RESUMEN
Apristurus ovicorrugatus, a new species of deepwater catshark, is described from northwestern Australia. Unique egg cases belonging to an unknown species of Apristurus prompted a more detailed investigation of Apristurus specimens off northwestern Australia. One specimen previously identified as A. sinensis collected off Dampier Archipelago was found gravid with a single egg case. Removal of this egg case confirmed that this species was responsible for producing the unique egg cases previously recorded. The egg cases of this species have strong T-shaped longitudinal ridges on the dorsal and ventral surfaces which are unique in the genus Apristurus. The ridges most closely resemble those present in Bythaelurus canescens from South America, but are larger and always T-shaped. The holotype is closest morphologically to A. sinensis but differs in having a medium brown buccal cavity (vs. jet black), ridged egg cases (vs. smooth egg cases), fewer intestinal spiral valve turns and larger pectoral fins. The holotype is also similar, and closest on a molecular level, to A. nakayai with which it shares a unique synapomorphic character, the white shiny iris (apomorphic within the genus). A late-term embryo removed from an egg case superficially resembled the holotype except in having two parallel rows of enlarged dermal denticles on the dorsolateral predorsal surface. Recent nomenclatural changes to the genera Apristurus and Pentanchus are discussed and challenged. This study highlights the important contribution that egg case morphology has on oviparous elasmobranch taxonomy.
Asunto(s)
Tiburones , Animales , Tiburones/anatomía & histología , América del Sur , AustraliaRESUMEN
The Mexican rice borer, Eoreuma loftini (Dyar), is a major pest of sugarcane (hybrids of Saccharum spp.) in Louisiana and Texas. Resistance to E. loftini was evaluated in 51 commercial and experimental cultivars of sugarcane, energycane (hybrids of Saccharum spp.), and sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench and hybrids of Sorghum spp.] in four replicated small plot field experiments from 2009 to 2012. A relative resistance ratio was developed to compare levels of susceptibility among cultivars based on the percentage of bored internodes and survival to adulthood. This index was able to separate cultivars into five resistance categories and provides a new method for comparing levels of resistance among cultivars. E. loftini pest pressure in 2009 was among the highest recorded with injury ranging from 55 to 88% bored internodes. Commercial sugarcane cultivar HoCP 85-845 was identified as resistant in three of four experiments, whereas HoCP 04-838 was identified as susceptible in all experiments. Of the five sugarcane cultivars in commercial production in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, only TCP 87-3388 was categorized as resistant. Of the cultivars with potential for bioenergy production, all of the energycane cultivars demonstrated higher levels of resistance than high-biomass and sweet sorghum cultivars. Continued evaluation of cultivar resistance to E. loftini is important to development of effective integrated pest management strategies for this pest.
Asunto(s)
Herbivoria , Control de Insectos/métodos , Mariposas Nocturnas/fisiología , Saccharum/fisiología , Animales , Cadena Alimentaria , Larva/crecimiento & desarrollo , Larva/fisiología , Mariposas Nocturnas/crecimiento & desarrollo , Saccharum/genética , TexasRESUMEN
In February and March 2009, approximately 1,500 backyard pigs of variable age became sick, and approximately 700 of them died or were euthanized in the Lower Artibonite Valley and the Lower Plateau of the Republic of Haiti. The main clinical sign was posterior ataxia followed by paresis and/or paralysis on the second or third day of illness. No gross lesions were observed at postmortem examinations. The morbidity and mortality were approximately 60% and 40%, respectively. Diagnostic samples (whole blood, brain, tonsil, lymph nodes, spleen, and lung) were negative for Classical swine fever virus and African swine fever virus. Porcine teschovirus type 1 was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions in brain samples. Results of virus isolation, electron microscopy of virus particles, histopathological analysis on brain tissues, nucleic acid sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of the viral isolate supported the diagnosis of teschovirus encephalomyelitis. The outbreak of the disease in Haiti is the first appearance of the severe form of teschovirus encephalomyelitis in the Americas. This disease poses a potential threat to the swine industries in other Caribbean countries, as well as to Central and North American countries.
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Encefalomielitis/veterinaria , Infecciones por Picornaviridae/veterinaria , Enfermedades de los Porcinos/virología , Teschovirus/aislamiento & purificación , Animales , Anticuerpos Antivirales/análisis , Brotes de Enfermedades/veterinaria , Encefalomielitis/diagnóstico , Encefalomielitis/epidemiología , Encefalomielitis/virología , Haití/epidemiología , Histocitoquímica/veterinaria , Microscopía Electrónica/veterinaria , Filogenia , Infecciones por Picornaviridae/diagnóstico , Infecciones por Picornaviridae/epidemiología , Infecciones por Picornaviridae/virología , ARN Viral/química , ARN Viral/genética , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa de Transcriptasa Inversa/veterinaria , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN , Porcinos , Enfermedades de los Porcinos/epidemiología , Teschovirus/genética , Teschovirus/ultraestructuraRESUMEN
The current study assesses the antihypertensive efficacy and safety of the investigational angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), azilsartan medoxomil (AZL-M), compared with placebo and the ARB olmesartan medoxomil (OLM-M). This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study assessed change from baseline in mean 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure (SBP) following 6 weeks of treatment. Patients with primary hypertension (n=1275) and baseline 24-hour mean ambulatory systolic pressure ≥ 130 mm Hg and ≤ 170 mm Hg were studied; 142 received placebo and the remainder received 20 mg, 40 mg, or 80 mg AZL-M or 40 mg OLM-M. Mean age of participants was 58 ± 11 years, baseline mean 24-hour SBP was 146 mm Hg. Dose-dependent reductions in 24-hour mean SBP at study end occurred in all AZL-M groups. Reduction in 24-hour mean SBP was greater with AZL-M 80 mg than OLM-M 40 mg by 2.1 mm Hg (95% confidence interval, -4.0 to -0.1; P=.038), while AZL-M 40 mg was noninferior to OLM-M 40 mg. The side effect profiles of both ARBs were similar to placebo. AZL-M is well tolerated and more efficacious at its maximal dose than the highest dose of OLM-M.
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Antagonistas de Receptores de Angiotensina/farmacología , Bencimidazoles/farmacología , Presión Sanguínea/efectos de los fármacos , Presión Sanguínea/fisiología , Imidazoles/farmacología , Oxadiazoles/farmacología , Tetrazoles/farmacología , Anciano , Antagonistas de Receptores de Angiotensina/efectos adversos , Antagonistas de Receptores de Angiotensina/uso terapéutico , Argentina , Bencimidazoles/efectos adversos , Bencimidazoles/uso terapéutico , Determinación de la Presión Sanguínea , Monitoreo Ambulatorio de la Presión Arterial , Método Doble Ciego , Femenino , Humanos , Hipertensión/tratamiento farmacológico , Hipertensión/etnología , Hipertensión/fisiopatología , Imidazoles/efectos adversos , Imidazoles/uso terapéutico , Masculino , México , Persona de Mediana Edad , Oxadiazoles/efectos adversos , Oxadiazoles/uso terapéutico , Perú , Grupos Raciales/etnología , Tetrazoles/efectos adversos , Tetrazoles/uso terapéutico , Resultado del Tratamiento , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
PURPOSE: To assess the impact of medication frequency illustrations in patient education for use in the developing world. METHODS: This was a randomized controlled trial of a study population of patients undergoing cataract surgery in St/Louis du Nord, Haiti. Patients and accompanying family members were randomized prior to surgery to receive either standard oral post/operative instructions or oral instructions with detailed illustrations regarding the morning, noon, evening, and bedtime use of topical antibiotic and steroid drops. On postoperative day 1, patients and enrolled family members were questioned regarding when and how often the patient was to use his or her eye drops by a blinded examiner, and results were compiled. RESULTS: Of the 65 patients enrolled in the study 32 patients were randomized to the oral group, 33 were randomized to the illustration group. The morning recall was 76% in the illustration group and 50% in the oral group without illustrations (p = 0.0259). Bedtime recall was 67% in the illustration group and 38% in the oral group (p = 0.0139). There was a statistically significant improvement in recall for the illustration group with the morning and bedtime doses. There was a trend in favor of the illustration group on the afternoon and evening doses; however this was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Illustrations appear to be a useful adjunct in explaining complex medication regimens to patients in the developing world where cultural and language barriers can be difficult to bridge. This better understanding could translate into improved medication compliance and outcomes.
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Extracción de Catarata , Ilustración Médica , Recuerdo Mental , Educación del Paciente como Asunto/métodos , Cuidados Posoperatorios/educación , Anciano , Femenino , Haití , Humanos , Masculino , Soluciones Oftálmicas/administración & dosificación , Cooperación del Paciente/estadística & datos numéricosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: It is uncertain which blood pressure values (pre- or post-haemodialysis) best represent the average daily blood pressure in haemodialysis patients. The purpose of this study was to verify the power of peridialysis blood pressure to predict interdialytic blood pressure, and to ascertain the influence of blood pressure fluctuations during dialysis on this predictive ability. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed ambulatory blood pressure monitoring during the interdialytic period on 60 stable haemodialysis patients (mean age 53 +/- 16 years, 33 male) between two mid-week haemodialysis sessions. Pre- and post-haemodialysis blood pressures were 154/82 and 142/77 mmHg, respectively, and 44-h interdialytic blood pressure was 136/77 mmHg. Overall, post-haemodialysis blood pressure values correlated with interdialytic ambulatory blood pressure marginally better than did pre-haemodialysis values (r = 0.52 versus 0.61 for pre- and post-dialysis systolic pressure, respectively; r = 0.67 versus 0.72 for pre- and post-dialysis diastolic pressure, respectively). The average of the pre- and post-haemodialysis values showed a slightly better correlation with interdialytic blood pressure (r = 0.65 and 0.75 for systolic and diastolic pressure, respectively). When we stratified patients according to systolic blood pressure behaviour during dialysis, pre-dialysis blood pressure was the stronger predictor of interdialytic blood pressure in the quartile with greatest intradialytic blood pressure fall (r = 0.67 versus 0.44 for pre- and post-dialysis systolic blood pressure, respectively), whereas post-dialysis values were substantially better in the group with a rise in systolic pressure during dialysis (r = 0.26 versus 0.59 for pre- and post-dialysis systolic blood pressure, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that peridialysis blood pressure values are of limited accuracy in predicting interdialytic blood pressure, post-dialysis values are minimally better predictors than pre-dialysis blood pressures, and the average of pre- and post-haemodialysis values is marginally better than both. In addition, blood pressure fluctuations during dialysis have a sizable impact on this predictive ability. Clinical decisions related to blood pressure management and research design in haemodialysis hypertension should take these factors into account.
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Monitoreo Ambulatorio de la Presión Arterial/métodos , Presión Sanguínea/fisiología , Diálisis Renal , Determinación de la Presión Sanguínea , Diástole , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Selección de Paciente , Análisis de Regresión , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Sístole , VigiliaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Prevention is the most cost-effective means of managing osteoporosis. However, little is known about osteoporosis-related preventive practices in Mexican-American women. We examined factors that might influence women's decision to start preventive measures for osteoporosis. METHODS: Information was gathered through a cross-sectional survey of low-income Mexican-American women who were seen at two clinics in southern Texas. RESULTS: Of the 270 participants, 37% reported calcium supplementation, and 41% reported regular weight-bearing exercise to prevent osteoporosis. Fifty (41%) of the postmenopausal women were currently using hormone replacement therapy. Only 15% of the premenopausal and 13% of the postmenopausal women recalled that their health care provider had counseled them about prevention. Multivariate analysis showed that public education, bone densitometry evaluation, knowledge of osteoporosis, and counseling were determinants of prevention. CONCLUSION: Although osteoporosis is a preventable condition, our findings suggest that the majority of Mexican-American women do not receive adequate preventive measures or counseling about osteoporosis. Furthermore, we found that their health care provider's counseling about osteoporosis was a major determinant of osteoporosis prevention in these women.
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Conductas Relacionadas con la Salud/etnología , Americanos Mexicanos/estadística & datos numéricos , Osteoporosis Posmenopáusica/etnología , Osteoporosis Posmenopáusica/prevención & control , Pobreza/etnología , Pobreza/estadística & datos numéricos , Pautas de la Práctica en Medicina/estadística & datos numéricos , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Estudios Transversales , Consejo Dirigido/estadística & datos numéricos , Femenino , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , TexasRESUMEN
El Delta del Orinoco es un complejo de humedades y ecosistemas acuáticos tropicales de aguas poco profundas en la planicie costera del oriente de Venezuela, el cual en su mayor parte aún no ha sido desarrollado. Es un sistema dinámico y complejo, vulnerable a las actividades humanas. Este artículo resume resultados de cartografía geo-ambiental en el noroeste del delta. Los geo-ambientes son unidades de recursos terrestres y acuáticos que se definen por las características y los procesos físicos, químicos, hidrológicos, y biológicos que los establecen, mantienen y modifican. Más de 20 geo-ambientes se definieron y delinearon en el formato del Sistema de Información Geográfica (SIG) mediante análisis integrado de información de sensores remotos, estadística y campo. Las unidades cartográficas se agruparon en cinco sistemas geomórfico/ecológicos: 1)costa con influencia marina, 2) canal distributario e isla con influencia marina, 3) fluvio/marino transicional, 4) canal distributario, y 5) cuenca interdistributaria. Los más extensos son las cuencas interdistributarias y los sistemas de canales distributarios, los cuales cubren respectivamente el 44 por ciento y el 15 por ciento del área cartografiada. Aunque el Delta del Orinoco esta sin desarrollar en su mayor parte, la actividad humana en el noroeste del delta, especialmente la construcción de la represa de Volcán, ha modificado considerablemente los geo-ambientes en esta región. La distribución que se determinó y las características de los geo-ambientes proporcionaron una base para el diseño de planes estratégicos para el desarrollo prudente y sustentable en esta parte del complejo ecosistema del Delta del Orinoco
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Ambiente Acuático , Ríos , Ecosistema , Sistemas de Información Geográfica , Humedad , Ríos , Geografía , Ciencia , VenezuelaRESUMEN
The incidence of most adverse cardiovascular events appears to follow a circadian pattern, reaching its peak in the morning shortly after awakening and arising. The activities of many physiologic parameters, including hemodynamic, hematologic and humoraI factors, aIso fluctuate in a cyclicaI manner over 24 hours. It has been suggested that, during the post-awakening hours, the phases of these cycles synchronize to create an environment that predisposes to atherosclerotic plaque rupture and thrombosis in susceptible individuaIs, thereby accounting for the heightened cardiovascular risk at this time of day. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate are part of this physiologic process that follows a clear circadian rhythm, characterized by a falI during sIeep and a sharp rise upon awakening. This so-called 'morning surge' in BP may act as a trigger for cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction and stroke. The clinical implication of these observations is that antihypertensive therapy should provide BP controI over the entire interval between doses. For agents taken once daily in the morning, the time of trough plasma drug levels (and lowest pharmacodynamic effect) often will coincide with the early morning surge in BP and heart late. For these reasons, chronotherapeutic formulations of drugs and intrinsically long-acting antihypertensive agents provide the most logical approach for the treatment of hypertensive patients since they provide 24-hour BP controI from a single daily dose plus they attenuate the early morning rise in BP (and heart late in some instances).