RESUMO
Active predators obtain energy and nutrients from prey through complex processes in which the energy gained must exceed the energy invested in finding and ingesting the prey. In addition, the amount of energy available will vary with the prey that are selected for consumption. The muricid gastropod Acanthina monodon inhabits rocky shores, where it routinely feeds on the mytilids Semimytilus algosus and Perumytilus purpuratus. In this study, S. algosus was highly preferred by the predator (over 90% were eaten) versus P. purpuratus (only 9% were eaten) when offered a mixed diet. The energetic cost of attacking one S. algosus individual was 91 J bivalve-1 while for P. purpuratus it was slightly higher: 95 J bivalve-1. Also, whereas A. monodon required on average 19 h to consume S. algosus, successful attacks on P. purpuratus required about 32% more time (25 h). In addition, a longer resting time was needed by the predator after preying on P. purpuratus before it initiated another attack. Moreover, the active metabolic costs associated with successfully attacking the prey increased 3.2 times over the basal metabolic costs when attacking S. algosus, but only by 2.5 times when attacking P. purpuratus. The calculations associated with preying on each species showed that the energetic gain per unit time likely accounts for the predator's preference for attacking S. algosus, even though predation on both species provided net energy gains for the predator. However, as S. algosus occurs seasonally at our study site, P. purpuratus would probably also be consumed due to its constant availability throughout the whole year.
Assuntos
Carnívoros/fisiologia , Ecossistema , Cadeia Alimentar , Gastrópodes/fisiologia , Mytilidae/fisiologia , Comportamento Predatório/fisiologia , Animais , Especificidade da EspécieRESUMO
As a result of human activities, climate forecasts predict changes in the oceans pCO2 and salinity levels with unknown impacts on marine organisms. As a consequence, an increasing number of studies have begun to address the individual influence of pCO2 and salinity but much remains to be done to understand their combined effects on the physiology and ecology of marine species. Our study addressed this knowledge gap by measuring the influence of current and predicted levels of pCO2 (380 and 1200â¯ppm, respectively) and salinity (20, 25 and 30 psµ) on the energetic physiology of juvenile mussels (Mytilus chilensis) from the south-eastern Pacific region. Our results indicate that a reduced salinity caused a significant reduction in clearance rate, absorption efficiency and scope for growth of this species. Meanwhile, an increase in pCO2 levels caused a reduction in excretion rates and interacted significantly with salinity in the rate of oxygen uptake measured in the mussel. These results suggest that potential changes in salinity might have a direct role on the physiology of M. chilensis. The effect of pCO2, although less prevalent among the variables measured here, did interact with salinity and is also likely to alter the physiology of this species. Given the ecological and economic importance of M. chilensis, we call for further studies exploring the influence of pCO2 across a wider range of salinities.
Assuntos
Dióxido de Carbono/análise , Mytilus/fisiologia , Salinidade , Água do Mar/química , Animais , Oceanos e Mares , Alimentos MarinhosRESUMO
Ashes settling into the sea from volcanic explosions expose suspension-feeding species to reduced seston quality. Adults and juveniles of the mussel Mytilus chilensis were exposed for 15days to the phytoplankton Isochrysis galbana together with various concentrations of ashes. We then quantified impact on survival and physiology. Although no individuals died during the experiment, by the end of the study clearance rates and oxygen consumption rates had decreased substantially, and tissue weight of mussels exposed to the highest ash concentrations declined substantially. Gills showed no physical damage, but did show abundant mucus secretion in response to ash particles. Moreover, as the relative proportions of microalgae to ash in the diet decreased, individuals showed increasing preferential ingestion of microalgal particles. Increased ash content in the diet altered physiological rates and activated distinct particle selection with a high production of pseudofeces and high energy costs, with potential long-term consequences.
Assuntos
Mytilus/fisiologia , Material Particulado , Erupções Vulcânicas , Poluentes da Água , Animais , Dieta , Ingestão de Alimentos , Brânquias , MicroalgasRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) is an infrequent childhood malignancy whose diagnosis and treatment have largely evolved since its initial description in 1985. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed our experience in the field, and report here a single institution experience focusing on diagnostic and therapeutic milestones achieved as novel tools have been developed. This is a series of 9 children diagnosed from 1987 to 2007. RESULTS: Our first patient was diagnosed shortly alter this entity was described based on morphology and Ki-1 positivity, while the diagnostic work-up for the last two children included accurate molecular diagnosis for ALK-NPM rearrangement. Despite a wide variety of multimodal therapies used over time, only one patient died of toxicity during progression and another child relapsed and survived alter an autograft. After 156 months of median follow-up (range 4-245), 8 out of 9 children are alive, free of disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our series exemplifies the long journey travelled from the definition of a new entity only 20 years ago to the molecular characterization not only with diagnostic but also therapeutic purposes. Besides this, significant efforts are being made to recruit all European patients into a multinational collaborative trial in order to start drawing major evidence-based conclusions.
Assuntos
Linfoma Anaplásico de Células Grandes/diagnóstico , Linfoma Anaplásico de Células Grandes/tratamento farmacológico , Adolescente , Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapêutico , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Humanos , Linfoma Anaplásico de Células Grandes/mortalidade , Masculino , Estudos Retrospectivos , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
Trophic interactions between Mytilus chilensis and the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella were studied over a 21-day period to determine the absorption kinetics of biochemical components and the enzymatic activity of the digestive gland (i.e. amylase, cellulase complex, laminarinase and protease). For the duration of the experiment, logarithmic relationships were established for the assimilatory balance and carbohydrase activities (amylase, laminarinase and cellulase) of the mussels fed with a toxic diet. The study shows that M. chilensis was able to develop mechanisms which allow exploitation of the toxic microalgae as a food source, despite that its feeding and digestive processes were affected during the first days of contamination.
Assuntos
Sistema Digestório/metabolismo , Dinoflagellida , Comportamento Alimentar , Mytilus/fisiologia , Adaptação Fisiológica , Amilases/metabolismo , Animais , Metabolismo dos Carboidratos , Celulases/metabolismo , Exposição Ambiental , Cadeia Alimentar , Metabolismo dos Lipídeos , Proteínas/metabolismoRESUMO
The evolution of treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection has led to improved therapeutic efficacy. However, a major problem is the presence of side effects that require modification or withdrawal of drug therapy in 15-20% of cases. This could potentially influence the lack of sustained viral response in 50% of the cases. Side effects are common, even with pegylated interferon. This study aimed to assess the incidence and severity of infections based on the development of neutropenia associated with combined therapy with pegylated interferon-alpha2a plus ribavirin in 209 patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. All patients were administered pegylated interferon-alpha2a (180 microg/week) plus ribavirin (800 mg/day for 24 weeks in cases of nongenotype 1, or 1000-1200 mg/day for 48 weeks for genotype 1, according to whether patients weighed more or less than 75 kg). Patients with preexisting neutropenia of any cause or cirrhosis were excluded. Neutropenia was defined as a neutrophil count (NC) of <1500 cells/microl. Neutropenia was classified into three levels during treatment: 750Assuntos
Antivirais/efeitos adversos
, Hepatite C Crônica/complicações
, Interferon-alfa/efeitos adversos
, Neutropenia/induzido quimicamente
, Ribavirina/efeitos adversos
, Adulto
, Idoso
, Antivirais/uso terapêutico
, Quimioterapia Combinada
, Feminino
, Hepatite C Crônica/tratamento farmacológico
, Humanos
, Interferon alfa-2
, Interferon-alfa/uso terapêutico
, Contagem de Leucócitos
, Modelos Logísticos
, Masculino
, Pessoa de Meia-Idade
, Neutropenia/patologia
, Polietilenoglicóis
, Proteínas Recombinantes
, Ribavirina/uso terapêutico
RESUMO
AIM OF THE STUDY: To describe the surgical technique and to evaluate the clinical results after having performed the transcanalicular and endocanalicular dacryocystorhinostomies by diode laser, including the advantages and limits of this technique. METHODS: 34 were performed by diode laser in patients with clinical history of epiphora, with or without mucopurulent secretion, for nasolacrimal duct obstruction. The study was prospective, interventional, non randomized and non comparative. Diode laser was used to realize vaporization of lacrimal sac, osteotomy and vaporization with coagulation of nasal mucosa. The mean of surgical time was 15 minutes (range 7 to 29 minutes). Bicanalicular intubation was performed with a silicone tube and prolene filament for two months in all cases. Postsurgical follow-up was between 4 and 11 months. The degree of epiphora was evaluated by the Munk scale and lacrimal permeability was evaluated by endoscopic functional staining test in all cases. RESULTS: Out of the 34 DCR-EDN+ENC that were performed, 32 cases (94.11%) remain asymptomatic. Two of them (5.88%) required endonasal dacryocystorhinostomies by drilling, because the bony perforation was impossible to achieve by laser fiber. Two cases (5.88%) presented fibrosis and lacrimal and lower canaliculi obstruction, without epiphora because the superior canaliculi was permeable. CONCLUSION: Endonasal and endocanalicular dacryocystorhinostomy technique performed by diode laser is a valid method. It does not cause cutaneous scarring, it decreases thermic canalicular damage, it respects the lacrimal pump, it minimizes pain and bleeding, it needs less surgical time and it has turned into an out-patient procedure with a minimal surgical and postsurgical morbility.
Assuntos
Dacriocistite/cirurgia , Dacriocistorinostomia/instrumentação , Terapia a Laser/métodos , Lasers/classificação , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
Digestive enzyme activities (amylase, cellulase, laminarinase and protease) were analysed in mussels (Mytilus chilensis) from intertidal and subtidal habitats in Yaldad Bay, Chiloé, Chile. In order to analyse the effects of the past-feeding history (origin) and new nutritional conditions (habitat) on these enzymatic activities, a cross-over transplant was carried out and the analysis performed after a 7-day acclimation period. Crystalline styles showed higher carbohydrase and lower protease activities than digestive glands, with the highest differences recorded for subtidal mussels. Cellulase is the enzyme with the highest activity in both the digestive gland and crystalline style in all the experimental conditions. Intertidal mussels transplanted to a subtidal habitat showed enzyme resources significantly higher than in their original habitat. In the inverse case, mussels transferred from an original subtidal habitat to an intertidal one, a significant decrease in carbohydrase and protease activities was observed. The "past feeding history' is involved in the specific and total carbohydrase and protease activities, with a highly significant effect on amylase and cellulase activities in both the crystalline style and the digestive gland. Laminarinase activity can be interpreted considering the habitat (trophic regime), either individually or interacting with mussels' origin, in relation with the feeding periods. The results establish that in M. chilensis, an investment in enzyme resources is one of the mechanisms employed to optimise the acclimated response in terms of energy gains when variations in the food regime occur.
Assuntos
Bivalves/fisiologia , Dieta , Digestão/fisiologia , Enzimas/metabolismo , Fenômenos Fisiológicos da Nutrição Animal , Animais , Meio AmbienteRESUMO
Patterns are described for shell penetration by the sublittoral muricid snail Chorus giganteus during predatory attacks on the mussel Semimytilus algosus. Location, form and size of shell penetrations were observed in relation to the size of the predator. The results suggested that positions of the perforations on the mussel shells were related to size of the attacking snail. Smaller snails perforated areas near the shell ligament and in the central zone of the shell, while larger snails more frequently attacked shell borders, principally on the ventral side. These observations may be related to: (a) changes in the process of manipulation of the prey during development of the foot and the shell tooth of the predator, (b) changes in internal structure of the snails related to the shell perforation mechanism, or (c) learned behavior acquired experientially by the snails during early growth. Although in other studies of muricid penetration patterns larger boreholes made in shells of the prey were positively correlated with increasing predator size, this relation did not appear to hold with C. giganteus, as larger specimens often made relatively small shell perforations. Areas of boreholes made in the mussel shells by this snail varied from 0.01 to 1.1 mm(2), and were unusually variable in size and shape, especially when compared with literature results on bores characteristic of other muricid species.
RESUMO
Hearing loss is the more frequent sequel of bacterial meningitis in children. This study describes the audiological profile (peripheric and central) of 89 children admitted to the hospital wards with the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. Those children attended audiological follow up, after their hospital discharge, and were submitted to audiological tests. The results showed that 85.4% among them presented normal hearing in both ears 10.1% presented bilateral neurosensorial hearing loss and 4.5% presented unilateral neurosensorial hearing loss. The results from the auditory processing skills assessment showed that 10% of those children presented auditory localization and recognition of sentences with competitive messages (Paediatric Sentences Identification-ipsilateral) disorders.
Assuntos
Perda Auditiva Bilateral/microbiologia , Perda Auditiva Neurossensorial/microbiologia , Meningites Bacterianas/complicações , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Seguimentos , Perda Auditiva Bilateral/diagnóstico , Perda Auditiva Neurossensorial/diagnóstico , Testes Auditivos , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , MasculinoRESUMO
Somatosensory evoked potentials were obtained by electrical stimulation of the median nerve in 10 normal subjects at 3 and 30 Hz. At the higher rate of stimulation, a reduction was observed in amplitudes and prolongation of latencies of the N9, N/P13 and N20 components as well as increase of the interpeak latency N9-N/P13. A significant increase between the onsets of the N11 and N20 components was also seen; however, no significant increase of the N/P13-N20 interpeak latency was observed. Analysis suggested that an important reason for this last finding was related to the fact that in some cases different fast frequency components (FFC) determined the N20 peak in the different situations. It was further observed that, in those cases in which at least 3 peaks in the fast frequency components were detected (7/10), a significantly different increase in latency between the first and the third peaks was noted. A possible thalamo-cortical generation of the FFC is discussed.
Assuntos
Potenciais Somatossensoriais Evocados/fisiologia , Nervo Mediano/fisiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Estimulação Elétrica , Eletroencefalografia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Tempo de Reação/fisiologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The ability of in vitro and in vivo detection of Brucella spp. with the Bact/Alert system was studied. METHODS: Three strains of Brucella melitensis and two of Brucella abortus were used. Different dilutions of the five strains were performed in trypticase soy broth (TSB), achieving concentrations of 1 cfu/ml, 5 cfu/ml, 10 cfu/ml and 100 cfu/ml. Ten ml of each dilution and strain were inoculated into 5 aerobic bottles Bact/Alert and 5 biphasic Hemóline bottles. Furthermore, over a 9 month period, 8,216 bottles of Bact/Alert bottles from hospitalized patients and from the emergency department were processed in the authors' laboratory. RESULTS: The mean detection time for Brucella growth was from 2 to 3 days with the Bact/Alert system, and 14 days in the biphasic bottles. Former bottles processed in the authors' laboratory, 11 aerobic bottles belonged to 5 patients in whom brucelosis was confirmed by bloodculture. The Bact/Alert system detected Brucella melitensis in only on bottle at 2.9 days of incubation. In 7 bottles Bact/Alert detected B. melitensis by a blind pass of these bottles at 10 to 20 days of incubation. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the Bact/Alert system does not totally solve the diagnosis of brucellosis. Blind passes of the bloodcultures are required.
Assuntos
Técnicas Bacteriológicas , Sangue/microbiologia , Brucella/isolamento & purificação , Brucelose/diagnóstico , Brucelose/microbiologia , Estudos de Avaliação como Assunto , HumanosRESUMO
Forty-three female inpatients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were studied by a multidisciplinary team to answer the following research questions: 1) What are the features of the psychopathology in patients with active SLE? and 2) In these patients, what is the relationship between psychiatric disorders and symptoms and signs suggesting activity of SLE in the CNS? Our a priori hypothesis was that, in patients with active SLE, those with psychiatric manifestations would have more symptoms and signs of CNS activity than those without psychiatric manifestations. Psychiatric evaluation consisted of standardized psychiatric instruments and diagnostic criteria. The assessment of SLE systemic and central nervous system (CNS) activity consisted of rheumatologic, neurologic, and ophthalmologic evaluations; serum and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) analysis; brain computerized tomography (CT); and electroencephalogram (EEG). Twenty-seven patients (63%) presented psychiatric symptoms (Psychiatric Group), and 16 (37%) patients presented no current psychiatric diagnosis (Nonpsychiatric Group). These groups were compared in terms of the above variables. Depressive syndrome was the most frequent diagnosis (44%) followed by delirium (7%) and dementia (5%). Psychiatric symptoms were associated with subjective cognitive impairment (85%) and neurologic abnormality (85%). Widened cortical sulci was the most frequent CT alteration and was equally common in both groups. No statistical difference was found between the 2 groups regarding their general clinical evaluation, serum and CSF exams, or EEG alterations. To determine whether the severity of psychiatric symptoms was related to CNS activity, we divided the 27 patients with psychiatric manifestations into 2 groups: the Major Group--18 patients with major psychopathology, and the Minor Group--9 patients with mild depressive syndromes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Assuntos
Sistema Nervoso Central/fisiopatologia , Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico/psicologia , Adulto , Eletroencefalografia , Feminino , Humanos , Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico/líquido cefalorraquidiano , Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico/complicações , Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico/fisiopatologia , Transtornos Mentais/complicações , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios XAssuntos
Gastroenterite/microbiologia , Viroses , Infecções por Adenoviridae/epidemiologia , Infecções por Adenoviridae/microbiologia , Adenovírus Humanos/imunologia , Adenovírus Humanos/isolamento & purificação , Adolescente , Adulto , Infecções por Caliciviridae/epidemiologia , Infecções por Caliciviridae/microbiologia , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Infecções por Coronavirus/epidemiologia , Infecções por Coronavirus/microbiologia , Diarreia Infantil/epidemiologia , Diarreia Infantil/microbiologia , Gastroenterite/epidemiologia , Humanos , Testes Imunológicos/métodos , Lactente , Mamastrovirus/isolamento & purificação , Vírus Norwalk/isolamento & purificação , Infecções por Pestivirus/epidemiologia , Infecções por Pestivirus/microbiologia , Rotavirus/classificação , Rotavirus/imunologia , Rotavirus/isolamento & purificação , Infecções por Rotavirus/epidemiologia , Infecções por Rotavirus/microbiologia , Viroses/diagnóstico , Viroses/epidemiologia , Viroses/microbiologiaRESUMO
In order to establish the possible influence of Brucella melitensis rough strains protein extracts contamination using LPS (R) in the immunoblotting evaluation of serologic response, we have studied sera samples from 41 patients with acute brucellosis before treatment was started and also from 62 healthy individuals (control group). A whole-cell B. melitensis 115 strain extract with an without LPS (R) was used. Extraction was carried using ether-chloroform of oil-phenol. Overall, more than 50% of patients showed an antibody response (protein bands 85, 53, 50, 47, 41, 38 and 28 kD) to both antigenic products. Less than 6.4% of the control group sera showed response to any of these protein bands. There were no significant differences in the frequency of response development against these proteins using the two antigen types. However, there was some disagreement when each individual band response was compared to its homologous band.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Antibacterianos/sangue , Brucella/imunologia , Brucelose/imunologia , Lipopolissacarídeos/imunologia , Doença Aguda , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Antígenos de Bactérias/imunologia , Proteínas de Bactérias/imunologia , Brucelose/sangue , Pré-Escolar , Reações Cruzadas , Humanos , Immunoblotting , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
Eating epilepsy is a rare type of reflex epilepsy. A 24 years-old male with eating reflex complex partial seizures was submitted to clinical, neurological, neuroradiological and EEG studies. Neurologic and CT examinations were normal. EEG recordings including video-EEG monitoring during meals disclosed focal abnormalities related to both temporal lobes prevailing at the left side and secondary bilateral synchrony mainly in more anterior regions. Ictal findings were similar to the interictal secondary bilateral synchrony except for its longer duration. PB, VPA and DPH monotherapies were ineffective. High dose CBZ monotherapy yielded good but incomplete seizure control. Since a big number of precipitants could be involved, no specific physiopathological basis could be established.
Assuntos
Ingestão de Alimentos , Epilepsias Parciais/fisiopatologia , Adulto , Eletroencefalografia , Humanos , Masculino , Monitorização FisiológicaRESUMO
We have evaluated with Western blotting the serologic response of 144 patients with acute brucellosis and 62 healthy controls to identify a useful antibody pattern to confirm the diagnosis of acute brucellosis. The antigen that we used was a protein extract of whole cells of the strain 115 (rough) of B. melitensis. Patients sera were obtained at the time of diagnosis and before the start of specific therapy. There was antibody response to 21 protein bands. The molecular weights (MW) and frequencies of the most significant bands were the following: 85 Kd (60.4%), 70 Kd (54.1%), 53 Kd (63.9%), 50 Kd (65.3%), 47 Kd (71.5%), 41 Kd (74.3%), 38 Kd (68.7%), 33 Kd (56.2%), 28 Kd (52.8%). At the time of diagnosis, 90.3% of the patients with acute brucellosis had antibody response to 2 or more protein bands of Mw of 47 Kd, 41 Kd, 38 Kd and 33 Kd. In none of the 62 negative control sera there was a response to more than one of the mentioned bands.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Antibacterianos/sangue , Western Blotting , Brucella/imunologia , Brucelose/imunologia , Doença Aguda , Adulto , Proteínas de Bactérias/imunologia , Criança , Pré-Escolar , HumanosRESUMO
Electroencephalographic changes were studied in 27 patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia with panic attacks due to some clinical similarities between panic disorder and temporal lobe epilepsy. The EEG records, obtained with sleep deprivation, photostimulation and hyperventilation showed no abnormalities.