Parachuting Behavior and Predation by Ants in the Nettle Caterpillar, Scopelodes contracta

This paper documents the bizarre descending behavior from the tree crown to the ground of the larvae of the moth, Scopelodes contracta Walker (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae) and the interaction of the larva with predatory ants. S. contracta larvae infest leaves of many tree species in urban areas and orchards in Japan. Mature larvae and leaves without basal leaf parts were found under trees of four species infested with S. contracta larvae in Osaka, Japan. Individual larvae riding on leaves were observed falling from tree crowns to the ground. Many S. contracta cocoons were found in the soil below the trees two weeks after the observed parachuting. These observations indicate that S. contracta larvae parachuted to the ground where they spin their cocoons in the soil. When a larva that had just parachuted down was returned to an arboreal twig, the larva repeated the parachuting behavior. This parachuting behavior appears to be adaptive, because larvae can descend to the ground safely and with low energy cost. Worker ants of Tetramorium tsushimae Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and Pristomyrmex punctatus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) occasionally attacked larvae on the ground before they had a chance to burrow in the soil

Basal ganglia correlates of fatigue in young adults

Although the prevalence of chronic fatigue is approximately 20% in healthy individuals, there are no studies of brain structure that elucidate the neural correlates of fatigue outside of clinical subjects. We hypothesized that fatigue without evidence of disease might be related to changes in the basal ganglia and prefrontal cortex and be implicated in fatigue with disease. We aimed to identify the white matter structures of fatigue in young subjects without disease using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Healthy young adults (n = 883; 489 males and 394 females) were recruited. As expected, the degrees of fatigue and motivation were associated with larger mean diffusivity (MD) in the right putamen, pallidus and caudate. Furthermore, the degree of physical activity was associated with a larger MD only in the right putamen. Accordingly, motivation was the best candidate for widespread basal ganglia, whereas physical activity might be the best candidate for the putamen. A plausible mechanism of fatigue may involve abnormal function of the motor system, as well as areas of the dopaminergic system in the basal ganglia that are associated with motivation and reward

Soft Coral Sarcophyton (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Octocorallia) Species Diversity and Chemotypes

Research on the soft coral genus Sarcophyton extends over a wide range of fields, including marine natural products and the isolation of a number of cembranoid diterpenes. However, it is still unknown how soft corals produce this diverse array of metabolites, and the relationship between soft coral diversity and cembranoid diterpene production is not clear. In order to understand this relationship, we examined Sarcophyton specimens from Okinawa, Japan, by utilizing three methods: morphological examination of sclerites, chemotype identification, and phylogenetic examination of both Sarcophyton (utilizing mitochondrial protein-coding genes MutS homolog: msh1) and their endosymbiotic Symbiodinium spp. (utilizing nuclear internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA: ITS- rDNA). Chemotypes, molecular phylogenetic clades, and sclerites of Sarcophyton trocheliophorum specimens formed a clear and distinct group, but the relationships between chemotypes, molecular phylogenetic clade types and sclerites of the most common species, Sarcophyton glaucum, was not clear. S. glaucum was divided into four clades. A characteristic chemotype was observed within one phylogenetic clade of S. glaucum. Identities of symbiotic algae Symbiodinium spp. had no apparent relation to chemotypes of Sarcophyton spp. This study demonstrates that the complex results observed for S. glaucum are due to the incomplete and complex taxonomy of this species group. Our novel method of identification should help contribute to classification and taxonomic reassessment of this diverse soft coral genus

Large needle aspiration biopsy and galectin-3 determination in selected thyroid nodules with indeterminate FNA-cytology

Thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNA)-cytology is widely used for the preoperative characterisation of thyroid nodules but this task is difficult for follicular lesions, which often remain undefined. We propose a strategy for improving the preoperative characterisation of selected follicular thyroid proliferations, which is based on large needle aspiration biopsy (LNAB) and galectin-3 expression analysis. Eighty-five thyroid specimens were obtained by LNAB (20-gauge needles) from thyroid nodules with indeterminate follicular FNA-cytology. Aspirated material was processed as a tissue microbiopsy to obtain cell blocks for both cyto/histo-morphological evaluation and galectin-3 expression analysis, by using a purified monoclonal antibody to galectin-3 and a biotin-free immunoperoxidase staining method. Preoperative diagnosis was compared to the final histology. LNAB and cell-block technique allow a preliminary distinction between nodules with a homogeneous microfollicular/trabecular structure, as frequently observed in tumours, and lesions with mixed normo–micro–macrofollicular architecture, as observed in goitre. Furthermore, LNAB provides optimal substrates for galectin-3 expression analysis. Among 85 cases tested, 14 galectin-3-positive cases were discovered preoperatively (11 thyroid cancers and three adenomas confirmed at the final histology), whereas galectin-3-negative cases were 71 (one carcinoma and 70 benign proliferations at the final histology). Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of this integrated morphologic and phenotypic diagnostic approach were 91.6, 97.2 and 95.3%, respectively. In conclusion, LNAB plus galectin-3 expression analysis when applied preoperatively to selected thyroid nodules candidate to surgery can potentially reduce unnecessary thyroid resections

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an exposure-based return-to-work programme for patients on sick leave due to common mental disorders: design of a cluster-randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To reduce the duration of sick leave and loss of productivity due to common mental disorders (CMDs), we developed a return-to-work programme to be provided by occupational physicians (OPs) based on the principles of exposure in vivo (RTW-E programme). This study evaluates this programme's effectiveness and cost-effectiveness by comparing it with care as usual (CAU). The three research questions we have are: 1) Is an RTW-E programme more effective in reducing the sick leave of employees with common mental disorders, compared with care as usual? 2) Is an RTW-E programme more effective in reducing sick leave for employees with anxiety disorders compared with employees with other common mental disorders? 3) From a societal perspective, is an RTW-E programme cost-effective compared with care as usual?</p> <p>Methods/design</p> <p>This study was designed as a pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled trial with a one-year follow-up and randomization on the level of OPs. We aimed for 60 OPs in order to include 200 patients. Patients in the intervention group received the RTW-E programme. Patients in the control group received care as usual. Eligible patients had been on sick leave due to common mental disorders for at least two weeks and no longer than eight weeks. As primary outcome measures, we calculated the time until full return to work and the duration of sick leave. Secondary outcome measures were time until partial return to work, prevalence rate of sick leave at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months' follow-up, and scores of symptoms of distress, anxiety, depression, somatization, and fatigue; work capacity; perceived working conditions; self-efficacy for return to work; coping behaviour; avoidance behaviour; patient satisfaction; and work adaptations. As process measures, we used indices of compliance with the intervention in the intervention group and employee-supervisor communication in both groups. Economic costs were calculated from a societal perspective. The total costs consisted of the costs of consuming health care, costs of production loss due to sick leave and reduced productivity, and out-of-pocket costs of patients for travelling to their OP.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The results will be published in 2009. The strengths and weaknesses of the study protocol are discussed.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ISRCTN72643128</p

Fadiga em adultos acompanhantes de pacientes em tratamento ambulatorial Fatiga en adultos acompañantes de pacientes en tratamiento en ambulatorios Fatigue in adults accompanying patients in outpatient treatment

OBJETIVOS: Descrever a fadiga e fadiga ao esforço em pessoas sem doenças crônicas e verificar associação entre fadiga ou fadiga ao esforço e sexo, idade, escolaridade, convivência marital, depressão, atividade física, tabagismo, Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC), dispnéia e depressão. MÉTODOS: Estudo descritivo abragendo 93 acompanhantes de pacientes ambulatoriais que informaram sobre tabagismo, fadiga, fadiga ao esforço, depressão, e atividade física. RESULTADOS: Dos 93 voluntários (65,6% mulheres, média de idade 33,4±10,1 anos), 52,7% tinham fadiga e 34,4% fadiga ao esforço. O escore médio de fadiga foi 16,3±6,6 (escala de 8 a 40) e de fadiga ao esforço 12,6±4,4 (escala de 9 a 45). A fadiga foi mais intensa (p=0,005) e mais freqüente (p=0,001) nas mulheres e correlacionou-se positivamente com depressão (r s=0,47; p=0,000). A fadiga ao esforço correlacionou-se positivamente com depressão (r s=0,39; p=0,000) e foi mais freqüente entre as mulheres (p=0,001). CONCLUSÃO: As características da fadiga em amostra de acompanhantes de pacientes são semelhantes às de pacientes com doenças crônicas. A interpretação de dados sobre fadiga em doenças crônicas precisaria considerar dados de fadiga na população geral.<br>OBJETIVOS: Describir la fatiga y la fatiga por esfuerzo en personas sin enfermedades crónicas y, verificar la asociación entre fatiga o fatiga por esfuerzo con sexo, edad, escolaridad, convivencia marital, depresión, actividad física, tabaquismo, Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC), disnea y, depresión. MÉTODOS: Es un estudio descriptivo abarcando 93 acompañantes de pacientes de ambulatorios que informaron sobre tabaquismo, fatiga, fatiga por esfuerzo, depresión y, actividad física. RESULTADOS: De los 93 voluntarios (65,6% mujeres, promedio de edad 33,4±10,1 años), 52,7% tenían fatiga y 34,4% fatiga por esfuerzo. El puntaje promedio de fatiga fue 16,3±6,6 (escala de 8 a 40) y de fatiga por esfuerzo 12,6±4,4 (escala de 9 a 45). La fatiga fue más intensa (p=0,005) y más frecuente (p=0,001) en las mujeres y se correlacionó positivamente con depresión (rs=0,47; p=0,000). La fatiga por esfuerzo se correlacionó positivamente con depresión (rs=0,39; p=0,000) y fue más frecuente entre las mujeres (p=0,001). CONCLUSIÓN: Las características de la fatiga en una muestra de acompañantes de pacientes son semejantes a las de pacientes con enfermedades crónicas. La interpretación de los datos sobre fatiga en enfermedades crónicas precisaría considerar los datos de fatiga en la población general.<br>OBJECTIVES: To describe fatigue and fatigue by efforts in people without chronic diseases and to verify the association between fatigue or fatigue by efforts with gender, age, education, marital cohabitation, depression, physical activity, smoking, body mass index (BMI), dyspnea and depression. METHODS: It is a descriptive study comprising 93 patients from outpatient attendance who reported about smoking, fatigue, fatigue by efforts, depression, and physical activity. RESULTS: Of the 93 volunteers (65.6% female - average age 33.4 ± 10.1 years), 52.7% had fatigue and 34.4% had fatigue by efforts. The average score of fatigue was 16.3 ± 6.6 (scale from 8 to 40) and fatigue by efforts12.6 ± 4.4 (scale from 9 to 45). The fatigue was more intense (p = 0.005) and more frequent (p = 0.001) in women and was positively correlated with depression (rs=0,47; p=0,000). The fatigue by efforts was positively correlated with depression (rs=0,39; p=0,000) and was more frequent among women (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The characteristics of fatigue in a sample of patient companions are similar to those of patients with chronic diseases. The interpretation of data on fatigue, in patients with chronic diseases, should consider the fatigue data, in the general population