Influence of tannic acid concentration on the physicochemical characteristics of saliva of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi).

Tannins are a chemical defense mechanism of plants consumed by herbivores. Variations in salivary physicochemical characteristics such as pH, total protein concentration (TP), and presence of proline-rich proteins (PRPs) in animals have been reported as a mechanism to protect the oral cavity when consuming food with variations in pH and tannins. Variations in salivary physiochemistry as adaptations for consuming tannin-rich foods have been found in omnivorous and folivorous primates, but have not yet been reported in frugivorous species such as spider monkeys. We therefore assessed changes in pH using test strips, TP concentration by measuring absorbance at 595 nm in a spectrophotometer and salivary PRPs using the SDS-PAGE electrophoresis technique in the saliva of nine captive spider monkeys in response to the consumption of solutions with different concentrations of tannic acid. The results showed variations in pH, TP concentration and the presence and variation of possible salivary PRPs associated with tannic acid concentration. These findings suggest that spider monkeys may tailor their salivary physicochemical characteristics in response to the ingestion of potentially toxic compounds.

Hand preferences in two unimanual and two bimanual coordinated tasks in the black-handed spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi).

Spider monkeys are interesting to study with regard to hand preferences, as they are one of the few primate species that lack a thumb and, thus, are unable to perform a precision grip. Further, being platyrrhine primates, they also largely lack independent motor control of the digits and, thus, have only limited manual dexterity. It was therefore the aim of the present study to assess hand preferences in black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) in 4 tasks differing in task demand: simple unimanual reaching for food and 3 versions of the widely used tube task, including 2 bimanual versions that differ from each other in the degree of fine motor control needed and a unimanual version that does not require coordinated action of the hands. We found that black-handed spider monkeys display significant hand preferences at the individual, but not at the population, level. This was true both in the 2 bimanual coordinated tasks and in the 2 unimanual tasks. Further, our results show that the majority of animals were consistent in the hand they preferred in these 4 tasks. Our findings only partially support the notion that task demand positively correlates with strength of hand preference. Finally, we found that the index finger was the most frequently used digit in all 3 tube tasks, although the animals also used other digits and 2- and 3-finger combinations to extract food from a tube. We conclude that limited manual dexterity does not prevent spider monkeys from displaying strong and consistent hand preferences at the individual level. (PsycINFO Database Record

[Laparoscopic varicocelectomy in the adult patient]. / Varicocelectomía laparoscópica en el adulto.

OBJECTIVES: We performed a study including 120 patients with the diagnosis of varicocele (testicular Doppler ultrasound), from June 2004 to July 2006, analyzing the following variables: surgical time, hospital stay, postoperative analgesic requirements, complications and return to social-working activities. RESULTS: 120 patients between 18 and 42 years of age underwent surgery. Mean surgical time was 25.07 minutes. A minority of the patients were discharged the following day (difficulties with transportation), the rest were treated as outpatient. Almost no postoperative analgesic drugs were employed, only three patients required pain treatment. Only three minor complications appeared during or after surgery. All patients had a fast recovery back to their social-working activities (between 15 and 21 days). CONCLUSIONS: We consider laparoscopic ligation of spermatic veins may be considered an effective method for the treatment of patients with varicocele. It is the treatment of choice for bilateral varicocele, obese patients, after the failure of conventional techniques, in patients with history of inguinal surgery, and when simultaneous laparoscopic treatment of other pathologies is necessary. We also emphasize the importance it plays as training in the learning curve for the development of this technique.

Varicocelectomía laparoscópica en el adulto / Laparoscopic varicocelectomy in the adult patient

Objetivo: Conocer nuestros resultados con esta novedosa técnica en la Provincia. Método: Se realiza un estudio en 120 pacientes con el diagnostico positivo (doppler testicular) de varicocele. Desde junio del año 2004 a julio del 2006, analizando las siguientes variables: Tiempo quirúrgico, estancia hospitalaria, uso de analgésicos post operatorios, complicaciones e incorporación a las actividades sociolaborales. Resultados: Se intervienen 120 pacientes entre 18 y 42 años de edad. El tiempo quirúrgico promedio fue 25.07 minutos. La minoría de los pacientes egresaron al día siguiente (dificultad con el transporte), el resto se trataron de forma ambulatoria. No se utilizó prácticamente analgésicos post operatorios, sólo 3 pacientes requirieron tratamiento del dolor. Se presentaron sólo 3 complicaciones menores durante o después de la cirugía. Todos los pacientes tuvieron una rápida incorporación a las actividades sociolaborales (entre 15 y 21). Conclusiones: Consideramos que la ligadura laparascópica de las venas espermáticas puede considerarse como método eficaz en el tratamiento de pacientes con diagnóstico de varicocele. De elección en el varicocele bilateral, en pacientes obesos, después del fracaso de las técnicas convencionales, con antecedentes de cirugía inguinal y en la necesidad de tratamiento laparoscópico simultáneo de otras patologías. Sin olvidar la importancia que juega como entrenamiento en la curva de aprendizaje para el desarrollo de esta técnica (AU)

Objectives: We performed a study including 120 patients with the diagnosis of varicocele (testicular Doppler ultrasound), from June 2004 to July 2006, analyzing the following variables: surgical time, hospital stay, postoperative analgesic requirements, complications and return to social-working activities. Results: 120 patients between 18 and 42 years of age underwent surgery. Mean surgical time was 25.07 minutes. A minority of the patients were discharged the following day (difficulties with transportation), the rest were treated as outpatient. Almost no postoperative analgesic drugs were employed, only three patients required pain treatment. Only three minor complications appeared during or after surgery. All patients had a fast recovery back to their social-working activities (between 15 and 21 days). Conclusions: We consider laparoscopic ligation of spermatic veins may be considered an effective method for the treatment of patients with varicocele. It is the treatment of choice for bilateral varicocele, obese patients, after the failure of conventional techniques, in patients with history of inguinal surgery, and when simultaneous laparoscopic treatment of other pathologies is necessary. We also emphasize the importance it plays as training in the learning curve for the development of this technique (AU)

Conducto vertebral estrecho y hernia de disco. Determinación del estudio más eficaz en su diagnóstico. Informe de 20 casos de comparación entre resonancia magnética, tomografía computada y mielografía / Spinal stenosis and herniated disc. In looking for the most reliable diagnosis precedure. Comparison between magnetic resonance, computarized tomography and myelography. Report of 20 cases

Se presenta un estudio prospectivo dd 20 pacientes del sexo femenino de las cuales 11 con edad de 19 a 65 años tenían diagnóstico clínico de hernia de disco (HD) y nueve con edad de 42 a 60 años con diagnóstico clínico de conducto vertebral estrecho (CVE), con lumbalgia y síntomas neurológicos irritativos o deficitarios y estudio radiográfico simple. Las pacientes no habían mejorado con el tratamiento conservador. En el presente estudio se evaluaron 19 con mielografía (MG), 18 con tomografía axial computada (TAC), y 19 con resonancia magnética nuclear (RMN). Por fallas mecánicas en el equipo en una paciente no se realizó TAC por alergia al medio de contraste. Se hicieron 17 cirugías, nueve en pacientes con CVE y ocho en pacientes con HD. Los resultados de la comparación de los estudios preoperatorios con la cirugía fueron: en la MG de 10 casos, 16 fueron positivos verdaderos (84.2%); en la TAC de 18 casos, 13 fueron positivos verdaderos (72.2%); en la RMN de 19 casos, 17 fueron positivos verdaderos (89.6%). La combinación de estudios mostró un porcentaje de eficacia de 94.7%para MG-RMN; 94.5%para TAC-RMN; y 83.8%para MG-TAC. El estudio más eficaz se considera la RMN con resultados muy similares para la MG. La TAC se considera el estudio menos eficaz en el diagnóstico de estos padecimientos.