New Host-plant Records For Neotropical Agromyzids (diptera: Agromyzidae) From Asteraceae Flower Heads

Agromyzidae is a large and cosmopolitan fly family with approximately 2,500 known species. Here we present 22 new records of agromyzid-host plant associations. Plants were sampled from 2002 to 2005 in São Paulo state, Brazil. A total of eight agromyzid species were reared from 18 Asteraceae host species. The genus Melanagromyza Hendel was the commonest. This is the first detailed study reporting associations between non-leafmining Agromyzidae and their host plants in Brazil.3719799Almeida, A.M., C.R. Fonsceca, P.I. Prado, M. Almeida Neto, S. Diniz, U. Kubota, M.R. Braun, R.L.G. Raimundo, L.A. Anjos, T.G. Mendonça, S.M. Futada & T.M. Lewinsohn. 2005. Diversidade e ocorrência de Asteraceae em cerrados de São Paulo. Biota Neotrop. 5: http://www.biotaneotropica. org.br/v5n2/pt/abstract?article+BN00105022005 . ISSN 1676-0603Andersen, A., Sjursen, H., Rafoss, T., Biodiversity of Agromizydae (Diptera) and biologically and conventionally grown spring barley and grass field (2004) Biol. Agric. Hortic, 22, pp. 143-155Benavent-Corai, J., Martinez, M., Jimenez Peydró, R., Catalogue of the host-plants of the world Agromyzidae (Diptera) (2005) Boll. Zool. Agrar. Bachic. Serie II, 37, pp. 1-97Bremer, K., (1994) Asteraceae: Cladistics and classification, , Timber Press, Portland, 752pChen, X., Lang, F., Xu, Z., He, J., Ma, Y., The occurrence of leafminers and their parasitoids on vegetables and weeds in Hangzhou area, Southeast China (2003) BioControl, 48, pp. 515-527Eiten, G., Cerrado vegetation of Brazil (1972) Bot. Rev, 38, pp. 201-341Fonseca, C.R., Prado, P.I., Almeida Neto, M., Kubota, U., Lewinsohn, T.M., Flower heads, herbivores, and their parasitoids: Food web structure along a fertility gradient (2005) Ecol. Entomol, 30, pp. 36-46Gagné, R.J., (1994) The gall midges of the Neotropical region, , Cornell Univ. Press, Ithaca, 352pLewinsohn, T.M. 1991. Insects in flower heads of Asteraceae in southeast Brazil: a case study on tropical species richness, p.525-560. In P.W. Price, T.M. Lewinsohn, G.W. Fernandes & W.W. Benson (eds.). Plant-animal interactions: Evolutionary ecology in tropical and temperate regions. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 639pLewinsohn, T.M., Novotny, V., Basset, Y., Insects on plants: Diversity of herbivore assemblages revisited (2005) Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst, 36, pp. 597-620Schuster, D.J., Gilreath, J.P., Wharton, R.A., Seymour, P.R., Agromyzidae (Diptera) leafminers and their parasitoids in weeds associated with potato in Florida (1991) Environ. Entomol, 20, pp. 720-723Spencer, K.A., Notes on the Neotropical Agromyzidae (Diptera) (1966) Pap. Avulsos Zool, 19, pp. 142-150Spencer, K.A., The Agromyzidae of Canada and Alaska (1969) Mem. Entomol. Soc. Can, 64, pp. 1-311Spencer, K.A. 1973a. Agromyzidae (Diptera) of economic importance. Dr. W. Junk B. V. The Hague, Serie Entomologica, 418pSpencer, K.A., The Agromyzidae (Diptera) of Venezuela. Rev. Fac. Agrom (1973), pp. 5-107. , Mar. VIIISpencer, K.A., (1990) Host specialization in the world Agromyzidae, , Diptera, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 444pSpencer, K.A. 1996. Australasian/Oceanian Diptera Catalog - Web Version. URL: http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/aocat/agromyzidae.html. Accessed in 12/09/2006Spencer, K.A. & C.E. Stegmaier. 1973. Arthropods of Florida (EUA) and neighboring land areas, v. 7. Agromyzidae of Florida (USA) with a Supplement on Species from the Caribbean. Fla. Dep. Agri. Cons. Serv., Gainesville, 205pSpencer, K.A. & G.C. Steyskal. 1986. Manual of the Agromyzidae (Diptera) of the United States. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook. n. 638. Washington, U.S.ASpencer, K.A., Martinez, M., Etienne, J., Les Agromyzidae (Diptera) de Guadeloupe. (1992) Ann. Soc. Entomol. Fr, 28, pp. 251-302Zwölfer, H. 1988. Species richness, species packing, and evolution in insect-plant systems, p.301-319. In E.D. Schulze & H. Zwölfer (eds.), Potentials and limitations of ecosystem analysis. Springer-Verlag. Berlin, 435

Neuroimagen estructural y funcional en las enfermedades priónicas humanas

INTRODUCTION: Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders resulting from the accumulation of a misfolded isoform of the cellular prion protein (PrPc). They can occur as acquired, sporadic or hereditary forms. Although prion diseases show a wide range of phenotypic variations, pathological features and clinical evolution, they are all characterised by a common unfavourable course and a fatal outcome. REVIEW SUMMARY: Some variants, such as kuru, have practically disappeared, while others, for example the variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob (vCJD) or those attributable to iatrogenic causes, are still in force and pose a challenge to current medicine. There are no definitive pre-mortem diagnostic tests, except for vCJD, where a tonsil biopsy detects 100% of the cases. For this reason, diagnostic criteria dependent on statistical probability have had to be created. These require complementary examinations, such as an electroencephalogram (EEG) or the detection of 14-3-3 protein in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Only the "pulvinar sign" in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been included as a vCJD diagnostic criterion. The present review discusses neuroimaging findings for each type of prion disease in patients with a definitive histopathological diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The aim is to define the usefulness of these complementary examinations as a tool for the diagnosis of this family of neurodegenerative diseases

Negative calcium balance despite normal plasma ionized calcium concentrations during citrate anticoagulated continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) in ICU patients

Background: Supplementation of calcium during continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) with citrate anticoagulation is usually titrated using a target blood ionized calcium concentration. Plasma calcium concentrations may be normal despite substantial calcium loss, by mobilization of calcium from the skeleton. Aim of our study is to develop an equation to calculate CVVH calcium and to retrospectively calculate CVVH calcium balance in a cohort of ICU-patients. Methods: This is a single-center retrospective observational cohort study. In a subcohort of patients, all calcium excretion measurements in patients treated with citrate CVVH were randomly divided into a development set (n = 324 in 42 patients) and a validation set (n = 441 in 42 different patients). Using mixed linear models, we developed an equation to calculate calcium excretion from routinely available parameters. We retrospectively calculated calcium balance in 788 patients treated with citrate CVVH between 2014 and 2021. Results: Calcium excretion (mmol/24 h) was - 1.2877 + 0.646*[Ca](blood,total) * ultrafiltrate (l/24 h) + 0.107*blood flow (ml/h). The mean error of the estimation was - 1.0 +/- 6.7 mmol/24 h, the mean absolute error was 4.8 +/- 4.8 mmol/24 h. Calculated calcium excretion was 105.8 +/- 19.3 mmol/24 h. Mean daily CVVH calcium balance was - 12.0 +/- 20.0 mmol/24 h. Mean cumulative calcium balance ranged from - 3687 to 448 mmol. Conclusion: During citrate CVVH, calcium balance was negative in most patients, despite supplementation of calcium based on plasma ionized calcium levels. This may contribute to demineralization of the skeleton. We propose that calcium supplementation should be based on both plasma ionized calcium and a simple calculation of calcium excretion by CVVH.[GRAPHICS].Afdeling Klinische Chemie en Laboratoriumgeneeskunde (AKCL

Milk kefir: Composition, microbial cultures, biological activities, and related products

In recent years, there has been a strong focus on beneficial foods with probiotic microorganisms and functional organic substances. In this context, there is an increasing interest in the commercial use of kefir, since it can be marketed as a natural beverage that has health promoting bacteria. There are numerous commercially available kefir based-products. Kefir may act as a matrix in the effective delivery of probiotic microorganisms in different types of products. Also, the presence of kefir's exopolysaccharides, known as kefiran, which has biological activity, certainly adds value to products. Kefiran can also be used separately in other food products and as a coating film for various food and pharmaceutical products. This article aims to update the information about kefir and its microbiological composition, biological activity of the kefir's microflora and the importance of kefiran as a beneficial health substance.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Diagnosis features of pediatric Gaucher disease patients in the era of enzymatic therapy, a national-base study from the Spanish Registry of Gaucher Disease

Background: The enzymatic replacement therapy (ERT) availability for Gaucher disease (GD) has changed the landscape of the disease, several countries have screening programs. These actions have promoted the early diagnosis and avoided many complications in pediatric patients. In Spain ERT has been available since 1993 and 386 patients have been included in the Spanish Registry of Gaucher Disease (SpRGD). The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of ERT on the characteristics at time of diagnosis and initial complications in pediatric Gaucher disease patients. Aim: To analyze the impact of ERT on the characteristics at time of diagnosis and initial complications in pediatric Gaucher disease patients. Methods: A review of data in SpRGD from patients'' diagnosed before 18 years old was performed. The cohort was split according the year of diagnosis (=1994, cohort A; =1995, cohort B). Results: A total of 98 pediatric patients were included, GD1: 80, GD3: 18; mean age: 7.2 (0.17-16.5) years, 58 (59.2%) males and 40 (40.8%) females. Forty-five were diagnosed = 1994 and 53 = 1995. Genotype: N370S/N370S: 2 (2.0%), N370S/L444P: 27 (27.5%), N370S/other: 47 (48%), L444P/L444P: 7 (7.1%), L444P/D409H: 2 (2.0%), L444P/other: 3 (6.2%), other/other: 10 (10.2%). The mean age at diagnosis was earlier in patients diagnosed after 1995 (p < 0.001) and different between the subtypes, GD1: 8.2 (0.2-16.5) years and GD3: 2.8 (0.17-10.2) years (p < 0.001). There were more severe patients in the group diagnosed before 1994 (p = 0.045) carrying L444P (2), D409H (2), G377S (1), G195W (1) or the recombinant mutation. The patients'' diagnosed =1994 showed worse cytopenias, higher chance of bone vascular complications at diagnosis and previous spleen removal. The patients started ERT at a median time after diagnosis of 5.2 years [cohort A] and 1.6 years [cohort B] (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The early diagnosis of Gaucher disease in the era of ERT availability has permitted to reduce the incidence of severe and irreversible initial complication in pediatric patients, and this has permitted better development of these patients. This is the largest pediatric cohort from a national registry