The organic carbon content in aerial and underground biomass, low stratum, litter, rootlets and soil in both Pinus radiata plantation and moor in the south western area of Sangay National Park, in Ecuador, has been determined. Six permanent sample plots were established. In the forest plantation, aerial biomass carbon content average value was 14.69 MgC/ha, 0,68 MgC/ha for low stratum, 2.97 MgC/ha for litter, 0.15 MgC/ha for rootlets and 268.83 MgC/ha for soil. In the moor, low stratum carbon content average value was 6.55 MgC/ha, 56.09 MgC/ha for litter, 0.17 MgC/ha for rootlets and 215.0 MgC/ha for soil. Total average carbon was 287.31 MgC/ha in plantation and 277.81 MgC/ha in moor, an increase of 30% in Pinus radiata plantation relative to moor is observed but with a lower regeneration rate of herbaceous and shrub species. Results indicate that values of the carbon content in the area considered in the study are similar to values reported in the literature for other moors of neighboring provinces.

Se ha determinado el contenido de carbono orgánico en biomasa aérea, sotobosque, detritus no vivo, raicillas y suelo, en una plantación de Pinus radiata y en páramo, ubicado en la zona sur occidental del Parque Nacional Sangay, en Ecuador; se establecieron seis parcelas permanentes de muestreo. El contenido de carbono promedio para biomasa aérea en la plantación fue de 14.69 MgC/ha, sotobosque 0,68 MgC/ha, detritus no vivo 2.97 MgC/ha, raicillas 0.15 MgC/ha y suelo 268,83 MgC/ha. En páramo el valor promedio para sotobosque fue de 6.55 MgC/ha, detritus no vivo 56.09 MgC/ha, raicillas 0,17 MgC/ha y suelo 215.0 MgC/ha, el carbono promedio total en la plantación es de 287.31 MgC/ha y en páramo 277.81 MgC/ha, observando un incremento del 30%, en la plantación de Pinus radiata, pero con una menor tasa de regeneración de especies herbáceas y arbustivas con relación al páramo. Los resultados del contenido de carbono presente en el área de estudio son similares a los encontrados en los páramos de provincias cercanas reportados en la literatura.

DNA obtido do sangue periférico de dois pacientes equatorianos, que apresentavam severa patologia digestiva, foi amplificado pela "polymerase chain reaction" (PCR) utilizando os oligonucleotídoes específicos do Trypanosoma cruzi, derivados de uma seqüência primária de cDNA codificado de 24 kDa proteína excretória/secretória. Os resultados positivos da PCR junto com os achados clínicos confirmam que os dois pacientes tinham uma patologia digestiva de origem chagásica. Esta patologia poderia ser mais freqüente que a descrita previamente nas regiões endêmicas chagásicas das cidades dos Andes.

DNA extracted from peripheral blood of two Ecuadorian patients showing severe digestive pathology was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction using a Trypanosoma cruzi specific oligonucleotide primers derived from the primary sequence of a cDNA encoding for a 24 kDa excretory/secretory protein. The positive PCR results together with the clinical findings confirmed that both patients had a digestive pathology due to Chagas' disease. This pathology could be more frequent than previously described in the chagasic endemic regions of Andean countries.