Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography of the atrial septal defects

Transesophageal echocardiography has advantages over transthoracic technique in defining morphology of atrial structures. Even though real time three-dimensional echocardiographic imaging is a reality, the off-line reconstruction technique usually allows to obtain higher spatial resolution images. The purpose of this study was to explore the accuracy of off-line three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography in a spectrum of atrial septal defects by comparing them with representative anatomic specimens

Actividad antioxidante de los alcaloides de Bocconia arborea. Estudio sobre seis métodos de análisis

Antioxidative activity-guided fractionation together with chemical analysis led to the isolation of three benzophenanthridinealkaloids from methanol extract of the bark of Bocconia arborea. Identification was based on spectroscopic methods.The isolated alkaloids 6-acetonyldihydrochelerythrine, chelerythrine and dihydrochelerythrine were tested for antioxidativeactivity on thiocyanate assays, free radical scavenging activity, b-carotene bleaching method, and deoxyribose assay. Allalkaloids exhibited significant antioxidant activities in linoleic acid and b-carotene. Although afforded protection againstthe damage of deoxyribose, liposome peroxidation and microsomial lipid from peroxidation, also exhibited scavengingeffects on the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals.El fraccionamiento de la actividad antioxidante dirigida por actividad, junto con el análisis químico, llevaron alaislamiento de tres alcaloides de benzofenantridina del extracto de metanol de la corteza de Bocconia arborea. Laidentificación se basó en métodos espectroscópicos. Se analizó la actividad antioxidante de los alcaloides aislados 6-acetonildihidroqueleritrina, queleritrina y dihidroqueleritrina en ensayos de tiocianato, la actividad de barrido delos radicales libres, el método de decoloración del b-caroteno y el ensayo de la desoxirribosa. Todos los alcaloidesmostraron actividad antioxidante significativa en ácido linoleico y b-caroteno. Además de conceder protección frentea la desoxirribosa, la peroxidación liposómica y los lípidos microsomiales de la peroxidación, también presentaronefectos de barrido en los radicales de 1,1-difenil-2-picrilhidrazi

Gravitational collapse with tachyon field and barotropic fluid

A particular class of space-time, with a tachyon field, \phi, and a barotropic fluid constituting the matter content, is considered herein as a model for gravitational collapse. For simplicity, the tachyon potential is assumed to be of inverse square form i.e., V(\phi) \sim \phi^{-2}. Our purpose, by making use of the specific kinematical features of the tachyon, which are rather different from a standard scalar field, is to establish the several types of asymptotic behavior that our matter content induces. Employing a dynamical system analysis, complemented by a thorough numerical study, we find classical solutions corresponding to a naked singularity or a black hole formation. In particular, there is a subset where the fluid and tachyon participate in an interesting tracking behaviour, depending sensitively on the initial conditions for the energy densities of the tachyon field and barotropic fluid. Two other classes of solutions are present, corresponding respectively, to either a tachyon or a barotropic fluid regime. Which of these emerges as dominant, will depend on the choice of the barotropic parameter, \gamma. Furthermore, these collapsing scenarios both have as final state the formation of a black hole.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures. v3: minor changes. Final version to appear in GR

Phenoloxidase activity acts as a mosquito innate immune response against infection with semliki forest virus

Several components of the mosquito immune system including the RNA interference (RNAi), JAK/STAT, Toll and IMD pathways have previously been implicated in controlling arbovirus infections. In contrast, the role of the phenoloxidase (PO) cascade in mosquito antiviral immunity is unknown. Here we show that conditioned medium from the Aedes albopictus-derived U4.4 cell line contains a functional PO cascade, which is activated by the bacterium Escherichia coli and the arbovirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV) (Togaviridae; Alphavirus). Production of recombinant SFV expressing the PO cascade inhibitor Egf1.0 blocked PO activity in U4.4 cell- conditioned medium, which resulted in enhanced spread of SFV. Infection of adult female Aedes aegypti by feeding mosquitoes a bloodmeal containing Egf1.0-expressing SFV increased virus replication and mosquito mortality. Collectively, these results suggest the PO cascade of mosquitoes plays an important role in immune defence against arboviruses

The exchangeability of shape

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Landmark based geometric morphometrics (GM) allows the quantitative comparison of organismal shapes. When applied to systematics, it is able to score shape changes which often are undetectable by traditional morphological studies and even by classical morphometric approaches. It has thus become a fast and low cost candidate to identify cryptic species. Due to inherent mathematical properties, shape variables derived from one set of coordinates cannot be compared with shape variables derived from another set. Raw coordinates which produce these shape variables could be used for data exchange, however they contain measurement error. The latter may represent a significant obstacle when the objective is to distinguish very similar species.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We show here that a single user derived dataset produces much less classification error than a multiple one. The question then becomes how to circumvent the lack of exchangeability of shape variables while preserving a single user dataset. A solution to this question could lead to the creation of a relatively fast and inexpensive systematic tool adapted for the recognition of cryptic species.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>To preserve both exchangeability of shape and a single user derived dataset, our suggestion is to create a free access bank of reference images from which one can produce raw coordinates and use them for comparison with external specimens. Thus, we propose an alternative geometric descriptive system that separates 2-D data gathering and analyzes.</p

Alexitimia y depresión en mayores que practican actividad física dirigida

Associations between alexithymia and depression and sociodemographic factors have been investigated in elderly population. Whether exercise plays a role as a protective factor against these conditions has yet to be determined. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate alexithymia and depression and its association with physical activity in elderly people. Twenty-seven participants, 9 men and 18 women (aged 64 ± 5.1). Subjects were assigned to either a sedentary group or a physically active group. All participants filled in Yesavage Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS)-20 and SF-12. Data were analyzed using Student’s t-test andmultiple linear regression analyses. Results showed that physically active elderly people scored lower for alexithymia and depression than sedentary subjects. These findings suggest that physical activity may have a role in benefiting mental disorders.La relación entre la alexitimia y la depresión y los factores sociodemográficos ha sido estudiada en personas mayores. Sin embargo, el papel atenuador del ejercicio en estas afecciones aún debe ser determinado. En el presente estudio se mide el grado de alexitimia y depresión en adultos mayores, comparando una muestra sedentaria con una de practicantes de actividad física. Se utilizó un diseño descriptivo transversal con una muestra compuesta por 27 participantes, 9 hombres y 18 mujeres de más de 60 años (64±5.1 años), con objeto de medir el grado de alexitimia y depresión que presentaban en el momento de la recogida de datos. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron la escala de depresión de Yesavage, la Escala de Alexitimia de Toronto (TAS-20) y el Cuestionario de Salud SF-12. Los resultados mostraron que los practicantes de actividad física presentaban puntuaciones más bajas en alexitimia y depresión que los sujetos sedentarios, sin que éstas variables estuvieran relacionadas en función del género y la edad. A tenor de los resultados, el ejercicio pudiera jugar algún papel en la modulación de las alteraciones psicológicas.