Restricted dispersal in a sea of gene flow.

How far do marine larvae disperse in the ocean? Decades of population genetic studies have revealed generally low levels of genetic structure at large spatial scales (hundreds of kilometres). Yet this result, typically based on discrete sampling designs, does not necessarily imply extensive dispersal. Here, we adopt a continuous sampling strategy along 950 km of coast in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea to address this question in four species. In line with expectations, we observe weak genetic structure at a large spatial scale. Nevertheless, our continuous sampling strategy uncovers a pattern of isolation by distance at small spatial scales (few tens of kilometres) in two species. Individual-based simulations indicate that this signal is an expected signature of restricted dispersal. At the other extreme of the connectivity spectrum, two pairs of individuals that are closely related genetically were found more than 290 km apart, indicating long-distance dispersal. Such a combination of restricted dispersal with rare long-distance dispersal events is supported by a high-resolution biophysical model of larval dispersal in the study area, and we posit that it may be common in marine species. Our results bridge population genetic studies with direct dispersal studies and have implications for the design of marine reserve networks.

Marine reserves: fish life history and ecological traits matter.

Marine reserves are assumed to protect a wide range of species from deleterious effects stemming from exploitation. However, some species, due to their ecological characteristics, may not respond positively to protection. Very little is known about the effects of life history and ecological traits (e.g., mobility, growth, and habitat) on responses of fish species to marine reserves. Using 40 data sets from 12 European marine reserves, we show that there is significant variation in the response of different species of fish to protection and that this heterogeneity can be explained, in part, by differences in their traits. Densities of targeted size-classes of commercial species were greater in protected than unprotected areas. This effect of protection increased as the maximum body size of the targeted species increased, and it was greater for species that were not obligate schoolers. However, contrary to previous theoretical findings, even mobile species with wide home ranges benefited from protection: the effect of protection was at least as strong for mobile species as it was for sedentary ones. Noncommercial bycatch and unexploited species rarely responded to protection, and when they did (in the case of unexploited bentho-pelagic species), they exhibited the opposite response: their densities were lower inside reserves. The use of marine reserves for marine conservation and fisheries management implies that they should ensure protection for a wide range of species with different life-history and ecological traits. Our results suggest this is not the case, and instead that effects vary with economic value, body size, habitat, depth range, and schooling behavior.

[Knowledge and attitudes of intensive care unit nurses regarding pain in patients].

BACKGROUND: Intensive Care Units (ICU) usually treat patients with pain. Being close to patients makes nurses key professionals for guaranteeing an optimal assessment and treatment of pain, which are crucial to ensure quality care. Therefore this study aims to describe the knowledge and attitudes of ICU nurses about pain management in their clinical practice, and its relationship with socio-demographic data. METHODS: Cross-sectional study carried out in a third level university teaching hospital ICU. The Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (KARSP) translated into Spanish was used to obtain information about the knowledge and attitudes towards pain of nurses. RESULTS: All nurses (n?=?37) working at the ICU answered the questionnaire. The mean score of the questionnaire was 5.87 over 10 (SD: 0.98, range: 7.89-3.68). There was not a statistically significant relationship among the questionnaire score and age, professional experience, time worked at the ICU, specialized training or pain training. However, nurses with a master's degree obtained significantly higher mean scores in the questionnaire (6.97; DE: 0.75 vs. 5.73; DE: 0.92; p?=?0.018). CONCLUSIONS: ICU nurses show insufficient knowledge and attitudes towards pain. Having a master's degree improves the results obtained in the questionnaire about knowledge and attitudes towards pain.

Aerobic exercise prevents age-dependent cognitive decline and reduces anxiety-related behaviors in middle-aged and old rats.

Recent research involving human and animals has shown that aerobic exercise of moderate intensity produces the greatest benefit on brain health and behavior. In this study we investigated the effects on cognitive function and anxiety-related behavior in rats at different ages of aerobic exercise, performed regularly throughout life. We designed an aerobic training program with the treadmill running following the basic principles of human training, and assuming that rats have the same physiological adaptations. The intensity was gradually adjusted to the fitness level and age, and maintained at 60-70% of maximum oxygen consumption (max.VO(2)). In middle age (8 months) and old age (18 months), we studied the cognitive response with the radial maze (RM), and anxiety-related behaviors with the open field (OF) and the elevated plus maze (EPM). Aerobically trained (AT) rats had a higher cognitive performance measured in the RM, showing that exercise had a cumulative and amplifier effect on memory and learning. The analysis of age and exercise revealed that the effects of aerobic exercise were modulated by age. Middle-aged AT rats were the most successful animals; however, the old AT rats met the criteria more often than the middle-aged sedentary controls (SC), indicating that exercise could reverse the negative effects of sedentary life, partially restore the cognitive function, and protect against the deleterious effects of aging. The results in the OF and EPM showed a significant decrease in key indicators of anxiety, revealing that age affected most of the analyzed variables, and that exercise had a prominent anxiolytic effect, particularly strong in old age. In conclusion, our results indicated that regular and chronic aerobic exercise has time and dose-dependent, neuroprotective and restorative effects on physiological brain aging, and reduces anxiety-related behaviors.

Réplica de los autores a la carta: Acerca del conocimiento sobre dolor en enfermeras de cuidados intensivos / About knowledge about pain in intensive care nurses

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[Study of mortality in a urban basic health area]. / Estudio de la mortalidad en una zona básica de salud urbana.

OBJECTIVE: To find the pattern of causes of mortality in the Chantrea (Navarra) Health District and the trends in main causes of death between 1987 and 1995. DESIGN: Descriptive study. SETTING: Urban primary care centre. STUDY POPULATION: Population belonging to the Chantrea Health District.Interventions. 1986 data from the Municipal Roll of inhabitants of Chantrea were crossed with the Navarra mortality figures to find the deaths occurred between 1986 and 1995. Overall mortality and mortality for the main reasons were analysed for both sexes and for the periods 1987-1990 and 1991-1995. RESULTS: Between 1991 and 1995, Chantrea had a mortality rate close to that of the European population: 711 per 100000 inhabitants for men and 403 per 100000 for women. The main causes of death were circulatory diseases, tumours, respiratory diseases and external causes. Overall mortality rates dropped by 11.8% among men and by 8% among women from the 1987-1990 period to the 1991-1995 period. Statistically significant drops in mortality were noted for circulatory diseases and for malignant oesophageal tumours in men. AIDS as cause of death increased significantly among men. CONCLUSIONS: Low rates of overall mortality in men and women of Chantrea and, in particular, mortality rates for circulatory disease were below the figures recorded in most European countries. Other causes of death, such as traffic accidents, AIDS or malignant tobacco-related tumours had moderately high rates.

Antibiotic resistance pattern and visual outcome in experimentally-induced Staphylococcus epidermidis endophthalmitis in a rabbit model.

OBJECTIVE: To study whether the clinical outcome of Staphylococcus epidermidis-induced endophthalmitis in rabbits is related to the antibiotic resistance pattern of the infecting strain. DESIGN: Experimental animal study. PARTICIPANTS: The right eyes of 36 New Zealand white albino rabbits were inoculated with strains of S. epidermidis that displayed various patterns of antibiotic resistance. METHODS: There were 12 rabbits in each of three study groups: fully antibiotic susceptible (FS), partially antibiotic resistant (PR), and multiresistant (MR). Five days after inoculation, the eyes were enucleated and prepared for histologic studies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparisons among the three groups were made based on electroretinographic (ERG) findings, histologic evaluation by a masked observer, and clinical examination. RESULTS: Electroretinographic findings on all rabbits were made by an unmasked observer. At 30 hours after inoculation, the ERG was diminished to 65% of normal for group FS, compared with a flat ERG waveform for groups PR (P < 0.05) and MR (P < 0.05). The ERG waveform was flat for all three groups at 72 hours after inoculation. Histologic evaluation by use of a histologic score revealed that the degree of inflammation and destruction of the retina was less for group FS (n = 10) compared with groups PR (n = 8) and MR (n = 8). Clinical examination revealed that there was a trend of less ocular inflammation for group FS compared with groups PR and MR. CONCLUSIONS: In a rabbit model of S. epidermidis-induced endophthalmitis, antibiotic-susceptible strains caused less inflammation and destruction of the infected retina than did antibiotic-resistant strains.

Estudio de la mortalidad en una zona básica de salud urbana / Study of mortality in an urban health district

Objetivo. Conocer el patrón de causas de mortalidad de la Zona Básica de Salud de Chantrea (Navarra) y las tendencias para las principales causas de muerte entre 1987 y 1995.Diseño. Estudio descriptivo. Emplazamiento. Centro urbano de atención primaria. Sujetos. Población de la Zona Básica de Salud de Chantrea. Intervenciones. Se cruzaron datos del Padrón de Habitantes de Chantrea de 1986 con el listado de mortalidad de Navarra para conocer los fallecimientos producidos entre 1986 y 1995. Se analizaron, para ambos sexos y para los períodos 1987-1990 y 1991-1995, la mortalidad global y la mortalidad para las principales causas. Resultados. El barrio de Chantrea en Pamplona presentó en el período 1991-1995 una tasa de mortalidad ajustada a la población europea de 711 por 100.000 habitantes entre los varones y de 403 por 100.000 habitantes entre las mujeres. Las principales causas de mortalidad fueron: enfermedades del aparato circulatorio, tumores, enfermedades respiratorias y causas externas. Las tasas de mortalidad global descendieron un 11,8 por ciento en los varones y un 8 por ciento en las mujeres entre el período 1987-1990 y el 1991-1995. Se observaron descensos estadísticamente significativos de la mortalidad por enfermedades del aparato circulatorio y del tumor maligno de esófago en varones. El sida aumentó significativamente entre los varones como causa de muerte. Conclusiones. Bajas tasas de mortalidad global en varones y mujeres de Chantrea y, especialmente, las tasas de mortalidad por enfermedades del aparato circulatorio, que se encuentran por debajo de las cifras registradas en la mayoría de los países europeos. Otras causas de muerte, como accidentes de tráfico, sida o tumores malignos relacionados con el tabaco, presentan tasas moderadamente altas (AU)