Analysis of antenal sensilla patterns of Rhodnius prolixus from Colombia and Venezuela

Antennal sensilla patterns were used to analyze population variation of domestic Rhodnius prolixus from six departments and states representing three biogeographical regions of Colombia and Venezuela. Discriminant analysis of the patterns of mechanoreceptors and of three types of chemoreceptors on the pedicel and flagellar segments showed clear differentiation between R. prolixus populations east and west of the Andean Cordillera. The distribution of thick and thin-walled trichoids on the second flagellar segment also showed correlation with latitude, but this was not seen in the patterns of other sensilla. The results of the sensilla patterns appear to be reflecting biogeographic features or population isolation rather than characters associated with different habitats and lend support to the idea that domestic R. prolixus originated in the eastern region of the Andes.Fil: Esteban, Lyda. Universidad Industrial de Santander; ColombiaFil: Angulo, Víctor Manuel. Universidad Industrial de Santander; ColombiaFil: Dora Feliciangeli, M.. Universidad de Carabobo; VenezuelaFil: Catala, Silvia Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Secretaría de Industria y Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Provincia de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja; Argentin

Osteosíntesis mínimamente invasiva con placa en fracturas de radio distal tipo C

Introducción. La tendencia hacia el uso de técnicas mínimamente invasivas (MIPO) en el tratamiento de fracturas se justifica, por la reducción de la exposición de la fractura y la disección de los planos musculares, lo que facilita la recuperación precoz. Material y Método. Se realizó un estudio en dos fases, la primera descriptiva retrospectiva de una serie de 48 casos, y la segunda, del estudio longitudinal prospectivo de una serie de 23 casos, que se sometieron a MIPO tras una fractura intraarticular de radio distal tipo C de AO. Además de las variables: edad, sexo, lateralidad y mecanismo de lesión, se evaluaron los resultados funcionales, dolor, rango de movimiento y fuerza, a través de Mayo Wrist Score escala y el cuestionario DASH. Las fracturas se clasificaron utilizando las directrices AO, se evaluaron los resultados radiológicos y complicaciones. Resultados. Se realizó la descripción del abordaje quirúrgico de los71 pacientes: 43 mujeres y 28 hombres, con una media de edad de 57 años. El lado más afectado fue el izquierdo con 51 casos. El resultado funcional fue 68,33 en el primer estudio (retrospectivo) y 85,86 en el estudio prospectivo. Observamos una pérdida de fuerza en comparación con el lado contralateral, medida con un dinamómetro, de 5,19 Kg. (retrospectivo) y 2,98 Kg. (prospectivo). Radiográ- ficamente no hubo colapso intraarticular o pérdida de la reducción en el estudio prospectivo, y la consolidación se obtuvo en el 100% de los casos. Se observó, en el segundo estudio, un caso de síndrome de dolor regional complejo y sólo un caso requirió la retirada de material debido a la protrusión dorsal de un tornillo. Conclusiones. Se trata de una técnica segura que permite la reducción y estabilización de las fracturas de la extremidad distal del radio. No solo la estética, sino también, los resultados funcionales son mejores con la técnica MIPO.Introduction. The current trend towards the use of minimally invasive techniques (MIPO) in the treatment of fractures is justified by the reduced exposure of the fracture and dissection of the muscle planes, which facilitates early recovery. Materials and Methods. We performed a double study, a retrospective descriptive study of a series of 48 cases and a prospective longitudinal study of a series of 23 patients that underwent MIPO after intra-articular distal radius fracture. In addition to the variables: age, sex, side and injury mechanism, etc., functional outcomes, pain, range of motion and strength, through Mayo Wrist Score scale and DASH were assessed. Fractures were classified using the AO guidelines, radiological results and complications were assessed. Results. We conducted the description of surgical approach with surgical images. We analyzed a total of 71 patients, 43 women and 28 men with a mean age of 57 years. The most affected side was the left with 51 cases. According to the Mayo Wrist Score, functional outcome was 68,33 in the first study (retrospective) and 85.86 in the prospective study. A mean loss in strength, measured with a dynamometer of 5,19 Kg. (retrospective) and 2,98 Kg. (prospective), was observed when compared to the contralateral side. Radiographically no intraarticular collapse or loss reduction were observed in prospective study, and consolidation was obtained in 100% of the cases. One case of complex regional pain syndrome was observed and only one case required the removal of material because of dorsal protrusion of a screw in this study. Conclusions. It is a safe technique that allows the reduction and stabilization of fractures of the distal radius. Not only the aesthetic but also functional results are better with MIPO technique

The sex ratio distortion in the human head louse is conserved over time

BACKGROUND: At the turn of the 19(th )century the first observations of a female-biased sex ratio in broods and populations of the head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis, had been reported. A study by Buxton in 1940 on the sex ratio of lice on prisoners in Ceylon is still today the subject of reanalyses. This sex ratio distortion had been detected in ten different countries. In the last sixty years no new data have been collected, especially on scalp infestations under economically and socially more developed conditions. RESULTS: Here we report a female bias of head lice in a survey of 480 school children in Argentina. This bias is independent of the intensity of the pediculosis, which makes local mate competition highly unlikely as the source of the aberrant sex ratio; however, other possible adaptive mechanisms cannot be discounted. These lice as well as lice from pupils in Britain were carrying several strains of the endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia pipientis, one of the most wide spread intracellular sex ratio distorters. Similar Wolbachia strains are also present in the pig louse, Haematopinus suis, suggesting that this endosymbiont might have a marked influence on the biology of the whole order. The presence of a related obligate nutritional bacterium in lice prevents the investigation of a causal link between sex ratio and endosymbionts. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of its origin, this sex ratio distortion in head lice that has been reported world wide, is stable over time and is a remarkable deviation from the stability of frequency-dependent selection of Fisher's sex ratio. A female bias first reported in 1898 is still present over a hundred years and a thousand generations later

Global mapping of randomised trials related articles published in high-impact-factor medical journals: a cross-sectional analysis

BACKGROUND: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) provide the most reliable information to inform clinical practice and patient care. We aimed to map global clinical research publication activity through RCT-related articles in high-impact-factor medical journals over the past five decades. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of articles published in the highest ranked medical journals with an impact factor > 10 (according to Journal Citation Reports published in 2017). We searched PubMed/MEDLINE (from inception to December 31, 2017) for all RCT-related articles (e.g. primary RCTs, secondary analyses and methodology papers) published in high-impact-factor medical journals. For each included article, raw metadata were abstracted from the Web of Science. A process of standardization was conducted to unify the different terms and grammatical variants and to remove typographical, transcription and/or indexing errors. Descriptive analyses were conducted (including the number of articles, citations, most prolific authors, countries, journals, funding sources and keywords). Network analyses of collaborations between countries and co-words are presented. RESULTS: We included 39,305 articles (for the period 1965-2017) published in forty journals. The Lancet (n = 3593; 9.1%), the Journal of Clinical Oncology (n = 3343; 8.5%) and The New England Journal of Medicine (n = 3275 articles; 8.3%) published the largest number of RCTs. A total of 154 countries were involved in the production of articles. The global productivity ranking was led by the United States (n = 18,393 articles), followed by the United Kingdom (n = 8028 articles), Canada (n = 4548 articles) and Germany (n = 4415 articles). Seventeen authors who had published 100 or more articles were identified; the most prolific authors were affiliated with Duke University (United States), Harvard University (United States) and McMaster University (Canada). The main funding institutions were the National Institutes of Health (United States), Hoffmann-La Roche (Switzerland), Pfizer (United States), Merck Sharp & Dohme (United States) and Novartis (Switzerland). The 100 most cited RCTs were published in nine journals, led by The New England Journal of Medicine (n = 78 articles), The Lancet (n = 9 articles) and JAMA (n = 7 articles). These landmark contributions focuse

Numerical analysis of microwave heating cavity: Combining electromagnetic energy, heat transfer and fluid dynamics for a NaY zeolite fixed-bed

[EN] Three-dimensional mathematical model was developed for a rectangular TE10n microwave heating cavity system, working at 2.45 GHz. Energy/heat, momentum equations were solved together with Maxwell's electromagnetic field equations using comm. MULTIPHYSICS (R) simulation environment. The dielectric properties, epsilon' and epsilon '', of NaY zeolite (Si/Al = 2.5) were evaluated as a function of temperature. Considering these values, the microwave heating of a porous fixed-bed made of dry NaY zeolite was simulated. Electric field distribution, axial and radial temperature profiles and temperature evolution with time were obtained. The zeolite fixed bed was heated up to 180 degrees C in 5 min, with 30 W power. The fixed-bed temperature evolution under non-steady state conditions showed the same trend as the one observed experimentally with only an average deviation of 10.3%. The model was used to predict microwave heating of other materials improving energy efficiency of the microwave cavity. Furthermore, the developed model was able to predict thermal runaway for zeolites.Financial support from the European Research Council ERC-Advanced Grant HECTOR-267626 is gratefully acknowledged. Hakan Nigar acknowledges financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Education for the FPU grant (Formacion del Profesorado Universitario - FPU12/06864), and also for the academic short stay grant (Estancia Breve - FPU2016) at the Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.Nigar, H.; Sturm, GSJ.; García-Baños, B.; Penaranda-Foix, FL.; Catalá Civera, JM.; Mallada, R.; Stankiewicz, A.... (2019). Numerical analysis of microwave heating cavity: Combining electromagnetic energy, heat transfer and fluid dynamics for a NaY zeolite fixed-bed. Applied Thermal Engineering. 155:226-238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2019.03.117S22623815