Description of two new species of jumping spider Colonus F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1901 (Araneae: Salticidae) from Brazil and Argentina

We present a taxonomic study with descriptions and illustrations of two new species of Colonus F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1901 (Araneae, Salticidae): Colonus gracilis sp. n. (♂♀) from Argentina, and Colonus alineae sp. n. (♂♀) from Argentina and Brazil. In addition, we present the first description of the female of C. melanogaster (Mello-Leitão, 1917).Fil: Rubio, Gonzalo Daniel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Misiones. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Cerro Azul.; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Stolar, Cristian Eric. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Misiones. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Cerro Azul.; ArgentinaFil: Baigorria, Julián Emanuel Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Baptista, Renner L. C.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasi

Overfeeding, Autonomic Regulation and Metabolic Consequences

The autonomic nervous system plays an important role in the regulation of body processes in health and disease. Overfeeding and obesity (a disproportional increase of the fat mass of the body) are often accompanied by alterations in both sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic functions. The overfeeding-induced changes in autonomic outflow occur with typical symptoms such as adiposity and hyperinsulinemia. There might be a causal relationship between autonomic disturbances and the consequences of overfeeding and obesity. Therefore studies were designed to investigate autonomic functioning in experimentally and genetically hyperphagic rats. Special emphasis was given to the processes that are involved in the regulation of peripheral energy substrate homeostasis. The data revealed that overfeeding is accompanied by increased parasympathetic outflow. Typical indices of vagal activity (such as the cephalic insulin release during food ingestion) were increased in all our rat models for hyperphagia. Overfeeding was also accompanied by increased sympathetic tone, reflected by enhanced baseline plasma norepinephrine (NE) levels in both VMH-lesioned animals and rats rendered obese by hyperalimentation. Plasma levels of NE during exercise were, however, reduced in these two groups of animals. This diminished increase in the exercise-induced NE outflow could be normalized by prior food deprivation. It was concluded from these experiments that overfeeding is associated with increased parasympathetic and sympathetic tone. In models for hyperphagia that display a continuously elevated nutrient intake such as the VMH-lesioned and the overfed rat, this increased sympathetic tone was accompanied by a diminished NE response to exercise. This attenuated outflow of NE was directly related to the size of the fat reserves, indicating that the feedback mechanism from the periphery to the central nervous system is altered in the overfed state.

Benign by Design: Green and Scalable Synthesis of Zirconium UiO-Metal–Organic Frameworks by Water-Assisted Mechanochemistry

We present a solvent-free, green, and rapid mechanochemical route for the synthesis of a series of zirconium metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) composed of Zr6 cluster nodes, UiO-66, UiO-66-NH2, MOF-801, and MOF-804, both on a laboratory scale and by scalable and flow mechanochemical processing. The methodology, based on the use of a nonconventional zirconium dodecanuclear acetate cluster and a minute amount of water as an additive, affords high-quality MOFs in less than 1 h of milling, with minimal requirements for workup processing and eliminating the need for conventional hazardous solvents, such as dimethylformamide. Moreover, the use of a dodecanuclear zirconium acetate precursor circumvents the need for modulators resulting in acetic acid as the only byproduct of the reaction, which does not harm these acid-resistant materials. The porosity, thermal and chemical stability, as well as catalytic activity of mechanochemically prepared Zr-based MOFs are similar to those of solvothermally synthesized counterparts. Finally, the synthesis is readily applicable on a 10 g scale by using a planetary mill, and is also performed by solid-state flow synthesis using twin-screw extrusion (TSE), affording more than 100 g of catalytically active UiO-66-NH2 material in a continuous process at a rate of 1.4 kg/h

Anthropometric Variables Accurately Predict Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometric-Derived Body Composition and Can Be Used to Screen for Diabetes

The current world-wide epidemic of obesity has stimulated interest in developing simple screening methods to identify individuals with undiagnosed diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) or metabolic syndrome (MS). Prior work utilizing body composition obtained by sophisticated technology has shown that the ratio of abdominal fat to total fat is a good predictor for DM2 or MS. The goals of this study were to determine how well simple anthropometric variables predict the fat mass distribution as determined by dual energy x-ray absorptometry (DXA), and whether these are useful to screen for DM2 or MS within a population. To accomplish this, the body composition of 341 females spanning a wide range of body mass indices and with a 23% prevalence of DM2 and MS was determined using DXA. Stepwise linear regression models incorporating age, weight, height, waistline, and hipline predicted DXA body composition (i.e., fat mass, trunk fat, fat free mass, and total mass) with good accuracy. Using body composition as independent variables, nominal logistic regression was then performed to estimate the probability of DM2. The results show good discrimination with the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) having an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.78. The anthropometrically-derived body composition equations derived from the full DXA study group were then applied to a group of 1153 female patients selected from a general endocrinology practice. Similar to the smaller study group, the ROC from logistical regression using body composition had an AUC of 0.81 for the detection of DM2. These results are superior to screening based on questionnaires and compare favorably with published data derived from invasive testing, e.g., hemoglobin A1c. This anthropometric approach offers promise for the development of simple, inexpensive, non-invasive screening to identify individuals with metabolic dysfunction within large populations

Anterior fundoplication at the time of congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair

The loss of normal anatomic barriers in neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) can predispose children to gastroesophageal reflux (GER). In an attempt to improve post-operative feeding, we have added a modified anterior fundoplication to restore natural gastric and esophageal positioning. The institutional review board of both participating centers approved this study. Between 1997 and 2008, 13 neonates with high-risk anatomy underwent repair of CDH combined with an anterior fundoplication (Boix-Ochoa). The anatomic indications for concomitant fundoplication were absence of an intra-abdominal esophagus, an obtuse angle of His, and a small, vertically oriented stomach. Ten patients survived to discharge and eight were on full oral nourishment. One required partial gastrostomy feedings for an improving oral aversion and quickly progressed to full oral feedings. One patient with chromosomal anomalies and swallowing dysfunction remained on long-term bolus gastrostomy feedings. Two with progressive symptoms of GER and failure to thrive required conversion to a 360° wrap after 18 months of medical management. This was performed in conjunction with a planned, staged muscle flap reconstruction in one patient. There were no complications related to the fundoplication. Anatomic predictors of severe GER can be efficiently countered at the time of CDH repair. A modified fundoplication should be considered in the operative management of high-risk infants

The use of insulin declines as patients live farther from their source of care: results of a survey of adults with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND: Although most diabetic patients do not achieve good physiologic control, patients who live closer to their source of primary care tend to have better glycemic control than those who live farther away. We sought to assess the role of travel burden as a barrier to the use of insulin in adults with diabetes METHODS: 781 adults receiving primary care for type 2 diabetes were recruited from the Vermont Diabetes Information System. They completed postal surveys and were interviewed at home. Travel burden was estimated as the shortest possible driving distance from the patient's home to the site of primary care. Medication use, age, sex, race, marital status, education, health insurance, duration of diabetes, and frequency of care were self-reported. Body mass index was measured by a trained field interviewer. Glycemic control was measured by the glycosolated hemoglobin A1C assay. RESULTS: Driving distance was significantly associated with insulin use, controlling for the covariates and potential confounders. The odds ratio for using insulin associated with each kilometer of driving distance was 0.97 (95% confidence interval 0.95, 0.99; P = 0.01). The odds ratio for using insulin for those living within 10 km (compared to those with greater driving distances) was 2.29 (1.35, 3.88; P = 0.02). DISCUSSION: Adults with type 2 diabetes who live farther from their source of primary care are significantly less likely to use insulin. This association is not due to confounding by age, sex, race, education, income, health insurance, body mass index, duration of diabetes, use of oral agents, glycemic control, or frequency of care, and may be responsible for the poorer physiologic control noted among patients with greater travel burdens

Biomedical imaging research opportunities workshop IV: A white paper

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134967/1/mp5838.pd

Lung function in school-aged congenital diaphragmatic hernia patients; a longitudinal evaluation

Objective: Children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) are at risk for pulmonary morbidity. Data on longitudinal evaluation of lung function in CDH are scarce. We hypothesized that CDH patients would have impaired lung function that worsens over time. We evaluated lung function and its determinants at ages 8 and 12 years. Methods: Dynamic and static lung volumes, and diffusion capacity were measured. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment, the standardized European neonatal treatment protocol, patch repair, duration of ventilation, type of initial mechanical ventilation, and nitric oxide treatment were entered as covariates in linear mixed models with standard deviation score (SDS) lung function parameters (FEV1, FEF 25-75, and K CO) as dependent variables. Results: Seventy-six children (27 ECMO-treated) born between 1999 and 2009 performed 113 reliable lung function tests. Severity of airflow obstruction deteriorated significantly from age 8 to 12 years: estimated mean difference (95% confidence interval [CI]) SDS FEV1 was −0.57 (−0.79 to −0.36) and SDS FEF25-75 was −0.63 (−0.89 to −0.37), both P <.001. Static lung volumes were within normal range and unchanged over time: estimated mean difference (95% CI) SDS TLC −0.27 (−0.58 to 0.04); P =.085. SDS KCO was below normal at 8 and 12 years and remained stable: −0.06 (−0.22 to 0.35); P =.648. These observations were irrespective of ECMO treatment. FEV1 and FEF25-75 were negatively associated with duration of ventilation (P <.001). Baseline data were not related with TLC or KCO. Conclusions: CDH patients should be followed into adulthood as they are at risk for worsening airflow obstruction and decreased diffusion capacity at school age, irrespective of ECMO treatment