The first record of Bergamina lineolata (Chydoridae; Aloninae) from Colombia

The Neotropical freshwater cladoceran Bergamina lineolata (Sars, 1901) was found in a small temporal pond in the Magdalena department. Hitherto, it has been reported in Brazil and El Salvador. It was originally described as Alonella lineolata by Sars, 1901 from Brazil and then placed to the genus Bergamina by Elmoor-Loureiro et al. (2013). This is the first record of this species in Colombia. B. lineolata can be identified by a unique combination of characters including: 1) a remarkably large and oblong postabdomen, with three denticles on distal corner; 2) basal spine of the claw very short, length less than the half claw diameter at base; 3) IDL with two setae shorter than ODL seta, armed with fine setules unilaterally in terminal half; 4) endite 1 of trunk limb I with a long smooth seta between endites 1 and 2.

No evidence of a synergistic effect of HIV infection and diabetes mellitus type 2 on fat distribution, plasma adiponectin or inflammatory markers

Background Altered fat distribution and chronic inflammation are found in both persons living with HIV (PLWH) and persons with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) and are known risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). We aimed to investigate if a synergistic effect of HIV infection and DM2 was found on fat distribution and inflammation. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed including PLWH with HIV RNA < 200 copies/mL (18 with DM2 (HIV + DM2+), 18 without DM2 (HIV + DM2-)) and controls (19 with DM2 (controls with DM2) and 25 without DM2 (healthy controls). We measured fat distribution using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan. Plasma concentrations of adiponectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF- α) and soluble CD14 (sCD14) was measured using snap-frozen plasma. Results HIV + DM2+ and HIV + DM2- had comparable trunk/limb fat ratio. In contrast, HIV + DM2+ had a higher trunk/ limb fat ratio than controls with DM2 and healthy controls (p = 0.013 and p < 0.001, respectively). However, HIV + DM2+ and controls with DM2 had comparable amount of trunk fat mass (kg) (p = 0.254). A lower concentration of plasma adiponectin and higher concentration of IL-6 was found in HIV + DM2+ than in HIV + DM2-(p = 0.037 and p = 0.039) and in healthy controls (p = 0.001 and p = 0.012). In contrast, plasma adiponectin and IL-6 concentrations were comparable in HIV + DM2+ and controls with DM2 (p = 0.345 and p = 0.825). Concentration of sCD14 was comparable in HIV + DM2+ and HIV + DM2–(p = 0.850), but elevated in HIV + DM2+ compared to controls with DM2 (p < 0.001) and healthy controls (p = 0.007). No statistical interactions were found between HIV infection and DM2 for any of the depending variables. Conclusion A synergistic effect of HIV and DM2 was not found for any of the outcomes. However, HIV + DM2+ had features related to both HIV infection and DM2 with a high trunk/limb ratio, high trunk fat mass, low concentration of plasma adiponectin and elevated concentrations of IL-6 and sCD14. This could contribute to elevated risk of CVD.

No evidence of a synergistic effect of HIV infection and diabetes mellitus type 2 on fat distribution, plasma adiponectin or inflammatory markers.

BackgroundAltered fat distribution and chronic inflammation are found in both persons living with HIV (PLWH) and persons with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) and are known risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). We aimed to investigate if a synergistic effect of HIV infection and DM2 was found on fat distribution and inflammation.MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed including PLWH with HIV RNA <200 copies/mL (18 with DM2 (HIV + DM2+), 18 without DM2 (HIV + DM2-)) and controls (19 with DM2 (controls with DM2) and 25 without DM2 (healthy controls). We measured fat distribution using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan. Plasma concentrations of adiponectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF- α) and soluble CD14 (sCD14) was measured using snap-frozen plasma.ResultsHIV+DM2+ and HIV+DM2- had comparable trunk/limb fat ratio. In contrast, HIV+DM2+ had a higher trunk/ limb fat ratio than controls with DM2 and healthy controls (p=0.013 and p<0.001, respectively). However, HIV+DM2+ and controls with DM2 had comparable amount of trunk fat mass (kg) (p=0.254). A lower concentration of plasma adiponectin and higher concentration of IL-6 was found in HIV+DM2+ than in HIV+DM2-(p=0.037 and p=0.039) and in healthy controls (p=0.001 and p=0.012). In contrast, plasma adiponectin and IL-6 concentrations were comparable in HIV+DM2+ and controls with DM2 (p=0.345 and p=0.825). Concentration of sCD14 was comparable in HIV+DM2+ and HIV+DM2–(p=0.850), but elevated in HIV+DM2+ compared to controls with DM2 (p<0.001) and healthy controls (p=0.007). No statistical interactions were found between HIV infection and DM2 for any of the depending variables.ConclusionA synergistic effect of HIV and DM2 was not found for any of the outcomes. However, HIV+DM2+ had features related to both HIV infection and DM2 with a high trunk/limb ratio, high trunk fat mass, low concentration of plasma adiponectin and elevated concentrations of IL-6 and sCD14. This could contribute to elevated risk of CVD.

Lower Central Fat Increase Risk of One-Year Muscle Mass Loss in Menopausal Women

Background. Hormonal changes had been found in menopausal women. Muscle and bone mass decline after menopause and with aging, increasing the risk for sarcopenia and osteoporosis in later life. Only a few studies suggest that menopausal hormonal changes have an effect on the decline in muscle mass. Objectives. This study aimed at evaluating the risk of muscle mass loss in menopausal women. Materials and Methods. Menopausal women from routine physical health examination were eligible for this study. Muscle mass was determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at baseline and 1 year later. All of the patients underwent the assessments for liver and kidney function, diabetes, and hypertension, and associated comorbidities were recorded. Results. A total of 172 patients were enrolled. 70 patients had muscle loss at 1 year, and the other 102 did not had loss. The mean age was 70.26±9.93 years at the muscle loss group, while 69.25±10.50 at the nonprogress group (p=0.531). The mean body mass index was 22.96±1.91 kg/m2 at the muscle loss group, while 23.33±3.71 kg/m2 at the nonprogress group (p=0.433). The baseline trunk limb fat mass ratio was 1.01±0.20 in the muscle loss group and 1.12±0.26 in the no muscle loss (p=0.004). Using muscle mass loss as the outcome, logistical regression analysis showed that a baseline trunk limb mass ratio could predict muscle loss, and a higher baseline trunk limb mass ratio was associated with less muscle loss, while a lower trunk limb mass ratio was associated with increased muscle mass loss (p=0.01). Conclusion. This is the first study to investigate the risk of muscle mass loss in menopausal women. Menopausal women with higher central fat had less muscle mass loss, while lower central fat was a risk factor for muscle mass loss. Chronic kidney disease was also a risk factor for muscle mass loss in menopausal women in this study.

No evidence of a synergistic effect of HIV infection and diabetes mellitus type 2 on fat distribution, plasma adiponectin or inflammatory markers.

BackgroundAltered fat distribution and chronic inflammation are found in both persons living with HIV (PLWH) and persons with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) and are known risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). We aimed to investigate if a synergistic effect of HIV infection and DM2 was found on fat distribution and inflammation.MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed including PLWH with HIV RNA <200 copies/mL (18 with DM2 (HIV + DM2+), 18 without DM2 (HIV + DM2-)) and controls (19 with DM2 (controls with DM2) and 25 without DM2 (healthy controls). We measured fat distribution using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan. Plasma concentrations of adiponectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF- α) and soluble CD14 (sCD14) was measured using snap-frozen plasma. ResultsHIV+DM2+ and HIV+DM2- had comparable trunk/limb fat ratio. In contrast, HIV+DM2+ had a higher trunk/ limb fat ratio than controls with DM2 and healthy controls (p=0.013 and p<0.001, respectively). However, HIV+DM2+ and controls with DM2 had comparable amount of trunk fat mass (kg) (p=0.254). A lower concentration of plasma adiponectin and higher concentration of IL-6 was found in HIV+DM2+ than in HIV+DM2-(p=0.037 and p=0.039) and in healthy controls (p=0.001 and p=0.012). In contrast, plasma adiponectin and IL-6 concentrations were comparable in HIV+DM2+ and controls with DM2 (p=0.345 and p=0.825). Concentration of sCD14 was comparable in HIV+DM2+ and HIV+DM2–(p=0.850), but elevated in HIV+DM2+ compared to controls with DM2 (p<0.001) and healthy controls (p=0.007). No statistical interactions were found between HIV infection and DM2 for any of the depending variables. ConclusionA synergistic effect of HIV and DM2 was not found for any of the outcomes. However, HIV+DM2+ had features related to both HIV infection and DM2 with a high trunk/limb ratio, high trunk fat mass, low concentration of plasma adiponectin and elevated concentrations of IL-6 and sCD14. This could contribute to elevated risk of CVD.

No evidence of a synergistic effect of HIV infection and diabetes mellitus type 2 on fat distribution, plasma adiponectin or inflammatory markers.

Background Altered fat distribution and chronic inflammation are found in both persons living with HIV (PLWH) and persons with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) and are known risk factors for CVD. We aimed to investigate if a synergistic effect of HIV infection and DM2 was found on fat distribution and inflammation. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed including PLWH with HIV RNA <200 copies/mL (18 with DM2 (HIV + DM2+), 18 without DM2 (HIV + DM2-)) and uninfected persons (19 with DM2 (HIV-DM2+) and 25 without DM2 (HIV-DM2-)). We measured fat distribution using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan. Plasma concentrations of adiponectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF- α) and soluble CD14 (sCD14) was measured using snap-frozen plasma. Results HIV+DM2+ and HIV+DM2- had comparable trunk/limb fat ratio. In contrast, HIV+DM2+ had a higher trunk/ limb fat ratio than HIV-DM2+ and HIV-DM2- (p=0.013 and p<0.001, respectively). However, HIV+DM2+ and HIV-DM2+ had comparable amount of trunk fat mass (kg) (p=0.254). A lower concentration of plasma adiponectin and higher concentration of IL-6 was found in HIV+DM2+ than in HIV+DM2-(p=0.037 and p=0.039) and in HIV-DM2- (p=0.001 and p=0.012). In contrast, plasma adiponectin and IL-6 concentrations were comparable in HIV+DM2+ and HIV-DM2+ (p=0.345 and p=0.825). Concentration of sCD14 was comparable in HIV+DM2+ and HIV+DM2–(p=0.850), but elevated in HIV+DM2+ compared to HIV-DM2+ (p<0.001) and HIV-DM2- (p=0.007). No statistical interactions were found between HIV infection and DM2 for any of the depending variables. Conclusion A synergistic effect of HIV and DM2 was not found for any of the outcomes. However, HIV+DM2+ had features related to both HIV infection and DM2+ with a high trunk/limb ratio, high trunk fat mass, low concentration of plasma adiponectin and elevated concentrations of IL-6 and sCD14. This could contribute to elevated risk of CVD.

Association between lipodystrophy and length of exposure to ARTs in adult HIV-1 infected patients in Montreal

Background The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of lipodystrophy and its association to cumulative exposure to antiretroviral drugs. Method We conducted a cross sectional study in all HIV- infected patients attending the HIV clinic in the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Montréal (CHUM) with DEXA scan. Lipodystrophy was defined as a trunk/limb fat ratio ≥ 1.5. Association between cumulative exposure to antiretroviral (measured in years of use) with trunk/limb fat ratio (coded as a continuous variable) was assessed using univariate and multivariate linear regression for each antiretroviral drug with at least 40 exposed patients. Results One hundred sixty-six patients were included. Seventy-five percent were male, median age was 56 years, 67% were Caucasian. Overall, prevalence of lipodystrophy was 47%, with a mean trunk/limb fat ratio of 1.87, SD = 1.03, min = 0.6 and max = 5.87. Each 10-year increase in age and HIV infection duration was associated with an average increase of 0.24 and 0.34 for the trunk/limb fat ratio respectively. (p = 0.003, p = 0.002, respectively) Patients classified as lipodystrophic were more likely to be diabetic (50 vs. 28%, p = 0.07) and to have dyslipidemia (47 vs. 19%, p = 0.01). According to viral load at DEXA test, each one log increase was associated with less probability (0.7) of lipodystrophy. (p = 0.01) Among ARV drugs tested, there was an association between years of use of d4T, ritonavir and raltegravir and higher trunk/limb fat ratio (indicating more lipodystrophy) (p < 0.05). Conclusion Lipodystrophy is very common in HIV infected patients and is correlated with duration of some new antiretroviral drugs.

Changes in segmentation and setation along the anterior/posterior axis of the homonomous trunk limbs of a remipede (Crustacea, Arthropoda)

This study describes the segmentation and setation at different developmental stages of the homonomous trunk limbs of the remipedeSpeleonectes tulumensisYager, 1987 collected in anchialine caves of the Yucatan Peninsula. Most homonomous trunk limbs originate ventrolaterally and are composed of two protopodal segments, three exopodal segments and four endopodal segments; contralateral limb pairs are united by a sternal bar. However, the last few posterior limbs originate ventrally, are smaller sized, and have regressively fewer segments, suggesting that limb development passes through several intermediate steps beginning with a limb bud. A terminal stage of development is proposed for specimens on which the posterior somite bears a simple bilobate limb bud, and the adjacent somite bears a limb with a protopod comprised of a coxapod and basipod, and with three exopodal and four endopodal segments. On each trunk limb there are 20 serially homologous groups of setae, and the numbers of setae on different limbs usually varies. These groups of setae are arranged linearly and are identified based on the morphology of the setae and their position on the segments. The number of setae in these groups increases gradually from the anterior homonomous limb to a maximum between limbs 8–12; the number then decreases sharply on the more posterior limbs. Changes in the number of setae, which reach a maximum between trunk limbs 8–12, differ from changes in segmentation which vary only over the last few posterior trunk limbs. Following a vector analysis that identified a spatial pattern for these 20 groups of setae among the different homonomous limbs, the hypothesis was confirmed that the number of setae in any given group and any given limb is correlated with the group, with the position of the somite along the body axis, and with the number of somites present on the specimens. This is the first vector analysis used to analyze a pattern of developmental changes in serially homologs of an arthropod. Development of remipede limbs are compared and contrasted with similar copepod limbs. Architecture, particularly the sternal bar uniting contralateral limb pairs, proposed as homologous, and development of trunk limb segmentation of the remipede is generally similar to that of copepods, but the remipede limb differs in several ways including an additional endopodal segment, the proximal, that appears simultaneously with the protopod during development.

Phylogenetic insights into the Anomopoda, mainly derived from a comparative study of trunk limb 1

The P1 in a clade formed by the radopods and daphniid-like families of the anomopods nicely reflects the evolution that has occurred in the order. The Gondwanotrichidae are the only family that has a remnant of an exopodite, but in several other families an exopodite seta is still preserved. The primitive Gondwanothrix has a total of 20 setae on its surface, a number that decreases in the 11 families considered to a minimum of 9 in Moina salina Daday, 1888. Radopods plus Daphniid families are housed in a new suborder, the Mixopoda. The three daphniid families themselves belong in the new infraorder Verripoda. The P1 of the Radopoda has a basal inflexion and a gnathobase; the Verripoda have lost both. Even in the most advanced Mixopoda, the P1 still shows evidence of at least four endite segments. This is no longer the case in the Bosminidae and Ilyocryptidae, which also have ejector hooks in the apical instead of the basal position on the limb. The building blocks of the limb in the latter families are not identifiable. Both families appear old and probably merit to be classified as suborders.