The biology of Aedes (Ochlerotatus) albifasciatus Macquart, 1838 (Diptera: Culicidae) in Central Argentina

Aedes albifasciatus is a flood water mosquito ocurring in the southern countries of South America. It is a competent vector of the Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE) and causes important losses on milk and beef production in central Argentina. Field work was carried out from December 1990 to March 1993, on a monthly basis during the dry season and biweekly during the rainy season. Larvae were collected using the 'dipping' technique and females with CDC traps baited with CO2. Field collected larvae were used to build laboratory cohorts, from which basic population parameters were estimated. Eggs survived up to six months on dry soil, although there was a linear decrease of viability with time. At 23ºC, larval development time was around nine days, and all adults emerged within one week. The estimation of larval development in the laboratory seems to be very near the development on the field, as larvae have been collected on average eight days after a rainfall. Egg to adult survival was 83%, with the highest mortality on fourth larval instar (6%). In the laboratory studies, sex proportion among the adults was 1:1, females lived longer than males (median 13 and five days, respectively), and adult survival pattern showed a constant number of individuals dying per unit time. Field collected females layed an average of 84 eggs per batch, and completing up to five gonotrophic cycles, suggesting an estimated survival of up to 35-50 days.

The quality of primary care in a country with universal health care coverage.

BACKGROUND: Standard indicators of quality of care have been developed in the United States. Limited information exists about quality of care in countries with universal health care coverage.OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of preventive care and care for cardiovascular risk factors in a country with universal health care coverage.DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective cohort of a random sample of 1,002 patients aged 50-80 years followed for 2 years from all Swiss university primary care settings.MAIN MEASURES: We used indicators derived from RAND's Quality Assessment Tools. Each indicator was scored by dividing the number of episodes when recommended care was delivered by the number of times patients were eligible for indicators. Aggregate scores were calculated by taking into account the number of eligible patients for each indicator.KEY RESULTS: Overall, patients (44% women) received 69% of recommended preventive care, but rates differed by indicators. Indicators assessing annual blood pressure and weight measurements (both 95%) were more likely to be met than indicators assessing smoking cessation counseling (72%), breast (40%) and colon cancer screening (35%; all p < 0.001 for comparisons with blood pressure and weight measurements). Eighty-three percent of patients received the recommended care for cardiovascular risk factors, including > 75% for hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes. However, foot examination was performed only in 50% of patients with diabetes. Prevention indicators were more likely to be met in men (72.2% vs 65.3% in women, p < 0.001) and patients < 65 years (70.1% vs 68.0% in those a parts per thousand yen65 years, p = 0.047).CONCLUSIONS: Using standardized tools, these adults received 69% of recommended preventive care and 83% of care for cardiovascular risk factors in Switzerland, a country with universal coverage. Prevention indicator rates were lower for women and the elderly, and for cancer screening. Our study helps pave the way for targeted quality improvement initiatives and broader assessment of health care in Continental Europe.

Daily pattern of flight activity of Aedes albifasciatus in Central Argentina

Aedes albifasciatus is an important common mosquito in Central Argentina. Its a confirmed vector of the Western Equine Encephalitis and is responsible for loss of milk production in dairy cattle during peak populations. This paper reports the flight activity pattern of Ae. albifasciatus for different seasons, in the southern coast of the Mar Chiquita Lake (Central Argentina). Data were collected by sampling two sites between 1992 and 1993 with CDC traps and human-bait captures. Adult mosquito population density, estimated by CDC trapping and human-bait, were highly correlated. However, when compared to other species, the proportion of Ae. albifasciatus was higher in human-bait collections. Adult female populations were active only when temperature were higher than 6§C. Two daily biting peaks were observed (dusk and dawn) during the spring, summer and autumn, and only one peak during winter (around 15:00 pm). Adult abundance was significantly correlated (R²= 0.71; p<0.01) with temperature and illumination.

Expression of substance P and preprotachykinin mRNA by primary sensory neurons in culture: regulation by factors present in peripheral and central target tissues.

Primary sensory neurons display various neuronal phenotypes which may be influenced by factors present in central or peripheral targets. In the case of DRG cells expressing substance P (SP), the influence of peripheral or central targets was tested on the neuronal expression of this neuropeptide. DRG cells were cultured from chick embryo at E6 or E10 (before or after establishment of functional connections with targets). Preprotachykinin mRNA was visualized in DRG cell cultures by either Northern blot or in situ hybridization using an antisense labeled riboprobe, while the neuropeptide SP was detected by immunostaining with a monoclonal antibody. In DRG cell cultures from E10, only 60% of neurons expressed SP. In contrast, DRG cell cultures performed at E6 showed a significant hybridization signal and SP-like immunoreactivity in virtually all the neurons (98%). The addition of extracts from muscle, skin, brain or spinal cord to DRG cells cultured at E6 reduced by 20% the percentage of neurons which express preprotachykinin mRNA and SP-like immunoreactivity. Our results indicate that factors issued from targets inhibit SP-expression by a subset of primary sensory neurons and act on the transcriptional control of preprotachykinin gene.

Geodynamic reconstructions of the South America-Antarctica plate system

The South America-Antarctica plate system shows many oceanic accretionary systems and subduction zones that initiated and then stopped. To better apprehend the evolution of the system, geodynamic reconstructions (global) have been created from Jurassic (165 Ma) to present, following the techniques used at the University of Lausanne. However, additional synthetic magnetic anomalies were used to refine the geodynamics between 33 Ma and present. The reconstructions show the break up of Gondwana with oceanisation between South America (SAM) and Antarctica (ANT), together with the break off of `Andean' geodynamical units (GDUs). We propose that oceanisation occurs also east and south of the Scotian GDUs. Andean GDUs collide with other GDUs crossing the Pacific. The west coast of SAM and ANT undergo a subsequent collision with all those GDUs between 103 Ma and 84 Ma, and the Antarctic Peninsula also collides with Tierra del Fuego. The SAM-ANT plate boundary experienced a series of extension and shortening with large strike-slip component, culminating with intra-oceanic subduction leading to the presence of the `V-' and anomalies in the Weddell Sea. From 84 Ma, a transpressive collision takes place in the Scotia region, with active margin to the east. As subduction propagates northwards into an old and dense oceanic crust, slab roll-back initiates, giving rise to the western Scotia Sea and the Powell Basin opening. The Drake Passage opens. As the Scotian GDUs migrate eastwards, there is enough space for them to spread and allow a north-south divergence with a spreading axis acting simultaneously with the western Scotia ridge. Discovery Bank stops the migration of South Orkney and `collides with' the SAM-ANT spreading axis, while the northern Scotian GDUs are blocked against the Falkland Plateau and the North-East Georgia Rise. The western and central Scotia and the Powell Basin spreading axes must cease, and the ridge jumps to create the South Sandwich Islands Sea. The Tierra del Fuego-Patagonia region has always experienced mid-oceanic ridge subduction since 84 Ma. Slab window location is also presented (57-0 Ma), because of its important implication for heat flux and magmatism. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis in a cutaneous leishmaniasis focus in central Colombia

Lutzomyia longipalpis, 15 other species of the genus Lutzomyia, and one species of Brumptomyia were collected in an endemic focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in a river canyon 450 m above sea-level, in Rio Claro, Antioquia, Colombia. The presence of Lu. longipalpis is associated with the destruction of the primary forest and the development of new farmland and rural settlement in this region. The composition of species identified a different habitat for Lu. longipalpis in Colombia. Lu. yuilli and Lu. longipalpis were predominant (68.26%) followed by Lu. trapidoi, Lu. hartmani, Lu. triramula, Lu. panamensis, Lu. gomezi.

Comparison of Some Molecular-genetic Techniques for Identification of Leishmania Circulating in Natural Foci of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the Central Asia Region

Different molecular-genetic methods were used to identify a cohort of Leishmania strains from natural foci of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis located in Central Asia, on the former USSR territory. The results obtained using isoenzymes, PCR, restriction fragment length polymorphisms of kDNA and molecular hybridization techniques are discussed in terms of their applicability, discrimination power and feasibility for answering questions related to molecular epidemiological research and for detecting mixed Leishmania infections

International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) Consensus Conference on Handling and Staging of Radical Prostatectomy Specimens. Working group 3: extraprostatic extension, lymphovascular invasion and locally advanced disease.

The International Society of Urological Pathology Consensus Conference on Handling and Staging of Radical Prostatectomy Specimens in Boston made recommendations regarding the standardization of pathology reporting of radical prostatectomy specimens. Issues relating to extraprostatic extension (pT3a disease), bladder neck invasion, lymphovascular invasion and the definition of pT4 were coordinated by working group 3. It was agreed that prostate cancer can be categorized as pT3a in the absence of adipose tissue involvement when cancer bulges beyond the contour of the gland or beyond the condensed smooth muscle of the prostate at posterior and posterolateral sites. Extraprostatic extension can also be identified anteriorly. It was agreed that the location of extraprostatic extension should be reported. Although there was consensus that the amount of extraprostatic extension should be quantitated, there was no agreement as to which method of quantitation should be employed. There was overwhelming consensus that microscopic urinary bladder neck invasion by carcinoma should be reported as stage pT3a and that lymphovascular invasion by carcinoma should be reported. It is recommended that these elements are considered in the development of practice guidelines and in the daily practice of urological surgical pathology.

Perfil farmacològic de seguretat a nivell de sistema nerviós central d'un nou fàrmac selectiu pel receptor d'histamina4

Amb l’objectiu d’identificar els possibles efectes adversos d’una nova molècula antagonista del receptor de la histamina H4 (Compost A) en el sistema nerviós central (SNC), es va realitzar el test més àmpliament emprat per aquest fi: el test anomenat FOB (Functional Observational Battery test) en el qual es fa servir la rata com a model animal d’estudi. L’estudi FOB forma part dels d’estudis principals (Core Battery Studies) de la farmacologia de seguretat requerida per les autoritats reguladores per tal d’iniciar els estudis clínics en humans (ICH Topic S7A: Safety Pharmacology Studies for Human Pharmaceuticals; FDA & EMA). D’altra banda i per tal de complementar aquests estudis principals, es va avaluar el potencial efecte convulsivant del Compost A mitjançant el model de convulsions induïdes per pentilentetrazol en rata. Aquest efecte proconvulsionant ha estat associat de manera puntual als fàrmacs antagonistes dels receptor H1 i de manera particular en la població infantil. L’estudi de les convulsions forma part dels Follow Up Studies recomenats per la ICH S7A. El Compost A en cap de les dosis administrades, en cap dels assaigs realitzats, mostra una activitat depressora o estimulant en el sistema nerviós. Es caracteritza per tant, per primera vegada, part del perfil de seguretat a nivell del SNC d’un fàrmac antagonista selectiu del receptor H4 de la histamina.

Central and Cortical Gray Mater Segmentation of Magnetic Resonance Images of the Fetal Brain

Motivation. The study of human brain development in itsearly stage is today possible thanks to in vivo fetalmagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. Aquantitative analysis of fetal cortical surfacerepresents a new approach which can be used as a markerof the cerebral maturation (as gyration) and also forstudying central nervous system pathologies [1]. However,this quantitative approach is a major challenge forseveral reasons. First, movement of the fetus inside theamniotic cavity requires very fast MRI sequences tominimize motion artifacts, resulting in a poor spatialresolution and/or lower SNR. Second, due to the ongoingmyelination and cortical maturation, the appearance ofthe developing brain differs very much from thehomogenous tissue types found in adults. Third, due tolow resolution, fetal MR images considerably suffer ofpartial volume (PV) effect, sometimes in large areas.Today extensive efforts are made to deal with thereconstruction of high resolution 3D fetal volumes[2,3,4] to cope with intra-volume motion and low SNR.However, few studies exist related to the automatedsegmentation of MR fetal imaging. [5] and [6] work on thesegmentation of specific areas of the fetal brain such asposterior fossa, brainstem or germinal matrix. Firstattempt for automated brain tissue segmentation has beenpresented in [7] and in our previous work [8]. Bothmethods apply the Expectation-Maximization Markov RandomField (EM-MRF) framework but contrary to [7] we do notneed from any anatomical atlas prior. Data set &Methods. Prenatal MR imaging was performed with a 1-Tsystem (GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee) using single shotfast spin echo (ssFSE) sequences (TR 7000 ms, TE 180 ms,FOV 40 x 40 cm, slice thickness 5.4mm, in plane spatialresolution 1.09mm). Each fetus has 6 axial volumes(around 15 slices per volume), each of them acquired inabout 1 min. Each volume is shifted by 1 mm with respectto the previous one. Gestational age (GA) ranges from 29to 32 weeks. Mother is under sedation. Each volume ismanually segmented to extract fetal brain fromsurrounding maternal tissues. Then, in-homogeneityintensity correction is performed using [9] and linearintensity normalization is performed to have intensityvalues that range from 0 to 255. Note that due tointra-tissue variability of developing brain someintensity variability still remains. For each fetus, ahigh spatial resolution image of isotropic voxel size of1.09 mm is created applying [2] and using B-splines forthe scattered data interpolation [10] (see Fig. 1). Then,basal ganglia (BS) segmentation is performed on thissuper reconstructed volume. Active contour framework witha Level Set (LS) implementation is used. Our LS follows aslightly different formulation from well-known Chan-Vese[11] formulation. In our case, the LS evolves forcing themean of the inside of the curve to be the mean intensityof basal ganglia. Moreover, we add local spatial priorthrough a probabilistic map created by fitting anellipsoid onto the basal ganglia region. Some userinteraction is needed to set the mean intensity of BG(green dots in Fig. 2) and the initial fitting points forthe probabilistic prior map (blue points in Fig. 2). Oncebasal ganglia are removed from the image, brain tissuesegmentation is performed as described in [8]. Results.The case study presented here has 29 weeks of GA. Thehigh resolution reconstructed volume is presented in Fig.1. The steps of BG segmentation are shown in Fig. 2.Overlap in comparison with manual segmentation isquantified by the Dice similarity index (DSI) equal to0.829 (values above 0.7 are considered a very goodagreement). Such BG segmentation has been applied on 3other subjects ranging for 29 to 32 GA and the DSI hasbeen of 0.856, 0.794 and 0.785. Our segmentation of theinner (red and blue contours) and outer cortical surface(green contour) is presented in Fig. 3. Finally, torefine the results we include our WM segmentation in theFreesurfer software [12] and some manual corrections toobtain Fig.4. Discussion. Precise cortical surfaceextraction of fetal brain is needed for quantitativestudies of early human brain development. Our workcombines the well known statistical classificationframework with the active contour segmentation forcentral gray mater extraction. A main advantage of thepresented procedure for fetal brain surface extraction isthat we do not include any spatial prior coming fromanatomical atlases. The results presented here arepreliminary but promising. Our efforts are now in testingsuch approach on a wider range of gestational ages thatwe will include in the final version of this work andstudying as well its generalization to different scannersand different type of MRI sequences. References. [1]Guibaud, Prenatal Diagnosis 29(4) (2009). [2] Rousseau,Acad. Rad. 13(9), 2006, [3] Jiang, IEEE TMI 2007. [4]Warfield IADB, MICCAI 2009. [5] Claude, IEEE Trans. Bio.Eng. 51(4) (2004). [6] Habas, MICCAI (Pt. 1) 2008. [7]Bertelsen, ISMRM 2009 [8] Bach Cuadra, IADB, MICCAI 2009.[9] Styner, IEEE TMI 19(39 (2000). [10] Lee, IEEE Trans.Visual. And Comp. Graph. 3(3), 1997, [11] Chan, IEEETrans. Img. Proc, 10(2), 2001 [12] Freesurfer,http://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu.

Metazoan Parasite Infracommunities in Five Sciaenids from the Central Peruvian Coast

Parasitological analysis of 237 Menticirrhus ophicephalus, 124 Paralonchurus peruanus, 249 Sciaena deliciosa, 50 Sciaena fasciata and 308 Stellifer minor from Callao (Perú) yielded 37 species of metazoan parasites (14 Monogenea, 11 Copepoda, 4 Nematoda, 3 Acanthocephala, 1 Digenea, 1 Aspidobothrea, 1 Eucestoda, 1 Isopoda and 1 Hirudinea). Only one species, the copepoda Bomolochus peruensis, was common to all five hosts. The majority of the components of the infracommunities analyzed are ectoparasites. The Brillouin index (H) and evenness (J´) were applied to the fully sampled metazoan parasite infracommunities. High values of prevalence and mean abundance of infection are associated to the polyonchoinean monogeneans; the low values of J' reinforce the strong dominance of this group in the studied communities. The paucity of the endoparasite fauna may be a consequence of the unstable environment due to an upwelling system, aperiodically affected by the El Niño Southern Oscillation phenomena.

Six years of denosumab treatment in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: results from the first three years of the freedom extension

Background/Purpose: Denosumab (DMAb) is an approved therapy for the treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at increased risk for fracture. A favorable risk/benefit profile was demonstrated in the pivotal, 3-year FREEDOM trial (Cummings et al NEJM 2009). The open-label, active-treatment FREEDOM Extension study is investigating the efficacy and safety of DMAb for up to 10 years. The Extension trial enrolled women who had received DMAb or placebo in FREEDOM and provides an opportunity to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of continuous DMAb treatment (long-term group), and to replicate the DMAb findings observed in FREEDOM (cross-over group). Here, we report the results from the first 3 years of the Extension, representing up to 6 continuous years of DMAb exposure.Methods: During the Extension, each woman is scheduled to receive 60 mg DMAb every 6 months and supplemental calcium and vitamin D daily. For the analyses reported here, women from the FREEDOM DMAb group received 3 more years of DMAb for a total of 6 years of exposure (long-term group) and women from the FREEDOM placebo group received 3 years of DMAb exposure (cross-over group).Results: Of the 5928 women eligible for the Extension, 4550 (77%) enrolled (N_2343 long-term; N_2207 cross-over). In the long-term group, further significant mean increases in bone mineral density (BMD) occurred 4044 for cumulative 6-year gains of 15.2% at the lumbar spine and 7.5% at the total hip (Figure). During the first 3 years of DMAb treatment during the Extension, the cross-over group had significant mean gains in BMD at the lumbar spine (9.4%) and total hip (4.8%), similar to those observed in the long-term DMAb group during the first 3 years of FREEDOM (lumbar spine, 10.1%; total hip, 5.7%). Serum CTX was rapidly and similarly reduced after the 1st (cross-over) or 7th (long-term) DMAb dose with the characteristic attenuation observed at the end of the dosing period. In the cross-over group, yearly incidences of new vertebral and nonvertebral fractures were lower than in the FREEDOM placebo group. Fracture incidence remained low in the long-term group. Incidences of adverse events (AEs) and serious AEs did not increase over time with DMAb treatment. There were 2 subjects with AEs adjudicated to ONJ in the cross-over group and 2 in the long-term group. Both cases in the cross-over group healed completely and without further complications; 1 of these subjects continues to receive DMAb. Both women in the long-term group continue to be followed. No atypical femur fractures have been observed to date. Figure. Percent changes in bone mineral density during FREEDOM and the Extension Conclusion: DMAb treatment for 6 continuous years (long-term group) remained well tolerated, maintained reduced bone turnover, and continued to significantly increase BMD. Fracture incidence remained low. DMAb treatment for 3 years in the cross-over group reproduced the original observations in FREEDOM.

A New Species of Simulium (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Open Areas in Central Amazonia, Brazil

The larva, pupa, male and female of Simulium daltanhani n. sp. are described and illustrated. This species shares diagnostic characteristics with Simulium quadrifidum Lutz, Simulium cauchense Floch & Abonnenc, Simulium brevifurcatum Lutz and Simulium siolii Py-Daniel. It was collected in three counties (Manaus, Presidente Figueiredo and Itacoatiara) in the State of Amazonas, Brazil. Its habitat includes streams in disturbed, open areas where the forest has been cut for road construction; it was not collected in adjacent forested streams, suggesting that it colonizes disturbed habitats. The larval subesophageal ganglion is discussed as a useful character, when pigmented, to distinguish this species within a limited geographic area.