bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Management swing potential for bioenergy crops
Authors: Davis Sarah C. , Boddey Robert M. , Alves Bruno J. R. , Cowie Annette L. , George Brendan H. , Ogle Stephen M. , Smith Pete , van Noordwijk Meine , van Wijk Mark T.
Published: January 2013

Bioenergy crops are often classified (and subsequently regulated) according to species that have been evaluated as environmentally beneficial or detrimental, but in practice, management decisions rather than species per se can determine the overall environmental impact of a bioenergy production system. Here, we review the greenhouse gas balance and ‘management swing potential’ of seven different bioenergy cropping systems in temperate and tropical regions. Prior land use, harvesting techniques, harvest timing, and fertilization are among the key management considerations that can swing the greenhouse gas balance of bioenergy from positive to negative or the reverse. Although the management swing potential is substantial for many cropping systems, there are some species (e.g., soybean) that have such low bioenergy yield potentials that the environmental impact is unlikely to be reversed by management. High‐yielding bioenergy crops (e.g., corn, sugarcane, Miscanthus, and fast‐growing tree species), however, can be managed for environmental benefits or losses, suggesting that the bioenergy sector would be better informed by incorporating management‐based evaluations into classifications of bioenergy feedstocks.
Characteristics of Helicobacter pylori‐positive and Helicobacter pylori‐negative gastric mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and their influence on clinical outcome
Authors: Choi Yoon Jin , Kim Nayoung , Paik Jin Ho , Kim Jung Mogg , Lee Sang Hyub , Park Young Soo , Hwang Jin‐Hyeok , Kim Jin‐Wook , Jeong Sook‐Hyang , Lee Dong Ho , Jung Hyun Chae
Published: January 2013

Background

To compare clinicopathologic and molecular characteristics of low‐grade gastric mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma depending on Helicobacter pylori positivity and to find out a predictive factor for unresponsiveness to Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy in Korea.

Methods

A total of 53 Helicobacter pylori‐positive and 13 negative mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma patients were enrolled, and tissues from 21 patients were investigated to examine the presence of t(11;18)(q21;q21) with fluorescence in situ hybridization. Clinicopathologic features such as the endoscopic appearance, dominant site of lesion, depth of invasion, clinical stage, and the existence of MALT1 gene rearrangement were compared between these two groups. Fifty‐six patients who underwent H. pylori eradication therapy were divided into responder and nonresponder groups. The two groups were analyzed to calculate odds ratios for resistance to the eradication.

Results

Helicobacter pylori‐negative gastric mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma patients averaged a more advanced clinical stage than H. pylori‐positive (p = .023) patients. The frequency of t(11;18)/API2‐MALT1 did not differ between H. pylori‐positive (45.5%) and H. pylori‐negative cases (55.6%). Thirty‐eight of 51 (74.5%) H. pylori‐positive patients achieved complete regression after the eradication, while 2 of 5 (40%) H. pylori‐negative patients obtained regression. Presence of lesions in both distal and proximal parts of stomach (p = .041) and bearing of t(11;18)(q21;q21) (p = .007) were predictors for nonresponsiveness for H. pylori eradication.

Conclusions

Helicobacter pylori eradication could be performed as a primary therapy regardless of H. pylori status, and assessing t(11;18)/API2‐MALT1 would be considered after failure to remission by H. pylori eradication.
Medieval Domestic Devotion
Authors: Deane Jennifer Kolpacoff
Published: January 2013

For generations, scholars of history, religion, anthropology, theology and other disciplines have pored over texts, artifacts, and ritual behaviors, seeking to understand better the nature of medieval religious experience. Yet until recently, the intriguing intersections of home and the holy during the Middle Ages received little sustained attention – a circumstance due to issues of both limited sources and historiographical emphasis. Informed by interdisciplinary contributions from gender studies, anthropology, spatial studies, and other fields, however, recent research has cast new light on how medieval women and men constructed and enacted devotional practice in domestic spaces. This article introduces readers to both the historical and historiographical patterns shaping current understandings of domestic devotion during the Middle Ages. After a brief survey of key scholarly shifts in the late twentieth century that set the stage for new approaches, focus turns to ways in which medieval people encountered the sacred at home: these include prayer, reading (devotional books and books of hours), and the use of material objects in spiritual practice such as relics, rosaries, and portable altars. The final section suggests several possible directions for future research.
An improved mouse model that rapidly develops fibrosis in non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis
Authors: Matsumoto Masahiko , Hada Natsuko , Sakamaki Yoshiyuki , Uno Akiko , Shiga Toshihiko , Tanaka Chiaki , Ito Tsuneo , Katsume Asao , Sudoh Masayuki
Published: January 2013

Non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive fibrotic disease, the pathogenesis of which has not been fully elucidated. One of the most common models used in NASH research is a nutritional model where NASH is induced by feeding a diet deficient in both methionine and choline. However, the dietary methionine‐/choline‐deficient model in mice can cause severe weight loss and liver atrophy, which are not characteristics of NASH seen in human patients. Exclusive, long‐term feeding with a high‐fat diet (HFD) produced fatty liver and obesity in mice, but the HFD for several months did not affect fibrosis. We aimed to establish a mouse model of NASH with fibrosis by optimizing the methionine content in the HFD. Male mice were fed a choline‐deficient, L‐amino acid‐defined, high‐fat diet (CDAHFD) consisting of 60 kcal% fat and 0.1% methionine by weight. After 1–14 weeks of being fed CDAHFD, the mice were killed. C57BL/6J mice maintained or gained weight when fed CDAHFD, while A/J mice showed a steady decline in body weight (of up to 20% of initial weight). In both strains of mice, plasma levels of alanine aminotransferase increased from week 1, when hepatic steatosis was also observed. By week 6, C57BL/6J mice had developed enlarged fatty liver with fibrosis as assessed by Masson's trichrome staining and by hydroxyproline assay. Therefore, this improved CDAHFD model may be a mouse model of rapidly progressive liver fibrosis and be potentially useful for better understanding human NASH disease and in the development of efficient therapies for this condition.
Improvement of erectile function in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia undergoing transurethral plasmakinetic resection of the prostate
Authors: Zhang Hai‐Min , Zheng Jun‐Hua , Xu Yun‐Fei , Peng Bo , Yan Yang , Gao Qi‐Ruo
Published: January 2013

Objective

Although transurethral resection of the prostate remains the gold standard surgical treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia, transurethral plasmakinetic resection of the prostate has become a popular alternative. This study investigated the effects of plasmakinetic resection of the prostate on erectile function.

Methods

A total of 400 patients that underwent plasmakinetic resection of the prostate or transurethral resection of the prostate were prospectively enrolled in this study. Of these, 384 patients met the inclusion criteria. One experienced surgeon carried out all the procedures. The International Prostate Symptom Score, International Index of Erectile Function‐5, maximum flow rate and ultrasound postvoid residual volume were determined, and evaluated preoperatively and at 12 months postoperatively. Prostate‐specific antigen, age and prostate volume of each patient were recorded.

Results

The median International Index of Erectile Function‐5 score of plasmakinetic resection of the prostate patients significantly increased from 8.0 (interquartile range 7.0–9.0) preoperatively to 21.0 (19.0–22.0) at 12 months postoperatively (P < 0.05). The score of plasmakinetic resection of the prostate patients was significantly higher than that of the transurethral resection of the prostate group (P < 0.05); however, the International Prostate Symptom Score of the plasmakinetic resection of the prostate group was not significantly different from that of the transurethral resection of the prostate group (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

A significant improvement in erectile function can be observed at 12 months in patients undergoing plasmakinetic resection of the prostate. Despite these encouraging findings, the effects of plasma kinetic resection of the prostate on erectile function remain to be further studied.
Radical prostatectomy in high‐risk prostate cancer
Authors: Ischia Joseph , Gleave Martin
Published: January 2013

One consistent finding in the studies regarding treating men with prostate cancer is that men with high‐risk disease have the most to gain from treatment with curative intent. Men with high‐risk or locally‐advanced prostate cancer require treatment to the primary cancer or risk dying prematurely from their disease. Increasingly, combined androgen deprivation therapy + radiation treatment is seen as the standard treatment as a result of prospective studies in this space, and the perceived increased morbidity of radical prostatectomy in the setting of a “low” cure rate as monotherapy. In the absence of a well‐conducted randomized trial, there is no definite evidence that one treatment is superior to the other. The advantages of radical prostatectomy are that it provides excellent local control of the primary tumor without an increase in morbidity, accurately stages the disease to guide further therapy, and removes benign sources of prostate‐specific antigen so that failures can be promptly identified and subsequent treatment can be initiated in a timely manner. Although several guidelines recommend radiation treatment over radical prostatectomy as first‐line treatment, there is no evidence that surgery is inferior and radical prostatectomy should remain part of any informed discussion regarding treatment options for men with high‐risk prostate cancer.
Post‐chemotherapy nerve‐sparing laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection in stage IIB testicular cancer
Authors: Kimura Yasunori , Nakamura Terukazu , Kawauchi Akihiro , Kawabata Gaku , Hongo Fumiya , Miki Tsuneharu
Published: January 2013

We report our experience of extraperitoneal nerve‐sparing laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection after chemotherapy. Six patients were diagnosed with non‐seminomatous germ cell tumor after orchiectomy and clinical stage IIB disease. Nerve‐sparing laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection was carried out for residual retroperitoneal tumors after cisplatin‐based chemotherapy. The median tumor diameter was 2.95 cm before chemotherapy and 1.95 cm after chemotherapy. A modified left (n = 1), right (n = 1) and bilateral (n = 4) template for the dissection area was used. Surgery was successfully completed in all patients and no conversion to open surgery was necessary. Median operative time was 394 min (range 212–526 min). Median blood loss was 75 mL (range 10–238 mL). The overall complication rate was 33.3% (2/6). Two patients had prolonged lymphatic leakage (grade I), which was managed conservatively. Antegrade ejaculation was preserved in all six patients. The histopathological findings showed that two patients had mature teratoma and four patients had necrotic tissue. After a median follow up of 30 months (range 24–36), no recurrence of disease was observed. We can conclude that extraperitoneal nerve‐sparing laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for residual tumors after chemotherapy is a feasible operation. The oncological outcomes need to be confirmed in a certain number of patients with longer follow up.
Interventions for women exposed to acute intimate partner violence: emergency professionals’ perspective
Authors: Leppäkoski Tuija , Paavilainen Eija
Published: January 2013

Aims and objectives.  To examine interventions and practices carried out by the emergency department professionals.

Background.  Developing the related practices provides an opportunity for early intervention in women exposed to intimate partner violence who visit the emergency department.

Design.  The descriptive, cross‐sectional multi‐centre designed study with a convenience sample was used to acquire more information to illustrate the situation of intervening in intimate partner violence at Finnish emergency departments.

Participants.  A total of 24‐hour emergency departments from all over Finland participated in the study.

Methods.  Research materials were collected by questionnaires given to emergency department professionals (n = 950) and 51% were returned.

Data analysis.  The data were analysed using quantitative methods. Chi‐square test was used to test the statistical significance of the data. A p‐value of <0·05 was considered to indicate statistical significance of each analysis.

Results.  The findings of this study reveal that the emergency department professionals who had common practices and written procedures for handling intimate partner violence reported having helped both women and perpetrators more often than those without. Good cooperation with different help providers, opportunities to consult them and training received facilitated intervention methods.

Conclusions.  There is a need for more effective change of information and cooperation with different help providers concerning how to act with women and their family members in intimate partner violence situations. Emergency department professionals do not know enough about the legislation concerning intimate partner violence and their professional duty, e.g. if a child’s health and well‐being are in danger.

Relevance to clinical practice.  This information can be utilised in research, professional education, further training and practical work and when planning the prevention of intimate partner violence.
External Carotid Dissection and External Carotid Proatlantal Intersegmental Artery with Subclavian Steal Prompting External Carotid and Subclavian Artery Stenting
Authors: Abla Adib A. , Kan Peter , Jahshan Shady , Dumont Travis M. , Levy Elad I. , Siddiqui Adnan H.
Published: January 2013

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The authors describe a case of a proatlantal intersegmental artery seen in the setting of external carotid artery dissection and subclavian steal due to proximal subclavian artery stenosis.

METHODS

An 83‐year‐old woman presented with left homonymous hemianopsia and a right posterior cerebral artery distribution stroke. She was found to have severe left subclavian artery stenosis proximal to the vertebral artery (VA) and an occluded contralateral VA. Doppler ultrasonography and angiography both showed a dissection of the proximal left external carotid artery. Left common carotid artery angiography also demonstrated a connection between the external carotid and vertebral arteries at the C1 level with anterograde flow into the vertebrobasilar system and retrograde flow toward the vertebral origin, consistent with subclavian steal.

RESULTS

The patient underwent successful stenting of the subclavian and external carotid arteries with resolution of anterograde flow in the left VA.

CONCLUSIONS

This case represents an interesting presentation of both subclavian steal and an external carotid artery to VA anastomosis. Also, the presence of a dissection of the external carotid artery represents a rare finding.
A role for two‐pore potassium (K2P) channels in endometrial epithelial function
Authors: Patel Suraj K. , Jackson Leigh , Warren Averil Y. , Arya Pratibha , Shaw Robert W. , Khan Raheela N.
Published: January 2013

The human endometrial epithelium is pivotal to menstrual cycle progression, implantation and early pregnancy. Endometrial function is directly regulated by local factors that include pH, oxygen tension and ion concentrations to generate an environment conducive to fertilization. A superfamily of potassium channels characterized by two‐pore domains (K2P) and encoded by KCNK genes is implicated in the control of the cell resting membrane potential through the generation of leak currents and modulation by various physicochemical stimuli. The aims of the study were to determine the expression and function of K2P channel subtypes in proliferative and secretory phase endometrium obtained from normo‐ovulatory women and in an endometrial cancer cell line. Using immunochemical methods, real‐time qRT‐PCR proliferation assays and electrophysiology. Our results demonstrate mRNA for several K2P channel subtypes in human endometrium with molecular expression of TREK‐1 shown to be higher in proliferative than secretory phase endometrium (P < 0.001). The K2P channel blockers methanandamide, lidocaine, zinc and curcumin had antiproliferative effects (P < 0.01) in an endometrial epithelial cancer cell line indicating a role for TASK and TREK‐1 channels in proliferation. Tetraethylammonium‐ and 4‐aminopyridine‐insensitive outwards currents were inhibited at all voltages by reducing extracellular pH from 7.4 to 6.6. Higher expression of TREK‐1 expression in proliferative phase endometrium may, in part, underlie linked to increased cell division. The effects of pH and a lack of effect of non‐specific channel blockers of voltage‐gated potassium channels imply a role for K2P channels in the regulation of human endometrial function.
Epigenetic regulation of Thy‐1 gene expression by histone modification is involved in lipopolysaccharide‐induced lung fibroblast proliferation
Authors: He Zhengyu , Wang Xiangrui , Deng Yuxiao , Li Wen , Chen Yongming , Xing Shunpeng , Zhao Xianyuan , Ding Jia , Gao Yuan
Published: January 2013

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by aberrant proliferation and activation of lung fibroblasts. Epigenetic regulation of thymocyte differentiation antigen 1 (Thy‐1) is associated with lung fibroblast phenotype transformation that results in aberrant cell proliferation. However, it is not clear whether the epigenetic regulation of Thy‐1 expression is required for LPS‐induced lung fibroblast proliferation. To address this issue and better understand the relative underlying mechanisms, we used mouse lung fibroblasts as model to observe the changes of Thy‐1 expression and histone deacetylation after LPS challenge. The results showed that cellular DNA synthesis, measured by BrdU incorporation, was impacted less in the early stage (24 hrs) after the challenge of LPS, but significantly increased at 48 or 72 hrs after the challenge of LPS. Meanwhile, Thy‐1 expression, which was detected by real‐time PCR and Western blot, in lung fibroblasts decreased with increased time after LPS challenge and diminished at 72 hrs. We also found that the acetylation of either histone H3 or H4 decreased in the LPS‐challenged lung fibroblasts. ChIP assay revealed that the acetylation of histone H4 (Ace‐H4) decreased in the Thy‐1 promoter region in response to LPS. In addition, all the above changes could be attenuated by depletion of TLR4 gene. Our studies indicate that epigenetic regulation of Thy‐1 gene expression by histone modification is involved in LPS‐induced lung fibroblast proliferation.
Pharmacologically active microcarriers influence VEGF‐A effects on mesenchymal stem cell survival
Authors: Penna Claudia , Perrelli Maria‐Giulia , Karam Jean‐Pierre , Angotti Carmelina , Muscari Claudio , Montero‐Menei Claudia N. , Pagliaro Pasquale
Published: January 2013

Resistance of transplanted mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in post‐ischemic heart is limited by their poor vitality. Vascular‐endothelial‐growth‐factor‐A (VEGF‐A) as such or slowly released by fibronectin‐coated pharmacologically‐active‐microcarriers (FN‐PAM‐VEGF) could differently affect survival kinases and anti‐apoptotic mediator (e.g. Bcl‐2). Therefore VEGF‐A or FN‐PAM‐VEGF could differently enhance cell proliferation, and/or resistance to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) of MSCs. To test these hypotheses MSCs were incubated for 6‐days with VEGF‐A alone or with FN‐PAM‐VEGF. In addition, MSCs pre‐treated for 24‐hrs with VEGF‐A or FN‐PAM‐VEGF were subsequently exposed to H/R (72‐hrs 3% O2 and 3‐hrs of reoxygenation). Cell‐proliferation and post‐hypoxic vitality were determined. Kinases were studied at 30‐min., 1‐ and 3‐days of treatment. Cell‐proliferation increased about twofold (P < 0.01) 6‐days after VEGF‐A treatment, but by a lesser extent (55% increase) with FN‐PAM‐VEGF (P < 0.05). While MSC pre‐treatment with VEGF‐A confirmed cell‐proliferation, pre‐treatment with FN‐PAM‐VEGF protected MSCs against H/R. In the early phase of treatments, VEGF‐A increased phospho‐Akt, phospho‐ERK‐1/2 and phospho‐PKCε compared to the untreated cells or FN‐PAM‐VEGF. Afterword, kinase phosphorylations were higher with VGEF, except for ERK‐1/2, which was similarly increased by both treatments at 3 days. Only FN‐PAM‐VEGF significantly increased Bcl‐2 levels. After H/R, lactate dehydrogenase release and cleaved Caspase‐3 levels were mainly reduced by FN‐PAM‐VEGF. While VEGF‐A enhances MSC proliferation in normoxia, FN‐PAM‐VEGF mainly hampers post‐hypoxic MSC death. These different effects underscore the necessity of approaches suited to the various conditions. The use of FN‐PAM‐VEGF could be considered as a novel approach for enhancing MSC survival and regeneration in hostile environment of post‐ischemic tissues.
Pregnancy outcome following bariatric surgery
Authors: Khan Rahat , Dawlatly Bashir , Chappatte Oliver
Published: January 2013

Key content

There is an exponential increase in the number of morbidly obese women of childbearing age undergoing bariatric surgery as the ultimate treatment for their obesity.

Pregnancy after bariatric surgery is safer, with fewer complications, than pregnancy in morbidly obese women.

Patients should be strongly advised not to get pregnant for at least 12–18 months following bariatric surgery.

Multidisciplinary care before, during and after pregnancy following bariatric surgery helps to prevent nutrition‐related and surgical complications.

Learning objectives

To outline the safety, advantages and limitations of bariatric surgery procedures in relation to maternal and neonatal outcomes.

To understand that the key to a healthy pregnancy after weight‐loss surgery is paying attention to nutrition.

To learn the importance of the multidisciplinary management of post‐surgery pregnancies, including prepregnancy counselling.

Ethical issues

Often GPs and obstetricians are not fully informed about the management of pregnant individuals who have had bariatric surgery.

There are no recommendations that detail the nutrients that women should consume during pregnancy if they have had previous weight loss surgery.

A literature review demonstrates both positive and negative associations of weight loss procedures with fertility.
Management of postpartum hypertension
Authors: Smith Marie , Waugh Jason , Nelson‐Piercy Catherine
Published: January 2013

Key content

Appropriate treatment of postnatal hypertension is essential to prevent maternal morbidity and mortality from cerebral haemorrhage.

Women with pre‐eclampsia remain at risk of serious complications following delivery and should continue to be monitored as an inpatient for at least 72 hours.

Compared with the antenatal period, a wider choice of antihypertensive agents are available to prescribe for the postnatal patient. An understanding of the basic pharmacology and risk–benefit profiles of each agent will facilitate patient‐centred prescribing.

Following discharge, the community team should be given clear guidelines for ongoing management of hypertension. A hospital postnatal appointment should be offered to discuss future pregnancy and cardiovascular risk.

Learning objectives

Review postpartum cardiovascular physiology following normal and hypertensive pregnancies.

Demonstrate the principles of management and a suggested approach to management of postpartum hypertension based on NICE guidance.

Discuss antihypertensive agents prescribed for women in the postpartum period.
Assessment of the infertile male
Authors: Karavolos Stamatios , Stewart Jane , Evbuomwan Isaac , McEleny Kevin , Aird Ian
Published: January 2013

Key content

Male factors alone account for up to 30% of subfertile couples undergoing in vitro fertilisation.

Male infertility may be due to problems with sperm production or transport and also sexual dysfunction. The underlying cause in most cases is idiopathic.

Modifiable lifestyle factors can have an impact on male fertility, but medical treatments have a limited value in enhancing semen quality. Most treatments are based on assisted fertilisation techniques, rather than treatment of the underlying cause.

The number and quality of sperm that can be recovered, either from the ejaculate or surgically, determines the available options for assisted conception.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is considered relatively safe; however, because of the ability to bypass natural barriers to conception, there are concerns regarding its potential to transmit genetic defects.

Learning objectives

To review appropriate practice in the assessment and investigation of the infertile male.

To critically appraise the currently available investigations for male fertility.

To summarise the treatment options for subfertile men.

Ethical issues

Does ICSI propagate genetic causes of male infertility?

Could there ever be a role for the use of artificial sperm in assisted reproduction?
Methods for specimen removal from the peritoneal cavity after laparoscopic excision
Authors: Stavroulis Andreas , Memtsa Maria , Yoong Wai
Published: January 2013

Key content

Mini laparotomy (suprapubic, transumbilical, ancillary port‐site) and posterior colpotomy are methods that have been used for the removal of specimens excised laparoscopically, with the use of morcellators and endoscopic bags growing in popularity in recent years.

The size, cystic versus solid component and the risk of malignancy are essential factors influencing the route of specimen retrieval. The risk of spillage (especially in suspected early malignancy) has to be considered during excision and retrieval.

Natural orifice transluminal endoscopy (NOTES) may be the operative and retrieval route of the future.

Learning objectives

To be aware of the different methods and routes of retrieving laparoscopically excised specimens.

To be aware of the risks associated with each method and route.

To review the factors that will influence the optimal choice of route and method.

Ethical issues

In the age of specialisation, a clinician who is not specially trained in operative laparoscopic surgery should not be practicing it. To minimise complications, the excision and retrieval of specimens via minimally invasive incisions should be limited to specially trained individuals.
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
Authors: Prakash Alka , Mathur Raj
Published: January 2013

Key content

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is characterised by ovarian enlargement, increased vascular permeability and fluid shift.

Patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or previous history of OHSS are at increased risk.

A reduced risk of OHSS is seen with use of gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone antagonist instead of agonist, coasting of overstimulated cycles, metformin in women with PCOS and dopamine agonists.

OHSS is likely to be more severe and prolonged in cycles where conception occurs.

Patients of severe OHSS require close monitoring of fluid balance, thromboprophylaxis and attention to effusions.

Learning objectives

To identify patients and cycles at high risk of OHSS and apply preventative measures.

To assess and classify the severity of OHSS.

To manage cases of severe OHSS.

Ethical issues

How do we counsel patients about the risk of an uncommon serious complication of fertility treatment in the face of an overwhelming desire to have a family?

Should the risk of OHSS be considered a reason to restrict funding for assisted conception treatment?
High variability in results of semen analysis in andrology laboratories in Tuscany (Italy): the experience of an external quality control (EQC) programme
Authors: Filimberti E. , Degl'Innocenti S. , Borsotti M. , Quercioli M. , Piomboni P. , Natali I. , Fino M. G. , Caglieresi C. , Criscuoli L. , Gandini L. , Biggeri A. , Maggi M , Baldi E.
Published: January 2013

We report the results of the first three trials of an external quality control (EQC) programme performed in 71 laboratories executing semen analysis in Tuscany Region (Italy). At the end of the second trial, participants were invited to attend a teaching course illustrating and inviting to adhere to procedures recommended by WHO (V edition). Results of the first three trials of the EQC documented a huge variability in the procedures and the results. The highest variability was found for morphology (CV above 80% for all the trials), followed by count (CV of about 60% for all the trials) and motility (CV below 30% for all the trials). When results of sperm count and morphology were divided according to the used method, mean CV values did not show significant differences. CV for morphology dropped significantly at the third trial for most methods, indicating the usefulness of the teaching course for morphology assessment. Conversely, no differences were observed after the course for motility and for most methods to evaluate count, although CV values were lower at the second and third trial for the laboratories using the Burker cytometer. When results were divided according to tertiles of activity, the lowest mean bias values (difference between each laboratory result and the median value of the results) for count and morphology were observed for laboratories in the third tertile (performing over 200 semen analysis/year). Of interest, mean bias values for concentration dropped significantly at the third trial for low activity laboratories. In conclusion, lack of agreement of results of semen analysis in Tuscany is mainly because of the activity and the experience of the laboratory. Our study points out the importance of participating in EQC programmes and periodical teaching courses as well as the use of WHO recommended standardized procedures to increase precision and to allow the use of WHO reference values.
Evolution of acoustic and visual signals in Asian barbets
Authors: Gonzalez‐Voyer A. , den Tex R.‐J. , Castelló A. , Leonard J. A.
Published: January 2013

The study of animal communication systems is an important step towards gaining greater understanding of the processes influencing diversification because signals often play an important role in mate choice and can lead to reproductive isolation. Signal evolution can be influenced by a diversity of factors such as biophysical constraints on the emitter, the signalling environment, or selection to avoid heterospecific matings. Furthermore, because signals can be costly to produce, trade‐offs may exist between different types of signals. Here, we apply phylogenetic comparative analyses to study the evolution of acoustic and visual signals in Asian barbets, a clade of non‐Passerine, forest‐dependent birds. Our results suggest that evolution of acoustic and visual signals in barbets is influenced by diverse factors, such as morphology and signalling environment, suggesting a potential effect of sensory drive. We found no trade‐offs between visual and acoustic signals. Quite to the contrary, more colourful species sing significantly longer songs. Song characteristics presented distinct patterns of evolution. Song frequency diverged early on and the rate of evolution of this trait appears to be constrained by body size. On the other hand, characteristics associated with length of the song presented evidence for more recent divergence. Finally, our results indicate that there is a spatial component to the evolution of visual signals, and that visual signals are more divergent between closely related taxa than acoustic signals. Hence, visual signals in these species could play a role in speciation or reinforcement of reproductive isolation following secondary contacts.
Costs of growing up as a subordinate sibling are passed to the next generation in blue‐footed boobies
Authors: Drummond H. , Rodríguez C.
Published: January 2013

As stresses in early development may generate costs in adult life, sibling competition and conflict in infancy are expected to diminish the reproductive value of surviving low‐status members of broods and litters. We analysed delayed costs to blue‐footed booby fledglings,Sula nebouxii, of junior status in the brood, which involves aggressive subordination, food deprivation and elevated corticosterone, but little or no deficit in size at fledging. In ten cohorts observed for up to 16 years, juniors showed no deficit in breeding success at any age, independent of lifespan, including in a sample of sibling pairs. Among females, juniors actually outreproduced seniors across the 16‐year span. However, offspring produced by juniors in the first 3 years of life were less likely to recruit into the breeding population than offspring of seniors. Since junior fledglings survive, recruit and compete as well as seniors (shown earlier), and breed as successfully as seniors across the lifespan, it appears the delayed cost of subordination is passed to offspring, and only to those few offspring produced in the first 3 years of life. These correlational results indicate that systematic competition‐related differences in developmental conditions of infant siblings can alter their reproductive value by affecting the viability of their eventual offspring.
Microcephaly genes and the evolution of sexual dimorphism in primate brain size
Authors: Montgomery S. H. , Mundy N. I.
Published: January 2013

Microcephaly genes are amongst the most intensively studied genes with candidate roles in brain evolution. Early controversies surrounded the suggestion that they experienced differential selection pressures in different human populations, but several association studies failed to find any link between variation in microcephaly genes and brain size in humans. Recently, however, sex‐dependent associations were found between variation in three microcephaly genes and human brain size, suggesting that these genes could contribute to the evolution of sexually dimorphic traits in the brain. Here, we test the hypothesis that microcephaly genes contribute to the evolution of sexual dimorphism in brain mass across anthropoid primates using a comparative approach. The results suggest a link between selection pressures acting on MCPH1 and CENPJ and different scores of sexual dimorphism.
Long‐term panmixia in a cosmopolitan Indo‐Pacific coral reef fish and a nebulous genetic boundary with its broadly sympatric sister species
Authors: Horne J. B. , van Herwerden L.
Published: January 2013

Phylogeographical studies have shown that some shallow‐water marine organisms, such as certain coral reef fishes, lack spatial population structure at oceanic scales, despite vast distances of pelagic habitat between reefs and other dispersal barriers. However, whether these dispersive widespread taxa constitute long‐term panmictic populations across their species ranges remains unknown. Conventional phylogeographical inferences frequently fail to distinguish between long‐term panmixia and metapopulations connected by gene flow. Moreover, marine organisms have notoriously large effective population sizes that confound population structure detection. Therefore, at what spatial scale marine populations experience independent evolutionary trajectories and ultimately species divergence is still unclear. Here, we present a phylogeographical study of a cosmopolitan Indo‐Pacific coral reef fish Naso hexacanthus and its sister species Naso caesius, using two mtDNA and two nDNA markers. The purpose of this study was two‐fold: first, to test for broad‐scale panmixia in N. hexacanthus by fitting the data to various phylogeographical models within a Bayesian statistical framework, and second, to explore patterns of genetic divergence between the two broadly sympatric species. We report that N. hexacanthus shows little population structure across the Indo‐Pacific and a range‐wide, long‐term panmictic population model best fit the data. Hence, this species presently comprises a single evolutionary unit across much of the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. Naso hexacanthus and N. caesius were not reciprocally monophyletic in the mtDNA markers but showed varying degrees of population level divergence in the two nuclear introns. Overall, patterns are consistent with secondary introgression following a period of isolation, which may be attributed to oceanographic conditions of the mid to late Pleistocene, when these two species appear to have diverged.
Genetic polymorphism at the cytochrome oxidase I gene in mediterranean populations of Batrocera Oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: Matallanas B. , Lantero E. , M'Saad M. , Callejas C. , Ochando M. D.
Published: January 2013

The tephritid Bactrocera oleae (Gmelin) is a harmful pest of olive crops that cause important agricultural and economic losses in the Mediterranean area where 90% of the world olive trees are cultivated. The knowledge of the genetic diversity in insect pest species populations is critical for decisions concerning appropriate control management strategies. In the present work, the genetic variability within and among 7 populations ‐five from Spain, one from Italy and one from Tunisia‐, was assessed by sequencing 1151 bp of the COI gene. A total of 21 haplotypes were observed. The intraspecific diversity was high, particularly in the Spanish populations (haplotype and nucleotide diversity 0.84 and 0.00137, respectively). However, the genetic differentiation among the populations was low in the case of Spanish ones (Fst between 0 and 0.041), and higher –and statistically significant– when comparing with the Italian and Tunisian samples. The haplotypes distribution and the PCoA analysis show three clear groups of populations: Spanish, Italian and Tunisian. The results might indicate the length of time elapsed since B. oleae became established in the Mediterranean region, the large effective sizes expected of its populations and the high gene flow among Iberian populations. The information could be relevant for integrated control programmes coordination.
Immunostimulation of Salmo salar L., and its effect on Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Krøyer) P‐glycoprotein mRNA expression following subsequent emamectin benzoate exposure
Authors: Igboeli O O , Purcell S L , Wotton H , Poley J , Burka J F , Fast M D
Published: January 2013

Control of sea lice, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, on farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, relies heavily on chemotherapeutants. However, reduced efficacy of many treatments and need for integrated sea lice management plans require innovative strategies. Resistance to emamectin benzoate (EMB), a major sea lice parasiticide, has been linked with P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) expression. We hypothesized that host immunostimulation would complement EMB treatment outcome. Lepeophtheirus salmonis‐infected Atlantic salmon were fed immunostimulatory or control feeds. Sea lice were collected for 24‐h EMB bioassays 1 and 2 weeks prior to commencement of EMB treatment of the fish. Two weeks after cessation of immunostimulant‐treated feed, EMB was administered at 150 μg kg−1 fish biomass for 7 days. The bioassay revealed stage, gender and immunostimulant‐related differences in EMB EC50. Sea lice attached to salmon with a history of immunostimulation exhibited significantly greater survival than those on control feeds, despite similar levels of EMB in host tissues. Lepeophtheirus salmonis from salmon with a history of immunostimulation also exhibited higher P‐gp mRNA expression as well as greater survivability compared to controls. Administration of immunostimulants prior to EMB treatment caused increased expression of P‐gp mRNA which could have consequently caused decreased efficacy of the parasiticide.
Viral susceptibility, transfection and growth of SPB – a fish neural progenitor cell line from the brain of snubnose pompano, Trachinotus blochii (Lacépède)
Authors: Wen C‐M , Ku C‐C , Wang C‐S
Published: January 2013

This study investigates the susceptibilities of the SPB cell line to fish viruses including giant seaperch iridovirus (GSIV‐K1), red sea bream iridovirus (RSIV‐Ku), grouper nervous necrosis virus (GNNV‐K1), chum salmon reovirus (CSV) and eel herpesvirus (HVA). GSIV‐K1, RSIV‐Ku and CSV replicated well in SPB cells, with a significant cytopathic effect and virus production. However, the cells were HVA and GNNV refractory. To examine the ability of SPB cells to stably express foreign protein, expression vectors encoding GNNV B1 and B2 fused to enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and GSIV ORF35L fused to DsRed were constructed and introduced by transfection into SPB cells. Stable transfectants displayed different morphologies compared with SPB and with each other. EGFP‐B1 was predominantly localized in the nuclei, EFPF‐B2 was distributed throughout the cytoplasm and nucleus, and granular 35L‐DsRed was localized with secreted vesicles. The expression of EFPF‐B2 in SPB cells produced blebs on the surface, but the cells showing stable expression of EGFP, EGFP‐B1 or 35L‐DsRed showed normal morphologies. Results show the SPB cells and the transfected cells grow well at temperatures between 20 and 35 °C and with serum‐dependent growth. SPB cells are suitable for studies on foreign protein expression and virology.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Outcomes in Hospitalized Community‐Dwelling Individuals and Nursing Home Residents Based on Activities of Daily Living
Authors: Abbo Elmer D. , Yuen Trevor C. , Buhrmester Luke , Geocadin Romergryko , Volandes Angelo E. , Siddique Juned , Edelson Dana P.
Published: January 2013

Objectives

To determine whether poor functional status is associated with worse outcomes after attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Design

Retrospective study of individuals who experienced cardiac arrest stratified according to dependence in activities of daily living (ADLs) and residential status (nursing home (NH) or community dwelling).

Setting

Two hundred thirty‐five hospitals throughout North America.

Participants

Adult inpatients aged 65 and older who had experienced a cardiac arrest as reported to the Get with the Guidelines—Resuscitation registry between 2000 and 2008.

Measurements

Primary outcomes were return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival to discharge.

Results

Twenty‐six thousand three hundred twenty‐nine individuals who experienced cardiac arrest met inclusion criteria. NH residents dependent in ADLs had a lower odds than community‐dwelling independent participants of achieving ROSC (odds ratio (OR) = 0.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.63–0.85), whereas participants dependent in ADLs from either residential setting had lower odds of survival (community‐dwelling: OR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.63–0.92; NH: OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.64–0.96) after adjusting for participant and arrest characteristics. Duration of resuscitation and doses of epinephrine or vasopressin were similar between groups and had no significant effect on ROSC or survival, although participants dependent in ADLs were more likely to have a do‐not‐resuscitate (DNR) order placed after ROSC. Overall, median time to signing a DNR order after resuscitation was 10 hours (interquartile range 2–70).

Conclusion

Functional and residential status are important predictors of survival after in‐hospital cardiac arrest. Contrary to the hypothesis but reassuring from a quality‐of‐care perspective, less‐aggressive attempts at resuscitation do not appear to contribute to poorer outcomes in individuals dependent in ADL, regardless of residential status.
National Trends in Emergency Department Use, Care Patterns, and Quality of Care of Older Adults in the United States
Authors: Pines Jesse M. , Mullins Peter M. , Cooper James K. , Feng Lisa B. , Roth Katalin E.
Published: January 2013

Objectives

To describe trends in use of emergency departments (EDs) of older adults, reasons for visits, resource use, and quality of care.

Design

Analysis of the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.

Setting

U.S. emergency departments from 2001 to 2009.

Participants

Individuals aged 65 and older visiting U.S. EDs.

Measurements

Emergency departments (ED) visits by patients aged 65 and older were identified, and demographic, clinical, and resource use characteristics and outcomes were assessed.

Results

From 2001 to 2009, annual visits increased from 15.9 to 19.8 million, a 24.5% increase. Numbers of outpatients grew less than hospital admissions (20.2% vs 33.1%); intensive care unit admissions increased 131.3%. Reasons for visits were unchanged during the study; the top complaints were chest pain, dyspnea, and abdominal pain. Resource intensity grew dramatically: computed tomography 167.0%, urinalyses 87.1%, cardiac monitoring 79.3%, intravenous fluid administration 59.8%, blood tests 44.1%, electrocardiogram use 43.4%, procedures 38.3%, and radiographic imaging 36.4%. From 2005 to 2009, magnetic resonance imaging use grew 84.6%. The proportion receiving a potentially inappropriate medication decreased from 9.6% in 2001 to 4.9% in 2009, whereas the proportion seen in the ED, discharged, and subsequently readmitted to the hospital rose from 2.0% to 4.2%.

Conclusion

Older adults accounted for 156 million ED visits in the United States from 2001 to 2009, with steady increases in visits and resource use across the study period. Hospital admissions grew faster than outpatient visits. If changes in primary care do not affect these trends, facilities will need to plan to accommodate increasingly greater demands for ED and hospital services.
Chronological transition of mitochondrial morphology in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Chlorophyceae) poststationary phase growth1
Authors: Aoyama Hiroaki , Kuroiwa Tsuneyoshi , Nakamura Soichi
Published: January 2013

In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii P. A. Dangeard, mitochondrial morphology has been observed during asexual cell division cycle, gamete and zygote formation, zygote maturation, and meiotic stages. However, the chronological transition of mitochondrial morphology after the stationary phase of vegetative growth, defined as the poststationary phase, remains unknown. Here, we examined the mitochondrial morphology in cells cultured for 4 months on agar plates to study mitochondrial dynamics in the poststationary phase. Fluorescence microscopy showed that the intricate thread‐like structure of mitochondria gradually changed into a granular structure via fragmentation after the stationary phase in cultures of about 1 week of age. The number of mitochondrial nucleoids decreased from about 30 per cell at 1 week to about five per cell after 4 months of culture. The mitochondrial oxygen consumption decreased exponentially, but the mitochondria retained their membrane potential. The total quantity of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of cells at 4 months decreased to 20% of that at 1 week. However, the mitochondrial genomic DNA length was unchanged, as intermediate lengths were not detected. In cells in which the total mtDNA amount was reduced artificially to 16% after treatment with 5‐fluoro‐2‐deoxyuridine (FdUrd) for 1 week, the mitochondria remained as thread‐like structures. The oxygen consumption rate of these cells corresponded to that of untreated cells at 1 week of culture. This suggests that a decrease in mtDNA does not directly induce the fragmentation of mitochondria. The results suggest that during the late poststationary phase, mitochondria converge to a minimum unit of a granular structure with a mitochondrial nucleoid.