Quail eggs in artificial nests change their coloration when exposed to ambient conditions: implication for studies on nest predation.

Quail eggs have been widely used in field experiments, mainly to study factors associated with the risk of nest predation. Some shortcomings of using quail eggs in this type of study have been previously addressed (e.g., these eggs might be too big for some predators of eggs of small birds). Here, we show experimental evidence of another shortcoming of the use of these eggs in field experiments. Quail eggs exposed to sunlight rapidly faded in colour after three days, both in the visible and UV spectra, and this change was related to the amount of solar radiation received. This caused changes in the camouflage of the eggs, which may be perceived by predators with different visual systems (dichromatic, trichromatic, and tetrachromatic (for both violet- and UV-sensitive species)). Therefore, the results of field studies of nest predation using quail eggs might be questioned in those cases in which the camouflage has been altered due to the rapid changes in coloration, as this can affect the resulting predation rates. We recommend that researchers planning to use quail eggs should perform a prospective assessment of changes in coloration of eggs exposed to environmental conditions in the nest sites used by the target species.

Shifts in the developmental rate of spadefoot toad larvae cause decreased complexity of post-metamorphic pigmentation patterns.

Amphibian larvae are plastic organisms that can adjust their growth and developmental rates to local environmental conditions. The consequences of such developmental alterations have been studied in detail, both at the phenotypic and physiological levels. While largely unknown, it is of great importance to assess how developmental alterations affect the pigmentation pattern of the resulting metamorphs, because pigmentation is relevant for communication, mate choice, and camouflage and hence influences the overall fitness of the toads. Here we quantify the variation in several aspects of the pigmentation pattern of juvenile spadefoot toads experimentally induced to accelerate their larval development in response to decreased water level. It is known that induced developmental acceleration comes at the cost of reduced size at metamorphosis, higher metabolic rate, and increased oxidative stress. In this study, we show that spadefoot toads undergoing developmental acceleration metamorphosed with a less complex, more homogeneous, darker dorsal pattern consisting of continuous blotches, compared to the more contrasted pattern with segregated blotches and higher fractal dimension in normally developing individuals, and at a smaller size. We also observed a marked effect of population of origin in the complexity of the pigmentation pattern. Complexity of the post-metamorphic dorsal pigmentation could therefore be linked to pre-metamorphic larval growth and development.

Opposite and synergistic physiological responses to water acidity and predator cues in spadefoot toad tadpoles.

Organisms are exposed to multiple environmental factors simultaneously to which they often respond behaviorally, morphologically and/or physiologically. Amphibian larvae are quite plastic and efficiently adjust their phenotype and physiology to the reigning local conditions. Here we tested whether the combination of predator presence and low water pH induces alterations in the morphology and physiology of spadefoot toad tadpoles. We raised Pelobates cultripes tadpoles in the laboratory in water at either pH 4 or 7, and in the presence or absence of caged dragonfly nymphs, and determined their changes in shape through geometric morphometrics to assess whether predator recognition was impaired or not at low pH. We also measured levels of plasma corticosterone, activity of four antioxidant enzymes, as well as markers of oxidative damage and redox status. We found that tadpoles altered their body shape in response to predator cues even at low pH, indicating that predator recognition was not interfered by water acidity and developmental responses were robust even under abiotic stress. Water acidity was associated with increased corticosterone levels in tadpoles, whereas predator presence consistently reduced corticosterone levels. Predator presence was linked to reduced antioxidant enzyme activity, whereas the combination of both factors resulted in negative synergistic effects on lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant capacity of tadpoles. Here we show that tadpoles detect predators even at low pH but that the development of adaptive anti-predatory morphology can magnify physiological imbalances when other stressors co-occur. These results emphasize the need to understand how multiple environmental perturbations can affect animal homeostasis.

Productividad Científica de los Hospitales Asociados a COODESURIS, Risaralda, Colombia, 2012 / Scientific production of the Hospitals Associated to COODESURIS, Risaralda, Colombia, 2012

Introducción: La producción científica de los hospitales es un elemento de gran importancia poco evaluado en algunos lugares, como es el caso del departamento de Risaralda, Colombia. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio bibliométrico usando la base de datos Google Académico, evaluando la producción científica de documentos académicos vinculados a las entidades de salud de Risaralda asociadas a la Cooperativa de Entidades de Salud COODESURIS. Resultados: Se encontró un total de 77 documentos académicos válidos. De ellos, el Hospital Universitario San Jorge fue el que mayor cantidad tiene disponible, 22 (28,6%), seguido por el Hospital Santa Mónica con 9 (11,7%) y el Hospital San Vicente de Paúl de Apía con 8 (10,4%). De dichos documentos, 43 (55,8%) correspondieron con trabajos de tesis, 28 (36,4%) a artículos científicos publicados en revistas, 4 (5,2%) a informes de práctica profesional, 1 guía (1,3%), y 1 libro donde se hace referencia a una entidad (1,3%). Discusión: Con base a todo lo anterior, los hospitales asociados a COODESURIS tienen un bajo nivel de producción científica hasta la fecha, lo cual establece un punto de partida para mejorar a través de distintas estrategias que busquen incrementar el nivel de producción científica a corto, mediano y largo plazo. Más aun, se plantea clasificar las instituciones de salud en tres posibles niveles de producción científica actual: bajo, muy bajo y extremadamente bajo, de acuerdo a criterios basados en los documentos académicos y los artículos publicados.

Introduction: Scientific production of the hospitals is a key element not sufficiently assessed in some places, such is the case of the department Risaralda, Colombia. Materials and methods: A bibliometric study, using the database Google Scholar, assessing the scientific production of academic documents linked to the healthcare institutions of Risaralda, associated to the Cooperativa de Entidades de Salud COODESURIS, was done. Results: A total of 77 valid academic documents was found. From them the Hospital Universitario San Jorge was the one reporting large number of them, 22 (28.6%), followed by the Hospital Santa Mónica with 9 (11.7%) and the Hospital San Vicente de Paúl from Apía with 8 (10.4%). From those documents, 43 (55.8%) corresponded with thesis works, 28 (36.4%) to scientific articles published in journals, 4 (5.2%) to professional practice reports, 1 guide (1.3%), and 1 book were a reference to a healthcare institution was made (1.3%). Discussion: Based on these findings, the hospitals associated to COODESURIS have a low scientific production level, which can be used to establish a starting point to improve through different strategies that look at increase the level of scientific production in a short, medium and long term. Even more, a classification is proposed for the healthcare institutions in three current possible levels: low, very low and extremely low, according to criteria based on the published articles and academic documents.

Situación de la investigación y publicación científica en Colombia y en el departamento de Risaralda: Revisión de indicadores en el contexto de la creación de la Oficina de Investigación Científica de COODESURIS / Situation of Scientific Research and Publication in Colombia and at the Risaralda Department: Review of Indicators in the Context of the Creation of the Office for Scientific Research of COODESURIS

El progreso y avance de las ciencias de la salud globalmente ha obedecido a múltiples factores, que han permitido ofrecer un mejor contexto y herramientas a nivel diagnóstico, terapéutico y preventivo, tanto a nivel de la salud individual como de la salud colectiva. Todo ello fundamentado y sustentado en la investigación científica. En el presente artículo de reflexión se revisan y analizan diferentes indicadores bibliométricos que nos permiten entender la realidad actual en la cual se encuentra el departamento de Risaralda desde punto de vista de la investigación científica en salud y donde se posiciona ello a nivel del país y éste a su vez en América Latina y cuál puede ser el papel de la creación de una oficina de investigación científica de la Cooperativa de Entidades de Salud de Risaralda (COODESURIS), la cual tiene más de una docena de hospitales del departamento asociados, en las perspectivas para los próximos meses y años en la región.

Progress and advance in health sciences, globally, have been driven by multiple factors, that have let offer a better context and tools at diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive levels, either at individual health level but also at collective health. All that based and supported in scientific research. In the current reflexion article different bibliometric indicators that allow us to understand the current reality in which Risaralda department is located from a health scientific research and where is ubicated at the country and this one in Latin America and which can be the role of the creation of a scientific research office at the Cooperativa de Entidades de Salud de Risaralda (COODESURIS), which has more than dozen of department hospital associated, in the perspectives for the upcoming months and years in the region, is reviewed and analyzed.