Trace me if you can: the use of intrinsic biogeochemical markers in marine top predators

Human activities have serious impacts on marine apex predators. Inadequate knowledge of the spatial and trophic ecology of these marine animals ultimately compromises the viability of their populations and impedes our ability to use them as environmental biomonitors. Intrinsic biogeochemical markers, such as stable isotopes, fatty acids, trace elements, and chemical pollutants, are increasingly being used to trace the spatial and trophic ecology of marine top predators. Notable advances include the emergence of the first oceanographic"isoscapes" (isotopic geographic gradients), the advent of compound-specific isotopic analyses, improvements in diet reconstruction through Bayesian statistics, and tissue analysis of tracked animals to ground-truth biogeochemical profiles. However, most researchers still focus on only a few tracers. Moreover, insufficient knowledge of the biogeochemical integration in tissues, fractionation and routing processes, and geographic and temporal variability in baseline levels continue to hamper the resolution and potential of these markers in studying the spatial and feeding ecology of top predators

Melanin, from an Evolutionary Remnant to the Myeloid Lineage Cell’s Main Energy Source. The Unsuspected Intrinsic Property of Melanin to Dissociate the Molecule from Water. Possible Implications in the Context of Acute Leukemias

Melanin is one of the most stable substances known. The study of the ink bags of fossilized squid that died 160 million years ago has found it in good condition. Its extraordinary stability is what had prevented, to date; assign a relevant role in biology. Sir Everard Holmes’ proposal in London; in the eighteenth century, about the role of melanin as a simple sunscreen, it has permeated to this day, especially among dermatologists. Despite the unique physical–chemical qualities of melanin, its biological role as a simple sunscreen that protects us from the dangerous UV rays remained immutable. Our circumstantial discovery during an observational study that lasted 12 years (1990–2002) and which included the ophthalmologic studies of 6000 patients, about the relationship between the vessels of the optic nerve and the three main causes of blindness (Macular degeneration, diabetes, and glaucoma) allowed us to discern the unexpected and surprising true role of melanin in Biology as an energy transducer. The unsuspected intrinsic property of melanin to transform light into chemical energy through water dissociation, like chlorophyll in plants; opens a new era in Biology and therefore in Medicine. And Acute Leukemias are no exception

Infección viral asociada a neumonía adquirida en la comunidad, en pacientes internados en el servicio de Medicina Interna del Hospital Calderón Guardia, entre los meses de mayo a setiembre del 2009

En nuestro país, hay pocos estudios sobre la  evolución de los pacientes con Endocarditis Infecciosa (EI) y la frecuencia de las   complicaciones asociadas a la enfermedad. Tampoco está clara la forma en que se les administra los diferentes tratamientos. Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo, de tipo  descriptivo. Se basó en la revisión de expedientes clínicos de los pacientes egresados del Hospital San Juan de Dios (HSJD) con el diagnóstico de EI, por un período de 11 años, entre enero 2000 a diciembre 2010. A su vez se determinó las complicaciones más frecuentes, la mortalidad asociada y las características del tratamiento administrado.    

Using marine isoscapes to infer movements of oceanic migrants: the case of Bulwer's petrel (Bulweria bulwerii) in the Atlantic Ocean

Studying the movements of oceanic migrants has been elusive until the advent of several tracking devices, such as the light-level geolocators. Stable isotope analysis (SIA) offers a complementary approach to infer areas used year-round, but its suitability in oceanic environments remains almost unexplored. To evaluate SIA as a tool for inferring movements of oceanic migrants, we sampled an oceanic seabird, the Bulwer's petrel, Bulweria bulwerii, in four breeding colonies spread along its Atlantic distribution. We first studied the species moulting pattern from 29 corpses collected in the colonies. Secondly, based on this moult knowledge, we selected three feathers from tracked birds to infer their breeding and non-breeding grounds using SIA: the 1st primary (P1), the 8th secondary (S8) and the 6th rectrix (R6) feathers. Birds migrated to two main non-breeding areas, the Central or the South Atlantic Ocean. P1 showed similar isotopic values among petrels from different breeding colonies, suggesting this feather is replaced early in the non-breeding period in a common area used by most birds, the Central Atlantic. S8 and R6 feathers correctly assigned 92% and 81%, respectively, of the birds to their non-breeding areas, suggesting they were replaced late in season, when birds were settled in their main non-breeding grounds. Our results showed that the isotopic baseline levels of the Central and South Atlantic are propagated through the food web until reaching top predators, suggesting these ratios can be used to infer the movement of long-distance migrants among oceanic water masses

Costs of breeding are rapidly buffered and do not affect migratory behaviour in a long-lived bird species

Life history theory states that individual fitness in one stage of life is conditioned by what occurred in previous stages. In migratory species, reproductive effort during breeding has often been found to influence body condition, molt schedule, self‐provisioning and migration of individuals in subsequent seasons (i.e., carryover effects of breeding). However, there is a current uncertainty in understanding how long‐distance migrants trade off among such energy‐demanding activities (i.e., breeding, molting and migrating). To provide evidence to the field, we experimentally reduced the parental effort of a long‐lived Procellariform, the Cory's shearwater (Calonectris borealis), by inducing failure at the incubation stage. Treatment and control birds were tracked during their subsequent migration by means of light‐level and immersion loggers and sampled for six specific feathers (molted at different periods along the migratory cycle) upon the recovery of the loggers 1 yr later. Feathers were used to perform stable isotope analysis (SIA) and determine corticosterone levels (CORT). By these means, we evaluated the effect of breeding effort on migratory strategy, at‐sea activity patterns, molt patterns, and levels of stress experienced by birds along the non‐breeding period. We did not detect any difference between birds in the induced failure group and successful breeders in terms of spatio‐temporal distribution: all birds shared common foraging areas throughout the study period and the timing of major phenological events did not differ. Failed birds significantly advanced their molt, as revealed by SIA and flying activity patterns. The stress levels of failed birds, inferred through CORT concentrations in feathers, were found to be consistently lower than in successful breeders, through the end of the breeding to the non‐breeding period. Thus, we provide robust evidence that the costs of reproduction can be physiologically mediated from the breeding to the non‐breeding period through molting schedules and CORT levels. However, we failed to detect clear effects on migratory behavior or subsequent breeding success, suggesting that costs of breeding in long‐lived species may be rapidly buffered during the post‐breeding period, as would be expected from life history theory

Sex-specific costs of reproduction on survival in a long-lived seabird

Costs of reproduction on survival have captured the attention of researchers since life history theory was formulated. Adults of long-lived species may increase survival by reducing their breeding effort or even skipping reproduction. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the costs of current reproduction on survival and whether skipping reproduction increases adult survival in a long-lived seabird. We used capture-mark-recapture data (1450 encounters) from two populations of Bulwer's petrel (Bulweria bulwerii), breeding in the Azores and Canary Islands, North Atlantic Ocean. Using a multi-event model with two different breeding statuses (breeders versus non-breeders), we calculated probabilities of survival and of transitions between breeding statuses, evaluating potential differences between sexes. Females had lower survival probabilities than males, independent of their breeding status. When considering breeding status, breeding females had lower survival probabilities than non-breeding females, suggesting costs of reproduction on survival. Breeding males had higher survival probabilities than non-breeding males, suggesting that males do not incur costs of reproduction on survival and that only the highest quality males have access to breeding. The highest and the lowest probabilities of skipping reproduction were found in breeding males from the Azores and in breeding males from the Canary Islands, respectively. Intermediate values were observed in the females from both populations. This result is probably due to differences in the external factors affecting both populations, essentially predation pressure and competition. The existence of sex-specific costs of reproduction on survival in several populations of this long-lived species may have important implications for species population dynamics

Biocatalytic oxidative kinetic resolution of (±)-4-(chlorophenyl)phenylmethanol by Nocardia corallina B-276

Chiral diarylmethanols are versatile building blocks for the preparation of biologically active substances, but they are difficult to obtain in enantiopure form. We used Nocardia corallina B-276 for the oxidative kinetic resolution of (±)-4-(chlorophenyl)phenylmethanol, 1. Two experimental methods were used: 1) Suspension of cells in a phosphate buffer solution and 2) Cells in the culture media, in a 3-L bioreactor. After 36 hrs using the first method, the ketone/alcohol ratio was 56/44 and the unoxidized alcohol had an enantiomeric ratio of 93/7, predominating the R-alcohol

Editors' corner: Anales de pediatría annual report.

Anales de Pediatría continúa siendo la única publicación científica pediátrica española reconocida con factor de impacto internacional y una de las 2 únicas revistas pediátricas españolas (junto a Cirugía Pediátrica) indexada en el National Center for Biotechnology Information. Anales es la revista científica pediátrica más importante publicada en castellano. Esta primacía, sin duda debida al trabajo y constancia de todos los Comités Editoriales que nos han precedido, creemos que se ha afianzado en los últimos años con 2 hechos fundamentales: la mejora de los tiempos en la gestión de los manuscritos y su publicación bilingüe en inglés