Sample records for rica composicion caracterizacion

  1. Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    1986-05-01

    This discussion of Costa Rica focuses on: geography, people and history, government, political conditions, the economy, defense, foreign relations, and relations between the US and Costa Rica. In 1985 the population totaled 2.6 million with an annual growth rate of 2.6%. The infant mortality rate is 15.2/1000; life expectancy is 67.5 years for men and 71.9 years for women. Costa Rica, the 2nd smallest Central American country, is located in a narrow strip between Panama and Nicaragua. Costa Ricans are overwhelmingly of European descent. Although preominantly Spanish, there also are many Costa Ricans of German, Dutch, and Swiss origin. The indigenous Indian population numbers about 20,000, 20% fewer than inhabited Costa Rica when the Spanish first settled in 1522. Blacks, descendants of 19th century Jamaican immigrant workers, constitute a significant English-speaking minority of 30,000. Costa Rica is a democratic republic with a strong systems of checks and balances. The president and 57 legislative assembly deputies are elected for 4-year terms. Costa Rica's political system has contrasted with that of its neighbors. The nation has steadily developed and maintained democratic institutions and an orderly, constitutional process of government succession. Costa Rica faces severe challenges to its economic stability, although traditionally it is one of the strongest nations in the region. Increases in government spending in the late 1970s and higher world prices for coffee and other important Costa Rican exports stimulated the economy, creating inflationary pressure. The government is pursuing a course of disciplined management. The country is an outsponken and active member of the international community. The cordial relationship between Costa Rica and the US is based on mutual respect for democratic traditions, common goals, and a relationship free from serious political disagreement.

  2. Spotlight: Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    1998-03-01

    3.5 million people lived in Costa Rica as of mid-1997. There were 24 births and 4 deaths per 1000 population, respectively, contributing to the annual natural increase rate of 2.0%. Each woman in Costa Rica bears an average of 2.8 children during her reproductive lifespan and men and women were expected to live for 73 and 78 years, respectively. Costa Rica's low infant mortality rate and high literacy and life expectancy rates set it apart from the rest of Central America. Costa Rica is also the only country in the region which maintains no standing army. About 96% of the population is White or Mestizo, 3% is Black, and 1% is indigenous Indian. More than half of the country lives in San Jose and its metropolitan area, 6% of the country's total land area. Unemployment has run near 5% over the past 2 years, but much of the labor force is underemployed. Costa Rica's economy depends upon tourism and agricultural exports such as coffee, beef, and bananas. A large Intel factory opened in 1997. The government and Costa Rican environmentalists are planning a joint campaign to reconvert 80% of Costa Rica's pasture back to forest and tree crops. About 20% of the government's budget is spent upon education and the 93% literacy rate is the highest in the region. Government health services provide low-cost contraceptives to more than 75% of users and 75% of women use some form of family planning.

  3. Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    1989-03-01

    The Republic of Costa Rica is one of the most stable and strongest countries in Central America. It is bordered by Nicaragua and Panama to the north and south and the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific ocean to the east and west and has a total land size slightly smaller than West Virginia. Costa Ricans enjoy a high life expectancy and literacy rate. As well, schools have an attendance rate of nearly 100%. The predominant ethnic group is white, and the predominant spoken language is Spanish. The work force is divided up as follows: 32% agriculture, 25% industry and commerce, 38% services and government, and 5% finance and banking. The country's climate is tropical and subtropical, and the geography of Costa Rica is composed of rugged terrain, mountains, large forest areas, some lowlands and 3 volcanic mountain ranges. The great majority of Costa Ricans are of European descent with only small numbers of the indigenous Indian population surviving today. The government of Costa Rica is democratic, holding periodic elections. The electoral process is monitored by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. Other bodies of government include the Supreme Court of Justice and the Legislative Assembly. The National Liberation Party has been in power since 1948 and represents socialist ideals. Many factors such as: an influx of enlightened leaders and officials, flexible class lines, economic prosperity and the absence of military force have allowed Costa Rica to progress and maintain a stable economy and government amidst an unstable region. Costa Rica's relations with other countries and international organizations are excellent.

  4. Costa Rica. Spotlight.

    PubMed

    Haub, C; Adams, J

    1985-05-01

    Costa Rica's demographic and economic characteristics are highlighted. Costa Rica's demographic situation is unique in certain respects. Between the late 1950s and the late 1970s, the total fertility rate declined from about 7 to 4 and then stabilized instead of continuing to decline to 2 as expected. This is especially surprising since the level of contraceptive use is similar to that of most European countries. Approximately 2/3 of all couples practice contraception. It is possible that the rate will slowly decline to the expected level, but a delayed decline will ultimately produce a much larger population than initially expected. The demographic situation in Costa Rica is being carefully monitored for insights which might be useful in predicting future fertility patterns in other developing countries. The government of Costa Rica recognizes that family planning is a necessary component of maternal and child health care; however, most family planning services are provided by private organizations. In 1982, population size was 2.6 million, the crude birth rate was 30.7, the crude death rate was 3.9, infant mortality was 19.3, and the rate of natural increase was 2.7%. The population is predominantly Spanish, and the indigenous population totals only 20,000. 48% of the population is urban. Costa Rica has a relatively stable deomocratic government. It relationshiops with other countries are generally peaceful, but tensions between Nicaragua and Costa Rica are increasing. The country's economic situation deteriorated in recent years due primarily to a decline in the price of coffee, the country's principle export commodity. The trade deficit increased markedly, unemployment increased, and income fell sharply. The economic slowdown is now showing signs of a reversal. In 1983 exports, consisting primarily of coffee, bananas, beef, sugar, cane and cacao, totalled US$871 million, and imports, consisting mainly of manufactured goods and equipment, chemicals, fuel, food

  5. (Power sector efficiency analysis in Costa Rica). [Power Sector Efficiency Analysis in Costa Rica

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

    Waddle, D.B.

    I traveled to San Jose, Costa Rica, to review the state of the electric power utility with a team of specialists, including a transmission and distribution specialist, a hydroelectric engineering specialist, and a thermal power plant specialist. The purpose of the mission was to determine the costs and benefits of efficiency improvements to supply side technologies employed by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, the national power company in Costa Rica, and the potential contribution of these efficiency measures to the future electric power needs of Costa Rica.

  6. Lessons from Costa Rica

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borthwick, Arlene; Lobo, Irina

    2005-01-01

    Costa Rica has one of the highest concentrations of computers in the Americas and is regarded as a Central American pioneer in technology development. The authors of this article describe their trip to Costa Rica, which included visits to several schools as well as to the Foundation Omar Dengo (FOD) and the Ministry of Public Education (MEP),…

  7. IVF in Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Valerio, Carlos; Vargas, Karen; Raventós, Henriette

    2017-01-01

    For 16 years, Costa Rica was the only country in the world that banned IVF, after it had been successfully conducted from 1995 to 2000. It also has been the only country that banned IVF based on the argument that it protects the embryo. After years of conflict, the prohibition has finally been lifted and the first baby girl was born in March 2017. This paper recounts the judicial and legal struggles Costa Rica faced in order to reestablished its IVF program. PMID:28985042

  8. Epidemiology of Leptospirosis in Costa Rica 2011-2015.

    PubMed

    Carvajal, Marcelo Pérez; Fagerstrom, Kaila A

    2017-01-01

    Leptospirosis is a global spirochete causing chronic renal disease that is increasing in Costa Rica. This paper identifies the prevalence and risk factors of leptospirosis in Costa Rica between the years of 2011-2015. Clinical cases of leptospirosis in Costa Rica demonstrated various symptoms: from asymptomatic diseases to severe cases of kidney and liver failure. A variety of diagnostic methods with varying specificities and sensitivities were employed. In Costa Rica, prevention methods such as protective clothing, decreased contact with animals, and prophylaxis of close contacts continue to be the most important factors in reducing transmission of leptospirosis. In Costa Rica, the following populations should be aware of their increased risk: those living in the province of San José, Puntarenas, or Alajuela; being a male; being of productive years; and exposure to specific environmental factors.

  9. Montezuma Formation of Costa Rica

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

    McKee, W.H.; Sen Gupta, B.K.

    1985-01-01

    The Montezuma Formation of the Nicoya Peninsula is one of the better known Neogene stratigraphic units of the Pacific side of Costa Rica. Past workers have reported its age to be Miocene-Pliocene or Miocene-Quaternary, and its environment of deposition to be inner shelf. The planktonic foraminiferal record of the unit in the type locality, however, places it firmly in the Lower Pliocene (Globorotalia margaritae zones). Furthermore, benthic such as Bolivina interjuncta var. bicostata, Epistominella exigua, and E. pacifica indicate that the sedimentation occurred at depths no shallower than the outermost shelf. No drastic faunal turnovers are observed within the formation;more » a cluster analysis of various Neogene samples from the Nicoya Peninsula and other Pacific areas of Costa Rica demonstrate an overall uniformity of the Montezuma fauna. The frequency trends of certain species, particularly of Epistominella exigua, however, suggest a transgression, the assemblage in the upper part of the section definitely representing upper bathyal depths. Judging by the present elevation of Montezuma outcrops, this part of Costa Rica has been uplifted at least 300 meters in the past 5 m.y.« less

  10. Costa Rica, Central America as seen from STS-60

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1994-02-09

    STS060-85-000AD (3-11 Feb 1994) --- This photograph shows the Central American nations of Nicaragua, Costa Rica and parts of Panama. Lake Nicaragua defines the southern limits of the country of Nicaragua. The cloud-free portion of the photo shows Costa Rica, it's gulf and Peninsula of Nicoya. Agricultural land use is clearly seen around Nicoya and a few islands of tropical forests are seen at the edges. The capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica, is partly cloud-covered in this image.

  11. New species of Edessa Fabricius, 1803 (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) from Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Fernandes, Jose Antonio Marin; Silva, Valeria Juliete Da; Correia, Andre Oliveira; Nunes, Benedito Mendes

    2015-08-12

    The edessines from Costa Rica are little known; only 18 species have been registered or described from this country so far. Mainly based in a large sample from Instituto Nacional de Biodiverdidad (INBio), Costa Rica, we decided to update the information concerning Edessinae from Costa Rica. We present a list of species from Costa Rica raising the number of known species from Costa Rica to 65. We are also describing nine new species: Edessa bella Fernandes & Silva, E. bruneolineata Fernandes & Correia, E. curvata Fernandes & Nunes, E. lewisi Fernandes & Silva, E. nigroangulata Fernandes & Silva, E. osae Fernandes & Nunes, E. oxcarti Fernandes & Correia, E. pallidoangulata Fernandes & Nunes and E. puravida Fernandes & Correia. Species were described, illustrated and photographed. Distribution maps for the species are also provided.

  12. Geriatric medicine bridges: Scotland - Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Morales-Martínez, F

    2017-12-01

    This paper reviews the specialised geriatrics healthcare services of Costa Rica, with particular emphasis on the achievements made in the field of geriatrics following the author's specialist tertiary education and training period at the Professorial Unit at the City Hospital, Edinburgh, 33 years earlier. The paper charts the development and consolidation of an educational programme of geriatrics in Costa Rica against a background of the changing demographic in this Central American nation and the consequent and compelling need for universal coverage of healthcare services targeted to meet the needs of the burgeoning population of older adults.

  13. Educacion Fisica in Costa Rica.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cleland, Donna

    1980-01-01

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

  14. Insects that feed on Miconia calvescens in Costa Rica

    Treesearch

    P. Hanson; K. Nishida; P. Allen; E Chacón; B. Reichert; A. Castillo; M. Alfaro; L. Madrigal; E. Rojas; F. Badenes-Perez; T. Johnson

    2010-01-01

    Research at the University of Costa Rica on potential biological control agents of Miconia calvescens was initiated in 2000. Although M. calvescens can be fairly common at certain sites, it is generally uncommon in Costa Rica and appears to be incapable of becoming established in forests with a closed canopy. Over fifty insect...

  15. Rickettsia felis in Ctenocephalides felis from Guatemala and Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Troyo, Adriana; Álvarez, Danilo; Taylor, Lizeth; Abdalla, Gabriela; Calderón-Arguedas, Ólger; Zambrano, Maria L.; Dasch, Gregory A.; Lindblade, Kim; Hun, Laya; Eremeeva, Marina E.; Estévez, Alejandra

    2012-01-01

    Rickettsia felis is an emerging human pathogen associated primarily with the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis. In this study, we investigated the presence of Rickettsia felis in C. felis from Guatemala and Costa Rica. Ctenocephalides felis were collected directly from dogs and cats, and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction for Rickettsia-specific fragments of 17-kDa protein, OmpA, and citrate synthase genes. Rickettsia DNA was detected in 64% (55 of 86) and 58% (47 of 81) of flea pools in Guatemala and Costa Rica, respectively. Sequencing of gltA fragments identified R. felis genotype URRWXCal2 in samples from both countries, and genotype Rf2125 in Costa Rica. This is the first report of R. felis in Guatemala and of genotype Rf2125 in Costa Rica. The extensive presence of this pathogen in countries of Central America stresses the need for increased awareness and diagnosis. PMID:22665618

  16. Rickettsia felis in Ctenocephalides felis from Guatemala and Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Troyo, Adriana; Álvarez, Danilo; Taylor, Lizeth; Abdalla, Gabriela; Calderón-Arguedas, Ólger; Zambrano, Maria L; Dasch, Gregory A; Lindblade, Kim; Hun, Laya; Eremeeva, Marina E; Estévez, Alejandra

    2012-06-01

    Rickettsia felis is an emerging human pathogen associated primarily with the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis. In this study, we investigated the presence of Rickettsia felis in C. felis from Guatemala and Costa Rica. Ctenocephalides felis were collected directly from dogs and cats, and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction for Rickettsia-specific fragments of 17-kDa protein, OmpA, and citrate synthase genes. Rickettsia DNA was detected in 64% (55 of 86) and 58% (47 of 81) of flea pools in Guatemala and Costa Rica, respectively. Sequencing of gltA fragments identified R. felis genotype URRWXCal(2) in samples from both countries, and genotype Rf2125 in Costa Rica. This is the first report of R. felis in Guatemala and of genotype Rf2125 in Costa Rica. The extensive presence of this pathogen in countries of Central America stresses the need for increased awareness and diagnosis.

  17. GPS Monitoring of Subduction Zone Deformation in Costa Rica

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lundgren, Paul

    1997-01-01

    The subduction of the Cocos plate beneath Costa Rica is among the highest convergence rates in the world. The high subduction rate and nearness of the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica to the Middle America Trench (MAT) provide a unique opportunity to map variations in interseismic strain of the crust above the seismogenic zone in response to variations in seismic coupling.

  18. New species and new records of Manota Williston from Colombia, Brazilian Amazonia, and Costa Rica (Diptera, Mycetophilidae).

    PubMed

    Kurina, Olavi; Hippa, Heikki; Amorim, Dalton de Souza

    2017-01-01

    The following five species are described as new: Manota clava sp. n. (Colombia), Manota multilobata sp. n. (Colombia), Manota perplexa sp. n. (Costa Rica), Manota setilobata sp. n. (Colombia) and Manota subaristata sp. n. (Colombia). In addition, new records for the following 11 species are presented: Manota acuminata Jaschhof & Hippa, 2005 (Costa Rica), Manota arenalensis Jaschhof & Hippa, 2005 (Costa Rica), Manota corcovado Jaschhof & Hippa, 2005 (Costa Rica), Manota costaricensis Jaschhof & Hippa, 2005 (Costa Rica), Manota diversiseta Jaschhof & Hippa, 2005 (Colombia, Brazilian Amazonia, Costa Rica), Manota minutula Hippa, Kurina & Sääksjärvi, 2017 (Brazilian Amazonia), Manota multisetosa Jaschhof & Hippa, 2005 (Costa Rica), Manota parva Jaschhof & Hippa, 2005 (Colombia, Costa Rica), Manota pisinna Hippa & Kurina, 2013 (Brazilian Amazonia), Manota spinosa Jaschhof & Hippa, 2005 (Colombia) and Manota squamulata Jaschhof & Hippa, 2005 (Costa Rica). Distribution patterns include (1) species known only locally in Costa Rica or Colombia, (2) distributions connecting Central America to west Andes lowlands, and (3) north-west Neotropical components, extending from Central America to Brazilian Amazonia. The possible biogeographical and taxonomical context of Manota species with a widespread distribution is considered.

  19. The genera of Chrysomelinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Flowers, R Wills

    2004-03-01

    Keys in Spanish and English are given for the genera of Chrysomelinae known from Costa Rica. For each genus, a list of species compiled from collections in the University of Costa Rica, the National Biodiversity Institute, and the entomological literature is presented. The genus Planagetes Chevrolat 1843 is recorded for the first time from Central America, and the genus Leptinotarsa Stål 1858 is synonymized with Stilodes Chevrolat 1843.

  20. Diversity and levels of endemism of the Bromeliaceae of Costa Rica - an updated checklist.

    PubMed

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

    2013-01-01

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

  1. The peats of Costa Rica

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

    Obando A, L.; Malavassi R, L.; Ramirez E, O.

    The objectives of this investigation were: (1) to locate potential peat deposits in Costa Rica; (2) to estimate as closely as possible by representative sampling the amount of peat present in each deposit, and (3) to make a preliminary evaluation of the quality of the peat in each deposit. With information from soil maps and a 3-week survey of Costa Rica, it is estimated that a potential area of about 1000 km{sup 2} is covered by peat. Most of the peat area (about 830 km{sup 2}) is in northeastern Costa Rica in the Tortuguero area. An aerial survey identified themore » potential peat areas by the exclusive presence of the Yolillo palm. The next largest potential area of peat (about 175 km{sup 2}) is in the cloud-covered areas of the Talamanca Mountains. Some reconnaissance has been done in the Talamanca Mountains, and samples of the peat indicate that it is very similar to the sphagnum peat moss found in Canada and the northern US. Smaller bogs have been discovered at Medio Queso, El Cairo, Moin, and the Limon airport. Two bogs of immediate interest are Medio Queso and El Cairo. The Medio Queso bog has been extensively sampled and contains about 182,000 metric tons (dry) of highly decomposed peat, which is being used as a carrier for nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The El Cairo bog is sparsely sampled and contains about 1,300,000 metric tons of slightly decomposed dry peat. Plans are to use this peat in horticultural applications on nearby farms. 10 refs., 11 figs., 7 tabs.« less

  2. [Current estate of biotechnology in Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Valdez, Marta; López, Rebeca; Jiménez, Luis

    2004-09-01

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

  3. The peats of Costa Rica (in English; Spanish)

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

    Thayer, G.R.

    Peat has been identified in Cost Rica, and an economic analysis of energy applications for peat has been done. About 1000 km{sup 2} of Cost Rica has the potential of being covered by peat. The Talamanca Mountains and the northeastern plains contain most of the Costa Rican peat. Specific bogs have been identified by the Medio Queso River in north-central Costa Rica and near El Cairo, Moin, and the Limon airport in northeastern Costa Rica. The Medio Queso bog, which is supplying peat for use as a carrier for nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and the El Cairo bog, which has been identifiedmore » as a source of horticultural peat for nearby ornamental plant farms, are of special interest. The economics of three energy applications of peat were examined -- as a fuel in large boilers, as a fuel in small boilers, and as an oil substitute in a cement plant. A facility using coal would have the same total costs as one using peat if coal prices were $45 and $30 per metric ton (used for large boilers and a cement plant, respectively). A facility using Bunker C or diesel would have the same total cost as one using peat if oil prices were $0.11, $0.08, and $0.06 per liter (used for large boilers, small boilers, and a cement plant, respectively). In all three cases, the costs for peat were comparable or less than the costs for coal and oil at 1987 prices. 6 refs., 8 figs.« less

  4. The Impact of Post-Secondary Privatization: The Case of Costa Rica

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Espinosa, Lorelle L.; Santos, Jose L.

    2008-01-01

    Between 1985 and 2000, the Central American country of Costa Rica experienced rapid and unprecedented private university growth as part of an international movement towards post-secondary privatization. Costa Rica stands apart from other developing countries in that all 50 of the nation's private universities are proprietary, resulting in a…

  5. 75 FR 3179 - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Trade Agreements-Costa Rica and Peru (DFARS...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-01-20

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

  6. The Guanacaste Volcanic Arc Sliver of Northwestern Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Montero, Walter; Lewis, Jonathan C; Araya, Maria Cristina

    2017-05-11

    Recent studies have shown that the Nicoya Peninsula of northwestern Costa Rica is moving northwestward ~11 mm a -1 as part of a tectonic sliver. Toward the northwest in El Salvador the northern sliver boundary is marked by a dextral strike-slip fault system active since Late Pleistocene time. To the southeast there is no consensus on what constitutes the northern boundary of the sliver, although a system of active crustal faults has been described in central Costa Rica. Here we propose that the Haciendas-Chiripa fault system serves as the northeastern boundary for the sliver and that the sliver includes most of the Guanacaste volcanic arc, herein the Guanacaste Volcanic Arc Sliver. In this paper we provide constraints on the geometry and kinematics of the boundary of the Guanacaste Volcanic Arc Sliver that are timely and essential to any models aimed at resolving the driving mechanism for sliver motion. Our results are also critical for assessing geological hazards in northwestern Costa Rica.

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2013-01-01

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

  8. Epidemiology of bovine anaplasmosis in dairy herds from Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Oliveira, J B; Montoya, J; Romero, J J; Urbina, A; Soto-Barrientos, N; Melo, E S P; Ramos, C A N; Araújo, F R

    2011-05-11

    Bovine anaplasmosis is endemic and occurs in almost all areas of livestock production of Costa Rica. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of anaplasmosis in dairy farms of Costa Rica by the recombinant truncated MSP-5 (rMSP-5) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum samples were obtained from 733 cattle from 20 commercial dairy herds of Costa Rica. The overall seroprevalence was 37.2% and herd seroprevalence ranged from 20.0 to 72.0%. The age-specific seroprevalence was 49.3% in young and 33.4% in adult animals. The main risk factors associated with seroprevalence were season of occurrence of clinical cases (rainy season) (OR=22.8), presence of tabanids (OR=9.5) and stable flies (OR=6.2), stable flies control measures (OR=3.2), non-use of ear tattoos (OR=2.8), interval of veterinary visit (≤ 60 days) (OR=2.7), altitude of the farms (<800 masl) (OR=2.6) and age (<2 years) (OR=1.8). The results indicated that exposure of cattle to Anaplasma marginale is common in dairy herds of Costa Rica and endemic instability situation probably is due to inadequate vector control. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Mercury Contamination in Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Varekamp, J. C.; Haynes, A.; Balcom, P. H.

    2012-12-01

    Recent measurements of Hg in air in the central valley of Costa Rica produced some remarkably high values (up to 700 ng Hg/m3;Castillo et al., 2011), raising concerns for public health. We made a broad assessment of Hg as an environmental contaminant in Costa Rica, and sampled and analyzed lake and wetland sediment and soils to derive atmospheric Hg deposition rates. We also measured Hg(0) in air in three locations, and sampled local fish that were analyzed for Hg. We set up a sampling program of Hg in hair of Costa Ricans, sampling hair from a broad crossection of the population, in combination with dietary and personal information. The lake sediments had Hg concentrations between 34 and 316 ppb Hg, with several lakes at common natural background concentrations (20-100 ppb Hg). Some lakes showed a Hg contamination component with concentrations well above simple background values. These sediments also were very rich in organic matter, and the high Hg concentrations may be a result of Hg focusing from the watersheds into the lake depositional environments. Deduced atmospheric deposition rates of Hg range from 0.16-0.25 ng Hg/cm2 per year, which is at the low end of the global range of measured wet atmospheric deposition rates. The observed Hg concentrations in sediment and soils thus can be characterized as natural background to mildly contaminated, but nothing that would indicate Hg inventories as expected from the reported high Hg air burdens. Some of our Hg(0) in air measurements were done at the same locations as those done earlier and yielded values between 0.6-4.2 ng Hg/m3; these values are similar to the low range measurements of Castillo et al. (their night time values), but we found no evidence in 2011 for their high daytime values. The range of a few ng Hg/m3 in air is compatible with global Hg dispersion modeling. Fish tissue of Trout and Tilapia gave a range of 68-112 ppb Hg (wet weight base), well below the 300 ppb Hg EPA alert level. Overall, these

  10. Radiological dosimetry measurements in Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    León, M.; Santos, F.

    2016-07-01

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

  11. (Findings of the Costa Rica power sector efficiency study)

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

    Waddle, D.B.

    To present findings of the Costa Rica Power Sector Efficiency Study to the Instituto Costarricense de Electridad, and to the Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources and Mining. To discuss the progress and plans for the Central American Rural Electrification Project with US Agency for International Development (USAID)/Regional Office Central American Program (ROCAP). I traveled to San Jose, Costa Rica to present the findings of the Costa Rica Power Sector Efficiency Study to our counterparts in the utility and the Ministry of Energy. Discussions were held with line level managers at Instituto Costarricensede Electricidad (ICE) and Ministry of Energy Mines andmore » Natural Resources (MIRENEM), as well as a plan of action set for the final stage of the project. Discussions were held for a one day period with both the bilateral Agency for International Development (AID) and the regional AID mission regarding the need for a similar study in Guatemala and matters directly pertaining to the Central American Rural Electrification Study (CARES) project.« less

  12. Southwestern willow flycatchers recaptured at wintering sites in Costa Rica

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Koronkiewicz, Thomas J.; Sogge, Mark K.

    2001-01-01

    An adult Southwestern Willow Flycatcher banded in summer 1998 at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada, was recaptured the following winter in Santa Cruz, Costa Rica, then relocated at Ash Meadows during the 1999 breeding season. Another Southwestern Willow Flycatcher banded in 1999 as a nestling at Roosevelt Lake, Arizona, was recaptured in January 2000 on its wintering grounds in Bolsen, Costa Rica. The bird was recaptured at Roosevelt Lake in summer 2000, returned to the same wintering site in Bolsen the following winter, and was relocated at Roosevelt Lake in summer 2001.

  13. Differences and Similarities between School Principals in Costa Rica and the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ballestero, Victor; Wright, Sam

    2008-01-01

    The need for effective school leadership is a global concern. This paper provides a comparison of the school principal in Costa Rica to the United States. Differences and similarities are described for principals in both nations. Major differences for principals in Costa Rica include administrative salaries, selection procedures, induction, no…

  14. A guide to the winged aphids (Homoptera) of Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Voegtlin, David; Villalobos, William; Sánchez, Marco Vinicio; Saborio-R, Guido; Rivera, Carmen

    2003-05-01

    This guide is a compilation of limited morphological and biological information on the winged morphs of 60 species of aphids that have been collected in Costa Rica. It should not be viewed as a definitive taxonomic treatise on the aphids of Costa Rica, rather it is a tool that can be used to assist in research on the biology, host plant relationships, taxonomy, and virus transmission capabilities of aphids. Each species is covered in an identical manner. Morphological and biological information is provided in both Spanish and English as well as photographs of slide mounted specimens. Keys are provided to help the user in identifying the species. Most of the specimens examined were taken in traps associated with epidemiological studies. Limited field collecting has generated host records and these have been added to a list of the aphids of Central America that was compiled by Pamela Anderson and appended in the guide with her permission. The authors hope that this book will be useful to entomologists in Costa Rica and Central America.

  15. Diversity of the free-living marine and freshwater Copepoda (Crustacea) in Costa Rica: a review

    PubMed Central

    Morales-Ramírez, Álvaro; Suárez-Morales, Eduardo; Corrales-Ugalde, Marco; Garrote, Octavio Esquivel

    2014-01-01

    Abstract The studies on marine copepods of Costa Rica started in the 1990’s and focused on the largest coastal-estuarine systems in the country, particularly along the Pacific coast. Diversity is widely variable among these systems: 40 species have been recorded in the Culebra Bay influenced by upwelling, northern Pacific coast, only 12 in the Gulf of Nicoya estuarine system, and 38 in Golfo Dulce, an anoxic basin in the southern Pacific coast of the country. Freshwater environments of Costa Rica are known to harbor a moderate diversity of continental copepods (25 species), which includes 6 calanoids, 17 cyclopoids and only two harpacticoids. Of the +100 freshwater species recorded in Central America, six are known only from Costa Rica, and one appears to be endemic to this country. The freshwater copepod fauna of Costa Rica is clearly the best known in Central America. Overall, six of the 10 orders of Copepoda are reported from Costa Rica. A previous summary by 2001 of the free-living copepod diversity in the country included 80 marine species (67 pelagic, 13 benthic). By 2009, the number of marine species increased to 209: 164 from the Pacific (49% of the copepod fauna from the Eastern Tropical Pacific) and 45 from the Caribbean coast (8% of species known from the Caribbean Basin). Both the Caribbean and Pacific species lists are growing. Additional collections of copepods at Cocos Island, an oceanic island 530 km away of the Pacific coast, have revealed many new records, including five new marine species from Costa Rica. Currently, the known diversity of marine copepods of Costa Rica is still in development and represents up to 52.6% of the total marine microcrustaceans recorded in the country. Future sampling and taxonomic efforts in the marine habitats should emphasize oceanic environments including deep waters but also littoral communities. Several Costa Rican records of freshwater copepods are likely to represent undescribed species. Also, the

  16. Diversity of the free-living marine and freshwater Copepoda (Crustacea) in Costa Rica: a review.

    PubMed

    Morales-Ramírez, Álvaro; Suárez-Morales, Eduardo; Corrales-Ugalde, Marco; Garrote, Octavio Esquivel

    2014-01-01

    The studies on marine copepods of Costa Rica started in the 1990's and focused on the largest coastal-estuarine systems in the country, particularly along the Pacific coast. Diversity is widely variable among these systems: 40 species have been recorded in the Culebra Bay influenced by upwelling, northern Pacific coast, only 12 in the Gulf of Nicoya estuarine system, and 38 in Golfo Dulce, an anoxic basin in the southern Pacific coast of the country. Freshwater environments of Costa Rica are known to harbor a moderate diversity of continental copepods (25 species), which includes 6 calanoids, 17 cyclopoids and only two harpacticoids. Of the +100 freshwater species recorded in Central America, six are known only from Costa Rica, and one appears to be endemic to this country. The freshwater copepod fauna of Costa Rica is clearly the best known in Central America. Overall, six of the 10 orders of Copepoda are reported from Costa Rica. A previous summary by 2001 of the free-living copepod diversity in the country included 80 marine species (67 pelagic, 13 benthic). By 2009, the number of marine species increased to 209: 164 from the Pacific (49% of the copepod fauna from the Eastern Tropical Pacific) and 45 from the Caribbean coast (8% of species known from the Caribbean Basin). Both the Caribbean and Pacific species lists are growing. Additional collections of copepods at Cocos Island, an oceanic island 530 km away of the Pacific coast, have revealed many new records, including five new marine species from Costa Rica. Currently, the known diversity of marine copepods of Costa Rica is still in development and represents up to 52.6% of the total marine microcrustaceans recorded in the country. Future sampling and taxonomic efforts in the marine habitats should emphasize oceanic environments including deep waters but also littoral communities. Several Costa Rican records of freshwater copepods are likely to represent undescribed species. Also, the biogeographic relevance

  17. Teacher Expectations and Students from Low Socioeconomic Background: A Perspective from Costa Rica

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Regalla, Michele

    2013-01-01

    This study explores teachers' academic expectations of students from low socioeconomic status (SES) in Costa Rica for the purpose of cross-cultural comparison. A group of 17 teachers from two different elementary schools located in a small town in Costa Rica were questioned about their expectations of low SES students enrolled in their classes.…

  18. Passive Seismology On- and Offshore Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gossler, J.; Flueh, E.; Goltz, C.; Arroyo Hidalgo, I.; Boschini, I.; Mora, M.

    2003-12-01

    The theme of the National German Research Center SFB 574 "Volatiles and Fluids in Subduction Zones" subproject A2 is to understand the nature of coupling and mass transfer between upper and lower plate of the subduction zone in central Costa Rica. An amphibious seismic network, consisting of 23 ocean bottom sensors and 15 landstations, was deployed in the coastal Pacific region of central Costa Rica near Jaco in April 2002. The network was moved south-east towards Quepos in October 2002 and operated until spring this year. Our main objective is to detect and evaluate the seismicity induced by the convergent dynamics between the subducting oceanic lithosphere and the Caribbean plate. The spatial dimensions of the joined marine and land networks are designed to register events associated with the downgoing plate. We report details on the campaign and show first results of the standard investigation of the data (i.e. determinatin of hypocenters, magnitudes, polarities and focal mechanisms), including first interpretations.

  19. Special Education and Severe Disabilities in Costa Rica: Developing Inclusion in a Developing Country.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stough, Laura M.

    2003-01-01

    An overview of special education in Costa Rica is provided. Costa Rica has promulgated four educational service models that extend special education expertise: consulting teachers, educational assistance teams, itinerant teams, and resource centers. Their educational classification system describes the level of modifications required by students.…

  20. Counseling in Costa Rica: A Comparative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Collier, Crystal

    2013-01-01

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

  1. Two new species and a new combination in Protium (Burseraceae) from Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Santamaría-Aguilar, Daniel; Lagomarsino, Laura P.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Two new species of Protium (Burseraceae) are described and illustrated: Protium aguilarii sp. nov., from the Pacific slope of the Osa Peninsula, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica; and Protium hammelii sp. nov., from wet forests on the Caribbean slopes of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. In addition, Protium brenesii comb. nov., is proposed as a new combination based on Trichilia brenesii, a name that was based on a specimen collected with flowers in the mountains near San Ramón, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica. It is compared with Protium costaricense, a similar species with which it has been confused for more than 90 years. Finally, illustrations and specimen citations are provided for all the aforementioned taxa, and some others with which they have been confused. PMID:28228688

  2. Two new species and a new combination in Protium (Burseraceae) from Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Santamaría-Aguilar, Daniel; Lagomarsino, Laura P

    2017-01-01

    Two new species of Protium (Burseraceae) are described and illustrated: Protium aguilarii sp. nov. , from the Pacific slope of the Osa Peninsula, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica; and Protium hammelii sp. nov. , from wet forests on the Caribbean slopes of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. In addition, Protium brenesii comb. nov. , is proposed as a new combination based on Trichilia brenesii , a name that was based on a specimen collected with flowers in the mountains near San Ramón, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica. It is compared with Protium costaricense , a similar species with which it has been confused for more than 90 years. Finally, illustrations and specimen citations are provided for all the aforementioned taxa, and some others with which they have been confused.

  3. Is Geriatric Medicine Possible in a Middle-Income Country? The Case of Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Morales-Martínez, Fernando

    2017-08-01

    This article outlines the current and future-projected demographic data, organization, networks for the care of older people, and perspectives in Costa Rica in relation to the challenges resulting from exponential growth of the older adult population, most notably those aged 80 and older. It includes consideration of the Norms of Integrated Care of the Older Adult of Costa Rica's national social security system and contributions from other public and private institutions. It also makes note of commentaries on the need for ever-increasing efforts to manage the care of Costa Rica's burgeoning older adult population. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

  4. Poza Rica: 29 years of secondary recovery (in Spanish)

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

    Ortega, H.G.

    1981-03-01

    One of the main objectives of the Mexican Goverment is the suitable exploitation of its hydrocarbon reservoirs. Therefore, the application of secondary recovery methods in those reservoirs sensitive to this method was increased. Petroleos Mexicanos has 27 systems of waterflooding in operation; 30% more than in 1976. The main objective is the continuous analysis of the optimum conditions, in order to optimize the efficiency of the waterflooding process, such as in the Tamabra formation in the Poza Rica field. A history is presented of the waterflooding process utilized in the Poza Rica field to increase the oil production from themore » Tamabra formation. Geology and reservoir characteristics, antecedents, producing well requirements, project development, future programs, and economic analyses are presented.« less

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2005-05-01

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

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

    Treesearch

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

    2012-01-01

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

  7. Chigger mites (Acari: Trombiculidae) from wild birds in Costa Rica, with a description of three new species.

    PubMed

    Stekol'nikov, Alexandr A; Literák, Ivan; Capek, Miroslav; Havlćk, Martin

    2007-03-01

    Three new species of chigger mites, Eutrombicula costaricensis sp. n., Eutrombicula passerinoruni sp. n., and Eutrombicula hectochaeta sp. n. are described from wild birds from Costa Rica. Two species, Eutrombicula pacae (Floch et Fauran, 1957) and Parasecia findata (Brennan, 1969), are recorded for the first time in Costa Rica and on new host species. Data on the distribution of Blankaartia sinnamaryi (Floch et Fauran, 1956) in Costa Rica are also reported.

  8. San Jose, Costa Rica

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2007-01-01

    San Jose, capital city of Costa Rica, fills the valley between two steep mountain ranges. In this image made from data collected by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra satellite, visible, shortwave, and near-infrared wavelengths of light that the sensor observed have been combined to produce a false-color version of the scene in which vegetation is red, urban areas are silvery gray, water is dark blue, and clouds are white. The image was captured on February 8, 2007. San Jose is in the center of the image. The Rio Torres winds through downtown San Jose. Cartago, the much smaller colonial capital, sits in the lower right corner, while the city of Alajuela appears across the river, northwest of San Jose. The cities' manmade surfaces contrast sharply with the lushly vegetated landscape surrounding the city. Greenhouses are common in the region, and their glass roofs may be the brilliant white spots around the outer edges the cities. The long, straight runway of the Tobias Bolanos International Airport is visible as a dark line southeast of Alajuela. The landscape around the two cities shown here is rugged. Steep mountain peaks cast dark shadows across their leeward slopes. Patches of dark red vegetation on the mountains north of San Jose may be rainforest. Coffee plantations also cover the slopes of the mountains around the city. February is the dry season in Costa Rica. During the rainy season, from about April to November, clouds usually block the satellite's view of this tropical location. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of Asaf Ullah and Tim Gubbels, SERVIR project.

  9. Benefit-cost assessment programs: Costa Rica case study

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

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

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

  10. Retinopathy of prematurity: screening and treatment in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Tabarez-Carvajal, Ana Catalina; Montes-Cantillo, Milagro; Unkrich, Kelly H; Trivedi, Rupal H; Peterseim, Mae Millicent Winfrey

    2017-12-01

    To determine the recent demographic data, risk factors and results of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening and treatment in Costa Rica. The medical records of all preterm infants meeting ROP screening criteria (≤34 weeks' gestational age (GA) or birth weight (BW) ≤1750g, and those determined at risk by neonatologists) in the national healthcare system, Costa Rica, January 2010-December 2014, were retrospectively reviewed. The numbers and percentages of infants with ROP, risk factors, percentage of patients treated and treatment outcomes were determined. Comparison is made with screening criteria and literature reports of ROP incidence in other countries. The study population included 3018 preterm infants. Overall, 585 patients (585/3018, 19.4%) were found to have ROP. Of these, 15.4% (90 patients) required laser treatment, and 53% of those requiring treatment had BW <1000g. Five babies requiring treatment were ≥32 weeks' GA but with BW ≤1750g. Aggressive posterior disease was found in nine patients, and two infants of those screened (2/3018, 0.07%) suffered severe visual impairment during the 5-year study period. We provide comprehensive data of ROP care in Costa Rica allowing assessment and comparison of screening criteria and protocol. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  11. Arcobacter Isolation from Minced Beef Samples in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Córdoba-Calderón, Oscar; Redondo-Solano, Mauricio; Castro-Arias, Eduardo; Arias-EchandI, María Laura

    2017-04-03

    The presence of Arcobacter spp. in minced meat (including beef) samples has been well documented in different countries, with varying frequencies. Nevertheless, the only Latin American country reporting this bacterium in minced beef samples is Mexico, with a 28.8% frequency in 2003. Previous studies in Costa Rica have demonstrated the presence of Arcobacter species in samples taken from the poultry production chain, but still there are no studies performed in bovine meat. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of this bacterium in 120 samples of minced beef acquired from the Central Valley region of Costa Rica and to describe the antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the isolates obtained. A total of 75 different Arcobacter strains were isolated from minced beef samples, for a final frequency of 48.3%. After species PCR identification, the strains were classified as A. butzleri (37.3%), A. cibarius (14.7%), A. thereius (12%), and Arcobacter spp. (36%). All samples were sensitive to gentamicin but were resistant to ampicillin, levofloxacin, nalidixic acid, and ciprofloxacin. The results obtained in this study show that the frequency of isolation of Arcobacter in minced beef samples is high and that there is a high resistance rate for antibiotics in common use. This suggests that Arcobacter represents a health risk for Costa Rica and that control measures should be developed to decrease its potential impact.

  12. Ecotourism and Interpretation in Costa Rica: Parallels and Peregrinations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Wayne E.

    1994-01-01

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

  13. Nicaraguan migration and the prevalence of adolescent childbearing in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Sintonen, Heidi; Bonilla-Carrión, Roger Enrique; Ashorn, Per

    2013-02-01

    This study describes the dynamics of adolescent childbearing of Nicaraguan-born and Costa Rican-born adolescents in Costa Rica and examines the association between socio-demographic factors and adolescent childbearing in the country. We studied Nicaraguan-born and Costa Rican adolescents using the data of the 2000 Census. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the association between country of origin and adolescent childbearing, while controlling for socio-demographic factors (age, education, union, urbanization and poverty). 26% of Nicaraguan-born migrants and 9.5% of Costa Ricans had given birth during adolescence. The migrants' increased odds of pregnancy decreased from 3.34 (CI 3.21, 3.48) to 1.88 (CI 1.79, 1.97) when controlling for socio-demographic factors. Age, low educational attainment, urban residence, poverty and union were all significant predictors of adolescent pregnancy. Nicaraguan-born status is associated with adolescent childbearing in Costa Rica. Further research is needed to understand what factors, other than socio-demographic indicators, contribute to the differing prevalence of adolescent childbearing in Costa Rica.

  14. Exploring why Costa Rica outperforms the United States in life expectancy: A tale of two inequality gradients.

    PubMed

    Rosero-Bixby, Luis; Dow, William H

    2016-02-02

    Mortality in the United States is 18% higher than in Costa Rica among adult men and 10% higher among middle-aged women, despite the several times higher income and health expenditures of the United States. This comparison simultaneously shows the potential for substantially lowering mortality in other middle-income countries and highlights the United States' poor health performance. The United States' underperformance is strongly linked to its much steeper socioeconomic (SES) gradients in health. Although the highest SES quartile in the United States has better mortality than the highest quartile in Costa Rica, US mortality in its lowest quartile is markedly worse than in Costa Rica's lowest quartile, providing powerful evidence that the US health inequality patterns are not inevitable. High SES-mortality gradients in the United States are apparent in all broad cause-of-death groups, but Costa Rica's overall mortality advantage can be explained largely by two causes of death: lung cancer and heart disease. Lung cancer mortality in the United States is four times higher among men and six times higher among women compared with Costa Rica. Mortality by heart disease is 54% and 12% higher in the United States than in Costa Rica for men and women, respectively. SES gradients for heart disease and diabetes mortality are also much steeper in the United States. These patterns may be partly explained by much steeper SES gradients in the United States compared with Costa Rica for behavioral and medical risk factors such as smoking, obesity, lack of health insurance, and uncontrolled dysglycemia and hypertension.

  15. Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli in Children from Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Pérez, Cristian; Gómez-Duarte, Oscar G.; Arias, María L.

    2010-01-01

    More than 5,000 diarrheal cases per year receive medical care at the National Children's Hospital of Costa Rica, and nearly 5% of them require hospitalization. A total of 173 Escherichia coli strains isolated from children with diarrhea were characterized at the molecular, serologic, and phenotypic level. Multiplex and duplex polymerase chain reactions were used to detect the six categories of diarrheagenic E. coli. Thirty percent (n = 52) of the strains were positive, indicating a high prevalence among the pediatric population. Enteropathogenic E. coli and enteroinvasive E. coli pathotypes were the most prevalent (21% and 19%, respectively). Pathogenic strains were distributed among the four E. coli phylogenetic groups A, B1, B2, and D, with groups A and B1 the most commonly found. This study used molecular typing to evaluate the prevalence of diarrheagenic E. coli reported in Costa Rica and demonstrated the importance of these pathotypes in the pediatric population. PMID:20682870

  16. Costa Rica Rainfall in Future Climate Change Scenarios

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2017-12-01

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

  17. Accelerations from the September 5, 2012 (Mw=7.6) Nicoya, Costa Rica Earthquake

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simila, G. W.; Quintero, R.; Burgoa, B.; Mohammadebrahim, E.; Segura, J.

    2013-05-01

    Since 1984, the Seismic Network of the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica, Universidad Nacional (OVSICORI-UNA) has been recording and registering the seismicity in Costa Rica. Before September 2012, the earthquakes registered by this seismic network in northwestern Costa Rica were moderate to small, except the Cóbano earthquake of March 25, 1990, 13:23, Mw 7.3, lat. 9.648, long. 84.913, depth 20 km; a subduction quake at the entrance of the Gulf of Nicoya and generated peak intensities in the range of MM = VIII near the epicentral area and VI-VII in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. Six years before the installation of the seismic network, OVSICORI-UNA registered two subduction earthquakes in northwestern Costa Rica, specifically on August 23, 1978, at 00:38:32 and 00:50:29 with magnitudes Mw 7.0 (HRVD), Ms 7.0 (ISC) and depths of 58 and 69 km, respectively (EHB Bulletin). On September 5, 2012, at 14:42:02.8 UTC, the seismic network OVSICORI-UNA registered another large subduction earthquake in Nicoya peninsula, northwestern Costa Rica, located 29 km south of Samara, with a depth of 21 km and magnitude Mw 7.6, lat. 9.6392, long. 85.6167. This earthquake was caused by the subduction of the Cocos plate under the Caribbean plate in northwestern Costa Rica. This earthquake was felt throughout the country and also in much of Nicaragua. The instrumental intensity map for the Nicoya earthquake indicates that the earthquake was felt with an intensity of VII-VIII in the Puntarenas and Nicoya Peninsulas, in an area between Liberia, Cañas, Puntarenas, Cabo Blanco, Carrillo, Garza, Sardinal, and Tamarindo in Guanacaste; Nicoya city being the place where the maximum reported intensity of VIII is most notable. An intensity of VIII indicates that damage estimates are moderate to severe, and intensity VII indicates that damage estimates are moderate. According to the National Emergency Commission of Costa Rica, 371 affected communities were reported; most

  18. [Fresh water macroinvertebrates of Costa Rica I].

    PubMed

    Springer, Monika; Ramirez, Alonso; Hanson, Paul

    2010-12-01

    This is the first in a series of three volumes on the freshwater macroinvertebrates of Costa Rica. The present volume includes an introductory chapter summarizing the major types of freshwater environments, the biology of freshwater macroinvertebrates (habitats, food, respiration, osmoregulation, etc.), ecological and economic importance, conservation and a synopis of the major groups, followed by a simplified key. The next two chapters discuss collecting methods and biomonitoring. These are followed by chapters on mayflies (Ephemeroptera: 10 families), dragonflies (Odonata: 13 families), stoneflies (Plecoptera: 1 family) and caddisflies (Trichoptera: 15 families). Both in this volume and in those to follow, the chapters treating individual taxa include a summary of the natural history, importance, taxonomy, collecting methods, morphology and an illustrated key to the families; each family is discussed separately and an illustrated key to genera is provided; each chapter ends with a bibliography and a table listing all the genera with information on number of species, distribution, habitat and tolerance to water pollution. While the emphasis is on families and genera known from Costa Rica, additional taxa occurring elsewhere in Central America are mentioned. The present volume also includes numerous color plates of aquatic macroinvertebrates.

  19. PM10 Concentration Estimates over Costa Rica using Chemical Transport Modeling Techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Briceno-Castillo, J. S.; Vidaurre, G.; Herrera, J.; Mora, R.; Rivera-fernandez, E. R.; Duran-Quesada, A. M.

    2016-12-01

    Aerosol pollution has become a major issue in Costa Rica because of the urban development that induces an increase in vehicle and industrial emissions. The Metropolitan area in Costa Rica is a valley ( 1,967 km2 area) with a population of 2.6 million. This area concentrates 60% of the country's total industry and 57% of its vehicle emissions. In addition, this area is impacted by biogenic emissions coming from national forests surround it and windblown dust from the Sahara Desert transported by the Trade winds. PM10 and other criteria pollutants have been measured in the past 12 years. However, those monitor stations are single points of observation and do not represent the spatial and temporal resolution that the Costa Rican national government requires for long term policy decisions and health effects assessments. This investigation uses the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry version 3.7 (WRF-Chem) to forecast PM10 concentration over Costa Rica in 2013. The temporal scales take into consideration the dry, rainy, and transition seasons of the country. The spatial domain was constructed with a master domain (27 km resolution) and multiple nested-domains (9, 3, and 1 km respectively) that include the total area of Costa Rica. The meteorology data bases for this model are from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Interim Reanalysis (Era-Interim; Dee et al. 2011). In addition, the chemical transport model uses emissions inventories from the PREP-CHEM-SRC tool, because of the lack of an appropriate national emission inventory for this investigation. The total average of PM10 observed at the metropolitan area of Costa Rica was 26±9 μgm-3 in 2013. According to the World Health Organization, this result exceeds the PM10 standard established in the air quality guidelines (WHO 2005). The final goal of this investigation is to evaluate the chemical transport simulations with ground-level measurements from more than 10

  20. Costa Rica: Background and U.S. Relations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-07-21

    downturn, however, threatens to erase these gains. President Arias has responded to the crisis with an ambitious fiscal stimulus and social protection... fiscal deficit,” Latin American Economy & Business, May 2009. Costa Rica: Background and U.S. Relations Congressional Research Service 4...stimulus and social protection plan known as Plan Escudo in February 2009. Among other provisions, the plan recapitalizes state banks, provides support to

  1. Case Study: Transgenic Crop Controversy in Costa Rica

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hague, Steve S.

    2009-01-01

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

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

    PubMed

    Ackerman, Sara L

    2010-10-01

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

  3. Tobacco industry success in Costa Rica: The importance of FCTC Article 5.3

    PubMed Central

    Crosbie, Eric; Sebrié, Ernesto M; Glantz, Stanton A

    2012-01-01

    Objective To analyze how the tobacco industry influenced tobacco control policymaking in Costa Rica. Materials and Methods Review of tobacco industry documents, tobacco control legislation, newspaper articles, and interviewing of key informants. Results During the mid-to-late 1980s, Health Ministry issued several advanced (for their time) smoking restriction decrees causing British American Tobacco (BAT) and Philip Morris International (PMI) to strengthen their political presence there, resulting in passage of a weak 1995 law, which, as of August 2011, remained in effect. Since 1995 the industry has used Costa Rica as a pilot site for Latin American programs and has dominated policymaking by influencing the Health Ministry, including direct private negotiations with the tobacco industry which violate Article 5.3’s implementing guidelines of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). Conclusions The Costa Rica experience demonstrates the importance of vigorous implementation of FCTC Article 5.3 which insulates public health policymaking from industry interference. PMID:22286826

  4. Tobacco industry success in Costa Rica: the importance of FCTC article 5.3.

    PubMed

    Crosbie, Eric; Sebrié, Ernesto M; Glantz, Stanton A

    2012-01-01

    To analyze how the tobacco industry influenced tobacco control policymaking in Costa Rica. Review of tobacco industry documents, tobacco control legislation, newspaper articles, and interviewing of key informants. During the mid-to-late 1980s, Health Ministry issued several advanced (for their time) smoking restriction decrees causing British American Tobacco (BAT) and Philip Morris International (PMI) to strengthen their political presence there, resulting in passage of a weak 1995 law, which, as of August 2011, remained in effect. Since 1995 the industry has used Costa Rica as a pilot site for Latin American programs and has dominated policymaking by influencing the Health Ministry, including direct private negotiations with the tobacco industry which violate Article 5.3's implementing guidelines of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). The Costa Rica experience demonstrates the importance of vigorous implementation of FCTC Article 5.3 which insulates public health policymaking from industry interference.

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

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

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

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

  6. US fossil fuel technologies for developing countries: Costa Rica country packet

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

    Not Available

    Costa Rica presents long-term opportunities for US participation in the power generation sector. A growing industrial base, high economic growth, and an increasing living standard will continue to require more reliable electric generation. Although the country has depended upon hydropower to meet much of its energy needs, coal could become a more reliable form of energy in the near term, based on estimated indigenous resources and proximity to food quality imports. Thus, trade opportunities exist for the United States, in the electric power sector, for the US advanced fossil fuel technologies and related services. This report describes the Costa Ricanmore » energy situation; examines the financial, economic, and trade issues; and discusses project opportunities in Costa Rica. Costa Rica appears to have a positive climate for trade and investment activities, stimulated by the Caribbean Basin Initiative. Although the economy has recently slowed, the economic outlook appears healthy. Application for membership in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade is pending. Due to an unexpectedly large growth in electricity demand, the Costa Rican utility Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad is evaluating the need for construction of a coal-fired power plant in the size range of 60 to 125 MW, with an in-service data of the mid-1990s. A decision is expected by the end of 1988 concerning the required size, source of coal, and timing of this coal-fired plant. Based on conditions in Costa Rica, US advanced fossil-fuel technologies were chosen for continued study in conjunction with the identified potential project opportunities. These technologies are the atmospheric fluidized bed combustor and coal-water mixtures. They could play a major role in meeting the utility expansion and/or industrial conversion opportunities summarized in Table I.1. The value of such projects could approximate US $160 million.« less

  7. [Determinants of health care utilization in Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Morera Salas, Melvin; Aparicio Llanos, Amada

    2010-01-01

    To analyze the determinants of health care utilization (visits to the doctor) in Costa Rica using an econometric approach. Data were drawn from the National Survey of Health for Costa Rica 2006. We modeled the Grossman approach to the demand for health services by using a standard negative binomial regression, and used a hurdle model for the principal-agent specification. The factors determining healthcare utilization were level of education, self-assessed health, number of declared chronic diseases and geographic region of residence. The number of outpatient visits to the doctor depends on the proxies for medical need, but we found no multivariate association between the use of outpatient visits and income or insurance status. This result suggests that there is no problem with access in the public - almost universal - Costa Rican health system. No conclusive results were obtained on the influence of the physician on the frequency of use of health care services, as postulated by the principal-agent model. Copyright © 2010 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  8. [A fish prey found in the coral snake Micrurus alleni (Serpentes: Elapidae) in Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Solórzano, Alejandro

    2005-01-01

    A fish prey found in the coral snake Micrurus alleni (Serpentes: Elapidae) in Costa Rica. The presence of a small specimen of the swamp eel Synbranchus marmoratus (84 mm total length) in the stomach contents of an adult coral snake Micrurus alleni with 692 mm total length from the Caribbean versant of Costa Rica is reported. This eel was swallowed headfirst.

  9. MEDISE: A macroeconomic model for energy planning in Costa Rica

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

    Booth, S.R.; Leiva, C.L.

    This report describes the development and results of MEDISE, an econometric macroeconomic model for energy planning in Costa Rica. The model is a simultaneous system of 19 equations that was constructed using ENERPLAN, an energy planning tool developed by the United Nations for use in developing countries. The equations were estimated using regression analysis on a data time series of 1966 to 1984. ENERPLAN's model solution package was used to obtain forecasts of 19 economic variables from 1985 to 2005. the modeling effort was conducted jointly by Los Alamos Central American Energy and Resources Project (CAP) personnel and the Energymore » Sector Directorate of Costa Rica during 1986. The CAP was funded by the US Agency for International Development. 6 refs., 3 figs., 11 tabs.« less

  10. New records of fishes at Isla del Coco, Costa Rica

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Garrison, V.H.

    1996-01-01

    Isla del Coco lies at 5 degrees 32'N latitude, 87 degrees 04'W longitude and is the sole peak of the Cocos Ridge exposed above sea level. This isolated island formed approximately 2 million years ago. It rises 575 m above the surface of the sea and covers 46 km2 (Castillo et aI., 1988). Five hundred km to the NNE is Costa Rica; 630 km SSW are the Galapagos Islands; 650 km to the E is Isla Malpelo, Colombia; and approximately 8,000 km W lie the Line Islands. Costa Rica claimed Isla del Coco in 1832 and declared it a National Park in 1978. The area of the park was increased to include the adjacent waters 5 km offshore in 1984 and 25 km offshore in 1991.

  11. Costa Rica: Background and U.S. Relations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-05-22

    downturn, however, threatens to erase these gains. President Arias has responded to the crisis with an ambitious fiscal stimulus and social protection...economic stimulus and social protection plan known as Plan Escudo in February 2009. Among other provisions, the plan recapitalizes state banks, provides...Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 into law (P.L. 109-364), a provision of which ended Article 98 sanctions on IMET funds.39 Costa Rica began

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lücke, O. H.; Linkimer, L.

    2013-12-01

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

  13. Canine Distemper Virus in Wild Felids of Costa Rica.

    PubMed

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

    2016-04-28

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

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

    PubMed

    Monge-Nájera, Julián; Ho, Yuh-Shan

    2012-12-01

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

  15. Four new species of Symmerista Hübner, 1816 (Notodontidae, Nystaleinae) from Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Chacón, Isidro A; Janzen, Daniel H; Hallwachs, Winnie

    2014-01-01

    The genus Symmerista Hübner (Notodontidae, Nystaleinae) is reviewed for Costa Rica, based on 49 wild-caught specimens. Four species are newly described: Symmerista luisdiegogomezi Chacón, Symmerista inbioi Chacón, Symmerista minaei Chacón and Symmerista aura Chacón. All are from the cloud forests of the Talamanca moutain range, southern Costa Rica. Photographs of the adults, male and female genitalia, and barcodes are also provided. The species Symmerista tlotzin Schaus (1892) is removed from Symmerista and assigned to the genus Elymiotis Walker as a new combination.

  16. Four new species of Symmerista Hübner, 1816 (Notodontidae, Nystaleinae) from Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Chacón, Isidro A.; Janzen, Daniel H.; Hallwachs, Winnie

    2014-01-01

    Abstract The genus Symmerista Hübner (Notodontidae, Nystaleinae) is reviewed for Costa Rica, based on 49 wild-caught specimens. Four species are newly described: Symmerista luisdiegogomezi Chacón, Symmerista inbioi Chacón, Symmerista minaei Chacón and Symmerista aura Chacón. All are from the cloud forests of the Talamanca moutain range, southern Costa Rica. Photographs of the adults, male and female genitalia, and barcodes are also provided. The species Symmerista tlotzin Schaus (1892) is removed from Symmerista and assigned to the genus Elymiotis Walker as a new combination. PMID:25061379

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

    PubMed

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

    1993-05-01

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

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

    PubMed

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

    2013-01-01

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

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Swiecki, Z.; Schwartz, S. Y.

    2010-12-01

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

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Linkimer, L.; Lücke, O. H.

    2014-12-01

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

  1. Economics of selected energy applications of peat in Panama and Costa Rica

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

    Thayer, G.R.; Ramirez E., O.; Ramirez, A.

    Studies were performed to determine the economic competitiveness of peat in Costa Rica and Panama. The cases examined were (1) electrical production in Panama, and (2) industrial boilers and cement plants in Costa Rica. Based on estimates of peat mining costs and the end-use costs we calculated for each application, the price of coal and oil at which the levelized life cycle cost of energy using peat was the same as that when coal or oil was used. We found that a peat-fueled power plant in Panama would be economic if the price of fuel oil was above $0.10 permore » liter and the cost of coal was above $40.00 per metric ton delivered. In Costa Rica, peat was competitive with fuel oil for large boilers (34,000 kg of steam per hour) when the cost of oil was above $0.10 per liter. For smaller boilers (5,000 kg of steam per hour) peat was cheaper than fuel oil when oil was above $0.08 per liter. Peat would be competitive in a cement plant when fuel oil prices were above $0.075 per liter. 5 figs.« less

  2. Conservation genetics of American crocodile, Crocodylus acutus, populations in Pacific Costa Rica

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mauger, Laurie A.; Velez, Elizabeth; Cherkiss, Michael S.; Brien, Matthew L.; Mazzotti, Frank J.; Spotila, James R.

    2017-01-01

    Maintaining genetic diversity is crucial for the survival and management of threatened and endangered species. In this study, we analyzed genetic diversity and population genetic structure at neutral loci in American crocodiles, Crocodylus acutus, from several areas (Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas, Parque Nacional Santa Rosa, Parque Nacional Palo Verde, Rio Tarcoles, and Osa Conservation Area) in Pacific Costa Rica. We genotyped 184 individuals at nine microsatellite loci to describe the genetic diversity and conservation genetics between and among populations. No population was at Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) over all loci tested and a small to moderate amount of inbreeding was present. Populations along the Pacific coast had an average heterozygosity of 0.572 across all loci. All populations were significantly differentiated from each other with both FST and RST measures of population differentiation with a greater degree of molecular variance (81%) found within populations. Our results suggest C. acutus populations in Pacific Costa Rica were not panmictic with moderate levels of genetic diversity. An effective management plan that maintains the connectivity between clusters is critical to the success of C. acutus in Pacific Costa Rica.

  3. Rewriting Citizenship? Civic Education in Costa Rica and Argentina

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suarez, David F.

    2008-01-01

    To what degree are nations "rewriting" citizenship by expanding discussions of human rights, diversity and cultural pluralism in modern civic education, and what explains variation between countries? This study addresses these issues by analysing the intended content of civic education in Costa Rica and Argentina. Over time, civic…

  4. 75 FR 13421 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; FAR Case 2008-036, Trade Agreements-Costa Rica, Oman, and Peru

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-19

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

  5. Ten new species of Daidalotarsonemus (Prostigmata: Tarsonemidae) from Costa Rica

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Ten new tarsonemid species of the genus Daidalotarsonemus found on native plants in Costa Rica are described herein: Daidalotarsonemus alas sp. n. Ochoa, Rezende & Lofego; Daidalotarsonemus azofeifai sp. n. Ochoa, Rezende & Lofego; Daidalotarsonemus bauchani sp. n. Rezende, Ochoa & Lofego; Daidalota...

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosabal-Coto, Guillermo

    2016-01-01

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

  7. Catalog of crater lakes from Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramirez, C. J.; Mora-Amador, R.; González, G.

    2010-12-01

    Costa Rica has a diversity of volcanic crater lakes that can be classified into two groups: hot and cold lakes. The country contains at least 5% of the world's hot lakes. Costa Rica has 2 hot hyperacidic lakes, both of them on active volcanoes, the Rincón de la Vieja (38.0°C, pH = 0 - 1) and the Poás Laguna Caliente (36.1°C - 56°C, pH = 0.55 - 0.74), nowadays the Poás hot lake is the most active crater lake in the world, with more than 200 eruptions only on 2010. One of the most studied cold crater lakes is Irazú (13°C, pH = 3.5), that used to contain bubbling and clear areas of upwelling involving CO2 liberation and subaqueous fumaroles with temperatures up to 50°C, but since 2005 the lake presents an important descend until April 2010 when it disappeared. On February 9, 2003, Irazú's lake underwent a drastic change of color, from clear green to mustard with reddish loops, similar to the color of the waters of Lake Nyos after the gas burst of August 1986. Other studied cold lakes include Botos, Chato, and Tenorio, all at the summit of Quaternary volcanoes as well as Barva and Danta, located in recent pyroclastic cones. Some cold lakes are located in Holocene maar-type explosion craters, among them are Congo, Bosque Alegre, Hule, and Río Cuarto. These last two have undergone repeated rapid reddish color changes over the last 10 years, in association with fish kills and the liberation of apparently sulfurous scents. On March 2010, University of Costa Rica was the host of the 7th Workshop on Volcanic Lakes, part of the Commission of Volcanic Lakes of the IAVCEI, 51 participants from 14 countries attended the workshop; they presented 27 talks and 17 posters, also they visited and sample 4 of the lakes mentioned above (Botos, Irazú, Río Cuarto and Hule). Level of Study: 1: few or no data, 2: regular, 3: acceptable

  8. Economic and public policy implications of energy pricing in Costa Rica

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

    Bourgoin, L.

    The methods used in examining the role of pricing in energy policy development may apply to many oil-importing countries with foreign exchange constraints. Data are developed by economic sectors on output plus on real factor inputs and factor wages for capital (by a perpetual inventory method), labor and useful energy (adjusted for efficiencies). A constant elasticity of substitution production model using 1965-1982 aggregate energy and nonenergy inputs is used to demonstrate the energy-economy linkages in Costa Rica. Estimates are from the best linear unbiased estimator and from the nonlinear system (structural form) of simultaneous equations jointly estimated by GLS multivariatemore » methods. The elasticity of substitution is 0.98 using only energy source costs and about 0.87-0.89 using energy system costs. The macroeconomic impacts of energy taxation or subsidization in Costa Rica for the range of likely values of the elasticity of substitution suggest that a small energy tax would result in a net national economic gain. Eight energy policy proposals demand management interventions and supply-side enhancements) are formulated for Costa Rica and qualified for five broad criteria according to their likelihood of success. These are chosen since they are believed to promote socioeconomic efficiency, to be politically feasible, and to be administratively implementable; the anticipated degree of popular acceptance and the size of the impact vary.« less

  9. Salmonella Isolates in the Introduced Asian House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) with Emphasis on Salmonella Weltevreden, in Two Regions in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Jiménez, Randall R; Barquero-Calvo, Elías; Abarca, Juan G; Porras, Laura P

    2015-09-01

    The Asian house gecko Hemidactylus frenatus has been widely introduced in Costa Rica and tends to establish in human settlements. Some studies in other invaded countries have suggested that this gecko plays a significant role in the epidemiology of salmonellosis and it is of value to public health. To our knowledge, no studies have examined Salmonella from this species in Costa Rica. Therefore, we collected 115 geckos from houses in two Costa Rican regions. We examined gut contents for Salmonella through microbiological analysis. Presumptive Salmonella spp. were sent to a reference laboratory for serotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Molecular typing was also conducted with the main Salmonella isolates of zoonotic relevance in Costa Rica. H. frenatus was found in 95% of the houses surveyed. Salmonella was isolated in 4.3% of the samples, and four zoonotic serovars were detected. None of the isolates were resistant to the antibiotics most frequently used for salmonellosis treatment in Costa Rica. All Salmonella isolates from the lower gut of H. frenatus are associated with human salmonellosis. Pulsotypes from Salmonella enterica serotype Weltevreden were identical to the only clone previously reported from human samples in Costa Rica. Molecular typing of Salmonella Weltevreden suggested that H. frenatus harbors a serovar of public health importance in Costa Rica. Results demonstrated that H. frenatus plays a role in the epidemiology of human salmonellosis in two regions of Costa Rica. However, more detailed epidemiological studies are needed to understand better the role of the Asian house gecko with human salmonellosis, especially caused by Salmonella Weltevreden, and to quantify its risk in Costa Rica accurately.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Medina, Stephanie Rae

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

  11. Electronic Invoice in Costa Rica: Challenges for Its Implementation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramírez-Jiménez, Juan José; De La O-Selva, Mario; Cortés-Morales, Roberto

    2016-01-01

    This paper discusses the current situation that Costa Rica faces around fiscal issues and high evasion rates. Using actors and multidimensional analysis, it proposes the electronic invoice as an e-government strategic solution that will close the gap around tax evasion and the government incomes. The success achieved by Brazil in this area…

  12. Molecular Characterization of Two Major Dengue Outbreaks in Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

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

    2016-01-01

    Dengue virus (DENV) (Flavivirus, Flaviviridae) is a reemerging arthropod-borne virus with a worldwide circulation, transmitted mainly by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Since the first detection of its main transmitting vector in 1992 and the invasion of DENV-1 in 1993, Costa Rica has faced dengue outbreaks yearly. In 2007 and 2013, Costa Rica experienced two of the largest outbreaks in terms of total and severe cases. To provide genetic information about the etiologic agents producing these outbreaks, we conducted phylogenetic analysis of viruses isolated from human samples. A total of 23 DENV-1 and DENV-2 sequences were characterized. These analyses signaled that DENV-1 genotype V and DENV-2 American/Asian genotype were circulating in those outbreaks. Our results suggest that the 2007 and 2013 outbreak viral strains of DENV-1 and DENV-2 originated from nearby countries and underwent in situ microevolution. PMID:27139442

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Mezerville, Gaston; And Others

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

  14. The putative guanine nucleotide exchange factor RicA mediates upstream signaling for growth and development in Aspergillus.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Nak-Jung; Park, Hee-Soo; Jung, Seunho; Kim, Sun Chang; Yu, Jae-Hyuk

    2012-11-01

    Heterotrimeric G proteins (G proteins) govern growth, development, and secondary metabolism in various fungi. Here, we characterized ricA, which encodes a putative GDP/GTP exchange factor for G proteins in the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans and the opportunistic human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. In both species, ricA mRNA accumulates during vegetative growth and early developmental phases, but it is not present in spores. The deletion of ricA results in severely impaired colony growth and the total (for A. nidulans) or near (for A. fumigatus) absence of asexual sporulation (conidiation). The overexpression (OE) of the A. fumigatus ricA gene (AfricA) restores growth and conidiation in the ΔAnricA mutant to some extent, indicating partial conservation of RicA function in Aspergillus. A series of double mutant analyses revealed that the removal of RgsA (an RGS protein of the GanB Gα subunit), but not sfgA, flbA, rgsB, or rgsC, restored vegetative growth and conidiation in ΔAnricA. Furthermore, we found that RicA can physically interact with GanB in yeast and in vitro. Moreover, the presence of two copies or OE of pkaA suppresses the profound defects caused by ΔAnricA, indicating that RicA-mediated growth and developmental signaling is primarily through GanB and PkaA in A. nidulans. Despite the lack of conidiation, brlA and vosA mRNAs accumulated to normal levels in the ΔricA mutant. In addition, mutants overexpressing fluG or brlA (OEfluG or OEbrlA) failed to restore development in the ΔAnricA mutant. These findings suggest that the commencement of asexual development requires unknown RicA-mediated signaling input in A. nidulans.

  15. The Putative Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor RicA Mediates Upstream Signaling for Growth and Development in Aspergillus

    PubMed Central

    Kwon, Nak-Jung; Park, Hee-Soo; Jung, Seunho; Kim, Sun Chang

    2012-01-01

    Heterotrimeric G proteins (G proteins) govern growth, development, and secondary metabolism in various fungi. Here, we characterized ricA, which encodes a putative GDP/GTP exchange factor for G proteins in the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans and the opportunistic human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. In both species, ricA mRNA accumulates during vegetative growth and early developmental phases, but it is not present in spores. The deletion of ricA results in severely impaired colony growth and the total (for A. nidulans) or near (for A. fumigatus) absence of asexual sporulation (conidiation). The overexpression (OE) of the A. fumigatus ricA gene (AfricA) restores growth and conidiation in the ΔAnricA mutant to some extent, indicating partial conservation of RicA function in Aspergillus. A series of double mutant analyses revealed that the removal of RgsA (an RGS protein of the GanB Gα subunit), but not sfgA, flbA, rgsB, or rgsC, restored vegetative growth and conidiation in ΔAnricA. Furthermore, we found that RicA can physically interact with GanB in yeast and in vitro. Moreover, the presence of two copies or OE of pkaA suppresses the profound defects caused by ΔAnricA, indicating that RicA-mediated growth and developmental signaling is primarily through GanB and PkaA in A. nidulans. Despite the lack of conidiation, brlA and vosA mRNAs accumulated to normal levels in the ΔricA mutant. In addition, mutants overexpressing fluG or brlA (OEfluG or OEbrlA) failed to restore development in the ΔAnricA mutant. These findings suggest that the commencement of asexual development requires unknown RicA-mediated signaling input in A. nidulans. PMID:23002107

  16. [Smoking tobacco in Costa Rica: susceptibility, consumption and dependence].

    PubMed

    Fonseca-Chaves, Sandra; Méndez-Muñoz, Jesús; Bejarano-Orozco, Julio; Guerrero-López, Carlos Manuel; Reynales-Shigematsu, Luz Myriam

    2017-01-01

    To identify factors associated with susceptibility, tobacco use and addiction in young people from 13 to 15 years of age, to determine conditions of risk and identify possible correlates to the development of public policies on smoking in Costa Rica. Information available from the four rounds of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) Costa Rica was used. It was based on a sample size of 11 540 youngsters from public and private schools. Indicators of interest and logistic regression models for smoking, susceptibility and addiction were estimated. The prevalence of current consumption shows a significant decrease over the 14 years of the study (17.3% in 1999 and 5.0% in 2013) and, to a lesser intensity, in the index of smoking susceptibility (19.3% in 1999 and 12.4% in 2013). The proportion of young people with addiction has shown a significant increase in the same period. The conditions that explained the significant reduction in smoking prevalence and less susceptibility must be maintained and deepened to achieve full compliance of the MPower measures.

  17. Willow Flycatcher nonbreeding territory defense behavior in Costa Rica

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sogge, M.K.; Koronkiewicz, T.J.; van Riper, Charles; Durst, S.L.

    2007-01-01

    We studied the intraspecific territorial defense behavior of wintering Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii) in Costa Rica using a randomized playback experiment that exposed male and female birds to recordings of Willow Flycatcher songs and calls, Lesser Ground Cuckoo (Morococcyx erythropygius) vocalizations, and random noise. Flycatchers of both sexes responded most strongly to simulated conspecific territory intrusion, and the agonistic behaviors that we observed were similar to those seen during natural intraspecific encounters in winter. Both males and females engaged in song and aggressive behaviors in defense of territories, and there was no significant difference between the sexes in scored agonistic responses. The similarity between the sexes in intraspecific territorial defense behaviors and aggressiveness may account for both sexes of flycatchers using the same habitats at our study sites in Costa Rica, and wintering females defending territories against males. The Willow Flycatcher, a sexually monomorphic species, differs in this way from a number of sexually dimorphic passerines, in which behaviorally dominant males occur in more optimal winter habitats. ?? The Cooper Ornithological Society 2007.

  18. Status and conservation of coral reefs in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

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

    2010-05-01

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

  19. Brucellosis in mammals of Costa Rica: An epidemiological survey

    PubMed Central

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

    2017-01-01

    Brucellosis has been an endemic disease of cattle and humans in Costa Rica since the beginning of XX century. However, brucellosis in sheep, goats, pigs, water buffaloes, horses and cetaceans, has not been reported in the country. We have performed a brucellosis survey in these host mammal species, from 1999–2016. In addition, we have documented the number of human brucellosis reported cases, from 2003–2016. The brucellosis seroprevalence in goat and sheep herds was 0.98% and 0.7% respectively, with no Brucella isolation. Antibodies against Brucella were not detected in feral or domestic pigs. Likewise, brucellosis seroprevalence in horse and water buffalo farms was estimated in 6.5% and 21.7%, respectively, with no Brucella isolation. Six cetacean species showed positive reactions against Brucella antigens, and B. ceti was isolated in 70% (n = 29) of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba). A steady increase in the diagnosis of human brucellosis cases was observed. Taking into account the prevalence of brucellosis in the various host mammals of Costa Rica, different measures are recommended. PMID:28793352

  20. Brucellosis in mammals of Costa Rica: An epidemiological survey.

    PubMed

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

    2017-01-01

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

  1. Undeserving mothers? Shifting rationalities in the maternal healthcare of undocumented Nicaraguan migrants in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Dos Santos, Sara Leon Spesny

    2015-01-01

    The case of Nicaraguan migrants in Costa Rica is emblematic of the issues that immigration generates in host countries. Undocumented Nicaraguan women seeking maternal care constitute a key challenge to the universal coverage of Costa Rica's health system. Can the long-standing commitment to universality, solidarity and equality expressed in the legislation be translated into practice? Discourses of health professionals in Costa Rica reveal a contradiction between merit and prejudice in prenatal and delivery care. Here, I present qualitative research based on semi-structured interviews with physicians and nurses at a Costa Rican National Hospital. The data show that migrant women, rejected from primary care, do find help in emergency services, but not without difficulties, as they must engage in individual negotiations centred on their bodies. The discourses of health providers reflect an ambivalence between the perceived undeservingness of undocumented migrant women and the medical realisation that two lives are at risk. While the foetus often evokes compassion, the mother commonly provokes repression, as specific and shifting rationalities reflect new moral regimes that are applied to this population. Women are perceived as being 'illegal', 'immoral' and 'irrational', and the baby, although legally Costa Rican due to jus solis policy, embodies 'the other'. Ultimately, otherness frames perceptions of deservingness of maternal care for undocumented migrant women in Costa Rica.

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, David D.; Eiserman, William D.

    1997-01-01

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

  3. Molecular Characterization of Two Major Dengue Outbreaks in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

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

    2016-07-06

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

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

    PubMed

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

    2015-10-01

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

  5. First report of Phakopsora pachyrhizi on soybean in Costa Rica

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    American soybean rust, caused by Phakopsora meibomiae, has been reported to occur in several legume species in the tropical regions of Central and South America. In Costa Rica, this pathogen was initially reported as P. pachyrhizi; however, to our knowledge P. pachyrhizi has not been detected in the...

  6. Environmental Education for Democracy and Social Justice in Costa Rica

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Locke, Steven

    2009-01-01

    This study focused on how democratic values and citizenship education are promoted through environmental education in Costa Rica. Data were collected through the examination of textbook and curriculum guides and interviews with classroom teachers. The qualitative study utilized Bowers' (2001) and Gruenewald's (2003) theories of eco-justice and…

  7. The genus Neotherina Dognin (Geometridae, Ennominae) in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Sullivan, J Bolling; Chacón, Isidro

    2011-01-01

    So far, two species of Neotherina Dognin have been recorded in Costa Rica. Neotherina imperilla (Dognin) occurs primarily at altitudes between 1100 and 1700 meters and Neotherina callas (Druce) which is widely distributed above 1100 meters. A third, new species, Neotherina xanthosa Sullivan and Chacón is described from altitudes above 2400 meters. Heterogeneity of the genus is discussed.

  8. The genus Neotherina Dognin (Geometridae, Ennominae) in Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Sullivan, J. Bolling; Chacón, Isidro

    2011-01-01

    Abstract So far, two species of Neotherina Dognin have been recorded in Costa Rica. Neotherina imperilla (Dognin) occurs primarily at altitudes between 1100 and 1700 meters and Neotherina callas (Druce) which is widely distributed above 1100 meters. A third, new species, Neotherina xanthosa Sullivan and Chacón is described from altitudes above 2400 meters. Heterogeneity of the genus is discussed. PMID:22207793

  9. Exploring why Costa Rica outperforms the United States in life expectancy: A tale of two inequality gradients

    PubMed Central

    Rosero-Bixby, Luis; Dow, William H.

    2016-01-01

    Mortality in the United States is 18% higher than in Costa Rica among adult men and 10% higher among middle-aged women, despite the several times higher income and health expenditures of the United States. This comparison simultaneously shows the potential for substantially lowering mortality in other middle-income countries and highlights the United States’ poor health performance. The United States’ underperformance is strongly linked to its much steeper socioeconomic (SES) gradients in health. Although the highest SES quartile in the United States has better mortality than the highest quartile in Costa Rica, US mortality in its lowest quartile is markedly worse than in Costa Rica’s lowest quartile, providing powerful evidence that the US health inequality patterns are not inevitable. High SES-mortality gradients in the United States are apparent in all broad cause-of-death groups, but Costa Rica’s overall mortality advantage can be explained largely by two causes of death: lung cancer and heart disease. Lung cancer mortality in the United States is four times higher among men and six times higher among women compared with Costa Rica. Mortality by heart disease is 54% and 12% higher in the United States than in Costa Rica for men and women, respectively. SES gradients for heart disease and diabetes mortality are also much steeper in the United States. These patterns may be partly explained by much steeper SES gradients in the United States compared with Costa Rica for behavioral and medical risk factors such as smoking, obesity, lack of health insurance, and uncontrolled dysglycemia and hypertension. PMID:26729886

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

    PubMed

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

    2013-07-02

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

  11. Stable isotopes evidence of recycled subduction fluids in the hydrothermal/volcanic activity across Nicaragua and Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramírez-Leiva, A.; Sánchez-Murillo, R.; Martínez-Cruz, M.; Calderón, H.; Esquivel-Hernández, G.; Delgado, V.; Birkel, C.; Gazel, E.; Alvarado, G. E.; Soulsby, C.

    2017-10-01

    The Central America volcanic front provides a unique opportunity to study hydrothermal inputs and their interaction and mixing with modern meteoric waters. The objectives of this study were to: a) characterize the isotopic composition (δ18O, δ2H, d-excess, and lc-excess) of hydrothermal/volcanic systems, b) analyze the influence of kinetic fractionation and meteoric water inputs in the isotopic composition of hydrothermal waters, and c) estimate the 'andesitic water' contribution (recycled subduction fluids) within the volcanic front of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Hydrothermal evaporation lines are described as: δ2H = 4.7·δ18O - 13.0 (Costa Rica) and δ2H = 2.7·δ18O - 31.6 (Nicaragua). These regressions are significantly (p < 0.001) deviated from their respective meteoric water lines: δ2H = 7.6·δ18O + 7.4 (Costa Rica) and δ2H = 7.4·δ18O + 5.2 (Nicaragua). The greater rainfall inputs in Costa Rica with respect to Nicaragua, resulted in the attenuation of the evaporative effect as observed in the strong bimodal distribution of the hydrothermal waters, which can be divided in fluids: a) isotopically-close to meteoric conditions and b) isotopically-altered by the interaction with recycled subduction fluids and kinetic fractionation. The latter is clearly depicted in the significantly (p < 0.001) low d-excess and lc-excess median values between Costa Rica (+ 5.10‰, - 5.25‰) and Nicaragua (- 2.42‰, - 10.65‰), respectively. Poor correlations between δ18O/δ2H and the elevation gradient emphasize that the contribution of recycled subduction fluids and subsequent surface kinetic fractionation are the main drivers of the isotopic departure from the orographic distillation trend captured in the rainfall isoscapes. End-member mixing calculations resulted in a significant difference (p < 0.001) between the mean 'andesitic water' contribution to the hydrothermal systems of 15.3 ± 10.8 (%, ± 1σ) (Nicaragua) and 19.7 ± 10.3 (%, ± 1σ) (Costa Rica). The

  12. Sustainable Development in Costa Rica: An Approach to the Geography Curriculum.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mimbs, Judith; Heffington, Douglas

    1999-01-01

    Explores how the tools of geography can help meet some of the challenges inherent in sustainable development by looking at changes in land-use patterns among the Bribri Indians of Costa Rica. Includes a geography lesson on comparing regions and environmental issues. (CMK)

  13. Education in Costa Rica. Reviews of National Policies for Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    OECD Publishing, 2017

    2017-01-01

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

  14. Empowering Women through Photovoice: Women of La Carpio, Costa Rica

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morgan, Mary Y.; Vardell, Rosemarie; Lower, Joanna K.; Kinter-Duffy, Ibarra, Laura C.; Victoria L.; Cecil-Dyrkacz, Joy E.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of the project was to allow participants to document, critique, and change their family and community conditions through photographs and stories of their everyday lives. This study used photovoice, a participatory action research methodology, with 7 women from La Carpio, Costa Rica. The women were given cameras and asked to photograph…

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2013-01-01

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

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

    PubMed

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

    2013-01-01

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

  17. Newly discovered natural hosts of tomato chlorosis virus in Costa Rica

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) is an emerging whitefly-transmitted crinivirus. ToCV was detected in field-grown and greenhouse tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants in Costa Rica in 2007, causing symptoms of severe yellowing and foliar chlorosis. To identify alternative hosts that may serve as viru...

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2015-01-01

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

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

    PubMed

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

    2015-01-01

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

  20. A new species of Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae) from Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Anastrepha woodi, new species, is described and illustrated based on specimens from Colombia and Costa Rica. It is compared with A. loewi Stone, the most similar species, which is also redescribed....

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sims, Laura; Sinclair, A. John

    2008-01-01

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

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2013-01-01

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

  3. RICA: a reliable and image configurable arena for cyborg bumblebee based on CAN bus.

    PubMed

    Gong, Fan; Zheng, Nenggan; Xue, Lei; Xu, Kedi; Zheng, Xiaoxiang

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we designed a reliable and image configurable flight arena, RICA, for developing cyborg bumblebees. To meet the spatial and temporal requirements of bumblebees, the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus is adopted to interconnect the LED display modules to ensure the reliability and real-time performance of the arena system. Easily-configurable interfaces on a desktop computer implemented by python scripts are provided to transmit the visual patterns to the LED distributor online and configure RICA dynamically. The new arena system will be a power tool to investigate the quantitative relationship between the visual inputs and induced flight behaviors and also will be helpful to the visual-motor research in other related fields.

  4. Environmental Education in Costa Rica: Building a Framework for Sustainable Development?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blum, Nicole

    2008-01-01

    Environmental education is commonly claimed to be at the centre of efforts to achieve sustainable development. Since the 1980s, Costa Rica has been one of the acknowledged leaders in efforts to promote environmental learning, and national policy includes a three-fold national development strategy which simultaneously promotes education,…

  5. [Organochlorine pesticide residues in human adipose tissue in Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Barquero, M; Constenla, M A

    1986-06-01

    Organochlorine pesticide residues were found in 82 samples of human adipose material from 82 surgical cases in 16 Costa Rica hospitals. Identification was made by gas-liquid chromatography. The highest pesticide concentration was that of DDT and its metabolites (33.16 micrograms/g). Residues of almost all commercial pesticides were also found. Concentrations of alpha-chlordane. Aldrin and Polychlorinated biphenyls were not significant.

  6. TELEMEDICINA: UN DESAFÍO PARA AMÉRICA LATINA

    PubMed Central

    Litewka, Sergio

    2011-01-01

    La telemedicina es una tendencia creciente en la prestación de los servicios médicos. Aunque la eficacia de esta práctica no ha estado bien establecida, es probable que los países en desarrollo compartirán este nuevo paradigma con los desarrollados. Los defensores de la telemedicina en América Latina sostienen que será una herramienta útil para reducir las disparidades y mejorar la accesibilidad de atención de salud. Aunque América Latina quizá se convierta en un lugar para la investigación e investigación de estos procedimientos, no está claro cómo la telemedicina podría contribuir a mejorar la accesibilidad para las poblaciones desfavorecidas, o coexistir con sistemas de atención de salud públicos crónicamente enfermos. Telemedicine is a growing trend in the provision of medical services. Although the effectiveness of this practice has not been well established, it is likely that developing countries will share this new paradigm with developed ones. Supporters of telemedicine in Latin America maintain that it will be a useful tool for reducing disparities and improving health care accessibility. Although Latin America might become a place for research and investigation of these procedures, it is not clear how telemedicine could contribute to improving accessibility for disadvantaged populations, or coexist with chronically ill-funded public healthcare systems. PMID:21625326

  7. TELEMEDICINA: UN DESAFÍO PARA AMÉRICA LATINA.

    PubMed

    Litewka, Sergio

    2005-01-01

    La telemedicina es una tendencia creciente en la prestación de los servicios médicos. Aunque la eficacia de esta práctica no ha estado bien establecida, es probable que los países en desarrollo compartirán este nuevo paradigma con los desarrollados. Los defensores de la telemedicina en América Latina sostienen que será una herramienta útil para reducir las disparidades y mejorar la accesibilidad de atención de salud. Aunque América Latina quizá se convierta en un lugar para la investigación e investigación de estos procedimientos, no está claro cómo la telemedicina podría contribuir a mejorar la accesibilidad para las poblaciones desfavorecidas, o coexistir con sistemas de atención de salud públicos crónicamente enfermos.Telemedicine is a growing trend in the provision of medical services. Although the effectiveness of this practice has not been well established, it is likely that developing countries will share this new paradigm with developed ones. Supporters of telemedicine in Latin America maintain that it will be a useful tool for reducing disparities and improving health care accessibility. Although Latin America might become a place for research and investigation of these procedures, it is not clear how telemedicine could contribute to improving accessibility for disadvantaged populations, or coexist with chronically ill-funded public healthcare systems.

  8. Forests of hope: Costa Rica. Restoring hope in the clouds.

    PubMed

    Bowen, L

    1996-01-01

    The rapid population growth in Central America has created pressure on the largest tract of cloud forest spanning the Talamanca Mountains in Costa Rica and Panama. Of immediate concern is restoring hope in the forest and improving the standard of living among local people. Such is the goal of the Amistad Conservation and Development (AMISCONDE) project in the communities of Cerro Punta, Panama, and San Rafael in Costa Rica. Through agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, environmental education, and community development, AMISCONDE aims to restore the degraded lands in the reserve's buffer zone and improve the income of the people. All the local people, the farmers, women and children have benefited from the project. Some of the activities carried out to meet its objectives include helping the farmers improve the productivity and marketability of their products by teaching them new technologies and giving agricultural credits to farmers, women, and youth groups. In addition, AMISCONDE conducts training courses to address the economic, social and educational needs of women and communities. It is assured that the community and the group will be prepared to continue on their own after the official AMISCONDE office is gone.

  9. First report of Tomato chlorosis virus infecting sweet pepper in Costa Rica

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    In September 2008, a survey of whiteflies and whitefly-borne viruses was performed in greenhouses in the province of Cartago, Costa Rica. During this survey, sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum cv. Nataly) plants showing interveinal chlorosis, enations, necrosis, and mild upward leaf curling were observed...

  10. Human Rabies: A Reemerging Disease in Costa Rica?

    PubMed Central

    Pérez-Herra, Victor; Quirós, Ligia; Morice, Ana; Jiménez, Edwin; Sáenz, Elizabeth; Salazar, Fernando; Fernández, Rodrigo; Orciari, Lillian; Yager, Pamela; Whitfield, Sylvia; Rupprecht, Charles E.

    2003-01-01

    Two human rabies cases caused by a bat-associated virus variant were identified in September 2001 in Costa Rica, after a 31-year absence of the disease in persons. Both patients lived in a rural area where cattle had a high risk for bat bites, but neither person had a definitive history of being bitten by a rabid animal. Characterization of the rabies viruses from the patients showed that the reservoir was the hematophagous Vampire Bat, Desmodus rotundus, and that a sick cat was the vector. PMID:12781014

  11. A mineral reconnaissance sampling manual for Costa Rica: Central American energy and resoure project. Manual para muestreo en el reconocimiento mineral de Costa Rica: Proyecto Centroamericano de energia y recursos naturales (in English and Spanish)

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

    Bolivar, S.

    This manual describes field procedures for the collection of stream-sediment and rock samples as part of the Mineral Resource Assessment of Costa Rica. It provides guidelines to be followed by personnel collecting, treating, or otherwise handling samples taken as part of this program. The objectives of the manual are to ensure that all samples are collected uniformly and consistent techniques are employed throughout the program. If this is done, the data from this study can be used to identify areas with potential for mineralization. This manual can also be used as a guideline for future geochemical sampling programs in Costamore » Rica.« less

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

    PubMed

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

    2014-10-01

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

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2007-05-01

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

  14. Influencia atmosférica en la rotación terrestre

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fernández, L. I.; Arias, E. F.; Brunini, C. A.

    Las observaciones de los parámetros de la orientación terrestre han alcanzado en estos últimos años una exactitud sin precedentes gracias al uso de modernas técnicas de geodesia espacial. Estudios previos han establecido que las variaciones en la rotación terrestre con períodos iguales o menores que dos años obedecen a cambios en la circulación atmosférica global. Para estos períodos puede comprobarse que existe un gran acuerdo entre las fluctuaciones de la longitud del día (LOD) y los cambios del momento angular atmosférico terrestre (AAM). Sin embargo, no existe un acuerdo general acerca de las causas que provocan las variaciones de largo período de la rotación de la Tierra, también conocidas como ``variaciones decenales''. En nuestro análisis examinamos las correlaciones entre las variaciones de los valores de LOD y las fluctuaciones en la componente polar del momento angular atmosférico terrestre. Con este propósito utilizamos los siguientes juegos de datos: las series de AAM, estimado siguiendo la definición de Barnes et al.(1983) para 2825 días provientes del National Meteorological Center (NMC) y del European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF); y las series de LOD que contienen valores alisados espaciados a intervalos de un día elaborados por el International Earth Rotation Service (IERS). Mostraremos que para los cambios anuales e interanuales en la rotación de la Tierra la influencia atmosférica es asombrosa, mientras que, tanto en las escalas temporales más grandes y como en las más pequeñas, ambas series, geodésica y atmosférica, parecen diverger aún cuando poseemos observaciones obtenidas con las técnicas más modernas al presente.

  15. Amphibious Local Seismic Observations by SFB 574 in Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gossler, J.; Arroyo, I.; Flueh, E. F.; Goltz, C.; Wagner, G.; Boschini, I.; Mora, M.

    2004-12-01

    The goal of the SFB 574 ''Volatiles and Fluids in Subduction Zones'' subproject A2 is to study the seismogenic zone of Costa Rica and Nicaragua as examples of an erosive margin and to better understand its local variability. In 2002/2003 we studied the seismogenic zone in two adjacent areas of Costa Rica. One of the areas is characterised by the subduction of a seamount, the other one contains a megalens structure, which had been inferred from reflection seismic data before and which is interpreted to indicate a possible mechanism for mass transfer from the upper to the lower plate. 23 ocean bottom sensors from IFM-GEOMAR and 15 landstations from the GFZ Potsdam were deployed in the coastal Pacific region of central Costa Rica near Jaco in April 2002. The network was moved south-east towards Quepos in October 2002 and operated until spring 2003. 1,968 earthquakes between April and October 2002 could be located by the Jaco network. Most of the earthquakes took place offshore beneath the continental margin close to or beneath the network. The hypocenter determination of these events using the on- and offshore parts of the network delivers very precise earthquake locations, because the network covers the source region very well. Another region of high seismic activity is located southeast of the network, where a magnitude 6.3 earthquake took place on June 16, 2002, followed by several hundred aftershocks. Ongoing studies focus especially on the updip limit of these events. From the Quepos network 1,241 earthquakes between October and December 2002 have been located, so far. In a pilot study focal mechanism of 13 earthquakes with clear polarities had been determined using the Jaco onshore network only. Except for two earthquakes these events were shallow and took place in the continental wedge. The orientations of their focal planes coincides well with the geological fault system of the Jaco area. Ongoing work focuses on slab related earthquakes.

  16. Aseismic Slip Throughout the Earthquake Cycle in Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Voss, N. K.; Liu, Z.; Hobbs, T. E.; Schwartz, S. Y.; Malservisi, R.; Dixon, T. H.; Protti, M.

    2017-12-01

    Geodetically resolved Slow Slip Events (SSE), a large M7.6 earthquake, and afterslip have all been documented in the last 16 years of observation in Nicoya, Costa Rica. We present a synthesis of the observations of observed aseismic slip behavior. SSEs in Nicoya are observed both during the late inter-seismic period and the post-seismic period, despite ongoing post-seismic phenomena. While recurrence rates appear unchanged by position within earthquake cycle, SSE behavior does vary before and after the event. We discuss how afterslip may be responsible for this change in behavior. We also present observations of a pre-earthquake transient observed starting 6 months prior to the M7.6 megathrust earthquake. This earthquake takes place within an asperity that is surrounded by regions which previously underwent slow slip behavior. We compare how this pre-earthquake transient, modeled as aseismic slip, differs from observations of typical Nicoya SSEs. Finally, we attempt to explain the segmentation of behaviors in Costa Rica with a simple frictional model.

  17. Genetic diversity in Oryza glumaepatula wild rice populations in Costa Rica and possible gene flow from O. sativa.

    PubMed

    Fuchs, Eric J; Meneses Martínez, Allan; Calvo, Amanda; Muñoz, Melania; Arrieta-Espinoza, Griselda

    2016-01-01

    Wild crop relatives are an important source of genetic diversity for crop improvement. Diversity estimates are generally lacking for many wild crop relatives. The objective of the present study was to analyze how genetic diversity is distributed within and among populations of the wild rice species Oryza glumaepatula in Costa Rica. We also evaluated the likelihood of gene flow between wild and commercial rice species because the latter is commonly sympatric with wild rice populations. Introgression may change wild species by incorporating alleles from domesticated species, increasing the risk of losing original variation. Specimens from all known O. glumaepatula populations in Costa Rica were analyzed with 444 AFLP markers to characterize genetic diversity and structure. We also compared genetic diversity estimates between O. glumaepatula specimens and O. sativa commercial rice. Our results showed that O. glumaepatula populations in Costa Rica have moderately high levels of genetic diversity, comparable to those found in South American populations. Despite the restricted distribution of this species in Costa Rica, populations are fairly large, reducing the effects of drift on genetic diversity. We found a dismissible but significant structure (θ = 0.02 ± 0.001) among populations. A Bayesian structure analysis suggested that some individuals share a significant proportion of their genomes with O. sativa. These results suggest that gene flow from cultivated O. sativa populations may have occurred in the recent past. These results expose an important biohazard: recurrent hybridization may reduce the genetic diversity of this wild rice species. Introgression may transfer commercial traits into O. glumaepatula, which in turn could alter genetic diversity and increase the likelihood of local extinction. These results have important implications for in situ conservation strategies of the only wild populations of O. glumaepatula in Costa Rica.

  18. Genetic diversity in Oryza glumaepatula wild rice populations in Costa Rica and possible gene flow from O. sativa

    PubMed Central

    Meneses Martínez, Allan; Calvo, Amanda; Muñoz, Melania

    2016-01-01

    Wild crop relatives are an important source of genetic diversity for crop improvement. Diversity estimates are generally lacking for many wild crop relatives. The objective of the present study was to analyze how genetic diversity is distributed within and among populations of the wild rice species Oryza glumaepatula in Costa Rica. We also evaluated the likelihood of gene flow between wild and commercial rice species because the latter is commonly sympatric with wild rice populations. Introgression may change wild species by incorporating alleles from domesticated species, increasing the risk of losing original variation. Specimens from all known O. glumaepatula populations in Costa Rica were analyzed with 444 AFLP markers to characterize genetic diversity and structure. We also compared genetic diversity estimates between O. glumaepatula specimens and O. sativa commercial rice. Our results showed that O. glumaepatula populations in Costa Rica have moderately high levels of genetic diversity, comparable to those found in South American populations. Despite the restricted distribution of this species in Costa Rica, populations are fairly large, reducing the effects of drift on genetic diversity. We found a dismissible but significant structure (θ = 0.02 ± 0.001) among populations. A Bayesian structure analysis suggested that some individuals share a significant proportion of their genomes with O. sativa. These results suggest that gene flow from cultivated O. sativa populations may have occurred in the recent past. These results expose an important biohazard: recurrent hybridization may reduce the genetic diversity of this wild rice species. Introgression may transfer commercial traits into O. glumaepatula, which in turn could alter genetic diversity and increase the likelihood of local extinction. These results have important implications for in situ conservation strategies of the only wild populations of O. glumaepatula in Costa Rica. PMID:27077002

  19. Middle to Late Miocene Contractional Deformation in Costa Rica Triggered by Plate Geodynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mescua, José Francisco; Porras, Hernán.; Durán, Patrick; Giambiagi, Laura; de Moor, Maarten; Cascante, Monserrat; Salazar, Esteban; Protti, Marino; Poblete, Fernando

    2017-12-01

    Contractional deformation in Costa Rica is usually attributed to the subduction of the aseismic Cocos Ridge. In this work, we review the evidences for contraction in the middle to late Miocene, prior to the arrival of the Cocos Ridge at the Middle America Trench. We find that the Miocene phase of contractional deformation is found in all of Costa Rica, probably extending to Nicaragua as well. The widespread distribution of this event requires a regional or plate geodynamic trigger. We analyze the possible mechanisms that could produce the onset of contractional deformation, using the better known case of subduction orogeny, the Andes, as an analog. We propose that a change in the direction of the Cocos plate since ˜19 Ma led to a change from oblique to orthogonal convergence, producing contractional deformation of the upper plate.

  20. Educational Leadership for Social Justice in Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Silva, Patricia; Slater, Charles L.; Lopez Gorosave, Gema; Cerdas, Victoria; Torres, Nancy; Antunez, Serafin; Briceno, Fernando

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of school leaders to provide social justice in three contexts: Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative study was conducted under the interpretative tradition characterized by a search for an understanding of the social world from the point of view of a…

  1. A new isidiate species of Arthonia (Ascomycota: Arthoniaceae) from Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Grube, Martin; Lücking, Robert; Umaña-Tenorio, Loengrin

    2004-01-01

    The new corticolous species Arthonia isidiata is described from the Pacific lowlands of Costa Rica. A. isidiata is characterized by minute, cylindrical to coralloid isidia produced on the thallus surface. The species currently is known only from the type locality in Corcovado National Park, where it occurs abundantly in the coastal rainforest around Sirena Biological Station.

  2. Wood anatomy of Pleodendron costaricense (Canellaceae) from Southern Pacific, Costa Rica

    Treesearch

    Roger Moya Roque; Manuel Morales Salazar; Michael C. Wiemann; Luis Poveda Alvarez

    2007-01-01

    Pleodendron costaricense N. Zamora, Hammel & R. Aguilar (Canellaceae) is an endemic species from the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica. It is rare and is considered to be a living fossil. The wood of P. costaricense has high density (0.92 Kg/cm3, air dry) with little distinction between heartwood and sapwood. The growth rings are marked...

  3. Bacteria of the genus Rickettsia in ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) collected from birds in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Ogrzewalska, Maria; Literák, Ivan; Capek, Miroslav; Sychra, Oldřich; Calderón, Víctor Álvarez; Rodríguez, Bernardo Calvo; Prudencio, Carlos; Martins, Thiago F; Labruna, Marcelo B

    2015-06-01

    The aim of this study was to document the presence of Rickettsia spp. in ticks parasitizing wild birds in Costa Rica. Birds were trapped at seven locations in Costa Rica during 2004, 2009, and 2010; then visually examined for the presence of ticks. Ticks were identified, and part of them was tested individually for the presence of Rickettsia spp. by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers targeting fragments of the rickettsial genes gltA and ompA. PCR products were DNA-sequenced and analyzed in BLAST to determine similarities with previously reported rickettsial agents. A total of 1878 birds were examined, from which 163 birds (9%) were infested with 388 ticks of the genera Amblyomma and Ixodes. The following Amblyomma (in decreasing order of abundance) were found in immature stages (larvae and nymphs): Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma calcaratum, Amblyomma coelebs, Amblyomma sabanerae, Amblyomma varium, Amblyomma maculatum, and Amblyomma ovale. Ixodes ticks were represented by Ixodes minor and two unclassified species, designated here as Ixodes sp. genotype I, and Ixodes sp. genotype II. Twelve of 24 tested A. longirostre ticks were found to be infected with 'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii', and 2 of 4 A. sabanerae were found to be infected with Rickettsia bellii. Eight of 10 larval Ixodes minor were infected with an endosymbiont (a novel Rickettsia sp. agent) genetically related to the Ixodes scapularis endosymbiont. No rickettsial DNA was found in A. calcaratum, A. coelebs, A. maculatum, A. ovale, A. varium, Ixodes sp. I, and Ixodes sp. II. We report the occurrence of I. minor in Costa Rica for the first time and a number of new bird host-tick associations. Moreover, 'Candidatus R. amblyommii' and R. bellii were found in A. longirostre and A. sabanerae, respectively, in Costa Rica for the first time. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  4. Understanding key drivers controlling daily stable isotope variations in precipitation of Costa Rica, Central America

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sanchez-Murillo, Ricardo; Welsh, Kristin; Birkel, Christian; Esquivel-Hernández, Germain; Corrales-Salazar, Jose; Boll, Jan; Brooks, Erin; Roupsard, Olivier; Katchan, Irina; Arce-Mesén, Rafael; Soulsby, Chris; Araguás-Araguás, Luis

    2015-04-01

    Costa Rica is located on the Central American Isthmus, which receives direct moisture inputs from the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The relatively narrow, but high relief Central American land bridge is characterized by unique mountainous and lowland microclimates. However, only limited knowledge exists about the impact of relief and regional atmospheric circulation patterns on precipitation origin, transport, and isotopic composition in this tropical region. Therefore, the main scope of this study is to identify the key drivers controlling variations in meteoric waters of Costa Rica using stable isotopes based on daily sample collection for the year 2013. The monitoring sites comprise three strategic locations across Costa Rica: Heredia (Central Valley), Turrialba (Caribbean slope), and Caño Seco (South Pacific slope). Sporadic dry season rain is mostly related to isolated enriched events ranging from -5.8‰ d18O up to -0.9‰ d18O. By mid-May, the Intertropical Convergence Zone reaches Costa Rica resulting in a notable depletion in isotope ratios (up to -18.5‰ d18O). HYSPLIT back air mass trajectories indicate the strong influence on the origin and transport of precipitation of two main moisture transport mechanisms, the Caribbean Low Level Jet and the Colombian Low Level Jet as well as localized convection events. Multiple linear regression models constructed based on Random Forests of surface meteorological information and atmospheric sounding profiles suggest that Lifted Condensation Level and surface relative humidity are the main factors controlling isotopic variations. These findings diverge from the recognized 'amount effect' in monthly composite samples across the tropics. Understanding of stable isotope dynamics in tropical precipitation can be used to enhance catchment and groundwater modeling efforts in ungauged basins where scarcity of long-term monitoring data drastically limit current and future water resources management.

  5. Recent volcano monitoring in Costa Rica

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thorpe, R.; Brown, G.; Rymer, H.; Barritt, S.; Randal, M.

    1985-01-01

    The Costa Rican volacno Rincon de la Vieja is loosely but mysteriously translated as the "Old Lady's Corner." It consists of six volcanic centers that form a remote elongated ridge standing some 1300m above the surrounding terraine. Geologically speaking, the Guanacaste province of northern Costa Rica consists of a series of composite volcanic cones built on a shield of ignimbrites (welded and unwelded ash flows) of Pliocene-Pleistocene age (up to 2 million years old), that themselves lie on basement crust of Cretaceious-Tertiary age (up to 90 million years old). the active volcanoes are aligned on a northwest-southeast axis parallel to the Middle American oceanic trench in the Pacific Ocean that is the site of subduction of hte Cocos oceanic plate underneath Central America.  

  6. Hydro development in Costa Rica

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

    Young, C.F.

    The initial foreign thrust of private power activities was quite naturally by large companies acquiring existing government-owned facilities in relatively large countries. Only recently, it seems, people have discovered that there are countries in Latin America other than Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico, and that there is interest in having the private sector construct new (and often smaller) facilities, with an increasing emphasis on renewable energy. Costa Rica passed its private power law in 1991 and has clearly been the most progressive country in Central America in promoting greenfield development of private power projects. The country has not been exempt, however,more » from the cyclical nature of the support that governments, utilities and regulatory agencies give to private power producers. The initial enthusiasm and willingness to encourage private power producers inevitably give way to requirements and procedures which impair if not thwart the initial intentions of the private power laws.« less

  7. Promoting universal financial protection: a policy analysis of universal health coverage in Costa Rica (1940-2000).

    PubMed

    Vargas, Juan Rafael; Muiser, Jorine

    2013-08-21

    This paper explores the implementation and sustenance of universal health coverage (UHC) in Costa Rica, discussing the development of a social security scheme that covered 5% of the population in 1940, to one that finances and provides comprehensive healthcare to the whole population today. The scheme is financed by mandatory, tri-partite social insurance contributions complemented by tax funding to cover the poor. The analysis takes a historical perspective and explores the policy process including the key actors and their relative influence in decision-making. Data were collected using qualitative research instruments, including a review of literature, institutional and other documents, and in-depth interviews with key informants. Key lessons to be learned are: i) population health was high on the political agenda in Costa Rica, in particular before the 1980s when UHC was enacted and the transfer of hospitals to the social security institution took place. Opposition to UHC could therefore be contained through negotiation and implemented incrementally despite the absence of real consensus among the policy elite; ii) since the 1960s, the social security institution has been responsible for UHC in Costa Rica. This institution enjoys financial and managerial autonomy relative to the general government, which has also facilitated the UHC policy implementation process; iii) UHC was simultaneously constructed on three pillars that reciprocally strengthened each other: increasing population coverage, increasing availability of financial resources based on solidarity financing mechanisms, and increasing service coverage, ultimately offering comprehensive health services and the same benefits to every resident in the country; iv) particularly before the 1980s, the fruits of economic growth were structurally invested in health and other universal social policies, in particular education and sanitation. The social security institution became a flagship of Costa Rica

  8. Educational Gradients in Psychotropic Medication Use Among Older Adults in Costa Rica and the United States†

    PubMed Central

    Domino, Marisa E.; Dow, William H.; Coto-Yglesias, Fernando

    2014-01-01

    Objective The relationship among education, psychiatric diagnoses and psychotropic medication use has been explored in the United States, but little is known about patterns in poorer countries, despite their high documented burden of mental illness. Educational gradients in diagnosis and psychotropic use were estimated in the United States and Costa Rica – a middle-income country with universal health insurance. Methods Analyses were conducted using data on older adults (ages 60+) in nationally representative surveys from each country: the 2005 U.S. Medical Expenditures Panel Survey (n=4788) and the 2005 Costa Rican Longevity and Healthy Aging Study (n=2827). Logistic regressions examined the effect of lower educational attainment, income and urban residence on diagnosis and on psychotropic medication use with and without an associated mental illness diagnosis. Results Rates of self-reported diagnoses were lower in the U.S. (12% U.S.; n=598) than in, Costa Rica (20%; n=526), but may reflect differences in survey wording. Measures of self-reported and screened depression decreased with education in both countries. Psychotropic medication use among those with diagnoses increased with education in Costa Rica only. Conclusions We find similar patterns of educational gradients in diagnosis and screening between the U.S. and Costa Rica, but different patterns of medication use by education. Differences in stigma and access to care may play an important role in explaining differences between the countries, though we did not find evidence that insurance affected educational gradients in the U.S. These analyses increase the evidence on the role of education in the use of the health care system. PMID:24932755

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

    PubMed

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

    2013-09-01

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

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

    PubMed

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

    2014-12-01

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

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

    PubMed

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

    2014-03-01

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

  12. Land cover dynamics following a deforestation ban in northern Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2013-09-01

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

  13. SEROPREVALENCE AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF FERLAVIRUS IN CAPTIVE VIPERS OF COSTA RICA.

    PubMed

    Solis, Cristina; Arguedas, Randall; Baldi, Mario; Piche, Martha; Jimenez, Carlos

    2017-06-01

    Ferlaviruses (FV, previously referred to as ophidian paramyxoviruses, OPMV), are enveloped viruses with a negative-strand RNA genome, affecting snakes in captivity worldwide. Infection is characterized by respiratory and nervous clinical signs and carries high mortality rates, but no specific treatment or vaccine is currently available. Costa Rica has 16 species of vipers, found in captivity in collections essential for antivenom production, reintroduction, and public education. FV circulation in these populations was previously unknown, and the risk of introducing the viruses into naïve collections or free-ranging populations exists if the virus's presence is confirmed. The objective of this study was to determine seroprevalence and FV shedding in 150 samples from captive vipers in nine collections across Costa Rica. A hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay was performed to determine the antibody titer against two Ferlavirus strains, Bush viper virus (BV) and Neotropical virus (NT), and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and sequencing to determine virus secretion in cloacal swabs. Ferlavirus strains were replicated in Vero cells, and chicken anti-FV polyclonal antibodies were produced and used as a positive control serum for the HI. Results demonstrate that seroprevalence of anti-FV antibodies in viper serum was 26.6% (n = 40) for the BV strain and 30% (n = 45) for the NT strain in the population tested. Furthermore, molecular characterization of FV group A was possible by sequencing the virus recovered from three cloacal swabs, demonstrating circulation of FV in one collection. This study demonstrates for the first time serological evidence of FV exposure and infection in vipers in captivity in Costa Rica, and suggests cross reactivity between antibodies against both strains. Appropriate biosafety measures could prevent the spread of FV between and within collections of reptiles in the country.

  14. Longer leukocyte telomere length in Costa Rica's Nicoyan Peninsula: A population-based study

    PubMed Central

    Rehkopf, David H; Dow, William H; Rosero-Bixby, Luis; Lin, Jue; Epel, Elissa S; Blackburn, Elizabeth H

    2013-01-01

    Studies in humans suggest that leukocyte telomere length may act as a marker of biological aging. We investigated whether individuals in the Nicoya region of Costa Rica, known for exceptional longevity, had longer telomere length than those in other parts of the country. After controlling for age, age squared, rurality, rainy season and gender, mean leukocyte telomere length in Nicoya was substantially longer (81 base pairs, p<0.05) than in other areas of Costa Rica, providing evidence of a biological pathway to which this notable longevity may be related. This relationship remains unchanged (79 base pairs, p<0.05) after statistically controlling for nineteen potential biological, dietary and social and demographic mediators. Thus the difference in mean leukocyte telomere length that characterizes this unique region does not appear to be explainable by traditional behavioral and biological risk factors. More detailed examination of mean leukocyte telomere length by age shows that the regional telomere length difference declines at older ages. PMID:23988653

  15. Varicella prevention in Costa Rica: impact of a one-dose schedule universal vaccination.

    PubMed

    Avila-Aguero, María L; Ulloa-Gutierrez, Rolando; Camacho-Badilla, Kattia; Soriano-Fallas, Alejandra; Arroba-Tijerino, Roberto; Morice-Trejos, Ana

    2017-03-01

    To describe the impact following a 1-dose Varicella vaccination schedule introduced in Costa Rica in September 2007. Areas covered: This is a retrospective review using epidemiologic surveillance national databases of varicella cases and hospitalizations, period 2000-2015. We analyzed age-related varicella incidence cases and hospitalization trends before and after the vaccine introduction. Expert commentary: Varicella vaccine coverage among children 16 months age increased from 76% in 2008 to 95% in 2015. During this period Costa Rica reached a 73.8% reduction of Varicella reported cases and 85.9% reduction of hospitalizations in the general population. Among children under 5 years of age, that reduction was 79.1% and 87%, respectively. Varicella complications in hospitalized patients decreased 98%, from n = 53 in 2008 to n = 1 in 2014. After 8-years post implementation of a 1-dose schedule of universal varicella vaccination, a dramatic overall disease reduction in incidence, hospitalizations and complicated cases has been observed in all age groups.

  16. [Environmental Guarantees in the Constitution: a new ecological-political model for Costa Rica and the rest of the world].

    PubMed

    Quesada A, Gabriel

    2009-09-01

    In the last thirty years significant changes to protect the environment have been introduced in the judicial, administrative and social systems. Costa Rica is a well known international model in the field of sustainable development, and here I present a proposal for adding environmental gaurantees to the Costa Rican Constitution. One of the most important changes in the Costa Rican judicial system has been the introduction of an environmental amendment in the Constitution (Article 50). However, it is still fundamental to introduce a Title of Environmental Guarantees in the Constitution of Costa Rica, with these components: first, the State, the public and the private sector have the duty of defending the right to a safe environment; second, public domain over environmental issues, and third, the use of the environment should be regulated by scientific and technical knowledge. If current efforts succeed, Costa Rica will be the first country in the world to include Environmental Guarantees in its Constitution. This would be an example to other nations.

  17. Quality Early Childhood Education in Costa Rica? Policy, Practice, Outcomes and Challenges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    San Francisco, Andrea Rolla; Arias, Melissa; Villers, Renata

    2005-01-01

    High-quality early childhood education has been shown to improve school outcomes in several developing and developed nations. The history of policy around pre-school education in Costa Rica is described as background to presenting cross-sectional data on the emergent literacy skills of low-income Costa Rican children in kindergarten, 1st and 2nd…

  18. Meeting educational needs in Costa Rica: The role of the distance teaching Universidad Estatal a Distancia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rumble, Greville; Borden, George A.

    1983-12-01

    In 1977 the government of Costa Rica established a new university, the Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED), and charged it with using distance teaching methods to meet the needs of new target groups as well as to alleviate some of the pressure of student demand on the existing three state-funded campus-based universities. This paper examines UNED's impact in relation to three categories of need: (1) student demand for university places; (2) demand from persons who had been previously disadvantaged in one way or another and hence unable to enter a university; and (3) demands generated by the needs of society for trained manpower. The paper evaluates UNED's success or failure in meeting these needs, in so far as it can be measured, and considers evidence based on the views of UNED's students regarding the success of the University in meeting their individual requirements. Throughout, the paper relates UNED's role within the higher education system in Costa Rica to those of the campus-based universities. In spite of the problems of teaching part-time students in a society in which leisure time is at a premium, the authors believe that UNED is to a large degree achieving its objectives by meeting previously unfulfilled needs at the higher education level in Costa Rica.

  19. On the diversity and richness of understory bryophytes at Nectandra Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Norris, Daniel H; Kraichak, Ekaphan; Risk, Allen C; Lucas, Diane; Allard, Dorothy J; Rosengren, Frida; Clark, Theresa A; Fenton, Nicole; Tessler, Michael; Phephu, Nonkululo; Lennette, Evelyne T

    2017-01-01

    A survey of the understory bryophytes in the Nectandra Cloud Forest Preserve yielded 1083 specimens distributed among 55 families, represented by 74 genera of mosses, 75 genera of liverworts and 3 of hornworts. We studied and analyzed the bryophytic distribution on six types of substrates: 1) corticolous, 2) epiphyllous, 3) saxicolous, 4) terricolous, 5) aquatic and 6) lignicolous. The richness and composition of bryophyte genera are compared to those of other previous bryophyte surveys from 4 other sites with different oceanic exposures, climatic and geographic conditions in Costa Rica. This is a report of the first extensive general survey of bryophytes at the Nectandra Reserve, a premontane cloud forest located on the Atlantic slope of Costa Rica, an area much less studied compared to the Monteverde cloud forest on the Pacific slope.

  20. Snakebite mortality in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Rojas, G; Bogarín, G; Gutiérrez, J M

    1997-11-01

    The mortality rate due to snakebite envenomation in Costa Rica was estimated from 1952 to 1993. The highest mortality was observed during the 1950s and 1960s, with the highest rate of 4.83 per 100,000 population in 1953. In contrast, a rate of 0.2 per 100,000 population per year was estimated from 1990 to 1993. The most conspicuous decline in mortality occurred after 1970. The highest mortality rates were observed in the provinces of Limón and Puntarenas, especially in regions where tropical rain forests had been transformed into agricultural fields. The lowest mortality was in the province of Guanacaste, where tropical dry forest predominates and Bothrops asper (terciopelo), the most important poisonous snake in the country, is not abundant. The majority of fatalities occurred in the age groups from 10 to 19 years old. Males were more affected than females in a ratio of 3.6:1. Before 1980 most fatal cases did not receive medical attention in hospitals, whereas after 1980 the majority of cases with fatal outcome were attended in hospitals.

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

    PubMed

    Meléndez Obando, Mauricio O

    2004-09-01

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

  2. Taxonomy of the freshwater crabs of Costa Rica, with a revision of the genus Ptychophallus Smalley, 1964 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Pseudothelphusidae).

    PubMed

    Magalhães, Célio; Wehrtmann, Ingo S; Lara, Luis Rólier; Mantelatto, Fernando L

    2015-01-13

    The taxonomy and geographic distribution of the freshwater crabs of the family Pseudothelphusidae Ortmann, 1893, of Costa Rica, Central America, particularly of the genus Ptychophallus Smalley, 1964, are revised. Historical materials deposited in major collections of several institutions were examined, as well as valuable collections in the Zoological Museum of the University of Costa Rica that include abundant specimens obtained recently (2007-2010) in the southern region of the country. The pseudothelphusids of Costa Rica consists of 15 currently valid species belonging to Achlidon Smalley, 1964 (two species), Allacanthos Smalley, 1964 (two species), Potamocarcinus H. Milne Edwards, 1853 (three species), and Ptychophallus (eight species). Two species seem to be restricted to the Atlantic drainage, while seven are known only from the Pacific drainage; six species occur in both drainages. Ptychophallus comprises 13 valid species; four new synonymies are proposed: P. osaensis Rodríguez, 2001, P. campylus Pretzmann, 1968, P. tumimanus ingae            Pretzmann, 1978, and P. barbillaensis Rodríguez & Hedström, 2001, as junior synonyms of P. paraxantusi (Bott, 1968), P. tristani (Rathbum 1896), P. tumimanus (Rathbun, 1898), and P. uncinatus Campos & Lemaitre, 1999, respectively. Two species, P. colombianus (Rathbun, 1896) and P. exilipes (Rathbun, 1898), are considered species inquerendae. Lectotype designations are made for P. montanus and P. colombianus. Three species of Ptychophallus are known exclusively from Costa Rica, five exclusively from Panama, and five species occur in both countries; one species appears to be exclusive of the Atlantic drainage, whereas five are known only from the Pacific drainage and seven occur in both drainages. The gonopod morphology of all species is redescribed and illustrated, and maps of their geographic distribution are furnished. A key to the species of Pseudothelphusidae from Costa Rica and to all species of

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

    PubMed

    Gutiérrez-Fonseca, Pablo E; Springer, Monika

    2015-12-18

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

  4. Children's National Identity in Multicultural Classrooms in Costa Rica and the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Solano-Campos, Ana

    2015-01-01

    The development of healthy national identifications in children and youth has important implications for the construction of democratic citizenries in culturally and linguistically diverse societies. In this comparative qualitative case study of two multicultural public schools-one in the United States and one in Costa Rica--I examined children's…

  5. Music Education for Social Change in the Secondary Public Schools of Costa Rica

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosabal-Coto, Guillermo

    2010-01-01

    This article focuses on a recently implemented general music curriculum in secondary public schools, whose main goal is to address social issues in Costa Rica. The author describes and discusses its context, rationale, theoretical tenets, and proposed practices with the purpose of advancing theory-practice reflection on music education practices…

  6. Volunteer provision of long-term care for older people in Thailand and Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Lloyd-Sherlock, Peter; Pot, Anne Margriet; Sasat, Siriphan; Morales-Martinez, Fernando

    2017-11-01

    Demand for long-term care services for older people is increasing rapidly in low- and middle-income countries. Countries need to establish national long-term care systems that are sustainable and equitable. The Governments of Costa Rica and Thailand have implemented broadly comparable interventions to deploy volunteers in long-term home care. Both countries trained older volunteers from local communities to make home visits to impoverished and vulnerable older people and to facilitate access to health services and other social services. Costa Rica and Thailand are upper-middle-income countries with strong traditions of community-based health services that they are now extending into long-term care for older people. Between 2003 and 2013 Thailand's programme trained over 51 000 volunteers, reaching almost 800 000 older people. Between 2010 and 2016 Costa Rica established 50 community care networks, serving around 10 000 people and involving over 5000 volunteers. Despite some evidence of benefits to the physical and mental health of older people and greater uptake of other services, a large burden of unmet care needs and signs of a growth of unregulated private services still exist. There is scope for low- and middle-income countries to develop large-scale networks of community-based long-term care volunteers. The capacity of volunteers to enhance the quality of life of clients is affected by the local availability of care services. Volunteer care networks should be complemented by other initiatives, including training about health in later life for volunteers, and investment in community long-term care services.

  7. Pleistocene plant fossils in and near La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica

    Treesearch

    Sally P. Horn; Robert L. Sanford; David Dilcher; Terry A. Lott; Paul R. Renne; Michael C. Wiemann; Duane Cozadd; Orlando Vargas

    2003-01-01

    Radiocarbon dating and 40 Ar/39Ar analysis of overlying tephra indicate that plant fossil assemblages exposed by stream erosion and well construction in and near La Selva Biological Station in eastern lowland Costa Rica are Pleistocene in age. We identified plant taxa based on wood, leaves, fruits, seeds, pollen, and spores examined from three sites at ca 30 m...

  8. BIOGENIC VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSIONS FROM A LOWLAND TROPICAL WET FOREST IN COSTA RICA

    EPA Science Inventory

    Twenty common plant species were screened for emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCS) at a lowland tropical wet forest site in Costa Rica. Ten of the species. examined emitted substantial quantities of isoprene. These species accounted for 35-50% of the total bas...

  9. Evaluating bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) diversity using malaise traps in coffee landscapes of Costa Rica

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Even though Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica Linnaeus, Rubiaceae) can self-pollinate, bees are important pollinators, without which there is lower fruit quality and yield. We studied bee diversity in coffee agroecosystems in Costa Rica during two coffee flowering seasons (2005 and 2006). Malaise traps...

  10. Peace Education: Perspectives from Costa Rica and Japan. Peace Education Miniprints No. 62.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brenes, Abelardo; Ito, Takehiko

    This publication explores the views of two present members of the International Peace Research Association: Abelardo Brenes and Takehiko Ito. Brenes and Ito answer 13 questions related to peace education issues in their individual interviews. Abelardo Brenes is a professor at the University of Costa Rica and a consultant to the University for…

  11. Register and Forms of Address in Costa Rica: Sociolinguistic Realities and Pedagogical Implications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schmidt-Rinehart, Barbara C.; LeLoup, Jean W.

    2017-01-01

    This article reports the findings of sociolinguistic research investigating the use of second-person singular pronouns in Costa Rica. The study was carried out onsite and involved 132 interviewees from all seven provinces of the country. These subjects reacted to scenarios in which they had to choose their preferred pronoun of use…

  12. Pesticide poisoning in Costa Rica during 1996.

    PubMed

    Leveridge, Y R

    1998-02-01

    A retrospective study at the Poison Control Center of Costa Rica describes the pattern of pesticide poisoning that occurred during 1996. A total of 1274 pesticide exposures were reported. Occupational exposures were the most frequent (38.5%), followed by accidental situations (33.8%) and suicidal attempts (22.5%). The male to female ratio was 2.4:1. Eighty-percent of the patients had symptoms at the moment of the consult. Organophosphates, carbamates and bipyridyliums were the agents mostly involved (46%); clinical findings with these products were nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness and headache. Calls came mainly from hospitals and clinics (75%) followed by home calls (18.2%). Education of the users of pesticides and the community in general is essential to creating an awareness of the toxicity of these agents and to reduce morbidity cases.

  13. EL PROGRAMA CITI: UNA ALTERNATIVA PARA LA CAPACITACIÓN EN ÉTICA DE LA INVESTIGACIÓN EN AMÉRICA LATINA

    PubMed Central

    Litewka, Sergio; Goodman, Kenneth; Braunschweiger, y Paul

    2011-01-01

    El Programa CITI (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative) es un curso basado en Internet y desarrollado por voluntarios, que brinda material educacional sobre protección de sujetos humanos en investigaciones biomédicas y de conducta, buenas prácticas clínicas, conducta responsable de la investigación y trato humanitario a animales de laboratorio. Es un esfuerzo conjunto del Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center y la Universidad de Miami. Con la colaboración de expertos locales, gran parte del contenido se ha adaptado para América Latina, se ha traducido al español y portugués y se han establecido acuerdos de colaboración con instituciones especializadas en bioética en Chile, Brasil, Costa Rica y Perú. Los autores presentan una metodología accesible para la capacitación en ética de la investigación y una justificación de su uso y difusión en América Latina PMID:21687817

  14. [Antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in swine in Costa Rica: epidemiologic importance].

    PubMed

    Torres, A L; Chinchilla, M; Reyes, L

    1991-01-01

    On a three hundred swine sera sample collected from a Municipal Slaughter house and a Research Laboratory at the Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería a 26% of positivity against T. gondii was found using the carbon immunoassay. A relationship between the age and swine race are made. The epidemiological significance of this findings are discussed focused mainly on the role of swine meat as a source of human infection in Costa Rica.

  15. Perspective View with Landsat Overlay, San Jose, Costa Rica

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2002-01-01

    This perspective view shows the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica, the gray area in the center of the image. The view is toward the northwest with the Pacific Ocean in the distance and shows a portion of the Meseta Central (Central Valley), home to about a third of Costa Rica's population.

    Like much of Central America, Costa Rica is generally cloud covered, so very little satellite imagery is available. The ability of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) instrument to penetrate clouds and make three-dimensional measurements will allow generation of the first complete high-resolution topographic map of the entire region. These data were used to generate the image.

    This three-dimensional perspective view was generated using elevation data from SRTM and an enhanced false-color Landsat 7 satellite image. Colors are from Landsat bands 5, 4, and 2 as red, green and blue, respectively. Topographic expression is exaggerated two times.

    Landsat has been providing visible and infrared views of the Earth since 1972. SRTM elevation data matches the 30-meter resolution of most Landsat images and will substantially help in analyses of the large and growing Landsat image archive. The Landsat 7 Thematic Mapper image used here was provided to the SRTM by the United States Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center, Sioux Falls, S.D.

    Elevation data used in this image was acquired by the SRTM aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between

  16. Chytridiomycosis in wild frogs from southern Costa Rica

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lips, Karen R.; Green, D.E.; Papendick, R.

    2003-01-01

    In 1993, the amphibian fauna of Las Tablas, Costa Rica, began to decline, and by 1998 approximately 50% of the species formerly present could no longer be found. Three years later, at the Reserva Forestal Fortuna, in western Panama, a site approximately 75 km east southeast of Las Tablas, KRL encountered a mass die-off of amphibians and a subsequent decline in abundance and species richness. The epidemiological features of the anuran population declines and die-offs at both sites were similar, suggesting a similar cause. Herein we document the presence of the fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, in dead and dying wild frogs collected at Las Tablas just prior to population declines of several anuran species.

  17. Molecular Detection of Plasmodium malariae/Plasmodium brasilianum in Non-Human Primates in Captivity in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Fuentes-Ramírez, Alicia; Jiménez-Soto, Mauricio; Castro, Ruth; Romero-Zuñiga, Juan José; Dolz, Gaby

    2017-01-01

    One hundred and fifty-two blood samples of non-human primates of thirteen rescue centers in Costa Rica were analyzed to determine the presence of species of Plasmodium using thick blood smears, semi-nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (SnM-PCR) for species differentiation, cloning and sequencing for confirmation. Using thick blood smears, two samples were determined to contain the Plasmodium malariae parasite, with SnM-PCR, a total of five (3.3%) samples were positive to P. malariae, cloning and sequencing confirmed both smear samples as P. malariae. One sample amplified a larger and conserved region of 18S rDNA for the genus Plasmodium and sequencing confirmed the results obtained microscopically and through SnM-PCR tests. Sequencing and construction of a phylogenetic tree of this sample revealed that the P. malariae/P. brasilianum parasite (GenBank KU999995) found in a howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) is identical to that recently reported in humans in Costa Rica. The SnM-PCR detected P. malariae/P. brasilianum parasite in different non-human primate species in captivity and in various regions of the southern Atlantic and Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The similarity of the sequences of parasites found in humans and a monkey suggests that monkeys may be acting as reservoirs of P.malariae/P. brasilianum, for which reason it is important, to include them in control and eradication programs.

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

    PubMed

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

    2014-01-01

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

  19. First Report of Anthelmintic Resistance in Gastrointestinal Nematodes of Sheep from Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Maroto, R.; Jiménez, A. E.; Romero, J. J.; Alvarez, V.; De Oliveira, J. B.; Hernández, J.

    2011-01-01

    As the prevalence and severity of anthelmintic resistance continue to rise, nematode infections in sheep correspondingly reduce the profitability of the sheep industry. In Costa Rica, sheep production systems are increasing in both number and importance. A field trial study was carried out to detect the level of anthelmintic resistance to albendazole and ivermectin in gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) of sheep from seven farms in Costa Rica. Resistance was determined using the fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT). Three treatment groups were assessed on each farm: control, albendazole, and ivermectin. Haemonchus spp. (71%), Strongyloides sp. (57%), and Trichostrongylus spp. (43%) presented resistance levels to albendazole, whereas Strongyloides sp. (43%), Haemonchus spp. (29%), and Trichostrongylus spp. (29%) were resistant to ivermectin. Haemonchus spp., Strongyloides sp., and Trichostrongylus spp. were the most resistant GIN to both products. This study suggests that frequency of treatment, exclusive chemical control, and visual estimation of animal weight to calculate dosage may contribute to the high levels of anthelmintic resistance that were observed on the farms analyzed herein. PMID:21772962

  20. Molecular detection and identification of Rickettsiales pathogens in dog ticks from Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Campos-Calderón, Liliana; Ábrego-Sánchez, Leyda; Solórzano-Morales, Antony; Alberti, Alberto; Tore, Gessica; Zobba, Rosanna; Jiménez-Rocha, Ana E; Dolz, Gaby

    2016-10-01

    Although vector-borne diseases are globally widespread with considerable impact on animal production and on public health, few reports document their presence in Central America. This study focuses on the detection and molecular identification of species belonging to selected bacterial genera (Ehrlichia, Anaplasma and Rickettsia) in ticks sampled from dogs in Costa Rica by targeting several genes: 16S rRNA/dsb genes for Ehrlichia; 16S rRNA/groEL genes for Anaplasma, and ompA/gltA/groEL genes for Rickettsia. PCR and sequence analyses provides evidences of Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l ticks, and allow establishing the presence of Rickettsia monacensis in Ixodes boliviensis. Furthermore, the presence of recently discovered Mediterranean A. platys-like strains is reported for the first time in Central America. Results provide new background on geographical distribution of selected tick-transmitted bacterial pathogens in Costa Rica and on their molecular epidemiology, and are pivotal to the development of effective and reliable diagnostic tools in Central America. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2011-12-01

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

  2. 4-S Positive Youth Development in Latin America: Professional Schools in Costa Rica

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lopes, Sandro; Geldhof, G. John; Bowers, Edmond P.; Thogmartin, Asia

    2018-01-01

    As youth development programs established in the United States expand globally, researchers must evaluate their impacts in diverse contexts. The work described in this article established a baseline for assessing the impact of a 4-S youth program at professional technical high schools in Costa Rica. The 4-S program is equivalent to 4-H in…

  3. Diet of some spring migrant landbirds on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica

    Treesearch

    Jared D. Wolfe

    2009-01-01

    Spring dietary patterns of migrants in tropical latitudes are largely unknown. Here I present diet data derived from an analysis of fecal samples for six migrant landbird species during spring migration along the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. High levels of insectivory were detected for all six species captured. The nature of the data presented is discussed in light...

  4. Nanoparticulas basadas en complejos de Fe(II) con transicion de espin: sintesis, caracterizacion y aplicaciones en electronica molecular

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Monrabal Capilla, Maria

    Esta tesis doctoral esta organizada en 5 capitulos y esta destinada al estudio de sistemas de Fe (II) que presentan el fenomeno de la transicion de espin a escala nanometrica. El capitulo 1 contiene una introduccion general sobre materiales moleculares multifuncionales, destacando aquellos ejemplos mas importantes. Por otro lado, se explicara el fenomeno de la transicion de espin, tratando aspectos conceptuales, los antecedentes mas importantes y la situacion actual. En el capitulo 2 se describen los diferentes procesos existentes para la obtencion de diferentes tipos de nanoparticulas. Ademas, se presenta la sintesis y caracterizacion de nanoparticulas del polimero de coordinacion unidimensional [Fe(Htrz)2(trz)]BF4, obtenidas mediante el metodo de micelas inversas. Estas nanoparticulas, con una estrecha distribucion de tamanos centrada alrededor de los 11 nm, presentan una transicion de espin muy abrupta, con un ancho ciclo de histeresis termica de unos 40K. En el capitulo 3 se describe el proceso de modificacion del tamano de las nanoparticulas descritas en el capitulo anterior, llevado a cabo variando la proporcion de surfactante/H2O en el medio. Ademas, con el objetivo de modificar las propiedades magneticas de las nanoparticulas obtenidas en el capitulo 2, se lleva a cabo la sintesis de nanoparticulas de polimeros de la misma familia del [Fe(Htrz)2(trz)]BF4. En concreto se sintetizaron 3 nuevos tipos de nanoparticulas basadas en el polimero [Fe(Htrz)1-x(NH2trz)x](ClO4)2, siendo x = 0.05, 0.15 y 0.3, en cada caso. Estas nanoparticulas siguen presentando una estrecha distribucion de tamanos y una transicion de espin muy abrupta y con un ancho ciclo de histeresis. Ademas, se observa que este ciclo se desplaza a temperaturas mas proximas a la temperatura ambiente a medida que se aumenta el porcentaje de 4-amino-1, 2, 4- triazol en la muestra. Pero al mismo tiempo se produce una disminucion de la anchura de este ciclo. Por ultimo, en este capitulo se presenta la

  5. Evaluation of stream sediments in areas of known mineralization, San Jose and Talamanca Quadrangles, Costa Rica: An orientation survey

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

    Arauz, A.J.

    1986-12-01

    Costa Rica's compressional island arc-type tectonic setting and considerable geologic diversity hold great promise for future discovery of economic metallic deposits. The study constitutes an orientation investigation of stream sediment sampling techniques to establish optimum survey specifications for the regional geochemical survey coverage of the country. The study was conducted in two separate areas of known mineralization which represent distinctive tropical environments and different metallogenic provinces within Costa Rica: (1) the Esparza Area, which contains the Santa Clara Gold Mine, the largest in the country, and (2) the San Isidro Area, which contains a major copper prospect.

  6. Pyroclastic sulphur eruption at Poás volcano, Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Francis, P. W.; Thorpe, R. S.; Brown, G. C.

    1980-02-01

    The recent Voyager missions to Jupiter have highlighted the role of sulphur in volcanic processes on Io1-7. Although fumarolic sulphur and SO2 gas are almost universal in terrestrial active volcanoes, and rare instances of sulphur lava flows have been reported8,9, sulphur in a pyroclastic form has only been described from Poás volcano, Costa Rica10. Here we amplify the original descriptions by Bennett and Raccichini10 and describe a recent eruption of pyroclastic sulphur scoria and ejected blocks that are characterised by miniature sulphur stalactites and stalagmites.

  7. The peats of Costa Rica

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

    Thayer, G.R.; Williamson, K.D. Jr.; Ramirez, O.

    The authors compare the competitive position of peat for energy with coal, oil, and cogenerative systems in gasifiers and solid-fuel boilers. They also explore the possibility for peat use in industry. To identify the major factors, they analyze costs using a Los Alamos levelized cost code, and they study parametric costs, comparing peat production in constant dollars with interest rates and return on investment. They consider costs of processing plant construction, sizes and kinds of boilers, retrofitting, peat drying, and mining methods. They examine mining requirements for Moin, Changuinola, and El Cairo and review wet mining and dewatering methods. Peatmore » can, indeed, be competitive with other energy sources, but this depends on the ratio of fuel costs to boiler costs. This ratio is nearly constant in comparison with cogeneration in a steam-only production system. For grate boilers using Costa Rican high-ash peat, and for small nonautomatic boilers now used in Costa Rica, the authors recommend combustion tests. An appendix contains a preliminary mining plan and cost estimate for the El Cairo peat deposit. 8 refs., 43 figs., 19 tabs.« less

  8. Situation Reports--Ceylon, Costa Rica, Ghana, Haiti, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, and U.S.A.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

    Data relating to population and family planning in eight countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are Ceylon, Costa Rica, Ghana, Haiti, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, and the United States of America. Information is provided under two topics, general background and family planning situation, where appropriate and if it is…

  9. First records of Archiconnus and Obesoconnus in Costa Rica (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae).

    PubMed

    JaŁoszyŃski, PaweŁ

    2018-02-21

    The occurrence of the glandulariinae genera Obesoconnus and Archiconnus in Costa Rica is reported for the first time. Obesoconnus was previously known from Mexico and French Guyana; Obesoconnus costaricanus sp. n. fills the gap in the hitherto known distribution of this remarkable genus. Archiconnus was known only from the northern part of Peru (east of the Andes); Archiconnus limonensis sp. n. broadens the known genus range ~ 2000 km to north-west.

  10. Molecular Detection of Plasmodium malariae/Plasmodium brasilianum in Non-Human Primates in Captivity in Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Fuentes-Ramírez, Alicia; Jiménez-Soto, Mauricio; Castro, Ruth; Romero-Zuñiga, Juan José

    2017-01-01

    One hundred and fifty-two blood samples of non-human primates of thirteen rescue centers in Costa Rica were analyzed to determine the presence of species of Plasmodium using thick blood smears, semi-nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (SnM-PCR) for species differentiation, cloning and sequencing for confirmation. Using thick blood smears, two samples were determined to contain the Plasmodium malariae parasite, with SnM-PCR, a total of five (3.3%) samples were positive to P. malariae, cloning and sequencing confirmed both smear samples as P. malariae. One sample amplified a larger and conserved region of 18S rDNA for the genus Plasmodium and sequencing confirmed the results obtained microscopically and through SnM-PCR tests. Sequencing and construction of a phylogenetic tree of this sample revealed that the P. malariae/P. brasilianum parasite (GenBank KU999995) found in a howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) is identical to that recently reported in humans in Costa Rica. The SnM-PCR detected P. malariae/P. brasilianum parasite in different non-human primate species in captivity and in various regions of the southern Atlantic and Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The similarity of the sequences of parasites found in humans and a monkey suggests that monkeys may be acting as reservoirs of P.malariae/P. brasilianum, for which reason it is important, to include them in control and eradication programs. PMID:28125696

  11. The Seismic Strong Motion Array Project (SSMAP) and the September 5, 2012 Mw=7.6 Nicoya, Costa Rica Earthquake

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simila, Gerald; Mohammadebrahim, Ehsan; McNally, Karen; Quintero, Ronnie; Segura, Juan

    2014-05-01

    Seismic gaps along the subduction zones are locations where large earthquakes have not occurred in a long time. The Cocos plate is subducting beneath the Caribbean plate in Costa Rica, and the Nicoya Peninsula, located in northwestern Costa Rica, has been identified as a seismic gap. The previous major earthquakes in Nicoya occurred on 1853, 1900 and 1950, which indicates about a 50-year recurrence interval for the characteristic earthquake cycle. Since 2006, the seismic strong motion array project (SSMAP) for the Nicoya Peninsula in northwestern Costa Rica has been composed of 10 sites with Geotech A900/A800 accelerographs (three-component) and GPS timing. Our digital accelerographs array has been deployed as part of our ongoing research on large earthquakes, including the potential Nicoya event, in conjunction with the Earthquake and Volcano Observatory (OVSICORI) at the Universidad Nacional in Costa Rica. From 2006 to 2012, 28 events were relocated using the SSMAP and OVSICORI data with moderate magnitudes (4 < Mw< 6.5), and were mainly located in Nicoya Peninsula region. On September 5, 2012, a Mw=7.6 earthquake occurred in the seismic gap and appears to be the expected event based on the 50 years recurrence interval, but was instead 62 years later. The main shock focal mechanism was thrust faulting, propagating downdip, of the Cocos plate in the Middle America trench with strike N54W and dip 20 degrees NE. The mainshock and 15 early aftershocks were relocated by using SSMAP, OVSICORI, and UCSC networks. The final location of the mainshock is 9.671 N and 85.878 W with a depth of 18 km. The maximum accelerations from two A900 stations perpendicular to the trench, Fortuna (distance 112km) and Pedernal (distance 128 km) are: 13.8% and 8.9 % g, respectively. In addition, the October 10 (MW 5.3) and 24(Mw 6.6) aftershocks recorded at Tamarindo (distances 40 km and 70 km, respectively) showed accelerations of 2.4% and 8.2% g; respectively. The mainshock acceleration

  12. Detection of rickettsiae in fleas and ticks from areas of Costa Rica with history of spotted fever group rickettsioses.

    PubMed

    Troyo, Adriana; Moreira-Soto, Rolando D; Calderon-Arguedas, Ólger; Mata-Somarribas, Carlos; Ortiz-Tello, Jusara; Barbieri, Amália R M; Avendaño, Adrián; Vargas-Castro, Luis E; Labruna, Marcelo B; Hun, Laya; Taylor, Lizeth

    2016-10-01

    Outbreaks of spotted fevers have been reported in Costa Rica since the 1950s, although vectors responsible for transmission to humans have not been directly identified. In this study, species of Rickettsia were detected in ectoparasites from Costa Rica, mostly from five study sites where cases of spotted fevers have been reported. Ticks and fleas were collected using drag cloths or directly from domestic and wild animals and pooled according to species, host, and location. Pools were analyzed initially by PCR to detect a fragment of Rickettsia spp. specific gltA gene, and those positive were confirmed by detection of htrA and/or ompA gene fragments. Partial sequences of the gltA gene were obtained, as well as at least one ompA and/or ompB partial sequence of each species. Rickettsia spp. were confirmed in 119 of 497 (23.9%) pools of ticks and fleas analyzed. Rickettsia rickettsii was identified in one nymph of Amblyomma mixtum and one nymph of Amblyomma varium. Other rickettsiae present were 'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii' in A. mixtum, Amblyomma ovale, Dermacentor nitens, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus s. l.; Rickettsia bellii in Amblyomma sabanerae; Rickettsia felis in Ctenocephalides felis; and Rickettsia sp. similar to 'Candidatus R. asemboensis' in C. felis, Pulex simulans, A. ovale, and Rhipicephalus microplus. Results show the presence of rickettsiae in vectors that may be responsible for transmission to humans in Costa Rica, and evidence suggests exposure to rickettsial organisms in the human environment may be common. This is the first study to report R. rickettsii in A. varium and in A. mixtum in Costa Rica. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  13. In-Situ Detection of SO2 Plumes in Costa Rica from Turrialba Volcano using Balloon-borne Sondes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Diaz, J. A.; Selkirk, H. B.; Morris, G. A.; Krotkov, N. A.; Pieri, D. C.; Corrales, E.

    2012-12-01

    The Turrialba Volcano near San Jose, Costa Rica regularly emits plumes containing SO2. These plumes have been detected by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), and evidence of these plumes has also appeared in the in-situ Ticosonde project record: a continuous balloon-borne ozonesonde launch experiment conducted in a weekly basis in Costa Rica. In the case of the latter, the interference reaction of SO2 in the cathode cell of the standard electrochemical concentration cell (ECC) ozonesonde results in apparent "notches" in the ozone profile at the altitudes of the plume. In this paper, we present an overview of the Ticosonde observations and correlate the appearance of the notches with air mass back trajectory calculations that link the profiles features to emissions from the volcano. In addition, during February 2012, we deployed the dual O3/SO2 sonde from the University of Costa Rica and detected a plume of SO2 linked by back trajectory calcluations to Turrialba as well as an urban plume resulting from diesel exhaust in the boundary layer. The integrated column SO2 from the sonde profile data agree well with the OMI overpass data for this event. Data from a tethersonde measurement two days prior to the dual sonde reveal concentrations at the ppm level at the volcanic source.

  14. Situation Report--Bahamas, Bermuda, Bolivia, China, Costa Rica, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Hong Kong, Liberia, Mexico, Panama.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

    Data relating to population and family planning in 11 foreign countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are Bahamas, Bermuda, Boliva, China, Costa Rica, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Hong Kong, Liberia, Mexico, and Panama. Information is provided under two topics, general background and family planning situation, where…

  15. Diary of an Edu-Tourist in Costa Rica: An Autoethnographical Account of Learning Spanish

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lotherington, Heather

    2007-01-01

    This article presents an autoethnographical account of my foray into Spanish immersion education in Costa Rica as a professor of multilingual education at a university in Canada. This language-learning journey was inspired by curiosity about the growing trend for Internet marketing of second-language learning as a form of tourism, which I label…

  16. Do birds select habitat or food resources? Nearctic-neotropic migrants in northeastern Costa Rica

    Treesearch

    Jared D. Wolfe; Matthew D. Johnson; C. John Ralph; R. Mark Brigham

    2014-01-01

    Nearctic-neotropic migrant birds need to replenish energy reserves during stopover periods to successfully complete their semiannual movements. In this study we used linear models to examine the habitat use of 11 migrant species in northeastern Costa Rica to better understand the influence of food and structural resources on the presence of birds during stopover...

  17. Molecular Detection and Genotyping of Chlamydia psittaci in Captive Psittacines from Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Sheleby-Elías, Jessica; Solórzano-Morales, Antony; Romero-Zuñiga, Juan José; Dolz, Gaby

    2013-01-01

    Oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs from 117 captive psittacine birds presented at veterinary clinics (88) and from shelters/rescue centers of wildlife (29) were collected to determine the prevalence of C. psittaci in captive birds in Costa Rica. Samples were collected during 2009 from a total of 19 different species of parrots, with Ara macao (33), Amazona autumnalis (24), Amazona ochrocephala (21), and Ara ararauna (8) being the most representative species sampled. C. psittaci was detected in four (3.4%) birds using molecular detection (PCR). The positive samples belonged to birds presented at veterinary clinics; three of them were Ara macao and one Amazona ochrocephala. Three birds were adults; all positive birds showed no symptoms of illness and lived in homes with other birds, two in San José and two in Heredia. Sequencing was used to confirm the PCR positive results, showing that two samples of C. psittaci belonged to genotype A, representing the first report of the presence of this genotype in Costa Rica. The detection of this bacterium in captive psittacine birds shows that there is a potential risk for people living or having contact with them and that there is a possibility of infecting other birds.

  18. Cost-effectiveness of breast cancer control strategies in Central America: the cases of Costa Rica and Mexico.

    PubMed

    Niëns, Laurens M; Zelle, Sten G; Gutiérrez-Delgado, Cristina; Rivera Peña, Gustavo; Hidalgo Balarezo, Blanca Rosa; Rodriguez Steller, Erick; Rutten, Frans F H

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports the most cost-effective policy options to support and improve breast cancer control in Costa Rica and Mexico. Total costs and effects of breast cancer interventions were estimated using the health care perspective and WHO-CHOICE methodology. Effects were measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted. Costs were assessed in 2009 United States Dollars (US$). To the extent available, analyses were based on locally obtained data. In Costa Rica, the current strategy of treating breast cancer in stages I to IV at a 80% coverage level seems to be the most cost-effective with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of US$4,739 per DALY averted. At a coverage level of 95%, biennial clinical breast examination (CBE) screening could improve Costa Rica's population health twofold, and can still be considered very cost-effective (ICER US$5,964/DALY). For Mexico, our results indicate that at 95% coverage a mass-media awareness raising program (MAR) could be the most cost-effective (ICER US$5,021/DALY). If more resources are available in Mexico, biennial mammography screening for women 50-70 yrs (ICER US$12,718/DALY), adding trastuzumab (ICER US$13,994/DALY) or screening women 40-70 yrs biennially plus trastuzumab (ICER US$17,115/DALY) are less cost-effective options. We recommend both Costa Rica and Mexico to engage in MAR, CBE or mammography screening programs, depending on their budget. The results of this study should be interpreted with caution however, as the evidence on the intervention effectiveness is uncertain. Also, these programs require several organizational, budgetary and human resources, and the accessibility of breast cancer diagnostic, referral, treatment and palliative care facilities should be improved simultaneously. A gradual implementation of early detection programs should give the respective Ministries of Health the time to negotiate the required budget, train the required human resources and understand possible

  19. Cost-Effectiveness of Breast Cancer Control Strategies in Central America: The Cases of Costa Rica and Mexico

    PubMed Central

    Niëns, Laurens M.; Zelle, Sten G.; Gutiérrez-Delgado, Cristina; Rivera Peña, Gustavo; Hidalgo Balarezo, Blanca Rosa; Rodriguez Steller, Erick; Rutten, Frans F. H.

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports the most cost-effective policy options to support and improve breast cancer control in Costa Rica and Mexico. Total costs and effects of breast cancer interventions were estimated using the health care perspective and WHO-CHOICE methodology. Effects were measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted. Costs were assessed in 2009 United States Dollars (US$). To the extent available, analyses were based on locally obtained data. In Costa Rica, the current strategy of treating breast cancer in stages I to IV at a 80% coverage level seems to be the most cost-effective with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of US$4,739 per DALY averted. At a coverage level of 95%, biennial clinical breast examination (CBE) screening could improve Costa Rica's population health twofold, and can still be considered very cost-effective (ICER US$5,964/DALY). For Mexico, our results indicate that at 95% coverage a mass-media awareness raising program (MAR) could be the most cost-effective (ICER US$5,021/DALY). If more resources are available in Mexico, biennial mammography screening for women 50–70 yrs (ICER US$12,718/DALY), adding trastuzumab (ICER US$13,994/DALY) or screening women 40–70 yrs biennially plus trastuzumab (ICER US$17,115/DALY) are less cost-effective options. We recommend both Costa Rica and Mexico to engage in MAR, CBE or mammography screening programs, depending on their budget. The results of this study should be interpreted with caution however, as the evidence on the intervention effectiveness is uncertain. Also, these programs require several organizational, budgetary and human resources, and the accessibility of breast cancer diagnostic, referral, treatment and palliative care facilities should be improved simultaneously. A gradual implementation of early detection programs should give the respective Ministries of Health the time to negotiate the required budget, train the required human resources and understand possible

  20. Radiological dosimetry measurements in Costa Rica

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

    León, M., E-mail: mauisoiso@gmail.com; Santos, F., E-mail: fsantosg@gmail.com

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

  1. Establishment and operation of a biorepository for molecular epidemiologic studies in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Cortés, Bernal; Schiffman, Mark; Herrero, Rolando; Hildesheim, Allan; Jiménez, Silvia; Shea, Katheryn; González, Paula; Porras, Carolina; Fallas, Greivin; Rodríguez, Ana Cecilia

    2010-04-01

    The Proyecto Epidemiológico Guanacaste (PEG) has conducted several large studies related to human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer in Guanacaste, Costa Rica in a long-standing collaboration with the U.S. National Cancer Institute. To improve molecular epidemiology efforts and save costs, we have gradually transferred technology to Costa Rica, culminating in state-of-the-art laboratories and a biorepository to support a phase III clinical trial investigating the efficacy of HPV 16/18 vaccine. Here, we describe the rationale and lessons learned in transferring molecular epidemiologic and biorepository technology to a developing country. At the outset of the PEG in the early 1990s, we shipped all specimens to repositories and laboratories in the United States, which created multiple problems. Since then, by intensive personal interactions between experts from the United States and Costa Rica, we have successfully transferred liquid-based cytology, HPV DNA testing and serology, chlamydia and gonorrhea testing, PCR-safe tissue processing, and viable cryopreservation. To accommodate the vaccine trial, a state-of-the-art repository opened in mid-2004. Approximately 15,000 to 50,000 samples are housed in the repository on any given day, and >500,000 specimens have been shipped, many using a custom-made dry shipper that permits exporting >20,000 specimens at a time. Quality control of shipments received by the NCI biorepository has revealed an error rate of <0.2%. Recently, the PEG repository has incorporated other activities; for example, large-scale aliquotting and long-term, cost-efficient storage of frozen specimens returned from the United States. Using Internet-based specimen tracking software has proven to be efficient even across borders. For long-standing collaborations, it makes sense to transfer the molecular epidemiology expertise toward the source of specimens. The successes of the PEG molecular epidemiology laboratories and biorepository prove that

  2. A new genus of oak gallwasp, Coffeikokkos Pujade-Villar & Melika, gen. n., with a description of a new species from Costa Rica (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae)

    PubMed Central

    Pujade-Villar, Juli; Hanson, Paul; Melika, George

    2012-01-01

    Abstract A new genus of oak gallwasp, Coffeikokkos Pujade-Villar & Melika, gen. n., is described from Costa Rica. Diagnostic characters and generic limits of the new genus are discussed in detail. The new genus includes Coffeikokkos copeyensis Pujade-Villar & Melika, sp. n., which induces galls on stems of Quercus bumelioides, an endemic oak to Costa Rica, Honduras and Panama. The new species and galls are described and illustrated. PMID:22423188

  3. Annual Proxy Records from Tropical Cloud Forest Trees in the Monteverde Cloud Forest, Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anchukaitis, K. J.; Evans, M. N.; Wheelwright, N. T.; Schrag, D. P.

    2005-12-01

    The extinction of the Golden Toad (Bufo periglenes) from Costa Rica's Monteverde Cloud Forest prompted research into the causes of ecological change in the montane forests of Costa Rica. Subsequent analysis of meteorological data has suggested that warmer global surface and tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures contribute to an observed decrease in cloud cover at Monteverde. However, while recent studies may have concluded that climate change is already having an effect on cloud forest environments in Costa Rica, without the context provided by long-term climate records, it is difficult to confidently conclude that the observed ecological changes are the result of anthropogenic climate forcing, land clearance in the lowland rainforest, or natural variability in tropical climate. To address this, we develop high-resolution proxy paleoclimate records from trees without annual rings in the Monteverde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica. Calibration of an age model in these trees is a fundamental prerequisite for proxy paleoclimate reconstructions. Our approach exploits the isotopic seasonality in the δ18O of water sources (fog versus rainfall) used by trees over the course of a single year. Ocotea tenera individuals of known age and measured annual growth increments were sampled in long-term monitored plantation sites in order to test this proposed age model. High-resolution (200μm increments) stable isotope measurements on cellulose reveal distinct, coherent δ18O cycles of 6 to 10‰. The calculated growth rates derived from the isotope timeseries match those observed from basal growth increment measurements. Spatial fidelity in the age model and climate signal is examined by using multiple cores from multiple trees and multiple sites. These data support our hypothesis that annual isotope cycles in these trees can be used to provide chronological control in the absence of rings. The ability of trees to record interannual climate variability in local hydrometeorology

  4. Ticosonde CFH at Costa Rica: A Seasonal Climatology of Tropical UT-LS Water Vapor and Inter-Comparisons with MLS and CALIPSO

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Selkirk, Henry B.; Voemel, Holger; Avery, Melody; Rosenlof, Karen; Davis, Sean; Hurst, Dale; Schoeberl, Mark; Diaz, Jorge Andres; Morris, Gary

    2014-01-01

    Balloon sonde measurements of tropical water vapor using the Cryogenic Frostpoint Hygrometer were initiated in Costa Rica in July 2005 and have continued to the present day. Over the nine years through July 2014, the Ticosonde program has launched 174 CFH payloads, representing the longest-running and most extensive single-site balloon dataset for tropical water vapor. In this presentation we present a seasonal climatology for water vapor and ozone at Costa Rica and examine the frequency of upper tropospheric supersaturation with comparisons to cloud fraction and cloud ice water content observations from the Cloud Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) on the CALIPSO mission. We then make a critical comparison of these data to water vapor measurements from the MLS instrument on board Aura in light of recently published work for other sites. Finally, we examine time series of 2-km altitude averages in the upper troposphere-lower stratosphere at Costa Rica in light of anomalies and trends seen in various large-scale indices of tropical water vapor.

  5. A Preliminary Study of Riparian Songbirds in Costa Rica, with Emphasis on Wintering Louisiana Waterthrushes

    Treesearch

    Terry L. Master; Robert S. Mulvihill; Robert C. Leberman; Julio Sanchez; Ernesto Carmen

    2005-01-01

    We made preliminary observations on the winter distribution, ecology and behavior of Louisiana Waterthrushes (Seiurus motacilla) in Costa Rica during January 1999 and 2000. We visited 24 headwater streams in three of the four principal mountain ranges in the country (Cordilleras Tilarán, Central, and the Talamanca) and confirmed the...

  6. La contribución de los Centros Colaboradores de la OMS/OPS en los avances de la promoción de la salud en América Latina.

    PubMed

    Arroyo, Hiram V; Mantilla Uribe, Blanca P; Contreras Rengifo, Adolfo; Westphal, Marcia F; Mendes, Rosilda

    2016-09-01

    Los "Centros Colaboradores" de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) son instituciones designadas para prestar apoyo estratégico en el desarrollo de los objetivos y la ejecución de las actividades de la OMS, y para generar capacidad institucional en países y regiones. En las Américas existen ocho Centros Colaboradores directamente relacionados a la promoción de la salud. Cuatro centros se ubican en Norteamérica y los otros cuatro en América Latina. El propósito de este artículo es describir los Centros Colaboradores de la Región de América Latina. Los centros han sido importantes en el desarrollo de la agenda de promoción de la salud de la región, la consolidación de la estrategia de entornos saludables y el fortalecimiento de las redes académicas y profesionales de promoción de la salud. © The Author(s) 2015.

  7. [Mesophilic clostridia from soil of the Central Plateau of Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Rodríguez, E; Mar Gamboa, M D; Fernández, B

    1993-12-01

    Thirty soil samples from the Central Plateau of Costa Rica yielded 710 isolates of 34 clostridia species. These were Clostridium lituseburense, C. oceanicum and C. sardiniense (100, 73, and 60%, respectively). The toxigenic species of the genus were present in at least one sample, except for C. botulinum, C. chauvoei and C. spiroforme. Diversity per sample (4-12 species) exceeded what has been reported in similar studies. No correlation has been found between the presence of a species and soil characteristics (organic matter, type of soil, pH, precipitation, altitude).

  8. Rabies in Costa Rica: Documentation of the Surveillance Program and the Endemic Situation from 1985 to 2014.

    PubMed

    Hutter, Sabine E; Brugger, Katharina; Sancho Vargas, Victor Hugo; González, Rocío; Aguilar, Olga; León, Bernal; Tichy, Alexander; Firth, Clair L; Rubel, Franz

    2016-05-01

    This is the first comprehensive epidemiological analysis of rabies in Costa Rica. We characterized the occurrence of the disease and demonstrated its endemic nature in this country. In Costa Rica, as in other countries in Latin America, hematophagous vampire bats are the primary wildlife vectors transmitting the rabies virus to cattle herds. Between 1985 and 2014, a total of 78 outbreaks of bovine rabies was reported in Costa Rica, with documented cases of 723 dead cattle. Of cattle outbreaks, 82% occurred between 0 and 500 meters above sea level, and seasonality could be demonstrated on the Pacific side of the country, with significantly more outbreaks occurring during the wet season. A total of 1588 animal samples, or an average of 55 samples per year, was received by the veterinary authority (SENASA) for rabies diagnostic testing at this time. Of all samples tested, 9% (143/1588) were positive. Of these, 85.6% (125/1588) were from cattle; four dogs (0.3% [4/1588]) were diagnosed with rabies in this 30-year period. Simultaneously, an extremely low number (n = 3) of autochthonous rabies cases were reported among human patients, all of which were fatal. However, given the virus' zoonotic characteristics and predominantly fatal outcome among both cattle and humans, it is extremely important for healthcare practitioners and veterinarians to be aware of the importance of adequate wound hygiene and postexpositional rabies prophylaxis when dealing with both wild and domestic animal bites.

  9. Rabies in Costa Rica: Documentation of the Surveillance Program and the Endemic Situation from 1985 to 2014

    PubMed Central

    Brugger, Katharina; Sancho Vargas, Victor Hugo; González, Rocío; Aguilar, Olga; León, Bernal; Tichy, Alexander; Firth, Clair L.; Rubel, Franz

    2016-01-01

    Abstract This is the first comprehensive epidemiological analysis of rabies in Costa Rica. We characterized the occurrence of the disease and demonstrated its endemic nature in this country. In Costa Rica, as in other countries in Latin America, hematophagous vampire bats are the primary wildlife vectors transmitting the rabies virus to cattle herds. Between 1985 and 2014, a total of 78 outbreaks of bovine rabies was reported in Costa Rica, with documented cases of 723 dead cattle. Of cattle outbreaks, 82% occurred between 0 and 500 meters above sea level, and seasonality could be demonstrated on the Pacific side of the country, with significantly more outbreaks occurring during the wet season. A total of 1588 animal samples, or an average of 55 samples per year, was received by the veterinary authority (SENASA) for rabies diagnostic testing at this time. Of all samples tested, 9% (143/1588) were positive. Of these, 85.6% (125/1588) were from cattle; four dogs (0.3% [4/1588]) were diagnosed with rabies in this 30-year period. Simultaneously, an extremely low number (n = 3) of autochthonous rabies cases were reported among human patients, all of which were fatal. However, given the virus' zoonotic characteristics and predominantly fatal outcome among both cattle and humans, it is extremely important for healthcare practitioners and veterinarians to be aware of the importance of adequate wound hygiene and postexpositional rabies prophylaxis when dealing with both wild and domestic animal bites. PMID:26982168

  10. Characterization of the Skin Microbiota of the Cane Toad Rhinella cf. marina in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Abarca, Juan G.; Zuniga, Ibrahim; Ortiz-Morales, Gilmary; Lugo, Armando; Viquez-Cervilla, Mariel; Rodriguez-Hernandez, Natalia; Vázquez-Sánchez, Frances; Murillo-Cruz, Catalina; Torres-Rivera, Ernesto A.; Pinto-Tomás, Adrián A.; Godoy-Vitorino, Filipa

    2018-01-01

    Rhinella marina is a toad native to South America that has been introduced in the Antilles, likely carrying high loads of microorganisms, potentially impacting local community diversity. The amphibian skin is involved in pathogen defense and its microbiota has been relatively well studied, however, research focusing on the cane toad microbiota is lacking. We hypothesize that the skin microbial communities will differ between toads inhabiting different geographical regions in Central America and the Caribbean. To test our hypothesis, we compared the microbiota of three populations of R. cf. marina toads, two from Costa Rican (native) and one Puerto Rican (exotic) locations. In Costa Rica, we collected 11 toads, 7 in Sarapiquí and 4 from Turrialba while in Puerto Rico, 10 animals were collected in Santa Ana. Separate swab samples were collected from the dorsal and ventral sites resulting in 42 samples. We found significant differences in the structure of the microbial communities between Puerto Rico and Costa Rica. We detected as much as 35 different phyla; however, communities were dominated by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Alpha diversity and richness were significantly higher in toads from Puerto Rico and betadiversity revealed significant differences between the microbiota samples from the two countries. At the genus level, we found in Santa Ana, Puerto Rico, a high dominance of Kokuria, Niabella, and Rhodobacteraceae, while in Costa Rica we found Halomonas and Pseudomonas in Sarapiquí, and Acinetobacter and Citrobacter in Turrialba. This is the first report of Niabella associated with the amphibian skin. The core microbiome represented 128 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) mainly from five genera shared among all samples, which may represent the symbiotic Rhinella’s skin. These results provide insights into the habitat-induced microbial changes facing this amphibian species. The differences in the microbial diversity in

  11. Characterization of the Skin Microbiota of the Cane Toad Rhinella cf. marina in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Abarca, Juan G; Zuniga, Ibrahim; Ortiz-Morales, Gilmary; Lugo, Armando; Viquez-Cervilla, Mariel; Rodriguez-Hernandez, Natalia; Vázquez-Sánchez, Frances; Murillo-Cruz, Catalina; Torres-Rivera, Ernesto A; Pinto-Tomás, Adrián A; Godoy-Vitorino, Filipa

    2017-01-01

    Rhinella marina is a toad native to South America that has been introduced in the Antilles, likely carrying high loads of microorganisms, potentially impacting local community diversity. The amphibian skin is involved in pathogen defense and its microbiota has been relatively well studied, however, research focusing on the cane toad microbiota is lacking. We hypothesize that the skin microbial communities will differ between toads inhabiting different geographical regions in Central America and the Caribbean. To test our hypothesis, we compared the microbiota of three populations of R. cf. marina toads, two from Costa Rican (native) and one Puerto Rican (exotic) locations. In Costa Rica, we collected 11 toads, 7 in Sarapiquí and 4 from Turrialba while in Puerto Rico, 10 animals were collected in Santa Ana. Separate swab samples were collected from the dorsal and ventral sites resulting in 42 samples. We found significant differences in the structure of the microbial communities between Puerto Rico and Costa Rica. We detected as much as 35 different phyla; however, communities were dominated by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Alpha diversity and richness were significantly higher in toads from Puerto Rico and betadiversity revealed significant differences between the microbiota samples from the two countries. At the genus level, we found in Santa Ana, Puerto Rico, a high dominance of Kokuria , Niabella , and Rhodobacteraceae, while in Costa Rica we found Halomonas and Pseudomonas in Sarapiquí, and Acinetobacter and Citrobacter in Turrialba. This is the first report of Niabella associated with the amphibian skin. The core microbiome represented 128 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) mainly from five genera shared among all samples, which may represent the symbiotic Rhinella 's skin. These results provide insights into the habitat-induced microbial changes facing this amphibian species. The differences in the microbial diversity in

  12. Synthesis of economic criteria in the design of electric utility industrial conservation programs in Costa Rica

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

    Fisher, S.C.

    This paper lays out a set of economic criteria to guide the development of electricity conservation programs for industrial customers of the Costa Rican utilities. It puts the problem of utility and other public policy formulation in the industrial conservation field into the context of ongoing economic and trade liberalization in Costa Rica, as well as the financial and political pressures with which the country`s utilities must contend. The need to bolster utility financial performance and the perennial political difficulty of adjusting power rates for inflation and devaluation, not to mention maintaining efficient real levels, puts a premium on controllingmore » the costs of utility conservation programs and increasing the degree of cost recovery over time. Industrial conservation programs in Costa Rica must adopt a certain degree of activation to help overcome serious market failures and imperfections while at the same time avoiding significant distortion of the price signals guiding the ongoing industrial rationalization process and the reactivation of growth.« less

  13. Hispines (Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae) of La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Staines, Charles L.

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Survey work from 1992–2001 identified 139 species of hispines at the lowland part of La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. The tribe Cephaloleiini was the most speciose with 58 species (41.7%) followed by the Chalepini with 55 (39.5%). The fauna is most closely related to that in South America but with some genera which are more speciose in the Nearctic Region. Plant associations are known for 88 (63.3%) of the species but many of these are merely collecting records, not host plant associations. The first plant associations are reported for Alurnus ornatus, Alurnus salvini, and Acentroptera nevermanni. PMID:22303103

  14. Drug abuse in Costa Rica: a review of several studies.

    PubMed

    Alfaro Murillo, E

    1990-01-01

    This article provides a review of drug use surveys conducted by Costa Rica's Institute on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence during the years 1983-1987. These studies dealt with a wide range of subjects--residents of marginal neighborhoods, juvenile male and adult female detainees, and high school students--as well as with the general population. Overall, the studies indicated that the most commonly used illicit drug was marijuana, that the bulk of the drug users (excluding alcohol and tobacco users) were young males, that relevant levels of cocaine use were starting to occur, and that the country's general drug abuse picture poses a problem in need of immediate attention.

  15. Molecular Detection and Genotyping of Chlamydia psittaci in Captive Psittacines from Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Sheleby-Elías, Jessica; Solórzano-Morales, Ántony; Romero-Zuñiga, Juan José

    2013-01-01

    Oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs from 117 captive psittacine birds presented at veterinary clinics (88) and from shelters/rescue centers of wildlife (29) were collected to determine the prevalence of C. psittaci in captive birds in Costa Rica. Samples were collected during 2009 from a total of 19 different species of parrots, with Ara macao (33), Amazona autumnalis (24), Amazona ochrocephala (21), and Ara ararauna (8) being the most representative species sampled. C. psittaci was detected in four (3.4%) birds using molecular detection (PCR). The positive samples belonged to birds presented at veterinary clinics; three of them were Ara macao and one Amazona ochrocephala. Three birds were adults; all positive birds showed no symptoms of illness and lived in homes with other birds, two in San José and two in Heredia. Sequencing was used to confirm the PCR positive results, showing that two samples of C. psittaci belonged to genotype A, representing the first report of the presence of this genotype in Costa Rica. The detection of this bacterium in captive psittacine birds shows that there is a potential risk for people living or having contact with them and that there is a possibility of infecting other birds. PMID:24163776

  16. New species of the damselfly genus Argia from Mexico, Central America and Ecuador with an emphasis on Costa Rica (Insecta: Odonata: Coenagrionidae).

    PubMed

    Garrison, Rosser W; Ellenrieder, Natalia VON

    2017-02-20

    Seven new species of Argia are described, five of which occur in Costa Rica: Argia calverti n. sp. (Holotype ♂, Costa Rica, Cartago Prov., Tapantí Reserve, 1,310 m, 6 vii 1963, F. G. Thompson leg., in FSCA); Argia carolus n. sp. (Holotype ♂, Costa Rica, San José Prov., El Rodeo Biological Reserve, 7 km W of Villa Colón, 9°54' N, 84°16' W, 561 m, 10-13 vii 1990, T. W. Donnelly leg., in FSCA); Argia elongata n. sp. (Holotype ♂, Costa Rica, Cartago Prov., Reventazón river, SE of Turrialba by highway 10, 9°52'56'' N, 83°38'49'' W, 561 m, 10 viii 1979, R. W. & J. A. Garrison leg., in CSCA); Argia haberi n. sp. (Holotype ♂, Costa Rica, San José Prov., Bosque del Tolomuco, km 118 on Pan American highway, in seeps and trickles through brushy pasture on forested hillside, 9°28'18'' N, 83°41'48'' W, 1,710 m, 27 iii 2006, F. Sibley leg., in FSCA); Argia schorri n. sp. (Holotype ♂, Costa Rica, Puntarenas Prov., 2.8 mi E of Golfito, 8°39' N, 83°7' W, 35 m, 4 vii 1967, O. S. Flint, Jr. & M. A. Ortiz B. leg., in USNM), and two which are so far only known from Mexico and Ecuador respectively: Argia rudolphi n. sp. (Holotype ♂, Mexico, Puebla State, Zihuateutla, Sierra de Huauchinango, La Unión, in drainage area, 20°14'25'' N, 97°53'38'' W, 596 m, 21 v 1987, R. Novelo & A. Gómez leg., in CSCA) and Argia schneideri n. sp. (Holotype ♂, Ecuador, Napo Prov., Las Palmas, on Anzu river in Napo river watershed, 11 xii 1936, W. Clark-MacIntyre leg., in UMMZ). All the new species, as well as closely related species needed for diagnosis including A. anceps Garrison, A. cupraurea Calvert, A. cuprea (Hagen), A. extranea (Hagen), A. fissa Selys, A. fulgida Navás, A. oenea Hagen in Selys, A. popoluca Calvert, A. rhoadsi Calvert, and A. westfalli Garrison, are illustrated and diagnosed from their congeners and their known distribution areas are mapped.

  17. Detection of antibodies against Sarcocystis neurona, neospora spp., and Toxoplasma gondii in horses from Costa Rica

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Serum samples from 315 horses from Costa Rica, Central America were examined for the presence of antibodies against Sarcocystis neurona, Neospora spp., and Toxoplasma gondii using the SnSAG2 ELISA, the NhSAG1 ELISA, and the modified agglutination test, respectively. Anti-S. neurona antibodies were f...

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

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

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

  19. Promoting universal financial protection: a policy analysis of universal health coverage in Costa Rica (1940–2000)

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background This paper explores the implementation and sustenance of universal health coverage (UHC) in Costa Rica, discussing the development of a social security scheme that covered 5% of the population in 1940, to one that finances and provides comprehensive healthcare to the whole population today. The scheme is financed by mandatory, tri-partite social insurance contributions complemented by tax funding to cover the poor. Methods The analysis takes a historical perspective and explores the policy process including the key actors and their relative influence in decision-making. Data were collected using qualitative research instruments, including a review of literature, institutional and other documents, and in-depth interviews with key informants. Results Key lessons to be learned are: i) population health was high on the political agenda in Costa Rica, in particular before the 1980s when UHC was enacted and the transfer of hospitals to the social security institution took place. Opposition to UHC could therefore be contained through negotiation and implemented incrementally despite the absence of real consensus among the policy elite; ii) since the 1960s, the social security institution has been responsible for UHC in Costa Rica. This institution enjoys financial and managerial autonomy relative to the general government, which has also facilitated the UHC policy implementation process; iii) UHC was simultaneously constructed on three pillars that reciprocally strengthened each other: increasing population coverage, increasing availability of financial resources based on solidarity financing mechanisms, and increasing service coverage, ultimately offering comprehensive health services and the same benefits to every resident in the country; iv) particularly before the 1980s, the fruits of economic growth were structurally invested in health and other universal social policies, in particular education and sanitation. The social security institution became a

  20. [The health system of Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Sáenz, María del Rocío; Acosta, Mónica; Muiser, Jorine; Bermúdez, Juan Luis

    2011-01-01

    This paper describes the Costa Rican health system which provides health, water and sanitation services. The health component of the system includes a public and a private sector. The public sector is dominated by the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), an autonomous institution in charge of financing, purchasing and delivering most of the personal health services in Costa Rica. CCSS is financed with contributions of the affiliates, employers and the state, and manages three regimes: maternity and illness insurance, disability, old age and death insurance, and a non-contributive regime. CCSS provides services in its own facilities but also contracts with private providers. The private sector includes a broad set of services offering ambulatory and hospital care. These services are financed mostly out-of-pocket, but also with private insurance premiums. The Ministry of Health is the steward of the system, in charge of strategic planning, sanitary regulation, and research and technology development. Among the recent policy innovations we can mention the establishment of the basic teams for comprehensive health care (EBAIS), the de-concentration of hospitals and public clinics, the introduction of management agreements and the creation of the Health Boards.

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

    PubMed

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

    2011-06-01

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

  2. Alcohol abuse and other factors associated with risky sexual behaviors among adolescent students from the poorest areas in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Rios-Zertuche, Diego; Cuchilla, Jose; Zúñiga-Brenes, Paola; Hernández, Bernardo; Jara, Patricia; Mokdad, Ali H; Iriarte, Emma

    2017-03-01

    We applied the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction to analyze factors associated with risky sexual behaviors for adolescent students living in the poorest segments in Costa Rica. We used data from a school-based knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors survey from the poorest districts of Costa Rica, collected for Salud Mesoamerica Initiative. We analyzed responses of 919 male and female students (12-19 years old) to determine factors associated with sexual intercourse and condom use. One of every four students reported being sexually active. Students that reported being sexually active were more likely to consume excessive alcohol (OR 3.04 [95 % CI 1.94-4.79]). While 88.0 % [95 % CI 73.5-95.1] of sexually active adolescents said they would use a condom the next time they have sex, only 53.1 % [95 % CI 39.3-66.5] reported condom use the last time. Non-condom-users felt purchasing condoms was uncomfortable (OR 0.34 [95 % CI 0.12-0.93]). Poor adolescents in Costa Rica begin sexual activities early and undertake behaviors that increase their risk for unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. We found the urgent need to address alcohol abuse, and recognize gender differences in youth health programs.

  3. Application of the BMWP-Costa Rica biotic index in aquatic biomonitoring: sensitivity to collection method and sampling intensity.

    PubMed

    Gutiérrez-Fonseca, Pablo E; Lorion, Christopher M

    2014-04-01

    The use of aquatic macroinvertebrates as bio-indicators in water quality studies has increased considerably over the last decade in Costa Rica, and standard biomonitoring methods have now been formulated at the national level. Nevertheless, questions remain about the effectiveness of different methods of sampling freshwater benthic assemblages, and how sampling intensity may influence biomonitoring results. In this study, we compared the results of qualitative sampling using commonly applied methods with a more intensive quantitative approach at 12 sites in small, lowland streams on the southern Caribbean slope of Costa Rica. Qualitative samples were collected following the official protocol using a strainer during a set time period and macroinvertebrates were field-picked. Quantitative sampling involved collecting ten replicate Surber samples and picking out macroinvertebrates in the laboratory with a stereomicroscope. The strainer sampling method consistently yielded fewer individuals and families than quantitative samples. As a result, site scores calculated using the Biological Monitoring Working Party-Costa Rica (BMWP-CR) biotic index often differed greatly depending on the sampling method. Site water quality classifications using the BMWP-CR index differed between the two sampling methods for 11 of the 12 sites in 2005, and for 9 of the 12 sites in 2006. Sampling intensity clearly had a strong influence on BMWP-CR index scores, as well as perceived differences between reference and impacted sites. Achieving reliable and consistent biomonitoring results for lowland Costa Rican streams may demand intensive sampling and requires careful consideration of sampling methods.

  4. First report of new phytoplasma diseases associated with soybean, sweet pepper, and passion fruit in Costa Rica

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A new soybean disease outbreak occurred in 2002 in a soybean (Glycine max) plantation in Alajuela Province, Costa Rica. Symptoms in the affected plants included general stunting, little leaf, formation of excessive buds, and aborted seed pods. Another two diseases occurred in sweet pepper (Capsicum ...

  5. Seismic reflection images of the accretionary wedge of Costa Rica

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

    Shipley, T.H.; Stoffa, P.L.; McIntosh, K.

    The large-scale structure of modern accretionary wedges is known almost entirely from seismic reflection investigations using single or grids of two-dimensional profiles. The authors will report on the first three-dimensional seismic reflection data volume collected of a wedge. This data set covers a 9-km-wide {times} 22-km-long {times} 6-km-thick volume of the accretionary wedge just arcward of the Middle America Trench off Costa Rica. The three-dimensional processing has improved the imaging ability of the multichannel data, and the data volume allows mapping of structures from a few hundred meters to kilometers in size. These data illustrate the relationships between the basement,more » the wedge shape, and overlying slope sedimentary deposits. Reflections from within the wedge define the gross structural features and tectonic processes active along this particular convergent margin. So far, the analysis shows that the subdued basement relief (horst and graben structures seldom have relief of more than a few hundred meters off Costa Rica) does affect the larger scale through going structural features within the wedge. The distribution of mud volcanoes and amplitude anomalies associated with the large-scale wedge structures suggests that efficient fluid migration paths may extend from the top of the downgoing slab at the shelf edge out into the lower and middle slope region at a distance of 50-100 km. Offscraping of the uppermost (about 45 m) sediment occurs within 4 km of the trench, creating a small pile of sediments near the trench lower slope. Underplating of parts of the 400-m-thick subducted sedimentary section begins at a very shallow structural level, 4-10 km arcward of the trench. Volumetrically, the most important accretionary process is underplating.« less

  6. Mortality due to Hymenoptera stings in Costa Rica, 1985-2006.

    PubMed

    Prado, Mónica; Quirós, Damaris; Lomonte, Bruno

    2009-05-01

    To analyze mortality due to Hymenoptera stings in Costa Rica during 1985-2006. Records of deaths due to Hymenoptera stings in 1985-2006 were retrieved from Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (National Statistics and Census Institute). Mortality rates were calculated on the basis of national population reports, as of 1 July of each year. Information for each case included age, gender, and the province in which the death occurred. In addition, reports of Hymenoptera sting accidents received by the Centro Nacional de Intoxicaciones (National Poison Center, CNI) in 1995-2006 were obtained to assess exposure to these insects. Over the 22-year period analyzed, 52 fatalities due to Hymenoptera stings were recorded. Annual mortality rates varied from 0-1.73 per 1 million inhabitants, with a mean of 0.74 (95% confidence interval: 0.46-0.93). The majority of deaths occurred in males (88.5%), representing a male to female ratio of 7.7:1. A predominance of fatalities was observed in the elderly (50 years of age and older), as well as in children less than 10 years of age. The province with the highest mortality rate was Guanacaste. The CNI documented 1,591 reports of Hymenoptera stings (mostly by bees) in 1995-2006, resulting in an annual average of 133 cases, with only a slight predominance of males over females (1.4:1). Stings by Hymenoptera, mostly by bees, constitute a frequent occurrence in Costa Rica that can be life-threatening in a small proportion of cases, most often in males and the elderly. The annual number of fatalities fluctuated from 0-6, averaging 2.4 deaths per year. Awareness should be raised not only among the general population, but also among health care personnel that should consider this risk in the clinical management of patients stung by Hymenoptera.

  7. Allergen sensitization of asthmatic and nonasthmatic schoolchildren in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Soto-Quiros, M; Gutierrez, I; Calvo, N; Araya, C; Karlberg, J; Hanson, L A; Belin, L

    1998-12-01

    The prevalence of asthma among schoolchildren in Costa Rica is very high -- at the level of 20-30% -- and the reason is still unknown. A group of children from our previous epidemiologic study was randomly selected in order to establish the relation between asthma symptoms and allergy sensitization to common allergens. Serum samples from children with and without asthma were analyzed for the presence of IgE antibodies to 36 different allergens, for the presence of IgE antibodies to a pool of 10 common allergens, and for total serum IgE. The most prevalent IgE antibodies were those to mite, cockroach, dog, and house-dust allergens with MAST pipettes for the serologic measurements. Positive reactions to house dust, mite, cat, and the two molds (Alternaria and Cladosporium), and food allergens such as egg white, peanut, and shellfish were significantly more prevalent among the asthmatics than the nonasthmatics. Sensitization was equally prevalent at different ages, but the house-dust, mite, cat, dog, cockroach, Alternaria, and egg-white allergens had sensitized boys more often than girls (P < 0.01). The result of the analysis of IgE antibodies to a pool of 10 common allergens by Phadiatop supported the MAST pipette results, showing allergen sensitization in 57.7% of the asthmatic children and 42.3% in the nonasthmatic group. The concentration of IgE was significantly higher among the asthmatic children (372.2 kU/l) than among the nonasthmatic children (249.1 kU/l) (P < 0.00001). Parasitic infestations were not examined in this study, but in most of Costa Rica these have largely been eliminated and could not explain the high total IgE levels. Our data indicate that the very high prevalence of bronchial asthma in Costa Rican schoolchildren can be related to sensitization, especially to airborne indoor allergens such as those of mites, cockroaches, and dogs.

  8. Co-designing communication and hazard preparedness strategies at Turrialba volcano, Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Manen, Saskia; Avard, Geoffroy; Martinez, Maria

    2014-05-01

    Globally volcanic activity results in huge human, social, environmental and economic losses. Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is the concept and systematic practice of reducing disaster risks and associated losses through a wide range of strategies, including efforts to increase knowledge through education and outreach. However, recent studies have shown a substantial gap between risk reduction actions taken at national and local levels, with national policies showing little change at the community level. Yet it is at local levels are where DRR efforts can have the biggest impact. This research focuses on communicating hazard preparedness strategies at Turrialba volcano, Costa Rica. Located in the Central Cordillera just 35 km northeast of Costa Rica's capital city San Jose this 3,340 m high active stratovolcano looms over Costa Rica's Central Valley, the social and economic hub of the country. Following progressive increases in degassing and seismic activity Turrialba resumed activity in 1996 after more than 100 years of quiescence. Since 2007 it has continuously emitted gas and since 2010 intermittent phreatic explosions accompanied by ash emissions have occurred. Despite high levels of hazard salience individuals and communities are not or under-prepared to deal with a volcanic eruption. In light of Turrialba's continued activity engaging local communities with disaster risk management is key. At the local levels culture (collective behaviours, interactions, cognitive constructs, and affective understanding) is an important factor in shaping peoples' views, understanding and response to natural phenomena. As such an increasing number of academic studies and intergovernmental organisations advocate for the incorporation of cultural context into disaster risk reduction strategies, which firstly requires documenting people's perception. Therefore approaching community disaster preparedness from a user-centred perspective, through an iterative and collaborative

  9. Gender, migration and urban development in Costa Rica: the case of Guanacaste.

    PubMed

    Chant, S

    1991-01-01

    Factors fueling urbanization in Guanacaste province, Costa Rica are explored and how the pattern of urban growth reflects gender divisions of labor is considered. Urbanization in Latin America has been due largely to the expansion of economic activities in urban centers, but in Guanacaste, rural employment persists among the poor. Towns in this peripheral province have witnessed no major expansion in urban-based employment opportunities. On the basis of an in-depth survey of urban dwellers in the province's 3 leading towns (Liberia, Canas, and Santa Cruz), an attempt is made to explain Guanacaste's urbanization. The 1st section discusses the migration, urbanization, and economic development in Costa Rica, as well as Guanacaste. The 2nd section provides the findings of the survey of 350 low-income, urban households in Guanacaste, focusing on the households' reported reasons for moving. Section 3 examines household survival strategies in the areas surveyed, paying close attention to gender and age selectivity of short-term out-migration to external labor markets. Section 4 interprets the apparent connection between gender-differentiated labor migration and the dominance of reproductive factors in household decisions to move to urban centers. Section 5 considers the implications of the migration patterns on women, while section 6 discusses the wider implications of the study. The study reveals that in Guanacaste, urbanization is more strongly linked to the reproductive (e.g., housing and welfare) needs of household survival than to productive (employment and income) needs.

  10. Protected areas reduced poverty in Costa Rica and Thailand

    PubMed Central

    Andam, Kwaw S.; Ferraro, Paul J.; Sims, Katharine R. E.; Healy, Andrew; Holland, Margaret B.

    2010-01-01

    As global efforts to protect ecosystems expand, the socioeconomic impact of protected areas on neighboring human communities continues to be a source of intense debate. The debate persists because previous studies do not directly measure socioeconomic outcomes and do not use appropriate comparison groups to account for potential confounders. We illustrate an approach using comprehensive national datasets and quasi-experimental matching methods. We estimate impacts of protected area systems on poverty in Costa Rica and Thailand and find that although communities near protected areas are indeed substantially poorer than national averages, an analysis based on comparison with appropriate controls does not support the hypothesis that these differences can be attributed to protected areas. In contrast, the results indicate that the net impact of ecosystem protection was to alleviate poverty. PMID:20498058

  11. Comparative study of general public owl knowledge in Costa Rica, Central America and Malawi, Africa

    Treesearch

    Paula A. Enriquez; Heimo Mikkola

    1997-01-01

    The public knowledge of owls in Central America and Africa was compared based on 162 interviews in Costa Rica and 147 in Malawi. General knowledge of owls included: species, common names, habitats, food, and calls, and was quite similar in both study areas. In Malawi, more than 90 percent of the respondents connected owls with bad luck, witchcraft, and death. In Costa...

  12. "Candidatus phytoplasma costaricanum" a new phytoplasma associated with a newly emerging disease in soybean in Costa Rica

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A new phytoplasma associated with a newly emerging disease, soybean stunt (SoyST), in soybean (Glycine max) was found in 2002 in a soybean plantation in Alajuela Province, Costa Rica. The same or very closely related phytoplasma also infected sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) with purple vein syndrome ...

  13. First report of Bemisia tabaci biotype Q in Costa Rica and detection of viruliferous whiteflies in greenhouses

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Whiteflies are a complex that comprises multiple species and biotypes or races which are capable of affecting crops by phloem feeding, virus transmission and promotion of fungal colonization. The distribution of these pests is worldwide. In Costa Rica, a country located in the tropics, the most prob...

  14. [Use and conservation of palm swamps Raphia taedigera (Arecaceae) in the Area de Conservación Tortuguero, Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Calvo-Gutiérrez, Carlos M; Bonilla-Murillo, Fabián; Sasa, Mahmood

    2013-09-01

    The swamps dominated by raffia palm Raphia taedigera are conspicuous environments in the Tortuguero floodplains and in other wet regions along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Costa Rica. However, these environments have been little studied and are exposed to numerous threats, most importantly their replacement by agricultural activities or pastureland. In this paper, we describe some applications and uses of the raffia palms and other palms that are common in these flooded swamps. We also describe the efforts that have been made in Costa Rica for the protection or raffia-dominated swamps, through the environmental law frame of the country and the establishment of a protection system based on wilderness areas under different categories of protection. We discuss issues relevant to the future of these environments in the regions where they are distributed.

  15. Diversity, ecology and herbivory of hairstreak butterflies (Theclinae) associated with the velvet tree, Miconia calvescens in Costa Rica.

    Treesearch

    F.R. Badenes-Pérez; M.A. Alfaro-Alpízar; M.T. Johnson

    2010-01-01

    Larvae of three species of hairstreak butterflies in the subfamily Theclinae (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) were found feeding on developing inflorescences, flower buds, and immature fruits of the velvet tree, (Miconia calvescens) de Candolle (Myrtales: Melastomataceae) in Costa Rica. (Erora opisena) (Druce), (Parrhasius...

  16. Scientific publications about DNA structure-function and PCR technique in Costa Rica: a historic view (1953-2003).

    PubMed

    Albertazzi, Federico J

    2004-09-01

    The spreading of knowledge depends on the access to the information and its immediate use. Models are useful to explain specific phenomena. The scientific community accepts some models in Biology after a period of time, once it has evidence to support it. The model of the structure and function of the DNA proposed by Watson & Crick (1953) was not the exception, since a few years later the DNA model was finally accepted. In Costa Rica, DNA function was first mentioned in 1970, in the magazine Biologia Tropical (Tropical Biology Magazine), more than 15 years after its first publication in a scientific journal. An opposite situation occurs with technical innovations. If the efficiency of a new scientific technique is proved in a compelling way, then the acceptance by the community comes swiftly. This was the case of the polymerase chain reaction, or PCR. The first PCR machine in Costa Rica arrived in 1991, only three years after its publication.

  17. [Analysis of cerebrovascular disease mortality in Costa Rica between the years 1920-2009].

    PubMed

    Evans-Meza, Ronald; Pérez-Fallas, José; Bonilla-Carrión, Roger

    To analyze the trend in mortality from cerebrovascular diseases in Costa Rica and its impact on overall mortality from 1920 to 2009. Crude rates by triennium and quinquennium were obtained. We also obtanied age standardized rates in the age group 35-74 years during the period 1970-2009. Finally we got the death percentage from stroke in relation to overall mortality. The trend for the period 1920-1969 was to the upside (r=0.82, r 2 =0.67, betha 0.30; P≤0.00) whereas for the period 1970 occurred otherwise (r=0.42, r 2 =0.18, betha -0064; P=0.01). Adjusted for the group 35-74 years between 1970-2009 rates decreased by 58.03% was statistically significant trend for both sexes; men r2=0.94, betha: -0.73; women: r2=0.97, betha: 0.95. The maximum percentage of mortality from stroke in relation to the overall mortality was 7.22 in the period 1985-1989 reached down to 5.92% in 2005-2009. In the Latin American context, stroke mortality rates in Costa Rica are low but still represent a serious public health problem by the high mortality, morbidity and disability that they cause, despite a downward trend. Copyright © 2016 Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

  18. `Science to the Glory of God'. The Popular Science Magazine Ibérica and its Coverage of Radioactivity, 1914-1936

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herran, Néstor

    2012-03-01

    This paper provides a first approach to the history of Ibérica, one of the most important popular science magazines published in Spain before the Civil War. Founded in 1914 by members of the Society of Jesus based at the Ebro Observatory, Ibérica reached a weekly circulation of about 10,000 in the mid 1920s, and was instrumental in extending science education in Jesuit education facilities and in developing a "reactionary modernist" culture that embraced Catholicism and modernisation. By focusing on its coverage of radioactivity and the radium industry, the article aims to examine the magazine's popularising style and ideology, and to determine its role in the debates regarding the cultural value of science in the first decades of twentieth century Spain.

  19. An overview of a landbird monitoring program at Tortuguero, on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica

    Treesearch

    C. John Ralph; Margaret J. Widdowson; Robert I. Frey; Pablo A. Herrera; Brian P. O' Donnell

    2005-01-01

    Since 1994, the Tortuguero Integrated Bird Monitoring Program has been monitoring birds in a coastal lowland rain forest of northeast Costa Rica. The Program has combined the use of area searches, constanteffort mist netting, and migration counts into a longterm landbird monitoring and training program following the recommendations of the Partners In Flight &ndash...

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

    PubMed

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

    2014-10-01

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

  1. Novel genotype of Ehrlichia canis detected in samples of human blood bank donors in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Bouza-Mora, Laura; Dolz, Gaby; Solórzano-Morales, Antony; Romero-Zuñiga, Juan José; Salazar-Sánchez, Lizbeth; Labruna, Marcelo B; Aguiar, Daniel M

    2017-01-01

    This study focuses on the detection and identification of DNA and antibodies to Ehrlichia spp. in samples of blood bank donors in Costa Rica using molecular and serological techniques. Presence of Ehrlichia canis was determined in 10 (3.6%) out of 280 blood samples using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the ehrlichial dsb conserved gene. Analysis of the ehrlichial trp36 polymorphic gene in these 10 samples revealed substantial polymorphism among the E. canis genotypes, including divergent tandem repeat sequences. Nucleotide sequences of dsb and trp36 amplicons revealed a novel genotype of E. canis in blood bank donors from Costa Rica. Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) detected antibodies in 35 (35%) of 100 serum samples evaluated. Thirty samples showed low endpoint titers (64-256) to E. canis, whereas five sera yielded high endpoint titers (1024-8192); these five samples were also E. canis-PCR positive. These findings represent the first report of the presence of E. canis in humans in Central America. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

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

    PubMed

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

    2017-12-01

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

  3. Gas measurements from the Costa Rica-Nicaragua volcanic segment suggest possible along-arc variations in volcanic gas chemistry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aiuppa, A.; Robidoux, P.; Tamburello, G.; Conde, V.; Galle, B.; Avard, G.; Bagnato, E.; De Moor, J. M.; Martínez, M.; Muñóz, A.

    2014-12-01

    Obtaining accurate estimates of the CO2 output from arc volcanism requires a precise understanding of the potential along-arc variations in volcanic gas chemistry, and ultimately of the magmatic gas signature of each individual arc segment. In an attempt to more fully constrain the magmatic gas signature of the Central America Volcanic Arc (CAVA), we present here the results of a volcanic gas survey performed during March and April 2013 at five degassing volcanoes within the Costa Rica-Nicaragua volcanic segment (CNVS). Observations of the volcanic gas plume made with a multicomponent gas analyzer system (Multi-GAS) have allowed characterization of the CO2/SO2-ratio signature of the plumes at Poás (0.30±0.06, mean ± SD), Rincón de la Vieja (27.0±15.3), and Turrialba (2.2±0.8) in Costa Rica, and at Telica (3.0±0.9) and San Cristóbal (4.2±1.3) in Nicaragua (all ratios on molar basis). By scaling these plume compositions to simultaneously measured SO2 fluxes, we estimate that the CO2 outputs at CNVS volcanoes range from low (25.5±11.0 tons/day at Poás) to moderate (918 to 1270 tons/day at Turrialba). These results add a new information to the still fragmentary volcanic CO2 output data set, and allow estimating the total CO2 output from the CNVS at 2835±1364 tons/day. Our novel results, with previously available information about gas emissions in Central America, are suggestive of distinct volcanic gas CO2/ST (= SO2 + H2S)-ratio signature for magmatic volatiles in Nicaragua (∼3) relative to Costa Rica (∼0.5-1.0). We also provide additional evidence for the earlier theory relating the CO2-richer signature of Nicaragua volcanism to increased contributions from slab-derived fluids, relative to more-MORB-like volcanism in Costa Rica. The sizeable along-arc variations in magmatic gas chemistry that the present study has suggested indicate that additional gas observations are urgently needed to more-precisely confine the volcanic CO2 from the CAVA, and from

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

    PubMed

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

    2012-12-01

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

  5. Biology and trapping of stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae) developing in pineapple residues (Ananas comosus) in Costa Rica

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Pineapple production in Costa Rica increased nearly 300-fold during the last 30 yr, and >40,000 hectares of land are currently dedicated to this crop. At the end of the pineapple cropping cycle, plants are chopped and residues incorporated into the soil in preparation for replanting. Associated with...

  6. The evolution of uniportal video assisted thoracic surgery in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Guido Guerrero, William; Gonzalez-Rivas, Diego; Yang, Yang; Li, Wentao

    2016-01-01

    Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has become one of the most important advances in thoracic surgery in this generation. It has evolved continuously into a less invasive approach, being uniportal VATS the last step in this evolution. Since the first uniportal VATS lobectomy was performed in La Coruña in 2010, the procedure has suffered and exponential growth that has allowed it to widespread around the world, expanding the indications from initially early stage lung cancer cases to complex advance cases nowadays. In Costa Rica, uniportal VATS started to be used for major pulmonary resection in June 2014, thanks to the tutoring from Dr. Gonzalez-Rivas. In our center, uniportal VATS is the standard approach for minimally invasive procedures, and major pulmonary resections had only been done through the single port approach. In order to evolve and progress in the experience of the procedure, and to expand the indications in which it was being performed, a "uniportal VATS master class" was held in Rafael Angel Calderón Guardia Hospital in San José, Costa Rica, from September 16 to September 18 2015. The master class was led by Dr. Diego Gonzalez-Rivas and it counted with the contribution of Dr. Li Wentao and Dr. Yang Yang, from Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital. The course attracted almost every thoracic surgeon in our country and participants also included anesthesiologists, pulmonologists, nurses and medical students. Three uniportal VATS were performed during the course, a left lower and a right upper lobectomy and a wedge resection that was the first non-intubated VATS procedure ever performed in our country.

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

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

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

  8. Metabolic control in a nationally representative diabetic elderly sample in Costa Rica: patients at community health centers vs. patients at other health care settings

    PubMed Central

    Brenes-Camacho, Gilbert; Rosero-Bixby, Luis

    2008-01-01

    Background Costa Rica, like other developing countries, is experiencing an increasing burden of chronic conditions such as diabetes mellitus (DM), especially among its elderly population. This article has two goals: (1) to assess the level of metabolic control among the diabetic population age ≥ 60 years old in Costa Rica, and (2) to test whether diabetic elderly patients of community health centers differ from patients in other health care settings in terms of the level of metabolic control. Methods Data come from the project CRELES, a nationally representative study of people aged 60 and over in Costa Rica. This article analyzes a subsample of 542 participants in CRELES with self-reported diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Odds ratios of poor levels of metabolic control at different health care settings are computed using logistic regressions. Results Lack of metabolic control among elderly diabetic population in Costa Rica is described as follows: 37% have glycated hemoglobin ≥ 7%; 78% have systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg; 66% have diastolic blood pressure ≥ 80 mmHg; 48% have triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/dl; 78% have LDL ≥ 100 mg/dl; 70% have HDL ≤ 40 mg/dl. Elevated levels of triglycerides and LDL were higher in patients of community health centers than in patients of other clinical settings. There were no statistical differences in the other metabolic control indicators across health care settings. Conclusion Levels of metabolic control among elderly population with DM in Costa Rica are not that different from those observed in industrialized countries. Elevated levels of triglycerides and LDL at community health centers may indicate problems of dyslipidemia treatment among diabetic patients; these problems are not observed in other health care settings. The Costa Rican health care system should address this problem, given that community health centers constitute a means of democratizing access to primary health care to underserved and poor areas. PMID

  9. Perspective View with Landsat Overlay, Costa Rica

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2002-01-01

    This perspective view shows the Caribbean coastal plain of Costa Rica, with the Cordillera Central rising in the background and the Pacific Ocean in the distance. The prominent river in the center of the image is the Rio Sucio, which merges with the Rio Sarapiqui at the bottom of the image and eventually joins with Rio San Juan on the Nicaragua border.

    Like much of Central America, Costa Rica is generally cloud covered so very little satellite imagery is available. The ability of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) instrument to penetrate clouds and make three-dimensional measurements will allow generation of the first complete high-resolution topographic map of the entire region. These data were used to generate the image.

    This three-dimensional perspective view was generated using elevation data from SRTM and an enhanced false-color Landsat 7 satellite image. Colors are from Landsat bands 5, 4, and 2 as red, green and blue, respectively. Topographic expression is exaggerated two times.

    Landsat has been providing visible and infrared views of the Earth since 1972. SRTM elevation data matches the 30-meter resolution of most Landsat images and will substantially help in analyses of the large and growing Landsat image archive. The Landsat 7 Thematic Mapper image used here was provided to the SRTM by the United States Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center, Sioux Falls, S.D.

    Elevation data used in this image was acquired by the SRTM aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and

  10. Morphological and molecular characterization of the metacercaria of Paragonimus caliensis, as a separate species from P. mexicanus in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Hernández-Chea, Roderico; Jiménez-Rocha, Ana Eugenia; Castro, Ruth; Blair, David; Dolz, Gaby

    2017-04-01

    The trematode Paragonimus mexicanus is the etiological agent of paragonimiasis, a food-borne zoonotic disease in Latin America. This species, as well as Paragonimus caliensis, have been reported from Costa Rica, but it is not known if the two are synonymous. Two types of Paragonimus metacercariae from freshwater pseudothelphusid crabs from several localities in Costa Rica were recognized by light microscopy. Morphologically, these corresponded to descriptions of P. mexicanus and P. caliensis. Metacercariae of the former species lacked a membrane or cyst and their bodies were yellow in color. Those of P. caliensis were contained in a transparent thin cyst and were pink in color. Morphotypes of metacercariae were determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Based on the number and distribution of papillae in the ventral sucker, three morphotypes were found for P. mexicanus and two for P. caliensis. Analysis of DNA sequences (nuclear ribosomal 28S and ITS2 genes, and partial mitochondrial cox1 gene) confirmed the presence of P. mexicanus and provided the first molecular data for P. caliensis. The two species are phylogenetically distinct from each other and distant from the Asian species. The confirmation of P. caliensis as a separate species from P. mexicanus raises several questions about the ecology, biological diversity, and epidemiology of the genus Paragonimus in Costa Rica. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Governmental Forest Policy for Sustainable Forest Management in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Nicaragua: Regulation, Implementation, and Impact

    Treesearch

    Kathleen A. McGinley; Frederick W. Cubbage

    2012-01-01

    We evaluated how governmental forest regulation in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Nicaragua has succeeded or failed in fostering changes in forest owner and user behavior that enhance the sustainability of tropical forest management. As expected, sufficient resources and capacity for forest policy implementation are crucial for attaining governmental forest policy...

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2013-01-01

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

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

    PubMed

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

    2013-12-27

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

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

    PubMed

    Cortés, Jorge

    2017-01-01

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

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

    PubMed Central

    Cortés, Jorge

    2017-01-01

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

  16. [Bacteriological quality of traditional, organic and hydroponic cultured lettuce in Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Monge, Claudio; Chaves, Carolina; Arias, María Laura

    2011-03-01

    The main objective of this work was to evaluate the microbiological quality of lettuces commercialized in the Metropolitan Area of San José, Costa Rica, and cultured in different ways, in order to detect differences between the culturing methods and the risk that these products may represent for Public Health. The study was done at the Food Microbiology Laboratory, Universidad de Costa Rica, from March to July, 2010. 30 lettuce samples were analyzed (10 obtained by traditional culture, 10 by organic culture and 10 by hydropony). All samples were obtained from markets where their origin was certified. Total aerobic plate count, total and fecal coliforms count and Escherichia coli were determined to all samples, as well as the presence/abscense of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in 25 g. Results obtained show that there is no statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) between the different types of cultures analyzed for any of the parameters evaluated. An important percentage of the samples presented coliforms, nevertheless, just one E. coli strain was isolated from a traditionally cultured lettuce sample. Four different Salmonella spp. strains were isolated from the samples as well as one Listeria monocytogenes strain. Data obtained show that the consumption of this product, raw or without an adequate hygiene and disinfection may represent a risk for health. Also, from the bacteriological point of view, there is no significant difference between the culturing methods evaluated, suggesting that the specific directions for each type of culture are not followed or that there is an inadequate handling of the products or post harvest contamination.

  17. Aging in the Americas: Disability-free Life Expectancy Among Adults Aged 65 and Older in the United States, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

    PubMed

    Payne, Collin F

    2018-01-11

    To estimate and compare disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) and current age patterns of disability onset and recovery from disability between the United States and countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Disability is measured using the activities of daily living scale. Data come from longitudinal surveys of older adult populations in Costa Rica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United States. Age patterns of transitions in and out of disability are modeled with a discrete-time logistic hazard model, and a microsimulation approach is used to estimate DFLE. Overall life expectancy for women aged 65 is 20.11 years in Costa Rica, 19.2 years in Mexico, 20.4 years in Puerto Rico, and 20.5 years in the United States. For men, these figures are 19.0 years in Costa Rica, 18.4 years in Mexico, 18.1 years in Puerto Rico, and 18.1 years in the United States. Proportion of remaining life spent free of disability for women at age 65 is comparable between Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United States, with Costa Rica trailing slightly. Male estimates of DFLE are similar across the four populations. Though the older adult population of Latin America and the Caribbean lived many years exposed to poor epidemiological and public health conditions, their functional health in later life is comparable with the older adult population of the United States. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. (Evaluation of neutralizing ability of four commercially available antivenoms against the venom of Bothrops asper from Costa Rica)

    PubMed

    Bogarín, G; Segura, E; Durán, G; Lomonte, B; Rojas, G; Gutiérrez, J M

    1995-09-01

    We studied the ability of four commercially available antivenoms to neutralize several toxic and enzymatic activities of Bothrops asper (terciopelo) venom from Costa Rica. Experiments with preincubation of venom and antivenom were carried out to test the neutralization of lethal, hemorrhagic, coagulant and indirect hemolytic activities. In addition, antibody titers against crude venom and myotoxin II purified from this venom were determined by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). Results indicate that polyvalent antivenom from Instituto Clodomiro Picado (Costa Rica) has the highest neutralizing ability against lethal, coagulant and indirect hemolytic activities, whereas MYN polyvalent antivenom (México) has the highest neutralization against hemorrhagic activity. Antivenom from Instituto Clodomiro Picado also has the highest antibody titers against crude B. asper venom and against myotoxin II. Antivenoms from Universidad Central de Venezuela (Venezuela), Vencofarma (Brazil) and MYN (México) failed to neutralize the lethal effect of this venom. These results stress the need for rigorous quality control systems to evaluate the neutralizing ability of antivenoms in Central America.

  19. Isotopic composition in precipitation and groundwater in the northern mountainous region of the Central Valley of Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Sánchez-Murillo, Ricardo; Esquivel-Hernández, Germain; Sáenz-Rosales, Oscar; Piedra-Marín, Gilberto; Fonseca-Sánchez, Alicia; Madrigal-Solís, Helga; Ulloa-Chaverri, Franz; Rojas-Jiménez, Luis D; Vargas-Víquez, José A

    2017-03-01

    The linkage between precipitation and recharge is still poorly understood in the Central America region. This study focuses on stable isotopic composition in precipitation and groundwater in the northern mountainous region of the Central Valley of Costa Rica. During the dry season, rainfall samples corresponded to enriched events with high deuterium excess. By mid-May, the Intertropical Convergence Zone poses over Costa Rica resulting in a depletion of 18 O/ 16 O and 2 H/H ratios. A parsimonious four-variable regression model (r 2  = 0.52) was able to predict daily δ 18 O in precipitation. Air mass back trajectories indicated a combination of Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean sources, which is clearly depicted in groundwater isoscape. Aquifers relying on Pacific-originated recharge exhibited a more depleted pattern, whereas recharge areas relying on Caribbean parental moisture showed an enrichment trend. These results can be used to enhance modelling efforts in Central America where scarcity of long-term data limits water resources management plans.

  20. Late Cretaceous-Cenozoic Basin framework and petroleum potential of Panama and Costa Rica

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

    Mann, P.; Kolarsky, R.

    Despite its location between major petroleum provinces in northwestern South America and northern Central America, there is a widespread negative perception of the petroleum potential of Panama and Costa Rica in southern Central America. Several factors may contribute to this perception: (1) the on and offshore geology of many areas has only be studied in a reconnaissance fashion; (2) sandstone reservoirs and source rocks are likely to be of poor quality because Upper Cretaceous-Cenozoic sandstones are eroded from island arc or oceanic basement rocks and because oil-prone source rocks are likely to be scarce in near-arc basins; and (3) structuralmore » traps are likely to be small and fragmented because of complex late Cenozoic thrust and strike-slip tectonics. On the other hand, onshore oil and gas seeps, shows and small production in wildcat wells, and source rocks with TOC values up to 26% suggest the possibility of future discoveries. In this talk, we present the results of a regional study using 3100 km of offshore seismic lines kindly provided by industry. Age and stratigraphic control of offshore lines is constrained by limited well data and detailed field studies of basin outcrops in coastal areas. We describe the major structures, stratigraphy, and tectonic history of the following areas: Gulf of Panama and Gulf of Chiriqui of Panama and the Pacific and Caribbean margins of Costa Rica.« less

  1. Economic characteristics of the peat deposits of Costa Rica: preliminary study

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

    Cohen, A.D. Malavassi, L.; Raymond, R. Jr.; Mora, S.

    1985-01-01

    Recent field and laboratory studies have established the presence of numerous extensive peat deposits in Costa Rica. Three of these were selected for initial investigation: (1) the cloud-forest histosols of the Talamanca Mountain Range; (2) the Rio Medio Queso flood plain deposits near the northern Costa Rican border; and (3) a tropical jungle swamp deposit on the northeastern coastal plain. In the Talamanca area, 29 samples were collected from eight sites. Due to the high moisture and cool temperatures of the cloud forest, the peats in this area form blanket-like deposits (generally <1 meter thick) over a wide area (>150more » km/sup 2/). These peats are all highly decomposed (avg. 28% fiber), high in ash (avg. 21%), and extensively bioturbated. Relative to all other sites visited, these peats are lowest in moisture (avg. 84%), pH (avg. 4.4), fixed carbon (avg. 23%), and sulfur (avg. 0.2%). However, they have the highest bulk densities (avg. 0.22 g/cc), volatile matter contents (avg. 55%), and nitrogen. Their heating value averaged 7700 BTUs/lb., dry. In the Rio Medio Queso area, 28 samples were collected, representing one transect of the 70 km/sup 2/ flood plain. The peats here occurred in several layers (each <1-1/2 meters thick), interfingering with river flood plain sediments. These peats have the highest calorific values (avg. 8000 BTUs/lb., dry), fixed carbon (avg. 30%), and ash (avg. 22%) and have an average pH of 5.4 and a bulk density of 0.20 g/cc. These results represent only the first part of a long-term, extensive survey of Costa Rica's peat resources. However, they suggest that large, economically-significant peat deposits may be present in this country. 5 refs., 8 figs., 4 tabs.« less

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2016-04-01

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

  3. The Spherical Tokamak MEDUSA for Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ribeiro, Celso; Vargas, Ivan; Guadamuz, Saul; Mora, Jaime; Ansejo, Jose; Zamora, Esteban; Herrera, Julio; Chaves, Esteban; Romero, Carlos

    2012-10-01

    The former spherical tokamak (ST) MEDUSA (Madison EDUcation Small Aspect.ratio tokamak, R<0.14m, a<0.10m, BT<0.5T, Ip<40kA, 3ms pulse)[1] is in a process of donation to Costa Rica Institute of Technology. The main objective of MEDUSA is to train students in plasma physics /technical related issues which will help all tasks of the very low aspect ratio stellarator SCR-1(A≡R/>=3.6, under design[2]) and also the ongoing activities in low temperature plasmas. Courses in plasma physics at undergraduate and post-graduate joint programme levels are regularly conducted. The scientific programme is intend to clarify several issues in relevant physics for conventional and mainly STs, including transport, heating and current drive via Alfv'en wave, and natural divertor STs with ergodic magnetic limiter[3,4]. [1] G.D.Garstka, PhD thesis, University of Wisconsin at Madison, 1997 [2] L.Barillas et al., Proc. 19^th Int. Conf. Nucl. Eng., Japan, 2011 [3] C.Ribeiro et al., IEEJ Trans. Electrical and Electronic Eng., 2012(accepted) [4] C.Ribeiro et al., Proc. 39^th EPS Conf. Contr. Fusion and Plasma Phys., Sweden, 2012

  4. Costa Rica regroups for sales kick-off.

    PubMed

    1985-01-01

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

  5. Detection of Plantago asiatica mosaic virus in lily hybrid plants (Lilium spp.) in Costa Rica grown from imported bulbs

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Plantago asiatica mosaic virus (PlAMV), a potexvirus recently reported affecting lily plants from several countries, was detected in three lily plants in Costa Rica. Plant tissue showed chlorotic and necrotic streaking. Electron transmission microscopy revealed the presence of flexuous-rod shaped pa...

  6. Constructions of Difference and Deficit, a Case Study: Nicaraguan Families and Children on the Margins in Costa Rica

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Purcell-Gates, Victoria

    2014-01-01

    This analysis examines the nexus of marginalization and education, particularly the literacy potential and achievement of young children from socially and politically marginalized communities. Drawing on data from a study of literacy practice among Nicaraguan immigrants in Costa Rica and the schooling of the Nicaraguan children in Costa Rican…

  7. Seroprevalence of porcine circovirus type 2 in swine populations in Canada and Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Qiang; Wang, Li; Willson, Philip; O'Connor, Brendan; Keenliside, Julia; Chirino-Trejo, Manuel; Meléndez, Ronald; Babiuk, Lorne

    2002-01-01

    Porcine circovirus (PCV) was recently divided into 2 antigenically distinct types that differ (65% amino acid identity) in the protein encoded by open reading frame 2 (ORF2). Porcine circovirus 1 is apparently non-pathogenic and, in contrast, PCV2 is associated with porcine multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). Our objective was to determine the extent of exposure of normal pigs in Canada and Costa Rica to PCV2. Recombinant DNA techniques were used to produce an antigen from ORF2 of PCV2 that was suitable for the detection of antibody in swine sera. The presence of PCV2 nucleotide sequences was detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. Using these tests, specific antibody and nucleotide sequences were demonstrated in sera from a cohort of pigs during a PMWS outbreak. Antibody was detected in normal, healthy hogs slaughtered in Canada (82.4% of 386) and in Costa Rica (14.6% of 322). This is the first report indicating the presence of PCV2 in Latin America. More than 50% of these sera also contained PCV2 nucleotide sequence. Although these hogs were healthy when slaughtered, they were infected with PCV2 and may have previously been ill. The widespread occurrence of PCV2 in swine suggests that this virus is adapted to replication in porcine tissue. PMID:12418777

  8. The 2017 México Tsunami Record, Numerical Modeling and Threat Assessment in Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chacón-Barrantes, Silvia

    2018-03-01

    An M w 8.2 earthquake and tsunami occurred offshore the Pacific coast of México on 2017-09-08, at 04:49 UTC. Costa Rican tide gauges have registered a total of 21 local, regional and far-field tsunamis. The Quepos gauge registered 12 tsunamis between 1960 and 2014 before it was relocated inside a harbor by late 2014, where it registered two more tsunamis. This paper analyzes the 2017 México tsunami as recorded by the Quepos gauge. It took 2 h for the tsunami to arrive to Quepos, with a first peak height of 9.35 cm and a maximum amplitude of 18.8 cm occurring about 6 h later. As a decision support tool, this tsunami was modeled for Quepos in real time using ComMIT (Community Model Interface for Tsunami) with the finer grid having a resolution of 1 arcsec ( 30 m). However, the model did not replicate the tsunami record well, probably due to the lack of a finer and more accurate bathymetry. In 2014, the National Tsunami Monitoring System of Costa Rica (SINAMOT) was created, acting as a national tsunami warning center. The occurrence of the 2017 México tsunami raised concerns about warning dissemination mechanisms for most coastal communities in Costa Rica, due to its short travel time.

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

    PubMed

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

    2017-11-01

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

  10. Integrated power sector efficiency analysis: A case study of Costa Rica

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

    Waddle, D.B.; MacDonald, J.M.

    1990-03-01

    In an effort to analyze and document the potential for power sector efficiency improvements from generation to end-use, the Agency for International Development and the Government of Costa Rica are jointly conducting an integrated power sector efficiency analysis. Potential for energy and cost savings in power plants, transmission and distribution, and demand-side management programs are being evaluated. The product of this study will be an integrated investment plan for the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, incorporating both supply and demand side investment options. This paper presents the methodology employed in the study, as well as preliminary estimates of the results ofmore » the study. 14 refs., 2 figs., 5 tabs.« less

  11. Geochemical Atlas of the San Jose and Golfito quadrangles, Costa Rica. Atlas Geoquimico de los cuadrangulos de San Jose y Golfito, Costa Rica (in English and Spanish)

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

    Not Available

    The Geochemical Atlas of the San Jose and Golfito 1:200,000-scale quadrangles, Costa Rica, was produced to help stimulate the growth of the Costa Rican mining industry and, thus, to benefit the economy of the country. As a result of the geochemical data presented in the Atlas, future exploration for metallic minerals in Costa Rica can be focused on specific areas that have the highest potential for mineralization. Stream-sediment samples were collected from drainage basins within the two quadrangles. These samples were analyzed for 50 elements and the results were displayed as computer-generated color maps. Each map shows the variation inmore » abundance of a single element within the quadrangle. Basic statistics, geological and cultural data are included as insets in each map to assist in interpretation. In the Golfito quadrangle, the geochemical data do not clearly indicate undiscovered gold mineralization. The areas known to contain placer (alluvial) gold are heavily affected by mining activity. Statistical treatment of the geochemical data is necessary before it will be possible to determine the gold potential of this quadrangle. In San Jose quadrangle, gold and the pathfinder elements, arsenic and antimony, are indicators of the gold mineralization characteristic of the Costa Rican gold district located in the Tilaran-Montes del Aguacate Range. This work shows that high concentrations of these elements occur in samples collected downstream from active gold mines. More importantly, the high concentrations of gold, arsenic, and antimony in sediment samples from an area southeast of the known gold district suggest a previously unknown extension of the district. This postulated extension underlain by Tertiary volcanic rocks which host the gold deposits within the gold district. The geochemical data, displayed herein, also indicate that drainage basins north of Ciudad Quesada on the flanks of Volcan Platanar have high gold potential.« less

  12. Venom of Bothrops asper from Mexico and Costa Rica: intraspecific variation and cross-neutralization by antivenoms.

    PubMed

    Segura, Alvaro; Herrera, María; Villalta, Mauren; Vargas, Mariángela; Uscanga-Reynell, Alfredo; de León-Rosales, Samuel Ponce; Jiménez-Corona, María Eugenia; Reta-Mares, José Francisco; Gutiérrez, José María; León, Guillermo

    2012-01-01

    Bothrops asper is the species that induces the highest incidence of snakebite envenomation in southern Mexico, Central America and parts of northern South America. The intraspecies variability in HPLC profile and toxicological activities between the venoms from specimens collected in Mexico (Veracruz) and Costa Rica (Caribbean and Pacific populations) was investigated, as well as the cross-neutralization by antivenoms manufactured in these countries. Venoms differ in their HPLC profiles and in their toxicity, since venom from Mexican population showed higher lethal and defibrinogenating activities, whereas those from Costa Rica showed higher hemorrhagic and in vitro coagulant activities. In general, antivenoms were more effective in the neutralization of homologous venoms. Overall, both antivenoms effectively neutralized the various toxic effects of venoms from the two populations of B. asper. However, antivenom raised against venom from Costa Rican specimens showed a higher efficacy in the neutralization of defibrinogenating and coagulant activities, thus highlighting immunochemical differences in the toxins responsible for these effects associated with hemostatic disturbances in snakebite envenoming. These observations illustrate how intraspecies venom variation may influence antivenom neutralizing profile. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Differences in the association of cardiovascular risk factors with education: a comparison of Costa Rica (CRELES) and the USA (NHANES).

    PubMed

    Rehkopf, David H; Dow, William H; Rosero-Bixby, Luis

    2010-09-01

    Despite different levels of economic development, Costa Rica and the USA have similar mortalities among adults. However, in the USA there are substantial differences in mortality by educational attainment, and in Costa Rica there are only minor differences. This contrast motivates an examination of behavioural and biological correlates underlying this difference. The authors used data on adults aged 60 and above from the Costa Rican Longevity and Healthy Ageing Study (CRELES) (n=2827) and from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (n=5607) to analyse the cross-sectional association between educational level and the following risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD): ever smoked, current smoker, sedentary, high saturated fat, high carbohydrates, high calorie diet, obesity, severe obesity, large waist circumference, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, hemoglobin A1c, fasting glucose, C-reactive protein, systolic blood pressure and BMI. There were significantly fewer hazardous levels of risk biomarkers at higher levels of education for more than half (10 out of 17) of the risk factors in the USA, but for less than a third of the outcomes in Costa Rica (five out of 17). These results are consistent with the context-specific nature of educational differences in risk factors for CVD and with a non-uniform nature of association of CVD risk factors with education within countries. Our results also demonstrate that social equity in mortality is achieved without uniform equity in all risk factors.

  14. Costa Rica Turrialba Volcano, Continued Activity seen by NASA Spacecraft

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2015-04-06

    The March, 2015 eruption of Turrialba Volcano in Costa Rica caught everyone by surprise as seen in this image from the ASTER instrument onboard NASA Terra spacecraft. Activity had greatly diminished when the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra spacecraft acquired this nighttime thermal infrared image on April 2, 2015. The hot summit crater appears in white, indicating continued volcanic unrest. To the west, Poas Volcano's hot crater lake also appears white, though its temperature is considerably less than Turrialba's crater. The large image covers an area of 28 by 39 miles (45 by 63 kilometers); the insets 2 by 2 miles (3.1 by 3.1 kilometers). The image is centered at 10.1 degrees north, 84 degrees west. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19355

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

    PubMed

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

    2013-03-01

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

  16. Developing and Transitioning Numerical Air Quality Models to Improve Air Quality and Public Health Decision-Making in El Salvador and Costa Rica As Part of the Servir Applied Sciences Team

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thomas, A.; Huff, A. K.; Gomori, S. G.; Sadoff, N.

    2014-12-01

    In order to enhance the capacity for air quality modeling and improve air quality monitoring and management in the SERVIR Mesoamerica region, members of SERVIR's Applied Sciences Team (AST) are developing national numerical air quality models for El Salvador and Costa Rica. We are working with stakeholders from the El Salvador Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARN); National University of Costa Rica (UNA); the Costa Rica Ministry of the Environment, Energy, and Telecommunications (MINAET); and Costa Rica National Meteorological Institute (IMN), who are leaders in air quality monitoring and management in the Mesoamerica region. Focusing initially on these institutions will build sustainability in regional modeling activities by developing air quality modeling capability that can be shared with other countries in Mesoamerica. The air quality models are based on the Community Multi-scale Air Quality (CMAQ) model and incorporate meteorological inputs from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, as well as national emissions inventories from El Salvador and Costa Rica. The models are being optimized for urban air quality, which is a priority of decision-makers in Mesoamerica. Once experimental versions of the modeling systems are complete, they will be transitioned to servers run by stakeholders in El Salvador and Costa Rica. The numerical air quality models will provide decision support for stakeholders to identify 1) high-priority areas for expanding national ambient air monitoring networks, 2) needed revisions to national air quality regulations, and 3) gaps in national emissions inventories. This project illustrates SERVIR's goal of the transition of science to support decision-making through capacity building in Mesoamerica, and it aligns with the Group on Earth Observations' health societal benefit theme. This presentation will describe technical aspects of the development of the models and outline key steps in our successful

  17. Deep electrical resistivity structure of northwestern Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brasse, H.; Kapinos, G.; Mütschard, L.; Alvarado, G. E.; Worzewski, T.; Jegen, M.

    2009-01-01

    First long-period magnetotelluric investigations were conducted in early 2008 in northwestern Costa Rica, along a profile that extends from the coast of the Pacific Ocean, traverses the volcanic arc and ends currently at the Nicaraguan border. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the electrical resistivity structure and thus fluid distribution at the continental margin where the Cocos plate subducts beneath the Caribbean plate. Preliminary two-dimensional models map the only moderately resistive mafic/ultramafic complexes of the Nicoya Peninsula (resistivity of a few hundred Ωm), the conductive forearc and the backarc basins (several Ωm). Beneath the backarc basin the data image a poor conductor in the basement with a clear termination in the south, which may tentatively be interpreted as the Santa Elena Suture. The volcanic arc shows no pronounced anomaly at depth, but a moderate conductor underlies the backarc with a possible connection to the upper mantle. A conductor at deep-crustal levels in the forearc may reflect fluid release from the downgoing slab.

  18. The cervical cancer prevention programme in Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Rojas, Ileana Quirós

    2015-01-01

    Cervical and uterine cancer continues to be an important issue for women around the world, although neoplasia has the greatest demonstrated potential for prevention. Costa Rica has achieved important advances in the reduction of the incidence and mortality of these cancers since the last century. This is the result of a series of policies, programmes, and plans, not only at the level of the health care system, but also in other areas. Increased access for women to care in health centres, fundamentally at the primary level, has been vital, as has ensuring the quality of cytology readings and access to diagnosis and treatment for precursor lesions for in situ and invasive cancers. Despite all of these achievements, there are still challenges to be overcome, which are widespread in many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is important to learn from the experiences of other countries in order to improve women’s health not only as a health objective, but also as an ethical imperative to promote the exercise of women’s rights to life and health. PMID:26557876

  19. [Assessing the impact of health sector reform in Costa Rica through a quasi-experimental study].

    PubMed

    Bixby, Luis Rosero

    2004-02-01

    To assess the impact of health sector reform in Costa Rica on that country's child and adult mortality rates and on the people's access to primary health care. Health sector reform was initiated in Costa Rica in 1995 in some districts, but in others reforms were adopted later. This made it possible to perform a time series analysis, using a quasi-experimental study design, in which observations were made annually from 1985 through 2001 for each of the 420 districts that existed in Costa Rica in 1984. The time series were divided into three periods that allowed all districts to be grouped into three categories (pioneer, intermediate, and late) according to the year when they first implemented health sector reform: 1995-1996; 1997-2000; and 2001 or after, respectively. For each of these periods, mortality rates were broken down by cause (communicable, socially-determined, or chronic disease), sex, and age group. The status of the reform process in a particular district was described by two indicators: (1) the presence or absence of health sector reform during a given period and, wherever such reforms had been adopted, (2) the number of years that had transpired since their adoption. Eight variables were used to control for confounders. Vital statistics and demographic data were obtained from the National Institute for Statistics and Census' [Centro Nacional de Estadística y Censos] electronic database. Poisson multiple regression analysis with fixed effects was used to estimate the impact of reform on child and adult mortality from different causes. Assessment of the population's access to primary care before and after the reform was based on the percentage of people who lived within a 4 km radius of a health facility that offered patient visiting hours two or more days a week. This information came from a previous study that used census data from 2000 and geographic information systems to map health care facilities throughout the country. Multiple regression showed

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2013-04-01

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

  1. Volatile, Trace Element and Isotopic Variations of Mafic Arc Volcanic Rocks from Nicaragua and Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoernle, K.; Sadofsky, S.; Nichols, H.; Portnyagin, M.; van den Bogaard, P.; Alvarado, G.

    2003-12-01

    Quaternary volcanic rocks from the Central American Volcanic Arc in central Nicaragua and central Costa Rica exhibit major differences in their volatile, trace element and isotopic compositions. Olivine-hosted melt inclusions in Nicaraguan volcanic rocks with high Fo contents (>73) extend to high H2O (up to 5.3%), S (10-6860 ppm) and Cl (490-2340 ppm) contents. The volcanic rocks have high ratios of fluid mobile to fluid immobile elements such as Ba/La (65-122), Ba/Th (484-1304) and U/La (0.08-0.17). Additionally, they have 143Nd/144Nd (0.51300-0.51307) similar to normal mid-ocean-ridge basalts (N-MORB) from the East Pacific Rise (EPR), but 87Sr/86Sr (0.7035-0.7042) ratios are much higher than those found in fresh EPR glasses. Pb isotopic compositions of the samples (e.g. 206Pb/204Pb = 18.5-19.0, 207Pb/204Pb = 15.52-15.58) form an array between EPR basalts and subducted sediments. The volatile, trace element and isotope data are consistent with mixing of fluids highly enriched in fluid-mobile elements from subducted sediments with a N-MORB-type mantle wedge to produce the Nicaraguan volcanic rocks. In contrast, olivine-hosted melt inclusions (Fo >82) in Costa Rican volcanic rocks show a similar range in H2O (up to 5.1%) to Nicaraguan inclusions but overall have lower S (0-1340 ppm) and Cl (10-790 ppm) contents. Costa Rican lavas also have lower Ba/La (7-35), Ba/Th (55-338), U/La (0.02-0.12), 87Sr/86Sr (0.7035-0.7038) and 143Nd/144Nd (0.51292-0.51301) than Nicaraguan lavas, but 87Sr/86Sr and Pb isotope ratios (e.g. 206Pb/204Pb = 19.02-19.32) are more radiogenic than in Nicaragua and than usually found in fresh EPR MORB. Our data are consistent with the presence of Galapagos Hotspot-type components in the source of the central Costa Rican volcanic rocks, derived from the subducting Galapagos Hotspot Track and from Galapagos-type material entering the mantle wedge through a slab tear or window (Abratis and Worner, 2000; Geology). The estimated volume of volcanic rocks

  2. Modelling deforestation trends in Costa Rica and predicting future forest sustainability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stan, Kayla; Sanchez, Arturo

    2017-04-01

    Deforestation in Costa Rica has historically varied between the original degradation of primary forest due to land-based industries, followed by secondary regrowth. The regeneration of forests largely came into effect with incentive based programs such as payments for ecosystem services, creation of large protected areas, and a new industry of ecotourism in the country. Given the changes that have occurred within the last 50 years from heavy deforestation pressures to regeneration patterns, and a correlation between deforestation and policy/economic influences, it is important to understand the historical changes that have occurred and how the forests will change in the future, which provides the objective of this study. Future projections are increasingly important given changes in the global socio-political structure, climatic change, and the ever increasing globalization of capitalistic endeavours. The trajectory of the forest in the country can also serve as a way to track both these global pressures on the natural landscape in Costa Rica, and as a proxy for how to manage deforestation in other similar political and geographic areas of the tropics. To determine the historical deforestation trends and link them to the different biogeophysical and socioeconomic variables, forest maps from 1960-2013 were used in the Dinamica Environment for Geoprocessing Objects (Dinamica EGO) to create deforestation models for Costa Rica. Dinamica EGO is a cellular automata model which utilizes Bayesian statistics and expert opinion to replicate both patterns and quantities of land cover change over time with both static and dynamic variables. Additional legislative variables can be used to track how political pressures shift deforestation both spatially and temporally. The historical model was built and analyzed for changes in landscape metrics such as patch size and distance between 1960 and 2013. After validation of the model's ability to replicate patterns, first between 2005

  3. Assessment of medical occupational radiation doses in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Mora, P; Acuña, M

    2011-09-01

    Participation of the University of Costa Rica (UCR) in activities in an IAEA Regional Project RLA/9/066 through training, equipment and expert missions, has enabled to setting up of a national personal monitoring laboratory. Since 2007, the UCR has been in charge of monitoring around 1800 medical radiation workers of the Social Security System. Individual external doses are measured with thermoluminescent dosemeter using a Harshaw 6600 Plus reader. The service has accreditation with ISO/IEC 17025:2005. Distribution of monitored medical personnel is as follows: 83 % in diagnostic radiology, 6 % in nuclear medicine and 6 % in radiotherapy. Preliminary values for the 75 percentile of annual H(p)(10) in mSv are: radiology 0.37; interventional radiology 0.41; radiotherapy 0.53 and nuclear medicine 1.55. The service provided by the UCR in a steady and reliable way can help to implement actions to limit the doses received by the medical workers and optimise their radiation protection programs.

  4. [Intellectual property rights in Costa Rica in the light of the Biodiversity Convention].

    PubMed

    Salazar, R; Cabrera, J A

    1996-04-01

    This report analyzes intellectual property rights and acquisition of biological samples in light of the Biological Diversity Convention, with emphasis on Costa Rica. It examines the legal framework which exists for the protection of biological resources in this country, especially evaluating the law regarding protection of biota, which was approved in 1992. This includes information regarding access to genetic resources, and regulation for the aforementioned law. It examines the Biological Diversity Convention which was signed at the Rio Summit in 1992, whose objectives and goals, above all, emphasize the subject of distribution of benefits to be derived from the utilization of biological resources.

  5. Neural tube defects in Costa Rica, 1987-2012: origins and development of birth defect surveillance and folic acid fortification.

    PubMed

    Barboza-Argüello, María de la Paz; Umaña-Solís, Lila M; Azofeifa, Alejandro; Valencia, Diana; Flores, Alina L; Rodríguez-Aguilar, Sara; Alfaro-Calvo, Thelma; Mulinare, Joseph

    2015-03-01

    Our aim was to provide a descriptive overview of how the birth defects surveillance and folic acid fortification programs were implemented in Costa Rica-through the establishment of the Registry Center for Congenital Anomalies (Centro de Registro de Enfermedades Congénitas-CREC), and fortification legislation mandates. We estimated the overall prevalence of neural tube defects (i.e., spina bifida, anencephaly and encephalocele) before and after fortification captured by CREC. Prevalence was calculated by dividing the total number of infants born with neural tube defects by the total number of live births in the country (1987-2012).A total of 1,170 newborns with neural tube defects were identified from 1987 to 2012 (1992-1995 data excluded); 628 were identified during the baseline pre-fortification period (1987-1991; 1996-1998); 191 during the fortification period (1999-2002); and 351 during the post-fortification time period (2003-2012). The overall prevalence of neural tube defects decreased from 9.8 per 10,000 live-births (95 % CI 9.1-10.5) for the pre-fortification period to 4.8 per 10,000 live births (95 % CI 4.3-5.3) for the post-fortification period. Results indicate a statistically significant (P < 0.05) decrease of 51 % in the prevalence of neural tube defects from the pre-fortification period to the post-fortification period. Folic acid fortification via several basic food sources has shown to be a successful public health intervention for Costa Rica. Costa Rica's experience can serve as an example for other countries seeking to develop and strengthen both their birth defects surveillance and fortification programs.

  6. Lower tier toxicity risk assessment of agriculture pesticides detected on the Río Madre de Dios watershed, Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Arias-Andrés, M; Rämö, R; Mena Torres, F; Ugalde, R; Grandas, L; Ruepert, C; Castillo, L E; Van den Brink, P J; Gunnarsson, J S

    2016-10-25

    Costa Rica is a tropical country with one of the highest biodiversity on Earth. It also has an intensive agriculture, and pesticide runoff from banana and pineapple plantations may cause a high toxicity risk to non-target species in rivers downstream the plantations. We performed a first tier risk assessment of the maximum measured concentrations of 32 pesticides detected over 4 years in the River Madre de Dios (RMD) and its coastal lagoon on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) were plotted in order to derive HC 5 values for each pesticide, i.e., hazard concentrations for 5 % of the species, often used as environmental criteria values in other countries. We also carried out toxicity tests for selected pesticides with native Costa Rican species in order to calculate risk coefficients according to national guidelines in Costa Rica. The concentrations of herbicides diuron and ametryn and insecticides carbofuran, diazinon, and ethoprophos exceeded either the HC 5 value or the lower limit of its 90 % confidence interval suggesting toxic risks above accepted levels. Risk coefficients of diuron and carbofuran derived using local guidelines indicate toxicity risks as well. The assessed fungicides did not present acute toxic risks according to our analysis. Overall, these results show a possible toxicity of detected pesticides to aquatic organisms and provide a comparison of Costa Rican national guidelines with more refined methods for risk assessment based on SSDs. Further higher tier risk assessments of pesticides in this watershed are also necessary in order to consider pesticide water concentrations over time, toxicity from pesticide mixtures, and eventual effects on ecosystem functions.

  7. Corrugated megathrust revealed offshore from Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2018-03-01

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

  8. Corrugated megathrust revealed offshore from Costa Rica

    USGS Publications Warehouse

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

    2018-01-01

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

  9. [Consumption of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents in primary care in Costa Rica: changing patterns and geographical variability].

    PubMed

    Morera Salas, Melvin; Aparicio Llanos, Amada; Xirinachs Salazar, Yanira; Barber Pérez, Patricia

    2007-01-01

    To determine changing patterns and variability in consumption of classic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) among the health areas in Costa Rica between 2000 and 2005. The drugs studied were ibuprofen, indomethacin, penicillamine, sulindac, tenoxicam, and diclofenac sodium. To measure consumption, we used the defined daily dose per 1,000 inhabitants per day (DID). To analyze variability, the coefficient of variation weighed by the population size (CVw), extremal ratio, interquartile ratio, dot plot and map graphs were used. From 2000-2005, NSAID consumption increased by 48% and the annual cost rose by 184%. The drugs with greatest consumption and participation in cost were sulindac and indomethacin. NSAID consumption varied between 0.1 and 61.8 DID according to health areas, with a CVw of 66.8%. Variability was greatest with penicillamine (CVw = 449.89%) and tenoxicam (CVw = 315.26%). Clearly differentiated geographical patterns in NSAID consumption were found in Costa Rica, with very different rates within the same region. According to the results obtained, two factors associated with this variability were the supply of health services and the percentage of the population aged 65 years or more within the catchment area.

  10. Mathematics Anxiety in College Students in Costa Rica and Their Relatonship with Academic Achievement and Socio-Demographic Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Delgado Monge, Islande C.; Espinoza González, Johan; Fonseca Castro, Jennifer

    2017-01-01

    The study tried to determine the relationship between mathematics anxiety and the variables of gender, academic achievement, number of times students have taken the course and type of school in students taking the course MAT-001 General Mathematics of the National University of Costa Rica. To that end, a purposive sample of 472 students of such…

  11. The Costa Rica GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Project as a Learning Science Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Castro Rojas, María Dolores; Zuñiga, Ana Lourdes Acuña; Ugalde, Emmanuel Fonseca

    2015-01-01

    GLOBE is a global educational program for elementary and high school levels, and its main purpose in Costa Rica is to develop scientific thinking and interest for science in high school students through hydrology research projects that allow them to relate science with environmental issues in their communities. Youth between 12 and 17 years old…

  12. Actively dewatering fluid-rich zones along the Costa Rica plate boundary fault

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bangs, N. L.; McIntosh, K. D.; Silver, E. A.; Kluesner, J. W.; Ranero, C. R.; von Huene, R.

    2012-12-01

    New 3D seismic reflection data reveal distinct evidence for active dewatering above a 12 km wide segment of the plate boundary fault within the Costa Rica subduction zone NW of the Osa Peninsula. In the spring of 2011 we acquired a 11 x 55 km 3D seismic reflection data set on the R/V Langseth using four 6,000 m streamers and two 3,300 in3 airgun arrays to examine the structure of the Costa Rica margin from the trench into the seismogenic zone. We can trace the plate-boundary interface from the trench across our entire survey to where the plate-boundary thrust lies > 10 km beneath the margin shelf. Approximately 20 km landward of the trench beneath the mid slope and at the updip edge of the seismogenic zone, a 12 km wide zone of the plate-boundary interface has a distinctly higher-amplitude seismic reflection than deeper or shallower segments of the fault. Directly above and potentially directly connected with this zone are high-amplitude, reversed-polarity fault-plane reflections that extend through the margin wedge and into overlying slope sediment cover. Within the slope cover, high-amplitude reversed-polarity reflections are common within the network of closely-spaced nearly vertical normal faults and several broadly spaced, more gently dipping thrust faults. These faults appear to be directing fluids vertically toward the seafloor, where numerous seafloor fluid flow indicators, such as pockmarks, mounds and ridges, and slope failure features, are distinct in multibeam and backscatter images. There are distinctly fewer seafloor and subsurface fluid flow indicators both updip and downdip of this zone. We believe these fluids come from a 12 km wide fluid-rich segment of the plate-boundary interface that is likely overpressured and has relatively low shear stress.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2014-06-01

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

  14. Breast cancer characteristics and survival in a Hispanic population of costa rica.

    PubMed

    Srur-Rivero, Nadia; Cartin-Brenes, Mayra

    2014-01-01

    Breast cancer characteristics may vary according to the patient's ethnic group. The goal of this cohort study was to evaluate the characteristics of a group of Costa Rican breast cancer patients and their relationship with survival. Age, stage, tumor grade, immunohistochemistry, lymphovascular invasion, recurrence, and survival data on 199 Hispanic patients with breast cancer diagnosis, treated between January 2009 and May 2010, were collected from a single institution in San Jose, Costa Rica. The data were statistically analyzed for significance. Median age at diagnosis was 53 years. With a median follow-up of 46.5 months, there was an 88% overall survival rate. Thirty-seven percent of the patients (p < 0.001) were at stages III and IV during diagnosis. The hormone receptor human epidermal receptor negative phenotype (HR-HER2-) (p < 0.001) was present in 17% of the cases. In a multivariate analysis, local (risk ratio, RR: 7.2; confidence interval, CI 95%: 3.8-7.6; p = 0.06) and distant recurrence (RR: 14.9; CI 95%: 7.7-28.9; p = 0.01) showed the strongest association with the probability of death from the disease. Patients with HR-HER2- phenotype tumors reported more local recurrences (p = 0.04), a higher tumor grade (p < 0.01), and lower overall survival than patients with other breast cancer phenotypes (p = 0.01). Although this study analyzes a modest number of cases, it is an initial insight into factors that may contribute to differences in breast cancer outcomes among Hispanic women in Costa Rica. The higher proportion of triple negative tumors, advanced stage, and younger median age at diagnosis could contribute to the inferior prognostic described among Hispanic women. There may be a different distribution of tumor subtypes compared to non-Hispanic white women. Further studies are necessary to confirm such findings.

  15. SRTM Perspective View with Landsat Overlay: Costa Rica Coastal Plain

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2001-01-01

    This perspective view shows the northern coastal plain of Costa Rica with the Cordillera Central, composed of a number of active and dormant volcanoes, rising in the background. This view looks toward the south over the Rio San Juan, which marks the boundary between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The smaller river joining Rio San Juan in the center of the image is Rio Sarapiqui, which is navigable upstream as far inland as Puerto Viejo (Old Port) de Sarapiqui at the mountain's base. This river was an important transportation route for those few hardy settlers who first moved into this region, although as recently as 1953 a mere three thatched-roof houses were all that comprised the village of Puerto Viejo.

    This coastal plain is a sedimentary basin formed about 50 million years ago composed of river alluvium and lahar (mud and ash flow) deposits from the volcanoes of the Cordillera Central. It comprises the province of Heredia (the smallest of Costa Rica's seven) and demonstrates a wide range of climatic conditions, from warm and humid lowlands to cool and damp highlands, and including the mild but seasonally wet and dry Central Valley.

    This image was generated in support of the Central American Commission for Environment and Development through an agreement with NASA. The Commission involves eight nations working to develop the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, an effort to study and preserve some of the most biologically diverse regions of the planet.

    This three-dimensional perspective view was generated using topographic data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and an enhanced false-color Landsat 7 satellite image. Colors are from Landsat bands 5, 4, and 2 as red, green and blue, respectively. Topographic expression is exaggerated 2X.

    Landsat has been providing visible and infrared views of the Earth since 1972. SRTM elevation data matches the 30-meter resolution of most Landsat images and will substantially help in analyses of the large

  16. A fatal urban case of rocky mountain spotted fever presenting an eschar in San Jose, Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Argüello, Ana Patricia; Hun, Laya; Rivera, Patricia; Taylor, Lizeth

    2012-08-01

    This study reports the first urban human case of Rocky Mountain spotted fever caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, in Costa Rica. An 8-year-old female who died at the National Children's Hospital 4 days after her admission, and an important and significant observation was the presence of an "eschar" (tache noire), which is typical in some rickettsial infections but not frequent in Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases.

  17. Geometry and velocity structure of the northern Costa Rica seismogenic zone from 3D local earthquake tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deshon, H. R.; Schwartz, S. Y.; Newman, A. V.; Dorman, L. M.; Protti, M.; Gonzalez, V.

    2003-12-01

    We present results of a 3D local earthquake tomography study of the Middle America Trench seismogenic zone in northern Costa Rica. Local earthquake tomography can provide constraints on the updip, downdip, and lateral variability of seismicity and P- and S-wave velocities; these constraints may in turn provide information on compositional and/or mechanical variability along the seismogenic zone. We use arrival time data recorded by the Nicoya Peninsula seismic array, part of the Costa Rica seismogenic zone experiment (CRSEIZE), a collaborative effort undertaken to better understand seismogenic behavior at the Costa Rica subduction zone using data from land and ocean bottom seismic arrays, oceanic fluid flux meters, and GPS receivers. We invert ˜10,000 P-wave and S-wave arrival times from 475 well-recorded local earthquakes (GAP < 180° , >8 P-wave arrivals) to solve for the best-fitting 1D P- and S-wave velocity models, station corrections, and hypocenters using the algorithm VELEST. These 1D velocity models are used as a starting models for 3D simultaneous inversion using the algorithm SIMULPS14. Preliminary P-wave inversions contain a positive velocity anomaly dipping beneath the Nicoya Peninsula, interpreted as the subducting Cocos Plate. Earthquakes occur in a narrow band along the slab-continent interface and are consistent with the results of Newman et al. (2002). The updip limit of seismicity occurs ˜5 km deeper and 5-10 km landward in the northern vs. the southern Nicoya Peninsula, and this shift spatially correlates to the change from Cocos-Nazca to East Pacific Rise derived oceanic plate. P-wave velocities in the upper 5-10 km of the model are consistent with the geology of the Nicoya Peninsula. We will correlate relocated microseismicity to previously noted variability in oceanic plate morphology, heat flow, fluid flow, and thermal structure and compare the resulting P- and S-wave velocity models to wide-angle refraction models and hypothesized mantle

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

    PubMed

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

    2017-08-01

    About 12 million workers are involved in the production of basic grains in Central America. However, few studies in the region have examined the occupational factors associated with inhalable dust exposure. (i) To assess the exposure to inhalable dust in workers from rice, maize, and wheat storage facilities in Costa Rica; (ii) to examine the occupational factors associated with this exposure; and (iii) to measure concentrations of respirable and thoracic particles in different areas of the storage facilities. We measured inhalable (<100μm) dust concentrations in 176 personal samples collected from 136 workers of eight grain storage facilities in Costa Rica. We also measured respirable (<4μm) and thoracic (<10μm) dust particles in several areas of the storage facilities. Geometric mean (GM) and geometric standard deviation (GSD) inhalable dust concentrations were 2.0mg/m 3 and 7.8 (range=<0.2-275.4mg/m 3 ). Personal inhalable dust concentrations were associated with job category [GM for category/GM for administrative staff and other workers (95% CI)=4.4 (2.6, 7.2) for packing; 20.4 (12.3, 34.7) for dehulling; 109.6 (50.1, 234.4) for unloading in flat bed sheds; 24.0 (14.5, 39.8) for unloading in pits; and 31.6 (18.6, 52.5) for drying], and cleaning task [15.8 (95% CI: 10.0, 26.3) in workers who cleaned in addition to their regular tasks]. Higher area concentrations of thoracic dust particles were found in wheat (GM and GSD=4.3mg/m 3 and 4.5) and maize (3.0mg/m 3 and 3.9) storage facilities, and in grain drying (2.3mg/m 3 and 3.1) and unloading (1.5mg/m 3 and 4.8) areas. Operators of grain storage facilities showed elevated inhalable dust concentrations, mostly above international exposure limits. Better engineering and administrative controls are needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  19. IGARSS 89: Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing (12th) (Symposium Canadien sur la Teledetection): Quantitative Remote Sensing: An Economic Tool for the Nineties Held in Vancouver, Canada on 10-14 July 1989. Volume 2. Tuesday, July 11

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-07-14

    active SAR calibration up bottom of lake, a flat desert, a surface of the target (Brunfeldt, 1982) is commonly used because still water or a largo place...Margalef, R., "Composicion y distribucion del Smith, and R. G. Steward, "Remote Sensing fitoplancton", Memoria , Sociedad de algorithms for

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

    PubMed

    Carvajal, M J; Geithman, D T

    1986-01-01

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

  1. The chemical and hydrologic structure of Poas volcano, Costa Rica

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rowe, G.L.; Brantley, S.L.; Fernandez, J.F.; Borgia, A.

    1995-01-01

    Comparison of the chemical characteristics of spring and river water draining the flanks of Poas Volcano, Costa Rica indicates that acid chloride sulfate springs of the northwestern flank of the volcano are derived by leakage and mixing of acid brines formed in the summit hydrothermal system with dilute flank groundwater. Acid chloride sulfate waters of the Rio Agrio drainage basin on the northwestern flank are the only waters on Poas that are affected by leakage of acid brines from the summit hydrothermal system. Acid sulfate waters found on the northwestern flank are produced by the interaction of surface and shallow groundwater with dry and wet acid deposition of SO2 and H2SO4 aerosols, respectively. The acid deposition is caused by a plume of acid gases that is released by a shallow magma body located beneath the active crater of Poas. -from Authors

  2. Mesoamerican nephropathy: geographical distribution and time trends of chronic kidney disease mortality between 1970 and 2012 in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Wesseling, Catharina; van Wendel de Joode, Berna; Crowe, Jennifer; Rittner, Ralf; Sanati, Negin A; Hogstedt, Christer; Jakobsson, Kristina

    2015-10-01

    Mesoamerican nephropathy is an epidemic of chronic kidney disease (CKD) unrelated to traditional causes, mostly observed in sugarcane workers. We analysed CKD mortality in Costa Rica to explore when and where the epidemic emerged, sex and age patterns, and relationship with altitude, climate and sugarcane production. SMRs for CKD deaths (1970-2012) among population aged ≥20 were computed for 7 provinces and 81 counties over 4 time periods. Time trends were assessed with age-standardised mortality rates. We qualitatively examined relations between mortality and data on altitude, climate and sugarcane production. During 1970-2012, age-adjusted mortality rates in the Guanacaste province increased among men from 4.4 to 38.5 per 100,000 vs. 3.6-8.4 in the rest of Costa Rica, and among women from 2.3 to 10.7 per 100,000 vs. 2.6-5.0 in the rest of Costa Rica. A significant moderate excess mortality was observed among men in Guanacaste already in the mid-1970s, steeply increasing thereafter; a similar female excess mortality appeared a decade later, remaining stable. Male age-specific rates were high in Guanacaste for age categories ≥30, and since the late 1990s also for age range 20-29. The male spatiotemporal patterns roughly followed sugarcane expansion in hot, dry lowlands with manual harvesting. Excess CKD mortality occurs primarily in Guanacaste lowlands and was already present 4 decades ago. The increasing rates among Guanacaste men in hot, dry lowland counties with sugarcane are consistent with an occupational component. Stable moderate increases among women, and among men in counties without sugarcane, suggest coexisting environmental risk factors. 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.

  3. A wood density and aboveground biomass variability assessment using pre-felling inventory data in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Svob, Sienna; Arroyo-Mora, J Pablo; Kalacska, Margaret

    2014-12-01

    The high spatio-temporal variability of aboveground biomass (AGB) in tropical forests is a large source of uncertainty in forest carbon stock estimation. Due to their spatial distribution and sampling intensity, pre-felling inventories are a potential source of ground level data that could help reduce this uncertainty at larger spatial scales. Further, exploring the factors known to influence tropical forest biomass, such as wood density and large tree density, will improve our knowledge of biomass distribution across tropical regions. Here, we evaluate (1) the variability of wood density and (2) the variability of AGB across five ecosystems of Costa Rica. Using forest management (pre-felling) inventories we found that, of the regions studied, Huetar Norte had the highest mean wood density of trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) greater than or equal to 30 cm, 0.623 ± 0.182 g cm -3 (mean ± standard deviation). Although the greatest wood density was observed in Huetar Norte, the highest mean estimated AGB (EAGB) of trees with a DBH greater than or equal to 30 cm was observed in Osa peninsula (173.47 ± 60.23 Mg ha -1 ). The density of large trees explained approximately 50% of EAGB variability across the five ecosystems studied. Comparing our study's EAGB to published estimates reveals that, in the regions of Costa Rica where AGB has been previously sampled, our forest management data produced similar values. This study presents the most spatially rich analysis of ground level AGB data in Costa Rica to date. Using forest management data, we found that EAGB within and among five Costa Rican ecosystems is highly variable. Combining commercial logging inventories with ecological plots will provide a more representative ground level dataset for the calibration of the models and remotely sensed data used to EAGB at regional and national scales. Additionally, because the non-protected areas of the tropics offer the greatest opportunity to reduce

  4. [Dipteran parasitoidism on larvae of Caligo atreus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in Cartago, Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Calvo, Renin

    2004-12-01

    Parasitoids on larvae of Caligo atreus were studied at the Estación de Biologia Tropical in Rio Macho, Cartago, Costa Rica. (1 600 masl), from March through July 2000. Fifth instar larvae of C. atreus were placed on Heliconia tortuosa Griggs var. Red Twist (Heliconiaceae) host plants at a mean temperature of 16.7 degrees C. The parasitoids obtained belong to an unidentified species of the genus Winthemia (Diptera: Tachinidae). Most flies emerge some 40 days after the eggs were laid (maximum 68 days). They make an orifice on the upper ventral part of the lepidopteran pupa. Winthemia is used commercially as biological control of cotton and banana.

  5. Comparative analysis of aging policy reforms in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, and Mexico.

    PubMed

    Calvo, Esteban; Berho, Maureen; Roqué, Mónica; Amaro, Juan Sebastián; Morales, Fernando; Rivera, Emiliana; Gutiérrez Robledo, Luis Miguel F; López, Elizabeth Caro; Canals, Bernardita; Kornfeld, Rosa

    2018-04-16

    This investigation uses case studies and comparative analysis to review and analyze aging policy in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, and Mexico, and uncovers similarities and relevant trends in the substance of historical and current aging policy across countries. Initial charity-based approaches to poverty and illness have been gradually replaced by a rights-based approach considering broader notions of well-being, and recent reforms emphasize the need for national, intersectoral, evidence-based policy. The results of this study have implications for understanding aging policy in Latin America from a welfare regime and policymakers' perspective, identifying priorities for intervention, and informing policy reforms in developing countries worldwide.

  6. Proteomic and biological characterization of the venom of the redtail coral snake, Micrurus mipartitus (Elapidae), from Colombia and Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Rey-Suárez, Paola; Núñez, Vitelbina; Gutiérrez, José María; Lomonte, Bruno

    2011-12-21

    Venoms of the redtail coral snake Micrurus mipartitus from Colombia and Costa Rica were analyzed by "venomics", a proteomic strategy to determine their composition. Proteins were separated by RP-HPLC, followed by SDS-PAGE, in-gel tryptic digestion, identification by MALDI or ESI tandem mass spectrometry, and assignment to known protein families by similarity. These analyses were complemented with a characterization of venom activities in vitro and in vivo. Proteins belonging to seven families were found in Colombian M. mipartitus venom, including abundant three-finger toxins (3FTx; ~60% of total proteins) and phospholipases A(2) (PLA(2); ~30%), with the remaining ~10% distributed among l-amino acid oxidase, P-III metalloproteinase, Kunitz-type inhibitor, serine proteinase, and C-type lectin-like families. The venoms of two M. mipartitus specimens from Costa Rica, also referred to as M. multifasciatus in some taxonomic classifications, were also analyzed. Both samples were highly similar to each other, and partially resembled the chromatographic and identity profiles of M. mipartitus from Colombia, although presenting a markedly higher proportion of 3FTxs (~83.0%) in relation to PLA(2)s (~8.2%), and a small amount of acetylcholinesterase, not detected in the venom from Colombia. An equine antivenom against the Central American coral snake, M. nigrocinctus, did not recognize venom components of M. mipartitus from Colombia or Costa Rica by enzyme-immunoassay. Four major components of Colombian M. mipartitus venom were isolated and partially characterized. Venomics of Micrurus species may provide a valuable platform for the rational design of immunizing cocktails to obtain polyspecific antivenoms for this highly diverse group of American elapids. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Understanding Social Justice Leadership: An International Exploration of the Perspectives of Two School Leaders in Costa Rica and England

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Slater, Charles; Potter, Ian; Torres, Nancy; Briceno, Fernando

    2014-01-01

    This article is an examination of two social justice leaders, one in Costa Rica and one in England. It is part of the International Study of Leadership Development Network, a multi-nation study of social justice and educational leadership. A brief discussion of the philosophy of social justice and an examination of the macro and micro context in…

  8. Prevalence of selected zoonotic and vector-borne agents in dogs and cats in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Scorza, Andrea V; Duncan, Colleen; Miles, Laura; Lappin, Michael R

    2011-12-29

    To estimate the prevalence of enteric parasites and selected vector-borne agents of dogs and cats in San Isidro de El General, Costa Rica, fecal and serum samples were collected from animals voluntarily undergoing sterilization. Each fecal sample was examined for parasites by microscopic examination after fecal flotation and for Giardia and Cryptosporidium using an immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Giardia and Cryptosporidium IFA positive samples were genotyped after PCR amplification of specific DNA if possible. The seroprevalence rates for the vector-borne agents (Dirofilaria immitis, Borrelia burgdorferi, Ehrlichia canis, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum) were estimated based on results from a commercially available ELISA. Enteric parasites were detected in samples from 75% of the dogs; Ancylostoma caninum, Trichuris vulpis, Giardia, and Toxocara canis were detected. Of the cats, 67.5% harbored Giardia spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Ancylostoma tubaeforme, or Toxocara cati. Both Cryptosporidium spp. isolates that could be sequenced were Cryptosporidium parvum (one dog isolate and one cat isolate). Of the Giardia spp. isolates that were successfully sequenced, the 2 cat isolates were assemblage A and the 2 dog isolates were assemblage D. D. immitis antigen and E. canis antibodies were identified in 2.3% and 3.5% of the serum samples, respectively. The prevalence of enteric zoonotic parasites in San Isidro de El General in Costa Rica is high in companion animals and this information should be used to mitigate public health risks. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. A pilot field evaluation on heat stress in sugarcane workers in Costa Rica: What to do next?

    PubMed Central

    Crowe, Jennifer; van Wendel de Joode, Berna; Wesseling, Catharina

    2009-01-01

    Background Climate change is producing major impacts including increasing temperatures in tropical countries, like Costa Rica, where the sugarcane industry employs thousands of workers who are exposed to extreme heat. Objectives This article outlines a pilot qualitative evaluation of working conditions and heat in the sugarcane industry. Design A literature review, direct observations and exploratory interviews with workers were conducted to reach a preliminary understanding of the dimensions of heat-related health issues in the sugarcane industry, as a basis for the design of future studies. Results The industry employs temporary workers from Nicaragua and Costa Rica as well as year-round employees. Temporary employees work 12-hour shifts during the harvest and processing (‘zafra’) season. In many cases, sugarcane field workers are required to carry their own water and often have no access to shade. Sugar mill workers are exposed to different levels of heat stress depending upon their job tasks, with the most intense heat and workload experienced by the oven (‘caldera’) cleaners. Conclusions Research is needed to achieve better understanding of the multiple factors driving and interacting with heat exposures in the sugarcane industry in order to improve the health and safety of workers while maintaining worker productivity. PMID:20052430

  10. Preliminary review of biomass energy options in Costa Rica and the national alcohol fuel program. Summary report

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

    Jones, J.L.

    1981-01-30

    For an agricultural, oil-importing country such as Costa Rica, the use of biomass as a source of transportation fuels is a topic of great interest. This analysis is intended to assist the Costa Rican government and USAID/CR to identify possible biomass energy projects. While emphasis is on technologies for converting biomass into liquid fuels, agronomic issues and alternative energy options are also explored. Costa Rica plans to build six facilities for converting biomass (primarily sugarcane, supplemented by molasses, cassava, and banana wastes) to hydrous ethanol. The following issues relating to biomass conversion technologies are identified: use of hydroelectrically powered drivesmore » in sugarcane processing to allow use of bagasse as a fuel; possible sources and costs of energy for converting starch crops like cassava to ethanol; the optimal method for treating stillage; and the feasibility of using fermentation reactors. No definitive recommendation on the scale of ethanol production is made due to the lack of an environmental impact assessment. Finally, with regard to nonalcohol renewable energy, several ideas warrant consideration: electrically powered mass transit; electric cars; vehicle-mounted gasifiers operating on wood chips or pelletized fuels produced from excess bagasse; anaerobic digestion of animal manure and other agricultural wastes; and energy recovery from municipal solid wastes.« less

  11. Serological Detection of Viral Infections in Captive Wild Cats from Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Blanco, Kinndle; Peña, Roberto; Hernández, Carmen; Jiménez, Mauricio; Araya, Luis Nazario; Romero, Juan José; Dolz, Gaby

    2011-01-01

    Serum samples from a total of 44 wildcats, 28 margays (Leopardus wiedii), 10 ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), four jaguaroundis (Herpailurus yaguaroundi), one oncilla (Leopardus tigrina), and one jaguar (Panthera onca) were obtained between January 2001 and August 2002 from the Profelis Centre for rehabilitation of wild felids, located in the northwestern region of Costa Rica. Forty three samples were tested for antibodies against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and p27 antigen of feline leukemia virus (FeLV), 42 samples for antibodies against feline parvovirus (FPV), and 30 for antibodies against feline calicivirus (FCV). None of the samples contained detectable antibodies against FIV or p27 antigen of FeLV, all samples contained antibodies against FPV, and one sample contained antibodies against FCV. PMID:21547230

  12. Serological detection of viral infections in captive wild cats from costa rica.

    PubMed

    Blanco, Kinndle; Peña, Roberto; Hernández, Carmen; Jiménez, Mauricio; Araya, Luis Nazario; Romero, Juan José; Dolz, Gaby

    2011-04-03

    Serum samples from a total of 44 wildcats, 28 margays (Leopardus wiedii), 10 ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), four jaguaroundis (Herpailurus yaguaroundi), one oncilla (Leopardus tigrina), and one jaguar (Panthera onca) were obtained between January 2001 and August 2002 from the Profelis Centre for rehabilitation of wild felids, located in the northwestern region of Costa Rica. Forty three samples were tested for antibodies against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and p27 antigen of feline leukemia virus (FeLV), 42 samples for antibodies against feline parvovirus (FPV), and 30 for antibodies against feline calicivirus (FCV). None of the samples contained detectable antibodies against FIV or p27 antigen of FeLV, all samples contained antibodies against FPV, and one sample contained antibodies against FCV.

  13. Digenetic trematode community in nesting green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) from Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Santoro, Mario; Greiner, Ellis C; Morales, Juan Alberto; Rodríguez-Ortíz, Beatriz

    2006-12-01

    The digenetic community of 40 green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) was investigated at Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica. In total, 24,270 trematodes belonging to 29 species and 6 families including Clinostomidae 1, Microscaphidiidae 5, Paramphistomidae 2, Pronocephalidae 15, Rhytidodidae 2, and Spirorchiidae 4 were recorded from chelonians examined. Turtles harbored a mean of 7.63 +/- 3.5 SD species. Only 3 species, i.e., Learedius learedi, Microscaphidium reticulare, and Pyelosomum cochlear, infected more than 50% of the hosts sampled. Learedius learedi was the most prevalent (97.5%) and the second most abundant species with a mean of 25.6 +/- 21.6 SD. Only 1 core species, M. reticulare, was recovered from the gastrointestinal tract; it was the most abundant parasite, with a mean intensity of 477 +/- 1,180 SD, and the second most prevalent (77.5%). Diversity values ranged from 0.10 to 2.10, with a mean of 1.00 +/- 0.43 SD for the total component community and from 0.10 to 1.84, with a mean of 0.79 +/- 0.41 SD, for the gastrointestinal component community. Species richness was the highest recorded from a sea turtle species. All digenetic species were recorded from Costa Rica for the first time. This represents the first report on the helminth community of the green turtle.

  14. Seminario Regional para el Desarrollo de Materiales Educativos para la Paz (San Jose, Costa Rica, 27-31 de octubre de 1986). Informe Final (Regional Seminar for the Development of Educational Materials on the Theme of Peace--San Jose, Costa Rica, October 27-31, 1986. Final Report).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

    In conjunction with United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's 40th anniversary, 1986 was named the International Year of Peace. During 1986, UNESCO selected the theme "peace" as an education project to be undertaken in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico,…

  15. Avaliação da influência de alterações cardíacas na ultrassonografia vascular periférica de idosos

    PubMed Central

    Ribeiro, Alcides José Araújo; Ribeiro, Andréa Campos de Oliveira; Rodrigues, Márcia Marisia Maciel; Negreiros, Sandra de Barros Cobra; Nogueira, Ana Cláudia Cavalcante; Almeida, Osório Luís Rangel; Silva, José Carlos Quináglia e; de Paula, Ana Patrícia

    2016-01-01

    Resumo Contexto As cardiopatias podem causar alterações no formato das ondas da ultrassonografia vascular (UV) em vasos periféricos. Essas alterações, tipicamente bilaterais e sistêmicas, são pouco conhecidas e estudadas. Objetivo Avaliar as ondas periféricas da UV de pacientes idosos para identificar alterações decorrentes de cardiopatias. Métodos Foram estudados 183 pacientes idosos submetidos a UV periférica no ano de 2014. Resultados Foram avaliados 102 mulheres (55,7%) e 81 homens (44,3%) com idade entre 60 e 91 anos (média de 70,4±7,2 anos). Encontraram-se alterações pela UV em 84 pacientes (45,9%). Foram identificadas 138 alterações de oito dos 13 tipos descritos na literatura: arritmia, onda bisferiens de pico sistólico, baixa velocidade de pico sistólico, pulsatilidade em veias femorais, bradicardia, taquicardia, onda de pulso parvus tardus e onda de pulso alternans. Houve baixa concordância entre a presença e a não presença de alterações na UV e na avaliação cardiológica. Na análise específica das alterações, os exames tiveram uma concordância variável, que foi boa para o achado de taquicardia, moderada para arritmia e baixa para bradicardia. Não houve concordância entre a UV e os exames cardiológicos para as demais alterações. Conclusões É possível identificar determinadas alterações cardíacas em idosos por meio da análise do formato das ondas periféricas da UV. É importante reconhecer e relatar a presença dessas alterações, pela possibilidade de alertar para um diagnóstico ainda não identificado nesses pacientes. Entretanto, mais estudos são necessários para que seja definida a importância das alterações no formato das ondas Doppler periféricas no reconhecimento de cardiopatias. PMID:29930591

  16. Seismic Strong Motion Array Project (SSMAP) to Record Future Large Earthquakes in the Nicoya Peninsula area, Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simila, G.; Lafromboise, E.; McNally, K.; Quintereo, R.; Segura, J.

    2007-12-01

    The seismic strong motion array project (SSMAP) for the Nicoya Peninsula in northwestern Costa Rica is composed of 10 - 13 sites including Geotech A900/A800 accelerographs (three-component), Ref-Teks (three- component velocity), and Kinemetric Episensors. The main objectives of the array are to: 1) record and locate strong subduction zone mainshocks [and foreshocks, "early aftershocks", and preshocks] in Nicoya Peninsula, at the entrance of the Nicoya Gulf, and in the Papagayo Gulf regions of Costa Rica, and 2) record and locate any moderate to strong upper plate earthquakes triggered by a large subduction zone earthquake in the above regions. Our digital accelerograph array has been deployed as part of our ongoing research on large earthquakes in conjunction with the Earthquake and Volcano Observatory (OVSICORI) at the Universidad Nacional in Costa Rica. The country wide seismographic network has been operating continuously since the 1980's, with the first earthquake bulletin published more than 20 years ago, in 1984. The recording of seismicity and strong motion data for large earthquakes along the Middle America Trench (MAT) has been a major research project priority over these years, and this network spans nearly half the time of a "repeat cycle" (~ 50 years) for large (Ms ~ 7.5- 7.7) earthquakes beneath the Nicoya Peninsula, with the last event in 1950. Our long time co- collaborators include the seismology group OVSICORI, with coordination for this project by Dr. Ronnie Quintero and Mr. Juan Segura. The major goal of our project is to contribute unique scientific information pertaining to a large subduction zone earthquake and its related seismic activity when the next large earthquake occurs in Nicoya. We are now collecting a database of strong motion records for moderate sized events to document this last stage prior to the next large earthquake. A recent event (08/18/06; M=4.3) located 20 km northwest of Samara was recorded by two stations (Playa Carrillo

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

    PubMed

    Webb, Shasta E; McCoy, Michael B

    2014-09-01

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

  18. (Visit to the La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica): Foreign trip report, February 28--March 5, 1988

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

    Reichle, D.E.

    1988-03-17

    The traveler attended the quarterly meeting of the National Board of Governors of The Nature Conservancy held in Costa Rica to highlight their international program in Central America. The traveler used this opportunity to visit the La Selva Biological Station of the Organization for Tropical Studies and to examine their ecosystem research project on wet lowland tropical forests. Discussions were held with the co-directors, faculty, students, and visiting scientists from the United States.

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

    PubMed

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

    2016-01-01

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

  20. Serosurveillance of infectious agents in equines of the Central Valley of Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Jiménez, D; Romero-Zuñiga, J J; Dolz, G

    2014-01-01

    Blood samples from 181 equines from the Central Valley of Costa Rica were collected in the year 2012 to determine the presence of antibodies against selected infectious agents in horses and to determine the risk factors associated with these agents. The presence of antibodies against Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV), Equine Herpes Virus 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4), West Nile Virus (WNV), Influenza A Virus (IAV), Equine Viral Arteritis Virus (EVAV), Babesia caballi, Theileria equi, Neospora caninum and Chlamydia abortus was determined using commercial assays, and risk factors associated with seropositivity to the different infectious agents was established. The most seroprevalent agent detected was EHV-4 (96.7%), followed by WNV (44.2%), and IAV (41.8%). Horses >3 years, used for work or sports, and with access to pastures, had significantly increased probability to be seropositive to WNV, whereas horses used for breeding and recreational purposes, being stabled, and without access to pastures, had significantly greater probability to be seropositive to IAV. Seroprevalence to B. caballi (19.9%) was lower than to T. equi (38.1%). For B. caballi, access to pastures was determined as a risk factor, whereas being older than 3 years was established as a risk factor for T. equi. Low seroprevalences were determined for EHV-1 (5.0%), EVAV (5.0%), C. abortus (4.8%), and N. caninum (4.4%). Mares having history of abortion were more likely to be seropositive to EHV-1, whereas horses >3 years, used for work and sports, and mares having multiple parturitions, were more likely to be seropositive to N. caninum. None of the horses were seropositive to EIAV. Earlier, only diseases caused by EIAV, WNV and piroplasmosis were reported in Costa Rica. The present study however, determined the presence of carriers for EHV-1, EHV-4, and EIAV.

  1. Serosurveillance of infectious agents in equines of the Central Valley of Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Jiménez, D.; Romero-Zuñiga, J.J.; Dolz, G.

    2014-01-01

    Blood samples from 181 equines from the Central Valley of Costa Rica were collected in the year 2012 to determine the presence of antibodies against selected infectious agents in horses and to determine the risk factors associated with these agents. The presence of antibodies against Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV), Equine Herpes Virus 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4), West Nile Virus (WNV), Influenza A Virus (IAV), Equine Viral Arteritis Virus (EVAV), Babesia caballi, Theileria equi, Neospora caninum and Chlamydia abortus was determined using commercial assays, and risk factors associated with seropositivity to the different infectious agents was established. The most seroprevalent agent detected was EHV-4 (96.7%), followed by WNV (44.2%), and IAV (41.8%). Horses >3 years, used for work or sports, and with access to pastures, had significantly increased probability to be seropositive to WNV, whereas horses used for breeding and recreational purposes, being stabled, and without access to pastures, had significantly greater probability to be seropositive to IAV. Seroprevalence to B. caballi (19.9%) was lower than to T. equi (38.1%). For B. caballi, access to pastures was determined as a risk factor, whereas being older than 3 years was established as a risk factor for T. equi. Low seroprevalences were determined for EHV-1 (5.0%), EVAV (5.0%), C. abortus (4.8%), and N. caninum (4.4%). Mares having history of abortion were more likely to be seropositive to EHV-1, whereas horses >3 years, used for work and sports, and mares having multiple parturitions, were more likely to be seropositive to N. caninum. None of the horses were seropositive to EIAV. Earlier, only diseases caused by EIAV, WNV and piroplasmosis were reported in Costa Rica. The present study however, determined the presence of carriers for EHV-1, EHV-4, and EIAV. PMID:26623349

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2016-01-01

    The forest transition framework describes the temporal changes of forest areas with economic development. A first phase of forest contraction is followed by a second phase of expansion once a turning point is reached. This framework does not differentiate forest types or ecosystem services, and describes forests regardless of their contribution to human well-being. For several decades, deforestation in many tropical regions has degraded ecosystem services, such as watershed regulation, while increasing provisioning services from agriculture, for example, food. Forest transitions and expansion have been observed in some countries, but their consequences for ecosystem services are often unclear. We analyzed the implications of forest cover change on ecosystem services in Costa Rica, where a forest transition has been suggested. A review of literature and secondary data on forest and ecosystem services in Costa Rica indicated that forest transition might have led to an ecosystem services transition. We modeled and mapped the changes of selected ecosystem services in the upper part of the Reventazón watershed and analyzed how supply changed over time in order to identify possible transitions in ecosystem services. The modeled changes of ecosystem services is similar to the second phase of a forest transition but no turning point was identified, probably because of the limited temporal scope of the analysis. Trends of provisioning and regulating services and their tradeoffs were opposite in different spatial subunits of our study area, which highlights the importance of scale in the analysis of ecosystem services and forest transitions. The ecosystem services transition framework proposed in this study is useful for analyzing the temporal changes of ecosystem services and linking socio-economic drivers to ecosystem services demand at different scales. PMID:27390869

  3. Newly discovered abundant fluid seep indicators off southern Costa Rica, imaged from overlapping multibeam swaths and 3D seismic data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kluesner, J. W.; Silver, E. A.; Gibson, J. C.; Bangs, N. L.; McIntosh, K.; von Huene, R.; Orange, D.; Ranero, C. R.

    2012-12-01

    Offshore southern Costa Rica we have identified 161 potential fluid seepage sites on the shelf and slope regions within an 11 x 55 km strip where no fluid indicators had been reported previously using conventional deep-water mutlibeam bathymetry (100 m grid cell size) and deep towed side scan sonar. Evidence includes large and small pockmarks, mounds, ridges, and slope failure features with localized anomalous high-amplitude backscatter strength. The majority of seepage indicators are associated with shallow sub-bottom reversed polarity bright spots and flat spots imaged within the CRISP 3D seismic grid. Data were collected ~50 km west of Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica onboard the R/V Marcus G. Langseth during the spring of 2011. We obtained EM122 multibeam data using fixed, closely spaced receiver beams and 9-10 times swath overlap, which greatly improved the signal-to-noise ratio and sounding density and allowed for very small grid and mosaic cell sizes (2-10 m). A gas plume in the water column, seen on a 3.5 kHz profile, is located along a fault trace and above surface and subsurface seep indicators. Fluid indicators on the outer shelf occur largely on a dense array of faults, some of which cut through the reflective basement. Seismic flat spots commonly underlie axes of large anticlines on the shelf and slope. Pockmarks are also located at the foot of mid-slope canyons, very near to the upper end of the BSR. These pockmarks appear to be associated with canyon abandonment and folded beds that channel fluids upward, causing hydrate instability. Our findings suggest that significant amounts of methane are venting into ocean and potentially into the atmosphere across the heavily deformed shelf and slope of Costa Rica.

  4. Spatial and temporal variation in soil CO2 efflux in an old-growth neotropical rain forest, LA Selva, Costa Rica

    Treesearch

    Luitgard Schwendenmann; Edzo Veldkamp; Tania Brenes; Joseph J. O' Brien; Jens Mackensen

    2003-01-01

    Our objectives were to quantify and compare soil CO2, efflux of two doininant soil types in an old-growth neotropical rain forest in the Atlantic zone of Costa Rica, and to evaluate the control of environmental Factors on CO2, release. We measured soil CO2 efflux from eight permanent soil chamhers on...

  5. Three new species of Rectiostoma Becker, 1982 (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Depressariidae) from Area de Conservación Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    We describe three new species of Rectiostoma Becker, 1982 from Costa Rica: R. annemayae Heikkilä and Metz spec. nov., R. eowilsoni Heikkilä and Metz spec. nov. and R. philipmayi Heikkilä and Metz spec. nov. We used a data set of DNA COI-barcodes accumulated for Lepidoptera collected at Area de Conse...

  6. Ecology and management of the invasive lionfish Pterois volitans/miles complex (Perciformes: Scorpaenidae) in Southern Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Sandel, Vera; Martínez-Fernández, Damián; Wangpraseurt, Daniel; Sierra, Luis

    2015-03-01

    Invasive species alter ecosystem integrity and functioning and are considered one of the major threats to biodiversity on a global scale. The indopacific lionfish (Plerois volitans [Linnaeus, 1758] / miles [Bennet, 1882] complex) is the first non-native marine fish that has established itself in the Western Atlantic. It was first reported in Florida in the 1980s and then spread across the entire Caribbean in subsequent years. In Costa Rica, lionfish were first sighted by the end of 2008 and are now present in all South Caribbean reefs. Lionfish are a major problem for local fisherman by displacing native fish species. The aim of this study was to determine population density, size and diet of lionfish populations at four study sites along the Southern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Two of the sites were located inside the National Park Cahuita where regular lionfish removal occurs, whereas the other two study sides do not experiment this kind of management. Total length and wet weight of >450 lionfish individuals were determined between March and June 2011. Three relative metrics of prey quantity (percent number, percent frequency, and percent weight) were compared from approximately 300 lionfish caught with the polespear in shallow waters (<7 m depth). Population density was assessed weekly through visual transect surveys. Our results showed that lionfish preyed mostly upon teleosts and crustaceans. Teleosts dominated lionfish diet in percent frequency (71%) and percent weight (85%), whereas crustaceans had the highest percent number (58%). The top five teleost families of dietary importance were Pomacentridae, Acanthuridae, Blennidae, Labridae and Serranidae. The average total length (+/- SD) of lionfish was 18.7 (+/- 5.7)cm and varied significantly between sites (p<0.001). Mean density of lionfish was 92fish/ha with no significant differences between sites. Smallest fish and lowest densities were found at the two sites inside the National Park Cahuita. Despite

  7. A Fatal Urban Case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Presenting an Eschar in San José, Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Argüello, Ana Patricia; Hun, Laya; Rivera, Patricia; Taylor, Lizeth

    2012-01-01

    This study reports the first urban human case of Rocky Mountain spotted fever caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, in Costa Rica. An 8-year-old female who died at the National Children's Hospital 4 days after her admission, and an important and significant observation was the presence of an “eschar” (tache noire), which is typical in some rickettsial infections but not frequent in Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases. PMID:22855769

  8. Mammals of the Braulio Carrillo- La Selva Complex, Costa Rica

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Timm, Robert M.; Wilson, Don E.; Clauson, Barbara L.; LaVal, Richard K.; Vaughan, Christopher S.

    1989-01-01

    Costa Rica's La Selva-Braulio Carrillo complex encompasses a 60-km protected corridor of Caribbean rain and cloud forest extending from 30 m at the La Selva Biological Station to 2,906 m at the top of Volcán Barva. The 52,000-ha complex covers four life zones and two transitional zones, including tropical wet forest, tropical wet forest cool-transition, tropical premontane wet-transition rain forest, tropical premontane rain forest, lower montane rain forest, and montane rain forest. Located in the northeastern part of the country, the area is representative of Central American Caribbean slope forests that extend from Mexico to Panama. The extensive elevational gradient of the complex provides protected habitat for a variety of altitudinal migrants. With support from the National Geographic Society and Rice Foundation, the Organization for Tropical Studies organized a biological survey of the complex in early 1986. The mammal team worked at six sites along the elevational transect established by the expedition: 300 m, 700 m, 1,000 m, 1,500 m, 2,050 m, and 2,600 m. We supplemented our collecting records with unpublished records made available by colleagues, records in the published literature, and specimens in museum collections. In addition, observations recorded by a variety of observers at the La Selva Biological Station are summarized. The mammal fauna of the complex comprises 142 species including 79 bats, 23 rodents, 15 carnivores, 7 marsupials, 6 edentates, 4 artiodactyls, 3 primates, 2 rabbits, 2 shrews, and 1 perissodactyl. At least 10 additional species are likely to occur there. The only species of mammal likely to have been extirpated from the area is the giant anteater. Recognizing the importance of the area to wildlife and to mankind in general, the government of Costa Rica added 13,500 ha to the complex on 13 April 1986. This area, previously known as the “Zona Protectora,” provided the mid-elevational link between the lowlands of the La Selva

  9. Compositional Variation and Bioactivity of the Leaf Essential Oil of Montanoa guatemalensis from Monteverde, Costa Rica: A Preliminary Investigation

    PubMed Central

    Flatt, Victoria D.; Campos, Carlos R.; Kraemer, Maria P.; Bailey, Brittany A.; Satyal, Prabodh; Setzer, William N.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Montanoa guatemalensis is a small to medium-sized tree in the Asteraceae that grows in Central America from Mexico south through Costa Rica. There have been no previous investigations on the essential oil of this tree. Methods: The leaf essential oils of M. guatemalensis were obtained from different individual trees growing in Monteverde, Costa Rica, in two different years, and were analyzed by gas chromatography—mass spectrometry. Results: The leaf oils from 2008 were rich in sesquiterpenoids, dominated by α-selinene, β-selinene, and cyclocolorenone, with lesser amounts of the monoterpenes α-pinene and limonene. In contrast, the samples from 2009 showed no α- or β-selinene, but large concentrations of trans-muurola-4(14),5-diene, β-cadinene, and cyclocolorenone, along with greater concentrations of α-pinene and limonene. The leaf oils were screened for cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities and did show selective cytotoxic activity on MDA-MB-231 breast tumor cells. Conclusion: M. guatemalensis leaf oil, rich in cyclocolorenone, α-selinene, and β-selinene, showed selective in vitro cytotoxic activity to MDA-MB-231 cells. The plant may be a good source of cyclocolorenone. PMID:28930215

  10. [Presence of the dinoflagellates Ceratium dens, C. fusus and C. furca (Gonyaulacales: Ceratiaceae) in Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Vargas-Montero, Maribelle; Freer, Enrique

    2004-09-01

    Harmful Algae Blooms (HAB) are a frequent phenomenon in the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica, as in other parts of the world. The morphology and physiology of these microalgae are important because HAB species have adaptive characteristics. The production of high concentrations of paralytic toxins by Ceratium dinoflagellates has only been documented at the experimental level. However, this genus has been associated with the mortality of aquatic organisms, including oyster and shrimp larva, and fish, and with decreased water quality. Recently, fishermen reported massive mortality of encaged fish near Tortuga Island (Gulf of Nicoya). Samples were taken from an algal bloom that had produced an orange coloration and had a strong foul-smelling odor. Ultrastructural details were examined with scanning electron microscopy. The dinoflagellates Ceratium dens, C. furca and C. fusus were found in samples taken at the surface. The cell count revealed four million cells of this genus per liter. The morphological variability of these species is high; therefore electron microscopy is an useful tool in the ultrastructural study of these organisms. This is the first time that three Ceratium species are reported concurrently producing harmful blooms in Costa Rica.

  11. Pesticides in blood from spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) downstream of banana plantations in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Grant, Paul B C; Woudneh, Million B; Ross, Peter S

    2013-11-01

    Spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) are fish-eating crocodilians that inhabit freshwater habitat in tropical regions of the Americas. To assess the exposure of caiman to pesticides from banana plantations, the authors collected whole blood samples (30 mL) from 14 adult caiman that were captured in the North Atlantic region of Costa Rica. Blood samples were analyzed for 70 legacy- and current-use pesticides and breakdown products using newly developed ultra-trace, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Caiman accumulated pesticides ranked by concentration as dieldrin > permethrin > mirex > 4,4'-DDE > alpha-endosulfan > heptachlor epoxide > oxychlordane > heptachlor > cypermethrin. Caiman within the high-intensity banana crop watershed of Rio Suerte had higher pesticide burdens relative to other more remote locations (F = 12.79; p = 0.00). Pesticide concentration decreased with distance from upstream banana plantations in this river system (F = 20.76; p = 0.00). Caiman body condition was negatively correlated with total pesticide concentrations (F = 6.23; p = 0.02) and with proximity to banana plantations (F = 5.05; p = 0.04). This suggests that either pesticides elicited toxic effects in caiman, resulting in diminished overall health, or that the quantity or quality of their prey was reduced by pesticides downstream of plantation waterways. The authors' results indicate that pesticide use in banana plantations is impacting a high trophic level species inhabiting one of the most important wilderness areas in Costa Rica (Tortuguero National Park). © 2013 SETAC.

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

    USGS Publications Warehouse

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

    2001-01-01

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

  13. Detection of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Blood from Equines from Four Indigenous Communities in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Posada-Guzmán, María Fernanda; Dolz, Gaby; Romero-Zúñiga, Juan José; Jiménez-Rocha, Ana Eugenia

    2015-01-01

    A cross-sectional study was carried out in four indigenous communities of Costa Rica to detect presence and prevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi and to investigate factors associated with presence of these hemoparasites. General condition of horses (n = 285) was evaluated, and hematocrits and hemoglobin were determined from blood samples of 130 horses, which were also analyzed using blood smears, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA). The general condition of the horses (n = 285) in terms of their body and coat was between regular and poor, and hematocrit and hemoglobin average values were low (19% and 10.65 g/dL, resp.). Erythrocyte inclusions were observed in 32 (24.6%) of the samples. Twenty-six samples (20.0%) gave positive results for B. caballi and 60 (46.2%) for T. equi; 10 horses (7.7%) showed mixed infection, when analyzed by PCR. Using c-ELISA, it was found that 90 (69.2%) horses had antibodies against B. caballi and 115 (88.5%) against T. equi, while 81 (62.3%) showed mixed reactions. There were no factors associated with the presence of B. caballi and T. equi. These results contrast with results previously obtained in equines in the Central Valley of Costa Rica.

  14. Detection of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Blood from Equines from Four Indigenous Communities in Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Posada-Guzmán, María Fernanda; Romero-Zúñiga, Juan José; Jiménez-Rocha, Ana Eugenia

    2015-01-01

    A cross-sectional study was carried out in four indigenous communities of Costa Rica to detect presence and prevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi and to investigate factors associated with presence of these hemoparasites. General condition of horses (n = 285) was evaluated, and hematocrits and hemoglobin were determined from blood samples of 130 horses, which were also analyzed using blood smears, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA). The general condition of the horses (n = 285) in terms of their body and coat was between regular and poor, and hematocrit and hemoglobin average values were low (19% and 10.65 g/dL, resp.). Erythrocyte inclusions were observed in 32 (24.6%) of the samples. Twenty-six samples (20.0%) gave positive results for B. caballi and 60 (46.2%) for T. equi; 10 horses (7.7%) showed mixed infection, when analyzed by PCR. Using c-ELISA, it was found that 90 (69.2%) horses had antibodies against B. caballi and 115 (88.5%) against T. equi, while 81 (62.3%) showed mixed reactions. There were no factors associated with the presence of B. caballi and T. equi. These results contrast with results previously obtained in equines in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. PMID:26649225

  15. Governmental regulation and nongovernmental certification of forests in the tropics: policy, execution, uptake, and overlap in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Nicaragua

    Treesearch

    Kathleen McGinley; F.W. Cubbage

    2011-01-01

    We analyzed how and why governmental forest regulation and nongovernmental forest certification in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Nicaragua and their execution lead to, or fail to produce desired changes in forest owner and user behavior toward the enhanced sustainability of tropical forests. The findings confirmed not only that sufficient resources and capacity for...

  16. Separating financing from provision: evidence from 10 years of partnership with health cooperatives in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Gauri, Varun; Cercone, James; Briceño, Rodrigo

    2004-09-01

    This article examines the impact of contracting health care provision to health care cooperatives in Costa Rica. The article uses a panel dataset on health care outputs in traditional clinics and cooperatives in Costa Rica from 1990-99. Controlling for community socioeconomic characteristics, annual time trends and clinic complexity, the cooperatives conducted an average of 9.7-33.8% more general visits (95% confidence interval), 27.9-56.6% more dental visits, and 28.9-100% fewer specialist visits. Numbers of non-medical, emergency and first-time visits per capita were not different from the traditional public clinics. These results suggest that the cooperatives substituted generalist for specialist services and offered additional dental services, but did not turn away new patients, refuse emergency cases, or substitute nurses for doctors as care providers. Cooperatives authorized 30.4-60.5% fewer sick days (95% confidence interval), conducted 24.7-37.2% fewer lab exams, and gave out 26.7-38.3% fewer medications per visit than the traditional public clinics. Real total expenditure per capita in cooperatives was 14.7-58.9% lower than in traditional clinics. The findings suggest that cooperatives might, with an appropriate regulatory framework and incentives, be able to combine advantages of public and private approaches to health care service provision. Under certain conditions, they might be able to maintain accessibility, a sense of mission and efficiency in service provision.

  17. [Population ecology of the mouse Peromyscus mexicanus (Rodentia: Muridae) in Poas Volcano National Park, Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Rojas Rojas, Licidia; Barboza Rodríguez, Minor

    2007-01-01

    The Mexican Deer Mouse has been reported as an abundant wild mouse in Costa Rica; nevertheless, it has not been studied as well as other Peromyscus species. Thirty Sherman traps were placed on three habitats during six consecutive days of each month, from March 2002 through April 2003 in three sites of Pods Volcano National Park, Costa Rica. A total of 2 393 mice were captured. Other species such as Reithrodontomys creper, R. rodriguezi, Scotinomys teguina and Oryzomys devius (Muridae) were also captured in Tierra Fría and R. creper R. sumichrasti, S. teguina and O. devius in Potrero Grande. In Canto de las Aves we captured P. mexicanus, R. creper, R. rodriguezi and O. devius. Of the total mice collected, 34.77% were P. mexicanus. For this species, the mean monthly capture per hectare was 34 +/- 2.15 in Tierra Fría and 11 +/- 1.85 in Potrero Grande. In the third site, Canto de las Aves, only four mice were captured throughout the study. The estimated population size did not change among months in Tierra Fria, but it did in Potrero Grande. No sex ratio variation was found in any habitat. In Potrero Grande, weight averages were 43.54 +/- 3.42 g for males and 42.08 +/- 3.45 g for females. Variation in population structure among habitats was not significant. The presence of oak trees (Quercus sp.) and the high understory density could explain the stability of the population in this area.

  18. Urban structure and dengue fever in Puntarenas, Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Troyo, Adriana; Fuller, Douglas O.; Calderón-Arguedas, Olger; Solano, Mayra E.; Beier, John C.

    2009-01-01

    Dengue is currently the most important arboviral disease globally and is usually associated with built environments in tropical areas. Remotely sensed information can facilitate the study of urban mosquito-borne diseases by providing multiple temporal and spatial resolutions appropriate to investigate urban structure and ecological characteristics associated with infectious disease. In this study, coarse, medium and fine resolution satellite imagery (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer, Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer and QuickBird respectively) and ground-based data were analyzed for the Greater Puntarenas area, Costa Rica for the years 2002–04. The results showed that the mean normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was generally higher in the localities with lower incidence of dengue fever during 2002, although the correlation was statistically significant only in the dry season (r=−0.40; p=0.03). Dengue incidence was inversely correlated to built area and directly correlated with tree cover (r=0.75, p=0.01). Overall, the significant correlations between dengue incidence and urban structural variables (tree cover and building density) suggest that properties of urban structure may be associated with dengue incidence in tropical urban settings. PMID:20161131

  19. Generation of Continental Crust in Central America: New Field and Geochemical Observations on Silicic Magmatism in Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Szymanski, D. W.; Patino, L. C.; Vogel, T. A.; Alvarado, G. E.

    2002-12-01

    Explaining the occurrence of high-silica arc magmatism in the absence of continental crust remains a fundamental problem in igneous petrology. Recent work in the southern portion of the Central American volcanic arc has expanded the database for the abundant high-silica ash-flow tuffs erupted on top of thick oceanic basement in Costa Rica and southern Nicaragua. Regional differences in geochemistry are observed in data from central and northern Costa Rica. In addition, local heterogeneities among units are demonstrated in plots of both major and trace elements. High-silica ash-flow tuffs in central Costa Rica include the Tiribi Tuff (~0.33 Ma) and Alto Palomo formation (~0.56 Ma). In northern Costa Rica, numerous large silicic ash-flow sheets are found in the Guanacaste province, ranging from late Miocene (<10 Ma) to Pleistocene (~0.6 Ma) in age. A frequency histogram of normalized silica content for all analyses to date from these units (n=222) produces a left-skewed curve with a mode occurring at approximately 70 wt.% SiO2. Samples from the northern region (n=107) demonstrate a tighter distribution of silica content (60.1-78.7 wt.% SiO2 with a median of 72.2 wt.% SiO2) compared to samples from the central region (n=115, 55.4-74.2 wt.% SiO2 with a median of 67.1 wt.% SiO2). The least evolved samples come from the Tiribi Formation in the Valle Central and are chemically distinct from rocks in the Guanacaste region. In both chemistry and geographical position, the Alto Palomo formation appears to represent a transition between tuffs in the Valle Central and those in Guanacaste. Incompatible trace element ratios for these units are nearly identical to regional trends observed in basaltic to andesitic lavas of the modern Costa Rican arc (e.g. Ba/Nb). The Papagayo sequence is an example of chemical variation within one vertical section. The sequence is a ~21 m section of well-exposed tuff that represents an essentially continuous sampling of an evolving magma body

  20. Forest Protection and Reforestation in Costa Rica: Evaluation of a Clean Development Mechanism Prototype.

    PubMed

    Subak

    2000-09-01

    / Costa Rica has recently established a program that provides funds for reforestation and forest protection on private lands, partly through the sale of carbon certificates to industrialized countries. Countries purchasing these carbon offsets hope one day to receive credit against their own commitments to limit emissions of greenhouse gases. Costa Rica has used the proceeds of the sale of carbon offsets to Norway to help finance this forest incentive program, called the Private Forestry Project, which pays thousands of participants to reforest or protect forest on their lands. The Private Forestry Project is accompanied by a monitoring program conducted by Costa Rican forest engineers that seeks to determine net carbon storage accomplished on these lands each year. The Private Forestry Project, which is officially registered as an Activity Implemented Jointly, is a possible model for bundled projects funded by the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) established by the 1997 Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It also serves as an interesting example for the CDM because it was designed by a developing country host-not by an industrialized country investor. Accordingly, it reflects the particular "sustainable development" objectives of the host country or at least the host planners. Early experience in implementing the Private Forestry Project is evaluated in light of the main objectives of the CDM and its precursor-Activities Implemented Jointly. It is concluded that the project appears to meet the criteria of global cost-effectiveness and financing from non-ODA sources. The sustainable development implications of the project are specific to the region and would not necessarily match the ideals of all investing and developing countries. The project may be seen to achieve additional greenhouse gas abatement when compared against some (although not all) baselines.

  1. Evolution of fluid geochemistry at the Turrialba volcano (Costa Rica) from 1998 to 2008

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vaselli, O.; Tassi, Franco; Duarte, E.; Fernandez, E.; Poreda, R. J.; Huertas, A. Delgado

    2010-05-01

    Turrialba (10°02'N, 83°45'W) is a 3,349-m high stratovolcano belonging to the Holocene “Cordillera Central” volcanic belt of Costa Rica. The summit consists of three EW-oriented craters (East, Central, and West). Since its last eruptive phase (1864-1866), the Central and West craters have displayed modest fumarolic activity, with outlet temperatures clustering around 90°C. In 2001, seismic swarms, ground deformation, and increasing fumarolic activity occurred. From 2005 to 2008, new fumarolic vents opened between and within the Central and West craters, and along the western and southwestern outer flanks of the volcanic edifice. These physical changes were accompanied by a drastic modification in the gas chemistry that can be divided in three stages: (1) hydrothermal (from 1998 to autumn 2001), characterized by the presence of H2O, CO2, H2S, and, to a very minor extent, HCl and HF; (2) hydrothermal/magmatic (autumn 2001-2007), with the appearance of SO2 and a significant increase of HCl and HF; and (3) magmatic-dominated (2007-2008), characterized by increased SO2 content, SO2/H2S > 100, and temperatures up to 282°C. Accordingly, gas equilibrium in the CO2-CH4-H2 system suggests a progressive evolution of the deep fluid reservoir toward higher temperatures and more oxidizing conditions. The chemical-physical modifications of Turrialba in the last decade can be interpreted as part of a cyclic mechanism controlling the balance between the hydrothermal and the magmatic systems. Nevertheless, the risk of rejuvenation of the volcanic activity cannot be excluded, and an appropriate seismic, ground deformation, and geochemical monitoring program is highly recommended. Turrialba lies at a distance of 35 and 15 km from San José and Cartago, respectively, the two largest cities in Costa Rica.

  2. Results of investigation at the Miravalles Geothermal Field, Costa Rica: Part 1, Well logging. Resultados de las investigaciones en el campo geotermico de Miravalles, Costa Rica: Parte 1, Registros de pozos (in EN;SP)

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

    Dennis, B.R.; Lawton, R.G.; Kolar, J.D.

    The well-logging operations performed in the Miravalles Geothermal Field in Costa Rica were conducted during two separate field trips. The Phase I program provided the deployment of a suite of high-temperature borehole instruments, including the temperature/rabbit, fluid sampler, and three-arm caliper in Well PGM-3. These same tools were deployed in Well PGM-10 along with an additional survey run with a combination fluid velocity/temperature/pressure instrument used to measure thermodynamic properties under flowing well conditions. The Phase II program complemented Phase I with the suite of tools deployed in Wells PGM-5, PGM-11, and PGM-12. 4 refs., 25 figs., 1 tab.

  3. [Fulminant Wilson's disease in Costa Rica. Clinico-pathological study of 7 cases].

    PubMed

    Herra, S A; Hevia, F J; Vargas, M; Schosinsky, K

    1990-01-01

    In the last eighteen years, from 1972 to 1989, around 150 cases of Wilson's disease have been diagnosed in Costa Rica (6/100.000 inhabitants). In the San Juan de Dios Hospital, 120 cases have been studied during this period, seven of whom died with a picture of acute hepatic insufficiency, hemolytic anemia, encephalopathy, intestinal bleeding and renal insufficiency. In four of the cases, postmortem histopathologic studies were done with high resolution microscopy, which revealed extensive submassive necrosis of the liver, with severe cholestatic, lytic and acidophilic necrosis with nodular, irregular regeneration and specially microvacuolar steatosis, different from that observed in other forms of fulminant hepatitis. With the clinical, laboratory and histopathologic findings, we concluded that fulminant Wilson's disease is a well-defined pathological clinical entity of fatal evolution with no response to therapy, including early treatment with penicillamine and steroids.

  4. Seismic Strong Motion Array Project (SSMAP) to Record Future Large Earthquakes in the Nicoya Peninsula area, Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simila, G.; McNally, K.; Quintero, R.; Segura, J.

    2006-12-01

    The seismic strong motion array project (SSMAP) for the Nicoya Peninsula in northwestern Costa Rica is composed of 10 13 sites including Geotech A900/A800 accelerographs (three-component), Ref-Teks (three- component velocity), and Kinemetric Episensors. The main objectives of the array are to: 1) record and locate strong subduction zone mainshocks [and foreshocks, "early aftershocks", and preshocks] in Nicoya Peninsula, at the entrance of the Nicoya Gulf, and in the Papagayo Gulf regions of Costa Rica, and 2) record and locate any moderate to strong upper plate earthquakes triggered by a large subduction zone earthquake in the above regions. Our digital accelerograph array has been deployed as part of our ongoing research on large earthquakes in conjunction with the Earthquake and Volcano Observatory (OVSICORI) at the Universidad Nacional in Costa Rica. The country wide seismographic network has been operating continuously since the 1980's, with the first earthquake bulletin published more than 20 years ago, in 1984. The recording of seismicity and strong motion data for large earthquakes along the Middle America Trench (MAT) has been a major research project priority over these years, and this network spans nearly half the time of a "repeat cycle" (50 years) for large (Ms 7.5- 7.7) earthquakes beneath the Nicoya Peninsula, with the last event in 1950. Our long time co-collaborators include the seismology group OVSICORI, with coordination for this project by Dr. Ronnie Quintero and Mr. Juan Segura. Numerous international investigators are also studying this region with GPS and seismic stations (US, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, etc.). Also, there are various strong motion instruments operated by local engineers, for building purposes and mainly concentrated in the population centers of the Central Valley. The major goal of our project is to contribute unique scientific information pertaining to a large subduction zone earthquake and its related seismic activity when

  5. First new world record of a gall midge from palms: a new species of Contarinia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from Geonoma cuneata in Costa Rica

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Contarinia geonomae Gagné, new species (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), is described from galls found on the infructescences of Geonoma cuneata (Arecaceae) in Costa Rica. The galls are cylindrical in shape and develop concurrently with or instead of the spherical fruit. The larval chamber is located at the...

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

    PubMed

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

    2000-01-01

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

  7. Build an oven, cook a meal: How solar energy empowered women in Costa Rica

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

    Blankenship, J.

    1990-12-01

    A pilot solar cooking project in the hot, northern province of Guanacaste promises to serve as a model for community groups wanting to build their own solar ovens. An $8,000 (US) grant has been awarded by the Canadian Embassy in Costa Rica to take the Guanacaste project into a second stage in 1990-91. Two construction workshops, with twelve participants in each, are planned in communities near Oriente. Three women from the Oriente group will have paid jobs as organizational facilitators and workshop supervisors. In popular education this is called the multiplier effect - the users of solar cookers construct themore » ovens themselves, and then instruct others to do the same. 3 refs.« less

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2005-12-01

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

  9. Simulações Numéricas de Rotação Nuclear Cometária

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Voelzke, M. R.; Winter, O. C.

    1999-08-01

    Este trabalho apresenta os resultados iniciais de simulações numéricas da evolução rotacional, de um núcleo cometário não esférico, ao longo de uma passagem periélica, levando-se em conta os torques devido a existência dos jatos de poeira e de gás. Inicialmente os autores apresentam um modelo simples (primeira aproximação), com somente um único jato na extremidade do semi-eixo maior, para compreender a variação positiva ou negativa que estas forças não gravitacionais exercem sobre o período de rotação cometário. Posteriormente incrementa-se o número de jatos, os quais são distribuídos ao longo da superfície cometária, para observar-se a contribuição dos efeitos provenientes dos torques originários da liberação da poeira e gás cometários, que provavelmente violará a suposição da livre precessão. Os estados rotacionais, sob torques induzidos devido à sublimação, dependem fortemente da localização das áreas ativas do núcleo. Os cometas P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1, P/Tempel 2, P/Forbes e C/Meunier-Dupouy serão observados fotometricamente, pelos autores, no Laboratório Nacional de Astrofísica (LNA) ao longo de algumas noites consecutivas em abril, junho e julho de 1999. Estas observações serão comparadas com as simulações numéricas de rotação cometária.

  10. Chlamydia psittaci genotype B in a pigeon (Columba livia) inhabiting a public place in San José, Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Dolz, G.; Solórzano-Morales, Á.; Angelova, L.; Tien, C.; Fonseca, L.; Bonilla, M.C.

    2013-01-01

    Human chlamydiosis is a zoonotic disease of avian origin caused by Chlamydia psittaci. The highest infection rates have been detected in parrots (Psittacidae) and pigeons (Columbiformes), the latter most frequently carry the genotypes B and E. These genotypes have been shown to also infect humans. Because pigeons (Columba livia) cohabit with humans in urban areas, C. psittaci present in the dust from dry feces of infected pigeons may be transmitted by inhalation and represent a significant public health problem. Between 2012 and 2013 a total of 120 fecal samples were collected from pigeons at four public places (Plaza de la Cultura, Parque Morazán, Parque Central de Guadalupe, Plaza de las Garantías Sociales) in San José, Costa Rica. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify a region of the outer membrane protein A gene of C. psittaci. Only one sample was positive in PCR and the positive sample was further subjected to sequencing and genotyping. Sequencing identified this sample as C. psittaci genotype B. This study is the first report to show the presence of this organism in pigeons of Costa Rica, and shows that the infected pigeons may represent a significant risk for humans who visit public places that are inhabited by pigeons. PMID:26623327

  11. Chlamydia psittaci genotype B in a pigeon (Columba livia) inhabiting a public place in San José, Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Dolz, G; Solórzano-Morales, Á; Angelova, L; Tien, C; Fonseca, L; Bonilla, M C

    2013-01-01

    Human chlamydiosis is a zoonotic disease of avian origin caused by Chlamydia psittaci. The highest infection rates have been detected in parrots (Psittacidae) and pigeons (Columbiformes), the latter most frequently carry the genotypes B and E. These genotypes have been shown to also infect humans. Because pigeons (Columba livia) cohabit with humans in urban areas, C. psittaci present in the dust from dry feces of infected pigeons may be transmitted by inhalation and represent a significant public health problem. Between 2012 and 2013 a total of 120 fecal samples were collected from pigeons at four public places (Plaza de la Cultura, Parque Morazán, Parque Central de Guadalupe, Plaza de las Garantías Sociales) in San José, Costa Rica. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify a region of the outer membrane protein A gene of C. psittaci. Only one sample was positive in PCR and the positive sample was further subjected to sequencing and genotyping. Sequencing identified this sample as C. psittaci genotype B. This study is the first report to show the presence of this organism in pigeons of Costa Rica, and shows that the infected pigeons may represent a significant risk for humans who visit public places that are inhabited by pigeons.

  12. Numerical Simulations of the 1991 Limón Tsunami, Costa Rica Caribbean Coast

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chacón-Barrantes, Silvia; Zamora, Natalia

    2017-08-01

    The second largest recorded tsunami along the Caribbean margin of Central America occurred 25 years ago. On April 22nd, 1991, an earthquake with magnitude Mw 7.6 ruptured along the thrust faults that form the North Panamá Deformed Belt (NPDB). The earthquake triggered a tsunami that affected the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and Panamá within few minutes, generating two casualties. These are the only deaths caused by a tsunami in Costa Rica. Coseismic uplift up to 1.6 m and runup values larger than 2 m were measured along some coastal sites. Here, we consider three solutions for the seismic source as initial conditions to model the tsunami, each considering a single rupture plane. We performed numerical modeling of the tsunami propagation and runup using NEOWAVE numerical model (Yamazaki et al. in Int J Numer Methods Fluids 67:2081-2107, 2010, doi: 10.1002/fld.2485 ) on a system of nested grids from the entire Caribbean Sea to Limón city. The modeled surface deformation and tsunami runup agreed with the measured data along most of the coastal sites with one preferred model that fits the field data. The model results are useful to determine how the 1991 tsunami could have affected regions where tsunami records were not preserved and to simulate the effects of the coastal surface deformations as buffer to tsunami. We also performed tsunami modeling to simulate the consequences if a similar event with larger magnitude Mw 7.9 occurs offshore the southern Costa Rican Caribbean coast. Such event would generate maximum wave heights of more than 5 m showing that Limón and northwestern Panamá coastal areas are exposed to moderate-to-large tsunamis. These simulations considering historical events and maximum credible scenarios can be useful for hazard assessment and also as part of studies leading to tsunami evacuation maps and mitigation plans, even when that is not the scope of this paper.

  13. Paleocene Turbidite Deposition in the Central American Seaway (NW Costa Rica): Geochemical Analysis and Provenance of Detrital Spinel and Clinopyroxene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Giblin, A. C.

    2015-12-01

    The Central American Land Bridge is the crucial connection between North and South America, and the Miocene closure of the Panama seaway led to a change in global oceanic circulation patterns. Modern Costa Rica is part of the island arc that formed over the western Caribbean subduction zone, and the Santa Elena peninsula is on the northwest coast of Costa Rica next to the Sandino forearc basin. This study focuses on the origin and provenance of the Paleocene deep-water Rivas and Descartes turbidites that crop out on the northern part of the Santa Elena peninsula in northwestern Costa Rica. Understanding the sedimentary fill of the Sandino Basin that contributed to the closing of the seaway may lead to a better understanding of the Late Cretaceous-Paleogene arcs. Provenance studies of the Santa Elena Peninsula turbidite sandstone bodies constrain the history of the paleogeography and tectonics of the region. Petrographic analyses of rock thin sections constrain source areas; geochemical analysis of individual detrital heavy minerals from rock samples give indications of sediment sources and tectonic setting during deposition. This study is a provenance analysis based on (i) semi-quantitative energy-dispersive spectrometry analysis of heavy minerals, (ii) quantitative wavelength-dispersive spectrometry for major elements of detrital clinopyroxene and spinel grains, (iii) trace element analysis through laser ablation of single detrital clinopyroxene grains, and (iv) comparative analysis of the different potential source rocks to clearly identify the most likely sediment sources. The detrital spinel and clinopyroxene are possibly sourced from: mantle ophiolites, mid-ocean ridge gabbros, or volcanic arc tholeiitic basalts or calc-alkaline andesites. Spinel and clinopyroxne geochemistry suggests a possible peridotitic source, linked to mantle rocks that are now covered by Tertiary volcanics or have completely eroded. The character of the crustal minerals indicates

  14. A new species of Rhopalosiphum (Hemiptera, Aphididae) on Chusquea tomentosa (Poaceae, Bambusoideae) from Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Hidalgo, Nicolás Pérez; Martínez-Torres, David; Collantes-Alegre, Jorge Mariano; Muller, William Villalobos; Nafría, Juan M. Nieto

    2012-01-01

    Abstract The new species Rhopalosiphum chusqueae Pérez Hidalgo & Villalobos Muller, is described from apterous viviparous females caught on Chusquea tomentosa in Cerro de la Muerte (Costa Rica). The identity of the species is supported both by the morphological features and by a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on a fragment of the mitochondrial DNA containing the 5’ region of the cytochrome c oxidase 1 (COI) and on the nuclear gene coding for the Elongation factor-1 alpha (EF1α). The taxonomic position of the new species is discussed. An identification key to the Aphidinae species living on plants of Bambusoideae (Poaceae) is presented. PMID:22328859

  15. Sulfur and iron geochemistry of the dynamic sedimentary system at the Costa Rica margin, IODP Expedition 344

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gott, C.; Riedinger, N.; Formolo, M.; Solomon, E. A.; Torres, M. E.; Bates, S. M.; Lyons, T. W.; 344 Scientific Party, I.

    2013-12-01

    One of the major targets of the CRISP (Costa Rica Seismogenesis Project) was to explore diagenetic processes, including fluid flow, related to the complex sedimentary and tectonic behavior of the Costa Rica margin system. Here we present preliminary results of the iron and sulfur geochemistry from sediments collected during the IODP Expedition 344 at Holes U1413B and U1414A. Our specific goal was to investigate the impact of this dynamic system on biogeochemical processes - especially regarding the sulfur cycle - and how minerals record these processes in the geologic record. The sediments at both investigated locations display non-steady state pore water conditions. Specifically, the deposits at Hole U1413B are characterized by a shallow sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ; approximately 15 mbsf), where released hydrogen sulfide reacts with reactive iron minerals to form iron sulfides. At Hole U1414A pore water sulfate is present at several hundreds of meters sediment depth, while the concentration of hydrogen sulfide is low (<4 μM). The measured concentrations of solid phase iron sulfides in the sediments indicate that pyrite is the main sulfur-bearing phase, reaching concentrations of 2 and 3 wt.%, in U1413B and U1414A, respectively. Sequential extractions of iron oxides reveal the presence of reactive iron phases, although in low concentrations (total iron oxides are below 1.1 wt.%), indicating ongoing alteration of iron oxides. The occurrence of these reactive iron minerals in the deeply buried sediments at Hole U1414A has implications for the deep biosphere - as those minerals can still be utilized by the microbial community. The non-steady state condition of the sedimentary system at both locations is also mirrored in the S-isotopic signal in the pore fluids as well as solid phase. The 34S-enriched sulfate (δ34S >+60 ‰) in the deeper sediment column is reflected in the δ34S profile of the in situ formed iron sulfides - the results can have

  16. Diversity, Ecology and Herbivory of Hairstreak Butterflies (Theclinae) Associated with the Velvet Tree, Miconia calvescens in Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Badenes-Péérez, F. R.; Alfaro-Alpíízar, M. A.; Johnson, M. T.

    2010-01-01

    Larvae of three species of hairstreak butterflies in the subfamily Theclinae (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) were found feeding on developing inflorescences, flower buds, and immature fruits of the velvet tree, Miconia calvescens DC. (Myrtales: Melastomataceae) in Costa Rica. Erora opisena (Druce), Parrhasius polibetes (Cramer), and Temecla paron (Godman and Salvin) were studied in association with M. calvescens, an uncommon tree in its natural range in the neotropics and a target for biocontrol as an invader in Pacific islands. Host plant use by the three theclines was similar, with eggs being laid on inflorescences and cryptic larvae remaining there throughout development. Feeding damage by E. opisena was most abundant in pre-flowering M. calvescens, when 23% of inflorescences showed feeding damage characteristic of this species. Feeding damage by T. paron peaked at flowering, when 30% of inflorescences were affected. At field sites, E. opisena and T. paron damaged an average of 26 and 18% of each attacked inflorescence, respectively. In cage experiments, individual third- and fourth-instar larvae of E. opisena damaged an average of 24 and 21% of an inflorescence before pupating, respectively. This study provides the first host plant record for E. opisena and T. paron, the first record of P. polibetes feeding on Melastomataceae, and the first records of E. opisena and T. paron presence in Costa Rica. PMID:21265617

  17. Altitude and regional gradients in chronic kidney disease prevalence in Costa Rica: Data from the Costa Rican Longevity and Healthy Aging Study

    PubMed Central

    Harhay, Meera N.; Harhay, Michael O.; Coto-Yglesias, Fernando; Bixby, Luis Rosero

    2015-01-01

    Summary Objectives Recent studies in Central America indicate that mortality attributable to chronic kidney disease (CKD) is rising rapidly. We sought to determine the prevalence and regional variation of CKD and the relationship of biologic and socioeconomic factors to CKD risk in the older-adult population of Costa Rica. Methods We used data from the Costa Rican Longevity and Health Aging Study (CRELES). The cohort was comprised of 2657 adults born before 1946 in Costa Rica, chosen through a sampling algorithm to represent the national population of Costa Ricans >60 years of age. Participants answered questionnaire data and completed laboratory testing. The primary outcome of this study was CKD, defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73m2. Results The estimated prevalence of CKD for older Costa Ricans was 20% (95% CI 18.5 – 21.9%). In multivariable logistic regression, older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.08 per year, 95%CI 1.07–1.10, p<0.001) was independently associated with CKD. For every 200 meters above sea level of residence, subjects’ odds of CKD increased 26% (aOR 1.26 95% CI 1.15–1.38, p<0.001). There was large regional variation in adjusted CKD prevalence, highest in Limon (40%, 95% CI 30%–50%) and Guanacaste (36%, 95% CI 26–46%) provinces. Regional and altitude effects remained robust after adjustment for socioeconomic status. Conclusions We observed large regional and altitude-related variations in CKD prevalence in Costa Rica, not explained by the distribution of traditional CKD risk factors. More studies are needed to explore the potential association of geographic and environmental exposures with the risk of CKD. PMID:26466575

  18. Altitude and regional gradients in chronic kidney disease prevalence in Costa Rica: Data from the Costa Rican Longevity and Healthy Aging Study.

    PubMed

    Harhay, Meera N; Harhay, Michael O; Coto-Yglesias, Fernando; Rosero Bixby, Luis

    2016-01-01

    Recent studies in Central America indicate that mortality attributable to chronic kidney disease (CKD) is rising rapidly. We sought to determine the prevalence and regional variation of CKD and the relationship of biologic and socio-economic factors to CKD risk in the older-adult population of Costa Rica. We used data from the Costa Rican Longevity and Health Aging Study (CRELES). The cohort was comprised of 2657 adults born before 1946 in Costa Rica, chosen through a sampling algorithm to represent the national population of Costa Ricans >60 years of age. Participants answered questionnaire data and completed laboratory testing. The primary outcome of this study was CKD, defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m 2 . The estimated prevalence of CKD for older Costa Ricans was 20% (95% CI 18.5-21.9%). In multivariable logistic regression, older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.08 per year, 95% CI 1.07-1.10, P < 0.001) was independently associated with CKD. For every 200 m above sea level of residence, subjects' odds of CKD increased 26% (aOR 1.26 95% CI 1.15-1.38, P < 0.001). There was large regional variation in adjusted CKD prevalence, highest in Limon (40%, 95% CI 30-50%) and Guanacaste (36%, 95% CI 26-46%) provinces. Regional and altitude effects remained robust after adjustment for socio-economic status. We observed large regional and altitude-related variations in CKD prevalence in Costa Rica, not explained by the distribution of traditional CKD risk factors. More studies are needed to explore the potential association of geographic and environmental exposures with the risk of CKD. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. The 'foremost ornithological mystery of Costa Rica': Amazilia alfaroana Underwood, 1896.

    PubMed

    Kirwan, Guy M; Collar, Nigel J

    2016-11-10

    The hummingbird Amazilia alfaroana is known from a single specimen, collected on the Volcán de Miravalles, in north-west Costa Rica, in September 1895. Since the early 20th century, the taxon has been almost always been treated as a subspecies of Indigo-capped Hummingbird A. cyanifrons, which is otherwise endemic to Colombia, although it has also been tentatively suggested that the holotype might represent a hybrid between two unnamed species of trochilids. Our detailed analysis of the specimen reveals species-level differences between A. alfaroana and A. cyanifrons, and no evidence of characters that might suggest a hybrid between two species known to occur in the relevant region. Until molecular techniques have been brought to bear, we believe that A. alfaroana is best treated as a possibly now extinct species.

  20. [Effects of the ashes of the Irazu volcano (Costa Rica) on various insects].

    PubMed

    Wille, A; Fuentes, G

    1975-12-01

    A study of the 1963-1965 eruptions of the Irazú volcano (Costa Rica) showed that the ashes altered the ecological conditions of a great number of insects. Experiments suggest a mechanical action of the abrasive particles on the epicuticle, making it permeable, and thus accelerating dehydration. Other insects, such as the honey bee (Apis mellifera), were not affected externally but through the ingestion of ash-contaminated nectar and by the massive destruction of the vegetation on which they depended. Great destruction of bee populations was observed during 1964 and 1965-66 in the San José area. On the other hand, the volcanic ash apparently favored other insects, especially those protected by a waxy secretion, and by the possible elimination of their natural enemies, to such proportions that they became pests of economic significance.

  1. An Assessment of Magma-Hydrothermal Heat Output at the Costa Rica Rift

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lowell, R. P.; Morales Maqueda, M. A.; Banyte, D.; Zhang, L.; Tong, V.; Hobbs, R. W.; Harris, R. N.

    2016-12-01

    A joint geophysical/physical oceanographic investigation of the Costa Rica Ridge as part of the OSCAR (Oceanographic and Seismic Characterization of heat dissipation and alteration by hydrothermal fluids at an Axial Ridge) research program enables us to estimate hydrothermal heat output and its likely link to a sub-axial magma lens (AML). In December 2014, a number of tow-yo casts were made along and near the ridge axis where seismic reflection data collected in 1994 showed the presence of seismic reflector interpreted to be an AML at a depth of about 2800 m below the seafloor. A decline in beam transmission in a ≈ 200 m thick region located approximately 800 to 900 meters above the seafloor indicated the presence of a hydrothermal plume. CTD data collected above the ridge yielded a weighted average buoyancy frequency of approximately 19.3 x 10-8 s-2. Assuming a mean hydrothermal vent temperature of 350°C, buoyant plume theory yields a heat output between 400 and 600 MW. Application of the single-pass modeling approach to the hydrothermal system, yields an estimated mass flow between 210 and 337 kg/s, and the mean product of crustal permeability x discharge area ranges between 6 and 10 x 10-9 m4. A multichannel seismic profile collected in 2015 indicates the presence of a reflector 5 km along-axis and < 100 m wide, in approximately the same location as the 1994 survey, suggesting that magma-driven hydrothermal heat output may have exhibited stability on a decadal time scale. The relatively small size of the inferred AML, when coupled to the heat output estimate and the single-pass model, suggests that the conductive boundary layer at the top the AML is 2m thick and that the AML must be frequently replenished to maintain stable heat output. Assuming the hydrothermal system is driven by magmatic latent heat, a 100 m thick AML could have powered a 100 MW hydrothermal system for 20 years, while inputting 5 x 107 m3 of melt into the axis. These results indicate

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2017-01-01

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

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

    PubMed

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

    2017-01-01

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

  4. He isotope ratios in the Nankai Trough and Costa Rica subduction zones - implications for volatile cycling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kastner, M.; Hilton, D. R.; Jenkins, W. J.; Solomon, E. A.; Spivack, A. J.

    2013-12-01

    The noble gas 3He is a clear indicator of primordial volatile flux from the mantle, thus providing important insights on the interaction between Earth's interior and exterior reservoirs. Volatile cycling at ridge-crests and its impact on the evolution of seawater chemistry is rather well known as constrained by the 3He flux, whereas the impact of volatile cycling at subduction zones (SZs) on seawater chemistry is as yet poorly known. Constraining chemical and isotopic cycling at SZs is important for understanding the evolution of the mantle-crust and ocean-atmosphere systems. To gain insights on volatile cycling in SZs, pore fluids were sampled for He concentration and isotopic analyses at two tectonically contrasting SZs, Nankai Trough (offshore Japan, Muroto and Kumano transects), an accretionary SZ, and Costa Rica (Offshore Osa Peninsula), an erosional SZ. Sampling for He was achieved by rapidly subsampling core sediments, cleaning and transferring these samples into Ti squeezers in a glove bag, and storing the squeezed pore fluids in crimped Cu tubes for shore-based He concentration and isotope ratio analyses. At the Nankai Trough SZ there is a remarkable range of He isotopic values. The 3He/4He ratios relative to atmospheric ratio (RA) range from mostly crustal 0.47 RA to 4.30 RA which is ~55% of the MORB value of 8 RA. Whereas at the Costa Rica SZ, offshore Osa Peninsula, the ratios range from 0.86 to 1.14 RA, indicating the dominance of crustal radiogenic 4He that is from U and Th decay. The distribution of the He isotope values at Nankai Trough is most interesting, fluids that contain significant mantle 3He components (3He/4He >1) were sampled along and adjacent to fluid conduits that were identified by several chemical and isotopic data (i.e. Cl, B, and Li), including the presence of thermogenic hydrocarbons. Whereas the fluids dominated by 4He (3He/4He ≤1) were obtained from sediment sections that were between the fluid conduits. At Costa Rica, however

  5. A new species of Cordyligaster Macquart, reared from caterpillars in Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Wood, D Monty; Smith, M Alex; Janzen, Daniel; Hallwachs, Winnie

    2014-01-01

    Abstract We describe a new species of Cordyligaster Macquart (Diptera: Tachinidae) from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica. Cordyligaster capellii sp. n., is described and photographed. All specimens of C. capellii were reared from Syngamia florella (Stoll, 1781) (Lepidoptera, Crambidae, Spilomelinae), a leaf-rolling caterpillar collected in ACG rain forest. By coupling morphology, photographic documentation, life history and molecular data, we provide a clear and concise description of this new species. In addition the authors provide new distribution and host records for C. fuscipennis (Macquart) reared in ACG. PMID:25535485

  6. Biology, behavior, and larval morphology of Salbia lotanalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a potential biological control agent of Miconia calvescens (Myrtales: Melastomataceae) from Costa Rica

    Treesearch

    Alexander Castillo; M. Tracy Johnson; Francisco R. Badenes-Pérez

    2014-01-01

    The leaf roller Salbia lotanalis Druce (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a potential biological control agent of Miconia calvescens de Candolle (Melastomataceae), was studied in Costa Rica. Larvae were collected from a field site near San Jose and the insect was reared in the laboratory to study its biology and behavior. Chaetotaxy and...

  7. Secondary mineral growth in fractures in the Miravalles geothermal system, Costa Rica

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

    Rochelle, C.A.; Milodowski, A.E.; Savage, D.

    1989-01-01

    A mineralogical, fluid-chemical, and theoretical study of hydrothermal alteration in veins from drillcore from the Miravalles geothermal field, Costa Rica has revealed a complex history of mineral-fluid reaction which may be used to characterize changes in temperature and fluid composition with time. Mineralogical and mineral-chemical data are consistent with hydrothermal alteration in the temperature range 200{sup 0}-270{sup 0}C, with deeper portions of the system having undergone temperatures in excess of 300{sup 0}C. Thermodynamic calculations suggest that the observed alteration assemblage is not equilibrium with current well fluids, unless estimates of reservoir pH are incorrect. Fe-Al zoning of prehnite and epidotemore » in veins is consistent with rapid, isothermal fluctuations in fluid composition at current reservoir temperatures, and may be due to changes in volatile content of the fluid due to tectonic activity.« less

  8. Physical activity patterns and metabolic syndrome in Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Hastert, Theresa A.; Gong, Jian; Campos, Hannia; Baylin, Ana

    2015-01-01

    Objective To examine whether total physical activity or activity patterns are associated with metabolic syndrome and its components. Methods Participants include 1,994 controls from a case-control study of non-fatal myocardial infarction in Costa Rica (1994–2004). Physical activity was assessed via self-administered questionnaire and patterns were identified using principal components analysis. Metabolic syndrome was assessed via blood samples and anthropometry measurements from in-home study visits. Prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using log binomial regression. Adjusted least squares means of metabolic syndrome components were calculated by quintile of total activity and pattern scores. Results Four activity patterns were identified: rest/sleep, agricultural, light indoor activity, and manual labor. Total activity was not associated with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome prevalence was 20% lower in participants with the highest scores on the agricultural job pattern compared to those with the lowest (PR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.68–0.94). Higher total activity was associated with lower triglycerides and lower HDL cholesterol. Higher scores on each pattern were inversely associated with metabolic syndrome components, particularly waist circumference and fasting blood glucose. Conclusions Patterns or types of physical activity may be more strongly associated with metabolic syndrome and its components than total activity levels. PMID:25445330

  9. Records of chimaeroid fishes (Holocephali: Chimaeriformes) from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, with the description of a new species of Chimera (Chimaeridae) from the eastern Pacific Ocean.

    PubMed

    Angulo, Arturo; López, Myrna I; Bussing, William A; Murase, Atsunobu

    2014-09-18

    A new species of Chimaera Linnaeus 1758 is described from three specimens collected from off the Pacific coasts of Costa Rica and Peru. Chimaera orientalis n. sp., the first species of the genus described from the eastern Pacific Ocean, is distinguished from its other congeners by a combination of coloration and morphology. Additionally, new records of occurrence for another four species of chimaeroid fishes (Harriotta raleighana (Goode & Bean 1895), Rhinochimaera africana Compagno, Stehmann & Ebert 1990, Hydrolagus colliei Lay & Bennett 1839, and H. macrophthalmus de Buen 1959) previously unknown for the continental shelf of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and Central America are reported. A key to the eastern Pacific species of the order Chimaeriformes is also presented.

  10. Preliminary survey of a nemertean crab egg predator, Carcinonemertes, on its host crab, Callinectes arcuatus (Decapoda, Portunidae) from Golfo de Nicoya, Pacific Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Okazaki, Robert K.; Wehrtmann, Ingo S.

    2014-01-01

    Abstract The possible presence of egg predators in brood masses of portunid crabs from Pacific Central America has not been studied yet. This survey reports the finding of a nemertean crab egg predator on the portunid crab, Callinectes arcuatus, from the Golfo de Nicoya, Pacific Costa Rica. Nemerteans were found in the egg masses of 26 out of the 74 crabs for a prevalence of 35%. The intensity (mean number of worms/ infected crab) was estimated to be 18 with a variance of 1–123 worms/infected crab. No nemerteans were observed either in the 19 Callinectes arcuatus from Golfo Dulce (southern Pacific coast) and the 10 Portunus asper from Herradura-Jaco (central Pacific coast). This nemertean is a member of the genus Carcinonemertes, which has been reported from the Caribbean coast of Panama. However, the encountered Carcinonemertes sp. is the first published finding and report from Costa Rica and Pacific Central America. PMID:25561848

  11. Two new species of Erythromelana Townsend, 1919 (Diptera: Tachinidae) from Area de Conservación Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Wood, D. Monty; Smith, M. Alex; Hallwachs, Winnie; Janzen, Daniel; Dapkey, Tanya

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Background We describe two new species in the genus Erythromelana Townsend, 1919 from Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica. Both species were reared from wild-caughtcaterpillars of Eois spp. (Lepidoptera: Geometridae). We provide a concise description of each species using morphology, life history, molecular data, and photographic documentation. New information Erythromelana jimmychevezi Fleming & Wood sp. nov. Erythromelana glenriverai Fleming & Wood sp. nov. PMID:27226745

  12. Geology and resource assessment of Costa Rica at 1:500,000 scale; a digital representation of maps of the U.S. Geological Survey's 1987 Folio I-1865

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schruben, Paul G.

    1996-01-01

    This CD-ROM contains digital versions of the geology and resource assessment maps of Costa Rica originally published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Direccion General de Geologia, Minas e Hidrocarburos, and the Universidad de Costa Rica in 1987 at a scale of 1:500,000 in USGS Folio I-1865. The following layers of the map are available on the CD-ROM: geology, favorable domains for selected deposit types, Bouguer gravity, isostatic gravity, mineral deposits, and rock geochemistry sample points. Some of the layers are provided in the following formats: ArcView 1 for Windows and UNIX, ARC/INFO 6.1.2 Export, Digital Line Graph (DLG) Optional, and Drawing Exchange File (DXF). This CD-ROM was produced in accordance with the ISO 9660 and Apple Computer's HFS standards.

  13. The white-nosed coati (Nasua narica) is a naturally susceptible definitive host for the zoonotic nematode Angiostrongylus costaricensis in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Santoro, Mario; Alfaro-Alarcón, Alejandro; Veneziano, Vincenzo; Cerrone, Anna; Latrofa, Maria Stefania; Otranto, Domenico; Hagnauer, Isabel; Jiménez, Mauricio; Galiero, Giorgio

    2016-09-15

    Angiostrongylus costaricensis (Strongylida, Angiostrongylidae) is a roundworm of rodents, which may cause a severe or fatal zoonosis in several countries of the Americas. A single report indicated that the white-nosed coati (Nasua narica), acts as a potential free-ranging wildlife reservoir. Here we investigated the prevalence and features of A. costaricensis infection in two procyonid species, the white-nosed coati and the raccoon (Procyon lotor) from Costa Rica to better understand their possible role in the epidemiology of this zoonotic infection. Eighteen of 32 (56.2%) white-nosed coatis collected between July 2010 and March 2016 were infected with A. costaricensis but none of 97 raccoons from the same localities were diagnosed with this infection. First-stage larvae of A. costaricensis were obtained from feces of 17 fresh white-nosed coati carcasses by Baermann technique. Parasite identity was confirmed by morphology, histology and molecular characterization of target genes. These data demonstrate that the white-nosed coati is a naturally susceptible definitive host for A. costaricensis in Costa Rica contrary to findings in the raccoon. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Molecular Detection of Mycobacterium avium avium and Mycobacterium genavense in Feces of Free-living Scarlet Macaws ( Ara macao) in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Patiño W, Lena C; Monge, Otto; Suzán, Gerardo; Gutiérrez-Espeleta, Gustavo; Chaves, Andrea

    2018-04-01

      We conducted a study of the two main populations of free-living Scarlet Macaws ( Ara macao) in Costa Rica to detect the causal agents of avian tuberculosis using noninvasive techniques. We analyzed 83 fecal samples collected between February and May 2016 from the central and southern Pacific areas in the country. Using PCR, we first amplified the 16S region of the ribosomal RNA, common to all Mycobacterium species. Then, products from the insertion sequence IS901 and from a 155-base pair DNA fragment evidenced the presence of the avian pathogenic Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium strain and a Mycobacterium genavense strain, respectively. Seven of 38 (18%) samples collected in the central Pacific area were positive for Mycobacterium spp. and 3 of 38 (8%) were positive for M. genavense, with one sample amplifying regions for both. Two of the 45 (4%) samples collected in the south Pacific area of Costa Rica were positive to M. a. avium. Our detection of avian tuberculosis pathogens in free-living Scarlet Macaws suggests that free-living macaws could excrete in their feces M. genavense, bird-pathogenic M. a. avium, and possibly other Mycobacteria (not detected in our study).

  15. Training physicians for community-oriented primary care in Latin America: model programs in Mexico, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.

    PubMed Central

    Braveman, P A; Mora, F

    1987-01-01

    Under the rubrics of preventive and social medicine, public health, and family and community medicine, medical educators in Latin America have developed programs to train physicians for community-oriented health care (COPC). The historical background for such programs in Latin America is reviewed. Three relevant examples of programs in Mexico, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica are highlighted, drawing on the author's direct experience with and in these faculties. The paper addresses the relation between these programs and national and regional trends in education and services. PMID:3826469

  16. [Genitalia of three species of Heilipus Germar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) that damage avocado fruits (Persea americana Mill.) in Mexico and Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Castañeda-Vildózola, Alvaro; Valdez-Carrasco, Jorge; Equihua-Martínez, Armando; González-Hernández, Héctor; Romero-Nápoles, Jesús; Solís-Aguilar, Juan F; Ramírez-Alarcón, Samuel

    2007-01-01

    The male and female genitaliae of three species of the genus Heilipus Germar (H. lauri Boheman, H. pittieri Barber and H. trifasciatus Fabricius) that damage avocado fruits (Persea americana Mill.) in Mexico and Costa Rica are described and illustrated. The aedeagus, spiculum gastrale, styli of 8th sternite are different in each one of the three species studied and can be used for specific identification.

  17. Socializing Agents for Sport and Physical Activities in Teenage Students: Comparative Studies in Samples From Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain.

    PubMed

    Ruiz-Juan, Francisco; Baena-Extremera, Antonio; Granero-Gallegos, Antonio

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to analyze a set of socializing agents for sport and physical activities and to establish their relationship with leisure time sport and physical activities behaviors and practice patterns in samples of teenage students with different sociocultural backgrounds. The sample included 2168 students in their first year of secondary education, 423 of them being from Costa Rica, 408 from Mexico, and 1337 from Spain (1052 male students, 1037 female students, and 79 students who did not specify gender) aged 11-16 years old ( M = 12.49; SD = .81). A validated questionnaire with questions about leisure time sport and physical activities and socializing agents was used. Descriptive, inferential, and multinomial logistic regression analyses were carried out with SPSS 17.0 to compare all three countries. Costa Rica had the most active students, best friends' inactivity, and unsupportive parents being the agents predicting inactivity and a low level of sport and physical activities. Mexico has a high dropout rate and inactive students exceed active ones; no agent predicts inactivity or sport and physical activities pattern. Spain has the highest level of sport and physical activities practice, and parents, siblings, and friends are predicting agents of inactivity together with unsupportive parents and friends.

  18. INTESTINAL LIFE CYCLE OF EIMERIA CALIGINOSA (APICOMPLEXA: EIMERIIDAE) FROM THE DUSKY RICE RAT, MELANOMYS CALIGINOSUS (RODENTIA: CRICETIDAE: SIGMODONTINAE) IN COSTA RICA.

    PubMed

    Chinchilla, Misael; Valerio, Idalia; Sanchez, Ronald; Duszynski, Donald

    2018-05-08

    The endogenous life cycle of Eimeria caliginosa was studied in experimentally-infected dusky rice rats, Melanomys caliginosus. All endogenous stages were located in the epithelial cells of villi in the small intestine. Both Giemsa-stained mucosal scrapings and histological sections were studied for the diagnosis of all the life cycle stages. Eimeria caliginosa has 3 generations of meronts (M) that differ by size, shape, and number of merozoites (m), which also differ in their size, shape, and location of their nuclei within the cytoplasm of the meronts. The 3 meront types, M1-M3, respectively, had 20-33 (m1), 5-9 (m2), and 13-16 (m3) merozoites. Macrogametocytes and microgametocytes, as well as macrogametes and microgametes, completed the sexual cycle, which conclude with the formation of unsporulated oocysts. This parasite's endogenous development produced severe intestinal lesions in the experimentally-infected dusky rice rats. In our ongoing work to understand the biodiversity present in plants and animals of our protected Reserva Biológica Alberto Manuel Brenes (ReBAMB) field station in Costa Rica, we now have discovered 3 new Eimeria species, and this is the second complete life cycle in which we document both the asexual and sexual stages The presence of Eimeria caliginosa was discovered in Costa Rica, in the dusky rice rat, Melanomys caliginosus (Tomes, 1860), captured in the protected Reserva Biológica Alberto Manuel Brenes (ReBAMB) in San Ramón, Alajuela, Costa Rica (Chinchilla et al. 2014). The original description was based on sporulated oocyst characteristics, but there was no information known about this parasite or its life history at the time of our discovery. Now, using careful experimental protocols, we are able to offer a description of the endogenous stages of the intestinal life cycle of E. caliginosa in M. caliginosus were able to determine the prepatent and patent periods, and we were able to make some observations about the intestinal

  19. Co-seismic deformation of the August 27, 2012 Mw 7.3 El Salvador and September 5, 2012 Mw 7.6 Costa Rica earthquakes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Geirsson, H.; La Femina, P. C.; DeMets, C.; Mattioli, G. S.; Hernández, D.

    2013-05-01

    We investigate the co-seismic deformation of two significant earthquakes that occurred along the Middle America trench in 2012. The August 27 Mw 7.3 El Salvador and September 5 Mw 7.6 Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica earthquakes, were examined using a combination of episodic and continuous Global Positioning System (GPS) data. USGS finite fault models based on seismic data predict fundamentally different characteristics for the two ruptures. The El Salvador event occurred in a historical seismic gap and on the shallow segment of the Middle America Trench main thrust, rupturing a large area, but with a low magnitude of slip. A small tsunami was observed along the coast in Nicaragua and El Salvador, additionally indicating near-trench rupture. Conversely, the Nicoya, Costa Rica earthquake was predicted to have an order of magnitude higher slip on a spatially smaller patch deeper on the main thrust. We present results from episodic and continuous geodetic GPS measurements made in conjunction with the two earthquakes, including data from newly installed COCONet (Continuously Operating Caribbean GPS Observational Network) sites. Episodic GPS measurements made in El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua following the earthquakes, allow us to estimate the co-seismic deformation field from both earthquakes. Because of the small magnitude of the El Salvador earthquake and its shallow rupture the observed co-seismic deformation is small (<2 cm). Conversely, the Costa Rica earthquake occurred directly beneath a seismic and geodetic network specifically designed to capture such events. The observed displacements exceeded 0.5 m and there is a significant post-seismic transient following the earthquake. We use our estimated co-seismic offsets for both earthquakes to model the magnitude and spatial variability of slip for these two events.

  20. Analysis of power sector efficiency improvements for an integrated utility planning process in Costa Rica

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

    Waddle, D.B.; MacDonald, J.M.

    1990-01-01

    In an effort to analyze and document the potential for power sector efficiency improvements from generation to end-use, the Agency for International Development and the Government of Costa Rica are jointly conducting an integrated power sector efficiency analysis. Potential for energy and cost savings in power plants, transmission and distribution, and demand-side management programs are being evaluated. The product of this study will be an integrated investment plan for the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, incorporating both supply and demand side investment options. This paper presents the methodology employed in the study, as well as preliminary estimates of the results ofmore » the study. 14 refs., 4 figs., 5 tabs.« less

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

    PubMed

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

    2012-06-01

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

  2. Community-based approaches to strategic environmental assessment: Lessons from Costa Rica

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

    Sinclair, A. John; Sims, Laura; Spaling, Harry

    This paper describes a community-based approach to strategic environmental assessment (SEA) using a case study of the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad's (ICE) watershed management agricultural program (WMAP) in Costa Rica. The approach focused on four highly interactive workshops that used visioning, brainstorming and critical reflection exercises. Each workshop represented a critical step in the SEA process. Through this approach, communities in two rural watersheds assessed the environmental, social and economic impacts of a proposed second phase for WMAP. Lessons from this community-based approach to strategic environmental assessment include a recognition of participants learning what a participatory SEA is conceptually andmore » methodologically; the role of interactive techniques for identifying positive and negative impacts of the proposed program and generating creative mitigation strategies; the effect of workshops in reducing power differentials among program participants (proponent, communities, government agencies); and, the logistical importance of notice, timing and location for meaningful participation. The community-based approach to SEA offers considerable potential for assessing regional (watershed) development programs focused on sustainable resource-based livelihoods.« less

  3. Dense rain forest in the La Selva region of Costa Rica

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2004-03-05

    Dense rain forest in the La Selva region of Costa Rica. AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that uses an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR) which is located onboard NASA's DC-8 airborne laboratory. Scientists from many parts of the world including NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are combining ground research done in several areas in Central America with NASA's AirSAR technology to improve and expand on the quality of research they are able to conduct. The radar, developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, can penetrate clouds and also collect data at night. Its high-resolution sensors operate at multiple wavelengths and modes, allowing AirSAR to see beneath treetops, through thin sand, and dry snow pack. AirSAR's 2004 campaign is a collaboration of many U.S. and Central American institutions and scientists, including NASA; the National Science Foundation; the Smithsonian Institution; National Geographic; Conservation International; the Organization of Tropical Studies; the Central American Commission for Environment and Development; and the Inter-American Development Bank.

  4. Two new species of yellow-shouldered bats, genus Sturnira Gray, 1842 (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) from Costa Rica, Panama and western Ecuador

    PubMed Central

    Velazco, Paúl M.; Patterson, Bruce D.

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Two new species of yellow-shouldered bats Sturnira Gray, 1842 (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) from Central America and western South America are described using molecular and morphological data. The two new species, which occur in Costa Rica and Panama and in western Ecuador, were previously confused with S. ludovici, and S. lilium and S. luisi, respectively. Sturnira now includes 22 described species, making it the most speciose genus in the Neotropical family Phyllostomidae. PMID:24843262

  5. Checklist and identification key of Anomalini (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae) of Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Filippini, Valentina; Micó, Estefanía; Galante, Eduardo

    2016-01-01

    Abstract A checklist and identification key for the species of the tribe Anomalini in Costa Rica are presented. The Anomalini species are important economically, as they have larvae that are or can become agricultural pests, as well as ecologically, having potential as bioindicators. In spite of their importance and richness, identification tools for the group in the Neotropics remain scarce. The Costa Rican fauna comprises six genera (Anomala, Anomalorhina, Callistethus, Epectinaspis, Moroniella, and Strigoderma) and a total of 120 species. Anomala contusa Filippini, Micó, Galante, 2015 is proposed as a synonym of Anomala inbio (Ramírez-Ponce, Bitar, Curoe 2014); Anomala limon nom. n. is proposed as a new name for Anomala inbio Filippini, Galante, Micó, 2015, a homonym of Anomala inbio (Ramírez-Ponce, Bitar, Curoe, 2014); Anomala cinaedias nom. n. is proposed as a new name for Anomala chloropyga Ohaus, 1897, a homonym of Anomala chloropyga Burmeister, 1844; and Anomala chrysomelina is moved to the genus Callistethus. PMID:27833420

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2014-12-01

    For several years, the University of Costa Rica, NASA Centers (e.g., JPL, ARC, GSFC/WFF, GRC) & NASA contractors-partners have made regular in situ measurements of aerosols & gases at Turrialba Volcano in Costa Rica, with aerostats (e.g., tethered balloons & kites), & free-flying fixed wing UAVs (e.g., Dragon Eye, Vector Wing 100, DELTA 150), at altitudes up to 12.5Kft ASL within 5km of the summit. Onboard instruments included gas detectors (e.g., SO2, CO2), visible & thermal IR cameras, air samplers, temperature pressure & humidity sensors, particle counters, & a nephelometer. Deployments are timed to support bimonthly overflights of the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) onboard the NASA Terra satellite (26 deployments to date). In situ observations of dilute plume SO2 concentrations (~1-20ppmv), plume dimensions, and associated temperature, pressure, & humidity profiles, validate detailed radiative transfer-based SO2 retrievals, as well as archive-wide ASTER band-ratio SO2 algorithms. Our recent UAV-based CO2 observations confirm high concentrations (e.g., ~3000ppmv max at summit jet), with 1000-1500ppmv flank values, and essentially global background CO2 levels (400ppmv) over distal surroundings. Transient Turrialba He detections (up to 20ppmv) were obtained with a small (~10kg) airborne mass spectrometer on a light aircraft—a UAV version (~3kg) will deploy there soon on the UCR DELTA 500. Thus, these platforms, though small (most payloads <500gm), can perform valuable systematic measurements of potential eruption hazards, as well as of volcano processes. Because they are economical, flexible, and effective, such platforms promise unprecedented capabilities for researchers and responders throughout Central and South America, undertaking volcanic data acquisitions uniquely suited to such small aircraft in close proximity to known hazards, or that were previously only available using full-sized manned aircraft. This work was

  7. 3-D Shear Velocity Structure of Costa Rica and Nicaragua from Teleseismic and Ambient Noise Rayleigh Wave Tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harmon, N.; Salas, M.; Rychert, C. A.; Fischer, K. M.; Abers, G. A.

    2012-12-01

    The Costa Rica-Nicaragua subduction zone shows systematic along strike variation in arc chemistry, geology and seismic velocity and attenuation, presenting global extremes within a few hundred kilometres. In this study we use teleseismic and ambient noise derived surface wave tomography to produce a 3-D shear velocity model of the region. We use the 48 stations of the TUCAN array, and up to 96 events for the teleseismic Rayleigh wave inversion, and 20 months of continuous data for cross correlation to estimate Green's functions from ambient noise. In the shallow crust (0-15 km) we observe low shear velocities directly beneath the arc volcanos (< 3 km/s) with higher velocities in the back arc of Nicaragua. The anomalies are likely caused by heated crust, possibly intruded by magma. We observe > 40 km thick crust beneath the Costa Rican arc and the Nicaraguan Highlands, with thinned crust (~20 km) beneath the Nicaraguan Depression, with increasing crustal thickness in the back arc region. At mantle depths (55-120 km depth) we observe lower shear velocities (~2%) beneath the Nicaraguan arc and back arc relative to Costa Rica. This is well-correlated with a Vp/Vs anomaly beneath Nicaragua. The lower shear velocity beneath Nicaragua may indicate higher melt content in the mantle perhaps due to higher volatile flux from the slab. Finally, we observe a linear high velocity region at depths > 120 km parallel to the trench, which is consistent with the subducting slab.

  8. Exposure of dogs to spotted fever group rickettsiae in urban sites associated with human rickettsioses in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Moreira-Soto, Andrés; Carranza, Marco V; Taylor, Lizeth; Calderón-Arguedas, Olger; Hun, Laya; Troyo, Adriana

    2016-07-01

    The zoonotic transmission cycles of Rickettsia rickettsii and other spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae in Latin America have usually been associated with rural or sylvatic environments, although domestic dogs can be implicated in more populated settings. In this study, exposure of dogs to SFG rickettsiae in the Greater Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica was investigated. Dogs from sites associated with human cases and from dog shelters were evaluated by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using antigen of SFG rickettsiae. Rickettsia spp. were detected in ectoparasites by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total 18.5% (31/168) of dogs associated with human cases and 6.8% (11/161) of dogs in shelters had IgG end titers≥64 to Rickettsia spp. The odds of being seropositive were greater in dogs from areas associated with human cases when compared to shelters (OR: 3.2; 95% C.I: 1.5-5.6). Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s. l.) was present in all sites associated with human cases. Rickettsia felis URRWXCal2 and R. felis-like RF2125 were detected in Ctenocephalides felis, and Rickettsia sp. IbR/CRC in Ixodes boliviensis. Results demonstrate that dogs from the main urban center of Costa Rica have been exposed to SFG rickettsiae, especially in areas with known human infection. Both human and animal health sectors must be aware of possible rickettsial diseases in urban areas, where dogs may also serve as sentinels for human infection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  9. [Effects of traditional cooking on antinutritional factors of the black beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) of Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Bonilla, A R; Calzada, C; Cooke, R

    1991-12-01

    Trypsin inhibitors, alfa amylase inhibitors and hemagglutinins were determined in black beans (P. vulgaris) produced in Costa Rica. The effect of the traditional cooking on such antinutritional factors was also studied. The antinutritional factors were analyzed spectrophotometrically in the raw beans, as well as after several cooking periods of time. The results showed that alfa-amylase inhibitors were the most thermoresistant. After 30 min of cooking time there was a 33% of activity left from the initial activity of the raw beans. Approximately 80% of the antitryptic activity was destroyed at 9 min of cooking time. After 10 min of cooking time, only 1% of hemagglutinin activity was present.

  10. Geology and resource assessment of Costa Rica at 1:500,000 scale; a digital representation of maps of the U.S. Geological Survey's 1987 folio I-1865

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schruben, Paul G.

    1997-01-01

    This CD-ROM contains digital versions of the geology and resource assessment maps of Costa Rica originally published in USGS Folio I-1865 (U.S. Geological Survey, the Direccion General de Geologia, Minas e Hidrocarburos, and the Universidad de Costa Rica, 1987) at a scale of 1:500,000. The following layers are available on the CD-ROM: geology and faults; favorable domains for selected deposit types; Bouguer gravity data; isostatic gravity contours; mineral deposits, prospects, and occurrences; and rock geochemistry sample points. For DOS users, the CD-ROM contains MAPPER, a user-friendly map display program. Some of the maps are also provided in the following additional formats on the CD-ROM: (1) ArcView 1 and 3, (2) ARC/INFO 6.1.2 Export, (3) Digital Line Graph (DLG) Optional, and (4) Drawing Exchange File (DXF.)

  11. SRTM Perspective View with Landsat Overlay: San Jose, Costa Rica

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2001-01-01

    This perspective view shows the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica, in the right center of the image (gray area). Rising behind it are the volcanoes Irazu, 3402 meters high (11,161 feet) and Turrialba, 3330 meters high (10,925 feet.)

    Irazu is the highest volcano in Costa Rica and is located in the Irazu Volcano National Park, established in 1955. There have been at least 23 eruptions of Irazu since 1723, the most recent during 1963 to 1965. This activity sent tephra and secondary mudflows into cultivated areas, caused at least 40 deaths, and destroyed 400 houses and some factories.

    This image was generated in support of the Central American Commission for Environment and Development through an agreement with NASA. The Commission involves eight nations working to develop the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, an effort to study and preserve some of the most biologically diverse regions of the planet.

    This three-dimensional perspective view was generated using topographic data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and an enhanced false-color Landsat 7 satellite image. Colors are from Landsat bands 5, 4, and 2 as red, green and blue, respectively. Topographic expression is exaggerated 2X.

    Landsat has been providing visible and infrared views of the Earth since 1972. SRTM elevation data matches the 30-meter resolution of most Landsat images and will substantially help in analyses of the large and growing Landsat image archive. The Landsat 7 Thematic Mapper image used here was provided to the SRTM by the United States Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

    Elevation data used in this image was acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11,2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle

  12. Late Cretaceous - Paleogene forearc sedimentation and accretion of oceanic plateaus and seamounts along the Middle American convergent margin (Costa Rica)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2016-04-01

    The Late Cretaceous-Paleogene sedimentation pattern in space and time along the Middle American convergent margin was controlled by the accretion of Pacific plateaus and seamounts. The accretion of more voluminous plateaus must have caused the temporary extinction of the arc and tectonic uplift, resulting in short lived episodes of both pelagic and neritic biogenic sedimentation. By the Late Eocene, shallow carbonate environments became widespread on a supposed mature arc edifice, that is so far only documented in arc-derived sediments. In northern Costa Rica forearc sedimentation started during the Coniacian-Santonian on the Aptian-Turonian basement of the Manzanillo Terrane. The arrival and collision of the Nicoya Terrane (a CLIP-like, 139-83 Ma Pacific plateau) and the Santa Elena Terrane caused the extinction of the arc during late Campanian- Early Maastrichtian times, indicated by the change to pelagic limestone sedimentation (Piedras Blancas Formation) in deeper areas and shallow-water rudistid - Larger Benthic Foraminfera limestone on tectonically uplifted areas of all terranes. Arc-derived turbidite sedimentation resumed in the Late Maastrichtian and was again interrupted during the Late Paleocene - Early Eocene, perhaps due to the underplating of a yet unknown large seamount. The extinction of the arc resulted in the deposition of the siliceous pelagic Buenavista Formation, as well as the principally Thanetian Barra Honda carbonate platform on a deeply eroded structural high in the Tempisque area. In southern Costa Rica the basement is thought to be the western edge of the CLIP. It is Santonian-Campanian in age and is only exposed in the southwestern corner of Herradura. Cretaceous arc-forearc sequences are unknown, except for the Maastrichtian-Paleocene Golfito Terrane in southeastern Costa Rica. The distribution and age of shallow/pelagic carbonates vs. arc-derived detrital sediments is controlled by the history of accretion of Galápagos hot spot

  13. [Factors associated with incidence of dengue in Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Mena, Nelson; Troyo, Adriana; Bonilla-Carrión, Roger; Calderón-Arguedas, Olger

    2011-04-01

    Determine the extent to which socioeconomic, demographic, geographic, and climate variables affected the incidence of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever (D/DH) in Costa Rica during the period 1999-2007. A correlational epidemiologic study was conducted that analyzed the cumulative incidence of D/DH from 1999 to 2007 and its association with different variables in the country's 81 cantons. Information was obtained from secondary sources, and the independent variables used for the analysis were selected on the basis of their representativeness in terms of sociodemographic, environmental, and health coverage factors that affect the epidemiology of D/DH. These variables were divided into four groups of indicators: demographic, socioeconomic, housing, and climate and geographical. The data were analyzed by means of simple and multiple Poisson regressions. The Costa Rican cantons with a higher incidence of D/DH were located primarily near the coast, coinciding with some of the variables studied. Temperature, altitude, and the human poverty index were the most relevant variables in explaining the incidence of D/DH, while temperature was the most significant variable in the multiple analyses. The analyses made it possible to correlate a higher incidence of D/DH with lower-altitude cantons, higher temperature, and a high human poverty index ranking. This information is relevant as a first step toward prioritizing and optimizing actions for the prevention and control of this disease.

  14. Lower plate deformation structures along the Costa Rica erosive plate boundary - results from IODP Expedition 344 (CRISP 2)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brandstätter, Jennifer; Kurz, Walter; Micheuz, Peter; Krenn, Kurt

    2015-04-01

    The primary objective of Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 344 offshore the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica was to sample and quantify the material entering the seismogenic zone of the Costa Rican erosive subduction margin. Fundamental to this objective is an understanding of the nature of both the subducting Cocos plate crust and of the overriding Caribbean plate. The subducting Cocos plate is investigated trying to define its hydrologic system and thermal state. The forearc structures recorded by the sediment deposited on the forearc, instead, document periods of uplift and subsidence and provide important information about the process of tectonic erosion that characterizes the Costa Rica margin. Offshore the western margin of Costa Rica, the oceanic Cocos plate subducts under the Caribbean plate, forming the southern end of the Middle America Trench. Subduction parameters including the age, convergence rate, azimuth, obliquity, morphology, and slab dip all vary along strike. The age of the Cocos plate at the Middle America Trench decreases from 24 Ma offshore the Nicoya Peninsula to 15 Ma offshore the Osa Peninsula. Subduction rates vary from 70 mm/y offshore Guatemala to 90 mm/y offshore southern Costa Rica. Convergence obliquity across the trench varies from offshore Nicaragua, where it is as much as 25° oblique, to nearly orthogonal southeast of the Nicoya Peninsula. Passage of the Cocos plate over the Galapagos hotspot created the aseismic Cocos Ridge, an overthickened welt of oceanic crust. This ridge is ~25 km thick, greater than three times normal oceanic crustal thickness. During IODP Expedition 344, the incoming Cocos plate was drilled at sites U1381 and U1414. Site U1381 is located ~4.5 km seaward of the deformation front offshore the Osa Peninsula and Caño Island. It is located on a local basement high. Basement relief often focuses fluid flow, so data from this site are likely to document the vigor of fluid flow in this area. Site U

  15. Poás volcano in Costa Rica as a hydrothermal analog for Mars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elmaarry, M. R.; Hynek, B. M.

    2017-12-01

    Mars has experienced intensive volcanic and impact activity early in its history, coinciding with a similarly extensive hydrologic activity on a global scale. These activities constitute the main ingredients of hydrothermal activity. Data acquired from the study of Martian meteorites, remote sensing spectral observations, and robotic rovers has shown the surface of Mars to be mineralogically diverse including mineral assemblages that resemble those of analogous hydrothermal systems on Earth. In particular, evidence for extensive acid-sulfate weathering has been observed by the MERs at Gusev and Meridiani, as well as by MSL at Gale crater. Furthermore, there is growing evidence for silicic volcanism on Mars as indicated by the detection of silica-rich mudstone at Gale containing tridymite and cristobalite coupled with spectral observations indicative of felsic rocks in geographically disparate locations on Mars. For that, the Poás volcano in Costa Rica offers a geologic setting that can be analogous to similar environments on Mars. The Poás volcano is a basaltic andesite stratovolcano in central Costa Rica. Its caldera houses a highly acidic lake inside the caldera 130 m below the crater rim. The volcano has been active in recent historical times, and is currently displaying intensive activity since Apr 2017. Unaltered andesitic basalts collected from the 1953-1955 magmatic activity are mainly composed of plagioclase and minor amounts of orthopyroxene and olivine. We collected samples during our fieldwork in March 2017 (few weeks before its eruption) from fumaroles inside the caldera. The fumaroles were emitting gases at 92°C, and the acidic lake < 20 m away had a pH of 1.5. XRD analysis of samples taken from 4 different fumaroles shows high concentrations of elemental sulfur, gypsum, alunite, and cristobalite along with minor abundances of hematite, anatase, and amorphous silica. Most of these minerals have been observed on Mars under potentially similar

  16. Gradient anaysis of biomass in Costa Rica and a first estimate of total emissions of greenhouse gases from biomass burning

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

    Helmer, E.H.; Brown, S.

    One important component of sustainable development for a nation is the degree to which it can balance greenhouse gas (GHG) exchange with the atmosphere. Scientists at NHEERL-WED recently estimated the release of such GHGs from the conversion of a range of forest types in Costa Rica between 1940-1983. They also evaluated the influence of environmental gradients that affect the rates and patterns of deforestation and the carbon pools of the forest cleared on GHG emissions.

  17. NASA Dryden's DC-8 on the ramp at Jaun Santamaria International Airport, San Jose, Costa Rica during the AirSAR 2004 campaign

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2004-03-03

    NASA Dryden's DC-8 on the ramp at Jaun Santamaria International Airport, San Jose, Costa Rica during the AirSAR 2004 campaign. AirSAR 2004 is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that will use an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR), in a mission ranging from the tropical rain forests of Central America to frigid Antarctica.

  18. NASA Dryden's DC-8 on the ramp at Jaun Santamaria International Airport, San Jose, Costa Rica, during the AirSAR 2004 campaign

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2004-03-03

    NASA Dryden's DC-8 on the ramp at Jaun Santamaria International Airport, San Jose, Costa Rica during the AirSAR 2004 campaign. AirSAR 2004 is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that will use an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR), in a mission ranging from the tropical rain forests of Central America to frigid Antarctica.

  19. Costa Rica's Chain of laterally collapsed volcanoes.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duarte, E.; Fernandez, E.

    2007-05-01

    From the NW extreme to the SW end of Costa Rica's volcanic backbone, a number of laterally collapsed volcanoes can be observed. Due to several factors, attention has been given to active volcanoes disregarding the importance of collapsed features in terms of assessing volcanic hazards for future generations around inhabited volcanoes. In several cases the typical horseshoe shape amphitheater-like depression can be easily observed. In other cases due to erosion, vegetation, topography, seismic activity or drastic weather such characteristics are not easily recognized. In the order mentioned above appear: Orosi-Cacao, Miravalles, Platanar, Congo, Von Frantzius, Cacho Negro and Turrialba volcanoes. Due to limited studies on these structures it is unknown if sector collapse occurred in one or several phases. Furthermore, in the few studied cases no evidence has been found to relate collapses to actual eruptive episodes. Detailed studies on the deposits and materials composing dome-like shapes will shed light on unsolved questions about petrological and chemical composition. Volume, form and distance traveled by deposits are part of the questions surrounding most of these collapsed volcanoes. Although most of these mentioned structures are extinct, at least Irazú volcano (active volcano) has faced partial lateral collapses recently. It did presented strombolian activity in the early 60s. Collapse scars show on the NW flank show important mass removal in historic and prehistoric times. Moreover, in 1994 a minor hydrothermal explosion provoked the weakening of a deeply altered wall that holds a crater lake (150m diameter, 2.6x106 ). A poster will depict images of the collapsed volcanoes named above with mayor descriptive characteristics. It will also focus on the importance of deeper studies to assess the collapse potential of Irazú volcano with related consequences. Finally, this initiative will invite researchers interested in such topic to join future studies in

  20. Electric power from sugar cane in Costa Rica. A technical and economic analysis

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

    Tugwell, F.; Gowen, M.; Kenda, W.

    1988-07-01

    A team of specialists visited Costa Rica in May 1988 to analyze the potential for production and sale of electricity by the sugar-cane industry. Focusing on three sugar mills, the team made technical projections at four levels of investment, ranging from the simplest sale of surplus power to the installation of new turbogenerator systems. For each level, capital costs, electricity production and sales, and fuel options were estimated. Associated risks were assessed through sensitivity analyses to demonstrate the possible impacts of varying interest rates, fuel costs, and electricity sales prices. The team concluded that production and sale of electricity formore » the national grid could be an excellent investment opportunity for the sugar industry and would provide important economic benefits, including creation of additional jobs in rural areas, diversification of the sugar industry, and (in the short term) displacement of the need for imported fuels.« less

  1. Pasture age effects on N[sub 2]O, NO and CH[sub 4] emissions in the Atlantic Lowlands of Costa Rica

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

    Keller, M.; Reiners, W.A.; Veldkamp, E.

    A study conducted in Brazil indicated that N[sub 2]O emissions increased following forest conversion to pasture. Our first study in Costa Rica indicated the reverse. To explore this contradiction, we measured N[sub 2]O, NO, and CH[sub 4] emissions in a chronosequence of 8 sites comprising forest and derive pastures of ayes 2 to 25 years, all on the same soil type in the Atlantic Lowlands of Costa Rica. We found large differences through the chronosequence in the fluxes of these three gases. Flux changes were related to changes in available nitrogen, organic matter, moisture content, and bulk density in themore » soil. N[sub 2]O emissions from the 2-year pasture were much greater than from the forest. Emissions declined with pasture age so that 25-year pasture had much smaller emissions than the forest. NO emissions from young pastures were similar to forest emissions, then declined sharply with pasture age. Forest soils consumed CH[sub 4]. Pasture soils mainly produced CH[sub 4]. Prediction of the effects of land use change on trace gas fluxes in the tropics will require an assessment of the history and soil condition of individual land units.« less

  2. Revised and updated paleomagnetic results from Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cromwell, G.; Constable, C. G.; Staudigel, H.; Tauxe, L.; Gans, P.

    2013-09-01

    Paleomagnetic results from globally distributed lava flows have been collected and analyzed under the time-averaged field initiative (TAFI), a multi-institutional collaboration started in 1996 and designed to improve the geographic and temporal coverage of the 0-5 Ma paleomagnetic database for studying both the time-averaged field and its very long-term secular variations. Paleomagnetic samples were collected from 35 volcanic units, either lava flows or ignimbrites, in Costa Rica in December 1998 and February 2000 from the Cordilleras Central and Guanacaste, the underlying Canas, Liberia and Bagaces formations and from Volcano Arenal. Age estimates range from approximately 40 ka to slightly over 6 Ma. Although initial results from these sites were used in a global synthesis of TAFI data by Johnson et al. (2008), a full description of methodology was not presented. This paper documents the definitive collection of results comprising 28 paleomagnetic directions (24 normal, 4 reversed), with enhanced precision and new geological interpretations, adding two paleointensity estimates and 19 correlated 40Ar/39Ar radiometric ages. The average field direction is consistent with that of a geocentric axial dipole and dispersion of virtual geomagnetic poles (17.3 ± 4.6°) is in general agreement with predictions from several statistical paleosecular variation models. Paleointensity estimates from two sites give an average field strength of 26.3 μT and a virtual axial dipole moment of 65 ZAm2. The definitive results provide a useful augmentation of the global database for the longer term goal of developing new statistical descriptions of paleomagnetic field behavior.

  3. A window into the future of the Earth, hidden in the jungles of Costa Rica's volcanoes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fisher, J. B.; Schwandner, F. M.; Asner, G. P.; Schimel, D.; Norby, R. J.; Keller, M.; Pavlick, R.; Braverman, A. J.; Pieri, D. C.; Diaz, J. A.; Gutierrez, M.; Duarte, E. A.; Lewicki, J. L.; Manning, C. E.; Deering, C. D.; Seibt, U.; Miller, G. R.; Drewry, D.; Chambers, J.

    2017-12-01

    The CO2 fertilization response of the terrestrial biosphere contributes among the largest sensitivities and uncertainties across projections of the Earth's future. The source of that uncertainty can be pinpointed to the largest fluxes in the biosphere: the tropics. Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) experiments have contributed immensely to our understanding of short-term CO2 fertilization, but, outside of a small pilot study in development, have been absent in the tropics. This is largely due to numerous hurdles of not only conducting such experiments in challenging environments, but also due to the need to expand their extent considerably to encompass the enormous diversity of species-level responses, in addition to the need for multi-decadal scale responses. As such, we have remained at a critical impasse in our ability to advance understanding of the response of the tropical biosphere to increasing CO2. Recent discoveries have found a cluster of volcanoes degassing CO2 into tropical ecosystems in Costa Rica at concentrations similar to future Earth atmosphere levels. The degassing has been occurring persistently from 10s to 100s of years over 10s to 100s of square kilometers, at different levels depending on the volcano. Fortuitously, this provides a natural "experiment" across a range of conditions needed to assess a widespread and long-lived tropical ecosystem response to elevated CO2: tree species will have had time to shift in composition, traits, structure, and function. Nonetheless, due both to the challenges with assessing these changes on the ground, and heterogeneity causing problems with coarse-scale satellite remote sensing observations, this "window" into the future of the Earth has remained veiled. Here, we describe an airborne-based plan designed to uncover this gem hidden in the jungles of Costa Rica's volcanoes.

  4. Seroprevalence of viral infections in domestic cats in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Blanco, Kinndle; Prendas, Jorge; Cortes, Rocío; Jimenez, Carlos; Dolz, Gaby

    2009-05-01

    A cross-sectional survey of a convenient sample of domestic cats from Costa Rica's greater metropolitan area was carried out to determine the prevalence of antibodies against feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1), feline parvovirus (FPV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and antigens of feline leukemia virus (FeLV). Blood samples were collected from at least 96 cats from June 1998 to December 2001; data related to the individual cats and household variables were obtained using a questionnaire. Antibodies against FHV-1 were found in 71.9% of the cats sampled, but only 25.0% of them had a history of previous vaccination. The prevalence of FPV was 92.8%, and all positive cats showed protective antibodies titres; however, only 16.5% of them were previously vaccinated. Antigens of FeLV were detected in 16.7% of the sampled cats; 11 (64.7%) of the 17 positive cats were older than 1 year at the time of testing. No differences were found between the percentage of seropositive males and females. Antibodies against FIV were detected in 8.8% of the samples tested; 8 (88.8%) of the seropositive cats were older than 1 year of age, and a greater proportion of seropositive males (66.6%) was found.

  5. Light Diffusion in the Tropical Dry Forest of Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2016-06-01

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

  6. The coincidence of daily rainfall events in Liberia, Costa Rica and tropical cyclones in the Caribbean basin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Waylen, Peter R.; Harrison, Michael

    2005-10-01

    The occurrence of tropical cyclones in the Caribbean and North Atlantic basins has been previously noted to have a significant effect both upon individual hydro-climatological events as well as on the quantity of annual precipitation experienced along the Pacific flank of Central America. A methodology for examining the so-called indirect effects of tropical cyclones (i.e. those effects resulting from a tropical cyclone at a considerable distance from the area of interest) on a daily rainfall record is established, which uses a variant of contingency table analysis. The method is tested using a single station on the Pacific slope of Costa Rica. Employing daily precipitation records from Liberia, north-western Costa Rica (1964-1995), and historic storm tracks of tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic, it is determined that precipitation falling in coincidence with the passage of tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes accounts for approximately 15% of average annual precipitation. The greatest effects are associated with storms passing within 1300 km of the precipitation station, and are most apparent in the increased frequency of daily rainfall totals in the range of 40-60 mm, rather than in the largest daily totals. The complexity and nonstationarity of factors affecting precipitation in this region are reflected in the decline in the number of tropical cyclones and their significance to annual precipitation totals after 1980, simultaneous to an increase in annual precipitation totals. The methodology employed in this study is shown to be a useful tool in illuminating the indirect effects of tropical cyclones in the region, with the potential for application in other areas.

  7. Biology and Trapping of Stable Flies (Diptera: Muscidae) Developing in Pineapple Residues (Ananas comosus) in Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Solórzano, José-Arturo; Gilles, Jeremie; Bravo, Oscar; Vargas, Cristina; Gomez-Bonilla, Yannery; Bingham, Georgina V.; Taylor, David B.

    2015-01-01

    Pineapple production in Costa Rica increased nearly 300-fold during the last 30 yr, and >40,000 hectares of land are currently dedicated to this crop. At the end of the pineapple cropping cycle, plants are chopped and residues incorporated into the soil in preparation for replanting. Associated with increased pineapple production has been a large increase in stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), populations. Stable flies are attracted to, and oviposit in, the decomposing, chopped pineapple residues. In conjunction with chemical control of developing larvae, adult trapping is an important control strategy. In this study, four blue-black fabric traps, Nzi, Vavoua, Model H, and Ngu, were compared with a white sticky trap currently used for stable fly control in Costa Rica. Overall, the white sticky trap caught the highest number of stable flies, followed by the Nzi, Vavoua, Model H, and Ngu. Collections on the white sticky trap increased 16 d after residues were chopped; coinciding with the expected emergence of flies developing in the pineapple residues. During this same time period, collections in the blue-black fabric traps decreased. Sex ratio decreased from >7:1 (females:males) 3–7 d after chopping to 1:1 at 24–28 d. White sticky, Nzi and Vavoua traps collected similar numbers of colonizing flies 3–7 d after residues were chopped. However, white sticky traps collected more flies once emergence from the pineapple residues began. Although white sticky traps collected more flies than fabric traps, they remain labor intensive and environmentally unsound because of their disposable and nonbiodegradable nature. PMID:26454479

  8. Trends in hospitalizations and mortality from asthma in Costa Rica over a 12- to 15-year period.

    PubMed

    Soto-Martínez, Manuel; Avila, Lydiana; Soto, Natalia; Chaves, Albin; Celedón, Juan C; Soto-Quiros, Manuel E

    2014-01-01

    Little is known about trends in morbidity and/or mortality due to asthma in Latin America. To examine trends in hospitalizations and mortality due to asthma from 1997-2000 to 2011 in Costa Rica. The rates of hospitalization due to asthma were calculated for each sex in 3 age groups from 1997 to 2011. The number of deaths due to asthma was first calculated for all groups and then for each sex in 3 age groups from 2000 to 2011. All analyses were conducted over the entire period and separately for the periods before and after a National Asthma Program (NAP) in 2003. Data also were available for prescriptions for beclomethasone since 2004. All analyses were conducted by using Epi Info. Substantial reductions were found in hospitalizations and deaths due to asthma in Costa Ricans (eg, from 25 deaths in 2000 to 5 deaths in 2011). Although, the percentage decrement in the rates of hospitalization for asthma in subjects <20 years old was similar before and after the NAP, the reduction in both deaths due to asthma and rates of asthma hospitalizations in older subjects were more pronounced after the NAP, when prescriptions for beclomethasone were also increased by approximately 129%. In Costa Rica, there was a marked decrement in hospitalizations and mortality due to asthma from 1997-2000 to 2011. In younger subjects, this is likely due to guidelines that, since 1988, recommend inhaled corticosteroids for persistent asthma. In older adults, the NAP probably enhanced reductions in hospitalizations and deaths due to asthma through inhaled corticosteroid use. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Dry season distribution of land crabs, Gecarcinus quadratus (Crustacea: Gecarcinidae), in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Griffiths, Megan E; Mohammad, Basma A; Vega, Andres

    2007-03-01

    The land crab Gecarcinus quadratus is an engineering species that controls nutrient cycling in tropical forests. Factors regulating their coastal distribution are not fully understood. We quantified land crab distribution during the dry season at Sirena Field Station in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica, and found that land crab burrow density decreases with increasing distance from the ocean. Leaf litter depth and tree seedling density are negatively correlated with land crab burrow density. Burrows are strongly associated with sand substrate and burrow density is comparatively low in clay substrate. Results suggest that G. quadratus is limited to a narrow coastal zone with sand substrate, and this distribution could have profound effects on plant community structure.

  10. A hydrothermal seep on the Costa Rica margin: middle ground in a continuum of reducing ecosystems

    PubMed Central

    Levin, Lisa A.; Orphan, Victoria J.; Rouse, Greg W.; Rathburn, Anthony E.; Ussler, William; Cook, Geoffrey S.; Goffredi, Shana K.; Perez, Elena M.; Waren, Anders; Grupe, Benjamin M.; Chadwick, Grayson; Strickrott, Bruce

    2012-01-01

    Upon their initial discovery, hydrothermal vents and methane seeps were considered to be related but distinct ecosystems, with different distributions, geomorphology, temperatures, geochemical properties and mostly different species. However, subsequently discovered vents and seep systems have blurred this distinction. Here, we report on a composite, hydrothermal seep ecosystem at a subducting seamount on the convergent Costa Rica margin that represents an intermediate between vent and seep ecosystems. Diffuse flow of shimmering, warm fluids with high methane concentrations supports a mixture of microbes, animal species, assemblages and trophic pathways with vent and seep affinities. Their coexistence reinforces the continuity of reducing environments and exemplifies a setting conducive to interactive evolution of vent and seep biota. PMID:22398162

  11. The global pertussis initiative: Meeting report from the Regional Latin America Meeting, Costa Rica, 5-6 December, 2008.

    PubMed

    Ulloa-Gutierrez, Rolando; Hozbor, Daniela; Avila-Aguero, Maria L; Caro, Jaime; Wirsing von König, Carl-Heinz; Tan, Tina; Plotkin, Stanley

    2010-11-01

    Pertussis remains endemic across the world, with an estimated 279,000 deaths in 2002, the majority in infants under 1 year of age. Worldwide epidemiologic data indicates increasing infection rates in older children and adults, which act as a source of infection to young infants. The Global Pertussis Initiative (GPI) is an expert scientific forum, which has published consensus recommendations for the monitoring, prevention, and treatment of the disease. This paper reports the proceedings of a regional meeting, held in Costa Rica in December 2008. The meeting gathered information on regional epidemiological, diagnostic capabilities and the ability to introduce GPI recommended vaccine strategies in Latin America. The capacity of Latin American countries to conduct vaccination programs is high and there is considerable government support. Whole-cell pertussis vaccines are used across Latin America, which appear to be quite effective. A 4-dose schedule is typically used (2, 4, 6, and 18 months), and a booster given at 4 to 6 years of age, with coverage often above 90%, but with regions of low coverage due to political and geographical difficulties. Adequate surveillance is lacking in many countries, giving insufficient data to guide vaccination policy. Improvements are being made, with countries such as Costa Rica, Panama, and Argentina introducing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnosis. Those countries that do not currently use a preschool booster should launch one. Implementing vaccination programs in adolescents and/or adults to reduce exposure to infants would be beneficial and possible in most countries, given their current infrastructure.

  12. The current prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema related symptoms in school-aged children in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Soto-Martínez, M E; Yock-Corrales, A; Camacho-Badilla, K; Abdallah, S; Duggan, N; Avila-Benedictis, L; Romero, J J; Soto-Quirós, M E

    2018-04-25

    Asthma prevalence in Costa Rica is among the highest worldwide. We aimed to determine the prevalence of asthma among school-age children in the Central Highland Area of Costa Rica. Cross-sectional study using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire was performed. Parents or guardians of children aged 6-13 years completed written questionnaires. Total of 2817 school-aged children returned these questionnaires (74.1% return rate). The prevalence of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema was 21.9%, 42.6%, and 19.2%, respectively. The co-existence of the 3 diseases was seen in 22.6% of children with asthma. Boys had a slightly higher prevalence of these conditions, and younger children had higher prevalence of asthma and eczema, but lower prevalence of rhinitis than older children. The use of acetaminophen and antibiotics in the first 12 months of life showed a significant association with the prevalence of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema. Wheezing with exercise, dry cough at night, and ever rhinitis was highly associated with asthma symptoms in the last 12 months. In contrast, no association was found between children exposed to smoking at home. Frequent traffic next to the house was reported more frequently by the parents of children with asthma, although no significant association was found. The prevalence of asthma showed a significant decrease compared to previous studies. However, there was an unexpected high prevalence of rhinitis. Exposure to acetaminophen and antibiotic during the first year of life was highly associated with asthma symptoms.

  13. Review of Apanteles sensu stricto (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from Area de Conservación Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica, with keys to all described species from Mesoamerica

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    More than half a million specimens of wild-caught Lepidoptera caterpillars have been reared for their parasitoids, identification, and DNA barcoding over a period of 34 years (and ongoing) from Area de Conservación de Guanacaste (ACG), northwestern Costa Rica. This provides the world’s best place-ba...

  14. Observations on water system and pipeline performance in the Limon area of Costa Rica due to the April 22, 1991 earthquake. Technical report

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

    O'Rourke, M.J.; Ballantyne, D.

    The document focuses on earthquake damage to water and oil pipelines, water supply, and water treatment following the 22 April 1991 Costa Rica Earthquake. The moment magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred approximately 40 km south-southwest of Limon, and resulted in a coseismic uplift of up to 1.5 meters along Costa Rica's east coast. The report also provides an overview of the engineering aspects of the event and recovery activities. Turbidity in the watershed which provides Limon's primary water supply increased to as high as 2.4 percent solids, making it extremely difficult to treat. In addition, the water treatment plant was damagedmore » by the earthquake. Cast iron, ductile iron and reinforced concrete cylinder pipe water transmission lines were damaged by both wave propagation and permanent ground deformation. Water distribution piping, also including PVC and galvanized iron, was similarly impacted. Documentation and evaluation of that damage is described, and compared with empirical estimates from previous earthquakes. Twin 150 mm (6 in), 100 km long, oil transmission lines suffered only a single failure from wrinkling. A description of the pipelines and the failure is provided.« less

  15. [Juvenile fish in a tidal pool, Térraba-Sierpe Forest Reserve, Puntarenas, Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Chicas, F A

    2001-12-01

    Juvenile fish were sampled with a 10 m long net in a tide pool (17,000 m2) on the West margin of Boca Guarumal, Térraba-Sierpe Forest Reserve, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, from October 1992 through January 1994. Water temperature and surface salinity were recorded in each visit. The specimens were fixed in 5% formaldehyde and preserved in 70% ethanol. Abundance and size data were pooled based on precipitation, a main ecological influence in the Reserve. A total of 13,494 individuals from 18 species were captured. Eucinostomus currani, Gobionellus sagittula, Diapterus peruvianus, Agonostomus monticola and Atherinella sp. represented more than 97% of the captures. Although many species presented the tendency of concentrating during the dry season, significant differences in temporal abundance were found. The fish entered the estuary when their body length was between 20 and 60 mm.

  16. Orchid bees as bio-indicators for organic coffee farms in Costa Rica: does farm size affect their abundance?

    PubMed

    Hedström, Ingemar; Denzel, Andrew; Owens, Gareth

    2006-09-01

    The potential of Euglossini bees, especially Euglossa, as biological indicators of organic vs nonorganic coffee farms was studied in Atenas and San Isidro, Alajuela, Costa Rica using 1.8-cineole as lure. Observations were made for three days at each of four farms and complemented with data from a year of observations. Orchid bees were in greater abundance in the organic farms (t-Student test). However, lower abundances suggest that an organic farm may be negatively affected by the proximity of non-organic farms, depending on its size and distance. Orchid bees may be indicators of organic coffee farms.

  17. Limnology of Botos Lake, a tropical crater lake in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Umaña, G

    2001-12-01

    Botos Lake, located at the Poas Volcano complex (Costa Rica) was sampled eight times from 1994 to 1996 for physicochemical conditions of the water column and phytoplanktonic community composition. Depth was measured at fixed intervals in several transects across the lake to determine its main morphometric characteristics. The lake has an outlet to the north. It is located 2580 m above sea level and is shallow, with a mean depth of 1.8 m and a relative depth of 2.42 (surface area 10.33 ha, estimated volume 47.3 hm3). The lake showed an isothermal water column in all occasions, but it heats and cools completely according to weather fluctuations. Water transparency reached the bottom on most occasions (> 9 m). The results support the idea that the lake is polymictic and oligotrophic. The lake has at least 23 species of planktonic algae, but it was always dominated by dinoflagellates, especially Peridinium inconspicuum. The shore line is populated by a sparse population of Isoetes sp. and Eleocharis sp. mainly in the northern shore where the bottom has a gentle slope and the forest does not reach the shore.

  18. A multidisciplinary and multi-sensor assessment of continuous degassing at Turrialba volcano, Costa Rica; insights and their application to hazard management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Manen, S. M.; Tortini, R.; Burson, B.; Carn, S. A.

    2013-12-01

    Turrialba is an active stratovolcano located in the Central Cordillera of Costa Rica with an elevation of 3,340 m. Located just 35 km northeast of Costa Rica's capital city San Jose it looms over Costa Rica's Central Valley, the social and economic hub of the country. After more than 100 years of quiescence Turrialba resumed activity in 1996, marked by progressive increases in degassing and seismic activity with gas emissions becoming continuous in 2007. Intermittent phreatic explosions accompanied by ash emissions that have reached the capital have been occurring since 2010. The activity has resulted in the evacuation of two villages, closure of the National Park that comprises the summit region of the volcano and devastation of the local ecosystem. In this work we present a multi-disciplinary and multi-sensor assessment of the persistent degassing and its impacts on the local ecosystem. Combining a variety of high temporal and high spatial resolution satellite-based time series with ground-based measurements of ambient gas concentrations, element deposition and surveys of species richness, enables a comprehensive assessment of SO2 emissions and changes in vegetation. Satellite-based time-series were obtained from Landsat TM and ETM+, Terra ASTER and MODIS, Aqua MODIS, EO-1 and Aura OMI, with some of the data dating back to 2000. Preliminary results show exposure to the volcanic plume results in high soil acidity and significant uptake of certain heavy metals (e.g. Cd, Co, Cu, Hg and Pb) by vegetation, in contrast other elements such as Ba, Ca and Sr are leached from the soil as a result of the acid deposition. These factors are likely to be responsible for decreased species richness and physiological damage observed downwind of Turrialba. Ambient SO2 concentrations that exceed WHO guideline values have been recorded, which has potentially important consequences for human health in the area. Analyzing and relating the remote observations to conditions and impacts

  19. First isolation and molecular characterization of Ehrlichia canis in Costa Rica, Central America.

    PubMed

    Romero, L E; Meneses, A I; Salazar, L; Jiménez, M; Romero, J J; Aguiar, D M; Labruna, M B; Dolz, G

    2011-08-01

    The present study investigated Ehrlichia species in blood samples from dogs suspected of clinical ehrlichiosis, using molecular and isolation techniques in cell culture. From a total of 310 canine blood samples analyzed by 16S rRNA nested PCR, 148 (47.7%) were positive for Ehrlichia canis. DNA from Ehrlichia chaffeensis or Ehrlichia ewingii was not detected in any sample using species-specific primers in separated reactions. Leukocytes from five PCR-positive dogs were inoculated into DH82 cells; successful isolation of E. canis was obtained in four samples. Partial sequence of the dsb gene of eight canine blood samples (including the five samples for in vitro isolation) was obtained by PCR and their analyses through BLAST showed 100% of identity with the corresponding sequence of E. canis in GenBank. This study represents the first molecular diagnosis, isolation, and molecular characterization of E. canis in dogs from Costa Rica. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. The Nicoya region of Costa Rica: a high longevity island for elderly males

    PubMed Central

    Dow, William H.; Rehkopf, David H.

    2014-01-01

    Reliable data show that the Nicoyan region of Costa Rica is a hot spot of high longevity. A survival follow-up of 16,300 elderly Costa Ricans estimated a Nicoya death rate ratio (DRR) for males 1990–2011 of 0.80 (0.69–0.93 CI). For a 60-year-old Nicoyan male, the probability of becoming centenarian is seven times that of a Japanese male, and his life expectancy is 2.2 years greater. This Nicoya advantage does not occur in females, is independent of socio-economic conditions, disappears in out-migrants and comes from lower cardiovascular (CV) mortality (DRR = 0.65). Nicoyans have lower levels of biomarkers of CV risk; they are also leaner, taller and suffer fewer disabilities. Two markers of ageing and stress—telomere length and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate—are also more favourable. The Nicoya diet is prosaic and abundant in traditional foods like rice, beans and animal protein, with low glycemic index and high fibre content. PMID:25426140

  1. Bottom-simulating reflector variability at the Costa Rica subduction zone and corresponding heat flow model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cavanaugh, S.; Bangs, N. L.; Hornbach, M. J.; McIntosh, K. D.

    2011-12-01

    We use 3D seismic reflection data acquired in April - May 2011 by the R/V Marcus G. Langseth to extract heat flow information using the bottom-simulating reflector across the Costa Rica convergent margin. These data are part of the CRISP Project, which will image the Middle America subduction zone in 3D. The survey was conducted in an area approximately 55 x 11 km, to the northwest of the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. For the analysis presented here, 3D seismic data were processed with Paradigm Focus software through post-stack time migration. The bottom-simulating reflector (BSR)-a reverse polarity reflection indicating the base of the gas hydrate phase boundary-is imaged very clearly in two regions within the slope-cover sediments in the accretionary prism. In deep water environments, the BSR acts as a temperature gauge revealing subsurface temperatures across the margin. We predict BSR depth using a true 3D diffusive heat flow model combined with IODP drilling data and compare results with actual BSR depth observations to determine anomalies in heat flow. Uniform heat flow in the region should result in a deepening BSR downslope toward the trench, however our initial results indicate the BSR shoals near the trench to its shallowest level below sea floor of approximately 96 m below the sea floor, suggesting elevated heat flow towards the toe. Landward, the BSR deepens to about 333 m below the sea floor indicating lower heat flow. Both BSR segments display a trend of deepening landward from the trench, however the depth below the sea floor is greater overall for the landward segment than the segment near the toe. We suggest two regimes with differing heat flow exist across the margin that likely represent two separate fluid flow regimes - one from recently accreted sediments near the prism toe and the other through the older materials making up the prism.

  2. Molecular characterization and genetic diversity of Jatropha curcas L. in Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Vásquez-Mayorga, Marcela; Fuchs, Eric J.; Hernández, Eduardo J.; Herrera, Franklin; Hernández, Jesús; Moreira, Ileana; Arnáez, Elizabeth

    2017-01-01

    We estimated the genetic diversity of 50 Jatropha curcas samples from the Costa Rican germplasm bank using 18 EST-SSR, one G-SSR and nrDNA-ITS markers. We also evaluated the phylogenetic relationships among samples using nuclear ribosomal ITS markers. Non-toxicity was evaluated using G-SSRs and SCARs markers. A Neighbor-Joining (NJ) tree and a Maximum Likelihood (ML) tree were constructed using SSR markers and ITS sequences, respectively. Heterozygosity was moderate (He = 0.346), but considerable compared to worldwide values for J. curcas. The PIC (PIC = 0.274) and inbreeding coefficient (f =  − 0.102) were both low. Clustering was not related to the geographical origin of accessions. International accessions clustered independently of collection sites, suggesting a lack of genetic structure, probably due to the wide distribution of this crop and ample gene flow. Molecular markers identified only one non-toxic accession (JCCR-24) from Mexico. This work is part of a countrywide effort to characterize the genetic diversity of the Jatropha curcas germplasm bank in Costa Rica. PMID:28289556

  3. Revision of the genera Microplitis and Snellenius (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica, with a key to all species previously described from Mesoamerica

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The genera Microplitis and Snellenius (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste (ACG), Costa Rica, are revised. A total of 28 new species are described: 23 of Snellenius (the first record for Mesoamerica) and five of Microplitis. A key is provided to all new spec...

  4. Pathology and first report of natural eye infection with the trematode Philophthalmus gralli (Digenea, Philophthalmidae) in Tinamus major (Tinamiformes, Tinamidae), Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Rojas, Diana; Soto, Carmen; Rojas, Alicia

    2013-12-01

    The eye-fluke Philophthalmus gralli (Philophthalmidae Looss, 1899) was found in six birds known as great tinamous (Tinamus major) reared in a wild animal shelter located in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The birds presented conjunctival hyperemia, blepharitis, anorexia and weakness. Some of them suffered from unilateral blindness and ocular loss. After morphometric analysis, the specimens showed characteristics compatible with the digenean trematode P. gralli. The clinical signs of infection were resolved by manual removal of the adults, treatment with praziquantel and relocation into an environment without a natural water source. In order to determine if an ongoing cycle of this pathogen was present in the shelter, the habitat of the birds was inspected for the presence of infected intermediate hosts and contaminated water and objects. It was found that the snails Melanoides tuberculata acted as the intermediate host, and reared the infectious stages toward other animals, as shown by the reproduction of ocular philophthalmiasis in chickens artificially infected with excysted metacercaria. Moreover, three out of every ten snails found in the place were infected with rediae of P. gralli, raising the possibility of the dispersion of the parasite into new environments as well as the imminent zoonotic risk. The finding of P. gralli in Costa Rica is the first official report in Central America. © 2013.

  5. A new moss salamander, genus Nototriton (Caudata: Plethodontidae), from the Cordillera de Talamanca, in the Costa Rica-Panama border region.

    PubMed

    Arias, Erick; Kubicki, Brian

    2018-01-07

    A new salamander belonging to the genus Nototriton, subgenus Nototriton, is described from the Caribbean slopes of the southeastern Cordillera de Talamanca in Costa Rica, within Parque Internacional La Amistad, at an elevation ca. 1500 m a.s.l. This new taxon is distinguished from its congeners by its morphological characteristics and by its differentiation in DNA sequences of the 16S rRNA, cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI), and cytochrome b mitochondrial genes. This new species represents the southernmost extension known for the genus Nototriton.

  6. Landscape linkages between geothermal activity and solute composition and ecological response in surface waters draining the Atlantic slope of Costa Rica

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Pringle, Catherine M.; Rowe, Gary L.; Triska, Frank J.; Fernandez, Jose F.; West, John

    1993-01-01

    Surface waters draining three different volcanoes in Costa Rica, ranging from dormant to moderately active to explosive, have a wide range of solute compositions that partly reflects the contribution of different types of solute-rich, geothermal waters. Three major physical transport vectors affect flows of geothermally derived solutes: thermally driven convection of volcanic gases and geothermal fluids; lateral and gravity-driven downward transport of geothermal fluids; and wind dispersion of ash, gases, and acid rain. Specific vector combinations interact to determine landscape patterns in solute chemistry and biota: indicator taxa of algae and bacteria reflect factors such as high temperature, wind-driven or hydrologically transported acidity, high concentrations of various solutes, and chemical precipitation reactions. Many streams receiving geothermally derived solutes have high levels of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) (up to 400 µg liter−1), a nutrient that is typically not measured in geochemical studies of geothermal waters. Regional differences in levels of SRP and other solutes among volcanoes were typically not significant due to high local variation in solute levels among geothermally modified streams and between geothermally modified and unmodified streams on each volcano. Geothermal activity along the volcanic spine of Costa Rica provides a natural source of phosphorus, silica, and other solutes and plays an important role in determining emergent landscape patterns in the solute chemistry of surface waters and aquatic biota.

  7. Breeding habit of the toad Bufo coccifer in Costa Rica, with a description of the tadpole

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McDiarmid, R.W.; Foster, M.S.

    1981-01-01

    The breeding habits of Bufo coccifer were studied in northwestern Costa Rica between 1971 and 1974. This species breeds during the rainy season, at least from May through August. Males chorus from areas of shallow water. Their calls resemble those of Mexican representatives of the species in pulse rate and duration, but are closer to those of other Costa Rican and Panamanian populations in dominant frequency. Thus, our data do not clearly support recognition of Bufo cycladen as a distinct species for the Mexican populations. Amplexus is axillary, and two strings of eggs are extruded simultaneously during oviposition. Tadpoles, described for the first time in this paper, are secretive and do not aggregate. Development to metamorphosis requires about 5 weeks.

  8. Biology and trapping of stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae) developing in pineapple residues (Ananas comosus) in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Solórzano, José-Arturo; Gilles, Jeremie; Bravo, Oscar; Vargas, Cristina; Gomez-Bonilla, Yannery; Bingham, Georgina V; Taylor, David B

    2015-01-01

    Pineapple production in Costa Rica increased nearly 300-fold during the last 30 yr, and >40,000 hectares of land are currently dedicated to this crop. At the end of the pineapple cropping cycle, plants are chopped and residues incorporated into the soil in preparation for replanting. Associated with increased pineapple production has been a large increase in stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), populations. Stable flies are attracted to, and oviposit in, the decomposing, chopped pineapple residues. In conjunction with chemical control of developing larvae, adult trapping is an important control strategy. In this study, four blue-black fabric traps, Nzi, Vavoua, Model H, and Ngu, were compared with a white sticky trap currently used for stable fly control in Costa Rica. Overall, the white sticky trap caught the highest number of stable flies, followed by the Nzi, Vavoua, Model H, and Ngu. Collections on the white sticky trap increased 16 d after residues were chopped; coinciding with the expected emergence of flies developing in the pineapple residues. During this same time period, collections in the blue-black fabric traps decreased. Sex ratio decreased from >7:1 (females:males) 3-7 d after chopping to 1:1 at 24-28 d. White sticky, Nzi and Vavoua traps collected similar numbers of colonizing flies 3-7 d after residues were chopped. However, white sticky traps collected more flies once emergence from the pineapple residues began. Although white sticky traps collected more flies than fabric traps, they remain labor intensive and environmentally unsound because of their disposable and nonbiodegradable nature. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America 2015. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

  9. Design of a general methodology for the evaluation and categorization of an environmental program with special reference to Costa Rica

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

    Castillo, H.

    1982-01-01

    The Government of Costa Rica has stated the need for a formal procedure for the evaluation and categorization of an environmental program. Methodological studies were prepared as the basis for the development of the general methodology by which each government or institution can adapt and implement the procedure. The methodology was established by using different techniques according to their contribution to the evaluation process, such as: Systemic Approach, Delphi, and Saaty Methods. The methodology consists of two main parts: 1) evaluation of the environmental aspects by using different techniques; 2) categorization of the environmental aspects by applying the methodology tomore » the Costa Rican Environmental affairs using questionnaire answers supplied by experts both inside and outside of the country. The second part of the research includes Appendixes in which is presented general information concerning institutions related to environmental affairs; description of the methods used; results of the current status evaluation and its scale; the final scale of categorization; and the questionnaires and a list of experts. The methodology developed in this research will have a beneficial impact on environmental concerns in Costa Rica. As a result of this research, a Commission Office of Environmental Affairs, providing links between consumers, engineers, scientists, and the Government, is recommended. Also there is significant potential use of this methodology in developed countries for a better balancing of the budgets of major research programs such as cancer, heart, and other research areas.« less

  10. High Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus at the Largest Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Rojas, Irene; Barquero-Calvo, Elías; van Balen, Joany C; Rojas, Norman; Muñoz-Vargas, Lohendy; Hoet, Armando E

    2017-09-01

    Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a pathogen associated with severe infections in companion animals present in the community, and it is diagnosed in animals admitted to veterinary hospitals. However, reports that describe the circulation of MRSA in animal populations and veterinary settings in Latin America are scarce. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and investigate the molecular epidemiology of MRSA in the environment of the largest veterinary teaching hospital in Costa Rica. Preselected contact surfaces were sampled twice within a 6-week period. Antimicrobial resistance, SCCmec type, Panton-Valentine leukocidin screening, USA type, and clonality were assessed in all recovered isolates. Overall, MRSA was isolated from 26.5% (27/102) of the surfaces sampled, with doors, desks, and examination tables most frequently contaminated. Molecular analysis demonstrated a variety of surfaces from different sections of the hospital contaminated by three highly related clones/pulsotypes. All, but one of the isolates were characterized as multidrug-resistant SCCmec type IV-USA700, a strain sporadically described in other countries and often classified as community acquired. The detection and frequency of this unique strain in this veterinary setting suggest Costa Rica has a distinctive MRSA ecology when compared with other countries/regions. The high level of environmental contamination highlights the necessity to establish and enforce standard cleaning and disinfection protocols to minimize further spread of this pathogen and reduce the risk of nosocomial and/or occupational transmission of MRSA.

  11. High Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus at the Largest Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Rojas, Irene; Barquero-Calvo, Elías; van Balen, Joany C.; Rojas, Norman; Muñoz-Vargas, Lohendy

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a pathogen associated with severe infections in companion animals present in the community, and it is diagnosed in animals admitted to veterinary hospitals. However, reports that describe the circulation of MRSA in animal populations and veterinary settings in Latin America are scarce. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and investigate the molecular epidemiology of MRSA in the environment of the largest veterinary teaching hospital in Costa Rica. Preselected contact surfaces were sampled twice within a 6-week period. Antimicrobial resistance, SCCmec type, Panton-Valentine leukocidin screening, USA type, and clonality were assessed in all recovered isolates. Overall, MRSA was isolated from 26.5% (27/102) of the surfaces sampled, with doors, desks, and examination tables most frequently contaminated. Molecular analysis demonstrated a variety of surfaces from different sections of the hospital contaminated by three highly related clones/pulsotypes. All, but one of the isolates were characterized as multidrug-resistant SCCmec type IV-USA700, a strain sporadically described in other countries and often classified as community acquired. The detection and frequency of this unique strain in this veterinary setting suggest Costa Rica has a distinctive MRSA ecology when compared with other countries/regions. The high level of environmental contamination highlights the necessity to establish and enforce standard cleaning and disinfection protocols to minimize further spread of this pathogen and reduce the risk of nosocomial and/or occupational transmission of MRSA. PMID:28816638

  12. NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory takes off from Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica, on NASA's AirSAR 2004 campaign

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2004-03-03

    NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory takes off from Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica, on NASA's AirSAR 2004 campaign. AirSAR 2004 is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that will use an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR), in a mission ranging from the tropical rain forests of Central America to frigid Antarctica.

  13. Mr. John Danilovich, US Ambassador to Costa Rica, and NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe at the AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica hangar naming ceremony

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2004-03-03

    Mr. John Danilovich, US Ambassador to Costa Rica, and NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe at the AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica hangar naming ceremony. AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that will use an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR), in a mission ranging from the tropical rain forests of Central America to frigid Antarctica.

  14. [Freshwater macroinvertebrates from Cocos Island, Costa Rica: species and comparison with other islands of the Eastern Tropical Pacific].

    PubMed

    Gutiérrez-Fonseca, Pablo E; Ramírez, Alonso; Umaña, Gerardo; Springer, Monika

    2013-06-01

    Freshwater macroinvertebrates from Cocos Island, Costa Rica: species and comparison with other islands of the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Cocos Island is an oceanic island in the Eastern Pacific, at 496km from Cabo Blanco, Costa Rica. This 24 km2 island is surrounded by a protected marine area of 9640 km2. it was declared National Park in 1978 and a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1997. Freshwater macroinvertebrate fauna was collected in 20 sites covering three rivers (Genio, Chatam and Sucio) and two creeks (Minuto and an unnamed creek behind the park rangers' house). Tank bromeliads or phytotelmata were also examined for aquatic macroinvertebrates. Physicochemical parameters were determined in 13 study sites. Additionally, a comparison with other islands in the Eastern Tropical Pacific was conducted to determine the most important factors controlling the diversity in Tropical Pacific islands. A total of 455 individuals were collected belonging to 20 taxa (mostly identified to genus level) from 15 families of aquatic insects. Other macroinvertebrates such as Palaemonid shrimps, Hidrachnida and Oligochaeta were also collected. The family Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) was the most abundant, followed by Chironomidae (Diptera). Diptera was the order of insects with the highest taxonomic richness. A relationship between distance and the number of families was observed supporting the premises of the Theory of island Biogeography. This relationship was improved by correcting area by island elevation, indicating that mountainous islands had the richest faunas, potentially due to high cloud interception that feeds freshwater environments favoring the establishment of aquatic fauna. Physicochemical variables were similar in all sites, possibly due to the geology and the absence of significant sources of pollution on the island.

  15. Red meat intake is positively associated with non-fatal acute myocardial infarction in the Costa Rica Heart Study.

    PubMed

    Wang, Dongqing; Campos, Hannia; Baylin, Ana

    2017-08-01

    The adverse effect of red meat consumption on the risk for CVD is a major population health concern, especially in developing Hispanic/Latino countries in which there are clear trends towards increased consumption. This population-based case-control study examined the associations between total, processed and unprocessed red meat intakes and non-fatal acute myocardial infarction (MI) in Costa Rica. The study included 2131 survivors of a first non-fatal acute MI and 2131 controls individually matched by age, sex and area of residence. Dietary intake was assessed with a FFQ. OR were estimated by using conditional logistic regression. Higher intakes of total and processed red meat were associated with increased odds of acute MI. The OR were 1·31 (95 % CI 1·04, 1·65) and 1·29 (95 % CI 1·01, 1·65) for the highest quintiles of total red meat (median: 110·8 g or 1 serving/d) and processed red meat intake (median: 36·1 g or 5 servings/week), respectively. There were increasing trends in the odds of acute MI with higher total (P trend=0·01) and processed (P trend=0·02) red meat intakes. Unprocessed red meat intake was not associated with increased odds of acute MI. Substitutions of 50 g of alternative foods (fish, milk, chicken without skin and chicken without fat) for 50 g of total, processed and unprocessed red meat were associated with lower odds of acute MI. The positive association between red meat intake and acute MI in Costa Rica highlights the importance of reducing red meat consumption in middle-income Hispanic/Latino populations.

  16. Aerial Application of Mancozeb and Urinary Ethylene Thiourea (ETU) Concentrations among Pregnant Women in Costa Rica: The Infants’ Environmental Health Study (ISA)

    PubMed Central

    Mora, Ana María; Córdoba, Leonel; Cano, Juan Camilo; Quesada, Rosario; Faniband, Moosa; Wesseling, Catharina; Ruepert, Clemens; Öberg, Mattias; Eskenazi, Brenda; Mergler, Donna; Lindh, Christian H.

    2014-01-01

    Background: Mancozeb and its main metabolite ethylene thiourea (ETU) may alter thyroid function; thyroid hormones are essential for fetal brain development. In Costa Rica, mancozeb is aerially sprayed at large-scale banana plantations on a weekly basis. Objectives: Our goals were to evaluate urinary ETU concentrations in pregnant women living near large-scale banana plantations, compare their estimated daily intake (EDI) with established reference doses (RfDs), and identify factors that predict their urinary ETU concentrations. Methods: We enrolled 451 pregnant women from Matina County, Costa Rica, which has large-scale banana production. We visited 445 women up to three times during pregnancy to obtain urine samples (n = 872) and information on factors that possibly influence exposure. We determined urinary ETU concentrations using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Results: Pregnant women’s median urinary ETU concentrations were more than five times higher than those reported for other general populations. Seventy-two percent of the women had EDIs above the RfD. Women who lived closest (1st quartile, < 48 m) to banana plantations on average had a 45% (95% CI: 23, 72%) higher urinary ETU compared with women who lived farthest away (4th quartile, ≥ 565 m). Compared with the other women, ETU was also higher in women who washed agricultural work clothes on the day before sampling (11%; 95% CI: 4.9, 17%), women who worked in agriculture during pregnancy (19%; 95% CI: 9.3, 29%), and immigrant women (6.2%; 95% CI: 1.0, 13%). Conclusions: The pregnant women’s urinary ETU concentrations are of concern, and the principal source of exposure is likely to be aerial spraying of mancozeb. The factors predicting ETU provide insight into possibilities for exposure reduction. Citation: van Wendel de Joode B, Mora AM, Córdoba L, Cano JC, Quesada R, Faniband M, Wesseling C, Ruepert C, Öberg M, Eskenazi B, Mergler D, Lindh CH. 2014. Aerial application of mancozeb and

  17. Survey of Wild Mammal Hosts of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Parasites in Panamá and Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    González, Kadir; Calzada, José E.; Saldaña, Azael; Rigg, Chystrie A.; Alvarado, Gilbert; Rodríguez-Herrera, Bernal; Kitron, Uriel D.; Adler, Gregory H.; Gottdenker, Nicole L.; Chaves, Luis Fernando; Baldi, Mario

    2015-01-01

    The eco-epidemiology of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) is driven by animal reservoir species that are a source of infection for sand flies that serve as vectors infecting humans with Leishmania spp parasites. The emergence and re-emergence of this disease across Latin America calls for further studies to identify reservoir species associated with enzootic transmission. Here, we present results from a survey of 52 individuals from 13 wild mammal species at endemic sites in Costa Rica and Panama where ACL mammal hosts have not been previously studied. For Leishmania spp. diagnostics we employed a novel PCR technique using blood samples collected on filter paper. We only found Leishmania spp parasites in one host, the two-toed sloth, Choloepus hoffmanni. Our findings add further support to the role of two-toed sloths as an important ACL reservoir in Central America. PMID:25859156

  18. Survey of wild mammal hosts of cutaneous leishmaniasis parasites in panamá and costa rica.

    PubMed

    González, Kadir; Calzada, José E; Saldaña, Azael; Rigg, Chystrie A; Alvarado, Gilbert; Rodríguez-Herrera, Bernal; Kitron, Uriel D; Adler, Gregory H; Gottdenker, Nicole L; Chaves, Luis Fernando; Baldi, Mario

    2015-03-01

    The eco-epidemiology of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) is driven by animal reservoir species that are a source of infection for sand flies that serve as vectors infecting humans with Leishmania spp parasites. The emergence and re-emergence of this disease across Latin America calls for further studies to identify reservoir species associated with enzootic transmission. Here, we present results from a survey of 52 individuals from 13 wild mammal species at endemic sites in Costa Rica and Panama where ACL mammal hosts have not been previously studied. For Leishmania spp. diagnostics we employed a novel PCR technique using blood samples collected on filter paper. We only found Leishmania spp parasites in one host, the two-toed sloth, Choloepus hoffmanni. Our findings add further support to the role of two-toed sloths as an important ACL reservoir in Central America.

  19. [Preliminary plant inventory of the palm-swamps in the Caribbean of Costa Rica and Nicaragua].

    PubMed

    Rueda, Ricardo; Jarquín, Orlando; Munguía, Blanca; Reyes, Aquiles; Coronado, Indiana

    2013-09-01

    In the Caribbean slope of Isthmian Central America, plant associations dominated by the palms Raphia taedigera and Manicaria saccifera develop in poorly drained or waterlogged soils. These associations are known locally as yolillales or palm-swamps, although there are differences in the forest structure and plant diversity associated with both palm species. In this paper, we report the results of a preliminary inventory of tree species found in eight palm-swamps at five locations in southeastern Nicaragua and northeastern Costa Rica. Our data reveal low tree diversity in these swamps with only 60 species accounted in them. This figure is equivalent to close to 8% of the plant species known for this region. In general, R. taedigera dominates flooded areas with extensive hydroperiods and lower floristic diversity, while M. saccifera is often found in flooded forests with more structure and diversity.

  20. Preliminary reservoir engineering studies of the Miravalles geothermal field, Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haukwa, C.; Bodvarsson, G. S.; Lippmann, M. J.; Mainieri, A.

    1992-01-01

    The Earth Sciences Division of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in cooperation with the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad is conducting a reservoir engineering study of the Miravalles geothermal field, Costa Rica. Using data from eight exploration wells, a two-dimensional areal, natural-state model of Miravalles has been developed. The model was calibrated by fitting the observed temperature and pressure distributions and requires a geothermal upflow zone in the northern part of the field, associated with the Miravalles volcano and an outflow towards the south. The total hot (about 260 C) water recharge is 130 kg/s, corresponding to a thermal input of about 150 MWt. On the basis of the natural-state model, a two-dimensional exploitation model was developed. The field has a production area of about 10 km(exp 2), with temperatures exceeding 220 C. The model indicated that power generation of 55 MWe can be maintained for 30 years, with or without injection of the separated geothermal brine. Generation of 110 MWe could be problematic. Until more information becomes available on the areal extent of the field and the properties of the reservoir rocks, especially their relative permeability characteristics, it is difficult to ascertain if 110 MWe can be sustained during a 30-year period.

  1. Preliminary reservoir engineering studies of the Miravalles geothermal field, Costa Rica

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

    Haukwa, C.; Bodvarsson, G.S. Lippmann, M.J.; Mainieri, A.

    1992-01-01

    The Earth Sciences Division of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in cooperation with the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad is conducting a reservoir engineering study of the Miravalles geothermal field, Costa Rica. Using data from eight exploration wells a two-dimensional areal, natural-state model of Miravalles has been developed. The model was calibrated by fitting the observed temperature and pressure distributions and requires a geothermal upflow zone in the northern part of the field, associated with the Miravalles volcano and an outflow towards the south. The total hot (about 260{degrees}C) water recharge is 130 kg/s, corresponding to a thermal input of about 150 MWt.more » On the basis of the natural-state model a two-dimensional exploitation model was develope. The field has a production area of about 10 km{sup 2}, with temperatures exceeding 220{degrees}C. The model indicated that power generation of 55 MWe can be maintained for 30 years, with or without injection of the separated geothermal brine. Generation of 110 MWe could be problematic. Until more information becomes available on the areal extent of the field and the properties of the reservoir rocks, especially their relative permeability characteristics, it is difficult to ascertain if 110 MWe can be sustained during a 30-year period.« less

  2. Preliminary reservoir engineering studies of the Miravalles geothermal field, Costa Rica

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

    Haukwa, C.; Bodvarsson, G.S.; Lippmann, M.J.

    1992-01-01

    The Earth Sciences Division of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in cooperation with the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad is conducting a reservoir engineering study of the Miravalles geothermal field, Costa Rica. Using data from eight exploration wells, a two-dimensional areal, natural-state model of Miravalles has been developed. The model was calibrated by fitting the observed temperature and pressure distributions and requires a geothermal upflow zone in the northern part of the field, associated with the Miravalles volcano and an outflow towards the south. The total hot (about 260 C) water recharge is 130 kg/s, corresponding to a thermal input of about 150more » MWt. On the basis of the natural-state model a two-dimensional exploitation model was developed. The field has a production area of about 10 km{sup 2}, with temperatures exceeding 220 C. The model indicated that power generation of 55 MWe can be maintained for 30 years, with or without injection of the separated geothermal brine. Generation of 110 MWe could be problematic. Until more information becomes available on the areal extent of the field and the properties of the reservoir rocks, especially their relative permeability characteristics, it is difficult to ascertain if 110 MWe can be sustained during a 30-year period.« less

  3. Preliminary reservoir engineering studies of the Miravalles geothermal field, Costa Rica

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

    Haukwa, C.; Bodvarsson, G.S. Lippmann, M.J.; Mainieri, A.

    1992-01-01

    The Earth Sciences Division of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in cooperation with the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad is conducting a reservoir engineering study of the Miravalles geothermal field, Costa Rica. Using data from eight exploration wells a two-dimensional areal, natural-state model of Miravalles has been developed. The model was calibrated by fitting the observed temperature and pressure distributions and requires a geothermal upflow zone in the northern part of the field, associated with the Miravalles volcano and an outflow towards the south. The total hot (about 260[degrees]C) water recharge is 130 kg/s, corresponding to a thermal input of about 150 MWt.more » On the basis of the natural-state model a two-dimensional exploitation model was develope. The field has a production area of about 10 km[sup 2], with temperatures exceeding 220[degrees]C. The model indicated that power generation of 55 MWe can be maintained for 30 years, with or without injection of the separated geothermal brine. Generation of 110 MWe could be problematic. Until more information becomes available on the areal extent of the field and the properties of the reservoir rocks, especially their relative permeability characteristics, it is difficult to ascertain if 110 MWe can be sustained during a 30-year period.« less

  4. Genome‐wide linkage analysis of pulmonary function in families of children with asthma in Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Hersh, Craig P; Soto‐Quirós, Manuel E; Avila, Lydiana; Lake, Stephen L; Liang, Catherine; Fournier, Eduardo; Spesny, Mitzi; Sylvia, Jody S; Lazarus, Ross; Hudson, Thomas; Verner, Andrei; Klanderman, Barbara J; Freimer, Nelson B; Silverman, Edwin K; Celedón, Juan C

    2007-01-01

    Background Although asthma is highly prevalent among certain Hispanic subgroups, genetic determinants of asthma and asthma‐related traits have not been conclusively identified in Hispanic populations. A study was undertaken to identify genomic regions containing susceptibility loci for pulmonary function and bronchodilator responsiveness (BDR) in Costa Ricans. Methods Eight extended pedigrees were ascertained through schoolchildren with asthma in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. Short tandem repeat (STR) markers were genotyped throughout the genome at an average spacing of 8.2 cM. Multipoint variance component linkage analyses of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and FEV1/ forced vital capacity (FVC; both pre‐bronchodilator and post‐bronchodilator) and BDR were performed in these eight families (pre‐bronchodilator spirometry, n = 640; post‐bronchodilator spirometry and BDR, n = 624). Nine additional STR markers were genotyped on chromosome 7. Secondary analyses were repeated after stratification by cigarette smoking. Results Among all subjects, the highest logarithm of the odds of linkage (LOD) score for FEV1 (post‐bronchodilator) was found on chromosome 7q34–35 (LOD = 2.45, including the additional markers). The highest LOD scores for FEV1/FVC (pre‐bronchodilator) and BDR were found on chromosomes 2q (LOD = 1.53) and 9p (LOD = 1.53), respectively. Among former and current smokers there was near‐significant evidence of linkage to FEV1/FVC (post‐bronchodilator) on chromosome 5p (LOD = 3.27) and suggestive evidence of linkage to FEV1 on chromosomes 3q (pre‐bronchodilator, LOD = 2.74) and 4q (post‐bronchodilator, LOD = 2.66). Conclusions In eight families of children with asthma in Costa Rica, there is suggestive evidence of linkage to FEV1 on chromosome 7q34–35. In these families, FEV1/FVC may be influenced by an interaction between cigarette smoking and a locus (loci) on chromosome 5p. PMID

  5. A new subspecies of sea snake, Hydrophis platurus xanthos, from Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Bessesen, Brooke L.; Galbreath, Gary J.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract We describe a distinctive new subspecies of sea snake from the occasionally anoxic inner-basin waters of Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica, based on combined data garnered between 2010 and 2017 for 154 specimens, 123 free-ranging and 31 museum-held. The yellow sea snake, Hydrophis platurus xanthos Bessesen & Galbreath, subsp. n., is diagnosed by a notably smaller body size and nearly uniform yellow coloration, which contrasts with the black and yellow striae and tail spots or bands typical of the species. Within the modest geographic range (circa 320 km2), nearly all specimens possess both diagnostic character states. Bathymetrics appear to restrict genetic flow between this allopatric population and conspecifics in the broader Eastern Pacific. In perspicuous contrast to typical H. platurus, H. p. xanthos shows no association with drift lines, and feeds at night in turbulent waters, assuming a sinusoidal ambush posture never previously reported for the species. This evolutionarily significant unit (ESU) warrants taxonomic recognition and active protection. PMID:29200918

  6. Fluid-inclusion evidence for previous higher temperatures in the miravalles geothermal field, Costa Rica

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bargar, K.E.; Fournier, R.O.

    1988-01-01

    Heating and freezing data were obtained for liquid-rich secondary fluid inclusions in magmatic quartz, hydrothermal calcite and hydrothermal quartz crystals from 19 sampled depths in eight production drill holes (PGM-1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 11, 12 and 15) of the Miravalles geothermal field in northwestern Costa Rica. Homogenization temperatures for 386 fluid inclusions range from near the present measured temperatures to as much as 70??C higher than the maximum measured well temperature of about 240??C. Melting-point temperature measurements for 76 fluid inclusions suggest a calculated salinity range of about 0.2-1.9 wt% NaCl equivalent. Calculated salinities as high as 3.1-4.0 wt% NaCl equivalent for 20 fluid inclusions from the lower part of drill hole PGM-15 (the deepest drill hole) indicate that higher salinity water probably was present in the deeper part of the Miravalles geothermal field at the time these fluid inclusions were formed. ?? 1988.

  7. Polymorphisms in genes coding for HSP-70 are associated with gastric cancer and duodenal ulcer in a population at high risk of gastric cancer in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Ferrer-Ferrer, Maura; Malespín-Bendaña, Wendy; Ramírez, Vanessa; González, María Isabel; Carvajal, Adriana; Une, Clas

    2013-08-01

    Costa Rica has among the highest incidence and mortality rates for gastric cancer worldwide. The reasons for this are largely unknown. Polymorphisms of inflammatory response genes including genes encoding heat shock proteins (HSP) have been shown to be associated with the risk of gastric cancer in some populations. This study addresses the possible association between the HSP70-2 +1267 and HSP70-Hom +2437 polymorphisms and the risk of developing gastric cancer in a high-risk population in Costa Rica. DNA from 39 individuals diagnosed with gastric cancer, 79 healthy controls, 55 individuals with chronic gastritis and 52 individuals with duodenal ulcer was genotyped for the polymorphisms HSP70-2 +1267 and HSP70-Hom +2437 by RFLP. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine possible associations with the diagnoses and lineal regression analysis to determine associations with blood pepsinogen (PGs) levels as measured by serology. The GA genotype of HSP70-2 was associated with increased risk of gastric cancer (OR = 3.42; 95% CI = 1.27-9.21; p = 0.015) and duodenal ulcer (OR = 2.57; 95% CI = 1.03-6.36; p = 0.042) as compared to the GG genotype. Persons with C carrier genotypes of HSP70-Hom were significantly less susceptible to gastric cancer than those with the TT genotype (OR = 0.29; 95% CI = 0.09-0.87; p = 0.027). The C carrier genotype was associated with lower PGI concentrations but none of the polymorphisms were associated with PGI/PGII. Polymorphisms of HSP70 genes are associated with the development of gastric cancer and duodenal ulcers in a population at high risk for gastric cancer in Costa Rica. Copyright © 2013 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Crepidotus crocophyllus found in Costa Rica and Mexico and revision of related species in subsection Fulvifibrillosi.

    PubMed

    Bandala, Victor M; Montoya, Leticia; Mata, Milagro

    2008-01-01

    The study of Crepidotus specimens collected in Costa Rica and Mexico revealed that C. crocophyllus occurs in the tropical and subtropical forests of both countries. Type specimens of seven species related to C. crocophyllus in subsection Fulvifibrillosi s. Hesler and Smith were re-examined. Based on the morphological features, specimens supporting C. appalachianensis, C. aureifolius, C. distortus, C. subaureifolius and C. subnidulans are interpreted to be C. crocophyllus, thus all herein are proposed as its synonyms. Furthermore A. nephrodes is confirmed as a synonym of Crepidotus crocophyllus while Agaricus malachius, long considered contaxic with the former, is proposed as synonym of Crepidotus applanatus. The known records of C. crocophyllus indicate a wide but fragmented range of extension of the taxon throughout the Americas. Description, illustrations of microscopic features and discussions are provided.

  9. Bacillus thuringiensis in caterpillars and associated materials collected from protected tropical forests in northwestern Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez-Sánchez, César; Sittenfeld, Ana; Janzen, Daniel H; Espinoza, Ana M

    2006-06-01

    Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) synthesizes crystalline inclusions that are toxic to caterpillars (Lepidoptera) and other orders of invertebrates. Materials associated with 37 caterpillars from 16 species, collected while feeding on 15 different species of host plants in dry, cloud and rain forests located in the Area de Conservación Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica, were examined for the presence of Bt. From a total of 101 derived samples, 25 Bt isolates were cultured: 56% from host plant leaves, 8% from caterpillar guts and 36% from caterpillar fecal pellets. Bt was isolated from at least one sample in 38% of the systems constituted by the food plant, gut and fecal pellets corresponding to a single caterpillar. Four different morphologies of crystalline inclusions were observed, with bipyramidal and irregular crystal morphologies being the most prevalent.

  10. Chromobacterium violaceum Infection in a free-ranging howler monkey in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Baldi, Mario; Morales, Juan A; Hernández, Giovanna; Jiménez, Mauricio; Alfaro, Alejandro; Barquero-Calvo, Elias

    2010-01-01

    Chromobacterium violaceum is a gram-negative saprobe bacterium that is a rare opportunistic pathogen in mammals. There are numerous reports in humans including fatalities, but no record exists in free-ranging nonhuman primates. Here we report an infection by C. violaceum in a wild adult male howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) captured at Ballena Marine National Park, in southwestern Costa Rica. The individual had severe skin lesions over its extremities; gross findings included multiple skin ulcers, white foci in liver, and lymphoid hyperplasia. Histologic results included deep dermatitis with presence of necrotic epithelial cells where clusters of coccoid-shaped bacteria were detected. In the liver, numerous neutrophils forming microabscesses, telangiectasia, and focal necrotic areas were observed. Necrotic liver tissue sampled for bacteriologic culture resulted in the isolation of C. violaceum. We could not ascertain the source or mechanism of infection in this case, although infection through skin microabrasions is suspected. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report for this pathogen in a wild, nonhuman primate. This report also draws attention to this infectious agent as a potential emerging wildlife disease and consideration should be paid by regional veterinary and epidemiologic vigilance services.

  11. Characterization of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Inhibiting Bacteria from Amphibian Populations in Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Madison, Joseph D.; Berg, Elizabeth A.; Abarca, Juan G.; Whitfield, Steven M.; Gorbatenko, Oxana; Pinto, Adrian; Kerby, Jacob L.

    2017-01-01

    Global amphibian declines and extinction events are occurring at an unprecedented rate. While several factors are responsible for declines and extinction, the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been cited as a major constituent in these events. While the effects of this chytrid fungus have been shown to cause broad scale population declines and extinctions, certain individuals and relict populations have shown resistance. This resistance has been attributed in part to the cutaneous bacterial microbiome. Here, we present the first study characterizing anti-Bd bacterial isolates from amphibian populations in Costa Rica, including the characterization of two strains of Serratia marcescens presenting strong anti-Bd activity. Transcriptome sequencing was utilized for delineation of shifts in gene expression of the two previously uncharacterized strains of S. marcescens grown in three different treatments comprising Bd, heat-killed Bd, and a no Bd control. These results revealed up- and down-regulation of key genes associated with different metabolic and regulatory pathways. This information will be valuable in continued efforts to develop a bacterial-based approach for amphibian protection as well as providing direction for continued mechanistic inquiries of the bacterial anti-Bd response. PMID:28293222

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

    PubMed

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

    2017-02-01

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

  13. Frictional properties of silicic to calcareous ooze on the Cocos Plate entering the Costa Rica Subduction Zone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsutsumi, A.; Kameda, J.; Ujiie, K.

    2012-12-01

    Here we report experimental results on the frictional properties of the cover sediments on the Cocos plate incoming into the erosive Costa Rica subduction zone. Mechanical properties of the incoming sediments to subduction plate boundaries are essential to constrain subduction-related faulting processes. However, knowledge of the frictional properties of sediments composed of abundant biogenic component, such as spicules, diatoms, and radiolarians are limited. Experimental samples were silicic to calcareous ooze collected at a reference site (Site U1381) off shore Osa Peninsula during IODP Expedition 334 (Vannucchi et al., 2012). To be used in the experiments, the discrete samples was disaggregated, oven dried at 60 degrees centigrade for 24 hours. The experimental fault is composed of a 24.9 mm diameter cylinder of gabbro cut perpendicularly to the cylinder axis in two halves that are ground to obtain rough wall surfaces, and re-assembled with an intervening thin layer (~1.0 mm) disaggregated sample. Frictional experiments have been performed using a rotary-shear friction testing machine, at normal stresses up to 5 MPa, over a range of slip velocities from 0.0026 mm/s to 1.3 m/s, with more than ~150 mm of displacements for water saturated condition. Experimental results reveal that friction values at slow slip velocities (v < ~30 mm/s) are about ~0.7, of which level is comparable to the typically reported friction values for rocks. The experimental faults exhibited velocity-weakening at v < 0.3 mm/s and neutral to velocity-strengthening at 0.3 < v < ~3 mm/s. At higher velocities (v > ~30 mm/s), steady state friction decreases dramatically. For example, at a velocity of 260 mm/s, the friction coefficient for samples U1381A-9R and -10R show a gradual decrease with a large weakening displacement toward the establishment of a nearly constant level of friction at ~0.1. The velocity weakening behavior at slow velocities could provide a condition to initiate unstable

  14. Hydrologic monitoring using open-source Arduino logging platforms in a socio-hydrological system of the drought-prone tropics, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hund, S. V.; Johnson, M. S.; Steyn, D. G.; Keddie, T.; Morillas, L.

    2015-12-01

    Water supply is highly disputed in the tropics of northwestern Costa Rica where rainfall exhibits high seasonal variability and long annual dry seasons. Water shortages are common during the dry season, and water conflicts emerge between domestic water users, intensively irrigated agriculture, the tourism industry, and ecological flows. Climate change may further increase the variability of precipitation and the risk for droughts, and pose challenges for small rural agricultural communities experiencing water stress. To adapt to seasonal droughts and improve resilience of communities to future changes, it is essential to increase understanding of interactions between components of the coupled hydrological-social system. Yet, hydrological monitoring and data on water use within developing countries of the humid tropics is limited. To address these challenges and contribute to extended monitoring networks, low-cost and open-source monitoring platforms were developed based off Arduino microelectronic boards and software and combined with hydrological sensors to monitor river stage and groundwater levels in two watersheds of Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Hydrologic monitoring stations are located in remote locations and powered by solar panels. Monitoring efforts were made possible through collaboration with local rural communities, and complemented with a mix of digitized water extraction data and community water use narratives to increase understanding of water use and challenges. We will present the development of the Arduino logging system, results of water supply in relation to water use for both the wet and dry season, and discuss these results within a socio-hydrological system context.

  15. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the airport in San Jose, Costa Rica, the NASA hangar is dedicated. The speaker is Hermann Faith, executive director, Costa Rica-USA (CRUSA) Foundation. At the table are (from left) Dr. Jorge Andres Diaz, head scientiest CARTA mission; Gary Shelton, NASA deployment manager; Dr. Pedro Leon, general director, National Center for Advanced Technology (CENAT); Dr. Rogelio Pardo, minister of science and tchnology; John Danilovioch, U.S. ambassador to Costa Rica; and Lic. Vilma Lopez, subdirector, Civil Aviation (DGAC). NASA KSC has been testing its Aircraft-based Volcanic Emission Mass Spectrometer (AVEMS) in flights over the Turrialba volcano and in the crater, sampling and analyzing fresh volcanic gases in their natural chemical state. The AVEMS system has been developed for use in the Space Shuttle program, to detect toxic gas leaks and emissions in the Shuttle’s aft compartment and the crew compartment.

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-03-31

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the airport in San Jose, Costa Rica, the NASA hangar is dedicated. The speaker is Hermann Faith, executive director, Costa Rica-USA (CRUSA) Foundation. At the table are (from left) Dr. Jorge Andres Diaz, head scientiest CARTA mission; Gary Shelton, NASA deployment manager; Dr. Pedro Leon, general director, National Center for Advanced Technology (CENAT); Dr. Rogelio Pardo, minister of science and tchnology; John Danilovioch, U.S. ambassador to Costa Rica; and Lic. Vilma Lopez, subdirector, Civil Aviation (DGAC). NASA KSC has been testing its Aircraft-based Volcanic Emission Mass Spectrometer (AVEMS) in flights over the Turrialba volcano and in the crater, sampling and analyzing fresh volcanic gases in their natural chemical state. The AVEMS system has been developed for use in the Space Shuttle program, to detect toxic gas leaks and emissions in the Shuttle’s aft compartment and the crew compartment.

  16. Prevalence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in Costa Rica: Costa Rican National Cardiovascular Risk Factors Survey, 2010.

    PubMed

    Wong-McClure, Roy; Gregg, Edward W; Barcelo, Alberto; Sanabria-Lopez, Laura; Lee, Kahye; Abarca-Gomez, Leandra; Cervantes-Loaiza, Marvin; Luman, Elizabeth T

    2016-09-01

    The projected rising prevalence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in developing countries warrants careful monitoring. The aim of this study was to present the results of the Costa Rican National Cardiovascular Risk Factors Surveillance System, which provides the first national estimates of diabetes and IFG prevalence among adults in Costa Rica. A cross-sectional survey of 3653 non-institutionalized adults aged ≥20 years (87.8% response rate) following the World Health Organization STEPwise approach was built on a probabilistic sample of the non-institutionalized population during 2010. Known diabetes was defined as self-reported diagnosis, the use of insulin, or hypoglycemic oral treatment as consequence of diabetes during at least the previous 2 weeks before the survey. Unknown diabetes was defined no self-reported diabetes but with venous blood concentrations of fasting glucose >125 mg/dL determined by laboratory testing. Impaired fasting glucose was defined as fasting glucose between 100 and 125 mg/dL among those without diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes and IFG prevalence was estimated according gender, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), educational level, and physical activity level. Overall diabetes prevalence was 10.8% (9.5% known and 1.3% unknown diabetes) and IFG prevalence was 16.5%. The prevalence of known diabetes was higher among women >65 years compared with men of the same age group. Both known and unknown diabetes were significantly associated with higher BMI, increased WC, and low education level (P = 0.01). The prevalence of diabetes and IFG in Costa Rica is comparable to that in developed countries and indicates an urgent need for effective preventive interventions. © 2015 Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  17. El Niño Southern Oscillation and vegetation dynamics as predictors of dengue fever cases in Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fuller, D. O.; Troyo, A.; Beier, J. C.

    2009-01-01

    Dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) are growing health concerns throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. This study focuses on Costa Rica, which experienced over 100 000 cases of DF/DHF from 2003 to 2007. We utilized data on sea-surface temperature anomalies related to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and two vegetation indices derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) from the Terra satellite to model the influence of climate and vegetation dynamics on DF/DHF cases in Costa Rica. Cross-correlations were calculated to evaluate both positive and negative lag effects on the relationships between independent variables and DF/DHF cases. The model, which utilizes a sinusoid and non-linear least squares to fit case data, was able to explain 83% of the variance in weekly DF/DHF cases when independent variables were shifted backwards in time. When the independent variables were shifted forward in time, consistently with a forecasting approach, the model explained 64% of the variance. Importantly, when five ENSO and two vegetation indices were included, the model reproduced a major DF/DHF epidemic of 2005. The unexplained variance in the model may be due to herd immunity and vector control measures, although information regarding these aspects of the disease system are generally lacking. Our analysis suggests that the model may be used to predict DF/DHF outbreaks as early as 40 weeks in advance and may also provide valuable information on the magnitude of future epidemics. In its current form it may be used to inform national vector control programs and policies regarding control measures; it is the first climate-based dengue model developed for this country and is potentially scalable to the broader region of Latin America and the Caribbean where dramatic increases in DF/DHF incidence and spread have been observed.

  18. Distribution and transport of sediment-bound metal contaminants in the rio grande de tarcoles, costa rica (Central America)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fuller, C.C.; Davis, J.A.; Cain, D.J.; Lamothe, P.J.; Fries Fernandez, T.L.G.; Vargas, J.A.; Murillo, M.M.

    1990-01-01

    A reconnaissance survey of the extent of metal contamination in the Rio Grande de Tarcoles river system of Costa Rica indicated high levels of chromium (Cr) in the fine-grain bed sediments (83 times Cr background or 3000->5000 ??g/g). In the main channel of the river downstream of the San Jose urban area, Cr contamination in sediments was 4-6 times background and remained relatively constant over 50 km to the mouth of the river. Sediment from a mangrove swamp at the river mouth had Cr levels 2-3 times above background. Similar patterns of dilution were observed for lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) sediment contamination, although the contamination levels were lower. The high affinity of Cr towards particulate phases, probably as Cr(III), allows the use of Cr contamination levels for delineating regions of deposition of fine-grained sediments and dilution of particle associated contaminants during transport and deposition.A reconnaissance survey of the extent of metal contamination in the Rio Grande de Tarcoles river system of Costa Rica indicated high levels of chromium (Cr) in the fine-grain bed sediments (83 times Cr background or 3000->5000 ??g/g). In the main channel of the river downstream of the San Jose urban area, Cr contamination in sediments was 4-6 times background and remained relatively constant over 50 km to the mouth of the river. Sediments from a mangrove swamp at the river mouth had Cr levels 2-3 times above background. Similar patterns of dilution were observed for lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) sediment contamination, although the contamination levels were lower. The high affinity of Cr towards particulate phases, probably as Cr(III), allows the use of Cr contamination levels for delineating regions of deposition of fine-grained sediments and dilution of particle associated contaminants during transport and deposition.

  19. The type of oil used for cooking is associated with the risk of nonfatal acute myocardial infarction in costa rica.

    PubMed

    Kabagambe, Edmond K; Baylin, Ana; Ascherio, Alberto; Campos, Hannia

    2005-11-01

    Palm oil and soybean oil are the 2 most widely used cooking oils in the world. Palm oil is consumed mainly in developing countries, where morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) are on the rise. Although claims about adverse or protective effects of these oils are commonly made, there are no epidemiologic studies assessing the association between these oils and cardiovascular disease endpoints. We examined whether consumption of palm oil relative to soybean oil and other unsaturated oils (predominantly sunflower) is associated with myocardial infarction (MI) in Costa Rica. The cases (n = 2111) were survivors of a first acute MI and were matched to randomly selected population controls (n = 2111). Dietary intake was assessed with a validated semiquantitative FFQ. Adipose tissue profiles of essential fatty acids were assessed to validate cooking oil intake and found to be consistent with self-reported major oils used for cooking. The data were analyzed using conditional logistic regression. Palm oil users were more likely to have an MI than users of soybean oil [odds ratio (OR) = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.08-1.63] or other cooking oils (OR = 1.23; CI: 0.99-1.52), but they did not differ from users of soybean oil with a high trans-fatty acid content (OR = 1.14; CI: 0.84-1.56). These data suggest that as currently used in Costa Rica, and most likely in many other developing countries, the replacement of palm oil with a polyunsaturated nonhydrogenated vegetable oil would reduce the risk of MI.

  20. A review of bioinformatics training applied to research in molecular medicine, agriculture and biodiversity in Costa Rica and Central America.

    PubMed

    Orozco, Allan; Morera, Jessica; Jiménez, Sergio; Boza, Ricardo

    2013-09-01

    Today, Bioinformatics has become a scientific discipline with great relevance for the Molecular Biosciences and for the Omics sciences in general. Although developed countries have progressed with large strides in Bioinformatics education and research, in other regions, such as Central America, the advances have occurred in a gradual way and with little support from the Academia, either at the undergraduate or graduate level. To address this problem, the University of Costa Rica's Medical School, a regional leader in Bioinformatics in Central America, has been conducting a series of Bioinformatics workshops, seminars and courses, leading to the creation of the region's first Bioinformatics Master's Degree. The recent creation of the Central American Bioinformatics Network (BioCANET), associated to the deployment of a supporting computational infrastructure (HPC Cluster) devoted to provide computing support for Molecular Biology in the region, is providing a foundational stone for the development of Bioinformatics in the area. Central American bioinformaticians have participated in the creation of as well as co-founded the Iberoamerican Bioinformatics Society (SOIBIO). In this article, we review the most recent activities in education and research in Bioinformatics from several regional institutions. These activities have resulted in further advances for Molecular Medicine, Agriculture and Biodiversity research in Costa Rica and the rest of the Central American countries. Finally, we provide summary information on the first Central America Bioinformatics International Congress, as well as the creation of the first Bioinformatics company (Indromics Bioinformatics), spin-off the Academy in Central America and the Caribbean.

  1. Serology, molecular detection and risk factors of Ehrlichia canis infection in dogs in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Barrantes-González, Alexander V; Jiménez-Rocha, Ana E; Romero-Zuñiga, Juan José; Dolz, Gaby

    2016-10-01

    A cross-sectional study combining different serological and molecular techniques for the detection of Ehrlichia species in dogs and their ticks was carried out with data from all regions of Costa Rica. A seroprevalence of 32.1% (131/408), and infection with E. canis of 3.2% (13/407) was found, whereas 6.9% (9/130) of ticks attached to the dogs were PCR positive to E. canis. Higher prevalences were found outside the Greater Metropolitan Area (GMA). Risk factors associated with E. canis seropositivity were age, between 2 and 7 years (RR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.2-2.2) and 8-15 years (RR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2-3.0), number of dogs/total of households [Dogs per Household Ratio (DHR) ≥3.1 (RR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.4-3.0)], number of dogs infested with at least one tick/total of dogs sampled [Tick Infestation Prevalence (TIP)≥31% (RR: 2.1; 95% CI:1.3-3.3)] and living outside the GMA (RR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.2-2.4) and being a mixed-breed dog (RR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.1-2.1). Risk factors for E. canis PCR positive dogs were a depressive attitude (OR: 11.2; 95% CI: 1.1-115.9), fever (OR:4.8; 95% CI:1.2-19.3), DHR≥3.1 (OR: 5.7; 95% CI:1.7-19.2)], number of ticks/total of dogs sampled [Tick Distribution Ratio (TDR) ≥2.1 (OR: 6.5; 95% CI: 1.3-31.8)], and TIP≥40% (OR: 5.7; 95% CI: 1.7-19.2). This paper describes E. canis seroprevalence, PCR prevalence and tick analysis in dogs from Costa Rica, with associated clinical signs and owner perceptions. In summary, most of the E. canis infections in dogs in our country seemed to pass unnoticed by owners. Since most of the seropositive dogs (97.7%, 131/134) were negative for E. canis DNA in their blood, it is important to determine in future studies if these dogs recovered from the E. canis infection without any medication, or are persistently infected, and will develop chronic disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  2. [Centrocestus formosanus (Opisthorchiida: Heterophyidae) as a cause of death in gray tilapia fry Oreochromis niloticus (Perciforme: Cichlidae) in the dry Pacific of Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Arguedas Cortés, Donald; Dolz, Gaby; Romero Zúñiga, Juan J; Jiménez Rocha, Ana E; León Alán, Dennis

    2010-12-01

    Centrocestusformosanus is a zoonotic trematode from Asia and has been mainly associated as cause of death of cultured fish. To identify pathogen trematode species in tilapia fry (Oreochromis niloticus) and to determine mollusks hosting these parasites, freshwater mollusks were collected from tilapia cultured ponds and experimental infections were carried out with tilapia fries and different mollusk species. A total of 907 freshwater mollusks were obtained from tilapia ponds and were identified to species level, four gastropods and one bivalve were determined: Melania tuberculata, Melanoides turricula, Pomacea flagellata, Haitia cubensis and Anodontiles luteola. For the first time, the presence of M. turricula and H. cubensis are reported in Costa Rica. Seven morphotypes of cercariae (Xifiodiocercaria, Equinostoma, Oftalmocercaria, Parapleurolofocercus, Cistocerca, Furcocercaria and Leptocercaria) parasitizing all five species of mollusks were found, all of distome type. Experimental exposure of tilapia fry to M. tuberculata demonstrated that the parapleurolofocercus morphotype found in the mollusk is in accordance with the finding of C. formosanus in tilapia fry. An abundance and mean intensity of 1018-1027 digeneans per gill in each exposed fish was determined. Centrocestus formosanus is reported for the first time in Costa Rica, for which the primary and secondary intermediate hosts were also determined.

  3. Volcanic gas impacts on vegetation at Turrialba Volcano, Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Teasdale, R.; Jenkins, M.; Pushnik, J.; Houpis, J. L.; Brown, D. L.

    2010-12-01

    Turrialba volcano is an active composite stratovolcano that is located approximately 40 km east of San Jose, Costa Rica. Seismic activity and degassing have increased since 2005, and gas compositions reflect further increased activity since 2007 peaking in January 2010 with a phreatic eruption. Gas fumes dispersed by trade winds toward the west, northwest, and southwest flanks of Turrialba volcano have caused significant vegetation kill zones, in areas important to local agriculture, including dairy pastures and potato fields, wildlife and human populations. In addition to extensive vegetative degradation is the potential for soil and water contamination and soil erosion. Summit fumarole temperatures have been measured over 200 degrees C and gas emissions are dominated by SO2; gas and vapor plumes reach up to 2 km (fumaroles and gases are measured regularly by OVSICORI-UNA). A recent network of passive air sampling, monitoring of water temperatures of hydrothermal systems, and soil pH measurements coupled with measurement of the physiological status of surrounding plants using gas exchange and fluorescence measurements to: (1) identify physiological correlations between leaf-level gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence measurements of plants under long term stress induced by the volcanic gas emissions, and (2) use measurements in tandem with remotely sensed reflectance-derived fluorescence ratio indices to track natural photo inhibition caused by volcanic gas emissions, for use in monitoring plant stress and photosynthetic function. Results may prove helpful in developing potential land management strategies to maintain the biological health of the area.

  4. The crustal structure of the Cocos ridge off Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walther, Christian H. E.

    2003-03-01

    The submarine Cocos ridge in the northwestern Panamá basin, a bathymetric feature more than 1000-km long and 250-500 km broad, is about 2 km shallower than the adjacent basin. It is generally interpreted as the trace of the Galápagos hot spot. Two 127- and 260-km long seismic wide-angle sections were recorded along and across this ridge, offshore the Osa peninsula, Costa Rica. Crustal thickening is seen everywhere along the sections. On the northwestern outer ridge flank, increased thickness is exclusively attributed to the upper crust and expressed by 2-km thick flow basalts. The Quepos plateau caps the upper crust in this area. Toward the center of the Cocos ridge, the Moho deepens from 11-12 to 21 km depth and crustal thickening is almost entirely attributed to the lower crust which makes up 80% of the crust and is three times the thickness of normal oceanic lower crust. It is homogeneously structured and the velocities which range from 6.5 km/s at the top to 7.35 km/s at the base are comparable to normal lower crust under these depth conditions and suggest no differences to a gabbroic rock composition. Similarities to the crustal velocity structure of Iceland, central Kerguelen plateau, and Broken ridge are consistent with a formation of this 13-15 Ma old Cocos ridge segment by excessive magmatism in a near-plate boundary setting.

  5. Mineralogy and fluid content of sediments entering the Costa Rica subduction zone - Results from Site U1414, IODP Expedition 344

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Charpentier, D.; Buatier, M.; Kutterolf, S.; Straub, S. M.; Nascimento, D.; Millan, C.

    2013-12-01

    Subduction zones are characterized by the largest thrust earthquakes, as quantified by both rupture area and seismic moment release. Offshore Costa Rica, the oceanic Cocos Plate subducts under the Caribbean plate forming the southern end of the Middle America trench. A high convergence rate and almost complete subduction of incoming sediments make the Costa Rica convergent margin an extremely dynamic environment. The Costa Rica Seismogenesis Project (CRISP) is designed to understand the processes that control nucleation and seismic rupture of large earthquakes at erosional subduction zones. Site U1414 of IODP Exp.344 was drilled to investigate the material from the incoming Cocos Plate. A key parameter of incoming plate is fluid content and release because it impacts deformation within the subduction complex. The deposition, compaction and diagenesis of sedimentary rocks control the distribution of fluids, fluid pressures and fluid flow patterns within subduction zones. We therefore decided to characterize sediment composition and quantify the different types of water at Site U1414. Mineralogical investigations were performed using optical and electronic microscope observations, X Ray Diffraction (on bulk and clay fractions), Cation Exchange Capacity measurements, carbon analyses (to determine carbonate contents), and sequenced extractions in NaOH (to quantify the biogenic opal content). Fluid characteristics were approached by thermal gravimetric analyses. The entire sedimentary sequence was recovered at Site U1414 and can be divided into three major sedimentary units. The first one is a hemipelagic silty clay to clay with a gradual increase of calcareous nannofossils. The dominant mineral is smectite associated in the clay fractions with kaolinite and zeolites. Small amounts of biogenic opal have been analyzed. Other minerals like quartz, feldspar and calcite are also present. The second unit is composed of nannofossil-rich calcareous ooze. The proportion of

  6. Microbial source tracking in shellfish harvesting waters in the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Symonds, E M; Young, S; Verbyla, M E; McQuaig-Ulrich, S M; Ross, E; Jiménez, J A; Harwood, V J; Breitbart, M

    2017-03-15

    Current microbial water quality monitoring is generally limited to culture-based measurements of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB). Given the many possible sources of fecal pollution within a watershed and extra-intestinal FIB reservoirs, it is important to determine source(s) of fecal pollution as a means to improve water quality and protect public health. The principal objective of this investigation was to characterize the microbial water quality of shellfish harvesting areas in the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica during 2015. In order to achieve this objective, the specificity and sensitivity of 11 existing microbial source tracking (MST) PCR assays, associated with cows (BacCow), dogs (BacCan, DogBac), domestic wastewater (PMMoV), general avian (GFD), gulls (Gull2), horses (HorseBac, HoF), humans (HF183, HPyV), and pigs (PF), were evaluated using domestic wastewater and animal fecal samples collected from the region. The sensitivity of animal-associated assays ranged from 13 to 100%, while assay specificity ranged from 38 to 100%. The specificity of pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) and human polyomavirus (HPyV) was 100% for domestic wastewater, as compared to 94% specificity of the HF183 Bacteroidales marker. PMMoV was identified as a useful domestic wastewater-associated marker, with concentrations as high as 1.1 × 10 5 copies/ml and 100% sensitivity and specificity. Monthly surface water samples collected from four shellfish harvesting areas were analyzed using culture-based methods for Escherichia coli as well as molecular methods for FIB and a suite of MST markers, which were selected for their specificity in the region. While culturable E. coli results suggested possible fecal pollution during the monitoring period, the absence of human/domestic wastewater-associated markers and low FIB concentrations determined using molecular methods indicated sufficient microbial water quality for shellfish harvesting. This is the first study to our knowledge to test the

  7. Forearc sedimentation in Terraba Trough, Costa Rica, Central America

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

    Yuan, P.B.; Lowe, D.R.

    1987-05-01

    Sedimentary rocks of Terraba Trough, Costa Rica, were deposited in a forearc basin developed at an ocean-ocean convergent boundary. The basin developed in the middle to late Eocene when the Farallon plate began its subduction beneath the Caribbean plate. Shallow-water carbonates of the Brito Formation were deposited on shoals of basement blocks. These were surrounded by deeper marine areas in which volcaniclastics and carbonate debris accumulated. The Brito Formation consists of algal-foraminiferal packstone to grainstone, rudstone, and rare wackestone formed in fore-slope, carbonate buildup, and open platform environments in a warm, tropical sea. The Eocene Brito Formation is overlain bymore » rocks of the upper Oligocene Rio Claro Member of the Terraba Formation. It is composed of rhodolite and bioclastic grainstone deposited in shallow water. A combination of little subsidence, mild volcanism, and possible erosion at about 30 Ma during a global drop of sea level may be responsible for the absence of lower Oligocene rocks in the study area. After the deposition of the Rio Claro Member, the area subsided rapidly to become a trough possibly deeper than 2000 m. Sedimentation took place in deep water from sediment gravity flows. In the early to early middle Miocene, coarser sediments and thicker sand units containing coal fragments became more abundant, suggesting that the basin was gradually filled. This study indicates that the timing and degree of subsidence of the fore-arc basin and the vertical variation in lithology are closely related to the variation in convergence rate between lithospheric plates in this part of Central America and the eastern Pacific.« less

  8. Clostridium difficile outbreak in Costa Rica: control actions and associated factors.

    PubMed

    Wong-McClure, Roy A; Guevara-Rodríguez, Moraima; Abarca-Gómez, Leandra; Solano-Chinchilla, Antonio; Marchena-Picado, Margarita; O'Shea, Michele; Badilla-Vargas, Xiomara

    2012-12-01

    To describe interventions implemented during a nosocomial outbreak of Clostridium difficile in a general hospital in Costa Rica from December 2009 to April 2010 in order to achieve outbreak control and the factors determined to be associated with C. difficile infection. Laboratory-confirmed cases of C. difficile were analyzed to describe the outbreak pattern and intervention measures implemented. Cases were selected and recruited in a case-control study. Controls were selected from the same services and time period as the cases. Evaluated exposures included underlying medical conditions and treatments administered before the onset of symptoms. The mean ages in case and control groups were 62.3 and 55.3 years, respectively. Control measures included a hand-hygiene campaign, deep disinfection of hospital surfaces, strict isolation of cases, use of personal protection equipment, and restriction of antibiotic use. The adjusted attributable risks associated with the outbreak were diabetes [odds ratio (OR) 3.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5-7.7], chronic renal failure (OR 9.0, 95% CI 1.5-53.0), and prescribing ceftazidime (OR 33.3, 95% CI 2.9-385.5) and cefotaxime (OR 20.4, 95% CI 6.9-60.3). Timely implementation of control measures resulted in reduced infection transmission and successful control of the outbreak. Conditions associated with C. difficile infection were similar to those found in previously described outbreaks of this bacterium.

  9. Record of Subducting Topography revealed in 3D Seismic Imaging of Pleistocene unconformities, offshore Southern Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edwards, J. H.; Kluesner, J. W.; Silver, E. A.

    2015-12-01

    3D seismic reflection data (CRISP) collected across the southern Costa Rica forearc reveals broad, survey-wide erosional events in the upper ~1 km of slope sediments in the mid-slope to outer shelf. The upper 0-280 m of continuous, weakly deformed sediments, designated by IODP Expedition 344 as structural domain I, is bounded by a major erosional event, (CRISP-U1, dated near 1 Ma), suggesting wave-plain erosion from the present shelf break out to 25 km seaward, to a present-day water depth of 900-1300 m. The eastern toe of its surface is characterized by a large drainage system, likely including submarine channels that eroded to depths >1500 m below present-day water depth. CRISP-U1 is variably uplifted by a series of fault propagation folds and cut by an intersecting array of normal faults. Another, major erosional event, (CRISP-M1, approximately 2 Ma) extended from the outer shelf to the mid slope and removed 500-1000 m of material. Overlying CRISP-M1 is up to 1 km of sediments that are more deformed by fault propagation folds, back thrusts, and intersecting arrays of normal faults. Unconformities with smaller areal extent are variably found in these overlying sediments across the mid-slope to outer shelf, at present-day water depths >220 m. Below CRISP-M1, sediments are more densely deformed and also contain major unconformities that extend survey-wide. Both unconformities, CRISP-U1 and CRISP-M1, are encountered in well U1413 and are demarcated by major benthic foraminifera assemblage changes at 149 mbsf and ~504 mbsf (Harris et al., 2013, Proceeding of the IODP, Volume 344).CRISP-M1 is likely correlative to the major sediment facies and benthic foraminifera assemblage change found in U1379 at ~880 mbsf (Vannuchi et al., 2013). The unconformities and intersecting array of normal faults may demarcate the passing of topography on the downgoing Cocos plate, episodically lifting and then subsiding the Costa Rica margin, with amplitudes up to about 1 km.

  10. [Amphibians and reptiles in the swamps dominated by the palm Raphia taedigera (Arecaceae) in northeastern Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Bonilla-Murillo, Fabian; Beneyto, Davinia; Sasa, Mahmood

    2013-09-01

    The herpetofauna that inhabits Caribbean Costa Rica has received considerable attention in the last two decades. This assemblage includes a total of 141 species of reptiles and 95 amphibians mostly distributed in tropical wet and moist lowland forests. While most information available came from primary and secondary forest sites, little is known about the amphibians and reptiles that inhabit more open habitats, such as wetlands and swamps. For instances, swaps dominated by the yolillo palm Raphia taedigera extend through much of the northeastern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and eastern Nicaragua, but information about the herpetological community that uses such environments remains practically unknown. This situation reflects the little research conducted in such inhospitable environments. Here, we report the results of an intensive survey conducted to assess the herpetological community that inhabit R. taedigera palm-swamps. A total of 14 species of amphibians and 17 of reptiles have been recorded from these swamps. Amphibians and reptiles that inhabit yolillo swamps have wide distributions along much of Middle America and are considered common species throughout their range. In general, yolillo swamps are poor environments for herpetofauna: richness of reptiles and amphibians is almost two times higher in the adjacent forest than in the palm dominated swamps. Furthermore, most species observed in this swamps can be considered habitat generalists that are well adapted to the extreme conditions imposed by the changes in hydroperiods, reduce understory cover, low tree diversity and simple forest architecture of these environments. Despite similarities in the herpetofauna, it is clear that not all forest species use yolillo habitat, a characteristic that is discussed in terms of physical stress driven by the prolonged hydroperiod and reduced leaflitter in the ground, as these features drive habitat structure and herpetofaunal complexity. Our list of species using

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

    PubMed

    Mauger, Laurie A; Velez, Elizabeth; Cherkiss, Michael S; Brien, Matthew L; Boston, Michael; Mazzotti, Frank J; Spotila, James R

    2012-12-01

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

  12. Impact evaluation of a healthy lifestyle intervention to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in health centers in San José, Costa Rica and Chiapas, Mexico.

    PubMed

    Fort, Meredith P; Murillo, Sandra; López, Erika; Dengo, Ana Laura; Alvarado-Molina, Nadia; de Beausset, Indira; Castro, Maricruz; Peña, Liz; Ramírez-Zea, Manuel; Martínez, Homero

    2015-12-28

    Previous healthy lifestyle interventions based on the Salud para Su Corazón curriculum for Latinos in the United States, and a pilot study in Guatemala, demonstrated improvements in patient knowledge, behavior, and clinical outcomes for adults with hypertension. This article describes the implementation of a healthy lifestyle group education intervention at the primary care health center level in the capital cities of Costa Rica and Chiapas, Mexico for patients with hypertension and/or type 2 diabetes and presents impact evaluation results. Six group education sessions were offered to participants at intervention health centers from November 2011 to December 2012 and participants were followed up for 8 months. The study used a prospective, longitudinal, nonequivalent pretest-posttest comparison group design, and was conducted in parallel in the two countries. Cognitive and behavioral outcome measures were knowledge, self-efficacy, stage-of-change, dietary behavior and physical activity. Clinical outcomes were: body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose. Group by time differences were assessed using generalized estimating equation models, and a dose-response analysis was conducted for the intervention group. The average number of group education sessions attended in Chiapas was 4 (SD: 2.2) and in Costa Rica, 1.8 (SD: 2.0). In both settings, participation in the study declined by 8-month follow-up. In Costa Rica, intervention group participants showed significant improvements in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and borderline significant improvement for fasting glucose, and significant improvement in the stages-of-change measure vs. the comparison group. In Chiapas, the intervention group showed significant improvement in the stages-of-change measure in relation to the comparison group. Significant improvements were not observed for knowledge, self-efficacy, dietary behavior or physical activity. In Chiapas only, a

  13. Textures of water-rich mud sediments from the continental margin offshore Costa Rica (IODP expeditions 334 and 344)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuehn, Rebecca; Stipp, Michael; Leiss, Bernd

    2017-04-01

    During sedimentation and burial at continental margins, clay-rich sediments develop crystallographic preferred orientations (textures) depending on the ongoing compaction as well as size distribution and shape fabrics of the grains. Such textures can control the deformational properties of these sediments and hence the strain distribution in active continental margins and also the frictional behavior along and around the plate boundary. Strain-hardening and discontinuous deformation may lead to earthquake nucleation at or below the updip limit of the seismogenic zone. We want to investigate the active continental margin offshore Costa Rica where the oceanic Cocos plate is subducted below the Caribbean plate at a rate of approximately 9 cm per year. The Costa Rica trench is well-known for shallow seismogenesis and tsunami generation. As it is an erosive continental margin, both the incoming sediments from the Nazca plate as well as the slope sediments of the continental margin can be important for earthquake nucleation and faulting causing sea-floor breakage. To investigate texture and composition of the sediments and hence their deformational properties we collected samples from varying depth of 7 different drilling locations across the trench retrieved during IODP expeditions 334 and 344 as part of the Costa Rica Seismogenesis Project (CRISP). Texture analysis was carried out by means of synchrotron diffraction, as only this method is suitable for water-bearing samples. As knowledge on the sediment composition is required as input parameter for the texture data analysis, additional X-ray powder diffraction analysis on the sample material has been carried out. Samples for texture measurements were prepared from the original drill cores using an internally developed cutter which allows to produce cylindrical samples with a diameter of about 1.5 cm. The samples are oriented with respect to the drill core axis. Synchrotron texture measurements were conducted at the

  14. Using Geographical Information Systems to Identify Populations in Need of Improved Accessibility to Antivenom Treatment for Snakebite Envenoming in Costa Rica

    PubMed Central

    Hansson, Erik; Sasa, Mahmood; Mattisson, Kristoffer; Robles, Arodys; Gutiérrez, José María

    2013-01-01

    Introduction Snakebite accidents are an important health problem in rural areas of tropical countries worldwide, including Costa Rica, where most bites are caused by the pit-viper Bothrops asper. The treatment of these potentially fatal accidents is based on the timely administration of specific antivenom. In many regions of the world, insufficient health care systems and lack of antivenom in remote and poor areas where snakebites are common, means that efficient treatment is unavailable for many snakebite victims, leading to unnecessary mortality and morbidity. In this study, geographical information systems (GIS) were used to identify populations in Costa Rica with a need of improved access to antivenom treatment: those living in areas with a high risk of snakebites and long time to reach antivenom treatment. Method/Principal Findings Populations living in areas with high risk of snakebites were identified using two approaches: one based on the district-level reported incidence, and another based on mapping environmental factors favoring B. asper presence. Time to reach treatment using ambulance was estimated using cost surface analysis, thereby enabling adjustment of transportation speed by road availability and quality, topography and land use. By mapping populations in high risk of snakebites and the estimated time to treatment, populations with need of improved treatment access were identified. Conclusion/Significance This study demonstrates the usefulness of GIS for improving treatment of snakebites. By mapping reported incidence, risk factors, location of existing treatment resources, and the time estimated to reach these for at-risk populations, rational allocation of treatment resources is facilitated. PMID:23383352

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

    PubMed

    Hansson, Erik; Sasa, Mahmood; Mattisson, Kristoffer; Robles, Arodys; Gutiérrez, José María

    2013-01-01

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

  16. Persistence of rock-derived nutrients in the wet tropical forests of La Selva, Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Porder, Stephen; Clark, Deborah A; Vitousek, Peter M

    2006-03-01

    We used strontium isotopes and analysis of foliar and soil nutrients to test whether erosion can rejuvenate the supply of rock-derived nutrients in the lowland tropical rain forest of La Selva, Costa Rica. We expected that these nutrients would be depleted from soils on stable surfaces, a result of over one million years of weathering in situ. In fact, trees and palms in all landscape positions derive a relatively high percentage (> or =40%) of their strontium from bedrock, rather than atmospheric, sources. The fraction that is rock-derived increases on slopes, but with no detectable effect on plant macronutrient concentrations. These results differ from those in a similar ecosystem on Kauai, Hawaii, where plants on uneroded surfaces derive almost all of their foliar Sr from atmospheric, rather than bedrock, sources. The results from La Selva challenge the assumption that tropical Oxisols in general have low nutrient inputs from bedrock, and support the hypothesis that erosion can increase the supply of these nutrients in lower landscape positions.

  17. Volcanoes in the pre-Columbian life, legend, and archaeology of Costa Rica (Central America)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alvarado, Guillermo E.; Soto, Gerardo J.

    2008-10-01

    Costa Rica is located geographically in the southern part of the Central American Volcanic Front, a zone where interaction between the Mesoamerican and South American cultures occurred in pre-Columbian times. Several volcanoes violently erupted during the Holocene, when the first nomadic human hunters and later settlers were present. Volcanic rocks were the most important geo-resource in making artifacts and as construction materials for pre-Columbian inhabitants. Some pottery products are believed to resemble smoking volcanoes, and the settlements around volcanoes would seem to indicate their influence on daily life. Undoubtedly, volcanic eruptions disrupted the life of early settlers, particularly in the vicinity of Arenal and Irazú volcanoes, where archaeological remains show transient effects and displacement caused by periodical eruptions, but later resilient occupations around the volcanoes. Most native languages are extinct, with the exception of those presently spoken in areas far away from active volcanoes, where no words are related to volcanic phenomena or structures. The preserved legends are ambiguous, suggesting that they were either produced during the early Spanish conquest or were altered following the pre-Columbian period.

  18. Evaluation of the bacteriological quality of ice cream sold at San Jose, Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Windrantz, P; Arias, M L

    2000-09-01

    The presence of total and fecal coliforms, E. coli, Listeria sp and Salmonella sp. was evaluated in 65 samples of both commercial and homemade ice cream. 37.1% of homemade ice cream and 20% of commercial ice cream did not fulfill the international standard for total coliforms. At the same time 82.9% of home made samples and 56.7% of commercial ones presented fecal coliforms. E. coli was found in 51.4% of home made samples and 26.7% of commercial ones. Sixteen Listeria sp. isolates were obtained, 50% corresponded to Listeria monocytogenes and 50% to L. innocua. The overall presence of L. monocytogenes in ice cream samples was of 12.3% and it was isolated in all cases, from homemade ice cream samples. Salmonella was not isolated from the samples analyzed. Although the results obtained show an important improvement in the quality of ice cream, compared with a previous work done also in Costa Rica, further efforts shall be done, in order to offer safe products to consumers.

  19. New record of the rare emballonurid bat Centronycteris centralis Thomas, 1912 in Costa Rica, with notes on feeding habits

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Woodman, N.

    2003-01-01

    The shaggy sac-winged bat, Centronycteris centralis, occurs mainly in lowland forests from Veracruz, Mexico, to Peru, although it has been reported from elevations as high at 1450 m in Panama. Most captures of the species are of single individuals, and throughout its distribution, this bat is rare and poorly-known. Centronycteris centralis generally has been assumed to be an aerial insectivore, capturing flying insects on the wing. However, direct evidence supporting this trophic role has been lacking. Herein, I report on a specimen of C. centralis from seasonally-inundated swamp forest in the Caribbean lowlands of northeastern Costa Rica that provides valuable information on distribution, morphological variation, reproduction, and feeding habits of this species.

  20. HIV/AIDS in Costa Rica: epidemiological and sociological features, 1993.

    PubMed

    Mata, L; Ramírez, G; Quesada, J

    1995-01-01

    Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was first detected in Costa Rica in 1983. For four years most known cases were in hemophiliac men. Thereafter, AIDS in homosexual and bisexual men predominated. By December 31 of 1993, 563 persons had been diagnosed with the syndrome, 71% of them homosexual and bisexual men, 10% heterosexual men and women, 6% hemophiliacs, 2% intravenous drug abusers (IVDA's), 2% women and men who had blood transfusions, 1.4% infants born to HIV-infected mothers and 7% unknown. The epidemics in homosexual/bisexual men and in heterosexual women and men are rising; cases in infants and in persons who received blood or coagulation factors, are stagnant. The steady increase in AIDS among women is linked to exposure to bisexual partners. The moderate nature of the national epidemic reflects, in part, the low incidence of IVDA, the universal screening of blood donors for antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) since 1985, and the prompt banning of unsafe coagulation factors. The projection of AIDS for the year 2000 is 2,304 cases (606 accumulated incidence per million inhabitants). A national educational campaign, radio and television programs and other preventive actions, apparently did not influence the rate of receptive anal intercourse without condom (about 80%) during 9 years of the epidemic. Persons with HIV/AIDS often are deprived of social and medical benefits or are subjected to harassment and exploitation by the health sector. More efficient prevention must target children, adolescents and adults in reproductive age, to promote safer lifestyles, through education and counseling effected through primary health care.

  1. Basic limnology of fifty-one lakes in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Haberyan, Kurt A; Horn, Sally P; Umaña, Gerardo

    2003-03-01

    We visited 51 lakes in Costa Rica as part of a broad-based survey to document their physical and chemical characteristics and how these relate to the mode of formation and geographical distribution of the lakes. The four oxbow lakes were low in elevation and tended to be turbid, high in conductivity and CO2, but low in dissolved O2; one of these, L. Gandoca, had a hypolimnion essentially composed of sea water. These were similar to the four wetland lakes, but the latter instead had low conductivities and pH, and turbidity was often due to tannins rather than suspended sediments. The thirteen artificial lakes formed a very heterogenous group, whose features varied depending on local factors. The thirteen lakes dammed by landslides, lava flows, or lahars occurred in areas with steep slopes, and were more likely to be stratified than most other types of lakes. The eight lakes that occupy volcanic craters tended to be deep, stratified, clear, and cool; two of these, L. Hule and L. Río Cuarto, appeared to be oligomictic (tending toward meromictic). The nine glacial lakes, all located above 3440 m elevation near Cerro Chirripó, were clear, cold, dilute, and are probably polymictic. Cluster analysis resulted in three significant groups of lakes. Cluster 1 included four calcium-rich lakes (average 48 mg l-1), Cluster 2 included fourteen lakes with more Si than Ca+2 and higher Cl- than the other clusters, and Cluster 3 included the remaining thirty-three lakes that were generally less concentrated. Each cluster included lakes of various origins located in different geographical regions; these data indicate that, apart from the high-altitude glacial lakes and lakes in the Miravalles area, similarity in lake chemistry is independent of lake distribution.

  2. Measuring Gases Using Drones at Turrialba Volcano, Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stix, J.; Alan, A., Jr.; Corrales, E.; D'Arcy, F.; de Moor, M. J.; Diaz, J. A.

    2016-12-01

    We are currently developing a series of drones and associated instrumentation to study Turrialba volcano in Costa Rica. This volcano has shown increasing activity during the last 20 years, and the volcano is currently in a state of heightened unrest as exemplified by recent explosive activity in May-August 2016. The eruptive activity has made the summit area inaccessible to normal gas monitoring activities, prompting development of new techniques to measure gas compositions. We have been using two drones, a DJI Spreading Wings S1000 octocopter and a Turbo Ace Matrix-i quadcopter, to airlift a series of instruments to measure volcanic gases in the plume of the volcano. These instruments comprise optical and electrochemical sensors to measure CO2, SO2, and H2S concentrations which are considered the most significant species to help forecast explosive eruptions and determine the relative proportions of magmatic and hydrothermal components in the volcanic gas. Additionally, cameras and sensors to measure air temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, and GPS location are included in the package to provide meteorological and geo-referenced information to complement the concentration data and provide a better picture of the volcano from a remote location. The integrated payloads weigh 1-2 kg, which can typically be flown by the drones in 10-20 minutes at altitudes of 2000-4000 meters. Preliminary tests at Turrialba in May 2016 have been very encouraging, and we are in the process of refining both the drones and the instrumentation packages for future flights. Our broader goals are to map gases in detail with the drones in order to make flux measurements of each species, and to apply this approach at other volcanoes.

  3. Mollusks of Manuel Antonio National Park, Pacific Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Willis, S; Cortés, J

    2001-12-01

    The mollusks in Manuel Antonio National Park on the central section of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica were studied along thirty-six transects done perpendicular to the shore, and by random sampling of subtidal environments, beaches and mangrove forest. Seventy-four species of mollusks belonging to three classes and 40 families were found: 63 gastropods, 9 bivalves and 2 chitons, during this study in 1995. Of these, 16 species were found only as empty shells (11) or inhabited by hermit crabs (5). Forty-eight species were found at only one locality. Half the species were found at one site, Puerto Escondido. The most diverse habitat was the low rocky intertidal zone. Nodilittorina modesta was present in 34 transects and Nerita scabricosta in 30. Nodilittorina aspera had the highest density of mollusks in the transects. Only four transects did not clustered into the four main groups. The species composition of one cluster of transects is associated with a boulder substrate, while another cluster of transects associates with site. Two clusters were not associated to any of the factors recorded. Some species were present in previous studies but absent in 1995, while others were absent in the previous studies but found in 1995. For example, Siphonaria gigas was present in 1995 in many transects with a relatively high density, but absent in 1962, probably due to human predation before the establishment of the park. Including this study, a total of 97 species of mollusks in three classes and 45 families have been reported from Manuel Antonio National Park. Sixty-nine species are new reports for the area: 53 gastropods, 14 bivalves and 2 chitons. There are probably more species of mollusks at Manuel Antonio National Park, than the 97 reported here, because some areas have not been adequately sampled (e.g., deep environments) and many micro-mollusks could not be identified.

  4. Radioguided localisation of non-palpable lesions of the breast in Costa Rica: review of results of our first 800 patients in private practice.

    PubMed

    Aguilar, Marisel; Alfaro, Sabrina; Aguilar, Ricardo

    2017-01-01

    Surgical treatment of non-palpable breast lesions is controversial. At the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, Italy, Prof Umberto Veronesi introduced a new technique called the radioguided occult lesion localisation (ROLL) in 1996 to replace conventional methods and their disadvantages (Zurrida S, Galimberti V, and Monti S et al (1998) Radioguided localization of occult breast lesions Breast 7 11-13 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0960-9776(98)90044-3). Given the success experienced in that institution, the method became the technique of choice for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. In this paper, we will examine the technical aspects of ROLL and the results from a large series of patients treated in our private practice in Costa Rica. We analysed the first 816 patients with different non-palpable breast lesions detected by ultrasound or mammography within our private practice in Costa Rica. In 774 patients, technetium 99m labelled with human serum albumin (7-10 MBq) in 0.2 ml of saline solution was injected into the lesion under mammographic or ultrasound guidance. The excisional biopsy was done by means of a gamma-probe and complete excision of the lesion was verified by X-ray on the specimen in lesions that were visible by mammography and ultrasound 4 months after surgery. In the remaining 42 patients, the localisation of the lesion was carried out by wire. The tracer was correctly positioned in the first attempt in 772/816 (94.6%) of cases and in the second attempt in two other cases. In 42/816 (5.1%) cases, the localisation of the lesion had to be performed with the traditional method. X-rays showed that the lesion was entirely removed in 770/772 (99.74%) of cases. The ROLL is a simple and excellent option for the removal of hidden breast lesions in clinical practice. It offers the advantage of making resections safer and with tumour-free margins, in addition to reducing the number of reinterventions. Since it makes it possible to specify to the pathologist

  5. Seismicity in 2010 and major earthquakes recorded and located in Costa Rica from 1983 until 2012, by the local OVSICORI-UNA seismic network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ronnie, Q.; Segura, J.; Burgoa, B.; Jimenez, W.; McNally, K. C.

    2013-05-01

    This work is the result of the analysis of existing information in the earthquake database of the Observatorio Sismológico y Vulcanológico de Costa Rica, Universidad Nacional (OVSICORI-UNA), and seeks disclosure of basic seismological information recorded and processed in 2010. In this year there was a transition between the software used to record, store and locate earthquakes. During the first three months of 2010, we used Earthworm (http://folkworm.ceri.memphis.edu/ew-doc), SEISAN (Haskov y Ottemoller, 1999) and Hypocenter (Lienert y Haskov, 1995) to capture, store and locate the earthquakes, respectively; in April 2010, ANTELOPE (http://www.brtt.com/software.html) start to be used for recording and storing and GENLOC (Fan at al, 2006) and LOCSAT (Bratt and Bache 1988), to locate earthquakes. GENLOC was used for local events and LOCSAT for regional and distant earthquakes. The local earthquakes were located using the 1D velocity model of Quintero and Kissling (2001) and for regional and distant earthquakes IASPEI91 (Kennett and Engdahl, 1991) was used. All the events for 2010 and shown in this work were rechecked by the authors. We located 3903 earthquakes in and around Costa Rica and 746 regional and distant seismic events were recorded (see Figure 1). In this work we also give a summary of major earthquakes recorded and located by OVSICORI-UNA network between 1983 and 2012. Seismicity recorded by OVSICORI-UNA network in 2010

  6. Barriers and Facilitators to Community CPR Education in San José, Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Schmid, Kristin M; Mould-Millman, Nee-Kofi; Hammes, Andrew; Kroehl, Miranda; García, Raquel Quiros; McDermott, Manrique Umaña; Lowenstein, Steven R

    2016-10-01

    Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) improves survival after prehospital cardiac arrest. While community CPR training programs have been implemented across the US, little is known about their acceptability in non-US Latino populations. The purpose of this study was to identify barriers to enrolling in CPR training classes and performing CPR in San José, Costa Rica. After consulting 10 San José residents, a survey was created, pilot-tested, and distributed to a convenience sample of community members in public gathering places in San José. Questions included demographics, CPR knowledge and beliefs, prior CPR training, having a family member with heart disease, and prior witnessing of a cardiac arrest. Questions also addressed barriers to enrolling in CPR classes (cost/competing priorities). The analysis focused on two main outcomes: likelihood of registering for a CPR class and willingness to perform CPR on an adult stranger. Odds ratios and 95% CIs were calculated to test for associations between patient characteristics and these outcomes. Among 371 participants, most were male (60%) and <40 years old (77%); 31% had a college degree. Many had family members with heart disease (36%), had witnessed a cardiac arrest (18%), were trained in CPR (36%), and knew the correct CPR steps (70%). Overall, 55% (95% CI, 50-60%) indicated they would "likely" enroll in a CPR class; 74% (95% CI, 70-78%) would perform CPR on an adult stranger. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation class enrollment was associated with prior CPR training (OR: 2.6; 95% CI, 1.6-4.3) and a prior witnessed cardiac arrest (OR: 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.5). Willingness to perform CPR on a stranger was associated with a prior witnessed cardiac arrest (OR: 2.5; 95% CI, 1.2-5.4) and higher education (OR: 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.2). Believing that CPR does not work was associated with a higher likelihood of not attending a CPR class (OR: 2.4; 95% CI, 1.7-7.9). Fear of performing mouth-mouth, believing CPR is against God

  7. A paired-watershed budget study to quantify interbasin groundwater flow in a lowland rain forest, Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Genereux, David P.; Jordan, Michael T.; Carbonell, David

    2005-04-01

    A paired-watershed budget study was used to quantify the annual water and major ion (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride, and sulfate) budgets of two adjacent lowland rain forest watersheds in Costa Rica. Interbasin groundwater flow (IGF) accounted for about two thirds of the water input and about 97% of the solute input (an average over the six major ions) to one watershed but little or none of the inputs to the adjacent watershed in which IGF was at most marginally distinguishable from zero. Results underscore the significance of IGF as a potential control on the hydrology and water quality of lowland watersheds, the spatial complexity of its occurrence in lowlands (where its influence may range from dominating to negligible on adjacent watersheds), and the importance of accounting for IGF in the design and execution of watershed studies and in water management.

  8. Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Pigeons from Public Parks in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Blanco-Peña, K; Esperón, F; Torres-Mejía, A M; de la Torre, A; de la Cruz, E; Jiménez-Soto, M

    2017-11-01

    Antimicrobial resistance is known to be an emerging problem, but the extent of the issue remains incomplete. The aim of this study was to determine the presence or absence of nine resistance genes (bla TEM , catI, mecA, qnrS, sulI, sulII, tet(A), tet(Q), vanA) in the faeces of 141 pigeons from four urban parks in Alajuela, Guadalupe, Tres Ríos and San José in Costa Rica. The genes were identified by real-time PCR directly from enema samples. About 30% of the samples were positive for genes catI and sulI; between 13% and 17% were positive for qnrS, sulII, tet(A) and tet(Q); and 4% were positive for bla TEM . The mecA and vanA genes were not detected. The average of antimicrobial resistance genes detected per pigeon was 2. Eight different patterns of resistance were identified, without differences in the sampling areas, being the most common pattern 2 (sulII positive samples). During rainy season, the genes more frequently found were sulI and tet(A). In conclusion, the urban inhabiting pigeons tested are currently carrying antimicrobial resistance genes, potentially acting as reservoirs of resistant bacteria and vectors to humans. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study carried out on direct detection of resistance genes in the digestive metagenomes of pigeons. © 2017 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health Published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  9. [Statistics for initial admission for schizophrenia in hospitals in Costa Rica].

    PubMed

    Handal, N; Dodds, J H

    1997-06-01

    The factors that influence hospital admissions for schizophrenia in Costa Rica were investigated in people of both sexes who were admitted for the first time with this diagnosis (codes 295.0 to 295.9 of the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision) in the period 1979 to 1981. Annual incidence rates were calculated using the number of hospitalized cases and the total population of the country. The average annual incidence was found to be 48.2 cases per 100000 inhabitants. High frequencies of first admissions were seen among males 40 to 44 years of age and females 45 to 49. Incidence was highest among unmarried women, followed by divorced women. There was a significant inverse relationship between educational attainment and rates of admission for schizophrenia, and incidence rates were highest among unemployed women and housewives. The association between rate of hospitalization for schizophrenia and 10 characteristics of the cantons was studied by means of logistic regression. Only two variables-the distance between the canton's principal town and the hospital and the volume of coffee harvest per resident-showed a direct significant association with admission rates for schizophrenia. The cantons which had the highest number of births of children who were diagnosed as schizophrenic in adulthood were those closest to the psychiatric hospital and those that had a low level of industrial or agricultural activity, low population density, and high proportions of single or divorced persons.

  10. Distribution of physical properties and timing of relative uplift in upper plate off Costa Rica: IODP Expedition 344

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saiki, A.; Hashimoto, Y.

    2015-12-01

    Evolution of physical properties in subduction zone is a key to understand lithification processes, location of decollement, and stress distribution. In this study, we examined the physical properties of sediments using on-board data and laboratory experimental data on sediments obtained off Costa Rica margin. Target sites are in the Integrate Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 344 off Costa Rica, including reference sites (U1381 and U1414), mid-slope site (U1378, U1380) and upper-slope site (U1413). Seven samples from reference sites were analyzed. Laboratory experiments for velocity and porosity measurements were conducted with variation of effective pressure. Velocity-porosity relationships from on-board data and from laboratory experiments are comparable. The porosity-effective pressure curves under isotropic condition were converted to the curves under uniaxial condition (Teeuw, 1971). Using the normal consolidation curves under uniaxial stress conditions, we converted onboard porosity to effective pressure and fluid pressure. In reference sites, hydrostatic fluid pressure was estimated as expected as a reference sites, suggesting that porosity-effective pressure relationship was obtained correctly by experiments and it can be adapted to estimation of fluid pressure for the wedge sites. The porosity-effective pressure relationship under isotropic conditions were used for the estimation in wedge sites. In wedge sites, estimated pore pressures show lower than hydrostatic pressure, suggesting that onboard porosity was lower than that under normal compaction. The lower porosity can be caused by relative uplift from deeper portion. The amount of relative uplift can be estimated by differences in porosity-depth relationships between onboard data and experimental data. The amount of relative uplift for each site shows more than ~1000m up to ~5000m. The small error in porosity depth curve from experimental data makes relative uplift larger or smaller

  11. Hydrogeological and Seismic Responses to Incoming Materials at the Non-Accreting Margin, Offshore the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harris, R. N.; Kameda, J.; Shimizu, M.; Ujiie, K.; Tsutsumi, A.; Ikehara, M.; Uno, M.; Yamaguchi, A.; Hamada, Y.; Namiki, Y.; Kimura, G.

    2015-12-01

    The relationship between temperature and the updip limit of seismicity has been demonstrated for accretionary margins where the incoming sediment is thick relative to basement relief (e.g., Oleskevich et al., JGR 1999). Here we show an example offshore the Osa Peninsula where this relationship does not appear to hold. At this non-accreting margin, the incoming sediment thickness is thin and the basement relief is substantial. The MW 6.4, 16 June 2002, Osa, Costa Rica earthquake occurred along the plate interface, 25 km landward of the trench at a depth of approximately 5-10 km (Arroyo et al., G3, 2014). Two-dimensional thermal models indicate that the temperature at this position is approximately 70-90° C (Harris et al., G3, 2010), and is cooler than the reported correlation between temperature and the updip limit of seismicity. We estimate the incoming fluid budget based on the 100 m section from the Costa Rica Seismogenesis Project reference site (IODP Exp. 334 Site U1381) using porosity and bulk mineral assemblage based on X-ray diffraction analysis of core samples. The porosity (76%) combined with the water content in smectite (~40 vol.%) and biogenic silica (~24 vol.%), leads to a total sedimentary water influx estimate of 6.9 m3/yr per m of trench length. The dehydration source term is calculated with respect to silica diagenesis and clay diagenesis using the thermal model. Peak mineral dehydration occurs at temperatures of approximately ~100 °C, 40-30 km landward of the trench and 5-10 km landward of the shallowest seismicity (Arroyo et al., G3, 2014). These results suggest that in this region the presence of subducting bathymetric relief may be more important in influencing the updip extent of seismicity than the thermal regime. This interpretation is consistent with the observed patchy seismicity (Bilek et al. Geology, 2003) and emphasizes the importance of frictional heterogeneities along the subduction thrust (Bilek and Lay, GRL, 2002).

  12. Runoff and initial erosion assessment in fruit tree crops and improved forage pastures in the slopes of the Irazu Volcano (Costa Rica)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marchamalo, Miguel; González-Rodrigo, Beatriz

    2017-04-01

    Costa Rica is located in the Central American tropical isthmus. It presents high precipitations (ranging from 1400-8500 mm) and protection levels (27% of national territory). However, intensive land use and increasing population in headwaters are major threats for water resource management in this country. Birrís Basin is a 4800 hectares sub-watershed of the River Reventazón Basin, the major hydroelectric source in Costa Rica. Birrís Basin was selected for its high estimated erosion rates and its potential for demonstrative projects (ICE, 1999). Some pilot projects have been developed in this watershed starting from 1999, when major Costa Rican energy producer, Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, began with a long term watershed management program for the Reventazón Basin. This study aims at measuring runoff and initial splash and sheet erosion to assess the hydrological response of two pilot land use projects. Erosion and runoff plots were established and monitored in a one year period for two pilot projects (fruit trees and forage pastures) and their respective traditional land uses (vegetable crops and extensive pastures). Improved forage pastures showed reduced runoff by 73% and split erosion by 55% compared to prior extensive pastures. Conversion of vegetable crop lands into fruit tree plantations (apricot and avocado) made possible a 97% reduction of soil initial erosion. Land use pilot projects have succeeded in runoff and soil erosion reduction. Now it is time for a wider technology transfer program to expand improved land uses within Birrís Basin.

  13. Scattering of Light by Colloidal Aluminosilicate Particles Produces the Unusual Sky-Blue Color of Río Celeste (Tenorio Volcano Complex, Costa Rica)

    PubMed Central

    Castellón, Erick; Martínez, María; Madrigal-Carballo, Sergio; Arias, María Laura; Vargas, William E.; Chavarría, Max

    2013-01-01

    Río Celeste (Sky-Blue River) in Tenorio National Park (Costa Rica), a river that derives from the confluence and mixing of two colorless streams—Río Buenavista (Buenavista River) and Quebrada Agria (Sour Creek)—is renowned in Costa Rica because it presents an atypical intense sky-blue color. Although various explanations have been proposed for this unusual hue of Río Celeste, no exhaustive tests have been undertaken; the reasons hence remain unclear. To understand this color phenomenon, we examined the physico-chemical properties of Río Celeste and of the two streams from which it is derived. Chemical analysis of those streams with ion-exchange chromatography (IC) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) made us discard the hypothesis that the origin of the hue is due to colored chemical species. Our tests revealed that the origin of this coloration phenomenon is physical, due to suspended aluminosilicate particles (with diameters distributed around 566 nm according to a lognormal distribution) that produce Mie scattering. The color originates after mixing of two colorless streams because of the enlargement (by aggregation) of suspended aluminosilicate particles in the Río Buenavista stream due to a decrease of pH on mixing with the acidic Quebrada Agria. We postulate a chemical mechanism for this process, supported by experimental evidence of dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential measurements, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive spectra (EDS). Theoretical modeling of the Mie scattering yielded a strong coincidence between the observed color and the simulated one. PMID:24058661

  14. Scattering of light by colloidal aluminosilicate particles produces the unusual sky-blue color of Río Celeste (Tenorio volcano complex, Costa Rica).

    PubMed

    Castellón, Erick; Martínez, María; Madrigal-Carballo, Sergio; Arias, María Laura; Vargas, William E; Chavarría, Max

    2013-01-01

    Río Celeste (Sky-Blue River) in Tenorio National Park (Costa Rica), a river that derives from the confluence and mixing of two colorless streams--Río Buenavista (Buenavista River) and Quebrada Agria (Sour Creek)--is renowned in Costa Rica because it presents an atypical intense sky-blue color. Although various explanations have been proposed for this unusual hue of Río Celeste, no exhaustive tests have been undertaken; the reasons hence remain unclear. To understand this color phenomenon, we examined the physico-chemical properties of Río Celeste and of the two streams from which it is derived. Chemical analysis of those streams with ion-exchange chromatography (IC) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) made us discard the hypothesis that the origin of the hue is due to colored chemical species. Our tests revealed that the origin of this coloration phenomenon is physical, due to suspended aluminosilicate particles (with diameters distributed around 566 nm according to a lognormal distribution) that produce Mie scattering. The color originates after mixing of two colorless streams because of the enlargement (by aggregation) of suspended aluminosilicate particles in the Río Buenavista stream due to a decrease of pH on mixing with the acidic Quebrada Agria. We postulate a chemical mechanism for this process, supported by experimental evidence of dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential measurements, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive spectra (EDS). Theoretical modeling of the Mie scattering yielded a strong coincidence between the observed color and the simulated one.

  15. Time-dependent changes in magmatic and hydrothermal activity at the Costa Rica Rift recorded by variations in oceanic crustal structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilson, D. J.; Peirce, C.; Hobbs, R. W.; Gregory, E. P. M.; Zhang, L.

    2016-12-01

    Geophysical studies of crustal structure at a diverse range of ridges have provided evidence that the balance between spreading rate and magma supply determines whether spreading predominantly occurs by magmatic accretion of new oceanic crust or through tectonic stretching of the whole lithosphere. Asymmetric spreading, patterns of on- and off-axis volcanism, the evolution of oceanic core complexes and the distribution of hydrothermal systems all indicate that the process of spreading is not constant over geologically short timescales. The structure of the resulting crust reflects this complexity in origin. Studies along flow-lines across ridges spreading at intermediate rates suggest variations in topographic style and crustal structure have periodically occurred, controlled by the interplay between magmatic accretion and tectonic stretching, and coupled to the degree of hydrothermal activity. Seismic reflection images and tomographic models derived from wide-angle seismic data have enabled a detailed examination of the oceanic crust that formed at the fast-to-intermediate-spreading (36 mm yr-1) Costa Rica Rift over the last 6 Ma, to look for any temporal variation in basement topography, upper crust (layer 2) P-wave velocity/density structure and crustal thickness. Coincident marine gravity and magnetic data not only allow us to test the validity of the final velocity-density model but also review variability in half-spreading rate, respectively. Collectively our analyses allow us to investigate the timescale and cyclicity of crustal structure variations and, having determined the spreading rate over time, consider how this may reflect changes in magma supply and/or hydrothermal activity at the Costa Rica Rift, using borehole 504B as the ground-truth. This research is part of a major, interdisciplinary NERC-funded collaboration entitled: Oceanographic and Seismic Characterisation of heat dissipation and alteration by hydrothermal fluids at an Axial Ridge (OSCAR).

  16. Studies of fluid flow indicators, Pacific margin of Costa Rica

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

    Silver, E.; McAdoo, B.; Langseth, M.

    Seismic reflection profiles off Costa Rica image a decrease in thickness of the underthrust sedimentary section from the Middle America Trench, implying a significant reduction of porosity in the outer 3-5 km from the trench and a source of vent water through the wedge. We encountered no evidence of discrete fluid venting over the outer 3-5 km of this margin from dives using the ALVIN submersible or from heat flow measurements (based on absence of chemosynthetic vent communities and heat flow anomalies in this zone). Vent communities occur farther upslope, associated with a series of out-of-sequence thrusts, with two mudmore » diapirs, and a mid-slope canyon. We infer that fracture permeability dominates in the out-of-sequence thrusts, upflow of fluid-rich muds in the diapir, and focusing of fluid flow in the canyon. Over 100 heat flow observations on the wedge and incoming COCOS plate showed a broad area of anomalously low heat flow (13 mW/m{sup 2}) seaward of the frontal thrust, whereas the expected heat flow for ocean crust of early Miocene age is seven times greater. The very low regional heat flow may reflect refrigeration by vigorous sea water flow through the upper crust pillow basalts. Heat flow increases to about 30 mW/m{sup 2} throughout the lower slope to mid-slope, implying a combination of widespread fluid venting, reheating of the cooled crust and frictional heating at the base of the wedge. The lack of discrete vents over the outer 3-5 km of the margin indicates diffuse flow and likely temporal episodicity, as this region has been aseismic since 1950.« less

  17. Studies of fluid flow indicators, Pacific margin of Costa Rica

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

    Silver, E.; McAdoo, B.; Langseth, M.

    Seismic reflection profiles off Costa Rica image a decrease in thickness of the underthrust sedimentary section from the Middle America Trench, implying a significant reduction of porosity in the outer 3-5 km from the trench and a source of vent water through the wedge. We encountered no evidence of discrete fluid venting over the outer 3-5 km of this margin from dives using the ALVIN submersible or from heat flow measurements (based on absence of chemosynthetic vent communities and heat flow anomalies in this zone). Vent communities occur farther upslope, associated with a series of out-of-sequence thrusts, with two mudmore » diapirs, and a mid-slope canyon. We infer that fracture permeability dominates in the out-of-sequence thrusts, upflow of fluid-rich muds in the diapir, and focusing of fluid flow in the canyon. Over 100 heat flow observations on the wedge and incoming COCOS plate showed a broad area of anomalously low heat flow (13 mW/m[sup 2]) seaward of the frontal thrust, whereas the expected heat flow for ocean crust of early Miocene age is seven times greater. The very low regional heat flow may reflect refrigeration by vigorous sea water flow through the upper crust pillow basalts. Heat flow increases to about 30 mW/m[sup 2] throughout the lower slope to mid-slope, implying a combination of widespread fluid venting, reheating of the cooled crust and frictional heating at the base of the wedge. The lack of discrete vents over the outer 3-5 km of the margin indicates diffuse flow and likely temporal episodicity, as this region has been aseismic since 1950.« less

  18. Detection of antibodies against Sarcocystis neurona, Neospora spp., and Toxoplasma gondii in horses from Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Dangoudoubiyam, S; Oliveira, J B; Víquez, C; Gómez-García, A; González, O; Romero, J J; Kwok, O C H; Dubey, J P; Howe, D K

    2011-06-01

    Serum samples from 315 horses from Costa Rica, Central America, were examined for the presence of antibodies against Sarcocystis neurona, Neospora spp., and Toxoplasma gondii by using the surface antigen (SAG) SnSAG2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the NhSAG1 ELISA, and the modified agglutination test, respectively. Anti- S. neurona antibodies were found in 42.2% of the horses by using the SnSAG2 ELISA. Anti- Neospora spp. antibodies were found in only 3.5% of the horses by using the NhSAG1 ELISA, and only 1 of these horses was confirmed seropositive by Western blot. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 34.0% of the horses tested, which is higher than in previous reports from North and South America. The finding of anti- S. neurona antibodies in horses from geographical areas where Didelphis marsupialis has wide distribution suggests that D. marsupialis is a potential definitive host for this parasite and a source of infection for these horses.

  19. The blood parasites of anurans from Costa Rica with reflections on the taxonomy of their trypanosomes.

    PubMed

    Desser, S S

    2001-02-01

    During May 1997, specimens of 7 species of anurans, that included 5 Phrynohyas venulosa Laurenti, 5 Rana forreri Boulenger, 7 Rana vaillanti Brucchi, 6 Eleutherodactylus fitzingeri Schimdt, 4 Smilisca baudinii Duméril and Bibron, 1 Leptodactylus melanonotus, and 3 Bufo marinus Linneaus, from the Guanacaste Conservation Area, Costa Rica were examined for blood parasites. Their hematozoan fauna included intraerythrocytic and intraleukocytic icosahedral viruses, a rickettsia (Aegyptianella sp.), 2 species of Hepatozoon, Lankesterella minima, 2 unknown species of apicomplexans, 9 morphologically distinct types of trypanosomes, and 2 species of microfilariae. Rana vaillanti, the most aquatic species of frog, harbored the most species of parasites. Recent evidence indicates that morphological changes in the highly pleomorphic trypanosomes of anurans from different geographical regions have not kept pace with biochemical (isozyme) and molecular (DNA sequence) changes. Describing new species based solely on bloodstream trypomastigotes is discouraged. Additional criteria described herein should be applied when naming new species of anuran trypanosomes.

  20. Movements and diving behavior of internesting green turtles along Pacific Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Blanco, Gabriela S; Morreale, Stephen J; Seminoff, Jeffrey A; Paladino, Frank V; Piedra, Rotney; Spotila, James R

    2013-09-01

    Using satellite transmitters, we determined the internesting movements, spatial ecology and diving behavior of East Pacific green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting on Nombre de Jesús and Zapotillal beaches along the Pacific coast of northwestern Costa Rica. Kernel density analysis indicated that turtles spent most of their time in a particularly small area in the vicinity of the nesting beaches (50% utilization distribution was an area of 3 km(2) ). Minimum daily distance traveled during a 12 day internesting period was 4.6 ± 3.5 km. Dives were short and primarily occupied the upper 10 m of the water column. Turtles spent most of their time resting at the surface and conducting U-dives (ranging from 60 to 81% of the total tracking time involved in those activities). Turtles showed a strong diel pattern, U-dives mainly took place during the day and turtles spent a large amount of time resting at the surface at night. The lack of long-distance movements demonstrated that this area was heavily utilized by turtles during the nesting season and, therefore, was a crucial location for conservation of this highly endangered green turtle population. The unique behavior of these turtles in resting at the surface at night might make them particularly vulnerable to fishing activities near the nesting beaches. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd, ISZS and IOZ/CAS.