ABSTRACT At present, a suitability requisite for the professional of the health focuses on the communication of the statistical information. Nevertheless, diverse investigations carried out in Cuba and the foreigner confirm that this constitutes still a limitation for this professional. For such a reason, the present article takes as objective to offer a methodology to improve the communicative quality of the statistical information of the professionals of the health. For it, it is systematized diverse theoretical bases related to the communication from a psychological perspective and of the didactics of the Statistics. The proposed methodology was valued by means of specialists' criteria that endorsed its suitable relevancy, coherence and possible practicality of practical application.

RESUMEN En la actualidad un requisito de idoneidad para el profesional de la salud se enfoca a la comunicación de la información estadística. Sin embargo, diversas investigaciones realizadas en Cuba y el extranjero confirman que esto constituye aún una limitante para este profesional. Por tal razón, el presente artículo tiene como objetivo ofrecer una metodología para mejorar la calidad comunicativa de la información estadística de los profesionales de la salud. Para ello, se sistematizan diversos referentes teóricos relacionados con la comunicación desde una perspectiva psicológica y de la didáctica de la Estadística. La metodología propuesta se valoró por medio de criterio de especialistas que avaló su adecuada pertinencia, coherencia y posible factibilidad de aplicación práctica.

Several directives of the Cuban Ministry of Education give arguments favoring the need to enhance the quality of communication. In this respect, Mathematics plays a fundamental role for its recognized contribution to the development of logical thinking of students. However, the analysis of the related research findings proves there are still difficulties in achieving such formative task at all level of education, especially at the university. The objective of this article is to evaluate a didactic strategy to improve the quality of communication in mathematics of university students. Theoretical methods and some principles related to communication in mathematics were used to construct a framework. This allowed the design of a didactic strategy, applied to three university majors (Bachelor of Education in Mathematics, Civil Engineering and Architecture). The findings prove it to pertinent in improving the quality of communication in mathematics of university students.

Diversos documentos normativos del Ministerio de Educación cubano precisan la necesidad de potenciar la calidad de la comunicación. En tal sentido, la Matemática juega un rol fundamental por su reconocida contribución al desarrollo del pensamiento lógico de los estudiantes. Sin embargo, al analizar diversos resultados investigativos se pudo comprobar que ese objetivo de formación presenta un déficit en los diversos niveles del sistema de educación, con mayor incidencia en la universidad. El presente artículo tiene como objetivo evaluar una estrategia didáctica para mejorar la calidad de la comunicación en matemática de los estudiantes universitarios. Se emplean diversos métodos teóricos y se asumen algunos postulados relacionados con la comunicación en matemática. Ello permitió el diseño de la estrategia didáctica, implementada en tres carreras universitarias (Licenciatura en Educación especialidad Matemática, Ingeniería Civil y Arquitectura). Los resultados obtenidos permitieron corroborar su validez a los fines de mejorar la calidad de la comunicación en matemática de los estudiantes universitarios.

El flebótomo Lutzomyia spinicrassa es vector de Leishmania braziliensis y tiene amplia distribución en plantaciones de café en Colombia y Venezuela. Metodología: Se estableció una colonia en condiciones de laboratorio a partir de 600 hembras de L. spinicrassa capturadas en el campo y mantenidas a temperatura de 23º C y humedad relativa de 70%. El tiempo de desarrollo desde huevo hasta adulto osciló entre 58 y 78 días, en promedio 11 semanas. Se compararon parámetros poblacionales de la especie obtenidos a partir de cinco generaciones sucesivas mantenidas en grupos, con una generación criada individualmente. Resultados: Se obtuvieron los siguientes parámetros en cada condición experimental: tasa neta de reproducción (6,92 y 7 hembras por hembra por generación), tasa intrínseca de incremento poblacional (0,17 y 0,18 hembras por hembra por semana) y tasa finita de incremento poblacional (1,06 y 1,19 individuos por hembra por semana). Conclusión: Estos datos sugieren que la colonia de L. spinicrassa tuvo un incremento constante durante las seis generaciones analizadas.

Lutzomyia spinicrassa is a vector of Leishmania braziliensis. This sand fly has a broad geographical distribution in Colombia and Venezuela and it's founded mainly in coffee plantations. Methodology: Starting from 600 females of L. spinicrassa captured in field a laboratory colony was established. The development time from egg to adult ranged from 58 to 78 days, 11 weeks in average. Population parameters of five successive generations maintained in groups were compared with a generation reared individually. Results: The following parameters were obtained in each experimental condition: net rate of reproduction (6.92 and 7 females per female per generation), intrinsic rate of population increment (0.17 and 0.18 females per female per week) and finite rate of population increment (1.06 and 1.19 individuals per female per week). Conclusion: These data suggest that the colony of L. spinicrassa had a constant increment during the six analyzed generations.

Lutzomyia spinicrassa is a vector of Leishmania braziliensis in Colombia. This sand fly has a broad geographical distribution in Colombia and Venezuela and it is found mainly in coffee plantations. Baseline biological growth data of L. spinicrassa were obtained under experimental laboratory conditions. The development time from egg to adult ranged from 59 to 121 days, with 12.74 weeks in average. Based on cohorts of 100 females, horizontal life table was constructed. The following predictive parameters were obtained: net rate of reproduction (8.4 females per cohort female), generation time (12.74 weeks), intrinsic rate of population increase (0.17), and finite rate of population increment (1.18). The reproductive value for each class age of the cohort females was calculated. Vertical life tables were elaborated and mortality was described for the generation obtained of the field cohort. In addition, for two successive generations, additive variance and heritability for fecundity were estimated.

The brain cell karyotype of New World sand fly Lutzomyia shannoni was described. This species has four pairs of chromosomes, 2N=8, with one pair of heteromorphic chromosomes.

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to elucidate genetic variation at 13 isozyme loci among forest populations of Lutzomyia shannoni from three widely separated locations in Colombia: Palambí (Nariño Department), Cimitarra (Santander Department) and Chinácota (Norte de Santander Department). These samples were compared with a laboratory colony originating from the Magdalena Valley in Central Colombia. The mean heterozygosity ranged from 16 to 22%, with 2.1 to 2.6 alleles detected per locus. Nei's genetic distances among populations were low, ranging from 0.011 to 0.049. The estimated number of migrants (Nm=3.8) based on Wright's F-Statistic, F ST, indicated low levels of gene flow among Lu. shannoni forest populations. This low level of migration indicates that the spread of stomatitis virus occurs via infected host, not by infected insect. In the colony sample of 79 individuals, the Gpi locus was homozygotic (0.62/0.62) in all females and heterozygotic (0.62/0.72) in all males. Although this phenomenon is probably a consequence of colonization, it indicates that Gpi is linked to a sex determining locus.

The life cycle of Clerada apicicornis was determined under laboratory conditions. Mean development times in days were: egg 27.2, nymph I 12.5, nymph II 12, nymph III 13.4, nymph IV 16.4, nymph V 26. The life expectancy of adults ranged from 117 to 317 days (mean 196 days). Based on a cohort of 29 females of C. apicicornis, a horizontal life table was constructed. The following predictive parameters were obtained: net rate of reproduction (Ro = 48.31), intrinsic rate of population increase (r m = 0.153), generation time (Tc = 28.20 weeks), and finite rate of population increment (lambda = 1.16). The reproductive value (Vx) for each age class of the cohort females was calculated. The following observed parameters were calculated after mortality in each stage: net rate of reproduction (R'o=13.4), intrinsic rate of population increase (r c' =0.09 ), and finite rate of population increment (lambda' =1.1). The generation time (Tc' =27.4) was estimated using the methods of Laughlin and Bengstron. A vertical life table was elaborated and mortality was described for one generation of the cohort.

Because of its ability to prey on Triatominae in rural houses, Clerada apicicornis has been suggested as a potential biological control agent of Rhodnius prolixus. It has also been suggested as a potential vector of mammalian trypanosomes such as Trypanosoma cruzi, because of its ability to take blood directly from mammals. To help resolve these conflicting ideas, we assessed the haematophagic behaviour of C. apicicornis by carrying out feeding trials on laboratory animals. Cleptohaematophagic behaviour was also assessed by allowing C. apicicornis to feed on R. prolixus previously engorged with avian blood. The low proportion of blood meals taken directly from laboratory animals indicates a facultative haematophagy in this species, whereas a greater proportion of nymphs and adults were able to obtain vertebrate blood by predation on engorged R. prolixus. The results suggest that C. apicicornis is unlikely to be effective as a biological control agent, but is also unlikely to have a significant role in the transmission of vertebrate pathogens.

The life cycle of Lutzomyia shannoni (Dyar), was described for laboratory conditions with maximum daily temperatures of 27-30°C, minimum daily temperatures of 22-27°C and relative humidity between 87-99 %. Life cycle in each stage was as follows: egg 6-12 days (ave. 8.5 days); first stage larva 5-13 days (ave. 9.6 days); second stage larva 4-13 days (ave. 9.2 days ); third stage larva 5-19 days (ave. 11.8 days); fourth stage larva 7-37 days (ave. 19.9 days); pupa 7-32 days (ave. 15.2 days). The life expectancy of adults ranged from 4 to 15 days (ave. 8.6 days). The entire egg to adult period ranged from 36 to 74 days (ave. 54.6 days). On average, each female oviposited 22.7 eggs; the average egg retention per female was 24.3 eggs.