Understanding the habitat selection and natural history of the spider Deinopis cf. cylindracea (Deinopidae).

Habitat choice is fundamental for an animal foraging, defense, and reproduction. Ogre-faced spiders are known for their unusual morphology, natural history, and rarity. They are sit-and-wait predators that build net-like webs that are manipulated by spiders and thrown at their prey. Hunting behavior includes selecting microhabitats for web construction that reduces the likelihood of damage or entanglement in the substrate during prey capture. Therefore, we expect that Deinopis cf. cylindracea selects smooth surfaces to forage on. We observed D. cf. cylindracea associated with smooth trunks of Plinia cauliflora (Myrtaceae) in the natural environment and actively selecting smooth trunks over rough trunks or litter in controlled experiments. Such selection is likely to maximize the foraging strategy of launching the web towards the substrate. Aggregations had occurred more often in the 50 cm trunk closest to the ground, where the prey community is largest. During the day, this spider appears to choose sites where it can adopt a stick-like posture upon the vegetation near the ground. Hunting at night and resting cryptically during the day appears to be shaped by natural selection for the survival and reproduction of this spider species.

Clinical outcome after acute ischaemic stroke: the influence of restless legs syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: the objective was to evaluate the presence of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) in acute stroke, its association with sleep disturbances and clinical outcome during long-term follow-up. METHODS: this was a longitudinal study (N = 96, 59 men, mean age 64.0 ± 8.9) of cases with acute ischaemic stroke. Patients were asked about the occurrence of RLS symptoms before the cerebrovascular event. RLS was diagnosed using the criteria established by the International RLS Study Group. Stroke outcome was estimated by the Barthel Index and the modified Rankin Scale. Daytime somnolence (Epworth Sleepiness Scale -ESS > 10), poor sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index -PSQI > 5) and risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (Berlin questionnaire) were evaluated. RESULTS: twelve patients (12.5%) met the diagnostic criteria for RLS. All cases had symptoms of RLS before stroke. However, none of the cases had a previous medical diagnosis of RLS or were on use of specific medication. In only one case, a family history of RLS was found. In all patients, RLS symptoms started after the age of 40 (mean age 64 ± 6.7). Daytime sleepiness (44.8%) and poor quality sleep (62.8%) were present. Patients with RLS (12.5%) presented greater neck circumference (P = 0.04) and worse sleep quality (P = 0.007). Risk of OSA (56.2%) was associated with hypertension [OR = 0.12; CI=0.03-0.42]. Stroke outcome was significantly worse at three and 12 months (ancova, P < 0.005) in patients with RLS, remaining after adjustment for diabetes and body mass index (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: patients with acute stroke and RLS have worse clinical outcome, at three and 12 months of follow-up.

La definición de las características anatómicas de las malformaciones arteriovenosas cerebrales en la imagen por resonancia magnética. Su utilidad y valor predictivo / Definition of the anatomic characteristics of cerebral arterio-venous malformations in magnetic resonance image

Las malformaciones arteriovenosas cerebrales constituyen un complejo problema de tratamiento. El riesgo de primer o subsecuente sangrado de una malformación arteriovenosa se considera de 4 por ciento por año; el índice anual de mortalidad para malformaciones rotas y no rotas se ha estimado que es de 1 por ciento por año y el índice de morbilidad mayor para ambos grupos de 2.7 por ciento por año: Estas cifras marcan la relevancia de sistematizar y relacionar el tipo de tratamiento al que estos pacientes deben someterse, de tal manera que el riesgo de cualquier procedimiento de tratamiento no supere ni en morbilidad ni en mortalidad a la historia natural de la enfermedad. La clasificación publicada por Robert F Spetzler y Neil Martin en 1986 es un sistema predictivo de riesgo quirúrgico ampliamente usada. Esta clasificación está basada en las características anatómicas de la malformación arteriovenosa; para determinar el grado de una lesión de este tipo se pueden emplear diversos estudios de imagen. En el presente trabajo se analizaron los expedientes radiológicos de 33 pacientes con malformaciones arteriovenosas, 33 estudios de imagen por resonancia magnética, 14 estudios de angiorresonancia y 10 panangiografías por sustracción digital. El estudio ideal para determinar el grado de una malformación arteriovenosa, de acuerdo a la clasificación de Spetzler y Martin, es el de imagen por resonancia magnética. Este estudio muestra toda la información necesaria y puede hacer innecesaria la realización de angiografía con sustracción digital

[Strategies for municipal decentralization in health]. / Estrategias para la descentralización municipal en salud.

The decentralization of health services has been planned as a process that must reach the municipal level. The present work analyses the global framework of the decentralization strategy, the components for structural health changes, the characteristics of the transferences to the states, and ends with the basic elements of strengthening and decentralization of health services to the municipalities.