Size matters: individual variation in auditory sensitivity may influence sexual selection in Pacific treefrogs (Pseudacris regilla).

The matched filter hypothesis proposes a close match between senders and receivers and is supported by several studies on variation in signal properties and sensory-processing mechanisms among species and populations. Importantly, within populations, individual variation in sensory processing may affect how receivers perceive signals. Our main goals were to characterize hearing sensitivity of Pacific treefrogs (Pseudacris regilla), assess patterns of individual variation in hearing sensitivity, and evaluate how among-individual variation in hearing sensitivity and call frequency content affect auditory processing of communication signals. Overall, males and females are most sensitive to frequencies between 2.0 and 2.5 kHz, which matches the dominant frequency of the call, and have a second region of high sensitivity between 400 and 800 Hz that does not match the fundamental frequency of the call. We found high levels of among-individual variation in hearing sensitivity, primarily driven by subject size. Importantly, patterns of among-individual variation in hearing differ between males and females. Cross-correlation analyses reveal that among-individual variation in hearing sensitivity may lead to differences on how receivers, particularly females, perceive male calls. Our results suggest that individual variation in sensory processing may affect signal perception and influence the evolution of sexually selected traits.

Safety and Effectiveness of Prucalopride in Children with Functional Constipation with and without Upper Symptoms.

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric prucalopride studies for treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders have reported mixed results. We aimed to assess the safety and effectiveness of prucalopride in functional constipation (FC) with and without upper GI symptoms. METHODS: Retrospective data on patients with FC receiving combined prucalopride and conventional therapy was compared with those receiving conventional therapy alone within 12 months. Thirty patients on combined therapy and those on conventional therapy were each matched on the basis of age, gender, race, and presence of fecal soiling. Response (complete, partial, or no resolution) was compared. Similarly, response to concurrent functional upper GI symptoms (postprandial pain, bloating, weight loss, vomiting, early satiety, or nausea) and dysphagia, as well as adverse effects, were evaluated in the combined group. RESULTS: Mean age of 57 cases was 14.7 ± 4.9 years and 68% were female. Comorbidities included functional upper GI (UGI) symptoms (84%), dysphagia (12%), mood disorders (49%), and hypermobility spectrum disorder (37%). Unmatched cases reported 63% improvement to FC; response did not differ between the matched cohorts (70% versus 76.6%, p = 0.84). Cases showed a 56% improvement in functional UGI symptoms and 100% in dysphagia. Adverse effects were reported in 30%, abdominal cramps being most common. Four (7%) patients with a known mood disorder reported worsened mood, of which two endorsed suicidal ideation. CONCLUSION: Prucalopride efficaciously treated concurrent UGI symptoms and dysphagia in constipated pediatric patients and was overall well tolerated. Preexisting mood disorders seemed to worsen in a small subset of cases.

Study of the Degradation of a TPS/PCL/Fique Biocomposite Material in Soil, Compost, and Water.

The degradability of the biocomposite produced from a binary mixture of thermoplastic banana starch (TPS) and polycaprolactone (PCL) reinforced with fique fibers (Fs) was evaluated in three different environments (soil, compost, water). An experimental design with two factors (soil and compost) and three levels (5, 10, and 20 cm) was used, with additional tests for a third aqueous environment (water from the lake of the Universidad del Valle) at a depth of 20 cm. The biocomposite was prepared from the implementation of a twin-screw extrusion process of the binary mixture TPS/PCL and fique fibers (54, 36, and 10% composition, respectively), followed by hot compression molding, and after that, generating ASTM D638 type V specimens using a stainless-steel die. The specimens were dried and buried according to the experimental design, for a total experimental time of 90 days, and removing samples every 30 days. After 90 days, all samples showed signs of degradation, where the best results were obtained in the compost at a depth of 20 cm (34 ± 4% mass loss and a decrease in tensile strength of 77.3%, which indicates that the material lost mechanical properties). TPS was the fastest disappearing component and promoted the degradation of the composite material as it disappeared. Finally, the aqueous media presented the lowest degradation results, losing only 20% of its initial mass after 90 days of the experiment, being the least effective environment in which the biocomposite can end up.

Bone involvement in non-congenital syphilis / Compromiso óseo por sífilis no congénita

We documented two stages of bone involvement due to syphilis in two adult patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. Bony lesions of secondary versus tertiary syphilis cannot be differentiated on clinical or radiologic grounds alone. Given the rarity of this clinical presentation, there is no consensus on treatment duration and related outcomes.

Se describen dos etapas de compromiso óseo por sífilis en dos pacientes adultos infectados por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana. Las lesiones óseas de la sífilis secundaria y de la sífilis terciaria no se pueden diferenciar únicamente por características clínicas o radiológicas. Dada la rareza de esta presentación clínica, no hay consenso sobre la duración del tratamiento y los resultados relacionados.

Bone involvement in non-congenital syphilis / Compromiso óseo por sífilis no congénita

We documented two stages of bone involvement due to syphilis in two adult patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. Bony lesions of secondary versus tertiary syphilis cannot be differentiated on clinical or radiologic grounds alone. Given the rarity of this clinical presentation, there is no consensus on treatment duration and related outcomes.

Se describen dos etapas de compromiso óseo por sífilis en dos pacientes adultos infectados por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana. Las lesiones óseas de la sífilis secundaria y de la sífilis terciaria no se pueden diferenciar únicamente por características clínicas o radiológicas. Dada la rareza de esta presentación clínica, no hay consenso sobre la duración del tratamiento y los resultados relacionados.

Behind the mask(ing): how frogs cope with noise.

Albert Feng was a pioneer in the field of auditory neuroethology who used frogs to investigate the neural basis of spectral and temporal processing and directional hearing. Among his many contributions was connecting neural mechanisms for sound pattern recognition and localization to the problems of auditory masking that frogs encounter when communicating in noisy, real-world environments. Feng's neurophysiological studies of auditory processing foreshadowed and inspired subsequent behavioral investigations of auditory masking in frogs. For frogs, vocal communication frequently occurs in breeding choruses, where males form dense aggregations and produce loud species-specific advertisement calls to attract potential mates and repel competitive rivals. In this review, we aim to highlight how Feng's research advanced our understanding of how frogs cope with noise. We structure our narrative around three themes woven throughout Feng's research-spectral, temporal, and directional processing-to illustrate how frogs can mitigate problems of auditory masking by exploiting frequency separation between signals and noise, temporal fluctuations in noise amplitude, and spatial separation between signals and noise. We conclude by proposing future research that would build on Feng's considerable legacy to advance our understanding of hearing and sound communication in frogs and other vertebrates.

Molecular profiling of papillary thyroid carcinomas in healthcare workers exposed to low dose radiation at the workplace.

PURPOSE: Exposure to ionizing radiation, especially during childhood, is a well-established risk factor for thyroid cancer. The vast majority of radiation-induced cancers are papillary carcinomas (PTCs). These tumors typically have gene fusions in contrast to point mutations prevalent in sporadic PTCs. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular profiles of PTC patients with workplace exposure to ionizing radiation. METHODS: A retrospective review of 543 patients who underwent surgery with diagnosis of PTC was performed. A cohort of nine healthcare specialists previously exposed to radiation sources during their professional practice was selected and analyzed using the ThyroSeq mutation panel for point mutations and gene fusions associated with thyroid cancer. RESULTS: The molecular analysis of surgical samples of PTCs was informative and revealed genetic alterations in five patients. BRAF V600E was found in four (67%) cases whereas RET/PTC1 fusion in one (17%) and one sample (17%) was wild type for point mutations and fusions. One sample completely failed molecular analysis while two others were negative for genes fusions but failed DNA analysis; these three samples were excluded. CONCLUSIONS: In this limited cohort of healthcare workers exposed to low dose of ionizing radiation at the workplace and developed PTC, the molecular profiling determined BRAF V600E point mutation as the most common event, arguing against the role of workplace radiation exposure in the etiology of these tumors.

Individual variation in two types of advertisement calls of Pacific tree frogs, Hyliola (=Pseudacris) regilla, and the implications for sexual selection and species recognition.

Anuran advertisement calls play a fundamental role in social interactions related to reproduction, like territory defense and mate attraction. As such, advertisement calls are often shaped by natural and sexual selection. Therefore, to understand the evolution, function, and mechanisms of signal production and perception, it is important to characterize sources and patterns of variation in call properties. We recorded and analyzed the two types of advertisement calls produced by Pacific tree frogs, Hyliola regilla: diphasic and monophasic calls. Specifically, we examined (i) the relationship between call properties and both body size and physical condition, (ii) patterns of within- and among-individual variation in call properties, and (iii) acoustic differences between diphasic and monophasic calls. While only one property of diphasic calls correlates with physical condition, spectral properties of both types of calls correlate with body size. Patterns of within- and among-individual variation were similar between call types and, overall, consistent with patterns reported for closely related species. Monophasic calls have lower frequencies, are delivered faster, and have higher call effort and duty cycle than diphasic calls. We discuss our results in relation to sexual selection and formulate hypotheses about the evolution, function, and mechanisms of acoustic communication in Pacific tree frogs.

In vitro evaluation of new 4-thiazolidinones on invasion and growth of Toxoplasma gondii.

Treatments for toxoplasmosis such as pyrimethamine have shown numerous side effects. It has been reported that the likelihood of relapse associated with pyrimethamine-based therapy in patients with HIV and toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) can have significant implications, even for patients who often develop new lesions in areas of the brain previously free of infection. This led us to research for new agents against Toxoplasma gondii. Recent findings have shown the potent biological activity of 4-thiazolidinones. We proposed to design and synthesize a new series of 2-hydrazono-4-thiazolidinones derivatives to evaluate the in vitro growth inhibition effect on T. gondii. The growth rates of T. gondii tachyzoites in Human Foreskin Fibroblast (HFF) cell culture were identified by two in vitro methodologies. The first one was by fluorescence in which green fluorescent RH parasites and cherry-red fluorescent ME49 parasites were used. The second one was a colorimetric methodology using ß-Gal parasites of the RH strain constitutively expressing the enzyme beta-galactosidase. The 4-thiazolidinone derivatives 1B, 2B and 3B showed growth inhibition at the same level of Pyrimethamine. These compounds showed IC50 values of 1B (0.468-0.952 µM), 2B (0.204-0.349 µM) and 3B (0.661-1.015 µM) against T. gondii. As a measure of cytotoxicity the compounds showed a TD50 values of: 1B (60 µM), 2B (206 µM) and 3B (125 µM). The in vitro assays and molecular modeling results suggest that these compounds could act as possible inhibitors of the Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase 1 of T. gondii. Further, our results support the fact that of combining appropriate detection technologies, combinatorial chemistry and computational biology is a good strategy for efficient drug discovery. These compounds merit in vivo analysis for anti-parasitic drug detection.

Haplotype analysis of the internationally distributed BRCA1 c.3331_3334delCAAG founder mutation reveals a common ancestral origin in Iberia.

BACKGROUND: The BRCA1 c.3331_3334delCAAG founder mutation has been reported in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer families from multiple Hispanic groups. We aimed to evaluate BRCA1 c.3331_3334delCAAG haplotype diversity in cases of European, African, and Latin American ancestry. METHODS: BC mutation carrier cases from Colombia (n = 32), Spain (n = 13), Portugal (n = 2), Chile (n = 10), Africa (n = 1), and Brazil (n = 2) were genotyped with the genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays to evaluate haplotype diversity around BRCA1 c.3331_3334delCAAG. Additional Portuguese (n = 13) and Brazilian (n = 18) BC mutation carriers were genotyped for 15 informative SNPs surrounding BRCA1. Data were phased using SHAPEIT2, and identical by descent regions were determined using BEAGLE and GERMLINE. DMLE+ was used to date the mutation in Colombia and Iberia. RESULTS: The haplotype reconstruction revealed a shared 264.4-kb region among carriers from all six countries. The estimated mutation age was ~ 100 generations in Iberia and that it was introduced to South America early during the European colonization period. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that this mutation originated in Iberia and later introduced to Colombia and South America at the time of Spanish colonization during the early 1500s. We also found that the Colombian mutation carriers had higher European ancestry, at the BRCA1 gene harboring chromosome 17, than controls, which further supported the European origin of the mutation. Understanding founder mutations in diverse populations has implications in implementing cost-effective, ancestry-informed screening.

First Detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in a Wild Bat from Colombia.

INTRODUCTION: Toxoplasma gondii infections have been reported for many warm-blooded animals around the world including chiropterans. However, in Colombia, the country that holds the highest taxonomic richness of this order of mammals in the Neotropics, up to date there are no reports of T. gondii in bats (Carollia brevicauda). PURPOSE: The objective of the present study was to detect T. gondii DNA from internal bat organs from Quindío, Colombia. RESULTS: We report the first detection of T. gondii DNA from internal bat organs in the department of Quindio, Central Andes of Colombia. Out of three silky short tail bat (Carollia brevicauda) specimens collected at the natural reserve "La Montaña del Ocaso", organs were recovered (lungs, liver, heart, kidneys, small and large intestine) and tested for T. gondii through PCR for B1 sequence, with 1/3 (33.3%) positive result for the presence of T. gondii DNA in bat kidney tissues. CONCLUSION: Taking into consideration the high diversity of bat species in Colombia, and the complexity of the ecological and functional relationships that these organisms establish in the ecosystems they inhabit, we discuss on the urgent need for more detailed research and surveys for Toxoplansma in bats and other mammalian wild species.

Detection and genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in feces of domestic cats in Colombia.

The high prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in the human population in Colombia has been linked to the existence of a high density of urban stray cats, exposing the whole population to a high density of oocysts. The goal of this study was to determine the DNA prevalence of T. gondii by conventional PCR and to phylogenetically analyze ROP18 sequences from positive samples in domestic cat (Felis catus) fecal samples in the city of Armenia, Quindío. Fecal samples from 140 cats were collected from 10 districts around the city. Samples were concentrated using Ritchie's method and analyzed through optical microscopy. Concentrates were used for DNA extraction followed by nested PCR amplification for T. gondii gene B1. PCR for ROP18 was performed on all B1 positive samples; the ROP18 sequences obtained were related to the Archetype I Brazilian and Chinese strains. No oocysts were detected by optical microscopy; however, 17.8% (25/140) B1 and 24% (6/25) ROP18 PCR-positive samples were detected. Phylogenetic analyses showed that isolates clustered into a single group. We assessed whether associations existed between T. gondii positive fecal samples and survey variables such as cat healthcare and socioeconomic characteristics of owners, but no statistically significant associations were found. The presence of T. gondii in cat feces is an important factor contributing to the high prevalence in the human population of this city.

TITLE: Détection d'ADN et génotypes de Toxoplasma gondii dans les fèces de chats domestiques en Colombie. ABSTRACT: La forte prévalence de Toxoplasma gondii dans la population humaine en Colombie a été liée à l'existence d'une forte densité de chats errants urbains, exposant l'ensemble de la population à une forte densité d'oocystes. Le but de ce travail était de déterminer la prévalence de l'ADN de T. gondii par PCR conventionnelle et d'analyser phylogénétiquement les séquences ROP18 d'échantillons positifs dans des échantillons fécaux de chat domestique (Felis catus) dans la ville d'Armenia, Quindío. Des échantillons fécaux de 140 chats ont été collectés dans 10 districts de la ville. Les échantillons ont été concentrés en utilisant la méthode de Ritchie et analysés par microscopie optique. Des concentrés ont été utilisés pour l'extraction d'ADN suivie d'une amplification par PCR nichée pour le gène B1 de T. gondii. La PCR pour ROP18 a été réalisée sur tous les échantillons positifs pour B1 ; les séquences ROP18 obtenues étaient apparentées aux souches Archétype I brésiliennes et chinoises. Aucun oocyste n'a été détecté par microscopie optique mais les échantillons étaient positifs par PCR pour 17,8 % (25/140) pour B1 et 24 % (6/25) pour ROP18. Les analyses phylogénétiques ont montré que les isolats formaient un seul groupe. Nous avons évalué s'il existait des associations entre des échantillons fécaux positifs à T. gondii et des variables d'enquête telles que les soins de santé des chats et les caractéristiques socioéconomiques des propriétaires, mais aucune association statistiquement significative n'a été trouvée. La présence de T. gondii dans les excréments de chats est un facteur important contribuant à la forte prévalence dans la population humaine de cette ville.

Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Breast Cancer Is Associated with Indigenous American Ancestry in Latin American Women.

Women of Latin American origin in the United States are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced breast cancer and have a higher risk of mortality than non-Hispanic White women. Studies in U.S. Latinas and Latin American women have reported a high incidence of HER2 positive (+) tumors; however, the factors contributing to this observation are unknown. Genome-wide genotype data for 1,312 patients from the Peruvian Genetics and Genomics of Breast Cancer Study (PEGEN-BC) were used to estimate genetic ancestry. We tested the association between HER2 status and genetic ancestry using logistic and multinomial logistic regression models. Findings were replicated in 616 samples from Mexico and Colombia. Average Indigenous American (IA) ancestry differed by subtype. In multivariate models, the odds of having an HER2+ tumor increased by a factor of 1.20 with every 10% increase in IA ancestry proportion (95% CI, 1.07-1.35; P = 0.001). The association between HER2 status and IA ancestry was independently replicated in samples from Mexico and Colombia. Results suggest that the high prevalence of HER2+ tumors in Latinas could be due in part to the presence of population-specific genetic variant(s) affecting HER2 expression in breast cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: The positive association between Indigenous American genetic ancestry and HER2+ breast cancer suggests that the high incidence of HER2+ subtypes in Latinas might be due to population and subtype-specific genetic risk variants.

BRAF and TERT mutations in papillary thyroid cancer patients of Latino ancestry.

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the second most commonly diagnosed malignancy in U.S. Latinas and in Colombian women. Studies in non-Latinos indicate that BRAF and TERT mutations are PTC prognostic markers. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and clinical associations of BRAF and TERT mutations in PTC Latino patients from Colombia. We analyzed mutations of BRAF (V600E) and TERT promoter (C228T, C250T) in tumor DNA from 141 patients (75 with classical variant PTC, CVPTC; 66 with follicular variant PTC, FVPTC) recruited through a multi-center study. Associations between mutations and clinical variables were evaluated with Fisher exact tests. Survival was evaluated with Kaplan-Meier plots. Double-mutant tumors (BRAF+/TERT+, n = 14 patients) were more common in CVPTC (P = 0.02). Relative to patients without mutations (n = 48), double mutations were more common in patients with large tumors (P = 0.03), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.01), extra-thyroid extension (P = 0.03), and advanced stage (P = 6.0 × 10-5). In older patients, TERT mutations were more frequent (mean age 51 years vs 45 years for wild type TERT, P = 0.04) and survival was lower (HR = 1.20; P = 0.017); however, given the small sample size, the decrease in survival was not statically significant between genotypes. Comparisons with published data in US whites revealed that Colombian patients had a higher prevalence of severe pathological features and of double-mutant tumors (10 vs 6%, P = 0.001). Mutations in both oncogenes show prognostic associations in Latinos from Colombia. Our study is important to advance Latino PTC precision medicine and replicates previous prognostic associations between BRAF and TERT in this population.

Endometriosis de la pared abdominal: estudio descriptivo de una serie de 21 casos / Abdominal wall endometriosis: A descriptive study of a series of 21 cases

Introducción. La endometriosis de la pared abdominal se define como la presencia de tejido endometrial en cualquiera de las capas que componen la pared abdominal. Su incidencia es baja y se caracteriza por un diagnóstico tardío. Materiales y métodos. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo y retrospectivo entre 2010 y 2014 en pacientes con endometriosis de la pared abdominal, cuyo análisis patológico fue realizado en un centro de ayudas diagnósticas de Medellín. Se identificaron las variables histopatológicas del reporte, y la información clínica mediante una entrevista telefónica suministrada por la paciente. Se analizaron los datos con medidas descriptivas de resumen. Resultados. Participaron 21 de 65 pacientes con diagnóstico de endometriosis de la pared abdominal. La media de edad al momento del diagnóstico fue de 35,3 años (desviación estándar, DE=8), el 71,4 % tenía el antecedente de cesárea y, el 38,1 %, el de endometriosis pélvica. El 95,2 % de las pacientes manifestaron dolor, de las cuales el 50 % lo percibió como constante con agudización cíclica y, el 40 %, como cíclico; además, el 90,5 % manifestó sensación de masa. La mediana del tiempo desde la aparición de la lesión hasta el diagnóstico, fue de 24 meses (RIQ=6-60). Solo en cuatro pacientes se hizo el diagnóstico prequirúrgico. El tratamiento fue quirúrgico en todas las pacientes y ocho (38,1 %) presentaron recidiva.Conclusiones. La endometriosis de la pared abdominal usualmente se manifiesta como masas dolorosas aso-ciadas con cicatrices quirúrgicas previas, generalmente de origen ginecológico y los síntomas empeoran con la menstruación. Es usual que su diagnóstico sea tardío y pocas veces se hace antes del estudio histopatológico. El tratamiento de elección es la resección quirúrgica, aunque no es despreciable el porcentaje de recidivas (AU)

Introduction: Abdominal wall endometriosis is defined by the presence of endometrial tissue in any of the layers that compose the abdominal wall. It has a low incidence and is characterized by a late diagnosis. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, ambispective study that included patients with abdominal wall endometriosis whose pathological analysis was performed in a diagnostic center in Medellín between 2010 and 2014. Histopathological variables of the report were identified, and clinical information was provided by the patient by a phone interview. They were analyzed with descriptive summary measures.Results: 21 patients with abdominal wall endometriosis of 65 identified participated. The mean age at diagnosis was 35.3 years ± 8, 71.4% had a prior caesarean section and 38.1% had pelvic endometriosis. 95.2% manifested pain, among them, 50% was perceived as constant with cyclical exacerbation, 40% cyclical; 90.5% manifested mass sensation. The median from the onset of the lesion to the diagnosis was 24 months (IQR 6-60). Only four patients had pre-surgical. The treatment was surgical in all patients and eight (38.1%) had recurrence.Conclusions: Abdominal wall endometriosis usually manifests through painful masses associated with previous surgical scars usually of gynecological origin and whose symptoms worsen with menstruation. Its diagnosis is usually late and it is rarely reached before the histopathological study. Management of choice is surgical resection, however, its percentage of recurrence is not negligible (AU)

Masking release in temporally fluctuating noise depends on comodulation and overall level in Cope's gray treefrog.

Many animals communicate acoustically in large social aggregations. Among the best studied are frogs, in which males form large breeding choruses where they produce loud vocalizations to attract mates. Although chorus noise poses significant challenges to communication, it also possesses features, such as comodulation in amplitude fluctuations, that listeners may be evolutionarily adapted to exploit in order to achieve release from masking. This study investigated the extent to which the benefits of comodulation masking release (CMR) depend on overall noise level in Cope's gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis). Masked signal recognition thresholds were measured in response to vocalizations in the presence of chorus-shaped noise presented at two levels. The noises were either unmodulated or modulated with an envelope that was correlated (comodulated) or uncorrelated (deviant) across the frequency spectrum. Signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) were lower at the higher noise level, and this effect was driven by relatively lower SNRs in modulated conditions, especially the comodulated condition. These results, which confirm that frogs benefit from CMR in a level-dependent manner, are discussed in relation to previous studies of CMR in humans and animals and in light of implications of the unique amphibian inner ear for considerations of within-channel versus across-channel mechanisms.

Rhinosporidiosis in Colombia: case series and literature review.

Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic granulomatous disease that affects mucosal surfaces. Its epidemiology and clinical presentation in Colombia are not well-known. We therefore reviewed all 58 reported cases between 1964 and 2015 to raise awareness among clinicians in a non-endemic area. Of the patients, 64% were male (median age = 15 years) and 57% had ocular and 43% nasal manifestations; there were no disseminated cases of the disease. All lesions were surgically removed.

The dilemma of refractory hypoxemia after inferior wall myocardial infarction.

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) occurs in 25% of people. The decision on whether to close the PFO found after myocardial infarction and specifically right ventricular infarction is debated, with no solid guidelines addressing this subject. Here we present the case of a 59-year-old man who presented with a myocardial infarction and was found to have PFO. He was treated with revascularization of the culprit artery, followed by supportive care.

Sensory Specializations of Mormyrid Fish Are Associated with Species Differences in Electric Signal Localization Behavior.

The ability to localize communication signals plays a fundamental role in social interactions. For signal localization to take place, the sensory system of the receiver must extract information about distance and direction to the sender from physical characteristics of the signal. In many sensory systems, information from multiple peripheral receptors must be integrated by central sensory pathways to determine the sender location. Here, we asked whether evolutionary divergence in the electrosensory and visual systems of mormyrid fish is associated with signal localization behavior. In mormyrids, differences in the distribution of electroreceptors on the surface of the skin are associated with differences in the midbrain exterolateral nucleus (EL). Species with electroreceptors clustered in three rosettes on both sides of the head have a small and undifferentiated EL. In contrast, EL is enlarged and subdivided into anterior (ELa) and posterior (ELp) regions in species that have electroreceptors broadly -distributed throughout the body. Interestingly, species with EL and clustered electroreceptors also have larger visual systems and higher visual acuity than species with ELa/ELp and broadly distributed electroreceptors. Species with broadly distributed electroreceptors and ELa/ELp approached a simulated conspecific by following the curved electric field lines generated by the electrosensory stimulus. In contrast, a species with small EL and clustered electroreceptors, but an enlarged visual system, followed shorter and straighter paths to the stimulus source. In the central electrosensory system, evoked field potentials in response to stimuli delivered from the left versus the right differed more in EL than in ELa/ELp. Our results suggest that signal localization behavior is associated with differences in sensory specializations. We propose that the distribution of electroreceptors on the body affects the ability of individuals to align parallel to electric field lines and maintain such alignment while approaching the signal source. The spatial resolution of sensory information relayed from the periphery to the midbrain in species with clustered electroreceptors may allow for gross, but not fine, processing of sender location. Furthermore, visual information may play an important role in localizing signaling individuals in species with small EL and clustered electroreceptors. In line with previous studies, we suggest that the physiological and behavioral differences associated with signal localization reflect adaptations to different habitats and social environments.