Ocean currents modify the coupling between climate change and biogeographical shifts.

Biogeographical shifts are a ubiquitous global response to climate change. However, observed shifts across taxa and geographical locations are highly variable and only partially attributable to climatic conditions. Such variable outcomes result from the interaction between local climatic changes and other abiotic and biotic factors operating across species ranges. Among them, external directional forces such as ocean and air currents influence the dispersal of nearly all marine and many terrestrial organisms. Here, using a global meta-dataset of observed range shifts of marine species, we show that incorporating directional agreement between flow and climate significantly increases the proportion of explained variance. We propose a simple metric that measures the degrees of directional agreement of ocean (or air) currents with thermal gradients and considers the effects of directional forces in predictions of climate-driven range shifts. Ocean flows are found to both facilitate and hinder shifts depending on their directional agreement with spatial gradients of temperature. Further, effects are shaped by the locations of shifts in the range (trailing, leading or centroid) and taxonomic identity of species. These results support the global effects of climatic changes on distribution shifts and stress the importance of framing climate expectations in reference to other non-climatic interacting factors.

Chondrocytes extract from patients with osteoarthritis induces chondrogenesis in infrapatellar fat pad-derived stem cells.

OBJECTIVE: Infrapatellar fat pad of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) contains multipotent and highly clonogenic adipose-derived stem cells that can be isolated by low invasive methods. Moreover, nuclear and cytoplasmic cellular extracts have been showed to be effective in induction of cell differentiation and reprogramming. The aim of this study was to induce chondrogenic differentiation of autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) obtained from infrapatellar fat pad (IFPSCs) of patients with OA using cellular extracts-based transdifferentiation method. DESIGN: IFPSCs and chondrocytes were isolated and characterized by flow cytometry. IFPSCs were permeabilized with Streptolysin O and then exposed to a cell extract obtained from chondrocytes. Then, IFPSCs were cultured for 2 weeks and chondrogenesis was evaluated by morphologic and ultrastructural observations, immunologic detection, gene expression analysis and growth on 3-D poly (dl-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) scaffolds. RESULTS: After isolation, both chondrocytes and IFPSCs displayed similar expression of MSCs surface makers. Collagen II was highly expressed in chondrocytes and showed a basal expression in IFPSCs. Cells exposed to chondrocyte extracts acquired a characteristic morphological and ultrastructural chondrocyte phenotype that was confirmed by the increased proteoglycan formation and enhanced collagen II immunostaining. Moreover, chondrocyte extracts induced an increase in mRNA expression of chondrogenic genes such as Sox9, L-Sox5, Sox6 and Col2a1. Interestingly, chondrocytes, IFPSCs and transdifferentiated IFPSCs were able to grow, expand and produce extracellular matrix (ECM) on 3D PLGA scaffolds. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate for the first time that extracts obtained from chondrocytes of osteoarthritic knees promote chondrogenic differentiation of autologous IFPSCs. Moreover, combination of transdifferentiated IFPSCs with biodegradable PLGA 3D scaffolds can serve as an efficient system for the maintenance and maturation of cartilage tissue. These findings suggest its usefulness to repair articular surface in OA.

Blepharospasm and apraxia of eyelid opening in lithium intoxication.

We present the case of a 72-year-old woman with a history of a bipolar mood disorder chronically treated with lithium. Upon having the dose increased, she developed an acute confusional state accompanied by blepharospasm (BS) and apraxia of eyelid opening. Gait instability with frequent falls, pyramid tract signs, and postural tremor in both hands were also evident. On withdrawing lithium, symptoms remitted within 2 weeks. This patient illustrates that BS and apraxia of eyelid opening may be triggered by lithium overdose. Our case warrants the inclusion of lithium in the list of drugs liable to induce such movement disorders.

Value of serum IgG subclasses in the prognosis of asthma in children with immunotherapy treatment.

Immunotherapy is an empirical treatment with proven clinical efficacy. Different results have been found when comparing the levels of the subclasses for immunoglobulin G and the clinical development during immunotherapy. A follow up study was carried out for one year on the IgG subclasses in 21 asthmatic children of both sexes and ages ranging from 8 to 11 years. The children were sensitized to Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus and had undergone immunotherapy treatment. The clinical and analytical evaluation were carried out before treatment was started and later every four months. In terms of clinical evolution, the children were separated into two groups. The levels of IgG1 show different evolution in terms of a good or not good clinical evolution with a p of 0.056. Levels of IgG2 showed no differences. IgG3 shows a disorderly distribution. A continuous increase in IgG4 levels was observed from the start of immunotherapy though no differences in terms of clinical evolution were recorded. With the results obtained, it can be concluded that the gradual increase of IgG4 together with an early rise in IgG1 levels are related to the clinical efficacy of immunotherapy.

[The use of alcohol as a disinfectant of the puncture when measuring capillary glycemia. Does it change the value of glycemia?]. / El uso del alcohol como desinfectante para la punción en la medición de la glucemia capilar. Altera el valor de la glucemia?

OBJECTIVE: To check whether cleaning with alcohol the area where capillary glycaemia is determined affects its values. DESIGN: An intervention study. SETTING: A nursing clinic in a Primary Care Health centre. PATIENTS: 300 adult diabetic patients were included. They were selected consecutively and allocated at random to one of three groups of 100. A different intervention was performed on each group, with application or otherwise of alcohol to the finger before the puncture to obtain capillary blood. The three groups were comparable in age and sex. Two determinations of glycaemia were performed consecutively on each patient (repeated measurements). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the three groups in the repeated measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Applying alcohol to the fingers did not affect the determinations of capillary glycaemia in the third-generation measurers.

[Description of the structure of and demand for a social security service for displaced persons]. / Descripción de la estructura y demanda de un servicio de desplazados de la Seguridad Social.

We have evaluated the structure and demand of care in a Social Security center for the attention to patients out of their dwelling place during de months of July and August, 1987. We had a single office, with two doctors and one nurse and no auxiliary staff. Data were recovered from the daily morbidity sheet. There were overall 4354 visits with a daily mean of 42 patients/doctor. 63.8% attended only to repeat prescriptions, and only 1.07% justified their demands with a written report. The leading cause for medical consultation were respiratory diseases followed by dermatological diseases. Remarkably, 22.6% of consultations were not made by the patient in person. The most common type of interconsultation was the referral to the emergency room of the reference hospital. We have compared these data with other morbidity studies, and we conclude that a better attention of the administration to the clinics for patients out of their dwelling place is required. Another urgent need is the implementation of the prolonged therapy card.

[Urinary tract infection in the newborn infant]. / Infección del tracto urinario en el recién nacido.

Twenty-eight cases of urinary tract infection in newborns with positive urinoculture and suggestive clinical symptomatology are reviewed. The incidence was 0.24%, being most frequent in preterm and postterm newborns. Male neonates was more affected. Failure to thrive, excessive weight loss, poor feeding, diarrhoea, vomiting and jaundice are the most relevant clinical signs. E. coli and Klebsiella are the most frequent organism isolated, followed by Enterobacter and Candida. The presence of metabolic acidosis and leukocituria using a bag technique were the most accurate laboratory data to suspect a urinary tract infection.