Degeneración de los folículos postovulatorios en la anchoa del golfo de Vizcaya (Engraulis encrasicolus L.)

The degeneration of postovulatory follicles (POFs) in time and at different temperatures was studied for the Bay of Biscay anchovy. For this purpose a key of 7 POF stages, solely defined on the basis of their histological degeneration characteristics, was applied. The novelty of this procedure is that it separates staging of POFs from their ageing process. The female gonads, taken from several captivity experiments and field samples, were classified in this way. Water temperature in captivity tanks corresponded to high values (17-21°C), except for one case in which different day and night temperatures were applied. In addition, 472 field samples (11948 anchovy females) from several cruises were examined; of these, 126 samples (3348 females) were identified as coming from areas of high sea surface temperature (weighted mean =17.76°C, s.d.=0.84) and 131 samples (3181 females) as coming from areas of low sea surface temperature (weighted mean =14.42°C, s.d.=0.75). There was close agreement in the succession of POF stages over time after spawning between the experiment and the field samples. The first four stages of POF degeneration occurred in less than 24 h, and by the end of the first day the POFs were mainly in Stage V. Stages VI and VII showed their highest occurrence during the first and second half of the second day after spawning, respectively. Full resorption of POFs was achieved in about 55-60 h. For the range of temperatures examined (13-19°C), little effect of temperature on the degeneration of POFs over time was noticed. The advanced degeneration stages were found all day round, showing some overlapping periods when successive spawning cohorts co-occurred. The application of these results for ageing POFs is discussed.Se ha estudiado la degeneración de los folículos postovulatorios (FPOs) para la anchoa del golfo de Vizcaya en el tiempo y a diferentes temperaturas. Para este fin se ha utilizado una clave de 7 estadios de FPOs basada únicamente en características de degeneración histológica. La novedad de este procedimiento consiste en la separación entre la clasificación de los estadios de FPOs y su datación. Así, se han clasificado las gónadas de hembras obtenidas a partir de experimentos en cautividad y de muestras de campo. Las temperaturas de los experimentos en cautividad se corresponden con temperaturas altas (17-21ºC), excepto en un caso en el que se aplicaron cambios de temperatura día/noche. Además se clasificaron gónadas de anchoa de 472 muestras de diferentes campañas (11948 hembras de anchoa). De éstas, 126 muestras (3348 hembras) fueron identificadas como procedentes de zonas con temperatura superficial alta (media ponderada =17.76ºC, s.d.=0.84) mientras que 131 muestras (3181 hembras) procedían de zonas con temperaturas superficiales bajas (media ponderada =14.42ºC, s.d.=0.75). Se ha encontrado una gran concordancia en la sucesión temporal de los estadios de FPOs tanto en los experimentos como en las muestras de campo. Los 4 primeros estadios de degeneración de FPOs ocurren en menos de 24 horas y para el final del primer día se alcanza mayoritariamente el estadio V. Los estadios VI y VII son mayoritarios durante la primera y segunda mitad del segundo día tras la puesta, respectivamente. La reabsorción total del folículo se produce en unas 55-60 horas. Para el rango de temperaturas examinado (13-19ºC), la influencia de la temperatura en la degeneración de los FPOs resulta pequeña. Los estadios de degeneración avanzada se encuentran a lo largo de todo el día, mostrando periodos de superposición de cohortes sucesivas. Finamente se discute la aplicación de estos resultados a la datación de los FPOs

Worldwide Disparities in Recovery of Cardiac Testing 1 Year Into COVID-19

BACKGROUND The extent to which health care systems have adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic to provide necessary cardiac diagnostic services is unknown.OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the pandemic on cardiac testing practices, volumes and types of diagnostic services, and perceived psychological stress to health care providers worldwide.METHODS The International Atomic Energy Agency conducted a worldwide survey assessing alterations from baseline in cardiovascular diagnostic care at the pandemic's onset and 1 year later. Multivariable regression was used to determine factors associated with procedure volume recovery.RESULTS Surveys were submitted from 669 centers in 107 countries. Worldwide reduction in cardiac procedure volumes of 64% from March 2019 to April 2020 recovered by April 2021 in high- and upper middle-income countries (recovery rates of 108% and 99%) but remained depressed in lower middle- and low-income countries (46% and 30% recovery). Although stress testing was used 12% less frequently in 2021 than in 2019, coronary computed tomographic angiography was used 14% more, a trend also seen for other advanced cardiac imaging modalities (positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance; 22%-25% increases). Pandemic-related psychological stress was estimated to have affected nearly 40% of staff, impacting patient care at 78% of sites. In multivariable regression, only lower-income status and physicians' psychological stress were significant in predicting recovery of cardiac testing.CONCLUSIONS Cardiac diagnostic testing has yet to recover to prepandemic levels in lower-income countries. Worldwide, the decrease in standard stress testing is offset by greater use of advanced cardiac imaging modalities. Pandemic-related psychological stress among providers is widespread and associated with poor recovery of cardiac testing. (C) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier on behalf of the American College of Cardiology Foundation