Record of the Non-native Suckermouth armored catfish hybrid Pterygoplichthys pardalis (Castelnau,1985) x Pterygoplichtys disjunctivus (Weber, 1991) (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) in Honduras.

Loricariidae is the largest catfish family, with over 1000 species and 80 genera (Fricke Eschmeyer, 2019). Sailfin catfishes of the genus Pterygoplichthys are armored catfishes, native to temperate and tropical areas of South America, especially the Amazon (Wakida-Kusunoki del Angel, 2011). Two species of this genus (Pterygoplichthys pardalis (Castelanu, 1855) and P. disjunctivus (Weber, 1991)) are naturally distributed in South America along the lower, middle and upper basin of the entire Amazon River (Wakida-Kusunoki del Angel, 2008). These armored catfishes, typified by the presence of ossified plates through the body, are considered very successful invaders of rivers and lakes outside their natural range. Their invasion success has been attributed to their morphology, behavior and life history. For instance, their ability to withstand droughts and cold weather by using burrows in river and lake banks they can survive in the moist habitat even when water levels decrease below the opening of the burrows, these survival characteristics of harsh conditions enable them to thrive in native and non-native grounds (Burgess 1989; Hoover Killgore 2004; Nico Martin 2001; Sandoval-Huerta et al. 2012). Furthermore, their rapid growth during their first years of life, their reproductive traits such as an extended reproductive period, high egg yield (Rueda-Jasso et al. 2013), and the capability of achieving reproductive maturity at smaller size (Wei et al. 2017) allow introduced populations to become abundant in a short period of time.

The role of N-acetylcysteine in lower extremity ischemia/reperfusions.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) in lower extremity ischemia/reperfusion. METHODS: A total of 23 patients who underwent surgical intervention due to acute femoral artery occlusion were assigned into 2 groups: control group (group 1, n=12); and NAC group (group 2, n=11). Patients in NAC group received NAC before reperfusion, and 8 and 16 h after reperfusion (3x300 mg), while patients in control group received only NaCl 0.9% (3x100 mL). Catalase, malondialdehyde (MDA) and thiol concentrations were determined in femoral vein samples collected at 6 different time points: before reperfusion (t1), and 30 min (t2), 2 h (t3), 6 h (t4), 12 h (t5) and 24 h (t6) after reperfusion. Alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient (A-aO2) was calculated in radial artery blood samples simultaneously collected at the same time points. RESULTS: No significant differences between the two groups with regard to age (control group 61+/-13 and NAC group 64+/-11 years), gender (control group M/F: 7/5, NAC 6/5) and the average time from onset of symptoms (control group 9.6+/-3.5 h, and NAC group 10.2+/-3.1 h) were present. Catalase enzyme activity increased with reperfusion in both groups and there were no differences between the two groups. MDA levels did not change significantly with reperfusion in NAC group, whereas they were significantly higher in control group at t2 and t3 compared to NAC group (P<0.05). Thiol concentrations decreased with reperfusion in control group, and in NAC group increases that started with reperfusion returned back to baseline levels after 24 hours. Although the A-aO2 gradient increased in both groups with the beginning of reperfusion, the most prominent increase occurred in control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In control group, the significant increase in MDA levels and A-aO2 gradient in reperfusion phase were considered a sign of local and end organ injury. We did not observe these changes in NAC performed group thus showing the efficacy of NAC.

The importance of pulmonary artery circulation during cardiopulmonary bypass.

This study sought to determine changes in transpulmonary difference in blood cells and alveolar-arterial oxygen (A-aO2) gradient when pulmonary artery circulation was obstructed in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Eighteen patients were divided into group A (control group; X-clamp placed on aorta, n = 9) and group B (pulmonary ischaemia group; X-clamp placed on aorta and pulmonary artery, n = 9). Haematological parameters were compared before CPB and up to 90 min after declamping. A-aO2 gradient differences were compared before and 2 h and 6 h after declamping. A transpulmonary increase in leucocyte levels normalized after 60 min in group A but remained higher in group B. A transpulmonary increase in neutrophils normalized after 60 min in group A and 90 min in group B. Increased lymphocyte levels normalized after 30 min in group A and 90 min in group B. A-aO2 gradient was determined as: group A (294.8 +/- 74.3) and group B (321.2 +/- 73.3) before X-clamping; group A (132.7 +/- 22.7) and group B (236.6 +/- 41.5) 2 h after declamping; and group A (72.2 +/- 22.7) and group B (189.4 +/- 88.9) 6 h after declamping. When pulmonary artery circulation was obstructed during the X-clamping period, leucocyte, neutrophil and lymphocyte sequestration within both lungs increased, and an increased A-aO2 gradient was observed because of tissue damage. To prevent post-operative complications, precautions to maintain normal pulmonary artery circulation are recommended.