuba: plenty of care, few condoms, no corruption.

PubMed

Veeken, H

1995-10-07

The health system in Cuba guarantees accessibility to the entire population, is free of charge, and covers the spectrum from vaccinations to sophisticated interventions. The results are impressive: Cuba's health figures are on a par with developed countries that have 20 times the budget. The country is experiencing a difficult period because of the collapse and loss of support from the Soviet Union; over 30 years' trade embargo by the United States; and the gradual change from a centrally planned economy towards more of a free market system. Shortages are experienced in every sector, and maintaining health care services at the current level is too expensive. Doctors and nurses continue to work towards the goal of health for all Cubans, even though their salaries are minimal. Signs of negligence or corruption, often seen in other socialist countries where incentives for output are lacking, are unknown. Topics such as family planning and AIDS deserve immediate attention.

Epidemiology of Suicide in Cuba, 1987-2014.

PubMed

Corona-Miranda, Beatriz; Hernández-Sánchez, Mariela; Lomba-Acevedo, Paula

2016-07-01

INTRODUCTION Suicide is a health problem influenced by biological, genetic, psychological, social and economic factors. It is responsible for 50% of violent deaths in the male population, worldwide, and 71% in the female. In the Americas, 65,000 deaths by suicide occur every year. It is the ninth most frequent cause of death in Cuba, and third among people aged 10-19. OBJECTIVE Characterize the epidemiology of suicide in Cuba from 1987 to 2014. METHODS A retrospective descriptive study was conducted. The information comprised all records of death by suicide from January 1, 1987 to December 31, 2014, in the Cuban Ministry of Public Health's National Statistics Division database. The variables were sex, age, skin color, employment status/occupation, marital status, and method of suicide. Crude and age-standardized mortality rates and age-sex specific mortality rates were calculated, all per 100,000 population, as well as the sex ratio. Relative change over the series was calculated as a percentage. Distribution of suicides by variable was calculated and proportions expressed as percentages. RESULTS A total of 51,113 deaths by suicide were reported (annual average 1825), of which 34,671 (67.8%) were among men. The sex ratio was 2.1:1 for the entire study period, and 3.9:1 for 2011-2014. Over the course of the period studied, age-standardized suicide rates decreased from 23.9 to 10.8 per 100,000 population (54.8% reduction). The group aged ≥60 years had the highest average age-standardized rate, 44.6 per 100,000 population. The highest suicide burden by age was in the group aged 20-59 years (60.5%). By skin color, the highest burden was in those recorded as white, 68.9%. By marital status, the highest burden was in persons with a stable partner (46.7%), and by employment status/occupation, in retired (25.9%). The most commonly used method was hanging (59.4%). CONCLUSIONS Over the course of about three decades, suicide mortality rates have declined by almost half and

Situation Reports--Cuba, Guyana, St. Vincent, and Surinam.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

Data relating to population and family planning in four foreign countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are Cuba, Guyana, St. Vincent, and Surinam. Information is provided, where appropriate and available, under two topics, general background and family planning situation. General background covers ethnic groups,…

Chemical composition and insecticidal activity of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil from Cuba and Brazil against housefly.

PubMed

Pinto, Zeneida Teixeira; Sánchez, Félix Fernández; dos Santos, Arith Ramos; Amaral, Ana Claudia Fernandes; Ferreira, José Luiz Pinto; Escalona-Arranz, Julio César; Queiroz, Margareth Maria de Carvalho

2015-01-01

Essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus collected from Brazil and Cuba was tested to a chemical characterization and then was tested on the post-embryonic development of Musca domestica. The chemical composition analysis by GC-MS of the oils from Brazil/Cuba allowed the identification of 13 and 12 major constituents respectively; nine of them common to both. In the both oils, the main components were the isomers geranial and neral, which together form the compound citral. This corresponds to a total of 97.92%/Brazil and 97.69%/Cuba of the compounds identified. The monoterpene myrcene, observed only in the sample of Cuba, presented a large relative abundance (6.52%). The essential oil of C. citratus (Brazil/Cuba) was dissolved in DMSO and tested at concentrations of 5, 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100% and citral was prepared by mixing 16.8 mg with 960 µL DMSO. Both essential oils and monoterpene citral were applied topically to newly-hatched larvae (1µL/larva). The results showed a lethal concentration (LC50) of 4.25 and 3.24% for the Brazilian and Cuban essential oils, respectively. Mortalities of larval and newly-hatched larvae to adult periods were dose-dependent for the two both oils as for monoterpene citral, reaching 90%. Both essential oils and citral caused morphological changes in adult specimens.

Cuba After Castro: Implications of Change

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-18

Down,” Hoover Digest, 3 Summer 2004, available from <http://www.hooverdigest.org/030/ratliff.html>; Internet; accessed 07 January 2005. 39 Edward ...http://usembassy.state.gov/havana/wwwhc1109sp.html>; Internet; accessed 15 January 2005. 49 Vanessa Bauza, “Cuba Mill Closures,” available from <http...Lives, U.N. Report Says.” Available from <http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/p/tp-20041209-20.html>. Internet. Accessed 01 February 2005. Bauza, Vanessa

Cuba Adrift in a Postcommunist World

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-01

Union’s collapse. Once the embargo is dismantled and U.S. business interests develop a stake in Cuba, reimp -tion of the embargo would become virtually ...34zero option" this year- a virtual cut-off of imports from the former Soviet Union, forcing them to endure even greater austerity, privations, and...black market and underground capitalist activities, but also crimes of violence that were virtually unheard of in the past. As a consequence, the

Exploring Cuba: Mental Health, Art, and Cultural Insights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elkis-Abuhoff, Deborah

2018-01-01

From an opportunity to explore Cuba in a people-to-people exchange that included study of its history and society; discussions with members of the Cuban community, artists, guides, and a professor; and personal experiences while traveling, this viewpoint offers insights into the sociopolitical culture and creative engagement within which the Cuban…

Cuba: Moving Back to the Future with Tourism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster, Gerald R.

1992-01-01

Addresses Cuba's attempt to rebuild its tourism industry in an effort to combat its declining economy in the wake of reduced Russian aid. Provides a sketch of Cuban history and a discussion of the tourism highlighting contradictions between political rhetoric and economic policy. Reviews resource materials and ideas for classroom use. (DK)

Epidemic optic neuropathy in Cuba. Eye findings.

PubMed

Sadun, A A; Martone, J F; Muci-Mendoza, R; Reyes, L; DuBois, L; Silva, J C; Roman, G; Caballero, B

1994-05-01

To characterize and establish a clinical definition of the optic neuropathy that appeared in epidemic form in Cuba in 1992 and 1993. At the invitation of the Cuban Ministry of Health, Havana, members of ORBIS International and the Pan American Health Organization, assembled teams that traveled to Cuba in May 1993. We were initially briefed by Cuban national experts in the areas of virology, nutrition, toxicology, ophthalmology, neurology, and public health. We then examined 20 patients on our own. Thirteen of these patients underwent a comprehensive neuro-ophthalmologic examination, including neurologic examination, ophthalmologic examination, visual fields, optic nerve function studies, contrast sensitivity studies, and funduscopy. We returned 4 months later to perform an additional 12 comprehensive neuro-ophthalmologic and follow-up examinations. Only seven of the 13 patients who were alleged to have the optic form of the epidemic and who were rigorously and systematically examined on the first visit demonstrated a bilateral optic neuropathy. These seven patients had several features that included decreased visual acuity, poor color vision, central scotomas, decreased contrast sensitivity, saccadic eye movements, and most prominent and distinctive of all, nerve fiber layer wedge defects of the papillomacular bundle. Our clinical definition was then implemented by the Cuban ophthalmologists and epidemiologists. On returning 4 months later, we found that all newly presented patients were correctly diagnosed to have the epidemic disease. With the new case definition and the application of a few simple psychophysical tests, the false-positive rate of diagnosis became much lower. After vitamin therapy, we reexamined the patients seen on our initial visit, and all showed marked improvement. The Cuban epidemic was characterized by an optic neuropathy with features that were similar to those of tobacco/alcohol amblyopia and Leber's optic atrophy. Recent political

Florida, Bahama Islands, Cuba as seen from Gemini 12 spacecraft

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-11-13

S66-63418 (13 Nov. 1966) --- Florida (south half), Bahamas Islands (Andros-Grand Bahamas-Bimini), and Cuba, looking south as seen from Gemini-12 spacecraft on its 15th revolution of Earth. Photo credit: NASA

Cuba's Aging and Alzheimer Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Llibre-Rodríguez, Juan de Jesús; Valhuerdi-Cepero, Adolfo; López-Medina, Ana M; Noriega-Fernández, Lisseth; Porto-Álvarez, Rutbeskia; Guerra-Hernández, Milagros A; Bosch-Bayard, Rodolfo I; Zayas-Llerena, Tania; Hernandez-Ulloa, Elaine; Rodríguez-Blanco, Ana L; Salazar-Pérez, Enrique; Llibre-Guerra, Juan C; Llibre-Guerra, Jorge J; Marcheco-Teruel, Beatriz

2017-01-01

Aging and Alzheimer is a prospective, longitudinal cohort study involving 2944 adults aged ≥65 years from selected areas in Cuba's Havana and Matanzas Provinces. This door-to-door study, which began in 2003, includes periodic assessments of the cohort based on an interview; physical exam; anthropometric measurements; and diagnosis of dementia and its subtypes, other mental disorders, and other chronic non-communicable diseases and their risk factors. Information was gathered on sociodemographic characteristics; disability, dependency and frailty; use of health services; and characteristics of care and caregiver burden. The first assessment also included blood tests: complete blood count, blood glucose, kidney and liver function, lipid profile and ApoE4 genotype (a susceptibility marker). In 2007-2011, the second assessment was done of 2010 study subjects aged ≥65 years who were still alive. The study provides data on prevalence and incidence of dementia and its risk factors, and of related conditions that affect the health of older adults. It also contributes valuable experiences from field work and interactions with older adults and their families. Building on lessons learned, a third assessment to be done in 2016-2018 will incorporate a community intervention strategy to respond to diseases and conditions that predispose to dementia, frailty and dependency in older adults. KEYWORDS Dementia, Alzheimer disease, chronic disease, aging, chronic illness, frailty, dependency, cohort studies, Cuba.

Socialism and Education in Cuba and Soviet Uzbekistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charon-Cardona, Euridice

2013-01-01

During the Cold War over half a million Asians, Africans and Latin Americans studied and graduated in the Soviet Union's universities and technical schools as part of this country's educational aid policies. Cuba was an intermediary player in the Cold War geopolitical contest between the United States and the Soviet Union, fuelled by the…

El Habano and the world it has shaped: Cuba, Connecticut, and Indonesia.

PubMed

Stubbs, Jean

2010-01-01

In the half century since the 1959 Cuban Revolution, El Habano remains the premium cigar the world over; but both before and since 1959, the seed, agricultural and industrial know-how, and human capital have been transplanted to replicate that cigar in a process accentuated by upheavals and out-migration. The focus here is on a little-known facet of the interconnected island and offshore Havana cigar history, linking Cuba with Connecticut and Indonesia: from when tobacco was taken from the Americas to Indonesia and gave rise to the famed Sumatra cigar wrapper leaf; through the rise and demise of its sister shade wrapper in Connecticut, with Cuban and Sumatra seed, ultimately overshadowed by Indonesia; and the resulting challenges facing Cuba today. The article highlights the role of Dutch, U.S., British, and Swedish capital to explain why in 2009 the two major global cigar corporations, British Imperial Tobacco and Swedish Match, were lobbying Washington, respectively, for and against the embargo on Cuba. As the antismoking, antitobacco lobby gains ground internationally, the intriguing final question is whether the future lies with El Habano or smokeless Swedish snus.

Hubble Space Telescope Deploy, Eastern Cuba, Haiti

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-04-29

A close up deploy view of the Hubble Space Telescope on the end of the space shuttle remote manipulator system (RMS) with Eastern Cuba, (20.0N, 74.0W) seen on the left side of the telescope and northern Haiti seen on the right side of the telescope. The light colored blue feature in the water north of Haiti is the shallow waters of the Caicos Bank.

[The burden of disease from cancer in Cuba, 1990-2002].

PubMed

Alonso, Emma Domínguez; Jo, Armando H Seuc; Galán, Yaima

2009-11-01

To describe the burden of disease, using morbidity and mortality in Cuba from 1990-2002, by cancer type and location. A descriptive study of the disease burden in the years 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2002, by Cuba's most frequently associated cancer types and locations. Official Cuban sources were used to calculate years of potential life lost (YPLL) due to mortality (based on life expectancy) and morbidity (based on the incidence, average duration, and severity of the disease), as well as years of potential life lost per death (YPLL/D) and the disability-adjusted life years (DALY), for each cancer type and location, by sex and age group. The locations with higher YPLL were also those with the greatest total burden: lung, breast, prostate, colon and rectum, and cervix, and showed an upward trend for all cancer types and locations, except leukemia. The morbidity-related YPLL were concentrated in: breast, lung, prostate, colon and rectum, and cervix. In men, the highest mortality-related YPLL values were in the oral cavity and oropharynx, esophagus, stomach, lung, bladder, melanoma, lymphoma, and leukemia; women were more affected by cancer of the colon and rectum. The highest YPLL/D values were observed for cervix, breast, ovaries, leukemia, and lymphoma. The cancer types and locations with more DALYs were: lung, breast, prostate, colon and rectum, cervix, and endometrium. The burden of disease from cancer increased in Cuba from 1990-2002, mostly due to a rise in the mortality burden.

Strategic Considerations of the Sino-Cuban Relationship as the United States Renews Relations with Cuba

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-26

obtained for the inclusion of pictures, maps, graphics, and any other works incorporated into this manuscript. A work of the United States Government is not...in 2004 by Venezuela and Cuba. The eleven members are Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador , Grenada, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and...region to the US alone in trade relations. China needs natural resources and commodities such as oil and soybeans and many Latin American governments and

Risk factors for wheezing in infants born in Cuba.

PubMed

Venero-Fernández, S J; Suárez-Medina, R; Mora-Faife, E C; García-García, G; Valle-Infante, I; Gómez-Marrero, L; Abreu-Suárez, G; González-Valdez, J; Fabró-Ortiz, D Dania; Fundora-Hernández, H; Venn, A; Britton, J; Fogarty, A W

2013-11-01

Cuba is a unique country, and despite limited economic development, has an excellent health system. However, the prevalence of asthma symptoms in children in Havana, Cuba, is unusually high. As early life exposures are critical to the aetiology of asthma, we have studied environmental influences on the risk of wheezing in Cuban infants. Cross-sectional study. A random sample of 2032 children aged 12-15 months living in Havana was selected for inclusion in the cohort. Data were collected using questionnaires administered by researchers. Of 2032 infants invited to participate, 1956 (96%) infants provided data. The prevalence of any wheeze was 45%, severe wheeze requiring use of emergency services was 30% and recurrent wheeze on three or more occasions was 20%. The largest adjusted risk factors for any wheeze were presence of eczema [odds ratio (OR) 2.09; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.48-2.94], family history of asthma (OR 2.05; 95% CI 1.60-2.62), poor ventilation in the house (OR 1.99; 95% CI 1.48-2.67), attendance at nursery (OR 1.78; 95% CI 1.24-2.57), male sex (OR1.52; 95% CI 1.19-1.96) and the number of smokers in the house (P < 0.03 for trend), OR 1.64 (95% CI 1.17-2.31) for three or more smokers in the house compared to no smokers in the household. We have identified several risk factors for any wheeze in young infants living in modern day Cuba. As the prevalence of smoking in the house is high (51%), intervention studies are required to determine effective strategies to improve infant health.

Miconia bullotricha and M. hirtistyla, two new species of Miconia sect. Lima (Miconieae, Melastomataceae) from eastern Cuba

PubMed Central

Majure, Lucas C.; Bécquer, Eldis R.; Judd, Walter S.

2014-01-01

Abstract We describe two new species in Miconia sect. Lima, Miconia bullotricha Bécquer & Majure and Miconia hirtistyla Majure & Judd, from eastern, Cuba. We also provide illustrations and distribution maps for the two species, as well as a key to members of the Lima clade on Cuba. PMID:24526849

Immunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy in Cuba: experiences with labeled monoclonal antibodies for cancer diagnosis and treatment (1993-2013).

PubMed

Peña, Yamilé; Perera, Alejandro; Batista, Juan F

2014-01-01

INTRODUCTION The availability of monoclonal antibodies in Cuba has facilitated development and application of innovative techniques (immunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy) for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Objective Review immunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy techniques and analyze their use in Cuba, based on the published literature. In this context, we describe the experience of Havana's Clinical Research Center with labeled monoclonal antibodies for cancer diagnosis and treatment during the period 1993-2013. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION Basic concepts concerning cancer and monoclonal antibodies were reviewed, as well as relevant international and Cuban data. Forty-nine documents were reviewed, among them 2 textbooks, 34 articles by Cuban authors and 13 by international authors. All works published by the Clinical Research Center from 1993 through 2013 were included. Bibliography was obtained from the library of the Clinical Research Center and Infomed, Cuba's national health telematics network, using the following keywords: monoclonal antibodies, immunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy. RESULTS Labeling the antibodies (ior t3, ior t1, ior cea 1, ior egf/r3, ior c5, h-R3, 14F7 and rituximab) with radioactive isotopes was a basic line of research in Cuba and has fostered their use as diagnostic and therapeutic tools. The studies conducted demonstrated the good sensitivity and diagnostic precision of immunoscintigraphy for detecting various types of tumors (head and neck, ovarian, colon, breast, lymphoma, brain). Obtaining different radioimmune conjugates with radioactive isotopes such as 99mTc and 188Re made it possible to administer radioimmunotherapy to patients with several types of cancer (brain, lymphoma, breast). The objective of 60% of the clinical trials was to determine pharmacokinetics, internal dosimetry and adverse effects of monoclonal antibodies, as well as tumor response; there were few adverse effects, no damage to vital organs, and a positive

The genus Apodrosus Marshall, 1922 in Cuba (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae, Polydrusini)

PubMed Central

Anderson, Robert S.; Zhang, Guanyang

2017-01-01

Abstract The genus Apodrosus Marshall is newly recorded for, and revised for Cuba. Nine new species are recognized as follows: Apodrosus alberti (type locality, Granma, Parque Nacional Pico Turquino), A. alternatus (type locality, Guantánamo, El Yunque), A. franklyni (type locality, Cienfuegos, Parque Nacional Pico San Juan), A. griseus (type locality, Santiago de Cuba, Siboney-Jutici Ecological Reserve), A. mensurensis (type locality, Holguin, Parque Nacional La Mensura-Piloto), A. pseudoalternatus (type locality, Matanzas, Varahicacos), A. beckeli (type locality, Guantánamo, 8 km W. Imias), A. sandersoni (type locality, Guantánamo, Loma Lafarola), and A. zayasi (type locality, Cienfuegos, Parque Nacional Pico San Juan). A key for their identification, descriptions, summaries of natural history information and data on distributions are presented. A molecular phylogeny based on 11 species of Apodrosus from Cuba, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico is reconstructed. A sister group relationship between Polydrusus and Apodrosus is recovered with a limited sampling of the former genus. The monophyly of Apodrosus is recovered with strong support. Cuban Apodrosus are not monophyletic. Five of the six sampled Cuban species form a clade, sister to an undescribed Apodrosus species from the Dominican Republic; and, Apodrosus alternatus is sister to A. quisqueyanus Girón & Franz, 2010, a species from the Dominican Republic. Biogeographic implications for Cuban species are discussed in light of the phylogeny. PMID:28769710

31 CFR 515.549 - Bank accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or after July 8, 1963.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or after July 8, 1963. 515.549 Section 515.549 Money and... Licensing Policy § 515.549 Bank accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or... accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who have left Cuba, provided that they submit evidence...

31 CFR 515.549 - Bank accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or after July 8, 1963.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or after July 8, 1963. 515.549 Section 515.549 Money and... Licensing Policy § 515.549 Bank accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or... accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who have left Cuba, provided that they submit evidence...

31 CFR 515.549 - Bank accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or after July 8, 1963.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or after July 8, 1963. 515.549 Section 515.549 Money and... Licensing Policy § 515.549 Bank accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or... accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who have left Cuba, provided that they submit evidence...

31 CFR 515.549 - Bank accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or after July 8, 1963.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or after July 8, 1963. 515.549 Section 515.549 Money and... Licensing Policy § 515.549 Bank accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or... accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who have left Cuba, provided that they submit evidence...

31 CFR 515.549 - Bank accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or after July 8, 1963.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or after July 8, 1963. 515.549 Section 515.549 Money and... Licensing Policy § 515.549 Bank accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who were in Cuba on or... accounts and other property of non-Cuban citizens who have left Cuba, provided that they submit evidence...

Assessment of Human Health Vulnerability to Climate Variability and Change in Cuba

PubMed Central

Bultó, Paulo Lázaro Ortíz; Rodríguez, Antonio Pérez; Valencia, Alina Rivero; Vega, Nicolás León; Gonzalez, Manuel Díaz; Carrera, Alina Pérez

2006-01-01

In this study we assessed the potential effects of climate variability and change on population health in Cuba. We describe the climate of Cuba as well as the patterns of climate-sensitive diseases of primary concern, particularly dengue fever. Analyses of the associations between climatic anomalies and disease patterns highlight current vulnerability to climate variability. We describe current adaptations, including the application of climate predictions to prevent disease outbreaks. Finally, we present the potential economic costs associated with future impacts due to climate change. The tools used in this study can be useful in the development of appropriate and effective adaptation options to address the increased climate variability associated with climate change. PMID:17185289

Tropical Storm Ernesto over Cuba

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-08-28

This infrared image shows Tropical Storm Ernesto over Cuba, from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder AIRS on NASA Aqua satellite in August, 2006. Because infrared radiation does not penetrate through clouds, AIRS infrared images show either the temperature of the cloud tops or the surface of the Earth in cloud-free regions. The lowest temperatures (in purple) are associated with high, cold cloud tops that make up the top of the storm. In cloud-free areas the AIRS instrument will receive the infrared radiation from the surface of the Earth, resulting in the warmest temperatures (orange/red). http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00510

Health Care in Modern Cuba

PubMed Central

Campos-Outcalt, Douglas; Janoff, Edward

1980-01-01

An extensively organized, centrally controlled system, aimed at equalizing and improving the distribution and quality of medical services according to population and geography, characterizes the modern Cuban health care complex. Facilities of increasing sophistication are located in urban areas while an expanding series of ambulatory, multipotential polyclinics attempts to provide most health services in both urban and rural settings. Maternal and child care, immunization programs and other forms of preventive medicine represent major priorities for expenditures. Occupational health is increasingly understood as a valuable resource, and medical professionals on all levels are being trained in significant numbers for Cuba and its allies. ImagesFigure 1.Figure 2.Figure 3. PMID:7376666

Sweat Equity: A Study of Housing Systems by and for the People in the United States and Cuba.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Johnetta B.

1979-01-01

Compares housing problems and their resolution in Cuba and the United States. States that U.S. urban homesteading programs such as "sweat equity" are oriented to middle-income people and do not address needs of most Blacks. Contrasts this with Cuba whose government has made a sustained effort to improve housing. (Author/WP)

A Medical School in Cuba Trains Doctors for Poor Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, Marion

2001-01-01

Describes how the Latin American Medical School in Cuba attracts foreign students, including Americans, with a free course of study. Supporters say it shows Castro's commitment to humanitarian ideals, while critics see it as an attempt to curry favor with Central and Latin America. (EV)

The impact of the economic crisis and the US embargo on health in Cuba.

PubMed

Garfield, R; Santana, S

1997-01-01

This paper examines the combined effects of a severe economic decline since 1989 and a tightening of the US embargo in 1992 on health and health care in Cuba. Data from surveillance systems for nutrition, reportable diseases, and hospital diagnoses were reviewed. These sources were supplemented with utilization data from the national health system and interviews with health leaders. Changes in Cuba include declining nutritional levels, rising rates of infectious diseases and violent death, and a deteriorating public health infrastructure. But despite these threats, mortality levels for children and women remain low. Instead, much of the health impact of the economic decline of Cuba has fallen on adult men and the elderly. To be consistent with international humanitarian law, embargoes must not impede access to essential humanitarian goods. Yet this embargo has raised the cost of medical supplies and food Rationing, universal access to primary health services, a highly educated population, and preferential access to scarce goods for women and children help protect most Cubans from what otherwise might have been a health disaster.

The impact of the economic crisis and the US embargo on health in Cuba.

PubMed Central

Garfield, R; Santana, S

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This paper examines the combined effects of a severe economic decline since 1989 and a tightening of the US embargo in 1992 on health and health care in Cuba. METHODS: Data from surveillance systems for nutrition, reportable diseases, and hospital diagnoses were reviewed. These sources were supplemented with utilization data from the national health system and interviews with health leaders. RESULTS: Changes in Cuba include declining nutritional levels, rising rates of infectious diseases and violent death, and a deteriorating public health infrastructure. But despite these threats, mortality levels for children and women remain low. Instead, much of the health impact of the economic decline of Cuba has fallen on adult men and the elderly. CONCLUSIONS: To be consistent with international humanitarian law, embargoes must not impede access to essential humanitarian goods. Yet this embargo has raised the cost of medical supplies and food Rationing, universal access to primary health services, a highly educated population, and preferential access to scarce goods for women and children help protect most Cubans from what otherwise might have been a health disaster. PMID:9065219

Risk factors for wheezing in infants born in Cuba

PubMed Central

Suárez-Medina, R.; Mora-Faife, E. C.; García-García, G.; Valle-Infante, I.; Gómez-Marrero, L.; Abreu-Suárez, G.; González-Valdez, J.; Fabró-Ortiz, D. Dania; Fundora-Hernández, H.; Venn, A.; Britton, J.; Fogarty, A. W.

2013-01-01

Background: Cuba is a unique country, and despite limited economic development, has an excellent health system. However, the prevalence of asthma symptoms in children in Havana, Cuba, is unusually high. Aim: As early life exposures are critical to the aetiology of asthma, we have studied environmental influences on the risk of wheezing in Cuban infants. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: A random sample of 2032 children aged 12–15 months living in Havana was selected for inclusion in the cohort. Data were collected using questionnaires administered by researchers. Results: Of 2032 infants invited to participate, 1956 (96%) infants provided data. The prevalence of any wheeze was 45%, severe wheeze requiring use of emergency services was 30% and recurrent wheeze on three or more occasions was 20%. The largest adjusted risk factors for any wheeze were presence of eczema [odds ratio (OR) 2.09; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.48–2.94], family history of asthma (OR 2.05; 95% CI 1.60–2.62), poor ventilation in the house (OR 1.99; 95% CI 1.48–2.67), attendance at nursery (OR 1.78; 95% CI 1.24–2.57), male sex (OR1.52; 95% CI 1.19–1.96) and the number of smokers in the house (P < 0.03 for trend), OR 1.64 (95% CI 1.17–2.31) for three or more smokers in the house compared to no smokers in the household. Conclusion: We have identified several risk factors for any wheeze in young infants living in modern day Cuba. As the prevalence of smoking in the house is high (51%), intervention studies are required to determine effective strategies to improve infant health. PMID:23824939

Bichordites from the early Eocene of Cuba: significance in the evolutionary history of the spatangoids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villegas-Martín, Jorge; Netto, Renata Guimarães

2017-12-01

The trace fossil Bichordites monastiriensis is found in early Eocene turbiditic sandstones of the upper-slope deposits from the Capdevila Formation in Los Palacios Basin, Pinar del Río region, western Cuba. The potential tracemakers of B. monastiriensis include fossil spatangoids from the family Eupatagidae. The record of Bichordites in the deposits from Cuba allows to suppose that Eupatagidae echinoids were the oldest potential tracemakers of Bichordites isp. and reinforce the hypothesis that the ichnological record are relevant in envisaging the evolutionary history of the spatangoids.

Florida, Bahamas, Cuba and Gulf Stream, USA

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-08-08

This unique photo offers a view of the Florida peninsula, western Bahamas, north central Cuba and the deep blue waters of the Gulf Stream, that hugs the east coast of Florida (27.0N, 82.0W). In addition to being an excellent photograph for showing the geographical relationships between the variety of landforms in this scene, the typical effect of the land-sea breeze is very much in evidence as few clouds over water, cumulus build up over landmass.

The Physics of Complex Systems in Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sotolongo-Costa, Oscar

In relating the circumstances that led to the birth and development of the physics of complex systems in Cuba, it is difficult to avoid being anecdotal—particularly because of the difficult times during which this research started. Cuban eclecticism, whose spectrum extends from religious syncretism to world-class medicine, seems quite coherent with the field of complex systems, characterized by the synergy of diverse fields. Such a combination, however, in the beginning seemed to be quite removed from the physicists' standard research dogmas.

Nanotechnologies in Cuba: Popularization and Training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez Castellanos, Carlos

In Cuba, as in other countries, activities in the field of nanotechnology emerged from the converging development of research in materials physics and chemistry, microelectronics, supramolecular physics, microbiology and molecular biology. During the 1990s, theoretical and experimental work on semiconductor nanostructures gained in importance. Cuban physicists organized the Red CYTED (Network CYTED) to "study fabrication and characterization of semiconductor nanostructures for micro and optoelectronics" which functioned between 1998 and 2003 with the participation of eight Spanish-American countries. The network organized various courses and scientific meetings, edited a book and supported the scientific collaboration among the participant institutions.

Imported hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in an Italian traveller returning from Cuba.

PubMed

Rovida, Francesca; Percivalle, Elena; Sarasini, Antonella; Chichino, Guido; Baldanti, Fausto

2013-01-01

Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome is endemic in Europe and Asia, while hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) is endemic in Northern, Central and Southern America. The first case of imported HCPS involving an Italian traveller returning from Cuba is reported.

Newborn screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia in Cuba: six years of experience.

PubMed

González, Ernesto Carlos; Carvajal, Frank; Frómeta, Amarilys; Arteaga, Ana Luisa; Castells, Elisa María; Espinosa, Tania; Coto, Remigio; Pérez, Pedro Lucio; Tejeda, Yileidis; Del Río, Lesley; Segura, Mary Triny; Almenares, Pedro; Robaina, René; Fernández, José Luis

2013-06-05

Since 2005, a newborn screening program for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) by measuring 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) in dried blood spots was introduced in Cuba. The hormone was measured by the 17OHP Neonatal UMELISA method, in samples collected on the 5th day as average. Confirmatory test was performed to those neonates with 17OHP values above 55 nmol/l. Some perinatal factors that can influence on 17OHP levels were studied. From January 2005 to December 2010, 621,303 newborns were screened and 39 CAH cases were detected. Coverage of the program reached 98%. The incidence of CAH in Cuba was 1:15,931, similar to that reported by other programs. A recall for suspected CAH was performed in 10,799 cases (1.74%). Therapy in classical CAH patients was started at the mean age of 22 days. 17OHP levels were significantly higher in newborns with lower birth-weight (BW) and/or gestational age (GA). In addition, 17OHP values were affected by the gender, twin status or mode of delivery. In Cuba, the nationwide newborn screening program has allowed the early detection of CAH. The use of an optimized cut-off level for BW or GA could lead to a reduction in the percentage of recalled babies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sea Surface Temperature Records Using Sr/Ca Ratios in a Siderastrea siderea Coral from SE Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fargher, H. A.; Hughen, K. A.; Ossolinski, J. E.; Bretos, F.; Siciliano, D.; Gonzalez, P.

2015-12-01

Sea surface temperature (SST) variability from Cuba remains relatively unknown compared to the rest of the Caribbean. Cuba sits near an inflection point in the spatial pattern of SST from the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and long SST records from the region could reveal changes in the influence of this climate system through time. A Siderastrea siderea coral from the Jardínes de la Reina in southern Cuba was drilled to obtain a 220 year long archive of environmental change. The genus Siderastrea has not been extensively studied as an SST archive, yet Sr/Ca ratios in the Cuban core show a clear seasonal signal and strong correlation to instrumental SST data (r2 = 0.86 and 0.36 for monthly and interannual (winter season) timescales, respectively). Annual growth rates (linear extension) of the coral are observed to have a minor influence on Sr/Ca variability, but do not show a direct correlation to SST on timescales from annual to multidecadal. Sr/Ca measurements from the Cuban coral are used to reconstruct monthly and seasonal (winter, summer) SST extending back more than two centuries. Wintertime SST in southern Cuba is compared to other coral Sr/Ca records of winter-season SST from locations sensitive to the NAO in order to investigate the stationarity of the NAO SST 'fingerprint' through time.

Chigger mites of the genus Eutrombicula ewing, 1938 (Acari: Trombiculidae) from Cuba, with the description of three new species.

PubMed

Daniel, Milan; Stekol'nikov, Alexandr A

2004-12-01

Three new species of chigger mites, Eutrombicula cubensis sp. n. and E. anguliscuta sp. n. from lizards and bats, and E. leiocephali sp. n. from lizards, are described. One species, E. lipovskyana (Wolfenbarger, 1953), is recorded for the first time in Cuba. Data on distribution of E. alfreddugesi (Oudemans, 1910) in Cuba are reported.

Evangelizacion Indigena en Cuba (1512-1550): Estrategia y Razones de su Fracaso (Evangelization of Indigenous People in Cuba (1512-1550): Strategies and Reasons for its Failure).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puentes, Roberto Valdes; Reyes, Francisco Barroso

2000-01-01

Presents the different moments and contents of the strategies of the evangelization process practiced by the Spanish during the conquest and colonization of Cuba, as well as possible reasons for its failure. States that the Indians were enslaved and directed through evangelism toward acculturation. (BT)

Where Does Cuba Stand?

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-01-14

Nicaragua 31,2 19.9 30,1 26.6 20,1 19.6 147,5 Venezuela 2,0 7,8 2.1 1.6 21.8 31.1 8863 Mexico 10.7 1,9 1.7 2.0 4.9 17.8 39,0 rest 23.8 11.1 14,3 11.5 12,5... Mexico 72,7 77.1 29,7 72.0 106.0 80.0 439.5 Venezuela 7.5 5,8 10,2 19.1 28,9 58.5 128.0 Peru 4.7 3.0 3.7 3.8 8,4 19.1 42.5 rest 27.3 41.5 38,2 42.3...Enrique A. Beloyra and James A. Morris ads., Conflict and Change In Cuba, Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press, forthcoming, pp. 4-5. 4. For a

Innovative Tuberculosis Symposium held during Cuba Salud 2015.

PubMed

Chapman, Helena J; Armas Pérez, Luisa

2016-12-01

The fourth Tuberculosis (TB) Symposium, held during the Cuba Salud 2015 International Convention, highlighted advancements in research on TB and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) by interdisciplinary teams from academic and federal institutions in Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. Delegates focused on the targets presented in the World Health Organization End TB Strategy for 2016-2035 and elaborated on four primary themes: 1) attention to vulnerable populations such as immunocompromised individuals, health care workers, and residents of long-term institutions such as prisons and nursing homes; 2) identification of active and latent TB cases through contact investigations; 3) spread and control of drug-resistant Mtb strains; and 4) advancements in the development of novel vaccines or "booster" immunizations. This international TB forum served as a platform for experts in diverse disciplines in these Latin American countries to discuss challenges faced by TB research and control programs, proposing novel research initiatives and promoting collaborative teamwork strategies for TB elimination. In solidarity, collaborative efforts in TB control require identification of symptomatic individuals, rapid diagnostic testing for TB, drug susceptibility assays on Mtb strains, and management that provide universal and gratuitous access to directly observed short-course therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cuba after Fidel Castro: Issues and Strategic Considerations for the Employment of United States Armed Forces.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-04-01

revolution. Castro "is the ^glue’ that holds the regime together and binds the masses.൨ Jose Luis Llovio- Menendez , a one-time minister who defected...8. "Suchlicki, 81. ,2Jose Luis Llovio- Menendez , Insider (New York: Bantam, 1988), 12. ,3Ibid., 58. 14Gunn, 11. 15Philip Brenner, "Cuba’s...Relations with the United States," in The Cuba Reader, (New York: Grove Press, 1989), 316. 16Jorge I. Dominguez , "United States-Cuban Relations: From Cold

A Look at Cuban Schools: What Is Cuba Doing Right?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, Barbara C.

2003-01-01

A retired elementary school principal, who first visited Cuba as an exchange student, returns 46 years later as an international consultant and finds that the Cubans have made health care and education the top priorities of their society with strong principals and a solid system of supervision and evaluation. (Author/MLF)

Theological Higher Education in Cuba: Part 3--The Cuban Revolution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esqueda, Octavio J.

2007-01-01

This article provides a summary of the Cuban Revolution and its implications and consequences for Christian higher education in Cuba. Christian institutions experienced the same oppression from the communist revolution as the rest of the evangelical denominations during the sixties and seventies. The worst period for Protestantism began in 1965…

Cuba's Political Involvement in Sport Since the Socialist Revolution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slack, Trevor

This paper documents instances of Cuba's political use of sport internally and internationally. The linking of sport and politics is manifested in the number of times that pictures of Castro, involved in sport, appear in the Cuban media. This is pointed out as the two-fold desire of the politician to secure a virile media image and to mold the…

Discordant mid-Cretaceous paleomagnetic pole from the Zaza Terrane of central Cuba

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

Renne, P.R.; Doppelhammer, S.K.; Hargraves, R.B.

Thermal demagnetization of samples from five sites in mid-Cretaceous volcaniclastic and carbonate rocks of south-central Cuba reveals two or more components of magnetization. A pre-folding magnetite borne component is recognized in all, but was difficult to isolate from secondary components in many specimens. Remagnetization circle analysis, using data for 42 specimens from all five sites, yields a pole at 30.7{degree}N Lat., 193.3{degree}E Long. This pole is discordant with respect to the North American APWP, indicating 43{degree} {plus minus} 16{degree} of anticlockwise rotation and 8{degree} {plus minus} 6{degree} of northward displacement since the mid-Cretaceous. This result suggests that part or allmore » of Cuba was transported on the Caribbean plate before accretion to North America in the Eocene.« less

[Trophic webs of reef fishes in northwestern Cuba. I. Stomach contents].

PubMed

Hernández, Ivet; Aguilar, Consuelo; González Sanón, Gaspar

2008-06-01

Trophic webs of reef fishes in northwestern Cuba. I. Stomach contents. Studies on the reef fishes of Cuba are not rare, but most have two basic limitations: small sample sizes and exclusion of small species. Our study sampled more species and larger samples in the sublitoral region of Havana city (23 degrees 7.587' N, 82 degrees 25.793' W), 2-18 m deep. We collected fish weekly from October 2004 through February 2006 with traps and harpoon. Overfishing has modified the fish communities. We used the relative importance index to describe the diets of carnivore and omnivore species, and a modification of the relative abundance method for the herbivores and sponge-eating species. The main food items are benthonic crustaceans (crabs, shrimp, copepods) and bony fish (mainly demersal species). Most species are eurifagous and thus, less affected by anthropic disturbance than specialist feeders.

Genomics as public health? Community genetics and the challenge of personalised medicine in Cuba.

PubMed

Gibbon, Sahra

2009-08-01

Making use of a comparative perspective on the emergence of 'breast cancer genetics' in the different cultural context of the UK and Cuba, this article examines the tensions between the modern promise of genomics as personalised medicine and a commitment to public health. Focusing primarily on the Cuba context and drawing on ethnographic research as part of a collaborative project working with genetic professionals and publics, the article examines the particular technologies, identities and socialities at stake in an emerging and evolving field of genetic medicine. It highlights how long-standing continuities in the commitment to the equitable provision of public health, particularly as this relates to 'family medicine', are central to understanding the scope and expansion of 'community genetics' interventions, even when at the level of local practice, public health is also now subject to the unequal dynamics of economic necessity through the working out of 'lo informal'. Illuminating the different ways agency, risk, responsibility, citizenship and activism get configured by and between publics and health professionals in Cuba, the article reveals the challenges and opportunities posed by predictive genomic medicine in relation to the dynamic and shifting terrain of public health.

Current status of prenatal diagnosis in Cuba: causes of low prevalence of Down syndrome.

PubMed

Méndez-Rosado, L A; Hechavarría-Estenoz, D; de la Torre, M E; Pimentel-Benitez, H; Hernández-Gil, J; Perez, B; Barrios-Martínez, A; Morales-Rodriguez, E; Soriano-Torres, M; Garcia, M; Suarez-Mayedo, U; Cedeño-Aparicio, N; Blanco, I; Díaz-Véliz, P; Vidal-Hernández, B; Mitjans-Torres, M; Miñoso, S; Alvarez-Espinosa, D; Reyes-Hernández, E; Angulo-Cebada, E; Torres-Palacios, M; Lozano-Lezcano, L; Lima-Rodriguez, U; Mayeta, M; Noblet, M; Benítez, Y; Lardoeyt-Ferrer, R; Yosela-Martin, S; Carbonell, P; Pérez-Ramos, M; de León, N; Perez, M; Carbonell, J

2014-11-01

To analyze trends in cytogenetic prenatal diagnosis in Cuba and to analyze possible causes leading to a low Down syndrome prevalence in a country where the triple test is not available. An analysis of the Cuban program in prenatal cytogenetic diagnosis from 1984 to 2012 was conducted. Results are described, with particular emphasis on indications, abnormal results, types of invasive procedures, and terminations of pregnancy. Cytogenetic prenatal diagnostic analyses (n = 75,095) were conducted; maternal age was the indication for 77.9% of the amniocenteses and chorionic villus samplings. The detection rate of chromosomally abnormal pregnancies was 2.3% for maternal age and increased to 8-9% for other indications. When a chromosomal abnormality was identified, 88.5% terminated the pregnancy. In 2002, the live birth prevalence of Down syndrome was 8.4 per 10,000 live births, and in 2012, 7 per 10,000. Prenatal diagnosis in Cuba has contributed to a significant reduction in chromosomal aberrations. The impact increased because of the demographic trends of the population, the high index of terminations of pregnancy, and the establishment of a network of cytogenetic laboratories throughout Cuba. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Curious Case of Cuba

PubMed Central

Reed, Gail A.

2012-01-01

As health professionals in the United States consider how to focus health care and coverage to ensure better, more equitable patient and population health outcomes, the experience of Cuba’s National Health System over the last 5 decades may provide useful insights. Although mutual awareness has been limited by long-term political hostilities between the United States and Cuban governments, the history and details of the Cuban health system indicate that their health system merits attention as an example of a national integrated approach resulting in improved health status. More extensive analysis of the principles, practices, and outcomes in Cuba is warranted to inform health system transformation in the United States, despite differences in political-social systems and available resources. PMID:22698011

[The health system of Cuba].

PubMed

Domínguez-Alonso, Emma; Zacea, Eduardo

2011-01-01

This paper describes the health conditions in Cuba and the general characteristics of the Cuban health system, including its structure and coverage, its financial sources, its health expenditure, its physical, material and human resources, and its stewardship functions. It also discusses the increasing importance of its research institutions and the role played by its users in the operation and evaluation of the system. Salient among the social actors involved in the health sector are the Cuban Women Federation and the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution. The paper concludes with the discussion of the most recent innovations implemented in the Cuban health system, including the cardiology networks, the Miracle Mission (Misión Milagro) and the Battle of Ideas (Batalla de Ideas).

Some Interesting Data About Women Physicists in Cuba (abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Fuentes, Olimpia Arias

2009-04-01

Although the number of women physicists in Cuba, as in the entire world, is less than men physicists, their presence in the academic leadership is strong, unlike the limited women's role in many other countries. Some interesting numeral data are presented to demonstrate this affirmation. This fact emphasizes the advantages reached by women and the increasing prestige obtained by women physicists in our country.

Genetic types of oils in the petroliferous basins of Cuba

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

Maksimov, S.P.; Botneva, T.A.; Pankina, R.G.

Two oil- and gas basins, the North Cuban and the Central Cuban, have been discovered in Cuba and the nearby offshore areas. The North Cuban basin developed as a result of a complete cycle of inter-plate geodynamic evolution (divergence-convergence-isostatic adjustment of the plates), and the South Cuban basin formed during the phase of convergence and isostatic adjustment of the plates. The hydrocarbon deposits discovered in the North Cuban basin are marked by their exceptional variety, and include deposits of light and heavy oils, and even asphalt. The geological conditions of their occurrence are also varied. In this paper the authorsmore » present the results of a study of the oils and a discussion of their association with the source beds. For Cuba the solution of these problems is of special importance owing to the complexity of its geological structure and, in particular, the presence of oil deposits of varied composition in the overthrust complexes of the eugeosynclinal and miogeosynclinal allochthon and para-autochthon, as well as in the sediments of the autochthonous complex. 4 references.« less

Burden of Self-reported Acute Gastrointestinal Illness in Cuba

PubMed Central

Prieto, Pablo Aguiar; Finley, Rita L.; Guerin, Michele T.; Isaacs, Sandy; Domínguez, Arnaldo Castro; Marie, Gisele Coutín; Perez, Enrique

2009-01-01

Acute gastrointestinal illness is an important public-health issue worldwide. Burden-of-illness studies have not previously been conducted in Cuba. The objective of the study was to determine the magnitude, distribution, and burden of self-reported acute gastrointestinal illness in Cuba. A retrospective, cross-sectional survey was conducted in three sentinel sites during June-July 2005 (rainy season) and during November 2005–January 2006 (dry season). Households were randomly selected from a list maintained by the medical offices in each site. One individual per household was selected to complete a questionnaire in a face-to-face interview. The case definition was three or more bouts of loose stools in a 24-hour period within the last 30 days. In total, 97.3% of 6,576 interviews were completed. The overall prevalence of acute gastrointestinal illness was 10.6%. The risk of acute gastrointestinal illness was higher during the rainy season (odds ratio [OR]=3.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.18-4.66) in children (OR=3.12, 95% CI 2.24-4.36) and teens (OR=2.27, 95% CI 1.51-3.41) compared to people aged 25-54 years, in males (OR=1.24, 95% CI 1.04-1.47), and in the municipality of Santiago de Cuba (OR=1.33, 95% CI 1.11-1.61). Of 680 cases, 17.1-38.1% visited a physician, depending on sentinel site. Of the cases who visited a physician, 33.3-53.9% were requested to submit a stool sample, and of those, 72.7-100.0% complied. Of the cases who sought medical care, 16.7- 61.5% and 0-31.6% were treated with antidiarrhoeals and antibiotics respectively. Acute gastrointestinal illness represented a substantial burden of health compared to developed countries. Targeting the identified risk factors when allocating resources for education, food safety, and infrastructure might lower the morbidity associated with acute gastrointestinal illness. PMID:19507750

Alcohol Control in Cuba: Preventing Countervailing Cultural and Mass Media Influences.

PubMed

González-Menéndez, Ricardo Á

2016-07-01

Harmful use of alcohol-the prime gateway drug to other addictions-is also a problem in Cuba, even though the National Program for Prevention of Harmful Use of Alcohol includes the most effective measures used in analogous programs around the world. As a participant in the program's committee and empirical observer of its accomplishments and unaccomplished goals, I draw attention to the community's attitude of tolerance toward intoxication manifested by the lack of proportional consequences, and I insist on the need to broaden the community's understanding of the risks of non-social drinking, which in Latin America is practically limited to alcoholism and its complications. This undervalues the damage wreaked by unpredictable and dangerous behavior under the influence, as well as the suffering of codependents and other "passive drinkers," and the adverse effects of even social drinking. KEYWORDS Alcohol abuse/prevention and control, alcohol consumption, alcohol drinking/culture, alcoholism, drinking behavior, behavior and behavior mechanisms, social determinants of health, social reinforcement, mass media, communication, Cuba.

Fasciola hepatica in Cuba: compatibility of different isolates with two intermediate snail hosts, Galba cubensis and Pseudosuccinea columella.

PubMed

Vázquez, A A; Sánchez, J; Pointier, J-P; Théron, A; Hurtrez-Boussès, S

2014-12-01

In Cuba, only two lymnaeid snails, Galba cubensis and Pseudosuccinea columella, with different ecology and distribution patterns, are intermediate hosts for Fasciola hepatica. The compatibility of these two species as hosts was analysed through their rates of infection, the production of rediae and survivorship when exposed to F. hepatica miracidia. Ten populations of G. cubensis, eight of P. columella collected from various habitats and six isolates of F. hepatica sampled in slaughterhouses from different localities were tested. Our results clearly demonstrate that G. cubensis is a more compatible host for F. hepatica in Cuba when compared with P. columella. However, the role that P. columella may have in fascioliasis transmission under certain conditions should not be disregarded. Variation in infectivity among isolates of F. hepatica were also observed and may explain why some regions in Cuba are more commonly subjected to fascioliasis outbreaks.

A new species of Desmopachria Babington (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) from Cuba with a prediction of its geographic distribution and notes on other Cuban species of the genus.

PubMed

Megna, Yoandri S; Sánchez-Fernández, David

2014-01-10

A new species, Desmopachria andreae sp. n. is described from Cuba. Diagnostic characters including illustrations of male genitalia are provided and illustrated for the five species of the genus occurring on the island. For these five species both a simple key to adults and maps of their known distribution in Cuba are also provided. Using a Maximun Entropy method (MaxEnt), a distribution model was developed for D. andreae sp.n. Based on the model's predictions, this species has a higher probability of occurring in high altitude forests (above 1000 m a.s.l.), characterised by relatively low temperatures especially during the hottest and wettest seasons, specifically, the mountainous areas of the Macizo de Guamuhaya (Central Cuba), Sierra Maestra (S Cuba) and Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa (NE Cuba). In some of these areas the species has not yet been recorded, and should be searched for in future field surveys.

Ports and pests: Assessing the threat of aquatic invasive species introduced by maritime shipping activity in Cuba.

PubMed

O'Brien, Charleen E; Johnston, Matthew W; Kerstetter, David W

2017-12-15

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are biological pollutants that cause detrimental ecological, economic, and human-health effects in their introduced communities. With increasing globalization through maritime trade, ports are vulnerable to AIS exposure via commercial vessels. The Cuban Port of Mariel is poised to become a competitive transshipment hub in the Caribbean and the intent of this study was to evaluate present and potential impacts AIS pose with the likely future increase in shipping activity. We utilized previous assessment frameworks and publicly accessible information to rank AIS by level of threat. Fifteen AIS were identified in Cuba and one, the Asian green mussel Perna viridis (Linnaeus, 1758), had repeated harmful economic impacts. Five species associated with trade partners of Port Mariel were considered potentially detrimental to Cuba if introduced through shipping routes. The results presented herein identify species of concern and emphasize the importance of prioritizing AIS prevention and management within Cuba. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of habitat and time of day on flock size of Turkey Vultures in Cuba (Cathartes aura).

PubMed

Tryjanowski, Piotr; Morelli, Federico

2018-01-01

In agricultural landscapes, the Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura feeds mainly on carcases of domestic animals. In spring 2017, data on 214 flocks of Turkey vultures were collected in a road survey in Cuba (in total 2384 km). Turkey Vultures were found to be common accross Cuba, but flock size varied between habitats, reaching a maximum of 43 in valleys and 31 in agricultural landscapes with domestic animal farms. Vultures were active throughout the day, but the time of day did not significantly affect flock size. This study corroborates previous studies which suggested that carrion resources located in agricultural habitats and river valleys is crucial for the continued survival of this still abundant species. Changes in Cuba's socio-political system in the near future will likely impact agricultural practices, and this in turn will likely affect Turkey Vultures. Our study may serve as a baseline against which future population changes and flocking behaviour of Turkey Vultures can be compared.

[Epidemiology of hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease in the central region of Cuba].

PubMed

Bembibre, R; Soto, A; Diaz, D; Hernández, A

Cerebrovascular diseases are the third most important cause of death in Cuba. Among the programmes given priority by the Cuban Ministry of Public Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), hemorrhagic disorders are the most lethal . To determine the behaviour of hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease in the central region of Cuba. . An exploratory, descriptive, retrospective study in which 1,401 clinical histories were reviewed. The variables being investigated were then processed using the computer data processor EPINFO 6.0 to determine the mean, standard deviation and chi squared. An annual incidence rate of 84.03 per 100,000 persons was seen for hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease; 54.16 and 29.86 per 100,000 persons respectively for intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage; and total mortality of 68.95%. The disorder was associated with possible meteorological factors and the highest percentage was due to intracerebral hemorrhage with 64.45%. Arterial hypertension was the most intensely studied risk marker (p< 0.01). Most cases were elderly (p< 0.001). Surgical treatment was given to 81 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, with a predominance of malformations of the middle and anterior cerebral arteries. Treatment was based on depletion using Manitol and calcium antagonists. A considerable number of patients required mechanical ventilation and vaso active drug support. Most were attended in Intermediate Polyvalent Treatment Units and the main complication was sepsis. There is a high mortality from hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease in the central region of Cuba, and once the diagnosis has been made the prognosis is usually poor. The patients included in the programme of attention for subarachnoid haemorrhage showed promising results.

Composition of mixed-species flocks of migrant and resident birds in Cuba

Treesearch

Paul B. Hamel; Arturo Kirkconnell

2005-01-01

Mixed-species flocks are common and obvious in Neotropical habitats. In the Caribbean islands flocks have been noted on Puerto Rico2,5,24,29, Jamaica4, Haiti20, in Dominican Republic18, the virgin Islands7 and on Cuba6,16. Unlike...

International Medical Collaboration: Lessons from Cuba

PubMed Central

Castelló González, Mauro; Pons Vásquez, Reinaldo; Rodriguez Bencomo, David; Choonara, Imti

2016-01-01

Over 50,000 Cuban health professionals are currently working overseas in 67 different countries. They work in conjunction with local health professionals. The majority work in primary care in deprived areas. The aim is to reduce morbidity and mortality but also improve health in the long term by training local health professionals, and building both institutions and a structure to deliver health care alongside educating the local population. Cuba is a small, middle-income country. It has, however, made a significant international contribution in relation to medical collaboration. Cuba’s international collaboration is based on the principles of social justice and equity for all. It has set an example for other countries to emulate. PMID:27763571

First record of natural vertical transmission of dengue virus in Aedes aegypti from Cuba.

PubMed

Gutiérrez-Bugallo, Gladys; Rodriguez-Roche, Rosmari; Díaz, Gisell; Vázquez, Antonio A; Alvarez, Mayling; Rodríguez, Magdalena; Bisset, Juan A; Guzman, Maria G

2017-10-01

While horizontal transmission (human-mosquito-human) of dengue viruses largely determines the epidemiology of the disease, vertical transmission (infected female mosquito- infected offspring) has been suggested as a mechanism that ensures maintenance of the virus during adverse conditions for horizontal transmission to occur. The purpose of this study was to analyze the natural infection of larval stages of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) with the dengue virus (DENV) in Cuba. Here, we report vertical transmission of DENV-3 genotype III in natural populations of Ae. aegypti through RT-PCR detection and serotyping plus sequencing. Our report constitutes the first record of vertical transmission of DENV in Ae. aegypti from Cuba with details of its serotype and genotype. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alternative interpretation for the active zones of Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez, Mario Octavio Cotilla

2014-11-01

An alternative explanation to the seismoactivity of Cuban faults is presented. The model is a consequence of the interaction between Caribbean and North American plates. It is made with 12 geodynamic cells form by a set of 13 active faults and their 14 areas of intersection. These cells are recognized morpho-structural blocks. The area between Eastern Matanzas and Western Cauto-Nipe is excluded because of the low level of seismic information. Cuba has two types of seismogenetic structures: faults and intersection of faults.

The Current State of Physics in Cuba: A Personal Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alonso, Marcelo

After 40 years of absence I returned twice to Cuba, in January and December of 2000, to participate as a guest lecturer in two international scientific meetings. The first dealt with physics education, and the second with current issues related to quantum mechanics. In addition to a few participants from Europe, the US and Latin America, the two meetings were well attended by Cuban physicists.

[The trends by province of tuberculosis in Cuba: 1979-1993].

PubMed

González Ochoa, E; Armas Pérez, L; Machín Gelaber, A

1995-11-01

This study was carried out in order to describe tuberculosis trends in Cuba and its provinces between 1979 and 1993. For this purpose, reports of new cases of all forms of tuberculosis were obtained from the National Statistics Bureau of the Ministry of Public Health. In addition, tuberculosis incidence rates and their trends between 1979 and 1992 were determined. The data were analyzed by means of simple linear and exponential regression models. Finally, the percentage reductions in incidence between 1979 and 1992 were calculated and the observed changes were described in reference to the expected values derived from the regression models. The number of new tuberculosis cases reported in Cuba decreased from 1133 (11.6 per 100,000 population) in 1979 to 633 (5.8 per 100,000) in 1992 (a 44% reduction). In 1993, 788 cases were reported (7.2 per 100,000). In almost all the provinces the incidence tended to decrease between 1979 and 1992, and the average annual number of new case notifications fell between 4.0 and 5.4%, although in some, less than 3%. In 1992, the number of new case notifications in the country was 25% higher than in 1991, and the incidence rates in all the provinces were higher than expected. The incidence in La Habana, the City of Havana, Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Ciego de Avila, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo exceeded the overall national incidence. In 1993, incidence in the country was 55.6% higher than it had been in 1991 and 24.5% higher than in 1992. Incidence rose in all provinces, and especially in the City of Havana, Matanzas, and Guantánamo. Although incidence remained below 8 cases per 100,000 population between 1992 and 1993, it rose during those years, as it did in other countries. The increase appears to be attributable to the economic crisis that affects the country and to have very little connection to human immunodeficiency virus infection.

HIV‑2 antibody detection after indeterminate or negative HIV‑1 Western blot in Cuba, 2005-2008.

PubMed

Díaz, Dervel F; Ortiz, Eva; Martín, Dayamí; Nibot, Carmen; Rizo, Adis; Silva, Eladio

2012-01-01

INTRODUCTION Differentiating between HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection is the first step to understanding HIV transmission, epidemiology and pathogenesis in geographical areas where both viruses circulate. In Cuba, positive results in mixed HIV-1/2 screening assays are confirmed by HIV-1 Western blot. Indeterminate results constitute the main limitation of this test and HIV-2 infection is among their possible causes; hence the importance of second-stage screening and confirmatory tests for HIV-2 infection. OBJECTIVE Investigate the contribution of HIV-2 antibodies to negative or indeterminate HIV-1 Western blot results in serum samples from 2005 through 2008 in Cuba. METHODS HIV-2 reactivity was studied using the ELISA DAVIH-VIH-2 diagnostic kit (Cuba) in 1723 serum samples with negative or indeterminate results for HIV-1 Western blot from January 2005 through December 2008. Duplicate sera reactive by ELISA were confirmed by HIV-2 Western blot, results interpreted according to WHO criteria. The epidemiological interview established by Cuba's National Program for Prevention and Control Sexually-Transmitted Diseases and HIV/AIDS was applied to HIV-2 Western blot-positive patients. RESULTS Among all sera studied, HIV-2 ELISA identified 12 reactive serum samples (0.70%) and 1711 non-reactive (99.30%). Western blot analysis of the 12 ELISA-reactive samples confirmed two positive samples (16.67%), 4 negative (33.33%) and 6 indeterminate (50%). Positive samples reacted against the p16, p26, gp36, p53, p56, p68 and gp105 proteins. All 12 ELISA-reactive samples belonged to the HIV-1 Western blot indeterminate group. The two HIV-2-positive samples showed well defined reactivity to gp160, p53, p55 and p34 of HIV-1. HIV-1 seroconversion was observed in all 10 remaining samples during serological followup. CONCLUSIONS Two new HIV-2 seropositive cases were diagnosed using DAVIH-VIH-2 and HIV-2 Western blot in indeterminate HIV-1 Western blot samples. Results support the recommendation

The United States and Cuba: Past, Present and Future

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-04-01

Amendment in 1934, the naval base at Guantanamo remains controversial and undoubtedly surface as a transition issue for a post -Castro Cuba. 28 The...uprisings led by groups attempting to overthrow the government accusing the incumbent leaders of corruption and ruthlessness.33 The first US post ...86% and 90% of total exports.15 In the post -Second World War period, sugar prices fell again and although the price rose to 3.5 cents per pond in

The University for Older Adults: On Cuba's Universalization of the University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rangel, Clara Lig Long; Proenza, Antonia Zenaida Sanchez

2006-01-01

In this study we focus on a new program in Cuba, university studies for older adults or seniors. Specifically, we look at the Special Municipality of the Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth) in the context of the larger policy of "universalization of higher education." We provide information about Cuban perspectives on adult education,…

Education in Cuba--An Alternative Educational Discourse: Lessons to Be Learned?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breidlid, Anders

2007-01-01

This article focuses on the Cuban education system, which is well known for its focus on inclusion and equality of opportunity, but also for its focus on political and ideological conformity. The economic crisis in Cuba has led to an educational crisis as well, both in terms of teacher shortages and a decrease in quality and in…

The January 2014 Northern Cuba Earthquake Sequence - Unusual Location and Unexpected Source Mechanism Variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braunmiller, J.; Thompson, G.; McNutt, S. R.

2017-12-01

On 9 January 2014, a magnitude Mw=5.1 earthquake occurred along the Bahamas-Cuba suture at the northern coast of Cuba revealing a surprising seismic hazard source for both Cuba and southern Florida where it was widely felt. Due to its location, the event and its aftershocks (M>3.5) were recorded only at far distances (300+ km) resulting in high-detection thresholds, low location accuracy, and limited source parameter resolution. We use three-component regional seismic data to study the sequence. High-pass filtered seismograms at the closest site in southern Florida are similar in character suggesting a relatively tight event cluster and revealing additional, smaller aftershocks not included in the ANSS or ISC catalogs. Aligning on the P arrival and low-pass filtering (T>10 s) uncovers a surprise polarity flip of the large amplitude surface waves on vertical seismograms for some aftershocks relative to the main shock. We performed regional moment tensor inversions of the main shock and its largest aftershocks using complete three-component seismograms from stations distributed throughout the region to confirm the mechanism changes. Consistent with the GCMT solution, we find an E-W trending normal faulting mechanism for the main event and for one immediate aftershock. Two aftershocks indicate E-W trending reverse faulting with essentially flipped P- and T-axes relative to the normal faulting events (and the same B-axes). Within uncertainties, depths of the two event families are indistinguishable and indicate shallow faulting (<10 km). One intriguing possible interpretation is that both families ruptured the same fault with reverse mechanisms compensating for overshooting. However, activity could also be spatially separated either vertically (with reverse mechanisms possibly below extension) or laterally. The shallow source depth and the 200-km long uplifted chain of islands indicate that larger, shallow and thus potentially tsunamigenic earthquakes could occur just

Cognitive Functioning and the Probability of Falls among Seniors in Havana, Cuba

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trujillo, Antonio J.; Hyder, Adnan A.; Steinhardt, Laura C.

2011-01-01

This article explores the connection between cognitive functioning and falls among seniors (greater than or equal to 60 years of age) in Havana, Cuba, after controlling for observable characteristics. Using the SABE (Salud, Bienestar, and Envejecimiento) cross-sectional database, we used an econometric strategy that takes advantage of available…

Molecular Epidemiologic Analysis of Enterococcus faecalis Isolates in Cuba by Multilocus Sequence Typing

PubMed Central

Kobayashi, Nobumichi; Nagashima, Shigeo

2009-01-01

We carried out the first study of Enterococcus faecalis clinical isolates in Cuba by multilocus sequence typing linking the molecular typing data with the presence of virulence determinants and the antibiotic resistance genes. A total of 23 E. faecalis isolates recovered from several clinic sources and geographic areas of Cuba during a period between 2000 and 2005 were typed by multilocus sequence typing. Thirteen sequence types (STs) including five novel STs were identified, and the ST 64 (clonal complex [CC] 8), ST 6 (CC2), ST 21(CC21), and ST 16 (CC58) were found in more than one strain. Sixty-seven percent of STs corresponded to STs reported previously in Spain, Poland, and The Netherlands, and other STs (ST115, ST64, ST6, and ST40) were genetically close to those detected in the United States. Prevalence of both antimicrobial resistance genes [aac(6′)-aph(2″), aph(3′), ant(6), ant(3″)(9), aph(2″)-Id, aph(2″)-Ic, erm(B), erm(A), erm(C), mef(A), tet(M), and tet(L)] and virulence genes (agg, gelE, cylA, esp, ccf, and efaAfs) were examined by polymerase chain reaction. Aminoglycoside resistance genes aac(6′)-Ie-aph(2″)-Ia, aph(3′), ant(6), ant(3″)(9) were more frequently detected in ST6, ST16, ST23, ST64, and ST115. The multidrug resistance was distributed to all STs detected, except for ST117 and singleton ST225. The presence of cyl gene was specifically linked to the ST64 and ST16. Presence of the esp, gel, and agg genes was not specific to any particular ST. This research provided the first insight into the population structure of E. faecalis in Cuba, that is, most Cuban strains were related to European strains, whereas others to U.S. strains. The CC2, CC21, and CC8, three of the biggest CCs in the world, were evidently circulating in Cuba, associated with multidrug resistance and virulence traits. PMID:19857135

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.

Slavery and Cinema in Cuba: The Case of Gutierrez Alea's The Last Supper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Dennis

1979-01-01

"The Last Supper" deals with slavery and social stratification in late eighteenth century Cuba. In this article, the film is described in artistic and historical terms, and is discussed in relation to the larger body of theory on Latin American slavery. (EB)

The U.S. Embargo on Cuba: A time for Change?

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-06-06

to protect intellectual property rights. This is tantamount to Cuba producing an American product like Coke or Pepsi and selling it as a Cuban product...intended audience . Primarily because the Cuban Government jams the signal and secondly because it is transmitted between the hours of 0330 and 0800...Cuban broadcast transmissions during prime time hours. Radio Marti’s listening audience has declined to an estimated five percent of the

Hubble Space Telescope Deploy, Cuba, Bahamas and Gulf of Mexico

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-04-29

STS031-151-010 (25 April 1990) --- The Hubble Space Telescope (HST), still in the grasp of Discovery's Remote Manipulator System (RMS), is backdropped over Cuba and the Bahama Islands. In this scene, it has yet to have deployment of its solar array panels and its high gain antennae. This scene was captured with a large format Aero Linhof camera used by several previous flight crews to record Earth scenes.

Genetic origin, admixture, and asymmetry in maternal and paternal human lineages in Cuba

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Background Before the arrival of Europeans to Cuba, the island was inhabited by two Native American groups, the Tainos and the Ciboneys. Most of the present archaeological, linguistic and ancient DNA evidence indicates a South American origin for these populations. In colonial times, Cuban Native American people were replaced by European settlers and slaves from Africa. It is still unknown however, to what extent their genetic pool intermingled with and was 'diluted' by the arrival of newcomers. In order to investigate the demographic processes that gave rise to the current Cuban population, we analyzed the hypervariable region I (HVS-I) and five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) coding region in 245 individuals, and 40 Y-chromosome SNPs in 132 male individuals. Results The Native American contribution to present-day Cubans accounted for 33% of the maternal lineages, whereas Africa and Eurasia contributed 45% and 22% of the lineages, respectively. This Native American substrate in Cuba cannot be traced back to a single origin within the American continent, as previously suggested by ancient DNA analyses. Strikingly, no Native American lineages were found for the Y-chromosome, for which the Eurasian and African contributions were around 80% and 20%, respectively. Conclusion While the ancestral Native American substrate is still appreciable in the maternal lineages, the extensive process of population admixture in Cuba has left no trace of the paternal Native American lineages, mirroring the strong sexual bias in the admixture processes taking place during colonial times. PMID:18644108

Comparing environmental issues in Cuba before and after the Special Period: balancing sustainable development and survival.

PubMed

Maal-Bared, Rasha

2006-04-01

Following the Earth Summit in 1992, Cuba designed and implemented a variety of programs, administrative structures, and public awareness activities to promote sound environmental management and sustainable development. This came shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union and the strengthening of the US blockade in 1990, which resulted in a 35% drop in Cuban GDP. This period, referred to as the Special Period, witnessed a decrease in many environmentally damaging activities both by choice and by necessity, but also resulted in many decisions to resuscitate the Cuban economy. The purpose of this work was to compare and rank the environmental risks Cuba faced before and during the Special Period (1990-2000) using two Comparative environmental risk assessments (CERAs). To do so, an ecosystem integrity risk assessment matrix was constructed with 42 risk end points. The matrix assessed the risk posed by 17 problem areas including air pollution, water contamination, solid waste sites, pesticides and ecosystem degradation. The risks were calculated using five criteria: area affected, vulnerability of affected population, severity of impact, irreversibility of effect and uncertainty. To construct this matrix, both literature reviews and expert interviews in Cuba were conducted in 2000. The results showed a general decrease in risk scores during the Special Period. Before the Special Period, high risks were posed by: terrestrial degradation and industrial wastewater and sludge, followed by freshwater degradation, surface water stressors, and pesticides. After the Special Period, industrial wastewater and sludge and pesticides were no longer high-risk areas, but municipal wastewater and marine coastal degradation ranked higher than previously. Also, the risk endpoints most stressed after 1990 were affected by activities controlled by the government, such as mining and tourism, and lack of infrastructure. Therefore, the claims that public environmental education is the main

Chemical composition of asphaltenes of crude oil from Baradero field in Cuba

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

Platonov, V.V.; Proskuryakov, V.A.; Klyavina, O.A.

Asphaltenes of crude oil from Baradero field in Cuba have been studied by physical and physicochemical methods. Dynamics of distribution of nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen and also various functional groups in asphaltenes has been described. These data can be used for the proper deasphalting of crude oil and further treatment of asphaltenes.

Height, Zinc and Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections in Schoolchildren: A Study in Cuba and Cambodia

PubMed Central

de Gier, Brechje; Mpabanzi, Liliane; Vereecken, Kim; van der Werff, Suzanne D.; D’Haese, Patrick C.; Fiorentino, Marion; Khov, Kuong; Perignon, Marlene; Chamnan, Chhoun; Berger, Jacques; Parker, Megan E.; Junco Díaz, Raquel; Angel Núñez, Fidel; Rojas Rivero, Lázara; Bonet Gorbea, Mariano; Doak, Colleen M.; Campos Ponce, Maiza; Wieringa, Frank T.; Polman, Katja

2015-01-01

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections and zinc deficiency are often found in low- and middle-income countries and are both known to affect child growth. However, studies combining data on zinc and STH are lacking. In two studies in schoolchildren in Cuba and Cambodia, we collected data on height, STH infection and zinc concentration in either plasma (Cambodia) or hair (Cuba). We analyzed whether STH and/or zinc were associated with height for age z-scores and whether STH and zinc were associated. In Cuba, STH prevalence was 8.4%; these were mainly Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections. In Cambodia, STH prevalence was 16.8%, mostly caused by hookworm. In Cuban children, STH infection had a strong association with height for age (aB-0.438, p = 0.001), while hair zinc was significantly associated with height for age only in STH uninfected children. In Cambodian children, plasma zinc was associated with height for age (aB-0.033, p = 0.029), but STH infection was not. Only in Cambodia, STH infection showed an association with zinc concentration (aB-0.233, p = 0.051). Factors influencing child growth differ between populations and may depend on prevalences of STH species and zinc deficiency. Further research is needed to elucidate these relationships and their underlying mechanisms. PMID:25903454

Height, zinc and soil-transmitted helminth infections in schoolchildren: a study in Cuba and Cambodia.

PubMed

de Gier, Brechje; Mpabanzi, Liliane; Vereecken, Kim; van der Werff, Suzanne D; D'Haese, Patrick C; Fiorentino, Marion; Khov, Kuong; Perignon, Marlene; Chamnan, Chhoun; Berger, Jacques; Parker, Megan E; Díaz, Raquel Junco; Núñez, Fidel Angel; Rivero, Lázara Rojas; Gorbea, Mariano Bonet; Doak, Colleen M; Ponce, Maiza Campos; Wieringa, Frank T; Polman, Katja

2015-04-20

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections and zinc deficiency are often found in low- and middle-income countries and are both known to affect child growth. However, studies combining data on zinc and STH are lacking. In two studies in schoolchildren in Cuba and Cambodia, we collected data on height, STH infection and zinc concentration in either plasma (Cambodia) or hair (Cuba). We analyzed whether STH and/or zinc were associated with height for age z-scores and whether STH and zinc were associated. In Cuba, STH prevalence was 8.4%; these were mainly Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections. In Cambodia, STH prevalence was 16.8%, mostly caused by hookworm. In Cuban children, STH infection had a strong association with height for age (aB-0.438, p = 0.001), while hair zinc was significantly associated with height for age only in STH uninfected children. In Cambodian children, plasma zinc was associated with height for age (aB-0.033, p = 0.029), but STH infection was not. Only in Cambodia, STH infection showed an association with zinc concentration (aB-0.233, p = 0.051). Factors influencing child growth differ between populations and may depend on prevalences of STH species and zinc deficiency. Further research is needed to elucidate these relationships and their underlying mechanisms.

Prerequisites for Democracy in Cuba: Promoting Liberalization Via Civil Society

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-01

been obvious to President Bush that there were elements within the government aligned 42Quoted in IBID. ’Martin Walker, " Pressures Mount in US to...Government. 17. COSATI CODES 18. SUBJECT TERMS (continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block number) FIELD I GROUP SUBGROUP Cuba...democratization. The goal of these steps is to encourage the opening of political space within which Cuban associational groups with a clear stake in a freer

[Microbiological characterization of non-O1 Vibrio cholerae isolated in Cuba].

PubMed

Bravo Fariñas, Laura; Fernández, Anabel; Ramírez, María M; Llop, Alina; Martínez, Gerardo; Hernández, Raquel I; Cabrera, Luis E; Morier, Luis; Fraga, Jorge; Núñez, Fidel A; Aguila, Adalberto

2007-01-01

The study of 422 non-01 Vibrio cholerae strains from nine provinces, 9 of them isolated from a water-borne disease outbreak, was performed. All the strains exhibited antimicrobial susceptibility and virulence factors. The nine strains from the outbreak were subjected to a DNA macrorestriction study based on the pulsed field electrophoresis technique. For the first time in Cuba and the Caribbean. The circulation of atypical non-01 V cholerae strains (resistent to vibriostatic compound 0129 and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole). The behavior of antimicrobial susceptibility evinced for the first time the circulation of two different resistence patterns in Cuba (ampicilline, trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole, sulfonamide and tetracycline, trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole, sulfonamide). The frequency of trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole-resistent strains was similar during the whole period of study. However, resistance to ampicilline decreased whereas resistance to tetracycline increased. The main found virulence factors were gelatinase, hemolysine, elastase and adherence to Hep-2 cells. On the other hand, the outbreak strains showed higher percentages than the others due to the presence of heat-liable toxin and fimbriae. The results of the molecular and epidemiological studies allowed giving a speedy and accurate response that explained the etiology of the first food-borne disease outbreak.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls in soils of Mayabeque, Cuba.

PubMed

Sosa, Dayana; Hilber, Isabel; Faure, Roberto; Bartolomé, Nora; Fonseca, Osvaldo; Keller, Armin; Schwab, Peter; Escobar, Arturo; Bucheli, Thomas D

2017-05-01

Cuba is a country in transition with a considerable potential for economic growth. Soils are recipients and integrators of chemical pollution, a frequent negative side effect of increasing industrial activities. Therefore, we established a soil monitoring network to monitor polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soils of Mayabeque, a Cuban province southeast of Havana. Concentrations of the sum of the 16 US EPA PAHs and of the seven IRMM PCBs in soils from 39 locations ranged from 20 to 106 μg kg -1 and from 1.1 to 7.6 μg kg -1 , respectively. While such concentrations can be considered as low overall, they were in several cases correlated with the distance of sampling sites to presumed major emission sources, with some of the concomitantly investigated source diagnostic PAH ratios, and with black carbon content. The presented data adds to the limited information on soil pollution in the Caribbean region and serves as a reference time point before the onset of a possible further industrial development in Cuba. It also forms the basis to set up and adapt national environmental standards.

Background concentrations and reference values for heavy metals in soils of Cuba.

PubMed

Alfaro, Mirelys Rodríguez; Montero, Alfredo; Ugarte, Olegario Muñiz; do Nascimento, Clístenes Williams Araújo; de Aguiar Accioly, Adriana Maria; Biondi, Caroline Miranda; da Silva, Ygor Jacques Agra Bezerra

2015-01-01

The potential threat of heavy metals to human health has led to many studies on permissible levels of these elements in soils. The objective of this study was to establish quality reference values (QRVs) for Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Fe, Mn, As, Hg, V, Ba, Sb, Ag, Co, and Mo in soils of Cuba. Geochemical associations between trace elements and Fe were also studied, aiming to provide an index for establishing background concentrations of metals in soils. Surface samples of 33 soil profiles from areas of native forest or minimal anthropic influence were collected. Samples were digested (USEPA method 3051A), and the metals were determined by ICP-OES. The natural concentrations of metals in soils of Cuba followed the order Fe > Mn > Ni > Cr > Ba > V > Zn > Cu > Pb > Co > As > Sb > Ag > Cd > Mo > Hg. The QRVs found for Cuban soils were as follows (mg kg(-1)): Ag (1), Ba (111), Cd (0.6), Co (25), Cr (153), Cu (83), Fe (54,055), Mn (1947), Ni (170), Pb (50), Sb (6), V (137), Zn (86), Mo (0.1), As (19), and Hg (0.1). The average natural levels of heavy metals are above the global average, especially for Ni and Cr. The chemical fractionation of soil samples presenting anomalous concentrations of metals showed that Cu, Ni, Cr, Sb, and As have low bioavailability. This suggests that the risk of contamination of agricultural products via plant uptake is low. However, the final decision on the establishment of soil QRVs in Cuba depends on political, economic, and social issues and in-depth risk analyses considering all routes of exposure to these elements.

Cuba: The New Frontier of Study Abroad Programs for U.S. Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henthorne, Tony L.; Panko, Thomas R.

2017-01-01

The growing reconciliation between the United States and Cuba has created a unique opportunity for U.S. business and hospitality students to observe and experience first-hand an economy in marked transition. Attempting to balance the tenets of socialism with a rapidly growing reliance on capitalism creates a rare learning environment for students.…

The Hydraenidae of Cuba (Insecta: Coleoptera) III. Description of two new hygropetric species of Hydraena Kugelann.

PubMed

Deler-Hernández, Albert; Fikáček, Martin; Delgado, Juan A

2017-04-07

Two new species of the genus Hydraena Kugelann, 1794 collected from hygropetric habitats in eastern Cuba are described: Hydraena (Hydraenopsis) blancae sp. nov. from the Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa mountain range, and Hydraena (Hydraenopsis) matthiasi sp. nov. from the Sierra Maestra mountain range. Both species, especially the latter, are closely related to Hydraena (Hydraenopsis) franklyni Deler-Hernández & Delgado, 2012. Diagnostic characters for both new species are provided and illustrated; habitat information and distributional data are also included. An updated key to Cuban species of Hydraena is provided. With this study, the number of species of Hydraena known from Cuba raises to six.

Ecology of the scorpion, Microtityus jaumei in Sierra de Canasta, Cuba.

PubMed

Cala-Riquelme, Franklyn; Colombo, Marco

2011-01-01

An assessment of the population dynamics of Microtityus jaumei Armas (Scorpiones: Buthidae) on the slopes south of Sierra de Canasta, Guantánamo Province, Cuba show an increase in activity over the year (≤ 0.05). The activity peak is related to the reproductive period from June to November. The abundance of scorpions was significantly related to density of the canopy and thickness of the substrate.

The discipline of ergonomics in Cuba within the occupational health framework: background and trends.

PubMed

Torres, Yaniel; Rodríguez, Yordán; Viña, Silvio

2013-01-01

The concept of ergonomics was introduced in Cuba at the beginning of the 1970s. More than 40 years later, the prevailing approach to workers' health is still generally reactive rather than proactive, despite the commitment of the government to the subject. A factor influencing this issue is, generally, lack of recognition of the benefits of establishing ergonomic principles within most occupational activities. Recent progress to move occupational health practice toward a more preventive approach has been conducted, frequently with international support. The introduction of a set of Cuban standards proposing the necessity of ergonomic evaluations is an example of this progress. The main challenge for Cuban ergonomists is to transfer knowledge to occupational health practitioners in order to be in concordance with basic standards and regulations regarding ergonomics. The article offers a short description of the history of ergonomics and an overview of ergonomics practice in Cuba.

Collaborative efforts for managing Melaleuca in the Ciénega de Zapata, Cuba

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Ciénega de Zapata Biosphere Reserve is the largest protected area not only in Cuba but also throughout the Caribbean. This swamp ecosystem is characterized by a high biodiversity that comprises several endemic birds, reptiles and invertebrates and is visited by 65 species of birds during their a...

Cuba's Latin American Medical School: can socially-accountable medical education make a difference?

PubMed

Gorry, Conner

2012-07-01

After graduating more than 12,000 doctors since its founding in 1999, Cuba's Latin American Medical School (ELAM, the Spanish acronym) is tackling one of its greatest challenges to date: how to track graduates from over 65 countries and measure their impact on health outcomes and policy in their local contexts?

Cuba: Exploring the History of Admixture and the Genetic Basis of Pigmentation Using Autosomal and Uniparental Markers

PubMed Central

Fuentes-Smith, Evelyn; Salas, Antonio; Buttenschøn, Henriette N.; Demontis, Ditte; Torres-Español, María; Marín-Padrón, Lilia C.; Gómez-Cabezas, Enrique J.; Álvarez-Iglesias, Vanesa; Mosquera-Miguel, Ana; Martínez-Fuentes, Antonio; Carracedo, Ángel; Børglum, Anders D.; Mors, Ole

2014-01-01

We carried out an admixture analysis of a sample comprising 1,019 individuals from all the provinces of Cuba. We used a panel of 128 autosomal Ancestry Informative Markers (AIMs) to estimate the admixture proportions. We also characterized a number of haplogroup diagnostic markers in the mtDNA and Y-chromosome in order to evaluate admixture using uniparental markers. Finally, we analyzed the association of 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with quantitative estimates of skin pigmentation. In the total sample, the average European, African and Native American contributions as estimated from autosomal AIMs were 72%, 20% and 8%, respectively. The Eastern provinces of Cuba showed relatively higher African and Native American contributions than the Western provinces. In particular, the highest proportion of African ancestry was observed in the provinces of Guantánamo (40%) and Santiago de Cuba (39%), and the highest proportion of Native American ancestry in Granma (15%), Holguín (12%) and Las Tunas (12%). We found evidence of substantial population stratification in the current Cuban population, emphasizing the need to control for the effects of population stratification in association studies including individuals from Cuba. The results of the analyses of uniparental markers were concordant with those observed in the autosomes. These geographic patterns in admixture proportions are fully consistent with historical and archaeological information. Additionally, we identified a sex-biased pattern in the process of gene flow, with a substantially higher European contribution from the paternal side, and higher Native American and African contributions from the maternal side. This sex-biased contribution was particularly evident for Native American ancestry. Finally, we observed that SNPs located in the genes SLC24A5 and SLC45A2 are strongly associated with melanin levels in the sample. PMID:25058410

Cuba: exploring the history of admixture and the genetic basis of pigmentation using autosomal and uniparental markers.

PubMed

Marcheco-Teruel, Beatriz; Parra, Esteban J; Fuentes-Smith, Evelyn; Salas, Antonio; Buttenschøn, Henriette N; Demontis, Ditte; Torres-Español, María; Marín-Padrón, Lilia C; Gómez-Cabezas, Enrique J; Alvarez-Iglesias, Vanesa; Mosquera-Miguel, Ana; Martínez-Fuentes, Antonio; Carracedo, Angel; Børglum, Anders D; Mors, Ole

2014-07-01

We carried out an admixture analysis of a sample comprising 1,019 individuals from all the provinces of Cuba. We used a panel of 128 autosomal Ancestry Informative Markers (AIMs) to estimate the admixture proportions. We also characterized a number of haplogroup diagnostic markers in the mtDNA and Y-chromosome in order to evaluate admixture using uniparental markers. Finally, we analyzed the association of 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with quantitative estimates of skin pigmentation. In the total sample, the average European, African and Native American contributions as estimated from autosomal AIMs were 72%, 20% and 8%, respectively. The Eastern provinces of Cuba showed relatively higher African and Native American contributions than the Western provinces. In particular, the highest proportion of African ancestry was observed in the provinces of Guantánamo (40%) and Santiago de Cuba (39%), and the highest proportion of Native American ancestry in Granma (15%), Holguín (12%) and Las Tunas (12%). We found evidence of substantial population stratification in the current Cuban population, emphasizing the need to control for the effects of population stratification in association studies including individuals from Cuba. The results of the analyses of uniparental markers were concordant with those observed in the autosomes. These geographic patterns in admixture proportions are fully consistent with historical and archaeological information. Additionally, we identified a sex-biased pattern in the process of gene flow, with a substantially higher European contribution from the paternal side, and higher Native American and African contributions from the maternal side. This sex-biased contribution was particularly evident for Native American ancestry. Finally, we observed that SNPs located in the genes SLC24A5 and SLC45A2 are strongly associated with melanin levels in the sample.

Ecology of the Scorpion, Microtityus jaumei in Sierra de Canasta, Cuba

PubMed Central

Cala-Riquelme, Franklyn; Colombo, Marco

2011-01-01

An assessment of the population dynamics of Microtityus jaumei Armas (Scorpiones: Buthidae) on the slopes south of Sierra de Canasta, Guantánamo Province, Cuba show an increase in activity over the year (≤ 0.05). The activity peak is related to the reproductive period from June to November. The abundance of scorpions was significantly related to density of the canopy and thickness of the substrate. PMID:21870972

The association between living through a prolonged economic depression and the male:female birth ratio--a longitudinal study from Cuba, 1960-2008.

PubMed

Venero Fernández, Silvia Josefina; Medina, Ramon Suárez; Britton, John; Fogarty, Andrew W

2011-12-15

The Trivers-Willard hypothesis suggests that populations respond to scarcity by decreasing the ratio of males to females at livebirth. Cuba experienced an extreme economic depression in the 1990s called the "special period." Using time-series analysis, the authors studied the impact of this event on the male:female sex ratio at birth in Cuba from 1960 to 2008. From 1990 to 1993, the per capita gross domestic product in Cuba decreased by 36%. By use of a definition of the special period from 1991 to 1998, there was a prolonged increase in the male:female ratio of livebirths during this period of economic depression (P < 0.001), from 1.06 at baseline to a peak of 1.18. This association persisted when using alternative definitions of the duration of economic depression in sensitivity analyses. Once the period of economic depression was over, the male:female ratio returned to the baseline value. These data suggest that, in Cuba, contrary to the Trivers-Willard hypothesis, the human population responded to conditions of scarcity by increasing the ratio of males to females at livebirth. These data may be relevant in the modeling of demographic projections in countries that experience prolonged economic depression and in understanding adaptive human reproductive responses to environmental change.

Comparative Policy Brief: Status of Intellectual Disabilities in the Republic of Cuba

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brice, Alejandro E.

2008-01-01

It is estimated that 3.2% of Cuba's population of 11.4 million persons has a severe disability of some kind. Recent economic difficulties have, it may be assumed, had a negative impact on health service provision--which is free to all--and thus, on population health outcomes and nutritional levels. There is a traditional culture of family care for…

Environmental Radioactivity Study in Surface Sediments of Guacanayabo Gulf (Cuba)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reyes, H.; López-Pino, N.; Rizo, O. Díaz; Bernal, J. L.; D'Alessandro, K.; Padilla, F.; Corrales, Y.; Casanova, O. A.; Gelen, A.; Martínez, Y.; Aguilar, J.; Arado, J. O.; Maidana, N. L.

2009-06-01

Sediment samples have been collected in the Guacanayabo gulf located in the southeast Cuba, to determinate the radioactivity levels of 210Pb, 234Th, 214Pb, 137Cs, 232Th and 40K using Low-Background Gamma Spectrometry and to evaluate its impact in the habitat of important marine species for fishery industry. The obtained results show the lowest radioactivity levels determined in Cuban marine environments. The species capture declination in the last years is not originated by radioactive pollution of the zone.

[Cyptococcus gattii isolated from a cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) in the National Zoo of Cuba].

PubMed

Polo Leal, Jorge Luis; Fernández Andreu, Carlos Manuel; Martínez Machín, Gerardo; Illnait Zaragozi, María Teresa; Perurena Lancha, Mayda Rosa

2010-01-01

Cryptoccosis--systemic mycosis caused by Cryptococcus species--has considerably raised its incidence in the last years, mainly associated with the human immunodeficiency virus infection. It has also been described in animals, but rare cases. a case of a female cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) kept in the Nacional Zoo of Havana was presented. The animal came from South Africa. She began losing weight, and suffering asthenia, anorexia and breathing problems with abundant nasal secretion. mycological testing of these secretions disclosed the presence of serotype B Cryptococcus gattii. Because of the origin and captive condition of the animal, it was believed that the infection had been latent for 16 months at least. up to the present, in Cuba, all clinical Cryptococcus isolates were C. neoformans var. grubii, so it is considered that the infection was caught in the country of origin of the female cheetah. This is the first C. gattii isolate in Cuba from an animal coming from South Africa where this fungus is endemic.

Development of an active risk-based surveillance strategy for avian influenza in Cuba.

PubMed

Ferrer, E; Alfonso, P; Ippoliti, C; Abeledo, M; Calistri, P; Blanco, P; Conte, A; Sánchez, B; Fonseca, O; Percedo, M; Pérez, A; Fernández, O; Giovannini, A

2014-09-01

The authors designed a risk-based approach to the selection of poultry flocks to be sampled in order to further improve the sensitivity of avian influenza (AI) active surveillance programme in Cuba. The study focused on the western region of Cuba, which harbours nearly 70% of national poultry holdings and comprise several wetlands where migratory waterfowl settle (migratory waterfowl settlements - MWS). The model took into account the potential risk of commercial poultry farms in western Cuba contracting from migratory waterfowl of the orders Anseriformes and Charadriiformes through dispersion for pasturing of migratory birds around the MWS. We computed spatial risk index by geographical analysis with Python scripts in ESRI(®) ArcGIS 10 on data projected in the reference system NAD 1927-UTM17. Farms located closer to MWS had the highest values for the risk indicator pj and in total 31 farms were chosen for targeted surveillance during the risk period. The authors proposed to start active surveillance in the study area 3 weeks after the onset of Anseriformes migration, with additional sampling repeated twice in the same selected poultry farms at 15 days interval (Comin et al., 2012; EFSA, 2008) to cover the whole migration season. In this way, the antibody detectability would be favoured in case of either a posterior AI introduction or enhancement of a previous seroprevalence under the sensitivity level. The model identified the areas with higher risk for AIV introduction from MW, aiming at selecting poultry premises for the application of risk-based surveillance. Given the infrequency of HPAI introduction into domestic poultry populations and the relative paucity of occurrences of LPAI epidemics, the evaluation of the effectiveness of this approach would require its application for several migration seasons to allow the collection of sufficient reliable data. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Flowering of Identity: Tracing the History of Cuba through the Visual Arts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Noel

2007-01-01

Teaching history through the visual arts is one way of bringing the past into the present. In Cuba, the visual arts and architecture have reflected the country's "flowering of identity" through time, as a multi-ethnic population has grown to recognize its own distinct history, values and attributes, and Cuban artists have portrayed the…

Virtual Tour Environment of Cuba's National School of Art

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Napolitano, R. K.; Douglas, I. P.; Garlock, M. E.; Glisic, B.

2017-08-01

Innovative technologies have enabled new opportunities for collecting, analyzing, and sharing information about cultural heritage sites. Through a combination of two of these technologies, spherical imaging and virtual tour environment, we preliminarily documented one of Cuba's National Schools of Art, the National Ballet School.The Ballet School is one of the five National Art Schools built in Havana, Cuba after the revolution. Due to changes in the political climate, construction was halted on the schools before completion. The Ballet School in particular was partially completed but never used for the intended purpose. Over the years, the surrounding vegetation and environment have started to overtake the buildings; damages such as missing bricks, corroded rebar, and broken tie bars can be seen. We created a virtual tour through the Ballet School which highlights key satellite classrooms and the main domed performance spaces. Scenes of the virtual tour were captured utilizing the Ricoh Theta S spherical imaging camera and processed with Kolor Panotour virtual environment software. Different forms of data can be included in this environment in order to provide a user with pertinent information. Image galleries, hyperlinks to websites, videos, PDFs, and links to databases can be embedded within the scene and interacted with by a user. By including this information within the virtual tour, a user can better understand how the site was constructed as well as the existing types of damage. The results of this work are recommendations for how a site can be preliminarily documented and information can be initially organized and shared.

Anatomic pathology in Cuba before 1959: a personal recollection.

PubMed

Buesa, René J

2016-04-01

Reminiscing when reaching life's twilight is a human condition and hopefully leads to an objective self-evaluation of the past years. I have just done that with this recollection and now I can conclude that, in spite of the outcome of my professional life in Cuba, I remain convinced that one should not complete a journey just because it was started, that everything we learn in life will be sued in due time, and that we should always pursue our dreams because we become our best in the process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors That Condition the Attitude Toward Living Related Kidney Donation Among Santiago of Cuba's Population.

PubMed

Ríos, A; López-Navas, A I; Sánchez, Á; Martínez-Alarcón, L; Ayala, M A; Garrido, G; Sebastián, M J; Ramis, G; Hernández, A M; Ramírez, P; Parrilla, P

2018-03-01

Living kidney donation is currently the most important kidney donor source in Latin America, and it is necessary to further increase its rates. To analyze the attitude toward living kidney donation among the Santiago de Cuba's population and to determine the sociopersonal factors with which it is associated. The population over 15 years old residing in Santiago de Cuba, stratified by sex and age, was screened. The "PCID-LKD Ríos" attitude questionnaire toward living kidney donation was administered to a random selection of the people surveyed according to the stratification and the census data. The completion was anonymized and self-administered. Verbal consent was obtained. The study was completed by 445 people, of whom the 86% (n = 389) were in favor of living related kidney donation. This attitude is associated with the level of education (P < .001); previous experience with organ donation (P = .006); attitude toward cadaveric organ donation (P < .001); carrying out of prosocial activities (P = .010); discussion of the issue with the family (P < .001) and the significant other (P < .001); concern about mutilation after donation (P = .001); religious beliefs (P = .001); and assessment of the risk of living kidney donation (P < .001). In the multivariate study, the following variables persisted: (1) level of education; (2) attitude of cadaveric donation; (3) carrying out of prosocial activities; and (4) risk assessment of living donation. Living related donation is very well accepted among the Santiago de Cuba's population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nutritional and food protection against epidemic emerging neuropathy. Epidemiological findings in the unique disease-free urban area of Cuba.

PubMed

Barnouin, J; Verdura Barrios, T; Chassagne, M; Pérez Cristiá, R; Arnaud, J; Fleites Mestre, P; Montoya, M E; Favier, A

2001-09-01

A survey was conducted through the SECUBA (SEguridad alimentaria en CUba y Buena Alimentación) research program in Cuban healthy smokers living in Guantánamo and in Havana. The aim of the survey was to investigate biological and nutritional factors connected with the occurrence of zero epidemic neuropathy (EN) observed in Guantánamo urban area since the disease emerged in Cuba. Blood riboflavin status and carotenoid and selenium concentrations were higher in Guantánamo than in Havana smokers. Food dietary quantities of plantain banana, pepper (Capsicum spp.), bovine meat and milk products were higher in Guantánamo. Inversely, foods rich in cholesterol, especially eggs, were more consumed in Havana. Through riboflavin, carotenoid and selenium contents and specific antioxidants substances (indoleamines, capsaicin), the foods more consumed in Guantánamo could be considered as EN protective factors. Disease protective effects could be exerted via enhancement of defence mechanisms against free radical damage and related mechanisms focused on redox recycling of glutathione and local protection from carotenoids. Finally, the results of the present study should help Cuba, through a better EN control, to improve long-term food safety and define healthier dietary habits.

Emerging Interaction of Political Processes: The Effect on a Study Abroad Program in Cuba

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Ruth

2007-01-01

The emerging interaction of political processes sets the stage for the level of macro uncertainty and specific risk events that may occur in an international relationship. Strongly defined social control in Cuba, formal and informal, dominates the dynamics of the relationship, while simultaneously government, formal, action in the U.S. dominates…

Vietnamese women at solidarity meeting of world women in Cuba.

PubMed

1998-01-01

This article summarizes experiences of a Vietnamese delegation at a solidarity meeting of world women during April 13-16, 1998, in Cuba. The President of the Viet Nam Women's Union headed the delegation. The advisor was the vice-chairperson of the Vietnamese National Assembly. The delegation participated in 6 forums: women and sustainable economic development; women, health, education, and social security; women, communication and the mass media; women in politics and decision-making; women, violence and discrimination; and national independence, sovereignty, peace, and women. The delegation also participated in sessions on women's issues; implementation issues; women parliamentarians; and migrant and displaced women. The delegation met with delegates from other countries and participated in a world meeting and an Asian-Pacific meeting to support Cuban women. The entire delegation presented a stage show of songs, which was well received by the 3000 participants. The delegation met with Cuban delegates to discuss the formation of women's groups and to build better relations between the women of both countries. The delegation visited a training center of women cadres and the center for gender education. Participants adopted the Havana Declaration, which states the intention of world women to eradicate poverty and war and to promote peace, progress, and happiness in all countries. The Havana Declaration condemned the US embargo against Cuba. Fidel Castro spoke and expressed gratitude for the strong support from world women, especially Vietnamese women.

The Chemical Diversity of Lantana camara: Analyses of Essential Oil Samples from Cuba, Nepal, and Yemen.

PubMed

Satyal, Prabodh; Crouch, Rebecca A; Monzote, Lianet; Cos, Paul; Awadh Ali, Nasser A; Alhaj, Mehdi A; Setzer, William N

2016-03-01

The aerial parts of Lantana camara L. were collected from three different geographical locations: Artemisa (Cuba), Biratnagar (Nepal), and Sana'a (Yemen). The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. A cluster analysis of 39 L. camara essential oil compositions revealed eight major chemotypes: β-caryophyllene, germacrene D, ar-curcumene/zingiberene, γ-curcumen-15-al/epi-β-bisabolol, (E)-nerolidol, davanone, eugenol/alloaromadendrene, and carvone. The sample from Cuba falls into the group dominated by (E)-nerolidol, the sample from Nepal is a davanone chemotype, and the sample from Yemen belongs to the β-caryophyllene chemotype. The chemical composition of L. camara oil plays a role in the biological activity; the β-caryophyllene and (E)-nerolidol chemotypes showed antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. © 2016 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

Environmental Radioactivity Study in Surface Sediments of Guacanayabo Gulf (Cuba)

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

Reyes, H.; Rizo, O. Diaz; Bernal, J. L.

Sediment samples have been collected in the Guacanayabo gulf located in the southeast Cuba, to determinate the radioactivity levels of {sup 210}Pb, {sup 234}Th, {sup 214}Pb, {sup 137}Cs, {sup 232}Th and {sup 40}K using Low-Background Gamma Spectrometry and to evaluate its impact in the habitat of important marine species for fishery industry. The obtained results show the lowest radioactivity levels determined in Cuban marine environments. The species capture declination in the last years is not originated by radioactive pollution of the zone.

The right to health care for transsexual people in Cuba.

PubMed

Roque, Alberto; Rodríguez, R Mayra

2012-04-01

Gender identity is a sociocultural construct based (in nearly every society) on a binary norm: female and male. Transsexual individuals suffer from intense family and social discrimination because they express a dissident sexuality incongruent with this norm. They assert they feel trapped in a body that does not belong to them, so they seek help from health professionals to modify their bodies, to "adapt their bodies to their minds." This essay discusses health care for transsexual persons in Cuba from a human rights perspective that does not pathologize their gender identification.

Developing Strategies for Waste Reduction by Means of Tailored Interventions in Santiago De Cuba

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobias, Robert; Brugger, Adrian; Mosler, Hans-Joachim

2009-01-01

This article introduces an approach to tailoring behavior-change campaigns to target populations using the example of solid waste reduction in Santiago de Cuba. Tailoring is performed in the following steps: (1) Psychological constructs are selected to detect problems in performing the target behavior, and data are gathered on these constructs.…

Application of hazard models for patients with breast cancer in Cuba

PubMed Central

Alfonso, Anet Garcia; de Oca, Néstor Arcia Montes

2011-01-01

There has been a rapid development in hazard models and survival analysis in the last decade. This article aims to assess the overall survival time of breast cancer in Cuba, as well as to determine plausible factors that may have a significant impact in the survival time. The data are obtained from the National Cancer Register of Cuba. The data set used in this study relates to 6381 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between January 2000 and December 2002. Follow-up data are available until the end of December 2007, by which time 2167 (33.9%) had died and 4214 (66.1%) were still alive. The adequacy of six parametric models is assessed by using their Akaike information criterion values. Five of the six parametric models (Exponential, Weibull, Log-logistic, Lognormal, and Generalized Gamma) are parameterized by using the accelerated failure-time metric, and the Gompertz model is parameterized by using the proportional hazard metric. The main result in terms of survival is found for the different categories of the clinical stage covariate. The survival time among patients who have been diagnosed at early stage of breast cancer is about 60% higher than the one among patients diagnosed at more advanced stage of the disease. Differences among provinces have not been found. The age is another significant factor, but there is no important difference between patient ages. PMID:21686138

Application of hazard models for patients with breast cancer in Cuba.

PubMed

Alfonso, Anet Garcia; de Oca, Néstor Arcia Montes

2011-01-01

There has been a rapid development in hazard models and survival analysis in the last decade. This article aims to assess the overall survival time of breast cancer in Cuba, as well as to determine plausible factors that may have a significant impact in the survival time. The data are obtained from the National Cancer Register of Cuba. The data set used in this study relates to 6381 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between January 2000 and December 2002. Follow-up data are available until the end of December 2007, by which time 2167 (33.9%) had died and 4214 (66.1%) were still alive. The adequacy of six parametric models is assessed by using their Akaike information criterion values. Five of the six parametric models (Exponential, Weibull, Log-logistic, Lognormal, and Generalized Gamma) are parameterized by using the accelerated failure-time metric, and the Gompertz model is parameterized by using the proportional hazard metric. The main result in terms of survival is found for the different categories of the clinical stage covariate. The survival time among patients who have been diagnosed at early stage of breast cancer is about 60% higher than the one among patients diagnosed at more advanced stage of the disease. Differences among provinces have not been found. The age is another significant factor, but there is no important difference between patient ages.

Morbidity, utilization of curative care and service entry point preferences in metropolitan Centro Habana, Cuba.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Armando; Díaz, Addys; Balcindes, Susana; García, René; Vos, Pol De; Stuyft, Patrick Van der

2016-11-03

First-line health services with a primary health care approach are a strong trigger for adequate health-care-seeking behavior. Research on the association between prevalence of chronic diseases and acute illnesses and use of health services emphasizes the importance of socioeconomic determinants in such patterns of utilization. In a cross-sectional study of 408 families in Centro Habana, Cuba, home interviews were conducted between April and June 2010 to analyze socio-demographic determinants of acute and chronic health problems and use of formal health services. Bivariate and logistic regression models were used. 529 persons reported a chronic disease. During the previous month, 155 of the latter reported an exacerbation and 50 experienced an unrelated acute health problem. 107 persons without chronic diseases reported acute health problems. Age was the strongest determinant of chronic disease prevalence. Adult women and the elderly were more likely to report acute problems. Acute patients with underlying chronic disease used formal services more often. No socio-demographic variable was associated with services use or consultation with the family physician. While the family physician is defined as the system's entry-point, this was the case for only 54% of patients that had used formal services, thus compromising the physician's role in counseling patients and summarizing their health issues. The importance of chronic diseases highlights the need to strengthen the family physician's pivotal role. New economic policies in Cuba, stimulating self-employment and private initiative, may increase the strain on the exclusively public health care system. Still, the Cuban health system has demonstrated its ability to adapt to new challenges, and the basic premises of Cuba's health policy are expected to be preserved.

A study of the natural bitumen of the Mariel deposit (Republic of Cuba)

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

Platanov, V.V.; Ivleva, L.N.; Kalyavina, O.A.

The bitumen of the Mariel deposit, province of Havana, Republic of Cuba, and the products of its ozonolysis and thermal degradation have been studied by a group of physicochemical and chemical methods. It has been shown that the organic part of the bitumen has an aromatic polycondensed structure with mainly short alkyl substituents and ketone, ester, phenol, and quinoid functional groups together with organic sulfur and nitrogen.

Learning together: a Canada-Cuba research collaboration to improve the sustainable management of environmental health risks.

PubMed

Spiegel, Jerry; Garcia, Maricel; Bonet, Mariano; Yassi, Annalee

2006-01-01

To build a national Cuban capacity for training environmental health professionals directly linked to the needs of policy-makers and communities. The University of Manitoba and University of British Columbia collaborated with an established training centre in Cuba (the Instituto Nacional de Higiene y Epidemiologia--INHEM) and new centres in the Central (Santa Clara) and Eastern (Santiago) regions of the country. Cuba. In the mid-1990s, a comprehensive curriculum (masters and diploma programs) was collaboratively developed, applying interactive teaching methods, and was delivered through a series of workshops and other interactions in Cuba, and short-term visits to Canada by Cuban PhD students. The collaboration was successful in fulfilling capacity-building targets (over 50 Masters graduates, 467 Diploma graduates, over 30 trained core faculty in all regional centres as well as new curriculum and new accredited regional programs). Alongside this, a number of collaborative community-based research projects were undertaken in all three regions (drinking water in Santiago; housing and urban renewal, and dengue control in Havana; and tourism-related effects, and effective intersectoral management of population health determinants in Santa Clara). The collaboration led to adopting new strategies for challenges such as a dengue epidemic in 2002, and new research on the effectiveness of intersectoral management of risks of particular interest to both Cuban and Canadian policy-makers. It triggered an ambitious collaboration between the Canadian-Cuban team and colleagues in Ecuador in order to build a similar national network there, built on South-South and North-South links.

First Report of a New Isolate of Metarhizium rileyi from Maize Fields of Quivicán, Cuba.

PubMed

Álvarez, Sandra Pérez; Guerrero, Amaury Méndez; Duarte, Bernardo Nayar Débora; Tapia, Marco Antonio Magallanes; Medina, Jesús Alicia Chávez; Domínguez Rodríguez, Yoannis

2018-06-01

Metarhizium rileyi (Farlow) Samson is an important entomopathogenic fungus of more than 30 species of Lepidoptera larvae. The aim of this research was to characterize isolate of M. rileyi from Quivicán, Cuba on the basis of morphological and molecular approaches. The fungus was isolated from samples of S . frugiperda larvae collected from maize fields of Quivicán municipality, Mayabeque province, Cuba, and it was cultured on PDA + Ampicillin solid media for morphological characterization. The DNA was isolated using CTAB method and internal transcribed spacer (ITS1, ITS4) were used as the primers for the amplification. The amplified products of 1335 bp were purified and sequenced at CINVESTAV-IPN in both the directions using the above primers. A consensus sequence was obtained by alignment of the forward and reverse sequences for this region and deposited in GenBank (MG637450). The fungus produced slightly cottony colony of pale green color and dispersed conidia and septal mycelium were observed under the optical microscope. A BLAST search of the sequence in GenBank revealed a 99% of identity with several strains of N. rileyi (e.g., AF368501.1, AB268359.1 and EU553337.1) and M. rileyi (e.g., KY436756.1). This is the first report of M. rileyi isolate from maize fields of Quivicán in Cuba and this is important for biodiversity studies and is another possibility for Integrated Pest Management.

HBV Genotypic Variability in Cuba

PubMed Central

Loureiro, Carmen L.; Aguilar, Julio C.; Aguiar, Jorge; Muzio, Verena; Pentón, Eduardo; Garcia, Daymir; Guillen, Gerardo; Pujol, Flor H.

2015-01-01

The genetic diversity of HBV in human population is often a reflection of its genetic admixture. The aim of this study was to explore the genotypic diversity of HBV in Cuba. The S genomic region of Cuban HBV isolates was sequenced and for selected isolates the complete genome or precore-core sequence was analyzed. The most frequent genotype was A (167/250, 67%), mainly A2 (149, 60%) but also A1 and one A4. A total of 77 isolates were classified as genotype D (31%), with co-circulation of several subgenotypes (56 D4, 2 D1, 5 D2, 7 D3/6 and 7 D7). Three isolates belonged to genotype E, two to H and one to B3. Complete genome sequence analysis of selected isolates confirmed the phylogenetic analysis performed with the S region. Mutations or polymorphisms in precore region were more common among genotype D compared to genotype A isolates. The HBV genotypic distribution in this Caribbean island correlates with the Y lineage genetic background of the population, where a European and African origin prevails. HBV genotypes E, B3 and H isolates might represent more recent introductions. PMID:25742179

Astronomy TV outreach, CUBA experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez, Oscar

2015-08-01

As professional astronomer and science communicator, I want to share my personal experience communicating Astronomy and general science principles in maybe, the most popular science outreach devoted TV program in Cuba. It is broadcasted nationwide in a prime time schedule every Sunday. The Science Popularization on TV, is in a Third World Country hard to do if you want to produce attractive materials for a broad audience. Budgets constraints in most of the cases and lack of the technical equipment required to produce first class visual materials conspire, against motivation and creativity of local scientists and media professionals. A way to show the advance of the national scientific community in Science fields and connecting them in a friendly relation with a broad majority of the people, is to combine the wisdom and knowledge of the local scientists together with the most spectacular TV production of the first world countries. Commenting, analyzing and conveying the hard science into the public debate of the common citizens. Here is shown a way to convey cutting edge science to the general public, using limited resources to produce imaginative television productions, highlighting the development, knowledge and wisdom of the local scientists.

[Mortality in traffic accidents in Bayamo, Cuba 2011].

PubMed

Piña-Tornés, Arlines; González-Longoria, Lourdes; González-Pardo, Secundino; Acosta-González, Ariel; Vintimilla-Burgos, Patricio; Paspuel-Yar, Silvana

2014-01-01

With the objective of describing mortality from traffic accidents in Bayamo, Cuba, in 2011 a review was performed of injured and deceased patients due to traffic accidents, recorded in the Hospital Carlos M. de Céspedes. Of the 1,365 injured patients treated in the emergency room, the predominant groups were individuals aged 25 to 44 years comprising 372 patients (27.3%) and men comprising 1,071 (78.5%). 46 people died, most from the same age group and male. Multiple traumatisms (52.6%) and craniofacial trauma (34.2%) were the predominant injuries. Motor vehicle-pedestrian accidents stood out with a mortality of 26.3%. In conclusion, mortality from traffic accidents predominately occurs in young male adults, whose fatal consequences are due to multiple traumatisms from road accidents.

Begomoviruses infecting weeds in Cuba: increased host range and a novel virus infecting Sida rhombifolia.

PubMed

Fiallo-Olivé, Elvira; Navas-Castillo, Jesús; Moriones, Enrique; Martínez-Zubiaur, Yamila

2012-01-01

As a result of surveys conducted during the last few years to search for wild reservoirs of begomoviruses in Cuba, we detected a novel bipartite begomovirus, sida yellow mottle virus (SiYMoV), infecting Sida rhombifolia plants. The complete genome sequence was obtained, showing that DNA-A was 2622 nucleotides (nt) in length and that it was most closely related (87.6% nucleotide identity) to DNA-A of an isolate of sida golden mosaic virus (SiGMV) that infects snap beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) in Florida. The DNA-B sequence was 2600 nt in length and shared the highest nucleotide identity (75.1%) with corchorus yellow spot virus (CoYSV). Phylogenetic relationship analysis showed that both DNA components of SiYMoV were grouped in the Abutilon clade, along with begomoviruses from Florida and the Caribbean islands. We also present here the complete nucleotide sequence of a novel strain of sida yellow vein virus found infecting Malvastrum coromandelianum and an isolate of euphorbia mosaic virus that was found for the first time infecting Euphorbia heterophylla in Cuba.

Astronomy in Cuba: practice and trends. An effort to develop a non-formal education programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pomares, Oscar A.

In the recent past years, a daily stronger movement of non-professional astronomers has become the center of development for astronomy, a subject of study practically absent now from the national education system in Cuba. A key roll in this movement has been played by the professional staff of the Department of Astronomy of the Institute of Geophysics and Astronomy. As direct outcome of this joint effort between astronomers and amateurs is the research on meteors and comets, presented in two national and one international scientific meeetings. The opening last year of the "Palacio de las Ciencias" in the main building of the country, "El Capitolio Nacional", the participation in conferences and workshops of professional astronomers facing the general public, and their participation in prime-time TV and radio programs open a way for the growth of astronomical knowledge among the Cuban people. Two national meeetings gathering together professional and non- professional astronomers have been held already. Future works in the NEOs international campaign are foreseen. Practice and trends of astronomy in Cuba clarify views of our future in the oldest natural science.

Insecticide Resistance and Metabolic Mechanisms Involved in Larval and Adult Stages of Aedes aegypti Insecticide-Resistant Reference Strains from Cuba.

PubMed

Bisset, Juan Andrés; Rodríguez, María Magdalena; French, Leydis; Severson, David W; Gutiérrez, Gladys; Hurtado, Daymi; Fuentes, Ilario

2014-12-01

Studies were conducted to compare levels of insecticide resistance and to determine the metabolic resistance mechanisms in larval and adult stages of Aedes aegypti from Cuba. Three insecticide-resistant reference strains of Ae. aegypti from Cuba were examined. These strains were derived from a Santiago de Cuba strain isolated in 1997; it was previously subjected to a strong selection for resistance to temephos (SAN-F6), deltamethrin (SAN-F12), and propoxur (SAN-F13) and routinely maintained in the laboratory under selection pressure up to the present time, when the study was carried out. In addition, an insecticide-susceptible strain was used for comparison. The insecticide resistance in larvae and adults was determined using standard World Health Organization methodologies. Insecticide resistance mechanisms were determined by biochemical assays. The esterases (α EST and β EST) and mixed function oxidase (MFO) activities were significantly higher in adults than in the larvae of the three resistant strains studied. The association of resistance level with the biochemical mechanism for each insecticide was established for each stage. The observed differences between larval and adult stages of Ae. aegypti in their levels of insecticide resistance and the biochemical mechanisms involved should be included as part of monitoring and surveillance activities in Ae. aegypti vector control programs.

The fertility transition in Cuba and the Federal Republic of Korea: the impact of organised family planning.

PubMed

Noble, J; Potts, M

1996-04-01

South Korea and Cuba are dissimilar in religion, economy, culture and attitudes toward premarital sexual relations. In 1960, Korea instituted a national family planning programme to combat rapid population growth. Cuba explicitly rejected Malthusian policies, but made family planning universally available in 1974 in response to health needs. Both countries have undergone rapid fertility declines and today have less than replacement level fertility. Both countries have also used a similar mixture of methods, including a high prevalence of female sterilisation. Abortion has played a major role in the fertility decline of both countries, rising in the first half of the fertility transition and then falling, although remaining a significant variable in the second half. It is concluded that access to contraception, voluntary sterilisation, and safe abortion has a direct impact on fertility and has been associated with a rapid fall in family size in two very different countries.

Access to antiepileptic drug therapy in children in Camagüey Province, Cuba

PubMed Central

Arencibia, Zeina Bárzaga; Leyva, Alberto López; Peña, Yordanka Mejías; Reyes, Alba Rosa González; Nápolez, Maurilys Acosta; Carbonell Perdomo, Demetrio; Manzano, Edita Fernández; Choonara, Imti

2012-01-01

Objective To describe access to antiepileptic drug therapy and estimate the prevalence of epilepsy in children in Camagüey Province, Cuba. Methods All the community pharmacies in the province were visited and information collected about the number of children receiving antiepileptic drugs in 2009. Availability and cost of each antiepileptic drug were determined. The prevalence of epilepsy was estimated by determining the number of children receiving antiepileptic drugs. Results There were 923 children who received a total of 977 antiepileptic drugs in Camagüey Province. The estimated prevalence of epilepsy was 5.18 per thousand children which is lower than previously reported rates in other low and lower-middle income countries. Most of the children (871, 94%) received a single antiepileptic drug. Carbamazepine and valproate were the two most frequently prescribed antiepileptic drugs. Antiepileptic drugs were available from the local pharmacy on 76% of occasions. If the antiepileptic drug was not available from the local pharmacy, the parent had to travel to another pharmacy to obtain the medicine. Conclusions The estimated prevalence of epilepsy in children in Cuba is lower than that estimated in other lower-middle income countries. Access to drug therapy in children with epilepsy can be achieved in lower-middle income countries. PMID:23134098

Genetic and infective diversity of the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica (Trematoda: Digenea) from Cuba.

PubMed

Vázquez, A A; Lounnas, M; Sánchez, J; Alba, A; Milesi, A; Hurtrez-Boussès, S

2016-11-01

In this study we present the first approach to exploration of the genetic diversity of Cuban Fasciola hepatica populations using microsatellite markers, coupled with observed prevalence in slaughterhouses. Nine populations of flukes recovered from cows and buffalos were studied in the central-western region of Cuba. The observed infection rates of definitive hosts (bovines) were 70-100% in most cases. An important amount of polymorphism was found in the four loci explored. However, no apparent genetic differences were found between populations from different provinces or bovine species. The absence of deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium suggests a high rate of cross-fertilization between F. hepatica individuals. This result was confirmed when all multilocus genotypes were tested for clonal reproduction and only four individuals differed statistically (P sex< 0.05). High values of expected heterozygosity coupled with highly probable mixing among strains make the metapopulation genetically diversified but similar in terms of certain alleles (low F ST values). These results suggest a close relationship between parasite diversity and cattle management in Cuba. Our findings should be taken into consideration by veterinary authorities to help mitigate fasciolosis transmission.

Uso de la punción lumbar en la evaluación de sepsis neonatal tardía en recién nacidos de bajo peso al nacer

PubMed Central

Zea-Vera, A; Turín, CG; Rueda, MS; Guillén-Pinto, D; Medina-Alva, P; Tori, A; Rivas, M; Zegarra, J; Castañeda, A; Cam, L; Ochoa, TJ

2017-01-01

RESUMEN El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar el uso de la punción lumbar (PL) en las sospechas de sepsis neonatal tardía. Se recomienda realizar una PL en la evaluación de toda sospecha de sepsis neonatal tardía. Se utilizó una cohorte de 414 neonatos con peso al nacer <2000g en tres hospitales de Lima. Se realizó la PL en 45/214 (21,0%) sospechas de sepsis y en 13/48 (27,1%) sepsis confirmadas por hemocultivo. Se diagnosticó meningitis en 8/214 (3,7%) sospechas y en 8/45 (17,5%) episodios en los que se realizó la PL. El tiempo de tratamiento de los episodios sin PL fue similar a los episodios de sepsis con meningitis descartada y menor a los episodios de meningitis. El uso de la PL es bajo, lo que puede resultar en meningitis no diagnosticadas y tratadas inadecuadamente. Es necesario reforzar la importancia de la PL en la evaluación de sepsis neonatal. PMID:27656928

First molecular evidence of Coxiella burnetii infecting ticks in Cuba.

PubMed

Noda, Angel A; Rodríguez, Islay; Miranda, Jorge; Contreras, Verónica; Mattar, Salim

2016-02-01

Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of Q fever. In order to explore the occurrence of C. burnetii in ticks, samples were collected from horses, dogs and humans living in a Cuban occidental community. The species most commonly recovered were Amblyomma mixtum (67%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. (27%) and Dermacentor nitens (6%). Specific IS1111 PCR and amplicon sequencing allowed the identification of C. burnetii DNA in A. mixtum collected from a domestic horse. These findings, for first time in Cuba, indicate the need for an in-depth assessment of the C. burnetii occurrence in hosts and humans at risk of infection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Neurological Manifestations Among US Government Personnel Reporting Directional Audible and Sensory Phenomena in Havana, Cuba.

PubMed

Swanson, Randel L; Hampton, Stephen; Green-McKenzie, Judith; Diaz-Arrastia, Ramon; Grady, M Sean; Verma, Ragini; Biester, Rosette; Duda, Diana; Wolf, Ronald L; Smith, Douglas H

2018-03-20

From late 2016 through August 2017, US government personnel serving on diplomatic assignment in Havana, Cuba, reported neurological symptoms associated with exposure to auditory and sensory phenomena. To describe the neurological manifestations that followed exposure to an unknown energy source associated with auditory and sensory phenomena. Preliminary results from a retrospective case series of US government personnel in Havana, Cuba. Following reported exposure to auditory and sensory phenomena in their homes or hotel rooms, the individuals reported a similar constellation of neurological symptoms resembling brain injury. These individuals were referred to an academic brain injury center for multidisciplinary evaluation and treatment. Report of experiencing audible and sensory phenomena emanating from a distinct direction (directional phenomena) associated with an undetermined source, while serving on US government assignments in Havana, Cuba, since 2016. Descriptions of the exposures and symptoms were obtained from medical record review of multidisciplinary clinical interviews and examinations. Additional objective assessments included clinical tests of vestibular (dynamic and static balance, vestibulo-ocular reflex testing, caloric testing), oculomotor (measurement of convergence, saccadic, and smooth pursuit eye movements), cognitive (comprehensive neuropsychological battery), and audiometric (pure tone and speech audiometry) functioning. Neuroimaging was also obtained. Of 24 individuals with suspected exposure identified by the US Department of State, 21 completed multidisciplinary evaluation an average of 203 days after exposure. Persistent symptoms (>3 months after exposure) were reported by these individuals including cognitive (n = 17, 81%), balance (n = 15, 71%), visual (n = 18, 86%), and auditory (n = 15, 68%) dysfunction, sleep impairment (n = 18, 86%), and headaches (n = 16, 76%). Objective findings included cognitive (n�

Communicating astronomy with the public in Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez, O.

2008-06-01

Communicating astronomy with the public to produce attractive materials for a broad audience on TV is a difficult job in a third world country. One way of developing effective communication in fields like astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology whilst connecting the professional astronomer with a majority of the people is to combine the knowledge of the scientist with the most spectacular TV production methods of first world countries: integrating, through commentary and analysis, astronomy and science into the public debate of lay citizens. Here I present my ten years of experience of presenting a TV programme devoted to general science outreach. I also comment on the progress of the construction of the new planetarium, a cultural centre for science and technology, to be opened as part of the commemoration activities for the 2009 International Year of Astronomy. It is hoped to guide the interest of the people of Cuba towards basic science and astronomy in the most populated and frequented area of the country.

Past climate variability between 97 and 7 ka reconstructed from a multi proxy speleothem record from Western Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winterhalder, Sophie; Scholz, Denis; Mangini, Augusto; Spötl, Christoph; Jochum, Klaus Peter; Pajón, Jesús M.

2016-04-01

The tropical hydrological cycle plays a key role in regulating global climate, mainly through the export of heat and moisture to higher latitudes, and is highly sensitive to climate change, for instance due to changes in the position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Previous work on Caribbean stalagmites suggests a strong connection of precipitation variability to North Atlantic (NA) sea surface temperatures on multidecadal to millenial timescales (Fensterer et al., 2012; Fensterer et al., 2013; Winter et al., 2011). Cold phases in the NA potentially lead to a southward shift of the ITCZ and thus drier conditions in Cuba. On orbital timescales, Cuban stalagmites suggest a relation of speleothem δ18O values with the δ18O value of Caribbean surface waters (Fensterer et al., 2013). Here we present an expansion of the Cuban speleothem record covering the whole last glacial period from the end of MIS5c (97 ka BP) until 7 ka with hiatuses between 93-80 ka, 37-35 ka and 13-10 ka. Stalagmite Cuba medio (CM) has been precisely dated with 60 230Th/U-ages, mainly performed by the MC-ICPMS technique. The δ18O and δ13C records are completed by a continuous, high resolution LA-ICPMS trace element profile. These data allow for the first time to establish a multi-proxy climate reconstruction for the North Western Caribbean at decadal to centennial resolution for this period. The long-term variability of the δ18O values probably reflects rainfall amount in Cuba. The response to some Dansgaard/Oeschger and Heinrich stadials confirms the previously observed correlation between Caribbean and NA climate variability. However, this connection is not clearly imprinted throughout the record. Furthermore, trace elements, such as Mg, do not proof without ambiguity drier conditions in Cuba during NA cold events, such as the Heinrich stadials. This suggests that climate variability in Cuba was more complex during the last 100ka, and that the NA was not the only driving factor

Lessons from Cuba: Using Sense of Place as a Tool to Connect Internationally and at Home

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dear, Samantha; Sayle, Hilary

2011-01-01

In the spring of 2010, 16 Recreation and Leisure Studies students from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, travelled to Cuba to complete a fourth-year field class titled International Field Experiences in Recreation and Leisure. After a week spent in Havana, Brock University students engaged in a unique outdoor education experience. With…

Molecular detection and characterization of Anaplasma platys in dogs and ticks in Cuba.

PubMed

Silva, Claudia Bezerra da; Santos, Huarrisson Azevedo; Navarrete, Maylín González; Ribeiro, Carla Carolina Dias Uzedo; Gonzalez, Belkis Corona; Zaldivar, Maykelin Fuentes; Pires, Marcus Sandes; Peckle, Maristela; Costa, Renata Lins da; Vitari, Gabriela Lopes Vivas; Massard, Carlos Luiz

2016-07-01

Canine cyclic thrombocytopenia, an infectious disease caused by Anaplasma platys is a worldwide dog health problem. This study aimed to detect and characterize A. platys deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in dogs and ticks from Cuba using molecular methods. The study was conducted in four cities of Cuba (Habana del Este, Boyeros, Cotorro and San José de las Lajas). Blood samples were collected from 100 dogs in these cities. The animals were inspected for the detection of tick infestation and specimens were collected. Genomic DNA was extracted from dog blood and ticks using a commercial kit. Genomic DNA samples from blood and ticks were tested by a nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) to amplify 678 base pairs (bp) from the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of A. platys. Positive samples in nPCR were also subjected to PCR to amplify a fragment of 580bp from the citrate synthase (gltA) gene and the products were sequenced. Only Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) was found on dogs, and 10.20% (n=5/49) of these ticks plus sixteen percent (16.0%, n=16/100) of dogs were considered positive for A. platys by nPCR targeting the 16S rDNA gene. All analyzed gltA and 16S rDNA sequences showed a 99-100% identity with sequences of A. platys reported in around the world. Phylogenetic analysis showed two defined clusters for the 16S rDNA gene and three defined clusters for the gltA gene. Based on the gltA gene, the deduced amino acid sequence showed two mutations at positions 88 and 168 compared with the sequence DQ525687 (GenBank ID from Italian sample), used as a reference in the alignment. A preliminary study on the epidemiological aspects associated with infection by A. platys showed no statistical association with the variables studied (p>0.05). This is the first evidence of the presence of A. platys in dogs and ticks in Cuba. Further studies are needed to evaluate the epidemiological aspects of A. platys infection in Cuban dogs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights

Four new species of Phyllophaga Harris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from western Cuba.

PubMed

Serrano, Annery; Morón, Miguel Ángel

2017-12-07

Four new species in the genus Phyllophaga Harris 1827, subgenus Cnemarachis Saylor 1942 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from Cuba are described: Phyllophaga barroi new species, Phyllophaga guanahacabibensis new species, Phyllophaga pauli new species, and Phyllophaga sabanalamarensis new species. Each species is illustrated using photographs of the habitus, diagnostic features, and male aedeagi. A map is provided showing the geographical distributions of the new species.

Simulation of hybrid wind/solar systems for typical areas of Brazil and Cuba

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

Villar Ale, J.A.; Garcia, F.H.

Brazil and Cuba share a common history of serious problems related to the electrification of their isolated communities. Both countries have renewable resources of energy that allow, for instance, the use of photovoltaic and wind systems. These systems can be used in an integrated way, known as hybrid systems, achieving better reliability and economy. This work presents a simplified methodology for the design of such systems to be applied to the electrification of rural areas in both countries.

Antiretroviral drug resistance in HIV-1 therapy-naive patients in Cuba.

PubMed

Pérez, Lissette; Kourí, Vivian; Alemán, Yoan; Abrahantes, Yeisel; Correa, Consuelo; Aragonés, Carlos; Martínez, Orlando; Pérez, Jorge; Fonseca, Carlos; Campos, Jorge; Álvarez, Delmis; Schrooten, Yoeri; Dekeersmaeker, Nathalie; Imbrechts, Stijn; Beheydt, Gertjan; Vinken, Lore; Soto, Yudira; Álvarez, Alina; Vandamme, Anne-Mieke; Van Laethem, Kristel

2013-06-01

In Cuba, antiretroviral therapy rollout started in 2001 and antiretroviral therapy coverage has reached almost 40% since then. The objectives of this study were therefore to analyze subtype distribution, and level and patterns of drug resistance in therapy-naive HIV-1 patients. Four hundred and one plasma samples were collected from HIV-1 therapy-naive patients in 2003 and in 2007-2011. HIV-1 drug resistance genotyping was performed in the pol gene and drug resistance was interpreted according to the WHO surveillance drug-resistance mutations list, version 2009. Potential impact on first-line therapy response was estimated using genotypic drug resistance interpretation systems HIVdb version 6.2.0 and Rega version 8.0.2. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using Neighbor-Joining. The majority of patients were male (84.5%), men who have sex with men (78.1%) and from Havana City (73.6%). Subtype B was the most prevalent subtype (39.3%), followed by CRF20-23-24_BG (19.5%), CRF19_cpx (18.0%) and CRF18_cpx (10.3%). Overall, 29 patients (7.2%) had evidence of drug resistance, with 4.0% (CI 1.6%-4.8%) in 2003 versus 12.5% (CI 7.2%-14.5%) in 2007-2011. A significant increase in drug resistance was observed in recently HIV-1 diagnosed patients, i.e. 14.8% (CI 8.0%-17.0%) in 2007-2011 versus 3.8% (CI 0.9%-4.7%) in 2003 (OR 3.9, CI 1.5-17.0, p=0.02). The majority of drug resistance was restricted to a single drug class (75.8%), with 55.2% patients displaying nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI), 10.3% non-NRTI (NNRTI) and 10.3% protease inhibitor (PI) resistance mutations. Respectively, 20.7% and 3.4% patients carried viruses containing drug resistance mutations against NRTI+NNRTI and NRTI+NNRTI+PI. The first cases of resistance towards other drug classes than NRTI were only detected from 2008 onwards. The most frequent resistance mutations were T215Y/rev (44.8%), M41L (31.0%), M184V (17.2%) and K103N (13.8%). The median genotypic susceptibility score for the

Family medicine, ‘La Herencia’ and breast cancer; understanding the (dis)continuities of predictive genetics in Cuba

PubMed Central

Gibbon, Sahra

2011-01-01

Building on social science research examining the relationship between genetic knowledge, identity and the family this paper takes the cultural context of Cuba as a site for critical ethnographic engagement. The paper makes use of research working with a range of Cuban publics and genetic professionals as part of a collaborative research project exploring the social and cultural context of health beliefs about breast cancer. It illuminates the contrasting ways in which genomic knowledge linked to an increased risk of breast cancer is perceived, communicated, and acted upon. It is argued that the particular meaning and significance of genetic risk linked to breast cancer in this context must be examined in relation to long standing institutional practices relating to public health care provision. The focus on ‘the family’ in the provision of Cuban health provides a particularly viable foundation for the expansion of what is described as ‘community genetics’, including the collation of family history details for common complex diseases such as breast cancer. Nevertheless specific public perceptions of risk related to breast cancer and the difficulties of discussing a diagnosis of cancer openly in the family point to the very specific challenges for the translation and application of predictive interventions in Cuba. In summary the dynamic interrelationship between public health, perceptions of risk or health beliefs about the causes of the disease and attitudes towards cancer diagnosis within the family point to both continuities and discontinuities in the way that genomic interventions linked to breast cancer are unfolding as part of a dynamic yet still ostensibly socialist project of health care in Cuba. PMID:21239101

Clonal Distribution of Disease-Associated and Healthy Carrier Isolates of Neisseria meningitidis between 1983 and 2005 in Cuba ▿

PubMed Central

Climent, Yanet; Yero, Daniel; Martinez, Isabel; Martín, Alejandro; Jolley, Keith A.; Sotolongo, Franklin; Maiden, Martin C. J.; Urwin, Rachel; Pajón, Rolando

2010-01-01

In response to epidemic levels of serogroup B meningococcal disease in Cuba during the 1980s, the VA-MENGOC-BC vaccine was developed and introduced into the National Infant Immunization Program in 1991. Since then the incidence of meningococcal disease in Cuba has returned to the low levels recorded before the epidemic. A total of 420 Neisseria meningitidis strains collected between 1983 and 2005 in Cuba were analyzed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The set of strains comprised 167 isolated from disease cases and 253 obtained from healthy carriers. By MLST analysis, 63 sequence types (STs) were identified, and 32 of these were reported to be a new ST. The Cuban isolates were associated with 12 clonal complexes; and the most common were ST-32 (246 isolates), ST-53 (86 isolates), and ST-41/44 (36 isolates). This study also showed that the application of VA-MENGOC-BC, the Cuban serogroup B and C vaccine, reduced the frequency and diversity of hypervirulent clonal complexes ST-32 (vaccine serogroup B type-strain) and ST-41/44 and also affected other lineages. Lineages ST-8 and ST-11 were no longer found during the postvaccination period. The vaccine also affected the genetic composition of the carrier-associated meningococcal isolates. The number of carrier isolates belonging to hypervirulent lineages decreased significantly after vaccination, and ST-53, a sequence type common in carriers, became the predominant ST. PMID:20042619

The Training of Physics Teachers in Cuba: A Historical Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Jesús Alamino Ortega, Diego

The regular, systematic training of physics teachers in Cuba is quite recent when compared to the long history of physics itself. However, its development may serve to illustrate some interesting solutions to a long-standing question: How should a physics teacher be trained in agreement with a certain society at a given moment? In the Cuban context the answer to this question involves quite an original sequence of continuities and breaks, following perhaps the thoughts of Bolívar's teacher, Simón Rodríguez, who wrote in the nineteenth century: "Beware! The mania of slavishly imitating the enlightened nations may well make America in its infancy play the role of an old lady."

Making Travel to Cuba Work for Health and Sustainable Development.

PubMed

Gorry, Conner

2017-01-01

In 2015, a record-breaking 3.5 million visitors-1 million from Canada alone-traveled to Cuba to explore its history, culture, natural splendor, and visit family. That same year, US President Barack Obama relaxed travel restrictions, giving general authorization for a dozen categories of legal travel by US citizens and residents. As a result, US visitors to the island ballooned by 80% between January 2015 and June 2016. And the numbers keep growing: the latest data show that foreign arrivals reached 4 million in 2016.[1] The surge in visitors highlights the potential negative impact of tourism on a developing country's infrastructure, environment, cultural patrimony and local economy-all considered important social determinants of health.

Scientific Cooperation Between the German Academy of Sciences in Berlin (DAW) and Cuba in the 1960s and 1970s

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wendt, Helge

After the ratification of its constitution in 1959, the young Cuban Republic sought new cooperation partners in a number of different fields. One of these fields was scientific cooperation. It seems the Cubans quickly found partners in the academies of science of the USSR, Czechoslovakia and China, whereas the German Academy of Sciences in Berlin (DAW) was reluctant to engage in long-term cooperative projects. In the early 1960s, the universities of East Germany (GDR) began to send docents and scientists to Cuba where they participated in the summer schools, taught for one semester or more in one of the universities and undertook research that would be useful for their home institutions. However, the DAW carefully observed the reestablishment of Cuba's own academy of science before becoming involved in common projects with Cuban partners.

Grasshoppers, Crickets and Katydids (Insecta: Orthoptera) of Cuba: an annotated checklist.

PubMed

Yong, Sheyla; Perez-Gelabert, Daniel E

2014-07-07

An annotated list of the Cuban fauna of Orthoptera is presented. For each species we include details of valid names, synonyms, type specimens (type category, sex, locality and depository), geographic distribution and bibliographic references. Clarifying notes are added, as well as comments on the species considered doubtful. A total of 140 species included in 62 genera, 31 subfamilies and 12 families make up the known Cuban fauna of Orthoptera. The family Episactidae, the acridid subfamily Ommatolampidinae with 3 unknown genera, 3 unknown genera of Tettigoniidae (Conocephalinae) and 1 undescribed new genus of Tetrigidae (Cladonotinae) are here recorded for the first time from Cuba. Syntypes are designated for Hygronemobius histrionicus Zayas.

Complete genome sequences of two novel bipartite begomoviruses infecting common bean in Cuba.

PubMed

Chang-Sidorchuk, Lidia; González-Alvarez, Heidy; Navas-Castillo, Jesús; Fiallo-Olivé, Elvira; Martínez-Zubiaur, Yamila

2017-05-01

The common bean is a host for a large number of begomoviruses (genus Begomovirus, family Geminiviridae) in the New World. Based on the current taxonomic criteria established for the genus Begomovirus, two new members of this genus infecting common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in Cuba are herein reported. The cloned bipartite genomes, composed of DNA-A and DNA-B, showed the typical organization of the New World begomoviruses. We propose the names common bean severe mosaic virus and common bean mottle virus for the new begomovirus species.

Blacks and whites in the Cuba have equal prevalence of hypertension: confirmation from a new population survey

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The excess burden of hypertension among blacks has been a prominent feature of the heath disparities literature, and many scientists presume it to be a stable and inevitable phenomenon. The underlying causes of this disparity can only be disentangled in a setting in which the population does not experience racial stratification of socioeconomic opportunities. While such conditions of racial equality remain uncommon, they may be approximated in Cuba, a country with a persistent policy of social inclusion over the last 5 decades. Methods We report on a 2010–2011 stratified probability sample of those aged 15–74 years from the urban population of Cienfuegos in central Cuba. A total of 1496 adults (880 women and 616 men) were recruited and assessed for blood pressure and anthropometrics according to standardized protocols, as well as medication use, educational attainment and observed skin tone (dichotomized into “black” and “white”). Weighted tabular and regression analyses were conducted to estimate adjusted prevalences of hypertension (> 140/90 mmHg) and adjusted prevalence odds ratios for contrasts between the two skin color groups. Results Mean pressures were higher for men than for women, but overall did not differ importantly between racial groups. About half of all diagnosed hypertensive men were on medication, a proportion that did not vary by racial group. For women, however, adjusted prevalence was somewhat higher among blacks, and treatment and control rates were also somewhat advantaged for white women. Conclusions Overall, skin color was unrelated to mean blood pressure or hypertensive status in this population, although among women specifically some racial advantage appears evident in adjusted prevalence and control, and should be investigated further. The overall null result suggests that Cuba may exemplify the social conditions in which racial excess in hypertension, characteristic of much of the western world, is not a

Lowering infant mortality in Cuba: Fernando Domínguez MD PhD. Neonatologist, Ramón González Coro University Maternity Hospital, Havana.

PubMed

Domínguez, Fernando; Gorry, Conner

2015-01-01

Neonatologist Dr Fernando Domínguez served two years in a remote municipality of Cuba's Guantánamo Province upon graduation from medical school in 1973. Continuing his commitment to vulnerable populations, he joined the Cuban team in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, serving as a family doctor attending neonates and children. After returning to Cuba, he completed his pediatric residency and later became head of the neurodevelopment department at Havana's Ramón González Coro University Maternity Hospital, where he has worked for over three decades. Dr Domínguez holds a doctorate in medical sciences, and since 1995 has served on the board of the Cuban Society of Pediatrics, where he was President from 2005-2011. He is also a member of the Ministry of Public Health's National Bioethics Commission; President of the Scientific Council of the Manuel Fajardo Medical School; on the Executive Board of the Latin American Association of Pediatrics; and a member of the Permanent Commission of the International Pediatric Association (IPA). Since 2010, he has served on IPA's Commission for Child Environmental Health and is the Editor-in-Chief of the pediatric section of Infomed, Cuba's national health portal.

The Politics of Revolutionary Development: Civil-Military Relations in Cuba, 1959-1976,

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-01-01

for Cuban Studies Newsletter, 2, Nos. 5-6 (October-Decenber 1975); Estatutos del Partido Comrista de Cuba (La Habana: Departamento de Orientaci 6 n ...document in and to ali ’t, o" n Of the author. are Protcte by law. ’- Cnet reproducton. of ,s4C in-:~whole or in Part !3~t~unz T h i q n rI af lv -.-r...dominant force in the revolu- ti nary movement. It held a mmopoly of arm and, In the person of its am- mner- n -hief, a monopoly of popular support. WM

Mycoplasmas hyorhinis in different regions of cuba. diagnosis

PubMed Central

Lobo, Evelyn; Poveda, Carlos; Gupta, Rakesh; Suarez, Alejandro; Hernández, Yenney; Ramírez, Ana; Poveda, José B.

2011-01-01

M. hyorhinis is considered one of the etiological agents of arthritis in sucking pigs, but recently as seen, some strains can produce pneumonia that could not be distinguished from the mycoplasmosis caused by M. hyopneumoniae. The study was conducted to research the presence of Mycoplasma hyorhinis (M. hyorhinis ) in different regions of the country from exudates of pig lungs with typical EP lesions. Exudates from 280 pig lungs with typical EP lesions were studied using molecular techniques such as PCR, real time PCR and amplification of the 16S-23S rRNA. It was detected that the 66% of the samples studied resulted positive to M. hyorhinis, and the presence of this species was detected in all the provinces. Amplification and studies on the intergenic region 16S-23S of M. hyorhinis rRNA demonstrated the existing variability among strains of a same species. This study is the first report on M. hyorhinis detection in Cuba. PMID:24031686

77 FR 11377 - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-24

... Vol. 77 Friday, No. 37 February 24, 2012 Part VI The President Notice of February 23, 2012--Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of Vessels Notice of February 23, 2012--Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Libya #0; #0; #0;...

[Tuberculin reactivity among ninth-grade schoolchildren in the city of Havana, Cuba].

PubMed

Borroto Gutiérrez, Susana M; González Ochoa, Edilberto; Armas Pérez, Luisa; Urbino López-Chávez, Amelia; Martínez, Ana Maribel; Llanes, María Josefa; Sevy Court, José; Carreras Corzo, Libertad

2003-09-01

To determine the proportion of 14-year-old schoolchildren in the city of Havana, Cuba, with a positive tuberculin skin test, as an indicator of the prevalence of tuberculosis infection among them. Using single-stage cluster sampling, 1 936 Mantoux (tuberculin) tests were carried out with ninth-grade students (cohort born in 1985) during the 1999- 2000 school year in 20 basic high schools randomly selected in Havana. The tests were performed according to the standard technique recommended by the World Health Organization, and they were read after 72 hours. The percentage of skin tests that were positive and the average diameter of the indurations were calculated for the cohort overall and for the two genders. The means and the percentages were compared using the chi-square test, with 95% confidence intervals. The computer software used was Epi Info version 6.0. Of the tests read, 96% of them were negative (0-4 mm), 2.5% were doubtful (5-9 mm), and 1.5% were positive (>/=10 mm). The percentage of reactivity was 0.1% when a cutoff value of 15 mm was used. The mean diameter of the indurations was 0.41 mm. No statistically significant difference was found between the genders. In this study the proportion of schoolchildren with tuberculin reactivity, using an induration-diameter cutoff point of 10 mm, was very low (1.5%), and it was much lower (0.1%) when a cutoff point of 15 mm was used. The skin reactions with an induration diameter of >/=10 mm could be the expression of a natural infection if one takes into account the low frequency of bacillary tuberculosis in Cuba and that there is an inverse relationship between the time elapsed from the BCG vaccination and the intensity of the response to tuberculin. Therefore, that would mean that in this case (l)the point (.)prevalence of tuberculosis infection in this group of schoolchildren wou d be 1.5% ResumenObjetivos. Determinar la proporción de personas que reaccionan a la tuberculina como indicador de la prevalencia de

The Power of Being There: Study Abroad in Cuba and the Promotion of a "Culture of Peace"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bond, Lynne; Koont, Sinan; Stephenson, Skye

2005-01-01

If one of the main purposes of study abroad is to promote a greater understanding between members of the host and home nation via face-to-face relations and in-country living experiences, there is no place in the world where United States students studying abroad takes on more significance than it does in Cuba. Given a situation in which home and…

Cuba's "Yes, I Can" Mass Adult Literacy Campaign Model in Timor-Leste and Aboriginal Australia: A Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boughton, Bob; Durnan, Deborah

2014-01-01

In the field of international adult education, mass literacy campaigns enjoyed wide support in the 20th century, when they were seen as a way to increase the participation of previously marginalised and excluded populations in national development. Cuba's 1961 campaign achieved iconic status, but was only one of many successful campaigns in Latin…

Homeland Security in Absentia: Policing Miami in the Era of the New U.S.- Cuba Relationship

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

relationship between power and choice. A study published in Psychological Science noted, “ people are willing to trade one source of control for the other...heavily Cuban- American dominated community. The political influence of Cubans in Miami became evident by 1985, when they represented the majority... people . b. Political Since 1991, the United Nations has overwhelmingly condemned the U.S. embargo against Cuba, with Israel being the sole American

Norway and Cuba Continue Collaborating to Build Capacity to Improve Weather Forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antuña, Juan Carlos; Kalnay, Eugenia; Mesquita, Michel D. S.

2014-06-01

The Future of Climate Extremes in the Caribbean Extreme Cuban Climate (XCUBE) project, which is funded by the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection as part of an assignment for the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support scientific cooperation between Norway and Cuba, carried out a training workshop on seasonal forecasting, reanalysis data, and weather research and forecasting (WRF). The workshop was a follow-up to the XCUBE workshop conducted in Havana in 2013 and provided Cuban scientists with access to expertise on seasonal forecasting, the WRF model developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the community, data assimilation, and reanalysis.

Estimation of the sensitivity of the surveillance system for avian influenza in the western region of Cuba.

PubMed

Ferrer, Edyniesky; Calistri, Paolo; Fonseca, Osvaldo; Ippoliti, Carla; Alfonso, Pastor; Iannetti, Simona; Abeledo, María A; Fernández, Octavio; Percedo, María I; Pérez, Antonio

2013-01-01

Although avian influenza (AI) virus of H5 and H7 subtypes has the potential to mutate to a highly pathogenic form and cause very high mortalities in some poultry species, most AI infections in poultry are due to low pathogenic AI (LPAI). Hence serological surveys, coupled with passive surveillance activities, are essential to detect sub-clinical infections by LPAI viruses, H5 and H7 subtypes. However the proper planning of an active surveillance system should be based on a careful estimation of its performance. Therefore, the sensitivity of the active surveillance system for AI in the western region of Cuba was assessed by a stochastic model quantifying the probability of revealing at least one animal infected by H5 or H7 subtype. The diagnostic sensitivity of the haemagglutination inhibition assay and different levels of within-flock prevalence (5%, 12% and 30%) were considered. The sensitivity of the surveillance system was then assessed under five different samples size scenarios: testing 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60 animals in each flock. Poultry flock sites in the western region of Cuba with a size ranging from 10,000 to 335,000 birds were included in the study.

Intestinal Parasites in Children from a Day Care Centre in Matanzas City, Cuba

PubMed Central

Cañete, Roberto; Díaz, Mariuska Morales; Avalos García, Roxana; Laúd Martinez, Pedro Miguel; Manuel Ponce, Félix

2012-01-01

Background Intestinal parasitic infections are widely distributed throughout the world and children are the most affected population. Day care centres are environments where children have proven to be more susceptible to acquiring IP. Methods and Principal Findings A cross-sectional study was carried to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in stool samples among children who attend to a day care centre in an urban area of Matanzas city, Cuba, from March to June 2012. 104 children under five years old were included on the study after informed consent form was signed by parents or legal guardians. Three fresh faecal samples were collected from each child in different days and were examined by direct wet mount, formalin-ether, and Kato- Katz techniques. Data relating to demography, socioeconomic status, source of drinking water, and personal hygiene habits were also collected using a standardized questionnaire. In total, 71.1% of children harbored at least one type of intestinal parasite and 47 (45.2%) were infected by more than one species. Giardia duodenalis and Blastocystis sp. were the most common parasites found, with prevalence rates of 54.8% and 38.5% respectively. Conclusions Despite public health campaigns, improvement in the level of education, and the availability of and access to medical services in Cuba infections by intestinal protozoan is high in this centre. Almost nothing is published regarding intestinal parasites in Matanzas province during the last 40 years so this work could also be the initial point to carry out other studies to clarify the IP status in this region. PMID:23236493

Could clinical audit improve the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in Cuba, Peru and Bolivia?

PubMed

Siddiqi, Kamran; Volz, Anna; Armas, L; Otero, L; Ugaz, R; Ochoa, E; Gotuzzo, E; Torrico, F; Newell, James N; Walley, J; Robinson, Mike; Dieltiens, G; Van der Stuyft, P

2008-04-01

To assess the effectiveness of clinical audit in improving the quality of diagnostic care provided to patients suspected of tuberculosis; and to understand the contextual factors which impede or facilitate its success. Twenty-six health centres in Cuba, Peru and Bolivia were recruited. Clinical audit was introduced to improve the diagnostic care for patients attending with suspected TB. Standards were based on the WHO and TB programme guidelines relating to the appropriate use of microscopy, culture and radiological investigations. At least two audit cycles were completed over 2 years. Improvement was determined by comparing the performance between two six-month periods pre- and post-intervention. Qualitative methods were used to ascertain facilitating and limiting contextual factors influencing change among healthcare professionals' clinical behaviour after the introduction of clinical audit. We found a significant improvement in 11 of 13 criteria in Cuba, in 2 of 6 criteria in Bolivia and in 2 of 5 criteria in Peru. Twelve out of 24 of the audit criteria in all three countries reached the agreed standards. Barriers to quality improvement included conflicting objectives for clinicians and TB programmes, poor coordination within the health system and patients' attitudes towards illness. Clinical audit may drive improvements in the quality of clinical care in resource-poor settings. It is likely to be more effective if integrated within and supported by the local TB programmes. We recommend developing and evaluating an integrated model of quality improvement including clinical audit.

Notes on Mesocapromys sanfelipensis (Rodentia: Capromyidae) from Cuba.

PubMed

LÓpez, Lazaro W viÑola; Garrido, Orlando H; BermÚdez, Alberto

2018-04-16

The San Felipe Hutia, Mesocapromys sanfelipensis, is one of the most endangered species of rodents in the world, and little is known about its ecology, evolution, and ancient distribution. At present, this hutia has been found only in its type locality, Cayo Juan Garcia, a cay in the southwest Cuban insular platform. Here we report for the first time a well preserved fossil skull referred to this species, collected in Cueva del Indio, Mayabeque province, western Cuba. This specimen shows that the modern population of M. sanfelipensis is a marginal relic of its former distribution, a consequence of climatic, eustatic, and neotectonic changes in the last 8 ka years. Also, we reevaluate the cranial characters and measurements that correspond to M. sanfelipensis and found that two of the eight specimens referred to this species and deposited at the Instituto de Ecologia y Sistematica belong to Mesocapromys auritus. Finally, we include six unpublished photos of specimens of M. sanfelipensis captured in 1970 during two expeditions to Cayo Juan Garcia.

Health status of Haitian migrants--U.S. Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, November 1991-April 1992.

PubMed

1993-02-26

In November 1991, following a military coup in Haiti, thousands of Haitians fled that country in small open boats. Most migrants were intercepted by U.S. Coast Guard cutters and taken to the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay (GTMO), Cuba (Figure 1), where the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) established a joint task force (JTF) migrant relief operation.* This report summarizes the results of health assessments of migrants conducted by the JTF.

Late Quaternary uplift along the North America-Caribbean plate boundary: Evidence from the sea level record of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muhs, Daniel R.; Schweig, Eugene S.; Simmons, Kathleen R.; Halley, Robert B.

2017-12-01

The tectonic setting of the North America-Caribbean plate boundary has been studied intensively, but some aspects are still poorly understood, particularly along the Oriente fault zone. Guantanamo Bay, southern Cuba, is considered to be on a coastline that is under a transpressive tectonic regime along this zone, and is hypothesized to have a low uplift rate. We tested this by studying emergent reef terrace deposits around the bay. Reef elevations in the protected, inner part of the bay are ∼11-12 m and outer-coast, wave-cut benches are as high as ∼14 m. Uranium-series analyses of corals yield ages ranging from ∼133 ka to ∼119 ka, correlating this reef to the peak of the last interglacial period, marine isotope stage (MIS) 5.5. Assuming a span of possible paleo-sea levels at the time of the last interglacial period yields long-term tectonic uplift rates of 0.02-0.11 m/ka, supporting the hypothesis that the tectonic uplift rate is low. Nevertheless, on the eastern and southern coasts of Cuba, east and west of Guantanamo Bay, there are flights of multiple marine terraces, at higher elevations, that could record a higher rate of uplift, implying that Guantanamo Bay may be anomalous. Southern Cuba is considered to have experienced a measurable but modest effect from glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) processes. Thus, with a low uplift rate, Guantanamo Bay should show no evidence of emergent marine terraces dating to the ∼100 ka (MIS 5.3) or ∼80 ka (MIS 5.1) sea stands and results of the present study support this.

Late Quaternary uplift along the North America-Caribbean plate boundary: Evidence from the sea level record of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhs, Daniel; Schweig, Eugene S.; Simmons, Kathleen; Halley, Robert B.

2017-01-01

The tectonic setting of the North America-Caribbean plate boundary has been studied intensively, but some aspects are still poorly understood, particularly along the Oriente fault zone. Guantanamo Bay, southern Cuba, is considered to be on a coastline that is under a transpressive tectonic regime along this zone, and is hypothesized to have a low uplift rate. We tested this by studying emergent reef terrace deposits around the bay. Reef elevations in the protected, inner part of the bay are ∼11–12 m and outer-coast, wave-cut benches are as high as ∼14 m. Uranium-series analyses of corals yield ages ranging from ∼133 ka to ∼119 ka, correlating this reef to the peak of the last interglacial period, marine isotope stage (MIS) 5.5. Assuming a span of possible paleo-sea levels at the time of the last interglacial period yields long-term tectonic uplift rates of 0.02–0.11 m/ka, supporting the hypothesis that the tectonic uplift rate is low. Nevertheless, on the eastern and southern coasts of Cuba, east and west of Guantanamo Bay, there are flights of multiple marine terraces, at higher elevations, that could record a higher rate of uplift, implying that Guantanamo Bay may be anomalous. Southern Cuba is considered to have experienced a measurable but modest effect from glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) processes. Thus, with a low uplift rate, Guantanamo Bay should show no evidence of emergent marine terraces dating to the ∼100 ka (MIS 5.3) or ∼80 ka (MIS 5.1) sea stands and results of the present study support this.

[Considerations concerning the theory of the demographic revolution. Its development in Cuba].

PubMed

Hernandez Castellon, R

1983-01-01

A review of the world's literature on the demographic transition is presented. The author, in his analysis of the non-Marxist literature, suggests that considerable efforts have been made to update demographic transition theory in order to take into account recent demographic trends in developing countries. On the other hand, the Marxist literature is divided into studies in which attempts are made to develop general demographic theories and those in which the value of such theories is questioned. The paper concludes with a description of the demographic transition process as it has been experienced in Cuba, and it is noted that a major feature of this process has been a general trend toward a reduction in demographic differentials.

Rodolfo's Casa Caribe in Cuba: Business, Law, and Ethics of Investing in a Start-Up in Havana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sulkowski, Adam J.

2017-01-01

This case study presents the true story of Rodolfo--a former tailor and attorney from the provinces of Cuba--who moved to Havana to start a hospitality business. In 2016, the author (referred to as Adam throughout the case study), a business law professor from the United States, visited Havana to interview Rodolfo and learn about the factors for…

Antenatal testing for cystic fibrosis in Cuba, 1988-2011.

PubMed

Collazo, Teresa; López, Ixchel; Clark, Yulia; Piloto, Yaixa; González, Laura; Gómez, Manuel; García, Marileivis; Reyes, Lidice; Rodríguez, Fidel

2014-01-01

INTRODUCTION Cystic fibrosis is a multisystem autosomal recessive disease with wide variability in clinical severity. It is incurable and characterized by elevated and premature mortality, as well as poor quality of life. Its frequency, lethality and devastating impact on both the physical and psychological wellbeing of patients and their families, make it a serious health problem. Its frequency in Cuba is 1 in 9862 live births, where marked molecular heterogeneity of the CFTR gene makes molecular diagnosis difficult. Six mutations have been identified that together enable molecular characterization of only 55.5% of cystic fibrosis chromosomes. This paper presents national results of antenatal diagnostic testing, using direct and indirect methods, for detection of cystic fibrosis. OBJECTIVE Characterize the Cuban public health system's experience with antenatal molecular testing for cystic fibrosis from 1988 through 2011. METHODS A retrospective descriptive study was conducted with results of antenatal diagnostic testing of amniotic fluid, performed nationwide from 1988 through 2011, for 108 fetuses of couples with some risk of having children affected by cystic fibrosis, who requested testing. Polymerase chain reaction detected mutations p.F508del, p.G542X, p.R1162X, p.R334W, p.R553X and c.3120+1G>A, and markers XV2C and KM19. Data were analyzed using absolute frequencies and percentages, and presented in tables. RESULTS For 93 cases (86.1%), testing for cystic fibrosis was done using direct analysis of mutations p.F508del, p.G542X, p.R1162X, p.R334W, p.R553X and c.3120+1G>A; five cases (4.6%) were tested indirectly using markers XV2C/Taq I and KM19/Pst I; and 10 (9.3%) were tested using a combination of the two methods. A total of 72 diagnoses (66.7% of studies done) were concluded, of which there were 20 healthy fetuses, 16 affected, 27 carrier, and 9 who were either healthy or carriers of an unknown mutation. CONCLUSIONS Direct or indirect molecular study was

Airborne microorganisms cultivable on naturally ventilated document repositories of the National Archive of Cuba.

PubMed

Borrego, Sofía; Perdomo, Ivette

2016-02-01

The quality of the indoor air can provide very useful information for the artwork conservation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the microbial concentration inside six document repositories of the National Archive of the Republic of Cuba in two months of 1 year. The repositories are large, high, and have a natural cross-ventilation system. The microbial sampling was done in July 2010 (summer or rainy month) and February 2011 (winter or dry month) using the SAS Super 100 biocollector at 100 L/min. An appropriate selective culture media were used to isolate fungi and bacteria. A high total microbial concentration on the north side of the building in two studied months was observed. The fungal concentrations were significantly higher in July 2010 in all repositories, while the bacterial concentrations were significantly higher mostly in February 2011 only in repositories located on the first and second floor of the building. Eight fungal genera in the indoor air of all environments were isolated. Regardless of the side of the analyzed building, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Cladosporium were the predominant genera. Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger were the species isolated in almost all of the analyzed repositories in the studied months. Gram-positive bacteria prevailed among bacterial groups isolated from indoor air repositories, and some percentages corresponded to the genera Bacillus and Streptomyces. In Cuba, the temperature and relative humidity are high during the whole year but the natural ventilation plays an important role in retarding microbial growth on materials.

Discovery of skin alkaloids in a miniaturized eleutherodactylid frog from Cuba

PubMed Central

Rodríguez, Ariel; Poth, Dennis; Schulz, Stefan; Vences, Miguel

2011-01-01

Four phylogenetically independent lineages of frogs are currently known to sequester lipid-soluble skin alkaloids for which a dietary source has been demonstrated. We report here a remarkable fifth such instance, in Eleutherodactylus iberia and Eleutherodactylus orientalis, two species of miniaturized frogs of the family Eleutherodactylidae from Cuba. Six pumiliotoxins and two indolizidines were found in E. iberia, one of the smallest frogs in the world and characterized by a contrasting colour pattern for which we hypothesize an aposematic function. Analyses of stomach content indicated a numerical prevalence of mites with an important proportion of oribatids—a group of arthropods known to contain one of the pumiliotoxins detected in E. iberia. This suggests that miniaturization and specialization to small prey may have favoured the acquisition of dietary skin alkaloids in these amphibians. PMID:21047848

Discovery of skin alkaloids in a miniaturized eleutherodactylid frog from Cuba.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Ariel; Poth, Dennis; Schulz, Stefan; Vences, Miguel

2011-06-23

Four phylogenetically independent lineages of frogs are currently known to sequester lipid-soluble skin alkaloids for which a dietary source has been demonstrated. We report here a remarkable fifth such instance, in Eleutherodactylus iberia and Eleutherodactylus orientalis, two species of miniaturized frogs of the family Eleutherodactylidae from Cuba. Six pumiliotoxins and two indolizidines were found in E. iberia, one of the smallest frogs in the world and characterized by a contrasting colour pattern for which we hypothesize an aposematic function. Analyses of stomach content indicated a numerical prevalence of mites with an important proportion of oribatids-a group of arthropods known to contain one of the pumiliotoxins detected in E. iberia. This suggests that miniaturization and specialization to small prey may have favoured the acquisition of dietary skin alkaloids in these amphibians.

Education for Citizenship in the Caribbean: A Study on Curricular Policy and Teacher Training in Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acosta, Cheila Valera

2005-01-01

This document describes primary, secondary and teacher training curricular policy relating to education for citizenship in Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic in order to make practical recommendations for improved design, quality and implementation of these initiatives in the three countries selected. The first chapter describes the Caribbean…

[Four stages in the history of the Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI of the IMSS].

PubMed

Fajardo-Ortiz, Guillermo

2015-01-01

This document presents four stages in the history of the Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI (Centro Médico Nacional XXI Century) of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. The first stage started at the end of the third decade of the twentieth century and ended in 1961, it corresponded to the conception, planning and construction of what was to be the Centro Médico del Distrito Federal (Centro Médico of the Distrito Federal) belonging to the Secretaría de Salubridad y Asistencia (Ministry of Health and Assistance). The second stage began when the Center was acquired by the Institute, then was known like Centro Médico Nacional (Centro Médico Nacional ), being put into full operation in 1963, more than twenty-two years later, in 1985, an earthquake virtually ended it, immediately began its reconstruction, finishing the second stage. In 1989 began the third stage, different and new buildings complemented or replaced the structures damaged or destroyed by the earthquake which formed the now Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI (Centro Médico Nacional XXI Century). In 2004 the fourth stage opened when the four hospitals of the Center were categorized like Unidades Médicas de Alta Especialidad (High Specialized Medical Units).

The Rise and Development of Physics in Cuba: An Interview with Hugo Pérez Rojas in May 2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baracca, Angelo

Hugo Celso Pérez Rojas was born in 1938, and works as a senior researcher at the Institute of Cybernetics, Mathematics and Physics, at the Ministry of Science and Technology, Cuba. Pérez Rojas is emeritus member of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba, member of the Latin American Academy of Sciences and Fellow TWAS since 1994. He was one of the founders of the School of Physics in the University of Havana in 1962, and moved in 1971 to the Cuban Academy of Sciences. His national awards include the Rafael Maria Mendive and Carlos J. Finlay Medals. He was awarded in 2011 the National Prize in Physics from the Cuban Physical Society. His interests include quantum field theory and its applications to finite temperature problems in high-energy physics and condensed matter. Among these, Pérez Rojas has devoted special attention to quantum electrodynamics in matter and in vacuum in the presence of external fields, phase transitions in electroweak theory, relativistic quantum Hall effect, Bose-Einstein condensation in magnetic fields, and applications of physics to social sciences. He is interviewed here by Angelo Baracca in May 2009.

Low-impact chemical weed control techniques in UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Cuba.

PubMed

Hernandez-Enriquez, O; Alvarez, R; Morelli, F; Bastida, F; Camacho, D; Menendez, J

2012-01-01

Dichrostachys cinerea is a thorny, acacia-like, fast-growing woody bush which invades fields, wasteland, road sides and other disturbed areas. This gregarious species has become a very aggressive invasive weed in Cuba, where no native predators or pathogens are found. It often encroaches in fallows, overgrazed areas and mismanaged veld. D. cinerea is a very difficult weed to eliminate because of its active suckering, and is liable to produce dense thickets which are quite impenetrable on account of the density and abundance of its long, stiff, sharp thorns. In the Valle de los Ingenios area (Cuba Central), the tree is unchecked and forms veritable forests in areas on which cane growing has been discontinued. Physical management by cutting and burning the plants is not a very efficient control method, since the seeds survive in the soil, and they grow very fast. Therefore, chemical methods via the use of herbicides are often necessary to eradicate this weed. A preliminary study using glyphosate and auxin-like herbicides (2,4-D + picloram, MCPA, and MCPA + 2,4-D) plus adjuvants has been carried out in order to elucidate the best mixtures rendering maximum weed control with minimum herbicide rate and environmental stress. None of the herbicides used except glyphosate and 2,4-D + picloram showed acceptable mortality rates (75-80%) at the recommended doses tested. In the failed herbicide treatments, only the use of double herbicide rates succeeded in controlling marabou. The herbicide mixture of 2,4-D + picloram formulated with either a non-ionic surfactant or a mixture of fatty acid esters was the best option to control D. cinerea in terms of maximum effectiveness and minimum environmental stress, as the reduction in active ingredients applied to the environment was x3 in these two adjuvant-amended formulations compared to 2,4-D + picloram alone.

Digital Documentation and Archiving Low Cost: la Habana Vieja in Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morganti, C.; Bartolomei, C.

2017-11-01

This article deepens the subject of photo-modelling applied to architecture, on a medium and large scale and it shows all the possibilities to apply the last technologies of augmented reality and virtual reality to the historical and architectural contest of Havana City in Cuba. The context was quite unsuitable to our project because of different and complex reasons. The need to minimize the size of the tools, their weight and cost. Minimize the time of survey and photographic shot on site. To face the difficulties given by the continuing presence of a chaotic influx of people disturbing the work. Not least the difficulty of having a limited number of daily hours available to carry out photographic shots that requires special lighting conditions. This article describes the necessary steps to obtain a 3D dimensional textured model from reality through a photographic set.

Lead isotope ratios in lichen samples evaluated by ICP-ToF-MS to assess possible atmospheric pollution sources in Havana, Cuba.

PubMed

Alvarez, Alfredo Montero; Estévez Alvarez, Juan R; do Nascimento, Clístenes Williams Araújo; González, Iván Pupo; Rizo, Oscar Díaz; Carzola, Lázaro Lima; Torres, Roberto Ayllón; Pascual, Jorge Gómez

2017-01-01

Epiphytic lichens, collected from 119 sampling sites grown over "Roistonea Royal Palm" trees, were used to assess the spatial distribution pattern of lead (Pb) and identify possible pollution sources in Havana (Cuba). Lead concentrations in lichens and topsoils were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) atomic emission spectrometry, respectively, while Pb in crude oils and gasoline samples were measured by ICP-time of flight mass spectrometry (ICP-ToF-MS). Lead isotopic ratios measurements for lichens, soils, and crude oils were obtained by ICP-ToF-MS. We found that enrichment factors (EF) reflected a moderate contamination for 71% of the samples (EF > 10). The 206 Pb/ 207 Pb ratio values for lichens ranged from 1.17 to 1.20 and were a mixture of natural radiogenic and industrial activities (e.g., crude oils and fire plants). The low concentration of Pb found in gasoline (<7.0 μg L -1 ) confirms the official statement that leaded gasoline is no longer used in Cuba.

Cryptic within cryptic: genetics, morphometrics, and bioacoustics delimitate a new species of Eleutherodactylus (Anura: Eleutherodactylidae) from Eastern Cuba.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Ariel; Dugo-Cota, Álvaro; Montero-Mendieta, Santiago; Gonzalez-Voyer, Alejandro; Bosch, Roberto Alonso; Vences, Miguel; Vilà, Carles

2017-01-20

We studied the variation in genetics, bioacustics, and morphology in Eleutherodactylus glamyrus, a regionally endemic frog species restricted to high elevations in the Sierra Maestra Massif, Western Cuba that was originally described as a cryptic species hidden under the name E. auriculatus. Genetic analysis of mtDNA sequences of the 16S and cob genes identify two allopatric and strongly supported mitochondrial clades (phylogroups) which also showed no haplotype sharing in the nuclear Rag-1 gene. Bioacustic, and morphological comparisons concordantly identify these two phylogroups as independent evolutionary lineages. Therefore, we herein restrict the name Eleutherodactylus glamyrus Estrada and Hedges to populations represented in our analyses as the western phylogroup (Cordillera del Turquino to Pico La Bayamesa) and consider specimens from the eastern phylogroup (Sierra del Cobre) to represent a new species described and named as Eleutherodactylus cattus. Our results add to the growing list of Eleutherodactylus species endemic to Cuba and highlight the importance of combining different sources of evidence for obtaining robust assessments of species limits in amphibians.

Human thermal comfort conditions and urban planning in hot-humid climates—The case of Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez Algeciras, José Abel; Coch, Helena; De la Paz Pérez, Guillermo; Chaos Yeras, Mabel; Matzarakis, Andreas

2016-08-01

Climate regional characteristics, urban environmental conditions, and outdoors thermal comfort requirements of residents are important for urban planning. Basic studies of urban microclimate can provide information and useful resources to predict and improve thermal conditions in hot-humid climatic regions. The paper analyzes the thermal bioclimate and its influence as urban design factor in Cuba, using Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET). Simulations of wind speed variations and shade conditions were performed to quantify changes in thermal bioclimate due to possible modifications in urban morphology. Climate data from Havana, Camagüey, and Santiago of Cuba for the period 2001 to 2012 were used to calculate PET with the RayMan model. The results show that changes in meteorological parameters influence the urban microclimate, and consequently modify the thermal conditions in outdoors spaces. Shade is the predominant strategy to improve urban microclimate with more significant benefits in terms of PET higher than 30 °C. For climatic regions such as the analyzed ones, human thermal comfort can be improved by a wind speed modification for thresholds of PET above 30 °C, and by a wind speed decreases in conditions below 26 °C. The improvement of human thermal conditions is crucial for urban sustainability. On this regards, our study is a contribution for urban designers, due to the possibility of taking advantage of results for improving microclimatic conditions based on urban forms. The results may enable urban planners to create spaces that people prefer to visit, and also are usable in the reconfiguration of cities.

Human thermal comfort conditions and urban planning in hot-humid climates-The case of Cuba.

PubMed

Rodríguez Algeciras, José Abel; Coch, Helena; De la Paz Pérez, Guillermo; Chaos Yeras, Mabel; Matzarakis, Andreas

2016-08-01

Climate regional characteristics, urban environmental conditions, and outdoors thermal comfort requirements of residents are important for urban planning. Basic studies of urban microclimate can provide information and useful resources to predict and improve thermal conditions in hot-humid climatic regions. The paper analyzes the thermal bioclimate and its influence as urban design factor in Cuba, using Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET). Simulations of wind speed variations and shade conditions were performed to quantify changes in thermal bioclimate due to possible modifications in urban morphology. Climate data from Havana, Camagüey, and Santiago of Cuba for the period 2001 to 2012 were used to calculate PET with the RayMan model. The results show that changes in meteorological parameters influence the urban microclimate, and consequently modify the thermal conditions in outdoors spaces. Shade is the predominant strategy to improve urban microclimate with more significant benefits in terms of PET higher than 30 °C. For climatic regions such as the analyzed ones, human thermal comfort can be improved by a wind speed modification for thresholds of PET above 30 °C, and by a wind speed decreases in conditions below 26 °C. The improvement of human thermal conditions is crucial for urban sustainability. On this regards, our study is a contribution for urban designers, due to the possibility of taking advantage of results for improving microclimatic conditions based on urban forms. The results may enable urban planners to create spaces that people prefer to visit, and also are usable in the reconfiguration of cities.

JPRS Report, Latin America, Reference Aid. Cuba: Cuban Government Proceedings Against Arnaldo Ochoa Sanchez and Other Officials

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-07-25

citizen gave me musical equipment. When he gave me the equipment, I reported this and asked what I should do with the equipment. I was told to receive...been approved for us. We were going to purchase a yacht to sell to the INTUR [National Institute of Tourism ] which was also a way to cover-up these...Ochoa] In tourism . We were going to invest money in tourism activities. That is why we talked with CUBA- NACAN [expansion unknown; a Cuban enterprise to

Health of the coral reefs at the US Navy Base, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba: a preliminary report based on isotopic records from gorgonians.

PubMed

Risk, Michael J; Burchell, Meghan; Brunton, Dalston A; McCord, Michael R

2014-06-15

Specimens of the gorgonian Plexaura homomalla were sampled from several areas along the fringing reefs fronting the United States Naval Base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Sample coverage extended from apparently healthy reefs in oceanic waters to declining reefs located in the plume of the drainage from upper parts of Guantánamo Bay. Tentacle tips were excised, and trunk sections were cut and polished. Stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (δ(15)N) and carbon indicate a strong correlation of reef health with proximity to the plume of the river. Of all the worldwide cases in which land-based sources of pollution have impacted reefs, this one may well be the most intractable. The US Navy has jurisdiction over the reefs, with the obligation to protect them, yet the threat comes down the river from Cuba. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Teaching of Physics in Cuba from Colonial Times to 1959

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altshuler, José; Baracca, Angelo

The present paper will concentrate on the study of the first one and a half centuries of the teaching of physics in Cuba, starting from the early interest or activities in this. To provide the appropriate context, we will begin by going back in time to the early local signs of a modern scientific sensitivity, scornful of scholastic teaching and fond of experimental approaches, under the belated but stimulating influence of the European Enlightenment. We will go over individual cases during the initial phase of the country's academic physics in some detail, firstly during the initial period of colonial rule, and then from the beginning of the twentieth century to the triumph of the 1959 Revolution earlier that year. We thus hope to make the fundamental aspects of our subject reasonably consistent and abiding, even though further historical research may eventually throw new light on relevant details, personalities and events.

Approaches to Climate Change & Health in Cuba: Guillermo Mesa MD MPhil, Director, Disasters & Health, National School of Public Health. Paulo Ortiz MS PhD, Senior Researcher, Climate Center, Cuban Meteorology Institute.

PubMed

Mesa, Guillermo; Ortiz, Paulo; Gorry, Conner

2015-04-01

The US National Institutes of Health predict climate change will cause an additional 250,000 deaths between 2030 and 2050, with damages to health costing US$2-$4 billion by 2030. Although much debate still surrounds climate change, island ecosystems-such as Cuba's-in the developing world are arguably among the most vulnerable contexts in which to confront climate variability. Beginning in the 1990s, Cuba launched research to develop the evidence base, set policy priorities, and design mitigation and adaptation actions specifically to address climate change and its effects on health. Two researchers at the forefront of this interdisciplinary, intersectoral effort are epidemiologist Dr Guillermo Mesa, who directed design and implementation of the nationwide strategy for disaster risk reduction in the Cuban public health system as founding director of the Latin American Center for Disaster Medicine (CLAMED) and now heads the Disasters and Health department at the National School of Public Health; and Dr Paulo Ortiz, a biostatistician and economist at the Cuban Meteorology Institute's Climate Center (CENCLIM), who leads the research on Cuba's Climate and Health project and is advisor on climate change and health for the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

The last interglacial period at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and an estimate of late Quaternary tectonic uplift rate in a strike-slip regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweig, E. S.; Muhs, D. R.; Simmons, K. R.; Halley, R. B.

2015-12-01

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is an area dominated by a strike-slip tectonic regime and is therefore expected to have very low Quaternary uplift rates. We tested this hypothesis by study of an unusually well preserved emergent reef terrace around the bay. Up to 12 m of unaltered, growth-position reef corals are exposed at about 40 sections examined around ˜40 km of coastline. Maximum reef elevations in the protected, inner part of the bay are ˜11-12 m, whereas outer-coast shoreline angles of wave-cut benches are as high as ˜14 m. Fifty uranium-series analyses of unrecrystallized corals from six localities yield ages ranging from ˜134 ka to ˜115 ka, when adjusted for small biases due to slightly elevated initial 234U/238U values. Thus, ages of corals correlate this reef to the peak of the last interglacial period, marine isotope stage (MIS) 5.5. Previously, we dated the Key Largo Limestone to the same high-sea stand in the tectonically stable Florida Keys. Estimates of paleo-sea level during MIS 5.5 in the Florida Keys are ~6.6 to 8.3 m above present. Assuming a similar paleo-sea level in Cuba, this yields a long-term tectonic uplift rate of 0.04-0.06 m/ka over the past ~120 ka. This estimate supports the hypothesis that the tectonic uplift rate should be low in this strike-slip regime. Nevertheless, on the southeast coast of Cuba, east of our study area, we have observed flights of multiple marine terraces, suggesting either (1) a higher uplift rate or (2) an unusually well-preserved record of pre-MIS 5.5 terraces not observed at Guantanamo Bay.

[The design and development of a quality system for the diagnosis of exotic animal diseases at the National Centre for Animal and Plant Health in Cuba].

PubMed

de Oca, N Montes; Villoch, A; Pérez Ruano, M

2004-12-01

A quality system for the diagnosis of exotic animal diseases was developed at the national centre for animal and plant health (CENSA), responsible for coordinating the clinical, epizootiological and laboratory diagnosis of causal agents of exotic animal diseases in Cuba. A model was designed on the basis of standard ISO 9001:2000 of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), standard ISO/IEC 17025:1999 of ISO and the International Electrotechnical Commission, recommendations of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and other regulatory documents from international and national organisations that deal specifically with the treatment of emerging diseases. Twenty-nine standardised operating procedures were developed, plus 13 registers and a checklist to facilitate the evaluation of the system. The effectiveness of the quality system was confirmed in the differential diagnosis of classical swine fever at an animal virology laboratory in Cuba.

A Comprehensive Study of the Development of Physics in Cuba from 1959

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baracca, Angelo; Fajer Avila, Víctor Luis; Rodríguez Castellanos, Carlos

The present paper aims to reconstruct the main stages of the above-mentioned process from the Cuban Revolution (1959) to the present time. A general premise is necessary on the documentary sources used and the method adopted in this research. The written documents available on the development of physics in Cuba related to the early two decades are quite scarce, so that the reconstruction presented here is based mainly on oral history research. Most of the information presented in this study is sourced from interviews with Cuban colleagues who played leading roles in the events described here. This approach obviously implies drawbacks since the information obtained relies on the personal memories and views of the interviewees, and in some cases uncertain or controversial aspects arise. Despite this drawback, every effort has been made to verify the information.

Cuba's Urban Landscape Needs a Second Round of Innovation for Health.

PubMed

Peña, Jorge

2015-07-01

Cuba's economy spiraled downward in the 1990s, reeling from the collapse of European socialism and a tightened US embargo. To mitigate the crash's drastic effects, measures were adopted that transformed our urban landscape, especially in large cities such as Havana, paradoxically linking the period to nascent health-promoting options. One of the most important was the introduction of bicycle lanes on city streets, paths daily ridden by people on the over one million bicycles imported to offset the nearly nonexistent public transport caused by fuel shortages. Second, urban gardens began to sprout up, involving urban dwellers in production of their own food, particularly vegetables. Without minimizing the impact of the crisis, these two seemingly disparate phenomena meant people were getting more exercise, consuming fewer fats and carbohydrates and more fresh vegetables. People were even breathing fresher air, with fewer CO2-belching trucks, old cars and buses on the streets and less diesel used to transport produce in from afar.

Chigger mites (Acari: Trombiculidae) new to the fauna of Cuba, with the description of two new species.

PubMed

Daniel, Milan; Stekol'nikov, Alexandr A

2003-06-01

Two new species of chigger mites, Hyponeoculta monocoxalae sp. n. from bats and reptiles, and Perares nudosetosus sp. n. from bats, are described. The first finding of larvae of Tectumpilosum negreai Feider, 1983 in nature is reported from a bat collected at the type locality, and the description of this species is emended. Four species, Perates monops (Brennan et Jones, 1960), Parasecia manueli (Brennan et Jones, 1960), Beamerella acutascuta Brennan, 1958, and Blankaartia sinnamaryi (Floch et Fauran, 1956), are recorded for the first time in Cuba and on new host species.

Developing nursing capacity for health systems and services research in Cuba, 2008-2011.

PubMed

Martínez, Nelcy

2012-07-01

Health systems and services research by nursing personnel could inform decision-making and nursing care, providing evidence concerning quality of and patient satisfaction. Such studies are rather uncommon in Cuban research institutes, where clinical research predominates. Assess the results of a strategy implemented between 2008 and 2011 to develop nursing capacity for health systems and services research in 14 national research institutes based in Havana. The study comprised four stages: description of approaches to health systems and services research by nurses worldwide and in Cuba; analysis of current capacities for such research in Cuba; intervention design and implementation; and evaluation. Various techniques were used including: literature review, bibliometric analysis, questionnaire survey, consultation with experts, focus groups, and workshops for participant orientation and design and followup of research projects. Qualitative information reduction and quantitative information summary methods were used. Initially, 32 nursing managers participated; a further 105 nurses from the institutes were involved in research teams formed during intervention implementation. Of all published nursing research articles retrieved, 8.9% (185 of 2081) concerned health systems and services research, of which 26.5% (49 of 185) dealt with quality assessment. At baseline, 75% of Cuban nurses surveyed had poor knowledge of health systems and services research. Orientation, design and followup workshops for all institute teams developed individual and institutional capacity for health systems and services research. Post-intervention, 84.7% (27) of nurses reached good knowledge and 14.3% (5) fair; institutional research teams were formed and maintained in 9 institutes, and 13 projects designed and implemented (11 institutional, 2 addressing ministerial-level priorities) to research nursing issues at selected centers. A systematic strategy to build nursing capacity for health

Perspectives for Expanded Ocean Observing on the Southeast Florida Shelf and between Cuba and the Bahamas and the US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soloviev, A.; Dodge, R. E.; Proni, J.

2012-12-01

A long term ocean observing system was established on the Southeast Florida shelf near Ft. Lauderdale by the Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center (NSUOC) in late 1990s as a cooperative agreement between the NSU Oceanographic Center and USF College of Marine Science. The system has been supported and upgraded during a number of projects funded by the US federal government and private industries. Currently it consists of two ADCP moorings deployed at 240 m and 11 m isobath and coastal meteorological station and primarily serves to support the Office of Naval Research and other Federal agencies projects. During active observational phases, the area is monitored using the new generation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites (TerraSAR-X, Cosmo SkyMed, ALOS PALSAR, RADARSAT 2). The NSUOC Ocean observing system is a component of SECOORA, which has been integrating coastal and ocean observing data in the Southeast United States as a part of IOOS. In this paper we overview the results obtained during more than a decade of observations and discuss perspectives for expanded ocean observing on the Southeast Florida Shelf and between Cuba, Bahamas and US. Increased ocean observations are needed of the major western boundary current, known as the Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Current in the Straits Florida. This ocean current occurs to the west and north of Cuba and along the southeast US. Observations will provide better understanding of the processes that maintain, and account for, the current variability and will be useful in myriad practical applications. A major application is the need to monitor the occurrence of, and to forecast entrainment, trajectories, and detrainment of, potential oil spills that may propagate from Cuban drilling sites located along the north coast of Cuba as well as from proposed drilling in the Bahamas. Such ocean observation information can be used as input for operational response models and result in best

Information Literacy for Users at the National Medical Library of Cuba: Cochrane Library Course for the Search of Best Evidence for Clinical Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santana Arroyo, Sonia; del Carmen Gonzalez Rivero, Maria

2012-01-01

The National Medical Library of Cuba is currently developing an information literacy program to train users in the use of biomedical databases. This paper describes the experience with the course "Cochrane Library: Evidence-Based Medicine," which aims to teach users how to make the best use of this database, as well as the evidence-based…

Cardiovascular Disease and Associated Risk Factors in Cuba: Prospects for Prevention and Control

PubMed Central

Cooper, Richard S.; Orduñez, Pedro; Iraola Ferrer, Marcos D.; Munoz, Jose Luis Bernal; Espinosa-Brito, Alfredo

2006-01-01

Objectives. An adequate description of the trends in cardiovascular disease (CVD) is not available for most of the developing world. Cuba provides an important exception, and we sought to use available data to offer insights into the changing patterns of CVD there. Methods. We reviewed Cuban public health statistics, surveys, and reports of health services. Results. CVD has been the leading cause of death since 1970. A 45% reduction in heart disease deaths was observed from 1970 to 2002; the decline in stroke was more limited. There are moderate prevalences of all major risk factors. Conclusions. The Cuban medical care system has responded vigorously to the challenge of CVD; levels of control of hypertension are the highest in the world. Nonindustrialized countries can decisively control CVD. PMID:16317211

Types of propagation of radio waves of the decameter range, according to observations by the OBS method on Cuba--Soviet Union paths

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

Berdeyans, D.; Bocharov, V.I.; Lobachevskii, L.A.

Ionosphere observations by the OBS method were performed to study ionospheric conditions under which radio waves in the decameter range propagate on Cuba--Soviet Union paths. The results of observations in the summer of 1973 are reported. The distance--frequency and distance--time characteristics of back-scattered signals in the sounding direction for each day of observation are discussed. (JFP)

Impact of Mining Development on an Isolated Rural Community: The Case of Cuba, New Mexico. New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station Research Report 301.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ives, Berry; Eastman, Clyde

When it commenced operation in 1971, the Nacimiento Copper Mine provided 135 new jobs. This was about half of the 278 new permanent jobs created in Cuba, New Mexico, from 1970 to 1974. Concurrent and independent development of the Checkerboard Health Clinic and expansion of the school system accounted for most of the remaining new employment.…

Curriculum Development for Learning To Live Together: The Caribbean Sub-Region. The Final Report of the Sub-Regional Seminar (Havana, Cuba, May 15-18, 2001).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byron, Isabel, Ed.; Rozemeijer, Saskia, Ed.

A sub-regional seminar based on the theme, "Curriculum Development for Learning to Live Together" (Havana, Cuba, May 15-18, 2001), brought together 20 member states of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's Caribbean Network of Educational Innovation for Development: Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Aruba,…

Detection of rotavirus and other enteropathogens in children hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis in Havana, Cuba.

PubMed

Ribas, María de Los Angeles; Tejero, Yahisel; Cordero, Yanislet; de Los Angeles León, María; Rodriguez, Misladys; Perez-Lastre, Jorge; Triana, Thelma; Guerra, Mabel; Ayllón, Lucía; Escalante, Gladys; Hadad, Jorge

2015-08-01

The aim of the study was to diagnose infections with rotavirus and other enteric pathogens in children under five years old with acute gastroenteritis and to identify the most common epidemiological and clinical characteristics of these pathogens. The study was conducted using 110 stool samples from the same number of children under five years old who were inpatients at three paediatric hospitals in Havana, Cuba, between October and December 2011. The samples were tested for rotavirus and other enteric pathogens using traditional and molecular microbiological methods. Pathogens were detected in 85 (77.3 %) of the children. Rotavirus was the most commonly found, appearing in 54.5 % of the children, followed by bacteria (29 %) and parasites (10.9 %). Other viral pathogens detected included adenovirus (6.4 %) and astrovirus (3.6 %). In rotavirus-positives cases, at least one other pathogen was detected, usually a bacterium (26.6 %). More than three episodes of watery diarrhea in 24 hours were observed in 78.3 % of the cases. Dehydration was found in 30 (50 %) rotavirus-positive children, of whom seven (11.6 %) were transferred to an intensive care unit due to complications of metabolic acidosis. Rotavirus was most commonly observed among children under 12 months old (65 %). The highest incidence of infection occurred in children who were under the care of a relative at home (78.3 %), had not been breastfed (65 %), or had been breastfed for less than six months (28.3 %). The genotype combinations most frequently found were G9P8 (28.3 %) and G1P8 (10 %). This study demonstrates the presence of rotavirus and other enteric pathogens as causes of gastroenteritis in hospitalized infants and young children in Cuba.

Cuban Ocular Toxoplasmosis Epidemiology Study (COTES): incidence and prevalence of ocular toxoplasmosis in Central Cuba.

PubMed

Bustillo, Jorge L; Diaz, Jose D; Pacheco, Idarmes C; Gritz, David C

2015-03-01

Serological studies indicate that rates of ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) vary geographically, with higher rates in tropical regions. Little is known about population-based rates of active OT. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of OT in Central Cuba. This large-population, cross-sectional cohort study used a prospective database at a large regional referral centre in Central Cuba. The patient database was searched for all patients who presented with OT during the 12-month study period from 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012. Inclusion criteria were the clinical diagnosis of OT, characterised by focal retinochoroidal inflammation and a response to therapy as expected. Gender-stratified and age-stratified study population data from the 2012 Cuban Census were used to calculate incidence rates and prevalence ratios. Among 279 identified patients with OT, 158 presented with active OT. Of these, 122 new-onset and 36 prior-onset cases were confirmed. Based on the total population in the Sancti Spiritus province (466,106 persons), the overall incidence of active OT was 26.2 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI 21.7 to 31.3) with an annual prevalence ratio of 33.9 per 100,000 persons (95% CI 28.8 to 39.6). The incidence of active OT was lowest in the oldest age group and highest in patients aged 25-44 years (4.5 and 42.1 per 100,000 person-years, respectively). This first report describing population-based rates of OT in the Cuban population highlights the importance of patient age as a likely risk factor for OT. Disease rates were found to be highest in females and young to middle-aged adults. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

The geographic distribution of Argas (Persicargas) miniatus and Argas (Persicargas) persicus (Acari: Argasidae) in America, with morphological and molecular diagnoses from Brazil, Chile and Cuba.

PubMed

Muñoz-Leal, Sebastián; Venzal, José M; Nava, Santiago; Reyes, Mercedes; Martins, Thiago F; Leite, Romário C; Vilela, Vinicius L R; Benatti, Hector R; Ríos-Rosas, Daniela; Barros-Battesti, Darci M; González-Acuña, Daniel; Labruna, Marcelo B

2018-01-01

High similarity of morphological traits has historically overshadowed the identities and distributions of poultry-associated soft ticks Argas (Persicargas) miniatus and Argas (Persicargas) persicus in America. In order to model the occurrence of both parasites in the continent, in the current study we performed morphological and molecular analyses to identify ticks collected in hen houses from Brazil and northern Chile. Combining these results with literature data, and the examination of Argas allotments deposited in the tick collections "Coleção Nacional de Carrapatos Danilo Gonçalves Saraiva" (Brazil), the "Coleção Acarológica do Instituto Butantan São Paulo" (Brazil), and the "Colección Zoológica de la Academia de Ciencia de Cuba" (Cuba), we present a critical list with the localities where A. (P.) miniatus and A. (P.) persicus have been reported in the American continent. Our results confirmed the presence of A. (P.) miniatus in Brazil and Cuba, and A. (P.) persicus in Chile, which in particular, constitutes the first molecularly confirmed report of the later species for South America. Although A. (P.) miniatus and A. (P.) persicus have been documented in 21 American countries, the identity of some reports must still be considered as uncertain until detailed morphological and/or molecular studies are performed. When contrasted to a Köppen-Geiger climate classification, A. (P.) miniatus predominantly occurs in equatorial and A. (P.) persicus in arid climates. However, until undetermined reports of both species are correctly identified, any conclusion on their geo-climatological occurrence throughout the American continent would be rather speculative. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Potential impact of macroclimatic variability on the epidemiology of giardiasis in three provinces of Cuba, 2010-2012.

PubMed

Escobedo, Angel A; Almirall, Pedro; Rumbaut, Raisa; Rodríguez-Morales, Alfonso J

2015-01-01

Climate change and variability are common phenomena affecting various infectious diseases. Many studies have been performed on vector-borne diseases; however, few studies have addressed such influences on intestinal parasitic diseases (e.g., giardiasis). In this study, using nonlinear Poisson regression models, we assessed the potential associations between macroclimatic variation and giardiasis cases in children and school workers from three provinces of Cuba in the context of large sampling and parasitological assessment. Between 2010 and 2012, 293,019 subjects were assessed, resulting in 6357 positive for Giardia (216.95 cases/10,000 pop.; 95%CI 211.7-222.2). The variation in time for those giardiasis rates ranged from 35.8 to 525.8 cases/10,000 pop. Nonlinear Poisson regression models between the ONI index and the giardiasis incidence indicated a significant association (p<0.01). With lower values of ONI, lower incidence of giardiasis was observed at Havana (pseudo r(2)=0.0576; p<0.001) and Guantánamo (pseudo r(2)=0.0376; p<0.001). Although these results are preliminary and the magnitude of association is not higher, the results were of statistical significance. This result indicates the need to assess in detail in further studies the impact of additional macroclimatic and microclimatic variables on the epidemiology of this still important intestinal parasitic disease, not only in Cuba but also in other countries of the Caribbean and Latin American region. Copyright © 2014 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HLA-B27 and clinical features of acute anterior uveitis in Cuba.

PubMed

Torres, Sylvia; Borges, Sandra; Artiles, Adriana

2013-04-01

There are few data about the epidemiology of acute anterior uveitis (AAU) from Latin America. In Cuba, the genetic admixture of the population could modify the HLA-B27-AAU association. In this study, the authors compared the distribution of the HLA-B27 allele in patients and controls and described some clinical outcomes. The clinical features of patients were collected from their medical records. HLA-B27 genotyping was performed using the polymerase chain reaction. HLA-B27 allele distribution was compared between patients and controls. HLA-B27 allele was present in 55.4% of the patients and 0.87% of the controls. AAU HLA-B27 positivity was associated with males, frequent episodes, and a systemic disease. There is no difference in ocular complications between HLA-B27-positive and -negative patients. Results from this study are similar to data described in other countries. HLA-B27 allele distribution in controls is lower than other reports in Caucasian populations.

Lower Cretaceous-Upper Jurassic carbonate complex of southern margin of Florida-Bahama platform in northern Cuba

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

Winston, G.O.

Examination of core samples and cuttings from seven wells in northern Cuba has shown that the southern margin of the Florida-Bahama platform is composed largely of dolomitized carbonate mound and talus material. Dolomitization is possibly due to reflux of the highly saline waters from the South Florida evaporite basin to the north. At least four separate episodes of mound construction are present, accompanied by seaward talus material. South of the dolomitized carbonate complex, three wells penetrated a deeper water continental slope facies consisting principally of light-colored limestone with uncommon beds of shale and radiolarian limestone. Zones of shallower facies appearmore » to be intercalated. Farther to the south beyond the scope of this study, volcanics and serpentine are reported in the literature. The northernmost wells on the island are cut by one or more high-angle thrust faults. Intense crumpling and faulting are present in the deeper water facies between the continental margin complex and the oceanic volcanic-serpentine province. The intense crumpling was probably caused as the deep-water sediments were scraped off by the subduction of an oceanic plate from the south beneath the continental crust of the Florida-Bahama platform. Certain beds in the northern Cuba carbonate complex can be correlated with the standard section in Florida, as exhibited in the Cay Sal well to the north. Three anhydrite beds in the Cayo Coco well appear to correlate with thick anhydrites in the Punto Gorda, Pumpkin Bay, and Bone Island formations. In the Collazo well to the south, a limestone-anhydrite section appears to correlate with the Pumpkin Bay. Three limestone intervals in the Blanquizal well seem to correlate with portions of the Rattlesnake Hammock, Pumpkin Bay, and Bone Island formations in the Cay Sal well.« less

Body composition by hydrometry (deuterium oxide dilution) and bioelectrical impedance in subjects aged >60 y from rural regions of Cuba, Chile and Mexico.

PubMed

Valencia, M E; Alemán-Mateo, H; Salazar, G; Hernández Triana, M

2003-07-01

In Latin American and Caribbean countries such as Chile, Mexico and Cuba, the population over 60 y has increased steadily. In this age group, there is scarce information about body composition, particularly for those living in rural areas. The purpose of this study was to determine body composition in free-living and healthy elderly subjects >60 y from rural areas of Chile, Cuba and Mexico using deuterium oxide dilution and bioelectrical impedance (BIA) and to develop and cross-validate a predictive equation for this group of subjects by BIA for future use as a field technique. The study included 133 healthy subjects (73 males and 60 females) >60 y from rural regions of Cuba, Chile and Mexico. Total body water, body weight, height and other anthropometric and BIA variables (resistance and reactance) were measured. Total body water was determined by deuterium oxide dilution, and fat-free mass (FFM)/fat mass were derived from this measurement. The total sample was used in a split-sample internal cross-validation. BIA and other anthropometric variables were integrated to multiple regression model to design the best predictive equation, which was validated in the other sample. ANOVA, multiple regression and Bland and Altman's procedure were used to analyze the data. Body weight, percentage of fat and fat-free mass were lower in the Cuban men and women compared with Chilean and Mexican men and women. The best predictive equation of the FFM was: FFM kg=(-7.71+(H(2)/R x 0.49)+(country or ethnicity x 1.12)+(body weight x 0.27)+(sex x 3.49)+(Xc x 0.13)), where H(2) is height(2) (cm); R is resistance (Omega); country: Chile=1, Mexico=2 and Cuba=3; sex: women=0 and men=1; body weight (kg) and Xc is reactance (Omega). R(2) was 0.944 and the root mean square error (RMSE) was 2.08 kg. The mean+/-s.d. of FFM prediction was 44.2+/-9.2 vs 44.6+/-10.1. The results of cross-validation showed no significant difference with the line of identity, showing that the predicted equation was

Potential for electricity generation from biomass residues in Cuba

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

Lora, E.S.

The purpose of this paper is the study of the availability of major biomass residues in Cuba and the analysis of the electricity generation potential by using different technologies. An analysis of the changes in the country`s energy balance from 1988 up to date is presented, as well as a table with the availability study results and the energy equivalent for the following biomass residues: sugar cane bagasse and trash, rice and coffee husk, corn an cassava stalks and firewood. A total equivalent of 4.42 10{sup 6} tons/year of fuel-oil was obtained. Possible scenarios for the electricity production increase inmore » the sugar industry are presented too. The analysis is carried out for a high stream parameter CEST and two BIG/GT system configurations. Limitations are introduced about the minimal milling capacity of the sugar mills for each technology. The calculated {open_quotes}real{close_quotes} electricity generation potential for BIG/GT systems, based on GE LM5000 CC gas turbines, an actual cane harvest of 58.0 10{sup 6} tons/year, half the available trash utilization and an specific steam consumption of 210 kg/tc, was 18601,0 GWh/year. Finally different alternatives are presented for low-scale electricity generation based on the other available agricultural residues.« less

Infection with human herpesvirus type 8 and human T-cell leukaemia virus type 1 among individuals participating in a case–control study in Havana City, Cuba

PubMed Central

Fernandez, L; Serraino, D; Rezza, G; Lence, J; Ortiz, R M; Cruz, T; Vaccarella, S; Sarmati, L; Andreoni, M; Franceschi, S

2002-01-01

Infection with human herpesvirus type 8 and with human T-cell leukaemia virus type-1 shows strong geographic variations. We conducted this study to assess prevalence and risk factors for human herpesvirus type 8 infection in Havana City, Cuba. Information and residual serum samples already collected for a hospital based case–control study were used. A total of 379 individuals (267 males and 112 females; median age=63 years) were evaluated. Antibodies to the lytic antigen of human herpesvirus type 8 were detected by using an immunofluorescence assay, while human T-cell leukaemia virus type-1 serology was performed by means of an ELISA test (alpha Biotech). Overall, 64 subjects (16.9%, 95% confidence interval: 13.1–20.0) were positive for human herpesvirus type 8 antibodies. Human herpesvirus type 8 seroprevalence significantly increased with age (odds ratio=1.9 for ⩾65 vs <55 years), and was twice as frequent in blacks than in whites. No association emerged with gender, socio-economic indicators, family size, history of sexually transmitted disease, sexual behaviour. Overall, 16 persons had anti-human T-cell leukaemia virus type-1 antibodies (4.2%, 95% confidence interval: 2.2–6.4). No relationship emerged between human T-cell leukaemia virus type-1 and human herpesvirus type 8 serostatus. The study findings indicate that human herpesvirus type 8 infection is relatively common in Havana City, Cuba, suggesting that Cuba may represent an intermediate endemical area. Sexual transmission does not seem to play a major role in the spread human herpesvirus type 8 infection. British Journal of Cancer (2002) 87, 1253–1256. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6600613 www.bjcancer.com © 2002 Cancer Research UK PMID:12439714

High Resolution Forecasts in the Florida Straits: Predicting the Modulations of the Florida Current and Connectivity Around South Florida and Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kourafalou, V.; Kang, H.; Perlin, N.; Le Henaff, M.; Lamkin, J. T.

2016-02-01

Connectivity around the South Florida coastal regions and between South Florida and Cuba are largely influenced by a) local coastal processes and b) circulation in the Florida Straits, which is controlled by the larger scale Florida Current variability. Prediction of the physical connectivity is a necessary component for several activities that require ocean forecasts, such as oil spills, fisheries research, search and rescue. This requires a predictive system that can accommodate the intense coastal to offshore interactions and the linkages to the complex regional circulation. The Florida Straits, South Florida and Florida Keys Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model is such a regional ocean predictive system, covering a large area over the Florida Straits and the adjacent land areas, representing both coastal and oceanic processes. The real-time ocean forecast system is high resolution ( 900m), embedded in larger scale predictive models. It includes detailed coastal bathymetry, high resolution/high frequency atmospheric forcing and provides 7-day forecasts, updated daily (see: http://coastalmodeling.rsmas.miami.edu/). The unprecedented high resolution and coastal details of this system provide value added on global forecasts through downscaling and allow a variety of applications. Examples will be presented, focusing on the period of a 2015 fisheries cruise around the coastal areas of Cuba, where model predictions helped guide the measurements on biophysical connectivity, under intense variability of the mesoscale eddy field and subsequent Florida Current meandering.

Neurofibromatosis 1 prevalence in children aged 9-11 years, Pinar del Río Province, Cuba.

PubMed

Orraca, Miladys; Morejón, Griselda; Cabrera, Niurka; Menéndez, Reinaldo; Orraca, Odalys

2014-01-01

INTRODUCTION Neurofibromatosis 1 is one of the most common heritable genetic disorders in humans. It is characterized by formation of neurofibromas, with marked variability in expression. Half the cases are due to autosomal dominant inheritance; the rest arise from de novo mutations. Prevalence varies by population, and prevalence in Cuba is unknown. OBJECTIVE Determine the prevalence of neurofibromatosis 1 in a population of Cuban children aged 9-11 years old in Pinar del Río Province, Cuba. METHODS A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Pinar del Río Province in 2004, in which 19,392 children were assessed for neurofibromatosis 1. The study was conducted in two phases: the first, a survey of the entire population aged 9-11 years by genetic counselors in the province's schools; the second, assessment by clinical geneticists of children who met criteria for referral to the Provincial Medical Genetics Center. Neurofibromatosis 1 cases and first-degree relatives were examined to identify the origin of the mutation (de novo or inherited). Neurofibromatosis 1 prevalence was calculated, as well as history of a first-degree relative with the disease and frequency of several principal clinical signs-café au lait spots, freckles in places unexposed to sunlight, presence of neurofibromas, Lisch nodules and characteristic bone lesions. RESULTS Of the eligible population, 99.3% was screened (10,034 boys and 9358 girls). Active case finding resulted in referral of 200 children to medical geneticists and the disease was confirmed in 17, for a prevalence of one case per 1141 children aged 9-11 years old. Café au lait spots were the most frequent sign (100%), followed by freckles in areas unexposed to sunlight (82.4%) and characteristic bone lesions (41.2%). Only 4 of the 17 cases were previously being treated for the disease. CONCLUSIONS Neurofibromatosis 1 has high prevalence in the group studied in Pinar del Rio Province and most cases are not detected in

[Risk factors in the epidemic neuropathy of Cuba].

PubMed

Molina-Esquivel, E; Pita-Rodríguez, G; Monterrey-Gutiérrez, P A; Clúa-Calderín, A M

1998-01-01

A case control study to find out if Cuba's epidemic neuropathy was a result of one of the following causes: (1) an infectious process, (2) exposure to one or more toxical agents, (3) low intake of one or more nutrients, or (4) more than one of such causes and their interactions. A total of 311 cases of epidemic neuropathy with optic and peripheral symptoms and 377 controls were studied. A questionnaire with 55 items was employed to document exposure to factors determined by the etiologic hypothesis. Data analysis was done separately for the optical and peripheral types of the disease. No association was found between illness and any deficiency of basic sanitation for both types of neuropathy. Acute stress, irregularities in food intake, body weight loss in the last 12 months and other indicators of nutritional deficiencies were associated to both clinical manifestations, although they were also high in the controls. Low frequency of illness was found for people living with diseased persons. Females had a significant high risk of illness in the peripheral manifestations whereas smoking was the only toxical risk factor in optical neuropathy. Nutritional deficiencies together with unidentified personal factors were the main associations for illness outcome; smoking increased significantly the risk of optical neuropathy. 1. The infection etiology was unsupported in the study. 2. Smoking appeared as a factor for the optical neuropathy. 3. Stress induced by vital events were significantly associated with the disease. 4. Both types of the neuropathy were associated to body weight loss and other indicators of nutritional deficit.

Documenting the Impact of Socioeconomic Dynamics on Heritage Sites. The Case of Vista Alegre District in Santiago de Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caballero, L. B.; Castillo, M. M.; Van Balen, K.

2017-08-01

Recent policies adopted in Cuba are producing a significant turn into the country's socioeconomic dynamics. Past shifting circumstances have demonstrated the positive and negative implications on heritage sites. In this regard, this paper presents a first stage of a research project aimed at monitoring the impact of socioeconomic dynamics on local heritage sites. The research partial results focus on the documentation of the evolution of a case study: Vista Alegre District in the city of Santiago de Cuba. Scholars have noted that the District's urban design and historic building stock represent its most significant heritage values. Such qualities are under permanent threat due to transformations and deterioration. In order to analyse current site condition, and to understand transformations as a result of socioeconomic dynamics, a Geographic Information System (GIS) was implemented as a monitoring and documenting tool. The GIS allowed integrating data related to the evolution of the urban layout, and the heritage buildings. Data was sourced from heritage management and urban planning offices, as well as from previous studies on the site. In addition, the analysis of remote sensing imagery, and a field survey helped to update the existing records, and to include new information with the purpose of assessing the integrity of heritage values. At this stage, maps that describe the site evolution, the significant changes over time, and the alterations to character defining elements served to identify sectors of different scenic qualities. Results are essential to contribute to draft management strategies as part of decision making.

Development of a new LAMP assay for the detection of CSFV strains from Cuba: a proof-of-concept study.

PubMed

Postel, Alexander; Pérez, Lester J; Perera, Carmen L; Schmeiser, Stefanie; Meyer, Denise; Meindl-Boehmer, Alexandra; Rios, Liliam; Austermann-Busch, Sophia; Frias-Lepoureau, Maria T; Becher, Paul

2015-06-01

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a devastating animal disease of great economic impact worldwide. In many countries, CSF has been endemic for decades, and vaccination of domestic pigs is one of the measures to control the disease. Consequently, differentiating infected from vaccinated animals by antibody ELISA screening is not applicable. In some countries, such as Cuba, lack of molecular techniques for sensitive, rapid and reliable detection of virus genomes is a critical point. To overcome this problem, an easy-to-use one-tube assay based on the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) principle has been developed for detection of the genome of CSF virus (CSFV) of endemic Cuban genotype 1.4 isolates. The assay reliably detected recent isolates from three different regions of Cuba with an analytical sensitivity 10-100 times lower than that of quantitative reverse transcription RT-qPCR. Diagnostic test sensitivity was examined using reference sera from two groups of pigs experimentally infected with Cuban virulent strain CSF0705 "Margarita" and the recent field isolate CSF1058 "Pinar del Rio". Differences in pathogenicity of the two viruses were reflected in the clinical course of disease as well as in virus loads of blood samples. Low viral RNA loads in samples from pigs infected with the field isolate caused serious detection problems in RT-LAMP as well as in RT-qPCR. Thus, it will be necessary in future research to focus on targeted sampling of diseased animals and to restrict diagnosis to the herd level in order to establish LAMP as an efficient tool for diagnosing CSF under field conditions.

Lithospheric structure below seismic stations in Cuba from the joint inversion of Rayleigh surface waves dispersion and receiver functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González, O'Leary; Moreno, Bladimir; Romanelli, Fabio; Panza, Giuliano F.

2012-05-01

The joint inversion of Rayleigh wave group velocity dispersion and receiver functions has been used to study the crust and upper mantle structure at eight seismic stations in Cuba. Receiver functions have been computed from teleseismic recordings of earthquakes at epicentral (angular) distances in the range from 30° to 90° and Rayleigh wave group velocity dispersion relations have been taken from earlier surface wave tomographic studies in the Caribbean area. The thickest crust (˜30 km) below Cuban stations is found at Cascorro (CCC) and Maisí (MAS) whereas the thinnest crust (˜18 km) is found at stations Río Carpintero (RCC) and Guantánamo Bay (GTBY), in the southeastern part of Cuba; this result is in agreement with the southward gradual thinning of the crust revealed by previous studies. In the crystalline crust, the S-wave velocity varies between ˜2.8 and ˜3.9 km s-1 and, at the crust-mantle transition zone, the shear wave velocity varies from ˜4.0 and ˜4.3 km s-1. The lithospheric thickness varies from ˜65 km, in the youngest lithosphere, to ˜150 km in the northeastern part of the Cuban island, below Maisí (MAS) and Moa (MOA) stations. Evidence of a subducted slab possibly belonging to the Caribbean plate is present below the stations Las Mercedes (LMG), RCC and GTBY whereas earlier subducted slabs could explain the results obtained below the Soroa (SOR), Manicaragua (MGV) and Cascorro (CCC) station.

Determinants of mortality transition in developing countries before and after the Second World War: Some evidence from Cuba.

PubMed

Díaz-Briquets, S

1981-11-01

Few studies provide an insight into what factors contributed to declines in the mortality rates of developing countries before the Second World War. In this paper, statistics on causes of death from Cuba, particularly Havana, are used to investigate what may have been some of the principal determinants of mortality decline in the developing world before the arrival of modern drugs and insecticides. Trends in cause-specific mortality are examined in the light of Cuba's social, economic, medical and public health history. The Cuban experience strongly suggests that in this country public health and sanitary reforms and nutritional improvements were largely responsible for initial declines in mortality throughout the first half of the twentieth century. One important finding is that the impact of these reforms and improved nutrition was greatly influenced by prevailing economic conditions. Periods of economic prosperity facilitated declines in mortality; but in times of adversity, the reverse occurred. It appears that during prosperous periods the maintenance and expansion of public health and sanitary facilities were made possible by increased public and private revenues, and that individuals had access to a more abundant diet. The severe economic crisis of the Great Depression had the opposite effect. With the appearance of sulphonamides in the late 1930s, antibiotics, and residual insecticides and other specific measures at the end of the Second World War, the relevance of economic conditions as a determinant of mortality decline diminished. Although this analysis points to the aforementioned trends, the Cuban experience also suggests that other factors enter into the process of declining mortality and that this phenomenon can only be explained as the result of the complex interplay of many forces.

Etiology of Genital Ulcer Disease in Male Patients Attending a Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinic: First Assessment in Cuba.

PubMed

Noda, Angel A; Blanco, Orestes; Correa, Consuelo; Pérez, Lissette; Kourí, Vivian; Rodríguez, Islay

2016-08-01

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and in particular genital ulcer disease (GUD) have a major impact on morbidity and mortality in developing countries. The World Health Organization recommends the use of syndromic guidelines for the treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in resource-constrained countries. Surveillance of autochthonous etiologies provides epidemiological information contributing to the prevention and treatment of STIs. We investigated the etiology and factors associated with GUD among male patients attending a STD clinic in Havana, Cuba. Swabs from genital ulcers of 113 male patients, collected from May 2012 to June 2015, were analyzed using PCR for herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, Treponema pallidum, Haemophilus ducreyi, and Chlamydia trachomatis. We also investigated the clinical and epidemiological characteristics associated with the presence of these pathogens in GUD. At least one of the pathogens was detected in 70% of patients. The occurrence of the pathogens was herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) (51.3%), T. pallidum (29.2%), and C. trachomatis (1.8%). Co-infections occurred as follows: T. pallidum-HSV-2 (10.6%), C. trachomatis-HSV-2 (0.9%) and C. trachomatis-T. pallidum (0.9%). Herpes simplex virus type 1 and H. ducreyi were not detected. Ages 15 to 40 years, HIV-positive serostatus, and no condom use were significant risk factors for the presence of HSV-2 in genital ulcers. Our preliminary results highlight the predominance of HSV-2 and T. pallidum as the leading GUD etiologies in the study population and identified risk factors associated with HSV-2. This information should help to inform guidelines for better management of GUD in Havana, Cuba.

[Dust mites as occupational allergens in two bakeries of La Habana, Cuba].

PubMed

Fernández-Duro, Bárbara I; Alvarez-Castelló, Mirta; Mateo-Morejón, Mayteé; Luis-Rodríguez, Bárbara; Labrada-Rosado, Alexis

2014-01-01

Occupational allergies are becoming more frequent. The allergens present in the working environment of bakeries, such as mites, are not well identified despite being known risk factors of respiratory diseases. To isolate and identify the species of mites present in two bakeries in La Habana, Cuba, with high sensitization of mites on their workers. A descriptive study was done in which samples were taken by tripled from potential sources of mites in bakeries -as flourin use, spills of wheat on the floors, wheat flour stored in sealed bags, sugar, yeast, granulated baker- that were processed, according to the method of flotation of Hart and Fain (1987) to isolate, identify and count the mites present. Mites were found in samples of wheat flourin use, spills on the floorsand in the wheat flourstored in sealed bags. The species identified were Blomia tropicalis (70%), Tyrophagus putrescentiae (20%) and to a lesser degree Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides siboney. There is a high exposure to house dust mites, particularly to store mites, which constitute a risk factor of occupational allergy to consider.

"No one left abandoned": Cuba's national health system since the 1959 revolution.

PubMed

De Vos, Pol

2005-01-01

In spite of the economic hardships during the 1990s, Cuba has achieved health indicators that are among the best in the world. This article describes the development of the Cuban health system over more than four decades and analyzes its dynamics. Four stages can be identified. The system's foundations were laid during the first post-revolutionary decade (1959--1970) and consolidated during the succeeding decade (1970--1979). In the third stage, from 1980 onward, the system reached its full expansion with the development of family medicine. Following the crisis of the 1990s, a fourth stage began with reforms and adjustments to the new situation after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Today, health care continues to be of high quality and free for all Cubans. It remains exclusively in the hands of the public sector, and privatization is not an option. This is exactly the opposite of what is happening in other parts of the world where public services are underfunded and people are made to believe that privatization is the only way to ensure high-quality care.

Coynema gen. n., a new genus of nematode (Thelastomatoidea, Hystrignathidae) parasites of Passalidae (Coleoptera) from Cuba

PubMed Central

Rodríguez, Jans Morffe; Rodríguez, Nayla García

2011-01-01

Abstract The new genus Coynema gen. n. is described as parasite of the two passalid beetles from Cuba: Passalus interstitialis Escholtz, 1829 (type host) and Passalus pertyi Kaup, 1869. Females are characterized by the shape of their cephalic end, cervical cuticle unarmed, a sub-cylindrical procorpus with its base abruptly dilated, fore region of intestine dilated as a sac-like structure, genital system didelphic-amphidelphic and eggs markedly ovoid and smooth-shelled. Males have a digestive system similar to females, tail sharply pointed, bearing a Y-like thickening of the dorsal cuticle. They also present a big, median, mammiform pre-cloacal papillae and a pair of small, sub-dorsal pre-cloacal papillae anterior to the cuticular thickening of the tail. PMID:21594137

Translating genomics: cancer genetics, public health and the making of the (de)molecularised body in Cuba and Brazil.

PubMed

Gibbon, Sahra

2016-01-01

This article examines how cancer genetics has emerged as a focus for research and healthcare in Cuba and Brazil. Drawing on ethnographic research undertaken in community genetics clinics and cancer genetics services, the article examines how the knowledge and technologies associated with this novel area of healthcare are translated and put to work by researchers, health professionals, patients and their families in these two contexts. It illuminates the comparative similarities and differences in how cancer genetics is emerging in relation to transnational research priorities, the history and contemporary politics of public health and embodied vulnerability to cancer that reconfigures the scope and meaning of genomics as "personalised" medicine.

First Report of the 23S rRNA Gene A2058G Point Mutation Associated With Macrolide Resistance in Treponema pallidum From Syphilis Patients in Cuba.

PubMed

Noda, Angel A; Matos, Nelvis; Blanco, Orestes; Rodríguez, Islay; Stamm, Lola Virginia

2016-05-01

This study aimed to assess the presence of macrolide-resistant Treponema pallidum subtypes in Havana, Cuba. Samples from 41 syphilis patients were tested for T. pallidum 23S rRNA gene mutations. Twenty-five patients (61%) harbored T. pallidum with the A2058G mutation, which was present in all 8 subtypes that were identified. The A2059G mutation was not detected.

Prevalence of Pneumococcal Nasopharyngeal Carriage Among Children 2-18 Months of Age: Baseline Study Pre Introduction of Pneumococcal Vaccination in Cuba.

PubMed

Toledo, María E; Casanova, Maria F; Linares-Pérez, Nivaldo; García-Rivera, Dagmar; Toraño Peraza, Gilda; Barcos Pina, Indira; Montes de Oca, Martha; Rodriguez-Noda, Laura M; Mirabal, Mayelín; Paredes, Beatriz; Chávez Amaro, Dunia M; Santana Mederos, Darielys; Valdés-Balbín, Yury; Verez-Bencomo, Vicente

2017-01-01

A new vaccine candidate against pneumococcus is being developed in Cuba, and it is a priority of the national health system. There is limited information on nasopharyngeal colonization burden, though it is essential for monitoring the impact of the vaccine. The study aims to estimate the prevalence of nasopharyngeal colonization in children 2-18 months of age and identify circulating serotypes, antimicrobial resistance and its association with selected risk factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December 2013 in Cienfuegos municipality. Inclusion criteria were evaluated, and informed consent was obtained from the parents. Clinical and epidemiologic data were collected through a semistructured questionnaire. Nasopharyngeal swabs according to established protocols were taken. Data analysis included frequency distributions and comparison of proportions. The association between colonization and selected risk factors was assessed by multivariate analysis. A total of 984 children (87.2% living in urban areas) were included. The overall prevalence of colonization was 21.6%. The most frequent serotypes isolated were 6A (23.1%), 23F (10.8%), 6B (10.3%), 19F (8.5%) and 14 (3.3%). We found no resistance to β-lactamases in circulating serotypes. Living with sibling younger than 5 years, previous respiratory infections, previous hospitalization and day-care attendance were determinants of nasopharyngeal carriage. The findings suggest that the burden of pneumococcal disease and colonization in Cuba could be significantly affected after vaccine introduction.

Promoting health in response to global tourism expansion in Cuba.

PubMed

Spiegel, J M; Gonzalez, M; Cabrera, G J; Catasus, S; Vidal, C; Yassi, A

2008-03-01

The ability of communities to respond to the pressures of globalization is an important determinant of community health. Tourism is a rapidly growing industry and there is an increasing concern about its health impact on local communities. Nonetheless, little research has been conducted to identify potential mitigating measures. We therefore took advantage of the 'natural experiment' provided by the expansion of tourism in Cuba, and conducted four focus groups and key informants interviews in each of two coastal communities. Participants expressed concerns about psycho-social impacts as well as occupational and environmental concerns, and both infectious and chronic diseases. A wide array of programs that had been developed to mitigate potential negative were described. Some of the programs were national in scope and others were locally developed. The programs particularly targeted youth as the most vulnerable population at risk of addictions and sexually transmitted infections. Occupational health concerns for workers in the tourism sector were also addressed, with many of the measures implemented protecting tourists as well. The health promotion and various other participatory action initiatives implemented showed a strong commitment to address the impacts of tourism and also contributed to building capacity in the two communities. Although longitudinal studies are needed to assess the sustainability of these programs and to evaluate their long-term impact in protecting health, other communities can learn from the initiatives taken.

How Cuba's Latin American School of Medicine challenges the ethics of physician migration.

PubMed

Huish, Robert

2009-08-01

This paper demonstrates a working alternative to the accepted ethics of physician migration. A dominant cosmopolitan ethics encourages upward mobility of physicians in a globalized labour force, and this ultimately advances the position of individuals rather than improving public health-care service for vulnerable communities in the global South. Cuba's Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina (ELAM) challenges this trend as its institutional ethics furnishes graduates with appropriate skills, knowledge and service ethics to deliver quality care in marginalized areas. This paper provides an analysis of how ELAM trains physicians in community-oriented service for marginalized areas in the global South. The principle finding of this analysis is that ELAM exhibits a working alternative to the accepted ethics of physician migration, as it encourages graduates to practice in marginalized communities rather than feed the migration pipeline into the North. Arguably, ELAM serves as an important case study in how a medical school's ethics can work to bring graduates closer to the communities that are in desperate need of their skills and of their compassion.

Eremonidiopsis aggregata, gen. n., sp. n. from Cuba, the third West Indian Dioptinae (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae)

PubMed Central

Aguila, Rayner Núñez

2013-01-01

Abstract A new genus and species of Dioptinae (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea, Notodontidae) is described from Cuba, this being the third taxon of the subfamily known from the West Indies. Eremonidiopsis aggregata, gen. n., sp. n., appears to be closely related to Eremonidia mirifica Rawlins & Miller from Hispaniola among members of the tribe Dioptini. Eremonidiopsis aggregata is known from two localities in the middle and western portions of the northeastern Cuban mountain range, Nipe–Sagua–Baracoa. The species inhabits low elevations (300–400 m) covered by lowland rainforest and sclerophyll rainforest. The six known specimens, all males, were part of small swarms flying near the top of an unidentified tree during the day at both collecting sites. These localities are included within protected areas, the “Pico Cristal” National Park in the West and the “Alexander von Humbolt” National Park in the East. PMID:24146561

[The maternal comparison in Cuba. Benefits and education].

PubMed

Dotres Martínez, C; Alvarez Alonso, M; Guerrero Rouríguez, T; Morales, F

1980-01-01

About 300 years ago, admitting children in hospitals started to be done and the complicated problems derived from this fact started as well. Those who followed the school of the psychological and even organic benefit and the evolution of the pathological process of the small patient when he received the family warmth and particularly his mother's, found many opposers. In Cuba, before the Revolution triumph in 1959, due to the great amount of illiteracy, inculture and misery of most of the people, a great deal of our children, when they became ill, were delivered in to hands of babblers or ignorants who gave them decoctions of herbs, and witch treatments, all this accompanied by the lack of medical establishments and staff, especially in the provinces, as well as the low standard of life of most of the people who could not afford the stay in the few existing medical centers which did not offer sanitary education or preventive measures either. After the triumph of the Revolution, a deep change in the social, economical and cultural structures took place in the country giving priority to education and people's health. In this last field, health programs, including food and other material cares, were given to the mother in the hospital during the whole day. The advantages of the mother near the child while he was in the hospital are outlined in the present paper, in addition to the education for health that the Cuban mother receives when she is in the hospital with her child, as well as under other circumstances. Significant achievements reached with this program are equally outlined and thus we find the total eradication of severe diseases for childhood, and among the indicators, the fact of having the lowest children mortality rate in Latin America.

International cooperation and shortage of doctors: an analysis of the interaction between Brazil, Angola and Cuba.

PubMed

Alves, Sandra Mara Campos; Oliveira, Felipe Proenço de; Matos, Mateus Falcão Martins; Santos, Leonor Maria Pacheco; Delduque, Maria Celia

2017-07-01

The shortage of doctors, especially in remote areas, is a critical issue for the development of national health systems and has thus been the focus of a number of international cooperation projects. An exploratory and qualitative study was conducted to examine cooperation between Brazil, Angola and Cuba. A nonsystematic literature review was conducted of selected open access articles and official documents addressing relevant health cooperation initiatives. Previously selected characteristics of actions designed to redress the shortage of doctors were compared. It was concluded that the interactions between the three countries were fruitful and potentially beneficial for the health of the population of these countries. South-South cooperation between these countries showed positive results in the educational and regulatory dimensions and adopted a non-dependence perspective that seeks to strengthen endogenous capacity, which are important factors for evaluating the structural components of health systems.

CRF19_cpx is an Evolutionary fit HIV-1 Variant Strongly Associated With Rapid Progression to AIDS in Cuba

PubMed Central

Kouri, Vivian; Khouri, Ricardo; Alemán‬, Yoan; Abrahantes, Yeissel; Vercauteren, Jurgen; Pineda-Peña, Andrea-Clemencia; Theys, Kristof; Megens, Sarah; Moutschen, Michel; Pfeifer, Nico; Van Weyenbergh, Johan; Pérez, Ana B.; Pérez, Jorge; Pérez, Lissette; Van Laethem, Kristel; Vandamme, Anne-Mieke

2015-01-01

Background Clinicians reported an increasing trend of rapid progression (RP) (AIDS within 3 years of infection) in Cuba. Methods Recently infected patients were prospectively sampled, 52 RP at AIDS diagnosis (AIDS-RP) and 21 without AIDS in the same time frame (non-AIDS). 22 patients were sampled at AIDS diagnosis (chronic-AIDS) retrospectively assessed as > 3 years infected. Clinical, demographic, virological, epidemiological and immunological data were collected. Pol and env sequences were used for subtyping, transmission cluster analysis, and prediction of resistance, co-receptor use and evolutionary fitness. Host, immunological and viral predictors of RP were explored through data mining. Findings Subtyping revealed 26 subtype B strains, 6 C, 6 CRF18_cpx, 9 CRF19_cpx, 29 BG-recombinants and other subtypes/URFs. All patients infected with CRF19 belonged to the AIDS-RP group. Data mining identified CRF19, oral candidiasis and RANTES levels as the strongest predictors of AIDS-RP. CRF19 was more frequently predicted to use the CXCR4 co-receptor, had higher fitness scores in the protease region, and patients had higher viral load at diagnosis. Interpretation CRF19 is a recombinant of subtype D (C-part of Gag, PR, RT and nef), subtype A (N-part of Gag, Integrase, Env) and subtype G (Vif, Vpr, Vpu and C-part of Env). Since subtypes D and A have been associated with respectively faster and slower disease progression, our findings might indicate a fit PR driving high viral load, which in combination with co-infections may boost RANTES levels and thus CXCR4 use, potentially explaining the fast progression. We propose that CRF19 is evolutionary very fit and causing rapid progression to AIDS in many newly infected patients in Cuba. PMID:26137563

Performance of an in-house human immunodeficiency virus type 1 genotyping system for assessment of drug resistance in Cuba.

PubMed

Alemán, Yoan; Vinken, Lore; Kourí, Vivian; Pérez, Lissette; Álvarez, Alina; Abrahantes, Yeissel; Fonseca, Carlos; Pérez, Jorge; Correa, Consuelo; Soto, Yudira; Schrooten, Yoeri; Vandamme, Anne-Mieke; Van Laethem, Kristel

2015-01-01

As commercial human immunodeficiency virus type 1 drug resistance assays are expensive, they are not commonly used in resource-limited settings. Hence, a more affordable in-house procedure was set up taking into account the specific epidemiological and economic circumstances of Cuba. The performance characteristics of the in-house assay were evaluated using clinical samples with various subtypes and resistance patterns. The lower limit of amplification was determined on dilutions series of 20 clinical isolates and ranged from 84 to 529 RNA copies/mL. For the assessment of trueness, 14 clinical samples were analyzed and the ViroSeq HIV-1 Genotyping System v2.0 was used as the reference standard. The mean nucleotide sequence identity between the two assays was 98.7% ± 1.0. Additionally, 99.0% of the amino acids at drug resistance positions were identical. The sensitivity and specificity in detecting drug resistance mutations was respectively 94.1% and 99.5%. Only few discordances in drug resistance interpretation patterns were observed. The repeatability and reproducibility were evaluated using 10 clinical samples with 3 replicates per sample. The in-house test was very precise as nucleotide sequence identity among paired nucleotide sequences ranged from 98.7% to 99.9%. The acceptance criteria were met by the in-house test for all performance characteristics, demonstrating a high degree of accuracy. Subsequently, the applicability in routine clinical practice was evaluated on 380 plasma samples. The amplification success rate was 91% and good quality consensus sequences encoding the entire protease and the first 335 codons in reverse transcriptase could be obtained for 99% of the successful amplicons. The reagent cost per sample using the in-house procedure was around € 80 per genotyping attempt. Overall, the in-house assay provided good results, was feasible with equipment and reagents available in Cuba and was half as expensive as commercial assays.

CRF19_cpx is an Evolutionary fit HIV-1 Variant Strongly Associated With Rapid Progression to AIDS in Cuba.

PubMed

Kouri, Vivian; Khouri, Ricardo; Alemán, Yoan; Abrahantes, Yeissel; Vercauteren, Jurgen; Pineda-Peña, Andrea-Clemencia; Theys, Kristof; Megens, Sarah; Moutschen, Michel; Pfeifer, Nico; Van Weyenbergh, Johan; Pérez, Ana B; Pérez, Jorge; Pérez, Lissette; Van Laethem, Kristel; Vandamme, Anne-Mieke

2015-03-01

Clinicians reported an increasing trend of rapid progression (RP) (AIDS within 3 years of infection) in Cuba. Recently infected patients were prospectively sampled, 52 RP at AIDS diagnosis (AIDS-RP) and 21 without AIDS in the same time frame (non-AIDS). 22 patients were sampled at AIDS diagnosis (chronic-AIDS) retrospectively assessed as > 3 years infected. Clinical, demographic, virological, epidemiological and immunological data were collected. Pol and env sequences were used for subtyping, transmission cluster analysis, and prediction of resistance, co-receptor use and evolutionary fitness. Host, immunological and viral predictors of RP were explored through data mining. Subtyping revealed 26 subtype B strains, 6 C, 6 CRF18_cpx, 9 CRF19_cpx, 29 BG-recombinants and other subtypes/URFs. All patients infected with CRF19 belonged to the AIDS-RP group. Data mining identified CRF19, oral candidiasis and RANTES levels as the strongest predictors of AIDS-RP. CRF19 was more frequently predicted to use the CXCR4 co-receptor, had higher fitness scores in the protease region, and patients had higher viral load at diagnosis. CRF19 is a recombinant of subtype D (C-part of Gag, PR, RT and nef), subtype A (N-part of Gag, Integrase, Env) and subtype G (Vif, Vpr, Vpu and C-part of Env). Since subtypes D and A have been associated with respectively faster and slower disease progression, our findings might indicate a fit PR driving high viral load, which in combination with co-infections may boost RANTES levels and thus CXCR4 use, potentially explaining the fast progression. We propose that CRF19 is evolutionary very fit and causing rapid progression to AIDS in many newly infected patients in Cuba.

The Campesino-to-Campesino agroecology movement of ANAP in Cuba: social process methodology in the construction of sustainable peasant agriculture and food sovereignty.

PubMed

Rosset, Peter Michael; Sosa, Braulio Machín; Jaime, Adilén María Roque; Lozano, Dana Rocío Ávila

2011-01-01

Agroecology has played a key role in helping Cuba survive the crisis caused by the collapse of the socialist bloc in Europe and the tightening of the US trade embargo. Cuban peasants have been able to boost food production without scarce and expensive imported agricultural chemicals by first substituting more ecological inputs for the no longer available imports, and then by making a transition to more agroecologically integrated and diverse farming systems. This was possible not so much because appropriate alternatives were made available, but rather because of the Campesino-a-Campesino (CAC) social process methodology that the National Association of Small Farmers (ANAP) used to build a grassroots agroecology movement. This paper was produced in a 'self-study' process spearheaded by ANAP and La Via Campesina, the international agrarian movement of which ANAP is a member. In it we document and analyze the history of the Campesino-to-Campesino Agroecology Movement (MACAC), and the significantly increased contribution of peasants to national food production in Cuba that was brought about, at least in part, due to this movement. Our key findings are (i) the spread of agroecology was rapid and successful largely due to the social process methodology and social movement dynamics, (ii) farming practices evolved over time and contributed to significantly increased relative and absolute production by the peasant sector, and (iii) those practices resulted in additional benefits including resilience to climate change.

[Regulatory Program for Medical Devices in Cuba: experiences and current challenges].

PubMed

Pereira, Dulce María Martínez; Rodríguez, Yadira Álvarez; Valdés, Yamila Cedeño; Ribas, Silvia Delgado

2016-05-01

Regulatory control of medical devices in Cuba is conducted through a system based on the Regulatory Program for Medical Devices as a way to ensure the safety, efficacy, and effectiveness of these technologies, which are in use by the National Health System. This program was launched in 1992, when the Regulations for State Evaluation and Registration of Medical Devices were approved. Its successive stages and the merging of regulatory activities for drugs and medical equipment have meant progress toward stronger, more transparent strategies and greater control of industry and the National Health System. Throughout its course the Cuban program has met with challenges and difficulties that it has addressed by drawing on its own experiences. During the new period, the greatest challenges revolve around ensuring that regulatory systems incorporate scientific evaluation, risk levels, maximum rigor through the use of technical standards, and the implementation of international recommendations, together with the application of the ISO 13485 certification scheme, enhanced market monitoring, and classification of medical devices in accordance with their relevance to the country's national health policies. From the regional standpoint, the greatest challenge lies in working toward regulatory convergence. The Collaborating Centre for the Regulation of Health Technologies will support the proposed regulatory strategy and established regional priorities, in particular in connection with the implementation of actions involving medical devices.

Genesis of folia in a non-thermal epigenic cave (Matanzas, Cuba)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Angeli, Ilenia Maria; De Waele, Jo; Melendres, Osmany Ceballo; Tisato, Nicola; Sauro, Francesco; Gonzales, Esteban Ruben Grau; Bernasconi, Stefano M.; Torriani, Stefano; Bontognali, Tomaso R. R.

2015-01-01

Folia are an unusual speleothem type resembling inverted cups or bracket fungi. The mechanism of folia formation is not fully understood and is the subject of an ongoing debate. This study focuses on an occurrence of folia present in Santa Catalina Cave, a non-thermal epigenic cave located close to Matanzas (Cuba). The sedimentology, morphology, petrology, permeability and geochemistry of these folia have been studied to gain new insight on the processes leading to their development. It is concluded that folia in Santa Catalina Cave formed at the top of a fluctuating water body, through CO2-degassing or evaporation, which may have been enhanced by the proximity to cave entrances. Two observations strongly support our conclusions. (1) When compared to other subaqueous speleothems (e.g. cave clouds) present in the same rooms, folia occur exclusively within a limited vertical interval that likely represents an ancient water level. Folia occur together with calcite rafts and tower cones that developed, respectively, on top of and below the water level. This suggests that a fluctuating interface is required for folia formation. (2) The measured permeability of the folia is too high to trap gas bubbles. Thus, in contrast to what has been proposed in other studies, trapped bubbles of CO2 cannot be invoked as the key factor determining the genesis and morphology of folia in this subaqueous environment.

Population-based weight loss and gain do not explain trends in asthma mortality in Cuba: A prospective study from 1964 to 2014.

PubMed

Suárez-Medina, Ramón; Venero-Fernández, Silvia Josefina; Britton, John; Fogarty, Andrew W

2016-09-01

The increase in prevalence of obesity is a possible risk factor for asthma in developed countries. As the people of Cuba experienced an acute population-based decrease in weight in the 1990s, we tested the hypothesis that national weight loss and subsequent weight gain was associated a reciprocal changes in asthma mortality. Data were obtained on mortality rates from asthma and COPD in Cuba from 1964 to 2014, along with data on prevalence of obesity for this period. Joinpoint analysis was used to identify inflexion points in the data. Although the prevalence of obesity from 1990 to 1995 decreased from 14% to 7%, over the same time period the rate of asthma mortality increased from 4.5 deaths per 100,000 population to 5.4 deaths per 100,000 population. In 2010, the obesity prevalence subsequently increased to 15% in 2010, while the asthma mortality rate dropped to 2.3 deaths per 100,000 population. The optimal model for fit of asthma mortality over time gave an increasing linear association from 1964 to 1995 (95% confidence interval for inflexion point: 1993 to 1997), followed by a decrease in asthma mortality rates from 1995 to 1999 (95% confidence interval for inflexion point: 1997 to 2002). These national data do not support the hypothesis that population-based changes in weight are associated with asthma mortality. Other possible explanations for the large decreases in asthma mortality rates include changes in pollution or better delivery of medical care over the same time period. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Doses of Insecticides for Adult Aedes aegypti to Assess Insecticide Resistance in Cuba.

PubMed

Rodríguez, María Magdalena; Crespo, Ariel; Hurtado, Daymi; Fuentes, Ilario; Rey, Jorge; Bisset, Juan Andrés

2017-06-01

The objective of this study was to determine diagnostic doses (DDs) of 5 insecticides for the Rockefeller susceptible strain of Aedes aegypti , using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) bottle bioassay as a tool for monitoring insecticide resistance in the Cuban vector control program. The 30-min DD values determined in this study were 13.5 μg/ml, 6.5 μg/ml, 6 μg/ml, 90.0 μg/ml, and 15.0 μg/ml for cypermethrin, deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, chlorpyrifos, and propoxur, respectively. To compare the reliability of CDC bottle bioassay with the World Health Organization susceptible test, 3 insecticide-resistant strains were evaluated for deltamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin. Results showed that the bottles can be used effectively from 21 to 25 days after treatment and reused up to 4 times, depending on the storage time. The CDC bottle bioassay is an effective tool to assess insecticide resistance in field populations of Ae. aegypti in Cuba and can be incorporated into vector management programs using the diagnostic doses determined in this study.

Spatial Models for Prediction and Early Warning of Aedes aegypti Proliferation from Data on Climate Change and Variability in Cuba.

PubMed

Ortiz, Paulo L; Rivero, Alina; Linares, Yzenia; Pérez, Alina; Vázquez, Juan R

2015-04-01

Climate variability, the primary expression of climate change, is one of the most important environmental problems affecting human health, particularly vector-borne diseases. Despite research efforts worldwide, there are few studies addressing the use of information on climate variability for prevention and early warning of vector-borne infectious diseases. Show the utility of climate information for vector surveillance by developing spatial models using an entomological indicator and information on predicted climate variability in Cuba to provide early warning of danger of increased risk of dengue transmission. An ecological study was carried out using retrospective and prospective analyses of time series combined with spatial statistics. Several entomological and climatic indicators were considered using complex Bultó indices -1 and -2. Moran's I spatial autocorrelation coefficient specified for a matrix of neighbors with a radius of 20 km, was used to identify the spatial structure. Spatial structure simulation was based on simultaneous autoregressive and conditional autoregressive models; agreement between predicted and observed values for number of Aedes aegypti foci was determined by the concordance index Di and skill factor Bi. Spatial and temporal distributions of populations of Aedes aegypti were obtained. Models for describing, simulating and predicting spatial patterns of Aedes aegypti populations associated with climate variability patterns were put forward. The ranges of climate variability affecting Aedes aegypti populations were identified. Forecast maps were generated for the municipal level. Using the Bultó indices of climate variability, it is possible to construct spatial models for predicting increased Aedes aegypti populations in Cuba. At 20 x 20 km resolution, the models are able to provide warning of potential changes in vector populations in rainy and dry seasons and by month, thus demonstrating the usefulness of climate information for

Viva La Ciencia: Cuba’s Creative Scientists Aim to Make Knowledge Their Country’s Sugar Substitute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reid, Rosalind; Hayes, Brian

At first, peas served as particles in Ernesto Altshuler's experiment. A mechanical dispenser would drop the chícharos one by one into the space between two glass plates, forming a tidy two-dimensional approximation of a sand pile. Lattice structure appeared, then vanished, as the pile self-organized and went critical—avalanche! But Havana's insects soon found the peas in Altshuler's physics lab. For a physicist working under harsh economic conditions of Cuba in the early 1990s, options were few. Yet Altshuler's solution came as a byproduct of the crisis: Because of fuel shortages, the country had begun importing Chinese bicycles, and ball bearings were available in abundance. Thus the peas have been replaced by steel beads, but Altshuler and his students still call their machine the chícharotron.

Why Did Zika Not Explode in Cuba? The Role of Active Community Participation to Sustain Control of Vector-Borne Diseases.

PubMed

Castro, Marta; Pérez, Dennis; Guzman, Maria G; Barrington, Clare

2017-08-01

As the global public health community develops strategies for sustainable Zika prevention and control, assessment of the Cuban response to Zika provides critical lessons learned. Cuba's early and successful response to Zika, grounded in the country's long-standing dengue prevention and control program, serves as a model of rapid mobilization of intersectoral efforts. Sustaining this response requires applying the evidence generated within the Cuban dengue program that active community participation improves outcomes and is sustainable and cost-effective. There is also a need for implementation science efforts to assess the transferability of lessons learned from Zika prevention and control to other pathogens and from one context to another in addition to how to take these efforts to scale.

Endoscopic findings and associated risk factors in primary health care settings in Havana, Cuba.

PubMed

Galbán, Enrique; Arús, Enrique; Periles, Ulises

2012-01-01

INTRODUCTION Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, traditionally performed in Cuba in specialized hospitals, was decentralized to the primary health care level in 2004 to make it more patient-accessible. OBJECTIVES Describe frequency and distribution of the principal symptomatic diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract and their relation to the main risk factors associated with each in a sample of urban adults who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in primary care facilities in Havana in selected months of 2007. METHODS A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted, including 3556 patients seen in the primary health care network of Havana from May through November 2007. The endoscopies were performed at the 22 polyclinics (community health centers) providing this service. Diagnostic quality and accuracy were assessed by experienced gastroenterologists using a validated tool. Patients responded to a questionnaire with clinical, epidemiologic, and sociodemographic variables. Univariate and multivariate analyses (unconditional logistical regression) were used to identify associated risk factors. The significance level was set at p < 0.05 (or confidence interval excluding 1.0). RESULTS The diagnoses were: gastritis (91.6%), duodenitis (57.8%), hiatal hernia (46.5%), esophagitis (25.2%), duodenal ulcer (15.8%), gastric ulcer (6.2%) and malignant-appearing lesions (0.4%). Overall prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection was 58.4%. The main risk factors for duodenal ulcer were H. pylori infection (OR 2.70, CI 2.17-3.36) and smoking (OR 2.08, CI 1.68-2.58); and for gastric ulcer, H. pylori (OR 1.58, CI 1.17-2.15) and age ≥60 years (OR 1.78, CI 1.28-2.47). H. pylori infection was the main risk factor for gastritis (OR 2.29, CI 1.79-2.95) and duodenitis (OR 1.58, CI 1.38-1.82); and age ≥40 years for hiatal hernia (OR 1.57, CI 1.33-1.84). External evaluation was "very good" or "good" for 99.3% of endoscopic procedures and 97.9% of reports issued

Sexual orientation and quality of life among university students from Cuba, Norway, India, and South Africa.

PubMed

Traeen, Bente; Martinussen, Monica; Vittersø, Joar; Saini, Sunil

2009-01-01

This article explores quality-of-life aspects among gay, lesbian, bisexual, and straight male and female students in Havana (Cuba), Tromsø (Norway), Hisar (India), and Cape Town (South Africa). In the period 2004-2005, a questionnaire survey on sexuality, happiness, and life satisfaction was undertaken among 339 students from the University of Havana, 144 students from the University of Tromsø, 200 students from Guru Jambheswar University, and 189 students from the University of the Western Cape. The majority of the participants were straight and, in Hisar and Cape Town, few of those who regarded themselves as gay/lesbian/bisexual had engaged in sex with a person of the same gender. In all cities, straight men and women scored higher than gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons on the quality-of-life measures. Quality of life among gay/bisexual men and lesbian/bisexual women was higher in cultures with accepting attitudes toward homosexuality than in cultures with restrictive attitudes.

Sergey gen. n., a new doryctine genus from temperate forests of Mexico and Cuba (Hymenoptera, Braconidae).

PubMed

Martínez, Juan José; Lázaro, Rubi Nelsi Meza; Pedraza-Lara, Carlos; Zaldívar-Riverón, Alejandro

2016-01-01

The new doryctine genus Sergey gen. n. is described with four new species (Sergey cubaensis Zaldívar-Riverón & Martínez, sp. n., Sergey coahuilensis Zaldívar-Riverón & Martínez, sp. n., Sergey tzeltal Martínez & Zalídivar-Riverón, sp. n., Sergey tzotzil Martínez & Zalídivar-Riverón, sp. n.) from temperate forests of Mexico and Cuba. Similar to many other doryctine taxa, the new genus has a considerably elongated, petiolate basal sternal plate of the first metasomal tergite, although it can be distinguished from these by having the mesoscutum sharply declivous anteriorly with sharp anterolateral edges. The described species have been characterised molecularly based on two mitochondrial (COI, cyt b) and one nuclear (28S) gene markers. Based on the mitochondrial gene genealogies reconstructed, the evidence suggests the existence of incomplete lineage sorting or hybridization in the populations from Chiapas and Oaxaca assigned to Sergey tzeltal sp. n.

Sergey gen. n., a new doryctine genus from temperate forests of Mexico and Cuba (Hymenoptera, Braconidae)

PubMed Central

Martínez, Juan José; Lázaro, Rubi Nelsi Meza; Pedraza-Lara, Carlos; Zaldívar-Riverón, Alejandro

2016-01-01

Abstract The new doryctine genus Sergey gen. n. is described with four new species (Sergey cubaensis Zaldívar-Riverón & Martínez, sp. n., Sergey coahuilensis Zaldívar-Riverón & Martínez, sp. n., Sergey tzeltal Martínez & Zalídivar-Riverón, sp. n., Sergey tzotzil Martínez & Zalídivar-Riverón, sp. n.) from temperate forests of Mexico and Cuba. Similar to many other doryctine taxa, the new genus has a considerably elongated, petiolate basal sternal plate of the first metasomal tergite, although it can be distinguished from these by having the mesoscutum sharply declivous anteriorly with sharp anterolateral edges. The described species have been characterised molecularly based on two mitochondrial (COI, cyt b) and one nuclear (28S) gene markers. Based on the mitochondrial gene genealogies reconstructed, the evidence suggests the existence of incomplete lineage sorting or hybridization in the populations from Chiapas and Oaxaca assigned to Sergey tzeltal sp. n. PMID:27408539

The Admission and Academic Placement of Students from the Caribbean. A Workshop Report: British Patterned Education, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Dutch Patterned Education, the French West Indies, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fish, Cynthia, Ed.

This workshop report examines the admission and academic placement of students from the Caribbean. Workshop materials concerning the educational systems of the British patterned Caribbean, Cuba, Dominican Republic; Dutch patterned Caribbean, French West Indies, Haiti, Puerto Rico; and the U.S. Virgin Islands are presented. Workshop recommendations…

[Childbirth in Cuba: analysis of the experience of medically supervised delivery from an anthropological perspective].

PubMed

García-Jordá, Dailys; Díaz-Bernal, Zoe; Acosta Álamo, Marlen

2012-07-01

Knowledge about pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum in Cuba is currently deficient. Childbirth has been fundamentally studied as a medical event from its clinical aspects. Analysis of the reproductive process from the Medical Anthropology perspective could contribute to healthcare services providing more humane treatment and empowerment for women and men as the persons primarily responsible for their reproductive processes. This study investigated the experience and perception of childbirth in three hospitals in Havana. The scope of this research was to understand the representation and practice of childbirth and to describe the experiences of women during this event. Qualitative investigation techniques were used, together with interviews and participant observation of 36 women in labor, ten family members and nine obstetricians. The qualitative data was analyzed using Grounded Theory methodology. All the childbirths occurred with numerous medical interventions and the maternity experience was very intense. The participation of men was limited. From the anthropological perspective the routine use of some medical interventions and the institutional regulations described are considered manifestations of physical and gender violence.

Atmospheric deposition patterns of (210)Pb and (7)Be in Cienfuegos, Cuba.

PubMed

Alonso-Hernández, Carlos M; Morera-Gómez, Yasser; Cartas-Águila, Héctor; Guillén-Arruebarrena, Aniel

2014-12-01

The radiometric composition of bulk deposition samples, collected monthly for one year, February 2010 until January 2011, at a site located in Cienfuegos (22° 03' N, 80° 29' W) (Cuba), are analysed in this paper. Measurement of (7)Be and (210)Pb activity concentrations were carried out in 12 bulk deposition samples. The atmospheric deposition fluxes of (7)Be and (210)Pb are in the range of 13.2-132 and 1.24-8.29 Bq m(-2), and their mean values are: 56.6 and 3.97 Bq m(-2), respectively. The time variations of the different radionuclide have been discussed in relation with meteorological factors and the mean values have been compared to those published in recent literature from other sites located at different latitudes. The annual average flux of (210)Pb and (7)Be were 47 and 700 Bq m(-2) y(-1), respectively. Observed seasonal variations of deposition data are explained in terms of different environmental features. The atmospheric deposition fluxes of (7)Be and (210)Pb were moderately well correlated with precipitation and well correlated with one another. The (210)Pb/(7)Be ratios in the monthly depositions samples varied in the range of 0.05-0.10 and showed a strong correlation with the number of rainy days. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seasonal trends of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide over North Santa Clara, Cuba.

PubMed

Alejo, Daniellys; Morales, Mayra C; de la Torre, Jorge B; Grau, Ricardo; Bencs, László; Van Grieken, René; Van Espen, Piet; Sosa, Dismey; Nuñez, Vladimir

2013-07-01

Atmospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) levels were monitored simultaneously by means of Radiello passive samplers at six sites of Santa Clara city, Cuba, in the cold and the warm seasons in 2010. The dissolved ionic forms of NO2 and SO2 as nitrate and sulfite plus sulfate, respectively, were determined by means of ion chromatography. Analysis of NO2 as nitrite was also performed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. For NO2, significant t tests show good agreement between the results of IC and UV-Vis methods. The NO2 and SO2 concentrations peaked in the cold season, while their minimum levels were experienced in the warm season. The pollutant levels do not exceed the maximum allowable limit of the Cuban Standard 39:1999, i.e., 40 μg/m(3) and 50 μg/m(3) for NO2 and SO2, respectively. The lowest pollutant concentrations obtained in the warm season can be attributed to an increase in their removal via precipitation (scavenging) while to the decreased traffic density and industrial emission during the summer holidays (e.g., July and August).

Temporal dynamics of airborne fungi in Havana (Cuba) during dry and rainy seasons: influence of meteorological parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almaguer, Michel; Aira, María-Jesús; Rodríguez-Rajo, F. Javier; Rojas, Teresa I.

2014-09-01

The aim of this paper was to determine for first time the influence of the main meteorological parameters on the atmospheric fungal spore concentration in Havana (Cuba). This city is characterized by a subtropical climate with two different marked annual rainfall seasons during the year: a "dry season" and a "rainy season". A nonviable volumetric methodology (Lanzoni VPPS-2000 sampler) was used to sample airborne spores. The total number of spores counted during the 2 years of study was 293,594, belonging to 30 different genera and five spore types. Relative humidity was the meteorological parameter most influencing the atmospheric concentration of the spores, mainly during the rainy season of the year. Winds coming from the SW direction also increased the spore concentration in the air. In terms of spore intradiurnal variation we found three different patterns: morning maximum values for Cladosporium, night peaks for Coprinus and Leptosphaeria, and uniform behavior throughout the whole day for Aspergillus/ Penicillium."

Assessment of Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb levels in beach and dune sands from Havana resorts, Cuba.

PubMed

Díaz Rizo, Oscar; Buzón González, Fran; Arado López, Juana O

2015-11-15

Concentrations of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) in beach and dune sands from thirteen Havana (Cuba) resorts were estimated by X-ray fluorescence analysis. Determined mean metal contents (in mg·kg(-1)) in beach sand samples were 28±12 for Ni, 35±12 for Cu, 31±11 for Zn and 6.0±1.8 for Pb, while for dune sands were 30±15, 38±22, 37±15 and 6.8±2.9, respectively. Metal-to-iron normalization shows moderately severe and severe enrichment by Cu. The comparison with sediment quality guidelines shows that dune sands from various resorts must be considered as heavily polluted by Cu and Ni. Almost in every resort, the Ni and Cu contents exceed their corresponding TEL values and, in some resorts, the Ni PEL value. The comparison with a Havana topsoil study indicates the possible Ni and Cu natural origin. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical composition, antioxidant properties and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Murraya paniculata leaves from the mountains of Central Cuba.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Elisa Jorge; Ramis-Ramos, Guillermo; Heyden, Yvan Vander; Simó-Alfonso, Ernesto F; Lerma-García, María Jesús; Saucedo-Hernández, Yanelis; Monteagudo, Urbano; Morales, Yeni; Holgado, Beatriz; Herrero-Martínez, José Manuel

2012-11-01

The essential oil of Murraya paniculata L leaves from the mountains of the Central Region of Cuba, obtained by hydrodistillation, was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Eighteen compounds, accounting for 95.1% of the oil were identified. The major component was beta-caryophyllene (ca. 30%). The antioxidant activity of essential oil was evaluated against Cucurbita seed oil by peroxide, thiobarbituric acid and p-anisidine methods. The essential oil showed stronger antioxidant activity than that of butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene, but lower than that of propyl gallate. Moreover, this antioxidant activity was supported by the complementary antioxidant assay in the linoleic acid system and 2, 2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. The essential oil also showed good to moderate inhibitory effects against Klebsiellapneumoniae and Bacillus subtilis.

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in sediments from the Gulf of Batabanó, Cuba.

PubMed

Alonso-Hernandez, C M; Mesa-Albernas, M; Tolosa, I

2014-01-01

The spatial distribution of various organochlorinated compounds, e.g. PCBs, DDTs, HCB and HCHs, were investigated in sediments of the Gulf of Batabanó, Cuba. Among the target organochlorine compounds measured, ΣDDT isomers were the predominant contaminant with concentrations ranging from 0.019 to 1.27 ng g(-1)dry wt. Lindane was present at very low concentrations in the range n.d. to 0.05 ng g(-1), while PCBs and other organochlorine pesticide residues, such as HCB, Heptaclor, Aldrin and Mirex were lower than detection limits (∼0.010 ng g(-1)). According to established sediment quality guidelines, the OCPs concentrations encountered in the surface sediments are probably not having an adverse effect on sediment dwelling organisms. Compared to concentrations reported in coastal environments from other parts of the world, PCBs and OCs concentrations in surface sediments of Batabanó Gulf were low and similar to the reported for remote and pristine environments. These results contribute to the sparse regional database for organochlorinated compounds in the Caribbean marine environment. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The association of low birth weight with serum C reactive protein in 3-year-old children living in Cuba: A population-based prospective study.

PubMed

Josefina Venero-Fernández, Silvia; Fundora-Hernández, Hermes; Batista-Gutierrez, Lourdes; Suárez-Medina, Ramón; de la C Mora-Faife, Esperanza; García-García, Gladys; Del Valle-Infante, Ileana; Gómez-Marrero, Liem; Britton, John; Fogarty, Andrew W

2017-05-06

Low birthweight is associated with a decreased risk of childhood leukemia and an increased risk of both cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in adult life. Possible biological mediators include systemic innate immunity and inflammation. We tested the hypothesis that birthweight was inversely associated with serum high sensitivity C reactive protein assay (hsCRP), a measure of both innate immunity and systemic inflammation. Data on birthweight and current anthropometric measures along with a range of exposures were collected at 1 and 3 years of age in a population-based cohort study of young children living in Havana, Cuba. A total of 986 children aged 3-years-old provided blood samples that were analyzed for serum hsCRP levels. Nearly 49% of children had detectable hsCRP levels in their serum. Lower birthweight was linearly associated with the natural log of hsCRP levels (beta coefficient -0.70 mg L -1 per kg increase in birthweight, 95% CI: -1.34 to -0.06). This was attenuated but still present after adjustment for the child's sex and municipality (-0.65 mg L -1 per kg birthweight; 95% CI: -1.38 to +0.08). There were no associations between growth from birth or anthropometric measures at 3 years and systemic inflammation. Birthweight was inversely associated with serum hsCRP levels in children aged 3 years living in Cuba. These observations provide a potential mechanism that is present at the age of 3 years to explain the association between low birthweight and both decreased childhood leukemia and increased cardiovascular disease in adults. © 2016 The Authors American Journal of Human Biology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Age and gender differences regarding physical performance in the elderly from Barbados and Cuba.

PubMed

Rodrigues-Barbosa, Aline; de Miranda, Leticia Miranda; Vieira-Guimarães, Alexsander; Xavier-Corseuil, Herton; Weber-Corseuil, Marui

2011-02-01

Presenting physical performance tests' (PPTs) descriptive reference values and prevalence according to gender and age-group regarding a representative sample of non-institutionalised older adults (aged 60 and over) living in Bridgetown (Barbados) and Havana (Cuba). This was a cross-sectional, population-based household survey. In Bridgetown and Havana, respectively, 1,508 and 1,905 subjects were examined who had been selected by probabilistic sampling. PPTs included handgrip strength, standing balance, timed repeated "chair stand" and "pick up a pen." The results from Bridgetown and Havana showed that values (mean ± standard deviations and percentiles) for men were greater than women in handgrip strength and "chair stand" tests (p≤0.01). Increasing age led to both genders having reduced (p≤0.001) prevalence of people having better results for each test (based on chi-square). Men had proportionately better scores than women in the four tests. The data suggested that younger people and men had better physical performance. Men and women in both countries had differences regarding the prevalence of people unable to perform the tests and better test results, according to the test and age-group. The data provided information about the range of performance that can be expected from people in different ages and helped understand usual rates of change in age-groups.

Factors associated to hypertensive heart disease development: a prospective cohort study in Bayamo, Cuba.

PubMed

Álvarez Aliaga, Alexis; González Aguilera, Julio César; Maceo Gómez, Liliana Del Rosario

2016-07-07

Among the conditions resulting from target organ damage by arterial hypertension, hypertensive cardiopathy is the one that exhibits the highest morbidity and mortality rates. Its prevention should be a target of all high blood pressure medical care programs. To identify risk factors for the development of hypertensive cardiopathy. A prospective cohort study was carried out in hypertensive patients assisted at the specialized arterial hypertension physicians’ offices of the “Carlos Manuel de Céspedes” Specialty Policlinic attached to the General University Hospital, Bayamo Municipality, Granma Province, Cuba, from January 1st, 2000 to December 31st, 2009. Multivariate analysis done to estimate the hazard rate (HR) of developing hypertensive cardiopathy, showed significant independent statistic association for most factors. The first place was occupied by lack of blood pressure control (HR=2.022; 95% CI: 1.659-2.465; p<0.005), followed by hypertension stage 2 (HR=2.015; 95% CI: 1.715-2.366; p<0.005). Another factors with significant HRs were microalbuminuria (HR=1.9; 95% CI: 1.6-2.2) and age over 60 years (HR=1.6; 95% CI: 1.4-1.9). Several risk factors must be considered for the prevention of hypertensive heart disease in high blood pressure patients.

Human immunodeficiency virus in Cuba: the public health response of a Third World country.

PubMed

Santana, S; Faas, L; Wald, K

1991-01-01

This article describes Cuba's effort to develop a comprehensive program for control of its human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic. The program consists of multiple interventions, including blood donor screening, a ban on imported blood and blood products, widespread semicompulsory screening of defined and general populations, research and clinical trials on treatment and diagnostic methods, and health education in the press, radio, television, workplace, and schools. The most controversial of the program's measures has been the treatment of HIV antibody-positive persons (both asymptomatic and clinically ill) through what Cubans term a "sanatorial regimen," consisting of admission into an institutional setting where both preventive and curative treatment is offered, and where residents have limited contact with their families, neighborhoods, friends, and the rest of society. The Cuban HIV control program merits studying because of the comprehensiveness of the measures in a poor country; the special experience of screening large, mostly healthy populations; its potential contribution to understanding the natural history of the disease due to the early identification and follow-up of HIV antibody-positive individuals; and the cultural, political, and socioeconomic conditions that give rise to a different epidemiologic profile of the disease and to an apparent societal consensus on the controversial issue of institutional semiconfinement.

Steroid markers to assess sewage and other sources of organic contaminants in surface sediments of Cienfuegos Bay, Cuba.

PubMed

Tolosa, I; Mesa, M; Alonso-Hernandez, C M

2014-09-15

Analyses of faecal steroids in coastal sediments from Cienfuegos Bay Cuba indicate chronic sewage contamination at the main outfalls from the city, where concentrations of coprostanol up to 5400ngg(-)(1) (dry wt) were measured. In contrast, steroid concentrations and compositions from sites from the south part of the Bay are characteristic of uncontaminated sewage environments. The levels of coprostanol in the Cienfuegos sediments compares to the lower to mid-range of concentrations reported for coastal sediments on a world-wide basis, with sedimentary levels markedly below those previously reported for heavily impacted sites. This study delivers baseline data for further investigation of the effectiveness of the proposed sewerage plan promoted by the GEF project in Cienfuegos. Investigations on the correlations between faecal steroids and other organic contaminants confirmed that the major source of petroleum hydrocarbons within the bay was associated with the sewage effluents from the Cienfuegos city. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The association of low birth weight with serum C reactive protein in 3‐year‐old children living in Cuba: A population‐based prospective study

PubMed Central

Fundora‐Hernández, Hermes; Batista‐Gutierrez, Lourdes; Suárez‐Medina, Ramón; de la C. Mora‐Faife, Esperanza; García‐García, Gladys; del Valle‐Infante, Ileana; Gómez‐Marrero, Liem; Britton, John; Fogarty, Andrew W.

2016-01-01

Abstract Objective Low birthweight is associated with a decreased risk of childhood leukemia and an increased risk of both cardiovascular disease and all‐cause mortality in adult life. Possible biological mediators include systemic innate immunity and inflammation. We tested the hypothesis that birthweight was inversely associated with serum high sensitivity C reactive protein assay (hsCRP), a measure of both innate immunity and systemic inflammation. Methods Data on birthweight and current anthropometric measures along with a range of exposures were collected at 1 and 3 years of age in a population‐based cohort study of young children living in Havana, Cuba. A total of 986 children aged 3‐years‐old provided blood samples that were analyzed for serum hsCRP levels. Results Nearly 49% of children had detectable hsCRP levels in their serum. Lower birthweight was linearly associated with the natural log of hsCRP levels (beta coefficient −0.70 mg L−1 per kg increase in birthweight, 95% CI: −1.34 to −0.06). This was attenuated but still present after adjustment for the child's sex and municipality (−0.65 mg L−1 per kg birthweight; 95% CI: −1.38 to +0.08). There were no associations between growth from birth or anthropometric measures at 3 years and systemic inflammation. Conclusions Birthweight was inversely associated with serum hsCRP levels in children aged 3 years living in Cuba. These observations provide a potential mechanism that is present at the age of 3 years to explain the association between low birthweight and both decreased childhood leukemia and increased cardiovascular disease in adults. PMID:27859847

Calpionellid distribution and microfacies across the Jurassic/ Cretaceous boundary in western Cuba (Sierra de los Órganos)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Martínez, Rafael; Barragán, Ricardo; Reháková, Daniela; Cobiella-Reguera, Jorge Luis

2013-06-01

A detailed bed-by-bed sampled stratigraphic section of the Guasasa Formation in the Rancho San Vicente area of the "Sierra de los Órganos", western Cuba, provides well-supported evidence about facies and calpionellid distribution across the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary. These new data allowed the definition of an updated and sound calpionellid biozonation scheme for the section. In this scheme, the drowning event of a carbonate platform displayed by the facies of the San Vicente Member, the lowermost unit of the section, is dated as Late Tithonian, Boneti Subzone. The Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary was recognized within the facies of the overlying El Americano Member on the basis of the acme of Calpionella alpina Lorenz. The boundary is placed nearly six meters above the contact between the San Vicente and the El Americano Members, in a facies linked to a sea-level drop. The recorded calpionellid bioevents should allow correlations of the Cuban biozonation scheme herein proposed, with other previously published schemes from distant areas of the Tethyan Domain.

The gift of health: Socialist medical practice and shifting material and moral economies in post-Soviet Cuba.

PubMed

Andaya, Elise

2009-12-01

Drawing on ethnographic data collected over 13 months of fieldwork in family doctor clinics in Havana from 2004 to 2005, I examine the shifting moral and material economies of Cuban socialist medical practice. In both official ideology and in daily practice, the moral economy of ideal socialist medicine is based on an ethos of reciprocal social exchange-that is, the gift-that informs not only doctors' relationships with the Cuban state and with individual patients but also the state's policies of international medical service to developing nations. The social and economic upheavals after the fall of t Soviet Union, however, have compelled both the state and individual doctors to operate in a new local and global economy. The gift remains the central metaphor of Cuban medical practice. Nonetheless, as ideologies and practices of gifting and reciprocity encounter an emerging market economy, gifts--whether on the level of the state policies of international humanism or in patient-doctor relations--are open to new significations that highlight the shifting material and moral economies of post-Soviet Cuba.

Petrography of the Paleogene Volcanic Rocks of the Sierra Maestra, Southeastern Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bemis, V. L.

2006-12-01

This study is a petrographic analysis of over 200 specimens of the Paleogene volcanic rocks of the Sierra Maestra (Southerneastern Cuba), a key structure in the framework of the northern Caribbean plate boundary evolution. The purpose of this study is to understand the eruptive processes and the depositional environments. The volcanic sequence in the lower part of the Sierra Maestra begins with highly porphyritic pillow lavas, topped by massive tuffs and autoclastic flows. The presence of broken phenocrystals, palagonitic glass and hyaloclastites in this section of the sequence suggests that the prevalent mode of eruption was explosive. The absence of welding in the tuffs suggests that the rocks were emplaced in a deep submarine environment. Coherent flows, much less common than the massive tuffs, show evidence of autoclastic fracturing, also indicating low temperature-submarine environments. These observations support the hypothesis that the Sierra Maestra sequence may be neither part of the Great Antilles Arc of the Mesozoic nor any other fully developed volcanic arc, rather a 250 km long, submarine eruptive system of dikes, flows and sills, most likely a back-arc structure. The volcanic rocks of the upper sequence are all very fine grained, reworked volcaniclastic materials, often with the structures of distal turbidities, in mode and texture similar to those drilled on the Cayman Rise. This study suggests that the Sierra Maestra most likely records volcanism of diverse sources: a local older submarine source, and one or more distal younger sources, identifiable with the pan-Caribbean volcanic events of the Tertiary.

Exploring Biogeochemistry and Microbial Diversity of Extant Microbialites in Mexico and Cuba

PubMed Central

Valdespino-Castillo, Patricia M.; Hu, Ping; Merino-Ibarra, Martín; López-Gómez, Luz M.; Cerqueda-García, Daniel; González-De Zayas, Roberto; Pi-Puig, Teresa; Lestayo, Julio A.; Holman, Hoi-Ying; Falcón, Luisa I.

2018-01-01

Microbialites are modern analogs of ancient microbial consortia that date as far back as the Archaean Eon. Microbialites have contributed to the geochemical history of our planet through their diverse metabolic capacities that mediate mineral precipitation. These mineral-forming microbial assemblages accumulate major ions, trace elements and biomass from their ambient aquatic environments; their role in the resulting chemical structure of these lithifications needs clarification. We studied the biogeochemistry and microbial structure of microbialites collected from diverse locations in Mexico and in a previously undescribed microbialite in Cuba. We examined their structure, chemistry and mineralogy at different scales using an array of nested methods including 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing, elemental analysis, X-Ray fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Synchrotron Radiation-based Fourier Transformed Infrared (SR-FTIR) spectromicroscopy. The resulting data revealed high biological and chemical diversity among microbialites and specific microbe to chemical correlations. Regardless of the sampling site, Proteobacteria had the most significant correlations with biogeochemical parameters such as organic carbon (Corg), nitrogen and Corg:Ca ratio. Biogeochemically relevant bacterial groups (dominant phototrophs and heterotrophs) showed significant correlations with major ion composition, mineral type and transition element content, such as cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper and nickel. Microbial-chemical relationships were discussed in reference to microbialite formation, microbial metabolic capacities and the role of transition elements as enzyme cofactors. This paper provides an analytical baseline to drive our understanding of the links between microbial diversity with the chemistry of their lithified precipitations. PMID

Exploring Biogeochemistry and Microbial Diversity of Extant Microbialites in Mexico and Cuba.

PubMed

Valdespino-Castillo, Patricia M; Hu, Ping; Merino-Ibarra, Martín; López-Gómez, Luz M; Cerqueda-García, Daniel; González-De Zayas, Roberto; Pi-Puig, Teresa; Lestayo, Julio A; Holman, Hoi-Ying; Falcón, Luisa I

2018-01-01

Microbialites are modern analogs of ancient microbial consortia that date as far back as the Archaean Eon. Microbialites have contributed to the geochemical history of our planet through their diverse metabolic capacities that mediate mineral precipitation. These mineral-forming microbial assemblages accumulate major ions, trace elements and biomass from their ambient aquatic environments; their role in the resulting chemical structure of these lithifications needs clarification. We studied the biogeochemistry and microbial structure of microbialites collected from diverse locations in Mexico and in a previously undescribed microbialite in Cuba. We examined their structure, chemistry and mineralogy at different scales using an array of nested methods including 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing, elemental analysis, X-Ray fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Synchrotron Radiation-based Fourier Transformed Infrared (SR-FTIR) spectromicroscopy. The resulting data revealed high biological and chemical diversity among microbialites and specific microbe to chemical correlations. Regardless of the sampling site, Proteobacteria had the most significant correlations with biogeochemical parameters such as organic carbon (C org ), nitrogen and C org :Ca ratio. Biogeochemically relevant bacterial groups (dominant phototrophs and heterotrophs) showed significant correlations with major ion composition, mineral type and transition element content, such as cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper and nickel. Microbial-chemical relationships were discussed in reference to microbialite formation, microbial metabolic capacities and the role of transition elements as enzyme cofactors. This paper provides an analytical baseline to drive our understanding of the links between microbial diversity with the chemistry of their lithified precipitations.

Total energy expenditure, resting metabolic rate and physical activity level in free-living rural elderly men and women from Cuba, Chile and México.

PubMed

Alemán-Mateo, H; Salazar, G; Hernández-Triana, M; Valencia, M E

2006-11-01

The objective of this study was to assess total energy expenditure (TEE), resting metabolic rate (RMR) and physical activity level (PAL), and to estimate energy requirements (ERs) in free-living elderly subjects from Cuba, Chile and Mexico. Cross-sectional study designed to estimate ERs. Rural regions of Cuba, Chile and Mexico. Forty subjects >60 years old were selected to participate in this study. A dose of doubly labeled water (DLW) was administered and urine samples were collected in the following 12-14 days. From the isotopic analysis, TEE was derived. RMR was measured by indirect calorimetry. TEE in Chilean (8.8+/-1.6 MJ/day) and Cuban (8.3+/-1.3 MJ/day) elderly was not different, and was higher for the Mexican group (9.5+/-1.5 MJ/day) (P < 0.0001). RMR was not different between countries. PAL and activity energy expenditure (AEE) were only different between Chile and Mexico (P < 0.002). For the three regions, overall PALs were 1.70+/-0.16 for male and 1.62+/-0.13 for female subjects (P < 0.02), and AEE was 3.05+/-0.66 and 2.27+/-0.66 MJ/day for male and female subjects, respectively (P < 0.001). Predictive equations (MJ/day) were RMR = 1.6447 + 0.05714 x weight (kg) + 0.449 sex (male = 1; female = 0) (R2 = 0.75; SEE = 0.479) and TEE = 3.414 + 0.0795 x weight (kg) + 1.227 x sex (male = 1; female = 0) (R2 = 0.75; SEE = 0.668). There were differences in TEE and PAL owing to sex and region. The average PAL in men was higher than the PAL reported either with factorial approach or with the DLW method in elderly. Predictive ER equations based on RMR and TEE gave very similar results to calculations from the 2004 FAO/WHO/UNU report.

Compensatory lengthening in the Spanish of Havana, Cuba: Acoustic analyses of word-internal, post-nuclear /l/ and /r/

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlson, Kristin M.

Given the geographic, demographic, and historical importance of Cuba vis-a-vis the dissemination of language and culture throughout the Hispanic Caribbean, one would naturally anticipate a larger corpus of scientifically-noteworthy linguistic publications on Cuban Spanish, which is far from the actual case. Moreover, the gemination of an onset positionally subsequent to the deletion of a syllable-final liquid (generally termed liquid gemination in the literature) has been repeatedly claimed yet remarkably unsubstantiated as a pervasive characteristic of Cuban Spanish, particularly of the western dialect region (cf. Alfaraz (2000, 2007, 2008), Casanellas and Alamo (1985), Choy Lopez (1985, 1988, 1989), Costa Sanchez (1987), Darias Concepcion (2001, 2005), Dohotaru (2002, 2007), Figueroa Esteva and Dohotaru (1994), Garcia Perez (2006), Garcia Riveron (1991), Haden and Matluck (1973, 1974, 1977), Isbǎsescu (1965, 1968), Lamb (1968), Levina (1970), Montero Bernal (1990, 2002, 2007a, b), Ringer Uber (1986), Ruiz Hernandez (1978), Sosa (1974), Terrell (1976), Trista and Valdes (1978), Valdes Acosta (1980), and Vera Riveron (2000)). As a result, in the interest of supplementing all antecedent work concerning the allophony of final liquids as well as affording a more descriptively-precise account of the allophony of word-internal, post-nuclear /l/ and /[Special character omitted]/ in Cuban Spanish in addition to expressly addressing the need for empirical data-collection and analysis processes, the present investigation was specifically designed and implemented to acoustically investigate the phenomenon of gemination as it is purported to occur in the Spanish of the region of Havana, Cuba: more specifically, (1) to acoustically examine the qualitative and quantitative patternings of post-nuclear /l/ and /[Special character omitted]/ within the word; and (2) to statistically evaluate the relationship between gemination and eight independent variables: gender, age group

I. 'Street of twins': multiple births in Cuba II. The Cuban twin registry: an update / twin research reports: cord entanglement; heritability of clubfoot; school separation / twins and twin researchers in the news: reunited at seventy-eight; basketball duo dissolved; delivered holding hands; the better brew; award winners.

PubMed

Segal, Nancy L; Marcheco-Teruel, Beatriz

2014-08-01

I was part of a people-to-people tour of Havana, Cuba during the first week in April 2014. Among the many highlights of that adventure were an informal meeting with Dr Beatriz Marcheco-Teruel, from Cuba's National Center for Medical Genetics, and a visit to the famous 'Street of Twins'. A fortuitous meeting with parents of twins in the fishing town of Jaimanitas was also an extraordinary event. The Cuban experience is followed by summaries of recent twin research, covering umbilical cord entanglement, the heritability of clubfoot and school separation policies for twins. Media reports include twins reunited at age 78, the future of UCLA's twin basketball players, MZ twins born holding hands, a twin conflict over beer and a pair of American Psychological Association honors for Drs Nancy L. Segal and Thomas J. Bouchard, Jr.

[Behavior of predictive variables of exacerbations of the COPD in the neumological hospital of Cuba.

PubMed

León Valdivies, Yusbiel José; Sánchez de la Osa, Reinaldo B; Garcia Silvera, Eberto; Machado Molina, Delfina; Oses Herrera, Liliana

2017-01-01

The use of predictive variables of exacerbations of the COPD is not a practice generalized in our environment, for what we cannot characterize the exacerbating patient neither to design strategies for its integral handling. There was carried out a prospective descriptive study to correlate in patient with diagnosis of COPD from the Neumologic Hospital of Cuba, with the objective of determining the association between clinical, functional variables and imagenological and the exacerbations frequency a year. The population was constituted for patients with clinical diagnosis of COPD and the sample for those patients with confirmed diagnosis that they completed the inclusion approaches. The correlation among the variables was carried out by means of the Coefficient of Correlation of Pearson with an interval of Trust of 95% and the test t student with a significance level (p) smaller than 0.05. 81.82% of the very serious patients are exacerbating with emphysema. 75% of the patients with index of the lung artery / aorta have more than two exacerbations a year. 84.61% of the patient exacerbating presented degree four of the dyspnea. The half pressure of the lung artery next to the VEF1 constituted the best exacerbations predictors in the group of studied patients.

Revolutionizing gender: Mariela Castro MS, director, National Sex Education Center, Cuba. Interview by Gail Reed.

PubMed

Castro, Mariela

2012-04-01

Medicine, social conditions, culture and politics are inextricably bound as determinants of health and wellbeing. In Cuba, perhaps this is nowhere more evident than in the arduous struggle to consider non-discriminatory analysis of gender-sensitive components as fundamental to population health, medical practice and research; national policy; and above all, public consciousness. Among the standard-bearers of this cause is Mariela Castro, psychologist and educator with a master's degree in sexuality, who directs the National Sex Education Center (CENESEX), its journal Sexologia y Sociedad, and the National Commission for Comprehensive Attention to Transsexual People. The Center's work is at the vortex of national polemics on sexuality, approaches to sex education and health, and respect for the human rights of people of differing sexual orientations and gender identities. The daughter of President Raúl Castro and the late Vilma Espín--who, as founder and leader of the Federation of Cuban Women, pioneered the defense of both women and homosexuals--Mariela Castro nevertheless speaks with her own voice in national as well as international debates. MEDICC Review talked with her about the range of issues that link gender to WHO's broad definition of health as the highest level of physical and mental wellbeing.

Heavy metal levels in dune sands from Matanzas urban resorts and Varadero beach (Cuba): Assessment of contamination and ecological risks.

PubMed

Díaz Rizo, Oscar; Buzón González, Fran; Arado López, Juana O; Denis Alpízar, Otoniel

2015-12-30

Concentrations of chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) in dune sands from six urban and suburban Matanzas (Cuba) resorts and Varadero beach were estimated by X-ray fluorescence analysis. Ranges of metal contents in dune sands show a strong variation across the studied locations (in mg/kg(-1)): 20-2964 for Cr, 17-183 for Ni, 17-51 for Cu, 18-88 for Zn and 5-29 for Pb. The values of contamination factors and contamination degrees how that two of the studied Matanzas's resorts (Judio and Chirry) are strongly polluted. The comparison with Sediment Quality Guidelines shows that dune sands from Judio resort represent a serious risk for humans, due to polluted Cr and Ni levels, while sands from the rest of the studied resorts, including Varadero beach, do not represent any risk for public use. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Caries prevalence after cessation of water fluoridation in La Salud, Cuba.

PubMed

Künzel, W; Fischer, T

2000-01-01

In the past, caries has usually increased after cessation of water fluoridation. More recently an opposite trend could be observed: DMFT remaining stable or even decreasing further. The aim of the present study conducted in La Salud (Province of Habana) in March 1997 was to analyse the current caries trend under the special climatic and nutritional conditions of the subtropical sugar island Cuba, following the cessation, in 1990, of water fluoridation (0.8 ppm F). Diagnostic evaluations were carried out using the same methods as in 1973 and 1982. Boys and girls aged 6-13 years (N = 414), lifelong residents in La Salud, were examined. Between 1973 and 1982 the mean DMFT had decreased by 71.4%, the mean DMFS by 73. 3% and the percentage of caries-free children had increased from 26. 3 to 61.6%. In 1997, following the cessation of drinking water fluoridation, in contrast to an expected rise in caries prevalence, DMFT and DMFS values remained at a low level for the 6- to 9-year-olds and appeared to decrease for the 10/11-year-olds (from 1. 1 to 0.8) and DMFS (from 1.5 to 1.2). In the 12/13-year-olds, there was a significant decrease (DMFT from 2.1 to 1.1; DMFS from 3.1 to 1. 5), while the percentage of caries-free children of this age group had increased from 4.8 (1973) and 33.3 (1982) up to 55.2%. A possible explanation for this unexpected finding and for the good oral health status of the children in La Salud is the effect of the school mouthrinsing programme, which has involved fortnightly mouthrinses with 0.2% NaF solutions (i.e. 15 times/year) since 1990.

International cooperation Brazil-Cuba-Haiti: the role of community radios in strengthening social mobilization in the public health context in Haiti.

PubMed

Gomes, Renata Machado Dos Santos; Oliveira, Valdir de Castro

2015-01-01

The present article investigates the role of Haitian community radios in strengthening social mobilization, with the aim of supporting the actions undertaken in the field of public health in Haiti, based on the development of the Workshop for community radios, as part of the Tripartite Cooperation Brazil-Cuba-Haiti. The qualitative methodology is justified because of the study content, an analysis of documents and direct observation, through a case study presented at the Workshop held in the department of Hinches, in Haiti. This meeting was held in the context of the Working Group on Tripartite Communication, under the responsibility of the Health Channel/Fiocruz, in partnership with the Department for Health Promotion and Environmental Prevention of the Ministry of Health and Population of Haiti (DPSPE/MSPP/Haiti), with a proposal to better structure a network of multipliers in health promotion.

New genetic variants of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 detected in Cuba during 2011-2013.

PubMed

Arencibia, Amely; Acosta, Belsy; Muné, Mayra; Valdés, Odalys; Fernandez, Leandro; Medina, Isel; Savón, Clara; Oropesa, Suset; Gonzalez, Grehete; Roque, Rosmery; Gonzalez, Guelsys; Hernández, Bárbara; Goyenechea, Angel; Piñón, Alexander

2015-06-01

Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus has evolved continually since its emergence in 2009. For influenza virus strains, genetic changes occurring in HA1 domain of the hemagglutinin cause the emergence of new variants. The aim of our study is to establish genetic associations between 35 A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses circulating in Cuba in 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 seasons, and A/California/07/2009 strain recommended by WHO as the H1N1 component of the influenza vaccine. The phylogenetic analysis revealed the circulation of clades 3, 6A, 6B, 6C and 7. Mutations were detected in the antigenic site or in the receptor-binding domains of HA1 segment, including S174P, S179N, K180Q, S202T, S220T and R222K. Substitutions S174P, S179N, K180Q and R222K were detected in Cuban strains for the first time. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[A community education strategy to promote participation in dengue prevention in Cuba].

PubMed

Sánchez, Lizet; Pérez, Dennis; Alfonso, Lázara; Castro, Marta; Sánchez, Luis Manuel; Van der Stuyft, Patrick; Kourí, Gustavo

2008-07-01

To document the process and analyze the results of implementing a strategy aimed at increasing community participation in the fight against the dengue mosquito vector. From May 2002 to May 2004, an intervention was implemented to advance social action against dengue in three districts of the municipality of Playa, La Habana, Cuba. A learning group and community working groups (CWG) were organized in each location. A community education model was followed that combines putting the plan of action into practice, with sessions to reflect and learn from the results, and then reworking of the actions for subsequent stages. Diagnostic tools were developed for communities, preventative actions, communication, surveillance, and evaluation. Changes in participation were identified by applying the content analysis technique to the documents and through interviews with key informants. The community work advanced at a pace relative to the abilities and interests of each community with different areas of focus: healthy community, environmental risk, and entomological risk. Positive changes in the concept of participation were obtained, according to the five areas evaluated: leadership, needs assessment, organization, management, and mobilization of resources. At the end of two years of intervention, the rate of Aedes aegypti larvae and pupae deposits found per 100 households had declined 79% and cases of dengue were not detected in any of the districts. This strategy reduced mosquito vector infestation levels by increasing community participation in decision-making and strengthening the competencies of the medical teams and CWGs so that they lead participative processes in the community and raised confidence in their ability to achieve change with the appropriate resources and intersectoral support.

Chemical analysis and antioxidant activity of the essential oils of three Piperaceae species growing in the central region of Cuba.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Elisa Jorge; Saucedo-Hernández, Yanelis; Vander Heyden, Yvan; Simó-Alfonso, Ernesto F; Ramis-Ramos, Guillermo; Lerma-García, María Jesús; Monteagudo, Urbano; Bravo, Luis; Medinilla, Mildred; de Armas, Yuriam; Herrero-Martínez, José Manuel

2013-09-01

The present study describes the phytochemical profile and antioxidant activity of the essential oils of three Piperaceae species collected in the central region of Cuba. The essential oils of Piper aduncum, P. auritum and P. umbellatum leaves, obtained by hydrodistillation, were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The main components of P. aduncum oil were piperitone (34%), camphor (17.1%), camphene (10.9%), 1,8-cineol (8.7%) and viridiflorol (7.4%), whereas that of P. auritum and P. umbellatum was safrole (71.8 and 26.4%, respectively). The antioxidant properties of the essential oils were also evaluated using several assays for radical scavenging ability (DPPH test and reducing power) and inhibition of lipid oxidation (ferric thiocyanate method and evaluation against Cucurbita seed oil by peroxide, thiobarbituric acid and p-anisidine methods). P. auritum showed the strongest antioxidant activity among the Piper species investigated, but lower than those of butylated hydroxyanisol and propyl gallate.

Fate in humans of dietary intake of cyanogenic glycosides from roots of sweet cassava consumed in Cuba.

PubMed

Hernández, T; Lundquist, P; Oliveira, L; Pérez Cristiá, R; Rodriguez, E; Rosling, H

1995-01-01

We studied if consumption of boiled fresh roots from sweet cassava varieties grown in Cuba resulted in exposure to cyanogenic glycosides and their final breakdown product, cyanide. When adult, nonsmoking subjects consumed 1-4 kg cassava over 2 days, their urinary levels of the main cyanide metabolite, thiocyanate, only increased from a mean +/- SEM of 12 +/- 2 to 22 +/- 2 mumol/l, indicating a negligible cyanide exposure. Their mean urinary linamarin, the main cyanogenic glucoside in cassava, increased from 2 +/- 1 to 68 +/- 16 mumol/l. In a second experiment 5 subjects consumed one meal of 0.5 kg boiled cassava that contained 105 mumol linamarin and 8 mumol hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Quantitative urine collections prior to and after intake showed that 28% of linamarin was excreted during the following 24 hours, whereas a modest increase of urinary thiocyanate (SCN) only corresponded to the small amount of free HCN ingested. These results indicate that the dominant cyanogen in boiled cassava is glycosides that pass through the human body without causing cyanide exposure. It remains to be studied whether humans occasionally possess intestinal or tissue beta-glucosidases that can hydrolyse cyanogenic glycosides from cassava.

Health care providers' assessments of the quality of advanced-cancer care in Latin American medical institutions: a comparison of predictors in five countries: Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, and Peru.

PubMed

Torres-Vigil, Isabel; Aday, Lu Ann; Reyes-Gibby, Cielito; De Lima, Liliana; Herrera, Angelica P; Mendoza, Tito; Cleeland, Charles S

2008-01-01

This paper describes an innovative Pan-American survey on advanced-cancer care and examines the quality-of-care provided by Latin American institutions. A convenience sample of 777 physicians and nurses who treat cancer patients in Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, and Peru were surveyed. Providers were identified through mass mailings, distribution at professional meetings and conferences, collaboration with regional institutions, professional organizations, and PAHO and online posting. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors of quality-of-care assessments in each country. The five predictive models were subsequently compared descriptively. Higher access to care ratings and greater availability of end-of-life services corresponded with improved institutional quality-of-care ratings for all five countries. Barring respondents from Cuba, providers from the other four nations who practice in public institutions rated the quality of advanced-cancer care in their own institutions lower than those practicing in private hospitals or specialized cancer centers. Other institutional quality-of-care predictors included type of city, affordability-of-care ratings, availability of opioid analgesics, where patients die, barriers to cancer pain management, and the provider's specialty and gender. These findings highlight the need for providing accessible care and services to improve the quality of advanced-cancer care in Latin American institutions. Efforts should be aimed at improving the care offered in public institutions and addressing other types of disparities that may exist within countries by creating supportive and palliative cancer care programs that are accessible and affordable to those most in need.

Not of African Descent: Dental Modification among Indigenous Caribbean People from Canímar Abajo, Cuba

PubMed Central

Roksandic, Mirjana; Alarie, Kaitlynn; Rodríguez Suárez, Roberto; Huebner, Erwin; Roksandic, Ivan

2016-01-01

Dental modifications in the Caribbean are considered to be an African practice introduced to the Caribbean archipelago by the influx of enslaved Africans during colonial times. Skeletal remains which exhibited dental modifications are by default considered to be Africans, African descendants, or post-contact indigenous people influenced by an African practice. Individual E-105 from the site of Canímar Abajo (Cuba), with a direct 14C AMS date of 990–800 cal BC, provides the first unequivocal evidence of dental modifications in the Antilles prior to contact with Europeans in AD 1492. Central incisors showing evidence of significant crown reduction (loss of crown volume regardless of its etiology) were examined macroscopically and with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to determine if the observed alterations were due to deliberate modification or other (unintentional) factors considered: postmortem breakage, violent accidental breakage, non-dietary use of teeth, and wear caused by habitual or repeated actions. The pattern of crown reduction is consistent with deliberate dental modification of the type commonly encountered among African and African descendent communities in post-contact Caribbean archaeological assemblages. Six additional individuals show similar pattern of crown reduction of maxillary incisors with no analogous wear in corresponding mandibular dentition. PMID:27071012

Not of African Descent: Dental Modification among Indigenous Caribbean People from Canímar Abajo, Cuba.

PubMed

Roksandic, Mirjana; Alarie, Kaitlynn; Rodríguez Suárez, Roberto; Huebner, Erwin; Roksandic, Ivan

2016-01-01

Dental modifications in the Caribbean are considered to be an African practice introduced to the Caribbean archipelago by the influx of enslaved Africans during colonial times. Skeletal remains which exhibited dental modifications are by default considered to be Africans, African descendants, or post-contact indigenous people influenced by an African practice. Individual E-105 from the site of Canímar Abajo (Cuba), with a direct 14C AMS date of 990-800 cal BC, provides the first unequivocal evidence of dental modifications in the Antilles prior to contact with Europeans in AD 1492. Central incisors showing evidence of significant crown reduction (loss of crown volume regardless of its etiology) were examined macroscopically and with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to determine if the observed alterations were due to deliberate modification or other (unintentional) factors considered: postmortem breakage, violent accidental breakage, non-dietary use of teeth, and wear caused by habitual or repeated actions. The pattern of crown reduction is consistent with deliberate dental modification of the type commonly encountered among African and African descendent communities in post-contact Caribbean archaeological assemblages. Six additional individuals show similar pattern of crown reduction of maxillary incisors with no analogous wear in corresponding mandibular dentition.

Presence of stratigraphic traps in the back arc basins of the southern shelf of Cuba

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

Rodriguez, R.; Dominguez, R.; Touset, S.

For the last ten years the southern shelf of Cuba has been the object of seismic investigations, mainly in the Ana Maria and Guacanayabo areas. More than 4000 km of seismic lines with 3000 % had been shot. These seismic surveys had confirmed the following geological events: (1) Presence of back arc extensional basins as a result of the ocean-ocean subduction. These basins started to form since Middle Cretaceous; (2) Presence of sedimentary sequences which change in thickness between 3.0-7.0 km; (3) Predominance of the extensional regime since Middle Cretaceous with subsidence, accommodation and extending of the sediments; (4) Developmentmore » of stratigraphic traps, mainly associated with reef facies and slope fans of Late Cretaceous-Early Tertiary. These traps can reach some hundred square kilometers. They have very clear dynamic expression in the seismic section and usually form anomaly zones. Over these seismic anomalies some reverberation can be observed which could be related to hydrocarbon flows. The depth of the traps changes between 1.5-3.5 km. More than thirty of them have been localized; (5) Probably a wrench tectonic interested these basins since Middle Eocene; (6) in some wells has been found oil and gas seeps as well as seal sequences; (7) According to their origin and evolution they can be similar to the great oil basins of the Venezuela and Colombia.« less

In Vitro Assessment of Plants Growing in Cuba Belonging to Solanaceae Family Against Leishmania amazonensis.

PubMed

Monzote, Lianet; Jiménez, Jenny; Cuesta-Rubio, Osmany; Márquez, Ingrid; Gutiérrez, Yamile; da Rocha, Cláudia Quintino; Marchi, Mary; Setzer, William N; Vilegas, Wagner

2016-11-01

In this study, an in vitro antileishmanial assessment of plant extracts from 12 genera and 46 species growing in Cuba belonging to Solanaceae family was performed. A total of 226 extracts were screened against promastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis, and cytotoxicity of active extracts [median inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) promastigotes <100 µg/mL] was determined on peritoneal macrophage from BALB/c mice. Extracts that showed selective index >5 were then assayed against intracellular amastigote. Metabolomics analysis of promissory extracts was performed using chemical profile obtained by ultra performance liquid chromatography. Only 11 extracts (4.9%) from nine plants were selected as potentially actives: Brunfelsia cestroides A. Rich, Capsicum annuum L., Capsicum chinense Jacq., Cestrum nocturnum L., Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viv., Solanum havanense Jacq., Solanum myriacanthum Dunal, Solanum nudum Dunal and Solanum seaforthianum And., with IC 50  < 50 µg/mL and selectivity index >5. Metabolomics analysis demonstrated significant differences in the chemical profiles with an average of 42.8 (range 31-88) compounds from m/z 104 to 1477, which demonstrated the complex mixture of compounds. In addition, no common markers among active extracts were identified. The results demonstrate the importance of the Solanaceae family to search new antileishmanial agents, particularly in unexplored species of this family. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Cuba: findings from a group model building process in the rural Southwest.

PubMed

Keane, Patricia; Ortega, Alejandro; Linville, Jeanette

2015-01-01

Healthy Kids, Healthy Cuba (HKHCuba) is 1 of 49 community partnerships that participated in the national Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. One method of evaluation was to introduce systems thinking at the community level by identifying the essential parts of the HKHCuba system and how it influences policy and environmental changes to promote healthy eating and active living as well as to prevent childhood obesity in this unique, triethnic, rural community in New Mexico. In this cross-sectional design, 12 HKHCuba partners participated in a group model building (GMB) session to develop behavior over time graphs and a causal loop diagram. Twenty-seven influences identified in the behavior over time graphs emerged as feedback loops and 5 subsystems emerged within the causal loop diagram. In addition to specific strategy-related influences (eg, access to healthy food, participation in community gardens), sense of cultural pride, sense of community, and social engagement, particularly among youth, were highly salient topics. The GMB process provided participants with the opportunity to explore the connections across their specific areas of work and make connections between policy and environmental influences on healthy eating and active living behaviors. The GMB processes and systems thinking approaches were new to the majority of participants, received positively, and perhaps should have been introduced earlier in the project period.

The Hydraenidae of Cuba (Insecta: Coleoptera) II: Morphology of preimaginal stages of six species and notes on their biology.

PubMed

Deler-Hernández, Albert; Delgado, Juan A

2017-03-06

Preimaginal stages of the six species of Hydraenidae presently known from Cuba were obtained by rearing adults in the laboratory. Eggs of Hydraena perkinsi Spangler, 1980, H. decui Spangler, 1980 and H. franklyni Deler-Hernández & Delgado, 2012 are described and illustrated for the first time. The first instar larva of Gymnochthebius fossatus (LeConte, 1855) is redescribed, adding some new remarkable morphological characters including what could be the first abdominal egg-burster reported for this family. All larval instars of H. perkinsi, H. guadelupensis Orchymont, 1923 and Ochthebius attritus LeConte, 1878 are described and illustrated for the first time, with a special emphasis on their chaetotaxy. The second instar larva of G. fossatus along with first and third instar larvae of H. decui and H. franklyni are also studied for the first time. The pupal morphology and vestiture of a species belonging to the genus Hydraena are described for the first time, based on the pupa of H. perkinsi. Biological notes for several preimaginal stages of the studied species are also given.

A cost-effectiveness analysis of a program to control rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in Pinar del Rio, Cuba.

PubMed

Watkins, David A; Mvundura, Mercy; Nordet, Porfirio; Mayosi, Bongani M

2015-01-01

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) persist in many low- and middle-income countries. To date, the cost-effectiveness of population-based, combined primary and secondary prevention strategies has not been assessed. In the Pinar del Rio province of Cuba, a comprehensive ARF/RHD control program was undertaken over 1986-1996. The present study analyzes the cost-effectiveness of this Cuban program. We developed a decision tree model based on the natural history of ARF/RHD, comparing the costs and effectiveness of the 10-year Cuban program to a "do nothing" approach. Our population of interest was the cohort of children aged 5-24 years resident in Pinar del Rio in 1986. We assessed costs and health outcomes over a lifetime horizon, and we took the healthcare system perspective on costs but did not apply a discount rate. We used epidemiologic, clinical, and direct medical cost inputs that were previously collected for publications on the Cuban program. We estimated health gains as disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted using standard approaches developed for the Global Burden of Disease studies. Cost-effectiveness acceptability thresholds were defined by one and three times per capita gross domestic product per DALY averted. We also conducted an uncertainty analysis using Monte Carlo simulations and several scenario analyses exploring the impact of alternative assumptions about the program's effects and costs. We found that, compared to doing nothing, the Cuban program averted 5051 DALYs (1844 per 100,000 school-aged children) and saved $7,848,590 (2010 USD) despite a total program cost of $202,890 over 10 years. In the scenario analyses, the program remained cost saving when a lower level of effectiveness and a reduction in averted years of life lost were assumed. In a worst-case scenario including 20-fold higher costs, the program still had a 100% of being cost-effective and an 85% chance of being cost saving. A 10-year program to

Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in ashes from a fuel-oil power plant in Cienfuegos, Cuba, and the associated radiation hazards.

PubMed

Alonso-Hernández, C M; Bernal-Castillo, J; Morera-Gómez, Y; Guillen-Arruebarrena, A; Cartas-Aguila, H A; Acosta-Milián, R

2014-03-01

The radioactivity of NORM was measured in ashes collected from a fuel-oil power plant in Cienfuegos, Cuba, using an HPGe gamma-ray spectrometer. The (226)Ra, (210)Pb, (40)K, (232)Th and (238)U activity concentrations reached 240, 77, 59, 70 and 15 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The potential radiological hazard of these residuals was assessed. The radium equivalent activities of the samples varied from 54 to 345 Bq kg(-1). The gamma index was calculated to be lower than that of the reference values, and the gamma absorbed dose rate was higher than the average reported for the earth's crust; however, the assessed annual effective dose was slightly lower than the annual effective dose limit for public, i.e. 1 mSv. Therefore, these bottom ashes were not dramatically enriched with radionuclides and may be used as an additive for building materials without restrictions from a radiological protection point of view.

Charting the Course to Universal Health in the Americas: Cristian Morales PhD, PAHO/WHO Representative in Cuba.

PubMed

Reed, Gail

2016-07-01

After leaving Chile during the Pinochet era, Dr Morales studied economics, health administration and international health at the University of Montreal. But his baptism in the field came in Haiti, where he was first PAHO advisor to the health ministry, and then for five years was responsible for human resources and health economics in the PAHO offices in the capital of Port-au-Prince. He was at his post during the flooding in Gonaïves, five hurricanes, the 2010 earthquake and the ensuing cholera epidemic-doubtless the most dramatic and complex times for the country's health in recent history. Before becoming the PAHO/WHO Representative in Cuba in 2015, he was Regional Advisor in Financing and Health Economics based in Washington, DC. In that role, he plunged into the often thorny debates about just how far governments of the Americas were willing to go towards achieving universal health-universal coverage plus universal access. The result was a historic resolution passed in late 2014 by PAHO's Directing Council (CD53.R14 Strategy for Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage). Dr Morales talks about the process, the outcomes… and the road ahead.

Uses of medicinal plants by Haitian immigrants and their descendants in the Province of Camagüey, Cuba

PubMed Central

Volpato, Gabriele; Godínez, Daimy; Beyra, Angela; Barreto, Adelaida

2009-01-01

Background Haitian migrants played an important role shaping Cuban culture and traditional ethnobotanical knowledge. An ethnobotanical investigation was conducted to collect information on medicinal plant use by Haitian immigrants and their descendants in the Province of Camagüey, Cuba. Methods Information was obtained from semi-structured interviews with Haitian immigrants and their descendants, direct observations, and by reviewing reports of traditional Haitian medicine in the literature. Results Informants reported using 123 plant species belonging to 112 genera in 63 families. Haitian immigrants and their descendants mainly decoct or infuse aerial parts and ingest them, but medicinal baths are also relevant. Some 22 herbal mixtures are reported, including formulas for a preparation obtained using the fruit of Crescentia cujete. Cultural aspects related to traditional plant posology are addressed, as well as changes and adaptation of Haitian medicinal knowledge with emigration and integration over time. Conclusion The rapid disappearance of Haitian migrants' traditional culture due to integration and urbanization suggests that unrecorded ethnomedicinal information may be lost forever. Given this, as well as the poor availability of ethnobotanical data relating to traditional Haitian medicine, there is an urgent need to record this knowledge. PMID:19450279

Jurassic-Cretaceous history of Cuba: implications for the evolution of the southern margin of the North American plate

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

Barros, J.A.; Rosencrantz, E.

The oldest Cuban sedimentary rocks, clastics of the Bajocian San Cayetano Fm. provide the earliest record of North American-Gondwana rifting as seen in Cuba. A similar clastic sequence is seen below the carbonates of the Bahamas platform. In the Pinar del Rio area, the San Cayetano is succeeded by Oxfordian limestones, the shallow water Jagua Fm. to the south and deeper water Francisco Fm. to the north. Both contain basaltic pillow lavas, related either to rifting or to leaky transform motion parallel to the margin. The Oxfordian units are overlain by Kimmeridgian to Tithonian pelagic limestones, the Guasasa and Artemisamore » Fms. The later interfingers with northerly derived calci-turbidites. North of the Escambray, silici-clastic fragments in late Jurassic pelagic limestones suggests that a basement high existed south of the platform until the Berriasian. The carbonate platform continues to shed debris along its southern edge throughout the Cretaceous. To the south an Aptian-Albian episode of turbidite deposition suggests that South America-Africa rifting caused tectonic disturbances in the Caribbean. Southerly derived volcanoclastics deposited during the Maastrichtian marks the start of the Cuban orogeny.« less

Impact of Universal Health Coverage on Child Growth and Nutrition in Argentina.

PubMed

Nuñez, Pablo A; Fernández-Slezak, Diego; Farall, Andrés; Szretter, María Eugenia; Salomón, Oscar Daniel; Valeggia, Claudia R

2016-04-01

To estimate trends of undernutrition (stunting and underweight) among children younger than 5 years covered by the universal health coverage programs Plan Nacer and Programa Sumar. From 2005 to 2013, Plan Nacer and Programa Sumar collected high-quality information on birth and visit dates, age (in days), gender, weight (in kg), and height (in cm) for 1.4 million children in 6386 health centers (13 million records) with broad coverage of vulnerable populations in Argentina. The prevalence of stunting and underweight decreased 45.0% (from 20.6% to 11.3%) and 38.0% (from 4.0% to 2.5%), respectively, with differences between rural versus urban areas, gender, regions, age, and seasons. Undernutrition prevalence substantially decreased in 2 programs in Argentina as a result of universal health coverage.

Impact of Universal Health Coverage on Child Growth and Nutrition in Argentina

PubMed Central

Fernández-Slezak, Diego; Farall, Andrés; Szretter, María Eugenia; Salomón, Oscar Daniel; Valeggia, Claudia R.

2016-01-01

Objectives. To estimate trends of undernutrition (stunting and underweight) among children younger than 5 years covered by the universal health coverage programs Plan Nacer and Programa Sumar. Methods. From 2005 to 2013, Plan Nacer and Programa Sumar collected high-quality information on birth and visit dates, age (in days), gender, weight (in kg), and height (in cm) for 1.4 million children in 6386 health centers (13 million records) with broad coverage of vulnerable populations in Argentina. Results. The prevalence of stunting and underweight decreased 45.0% (from 20.6% to 11.3%) and 38.0% (from 4.0% to 2.5%), respectively, with differences between rural versus urban areas, gender, regions, age, and seasons. Conclusions. Undernutrition prevalence substantially decreased in 2 programs in Argentina as a result of universal health coverage. PMID:26890172

Evaluation of prediction capability, robustness, and sensitivity in non-linear landslide susceptibility models, Guantánamo, Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melchiorre, C.; Castellanos Abella, E. A.; van Westen, C. J.; Matteucci, M.

2011-04-01

This paper describes a procedure for landslide susceptibility assessment based on artificial neural networks, and focuses on the estimation of the prediction capability, robustness, and sensitivity of susceptibility models. The study is carried out in the Guantanamo Province of Cuba, where 186 landslides were mapped using photo-interpretation. Twelve conditioning factors were mapped including geomorphology, geology, soils, landuse, slope angle, slope direction, internal relief, drainage density, distance from roads and faults, rainfall intensity, and ground peak acceleration. A methodology was used that subdivided the database in 3 subsets. A training set was used for updating the weights. A validation set was used to stop the training procedure when the network started losing generalization capability, and a test set was used to calculate the performance of the network. A 10-fold cross-validation was performed in order to show that the results are repeatable. The prediction capability, the robustness analysis, and the sensitivity analysis were tested on 10 mutually exclusive datasets. The results show that by means of artificial neural networks it is possible to obtain models with high prediction capability and high robustness, and that an exploration of the effect of the individual variables is possible, even if they are considered as a black-box model.

Evaluation of the feeding value of Dichrostachys cinerea pods for fattening pigs in Cuba.

PubMed

Martín-Casas, N; Reinoso-Pérez, M; García-Díaz, J R; Hansen, H H; Nielsen, M O

2017-08-01

Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn. is a tropical leguminous shrub widely regarded as an invasive species in Cuba, after having invaded a significant proportion of its arable land during the past decades. Concurrently, smallholder pig producers are highly constrained by the scarcity of protein feeds. This study aimed to assess the feeding value of D. cinerea pod meal (DCPM) as an alternative protein supplement for pigs in Cuban smallholder production systems. An on-farm feeding trial was carried out with three groups (N = 10) of growing-fattening pigs over 60 days, where DCPM replaced 0, 15, and 30% in DM of a dietary commercial concentrate. Then, in an in vivo digestibility trial with eight growing pigs, apparent digestibilities of DCPM were determined for dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and crude protein (CP). Finally, in vitro digestibilities for OM (fecal and ileal) and CP (ileal) were determined. In the feeding trial, pig body weight gains were not affected by increased dietary substitution levels of concentrate for DCPM. Blood parameters, with a few exceptions, did not show significant differences among groups. Values for in vivo OM and CP digestibilities were 40.81 and 50.26%, and substantially higher than in vitro values. In conclusion, our results showed that at least 30% of DM in commercial concentrate could be substituted by DCPM without affecting pig growth performances under Cuban smallholder conditions. The low digestibility of DCPM is, however, not acceptable for intensive pig production systems. In vitro enzyme digestibility methods developed for commercial pig feeds are not suitable for DCPM without further calibration.

Population-wide weight loss and regain in relation to diabetes burden and cardiovascular mortality in Cuba 1980-2010: repeated cross sectional surveys and ecological comparison of secular trends.

PubMed

Franco, Manuel; Bilal, Usama; Orduñez, Pedro; Benet, Mikhail; Morejón, Alain; Caballero, Benjamín; Kennelly, Joan F; Cooper, Richard S

2013-04-09

To evaluate the associations between population-wide loss and gain in weight with diabetes prevalence, incidence, and mortality, as well as cardiovascular and cancer mortality trends, in Cuba over a 30 year interval. Repeated cross sectional surveys and ecological comparison of secular trends. Cuba and the province of Cienfuegos, from 1980 to 2010. Measurements in Cienfuegos included a representative sample of 1657, 1351, 1667, and 1492 adults in 1991, 1995, 2001, and 2010, respectively. National surveys included a representative sample of 14 304, 22 851, and 8031 participants in 1995, 2001, and 2010, respectively. Changes in smoking, daily energy intake, physical activity, and body weight were tracked from 1980 to 2010 using national and regional surveys. Data for diabetes prevalence and incidence were obtained from national population based registries. Mortality trends were modelled using national vital statistics. Rapid declines in diabetes and heart disease accompanied an average population-wide loss of 5.5 kg in weight, driven by an economic crisis in the mid-1990s. A rebound in population weight followed in 1995 (33.5% prevalence of overweight and obesity) and exceeded pre-crisis levels by 2010 (52.9% prevalence). The population-wide increase in weight was immediately followed by a 116% increase in diabetes prevalence and 140% increase in diabetes incidence. Six years into the weight rebound phase, diabetes mortality increased by 49% (from 9.3 deaths per 10 000 people in 2002 to 13.9 deaths per 10 000 people in 2010). A deceleration in the rate of decline in mortality from coronary heart disease was also observed. In relation to the Cuban experience in 1980-2010, there is an association at the population level between weight reduction and death from diabetes and cardiovascular disease; the opposite effect on the diabetes and cardiovascular burden was seen on population-wide weight gain.

Population size of Cuban Parrots Amazona leucocephala and Sandhill Cranes Grus canadensis and community involvement in their conservation in northern Isla de la Juventud, Cuba

USGS Publications Warehouse

Aguilera, X.G.; Alvarez, V.B.; Wiley, J.W.; Rosales, J.R.

1999-01-01

The Cuban Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis nesiotes and Cuban Parrot Amazona leucocephala palmarum are considered endangered species in Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud (formerly Isla de Pinos). Coincident with a public education campaign, a population survey for these species was conducted in the northern part of the Isla de la Juventud on 17 December 1995, from 06hoo to 10hoo. Residents from throughout the island participated, manning 98 stations, with 1-4 observers per station. Parrots were observed at 60 (61.2%) of the stations with a total of 1320, maximum (without correction for duplicate observations), and 1100, minimum (corrected), individuals counted. Sandhill cranes were sighted at 38 (38.8%) of the stations, with a total of 115 individuals. Cranes and parrots co-occurred at 20 (20.4%) of the stations.

The rise of health biotechnology research in Latin America: A scientometric analysis of health biotechnology production and impact in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

This paper analyzes the patterns of health biotechnology publications in six Latin American countries from 2001 to 2015. The countries studied were Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico. Before our study, there were no data available on HBT development in half of the Latin-American countries we studied, i.e., Argentina, Colombia and Chile. To include these countries in a scientometric analysis of HBT provides fuller coverage of HBT development in Latin America. The scientometric study used the Web of Science database to identify health biotechnology publications. The total amount of health biotechnology production in the world during the period studied was about 400,000 papers. A total of 1.2% of these papers, were authored by the six Latin American countries in this study. The results show a significant growth in health biotechnology publications in Latin America despite some of the countries having social and political instability, fluctuations in their gross domestic expenditure in research and development or a trade embargo that limits opportunities for scientific development. The growth in the field of some of the Latin American countries studied was larger than the growth of most industrialized nations. Still, the visibility of the Latin American research (measured in the number of citations) did not reach the world average, with the exception of Colombia. The main producers of health biotechnology papers in Latin America were universities, except in Cuba were governmental institutions were the most frequent producers. The countries studied were active in international research collaboration with Colombia being the most active (64% of papers co-authored internationally), whereas Brazil was the least active (35% of papers). Still, the domestic collaboration was even more prevalent, with Chile being the most active in such collaboration (85% of papers co-authored domestically) and Argentina the least active (49% of papers). We conclude that the

The rise of health biotechnology research in Latin America: A scientometric analysis of health biotechnology production and impact in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico.

PubMed

León-de la O, Dante Israel; Thorsteinsdóttir, Halla; Calderón-Salinas, José Víctor

2018-01-01

This paper analyzes the patterns of health biotechnology publications in six Latin American countries from 2001 to 2015. The countries studied were Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico. Before our study, there were no data available on HBT development in half of the Latin-American countries we studied, i.e., Argentina, Colombia and Chile. To include these countries in a scientometric analysis of HBT provides fuller coverage of HBT development in Latin America. The scientometric study used the Web of Science database to identify health biotechnology publications. The total amount of health biotechnology production in the world during the period studied was about 400,000 papers. A total of 1.2% of these papers, were authored by the six Latin American countries in this study. The results show a significant growth in health biotechnology publications in Latin America despite some of the countries having social and political instability, fluctuations in their gross domestic expenditure in research and development or a trade embargo that limits opportunities for scientific development. The growth in the field of some of the Latin American countries studied was larger than the growth of most industrialized nations. Still, the visibility of the Latin American research (measured in the number of citations) did not reach the world average, with the exception of Colombia. The main producers of health biotechnology papers in Latin America were universities, except in Cuba were governmental institutions were the most frequent producers. The countries studied were active in international research collaboration with Colombia being the most active (64% of papers co-authored internationally), whereas Brazil was the least active (35% of papers). Still, the domestic collaboration was even more prevalent, with Chile being the most active in such collaboration (85% of papers co-authored domestically) and Argentina the least active (49% of papers). We conclude that the

Costs of dengue prevention and incremental cost of dengue outbreak control in Guantanamo, Cuba.

PubMed

Baly, Alberto; Toledo, Maria E; Rodriguez, Karina; Benitez, Juan R; Rodriguez, Maritza; Boelaert, Marleen; Vanlerberghe, Veerle; Van der Stuyft, Patrick

2012-01-01

To assess the economic cost of routine Aedes aegypti control in an at-risk environment without dengue endemicity and the incremental costs incurred during a sporadic outbreak. The study was conducted in 2006 in the city of Guantanamo, Cuba. We took a societal perspective to calculate costs in months without dengue transmission (January-July) and during an outbreak (August-December). Data sources were bookkeeping records, direct observations and interviews. The total economic cost per inhabitant (p.i.) per month. (p.m.) increased from 2.76 USD in months without dengue transmission to 6.05 USD during an outbreak. In months without transmission, the routine Aedes control programme cost 1.67 USD p.i. p.m. Incremental costs during the outbreak were mainly incurred by the population and the primary/secondary level of the healthcare system, hardly by the vector control programme (1.64, 1.44 and 0.21 UDS increment p.i. p.m., respectively). The total cost for managing a hospitalized suspected dengue case was 296.60 USD (62.0% direct medical, 9.0% direct non-medical and 29.0% indirect costs). In both periods, the main cost drivers for the Aedes control programme, the healthcare system and the community were the value of personnel and volunteer time or productivity losses. Intensive efforts to keep A. aegypti infestation low entail important economic costs for society. When a dengue outbreak does occur eventually, costs increase sharply. In-depth studies should assess which mix of activities and actors could maximize the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of routine Aedes control and dengue prevention. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Ichnofabrics of the Capdevila Formation (early Eocene) in the Los Palacios Basin (western Cuba): Paleoenvironmental and paleoecological implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villegas-Martín, Jorge; Netto, Renata Guimarães; Lavina, Ernesto Luis Correa; Rojas-Consuegra, Reinaldo

2014-12-01

The ichnofabrics present in the early Eocene siliciclastic deposits of the Capdevila Formation exposed in the Pinar del Rio area (Los Palacios Basin, western Cuba) are analyzed in this paper and their paleoecological and paleoenvironmental significance are discussed. Nine ichnofabrics were recognized in the dominantly sandy sedimentary succession: Ophiomorpha, Asterosoma, Thalassinoides, Palaeophycus, Scolicia, Bichordites-Thalassinoides, Rhizocorallium, Scolicia-Thalassinoides and rhizobioturbation. Diversity of ichnofauna is low and burrows made by detritus-feeding organisms in well oxygenated and stenohaline waters predominate. Suites of the Cruziana and Skolithos Ichnofacies lacking their archetypical characteristics were recognized, being impoverished in diversity and presenting dominance of echinoderm and decapods crustacean burrows as a response to the environmental stress caused by the high frequency of deposition. The ichnofabric distribution in the studied succession, its recurrence in the sandstone beds and the presence of a Glossifungites Ichnofacies suite with rhizobioturbation associated reflect a shoaling-upward event with subaerial exposure of the substrate. The integrated analysis of the ichnology and the sedimentary facies suggests deposition in a shallow slope frequently impacted by gravitational flows and high-energy events. The evidence of substrate exposure indicates the occurrence of a forced regression and suggests the existence of a sequence boundary at the top of the Capdevila Formation.

Community acquired bacterial meningitis in Cuba: a follow up of a decade

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Community acquired Bacterial Meningitis (BM) remains a serious threat to global health. Cuban surveillance system for BM allowed to characterize the main epidemiological features of this group of diseases, as well as to assess the association of some variables with mortality. Results of the BM surveillance in Cuba are presented in this paper. Methods A follow up of BM cases reported to the Institute "Pedro Kourí" by the National Bacterial Meningitis Surveillance System from 1998 to 2007 was completed. Incidence and case-fatality rate (CFR) were calculated. Univariate analysis and logistic regression were used to elucidate associated factors to mortality comparing death versus survival. Relative Risk (RR) or odds ratio and its 95% confidence interval (CI 95%) were estimated, using either a Chi-squared Test or Fisher's Exact Test as appropriate. A Holt-Winters model was used to assess seasonality. Results 4 798 cases of BM (4.3 per 100 000 population) were reported, with a decreasing trend of the incidence. Highest incidence was observed in infants and elderly. Overall CFR reached 24.1% affecting mostly older adults. S. pneumoniae (23.6%), N. meningitidis(8.2%) and H. influenzaetype b (6.0%) were the main causative agents. Males predominate in the incidence. Highest incidence and CFR were mainly clustered in the centre of the island. The univariate analysis did not show association between delayed medical consultation (RR = 1.20; CI = 1.07-1.35) or delayed hospitalization (RR = 0.98; CI = 0.87-1.11) and the fatal outcome. Logistic regression model showed association of categories housewife, pensioned, imprisoned, unemployed, S. peumoniae and other bacteria with mortality. Seasonality during September, January and March was observed. Conclusions The results of the National Program for Control and Prevention of the Neurological Infectious Syndrome evidenced a reduction of the BM incidence, but not the CFR. Multivariate analysis identified an association of

Community acquired bacterial meningitis in Cuba: a follow up of a decade.

PubMed

Pérez, Antonio E; Dickinson, Félix O; Rodríguez, Misladys

2010-05-25

Community acquired Bacterial Meningitis (BM) remains a serious threat to global health. Cuban surveillance system for BM allowed to characterize the main epidemiological features of this group of diseases, as well as to assess the association of some variables with mortality. Results of the BM surveillance in Cuba are presented in this paper. A follow up of BM cases reported to the Institute "Pedro Kourí" by the National Bacterial Meningitis Surveillance System from 1998 to 2007 was completed. Incidence and case-fatality rate (CFR) were calculated. Univariate analysis and logistic regression were used to elucidate associated factors to mortality comparing death versus survival. Relative Risk (RR) or odds ratio and its 95% confidence interval (CI 95%) were estimated, using either a Chi-squared Test or Fisher's Exact Test as appropriate. A Holt-Winters model was used to assess seasonality. 4798 cases of BM (4.3 per 100,000 population) were reported, with a decreasing trend of the incidence. Highest incidence was observed in infants and elderly. Overall CFR reached 24.1% affecting mostly older adults. S. pneumoniae (23.6%), N. meningitidis (8.2%) and H. influenzae type b (6.0%) were the main causative agents. Males predominate in the incidence. Highest incidence and CFR were mainly clustered in the centre of the island. The univariate analysis did not show association between delayed medical consultation (RR = 1.20; CI = 1.07-1.35) or delayed hospitalization (RR = 0.98; CI = 0.87-1.11) and the fatal outcome. Logistic regression model showed association of categories housewife, pensioned, imprisoned, unemployed, S. pneumoniae and other bacteria with mortality. Seasonality during September, January and March was observed. The results of the National Program for Control and Prevention of the Neurological Infectious Syndrome evidenced a reduction of the BM incidence, but not the CFR. Multivariate analysis identified an association of mortality with some societal groups

Consortial brown tide - picocyanobacteria blooms in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

PubMed

Hall, Nathan S; Litaker, R Wayne; Kenworthy, W Judson; Vandersea, Mark W; Sunda, William G; Reid, James P; Slone, Daniel H; Butler, Susan

2018-03-01

A brown tide bloom of Aureoumbra lagunensis developed in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba during a period of drought in 2013 that followed heavy winds and rainfall from Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012. Based on satellite images and water turbidity measurements, the bloom appeared to initiate in January 2013. The causative species (A. lagunensis) was confirmed by microscopic observation, and pigment and genetic analyses of bloom samples collected on May 28 of that year. During that time, A. lagunensis reached concentrations of 900,000 cells ml -1 (28 ppm by biovolume) in the middle portion of the Bay. Samples could not be collected from the northern (Cuban) half of the Bay because of political considerations. Subsequent sampling of the southern half of the Bay in November 2013, April 2014, and October 2014 showed persistent lower concentrations of A. lagunensis, with dominance shifting to the cyanobacterium Synechococcus (up to 33 ppm in April), an algal group that comprised a minor bloom component on May 28. Thus, unlike the brown tide bloom in Laguna Madre, which lasted 8 years, the bloom in Guantánamo Bay was short-lived, much like recent blooms in the Indian River, Florida. Although hypersaline conditions have been linked to brown tide development in the lagoons of Texas and Florida, observed euhaline conditions in Guantánamo Bay (salinity 35-36) indicate that strong hypersalinity is not a requirement for A. lagunensis bloom formation. Microzooplankton biomass dominated by ciliates was high during the observed peak of the brown tide, and ciliate abundance was high compared to other systems not impacted by brown tide. Preferential grazing by zooplankton on non-brown tide species, as shown in A. lagunensis blooms in Texas and Florida, may have been a factor in the development of the Cuban brown tide bloom. However, subsequent selection of microzooplankton capable of utilizing A. lagunensis as a primary food source may have contributed to the short-lived duration

Antibiotic Resistance Gene Abundances Associated with Waste Discharges to the Almendares River near Havana, Cuba

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Considerable debate exists over the primary cause of increased antibiotic resistance (AR) worldwide. Evidence suggests increasing AR results from overuse of antibiotics in medicine and therapeutic and nontherapeutic applications in agriculture. However, pollution also can influence environmental AR, particularly associated with heavy metal, pharmaceutical, and other waste releases, although the relative scale of the “pollution” contribution is poorly defined, which restricts targeted mitigation efforts. The question is “where to study and quantify AR from pollution versus other causes to best understand the pollution effect”. One useful site is Cuba because industrial pollution broadly exists; antibiotics are used sparingly in medicine and agriculture; and multiresistant bacterial infections are increasing in clinical settings without explanation. Within this context, we quantified 13 antibiotic resistance genes (ARG; indicators of AR potential), 6 heavy metals, 3 antibiotics, and 17 other organic pollutants at 8 locations along the Almendares River in western Havana at sites bracketing known waste discharge points, including a large solid waste landfill and various pharmaceutical factories. Significant correlations (p < 0.05) were found between sediment ARG levels, especially for tetracyclines and β-lactams (e.g., tet(M), tet(O), tet(Q), tet(W), blaOXA), and sediment Cu and water column ampicillin levels in the river. Further, sediment ARG levels increased by up to 3 orders of magnitude downstream of the pharmaceutical factories and were highest where human population densities also were high. Although explicit links are not shown, results suggest that pollution has increased background AR levels in a setting where other causes of AR are less prevalent. PMID:21133405

Risk factors for eczema in infants born in Cuba: a population-based cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Suárez-Medina, Ramón; Venero-Fernández, Silvia Josefina; de la Mora-Faife, Esperanza; García-García, Gladys; Del Valle-Infante, Ileana; Gómez-Marrero, Liem; Fabré-Ortiz, Dania; Fundora-Hernández, Hermes; Venn, Andrea; Britton, John; Fogarty, Andrew W

2014-03-25

There is a concern that allergic disease in childhood is higher than expected in Cuba. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for eczema of infants aged 12-15 months living in Havana. We used a cross-sectional epidemiological study design. Data on eczema symptoms and a wide range of lifestyle factors were collected by researcher administered questionnaires. Data were collected on 1956 children (96% response rate), of whom 672 (34%) were reported as having had eczema. Independent risk factors for eczema included young maternal age (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.98 per additional year of age; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.97-0.99), child's weight (OR 1.13 per additional kg; 95% CI: 1.03-1.25), insect sting allergy (OR 2.11; 95% CI: 1.33-3.35), rodents in the home (OR 1.39; 95% CI: 1.10-1.76), attendance at childcare facilities (OR 1.34: 95% CI: 1.05-1.70) and self-reported mould in the home (OR 1.23; 95% CI: 1.07-1.41). Infant exposure to paracetamol was associated with an increased risk of eczema even after adjustment for wheeze (OR 1.22; 95% CI: 1.03-1.46). Despite a very different culture and environment, the consistency of these findings with those from more economically developed countries suggests potential causal associations. The association with paracetamol, even after adjustment for wheeze, suggests that intervention studies are required in young infants, to ascertain if this commonly used anti-pyretic medication increases allergic disease.

[Characterization of air mycobiota in two repositories of the National Archives of the Republic of Cuba].

PubMed

Borrego Alonso, Sofía; Perdomo Amistad, Ivette

2014-01-01

The high relative humidity and temperatures in tropical countries create favorable conditions for development of fungi that are not only a risk to human health but they can also colonize documentary support. To study the concentration of the airborne fungi in two repositories of the National Archives of the Republic of Cuba, the mycobiota deposited on different photographic supports and maps preserved in these repositories, and to determine the taxonomic characterization of the fungi isolated. The air sampling was performed using a sedimentation method, and the supports (6 pictures and 7 maps) were analyzed using moistened sterile swabs. The Cladosporium genus was predominant, followed by Aspergillus and Penicillium genera. Filamentous fungi were isolated in all the photos and maps, and yeasts were only isolated from a photographic supports and a map. We identified several species of Aspergillus and Penicillium genera, but Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus predominated. Candida and Rhodotorula were the yeast genera isolated. The fungal concentration of the air demonstrated that the environments were not contaminated. From the 26 species of filamentous fungi isolated only 5 were detected in the indoor air of the repositories and on one or more of the document supports analyzed (representing a 19.3%). This shows that there is a low ecological relationship between the fungi detected in the indoor air and those that were isolated from the supports studied. Copyright © 2012 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Comparison of aerosol optical depth from satellite (MODIS), sun photometer and broadband pyrheliometer ground-based observations in Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antuña-Marrero, Juan Carlos; Cachorro Revilla, Victoria; García Parrado, Frank; de Frutos Baraja, Ángel; Rodríguez Vega, Albeth; Mateos, David; Estevan Arredondo, René; Toledano, Carlos

2018-04-01

In the present study, we report the first comparison between the aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Ångström exponent (AE) of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments on the Terra (AODt) and Aqua (AODa) satellites and those measured using a sun photometer (AODSP) at Camagüey, Cuba, for the period 2008 to 2014. The comparison of Terra and Aqua data includes AOD derived with both deep blue (DB) and dark target (DT) algorithms from MODIS Collection 6. Combined Terra and Aqua (AODta) data were also considered. Assuming an interval of ±30 min around the overpass time and an area of 25 km around the sun photometer site, two coincidence criteria were considered: individual pairs of observations and both spatial and temporal mean values, which we call collocated daily means. The usual statistics (root mean square error, RMSE; mean absolute error, MAE; median bias, BIAS), together with linear regression analysis, are used for this comparison. Results show very similar values for both coincidence criteria: the DT algorithm generally displays better statistics and higher homogeneity than the DB algorithm in the behaviour of AODt, AODa, AODta compared to AODSP. For collocated daily means, (a) RMSEs of 0.060 and 0.062 were obtained for Terra and Aqua with the DT algorithm and 0.084 and 0.065 for the DB algorithm, (b) MAE follows the same patterns, (c) BIAS for both Terra and Aqua presents positive and negative values but its absolute values are lower for the DT algorithm; (d) combined AODta data also give lower values of these three statistical indicators for the DT algorithm; (e) both algorithms present good correlations for comparing AODt, AODa, AODta vs. AODSP, with a slight overestimation of satellite data compared to AODSP, (f). The DT algorithm yields better figures with slopes of 0.96 (Terra), 0.96 (Aqua) and 0.96 (Terra + Aqua) compared to the DB algorithm (1.07, 0.90, 0.99), which displays greater variability. Multi-annual monthly means of

[Updating the larval habitats of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in Camagüey, Cuba].

PubMed

Diéguez, Lorenzo; Pino, Rafael; Andrés, Julio; Hernández, Arturo; Alarón-Elbal, Pedro Mª; San Martín, José L

2016-12-01

Several illnesses of vectorial origin have a great medical and veterinary relevance, due to the adaptations developed by the species involved in their transmission. To support preventive programs with updated ecological information of Ae. aegypti populations, an entomological survey was carried out in three Health Areas of Camagüey, Cuba, during low and high rain seasons of 2013. For this, we assessed the type and number of positive containers, quantified larvae and pupae in positive containers, according to the container location in or outside the house. Both the container representativeness percentage and the pupal index by specific containers were calculated (PIsC). The total of houses as well as the positive habitual-use and non-disposable containers were compared among weather seasons, using the non parametric Chi2 test. The existent relationship between the total of positive houses and the habitual-use and non-disposable container was explored through the test of proportions hypothesis, with a level of significance of P ≤ 0.05. Ae. aegypti colonized 73 different types of containers, being habitual-use and non-disposable a 23.2 %. This number included 76 % of the positive containers. The greatest larvae collections were obtained in exterior water tanks and barrels, with important pupal production (PIsC = 3.04 and 1.75, respectively), and as well as significant differences towards the rainy season respect to positive houses (PUIA: Chi2 = 32.89; P = 0.00; PUE: Chi2 = 127.44; P = 0.00 and PUJAM: Chi2 = 127.44; P = 0.00), and the habitual-use and non-disposable container (PUIA: Chi2 = 30.37; P = 0.00; PUE: Chi2 = 37.26; P = 0.00 and PUJAM: Chi2 = 81.82; P = 0.00). These data reinforce the priority given to the control and surveillance actions conducted by the community in their respective houses.