Hawkmoths use nectar sugar to reduce oxidative damage from flight.

Nectar-feeding animals have among the highest recorded metabolic rates. High aerobic performance is linked to oxidative damage in muscles. Antioxidants in nectar are scarce to nonexistent. We propose that nectarivores use nectar sugar to mitigate the oxidative damage caused by the muscular demands of flight. We found that sugar-fed moths had lower oxidative damage to their flight muscle membranes than unfed moths. Using respirometry coupled with δ13C analyses, we showed that moths generate antioxidant potential by shunting nectar glucose to the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), resulting in a reduction in oxidative damage to the flight muscles. We suggest that nectar feeding, the use of PPP, and intense exercise are causally linked and have allowed the evolution of powerful fliers that feed on nectar.

Utilidad diagnóstica de la ecografía de bolsillo en la insuficiencia cardiaca / Diagnostic utility of handheld ultrasonography as an extension of the physical examination of patients with heart failure

Antecedentes y objetivos: La ecocardiografía convencional es la técnica de elección para valorar la función del ventrículo izquierdo y la presencia de cardiopatía estructural en pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca. El objetivo del estudio ha sido valorar el rendimiento diagnóstico de la ecografía de bolsillo realizada por un médico internista en pacientes con diagnóstico clínico de insuficiencia cardiaca. Pacientes y métodos: Estudio observacional transversal de 212 pacientes con diagnóstico de insuficiencia cardiaca en un centro hospitalario. Un médico internista con formación básica en ecocardiografía realizó una exploración mediante ecografía de bolsillo y valoró, de forma semicuantitativa, diferentes variables. Se valoraron la función sistólica del ventrículo izquierdo, dimensión de cavidades, valvulopatías significativas, derrame pericárdico y el diámetro de la vena cava inferior. Resultados: La exploración mediante ecografía de bolsillo se realizó en menos de 6min. La concordancia entre los diagnósticos del médico internista y el ecocardiografista experto fue muy buena (k>0,81) para el diámetro, hipertrofia y función sistólica del ventrículo izquierdo, regurgitación valvular, derrame pericárdico y el diámetro de la vena cava inferior. Conclusiones: La ecocardiografía de bolsillo realizada por un médico internista, como extensión de la exploración física en pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca, es una prueba válida y segura y permite incrementar el rendimiento diagnóstico de la historia clínica (AU)

Background and objectives: Conventional echocardiography is the technique of choice for assessing left ventricular function and the presence of structural heart disease in patients with heart failure. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of handheld ultrasonography performed by a medical internist on patients with a clinical diagnosis of heart failure. Patients and methods: Cross-sectional observational study of 212 patients diagnosed with heart failure in a hospital center. A medical internist with basic training in echocardiography performed an examination using handheld ultrasonography and semiquantitatively assessed several variables. The patients’ left ventricular systolic function was assessed, along with the cavity dimensions, significant valvular heart disease, pericardial effusion and the diameter of the inferior vena cava. Results: The examination using handheld ultrasonography was conducted in less than 6minutes. The agreement between the diagnoses of the medical internist and the expert echocardiographist was very good (k>0.81) for the diameter, hypertrophy and left ventricular systolic function, valvular regurgitation, pericardial effusion and diameter of the inferior vena cava. Conclusions: Handheld echocardiography performed by a medical internist, as an extension of the physical examination of patients with heart failure, is a valid and safe test that helps increase the diagnostic performance (AU)

Diagnostic utility of handheld ultrasonography as an extension of the physical examination of patients with heart failure. / Utilidad diagnóstica de la ecografía de bolsillo en la insuficiencia cardiaca.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Conventional echocardiography is the technique of choice for assessing left ventricular function and the presence of structural heart disease in patients with heart failure. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of handheld ultrasonography performed by a medical internist on patients with a clinical diagnosis of heart failure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional observational study of 212 patients diagnosed with heart failure in a hospital center. A medical internist with basic training in echocardiography performed an examination using handheld ultrasonography and semiquantitatively assessed several variables. The patients' left ventricular systolic function was assessed, along with the cavity dimensions, significant valvular heart disease, pericardial effusion and the diameter of the inferior vena cava. RESULTS: The examination using handheld ultrasonography was conducted in less than 6minutes. The agreement between the diagnoses of the medical internist and the expert echocardiographist was very good (k>0.81) for the diameter, hypertrophy and left ventricular systolic function, valvular regurgitation, pericardial effusion and diameter of the inferior vena cava. CONCLUSIONS: Handheld echocardiography performed by a medical internist, as an extension of the physical examination of patients with heart failure, is a valid and safe test that helps increase the diagnostic performance.

Responses of the bed bug, Cimex lectularius, to temperature extremes and dehydration: levels of tolerance, rapid cold hardening and expression of heat shock proteins.

This study of the bed bug, Cimex lectularius, examines tolerance of adult females to extremes in temperature and loss of body water. Although the supercooling point (SCP) of the bed bugs was approximately -20 degrees C, all were killed by a direct 1 h exposure to -16 degrees C. Thus, this species cannot tolerate freezing and is killed at temperatures well above its SCP. Neither cold acclimation at 4 degrees C for 2 weeks nor dehydration (15% loss of water content) enhanced cold tolerance. However, bed bugs have the capacity for rapid cold hardening, i.e. a 1-h exposure to 0 degrees C improved their subsequent tolerance of -14 and -16 degrees C. In response to heat stress, fewer than 20% of the bugs survived a 1-h exposure to 46 degrees C, and nearly all were killed at 48 degrees C. Dehydration, heat acclimation at 30 degrees C for 2 weeks and rapid heat hardening at 37 degrees C for 1 h all failed to improve heat tolerance. Expression of the mRNAs encoding two heat shock proteins (Hsps), Hsp70 and Hsp90, was elevated in response to heat stress, cold stress and during dehydration and rehydration. The response of Hsp90 was more pronounced than that of Hsp70 during dehydration and rehydration. Our results define the tolerance limits for bed bugs to these commonly encountered stresses of temperature and low humidity and indicate a role for Hsps in responding to these stresses.

Possible case of peripheral osmotic demyelination syndrome.

Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) is an uncommon neurological syndrome that is usually related to the rapid restoration of a previous hyponatraemia. Although the most frequent location of CPM injury is the pons, it is now designated osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) because, as well as in the brainstem, these injuries can be observed in other parts of the central nervous system (CNS)-for example, the thalamus, subthalamic nucleus, external geniculate body, putamen, globus pallidum, internal capsule, white matter of cerebellum and the deep layers of the brain cortex. However, an exhaustive search of the literature (MEDLINE 1967-2007) has revealed no case report of peripheral nervous system (PNS) demyelination secondary to severe hyponatraemia.

Habitat requirements of the seabird tick, Ixodes uriae (Acari: Ixodidae), from the Antarctic Peninsula in relation to water balance characteristics of eggs, nonfed and engorged stages.

The seabird tick Ixodes uriae is exposed to extreme environmental conditions during the off-host phase of its life cycle on the Antarctic Peninsula. To investigate how this tick resists desiccation, water requirements of each developmental stage were determined. Features of I. uriae water balance include a high percentage body water content, low dehydration tolerance limit, and a high water loss rate, which are characteristics that classify this tick as hydrophilic. Like other ticks, I. uriae relies on water vapor uptake as an unfed larva and enhanced water retention in the adult, while nymphs are intermediate and exploit both strategies. Stages that do not absorb water vapor, eggs, fed larvae and fed nymphs, rely on water conservation. Other noteworthy features include heat sensitivity that promotes water loss in eggs and unfed larvae, an inability to drink free water from droplets, and behavioral regulation of water loss by formation of clusters. We conclude that I. uriae is adapted for life in a moisture-rich environment, and this requirement is met by clustering in moist, hydrating, microhabitats under rocks and debris that contain moisture levels that are higher than the tick's critical equilibrium activity.

Use of heme iron concentrate in the fortification of weaning foods.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the technological feasibility of fortifying homogenized weaning food with a porcine heme concentrate. The stability of iron and the organoleptic qualities of two infant weaning foods (a commercial homogenized nonfortified weaning food, NFWF, and the same food fortified with 0.5% of porcine heme concentrate, FWF) were tested throughout 8 months of storage at room temperature and at 37 degrees C. Heme iron decreased with storage time; however, the proportion of this highly available iron was considerably higher in FWF than in NFWF. The addition of heme iron changed significantly the color of the weaning food measured instrumentally, although high temperatures and length of storage time, did not modify Lab, chroma, and hue angle values in both samples. Organoleptic attributes presented a marked stability even in NFWF stored at room temperature and 37 degrees C.

[Elderly, poor, solitary and marginal patients: geriatric vulnerability in emergency services]. / Viejos, pobres, solitarios y marginados: vulnerabilidad geriátrica en un servicio de urgencias.

BACKGROUND: Status is a powerful determinant of health, and it may influence on the demand of Hospital emergency services. The aim of our investigation is to assess whether elderly patients usually wandering emergency services gather more negative socioeconomic conditions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study on 800 randomised patients cared in emergency services was carried out. A questionnaire about economic, educational and professional levels, domestic violence, loneliness and life style was applied. A crude analysis was used to assess the age-factor (>/= 65 y.o.) by BMDP (PC 90). The trial was approved by the local Bioethics board. RESULTS: Low incomes, low educational level and loneliness were clinic and statistically related with age (65 and more). Data is offered as n (%), X2 and p < 0.0001 (Fisher exact Test two sided p value). CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients frequently demanding hospital emergency services gather more vulnerability conditions, not merely medical. Low incomes, low educational level and loneliness are probably working as key factors on the geriatric demand of emergency services.

Tumour necrosis factor, interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 in alcoholic cirrhosis.

The existence of a cellular immune deficit in alcoholic cirrhosis, and the alterations described in cytokine synthesis in this disease, led us to compare serum concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6 in a group of 33 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (classified according to the Child-Pugh grade of severity of liver disease) and 43 healthy volunteers. Serum concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6 were significantly raised in alcoholic cirrhosis patients, with no significant differences between patients with liver disease of different grades of severity. The results suggest that cirrhosis involves the activation of the monocyte-macrophage system, which may contribute to the progression of the disease and its clinical manifestations.