Diet and the evolution of ADH7 across seven orders of mammals.

Dietary variation within and across species drives the eco-evolutionary responsiveness of genes necessary to metabolize nutrients and other components. Recent evidence from humans and other mammals suggests that sugar-rich diets of floral nectar and ripe fruit have favoured mutations in, and functional preservation of, the ADH7 gene, which encodes the ADH class 4 enzyme responsible for metabolizing ethanol. Here we interrogate a large, comparative dataset of ADH7 gene sequence variation, including that underlying the amino acid residue located at the key site (294) that regulates the affinity of ADH7 for ethanol. Our analyses span 171 mammal species, including 59 newly sequenced. We report extensive variation, especially among frugivorous and nectarivorous bats, with potential for functional impact. We also report widespread variation in the retention and probable pseudogenization of ADH7. However, we find little statistical evidence of an overarching impact of dietary behaviour on putative ADH7 function or presence of derived alleles at site 294 across mammals, which suggests that the evolution of ADH7 is shaped by complex factors. Our study reports extensive new diversity in a gene of longstanding ecological interest, offers new sources of variation to be explored in functional assays in future study, and advances our understanding of the processes of molecular evolution.

Hallux anatomy: much ado about shoes-an attempt to prove that constrictive V-shaped toe-box shoes deform the hallux.

PURPOSE: A question still remains as to whether constrictive toe-box shoes (TBS) cause disability only due to pain on pressure points or if they can cause permanent changes in the hallux anatomy. The aim of this study is to compare the hallux morphology in 3 groups classified according to their use of constrictive or open TBS. METHODS: 424 patients were classified into 3 groups: group A used open TBS daily; group B used constrictive TBS daily; group C used both open and constrictive TBS. Hallux's angles, presence of exostoses and shape of the distal phalanx (DP) were analyzed on dorsoplantar weight-bearing radiographs and compared amongst groups. RESULTS: The intermetatarsal (IMA), metatarsophalangeal (MTPA), DASA, PASA, interphalangeal (IPA), obliquity (AP1), asymmetry (AP2) and joint deviation (JDA) angles for group A were 10°, 8°, 5°, 4°, 9°, 3°, 5°, 3°; for group B were 9°, 19°, 5°, 6°, 12°, 2°, 8°, 2°; and for group C were 10°, 10°, 4°, 4°, 12°, 3°, 8°, 1°. Only the differences in the MTPA, IPA and AP2 were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The prevalence of exostoses on the tibial side of the DP was 22, 36, and 29% in groups A, B and C, respectively (p < 0.05). We found similar distributions of the different DP shapes in the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the use of constrictive TBS, even if used only occasionally, could change hallux anatomy from a young age increasing MTPA, IPA and AP2. Moreover, we have found that DP exostoses are present as a "normal variation" in patients who wear an open TBS, but their prevalence is higher in those wearing constrictive toe-box shoes. This could be due to a reactive bone formation secondary to the friction caused by the inner border of the shoe. LEVEL OF CLINICAL EVIDENCE: 3.

The genomics of ecological flexibility, large brains, and long lives in capuchin monkeys revealed with fecalFACS.

Ecological flexibility, extended lifespans, and large brains have long intrigued evolutionary biologists, and comparative genomics offers an efficient and effective tool for generating new insights into the evolution of such traits. Studies of capuchin monkeys are particularly well situated to shed light on the selective pressures and genetic underpinnings of local adaptation to diverse habitats, longevity, and brain development. Distributed widely across Central and South America, they are inventive and extractive foragers, known for their sensorimotor intelligence. Capuchins have among the largest relative brain size of any monkey and a lifespan that exceeds 50 y, despite their small (3 to 5 kg) body size. We assemble and annotate a de novo reference genome for Cebus imitator Through high-depth sequencing of DNA derived from blood, various tissues, and feces via fluorescence-activated cell sorting (fecalFACS) to isolate monkey epithelial cells, we compared genomes of capuchin populations from tropical dry forests and lowland rainforests and identified population divergence in genes involved in water balance, kidney function, and metabolism. Through a comparative genomics approach spanning a wide diversity of mammals, we identified genes under positive selection associated with longevity and brain development. Additionally, we provide a technological advancement in the use of noninvasive genomics for studies of free-ranging mammals. Our intra- and interspecific comparative study of capuchin genomics provides insights into processes underlying local adaptation to diverse and physiologically challenging environments, as well as the molecular basis of brain evolution and longevity.

Comportamiento alimentario de los adolescentes durante el periodo de preparacion para el ingreso a la universidad / Food adolescent behavior during the period of preparation for income to the university

Objetivos: describir los comportamientos alimentarios de los adolescentes durante la etapa de preparación para el ingreso a la universidad. Material y métodos: el estudio fue descriptivo y de corte transversal, se realizó en el año 2015, en un centro preuniversitario del distrito de Lima, la población fue de 1400 estudiantes de 15 a 17 años, se obtuvo una muestra de 303 adolescentes. Resultados: el 50,5% de los adolescentes consume tres comidas al día, 10,9% solo consume una comida, 4,6% nunca desayuna y 0,3% nunca almuerza. El almuerzo y la merienda o lonche son realizados en el centro educativo. Los días laborales comen sin compañía; salvo en el almuerzo, que comen con sus compañeros. La actividad que la mayoría realiza mientras come durante los días laborales, es ver televisión. Los alimentos y productos que gustan consumir más son: pollo 92,7%, agua 89,4%, pollo a la brasa 82,8%; los que menos prefieren, son las legumbres 49,2%. El 75,2% manifestó que en compañía de sus pares consumen comida rápida, el 35% optó por snacks. El 57.1% dedica entre 15 a 30 minutos para almorzar. Conclusiones: los adolescentes realizan 3 comidas diarias, el lugar donde almuerzan es el centro educativo, en compañía de sus pares prefieren consumir comida rápida; durante los días laborales realizan sus comidas sin compañía, y mientras comen suelen ver televisión y usar las redes sociales, en el entorno familiar consumen alimentos nutritivos y variados.

Objectives: describe adolescents eating behavior while preparing to apply to college. Material and methods: The study is descriptive and transversal, it was held in 2015, in a pre-university center in the district of Lima; the population consisted of 1,400 students with an average age of 15-17 years, and the sample was composed of 303 individuals. Results: 50.5 % of teens eat three times a day, 10.9% eat once, 4.6% never have breakfast and 0.3% never have dinner. Lunch and lunch are made the university center. On weekdays the students eat unaccompanied; except at lunch where they eat with their peers. On weekdays, the activity that is carried out while eating, is watching television. Food and products they like to consume more are: chicken 92.7%, water 89.4%, grilled chicken 82.8% and the least preferred are: legumes 49.2%. 75.2% said that in the company of their peers they consume fast food, 35 % chose snacks. 57.1 % delay between 15 to 30 minutes for lunch. Conclusions: teens have 3 meals a day, where their eating place is the school, in groups they prefer eating fast food; while on weekdays they eat alone, watch TV and use social networks, and in family surroundings they consume nutritious and varied food.

Automated detection of diabetic retinopathy in retinal images.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a disease with an increasing prevalence and the main cause of blindness among working-age population. The risk of severe vision loss can be significantly reduced by timely diagnosis and treatment. Systematic screening for DR has been identified as a cost-effective way to save health services resources. Automatic retinal image analysis is emerging as an important screening tool for early DR detection, which can reduce the workload associated to manual grading as well as save diagnosis costs and time. Many research efforts in the last years have been devoted to developing automatic tools to help in the detection and evaluation of DR lesions. However, there is a large variability in the databases and evaluation criteria used in the literature, which hampers a direct comparison of the different studies. This work is aimed at summarizing the results of the available algorithms for the detection and classification of DR pathology. A detailed literature search was conducted using PubMed. Selected relevant studies in the last 10 years were scrutinized and included in the review. Furthermore, we will try to give an overview of the available commercial software for automatic retinal image analysis.

Comparison of logistic regression and neural network classifiers in the detection of hard exudates in retinal images.

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a common cause of visual impairment in industrialized countries. Automatic recognition of DR lesions in retinal images can contribute to the diagnosis and screening of this disease. The aim of this study is to automatically detect one of these lesions: hard exudates (EXs). Based on their properties, we extracted a set of features from image regions and selected the subset that best discriminated between EXs and the retinal background using logistic regression (LR). The LR model obtained, a multilayer perceptron (MLP) classifier and a radial basis function (RBF) classifier were subsequently used to obtain the final segmentation of EXs. Our database contained 130 images with variable color, brightness, and quality. Fifty of them were used to obtain the training examples. The remaining 80 images were used to test the performance of the method. The highest statistics were achieved for MLP or RBF. Using a lesion based criterion, our results reached a mean sensitivity of 95.9% (MLP) and a mean positive predictive value of 85.7% (RBF). With an image-based criterion, we achieved a 100% mean sensitivity, 87.5% mean specificity and 93.8% mean accuracy (MLP and RBF).

Training and professional profile of retinologists in Spain: Retina 2 project, Report 4.

BACKGROUND: Uniform postresidency systems to train medical specialists have not been developed in most European countries. Before developing a framework for such a system, we established the learning and professional profiles of Spanish ophthalmologists dedicated to medical retina and vitreoretina subspecialties. METHODS: After identification of presumed subspecialists by experts from different autonomous regions, a self-administered questionnaire was mailed in 2006. A reminder was sent three weeks later. Postal mail was used. Nonresponder bias was determined. RESULTS: Of 492 possible retina subspecialists, 261 replied to the questionnaires. While about 86% received specific retinal training, standardized fellowship programs were uncommon for both medical retina and vitreoretina (around 10%). Of the responders, 24.5% performed only medical retina, 11.8% vitreoretina, and 63.6% both. Most (60.5%) practiced anterior segment surgery, and 78.7% declared skills in vitrectomy. CONCLUSION: We have developed a database of Spanish ophthalmologists dedicated to retinal pathologies and identified some characteristics of their professional profile. Although most of them have received specific retinal training, standardized mastership programs are still uncommon. These data will be useful in creating a standardized Retina Mastership, an important goal of the European Higher Education Area.

Bloqueo paravertebral una buena alternativa en analgesia local o regional: [revisión] / Paravertebral block a good alternative in local and regional analgesia

El bloqueo paravertebral torácico o bloqueo intercostal extrapleural consiste en la administración de anestésicos locales en el espacio paravertebral adyacente al foramen intervertebral por donde emergen los nervios espinales, obteniendo un bloqueo somático y simpático ipsilateral en varios dermatomas contiguos, por encima y abajo del sitio de inyección. Es una técnica muy fácil de realizar y con una alta tasa de éxito. Este tipo de bloqueo puede estar indicado en cualquier tipo de patología dolorosa que afecte a la región toracoabdominal de forma unilateral. La realización de un bloqueo paravertebral continuo como parte de un régimen de analgesia balanceada proporciona una analgesia óptima tras toracotomías, comparable con el estándar de oro como es la analgesia epidural torácica y a la que se podría considerar como una alternativa segura y con menos riesgo de complicaciones.

The thoracic paracertebral block or the extrapleural intercostal block is the technique of injecting local anesthetic paravertebral space adjacent to the thoracic vertebra close to where the spinal nerves emerge from the intervertebral foramina. This results in ipsilateral somatic and sympathetic nerve blockade in multiple contiguous thoracic dermatomes above and below the site of inyection.It is a technique very easy to make and with a high rate of success. This type of blockade can be indicated in any type of painful pathology that affects the toracoabdominal region of unilateral form. The accomplishment of a blockade paravertebral continuous as it leaves from a regime of balanced analgesia provides an optimal analgesia after toracotomías, comparable with the gold standard like it is the thoracic epidural analgesia and to which it would be possible to be considered like a safe alternative and with less risk of complications.