Some liver functions in the Oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis) are performed in its cuticle: exposure to UV light influences these activities.

The Oriental hornet Vespa orientalis (Hymenoptera, Vespinae) coordinates its daily activities (e.g. flights out of the nest associated with digging activities and removal of the dug soil from the nest) with the amount of insolation. Thus, the stronger the insolation, the more intense the flight activity and vise versa. The hornet's cuticle bears a few yellow stripes interposed among brown parts of the gastral cuticle. These yellow stripes are composed of two elements, namely, a transparent cuticle and underneath it a layer of yellow granules. When the hornets are exposed to UV light, the layer containing the yellow granules is less active than in hornets kept in the dark. This diminished activity entails a lower production of glucose as well as of several enzymes prevalent also in the liver of mammals, like creatine kinase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase. Thus solar irradiation stimulates and produces a change in the metabolic activities of the hornet. The fact that hornets link their flight activity with the insolation leads us to speculate that the sun contributes energetically to the hornet's activity.

Serum amyloid A protein is a useful inflammatory marker during late-onset sepsis in preterm infants.

BACKGROUND: Few studies demonstrated that serum amyloid A (SAA), a non-specific acute-phase reactant, could be used as a reliable early marker for the diagnosis of late-onset sepsis (LOS). OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the diagnostic value and the dynamics of SAA levels during the course of LOS and to compare it to those of other inflammatory markers. METHODS: Levels of SAA, C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6 together with clinical variables, biochemical parameters and cultures retrieved from all preterm infants suspected of LOS were checked at the first suspicion of sepsis and after 8, 24, 48 and 72 h. Results were compared to healthy, matched infants. RESULTS: One hundred and sixteen infants were included in the study, 38 in the sepsis and 78 in the non-sepsis group. High levels of SAA were observed at sepsis onset, with a gradual decline thereafter, while CRP levels increased only at 24 h after sepsis onset. In the sepsis group, levels of SAA returned faster to baseline than CRP levels. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis values revealed that SAA at 10 mug/ml had the highest sensitivity at 0, 8 and 24 h after sepsis onset (95, 100 and 97%, respectively) and a negative predictive value (97, 100 and 98%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: SAA is an accurate acute-phase protein during LOS in preterm infants. Quick and reliable SAA kits can make this marker a useful tool in LOS in preterm infants.

The prognostic virtue of inflammatory markers during late-onset sepsis in preterm infants.

AIM: Late-onset sepsis (occurring after the first three days of life) is a serious complication in preterm infants. In order to assess the possible prognostic virtues of the acute phase inflammatory response in the disease, we compared the inflammatory response of preterm infants who died within 72 hours (h) (fulminant sepsis) to infants who recovered from the disease (non-fulminant sepsis). METHODS: Of 42 preterm infants that were evaluated: 10 had fulminant sepsis and 32 non-fulminant sepsis. Acute phase inflammatory response markers-C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), interleukin (IL)-6 levels and white blood cell (WBC) counts were measured at the first suspicion of LOS and after 8, 24 and 48 h. RESULTS: Small for gestational age (SGA) infants who were treated with fewer days of antibiotics characterized the fulminant sepsis group. The initial high levels of inflammatory markers were similar in both groups, but as early as 8 h after onset significantly lower levels of SAA, CRP and WBC counts were documented in the fulminant sepsis group. The inflammatory response remained low at 24 and 48 h in the fulminant sepsis group, while in the survivors, significantly increased inflammatory markers were measured. Decreases in the levels of the inflammatory markers preceded episodes of metabolic acidosis and arterial hypotension that were more common in the fulminant sepsis group. Infant mortality correlated inversely with SAA levels at 8 h and with CRP and WBC counts at 24 h after onset. CONCLUSION: SAA, CRP and WBC counts can be used as prognostic markers in LOS in preterm infants, with SAA being the earliest prognostic marker.

The effects of exercise on body weight and circulating leptin in premature infants.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of daily movements on weight gain, serum leptin, and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in premature infants. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty very-low-birth-weight premature infants were matched and randomized to a daily movement (n = 10) and control groups (n = 10). Daily movement consisted of passive range of motion with gentle compression of both the upper and lower extremities 5 days per week for 4 weeks. RESULTS: Daily movements led to a significant increase in weight gain (784 +/- 51 vs 608 +/- 26 g in movements and controls, respectively, p < 0.02), and to a significant increase in leptin (0.60 +/- 0.19 vs 0.13 +/- 0.06 ng/ml in movements and controls, respectively 18.8 +/- 4.1 vs 9.2 +/- 4.1 ng/ml in movements and controls, respectively); however, this increase was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: A relatively brief range of motion daily movement intervention was associated with greater weight gain and increased leptin levels in very-low-birth-weight premature infants. This may suggest that at least part of the daily movements associated with increase in body weight resulted from an increase in adipose tissue.

Serum amyloid A protein in the early detection of late-onset bacterial sepsis in preterm infants.

In order to evaluate serum amyloid A as an early diagnostic marker of late-onset sepsis, seventy-nine preterm infants with clinically suspected sepsis and 40 healthy matched controls were assayed for serum amyloid A. In parallel, clinical and biochemical variables that are used to evaluate neonatal sepsis were compared. Forty-two episodes were diagnosed as sepsis. Serum amyloid A levels were elevated in the sepsis group (187.6 +/- 78.3 micrograms/ml), compared with infants who had no sepsis (10.2 +/- 8.3 micrograms/ml) and the control group (6.9 +/- 3.3 micrograms/ml), and were significantly higher in gram-negative compared to gram-positive sepsis (221.8 +/- 84.4 micrograms/ml vs. 48.5 +/- 22.2 micrograms/ml). Analysis of the data suggests serum amyloid A has the highest sensitivity (100%), specificity (93%) and positive predictive value (96%) for sepsis among the clinical and biochemical parameters that were tested. In conclusion, serum amyloid A seems to be a reliable early marker for the diagnosis of late-onset sepsis in preterm infants.