Antennal sensilla of Anagrus atomus (L.) (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) female and their possible behavioural significance

The antennae of a hymenopteran Mymaridae female, Anagrus atomus (L.), have been investigated, through light microscopy as well as through scanning for the first time, and transmission electron microscopy, principally aiming at identification of sensory structures possibly involved in reproductive behaviour. Topographic distribution of the external components (cuticular appendages) of sensilla has been illustrated through “camera lucida” semischematic diagrams of the whole antenna, and especially the club, together with scanning electron micrographs. Topographic location of the same sensilla internal (cellular) components has been shown in the antennal club through transmission electron micrographs from serial cross sections. Seven categories of sensory structures have been identified (i.e., “apical sensilla”, “grooved peg sensilla”, “sensilla trichodea Type 1”, “sensilla trichodea Type 2”, “sensory ridges”, “sunken peg sensilla”, “tactile sensilla”) and illustrated through semischematic diagrams and transmission electron micrographs from fine serial sections. On the basis of the nature of the sensilla and their location on the antennae, together with antennal use during the female reproductive behaviour, the behavioural meaning of the above mentioned sensilla has been hypothesised. INDEX DESCRIPTORS (in addition to those in the title): contact chemoreceptor, olfactory sensilla, reproductive behaviour, sensory neurones, sheath cells, ultrastructure.  SENSILLI ANTENNALI DELLA FEMMINA DI anagrus atomus (L.) (HYMENOPTERA: MYMARIDAE) E RELATIVO PROBABILE SIGNIFICATO COMPORTAMENTALE Le antenne della femmina di un imenottero Mymaridae, Anagrus atomus, vengono studiate in microscopia ottica ed elettronica a scansione e, per la prima volta, a trasmissione, principalmente al fine di identificarne le strutture sensoriali presumibilmente impegnate nel comportamento riproduttivo della specie. La distribuzione topografica degli elementi esterni (appendici cuticolari) dei sensilli viene illustrata con disegni semischematici dell’antenna intera e della clava in particolare, effettuati al microscopio ottico con camera lucida, unitamente a micrografie elettroniche a scansione. La localizzazione topografica delle parti interne (componenti cellulari) degli stessi sensilli viene evidenziata nella clava mediante micrografie elettroniche a trasmissione di sezioni fini trasversali seriate. Sette categorie di sensilli vengono così identificate (“apical sensilla”, “grooved peg sensilla”, “sensilla trichodea Type 1”, “sensilla trichodea Type 2”, “sensory ridges”, “sunken peg sensilla”, “tactile sensilla”) ed illustrate con disegni semischematici riassuntivi e con micrografie elettroniche a trasmissione di sezioni fini seriate. Sulla base della natura dei sensilli e della loro posizione sull’antenna, unitamente al portamento delle antenne medesime durante il comportamento riproduttivo della femmina, viene ipotizzato il significato comportamentale dei sensilli in questione. Parole chiave: cellule avvolgenti, comportamento riproduttivo, neuroni sensoriali, sensilli gustativi, sensilli olfattivi, ultrastruttura

Intake of palmitic acid and its association with metabolic flexibility in middle-aged individuals: a preliminary study

Objective: This study aimed to assess the relationship between dietary palmitic acid (PA) intake and its association with body fat deposition and metabolic flexibility (MF) in middle-aged healthy individuals. Methods: Fifteen healthy participants (n = 15; 6 males, 9 females) with a mean age of 54 were enlisted. They were subjected to graded exercise tests using a cycle ergometer coupled with a calorimeter. Respiratory gas exchange was evaluated to determine two MF parameters. First, the MF index was derived by multiplying peak fatty acid oxidation (PFO) per kg of fat-free mass (FFM) with the percentage of VO2max at PFO. The second parameter, peak energy substrates’ oxidation (aka PESO), was computed by aggregating the kilocalories from PFO and peak carbohydrate oxidation, normalized per kg FFM. Dietary intake was gauged using a 7-day dietary record. Spearman’s regression was employed to analyze the association between dietary intake of specific fat classes, PA, MF parameters, and body fat percentage. Results: Preliminary results demonstrate that dietary saturated fatty acids (SFA) within physiological limits correlate with enhanced substrate oxidation capacity. This suggests augmented MF in middle-aged subjects. Among dietary SFA, PA was identified as the primary factor in this favorable correlation. Conclusions: Our initial observations, even though preliminary, strongly suggest a beneficial association between PA intake, MF, and body fat percentage. This underscores the potential nutritional importance of PA in promoting MF

Adjuvant chemotherapy for resected triple negative breast cancer patients: A network meta-analysis

The current standard of care for resected early-stage triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients who did not receive systemic preoperative therapy is adjuvant anthracycline- and taxane-based chemotherapy (CT). A network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized controlled trials (phase III) enrolling patients with resected stage I-III TNBC comparing adjuvant regimens was performed. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) data were extracted. A total of 27 phase III clinical trials were selected including 15,242 TNBC patients. This NMA showed an OS benefit from the incorporation of capecitabine into classic anthracycline/taxane-based combinations compared to anthracyclines with or without taxanes alone

Long-Term Effects of Breast Cancer Therapy and Care: Calm after the Storm?

Breast cancer is still a lethal disease and the leading cause of death in women, undermining patients' survival and quality of life. Modern techniques of surgery and radiotherapy allow for the obtaining of good results in terms of survival, however they cause long-term side effects that persist over time, such as lymphedema and neuropathy. Similarly, the advent of new therapies such as endocrine therapy revolutionized breast cancer outcomes, but side effects are still present even in years of follow-up after cure. Besides the side effects of medical and surgical therapy, breast cancer is a real disruption in patients' lives considering quality of life-related aspects such as the distortion of body image, the psychological consequences of the diagnosis, and the impact on family dynamics. Therefore, the doctor-patient relationship is central to providing the best support both during treatment and afterwards. The aim of this review is to summarize the consequences of medical and surgical treatment on breast cancer patients and to emphasize the importance of early prevention of side effects to improve patients' quality of life

Diets including Animal Food Are Associated with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a clinical condition with a prevalence of up to 25% in Western countries. Typical GERD symptoms include heartburn and retrosternal regurgitation. Lifestyle modifications, including diet, are considered a first-line therapeutic approach. To evaluate the impact of life habits on GERD in this cross-sectional study, we used data collected through an online survey from 1146 participants. GERD was defined according to the Montreal Consensus. For all participants, clinical and lifestyle characteristics were recorded. Overall, 723 participants (63.1%) consumed a diet including animal food (non-vegans), and 423 participants (36.9%) were vegans. The prevalence of GERD was 11% (CI 95%, 9–14%) in non-vegans and 6% (CI 95%, 4–8%) in vegans. In the multivariate analysis, after adjusting for confounding factors, subjects on a non-vegan diet were associated with a two-fold increase in the prevalence of GERD compared to vegans (OR = 1.96, CI 95%, 1.22–3.17, p = 0.006). BMI and smoking habits were also significantly associated with GERD. This study shows that an animal food-based diet (meat, fish, poultry, dairy, and eggs) is associated with an increased risk of GERD compared to a vegan diet. These findings might inform the lifestyle management of patients with GERD-related symptoms

Efficacy of a new technique - INtubate-RECruit-SURfactant-Extubate - "IN-REC-SUR-E" - in preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Although beneficial in clinical practice, the INtubate-SURfactant-Extubate (IN-SUR-E) method is not successful in all preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome, with a reported failure rate ranging from 19 to 69 %. One of the possible mechanisms responsible for the unsuccessful IN-SUR-E method, requiring subsequent re-intubation and mechanical ventilation, is the inability of the preterm lung to achieve and maintain an "optimal" functional residual capacity. The importance of lung recruitment before surfactant administration has been demonstrated in animal studies showing that recruitment leads to a more homogeneous surfactant distribution within the lungs. Therefore, the aim of this study is to compare the application of a recruitment maneuver using the high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) modality just before the surfactant administration followed by rapid extubation (INtubate-RECruit-SURfactant-Extubate: IN-REC-SUR-E) with IN-SUR-E alone in spontaneously breathing preterm infants requiring nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) as initial respiratory support and reaching pre-defined CPAP failure criteria. Methods/design: In this study, 206 spontaneously breathing infants born at 24+0-27+6 weeks' gestation and failing nCPAP during the first 24 h of life, will be randomized to receive an HFOV recruitment maneuver (IN-REC-SUR-E) or no recruitment maneuver (IN-SUR-E) just prior to surfactant administration followed by prompt extubation. The primary outcome is the need for mechanical ventilation within the first 3 days of life. Infants in both groups will be considered to have reached the primary outcome when they are not extubated within 30 min after surfactant administration or when they meet the nCPAP failure criteria after extubation. Discussion: From all available data no definitive evidence exists about a positive effect of recruitment before surfactant instillation, but a rationale exists for testing the following hypothesis: a lung recruitment maneuver performed with a step-by-step Continuous Distending Pressure increase during High-Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation (and not with a sustained inflation) could have a positive effects in terms of improved surfactant distribution and consequent its major efficacy in preterm newborns with respiratory distress syndrome. This represents our challenge. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02482766. Registered on 1 June 2015

Augmented acquisition of cocaine self-administration and altered brain glucose metabolism in adult female but not male rats exposed to a cannabinoid agonist during adolescence

Marijuana consumption during adolescence has been proposed to be a stepping stone for adult cocaine addiction. However, experimental evidence for this hypothesis is missing. In this work we chronically injected male and female Wistar rats with either the cannabinoid agonist CP 55,940 (CP; 0.4 mg/kg) or its corresponding vehicle. Adult acquisition (seven 30 min daily sessions) and maintenance (fourteen 2 h daily sessions) of cocaine self administration (1 mg/kg), food reinforced operant learning under conditions of normal (ad libitum access to food), and high motivation (food restriction schedule) were measured. Additionally, brain metabolic activity was analyzed by means of [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. During the acquisition phase, female CP treated rats showed a higher rate of cocaine self administration as compared to vehicle treated females and males; no differences were found between both male groups. This effect disappeared in the maintenance phase. Moreover, no differences among groups were evident in the food reinforced operant task, pointing to the cocaine specific nature of the effect seen in self administration rather than a general change in reward processing. Basal brain metabolic activity also changed in CP treated females when compared to their vehicle treated counterparts with no differences being found in the males; more specifically we observed a hyper activation of the frontal cortex and a hypo activation of the amygdalo entorhinal cortex. Our results suggest that a chronic exposure to cannabinoids during adolescence alters the susceptibility to acquire cocaine self administration, in a sex specific fashion. This increased susceptibility could be related to thechanges in brain metabolic activity induced by cannabinoids during adolescenceThis work was supported by Grants FIS G03/05 (Red de Trastornos Adictivos), BSO2001-1099, FIS 01-05-01, Plan Nacional sobre Drogas (PNSD) 2001–2003, PNSD 2004–2007, GR-SAL/0260/2004 to EA and Grants INT/2012/ 2002, CB06/01/0079, and CENIT (2006–2009) to MDPublicad