Why do females care more than males?

Females tend to provide more parental care than males. Previous efforts to account for this have been confused because it is difficult to express the costs of care for males and females in the same currency. Here I propose a null model that does so, using the Fisherian constraint that total male and female reproduction must be equal. The model shows that, contrary to a number of recent analyses, lower probability of parentage for males does tend to make males less likely than females to provide care. It also shows how sexual selection stemming from premating asymmetries in investment promotes similar post-mating asymmetries.     

Effect of Capacity for Care on cat admission trends at the Guelph Humane Society, 2011–2015

In recent years, there has been a growing concern regarding populations of cats who are homeless. Shelters are constantly overwhelmed by the influx of cats without caregivers and are seeking solutions to enhance positive outcomes for them. In 2014, the Guelph Humane Society implemented a population management program to expedite the movement of cats through the shelter by decreasing the average nonhuman animal’s length of stay using scheduled intakes to control for overcrowding and by implementing strategies to increase adoption rates. This study investigated the time trends in admission rates of cats to the Guelph Humane Society to assess the effectiveness of a population management program called Capacity for Care using a generalized linear autoregressive moving average model. From January 2011 to December 2015, a total of 3295 live cats were admitted to the Guelph Humane Society. When the analysis was adjusted to account for admissions of kittens, there was a significant reduction in admissions for adult cats (p < .01) following the introduction of the population management program. The results also showed a strong seasonal peak in total admissions during the summer months.     

卡马西平降解菌的筛选及降解特性研究

药品和个人护理品类污染物日益成为新兴污染物研究的重点, 药品卡马西平因具有多种药效被广泛使用, 在环境中频繁被检出, 且浓度较高, 不易去除, 通常作为环境中药品和个人护理品污染状况的指示化合物。本研究从某制药厂的污水处理厂中分离到一株细菌HY-7, 能以卡马西平为唯一碳源、氮源和能源生长, 通过生理生化以及16S rDNA、gyrB基因序列分析鉴定并命名为Acinetobacter sp. HY-7。该菌株生长和降解卡马西平的最适条件为25°C和pH 6.0, 经HPLC分析10 d内能将初始浓度为20 mg/L的卡马西平降解48%。菌株HY-7还能以邻苯二酚、吲哚、萘、蒽等芳香族化合物为唯一碳源生长。     

Evaluación de las complicaciones clínicas de los pacientes con fractura de cadera y sus factores asociados en una Unidad de Agudos de Ortogeriatría

Introduction

The incidence of clinical complications in hip fracture (HF) patients is high and variable due to their heterogeneous nature. The aim of the study was to assess the clinical complications and their associated factors in HF patients admitted to the Orthopaedic Geriatric Unit of a 283 bed University Hospital. An average of 200 HF patients is attended yearly.

Mapa de la enfermedad de Alzheimer y otras demencias en España. Proyecto MapEA

Introduction

In the current context of increased life expectancy and progressive aging of the population a very significant increase in the number of people with cognitive impairment and dementia is expected.Consequently, Spain will face an enormous social and health problem in the next decades. The Mapa de la enfermedad de Alzheimer y otras demencias en España project aims to analyse plans, prevention and early diagnosis activities, process of care and resources available across the 17 Spanish regions for the management of cognitive impairment and dementia in order to identify improvement areas, as well as to provide a list of recommendations.

对重症医学科进修生的临床教学体会

重症医学在我国发展较为滞后,多数重症医学科医生来自于其他专业,缺乏重症医学专业知识及临床实践经验。建立完善、科学、有效的重症医学科进修生管理和培养模式对于进一步提高危重症救治专业人才的水平至关重要。我科室通过总结多年的进修生教学经验,以"病例分析学习(case based learning,CBL)+多学科协作(multiple department team,MDT)"教学模式为主导,以病例幻灯竞赛为契机激发进修医生学习的主观能动性;以专业英语为特色;重视临床科研教学;制定规范化培训制度,实行导师负责制,开展定期考核。显著提高了重症医学科进修生的医疗及科研水平。     

Comparison of life tables between the solitary eumenid waspAnterhynchium flavomarginatum and the subsocial eumenid waspOrancistrocerus drewseni to evaluate the adaptive significance of maternal care

I compared life tables between the solitary eumenid wasp Anterhynchium flavomarginatumSmith and the subsocial eumenid wasp Orancistrocerus drewseniSaussure in Kyoto, Japan, during 1980–1983. The subsocial eumenid is parthenogenetic in this study area. There were 9 identified mortality factors in the solitary eumenid and 7 in the subsocial eumenid, 6 of which were common to the two eumenids. The important differences of mortality between the two eumenids were seen in the egg, larval, and prepupal stages. In the egg stage, mortality by the phorid fly Megaselia sp. was much lower in the subsocial eumenid (1.4%) than in the solitary eumenid (15.0%) likely because of the matenal care of the subsocial eumenid (progressive provisioning and other related behavior), which reduced predation pressure. In the larval stage, mortality by the miltogrammine fly Amobia distorta was also lower in the subsocial eumenid (8.1%) than in the solitary eumenid (23.8%) also probably because of the maternal care of the subsocial eumenid. A comparison of mortality in the two eumenids between the stable, long continuing natural nest sites and the additional temporal ones showed that the phorid fly remained near its birth place and parasitized stable nest sites. The miltogrammine fly followed returning eumenid wasps and parasitized those nest sites that have a high host density. In the prepupal stage, mortality by endogenous death was higher in the subsocial eumenid than in the solitary eumenid. Mortality due to the rhipiphorid beetle was also higher in the subsocial eumenid probably due to more frequent flower-visits by the subsocial eumenid. The defense mechanism of the subsocial eumenid was discussed in relation to the evolution of subsociality.     

Government regulation of nonhuman primate facilities

Myriad international, federal, and state laws, regulations, rules, guidelines, and standards directly affect the activities of all nonhuman primate research facilities. Federal regulations alone encompass every aspect of facility operations. They govern the procurement, possession, handling, care, and utilization of nonhuman primates, the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of the facility, and the occupational and environmental protection afforded not only facility personnel, but also the general public. Proper management of a nonhuman primate facility depends on continual monitoring of constantly changing laws and regulations applicable to the type of facility operated and research conducted. An in-house compliance assurance program is necessary to assure conformance with pertinent regulations.     

Characterization of the C584R variant in the mtDNA depletion syndrome gene FBXL4, reveals a novel role for FBXL4 as a regulator of mitochondrial fusion

Mutations in FBXL4 (F-Box and Leucine rich repeat protein 4), a nuclear-encoded mitochondrial protein with an unknown function, cause mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome. We report two siblings, from consanguineous parents, harbouring a previously uncharacterized homozygous variant in FBXL4 (c.1750 T > C; p.Cys584Arg). Both patients presented with encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and cardiac hypertrophy, which are reported features of FBXL4 impairment. Remarkably, dichloroacetate (DCA) administration to the younger sibling improved metabolic acidosis and reversed cardiac hypertrophy. Characterization of FBXL4 patient fibroblasts revealed severe bioenergetic defects, mtDNA depletion, fragmentation of mitochondrial networks, and abnormalities in mtDNA nucleoids. These phenotypes, observed with other pathogenic FBXL4 variants, confirm the pathogenicity of the p.Cys584Arg variant. Although treating FBXL4 fibroblasts with DCA improved extracellular acidification, in line with reduced lactate levels in patients, DCA treatment did not improve any of the other mitochondrial functions. Nonetheless, we highlight DCA as a potentially effective drug for the management of elevated lactate and cardiomyopathy in patients with pathogenic FBXL4 variants. Finally, as the exact mechanism through which FBXL4 mutations lead to mtDNA depletion was unknown, we tested the hypothesis that FBXL4 promotes mitochondrial fusion. Using a photo-activatable GFP fusion assay, we found reduced mitochondrial fusion rates in cells harbouring a pathogenic FBXL4 variant. Meanwhile, overexpression of wildtype FBXL4, but not the p.Cys584Arg variant, promoted mitochondrial hyperfusion. Thus, we have uncovered a novel function for FBXL4 in promoting mitochondrial fusion, providing important mechanistic insights into the pathogenic mechanism underlying FBXL4 dysfunction.     

Clinical effects of an optimised care program with telehealth in heart failure patients in a community hospital in the Netherlands

Background

Our hypothesis was that telehealth in combination with an optimised care program coordinated amongst care professionals in primary, secondary and tertiary care can achieve beneficial outcomes in heart failure. The objective was to evaluate the clinical effects of introduction of telehealth in an optimised care program in a community hospital in the north of the Netherlands.

Methods

We compared the number of unplanned admissions for heart failure in the year before and after adding telehealth to the optimised care program. Furthermore, blood pressure and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels were evaluated at baseline and 3, 6 and 12 months after telehealth. Quality of life and knowledge about the disease were regularly evaluated via surveys on the telehealth system.

Findings

The number of unplanned admissions for heart failure decreased from on average 1.29 to 0.31 admissions per year after telehealth introduction. Blood pressure decreased independent of medication and NT-proBNP levels improved as well. Quality of life increased during the telehealth intervention and disease knowledge remained high throughout the follow-up period. Unplanned admissions that remained after telehealth introduction could be accurately predicted at baseline by a multivariate regression model.