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Ítem Accuracy and reliability of buccal bone height and thickness measurements from cone-beam computed tomography imaging(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 2011-06) Covell, , David; Benninger, Brion; Crowe, Jennifer; Michael, Leo; MacDonald, Terry; Cook, Valane; Timock, AdamCone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging has broadened opportunities for examining morphologic aspects of the craniofacial complex, including alveolar bone, but limitations of the technology have yet to be defined. Through the use of comparisons with direct measurements, the purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy and reliability of buccal alveolar bone height and thickness measurements derived from CBCT images. Twelve embalmed cadaver heads (5 female, 7 male; mean age: 77 years) were scanned with an i-CAT 17-19 unit (Imaging Sciences International, Hatfield, Pa) at 0.3 mm voxel size. Buccal alveolar bone height and thickness measurements of 65 teeth were made in standardized radiographic slices and compared with direct measurements made by dissection. All measurements were repeated 3 times by 2 in dependent raters and examined for intrarater and interrater reliability. Measurement means were compared with 2-tailed t tests. Agreement between direct and CBCT measurements was assessed by concordance correlation coefficients, Pearson correlation coefficients, and Bland-Altman plots. Intrarater reliability was high as were interrater correlations for all measurements ($0.97) except CBCT buccal bone thickness (0.90). CBCT measurements did not differ significantly from direct measurements, and there was no pattern of underestima tion or overestimation. The mean absolute differences were 0.30 mm in buccal bone height and 0.13 mm in buc cal bone thickness with 95% limits of agreement of 0.77 to 0.81 mm, and 0.32 to 0.38 mm, respectively. Agreement between the 2 methods was higher for the measurements of buccal bone height than buccal bone thickness, as demonstrated by concordance correlation coefficients of 0.98 and 0.86, respectively. Conclusions: For the protocol used in this study, CBCT can be used to quantitatively assess buccal bone height and buccal bone thickness with high precision and accuracy. Comparing the 2 sets of CBCT measurements, buccal bone height had greater reliability and agreement with direct measurements than did the buccal bone thickness measurements. (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2011;140:734-44Ítem Assessment of long-term and recent pesticide exposure among rural school children in Nicaragua(Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2012-02) Rodríguez, Teresa; van Wendel de Joode, Berna; Lindh, Christian; Rojas, Marianela; Lundberg, Ingvar; Wesseling, CatharinaThis study assessed pesticide exposure of children in rural Nicaragua in relation to parental pesticide use, from around conception to current school age, as part of an epidemiological evaluation of neurodevelopment effects. Methods: We included 132 children whose parents were subsistence farmers or plantation workers, or had an agricultural history. As proxies for children's long-term exposures, we constructed cumulative parental pesticide-specific use indices for periods before and after the child's birth from data obtained using an icon-calendar-based questionnaire, of application hours (h) for plantation workers and subsistence farmers, and of kilograms of active ingredients (ai) only for subsistence farmers. Pesticide residues of TCPY, 3-PBA and 2,4-D were analysed in children's urine as indicators for current exposures. Results: Life-time indices were highest for the organophosphates chlorpyrifos (median 114 h (min 2; max 1584), 19.2 kg ai (min 0.37; max 548)) and methamidophos (84 h (6; 1964), 12.2 kg ai (0.30; 780)). The P50 values of children's urinary residues were 3.7 μg/g creatinine for TCPY, 2.8 for 3-PBA and 0.9 for 2,4-D; TCPY values are comparable with those in other countries, but 3-PBA and 2,4-D are considerably higher. The maximum levels for all three pesticides are the highest reported for children. Residues increased on days after application, but most high residue levels were unrelated to parental pesticide applications. Conclusion: Urinary pesticide residues reveal high environmental exposure among children in rural Nicaragua. The quantitative parental pesticide use indices as proxies for children's exposures during different periods may be useful for the evaluation of developmental health effects.Ítem Cancer in Banana Plantation Workers in Costa Rica(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 1996) WESSELING, CATHARINA; Ahlbom, Anders; Antich, Daniel; Rodríguez, Ana Cecilia; Castro, RobertoBackground. Costa Rica has population and disease registries with potential value for epidemiological research. Pesticides have been intensively used on banana plantations, for example dibromochloropropane (DBCP). This study was planned to examine the quality of the cancer and civil registries and the feasibility of record linkages, and to explore cancer patterns among a highly exposed group. Methods. A retrospective cohort study was carried out. Workers on the payrolls of banana companies, as reported to the Social Security System at any time between 1972 and 1979, were followed up in the cancer registry between 1981 and 1992: 29,565 men and 4892 women for 407,468 person-years. The observed cases of cancer were compared to the expected values, derived from the national incidence rates. Results. We identified 368 cancer cases, 292 among men (standardized incidence ratio [SIR] = 76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 67-84) and 76 among women (SIR = 116, 95% CI: 90-142). Among men increased SIR were observed for melanoma (SIR = 197, 95% CI: 94-362) and penile cancer (SIR = 149, 95% CI: 55-324); among women for cervix cancer (SIR = 182, 95% CI: 122-241) and leukaemia (SIR = 274, 95% CI: 86-639). Risk estimates for lung cancer were elevated among male workers with the longest time of employment. Conclusions. Follow-up was difficult due to deficient identification variables in the cancer registry and to easier identification of the living compared to the deceased in the civil registry at the end of the observation period. The various systematic errors in this study are likely to produce an underestimation of the relative risk estimates. This study contributes to improvements of the registries and increases the potential for cancer epidemiology in Costa Rica and other developing countries.Ítem Parental age and the risk of childhood acute myeloid leukemia: results from the Childhood Leukemia International Consortium(Elsevier Ltd, 2019-04) Panagopoulou, Paraskevi; Auvinen, Anssi; Spector, Logan; Roman, Eve; Pombo-de-Oliveira, Maria; Scheurer, Michael; Mora, Ana Maria; Doody, David; Kane, Eleanor; Ntzani, Evangelia; Martínez Rodríguez, ElenitaParental age has been associated with several childhood cancers, albeit the evidence is still inconsistent. To examine the associations of parental age at birth with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) among children aged 0–14 years using individual-level data from the Childhood Leukemia International Consortium (CLIC) and non-CLIC studies. We analyzed data of 3182 incident AML cases and 8377 controls from 17 studies [seven registry-based case-control (RCC) studies and ten questionnaire-based case-control (QCC) studies]. AML risk in association with parental age was calculated using multiple logistic regression, meta-analyses, and pooled-effect estimates. Models were stratified by age at diagnosis (infants < 1 year-old vs. children 1–14 years-old) and by study design, using five-year parental age increments and controlling for sex, ethnicity, birthweight, prematurity, multiple gestation, birth order, maternal smoking and education, age at diagnosis (cases aged 1–14 years), and recruitment time period. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) derived from RCC, but not from the QCC, studies showed a higher AML risk for infants of mothers ≥40-year-old (OR = 6.87; 95% CI: 2.12–22.25). There were no associations observed between any other maternal or paternal age group and AML risk for children older than one year. An increased risk of infant AML with advanced maternal age was found using data from RCC, but not from QCC studies; no parental age-AML associations were observed for older children.Ítem Manganese exposure and working memory-related brain activity in smallholder farmworkers in Costa Rica: Results from a pilot study(Academic Press Inc., 2019-04-06) Rojas Valverde, Daniel; Gutierrez Vargas, Randall; Fuhrimann, Samuel; Menezes Filho, José; Mora, Ana Maria; Palzes, Vanessa; Sagiv, Sharon; Baker, Joseph; Winkler, Mirko; Staudacher, Philipp; Reiss, Allan; Eskenazi, BrendaMain sources of manganese (Mn) in the general population are diet and drinking water. Mn is also found in ethylene bisdithiocarbamate (EBDC) fungicides used in agriculture or emitted into the air by ferromanganese plants and welding fumes, which can be additional environmental and occupational sources of exposure. High occupational Mn exposure has been linked with motor, behavioral, and cognitive impairment, but its effects on neural function remain poorly understood. We conducted a functional neuroimaging study in a sample of 48 farmworkers in Zarcero County, Costa Rica, an agricultural region where EBDC fungicides are sprayed. We measured Mn concentrations in farmworkers’ toenails (n = 40 farmworkers) and hair (n = 33 farmworkers), and recorded brain activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during a letter-retrieval working memory task using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We estimated exposure-outcome associations using multivariable linear egression models adjusted for age and education level. Geometric mean (geometric standard deviation) toenail and hair Mn concentrations were 0.40 μg/g (3.52) and 0.24 μg/g (3.54), respectively. We did not find strong evidence that Mn concentrations were associated with working memory-related brain activity in this sample of farmworkers; we also found null associations between working memory task accuracy and brain activity. However, our small sample size may have limited our ability to detect small effect sizes with statistical precision. Our study demonstrates that fNIRS can be a useful and feasible tool in environmental epidemiology for examining the effects of toxicants, like Mn, on neural function. This may prove to be important for elucidating neuropathological pathways that underlie previously reported ssociations of elevated Mn exposure with neurotoxic effects.Ítem Prenatal Exposure to Mixtures of Phthalates, Parabens, and Other Phenols and Obesity in Five-Year-Olds in the CHAMACOS Cohort(International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021-02-12) Berger, Kimberly; Hyland, Carly; Ames, Jennifer; Mora, Ana Maria; Huen, Karen; Eskenazi, Brenda; Holland, Nina; Harley, KimExposures to phthalates, parabens, and other phenols are often correlated due to their ubiquitous use in personal care products and plastics. Examining these compounds as a complex mixture may clarify inconsistent relationships between individual chemicals and childhood adiposity. Using data from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study, a longitudinal cohort of children in Salinas Valley, California (n = 309), we examined biomarkers of 11 phthalate metabolites and 9 phenols, including several parabens and bisphenol A, measured in maternal urine at two time points during pregnancy. We measured child height and weight at age five to calculate the body mass index (BMI) z-scores and overweight/obesity status. The association between prenatal urinary concentrations of biomarkers with the childhood BMI z-score and overweight/obesity status was analyzed using single-pollutant models and two mixture methods: Bayesian hierarchical modeling (BMH) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR). Urinary concentrations of monoethyl phthalate, monocarboxy-isononly phthalate (metabolites of diethyl phthalate and di-isodecyl phthalate, respectively), and propylparaben were consistently associated with an increased BMI z-score and overweight/obesity status across all modeling approaches. Higher prenatal exposures to the cumulative biomarker mixture also trended with greater childhood adiposity. These results, robust across two methods that control for co-pollutant confounding, suggest that prenatal exposure to certain phthalates and parabens may increase the risk for obesity in early childhood.Ítem Agricultura expansiva potencia el uso de plaguicidas(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 2014-09) Ortiz, LauraEn los últimos años, cultivos como piña, caña de azúcar, arroz y palma africana han aumentado sus áreas de producción en distintas zonas del país, y otros como banano, café y cítricos se han mantenido en grandes extensiones; con ello, Costa Rica se convierte en uno de los países con mayor índice de importación de plaguicidas por habitante y por área agrícola.Ítem Sustancias biocidas en la producción de caña de azúcar en Costa Rica(2022) Ramírez, Fernando; Bravo, Vyria; Herrera, Gustavo; Cruz Malavassi, Elba de laLa cantidad de plaguicidas importados en Costa Rica aumentó de 8.400 a 13.300 ton ia entre 2000 y 2012 (58%), asociado a un crecimiento del área agrícola del 10%. El cultivo de caña de azúcar pasó de 47.200 a 57.600 ha (22%). Las principales zonas productoras son Pacífico Seco, Pacífico Central, Región Norte, Valle Central Occidental y Oriental, y Región Sur; Guanacaste concentra más del 50% del área.Ítem Uso del herbicida glifosato en Costa Rica en el periodo 2007 a 2015(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 2017-01-30) Ramírez Muñoz, Fernando; Bravo Durán, Virya; Herrera Ledezma, GustavoCosta Rica es uno de los mayores importadores y usuarios de plaguicidas a nivel centroamericano. El glifosato es el herbicida de mayor uso, tanto en el mundo como en Costa Rica. Se utiliza en la mayoría de cultivos: anuales, perennes y en zonas no agrícolas. Por medio de entrevistas a sujetos productores agrícolas se conocieron las cantidades usadas de glifosato en los principales cultivos. Las importaciones de este herbicida se iniciaron en 1982 con 36 toneladas de ingrediente activo (T i.a.), y se llegó a importar 1 761 T i.a. en 2013. Se calculó el uso ponderado de glifosato en kg i.a./ ha/ciclo. Los cultivos perennes son los principales consumidores de glifosato (51,6% del total), le siguen las zonas no agrícolas (37,1%) y los cultivos anuales (10,8%), la mayoría granos como arroz, frijol y maíz. Por cultivo, la palma africana consume el 24,9% del total de glifosato usado en el país, le sigue el arroz (7,8%), café (5,4%), banano (5,2%), cítricos (4,6%) y pastos (3,7%). En cultivos como el pejibaye para palmito, se nota una dependencia de este herbicida en el manejo de malezas, lo que ha llevado a que poblaciones de malezas evolucionen en resistencia.Ítem Habitat preferences and simulation of physical habitat availability of Perlidae (Plecoptera) and Corydalidae (Megaloptera) in a neotropical river(Editorial UCR, 2025-11-03) Quesada Alvarado, Francisco; Echeverría Sáenz, Silvia; Chaves Quirós, AnnyHabitat preferences represent the distribution and abundance of species among different habitat types. These preferences are highly relevant ecological information because they relate to the feeding strategies, offspring care and predator avoidance refuges of the organisms, therefore potentially influencing their fitness. To define the habitat preference of the nymphs of Anacroneuria spp. (Plecoptera) and larvae of Corydalus spp. (Megaloptera) with respect to current velocity and depth. Methods: We evaluated the abundance of Anacroneuria and Corydalus with information gathered through 15 field campaigns in three sites of the Savegre River, Costa Rica. Also, we used habitat preferences to create simulations of the physical habitat availability for these species through hydraulic models to determine habitat gain or loss due to variations in flow. Anacroneuria (Plecoptera) nymphs preferred velocities of 0.9 m/s and depths between 23-36 cm, while Corydalus (Megaloptera) larvae preferred velocities between 0.6-0.8 m/s, and depths between 17-29 cm. As a case study, these preferences were modeled to determine optimal, regular or inadequate habitat availability for Anacroneuria and Corydalus given hypothetical flow variations in the Savegre River (Costa Rica). A discharge of < 8 m3/s resulted in a decrease in optimal habitat, mainly because it decreased water velocity below the preferred ranges. Also, a discharge of > 18 m3/s resulted in a decrease in optimal habitat because of the depth increase. This type of information is scarce or even absent for neotropical rivers, though necessary for a description of a healthy habitat. Furthermore, this habitat preference vs. modeled habitat availability approach is highly useful, -both in tropical and temperate rivers- for understanding the potential effects of any water derivation or exploitation.Ítem Taller sobre agricultura y sector informal: SALTRA promueve la capacitación en salud ambiental en 6 países de Centroamérica(SALTRA, 2014-04) Rojas Garbanzo, Marianela; Víquez Zamora, DianaÍtem Resistencia al glifosato en biotipos de zacate cabezón (Paspalum paniculatum L.) de la Región del Caribe de Costa Rica(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 2016-07-31) Ramírez Muñoz, FernandoDurante los años 2012 y 2013 se estudió, en un invernadero en Tambor de Alajuela, la respuesta de biotipos de Paspalum paniculatum, una maleza poácea, al herbicida glifosato, con el objetivo de determinar su nivel de resistencia. Los biotipos de zacate cabezón provenían de fincas productoras de palmito de pejibaye, banano orgánico y banano convencional de la provincia de Limón, y de bordes de caminos de Guanacaste y Heredia. A las plantas se les aplicaron dosis crecientes de glifosato y se midió su peso fresco 21 días después. Se encontraron tres biotipos resistentes a glifosato (R), que necesitan de 2,0 a 8,3 veces más herbicida para sufrir una reducción del 50% en su crecimiento con respecto a biotipos susceptibles (S), en fincas de producción convencional de pejibaye y banano con más de 12 años de aplicar glifosato como único método de control de malezas. Los biotipos S provenían de una finca de banano orgánico y de bordes de caminos, donde el uso de glifosato fue nulo o mínimo.Ítem Monitoring pesticide use and associated health hazards in Central America(ResearchGate, 2011-09) Bravo Durán, Virya; Rodríguez, Teresa; Wesseling, Catharina; De La Cruz Malavassi, Elba; Calderón, Gloria. R; Wendel e Joode, Berna Van; Turcios, Miguel; Méndez, Luis A; Mejía, Winston; Tatis, Anabel; Z Abrego, FedericoEstablecimos métodos para monitorear el uso de plaguicidas y los riesgos para la salud asociados en Centroamérica. A partir de datos de importación de Belice, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua y Panamá para el período 2000–2004, construimos indicadores cuantitativos (kg de ingrediente activo) del uso general de plaguicidas, los riesgos para la salud asociados y el cumplimiento de las regulaciones internacionales. Centroamérica importó 33 millones de kg de ingrediente activo por año. Las importaciones aumentaron un 33% durante 2000–2004. De 403 plaguicidas, 13 representaron el 77% del total de plaguicidas importados. Se utilizan altos volúmenes de plaguicidas peligrosos: el 22% eran altamente/extremadamente tóxicos de forma aguda, el 33% moderadamente/severamente irritantes o sensibilizantes, y el 30% presentaban múltiples toxicidades crónicas. De los 41 plaguicidas incluidos en el Convenio de Estocolmo sobre Contaminantes Orgánicos Persistentes (COP), el Convenio de Rotterdam sobre el Consentimiento Fundamentado Previo (PIC), el Protocolo de Montreal sobre las Sustancias que Agotan la Capa de Ozono, la “Docena Sucia” de la Red de Acción en Plaguicidas (PAN) y la Docena Sucia Centroamericana, se importaron 16 (17% del volumen total), cuatro de los cuales se encontraban entre los 13 plaguicidas más importados. Costa Rica es, con diferencia, el mayor consumidor. Los datos de importación de plaguicidas son buenos indicadores de las tendencias de uso y una fuente informativa para monitorear los riesgos y, potencialmente, la eficacia de las intervenciones.Ítem A novel experimental approach to assess the effect of contamination events on the spatial distribution of organisms in lotic-estuarine landscapes(ELSEVIER, 2025-12-19) Salvatierra, David; González, María Pilar; Echeverría-Sáenz, Silvia; Blasco, Julián; Araújo, Cristiano V.M.The riverscape concept includes structural connectivity and functional interactions where upstream processes significantly influence downstream conditions. As such, a landscape perspective is necessary to evaluate the impact of contamination, because it can spread far beyond the release area, potentially reaching estuaries. Therefore, we hypothesized that contamination might affect freshwater organisms’ habitat selection in a simulated lotic-estuarine (flow-through) landscape, considering that the estuary zone acts as a stress factor by restricting the options of habitats while the non-contaminated upstream areas could serve as shelter zones to alleviate or even prevent the contamination exposure. The aim of this study was to provide a new method to evaluate the habitat selection response of aquatic organisms when exposed to a contamination event in a simulated lotic-estuarine landscape, including upstream and shelter zones as attractive habitats and an estuary zone. The freshwater shrimp Atyaephyra desmarestii was used as model test organism, copper was used as the contaminant, and the Heterogeneous Multi-Habitat Assay System (HeMHAS), was employed to simulate the lotic-estuarine landscape with a multiple connectivity setup. The results showed that contaminated conditions led shrimp to avoid the contaminated area and were carried towards the estuary region with the flow. However, in a static experiment (without flow), both estuary and contaminated regions were avoided and a preference for the shelter (clean) regions was observed. This study highlights the plasticity of organisms’ habitat selection behavior within a connected ecosystem, where contamination and salinity pressure together might have serious implications for the distribution of freshwater species. Further, the HeMHAS can successfully integrate flow in simulated heterogeneous landscapes to broad the understanding of contamination effects in aquatic lotic ecosystems.Ítem Soil fauna hazard index to identify the risk of exposure to biocidal substances(Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 2024-09) Sánchez Menjivar, María; Villalobos Sequeira, Jenny; Ramírez Muño, Fernando; Blanco Peña, KinndleChemical pollution in the soil compartment can lead to considerable biodiversity loss and poor soil quality. Soil fauna inside and near agroecosystems, agricultural landscapes, and cattle grasslands provide various ecosystem services that contribute to sustaining human well-being. Interviews were conducted with farmers in two Costa Rican provinces to identify the active ingredients used in agricultural and livestock farms. Using a soil fauna hazard index, 27 agrochemicals and 18 veterinary drugs were categorized as hazardous substances to soil invertebrates. The scientific literature reports the effects of exposure to many of these substances on various levels of biological organization, therefore, it is critical to promote appropriate practices in their use to reduce environmental effects.Ítem AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds(Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, 2022-02-24) Tobias, Joseph A. T; Sheard, Catherine; Pigot, Alex L.; Devenish, Adam J. M.; Yang, Jingyi; Sayol, Ferran; Neate-Clegg, Montague H. C.; Alioravainen, Nico; Weeks, Thomas L.; Barber, Robert A.; Walkden, Patrick A.; MacGregor, Hannah E. A.; Jones, Samuel E. I.; Vincent, Claire; Phillips, Anna G.; Marples, Nicola M.; Montaño-Centellas, Flavia A.; Leandro-Silva, Víctor; Claramunt, Santiago; Darski, Bianca; Freeman, Benjamín G.; Bregman, Tom P.; R. Cooney, Christopher; Hughes, Emma C.; Capp, Elliot J. R.; Varley, Zoë K.; Friedman, Nicholas R.; Korntheuer, Heiko; Corrales Vargas, Andrea; Trisos, Christopher H.; Weeks, Brian C.; Hanz, Dagmar M.; Töpfer, Till; Remeš, Vladimír; Nowak, Larissa; Carneiro, Lincoln S.; Moncada R., Amilkar J.; Matysioková, Beata; Baldassarre, Daniel T.; Martínez-Salinas, Alejandra; Wolfe, Jared D.; Chapman, Philip M.; Daly, Benjamin G.; Sorensen, Marjorie C.; Neu, Alexander; Ford, Michael A.; Mayhew, Rebekah J.; Silveira, Luis Fabio; Kelly, David J.; Annorbah, Nathaniel N. D.; Pollock, Henry S.; Grabowska-Zhang, Ada M.; McEntee, Jay P.; González, Juan Carlos T.; Meneses, Camila G.; Muñoz, Marcia C.; Powell, Luke L.; Jaime, Gabriel A.; Matthews, Thomas J.; Johnson, Oscar.; Brito, Guilherme R. R.; Zyskowski, Kristof.; Crates, Ross; Harvey, Michael G.; Jurado Zevallos, Maura; Hosner, Peter A.; Bradfer-Lawrence, Tom; M. Maley, James; Stiles, F. Gary; Lima, Hevana S.; Provost, Kaiya L.; Chibesa, Moses; Mashao, Mmatjie; Howard, Jeffrey T.; Mlamba, Edson; Chua, Marcus A. H.; Li, Bicheng; Gómez, M. Isabel; García, Natalia C.; Päckert, Martin; Fuchs, Jérôme; Ali, Jarome R.; Derryberry, Elizabeth P.; Carlson, Monica L.; Urriza, Rolly C.; Brzeski, Kristin E.; Prawiradilaga, Dewi M.; Rayner, Matt J.; Miller, Eliot T.; Bowie, Rauri C. K.; Lafontaine, René-Marie; Scofield, R. Paul; Lou, Yingqiang.; Somarathna, Lankani; Lepage, Denis; Illif, Marshall; Neuschulz, Eike Lena; Templin, Mathias; Dehling, D. Matthias; Cooper, Jacob C.; Pauwels, Olivier S. G.; Analuddin, Kangkuso; Fjeldså, Jon; Seddon, Nathalie; Sweet, Paul R.; DeClerck, Fabrice A. J.; N. Naka, Luciano.; Brawn, Jeffrey D.; Aleixo, Alexandre; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin; Rahbek, Carsten; Fritz, Susanne A.; Thomas, Gavin H.; Schleuning, MatthiasFunctional traits offer a rich quantitative framework for developing and testing theories in evolutionary biology, ecology and ecosystem science. However, the potential of functional traits to drive theoretical advances and refine models of global change can only be fully realised when species-level information is complete. Here we present the AVONET dataset containing comprehensive functional trait data for all birds, including six ecological variables, 11 continuous morphological traits, and information on range size and location. Raw morphological measurements are presented from 90,020 individuals of 11,009 extant bird species sampled from 181 countries. These data are also summarised as species averages in three taxonomic formats, allowing integration with a global phylogeny, geographical range maps, IUCN Red List data and the eBird citizen science database. The AVONET dataset provides the most detailed picture of continuous trait variation for any major radiation of organisms, offering a global template for testing hypotheses and exploring the evolutionary origins, structure and functioning of biodiversityÍtem Social conditions and urban health inequities: realities, challenges and opportunities to transform the urban landscape through research and action(Springer Nature, 2011-08-18) Salgado de Snyder, V. Nelly; Friel, Sharon; Fotso, Jean Christophe; Khadr, Zeinab; Meresman, Sergio; Monge, Patricia; Patil-Deshmukh, AnitaThe process of urbanization entails social improvements with the consequential better quality-of-life for urban residents. However, in many low-income and some middle-income countries, urbanization conveys inequality and exclusion, creating cities and dwellings characterized by poverty, overcrowded conditions, poor housing, severe pollution, and absence of basic services such as water and sanitation. Slums in large cities often have an absence of schools, transportation, health centers, recreational facilities, and other such amenities. Additionally, the persistence of certain conditions, such as poverty, ethnic heterogeneity, and high population turnover, contributes to a lowered ability of individuals and communities to control crime, vandalism, and violence. The social vulnerability in health is not a “natural” or predefined condition but occurs because of the unequal social context that surrounds the daily life of the disadvantaged, and often, socially excluded groups. Social exclusion of individuals and groups is a major threat to development, whether to the community social cohesion and economic prosperity or to the individual self-realization through lack of recognition and acceptance, powerlessness, economic vulnerability, ill health, diminished life experiences, and limited life prospects. In contrast, social inclusion is seen to be vital to the material, psychosocial, and political aspects of empowerment that underpin social well-being and equitable health. Successful experiences of cooperation and networking between slum-based organizations, grassroots groups, local and international NGOs, and city government are important mechanisms that can be replicated in urban settings of different low- and middle-income countries. With increasing urbanization, it is imperative to design health programs for the urban poor that take full advantage of the social resources and resourcefulness of their own communities.Ítem Urban Health Inequities and the Added Pressure of Climate Change: An Action-Oriented Research Agenda(Springer Nature, 2011-08-23) Friel, Sharon; Hancock, Trevor; Kjellstrom, Tord; McGranahan, Gordon; Monge, Patricia; Roy, JoyashreeClimate change will likely exacerbate already existing urban social inequities and health risks, thereby exacerbating existing urban health inequities. Cities in low- and middle-income countries are particularly vulnerable. Urbanization is both a cause of and potential solution to global climate change. Most population growth in the foreseeable future will occur in urban areas primarily in developing countries. How this growth is managed has enormous implications for climate change given the increasing concentration and magnitude of economic production in urban localities, as well as the higher consumption practices of urbanites, especially the middle classes, compared to rural populations. There is still much to learn about the extent to which climate change affects urban health equity and what can be done effectively in different socio-political and socio-economic contexts to improve the health of urban dwelling humans and the environment. But it is clear that equity-oriented climate change adaptation means attention to the social conditions in which urban populations live this is not just a climate change policy issue, it requires inter-sectoral action. Policies and programs in urban planning and design, workplace health and safety, and urban agriculture can help mitigate further climate change and adapt to existing climate change. If done well, these will also be good for urban health equity.Ítem Unintentional Fatal Paraquat Poisonings Among Agricultural Workers in Costa Rica: Report of 15 Cases(Wiley-Liss, Inc., 1998-12-06) Wesseling, Catharina; Hogstedt, Christer; Picado, Anabelle; Johansson, LeifEste estudio analiza las circunstancias de exposición de 15 intoxicaciones ocupacionales fatales por paraquat. Para evaluar el peligro potencial de la absorción dérmica y la cantidad necesaria para producir un desenlace fatal en caso de ingesta oral, revisamos los registros médicos y los protocolos de autopsia y entrevistamos a los familiares. Cinco muertes se debieron a la ingestión de un trago de concentrado de paraquat y cinco a la ingesta de una cantidad menor; tres casos se asociaron con exposición dérmica y en dos, no hubo evidencia de exposición oral o dérmica. Varios casos se referían a aerosoles de paraquat diluidos. Los hallazgos clínicos y patomorfológicos, incluida una evaluación "ciega" de portaobjetos de pulmón, fueron consistentes con intoxicación por paraquat en todos los casos. Se identificaron dificultades para establecer el diagnóstico y reconocer la exposición, así como la clasificación de los envenenamientos no intencionales como suicidios en la autopsia. Los hallazgos sugieren que el paraquat puede causar intoxicaciones mortales por ingestión de pequeñas cantidades, por absorción dérmica de paraquat diluido y posiblemente por inhalación. Se justifican estudios más concluyentes.Ítem The Determinants of Dermal Exposure Ranking Method (DERM): A Pesticide Exposure Assessment Approach for Developing Countries(Oxford University Press, 2008-07-07) Blanco, Luis E.; Aragón, Aurora; Lundberg, Ingvar; Wesseling Hoogervors, Catharina; Nise, GunAnewmethod for assessment of dermal exposure to pesticides in subsistence farmers by use of determinants of dermal exposure is described. The method, called the determinants of dermal exposureranking method(DERM),isacombinationofchecklists andexpert ratingassessment. Thus, determinants are listed in a form, which is used to check their presence and to assess them using a simple algorithm based on two factors, the type of transport process (T value) and the area of body surface exposed (Avalue). In addition, the type of clothing worn during applications is included as a protection factor. We applied the DERM to real pesticide applications, characterizing dermal exposure and comparing DERM estimates with earlier developed semiquantitative visual scores based on fluorescent tracer, the total visual score (TVS) and contaminated body area (CBA). DERM showed avery good level of agreement with both the TVS (r 5 0.69; P 5 0.000) and the CBA (r 5 0.67; P 5 0.000). DERM allowed identification of the determinants that had the highest effect on exposure and the farmers with the highest exposure. In conclusion, DERM provided information on the determinants responsible for dermal exposure in a group of subsistence farmers. This can be useful to design monitoring and preventive programs, define priorities for intervention and prioritize and select most adequate measurementstrategies. DERM promises to be a low-cost easy-to-use method to assess dermal exposure to pesticides in developing country conditions.