Persistence of social jetlag and sleep disruption in healthy young adults

Sleep disruption has been associated with increased risks for several major chronic diseases that develop over decades. Differences in sleep/wake timing between work and free days can result in the development of social jetlag (SJL), a chronic misalignment between a person’s preferred sleep/wake schedule and sleep/wake timing imposed by his/her work schedule. Only a few studies have examined the persistence of SJL or sleep disruption over time. This prospective investigation examined SJL and sleep characteristics over a 2-year period to evaluate whether SJL or poor sleep were chronic conditions during the study period. SJL and sleep measures (total sleep time [TST], sleep onset latency [SOL], wake after sleep onset [WASO]), and sleep efficiency [SE]), were derived from armband monitoring among 390 healthy men and women 21–35 years old. Participants wore the armband for periods of 4–10 days at 6-month intervals during the follow-up period (N = 1431 repeated observations).

The consistency of SJL or sleep disruption over time was analyzed using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) for repeated measures. Repeated measures latent class analysis (RMLCA) was then used to identify subgroups among the study participants with different sleep trajectories over time. Individuals in each latent group were compared using GLMMs to identify personal characteristics that differed among the latent groups.

Minor changes in mean SJL, chronotype, or TST were observed over time, whereas no statistically significant changes in SOL, WASO, or SE were observed during the study period. The RMLCA identified two groups of SJL that remained consistent throughout the study (low SJL, mean ± SE: 0.4 ± 0.04 h, 42% of the study population; and high SJL, 1.4 ± 0.03 h, 58%). Those in the SJL group with higher values tended to be employed and have an evening chronotype.

Similarly, two distinct subgroups were observed for SOL, WASO, and SE; one group with a pattern suggesting disrupted sleep over time, and another with a consistently normal sleep pattern. Analyses of TST identified three latent groups with relatively short (5.6 ± 1.0 h, 21%), intermediate (6.5 ± 1.0 h, 44%), and long (7.3 ± 1.0 h, 36%) sleep durations, all with temporally stable, linear trajectories. The results from this study suggest that sleep disturbances among young adults can persist over a 2 year period. Latent groups with poor sleep tended to be male, African American, lower income, and have an evening chronotype relative to those with more normal sleep characteristics. Characterizing the persistence of sleep disruption over time and its contributing factors could be important for understanding the role of poor sleep as a chronic disease risk factor.     

Relationships between chronotype,social jetlag,sleep, obesity and blood pressure in healthy young adults

Sleep disturbances, chronotype and social jetlag (SJL) have been associated with increased risks for major chronic diseases that take decades to develop, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Potential relationships between poor sleep, chronotype and SJL as they relate to metabolic risk factors for chronic disease have not been extensively investigated. This prospective study examined chronotype, SJL and poor sleep in relation to both obesity and elevated blood pressure among healthy young adults.

SJL and objective sleep measures (total sleep time, sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset and sleep efficiency) were derived from personal rest/activity monitoring (armband actigraphy) among 390 healthy adults 21–35 years old. Participants wore the device for 6–10 days at 6-month intervals over a 2-year period (n = 1431 repeated observations). Chronotypes were categorized into morning, intermediate and evening groups using repeated measures latent class analysis. Means of SJL and sleep measures among latent chronotype groups were compared using partial F-tests in generalized linear mixed models. Generalized linear mixed models also were used to generate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) examining the relationship between repeated measures of chronotype, SJL, sleep and concurrent anthropometric outcome measures (body mass index, percentage of body fat, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio), systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure.

Sleep latency ≥12 min was associated with increased odds of a high waist-to-height ratio (OR = 1.37; CI: 1.03–1.84). Neither chronotype nor SJL was independently associated with anthropometric outcomes or with blood pressure. Relationships between poor sleep and anthropometric outcomes or blood pressure varied by chronotype. Morning types with total sleep time <6 h, sleep efficiency <85% or wake after sleep onset ≥60 min were more likely to have an increased percentage of body fat, waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-height ratio relative to those with an intermediate chronotype. Similarly, sleep latency ≥12 min was associated with increased odds of elevated systolic blood pressure (OR = 1.90; CI: 1.15–3.16, p_interaction = 0.02) among morning versus intermediate chronotypes. No relationships between poor sleep and obesity or elevated blood pressure were observed among evening chronotypes.

The results from this study among healthy young adults suggest that poor sleep among morning types may be more strongly associated with obesity and elevated blood pressure relative to those with an intermediate (neutral) chronotype. Sleep-related metabolic alterations among different chronotypes warrant further investigation.     

Seasonal effects on the sleep–wake cycle,the rest–activity rhythm and quality of life for Japanese and Thai older people

Background: The sleep-wake cycle and the rest–activity rhythm are known to change with aging, and such changes have been implicated in higher levels of depression as well as an increased incidence of dementia. However, information supporting seasonal changes in the sleep–wake cycle, the rest–activity rhythm and quality of life in older community-dwelling people remains insufficient. The aim of the present study was to prospectively investigate seasonal effects on the sleep–wake cycle, the rest–activity rhythm and quality of life among older people living in areas of Japan or Thailand with different climate classifications.

Method: The survey was conducted from March 2016 to May 2017, and 109 participants were recruited from Japan and Thailand: 47 older people living in Akita prefecture, Japan, and 62 older people living in Chiang Mai or Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. According to the Köppen–Geiger classification of Asian climates comprising tropical, desert, steppe, temperate and subarctic climates, Akita prefecture, which is located in northern Japan, is classified as a humid subarctic climate, while the Thai study areas are classified as tropical savanna. To monitor parameters of the sleep–wake cycle during nighttime (e.g. total sleep time, sleep latency, sleep efficiency, awaking time and frequency of sleep interruptions) and to calculate parameters of the rest–activity rhythm over the 24 h profile (e.g., interdaily stability, intradaily variability, relative amplitude, mean of least active 5 h period and mean of most active 10 h period), all the participants from both countries wore an Actiwatch 2 device on their nondominant wrist continuously for 7 days during each local season. The World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) was also assessed during each local season.

Results: The final sample size was 37 older people living in Akita prefecture, Japan, and 44 older people living in Thailand; these subjects completed the data collections during each local season. The dropout rates were 21% in Japan and 29% in Thailand. The results for the Japanese subjects showed a significantly shorter sleep time with higher levels of activity during the nighttime on summer (p < 0.001) and a fragmented rest–activity rhythm over the 24 h profile on winter (p < 0.001). The older Thai participants exhibited a poor state of night sleeping year-round, and a significant relationship was observed between seasonal variations in motor activity and the social domain of WHOQOL-BREF for each Thai season (|r| = 0.4, p < 0.01).

Conclusion: These findings provide new and important information regarding seasonal effects on the sleep–wake cycle, the rest–activity rhythm and quality of life in older community-dwelling people living in two different Asian climates. Consequently, clinical preventions targeting such seasonal variations might be useful for improving the quality of life of older Japanese and Thai individuals.     

The endogenous circadian pacemaker imparts a scale-invariant pattern of heart rate fluctuations across time scales spanning minutes to 24 hours

Heartbeat fluctuations in mammals display a robust temporal structure characterized by scale-invariant/fractal patterns. These scale-invariant patterns likely confer physiological advantage because they change with cardiovascular disease and these changes are associated with reduced survival. Models of physical systems imply that to produce scale-invariant patterns, factors influencing the system at different time scales must be coupled via a network of feedback interactions. A similar cardiac control network is hypothesized to be responsible for the scale-invariant pattern in heartbeat dynamics, although the essential network components have not been determined. Here is shown that scale-invariant cardiac control occurs across time scales from minutes to approximately 24 h, and that lesioning the mammalian circadian pacemaker (suprachiasmatic nucleus; SCN) completely abolishes the scale-invariant pattern at time scales>or approximately 4 h. At time scales相似文献   

Bright light exposure before bedtime impairs response inhibition the following morning: a non-randomized crossover study

Introduction: Bright light exposure in the late evening can affect cognitive function the following morning either by changing the biological clock and/or disturbing sleep, but the evidence for this effect is scarce, and the underlying mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we first aimed to evaluate the effect of bright light exposure before bedtime on frontal lobe activity the following morning using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during a Go/NoGo task. Second, we aimed to evaluate the effects of bright light exposure before bedtime on polysomnographic measures and on a frontal lobe function test the following morning.

Methods: Twenty healthy, young males (mean age, 25.5 years) were recruited between September 2013 and August 2014. They were first exposed to control light (150 lux) before bedtime (from 20:00 h to 24:00 h) for 2 days and then to bright light (1,000 lux) before bedtime for an additional 5 days. We performed polysomnography (PSG) on the final night of each light exposure period (on nights 2 and night 7) and performed NIRS, which measures the concentrations of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin (OxyHb and DeoxyHb, respectively), coupled with a Go/NoGo task the following morning (between 09:30 h and 11:30 h). The participants also completed frontal lobe function tests the following morning.

Results: NIRS showed decreased hemodynamic activity (lower OxyHb and a tendency toward higher DeoxyHb concentration) in the right frontal lobe during the NoGo block after 1000-lux light exposure compared with that during the NoGo block after 150-lux light exposure. The commission error rate (ER) during the Go/NoGo task was higher after 1000-lux light exposure than that during the Go/NoGo task after 150-lux light exposure (1.24 ± 1.09 vs. 0.6 ± 0.69, P = 0.002), suggesting a reduced inhibitory response.

Conclusion: This study shows that exposure to bright light before bedtime for 5 days impairs right frontal lobe activation and response inhibition the following morning.     

Effects of night shift on the cognitive load of physicians and urinary steroid hormone profiles – a randomized crossover trial

Mental and physical stress is common in physicians during night shifts. Neurocognitive effects of sleep deprivation as well as alterations in hormonal and metabolic parameters have previously been described. The aim of this crossover study was to evaluate the effects of night-shift work with partial sleep deprivation on steroid hormone excretion and possible associations with mood, sleep characteristics and cognitive functions in physicians.

In total, 34 physicians (mean age 42 ± 8.5 years, 76.5% male) from different departments of the General Hospital of Vienna, Austria, were randomly assigned to two conditions: a regular day shift (8 h on duty, condition 1) and a continuous day-night shift (24 h on duty, condition 2). In both conditions, physicians collected a 24 h urine sample for steroid hormone concentration analysis and further completed psychological tests, including the sleep questionnaire (SF-A), the questionnaire for mental state (MDBF) and the computer-assisted visual memory test (FVW) before and at the end of their shifts, respectively.

Although mean sleep deprivation during night shift was relatively small (~1.5 h) the impairment in participants’ mental state was high in all three dimensions (mood, vigilance and agitation, p ≤ 0.001). Sleep quality (SQ), feeling of being recovered after sleep and mental balance decreased (p ≤ 0.001), whereas mental exhaustion increased (p < 0.05). Moreover, we could show a nearly linear relationship between most of these self-rating items. Testing visual memory participants made significantly more mistakes after night shift (p = 0.011), however, mostly in incorrectly identified items and not in correctly identified ones (FVW). SQ and false identified items were negatively correlated, whereas SQ and time of reaction were positively associated. It is assumed that after night shift, a tendency exists to make faster wrong decisions. SQ did not influence correctly identified items in FVW. In contrast to previous investigations, we found that only excretion rates for pregnanetriol and androsterone/etiocholanolone ratios (p < 0.05, respectively) were slightly reduced in 24-h urine samples after night shift. A considerable stimulation of the adrenocortical axis could not be affirmed. In general, dehydroepiandrosteron (DHEA) was negatively associated with the sense of recreation after sleep and with the time of reaction and positively correlated with correctly identified items in the FVW test.

These results, on the one hand, are in line with previous findings indicating that stress and sleep deprivation suppress gonadal steroids, but, on the other hand, do not imply significant adrenocortical-axis stimulation (e.g. an increase of cortisol) during the day-night shift.     

Effect of grazing removal on aboveground vegetation and soil seed bank composition in sub-alpine grasslands of northern Iran

Background: Knowledge about vegetation and soil seed bank composition and the processes that contribute to vegetation recovery after the removal of heavy grazing is lacking in sub-alpine ecosystems.

Aims: In order to assess the effects of large herbivores on above-ground vegetation (AGV) and soil seed bank (SSB) characteristics, intensively sheep-grazed areas were compared to adjacent areas where grazing had been removed 10 years previously in a sub-alpine grassland of northern Iran.

Methods: A total of 40 4-m² (2 m × 2 m) plots were established in each treatment, and soil samples were collected from each plot within a depth of 10 cm. Plant species composition was determined for each plot during the flowering stage of herbaceous species in June 2011. The seedling emergence method was used to estimate SSB composition.

Results: A total of 45 species (23 annuals and 22 perennials) emerged from the soil samples of the grazed area, while the number of species emerged from the soil samples of the previously grazing area was 76 (37 annuals and 39 perennials). The removal of grazing led to a significant increase in species richness and seed density in the SSB. Species turnover of AGV was higher, and that of the SSB was similar for grazed areas compared with areas that were formerly grazed. Detrended correspondence analysis ordination of AGV composition showed a clearly separate structure between grazed plots and plots where grazing has been removed, while the segregation was less clear for SSB composition.

Conclusions: We concluded that restoration of locally degraded sites cannot rely on the SSB when grazing is stopped simultaneously and unvegetated gaps are colonised by vegetative growth rather than by seed.     

Epidemiology of objectively measured bedtime and chronotype in US adolescents and adults: NHANES 2003–2006

Background: We propose a method for estimating the timing of in-bed intervals using objective data in a large representative US sample, and quantify the association between these intervals and age, sex, and day of the week.

Methods: The study included 11,951 participants 6 years and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2006, who wore accelerometers to measure physical activity for seven consecutive days. Participants were instructed to remove the device just before the nighttime sleep period and put it back on immediately after. This nighttime period of non-wear was defined in this paper as the objective bedtime (OBT), an objectively estimated record of the in-bed interval. For each night of the week, we estimated two measures: the duration of the OBT (OBT-D) and, as a measure of the chronotype, the midpoint of the OBT (OBT-M). We estimated day-of-the-week-specific OBT-D and OBT-M using gender-specific population percentile curves. Differences in OBT-M (chronotype) and OBT-D (the amount of time spent in bed) by age and sex were estimated using regression models.

Results: The estimates of OBT-M and their differences among age groups were consistent with the estimates of chronotype obtained via self-report in European populations. The average OBT-M varied significantly by age, while OBT-D was less variable with age. In the reference group (females, aged 17–22 years), the average OBT-M across 7 days was 4:19 AM (SD = 30 min) and the average OBT-D was 9 h 19 min (SD = 12 min). In the same age group the average OBT-D was 18 minutes shorter for males than for females, while the average OBT-M was not significantly different between males and females. The most pronounced differences were observed between OBT-M of weekday and weekend nights. In the reference group, compared to the average OBT-M of 3:50 am on Monday through Thursday nights, there was a 57-minute delay in OBT-M on Friday nights (entering the weekend), a 69-minute delay on Saturday nights (staying in the weekend), and a 23-minute delay on Sunday night (leaving the weekend). For both OBT-M and OBT-D, in most age groups and for most days of the week, there were no statistically significant differences between males and females, except for OBT-D on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with males having 31 (p-value < 0.05) and 45 (p-value < 0.05) minutes shorter OBT-D, respectively.

Conclusions: The proposed measures, OBT-D and OBT-M, provide useful information of time in bed and chronotype in NHANES 2003–2006. They identify within-week patterns of bedtime and can be used to study associations between the bedtime and the large number of health outcomes collected in NHANES 2003–2006.     

Dissolved Inorganic Carbon Inventory and CO2Sequestration in Ureolytic Biocalcification Process with Bacillus Pasteurii

The generation and depletion of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in a close-environment ureolytic biocalcification process by Bacillus pasteurii was evaluated. Three experimental sets, each containing 50 mM urea, were amended with either 50 mM Ca²⁺ before incubation (set–I) or 100 mM Ca²⁺ after 24-h incubation (set-II) or no Ca²⁺ addition (urea control).

Extent of ureolysis was maximum in urea control set (88%), followed by set–II (66.4%) and set–I (35.2%). Out of total DIC generated from microbial metabolism and ureolysis in set–I (277.6 mg/l) and set–II (464.9 mg/l), only about 54.1 mg/l and 180.1 mg/l was precipitated as CaCO₃, whereas 189.3 mg/l and 231.3 mg/l DIC escaped into headspace, respectively. Increased time separation between ureolysis and calcification steps in set–II and higher dosage of Ca²⁺ resulted in synergistic improvement in DIC capture. In a reusability test, the spent supernatant from set–II could precipitate additional amount CaCO₃from CO₂saturated water_,which was twice as much as that of the fresh media control.     

High inter-individual variability of serum xanthine oxidoreductase activity in IBD patients

Objectives: Thiopurines play an essential role in the management of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD, i.e. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis). Over the past decade, several strategies to optimize treatment with thiopurines have been evaluated, including co-administration of allopurinol, a xanthine-oxidoreductase (XO) inhibitor, to low-dose thiopurine therapy. We aimed to assess the inter-individual variability of XO-activity between IBD-patients.

Methods: We assessed XO activity in serum of IBD-patients of two medical centers in The Netherlands using the Amplex® Red Xanthine/Xanthine Oxidase Assay Kit, which measures the superoxide formation in a coupled reaction to the red-fluorescent oxidation product, resofurine.

Results: We observed a high inter-individual variability of XO-activity in 119 patients, with a median activity of 16 µU/ml/hour (range 1–85 µU/ml/hour). The XO-activity was influenced by gender (male 19.5 vs. female 14.0 µU/ml/hour, p < 0.01), patient's age (Pearson's correlation r = 0.21, p = 0.02) and duration of IBD (r = 0.23, p = 0.01). The XO activity was not affected by the type of IBD, smoking status, body mass index or (type of) thiopurine use (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: There is a high inter-individual variability of XO-activity in IBD-patients; XO-activity is positively associated with male gender and patient's age.     

Plant functional group responses in an African tropical forest recovering from disturbance

Background: Newly protected, tropical forests recovering from logging and clearance are increasingly important targets for conservation. Recovery is typically evaluated or monitored by using a few easily identified species groups, but this may not be sufficient as unmonitored groups of equivalent ecological importance are unlikely to respond in a similar manner due to physiological or dispersal differences.

Aims: We compared four groups of plants: large trees, shrubs and saplings, herbs and ferns in a forest recovering from disturbance. We quantified the relative importance of disturbance history and local environmental conditions in determining species richness and community composition of these groups and assessed whether the groups could act as surrogate indicators for one another.

Methods: Vegetation was surveyed on a gradient of disturbance intensity and recovery time (20–60 years) in Mabira Forest, Uganda. We looked for correlations between species groups in richness or composition across sites and used constrained ordinations to identify important environmental variables.

Results: Neither species richness nor composition patterns were correlated between groups. All groups were weakly related to disturbance history; trees and shrubs were related to soil, herbs to microhabitat and ferns to microclimate.

Conclusions: No group acted as an indicator for another. The relative influence of disturbance and local environmental effects varied in the manner predicted, with disturbance stronger for trees and environment stronger for ferns.     

Serum tau fragments as predictors of death or poor neurological outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Background: Anoxic brain injury is the primary cause of death after resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and prognostication is challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of two fragments of tau as serum biomarkers for neurological outcome.

Methods: Single-center sub-study of 171 patients included in the Target Temperature Management (TTM) Trial randomly assigned to TTM at 33?°C or TTM at 36?°C for 24?h after OHCA. Fragments (tau-A and tau-C) of the neuronal protein tau were measured in serum 24, 48 and 72?h after OHCA. The primary endpoint was neurological outcome.

Results: Median (quartile 1 – quartile 3) tau-A (ng/ml) values were 58 (43–71) versus 51 (43–67), 72 (57–84) versus 71 (59–82) and 76 (61–92) versus 75 (64–89) for good versus unfavourable outcome at 24, 48 and 72?h, respectively (p_group = 0.95). Median tau C (ng/ml) values were 38 (29–50) versus 36 (29–49), 49 (38–58) versus 48 (33–59) and 48 (39–59) versus 48 (36–62) (p_group = 0.95). Tau-A and tau-C did not predict neurological outcome (area under the receiver-operating curve at 48?h; tau-A: 0.51 and tau-C: 0.51).

Conclusions: Serum levels of tau fragments were unable to predict neurological outcome after OHCA.     

Vitamin D supply in shift working nurses

We studied determinants of Vitamin D in serum of 67 female health care workers (aged 25–60 years), including age, body mass index, physical activity, and shift work. Overall, vitamin D levels were low, ranging from 6 to 51 ng/mL (median: 20 ng/mL). Lower serum levels were found in samples drawn in winter and spring and in obese subjects. Shift work had only small effects on vitamin D levels.

The high prevalence of vitamin D undersupply is in line with observations from the German general population. Vitamin D supply particularly in winter and spring should be ensured to avoid health problems.     

Panel of SEREX-defined antigens for breast cancer autoantibodies profile detection

Content: Identification of panel of SEREX-defined antigens for breast cancer autoantibodies profile detection.

Objective: To create panel of antigens that can differentiate breast cancer patients and healthy individuals.

Methods: SEREX (serological analysis of cDNA expression libraries) method, ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction).

Results: In large-scale screening of 16 SEREX-antigens by sera of breast cancer patients and healthy donors, a combination of six antigens (RAD50, PARD3, SPP1, SAP30BP, NY-BR-62 and NY-CO-58) was identified, which can differentiate breast cancer patients and healthy donors with 70% sensitivity and 91% specificity. Elevated mRNA expression of SPP1 gene was revealed in breast tumors (2–7-fold) that correlated with SPP1 antigen immunoreactivity in autologous patients’ sera.

Conclusions: The new panel of six SEREX-antigens was proposed, which enables creation of serological assay for breast cancer diagnostics and/or prognosis.     

Application of Diffusive Gradient in Thin Film to Estimate Available Copper in Soil Solution

In Chile, there are several agricultural areas with soils containing high levels of copper of both anthropic and geochemical origin. The diffusive gradient in thin film (DGT) technique is a promising tool for the evaluation of the bioavailability of metals in situ in different environmental systems. The objective of this study was the preparation, validation, and application of DGT to soil solutions and soil containing copper over 1000 mg kg^?1.

The results show that a resin gel thickness of 0.3 mm gives the best reproducibility and response in the absorption of copper by DGT. The amount of copper extracted in a period of 4 h by the devices from the soil solution corresponds to 13% of the total metal present in the solution.

The DGT allowed a more representative estimation of the amount of Cu available in the soil, more in agreement with the absence of symptoms of phytotoxicity in cultivated species. This shows that the determination of available Cu by DTPA must be handled cautiously because in soils with high Cu content the amount of metal that can have direct influence on absorption by the plant is overestimated.     

Serum adenosine deaminase,catalase, and carbonic anhydrase activities in patients with renal cell carcinoma

Objectives: To determine whether serum levels of adenosine deaminase (AD), catalase (CAT), and carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzymes may be useful biomarkers in the diagnosis of renal tumors and may lead to early diagnosis of renal tumors.

Material and methods: The study included 33 patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and 31 healthy controls. The activity of serum AD, CA, and CAT was determined and analyzed using the Giusti spectrophotometric method, H₂O₂ substrate, and C0₂ hydration, respectively.

Results: Serum AD and CA activity were significantly higher in patients with RCC than in controls. However, serum CAT activity was significantly lower in patients with RCC than in controls.

Conclusion: These markers might be potentially important as an additional biochemical tool for diagnosing RCC. We believe multidisciplinary studies are needed to plan patients’ preoperative and postoperative treatment and to create follow-up protocols.     

Growth and Cadmium Phytoextraction by Swiss Chard,Maize, Rice,Noccaea caerulescens,and Alyssum murale in pH Adjusted Biosolids Amended Soils

Past applications of biosolids to soils at some locations added higher Cd levels than presently permitted. Cadmium phytoextraction would alleviate current land use constraints. Unamended farm soil, and biosolids amended farm and mine soils were obtained from a Fulton Co., IL biosolids management facility. Soils contained 0.16, 22.8, 45.3 mg Cd kg^–1 and 43.1, 482, 812 mg Zn kg^–1 respectively with initial pH 6.0, 6.1, 6.4. In greenhouse studies, Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla), a Cd-accumulator maize (inbred B37 Zea mays) and a southern France Cd-hyperaccumulator genotype of Noccaea caerulescens were tested for Cd accumulation and phytoextraction. Soil pH was adjusted from ～5.5–7.0. Additionally 100 rice (Oryza sativa) genotypes and the Ni-hyperaccumulator Alyssum murale were screened for potential phytoextraction use.

Chard suffered phytotoxicity at low pH and accumulated up to 90 mg Cd kg^–1 on the biosolids amended mine soil. The maize inbred accumulated up to 45 mg Cd kg^–1 with only mild phytotoxicity symptoms during early growth at pH > 6.0. N. caerulescens did not exhibit phytotoxicity symptoms at any pH, and accumulated up to 235 mg Cd kg^–1 in 3 months. Reharvested N. caerulescens accumulated up to 900 mg Cd kg^–1 after 10 months. Neither Alyssum nor 90% of rice genotypes survived acceptably.

Both N. caerulescens and B37 maize show promise for Cd phytoextraction in IL and require field evaluation; both plants could be utilized for nearly continuous Cd removal. Other maize inbreds may offer higher Cd phytoextraction at lower pH, and mono-cross hybrids higher shoot biomass yields. Further, maize grown only for biomass Cd maximum removal could be double-cropped.     

Urine catecholamines in children with severe Enterovirus A71 infection: comparison with paediatric septic shock

Purpose: Hypercatecholaminemia-related heart failure has been proposed as the main cause of enterovirus A71-related (EV-A71) early mortality. The purpose of this study was to measure urine catecholamine concentrations in severe EV-A71-infected children.

Methods: A total of 35 children, aged 2.5?±?2.1 years, were divided into three groups. Group I: 15 septic shock patients, group II: 17?EV-A71-stage-2 patients, and group III: 3?EV-A71-stage-4 patients. The laboratory results, cardiac biomarkers and urine catecholamine concentrations were statistically analysed.

Results: Group I had the highest C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and group II had the lowest B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and its N-terminal prohormone among the groups (p?=?0.039, <0.01 and <0.01, respectively). Group III patients had significantly higher urine catecholamine and troponin-I values among the groups. If urine epinephrine (Epi) >134 ug/gCr, norepinephrine (NE) >176 ug/gCr and vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) >11.7?mg/gCr were used as the cutoff points to differentiate groups II and III, the sensitivities and specificity were all 100%.

Conclusions: The significantly elevated urine catecholamine concentrations in EV-A71-stage-4 patients support the hypothesis that hypercatecholaminemia-related heart failure is involved in severe EV-A71 infection. Urine catecholamines could be used as reliable biomarkers for differentiation of severe EV-A71 infection with or without heart failure and septic shock.     

Productivity of the Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla required to maintain numbers

Capsule: To maintain the breeding numbers in Britain, Black-legged Kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla need to produce a mean of 0.8–1.5 fledged young per year.

Aims: To obtain a new estimate for the number of young Kittiwakes fledged per pair required to maintain breeding numbers in Britain in the period 1985–2015 based on field data.

Methods: The annual values of productivity in the River Tyne area of northeast England are compared with the long-term increases in numbers of breeding pairs in that area. Regressions between the annual productivity and the corresponding change in breeding numbers at 12 sites in Britain are used for the periods 1985–2000 and 15 sites for 2000–15.

Results: A long series of records of the annual productivity of Kittiwakes, where breeding pairs increased progressively over 61 years, showed that an annual productivity of 1.5 young fledged per pair was an extremely rare event. Over the periods 1985–2000 and 2000–15 regressions of the change in breeding numbers against mean annual productivity for 15 sites indicated that about 0.8 fledglings per pair were needed to maintain breeding numbers and this value remained unchanged over the 30 years, suggesting that adult mortality rates had not changed over this period of time.

Conclusion: The decline of Kittiwakes in Britain has occurred because fewer than 0.8 chicks per pair have been fledged at many sites in recent years. The mortality rate of adult Kittiwakes breeding in Britain 1985–2015 does not indicate an increase over time and so is unlikely to have been a major contributor to the decline in breeding numbers.     

Beta-2-glycoprotein-1 and alpha-1-antitrypsin as urinary markers of renal cancer in von Hippel–Lindau patients

Context: Von Hippel–Lindau disease (VHLD) is a rare inherited neoplastic syndrome. Among all the VHLD-associated tumors, clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the major cause of death.

Objective: The aim of this paper is the discovery of new non-invasive biomarker for the monitoring of VHLD patients.

Materials and methods: We compared the urinary proteome of VHLD patients, ccRCC patients and healthy volunteers.

Results: Among all differentially expressed proteins, alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) and APOH (beta-2-glycoprotein-1) are strongly over-abundant only in the urine of VHLD patients with a history of ccRCC.

Discussion and conclusion: A1AT and APOH could be promising non-invasive biomarkers.