Effect of host age, sex and life stage on the prevalence and abundance of sucking lice on Weddell seal in the Antarctic Peninsula.

Through evolutionary time, seal lice have developed morphological, behavioral, and ecological adaptations to cope with the amphibious lifestyle of their hosts in a co-evolutionary process. Consequently, the dynamics of lice populations are determined by seals behavior. We aim to study the effects of host sex, age class, year, and sampling location, on the prevalence and mean abundance of Antarctophthirus carlinii, on Weddell seals (WS) Leptonychotes wedelli. The study was conducted at two sites in the Antarctic Peninsula, namely, Marambio/Seymour Island (MI) and the Danco Coast (DC). We collected lice from 71 WS: 33 from MI, during the reproductive season, and 38 from DC, during the molting season, between 2014 and 2017. According to our analyses, host age class and sex were the variables that affected prevalence levels of lice on WS. Whereas, age class, year, site, and sex affected lice mean abundance. Juveniles presented higher prevalence and mean abundance than adults, possibly acting as reservoirs for lice as they move through different colonies until they reach reproductive age. Concurrently, seals during molting season were more infested. Unlike nursing, during the molting season seals spend much time ashore forming mixed groups that favor both egg development and lice transmission.

How Did Seal Lice Turn into the Only Truly Marine Insects?

Insects are the most evolutionarily and ecologically successful group of living animals, being present in almost all possible mainland habitats; however, they are virtually absent in the ocean, which constitutes more than 99% of the Earth's biosphere. Only a few insect species can be found in the sea but they remain at the surface, in salt marshes, estuaries, or shallow waters. Remarkably, a group of 13 species manages to endure long immersion periods in the open sea, as well as deep dives, i.e., seal lice. Sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) are ectoparasites of mammals, living while attached to the hosts' skin, into their fur, or among their hairs. Among them, the family Echinophthiriidae is peculiar because it infests amphibious hosts, such as pinnipeds and otters, who make deep dives and spend from weeks to months in the open sea. During the evolutionary transition of pinnipeds from land to the ocean, echinophthiriid lice had to manage the gradual change to an amphibian lifestyle along with their hosts, some of which may spend more than 80% of the time submerged and performing extreme dives, some beyond 2000 m under the surface. These obligate and permanent ectoparasites have adapted to cope with hypoxia, high salinity, low temperature, and, in particular, conditions of huge hydrostatic pressures. We will discuss some of these adaptations allowing seal lice to cope with their hosts' amphibious habits and how they can help us understand why insects are so rare in the ocean.

Tumor pardo del paladar, presentación atípica de hiperparatiroidismo primario en adolescente: buena evolución y normalización de la masa ósea tras paratiroidectomía / Brown tumor of the palate, atypical presentation of primary hyperparathyroidism in an adolescent: good evolution and bone mass normalization after parathyroidectomy

El hiperparatiroidismo primario (HPTP) es poco frecuente en niños y adolescentes. Hay escasos datos para el manejo de estos pacientes en pediatría. Las glándulas paratiroideas son glándulas endocrinas que secretan hormona paratiroidea (PTH) y regulan el metabolismo del calcio y del fósforo. La sobreexpresión de PTH se llama hiperparatiroidismo, que se clasifica en primario, secundario y terciario. En los adolescentes, 80 a 92% de los hiperparatiroidismos primarios se deben a adenoma paratiroideo. Presentamos el caso clínico de una adolescente con una primera manifestación atípica de HPTP, la presencia de un tumor pardo del paladar, presentación rara de adenoma paratiroideo, acompañado de hipercalcemia, marcada elevación de PTH y varias lesiones óseas. (AU)

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) in children and adolescents is uncommon. Guidelines for management in pediatric patients are limited. Parathyroid glands are endocrine glands that secrete parathyroid hormone (PTH) and regulate calciumphosphate metabolism. The overexpression of PTH is called hyperparathyroidism, and is classified as primary, secondary, and tertiary. In adolescents, 80 to 92% of PHPT cases are due to a parathyroid adenoma. We present here a case report of an adolescent with a brown tumor of the palate as the first manifestation of the disease, atypical and rare presentation of parathyroid adenoma in an adolescent. She had hypercalcemia, marked elevation of PTH and bone lesions. (AU)

Under pressure: the extraordinary survival of seal lice in the deep sea.

Lice from pinnipeds - sea lions, seals and walruses - are the only insects capable of surviving marine dives. Throughout their evolutionary history, they have adapted to tolerate hypoxia, high salinity, low temperature and, in particular, to tolerate conditions of high hydrostatic pressure. To understand the limits of the capacity of lice to survive during host deep dives, we conducted a series of controlled experiments in the laboratory. We collected lice from elephant seals and submitted the different life stages to high pressure conditions. Lice were first exposed to one of four hydrostatic pressures: 30, 80, 150 or 200 kg cm-2 They were then exposed a second time to higher or lower hydrostatic pressure conditions to test for the impact of the first experience, which could either be deleterious or trigger physiological adaption, allowing them a better tolerance to high pressure. We found that lice from elephant seals can tolerate hydrostatic pressures higher than 200 kg cm-2 (close to 200 atm), which is equivalent to 2000 m depth. Adults exhibited lower recovery times than nymphs after immersion at high hydrostatic pressure. Our findings show that lice have developed unique adaptations to endure extreme marine conditions. We discuss these extreme performances in relation to the morphological characteristics and physiological responses to diving in these insects.

Presentación atípica de un prolactinoma gigante en un adolescente de 15 años / Atypical presentation of a giant prolactinoma in a 15-year-old boy

El prolactinoma gigante es un adenoma pituitario poco frecuente caracterizado por su gran invasión local. Se reporta el caso de un varón de 15 años de edad con dolor retroocular izquierdo y exoftalmos ipsilateral de 4 meses de evolución secundario a un tumor en la base del cráneo que invadía la órbita. Los estudios hormonales revelaron prolactina sérica de 6913,7 ng/ml (valor normal < 20), que confirmó el diagnóstico de prolactinoma gigante. El paciente inició un tratamiento con el agonista dopaminérgico cabergolina en dosis crecientes. Luego de 7 meses de seguimiento, la prolactina había descendido a 349,8 ng/ml y el volumen del tumor se redujo un 70%, sin efectos adversos al tratamiento. El paciente se encontraba asintomático y había reiniciado la pubertad. La rápida remisión de los síntomas sin necesidad de tratamientos invasores subraya la importancia de considerar el diagnóstico de prolactinoma entre los posibles diagnósticos diferenciales de tumor de la base del cráneo.

Giant prolactinomas are rare pituitary adenomas characterized by their great local invasion. In this paper, we report a 15-year-old male with left retro-ocular pain and ipsilateral exophthalmos of 4 months of evolution, secondary to a tumour in the base of the skull that invaded the orbit. Hormonal studies revealed serum prolactin of 6913,7 ng/ml (normal value < 20), confirming the diagnosis of giant prolactinoma. The patient started treatment with the dopaminergic agonist cabergoline in increasing doses. After 7 months of follow-up the prolactin had decreased to 349.8 ng/ml and the tumor volume was reduced by 70%, without presenting adverse effects to the treatment. The patient was asymptomatic and had restarted puberty. The rapid remission of symptoms without the need for invasive treatments underlines the importance of considering the diagnosis of prolactinoma among the possible differential diagnoses of tumor of the skull base.

[Atypical presentation of a giant prolactinoma in a 15-year-old boy]. / Presentación atípica de un prolactinoma gigante en un adolescente de 15 años.

Giant prolactinomas are rare pituitary adenomas characterized by their great local invasion. In this paper, we report a 15-year-old male with left retro-ocular pain and ipsilateral exophthalmos of 4 months of evolution, secondary to a tumour in the base of the skull that invaded the orbit. Hormonal studies revealed serum prolactin of 6913,7 ng/ml (normal value < 20), confirming the diagnosis of giant prolactinoma. The patient started treatment with the dopaminergic agonist cabergoline in increasing doses. After 7 months of follow-up the prolactin had decreased to 349.8 ng/ml and the tumor volume was reduced by 70%, without presenting adverse effects to the treatment. The patient was asymptomatic and had restarted puberty. The rapid remission of symptoms without the need for invasive treatments underlines the importance of considering the diagnosis of prolactinoma among the possible differential diagnoses of tumor of the skull base.

El prolactinoma gigante es un adenoma pituitario poco frecuente caracterizado por su gran invasión local. Se reporta el caso de un varón de 15 años de edad con dolor retroocular izquierdo y exoftalmos ipsilateral de 4 meses de evolución secundario a un tumor en la base del cráneo que invadía la órbita. Los estudios hormonales revelaron prolactina sérica de 6913,7 ng/ml (valor normal < 20), que confirmó el diagnóstico de prolactinoma gigante. El paciente inició un tratamiento con el agonista dopaminérgico cabergolina en dosis crecientes. Luego de 7 meses de seguimiento, la prolactina había descendido a 349,8 ng/ml y el volumen del tumor se redujo un 70%, sin efectos adversos al tratamiento. El paciente se encontraba asintomático y había reiniciado la pubertad. La rápida remisión de los síntomas sin necesidad de tratamientos invasores subraya la importancia de considerar el diagnóstico de prolactinoma entre los posibles diagnósticos diferenciales de tumor de la base del cráneo.

Reproductive Parameters of Female Long- finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala melas edwardii) from the Southwestern Atlantic.

Soto Florencia Anabella, Grandi María Florencia, García Néstor Aníbal, Crespo Enrique Alberto, and Dans Silvana Laura (2017) Mass strandings represent a valuable source of information, especially when it comes to difficult-to-access pelagic species, such as Globicephala melas edwardii. We collected reproductive organs from 27 female pilot whales stranded in Caleta Malaspina, Chubut, Argentina. Our main objective was to analyze reproductive parameters of female long- finned pilot whales in the southern hemisphere. To achieve this, we studied age and reproductive status in order to approximate age and body length at sexual maturity, breeding interval, and fertility of this subspecies. The maturity state was determined by recording different ovulation bodies obtained from histological sections and by assessing the presence of milk in the mammary glands and a fetus, and we concluded that 5 of the females were immature and 22 were mature females. Finding mature females in different reproductive states (resting, in lactation, pregnant, or pregnant and in lactation) along with the great variety of fetus sizes would indicate that copulation and birth are not governed by seasonality. Age at sexual maturity was 8 years old and length at sexual maturity would reach 365.50 cm. The annual pregnancy rate was constant with age for mature females at 0.41 ovul / year, with a breeding interval of 2.4 years. The average fertility varied between 0.19 and 0.21. All the parameters are within the estimated range for females of the North Atlantic subpopulation, except for the breeding interval, which was significantly lower than estimates for the northern subspecies. This study could be limited because all individuals come from a single mass stranding. While this study allowed us to reach some conclusions about the reproductive biology of female G. melas edwardii in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, further studies are needed to fully comprehend the behavior and biology of this species.