Diet of the Yellow–billed Tern (Sterna supercilliaris) (Aves: sternidae) from the floodplain of the Middle Paraná River, Argentina

El cambio de hábitos en el tipo de colación de los escolares está relacionado, principalmente, con las promociones de los kioscos escolares. Los objetivos del trabajo fueron conocer los productos preferidos comprados en los kioscos escolares para la colación y las razones de su elección (en dos escuelas primarias públicas de la ciudad de Santa Fe) y determinar si las restricciones y exigencias de ventas influyen en la selección de una colación saludable. Los datos fueron recolectados mediante dos encuestas: áulica y en boca de kiosco. La mitad de los niños compra la colación en el kiosco escolar, un 35 % aproximadamente trae colación del hogar, siendo ésta, mayoritariamente, recomendable. Existen diferencias significativas entre las proporciones que eligen un alimento ?recomendable? en el kiosco escolar en ambas escuelas. El principal motivo de selección es el gusto. Es importante regular la venta de productos en los kioscos escolares y educar a los niños en la elección de los alimentos para que realicen una colación saludable. Thirty stomach–content samples (n = 30) were analyzed belonging to the Yellow– billed Tern from the floodplain of the Middle Paraná River, Argentina. The trophic spectrum was composed of 12 taxa (all animal fractions). IRI values were fish= 18 000, crustaceans = 550 and insects = 300. The Hk was 1,52. Regarding the circadian rhythm of feeding activity, an increased activity was observed during midday hours. Food efficiency was 98 % in spring, 99 % in summer, 96,5 % in autumn, and 95,9 % in winter. Prey size ranged from 20–60 mm, being more frequent in the range of 20–40 mm (corresponding to H. pequira). The habitat use index yielded a value of 0.5 for the beach or shore unit. S. supercilliaris presents a carnivorous diet, basically ichthyophagous, whose optimal foraging is linked to the abundant supply of aquatic resources.Fil: Olguin, Pamela Fernanda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - CONICET - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnologia (i); Argentina;Fil: Beltzer, Adolfo Hector. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - CONICET - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnologia (i); Argentina;Fil: Campana, Mirta Claudia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - CONICET - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnologia (i); Argentina

Adultos mayores: los nuevos internautas

Son grandes los beneficios que descubren los miembros de la tercera edad cuando logran superar los obstáculos y prejuicios sociales navegando en el mundo de las nuevas tecnologías. Vencer estas barreras de incomunicación y aislamiento los ayuda a sentirse vigentes en un mundo cada vez más informatizado mejorando su calidad de vida. Internet se está convirtiendo en un instrumento de democratización, que le permite a los adultos mayores adquirir un nuevo rol protagónico. La red puede ser el terreno sobre el cual las personas mayores puedan perfilar un rol provechoso hacia ellos mismos y hacia los demás. Además, les está posibilitando participar activamente de la vida en comunidad y realizar aportes desde su experiencia en la sociedad de la información. Por lo mencionado anteriormente, este proyecto propone la producción integral de un portal web con el objetivo de reducir la brecha entre los adultos mayores y las nuevas tecnologías. El sitio será una significativa herramienta de comunicación virtual que ofrecerá información de interés para los nuevos usuarios de la región. Les permitirá tener un acercamiento real y sencillo a las nuevas tecnologías; sentirse vigentes; compartir experiencias a través de internet y sentirse identificados y representados con los temas y las problemáticas tratadas en la plataforma electrónica.Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación Socia

Lipid Rafts and Clathrin Cooperate in the Internalization of PrPC in Epithelial FRT Cells

The cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies in which the protein undergoes post-translational conversion to the infectious form (PrP(Sc)). Although endocytosis appears to be required for this conversion, the mechanism of PrP(C) internalization is still debated, as caveolae/raft- and clathrin-dependent processes have all been reported to be involved. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have investigated the mechanism of PrP(C) endocytosis in Fischer Rat Thyroid (FRT) cells, which lack caveolin-1 (cav-1) and caveolae, and in FRT/cav-1 cells which form functional caveolae. We show that PrP(C) internalization requires activated Cdc-42 and is sensitive to cholesterol depletion but not to cav-1 expression suggesting a role for rafts but not for caveolae in PrP(C) endocytosis. PrP(C) internalization is also affected by knock down of clathrin and by the expression of dominant negative Eps15 and Dynamin 2 mutants, indicating the involvement of a clathrin-dependent pathway. Notably, PrP(C) co-immunoprecipitates with clathrin and remains associated with detergent-insoluble microdomains during internalization thus indicating that PrP(C) can enter the cell via multiple pathways and that rafts and clathrin cooperate in its internalization. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings are of particular interest if we consider that the internalization route/s undertaken by PrP(C) can be crucial for the ability of different prion strains to infect and to replicate in different cell lines

AMERICAN CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS WITH UNUSUAL CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND RESPONSE TO TREATMENT

The clinical manifestations and prognosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) can be influenced by the immune response of the patient and the species of the parasite. A case of atypical clinical presentation of CL, with development of non-characteristic lesions, poor response to therapy, and a long time to resolution is reported. Confirmatory laboratory tests included parasite detection, indirect immunofluorescence, Montenegro skin test, polymerase chain reaction, and parasite identification by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis. The parasite was identified as Leishmaniabraziliensis. The lesion was unresponsive to three complete courses of N-methylglucamine antimoniate intramuscular, and to treatment with pentamidine. The patient did not tolerate amphotericin B. The lesion finally receded after treatment with intravenous N-methylglucamine antimoniate. It is essential to ensure the accuracy of diagnosis and the appropriate treatment, which can include the use a second choice drug or a different route of administration

Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes in Subjects with Obesity: What is the Best Approach?

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Protective effects of pollenaid plus soft gel capsules’ hydroalcoholic extract in isolated prostates and ovaries exposed to lipopolysaccharide

Pollen extract represents an innovative approach for the management of the clinical symptoms related to prostatitis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). In this context, the aims of the present work were to analyze the phenolic composition of a hydroalcoholic extract of PollenAid Plus soft gel capsules, and to evaluate the extract’s cytotoxic effects, in human prostate cancer PC3 cells and human ovary cancer OVCAR-3 cells. Additionally, protective effects were investigated in isolated prostate and ovary specimens exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The phytochemical investigation identified catechin, chlorogenic acid, gentisic acid, and 3-hydroxytyrosol as the prominent phenolics. The extract did not exert a relevant cytotoxic effect on PC3 and OVCAR-3 cells. However, the extract showed a dose-dependent inhibition of pro-inflammatory IL-6 and TNF-α gene expression in prostate and ovary specimens, and the extract was effective in preventing the LPS-induced upregulation of CAT and SOD gene expression, which are deeply involved in tissue antioxidant defense systems. Finally, a docking approach suggested the capability of catechin and chlorogenic acid to interact with the TRPV1 receptor, playing a master role in prostate inflammation. Overall, the present findings demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of this formulation; thus, suggesting its capability in the management of the clinical symptoms related to prostatitis and PID

A proof-of-concept study on the genomic evolution of Sars-Cov-2 in molnupiravir-treated, paxlovid-treated and drug-naïve patients

Little is known about SARS-CoV-2 evolution under Molnupiravir and Paxlovid, the only antivirals approved for COVID-19 treatment. By investigating SARS-CoV-2 variability in 8 Molnupiravir-treated, 7 Paxlovid-treated and 5 drug-naive individuals at 4 time-points (Days 0-2-5-7), a higher genetic distance is found under Molnupiravir pressure compared to Paxlovid and no-drug pressure (nucleotide-substitutions/site mean & PLUSMN;Standard error: 18.7 x 10(-4) & PLUSMN; 2.1 x 10(-4) vs. 3.3 x 10(-4) & PLUSMN; 0.8 x 10(-4) vs. 3.1 x 10(-4) & PLUSMN; 0.8 x 10(-4), P = 0.0003), peaking between Day 2 and 5. Molnupiravir drives the emergence of more G-A and C-T transitions than other mutations (P = 0.031). SARS-CoV-2 selective evolution under Molnupiravir pressure does not differ from that under Paxlovid or no-drug pressure, except for orf8 (dN > dS, P = 0.001); few amino acid mutations are enriched at specific sites. No RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) or main proteases (Mpro) mutations conferring resistance to Molnupiravir or Paxlovid are found. This proof-of-concept study defines the SARS-CoV-2 within-host evolution during antiviral treatment, confirming higher in vivo variability induced by Molnupiravir compared to Paxlovid and drug-naive, albeit not resulting in apparent mutation selection

Enoximone echocardiography: a novel test to evaluate left ventricular contractile reserve in patients with heart failure on chronic beta-blocker therapy

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that an extensive contractile reserve identified recognised by means of dobutamine stress echocardiography may predict a better prognosis in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction at rest. However, the clinical use of dobutamine stress echocardiography may be limited in patients with chronic heart failure by the substantial proportion of such patients treated with beta-blockers, since the inotropic response to adrenergic stimulation is known to be attenuated in patients receiving beta-adrenoceptor blockers. Enoximone is a positive inotropic agent that inhibits cyclic adenosine monophosphate-specific phosphosdiesterase. We therefore tested the hypothesis that enoximone may be an alternative to dobutamine in evaluating left ventricular contractile reserve in patients with systolic dysfunction on chronic beta-blocker therapy. METHODS: We studied 26 patients (21 males and five females) with a mean age of 58 ± 10 years: 11 were not receiving beta-blockers (noBB group); 15 were receiving carvedilol at a mean dose of 34 mg/day (BB group). Dobutamine was infused at doses of 5 and 10 micrograms/kg/min, and enoximone at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg. RESULTS: The ejection fraction in the noBB group increased by 9% with dobutamine and 8.73% with enoximone (p = 0.86); in the BB group, it increased by 6% with dobutamine and 8.94% with enoximone (p = 0.03). Regional peak systolic velocities were evaluated by means of tissue Doppler imaging in four basal and four medium level segments. In the noBB group, they increased more with dobutamine than with enoximone in three of the eight segments; no significant differences were found in the BB group. Dobutamine induced non-sustained ventricular tachycardia in three patients and supraventricular tachycardia in one, whereas enoximone did not induce any repetitive arrhythmias. CONCLUSIONS: Enoximone might be preferable to low-dose dobutamine for evaluating left ventricular contractile reserve in chronically beta-blocked heart failure patients as it is slightly more potent and has a better safety profile