Focused Cardiac Ultrasound Using a Pocket-Size Device in the Emergency Room

Background:Cardiovascular urgencies are frequent reasons for seeking medical care. Prompt and accurate medical diagnosis is critical to reduce the morbidity and mortality of these conditions.Objective:To evaluate the use of a pocket-size echocardiography in addition to clinical history and physical exam in a tertiary medical emergency care.Methods:One hundred adult patients without known cardiac or lung diseases who sought emergency care with cardiac complaints were included. Patients with ischemic changes in the electrocardiography or fever were excluded. A focused echocardiography with GE Vscan equipment was performed after the initial evaluation in the emergency room. Cardiac chambers dimensions, left and right ventricular systolic function, intracardiac flows with color, pericardium, and aorta were evaluated.Results:The mean age was 61 ± 17 years old. The patient complaint was chest pain in 51 patients, dyspnea in 32 patients, arrhythmia to evaluate the left ventricular function in ten patients, hypotension/dizziness in five patients and edema in one patient. In 28 patients, the focused echocardiography allowed to confirm the initial diagnosis: 19 patients with heart failure, five with acute coronary syndrome, two with pulmonary embolism and two patients with cardiac tamponade. In 17 patients, the echocardiography changed the diagnosis: ten with suspicious of heart failure, two with pulmonary embolism suspicious, two with hypotension without cause, one suspicious of acute coronary syndrome, one of cardiac tamponade and one of aortic dissection.Conclusion:The focused echocardiography with pocket-size equipment in the emergency care may allow a prompt diagnosis and, consequently, an earlier initiation of the therapy.

The influence of shell species and size on the shell selection pattern of Paguristes tortugae (Decapoda, Diogenidae) from Anchieta Island (Ubatuba, Brazil)

Shell selection by the hermit crab Paguristes tortugae Schmitt, 1933 from Anchieta Island (Brazil) was analyzed using the six most frequently occupied shell species in the field and taking into account the sexual condition of the individuals, the shell size and the shell species. The experiments were conducted under laboratory conditions and the shell species preference was estimated on the basis of the frequency that each species was chosen by the individuals. The preferred shell species and size were determined by regression analysis. The highest correlation coefficients were obtained for the relations between the hermit dimensions and shell dry weight. The ovigerous females preferred shells with larger internal volume: Leucozonia nassa (Gmelin, 1791) and Cerithium atratum (Born, 1778). In the experiment of shell size, males preferred heavier shells whereas females selected the shape characteristics of the shell, such as the aperture and the internal volume, which are probably related to the growth and offspring guarantee, respectively. In general, and independent of sex condition, P. tortugae showed significant selection among all shells utilized. The results suggest that shell selection by P. tortugae involves sexual and reproductive condition preferences.

Capacidade reprodutiva de Bothrops jararaca (Serpentes, Viperidae)

The relationship between female body size and egg number was examined in the snake Bothrops jararaca (Wied, 1924). Some authors have demonstrated that the estimated clutch size may be affected by the inclusion or exclusion of dead neonates or non-developed eggs. The reproductive system of 254 mature females newly arrived from nature was examined and 29.55% (n=75) had eggs in the oviducts in different stages of embryonic development. The presence of atresic eggs was observed in 34.5% of those females. A significant difference was observed in the number of eggs in the right and left oviducts (t=9.48, P<0.001), but not in the number of atresic eggs (t=1.110, P=0.278). The correlation of female body size and egg number was greater when all, the normal and atresic eggs were considered (r=0.63, P<0.001). The exclusion of atresic eggs from the clutch size decreased slightly this correlation (r=0.54, P<0.001).

Reproductive characteristics of characid fish species (Teleostei, Characiformes) and their relationship with body size and phylogeny

In this study, I investigated the reproductive biology of fish species from the family Characidae of the order Characiformes. I also investigated the relationship between reproductive biology and body weight and interpreted this relationship in a phylogenetic context. The results of the present study contribute to the understanding of the evolution of the reproductive strategies present in the species of this family. Most larger characid species and other characiforms exhibit a reproductive pattern that is generally characterized by a short seasonal reproductive period that lasts one to three months, between September and April. This is accompanied by total spawning, an extremely high fecundity, and, in many species, a reproductive migration. Many species with lower fecundity exhibit some form of parental care. Although reduction in body size may represent an adaptive advantage, it may also require evolutionary responses to new biological problems that arise. In terms of reproduction, smaller species have a tendency to reduce the number of oocytes that they produce. Many small characids have a reproductive pattern similar to that of larger characiforms. On the other hand they may also exhibit a range of modifications that possibly relate to the decrease in body size and the consequent reduction in fecundity. Examples of changes in the general reproductive pattern include the following: reduction in the size of mature oocytes; increase in fecundity; production of several batches of oocytes; an extended reproductive period or even continuous reproduction that allows individuals to reproduce more than once a year; high growth rates; rapid recruitment of juveniles; presence of more than one reproductive cohort that increases the sexually active population; and multiple independent development of insemination as a reproductive strategy. These changes are possibly associated with adaptive pressures that are related to the reduction in body size. In addition, such reproductive characteristics or novelties may reflect the phylogenetic history of a given species.

Clutch size in the small-sized lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae (Tropiduridae): does it vary along the geographic distribution of the species?

We studied life history traits of females of the lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae (Rodrigues, 1981), an endemic species of rock outcrop habitats in southeastern Brazil. During October 2002 and 2003 we sampled three populations in sites that encompass the meridional portion of the geographic range of the species. Clutch size varied from one to three eggs, with most females carrying two eggs. Clutch size did not vary among populations, but was correlated to female body size. Only larger females produced clutches of three eggs. Females of the small-sized E. nanuzae produce eggs as large as those of medium-sized tropidurids, thus investing a considerable amount of energy to produce clutches resulting in high values of relative clutch mass.

Shape and size variations of Aegla uruguayana (Anomura, Aeglidae) under laboratory conditions: A geometric morphometric approach to the growth

Crustacean growth studies typically use modal analysis rather than focusing on the growth of individuals. In the present work, we use geometric morphometrics to determine how organism shape and size varies during the life of the freshwater crab, Aegla uruguayana Schmitt, 1942. A total of 66 individuals from diverse life cycle stages were examined daily and each exuvia was recorded. Digital images of the dorsal region of the cephalothorax were obtained for each exuvia and were subsequently used to record landmark configurations. Moult increment and intermoult period were estimated for each crab. Differences in shape between crabs of different sizes (allometry) and sexes (sexual dimorphism; SD) were observed. Allometry was registered among specimens; however, SD was not statistically significant between crabs of a given size. The intermoult period increased as size increased, but the moult frequency was similar between the sexes. Regarding ontogeny, juveniles had short and blunt rostrum, robust forehead region, and narrow cephalothorax. Unlike juveniles crabs, adults presented a well-defined anterior and posterior cephalothorax region. The rostrum was long and stylised and the forehead narrow. Geometric morphometric methods were highly effective for the analysis of aeglid-individual- growth and avoided excessive handling of individuals through exuvia analysis.

Deletion, insertion and translocation of DNA sequences contribute to chromosome size polimorphism in Plasmodium berghei

Extensive chromosome size polymorphism in Plasmodium berghei in vivo mitotic multiplication. Size differences between homologous chromosomes mainly involve rearrangements in the subtelomeric regions while internal chromosomal regions are more conserved. Size differences are almost exclusively due to differences in the copy number of a 2.3 kb subtelomeric repeat unit. Not only deletion of 2.3 kb repeats occurs, but addition of new copies of this repeat sometimes results in the formation of enlarged chromosomes. Even chromosomes which originally lack 2.3 kb repeats, can acquire these during mitotic multiplication. In one karyotype mutant, 2.3 kb repeats were inserted within one of the original telomeres of chromosome 4, creating an internal stretch oftelomeric repeats. Chromosome translocation can contribute to chromosome size polymorphism as well We found a karyotype mutant in which chromosome 7 with a size of about 1.4 Mb is translocated to chromosome 13/14 with a size of about 3 Mb, resulting in a rearranged chromosome, which was shown to contain a junction between internal DNA sequences of chromosome 13/14 and subtelomeric 2.3 kb repeats of chromosome 7. In this mutant a new chromosome of 1.4 Mb is present which consists of part of chromosome 13/14.

Life history correlates of adult size in the malaria vector Anopheles darlingi

Adult dry weights of laboratory-reared Anopheles darlingi were highly correlated with wing lengths, which were used to estimate size variation in natural populations of this species. Significant differences in mean wing lengths of females trapped at baits were detected among collections in the same week at one site, but not between three sites in Brazil and Boliva. Relatively higher variability of wing lengths, compared to collections of other Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus), and platykurtic size distributions in large, single-night collections suggested that An. darlingi females caught at baits emerged from heterogenous larval habitats. No relationship was detected between parous state and the body size of wild-caught females. Adult males and females of laboratory-reared An. darlingi did not differ in body size. This absence of sexual size dimorphism is rare among mosquitoes and has not been noted previously in the genus Anopheles.

Differential Regulation of Granuloma Size and Hepatic Fibrosis in Schistosome Infections

Granuloma size is the variable most frequently used to evaluate the immunopathogenesis of schistosome infections. However, hepatic fibrosis is at the least an equally relevant variable. Hepatic fibrosis and the size of circumoval granulomas are frequently dissociated in experimental murine Schistosoma mansoni and S. japonicum infections. Virtually nothing is known of the immunoregulation of schistosomal hepatic fibrosis. This review notes many of the studies which have found discrepancies in granuloma volume and hepatic fibrosis, attempts to put them in perspective and to evaluate different methods of calculating changes in collagen synthesis or content

Induction of protective immunity against Schistosoma mansoni infection by antigens purified from PIII, a fraction of adult worm, associated to the downregulation of granuloma formation

This study was performed in order to define Schistosoma mansoni antigens able to function as modulator agents in BALB/c mice granulomatous hypersensitivity to parasite egg. The antigens P-24, P-35 and P-97 were purified by affinity chromatography from a fraction of S. mansoni adult worm antigenic preparation, denominated PIII, involved in the inhibition of granulomatous response to eggs. Immunization of mice with these antigens, in the presence of Corynebacterium parvum and Al(OH)3 as adjuvant, induced a significant protection degree against challenge infection, as observed by the decrease on worm burden recovered from portal system. In vitro blastogenesis assays revealed that purified antigens were able to induce significant proliferation of spleen cells from S. mansoni-infected mice. This protection was correlated to significant decrease in granuloma size induced by PIII. From these results, we concluded that PIII preparation contains antigens capable of mediating protective anti-parasite immunity and down-regulating granulomatous hypersensitivity to S. mansoni eggs.

Variation in cuticular hydrocarbons among strains of the Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto by analysis of cuticular hydrocarbons using gas liquid chromatography of larvae

Cuticular hydrocarbons of larvae of individual strains of the Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto were investigated using gas liquid chromatography. Biomedical discriminant analysis involving multivariate statistics suggests that there was clear hydrocarbon difference between the Gambian(G3), the Nigerian (16CSS and, its malathion resistant substrain, REFMA) and the Tanzanian (KWA) strains. The high degree of segregation (95%) in hydrocarbons among the four strains investigated indicates that further analysis is needed to enable understanding of hydrocarbon variation in samples of An. gambiae especially from areas where these populations co-exist.

Evaluation by ELISA of Anisakis simplex Larval Antigen Purified by Affinity Chromatography

In order to improve the specificity and sensitivity of the techniques for the human anisakidosis diagnosis, a method of affinity chromatography for the purification of species-specific antigens from Anisakis simplex third-stage larvae (L3) has been developed. New Zealand rabbits were immunized with A. simplex or Ascaris suum antigens or inoculated with Toxocara canis embryonated eggs. The IgG specific antibodies were isolated by means of protein A-Sepharose CL-4B beads columns. IgG anti-A. simplex and -A. suum were coupled to CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B. For the purification of the larval A. simplex antigens, these were loaded into the anti-A. simplex column and bound antigens eluted. For the elimination of the epitopes responsible for the cross-reactions, the A. simplex specific proteins were loaded into the anti-A. suum column. To prove the specificity of the isolated proteins, immunochemical analyses by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were carried out. Further, we studied the different responses by ELISA to the different antigenic preparations of A. simplex used, observing their capability of discriminating among the different antisera raised in rabbits (anti-A. simplex, anti-A. suum, anti-T. canis). The discriminatory capability with the anti-T. canis antisera was good using the larval A. simplex crude extract (CE) antigen. When larval A. simplex CE antigen was loaded into a CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B coupled to IgG from rabbits immunized with A. simplex CE antigen, its capability for discriminate between A. simplex and A. suum was improved, increasing in the case of T. canis. The best results were obtained using larval A. simplex CE antigen loaded into a CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B coupled to IgG from rabbits immunized with adult A. suum CE antigen. When we compared the different serum dilution and antigenic concentration, we selected the working serum dilution of 1/400 and 1 µg/ml of antigenic concentration.